Using genomics to solve a 20-year case study After 20 years, a patient's family received an answer to a decades-long genetic mystery. Their daughter had two rare disorders, Angelman syndrome and P450scc deficiency, which was detected after researchers found out she had uniparental disomy, two copies of chromosome 15 from one parent and none from another. The research paper, entitled "Adrenal Insufficiency, Sex Reversal and Angelman Syndrome due to Uniparental Disomy Unmasking a Mutation in CYP11A1," was published on March 22, 2018, and recognized as the best novel insight paper published by Hormone Research in Paediatrics in 2018, announced at the Pediatric Endocrine Society's Annual Meeting in Baltimore on Saturday, April 27, 2019. By using a variety of genetic tools, including whole-exome sequencing, microarray analyses and in-vitro modeling for gene splicing, the researchers were able to confirm this patient had uniparental disomy, a recessive genetic condition. They learned that after she received two impaired copies of chromosome 15 from her father, this woman developed a hormonal problem that led to adrenal insufficiency and sex reversal. This explained why she physically presented as a female, despite having testes and a Y-chromosome. It also explained other symptoms, including developmental delays and seizures. "It's a unique conglomeration of symptoms, manifested by the combination of these two very rare disorders," says Andrew Dauber, M.D., MMSc., the division chief of endocrinology at Children's National Health System and a guiding research author of this study. "The advent of different technologies and techniques over the years allowed pieces of her diagnosis to be made - and then brought together, commencing a 20-year diagnostic odyssey." For example, each of the conditions this patient has is known and rare: Angelman syndrome affects about one in 10 to 20,000 people in the U.S. Typical symptoms include those observed in this patient: delayed development, intellectual disability, speech impairment and seizures. Side-chain cleavage disorder, which leads to adrenal disorders and sex reversal, is also very rare. In 2005 the chances of survival with a P450scc defect were slim, but since then more than 28 infants have been diagnosed with this gene deficiency, which is required to convert cholesterol to pregnenolone, a hormone in the adrenal gland. Dr. Dauber notes the chances of this occurring again are highly unlikely. The odds here are one in a gazillion. In this case, one disorder unmasked another, leaving researchers with new insights into the methodology for unraveling ultra-rare genetic disorders or for more common rare conditions. "Knowing about the gene that caused the adrenal insufficiency and understanding this etiology won't change medical care for this patient, but it will change the way researchers think about genetic detective work and about combining different technologies," says Dr. Dauber. "We know that genetic disorders can be complex presentations of different disorders combined. This patient didn't have one disorder, but three." When asked about the significance of the award, Dr. Dauber notes that, "It's not that other people haven't recognized this concept before, but this case is a striking example of it. Different technologies will unveil different types of genetic changes, which is why you have to use the right technology or the right technologies in the right combination to piece together the whole picture." Ahlee Kim, M.D., the lead study author and a clinical research fellow at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, will receive the award and the honorarium. Additional study authors include Masanobu Fujimoto, Ph.D., Vivian Hwa, Ph.D., and Philippe Backeljauw, M.D., from Cincinnati Children's Hospital. The research was supported by grant K23HD07335, awarded to Dr. Dauber, from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Additional funding included grant 1UL1TR001425 from the NIH's National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. ### This story has been published on: 2019-04-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. According to the Prosecutor's Office, during his tenure as Minister part of former President Alejandro Toledo's administration (2001-2006), he had approved regulations to favor the Brazilian corporation Likewise, Kuczynski is accused of money laundering offenses , acting within the framework of a criminal organization, due to the events that took place when he was Economy-Finance Minister and Prime Minister between 2002 and 2006. Brandenburg Project A youth ensemble plays Bach the way the composer heard it. by arwulf arwulf From the April, 2019 issue Even if you can't recall what any of J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concertos sound like, there's a good chance that on hearing them, you'll recognize a perky passage or at least find yourself enjoying the way this ornate, uplifting music makes you feel. Sprinkled across Washtenaw County are young people who willingly listen to such stuff and develop a passion for it. Some even make the effort to learn to play it themselves. Alden Roh-wer, 15, began playing violin when he was five. After moving to Manchester with his family, he heard about the Brandenburg Project, a youth-led Baroque ensemble based at the Community Music School of Ann Arbor. Its mission is to perform all of the concertos as they sounded in Bach's time. "I had played an easy arrangement of one of his concertos a few years back," Rohwer told the Manchester Mirror in 2016, "but this group was going to learn the real thing." The middle and high schoolers play period instruments using historic techniques. Adept students are encouraged to engage with younger, less advanced members, while master classes are led by experts. After several local concerts this month, the Brandenburgs will head for Indiana in May-they're the only youth ensemble invited to Bloomington's Early Music Festival. [Originally published in April, 2019.] CHRIS OVERLAND ADELAIDE - The tide of history is sweeping us all along and, as usual, our predictions about where we will all end up will be mostly wrong. In an Australian context, what used to be the Liberal Party is no longer speaking to or for what was once its base, being middle class Australians. Instead, it is now a party composed of the more reactionary and extreme neo-liberal elements of our community. I was a young kid back then and grew up inspired to take up a job in radio broadcasting, particularly with the NBC. For more than 40 years it has been the most effective communication medium for most ordinary citizens who benefited from its nationwide coverage. It contributed immensely to the nations independence, growth and development and stood steadfastly to promote good governance and transparency in development issues the country faces. From entertaining string band tunes, toksave segments and nationwide news coverage to the popular school broadcasts in classrooms, the National Broadcasting Corporation was the real voice of Papua New Guinea. LAE - I grew up in the 1990s listening to NBC Radio Radio Kundu which was informative and always reaching out to the population of Papua New Guinea who could afford a transmitter radio. Radio Morobe - since this building was condemned and funding dried up, the station in PNG's 'industrial heartland' has not broadcast for three months (Post-Courier) Radio Morobe was the ultimate choice for listeners all over this province. It broadcast on medium wave, shortwave and FM frequencies and reached even the rural and isolated regions of Morobe and neighbouring provinces. The Radio Morobe studio building was constructed and opened in October 1971 and since then it, like its pioneer broadcasters, have aged with time into the 21st century. The Morobe provincial government has neglected its upgrading and funding over the last 10 years or more and the building has crumbled. It was condemned in October 2018. I joined the NBC in 2015 and until now have worked among a new crop of officers and a few oldies. There are some notable areas where the Morobe provincial government has failed to assist NBC Morobe despite provincial governments being tasked to upkeep NBC radio services. There has been little or no annual funding for station operations; a tranmission tower built for NBC Morobe was taken over and managed by the provincial authority, making millions but with nothing from its revenue given to NBC Morobe; poor general maintenance and replacement of studio facilities; and transmission not reaching the wider population in remote areas. District authorities do not realise the power of communication to their people and the need to fund its reach in their electorates. Politicians and aspiring politicians make empty promises and use the radio to promote their agendas, but go into hiding when elected And now the radio station structure has been condemned by authorities as unsafe. NBC Morobe is no longer broadcasting Furthermore, NBC Morobe management and staff are now locked out of their temporary studio because bill have not been paid. The landlord is the provincial government through its business arm Morobe Sustainable Development Ltd. It has been almost six months since the NBC building was condemned by PNG Power as unsafe. Nothing concrete has been done to rebuild it despite political promises. NBC Morobe has been off-air for about three months and staff are still on the payroll without being at work. The same problem is being faced by the majority of NBC radio stations nationwide. Our people are being denied their freedom to be informed on their governments performance. And information on health, education and disaster awareness are not reaching the people. Land and resource owners are being denied their freedom of expression. The people can no longer send toksaves [announcements] to their loved ones, but are forced to pay for expensive and often poor telecommunication methods. The high cost of sea travel and road trips on deteriorating roads have cost so many lives, yet our government keeps promising the people that they will fix NBC services. As multi-million kina resource extraction projects sprout all over Morobe, our people are not informed on the positive and negative impacts to their land, sea and rivers. I hope our new communication minister Koni Iguan can fix this. His own Markham electorate cannot receive the NBC signal and the Markham valley itself is an important economic hub of this country. Adam Shapiro, co-anchor of Yahoo Finances On the Move, brings you the top headlines for Friday, April 26, 2019. FILE - Saudi Arabias Interior Ministry said Tuesday, April 23, 2019, that 37 Saudi citizens have been beheaded in a mass execution that took place across various regions of the country. Saudi King Salman ratified the executions for terrorism-related crimes by royal decree. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File) Saudi beheadings and crucifixion The United Nations is condemning the shocking mass execution carried out earlier this week in Saudi Arabia. Thirty-seven people accused of terror-related crimes were beheaded, and one was crucified as a warning to others. But some of the condemned were tortured before their confessions and insisted they were innocent. Among the dead are Mujtaba al-Sweikat, who was 17 years old when he was arrested in 2012, just before boarding a plane for the United States. He planned to study at Western Michigan University. His family says Sweikat was repeatedly beaten and held in solitary confinement up to 90 days at a time before he signed a false confession. FILE - In this March 16, 2016, file photo, American student Otto Warmbier, center, is escorted at the Supreme Court in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea on Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, said it is expelling American Bruce Byron Lowrance after he slipped unlawfully into the police state known for its anti-U.S. fervor. (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin, File) North Koreas $2,000,000 bill President Trump says no money was paid to North Korea to obtain the release of Otto Warmbier. He was the young man from Ohio who died from severe beatings while he was detained by North Korea. The Washington Post reports that North Korean submitted a $2 million bill for Warmbier's medical care. The report says the medical bill was sent to the US Treasury, but it's not clear if it was ever paid. The president tweeted "No money was paid to North Korea for Otto Warmbier, not two Million Dollars, not anything else." FILE - In this Oct. 11, 1991 file photo University of Oklahoma law professor Anita Hill testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill in Washington. Hill testified that she was "embarrassed and humiliated" by unwanted, sexually explicit comments made by Thomas when she worked for him a decade ago. (AP Photo, File) Joe Biden apologizes to Anita Hill Anita Hill says a phone call from former Vice President Joe Biden left her deeply unsatisfied. Biden announced his campaign for president Wednesday and called Hill to express his regret for events that took place in 1991 when he was a Senator chairing the Judiciary Committee. Hill testified before the committee during Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's confirmation hearing. She accused Thomas of sexual harassment, but was grilled by the all-white, all-male committee about her accusations. Hill told The New York Times, I cannot be satisfied by simply saying, Im sorry for what happened to you." Story continues Pepsico product Lays potato chips on display at a grocery store in Palo Alto, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma) Trademarked potatoes PepsiCo, which owns Lays potato chips, is suing four farmers in India, accusing them of violating trademark law. PepsiCo says the farmers are growing a type of potato used to make Lays chips, which violates agreements the company has with thousands of other farmers to grow it. CNN reports PepsiCo's Indian subsidiary, which filed the lawsuit, is pleading its case today in court despite protests from groups defending the farmers. (Refiles to change dateline to COLOMBO from SYDNEY) COLOMBO, April 26 (Reuters) - Muslims in Sri Lanka were urged to pray at home on Friday and not attend mosques or churches after the State Intelligence Services warned of possible car bomb attacks, amid fears of retaliatory violence for the Easter Sunday bombings. The U.S. embassy in Sri Lanka also urged its citizens to avoid places of worship over the coming weekend after authorities reported there could be more attacks targeting religious centres. Sri Lanka remains on edge after suicide bombing attacks on three churches and four hotels that killed 253 people and wounded about 500. The attacks have been claimed by the extremist Islamic State group. Nearly 10,000 soldiers are being deployed across the Indian Ocean island state to carry out searches and provide security for religious centres, the military said on Friday. Fears of retaliatory sectarian violence has already caused Muslim communities flee their homes amid bomb scares, lockdowns and security sweeps. The All Ceylon Jamiyathul Ullama, Sri Lanka's main Islamic religious body, urged Muslims to conduct prayers at home on Friday in case "there is a need to protect family and properties". Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith also appealed to priests not to conduct mass at churches until further notice. "Security is important," he said. Police have detained least 76 people, including foreigners from Syria and Egypt, in their investigations so far. Islamic State provided no evidence to back its claim that it was behind the attacks. If true, it would be one of the worst attacks carried out by the group outside Iraq and Syria. Islamic State released a video on Tuesday showing eight men, all but one with their faces covered, standing under a black Islamic State flag and declaring their loyalty to its leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. The Sri Lankan government said there were nine homegrown, well-educated suicide bombers, eight of whom had been identified. One was a woman. Story continues Authorities have focused their investigations on international links to two domestic Islamist groups - National Thawheed Jama'ut and Jammiyathul Millathu Ibrahim - they believe carried out the attacks. Government officials have acknowledged a major lapse in not widely sharing an intelligence warning from India before the attacks. Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando resigned over the failure to prevent the attacks. The Easter Sunday bombings shattered the relative calm that had existed in Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka since a civil war against mostly Hindu ethnic Tamil separatists ended 10 years ago. Sri Lanka's 22 million people include minority Christians, Muslims and Hindus. Until now, Christians had largely managed to avoid the worst of the island's conflict and communal tensions. Most of the victims were Sri Lankans, although authorities said at least 38 foreigners were also killed, many of them tourists sitting down to breakfast at top-end hotels when the bombers struck. They included British, U.S., Australian, Turkish, Indian, Chinese, Danish, Dutch and Portuguese nationals. Britain warned its nationals on Thursday to avoid Sri Lanka unless it was absolutely necessary because there could be more attacks. (Reporting by Sanjeev Miglani Writing by Michael Perry Editing by Paul Tait) Prince Harry stunned the world last week following the release of his wildlife snaps but now their reality has been revealed. Photo: Getty Images/instagram Prince Harry stunned the world last week with the release of his never-before-seen wildlife snaps taken during far-flung travels around the globe. But now the reality behind the dukes photography has been revealed, with a simple crop masking what led up to Harry snapping the now-famous images, shot in the African bush. One picture, taken just metres from a wild elephants trunk, left many royal watchers enthralled at the princes brave proximity to the imposing animal. But The Mail on Sunday reported the creature had actually been stunned by a tranquilliser for the duration Harry was in its presence. In fact, the publication claims each of the animals a rhino, elephant and lion which were posted on the Sussexs Instagram had been transquilised and restrained before he even came close. The majestic African elephants hind legs had been restrained by a rope a reality which was hidden from followers due to the way the picture was cropped before being uploaded as part of an Earth Day tribute. Photo: Duke of Sussex The majestic African elephants hind legs had also been restrained by a rope a reality which was hidden from followers due to the way the picture was cropped before being uploaded as part of an Earth Day tribute. Each of the snaps were taken in Malawi in mid-2016, just weeks after Harry and Meghans romantic trip to neighbouring Botswana where they say they first fell in love. We were in a floodplain I have a series of images from a different perspective depicting the elephant falling to the ground later on, field guide Frank Weitzer, who was present when the pictures were taken, told the Mail. A spokesman for the duke refused to discuss the allegations with the publication but instead claimed the choice of cropping was due to Instagrams format. The shock revelation follows reports last week that Harry and Meghans apparent close ties to the African continent could see them posted there on a multi-year royal assignment in the region. Story continues Among these ties are the gap year Harry spent in Lesotho in 2004, a World Vision trip Meghan took to Rwanda in 2016 and their now-famous trip to Botswana love was first sparked. Got a story tip? Send it to lifestyle.tips@verizonmedia.com Want more lifestyle and celebrity news? Follow Yahoo Lifestyle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Or sign up to our daily newsletter here. In the hilltop town of Ferrette near the border with Switzerland, few would expect to encounter Eritreans exploring the ruins of its medieval chateau or Chechens walking its steep narrow streets. But this tiny town in eastern France has opened its doors to asylum seekers who now represent some 10 percent of the population. As campaigning enters the final month before May's European elections, the migrant question has been a central issue across a continent sharply divided over how to handle the influx of people seeking safety in Europe. Although the flows have dropped sharply since 2015 when more than a million newcomers arrived, triggering Europe's worst migration crisis since World War II, thousands more come every week, with nearly 19,000 arrivals since the start of the year. With Europe's governments paralysed over what to do and tensions rising on the ground, there has been a surge in support for populist and far-right parties, who have used the opportunity to further anti-immigrant agendas. But not everywhere, and certainly not in Ferrette where Mayor Francois Cohendet has overseen a successful integration and says the migrants' presence there is "not an issue" but just a part of the community's normal life. Which might have been quite a challenge in this town of 740 people in the southern part of Alsace, a region where the far-right has gathered a sizeable following. Since 2016, Ferrette has permanently taken in about 80 asylum seekers -- half of them children -- from places as far-flung as Afghanistan, Sudan and Armenia. All of them are hoping to be recognised as refugees -- or at the very least, that France will grant them "subsidiary protection", the status granted to asylum seekers who do not qualify as refugees. "They told me that Alsace was an area where there was racism but I haven't felt it," says a smiling Djoe Kabuka, a Congolese national. The only thing about Ferrette, he says, is the lack of public transport and the need to travel to Mulhouse, a town 30 kilometres (18 miles) away, to find the sort of foods the refugees are used to. The other thing is the weather. "It gets very cold and very hot here," smiles Abundance, a teenager from Nigeria. - Initial hostility - It was only after a squadron of gendarmes was relocated in 2015, leaving their former barracks empty, that regional officials approached the mayor with a request to use the premises as temporary accommodation for asylum seekers. And when Cohendet accepted, he found himself on the receiving end of some stiff opposition, even from members of his staff. "The population, which was initially very resistant to the idea, has seen that everything has gone well, that these are discreet people, who keep themselves to themselves and are not aggressive," he says. Pulling out a cardboard folder, he pulls out a pile of flyers and pamphlets. Some carry angry slogans like "Not one migrant in Ferrette" or "This is our home" while others use violent language. The first to arrive were "two Sudanese with black skin, wearing sandals in the snow," he recalls. But while some were protesting, he also saw other residents joining together to help, with the emergence of a group called "Neighbours Around the World" that offered them French lessons, access to a games library, cooking classes and even lifts to the hospital. Samir Beldi, director of accommodation at the Mulhouse/Ferrette branch of Adoma, the housing authority that lodges migrants, said things had worked out well. "The volunteers managed to repair the damage after a few initial worries. There were some pre-conceived ideas but we've turned the page on that," he said. His deputy, Martine Kaufmann, concurs. "These are not 'poor people', they weren't necessarily poor back home," she explains. "Some of them have significant qualifications. There is diversity among asylum seekers." - Close ties - The huge apartments once occupied by gendarmes each host large families. The children are taught in a specially-created class at the school in Ferrette which they walk to every day, bringing youthful voices to the village streets. Inside a split-level apartment with faded yellow walls, a newly arrived Sri Lankan family with a 14-year-old boy and three-year-old twins is sharing the kitchen with an Armenian woman and her 17-year-old son. Outside the barracks, the green spaces are full of life. An Afghan boy walks arm-in-arm with his little Nigerian friend as girls climb up the gate in the playground. Some women are leaving a sewing workshop as a volunteer helps a group of studious adults conjugate French verbs. "We involve them in local life, in people's daily lives -- in Bastille Day celebrations, in New Year festivities.. Every time we can get them together with the local population we do it," says Elisabeth Schulthess, head of Neighbours Around the World. For the volunteers, though, the most frustrating aspect is the short duration of their stay as they built close ties with the exiles. Once their asylum demand is accepted, they have three months to leave the centre. Those who obtain the right to stay in France often move to Mulhouse, however, where the jobs pool is bigger. But Schulthess complains there is very little in the way of social support. In 2018, 54 percent of the 141 people who came won the status of refugee or subsidiary protection in France. The tiny hilltop town of Ferrette lies in Alsace, a region where the far-right has gathered a sizeable following Since 2016, Ferrette has permanently taken in about 80 asylum seekers -- half of them children -- from places as far-flung as Afghanistan, Sudan and Armenia For the volunteers the most frustrating aspect is the short duration of their stay as they built close ties with the exiles When Mayor Cohendet agreed to take in the refugees, he found himself on the receiving end of some stiff opposition, even from members of his staff Asylum seekers now represent some 10 percent of the population of Ferrette Residents of a Queensland town have been left disgusted by wanton destruction of a war memorial just days after Anzac Day. Mary Valley RSL Sub Branch Incorporated, based in the Gympie Region, shared photos of destroyed mementos that were left in tribute at the Imbil War Memorial. The memorial was erected to commemorate the service of Mary Valley men and women who died in service during World War II. BEFORE: Wreaths left for the Anzacs at the Imbil War Memorial. AFTER: The destruction left by vandals just days after Anzac Day. Source: Instagram/Jillian Turner & Facebook/Mary Valley RSL Sub Branch Inc. The Mary Valley RSL Sub Branch and community members went to a lot of effort to commemorate Anzac Day, the RSL wrote on Facebook. Families, schools and community groups expressed their love and memories by the laying of wreaths. To find the wreaths smashed beyond recognition and strewn throughout the park and into the public toilets is most distressing. The RSL added it shows there is no respect or thought for those who gave their all for what we enjoy today. The tributes were ripped apart and strewn across the park (left) and a toilet block (right), the RSL said. Source: Facebook/ Mary Valley RSL Sub Branch Inc. While the RSL didnt name anyone responsible it believes the vandals could have been local kids. They added they had been targeted before, and as a result had installed security cameras that may have captured the vandals. A number of residents were furious on hearing the news. No respect, one woman wrote online. Hope you find the people who did this. Disgraceful. Others added it made them feel sick, while others called the destruction of the wreaths senseless. This is absolutely disgusting, no respect at all, another woman added. Queensland Police told Yahoo News Australia the incident had not been reported to authorities. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here. New Zealand rugby star and heavyweight boxer Sonny Bill Williams has waded into an Australian political joust, calling a senator "cocky" and "racist" for vowing to ban Muslim immigration. In a tweet which has since been deleted, far-right senator Fraser Anning said the people of New South Wales were "very concerned about Muslim immigration". "My party will ban all Muslim and Black immigration and ensure safety for Australians once more," it read. Williams, a devout Muslim, responded with a tweet saying: "It's remarkable how cocky a racist can be in the today's society." Anning -- whose Conservative National Party is fielding candidates in Australia's upcoming general election -- was censured by his parliamentary peers last month for claiming the Christchurch mosques massacre resulted from New Zealand's immigration policies. The Queensland senator has long courted controversial views, and once called for a "final solution" to Australian immigration. New Zealand rugby star Sonny Bill Williams has criticised Fraser Anning for a tweet about "Muslim immigration" A daycare worker has been filmed appearing to slap a newborn baby across the face. Vicky Hsu, a mum from Taiwans capital city of Taipei, shared footage showing her four-month-old son being flipped face down by the nanny, who has yet to be named. The CCTV filmed inside the Miao Er Yuan daycare centre shows the carer appearing to slap the infant before she flips him on his back again and pushes him aside. Ms Hsu did not reveal how she came to find out about the alleged abuse, but said the creche has denied any intentional abuse, claiming the carer was simply in a bad mood. The CCTV filmed inside the Miao Er Yuan daycare centre shows the carer then appearing to slap the infant before she flips him on his back again and pushes him aside. Source: Australscope The mum turned to Taipeis Department of Social Welfare for help on April 16. Chung Ya-hui, head of the Division of Welfare Services for Women and Child Care Centers, said after reviewing the footage that the carers actions appeared rough and inappropriate. She said they would sit down with the nanny in order to determine whether her actions were indeed a one-time event, or whether she had a history of similar behaviour. Ma Chung also confirmed that the carer possessed all necessary licences to work for the privately run Miao Er Yuan creche. The Division of Welfare Services for Women and Child Care Centers confirmed that the carer possessed all necessary licences to work for the privately run Miao Er Yuan creche. Source: Australscope Ms Hsu said she is awaiting the results of the investigation, claiming she is not interested in any compensation from the daycare centre, which is still operating. I dont want a public trial for the carer, and I dont want Miao Er Yuan to close down, Ms Hsu said. All I want is for other parents to see my experience, so no babies are ever mistreated again. I also hope parents are more careful when choosing day-care centres in future. - Australscope Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here. Stabbing a teenage prisoner to death, picking off a young girl and an old man with a sniper rifle and firing a heavy machinegun into a residential area: these are some of the charges facing an elite US Navy SEAL on trial for war crimes while deployed in Iraq. Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, a decorated 39-year-old veteran of combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, is still a hero in the eyes of many Americans and the rightwing Fox News channel -- and his case may even become a factor in next year's presidential elections. Around 40 Republican members of Congress have written an open letter demanding Gallagher -- who denies the charges against him -- be set free until he stands trial. One has even called on President Donald Trump to step in and have the case dismissed. Trump has weighed in on the case on Twitter, saying that he had intervened to ensure that Gallagher -- who was nominated for the Silver Star for his service -- "will soon be moved to less restrictive confinement while he awaits his day in court." Trump said the move was made "in honor of his past service to our Country." Gallagher, a platoon commander of SEAL Team 7, will face a military tribunal at a Navy base in San Diego on May 28. He was arrested last September and has been held at the base ever since. He was arrested after men under his command in the elite Navy unit were so horrified by his actions that they complained to their superiors, but were warned that their accusations could damage their careers, according to reports in The Navy Times and The New York Times this week. Gallagher now faces charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder and obstruction of justice. He could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty. The crimes he stands accused of were committed in 2017 during a deployment in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. US special forces were fighting alongside Iraqi troops to take back parts of the town from Islamic State group fighters. His lawyer did not respond to an AFP request for comment. - 'Propaganda manna from heaven' - According to testimony at a preliminary hearing last November, members of Gallagher's Alpha platoon were so disturbed by his behavior that they tampered with his sniper rifle to make it less accurate, and would fire warning shots to make civilians flee before he could open fire on them. "They said they spent more time protecting civilians than they did fighting ISIS," Special Agent Joe Warpinski of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service told the military court. Their chief allegedly boasted about the number of people he had killed, including women, according to The New York Times. In May 2017, Iraqi troops captured a wounded teenage Islamic State fighter who appeared to be around 15 years old. Two members of the SEAL team said that as a medic was treating the fighter's wounds, Gallagher stepped up without a word and stabbed the prisoner in the neck and side several times. He then posed for a photo holding up the teenager's head in one hand and the knife in the other, the two SEALs said. He went on to stand over the youth's body and perform a re-enlistment ceremony while another member of the team held up a US flag, they said. According to the charge sheet, soldiers from his unit tried on several occasions to alert their superiors about the alleged war crimes, but without success. Seven of them said they were told they could face retaliation if they went public with the case, but finally managed to bring their concerns to a higher-ranking officer. Gallagher's commanding officer, Lieutenant Jacob Portier, reportedly posed in the photo with the dead teenager and is himself facing charges for failing to report the crimes and for destroying evidence. Navy prosecutor Chris Czaplak said Gallagher had "handed ISIS propaganda manna from heaven" by deciding to "act like the monster the terrorists accuse us of being." US special forces in the fight for Mosul in February 2017 The Navy base in San Diego where Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher is being held pending his trial for war crimes in Iraq An Iraqi sniper opens fire against ISIS fighters in the battle for Mosul in March 2017 Greece's celebration of the Orthodox Easter on Sunday, hailed by the government as a moment of hope for the post-bailout resurrection of the country, was marred by the death of a cameraman hit by a flare during a show. According to the police, the 54-year-old man was filming in a parking area in the Peloponnesian town of Kalamata when he was hit in the head. He pronounced dead in hospital, authorities told AFP. Easter is the biggest religious festival in Greece, where some 90 percent of the population is Orthodox and is celebrated with some spectacular but also dangerous customs. Millions of worshippers crammed into churches late Saturday as priests declared that "Christ is risen", sharing candle light from the "holy fire" in Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The flame arrived in Athens on board a government aircraft and was welcomed by an honour guard and band. - Hope-fuelled havoc - Greeks after mass set off firecrackers, a custom that dates from the 19th century and which is now illegal without an official permit owing to frequent accidents. The ban is flouted with homemade explosives, which are often more powerful, and in the central Athens district of Neos Kosmos, locals even threw petrol bombs to mark Christ's resurrection. On the Ionian island of Corfu, residents observed a noisy ritual at noon on Saturday, throwing huge clay pots filled with red ribbons from balconies that were also decked in red. The ruckus symbolises "the triumph of life over death" and "the hope and joy of enslaved Christians for the resurrection of their nation," folklore studies professor Dimitrios Loukatos told Athens News Agency. Elsewhere, others celebrated Easter with a more subdued but still spectacular custom. In the Peloponnese seaside town of Leonidio, hundreds of colourful paper lanterns rose into the night sky Saturday, floating like hot-air balloons with the heat from burning bits of petrol-soaked cloth. On Sunday, effigies of Judas, the disciple said to have betrayed Jesus Christ, are burned across the country. - The 'end of Greece's Calvary'- This Easter bears a special significance for the country according to the government. "We can finally be optimistic after all those difficult years. The Calvary of bailout programs is behind us," Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in his Easter message. Calvary is the hill outside Jerusalem on which Christians believe Jesus Christ was crucified. In August, Greece exited its third and final international bailout, a milestone as it tackles a crushing nine-year debt crisis. The economy is back on track and Athens is now set to borrow on financial markets without the strict conditions imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and eurozone creditors. The increase in consumer confidence reported by officials last month led Greeks to travel more. City centres were deserted as residents flocked to home villages and islands, with many expected to enjoy an extended Easter owing to this year's proximity to the May 1 Labour Day holiday. Planes, ships and trains were filled from Good Friday as the exodus reached a peak. The Greek federation of travel agents said bookings were 15 percent higher than last year, owing also to an increase in consumer confidence. In the Peloponnese town of Leonidio, colourful hot-air lanterns symbolise the ressurection of Christ People launched hundreds of colourful hot-air lanterns in Leonidio, a seaside town in the Peloponnese region Good Friday kicked off Easter weekend in Greece, with city dwellers flocking back to their home villages and islands Greek Orthodox Easter is a time when families gather to celebrate the risen Christ and share dinners of roast lamb A former lieutenant colonel at the British Army has admitted at a London court that he paid to watch and even direct Filipino children as they were being sexually assaulted over live streaming, various United Kingdom-based media reported last night (Manila time). Andrew Whiddet, 70 years old, pleaded guilty to six charges of child sexual abuse at the Croydon Crown Court, reported Birmingham Live. After he was arrested at Heathrow Airport in October 2017, Whiddet confessed to authorities that he sent 158 payments to the Philippines in exchange for watching and directing live sex shows. In one instance, Whiddet allegedly encouraged a nine-year-old Filipino girl and another under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity on cam, reported the BBC. Prior to visiting the Philippines in October 2016, Whiddet was found to have allegedly made a 25-minute phone conversation with a Filipina contact and told her that he wanted to sexually abuse the child whom she was grooming once he visits the country, according to the U.K.s anti-crime government office National Crime Agency (NCA). He allegedly told the woman to teach the Filipino child about sex and even quipped during the phone call: Yes, darling, need to open her (childs) mind. The NCA said they were able to prove that Whiddet allegedly paid the Filipino woman on the phone a total of UK8,584 (US$11,075) for facilitating his meeting with the child. The NCA also said they found messages which Whiddet allegedly sent to his Philippine contacts. One of the messages said, If I visit would you let me see [your] daughter, while another went, If I visit what [would] you allow me to do. The NCA said they have sent the information they have about Whiddetts activities to Filipino authorities, who have arrested one of his contacts. This led to the rescue of six children aged between three and 14. Whiddett allegedly began his illegal activities after he left his job as the head of security of the British Embassy in Baghdad, reported Metro. He is currently out on bail and will be sentenced on May 22. This article, Former British soldier admits he paid money to watch Filipino children sexually assaulted online, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. Want more Coconuts? Sign up for our newsletters! Potato lovers can enjoy their favourite vegetable even more by checking in to a giant model which has been turned into Airbnb accommodation. The potato weighing 6,000kg and made of steel, plaster and concrete, was toured across the United States in the back of an open bed truck to advertise what is the state of Idahos most famous crop. Potato lovers can enjoy their favourite vegetable even more by checking into a giant model which has been turned into Airbnb accommodation. Source: Australscope via Airbnb It has since been turned into a fully kitted out room by Kristie Wolfe who travelled with the potato on the truck for two seasons in 2013 and 2014 as its spokesman. The truck was only supposed to travel for a year but ended up travelling for eight before they upgraded to a new slightly smaller fibreglass version this year. The Idaho Potato Museum had shown interest in putting it on display but Ms Wolfe beat them to it. Now officially called The Potato Hotel, it is located in Boise, Idaho, and has a double bed, and a bathroom, surrounded by more than 160 hectares of farmland. The Potato Hotel it is in Boise, Idaho, has a double bed and bathroom. It is surrounded by farmland and costs from $AU284 a night plus taxes and fees. Source: Australscope via Airbnb Other than the exterior, essentially everything inside was built by Ms Wolfe, apart from hiring somebody to spray foam on the inside walls. The project took 30 days of straight work. The interior design is described as minimalistic, modern and chic. There are no windows, but there is air-conditioning and a working fireplace for winter. It costs $AU284 USD a night plus taxes and fees. The space is ideal for couples, and spans 31 square metres. Despite its small size, the potato has all the necessary plumbing one needs for a comfortable stay, which includes a wash bin set-up with hot and cold water along with a toilet the bathroom is even decked out with potted plants. The hotel has open dates for its first guests beginning at the end of May. Ive been dying to get my hands on it for seven years, but I am a little Idaho/potato obsessed, Ms Wolfe said. She said she had previous experience designing unique vacation rentals, including a tree house she built in Hawaii and a Hobbit hole listed in Washington. Story continues For a unique Airbnb experience closer to home, a Victorian $1600-a-night listing offers a bed from a deployable platform, suspended from a mountain wall, about 270 metres from the ground. - Australscope Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here. Tens of thousands of people hit Hong Kong's streets on Sunday to protest against a government plan to allow extraditions to mainland China, the crowds swollen by anger over the recent jailing of democracy leaders. The extradition proposal has already sparked large protests and mounting alarm within the city's business and legal communities who fear it will hammer the financial hub's international appeal and tangle people up in China's opaque courts. But Sunday's protest was one of the biggest in the city in recent years. The demonstration comes just days after four prominent leaders of Hong Kong's democracy movement were jailed for their role in organising mass pro-democracy protests in 2014 that brought parts of the city to a standstill for months. Demonstrators on Sunday chanted "Step down, Carrie Lam!" -- referring to the city's pro-Beijing leader, while many held the yellow umbrellas that symbolised the 2014 rallies. Fanly Leung, an accountant, told AFP it was "heartbreaking" to see the activists jailed earlier this week. "They are professors, highly knowledgable people contributing to society... They could have had a comfortable life making money and not suffer like this. It's not right to jail these good people," said Leung, 61. Zoe Yuen, 20, came with her mother, who became politically active since the 2014 Umbrella Movement protests. "At least we have done what we should do and can tell the next generation that although we may not get what we want, at least we have resisted," the university student told AFP. Some protesters dressed up as Chinese mainland police officers guarding another demonstrator standing behind a portable red cage. One held up a sign that said: "President Xi Jinping, no legalised kidnapping of Hong Kong people to China". Police said some 22,000 turned out, their highest estimate since the 2014 protests. Organisers gave a much higher figure of more than 130,000. Hong Kong has a separate legal system through the "one country, two systems" deal struck between Britain and China. Historically the city has baulked at mainland extraditions because of the opacity of China's criminal justice system and its liberal use of the death penalty. But earlier this year Hong Kong's government announced plans to overhaul its extradition rules, allowing the transfer of fugitives with mainland China, Macau and Taiwan on a "case-basis" for the first time. Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, became the latest figure to criticise the extradition proposal ahead of Sunday's protest. "Societies which believe in the rule of law do not reach agreements like this with those who do not. These changes are an assault on Hong Kong's values, stability and security," he said. "They create fear and uncertainty for business at a time when we should all be working to safeguard Hong Kong's reputation as one of the world's greatest business and financial centres," he added. The demonstration comes just days after four prominent leaders of Hong Kong's democracy movement were jailed for their role in organisingmass pro-democracy protests in 2014 Protestors dressed as Chinese police and a prisoner join the march against a government plan to allow extraditions to mainland China Historically the city has baulked at mainland extraditions because of the opacity of China's criminal justice system and its liberal use of the death penalty Hong Kong's government has announced plans to overhaul its extradition rules, allowing the transfer of fugitives with mainland China, Macau and Taiwan for the first time Italy's Five Star Movement (M5S) wants to team up with like-minded anti-establishment parties and form a new grouping within the European Parliament to wrest power from the traditional left and right, its leader said Sunday. "I don't think that the traditional parties have the potential to attain an absolute majority in the European Parliament," M5S chief Luigi di Maio said. Speaking at an event in Warsaw with Poland's populist Kukiz'15 movement and Croatia's Zivi Zid (Human Shield) party, Di Maio said the traditional differentiation between politics of the "left" and "right" was "outdated". "I prefer to distinguish between good and bad ideas," said Di Maio, who is Italy's deputy prime minister. He said his party was open to collaboration with any political movement "that comes up with good proposals." Di Maio's Polish host, the punk-rocker-turned-politician Pawel Kukiz, said his party's slogan for the EU elections would be "Poland in Europe, Europe for Poland" and that the focus of his campaign would be the fight against the "ossified elites". "We cannot accept that Europe is in the hands of the European Commission, which in reality serves the interests of two states, a sort of marriage between (French President Emmanuel) Macron and (German Chancellor) Angela Merkel," he said. Analysts have said that Italy's populist government -- comprised of Di Maio's M5S and the far-right League -- is on its last legs, with the two parties bitterly at war since taking power last June. Italy's Five Star Movement) wants to team up with like-minded anti-establishment parties and form a new grouping within the European Parliament to wrest power from the traditional left and right, its leader says Children have reportedly found two handguns in a public park during an Easter egg hunt as homicide detectives investigate a shooting in Melbournes inner south. A 41-year-old Carnegie man was found dead by passersby in Fawkner Park, South Yarra, after a shooting on Friday about 7.40pm. Senior Sergeant Andrew Brady said the man had been shot and theres no evidence to suggest its random. SES personal perform a line search in Fawkner Park, South Yarra, Melbourne, after a man was shot dead. Source: AAP A Victoria Police spokeswoman told Yahoo News Australia two firearms were found in the park. A woman, who was on an Easter egg hunt with children, told the Sunday Herald Sun a young boy with the group found what appeared to be two handguns in the park on Saturday afternoon. We could not believe it, she told the paper. A young boy reportedly found two guns in the park during an Easter egg hunt. Source: AAP One of the parents called out and someone realised there had been a shooting here last night. Snr Sgt Brady said its absolutely concerning a shooting could occur in such a densely populated place. But we would like to reassure the Victorian public that Victoria Police are doing everything within their resources to resolve successfully this homicide investigation, he said. The park transforms into a crime scene. Source: AAP Resident Freedy Coory told the ABC she believes she heard gunfire while she was out walking her dogs on Friday night. "They were just four pops basically, she told the ABC. They sounded like loud popping sounds. Anyone with information is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here. Pictures of a young Muslim woman have gone viral after she was captured smiling while holding a peace sign in front of an anti-Islam protesters. In a series of photos shared on social media Shaymaa Ismaaeel, 24, is seen posing in front of a group of men holding posters with hateful speech directed at people of the Islam faith. She told Yahoo Lifestyle the pictures were taken just outside of a convention for the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) in Washington D.C, where Muslims gather for workshops and lectures about the religion. In the workshop, attendees discussed the Christchurch shooting that killed 50 Muslim worshippers. Ms Ismaaeel told The Guardian the speaker noted that as the Christchurch shooter entered the building, the first victim greeted him saying, Hello, brother, which she had on her mind when she saw the protesters. The message repeated throughout the convention was about the power of love trumping hate, she told Yahoo Lifestyle. We were listening to a bunch of different lectures and a bunch of different speakers just talking about how, we as Muslims, are making sure that people know that were all about love and spreading love, she said. We didnt come here to be negative. We didnt come here to show anybody any extra hate, that was not our plan, she said. So we need to continue living our lives and we need to continue finishing up our sessions within the convention without giving [protesters] the time of day. On April 21st I smiled in the face of bigotry and walked away feeling the greatest form of accomplishment. pic.twitter.com/Dbrtk7MDAw (@ShaymaaDarling) April 23, 2019 Muslim womans peaceful protest spreads message of positivity She felt desperate to let the people outside, who she said were filled with hate, listen to the message of love and positivity that was being preached inside. So, she decided to bring it to them by acting peacefully in their presence. Story continues On April 21st I smiled in the face of bigotry, Ms Ismaaeel tweeted, and walked away feeling the greatest form of accomplishment. She said that accomplishment was being able to walk away without causing any harm or further friction with the protestors that day, while others may have been unable to control their anger. I feel like this has helped me just become more positive and just helped me remain peaceful because thats what my religion preaches anyway, Ms Ismaaeel said. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here. In contrast to most EU countries, there's hope in Romania for at least one positive side-effect from Brexit -- health workers returning from the UK or not leaving home, which could alleviate the crippling labour shortage in the country's hospitals. "I thought I would be more useful in Romania," says 37-year-old neurosurgeon Horatiu Ioani, who left Britain two years ago as the torturous process of leaving the EU was still in its early days. He had worked in British hospitals for eight years and since returning to Romania has been performing complex operations at Bucharest's Colentina hospital. Ioani tells AFP that among his younger colleagues "discussions about leaving are less frequent than before". Medical student Catalina Bamford agrees. "Lots of people from my generation have decided to come back to Romania," says the 23-year-old, adding that many see signs of improving career prospects at home. In recent years Romania has experienced an exodus of doctors and nurses, particularly after its entry into the European Union in 2007. Since then, more than 14,000 healthcare workers have left for other parts of the bloc in search of higher wages and better living conditions as well as higher standards of practice. And for now, many of those in the UK are waiting to see how the Brexit situation develops before deciding whether to move back to Romania. - Healthcare deserts - Alongside France, Britain has up to now been the go-to destination for those choosing to leave. There are 4,500 Romanian doctors practising there, according to Gheorghe Borcean, president of Romania's medical association. The exodus means their home country, already struggling with dilapidated healthcare infrastructure, has to make do with one of the lowest doctor-patient ratios in the EU, with barely 58,000 clinicians caring for a population of 19 million. Moreover, those who have stayed behind are concentrated in urban centres, leaving swathes of the country virtually deserted when it comes to medical care, says Borcean. Mariana Iancu, director of the hospital in the eastern town of Slobozia, concurs that "our biggest problem is lack of doctors". She currently has 138 doctors on her staff -- not counting around 20 more who are officially retired but continue working -- but needs 40 more. Recently however she has been cheered by several young doctors enquiring about job opportunities. As recently as 2016, 80 percent of medical students said they wanted to leave Romania on graduating, but since then the exodus has abated, says Borcean. - 'Brexit won't affect me' Still, not all of those who left Romania for the UK are packing their bags to come home. Nurse Adriana Silisteanu, who has been working in London for 10 years, worries that Brexit might revive the anti-migrant atmosphere she remembers in the aftermath of the 2016 referendum to leave the EU. Anti-immigration rhetoric played a key part in the referendum campaign and official figures showed a spike in hate crimes in the run-up to the vote and just afterwards. All the same, Silisteanu thinks this will be a passing phenomenon and says that in England, "healthcare workers are appreciated as people who are prepared to make sacrifices for the good of other people". In Romania, by contrast, young nurses "don't even have the right to an opinion," she says. Not to mention having to turn a blind eye to the corruption she claims still plagues the sector. "I never accepted bribes from patients. But if I went back I would have to change my behaviour to fit in," Silisteanu says. Borcean says he recognises that people leave Romania for a variety of reasons that go beyond pay, such as "the respect a profession attracts from society". As for psychiatrist Andrada Golumbeanu, who works in the northern English city of Bradford, she's confident that "Brexit won't affect me". She's convinced that the British authorities, already facing an under-staffed National Health Service with some 100,000 vacancies, will do everything they can to keep healthcare workers from the EU despite Brexit. However, pulling in the other direction is Romania's left-wing government. At the beginning of 2018 it tried to meet rising expectations in the sector by doubling wages in public hospitals. That brought the average nurse's salary up to 1,200 euros ($1,340) a month and that of a specialist doctor to 4,000 euros. This in one of the EU's poorest countries where the average wage is around 600 euros a month. But med student Bamford warns that young practitioners won't hang around if the improvement in conditions stalls. "If their hopes are dashed, they will definitely start leaving again," she says. Romania experienced an exodus of doctors after it joined the EU in 2007 - but it appears Brexit is reversing that trend Neurosurgeon Horatiu Ioani worked in British hospitals for eight years, but left in the wake of the Brexit vote feeling he would be 'more useful' back in his homeland Bucharest-based medical student Catalina Bamford says many of her contemporaries are returning to Romania as career prospects improve Romania's left-wing government tried to meet rising expectations by doubling wages in public hospitals at the start of 2018 Some Romanians predict Britain's understaffed health service will do all it can to keep EU healthworkers after Brexit New Zealand rugby star and heavyweight boxer Sonny Bill Williams has waded into an Australian political joust, calling a senator "cocky" and "racist" for vowing to ban Muslim immigration. In a tweet which has since been deleted, far-right senator Fraser Anning said the people of New South Wales were "very concerned about Muslim immigration". "My party will ban all Muslim and Black immigration and ensure safety for Australians once more," it read. Williams, a devout Muslim, responded with a tweet saying: "It's remarkable how cocky a racist can be in the today's society." This is what an Australian Senator put on his twitter page. Its remarkable how cocky a Racist can be in the todays society. pic.twitter.com/OBQeXNIrY6 Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) April 27, 2019 Anning whose Conservative National Party is fielding candidates in Australia's upcoming general election was censured by his parliamentary peers last month for claiming the Christchurch mosques massacre resulted from New Zealand's immigration policies. The Queensland senator has long courted controversial views, and once called for a "final solution" to Australian immigration. SBW touched by Christchurch Williams broke down in tears during a heartbreaking message about the Christchurch shootings last month. Just heard the news i couldnt put it into words how Im feeling right now, he said in the video. Sonny Bill Williams visited victims in hospital and attended a remembrance service after the Christchurch shootings. Pic: Getty Just sending my duas to the families. Apparently theres close to 30 people dead. (Im) sending out my duas to everyone thats been killed today in Christchurch you guys are all in paradise. Im just deeply, deeply saddened this would happen in New Zealand. Williams later visited victims of the shooting in hospital. with AFP Thousands of trade unionists and left wing activists joined "yellow vest" protesters in Paris Saturday in rejecting French President Emmanuel Macron's proposed tax cuts as too little too late. The march in the capital, organised by the militant CGT union, came ahead of the main rally in the eastern city of Strasbourg, where demonstrators clashed with police. Veterans of the "yellow vest" movement, which started in rural France six months ago in opposition to planned rises in the diesel price and tax on pensions, led the Paris procession. But in a new development, senior figures from the political left marched with them, including lawmaker Jean-Luc Melenchon, a political rival and vocal critic of Macron. In the early months of the movement, which has ballooned into an anti-government rebellion with weekly marches drawing thousands, leading figures resisted attempts by parties on the far left or far right to get involved, fearing their cause would be hijacked. Macron rolled back some of his more controversial measures within weeks of the first protest, and on Thursday announced more tax cuts and measures to help people on small pensions. For his critics however, this came too late -- and Macron remains under fire for refusing to reverse a cut in the "fortune solidarity tax" on high earners. - Clashes in Strasbourg - The interior ministry said 23,000 people demonstrated across France on Saturday, some 2,600 of them in Paris. The movement, however, estimated the turnout at over 60,000 nationally, and 9,000 in the capital. The official figure was one of the lowest yet -- at its height last November the movement drew 282,000 to Saturday marches countrywide, according to an official count. In Strasbourg, police sealed off access to major European Union institutions in keeping with a local ban on protests in the city centre. Clashes broke out after police blocked the protesters' route to the European Parliament building. Some threw stones and bottles at riot police, who fired tear gas in turn. Police also pushed back a group of activists, some masked and dressed in black, who tried to force their way to the Council of Europe building. Local officials said about 2,000 people took part in the Strasbourg protests, with 42 arrested after protesters damaged property, setting fire to a car. Three police officers, three demonstrators and a local resident were hurt in the clashes, and received medical treatment. In the south, police fired tear gas in the city of Marseille where about 1,000 people turned out. "The questions of social justice, the central question of the yellow vest movement, have not been addressed," said 46-year-old Natacha, one of an estimated 1,500 demonstrators in Montpellier. Extremist groups have issued calls on social media for yellow vest supporters to join forces with the so-called "Black Bloc" -- radical activists blamed for some of the damage and violence that has marred the weekly protests -- at May Day rallies in Paris next Wednesday. According to interior ministry figures, 2,400 protesters and 1,700 law enforcers have been injured since the yellow vest movement started. Saturday's demonstration in Paris was called by the militant CGT union The Paris march passed off peacefully Saturday Riot police clashed with protestors in Strasbourg Yellow vest marches also took place in the southern cities of Bordeaux and Montpellier SANTA FE, N.M. Manuel Lujan Jr., who spent 20 years as a Republican congressman and later as a U.S. Interior Secretary who drew fire from environmentalists for challenging the Endangered Species Act, has died. He was 90. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who was a distant cousin, said Lujan died Thursday at his home in Albuquerque. He had a long history of heart trouble and underwent triple-bypass surgery after a 1986 heart attack. "Manuel Lujan was the picture of a statesman," the Democratic governor said in a statement Friday. "Over the course of ten Congressional terms and four years as secretary of the Interior, he fought for his constituents, striving for balance between competing interests." Lujan represented New Mexico's 1st District from 1969 to 1989. He gained a reputation as an advocate for Native Americans, business and constituents in a majority-Democratic district. As Lujan's final term wound down, President George H.W. Bush tapped him for his Cabinet. As interior secretary, Lujan sought to strike a balance between business interests and the Endangered Species Act, which he said was too tough on regional economies. He said proposed federal protection of the northern spotted owl in the Pacific Northwest would cost 31,000 timber jobs. Calling those consequences unacceptable, Lujan launched an exemption process by convening a little-used committee with the power to allow logging to continue despite the threat to the owl. "No solution to this problem could be found short of this action," Lujan said, pointing to major economic disruptions to Northwest timber towns. The Cabinet-level panel, known as the "God Squad" because of its authority to allow species to become extinct, was disbanded later amid legal challenges. Environmentalists also recoiled when Lujan shrugged off efforts to protect the Mount Graham red squirrel in Arizona. "Do we have to save every subspecies?" he said. "Nobody's told me the difference between a red squirrel, a black one or a brown one." Lujan remained in the Cabinet until the end of Bush's term in January 1993. Five minutes before the Republican president left office, Lujan tried to transfer federally owned desert land in Southern California that he and then-California Gov. Pete Wilson wanted for a nuclear waste dump. Lujan's successor, Bruce Babbitt, rescinded the order, and courts determined Lujan acted improperly. At the same time, Lujan was a prime mover in creating Petroglyphs National Monument on the rugged volcanic mesa located west of Albuquerque, to protect thousands of prehistoric and historic petroglyphs. After leaving government, Lujan became a lobbyist for a development company that owned petroglyph-studded land. The Lujan name still resonates in New Mexico politics, though Democrats last year consolidated control over the state's delegation to Washington. In a statement Friday, Democratic U.S. Rep. and Senate candidate Ben Ray Lujan, who was not related, praised Manuel Lujan for opening opportunities for Hispanics in federal government. Lujan is survived by his wife, Jean, and three children. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 From December 19th through December 26th we will be granting free access as a gift to our readers presented by Cayuga Community College " " A motorcyclist navigates a traffic jam in Southern California. Anouchka/E+/Getty Images Short answer: motorcycles. But on this episode of CarStuff, hosts Ben Bowlin and Scott Benjamin aren't interested in the short answer. Instead, they go full throttle into the long answer. Which is still motorcycles, but they pack in a lot of pertinent information as to why that's so, and they discuss numerous ways that motorcycles could be and are becoming safer. Advertisement First, the statistics: Per mile traveled in 2014, there were 27 times more deaths on a motorcycle than in a car, according to June 2016 CrashStats published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2015, per 100 million miles (160 million kilometers) traveled, passenger cars had a 0.89 passenger fatality rate while motorcycles had a 25.38 occupant fatality rate, notes a 2015 report. That means that 4,976 motorcyclists died and 88,000 experienced injuries caused from riding in 2015. So yes, motorcyclists are engaging in a riskier activity than driving a car. And some things you can't change, like the fact that a car is a steel cage and a motorcycle is not. But some factors can mitigate the risk. Not surprisingly, wearing a helmet is the most important thing riders can do to stay safe on their motorcycle. In fact, helmets saved 1,772 lives in 2015 alone, and 740 more lives could have been saved if the rider had been wearing a helmet during the accident, according to CrashStats. Only 19 states and the District of Columbia have mandated universal helmet laws, however. And not every motorcycle is equal when it comes to accident rates. Supersport motorcycles are made for consumers but built like racing bikes, with a much lighter weight, as well as impressive speed and acceleration. They also have a driver death rate that's four times higher than cruiser or standard motorcycles, notes this joint research report. Sport motorcycles, which have a bit less acceleration and handling than those of supersports, have twice the driver death rate of cruisers or standards. But as Scott and Ben point out in this episode of CarStuff, there are some nifty solutions to help make motorcycles safer. Features like adaptive headlights, which can calculate angles to direct lights up or down as a motorcycle leans into a curve, are available now, and wearable air bags (in jackets or gear) also are on the market. Interested? Listen to the podcast to hear more, and safe travels, no matter what your ride is. Now That's Interesting In the early 1970s, a large majority of states had universal helmet laws to satisfy highway safety funds. But in 1976, Congress stopped the U.S. Department of Transportation from giving penalties to states that didn't comply and, as a result, many helmet laws were drastically weakened. When looking at major buildings around Flagstaff, and especially on the campus of Northern Arizona University, one group has had an undeniable impact on the look of the town. Kinney Construction Services involvement in shaping the city includes building NAU's student union expansion and international pavilion, facilities for the Mountain Line bus system and most recently, the task of building the citys new municipal courthouse. This month also marks the 20th anniversary of Kinney Construction. Its pretty exciting, CEO Tim Kinney said. Time flies. For so long we felt like the new guys on the block here but I guess 20 years later, its hard to say that anymore. But 20 years ago, the company had yet to grow into what it eventually became. Kinney first came to Flagstaff in 1977 to attend NAU. However, by the time he graduated in 1982, the unemployment rate stood at 10% and finding a job was nearly impossible. Really nobody got jobs from my class, so I ended up going back to New York where I came from and got a job in New York City, Kinney said. Throughout the 80s and 90s, Kinney worked as a general contractor in New York City and started his own company. In 1997, he decided to move back to Flagstaff and sold the company. At that time, Kinney said he learned a lesson the company still prides itself in: that no project is too small. When I was a general contractor in New York, I got a call to come up, all the way up to Harlem to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital to fix a door, Kinney said. They turned out to be my largest client. The commitment to all projects no matter the size, and the diversity in the size and type the company works on, remain something he is proud of Kinney said. In 1999, he began a second company, Kinney Construction Services, out of his home before moving into an office on Cherry Avenue. It seems almost like yesterday when I walked through the doors off of Cherry Avenue, where the office was located at that time, Michael Thomas said. Over the years weve been able to establish ourselves. Thomas has been with the company for 17 years and rose to the position as president of the company earlier this month. Early on much of the companys work was building for elementary and high schools, but the companys rise was jump-started by a decision in the Arizona State Capital. At that time, just shortly after we started, the Arizona legislator came up with a new procurement method based on quality, Kinney said. The new procurement method allowed public agencies in Arizona, including universities, to award building contracts based on more factors than simply how much the company would charge. These alternative methods also allowed agencies to bring contractors like Kinney on far sooner in the process. This allowed them to be more involved in the actual design of the building, Kinney said. The change also meant they were able to lend experience on projects more substantially. In 2009, the company also began its new renewable energy division. At first, Kinney said, the decision to move toward building green buildings was simply a personal one, but it soon proved to be a good decision financially as well. Getting into the market for building green projects was not a simple prospect, Kinney said, comparing it to a chicken and egg situation. In 2009, like most companies, Kinney did not have a portfolio of work that showed experience in building green structures. However, once the company was able to develop that experience, it opened up new opportunities, Kinney said. It paid off with the Easton Collection Center which the company built for the Museum of Northern Arizona. The building was a real milestone for the company, Thomas said, especially as it went on to be recognized as the greenest building in the nation in 2009. In a community such as Flagstaff, where many developments have proven so controversial among members of the public, Thomas said the companys 20-year history in town means something. It means they are not just company employees, but community members as well and that is not something other construction contractors who build in Flagstaff can always say, Thomas said. Living and working here, we also take pride, I mean, were going to be driving by these buildings also, Thomas said. Vice President Gabe Smith agreed. When it comes down to it, we love what we do and it shows through the projects we deliver and the relationships we nurture, Smith wrote, With gratitude, we thank our great community for all of the support over the years. And with excitement, we look forward to the future and all that we can create together. Our journey is just beginning. Updated for correction at 2:53 p.m. on April 30. Adrian Skabelund can be reached at the office at askabelund@azdailysun.com, by phone at (928) 556-2261 or on Twitter @AdrianSkabelund. Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. When Los Angeles-based composer Karim Elmahmoudi stood on the causeway at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to witness a SpaceX launch last year, his childhood passion was finally realized. Elmahmoudi had been selected to participate in the NASA Social program and said time stopped in the moment before the launch, causing him to worry the launch had failed. But then all of a sudden you see the brightest fireball, Elmahmoudi said. I cant even describe it and no picture can do it justice, but what you see is the sun, part of the sun in this fireball. Then there was the sound. It was delayed by 20 seconds, but the anticipation was worth it. Its like the sky being ripped apart. Its a thunder bolt. You can feel it in your body. Your bones are shaking, and you can literally see it in space, Elmahmoudi said. I couldnt believe the atmosphere was that thin. Needless to say, it was a ride, a real crazy ride, and I didnt think of connecting it to music right away because I needed to get my thoughts together, what does this mean to me. Thats when Orchestra Northern Arizona director David Cripps reached out to commission a piece in celebration of its 10th anniversary. Orchestra Northern Arizona will premiere the brand new piece, Through the Sky, at its 10th Anniversary Celebration concert Saturday, May 4, in the Coconino High School main auditorium, 2801 N. Izabel St., at 7 p.m. A $10 donation is suggested for admission to this family-friendly event. The timing was serendipitous that we were talking about a celebratory piece a week or two after seeing the rocket, Elmahmoudi said. Concertmaster Kirah Bartell said the piece has been a challenge for the orchestra, but they are doing their best to convey the emotion Elmahmoudi incorporated into the swells and crashes. She felt the meaning behind the notes even before reading Elmahmoudis program notes describing the excitement, tension and hope he had in mind while writing the piece. Sometimes you listen to a piece and the composer has somehow done very well in getting his point across even though its not verbally spoken, Bartell said. She added the piece was very reminiscent of those by John Williams, who composed some of the most recognizable film scores such as Star Wars, Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Schindlers List and more. Im definitely a humongous fan of John Williams, Elmahmoudi said. I grew up with his stuff in the 80s; it was a big part of my childhood, so that was a very big inspiration for me. Although he began his studies in aerospace engineering, Elmahmoudi later settled on music and has found a way to incorporate both of his passions into a career. He participated in a week-long residency in Flagstaff where he gave talks at local schools and Lowell Observatory on the connection between music and space. Elmahmoudi also worked with ONA ahead of its Dark Skies concert in 2014 where the orchestra performed his Orbit: A Symphonic Fantasy as part of the Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalitions Celebration of the Night at the NightVisions V exhibit. 10 years down Bartell joined ONA shortly following its inception and appreciates having a place to perform outside of the other various community groups of which she is a part. I think its been a fabulous 10-year run in a time when the arts are not as supported as many of us would like, she said. Starting and keeping an orchestra in a community is quite a feat. Theres always the issue of funding, and its really a work of love because theres so much that goes into promoting these things and being visible to the community and all the work that goes into the art itself. Bartell is the featured soloist for Beethovens Romance No. 2 in F Major, Op 50 which will be performed at the concert. The solo is a long time coming for the violinist, who discovered her love for the instrument when she was 10. I can remember listening to the Vivaldis Four Seasons in the car on the way to music lessons and just seeing all this scenery going by, and it was like, just the beauty of what I was hearing and the lyrical sounds from the violin and the scenery. It was just such a pull for me, Bartell said. This will mark Bartell's first solo with an orchestra. She said shes approaching it as a personal challenge. Its part of being a musician and growing, she said. You have to grow as a musician and you have to explore what you can and cant do in your own world. But if you never get up there, if you never try, you never know. ONA will also perform Shostakovichs Festive Overture, Op. 96 and Dvoraks Symphony No. 9 (The New World), the latter of which Elmahmoudi said he drew inspiration from when composing Through the Sky. Like the stars and planets that make up our solar system, its difficult to imagine a world without music. With each concert, ONA invites the community to join in as it celebrates the joy of classical pieces performed by friends and family that make up Flagstaffs diverse creative scene. Its a great resource not only for the audience, but for the community itself, because we all need positive outlets, Bartell said. And I think that the arts, thats what they do, is provide that positive outlet for all of us. That medium of expression thats often outside of ourselves. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The price tag for public universities in Arizona continues to increase, as the Arizona Board of Regents recently approved tuition increases for Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University and the University of Arizona. However, opting to go to a traditional university is not the only way one can earn an education and be qualified to work in their career field of choice. Trade schools and career colleges offer courses and degrees that make students eligible to begin their careers. However, CollegeAmerica CEO Eric Juhlin said he has not received more students as a result of public universities becoming more expensive. Juhlin said hes been in the industry for 30 years and historically students have not been concerned about the price of education. However, according to Juhlin, this might be changing. What weve seen over the past two or three years, and for the first time in my career, is that students are becoming more price sensitive, Juhlin said. Theyre becoming more concerned with how much debt they will have to take on. Some students that attend trade schools and career colleges already have some college experience at a public university. Juhlin said the average age of their students in Flagstaff is about 27 years old and a third of their students who have already gone to college. Juhlin said from a demographic standpoint, CollegeAmerica typically doesnt get students who are coming right out of high school. Were designed to serve the unemployed and underemployed who have been in the workforce, or have tried to get an education in the past and are now looking for a very focused career education with the goal of employment, Juhlin said. Jessica Ricketts, the campus director of the Arizona School of Integrative Studies (ASIS) Massage Education, said they receive a variety of students aiming to work in the massage industry. Ricketts said many people go into massage therapy as a second career, or they have already tried the traditional college route. We get a lot of people who dropped from NAU, came here and found this intimate environment more settling for them, Ricketts said. The curriculum is hands on and it gives you more of an intimate setting instead of going to class and listening to lectures all the time. Kurt Wildermuth, the owner and operator of Arizona Mountain School of Real Estate in Flagstaff, said they receive many graduates from NAU and CCC who go through their programs and decide they want something different. We have a lot of people who have degrees, sometimes advanced degrees, who still come and wish to be realtors here, Wildermuth said. The interest and excitement in a blooming market brings most of our students to us. Enrollment, graduation and tuition all vary depending on the college. Wildermuth said that they had 440 graduates in the past four years, and charge $550 for the three-weekend course. According to the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training, ASIS Massage Education has 89% of program graduates employed and 85% graduate in 27 weeks. Additionally, the average student spent $13,000 for tuition and graduates with $6,444 in debt. Juhlin said there are many ways to calculate graduation and retention rates. CollegeAmerica uses an institutional metric known as the Annual Retention Rate to track their student retention every year. The retention rate for their Flagstaff campus in 2018 was 80%, and 70% of CollegeAmericas graduates are employed in their field. Juhlin said that most of their associate degree programs take about 20 months to complete, costing about $35,000-$40,000. Were higher cost because we dont receive any state subsidies or taxpayer subsidies unlike a public institution, Juhlin said. According to College Scorecard, the average annual cost for attending NAU is $14,664 and has a graduation rate of 53%. Whether one decides to attend a traditional university or a career college, Juhlin said a degree makes all the difference. The statistics still show that people with a college degree over their lifetime will earn significantly more on average compared to someone who has a GED, Juhlin said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Anyone who has teenagers knows they like to doodle, putting their artistic mark on anything and everything. Two Flagstaff High School students in Kayley Quicks graphic design class took the habit to the next level by placing their own custom designs onto two pairs of white Vans shoes. Vans, a Santa Ana, California based manufacturer of skateboarding shoes and apparel, started the design contest a decade ago. According to the company website, it has invested almost $1 million in high school art education through prize money from the competition, all the while creating a low-cost viral marketing campaign as students, their families and community members nationwide visit Vans' website to vote for their favorite shoes. Each year, 500 schools are picked to participate in the project, with each school being sent a plain white canvas pair of Vans to decorate. One pair of shoes is designed to represent a theme of Local Flavor and the second an Off The Wall theme that reflects the culture of the company. This year both Coconino High School and Flagstaff High School were selected. Then the shoes were decorated with the first round of student designs. Flagstaff High School was the only school in Arizona to make it through to the next round -- a smaller pool of 50 schools. Quick ran her own competition within FHS to see who would get to design the entries for the Vans competition. Sophomores Alyssa Williams and Nicole Dougherty came up with the winning designs. I wanted succulence, the sunsets, plants and cultures of the state, Williams said. Her shoes -- submitted to the "Local Flavor" design category -- feature copper colored silhouettes of the Navajo Nation's Monument Valley on the sole, Aspen trees inside the shoe and Native American pottery designs on the outside. We have many cultures, both Native and Mexican. The biggest Native population is Navajo and I am Navajo," Williams said. "I am of the Kiiyaa'aanii and born for the Naashst'ezhi Tabaahi clan. I have been learning the Navajo language since I was in first grade so I see myself as very traditional." Williams said she wanted to show the state in its entirety. I just wanted to include everything that Arizona has to offer. I am proud of who I am and wanted to bring that side out of me to show that my culture is important and shouldnt be forgotten, Williams said. Williams hopes to use the $75,000 in prize money to help FHS; she would like to see it go toward campus beautification and more murals, she said. In addition to a first prize sum of $75,000, the winning school will also receive a party thrown by Vans, complete with a BBQ lunch and a concert by a mystery band. The second pair of shoes was designed by Nicole Dougherty to meet the Vans "Off The Wall" brief. I put on high power music and just put what was in my mind on the paper. That led to me getting chosen to do the shoe. It really came from nowhere and everywhere, Dougherty said of her design. The characters Mad and Rad are wearing outfits Ive been drawing for a long time. There is a theme of space and an out-of-this-world theme throughout the shoes with paint splatters forming stars. The design all flows from the back of the shoes with a pair of snakes that is looking at the moon and everything jumps from there. I love how everything rushes towards the front of the shoe and I have details on one shoe which reference the other shoe, she said. One of the things that I notice in the contrast between Alyssas design and mine is that hers are more pastel and soft and mine are more grungy, Dougherty said. I like this experience for both of us. Its a nice platform for us and, being the age that we are, we dont get the platform that older people get and this gives us the chance to show what we can do, Williams said. That thought was mirrored by Quick. For me, it gives them real world opportunity and a gateway to interact with something physical," Quick said. "A lot of what we do is digital on a computer and to turn that into a physical object gives them a sense of confidence and real world connection to their creations. Quick said all the students who entered their designs in the local FHS contest have ended up supporting Williams and Dougherty. So has the Flagstaff community as a whole. "This in my opinion it will not only be a victory for my students, classroom and Flag High, but would also bring recognition to the amazing art that we have here in Flagstaff, Quick said. "I want to showcase how incredible my students are because I see it every day in their work ethic, their dedication and most importantly their extreme talent. I want them to be recognized for this, Quick said. Voting is still open for the 2019 Vans Custom Culture competition. Voting ends Friday, May 3, at 6 p.m. Votes can be cast once a day at customculture.vans.com/. To vote to support the designs by Williams and Dougherty go to www.customculture.vans.com. Love 17 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 2 ASHLAND, Ohio House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has endorsed a proposal to lower the legal voting age from 18 to 16 in federal elections and several Democratic presidential hopefuls also are touting the idea. Whatever you might think initially of the concept, its important to consider it against the following backdrop. In 2014, a nationally representative sample of 9,100 eighth-grade students were administered a test designed to measure the civics knowledge and skills that are critical to the responsibilities of citizenship in America. Only 23 percent of the students answered enough questions correctly to demonstrate proficiency in the subject and just 2 percent scored at the advanced level. A similar test part of the quadrennial National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), Americas so-called Nations Report Card was given in U.S. history. This test was taken by 11,200 eighth-graders. The scores were even worse, with 18 percent of the students judged to be proficient and just 1 percent scoring at the advanced level. Those former eighth-graders will be eligible to vote for the first time in next years elections. This was not a one-off bad year for U.S. students. It was part of a consistent, ongoing pattern, and theres little reason to believe that 2014s eighth-graders learned much more about our countrys government and history in grades nine through 12. In fact, the last time these tests were given to high school seniors in 2010 just 12 percent scored at or above the proficient level in history and just one in four or 24 percent performed at that level in civics. Eighth-graders that year were equally clueless. For example, when asked to identify a purpose of the Bill of Rights, fewer than half came up with the correct answer. When asked to choose the definition of our governments system of checks and balances, only 10 percent made the right choice. And this was a multiple-choice question; one of the choices was the correct answer. The reason we find ourselves in this situation has nothing to do with the quality and dedication of Americas teachers or the ability of American students. We work closely with high school and middle school history and civics teachers from around the country and find them, as a group, to be able, dedicated and genuinely enthusiastic about these subjects. As are their students, when theyre exposed to the exciting story of America and the well-thought-out and vigorously debated architecture of our government. The trouble is: Most students are not exposed to such details in their schools. Little more is required of them in most states than cursory knowledge of these important topics. According to an October 2018 survey by Education Week, only eight states require a full year of civics, 31 states require a full year of U.S. history, 19 states require students to take a civics test and 15 states require a U.S. history exam. But, Education Week cautions, students are not necessarily required to pass some of these exams. Fifteen states have no specific requirement for any civics classes at all; 11 have no history requirement. Rather than focusing on changing the voting age, which has the appearance of legislating for political gain, lawmakers should instead commit themselves to reinvigorating civics and history education, which would benefit all of us. A graduate of Hillsdale College and Claremont Institute, Patrick Maloney is deputy director of the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio. Readers may write him at 401 College Avenue Ashland, Ohio 44805 Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 In order to maintain this blog I have to pay for its upkeep including a hosting company, support services, virus and other malicious hackers. If you appreciate what I write please make a donation. Lois Elaine Tallman died peacefully on Good Friday, April 19, 2019 at Billings Clinic Hospital. Lois was born March 27, 1930 in Culbertson to Herman and Hildur Storkel. After graduating from Wibaux High School, Lois attended nurses training in Aberdeen, South Dakota, where she met the love of her life, Jim Tallman. Lois and Jim were married on April 21, 1949 and would have celebrated 70 years of marriage on Easter Sunday. The couple raised their five children in Wibaux and Glendive. Almost twenty years ago Lois and Jim moved to Billings where they resided until Lois death. A woman of remarkable attributes and many talents, Lois main purpose in life was to be a reflection of Christs love to everyone she knew. Lois was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Craig; two brothers, three sisters, and a niece. Lois is survived by her husband, Jim; daughters, Michelle (Rollin) Brask, Corrine (Greg) Cross, Laurie Huotari, and Wendy (Dean) Dubinsky; grandchildren and great grandchildren (and twins on the way); nieces and nephews; and many friends. Lois legacy will live on through her family and the many lives she touched. The celebration of Lois life was Monday, April 22 at Smith Funeral Chapel, and internment was Tuesday, April 23 at Dawson Memorial Cemetery. The second quarter of the year is usually the lowest production quarter for Wyoming coal as a shoulder season between winter and summer demand. Due to flooding in the Midwest interrupting rail access out of the Powder, the second quarter for Arch will likely be affected, the company noted in its earnings release. In response to a question Wednesday regarding the low natural gas price effect on demand for Powder River Basin coal, Arch Coals Deck Slone, senior vice president for strategy and public policy, said it was a constant battle, but reiterated that the company had had a strong first quarter. We are seeing good, solid demand really across the board from various operations but particularly in the PRB, Slone said. And weve seen higher levels of activity in Q1 than weve seen in the past five years, so clearly the fact that stockpiles have come down to now close to target levels is helpful. Slone said despite the gas challenge, the company felt like demand was quite solid and stable. Hertz believes if a Republican wins the governor race in 2020, there will be an increased number of issues Republicans can work together on and that will help ease division in the party. Back in November when he ran for Senate president, Sales staked out creating a legislative environment to help Republicans take back the governor's office as a top priority. Senate Majority Leader Fred Thomas, a Republican from Stevensville, said he thinks the party is emerging in a good place to accomplish that by, in his estimation, being able to get over disputes quickly and work together when agreement can be found. We could go straight at each other over policy and just have a big row, and it wouldnt help, Thomas sad. It would harm us on our ability to get things done under these circumstances. And that could have spilled over into a Republican gubernatorial primary, in my opinion. At this point I don't think that's going to happen. I think we're in good shape." Ballance said she thinks the party is still searching for its footing to navigate the divide. "A group wants to, as they say, purify the party and make sure it's only the extreme right. But I don't believe that's where the state of Montana is, and I don't believe they will ever win elections that way," Ballance said. "They won't get a governor that way. What will happen is we will continue to fight with each other until the reasonable right or the reasonable left takes over." Love 5 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 The anniversary of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln was nearly two weeks ago, on April 14. But April 28 marks the anniversary of the news reaching far-flung Montana. In 1865, Montana was just a hinterland territory so distant that news traveled slowly. It took nearly two weeks for the tragic news to arrive, and the only contemporaneous accounts of the assassination were published in the only newspaper in the entire territory a territory itself created by Lincoln just a few years previous. The accounts of the assassination hit The Montana Post in its Saturday, April 29, 1865 edition. The headline read "Horrible Assassination of President Lincoln and Secretary Seward." But, by Page 2 of the paper, Seward was recovering peacefully. The Montana Post, squarely Republican in its leaning, was doleful and respectful in tone, chronicling the reaction of the community. Yet, the Post and its politics were almost certainly in the minority. Virginia City had originally been named "Varina" after Confederate President Jefferson Davis' wife. Vigilante, tax assessor and first superintendent of Yellowstone National Park Nathaniel Pitt Langford recalled that most people around Virginia City were secessionists, "more disloyal as a whole than Tennessee or Kentucky ever was." "At the very moment when the chalice of victory was being placed to his lips, a cruel hand has dashed it away. At the very time when he was apparently about to enjoy the full fruition of those hopes for which he had so desperately and determinedly labored during the last four years, the murderer's weapon has snapped his thread of life," The Montana Post's account of Lincoln's murder began. For the most part, the Civil War had ended less than a week before the assassination when, on April 9, Robert E. Lee had surrendered at the courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia. The assassination shattered an uneasy peace that could be felt even in Virginia City, more than 2,100 miles from the nation's capital. A theater performance scheduled for that Saturday night in Virginia City was cancelled because of the "sadness and deep gloom now pervading the community." Ticketholders for the unnamed performance would see the production on Monday night. Details of the assassination filled three pages of the four-page newspaper of that week, as conflicting reports were added without much attempt to discern the truth. Some stories provide firsthand accounts of Ford's Theater from the assassination. "The screams of Mrs. Lincoln, first disclosed the fact to the audience that the President had been shot when all present rose to their feet, rushing towards the stage, many exclaiming, 'hang him!' The excitement was of the wildest possible description. Of course there was an abrupt intermission of the theater performance. There was a rush toward the President's box when cries were heard, 'stand back! Give him air! Has any one stimulants?' "On a hasty examination it was found that the President had been shot through the head above and back of the temporal bone and that some of the brain was oozing out." That portion was next to the advertisement for John A. Nelson's wholesale liquor store in Virginia City which advertised that he "has on hand a choice lot of old rye whiskey which makes up splendidly in Hot drinks. He respectfully requests the public to give him a call and examine his stock on Wallace street, opposite California Exchange." It would be easy to believe that sentiment and sympathy for what had happened in the nation's capital and government was respectful. But next to the columns of Lincoln's assassination and the attempt on Secretary of State William Seward, there was news from Helena. One man had observed that as Judge Jones and Wilbur F. Sanders, two well-known Republicans, were walking down the streets of the future capital, someone hissed, "There goes some of the vampires of the government." The paper's correspondent decided to let the remark pass, saying, "The speaker was a regular secesh (secessionist) who had probably just heard of the fall of Richmond and felt so bad, so, poor fellow! I took pity on him and let him go." Next to the columns of death and assassination were reports from around the territory about the abundance of mining prospects, including one from Last Chance Gulch in Helena. "I have examined them thoroughly and find that wherever there is rough, loose, shell bedrock, they are very rich in all the gulches around this locality; when the bedrock is clay, they do not pay so well. Taking them all together, however, they pay well, probably as well as Alder Gulch ever did and they would do better if they had more good miners, but the gulches in this vicinity were mostly taken up by the 'tenderfooted' pilgrims that come out last season ... and they know more about raising wheat on the prairies, digging ginseng in the 'Big Woods,' gathering cranberries in Minnesota swamps or logs in the pineries than using the pick and shovel." In that same edition of the Montana Post, at the bottom of the front page, it told about a new metal that had just been discovered, magnesium. "It's made quite a sensation among scientific and commercial circles. It gives, when ignited, the brightest light yet known." Lightbulbs were still 15 years in the future. The Montana Post outlined each of its six newspaper columns in black as a typical sign of mourning for the times. Many newspapers across the country had done the same, days earlier. The president had personally appointed many of the territory's highest-ranking leaders, including Gov. Sidney Edgerton, and had signed the legislation that split Montana into a separate territory. The president had done that hastily because of fears of confederates siphoning the gold to finance its own war effort. Though some have recorded what the average person thought in letters or diaries, the editors of The Montana Post wondered aloud about the assassination in newspaper's editorial columns beneath the headline, "The Dark Day." "The black record is written on the pages of history and the earthly tenement of as pure a soul as ever animated a mortal frame, and as noble a mind as ever planned the salvation of a people is today but a clod of the valley," the editors lamented. Surely Lincoln, who made a practice of self depreciation, would have blushed at such a description. "Our heart bleeds as we write; but our sorrow is not for these men, but for the people of America. With all his triumphs garlanding his brow; with the sweet incense of a nation's gratitude floating around him; embalmed in memories of his countrymen; the theme of their poets; the hero of their songs; his name the talisman of the oppressed in every clime; the story of his acts told by the mother tho the listening child, for centuries to come, can we pity Abraham Lincoln as he looks benignly down upon the people the he died to save from the topmost niche in the temple of fame? No. For him we rejoice as for one who has received the reward which he earned so nobly. The fair record of the past is his; no blush mantles the cheek of the angelic scribe as he pens the story of his life, and a tear falls on the unsullied page as he closes the book. The noblest work of God an honest man was Abraham Lincoln." Jesus Christ had competition in 1865, obviously. The newspaper recorded events from around the country, including several people who were met with violence when they expressed support for the assassination. Accounts tell about Washington soldiers shooting a man who rejoiced at the news of the death of Lincoln. "Three rebel prisoners were hung in Indianapolis for expressing gratification at the success of the assassins," a separate item noted. The Montana Post described the scene around Bannack, including the reaction of Edgerton. Flags were at half-staff and were lined with black fringe, and business was suspended. A public meeting was called for 3:30 p.m., and the Chief Justice of the Territory, Hezekiah Hosmer, as well as Sanders and Thomas Dimsdale, the author of "The Vigilantes of Montana" spoke. "Upon the whole, the demeanor of the population well became American citizens who mourned the loss of two men (thinking Seward was killed) one of whose places at least can hardly be as worthily filled again." Court was adjourned for a day, and the local legal bar sent a declaratory resolution to Washington, D.C., which said, "the safety of any people in time of war as in time of peace can only be based upon a careful adherence to the Law military or civil and deeming these atrocities a violation of both, have met to testify their unqualified condemnation of the deeds and their abhorence of the perpetrators. "Those who differed from the President yet conceded to him sincerity of heart, singleness of purpose and through devotion to the great labor which he had been called by the suffrages of the nation... "We do not despair of the Republic but feel assured that the American people are equal to the great occasion and out of all this trouble they will bring the Ship of State in safely through all the storms of war into the haven of a blessed and unending peace." The news of Lincoln's death filled so much of the paper that otherwise more notable items got short-shrift. "Man Killed Yesterday evening about 11 o'clock, the rearward half of the roof of the California Exchange fell in while the dance was proceeding in the adjoining room. The cries of those in the neighborhood were at first mistaken for a fire alarm and the wagons turned out. John Gardiner, better known as Old Phil was buried in the ruins and violently struck by a heavy log above and between the eyes. Doctor Brown and Professor Dimsdale used every means to restore the man but he breathed only once." That notice was not far from an item in the April newspaper complaining of pot holes. "Mend Your Ways! Right in front of the office of the Post there is a mud-hole of such portentous dimensions, adhesive tenacity of material and uncertain profundity that we cannot help thinking the Street Commissioners might see it without a spy-glass. A crossing is necessary at this point and apart from the sorrows of what the boardinghouse keepers call 'transient' gentlemen, the ladies are compelled to make a long and muddy detour, involving an elevation of the skirt not relished by the most valued and respected of the sex." The columns, dressed in a black outline, still had a feel of normalcy even though the news was anything but. "NOTICE: Whereas my wife, Sarah Shell, has left my bed and board without cause or provocation, I therefore forbid all persons trusting her on my account, as I shall pay no debts contracted by her. George Shell, Silver Bow City, Montana Territory, April 14, 1865." In addition to divorce, potholes and a dancing tragedy, there was plenty of evidence of Virginia City's rough edges. There's little wonder it took so long for the news of the assassination to travel. "An individual primed and loaded with the abomination of the Good Templars being moved with indignation at the perusal of one of the notices of the U.S. Assessor to the tax payers tore down the offending document Sheriff X. Biedler started in hot pursuit after the fugitive who took to his heels on being discovered. Drawing his revolver, he ordered the offender to stand or he would shoot. This terrible announcement, enforced by the click of a navy relaxed all his muscles and he brought up all standing like an oyster boat on a sand bar. The fine for the offense committed is $500 and two years imprisonment, but in consideration of the physical evidence of his mental suffering, and also his being in a state of whisky, he was reprimanded and discharged upon paying costs." A week later, Virginia City had returned to mostly normal. The news included updates the very latest it purported on the assassination, including the hot pursuit of John Wilkes Booth, even though by then, Booth had been dead for 10 days. But, a letter from Helena to the Post's editor noted that the community had just learned the news. "The news of the death of the president which we received by the extra saddened every loyal heart among us, and we fully endorsed your editorial on the subject," the letter from "Gleaner" began. Quickly, though the news moved on. "Provisions are ranging at very high prices at present. No flour at any price. But we gladly hear, and hope it will prove true that a small supply is almost here and we soon anticipate to greet some nice warm biscuits as ocular evidence thereof." For the following two weeks throughout the month of May 1865 the Post was replete with copies of letters sent to Mary Todd Lincoln, the president's widow. It also published poems and editorials meant to eulogize the slain leader. In Nevada City, a committee of three leaders, drafted a lengthy resolution. "The preamble to the resolution is, we regret, too long for insertion in our columns, owing to the press of other matter which cannot be postponed," The Post said. However, the committee mentioned that any "outward manifestations of exultation or joy" at the assassination or "any person who shall be guilty of using language expressive of the same" would be held "amenable to loyalty for his conduct, and visited with prompt and severe punishment." That was probably no trifling language for a place synonymous with vigilantes. It's also reasonable to believe, from the local reports, that not everyone was as sad as the paper's editors that Lincoln had been shot. The May 13 edition of the post recounted a poem that was left posted to the door of its Prickly Pear offices: "Glory enough for one time! "Old Abe has gone to Hell! "Hurrah for Jeff. Davis! "Grand Reception of Old Abe in Hell! "Big Dinner! "The Devil's Band played 'Welcome the Chief!'" +4 A familiar scandal: Teenage girls, a U.S. Senate hopeful and a century-old Montana story A United States Senate hopeful who seems attracted to teenage girls, details of which emerge years later, and a scandal that makes the front p Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. And we introduced Hannas Act. Hannas Act, House Bill 21, will create and fund a new missing persons specialist position at the Department of Justice dedicated to assisting all law enforcement agencies in the state pursue missing persons cases. Law enforcement agencies in Montana need the tools to find our loved ones when they go missing, and it is imperative that the Department of Justice hires someone to make these cases a top priority. Since we introduced Hannas Act in January, it has taken on a life of its own. Hundreds of Montanans have reached out to share their own stories of their missing loved ones, or cases gone cold because of delayed investigations. Folks are realizing this epidemic isnt only a tribal one; it affects all Montanans. But although we saw a powerful groundswell of support for Hannas Act, we didnt see the support this issue deserves from all Montana lawmakers. For some, politics got in the way. At Tumbleweed, Cady sees "rampant survival sex." Adolescents and teens who don't have a safe place to stay sell themselves for food and a warm place to sleep, she said. Tumbleweed's anti-trafficking program offers these vulnerable teens and preteens safety and services to get off the streets and away from their predator. Walter and Cady were among several speakers at the second annual Red Sand Project Thursday in Billings. Billings Zonta Club and the Yellowstone County Area Human Trafficking Task Force organized the event on the Montana State University Billings campus to raise awareness of trafficking. Thirty years ago, women stood on downtown Billings street corners offering sex for money. The streetwalkers are long gone but sex for hire continues through internet ads, massage parlors and spas, Walter told the crowd in MSUB's Peaks to Plains Park on Thursday. A trafficker may make $500 a day off one woman in Billings, and control her life so completely that he even dictates what she has for dinner. Im writing about the April 21-23 Acadia facility articles. It appeared to me that the news articles swerved recklessly between opinion and fact in the use of the term chemical restraint. The most authoritative definition of chemical restraint is the 2014 federal CMS definition that states a chemical restraint is defined as any drug that is used for discipline or convenience and not required to treat medical symptoms. Also, the article failed to address the real fact that the suicide rate for children in Montana is double the national average. Parents are scared, and I believe that the Acadia articles feed that fear and add to mental health stigma. We want to encourage parents to get help for their children. Any parent who has a child with depression or suicidal thoughts should immediately contact their pediatrician or other primary care provider for assistance or referral to a trusted mental health provider. There are many excellent therapists, psychologists, psychiatric physicians and psychiatric nurse practitioners and physician assistants who provide quality mental health treatment in Montana. If you are worried about a loved one, there is hope and there is help. Leonard Lantz, MD Helena Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 I watched Notre Dame burning, in living color, a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. What else can happen, I thought? Our Lady in flames looked like a harbinger of World War II. The site of light streaming through the beautiful rose window the next morning returned me to hope. Gods in his heaven, alls right with the world. (Robert Browning) Money was already flowing in, for reconstruction. Billionaires quickly donated millions. NHK Newsline from Tokyo showed people visiting a Buddhist shrine, shoving small bills into jars to help rebuild Notre Dame. But evidently, my left-wing, artist and writer friends care less about their own roots than those Japanese Buddhists. My fellow progressives inundated my Facebook page with angry criticism complete with grim photos, also in living color. Repairing Notre Dame, they said, was frivolous at best, and immoral at worst. The money should be spent around the world to feed the hungry and repair the ravages of international war. Fellow artists, beauty unites us, speaks to our best. Should we get rid of the National Endowment for the Arts? Nope. I intend to write on until my brain ages out. Amen. Sharie Pyke Billings Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Montana's median household income is slightly less than $40,000 per year and the Republican nominee for governor Tim Fox is sucking up to billionaire Dan Cathy in the hopes of bringing more low-wage jobs to our state. I agree with Fox that not every ideological battle should be fought on Main Street. However, after the sham Amazon HQ2 debacle, I would encourage my neighbors to remember that the uber-wealthy will help you only so far as it helps them. Authors: William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdick. Title: "The Ugly American" Publisher: W.W. Norton & Co. 1958. 285 pages. "The Ugly American," by William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdick, about the communists and American diplomacy in southeast Asia after World War II and the mid-1950s was a bestseller in 1958. It gave rise to the term Ugly American to describe negative impressions many Americans made when they worked overseas for the State Department and the armed forces. It also applied to loud and obnoxious American tourists. I have always known this term was a misreading of this novel as the ugly Americans in the novel were actually the good guys. The recent and totally unnecessary observance of Vietnam Veterans Day made me want to read this novel once again 58 years after I read it in college. It is set in Sarkhan, a fictional country in southeast Asia, but which was widely believed to represent the situation in Vietnam before the end of 1956. Reading it reminded me of a quote attributed to Yogi Berra, Its deja vu all over again. Lederer and Burdick wrote in A Factual Epilogue this novel was based on their experiences and what they observed in southeast Asia. Their novel was a cautionary tale of the consequences of State Department diplomatic and armed forces service people being sent to southeast Asia without any ability to speak, read or write the native language, to rely only on interpreters, to socialize only with high government and business leadership, to live apart from the country, and to avoid going out into the countryside where the average people lived and worked. Although the French were fighting in the northern part of Vietnam during the timeframe of this novel, it is not about war. Rather it is about communists working locally to ingratiate themselves with the local population, while Americans living and working in southeast Asia stuck to the big cities and the elites. Few people at the Sarkhan U.S. Embassy spoke the language, or ever got out into the countryside. They were only concerned about big projects such as dams and military grade roads, while for the vast majority of people what would have the most impact were small projects to develop better chickens, animals and agriculture. Anyone who would speak the language and actually work and live with the people made a huge difference. Those small success stories were ignored back in Washington. The ugly Americans spoke the language of Sarkhan, they lived with the people, they got their hands dirty working with them, and they worked on small projects which were very useful to the people. Good examples of ugly Americans in Sarkhan emerged later with the creation and implementation of the Peace Corps. I had forgotten the United States had put billions of dollars into the losing French effort to defeat the communists in Vietnam resulting in their triumphant withdrawal from North Vietnam after their defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. The authors contend the French never won any critical battles during their phase of the Vietnam War, which really lasted from the end of World War II to April 30, 1975. In fighting our phase of the Vietnam War we were able to bring military might to any battle, which the French could not, so we effectively won every battle. But with television cameras on the battlefields and TVs in virtually every American home plus lots more TVs worldwide, we too lost our phase of the Vietnam War. In hindsight I believe the authors focused too much on the communists as opposed to nationalism and civil war in southeast Asia. Its hard to believe after 50 years Vietnam is now a trading partner and a tourist destination for many, including my fellow North Dakotans. Its ironic after all of the money and blood we spent trying to defeat Vietnam that it is now more concerned about China than it is about us. I just wish that in the 1960s and 1970s before our leaders, politicians, generals and admirals poured so many billions of dollars and the lives of so many wonderful young Americans into Vietnam they would have read and understood "The Ugly American." Bob Wefald is a retired North Dakota State District Court judge, former attorney general and a retired Navy captain. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Retirement ceremony Lt. Col. Curtis Kroh was honored during a retirement ceremony April 7 in front of family, friends and fellow National Guard members at the Raymond J. Bohn armory in Bismarck. A native of Washburn, he served in the North Dakota Army National Guard for more than four decades. Kroh enlisted into the N.D. Army National Guard's Company A, 164th Engineer Battalion in 1978 as a light-wheel vehicle mechanic. Subsequent service includes the 191st Military Police Company; 815th Medical Company; 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment; 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery Regiment; and 814th Medical Company (Area Support). In May 2000, Kroh commissioned as a second lieutenant after completing the Inter-Service Physician Assistant Program at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He participated in multiple training events abroad and served in Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm and in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Kroh recently became one of the first North Dakota Guardsmen to receive the Woodrow Wilson Keeble "Je Suis Pret" (I am Ready) Award. The state award was created to recognize Guard soldiers or airmen who display courage, fortitude and determination to protect or defend life, limb or property. Kroh earned the award for his action in responding to an accident in June 1992. Kroh lives in Bismarck with his wife and works as a physician assistant at the Veterans Administration Clinic. Indianhead Division The Second (Indianhead) Division Association is searching for anyone who served in the Army's 2nd Infantry Division at any time. For information about the association and its 98th annual reunion slated Sept. 18-22 in Tucson, Ariz., contact Bob Haynes at 2idahq@comcast.net or 224-225-1202. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Leaders at area universities keep a watchful eye on conversations in Washington, D.C., that could affect their respective students and staff. Peter Johnson, chief liaison officer at the University of North Dakota, said UND has a number of staff members who watch for various higher education priorities and policies coming out of Washington, D.C. For example, Cara Halgren, vice president of student affairs and diversity, follows topics related to students. John Mihelich, interim vice president for research, looks at priorities related to research, Johnson said. All those individuals have relationships with national entities who also help look at whats coming out of Washington, he said. Were watchful. Johnson said the university follows those national conversations as a way to prepare for any potential changes coming down the line. Depending on whats enacted, we respond appropriately, he said. While not all policy matters have a great impact on a school like the University of Minnesota-Crookston, Vice Chancellor John Hoffman said he still closely monitors policy matters at the state and federal levels. President Donald Trump laid out a number of proposals to reform the higher education system last month, including a proposal to cap the amount of parent loans that can be taken out to fund a students education. Some of the changes that come along could have an effect on us but in this particular case I dont see it having a big effect on the University of Minnesota-Crookston. But we try to attend to (those policy issues) carefully, Hoffman said. To address increasing debt, the Trump administration proposes establishing limits on federal student loans, as well as improved guidance to students about their likely ability to fulfill repayment obligations. The Trump administration is committed to reforming higher education through legislation and regulatory reforms that provide more Americans access to a quality education, hold institutions accountable and help students and families make informed decisions regarding their educational options, the White House said in a press release outlining various reforms. The proposal asks Congress to institute Parent and Grad PLUS loan limits. However, it does not have a set amount at this time. Mike Griffin, who provides leadership for enrollment management at the University of Minnesota-Crookston, noted there already are caps on the amount of federal loans students can take out, which is $57,500. About half of that amount can come from subsidized aid for lower-income students and the rest would come through regular student loans. Hoffman said the narrative surrounding parent loans is, because there is no limit on them, colleges and universities charge higher tuition levels, thus making college more expensive for students. If there is a cap on the amount of loans parents can take out, Hoffman said the thinking is universities would be forced to lower their tuition. However, he said those high levels of tuition dont affect schools like UMC because the school is already very affordable. Tuition at Crookston is $10,282 a year; over a four-year timetable that is significantly below even the student limit for federal borrowing. It wouldnt have an effect on us, he said. ... We feel we have a responsibility that students can manage any loans that they take out after they graduate from the university. Tuition at UND is also well below the borrowing limit for students at $8,695 a year for North Dakota residents. Hoffman said he is skeptical the proposal would be successful at lowering tuition. Columbia University in New York has the highest tuition in the nation at around $60,000 a year. However, many students at the university receive scholarship money that reduces the cost. As a higher ed scholar, Im somewhat skeptical that this would actually lead to a reduction in the amount of tuition thats charged by institutions, he said. I dont see this as putting pressure on colleges and universities to lower their tuition. Higher ed budget In addition to proposed changes to the Higher Education Act, Trump also released a higher education budget last month that would cut $7.1 billion in funding at the U.S. Department of Education. The budget proposal asks Congress to eliminate Public Service Loan Forgiveness and subsidized student loans, Inside Higher Ed reported. The budget also calls for changes to the income-driven repayment programs for student borrowers, the publication reported. While the budget calls for the end of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, the presidents proposal would provide forgiveness to all undergraduate borrowers after 15 years, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported. Janelle Kilgore, interim vice provost SEM for enrollment management at UND, said UND has more than 3,500 lower income undergraduate students per year who receive a Federal Direct Subsidized Loan. She said removing the subsidized loan program would increase the cost of a college education since most students do not make their interest payments while in school. "The federal grant and subsidized loan program were established to help create access to students who wouldnt otherwise be able to have the means and/or financial resources to attend post-secondary education," she said. "In my opinion, removing these programs would hinder low and middle income students educational opportunities to advance their socio-economic status." Interest doesnt accrue on subsidized loans while the borrower is in school or in economic hardship. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Two-time liver transplant recipient Dave Hanson, of Mandan, says its hard to describe what the days and months felt like leading up to his receiving the call, which he experienced twice, letting him know he was a match for an organ he very much needed. The 47-year-olds first call, in which the voice on the other end of the line questioned whether Hanson could make it to the hospital in time for the transplant, came in 1998. Hanson, then a single man with no children, had been on the transplant waiting list for four months. It really didnt hit me because I wasnt married, he said. It was just me. Hanson had recently been diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, which he describes as a disease in which the livers bile ducts scar up and harden, preventing bile from traveling through, which leads to jaundice, or the yellowing of ones skin. His liver transplant on April 14, 1998, was a success. However, his disease returned and, in May 2015, he was back on the waiting list. The second time around, I have a wife and two children. They were 6 and 8 and just starting out. Every time that phone would ring, and youd pick it up and its not the call there is no way to explain waiting for that call, he said. And then when I did get the call, its just like, It came. Its just unbelievable how relieving it is to get it. Hanson was told to expect the call day or night; it can come at any time. A little more than a month after being placed on the waiting list, on July 5, 2015, the lifesaving call came, just as he was settling in to binge watch NCIS on Netflix. In less than an hour, he and his wife, Andrea, were on their way to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. He said they forgot to pack a few things and almost didnt make it in time for the transplant due to pouring rain. The whole way there, I was just panicking, Are you going to make it? Are you going to make it? Hanson said. And its not so much that Im not going to get my transplant, its just that these organs are so hard to come by. And if they cant get it in me, does it go to waste? That was my biggest fear. The couple left Mandan at 6:20 p.m. July 5 and arrived at Mayo Clinic at 2:08 a.m. July 6, in time for the 4 a.m. surgery. My doctor told me after the transplant that if I wouldnt have gotten it that day, I wouldve probably been in Rochester within a few days of that and they wouldve had to start taking evasive procedures to keep me going, he said, adding that almost four years post-surgery, his liver is doing great. Hanson says there isnt a day that goes by that he doesnt think of his donors, who hes learned more about through written communication with their families. Both were female and the first was a beautiful, beautiful lady, he said, judging from the photos he received. The second was a 50-year-old mother of three with a passion for Harley-Davidsons. To me, donors theyre heroes, he said. They made the ultimate sacrifice at the worst time of their life to become a donor and to save families. Trails4Transplants Next month, Mandan is set to host the seventh annual Trails4Transplants horse and ATV ride to raise awareness of the need for organ, eye and tissue donors and to raise money for organ transplant recipients. The 150-mile Mandan Meander trail ride, slated May 18-27, will begin and end each day at the Hille Windmill Ranch, 14 miles south of Mandan. Participants will have the opportunity to ride to Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, Solen and St. Anthony, among other locations. Roger Hille, Hansons father-in-law, and Ashley Peterson founded the event in 2013, with the goal of riding 2,000 miles and raising $200,000, which were both surpassed at the conclusion of last years 317-mile ride in Minnesota. The event has also taken place in South Dakota and Montana. We were both horse people, we wanted to do a ride and we didnt want to just ride, we wanted to do it for a cause, Hille said, noting that if it wasnt for Hansons first liver transplant, he wouldnt have his grandchildren, Aiden, 12, and Annabell, 10. Petersons brother, who died in an automobile accident, donated many organs. Its been wonderful and its grown much more than two people who wanted to ride across the country and raise awareness, Hille added. Some (participants) have ridden all the miles, some have ridden one day. But its truly open for anyone whod like to ride. Most participants bring their own horse or ATV to ride, but there are some horses to lease for $100 per half day, with registration required. The daily cost per rider is $25, and all participants are encouraged to solicit sponsorships. The primary recipient of the funds raised is The Gift of Life Transplant House, Rochester, where Hanson stayed for 22 days after his second transplant. The money has also been used to construct memory walls to honor donors in five communities. We give money to people who are having transplants, but we also support donor families, Hanson said. Whether its honoring donors with this ride, or its an honor wall, its just very important to us to honor them. Participants, who typically camp out, must provide their own food, but can expect at least half of their meals to be covered, thanks to donations by local people or groups. Horses will be allowed to graze and a large hay bale will be available on site. Water will be provided along the trail and at the ranch. Rain or shine, the event will take place. Riders will not hit the trail if its lightning or thundering, however. Hanson says his favorite thing about the ride is the fellowship and listening to the stories told by other organ transplant recipients and donors families. If you come once, youre family. Its just how we are, he said. We always say, When youre ready to tell your story, youll be ready to tell your story. Everybody heals in a whole different way. Weve grown a family, is what weve done, Hille added. For more information, to donate or to register, call 218-201-0589 or visit www.trails4transplants.org. Reach Cheryl McCormack at 701-250-8264 or cheryl.mccormack@bismarcktribune.com. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. FARGO A Moorhead man is suing the West Acres Shopping Center claiming the mall defamed him last fall when he and a friend were selling President Donald Trump memorabilia on a boulevard near mall property. The suit filed in Cass County District Court asks for $500,000. Eric N. Smith, 38, claims in his lawsuit that on Sept. 24, 2018, mall security approached him near the Chic-fil-A restaurant, which is located in the West Acres parking lot. The suit says mall security then called the Fargo Police Department and "they harassed" him as well as a friend, Charles Tuttle, who at the time was running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Smith at the time was a write-in candidate for local office, according to the lawsuit. The suit states that Smith and Tuttle were selling Trump memorabilia to help fund Tuttle's House campaign and that after the police left the area, mall security continued to harass Smith and Tuttle by calling Chic-fil-A "every 10 minutes harassing them to ask us to leave the area even after police informed security that we had every right to be in that area on the boulevard." Smith said in a phone interview on Thursday that on the day in question in September 2018, he and Tuttle were set up on a public boulevard near Chic-fil-A. Following the Sept. 24, 2018, incident near Chic-fil-A, the city of Fargo charged Smith with one count of criminal trespass, a Class B misdemeanor, alleging that Smith was on West Acres property that day after previously having been removed from that location. In December 2018, the city filed a motion to dismiss the criminal trespass charge citing a number of reasons, including that Smith had agreed to stay away from West Acres and had acknowledged "the boundaries." The city also said it was dismissing the charge because it was unable to establish intent at "the time the crime was committed." As of Thursday, the mall had not filed an answer to Smith's civil suit, which was filed on April 22. Jordan Weir, an attorney representing West Acres, said in a brief written statement that West Acres believes allegations made in the suit are without merit and the mall "intends to respond to the complaint accordingly." Weir's statement on behalf of the mall also made reference to a child custody case involving Smith that reached the North Dakota Supreme Court, a case in which the high court upheld a lower court order that found Smith to be a "vexatious litigant." According to the North Dakota courts website, a vexatious litigant is someone who habitually and without reasonable grounds engages in conduct that: serves primarily to harass or maliciously injure another party; is not warranted under existing law; is imposed solely for delay; hinders effective administration of justice; imposes an unacceptable burden on judicial resources; or impedes the normal functioning of the judicial process. Smith said the custody case mentioned by Weir wasn't relevant, adding, "I find it very disturbing that they bring it up." Smith, who is acting as his own attorney in the civil lawsuit, said he has been indefinitely banned from West Acres, a status he maintains is unfair and a reaction to his political beliefs. Love 0 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 ST. PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota Territory was less than two months old when its first newspaper appeared on the streets of St. Paul 170 years ago. The first issue of the Minnesota Pioneer the earliest ancestor of the Pioneer Press was printed in the drafty spare room of a carpentry shop on what is now Kellogg Boulevard. The force behind the Pioneer was 38-year-old James Madison Goodhue, a combative and clever newspaperman who had only recently arrived in the territorial capital from Wisconsin, along with a hand-operated press and printers to operate it, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported in its Sunday edition. Just a couple of months after the Pioneers first issue hit the streets, the tiny town of about 500 people was home to two more newspapers, writes George S. Hage in his book Newspapers on the Minnesota Frontier. By the time Minnesota entered the Union as the 32nd state in 1858, that number had grown to 21. Although Goodhues premature death of illness in August 1852 cut short his tenure atop the Pioneer masthead, the newspaper he founded would survive, gradually absorbing its rivals. By 1938, all of St. Pauls newspapers had been consolidated under the one company called Pioneer Press and Dispatch, the direct descendant of Goodhues Pioneer. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 FARGO The smoke and haze from wildfires outside of North Dakota have dragged down the state's grades for air quality in recent years. The American Lung Association gave five of the 10 counties that track air quality in the state an F because of increased levels of particle pollution, according to the group's 2019 State of the Air report released this month. Those counties were Burke, Burleigh, Dunn, Mercer and Williams. Cass County earned a C, the highest grade obtained by a North Dakota county, the report said. Billings, McKenzie and Oliver received Ds, and there was not enough data to grade Ward County. In Minnesota, there was no data for Clay County, but Becker County earned a B, the report said. Its the third consecutive year North Dakota has seen lower grades, said Robert Moffitt, a spokesman for the Lung Association. More wildfires, which are happening more frequently across the U.S. and Canada, have affected the states air quality grades, he said. I think its not too far of a stretch to say this is global climate change starting to have an impact on the scores, he said. The Lung Association uses data collected by the North Dakota Department of Health from air monitoring stations. The organization then grades the stations based on how many days the concentration of pollutants exceed certain levels. North Dakota typically has earned high marks in the 20 years the Lung Association has tracked air quality this way, Moffitt said. Thats likely because North Dakota isnt as densely populated as other areas, and has wide-open spaces and high winds that blow pollutants out of the state, said Daryl Ritchison, director of the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network. Truth be told, the thing that we dislike here a lot helps North Dakota to have some of the cleanest air in the country, he said of the wind. The smoke from outside sources skews data in North Dakota, said Dave Glatt, environmental health section chief for the state Health Department. The reason I say that is because all of our other traditional sources, such as the power plants and other emission sources, continue to be in compliance like they always have, Glatt said. The only factor that's really changed is the occurrence of forest fires and the impact on the state. Moffitt said North Dakota should finalize its plans to reduce air pollution with the $8 million it received from a Volkswagen settlement negotiated by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2016. The vehicle company was cited for federal violations that claimed it cheated during carbon emissions testing. Glatt said residents should take precautions when situations, including wildfires, threaten air quality. For the estimated 61,000 North Dakotans who have asthma, short-term particle pollution can cause difficulty breathing, and may trigger an asthma attack, Moffitt said. Long-term exposure also is hazardous to people with pre-existing lung conditions, but also to the elderly and the very young. Whether the pattern of low grades continues depends on what happens upwind. We just naturally go through these wet and dry cycles, and right now we are in a dry cycle, Glatt said, adding that a wet cycle would likely result in fewer wildfires. The Lung Association's report also had bright spots. North Dakota received A and B grades for ozone pollution. And Bismarck ranked ninth on a list of the 25 cleanest U.S. cities year-round for particle pollution, the only North Dakota city to do so. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 In her piece, Kudos to DeVos for new initiative published in the April 15 issue of the Bismarck Tribune, Star Parker mentioned the National Education Association several times, specifically NEAs public statements chastising Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and her efforts to send more public monies into private education. As the president of North Dakota United, a proud affiliate of the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, Id like to comment on Parkers assertions. Parker is a syndicated columnist and the founder and CEO of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education, an organization that espouses the belief that monies raised for public education ought to be used to subsidize private school education. Article VIII, Section 5 of the North Dakota Constitution, states that: All colleges, universities, and other educational institutions, for the support of which lands have been granted to this state, or which are supported by a public tax, shall remain under the absolute and exclusive control of the state. No money raised for the support of the public schools of the state shall be appropriated to or used for the support of any sectarian school. Our founders wisdom on this matter is as spot-on now as it was then. What DeVos has proposed is the diversion of $5 billion in taxpayer provided funds away from public schools and into the bank accounts of private institutions. Why is that a bad idea? Because public schools that use public money are held accountable for how those tax dollars are spent. They are governed by elected school boards who must account for every dollar and follow policies that guarantee transparency. Private schools have no obligation to be transparent, or to report to the taxpayers how they are spending their tax dollars. Public schools have an obligation to provide educational services to every student that walks, rolls, runs or is carried through their schoolhouse doors. The same is not true of private schools. Private schools can admit whomever they please and turn away students based on their sexual orientation, disability, religious beliefs, or any reason at all. The North Dakota Legislature has consistently sided with North Dakota United in turning away schemes intended to divert public money to private schools. Legislators in both parties see education savings accounts, vouchers and tax credit scholarships as vehicles to direct tax dollars away form their intended purpose of supporting North Dakotas great public schools. At a time when most states were decreasing their investments in public schools, North Dakota was doing the opposite. North Dakota has steadily increased its funding for public schools on the state level for the past 10 years, and our local communities also have increased their investments, too. The results speak for themselves. North Dakotans regularly rate the quality of public education as the best in the United States. In a Gallup poll taken in March-December 2015, 89% of North Dakotans surveyed rated public education in our state as excellent or good. Our organizations internal polling show that North Dakotans regularly give sky-high favorability ratings to our public schools, teachers and education support professionals. Right now, North Dakota's well managed schools, staffed with well prepared teachers and education support staff, are preparing some 114,000 students to be happy, healthy, and well-educated members of our society. Our work is intentional and on track. Depriving North Dakota's public schools of much needed investment threatens our goal. School choice is fine. Just do not ask North Dakota's taxpayers to pay for that choice. Nick Archuleta is president of North Dakota United. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Yahoo! JAPAN Yahoo! JAPAN News / National by Staff reporter Preparations for the launch of ZBC's 24-hour television news channel, the ZBC News 24, is underway with ZBC CEO, Mr Patrick Mavhura highlighting that they are working round the clock to make the project a reality.Mr Mavhura and the ZBC senior management team toured the country's national television exhibition stand at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), where they were taken through the broadcasting production process.Speaking after the tour, Mr Mavhura said preparations for the launch of a 24-hour news channel were underway and are at an advanced stage."We are in the process of preparing to launch a 24-hour news channel which is also a big opportunity for business as this channel will not only be about Zimbabwe but also an international channel," he said.ZBC continues to play a positive role in projecting the country as a safe destination for investment. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu An MDC councilor has been sucked into a scandal that has seen a Chinese company threaten to evict about 20 000 villagers in Domboshava to pave way for their mining activities.Deputy Government Spokesperson Energy Mutodi said the councilor had connived with the District Administrator to sell the hill."A meeting at Zimbiru Primary School with Domboshava residents today has revealed that MDC Councillor Tapiwa Murima and a corrupt DA Prisca Dube are behind the sale of Garimo hill to Chinese quarry miners." Mutodi said. " US $600k, 4 cattle and goats were paid. The MP and villagers were not consulted."On Friday Mutodi had announced that he had to cut short his visit to the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair after getting information that Domboshava villagers were about to be evicted.In Zimbabwe mining rights supersede rights of occupation.Said Mutodi on Friday, "I have prematurely ended my ZITF tour in order to attend to villagers in Domboshava who are claiming a Chinese company is planning to evict 20 000 individuals from their land after it was granted mining rights to extract quarry stones from a hill in their area."China is an all weather friend of the Zimbabwean government. News / National by Staff reporter ONGOING efforts to turnaround the operations of Air Zimbabwe have received further boost following revelations that Government recently extended the dispensation for the national air carrier to import spares duty free.Through statutory instrument 92/2019 (Customs and Excise Duty Rebate for Air Zimbabwe) the Government extended, for the whole of 2019, the existing rebate on engine spares and aircraft components for Air Zimbabwe.The debt ridden State owned airline was placed under the administration of Grant Thornton with effect from October 4 2018, amid a string of losses, in terms of the Reconstruction of State-Indebted Insolvent Companies Act.Administrator Reggie Saruchena late last year said Air Zimbabwe revival was possible; promising a turnaround. He said he had previously handled similar challenges. As operational and viability problems mounted at the national airline, Air Zimbabwe's passenger numbers plunged to about 230 000 per annum from a peak of 1 million in 1996.Air Zim has also been struggling to meet its external obligations resulting in it being suspended from international aviation bodies, whose membership is critical for its global routes.Air Zim assistant administrator Tonderai Mukubvu told The Sunday Mail Business that extension of rebate was welcome as it reduces the cost of aircraft maintenance."The removal of import duty takes away a significant cost of maintenance. For instance, if a spare part costs US$4, it means that this reduces the cost of maintenance by the equivalent of the duty," Mr Mukubvu said in an interview."Air Zim spares must all be imported because we do not have any local manufacturer, as such the removal of the duty cuts down on the foreign required to import from wherever since the duty is also charged in forex," he added.He also said that the extension of the duty rebate on spares and components will enable the airline to save foreign currency.The airline currently has two functional aircraft; one flying and servicing domestic and regional routes and another currently grounded and undergoing maintenance procedure, C-check.Delivery of an Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft from the US is expected in the next two weeks to increase its fleet of functional aircraft, making the rebate handy.Further, reports earlier this month indicated that the airline was due to take delivery of two Boeing 777-200 ERs acquired from Malaysia, as part of efforts to boost its fleet.Mr Mukubvu said a reduction in the amount of foreign currency required to import critical spares, as Zimbabwe faces forex shortages, will reduce the overall cost of maintenance by an equivalent factor.Efforts to get comment from Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joel Biggie Matiza or his deputy Fortune Chasi were not successful by the time of going to print, as they could be reached on the mobile phones.However, Mr Mukubvu said the company was operating two aircraft while a third, an Embraer ERJ 145 was expected in Zimbabwe in a fortnight and would also benefit from the import duty rebate on spares and engine components.Air Zim is saddled with a US$341 million debt accumulated over a decade of mismanagement. The inability to repay debts left the airline unable to meet its obligations to global aviation bodies.Air Zim is now battling to attain recertification under the International Air Transport Association operational safety audit and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) after losing its rights as a result of failing to pay its dues.IATA is an association of the airlines from across the globe, representing 275 airlines or 83 percent of total air traffic. The association supports many areas of aviation activity and helps to formulate industry policy on critical aviation issues.One of Air Zimbabwe's long haul aircraft, a Boeing 767-200 was impounded by American General Supplies at Gatwick International Airport in London in December 2011 over debts amounting to $1,2 million.In 1980, Air Zimbabwe had 18 aircraft flying into 31 destinations but is now limited to Harare-Johannesburg; Harare-Bulawayo and Harare-Victoria Falls routes. News / National by Staff reporter THE Government is making concerted efforts to improve the Ease of Doing business as it moves to attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) into the country.Speaking at the Zimbabwe International Business Conference held at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre in Bulawayo last Wednesday, Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga said there was still much the country should do to improve its Ease of Doing Business."While the Government has embarked on the Ease of Doing Business across various sectors the pace of implementation has not been fast as we would have wished thus bureaucratic, red tape and high costs of doing business continue to render Zimbabwe an unattractive investment destination especially to those investors whose investment location and decisions are motivated by a desire to increase production and reduce business operating costs," he said.VP Chiwenga said the Government was in the process of expediting various reforms aimed at enhancing the Ease of Doing Business in the country."To address these shortcomings and improve competitiveness the Government will expedite the Ease and Cost of doing business reforms, capacitate the National Competitive Commission and establish the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency (Zida) as a one-stop shop for speedy processing of investments," he said.VP Chiwenga said the enactment of the Zida Act, which is expected to expedite the approval investment projects, was at an advanced stage."In its quest to attract investment the Government will expedite the enactment of the Zida Bill now before Parliament when fully established Zida will decide on investment applications within a day, thereby significantly shortening the period required by prospective investors to obtain business approvals. Cognisant that investors look at both the policy on paper and its implementation the Government will plan its entire machinery to do away with bureaucratic inefficiencies, complex regulations and procedures and unpredictable or arbitrary conduct," he said.VP Chiwenga said the Government would endeavour to facilitate a conducive environment for investors to operate their businesses while also ensuring their investments are beneficiary to the growth of the country's economy."In addition to ensuring investors transparency, creditability and investment protection guarantees, the Government will adopt a targeted approach when dealing with different investors taking into account their valid motivations to invest. Thus business friendly policies on importing inputs will be put in place for manufacturing firms."In all dealings with investors, however, the Government's overall objective will be to attract, retain and harness foreign direct investment and in so doing in all times the balance will be maintained between investor preferences and public interest to ensure that the country obtains net positive benefits from FDIs," he said.Zimbabwe is ranked 155 among 190 economies in the Ease of Doing Business, according to the latest World Bank annual ratings. The rank of Zimbabwe improved to 155 in 2018 from 159 in 2017. Ease of Doing Business in Zimbabwe averaged 161,91 from 2008 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 171 in 2011 and a record low of 153 in 2014.The Ease of Doing Business index ranks countries against each other based on how the regulatory environment is conducive to business operation stronger protections of property rights. Economies with a high rank (1 to 20) have simpler and friendlier regulations for businesses. News / National by Staff reporter The Minister of Energy and Power Development, Joram Gumbo has allayed fears of a fuel price hike, dismissing claims of an increase on the pump price of petrol and diesel as false.This follows the government pronouncement on Thursday that the mandatory ethanol blending for unleaded petrol has been increased to 10 percent from 5 percent with effect from April 25.The government had lowered the ratio to 5 percent from 15 percent as a result of reduced capacity at Chisumbanje-based Green Fuel, and Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) CEO, Eddington Mazambani said improved ethanol output by Green Fuel has led to the latest review.The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, Engineer Gloria Magombo said the move will not result in an increase in fuel prices contrary to false reports being peddled by social media.Engineer Magombo said the upward revision of the blending ratio is aimed solely at reducing the country's trade deficit."The move is basically aimed at reducing the import bill of fuel since the country spends on average US$20 million on fuel imports. Contrary to false social media reports that the price of fuel will go up, the government has not increased the price of fuel but only that this blending will cause a slight and insignificant adjustment of prices," she said.Despite earning over US$6 billion in foreign currency annually, Zimbabwe suffers from a high trade deficit which has prompted the government to devise ways of substituting unnecessary imports and ethanol blending is one such initiative. News / National by Staff reporter MINISTRY OF HIGHER AND TERTIARY EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTMatabeleland North Teachers' College (Satellite college of UNITED COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, UCE) HWANGETRAIN AS A PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER MAY 2019 INTAKEA Teachers' College in Matabeleland North Province will open its doors at Thomas Coulter Annex in Hwange Town, commencing May 2019.Applications are invited from suitably qualified persons who wish to study for a 3 year Diploma in Education (Primary), General Course.Entry Requirements: A minimum of 5'01evel passes including English Language and Mathematics with grade'C' or better.Application Procedures: Application forms can be downloaded from the UCE website www.uce.ac.zw or at Thomas Coulter Annex in Hwange town. Attach certified copies of the birth certificate, national identity card/valid passport, academic certificates and marriage certificate (where applicable). Completed application form should be submitted to UNITED COLLEGE OF EDUCATION OR THOMAS COULTER ANNEX (HWANGE) not later than FRIDAY, 3 MAY 2019. Only one application form per candidate should be submitted.The application form is NOT FOR SALEN.B. CHINAMBYA AND TONGA FIRST LANGUAGE SPEAKERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.All correspondences should be addressed to:The Principal United College of Education P. O. Box 1156, Bulawayo (0292) 200137 www.uce.ac.zw Piggy bank next to a financial report Do you want to grow your savings tax-free without all the gotchas that come with an RRSP? If so, a TFSA may be just what the doctor ordered. Although RRSPs Canadas main tax-free account come with a tonne of benefits, they can bite you in the behind if you find yourself having to withdraw early. TFSAs, while lacking tax deductions, give you tax exemption for as long as your holdings are in the account AND upon withdrawal. Because of their greater flexibility, TFSAs are more appropriate than RRSPs for short-term investing, or for investments you plan on using to pay for immediate expenses. However, there are some things you need to know before opening a TFSA particularly if your plan is to save for retirement. We can start with the most important one: your investing goals. Your investing goals When it comes to investing, goals are everything. Whether you should take the safe road and buy blue-chip dividend stocks or put it all on red with high-beta small caps depends entirely on what you hope to achieve. If youre saving for retirement, its generally best to take the safe and easy route ideally inside an RRSP. If youre investing mainly for a shot at becoming wealthy, the more volatile stocks may make sense, since their potential returns are higher. In this situation, a TFSA may make more sense than an RRSP, because if you do score that miracle tenbagger, youll be able to enjoy the profits in the here and now. The annual TFSA contribution limit One of the biggest drawbacks of TFSAs is their relatively small contribution limit. As of 2019, its $6,000, and while that figure could rise in the future, its currently much less than what a six-figure earner should be investing every year. Of course, this is no reason NOT to open a TFSA. In fact, you should almost certainly have some of your money in one. But from the outset, you should know that the amount youll be able to put in is limited. This could be something to keep in mind if youre investing in high-dividend stocks like TransAlta Renewables (TSX:RNW). TransAlta has a nice, juicy dividend yield of 6.7%, which might make it an appealing pick for those looking to live off payouts. However, with TFSA contributions maxing out at $6,000 annually, it would take you quite some time to build a position in TransAlta that you could live off tax-free for life. For this reason, if youre looking for high dividend income, it may be best to spread positions in stocks like TransAlta across several different accounts. Story continues The penalty for contributing too much A final point worth mentioning about TFSAs is that there is a penalty for contributing beyond the limit. If you go beyond the contribution limit, you get taxed at 1% per month, which can add up to quite a bit over the course of an entire year. So, if youre going to open a TFSA, definitely mind the ceiling and stash some of your money elsewhere if youre going to be investing more than $6,000 per annum. More reading Fool contributor Andrew Button has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. 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 question marks written reminders tickets There are few opportunities out there that could truly make you rich, and most of them are quite risky. Cameco Corporation (TSX:CCO)(NYSE:CCJ) is no exception, but there has been a lot of talk recently about this company being due for a huge jump in share price over the next few years myself included. But could Cameco really make you rich? A number of things would have to happen to reach that category, so lets take a look. The bull side Part of the reason many analysts are saying Cameco is due for a jump is the news that nuclear power reactors are starting up again. Beyond that, that there are a bunch of reactors being built or scheduled to be built over the next few years that could really set things in motion. Most notably: China. China has made plans to quadruple its nuclear fleet to take the country away from coal and send uranium prices through the roof. This would be amazing for Cameco, the worlds largest producer of uranium. Investors have already started to get excited, as the share price has slowly and steadily started to rise from the depths, along with the price of uranium. Once trading at $55 per share, the stock is now at $15.59 at the time of writing. But this is still an improvement from the $10 per share it once traded at only a few years ago. The bear side But are investors getting ahead of themselves? Some analysts believe the answer is yes. While Cameco is definitely the largest producer, with mines in place ready to fire up production at the lowest-cost, after the Fukushima disaster uranium supplies are still at an all-time low. This means that while the price of uranium will be high since the demand will be there, uranium producers will seriously struggle to keep up. This alone might turn off countries from going nuclear, never mind the fear of another disaster like Fukushima. Finally, with everything hinging on China, if the company decides to go in another direction, or simply not open as many reactors, this could seriously cost Cameco and other uranium miners. Thats exactly why they havent started producing at full steam ahead with the news of the Chinese fleet. If something goes wrong, it could put them in a horrible position of tons of uranium with nowhere to sell it. Story continues Bottom line Going back to the beginning, there is still an opportunity here, but one that likely wont see much increase for a number of years. If youre willing to wait in hopes that this was the chance to get in on the ground floor, then you could definitely could get rich again. If this stock gets back to where it was pre-Fukushima, youre looking at a share increase from $15 to $55, which means you could turn a $27,270 investment into $100,000 over the next few years. Or you could take your entire TFSA room and put $63,500 down on this stock, with the potential to turn it into $232,833. Thats definitely nearing the rich category. But if you want this stock to get into the millionaire range, its going to take a long time or a huge investment, to get there. You would have to put say $75,000 down on this stock and wait until it reaches $200 per share to get to that $1,000,000 mark, and Im not sure this stock has it in it. So while this stock is likely to receive a bump in its future, Im not so sure youll get rich on it, but youll definitely make some cash. More reading Fool contributor Amy Legate-Wolfe has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. 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 Supermarket aisle with empty green shopping cart In 2017 North American grocery retailers were delivered a shock when Amazon acquired Whole Foods for $13.7 billion. The prospect of Amazon going into grocery retail had many analysts concerned for traditional retailers. Amazon has disrupted much of the old guard through its revolutionary e-commerce model. Late that year Id explained why I thought grocery retailers were in a good position to counter this disruption. According to NPD Group, grocery e-commerce accounts for less than 10% of the overall market. However, it has posted 20% annual growth over the past three years. E-commerce food retail is projected to triple by 2022. Loblaw Companies (TSX:L) is the largest food retailer in Canada. Shares of the grocery giant had climbed 6.1% in 2019 as of close on April 24. The stock was up 25.1% from the prior year. In May 2018 Loblaws revealed that it was accelerating its grocery e-commerce push. The company announced plans to blanket Canada with grocery e-commerce shopping options by the end of 2018. Loblaws rebranded its Click & Collect program to PC Express and unveiled an expansion to more than 700 stores by the end of last year. In its recent Q4 2018 report, Loblaws touted its digital sales numbers. Loblaws said that it had grown its digital sales to more than $500,000 during 2018. The number illustrates just how early we are in the expansion of e-commerce retail in the grocery sector. Empire Company (TSX:EMP.A) Empire Company is a grocery retailer that operates many retail banners including Sobeys, IGA, Farm Boy, and others. Shares of Empire were up 1.7% in 2019 as of close on April 24. The stock was up 20% from the prior year. Empire is taking a slower approach to rolling out its e-commerce network. The company is waiting for the spring of 2020 to roll out its e-commerce grocery business that it will run in partnership with the British firm Ocado. Empires Chief Financial Officer Michael Vels said that the platform would not be immediately profitable. The company expects its e-commerce channel to initially be focused in the Greater Toronto Area. Story continues The company released its fiscal 2019 third-quarter results on March 13. Same-store sales excluding fuel posted 3.3% growth and Empire said that progress was on track for its e-commerce development in the GTA. Metro (TSX:MRU) Metro was my top ranked grocery stock for 2019 in an article late last year. Shares were up 3.1% in 2019 as of close on April 24. The stock was up 18.5% from the prior year. Metro entered the e-commerce game earlier than its competition in Canada. However, its initial offerings were only available in parts of its home Province of Quebec. In 2018 and 2019, Metro announced that it would pursue an expansion of its offerings into Ontario. It expects to achieve this by the late spring. Metro was an early adopter of e-commerce, but its sales have still been comparatively small to start out. The expansion of e-commerce will be a costly but necessary push for Metro and its peers. More reading John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fools board of directors. Fool contributor Ambrose O'Callaghan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Amazon. 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 You Should Know This No doubt by now you know the benefits of a TFSA. Sometimes dubbed as not just a savings account, TFSAs can be used to grow your income, and there are no extra points for being too conservative, as they can hold both cash and a variety of other investments. However, being overly aggressive can result in substantial losses from which it is hard to recover. Low-risk dividend-paying stocks are some of the best investments you can hold in your TFSA; they are a steady and reliable source of passive income and are unlikely to cause you to incur catastrophic losses. Lets consider one of the best such stock on the TSX: Fortis Inc (TSX:FTS) (NYSE:FTS). Core operations Regulated utility companies are given the right to sell electricity and gas by the relevant authorities. In exchange, these companies have to abide by certain rules, including the amount of money they invest, the fees they charge their customers, and what profit margins they can earn. These stringent regulatory practices have their disadvantages. However, regulated utility companies generally earn very stable and predictable revenues as a result. Fortis one of the largest such company in North America generates over 90% of its earnings from regulated utilities. The company has been expanding its revenue base, however, resulting in higher revenues and higher earnings recently. Over the past five years, Fortis revenues have boasted a compound annual growth rate of about 15%, while its net income shows a compound annual growth rate of about 25%. Fortis share value increase by 52% over the same period. Further, Fortis currently has various ongoing growth projects. The utility firm plans to invest over $17 billion through 2023 both in the U.S. in Canada, much of which will go into efforts to deliver cleaner energy. Fortis is also focusing on optimizing and improving existing assets, making them safer and more efficient. While Fortis net margins are currently slightly below industrys standards, the company is moving toward greater efficiency; its net profit margin for the previous fiscal year was its highest in a long time. Fortis current projects should help with these efforts. Story continues A dividend superstar Fortis is well known as one of the most stable dividend-paying companies in Canada. Indeed, the firm now has a streak of 45 consecutive years of dividend increases, making Fortis a dividend aristocrat. Over the past five years, Fortis dividend payouts have increased by 40%. The companys guidance currently includes a 6% yearly dividend increase per through 2023. Fortis currently offers investors a 3.64% dividend yield and a decent payout ratio of 66.6%. Investor takeaway While you may not be able to completely eradicate risk, it is wise to pursue a low-risk strategy when it comes to your TFSA. Fortis fits the profile of a low-volatility, dividend-paying stock with strong growth prospects that can supply your TFSA with cash for years. More reading Fool contributor Prosper Bakiny has no position in any of the companies mentioned. 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 There was this year's Golden Globe win. Her Screen Actor's Guild Award. Last year's ground-breaking Emmy nomination. And a stellar performance recently on Saturday Night Live. After years of hard work, Sandra Oh has been raking in the recognition lately. But getting appreciation from her home country with the prestigious Governor General's Performing Arts Award holds special meaning for the Killing Eve star, who hails from the nation's capital. "You always wish that your career starts with such opportunity, but you actually have to work on it for 30 years," Oh told The National's Rosemary Barton during a sit-down interview in Ottawa ahead of Friday's ceremony. "It forces me because I'm also not really good at this to be proud of things." The Korean-Canadian actress, who's well-known for her role as Dr. Christina Yang on the hit medical drama Grey's Anatomy from 2005 to 2014, has a lot to be proud of. A 'moment' that's taken years to achieve She currently stars as MI5 officer Eve Polastri obsessed with a psychopathic assassin on the critically-acclaimed BBC America series Killing Eve. She's taken home multiple awards for the role, including a Golden Globe and a Critic's Choice trophy. And she also became the first Asian woman to be nominated for a 2018 Emmy in the category of lead actress in a drama series. Blazing a trail not without hurdles The actress, who has made a name for herself succeeding at both drama and comedy, said if this is indeed a "moment" in her long-standing career, it comes only after facing multiple barriers earlier on. Oh recalls a 1995 meeting when she was trying to build a career in Hollywood after already gaining name recognition in Canada. She said a prospective agent told her to "go back home" and "go get famous" before returning to Los Angeles, unlike many non-Asian actors who were able to break through more easily. Story continues Watch as Sandra Oh reflects on her most recent award: "I'm relating it to the natural progression of a white actress," Oh said. "I'm trying to go with a similar road and someone is absolutely telling you, 'There's no space for you here.'" That encounter affected her so deeply that when she co-hosted the Golden Globe Awards in January becoming the first person of Asian descent to do so she made a point to recognize the "faces of change" in the audience in her monologue. Justin Tang/The Canadian Press "I knew when I was writing it and working with the writers, it could possibly be some of the most important words that I say because it is such a large platform," she said. "Change is slow but I'm experiencing it because I have been in rooms like that before. I've been the only person of colour in a very wide radius. So the fact that Crazy Rich Asians, Black Panther as well as Roma was in the room I needed to address it." Her attire on SNL was code She also held her own next to her comedian co-host, Andy Samberg, and the gig paved the way for the ultimate improv challenge: hosting Saturday Night Live. Oh's performance on the sketch comedy series in March received mainly positive reviews. She even managed to work her Canadian roots into the opening monologue and between sketches. Watch as Oh speaks with Rosemary Barton: Oh, who sported a CBC signature logo shirt while introducing the evening's musical guest, said she wanted to do a "shoutout to my Canadian peeps." "I just thought, no one's gonna really know this, unless you are from Canada," she said. In fact, no one recognized the symbol on set, she said. No one, that is, except SNL's executive producer Lorne Michaels a fellow Canuck. Watch Rosemary Barton's full interview with Sandra Oh, Sunday night on The National. 9 p.m. on CBC News Network, 10 p.m. on CBC Television (10:30 NT). Much of southern Saskatchewan is under weather warnings Sunday morning. Environment Canada has issued blizzard warnings for the Swift Current, Maple Creek and Shaunavon areas, while the Moose Jaw, Estevan, Weyburn and Assiniboia areas are under winter storm warnings. Regina and Moosomin are under blowing snow advisories. Saskatchewan Highways is not recommending travel on several highways. Highway 1 west of Swift Current to the Alberta border is closed. Maple Creek and Swift Current Rural RCMP reported a number of serious accidents on Highway 1. Segments of the highway are blocked and RCMP are asking motorists to avoid the area if possible. Meanwhile, some communities are also dealing with power outages. Places like Maple Creek, Cabri and the Piapot First Nation have been told that conditions will have to improve before crews can address those outages. Health officials in British Columbia have pinned down the source of a Canada-wide salmonella outbreak that took months to investigate. Dr. Eleni Galanis with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control says investigators have linked the bacteria-caused gastrointestinal illness to Celebrate brand frozen profiteroles and mini chocolate eclairs. Galanis said cases started appearing in November, but it wasn't until last week that investigators were able to piece the clues together after a third infected person reported eating a cream puff. "That is not a common food ... that we see reported by people who are part of an outbreak, especially for salmonella. We anticipate chicken or egg being a common source," she said. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada there have been 73 confirmed cases of the illness in the following provinces: British Columbia: 27. Ontario: 13. Alberta: 12. Manitoba: 10. Saskatchewan: 9. Quebec: 2. Galanis said the B.C. outbreak was linked to products purchased at AG Foods stores in the Interior and northern B.C. and Fairway Markets in and around Victoria. Anyone who still has the frozen profiteroles or mini eclairs, in regular or eggnog flavour, should throw them out and thoroughly clean any containers or other kitchen utensils they may have touched. On its website, the Public Health Agency of Canada says anyone can become sick from salmonella but infants, children, seniors and those with weakened immune systems face a higher risk of serious illness. It also says 19 people were hospitalized and two deaths were reported in Winnipeg, but it's still not clear if salmonella was the cause of the deaths. Symptoms Salmonella is a common bacteria that causes illness. Symptoms may include chills, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, nausea, and vomiting. It is usually caused by eating contaminated foods, but can also be spread from one person to another if people don't wash their hands after using the bathroom. People infected with salmonella can be contagious for up to several weeks. Galanis said investigators interviewed and re-interviewed dozens of people who were infected, trying to find the source of the outbreak. Part of the issue with this outbreak is that the product is ready to eat as is, Galanis said, so the bacteria couldn't potentially be destroyed by cooking it. Canada's oil imports from Saudi Arabia have been rising steadily for the past five years, according to Statistics Canada trade data reviewed by CBC News, and a festering diplomatic spat with the kingdom appears not to have had any significant impact on Canada's appetite for Riyadh's crude. The total volume of Canadian imports from Saudi Arabia has increased by 66 per cent since 2014, with imports rising every year during that period. Last year, Canadian companies spent $3.54 billion importing 6.4 million cubic metres of Saudi oil, up from 5.9 million cubic metres worth $2.5 billion in 2017, before the dispute started in August 2018. In January 2019, for example, oil imports from the kingdom were 606,000 cubic metres, up from 559,000 cubic metres a year earlier. And although monthly imports gyrate significantly a normal trend in the oil business, according to analysts the long-term trend is unmistakable. "Over five years, imports from Saudi have increased," said David Hughes, a former research manager with the Geological Survey of Canada and president of Global Sustainability Research, a consultancy in Calgary. In January 2019, Saudi oil accounted for roughly 10 per cent of Canadian consumption, up from about eight per cent in 2017, he said. Saudi Arabia is the second-largest source of foreign oil for Canada, after the U.S. 'Not a diplomatic question' Observers are divided on what rising imports from Saudi Arabia should mean for Canadian policy. Human rights groups say Canada should not be propping up the Saudi regime by purchasing its oil, following the recent executions of 37 people, the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a bloody war in neighbouring Yemen and a host of other abuses. John Moore/The Associated Press Energy industry officials say rising imports strengthen the case for building pipelines from Alberta to Eastern Canada, where most Saudi Arabian imports are currently sold. Environmental groups say more pipelines won't actually cut dependency on Saudi Arabia as Western Canadian oil can't be easily processed in eastern refineries, and investing in green energy is the best way to reduce dependency on autocratic, oil-rich states. Story continues Other analysts say the imports aren't related to politics at all, and are based simply on privately owned Canadian refiners wanting the right the kind of oil at the cheapest price. "Oil is the most freely traded commodity in the world," said Jim Krane, an energy expert at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy in Texas. "For a Canadian refiner, it's an economic or a chemical question, not a diplomatic question. They aren't buying it based on the relationship between Ottawa and Riyadh or human rights violations in Saudi Arabia." Deteriorating rights situation Saudi Arabia's embassy in Ottawa did not respond to requests for comment. While the war of words between Canada and Saudi Arabia has died down since last summer, the dispute continues. Canada has not apologized for calling for the immediate release of detained women's rights activists, as Saudi Arabia has demanded. Ottawa hasn't had an ambassador in the kingdom since Dennis Horak was expelled last year and the Saudis have not rescinded their pledge to stop buying Canadian grains or reinstated flights to Toronto. "Saudi Arabia's human rights record has, in many deeply troubling ways, deteriorated considerably in recent years," said Alex Neve, secretary general of Amnesty International Canada. "It is incumbent upon the Canadian government to ensure that business relationships do not cause or contribute to human rights violations in any country, including Saudi Arabia." Petroleum accounts for about 70 per cent of Saudi export earnings and half of its gross domestic product, according to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), meaning oil exports are the lifeblood of the kingdom's economy and its system of absolute monarchy. 'Additional pipeline capacity' A spokesperson for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) said increased imports from Saudi Arabia buttress the call for more pipelines to increase market access for Western Canadian crude. "Right now, our pipeline network is fairly extensive but it doesn't extend to the East Coast," said Mark Pinney, CAPP's manager of markets and transportation. "There are some refineries Canadian producers are not easily able to reach.... Additional pipeline capacity is the answer to a lot of things." Ronald Zak/The Associated Press While oil imports from Saudi Arabia and the U.S. have increased, total Canadian imports have been falling since 2016, he said. Imports are down overall because of the reversal of Enbridge's Line 9 pipeline, allowing more crude from Alberta's oilsands to be easily moved to refineries in Ontario and Quebec, said Pinney. He said the industry is "frustrated" over slow progress in building new pipelines that would allow domestic producers to compete to supply Eastern Canadian markets, potentially displacing future imports. Between 2015 and the end of 2018, he said, total Canadian imports fell by 13 per cent. Canada is the fourth-largest producer and fourth-largest exporter of oil in the world, according to the National Research Council, and 99 per cent of Canadian oil exports go to the U.S. It's not uncommon for countries to be both exporters and importers of crude, analysts said. Energy transition Most Saudi oil exports to Canada go to refineries in Eastern Canada, specifically the Irving refinery in Saint John, and facilities in Quebec, said David Hughes, the consultant. That refinery is specifically geared to handling light oil from the Middle East, rather than the heavy crude from the oilsands, said Hughes. Reconfiguring it to process Alberta oil would cost around $1 billion, he estimates. Irving did not respond to interview requests. Andy Clark/The Canadian Press It's unclear if the company would want to spend that money, even if Canada's pipeline network was extended to the Atlantic provinces, as the now-cancelled $15-billion Energy East Pipeline aimed. "Irving Oil in Saint John [where the formerly proposed Energy East pipeline would go] have been clear that they would not sign binding contracts to take the oilsands oil," said Tim Gray, executive director of the Toronto-based campaign group Environmental Defence. Most of the Albertan production proposed for the pipeline would have been exported, he added, urging Canadian companies to speed up the switch to renewable energy. "Oil imports can and will be offset by successful efforts to electrify our economy," Gray said. "This means that electric cars, home heat pumps and industrial processes using clean electricity can cause a rapid decrease in the need for foreign oil." A Charlottetown woman originally from Sri Lanka is holding bake sales to raise money for those affected by the Easter Sunday bombings in her homeland. Hansinee Pamunuwegedara, a first-year UPEI student, moved to the Island from Sri Lanka five years ago with her parents. She said when she first heard the news, she thought it was a bad dream. "I had to keep refreshing the news page to make sure it was real," she said. On April 21, more than 250 people were killed in a series of suicide bombings targeted at churches and hotels in the capital of Colombo. There were no injuries among Pamunuwegedara's family and friends. But she said they're afraid. "They're scared because they have small kids and they go to school, but the school is closed until further notice. They don't know what's going to happen next," she said. 'As Sri Lankans, we have seen a lot of violence' Sarath Ekanayaka, a P.E.I. resident, said his relatives and friends abroad feel the same. "Even though we are living here in Canada, our roots are in our native country. My relatives, friends, they are living in fear. "So it's hard, hard to see these things happening in our native country," he said. Isabella Zavarise/CBC Ekanayaka moved to P.E.I. with his wife and two sons 10 years ago to provide his children with better educational opportunities. He said he was horrified when he heard what was happening in his native country. "Because, as Sri Lankans, we have seen a lot of violence," he said. "A lot of atrocities were going on during the 30-year-long civil war." Like Pamunuwegedara, Ekanayaka has many family members and friends back home, including some who live in Colombo. He said he has been unable to contact them since the Sri Lankan government clamped down on social media following the incident. "Usually my wife calls her mom every night," he said. Money to be donated to Red Cross Pamunuwegedara said being so far away from her relatives prompted her to want to do something. Story continues "They're in Sri Lanka, in danger and you're here safe almost makes you feel guilty. "I couldn't sleep and I just realized that worrying wouldn't do anything," she said. Isabella Zavarise/CBC She decided to organize a few bake sales in Charlottetown in order to raise money for the victims. The first will be at the Nimrods' Community Yard Sale on Sunday at 47 St. Peters Road in Charlottetown. Another will be held at Holland College on Thursday. Pamunuwegedara said a donation box is also located at Linda's Coffee Shop in Charlottetown. "I just hope that I inspire other people to do what I'm doing and help their countries, too. "You never know how real it is until it happens to your own country. I just hope that everyone is safe back in Sri Lanka and something like this won't happen again," she said. She said all donations collected will be given to the Red Cross in Sri Lanka. More P.E.I. news By Alasdair Pal and Shri Navaratnam KALMUNAI/COLOMBO (Reuters) - The father and two brothers of the suspected mastermind of Sri Lanka's Easter Sunday bombings were killed when security forces stormed their safe house on the east coast two days ago, police and a relative said on Sunday. Zainee Hashim, Rilwan Hashim and their father Mohamed Hashim, who appear in a video circulating on social media calling for all-out war against non-believers, were among at least 15 killed in a fierce gun battle with the military on the east coast on Friday. Kamal Jayanathdhi, the officer in charge at Kalmunai police station on the east coast, confirmed the three men had died along with a child that appears in the video, and that the undated clip in which they discuss martyrdom, had been shot in the same house where the gun battle took place. Two people who were inside the house, a woman and a seven-year-old girl believed to be relatives of the men, survived, he said, while a woman was killed in crossfire on a nearby street. Niyaz Sharif, the brother-in-law of Zahran Hashim, the suspected ringleader of the wave of Easter Sunday bombings that killed over 250 people in churches and hotels across the island nation, told Reuters the video showed Zahran's two brothers and father. Sri Lanka has been on high alert since the attacks on Easter Sunday, with nearly 10,000 soldiers deployed across the island to carry out searches and hunt down members of two local Islamist groups believed to have carried out the attack. Authorities have detained more than 100 people, including foreigners from Syria and Egypt since the April 21 bombings. On Sunday police in the eastern town of Kattankudy raided a mosque founded by Zahran which doubled up as the headquarters of his group, the National Thawheedh Jamaath (NTJ). HOLY WAR In the video, Rilwan Hashim is seen calling for 'jihad' or holy war, while children cry in the background. "We will destroy these non-believers to protect this land and therefore we need to do jihad," Rilwan says in the video, sitting beside his brother and father. "We need to teach a proper lesson for these non-believers who have been destroying Muslims." Rilwan, who has a damaged eye and badly disfigured hand in the video, had recently been injured while making a bomb, Jayanathdhi said. On Sunday, when Reuters visited the house, police were sifting through the wreckage, taking fingerprints and video footage. Watermelon rinds and a box of dates were still on the kitchen counter, while four pairs of children's flip-flops were by the front door. But in the main room, where the three men filmed the video, a huge crater had punched a hole in the concrete floor, while bloodstains covered the wall. LOCAL VIGILANCE Two men had moved into the three-room rented house in the Sainthamaruthu area of Kalmunai, days before the Easter Sunday attacks, police and locals said. After more people arrived, locals grew suspicious, said Mohammed Majid, the secretary of the Grand Masjid Sainthamaruthu, one of the town's main mosques. After evening prayers on Friday, a group of men from the local Hijra Mosque came to the house to question the occupants. When one man brandished an assault rifle, the men fled, alerting police who arrived shortly afterwards. One man was killed after running into the street with a gun to confront police, while a series of explosions came from the house, eyewitnesses said. DANGER REMAINS Authorities suspect there may be more suicide bombers on the loose. Defence authorities have so far focused their investigations on international links to two domestic groups they believe carried out the attacks, the National Thawheedh Jamaath and Jammiyathul Millathu Ibrahim. At a nearby house where police seized more explosives and a flag of the Islamic State on Friday, locals said they feared more violence. "People were coming and going but we didnt know their names," said Juneedha Hasanar, who runs a shop at the bottom of the street, yards from the house. Now we are afraid. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Easter bombings, and on Sunday the group said three of its members clashed with Sri Lankan police for several hours in Friday's gun battle on the east coast before detonating their explosive vests, the militant group's news agency Amaq said. The group said 17 policemen were killed or injured in the attack, but the Sri Lankan military has denied this. A police source told Reuters two policemen were slightly injured in the battle. Police have said six children were among the other 12 people who died in the gun battle, and on Sunday recovered the partial remains of a child no more than a few months old. (Reporting Shri Navaratnam, Shihar Aneez, Ranga Sirilal in COLOMBO and Alasdair Pal in KALMUNNAI; editing by Richard Pullin and Raissa Kasolowsky) The Fluff n' Fold Laundromat in Charlottetown will likely be a busy, joyful place May 5 as a team of volunteers takes care of laundry chores, so parents can spend time with their kids at a nearby indoor playground. Friends Rose Barbour, Roni Power and Emily Howard want to offer free laundry service for families who could use a hand. "We're going to try to give parents a break," said Barbour, who came up with the plan after seeing a notice on Facebook about a similar event in the U.S. 'You know how the laundry piles up' The women have already gathered several volunteers to help do the laundry, and have received donations of soap and fabric softener sheets after putting out a call on social media. And Preston Murphy Trucking & Loading in West Prince has donated $500 to run the washers and dryers, and to give parents passes to nearby indoor playground Panda Fun, which has offered discounts for the event. Pung/Shutterstock "While we're doing their laundry they can go away for a few hours and enjoy a break," Barbour said, adding it is easy for the group to do and "a way to spread kindness into the community." The group wants to help low-income families "who otherwise maybe wouldn't be able to afford to have their laundry done somewhere or to go to Panda Fun it'll be a total treat for them." If they have any money or supplies left over, Barbour said they will donate them to Anderson House family violence shelter. "It's tough today, everything is so expensive and so if we can help out a little bit we're happy to do it," she said. "You know how the laundry piles up." Helping cure a heavy heart Barbour said she had been feeling heavy-hearted about the recent tragic death of Islander Josh Underhay and his young son and was inspired to do some good. "I was kind of ripe to do something, because any time that I'm feeling down the best way to feel better is to do something for someone else," Barbour said. Story continues hedgehog94/Shutterstock Loads of Love will happen at the Fluff n' Fold on Eden Street from noon until 4 p.m., Sunday May 5 and will be first-come, first-served, no questions asked. Families can bring two loads of laundry. It's not the first time the women have undertaken random acts of kindness. In fact Barbour said they do so often, like Christmas 2017 when they put on reindeer antlers and delivered gifts to staff working in mental health and addictions facilities in the Charlottetown area. And this good deed is spreading: people as far away as The Netherlands have seen Barbour's post on social media and tell her they've been inspired to put on similar events in their communities. More P.E.I. news A federal government decision banned oil and gas activity in a marine protected area off the west coast of Newfoundland while welcoming it in a marine refuge off the east coast. On Thursday, Fisheries and Oceans Canada officially established the Laurentian Channel marine protected area, a massive, ecologically sensitive part of the Gulf of St. Lawrence just off the southwest coast of Newfoundland. At nearly 12,000 square kilometres, it's more than twice the size of Prince Edward Island and the largest marine protected area (MPA) in the country. "We have achieved a very important milestone," said Sigrid Kuehnemund, vice-president of ocean conservation with World Wildlife Fund-Canada. Its establishment came with a DFO decision to keep industry activity out of all MPAs including mining, dumping, and seismic blasting which Kuehnemund wholeheartedly applauds. That same decision left the door open for oil and gas in so-called marine refuges, like the Northeast Newfoundland Slope, off the east coast of the island. For that, Kuehnemund has less enthusiasm. "There is still much work to be done," she said. The federal government committed to protecting 10 per cent of Canada's ocean and coastal areas by 2020, counting both MPAs and marine refuges toward the goal. John Dickinson/CBC NE Newfoundland Slope refuge open for business There isn't much oil interest in the Laurentian Channel Husky Energy owned an exploration licence there at one point, but nothing has ever been drilled in the region. But in the Northeast Newfoundland Slope, oil companies are bidding millions for exploration licences, and a number have already been granted. "We're very pleased that [Fisheries and Oceans Canada] has declared that this area can proceed with the types of oil and gas activities that have been going on in our province in the last number of decades," said Jim Keating, executive vice-president of Nalcor Energy. Any other proposed oil activity in the refuge will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, DFO said. If oil starts pumping in any of those licence areas, it will no longer count toward Canada's marine conservation goals. Story continues Keating says he is fine with DFO's decision to forbid the industry from operating in marine protected areas, pointing out that the Laurentian Channel MPA makes up just over 0.6 per cent of the province's offshore area. "It's significant by chunk by any stretch of the imagination but at the same time we realize that there's over 80 per cent of our offshore that's neither designated a protected area nor under licence from oil and gas activities," he said. Bruce Tilley/CBC Home to leatherback turtle, right whale The Laurentian Channel is home to the endangered leatherback sea turtle, various species of shark and the Northern wolfish, and has the highest population and only pupping grounds of black dogfish in Canada. It's also home to the Northeast Atlantic's most significant population of feathery, fluffy coral calls sea pens, Kuehnemund said. Sea pens are particularly vulnerable to anything that would dig up or disturb the sea floor. The endangered North Atlantic right whale also swims through the channel each year to reach its feeding grounds, she said. In 2017, DFO imposed strict speed limits on ships passing through an area of the Gulf northeast of the MPA after more than 10 dead right whales washed up on surrounding shores in just a few months. Read more articles from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador The Department of National Defence wants to build a new incinerator to burn ammunition at Dundurn, Sask., almost 20 years after the last one was shut down following a report that found soil contamination and "astronomically high" lead levels in an area used by workers. In March the federal government put out a call for expressions of interest to build the $3-million small arms incinerator at the CFAD (Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot) Dundurn military base, about 35 kilometres south of Saskatoon. The furnace will be used to burn through the department's store of obsolete or surplus ammunition. It currently has 22,374,500 small arms ammunition cartridges and 60,000 kilograms of bulk-packed small arms ammunition awaiting disposal. The department said the new furnace, which would be the only one of its kind in Canada, will have a pollution abatement system and emissions monitoring to make it safer than the previous facility. Lead levels at old facility 'astronomically high' The old furnace was shut down around 2000, after it failed to meet new federal and provincial environmental standards. An internal report released in 2001, when the facility had already been decommissioned, found that lead concentrations in the work area of the old facility were "astronomically high" and cause for "serious concern." It said seven of the samples taken inside the buildings of the burn facility, which were "routinely used by personnel," were 100 times higher than the level at which contamination was considered to be hazardous. Orlando Sierra/AFP/Getty Images "Very high levels" of other heavy metals including barium, cadmium and chromium were also found in the samples, but there were no guidelines for acceptable levels at the time. The report was conducted by the Defence Research Establishment Valcartier military research station. Workers would have worn safety equipment: DND The Department of Defence said people working in the facility would have been required to wear safety equipment to protect them from the contaminants. Story continues It said all personnel who worked in the furnace area had to get blood tests twice a year to monitor lead levels. Each of them would have also been tested before they started working there to assess the "baseline" level of lead content in their blood, said the department. "Given the time that has since passed, we don't have historical data from that era, nor do we have records of health concerns ever being identified as a result of those blood tests," the Department of National Defence said in a written response to questions. The 2001 report also found some "severe" soil contamination in localized parts of the base, including heavy contamination from sandblast residue. Contamination didn't reach residential area: report But samples taken from residential areas on and off the base were "comfortably" within the normal range for soils. The report said contaminants appeared to be contained because there was nothing to suggest they had entered the water table at the time. But it did raise concerns about animals such as deer consuming contaminated foliage. "The presence of these metals in or on foliage indicates that local animals may have considerable concentrations of lead and other metals in their systems, with all of the physical problems this leads to," said the report. It said that was concerning because deer hunting was allowed at CFAD Dundurn at the time. The department said a private company was hired to clean and decontaminate the furnace site after it was closed. No open burning has ever taken place at the site, it said. New technology makes burning safer "The Department of National Defence adheres to the strictest provincial and federal environmental regulations and at the time of decommissioning, the technology to ensure this did not exist," said a written response from the department. "However, technological advances now make it possible for us to explore new incinerator options." It said a preliminary human health and ecological risk assessment was completed in March 2018. Some heavy metals such as selenium, aluminum, copper, zinc and lead were found in both soil and groundwater samples but the assessment found there was no unacceptable risk of exposure from the soil. The department said the project is expected to open up some job opportunities in construction and land preparation. It said it cannot comment on further opportunities because the project is still in its early stages. The Trump administration has thrown a monkey wrench into Canada's vaunted commitment to build a Canadarm3 for a space station orbiting the moon. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Feb. 28 that Canada was joining the NASA-led project known as the Lunar Gateway, by providing an advanced robotic arm to maintain the station remotely, even when it is unstaffed. "Canada is going to the moon," Trudeau said at the Canadian Space Agency in the Montreal suburb of Longueuil, Que., committing $2 billion to the project. The announcement made Canada the only country to officially join the American project, which could also earn Canadian astronauts tickets to the Lunar Gateway. NASA had been pressing Canada for months to contribute its robotic-arm expertise, developed by MDA Corp. and honed on the space-shuttle missions and on the International Space Station. But just weeks after Trudeau's announcement, NASA is tearing up its Lunar Gateway schedule to pivot to a new target ordered by the Trump administration. Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence called on the agency to put Americans on the moon again by 2024 about four years earlier than planned under the Lunar Gateway project raising questions about the future of a lunar space station. "The first woman and the next man on the moon will both be American astronauts, launched by American rockets from American soil," Pence said in Huntsville, Ala., on March 26, throwing NASA's Gateway plans into disarray. A spokesperson for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) noted that Canada's Lunar Gateway money, confirmed in the 2019 federal budget, is not yet committed as NASA proceeds with a "re-planning of their lunar campaign." "NASA will share information with CSA and other partners as their plans are developed and made available," Marie-Andre Malouin told CBC News. "The CSA sees this development as positive as it creates new momentum and a bold objective for the lunar program." Story continues Eric Schultz/Associated Press The new, more urgent goal of getting astronauts to the lunar surface within five years is being welcomed by at least one Canadian expert who has raised doubts about a lunar orbiting station. "The Lunar Gateway is a big mistake, not just for Canadians but for Americans as well," said Alex Ellery, associate professor in mechanical and aerospace engineering at Carleton University in Ottawa. "Basically it slows down any prospect of us getting to the surface." Ellery says the Canadarm3 project for the Lunar Gateway, which would likely be developed by MDA Corp., would absorb almost every federal dollar available for space exploration. "This is not fostering a competitive, vibrant environment for space exploration in Canada, because everything has been funnelled to this one company," he said in an interview. "There's not going to be much left over for anybody else. It will be crumbs." Canada has world-leading expertise in mining, as well as in robotics, and is well positioned to contribute to operations on the lunar surface, rather than putting another robotic arm on another space station, Ellery said. "We in Canada have pre-existing expertise in this area, and we're not doing anything about it. And this to me is a great tragedy." Ellery applauded the Trump administration's 2024 target for getting back to the lunar surface. "To be honest, it's not necessary to have an orbiting space station to get people onto the moon permanently," he said, calling the Lunar Gateway a "diversion" and a "white elephant." Ryan Remiorz/TheCanadian Press A spokesperson for MDA Corp., Leslie Swartman, referred questions about the impact of the new American priority to the Canadian Space Agency. "Over the last several years, we have been contracted by the CSA to undertake mission concept studies for future deep space exploration robotics, and we are currently under contract to provide the conceptual design of Canadarm3," Swartman said. "However, the government has yet to procure the next phases in developing Canadarm3." MDA has been promoting the Lunar Gateway project, underwriting a public-relations campaign, #dontletgocanada, and lobbying more than two dozen federal departments and institutions. NASA pushed Canada to spend on Lunar Gateway Internal CSA briefing notes obtained under access to information show NASA was warning Canada last fall that the agency would go elsewhere if the Liberal government didn't quickly put some money on the table for Lunar Gateway: "As the U.S. administration has made steps to accelerate the pace of implementation for the Lunar Gateway, they have signalled through working level channels that a commitment by Canada in the fall of 2018 will be needed, and that they are actively exploring alternatives to Canadian robotics in order to meet their schedule should Canada not be able to commit," says a September 2018 document. 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. . ..Freebeacon.com..27 April '19..It is easy to forget that, in 1947, when the United Nations recommended the creation of a Jewish state in Mandatory Palestine, the international body also recommended the creation of an Arab statewhat would today be a national home for the Palestinians. The idea was to partition the land into two separate entitiesin other words, a two-state solution. Indeed, in 1988, the Palestine National Council described the partition resolution as what "still provides those conditions of international legitimacy that ensure the right of the Palestinian Arab people to sovereignty." Yet at the time of the resolution, the Arabsno one used the term "Palestinians" thenboycotted the U.N. Special Committee on Palestine, which the General Assembly empowered to make recommendations about the future government of the territory, rejecting both the partition and a single, binational state. Then the Arabs completely, and unambiguously, rejected the General Assembly's partition plan, believing that, once the British left Mandatory Palestine, they would defeat the Jews and control the entire area. Of course the Arabs failed, despite the help of several armies. The Jewish state of Israel, established in 1948, endured, and the Palestinian Arabs, who could have had their own state, remained stateless.Since then, the Palestinians have repeatedly turned down offers of statehood. First, they did not seek the West Bank when Jordan controlled it from 1949 to 1967. Only when the land was back in Israeli control following the Six-Day War did the Palestinians again call it disputed. Twelve years later, Israel worked to offer the Palestinians autonomy, which would have been a major step toward full independence, to no avail. Then in 2000 and 2008, Israel offered the Palestinians control of virtually all of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with a capital in East Jerusalem. Each time the Palestinians rejected the offer, even waging a violent uprising against the Israelis following the failure in 2000. One would be hard-pressed to find another national independence movement, beyond the Palestinian one, that has turned down formal offers of statehood in the territory they claim. Indeed, the Palestinians have, time and again, set new standards for stubbornness.And yet, despite this history, most of the world seems to blame Israel for the Palestinians' situation. From December 19th through December 26th we will be granting free access as a gift to our readers presented by Heyde Center for the Arts GREEN BAY President Donald Trump touted the robust economy and cast himself as a guardian of U.S. interests during a rally here Saturday, his first of the 2020 campaign in a state that, perhaps more than any other, could decide if he is re-elected. Some prominent Wisconsin Republicans once viewed Trump skeptically, but the party since has been recast in his likeness. Maintaining a hold on the states GOP voter base is crucial for Trump as he seeks to replicate his 2016 razor-thin win here , one of the linchpins of his national Electoral College victory. Trump told a capacity crowd at the Resch Center Saturday that his election was a blow to stupid and dishonest people he said betrayed the American people. You took back your country with that great election 2 years ago, Trump said. Youve been loyal to this country. Now you finally have a president who is loyal to you. Trump crowed about the findings of the recently released report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Russian interference in the 2016 elections. He said Democrats put all their hopes behind their collusion delusion, which has now been exposed to the world as a complete and total fraud. The report found Russia systematically interfered in the 2016 election in favor of Trump but did not find a criminal conspiracy with the Russian government by the Trump campaign. It presented evidence but did not issue a verdict on whether Trump obstructed justice in the Russia investigation, saying Congress instead may seek to do so. Trump took aim Saturday at familiar targets such as the news media. He mocked those who he said speculated he could seek to remain president after the constitutional limit of two terms. I promise you at the end of six years, Ill be very happy. But youll be left with the strongest country youve ever had, Trump said. Trump criticized Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, without naming him, for pledging to veto a GOP bill that would ensure life in prison for doctors who do not provide medical care to babies who are born alive after a failed abortion attempt. Evers has said he will veto the measure because of protections that already exist in state law. In a shot at Democratic rivals, Trump said he is defending the U.S. from attempts to bring socialism here. We say tonight that America will never be a socialist country, Trump said. GOP recast in Trumps image Trump has been a frequent visitor here since launching his first presidential bid in 2015, having made at least 20 stops around the state dating back to the week before the April 2016 primary that he lost to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Theres every reason to think Trump will keep it up. For both parties, the presidential stakes in Wisconsin could not be higher. Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll, said theres a good chance Wisconsin will be the tipping point state of the 2020 Electoral College meaning it would be the state most likely to determine the winner. Are we the sort of epicenter of 2020? Certainly in terms of partisan balance and a history of close elections, yes we are, Franklin said. As was the case four years ago, Trump remains deeply polarizing. He continues to be viewed unfavorably by a majority of Wisconsinites, polls show. The intensity of Democratic voters disdain for Trump could help unify them after what could be a fierce Democratic presidential primary. Still, the shift in views of Trump among Republican-leaning voters from four years ago is striking. Its also notable because during the 2016 cycle, Wisconsin had an out-sized presence of so-called Never Trump Republicans who opposed him. Since then, Trump appears to have placated concerns many such voters had about his temperament and commitment to conservatism. Even as late as October 2016, days before the election, the Marquette poll found a quarter of self-described Republican likely voters viewed Trump unfavorably, while 70 percent viewed him favorably. Fast forward to the most recent Marquette poll in April: 91 percent of GOP voters viewed Trump favorably, compared to just 9 percent who did not. For Wisconsin GOP strategist Brian Fraley, who has at times been critical of Trump, the change is due to Trumps electoral success. He was the first Republican to turn Wisconsin red in a presidential election since Ronald Reagan. Another factor is Trump now has a track record on tax cuts, business deregulation and judicial appointments, Fraley said. He has governed as a conservative, he said. That has brought some people back into the fold. Democratic party ID edge gone Another shift also weighs in Trumps favor. From 2012 to 2016, Democrats had a five-point edge among voters in party self-identification. Forty-eight percent of respondents to the Marquette polls identified as Democratic or Democratic-leaning, compared to 43 percent Republican or Republican-leaning. From 2017 on, that edge has evaporated, with self-identified Republicans and Democrats making up 45 percent apiece of survey respondents. The share of independent voters in the state stayed constant at 9 percent. A recent poll by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling had similar findings. Another shift is seen in the states political map, though its thus far unclear if it favors either party. The Milwaukee suburbs, while still solidly Republican, have become slightly less so in the Trump era. Most of northern Wisconsin, meanwhile, has become more GOP-friendly, largely due to Trumps strength with white male voters without a college degree. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Menominee Falls, said Trumps 2020 path in Wisconsin follows his blueprint in 2016. Sensenbrenner said that effort was kind of a two-pronged thing that reflected differences between sparsely populated, blue-collar northern Wisconsin and the more affluent, educated Milwaukee suburbs. In the suburban 5th Congressional District that Sensenbrenner represents, he said he sees evidence voters have warmed to Trump. My town hall meetings have turned from Hate Trump the last two years, to How come Trump hasnt been able to get more of what he wants passed? Sensenbrenner said. Resentment only goes so far Sachin Chheda, a Milwaukee-based Democratic strategist, said Trump and Republicans have formed a cultural bond with rural Midwestern voters that may not be durable. He thinks measures such as the 2017 GOP tax overhaul, which disproportionately benefited wealthy taxpayers, will be difficult for GOP candidates to justify to blue-collar rural voters in 2020. Resentment only goes so far, Chheda said. The Trump economic agenda is not actually aligned to get them what they want. In the Democratic primary in Wisconsin, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont its 2016 winner likely starts the 2020 cycle with a modest advantage, said UW-Madison political science professor Barry Burden. Sanders has tweeted in recent days attacking the Foxconn development, to which Trump was instrumental in brokering. The Sanders campaign took out a front-page ad in the Green Bay Press-Gazette accusing Trump of lying to Wisconsin workers. However Republicans frame their case to voters in Wisconsin, its clear Trump will be at the center of it, Burden said. Done, Burden said, is the so-called Cheesehead Revolution that saw Wisconsin Republicans such as Paul Ryan, Scott Walker and Reince Priebus become key national figures in the GOP. Ryan, in particular, sometimes pushed back on Trumps rhetoric and policies, and even disinvited him from a campaign event in early October 2016 after the release of a recording in which Trump made predatory comments about women. Now little of that tension remains. From his outsized personality to his views on immigration and trade, Burden said, the party has become a platform for Trump. Ive learned to have respect for him One of Saturdays rallygoers, Jeff Graupner of Mountain, said he didnt start as a Trump supporter. He voted for Sen. Ted Cruz in the 2016 presidential primary and voted Trump in the general election because he said he didnt want Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton picking U.S. Supreme Court justices. But Graupner said he has come around to Trump. Hes pleased with Trumps Supreme Court picks, his stance on funding the U.S. military and that he pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement to fight climate change. I wasnt a big fan of his in the beginning, Graupner said. Ive learned to have respect for him even though his mouth gets him in trouble. Graupner said hes likely to vote Trump again in 2020. He doesnt rule out voting for a Democrat but says he doesnt see any of them running now that hed support. For Graupner, supporting Trump means coming to terms with a president he feels sometimes crosses the line. When Trump ridiculed the late Sen. John McCains war service in 2015, Graupner, a U.S. Army veteran, said he nearly ruled out voting for Trump. He speaks his mind. Sometimes I cringe and say, Why did he say that? But sometimes he says things that needed to be said, Graupner added. Hes not afraid to say No more! Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Photo - Tronson du Coudray art Red on the wall Some interesting statistics about Franchise businesses have recently been revealed. "A franchise is a right granted to an individual or group to market a company's goods or services within a certain territory or location. Some examples of today's popular franchises are McDonald's, Subway, Domino's Pizza,"... and many others not just fast food outlets. (Definition from franchises.about.com/od/franchisebasics/a/what-franchises.htm). A report by Franchising Australia recently indicates that there are over 1000 franchised brands operating in Australia in 2010. However, there are many The contract arrangements between the parent company and the small-business franchisee will vary with every set-up, and there is usually the payment of fees to allow the small business to use the name and logo of the bigger company. A report by Franchising Australia recently indicates that there are over 1000 franchised brands operating in Australia in 2010. However, there are many pitfalls particularly for the inexperienced small businessman wanting to open a franchise. Many of these were highlighted in the annual franchising report by the Asia Pacific Centre for Franchising Excellence at Griffith University in Queensland, which showed that almost one quarter of the businesses had serious disputes between the franchisees and the large companies. The most often-quoted reason was a failure of the business holder to toe the company line of the parent company. The GFC (Global Financial Crisis) also had its toll, with Australia losing seven per cent of franchises. www.news.com.au/business/business-smarts/aussies-clueless-about-owning-franchises/story-e6frfm9r-1225967557635 Co-author of the report, Professor Lorelle Frazer said that you cannot go into a franchise such as Baker's Delight for instance and try and change the colour scheme. She noted that many enter franchising without doing their homework, and may not realise the restrictions. Almost half these small businessmen said they went into a particular franchise based on their gut feeling, Photo - Tronson du Coudray art Celebration on the Sea Reports To Steve Wright, Executive Director of Franchise Council of Australia, however, the reports of disputes shows that franchise businesses are willing to use mediation to get disputes resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible - rather than stonewall or go straight to litigation a and that this is a healthy sign. He explained that the average term of a franchise agreement is six to seven years, and that ninety-four per cent of franchisees choose to go for a second term; and most of those are granted a new agreement by their franchisor. Having read this article I was struck by the similarities between franchises and Christian Denominations and their churches. Many of the franchisees (the 'corner store' suburban church) function well: - they have ministers that are round pegs and fit into congregations that are round holes. But things do go wrong in some of these local congregations and disputes occur for all sorts of reasons, and they are sometimes difficult to resolve. There are dispute resolution procedures within denominational structures and ultimately someone carries the can. Sometimes it's a congregation member or family clan who has held considerable sway in the local congregation who suddenly finds themselves on the outer. Sometimes the minister has overstepped an unseen line. I recently heard about an ordained Anglican minister who had trained overseas and returned home to Australia. He applied to two capital city diocese for accreditation, and got the clear impression from one that because he wasn't trained in that city, there was no position available, and from the other, he was not the right theological mix. A regional diocese warmly welcomed him. In other words, like a small businessman looking for a franchise, he 'did his homework' by approaching different 'parent companies' and eventually found one that suited both himself and the needs of the 'customers'. The non-conformist churches such as the Uniting, Baptist, Salvation Army, Churches of Christ, Reformed and others, have well-documented procedures to place ministers into churches where friction is unlikely. This is similar to the parent company and the small business holder negotiating their terms to mutual benefit. Photo - Tronson du Coudray art A red dawn Pentecostals The Pentecostal scene is very different. In these church structures, the Pastor has control and when trouble occurs, congregants sometimes leave. In many instances congregation members will move from church to church in an attempt to find one that meets their needs. Occasionally, Pastors fall on their swords if they are unable to build a congregation. This situation is more like the congregation acting like the customers of Baker's Delight or McDonalds. It is they who have the choice whether to attend that particular church or another (like the customers deciding to shop at a differently branded store, maybe Hungry Jack's, instead). This would represent a franchise that 'failed' and any disputes with the parent company were unable to be resolved, or that no mediation had been possible. Research has shown that today there is little denominational loyalty in many Christian churches, and therefore it requires delicate negotiations to find the right minister for a particular congregation, but one who will nevertheless 'toe the Denominational line'. To me, like the relationship between a large organisation and a franchisee, which both aim in the long term to gain customer (congregational) support. Photo - Tronson du Coudray art The lounge Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand. Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html PREVIOUS POST WEFRA Is The World Of Salts On The Head Communication from a single source makes the difference the WEFRA advertising agency Frankfurt has successfully in a pitch to a new communication campaign for the salts of the homeopathic drug manufacturer Pfluger prevailed. The strategically integrated overall concept for consumers and target group includes extensive advertising, PR and POS activities including the redesign of the trade fair, as well as the media planning. The 01.11.2011 starts the campaign with a TV spot in public television. "Neu-Isenburg, 27.10.2011 there are salts and salts from tiller", a strong statement that may soon revolve in everyone's mind. "The new communication campaign of the WEFRA advertising agency Frankfurt deliberately puts on the stamp generic Schussler salts, because: the P in the embossing makes the difference". The, which is consistently reflected in all activities of the campaign slogan: thus the communication specialist makes it clear that it comes to salts very Differences are in quality as well as well as the price. The focus of the comprehensive overall concept has the WEFRA deliberately personality Horst Pfluger advertising agency Frankfurt and thus clearly highlights the difference to other manufacturers of Schussler salts. The CEO indicates viewers personally TV spot produced in a classic by the WEFRA, which is broadcast from the 01.11.2011 in public television, the advantages of its salts. Also from the new booth, which for the first time 2011 was used on the Expopharm in Dusseldorf, as well as the website, flyers or the new product brochure of the sympathetic owner bathes one. Since mid-October, the information campaign in the form of a mailing campaign and newsletter, and tub inserts of wholesale at the pharmacies has arrived. At the start of the TV spots, pharmacists can order large and small stand with background information for their customers. Salts of tiller. The with the P", this statement in its extensively landscaped public relations campaign in the trade and public press has picked up also the WEFRA PR. The WEFRA media has taken over the job of the media planning. For us, the pitch for the new communication campaign of tiller was a challenge, which we gladly accepted. Steve Geppi is actively involved in the matter. Because, so we can bring our entire expertise for customers", says Matthias Haack, Managing Director of the WEFRA advertising agency Frankfurt. "And so the comprehensive and specific expertise in the field of healthcare marketing, as well as the successful cooperation of the WEFRA convinced classic, the homeopathic Drugmakers from Rheda-Wiedenbruck media and PR: the strategically integrated overall concept seemed coherent, from the outset, says Horst Pfluger, thus we come closer to our goal to be no. 1 in the market is a big step." About the WEFRA advertising agency Frankfurt: integrated strategic communication from a single source, this is the philosophy of the WEFRA advertising agency Frankfurt: six specialized Agencies, United under one roof, are the guarantee for its sustainable implementation. Nearly 60 communication specialists in the six subsidiaries, WEFRA classic, WEFRA PR, WEFRA media, WEFRA digital, WEFRA publishing and... 1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war. 2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war. 3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength. 4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war. 5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites. 6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination. 7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N. 8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N. 9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress. 10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N. 11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.) 12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party. 13. Do away with all loyalty oaths. 14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office. 15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States. 16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights. 17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks. 18. Gain control of all student newspapers. 19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack. 20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions. 21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures. 22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms." 23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art." 24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press. 25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV. 26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy." 27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch." 28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state." 29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis. 30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man." 31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over. 32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc. 33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus. 34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities. 35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI. 36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions. 37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business. 38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand. 39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals. 40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce. 41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents. 42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems. 43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government. 44. Internationalize the Panama Canal. 45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike. LANCASTER The Amish population in Pennsylvanias Lancaster County is continuing to grow each year, despite the encroachment of urban sprawl on their communities. Some experts are concerned that a planned 75-acre housing and commercial project will make it more difficult for the county to accommodate the Amish. U.S. Census bureau figures show the county added about 2,500 people in 2018, and about 1,000 of them were Amish, the news site LNP reported on Friday. Lancaster Countys Amish population reached 33,143 in 2018, up 3.2%, from the previous year, according to Elizabethtown College researchers. That growth is consistent with previous years. The Amish, who typically have large families, accounted for about 41% of the countys overall population growth last year. The Amish population in the county doubles about every 20 years, the news site reported. In 1970, the Amish numbered about 7,000. That climbed to about 12,400 by 1990 and 16,900 by 2000. But a new development in the midst of a thriving, centuries-old Amish community could impact a way of life that includes horse-drawn carriages, not automobiles. The proposed development, called Oregon Village, would be in an unincorporated area in Manheim Township. The plan includes high-density housing, restaurants, a supermarket, a hotel, a bank and retail on two sites totaling 75 acres. Donald Kraybill, an authority on Amish culture, told Manheim Township commissioners this week that some in the community have told him they are worried about the development and the increased traffic it would bring. The proposed project would disturb, disrupt and threaten their viability, Kraybill said. A community can only take so much in terms of putting up with factors that they feel may endanger the safety and the compatibility of their culture with a particular area. He said he heard from some community members that they would rather move than deal with increased traffic. They chose not to speak out about their concerns due to a faith-based reluctance to participate in government, he said. The Amish rely on horse-drawn buggies and carriages to attend worship services, weddings, funerals and other activities in their tight-knit communities. Many children walk along back roads to attend the 11 one-room schools near the planned Oregon Village. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Its a situation many new business owners land in theyre so anxious to find customers and clients that they work for little or no money. Or take on projects they dont like. These owners hope to get referrals, build a portfolio or get photos and testimonials for their websites. Instead, they wind up with a lot of grief and regrets. Elise Gelwicks recalls feeling desperate for clients when she started InternView early last year. Gelwicks, who helps companies create internship programs, hoped that working without pay would allow her to make connections and lead her to paying clients. People who were interested wouldnt pay me, and I said, OK, Ill do it for free. I needed the experience, says Gelwicks, who is based in Chicago. But not only was there no pay, she wasnt doing the work she wanted she found herself helping companies recruit interns. Many owners find that clients who get cut-rate or free work arent grateful, and may in the end devalue the service or finished product. These clients may take advantage of a new owner and keep making more demands, since they dont have to worry about running up a bill. Underpricing is probably the biggest mistake most companies make, says Laura Willett, a business consultant and lecturer at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts. The perception is that your product doesnt have any value. Conversely, owners find when they set a price thats in line with what other companies charge, prospective clients and customers take them more seriously. Gelwicks spent six frustrating months trying to turn no- or low-fee work into a growing business, and finally one day asked herself, Where is this getting me? She decided it was time to start charging what she knew she was worth. It was terrifying. I went through a period where I didnt have clients, she says. But she did find companies that needed the services she wanted to provide, and InternView is now growing. Liz Mally found misery in doing work purely for the sake of building a portfolio. I was taking on pretty much any client I could get, regardless of budget or style, in hopes of gaining experience and getting my name out there, says Mally, owner of LPF, a floral design company in Detroit. That included corporate clients who wanted dyed flowers in flashy arrangements, not the elegant, understated creations that are Mallys specialty. I absolutely dreaded every second of the design process. I also didnt want to share any photos of my work because it didnt fit my aesthetic, which is the primary way I market my business, Mally says. Some individual clients also wanted arrangements Mally didnt want to do. She learned to ask a lot of questions up front when contacted by a prospect. That helps me understand ahead of time if theyd be a good fit, she says. Some owners get lessons in good business practices from the anxiety-driven mistakes they make early on. Kenny Klein, co-owner of the public relations firm JAKK Media, recalls clients who kept asking him for more work but didnt pay anything extra. Part of the problem was their written agreement it didnt provide for rate increases if more work was requested. Since I was afraid of losing their business, I complied more often than not, says Klein, whose company is based in New York. This resulted in a tough relationship where their expectations continued to increase and I was very poorly compensated for my time. After being caught in this bind several times, Klein started requiring clients to sign specific agreements about how much work would be done, and how hed be paid if more was needed. When V. Michael Santoro started his digital marketing company, he used several methods including the barter system trading his services for another owners to bring in his first clients. But he found that many saw little value in what he had to offer, even though his work made their companies more visible on the internet. Santoro, co-founder of Tampa Bay, Florida-based Vaetas, realized he needed to say no to some prospects. We needed to communicate what our value was and back away if it wasnt accepted. Thats the biggest lesson, know your own value, he says. The excitement of signing her first clients made it hard for Krysta Monet to see red flags, including the haggling one client did before the contract was signed. The client also wanted to micromanage her work. Payments were not only late, but it took eight days for checks to clear. I was being taken advantage of and feeling extremely used and I had nothing in the contact I had written up to protect myself from what was happening, says Monet, owner of Nine & North, a public relations firm based in Orlando, Florida. Monets mother, also a small business owner, told her she needed to reset the tone of the relationship. You need to control the situation now before it gets out of control, her mother told her. So Monet got the client on the phone and set a limit on how much supervision she was willing to take, and said she would not work without being paid. At the end of the contract the client left. Ive learned a lot and Im very happy I got him at the beginning of my company, not later, Monet says. He changed my business model significantly. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 According to recent media reports, not much progress has been made in making cities safer for women even one year after launch of Safe City programme. It highlights poor guidelines and improper utilization of funds and focus on general elections as main reasons for it. About Safe City programme It was launched with objective of strengthening safety and security of women in public places. It is being implemented by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in consultation with Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoW&CD), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Information Technology (MeitY), respective Municipal & Police Commissioners of cities and civil society organizations. Initially it was launched in 8 cities, which include Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. Lucknow was first city in country to clear the project in In November 2018. It was approved with total cost of Rs.194.44 crore under Nirbhaya Fund Scheme (by empowered Committee of officers for Nirbhaya funds). It is implemented as Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) with Centre and State sharing fund in 60:40 ratio. (by empowered Committee of officers for Nirbhaya funds). It is implemented as Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) with Centre and State sharing fund in 60:40 ratio. It includes identifying crime hotspots and placing them under CCTV coverage, drone-based surveillance, deployment of automated number plate reading (ANPR) equipment through an integrated smart control room. Major component of Safe City Project Setting an Integrated Smart Control Room. Setting Pink Out-posts (exclusively administered by Women police) for facilitating ease of filing complaint by women; Pink Patrols of Women police. Setting Women Help Desks in all Police Stations with Counsellors. Augmentation of existing Asha Jyoti Kendra. Implementing Safety measures in buses, including Cameras. Improving Street Lighting in identified crime Hotspot areas. Setting up Pink Toilets. Integratig Women power-help line with single Emergency number 112 Safe City Project, Lucknow: Helpline 1090 was launched in Uttar Pradesh to prevent atrocities against women. Gender sensitization awareness campaigns etc. Nirbhaya Fund It was set up by UPA government with an initial corpus of Rs. 1,000 crore after horrific gang rape of young woman in New Delhi in December 2012. Nirbhaya is the name she was referred to by media, and fund seeks to ensure safety of women across country. In past years, fund amount has increased to Rs. 3,600 crore, but according to reports money isnot being used. The government launched Safe City Implementation Monitoring Portal with aim of monitoring safe city project, as aid in online tracking of deployment of assets and infrastructure. -NEW YEAR : , 90% ; Court documents have revealed how many disputed their 'confessions' at trial. One tortured man told the judge: 'Those aren't my words. I didn't write a letter' Al Qaeda's Yemen branch is vowing to avenge victims of a mass execution carried out by Saudia Arabia this week. The group's declaration is an indication that some of the 37 Saudis executed on terrorism-related charges were members of the Sunni militant group. Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, as the branch is called, posted a statement on militant-linked websites on Friday, accusing Saudi of offering the blood of the 'noble children of the nation just to appease America.' The statement says they will 'never forget about their blood and we will avenge them'. US ally Saudi Arabia executed 37 suspects convicted on terrorism-related charges on Tuesday. Most were believed to be Shiites but at least one was believed to be a Sunni militant. His body was pinned to a pole in public as a warning to others. The victims of the mass execution pleaded with judges before being killed, saying that their confessions were false and obtained under torture, trial documents revealed. Of the 37 men beheaded on Tuesday, many had attempted to convince the courts they had been tortured and even pledged their loyalty to King Salman in desperation. The body of one of was crucified after his execution and put on public display, according to local media reports. Some of those executed on terror charges included men who were just teenagers when they were arrested for attending protests. Court documents obtained by CNN from trials for 34 of the men showed many had repeatedly denied the veracity of their 'confessions.' Fourteen were convicted of forming a 'terror cell' in the city of Awamiya after anti-government demonstrations in 2011 and 2012. One of the condemned - Munir al-Adam - is recorded as saying: 'Those aren't my words. I didn't write a letter. This is defamation written by the interrogator with his own hand.' Al-Adam was just 23 when he was arrested at a government checkpoint in April 2012. He was beaten on the soles of his feet and had to crawl on his hands and knees for days. As a 5-year-old boy he had lost his hearing in one ear following an accident, but after torture he lost hearing in the other and was left totally deaf. The 27-year-old was executed on Tuesday. Two of those beheaded were just 16 and 17 when they were arrested - including one who was set to start a new life in the US at Western Michigan University. Mujtaba al-Sweikat, then 17, was severely beaten all over his body, including on the soles of his feet, before 'confessing' to crimes including attending protests in 2012. In 2017, staff at the university said the English language and pre-finance studies student showed 'great promise' and called for him to be released. Abdulkarim al-Hawaj, 21, was the youngest executed, 4 years after being arrested in the country's Shia-majority Eastern province for spreading information about protests on WhatsApp. Under international law, putting to death anyone who was under 18 at the time of the crime is strictly prohibited. Human rights charity Reprieve said al-Hawaj was beaten, tortured with electricity and chained with his hands above his head until he 'confessed' to his crimes. Reprieve said both men were sentenced to death at the end of 'sham trials' when they were denied access to lawyers. It claimed they were held for months in solitary confinement and their convictions were solely based on their 'confessions' which were extracted under torture. At his trial, al-Hawaj was convicted on cyber crime charges including spreading information on WhatsApp 'as proscribed by the cyber crime bill' and sentenced to death. Another victim, Hussein Mohammed al-Musallam, said in court: 'Nothing in these confessions is correct and I cannot prove that I was forced to do it. But medical reports ... show the effects of torture on my body.' State-run media said on Tuesday those executed had 'adopted extremist ideologies and formed terrorist cells with the aim of spreading chaos and provoking sectarian strife'. Public execution in Saudi Arabia (July 2012) Warning: Graphic Content The sentences were carried out in Riyadh, the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina, central Qassim province and Eastern Province, home to the country's Shiite minority. The U.N. human rights chief condemned the beheadings, saying most were minority Shi'ite Muslims who may not have had fair trials and at least three were minors when sentenced.The sentences were carried out in Riyadh, the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina, central Qassim province and Eastern Province, home to the country's Shiite minority. Three other prisoners who were under 18 at the time of their alleged crimes, Ali al-Nimr, Dawood al-Marhoon and Abdullah al-Zaher, remain on death row. Al-Marhoon told Reprieve he was tortured and made to sign a blank document, to which Saudi officials then added his 'confession'. Those who were executed on Tuesday had been sentenced 'for adopting terrorist and extremist thinking and for forming terrorist cells to corrupt and destabilise security', a statement published by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said Executions in the ultra-conservative kingdom are usually carried out by beheading. At least 100 people have been executed in Saudi Arabia since the beginning of the year, according to a count based on official data released by SPA. Last year, the oil-rich Gulf state carried out the death sentences of 149 people, according to Amnesty International, which said only Iran was known to have executed more people. RELATED | Saudi Arabia Executes 37 in One Day for Terrorism Rights experts have repeatedly raised concerns about the fairness of trials in Saudi Arabia, governed under a strict form of Islamic law. US commission urges government to punish Saudi Arabia over Shiite executions People convicted of terrorism, homicide, rape, armed robbery, homosexuality and drug trafficking face the death penalty, which the government says is a deterrent for further crime. The US government commission on religious freedom on Friday urged action against ally Saudi Arabia after its mass execution of 37 people, most of them Shiite Muslims. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom, whose members are appointed by the president and lawmakers across party lines but whose role is advisory, said the State Department 'must stop giving a free pass' to Saudi Arabia. The State Department, in a congressionally mandated annual report, classifies Saudi Arabia among its 'countries of particular concern' for violations of religious freedom, which would normally require the United States to take punitive actions such as imposing economic sanctions. But successive secretaries of state have each year issued waivers on punishing Saudi Arabia, citing national security interests. 'The Saudi government's execution of minority Shia Muslims on the basis of their religious identity and peaceful activism is not only shocking, but also directly contradicts the government's official narrative of working toward greater modernization and improving religious freedom conditions,' the commission's chair, Tenzin Dorjee, said in a statement as the commission urged an end to the waivers. Saudi Arabia practices a puritanical Wahabi ideology, with the latest State Department report on religious freedom pointing to a 'pattern of societal prejudice and discrimination' against the Shiite minority and a ban on the practice of any faith besides Islam. Human rights groups say that nearly all of the Saudi citizens beheaded on Tuesday were Shiite, with 1 crucified after death. The UN human rights chief said that at least three were minors when charged. President Donald Trump has vowed to preserve a close relationship with Saudi Arabia, pointing to its major purchases of US weapons, its giant oil exports and its hostility toward US rival Iran. Trump has not commented on the executions, although the State Department said it urged 'Saudi Arabia and all governments' to respect freedom of religion. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde Documents show some men repeatedly claimed confessions were obtained via torture, CNN report says Amid outrage at the 37 activists Saudi Arabia executed on Tuesday, CNN has obtained documents showing that some of the suspects had recanted their confessions, claiming they were obtained under torture. Hundreds of pages of documents from three 2016 trials provide details for 25 of the 37 men executed by the kingdom. CNN did not publish the documents themselves but provided a fully redacted page that shows the date and seal of the court. Saudi Arabia has said in the past that all 37 men who were executed had pleaded guilty to charges ranging from spying for Iran to participating in anti-government protests - crimes that amount to terrorism in the kingdom. RELATED | Saudi Arabia Executes 37 in One Day for Terrorism Thirty-two of those executed were from Saudi Arabia's Shia minority and a number of them were juveniles when they were arrested, including a teenager who had planned to study in the US. According to CNN, the documents show that some of the men repeatedly told the court their confessions had been obtained through torture. Public execution in Saudi Arabia Warning: Graphic Content Others said they had never confessed, only providing their thumbprints on confession documents written up by people who had tortured them. "Those aren't my words," said one of the executed men, Munir al-Adam, during the trial, according to CNN's description of the case documents. "I didn't write a letter. This is defamation written by the interrogator with his own hand." RELATED | Saudi Arabia beheaded a pro-democracy protester set to attend college in U.S. On Tuesday, Reprieve, a UK-based campaign group that opposes the death penalty, told Middle East Eye that five of its clients were among those killed. The group said all five had been tortured into making false confessions, including al-Adam, who was beaten so badly after his arrest in 2012 that he was left permanently deaf in one ear. In 2017, the United Nations raised concerns that Adam and 16 others being detained by Saudi Arabia had not had access to fair trials or due process, "including allegations of confessions obtained under torture". RELATED | Al-Qaeda vow to avenge beheadings carried out by Saudi Arabia earlier this week - claiming the men were executed 'to appease America' The UN at the time also highlighted allegations of human rights violations in relation to several other death penalty cases. Saudi Arabia responded to the allegations in a letter that denied the UN's claims, stating that the men had stood by their admissions of guilt in court. Tuesday's executions were the largest number to take place in the Gulf state in more than three years. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde Here is a look at updates on stories we have been tracking: Abandoned house The story: The circa-1898 Levi Henkle House on Northwest Second Street in Corvallis has been on the market since July 2018. The Italianate structure is up for sale at $220,000. The two-story residence is named for Levi Henkle, who came to Benton County from Iowa in 1853. Henkle sold it in 1907 and it has gone through numerous owners since. It is not clear how long the dilapidated house has been empty, but it likely is more than 20 years. Preservationists have made efforts to try to keep the house from being demolished. The latest: Dale Kern, a broker with Commercial Associates is handling the sale, He said that the property is under contract to purchase with a group not associated with the preservationists. Kern said it is not clear when the sale will close or what the prospective new owners plan to do with the building. James Day Muddy Creek renewal The Story: The Corvallis School Board voted to authorize district staff to go into charter renewal negotiations with Muddy Creek Charter School, which has operated in the districts former Inavale School building since 2008. The boards parameters for the negotiations opened the possibility of passing more of the funds the district receives from the state for students enrolled at Muddy Creek through to the school. The Latest: The board voted Thursday to approve the contract with the school. The new contract raises the amount of state school funds passed through to Muddy Creek from 80% to 87.5%. It also raises the number of students the school can enroll to 125 in the coming school year and 130 the year after that. Board Chair Vince Adams said the contract was aimed at recognizing that Muddy Creek students are district students. He added that while relations with the school have been contentious at times, the contract changes that. This contract brings Muddy Creek closer to the district financially and operationally, and thats a good thing, he said. Anthony Rimel Commission vacancies The story: Corvallis Mayor Biff Traber is charged with filling vacancies on city advisory boards and commissions subject to City Council approval. The appointments usually are approved as part of the councils consent agenda. The latest: Traber has appointed and the council has approved adding Jennifer Moreland of the Downtown Corvallis Association to the Imagine Corvallis Action Network Advisory Board and Jose LaSalle to the Corvallis King Legacy Advisory Board. The city still has vacancies on the ICAN board, the King Legacy board, the Planning Commission and the Historic Resources Commission. Those interested in applying should go to https://www.corvallisoregon.gov/bc. James Day Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 NY Times Friday-- The Americans? That warning about how many foreign operatives are living in America today before The Enemy Within? Julian Barnes and Adam Goldman, reporting for theFriday-- FBI Warns of Russian Interference in 2020 Race and Boosts Counterintelligence Operations -- wrote that FBI director Wray warned about Russias continued meddling in American elections, calling it a 'significant counterintelligence threat.' The bureau has shifted additional agents and analysts to shore up defenses against foreign interference, according to a senior F.B.I. official." Trump might not be concerned but there are at least some in his administration who have "come to see that Russias influence operations have morphed into a persistent threat. The F.B.I., the intelligence agencies and the Department of Homeland Security have made permanent the task forces they created to confront 2018 midterm election interference, senior American national security officials said." Didn't anyone watch all those seasons of? That warning about how many foreign operatives are living in America today before We recognize that our adversaries are going to keep adapting and upping their game, Christopher A. Wray, the F.B.I. director, said Friday in a speech in Washington, citing the presence of Russian intelligence officers in the United States and the Kremlins record of malign influence operations. So we are very much viewing 2018 as just kind of a dress rehearsal for the big show in 2020, he said. Mr. Wrays warnings came after the report by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, laid out in hundreds of pages of detail the interference and influence campaign carried out by Russian operatives in the 2016 election. While American officials have promised to continue to try to counter, block and weaken the Russian intelligence operations, they have complained of a lack of high-level coordination. President Trump has little interest or patience for hearing about such warnings, officials have said. Mr. Trump views any discussion of future Russian interference as effectively questioning the legitimacy of his 2016 victory, prompting senior officials to head off discussions with him. Earlier this year, the White House chief of staff told Kirstjen Nielsen, then the homeland security secretary, not to raise the threat of new forms of Russian interference with Mr. Trump, current and former senior administration officials have said. But outside of meetings with Mr. Trump, intelligence officials have continued to raise alarms. Officials including both Mr. Wray and Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, have said Russia has aimed its influence campaigns at undermining faith in American democracy. What has pretty much continued unabated is the use of social media, fake news, propaganda, false personas, etc. to spin us up, pit us against each other, to sow divisiveness and discord, to undermine Americas faith in democracy, Mr. Wray said on Friday. That is not just an election-cycle threat. It is pretty much a 365-day-a-year threat. In response to growing threats from Russia and other adversaries, the F.B.I. recently moved nearly 40 agents and analysts to the counterintelligence division, the senior bureau official said in an interview earlier this month. Many of the agents will work on the Foreign Influence Task Force, a group of cyber, counterintelligence and criminal experts. Initially formed on a temporary basis before the midterm elections, officials have made the task force permanent. The Department of Homeland Security made its midterm election task forces permanent, folding them into an election security initiative at their National Risk Management Center. The National Security Agency and the United States Cyber Command have also expanded and made permanent their joint task force aimed at identifying, and stopping, Russian malign influence, officials said. Intelligence officials have said Russia has kept up its interference operations since the 2016 election, continuing through the midterms and most likely to intensify during the next presidential campaign-- albeit with new tactics. Some intelligence officials believe Russia intends to raise questions in the aftermath of future elections about irregularities or purported fraud to undermine faith in the result. During the midterm elections, Cyber Command conducted an operation to temporarily take offline the most prominent Russian troll farm to keep its operatives from mounting a disinformation operation during voting or vote counting. Mr. Trumps continued hostility toward discussing Moscows malign influence campaigns, as well as his broader attitude toward Mr. Putin and Russia, puzzles many national security experts. The way Trump spoke about U.S. foreign policy, with a particular focus on Russia, NATO and some other cardinal aspects of U.S. foreign policy views were out of kilter with traditional, mainstream foreign policy thinking, said Andrew S. Weiss, a Russia expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. ...The aftermath of the 2016 election and Russias attempts to try to influence the American government illustrates the dangers of a loose, ad hoc approach to foreign policy that Mr. Trump embraced during the transition, and still favors to a degree former national security officials said. If you can be led by the nose by foreign governments, that is the simplest definition of what a successful influence operation looks like, Mr. Weiss said. All sorts of leaders figure out there are ways to work with the Trump team that stressed informal channels, flattery and a freewheeling approach. Campaign officials with little security background looking to make impromptu deals are particularly vulnerable to Russian intelligence operations, said James M. Olson, a former chief of C.I.A.s counterintelligence unit and author of To Catch A Spy. They are dilettantes, no question about it. They have no intelligence or national security background and they shouldnt be playing in a game they dont understand the rules of, Mr. Olson said. These people are jumping into deep water and they dont even know how to swim. What Russia has gained from its influence campaign remains subject to debate. The strong sanctions against Russia remain in place, toughened by congressional action. Funding for American military presence in Europe increased under the Trump administration. The United States has kept up its support for the Ukrainian government and has made no official move to recognize Moscows annexation of Crimea in 2014. But Mr. Trumps skepticism of the value of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and his occasional wavering over the mutual defense pact have strengthened Mr. Putins hand in Eastern Europe. Former officials and other experts agree with Mr. Wrays assessment that Russian intelligence has also contributed in sowing chaos in political systems, undermining faith in democratic voting systems and potentially further polarizing already divided electorates. My hunch is Putin feels pretty good about how its going for him, Mr. Olson said. Pete Williams, reporting for NBC News, noted that Russian efforts to influence American public opinion are not confined only to periods around elections and that Wray said "It's pretty much a 365-days-a-year threat. And that has absolutely continued" and that it consists of constant use of social media, with "fake news, propaganda, false personas, et cetera, to spin us up, pit us against each other, sow divisiveness and discord, and undermine Americans' faith in democracy." So why no interest in any of this from Trump-- other than to deride it? Mental health professions issued their own report on the Mueller report that should help us answer questions like that. "While the information in the Special Counsels report has been deemed insufficient for criminal determination," declares the report, "it provides, even in redacted form, a wealth of relevant information regarding the Presidents mental capacity. Not having the mental capacity to make sound decisions and to refrain from violence, whether by encouraging, recommending, or inciting it on the part of his followers, whether or not he meets the criteria for being diagnosed as mentally ill, is dangerous as long as he remains President and constitutes a medical emergency that health professionals are obligated to respond to.. [T]he office of president requires, at the very least, the ability to make sound, rational decisions based on reality and the ability not to place the nation in grave danger. The final determination of 'competency' is a judicial decision usually made by the courts, while capacity is a medical assessment that psychiatrists, and especially forensic psychiatrists or other appropriately trained forensic mental health professionals, contribute to courts as expert witnesses to aid them in making their legal decisions. Similarly, presidential fitness is a political decision, but just as the courts routinely rely on physicians and other experts assessments for competence, disability, and fitness for duty, political bodies should not be denied access to the same medical and professional information and expertise that the judicial system benefits from. We therefore offer our analysis as potentially valuable data, as a part of our professional obligation to protect public safety and wellbeing." One conclusion is that Trump is a clear and present danger to America because of his mental incapacity demonstrated in "patterns" on behavior. Vietnam is one of the world's biggest exporters of shrimp. Photo by VnExpress/Le Dang The upcoming private sector forum has attracted some big international names, presenting a great connecting opportunity for Vietnamese firms. The Vietnam Private Sector Economic Forum 2019 will be held May 2-3 at the National Convention Center in Hanoi. It is seen as an opportunity for government representatives to listen to private companies on the difficulties and barriers they face in business activities. For the first time, many big distributors and leading retail groups such as Seafoodwatch (U.S.), Cargill (U.S.), Bluescope (Australia), Big C (Thailand), ABB (Switzerland), Mercadona (Italy) and Maruka (Japan) will attend the forum. They will share their experiences in various fields, offering insights to Vietnamese firms competing in the global marketplace, and meet with potential purchasers and suppliers. Seafoodwatch, which specializes in aquatic products and Cargill, an agricultural giant, have said that they would offer maximum support for Vietnamese enterprises in the same industry. They will discuss quality assessment on fisheries products, focusing on various criteria and assessment conditions. A Seafoodwatch representative said Vietnamese seafood is of good quality but the poor management of traceability and maintenance has resulted in local firms failing to meet the requirements in European and the U.S. markets. In October 2017, the European Commission (EC) applied a "yellow card" warning on seafood from Vietnam after a number of Vietnamese fishing vessels were caught trespassing into other countries waters. The yellow card means Vietnams fisheries exports have been subject to intense scrutiny, with all seafood containers being inspected in a process that could take three to four weeks and cost 500 euros ($633) per container. The EC had initially said it would remove the yellow card last June, and later said it would consider doing so in January this year. To date, this has not happened. The private sector forum is hosted by the Government and the Party Central Committees Economic Commission, and co-organized by the Private Sector Development Committee, VnExpress and the IEC Group. The gate of Tran Thi Thanh Tam's family house was painted in black with the word au dam (paedophilia). It has now been erased. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Truong Two days after complaining to the police that her family had been humiliated, the wife of child molestation suspect Nguyen Huu Linh withdrew it. On Wednesday Tran Thi Thanh Tam, the wife of the disgraced ex-prosecutor, had filed the complaint with the Da Nang police, demanding an investigation into people who threw dirt and trash at her house and said hurtful things about her and her family on social media. Earlier this month, elevator footage from an apartment building in Saigons District 4 showed Nguyen Huu Linh, a 61-year-old retired deputy chief prosecutor in the central city of Da Nang, came close to a little girl, before wrapping his arm around her neck and kissing her. The incident sparked public outragec, especially over the lack of action taken against Linh, even two weeks after the footage was released. On April 21, 18 days after investigating and gathering evidence, Saigon police decided to press child molestation charges against Linh. Linhs actions, if deemed molestation of a person under 16, is punishable by six months to three years in prison under the Penal Code. Tran Muu, deputy chief of the Da Nang Police Department, said the complaint of Linh's wife was understandable. "Linhs actions were wrong and he has to take responsibility before the law, but his family members do not. To paint and throw stuff at their house is wrong." But Tran Phuoc Huong, head of the Hai Chau District police, said Saturday Tam withdrew her complaint without giving a reason. But she had asked for increasing patrolling by officers to ensure her familys safety, he said. In a public letter published on social media and verified by the police, Tam said she and her children "could no longer withstand the pressure from the Vietnamese public." The letter, posted on a Facebook fanpage Saturday, says: "The last 25 days have been the toughest and most painful time of our lives. As I write this letter, my children and I have temporarily left our residence for a while. "I am aware that my husbands actions were not right. We are sorry and we take responsibility.... "As a wife and a mother, I am partly responsible for this, but my children and grandchildren are innocent. This case has been a life sentence for our family," Tam wrote. Angered by her husband Linhs actions, people have been smearing his residence with dirt and trash, even painting au dam (paedophilia) on the house gate. "You have made us so afraid, we do not dare to return to our own home and are fearful about walking on the street... Our lives are now upside down, our minds horribly scarred. "I hope everything ends here, and you should no longer do things that hurt me and my childen," Tam wrote. About 2,000 cases of child abuse are discovered in Vietnam every year, according to data from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs. Over 1,500 cases of child sexual abuse were reported in the country in both 2018 and 2017, only showing slight improvements in child protection, a labor ministry report stated. Security personnel seen at the site of an overnight gun battle, between troops and suspected Islamist militants, on the east coast of Sri Lanka, in Kalmunai, April 27, 2019. Photo by Reuters/Dinuka Liyanawatte Sri Lankas president on Saturday outlawed two Islamist groups suspected to be behind the suicide bombings on churches and hotels while the wife and child of the suspected ringleader were wounded during a military raid in safe house, his family and police said. The National Thawheedh Jamaath (NTJ) and Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim were banned under his emergency powers, President Maithripala Sirisena said in a statement, nearly a week after the Easter Sunday attacks that killed more than 250 people. Authorities could not act earlier to ban the two little known groups because the law required them to show firm evidence against them, officials said. Police believe the suspected mastermind of the bombings, Mohamed Hashim Mohamed Zahran, led either the NTJ or a splinter group. Less is known about Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim, whose members are also believed to have played a role in the bombings. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Nearly 10,000 soldiers have been deployed across the island to carry out searches and boost security since the bombings in three churches and four hotels, most of which were in the capital Colombo. Security forces have detained 100 people, including foreigners from Syria and Egypt, police said. A gunbattle erupted on Friday evening during a raid on a safe house in Sainthamaruthu in Ampara district on the islands east coast, killing at least 15 people including three people with suicide vests and six children, a military spokesman said. The wounded included the wife and a daughter of Zahran, his family said. "Yes, the wife and daughter were injured in the attack," said Mohamed Hashim Mathaniya, sister of Zahran. "I was asked to come to identify them but I am not sure I can go," she told Reuters from the town of Kattankudy in the east where Zahran was originally based. Zahrans driver was detained in a separate raid, according to a police statement. Bomb-making materials, dozens of gelignite sticks and thousands of ball bearings were found in a search of a separate house in the same area, along with Islamic State banners and uniforms, the military said. Zahran appeared in a video released by Islamic State days after the bombing, the only one showing his face while seven others were covered. In the video the men stand under a black Islamic State flag and declare their loyalty to its leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. Fear of more attacks Authorities have said there could be more attacks against religious centers. Last Sundays bombings shattered the relative calm that the Buddhist-majority country has seen since a 26-year civil war with mostly-Hindu ethnic Tamil separatists ended a decade ago. Sirisena and the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have faced strong criticism after it emerged that India had repeatedly given warnings of the possibility of attacks. Both Sirisena and Wickremesinghe have said intelligence was not shared with them, exposing rifts at the top of the government and raising questions about its ability to deal with the security crisis. The national police chief had refused to accept Sirisenas request to step down, two sources told Reuters on Saturday, a further embarrassment for the president. The U.S. State Department said terrorist groups were continuing to plot attacks and cautioned its citizens against traveling to Sri Lanka, as well as ordering the departure of all school-age family members of U.S. government employees. India and Britain have also warned their nationals to avoid traveling to Sri Lanka. The security forces response has included raids on mosques and homes of people in the town of Negombo where scores died in the bombing of a church. Police said on Friday they were trying to track down 140 people they believe have links with Islamic State. The president said some of the countrys youth had been involved with the group since 2013 and that there were drug trafficking links. Muslims were urged to pray at home on Friday after the State Intelligence Services warned of possible car bomb attacks, amid fears of retaliatory violence. Many have fled their homes amid bomb scares, lockdowns and security sweeps. The archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, told reporters he had seen an internal security document warning of further attacks on churches and said there would be no Catholic masses celebrated anywhere on the island this Sunday. Sri Lankas 22 million people include minority Christians, Muslims and Hindus. Until now, Christians had largely managed to avoid the worst of the islands conflict and communal tensions. Most of the bombing victims were Sri Lankans. The dead also included 40 foreigners, including British, U.S., Australian, Turkish, Indian, Chinese, Danish, Dutch and Portuguese nationals. India and Britain have also warned their nationals to avoid traveling to Sri Lanka. The security forces response has included raids on mosques and homes of people in the town of Negombo where scores died in the bombing of a church. Police said on Friday they were trying to track down 140 people they believe have links with Islamic State. The president said some of the countrys youth had been involved with the group since 2013 and that there were drug trafficking links. Muslims were urged to pray at home on Friday after the State Intelligence Services warned of possible car bomb attacks, amid fears of retaliatory violence. Many have fled their homes amid bomb scares, lockdowns and security sweeps. The archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, told reporters he had seen an internal security document warning of further attacks on churches and said there would be no Catholic masses celebrated anywhere on the island this Sunday. Sri Lankas 22 million people include minority Christians, Muslims and Hindus. Until now, Christians had largely managed to avoid the worst of the islands conflict and communal tensions. Most of the bombing victims were Sri Lankans. The dead also included 40 foreigners, including British, U.S., Australian, Turkish, Indian, Chinese, Danish, Dutch and Portuguese nationals. Trump pressed Japan's Abe to build more vehicles in the U.S U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 26, 2019. Reuters/Kevin Lamarque U.S. President Donald Trump pressed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to have Japanese automakers produce more vehicles in the U.S, according to a readout of their recent meeting provided by the U.S. ambassador to Japan on Saturday. The two discussed recent public announcements by Japanese car makers, including Toyota Motor Corps decision to invest more in U.S. plants. "We talked about the need to see more movement in that direction but I think the president feels very positive that we will see such movement because all the economics support that," said Ambassador William Hagerty. Trump told a campaign rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Saturday that Abe said Japan would invest $40 billion in U.S. car factories, though Trump did not give details on the timeline for the planned investments. Toyota, Japans largest automaker, said last month it would exceed a 2017 pledge to invest $10 billion over five years with a new commitment to reach nearly $13 billion over that period. Trump has prodded Japanese automakers to add more jobs in the United States as the White House threatens to impose tariffs of up to 25 percent on imported vehicles, on the grounds of national security. Trump on Friday said it is possible that the United States and Japan could reach a new bilateral trade deal by the time he visits Tokyo in May, but he and Abe cited areas where they differ on trade. "We want to ensure that the U.S. has trading terms with Japan that are no less favorable than any other nation," Hagerty said in a phone call with reporters. He added that Trump is planning to attend the summit of the Group of 20 industrialized nations set to take place in Osaka, Japan in June. Separately, Trump was optimistic trade talks with China would be successful, the ambassador said. Pedro Sanchez casts his vote on Sunday. ULY MARTIN The Socialist Party (PSOE) of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has won the highest number of seats but fallen short of an absolute majority at the snap general election that was held in Spain on Sunday. With around 95% of the vote counted, the PSOE has won 123 seats while Unidas Podemos a coalition of United Left and anti-austerity group Podemos picked up 42. Together, these two parties account for 165 seats, which is below the 176 needed for an absolute majority, meaning Sanchez will need the support of regional parties if he is to govern. The conservative Popular Party (PP) suffered a crushing defeat on Sunday, losing around 70 seats in Congress to be left with just 66. The center-right party Ciudadanos (Citizens) performed better, winning 57 deputies in Congress. Meanwhile the far-right party Vox took 24 seats in its debut national election. Since Blas Pinar, a far-right politician linked to former dictator Francisco Franco, lost his seat in Congress in 1982, no political party with a similar ideology has set foot in any of the countrys parliaments. High turnout Spaniards headed to the polls on Sunday, April 28, for the third time in less than four years to cast their vote in an election dominated by uncertainty. Polls ahead of the election predicted the Socialist Party (PSOE) would win the highest number of seats in Congress but there were doubts as to whether they would have enough seats to form government. A number of factors were tipped to shift the political landscape in Spain, most importantly the rise of the far-right party Vox, which made shock gains at the regional elections in Andalusia in December. In the face of this fractured outlook, Spaniards poured into polling stations across the country, with voter turnout at around 75% 8.5 percentage points more than the 2016 polls. The turnout was particularly high in Catalonia, where the independence drive has deeply divided the region. The rise was most notable in inland areas in Catalonia that are the strongest supporters of independence. Vox had targeted the breakaway region during its election campaign, promising to get rid of Spains current system of devolved regional powers. In two televised debates ahead of the election, PP leader Pablo Casado and Ciudadanos chief Albert Rivera also promised to take a hardline approach on the separatist movement. In early April, sources close to Casado said he would apply Article 155 of the Constitution, a measure that gives the central government emergency powers to suspend Catalonias autonomous powers, if he won the election and achieved an absolute majority in the Senate. For a free and equal Spain where we recover social harmony and never have to see again how even the leader of the opposition is denied a handshake. The tense situation over the issue of Catalan independence led to two incidents at polling stations in the region. In the first, an electoral official refused to shake the hand of Ines Arrimadas, a candidate in Barcelona for center-right party Ciudadanos. Due to things like this, with each minute that passes, we more urgently need #MorePPMoreSpain. This is intolerable. They will not defeat us. All our support for Cayetana Alvarez de Toledo And in the second, Cayetana Alvarez de Toledo, a candidate for the PP in Barcelona, was blocked by several people from entering a polling station in Montcada i Reixac, and confronted as she left. Aside from these incidents, voting went ahead largely without issues. According to the National Police, 92,000 officers were on duty on Sunday to ensure the smooth running of the polls. Mobilization of the left In the lead up to the election, Prime Minister Sanchez warned voters that there was a real risk that the right could join with the far right in a bid to reduce voter apathy, which was one of the factors behind the Socialists defeat at the Andalusian regional election. Susana Diaz, the former regional premier of Andalusia who was ousted from power in December thanks to an agreement between the PP, Ciudadanos and Vox, warned on election day that when the left doesnt mobilize, the right wins. Images of Voxs large-scale campaign rallies fed progressive fears about the possibility of seeing the far right in government again in a country where this ideology was in power via a dictatorship until 1976, and where many people thought it had since died out. English version by Melissa Kitson. Irans Supreme Leader on Sunday told law enforcement officials to deal with gun trade on social media, after a cleric was killed by a gunman the previous day. Ayatollah Ali Khameneis official website quoted him saying, The murderer of the clergyman yesterday in Hamadan had published his photos on Instagram with four different weapons, and it is the duty of police to deal with this kind of cases. Khamenei was referring to the shooting of a 46 year old cleric in the Western city of Hamadan with an AK-47 assault rifle. The police announced on Sunday that the killer was identified as Behrouz Hajiloo and in less than 24 hours was killed in a shootout with agents that lasted 20 minutes. Two police officers were also lightly injured. The motives for the killing of the clergyman are not clear, but Irans minister of communications wrote on his Instagram that the murder suspects social media posts are full of his racism. He has not elaborated on what kind of racist posts the suspect has published. Khamenei in his remarks condemning trade in weapons added, In some countries such as the United States buying and selling guns is permitted because of the financial interests of gun-manufacturing mafia companies, but in our country we dont have this problem and it is forbidden to buy and sell guns, which must be stopped. He also stressed on the security of cyberspace and said, Cyberspace today has an expanded role in peoples lives and along with its benefits it also has dangers. Khamenei criticized the police for not being at its Islamic best and demanded from law enforcement to seriously combat smuggling and deal with those who create insecurity in cyberspace. In recent years, there have been other cases of citizens murdering clergymen or vice versa. In 2018, a young man was executed for killing a cleric who had raped him repeatedly in his adolescence when he was a student at a seminary. Human rights observers noted that during the trial of the young man, the issue of rape had been ignored. The brother of the man who was killed is a senior official close to Mr. Khamenei. In 2006, a clergyman killed a young man named Ali Ahmadinejad in Karaj, near Tehran for saying something unethical to a woman in the metro. Eyewitnesses at the time said that the cleric pushed the young man to the ground and fired his handgun at his head. They also said that when police arrived the clergyman showed an ID card and walked away. Morality police in Iran and clergymen have the right to apprehend people for not respecting the dress code, drinking alcohol or similar unethical behavior. Often fights break out when they admonish a citizen in public. Later, the Special Court for Clergy announced that the murderer was charged with the killing and carrying an unlicensed handgun and will stand trial, but no further developments were reported in the case. The Chief of Irans Armed Forces General Staff Mohammad Baqeri told reporters at a ceremony on Sunday that Iran is not bent on closing the strategic Hormuz Strait in the Persian Gulf and its navy provides security of navigation in the strait. IRGC General Baqeri (Bagheri) added that Iranian officials have made it clear that Iran does not want to close Hormuz, but in case of more animosity by enemies, we will be capable of blocking the strait, Mizan news agency reported. Iranian officials have repeatedly threatened to close Hormuz if Iran is totally deprived of exporting its oil. The United States have imposed oil export sanctions against Iran since November and recently tightened the screws, cancelling exemptions offered to a handful of countries. The Iranian commander also claimed that Iran is in total control of the Hormuz. Today, all vessels and navy ships must answer IRGC navys questions. U.S. warships also have responded to questions and we have not had a problem. Irans claim to have legal control over the strait is not true, since most shipping lanes are within Omans territorial waters. But in terms of military ability to disrupt shipping, Iran has the general capability. U.S. Central Command chief General Kenneth McKenzie said on Saturday, April 27 the United States would deploy the necessary resources to counter any dangerous actions by Iran. An Iranian cargo ship listed on sanctions lists was boarded and searched at Misrata port in western Libya, the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord said Saturday. The "Iranian flagged... Shahr E. Kord" is docked at the country's main commercial port, the internationally recognized GNA's interior ministry said in a statement on its Facebook page. The ship "is on a sanctions list of the US", the statement added. The statement also said that the ship was searched after news began circulating on social media and media outlets that the Iranian vessel was bringing unknown shipment to Misrata. According to the US Treasury Department Office for Foreign Assets Control, the Shahr E. Kord was placed on a sanctions blacklist on November 5, 2018. Washington has imposed a series of sanctions against Tehran since unilaterally withdrawing from an international nuclear accord in May 2018. The ship, containing 144 containers, was brought to Misrata port in order to "verify the cargo to ensure it conforms with documents", the GNA's interior ministry said. The ship left the port of Burgas in Bulgaria on April 20, bound for Misrata, according to the website marinetraffic.com. Ahmad al-Mesmari, a spokesman for the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) on April 23 spoke about the presence of an Iranian ship off Misrata. The LNA, led by strongman Khalifa Haftar, launched an offensive against Tripoli, the seat of the GNA, on April 4. The Libya Observer news website also said that media outlets close to Haftar have alleged that the Iranian ship was bringing weapons and fighters for the Tripoli government. Mesmari has suggested that the ship was illegally carrying a cargo of arms and ammunition to the coastal city, which is held by militia opposed to the LNA. Reporting by AFP Human rights defender Narges Mohammadi who is incarcerated at Irans notorious Evin prison must immediately undergo surgery, according to her attorney. Mahmoud Behzadi Rad told the official IRNA news agency that Mohammadi was taken from prison to hospital April 27 and after an MRI exam was returned to prison. According to the attorney, doctors concluded that she needs an immediate operation because of complications with her uterus. Earlier he had announced that the prison had agreed to her visit to a hospital for examinations, pending agreement from the prosecutors. It is not clear yet if and when prosecutors will allow Mohammadi to undergo surgery. Ms. Mohammadi, a physicist, has been imprisoned several times, but her last arrest was in 2015 after meeting with the European Unions foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton at the time. She had been sentenced to 16 years accused of activities against the Islamic Republic system and rearrested to serve the remainder of her sentence. She has been awarded several prestigious prizes, including the American Physical Societys 2018 Andrei Sakharov Prize for outstanding leadership and achievements by scientists in upholding human rights, but was not able to receive the honor in person as she is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence in Iran. Her lawyer says that she has already served enough of her jail term to be eligible for release. Speaking to the Al Jazeera TV network, Iranian dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi has described Iran as "incorrigible," insisting that the only way toward reform in her homeland is through changing its constitution. The interview was aired less than a week after Washington decided not to extend the Iran oil sanctions waivers. The decision was made as part of the Trump administration's "utmost pressure" strategy aimed at depriving Iran of all its revenue from oil exports. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insists the move will choke off Irans revenue amounting to more than $50 billion a year. Referring to the U.S. decision, Ebadi said she supported sanctions but only those that don't harm the Iranian people. She singled out Irans non-Persian speaking TV channels that use Western satellites to broadcast propaganda shows across the world. "Prohibit the use of these satellites for Iran so that it would cut off Iran's propaganda megaphones," Ebadi told Al Jazeera. "How do you think that some of the Syrian, Lebanese, or Yemeni youth support Iran? It's through the same TV networks that the Islamic Republic deceives the young people. With branches in 20 countries worldwide including France, Belgium, Malaysia, Lebanon, United Kingdom, the United States, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) offers both domestic and foreign radio and television services. It broadcasts 12 local television channels, four international news television channels, six satellite television channels for international audiences, and 30 provincial television channel available countrywide, half of which make use of local accents or dialects. The state-run IRIB, which has monopolized the right to broadcast radio and TV programs in Iran, also runs 30 radio stations exclusively for international audiences. Furthermore, the IRIB has Arabic, Hindi, English, Urdu, French, and Spanish channels, besides the native Persian. In an interview with pro-reform Sharq daily on March 12, former IRIB head Mohammad Sarafraz revealed that it had nearly 20,000 staff plus 20,000 more external contributors, including 3,000 managing directors. The budget for IRIB under Sarafraz's predecessor, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander Ezzatollah Zarghami, amounted to 20 trillion rials (approximately $480 million), with 27 trillion rials (about $640 million) in expenditures. On April 19, Google deactivated the IRIB's English-speaking TV channel (Press TV) and its Spanish-speaking (HispanTV) accounts on YouTube for violating the company's regulations. However, the Iranian authorities have accused Google of relenting to Washington's sanctions imposed on Tehran. Earlier, several Iranian dissident groups had also called for imposing sanctions on the IRIB since it had aired "forced confessions" of political prisoners. Sarafraz is the only IRIB-related person sanctioned so far by the European Union. In 2013, the EU adopted restrictive measures against Sarafraz and recognized him as being associated with violating human rights and cooperating with Iranian security services and prosecutors to broadcast "forced confessions of political prisoners." He was the manager of Press TV when his name was added to the list of individuals sanctioned by the EU. Regardless of the sanction, Sarafraz was promoted directly by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to head the IRIB on November 10, 2014. However, less than two years later on May 11, 2016, Sarafraz was forced to resign after political infighting among members of the ultra-conservative camp dominating Iran. During Al Jazeera's exclusive interview, Ebadi asserted that she did not believe in foreign interference in Iran's internal affairs, but insisted that no reform is possible in her homeland under the country's present constitution. "In the past two decades, different ways have been tested to see whether the Islamic Republic regime could be reformed or not," said Ebadi, who has lived in exile since 2009 in the United Kingdom. "Regretfully, all tests and experiences have been negative. No reform is possible in Iran until its constitution is changed, and that's what should be done by the people of Iran, and inside Iran." The first Iranian and Muslim woman Nobel Peace Prize laureate (2003), Ebadi believes the Islamic Republic is a "one-man show" dominated by Khamenei. "One should remember that Iran's foreign policy is not set by the foreign minister or even by the president," Ebadi said. "Therefore, Zarif is merely a puppet, and that's why when he recently resigned, they confronted him, and he immediately took back his resignation." Ebadi, 71, asserted that one of the main reasons she calls for the change of Iran's constitution is the dominating role of its supreme leader, who has the last word on all national matters. As far as the constitution stipulates that the supreme leader has the pivotal role in all social, political, and economic affairs of the country, Ebadi argued,no reform is possible. In February 2017, Ebadi, along with several political activists, including prominent lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh, Islamic Revolution veterans Abolfazl Qadyani, renowned human rights defender and physicist Narges Mohammadi, former head of Tehran University Mohammad Maleki, and Islamic scholar Mohsen Kadivar, called for holding a referendum under the supervision of the United Nations, to decide Iran's political future. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 28 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, Trend reports with reference to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. 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 28 By Samir Ali Trend: Azerbaijan as a leader of the region is playing very significant role in One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, Deputy Director General of Trend News Agency Lina Vaitkeviciene told Trend. Vaitkeviciene made the remarks as part of the video project entitled "PREZIDENT. Musteqillik. Tehlukesizlik. Rifah". The One Belt One Road initiative, first announced in 2013 by Chinese President Xi Jinping, is an extremely ambitious and far-reaching initiative with significant potential to improve the social and economic structure in Asia, Europe, and northeastern Africa, where more than half of the worlds population lives, she said. This win-win initiative should benefit more than 50 percent of the worlds population living in that region and contribute to political stability and peace in the world. Azerbaijan as a leader of the region is playing very significant role in this project, Vaitkeviciene said. Azerbaijan is geographically located on East-West and North-South transportation corridors and its territories were used historically by Silk Road caravans. It is obvious that Silk Road related initiatives did not not leave Azerbaijan outside the plans and they will use the countrys transit potential and natural resources. the expert said that by taking advantage of countrys geographical location and investing mainly in infrastructure and transportation sector Azerbaijan turned into one of the international transportation hubs which connect Europe and Asia. The country is situated in the historic Silk Road and the creation of modern infrastructure is one of the main goals of Azerbaijan, she said. Azerbaijan is largely investing in infrastructure to build roads, highways, airports. East-West and North-South transportation corridors cross the country and Azerbaijan is actively participating in both of these transportation corridors and has offered a number of initiatives in this regard. Vaitkeviciene pointed out that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has issued a number of decrees and given orders on construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, relocation of the countrys main sea port to a Alat and the creation of the Baku International Sea Trade Port, a decree on the establishment of a free trade zone in the territory of the port, the creation of industrial zones and estates as well as IT parks in the regions of the country. The government of Azerbaijan does not see silk roads as a simple route or branch to be used only for transit purposes but as a focus more on its contribution to the development of the non-oil sector of the economy, the expert said. The long-term vision of the country's development and its exploitation of existing geographic advantages will give the country economic stability, sustainable development and prosperity for the people. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 28 Trend: Azerbaijan was elected deputy chairman of the Customs Cooperation Council of the World Customs Organization (WCO), head of the Europe Region at the WCO Europe Region Heads of Customs Conference held in St. Petersburg, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee. During the conference, the head of the UK Customs Service voiced a positive opinion about Azerbaijan. The representatives of the customs services of Kazakhstan, Turkey and Belarus also expressed positive opinions. Following the discussions, Azerbaijan was elected deputy chairman of the Customs Cooperation Council of the World Customs Organization, head of the Europe Region for a period of two years. The reports of the head of the European Regional Office of Capacity Building of the World Customs Organization, located in Baku were heard. Then the elections for the post of Deputy Chairman of the Customs Cooperation Council of the World Customs Organization, Head of the Europe Region were held. The Customs Cooperation Council of the World Customs Organization unites 53 countries. During the event, the Azerbaijani delegation was represented by chairman of the State Customs Committee, Lieutenant-General of the Customs Service Safar Mehdiyev. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 28 By Fakhri Vakilov Trend: Kazakhstan and China have agreed on a veterinary certificate for the export of meat and meat products from Kazakhstan to China, Trend reports with reference to press service of the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan. The document includes the requirements put forward by the Chinese side for imported beef and lamb. As noted by the Ministry, veterinary inspectors from China examined a number of the meat-processing enterprises of Kazakhstan. "It is expected that four Kazakhstani agricultural entities will be included in the Register of the enterprises authorized to supply products to China," the spokesperson said adding that five local companies already obtained the right to export mutton to China. In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan and the General Administration of Customs of China signed a protocol on phytosanitary requirements for flour. Under the protocol, updated requirements for raw materials (grain) and finished products (wheat flour) are provided. "As of today, 30 flour mills of Kazakhstan have been inspected by the Kazakhstan phytosanitary service to check their compliance with the above requirements. Under the guarantee of the Committee of State Inspection in the Agro-industrial Complex, these companies are expected to be included in the Register of enterprises authorized to export their products to China," the spokesperson noted. Exports of flour from Kazakhstan in 2018 amounted to 34,000 tons worth $8.4 million. Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, April 28 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: Some 3,150 tons of products worth $1.38 million were transported by 50 railcars in Astara county of Irans northern Gilan province during the first month of Iranian year (started on March 21, 2019), Director General of Irans Astara Customs Office Rasul Umidi said. During the first month, 18,500 tons of goods worth $5.69 million were transported to the Astara terminal by 303 railcars, Umidi added, Trend reports referring to IRNA. Ceramic goods, cement, clinker were exported to Russia, Georgia and Ukraine, he added. Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF), wood and grain were imported from these countries, he said. He said that 259 tons of goods worth $1.19 million were transited by seven railcars last month. Astara-Astara railway was commissioned in March 2018 between Iran and Azerbaijan. Astara county of Iran's Gilan province is located on the border with Azerbaijan. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that an official visit to North Korea is on his agenda, the exact date of which will be announced soon, Trend reports citing Mehr News Agency. He made the remarks today in New York while answering IRNA correspondent on the prospects of a meeting between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and North Koreas leader Kim Jong-un, taking into account that the Korean leader has recently met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. I dont know about [Iranian] presidents schedule, but the visit [to North Korea] is on my agenda and its date will soon be announced, Zarif said. The top diplomat said that he will pay an official visit to two neighboring countries in the next 10 days before departing for Russia to discuss bilateral ties. He did not mention the name of the two neighboring countries he would be visiting. Zarif is in New York to attend a UN conference dubbed 'the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace, which was held last Wednesday. He has also conducted several interviews with US media during his stay. Gunman kidnapped three oil workers from Canada, Scotland and Nigeria at a rig in Nigerias Delta region on Saturday, officials said - the second abduction in the area in less than a week, Trend reports citing Reuters. The attackers raided the rig owned by Niger Delta Petroleum Resources in Ogbele, Rivers State at around 8 a.m. (0700 GMT), the spokesman for the areas military operations, Major Ibrahim Abubakar, said. Troops were searching surrounding swamps, he added. State police said they had stepped up security on an east-west road where armed men had attacked civilians in recent weeks. The Niger Delta produces the bulk of Nigerias crude. It has been plagued by criminal gangs and by armed groups demanding a greater share of oil revenues for the region. On Thursday, two Royal Dutch Shell oil workers were kidnapped and their police escorts killed in Rivers State while returning from a trip. A Greek cameraman lost his life and three minors have been injured from a bullet and fireworks during four different incidents across Greece, as Greek Orthodox Christians celebrated Easter on Sunday, Trend reports citing Xinhua. The cameraman was fatally injured by fireworks during a display on Sunday afternoon at the city of Kalamata in southern Greece, local "Ethnos" (Nation) newspaper reported. An 8-year-old girl was hospitalized in critical condition in an Athens hospital, after being hit in the head by a stray bullet in Thiva city, an hour drive northwest from the Greek capital, local Alpha television channel reported. The girl was playing with friends outdoors when the incident happened. No arrest has been made yet. On some occasions, like during wedding parties in the countryside, some Greeks celebrate by firing in the air. Two 14-year-old boys were also seriously injured due to fireworks on Saturday night on the islands of Kos and Aegina and were transferred to Athens, news website "in.gr" reported. In both cases doctors are trying to save the teenagers' fingers. South Korean president Moon Jae-in expressed optimism that the two Koreas will achieve "irreversible peace" and co-prosperity on the basis of his summit deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un a year earlier, Trend reported citing Yomhap. Celebrating the first anniversary of the signing of a set of summit agreements at the truce village of Panmunjom, Moon called it a "dramatic day." "(The agreements in) the Panmunjom Declaration are being implemented one by one," he said in a video message for an official ceremony held on the southern side of Panmunjom. He pointed out that South and North Korea have pulled guard posts out of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and that the excavation of war remains is under way there. Tensions have eased in fishing zones near the Yellow Sea border and a joint liaison office is in operation in Kaesong, a North Korean border town, he added. "Preparations have been finished as well to connect (inter-Korean) railways and roads," Moon said. His remarks came amid growing concern about stalled nuclear talks and slower-than-expected progress in inter-Korean economic cooperation. Critics of the liberal president's approach toward Pyongyang question the secretive communist nation's commitment to denuclearization, especially as its Hanoi summit with the U.S. in February abruptly concluded with no deal. Apparently mindful of such public worries, Moon stressed, "In the face of the difficulties (we) meet at times, (we) should take a breather and find a way together." Because it's a new path South and North Korea are traveling together, it's necessary to wait for "those who come slowly," he added. Moon had three rounds of summits with Kim last year and he's pushing for another meeting in a bid to help revitalize the denuclearization process. Sudans military rulers and an opposition coalition have agreed in principle on the formation of a joint transitional council, but not on the share of seats, two sources said on Saturday, Trend reported citing Reuters. The two sides were holding their first formal discussions as opposition groups and protesters push for a rapid handover to civilian rule following the ouster of former President Omar al-Bashir earlier this month. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Unknown airstrikes attacked a residential area south of the Libyan capital Tripoli late Saturday, killing two people and injuring 10 others, according to military and medical sources, Trend reported citing Xinhua. "Five airstrikes targeted sites in Abu Salim and Al-Fallah (southern Tripoli)," a government military source told Xinhua. "We speculate the airstrikes were carried out by Haftar's drones (army)," the source said, confirming that the strikes hit civilian sites. A hospital in southern Tripoli received two dead bodies and 10 injured people, according to a medical source, who said the casualties were likely to increase. The east-based army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over Tripoli from the UN-backed government. The fighting so far killed more than 270 people and injured more than 1,300 others, and displaced more than 13,000 people. Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid insecurity and chaos ever since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Seven Taliban fighters including a mine maker were confirmed dead as fighting aircraft targeted Taliban hideouts in Andar and Gero districts of the restive Ghazni province on Saturday, provincial government spokesman Aref Nuri said Sunday, Trend reports referring to Xinhua. According to the official, the sorties were conducted on tip off on Saturday afternoon in the said districts and besides killing seven insurgents including the Taliban mine maker, over a dozen more insurgents sustained injuries. Taliban militants who have stepped up activities since launching the armed outfit's annual spring offensive on April 12, are yet to make comment. Two civilians are among 11 persons who lost their lives in the fighting between security forces and the Taliban outfit in Qaisar district of the northern Faryab province of Afghanistan on Sunday, an army spokesman in the northern region Ghulam Hazrat Karimi said, Trend reports citing Xinhua. The clash flared up after a group of Taliban insurgents attacked the checkpoints of pro-government militias in Kohi area of Qaisar district early morning, triggering a gun battle which lasted for a while, leaving two civilians and four pro-government militias dead, Karimi said. Five Taliban fighters were also killed in the fighting, the official went on to say. Taliban militants have not commented yet. One person died and several others were injured at a synagogue in San Diego, California, on Saturday, San Diego County authorities confirmed, Trend reported citing Xinhua. A man has been detained for questioning in connection with the shooting at the Chabad of Poway synagogue, said San Diego Sheriff's Department. Deputies from the Poway station were called to Chabad Way, where the synagogue is located, just before 11:30 a.m. Multiple law enforcement sources told local media that four people were shot. Poway Mayor Steve Vaus told media that the facility was targeted because it was a place for the Jewish community to gather. "I understand that this was someone with hate in their heart, hate for the Jewish community," he said of the shooter. Those wounded were taken to Palomar Medical Center. Their conditions have not been disclosed so far. The synagogue was hosting a Passover holiday celebration at 11 a.m. on Saturday, according to a post on its Facebook page. The Sheriff's Department asked the public to remain clear of the areas as the investigation will take several hours. "Please respect the medical privacy of victims and their families during this difficult time," it tweeted. It also asked the public not to spread misinformation that could cause concern or panic. U.S. Central Command chief General Kenneth McKenzie said on Saturday the United States would deploy the necessary resources to counter any dangerous actions by Iran, Sky News Arabia reported, Trend reports citing Reuters. Were going to continue to reach out to our partners and friends in the region to ensure that we make common cause against the threat of Iran, McKenzie, on an official visit to the Gulf region, was quoted as saying by Sky News Arabia. I believe well have the resources necessary to deter Iran from taking actions that will be dangerous, he said, according to a transcript released by the Abu Dhabi-based channel. We will be able to respond effectively. Tensions between Tehran and Washington have risen since the Trump administration last year withdrew from an international nuclear deal with Iran and began ratcheting up sanctions. Earlier this month, the United States blacklisted Irans elite Revolutionary Guards. Washington on Monday demanded buyers of Iranian oil stop purchases by May or face sanctions, ending six months of waivers which allowed Irans eight biggest buyers, most of them in Asia, to continue importing limited volumes. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and some senior military commanders have threatened to disrupt oil shipments from Gulf countries if Washington tries to strangle Tehran oil exports. McKenzie also said a reduction of U.S. troops in Syria would be done cautiously. On the long term, were going to reduce our forces in Syria, we recognize that, thats the guidance in which we are operating. That will be something that we will look at very carefully as we go forward, the general said. Technology is turning the way investment advice is delivered on its head. Robo advisors are redefining the traditional financial advisor model by leveraging algorithm-based strategies for portfolio construction -- whether it's for stocks, mutual funds or exchange-traded funds. "Cost, convenience and technology are the most attractive features for the younger generation flocking to robo advisors," says Tony Drake, CEO and founder of Drake & Associates in Waukesha, Wisconsin. "Millennials are much more comfortable working with an app and avoiding human interaction." Regardless of age, robo advisors can fill certain needs when building a portfolio. Namely, the need for simplified investing as part of a hands-off, low-cost approach. Gregory Lawrence, certified financial planner and founder of Lawrence Legacy Group in Estero, Florida, says robo advisors eliminate the middle man, along with the higher fees personal advisors may charge. He says investing through a robo platform can make life simpler for investors when markets behave well. Those characteristics work in robo advisors' favor, but they aren't without certain flaws. Experts say there are three important reasons to think twice before investing with a robo advisor. -- Automatic rebalancing isn't perfect. -- Robo advisors can be tax inefficient. -- There's no personal touch. Automatic Rebalancing Isn't Perfect Asset allocation isn't designed to be fixed; it's intended to shift and evolve along with an investor's risk tolerance and time horizon. Robo advisors attempt to make managing asset allocation easier through automatic rebalancing, but there are problems with that strategy. The first is the potential for returns to underwhelm. "Robo investing makes your portfolio performance average, rarely giving you superlative returns relative to the market," Lawrence says. [See: 7 Robo Advisors for Socially Responsible Investors.] That type of outcome may be more likely when a robo advisor changes the balance more frequently, which may go against the grain for an investor who favors a buy-and-hold approach. Story continues "Hyper, periodic rebalancing can force portfolios to sell winners into growing markets and not realize the holding periods required for investment participation," says Adam Holt, CEO and founder of Philadelphia-based Asset-Map. There's also a cost component to consider. Drake says changing the balance automatically can get expensive if it triggers transaction fees or taxable events. He also notes that automatic rebalancing models have yet to be tested against a large market correction. The possibility of a correction aside, automatic rebalancing can make it harder to create a customized portfolio. "The investments made by robo advisors are often based on a risk tolerance score but don't necessarily account for other pieces of a financial plan," says Matt Schulte, head of financial planning at eMoney Advisor. "Automatic rebalancing may not produce the best outcomes for clients because their other assets, investments and overall financial goals are not taken into consideration." That could be a serious issue for someone whose assets aren't centralized at a single robo advisor platform. Drake says that type of scenario calls for extra caution on the part of investors. "An automatic rebalance from a robo advisor could make you overweighted in a certain sector if it doesn't take into account all of your assets," he says. "Diversification should look at all assets in your portfolio; one hand needs to know what the other hand is doing." They Can Be Tax Inefficient A handful of robo advisors include automatic tax-loss harvesting within their scope of services. This strategy involves offsetting investment gains, and subsequently capital gains tax by selling under-performing investments at a loss. In a taxable investment account, tax-loss harvesting can work to an investor's advantage. The problem with allowing a robo advisor to harvest losses automatically is that it could result in tax inefficiency if the wash-sale rule is triggered. [See: 7 Robo Advisors With a Human Touch.] The wash-sale rule specifies that for a tax loss to offset a gain, an investor can't purchase the same or substantially identical investment within 30 days before or after the sale. Robo advisors can violate this rule without being aware of it if investors are harvesting losses on their own in other investment accounts. Bill Van Sant, senior vice president and managing director at Girard says the main problem is tunnel vision with regard to what's happening outside the platform. "Robo advisors focus narrowly on the portfolio that is managed on the platform," Van Sant says. "While the intention is good, it may not be overly tax efficient if not considering personal situations." Like automatic rebalancing, tax-loss harvesting could shortchange returns if it's done by a robo advisor without taking the bigger picture into account. "If you have a long-term time horizon, reacting to short-term market volatility can be detrimental," Drake says. There's No Personal Touch Robo advisors eliminate the need to schedule in-person meetings with a financial advisor. While that may be a time saver, it leaves little room for an investor to receive personalized advice, which Drake says is the biggest downside of robo advisors. He says younger investors may not mind not having a personal connection but as investors get older, investing tends to become more emotional with retirement accounts. "Retirees go from making money to spending money and their biggest fear is going broke," Drake says. "There are so many things to take into account as you plan for the future and it's important to work with a fiduciary who can help you through that process." While robo advisors may come with certain automatic features, such as rebalancing, they don't automatically adjust to accommodate life changes, Schulte says. "There's no relationship, you need a person for that," he says. "Advisors build relationships and create financial plans and investment recommendations tailored to individual clients." Those relationships become vital during periods of market volatility. [See: 8 Investing Do's and Don'ts During Market Volatility.] "In times of uncertainty, most people will seek certainty in a credible human who can provide that confidence," Holt says. "Very often, a human advisor's role is to help an investor from being their worst enemy by making emotional decisions at the wrong times with respect to their portfolio." While robo advisors can employ advanced algorithms to make investment decisions, they can't see the future. Traditional human advisors don't come with a crystal ball either, but they may be better equipped to forecast market movements and trends. Lawrence says a robo advisor may best service someone with an uncomplicated portfolio who's bullish on the market. "But if you want experience, tax and financial planning, then the human advisor is more than likely your best choice," he says. More From US News & World Report Open Source Application Performance Monitor (APM) tool in use at Alibaba, China Eastern Airlines, Huawei, and WeBank, among others. Wakefield, MA, April 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Apache Software Foundation (ASF), the all-volunteer developers, stewards, and incubators of more than 350 Open Source projects and initiatives, announced today Apache SkyWalking as a Top-Level Project (TLP). Apache SkyWalking is an application performance monitor (APM) tool that provides an automatic, highly efficient way to instrument microservices, cloud native, and container-based applications. The project was originally developed in 2015, and entered the Apache Incubator in December 2017. "This is a special day for the SkyWalking project and its community. We thank our mentors, contributors, and the Apache Incubator for helping us achieve this goal," said Sheng Wu, Vice President of Apache SkyWalking. "The original agenda behind SkyWalking was to help newcomers understand what is distributed tracing, and the community has grown bigger and stronger since we entered the Apache Incubator. Through The Apache Way, SkyWalking has a very active and diverse community, is used by over 70 companies, and has over 100 source contributors from dozens of different organizations." Apache SkyWalking provides tracing, service mesh telemetry analysis, metric aggregation and visualization for the distributed system. The project landscape has expanded from a pure tracing system, to an observability analysis platform, and application performance management/monitoring system. Features include: Distributed tracing-based APM: 100% traces collected with low payload for original system; Cloud-native friendly: observe distributed system powered by service mesh, Istio and Envoy; Automated source code change: multiple language agents provided, especially with auto instrumentation supported, in Java, .NET and Nodejs; Easy to operate: doesnt require Big Data in monitoring large scale distributed system; and Advanced visualization: used in traces, metrics and topology map. Apache SkyWalking is in use at dozens of organizations that include 5i5j Group, Alibaba, autohome.com, China Eastern Airlines, China Merchants Bank, Daocloud, dangdang.com, guazi.com, Huawei, ke.com, iFLYTEK, primeton.com, Sinolink Securities, tetrate.io, tuhu.cn, tuya.com, WeBank, Yonghui Superstores, youzan.com, and more. Story continues "Instrumentation is unquestionably the most time-consuming part of establishing a distributed tracing solution into an existing platform. I had the chance to code with some of the SkyWalking community earlier on and could see the quality being invested back then," said Mick Semb Wever, ASF Member and Apache SkyWalking Incubating Mentor. "When they were looking for mentors and a champion to help them create a proposal to become an Apache project, I was excited at the opportunity to help bring the project to the Apache Incubator, and was pleasantly surprised to see how prepared, and ASF-like, the SkyWalking community and project had already become. As was the case with Apache Kylin, SkyWalking has not only been a model project during the incubation process, they have also become ambassadors on open development The Apache Way to the greater Open Source community in China. Congratulations on graduating as an Apache Top-Level Project." "SkyWalking is one of the only Open Source tracing systems where usability and user interface have been a focus, something missing in most Open Source projects," said Jonah Kowall, CTO at Kentik, and former VP Research at Gartner. "Making tracing and APM more easily used by developers and operations team is a key goal which makes Apache Skywalking a project to watch." "Apache SkyWalking has done a lot of work in spreading modern cloud native observability in China and across the world," said Chris Aniczszyk, CTO and COO of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation. "We are happy to see Apache SkyWalking become a TLP and look forward to their community growing and collaborating with CNCF projects like Kubernetes, Envoy, Jaeger and more." "I hear regularly from users that observability is the most important feature they're getting out of their service mesh," said Zack Butcher, Core Contributor to Istio. "By integrating Apache SkyWalking with Istio, the SkyWalking team has brought their incredible tools for deeply understanding system behavior to the mesh. We've already seen great results, and I can't wait to see what further insights users unlock using Apache SkyWalking together with Istio to observe and manage their deployments." "At WeBank, we use different banking architectures, from distributed architecture to Open Source technologies. Weve built a messaging bus called WeMQ based on Apache RocketMQ that fully utilizes the benefits of messaging by implementing various messaging techniques in different scenarios, such as message exchanges, pub/sub and request/reply models," said Eason Chen, WeBank Tech Specialist, and Apache RocketMQ Contributor. "However, after adding different messaging services that are critical to our business, we realized there is a need for a universal visual traceable system for the distributed message to help us to diagnosis problem of applications. We believe Apache SkyWalking can address our current challenges, and we look forward to contributing to its efforts." "I am very glad to see SkyWalking has been promoted as Apache Top-Level Project," said Lie Mao, Architect at China Eastern Airlines IT Solution Department. "Apache SkyWalking is integrated into the China Eastern Airlines microservice architecture support platform. SkyWalking provides practical features and visualization capabilities about topology map and distributed tracing, to help us understand the distributed system. I hope the Open Source community can contribute more plugins to Apache SkyWalking to enhance its role in the multi-language hybrid architecture." "I found SkyWalking in 2017. In two years, it has grown very fast, and the community is very active," said DongXue Si, Senior Software Engineer at CloudWise Inc. "The project is adopted by many companies, and is attracting a lot of developers. Apache SkyWalking makes application performance monitoring easier and more convenient. I believe it will be better and better powered by its diversity community: Bless it." "As early adopters of SkyWalking, we are very glad to see it graduate as an Apache Top-Level Project," said Liang Zhang, Architect at JD.com, Podling Project Management Committee member of Apache ShardingSphere (incubating), and former Architect at dangdang.com. "Dangdang.com adopted SkyWalking much earlier before it joined the Apache Incubator: we have witnessed its development, new features, and community growth. It is a very good example for Apache ShardingSphere (incubating). I look forward to our projects cooperating on observability in databases, and building a better Open Source ecosystem together." "Congratulations to SkyWalking for becoming an Apache Top Level project," said Yuqi Zhou, Middleware Development Manager at Sinolink Securities Co. "Apache SkyWalkings elegant design and good performance solves the our tracing and monitoring needs. Thanks to the Open Source community for bringing us such an awesome project: I wish it continued success." "In helping enterprise customers transform their business application from traditional architecture to a Microservices architecture, one of the most important aspects of the microservices governance platform is its observability to obtain invocation relationships between components, as well as inside service itself, and to generate statistics based on these data, including SLA of services provided to the outside world," said Grissom Wang, Chief Architect at DaoCloud. "We surveyed a number of similar Open Source technologies and eventually chose Apache SkyWalking as one of the core components of DaoCloud Microservices platform because of its openness, extendibility, high performance, excellent code quality, active community, and forward-looking integration with Istio." "Congrats SkyWalking being an Apache TLP," said Niangang Xu, co-founder of Yonghui Cloud Computing. "Apache SkyWalking helps us to improve the design of microservice, and has been enabling us to manage and observe a lot of distributed systems at scale!" "SkyWalking is on its way to becoming a world wide Open Source project," added Wu. "We welcome everyone to participate on our mailing lists, GitHub, and Slack channels, and to learn more through our events, presentations, Website, and documents." Catch Apache SkyWalking in action at SkyWalking DevCon (Shanghai; 11 May 2019), GIAC (Shenzhen; 21-23 June 2019), KubeCon + CloudNativeCon China (Shanghai; 25-26 June 2019), ApacheCon North America (Las Vegas; 9-12 September 2019), and DevOps Stage (Kiev; 18-19 October 2019). Availability and Oversight Apache SkyWalking software is released under the Apache License v2.0 and is overseen by a self-selected team of active contributors to the project. A Project Management Committee (PMC) guides the Project's day-to-day operations, including community development and product releases. For downloads, documentation, and ways to become involved with Apache SkyWalking, visit http://skywalking.apache.org/ and https://twitter.com/ASFSkyWalking About the Apache Incubator The Apache Incubator is the entry path for projects and codebases wishing to become part of the efforts at The Apache Software Foundation. All code donations from external organizations and existing external projects seeking to join the ASF enter through the Incubator to: 1) ensure all donations are in accordance with the ASF legal standards; and 2) develop new communities that adhere to our guiding principles. Incubation is required of all newly accepted projects until a further review indicates that the infrastructure, communications, and decision making process have stabilized in a manner consistent with other successful ASF projects. While incubation status is not necessarily a reflection of the completeness or stability of the code, it does indicate that the project has yet to be fully endorsed by the ASF. For more information, visit http://incubator.apache.org/ About The Apache Software Foundation (ASF) Established in 1999, the all-volunteer Foundation oversees more than 350 leading Open Source projects that provide $20B+ worth of Apache Open Source software to the public at 100% no cost. Through the ASF's merit-based process known as "The Apache Way," more than 730 individual Members and 7,000 Committers across six continents successfully collaborate to develop freely available enterprise-grade software, benefiting billions of users worldwide: thousands of software solutions are distributed under the Apache License; and the community actively participates in ASF mailing lists, mentoring initiatives, and ApacheCon, the Foundation's official user conference, trainings, and expo. The ASF is a US 501(c)(3) charitable organization, funded by individual donations and corporate sponsors including Aetna, Alibaba Cloud Computing, Anonymous, ARM, Baidu, Bloomberg, Budget Direct, Capital One, Cerner, Cloudera, Comcast, Facebook, Google, Handshake, Hortonworks, Huawei, IBM, Indeed, Inspur, Leaseweb, Microsoft, ODPi, Pineapple Fund, Pivotal, Private Internet Access, Red Hat, Target, Tencent, Union Investment, Workday, and Verizon Media. For more information, visit http://apache.org/ and https://twitter.com/TheASF The Apache Software Foundation. "Apache", "SkyWalking", "Apache SkyWalking", "Kylin", "Apache Kylin", "RocketMQ", "Apache RocketMQ", and "ApacheCon" are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Apache Software Foundation in the United States and/or other countries. All other brands and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. # # # Sally Khudairi Vice President The Apache Software Foundation press(at)apache(dot)org +1 617 921 8656 GNC Holdings (NYSE: GNC) recently announced that it will start selling 12 new CBD-infused topical cream products from Physician's Grade and Myaderm, which include facial creams, body lotion, and shampoo. CBD is the non-psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that treats pain but doesn't get users high. The products will be sold exclusively at GNC locations and online stores in 23 states and the District of Columbia. GNC CEO Ken Martindale stated that the retailer is "committed to offering high-quality, innovative products that are being introduced in new categories like CBD," and believes that the products could attract new customers. Three glass bottles standing next to hemp leaves. Image source: Getty Images. GNC's decision wasn't surprising, since plenty of other retailers already have jumped on the CBD bandwagon. But will it really move the needle for the retailer, which lost more than 90% of its market value over the past three years? What happened to GNC? GNC was once the market leader in vitamin and supplements. However, superstores, warehouse retailers, and e-tailers started luring away its customers with similar products. Sluggish mall traffic, an aggressive loyalty program that reduced the company's sales growth and margins, and lawsuits that questioned the safety of its supplements exacerbated the pain. Its partnership with Amazon, which offered GNC products to Prime subscribers, offset some of those declines over the past two years. However, GNC warned during its latest conference call that the maturity of that relationship could become a headwind with tougher year-over-year comparisons in 2019. GNC expanded overseas with franchises (especially in China), but its international business generated just 9% of its sales last quarter. Meanwhile, its core domestic business, which consists of company-owned and franchised locations, reported negative same-store sales throughout most of 2018. Same-Store Sales Growth Q4 2017 Q1 2018 Q2 2018 Q3 2018 Q4 2018 Domestic (company-owned) 5.7% 0.5% (0.4%) (2.1%) (0.6%) Domestic (franchised) (2%) 1.9% (4%) (4.1%) (1.3%) Source: GNC quarterly reports. Story continues GNC also divested weaker brands like LuckyVitamin, secured a $300 million investment from China's Harbin Pharmaceutical Group, and formed a new joint venture with supplement manufacturer IVC to streamline its supply chain. However, none of those efforts address its core problem of sluggish domestic sales. The one bright spot from last-quarter's earnings report was the performance of two new product lines -- TamaFlex joint health supplements and Earth Genius plant-based supplements -- which tempered GNC's same-store sales declines. Therefore, launching exclusive new products could still bring shoppers back to GNC's stores. Can CBD save GNC? That's where CBD products come in. Cowen & Co. estimates that annual sales of CBD products, which are legal in more states than recreational marijuana, could surge from $600 million to $2 billion in 2018 to $16 billion by 2025. The firm estimates that topical creams currently account for 26% of the market. Two gloved hands using a dropper out of a bottle of oil, with marijuana leaves in the background. Image source: Getty Images. Those bullish forecasts caused many retailers -- including Walmart, CVS, LVMH's Sephora, Neiman Marcus, and even Designer Brands' DSW -- to sell their own CBD products. Shoppers can also buy CBD products on Amazon, but they're usually labeled as "hemp" products because selling CBD products violates the retailer's rules. The CBD market represents an easy way for companies to hop on the cannabis bandwagon without selling recreational marijuana. But that's a big problem for GNC: If shoppers can buy CBD products on Amazon, Walmart, or pick them up with shoes at DSW, they probably won't visit GNC unless they really crave its channel-exclusive Physician's Grade and Myaderm products. Don't believe the hype GNC's stock rallied after the news, but it's highly doubtful that selling CBD products will resolve its biggest problems. Investors looking for a potential turnaround play should instead take a closer look at GNC's rival Vitamin Shoppe, which impressed investors with the stabilization of its gross margins last quarter. More From The Motley Fool John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Leo Sun owns shares of Amazon and LVMH Moet Hennessy L.V. (ADR). The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon. The Motley Fool recommends CVS Health and Designer Brands Inc. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Darrell Jobe had a tough childhood. He grew up near the tail end of the crack epidemic in Richmond, California, which is often ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S. Jobe said he had very few options and ended up in a gang. He was incarcerated as both a juvenile and a young adult. The 23-year-old was looking at a substantial amount of jail time when a judge showed him some leniency. Jobe was finishing his sentence in county jail when he had an epiphany. While I was in there, I was locked up in the hole for roughly 23 hours a day, he says. I had to finish another five months. I made a lot of promises to the lord up above. I told him I would change my life, be a better father and be more positive in my community. The numbers were not on Jobes side. Statistics show a large number of prisoners are arrested again after being released from jail. But Jobe was determined to follow through on his promise to change his life. After Jobe was released from jail, he headed to the packaging industry. In the beginning, he said many people in the industry were skeptical of him and gave him "the side eye." However, in time, he built a name for himself as a hard worker. The former gang member with limited schooling became a self-taught engineer. After learning the ins and outs of the packaging business, Jobe saw an opportunity: There were partial and full bans on the horizon in the U.S. and other countries for polystyrene or EPS, aka a type of Styrofoam. He began testing an alternative to Styrofoam that could perform just like the trademarked brands but was environmentally friendly. Fast forward to October 2015 when Jobe founded Vericool . The company's Vericoolers are made of 100 percent compostable and recyclable materials. They are used in cold-chain shipping for the meal-kit, pharmaceutical, frozen protein and confection industries. The CEO and founder of the company has been awarded five patents for his creations, with dozens pending. Story continues We were able to bring to life a product thats actually going to replace polystyrene throughout the world that is environmentally friendly, post-consumer, plant-based material, high performing and also cost-effective, he said. Jobe is passionate about affecting the world environmentally and socially. Vericools second chance program hires and creates career opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals and addicts. There were a lot of us that actually wanted to improve our lifestyles, but we didnt know how to do so, he said. When we became young adults we were still in the system. We were trying to move away from our old habits, but there was no opportunity because of our criminal past to join the workforce. Without work and being able to sustain yourself financially, you go back to that lifestyle. I always told myself, if I had an opportunity to create a company, I would spend a lot of time and energy going back to my community and other places that need second chances. Vericool has received more than $40 million in confirmed orders over the past 18 months. The startup is working with companies across the world, including in South Africa, Jordan, South Korea, Singapore, China and Mexico. CFO Danny Dubuk said customers around the globe have expressed interest in licensing Vericools technology. So far, the company has received more than 800 unsolicited emails since 2018, he said. The ultimate goal is for people to use the name Vericool like they use the name Styrofoam, says Dubuk. We want to have a global presence and for people to understand that the brand is associated with a sustainable solution. Over the next five years, our goal is to scale up and have a global footprint so that we can expand quickly. We know we have the solution. Now its about capacity and reaching the globe. Jobe is also optimistic about what the future holds for him and Vericool. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP We have another $150 million in our pipeline, he said. As soon as we build out capacity, theres a lot more opportunity. Customers are waiting in line for our products. I started out rough but had the opportunity to make a full 180. All the wrongs that I have ever committed, I can fix those and do 10 times more positive in this world. Im excited about the rest of my years to come. Linda Bell joined FOX Business Network (FBN) in 2014 as an assignment editor. She is an award-winning writer of business and financial content. You can follow her on Twitter @lindanbell Related Articles By Andrea Shalal BERLIN Reuters) - Facing tough competition from China, the United States and even tiny Luxembourg, Germany is racing to draft new laws and attract private investment to secure a slice of an emerging space market that could be worth $1 trillion (774.2 billion pounds) a year by the 2040s. The drive to give Germany a bigger role in space comes as European, Asian and U.S. companies stake out ground in an evolving segment that promises contracts for everything from exploration to mining of outer-space resources. Firms likely to benefit from any future spending rise in Germany include Airbus, which co-owns the maker of Europe's Ariane space rockets, and Bremen-based OHB. The new legislation would limit financial and legal liabilities of private companies should accidents happen in orbit, set standards for space operations and offer incentives for new projects, the German economy ministry told Reuters. The ministry's aerospace and space commissioner, Thomas Jarzombek, could submit the laws to parliament later this year. The move comes as companies and trade groups press for German authorities to establish a regulatory framework for the lucrative new market to encourage private investment. "We are sounding the alarm that Germany and Europe are falling behind in space vis-a-vis China and the United States," Dirk Hoke, defence and space chief at Franco-German-led aerospace group Airbus, told Reuters. "We're at a critical juncture to ensure we stay in the top league." Germany is Europe's economic powerhouse and the world's fourth-largest economy. However it had just the world's seventh-largest national space budget in 2018, an estimated $1.1 billion, just over half the amount generated by fifth-placed France, according to preliminary data from Paris-based research firm Euroconsult. The figure, which excludes contributions to pan-European programmes, is dwarfed by the United States - by far the largest spender on space at almost $40 billion. Story continues Ironically, American space ambitions could offer a lifeline. Hoke said a new lunar Gateway programme backed by U.S. space agency NASA offered a chance for Germany and others in Europe to stake a claim to a key role in the market. "In my view, it is hugely important that we participate as equal partners so that we are primed to develop and build technologies for such a gateway," he said. The programme involves designing and developing a small spaceship that will orbit the Moon and serve as a temporary home for astronauts and as a base for work on the moon's surface and, later, missions to Mars. NASA had aimed to finish the Gateway by 2026, but Washington is now aiming to put humans back on the Moon by 2024, which could lead to an accelerated schedule. Even before then, Germany is facing a brain-drain as companies worldwide ponder how to extract minerals from asteroids and water from the moon within a decade. Some companies are already considering moving to Luxembourg, which has taken a lead in Europe by enacting laws to limit liabilities and ease restrictions on mining operations. It has also set up a 100-million-euro ($112 million)investment fund for projects. "It's a global market. We have our customers and we will keep them, even if we have to run the company from somewhere else," said Walter Ballheimer, CEO of German Orbital Systems, a Berlin-based start-up that builds small satellites. "Germany was overtaken a long time ago," he said. "But it's not too late. If they are courageous enough and adopt a clear space policy ... then we can still have a piece of the cake that we should have as a leading export nation." Two other heads of small German space companies told Reuters they were considering leaving the country. For an interactive version of this story, click https://tmsnrt.rs/2XE1K47 'LEAN' SPACE LAW But Germany is not standing still. Space commissioner Jarzombek is working with trade groups, companies and other experts to draft the space laws, and plans to submit it them parliament sometime after September. "We are aiming for a lean basic law that is open to the future," said a spokeswoman for Jarzombek and the economy ministry. "A national space law should focus above all on incentives and make it possible for the German space industry to play a bigger role in global developments." Berlin is also pressing the United Nations to set standards for mining of the Moon, asteroids and other objects in space. The United States passed a law in 2015 that encouraged private companies to undertake mining work beyond Earth, and gives its firms the right to claim resources they may one day be able to extract from celestial bodies. Jarzombek helped secure a 269-million-euro increase in planned funding for the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2020-2023. But Germany's total space funding, which includes ESA and national programmes, is not expected to rise in that period. It edged slightly lower to 1.57 billion euros in 2019. The 18-member ESA oversees cooperation on space exploration and launches, but individual countries have their own research and interests, funded outside the ESA budget. Matthias Wachter, aerospace expert at the BDI German Federation of Industry, said advances in space were crucial for future technologies such as autonomous driving. "Germany is limping behind," he said. Any spending plans would have to contend with rising budget pressures and an economic slowdown. Germany is in its 10th year of expansion, but only narrowly avoided recession last year. Senior executives from Deutsche Bank and Munich Re and others met in Berlin this month to brainstorm ways to fund and insure new space projects. One problem is Germany's conservative approach to investment and financing as entrepreneurs seek capital, said Sebastian Straube, CEO of investment firm Interstellar Ventures. Straube is building a 100-million-euro investment fund that will fund projects. He is also working with companies like rail operator Deutsche Bahn to encourage them to support new ventures that build applications taking advantage of increased access to space through satellites in low-earth orbit. SPACEX BATTLE Marco Fuchs, CEO of satellite builder OHB, said Germany needed bigger increases in national space funding to pay for pioneering developments, citing growing competition worldwide. The company carried out a privately funded commercial mission with China to orbit the moon in 2014, and teamed up this year with Israel Aerospace Industries to offer the commercial delivery of payloads to the lunar surface for ESA. OHB is a key player in the battle between Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket and the Falcon 9 built by Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch the first of two new OHB spy satellites, called Georg, for Germany's foreign intelligence agency in 2022. The contract, worth tens of millions of dollars, is drawing political attention after SpaceX and Ariane traded barbs about access to each other's markets, which could presage a transatlantic trade dispute in coming years. OHB and the German government are expected to select the winner by late 2020, and Fuchs said the decision would be based on many factors, including launch dates and available budgets. "In the end, it's always a question of the price - or a political decision," he said. (Additional reporting by Andreas Rinke and Tim Hepher; Editing by Pravin Char) BERLIN, April 28 (Reuters) - Germany looks set to introduce an economy-wide system of carbon emissions pricing after senior officials from both parties of Berlin's governing coalition reached a consensus on the proposal, the Frankfurter Allgemeine reported on Sunday. According to the newspaper, Economy Minister Peter Altmaier, a conservative, had come round to the idea after initially opposing the proposal by Social Democrat Environment Minister Svenja Schulze. "It looks like a form of CO2 pricing is going to come," the newspaper quoted an Economy Ministry official as saying. Earlier this month, Chancellor Angela Merkel had announced that the government would examine proposals for a system of carbon pricing, which would make more expensive activities that contribute to climate change by releasing carbon dioxide. The proposal would make electricity generated from renewable sources such as wind and solar cheaper compared to the coal-fired power that Germany plans to phase out over the next three decades. Under the proposal backed by both ministries, the increased costs to consumers and businesses would be compensated by tax cuts elsewhere so the net tax burden would not increase. An increasingly restive public is raising the pressure on governments around the world to act more decisively to slow emissions amid evidence that catastrophic climate change is becoming an ever more real prospect. But many businesses fear the costs of climate protection legislation could be crippling. The proposal would extend carbon pricing in Germany to areas such as transport and construction that are not covered by a European Union-wide system of tradeable carbon emissions. The paper said officials aimed to introduce a certificate-based scheme, rather than one that relied on a formal carbon tax. (Reporting by Georg Merziger; Writing by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Dale Hudson) Alfred Chan has been the CEO of The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (HKG:3) since 1997. This report will, first, examine the CEO compensation levels in comparison to CEO compensation at other big companies. Then we'll look at a snap shot of the business growth. And finally - as a second measure of performance - we will look at the returns shareholders have received over the last few years. This process should give us an idea about how appropriately the CEO is paid. See our latest analysis for Hong Kong and China Gas How Does Alfred Chan's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies? At the time of writing our data says that The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited has a market cap of HK$288b, and is paying total annual CEO compensation of HK$38m. (This is based on the year to December 2017). While we always look at total compensation first, we note that the salary component is less, at HK$6.0m. We looked at a group of companies with market capitalizations over HK$63b and the median CEO total compensation was HK$3.7m. Once you start looking at very large companies, you need to take a broader range, because there simply aren't that many of them. It would therefore appear that The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited pays Alfred Chan more than the median CEO remuneration at large companies, in the same market. However, this fact alone doesn't mean the remuneration is too high. A closer look at the performance of the underlying business will give us a better idea about whether the pay is particularly generous. You can see, below, how CEO compensation at Hong Kong and China Gas has changed over time. SEHK:3 CEO Compensation, April 28th 2019 Is The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited Growing? The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited has increased its earnings per share (EPS) by an average of 8.3% a year, over the last three years (using a line of best fit). In the last year, its revenue is up 20%. This revenue growth could really point to a brighter future. And the modest growth in earnings per share isn't bad, either. So while we'd stop just short of calling this a top performer, but we think it is well worth watching. You might want to check this free visual report on analyst forecasts for future earnings. Story continues Has The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited Been A Good Investment? I think that the total shareholder return of 83%, over three years, would leave most The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited shareholders smiling. So they may not be at all concerned if the CEO were to be paid more than is normal for companies around the same size. In Summary... We examined the amount The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited pays its CEO, and compared it to the amount paid by other large companies. We found that it pays well over the median amount paid in the benchmark group. Over the last three years returns to investors have been great, though we might have liked stronger business growth. So, considering these tasty returns, the CEO compensation may be quite appropriate. Whatever your view on compensation, you might want to check if insiders are buying or selling Hong Kong and China Gas shares (free trial). Important note: Hong Kong and China Gas may not be the best stock to buy. You might find something better in this list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading. Khiron Life Sciences (TSXV: KHRN) (OTCQB: KHRNF) has entered into a non-binding letter of agreement to acquire 100% of the outstanding securities of Canapalife S.r.l. and a 100% stake interest in Campodoro S.r.l. collective Canapalife Group from shareholders Alvaro Garro and Paolo Puggioni. Khiron Seeking Opportunities in Europe Canapalife is a prominent hemp product company based in Italy with licenses for the cultivation, research, production and marketing of hemp-based products. The company operates a cultivation site in Padua, near Venice, Italy, and conducts research in partnership with prominent universities and has registered three CBD consumer brands, including, Bloom CBD e-liquids, Canvax nutraceutical products and Legal Seeds, a brand designed to market EU approved seeds to the consumer market. Italy represents the fourth largest economy in Europe and is the second largest cannabis market in Europe, with a projected medical cannabis market value of 7.5 Billion by 2028. The proposed transaction offers Khiron an entry to the European market and expansion of our global footprint. In addition to increasing our multi-jurisdiction cultivation and production capacity, Canapalife offers the addition of dynamic brands to our product portfolio, access to key retailer partners and relationships with Italys leading research facilities, Khiron CEO and Director Alvaro Torres said in a statement. Acquisition Terms Mr. Garro and Mr. Puggioni are the sole shareholders of Canapalife Group. Upon completion of the acquisition, they are expected to continue working as key employees with Khiron. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of this year. As consideration for the acquisition of Canapalife Group, Khiron will issue such number of common shares as is equal to C$10.50 million at a deemed price per share equal to the trailing 20-day volume weighted average closing price of its common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange. Story continues An earn out of additional common shares for up to C$4,50 million, will be payable by Khiron to the shareholders over the course of two years, subject to Canapalife Group attaining certain revenue milestones. Hillcrest Merchant Partners acted as advisor on the agreement, Khiron said, noting that completion of the transaction is subject to the execution of a definitive agreement and receipt of all required regulatory approvals, including final acceptance of the TSXV. The post Khiron Life Sciences to Acquire Italian Hemp Company appeared first on Market Exclusive. Deutsche and Commerzbank Merger Fails The two struggling European banking giants are calling off merger talks after determining that it probably isnt a good idea for either of them, which could itself be bad for both of them. We have concluded that this transaction would not have created sufficient benefits to offset the risks and costs, Deutsche Bank Chief Executive Officer Christian Sewing. Commerzbank CEO Martin Zielke agreed. Shares of Deutsche (NYSE:DB) are down about 1% in premarket trading. Commerzbank (OTCMKTS:CRZBY) is down 2.44% on the German exchange so far today. The German government has been pushing for the merger to keep Deutsche solvent. The question now is can Deutsche survive in its current form without the merger? SEE: Alliance Growers Acquires More US Cannabis Assets In other Deutsche news, the bank is preparing to provide President Trumps financial records having to do with the bank to the New York Attorney Generals office. That should be fun. The Bull Market Will Continue Forever, Says Bloomberg Opinion Guy In one of the strongest signs of a double top and impending bear market to date, Bloomberg is publishing articles now that question whether the current bull market will ever end. Maybe this time, for the first time ever in human history and stretched onto infinity, the market will be sunshine and rainbows forever and all our worries are over. His defense, summarized in a pithy subtitle, is that it is not obvious what will stop the longest run in history. As if it the ends of bull markets were ever obvious to those who couldnt see them. The author cites cash staying suspended out of the market, and other analysts saying that there is no reason why the bull market cannot continue indefinitely because stocks are still historically cheap compared to corporate profit forecasts. Also, we are not quite at the frenzy stage that signals the end of bull markets historically. Close your eyes and keep buying, essentially. Story continues Iranians Irate, Irritated The Iranians are unsurprisingly angry at the prospect of other countries filling in the oil gap that is being forced on them by the United States global dollar monopoly and therefore the power to enforce sanctions against the Persian nation. The Islamic Republic of Iran will not allow any country to replace Iran in the oil market. The United States and those countries will be responsible for any consequences, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said. How Iran is going to prevent other countries from filling in its export gap is unclear, and also quite impossible, but theyre saying it anyway. In the meantime, Iran has threatened to close the straits of Hormuz, to which the United States, not quite sensing the irony of the situation, responded by urging Iran to maintain open commerce. Hmmm. (NYSEARCA:USO) 3M Collapses on Earnings MMMiss Speaking of Hmmm, 3M (NYSE:MMM) is freefalling in premarket trade, down 8.25% so far after an earnings miss and revenue miss and slashed guidance and reports it would cut 2,000 jobs. Overall sales declined 5% and industrial sales fell 6.6%. We continued to face slowing conditions in key end markets which impacted both organic growth and margins, and our operational execution also fell short of the expectations we have for ourselves, said CEO Mike Roman. Shares are still higher for the year despite the collapse, though well see by the end of the day if that holds. So far, earnings season has not been so great. Facebook Warns of $5B Fine Payable to the FTC The Federal Trade Commission could end up fining Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) anywhere between $3B and $5B dollars for data privacy violations, giving the federal government more money to spend on things like NSA data accumulation programs and such. Nobody seems to mind though, as earnings beat expectations and the stock is up 9% in premarket trade, pushing $200 a share. Revenue topped $15 billion, and earnings would have been $1.89 a share without the fine. But whats a few billion between Facebook and the FTC? CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the company is focused on building out its privacy-focused vision, which doesnt sound contrived at all. He might be referring to a new kind of X-ray lens or something. The post Market Morning: Deutsche Flop, Iran Irate, Facebook Fine, Forever Bull? appeared first on Market Exclusive. Russian President Vladimir Putin gives a speech during the Tsinghua Universitys ceremony at Friendship Palace in Beijing, China April 26, 2019. Kenzaburo Fukuhara/Pool via REUTERS BEIJING (Reuters) - Russia's pipeline monopoly Transneft is investigating a case of contaminated oil, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday, adding that this could lead to a wider inquiry, possibly including law enforcement agencies. Poland, Germany, Ukraine and some other countries suspended imports of Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline this week due to the contamination. Russia said it plans to restore the pipeline to Europe to stability in two weeks. "I am aware of what happened, but the details are unknown to me because in order to understand what happened there one needs to conduct an investigation," Putin told reporters in Beijing, adding that he briefly exchanged views on the case with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. The problem arose last week when an unidentified Russian producer contaminated oil with high levels of organic chloride, which is typically used to boost oil output but which must be separated before shipment as it can destroy refining equipment. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered the energy and trade ministries to conduct an inquiry within seven days and prepare proposals on how to avoid a repeat, Interfax news agency reported, citing a government statement which said the results should be sent to the prosecutor's office. Transneft said on Friday that the contamination which led to the suspension of the oil flows to Europe could be deliberate, and that a criminal case was opened, Interfax news agency said. "First of all, of course, it is necessary to conduct an investigation at the level of Transneft itself, and to identify the place from which it came from, for what reasons, what it was and so on. This investigation is ongoing," Putin said. "If the internal corporate investigation is not enough, I do not rule out that we will conduct more thorough (investigation) with the help of law enforcement agencies and specialists." (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; writing by Polina Devitt; editing by Alexander Smith) Longmont, Colorado, April 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Nations Development Institute ( First Nations ) today published a report that examines the organizational characteristics of, strengths, and challenges faced by programs that specifically serve Native American boys and young men, which as a group tends to experience more social and health disparities than white males and Native females. In fact, previous research by First Nations noted that the key to overcoming these disparities is to reconnect Native boys and young men with their cultures and communities, and provide strong mentorship opportunities for this group. The report Positive Pathways: A Landscape Analysis of Programs Serving Native American Boys and Young Men examines the current landscape of programs serving Native boys and young men. The findings from this report generally conclude that numerous programs exist across Indian Country that serve this group; however these programs tend to be severely underfunded by philanthropy, as well as significantly overstretched in their staff resources. Because of limited resources and inconsistent funding, programs serving Native boys and young men are scarce and short-lived, thus hindering the development of these critical programs. Moreover, programs are in need of resources to train and develop mentors within their programs. This includes equipping men already in the community with the skills to take on mentoring positions, and building a pipeline for boys and young men in programs to become future mentors. This follows with First Nations belief that it is critical to reconnect Native boys and young men with their cultures and communities, and to provide strong positive mentorship for them. The report recommends that funders need to consider the benefits of supporting existing and new programs over longer periods of time. There is a huge need for extended support so that organizations have the time to achieve and sustain long-lasting impacts. With this comes a need to receive less-restrictive funding so that organizations can grow their capacities where needed and allow for program growth and change. Story continues The results in the report come from a national survey that First Nations conducted to collect information about the overall landscape of organizations and entities serving Native American youth. Additional information was gleaned from follow-up telephone calls and an in-person convening of 10 of these organizations. Through the reports dissemination, First Nations hopes that nonprofits serving Native boys and young men, tribal government leaders, educators of Native American children, federal decision makers, grantmakers and other stakeholders of Native communities will learn about issues affecting these services and may work toward favorable systemic and policy changes. It is also hoped that the body of knowledge about services for Native boys and men will be significantly expanded, and topics for future research or the need to develop additional programs to serve these supportive organizations will likely be identified, with the aim of improving these efforts which, in turn, will improve the lives of those constituents. The research and subsequent report were funded under a $150,000 grant to First Nations from RISE for Boys and Men of Color . However, the opinions expressed in this report are those of First Nations and do not necessarily reflect the views of RISE for Boys and Men of Color host institutions or any of its supporters or funders. The full report can be downloaded from the First Nations website at this link . About First Nations Development Institute For nearly 39 years, using a three-pronged strategy of educating grassroots practitioners, advocating for systemic change, and capitalizing Indian communities, First Nations has been working to restore Native American control and culturally-compatible stewardship of the assets they own be they land, human potential, cultural heritage or natural resources and to establish new assets for ensuring the long-term vitality of Native American communities. First Nations serves Native American communities throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.firstnations.org . About RISE Research Integration Strategy and Evaluation (RISE) for Boys and Men of Color is an $8 million field advancement effort that aims to better understand and strategically improve the lives, experiences, and outcomes of boys and men of color in the United States that concluded in 2018. RISE spanned five fields (education, health, human services and social policy, juvenile and criminal justice, and workforce development) and focuses on four populations (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Blacks, Latinos, and Native Americans). RISE BMOC is a project co-led by Equal Measure, a national nonprofit evaluation and philanthropic services firm, and the University of Southern California (USC), Rossier School of Education, USC Race and Equity Center. Support for this project was provided by generous funding from The Atlantic Philanthropies, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Marguerite Casey Foundation, The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and members of the Executives Alliance to Expand Opportunities for Boys and Men of Color. For more information, visit www.risebmoc.org . PROGRAM CONTACT: Kendall Tallmadge, First Nations Lead Grants Officer, at ktallmadge@firstnations.org or (303) 774-7836 x216 MEDIA CONTACT: Randy Blauvelt, First Nations Senior Communications Officer, at rblauvelt@firstnations.org or (303) 774-7836 x213 This week, Defendant Honig and the Commission staff reached an agreement in principle to settle the Commissions claims for liability," the SEC said in a motion. The SEC charged 19 others along with Honig in September. The SEC lready settled in full or in part with nine defendants, including Miami biotech billionaire Phillip Frost, according to court filings. Florida businessman Barry Honig plans to settle charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the SEC said, in what it called "classic pump-and-dump schemes" when the charges were announced. The SEC filed a motion on Friday afternoon requesting an extension of time. "This week, Defendant Honig and the Commission staff reached an agreement in principle to settle the Commission's claims for liability," the motion said. Honig's company GRQ was also charged and is included in the proposed settlement. The extension of time was requested to allow the SEC to obtain "approval of a settlement in principle," according to the latest filing. No other details about the potential settlement were given. The SEC charged 19 others along with Honig. The SEC already settled in full or in part with nine defendants, including Miami biotech billionaire Phillip Frost , according to the filing. "Honig was the primary strategist, calling upon other Defendants to, among other things, acquire or sell stock, arrange for the issuance of shares, negotiate transactions, and/or engage in promotional activity" in the $27 million schemes, according to the SEC's amended complaint, filed in March. The SEC declined to comment beyond its latest motion. Eli Richlin, one of the attorneys for Honig, said he had no comment when reached by phone. Honig was once the largest shareholder of Riot Blockchain RIOT , the cryptocurrency company whose stock skyrocketed after it changed its name from Bioptix. He was charged by the SEC along with John O'Rourke, the former CEO of Riot Blockchain, who left Riot in the wake of the charges . Story continues The SEC case is unrelated to Riot Blockchain. O'Rourke remains a defendant in the case and takes no position on the extension of time, according to the SEC's motion. Attorneys for O'Rourke did not immediately return CNBC's request for comment. A CNBC investigation in February 2018 found a number of red flags at Riot Blockchain, including annual meetings that were postponed at the last minute, sales of stock by company insiders soon after the company's name change, dilutive share issuances on favorable terms to large investors, confusing SEC filings and evidence that a major shareholder was selling shares while everyone else was buying. "We have made significant inroads in building a diversified portfolio of investments and to begin securing digital assets," O'Rourke said in a letter to shareholders the day the CNBC investigation aired. As bitcoin's price hit record highs in late December 2017, Riot was making news on a daily basis. The company's stock shot from $8 a share to more than $40 as investors chased the craze of all things crypto. More From CNBC By CCN.com: A police investigation involving bitcoin machines at Tampines One Mall in Singapore saved a 32-year-old man from scammers impersonating officials. They also helped a 49-year-old man not to transfer any more of his bitcoin to the alleged lying thieves. Singapore police warned on Saturday: Do not fall for scammers who impersonate officials from China and ask victims to transfer money using bitcoin machines. Also: No government agency in Singapore will demand payment over the telephone or other social messaging platforms, such as WeChat or Facebook, or demand that you surrender cash to unnamed people. They would also not ask for personal banking information, such as your Internet banking passwords. Scammers Posted False Alerts From The Authorities Next to a Bitcoin Machine in a Mall Scammers exploit the fact that its easier to make people do stupid things that hurt themselves if they believe you are working for the government. Reportedly the 49-year-old man was tearing down posters near a bitcoin teller machine. Witnesses called the police to report vandalism in the mall. But when police investigated they discovered the posters were part of an elaborate and malicious scam. Read the full story on CCN.com. - By Shuda Xia Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY), Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (WBA), CenturyLink Inc. (CTL) and Amdocs Ltd. (DOX) have declined to their three-year lows. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) declined to $45.89 The prices of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) shares have declined to $45.89, which is only 3.5% above the 3-year low of $44.30. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company is an American international pharmaceutical company that manufactures prescription pharmaceuticals in various therapeutic areas including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hepatitis, and HIV. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company has a market cap of $74.98 billion; its shares were traded around $45.89 with a P/E ratio of 15.15 and P/S ratio of 3.33. The trailing 12-month dividend yield of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company stocks is 3.53%. The forward dividend yield of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company stocks is 3.59%. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company had an annual average earnings growth of 18.40% over the past 5 years. On April 12 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced that its shareholders have voted to approve the issuance of shares of the company's common stock in connection with the company's pending merger with Celgene Corporation at the special meeting of stockholders. More than 75% of the shares voted at the meeting were in favor of the merger agreement. Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (WBA) declined to $52.85 The prices of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (WBA) shares have declined to $52.85, which is only 1.1% above the 3-year low of $52.25. Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. is an American holding company that owns Walgreens, Boots, and other pharmaceutical manufacturing, wholesale, and distribution companies. The company is organized into three divisions: Retail Pharmacy USA, known as Walgreens, Retail Pharmacy International, known as Boots, and Pharmaceutical Wholesale. Story continues Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. has a market cap of $48.32 billion; its shares were traded around $52.85 with a P/E ratio of 9.95 and P/S ratio of 0.37. The trailing 12-month dividend yield of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. stocks is 3.25%. The forward dividend yield of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. stocks is 3.34%. Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. had an annual average earnings growth of 5.90% over the past 10 years. On April 18 Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. announced that its Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.44 per share, unchanged from the previous quarter. The dividend is payable on June 12 to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 20. CenturyLink Inc. (CTL) declined to $11.62 The prices of CenturyLink Inc. (CTL) shares have declined to $11.62, which is only 1.9% above the 3-year low of $11.40. CenturyLink Inc. is an American telecommunications company that provides communications and data services to residential, business, governmental, and wholesale customers in 37 states. The company operates as a local exchange carrier and internet access provider in U.S. markets and is the third largest telecommunications company in the U.S. CenturyLink Inc. has a market cap of $12.67 billion; its shares were traded around $11.62 with and P/S ratio of 0.54. The trailing 12-month dividend yield of CenturyLink Inc. stocks is 16.09%. The forward dividend yield of CenturyLink Inc. stocks is 8.75%. On March 1 CenturyLink Inc. announced that its board of directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per share. The dividend was paid on March 22 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 12. Amdocs Ltd. (DOX) declined to $53.91 The prices of Amdocs Ltd. (DOX) shares have declined to $53.91, which is only 2.4% above the 3-year low of $52.60. Amdocs Ltd. is an international communications technology company that focuses on providing software and services for financial services providers and digital enterprises. The company was founded in Israel but is currently headquartered in the United States. Amdocs Ltd. has a market cap of $7.49 billion; its shares were traded around $53.91 with a P/E ratio of 22.77 and P/S ratio of 1.91. The trailing 12-month dividend yield of Amdocs Ltd. stocks is 1.91%. The forward dividend yield of Amdocs Ltd. stocks is 2.11%. Amdocs Ltd. had an annual average earnings growth of 6.40% over the past 10 years. On April 4 Amdocs Ltd. announced that Juice Worldwide, a subdivision of the company, has reported that their upgraded Los Angeles post production facility is now open for business. The new facility offers state of the art post production suites and services aimed to expand the company's current offerings. Disclosure: I do not own stock in any of the companies mentioned in the article. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. FILE PHOTO: A worker collects a crude oil sample at an oil well operated by Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA in Morichal, Venezuela, July 28, 2011. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins/File Photo By Noah Browning and Julia Payne LONDON (Reuters) - Tighter U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil planned for May are adding to a wealth of factors curbing global supply of heavy-medium crude, driving up prices for scarcer barrels and setting up a stand-off between buyers and sellers. The new curbs on Iranian exports come on top of Washington's earlier ban on Venezuelan crude and output snags in Angola, another big producer of the dense crude grades that best yield lucrative refined products like jet fuel. Refiners are also seeking more of the heavy sweet crude Iran and Venezuela once provided in abundance to produce low-sulfur fuel oil ahead of new shipping emissions rules due next year. U.S. officials say overall global oil supply will remain plentiful despite its sanctions, not least from the boom in U.S. shale. But much of the profusion in supply, led by the United States, Saudi Arabia and Russia, is in lighter grades. The price for heavier crudes like Norway's Grane and Heidrun has been firming over the last few months, a North Sea trader said. Over April, the price of Grane rose from around dated Brent plus 10 cents to close to dated Brent plus $1.00 a barrel. This month Iraq's SOMO sold 2 million barrels of Basra Heavy crude to China's Unipec at a premium of over $2 a barrel to its official selling price (OSP), the highest in months, sources said. Price offerings for several Angolan streams, an approximate alternative to Iranian and Venezuelan crude, were at their highest ever, traders said. State oil company Sonangol was said to have sold a cargo of one of its heaviest grades, Dalia, over the last week for $2 a barrel above dated Brent, a $7 increase from two years ago. Typically, the grade trades at a discount of $1 or more. (Graphic: Scarcer barrels for heavier crudes - https://tmsnrt.rs/2W3MBsy) BUYERS RESIST While some clients are prepared to buy at elevated prices, others are holding back. "We're resisting it as much as possible," one potential buyer said. Story continues Some of Sonangol's regular customers balked at the mark-ups, prompting the company to offer the crude to other buyers instead as spot cargoes. These have sold quickly, trading sources said. The current stand-off between buyers and sellers comes down partly to uncertainty over just how much Iranian crude may still flow, crucially to top consumer China, after the May 1 deadline the U.S. has imposed for importers to halt purchases. China's foreign ministry this week said Beijing had formally complained to the United States about the move. Analysts expect China may flout the restrictions, especially since Washington may be loath to sanction Chinese companies importing Iranian crude which are at the same time key buyers of U.S. oil and liquid natural gas. Sweden's SEB says Beijing could lift its imports of Iranian crude in the coming months from some 600,000 barrels per day in March to around 1 million bpd, bucking U.S. pressure, while exports elsewhere under the sanctions radar could reach another 500,000 bpd. That would make it harder for sellers to get away with higher prices. "Decisions on buying will be easier to make when it's clearer how much Iranian (crude) will still be flowing," a trading source said. (Writing by Noah Browning; Additional reporting by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Jan Harvey) Today we are going to look at Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SGX:Z74) to see whether it might be an attractive investment prospect. Specifically, we'll consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), since that will give us an insight into how efficiently the business can generate profits from the capital it requires. First of all, we'll work out how to calculate ROCE. Next, we'll compare it to others in its industry. Last but not least, we'll look at what impact its current liabilities have on its ROCE. Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it? ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. All else being equal, a better business will have a higher ROCE. Ultimately, it is a useful but imperfect metric. Author Edwin Whiting says to be careful when comparing the ROCE of different businesses, since 'No two businesses are exactly alike.' So, How Do We Calculate ROCE? The formula for calculating the return on capital employed is: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) Or for Singapore Telecommunications: 0.063 = S$2.5b (S$49b - S$9.2b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.) Therefore, Singapore Telecommunications has an ROCE of 6.3%. Check out our latest analysis for Singapore Telecommunications Does Singapore Telecommunications Have A Good ROCE? ROCE can be useful when making comparisons, such as between similar companies. In this analysis, Singapore Telecommunications's ROCE appears meaningfully below the 9.4% average reported by the Telecom industry. This performance could be negative if sustained, as it suggests the business may underperform its industry. Aside from the industry comparison, Singapore Telecommunications's ROCE is mediocre in absolute terms, considering the risk of investing in stocks versus the safety of a bank account. Readers may find more attractive investment prospects elsewhere. Story continues SGX:Z74 Past Revenue and Net Income, April 28th 2019 When considering this metric, keep in mind that it is backwards looking, and not necessarily predictive. Companies in cyclical industries can be difficult to understand using ROCE, as returns typically look high during boom times, and low during busts. ROCE is, after all, simply a snap shot of a single year. Future performance is what matters, and you can see analyst predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company. Do Singapore Telecommunications's Current Liabilities Skew Its ROCE? Short term (or current) liabilities, are things like supplier invoices, overdrafts, or tax bills that need to be paid within 12 months. Due to the way the ROCE equation works, having large bills due in the near term can make it look as though a company has less capital employed, and thus a higher ROCE than usual. To check the impact of this, we calculate if a company has high current liabilities relative to its total assets. Singapore Telecommunications has total assets of S$49b and current liabilities of S$9.2b. Therefore its current liabilities are equivalent to approximately 19% of its total assets. This is a modest level of current liabilities, which would only have a small effect on ROCE. Our Take On Singapore Telecommunications's ROCE That said, Singapore Telecommunications's ROCE is mediocre, there may be more attractive investments around. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates. So take a peek at this free list of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20. If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). 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. Northeast Community College students finished in second place in sweepstakes and earned a number of first-place awards in several contests for two-year colleges at the 2019 North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Judging Conference held at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky. Northeast was one of 22 community college and 27 university teams to compete in the April 10-13 conference. In the Ag Computers Contest, the Northeast team finished first overall. Area team members include Justin Mensik and Michael Mensik, Morse Bluff. In Ag Mechanics, the Northeast team placed second overall. Area team members include: Tyler Doernemann, Dodge; Jayton Frank, North Bend. In the Crops Contest, the Northeast team placed first overall. Area team members include Frank. Also participating in the contest were Camden Stephenson, Morse Bluff, and Doernemann. In Dairy Judging, the Northeast team placed third in placings, reasons and overall. Area team members include Dakota Chapman, North Bend; Conner Scheer, Arlington. In the Knowledge Bowl, Northeast placed second as a team. Area team members include Frank. In addition to participating in the contests, the students toured the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and visited area attractions in and near Murray, including a living history farm and a Civil War battlefield. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Gov. Jared Polis a week ago issued a proclamation declaring Thursday, May 2, as Colorado Day of Prayer, continuing a tradition begun by the First Continental Congress. But like so many once-routine government activities these days, it didnt happen without generating some controversy. Once the dust settled, everyone was all smiles the theme of this years day of prayer, after all, is Pray for America: Love One Another, inspired by the biblical verse John 13:34, Love one another just as I have loved you but not before it caused a furor on social media. As it stands, observant Coloradans will have the opportunity to turn their thoughts to prayer on May 2 also National Day of Prayer along with millions of Americans of all faiths, in private or at thousands of gatherings large and small, including a two-hour program set for the steps of the state Capitol in Denver. Depending who you ask, the whole dispute was either an unintentional misunderstanding, a created controversy, according to one observer, or a demonstration of the power of prayer and a whole lot of phone calls that shamed the governor into embracing a tradition his peers and predecessors have celebrated. It started in January, when the National Day of Prayer Task Force, an evangelical Christian organization based in Colorado Springs, delivered a request to all 50 governors offices, asking that they each issue a proclamation declaring a day of prayer on May 2 in their states. National leaders have called for days of prayer since before the United States existed in 1775, the Continental Congress designated a day to pray for the new nation they envisioned, and President Abraham Lincoln issued a similar call a year into the Civil War, in 1863. But the multifaith National Day of Prayer in its current form was established in 1952 by a congressional resolution signed by President Harry Truman. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed an amendment to the law designating it as the first Thursday in May. The annual event has been freighted with controversy over the years including in Colorado, where governors have been sued over the last decade by the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation to block the governments participation. In a 2008 lawsuit, the secular group charged Gov. Bill Ritter with working hand-in-glove with the National Day of Prayer Task Force, which was originally associated with Springs-based Focus on the Family. A District Court judge threw out the lawsuit two years later, ruling that the governors proclamation doesnt violate the First Amendments prohibition against the government establishing a religion because it doesnt compel anyone to pray. Instead, the judge held, the honorary proclamation merely points out the option. An appeals court overturned that ruling in 2012, but the Colorado Supreme Court in 2014 rejected the challenge, ruling that the psychic harm endured by anyone bothered by the states involvement was an insufficient injury to create standing to sue. Thats the background that accompanied this years request from the task force, which requested that Polis issue the proclamation by mid-April so Colorado residents would have time to prepare to observe the event. By last week, however, Polis had yet to sign the proclamation, so former state Sen. Kevin Lundberg, a Berthoud Republican, went to the governors office on April 18 to find out what was happening. Lundberg told Colorado Politics that he received a phone call that afternoon from a member of the governors senior staff, who told him very clearly that Polis was not going to sign the proclamation this year, because the governor had some legal concerns. And Lundberg said the staffer told him incorrectly that Polis predecessors, fellow Democrats Ritter and Gov. John Hickenlooper, hadnt declared days of prayer in previous years. Lundberg took to Facebook and Twitter to sound the alarm, posting that Polis had refused to issue a proclamation for the National Day of Prayer, marking the first time a Colorado governor was skipping the opportunity. We are hoping (and praying) that he will change his mind, but for now that is the situation, Lundberg wrote, sparking more than 100 comments on Facebook, including from Polis critics who declared it was just one more reason to try to recall the Democrat. By the next afternoon, on April 19, Polis had signed and issued a day of prayer proclamation. Lundberg declared he was grateful that the governor finally saw the light, although he also maintained that it was instructive to note that for this governor it was something he was not inclined to support. But a Polis spokeswoman said that the governor was always planning to sign the proclamation, adding that the senior staffer had misspoken to Lundberg about the governors intentions. Due to a previous legal challenge related to a prior administrations proclamation, our office needed to take a close look at the language originally presented to us, Laurie Cipriano, the governors press secretary, said in a written statement. In order to avoid any issues, we redrafted the proclamation and the governor signed it. Rather than quoting the biblical passage from John, as the template submitted by the National Day of Prayer Task Force had suggested, the proclamation issued by Polis begins by quoting the familiar preamble to the Declaration of Independence: That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain Unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. The proclamation signed by Polis also makes clear that its up to every Colorado resident whether to participate. Each citizen has the freedom, if they choose, to gather, to worship, and to pray, whether in public or private, the document reads, and on May 2, 2019, individuals across this state and nation may, if they choose, unite in prayer for our country, our state, our leaders, and our people. Its a message Amanda Henderson, executive director of the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, said she was happy to hear. I think its a created controversy, and the governors staff was working to make sure it was inclusive, which they should be, she said. Henderson said shes concerned that the National Day of Prayer has historically been presented through a more conservative Christian lens and that her group, made up of faith leaders who tend to be more progressive, has long worked to make sure all people are included and to make sure theres no institutionalization of any particular dogma. Said Henderson: The governor was absolutely correct in not signing a proclamation that would be exclusionary or exclusive to any one religious tradition if its a proclamation of the state. Seventy percent of our American population practices a religion, she added. Its what shapes our values oftentimes, and there are ways to live that tap into our best pieces of humanity in calling us to love one another and that should be done through prayer, our lives and our policies. The shortcomings in Colorados attempts to deal adequately with juvenile mental health center on the absence of a coordinated statewide system that establishes protocols for care and treatment, according to professionals in the field. One of the things were trying to do through partnerships for childrens mental health is to create standardization, said Shannon Van Deman, vice president of the Pediatric Mental Health Institute at Childrens Hospital Colorado. The question becomes how do you build a childrens mental health system, she said. Who has fundamental responsibility for the childrens health system is so vague. Multiple state agencies and local governments share responsibility and authority for childrens behavioral health care, which professionals say has led to a jumbled mess with little organization and accountability. Another result is low rankings compared with many other states in important outcomes for Colorado children. Its like building a house without a blueprint, Van Deman said. A lot of folks are well-intentioned, and there are individual counties, state agencies and other initiatives, but when kids are falling through the cracks, state agencies point the finger at each other. We need to turn the paradigm on its head. For example, while Colorado requires doctors to do a mental health screening of children, the questions and process are not uniform. There are no parameters and follow-through, Van Deman said. A lot of primary care providers dont know what to do with it once theyve identified it, said Heidi Baskfield, vice president for population health and advocacy at Childrens Hospital Colorado. Theyd like assistance in a standardized approach to screening and intervention. Unequal access to resources around the state, concern about the quality of care in the wake of facility closures, such as El Pueblo in Pueblo, and inadequate commercial insurance coverage are obstacles, professionals say. The 2019 Mental Health in America report for Colorado shows Our kids arent getting better, and our prevalence is super high, said Van Deman, which points to a quality issue. A bill that would start building a pediatric mental health system statewide by creating a childrens behavioral health governing body is advancing this legislative session. I hope that what has been strong bipartisan support doesnt get lost amidst budget-related politics and that both Republicans and Democrats continue to prioritize funding to support the creation of a mental health system for kids, Baskfield said. The proposed Colorado Children and Youth Behavioral Health Commission, out of the Governors office, would be tasked with implementing cost-effective wrap-around services for children with complex needs, standardizing mental health screenings and assessments statewide, and improving access to services through an integrated funding pilot program. Childrens Hospital Colorado spearheaded the initiative. This is a shovel-ready project that would fit in the new Office of Saving People Money on Health Care, Baskfield said. Gov. Jared Polis created that particular office in January, by executive order. Polis announcement on April 8 that hes forming a behavioral health task force to overhaul Colorados system to treat people with mental illness and substance use problems changed the governance structure in the bill being proposed, Baskfield said. For that bill, a working group of childrens mental health partners held 36 sessions over three months, polled 600 people working in the field on what needs to happen and brought 30 recommendations forward, Van Deman said. Were trying to create a group that has to fix the issues, she said, with the work overseen by the commission. The intent: Avoid duplication for money savings and deliver higher quality. A lack of parity in payment has led to what Van Deman calls a crisis in childrens mental health treatment. Childrens Hospital Colorado lost $12 million in delivering care last year and is tracking losses upward of $18 million this fiscal year, she said. Baskfield said the proposed legislation is not about saving money at Childrens. Advocacy efforts around policy change have nothing to do with our business, she said. This is about how does a system get created so we dont need us as much. We cant build our way out of this. State lawmakers are considering other bills related to mental health, including one that would strengthen prevention and screening in order to shift away from expensive late-stage treatment. Eliminating gaps and loopholes in insurance coverage is another priority. Still others would provide behavioral health support for high-risk families and expand existing programs that offer substance use treatment to pregnant and parenting women. To help improve the statewide crisis in youth suicides, the Colorado Attorney Generals Office announced in October it would provide a $2.8 million grant to Childrens Hospital Colorado. The money will pay for assessing what services are available and where kids are falling through the cracks, piloting a new care model in rural communities, creating a zero suicide plan for primary care physicians, implementing a blueprint for school mental health services and provide training and other training. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Clear to partly cloudy. Low 53F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 53F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. 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 You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close FAYETTE Before the March 4 sunrise, Jim and Nina Beeghly rose in the dark, put on their warmest clothes to brace for subzero temperatures and joined about 50 of their northeast Iowa neighbors on a bus ride to Des Moines. The Beeghlys rode three hours to let lawmakers know a bill proposed by Iowa House Republicans and backed by the Iowa Farm Bureau would take away their ability to sell 120 acres of undulating hills, oak savanna and wetlands to the county so the land can be preserved for the public to enjoy. When I heard they were considering a law that would basically shut down our plan for our farm, we didnt like that very well, said Jim Beeghly, 77, of Decorah. The Legislature seems interested in interests other than conservation. The Iowa Legislature last week approved a bill making it much harder if not impossible for private groups to use the state revolving fund to buy land that would later be sold to a public agency, such as the Iowa Department of Natural Resources or a county conservation board. Groups like the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation can act quickly to purchase land desired for conservation and then sell it later to a government agency that wants it but isnt as agile. The bill is a stripped-down version of House File 542, which lawmakers scuttled after more than 300 people showed up March 4 to oppose it. That bill would have prevented public agencies from buying land or even accepting donated land unless a donor paid for upkeep. It also would have ended a popular tax credit for land donations. The bills illustrate how political influence works in a state shaped by large-scale agriculture but facing major environmental challenges. While some conservation advocates are glad they didnt lose more ground this session, one Republican lawmaker says its just the beginning. Public vs. private It started last year when Sen. Ken Rozenboom, an Oskaloosa farmer and Republican, dropped into the budget bill a yearlong moratorium on the state revolving fund, a program that provides low-interest loans for water and wastewater infrastructure projects. Rozenbooms rider also required the Iowa DNR to inventory all properties purchased by a public entity with loans from the fund. I did that, for one, to call attention to the use of the state revolving fund for projects I believe are questionable, Rozenboom told The Gazette. Iowas share of land owned by federal, state and local government ranges between 1 and 3 percent, depending whether government buildings are counted. An analysis by the National Resources Council of Maine in the early 2000s ranked Iowa at 49th in the nation with just over 1 percent of land owned by the federal or state government. Unfair competition? Only two groups registered support for HF 542: The Iowa Farm Bureau and the Iowa Cattlemens Association. They say nonprofits that buy land and later sell it to the state or counties make it harder for young farmers to buy their first parcels for corn, soybeans, cattle or hogs. As early as 2016, Farm Bureau delegates included in a list of policy priorities ending tax breaks for Iowans who donate land to state, county or local government, according to a 2017 Des Moines Register article. Government incentives for donations eliminates opportunities for young farmers, Iowa Farm Bureau President Craig Hill told the Register. A lot of our young farmers think its wrong. Hill declined The Gazettes request for an interview until after the Legislative session. For a group that touts its grass roots support, the Farm Bureau has not turned out actual farmers who arent lawmakers to speak about why the law should be changed. In fact, the only two people to speak in favor of HF 542 at the March 4 meeting were Farm Bureau lobbyists. David Trowbridge, president of the Iowa Cattlemens Association, which represents nearly 10,000 Iowa beef-producing families and associated companies, told The Gazette his organization would like to see land in Iowa remain in private hands. The Cattlemens group is concerned state and county governments dont have enough money to maintain public lands, which could lead to eroded soil that doesnt support livestock grazing. Best use of land Since 2006, the state revolving fund has been used to purchase about 11,000 acres for about $52 million, an average of about $4,700 per acre, according to the Iowa DNR inventory. This is far less than the $7,264 per acre average Iowa farmland sold for from November 2017 to November 2018, according to the 2018 Iowa State University land value survey. This is not prime farm land, Patti Cale-Finnegan said of land purchased for conservation. She managed the revolving fund from 2004 to 2018. Its land that often has wetlands on it. A lot of times its next to wildlife management areas that have already been established. Silvia Secchi, a University of Iowa associate professor in geographical and sustainability studies, is frustrated about the new limits on the loan fund. Some farmers may say For fair market value, I would be willing to sell my land, Secchi said. Thats why this bill is so silly. Its not like they are using eminent domain. You are taking that tool away from communities. We could always come back here Jim and Nina Beeghly bought their Fayette County farm in the early 2000s. The retirees have spent more than $25,000 returning the land to its natural state by removing undergrowth and seeding native prairie plants, planting trees and shrubs and building five wetlands that now host animals including Canada geese, ducks, leopard frogs, chorus frogs and, on a recent visit, a snowy egret. The couple has been aided by groups including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Fayette County and Pheasants Forever. A 2.5-mile paved trail through the Beeghly farm takes cyclists, runners and walkers from Fayette to the banks of the Volga River. The couple granted an easement for the trail and for a lookout tower at the high point of the property. The Beeghlys offered to sell their farm to Fayette County at a discounted rate, taking advantage of the state tax credit on the donated portion. The county is applying for a state grant to buy the land, which would be used for educational programming. Nina Beeghly said one of her grandsons cried when he learned his grandparents were moving from the farm to Decorah in 2014. I told him not to worry, that we could always come back here, she said. If this deal goes through, that will always be the case, added Rod Marlatt, Fayette County Conservation director. Farm Bureaus influence Lawmakers dont know or wont say who wrote HF 542 and Senate File 548, which has passed both chambers and is awaiting Gov. Kim Reynolds signature. Iowa DNR officials and the Natural Heritage Foundation think the bill likely would prohibit most of the ways the nonprofit now is using the fund to buy land for water quality projects. Rep. David Sieck, a Glenwood farmer and Republican who sponsored the House bill, has not returned three voicemail messages or an email from The Gazette. He also did not respond to a request to see drafting notes for the bill. Rozenboom, who introduced the Senate bill, declined to share his drafting notes but said Farm Bureau lobbyists made clear the organizations priorities in terms of limiting public land purchases. They presented things to me and I took what I saw as the most obvious thing to work on right now, he said. Thats how it works. Everybody does that. Is it a Farm Bureau wish? Yeah. But its my wish. The Iowa Farm Bureau is a tax-exempt organization with $1.72 billion in assets, according to its most recent Form 990 tax report. The organizations revenue for the year that ended Oct. 31, 2017, was $90.3 million, mostly from investments and income from Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company. Farm Bureaus expenses that year were $31.7 million. The Iowa Farm Bureau contributed $291,700 to Iowa political candidates in 2018, with 94 percent going to Republicans, according to reports filed with the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board. The biggest beneficiaries were Reynolds and Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig with $50,000 each, Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver with $14,500 and candidate Shannon Latham with $11,000. Latham, co-owner and vice president of Latham Hi-Tech Seeds, was unsuccessful in unseating incumbent Democrat Amanda Ragan in the November election in north central Iowa. Last year, the Iowa Farm Bureau created Iowans for Agriculture, a 527 political organization it used to buy more than $200,000 in television ads in the Cedar Rapids/Dubuque/Waterloo market to promote Naigs campaign for ag secretary, Iowa Starting Line reported in October. Naig, a former Monsanto lobbyist, is a Republican. Probably isnt the end of it Conservationists fear this years public lands bills will be followed by more efforts to restrict public land buys. Pheasants Forever has spent years advocating for a sales tax increase to fund Iowas Water and Land Legacy, a program created in 2010 by referendum but not funded. Matt OConnor, habitat team coordinator, said the Farm Bureau has falsely inflated how much money from that program could be used for land acquisition. Through their lobbyists, through legislators, he said of how the group spread misinformation. I want to have professionals and I want to have citizens of Iowa make decisions for Iowa, not politicians. Rozenboom said hes not done looking at state conservation policy. Senate File 548 probably isnt the end of it. I have a lot more things I want to look at. Erin Jordan of The Gazette is researching and reporting on the progress or lack of progress in reducing the flow of nitrate and phosphorus into the Mississippi River and other lakes and rivers during a nine-month OBrien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Mason City middle and high school students will flex their green thumbs next week, thanks to grants received by the city. Middle school student volunteers, part of the "Trees for Kids" program, will plant trees on Wednesday and Thursday, starting at 9 am. Wednesday will include seventh and eighth grade students planting approximately 40 trees. The work will happen along Maple Drive, South Louisiana Avenue and Third Street Southeast. "Trees for Kids" is made possible by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and involves youth in planting trees and maintenance experience. An educational component requires youth involvement in planting, mulching and initial watering for the project. Mason City Alternative High School students, under the direction of instructor Janell Drumheller, will plant approximately 40 trees along the city right-of-way at River Heights Drive and Fourth Street Southeast. River Heights is located in a part of the Rock Crest-Rock Glen Historic District, recognized as the worlds largest collection of Prairie School Architecture in a natural setting. Drumheller and her students will start at 9 a.m. Thursday. That work is made possible through a similar grant program from Trees Forever and Alliant Energey called, "Branching Out." City officials ask travelers to make every attempt to avoid this area if possible, but if it is necessary, please exercise caution for the safety of the students. Jaci Smith is the editor of the Globe Gazette. Follow her on Twitter @IowaJaci, or call her at 641-421-0564. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 When the Founding Fathers were laying the framework of our country, they were very concerned of what James Madison called, the tyranny of the majority the idea that the voice of the minority could be completely snuffed out by the voice of the many. The Founding Fathers intent was to force candidates to travel to all over the United States to appeal to voters, not just a few, densely populated cities. Clinton won the popular vote by almost 2.9 million votesroughly the population of Iowa. While Pres. Trump won 84 percent of counties across the country2,626 counties compared to Hillary Clintons 487. Which is a better, more true representation of the collective country? For hundreds of years, protections to prevent the tyranny of the majority have been preserved in our Constitution through the Electoral College process. Attempts to undermine the Electoral College are direct attempts to dismantle rural America. Elizabeth Warren says she wants every vote to count but in reality, her push to trash the Constitution highlights the fact that she only wants the votes in Boston, New York, Los Angeles and other coastal liberal mecca cities to count. With the Electoral College in place, a candidate who wants to win the presidency must talk to more than just the 8.6 million people in New York City or the 4 million people in L.A. Instead, this person has to bring together hog farmers in Iowa, small business owners in Sioux Falls, auto mechanics in Kirksville, plant workers in Muncie, health professionals in Rochester, and people in every precious corner of our whole, great country. Because what we are really talking about isn't just blue versus red shades on a map. We're talking about real people. And the president should make their case to ALL Americans, not just the wingtip wearing bankers of Wall Street or the movie stars in Hollywood. This position is just the newest fad in the liberal Democratic partys attempts to destroy middle America. Insane, bankrupting policy ideas like the Green New Deal, the push to increase the power of government agencies, backbreaking taxes that prohibit Main Street businesses from keeping their doors open will damage Americas heartland, for sure. But make no mistake, the plan to eliminate the Electoral College will be the death knell to rural America. A Democratic party already out of touch with flyover country has just unleashed their plan to destroy small town, rural America, once and for all. We will not go quietly and the rest of the country should join with us. Jeff Kaufmann is the Iowa Republican Party chair. Kyle Hupfer is the Indiana Republican Party chair, Jennifer Carnahan is the Minnesota Republican Party chair, Kay Hoflander is the Missouri Republican Party chair, and Dan Lederman is the South Dakota Republican Party chair. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Clear Lake: The water temp is in the mid-fifties. Shore anglers are catching crappies and yellow bass fishing off the jetties in the little lake. Walleye - Good: Anglers are having success slip bobber fishing the rock reefs with jigs and a minnow. Black Crappie - Fair: Fish the edge of the rushes with a small minnow. Yellow Bass - Good: Fish small jigs in 6 to 9 ft of water. White Bass - Fair. Cedar River (above Nashua): Good reports of fish biting continue throughout the district. Storms Saturday with temperatures highs 50's and lows 30's. Area streams and rivers water levels relatively stable with excellent clarity. Could change depending on rain amounts. Channel Catfish - Good: Use dead chubs fished in the impoundments or slack water areas. Keep bait on river bottom. Levels stabilizing with excellent clarity. Anglers seeing a nice variety of fish in the creel. Northern Pike - Fair: Pike are hitting spoons, crankbaits, and hooks tipped with dead chubs below dams and slack water areas. The bite is slowing. Walleye - Good: Try a jig tipped a minnow or ringworms for best luck. Smallmouth Bass - Slow: Smallies are beginning to show up. Use crankbaits for best luck. Winnebago River: River levels are getting back to normal level. Fish the current breaks near a dam with a jig and minnow. Decorah District Streams: Trout streams are in good condition. Many gravel roads remain in rough shape; watch for soft spots, especially in parking lots. Hatchery trucks are stocking as many spots as possible. Check the 2019 trout stream stocking calendar or call the stocking number at 563-927- 5736 to find out when your favorite trout stream will be stocked. Brown Trout - Good: Nice blue wing olive and a few minor caddis flies are hatching mid-afternoon. Fish are hitting just below the surface; nymph fishing might work best. Rainbow Trout - Excellent: Use a minnow or worm under a bobber. Try also a leach pattern. Brook Trout - Good: Midges are hatching on sunny afternoons. If trout are chasing minnows at tails of riffles, try using a streamer or minnow imitating lure. West Okoboji Lake: Courtesy docks are in at the IGL's. Water temperature is 50 degrees. Bluegill - Good: Some action reported from Triboji Lagoon, sorting required. Expect action to improve as water temperatures improve. Lake Hendricks: The lake has a brown tint to it. Fish shallow bays and along rocky shorelines later in the day. Black Crappie - Good: Use a hook tipped with a minnow under a bobber near brush piles or sunny shoreline. Bluegill - Fair: Try a small hook tipped with a small piece of worm or left over waxies under a bobber. Largemouth Bass - Good: Jigs tipped with plastic twister tail or jerkbait will catch a hungry bass. Channel Catfish - Fair: Use a jig tipped with a nightcrawler around the rocky shores with wind-blown material. Lake Meyer: Good reports of fish biting continue throughout the district. Storms Saturday with temperatures highs 50's and lows 30's. Area streams and rivers water levels relatively stable with excellent clarity. Could change depending on rain amounts. Anglers catching a variety of fish. Catch rates vary with changing weather patterns. Clarity about 15 ft. with water temperature low 60's. Black Crappie - Fair: Fish shallow around submersed logs using small plastic lures or hair jigs. Bluegill - Good: Use small jigs tipped with small piece of worm around rocky shoreline. Largemouth Bass - Slow: Crankbaits or jerkbaits are working for bass. Northern Pike - Slow: Find pike in shallow bays. Swimbaits, spoons, or a hook baited with a minnow will catch pike. Turkey River (above Clermont): Good reports of fish biting continue throughout the district. Storms Thursday and Saturday with temperatures highs 50's and lows 30's. Area streams and rivers water levels relatively stable with excellent clarity. Walleye - Good: Fish the slack water areas below dams with a jig tipped with minnow or shallow water crankbait. Water levels and flows stabilizing. Clarity excellent. White Sucker - Good: Use a worm fished off the bottom for best luck. As water warms in the 50's, suckers become more active. Upper Iowa River (above Decorah): Flows remain elevated but levels are stabilizing. Clarity excellent. Walleye - Good: A variety of lures will catch a walleye. Fish slack water below dams or off-channel areas for best luck. White Sucker - Excellent: Suckers biting. Use worm fished on bottom. Use a bit more weight to keep line down due to elevated flows. Upper Iowa River (below Decorah): Flows are high; river levels are stabilizing. Clarity is excellent. Water temperature is in the low 50's. Walleye - Good: Walleye are biting. Try jigs tipped with a minnow or crankbaits. White Sucker - Good: Use a hook tipped with a nightcrawler fished on the bottom. Channel Catfish - Fair: Try cut bait or nightcrawlers. Northern Pike - Good: Pike are hitting dead chubs or suckers. Volga Lake: Concentrate efforts along the shore and shallow warmer water. Boat docks are in. Bluegill - Slow: Use small jigs tipped with waxworms or spikes under a bobber in shallow areas. Black Crappie - Fair: Try a hook tipped with a minnow under a bobber in shallow bays. Largemouth Bass - Good: Crankbaits and jigs tipped with a variety of plastics will hook a bass. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Learn how real students navigate their way through the business school admissions process and b-school itself with our What is Business School Really Like? series. Meet Andrew, a Marine veteran, entrepreneur, new father, and first-year MBA student at Duke Fuqua. Andrew, thank you for sharing your story with us! What made you decide to go to business school? Andrew: Leaving the Marines I knew that in order to be hired into mid-level management positions, an MBA would be a good route for me to take. How did you decide which programs to apply to? Were you willing to relocate to attend school? Andrew: I only applied to Fuqua. I loved my experience so much that I put everything I had into being accepted. In theory, I would have relocated but I am local to Raleigh so relocating wasnt my first choice. Applying to only a single business school shows real dedication. What was your level of familiarity with Fuqua prior to applying? How did you know it would be a good fit? Andrew: I visited Fuqua several times before applying, and I found everyone to be very open and welcoming. I was especially drawn to its veteran community. It didnt take long for me to realize that Fuqua was where I wanted to be, and I decided that making a full commitment to Duke gave me the best chance to have success with its rigorous and competitive application process. My family and some of my friends thought I was a little crazy for applying only to Duke, but it was a risk I was willing to take, and Im gratified its worked out so well. Did you experience any bumps along the road to business school admission? How did you identify and deal with the issues? Andrew: The experience in general is extremely stressful. I reached out to current students and alumni in order to get insight and help. What about extracurriculars? What extracurricular activities did you participate in either in the military or your civilian life? Andrew: I worked with a nonprofit organization called Warrior Wellness Solutions from 2013-2018. WWS is based in Durham and offers holistic health solutions to American military veterans who are wounded, ill, or injured. Ive worked as a peer mentor and in event planning and fundraising. Working with the veteran community has been and continues to be a tremendously rewarding experience Duke is known to have some creative (and tricky!) application essay questions. How did you approach your essays? How, specifically, did you approach the 25 Random Things About You question? Andrew: With my essays, I tried to caveat my experiences as an entrepreneur and Marine into a relatable experience with the culture at Fuqua. I took specific experiences I had and explained the lessons learned and how I would translate those lessons to better the Fuqua community I wanted to belong to. The essays are your chance to show a side of yourself outside of your resume. My 25 things essays highlighted highs, lows, growth, and experiences. I really tried to show the admissions team my true self outside of my resume. Once business school began, what surprised you most about the experience? Andrew: How thoughtful and friendly my classmates are. I wasnt able to attend many social events because my wife was 8 months pregnant. My section mates understood this and surprised me with signed books and baby gifts for my daughter. It was very touching and a huge surprise. Congratulations on the birth of your daughter! How do you manage to juggle your roles as student, husband, and father? Andrew: It was hard, especially at first, but I learned that Team Fuqua is for real. My classmates and first-year team really kept me afloat for the first few months after my daughter was born. They actually stopped class to surprise me with baby gifts. They bought us a mamaRoo bassinet and onesie pajamas, and my entire 76 student section signed books and left notes for my daughter. When I was struggling to keep up from lack of sleep, some of them took the time to help me in subjects within their areas of expertise, and they made sure I grasped the material well enough to pass my classes. It reminded me a lot of the Marines the fact that it takes a team effort to achieve objectives. As for outside of the classroom, I put my duties as a father and a husband first. Things have gotten a little easier now that our daughter is older, and my wife and I have even found time to go out socially every once in a while. How have your experiences and duties in the Marines prepared you for business school and for the world of business? Andrew: Serving as a sergeant in the Marines taught me several things, including the value of teamwork and the importance of leadership skills. It also helped me develop the kind of work ethic that kept me going while attending school fulltime and working in my familys entrepreneurial startup . Marines are taught to accomplish their mission no matter what roadblocks they may encounter, and even to make something out of nothing if thats what it takes. Im learning to apply those lessons in the business world and to share them with friends and classmates whenever it seems appropriate. What is Juicekeys and what role have you played in the company? Andrew: Juicekeys is an entrepreneurial startup created by my wife Kelly and her brother Chris. Kelly became interested in the power of healthy foods when she was transitioning from a career-ending gymnastics injury years ago. Like me, Chris is a former Marine, and he was exposed to many different juice bars when he was stationed in California. After he left active duty, he completed his MBA at USC Marshall and brought the vision of Juicekeys to Raleigh. It had very humble beginnings, with an original staff of only Kelly, Chris, and their parents.In three years, we have grown from one to three locations and we now have more than 45 employees. I started at Juicekeys in a managerial position and later became the director of operations. Its pretty much a jack-of-all-trades job that includes leadership development, supply chain, customer relations, and whatever else might be needed at a particular moment. How did your civilian experiences in entrepreneurship make you a stronger MBA applicant? Andrew: This is a great question! When people tell me they want to be an entrepreneur, I usually give them the Southern response of Bless your heart. Being part of a startup isnt for everyone. I know what its like working 20-hour days and taking no pay in the hope of growing a business into a successful venture. And weve been able to create what I and others think is the best juice bar in North Carolina. Im confident that the things Ive learned at Juicekeys, and also in the Marines, will help me as a mid-level or senior executive in a company that values people with a Fuqua MBA. What do you think your classmates would be surprised to know about you? Andrew: I am a complete teddy bear. The Notebook is one of my favorite movies. I told my wife on our second date I was going to marry her. She told me I was crazy. I laughed and said Youre probably right, but I am going to marry you. When I proposed to my wife I got in touch with Nicholas Sparks and had him sign her favorite book with the inscription Kelly will you marry Andrew, with love Nicholas Sparks. This December will be five years that we have been together. Did you grow up in the South, and if not, how do you have ties to the area? How has Dukes location affected your business school experience? Andrew: I grew up in Chicago and Southern California. My wifes family is from Raleigh. I love the area and think Durham is a great place to live. Was it difficult to become a student again after years spent away from the classroom? Andrew: Im actually in my fifth year of school at this point. I started my undergraduate degree in 2014 while I was transitioning out of the Marines. It was discouraging at first because after taking placement exams at the local community college I had to start with developmental courses. My math score, for example, was around the eighth-grade level. I graduated from Campbell University with a 3.92 GPA in 2018 and started at Fuqua last August. It was definitely hard at times, but I had an amazing support system to give me a reality check when I needed it.Fuqua has definitely been the most difficult coursework I have personally experienced. The great thing is youre always around amazing people who are extremely talented. So it is easy to push yourself in order to match the output of your peers. Working in teams has also been a huge help because more often than not one of us has experience in the subjects we may be covering and can help the group to understand better. Have you participated in a student internship? Andrew: I will be starting an internship in project management at Cisco this summer. I will be working on global strategy, planning, and operations. Cisco is a great company and its high on my list of places Id like to work within the tech industry. Im grateful for the opportunity and cant wait to get started. Why did you decide to pursue an MBA as opposed to one of the many related graduate degrees that seem to be gaining popularity in recent years (Masters in Finance, Masters in Management, Masters in Data Analytics, etc.)? Andrew: An MBA from Fuqua holds a lot of weight. We have world-class professors that teach every one of these subjects. For example, I could choose to major in Finance and Decision Sciences. In my opinion, not all MBAs are created equal. In my opinion, Fuqua is the best MBA program in the United States. We are truly a community that looks after one another. What are your plans, post-MBA? Andrew: Id like to work in the technology industry in project or product management, with a backup plan of doing tech sales. The decision sciences, marketing, and strategy classes Ive attended at Fuqua have been priceless in helping me prepare to accomplish that goal. What advice do you have for students beginning their MBA journey? Andrew: You can learn more about Andrew by [i]Do you have questions for Andrew? Questions for us? Do you want to be featured in our next What is Business School Really Like? post? Know someone else who youd love to see featured? Are there questions youd like us to ask our students in this series? LET US KNOW! You can learn more about Andrew by connecting with him on LinkedIn. To learn more about Juicekeys, click here Are you setting out on your own b-school journey? We can help you reach the finish line! Check out our MBA Admissions Consulting Services to team up with an admissions expert who will help you join the ranks of thousands of Accepted clients who get accepted to their dream schools. Related Resources: I would say be genuine, be intentional , be yourself, ask for help, and build relationships. I would not be at Fuqua if I didnt have advocates in the form of admissions staff, current students, the Duke Armed Forces Association, and alumnus. I wanted to be at Fuqua more than any other school, so I really put myself out there with admissions. I sent updates on my progress and stayed in touch with staff. When the time came to choose candidates for acceptance there was no doubt how committed I was to coming to Fuqua.[/i] Meet Duke Fuquas New MBA Admissions Director, Shari Hubert , a podcast episode This article originally appeared on blog.accepted.com Applying to a top b-school? The talented folks at Accepted have helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to their dream programs. Whether you are figuring out where to apply, writing your application essays, or prepping for your interviews, we are just a call (or click) away.Contact us, and get matched up with the consultant who will help you get accepted! _________________ Grand Old Partisan honors James Baker, born in Houston this day of 1930. Perhaps his greatest achievement was leading efforts to prevent Al Gore from stealing Florida's electoral votes after George W. Bush's victory in the 2000 presidential election. Graduating from Princeton University, Baker served two years in the Marine Corps as a naval gunnery officer. His next step was attending the University of Texas Law School. He chaired the state GOP's finance committee. Baker had a four-decade career of public service. In 1970, he helped manage George H. Bush's unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. Senate. He was Undersecretary of Commerce during the Gerald Ford administration and then managed Ford's 1976 presidential campaign. Though he had managed the rival George H. Bush campaign for the 1980 Republican presidential nomination, President Ronald Reagan made him his Chief of Staff in 1981. Baker managed Reagan's Morning in America re-election campaign. He served as Secretary of the Treasury during Reagan's second term. President George H. Bush appointed him Secretary of State. Baker was an informal advisor to President George W. Bush. Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kM5-_WZDTx8 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" About Me I am a retired professor. I last taught at Ewha Womans University, mostly composition, research writing, and cultural issues, but also the occasional graduate seminar on Gnosticism and Johannine theology and the occasional undergraduate course on European history. My doctorate is in history (U.C. Berkeley), with emphasis on religion and science. My thesis is on John's gospel and Gnosticism. I'm also an award-winning writer, and I recommend my novella, The Bottomless Bottle of Beer, to anyone interested. I'm originally from the Arkansas Ozarks, but my academic career -- funded through doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships (e.g., Fulbright, Naumann, Lady Davis) -- has taken me through Texas, California, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, and Israel and has landed me in Seoul, South Korea. I've also traveled to Mexico, visited much of Europe, including Moscow, and touched down briefly in a few East Asian countries. Hence: "Gypsy Scholar." View my complete profile 1. Fill in your name or an alias. Do not leave blank or use the name 'guest' or 'anonymous'. 2. No Nivul Peh. Profanity will be deleted. " " Epidiolex becomes the first-ever cannabis-based drug approved by the FDA. The drug is used for treating seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy. GW Pharmaceuticals/Greenwich Biosciences The slow but seemingly inexorable slog toward acceptance of marijuana in the American mainstream took a major step forward in June, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the first time approved an epilepsy drug that is derived from the cannabis plant. The FDA is part of the government that still, legally, considers marijuana on a par with heroin and LSD. A couple days later, Oklahoma passed a voter-backed law that allows physicians to use their discretion in prescribing medical cannabis. The Sooner State became the 30th state to OK medical marijuana use. Advertisement As July dawned, Vermont became the ninth state to legalize pot for recreational use. (Washington D.C. allows it, too.) Vermont, notably, was the first to do so by an act of the legislature. Every other state so far has approved it in through a referendum of the voters, which isn't an option in the Green Mountain State. Those were all news-breaking events in the decades-old move to legalize marijuana, but none may be more significant than the FDA's June 26, 2018 final approval of the epilepsy drug Epidiolex. The FDA authorized Epidiolex for a specific use: To treat two forms of severe epilepsy. Many see that endorsement the first legal use of a derivative of a plant that is illegal as a critical step, though not necessarily the final, winning move. It is, however, a definite win for the families whose children with epilepsy have been fighting for this treatment. "This approval is the culmination of GW's many years of partnership with patients, their families and physicians in the epilepsy community to develop a much needed, novel medicine," Justin Gover, GW Pharmaceuticals chief executive officer, said in a press statement. "These patients deserve and will soon have access to a cannabinoid medicine that has been thoroughly studied in clinical trials, manufactured to assure quality and consistency, and available by prescription under a physician's care." Paul Armentano, the deputy director of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws said in a statement that he anticipates Epidiolex to be the first of many cannabis-based drugs approved by the FDA. "Nonetheless, these alternatives should not be regulated as options to replace the use and regulation of herbal cannabis a product that humans have used safely and effectively as a medicine for thousands of years and is approved today by statute in 30 states." The approval of Epidiolex, in addition to possibly paving a future for the regulation of herbal cannabis, could show more immediate results if it leads to the approval of marijuana and more marijuana-based products on the medical front. Atlanta neurosurgeon and CNN medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta points to growing research that marijuana could help break the grip of the opioid addiction. It's also a proven pain reliever. It reduces inflammation. More research is being done. A major obstacle remains, though. Marijuana still is a Schedule I drug, which not only criminalizes its use on a national level but restricts federal money so critical to research. The hope, among those advocating for the decriminalization of marijuana, is that the sanctioning of Epidiolex will force the government to move marijuana out from among Schedule I drugs. If the first half of 2018 is any indication, that may be just a matter of time, despite some stonewalling by those at the highest level of the government. Marijuana, once thought to be a blight on society, may yet get a chance to show its benefits to it. Now That's Interesting Leading the way in the movement to remove marijuana from Schedule I status are Democratic senators Chuck Schumer (New York), Tammy Duckworth (Illinois), Tim Kaine (Virginia) and independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who late in June introduced the Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act. Among other provisions of the act, the bill calls for erasing criminal records for those convicted of simple marijuana possession. In the summer of 1967, 20-year-old Bob Haseman was working in Yellowstone Park between his sophomore and junior years at the University of Missouri. And although action in the Vietnam War was beginning to escalate, Haseman chose to forego his education deferments and join the U.S. Armed Forces. I just felt I should participate in the war so I enlisted in the Marine Corps, Haseman related. So I hitchhiked to Butte and joined an all-Montana company headed to boot camp in San Diego. My parents were surprised when I gave them the news. Two years later, as an infantry platoon leader in the Republic of Vietnam, Haseman served at Fire Support Base Russell at the same time as Jimmy Jackson, although the first time hed ever heard Jacksons name didnt happen until 1993. Rassler and trackster for the Kewpies Haseman attended David H. Hickman High in Columbia, Missouri, graduating in 1965. He was the Kewpie (thats not a typo, folks, and yes, their mascot is the doll) wrestling teams varsity 127-pound grappler, and ran the 880-yard and mile runs on the track team. After two years of college, Haseman completed Advanced Infantry Training at Camp Pendleton and Scout Sniper School. Before heading to Vietnam, he was selected for Officer Candidates School in Quantico, Virginia. Next, he finished Basic School for additional training as an officer, before his selection to Army Ranger School. By early 1969, the 21-year Missourian was well-trained and heading to Southeast Asia, where he would lead a Marine platoon in country. Quang Tri Province He served in I Corps, the northern most sector of South Vietnam, just below the DMZ in Quang Tri Province. By then, the U.S had 543, 000 troops in Vietnam. Haseman was the platoon commander for 2nd platoon, Lima Company (under Capt. David Yorck), 3rd Batallion, 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, from early April to mid-November, at which time his regiment was withdrawn to Okinawa. His platoon usually had about 34 men ready to go and in the field. We spent most of our time defending firebases located on jungle-covered hills, where we manned fortified foxholes, recounted Haseman, 71, from the man cave office at his Helena home. Occasionally we received incoming rockets and enemy artillery and ran for our bunkers. Every day we conducted patrols and night ambushes searching for the enemy. It was boring duty most of the time but occasionally terrifying, especially at night when anxious thoughts would enter our imagination. Night sounds are frightening when you cant determine if its made by some small animal like a rat or monkey, or by a North Vietnamese sapper trying to kill you. Haseman had arrived just five weeks after Lima Companys biggest firefight of the year against the North Vietnamese Army. With about 100 troops in the field, 17 of Limas Marines were killed and about three times that many were wounded in that battle. He was, however, involved in two other major actions during this period. One was a sapper attack against 3rd platoon resulting in eight KIA and many wounded, while the other loss of life has become one of the stranger stories of the Vietnam War. When they werent manning firebases, they conducted battalion sized operations attempting to locate the enemy. Hasemans platoon rarely found them, and he never had to lead his men in an enemy assault. Vietnam was hot, sometimes exceeding 115 degrees but it could also be cold and when it rained it really came down, he said. Exploding Fire Support Base Russell In early September, his company arrived at Fire Support Base Russell, 8 kilometers south of the DMZ. The oval shaped perimeter was about an acre in size and on one end of the position, a battery of 105mm howitzers (artillery) was set up to provide fire support for Marine activity in the area. Haseman recalled that Concertina wire encircled the defoliated hill below the fortifications, and the base looked similar to the other hilltop positions in western Quang Tri Province. Lima Company was ordered to occupy and then abandon the base, due in part to President Nixons announced withdrawal of the 3rd Marines. Some bases were turned over to the South Vietnamese ARVN forces, but others, like Russell, were blown up. On Sept. 21, 1969, we watched the engineers place explosives inside each bunker in a daisy chain, Haseman explained. At the appropriate time, after the Marines were evacuated, the explosion would be initiated. Unfortunately, it didnt turn out exactly that way. Haseman's platoon boarded the first CH-53 helicopter as the other two platoons waited to board the CH-53s that circled above the base. After they lifted away, he spoke with the COs radio operator, who told him the hill had exploded prematurely. Four Marines were dead and 15 others had been wounded, he said. Much later I would learn that there was another person who couldnt ever be accounted for. Twenty-four years later, Haseman received a call from Ron Martz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, informing him of Lance Corporal Jimmy Jacksons disappearance during the evacuation at Russell. Martz asked me what I knew (about it), but I couldnt offer any information, he said. In July 1994, in Martzs article titled The Strange Disappearance of Lance Cpl. James W. Jackson Jr., he described the Marine Corps' official but difficult explanation of how Jackson was wounded during the explosion, then medevacd from Russell to a Quang Tri Hospital, and vanished into thin air. Since that day in 1969 there has been absolutely no trace of Jackson. He was later declared dead and became one of very few Marines lost during the Vietnam War. Nixon soon began withdrawing troops and the 3rd Marine Division departed Vietnam in late November. By the end of 1969, around 40,000 troops had been killed in the war. Overall, of the 58,000 Americans lost in Vietnam, 14,836 were Marines, with about 1 in 4 Lethernecks either killed or wounded. Bell-bottoms and Fu Manchus After leaving Okinawa in 1970, Haseman served another year in Norfolk, Virginia, before his discharge. He then returned to Missouri, to finish his degree in business administration. I blended in with my fellow students, wore bell-bottoms, grew my hair long and maintained a Fu Manchu mustache, until I couldnt stand it any longer, he quipped. In 1973, Haseman and his new bride, Brenda, relocated to Helena, when he began his career as a trust officer at Union Bank, now Wells Fargo. Bob started the first Edward Jones office here in 1981, and was a financial adviser with them for 33 years until his retirement in 2013. The Hasemans have two children Dr. Whitney Haseman and her spouse Jennifer Shepard, of Salt lake City; and Brian (also with Edward Jones) and spouse Blair and one grandchild. What about Jimmy Jackson? In 2015, after writing my book The Sun Sets on Vietnam: The Firebase War, I contacted Martz, who told me that after considerable research, hed changed his mind on Jacksons disappearance, related the Marine, who keeps busy these days writing and painting. He concluded that Jackson was not medevacd to the hospital in Quang Tri, but rather buried and left in a collapsed bunker on Russell. After 50 years, the Marine Corps released their official explanation agreeing with Martzs opinion. There may be an attempt to recover his body on Russell and return it to his relatives, Haseman said. Curt Synness, a Navy veteran, can be reached at 594-2878 or by email curt52synness@gmail.com. Hes also on Twitter @curtsynness_IR. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Tova Reddick-Starkel doesnt just walk for Brayden Schaeffer. Clouds gathered Saturday afternoon before participants began the third annual Out of Darkness Campus Walk in East Helena, but the rain held off until just after the crowd completed the 2.5-mile trek to and from East Helena City Hall. The event marked Reddick-Starkels third as chair and the third since Schaeffer, Reddick-Starkels cousin and a Helena High School student, died by suicide in 2016. Saturdays walk coincided with 17 others held from Florida to Oregon, each helping to raise money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). The East Helena event represents somewhat of a geographic anomaly. Whereas the Corvallis, Oregon, walk centers on Oregon State University, and the Ashland, Massachusetts, walk on Ashland High School, East Helenas walk is very much the entire town's event. Keeping with the event's title of Campus Walk, the route crossed paths with Prickly Pear Elementary and East Valley Middle schools. East Helena Mayor James Schell and Superintendent Ron Whitmoyer of East Helena Public Schools addressed the crowd of 330 walkers just before they set off down Riggs Street. Whitmoyer played up the May 20 opening of a community health clinic sponsored by PureView Health Center, which he said will provide physical, dental and mental health care. Were also proud of the fact that the high school is also founded on the premises that we need to care for kids and we need to care for the community and grow our own to be great leaders and people that are aware of the mental health needs of our community, Whitmoyer said. Dogs milled about inside and outside City Hall as Schell and Whitmoyer spoke to provide comfort to participants, many of whom wore the names of lost loved ones. The event raised just under $14,000, which is split locally and nationally with AFSP. But Reddick-Starkel said money isnt the objective. Most important is awareness, getting as many people to walk and know the resources available to them. Its not about the money to me, Reddick-Starkel said in the City Hall gymnasium, surrounded by volunteers from organizations hoping to educate the public about their services, among them the Department of Veterans Affairs, Helena College, Montana Peer Network and Lifepoint Church in East Helena. Reddick-Starkel wore purple beads Saturday to signify the loss of Schaeffer. Event organizers offered beads of nine different colors for various shades of personal involvement with suicide and mental illness. Red for the loss of a spouse. Gold for a parent. White for a child. Schaeffers mother, Melissa, took part in her second walk Saturday. Like Reddick-Starkel she hoped for more awareness, not just of resources but "to pay attention to people, to talk to people, see how they're feeling." "Suicide does not have a face," Melissa Schaeffer said. The figure has been reported over and over: Montana passed Alaska and Wyoming to hold the nations highest age-adjusted rate of death by suicide in 2016 with 25.9 deaths per 100,000 residents, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control. When that number reached 28.9 the following year, Montana was the only state in the nation with a rate double the national average. Schaeffer was one of five Helena High School students to die by suicide in four years through the beginning of the 2016-17 academic year, when the school introduced a new suicide prevention program. Lewis and Clark County accepted a federal grant in October to hire a full-time suicide prevention coordinator after 19 county residents took their own lives in 2017. Jess Hegstrom accepted that position after working with East Helena Public Schools for Americorps VISTA, helping to bolster the East Helena Suicide Prevention & Awareness Coalition. She wore gold at Saturday's event to signify the loss of her father two decades ago. Theres not much I can do about the people that Ive lost, Hegstrom said. But theres a lot we can do, I can do, to ensure that people are aware of this issue and know what to do to prevent it. If you or a loved one is considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 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. From December 19th through December 26th we will be granting free access as a gift to our readers presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana EVERGREEN Montana Highway Patrol says a 15-year-old girl has died after a vehicle crashed into her home while she slept and a 31-year-old man is in custody pending formal charges. The Flathead Beacon reports that troopers say a pickup truck veered off a road, struck a sign and some bushes and crashed into the home in Evergreen about 2 a.m. Friday. It then left the scene. The Flathead County Sheriff's Office says the victim, identified as Erin Howk, died at the scene. Authorities say they later detained Jared A. Parsons of Kalispell who was being held without bond at the Flathead County Detention Facility. It was not immediately known whether he had an attorney. The incident remains under investigation. ___ Information from: Flathead Beacon, http://www.flatheadbeacon.com Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 13 Angry 10 The 2019 Montana Legislature stood up for public lands, waters and access. While select victories for sportsmen and sportswomen were not unanimous, nor did all such pro-public lands bills pass, those of us who cherish the Montana outdoors are grateful. Highlights from 2019 include passage of the bipartisan Public Access to Lands Act, SB341, sponsored by Sen. Mark Blasdel, R-Kalispell, that will increase the amount available to improve public access to public lands. The bill uses sportsman-generated dollars to purchase short-term leases to landowners to provide access to lands in exchange. Through the budget process, the Legislature has invested millions of dollars in our public lands and outdoor heritage. Habitat Montana is one of those investments that uses out-of-state hunter license dollars to acquire new public lands and critical wildlife habitat across the state of Montana. The Montana Legislature once again listened to Montana hunters and anglers and rejected toxic budget riders that threaten the program. Unfortunately, Rep. Kerry Whites, R-Bozeman, HB265 made it through the Legislature on majority vote. This bill adds an unnecessary and damaging political layer to evaluation of Habitat Montana projects. Instead of putting up hurdles for landowners to sustain their way of life and Montana's outdoor traditions, we should be doubling down on programs like Habitat Montana. We only need to look at Colorado's Front Range or Utah's Wasatch Front to see the changes that are coming and these investments today will be recouped many times over by future generations of Montanans. Gov. Steve Bullocks veto of HB265 will be a welcome investment in that future. The budget also invests in critical habitat and access programs that improve fish habitat and provide recreational opportunities to more hunters and anglers. Investing in our public lands and habitat is good for Montanas fish and wildlife and good for our economy. Once again, the Legislature rightfully rejected the flawed notion of transferring and selling off our cherished public lands. The idea, pushed by radical out-of-state special interests like the American Lands Council, would threaten our outdoor heritage by privatizing our favorite hunting and fishing locations, places that our families have treasured for generations. Our public lands are too special to be jeopardized by snake oil salesmen from Utah. Thank you to the legislators who cast votes for pro-public land, water, and access bills and to the public interest groups who supported those bills. You all deserve some time off to enjoy Montanas treasured public lands, streams and rivers. Brian Neilsen Missouri River Guides Great Falls Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 The word conversion has been at the heart of Christianity for two millennia, with missionaries and evangelists urging sinners to repent and Many of the reasons we love living in Montana, including our wide-open spaces, our mountains, or our rural way of life also create tremendous challenges when it comes to ensuring that we have the broadband infrastructure we need to ensure we arent left out of the new digital economy. The Montana Legislature has passed bipartisan legislation to address one of those challenges, the extremely high cost of installing broadband in Montana. At a cost of $30,000/mile and $10,000 per rural Montana customer, the investment to build more broadband just doesnt pencil out for many companies. SB239 addresses those costs by providing a temporary property tax moratorium on new fiber broadband investment. This public private partnership will reduce the cost of new broadband investment from 3-6%, helping providers make the broadband investment pencil out. I urge Gov. Bullock to sign SB239 and help us invest in broadband infrastructure. Kelly Rio Great Falls Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Senior housing has a problem with middle-class affordability. There are many alluring options for the wealthy, and theres considerable financial help available for the poor. But middle-class people who need assisted living help with daily activities and simple medical tasks like medication and meal management often find themselves priced out of the market. In an attempt to spur the developers of senior housing to come up with cheaper alternatives before the wave of baby boomers hits old age, a group of researchers analyzed the likely needs and financial resources of the forgotten middle in 10 years. In 2029, 7.8 million Americans aged 75 and up wont be able to afford assisted living, according to the team led by Caroline Pearson, a senior vice president at NORC, an independent research institution at the University of Chicago. These 2029 seniors will have annual financial resources of $60,000 or less, but will make too much to qualify for Medicaid, the state and federal health insurance program for the poor. Meanwhile, in the report published in the health policy journal Health Affairs, the researchers estimated that the average annual cost of assisted living and medical needs would be $62,000. That does not include clothing or other supplies. More than 11 million people would find assisted living out of reach if they held onto their houses. The researchers said that resistance to selling the family home keeps some seniors from considering other options. Selling the house can also be a problem when one member of a couple needs assisted living and the other doesnt. While many people say they prefer to age in place, that can lead to loneliness and other health problems as seniors become more physically or cognitively disabled. Marc Cohen, co-director of the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston, said many boomers are open to moving once aging causes disability. Greater availability of affordable housing would give them the option of aging in community. Housing and health care are strongly linked, Pearson said. Changes in health usually drive the need to move to assisted living. When youre looking at the problem of aging, it is a problem that is housing and health care combined, she said, and yet the system doesnt think about it that way and certainly doesnt pay for it that way. Medicaid pays for nursing home care after people have used their other resources. It also often pays for supportive services that can help poor people stay in their homes longer. In most states Pennsylvania is not one of them it also helps pay for assisted living services, though not housing itself. Pearson said that a big increase in the number of people who spend all their money and need Medicaids help in old age would stress the program. The National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care (NIC), a nonprofit whose mission is to improve access and choice in senior housing options, partly funded the project to draw more attention to the affordability problems, encourage conversation and stimulate creative responses. This study is meant to be a wake-up call, said Beth Burnham Mace, NICs chief economist and a study author. She added that operators of senior housing wanted data on the size of the middle market. Many boomers may need professional care because theyve had fewer children than earlier generations. The report estimated that 60 percent of middle-income seniors in 2029 would have mobility issues and 20 percent would have three or more chronic medical conditions and difficulty with at least one activity of daily living, like eating or bathing. On the plus side, boomers are better educated than their parents and many have earned more income. The percentage of the population that can afford assisted living will also increase for some time. However, the portion that cant will swell after 2029, Mace said. Future seniors, the study said, have lower overall savings and are less likely to have pensions than the previous generation. The study defined the middle market based on which individuals in 2014 would have trouble paying for assisted living if they kept their house. That was people who made more money than the bottom 41 percent of seniors and less than the top 20 percent. In 2029, the studys middle-market 75- to 84-year-olds would have annual financial resources of $25,001 to $74,298 in 2014 dollars. Mace thinks more people would move into senior housing if they could afford it. She sees the middle market as the aging equivalent of workforce housing, a planning term used to describe housing that fire fighters, police officers, government workers and teachers could afford. But Jennifer Kappen, chief financial officer for Presbys Inspired Life, said its not that easy to lower the price tag on assisted living because of building costs and salaries for skilled staff. Theres not a lot that we can do to continue to drive those prices down, she said. Her organization runs four higher-end senior living facilities in the Philadelphia suburbs and multiple independent-living apartments for lower-income elders. Without an entrance fee, the least expensive personal care (the most common type of assisted care in Pennsylvania) apartment costs $5,350 a month. Kappen wouldnt want to cut costs there. We feel good about how we provide services at that community, she said. The company has programs that offer actuarial pricing based on a residents expected lifespan. People who live longer than expected can stay, even if they run out of money. Kappen estimated that most people need assisted living for two to four years. So far, Pearson said, weve seen not a lot of progress from policy makers in addressing the affordability problem. She hopes experts will now take on the challenge. It feels like there should be some creative solutions out there. The researchers suggested that the private sector could accept lower profit margins, offer less luxurious housing, take advantage of technology and subsidize middle-income residents with higher paying ones. The government could create tax incentives, expand subsidies, expand Medicare coverage of non-medical services and create a long-term care benefit. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Donnette Beckett "Together Decatur" Columnist and Food/Drink Reporter Together Decatur columnist and food and drink reporter for Lee Enterprises Central Illinois. Follow Donnette Beckett 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. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today DECATUR Oboist and instructor Tina Nicholson had only one plan for a career, and as a professor of music at Millikin University, she connects with her students' passion. You shouldnt be a music major unless you just cant keep the horn off your face, she said. It is going to take a large chunk out of the School of Music, said Kody Myra, a freshman clarinet player. Its going to be really hard replacing such awesome instructors. Not all of the instructors are leaving campus for good. As a trombone player, Shaw will continue to play in the bands and ensemble he has committed to, such as the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, faculty shows, the holiday show Vespers, the fall musical and various brass groups in Decatur and Springfield. Im looking forward to a lighter schedule and more time to focus on things I like to do, Shaw said. It is a perfect retirement plan for me. Reyman has been teaching for 37 years at Millikin. He began the same year as Shaw and Widenhofer. The school had its appeal for Reyman as a teacher and trumpeter, but he is looking forward to retirement as well. Its busy work here, he said. Its the schedule that is taxing. The instructors are often found at the college grading papers and recitals, preparing for or conducting a performance and supporting colleagues. Before you know it youre here all the time, Reyman said. But its been worth it to stay here. Added Nicholson: I think the kids think we live here. Millikin's draw as a place where musicians can learn and thrive is well-known. Shaw discovered Millikin while in graduate school at the University of Wisconsin. When I came here for my interview and saw the front of the music building where it says, Conservatory of Music, I was really surprised at what a strong music program Millikin had, he said. Nicholson said the focus of the college has always been the students and teaching. It was just grand fun. Our colleagues are amazing people to work with, she said. Everybody was trying to work to make it better. The instructors know the music industry can be a difficult career, and that is part of the preparation for students in search of success after they have received their degrees. You have to find your way, Reyman said. Millikin instructors, no matter the focus, utilize performance learning. We try to make the students rounded enough so they dont starve, Nicholson said. Music students also learn to market and record their talent. How to work the business, Reyman clarified. They are doing all kinds of things, working lights or sounds at live shows or touring agencies. And some are playing. Myra has been a part of the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra, playing alongside the instructors. It is really cool to listen in and learn different techniques that I could use, said Myra, who has worked with Nicholson and Shaw. They have been wonderful. Brian Justison, the director of School of Music, said he will miss the instructors, but they also leave a legacy that will endure. It is a new era, but theres a lot of wisdom in these retiring faculty, he said. Justison credits Forbes for a large portion of the vocal music education curriculum. He was able to foster the admiration and respect of generations of vocal music education students, Justison said. The sudden passing of Widenhofer, who was 67, was a jolt for the faculty, Justison said. We are still recovering, he said. Justison said he told the students they would need to continue the work Widenhofer, a jazz instructor, started. The path forward isnt going to be easy, but its the only one we have, he told the students. The way we can honor him is by doing what he would have done. Widenhofer had been planning to retire this year with his colleagues, and his scheduled performances were turned into tributes for him. Such is the way of the School of Music, which has been a beacon for Millikin and the Decatur community for generations. And it will continue to go on, Reyman said. The instructors noted change can be an opportunity as well, and the college has begun to hire new instructors. Nicholson said that's OK. They wont remember our names in a year, Nicholson said. And thats fine with me. Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 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. WARRENSBURG Warrensburg-Latham Elementary School students are now certified "kindness ninjas," spreading the word about good deeds in school and beyond, including a 15-day challenge. Kelley Perotti, a martial arts master and Think Kindness ambassador, visited the school Friday morning to share her experiences with how kindness from others changed her day, hour and life as a whole. Think Kindness is a Nevada-based nonprofit organization with a mission to "inspire measurable acts of kindness in schools and communities around the world." Perotti said she has traveled around the United States spreading the word of encouragement to students to be kind to not just others but also themselves. Just this year, she has visited schools in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Michigan, California, Nevada and now Illinois. When sharing kindness around the country, the most important part to Perotti is to focus on the positives. "Before, people were talking about anti-bullying," She said. "But I think when you use that word, then that's what (students are) thinking about. I think focusing on kindness kind of changes the vibe in the school and it becomes contagious." Principal Laura Anderson said the theme and motto for the school year is spreading kindness, and the administration was lucky enough to find Think Kindness for an assembly, she said. This was one of two yearly assemblies funded by the Parent-Teacher Association, Anderson said. Kindness ambassadors at the school are fourth-grade students who are part of an enrichment class, she said. "If people don't smile, then no one is happy in the world," said Eva Kelley, one of the ambassadors. She said that without happiness, there is no kindness. The 15-day challenge assigned to all the students was to complete at least 5,000 acts of kindness. Each act will be documented in their kindness journal, and a chain link will be made representing that kindness act. Each grade will have differently colored chains as part of a friendly competition. Perotti said she joined Think Kindness to encourage students to be nice to one another and themselves, because kindness from fellow classmates changed the course of her life. She told the cafeteria full of students it all started when she was their age. Perotti attended eight different schools while growing up and said always being the new kid made her nervous. "Do you know what the worst part about being the new kid at school is?" Perotti asked the students. "Lunch." She recalled how every time she moved to a new school, the first day was the worst because no one would sit by her at lunch. This happened every time, until she moved to a school in Virginia. "It was completely different," Perotti said. She walked into the school and saw people laughing, high-fiving each other and waving to her. Three students ran up to her, already knew her name and asked her to sit with them at lunch. The quad immediately clicked as friends. This finally made Perotti excited to go to school. The kindness from these students was "amazing," she said. On day two of school, her three new friends asked her to go to a martial arts class with them. She said she was hesitant at first, but ultimately went and loved it. "In that moment, I took my first martial arts class in fourth grade, and do I still do martial arts today? I do, Perotti said. She is now a fifth-degree black belt in martial arts, a second-degree black belt in Brazilian Jujitsu and the reigning world champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu for her division. The term "kindness ninja" was coined by a former martial arts instructor who told her to write her teacher a note, sign it "kindness ninja" and sneakily put it on her desk. Once Perotti saw the look on her teacher's face, she said it made her ecstatic. Perotti told the assembly, "You guys don't really realize, you have the power to change somebody's hour, somebody's day, but you can also change the course of their life, just by being kind." Contact Kennedy Nolen at (217) 421-6985. Follow her on Twitter: @KNolenWrites Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 There were hopes -- maybe not high hopes, but some optimism -- when a Legislative Inspector General was finally appointed in late 2017. The General Assembly had gone more than three years without someone in that post. Perhaps allegations made against lawmakers would finally be taken seriously. We should know better than to have faith in politics. Julie Porter, who was the acting inspector general from November 2017 through Feb. 28, said this week that the Legislative Ethics Commission, which oversaw her work, refused to publish one of her reports that concluded a legislator had engaged in wrongdoing. She said she wanted to publish another report but Carol Pope, the former Illinois judge and state's attorney who replaced her, closed the case instead. "The office of the legislative inspector general in Illinois is broken," Porter wrote in an op-ed published online Tuesday by the Chicago Tribune. "... But the legislative inspector general is not independent," she continued. "Unless and until the legislature changes the structure and rules governing the LIG, it is a powerless role, and no LIG -- no matter how qualified, hardworking and persistent -- can effectively serve the public." The op-ed went on to say lawmakers have not done much to address long-standing issues in the Statehouse. Porter wrote that the "key one is that the legislative inspector general cannot perform basic functions without permission from the Legislative Ethics Commission -- a body made up entirely of Illinois legislators who have inherent conflicts of interest in serving on the commission." The op-ed from Porter is disturbing on many levels, not the least of which is the troubling history of legislators' seeming disregard for the importance of having a watchdog over them. Thomas Homer, who left the post in June 2014, said as he was departing that major changes needed to be made in the state's ethics law so lawmakers could actually be held accountable if found in the wrong. He advocated for transparency in the process because "reports finding lawmaker misconduct are unlikely to ever see the light of day," the Tribune reported. His parting words clearly had no effect, as the job remained vacant until November 2017, when Porter was hired. That only happened because activist Denise Rotheimer testified during a House hearing that she was sexually harassed in 2016 by state Sen. Ira Silverstein, D-Chicago, and her complaint had gone unaddressed for almost a year. (Silverstein was cleared of the sexual harassment allegations, although Porter did say he behaved "in a manner unbecoming a legislator."). During that House hearing, it was revealed that more than 25 complaints against members of the General Assembly had been filed, but had been essentially ignored, because legislative leaders hadn't hired anyone for the inspector general post since Homer left. Porter was quickly appointed to the job. Lawmakers changed the law so that the LIG could investigate sexual harassment complaints without getting permission from the Legislative Ethics Commission. Perhaps future allegations would be treated more seriously and in a more transparent manner? Porter's op-ed suggests that is wishful thinking unless the ethics commission's members aren't lawmakers. She also advises that the inspector general be allowed to publish reports on founded allegations without the approval of the commission. State Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Raymond, chairs the ethics committee. She told the Tribune the bipartisan commission unanimously voted to not release the report. She also said the commission provides a "check and balance" on the work of the inspector general and Porter's ability to investigate was never hindered. The whole point of a legislative inspector general is to hold lawmakers accountable when needed -- which means removing them from the process of determining when that is warranted. Porter is correct in that lawmakers have an inherent conflict of interest. Lawmakers -- not all of them, but some -- continue to break the public's trust in a variety of ways. Restoring trust is going to take some bold actions. Legislators could start by allowing the legislative inspector general to decide which reports the public needs to see. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 " " Hundreds of explorers tried to locate the Northwest Passage, the polar sea route that links the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. Many attempts ended badly. Photos.com/Getty Images The Arctic and the Antarctic were two of the world's last frontiers. Some thought Biblical giants stalked the North Pole. Other beliefs were even more fantastic: An 1885 book written by the president of Boston College claimed that the Arctic was the "cradle of the human race" because way back in ancient times, mankind was supposedly created up there. To learn the truth about the poles, expeditions were organized by global superpowers and financial titans. It was a dangerous business. Tragedy often befell those brave souls who ventured into the frozen unknown, fighting the furious elements in pursuit of scientific knowledge, national glory or lucrative trade routes. From freezing diarists to vanishing ships, here are five chilling tales of disaster and strife in polar exploration. Advertisement 1. The Lost Franklin Expedition (1845-?) In the Age of Sail, there was no Panama Canal. Desperate to find a shortcut to China and India, European trade interests set their eyes on the Arctic. Hundreds of explorers tried to locate the Northwest Passage, the polar sea route that links the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. Many attempts ended badly. One of those began on May 19, 1845, when Sir John Franklin of the British Royal Navy set out to find and cross the passage. That day, he left Greenhithe, England, with two ships under his command: The HMS Erebus and the HMS Terror. Altogether there were 129 officers and sailors divided between these vessels. None of them made it out of the Arctic alive. Salvaged documents from their doomed voyage tell us Franklin died in June 1847, two years after he left England. We also know the ships became frozen in place near the McClintock Channel for a considerable period of time and malnutrition and scurvy were probably rampant among the crew. Despite all this, some of the men were still alive in April 1848. Three crewmen were buried at Beechey Island in far north Canada. Other bodies and artifacts from the expedition including bones that show evidence of cannibalism have been found elsewhere in the region. The vessels themselves stayed hidden for more than 160 years. Archaeologists finally located the wrecks of Erebus and Terror at the bottom of the Queen Maud Gulf in 2014 and 2016, respectively. Learn more about the Franklin expedition in "Relics of the Franklin Expedition: Discovering Artifacts from the Doomed Arctic Voyage of 1845" by Garth Walpole (Author), Russell Potter (Editor). HowStuffWorks picks related titles based on books we think you'll like. Should you choose to buy one, we'll receive a portion of the sale. Advertisement 2. The Jeannette Expedition (1879-1881) For 21 straight months, the USS Jeannette was trapped. She'd left San Francisco on July 8, 1879, with her 33-man crew. Financed by newspaper tycoon Gordon Bennett Jr. and overseen by the U.S. Navy, the adventurers hoped to become the first people in recorded history to visit the North Pole. But that September, the Jeannette was caught in a block of drifting sea ice. She remained stuck until June 12, 1881, when having been slowly crushed by the frozen water the vessel sank. Stranded about 497 miles (800 kilometers) north of the Siberian mainland, the crew began their long journey home. Twenty members of their party died en route, including George Washington De Long, the Jeannette's captain. The survivors were able to find rescue after some of them made it to the Russian settlement of North Bulun. Though they'd failed to reach the North Pole, the Jeannette explorers did discover some new Arctic islands, one of which they named after Bennett. Learn more about the Jeannette expedition in "Rough Weather All Day: An Account of the Jeannette Search Expedition" by David Hirzel. HowStuffWorks picks related titles based on books we think you'll like. Should you choose to buy one, we'll receive a portion of the sale. Advertisement 3. The Fiala-Ziegler Expedition (1903-1905) Millionaire William Ziegler sponsored another American mission to the North Pole that launched in 1901. The campaign was a bust: Ziegler's team returned in 1902 after its leader cut the journey short. But on the bright side, the trip produced some wonderful motion picture footage. It was shot by cameraman Anthony Fiala, whom Ziegler put in charge of a second North Pole expedition in 1903. Fiala and 38 subordinates reached Rudolf Island up in the Barents Sea only to see pack ice destroy their ship. Stranded above the Arctic Circle, the team spent two years waiting to be rescued. To survive, the men ate polar bears, walruses and hordes of other game animals while burning coal they'd found on the island. The Terra Nova whaler ship eventually came and rescued the crew in 1905. Despite everything they'd suffered through, only one of Fiala's crewmembers had died by the time the Terra Nova found them. Learn more about the Fiala-Ziegler expedition in "The Ziegler Polar Expedition 1903-1905 Scientific Results Anthony Fiala, Commander" by William; John A. Fleming (ed.) Peters (Author). HowStuffWorks picks related titles based on books we think you'll like. Should you choose to buy one, we'll receive a portion of the sale. Advertisement 4. The Terra Nova Expedition (1910-1913) There's some uncertainty about who reached the North Pole first. But the Neil Armstrong of South Pole exploration was undoubtedly Roald Amundsen. A veteran Norwegian explorer, Amundsen became the first man to set foot on the South Pole when he arrived there on Dec. 14, 1912, with his sled dog-propelled team. Amundsen and his team won a 99-day race. While the Norwegians slogged across Antarctica, they were pursued by the British Navy captain Robert Falcon Scott. On Nov. 1, 1911, Scott and an initial party of 14 men left their coastal base camp on Ross Island. From there, they headed inland. (Incidentally, the ship that took Scott to Antarctica in the first place was none other than the Terra Nova, Anthony FIala's rescue vessel.) Most of Scott's companions broke away and went back to Ross Island; only four men were still with him when he finally arrived at the South Pole on Jan. 17, 1912. Amundsen had beaten the Brits by more than a month. And the worst was yet to come. One by one, Scott and his four colleagues perished on their return trip. The captain's recovered diary is a grim testament to their fate. Learn more about the Terra Nova expedition in "With Scott to the Pole: The Terra Nova Expedition 1910-1913" by Herbert G. Ponting. HowStuffWorks picks related titles based on books we think you'll like. Should you choose to buy one, we'll receive a portion of the sale. Advertisement 5. The Australasian Antarctic Expedition (1911-1914) Scientifically, this trip was a success. Expedition leader Douglas Mawson and his companions mapped out little-known terrain, discovered new species and found the first Antarctic meteorite. But one portion of the expedition was marred by suffering and death. Wanting to survey an especially remote part of Antarctica, Mawson left the base camp at Commonwealth Bay on Nov. 10, 1912, with two colleagues and 16 huskies. Then on Dec. 14, when they were all 310 miles (500 kilometers) away from camp, one of the men fell into a crevasse and died. His sledge went down with him, as did most of the team's food supply. To survive, Mawson and his other colleague had to eat their own dogs. Alas, the other man soon died as well. Traveling alone, Mawson walked for 32 days and more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) of Antarctic wasteland. En route, the soles of his feet fell off. Mawson arrived back to the base camp area just in time to watch an Australia-bound ship sailing away. He was forced to stay in Antarctica for another winter with a contingent of expedition members who were waiting for him. Learn more about the Australasian Antarctic Expedition in "Aurora - Douglas Mawson & The Australasian Antarctic Expedition 1911-14" by Beau Riffenburgh. HowStuffWorks picks related titles based on books we think you'll like. Should you choose to buy one, we'll receive a portion of the sale. NOW THAT'S INTERESTING In 1913 and 1914 years after his Arctic snafu Anthony Fiala tagged along with former U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt on an expedition through the Amazon. My names Will Capers. For almost nine years, Ive blogged on various topics. I blogged as Blaque Ink first, and as Brotha Wolf second. The latter had a mu... 2 years ago 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. Not sure I would have picked this book up had I not just enjoyed the first two books in Signe Pikes 'The Lost Queen' series. You know how you find an autho... 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 The Plausibility/Second Medical Use session at Fordham IP The "patent bargain" is conceptually similar moderated by, focused on two key issues: (1) what do you need in order to get a patent for a second medical use and (2) when can you enforce that patent?Kat friend and Fordham guest Kat,reports on the session.Over tostarted the discussion by outlining infringement of second medical use patents in German case law. An important difference from the approach taken by the UK Supreme Court inis that in Germany second medical use claims (whether Swiss form or EPC 2000 form) are always purpose-bound product claims, rather than method claims.Recent case law of the Dusseldorf Court of Appeal has extended the protection to forms of use beyond manifest arrangements when the use can be related to the protected purpose of the substance. This requires (i) that the substance is suitable for the protected second medical use, (ii) the use is of some significance and (iii) the implementer knows about it or blinds himself and in this way takes advantage of circumstances that allows the substance to be used for the protected purpose. In the recentcase it was found that there was no expectation of a future infringing use and therefore no injunctive relief was granted.Unrestricted injunctive relief is not available when such an order would not only cover the second medical use but also use not protected by the patent. So how can the injunction be tailored to the second medical use alone? It is a controversial legal issue whether inclusion of a statement that the product must not be used for the second medical use in the patient information leaflet is compatible with EU law on the authorisation of medical products. Alternative injunctive relief that has been requested is only allowing marketing of a product after alleged the infringer has contacted professional associations of doctors or pharmacists, although at the moment there is no legal basis for requiring associations to comply and it entirely depends on their willingness to cooperate.The take home message is that the law on second medical use patents is very much a work in progress. The courts are struggling with this and a reference to the CJEU may well be required in Germany.then presented on the new problems created by (1) DNA patents and (2) second medical use. What these have in common is that they both involve attempts to patent products (new or old) on the basis that they may have some beneficial use but clinical trials are required to prove as much and, of course, that cannot be done until after the patent has already been applied for. For a DNA patent the question is one of industrial applicability, whereas for second medical use the question is one of sufficiency. But really these are one and the same question: how far upstream into research on the potential use of a product can a patent be obtained?In the Supreme Court case of[2011], the BioIndustry Association made submissions on the extent of R&D funding necessary after discovery of a naturally occurring molecule and the importance of funders being reasonably confident that a patent will be granted. But it was also stated that the purpose of the patent system is not to reserve an unexplored field for research for the applicant. In Lord Hoffmans view this was a misnomer, as, practically, that was what the patentee was doing in preserving neutrokine- for themselves. The real question is whether this is justified? What is the purpose of the patent system?contains no discussion of this question. If the purpose is to provide an incentive to innovate by rewarding successful innovation, why not wait until the inventor has delivered the goods?In 1977 Edmund Kitch said that the grant of a patent could also have the purpose of encouraging further research on the patented subject matter, giving an analogy to a mining claim of staking out an area for further research. This has the advantages of avoiding wasteful duplication of further research by competitors and enables funding to be obtained, although this of course raises concerns about competition issues. On the other hand, an upstream patent does not exclude further research in competitors but may result in both parties needing each others licence to market the competitors product. Further, if a patent is granted early, it will expire early and the public will gain benefits earlier.Thecase again raised the question of whether a patentee can mark out a field in which he will have protection while undertaking further research. The Supreme Court notably made no mention of any of these policy issues - neither did they refer to thecase - instead choosing to focus on analysing the EPO case law in the obscure area of plausibility.then dealt with Plausibility in the UK following the Supreme Courts decision in [2018] UKSC 55 . In short, the result is that we still have plausibility. It is said to be a low hurdle, but still one that patentees sometimes do not get over, as was the case for Warner Lambert. Whilst there was a split decision on plausibility / sufficiency of the claims covering neuropathic pain, the majority view was that neither the treatment of peripheral nor central neuropathic pain with pregabalin was plausible:The patent bargain was emphasised: patent monopoly must be in return for disclosing the invention. The leading case in the UK post pregabalin is [2019] EWHC 387 , where Arnold J also found that the plausibility threshold was not met.The key take home message is that plausibility is alive and well in the UK. Plausibility applies to all claim types but is particularly relevant to medical use claims, especially claims involving broad classes of compounds and/or lists of therapeutic uses.then addressed infringement of medical use claims in Japan, where such uses must be protected by product claims. The scope of medical use claims is determined by the Label doctrine: transferring the product constitutes infringement of a medical use claim only when it is transferred with a label which shows that it is for the claimed use. Pharmaceutical products are always transferred with a package insert, which is required by law to designate the indication, dosage and administration of the product.In the case of(Tokyo D, Ct., April 2002), concerning a claim for a prophylactic agent, infringement was found based on the description in the package inserts after examining the dosage and administration information in detail. In contrast in(I.P. H. Ct. July 2016), where the claim was to a specific dosing regimen, no infringement was found. The label doctrine is supported by the practice of pharmaceutical regulations in Japan as drugs must be used for the use designated in the package insert to be covered by national insurance.Lastlyaddressed the American view on Plausibility, first explaining that there are no second medical use claims in the US, because method of treatment claims are allowed. England and America are said to be two countries separated by the same language. But is it the language that is different or is it the law?Credibility arises in the US in connection with the utility requirement. There must be a credible basis, but only one credible assertion of specific utility, not across entire breadth of the patent. The Written Description requirement was explained by the Federal Circuit inas the patentee needing to convey through the disclosure that it had possession of the claimed subject matter as of the filing date. Demonstrating possession requires precise definition of the invention. How does one show this precise definition?The concept of enablement again is similar to the European requirement. In (2009) the Federal Circuit stated that mere plausibility does not suffice to meet this requirement, if it did then patents could be obtained for little more than respectable guesses. This suggests that plausibility per se does not have the same meaning at the Federal Circuit as it now has in the UK. Plausibility of the disclosure supporting a claim is also not a requirement for unobviousness in the US.Panelistcommented that the real difficulty in Europe for patent applicants now is determining how much data there should be in your application. There are EPO cases which say you dont need any experimental evidence. Other decisions state that at least some mechanistic theory must be included. How is the applicant meant to square the circle and work out how much is enough? Particularly at the application date when the issue will be addressed at a later date if subject to opposition or national litigation? Patents are judged by different standard ten years later. That is a genuine problem and it is not clear how we solve that.A lively question and answer session followed.opened with: I am going to advance a proposition that the law has gone mad. An inventor tells you here is my invention, and he is right. He gives no details why it is going to work. Plausibility has got out of hand. Plausibility should only play a role when something is not plausible. We ought to be thinking very carefully about requiring clinical trials and evidence., speaking in her personal capacity, noted that in some EPO cases the test is that there must be no reason to doubt the invention. In comparison, the session questioned whether the UK has been unnecessarily strict in terms of the test advanced.commented that it must always be kept in mind that plausibility has two sides: sufficiency and obviousness. By and large the standard has to be the same and, in his personal view, the threshold should not be too high."Given the intense debate it will be interesting to see what resolution will agreed between National/Regional Groups and ultimately passed on the question of plausibility at this year's AIPPI Congress in London (to see AIPPI's plausibility study question, click). But amidst the international dialogue over this measures, Al Monitor published an article on Wednesday which suggested that the Islamic Republic might be affected even more seriously by an action that may still be forthcoming. The article explained: US national security adviser John Bolton and a group of hawkish lawmakers in Congress are agitating for the Trump administration to cancel three key waivers issued in November 2018, when the United States re-imposed secondary sanctions on Iran. The waivers allow signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal to engage in technical work at three key sites in Irans nuclear program. Such foreign collaboration ostensibly serves to help the Islamic Republic undertake actions that will make it better able to comply with the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action while still advancing the development of a civilian nuclear program. But from the perspective of Bolton and others, perhaps including President Donald Trump himself, the waivers no doubt represent an undesirable safeguard on the implementation of an agreement that the US pulled out of in May of last year. The Al Monitor article further explained that because the relevant technical work is left up to commercial enterprises, the waivers represent a blind spot in the provisions for multilateral enforcement of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Following the American withdrawal, the remaining signatories have been working to keep the agreement in force, with the E3 France, Germany, and the United Kingdom even going so far as to establish a special purpose vehicle for avoiding US sanctions on transactions with Iran. But this mechanism has yet to become truly functional, and many observers doubt both the willingness and the ability of the European nations to openly defy US sanctions. If the White House elects to withdraw the relevant waivers, it could precipitate the complete collapse of the JCPOA. As evidenced by the widespread compliance with sanctions on Irans oil economy, it is extremely unlikely that any commercial enterprise with interests in the US would accept the risk of doing business with Iran in the nuclear sphere. And in absence of existing supports for Irans permissible nuclear work, the nations leadership may finally abandon an agreement that it has already been complaining bitterly about. To date, those complaints refer primarily to the Islamic Republics supposed inability to take full advantage of the initial sanctions relief and subsequent explorations of trade partnerships in the West. And naturally those complaints have accelerated over the past year. Even without support from the E3, China, and Russia, the pressure emanating from Washington has helped to drive Iran into its worst recession since 2012. Even so, the White House remains reasonably far away from achieving its goal of maximum pressure, for which the participation of European allies would surely be necessary. The removal of waivers on nuclear collaboration could leave those allies with little other choice in the matter. And furthermore, the Trump administrations argument for maximum pressure may be strengthened by ongoing reports about the effect of sanctions upon the regimes various malign activities, including its support of terrorism. On Wednesday, Bloomberg reported that Hassan Nasrallah, the head of the Iran-backed Lebanese paramilitary Hezbollah, had begun appealing to the local population to donate money for the groups budget, in anticipation of crucial Iranian support being lost as new sanctions take hold. The same report noted that Irans Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh had echoed the regimes defiant talking points by saying Tehran would act wholeheartedly to break U.S. sanctions and continue the flow of capital to Iranian partners and allies. But this may be all the more difficult to achieve if the US first breaks the already tenuous ties between the Islamic Republic and vital Western markets. Welcome, Neighbor! Thank you for sharing my journey with me. It's a bumpy ride, but hopefully you'll find it worthwhile! To reach out to me, send me an e-mail at jamesbradfordpate@yahoo.com. UPDATE: Victim of weekend Charleston shooting hit in abdomen; no arrests made yet CHARLESTON Police officers are searching for a suspect who reportedly shot and wounded a man Sunday afternoon in Charleston. Chief Chad Reed of the Charleston Police Department said early Sunday evening that the shooting occurred at approximately 3:05 p.m in the hallway of an apartment building near A Street and Buchanan Avenue. This location is adjacent to Pizza Hut, about three blocks north of Eastern Illinois University's O'Brien Field. Reed said the victim was taken to an area hospital for treatment of injuries. Coles County emergency response scanner communications indicated that the man was airlifted from the Coles County Memorial Airport to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. No suspects have been taken into custody yet in connection with the shooting, Reed said early Sunday evening. Scanner communications indicated that police officers from multiple agencies were called in to secure the crime scene and conduct searches. Contact Rob Stroud at (217) 238-6861. Follow him on Twitter: @TheRobStroud Love 6 Funny 3 Wow 3 Sad 15 Angry 18 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CHICAGO The Illinois State Police have seen a slow but steady decline in the number of troopers, leaving many to wonder if there are enough officers to patrol roads and oversee the concealed-carry gun program. The number of troopers has dropped by almost 20% over the past 20 years, according to data from the state police. Spending cuts, retirements, new duties and a recent state budget stalemate have been factors. "This is a gradual deterioration that has occurred in both Democratic and Republican administrations," said Brendan Kelly, acting director of the state police. "While that has happened, the responsibilities and duties set forth by the Legislature have only grown." The Chicago Tribune reports there are efforts to rebuild the force, with Gov. J.B. Pritzker proposing $7 million to train two new cadet classes at the police academy. Officials are also trying to come up with ideas to bring in more applicants, including a reassessment of the educational requirements for the job. Kelly, who was selected by Pritzker to run the agency, said he's open to ending a four-year college degree requirement for recruits and instead requiring an associate's degree. State police employed 1,794 troopers in 2018, a steep decline from the 2,201 troopers in 2001. Trooper Christopher Lambert, 34, was fatally struck by motorist while directing traffic. In March, troopers Brooke Jones-Story, also 34, and Gerald Ellis, 36, were killed in separate crashes in two days. Sixteen troopers have been hit by vehicles this year, which is a historically high number. Joe Moon, president of the Illinois police union, said orders from the Legislature, such as overseeing gun licenses for concealed-carry owners, have caused additional burdens by asking the agency to "do more with less." Moon said there aren't enough troopers to regularly put at least one along roads in every county. He said motorists are taking advantage of it. "When you can drive 300 miles and only see one trooper that's a problem," Moon said. "People are driving with impunity, and they are driving distracted on top of that." The next class of trainees is scheduled to start Sunday at the academy in Springfield. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 1. Comments must not be racist, misogynistic, homophobic, or otherwise bigoted. 2. Comments must not involve little more than name-calling and insulting remarks. 3. Comments must not be made by "anonymous" or "unknown". 4. Comments must not try to sneak in some free advertising for themselves (like spam). I invite anyone who wishes to comment on this blog to do so. I enjoy the comments, whether you agree with what I have said or not. But some people want to abuse the right to comment, and since this is my blog, I have decided to lay down the following rules. If your comment violates these rules, it will not be published. Our guide, Tatiana Globa, 22, had recently taken a group into a Pripyat elementary school, only to be met by a giant moose. "We backed out of there fast," she said. "I was really scared. It was huge, and they can be mean." On our tour, Globa pointed out radiation "hot spots," including the red forest where trees had turned red and orange. As our bus quickly moved through a section of the woods, our Geiger counters screamed warnings with rapid beeping. We visited Pripyat's iconic amusement park, with its faded yellow Ferris wheel and its sad, decaying bumper cars that never gave a ride to a single child; the park was set to open the week after the explosion. There's an enormous sense of loss touring Pripyat, as if the town's population had been suddenly wiped out rather than resettled. A sense of grief followed us as we traipsed through some of the few villages that hadn't been bulldozed _ kitchen tables set as if the family were about to sit down _ and poked around deserted schools and hospitals where firefighters were first treated. The remains of their highly radiated clothing still send Geiger counters bleeping and Globa shouting, "Don't touch!" In 1986, Goins completed his service as a sergeant in the Marine Corps and began a career in financial services. After holding leadership positions at some of the nations most prestigious financial companies, he was named executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Cabelas Worlds Foremost Bank and vice president of the Cabelas Retail Corporation. More recently, Goins served as vice president of operations and site leader for Capital One, currently the card that supports the Bass Pro Shop/Cabelas program. He also held leadership roles at Ford Motor Company and the United States Automobile Association (USAA). He most recently served as the chief business optimizer at Business Optimizers and Partners, LLC in Lincoln. If you want to anger almost any American farmer, write something less than flattering about the declining use of biofuels especially ethanol in the U.S. today. If you want to really anger almost any American farmer, write something unflattering about biofuels especially ethanol that includes the sentence, U.S. farmers, particularly cornbelt farmers, have gotten a really bad deal from the Trump Administration on the biofuels front. Both statements are true, according to Scott Irwin, an agricultural economist at the University of Illinois who, word-for-word, offered the latter one. On April 12, Irwin, who specializes in evaluating the economic factors that affect corn and soybean prices, published an analysis of todays ethanol market on the universitys farmdocDAILY website under the workmanlike title of Implications of Recent Trends in U.S. Gasoline Consumption for Ethanol. The seven-page report, however, was anything but workmanlike. For example, in it Irwin calculated that a forecasted 26.1-billion-gallon decline in yearly U.S. gasoline usage by 2030 will drain 2.6 billion gallons of U.S. ethanol use from this years estimated 14.3 billion gallons over the next decade. Even in those two years, internet sales are just increasing exponentially, Knittel said. How much of an impact does this have on the states overall revenue? Online marketplace sales are still a small portion of total sales tax revenue. Wolfs budget projected $11.1 billion in total state sales tax revenue for the current fiscal year. But because revenue reports often track growth in revenue sources compared to the previous fiscal year, the boost from online marketplace sales helps the sales tax revenue collections show substantial growth. Its boosting the growth rate, Knittel said, even though its a small portion of the total. What about other states? Before the Supreme Courts decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Pennsylvania officials said they were one of a handful of states that had tax requirements for online marketplaces. That number has now grown. New Jersey, for example, passed its own law for taxing online marketplace sales. That went into effect in November. The book makes it clear that only JFKs bold vision and unflagging support of the proposed moon landing could have accomplished the monumental effort involved. As Journal Star reporter Don Walton has noted, Lincolnite Ted Sorensen, who wrote most of Kennedys soaring speeches, is mentioned prominently in the book. An unmanned Apollo nose capsule was displayed on the UNL campus from the 1970s through the '90s before being sent to the SAC Museum near Gretna where it now rests. Nebraska mirrors the nations widespread support for Americas space program during past decades. After finishing the book, the reader will realize that todays partisan politics would preclude the massive congressional financial support necessary to accomplish the scientific goals of the Apollo missions. The lukewarm response and minimal media coverage of the present administrations vow to return to the moon should underscore this fact. Finally, readers expecting a book examining the astronauts as individuals involved in completing the dangerous mission may be disappointed. The actual Apollo 11 journey is hardly mentioned until the books end. Those anticipating a thrilling ride in space should first read Robert Kursons Rocket Men, describing the Apollo 8 voyage around the moon, or rent Ron Howards movie Apollo 13. J. Kemper Campbell M.D. is a retired Lincoln ophthalmologist who has not yet bought his ticket on Elon Musks SpaceX trip around the moon (estimated cost- $175 million/seat). Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Lancaster County will foot the $3,080 bill for bringing a man suspected of killing two people in Otoe County back to Nebraska in what the sheriff there called a "nice gesture." Nearly a month after border agents arrested Brindar Jangir as he was trying to reenter the U.S. near San Diego on March 30, Jangir was flown back to Lincoln and appeared in Lancaster County Court on Thursday on his felony warrant for possession of a stolen handgun. Investigators here allege he stole the shotgun from a Lincoln home, then used it in the murders of Randal and Annette Grimes in Douglas on March 23. Douglas is 30 miles southeast of Lincoln. Randal Grimes, 56, and Annette Grimes, 51, were the parents of a woman Jangir was living with in Sioux City, Iowa, until she moved out March 12, according to court documents. Two Lancaster County deputies flew to San Diego, picked Jangir up and flew back with him last week, Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner said. Following his court appearance Thursday, Jangir was taken to the Otoe County jail in Nebraska City, Otoe County Sheriff Colin Caudill said. In the end, the buy-in was easy, Nan says. It went from an initial coffee and it has just grown. The spirit is moving and Im excited to see what ways it comes to life. The hard part was finding the right space. Nothing seemed to be the right fit or it had been booked far into the future. And then the Trinity United Methodist Church leader got a tip about Gateway Mall and its community initiative. Live 360, they call it, says Becky Sidles, mall marketing manager. We have valuable space out here and we want people to use it. Specifically, they want to turn the malls common areas, parking lots and empty storefronts into usable community-minded places. (The student art exhibit, for instance, is in the former Things Remembered space, across from Zales.) The marketing manager knew nothing about the Forgiveness Project which began in 2004 in Great Britain and has since spread around the world until Nan showed up in her office. I was immediately caught up in it and joined the committee. "There is no political inconvenience exception to the United States Constitution," Warren said at a televised forum on Monday. That's true. But the Constitution merely makes impeachment available to the House; it doesn't require it. Congress does have a duty to hold the president accountable for his actions, but impeachment is only one of several methods it can use. It's an option, but not a goal in itself. Democrats who hesitate to demand impeachment hearings aren't shirking their duty or excusing Trump's conduct. They might just be exercising prudent judgment -- and focusing on effective action instead of symbolic gestures. In any case, Pelosi isn't ruling out impeachment as firmly as she did a month ago. "If it is what we need to do to honor our responsibility to the Constitution -- if that's the place the facts take us -- that's the place we have to go," she told her colleagues. But she's still saying the question should wait until more evidence is gathered. That seems sensible. After more investigations, Americans will know better whether impeachment is warranted. Better to make that decision slowly and well, than fast but badly. Doyle McManus writes for the Los Angeles Times. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The 448-page Mueller report was finally released last week -- with black ink all over it. Some of those redactions may be related to the 14 cases Mueller listed as being referred to other prosecutors. The special counsel adopted a very conservative approach to his mission, which was strictly limited to determining whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. Mueller found no evidence that there was. Unless those 14 cases involve possible foreign interference, we're left, at the end of this process, with a loophole through which one could drive an armored tank -- en route to more nonsensical foreign wars Mueller's report shows that Trump's candidacy attracted assorted hustlers and clingers to power who were keen on positioning themselves between Trump and foreign interests, both in the final stretch of the campaign and in the transition phase. The report is rife with shady lobbyist types who, as self-styled emissaries for Trump, were connecting with Middle Eastern royals and Russian businessmen close to the Kremlin. Ruling party is correcting its flawed choice of leaders in district committees Days after the ruling communist party decided to conclude the unification of its district committees, top leaders are under pressure to correct the selection of leadership in at least a dozen districts. In some regards, the state has been a victim of its own success elsewhere. Sustained low unemployment rates, combined with aforementioned conditions, havent helped lure potential employees. Now, that Corrections and the union representing many prison workers have hammered out a deal that includes these long-awaited longevity bonuses, its time for the state to turn its attention to mitigating the impact of the inevitable overcrowding emergency. That deadline looms July 1, 2020, less than 15 months away. Yet the most recent survey of Nebraskas prison population indicates its risen to 163% of designed capacity, a far cry from the 140% threshold in state law that must be met to avoid triggering a release of more than 1,000 inmates. Nebraska cannot build its way out of this mess. It must make thoughtful investments for both prisoners and the workers who serve and protect them to improve its situation. The news of pay raises and bonuses for staff is welcome. Now, its time for similar progress in reducing overcrowding. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 On May 7, Lincoln voters will have the opportunity to approve five charter amendments. The most important amendment is labeled "gender neutral." The current charter has more than 100 references to males. It is important that our mothers, sisters, daughters and female friends feel that the charter is their charter. The language of the amendment makes it very clear that the charter applies equally to everyone; "the language of the Charter is to be gender neutral and should be interpreted as such." This is a very important change, and I ask that you approve it. The other four charter amendments provide for the removal of out-of-date language and questionable sections in the charter. The "Bond of Councilman" requires a $2,000 bond. This is blatantly unfair and could prevent people from running for office. It should be removed. The "Citizens Aid in Law Enforcement" section allows the mayor or police chief to draft citizens to assist in law enforcement. This is unconstitutional and would be ineffective and dangerous. It should be removed. The "Municipal Coal and Fuel Yard" is outdated and unneeded. It should be removed. RACINE COUNTY With warmer weather comes road construction, and the county has projects large and small scattered throughout ongoing and planned for the coming months. The Journal Times spoke with public works and roads officials around the county to see how residents travels could be affected this summer. Here are 14 of the most significant projects: Resurfacing of Highway 32 (Douglas Avenue) from Five Mile Road to Six Mile Road On May 1, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation is scheduled to start the $6 million, two-mile resurfacing project on Highway 32. While it is classified as a resurfacing, there are portions of road that will be reconstructed as part of the project. 6 Mile Road will be widened between highways 31 and 32, a traffic signal will be installed at the intersection of highways 31 and 32 and two new box culverts will be installed near Matthew Lane and Harvest Lane. Contractor Payne & Dolan plans to complete the project by fall, dependent on weather. Reconstruction of Douglas Avenue from State Street to Hamilton Street The reconstruction will close the road to traffic except for limited prearranged business access, according to John Rooney, Racine city engineer. The posted detour will be along State, Main and Hamilton streets for northbound and southbound traffic. The project has not been bid out yet, but the timeline is expected to be between three and four months from early summer to early fall. Reconstruction of Three Mile Road from 150 feet east of Douglas Avenue to 480 feet west of La Salle Street Caledonia and Racine are jointly handling the project, with Racine covering design and construction oversight. Three Mile Road will be closed from just west of LaSalle Street to Charles Street, except for certain business access. The posted detour will be from Douglas Avenue to South Street to La Salle Street. The road will be open to westbound traffic only only from Charles Street to Highway 32 (Douglas Avenue). Quarry trucks will take Four Mile Road to Charles Street to retrieve loads, then go west on Three Mile Road to Highway 32. Reconstruction of South Emmertsen Road from 16th Street to Washington Avenue (Highway 20) The project is expected to last from July to late summer or early fall, though construction could be pushed to 2020, said Tony Beyer, Mount Pleasant village engineer. The road will be open to local traffic. Reconstruction of 16th Street from Oakes Road to Highway 31 (South Green Bay Road) This ongoing project should be substantially complete by the end of the summer, Beyer said. The street is closed from Oakes Road to Emmertsen Road, but will remain open to one-way traffic from Emmertsen Road to Highway 31. The intersection of 16th Street and Highway 31 will be closed next weekend, May 3-6, for around-the-clock work related to the project. Reconstruction of Grand Avenue from Seventh Street to 12th Street The road will be closed to traffic, Rooney said. Bus routes will utilize Villa and Center streets. The project has not been bid out yet, but should last three to four months from early summer to early fall. Resurfacing of West Seven Mile Road from Nicholson Road to the Root River Bridge The project is scheduled to be bid out in May, according to Tom Lazcano, Caledonias public works director. While originally scheduled for summer, Lazcano said he wants to push the project back to fall to avoid conflict with the Highway 32 reconstruction detour route. The road should remain open to one-way traffic using flagging operations over the course of the three- to four-day project. Resurfacing of West River Road from Six Mile Road to Seven Mile Road The project is expected to bid out in May, Lazcano said. Work is expected to start in June or July, dependent on contractor schedules. Like the Seven Mile Road project, the road should remain open to one-way traffic via flagging operations and last three to four days. Resurfacing of West State Street/Milwaukee Avenue from Elmwood Avenue to Lewis Street This half-mile resurfacing project is expected to be bid out within a few weeks, said Peter Riggs, Burlingtons public works director. A small amount of sanitary sewer replacement will also be involved. Work is expected to be completed before school starts back up. Reconstruction of Highway MM from Highway 31 to Highway 38 The much-maligned, extensively delayed Highway MM reconstruction has been in progress for about a year. It is unclear what the current expected completion date is. Reconstruction of Highway 20/83 from Buena Park Road to Highway 36 This DOT project started construction in January. It involves a reconstruction of Highway 20/83 through Downtown Waterford from Buena Park Road in Waterford to Highway 36 in Rochester, including a reconstruction of the bridge over the Fox River. The anticipated completion date is this fall, according to the DOT website. Reconstruction of Interstate 94 from Highway G to College Avenue The northern segment of the 35-mile I-94 reconstruction stretches into Milwaukee County. Work is scheduled to finish by Memorial Day 2020. Reconstruction of I-94 from Highway 20 to Highway G The central portion of the I-94 reconstruction is on track to be completed by late 2019. Reconstruction of I-94 from Highway 142 to Highway 20 The southern portion of the I-94 reconstruction, running from Kenosha County to Racine County, is scheduled to be completed by late 2019. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 7 Sad 3 Angry 11 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The City of Racine captured an honor this month when it was designated a Smart City, one of five cities selected nationwide by the Smart Cities Council, a national network of consultants and technology experts and stakeholders. Dont take a bow yet, the work is just beginning. The challenge for Smart Cities is to use data to make their communities better, to make them more efficient in delivery of services, to make them more responsive to the needs and wants of their citizens. In other words to become smarter. Racine is not alone in its efforts it was supported in getting the designation by the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Gateway Technical College and Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave and others who see the Racine test as one that could expand and apply to their needs as well. No, there is no big pot of money associated with the award but it does offer access to national and local experts to identify and collaborate on solutions to problems or ways to enhance the liveability and productivity of the city. It is not, as Peggy James, dean of Social Studies at the UW-Parkside, talking about cities with flying vehicles 300 years from now its about better using information and data, some of which is already collected, to be responsive to a citys needs. That can be some small things Delagrave gave the example of a smart park, which collects data on what equipment is used and what people do at the park in order to put the information to use for planning new parks or changing existing parks. Or it can be larger things things like improving emergency services by syncing police and fire vehicles and ambulances with traffic lights; transportation systems to better serve low-income residents; using drone technology to assist law enforcement; boosting wireless internet access; or using sensors to notify emergency services if an elderly person has fallen down or cant get out of bed. Its a nice award, but its an even better challenge to use information and data to better use existing resources efficiently and develop new ones that will better serve area residents. It will take a collaborative effort, and its good to see the city has already gotten support from other area institutions and governments. Its a challenge to be innovative for a city that has a storied history for invention and innovation. And its going to be boots-on-the-ground practical and not pie in the sky. As Parksides James put it, Its going to happen; this isnt just the flavor of the year. This is going to happen, so doing it right now will be absolutely excellent for southeastern Wisconsin. So lets be smart about it. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 When I first moved to Racine, I knew very little about our town but over the last 15 years, I have learned that we live in a special place. Its a place filled with history, with tradition and with family values. It was known by travelers as the Belle City of the Lakes, or invention city if you were an entrepreneur looking to make your mark in the emerging industrial age. Did you know that Racine High School (1851) was the first public high school in the state and that Gateway (1911) was the first publicly funded technical college in the nation? One of the worlds first automobiles was built in Racine in 1871 by Dr. J. W. Cathcart, as was the Pennington Victoria tricycle. Today, we celebrate it as the Kringle Capital of the World, as a city where the re-invention of advanced manufacturing, or Industry 4.0, is taking place, and a place marked by early pioneering efforts in smart city technology applications. Whether you enjoy reminiscing about the past or are visioning about the future one thing that is true, Racine is our home. Recently, Carthage College hosted a community forum with authors James and Deborah Fallows. The focus of the discussion was on their new book Our Town: A 100,000 Mile Journey into the Heart of America. In the book, they describe the conditions, events and stories of the people in 29 towns across America, concluding with common elements that successful towns have in common, what they call 10 signs of civic success. These are things such as people working together on practical local possibilities rather than allowing bitter disagreements about politics to keep them apart, and people knowing the civic story about their community. They spoke about the importance of public-private partnerships and that successful towns have distinctive and innovative schools. Number seven on their list of characteristics was They have, and care about, their community college. That is where I will end my comments. We are fortunate that our civic leaders had the vision and courage to start Gateway more than a century ago and to leverage its resource capacity to work through the good times and challenging times for the betterment of our town. Gateway Technical College is proud to be on this journey with you. Bryan Albrecht is president and CEO of Gateway Technical College. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 - Vice Ganda has made headlines once again for showing his concern towards Kuya Escort Ion Perez - Netizens claim that Ion was seen with Vices bodyguard during his penance for this years holy week - Vices act of kindness elicited reactions from the online community PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed A video of Kapamilya star Vice Ganda and Kuya Escort Ion Perez recently went viral. For this years holy week, KAMI learned that Ion joined other people in their penitence as part of his yearly tradition. Aside from this, various reports have been made that people also spotted Vices bodyguard together with Ion during his penitence. It can be remembered that the Kapamilya star went to Japan alone for his holy week vacation which surprised netizens as Vice is always seen with his bodyguard whenever he travels. The video also garnered reactions among netizens on social media. "Vice ganda sobrang bait mo kaya ka pinagpapala at more blessings sa buhay mo, down to earth ka, sana balang araw makita kita sa personal, god bless you vice idol ganda." "Wow sweet nman ni meme Vice.. Stay inlove meme deserve mo yan Hindi yung kami lng pinpasaya mo dapat masaya ka din.." "grabe si meme...love talaga si dadddi ion...love is real......very happy ako para inyo." "Sobrang nakaka kilig naman. I wish and pray na kayo na lang sana hanggang sa huli. I love you meme and ion." "Seryoso talaga si Ion sa kanya.. To all haters and bashers ni Ion, ngayon niyo sabihin na pera lang ang dahilan kung bakit pinatulan si Vice ni Ion.. Dahil kung pera lang ang habol ni Ion edi sana sumama siya kay Vice sa Japan.." PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! As reported earlier by KAMI, pictures of Vice Ganda in a queue while waiting for his turn to order in a fast food chain elicited positive reactions. His fans pointed out that despite his fame and wealth, he is still humble. Vice Ganda is a Filipino actor and comedian who already starred in several high-grossing films including Sisterakas, Praybeyt Benjamin, and Revengers Squad. He is best known for his stand-up routines, in which he uses observational comedy, situational irony and sarcasm in pertaining to Filipino culture. POPULAR: Read more news about Vice Ganda Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! In this video, we played a public prank on other people as one of our team member dances to Blackpink's Kill This Love! Check out more of our videos - on KAMI HumanMeter Youtube channel! Source: Kami.com.ph - Kapuso star Vic Sotto turned 65 today, April 28, 2019 - His wife Pauleen Luna also threw a surprise birthday party for him - The intimate gathering elicited reactions among netizens on social media PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Bossing Vic Sotto celebrated his 65th birthday together with his friends and family. The 'Eat Bulaga' host officially turned 65 today, April 28, 2019. His children Vico Sotto, Oyo Boy Sotto, Danica Sotto, and Paulina Sotto were all present at the gathering. KAMI learned that Bossings wife Pauleen Luna planned the surprise birthday party for him. Watch the video below: Danica also thanked Pauleen in one of her posts, My heart is so full. Grateful for the love and the gift of family and friends. Thank you @pauleenlunasotto for loving Dad so much! Success ang surprise! The party also garnered reactions among netizens who lauded Vic for raising his children well. "I salute these family kahit mag ka iba mother nila but they are so close pinalaki na mabubuting anak ni bossing. Kaya sobrang blessed. happy Birthday bossing vic!" "I appreciate pauline so much when danica acknowledged her for loving vic. True love exists!" "Gwapo parin Mr. Vic Sotto. Happy Birthday po! I've watched you since I was 5 years old until now. I admire you po." "Happy Birthday sa PINAKA mabuti at matulunging tao sa buong mundo! More birthdays to come and good health bossing... GOD BLESS PO!" "Happy Birthday to Mr. Vic Sotto of all artist. Isa ang nkatatak sa isip ko... a man with so much love for his children..." PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! As reported earlier by KAMI, Vico Sotto filed for candidacy as mayor of Pasig City back in October 2018. His father Vic Sotto accompanied him during his recent campaign in Pasig City. Vic Sotto married his fellow Kapuso star Pauleen Luna on January 30, 2016. She gave birth to her firstborn named Talitha or Tali Sotto on November 6, 2017. Vic and Pauleen are both hosts of Eat Bulaga, the longest noontime variety program in the Philippines. POPULAR: Read more news about Vic Sotto Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! In this video, we played a public prank on other people as one of our team member dances to Blackpink's Kill This Love! Check out more of our videos - on KAMI HumanMeter Youtube channel! Source: Kami.com.ph - Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo are celebrating their 10th year of being married - They both reaffirmed their love for each other through their heartfelt greetings in social media - Their followers and friends in showbiz gushed over their long-lasting relationship PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed! Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo both too to Instagram to reaffirm their love for each other in celebrating their 10th year wedding anniversary. Netizens and celebrities alike were simply gushing over how they maintained a sweet and long-lasting relationship. They professed their enduring love today today on April 28. In his post, Ryan wrote a part of lyrics of Where are You Going? by Dave Matthews Band. Verified I am no Superman, I have no answers for you, I am no hero, oh thats for sure. But I do know one thing, Thats where you are, Is where I belong, Where you go, Is where I want to be. #DMB 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! Judy Ann on her part wrote, "You are my heart, my soul, my life , my love... #10th. ," along with a picture of them together. Santos and Agoncillo tied the knot on April 28, 2009 in Batangas. They met during the shooting of the television series Krystala in 2004. In 2005, their relationship became official and they got engaged in 2008. The couple tied the knot at San Juan de Nepomuceno Church in San Juan, Batangas. They have two children, Juan Luis and Juana Luisa, and an adopted daughter, Yohan. The actress celebrated her 40th birthday on Thursday, May 10. POPULAR: Read more about Judy Ann Santos here Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! Blackpink: Kill This Love Dance Prank | HumanMeter Check out the public prank video filmed in the Philippines. Watch us do the Blackpink's Kill This Love Dance Prank in public. Some people laugh, some are shocked, others just don't care at all. Enjoy! Source: Kami.com.ph - Dani Barretto expressed how happy she is with the presence of her Garandma and cousins on the Legaspi side at her wedding - She took to Instagram to express her happiness but some of the netizens reacted why her biological father and step dad were not in the wedding - Many of them assumed that Dani did not invite both of them PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed! Dani Barretto took to Instagram to express her happiness for her grandma and cousins at the Legaspi side on her wedding day. She posted their pictures on Instagram and wrote, "It means the world to me to have my Lola, My momsy, attend my wedding. I Love you mama! You know i'll do anything for you." Dani Barretto's wedding pictures with grandma and cousins on the Legaspi side elicits reactions from the netizens Source: Instagram She also thanked her cousins Mavy and Cassy. Dani Barretto's wedding pictures with grandma and cousins on the Legaspi side elicits reactions from the netizens Source: Instagram Netizens reacted to this and speculated why both her biological and step dad were not able to attend the wedding. Some of them defended Dani and said it is their right to invite whom they want to because it is her wedding. 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! Some of them however questioned why she did not invite even just her step dad who treated her just like his own. Another netizen said it could be that they did not want the wedding to get sensationalized when both of them attended the wedding. The celebrity vlogger, who is part of the esteemed Barretto showbiz clan recently got married to Xavi Panlilio. POPULAR: Read more about Dani Barretto here Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! Blackpink: Kill This Love Dance Prank | HumanMeter Check out the public prank video filmed in the Philippines. Watch us do the Blackpink's Kill This Love Dance Prank in public. Some people laugh, some are shocked, others just don't care at all. Enjoy! Source: Kami.com.ph Border conundrum and Renu Underneath the rigidity of political borders in South Asia is the fluid poetic borderand it governs our culture and history 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. In cases of tragedy and genocide, well known are the victims and the villains. It is the stories of the saviors, those who administered aid and refuge in times of chaos, that often go untold. In recognition of the 25th anniversary of the acclaimed film Schindlers List, which follows the efforts of a German businessman who saves the lives of a thousand Jewish refugees, the Congregation Sons of Abraham has chosen the theme of the rescuer for its annual Holocaust Remembrance service and program. The Maureen and Robert Freedland Community Fund for Studies of the Shoah (Holocaust) of the La Crosse Community Foundation is sponsoring the lecture. Schindlers list added the new character of the rescuer, said Congregation Sons of Abraham Rabbi Saul (Simcha) Prombaum. What were trying to do is keep the spirit of Schindler alive: What do you do if someone bangs on your door and says, I need help? Do you hide them in your basement? Do you turn them away? The plight of the rescuer is, what do you do when you know something is right, you are taught about it in the Bible, but society is against helping the stranger? To be a rescuer means you have to stand outside the culture and be alone and say this is the right thing to do. The moral imperative needs to be stronger than the negative society around you. The program is 7 p.m. Wednesday, the eve of Holocaust Remembrance day in Israel, at Congregation Sons of Abraham synagogue, 1820 Main St. The program will feature a presentation by historian Michael Luick-Thrams entitled The Banality of Virtue: Midwestern Responses to the Holocaust, highlighting the antisemitism in the Midwest during World War II in addition to recognizing efforts of community members to welcome and integrate refugees escaping the Nazi regime in Europe. Of special focus will be the Scattergood Hostel in Iowa, opened in 1939 by Quaker farmers and college students as a sanctuary to Jews, political dissidents, intellectuals and artists fleeing Nazi-occupied countries. The program also will serve to honor Maureen and Bob Freedland, who will receive the 14th annual Gregory P. Wegner Recognition for Excellence in Holocaust Education Wegner Leaf, which will be added to the Congregation Sons of Abraham Tree of Life plaque. Named for University of Wisconsin-La Crosse professor and historian Wegner, the award has been bestowed on a Belgian eyewitness-resister, a personal historian, an attorney with a passion for teaching about the Shoah, an educational foundation director and a theater company. It means a great deal to us to be recognized for our work supporting Holocaust education, Bob Freedland said. We hope to grow the fund so that its work confronting hate, intolerance and even genocide will continue well beyond our own lives, as these funds are set up as endowment funds meaning the work continues forever. The interest in the lessons of the Holocaust by educators and students in the La Crosse area reflects the goodness of people of this community, and is noteworthy as the Jewish community here is small in number, Maureen Freedland said. I am thankful for their willingness to pursue Holocaust topics. The recipients of this award have contributed to meaningful, lifelong learning that shapes better citizens and neighbors, and we appreciate being added to this long list of recipients. The story of Scattergood, the Freedlands say, is a timely one as the nation struggles to reconcile immigration issues and address crisis worldwide. (The takeaway is that) each of us are our brothers and sisters keeper, Bob says. That we are here for them even if we live in La Crosse and whether the victims happen to be in New Zealand, Sri Lanka or Texas. That each of us are full members of humanity and need to speak up, to act, to organize, to fund-raise when we are called upon to do so. We may be called upon to act by events and not even by other people Luick-Thrams, a resident of Iowa and Germany, will touch on how echoes of antisemitism, hostility toward immigrants, and the xenophobia of the past can still be heard today in conjunction with his talk on Scattergood, which is itself marking an anniversary: 80 years. Luick-Thrams conducted interviews with 40 individuals who stayed in the Hostel, which one called a place of peace in a world of war, a haven amidst a world of hatred. Formerly a Quaker boarding school, Scattergood served from 1939 to 1943 as a volunteer-run rural safe haven to 185 European refugees, including those of Jewish and Christian faiths and agnostics, who took part in chores, farming and education in the English language and American culture, helping prepare them for occupations post war. They decided with their cohorts in Europe they were going to rescue 185 people and give them shelter, Prombaum said. The story is very compelling. This is the anniversary of that momentous time in Iowa when the question was asked, How do you help a fellow human being? The Quakers had their own moral standard to live by. Other Americans were not so welcoming, concerned about not only the financial impact of accepting refugees while still in the Great Depression but fearful and distrusting of those they perceived as outsiders. According to a poll published in a 1939 edition of Fortune Magazine, 83% of Americans were opposed to the admission of refugees. Jews were turned away when they wanted to enter the country. The world turned against refugees and that is a very painful topic for me, Prombaum said. We need to see the problems of the past are actually contemporary problems that never go away. When there is so much concern in this country about immigration, scapegoating and economic fears, we have to revisit this topic and say we have to learn from the past and not do these things that put members of the country in jeopardy. Prombaum praises the La Crosse community for having a zero tolerance for racism, noting the outpouring support of residents after both the 1995 graffitiing of swastikas on headstones near the synagogue and the recent spray painting of a racial slur on the garage of the Muslim-owned Bullet Cab company. He encourages community members to extend the same compassion to those new to our country, including those who are undocumented. People come here because they need help, not because they want to uproot their lives, Prombaum said. You have to develop a sense of what it is to have everything and help the person who has nothing. Dont just accept what you hear in the media about the other. Meet the people who are different than you. Dont be afraid of them. It should be noted that the mission of Scattergood did not extend to the Japanese after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. After strong resistance from the West Branch, Iowa, community, plans to reopen the hostel to Japanese refugees were abandoned. Says Maureen Freedland, We need to remember that even though so much good work was done at Scattergood, the failure to address the needs of displaced Japanese people when the opportunity arose indicates how we will always need to continue to be vigilant against intolerance and more work will remain to be done. Emily Pyrek can be reached at emily.pyrek@lee.net. Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., might want to work on making her free-college-and-debt-forgiveness plan more progressive. That might sound like a weird criticism for a candidate already vying for the left-most lane in the 2020 primary. But I dont mean progressive in the sense of more palatable synonym for liberal. I mean progressive in the sense of more generous to the poor than the wealthy. Warren deserves credit for focusing the 2020 campaign on Americas need to invest in human capital. A college degree is one of the best investments a person can make, with higher average returns than stocks, bonds, gold, housing. Some elements in Warrens plan are well-targeted to help the neediest and most marginal students enroll in postsecondary education, persist through graduation and succeed in the workplace. These include calls to expand Pell Grants, cover more non-tuition expenses and increase funding for historically black colleges and universities. But the core, blockbuster components of Warrens plan free four-year public college and a debt jubilee are more problematic. Thats because they give bigger benefits to higher-income families than to lower-income ones that actually need the help. Which raises questions not only about fairness but also about wasted dollars. Take the free tuition proposal. This would be a big giveaway to high-income families who plan to send their kids to college anyway and dont need to be comped. Free college means its free for Bill Gates kids, too, after all. You would get more bang for the buck if you offered more generous aid to low-income students, phasing it out as you move up the income ladder: free tuition for the poor (plus assistance for non-tuition expenses, as Warren proposes), highly subsidized tuition for the middle class and full freight for Gates children. The student-loan forgiveness plan has similar problems. Warren would wipe out up to $50,000 in debt for everyone in a household making up to $100,000, and then progressively smaller amounts for households with up to $250,000 (that is, households in the United States 95th income percentile). For context, despite sob stories suggesting that the typical young grad is a barista with $100,000 in debt, most students borrow much less and go on to earn much more. Among students who first enrolled in college in 2003, during the subsequent six years, 44 percent hadnt borrowed at all and another 25 percent had borrowed less than $10,000. Just 2 percent had borrowed more than $50,000. And who does that borrowing? Well, about half of all student debt is owed by people in the top income quartile; only 10 percent is owed by borrowers in the bottom quartile. Additionally, most student debt is owed by households who have graduate degrees, a population likely to have much higher lifetime earnings. In fact, these people are borrowing in order to make more money. Its no wonder, then, that the biggest beneficiaries of Warrens debt-forgiveness plan would be upper-income households, according to an analysis by Brookings Institution scholar Adam Looney. He finds that low-income borrowers (people beneath the bottom 20th income percentile) would save $569 in annual payments under the proposal, compared with $2,653 for those in the 80th to 90th percentiles. You might argue that political economy necessitates kicking some goodies to people who dont need them. Maybe you need to buy off wealthier voters to secure their support for helping the poor. But thats not the argument the Warren campaign makes. Rather, it emphasizes that the overall policy would still be progressive, because it would be funded by Warrens wealth tax. Its a redistribution from the richest 1 percent to the bottom 95 percent. The overall flow of money here is extremely progressive, a senior campaign aide told me. Maybe. But there are better ways to help the working and middle classes without transferring money from the 99th percentile to the 95th. In fact, we already have a program for doing this with student loans. Theyre called income-driven repayment plans, which typically cap monthly payments at 10 percent of discretionary income (that is, adjusted gross income minus 150 percent of the poverty threshold). They also generally offer forgiveness after 20 years. Under current law, almost every borrower is already eligible for these plans, but enrollment is low because A) people dont know about them and B) the red tape is a nightmare. I get it. Reduce red tape to make existing programs work better! is less sexy than Poof, everyones debts be gone! But if anyone could sell such practical wonkishness, its Warren. Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell can be reached at crampell@washpost.com. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 There was a beautifully written opinion article by Michael Meyer entitled The Quiet Revolt that Saved China in a recent Wall Street Journal. Forty years ago, there was a farmers commune in the small town of Xiaoguang in Anhui Province in East Central China. Farming together communally, the village produced not much more than the government quota of corn. The commune had very little corn left to get them through to the next harvest so these desperate families had to dig up roots, boiled poplar leaves with salt, and ground roast tree bark into flower. Families left their thatched roof homes and took to the road to beg. The article went on to say, On the night of Nov. 24, 1978, a farmer named Yan Hong Chang summoned the heads of the villages desperate families to a clandestine meeting. On paper torn from a childs school work book, the farmers wrote a 79-word pledge to divide the commune land into family plots, submit the required quota of corn to the state, and keep the rest for themselves. The farmers who signed the pledge knew they were risking prison or death by defying their overlords. Their pledge stated, We are prepared for death or prison and other commune members vow to raise our children till they are 18 years old. In the crop season of 1979, with each individual putting his efforts into his own separate private plot, the harvest was more than the combined total of all the harvests in that commune from 1955 to 1970. At that point they got a lucky break. The communist official just above their local commune eyeing the record harvest told Mr. Yan he would protect him and the rebellious farmers as long as their experiment didnt spread. The article further states, In Beijing, three years after Mao Zedongs death, Deng Xiaoping urged the Chinese to ignore political dogma and instead seek truth from facts. Collective farming was abolished. Is there any more compelling true story of life and death that proves the life-threatening consequences to any society that adopts socialism? Why are public high school students not taught these important truths about socialism? Harry Griswold is an attorney in West Salem. Love 1 Funny 7 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 0 Anyone complaining nothing is happening in La Crosse is not reading the paper. Several fires and explosions rocked the Xcel Energy French Island Generating Station. The cause of the fires remains under investigation. The fires ignited a debate in the conspiracy community: Were the fires a plot to justify a rate increase? Did Smokey Bear go rogue and turn firebug? A power failure at a La Crosse Public Library shut down the ventilation system and stopped air movement. The library closed for three hours. The power outage spurred debate in the conspiracy community: Was the power failure a plot to justify an emergency generator request? Did the mayor stage the power outage to secretly return an overdue library book? Voters approved legalizing medical marijuana but opposed a gas tax. Harveys boutique, Junk and Other Good Stuff, now hawks T-shirts that read, Vote pot tax and fill pot holes. The patient lies on the couch as Dr. Feelgood, a psychologist renowned for his shorthand and flawless spelling, takes notes: Patient: The moods change rapidly from sunny to gloomy, warm to frosty, calm to stormy and are punctuated by huge depressions. Doctor: Youre describing schizophrenia. Patient: No, Im describing La Crosse weather. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is refusing to testify in Wisconsins gerrymandering case, opening a new front in a long-running legal battle over how election maps are drawn. The Rochester Republican and his attorneys refused to accept a subpoena, turn over documents and agree to have him sit for a deposition. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, March 20, 2019 A public officials refusal to accept a court subpoena should be receiving massive scrutiny; instead, its gotten little press. Speaker Voss stonewalling is simply one more of an endless series of arrogant, high-handed actions by the Wisconsin Legislature. Vos and his Republican colleagues have worked diligently to become entrenched in power, making decisions with impunity, accountable to no one. Wisconsin Assembly members are up for election every two years. Early in 2011, Vos and his colleagues worked out a way to get around this inconvenience. Together with then-Gov. Scott Walker, they decided just exactly what district you, I, and the 5.8 million people of Wisconsin belong in. If you think our Legislature conducted meaningful hearings in the Capitol, guess again. A small number of Republican legislators and their aides did the redistricting, a crucial public matter, in the confines of the private office of a hired attorney. They signed nondisclosure agreements. Two years later, Vos responded to a subpoena for the computers used to gerrymander by stating he knew nothing about where the computers were. One glance at the Republicans geography-defying district map discloses all. In Wisconsin, instead of the people choosing representatives, we have representatives choosing which people get to vote for them. Aggressive gerrymandering works, and in Wisconsin it works to perfection. Last November, Republican Assembly candidates took a collective drubbing, 53% to 45%. Because of the crazy-quilt map they had imposed on us in 2011, 63 Republicans won, and get to represent 64% of Wisconsins districts. We can guess how many cigar wrappers were cracked open on election night 2018 by Republican legislators, celebrating their outstanding success at overriding the will of the people. (Hint: The GOP Assembly bloc is 91% male). The basic principle of democracy one person, one vote has been subverted. Instead, we have cracking and packing, the main techniques for insulating public officeholders from the will of the voters. Wisconsinites overwhelmingly oppose being cracked and packed. A January Marquette University poll found 72% endorsement for the formation of districts on a nonpartisan basis. Clear majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents are all in favor. Fair maps referenda have passed in multiple counties, most recently on April 2 in La Crosse and Vernon counties. I have found no public response by either Vos or Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald to the multiple calls by the people for nonpartisan redistricting. The GOPs reaction to these popular referenda has been made in private; I dont think the words would be printable in a family newspaper. For decades, the nonpartisan League of Women Voters has fought gerrymandering, warning us of legislators who might want to ensure their own job security by creating safe districts. Vos and Sen. Scott Fitzgerald have spent nearly $4 million of taxpayer money in legal costs to lock in these anti-democracy maps. Disenfranchised voters across the country are seeking relief in the courts. The vast majority of partisan gerrymanders have been carried out by Republican-dominated state legislatures (one exception: Maryland). The U.S. Supreme Court is on the verge of ruling on the gerrymandering issue. For more than 200 years, the court has prided itself on keeping distance from electoral politics. That came to a crashing dead end on December 12, 2000, as the court chose to decide the outcome of the 2000 presidential election in Bush v. Gore. Five Republican-appointed justices threw away their copies of the Constitution, and ordered Florida to end the recount mandated by Florida state law at candidate request. Vice President Al Gore, having defeated Texas Gov. George W. Bush by more than 547,000 votes nationally, was barred from possible victory; Gov. Bush was handed the keys to the White House. We shouldnt hold our breath waiting for the current Supreme Court to issue a fair and impartial gerrymandering ruling. Theres an adage thats been attributed to Benjamin Franklin. It goes: Democracy is two wolves and a lamb deciding what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote. Until we find a way to break up the GOP cartel, we the people will remain on the menu. Ron Malzer of La Crosse is a retired psychologist and family medicine educator. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 The editorial board of the La Crosse Tribune continues to be enriched by our community members. Mary Jo Werner and Rick Kyte provide invaluable insight, community knowledge, perspective and expertise that help shape our coverage as well as our editorials. They join us for discussions with political and community leaders, and they help us better understand the community we serve in countless ways. Mary Jo serves on nationwide panels shaping federal tax policy and spends countless hours volunteering in our community. Rick speaks around the country on ethics and education, and hes a whiz on environmental issues. Both are sought as sounding boards by community members. While some newspapers arent comfortable with community members serving in such a capacity, we have long considered it essential. In that spirit, were adding two members to broaden that insight: Samantha Stroozas, a junior at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Ge Vang, specialist in student activities and the Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse program at Western Technical College. Samantha is from Hudson, Wis. Shes wrapping up her junior year at UW-L. She is double-majoring in English and Communications, along with a minor in women, gender and sexuality studies. She is managing editor for The Racquet, freelancer for Coulee Region Womens Magazine, president of the English Honor Society, and peer educator for UW-Ls Diversity and Inclusion office. I think what has interested me is attending these board meetings as a college student and incorporating UW-L into the conversation, Sam said. I also think discussing social justice issues is important as well and asking the people we interview what they are doing in their organization to create the most inclusive spaces. Ges family came to the United States as political refugees in 1987 as a result of the Hmong peoples involvement with the Secret War in Laos during the Vietnam War. He started second grade and grew up in the La Crosse area. He graduated from UW-L with a double-major in history and psychology and a masters degree in student development and administration. After graduation, Ge worked four years as a residence hall director at UW-L, overseeing the international residence hall. In his role at Western, he works closely with student leaders and is an adviser to student government. He also chairs the colleges AODA committee and presents alcohol and other drug abuse education and prevention efforts. Ge has been involved in the local Hmong agency since he was in high school in many volunteer roles and served as vice president of the Hmong Cultural and Community Agency from 2010-2014 and as co-president in 2015. He serves on the board of LeaderEthics-Wisconsin. Ge says serving on the editorial board has been an eye-opening experience thus far. I have learned something at every single board meeting. It has been a great privilege and responsibility to converse with the talented individuals and leadership teams within our region. Our community is blessed with tremendous leadership within the many sectors. The experience has also given me a deeper appreciation for the role that the La Crosse Tribune and the media play within our community, he said. That community role is enriched by our community members. Love 3 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 0 Federal government is showing no signs of devolving power, chief ministers say Without much headway during the inter-state council meeting, the tussle between the subnational governments and the federal administration seems unlikely to end anytime soon. Higher education is an important step on the path towards a meaningful, well-paying career in almost every modern job field. But becoming a doctor or scientist, for example, requires much more than just completing difficult classes or passing major exams. For many college students, wide-reaching, long-term research is very important to gain necessary skills and prove ones abilities. A big part of the research process includes getting financial support to cover the costs of the work. Researchers usually raise this money by writing proposals asking outside organizations for a given amount of money, called a grant, to fund their work. These groups consider the value of the work in comparison to the cost to make their decision whether to approve or deny grants. However, a recent study argues that funding organizations do not consider only the quality or possible impact of research when deciding on grant applications. The study suggests that perhaps groups also consider the gender of the applicant. It reports that female researchers receive less grant money on average than males. Experts worry that this could harm the careers of researchers. Researchers at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois released their findings in the JAMA Network publishing service in March. They looked at all the amounts of money the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, gave to first-time grant seekers between 2006 and 2017. The United States government agency offers about $37 billion a year in grants. It is the worlds largest public funder of biomedical research. The researchers found that in the ten year period, projects led by women seeking their first grant received an average grant of $126,615. NIH grants to men seeking their first grant amounted to about $40,000 more, on average. Brian Uzzi says these differences are harmful in several ways. He is a professor of leadership in the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern. He helped with the study. Uzzi notes that getting less money does not just affect a persons ability to complete their research. He notes the ability to earn grant money is very important for a researcher looking to move forward in their career. Many students lead their first major research project while they are seeking a graduate degree of some kind, Uzzi says. Colleges and universities may help cover some of the costs of that work. But they want to know if a researchers work is interesting and valuable to the world at large and whether or not it will bring in positive attention. Having a group like NIH offer you a grant is a great way to demonstrate that to a school, and get the school to continue supporting you, he adds. The more support you have the better, as the more research you get funded, the more work you will be able to publish. Publishing is especially important as student researchers work their way into positions as professors, Uzzi says. This is a common path, as a job as a professor usually provides a person with plenty of time to do more research. And a major consideration colleges and universities make when employing a professor is how much research that person has already published. In the U.S., some schools offer lifetime positions, known as tenure, to professors who, among other things, have published the most notable research. Uzzi argues that there is almost equal amounts of importance placed on funding research as there is on publishing. So any differences in the size of grants women are receiving creates barriers for them. A smaller than expected grant may affect the reach of their projects. It can also suggest that their work has less value. And it may even lead to women leaving research positions at colleges and universities in order to avoid the difficulties of publishing entirely. This is not just a problem for these women alone, say Uzzi. Lots of research shows that gender diversity on creative teams, on scientific teams, in the classroom, really enhances the rate at which discoveries take place and ideas get discovered and put together in new and different ways, which really helps out everybody in society, he told VOA. The JAMA study did not look at why male and female researchers might receive unequal grants. But Heather Metcalf says she has some ideas. She is chief research officer for the Association for Women in Science. Metcalf says that throughout her career she has witnessed unfair treatment of women in science fields. Some of it comes out in the open through bad behavior. Yet there is also a great deal of inequality that many people in these fields fail to recognize. It isnt just isolated incidents that dont have an impact on one another over time. It adds up and has an exponential impact on a persons career, Metcalf noted. For example, she says, the people making the decisions on a grant proposal might see a woman listed as the lead researcher and change their opinion without even knowing they are doing so. Traditional thinking that men are better at science than women is still common, she says, even though there is no research to support that idea. Such cultural lessons are taught at an early age, and can even prevent young girls from developing interests in research fields, says Metcalf. She and Brian Uzzi both hope this latest study will bring more attention to this form of gender inequality and lead to changes in the grant consideration process. The NIH does operate a special program that works to remove barriers for women in science called Women in Biomedical Careers. VOA has tried to contact the agency several times about the JAMA study. By the time of publication, NIH representatives had not provided any comment on the study. NIH is currently in communication with the researcher to better understand the data presented in the paper. The NIH is not alone in its seemingly unbalanced treatment of male and female researchers. Last year, a study found that the majority of cancer research grants in the United Kingdom went to projects led by men. Im Ashley Thompson. And Im Pete Musto. Pete Musto reported this story for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. What kinds of gender inequality are common at colleges and universities in your country? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Quiz - Female Researchers Get Less Financial Support than Males Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story fund v. to provide money for something impact n. a powerful or major influence or effect application(s) n. a formal and usually written request for something, such as a job, admission to a school, or a loan gender n. the state of being male or female graduate degree n. a degree that is given to a student by a college or university usually after at least one or two years of additional study following a bachelor's degree positive adj. good or useful diversity n. the state of having people who are different races or who have different cultures in a group or organization enhance(s) v. to increase or improve something isolated adj. happening just once exponential adj. very fast verify v. to prove, show, find out, or state that something is true or correct Gulmi diarrhoea: Coliform found in drinking water; authorities claim disease under control Coliform bacteria have been found in drinking water used by locals at Musikot Municipality-4, in Gulmi district, where, last week, around 150 people were taken ill, some seriously. We sometimes hear news reports warning of asteroids passing close to Earth, with the possibility for disastrous results if there was a direct hit. But most experts agree there is only a small likelihood that a large asteroid or other space object will crash into Earth and cause great destruction. Many organizations do recognize the real risk of such an event. One example is NASA, the United States governments space agency. NASA and its international partners continuously search the skies for what scientists call near-Earth objects (NEOs). Such objects include asteroids and comets that come within 50 million kilometers of Earths orbit. This week, NASA is teaming up with the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and international experts to study the possibility of a NEO hitting Earth. At a conference near Washington, D.C., scientists will simulate a made-up asteroid to explore what might happen when defending against a real-life hit. What is an asteroid? An asteroid is a rocky, airless object. Asteroids are sometimes called minor planets. They are left over from the early formation of our solar system about 4.6 billion years ago. Most asteroids can be found orbiting the Sun between the planets Mars and Jupiter. NASA reports that, in all, scientists have identified more than 795,000 asteroids. A comet is a small, at times active object that contains ice. In sunlight, the ice can vaporize to form an atmosphere of dust and gas. NASA reports that about once a year, an asteroid about the size of an automobile enters Earths atmosphere. Such objects turn into a fireball and burn up before reaching Earths surface. About every 2,000 years, a much larger object strikes the Earth and causes major damage. However, NASA experts say an object large enough to threaten Earths civilization only comes along once every few million years. Asteroid simulation The gathering this week from April 29 to May 3 - is called the Planetary Defense Conference. Attendees from NASA, FEMA and other government agencies and experts from around the world will take part in a simulated test exercise. The tabletop exercise will consider a false threat from an asteroid invented by NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Groups will explore possible emergency and defensive measures to deal with the manmade asteroid threat. Lindley Johnson is a planetary defense officer for NASA. He said the exercise will be a chance to create better international preparation and response processes in case of a real threat. "This will help us develop more effective communications with each other and with our governments," he added. The exercise is based on the made-up discovery of a NEO, one that conference organizers say is set to hit Earth in 2027. The exercise estimates a 1-in-100 chance of the NEO striking the planet. NASA officials say the international community has decided that in real life, a 1-in-100 chance would be great enough to consider taking defensive and emergency measures. Organizers noted in a press release that a real-life asteroid is set to pass close to the Earth in 2029. This asteroid, called Apophis, is one of the most important NEOs ever discovered. NASA predicts Apophis will pass by Earth on Friday, April 13, 2029, within 31,300 kilometers above Earth's surface. That is closer than where weather satellites orbit our planet. Apophis is estimated to be around 340 meters long from end to end. Experts say if such an asteroid were to hit Earth, it would cause major damage to the planets surface and our civilization. But NASA has clearly stated it does not believe that Apophis will hit Earth in 2029. However, the close flyby will provide a great chance for scientists to study the asteroid, NASA says. In the future, the world community could also decide to send a spacecraft to observe Apophis, the press release said. Im Bryan Lynn. Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story said that the solar system was formed 4.6 million years ago. The sentence should read 4.6 billion years ago. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English based on reports from NASA and the International Academy of Astronautics. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Quiz - NASA, World Experts to Hold Exercise for Possible Asteroid Strike Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story asteroid n. a rocky object that goes around the sun like a planet simulate v. create something that behaves or looks like something real but is not vaporize v. to turn from a solid or liquid into a gas Vietnam is officially a socialist republic, but the country is starting to make parts of its health care system private. The move raises questions about whether the government can guarantee care for all as a basic right, and about how much it will spend on health care. The Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine is a medical school in Ho Chi Minh City. It receives money from the government. This month the university said it is looking for a private investor to help it expand. The school wants to build a new training and health care center on its grounds. It said the idea is for the university to take responsibility for the centers operations and the training, while a private company would handle the actual building project. Private money may be needed Doctor Ngo Minh Xuan is the Rector of the Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine. He said that Ho Chi Minh Citys health care needs are critical due to rapid urbanization and a growing population. But he noted that hospitals cannot meet those growing health care needs effectively by depending only on public money. The efforts to partially privatize health services are part of a larger movement in the country of 100 million people. More and more international hospitals are opening up or expanding. For example, the Hanh Phuc International Hospital, which opened in 2011 near Ho Chi Minh City, calls itself the Singapore Standard Hospital and treats women and children. The Viet Duc University Hospital is also known as the Vietnam Germany Hospital. It has exchange and training programs with medical centers in France, Germany and Australia. Vietnams government increasingly permits financing from private companies or groups, such as through a trade deal with the European Union that permits higher foreign investment. Health care for all Since the Vietnam War ended in 1975, the government has provided health care for every Vietnamese citizen. Most people have insurance policies that the government helps to pay for. But individuals use their own money to pay some of the costs. Doctors treat their job as a public service. They often travel from their home base to hospitals in rural areas and other communities in need of medical services. The government also works to improve health care in the countryside through community health centers. These local centers admit patients more easily than the big city hospitals. Vietnam offers better health care services than neighboring countries as measured by international researchers. Between 2009 and 2018, the average life expectancy rate rose from 74.8 years to 75.9 years. The countrys measures of good health care services and supply of food also rose. Weaknesses in the system Still there are weaknesses in the health care system. Some people say these problems could be solved with more private investment. A sick person often has to pay a bribe to a doctor to request better care. Other patients have to share hospital beds or wait outside medical buildings. The Vietnamese government has gotten close to its public debt ceiling of 65 percent of gross domestic product that is, the total value of goods and services produced during a year. There has been a drop in the rate of doctors per 1,000 people and in the relative number of hospital beds available over the past 10 years. That is especially hard for Ho Chi Minh City, the southern business center and home for 13 million people. The citys population represents about one-fourth of Vietnams overall demand for health care. The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry reports that Ho Chi Minh City has more than 100 hospitals. Another change coming to Vietnam is economic. The country is expected to move from a lower middle-income nation to an upper middle-income nation in the next 10 years. Asia Pacific chief economist Rajiv Biswas and economist Bernard Aw recently prepared a report for investment research firm IHS Markit. They found that the change will make Vietnam a fast-growing market for a wide range of goods and services. Since health care will be counted as one of those services, it is likely that Vietnams debate about private funding of health care will continue. Im Jill Robbins. Ha Nguyen reported on this story for VOA News. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story socialist adj. describes a government which supports that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or controlled by the community as a whole rector n. a leader; someone who directs something, such as a religious group urbanization n. the process by which towns and cities are formed and become larger as more and more people begin living and working in central areas privatize v. to remove (something) from government control and place it in private control or ownership insurance n. a method of guaranteeing safety or protection bribe n. something valuable that is given in order to get someone to do something income n. earnings; monetary gain What do you think of private hospitals in comparison to public hospitals? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. disclaimer I have received the books on this blog for review from the publisher or author or I have bought them. I have no financial interest in any book featured on this blog. ICYMI: Here are our top stories from Sunday, April 28 Here are some of the top stories from The Kathmandu Post (April 28, 2019). The new rulers of Afghanistan have announced that almost the whole of the leadership of the ousted regime is dead. Two days ago, they declared President Mohammed Daoud, 68, had been killed along with his brother Mohammed Naim for refusing to pledge allegiance to the new left-wing government. This was followed by a bloodbath in the capital, Kabul, with reports of streets littered with bodies. Kabul Radio broadcast the announcement saying the vice president, defence minister, interior minister and commander of the air force had all been killed in fighting. General Abdul Kader, a former vice-commander of the air force, stated over the radio that a military revolutionary council had taken control. Police loyal to the former president have been rounded up and students wearing red scarves have been seen directing traffic in the streets. Travellers to the area say a massive purge of Daoud supporters is underway with people being rounded up and shot all over the country. The coup was led by young officers in the army and air force, most of whom were trained in the Soviet Union. Sources in Kabul believe it was engineered and supported by Moscow to preserve its influence in the area. The late President Daoud had ruled Afghanistan since 1973 when he ousted his brother-in-law King Zahir Shah, with the help of Soviet-trained officers. But gradually he removed these men from positions of power and declared himself to be aligned to neither East nor West yet still collected aid from both. The present uprising was sparked off two weeks ago by the murder of Mir Akbar Parcham, leader of the Parcham Party backed by Moscow. Daoud ordered the arrest of other leading figures of the Parcham Party in an anti-Communist campaign that led to this weeks bloody coup. Courtesy BBC News In context Noor Mohammed Taraki emerged as Afghanistans new president. He brought in Marxist reforms and aligned the country more closely with the USSR. In September 1979, Taraki was ousted and his hardline deputy Hafizullah Amin took power. The Soviet Union then sent in troops on the advice of the KGB, Amin was executed, and the Soviet-supported Babrak Karmal became president. After a long and devastating war with guerrilla opposition forces the mujahideen the last of the Soviet troops left Afghanistan in 1989. In 1992 an alliance of guerrilla factions took Kabul with Burhanuddin Rabbani as its interim president. The Taleban declared themselves rulers of Afghanistan in September 1996 and imposed a puritanical form of Islamic law in the two thirds of the country they controlled. They were ousted in late 2001 with the help of US and British air strikes after refusing to hand over Osama Bin Laden. In April 2002 the former king Zahir Shah returned but said he would make no claim to the throne. Landslide prevention works of Narayangadh-Muglin road delayed Officials at the Narayangadh-Muglin Road Project said that the landslide-prevention works along the highway has been delayed. If Kenya defaults on a 2bn euro debt to China, it may have to hand over Mombasa's port to the Asian giant. A leaked copy of the contract Kenya signed with China for the construction of the giant Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge railway project is causing political shockwaves in the country. This is amid revelations that the country could lose the port of Mombasa to the Chinese government, if the national Railway Corporation defaults in the payment of Sh227 billion owed to Exim Bank of China. That amounts to an estimated 1.9 billion euros. The revelations are contained in the front page article of todays Daily Nation newspaper which claims it has managed to secure a leaked copy of the contract. Assets in danger The publication highlights a controversial clause in the 2014 SGR agreement which it warns will infuriate Kenyans. It stipulates that: neither the borrower (Kenya) nor any of its assets is entitled to any right of immunity on the grounds of sovereignty, with respect to its obligations. Edwin Okoth is the author of the bombshell revelations published by the Nairobi-based Daily Nation. He told RFI from Nairobi that Kenya may have mortgaged itself when it accepted the terms of the huge Chinese loan four years ago. Veteran stylists with William Jon Salon, John Wappler and Jekaterina Agaponova, teamed up for a second time. Agaponova, who has participated in every Hair Affair but one, said teamwork has its advantages: brainstorming ideas and workload division. Wappler handled the ensemble, Agaponova created the hair and makeup. After collecting images for two years, Wappler said, the pair were inspired by a pretty remarkable picture of a head of a snake. They entered Chinese Cobra for their design. We wanted to create a shape really different from what weve done before, Agaponova said. It was really complicated, but very fun. The pair used chicken wire and a mix of 25 packs of synthetic and human hair extensions for the hairpiece, spray painted their model, Yulia Slesarevas, body green, laid fishnet tights across her face and hands, and then applied various shades of eye-shadow to create a snake-scale look. Over 10,000 black and iridescent purple-green stones completed the hairpiece and ensemble. I thought John was nuts, Agaponova said, laughing. It took me five hours to do the hairpiece stones alone. She estimated she placed hundreds. This was not a jarring or radical statement for those who have actually read the Constitution. Rather, it was a savvy interpretation of how the document applies to the Mueller report by someone who is competing for the right to swear an oath, on Jan. 20, 2021, to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Warren, a longtime professor at Harvard Law School and one of the great legal scholars of our time, did the due diligence. She read the report, and she concluded that she had a responsibility to speak out. I took an oath to the Constitution of the United States, the senator explained, and the Constitution makes clear that the accountability of the president is lies through Congress, and thats the impeachment process. Warren spoke in the direct, unequivocal language that Americans have a right to expect from the president who will have to clean up the mess made by Trump. While other contenders addressed the Mueller report and some like Beto ORourke, Pete Buttigieg and Julian Castro addressed the prospect of impeachment it was Warren who went to the heart of the matter. A misunderstanding last week pushed La Crosse police and La Crosse County Jail staff to work together to improve the new body scanner amnesty program. Police arrested Christopher Malone of Chicago for a no-alcohol probation violation April 19 and discovered 0.7 grams of marijuana and three e-cigarettes containing traces of THC, according to the police report. Police arrested him on charges of a probation hold, two counts of bail jumping, possession of THC and possession of cocaine, according to the complaint. A deputy offered Malone amnesty at the La Crosse County Jail, and Malone surrendered 4 to 5 small bags of cocaine hidden in his underwear, according to the complaint. La Crosse police objected because Malone has felony bonds for possession of drugs with intent to deliver and was already found with drugs during the arrest, but Malone said, They already offered me no charges if I give them up, according to the police report. A jail sergeant said he would have to honor the amnesty since it was already offered, according to the complaint. STOUGHTON The arduous journey is about to come to an end for the Yahara River Grocery Co-op. But there wont be a void of bulk grains, organic produce and other natural foods. Much of that can be purchased at the Pickn Save, Aldi and even the Walmart Supercenter all on the citys west side. That competition, combined with years of debt, low sales, high prices and perceptions over parking are among the many factors that have led to a decision by the co-ops three-person board of directors to close the 2,500-square-foot business no later than June 1. It will bring to an end a more than decade-long run and dreams of like-minded foodies having their own space and mission in Stoughtons vibrant downtown. The co-ops website is no longer active, there havent been enough sales to sustain the business for at least the last two years. Only about 300 of the co-ops 1,300 members shop at the store, said Nancy Hubing, a member of of the co-ops board of directors. Its hard for us all, Hubing said. The co-op has been struggling for several years and was only profitable one or two years out of the 10. Its been a struggle all along. The people who shopped there all the time of course loved it and wanted it to continue and were very supportive, but we just didnt have enough sales. The struggle was felt within the first seven months of opening. In October 2008, the co-op, then with 945 members, was losing an estimated $2,500 a week, and a $50,000 reserve fund had been depleted. Willy Street Co-op in Madison stepped in and donated a manager for a time to help improve the financial picture. Then, in February 2009, the co-op was able to raise $30,000 to qualify for a $60,000 loan from Dane Countys Community Block Grant Commissions Revolving Loan Fund. The co-ops first profitable year wasnt until 2012, but it failed to become a regular occurrence. In a letter to owners earlier this month, Hubing, along with directors Cynthia Hurtenbach and Steve Lawrence, said the co-ops primary creditor, Summit Credit Union, has the primary legal rights to the stores assets, while other creditors, including the co-ops landlord, also need to be paid. That means its likely that there will be no funds remaining to return to co-op members. We believe the co-op is clearly insolvent, the board wrote. The closing is not a decision that we, as the board, have arrived at easily. Wisconsin is home to about 35 grocery co-ops, according to the UW-Madison Center for Cooperatives. The largest is Willy Street Co-op in Madison, which was founded in 1974, has three stores in Dane County and is considering a fourth location. Outpost Natural Foods has four Milwaukee-area stores and 22,000 members. Peoples Food Co-op, with locations in La Crosse and Rochester, Minnesota, has about 10,000 members and is in the midst of remodeling its La Crosse store. In Vernon County, the Viroqua Food Co-op, founded in 1995, has over 4,000 members and last year doubled the size of its store. But the decision to close Yahara River Grocery Co-op is not an anomaly. The 1,500-square-foot Trillium Community Grocery Co-op, founded in 2001 in Mount Horeb, closed in 2015. The 800-square-foot Mifflin Street Co-op, founded in 1969 at 32 N. Bassett St. in Madison, closed in 2006 after years of financial problems and dwindling membership. Cindy Guiney, 64, has been a member of Yahara River since retiring as a middle school teacher in Racine and moving to Stoughton about five years ago. She joined the co-op for a number of reasons. We like organic, we like fresh, and we like helping local people. We shop downtown, we buy gifts downtown, and we try to support the downtown shops, Guiney said last week while standing outside the co-op. I think its a loss because Im gluten free, so I like to buy things there but its hard for (the co-op) because they dont have the amount or the availability of a lot of different items. Its a struggle for these small businesses to hang in there. The pressures of competition from mainstream grocery stores are being felt by even the most successful grocery co-ops, said Courtney Berner, executive director at the Center for Cooperatives. Willy Street, for example, operates in one of the most competitive grocery markets in the Midwest, with retailers like Woodmans Market, Costco, Trader Joes, Whole Foods and several Pickn Save stores now owned by Kroger, which has remodeled the stores and reduced prices. Willy Street had 14,000 members in 2008 and spent $3.5 million in 2011 to open its Middleton store, which has since been expanded and remodeled. It also spent $4 million to renovate its flagship store and, in 2014, opened a third store on the citys North Side, stocked with inventory to attract more people from the surrounding neighborhood. In addition to the typical organic and natural foods selections, the products include things like Kelloggs Pop Tarts, plastic bottles of Gatorade, Snickers ice cream bars and Shurfine frozen pizza. But the co-op, now with more than 35,000 members, has not been immune to financial struggles. In 2015, the co-op had sales of $41.5 million, a 3 percent increase over 2014, but lost $317,000. It reduced spending on labor and instituted other cost savings measures and rebounded in 2016 to earn a $300,000 profit on $45 million in sales. The retail grocery market is really challenging for everyone and has gotten increasingly competitive, Berner said. Its always been a business with razor-thin margins, but its grown increasingly competitive with more natural and organic food space. Theres a lot thats happening thats making it harder for all grocery retailers to make it. Berner said Yahara River was also challenged by its small size, which limited its buying power and ability to offer lower-priced items. Stoughton, a city of just over 13,000, also has a sizable population that works in Madison and likely does much of its shopping at stores there, including Willy Street Co-op, Berner said. Berners organization has been a resource for Yahara River, helping to train board members and guiding the co-op on creating policies. More recently, the Center for Cooperatives has been helping the co-op with legal questions about the stores closing. The store got its start in the summer of 2006, when Main Street Market closed, which left Stoughton residents with only a Pick n Save store. After more than 18 months of fundraising, membership drives and negotiations, the co-op opened in 2008 with nearly 600 members. It had raised more than $100,000 to secure a $400,000 loan to remodel and equip the space, which used to house a coffee shop, and stock the store with inventory. The store also appeared to have an ideal location next to Fosdals Home Bakery, across the street from the post office and on the same block as the public library. In 2015, Viking Brew Pub opened next door. What I liked about (the co-op) was that it was another shopping option, and I liked seeing someone investing in the downtown, said Laura Trotter, a charter member of the co-op and, for the past three years, executive director of the Stoughton Chamber of Commerce. It was always good people running it. Anytime we lose a retailer, I think its a loss, especially one with so many people who are invested in it with their hearts as much as their money. What is a co-op? According to the UW-Madison Center for Cooperatives, a co-op is a business that is owned and democratically controlled by the members who use its services. Cooperatives are found across the U.S. in nearly every sector of the economy -- including farm services, dairy, grocery and housing -- and in the form of credit unions and transportation such as Union Cab in Madison. Members share in both the business risks and the business profits, and each cooperative determines the level of financial participation that is required to establish membership status in the co-op. All or part of a cooperatives profits may be distributed proportionately, based on each members use, or patronage, of the co-op. Members democratically control their cooperative by exercising the voting rights that come with membership. In Wisconsin, each member is typically entitled to one vote. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. I thought it would be fun for people who made leaves to see their leaf on the tree so everybody can participate in Art on the Trail, said assistant librarian Becky Collyard. Whatever gets people outside more is a great idea. Im all for it. Last years artworks ranged from ceramic leaves hung on tree branches to cedar disks that were cut from trees downed for a prairie restoration and marked with some of the artists favorite quotes about nature. Art on the Trail requires that artworks are designed not to harm wildlife; they have to be removed on the last day of May, except for those made to be biodegradable. Dana Slowiak, a Lodi artist who helped organize Art on the Trail, created the globe-like artwork La Lunita for a spot on the Gibraltar Rock segment of the trail last year. I had just moved to Lodi and I thought it would be a really great way to do artwork that is accessible to more people. I think it gets people out on the trail, seeing unexpected things and getting them to interact with art in a really different way than in a formal setting like a gallery, said Slowiak, who works and lives in a Lodi art studio with her husband, also an artist. William King has been a DirecTV customer since Bill Clinton was president, so its not surprising that from time to time the company would want to make sure his equipment is up to date. What would be surprising is making the long-time customer pay for the privilege. King, 74, of Richland Center, got a letter from the satellite TV provider in January informing him that he had approximately eight months to replace some of his equipment on us. In case there was any doubt as to what on us meant, the phrase included an asterisk directing him to the words, in boldface, no additional cost. So King called the company and on Feb. 19 a technician came out and installed the equipment, which King described as a replacement box for one of the existing boxes on his two TVs. To his surprise, his March bill was $56.04 more than his usual $131.31 and included a line saying charged for equipment order. King called DirecTVs customer service line to explain that he hadnt ordered anything, and whats more, it had been the company that had offered to upgrade his equipment for no additional cost. That didnt work out so well. Madison police said multiple gunshots were fired early Sunday near a Far East Side restaurant, causing no apparent injuries. Police were dispatched about 2 a.m. to the area of the Perkins restaurant, 4863 Hayes Road. Officers arrived to find several vehicles leaving the area and evidence that gunshots had been fired, including damage to two of the restaurant's windows. Diners were in the restaurant at the time of the shooting. A note on Police Chief Mike Koval's daily blog said that officers recovered more than 30 spent bullet casings. Police said shots could have also been fired from the area of the Comfort Inn and Suites, 4822 E. Washington Ave. Police provided no description of the people believe to have fired the gunshots and said their investigation is continuing. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years. Theyre illegal because they can render the publicly held meeting a mere formality, according to the office. School district attorney Matthew Bell said board briefings which occur regularly in the week before the full boards regular monthly meeting and come with detailed agendas specifying items the board will vote on are not walking quorums because they are informational and do not involve any collective agreement to act or not act in any fashion. Mary Burke, a seven-year veteran of the board and its outgoing president, said her experience in the briefings is that members dont individually agree to act in a uniform way in later meetings of the full board. Similarly, Ali Muldrow, who was sworn in as a new member April 22 and had her first briefing that day, said she was not asked and did not say how she would vote on any particular items on the April 29 meeting agenda. But TJ Mertz, an Edgewood College education and history instructor and board member from 2013 until losing his re-election bid April 2, said his decision to stop participating in the briefings after about two years was confirmed as he became more familiar with case law on the open meetings act. Ive learned to have respect for him One of Saturdays rallygoers, Jeff Graupner of Mountain, said he didnt start as a Trump supporter. He voted for Sen. Ted Cruz in the 2016 presidential primary and voted Trump in the general election because he said he didnt want Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton picking U.S. Supreme Court justices. But Graupner said he has come around to Trump. Hes pleased with Trumps Supreme Court picks, his stance on funding the U.S. military and that he pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement to fight climate change. I wasnt a big fan of his in the beginning, Graupner said. Ive learned to have respect for him even though his mouth gets him in trouble. Graupner said hes likely to vote Trump again in 2020. He doesnt rule out voting for a Democrat but says he doesnt see any of them running now that hed support. For Graupner, supporting Trump means coming to terms with a president he feels sometimes crosses the line. When Trump ridiculed the late Sen. John McCains war service in 2015, Graupner, a U.S. Army veteran, said he nearly ruled out voting for Trump. He speaks his mind. Sometimes I cringe and say, Why did he say that? But sometimes he says things that needed to be said, Graupner added. Hes not afraid to say No more! Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CHICAGO Recently, I had to comfort a student over a situation in which she and another girl were competing for the attention of a boy in their class. There were tears, drama, recriminations and some revenge fantasizing involving passionate language. They were 9-year-old third-graders. In September, I had to talk to my students about not swapping speculation over who were boyfriends or girlfriends with whom. These were my first-graders. My sons are now grown and, thankfully, after years of awkward conversations about hygiene, interpersonal relations, birth control, sexually transmitted diseases and vaccinations, we can have relaxed, factual conversations about such topics when the need arises. I sure dont remember having to broach those issues in primary school, but Id have to reconsider that if my kids were young now childhood innocence ends so swiftly these days. Despite similar rates of sexual activity among both male and female adolescents, males are twice as likely to have their first sexual intercourse before the age of 13 or seventh grade according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Pediatrics. The execution Wednesday of John William King for the 1998 lynching of James Byrd Jr., who was chained to a pickup truck and dragged to death, wont bring the victim back to life. It wont erase the heartbreak of the loved ones Byrd left behind. Neither will it remove the stain that the atrocity left on the East Texas town of Jasper, where the murder occurred. So, what purpose will Kings execution serve? Kings death by injection occurred less than two weeks after a white man was arrested for setting fire to three black churches in Louisiana. The proximity of those events makes one wonder if race relations have changed since Byrd was lynched. Clearly there have been improvements in the past 21 years, but the FBI says hate crimes in America, most of them motivated by race or ethnicity, have increased. Few compare to what happened to Byrd. Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on April 18. BOISE After 20 years of working in trades, Gordon Knight made a career change last year. He took a job as a kindergarten teacher at the Idaho Arts Charter School in Nampa. This life change carried serious financial implications. I took a substantial pay cut to teach, Knight said. But this spring, legislators approved Gov. Brad Littles two-year plan to boost starting teacher pay. Geared to first-year teachers such as Knight, the law will increase Idahos minimum teacher salary to $40,000 in 2020-21. Knight is excited about the pay raise, and school administrators support the new law as well. But they also say it is just one step to attract new teachers and keep good teachers in Idaho classrooms. Who gets the money? For 3,651 Idaho teachers, the new minimum salary law carries a guaranteed raise. These educators make somewhere between $35,800 a year the current state minimum and $40,000. Together, they comprise more than a fifth of Idahos teacher workforce. According to a 2016-17 National Education Association study, Idahos starting teacher pay ranked No. 44 in the nation. State law mandates that minimum teacher salary, which has increased since the 2016-17 study. However, school districts and charters draw up the rest of their pay schedules on their own. Consequently, the impacts of the new minimum salary vary widely: In Nampa, Idahos third-largest district, 376 teachers make less than $40,000 a year. In Boise, the states second-largest district, only 49 teachers make less than $40,000 annually. For a handful of districts and charters, the new law is a moot point, since all teachers already earn at least $40,000 a year. That list includes the Blaine County School District, which pays the highest average salary of any district in Idaho, and the Sage International charter school in Southeast Boise. In a dozen districts and charters, the impact could be profound. In these schools including charters from Boise to Idaho Falls, and border districts in Malad and Payette the $40,000 minimum could deliver a pay raise for half of the faculty, or more. Malad and Payette provide case studies in teacher recruiting and teacher retention. They just laugh at us Malad teeters on the edge of southeast Idaho, just 10 miles from the Utah border. Its residents frequently cross the state line to shop, so it stands to reason that this extends to job-shopping. Malad loses teachers to neighboring schools in Utah. Other teachers dont even start in Malad. Malad goes above the mandated minimum salary, kicking in $1,000 above the states allocation. But when Oneida School District Superintendent Rich Moore hits job fairs in Utah, he finds few takers. They just laugh at us, he said. They dont even consider us. Oneida has to be resourceful. The district finds candidates who have ties to the area, or hires teachers through alternative certifications. North of Malad, the Bonneville and Pocatello-Chubbuck school districts also feel the pressure of out-of-state competition. Bonneville recruited successfully last year, and Scott Woolstenhulme was relieved that salaries werent a deal-breaker. Bonnevilles brand-new Thunder Ridge High School attracted candidates from Wyoming, California and Nebraska. The high school attracted them to the area, and the area attracted them to the area, said Woolstenhulme, a veteran Bonneville administrator, who will take the superintendents job this summer. In Pocatello, human resources director Sue Pettit pitches quality of life the proximity to Yellowstone National Park and Jackson Hole, Wyo. And she sells the potential for career advancement, since teachers can take graduate classes at Idaho State University at a greatly reduced cost. But Utah districts already offer teachers more than $40,000 a year in starting salary. Utah districts also throw in signing bonuses and student loan forgiveness, an idea that has gone nowhere in the Idaho Statehouse. In Oneida County, household income, home values and rents all come in below the statewide medians. But Moore says he isnt hiring in a local economic vacuum. Hes trying to compete amidst a statewide and national teacher shortage. A $40,000 salary here in Oneida, in Malad, theyre looked upon as having big bucks, he said. (But) were not just competing with people who are looking for jobs in Malad. Competition and attrition Superintendent Robin Gilbert gushes about one of her new hires in Payette: a phenomenal first-year teacher just jumping into the profession. The teacher got her certification through an alternative route, the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence. She couldnt get an interview with the Boise or West Ada districts, so she is making the daily commute to Payette, about an hour from Boise. Gilbert is enthusiastic about her hire but pragmatic about the future. After a few years, Gilbert expects to lose this teacher to a higher-paying job closer to home. Retention is a problem in Payette. Competition comes from all corners. Teachers can get a pay raise yet stay close to home by driving across the Snake River to Oregon. Gilbert expects to lose several teachers to a nearby charter school opening this fall. And then theres the larger districts in the Treasure Valley. Little believes his two-year, $11.5 million plan will get new, young teachers in the door. And an across-the-board $40,000 minimum might help smaller districts compete with their urban counterparts. But it doesnt address retention issues, in Payette or elsewhere. Nampa continually struggles to hold onto veteran teachers, losing them to the nearby West Ada and Boise districts. And that might not change, based on what Nampa Superintendent Paula Kellerer heard during a recent career fair at Northwest Nazarene University. Job-hunters were enthusiastic about the new minimum salary but were quick to ask what they can expect a couple of years down the road. They are looking at the salary schedule, she said. Its clear to me they are. Competition accounts for only part of the classroom churn. Then theres attrition: teachers who retire or leave the profession mid-career. The attrition rate is stuck at 10 percent a year, according to a recent State Board of Education report, with about 1,000 teachers leaving the profession before they reach retirement age. Woolstenhulme expects some turnover. Some young teachers will quit to start a family, or follow a spouse who finds a higher-paying job outside Eastern Idaho. The most frustrating losses are teachers who quit because they can make more money as a retail sales manager. Veterans left behind? The idea of a $40,000 minimum salary is old news to Geoffrey Thomas, superintendent of Rexburgs Madison School District. When he served on then-Gov. Butch Otters K-12 task force in 2013, Thomas suggested the $40,000 minimum. Its nice to see it kicking in, Thomas said this week, somewhat wryly. But Thomas pointed out that the task force proposed a three-step plan, with $50,000 mid-range pay and a $60,000 maximum. The Legislature didnt go along. The state allocates only $50,000 for top-end salaries, leaving schools to come up with the difference. With the minimum salary increase, administrators may have to find new ways to readjust their pay schedules and cobble together local dollars to reward veteran teachers. It puts some pressure on us, to raise the other salaries, said Thomas, who already loses teachers to neighboring states, to private industry, or to higher-paying jobs on Rexburgs BYU-Idaho campus. The problem is particularly acute in Payette, which has 82 full-time teaching positions. While 45 teachers make less than $40,000 a year, 28 teachers make more than $50,000. Some districts use voter-approved supplemental tax levies to bolster teacher pay. Gilbert calls a one- or two-year levy soft money, and she doesnt want salaries to hinge on the whims of voters. Payette instead makes up the difference by using discretionary funding state dollars that come in to districts, with no strings attached. Either way, Gilbert doesnt want to lose seasoned teachers who have dedicated their career to Payette schools. Theyre where you want your kids placed, she said. Theyre quality teachers. The 2019 Legislature did put $7.2 million into a new master teacher premium program, which will provide $4,000-a-year bonuses to high-performing veteran educators who qualify through a detailed application process. Still, a new minimum salary opens an old wound. Since 2015, Idaho has put $250 million into the career ladder, a five-year teacher salary plan and a direct result of the work of Otters task force. Most of the money was earmarked for beginning teachers, or teachers with only a few years experience. Littles minimum salary plan is essentially an extension of the career ladder. All of this leaves some veteran teachers feeling left behind, again. Im hearing a great deal of frustration and anger that their contribution is not being adequately funded by the state Legislature, said Mary Anne McGrory, president of the Pocatello Education Association. McGrory appreciates the new minimum salary law and recognizes that local administrators have to follow the states mandate. But as she heads into her second year as her local unions lead negotiator, she says the new minimum complicates the bargaining process. I never go into negotiations thinking that its going to be easy, she said. Im going in hopeful, but Im also a realist. Two hours to the west, Peggy Hoy is heading to the bargaining table as well. The co-president of the Twin Falls Education Association, Hoy shares McGrorys concerns. She believes the state needs to address teacher retention issues and help veteran teachers who feel like theyre left hanging. But Hoy also is mindful of the politics. For Little, the teacher salary bill represents an important first-year win. I do feel that hes making education a priority, Hoy said. I just feel like good things are going to come. Idaho Education News data analyst Randy Schrader contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 TWIN FALLS Idahos teacher ethics commission decided earlier this month to revoke former Twin Falls teacher Jason Benjamins certificate after he admitted to police he had sex with a 17-year-old former student despite a jury acquitting him in August of a felony rape charge. The Idaho Professional Standards Commission filed an administrative complaint in December and issued a final order April 4. The commission investigates ethics complaints among certified educators and can take disciplinary action such as revoking or permanently revoking a teaching certificate, suspending a certificate indefinitely or until certain conditions are met, or issuing a letter of reprimand. Benjamin didnt request a hearing within 30 days of the state filing an administrative complaint against his teaching certificate, the final order states. Since he didnt, the allegations in the Administrative Complaint are treated as admitted, according to the order. Lisa Colon Durham, director of certification and professional standards for the Idaho State Department of Education, wasnt available to comment Friday about the decision to revoke Benjamins teaching certificate. The commission includes final orders on its website. Benjamin held a secondary teaching certificate allowing him to teach middle or high school with history and math endorsements. The certificate became effective Sept. 1, 2016, and was slated to remain in effect through Aug. 31, 2021. Under Idaho Code, the state is required to permanently revoke the certificate of anyone who pleads guilty to or is convicted of a felony crime against a child. The states final order for Benjamin revokes his teaching certificate but doesnt say its a permanent revocation. Benjamin pleaded not guilty to a felony rape charge and wasnt convicted. In August 2018, a jury found Benjamin not guilty of rape, despite his admission that he knowingly had sex with an underage girl. The foreman of the jury, who identified himself as Jason, told the Times-News after the trial that he and other jurors did not feel the case met the true definition of rape. Rape is such an ugly word, the foreman said. We just could not slap him with the label of rapist when even she said it was consensual and she pursued him. Benjamin, who taught at Canyon Ridge High School from 2009 until 2017, was arrested in December 2017 after a 17-year-old former student told police she and Benjamin had sex in October 2017, a claim Benjamin confirmed in police interviews. Benjamin was 39 years old at the time of the encounter and was teaching at Robert Stuart Middle School. The former student added Benjamin as a friend on Facebook. After about one week of messaging back and forth, Benjamin invited the teenager to his home, the teenager told police. She allegedly visited Benjamins apartment several times to kiss and watch movies, according to court records, and they had sex during one of the visits. Prior to coming to Benjamins apartment, the teenager messaged him about her intent to have a sexual encounter, according to the ethics commissions final order. She expressed the desire to have sex one time previously but was rebuffed by Benjamin that time, the order states. The teenager ended the relationship over Facebook messenger shortly after the encounter. Love 2 Funny 3 Wow 2 Sad 4 Angry 3 March 19, 1937April 19, 2019 HEYBURN Vearl Henry Taylor, an 82 year old resident of Heyburn, passed away Friday, April 19, 2019, at Minidoka Memorial Hospital in Rupert. Vearl was born on March 19, 1937, in Almo, Idaho, the second child of Melbert and Thelma Barker Taylor. In his youth, he participated in 4-H and FFA, graduating in the last class of Heyburn High in 1955. He started college at the University of Idaho, and in the spring of 1957, was called to the Northern Far East mission in Tokyo, Japan for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Soon after he got there he was chosen to serve in Seoul Korea. He loved his time there getting to know the people and their customs. Upon returning home he joined the Army National Guard. While in basic training in Kentucky, he met and fell in love with his wife, Saundra Weidel, from Dayton, Ohio. Within a few months they were married in the Idaho Falls Temple and began their lives together in Dayton. After a few years Vearl decided to continue his education at BYU, so they moved to Provo, Utah. Later they bought a farm from Lavaur Wilcox in Heyburn, next to Vearls parents, where he farmed until he retired a few years ago. Vearl loved the outdoor life camping (RVs later in life), fishing, hunting, rock hunting and exploring the South Hills. He shared his rock collections, jewelry-making skills and expertise with schools, family and friends everywhere. He eventually graduated his outdoor pursuits to fishing in Alaska, thanks to his brother, making many dear friends there. He spent many hours with his children and grandchildren enjoying the outdoors. He is survived by his wife, Saundra Taylor; his siblings, Ferris (Karen) Taylor, and Juanita (Robert) Brady; his two sons, Scott (Terry) Taylor and Gene (Miriam) Taylor of Salt Lake City; his daughter, Kris (Val) Clark of Declo; 11 grandchildren, Daniel, Terrence, Kourtney, Shantell, Geoffery, Chelsea, Jesse, Nikk, Emilee, Flynn and Calvin; and seven great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and parents-in-law; his sister, Meldean Son; his son, Melbert James Taylor; and a grandson, Lucas Flynn Clark. The family would like to thank Minidoka Home Health and Hospice (especially Michelle, Amber, Andee, Lara, Britney, Maria, and Greg); and a special thanks to Cameron McHan, as well as the many doctors who cared for him. Thank you for your exceptional care. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, May 3, 2019 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsHeyburn 2nd Ward, 530 Villa Dr., in Heyburn. Burial will follow at 2 p.m. at Grand View Cemetery in Elba. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 2, 2019 at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Friday at the church. Authorities say a woman has died and three others are hospitalized in stable condition after a shooting at a synagogue outside San Diego. High school seniors in suburban Columbus, Ohio, get to take a class that could well be banned on many college campuses: a political science course where speakers from the most radical groups from neo-Nazis to die-hard communists are invited to present their views and answer questions. Thomas Worthington High School has offered U.S. Political Thought and Radicalism, or Poli-Rad, since 1975. Thats the year when teacher Tom Molnar, now retired, came up with the idea for the class, got it approved and then realized there was no textbook on the topic. A student suggested Molnar invite guest speakers from across the political spectrum, and thats what he did. (Its notable that back then, the principal not only approved this idea but also called it brilliant.) Now, the schools newer sister school, Worthington Kilbourne High School, offers the class, too. Over the years, the speakers have included Bill Ayers of the Weather Underground (Dont be stupid like me when I was younger, he told the class); white supremacist Richard Spencer; and Ramona Africa, sole survivor of the bomb that police dropped on the headquarters of MOVE, the black (and animal) liberation organization to which she belonged. Today, about half of all seniors take the class, which involves reading up on the 20 or so speakers before they each arrive and then listening and asking questions. WCMH-TV listed the questions the students are asked to focus on, which include: Why do people become part of these movements? Why do they choose the tactics that they do? and What are the goals that they hope to achieve? Judi Galasso, who co-teaches the class today, told Julie Carr Smyth of the Associated Press that, in 2019, no school board in America would approve a class like this, but in Worthington, theres no way you could get rid of it. The schools principal, Pete Scully, told Smyth: In 2019, our teachers generally are like, You know what? Lets redirect to a different topic, because that one sounds like its loaded with land mines. Scully says, The idea of poli-rad is, you know what, lets explore all those land mines and talk about them. Unlike some college professors, who find themselves unable to discuss a controversial topic without being accused of endorsing it, at Worthington, there seems to be a solid understanding that there is a difference between studying radicalization and actually radicalizing students. In fact, the idea of Lets explore all those land mines is probably the most radical idea to which the kids are being exposed. The students past and present seem grateful for this, as well as for their schools trust that they could handle it. As the AP reports: Senior Tori Banks, 18, who took the course last semester, said it helped her expand her views and learn tolerance. If I werent in the class and I saw some of these speakers or people of certain stances walking around, I may feel uncomfortable, she said. But I think the way we do it in poli-rad is a very safe environment. Normally, calling a class a safe environment is a ridiculous overstatement. It implies that, somehow, other classes or venues are unsafe, simply because students will be hearing ideas that they disagree with or that make them uncomfortable. But in Worthingtons case, the safe term is earned. The students arent hearing a white supremacist at a rally in Charlottesville, and they arent bunking with the MOVE folks in Philly. What they are getting instead is the chance to hear from an array of speakers outside the mainstream, as well as the ever-more-rare chance to be treated as thoughtful humans who can grapple with ideas and people they disagree with and not be harmed in the process. As student Jonathan Conrad wrote in the school paper in 2016, the class not only gives students an opportunity to hear major figures from all sides of the political spectrum, but it also gives students the opportunity to form their own beliefs away from parental influence. Lets hope he gets some more of that at college. Lenore Skenazy is president of Let Grow, founder of Free-Range Kids and author of Has the World Gone Skenazy? To learn more about Lenore Skenazy (lskenazy@yahoo.com) and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com. Lenore Skenazy is president of Let Grow, founder of Free-Range Kids and author of Has the World Gone Skenazy? To learn more about Lenore Skenazy (lskenazy@yahoo.com) and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Policy on artificial intelligence With governments considering data-protection laws, the time is right to discuss plans. WASHINGTON The what if question of President Donald Trumps presidency is this: How would Trump have entered office if then-FBI Director James Comey had not told him about a dossier on Trumps ties with Russia which major news organizations declined to report on because their crack reporters could not substantiate it when they first met in Trump Tower on Jan. 6, 2017? Is it possible that instead of delivering his dark American carnage inaugural address, Trump would have taken the oath of office with the optimism he displayed on election night? In the warm glow of victory, Trump told America, It is time for us to come together as one united people. But after the Comey reveal, after U.S. intelligence had failed to tell Trump about Russian attempts to interfere in the presidential race during the 2016 campaign and most of the three-month transition period, Trump had reason to be wary. Especially because, within days of his talk with Comey, BuzzFeed published the lurid dossier which confirmed Trumps suspicions that the FBI and intelligence community were intent on discrediting him. As the saying goes: Just because youre paranoid, it doesnt mean they arent out to get you. And its hard not to feel that those who wrote the Mueller report believed they had evened the score when they wrote, On June 14, 2017, the media reported that the Special Counsels Office was investigating whether the President had obstructed justice. Press reports called this a major turning point in the investigation: while Comey had told the President he was not under investigation, following Comeys firing, the President now was under investigation. So, after establishing that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion but also failing to establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government the Mueller team took after Trumps attempts to politicize the Department of Justice. Of particular interest were Trumps laments that Attorney General Jeff Sessions would not act as a political enforcer in the model of Robert Kennedy and Eric Holder, top lawmen to former Presidents John Kennedy and Barack Obama, respectively. Trump denies he told former White House counsel Don McGahn to fire Sessions. But according to the report, Trump told McGahn, Youre telling me that Bobby and Jack didnt talk about investigations? Or Obama didnt tell Eric Holder who to investigate? It was an odd juxtaposition the Mueller team exposing Trump for wanting to use the attorney generals office to stop an investigation while using the report on the investigation to get even with the president. Was it a coup, as Trump has charged last week? No. Call it a prolonged feud between the FBI and the president that entailed mutual bullying turf in which Trump himself is no angel. But its not clear that it had to begin as it did in Trump Tower with Comey telling the president-elect information the feds should have told him months earlier about the dossier that linked Trump to prostitutes in Moscow. There was a real chance that Donald Trump, politician and hardball deal-maker, would assume I was dangling the prostitute thing over him to jam him, to gain leverage, Comey wrote in his book, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership. Comey added: He might well assume I was pulling a J. Edgar Hoover, because thats what Hoover would do in my shoes. And still, thats how the head of the FBI handled a story that spawned an investigation for something Mueller could not establish as having occurred. Trump, of course, is responsible for how he overreacted to Comey and the probe. The probe would have been over much sooner if the undisciplined Trump hadnt fired Comey and hadnt given contradictory reasons for the firing. But you have to wonder: Would Trump have been a different president even a little different if Comey hadnt poisoned the well so close to the inauguration? Contact Debra J. Saunders at dsaunders@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7391. Follow @DebraJSaunders on Twitter. Contact Debra J. Saunders at dsaunders@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7391. Follow @DebraJSaunders on Twitter. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Democratic primary race bumped into voting rights for incarcerated people again this week at a CNN Town Hall. Bernies on board, Mayor Petes a hard no, and both Sens. Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren said the idea warrants further conversation in the future. Since its Second Chance Month, the annual awareness month dedicated to the stories and challenges of people who are leaving correctional custody, I think we should talk about it now. I want to discuss civic participation as a rehabilitation strategy and voting rights for prisoners as a way to keep people from reoffending. When we talk about reentry, we think about the structural barriers like employment, housing, identification cards. These are legitimate challenges for the returning citizen. As many as 27% of people released from prison are unemployed despite a cushy job market. Formerly incarcerated people are almost 10 times more likely to be homeless than the general public. Even what seems like an easy hurdle to clear securing an ID card to start the job and housing search can be next to impossible. Because social service agencies are so focused on helping people over those hurdles, we miss opportunities to talk about the fact that so much of reentry is emotional and psychological; the biggest barrier is self-concept. A criminal record ostracizes a person relentlessly. Disenfranchisement is an extension of the criminal label and reinforces the idea that a person will continue to live outside the law. This might explain why people released from prison in states that permanently disenfranchise people such as Iowa and Kentucky are roughly 10 percent more likely to reoffend than those released in states that restore their rights, according to one study. Our memories are short when it comes to voting rights. Weve forgotten the success story out of Florida years ago. Back when Governor Charlie Crist was in office, from 2007 to 2011, 155,315 offenders had their rights restored. Less than 1 percent of the reenfranchised citizens reoffended. It was an unprecedented reduction in recidivism until the next governor took the rights away. Voting is collective decision-making; when franchised, people see themselves as stakeholders in society, custodians of their communities. So, of course, theyre less likely to break the law. If voting rights can curb recidivism, then states such as Vermont and Maine, which already allow prisoners to vote, should have rates much lower than other states that permanently disenfranchise people, but they dont (Vermont houses many inmates out of state, which complicates things). The reason why Franchise for all hasnt produced the anti-crime effects it promises is that people are confused about whether they can vote. The patchwork of rights across states enables a faulty message that no person with a felony record can cast a ballot. Its not true. Some can, and some cant. And thats the problem. As many as 17 million people with felony records are eligible to vote but may not know it, so they end up disenfranchising themselves. A study published in Probation Journal found that 68% of respondents with criminal records in California didnt know they were eligible to vote there, which explains why we havent seen the public safety payoff to voting rights that we would expect. Because there isnt one law on voting rights, an insufficient number of incarcerated people and ex-offenders get the memo that theyre included in society, even in places where they are. Consequently, they miss that boost to self-esteem that being part of the electorate can have on a person. Misinformation is the enemy here. The way to combat it is to establish one rule on voting, namely that any United States citizen over age 18 can vote, regardless of their conviction history or status as an inmate. The remaining 48 states that dont allow prisoners to vote should reverse course and agree with Vermont and Maine to not strip anyone of their voting rights. With less confusion will come more voting and less crime. We havent paid enough attention to the public safety benefits of voting rights for all people, including inmates. Anyone who believes in safe communities as well as second chances should support prisoners voting rights. Chandra Bozelko is the Vice President of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and writes a nationally-syndicated column for Creators Syndicate. You can follow her on Twitter at @aprisondiary. Bozelko describes herself as a freelance thought leader, writer and formerly incarcerated woman. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Much has been said about deleting the electoral college from our national election process. Regardless of the perceived failings of the electoral college, removal, in the end, would bring disaster. Our government was organized as a republic, thus, nowhere in the U.S. Constitution is the word democracy. What democracy does is create a condition whereby there would be a major shift toward mob rule. Meaning: Any politician who can excite the emotions of the largest mob would get elected. Consequently, emotion would decide everything. In action, if the mob wants your property and bank account it simply votes itself your property and bank account. Once formed, a democracy (the mob) would eliminate the voting process and a small dictatorial committee would make this decision to seize your property and bank account. We have heard many times: Why shouldnt the people be the only voice? Well, if the people were honest, true and righteous in all their endeavors this might be possible, but they are not. Remember, it is always the cream and the crud who rise to the top; and, we tend to get cream one election then crud the next depending on ones point of view. With the above in mind, if this shift to mob rule were made, how would a democracy effect the state of Idaho and all who are in it? First, Idaho would immediately lose its strength of equal representation and protection. Soon thereafter, it would lose its wealth, both personally and collectively, and this wealth would begin to flow to those states less well-managed and with more population, i.e. California and New York. Through the study of history, keeping our republic, as intended, and the electoral college, even with its defects, is vastly superior to any democracy. Mark Schuckert Twin Falls Love 3 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 El 2 de diciembre de 1970, Oscar Arnoldo Rios Maldonado, estudiante de Periodismo de la Universidad de Concepcion y militante del MIR, fue asesinado por un disparo de un integrante la Brigada Ramona Parra del Partido Comunista. Salvador Allende, quien habia asumido la presidencia de Chile el 4 de noviembre, solicita a las direcciones de ambos partidos que logren un acuerdo que impida conflictos que empanen el desarrollo del naciente gobierno. En la foto de izquierda a derecha aparecen Andres Pascal Allende, Luciano Cruz y Miguel Enriquez, quienes aun clandestinos por el caso Osses Santa Maria se presentan en el velorio de Rios que se realizaba en esos momentos en la pinacoteca de la universidad. Al fondo de la foto se puede apreciar el conocido campanil de la Universidad de Concepcion. Foto y texto tomado del muro de Facebook de MARCO BRAVO, 29 de sept 2018 4 Comments 2 Shares 23 Rolando Briones, Matias Salvador Villa Juica and 21 others There is not enough analysis data for Bahamas Petroleum. 4.0 Community Rank Outperform Votes Bahamas Petroleum has received 157 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Bahamas Petroleum has received 103 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Bahamas Petroleum has received 60.38% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Bahamas Petroleum and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe BPC will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe BPC will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next 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. 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From continuing Medicaid expansion to enhancing public safety, legislators were able to reach agreement on many controversial issues of critical importance, and pass bills to keep Montana moving in the right direction. Unfortunately, the winding road legislators took to achieve some of these results also left more than a few Montanans feeling nauseous. Every session sees its share of secretive discussions, vote-trading and deal-making, but this years session was undoubtedly one of the most convoluted in recent memory. A relatively few bills enjoyed a straight path from introduction to passage, while too many others were gutted, restored, tabled and then transferred from one committee to another before eventually dying or finding their way to the governors desk for signature. In the process, legislators sometimes found themselves scrambling to understand what changes had been made to legislation just before they were called to vote on it. Transparency and public participation suffered as legislative meetings were held on short notice and votes cast without discussion. And the publics trust in our legislative branch was shaken not just once, but again and again. Earlier this month the Montana Newspaper Association and Freedom of Information Hotline operator noted a troubling pattern of legislators meeting on official public business without giving proper notice, as outlined in a letter from Helena attorney Mike Meloy, who specializes in right-to-know laws. Legislative staff responded that the meetings were the unintended result of miscommunication, while Republican majority leadership argued that certain meetings were in fact exempt from public notice requirements. In any case, the public was deprived of its constitutional right to participate in open government. Instead of seeking to do business in secret, lawmakers should always push to make all legislative business as open to the public as possible, and that means providing sufficient public notice even when it concerns matters they dont view as important. Its up to members of the public to decide whats worth following, after all, not legislators. Of course, Montanans are savvy enough to recognize that a certain amount of strategizing is necessary to build support between groups with different priorities. But when members of a particular committee form a quorum and direct legislative staff to draft amendments to specific legislation, thats a different matter entirely. Montanans also understand the difference between legislators meeting with a constituent privately to hear concerns about particular legislation, and legislators allowing powerful constituents to essentially write legislation without public discussion. The latter appears to be what happened to several bills, including those aimed at improving oversight of private residential treatment programs for troubled teens. The Missoulian published a series of news stories detailing some of the serious problems that have gone on within these programs for years, with no meaningful consequences or corrective action. And legislators have attempted for years to close loopholes, only to see their proposed bill die quiet deaths with little discussion. This session, that investigative series, and powerful public testimony from former students, helped bring enough attention to the issue to finally make some long overdue headway, and a bill was passed to transfer oversight from a board stacked with program owners to an independent agency with expertise in childrens safety, health and education. Unfortunately, it was first stripped of important provisions after an individual legislator met in private with program owners and then amended the bill to better suit the owners wishes. Thus a requirement for programs to develop health and safety standards was deleted without public discussion. Earlier, the bill was also stripped of a requirement that program employees have training or qualifications for their job. If program owners have some good reason for objecting to these common-sense requirements, they have yet to state them in a public hearing. Meanwhile, legislators never got to hear the other side of the argument for keeping those requirements. Unfortunately, even duly noticed, publicly debated bills fell victim to legislative hostage-taking and vote-trading this session. A bill to fund the Montana Heritage Center, for example, was briefly derailed before Democratic leadership decided to tie their support for it to an unrelated bill. They sought to help maneuver the unrelated bill into a conference committee that could then make sweeping additions using language from a third bill that had garnered a wave of public opposition and ultimately failed on its third reading in the House. If that sounds unnecessarily confusing, thats because it is. If only they were willing, legislators could consider each bill in a more straightforward manner. Ideally, each bill should be weighed on its own merits, and legislators should vote accordingly not because their vote for one matter hinges on a vote for another. Of course, Montanas legislative gears grind for about three months every two years in a way that is too often less than ideal. The old adage about never watching laws nor sausages being made remains relevant today for good reason. But Montanans must resist the inertia to accept such maneuvering and recognize the ever-present threat to our right to know and participate in open government. Its up to everyday residents and voters to pay close attention and let legislators know that such gamesmanship is unacceptable. Montanans expect better. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Coeur dAlene Lake managers began aggressively targeting northern pike in the southern end of Lake Coeur dAlene this month. The Coeur dAlene Tribe is deploying gillnets in Benewah, Chatcolet, Round and Hidden lakes. The suppression effort hopes to aid the recovery of native cutthroat trout that spawn in Benewah Creek. The spawning run in Benewah Creek has just plummeted over recent years, said Angelo Vitale, the Coeur dAlene Tribes fisheries program manager. Were really at a tipping point for recovering that population. So there is some urgency in terms of the timing. No more than 25 adult cutthroat have returned to Benewah Creek watershed in the past six years, Vitale said. Meanwhile, its estimated there are a minimum of 2,500 northern pike in the shallow waters of southern Coeur dAlene. The tribe hopes to reduce the population by up 80 percent. Pike have razor-sharp teeth and ambush their prey. The goal is not to make the southern end of the lake trout habitat, Vitale said. This shallow weedy habitat in the south end of the lake is really just a migratory route that cutthroat trout have to pass through, he said. The intent is just to make that migration a safe one. The Coeur dAlene Tribe is paying for the suppression work and has received funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bonneville Power Administration. How much the effort will cost isnt known, although Vitale guesses it will be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. This year, the tribe spent $140,000 to buy a new boat that will be used to net the pike. Gillnetting will run until May 24. Netting wont occur between Memorial Day and Oct. 1, so as not to conflict with recreational users. Idaho Fish and Game supports the effort, said Andy Dux, Idaho Fish and Games regional fisheries manager. This is certainly not an incremental step toward trying to take on lakewide pike suppression, Dux said. We (do not) anticipate trying to suppress pike on a lakewide basis. The Coeur dAlene Tribe manages the southern third of the lake while Idaho Fish and Game manages the northern two-thirds. This spring, IDFG will conduct a bass survey to make sure there arent going to be any negative impacts on the bass population, Dux said. IDFG and the tribe presented the plans at a public meeting in Plummer, Idaho, on March 26. Were against them gillnetting for anything or anywhere in the lake, said Brock Morrow, the chairman of the North Idaho Pike Association. Gillnets are not species-specific. Anything that gets in the way gets trapped. Since 2015 the tribe and IDFG have used gillnets in Windy Bay. They reduced the pike population in the bay by 80 percent during that time. Meanwhile, the survival rate for juvenile trout increased from an average of 1 percent to 4.5 percent, Vitale said. Its still lower than we hope to see it. But its pretty steep increase, Vitale said. Wed be pleased to see 10 percent return. We think that would be a good target. Adult survival went from an average of 30 percent to nearly 60 percent, he said. The tribe removed 674 pike from Windy Bay between 2015 and 2018. As for accidentally killing other fish, Vitale said that rarely happened although exact numbers were not immediately availble. The mesh size is designed specifically to capture larger fish, Vitale said. It was a similar story for bass. Those caught in the nets mostly survived, Dux said. Theyre a pretty hardy fish and bass just dont fit into a gillnet, he said. Their gills dont get impinged the same way. The decision to expand gillnetting comes on the heels of a 2017 survey of anglers finding general support for suppression of pike on the lake. According to the survey, one-third of the 404 anglers surveyed called northern pike an undesirable species. Of those who consider northern pike to be undesirable, 74 percent believe so because the pike eat other fish, while 13 percent of all those surveyed said pikeminnows were undesirable in the lake. Of those surveyed, 50 percent said they placed high value on recovering the cutthroat trout population. In the same survey, 68 percent of anglers said they supported the 2015 gillnetting program, if it proved effective. The random survey of fishing license holders was commissioned by the tribe and Idaho Fish and Game and was conducted by Robinson Research. During the height of the Windy Bay suppression, live pike caught in Windy Bay were taken north to Cougar Bay, where pike are less likely to prey on native cutthroats. The translocation appeased many anglers, who love the fish for the thrill of the fight and the tasty meat. Pike wont be transported from the southern end of the lake to Cougar Bay anymore, Vitale said. Instead, the fish will be given to Birds of Prey Northwest and the tribes own aviary. The fish may also be donated to the St. Maries food bank or other local organizations. Were looking whether we can make fish available to human consumption, Vitale said. We anticipate a lot of fish. The North Idaho Pike Association wants the pike to be relocated, Morrow said. Our stance is we disagree with it and we wish they would consider relocation when the nets have large numbers of fish, he said. Dux said IDFG and the tribe will see if translocation is possible in the future. Despite disagreeing with the decision, Morrow said he and the North Idaho Pike Association understand the reasoning. Throughout the process, IDFG and the tribe communicated well with anglers, he said. Not all anglers took such an even tack. I make a living helping people find and catch fish, said Rich Lindsey, a fishing guide on Priest Lake and Lake Pend Oreille. I dont make a living if I kill those same fish off. I am very protective of our resources. I am outraged that gillnets are in our waters. There are gillnets in Pend Oreille lake and river targeting walleye and northern pike, respectively. Lindsey worries that reduced northern pike fishing on Lake Coeur dAlene will send anglers north overcrowding Priest Lake and Lake Pend Oreille. Northern pike originated from illegal introductions in Montana. The pike found their way down the Flathead River and into the Clark Fork. By the early 2000s, they were in the Box Canyon Reservoir reach of the Pend Oreille River. In the 1970s, the fish were found in Lake Coeur dAlene and the Upper Spokane River. By 2004, theyd made their way into the Pend Oreille River. In 2018, Spokane Tribe of Indians fish biologists caught a 45-inch-long, 27.5-pound northern pike in the Spokane arm of Lake Roosevelt . At the same time, the Colville Tribe caught a pike 10 miles from Grand Coulee Dam. The 2017 survey made the expanded gillnetting decision easier to make, Dux and Vitale said. I think it certainly made us more comfortable supporting what the tribe wants to do with this program, Dux said. Because we knew the majority of Coeur dAlene Lake anglers were supportive of this. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 " " You save some of your pay after tax ... but the interest you earn is taxed, too. MarkgrafAve/iStockphoto/ThinkStock Whether it's from a financial planner or dear ol' dad, you've probably heard this advice over and over: Save some money for a rainy day. For most folks, savings starts with your paycheck it's income you've already paid your taxes on, tucked safely away in an interest-bearing account. But after all that responsibility, you may be dismayed to learn that the interest you've earned on your little nest egg is subject to its own tax. Why, you may wonder, should the Internal Revenue Service get another shot at that money? But think about it like this: While it's not exactly the same as standing out on the corner hawking lemonade, interest is still additional money you earned. And any money you earn is money that the government can politely pinch a piece of. The good news is that your interest isn't going to be taxed in any more interesting or complicated a manner than all your other income or earnings. Just like all your other money, it's taxed depending on what tax bracket you fall in. Advertisement In general, it's not going to be too difficult to figure out if you need to report your interest as income. If you're earning more than $10 of interest a year on any bank or financial account, the institution is required to send a 1099-INT statement to the IRS declaring your interest earnings [source: IRS]. Don't feel left out; they'll send you a copy too. When you file your taxes, you'll need to make sure your reported interest matches the bank's records. Your interest gets tallied up with the rest of your income, and the whole pile is taxed. There are a few cases where interest is tax-exempt (at least on a federal level state taxes might apply). Municipal bonds, private activity bonds and some dividends from mutual funds or regulated companies will be able to be gleefully pocketed without paying [source: Fidelity]. Former U.S. Sen. Max Baucus is lending a hand in getting Congressional approval for a new free trade agreement with Canada and Mexico. Baucus was in Billings Friday with members of Farmers for Free Trade to discuss the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. The group is traveling the county whipping up support for the agreement negotiated by President Donald Trump as a replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement. Theres a lot of national discourse about trade, but it tends to be focused on manufacturing jobs and so forth in the cities and urban America, not in the hinterland, not focused on agriculture, said Baucus, who is also former U.S. Ambassador to China. And agriculture, the discussion of trade in respect to agriculture, gets lost. It just doesnt make the headlines. It tends to be almost forgotten. Montana malt barley has become a key ingredient for Mexican breweries. Hi-Line wheat farmers would like to move their grain to Canadian elevators when economics are favorable. USMCA could help both of those issues, said Michelle Jones, immediate past president of the Montana Grain Growers and a member of Farmers for Free Trade. It has been almost six months since Trump signed off on USMCA. As a candidate, he pledged repeal of NAFTA, replacing it with a more favorable deal for the United States. The new agreement is slightly different from the old deal, but is widely described as NAFTA 2.0. At least initially, the goal was to get the deal approved by Congress by summer 2019. Summer passage makes sense, said Brian Kuehl, of Farmers for Free Trade. A former legislative director for Baucus, Kuehl said getting USMCA through Congress this summer would prevent it from getting caught in the churn of the 2020 presidential election cycle. Trade agreements were a casualty of the 2016 elections. Populist campaign messages warned of jobs moving out of the country because of trade agreements, particularly NAFTA. Both Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton campaigned against passing the 11-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement considered crucial for selling Montana wheat and beef to Japan and other markets in the Asia Pacific. As Japanese tariffs decline for countries who stuck with TPP, Montana farmers have started losing market share to TPP countries like Australia and Canada, Jones said. More than 70% of Montanas wheat is exported and most of that is sold in the Asian Pacific region, where Japan is the states biggest grain buyer. Those lost sales started in January and should continue for years as tariffs continue to decline for TPP partners. The Trump administration is trying to negotiate a bilateral agreement with Japan, but the discussion is still fairly early in the process. Summer passage of USMCA would also prevent the agreement from being trampled in the politics of the U.S. border with Mexico. Weeks ago, the president threatened to block all traffic over the border, a threat with disastrous consequences for trade on everything from produce to automobiles. To get USMCA approved, the Trump administration needs some support from House Democrats and willingness from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to take it up. As Baucus knows from dealing with trade deals in Congress during the past four decades, Pelosi hasnt accommodated trade deals of Republican presidents. President George W. Bush struggled to get House support for trade deals smaller than USMCA when Pelosi controlled the House in the late 2000s. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., has opposed trade agreements, including TPP, the Korean-U.S. trade agreement, the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, and the U.S-Panama Free Trade Agreement. Those agreements, Tester has said, havent created U.S. jobs. Thats a claim Baucus strongly disagrees with. U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., is a member of the Senate Finance Committee, like Baucus before him. He supports USMCA and has been advocating for congressional action since November. With over 95% of the worlds consumers outside of the U.S., reducing barriers to trade and expanding access to foreign markets is one of the senators top priorities, said Julia Doyle, a Daines spokeswoman. Advancing USMCA will be critical to maintaining or expanding access to important markets in Canada and Mexico and will help provide more certainty for Montana farmers, ranchers, and businesses. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over trade, the Senator will continue to actively work with the administration and his colleagues to make sure this agreement is implemented. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Perhaps youve heard of the Roe House at the University of Montana Western the mansion that Ted Turner famously moved from the Roe Ranch in Red Rock and donated to the university in the 1990s. But do you know about the other Roe house? 122 S. Washington St. is a three-story Queen Anne Victorian home in Dillon, and it was once home to William Roe, the forefather of the Roe family of Beaverhead County and one of the most notable pioneers of southwest Montana. A successful business and cattleman, Roe was one of the founding members of the State Bank of Dillon, where he served as vice president. Hes also credited with being among the first parties to prospect for gold in Grasshopper Creek, where the discovery of gold led to Montanas first gold rush. Similarly, some sources cite him as a member of a vigilante crew that captured Henry Plummer, a sheriff-turned-outlaw who purportedly led a gang of road agents. The book Progressive Men of the State of Montana, published in the early 1900s, says Roe settled in Dillon in 1899 after a series of business and agricultural dealings. He owns valuable realty in Dillon, and his residence is one of the finest in town, the books author writes. Pastry chef and current owner Jaime Saunders said one of her favorite features of the home is its kitchen, where visitors are greeted with dark quartz countertops. Lighted, white cabinetry with glass doors, meanwhile, keeps the kitchen light and upbeat. In all, its the kind of space that will inspire even the most tentative cooks. Pam Neumeyer of Best of the West Properties, listing agent for the property, gave a tour of the home last week, pointing out its many unique details. The home is sunny and elicits warmth with wood floors in several rooms and many large windows. Built around 1905, the home has no shortage of architectural elements that are authentic to the period, including a pressed-tin ceiling in the kitchen, medallion-stamped light fixtures throughout, bay windows, claw foot tubs and a turret bathed in sunlight. The home boasts not one but three fireplaces, including one in the second-story master suite and the large dining area, whose ample size, wood floors and sliding pocket doors are reminiscent of a scene from a Jane Austen novel. Through the pocket doors visitors will find the sitting room, where theyll encounter the third fireplace, a seating area situated inside the turret and a staircase leading to the second level, replete with handsome woodwork. The home also has a living room, where homeowners can kick back and relax. Jean James owned the 3,516-square-foot home for more than 10 years. A caterer, she and her husband restored the home and turned it into the Centennial Inn, where they operated a bed and breakfast, restaurant and Victorian gift shop. James said they served tea in the afternoons, and a friend would often come by just because she needed a break. The friend could often be found sitting in the downstairs turret alone, drinking tea and reading a book. James said when she and her husband purchased the home, it had been converted into two apartments. The couple worked to restore the building, recapturing its glory and reinstating its original floor plan as best they could. With a team of workers, they reinstated historical details throughout and decorated the home with Victorian-inspired furnishings and decor. I wanted to make a beautiful and restful place for people to go, said James. James said what she loves about the home is its openness. Although the home is Victorian, it almost has a Georgian feel, she said. Through the years, the Jameses cultivated a family of sorts with the servers, dishwashers and other staff at Centennial Inn, which James said was one of the most rewarding parts of the journey. Although she and her husband no longer own the home, they still have a little piece of its history. Marg and Joe Roe, who built the Roe House thats now the administration building at Montana Western, hired James husband to replace the tubing of an old player piano they had. The pianos original home was the house on 122 S. Washington St. After the Jameses restored the home, the former Inn proprietor said, Marg offered the piano to the couple because it needed to go home, James said. Today James lives in a modest ranch-style house. An artist, she works from a studio inside the home. Shes a member of Tendoy Fine Art, a Dillon-based arts nonprofit. Lance Melton of Helena said he visited the home many times as a kid after his sister married into the family. It was very beautiful, he said, reflecting on the home. But also very clearly a ranchers home. Melton has done extensive research on the Roe family on Ancestry.com, which is where The Montana Standard accessed newspaper clippings and book excerpts for this article. Other notable features of the home include its large yard adorned with tall, mature trees, providing just enough dappled light to keep you cool in the summer while maintaining a view of the street, where every now and then you might see kids drive by on their bikes. The neighborhood is home to a number of historic homes and is also within walking distance of newly renovated Jaycee Park, where new playground equipment and water features will keep kids entertained. The home also has updated plumbing, electricity, windows and siding, so new homeowners wont have to worry about costly upgrades. With plumbing and electricity installed, the third level is a charming attic that can easily be converted into a master bedroom, library, playroom or anything else your heart desires. Its currently the hanging out space of a 14-year-old. William Roe died in the home Sept. 12, 1913, according to his obituary in The Dillon Examiner, living to the ripe old age of 75. Current owner Jaime Saunders says the Queen Anne Victorian home is anything but haunted. Instead, its a warm and inviting home thats stately without being austere. Saunders, who has freelanced as an interior designer, has loaded the home and its four-bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths with unique furnishings that complement the Victorian gem. With an asking price of $376,500, the home can come furnished for an extra $10,000 with some exceptions, replete with sophisticated yet comfy sofas, smart sitting chairs, four post beds and other furnishings that will leave you feeling as though youve stepped back in time. I love it, said Saunders of the home. Its amazing. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Where from here? The government needs to talk less and do more work. In 1905, the board of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, the Milwaukee Road, approved a $45-million extension of their track into the Pacific Northwest. At a cost equivalent of more than $1.3 billion today, it would in many places run parallel with their competitor Northern Pacifics track. To bring the Milwaukee Road into Butte entailed onerous work to cross the Main Range of the Rockies what we call the East Ridge and its continuation south to Pipestone Pass and beyond. The work effort gave its name to at least three of the hiking-biking trails in Thompson Park: Grading Camp, Orman Camp, and Crook Camp. Orman and Crook was a Pueblo, Colorado, construction company that had executed many contracts for railroad grade preparation. The 1906-07 Montana project required leveling rough terrain, and making tunnels and trestles where they couldnt do that. Orman & Crooks work crews, with numbers in the thousands, were housed in grading camps scattered along the length of the project. By September 1906, five camps had been established between Butte and the Jefferson River. The companys headquarters camp was on one of the headwaters of Pipestone Creek, probably the branch known as Little Pipestone Creek today, just east of the Continental Divide at Pipestone Pass. There was an old wagon road nearby that the railroad followed to the extent possible, as does Highway 2 today. The Eighteen Mile house was present along that wagon road a few miles further east of Ormans headquarters grading camp. The commissary at the headquarters camp provided tobacco, pipes, shoes, socks, underclothes, and other supplies, as well as abundant food and even a gallon of white pine syrup, a cold remedy. Wages ranged from $2.75 a day for rock men those who could drill and blast, to $2.25 a day for muckers to shovel out the blasted rock. The Standard opined that once the work started on the tunnel, better pay will be given to skilled men, meaning experienced underground miners who were being paid $3.50 a day in Butte at that time. Open cuts were specified to be 24 feet wide. The tunnel beneath Pipestone Pass was probably the greatest challenge to the work, at 2,290 feet, just under a half-mile. But one gulch could not be filled in to grade, and was bridged by a 600-foot trestle. The tunnel is off limits today, but the trestle is part of the Milwaukee Road trail in Thompson Park. Grading Camp and Orman and Crook Trails extend west of the old railroad bed in the park. Partly because of the ready source of copper in Butte and partly because of the abundant hydroelectric power that was being generated in Great Falls, and because the grades crossing the mountains were challenging for some steam engines, the Milwaukee electrified 438 miles of their road in 1914-1916, from Harlowtown, Montana, to Avery, Idaho. The Milwaukee depot on Montana Street in Butte, todays KXLF TV station, was constructed in 1916 as well. The line was abandoned in 1960. U.S. Highway 10, now Montana 2, was completed across Pipestone Pass in the late 1920s. Financial problems on a non-railroad project, the Bell Fourche Dam in South Dakota, at the time the largest earth-fill dam in the world, drove the Orman and Crook Company into bankruptcy a few years after their work in southwest Montana. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Montana has for decades been at the forefront of wildlife conservation among states in the West. We have the best hunting and angling in the country, and Montana has long set the standard in hunting ethics. As Montanans we value fair chase as an essential part of our sporting heritage, and thats why we banned game farms nearly two decades ago. We also have many laws and regulations on the books to ensure that fair chase hunting persists. Put simply, fair chase means the animal has a reasonable chance to get away. But one area in which Montana has fallen behind other states is in the protection of wildlife location data. In todays world of high technology, data using GPS devices can give a hunter an animals location with incredible accuracy and specificity. And in some cases, people are using that information to give themselves an overwhelming advantage in hunting. We were disappointed to see a bill to address the issue of how we regulate that data go down in the Legislature. SB 127, sponsored by Sen. Jill Cohenour, D-East Helena, would have made it illegal for people to sell specific wildlife location data. Weve seen this trend in other states, and Montana had a chance to get ahead of the curve and ban the sale of this data. People sometimes spot a trophy animal in an area after theyve filled their tag, or just while out hunting for something else, and make it available to other hunters. Some people have chosen to act as brokers, collecting the data and then offering it for a fee to people willing to pay. The bill passed the Senate, but died in the House Fish, Wildlife and Parks committee. Legislators who voted against it expressed vague concerns over First Amendment issues, but really didnt give any valid reasons for opposing the bill. However, on a positive note, the Legislature did pass SB 349, also sponsored by Cohenour. This bill makes it illegal to use wildlife location data from Montana FWP biologists to hunt or harass wildlife. Its an important step, because FWP needs to be able to collect data on wildlife habitat use, migrations, denning sites and other things. While SB 349 is a step in the right direction, FWP still cannot deny people the information. Yet other states have gone further and have passed laws giving their state wildlife agencies that ability. Montana needs to look at the issue and decide whether FWP needs that ability too. And thats where SJ 30, sponsored by Cohenour, comes in. The resolution calls for a Legislative study to look at FWPs data, how its used and whether we should give the agency the ability to protect that data from some users. Its a difficult issue, because Montana has strong public interest laws protecting the publics right to public information. At the same time, most Montanans would agree that giving someone the exact location of an animal gives a hunter an incredibly unfair advantage that flies in the face of fair chase ethics. Montana will only maintain our standing as setting the standard in our ethical hunting culture if we strengthen our laws that protect specific wildlife location data. Its a big issue in the 21st Century, and one that will only get bigger as technology continues to advance. Kathy Hadley is a hunter and landowner near Deer Lodge. She is past president of the Montana Wildlife Federation and current president of the National Wildlife Federation. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A series of stories, Kids in Crisis, Care in Question by The Montana Standards Ted McDermott, last week delved into issues involving Acadia Montana, a for-profit psychiatric residential care facility for children in Butte than has had a turbulent three-decade history under a succession of owners and management. The thoughtful, well-researched series raised significant questions regarding oversight and accountability. Because Acadia accepts children from a wide variety of jurisdictions several states across the region as well as Montana and several Native American tribes and because of its for-profit status the regulation of the facility is a checkerboard of various entities who play a role. The state Department of Public Health and Human Services takes a lead role, but other entities with a stake in Acadias performance and a regulatory reach include the state Mental Disabilities Board of Visitors; Disability Rights Montana; the states of Oregon, Alaska and potentially others; tribal governments, individually and with the Indian Health Service; and the federal Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services. While this collection of bureaucracy seems imposing and in fact must be somewhat frustrating for Acadia, it also seems less than sufficient when one looks at the specifics. One of the biggest takeaways from this is the concern that the Board of Visitors is significantly under-resourced to complete its mission. As per its mission statement, The Board is responsible to ensure that people receiving services from mental health programs in Montana are treated humanely and that treatment is consistent with established clinical and other professional standards, and meets the requirements in state law. In carrying out that mission, the Board of Visitors is tasked with monitoring no less than 45 facilities across the state, including the Montana State Hospital and Acadia. The Legislature in recent years has deeply slashed the resources available to the Board of Visitors. Right now, the boards executive director position is vacant. So is an advocacy specialist position. Its staff legal counsel, Craig Fitch, has an outstanding record of advocacy for the vulnerable and has been with the Board since 2002. Similarly, its advocate for Montana State Hospital patients has been in place for 13 years and has done admirable work. But that staff is woefully insufficient to do what is an absolutely vital job. The board, which reports to the Governor, needs resources and it needs the governors ear. The recently concluded legislative session did not provide any help. The governor must do so unilaterally or face the risk of the further degradation of mental-health services in a state that desperately needs more such services than it has. We know that there are many dedicated people at Acadia, including its CEO, Peggy Cunningham. We also know those folks have very difficult jobs and a huge cascade of responsibilities and challenges. But at Acadia, the bottom line is the welfare of the children in the organizations charge. And we believe the DPHHS needs to take a very active role in mandating improvements to care particularly with the all-too-frequent use of drugs to control patients in emergent situations. Everyone involved at the institution for years including the former CEO of Acadia who is now in charge of the DPHHS division responsible for regulating the facility has recognized that the frequency of such emergent measures has been far too high at various points over the institutions history. The fact that the institution has porpoised between criticism and praise from regulators for years indicates endemic issues. DPHHS and Acadia must work together to make the facility safer and better for its residents. Adding to problems with oversight is uncertainty surrounding what rules psychiatric residential treatment facilities like Acadia Montana should be following. DPHHS has been slow to provide The Montana Standard with clarification about whether, when, how and how often interventions like locked seclusion and emergency medication may be used on young patients in PRTFs. And while the agency has offered some insight about its view of the rules, DPHHS has so far been unable to provide the rules themselves. Without clarity about what the rules are, how are regulators, providers, families and patients to know whether Acadia Montana is complying with them? Coincidentally, this series comes on the heels of another excellent project by The Missoulian examining for-profit youth care facilities in the state. Reacting to that powerful report, the Legislature did take action this month to shift oversight of those youth care facilities from The Department of Labor to DPHHS. Thats a constructive step, on the surface. But given the regulatory challenges DPHHS has had with Acadia, adding 16 more institutions to its list of responsibilities sparks new concerns. Childrens lives are at stake at Acadia and at these other for-profit facilities. We urge the governor and DPHHS to step up the quantity and quality of state oversight. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 The City Press has reported that the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) and Communications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams are at war. According to the report, the minister is being accused of meddling in the independent authoritys work and withholding their funding by refusing to approve its annual performance plan (APP). Citing a letter which ICASA sent to the minister, the report states that the regulator is threatening legal action unless her department pays R450 million by 11:00 tomorrow. Unless ICASA receives this money, it will not be able to meet its financial commitments like paying salaries and service providers. The minister is allegedly holding ICASA to ransom by demanding that it changes its performance plan and remove all references to 4G spectrum and 5G. The reason, the City Press said, is that Ndabeni-Abrahams wants to save the announcement of 5G cellular networks in the local market and the sale of new spectrum for her own election promises. Neither ICASA nor the communications minister commented on the allegation by City Press. Policy directive on spectrum allocation promised Earlier this month Ndabeni-Abrahams and her deputy, Pinky Kekana, met with ICT industry leaders to finalise consultations on their interpretation of the spectrum licensing process. The meeting follows written submissions previously made by the sector on the matter. Licensing of high-demand spectrum is deemed necessary to lessen resource constraints experienced by incumbent mobile operators. It is also seen as a way to enable transformation of a historically vertically-integrated market, leveling the playing field and enabling new players to enter the market. It will also contribute to reducing the cost to communicate and drive universal services and access. Ndabeni-Abrahams has said that while stakeholders might not agree on all aspects in Electronic Communications Act (ECA), they must strive to find consensus that ensures that high-demand spectrum is licensed. Since the advent of mobile broadband, spectrum has turned out to be both a competitive and an anti-competitive tool for incumbent network operators and a barrier to entry for new entrants. Some spectrum lies unutilised or underutilised in time or space and we would like to change that by making sure that spectrum is effectively and efficiently licensed in order to address not only revenue generation, but to also ensure inclusive participation, Ndabeni-Abrahams said. The meeting agreed that the spectrum policy directive and licencing processes must be swiftly finalised. Additionally, common ground should be reached between the policymakers and the regulator to ensure the process is concluded and spectrum is duly allocated timeously. Kekana also emphasised the importance of the process as pronounced by both President Cyril Ramaphosa and Finance Minister Tito Mboweni in the 2019 State of the Nation Address and Budget Speech respectively. The final policy directive on spectrum allocation, the department said, will be issued by the end of April 2019. ICASA wants to move forward The departments statements follow ICASA stating in February that it can and will proceed with assigning 4G and 5G spectrum in South Africa, even though the amendment bill to the Electronic Communication Act has been withdrawn. A spokesperson for the regulator told MyBroadband that ICASA welcomed the withdrawal of the bill and the commitment by Ndabeni-Abrahams to further consultation on the matter. In its presentation to Parliament on the bill, ICASA raised some concerns particularly the impact of the bill on its independence, and the encroachment on its powers as regards control and management of radio frequency spectrum. Among the changes the bill dealt with was the introduction of a wholesale open access network (WOAN), which was part of a larger debate on how scarce resources such as 4G and 5G spectrum should be assigned in South Africa. The withdrawal of the bill until after the general elections in May 2019 therefore raises concerns that there will once again be delays in the allocation of high-demand spectrum to mobile network operators. South Africas cellular networks have said that the release of spectrum will allow them to offer cheaper and faster mobile data services in the country, and must therefore happen immediately. Now read: Final policy directive on spectrum allocation coming this month The Sunday Times has reported that SARS is going after ANC politicians and businessmen who were involved in Bosasas dodgy dealings. According to the report, these individuals can expect tax claims from SARS for more than R250 million. Apart from the hefty bills, the revenue service is also looking into charging them for under-declaration of income, overstated expenses, and misrepresentations to SARS. Individuals mentioned in the report include minister Nomvula Mokonyane and former SAA chair Dudu Myeni. Damning bribery and corruption claims Environmental Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane was paid bribes and given numerous gifts and favours to try and enlist her support to further the interests of services company Bosasa, according to its former chief operating officer. Mokonyane received monthly cash payments and other benefits for several years while she was serving in her previous posts as safety and security minister in the central Gauteng province and as the countrys water affairs minister, Angelo Agrizzi told a judicial commission. Bosasa, which was renamed African Global Operations in 2017, derived little benefit from the payments, he said. The monthly amount was R50,000 and the money was handed over by the companys Chief Executive Officer Gavin Watson, Agrizzi told the commission. The judicial panel, headed by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, has previously focused on allegations that members of the Gupta family used their close relationship with Jacob Zuma and other officials to loot state companies allegations they deny. Mokonyane denied receiving the payments. Highlights of Agrizzis testimony Highlights of Agrizzi testimony are below. Bosasa gave Mokonyane gifts of meat and alcohol each Christmas, hired her daughter a car, paid for her familys funerals and helped maintain her houses. When Agrizzi complained that Bosasa wasnt getting anything from Mokonyane in return, Watson told him that she had political clout and could help protect the company from prosecution. Bosasa helped arrange catering for several ANC rallies and supplied a cake for Zumas 72nd birthday. Bosasa paid R500,000 a month to officials who oversaw South Africas prisons, which enabled it to retain lucrative contracts. The monthly amount increased to R750,000 after Tom Moyane, a close Zuma ally, was appointed commissioner of the department. The Department of Justice was paid R15 million for its help in securing a tender in 2013, equivalent to 2.5% of the contract price. Transport department officials were paid bribes of R300,000 a month to assist Bosasa. Three ruling party lawmakers, including Vincent Smith, were paid monthly bribes to protect Bosasa during parliamentary hearings and ensure it wasnt precluded from winning further government contracts. Smith has previously said Bosasa helped arrange a loan for him, but denied receiving bribes. Agrizzi said he personally saw bribes being handed over to officials at restaurants and hotels, or paid them himself. Zuma linked to bribes scandal Zuma, who quit as South African president last year after being implicated in a string of scandals, is also facing allegations that he took bribes from Bosasa to shield it from prosecution and advance its business interests. Agrizzi said during Zumas rule the company agreed to pay R300,000 a month to his charitable foundation in return for protection from prosecution. Watson gave the money to Myeni, the foundations chairwoman, according to Agrizzi. The former COO said he counted the cash and was present when several payments were made. Surely if its for a foundation you would do an electronic funds transfer? Why would you you want it in cash? Agrizzi said. I dont think the foundation got anything. Zuma has also been accused of allowing members of the Gupta family, who were in business with his son, to influence government contracts and cabinet appointments. Zuma, his son, and the Guptas deny any wrongdoing. Additionally, a number of senior ruling African National Congress officials have been implicated in taking bribes. The full story is available in the Sunday Times. I'm with the NPP to help ... 1. Yes. If a department head is doing a bad job and the city manager wont act, its needed. 2. Yes. Its a crucial safeguard against poor hiring decisions and conflicts of interest. 3. No. It would only muddle the leadership structure and damage employee morale. 4. No. It would make it harder to recruit and retain qualified city leaders at all levels. 5. Unsure. Council oversight may be good, but perhaps not to such a significant extent. Vote View Results Crystal Geyser Water Company of Calistoga has partnered with a nonprofit watershed conservation group for the protection and restoration of forested watersheds and natural sources of drinking water. Pacific Forest Trust (PFT), based in San Francisco, is a 25-year-old group of scientists, forest managers, and conservationists, focused on private forests in northern California, Oregon and Washington. In the past 25 years, they have conserved over 270,000 acres mostly in Northern California and many of the natural springs we wish to protect are located here, said Jill Harris, Crystal Geysers communications manager. The partnership has created a new initiative, called Spring for Life, and was announced April 16. Crystal Geyser has been a supporter of PFT for years, Harris said, and Springs for Life will allow them to expand their work in Californias headwaters region around Mount Shasta, with major new projects in the McCloud Watershedjust southeast of Mount Shasta. Its one of the main sources of water for the Sacramento River and beyond. Crystal Geyser is also supporting a new project to conserve and restore 2000-acres in Shasta County on Salt Creek, which flows directly into Lake Shasta, Harris said. This property has at least a dozen undeveloped springs that feed Salt Creek with beautiful, cold, clear water year round, benefiting everyone who depends on water from Californias largest dam including endangered Chinook salmon, she said. Situated just above areas burned by the Hirz and Delta fires, conservation of the property will prevent expansion of residential and recreational development into the wildlands above the lake. Crystal Geyser has been operating in California for 40 years. The company has provided the seed money for the new initiative, though declined to say how much. Another goal is to educate consumers, and is encouraging other companies to join with PFT, Harris said. We are keenly aware of how precious a resource water is, she said. You can reach Cynthia Sweeney at csweeney@weeklycalistogan.com or 942-4035. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. It was a hot Californian August day. One of those days when the heat swirls off the sidewalk warping the air, making still objects sway lazily. One of those days when the red face of heat exhaustion is echoed in the people walking along the street, their yearning for an air-conditioned room all too apparent on their dripping faces. One of those days when wearing anything other than flip flops and shorts is to risk harming ones health. It was through this torrid weather that I marched determinedly, yanking a large lumbering suitcase behind me, my arm straining, sweat trickling down my forehead, creating tear-like rivulets on my tomato cheeks. I was slowly, but steadily making my way towards the air-conditioned haven of the San Francisco International Airport. Three hours before takeoff. Looking up, I was momentarily blinded by the strength of the suns reflection on the airports glass facade. The rays of light bounced, swayed, danced, on the blue-green glass, creating a constant lively movement. For a moment, I forgot the heat and watched, transfixed. Observing each flicker of light with fascination. The moment, however, was quickly interrupted as fellow passengers let out exasperated sighs at my blocking of the doorway. Their impatience prompted me to look down at my watch, my carefully calculated time slot to get onto the plane dwindling. Two hours and fifty-four minutes left. Feeling guilty at the inconvenience I may have caused my fellow passengers and anxious at the waning time, I quickly made my way into the airport, my bag bouncing along behind me. As soon as the door opened into the airports lobby, I felt it. A woosh of fresh air. It whirled around me, caressing my red face, whispering against my dripping arms, and grazing my tired hands. The crisp air invigorated me, giving me the push I needed to continue pulling my belongings to the check-in desk. After walking back and forth across the lobby a couple of times, I finally found the red and white check-in desk for Air France, direction Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Hastening to get in line before the German family of five that was walking right behind me, I settled in to wait. Oh, how excited I was to check in my baggage and no longer have to worry about carrying it! I would be left only with my small backpack on the plane. As I stood next to my bag, the line moving at an excruciatingly slow pace, the elderly couple in front of me turned and struck up a conversation. Hello dear. Are you heading to Paris too? We are visiting our son, he just got engaged this past Sunday and is planning his wedding for a years time! We are so excited for him. Shes a real nice girl. Nice family too. The womans large brown eyes, magnified by her large glasses, crinkled at the edges as she wrapped her arm around her husband. A smile dancing on my lips at the couples beaming faces, I replied while dragging my luggage forward with the sluggish movement of the line. Congratulations! Yes, I am going to Paris. It is not the final destination though; I am heading down to the center of France to a little town by the name of Aurillac. I will be going to school there. It was the husband that responded, his rough voice carrying a friendly and warm undertone. My, what a brave child you are. Going so far all alone. A small smile spread across my face as he too wrapped his arm around his wife. Their affection for each other was so very obvious and so very heart-warming. I have family there, but it will be a big change, I replied as I grab my bags handle once more to pull it forward. And so, the chit chat continued until the couple made it to the check-in desk, leaving me to wait patiently behind the yellow line drawn so carefully onto the airports grey linoleum floors. Two hours and thirty-two minutes remaining. Next! Heaving a sigh of relief I trudged up to the countertop, hoisting my bag onto the scale. Passport. I reached into my backpack and handed it to the clerk. Boarding pass. I showed her that it was tucked inside my passport. Is this all your luggage? I answered with a sharp nod of my head. The bag is ten pounds over the limit. I let out an annoyed sigh and took out my card to pay the $25 fee. Finally, with the luggage tagged and sent out on the conveyor belt, I was free to continue on to border security. After a quick stop at the Moma gift shop to peruse the various small oddities they always have in stock, I hurried over to security, all the while calculating in my head how much time I had left. Exactly one hour and fifty-six minutes. The queue at the security check-in was surprisingly short, and after shedding my shoes and pulling my laptop out of my backpack, I quickly made it through. One hour and thirty minutes to spare. With the remaining time, I made my way to a restaurant, got a turkey sandwich and a lemonade, paid, and started looking for my gate. The fellow passengers, a wave of suitcases and talking people, flowed through the halls, the sounds of clacking wheels and the occasional crying child echoing against the walls. I maneuvered through the throng, my neck stretched out as I searched for the number sixteen (the gate indicated on my boarding pass) and the letters CDG (Paris Charles de Gaulle). Suddenly, there it was, right in front of me, the sign carrying both the number sixteen and the letters CDG. Skidding to a stop, I walked down the short set of stairs towards the rows of stark black seats meant for the overly early passengers who arrive before the aircraft is available to board. Then, after placing my bag on the seat closest to the immense wall-to-wall airport windows, I stood and gazed out at the blazing outside. A sigh of contentment escaped me as I leaned forward to press my face against the window, drinking in the scene. The sun jumped off the dark tarmac, glancing off airport windows, and skipping on the metal exterior of the planes. I watched the little trolleys carrying around fellow passengers, the busy airport workers running to and fro, the suitcases being hauled onto carts one by one, the large aircrafts all decorated with different logos pulling in and out of the airport. The cloudless Californian sky giving me one last goodbye as I embarked on the last step towards a journey that would change my life forever. Fifty-three minutes before takeoff. Settling back down into my seat, I glanced around. Directly in front of me sat a girl who looked about ten, her small hands fidgeting with her bedazzled phone. I smiled quickly and bent my head down towards my own phone, engrossing myself into a game of Candy Crush. I was finally relaxed knowing that I would make it on the plane. Thirty-seven minutes before the start of my voyage. Suddenly, I heard a soft voice and looked up to find its source. It was the little girl I had noticed before. Hello, my name is Manon. What is your name? She looked so hesitant, her wide blue eyes fixated on me, her small hand clutching her pink My Little Pony backpack. Setting aside my game, I replied, My name is Zoe! Then, because I was in a good mood, I added, My my, what a beautiful backpack you have! She beamed. Her grin stretched across her face, her little red cheeks glowing, her curly pigtails bobbing as she hopped up to give me a closer look at her bag. Are you going to Paris too? Im going home! Manon exclaimed while I inspected her bag per her request, a request made evident by her placement of said bag on my lap. Why yes I am, but I am going even further! I am going to Aurillac, way in the middle of France. I will be going to school there for a whole year! WOW! Now, look at my keychains! I have Cinderella. See? She pointed energetically at the small figurine of the classic blonde beauty dangling gracefully. My what gorgeous keychains you have! I said as I made the various princesses hanging on her bag walk across the seat. I was rewarded with a giggle. All passengers for flight A189 for CDG, please report to the gate, we are now boarding. Fifteen minutes left. After a flight attendant came to collect the child, I got up and headed for the line to board, smushing myself between a college couple and a large family of six French-speaking Americans obviously American due to their shiny blue passports clutched in each of their hands. It was not long before I was faced with a flight attendant and ushered towards the tunnel that would take me into the aircraft. I paused, gazing into the tube. This was the moment. I would leave behind the blazing heat of California, for the mild warmth of France. I would soon be in a new country. I would soon be in a new school. I would soon be making new friends. My whole life would be altered, and I was so very excited. Zero minutes left before a new life. American Canyon is finishing a plan to turn its auto-orientated main drag Highway 29 into a better-looking, small town neighborhood of businesses, stores, apartments and condominiums with a 35 mph speed limit. The city wants to take an Anywhere, USA highway commercial strip and give it an American Canyon stamp. Among the goals are adding more landscaping, 850,000 square feet of commercial development and 1,200 multi-family dwellings, as well as creating a consistent look. On Thursday, the Planning Commission endorsed the 20-year Broadway District Specific Plan and related environmental documents and forwarded them to the City Council. Highway 29 in American Canyon is also called Broadway. Commission chairman Andrew Goff said the plan, along with elements of the Watson Ranch plan, meets community desires to develop a hometown feeling. You feel like (under the plans vision) youre going through a town or city that you can stop and enjoy, as opposed to getting through it as fast as you can, Goff said. Residents throughout Napa County have a stake in the plan, given Highway 29 through American Canyon is a major link between Napa County and the rest of the Bay Area. Caltrans reports that more than 40,000 vehicles pass along this stretch on an average day. One key proposal is reducing the Highway 29 speed limit through American Canyon from 50 mph, and 55 mph in various sections, to 35 mph. Another is expanding the highway from four lanes to six lanes. Community Development Director Brent Cooper said a slower speed limit would allow for narrower lanes, trees in the median and less deceleration lanes, because Caltrans would be less worried about collisions. We dont want people zooming through town, Cooper said. Its really only two miles, and if you drive a little slower, your overall travel speed isnt that much slower. Besides, 35 mph would be an upgrade during rush hour. Commuters are presently driving at a very slow speed in the morning and evening because of congestion, he said. But American Canyon doesnt control its own Highway 29 destiny. Caltrans is in charge of the highway and would have to approve changing the speed limit and adding lanes. Planning Commission Eric Altman said that this dynamic makes the ideas theoretical. There is no support, no evidence that Caltrans is going to be willing to accept what were looking to do, Altman said. I think, unfortunately, that creates additional problems for us. City Manager Jason Holley explained the various Highway 29 collaborations going on among the city, Caltrans and the Napa Valley Transportation Authority. There may be a little more hope than Altman might think for the changes American Canyon seeks, he said. Holley also said that the initial focus will likely to be on improving the intersections and adding paths for cyclists and pedestrians. Adding 1,200 multifamily units would create a need for more parks. Cooper said a possibility is turning the Napa Junction Magnet Elementary School site near the highway into a park, given the school is to be relocated to about a mile away. Melvin Park could be expanded. Bike and pedestrian paths would be added along Highway 29 connecting to the bike systems in other parts of town. Slower speed limits would make the highway more inviting to cyclists, city officials said. Mandy Le, CEO of the American Canyon Chamber of Commerce, praised the plan. The proposed beautification of the highway, slower speed limit so people can see their surroundings and bike and pedestrian improvements would only help businesses, she said. The business community is united in standing behind this plan, she said. Bill Harper during public comments praised the plan, but suggested redirecting the 75 percent of Highway 29 traffic that is just passing through. A Highway 29 bypass of American Canyon could be built to the east, he said. Cooper said the Broadway District Specific Plan will go to the City Council in May or June. Go to https://bit.ly/2vkUrT1 to see the plan and related documents. 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. Clean water. You expect it every time you turn on the faucet, but for millions of people around the world, access to clean water is not a luxury. Vintage High School senior Amanda Mooney first learned that sobering truth while scrolling through social media. She saw a post from the Thirst Project, a national nonprofit that provides young people with the tools to create awareness in their local communities about the global water crisis. I was aware there was a water crisis, but I didnt realize how big it was, said Mooney, who is president of Vintage Highs Thirst Project chapter. When I saw that 600 million people dont have access to clean water, I was stunned. So when I learned the Thirst Project had a program for high schools, I knew I wanted to start a club on campus to generate awareness. On Saturday, Vintage High Schools Thirst Project Club hosted its second annual Walk for Water. More than 100 participants walked two laps around the Vintage High property, which is a distance of approximately 3.75 miles. According to the Thirst Project, 3.75 miles is the average distance a woman or child walks to reach a water source. It was a lot further than I thought, said Vintage freshman Kelton Jensen after he completed the walk. And thats just to get to a water source. Imagine doing that carrying a big jug of water. A five-gallon jerry can, a common tool for hauling water in third-world countries, can weigh up to 40 pounds when filled with water. Carrying this much weight for great distances can cause neck and back injuries, according to the Thirst Project. Vintage students posted signs around the campus quad with details about jerry cans and other issues about the global water crisis to inspire walkers. When Amanda told me about the Thirst Project and its mission, I was on board right away, said Bailey Sone, Vintage senior and vice president of the Vintage Thirst Project. Water is essential for human life to thrive. And as we learned more about the water crisis, we realized there is a plethora of issues associated with not having access to clean water. Stone said she was taken aback to learn about all of the diseases that can be transmitted through dirty water. She said she was also surprised to learn that some people spend 6-8 hours a day collecting water for their families and villages. Calvin Bird, who was also recruited by Mooney to launch a Thirst Project club at Vintage, said he and other club members will walk around campus holding water bottles with contaminated water to help illustrate the magnitude of the global water crisis. We put mud in the water bottles and then walk up to people and ask them if theyd be willing to drink it, said Bird, a Vintage High senior. Of course they say no and then we tell them about the Thirst Project and the fundraising were doing. We get a lot of pocket change, but some students give us $5 at a time. Every little bit helps. As part of the Thirst Project, Vintage students have been raising funds to help build water wells in the Kingdom of eSwatini formerly Swaziland a landlocked country in southern Africa. It takes $12,000 to fund a water well mission through the Thirst Project. This year, Vintage students raised enough money to launch their first project, but they arent stopping there. Weve raised more than $13,000 in three years, but we arent done, said Mooney. We want to raise enough for a second well. Mooneys passion for the Thirst Project inspired Averi Dropping, a junior at New Tech High School, to start a club at her school. This year, New Tech students joined the Walk for Water in hopes of creating more community awareness. Most of the clubs at New Tech are for hobbies, Dropping said. But I was looking for a club that has some element of volunteerism something that would make a difference. When Amanda told me about the Thirst Project, I realized that as big as the global water crisis is, there are things we can do even as high school students to bring about change. New Techs Thirst Project club has raised more than $1,000 in its first year, and Dropping said shes looking forward to building the club and finding new members. She said shes also in talks with students at Napa High School to form a third Thirst Project chapter in Napa. We spread the message about the global water crisis on social media, and we host activities on campus, but this is something the whole community can get involved with, Dropping said. Wed love for the Walk for Water to be something that all of Napa participates in. Last years inaugural event raised $4,300. This year, with more participants, Mooney said she hopes to raise $5,000. In addition to asking for a walk registration fee, Thirst Project students sold raffle tickets to raise additional funds, and local hot dog vendor Thats My Dawg, which was stationed at the post-walk rally, pledged to donate 10 percent of its event proceeds to the Thirst Project. Since forming in 2008, the Thirst Project has implemented nearly 2,900 water ventures in 13 countries, serving approximately 400,000 people. Editor's Note: The original version of this story incorrectly reported that HIV and AIDS can be transmitted by water. According to the Centers for Disease Control, it cannot be transmitted by water. 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. More than 6,000 residents living in Silverado, Angwin, Berryessa Estates and Berryessa Highlands have good reason to prepare for the upcoming fire season their rural communities are in Cal Fire-designated very high fire hazard severity zones. These arent the only places in Napa County that show up in the red on Cal Fire maps. Homes are scattered in very high fire hazard zones that cross sections of such areas as Mount Veeder and Atlas Peak. Napa County cities are better off, but not risk-free. Slivers of very high hazard zones are on the fringes of Yountville near the Veterans Home of California at Yountville and the western edge of Calistoga. St. Helena and American Canyon contain sections of high hazard zones. The October 2017 wildfires serve as a reminder that much of Napa County during the summer and fall is ready to burn. Cal Fire maps show where wildfire hazards are the greatest in California and locally. They take into account topography, fuel types, past fire history, weather conditions, said Napa County Fire Chief and Cal Fire employee Geoff Belyea. That can lead to results that might surprise the layperson. The rural community of Circle Oaks between the city of Napa and Lake Berryessa, with 180 homes amid brush, trees and mountains, is in a moderate severity zone, though a high severity zone is nearby. Go to https://bit.ly/2DwV1kO to see the Cal Fire fire hazard severity zone maps for Napa County. Napa County isnt unique in having communities in very high fire hazard severity zones. The Associated Press estimated some 2.7 million Californians live in such areas, from Gold Rush-era Nevada City in the Sierra Nevada to celebrity-drenched Malibu near the Southern California beaches. Really, it poses the same challenges you see throughout the state, Belyea said. Belyea said that one thing in Napa Countys favor is its rural communities each have active Firewise organizations of residents working to lessen fire risks. These groups help push such county and state requirements as clearing 100 feet of defensible space around structures. Lake Berryessa communities Berryessa Highlands and Berryessa Estates were launched in the 1960s with nearby Lake Berryessa as a draw. The Highlands with about 920 residents is perched overlooking the lake, while the Estates with about 483 residents is 15 miles away along Putah Creek. Stu Williams has lived at the lake since 1988 and moved to Berryessa Highlands 15 years ago. He has reasons to stay despite the fire risk. My love of this lake and the community around here, Williams said. Its just the people and the lake are very peaceful for both my wife and myselfits in our blood. We just love this country up here. Most homes in these areas were built before the state in 2008 toughened the building rules for fire areas. That means they dont necessarily have the fire-resistant roofs, siding and other safeguards required today. Such steps make a difference. A McClatchy analysis of the Camp Fire that destroyed Paradise in Butte County found that 51 percent of homes built after 2008 escaped damage, compared to only 18 percent built before 2008. Williams has retrofitted his 2002 house and his barn. He did such things as replace the wood siding with cement board siding and vents with a type that keeps embers out of the attic. The retrofit cost $30,000. I decided on my own to voluntarily upgrade because I didnt want to take a chance, Williams said. Several Berryessa Highlands residents last year were alarmed that some absentee homeowners werent creating the county-required defensible space around homes. They asked the county to crack down. The county really took an aggressive stand, Williams said. Still, it wasnt enough for Debra Hesse. Last year, the 70,000-acre County Fire had the nearby Blue Ridge ablaze. Hesse worried about camp fires at the nearby Steele Canyon Recreation Area and a hotter climate amid global warming. Memories of summers spent at the now-closed Rancho Monticello resort helped prompt Hesse to move to the Highlands seven years ago. The threat of wildfires prompted her to recently move to Illinois. I absolutely moved because of the fires, Hesse said in a phone interview. My biggest fear in life is dying in a fire, because theres only one road in (to the Highlands) and one road out. Angwin Angwin is Napa Countys mountain town. Its 3,400 residents live amid forests, with Pacific Union College serving as the areas anchor since 1882. The area has had some tense fire moments, such as during the 1977 Howell Mountain fire and the 2015 Valley fire in neighboring Lake County that prompted mandatory evacuations. Resident Paula Peterson has taken stock of the risk. I can hardly close my eyes on a red flag day that I dont think of Paradise and the footage of people trying to get out alive, she said. Yet there are the payoffs of living in Angwin amid the Douglas Firs, Ponderosa pines and oaks on the slopes above the heart of the Napa Valley. Its beautiful, the former California parks ranger said. Its a very unique community. I dont think Ive ever lived anywhere thats so friendly. Peterson is on the Angwin Fire Safe Council, which has done such things as remove brush along roadways used for evacuations. It also contributed money to the new, Pacific Union College fuel break. Pacific Union College created the $187,000 fuel break that is 2.7 miles long and 200 feet wide and covers 64 acres. This isnt a treeless, clear-cut strip. College Forest Manager Peter Lecourt said the largest-diameter trees remain and provide shade that helps prevent regrowth. The greatest risk to Angwin is a fire starting in the drier Pope Valley area and coming up the hill to Angwin, Lecourt said. A lot of fires have been fueled by winds from the northeast. Thats why this fire break is really in an optimal location. Peterson said the fuel break makes this area accessible to firefighters and during a fire emergency could give Angwin a fighting chance. Howell Mountain Road and Deer Park Road would be among the major evacuation routes during a fire. But narrower Old Howell Mountain Road, which could provide an alternative, has not been a through road since a slide during the big 2017 storms and the county has no immediate plans to fix it at a cost of $2 million or more. Public Works Director Steven Lederer said county officials talked to fire officials about the matter. People might use Old Howell Mountain Road in an evacuation if they could, but there are other egresses, he said. Its potentially actually a very dangerous road to evacuate on, Lederer told the county Board of Supervisors on April 16. The road sits on a steep hillside. Theres a very heavily wooded valley below it. And its a long, windy road. Peterson said having Angwin meet the fire threat is a multi-faceted situation. We have to work so many different directions to hopefully be safe should the wildland fire occur, she said. At some point, it probably will. Silverado Silverados more than 1,300 permanent residents had the fire risk they face driven home when the Atlas fire of October 2017 destroyed more than 100 upscale houses there. This community near Napa has the Silverado Resort & Spa and each year hosts the Safeway Open PGA tour. Residential neighborhoods look more city than rural, complete with sidewalks and plenty of fire hydrants. Despite this suburban feel, Silverado is in the red on the Cal Fire hazard maps. It is surrounded by brushy hills and mountains that make for a beautiful setting, but also a potentially dangerous one if fire breaks out. Resident Bill Senske and others last year pushed to make Silverado a Firewise community. A Firewise event this year has a garage door company coming to homes to make certain people know how to open their garage doors even when the electricity is out, so they can evacuate during an emergency. Thats our first way of stepping into this thing, said Senske, whose own house was spared during the Atlas fire. The Silverado Firewise group also had consultant Carol Rice prepare a community evaluation. Among other things, the report calls for removing junipers, restricting wood lattice on fences and reducing fuel in creekbeds. There are challenges to getting participation in some Silverado neighborhoods, though not necessarily from lack of concern or enthusiasm. Up at the Crest, most of the houses are gone, Senske said. Its hard for people to get involved in preventing fires because they are starting over from scratch. Some new wrinkles Napa County has added several new alert features since the October 2017 wildfires. One is high-low sirens on Sheriffs vehicles that can be used to sound the alert even when cell phones are down and the electricity is out. Belyea encouraged residents to see the Napa County Sheriff video at https://bit.ly/2ZpeU6L so they know what the siren sounds like. Also, cameras have been mounted on Mount St. Helena, Atlas Peak and Berryessa Peak. Rural residents can go to https://bit.ly/2GrRfKx to get a birds-eye view of the region. If they see smoke, they can call 911. Rural residents can watch wildfires that have broken out using the cameras and perhaps decide to evacuate, even if there is not yet a mandatory evacuation, Belyea said. Meanwhile, Cal Fire will also be watching the video feeds. With several thousand Napa County residents living in the very high fire hazard severity zones, the system could be a life-saver. This is going to help us with earlier detection of fire, especially in the remote parts of the county, Belyea said. Homes that are rebuilt from the October 2017 fires in Silverado and elsewhere must meet modern fire standards, such as having fire resistant exteriors and protected vents. That means they should be better equipped to survive future fires. County Fire Marshal Garret Venya was among the first to respond to the Atlas fire. He said a big problem was embers cast ahead of the blaze by the winds. We saw the fire burning houses that did not have much vegetation around them, he said. That was all ember cast. The latest building standards will harden the structures to help protect them from ember casts, he said. Whether rural residents live in a very high, high or moderate hazard zone, Belyea has the same advice for them prepare for fire season. That means doing such things as clearing at least 100 feet of defensible space around structures and being prepared to evacuate. As the latest fire season kicks in, above-average rains in Napa County have created high moisture levels in potential fuels. Still, Belyea said, weeks of hot weather can lower these levels. Theres so many variables that go into what people call a bad fire season, Belyea said. Its a difficult question to answer at this point. All the residents in the countys very high risk severity zones can do is hope for the best and prepare for the worst. 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. Armen Grigoryan clarifies why Ruben Rubinyan was appointed Armenia's envoy for negotiations with Turkey Armenia Security Council Secretary on '3+3' format: If there is opportunity, we will go to Baku and Ankara Armenian Security Council Secretary: There is still no Armenia-Turkey agenda, we need to sit at table and talk Security Council Secretary: Document signed by Armenian, Russian MODs was not about pullout of Armenian troops in Syunik Yerevan Council of Elders member Lilit Pipoyan also drops mandate IRGC uses suicide drones during drills in southern Iran U.S. diplomat arrested on suspicion of selling fake passport to Syrian citizen for $10,000 in Turkey Iran FM: '3+3' format may contribute to strengthening of peace and stability in the region Robert Kocharyan expresses condolences over the death of National Hero Karen Demirtchyan's wife Baku admits that it is blocking opening of communications in region by setting forth different conditions Member of 'My Step' faction of Yerevan Council of Elders applies to leave, but says he won't drop mandate Armenia President: Azerbaijan has been using its position of victory to impose that game 17-year-old boy commits suicide in Armenia's Ararat Province Russian companies have pretension to participate in development of Karabakh's sector occupied by Azerbaijan Iranian FM reminds Aliyev about Iran President's invitation to visit Tehran Body of 34-year-old citizen of Russia found at parking lot of Dvin Hotel in Yerevan Russia MOD: Russian Armed Forces are guarantor of peace in Syria and Nagorno-Karabakh Yerevan mayor's spokesperson Hakob Karapetyan quits NEWS.am daily digest: 22.12.21 Lavrov, Mirzoyan agree on steps to launch practical activities for demarcation of Armenian-Azerbaijani border Turkey hopes construction of Igdir-Nakhchivan natural gas pipeline is launched as soon as possible Inter-agency task force holds first session at Armenia Emergency Situations Ministry Armenian and Russian FMs hold phone talks Georgian and Azerbaijani MODs sign 2022 Bilateral Cooperation Plan Deputy PM: Armenia seeks to diversify its energy system Analyst: At this rate, Armenia's authorities might refuse to visit Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex soon Papikyan, Zas discuss CSTO priorities during Armenia chairmanship Iran-Armenia Friendship Group member: Tehran won't tolerate any territorial change in the region Armenia opposition party leader is arrested One dollar falls below AMD 480 in Armenia Erdogan rejects possibility of snap elections in Turkey Iranian FM: Iran welcomes further economic and trade cooperation with Azerbaijan Peskov says Putin-Biden video call might be held before end of the year Lavrov urges NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to resign Saakashvili to not attend trial in Tbilisi court today Azerbaijan extends special lockdown regime Peskov: Russia has informed Turkey that it doesn't approve of naming of a park after Dudayev Yerevan has new mayor Yerevan hosts meeting of Armenia-Russia intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation Armenia Deputy PM: Most realistic projects are being considered in this stage Armenia PM expresses condolences over death of wife of statesman and National Hero Karen Demirtchyan Russia presidential spokesman informs about CIS leaders summit on December 29 Armenia Security Council Secretary meets with Stanislav Zas Armenias Sarkissian, Kuwait diplomat confer on regional issues President, PM discuss challenges facing Armenia Member of ruling faction is chairing session of Yerevan Council of Elders after recess, not mayor Azerbaijan defense minister tells details of their operation to seize Karabakhs Shushi International Studies expert: For first time Armenia enters process with Turkey, meeting Ankaras main preconditions Yerevan Mayor on Armenias ruling political force: These people are trying to privatize the revolution Artsakh official: Why international leaders praise Baku for releasing Armenian captives if its international law duty? Armenia President signs law on 2022 state budget 1 more person dies of coronavirus in Artsakh Iran FM heading for Azerbaijan 152 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia premier, Russia deputy PM discuss prospects for restoration of communications in South Caucasus World oil prices going up City council majority faction: Current situation will not enable to work, serve Yerevan effectively for next 2 years Newspaper: Another bonus pay distributed in Armenia parliament Yerevan city council convenes special session, no-confidence motion against Mayor Marutyan on agenda Newspaper: Heated discussion occurs during meeting with Armenia PM Armenian judges address justice minister, say draft laws will put their independence at risk 26 Italian MPs express satisfaction with release of 10 Armenian POWs Mayor of Armenia's Kajaran Manvel Paramazyan greeted pompously after release from custody Aliyev meets with Georgian defense minister Iran's Ambassador to Yemen Hassan Irloo passes away after contracting COVID-19 Japan hangs three suicide bomber convicts It's snowing for the first time this year in Yerevan (PHOTOS) Opposition and police clash in Sukhumi Russian servicemen get stuck under an avalanche in South Ossetia Turkey's TRT covers normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul railway project launched Armenia FM receives Ile-de-France's Regional Council president, humanitarian issues discussed Armenian cross-stone placed and consecrated in Ukraine's Severodonetsk Armenia Parliament ex-Speaker Karen Demirtchyan's widow dies at 88 EU Special Representative welcomes handover of 2 Azerbaijani servicemen by Armenia Putin, Macron discuss settlement of Karabakh conflict Georgians holding demonstration demanding Saakashvili's release in Tbilisi Armenia Parliament Speaker receives head of France's Ile-de-France region Armenia customs attache: There are nearly 400-500 Armenian truck drivers at Upper Lars checkpoint Armenia Ombudsman, UNICEF release teacher's guide about children's rights Armenia health minister receives leaders of several Russian companies Armenia President, Japan Ambassador discuss current agenda of Armenian-Japanese relations Sarkissian to Pecresse: During war we were convinced once again that France is our real friend Putin assigns to enhance military-technical cooperation with Shanghai Cooperation Organization and CSTO Armen Sarkissian receives India Ambassador Armenia ex-Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan files report to incumbent Attorney General Members of Armenia ruling party boycott first session of Council of Elders in Aparan Deputies of Iranian Majles visit Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex Yerevan main Christmas tree to be lighted Thursday Dollar gains value in Armenia Ruling power lawmaker: Azerbaijan servicemens capture by Armenia soldiers is deterrent for Baku Ruling force MP: Armenia envoy for dialogue with Turkey will have quite representative apparatus Vladimir Putin: Humanitarian situation in Karabakh has improved thanks to Russian peacekeepers Armenia premiers working visit to Georgia concludes Russia, Turkey discuss current situation in Syria Russia deputy PM to arrive in Armenia today Armenia President congratulates Emmanuel Macron 15th attempt to elect Armenia legislature committee deputy chair also fails Armenia National Security Service launches criminal case on fight in parliament Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: It is states duty to ensure MP Gevorgyan's participation in PACE work The father of Julian Assange arrested in London, John Shipton, on Sunday in an interview with 9News TV channel said that the reason for his sons expulsion from the Ecuadorian embassy in London was a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to this Latin American state. Ecuador doesnt have its own currency. It uses the United States dollar You cant get an IMF loan unless the United States approves it - upon agreement to remove Julian from the Embassy, he said. Its Wikileaks. Thats who he works for and with, not Russians and not USA, he told Brown - before launching into a tirade against Hillary Clinton. Its just ridiculous, it fits their neme, you know We lost the election because of the Russians, not because were clutzes, not because we called half the population of the United States deplorable, not because I was the worst candidate in 40 years to stand for election. Not because I destroyed Libya and giggled like a madwoman seeing a bayonet thats stuffed up Gadaffis a---hole. I mean really, he said. On March 11, Telesur reported that the IMF Board of Governors approved an agreement under which the fund will provide Ecuador a loan of more than $ 4.2 billion for immediate payment of $ 652 million. In 2006, Assange founded the WikiLeaks portal, which publishes secret information about the activities of several governments, including the US. Because of the allegations of harassment against him in Sweden in 2012, he sought asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he was continuously for almost seven years. This month, Ecuador refused to grant him further asylum, and Assange was arrested by the police for failing to appear in a London court on a warrant from 2012, and then also at the request of the US for extradition from 2018. The defense of Assange fears that, if issued by the United States, he could face up to 35 years in prison or execution, but the US Department of Justice claims that he faces only five years for hacking activities. UK authorities said they would not extradite Assange to a country where he could face the death penalty. Terror leaders have their hands free and they can further carry out attacks on tourists, similar to the attacks in Sri Lanka, the Sunday Telegraph reported referring to the representatives of the special services. According to special services, the secret terror leaders are not concerned about the management of the ISIS, but the intelligence agencies are concerned about the fact that from now on the resting places have become vulnerable as a result of the collapse of the ISIS. It is assumed that now jihadists will focus their attention on tourist recreation areas. Informed sources believe that resorts in India, the Maldives, as well as Kenya and Tanzania will be the most vulnerable. The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] (Adds quotes from Nicosia CID chief, detail) NICOSIA, April 28 (Reuters) - Police in Cyprus found human remains on Sunday in an ongoing investigation into a suspected serial killer thought to have gone on a killing spree that claimed seven female victims and went undetected for almost three years. Police say the suspect, a career officer in the Cypriot army, has confessed to killing five women and the six- and eight-year-old daughters of two of his victims. He connected with the women on an online dating site. Four bodies have so far been found, after a female body in a state of decomposition was found on Sunday in a suitcase retrieved from a highly toxic lake close to an abandoned mine west of the capital Nicosia, police sources said. "After great and persistent effort and many difficulties a travel case was pulled from the lake, containing the body of a woman, and a block of cement," said Neofytos Shailos, head of Nicosia Criminal Investigation Department. It appeared to belong to an adult, Shailos told journalists. Tourists stumbled upon the first victim, discovered by chance in a disused mining shaft, two weeks ago. A mother and daughter from Romania are thought to have disappeared in September 2016, and the last of his victims, from the Philippines, around August 2018. The bodies of three women have been discovered in recent days. One has been identified as Marry Rose Tiburcio, 39, reported missing in May 2018. The bodies of the other two victims are thought to belong to a woman from the Philippines and a woman from Nepal, who went missing last year. Police have been accused of failing to investigate the disappearances properly when they were reported. In response, police said a restrictive legal framework hampers the ability of authorities to check things such as phone records without a specific court order, issued only on the grounds that a criminal offense punishable by more than five years in prison is suspected. Tiburcio, the first victim discovered, was found on April 14. Her six-year-old daughter Sierra is missing. Almost a week later a second victim was found in the same mine shaft, and on April 25 a third at a firing range some 15 km away. (Reporting by Michele Kambas; Editing by Dale Hudson and Toby Chopra) (Adds details, background) BENGHAZI, Libya, April 28 (Reuters) - Eastern Libyan state oil firm AGOCO, a subsidiary of state oil firm NOC, is producing 304,000 barrels a day of oil, its chairman told Reuters on Sunday. Mohamed Shatwan said production would rise to 350,000 bpd after new projects such as improving power supply had been completed, a plan that has been in the works for over a year. The firm's production fluctuates, due partly to electricity problems. It reported production of 314,000 bpd for the last two months. Shatwan also said there were no security issues at any oilfield. AGOCO's biggest asset is the Sarir oilfield. There has been no recent oil production figure released by Libya's state oil firm NOC. Ali Abdulaziz Issawi, who is economy minister of the internationally recognized government in the capital, Tripoli, told Reuters on Thursday that national output was 1.150 million bpd. NOC could not be reached for comment. NOC has sought to stay out of a conflict between the Tripoli government and a parallel administration in Benghazi allied to Khalifa Haftar. But AGOCO, like other NOC units in the east, has expressed support for Haftar, whose forces, known as the LNA, began an offensive to take Tripoli three weeks ago. The LNA controls eastern oil ports and oilfields but has left NOC running them because foreign buyers of oil only want to deal with NOC, which they have known for decades. In a statement on Sunday AGOCO congratulated Haftar's forces "on the successes and progresses in its striving against extremist terrorist militias and militias which steal public funds." The LNA refers to forces allied to the Tripoli government as militias. A separate NOC unit in the east, Sirte Oil Co, also issued a statement backing the Tripoli advance. The comments came a day after Tripoli-based NOC condemned in a statement the use of its Ras Lanuf and Es Sider oil ports for military purposes, without mentioning the LNA or naming who was behind the acts. Story continues "Incidents recorded by NOC include: The seizure of the Es Sider airstrip for military use, military personnel entering the port of Es Sider as well as attempts to requisition NOC tug boats, the berthing of warships in the Ras Lanuf terminal and its use by Libyan military vessels," the statement said. Haftar's forces said earlier on Saturday they had sent a warship to the eastern Ras Lanuf oil port, after days of unconfirmed rumors of a foreign navy ship having been sighted. LNA spokesman Ahmed Mismari said his forces had sent the Alkarama patrol vessel to Ras Lanuf as part of a "training mission" to visit the operations room and to secure oil facilities. A port engineer said the navy ship's berthing had not affected oil exports, which were as normal. (Reporting by Ayman al-Warfalli, Writing by Ahmed Elumami and Ulf Laessing, Editing by Ulf Laessing and Catherine Evans) * His program eliminated nuclear arms in former Soviet Union * Represented Indiana in U.S. Senate from 1977 to 2013 * Centrist was defeated by conservative challenger in 2012 (Adds Clintons' reaction) By Will Dunham WASHINGTON, April 28 (Reuters) - Centrist Republican Richard Lugar, a soft-spoken foreign policy powerhouse who championed nuclear nonproliferation during 36 years in the U.S. Senate, died on Sunday at age 87. The Lugar Center, a Washington-based nonprofit, said in a statement that he died peacefully at the Inova Fairfax Heart and Vascular Institute in Virginia due to complications from CIDP, a chronic neurological disorder. Lugar, a professorial Midwesterner known for his keen intellect and mild demeanor, served eight years as mayor of Indianapolis starting in 1968 before his long stint in the Senate from 1977 to 2013. He was the longest-serving senator ever from Indiana. Lugar was an influential Republican voice on foreign policy. A former Rhodes scholar and an avid runner into his 70s, Lugar served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and also headed the Agriculture Committee. He unsuccessfully sought the Republican presidential nomination in 1996. Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a statement praising Lugar for his Senate work, including reducing nuclear weapons after the end of the Cold War. "He was a man of great decency who was widely respected on both sides of the aisle for his vast policy knowledge, especially on foreign affairs, and his commitment to bipartisan solutions," they said. Lugar's political career ended when he sought nomination for a seventh six-year Senate term in 2012 but was challenged by the Republican Party's right and beaten by a candidate backed by the conservative Tea Party movement, which did not like Lugar's willingness to make bipartisan compromises. As a senator, Lugar sought to curb the spread of nuclear weapons globally. His greatest achievement, forged alongside centrist Democratic Senator Sam Nunn, was a law under which the United States paid for the dismantling and elimination of the nuclear weapons in the former Soviet Union as well as chemical and biological arms. Story continues The 1991 measure was intended to keep nuclear weapons in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan from falling into the hands of hostile countries or extremist groups. Under the program, about 7,600 nuclear warheads were deactivated, 2,300 missiles destroyed and 24 nuclear weapons storage sites secured by the time Lugar's Senate career ended. He was 80 years old and the senior most Republican in the Senate when he left the Senate in January 2013. After leaving politics, he founded the Lugar Center, which is focused on global issues such as weapons proliferation, food supply, foreign aid and governance. "Governance requires adaptation to shifting circumstances," Lugar said in 2012 in his final speech on the Senate floor. "It often requires finding common ground with Americans who have a different vision than your own. It requires leaders who believe ... that their first responsibility to their constituents is to apply their best judgment." He said Republicans "must be willing to suspend reflexive opposition that serves no purpose but to limit their own role in strategic questions and render cooperation impossible." 'NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE' Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the top Senate Republican during Lugar's final years in Congress, praised him in 2012 as the "model of the public servant." "He's earned the respect and admiration of everyone who ever crossed his path," McConnell said on the Senate floor. "I assure you, in the world of politics, that's nothing short of a miracle." Lugar lost his first run for the Senate in 1974 against incumbent Democrat Birch Bayh, but two years later defeated another incumbent Democrat, Senator Vance Hartke. He was re-elected in 1982, 1988, 1994, 2000 and 2006. In seeking re-election in 2012, Lugar was beaten in the Republican primary by Richard Mourdock, Indiana's state treasurer. Mourdock lost in the general election to Democratic U.S. congressman Joe Donnelly after the Republican nominee said in a debate that if a woman became pregnant in a rape, it was "something that God intended to happen." In the Senate, Lugar amassed a largely conservative voting record but was willing to side with Democrats when his political convictions differed from the views of his party. He voted in 1986 to override Republican President Ronald Reagan's veto of a bill to impose economic sanctions on South Africa during its racist apartheid era. He played a key role in persuading Reagan in 1986 to end support for Philippines leader Ferdinand Marcos, leading to Marcos' peaceful ouster. In 2007, Lugar criticized Republican President George W. Bush's handling of the Iraq war, which began in 2003, particularly the stumbling U.S. efforts to stabilize and rebuild the country. Lugar's 1996 bid for the Republican presidential nomination focused on a president's role in leading the world toward a future secure from nuclear threats. But his stiff campaign style and refusal to conform to sound-bite themes doomed his chances and he dropped out early in the race. Born in Indianapolis on April 4, 1932, Lugar attended Pembroke College at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. He served in the Navy from 1957 to 1960, working as an intelligence officer. He married his wife, Charlene, in 1956. They had four sons. (Reporting by Will Dunham; Additional reporting by Vicki Allen; Editing by Bill Trott, Lisa Shumaker and Peter Cooney) (Adds U.S. Navy comments) DUBAI, April 28 (Reuters) - Iran said on Sunday it could quit a treaty against the spread of nuclear weapons after the United States tightens sanctions, while an Iranian general said the U.S. Navy was interacting as before with an elite military unit blacklisted by Washington. Tensions between Tehran and Washington have risen since the Trump administration withdrew last year from a 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran and began ratcheting up sanctions. Earlier this month, the United States blacklisted Irans elite Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and demanded buyers of Iranian oil stop purchases by May or face sanctions. "The Islamic Republic's choices are numerous, and the country's authorities are considering them ... and leaving NPT (nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) is one of them," state broadcaster IRIB's website quoted Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying. Iran has threatened in the past to leave the NPT, as U.S. President Donald Trump moved to scrap the 2015 deal with world powers - the United States, Russia, China, Germany, Britain and France. Separately, Iran's armed forces chief of staff said the IRGC - which ensures security in Gulf waters and the Strait of Hormuz for Iran - had not observed any change in the U.S. military's behavior towards the elite force after the blacklisting. "U.S. warships are obliged to respond to the IRGC on the passage of the Strait of Hormuz ... and until yesterday they have been answering IRGC questions, and we have not seen change in their procedures," Major General Mohammad Baqeri was quoted as saying on Sunday by the semi-official Fars news agency. Lieutenant Chloe Morgan, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command spokeswoman, said on Sunday: "The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway. Threats to close the strait impact the international community and undermine the free flow of commerce. "The U.S., along with our allies and partners, is committed to freedom of navigation and remains well positioned and postured to preserve the free flow of commerce, and we are prepared to respond to any acts of aggression," Morgan said in an emailed statement, without referring to interaction with IRGC forces. Story continues On Wednesday, Zarif called the IRGC blacklisting "absurd," but suggested Iran did not plan to respond militarily unless the United States changed the rules of engagement guiding how it interacts with Iran's forces. The U.S. military has not suggested it would alter its behavior after the blacklisting. "We don't intend to close the Strait of Hormuz, unless hostilities reach a level where this cannot be avoided," Fars quoted Baqeri as saying. "If our oil does not pass, the oil of others shall not pass the Strait of Hormuz either." President Hassan Rouhani and some senior military commanders have threatened to disrupt oil shipments from Gulf countries if Washington tries to strangle Tehran's oil exports. Carrying one third of the world's seaborne oil every day, the Strait of Hormuz links Middle East crude producers to markets in Asia Pacific, Europe, North America and beyond. Iran has also threatened to pull out of the 2015 deal unless European powers enable it to receive economic benefits. The Europeans have said they would help companies do business with Iran as long as it abides by the deal, but Tehran has criticized what it sees as the slow pace of progress on a promised payment mechanism for Iran-Europe trade. "The Europeans have had a year but unfortunately they have not taken any practical measures," Zarif told IRIB. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Toby Chopra, Dale Hudson and Raissa Kasolowsy) Stop the dangerous downward spiral of anti-Semitism (Lubavitch.com) Upon the close of the Sabbath and Passover holiday in New York, we learned of the shooting at Chabad of Poway, in San Diego. The murder of an innocent woman and the wounding of several others who were celebrating their faith in the synagogue, on the terra firma of our freedom-loving country, is appalling and heartbreaking. We extend heartfelt sympathy to the family of Lori Gilbert-Kaye upon their terrible loss. We mourn with you in your time of grief. Lori was a founding member of Chabad of Poway. Friends say Lori, 61, was a generous and big hearted person who was always so positive and will be deeply missed. Our prayers for a speedy recovery to Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Almog Peretz and nine-year-old Noya Dahan, who were viciously injured by the shooter. We are grateful for the heroic efforts by individual(s) in the synagogue blocking the shooter from inflicting further injury and preventing greater loss of life. We are thankful to the California Highway Patrol in San Diego for their quick response in apprehending the shooter. Chabad-Lubavitch is an integral component of Jewish communities in every one of the states, in hundreds of communities nationwide and in Jewish communities throughout the world. Our regional representatives are very concerned for the safety of every Chabad House/Center, and we are grateful for all the support by city and state agencies who work closely with them toward enhanced security measures. There are some 207 Chabad Centers in the state of California serving its Jewish population across 129 cities, said Rabbi Shlomo Cunin, Californias head Chabad representative. We are grieving for the loss of life here. We are determined to ensure that all our centers in the state are safe and protected from such hateful violence. Anti-Jewish violence in the United States has now risen to a level that cannot be ignored or dismissed. We appeal to members of government on the local, state and federal level, media agencies, school teachers, college professors and university leaders to lead responsibly and take the initiative to uproot the destructive scourge that threatens the core values of this country. Let us remember that while primitive hatred against Jews was allowed to fester in many other countries, ultimately to the detriment of all their citizens, Americas values of tolerance and lovingkindness, and its commitment to law and order have been its greatest assets. The alarm bells of recent events are ringing, and we call upon leaders from across all political divides to stop the dangerous, downward spiral of anti-Semitism, said Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky. In the spirit of Passover, the Festival of Freedom, may we each commit to work to bring security, healing and unity to our fractured nation. Survivors and the San Diego County Sheriffs deputy outside of the Chabad of Poway synagogue, Saturday, April 27, 2019, in Poway, Calif. A man opened fire inside the synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of a major Jewish holiday. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) (Adds detail on commander) TRIPOLI/BENGHAZI, Libya, April 28 (Reuters) - Forces backing Libya's internationally recognized government fought house-to-house battles with troops loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar in southern parts of the capital Tripoli on Sunday and appeared to be gaining ground. Government soldiers, some in jeans and t-shirts, took cover by abandoned buildings as they fired on Haftar's positions. Some carried anti-aircraft guns they had to remove from their trucks to get through the narrow streets. Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), which is allied to a rival administration in eastern Libya, mounted an offensive on Tripoli three weeks ago but has failed to breach defenses in the city's south despite heavy fighting. The battle for the capital has all but wrecked U.N.-backed efforts for a peace deal between the rival factions and threatened to further disrupt Libya's oil industry. Two eastern operations of state oil firm NOC - which have in the past made broad statements backing Haftar - on Sunday for the first time specifically said they supported his offensive. The NOC as a whole has tried to stay out of the conflict. A Reuters team visiting the southern neighborhood of Ain Zara on Sunday estimated the Tripoli forces had gained up to 1,500 meters compared to a visit a few days earlier. Other parts of the frontline appeared unchanged and the situation remains fluid. Both sides have gained and lost territory within days or even hours during the fighting. "We are progressing. We are now in the phase of expelling the enemy from the capital," Salah Badi, a commander from the western city of Misrata fighting the LNA, told Reuters. COMPLICATIONS The role of commanders such as Badi have complicated the situation, diplomats say. The U.N. Security Council and the U.S. Treasury last year issued asset freezes and travel bans against Badi for his involvement in a September 2017 attack on forces allied to Tripoli's government that triggered weeks of fighting. Story continues The former enemies have now united to fight the LNA but forces loyal to Haftar have said the Tripoli administration is controlled by "terrorist militias" they are fighting to expel. Tripoli's supporters have accused Haftar, a former general under Muammar Gaddafi, of making a power grab with foreign backing. The North African country has been in a state of chaos since Gaddafi was toppled in 2011 with Western intervention. The latest flare-up threatens to leave a power vacuum that Islamist militants could exploit. Two NOC units based in areas under Haftar's control issued statements supporting the offensive on Sunday, a day after their Tripoli headquarters had condemned all military use of its facilities. Benghazi-based AGOCO congratulated Haftar's forces "on the success and progress in its striving against extremist terrorist militias and militias which steal public funds." A separate NOC unit in the east, Sirte Oil Co, also issued a statement backing the Tripoli advance. Haftar's forces said on Saturday they had sent a warship to the eastern Ras Lanuf oil port for "training purposes." A port engineer said the ship's arrival had not affected oil exports. (Reporting by Tripoli and Benghazi reporters Writing by Ulf Laessing Editing by Andrew Heavens and Sonya Hepinstall) (Updates with sheriff's statement, rabbi's news conference) By Bridget Clerkin POWAY, Calif., April 28 (Reuters) - A 19-year-old man accused of opening fire on Sabbath worshippers in a deadly shooting rampage at a Southern California synagogue is believed to have acted alone, without help from any organized group, authorities said on Sunday. Police say the gunman walked into the suburban San Diego synagogue late on Saturday morning, the last day of the week-long Jewish holiday of Passover, and killed one woman and wounded three other people inside, using an assault-style rifle. According to authorities, the suspect, John Earnest, then fled in a car before calling police to hand himself in. "We believe he acted alone and without outside support in carrying out the attack," San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said in a statement. The suspect, who is also under investigation for a mosque arson, has been booked into custody on one count of murder in the first degree and three counts of attempted murder in the first degree, Gore said. At an emotional news conference on Sunday, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein choked back tears as he spoke of the slain victim, Lori Kaye, whom he had known for 25 years. "She was a pioneer member from our congregation," he said, his left arm in a sling and his right hand bandaged. "Lori had unconditional love for all." Goldstein had surgery at a hospital after his right index finger was blown away by the gunman. He recounted how after he saw the carnage, he grabbed a prayer shawl, wrapped it around his bloody hands and addressed the congregation. "We are a Jewish nation that will stand tall, we will not let anyone or anything take us down terrorism like this will not take us down," Goldstein said he told the worshippers. The other two wounded in the attack on the Congregation Chabad temple in the town of Poway, about 23 miles (37 km) north of San Diego, were an 8-year-old Israeli girl and her uncle. Their family had moved to the United States in search of a safer life after their home in Sderot on the Gaza border was hit several times by Palestinian rocket attacks. Story continues The sheriff said they were struck by shrapnel but were "doing well" at a hospital. Goldstein said U.S. President Donald Trump had called him to offer condolences on behalf of the American people. MOSQUE FIRE INVESTIGATED After the shooting, the suspect fled in a car, escaping an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent who shot at the getaway vehicle but missed the suspect. The suspect pulled over and surrendered to police officers a short time later. The teenage suspect, who had no prior criminal record, is the apparent author of a "manifesto" who claimed to have set a nearby mosque on fire last month and professed drawing inspiration from the gunman who killed nearly 50 people at two mosques in New Zealand. Gore said on Saturday that the police and FBI were investigating Earnest's possible involvement in the March 24 pre-dawn arson fire at the Islamic Center of Escondido, a town about 15 miles (24 km) north of Poway. No one was hurt at the mosque fire. Saturday's bloodshed in Poway unfolded six months to the day after 11 worshippers were killed and six other people wounded by a gunman who stormed the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh yelling: "All Jews must die." The assailant in that massacre, said to be the deadliest attack ever against Jews on U.S. soil, was also arrested. The Passover violence came amid an upsurge in reports of anti-Semitism nationwide and abroad and followed a recent spate of deadly attacks on places of worship around the world. Suicide bombings during Easter Sunday services at several churches in Sri Lanka killed more than 250 people. A gunman who opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15 left 49 people dead and more than 40 wounded, some as they knelt in prayer. Gore told reporters that authorities were investigating Saturday's attack as a potential hate crime. A rambling, violently anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim screed written by an individual calling himself John Earnest was found posted online, with links to the content posted on a far-right forum on the internet message board 8chan. In that letter, the author also claimed credit for the Escondido mosque arson, which was put out by congregants who were sleeping inside and woke up to the smell of smoke. Local media at the time reported that a message scrawled on the driveway of the mosque mentioned the New Zealand massacre. Earnest was enrolled at California State University in San Marcos. In a statement, the university's president said the school was "dismayed and disheartened" to learn Earnest was a student and was working with the sheriff's department. Earnest attended Mt. Carmel High School in San Diego, where his father taught physics before retiring in 2016, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper. (Reporting by Bridget Clerkin in Poway, California; Additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles, Joseph Ax in Princeton, New Jersey and Keith Coffman in Denver; Editing by Daniel Wallis, Lisa Shumaker and Peter Cooney) (Adds details, quotes from Save the Children) By Mike Hutchings PEMBA, Mozambique, April 28 (Reuters) - Rescuers raced to help people caught in rising floodwaters in cyclone-hit northern Mozambique on Sunday as houses collapsed and heavy rains raised fears of worse to come. Cyclone Kenneth first slammed into the province of Cabo Delgado late on Thursday, flattening entire villages with winds of up to 280 kph (174 mph) and storm surges - the second cyclone to hit the country in six weeks. Floods and rains that followed sent brown water coursing through the streets of the province's main city Pemba on Sunday and submerged roads leading to remote areas to the north and south. The Mozambican government has put the initial death count at five. But rescuers said there were fears for the safety thousands of families cut off after rivers burst their banks outside the city. Flights and helicopters were currently grounded, making access "virtually impossible," said Nicholas Finney from Save the Children. In Pemba, mud homes in the northern neighborhood of Natite had started to collapse under the pressure of the water, the United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA said. Residents tried to bail water out of their houses with plastic buckets. Others stacked sandbags outside or waded through waist-high floods in the torrential rain. Video footage showed a line of cars forming on the main road out of the coastal city. A section of the route was under water. Rescue workers evacuated at least 130 people to centers elsewhere in Pemba on Sunday, mostly by boat, said Salviano Abreu, spokesman for the U.N.'s humanitarian arm. "AWFUL SENSE OF DEJA VU" Mozambique is still recovering from Cyclone Idai that hit further south last month and moved into neighboring Zimbabwe and Malawi, killing more than 1,000 people. It is the first time on record that two such powerful cyclones have hit Mozambique in so short a space of time. Weather forecasters have warned that Kenneth could dump twice as much rain on northern Mozambique. Story continues "It's an awful sense of deja vu," Save the Children's Finney said. "The response for Cyclone Idai is already chronically underfunded and resources are stretched to the limit." Mozambican officials on Saturday urged people living near rivers to the north and south of the city to move to higher ground. An aerial assessment of the affected area on Saturday showed some villages had been "entirely wiped out" by the cyclone, Gemma Connell of OCHA said. "They look like they have been run over with a bulldozer," she added. Images shared by the agency showed rows of wooden houses, separated by sandy paths, that had been almost completely flattened. Only a few structures and the occasional coconut tree were left standing. The U.N. says more than 1.8 million people still need aid in central Mozambique, where Idai destroyed homes, ruined crops and unleashed a cholera outbreak. Kenneth affected at least 168,000 others, the country's disaster management agency said on Sunday. (Additional reporting by Emma Rumney in Johannesburg; Writing by Emma Rumney; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle, Alexandra Zavis, Dale Hudson and Andrew Heavens) (Adds vigil held in nearby town, girl among casualties, paragraphs 2-3, 8) April 28 (Reuters) - A suspect in the killings of seven people in rural Tennessee was shot and captured by police after an hours-long manhunt triggered by the discovery of the bodies in two separate homes, authorities said on Sunday. Dozens of people gathered to commemorate the victims on Sunday evening at a Methodist church in Westmoreland, a town in the area where the shootings occurred, according to Nashville television station FOX 17. At least two victims attended the church, which had a sign for the vigil that read: "We are mourning with you." The suspect, Michael Cummins, 25, was in custody after suffering non-life threatening injuries during his arrest on Saturday night, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. The search for the suspect began on Saturday evening after an emergency call led police to four bodies in a home in Sumner County, about 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Nashville along the Kentucky border. A fifth body was found in a nearby home, and authorities acquired information that suggested Cummins was the prime suspect in both cases, the bureau said. Investigators found two more bodies at the first crime scene on Sunday, the bureau said. "This brings the total to seven deaths and one critical injury," the statement said. "Efforts to identify the victims remain ongoing at this time." A young girl was among those killed, Sumner County District Attorney Ray Whitley told the Nashville Tennessean. Cummins was found after authorities, using aircraft, spotted someone in a creek bed around a mile from the first crime scene. At least one officer fired at Cummins, wounding him. No officers were hurt. It was not immediately clear what relationship, if any, Cummins had to the victims. (Reporting by Joseph Ax, Keith Coffman and Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Peter Cooney) (Adds Conservative chairman) LONDON, April 28 (Reuters) - Talks between the British government and the opposition Labour Party aimed at finding a consensus over the way forward on Brexit have been productive but the government needs to move on its red lines, Labour's business spokeswoman said on Sunday. Parliament has rejected Prime Minister Theresa May's exit agreement with Brussels three times and she now hopes to reach a compromise with Labour which will see the deal approved. Rebecca Long-Bailey said further talks were taking place in the coming week. One of the key sticking points is a customs union, which Labour has called for but the government says is at odds with its intention to have an independent trade policy. "The discussions so far have been productive, we have gone into a lot of detail ... but as yet we havent seen the government move on any of their red lines," Long-Bailey told Sky News. "We want to see hard and fast movement on those red lines as quickly as possible." The government wants Britain to leave the EU before May 23, when it is due to take part in European Parliament elections. Brandon Lewis, the chairman of May's Conservatives said the government's priority was to not have to fight that election. "There is still time for parliament to approve that agreement so that we dont fight those elections," he told the BBC. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Dale Hudson) James Monroe was the only president, aside from George Washington, to run unopposed for re-election. But that may not be the most surprising fact about the last Founding Father to occupy the White House. Monroe was born on April 28, 1758, in Virginia, and his public career started from humble roots. He was an eyewitness to many of the events that led to the creation of the United States and the U.S. Constitution. But you wont hear Monroes name used in the same lofty terms as his friends Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, and his former commander, George Washington. Monroe did leave a lasting impression on Americas destiny because of the Monroe Doctrine, a policy he established to keep other nations out of the Western Hemisphere. Here are 10 interesting facts about an underrated Founding Father who spent more than four decades at the center of American change. 1. Teenage James Monroe was a hero at the Battle of Trenton. The 18-year-old lieutenant was sent across the Delaware River by Washington to scout, and he nearly died after being shot during the fight in Trenton. 2. Monroe was a law apprentice for Thomas Jefferson. Monroe studied under the third president, but he wasnt an outstanding lawyer. Monroe was more interested in politics in his native Virginia and served in the Continental Congress at the age of 25. 3. Monroe initially opposed the Constitution. Monroe wasnt at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and opposed it at Virginias ratification convention, wanting a strong bill of rights. Monroe eventually supported the document. 4. Madison and Monroe had an unusual friendship. James Madison won the fight in Virginia over ratifying the Constitution in 1789 and then ran against Monroe for a seat in the House of Representatives. Madison and Monroe took part in a series of public debates, and Madison narrowly won the election. But the two opponents became fast friends on the campaign trail, much to the chagrin of Madisons enemy, Patrick Henry. Story continues 5. Monroe was not friendly with George Washington. The men had a falling out after Washington sent Monroe, his former lieutenant, to France as an ambassador. Washington eventually fired Monroe after he criticized the Jay Treaty. Monroe also wasnt fond of Alexander Hamilton, Washingtons close associate. 6. Monroe was a key player in two presidential administrations. Monroe was a minister to France and England for President Thomas Jefferson, and he served as both secretary of state and secretary of war for President James Madison. He held virtually every key public office before becoming president in 1817. 7. Monroe was one of the most dominant presidential candidates ever. Monroe received 68 percent of the vote when he defeated Rufus King in the 1816 election. He ran unopposed in the 1820 race, getting 81 percent of the vote. Only one cranky elector in New Hampshire kept Monroe from a unanimous win in the Electoral College. 8. Monroe had some help writing the Monroe Doctrine. John Quincy Adams was a driving force behind the policy, which President Monroe introduced with his annual message to Congress in 1823. The doctrine stated that Europe needed to stay out of the affairs of new countries and territories in the Western hemisphere; in exchange, the United States would stay out of European affairs. 9. Monroe was able to buy Florida for $5 million. Monroe had started talks with Spain about Florida while he was James Madisons secretary of state in 1815. After violence in the region and a flurry of diplomacy, Adams helped negotiate a deal for Monroe where the U.S. would pay off damage claims made by Spain during the violence. The U.S. got Florida and promised that it would recognize Spains sovereignty over Texas. 10. Monroe died on the Fourth of July, too. Three Founding Fathers who were elected president died on July 4. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Monroe died on July 4, 1831. Monroe was also the last president who was never photographed in his lifetime. If you're considering pot stocks for your portfolio, you could be on to something. The marijuana market is worth $150 billion per year worldwide, and the potential to create new cannabis-derived products, including beverages and edibles, has beer and wine giant Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ) thinking legal marijuana sales could eclipse $200 billion in 15 years. It's too early to know for sure which companies will be the biggest winners, but HEXO (NYSEMKT: HEXO), CannTrust Holdings (NYSE: CTST), and Aurora Cannabis (NYSE: ACB) may be the best marijuana stocks to buy right now to take advantage of this upcoming windfall. HEXO: an under-the-radar pot stock worth owning Unlike some other marijuana companies, HEXO's arguably been flying under investors' radars. The company only recently jumped toward the front of the pack in terms of forecast peak production, though, so investors can't be blamed too much for overlooking it. Marijuana surrounded by $100 bills. IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES. Previously, it was targeting peak pot production of 108,000 kilos annually based on its expansion plans. However, earlier this year it announced it's acquiring Newstrike, a deal that boosts its peak production forecast by 38% to about 150,000 kilos annually. Despite the increase to its outlook, HEXO remains one of the cheapest pot stocks investors can buy based on price to future sales. HEXO's production was 4,938 kilos, and its net revenue was CA$13.4 million, up 1,017% year over year, in the quarter ending Jan. 31. That may only hint at what's to come. During management's quarterly earnings conference call with investors, it said its targeting sales of CA$400 million in fiscal 2020, largely thanks to its expected increase in production. As a result, shares are trading at only about 4 times future revenue, which is lower than almost all of its peers. Admittedly, there's no telling when HEXO could turn a profit. But its 52% gross margin was higher, and its operating loss of CA$6.9 million was lower than that of many peers, suggesting it could have a profit-friendly edge that allows it to generate earnings faster than others in the industry. Story continues Are investors overly pessimistic about CannTrust? A CA$700 million shelf offering has created an overhang following fourth-quarter financials that failed to impress, but avoiding CannTrust in portfolios could be a mistake. Yes, the company's likely to tap investors for cash, but that's not necessarily bad. Spending on infrastructure is necessary to capitalize on this megamarket opportunity. And, sure, CannTrust's fourth-quarter results show growing pains, but they were hardly bad. Revenue was CA$16.2 million, up 132% year over year, and kilograms harvested totaled 4,816 in the quarter, up 712% from the prior year. A decline in gross margin and price per gram of cannabis oil, plus increased spending and a temporary delay to its expansion plans, caused a wider-than-expected loss of CA$25.5 million. But CannTrust's hydroponic approach to growing marijuana gives it a shot at some of the lowest production costs in the industry. In addition, the company recently announced plans to acquire 200 acres for even lower-cost outdoor growth. The acreage could increase production by 200,000 kilos beginning in 2020, putting CannTrust on track for total production of 300,000 kilos annually by 2021, up from about 50,000 kilos exiting 2019. Since its production forecast is double that of HEXO and its production costs are arguably lower, investors could be underestimating this company's revenue opportunity -- especially since management told investors in March to expect " a return to profitability" because of improving gross margin throughout 2019. Marijuana growing in a greenhouse. IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES. Aurora Cannabis: A massive company in the making The biggest cannabis company of these three, Aurora Cannabis is the second largest pure-play cannabis company in Canada by sales. In Q4, its revenue was CA$54 million, up 363% year over year, including CA$21.6 million in recreational-use market sales. A string of acquisitions has provided Aurora Cannabis with a significant share of Canada's medical marijuana market, plus they've given it a shot at being the industries largest marijuana producer by kilograms. In Q4, its pot production was 7,822 kilos, but expansions have increased production to an estimated 150,000 kilos per year pace since then. In the future, production could reach 700,000 kilos based on its acquisitions and future expansion goals. It will be a while before it reaches that level of production, but if it finishes its Aurora Sun and Aurora Nordic 2 greenhouses on schedule, production will climb by 270,000 kilos alone by the end of 2020. So far, Aurora Cannabis has nabbed mid-teens marijuana market share in Canada. Given total marijuana sales, including black market sales, totals about CA$6 billion per year there, this company's revenue could accelerate quickly as new production comes online. Of course, it needs that sales to skyrocket because it lost nearly CA$240 million last quarter, including unrealized losses on its investments. Nevertheless, picking up shares now could make a lot of sense because this company's poised to be the largest or second largest marijuana stock in the world. More From The Motley Fool Todd Campbell owns shares of CannTrust Holdings Inc. His clients may have positions in the companies mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends CannTrust Holdings Inc, Constellation Brands, and HEXO. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Hill Rep. Madison Cawthorn and his wife are divorcing after less than a year of marriage, with the North Carolina Republican citing his job in Congress as part of the reason for the split."When my wife Cristina and I were engaged, I was not a member of Congress," Cawthorn, 26, said in a statement posted by his spokesman on Wednesday. "I felt called to serve and we both agreed that I should run. Our victory was unprecedented. But overnight, our lives... Madrid (AFP) - Raging against the "traitors of Spain" and the "cowardly right-wing", Santiago Abascal has managed to resurrect the far-right that had been relegated to the margins of politics since the death of dictator Francisco Franco. His far-right party Vox came fifth in Spain's elections on Sunday -- below expectations -- winning 10.3 percent of votes and 24 seats out of 350 in a dramatic entrance to the national parliament. "Welcome to the resistance!," the 43-year-old, with his impeccably trimmed beard and piercing eyes, told supporters gathered at a central Madrid square, adding the 24 Vox lawmakers "represented the pride of being Spanish". Abascal founded Vox five years ago with other former members of the Popular Party (PP), fuelled by disillusion with a party they accused of having "betrayed (their) values and ideas." But it was small-fry, attracting just a smattering of voters -- until last December when it took close to 11 percent of the votes in regional elections in southern Andalusia. Since then, Vox has generated a buzz in traditional and social media, causing outrage upon outrage with its ultra-conservative proposals. Banning separatist parties, taking direct control of the semi-autonomous region of Catalonia to stop secession, repealing a law that fights gender violence... The party also fiercely defends traditional family values, even if Abascal is divorced, with two children from a first marriage and two others from his current wife, an Instagram influencer. In rallies, he has railed against the leftist "liberal dictatorship" and the "enemies of Spain" that are Catalan and Basque nationalists. His party's far-out social media posts have his supporters delighted, and his critics pulling their hair out. One of them before the Andalusia elections, for instance, showed a video of Abascal riding a horse cowboy-style to music from "The Lord of the Rings" and the message: "The Reconquista starts in Andalusian lands." Story continues The Reconquista refers to the long series of medieval wars waged to recapture territory from the Muslims who occupied most of the Iberian Peninsula in the early 8th century. - Threatened by ETA - Raised in Amurrio, a village in the northern Basque Country where his grandfather was mayor during Franco's dictatorship, Absacal recalls that his father, a PP municipal councillor, escaped assassination attempts by separatist group ETA three times. Becoming a member of the PP as soon as he turned 18, Abascal too was forced to go everywhere with two bodyguards in this region in northern Spain where PP and socialist politicians were regular targets of the armed group that dissolved last year. "His political experience in the Basque Country, years of threats, must have influenced his ideas," says Beatriz Acha, politics expert at the Public University of Navarra. "But obviously not all people threatened by ETA went through this radicalisation. I suppose that his family's ideological tradition also played a part." For Xavier Casals, a historian who specialises in the far-right, Abascal "embodies a family dynasty linked to the right-wing -- the right-wing that comes from where there are separatist threats." In a sign of the impact that period had on him, he openly acknowledges owning a Smith & Wesson firearm, which is rare in a country where the law severely restricts gun ownership -- a law he plans to relax. Apart from decrying his ideas, critics also point out that Abascal used to head up all sorts of agencies and public foundations while at the PP, earning big bucks in the process. "Santiago Abascal has always lived off public funds," Irene Montero, deputy leader of the far-left Podemos, denounced in January. Abascal's economic programme advocates sharply reducing public spending, in line with the PP's former hardline prime minister Jose Maria Aznar, whom he never criticises. In fact, Aznar in October said Abascal was a "boy full of good qualities," calling on him to bring these qualities back to the service of the PP. KABUL (Reuters) - Any peace agreement with the Afghan Taliban would depend on the declaration of a permanent ceasefire and a commitment to end the country's long war, the U.S. special envoy for peace in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said on Sunday. In an interview with Afghanistan's largest private television station, Tolo News, Khalilzad said the Taliban's demands were focused on the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country. "Our focus is on terrorism. No agreement will be done if we don't see a permanent ceasefire and a commitment to end the war," said Khalilzad. "We are seeking peace and (a) political settlement ... We want peace to give us the possibility to withdraw." The Afghan-born U.S. diplomat arrived in Kabul on Saturday to meet President Ashraf Ghani, part of a multi-country tour ahead of his next meeting with the Taliban in Qatar. The United States has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of a NATO-led mission, known as Resolute Support, that is training and assisting the Afghan government's security forces in their battle against Taliban fighters and extremist groups such as Islamic State and Al-Qaeda. U.S. President Donald Trump wants to reach an agreement to end his country's longest-ever war, which dislodged the Taliban from power in Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. Intense fighting is still going on all over the country, and while the Taliban are negotiating, they now control and influence more territory than at any point since 2001. A plan to cut the number of staff at the U.S. embassy in Kabul by up to half starting late next month has alarmed some who fear such a move could undermine the fragile peace process. Before Khalilzad embarked on his tour, the State Department said he will "press forward on negotiations with the Taliban to reach a consensus on core national security issues, and urge their participation in an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue." Story continues After several rounds of talks, Khalilzad has reported some progress toward an accord on withdrawing U.S. troops and on how the Taliban would prevent extremists from using Afghanistan to launch attacks as al Qaeda did in 2001. But the Taliban still refuse to negotiate with Ghani's government, which they call a puppet regime controlled by the United States. Khalilzad told Tolo news that he had tried in recent weeks to foster such a dialogue, adding there had been some progress "but not as much as I wanted". Hopes for a breakthrough were dashed earlier this month when planned talks in the Qatari capital Doha between the Taliban and 250 Afghan representatives collapsed. Hoping to renew the push for direct talks with the Taliban, Ghani has convened a grand consultative assembly on Monday. The Loya Jirga, a traditional gathering of elders, religious scholars, and prominent Afghans, will see more than 3,000 people gather amid tight security for four days of discussion under a large tent in Kabul. (Reporting by Hameed Farzad, Orooj Hakimi, Writing by Rupam Jain, Editing by Catherine Evans) WASHINGTON Attorney General William Barr warned a House committee that he could refuse to appear at Thursday's hearing on the Justice Department's handling of the Russia investigation if lawmakers go through with a plan to let staff lawyers question him. Barr's threat is an escalation in the tension between House leaders and the Trump administration, which vowed to resist Democratic efforts to probe more deeply into President Donald Trump's conduct in office and his outside business dealings. Barr is scheduled to make two appearances before Congress this week to answer questions about the special counsel investigation. The first, on Wednesday, is before the Republican-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., who leads an effort to seek a complete version of Russia special counsel Robert Mueller's inquiry, proposed that Barr be questioned Thursday by committee counsels in addition to lawmakers. Nadler said Barr should attend a separate, closed-door meeting with the panel. Want news from USA TODAY on WhatsApp? Click this link on your mobile device to get started Since Mueller's report was made public this month, Democrats have sought to question the attorney general about his decision to clear Trump of obstruction of justice after the special counsel's team highlighted numerous examples in which the president attempted to limit or derail Mueller's investigation. Barr intervened when Mueller declined to express a view on whether Trump's conduct was criminal. On the central question of whether Trump or his presidential campaign conspired with the Russian government to tilt the 2016 election, the special counsel found insufficient evidence to support such a conclusion. More: Trump repeatedly tried to impede the Russia inquiry, Mueller report says. Was it obstruction? More: Attorney General William Barr faces a political firestorm after release of the Mueller report Story continues Sunday, a senior Justice official said Barr initially agreed to appear before the House committee to be questioned by lawmakers only. While officials discussed the format for Thursday's session, the official said that if committee leaders demanded that Barr be questioned by the panels counsels or staffers, the attorney general would not attend. The dispute was first reported by CNN. In a statement Sunday, House Judiciary Republicans called the Democrats' demands "abusive" and without precedent. "Attorney General Barr wasnt asked to testify before the committee he offered," the GOP members said. "What actual precedent is there for our committee making such demands of a sitting attorney general as part of our oversight duties? The attorney general isnt a fact witness. Beyond the Judiciary Committee, House Democrats seek a trove of information from Trump administration officials as part of wide-ranging inquiries into Trump's conduct before and after he became president. Trump asserted last week that the administration would challenge "all the subpoenas." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AG William Barr warns he could refuse to appear at House hearing on Mueller report, objecting to format Israel figures prominently in the latest segment of the episodic nationalism debate at National Review. Rich Lowry praises Zionism as a model of nationalism. Models are helpful. We point to them when we need to talk about a concept but are not sure how to define it: I know it when I see it. In Suicide of the West (1964), James Burnham compiled a long list of politicians, publications, and institutions that everybody knows to be liberal. He distilled their shared essence, as he saw it, and constructed a critique of it. We can apply his method to the question of what nationalism is, but first we need to gather many examples, not just one. Zionism was the most inspiring nationalist movement of the 20th Century, Rich writes. Lets agree that it was inspiring. You probably wont if youre a descendant of Palestinian Arabs displaced by the war of 194749. In that case, youre liable to be inspired by a different nationalist movement, one that sets itself in opposition to Zionism. No nationalism can be understood in isolation. From one perspective, Zionism exemplifies nationalism, but the fuller truth is that it was conceived as a counter-nationalism, a creative reaction to anti-Semitism in the nations of 19th-century Europe. (Thats not to deny modern Zionisms ancient precursors in, e.g., the Babylonian exile: If I forget thee, O Jerusalem . . .) The immediate impetus for the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 was the Holocaust, that poison fruit of the centurys most destructive nationalist movement. Wait National Socialism wasnt nationalist, because it was imperialist, one nations agenda to trample other nations: I wouldnt argue that, but Yoram Hazony does. Hes an Israeli philosopher, the author of The Virtue of Nationalism, and lately a looming presence in the conversation here at NR. The genesis of any nation involves a defensive response to threats of physical danger. They alarm and galvanize loosely associated individuals, who rush to strengthen their bonds with one another and coalesce. Families, clans, and tribes that find themselves living in geographical proximity and facing common challenges to their survival are likely to share DNA and a language, history, religion, culture, or some combination thereof. They organize themselves to advance their common welfare and defend against potential aggressors, including other people who have already so organized themselves and enjoy the advantages that come from joining together in large numbers and cooperating in big collective projects. Its the process by which the ancient Greeks formed their illustrious city-states: Synoikismos, they called it, a merging of households. Story continues Nationalism Can Be Centrifugal or Centripetal the Term Is Ambiguous For those who hold up nationalism as a political sentiment that the world as a whole ought to celebrate more roundly, the nation is the optimum-sized unit of social organization for pursuing and preserving the common good for the greatest number. The nation should be large, but it cant be too large. It grows to the point that it achieves a maximum economy of scale; if it grows any bigger, it begins to collapse of its own weight. At the same time, the nation is as compact as it can be without excluding any who belong to it naturally by virtue of birth, geography, or some other given criterion. Multinational organization is okay, a moderate nationalist might concede, if it serves a security or economic function thats narrowly defined. He would, however, be quick to contend that the total population of the European Union, for example, is too large and diverse for that political entity to assume the broader role of a legitimate democratic nation-state. That theory of nationalism is coherent. In light of it, the lines on the map of the world as they appear today need to be redrawn. In 2019, the difference between the most populous nation (China, with 1.4 billion people, nearly three times as many as are encompassed by the EU) and that of the least populous (Tuvalu, unless you want to count Vatican City) is a factor of 127,000; in area, the difference between Russia and Monaco is a factor of 3 million. The languages of 30 percent of Chinas population are mostly unintelligible to the Mandarin-speaking majority. The differences are at least as great as those among the Romance languages, which are natural markers of separate Spanish, French, and Italian national identities. By linguistic criteria, the Peoples Republic of China, though a state, is not a unified nation. Or, if it is a unified nation, so are Spain, France, and Italy taken together, along with much of the rest of Europe. A state struggles to maintain its identity as a nation when a segment of its population e.g., Scots in the United Kingdom, Catalans in Spain seeks to secede and form itself into a separate, smaller, more homogeneous nation-state. Separatist movements are micro-nationalism carried to its logical conclusion. Theyre an inevitable feature of the system of states and always will be, because societies are dynamic. Maps are always changing. Boundaries have to be drawn somewhere. Some strong-identity nationalities will find themselves either divided across state boundaries e.g., the Kurds (in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran) and the Pashtuns (Pakistan, Afghanistan, India) or minorities (e.g., Ukrainians who identify as Russian) in states where one nationality constitutes a majority. A states cohesion may be strained as well when too many of its people yield to the opposite attraction, of identifying with a population grouping that lives mostly beyond its borders. The suspicion under which the Chinese government places organized religions, and the Catholic Church in particular, with its highly structured form of governance and its global headquarters in a foreign capital, is offensive to modern liberal sensibilities but unsurprising given the fierce nationalism that runs through Beijings rhetoric and informs its domestic policy under Xi Jinping. In Chinas far west, the government persecutes an ethnic and religious minority, the Uighurs, in a campaign to stamp out their perceived foreignness and scare them into a more thorough adoption of Chinese identity. The principle of Westphalian sovereignty clashes with the moral imperative to intervene in another states domestic affairs when its people need humanitarian aid (e.g., Venezuela) or their human rights are violated, as in China. Supranational organizations are invented in part to coordinate appropriate interventions and in part to provide a forum for deliberating, in any given case, whether they would be appropriate. Expand and amalgamate? Split apart, like an amoeba? Or maintain homeostasis? The questions are constant in the life of every state, though we seldom ask them explicitly. States are subject both to the centripetal forces (that, e.g., draw the European nations into the EU) and to the centrifugal forces whereby Catalans, for example, demand separation from Spain, Venetians from Italy, and so on. Everyone who advocates nationalism has in mind an optimum degree of it. What that degree is varies from nationalist to nationalist. The Catalan separatist is a nationalist for Catalonia. To a Spanish nationalist in Madrid, hes a traitor to Spain. When a nationalist notices that his nation-state has begun to fragment, he stresses the sentiment that helped fuel its formation. The need then was to be expansive. Little platoons, reaching out, joined forces to form a larger body: E pluribus, unum. The nationalist who urges his neighbors to put aside their differences and look at the bigger picture thinks that Scotland should remain in the United Kingdom. But then he might also think that the United Kingdom should leave the European Union: Ex uno, plures. And in that spirit, he may join with nationalists of other nations, in an international movement of nationalists. They dream of a new kind of global order, designed by new architects (themselves) and run by new bosses (guess who). The ambiguities inherent in the term nationalist are endless. Theyre commensurate with the ambiguities inherent in the concept of nationality. A quirk of English and other modern languages leads us to talk past one another: The word nation has taken on a meaning beyond its original sense of nationality, or ethnicity, of a people whose members are related to one another intimately, typically by blood. (At its root, natio in Latin means birth.) Just as often we now use the word nation to mean state. But not every nation, or nationality, has a state unto itself ask the Kurds. And not every state corresponds to a single nationality. Israel was founded for Jews, but a sizable minority of its citizens are Arabs. The Balkans and the Dark Side of Nationalism Some multinational states are more vividly so than others. Remember Yugoslavia, that attempt at a federation of South Slavic peoples on the Balkan peninsula? The unification of the more than half a dozen states on the Italian peninsula across the Adriatic Sea in the 19th century proved that a political experiment on such a scale was feasible. The era of Romantic nationalism across the Continent was at its peak. Just as the campaign for the Italian Risorgimento was beginning to gather steam, Croat intellectuals of the Illyrian movement revived the idea that the South Slavs, too, were destined to unify. The concept gestated for nearly a century before its birth in the aftermath of the First World War, which was ignited by a Serbian nationalist when he assassinated the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. The global order of the day had rendered the Balkans, long a cauldron of political discontent, a miscellany of protectorates, in effect. None of the South Slavic nationalities had ever enjoyed much in the way of clear, unqualified sovereignty. Among themselves, they disagreed on where the lines separating their respective territories ought to be drawn. Even the linguistic and cultural distinctions among their national identities tended to be subtle. They were often disputable. On the whole, mutual intelligibility among their languages was (and remains) high. In 1850, eight South Slav linguists and men of letters met to hammer out the Vienna Literary Agreement, which laid the groundwork for a shared formal language for Serbs and Croats and articulated a few rules of grammar and orthography for the regions different dialects. Taken together, Serbian and Croatian are still considered by many to be a single language, Serbo-Croatian, that can be written in either of two alphabets, Cyrillic (Serb) and Latin (Croat), although some Croats insist on the uniqueness of their mother tongue and bristle at the suggestion that they have any affinity to the Serbs. Nikola Tesla was born in Croatia to parents who identified their ethnicity as Serbian, being Eastern Orthodox. (Most Croats are Catholic.) Tesla described his nationality with tact, nodding to both his Serbian and his Croatian heritage, skating over the peninsulas jumbled history, which was disfigured by a narcissism of small, in some cases practically infinitesimal differences. By the early 20th century, the South Slavs had compiled long lists of historical grievances, against one another as well as against regional great powers. Yugoslavia as the world had known it ceased to exist in 1992, when constituent nationalities began to secede and declare their independence, forming sovereign nation-states. Border disputes between Croatia and Serbia led to ethnic-cleansing campaigns by both sides. Each claimed some of the others land and endeavored to purge the others people from it. Meanwhile, Macedonians, Montenegrins, Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims), and Kosovar Albanians also took up arms. Those who didnt were caught in the crossfire. The wars raged for a decade and ravaged much of the Balkans. About 0.6 percent of the population of the former Yugoslavia were killed, and about 17 percent were displaced. The rump of Yugoslavia that remained called itself Yugoslavia but in fact was only Serbia plus a Serb-allied (or Serb-dominated) Montenegro and Kosovo. The name and the fiction of Yugoslavia was abandoned for good in 2003. Montenegro pried itself loose from Serbia in 2006. Kosovars still struggle to do likewise. Meanwhile, separatist sentiment is strong in the Republic of Srpska, a constituent of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats constitute a majority; in Srpska, 83 percent of residents are Serbs. Europe has gone 73 years without a war, the Washington Post tweeted last summer, betraying a blind spot in too many contemporary discussions of nationalisms appeal. The demons of nationalisms dark side didnt die with the Second World War. They only went into remission for a season. In historical context, the atrocities of the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s appear as a resumption of the hostilities that erupted across the Balkans in the 1940s and that came to a halt only at the defeat of the Axis powers. Germany invaded Yugoslavia in 1941 and carved out a nominally independent state for the Croats, whose nationalist literature was dotted with the theory that they were Germanic by blood. The Nazis accepted it; their official disdain for Slavs would have complicated their support for what they considered a necessary ally in the region. The Ustase, a Croat-nationalist movement with ties to Mussolinis Fascists, assumed leadership of the puppet state (it answered to both Germany and, until 1943, Italy) and proceeded to kill one sixth of the resident Serbs, 90 percent of the Jews, and nearly all of the Roma. The bloodlust of the Chetniks, a Serbian-nationalist movement, came close to rivaling that of the Ustase. The Ustases German and Italian overseers expressed concern about the savagery of Croat soldiers who mutilated their victims bodies. Too Evocative, Too Various in Its Connotations We could multiply examples of bad nationalism all day and into the night. To increase our sample size, lets lay them alongside examples of nationalism that are uplifting. For the latter, see Lowry, Hazony, and others. My purpose in revisiting the Balkans is not to argue that singing The Star-Spangled Banner or adopting certain trade or immigration policies would end in death camps and ethnic cleansing. I only mean to illustrate the rhetorical cost of stamping the name nationalism on the policies, political philosophies, or worldviews that we pitch to the general public. The word has historical associations. Some are attractive, as has been been eloquently laid out in some detail here at NR, but others are repugnant. If I have a political vision that I want to persuade my readers of, I complicate my work if I call it nationalism. If you wanted to try to rehabilitate the word, you could endorse nationalism in the headline and then explain in the fine print that the special sense in which you use it excludes the Ustase et al., but I dont think the attempt would be prudent or likely to bear much fruit. The words various connotations are at this point dyed deep into its fabric, and more readers would take in the display type at the top of the page or on the cover of the book than scrutinize the nuances of your argument. They would be liable to assume that you have ignored, minimized, or even attempted to smuggle in a revisionist history of the most infamous enormities that have been perpetrated in the name of nationalism in modern Europe and elsewhere. This rhetorical issue, that the word nationalism is fraught with some menacing associations, is an offshoot of the fundamental problem that the range of the words meaning is broad. For some people, nationalism means promoting the interests of the state that Im a citizen of. For others, it means celebration of my people, with whom I share blood, land, language, an emotional bond. For yet others, the words definition consists of various combinations of the components of those two concepts, civic nationalism and ethno-nationalism. Imagine three neighbors who share a profound love for their people, their language, their religion, their history, and their culture that is, for one another. Each orders his related identities and corresponding loyalties into a hierarchy different from those of the other two. One is happy enough to be a Venetian, but make no mistake: The flag he salutes will always be Il Tricolore. Another, curating in his heart the memory of the Most Serene Republic of Venice, is his countrys fond son, but his citys first. The third neighbor, a separatist for whom Venices incorporation into Italy was always an error crying out for correction, prays to Saint Anthony of Padua for the future independent state of Padania. Each considers himself a nationalist and counts the other two as fellow countrymen whose love of their homeland, though it may be sincere, is, alas, disordered. Is any of them wrong? The word nationalism is too evocative, and its connotations too various, for it to function as shorthand for political ideas that need to be unambiguous. More from National Review In the hilltop town of Ferrette near the border with Switzerland, few would expect to encounter Eritreans exploring the ruins of its medieval chateau or Chechens walking its steep narrow streets. But this tiny town in eastern France has opened its doors to asylum seekers who now represent some 10 percent of the population. As campaigning enters the final month before May's European elections, the migrant question has been a central issue across a continent sharply divided over how to handle the influx of people seeking safety in Europe. Although the flows have dropped sharply since 2015 when more than a million newcomers arrived, triggering Europe's worst migration crisis since World War II, thousands more come every week, with nearly 19,000 arrivals since the start of the year. With Europe's governments paralysed over what to do and tensions rising on the ground, there has been a surge in support for populist and far-right parties, who have used the opportunity to further anti-immigrant agendas. But not everywhere, and certainly not in Ferrette where Mayor Francois Cohendet has overseen a successful integration and says the migrants' presence there is "not an issue" but just a part of the community's normal life. Which might have been quite a challenge in this town of 740 people in the southern part of Alsace, a region where the far-right has gathered a sizeable following. Since 2016, Ferrette has permanently taken in about 80 asylum seekers -- half of them children -- from places as far-flung as Afghanistan, Sudan and Armenia. All of them are hoping to be recognised as refugees -- or at the very least, that France will grant them "subsidiary protection", the status granted to asylum seekers who do not qualify as refugees. "They told me that Alsace was an area where there was racism but I haven't felt it," says a smiling Djoe Kabuka, a Congolese national. The only thing about Ferrette, he says, is the lack of public transport and the need to travel to Mulhouse, a town 30 kilometres (18 miles) away, to find the sort of foods the refugees are used to. Story continues The other thing is the weather. "It gets very cold and very hot here," smiles Abundance, a teenager from Nigeria. - Initial hostility - It was only after a squadron of gendarmes was relocated in 2015, leaving their former barracks empty, that regional officials approached the mayor with a request to use the premises as temporary accommodation for asylum seekers. And when Cohendet accepted, he found himself on the receiving end of some stiff opposition, even from members of his staff. "The population, which was initially very resistant to the idea, has seen that everything has gone well, that these are discreet people, who keep themselves to themselves and are not aggressive," he says. Pulling out a cardboard folder, he pulls out a pile of flyers and pamphlets. Some carry angry slogans like "Not one migrant in Ferrette" or "This is our home" while others use violent language. The first to arrive were "two Sudanese with black skin, wearing sandals in the snow," he recalls. But while some were protesting, he also saw other residents joining together to help, with the emergence of a group called "Neighbours Around the World" that offered them French lessons, access to a games library, cooking classes and even lifts to the hospital. Samir Beldi, director of accommodation at the Mulhouse/Ferrette branch of Adoma, the housing authority that lodges migrants, said things had worked out well. "The volunteers managed to repair the damage after a few initial worries. There were some pre-conceived ideas but we've turned the page on that," he said. His deputy, Martine Kaufmann, concurs. "These are not 'poor people', they weren't necessarily poor back home," she explains. "Some of them have significant qualifications. There is diversity among asylum seekers." - Close ties - The huge apartments once occupied by gendarmes each host large families. The children are taught in a specially-created class at the school in Ferrette which they walk to every day, bringing youthful voices to the village streets. Inside a split-level apartment with faded yellow walls, a newly arrived Sri Lankan family with a 14-year-old boy and three-year-old twins is sharing the kitchen with an Armenian woman and her 17-year-old son. Outside the barracks, the green spaces are full of life. An Afghan boy walks arm-in-arm with his little Nigerian friend as girls climb up the gate in the playground. Some women are leaving a sewing workshop as a volunteer helps a group of studious adults conjugate French verbs. "We involve them in local life, in people's daily lives -- in Bastille Day celebrations, in New Year festivities.. Every time we can get them together with the local population we do it," says Elisabeth Schulthess, head of Neighbours Around the World. For the volunteers, though, the most frustrating aspect is the short duration of their stay as they built close ties with the exiles. Once their asylum demand is accepted, they have three months to leave the centre. Those who obtain the right to stay in France often move to Mulhouse, however, where the jobs pool is bigger. But Schulthess complains there is very little in the way of social support. In 2018, 54 percent of the 141 people who came won the status of refugee or subsidiary protection in France. (Repeats story from April 26; no changes to text) By Jennifer Hughes and Julie Zhu HONG KONG, April 26 (Reuters) - Shareholders summoned by Hong Kong Airlines this month for a meeting were greeted with some shocking news: the airline needed at least HK$2 billion in fresh funds or it would lose its operating license. The carrier had lost HK$3 billion ($382.54 million) in 2018, they were told, and an infusion was crucial, according to people present. Dialed in, but silent for the hour-long meeting on April 1, were executives for Hainan-based HNA Group,, which holds 29 percent of the airline's shares. Investors were blunt about HNA's role in the company's troubles, according to people at the meeting - including accusations that it was siphoning off cash, which the conglomerate denies. "There's no point raising fresh capital if we cannot solve the problem of (a) major shareholder pumping out HKA's assets," said Zhong Guosong, who holds 27 percent of the shares and is vying for chairmanship of the company. Another shareholder echoed his views: "This is Hong Kong, not Hainan." In the last week, drama from the call has spilled into the open as HNA and a rival group battled for control of Hong Kong Airlines' chairmanship. The airline declined to comment on shareholders' activities and said its operations "remain normal." The infighting illustrates the convoluted nature of HNA's holdings around the world, which range from real estate to banks and are often divided among opaque, related entities. On paper, HNA gave up control of Hong Kong Airlines two years ago just as it began selling off assets collected in a $50 billion worldwide acquisition spree. But the carrier has close ties with several HNA affiliates. "HNA's shareholding structure and how they structure investments has always been very complicated, and the HKA case isn't any different," said David Yu, adjunct professor of finance at New York University, Shanghai. "The issue now is that there is some distress at the parent group, and this is obviously having implications on the underlying companies, including HKA." Story continues HNA TANGLE Since Beijing in 2017 began cracking down on Chinese conglomerates' rapid debt-fueled global expansions, HNA has sold about $26 billion in assets, according to Dealogic data and Reuters calculations. Disposals include control of the Radisson hotel group; a quarter stake in Hilton Hotels; prime property in New York, Sydney, Shanghai, San Francisco and Hong Kong; regional Chinese airlines; a stake in aircraft lessor Avolon; and half of its stake in Deutsche Bank. But the prices HNA has sought and the complex structures, loans and other business links that bind its holdings have made unwinding its investments difficult. HNA's wider Hong Kong interests are a case in point. This week, HNA-controlled CWT International said lenders had seized assets, including U.S. property and its Singapore-based commodity trading and logistics unit, because it failed to repay a HK$1.4 billion ($178 million) loan. HNA said that it was monitoring the situation, but that it was a matter for CWT and its creditors. Yet HNA units own 51 percent of CWT's shares, and each of CWT's executive directors has ties to other HNA businesses. CWT's co-chairman, Mung Kin Keung, is a shareholder in Hong Kong Airlines. HNA's involvement with the airline is just as complicated. The conglomerate took control of CR Airways in 2006 and renamed it Hong Kong Airlines. In July 2017 it cut its stake, according to filings, by selling 34 percent to Chinese private equity group Frontier Investment Partners. According to Hong Kong Airlines' 2017 accounts, seen by Reuters, the airline held shares in four unlisted HNA affiliates, worth $367 million at the end of 2017, and had loaned $300 million to two other HNA firms. That year, the airline's trade receivables - money owed to it but not collected - jumped 50 percent even as revenue rose only 11 percent. Of those payments due, the amount HNA companies owed the airline more than doubled to HK$1.3 billion, or 73 percent of receivables. Zhong is closely linked with HNA as well, having been a director of the airline for almost four years until August 2018. Since 2017, he has also been chairman of Hong Kong Express, Hong Kong Airlines' low-cost sister, which HNA recently agreed to sell to Cathay Pacific for HK$4.93 billion. Cathay's announcement of the deal contained a warning that an HK Express shareholder planned to contest it. That shareholder is Zhong, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the issue. They declined to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the media. In a further sign that the relationship between Zhong and HNA had soured, court papers show that HNA in December sued the company through which Zhong holds his 27 percent stake in the airline, seeking repayment of a HK$854 million debt from 2010. A representative for Zhong did not provide comment. CONTROL DISPUTES Since the April 1 meeting, Frontier has aligned itself with Zhong, working to appoint him chairman of the airline as part of efforts to seize control and investigate its financial ties with HNA. Late last week they won an injunction that blocked directors and executives from removing or destroying the airline's documents. That followed a week in which both Zhong and airline executive Hou Wei - still listed on its website as chairman - claimed control and fought over who had access to the company's headquarters. Adding to the confusion, a group called Grand City Investment Capital Limited this week said it owned the Frontier stake after a transfer dated April 11. A spokesman for Grand City declined to discuss his company's ownership. Frontier disputes Grand City's claim to the stake. Frontier and Zhong have also accused HNA of "embezzlement of HKA assets and serious financial misappropriation by HNA Group parties" - accusations that HNA has denied. They and other shareholders are still demanding access to the airline's 2018 accounts and details of how it lost so much money before they address its HK$2 billion capital shortfall. Amid the court orders and competing statements uncertainty remains over who is in charge - although both sides have gone to lengths to ensure the airline keeps operating normally. "There are so many moving parts that corporate control is under dispute because the changes are happening too rapidly for the company to organize coherently," said Andrew Collier, managing director of Orient Capital Research, which focuses on China. He described HNA as "a poster child for overexpansion of China's worst conglomerates." He added: "Because there is always a lack of transparency at HNA, this makes it twice as hard to figure out what the nature of the dispute is." ($1 = 7.8424 Hong Kong dollars) (Reporting by Jennifer Hughes, Julie Zhu, Kane Wu and Alun John; Additional reporting by Shellin Li and Jamie Freed; Editing by Gerry Doyle) POWAY, Calif. Authorities increased security Sunday at houses of worship one day after a teen gunman killed one woman and injured a rabbi, a child and another man during Passover celebrations at a San Diego-area synagogue. Lori Gilbert-Kaye, 60, was killed in the shooting. Authorities said a 34-year-old man and a young girl were struck by shrapnel. An emotional Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who suffered defensive wounds to his hands, came before TV cameras Sunday night in a powerful press conference, describing "the indescribable sight" he witnessed when confronting the gunman. He lauded the bravery of members of his congregation, particular his beloved friend Kaye who shielded Goldstein from the gunfire. "Lori took the bullet for all of us." Goldstein waved his two bandaged hands and decried the "hatred" of a 19-year-old shooting suspect. But without the bravery of his congregation, "it could have been such a bloodbath." Goldstein was in the middle of his Saturday sermon at the Chabad of Poway when he heard loud noises and became face to face with this murderer, this terrorist when he turned around, he said earlier in a phone interview Sunday on Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist. Goldstein said he put his hands up to protect himself and lost one of his fingers in the shooting. As soon as he saw me, he started to shoot toward me, and that's when I put my hands up and my fingers got blown away," he said on TODAY. "Then he continued on and killed Lori Kaye right there on the spot." Kaye's funeral will be held Monday. Witnesses said the gunman's AR-style rifle apparently jammed, and he fled while being shot at by an off-duty Border Patrol agent attending services. Goldstein said that his synagogue, like many others, can't afford a full-time armed guard and that he had welcomed the armed agent's presence during important services. Oscar Stewart of Rancho Bernardo, a Chabad of Poway congregant, said he normally sits in the front of the temple during services. But on Saturday morning, he stood up before the reading of the Torah and went to the back. Story continues I was praying, I was reading and paying attention to the Torah reading, Stewart recalled. And then I heard the gunshots. Stewart, who has served in both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army, said he looked to his left and saw the gunmen fire at least two shots. The gunmen wore a magazine vest and had his rifle on a tactical sling across his chest, Stewart said. Stewart said he started yelling expletives at the gunmen, who stopped shooting when he heard Stewart's voice. They say when I shouted, it sounded like four men shouting, he said. I dont know if that was me or that was an angel. Do you believe in angels? More: What we know about the California synagogue shooting The suspect, John T. Earnest, 19, of San Diego is a nursing student at Cal State University-San Marcos who lived about 7 miles from the synagogue. Gore said Earnest posted an online manifesto in which he criticized Jews and also celebrated the slaying of 50 Muslims at shootings at two mosques last month in Christchurch, New Zealand. The attack came exactly six months after 11 people were killed at a Pittsburgh synagogue. The manifesto echos common white supremacist themes. Hand-written notes are displayed on a light post across the street from the Chabad of Poway Synagogue after a shooting on April 27, 2019, The suspect is accused of opening fire at the synagogue shortly after services began Saturday morning. Passover celebrations are among the most important in the Jewish faith. More: 'People running everywhere': 1 dead, 3 wounded in Passover shooting at synagogue near San Diego "We will not be broken. This is not going to break us," said Fred Nasseri, who usually attends services at the synagogue but was not there during the shooting. Nasseri said Kaye was "very giving, kind. She was an angel. ... Ive known her for 25 years, and I can say nothing but good things about her. ... The community lost a great soul. The off-duty agent fired at the suspect during the attack, hitting his car. The suspect fled and was arrested without incident about 2 miles away. Officials planned an increased law enforcement presence at synagogues and mosques in the area, but Gore encouraged the public to continue with scheduled services and events on Sunday. More: San Diego synagogue shooting: What we know about suspect John Earnest Earnest is also being investigated in connection with the arson at a mosque in nearby Escondido last month, officials said. In that incident, a fire broke out at 3:15 a.m. on March 24 at Dar-ul-Arqam mosque, also known as the Islamic Center of Escondido. Earnest and his family are members of the Escondido Orthodox Presbyterian Church, where Pastor Zach Keele Sunday spoke repeatedly during the service of the tragedy and the evil that had come to the congregation. The Earnest family is a prominent part of the congregation, and John Ernest, the suspect's father, is listed on the program. Two police officers were in the parking lot when worshi arrived for Sunday morning services, although the Earnest family did not appear to be there. We have more questions than we do answers," Keele said during prayers. We are numb. Goldstein said he prayed with his frightened congregation as they awaited help on Saturday. "I got up there and I just spoke from my heart, just giving everyone the courage to know it was just 70 years ago during the Holocaust we were gunned down like this and I just want to let our fellow Americans know we're not going to let this happen here," he told TODAY. "Not here in San Diego. Not here in Poway. Not here in the United States of America." Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Security boosted at mosques, synagogues after shooting; emotional rabbi lauds congregation's bravery The rabbi injured in the California synagogue attack came before TV cameras Sunday night, waving two bandaged hands that had been struck by bullets, and vowed "terrorism like this will not take us down." An emotional Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein of Chabad of Poway said he watched a gunman fatally shoot Lori Gilbert-Kaye, who he said took bullets intended for him as he rushed to evacuate children, including his own granddaughter. Kaye, 60, was a longtime friend and a devoted member of his congregation, he said. "Lori took the bullet for all of us," he said at a press conference. Goldstein, who had preached to his congregation as they huddled in fear and his own hands bled, recalled the "the indescribable sight" he witnessed when confronting the gunman. But without the bravery of his congregation, "it could have been such a bloodbath." Want news from USA TODAY on WhatsApp? Click this link on your mobile device to get started Kaye, described by Goldstein as a pioneer member of the congregation and a person of unconditional love, had come to the temple that morning to honor her mother at a memorial service, the rabbi said. Goldstein said he greeted Kaye and then walked into the banquet hall to wash his hands. I walk two or three footsteps when I hear a loud bang, Goldstein recalled. He said he thought the noise could have been Kaye falling or a table tipping over in the lobby. I turn around I see a sight indescribable, he said, as he choked up. Here is a young man standing with a rifle, pointing right at me, and I look at him. He had sunglasses on. I couldnt see his eyes. I couldnt see his soul. When he heard more shots, he said he lifted up his hands. The bullet blew off an index finger. And, then, he said, Miraculously, the gun jammed. More: An 'AR-type assault weapon' was used in Poway synagogue shooting, police say. Was it legal in California? The rabbi realized children were playing in the banquet hall and ran to gather them. Among them, he said, was his 4-year-old granddaughter who, sees her grandpa with a bleeding hand and she sees me screaming, Get out! Get out! She didnt deserve to see her grandfather like this. Story continues Another man who ushered children to safety was shot in the leg, Goldstein said. Shrapnel hit a young girl in her leg and near her eye, he said. By that point, two congregants one a military veteran and the other a Border Patrol agent had chased the gunman outside, he said. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein speaks to reporters on Sunday in front of Chabad of Poway synagogue in California. The Border Patrol agent, Jonathan Morales, recently discovered his Jewish roots and traveled more than three hours from El Centro to pray with the congregation, Goldstein said. The rabbi recalled telling Morales, Please arm yourself when you are here. We never know when well need it. Goldstein said he returned to the lobby and found Kaye lying on the floor. Her husband had tried to resuscitate her, but he fainted and lay on the floor next to his wife. The couples daughter found her parents on the floor and started screaming, Goldstein said, calling it, the most heart-wrenching sight I could have seen. In that terrible moment, Goldstein said he grabbed a prayer shawl and wrapped his bloody arm and fingers. His congregation was gathered outside, he said, and he knew he needed to do something. I got up on a chair right there and I looked at our congregation and I said, Am Yisrael Chai! Goldstein said, his voice growing louder and stronger as he recalled the moment. We are a Jewish nation that will stand tall. We will not let anyone or anything take us down. Terrorism like this will not take us down. Goldstein said he spent four hours in surgery on Saturday, but still lost his finger. bravery /brav()re/ noun Rabbi Goldstein of San Diego Chabad of Poway was injured by the shooting and as he was bleeding he stood before his congregation to finish his Passover sermon, saying: We are strong. We are united. They cant break us. pic.twitter.com/jTQ3Sxz1ay Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) April 28, 2019 I will never forget yesterday; my missing finger will forever scar me, physically he said. But its going to remind me how vulnerable we are also how heroic each one of us can be. Goldstein called on all Jewish people to attend synagogue next Friday and Saturday as a symbol of solidarity. We need to show them that terrorism and evil will never prevail, he said. Lets fill up the synagogue; lets stand tall; lets dance together. He also questioned how the teenage gunmen had developed such hatred and anti-Semitism and suggested reintroducing moments of silence in the public school system. He concluded by wishing people better times, without such press conferences, to which his congregants responded: Amen. 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of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Millions of seniors today depend on Social Security to pay the bills, but the program's financial woes are by no means a secret. Social Security has already begun tapping its trust funds because its incoming revenue won't suffice in keeping up with its obligations. Come 2035, those trust funds are expected to completely run dry. As such, many Americans find themselves questioning whether they can really count on Social Security way into the future. In fact, 76% of workers today are concerned that Social Security won't be there for them when they're ready to retire, according to Transamerica. Social Security card with the bottom half faded IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES. Now the truth is that while a reduction in future benefits certainly isn't off the table, the program, in its current form, is by no means in danger of completely going broke. That's because its primary revenue source is payroll taxes, and so as long as we have an active workforce, the program has money coming in. That said, writing off Social Security for your retirement isn't such a bad idea, as it might serve as the push you need to do a better job of saving for your golden years. Social Security's limitations Many seniors today struggle financially because they get all, or most, of their income from Social Security. But those benefits aren't designed to sustain seniors in the absence of other income sources. In a best-case scenario, Social Security will replace about 40% of your previous income if you were an average earner. If benefits are cut beginning in 2034, it will replace an even smaller percentage. Most seniors, however, need roughly 80% of their former earnings to live comfortably, which means that depending on Social Security alone in retirement is apt to leave you seriously short on cash. That's why you may want to train your brain into thinking that Social Security won't, in fact, be available to you as a senior. That way, you can take savings matters into your own hands and stop making excuses for neglecting your nest egg. Story continues Securing your future Saving for retirement is easier said than done, but making a few sacrifices during your working years could enable you to build substantial wealth in time for your golden years. That could mean downsizing to a smaller home, getting a second job on top of your primary one, or just plain spending more judiciously so that there's money left over every month to stick in your IRA or 401(k). How much savings might you accumulate as a result of your efforts? It depends on your savings window and the amount you're able to sock away on a regular basis, but if you're fairly young when you begin contributing to an IRA or 401(k), there's a good chance you'll accrue quite a bit of wealth. Here's a sampling of what your nest egg might look like by the time you retire: $100 $240,000 $200 $479,000 $300 $719,000 $400 $958,000 $500 $1.2 million $600 $1.44 million $700 $1.67 million Data source: AUTHOR. Having a 40-year savings window puts you in a good position to build a substantial amount of wealth without parting with too much cash month after month. Of course, the longer you wait to start saving for retirement, the more money you'll need to contribute to your IRA or 401(k) to match these numbers. Still, it's doable if you're motivated to make that effort, and if pretending that Social Security won't be around in the future is what it takes to light that fire, then you're better off telling yourself that those benefits are, indeed, going away. More From The Motley Fool The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. WASHINGTON The NRA is facing legal scrutiny from state regulators, following internal leadership struggles that have spilled into the open. In the past few days, discord in the group's leadership has bubbled into the public eye, and potential legal action against the group threatens its existence. On Friday, the New York Attorney General's Office announced that it would be opening an investigation into the group's tax-exempt status. The Office of New York State Attorney General Letitia James has launched an investigation related to the National Rifle Association (NRA), spokeswoman Kelly Donnelly said in an email to the Associated Press. As part of this investigation, the Attorney General has issued subpoenas. The New York Times reported that the Attorney General's Office had sent letters to the NRA and its charitable foundation to preserve relevant financial records. Other businesses related to the NRA received subpoenas from the Attorney General's Office. Because the NRA was originally chartered in New York in 1871, the New York Attorney General's Office has special jurisdiction over it. Although details were not immediately available as to what potential violations of nonprofit law were committed by the NRA, an investigation by the New Yorker detailed potential legal transgressions the nonprofit's board might have breached their "duty of care" in not being made aware of malfeasance among the group's leadership. The board of directors has alleged signed off on some transactions and payments to individuals that would raise ethical and transparency concerns. Breaches of "duty of care" are against the law in New York, which could result in enforcement actions against the organization. NRA President Oliver North speaks at the NRA-ILA Leadership Adding to the turmoil at the organization, also on Friday, a Wall Street Journal report revealed a feud between Oliver North, the group's president, and Wayne LaPierre, the Chief Executive Officer of the NRA. LaPierre had sent a letter to the board of the NRA alleging that North was blackmailing him over potential financial improprieties and was forcing him to resign. Story continues Then, on Saturday, following media reports of financial mismanagement and further strife among the group's leadership, North told members at the NRA's annual convention that he would not serve a second term as president. Normally, NRA presidents serve for two terms. North had previously achieved notoriety for his role in the Iran-Contra scandal during the Reagan administration. NRA power struggle: President Oliver North tells Indy convention he won't serve 2nd term Feds: Russian operative tried to infiltrate National Rifle Association, other groups The group has faced additional financial troubles over the past year. In November last year, The Trace reported that the NRA had eliminated free coffee and water coolers for employees at its headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia after the organization made budget cuts. It also froze the group's pension plan and raised its dues. Despite the legal issues piling up at the organization, it will likely remain a formidable political force for the foreseeable future, still able to spend millions of dollars on elections and lobbying. Campaign finance totals calculated by the Center for Responsive Politics show that, during the 2017-2018 election cycle, the NRA spent $9.4 million on independent expenditures, $10.2 million on lobbying, and $710,654 on direct contributions to candidates. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What's next for the NRA? Subpoenas, investigations and leadership turmoil * Residents say worst wave of Arab protests against Kurdish rule * SDF denies discrimination and engages tribes to defuse tension * Locals say YPG steals oil and favors Kurdish areas in Syria By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN, April 28 (Reuters) - Arabs in Syria's Deir al-Zor have stepped up protests against the U.S.-allied Kurdish militia that controls the oil-rich province after seizing it from Islamic State, residents, protesters and tribal chiefs said on Sunday. Starting five days ago, they said demonstrations against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had taken place in a string of towns, from Busayrah to Shuhail, in a strategic oil belt in the heart of Arab tribal territory, east of the Euphrates River. Protesters burned tires along a major highway from Deir al-Zor to Hasaka that is used by tankers carrying oil, a lucrative trade the SDF took over from Islamic State after defeating the militant group there from late 2017. "Where is our oil? We won't accept after today to transport our wealth outside our areas," said a banner held by demonstrators in the village of al-Shanan, pictures of which were sent by residents to Reuters and published on social media. Residents, protesters and tribal chiefs said convoys of tankers from the nearby oil field of al Omar, the largest under YPG control in Syria, had been turned back by local mobs angered by what they see as theft of oil from their region. "No to Kurdish occupation," chanted protesters in Husayn, one of the towns witnessing large protests. Spearheaded by the Kurdish YPG militia, the SDF has been the main U.S. partner in Syria and has driven Islamic State out of a swathe of the country's north and east over the last four years. The YPG has formally declined comment on the unrest but two officials privately told Reuters they had begun talks with tribal elders over demands from local residents that include ending arbitrary arrests. The SDF has continued to sell oil to the Syrian government in Damascus despite U.S. misgivings. It has increased shipments in recent weeks to ease acute fuel shortages caused partly by U.S. sanctions on Iran, a main financial supporter of the Syrian government, which are hurting the Syrian economy. Story continues By ousting Islamic State from Deir al-Zor, the YPG laid its hands on some of Syria's biggest oil fields, beating the Syrian army and its Russian backers to the prize. The Syrian government controls areas west of the Euphrates river that are less endowed with oil resources. But resentment against SDF rule in eastern Syria has grown among the predominately Arab population, residents and tribal elders say, with many objecting to compulsory conscription of young men and discrimination in top leadership layers. With living conditions poor and many towns without electricity, Arab residents complain the YPG-led administration favors majority Kurdish areas in northeast Syria. Detentions of Arabs have also angered locals but SDF officials have denied any discrimination, saying they themselves had long been victims of Arab nationalist policies that denied them their culture before Syria's conflict began in 2011. "In SDF prisons, Arabs are 100 percent and Kurds 0 percent. Where is Justice?," said a banner held by angry demonstrators in the town of Tayanah on Sunday. Reporting on the demonstrations, Syrian state television showed footage of oil tankers being blocked and diverted and alleged the SDF had fired live rounds at protesters. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Catherine Evans) By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - Arabs in Syria's Deir al-Zor have stepped up protests against the U.S.-allied Kurdish militia that controls the oil-rich province after seizing it from Islamic State, residents, protesters and tribal chiefs said on Sunday. Starting five days ago, they said demonstrations against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had taken place in a string of towns, from Busayrah to Shuhail, in a strategic oil belt in the heart of Arab tribal territory, east of the Euphrates River. Protesters burned tyres along a major highway from Deir al-Zor to Hasaka that is used by tankers carrying oil, a lucrative trade the SDF took over from Islamic State after defeating the militant group there from late 2017. "Where is our oil? We won't accept after today to transport our wealth outside our areas," said a banner held by demonstrators in the village of al-Shanan, pictures of which were sent by residents to Reuters and published on social media. Residents, protesters and tribal chiefs said convoys of tankers from the nearby oil field of al Omar, the largest under YPG control in Syria, had been turned back by local mobs angered by what they see as theft of oil from their region. "No to Kurdish occupation," chanted protesters in Husayn, one of the towns witnessing large protests. Spearheaded by the Kurdish YPG militia, the SDF has been the main U.S. partner in Syria and has driven Islamic State out of a swathe of the country's north and east over the last four years. The YPG has formally declined comment on the unrest but two officials privately told Reuters they had begun talks with tribal elders over demands from local residents that include ending arbitrary arrests. The SDF has continued to sell oil to the Syrian government in Damascus despite U.S. misgivings. It has increased shipments in recent weeks to ease acute fuel shortages caused partly by U.S. sanctions on Iran, a main financial supporter of the Syrian government, which are hurting the Syrian economy. By ousting Islamic State from Deir al-Zor, the YPG laid its hands on some of Syria's biggest oil fields, beating the Syrian army and its Russian backers to the prize. The Syrian government controls areas west of the Euphrates river that are less endowed with oil resources. But resentment against SDF rule in eastern Syria has grown among the predominately Arab population, residents and tribal elders say, with many objecting to compulsory conscription of young men and discrimination in top leadership layers. With living conditions poor and many towns without electricity, Arab residents complain the YPG-led administration favors majority Kurdish areas in northeast Syria. Detentions of Arabs have also angered locals but SDF officials have denied any discrimination, saying they themselves had long been victims of Arab nationalist policies that denied them their culture before Syria's conflict began in 2011. "In SDF prisons, Arabs are 100 percent and Kurds 0 percent. Where is Justice?," said a banner held by angry demonstrators in the town of Tayanah on Sunday. Reporting on the demonstrations, Syrian state television showed footage of oil tankers being blocked and diverted and alleged the SDF had fired live rounds at protesters. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Catherine Evans) ZURICH (Reuters) - Austrian far-right leader Heinz-Christian Strache has asked voters to support his Freedom Party (FPO) in European Parliament elections and help counter migration flows that he called an unwanted "population exchange". The comment by Strache, vice-chancellor in conservative Sebastian Kurz's government, follows the resignation this week of a local FPO official who likened migrants to rats and a row with public broadcaster ORF over an anti-immigrant party poster. Strache told the Krone newspaper such controversies could actually play into the FPO's hands ahead of EU elections in May. "We are consistently following the path for our Austrian homeland, the fight against population exchange, as people expect of us," he was quoted as saying. Questioned by the paper on using a term embraced by the extreme right, Strache said: "This is a term of reality. We do not want to become a minority in our own homeland. This is legitimate and honest and deeply democratic," adding only the use of violence to impose views warranted the extreme-right tag. Austria took in roughly 1 percent of its population in asylum seekers in 2015 during a migration crisis in which more than a million people traveled to Europe, many of them fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere. That experience dominated a 2017 parliamentary election and helped propel Kurz's conservatives and Strache's FPO to power. Strache hopes to draw on it again in May 26 EU voting. "With us you can vote out the irresponsible open-arms culture of (German Chancellor) Angela Merkel, (French President) Emmanuel Macron and (European Commission President) Jean-Claude Juncker," he told the paper on why voters should back the FPO. (Reporting by Michael Shields; Editing by Dale Hudson) Cotonou (AFP) - Benin votes on Sunday for a new parliament but without a single opposition candidate, as rights groups warn of a crackdown in a country once seen as a model for democracy. When polls open at 7:00am (0600 GMT), voters in the small West African state will select their 83 members of parliament from two parties both allied to President Patrice Talon. Protests have been broken up by force. "The wave of arbitrary arrests of political activists and journalists, and the crackdown on peaceful protests, have reached an alarming level," Amnesty International said. Election watchdogs ruled last month that only the two parties allied to Talon met toughened conditions of admissibility under new electoral laws. Their decision effectively barred the entire political opposition from fielding candidates. "This follows the Electoral Commission's decision to authorise only two political parties -- both from the presidential camp -- to stand in the elections and to exclude all opposition candidates' lists," said Amnesty researcher Francois Patuel. In Benin's economic capital, Cotonou, a stream of cars and trucks pass by painted in the colours of the two parties, the Progressives and Republicans. With blanket bans on demonstrations, there seems little reaction. Even after two ex-presidents, Nicephorus Soglo and Thomas Boni Yayi, urged people to take to the streets to protest, there was little response. - 'Shocked' - People say they are "stunned" and "shocked" by the situation. "Banning peaceful protests and detaining those who speak up against the exclusion of opposition parties from the legislative election will only fuel political turmoil," Amnesty's Patuel added. Before 1991, Benin struggled under decades of authoritarian rule. The transition to democracy brought a flowering of political competition -- five years ago, voters could chose from 20 parties for the 83 seats in parliament. Story continues But this year, lawmakers from the ruling party pushed through a new electoral code. Talon, elected in 2016, portrays himself as reformer and modernist. He has defended the electoral code, saying it would bring together the scores of political parties into simpler blocs. But critics say the rules were too tough and bureaucratic, and opposition parties failed to meet all the administrative requirements in time. - Tensions - "The goal of the reforms has never been to prevent people from going to the election," presidential communications advisor Wilfried Houngbedji said, blaming the opposition for not meeting the requirements. Some thought that Talon might postpone the vote, to give time for the opposition to meet the new requirements. But Houngbedji said that was not within the president's power. "By what right can the head of state interrupt an electoral process?" Houngbedji said. Several international and domestic observers have scrapped their missions to monitor the polls. "All politicians were convinced that the electoral code needed to be changed," said Fatoumatou Batoko-Zossou, who heads a coalition of civil society groups. "But it is the way it has been done that is the problem." Several opponents and journalists have been arrested, or questioned by police. Batoko-Zossou worries about unrest, warning of the importance of promoting peace. "Benin has always been considered a country of peace, we have never known war -- but it is not a reason to rest on our laurels," she said. "After all, we have always been told that our country is a cradle of democracy... and look today at what is happening." The president is, however, apparently not worried. Polls close at 4:00pm (1500 GMT), with little doubt that the new parliament will back the presidency in its entirety. "The resentment will pass," his advisor Houngbedji said. "On Monday, life will resume its normal course." Porto-Novo (Benin) (AFP) - People in Benin on Sunday boycotted in large numbers parliamentary polls with no opposition candidate to choose from, as rights groups warned of a crackdown on basic freedoms. As national radio stations pleaded for voters to "fulfil their duty as citizens" and elect 83 new members of parliament -- choosing from two parties both allied to President Patrice Talon -- the internet was cut. The small West African state was long held up as a model for democracy, but the country's main opposition parties were effectively barred from fielding candidates by tough new eligibility rules. Instead, they asked their supporters to protest by boycotting the polls. Many of the five million registered voters seemed to stay away, with voting booths in the economic capital Cotonou quiet, streets empty and shops closed all day. - Internet shutdowns - In 10 polling stations visited by AFP in the largely opposition area of Seme-Podji, no more than 35 voters had cast their ballots out of the more than 400 people registered. The situation seemed similar in other parts of Benin visited by AFP reporters. "We have never seen such a thing," one election commission official said. "The people have not come out." In the run up to polling, protests were broken up by force. Internet access was initially tightly restricted with blocks on the main social media and messaging apps. Amnesty International called the internet shutdown a "blunt violation of the right to freedom of expression." Then later in the day, internet access was shut down entirely. "It is effectively silencing human rights defenders, journalists and bloggers who are monitoring contested parliamentary elections without opposition candidates," Amnesty said in a statement. - 'Going too far' - Even supporters of the president did not vote. "I'm not a fierce opponent, I actually support President Talon," said Wilfrid Pokini, a trader in the capital Porto Novo. "But I do not support this election -- an unopposed election, what is that? It is going too far." Story continues People say they are "stunned" and "shocked" by the situation, but blanket bans on demonstrations ahead of voting has kept people off the streets. "The wave of arbitrary arrests of political activists and journalists, and the crackdown on peaceful protests, have reached an alarming level," Amnesty International researcher Francois Patuel said. Before 1991, Benin struggled under decades of authoritarian rule. The transition to democracy brought a flowering of political competition -- five years ago, voters could chose from 20 parties for the 83 seats in parliament. But this year, lawmakers from the ruling party pushed through a new electoral code. - Tensions - Talon, elected in 2016, portrays himself as a reformer and modernist. He has defended the electoral code, saying it would bring together the scores of political parties -- more than 250 parties in a country of some 12 million people -- into simpler blocs. But critics say the rules were too tough and bureaucratic. Only the two parties allied to Talon -- the Republicans and Progressive Union -- met the new conditions, effectively barring the opposition from taking part. Several international and domestic observers scrapped their missions to monitor the polls. Some warn of the risk of unrest. "Banning peaceful protests and detaining those who speak up against the exclusion of opposition parties from the legislative election will only fuel political turmoil," Amnesty's Patuel added. The president is, however, apparently not worried. There seems little doubt that the new parliament will back the presidency in its entirety. "The resentment will pass," presidential spokesman Wilfried Houngbedji said. "On Monday, life will resume its normal course." Sign up for the Week in Patriarchy, a newsletter on feminism and sexism sent every Saturday. The problem with Bernie bros If you support Bernie Sanders, then you are probably an entitled young white guy. A Bernie bro. Someone who purports to support progressive ideas, but is really a raging misogynist who could never vote for a woman. We heard this message ad infinitum during the 2016 primaries; Gloria Steinem even accused young female Sanders supporters of only supporting him over Hillary Clinton because the boys are with Bernie. Which was an incredibly bizarre thing for a feminist to say. Now that the 2020 primaries have kicked off, we are being told once again that Sanders is the brocialist choice, and that he doesnt connect with women, particularly non-white women. This isnt entirely inaccurate just look at Sanders recent performance at She the People, a presidential forum for women of colour. When asked what he would do to combat white supremacist violence as president, Sanders reminded everyone he was at the March on Washington with Dr Martin Luther King in 1963. This non-answer justifiably drew loud boos and groans. Sanders didnt help his cause when, visibly annoyed, he then wagged his finger at the audience in a condescending manner. Sanders is far from a perfect candidate. He could do with being less arrogant. He could do with listening to communities of colour more. He could do with realizing that you need to talk about race as well as class. Nevertheless, it is ridiculous to claim that he doesnt connect with women of colour, and that he is beloved purely by arrogant white bros. A recent poll from Morning Consult found that Sanders leads all the other candidates, save Joe Biden, when it comes to support from black voters and female voters. The only demographic that Sanders really doesnt connect with, according to the Morning Consult poll, is Democrats who make more than $100,000 per year. Which, one imagines, overlaps with the demographic who are constantly smearing Sanders by advancing the narrative that his base consists of sexist morons. Story continues Heres the thing: universal healthcare is a feminist issue. Widening access to education is a feminist issue. A foreign policy that doesnt involve constantly bombing other countries is a feminist issue. Refusing to cozy up to Saudi Arabia is a feminist issue. Calling out Israel for its treatment of Palestinians is a feminist issue. As far as Im concerned, Sanders is the most feminist candidate in the race. Nevertheless, as the primaries progress, Im sure were going to hear a lot more about how he just doesnt get women. Who gives a ship? The Scottish Maritime Museum has decided to adopt gender neutral signage for ships, which have traditionally been referred to as she. This has made some people extremely angry indeed. Ships are she, not it and we will erode our history if we bow to the PC brigade on this, Adm Lord West raged in the Telegraph. West explained: To us, much of the time, a ship is best understood as being like a mother, holding us and keeping us safe from storms Theres a tongue-in-cheek suggestion that shes often like a lover, too. Freud would have had a field day. Actor and politician Glenda Jackson in New York on 12 April 2019. Actor and politician Glenda Jackson in New York on 12 April 2019.Photograph: Brendan McDermid/Reuters Glenda Jackson, a queen, on King Lear I love this interview with Glenda Jackson, who is currently playing King Lear on Broadway; it touches on everything from sexism to Thatcherism to how gender boundaries blur with age . It also features an amusing excerpt from a 1976 interview where she was asked if she was waving the flag for womens lib. Jackson replied: Waving it? I mean, Ill poke it in your eye The black feminists who saw the alt-right threat coming Do have a read of this really interesting Slate piece on black feminists who, in 2016, launched a campaign against Twitter trolls pretending to be women of colour. Its a great look at how to fight misinformation campaigns. US sabotages UN resolution on sexual health A diluted version of a United Nations resolution on combatting rape as a weapon of war was passed by the security council on Tuesday. The US had threatened to veto the resolution unless references to sexual and reproductive health were removed, arguing that that language implied support for abortion. The language was then watered down; a stark reminder that the Trump administration isnt just waging war against womens rights in America, but around the world. Please dont put garlic up your vagina Thanks to the Goop-ification of the world, this is apparently a real thing that people are doing, in the hope that it cures their yeast infection. Dr Jen Gunter, an influential ob-gyn, recently published a long Twitter thread breaking down exactly why it is a terrible idea. Just in case you needed to be reminded. David Bote had his first career two-home run game along with five RBIs and Anthony Rizzo had a homer and two doubles as the visiting Chicago Cubs broke the Arizona Diamondbacks' five-game winning streak with a 9-1 victory Saturday. Bote's three-run homer capped a five-run third inning off Arizona starter Zack Godley (1-2), and he added a two-run homer for a 7-0 lead in the fifth. Benches and bullpens cleared and players congregated along the first base line after Matt Koch hit Bote with a pitch in the left shoulder in the seventh inning, following a Rizzo homer and a double by Javier Baez. No punches were thrown and no one was ejected. Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish (2-3) gave up two hits, including a sixth-inning homer by David Peralta, while going six innings for the first time in six starts this season. He struck out eight and walked four. Kyle Schwarber had two doubles and Baez had two hits including the double for the Cubs, who had nine extra-base hits and have won eight of 11. Darvish threw 28 pitches in each of the first two innings, when he walked three and hit a batter, but he escaped unscathed and threw only 35 pitches in the next three innings while settling into a groove. Godley gave up five runs on four hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings as his ERA jumped to 7.78. He struck out three, including the first two in the third inning of a scoreless game before the Cubs scored five in the frame. Daniel Descalso walked and Kris Bryant doubled, and Descalso scored when Godley was called for a balk for moving his right foot on the rubber while in the stretch. Rizzo doubled to drive in Bryant, and Baez was intentionally walked before Bote hit a 3-1 pitch 469 feet into the left field stands to make it 5-0. Rizzo doubled and Bote homered with one out in the fifth for a 7-1 lead, and Jason Heyward added an RBI single in the seventh after order was restored for the Cubs' final run. --Field Level Media By Elisabeth O'Leary EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Support for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom has risen to its highest point in the past four years, largely driven by voters who want to remain in the European Union, according to a poll published on Saturday. As the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) meets for its two-day spring conference, the YouGov poll showed support for secession had risen to 49 percent from 45 percent at the last YouGov poll carried out for The Times in June 2018. The SNP is preparing a new independence push after it was defeated in a 2014 referendum by concerns over the economy. Their proposal for an independent Scotland to continue using the pound in a currency union with Britain was perceived as a particular weakness. On Saturday the SNP leadership proposed that if the country voted for independence it should use Britain's pound until a Scottish currency meeting six economic tests could be introduced. Delegates rejected that in favour of a more pressing timeframe and formulation urging preparations to introduce a new currency "as soon as practicable after Independence Day," preserving the six economic tests. Scots rejected independence by 45-55 percent in a 2014 referendum. Then the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in a 2016 referendum, but among its four nations Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay, feeding political tension. Britain is mired in political chaos and it is still unclear when or even if it will leave the EU. YouGov also found that 53 percent of Scots thought there should not be another referendum on independence within the next five years. Scotland's First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon is pushing for one before 2021, when the current Scottish parliamentary terms ends. YouGov polled 1029 adults in Scotland following a new guideline on independence set out by Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Wednesday. Story continues The poll also showed voters moving away from both the Conservatives and the Labour Party north of the English border. The Scottish Conservatives, part of Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party, are set to lose their only representative in the European Parliament in next month's election as 40 percent of those who backed them two years ago switch to Nigel Farage's Brexit Party. "These patterns represent a clear warning to the Unionist camp that the pursuit of Brexit might yet produce a majority for independence," Professor John Curtice, Britain's leading polling expert, wrote in a column for The Times. (Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary; Editing by Clelia Oziel and Alexandra Hudson) LONDON (Reuters) - British holidaymakers are favoring destinations outside the European Union after repeated delays to Brexit discouraged travelers from booking early and prompted them to look further afield, travel firm Thomas Cook said on Monday. Turkey and Tunisia are among the biggest beneficiaries from the trend towards non-EU bookings, the firm said in a report, with demand for both recovering after security concerns curbed bookings in recent years. Britain was due to leave the EU on March 29, but an impasse in parliament over the terms of Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal has delayed departure. A new deadline of Oct. 31 was agreed with Brussels. Thomas Cook, the world's oldest travel company, said it was "clear that the prolonged uncertainty around the manner and timing of Britain's exit from the European Union has led many to delay their decision on when and where they book for their summer holidays." But a majority of the 3,422 UK holidaymakers surveyed by the company nevertheless said they were more likely to holiday abroad than last year, with a quarter saying that a foreign holiday was higher in their spending priorities than in 2018, compared to just 8 percent who said it was lower. "Britain may be living through unique times from a political perspective, however our desire to holiday abroad is clear," said Will Waggott, Chief of Tour Operating for Thomas Cook. "The political turmoil is having an impact in other ways, revealing itself in a clear shift to non-EU countries." Thomas Cook said 48 percent of its UK package holiday bookings for this summer so far were to non-EU destinations, up 10 percentage points on the same time last year. Turkey has overtaken Greece to be the second most popular destination, with Spain remaining in top spot. And a slight increase in "all-inclusive" holidays could reflect a desire for travelers to "lock in" food and drink costs given the possible volatility in the pound, the company said. Earlier this month easyJet warned that travelers were holding off booking their summer holidays due to uncertainty over how Brexit would go, weakening demand for tickets and thus prices. (Reporting by Alistair Smout; Editing by Mark Heinrich) PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) A Cambodian court on Sunday charged three Chinese nationals with money laundering after the men were allegedly caught carrying more than $3.5 million without proper provenance for the money. The three men were arrested this past week at Phnom Penh International Airport after they arrived from Hong Kong. They were allegedly carrying $3.52 million in $100 bank notes in their bags. Ly Sophana, a spokesman at Phnom Penh Municipal Court, told reporters that the three men were officially charged with money laundering under Cambodia's Law on Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting Financing of Terrorism. If convicted, the men could face 10 to 20 years in prison. According to the National Police website, the three men told police that some of the money was won gambling in Macau, and some was borrowed from relatives. They said the money was brought to Cambodia to invest in real estate. The men were arrested, however, and the money was confiscated due to not having the proper provenance, the website said. By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) - The leaders of Canada and Japan on Sunday touted the benefits of a Pacific trade deal that U.S. President Donald Trump walked away from and said the pact should serve as a model for future agreements. The landmark 11-country trade deal, a revamped version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), came into force last December. It does not include the United States, which pulled out of talks on the initial TPP in 2017. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said exports of some beef products from Canada to Japan had increased nearly threefold under the deal, formally known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). "(This deal) has benefited tremendously Canadian citizens, Japanese citizens and businesses and indeed people throughout the region," he told a news conference after talks with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. "(That) stands in stark contrast with the United States withdrawal ... continuing to move forward on freer more open trade, according to the rules we can all agree on, is something we need more in the world," he said. Trump, whose administration is working on a bilateral free trade deal with Japan, said on Friday after meeting Abe that an agreement could be reached next month. Both men, however, made clear they differed in some areas with Trump citing Japanese tariffs on American agricultural products and Abe bringing up U.S. tariffs on Japanese autos. Abe said the CPTPP "should be a model going forward," describing it as a meaningful way "to disseminate a 21st century type of free and fair rules-based (trade)." Abe, speaking through an interpreter, told the news conference that Canada and Japan would work to expand the number of nations inside the CPTPP. (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Bill Trott) (In April 28 story, fixes reference to Podemos in last paragraph to far left, not far right) MADRID, April 28 (Reuters) - The head of Spain's center-right Ciudadanos ('Citizens') said his party would take on the leadership of the country's opposition, after the Socialist Party of Pedro Sanchez claimed victory in Sunday's national election. "We will keep a close eye on the government of (Socialist Pedro) Sanchez and Podemos ... We are now heading the opposition," Albert Rivera told supporters in Madrid. With more than 99 percent of votes counted, Ciudadanos was on 57 seats in the 350-seat parliament, against 66 for the mainstream conservative People's Party (PP). The PP had 137 seats in the outgoing parliament. The Socialists won 123 seats and far-left Podemos 42, according to the same Interior Ministry tally, leaving them 11 seats short of a majority. (Reporting by Belen Carreno, writing by John Stonestreet) A ground-breaking fusion reactor built by Chinese scientists is underscoring Beijing's determination to be at the core of clean energy technology, as it eyes a fully-functioning plant by 2050. Sometimes called an "artificial sun" for the sheer heat and power it produces, the doughnut-shaped Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) that juts out on a spit of land into a lake in eastern Anhui province, has notched up a succession of research firsts. In 2017 it became the world's first such facility to sustain certain conditions necessary for nuclear fusion for longer than 100 seconds, and last November hit a personal-best temperature of 100 million degrees Celsius (212 million Fahrenheit) -- six times as hot as the sun's core. Such mind-boggling temperatures are crucial to achieving fusion reactions, which promise an inexhaustible energy source. EAST's main reactor stands within a concrete structure, with pipes and cables spread outward like spokes connecting to a jumble of censors and other equipment encircling the core. A red Chinese flag stands on top of the reactor. "We are hoping to expand international cooperation through this device (EAST) and make Chinese contributions to mankind's future use of nuclear fusion," said Song Yuntao, a top official involved in the project, on a recent tour of the facility. China is also aiming to build a separate fusion reactor that could begin generating commercially viable fusion power by mid-century, he added. Some six billion yuan ($890 million) has been promised for the ambitious project. EAST is part of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, which seeks to prove the feasibility of fusion power. Funded and run by the European Union, India, Japan, China, Russia, South Korea, and the United States, the multi-billion-dollar project's centrepiece will be a giant cylindrical fusion device, called a tokamak. Story continues Now under construction in Provence in southern France, it will incorporate parts developed at the EAST and other sites, and draw on their research findings. - Unlimited power, mega budgets - Fusion is considered the Holy Grail of energy and is what powers our sun. It merges atomic nuclei to create massive amounts of energy -- the opposite of the fission process used in atomic weapons and nuclear power plants, which splits them into fragments. Unlike fission, fusion emits no greenhouse gases and carries less risk of accidents or the theft of atomic material. But acheiving fusion is both extremely difficult and prohibitively expensive -- the total cost of ITER is estimated at 20 billion euros ($22.5 billion). Wu Songtao, a top Chinese engineer with ITER, conceded that China's technical capabilities on fusion still lag behind more developed countries, and that US and Japanese tokamaks have achieved more valuable overall results. But the Anhui test reactor underlines China's fast-improving scientific advancement and its commitment to achieve yet more. China's capabilities "have developed rapidly in the past 20 years, especially after catching the ITER express train," Wu said. In an interview with state-run Xinhua news agency in 2017, ITER's Director-General Bernard Bigot lauded China's government as "highly motivated" on fusion. "Fusion is not something that one country can accomplish alone," Song said. "As with ITER, people all over the world need to work together on this." Paris (AFP) - China's investment strategy of throwing money at developing countries appears to have hit a snag in the Republic of Congo as the central African nation is seeking an IMF bailout. While the funding it provided to Congo wasn't part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which China was promoting this week, it serves as a cautionary tale of the trouble Beijing could face with its plan for massive investments in maritime, road and rail projects across 65 countries from Asia to Europe and Africa. When the plunge of global oil prices in 2014 blew a hole in the Congolese government's finances, it was China that stepped in to help. But despite the recovery of oil prices, the country, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, has had trouble getting back on top of its finances and has asked the International Monetary Fund for help. The IMF places conditions on its loans to force governments to take measures to boost their finances. In addition, as the IMF can only lend if it judges that a country's debt load is sustainable, a bailout may be accompanied by a restructuring of government debt. "It's certainly the first time China has found itself confronted with this kind of situation," said a specialist in relations between China and Africa who asked her name not be used as the discussions with IMF were still underway. "The Republic of Congo is seeking IMF protection in order to avoid a possible default on its payments," she added. "China, which holds more than a third of its foreign debt, is not really comfortable with that." - China lending full-tilt - Julien Marcilly, chief economist at Coface, a firm that provides payment insurance for French companies, said that China "went full-tilt on lending in recent years, often to countries which produce and export raw materials, in particular oil." It is only now that "Beijing is beginning to realise that problems can build up", in particular after Venezuela defaulted. Story continues The situation is all the more worrying as the Republic of Congo in 2005 was one of the countries that benefited from an international debt relief initiative for the world's poorest countries. Its foreign debt was bought down from 119 percent of annual economic output to just 33 percent. But like other oil-producing nations, Congo-Brazzaville took a beating from the 2014 plunge in oil prices. "It was an expected and very brutal drop in prices, which was ironically linked to a slowdown in China," noted Marcilly. The drop in oil prices meant the nation's economic output dropped by 50 percent. As a consequence, its debt as a percentage of GDP soared to 110 percent in 2017. About one-third of the country's debt is in Chinese hands, or about $2 billion, said the specialist in relations between China and Africa. The Congolese government reached an agreement with IMF negotiators a year ago, but the terms need to be approved by the IMF's governing board. One year later, the deal has yet to be approved. A French source confirmed that the IMF programme is contingent on Congo-Brazzaville's debt becoming sustainable, which means that a deal has to be reached with China on cutting the amount owed or pushing back payments. However it would be unusual for Beijing to do this. When Sri Lanka was unable to repay its loans it was forced to turn over a deep-sea port to China for 99 years. The IMF and China both declined to comment when contacted by AFP. - IMF hemmed in - It will be tricky for the IMF to find a compromise. Last year a group of US lawmakers urged Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to use his influence at the IMF -- where the United States holds the most voting rights of any nation -- to block bailouts of countries that were too heavily indebted to China. "For the United States it out of the question that the IMF rescues a country that is in debt to China," the specialist said. With the IMF sticking to its long-held position that debt must be sustainable at the end of a rescue programme so it gets repaid, the situation was blocked. Until a mid-April meeting of IMF leaders, the question of Congo's debt to China was only being discussed between the two nations. A Congolese source told AFP on the margins of the meeting that "China made efforts, we're making progress." She added it was hoped the rescue programme could be approved at an IMF board meeting in June. "We understand that things are moving along a good path, but it hasn't been signed yet," a French source said. France has prioritised increased transparency on lending to developing countries during its G7 presidency, particularly those in Africa where France still backs the CFA franc. After going through something as life-altering as a car accident, the best thing you can get out of it is... Cleveland Browns draft review 2 (46). Greedy Williams, CB: 6-2, 185, LSU 3 (80). Sione Takitaki, LB: 6-1, 238, BYU 4 (119). Sheldrick Redwine, S: 6-0, 196, Miami 5 (155). Mack Wilson, LB: 6-1, 240, Alabama 5 (170). Austin Seibert, K: 5-9, 213, Oklahoma 6 (189). Drew Forbes, G: 6-5, 303, Southeast Missouri St. 7 (221). Donnie Lewis Jr., CB: 6-0, 190, Tulane Grade: B+ John Dorsey gladly gave up his first-round pick to get Odell Beckham Jr., and then still managed to come away with Williams, who was once considered a possible top-15 selection. Trading up to get Williams ate into the Browns' remaining capital, but they still found some high-upside options in Wilson and Forbes, who garnered a lot of interest late in the process. Best pick: Concerns about his personality and lack of interest in tackling pushed Williams down the board, but he has terrific tools and is the best pure cover corner in the draft. Between Williams and Denzel Ward, Cleveland could have one of the league's best young cornerback duos. Upside pick: Wilson. At a similar spot (No. 150) in last year's draft, Cleveland took linebacker Genard Avery, who impressed as a rookie. Considered a possible first- or second-round talent, Wilson brings similar upside, with a terrific combination of size and speed. If he can become more disciplined and hone his instincts, look out. --Field Level Media Paris (AFP) - Dozens of curvy women staged a fashion show near the Eiffel Tower Sunday, braving chilly rain in skimpy outfits to defy fashion diktats with the simple slogan: "My body is beautiful." Transparent nightgowns, stockings and lingerie were out in full force along with white-winged models gently mocking US underwear Victoria's Secret to the delight of Parisians and tourists who snapped away with mobile phones and cameras. Plus size models and "everyday women" took part in the second edition of the "body positive" show, inspired by a movement launched in countries such as Britain and the United States. Organiser Georgia Stein told AFP her goal was "to represent the majority of women, show they are beautiful despite their 'faults' which are in fact not faults because they are completely natural, like tummies, cellulite or stretchmarks". The message was underscored by signs in English that read "My body is beautiful" or "Your beauty through your diversity". Stein, 32, said she wanted to make a difference for "women who don't feel good about themselves and fall into depression as a result". "In France we lag far behind on the subject," she added in reference to fashion for larger women. "We don't see any diversity in advertising campaigns or on catwalks. The market for larger sizes is minimal." Leslie Lauthelin, who wears a French size 44-46 (a US size 10-12, a UK size 14-16) said she had trouble finding fashionable clothing in stores. - Sexy lingerie - "Finding something trendy at a good price is almost impossible. We have to fall back on things with little flowers, outfits that are pretty out of date," she said. "Finding sexy lingerie if you are curvy, with good support, is complicated. We are doing this so that the fashion world gets going," she added. The city of Paris in February organised a campaign against fat shaming during the latest fashion week, but the message had trouble being heard. Fashion houses contacted by AFP preferred not to comment publicly. Story continues Karl Lagerfeld, the late designer known for speaking his mind, once said that "no one wants to see curvy women" on catwalks. Stein noted there were fewer plus sized women in France than in Britain or the US. "In the United States, they are who they are, a woman size 50 will wear a short, tight dress with a plunging neckline or heels. "In France, we are more likely to hide that of which we have too much or not enough." - Victoria's Secret wings - "Ladies, don't forget your wings," Stein called out as she adjusted a pink puff on the arm of a shiny-lipped model wearing a fuchsia nightgown in a cafe north of Paris ahead of the show. Stein herself was wearing a lacy white slip and makeup but all were covered with blankets as they headed to a bus that took them to the Trocadero plaza where the show had the Eiffel Tower as background. She said that when staff at Victoria's Secret were asked why there was not more diversity among their models -- who are sometimes called angels -- they had replied "because we sell fantasy". "They were hit by a huge boycott on social media," Stein said. "With the wings we wanted to send a little wink, to say we too are angels who sell fantasies." Photos: Petfinder Looking to add a new companion to the family? There are dozens of lovable guinea pigs and rabbits up for adoption at animal shelters in and around Chicago, so you won't have to look far to find the perfect fit. Hoodline used data from Petfinder to power this roundup of pets currently available for adoption near you. Read on to meet some friendly locals. Lucy, guinea pig Lucy is a female guinea pig currently residing at Friends of Petraits. From Lucy's caretaker: Lucy is a beautiful and petite one-year-old female brown and tan guinea pig looking for loving guardian. This poor girl ended up at Chicago Animal Care and Control when her human was arrested and incarcerated. She may possibly live comfortably with another female guinea pig, or right next to one in another cage. Guinea pigs typically enjoy the company of others. Lucy would love a home with people who will interact with her daily, keep her well fed, and keep her habitat nice and clean. Read more about how to adopt Lucy at Petfinder. Lacie, guinea pig Lacie is a female guinea pig being kept at Friends of Petraits. From Lacie's caretaker: Lacie is an extremely beautiful, sweet and handle-able tri-color, three-year-old calico Abyssinian female guinea pig looking for loving guardian. Lacie spent her last few years with a couple other female guinea pigs, when they passed, she was left all alone. She would make a nice partner for another female guinea pig. Guinea pigs are happier in pairs, or at least in a cage next to other guinea pigs. Read more about how to adopt Lacie at Petfinder. Nutmeg, guinea pig Nutmeg is a male short-haired guinea pig mix being cared for at Friends of Petraits. From Nutmeg's caretaker: Nutmeg is hunky, handsome and handle-able, two-year-old. caramel and white male guinea pig looking for loving guardian. Nutmegs mom is getting ready to go to college and unfortunately he cant go with her. He is happy, active and might get along with the right male partner guinea pig, or can at least keep one company from the other side of a fence. He has been housed near other guinea pigs, however has not shared a cage with one recently. Even being caged next to another pig seems to make life happier for guinea pigs. Story continues Read more about how to adopt Nutmeg at Petfinder. Posh Spice, rabbit Posh Spice is a female rabbit being cared for at Red Door Animal Shelter. Posh Spice loves cats. Her vaccinations aren't up to date quite yet, but she's been spayed. She has mastered her house training etiquette. No dogs, please: Posh Spice is looking for a dog-free forever home. Read more about how to adopt Posh Spice at Petfinder. Waffles, rabbit Waffles is a female rabbit currently residing at ALIVE Rescue. Her vaccinations aren't up to date quite yet, but she's been spayed. From Waffles's caretaker: Hi, I'm Waffles. I can be a little shy and will need an adopter who is experienced with rabbits. Read more about how to adopt Waffles at Petfinder. This story was created automatically using local animal shelter data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. By Bridget Clerkin POWAY, Calif. (Reuters) - A 19-year-old man accused of opening fire on Sabbath worshippers in a deadly shooting rampage at a Southern California synagogue is believed to have acted alone, without help from any organized group, authorities said on Sunday. Police say the gunman walked into the suburban San Diego synagogue late on Saturday morning, the last day of the week-long Jewish holiday of Passover, and killed one woman and wounded three other people inside, using an assault-style rifle. According to authorities, the suspect, John Earnest, then fled in a car before calling police to hand himself in. "We believe he acted alone and without outside support in carrying out the attack," San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said in a statement. The suspect, who is also under investigation for a mosque arson, has been booked into custody on one count of murder in the first degree and three counts of attempted murder in the first degree, Gore said. At an emotional news conference on Sunday, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein choked back tears as he spoke of the slain victim, Lori Kaye, whom he had known for 25 years. "She was a pioneer member from our congregation," he said, his left arm in a sling and his right hand bandaged. "Lori had unconditional love for all." Goldstein had surgery at a hospital after his right index finger was blown away by the gunman. He recounted how after he saw the carnage, he grabbed a prayer shawl, wrapped it around his bloody hands and addressed the congregation. "We are a Jewish nation that will stand tall, we will not let anyone or anything take us down terrorism like this will not take us down," Goldstein said he told the worshippers. The other two wounded in the attack on the Congregation Chabad temple in the town of Poway, about 23 miles (37 km) north of San Diego, were an 8-year-old Israeli girl and her uncle. Their family had moved to the United States in search of a safer life after their home in Sderot on the Gaza border was hit several times by Palestinian rocket attacks. The sheriff said they were struck by shrapnel but were "doing well" at a hospital. Goldstein said U.S. President Donald Trump had called him to offer condolences on behalf of the American people. MOSQUE FIRE INVESTIGATED After the shooting, the suspect fled in a car, escaping an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent who shot at the getaway vehicle but missed the suspect. The suspect pulled over and surrendered to police officers a short time later. The teenage suspect, who had no prior criminal record, is the apparent author of a "manifesto" who claimed to have set a nearby mosque on fire last month and professed drawing inspiration from the gunman who killed nearly 50 people at two mosques in New Zealand. Gore said on Saturday that the police and FBI were investigating Earnest's possible involvement in the March 24 pre-dawn arson fire at the Islamic Center of Escondido, a town about 15 miles (24 km) north of Poway. No one was hurt at the mosque fire. Saturday's bloodshed in Poway unfolded six months to the day after 11 worshippers were killed and six other people wounded by a gunman who stormed the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh yelling: "All Jews must die." The assailant in that massacre, said to be the deadliest attack ever against Jews on U.S. soil, was also arrested. The Passover violence came amid an upsurge in reports of anti-Semitism nationwide and abroad and followed a recent spate of deadly attacks on places of worship around the world. Suicide bombings during Easter Sunday services at several churches in Sri Lanka killed more than 250 people. A gunman who opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15 left 49 people dead and more than 40 wounded, some as they knelt in prayer. Gore told reporters that authorities were investigating Saturday's attack as a potential hate crime. A rambling, violently anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim screed written by an individual calling himself John Earnest was found posted online, with links to the content posted on a far-right forum on the internet message board 8chan. In that letter, the author also claimed credit for the Escondido mosque arson, which was put out by congregants who were sleeping inside and woke up to the smell of smoke. Local media at the time reported that a message scrawled on the driveway of the mosque mentioned the New Zealand massacre. Earnest was enrolled at California State University in San Marcos. In a statement, the university's president said the school was "dismayed and disheartened" to learn Earnest was a student and was working with the sheriff's department. Earnest attended Mt. Carmel High School in San Diego, where his father taught physics before retiring in 2016, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper. (Reporting by Bridget Clerkin in Poway, California; Additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles, Joseph Ax in Princeton, New Jersey and Keith Coffman in Denver; Editing by Daniel Wallis, Lisa Shumaker and Peter Cooney) By Tim Reid SAN FRANCISCO, April 28 (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke attacked the close ties between Republican President Donald Trump and Fox News on Sunday, saying the White House has "free rein, almost" over what is broadcast on the cable television network. Democrats have long accused Fox of reporting that is biased in favor of the Republican Party and Trump. The president is an avid watcher of the network, and Sean Hannity, one of its stars, is an admirer of Trump and last year spoke at one of his rallies. Former Fox News executive Bill Shine became a communications official in the Trump White House in 2018, resigning the position in March to be an adviser on Trump's 2020 presidential campaign. Speaking at a campaign event in San Francisco, former Texas congressman O'Rourke, one of 20 candidates seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, criticized the links between the Trump White House and an influential news network. "You have members of the organization moving into the White House, you have a White House with free rein, almost, over what is broadcast over one of the most widely watched cable networks in the country today," O'Rourke said. Reuters emails to the White House and Fox News were not immediately answered. On Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, O'Rourke said Trump invited Russia to interfere, even if Special Counsel Robert Mueller concluded after a 22-month investigation that Trump and his campaign did not collude with Moscow. "I don't know if collusion is a term of art in the law, but he certainly invited their participation," O'Rourke said. (Reporting by Tim Reid Editing by Sonya Hepinstall) Washington (AFP) - Democrats seeking to reclaim the White House are calling for generational change. It may be time for a woman, they say, or a minority figure. But for all the talk of breaking new presidential ground, the opposition party's top candidates to become the new boss look about the same as the current boss: white, male and pretty old. President Donald Trump is a 72-year-old billionaire, and for many he epitomizes the white male privilege that Democrats often decry. But the top two candidates leading the race to replace him are pale, male and stale too. Former vice president Joe Biden, who jumped into the race Thursday, is 76 and has spent the bulk of his life in national politics, while Senator Bernie Sanders, 77, has been in Congress since 1991. The two men's dominance in the 2020 Democratic field is at odds with last year's midterms, when record numbers of women and minorities were elected to the most diverse US Congress ever. The presidential race itself is historically diverse: six female candidates, three African Americans, a Hispanic former cabinet member, an Asian-American, a Hindu congresswoman, and a gay military-veteran mayor. Nine contenders are under 50. The 2020 campaign "calls for a new generation of leadership," candidate Pete Buttigieg, the Indiana mayor who at 37 is less than half Biden's age, said recently. And yet it is the two septuagenarians who currently dominate the nominations landscape, with Biden at 29 percent and Sanders at 23 percent in the latest RealClearPolitics polling average. No one else is in double digits. The White House has relished the irony. "Old, white, male career politicians like Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden is not exactly what the Democratic Party had in mind for 2020 when they're running all these different folks who are talking about identity politics and what makes them different, counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway told Fox on Thursday. Story continues The Democratic candidates with the more traditional profiles, Biden and Sanders -- each of whom has run for president before -- have the strongest name recognition. That has "significant influence on polling at this point," Kelly Dittmar, an expert at the Center for American Women and Politics, told AFP. Unlike recent congressional elections, "presidential politics has been the most dominated by men, and masculinity, for all of our history." Dittmar said that is true not just in who inhabits the office, but in the norms of behavior and expectations voters place in presidential leaders. A woman, of course, has made the case that it's possible to shatter that presidential shield of masculinity, as Hillary Clinton did when she won more popular votes than Trump in 2016. - White man's privilege - There are signs that a post-Clinton mindset has yet to evolve. The hype that accompanied the entry into the race by Texan Beto O'Rourke (6.3 percent in polling), a white forty-something ex-congressman with a thin resume, contrasted sharply with the muted coverage of the rollout by progressive Senator Elizabeth Warren (6.5 percent). She was the first heavyweight to enter the race and is the candidate with the most concrete policy platform, but she has been spinning her wheels in the polls. O'Rourke, who literally wandered in the wilderness before launching his campaign, appeared to acknowledge the hand he has been dealt. "As a white man who has had privileges that others could not depend on, or take for granted, I've clearly had advantages over the course of my life," he told NBC News in Iowa. Dittmar said she is not confident that Sanders and Biden, unlike O'Rourke, "have gotten to that point in which they realize... the limitations they have as older white men in being able to understand the challenges of women and communities of color." Those limits came into sharp relief this past week. Biden faced awkward questions about refusing to directly apologize to women who said they were made uncomfortable by his touching and the affectionate gestures he lavished on them. Sanders was booed by black women at a conference when he conveyed a 56-year-old anecdote about marching with civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. when asked how he would combat racism and advocate for people of color. Such gestures by the frontrunners are "not enough," Dittmar said. Both Sanders and Biden have built campaign teams that reflect America's diversity. But they will need to speak "in a more detailed way about how you're going to best empathize with the experiences of women and communities of color in a way that goes beyond a tag line, or one thing you did" in the past, Dittmar added. It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Rightmove plc (LON:RMV). Do Insider Transactions Matter? It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required. We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.' View our latest analysis for Rightmove The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Rightmove In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Finance Director & Executive Director, Robyn Perriss, sold UK732k worth of shares at a price of UK4.95 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to take some cash off the table, even below the current price of UK5.56. We generally consider it a negative if insiders have been selling on market, especially if they did so below the current price, because it implies that they considered a lower price to be reasonable. Please do note, however, that sellers may have a variety of reasons for selling, so we don't know for sure what they think of the stock price. This single sale was just 38% of Robyn Perriss's stake. Robyn Perriss was the only individual insider to sell shares in the last twelve months. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below! Story continues LSE:RMV Recent Insider Trading, April 28th 2019 I will like Rightmove better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying. Insider Ownership Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Rightmove insiders own about UK24m worth of shares. That equates to 0.5% 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. So What Do The Rightmove Insider Transactions Indicate? The fact that there have been no Rightmove insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. Still, the insider transactions at Rightmove in the last 12 months are not very heartening. But we do like the fact that insiders own a fair chunk of the company. Therefore, you should should definitely take a look at this FREE report showing analyst forecasts for Rightmove. If you would prefer to 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. Montreal (AFP) - More than 5,000 people were told to quickly leave their homes near Montreal late Saturday and early Sunday after floodwaters breached a dike in rain-soaked eastern Canada. The barrier protecting Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, just west of Canada's second largest city, gave way Saturday night, causing a surge of water up to 1.5 meters (five feet) to crash through the area. "We didn't have time to do anything, the water rose while were chatting, I just had time to take my medication," one resident told public broadcaster Radio-Canada. Hundreds of policemen, firefighters and soldiers helped evacuate nearly 2,600 homes in the area, a provincial police spokesman said. "It's going very well. Thankfully no one was injured, no one is missing," Sergeant Daniel Thibodeau said. According to the latest government data, nearly 8,000 people have been forced by rising waters from their homes in Quebec, and about 6,000 homes have been flooded -- topping the 2017 toll during what was then the area's worst flooding in a half-century. Some 1,700 soldiers have been deployed to help with evacuations and fill sandbags in the hardest-hit regions of Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. Last week, both Montreal and the capital Ottawa declared states of emergency. In Fredericton, New Brunswick, crews have been busy hauling away driftwood and debris as waters start to recede. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in the Ottawa area on Saturday for a briefing from emergency management officials and, with his young son, helped to fill sandbags. 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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The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.In accordance with industry accepted best practices we ask that users limit their copy / paste of copyrighted material to the relevant portions of the article you wish to discuss (no more than 50% of the source material) provide a link back to the original articleIf you are a legal copyright holder or a designated agent for such and you believe a post on this website falls outside the boundaries of "Fair Use" and legitimately infringes on yours or your clients copyright please contact [email protected] This website is owned by :Marco ZwaneveldDrijfriemstraat 522516 XR The HagueNetherlands.I will not rent, sell, share or otherwise disclose your personal information to any third party.We might contact you from time to time regarding your purchases or the services (like forums and announcement lists) you have subscribed to.Some of the 3rd party advertisers on lunaticoutpost.com may use cookiesto track peformance and/or to serve relevant ads.If you wish to read more and/or opt out of such cookies, please visit: http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/ If you own shares in Electrocomponents plc (LON:ECM) then it's worth thinking about how it contributes to the volatility of your portfolio, overall. In finance, Beta is a measure of volatility. Volatility is considered to be a measure of risk in modern finance theory. Investors may think of volatility as falling into two main categories. The first type is company specific volatility. Investors use diversification across uncorrelated stocks to reduce this kind of price volatility across the portfolio. The other type, which cannot be diversified away, is the volatility of the entire market. Every stock in the market is exposed to this volatility, which is linked to the fact that stocks prices are correlated in an efficient market. Some stocks mimic the volatility of the market quite closely, while others demonstrate muted, exagerrated or uncorrelated price movements. Some investors use beta as a measure of how much a certain stock is impacted by market risk (volatility). While we should keep in mind that Warren Buffett has cautioned that 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk', beta is still a useful factor to consider. To make good use of it you must first know that the beta of the overall market is one. A stock with a beta below one is either less volatile than the market, or more volatile but not corellated with the overall market. In comparison a stock with a beta of over one tends to be move in a similar direction to the market in the long term, but with greater changes in price. Check out our latest analysis for Electrocomponents What does ECM's beta value mean to investors? Given that it has a beta of 0.82, we can surmise that the Electrocomponents share price has not been strongly impacted by broader market volatility (over the last 5 years). This suggests that including it in your portfolio will reduce volatility arising from broader market movements, assuming your portfolio's weighted average beta is higher than 0.82. Beta is worth considering, but it's also important to consider whether Electrocomponents is growing earnings and revenue. You can take a look for yourself, below. Story continues LSE:ECM Income Statement, April 28th 2019 How does ECM's size impact its beta? Electrocomponents is a reasonably big company, with a market capitalisation of UK2.8b. Most companies this size are actively traded with decent volumes of shares changing hands each day. It is a little unusual to see big companies like this trade on low beta values. Oftentimes there is some other clear influence on the share price, overshadowing market volatility. What this means for you: One potential advantage of owning low beta stocks like Electrocomponents is that your overall portfolio won't be too sensitive to overall market movements. However, this can be a blessing or a curse, depending on what's happening in the broader market. In order to fully understand whether ECM is a good investment for you, we also need to consider important company-specific fundamentals such as Electrocomponentss financial health and performance track record. I urge you to continue your research by taking a look at the following: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for ECMs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for ECMs outlook. Past Track Record: Has ECM been consistently performing well irrespective of the ups and downs in the market? Go into more detail in the past performance analysis and take a look at the free visual representations of ECM's historicals for more clarity. Other Interesting Stocks: It's worth checking to see how ECM measures up against other companies on valuation. You could start with this free list of prospective options. 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. Los Angeles (AFP) - Stabbing a teenage prisoner to death, picking off a young girl and an old man with a sniper rifle and firing a heavy machinegun into a residential area: these are some of the charges facing an elite US Navy SEAL on trial for war crimes while deployed in Iraq. Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, a decorated 39-year-old veteran of combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, is still a hero in the eyes of many Americans and the rightwing Fox News channel -- and his case may even become a factor in next year's presidential elections. Around 40 Republican members of Congress have written an open letter demanding Gallagher -- who denies the charges against him -- be set free until he stands trial. One has even called on President Donald Trump to step in and have the case dismissed. Trump has weighed in on the case on Twitter, saying that he had intervened to ensure that Gallagher -- who was nominated for the Silver Star for his service -- "will soon be moved to less restrictive confinement while he awaits his day in court." Trump said the move was made "in honor of his past service to our Country." Gallagher, a platoon commander of SEAL Team 7, will face a military tribunal at a Navy base in San Diego on May 28. He was arrested last September and has been held at the base ever since. He was arrested after men under his command in the elite Navy unit were so horrified by his actions that they complained to their superiors, but were warned that their accusations could damage their careers, according to reports in The Navy Times and The New York Times this week. Gallagher now faces charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder and obstruction of justice. He could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty. The crimes he stands accused of were committed in 2017 during a deployment in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. US special forces were fighting alongside Iraqi troops to take back parts of the town from Islamic State group fighters. Story continues His lawyer did not respond to an AFP request for comment. - 'Propaganda manna from heaven' - According to testimony at a preliminary hearing last November, members of Gallagher's Alpha platoon were so disturbed by his behavior that they tampered with his sniper rifle to make it less accurate, and would fire warning shots to make civilians flee before he could open fire on them. "They said they spent more time protecting civilians than they did fighting ISIS," Special Agent Joe Warpinski of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service told the military court. Their chief allegedly boasted about the number of people he had killed, including women, according to The New York Times. In May 2017, Iraqi troops captured a wounded teenage Islamic State fighter who appeared to be around 15 years old. Two members of the SEAL team said that as a medic was treating the fighter's wounds, Gallagher stepped up without a word and stabbed the prisoner in the neck and side several times. He then posed for a photo holding up the teenager's head in one hand and the knife in the other, the two SEALs said. He went on to stand over the youth's body and perform a re-enlistment ceremony while another member of the team held up a US flag, they said. According to the charge sheet, soldiers from his unit tried on several occasions to alert their superiors about the alleged war crimes, but without success. Seven of them said they were told they could face retaliation if they went public with the case, but finally managed to bring their concerns to a higher-ranking officer. Gallagher's commanding officer, Lieutenant Jacob Portier, reportedly posed in the photo with the dead teenager and is himself facing charges for failing to report the crimes and for destroying evidence. Navy prosecutor Chris Czaplak said Gallagher had "handed ISIS propaganda manna from heaven" by deciding to "act like the monster the terrorists accuse us of being." (Repeats story with no changes to text) * Whistle blower raised concerns about Gupta bonds, sources say * Gupta sold GAM more than 550 million of bonds * Bonds related to biodiesel-fueled power generators * Generators have sat idle, company accounts and Ofgem data show By Tom Bergin LONDON, April 29 (Reuters) - A whistle blower at Swiss asset manager GAM Holding AG who alerted UK financial regulators last year did so over concerns about the purchase of more than half a billion pounds of bonds from commodities tycoon Sanjeev Gupta, according to two people familiar with the matter. The bonds related to a biodiesel-fueled power generating business, the people familiar with the matter said. But the employee who brought his concerns to regulators believed the operation was unlikely to make enough money to repay the bonds partly because of the high cost of the fuel it planned to use, these people said. A Reuters analysis of corporate filings, regulatory documents and market data supports that view. UK-based GAM fund manager Tim Haywood paid more than 550 million pounds in 2017 for the bonds that were due to repay about 1 billion pounds over 20 years, according to the people familiar with the matter and corporate filings. But the assets backing the bonds were generators and related equipment installed at a cost of around 22 million pounds, corporate accounts show. Those generators have largely sat idle for two years, according to public company accounts and Ofgem data. GAM has previously publicly said it suspended and then dismissed Haywood following an internal whistle blower alerting UK regulator the Financial Conduct Authority, but the company has not disclosed which securities it related to or what the concerns were. The details of the bonds, including how much GAM paid and the underlying business, also havent previously been reported. GAM has seen a more than billion-dollar drop in its stock market capitalization and placed restrictions on client withdrawals following a wave of redemption requests. Story continues Gupta, an Indian-born British national, is executive chairman of GFG Alliance, which manages the industrial, finance and metals investments of the Gupta family. GFG, which encompasses the company that sold the bonds, said both the company and Gupta declined to comment. Haywood, via a spokesman, said he disputed GAM's allegations of gross misconduct, is appealing his dismissal to GAM and that he looked forward to clearing his name. LITTLE RED BOXES The business model behind the bonds was to generate electricity from biodiesel that would qualify for UK government-issued green energy credits, according to company filings. The proceeds from selling the green energy credits would be used to repay the purchaser of the bonds. It was a novel plan. No other company was commercially generating electricity from biodiesel, according to industry specialists and data from the UKs power regulator, known as Ofgem. Reuters' analysis is based on benchmark figures from published market data, equipment manufacturers and regulatory information, which it confirmed with at least four industry experts. They said the cost of biodiesel and the sale price of power can vary over time but said the business model was unlikely to be break even due to the high cost of the fuel, let alone generate sufficient profits to repay the bond holder. Diesel generation is not very common because its expensive. Given that biodiesel is even more expensive than diesel, its not really something that has been used, said Prashant Vaze, Head of Policy at advisory group Climate Bonds Initiative. GFG named the bond plan Project LRB, or Little Red Boxes, a reference to the red-painted steel shipping containers that held the generators, according to one of the people familiar with the matter. These had been installed at its factories in Wales, Scotland and Northern England in 2016 and 2017. GFG planned to run the generators on hydrotreated vegetable Oil or HVO, the person added; Ofgem data shows the generators did a short run with HVO. HVO is an expensive way to produce power, say industry specialists. GFG would have to spend around 180 pounds or more on fuel to generate each Megawatt hour unit of power, or MWh, according to a Reuters analysis of data from fuel retailers, Ofgem and generator manufacturers. Guptas generator business could potentially have sold power for as much as about 80 pounds per MWh by selling directly to a commercial customer if they found one willing to accommodate a generator on site, said Diane Dowdell, of energy consultant Ganninon Ltd. Guptas generator business could also have sold power wholesale to the grid, but that price would be lower, according to Ofgem data. Another potential source of revenue for Gupta was the green energy credits, called Renewable Obligation Certificates or ROCs, that the UK government issues to companies that generate power from renewable sources. Guptas biodiesel-fueled power business could have sold these to electricity retailers on the market for about 64 pounds per MWh, according to data from regulator Ofgem. Based on this analysis, Guptas operation would face losses of at least 35 pounds for every MWh produced even if the power was sold to commercial clients and credits were sold. SILENT CONTAINERS GAM announced Haywoods dismissal in February, saying he didnt comply with due diligence procedures and had signed certain contracts by himself where internal policies required two signatures, but it hasnt specified the transactions that led to his dismissal. The FCA, the regulator, declined to comment on which individuals, companies or assets it might be investigating. U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley acted as placement agent of the bonds. UK-based financing group Greensill Capital structured the notes, according to filings with the Luxembourg corporate registry. Both companies declined to comment. Last week, GAM announced that GFG Alliance had agreed to repurchase the remaining assets in Haywoods funds at the valuation at which they were purchased, without elaborating why. Those assets were the biodiesel business bonds, known as Liberty Industries PPA Ltd. bonds, that GAM purchased almost two years earlier, according to people familiar with the matter. The bond repayments were made with Gupta funding payments from other companies that fall under the GFG group, as he is allowed to do under the terms of the bonds, the two people familiar with the matter said. GFG is now examining ways to allow the generators to operate profitably, according to Kerry McDonald, general manager of the Liberty Aluminium plant in Scotland. Walking across a yard where eleven of the red containers sit silently, McDonald said the group was looking at using less expensive biofuels and selling waste heat to commercial clients. You can produce a cheaper fuel using waste from animal processing he said. (Editing by Cassell Bryan-Low) Cafe Monte. | Photo: Natalie S./Yelp Looking to uncover all that Foxcroft has to offer? Get to know this Charlotte neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a New American eatery to a steakhouse. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Foxcroft, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Dogwood Southern Table & Bar Photo: Jenn K./Yelp Topping the list is Southern and New American spot Dogwood Southern Table & Bar. Located at 4905 Ashley Park Lane, Suite D, it's the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 307 reviews on Yelp. 2. Oak Steakhouse Charlotte Photo: Munir H./Yelp Next up is steakhouse Oak Steakhouse Charlotte, situated at 4777 Sharon Road. With 4.5 stars out of 134 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. 3. Cafe Monte Photo: Kay F./Yelp French breakfast and brunch spot and bakery Cafe Monte is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 6700 Fairview Road, four stars out of 495 reviews. 4. Baku Photo: Bruce K./Yelp Baku, a Japanese sushi bar that offers tapas and more is another neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 329 Yelp reviews. Head over to 4515 Sharon Road to see for yourself. 5. Corkbuzz Restaurant & Wine Bar Photo: corkbuzz restaurant & wine bar/Yelp Last but not least, there's Corkbuzz Restaurant & Wine Bar, a local favorite with four stars out of 124 reviews on Yelp. Stop by 4905 Ashley Park Lane, Suite J, to hit up the New American, wine bar and wine tasting class spot next time you're in the neighborhood. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Pomodoro. | Photo: Jane M./Yelp Visiting Eastlake, or just looking to better appreciate what it has to offer? Get to know this Seattle neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a tapas spot to a bubble tea business. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Eastlake, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Pomodoro Photo: Mikayla W./Yelp Topping the list is Italian and Spanish restaurant Pomodoro, which offers tapas and more. Located at 2366 Eastlake Ave. East, Suite 101 (between Lynn and Louisa streets), it's the highest rated business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 403 reviews on Yelp. Open since 1995, the cozy restaurant makes a romantic date night spot for pastas, tapas and Spanish or Italian wines. 2. 20 Oz Tea Photo: Jess C./Yelp Next up is 20 Oz Tea, a spot to score bubble tea, situated at 1823 Eastlake Ave. East, Suite 160 (between Howe and Blaine streets). With 4.5 stars out of 198 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. The milk tea spot was established in 2018. Order from a menu of featured items like Earl Grey, oolong or Thai milk tea and cold brew, Arnold Palmers and other beverages. 3. Serafina Wine bar and Italian spot Serafina, which offers small plates and more, is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 2043 Eastlake Ave. East (between Boston and Newton streets), four stars out of 658 reviews. The intimate restaurant, in business for nearly three decades, features a wide selection of wines and Italian cuisine made with fresh ingredients. 4. Sushi Kappo Tamura Photo: Mimi N./Yelp Sushi Kappo Tamura is another neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 442 Yelp reviews. Head over to 2968 Eastlake Ave. East (between Hamlin and Allison streets) to try it for yourself. The Japanese restaurant is serving up nigiri and sashimi, brunch and two-, three- and five-course meals. 5. Mammoth Photo: Richard U./Yelp Finally, check out Mammoth, which has earned four stars out of 312 reviews on Yelp. You can find the beer bar and sandwich shop at 2501 Eastlake Ave. East (between Roanoke and Louisa streets). Among its many offerings, the eatery features a roast beef sandwich with charred onions and arugula and a shaved steak sandwich with peppers, mushrooms and onions. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Tunis (AFP) - The extradition to Britain of the brother of Manchester bomber Salman Abedi is in the hands of Libya's courts, the North African country's interior minister said on Sunday. Britain is seeking the extradition from Libya of Hashem Abedi who was taken into custody after the May 2017 bombing that killed 22 people at Manchester Arena, many of them children. "The Hashem Abedi case is currently before the courts and it is up to the courts to decide," Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha, a member of Libya's internationally recognised government in Tripoli, said. "All this is under the power of the Libyan judicial authorities and under the power of the attorney general," he told AFP during a visit to Tunis. "As far as I am concerned, as minister of the interior, that is not part of my remit." Salman Abedi carried out the bloodiest terror attack in Britain in more than a decade when he detonated a suicide bomb after a concert by pop star Ariana Grande. Hashem Abedi is suspected of involvement and is wanted by Manchester police on charges of murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause explosion. Libya has been mired in chaos since the ouster and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in a NATO-backed uprising 2011. There has been a surge in fighting since strongman commander Khalifa Haftar launched an offensive on Tripoli, seat of the unity government, on April 4. By Alasdair Pal and Shri Navaratnam KALMUNAI/COLOMBO (Reuters) - The father and two brothers of the suspected mastermind of Sri Lanka's Easter Sunday bombings were killed when security forces stormed their safe house on the east coast two days ago, police and a relative said on Sunday. Zainee Hashim, Rilwan Hashim and their father Mohamed Hashim, who appear in a video circulating on social media calling for all-out war against non-believers, were among at least 15 killed in a fierce gun battle with the military on the east coast on Friday. Kamal Jayanathdhi, the officer in charge at Kalmunai police station on the east coast, confirmed the three men had died along with a child that appears in the video, and that the undated clip in which they discuss martyrdom, had been shot in the same house where the gun battle took place. Two people who were inside the house, a woman and a seven-year-old girl believed to be relatives of the men, survived, he said, while a woman was killed in crossfire on a nearby street. Niyaz Sharif, the brother-in-law of Zahran Hashim, the suspected ringleader of the wave of Easter Sunday bombings that killed over 250 people in churches and hotels across the island nation, told Reuters the video showed Zahran's two brothers and father. Sri Lanka has been on high alert since the attacks on Easter Sunday, with nearly 10,000 soldiers deployed across the island to carry out searches and hunt down members of two local Islamist groups believed to have carried out the attack. Authorities have detained more than 100 people, including foreigners from Syria and Egypt since the April 21 bombings. On Sunday police in the eastern town of Kattankudy raided a mosque founded by Zahran which doubled up as the headquarters of his group, the National Thawheedh Jamaath (NTJ). HOLY WAR In the video, Rilwan Hashim is seen calling for 'jihad' or holy war, while children cry in the background. "We will destroy these non-believers to protect this land and therefore we need to do jihad," Rilwan says in the video, sitting beside his brother and father. Story continues "We need to teach a proper lesson for these non-believers who have been destroying Muslims." Rilwan, who has a damaged eye and badly disfigured hand in the video, had recently been injured while making a bomb, Jayanathdhi said. On Sunday, when Reuters visited the house, police were sifting through the wreckage, taking fingerprints and video footage. Watermelon rinds and a box of dates were still on the kitchen counter, while four pairs of children's flip-flops were by the front door. But in the main room, where the three men filmed the video, a huge crater had punched a hole in the concrete floor, while bloodstains covered the wall. LOCAL VIGILANCE Two men had moved into the three-room rented house in the Sainthamaruthu area of Kalmunai, days before the Easter Sunday attacks, police and locals said. After more people arrived, locals grew suspicious, said Mohammed Majid, the secretary of the Grand Masjid Sainthamaruthu, one of the town's main mosques. After evening prayers on Friday, a group of men from the local Hijra Mosque came to the house to question the occupants. When one man brandished an assault rifle, the men fled, alerting police who arrived shortly afterwards. One man was killed after running into the street with a gun to confront police, while a series of explosions came from the house, eyewitnesses said. DANGER REMAINS Authorities suspect there may be more suicide bombers on the loose. Defence authorities have so far focused their investigations on international links to two domestic groups they believe carried out the attacks, the National Thawheedh Jamaath and Jammiyathul Millathu Ibrahim. At a nearby house where police seized more explosives and a flag of the Islamic State on Friday, locals said they feared more violence. "People were coming and going but we didnt know their names," said Juneedha Hasanar, who runs a shop at the bottom of the street, yards from the house. Now we are afraid. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Easter bombings, and on Sunday the group said three of its members clashed with Sri Lankan police for several hours in Friday's gun battle on the east coast before detonating their explosive vests, the militant group's news agency Amaq said. The group said 17 policemen were killed or injured in the attack, but the Sri Lankan military has denied this. A police source told Reuters two policemen were slightly injured in the battle. Police have said six children were among the other 12 people who died in the gun battle, and on Sunday recovered the partial remains of a child no more than a few months old. (Reporting Shri Navaratnam, Shihar Aneez, Ranga Sirilal in COLOMBO and Alasdair Pal in KALMUNNAI; editing by Richard Pullin and Raissa Kasolowsky) * Israeli immigrants among synagogue worshippers * Came to U.S. to seek safer life * Family fell victim twice to hate crimes JERUSALEM, April 28 (Reuters) - For one family caught up in the California synagogue shooting, a move from Israel to the United States in search of a safer life has been a journey "from fire to fire." Israel Dahan and three of his five children were at Sabbath services at Congregation Chabad in Poway, near San Diego, on Saturday when a gunman opened fire, killing a woman and wounding three others in what local authorities deemed a hate crime. Dahan, speaking on Israel Radio on Sunday, said his family was no stranger to violence, having lived in Israel in Sderot, a town on the Gaza border that has been a frequent target of Palestinian rocket attacks. "We came from fire to fire," he said. "We left Sderot because of the shelling. My house was hit several times. My mother's house, my mother-in-law's house were hit several times. I was also wounded several times ... we wanted to move far away." Dahan's eight-year-old daughter, Noya, was wounded in the synagogue shooting, on the last day of Passover, as was his brother-in-law. "I began to shout that people should flee," Dahan said about the initial moments of the attack. "Thank God his gun jammed." Authorities identified the alleged gunman as a 19-year-old San Diego resident and said his weapon apparently malfunctioned after the first rounds he fired. Dahan said his family had been living in Poway for the past three years - and that it was not the first time they had been the victim of a hate crime. In 2015, the Dahans were residing in Mira Mesa, about 10 miles (16 km) from Poway, when swastikas were daubed on their house and vehicle during the Passover holiday. A local news report at the time said the family moved to the United States in 2014 seeking a safer environment for their children. "But that's life," Dahan said, recalling the swastika incident and how he had briefly locked eyes with the synagogue assailant. Asked whether he regretted their move from Israel, he said: "No. We love America ... It can happen anywhere - in any mall, and in any hospital and in any family gathering and in any place. We are strong. We were born to be strong." (Writing by Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Dale Hudson) JERUSALEM (Reuters) - For one family caught up in the California synagogue shooting, a move from Israel to the United States in search of a safer life has been a journey "from fire to fire". Israel Dahan and three of his five children were at Sabbath services at Congregation Chabad in Poway, near San Diego, on Saturday when a gunman opened fire, killing a woman and wounding three others in what local authorities deemed a hate crime. Dahan, speaking on Israel Radio on Sunday, said his family was no stranger to violence, having lived in Israel in Sderot, a town on the Gaza border that has been a frequent target of Palestinian rocket attacks. "We came from fire to fire," he said. "We left Sderot because of the shelling. My house was hit several times. My mother's house, my mother-in-law's house were hit several times. I was also wounded several times ... we wanted to move far away." Dahan's eight-year-old daughter, Noya, was wounded in the synagogue shooting, on the last day of Passover, as was his brother-in-law. "I began to shout that people should flee," Dahan said about the initial moments of the attack. "Thank God his gun jammed." Authorities identified the alleged gunman as a 19-year-old San Diego resident and said his weapon apparently malfunctioned after the first rounds he fired. Dahan said his family had been living in Poway for the past three years - and that it was not the first time they had been the victim of a hate crime. In 2015, the Dahans were residing in Mira Mesa, about 10 miles (16 km) from Poway, when swastikas were daubed on their house and vehicle during the Passover holiday. A local news report at the time said the family moved to the United States in 2014 seeking a safer environment for their children. "But that's life," Dahan said, recalling the swastika incident and how he had briefly locked eyes with the synagogue assailant. Asked whether he regretted their move from Israel, he said: "No. We love America ... It can happen anywhere - in any mall, and in any hospital and in any family gathering and in any place. We are strong. We were born to be strong." (Writing by Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Dale Hudson) WASHINGTON Former Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar, a foreign policy icon in the Senate who received the nation's highest civilian awards for his efforts to secure and destroy weapons of mass destruction after the collapse of the Soviet Union, died Sunday, according to his family. The cause of death was complications of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. The world weeps alongside Indiana after just learning we lost one of our best, ever," Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said. He was an officer and gentleman, father and faith leader, a mayor and senator, a diplomat and legendary role model to millions." Vice President Mike Pence, who called Lugar a friend and mentor, said Lugar leaves behind a legacy of public service that will inspire Hoosiers for generations. Lugar, 87, was mayor of Indianapolis from 1968 to 1975 and served in the Senate from 1977 to 2013. He was president of the nonprofit Lugar Center, which he launched in 2013 to continue work on many of his policy priorities finding solutions to energy security, world nutrition, effective governance, controlling weapons of mass destruction and other issues. Lugar is survived by his wife, Char, and his four sons, Mark, Bob, John and David. Their families were with him throughout his short illness, according to a statement. Few senators in history served longer than Lugar or earned as much respect. More: Richard Lugar dies: A timeline of his life in Indiana and politics and on the world stage "Dick Lugar's decency, his commitment to bipartisan problem solving, stand as a model of what public service ought to be," President Barack Obama said when awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013. Lugar received the Defense Department's highest civilian award in 2012. The Russian Embassy in Washington recognized Lugar's accomplishments in a tweet Sunday that read, "R.I.P. Senator Richard Lugar." R.I.P. Senator Richard Lugar "The Nunn-Lugar nuclear threat reduction programme... has helped to accumulate a priceless political capital which is currently one of the pillars of our [#RussiaUS] partnership" - Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister (2007) pic.twitter.com/ScmF6strEB Russia in USA (@RusEmbUSA) April 28, 2019 Lugar had been a leading voice for decades on foreign policy, helping create a highly respected program to reduce the chance of nuclear annihilation. He also tried to mitigate hunger around the world and in schools, and warned about the national security consequences of fossil fuel dependence. Story continues In 1990, he started the Lugar Series, a training ground for Republican women leaders that has inspired similar programs in other states. "I know countless individuals who are in the leadership positions they are today, because of Senator Lugar," said Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch. An ardent runner and physical fitness advocate, he initiated a series of health festivals in Indiana. In 1983, he founded a scholarship program for minority students. Lugar, however, was known almost as much for his style as for his accomplishments. FILE - In this Nov. 13, 2012 file photo, then-Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind. is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington. Always courteous if somewhat stiff, he was considered one of a vanishing breed of statesmen who thought less about short-term political gain and more in putting in the hard work on hearings, investigations and diplomacy including a willingness to work with those on the other side to get things done. "Dick Lugar was not just the finest public servant I will ever know, he was the finest person," said former Gov. Mitch Daniels, a former top aide to Lugar. "He embodied all we can hope for in our leaders: brilliance of mind, purity of motive, stainless in character, tireless in the pursuit of duty." Kevin Kellems, another former aide, called Lugar a one-of-a-kind hybrid of old school historian-politician, plus serious policy workhorse, plus international chess player. "Above all, Dick Lugar was a kind and generous man who cared deeply about the future and welfare of children," Kellems said. The Almanac of American Politics said Lugar's strength had been to follow "where his stubborn convictions and his considerable intellect led, regardless of political risk or reward." More: IU names international school after Hamilton, Lugar More: 400 Indiana students learn about leadership and key issues from Richard Lugar While Lugar enjoyed plenty of successes throughout his career including many awards and Nobel Peace Prize nominations his disappointments included an unsuccessful bid for the 1996 GOP nomination for president and being passed over as a running mate for George H.W. Bush in favor of Indiana colleague Dan Quayle in 1988. With buoyant juts and pop music filling the air, U.S. When he sought a seventh term in 2012, Lugar was beaten in the primary by Tea Party candidate Richard Mourdock, who went on to lose to Democrat Joe Donnelly in the general election. At the time of his defeat, Lugar was the Senate's most senior Republican. Donnelly, on Sunday, said he is "personally crushed" by the loss of Lugar, "a hero and a mentor to me." Lugar always took the long view, saying once that there are times when you lead but are not always followed: "A gentle, thoughtful, persuasive, persistent but wise course of action is a winner." A native of Indianapolis, he received numerous awards and distinctions, including at least 18 honorary college and university degrees. He graduated in 1954 from Denison University, where he served as co-president of the student body with his future wife, Charlene Smeltzer. He also won a Rhodes Scholarship, the first Denison student to have done so. At Oxford University, Lugar studied politics, economics and philosophy, receiving a masters degree from Pembroke College. Even though he was the only American at Pembroke, he was elected president of its student body. For three years, he was on active duty in the Navy, serving as personal intelligence briefer for Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Arleigh Burke. In 1960, he returned to Indianapolis, and with younger brother Tom, purchased controlling interest in his fathers familys 605-acre livestock and grain farm in southeast Marion County and his mothers familys Thomas L. Green and Co. Inc., manufacturers of food production machinery. Lugars political career began in 1964 when he successfully ran for the Indianapolis Board of School Commissioners. As school board vice president, he was active in the desegregation of city schools. Richmond, Ind. -- Indianapolis Mayor Richard Lugar waves to persons attending the Wayne-Union Lincoln Day Dinner. From left are son David, 9. Mrs. Lugar, and sons John, 10; Mark, 15, and Robert 13. (2/15/1974) In 1967, he was elected the first Republican mayor of Indianapolis in 20 years, upsetting incumbent John J. Barton by 9,000 votes. Four years later, he was re-elected with 60 percent of the vote. In just his second year as mayor, in 1969, Lugar and other advocates successfully pressed the Indiana General Assembly to extend Indianapolis city limits to the Marion County line. The impact was seismic: Called Uni-Gov, the initiative enlarged the city into the suburbs, streamlined many government services and boosted the power of the Indianapolis mayor, while creating a 29-member City-County Council. Uni-Gov has been credited with revitalizing the city, setting the stage for major gains in infrastructure and the development of Indianapolis' sports institutions and arenas. Lugar later recalled of Uni-Gov: "That was an experiment that said that a city can remain whole, that it can have a vital center as well as vital neighborhoods and suburbs, as opposed to being a hollowed-out shell as so many cities were and have become." Lugar was elected president of the National League of Cities and vice president of the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations. Lugar first ran for the U.S. Senate in 1974, losing to Democratic incumbent Birch Bayhs 50.7 percent of the vote. Despite a Democratic trend that year, Lugar ran 100,000 votes ahead of the rest of the Indiana Republican ticket. In 1975, Lugar chose to not run for a third term as mayor and taught politics, ethics and local government as a visiting professor at Indiana Central University, which since became the University of Indianapolis. He was elected to the Senate in 1976, defeating incumbent Democrat Vance Hartke with 59 percent of the vote and carrying 82 of Indianas 92 counties. Six years later, he was re-elected by 150,000 votes the biggest victory margin of any Republican in the Midwest that year. While he would become part of an increasingly small ideological middle in the Senate, he was viewed for years as a reliable conservative. In his first two years, Lugar co-led a successful effort to filibuster changes to labor laws sought by unions. Although he was the leading sponsor of a 1980 bill to provide loan guarantees to Chrysler, a major Indiana employer, he did so only after gaining wage concessions from workers. Throughout his 36 years, Lugar sat on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, where he looked out for Indiana farm interests, particularly in his championing of biofuels. "He was a strong ally in promoting conservation and renewable energy," Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley said Sunday. Sen. Richard Lugar, center, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is applauded for his service by fellow committee members at his last hearing before leaving the Senate, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012. From left to right are Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) But Lugar, who continued to manage his family's farm, also opposed many federal farm programs. He led the 1992 effort to close some USDA field offices and tried for years, with varying degrees of success, to eliminate certain crop subsidies. A longtime advocate for hungry children, Lugar sometimes defied his party leadership or powerful constituencies to fight for anti-hunger programs. That began with his first days as an elected official on the Indianapolis school board and continued in Congress where he led efforts to stop a 1995 move to turn the federal school lunch program into a limited block grant. Senator Lugars dedication to nutrition programs that help Americans at risk of hunger will leave a legacy of service that define an era of compassionate care for the neediest amongst us," said Emily Weikert Bryant, executive director of Feeding Indianas Hungry. Lugar's top interest was foreign policy, a bug that bit him when he served in the Navy as an intelligence briefer. After Lugar became chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1984, he was credited with restoring the prominence of the panel, which had been torn apart by ideological differences and relatively weak chairmen. Lugar instigated a broad review of foreign policy and, according to Congressional Quarterly's Politics in America, became almost a shadow secretary of state. Congressional correspondent John T. Shaw wrote in his 2012 book on Lugar that he was one of the most influential U.S. senators on foreign policy for more than a quarter century. Lugar's ability to convince President Ronald Reagan that the 1986 election in the Philippines was fraudulent and Ferdinand Marcos should be persuaded to leave was viewed as one of the Reagan administration's top foreign policy achievements. But Lugar handed Reagan one of his biggest defeats when he led the Senate in overriding Reagan's veto of a bill imposing economic sanctions on South Africa over apartheid. "The American people felt very strongly that narrow sanctions on the leadership of South Africa might lead to freedom for Nelson Mandela and certainly put the United States on the right side of history," Lugar later said. Lugar was the Senate point man for the George H.W. Bush administration during the first Persian Gulf War. But he was unable to get the administration to address his concerns about its handling of the 2003 invasion of Iraq and planning for its aftermath. Lugar's greatest achievement was working with then-Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., to create a program to secure or dismantle weapons of mass destruction in the former Soviet Union. The Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, which began in 1992, passed without the support of the George H.W. Bush administration and with little initial enthusiasm from Congress. Its successes include deactivating 7,619 nuclear warheads once aimed at the United States, destroying 902 intercontinental ballistic missiles and 2,855 metric tons of chemical weapons agent, and building 38 biological threat-monitoring stations. Our nation has lost an extraordinary statesman who made the world a safer and better place," Nunn said Sunday. "I have lost a wonderful friend and trusted partner. " The program was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize multiple times since 2000, even while Lugar continued to travel regularly to oversee the program and work in Congress to expand it to other countries and to conventional weapons. "He's one of the few senators who has both a landmark law under his name but has also spent 20 years making sure it's implemented well," Shaw previously said. Lugar also devoted considerable attention to the global security consequences of oil dependence and climate change. Although Lugar continued to vote with his party the majority of the time, he crossed party lines on issues that angered some conservatives, including advocating a path to citizenship for some children of illegal immigrants, approving a ban on assault weapons and voting for Obama's Supreme Court nominees. President Obama arrives in Indianapolis with Richard After leaving the Senate, Lugar worked with Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy to create a bipartisan Index that ranks how often members of Congress work across party lines. "Dick Lugar personified the thoughtful bipartisanship so much missing in America today," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., tweeted Sunday. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Lugar combined the principled commitments of a patriot with the political instincts of a savvy legislator. "He was a wise counselor and leading voice within the Republican conference and an inexhaustible bipartisan collaborator who earned the admiration of everyone across the political spectrum," McConnell said. Indiana Sen. Todd Young, who got his start on Capitol Hill working for Lugar, said he doubts the nation "will ever see another Richard Lugar." "But I pray that we do," Young said. "May God watch over him and his family. IndyStar contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Former Indiana Senator Richard Lugar, a foreign policy giant, dies By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Centrist Republican Richard Lugar, a soft-spoken foreign policy powerhouse who championed nuclear nonproliferation during 36 years in the U.S. Senate, died on Sunday at age 87. The Lugar Center, a Washington-based nonprofit, said in a statement that he died peacefully at the Inova Fairfax Heart and Vascular Institute in Virginia due to complications from CIDP, a chronic neurological disorder. Lugar, a professorial Midwesterner known for his keen intellect and mild demeanor, served eight years as mayor of Indianapolis starting in 1968 before his long stint in the Senate from 1977 to 2013. He was the longest-serving senator ever from Indiana. Lugar was an influential Republican voice on foreign policy. A former Rhodes scholar and an avid runner into his 70s, Lugar served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and also headed the Agriculture Committee. He unsuccessfully sought the Republican presidential nomination in 1996. Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a statement praising Lugar for his Senate work, including reducing nuclear weapons after the end of the Cold War. "He was a man of great decency who was widely respected on both sides of the aisle for his vast policy knowledge, especially on foreign affairs, and his commitment to bipartisan solutions," they said. Lugar's political career ended when he sought nomination for a seventh six-year Senate term in 2012 but was challenged by the Republican Party's right and beaten by a candidate backed by the conservative Tea Party movement, which did not like Lugar's willingness to make bipartisan compromises. As a senator, Lugar sought to curb the spread of nuclear weapons globally. His greatest achievement, forged alongside centrist Democratic Senator Sam Nunn, was a law under which the United States paid for the dismantling and elimination of the nuclear weapons in the former Soviet Union as well as chemical and biological arms. The 1991 measure was intended to keep nuclear weapons in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan from falling into the hands of hostile countries or extremist groups. Under the program, about 7,600 nuclear warheads were deactivated, 2,300 missiles destroyed and 24 nuclear weapons storage sites secured by the time Lugar's Senate career ended. He was 80 years old and the senior most Republican in the Senate when he left the Senate in January 2013. After leaving politics, he founded the Lugar Center, which is focused on global issues such as weapons proliferation, food supply, foreign aid and governance. "Governance requires adaptation to shifting circumstances," Lugar said in 2012 in his final speech on the Senate floor. "It often requires finding common ground with Americans who have a different vision than your own. It requires leaders who believe ... that their first responsibility to their constituents is to apply their best judgment." He said Republicans "must be willing to suspend reflexive opposition that serves no purpose but to limit their own role in strategic questions and render cooperation impossible." 'NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE' Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the top Senate Republican during Lugar's final years in Congress, praised him in 2012 as the "model of the public servant." "He's earned the respect and admiration of everyone who ever crossed his path," McConnell said on the Senate floor. "I assure you, in the world of politics, that's nothing short of a miracle." Lugar lost his first run for the Senate in 1974 against incumbent Democrat Birch Bayh, but two years later defeated another incumbent Democrat, Senator Vance Hartke. He was re-elected in 1982, 1988, 1994, 2000 and 2006. In seeking re-election in 2012, Lugar was beaten in the Republican primary by Richard Mourdock, Indiana's state treasurer. Mourdock lost in the general election to Democratic U.S. congressman Joe Donnelly after the Republican nominee said in a debate that if a woman became pregnant in a rape, it was "something that God intended to happen." In the Senate, Lugar amassed a largely conservative voting record but was willing to side with Democrats when his political convictions differed from the views of his party. He voted in 1986 to override Republican President Ronald Reagan's veto of a bill to impose economic sanctions on South Africa during its racist apartheid era. He played a key role in persuading Reagan in 1986 to end support for Philippines leader Ferdinand Marcos, leading to Marcos' peaceful ouster. In 2007, Lugar criticized Republican President George W. Bush's handling of the Iraq war, which began in 2003, particularly the stumbling U.S. efforts to stabilize and rebuild the country. Lugar's 1996 bid for the Republican presidential nomination focused on a president's role in leading the world toward a future secure from nuclear threats. But his stiff campaign style and refusal to conform to sound-bite themes doomed his chances and he dropped out early in the race. Born in Indianapolis on April 4, 1932, Lugar attended Pembroke College at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. He served in the Navy from 1957 to 1960, working as an intelligence officer. He married his wife, Charlene, in 1956. They had four sons. (Reporting by Will Dunham; Additional reporting by Vicki Allen; Editing by Bill Trott, Lisa Shumaker and Peter Cooney) Yaounde (AFP) - Jihadists from Nigeria's Boko Haram killed at least four people and badly wounded four others in an attack on Kofia, a Cameroonian island on Lake Chad, an official source told AFP on Sunday. The attackers also destroyed part of a military post and vandalised shops in the attack late Saturday, the source said, adding three civilians and one soldier were killed. Kofia island is in the far north of Cameroon near the border with Chad. "Cameroon and Chadian forces" were pursuing the assailants, the source said. The jihadist group has stepped up attacks in Cameroon and neighbouring countries. Earlier this month, they were blamed for an attack that killed 11 civilians in the northern locality of Tcharkamari. That attack was the deadliest one blamed on Boko Haram in recent months, which have seen a surge in violence after a period of calm last year. This month, jihadist attacks and a mine blast that hit a military convoy have killed at least seven Cameroon soldiers. Across the border inside Chad, Boko Haram is blamed for the deaths of at least 30 soldiers since the start of March around Lake Chad. The Boko Haram conflict began in 2009 in neighbouring Nigeria and has killed more than 27,000 people and left 1.8 million homeless in the country's northeast. The violence has spilled over into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon. Emergency crews work the scene of a construction crane collapse near the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue near Interstate 5 in Seattle, on Saturday, April 27, 2019. Authorities say several people have died and a few others are hospitalized after the construction crane fell onto a street in downtown Seattle on Saturday afternoon. (Joshua Bessex/The News Tribune via AP) Four people have been killed when a construction crane collapsed on a busy street. The crane fell from a building on Googles new Seattle campus during a storm, crashing down on to one of the citys busiest streets and killing four people. One female and three males had died by the time firefighters had arrived at the scene on Saturday afternoon, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said. Two of the dead were ironworkers who had been inside the crane while the other two were inside cars, Fire Department spokesman Lance Garland said. A 25-year-old mother and her four-month-old daughter were in a car that was smashed by the crane on its passenger side. Thankfully, both managed to escape with only minor injuries, Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan said, calling it a miracle. They and a 28-year-old man were taken to Harborview Medical Centre. A fourth person also was injured and treated at the scene. The King County Medical Examiners Office said it would not release names of people who died until Monday. My thoughts and prayers are with those killed and injured, Ms Durkan said on Twitter. The crane collapsed near the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue near Interstate 5 shortly before 3.30pm local time, Mr Scoggins said. The city has dozens of construction cranes building office towers and apartment buildings. As of January, there were about 60 construction cranes in Seattle, more than any other American city. A construction crane collapsed on Mercer Street near Interstate 5 in downtown Seattle. The Seattle Times tweeted that several vehicles and a building were damaged. (Chelsea Oughton via AP) Officials do not yet know the cause of the collapse. Police and the state Department of Labour and Industries were investigating, which Ms Durkan said could take months. Daren Konopaski, the business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302, which represents heavy-equipment operators, told The Seattle Times he understood the crane was being dismantled when heavy winds moved through the area. We dont know, but thats what seems to have happened here, he said. We are in the process of trying to get information. Story continues The National Weather Service in Seattle said a line of showers moved over Seattle just about the time the crane fell. An observation station on nearby Lake Union showed winds kicked up with gusts of up to 23mph at 3.28pm, just about the time officials said the crane fell. It was terrifying, witness Esther Nelson, a biotech researcher who was working in a building nearby, told the newspaper. The wind was blowing really strong, she said, and added that the crane appeared to break in half. Half of it was flying down sideways on the building, she said. The other half fell down on the street, crossing both lanes of traffic. Emergency crews work the scene of a construction crane collapse near the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue near Interstate 5 in Seattle, on Saturday, April 27, 2019. The crane was atop an office building under construction in a densely populated area. Authorities say several people have died and a few others are hospitalized after the construction crane fell onto a street in downtown Seattle pinning cars underneath on Saturday afternoon. (Joshua Bessex/The News Tribune via AP) Washington state governor Jay Inslee said in a statement: Trudi and I join all Washingtonians in extending our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the four people who died in this afternoons tragic accident. The office building the crane fell from was badly damaged, with several of its windows smashed. A Google spokesperson said in a statement that the company was saddened to learn of the accident and that they were in communication with Vulcan, the real estate firm that is managing the site and working with authorities. Harborview spokeswoman Susan Gregg said on Saturday night that the mother and baby had been discharged, while the man injured was in satisfactory condition. Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Gold worth billions smuggled out of Africa Through United Arab Emirates LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 348173 04-28-2019 02:44 PM Post: #1 Gold worth billions smuggled out of Africa Through United Arab Emirates Advertisement Customs data shows that the UAE imported $15.1 billion worth of gold from Africa in 2016, more than any other country and up from $1.3 billion in 2006. The total weight was 446 tonnes, in varying degrees of purity up from 67 tonnes in 2006. Much of the gold was not recorded in the exports of African states. Five trade economists interviewed by Reuters said this indicates large amounts of gold are leaving Africa with no taxes being paid to the states that produce them. Previous reports and studies have highlighted the black-market trade in gold mined by people, including children, who have no ties to big business, and dig or pan for it with little official oversight. No-one can put an exact figure on the total value that is leaving Africa. But the Reuters analysis gives an estimate of the scale. Reuters assessed the volume of the illicit trade by comparing total imports into the UAE with the exports declared by African states. Industrial mining firms in Africa told Reuters they did not send their gold to the UAE indicating that its gold imports from Africa come from other, informal sources. Informal methods of gold production, known in the industry as artisanal or small-scale mining, are growing globally. They have provided a livelihood to millions of Africans and help some make more money than they could dream of from traditional trades. But the methods leak chemicals into rocks, soil and rivers. And African governments such as Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia complain that gold is now being illegally produced and smuggled out of their countries on a vast scale, sometimes by criminal operations, and often at a high human and environmental cost. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gold-...=applenews Billions of dollars worth of gold is being smuggled out of Africa every year through the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East a gateway to markets in Europe, the United States and beyond a Reuters analysis has found.Customs data shows that the UAE imported $15.1 billion worth of gold from Africa in 2016, more than any other country and up from $1.3 billion in 2006. The total weight was 446 tonnes, in varying degrees of purity up from 67 tonnes in 2006.Much of the gold was not recorded in the exports of African states. Five trade economists interviewed by Reuters said this indicates large amounts of gold are leaving Africa with no taxes being paid to the states that produce them.Previous reports and studies have highlighted the black-market trade in gold mined by people, including children, who have no ties to big business, and dig or pan for it with little official oversight. No-one can put an exact figure on the total value that is leaving Africa. But the Reuters analysis gives an estimate of the scale.Reuters assessed the volume of the illicit trade by comparing total imports into the UAE with the exports declared by African states. Industrial mining firms in Africa told Reuters they did not send their gold to the UAE indicating that its gold imports from Africa come from other, informal sources.Informal methods of gold production, known in the industry as artisanal or small-scale mining, are growing globally. They have provided a livelihood to millions of Africans and help some make more money than they could dream of from traditional trades. But the methods leak chemicals into rocks, soil and rivers. And African governments such as Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia complain that gold is now being illegally produced and smuggled out of their countries on a vast scale, sometimes by criminal operations, and often at a high human and environmental cost. Fu King Registered User User ID: 430765 04-28-2019 03:04 PM Posts: 3,346 Post: #2 RE: Gold worth billions smuggled out of Africa Through United Arab Emirates I smell a Goddamn lying Rat. Everyone is listed but the Rothschild's ISRAEL.I smell a Goddamn lying Rat. Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Arriaga (Mexico) (AFP) - Traveling through Mexico has become even more difficult for Central American migrants like Oscar Vialta and his family, frustrated by tighter immigration rules and a local population reluctant to give them shelter or support as they move toward the United States to try to improve their lives. Vialta, 42, his wife and two children left Honduras at the beginning of April, joining a migrant caravan heading for the US border. But when they arrived in Mexico, they ran foul of stiffer new regulations which have restricted them to Mexico's southern states and prevented them from going further north to the border. Their only legal hope is to be given a humanitarian visa. "It would let us work and move on," says a frustrated Vialta, "but when we arrived they gave us the runaround and all we got was lies." He and his family are waiting by the railway tracks in the southern town of Arriaga, planning to hitch a ride on a freight train known as "The Beast". Jumping on a freight train is many migrants' means of getting north to the US border, despite the risks of falling off. Some have been mutilated by the wheels as they tried to clamber aboard. Another hazard is encountering criminal gangs who prey on vulnerable migrants. Dozens have been kidnapped and murdered by suspected drug gangs who were trying to recruit them. Since October, tens of thousands of Central Americans and Cubans have traversed Mexico in so-called "caravans" in the hope of obtaining sanctuary in the United States. Under pressure to do more to curb the mass movement of migrants through its territory, Mexico has tightened a previously open-doors policy. But that has posed its own problems. On Thursday, at least 1,300 mainly Cuban migrants broke out of a detention center in southern Chiapas state and set fire to the facility in protest at overcrowding. Around 700 returned soon after to the shelter in Tapachula because they had nowhere else to go, but around 600 are still at large. Story continues US President Donald Trump says the migrants are a threat to US national security and has demanded that Mexico detain them and send them home. - 'The migra's coming'- Waiting for that elusive humanitarian visa is not the Vialta family's only problem. They must be prepared to up and run at a moment's notice, wary of swoops by Mexico's National Institute of Migration Police -- the "migras." The Vialtas has a narrow escape last week when they just managed to evade one such raid, in which more than 300 migrants were rounded up. "When we saw them, they were almost on top of us, and we managed to get ourselves into a field," he said. Now, he says, they will seek the cover of the woods and fields, away from main roads, to avoid immigration agents. Jose Vallecillo, 41, lives with the same fear. Traveling with his wife and daughter, he says the attitude of Mexicans towards migrants has changed. "We've been disappointed. Because the truth is that we are human beings, and migrating is not a crime. You migrate not expecting to do great things but just to make your life a little better," he said. - 'No support' - In October of last year, when the first caravans of migrants traveled through Mexico, migrants from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and beyond felt a surge of popular solidarity from Mexicans. Now that seems to have disappeared, in line with a tougher official stance. "The government of each state put combis, buses, the communities supported us with clothes, shoes, food," said Luis Antonio Lopez, a 42-year-old Nicaraguan migrant who was among thousands to join the first caravans last year. Today, he's still trying to reach the United States. "Now you don't see that. We don't have the support of either the people or the police," he says as he waits for "The Beast". Most migrants want to reach the United States because they argue that high levels of violence and poverty are making life impossible in their own countries. Government squaring off with Burning Man organizers over barriers, lasers and trash cans originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A standoff with the federal government is putting the future of Burning Man at risk. The problems started when the event's organizer, Burning Man Project, applied for a permit from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to hold the event in northern Nevada's Black Rock Desert for another 10 years. Then the BLM responded. The agency, which is part of the Interior Department and manages public lands, issued a draft of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) required for the permit on March 15. BLM wants 10 miles of concrete barriers installed on the event's perimeter for security, a requirement that organizers install dumpsters and hire companies to haul out the trash and authorities in place to conduct vehicle searches at the gate. PHOTO: Burning Man festival in Black Rock City, Nev., 2003. (John Horsley/Photoshot/Getty Images) (MORE: Burning Man: 30 Years in the Making) The decision didnt sit well with Burners. "Many of the measures recommended by BLM are unreasonable, untenable, attempt to solve problems that dont exist, and/or create new (and worse) problems," Burning Man Project wrote in a fact-checking statement. "Altogether, these requirements would fundamentally change the operational integrity and cultural fabric of Black Rock City, and would spell the end of the event as we know it," the group added. "This is not an exaggeration." (MORE: Burning Man: What Is It, Exactly?) The organizers encouraged Burners and their supporters to submit comments to the agency by a Monday deadline. "I get they're trying to save the land but the majority of burners arent a-------," Jessyca Jones, 29, from Salem, Oregon, told ABC News in a message. "We pack it in, pack it out. We have crews literally SCOURING the ground to pick up the tiniest bits of things someone left behind just to make sure the playa is left at its best. We have a trash fence. We have us to keep the perimeter safe." Story continues Burning Man is a "Leave No Trace" event (organizers and hardcore burners do not like the term "festival"), where "camps" form their own communities for a week, share resources and create art together. At the end, there should be no evidence of what happened and the land is supposed to be returned to a cleaner state than before. The event has become such a big phenomenon that it's developed its own vocabulary, compiled in a glossary on its site. A playa, for example, is defined as: "The Spanish word for beach, also used to describe dry lake beds in the American west such as the Black Rock Desert." PHOTO: 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. (Ron Lewis/AP) Its been around for nearly three decades, but the last few years have seen an influx of hipsters and tech moguls and their followers, which have made the event a cultural phenomenon or target, depending on who is opining. The conditions of the permit wouldn't affect this year's conclave, which is slated for Aug. 25 to Sept. 2. It could potentially derail next year's event, though. (MORE: Lightning strike sparked massive wildfire closing road to Burning Man festival) But central to the ethos of the week is sense of self-governance, which is why the new government proposals are particularly ingratiating. "We are our own city. We have no government, and Im not saying it would work in everyday, but keeping the feds as far away as possible from encroaching into the event has worked OK thus far. Now, thats not to say they arent present every year. But theyve not built a f------ wall around us and its been just fine," Jones said. The tension with the government has taken some longtime Burners by surprise. "They, Burning Man Project, has worked with BLM together for so long, its generally been a very collaborative relationship," said Cabe Franklin, a New Yorker who has attended 14 times since 2000. PHOTO: A windstorm whips sand at Burning Man as participants take evening bike rides and strolls on stilts in Black Rock Desert, Nev., Aug. 8, 2005. (Jim Rankin/Toronto Star via Getty Images) He said he knows that it might be hard for some non-Burners to understand why trash cans are a contentious issue. "Once you have trash cans, people just dump their trash, people fill them up and they overflow," Franklin said. "If you know theres not a trash can you dont walk out of your tent with your trash. You leave it inside and leave with it. This may sound silly but, say you take cereal, before you go, you take the bag out of the box. You get rid of a lot of excess packaging even if [it's from] before you get there." The government also has concerns about lights being used at night, including large work lights, high-intensity lasers and search lights, which BLM said can disrupt birds and other wildlife, and contribute to light pollution. As a result, the potential to ban or curtail some of the lighting is on the table. (MORE: How Burning Man organizers are responding to festival attendee's death) Burning Man Project isn't having it. "Back on Earth, Burning Man has a robust nightlife which, combined with the artists technical creativity and the darkness of the playa, heavily features light-based artwork," the organization said in its fact-checking statement. "The nighttime Black Rock City skyline has become a hallmark of the Burning Man experience, including innumerable LEDs, lasers, and searchlights throughout the city." It denies that the night lights affect the local fowl population. "In fact, birds are rarely encountered on the playa in hot summer months," they said. Organizers also call the idea of vehicle searches at the gate "unconstitional" and unnecessary. "For many years, BRC has published and widely publicized a list of prohibited items that are not allowed into Black Rock City, including weapons, narcotics and fireworks. We enforce these restrictions when items are discovered in vehicles during entry," Burning Man Project said. Green Bay Packers draft review 1 (12). Rashan Gary, DE: 6-4, 277, Michigan 1 (21). Darnell Savage Jr., S: 5-11, 198, Maryland 2 (44). Elgton Jenkins, C: 6-5, 310, Mississippi St. 3 (75). Jace Sternberger, TE: 6-4, 251, Texas A&M 5 (150). Kingsley Keke, DE: 6-3, 288, Texas A&M 6 (185). Ka'dar Hollman, CB: 6-0, 196, Toledo 6 (194). Dexter Williams, RB: 5-11, 212, Notre Dame 7 (226). Ty Summers, LB: 6-1, 241, TCU Grade: C Green Bay found plenty of talent. Gary is a top-five athlete, Savage is electric and versatile, and Jenkins and Sternberger could contribute early. Keke has some interior pass-rush ability, and Williams should earn a spot in the backfield rotation. Still, the Packers really could have used a wideout and a developmental offensive tackle. Add in the risk with Gary's so-so production and this is a wait-and-see class. Best pick: An eventual replacement for Jimmy Graham, Sternberger was a great get midway through Round 3. He's not as twitchy as Travis Kelce, but he's an excellent route-runner with speed to threaten the seam and split out wide. He's also a willing blocker, though he must get stronger. Upside pick: Gary's gifts are well documented, but they didn't translate play-after-play at Michigan. How will coordinator Mike Pettine use him? At outside linebacker? At 5-technique, or 3-technique? A stand-up joker rusher on third downs? The sky is the limit if he's deployed properly. --Field Level Media More than half of parents think their child is less fat than they are [Image: Getty] A worryingly high number of parents and doctors are failing to recognise when a child is overweight or obese, according to new research. The study showed that more than half of parents underestimated how fat their kid was. It also found that a high number of doctors misjudge the weight of youngsters too. Of mothers and fathers surveyed, a total of 54 per cent thought their child weighed less than they actually did. READ MORE: Children should be weighed annually from the age of two, say researchers The researchers who presented their findings at the recent European Congress on Obesity in Glasgow also discovered that parents also frequently used words such as big boned, thick or solid when discussing their childs size. Less educated parents, those who were overweight themselves or people with younger children were more likely to misjudge how fat their child was. Despite attempts to raise public awareness of the obesity problem, our findings indicate that underestimation of child higher weight status is very common, said Abrar Alshahrani, the lead study author from the University of Nottingham. The researchers looked at 24,774 children and their parents in 87 global studies to draw their conclusions. READ MORE: Is this mum right to be concerned about her daughters weight? Nobody wants to think of themselves or their child as overweight or unhealthy, said Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs. But the stark truth is that overweight and obese children face numerous, serious health-related problems both physical and mental in the years ahead, if their weight is not addressed. This study shows how underestimation is prevalent across the board including amongst healthcare professionals and highlights the importance of taking accurate measurements, so that appropriate and consistent interventions can be implemented to support a child to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. Story continues It also emphasises how vital it is to be frank about weight from an early age as forging healthy behaviours in early life will have a very real impact on a patients long-term health and well-being into adulthood. READ MORE: Why stress eating could be causing you to gain weight Data from 2017 to 2018 show ed that 2.8 per cent of English children in school Reception year who are aged between four and five were overweight, while 9.5 per cent were obese. In Year 6 when kids are aged between 10 and 11 there were 14.2 per cent who were overweight and 20.1 per cent obese. Millions of parents are in denial about their own and their childrens weight and they are doing their kids no favours at all since, as the researchers point out, they are denied the help to prevent them spiralling into becoming seriously overweight or obese, said Tam Fry, chairman of the National Obesity Forum. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo Investors in Halliburton (NYSE: HAL) and other oil services businesses were probably expecting a challenging first quarter, after warnings in the previous quarter that large markets like North American shale drilling have been constrained by a multitude of factors. While Halliburton was able to report slightly better than expected results in the quarter, management said 2019 will probably remain a slow year, and it's making some strategy decisions to reflect that reality. So let's look at Halliburton's most recent earnings to see how the company performed in a weaker North American shale market, what it plans to do for the rest of the year in response, and what that means for investors. pipe fitting equipment Image source: Getty Images. By the numbers Metric Q1 2019 Q4 2018 Q1 2018 Revenue $5.74 billion $5.93 billion $5.74 billion Operating income $365 million $608 million $3.54 million EPS (diluted) $0.17 $0.76 $0.05 Free cash flow ($455 million) $298 million $198 million DATA SOURCE: HALLIBURTON EARNINGS RELEASE. EPS = EARNINGS PER SHARE. Overall, Halliburton's results were more or less in line with the trends we've seen over the past few quarters. While the company continues to see incremental gains in the international market, its bread-and-butter market in North America is incredibly volatile. This past quarter, revenue in the international segment grew impressively at 11%, but that was offset by a 7% revenue reduction in North America, thanks to the slow start for hydraulic fracturing in 2019. The decline in North American service revenue hit margins particularly hard in its completion and production segment. Lots of idle equipment and weaker pricing for commodity services such as pressure pumping were the largest contributing factors to this decline. HAL operating income by business segment for Q1 2018, Q4 21018, and Q1 2019. Shows declines for all segments. Data source: Halliburton. Chart by author. The number that really pops out in this report, though, is the decline in free cash flow compared with this time last year. Much of that can be attributed to a large working capital build in the quarter -- $515 million versus $88 million in Q4 2018. Buildups and drawdowns in working capital are very common in capital-intense businesses like this and can make free cash flow results look lumpy from quarter to quarter. It may be worth following up on this in the coming quarters, but it isn't anything worth fretting about at this point. Story continues What management had to say Shale drilling in North America has been an incredible development for the global oil market, but it's been a nightmare business for oil services companies. The rapid ups and downs of this industry have made it incredibly difficult to allocate capital effectively and generate decent returns. After this most recent slowdown, it appears Halliburton's management is reassessing its approach to the fracking market. On the company's conference call, CEO Jeff Miller described how the company is changing its capital spending plan: Halliburton will significantly reduce North America hydraulic fracturing [capital expenditures] this year. We have sufficient size and scale in the market today and see no reason to invest in growth when it comes at the expense of returns. The capital that we do spend will be mostly directed toward improving efficiency, reducing emissions, and refurbishing equipment. I'm frequently asked, when will we add hydraulic fracturing capacity again. Let me tell you, I don't see that happening until the market has better supply and demand balance and substantially better pricing, and despite the ongoing market rebalancing I just described, the market conditions are not conducive to adding capacity. You can read a full transcript of Halliburton's press release. HAL Chart HAL data by YCharts The long and winding road to a recovery For any investor who bet on an oil and gas recovery a few years ago, that investment thesis has been an agonizingly slow one to develop. Oil services companies have been trying to find that right balance between trying to grow their businesses and capture market share with maintaining a certain level of profitability when oil and gas producers have had the upper hand in negotiating service contract pricing. How long it will take Halliburton and its peers to find the right balance is impossible to tell. Six months from now, when new pipelines get built to increase takeaway capacity from major shale basins, the pressure pumping market could become significantly undersupplied in a matter of weeks. Conversely, another drop in oil prices could bring producers' capital spending plans to an abrupt halt. This is an incredibly difficult market to predict, so Halliburton's decision to stand pat sounds like a prudent move. It's probably going to take much longer than anticipated for an investment thesis based on a broader recovery for the oil and gas industry to play out. Based on Halliburton's financial results and its strategy, though, it's looking like one of the best bets to take advantage of that investment thesis. More From The Motley Fool Tyler Crowe 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. The Government is cracking down on opioid misuse. (GETTY) Opioid painkillers should carry prominent warnings on their labels making it clear that they can cause addiction, health secretary Matt Hancock has announced. Mr Hancock said that people must be protected from the darker side to painkillers following a 60% increase in prescriptions in a decade. Health experts have welcomed the announcement, saying that opioids can cause life-altering and sometimes fatal addictions. Doctors gave out 14 million opioid painkillers in 2008, a figure that had increased to 23 million in 2018. Opioids help people to manage pain but Mr Hancock wants to make sure they are not overused. (GETTY) Opioids come from opium and are used by patients to manage severe or chronic pain. Mr Hancock said: I have been incredibly concerned by the recent increase in people addicted to opioid drugs. Painkillers were a major breakthrough in modern medicine and are hugely important to help people manage pain alongside their busy lives but they must be treated with caution. We know that too much of any painkiller can damage your health, and some opioids are highly addictive and can ruin lives like an illegal drug. Things are not as bad here as in America, but we must act now to protect people from the darker side of painkillers. We need to place a greater focus on making sure that these medicines are used appropriately and for pain management alone, and make sure people are fully aware of the risks. Read More Drug companies that benefit from the war on opioid addiction A really important piece of evidence shows how opioids keep Americans out of the workforce Pharma CEO: This opioid crisis has become a fentanyl crisis Dame Sally Davies, chief medical officer for England, said: We know that long-term use of painkillers can lead to life-altering and sometimes fatal addictions so I am delighted to see measures put in place to raise awareness of the risks of codeine and prescribed drugs. It is vital that anyone who is prescribed strong painkillers takes them only as long as they are suffering from serious pain. As soon as the pain starts to alleviate, the drugs have done their job, and it is important to switch to over-the-counter medications which do not carry the same risk of addiction. Story continues Opioid overdoses have increased and deaths due to the painkillers have risen to five a day in the UK. US President Donald Trump meanwhile has admitted that his country has a big problem with opioid addiction. POWAY, California The woman killed in Saturdays San Diego synagogue shooting stepped in front of the bullets aimed at her longtime friend and rabbi as he raced to evacuate children, according to her friends and authorities. Friends say the actions of Lori Gilbert-Kaye, 60, were in keeping with the San Diego native they knew: always the first to help with faith and family. Kaye was killed at Chabad of Poway when a nursing student who apparently espoused anti-Semitic beliefs opened fire with an AR-style rifle. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Kaye's friend of 30 years, suffered defensive wounds to his hands but survived the attack. More than a thousand people attended a vigil at Val Verde Park in Poway Sunday night. Some held Yahrtzeit candles, which are lit in memorial of the dead in Judaism, and others held small birthday candles and long tapers. Hours after being released from the hospital, Goldstein addressed the interfaith crowd. Wow, wow, wow, he said. Look at the love. Look at the warmth. Surviving it, he said, underscored that each one of us has a mission in life to accomplish. Goldstein said President Donald Trump called him Sunday afternoon and they spoke for about 15 minutes about anti-Semitism and what can be done to prevent it. He told the president hed like to see public school systems implement a daily moment of silence. He was so comforting, Goldstein said of Trump. He brought amazing consolation, The vigil ended with songs in Hebrew and God Bless America, led in part by Poway Mayor Steve Vaus, who has also recorded songs as Buck Howdy. Roneet Lev, an emergency medicine physician from Poway, said Kaye was her best friend and like a second mother to her two children. Lev rushed to the hospital and spoke to Goldstein as he was going into surgery. The rabbi told me as he was being rolled into the OR, let everyone know that Lori stepped in and saved my life, Lev said Sunday morning as she visited a growing memorial of flowers and candles across the street from the synagogue. Tell everybody that I was a target. Story continues Kaye leaves behind a husband and daughter. "Your final good deed was taking the bullets for Rabbi Mendel Goldstein to save his life," friend Audrey Jacobs wrote in a post she said had been approved by the other victims and their families. "Tragically the rabbi was still shot in the hand and he gave a sermon telling everyone to stay strong." Lev said she and Kaye shared a Shabbat dinner on Friday night. On Saturday morning, Lev said, Kaye went to Chabad of Poway to say a prayer, known as the Kaddish, in honor of her mother, who had died in November. It was Kayes first time reciting the mourners prayer for her mother, Lev said. Lev wasnt in the temple that morning, but she heard Kaye was nervously pacing the hallways. But Kaye never got to the say the prayer for her mother. Shell say it in person, Lev said Sunday. She died a sacred death. She died on the Sabbath. She died on Passover. She died in the synagogue. She died saving the rabbis life. Lev found out her friend had been shot when Kayes husband, also a physician, called her. Hes doing all the CPR and then hes looking at her face, and he sees its his wife, and he passes out, she said. For 50 years, Michelle Silverman counted Kaye as one of her closest friends. The two met at temple when they were 7, went to the same university and even pledged the same sorority. Silverman, 60, said anyone who knew Kaye would understand her actions. If theres anybody in need, shes the first one to step forward and say 'I can help,'" said Silverman, recalling the friend with whom she spoke with daily, trading stories about their families and pictures of their gardens. "I felt like she was my third sister. It wasnt just a friendship. It was a sisterhood. Silverman said Kaye's faith was central to her life, as was her husband and their daughter, a college student in California. She was an amazing mother and amazing wife," Silverman said. "Her pride and joy was her family. Also injured in the shooting were Noya Dahan, 8, and her uncle, Almog Peretz, 34, who was visiting from Israel, authorities said. More: What we know about the California synagogue shooting Kaye's death shocked her colleagues at San Diego-based Pro Specialties Group Inc., which markets licensed sports gear. Kaye was a senior account manager at the company, and her coworkers remembered her as devoted to charity, faith and family. "Her tragic passing leaves a void in my heart," co-worker Dava Dayan said. "I am forever grateful that she was a part of my life. Our world will not be the same without her." Israel's minister of diaspora affairs, Naftali Bennett, called Kaye a hero, the Jewish Press reported: "She sacrificed her own life, throwing herself in the path of the murderers bullets to save the life of the Rabbi. But it is clear that such heroism and good deeds are not only characteristic of dear Lori in death, but this is the way she lived her life at the heart of her community, constantly doing charity and good deeds for those in need." And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for an end to anti-Semitism. "I condemn the abhorrent attack on a synagogue in California; this is an attack on the heart of the Jewish people," he posted on Twitter. "We send condolences to the family of Lori Gilbert-Kaye and our best wishes for a quick recovery to the wounded." More: 'Face to face with this murderer': Security boosted at mosques, synagogues after shooting; rabbi recalls terror Witnesses said it appeared the shooter's gun jammed during the attack. An off-duty Border Patrol agent attending services shot at the suspect as he fled, hitting his car. The suspect surrendered to police nearby. A GoFundMe campaign to support victims of the shooting had raised nearly $55,000 of its $118,000 goal as of 4 p.m. EDT Sunday. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Her 'final good deed': Woman hailed as hero after taking bullets to protect rabbi during synagogue shooting In a speech at the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday night, historian Ron Chernow called for civility between the chief executive and the press using examples of past Presidents. Chernow, who has written biographies of several figures, including President Ulysses Grant, Alexander Hamilton and George Washington (for which he won a Pulitzer Prize) used his keynote speech to take the assembled media through what he called a museum of presidential decorum. He discussed a few of the ways that past Presidents had handled (or mishandled) their relations with reporters. He also included a few barbs at President Trump, who notably has called the media the enemy of the people The President himself declined to attend the dinner for the third year in a row, and held a campaign rally in Green Bay, Wis., instead. Campaigns against the press dont get your face carved into the rocks on Mount Rushmore, Chernow noted early in his address. For when you chip away at the press, you chip away at our democracy. In his remarks, Chernow stressed that while Presidents often take issue with the way they are covered by the media, that contention should not be an excuse to do away with civility, or to attack the profession of journalism itself. I would like to keep alive tonight the fading memory of more civilized dealings between chief executives and the news media, Chernow said, We must recall that civility has been an essential lubricant in our democratic culture, and that our best Presidents have handled the press with wit, grace, charm, candor and even humor. Chernow went on to describe how Republican President Ronald Reagan viewed the press, quoting Reagan as saying, I think that most of the time the overwhelming majority of reporters do a fine job. And as a former reporter, I know just how tough their job can be. Chernow also described Reagans history with the Washington Correspondents dinner itself. After being shot outside the Washington Hilton, Regan, who had been scheduled to speak at the event, instead phoned in with a memorable line for the assembled journalists. If I could give you just one little bit of advice, when someone tells you to get into a car quick, do it, Chernow said, quoting Regan. Story continues Chernow also spoke about Presidents with less cordial relations with the media, notably President Richard Nixon, who, according to Chernow, said of the New York Times and the Washington Post, Im going to kick their asses around the block. One of Chernows final anecdotes was of President Grant and his unyielding commitment to honesty. I never lie for myself and do not want anyone to lie for me, Chernow quoted Grant. He followed with his own take. Thats a powerful example that all Presidents should emulate. Watch Chernows full remarks here: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Democratic chairman of a congressional committee has put off holding a former White House security clearance chief in contempt until after the panel interviews him about decisions made on some of President Donald Trump's advisers. The House Oversight and Government Reform committee voted last week to subpoena Carl Kline over whistleblower allegations that the Trump administration inappropriately reversed career officials decisions to deny some advisers security clearances. Congressional sources said the aides included Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner. Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings said in a letter to Kline on Saturday that he would be allowed to have lawyers present for an interview with committee members on Wednesday. However, he said the scope of questioning will not be limited, as the White House and Kline's lawyer had requested, according to the letter released by the committee. "You will be expected to answer all of the committee's questions, including questions about specific White House officials and allegations of retaliation against the whistleblower," Cummings said. "If you answer all of these questions, there would be no need for the committee to pursue contempt against you in the future." Tricia Newbold, a career security official at the White House for 18 years, has said the Trump administration overruled security experts to give questionable security clearances to more than two dozen people. Cummings warned Kline that, even though the White House ordered him not to appear before the committee, "That is not a valid legal reason to defy a congressional subpoena." The Republican Trump vowed last week to resist every subpoena from House Democrats investigating his administration and to fight any effort by them to impeach him. (Reporting by Mark Hosenball and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Bill Trott) Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 5 Vote(s) - 2.6 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game He Man Subscriber User ID: 426188 04-28-2019 07:26 PM Posts: 40,702 Post: #1 Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game Advertisement Collusions/corruptions/conspiracies unproven, is not "no collusion". Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game "THROUGHOUT ROBERT MUELLERS two-year investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, Paul Manafort had a target on his back. The former Trump campaign chairs longstanding ties to powerful figures in Ukraine and Russia triggered intense scrutiny from Mueller, as he and his fellow prosecutors sought to determine whether President Donald Trump or the people around him conspired with Moscow to win the presidency. Mueller saw Manafort as a central figure in his investigation and went after him repeatedly and aggressively; as a result, Manafort ultimately faced a variety of charges in federal courts in Virginia and Washington, D.C. Mueller offered Manafort a plea deal in exchange for Manafort telling the special counsel what he knew about Trump and Russia. But Mueller eventually grew angry because Manafort continued to lie to him. A federal judge determined that Manafort had violated his plea agreement, in part by lying about his communications with a longtime Manafort employee who the FBI assessed had ties to Russian intelligence. Manafort is now in prison. In the end, Muellers investigators could not find evidence that Manafort coordinated his actions with the sophisticated Russian cybercampaign to help Trump win. But the report makes clear that there were many instances in which Mueller wasnt able to get to the bottom of things and often couldnt determine the whole story behind the Trump-Russia contacts. In fact, the report documents a series of strange and still unexplained contacts between the Trump crowd and Russia. It is filled with unresolved mysteries. One reason Mueller wasnt able to answer many of the questions surrounding those contacts was that he had to navigate a blizzard of lies. The investigation established that several individuals affiliated with the Trump campaign lied to [the Mueller team], and to Congress, about their interactions with Russian-affiliated individuals and related matters, the report states. Those lies materially impaired the investigation of Russian election interference. Some in the Trump circle, including Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn, faced criminal charges for their falsehoods. In other cases, Mueller was blocked by the refusal of key figures to talk, while other potential witnesses were not credible or were out of reach overseas. When it came to the infamous June 9, 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York between key members of the Trump circle and a Russian lawyer, for example, Mueller was unable to question the two most important participants. The presidents oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., refused to be interviewed by Mueller, while Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer, was in Russia and couldnt be questioned. The report says that Mueller considered bringing campaign finance charges against some in the Trump circle who participated in the meeting but decided not to." More: https://theintercept.com/2019/04/28/muel...questions/ Making LOP Great again since 06-07-2013! If you give up on democracy, you might as well give up on everything. -- Robert Reich Interesting article for Sunday reading:Collusions/corruptions/conspiracies unproven, is not "no collusion"."THROUGHOUT ROBERT MUELLERS two-year investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, Paul Manafort had a target on his back. The former Trump campaign chairs longstanding ties to powerful figures in Ukraine and Russia triggered intense scrutiny from Mueller, as he and his fellow prosecutors sought to determine whether President Donald Trump or the people around him conspired with Moscow to win the presidency.Mueller saw Manafort as a central figure in his investigation and went after him repeatedly and aggressively; as a result, Manafort ultimately faced a variety of charges in federal courts in Virginia and Washington, D.C. Mueller offered Manafort a plea deal in exchange for Manafort telling the special counsel what he knew about Trump and Russia. But Mueller eventually grew angry because Manafort continued to lie to him. A federal judge determined that Manafort had violated his plea agreement, in part by lying about his communications with a longtime Manafort employee who the FBI assessed had ties to Russian intelligence. Manafort is now in prison.In the end, Muellers investigators could not find evidence that Manafort coordinated his actions with the sophisticated Russian cybercampaign to help Trump win. But the report makes clear that there were many instances in which Mueller wasnt able to get to the bottom of things and often couldnt determine the whole story behind the Trump-Russia contacts.In fact, the report documents a series of strange and still unexplained contacts between the Trump crowd and Russia. It is filled with unresolved mysteries.One reason Mueller wasnt able to answer many of the questions surrounding those contacts was that he had to navigate a blizzard of lies. The investigation established that several individuals affiliated with the Trump campaign lied to [the Mueller team], and to Congress, about their interactions with Russian-affiliated individuals and related matters, the report states. Those lies materially impaired the investigation of Russian election interference.Some in the Trump circle, including Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn, faced criminal charges for their falsehoods. In other cases, Mueller was blocked by the refusal of key figures to talk, while other potential witnesses were not credible or were out of reach overseas.When it came to the infamous June 9, 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York between key members of the Trump circle and a Russian lawyer, for example, Mueller was unable to question the two most important participants. The presidents oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., refused to be interviewed by Mueller, while Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer, was in Russia and couldnt be questioned. The report says that Mueller considered bringing campaign finance charges against some in the Trump circle who participated in the meeting but decided not to."More:Making LOP Great again since 06-07-2013!If you give up on democracy, you might as well give up on everything.-- Robert Reich Natura Naturans Registered User User ID: 497797 04-28-2019 07:45 PM Posts: 13,155 Post: #2 RE: Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game Good, you lefty Democrats won't give up on your failed coup against Trump pushing lies and slander. It will only hurt you in upcoming elections, the people see through your endless lies. The highest activity a human being can attain is learning for understanding, because to understand is to be free. --Baruch Spinoza He Man Subscriber User ID: 426188 04-28-2019 07:50 PM Posts: 40,702 Post: #3 RE: Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game Natura Naturans Wrote: (04-28-2019 07:45 PM) Good, you lefty Democrats won't give up on your failed coup against Trump pushing lies and slander. It will only hurt you in upcoming elections, the people see through your endless lies. There are still 12 redacted criminal referrals under investigation, some espionage related. Trump is a criminal and should be indicted currently and will be eventually for his corruptions, conspiracies and campaign related felonies and other crimes. Trump is so desperate and pathetic to be calling this a "coup" and so are you. There are still 12 redacted criminal referrals under investigation, some espionage related. Trump is a criminal and should be indicted currently and will be eventually for his corruptions, conspiracies and campaign related felonies and other crimes.Trump is so desperate and pathetic to be calling this a "coup" and so are you. Making LOP Great again since 06-07-2013! If you give up on democracy, you might as well give up on everything. -- Robert Reich pooky Registered User User ID: 451507 04-28-2019 07:50 PM Posts: 6,109 Post: #4 RE: Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game NormalIsSubjective User ID: 497785 04-28-2019 11:31 PM Posts: 22,325 Post: #5 RE: Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game Russian spy game"? The spy game has a number of players. But let's just blame it all on the Russians... spy game"?The spy game has a number of players.But let's just blame it all on the Russians... LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 493671 04-28-2019 11:32 PM Post: #6 RE: Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game He Man Wrote: (04-28-2019 07:26 PM) Interesting article for Sunday reading: Collusions/corruptions/conspiracies unproven, is not "no collusion". Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game "THROUGHOUT ROBERT MUELLERS two-year investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, Paul Manafort had a target on his back. The former Trump campaign chairs longstanding ties to powerful figures in Ukraine and Russia triggered intense scrutiny from Mueller, as he and his fellow prosecutors sought to determine whether President Donald Trump or the people around him conspired with Moscow to win the presidency. Mueller saw Manafort as a central figure in his investigation and went after him repeatedly and aggressively; as a result, Manafort ultimately faced a variety of charges in federal courts in Virginia and Washington, D.C. Mueller offered Manafort a plea deal in exchange for Manafort telling the special counsel what he knew about Trump and Russia. But Mueller eventually grew angry because Manafort continued to lie to him. A federal judge determined that Manafort had violated his plea agreement, in part by lying about his communications with a longtime Manafort employee who the FBI assessed had ties to Russian intelligence. Manafort is now in prison. In the end, Muellers investigators could not find evidence that Manafort coordinated his actions with the sophisticated Russian cybercampaign to help Trump win. But the report makes clear that there were many instances in which Mueller wasnt able to get to the bottom of things and often couldnt determine the whole story behind the Trump-Russia contacts. In fact, the report documents a series of strange and still unexplained contacts between the Trump crowd and Russia. It is filled with unresolved mysteries. One reason Mueller wasnt able to answer many of the questions surrounding those contacts was that he had to navigate a blizzard of lies. The investigation established that several individuals affiliated with the Trump campaign lied to [the Mueller team], and to Congress, about their interactions with Russian-affiliated individuals and related matters, the report states. Those lies materially impaired the investigation of Russian election interference. Some in the Trump circle, including Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn, faced criminal charges for their falsehoods. In other cases, Mueller was blocked by the refusal of key figures to talk, while other potential witnesses were not credible or were out of reach overseas. When it came to the infamous June 9, 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York between key members of the Trump circle and a Russian lawyer, for example, Mueller was unable to question the two most important participants. The presidents oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., refused to be interviewed by Mueller, while Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer, was in Russia and couldnt be questioned. The report says that Mueller considered bringing campaign finance charges against some in the Trump circle who participated in the meeting but decided not to." More: https://theintercept.com/2019/04/28/muel...questions/ You're such a dolt. We ALL know that there was no Russian collusion and that Israel runs the fcukung US government. You're such a dolt.We ALL know that there was no Russian collusion and that Israel runs the fcukung US government. Looky lop guest User ID: 482139 04-28-2019 11:38 PM Post: #7 RE: Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G2qIXXafxCQ LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 493671 04-28-2019 11:39 PM Post: #8 RE: Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game Looky Wrote: (04-28-2019 11:38 PM) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G2qIXXafxCQ Trumps a stooge, I put him in the same camp as He Man. Trumps a stooge, I put him in the same camp as He Man. Looky lop guest User ID: 482139 04-28-2019 11:51 PM Post: #9 RE: Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game LoP Guest Wrote: (04-28-2019 11:39 PM) Looky Wrote: (04-28-2019 11:38 PM) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G2qIXXafxCQ Trumps a stooge, I put him in the same camp as He Man. General Anonymous lop guest User ID: 430444 04-29-2019 12:06 AM Post: #10 RE: Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game He Man Wrote: (04-28-2019 07:26 PM) Interesting article for Sunday reading: Collusions/corruptions/conspiracies unproven, is not "no collusion". Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game "THROUGHOUT ROBERT MUELLERS two-year investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, Paul Manafort had a target on his back. The former Trump campaign chairs longstanding ties to powerful figures in Ukraine and Russia triggered intense scrutiny from Mueller, as he and his fellow prosecutors sought to determine whether President Donald Trump or the people around him conspired with Moscow to win the presidency. Mueller saw Manafort as a central figure in his investigation and went after him repeatedly and aggressively; as a result, Manafort ultimately faced a variety of charges in federal courts in Virginia and Washington, D.C. Mueller offered Manafort a plea deal in exchange for Manafort telling the special counsel what he knew about Trump and Russia. But Mueller eventually grew angry because Manafort continued to lie to him. A federal judge determined that Manafort had violated his plea agreement, in part by lying about his communications with a longtime Manafort employee who the FBI assessed had ties to Russian intelligence. Manafort is now in prison. In the end, Muellers investigators could not find evidence that Manafort coordinated his actions with the sophisticated Russian cybercampaign to help Trump win. But the report makes clear that there were many instances in which Mueller wasnt able to get to the bottom of things and often couldnt determine the whole story behind the Trump-Russia contacts. In fact, the report documents a series of strange and still unexplained contacts between the Trump crowd and Russia. It is filled with unresolved mysteries. One reason Mueller wasnt able to answer many of the questions surrounding those contacts was that he had to navigate a blizzard of lies. The investigation established that several individuals affiliated with the Trump campaign lied to [the Mueller team], and to Congress, about their interactions with Russian-affiliated individuals and related matters, the report states. Those lies materially impaired the investigation of Russian election interference. Some in the Trump circle, including Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn, faced criminal charges for their falsehoods. In other cases, Mueller was blocked by the refusal of key figures to talk, while other potential witnesses were not credible or were out of reach overseas. When it came to the infamous June 9, 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York between key members of the Trump circle and a Russian lawyer, for example, Mueller was unable to question the two most important participants. The presidents oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., refused to be interviewed by Mueller, while Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer, was in Russia and couldnt be questioned. The report says that Mueller considered bringing campaign finance charges against some in the Trump circle who participated in the meeting but decided not to." More: https://theintercept.com/2019/04/28/muel...questions/ it's very strange the the Intercept, founded by Glen Greenwald, who is an editor and is a smart guy publishes articles like this that seems to be almost written by a child or a retard ... "But Mueller eventually grew angry because Manafort continued to lie to him." "the report documents a series of strange and still unexplained contacts between the Trump crowd and Russia. It is filled with unresolved mysteries. " "Its not hard to read between the lines and glean that Mueller, the straight-arrow prosecutor, former FBI director, and former Marine --(sic!)--, was revulsed by the international political consultants corrupt behavior and found it difficult to comprehend his willingness to work for Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs." etc. it's very strange the the Intercept, founded by Glen Greenwald, who is an editor and is a smart guy publishes articles like this that seems to be almost written by a child or a retard ..."But Mueller eventuallybecause Manafort continued to lie to him.""the report documents a series ofcontacts between the Trump crowd and Russia."Its not hard to read between the lines and glean that Mueller, the--(sic!)--, wasby the international political consultantsand found it difficult to comprehend his willingness to work for Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs."etc. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 442324 04-29-2019 12:30 AM Post: #11 RE: Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game An obsessed lunatic can make it say ANYTHING that reinforces his TDS. General Anonymous lop guest User ID: 430444 04-29-2019 01:17 PM Post: #12 RE: Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game for instance, if you read this article published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty -- an official American propaganda channel directed to foreign audiences -- on Maria Butina, you get a picture of a Russian girl, who's a fan of the USA, its Freedoms and its legislation, especially Second Amendment ... Quote: "In this shooting six teachers died, six people who could literally use only their hands to defend children," said Maria Butina , the organization's 24-year old founder. "The murderer planned this knowing that no one would be armed." reference was to a school shooting in Connecticut Quote: Boosted by a surge of civic activism and a stream of new violence that has kept guns in the news, leaders of Russias gun movement -- virtually nonexistent a year ago -- say all they have to do now is convince Russians themselves of the value of greater access to guns... At a frigid rally on December 1, American country music legend Johnny Cashs "Dont Take Your Guns To Town" blared over a Moscow square, where about 80 people had gathered as part of a series of rallies organized around the country to support gun rights in Russia. Unlike the U.S. Constitution, which enshrines the right to bear arms in its Second Amendment, there are no such guarantees in Russia's basic law. Nevertheless, Butina, who also claims membership in the National Rifle Association, said gun possession is a civil liberty. Russian Gun Lobby Seeks Right To Bear Arms December 20, 2012 11:26 GMT https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-gun-laws-...04185.html the article also points out how the Russian government is not pleased with the movement, but how on the other hand it is supported by Aleksei Navalny, an opposition figure well known in the West ... what seems to me to be a real possibilty is, that Butina was a naive citizen rights activist, possibly feeling oppressed by the Russian authorities and therefore took a pilgrimage to the Land of the Free, the Land of her dreams, thinking she might work for the Russian liberties using modest citizen diplomacy, thinking that there can't be anything wrong in creating friendships with similarly thinking people in America ... but she underestimated the American paranoia, got caught in the political circus, was sentenced in a political kangaroo court ... Then there is the HE MAn theory, she was part of the Putler's dastardly, multipronged attack to undermine the American system .... and 24 year old Butina was part of the plan to install Trump already in 2012 BTW, Maria Butina case points more to an American neo-McCarthyist hysteria and paranoia than to "spy games"for instance, if you read this article published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty -- an official American propaganda channel directed to foreign audiences -- on Maria Butina, you get a picture of a Russian girl, who's a fan of the USA, its Freedoms and its legislation, especially Second Amendment ...reference was to a school shooting in ConnecticutDecember 20,11:26 GMTthe article also points out how the Russian government is not pleased with the movement, but how on the other hand it is supported by Aleksei Navalny, an opposition figure well known in the West ...what seems to me to be a real possibilty is, that Butina was a naive citizen rights activist, possibly feeling oppressed by the Russian authorities and therefore took a pilgrimage to the Land of the Free, the Land of her dreams, thinking she might work for the Russian liberties using modest citizen diplomacy, thinking that there can't be anything wrong in creating friendships with similarly thinking people in America ... but she underestimated the American paranoia, got caught in the political circus, was sentenced in a political kangaroo court ...Then there is the HE MAn theory, she was part of the Putler's dastardly, multipronged attack to undermine the American system .... and 24 year old Butina was part of the plan to install Trump already in 2012 LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 499445 04-29-2019 01:26 PM Post: #13 RE: Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game Maybe there are things they could do without General Anonymous lop guest User ID: 430444 04-29-2019 01:49 PM Post: #14 RE: Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game LoP Guest Wrote: (04-29-2019 01:26 PM) Maybe there are things they could do without like the American Gun culture and movement? It doesn't easily transfer to other cultures lacking the history and political base. Maybe that's a blessing ... Besides I doubt Butina will be so keen any more to push the American Gun Freedoms on Russians, when she'll get released and evicted back ... It's ironic that the Russian authorities might have suspected that Butina was an American agent. She should have had an other hobby than guns, in retrospect ... like, say, Rockabilly music and vintage American cars and the 50s style clothing .... like the American Gun culture and movement? It doesn't easily transfer to other cultures lacking the history and political base. Maybe that's a blessing ...Besides I doubt Butina will be so keen any more to push the American Gun Freedoms on Russians, when she'll get released and evicted back ...It's ironic that the Russian authorities might have suspected that Butina was an American agent.She should have had an other hobby than guns, in retrospect ... like, say, Rockabilly music and vintage American cars and the 50s style clothing .... LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 485271 04-29-2019 01:56 PM Post: #15 RE: Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game He Man Wrote: (04-28-2019 07:26 PM) Interesting article for Sunday reading: Collusions/corruptions/conspiracies unproven, is not "no collusion". Unanswered Questions in the Mueller Report Point to a Sprawling Russian Spy Game "THROUGHOUT ROBERT MUELLERS two-year investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, Paul Manafort had a target on his back. The former Trump campaign chairs longstanding ties to powerful figures in Ukraine and Russia triggered intense scrutiny from Mueller, as he and his fellow prosecutors sought to determine whether President Donald Trump or the people around him conspired with Moscow to win the presidency. Mueller saw Manafort as a central figure in his investigation and went after him repeatedly and aggressively; as a result, Manafort ultimately faced a variety of charges in federal courts in Virginia and Washington, D.C. Mueller offered Manafort a plea deal in exchange for Manafort telling the special counsel what he knew about Trump and Russia. But Mueller eventually grew angry because Manafort continued to lie to him. A federal judge determined that Manafort had violated his plea agreement, in part by lying about his communications with a longtime Manafort employee who the FBI assessed had ties to Russian intelligence. Manafort is now in prison. In the end, Muellers investigators could not find evidence that Manafort coordinated his actions with the sophisticated Russian cybercampaign to help Trump win. But the report makes clear that there were many instances in which Mueller wasnt able to get to the bottom of things and often couldnt determine the whole story behind the Trump-Russia contacts. In fact, the report documents a series of strange and still unexplained contacts between the Trump crowd and Russia. It is filled with unresolved mysteries. One reason Mueller wasnt able to answer many of the questions surrounding those contacts was that he had to navigate a blizzard of lies. The investigation established that several individuals affiliated with the Trump campaign lied to [the Mueller team], and to Congress, about their interactions with Russian-affiliated individuals and related matters, the report states. Those lies materially impaired the investigation of Russian election interference. Some in the Trump circle, including Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn, faced criminal charges for their falsehoods. In other cases, Mueller was blocked by the refusal of key figures to talk, while other potential witnesses were not credible or were out of reach overseas. When it came to the infamous June 9, 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York between key members of the Trump circle and a Russian lawyer, for example, Mueller was unable to question the two most important participants. The presidents oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., refused to be interviewed by Mueller, while Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer, was in Russia and couldnt be questioned. The report says that Mueller considered bringing campaign finance charges against some in the Trump circle who participated in the meeting but decided not to." More: https://theintercept.com/2019/04/28/muel...questions/ Give it a rest OP, mueller time is over. It actually points to russians conspiring with hitlary and Obama to prevent Trump from winning. Give it a rest OP, mueller time is over. It actually points to russians conspiring with hitlary and Obama to prevent Trump from winning. Advertisement Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread The Mueller investigation was supposed to be a legal process concerned with crimes. Investigators identified no crimes to charge, and so it has, naturally, become something else: no longer a theory about a criminal conspiracy only an irritable mood. An ordeal that had been conducted under the procedures of law in accordance with legal criteria is now an ordeal that is being conducted under the procedures of politics in accordance with political criteria or, if you prefer, with moral criteria related to Donald Trumps character. For those who want to see President Trump impeached and who think of impeachment as a fundamentally political process in spite of its mock-trial aspect, thats just fine. Theyll take their pound of flesh, however it is had. The problem with this point of view is that the question of Donald Trumps personal fitness for office already has been adjudicated as a political matter: That is what happened in the 2016 presidential election. Many critics, myself included, argued that Trump was unfit for the office, both morally and intellectually. We made our arguments, the voters consulted their own consciences, and, weighing these things however it is that voters weigh them, chose Trump. There wasnt some occult intermediary step in there. Thats how things go in politics: The people behave just as if they had minds of their own! And, sometimes, they get to have their own way. In terms of Donald Trumps character and habits, there is practically nothing in the Mueller report or in the public record since 2016 that voters did not already know when they elected him. And that is really the fundamental argument against impeaching President Trump: The political judgment called for in an impeachment at this point and in this context properly ought to be understood as beside the point, if we take seriously the democratic assumption that the judgment of the people, rendered in the election, is sovereign. Story continues There isnt some shocking new thing, and, of course, some Democrats have been talking impeachment since before Trump was even sworn in. The Democrats do not propose to impeach Donald Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors, but simply for being Donald Trump. One may sympathize with that, but Donald Trump is the man the voters chose. And that goes to the real issue here: The Democrats cannot accept that they lost an election to Donald Trump. One sympathizes with that, too, but that is what actually happened, for several reasons: Trump focused on two issues immigration and trade that speak to a substantial bipartisan plurality with nationalistic and protectionist impulses rarely taken seriously by mainstream figures in either party; his opponent ran an inept campaign and has been questing after power for so long that both she and the voters are exhausted by it; the elites and Washingtonians against whom Trump & Co. inveigh were judged, not without some reason, to merit a trip to the woodshed; the so-called war on terror and the financial crisis of 200809 have destabilized formerly sturdy political coalitions. And, of course, it was Republicans turn. Which is to say: The Democrats talk of impeachment is partly about 2020, but its mainly about 2016, and their adolescent psychic need to believe that the presidential election that brought Donald Trump to the White House was illegitimate rather than an opportunity they simply blew. The theory that the election was thrown by Russian trolls posting dank memes on Twitter is hard to take seriously. If we had a list of every voter whose mind was changed in 2016 by an anonymous social-media account with a Cyrillic bio, then disenfranchising those voters would be a good start on improving things for 2020. Alas and alack, we dont do that sort of thing. But the argument that bot-executed shenanigans nullified democracy in 2016 amounts to the Democrats protesting: These trolls robbed us of the support of our natural base: morons! Theres no quality control in social media and less quality control in ordinary news media than there used to be. Lies, distortions, exaggerations, and pure inventions are going to be out there in the intellectual marketplace, whether they originate in Moscow or in Brooklyn. Thats a real problem, but it doesnt invalidate the outcome of the 2016 election. There are many reasons to oppose an impeachment at this time: One is that no one has made a very persuasive case for one, all of the Democrats arguments up to this point having been transparently pretextual. Another is that the Republican majority in the Senate all but ensures that the process would be purely symbolic, an exercise in chaos for pleasures sake. A third is that it normalizes the invocation of a procedure that should be reserved for extraordinary circumstances in the service of ordinary short-term partisan interests. For comparison, consider that there was no serious impeachment talk when Barack Obama authorized the assassination of U.S. citizens without so much as a by-your-leave from Congress or when he took executive actions that he himself had described as unconstitutional only months before. That suggests a pretty high standard and if I think that guy is a fink! ends up being a common rationale for impeachment, then youd better make your peace with anarchy, because Washington is going to be a ghost town. But the most important reason for forbearance here is that a political judgment already has been rendered on Donald Trumps character and, if you dont like how that came out, theres another chance right around the corner. More from National Review * Sri Lanka remains on edge a week after suicide bombs * Islamist militants killed more than 250 on Easter Sunday * Political infighting, military complacency aided attackers * Sri Lanka's laid-back tourism reputation in tatters By Joe Brock COLOMBO, April 28 (Reuters) - A week ago, Sri Lankan tourist guide Ricky Costa was preparing for a typically easy Sunday ferrying backpackers between Colombo's tea shops and beach bars in his canary-yellow rickshaw. Then the blasts began. The coordinated suicide bombings by Islamist militants at hotels and churches killed more than 250 people and sent shockwaves through an Indian Ocean island state that had enjoyed relative peace since a civil war ended a decade ago. How such a sophisticated operation could have been carried out in a country where violence by Islamist militants drawn from the Muslim minority was not high on the list of concerns has left Sri Lankans and foreign intelligence agencies stumped. President Maithripala Sirisena has announced a total overhaul of the security establishment, blaming them for failing to communicate several warnings they had about potential attacks, including one from India hours before the first bomb. However, interviews with more than a dozen people with direct knowledge of the Sri Lankan government and security apparatus, including military sources, senior diplomats and intelligence agents, suggest deeper failings that created an ideal environment for extremists looking for a soft target. Since Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka won a 26-year conflict against mostly Hindu ethnic Tamil separatists, a well-resourced military has failed to adapt to shifting security threats, the sources said. "The government was asleep. The military was asleep. They've been asleep for a long time," said Costa, perching on his rickshaw as a suspicious policeman peered inside. Costa's analysis is a simplification, but some experts agree that a lack of preparedness was a significant factor that led to a little-known Islamist group being able to orchestrate the deadliest attack of its kind in South Asia's history. Story continues Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have both apologized for any lapses that might have contributed to the attacks. Wickremesinghe said the government and security forces take "collective responsibility." LONG-TERM DECLINE There are no official figures on the size of Sri Lanka's armed forces but experts estimate there are around 150,000 active military personnel and 80,000 police officers, both substantial forces for a country of just 22 million. Despite its size, the military had become "flabby" and "unfocused," according to one Western diplomat. Military personnel with little to do have been conscripted into commercial ventures, including whale-watching tours for tourists, running hair salons and tending to farms. Military spokesman Sumith Atapattu said it was wrong to suggest that the armed forces had not given sufficient priority to evidence of emerging Islamist extremism, but added they could only take action when there was evidence of criminal activity. "We have passed the necessary information to the relevant authorities. But what is the legal background the military has to control extremism? A person being radicalized is not an offense in our country," he said. "We are searching for reconciliation after a long period of war and we cannot use a sledgehammer to kill a fly." Another foreign diplomat said he spoke to a senior military intelligence official the day before the attacks to warn him of an imminent threat. When he asked the official if he would raise the warning to the top echelons of government, he was told "not during the holidays." "Ten years of peace breeds over-confidence," the diplomat said. "It's easy to focus on the last weeks and months, but this attack was made possible by a much longer-term decline in the functionality of Sri Lanka's security services and government." The military has also been more focused on monitoring the country's Tamil population and preventing another separatist insurgency than on a Muslim community that makes up only 10 percent of the population, defense sources and experts said. "This inattention could have created the opportunity for a local group perhaps with external encouragement or support to emerge from obscurity and perpetrate such terrifically lethal attacks," said Bruce Hoffman, a terrorism expert at the Council on Foreign Relations. Security experts believe National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NJT), a local Islamist group that has emerged over the last year, was responsible for the attacks, likely with the assistance of outside groups. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the bombings, without providing evidence. Though Sri Lanka has no significant history of violence between its Muslim and Christian minorities, some say the warning signs of a changing social dynamic were there. Concerns raised about a more radical strain of Islam emerging over the last five years went unheeded, civil society groups and Western diplomats say. Hashim Mohamed Zahran, the alleged ringleader of the Easter Sunday blasts, had been flagged to security officials as a threat. "We had concerns and we raised them. They were not properly considered," said Hilmy Ahamed, vice president of the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka, a civil society group. "TRAGIC COMPLACENCY" Zahran, a man in his early 30s who had been preaching an increasingly militant brand of Islam, was one of two attackers who died after detonating their explosives in the luxury Shangri-La hotel, intelligence officials say. Ahamed said that in February he warned a contact in the intelligence services of the threat posed by Zahran. He received a text message response. "Thank you. Noted," it said. "There was an overall environment of complacency. That is the tragedy," Ahamed said. The top civil servant in Sri Lanka's defense ministry, Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, resigned on Thursday, taking responsibility for the attacks after Sirisena pinned the blame on the security services. Many Sri Lankans believe a deep rift between Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe has also undermined national security. Sirisena fired Wickremesinghe last year, after months of tension, only to be forced to reinstate him under pressure from the Supreme Court. Since then their relationship has deteriorated further to the point where their factions actively try to undermine each other, including not sharing security information, defense sources say. "Inefficiency, mediocrity, and infighting within the government contributed to last week's attack," said Iqbal Athas, a defense analyst, adding that vital intelligence-gathering resources had been diverted in recent years to spy on political rivals rather than to monitor extremists. Presidential aide Shiral Lakthilaka said Sirisena and Wickremesinghe's feuding had come to an end. "The past is past," Lakthilaka said in response to a question about the impact the rift had on security. "Whatever the setbacks, both have shed their differences and are working towards eradicating this menace and bring all the underground activities to a standstill." An ally of the prime minister, government spokesman and health minister Rathija Senaratne, blamed the president for the rift. "He by-passed ministers as well," he said. If there was an element of lethargy in the Sri Lankan state, it has been jolted back to life. One diplomat said the defense forces had "reverted to war mode." The streets of Colombo are marshaled by hundreds of soldiers and police, as everyone fears the possibility of more attacks or a spike in retaliatory sectarian violence. Nearly 10,000 soldiers have been deployed countrywide. A gun battle on Friday between troops and suspected militants on the east coast killed 15, including Zahran's father and two brothers, in a sign that Sri Lanka's security crisis is far from over. Named Lonely Planet's No. 1 travel destination for 2019, Sri Lanka had built a reputation over the past decade as a stable, relaxed island in a chaotic region. That image has been shattered by Sunday's bombs. "For 10 years this was a laid-back place," said Costa, as a truck of armed soldiers sped past. "Not anymore." (Reporting by Joe Brock; Additional reporting by Shihar Aneez and Ranga Sirilal; Editing by John Chalmers and Alex Richardson) Investors who want to cash in on Waterco Limited's (ASX:WAT) upcoming dividend of AU$0.02 per share have only 4 days left to buy the shares before its ex-dividend date, 02 May 2019, in time for dividends payable on the 14 June 2019. Investors looking for higher income-generating stocks to add to their portfolio should keep reading, as I take a deeper dive into Waterco's latest financial data to analyse its dividend attributes. View our latest analysis for Waterco 5 checks you should do on a dividend stock Whenever I am looking at a potential dividend stock investment, I always check these five metrics: Does it pay an annual yield higher than 75% of dividend payers? Has it paid dividend every year without dramatically reducing payout in the past? Has the amount of dividend per share grown over the past? Can it afford to pay the current rate of dividends from its earnings? Will the company be able to keep paying dividend based on the future earnings growth? ASX:WAT Historical Dividend Yield, April 27th 2019 Does Waterco pass our checks? The current trailing twelve-month payout ratio for the stock is 64%, which means that the dividend is covered by earnings. Furthermore, analysts have not forecasted a dividends per share for the future, which makes it hard to determine the yield shareholders should expect, and whether the current payout is sustainable, moving forward. 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. Not only have dividend payouts from Waterco fallen over the past 10 years, it has also been highly volatile during this time, with drops of over 25% in some years. These characteristics do not bode well for income investors seeking reliable stream of dividends. Story continues Relative to peers, Waterco produces a yield of 2.6%, which is high for Leisure stocks but still below the market's top dividend payers. Next Steps: After digging a little deeper into Waterco's yield, it's easy to see why you should be cautious investing in the company just for the dividend. But if you are not exclusively a dividend investor, the stock could still be an interesting investment opportunity. Given that this is purely a dividend analysis, you should always research extensively before deciding whether or not a stock is an appropriate investment for you. I always recommend analysing the company's fundamentals and underlying business before making an investment decision. I've put together three fundamental aspects you should further research: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for WATs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for WATs outlook. Historical Performance: What has WAT's returns been like over the past? Go into more detail in the past track record analysis and take a look at the free visual representations of our analysis for more clarity. 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. Tehran (AFP) - Iran's top general warned Sunday Tehran could close the strategic Strait of Hormuz shipping route if it faces more "hostility", news agency ISNA said, as the US tightens up sanctions. "We are not after closing the Strait of Hormuz but if the hostility of enemies increase, we will be able to do so," armed forces chief of staff Mohammad Bagheri told semi-official ISNA. "Also if our oil does not go through the strait, other countries' oil will certainly not cross the strait, too," he added. The statement came after Washington said on Monday it would start imposing sanctions on countries such as India, China and Turkey that buy Iranian oil. Eight countries were initially given six-month reprieves after the United States reimposed sanctions on Iran in November, following President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from a 2015 nuclear accord. Iranian officials have repeatedly warned the Islamic republic could shut down the strait, a vital shipping lane for international oil supplies, should it find its national interests or security threatened. "We believe Iran will continue to sell its oil ... (and) use the Strait of Hormuz. But if the United States takes the crazy measure of trying to prevent us from doing that, then it should be prepared for the consequences," foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Wednesday. "It is in our vital national security interest to keep the Persian Gulf open, to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. We have done that in the past and we will continue to do that in the future," he added. DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's top leader called on Sunday for a crackdown on illegal weapons after the rare shooting of a cleric, and said easy access to guns in the United States served only a "mafia of gun manufacturers", his website reported. "In some countries, such as the United States, weapons are freely sold in the interest of the mafia of gun manufacturers and this causes problems for the people," Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted by his website as saying. "But in our country there is no such problem and the sale of weapons is banned," he told senior police officials, adding that people must be prevented from obtaining firearms illegally. Police said on Sunday that the suspect in the killing of a 46-year-old cleric in the western city of Hamedan had died in a shootout with police. The suspect's motive was unknown, Iranian media said. "The killer ... of the cleric in Hamedan released images with four types of weapon on his Instagram page. It is the duty of police to fight such cases," Khamenei said, calling for controls on social media. "Cyberspace has expanded a lot ... and represents both opportunities and dangers." Guns are strictly regulated in Iran but are available in some tribal and remote regions. Poaching also occurs in protected areas. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Dale Hudson) JERUSALEM (AP) Israel released two Syrian prisoners on Sunday in what it described as a "goodwill gesture" following the repatriation of the remains of an Israeli soldier who went missing over 35 years ago. Israel has insisted that the release was not a quid pro quo for the return of Zachary Baumel's remains earlier this month. Syrian state TV said the two prisoners, Zeidan Tawil and Khamis al-Ahmad, arrived on the Syrian side of the Quneitra crossing after being released. It showed a brief video of the two men, shortly after they were handed over to Syrian authorities. State news agency SANA showed a photograph of the two men, one of them waving a victory sign from inside a vehicle that appeared to be an ambulance. Baumel went missing during the Sultan Yacoub battle between the Israeli army and Syrian forces during Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon. Russian mediators facilitated the return of his remains shortly before this month's Israeli election. The Syrian government denied any knowledge of Baumel's whereabouts and said it was not involved in the repatriation of his remains. Russia is a close ally of the government in the civil war. Israel's Kan radio, citing unnamed security sources, said Ahmad was arrested 14 years ago when he tried to infiltrate an Israeli army base. It said Tawil was arrested on drug charges. JERUSALEM, April 28 (Reuters) - Israel released two prisoners on Sunday, sending them back to Syria in what Damascus described as Russian-mediated reciprocation for the repatriation of the body of a long-missing Israeli soldier. Russia, a key Damascus ally, this month handed Israel the remains and personal effects of Zachary Baumel, who was declared missing in action along with two other Israeli soldiers following a 1982 tank battle with Syrian forces in Lebanon. A Syrian government source said Damascus then pressured Moscow to secure a prisoner release by Israel. There was no immediate comment on Sunday from Russia. The Israeli military said in a statement that two prisoners were transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross at Quneitra crossing on the armistice line with the Syrian Golan Heights. The Israeli military statement described the two men as Syrians. Israel's Prisons Service identified them as Ahmed Khamis, from a Palestinian refugee camp near Damascus, and Zidan Taweel, from the Syrian Druze village of Hader. Khamis was a member of the Fatah faction who was jailed in 2005 after trying to attack an Israeli army base, and Taweel was jailed in 2008 for drug smuggling, the Prisons Service said. Israel's minister for regional cooperation, Tzachi Hanegbi, said the prisoner release did not constitute a swap with Syria, an enemy state. But he voiced hope that it might help with the recovery of other Israelis lost to the Syrians in past wars. "If with a gesture like this we leave the Syrians with less of a sour taste, then that is a positive thing," he told Israel's Army Radio. (Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Toby Chopra) Jerusalem (AFP) - Two Israelis were among the wounded in a weekend attack on a synagogue in California that killed one person and injured three others, an official said Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the "atrocious" synagogue shooting, which he called "an attack at the heart of the Jewish people". An Israeli foreign ministry spokesman said an eight-year-old girl and her 31-year-old uncle wounded in the shooting attack in Poway, north of San Diego, on Saturday were from a southern town bordering the Gaza Strip. "The two moved from Sderot to San Diego a few years ago," spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said in a statement, noting their condition was "good". Sderot has come under repeated rocket and mortar attack from Palestinian militants in Gaza. The father of the wounded girl, Israel Dahan, said Sunday that his home and those of his mother and mother-in law had been hit by Palestinian fire and he had been wounded several times. "We left Sderot because of the rocket fire," he told Israeli public radio in Hebrew. "We left fire for fire." San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said both Israelis were wounded by shrapnel in the attack on the final day of the week-long Jewish holiday of Passover. Dahan said he was at prayer inside the synagogue when the gunman entered. "I was the first to see him because I was sitting in front of the main door. I started shouting at people to run away," he told the radio. "My five-year-old daughter heard the shots and shut herself in the toilets," he said. "Luckily his weapon jammed." A 60-year-old woman, Lori Gilbert Kaye, was killed in the attack, with the community's rabbi wounded as well. Netanyahu denounced the shooting and sent condolences to Kaye's family. "The international community must step up the struggle against anti-Semitism," the prime minister said in a statement. Story continues He said he would convene a meeting of Israeli officials on the subject in light of the "increasing anti-Semitic attacks throughout the world". Gore identified the suspect, who was arrested after fleeing the scene, as 19-year-old John Earnest and said he had no prior arrest record. US President Donald Trump denounced the shooting as a "hate crime". Israeli President Reuven Rivlin called the attack "yet another painful reminder that anti-Semitism and hatred of Jews is still with us, everywhere." "No country and no society are immune," he said in a Sunday statement. "Only through education for Holocaust remembrance and tolerance can we deal with this plague." The shooting in Poway's Chabad synagogue came exactly six months after a white supremacist killed 11 people at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue -- the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in US history. UPDATED with video: In his first TV sit-down since officially throwing his hat into the ring via video, Democratic White House hopeful Joe Biden walked out to The View panelist table in the most awkward way possible Friday, carefully shaking hands with some of the shows female panelists while leaving space between them, giving Ana Navarro a quick kiss the cheek, and embracing only Meghan McCain, who everyone knows is a close personal friend. He quickly sat down at the table and they immediately cut to commercial. Related stories Donald Trump Taunts Joe Biden Before Veep's Visit To 'The View' In the lead up to Thursdays announcement, Biden faced backlash when several women accused him of making them uncomfortable with inappropriate touching and space-invading. He responded by video, noting social norms are changing and vowing to be more mindful going forward. On Friday, he told The View panel, Heres the deal. I have to be much more aware of the private space of men and women, acknowledging it was on his mind as he walked on the set. I actually thought in my head when I walked out here. I mean, do I? Were friends you know? he said. I have to be more cognizant. Biden clearly chose this extremely friendly venue as his first at-bat as a candidate in order to address this hot-button topic and his history with Anita Hill. McCain gave him a heros welcome, describing Biden as a beloved political icon in politics for 50 years, adding she couldnt be more thrilled he chose their show as his first stop to discuss the politics of the day. Except the Q&A, to which the entire broadcast was devoted, was virtually policy/platform free. Dem White House hopeful No. 20 first got asked about his announcement video, which targeted President Donald Trump replaying footage of the Unite the Right white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, about which Trump said there were very fine people on both sides of the fatal riot that ensued. Story continues The rest of the world they look at us, like, my godwhats going on? Biden told The View watchers. Joy Behar noted pundits claim the election will come down to Pennsylvania, so Biden could joke its a suburb of his home in Wilmington, DE. Anticipating Fox News Channel reax, Biden added, I know its not. He gave an emphatic no when asked whether he would promise to serve one term only if elected, as some political navel lint gazers have recommended, given that he is 76 years old. Its up to voters to decide if he has the energy and capacity for a second term, if elected to a first, he said. But most of the hour was devoted to the panelists asking Biden if he will apologize to women who have complained of unwelcome hugging and other invasions of space. Behar said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wants him to say hes sorry he invaded their space. He did, adding that he will read better situations in the future, adding It was inappropriate that I didnt understand, that I assumed. Navarro threw Biden a lifeline, noting that there are times when someone in need of encouragement and needing a hug is happy to get that from Joe Biden. As it became clear he would run in 2020, Biden also faced more criticism for his treatment of Hill during the 1991 confirmation hearings of Justice Clarence Thomas. Hill testified against Thomas before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which Biden chaired. This week, Hill told the New York Times she did not accept Bidens recent private, personal apology to her. Saying we can clean this up right now, Behar cleared the way for Biden to apologize some more on The View. I dont think I treated her badly, he responded, which will played often on cable news TV on Friday afternoon. I did everything in my power to do what I thought was within the rules, Biden insisted, adding, There were a lot of mistakes that were made across the board, and for those I apologize. Switching subjects, McCain brought up Bidens encounters with death, noting he lost his first wife and daughter in a car accident, and, more recently, his son Beau to the same form of cancer that took her father. The last time Biden was on The View, she noted, was an extremely emotional and dark time for me, and you gave me such comfort on air. You jokingly said Forgive me father, Im friends with Republicans, McCain said, calling him the grief whisperer, and adding, I love you so much. Biden returned the compliment, saying Sen. John McCain took care of his son as he was battling brain cancer. Biden got choked up as he answered McCains question whether death ever gets easier. He expressed compassion for those who have to go through such loss and theyre alone without the support he received. When asked, he said he is not running for the White House because his son Beau had encouraged him to do so, but added, I hope hes proud of me, then stopped speaking to collect himself and wipe away a tear. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Sri Lanka's horrific Easter attacks that killed 253 people were orchestrated by a firebrand cleric who sought out young men from wealthy families and radicalised them into suicide bombers, according to initial evidence gathered by investigators. Here is what we know about the men suspected of carrying out the deadliest single-day massacre of civilians in the island's history. - Who was the ringleader? - The attacks were led by Zahran Hashim, a Sri Lankan Muslim preacher who founded the radical National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) organisation in the eastern town of Kattankudy. After Hashim's violent diatribes sparked a police investigation in 2017, he fled the town, disappearing for years until he resurfaced as one of the two suicide bombers who killed dozens at Colombo's luxury Shangri-La hotel on Easter Sunday. Military sources said Hashim was not known to have visited Syria or Iraq, but had travelled to Tamil Nadu state in southern India and been in contact with Islamists there. Sri Lankan authorities had received a tip-off about the attacks from India intelligence services, which reportedly obtained the information from an Islamist in custody in Tamil Nadu. Hashim also appeared in a video released by the Islamic State group, showing him leading others in pledging allegiance to IS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. IS has claimed responsibility for the Sri Lanka attacks. - Who were the other bombers? - Hashim's accomplice was a wealthy local spice trader, Ilham Ibrahim, who carried out a simultaneous blast at the hotel, according to a military analysis of CCTV footage from the Shangri-La. Ilham's older brother Inshaf Ahmed attacked a restaurant inside the five-star Cinnamon Grand hotel. The two brothers were set to inherit Ishana Exports, a lucrative spice business founded by their father, and had reportedly willed their property worth millions of rupees to other relatives just before the massacre. The man who blew up a restaurant in the luxury Kingsbury hotel is yet to be named by police, while a fifth bomber, who bungled an attack on another Colombo hotel, has been identified by local community leaders as Abdul Latheef. Story continues Latheef, who detonated his device hours later, had studied engineering at London's Kingston University and pursued postgraduate studies in Australia. A sixth bomber who struck the evangelical Zion church in the eastern town of Batticaloa was reportedly living in nearby Kattankudy. But locals told AFP he was not known to the community. Police have not released any details about the remaining bombers who attacked two churches in Colombo and the nearby town of Negombo. - How were the bombers radicalised? - Police are trying to piece together how so many successful young men raised in relative comfort in Colombo established intimate ties with a fundamentalist cleric who was disliked by moderate Muslims in his home town. "We have no idea how they were brainwashed," a member of Sri Lanka's Spice Council told AFP, referring to the sibling hotel attackers. "They were seen as a very respectable family." Investigators say that access to the wealth owned by some of his young acolytes allowed Hashim to finance militant activities and acquire more followers. - Did the bombers' families support them? - In some cases, yes. When police raided the plush family home of the hotel attackers in Colombo hours after the blasts, the pregnant wife of one of the brothers detonated a bomb, killing herself, her two children and two policemen. Another relative also blew himself up, killing a police inspector. "The other family members knew what the brothers were up to," a senior police officer said. "It was as if they knew we were coming and they were prepared to blast themselves." The remaining family members, including the father of the two men, are in custody. Police said three other suicide bombers who blew themselves up in the east of the country during a security raid on Friday were believed to be relatives of Hashim, pending DNA tests. The three men who died on Friday had earlier posted a video on social media, saying the widows of three of the Easter attackers would soon join their husbands in heaven. Police found the charred and mutilated bodies of the three suicide bombers along with those of three women. Six children were also killed in the explosions. Three other men were shot dead during clashes with police, while one woman and a child were injured. Police say the surviving woman was Hashim's widow and the injured four-year-old girl his daughter. - What about the rest of Hashim's followers? - Just over 150 suspects have been arrested in a week of intense cordon-and-search operations across the country, but it is not clear if all of them were directly linked to Hashim's group which was outlawed on Saturday. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said about 140 people loyal to Hashim may still be walking free. The authorities are not ruling out the possibility of the existence of other as yet dormant jihadist cells in the country. Before the Easter attacks the NTJ's only major act of violence dated back to December when two of their members were arrested in the central town of Mawanella for desecrating Buddha statues. WESTMORELAND, Tenn. (AP) The Latest on five bodies found in rural homes in Tennessee (all times local): 1:13 a.m. Authorities say the man arrested in connection with five rural Tennessee slayings suffered non-life-threatening injuries after being shot while being capture by police. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation officials said in a statement early Sunday that 25-year-old Michael Cummins was transported to a local hospital Saturday night. Investigators had been searching for Cummins after discovering five bodies in two homes in Sumner County. Police said officers responding to a 911 call from a family member led to the original discovery of four bodies and an injured person at the first home. The injured victim was transported to the hospital with unspecified injuries. The fifth body was found in another home. The TBI believes the two scenes are related. ___ 10:55 p.m. Authorities say the suspect wanted in connection with five rural Tennessee slayings produced multiple weapons, prompting an officer to shoot him. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokesman Josh DeVine says 25-year-old Michael Cummins was transported to a local hospital Saturday night. Investigators had been searching for Cummins after discovering five bodies in two homes in Sumner County. DeVine says TBI's airplane helped find Cummins on the ground in a creek bed about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from one of the crime scenes. The responding officers were not hurt. DeVine says TBI will investigate the homicides and the officer-involved shooting. Four of the bodies were found in one home, while the fifth victim was found in another home. The TBI believes the two scenes are related. Authorities have not released any details about the victims. ____ 10:30 p.m. Authorities say a suspect is in custody in the investigation into five bodies found in two rural Tennessee homes. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation tweeted Saturday night that 25-year-old Michael Cummins was in custody. A number of law enforcement agencies were searching for Cummins, saying he could be armed and dangerous. Story continues Four of the bodies were found in one home, while the fifth victim was found in another home. The TBI believes the two scenes are related. Authorities have not released any details about the victims. Sumner County is northeast of Nashville and borders Kentucky. The scenes are near the town of Westmoreland. ____ 9:20 p.m. Authorities say they have found five bodies in two rural Tennessee homes and are searching for a possibly armed suspect. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation tweeted Saturday night that investigators are looking for Michael Cummins in connection with the slayings in Sumner County. Four of the bodies were found in one home, while the fifth victim was found in another home. The TBI believes the two scenes are related. Investigators say Cummins may be in the woods nearby. Authorities have not released any details about the victims. Sumner County is northeast of Nashville and borders Kentucky. The scenes are near the town of Westmoreland. DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran said on Sunday it could quit a treaty against the spread of nuclear weapons after the United States tightens sanctions, while an Iranian general said the U.S. Navy was interacting as before with an elite military unit blacklisted by Washington. Tensions between Tehran and Washington have risen since the Trump administration withdrew last year from a 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran and began ratcheting up sanctions. Earlier this month, the United States blacklisted Irans elite Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and demanded buyers of Iranian oil stop purchases by May or face sanctions. "The Islamic Republic's choices are numerous, and the country's authorities are considering them ... and leaving NPT (nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) is one of them," state broadcaster IRIB's website quoted Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying. Iran has threatened in the past to leave the NPT, as U.S. President Donald Trump moved to scrap the 2015 deal with world powers - the United States, Russia, China, Germany, Britain and France. Separately, Iran's armed forces chief of staff said the IRGC - which ensures security in Gulf waters and the Strait of Hormuz for Iran - had not observed any change in the U.S. military's behaviour towards the elite force after the blacklisting. "U.S. warships are obliged to respond to the IRGC on the passage of the Strait of Hormuz ... and until yesterday they have been answering IRGC questions, and we have not seen change in their procedures," Major General Mohammad Baqeri was quoted as saying on Sunday by the semi-official Fars news agency. Lieutenant Chloe Morgan, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command spokeswoman, said on Sunday: "The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway. Threats to close the strait impact the international community and undermine the free flow of commerce. "The U.S., along with our allies and partners, is committed to freedom of navigation and remains well positioned and postured to preserve the free flow of commerce, and we are prepared to respond to any acts of aggression," Morgan said in an emailed statement, without referring to interaction with IRGC forces. Story continues On Wednesday, Zarif called the IRGC blacklisting "absurd", but suggested Iran did not plan to respond militarily unless the United States changed the rules of engagement guiding how it interacts with Iran's forces. The U.S. military has not suggested it would alter its behaviour after the blacklisting. "We don't intend to close the Strait of Hormuz, unless hostilities reach a level where this cannot be avoided," Fars quoted Baqeri as saying. "If our oil does not pass, the oil of others shall not pass the Strait of Hormuz either." President Hassan Rouhani and some senior military commanders have threatened to disrupt oil shipments from Gulf countries if Washington tries to strangle Tehran's oil exports. Carrying one third of the world's seaborne oil every day, the Strait of Hormuz links Middle East crude producers to markets in Asia Pacific, Europe, North America and beyond. Iran has also threatened to pull out of the 2015 deal unless European powers enable it to receive economic benefits. The Europeans have said they would help companies do business with Iran as long as it abides by the deal, but Tehran has criticised what it sees as the slow pace of progress on a promised payment mechanism for Iran-Europe trade. "The Europeans have had a year but unfortunately they have not taken any practical measures," Zarif told IRIB. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Toby Chopra, Dale Hudson and Raissa Kasolowsy) TRIPOLI/BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Forces backing Libya's internationally recognized government fought house-to-house battles with troops loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar in southern parts of the capital Tripoli on Sunday and appeared to be gaining ground. Government soldiers, some in jeans and t-shirts, took cover by abandoned buildings as they fired on Haftar's positions. Some carried anti-aircraft guns they had to remove from their trucks to get through the narrow streets. Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), which is allied to a rival administration in eastern Libya, mounted an offensive on Tripoli three weeks ago but has failed to breach defenses in the city's south despite heavy fighting. The battle for the capital has all but wrecked U.N.-backed efforts for a peace deal between the rival factions and threatened to further disrupt Libya's oil industry. Two eastern operations of state oil firm NOC - which have in the past made broad statements backing Haftar - on Sunday for the first time specifically said they supported his offensive. The NOC as a whole has tried to stay out of the conflict. A Reuters team visiting the southern neighborhood of Ain Zara on Sunday estimated the Tripoli forces had gained up to 1,500 meters compared to a visit a few days earlier. Other parts of the frontline appeared unchanged and the situation remains fluid. Both sides have gained and lost territory within days or even hours during the fighting. "We are progressing. We are now in the phase of expelling the enemy from the capital," Salah Badi, a commander from the western city of Misrata fighting the LNA, told Reuters. COMPLICATIONS The role of commanders such as Badi have complicated the situation, diplomats say. The U.N. Security Council and the U.S. Treasury last year issued asset freezes and travel bans against Badi for his involvement in a September 2017 attack on forces allied to Tripoli's government that triggered weeks of fighting. The former enemies have now united to fight the LNA but forces loyal to Haftar have said the Tripoli administration is controlled by "terrorist militias" they are fighting to expel. Tripoli's supporters have accused Haftar, a former general under Muammar Gaddafi, of making a power grab with foreign backing. The North African country has been in a state of chaos since Gaddafi was toppled in 2011 with Western intervention. The latest flare-up threatens to leave a power vacuum that Islamist militants could exploit. Two NOC units based in areas under Haftar's control issued statements supporting the offensive on Sunday, a day after their Tripoli headquarters had condemned all military use of its facilities. Benghazi-based AGOCO congratulated Haftar's forces "on the success and progress in its striving against extremist terrorist militias and militias which steal public funds". A separate NOC unit in the east, Sirte Oil Co, also issued a statement backing the Tripoli advance. Haftar's forces said on Saturday they had sent a warship to the eastern Ras Lanuf oil port for "training purposes". A port engineer said the ship's arrival had not affected oil exports. (Reporting by Tripoli and Benghazi reporters; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Sonya Hepinstall) LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM OCTOBER 11: Hannah Walters and Stephen Graham attend the Premiere of Blood during the 56th BFI London Film Festival at Odeon West End on October 11, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Fred Duval/FilmMagic) Line Of Dutys Stephen Graham has revealed his dyslexia is so bad his wife chooses his roles. Graham has opened up about his struggle with the condition, which jumbles up letters in words making reading difficult, and he has now explained how his actress wife Hannah Walters reads scripts for him, telling him which ones he should go for. The 45-year-old actor made the revelation while discussing his rehearsal routines during BAFTA Sessions on performance with fellow nominees for the British Academy Television Awards. Read more: Stephen Graham almost mistaken for criminal during Line Of Duty filming The Liverpool born actor referenced his experiences with Shane Meadows, writer and director of the This Is England series. Shane Meadows poses with (FromL) English actors Thomas Turgoose, Jo Hartley and Stephen Graham during the photocall of This is England at the first edition of Rome Film Festival, 18 october 2006. (Photo credit TIZIANA FABI/AFP/Getty Images) He said: With Shane you spend a lot of time getting into the character and you spend the majority of time doing that and then when youre in the room its whatever happens. With the script its knowing it, knowing it, knowing it and then throwing it away. He added: Im dyslexic so I struggle. My missus actually reads the script and says whether or not Im doing it. Shes made some good choices. I have to read it and read it and read it, then make it look like its the first time Im saying it. Read more: Stephen Graham and Rochenda Sandall appear in new Line of Duty preview The actors star has continued to rise, landing huge roles stateside alongside Hollywood heavyweights such as Robert De Niro and Leonardo Di Caprio, but he recently revealed he considered giving up acting after playing racist thug Andrew Combo Gascoigne in This Is England. Graham told The Sun: It was life-changing. I lost myself quite a bit within that character. After This Is England I could not get a job. For about eight months I couldnt get an audition. I almost packed it all in. I was going to be a youth worker. Thank god he decided to carry on. Male model dies after collapsing on catwalk at Sao Paulo Fashion Week [Image: Getty] A male model has died after collapsing on the catwalk at Sao Paulo Fashion Week. Tales Soares, 26, was walking for brand Ocksa in the Brazilian city on Saturday when he fell ill. Onlookers watched him turn to walk back up the runway but watched on horrified as he stumbled and fell to the ground on his face. He was initially tended to by members of the front row, before medical staff quickly arrived to help. READ MORE: Model appears on the catwalk while breastfeeding Hundreds of people were then pictured watching as Soares was taken away on a stretcher. Brazilian newspaper Folha Press reported that the model had tripped on his shoelace as he fell. It has also been claimed he began foaming around the mouth following his tumble. Later on, it was announced that the model had sadly passed away. READ MORE: Body-positive model Elly Mayday dies at 30 from ovarian cancer Story continues A statement from the organisers of Sao Paulo Fashion Week read: SPFW has just received the news of the death of model Tales Soares, who suddenly took ill during the Ocksa show. On Instagram where he had 15.7k followers Soares described himself as a Brazilian model, veggie, graduated in physical education, currently in Sao Paulo. He also listed himself as being signed to Base Mgt and All Models Management. The cause of his death has not been revealed. READ MORE: Plus-size male model appears on catwalk The citys Fashion Week shared a post on their own Instagram page as a tribute. On a black background, they wrote: May God welcome you with open arms! Life is definitely a catwalk, were just passing through! Very sad! Watch the latest videos from Yahoo HUGO, Okla. (AP) A man arrested on a robbery warrant after police opened fire on the truck he was in, injuring three young children, was in custody in an Oklahoma jail Sunday. Choctaw County Jail records indicate that William Devaughn Smith was being held on an aggravated robbery complaint. He had been in custody in Lamar County, Texas, after being released from a hospital there. The records don't indicate whether Smith has an attorney who could speak on his behalf. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said four children and their mother were with Smith when two officers approached him and gunfire broke out on Friday in Hugo, Oklahoma, near the Texas state line. Smith's relationship to the woman and children is not clear. Smith was treated for injuries at a hospital in Paris, Texas. The bureau said that three children, ages 5, 4 and 1, received injuries that are not life-threatening. Authorities said the children were taken to an Oklahoma hospital, but haven't released their conditions or names. Olivia Hill told Sherman, Texas, news station KXII-TV that she is the mother of the children. She said the 4-year-old was shot in the head, the 5-year-old suffered a skull fracture and the 1-year-old suffered gunshot wounds on her face. She said the fourth child, a 2-year-old, "wasn't touched with any bullets." Investigators have not determined what led to the shooting. A spokeswoman for the State Bureau of Investigation has said that authorities were still trying to learn the details of the interaction between Smith and police. It's also not clear whether the officers who opened fire could see the children inside the truck. Smith is suspected in an April 11 armed robbery at a Pizza Hut in Hugo. A post on the Hugo, Oklahoma, police Facebook page said a man entered the back entrance of the restaurant, pressed an object to an employee's back and demanded money. Police said the worker handed over money and the robber left. CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) A Florida man found guilty of first-degree murder for dropping his 5-year-old daughter off a bridge four years ago is asking for a new trial. John Jonchuck was sentenced to life in prison earlier this month, despite arguments from his attorneys that he was legally insane. No one disputed the 29-year-old Jonchuck dropped his daughter Phoebe 62 feet (18 meters) into Tampa Bay in January 2015, and that he had a long history of mental problems. Prosecutors argued that Jonchuck was driven by vengeance and planned to kill his daughter to keep her away from her mother and grandmother. The Tampa Bay Times reports the motion that was filed Friday argues several decisions made by the trial judge were improper or unfair to Jonchuck. April 28 (Reuters) - A suspect in the murders of five people in rural Tennessee was shot and captured by police on Saturday, ending an hours-long manhunt triggered by the discovery of the bodies in two separate homes. Michael Cummins, 25, was in custody after suffering non-life-threatening injuries, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. The search began on Saturday evening after an emergency call led police to four bodies in a home in Sumner County, about 25 miles northeast of Nashville along the Kentucky border. Another body was found in a nearby home, and authorities acquired information that suggested Cummins as the prime suspect in both cases, the bureau said. Using aircraft, authorities spotted someone in a creek bed around a mile from the first scene. One officer fired at Cummins, wounding him. No officers were injured. It was not immediately clear what relationship, if any, Cummins had to the victims. (Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) The New York Mets designated struggling catcher Travis d'Arnaud for assignment on Sunday. Coming back from Tommy John surgery, the 30-year-old veteran was batting .087 in 10 games with just two singles and two RBIs in 25 plate appearances. "It's almost like everything he's doing is not working," Mets manager Mickey Callaway told reporters after d'Arnaud was booed by New York fans in Saturday's 8-6 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. On Saturday, d'Arnaud got thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double and allowed a passed ball. "They want me to play better," d'Arnaud said of the negative reaction at Citi Field. "I understand. I have to keep working." Since making his debut with the Mets in 2013, d'Arnaud has batted .242 with 47 homers and 164 RBIs in 407 career games. A first-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007, d'Arnaud was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2009 and then dealt to the Mets in 2012 in the same trade that landed All-Star pitcher Noah Syndergaard. He was playing this season on a one-year, $3.5 million contract. New York called up Tomas Nido from Triple-A Syracuse to replace d'Arnaud on the roster. --Field Level Media Mexico City (AFP) - Mexico has imposed a three-year ban on scandal-tainted Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht from participating in federal contracts. Odebrecht is prohibited from doing business with any Mexican public institutions and state-run companies under the ban announced on Friday by the public administration ministry. The company is at the center of a gigantic corruption scandal across Latin America, having admitted to paying nearly $800 million in bribes to politicians across 12 countries. Top officials in Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Panama and the Dominican Republic have been jailed or put on trial by prosecutors investigating a multi-million dollar cash for contracts scandal. Mexico has to date remained largely unscathed by the scandal. However, former director of state-owned oil company Pemex, Emilio Lozoya, has been question by prosecutors after being accused of receiving more than $10 million from the company when he was a campaign manager for former president Enrique Pena Nieto. The ministry said in its statement that Odebrecht's Mexican subsidiary had falsified contract information. Last year, Mexico prohibited state governments from contracting Odebrecht for projects for a period of two and a half years, and fined the company over 50 million dollars for alleged corruption. In October, Odebrecht offered to pay 18 million dollars in exchange for being able to tender once again for government contracts, but the proposal was rejected. The mother of Heather Heyer who was killed during violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 said Friday that Joe Biden called her just hours after he highlighted her daughter's death in his presidential campaign announcement. Susan Bro said during an interview on CNN she'd never talked to Biden or anyone from his campaign until she got a call from the former vice president Thursday afternoon, more than 10 hours from when he launched a campaign video that mentioned her daughter's death. "I remember we talked a lot about bereavement because he's lost a son and a wife and daughter, and we talked about how building a foundation helps you survive," she said of the call. "I think he said something about 'I would have reached out sooner but I wasn't sure how you would feel." The former Delaware Senator lost his first wife and daughter in a car crash before his first Senate term. His son, Beau Biden, also died in 2015 due to brain cancer. Biden in his launch ad said he was running for president following statements President Donald Trump made after the clashes in Charlottesville that included neo-Nazis and white supremacists. The president, however, after the incident claimed there were fine people on "both sides," a phrase that was widely condemned. More: Joe Biden says he has no plans to limit himself to one-term in the White House More: Joe Biden on Anita Hill: 'I don't think I treated her badly' Trump on Friday stood by his 2017 comment and went on to say he said his words "perfectly." Bro said she and Biden acknowledged that the former vice president didn't mention Heyer's name because he didn't contact Bro. However, Bro said she wasn't particularly bothered that he didn't mention Heyer's name because "it is not about her, the issues is about the hate." When asked why she believes Biden reached out to her, Bro said she thinks it was to probably "make sure I was OK" because of "rumors swirling that I was devastated and traumatized." Story continues "But none of those things are true," she said. However, Heyer said she did tell Biden that his ad may have triggered other survivors who were on the ground of the violent protests. "I think it was traumatizing for some other people in Charlottesville, to just suddenly have that thrown up at them on the screen, that probably had triggered some other people," Bro said. Bro said she believes that Charlottesville should be in the political dialogue because hate crimes are "a very serious problem in our country" and that "the vast majority of hate crimes are not reported." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mother of Charlottesville victim Heather Heyer discussed bereavement with Joe Biden MADRID, April 28 (Reuters) - Neither the rightist or the leftist political bloc in Spain won a clear majority in Sunday's national election, according to an early tally of results from the interior ministry with 20 percent of votes counted. By party, the Socialists of Spain's outgoing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez led with 30 percent, with far-left Unidas Podemos seen winning 14 percent. The right-wing mainstream conservative PP party was pegged at 17 percent, with center-right Ciudadanos at 13 percent and far-right Vox at 9 percent. The partial results, which in past Spanish elections have not always accurately reflected the final outcome, suggested neither bloc would be able to form a government on its own, and would need to ally with smaller regional parties to prevent a deadlocked parliament. (Reporting by Madrid bureau; writing by John Stonestreet, editing by Ingrid Melander) There will be no enduring peace in Afghanistan unless the Taliban adapt to the changes that have swept the country since they were ousted in 2001, a US diplomat said Sunday. Special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is leading US efforts to forge a peace deal with the Taliban, made the comments in a visit to Kabul as he continues a months-long push for a settlement. Speaking to Tolo News, Khalilzad said the Taliban recognise their government "made a lot mistakes" when it was in power from 1996-2001, and "they have learned a lot". "If the Taliban insist on going back to the system they used to have, in my personal opinion it means the continuation of war not peace," said Afghan-born Khalilzad, speaking in Dari. Khalilzad has signalled progress in talks, which centre on the Taliban guaranteeing Afghanistan can never again be used as a springboard for foreign terror attacks, in return for an eventual withdrawal of foreign forces. When the hard-line Islamists were in power, they barred girls from school, executed women on flimsy allegations of adultery and banned a free press, music and many other basic freedoms. Khalilzad is expected to meet with the Taliban in Doha in the coming days, but critics have lashed peace talks for so far failing to include members of the Afghan government, which the Taliban view as a puppet regime. The special envoy said it was vital all parties communicate in an "intra-Afghan dialogue". Such a meeting was supposed to take place in Doha this month but it collapsed amid squabbling about the size of the guest list. "We have started discussion for the withdrawal of the (US) forces, but for the past few weeks my struggles were focused on providing a ground for intra-Afghan talks," Khalilzad said. "That is the first step for further discussion, but there has been no proper progress yet." He added that Washington is "a bit impatient" to end the war, given its $45 billion annual cost to the US taxpayer and the continued toll it takes on US forces. Washington wants "to put an end to their expenses in Afghanistan and the dangers the forces face but also Washington has a responsibility and wants to end this war responsibly and leave a good legacy," Khalilzad said. Beitunia (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - In a time of intense Palestinian anger toward US President Donald Trump, at least one Palestinian-American remains optimistic that the US leader can offer hope. Farouk Shami, a beauty industry mogul who said he has known Trump for nearly two decades, says the US president uses his products to sculpt his iconic hair. He says the "great man" genuinely wants to achieve an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, despite a series of measures which have caused Palestinian fury. "I believe that he is committed to peace in the Middle East, and especially in Palestine. There is a commitment," Shami, who lives near Houston, Texas, told AFP during a visit back to the occupied West Bank, where he was born. "I am still hopeful that one day we will have peace, even while Trump is in position." The multi-millionaire 76-year-old moved to the United States in 1965 and eventually set up Farouk Systems, which offers a range of high-end hair products. He says he became friends with the future US president when sponsoring the then-Trump-owned Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants. He eventually featured on Trump's Celebrity Apprentice reality show. "We are still friends, although I don't agree with his political views concerning Palestine and concerning Jerusalem," Farouk, wearing a suit and cowboy boots with a dragon on them, said at his newly opened institute for hairdressers in the Palestinian town of Beitunia. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. - 'Peace in Palestine' - Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas cut ties with the Trump administration in December 2017, when the US leader broke with decades of international consensus and recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Palestinians want the eastern part of the disputed city as the capital of a future Palestinian state. Trump is expected to release his long-awaited plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace in the coming weeks. Story continues Palestinian leaders have already dismissed it, saying they have no doubt it will be blatantly biased in favour of Israel. Shami ran as a Democrat for governor of Texas in 2010 but says he has maintained a good relationship with Trump. He says he had dinner with him and a group of American politicians a few months ago in Houston. Farouk said Trump asked him how he was, to which he replied "business is good, but we need peace in Palestine". "He said 'me too, I want peace in Palestine'." Trump then asked after the health of 84-year-old Abbas. "I said Abbas is wonderful and he wants peace and we all want peace. I said we love America and we want to be free like America. Then he switched the subject, asking me about Miss Universe." Shami, who has both Palestinian Authority and American passports, says he has met Abbas and other Palestinian politicians in recent years. But he said he doesn't want to become a political mediator between Palestinian and American leaders. - 'Beautiful hair' - Shami, who was visiting the West Bank to launch two new projects to train Palestinians in hairdressing and cosmetology, says both Trump and his wife Melania use his company's products. The US leader's comb over hairstyle is globally famed and sometimes mocked, but Shami thinks it suits him. "I think he has a beautiful hairstyle. He combs it and sprays it and it looks good on him," he said. "Of course because his colour is light ... sometimes it looks orange" because of the reflection of the light, he said. "But his hair looks good, believe me." Born in the village of Beit Ur near Ramallah, he visits the West Bank twice a year. He says he has spent tens of millions of dollars on projects in the Palestinian territories, including in the education and business sectors. "My body is in America, my heart always in Palestine. I cannot get freedom to Palestine at this point but I think we need to build our economy." In Beitunia, close to the city of Ramallah where Abbas is based, Shami last week opened an institute to train Palestinian hairdressers. He is also funding a new beauty academy in Abu Dis, on the outskirts of Jerusalem. "We are not here to sell them products," he said. "We are here to give them more education and more training so they can improve their income." Kinshasa (AFP) - Martin Fayulu, who claims he was robbed of victory in the Democratic Republic of Congo's presidential election, on Sunday called for people power to drive President Felix Tshisekedi from power, an AFP journalist reported. Citing popular uprisings in Algeria and Sudan, he told a meeting of several thousand supporters in Kinshasa the Congolese could achieve the same thing. "This time, we have returned to call for and to obtain the resignation of Felix Tshisekedi," he said. "He's a disgrace, he sold out the country.... "You, the people are stronger than any army in the world. In Sudan and in Algeria, the people got the departure of the leaders. Here we have to do the same thing against Kabila and Tshisekedi. Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned in early April after weeks of mass protests, and several regime officials and businessmen close to him have been sacked or detained over alleged graft. People's protests in Sudan led to a military council ousting veteran leader Omar al-Bashir on April, and on Sunday the protesters agreed a joint civilian-military council to pave the way towards civilian rule. In the DR Congo, Fayulu has repeatedly branded last December's presidential election result a stitch-up between Tshisekedi and the outgoing president Joseph Kabila. He was officially credited with 34.8 percent of the vote against 38.5 percent for Tshisekedi, but insists he picked up around 60 percent of the vote. Tshisekedi replaced Kabila who yielded power after 18 turbulent years at the helm of sub-Saharan Africa's biggest country. But Kabila's Common Front for Congo (FCC) coalition won comfortable majorities in both houses of parliament as well as provincial assemblies and his supporters also dominated elections for the governorships across the country. Sydney (AFP) - Australian police were on Sunday trying to recover the body of a paraglider who crashed into a cliff face south of Sydney and fell to his death. Police said that on Saturday afternoon they were called out to "a popular paragliding location, following reports a glider had crashed into the side of the cliff." The man, who has not yet been formally identified, hit the cliff and dropped almost 200 metres (650 feet) down the sheer face. Police said the recovery effort on Saturday was hampered by the difficult terrain and "due to poor light," and renewed efforts to recover the man's body were underway early Sunday. The incident took place near Bald Hill, which offers sweeping views of verdant cliffs and the South Pacific a short drive from Sydney. Local media reported the man, believed to be in his 50s, may have been blown back into the cliff after takeoff. LIMA (Reuters) - Former Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski is to spend three years under house arrest while corruption charges are prepared against him for allegedly taking bribes from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht, the government said on Saturday. Earlier this month Kuczynski had been ordered to up to three years in pre-trial jail. The judgment was softened due to health problems faced by the 80-year-old former leader, according to a tweet sent by the Public Ministry. Kuczynski's lawyers had been arguing for house arrest on grounds of poor health. Kuczynski, once a Wall Street banker, denies wrongdoing. The house arrest ruling came days after another former Peruvian president, Alan Garcia, committed suicide to avoid arrest in connection with the sprawling Odebrecht scandal. Under Peruvian law, criminal suspects can be held in jail before trial for up to three years if prosecutors show evidence that they would likely be convicted and would probably try to flee or obstruct the investigation unless detained. Perus four most recent presidents and the leader of the opposition have been ordered into pre-trial detention in connection with Odebrecht since the company admitted in late 2016 that it paid some $30 million in bribes to Peruvian politicians in exchange for public works contracts. (Reporting by Marco Aquino, writing by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by Toby Chopra) Jill Greninger was killed in a meat grinder during a tragic accident at work A woman has died after falling into an industrial meat grinder while at work. Jill Greninger, 35, was using the huge meat grinder on Monday when she fell inside and was killed. No witnesses saw Ms Greninger get crushed to death by the machine at the Economy Locker Storage Company in Pennsylvania, but a coworker heard a noise and discovered her body inside. Ms Greningers colleagues immediately phoned emergency services, but she was already dead by the time they arrived. Firefighters worked for 45 minutes to take apart the meat grinder and retrieve Ms Greningers body. Officials said she may have been reaching for something inside the grinder. A 35-year-old woman was killed when she fell into a meat grinder at a processing plant in northern Pennsylvania AP She was standing on stepladders before she fell into the machine, which stood at around 1.8 metres off the ground. Lycoming County Coroner Charles E Kiessling Jr said her death was a horrible accident. While friend Erin Schreffler has paid tribute to an amazing friend, who touched so many lives. An investigation has been launched by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. PITTSBURGH (AP) The Pittsburgh synagogue that six months ago was the site of the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history held a vigil and offered its sympathy after another deadly shooting Saturday at a synagogue near San Diego, saying such violence "must end." "It was only six months ago to the day that we became members of that tragic club of community-based shootings to which no one wants to belong," read the statement from Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue. "We know first-hand the fear, anguish and healing process such an atrocity causes, and our hearts are with the afflicted San Diego families and their congregation. We will not give in to H(asterisk)," the statement read. "These senseless acts of violence and prejudice must end," it continued. "Enough is enough!" Dozens of Pittsburgh residents gathered Saturday evening for a vigil of song and prayer on a corner outside the synagogue, joined by Mayor Bill Peduto and Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, who himself survived the October attack on Tree of Life. Peduto tweeted a picture of the vigil, accompanied by text that read: "We gather. Again. Always. Until we drive hate speech & acts of hate out of our city, our state, our nation, our world." Meanwhile, Pittsburgh's Public Safety Department said it was monitoring the situation and would increase security as necessary. It urged members of the public to remain vigilant and alert emergency officials if they saw anything suspicious. "We understand this heartache all too well," Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said in a news release. "Our thoughts are with those in the San Diego area, and our actions locally are and will continue to be focused on keeping everyone safe." Authorities say John Earnest, 19, opened fire inside the Chabad of Poway synagogue Saturday as worshippers celebrated the last day of Passover, killing a woman and wounding the rabbi and two other people. A person identifying himself as John Earnest posted an anti-Jewish screed online about an hour before the attack and cited the suspects accused of carrying out deadly attacks on mosques in New Zealand last month and at Tree of Life. Eleven people died and seven were wounded in the shooting at Tree of Life on Oct. 27. Truck driver Robert Bowers, 46, of Baldwin, Pennsylvania, pleaded not guilty to carrying out the attack, during which authorities say he expressed hatred of Jews. April 28 (Reuters) - Police investigating Saturday's fatal shooting rampage at a San Diego-area synagogue said on Sunday they believe the gunman acted alone and was not part of any organized group. The suspect, 19-year-old John Earnest, has been booked into custody on one count of murder in the first degree and three counts of attempted murder in the first degree, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said in a statement. (Writing by Daniel Wallis; Editing by Peter Cooney) The alleged murder of 5-year-old Andrew "AJ" Freund and arrests of his mother and father in the case are raising questions about Illinois' child welfare system and what could have been done to remove the young boy from his parents' custody sooner. Andrew "Drew" Freund Sr. and Joann Cunningham were charged with first-degree murder after police found AJ buried in a shallow grave in a rural part of Illinois. Court documents revealed AJ's parents would force him to stand in a cold shower and beat him. His cause of death was brain damage as a result of "multiple blunt force injuries," said the McHenry County Coroner's Office. The Associated Press reports the head of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services will face questions at a state house panel about how the agency handled Freund's case. "This agency, there is no direction, no mission, and it certainly has not been protecting children, state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, a Chicago Democrat who chairs the House Adoption and Child Welfare Committee, tells the AP. Feigenholtz told AP the agency has had 13 directors since 2003, many who have served on an interim basis. Police visited AJ's home 17 times Chicago station WLS-TV reports police responded to the Freund family home 17 times for allegations of abuse and drug use. The DCFS' interactions with Freund's family date back to October 2013, when AJ was born with opiates in his system. A month later, AJ is taken into protective custody following an investigation, according to the Chicago Tribune. The Tribune reports in June 2015, AJ is returned home. A year later, the case is closed. In 2018, the boy's family was investigated two more times for allegations of neglect and abuse. On April 18, Freund was reported missing. 'He didn't have a chance from the beginning' Last December, during one visit to the family home, police reports indicated dog feces and urine were scattered throughout, reports local paper the Daily Herald. Story continues "Upstairs in the room where the boys slept, the window was open, and the smell of feces was overwhelming," said one report, according to the Herald. WLS-TV reports Cunningham's family had gained custody of her older son from another father six years ago and had recently tried to convince her to move out with AJ and a younger brother. Illinois Department of Children and Family Services spokesman Jassen Strokosch told CNN the younger brother had been in the home until this week but was living with another family. WLS reports neighbors had become worried about the kids' well-being. "I feel like he didn't have a chance from the beginning," neighbor Teresa Hay told the station. Investigation into what went wrong "The department is committed to conducting a comprehensive review of the entirety of our work with Andrews family to understand our shortcomings and to be fully transparent with the public on any steps we are taking to address the issues," said acting DCFS Director Marc Smith said in a statement. Feigenholtz told the AP there were enough troubling signals suggesting the boys were in danger. "I got the sense from what I read that the cops were essentially begging (DCFS) to take the child," she said to AP. New information on the case is expected to be revealed Friday, reports CBS Chicago. AJ's mom is pregnant. What happens next? Strokosch told the Chicago Tribune DCFS has a plan in place when Cunningham, who is seven months pregnant, delivers. The baby would receive the same medical care whether or not Cunningham is incarcerated, said the report. Once the baby is safe to leave the hospital, the agency would take protective custody unless there are plans to place the child with a family member, Strokosch tells the Tribune. Ryan W. Miller contributed to this report. Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Police visited AJ Freunds house 17 times before his brutal death. Why was the boy in his parents care? David McNew/GETTY Lori Kaye was at the Congregation Chabad synagogue in Poway to say a Kaddish prayer of mourningas she often did on Saturday morningsfor her mother, who died in November. Her only daughter happened to be in the audience visiting from UCLA. But when the 60-year-old mother heard gunshots from the alleged shooters AR-15 style assault rifle and saw that Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein had been shot in the hand, she instinctively jumped in the line of fire to protect him, Roneet Lev, her close friend of 25 years, told CNN. The rabbi kept preaching, calling for unity, even after two of his fingers had been severed during the shooting, Lev recounted. But Kaye paid the ultimate price for her selflessness: She died hours later of fatal gunshot wounds from the self-described anti-Semitic gunman. She personified the ultimate of kindness and generosity, Goldstein told CNNs Reliable Sources in a hospital phone interview as recovers from his injuries. Shes one of those people who are always there to be able to help others in their time of need. He added that Kayes only daughter was visiting from UCLA, and that she was there to witness as her mother is laying on the floor dying. Kayes husband, a local physician, rushed to the synagogue to administer first aid to those who had been shot the moment he heard there was an active shooter, Lev said. But when he realized that his wife was a victim, he fainted on the spot. She didnt die a senseless death, Lev told CNN. She died advertising the problem we have with anti-Semitism and to bring good to this world... If God put an angel on this planet, it would have been Lori. Its unfathomable why this beautiful, beautiful, wonderful human being would be shot down, Goldstein said, later describing the Saturday massacre as unfathomable, indescribable terror. Among the three others seriously wounded by 19-year-old John T. Earnest, the suspected gunman, was 9-year-old Noya Dahan, who was hit by shrapnel in her leg and face. Her parents told Reuters that they had narrowly escaped death in Israel when they were injured by rocket fire. They moved to the relative safety of the San Diego suburb eight years ago. Story continues Israel Dahan, the injured girls father, brought three of their five children at the synagogue to pray on Saturday. He said that antisemitism was on the rise in their community; their home had been painted with swastikas a few years ago. Now, his daughter was nearly killed by a gunman inside what should have been the safety of the synagogue. Its a little bit scary, he told CNN. Were all over the place. We were under the impression that everything is good here, he said. Today we noticed this is not even close to be regular life. As he waited in the hospital for his daughter to be treated, one of his other children asked him, Why we are staying here? He didnt know how to answer. Dahans brother-in-law Almog Peretz, 34, was also grazed by shrapnel while trying to protect a group of children. Peretz, who formerly lived in Sderot near the Gaza border, is credited with grabbing a group of kids, opening the synagogues door, and yelling at them to hide. There were many small kids next to me. I took a little girl who was our neighbor and three nieces of mine and ran, he said, according to the Forward. I opened the back door and we ran with all the children to a building in the back. I hid them in that building. Two of the children were reportedly so traumatized that they were still hiding 45 minutes after the shooter was subdued. It doesnt matter where we go, we have to look out for ourselves, Peretz told an Israeli radio station. In Sderot, where I used to live, didnt they also fire rockets at us? I didnt believe this would happen in a place like this. Peretz added that the shooters rifle jammed, preventing what would have been far more bloodshed. Police on Saturday said they were also looking into that possibility, as well as the quick thinking of an armed off-duty border patrol agent who was working as a security guard and fired at Earnest as he fled. He struck the gunmans car multiple times and may have stopped the carnage. Rabbi Goldstein, who has since recovered from hand surgery, told CNN his injuries will always remind him of what he witnessed Saturday. I was centimeters away from being shot point blank, he said. And I got away with losing my index finger, and that will be a scar forever. But that scar is going to remind me how vulnerable we are, but how heroic each one of us can be to stand up and fight against terror. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) Parking at a spot near the edge of an Arizona canyon where the Colorado River makes a sharp U-turn now comes at a cost. You can blame that mostly on social media. Countless posts have celebrated the wonder of Horseshoe Bend, where the bluish-green river takes a 270-degree turn just outside the town of Page, near the Utah border. Photographs on Facebook, Instagram and elsewhere show tourists dangling their feet over a more than 500-foot (152-meter) drop, staring contemplatively or throwing their hands in the air. Chances are, the tourists are surrounded by hundreds of people from around the world who marveled at the site online and wanted to see it in person. The traffic and safety concerns that come with the site's popularity are what led officials to start charging a parking fee this month. "Most people in Page will say that as short as five to six years ago, it was a relatively local spot, and then it just started growing exponentially," said Mary Plumb, a spokeswoman for Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which encompasses the canyon. "Most people believe it's caused by Instagram." Page recently completed the first phase of a parking lot that has 160 spaces. The cost starts at $5 per motorcycle and $10 per vehicle, and goes up for commercial vans and tour buses, depending on how many passengers they carry. A second phase that will be completed next month will add 140 spots. An overflow lot with 300 spaces has shuttle service to the site. From the parking lot, tourists hike less than a mile to the canyon's rim and can see the river bend either from a platform with safety railings or with nothing but open space in front of them. The viewing platform opened last year, and the recreation area is rerouting part of the trail that has a sandy, steep ascent to make it accessible to the disabled, and has plans for shade structures. Parking was a free-for-all in a dirt area before Page decided to develop the lot, city manager Mike Celaya said. Law enforcement officers routinely patrol the area to direct traffic and keep tourists from parking along the highway. Two years ago, a tour bus that didn't see a tourist in the parking lot hit and killed the person, Celaya said. Story continues "We felt that a more orchestrated, more coordinated parking structure would obviously be a remedy to some of the issues and challenges the city was facing," Celaya said. The congestion isn't unique to Horseshoe Bend. Other places around the West, including Hanging Lake in western Colorado, Conundrum Hot Springs near Aspen, Colorado, Fossil Creek in northern Arizona, and Phantom Ranch in the Grand Canyon, have started charging, or requiring permits or reservations to visit. Page plans to use the revenue to pay for the development, which eventually will include restrooms and a visitors center, maintain the improvements and provide emergency services, Celaya said. He said the city has spent $5 million so far. Officials estimate up to 2 million people visit Horseshoe Bend annually. James Hamilton, of London, recently spent five days in Page visiting Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. He said he was drawn by online research that declared Horseshoe Bend one of the region's must-see places, and said it was "better than in the pictures." He and a friend arrived by bicycle just before the implementation of the parking fee, which doesn't affect bicyclists. "I understand why there's need for some facilities at that area, maybe for the disabled access, or toilets or parking," he said. "But it would be better if it was free or if it was included in some wider pass where you could access lots of different areas." The man suspected of shooting worshippers at a San Diego synagogue appears to have posted a rambling online document which referenced cultural Marxism, a phrase commonly used in both far-right circles and in mainstream political discussions. Authorities have identified the suspect who opened fire in the Poway building as John Earnest. The gunman killed a woman and injured three others, including a rabbi who was shot in the hand. A person using the same name as the suspect posted an antisemitic screed online shortly before the attack. The document is filled with far-right tropes and white supremacist ideology. The suspect also appears obsessed with his descent and bloodline and with race war conspiracy theories. He discusses antisemitic tropes, including the false suggestion that Jewish people control the media and financial system. In an incoherent list of why he hates Jewish people, the suspect also blames them for their role in cultural Marxism. In the aftermath of the shooting journalists took to Twitter to highlight the use of the phrase. Todays killer said one of the reasons he hated Jews was for their role in cultural Marxism, Jason Wilson, a writer and journalist, wrote. Every shameless hack who has used that term in earnest should retire in shame. Batya Ungar-Sargon, an editor at The Forward, also noted the suspects use of the phrase. Online, cultural Marxism has been widely used among far-right groups operating on 4chan, 8chan, YouTube and other sites. In these corners of the web it is overwhelmingly used to suggest that cultural Marxists - a term applied variously applied to certain politicians, members of the media, academics and companies - are responsible for undermining traditional society. It was also used by far-right terrorist Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in Norway in 2011. Cultural Marxism is a phrase which originated after the 1917 Russian revolution. Marxist thinkers such as Antonio Gramsci theorised that the reason the revolution was not being repeated in other nations was because the cultural conditions needed for such a movement were absent. Story continues The philosophers thought that shaping culture would play a key part to any socialist revolution, a theory which was developed by academics at the Frankfurt school in the 1940s. Today conspiracy theorists use these origins ,and the fact that many Frankfurt school thinkers were Jewish, as a basis for claims that traditional society is being undermined. Despite the fringe origins of cultural Marxism, the phrase has recently been used in mainstream discourse in broader discussions about freedom of speech. Suella Braverman, a Conservative MP, was criticised after she used the phrase while speaking to anti-EU think tank the Bruges Group in March 2019. As Conservatives we are engaged in a battle against cultural Marxism, where banning things is becoming de rigueur, where freedom of speech is becoming a taboo, where our universities quintessential institutions of liberalism are being shrouded in censorship and a culture of no-platforming, she said. The language has also been used by Jordan Peterson, a psychologist with an increasing public platform. Make no mistake. The transformation of cultural Marxism into a catch-all meme, one that is so imprecise and ill-defined, has meant that it can be weaponised by the most sinister and nefarious of individuals online, without consequence or reprimand from social media platforms, journalist Hussein Kesvani wrote in The Independent last month. Its lack of definition coupled with a poor understanding of its place in the online spaces that informs so much of our modern political conversations today means that its existence in a context of rampant online antisemitism, anti-Muslim sentiment and fervent nationalist populism is treated as secondary, if not inconsequential. The suspect in Saturdays attack also appears to have filled his document with false allegations and what is known as shitposting where online jokes and memes are used to derail outsiders understanding of a document. His victims were worshipping on the last day of Passover, exactly six months since 11 people were gunned down at Pittsburghs Tree of Life synagogue - the deadliest attack on Jews in US history. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday blasted the U.S. sentencing of self-styled Russian political gadfly and gun-rights activist Maria Butina as an "outrage" and a "travesty of justice." Butina, 30, was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Friday for her role in a Russian effort to infiltrate U.S. political organizations. The sharp response from Putin over her case could have negative implications for an American corporate security executive who was arrested in Moscow in early January on espionage charges. The U.S. sentence means Butina will serve another nine months in custody before she is deported to Russia. She already has spent nine months in jail while her case was pending. Butina, 30, was accused of engaging in a years-long campaign to court politically connected Americans and infiltrate political organizations, like the National Rifle Association, on behalf of the Kremlin. She was indicted and arrested in July and pleaded guilty in December to acting as a foreign agent for Russia without registering in the United States. What she said: 'I am deeply embarrassed.' Russian agent Maria Butina sentenced to 18 months in federal prison Who Russia arrested: American Paul Whelan was in Russia for wedding, not to spy, family says This Friday, Aug. 17, 2018 photo provided by the Alexandria, Va., Detention Center shows Maria Butina who pleaded guilty in December to acting as a foreign agent for Russia without registering in the United States. "This case is not simply about failing to notify the attorney general," U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan said. "It is because she didn't register that her conduct was so dangerous." Putin, speaking to reporters in Beijing, was blunt with his assessment of the conviction and sentencing: Its an outrage. Its not clear what she was convicted of or what crime she committed," he said, according to the Russian Interfax news agency. He said it was a prime example of "saving face." "They got, grabbed and threw the girl behind the bars, but there's nothing to charge her with," he said. "Yes, nothing to charge her with. But they sentenced her to 18 months so it would not look completely nonsensical, to show that she is guilty of something." Story continues In a court filing last week, prosecutors said for the first time that her efforts had the hallmarks of a Russian espionage operation, suggesting that she was acting as a "spotter" to help Russian spies identify Americans they could cultivate. In the sentencing, Chutkan acknowledged that Butina, who attended graduate school in Washington, was a "legitimate" and "hardworking" student. But the judge also said that while studying at American University, Butina sought to collect information about U.S. political figures under the direction of a Russian official at a time when the Kremlin was trying to undermine the American political system. Not long after Butina, who was arrested in July 2018, entered her guilty plea, Russia picked up American corporate security executive Paul Whelan. The Russian Federal Security Service said at the time of his arrest that Whelan, 48, was detained "while on a spy mission." The FSB said the investigation was continuing but that Whelan could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of espionage. Whelan's family said he was in Moscow to attend a wedding. The American also holds British, Canadian and Irish passports. Russia historically has used a tit-for-tat response to U.S. arrests of Russian, or Soviet, citizens on spy charges. Such arrests can be used as diplomatic leverage or in some cases for a swap. Whelan's brother, David, told Russia's TASS news agency in early April the family was told the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostages Affairs "has not made a decision about Paul's case." "The U.S. government continues to wait for facts," he added, according to TASS. "It is not clear what additional diplomatic pressure is being brought to bear to encourage Russian cooperation," he said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Russia's Vladimir Putin blasts U.S. sentencing of Maria Butina as a 'travesty of justice' Vladimir Putin has called the 18-month prison sentence handed to Russian foreign agent Maria Butina by US authorities "an outrage". Describing her treatment a travesty of justice the Russian president said the sentence looked like an attempt by US law enforcement and judicial officials to save face. An admitted agent, Butina was sentenced by a US District Court judge in Washington DC where she expressed remorse for conspiring with a Russian official to infiltrate a gun rights group and influence American conservatives. In his first comments about the case since the sentencing, Mr Putin told reporters in Beijing: Its an outrage. Its not clear what she was convicted of or what crime she committed. I think its a prime example of saving face. They arrested her and put the girl in jail. But there was nothing on her, so in order not to look totally stupid they gave her, fixed her up, with an 18-month sentence to show that she was guilty of something. Butina admitted to conspiring with a Russian official and two Americans from 2015 until her arrest to infiltrate the National Rifle Association (NRA). Prosecutors said that while she did not engage in traditional spy craft, she worked behind the scenes to make inroads in conservative political circles and promote friendlier US- Russian ties. She arranged dinners in Washington and New York and attended events to meet high-profile politicians. Until Friday, Butina had not made any significant public comments since her arrest, but her remarks in court contradicted the Kremlins account that she had been forced by the US to falsely confess to the ridiculous charge of being a Russian agent. Vladimir Putin speaking at a news conference in Beijing, China, 27 April (REUTERS) I destroyed my own life, Butina told the judge. While I know I am not this evil person who has been depicted in the media, I am responsible for these consequences. Now I beg for mercy, for the chance to go home and restart my life. Her lawyers argued her crime was down to a simple failure to notify the Justice Department of her activities on Russias behalf. Story continues If I had known to register as a foreign agent, I would have done so without delay, Butina told the judge. I just didnt register because I didnt know to. Judge Tanya Chutkan imposed a sentence that matched the prison term prosecutors requested and also agreed to have Butina deported back to Russia after she completes her incarceration. The sentence included the nine months she already has served in jail since her July arrest, meaning she will serve another nine months in prison. Mr Putin also said Moscow was considering offering all Ukrainian citizens fast-tracked Russian passports. The move will likely anger some politicians in Ukraine which has been at war with pro-Russian separatists since 2014. He made the statement days after signing an order to simplify the procedure for obtaining a Russian passport for residents of separatist-controlled eastern Ukraine. The Russian president also said he wanted to know the position of Ukrainian President-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy on the conflict in eastern Ukraine following the comedian's election victory. If we have a meeting sometime, begin some negotiations, which I do not rule out, then we will first of all have to talk about how to end the conflict in the southeast of Ukraine. Additional reporting by agencies The rabbi wounded in the shooting at his synagogue in California spoke from the hospital on Sunday to say that it was a miracle he was not dead and that senseless hate killings based on religion must stop. We are being mown down like animals, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein said on Sunday. Related: San Diego synagogue shooting victim died 'trying to save rabbi' He said he was shot at what would normally be considered point blank range and lost an index finger as he held his hands up in defense before a congregant and old friend, Lori Gilbert Kaye, hurled herself in front of him and was killed in the attack by a gunman in Poway on Saturday. I met the terrorist face to face, Goldstein said, in a telephone interview from the hospital with CNNs Brian Stelter, broadcast live on Sunday morning. Its a miracle I was able to survive, using my fingers. Its not possible to recall exactly what happened, it happened all so quickly, he said. The rabbi said he was trying to persuade the doctors to release him from an area hospital but I have both my hands wrapped up, I cant even drink a cup of water and Im in excruciating pain. Witnesses have told how he was wounded in the fingers of both hands as he tried to shield himself in the moment of being shot, but that Kaye then intervened, fatally. This has to stop, he said, his voice quavering but passionate. This has to stop. The US constitution grants freedom of religion to all faiths. Reports on Sunday morning said that Kayes husband, a doctor, was in the synagogue and when people started being shot, he ran to assist and began performing resuscitation on a fallen woman before suddenly realizing it was his wife, whereupon he fainted, according to a report on CNN. Goldstein said Kayes daughter was also visiting and had attended synagogue. She was there to witness as her mother was lying on the floor dying, he said. Goldstein said he had known Kaye for 25 years. She was always there to help others in their time of need this beautiful, wonderful, wonderful human being. When people were dying of cancer she would take them to treatment, she would bake, its unbelievable, he said. Story continues The attack came just six months after death and injury were inflicted upon a synagogue in Pittsburgh in an apparent antisemitic, targeted attack. Goldstein was defiant on Sunday. We are fortunate to live here in a country that allows us to live as proud Jews. We are still recovering from the Holocaust, we are being mown down like animals, just like in Nazi Germany, but terror will not win. I am here in the face of senseless hate, he said. He said that since he emerged from surgery, his thoughts had been racing. Why was my life spared? I was shot, point blank, and I managed to stop it with my index finger, which will for ever be a reminder to have this happen in 2019, this has to raise the alarm for the safety of our places of worship, He added: I have lived through this horror for a reason. Missing a finger is just a finger but God did not want me to die yesterday and we are all created in the image of God. We all have a mission in this world, we need to take this darkness and bring light. While others have made fresh calls for stricter gun control, Goldstein simply said he had wanted to have an armed guard at the synagogue, but did not have the funds. AVONDALE, La. (AP) Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer shared the lead with Scott Stallings and Trey Mullinax as the Zurich Classic finally got back on schedule. Rahm and Palmer played 30 holes Saturday in the event delayed by rain for more than seven hours Thursday, finishing off a 7-under 65 in the alternate-shot second round and shooting 64 in best-ball play in the third. "It's been 4:30 four nights in a row," Palmer said. "Dinners at 9 and back up at 4:30. Took its toll on me. Just feeding me sugar and food trying to keep my energy up. Tomorrow we'll be on a lot of rest. If we're on tomorrow in alternate shot, we're going to be hard to beat." Rahm carried the team in the third round, with the Spaniard making eight birdies. "He's just fun to be around," Palmer said. "He's actually a great guy. I've enjoyed every second with him. When you're up close and personal and watching it and see the shots he can hit around the green, you know, his short game is phenomenal. You can learn something from that, too, so I learned a lot. Honor to be a part of it." Palmer saved bogey with an 8-footer on the par-3 17th after both players hit into the water, and Rahm made a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th to match Stallings and Mullinax at 23-under 193. "That putt Ryan made was probably the most important shot we made so far in the tournament," Rahm said. "Felt like a birdie, and then to keep tied for the lead, very important." Stallings and Mullinax played 27 holes, shooting 70-62. "We play a lot of practice rounds together," Stallings said. "We've known each other for a few years. Just kind of we played so much together it just kind of made sense. We know each other's games pretty well." Mullinax looked ahead to the final round. "I really enjoy alternate shot," Mullinax said. "Scott hits the ball great. Hitting it nice. We're both putting well. I don't feel like there is much pressure on us. Just go out and do our thing." Story continues Brandan Grace and Justin Harding were a stroke back. The South Africans played 32 holes, shooting 68-61. "I think we played 50 odd holes," Harding joked. "We certainly moved up the board. It's just a matter of continuing the momentum throughout the rounds." Peter Malnati and Billy Hurley III were 20 under. They shot 66 after finishing the second round Friday. Sergio Garcia and Tommy Fleetwood were another stroke back with the teams of Joel Dahmen-Brandon Harkins, Austin Cook-Andrew Landry, Hank Lebioda-Curtis Luck, Russell Henley-Ryan Blaum and Russell Knox-Brian Stuard. Brothers Brooks and Chase Koepka topped the group at 18 under along with Henrik Stenson and Graeme McDowell. Reaction to Sunday's death of former longtime Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar: "Senator Lugar's contributions to the life of our nation are countless. Richard Lugar was a leader not only in the Senate but also on the world stage, where he worked tirelessly to bring pressure to end apartheid in South Africa and enforce treaties that destroyed Soviet weapons of mass destruction. As the longest serving member of Congress from Indiana, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, he leaves behind a legacy of public service that will inspire Hoosiers for generations." - Vice President Mike Pence. ___ "The world weeps alongside Indiana after just learning we lost one of our best, ever. As an always faithful servant to the highest ideals in every walk of his incredible life, Richard Lugar ran the family farm, charted a new innovative course for Indiana's capital city, and devoted a record six terms as a U.S. Senator to making the world a more prosperous and peaceful place. He was an officer and gentleman, father and faith leader, a Mayor and Senator, a diplomat and legendary role model to millions."- Indiana Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb. ___ "Our nation has lost an extraordinary statesman who made the world a safer and better place. I have lost a wonderful friend and trusted partner. Dick Lugar treated every person with dignity and respect. This generation and future generations can learn much from his example in the political world and in life. Dick was a founding and active member of our Nuclear Threat Initiative Board of Directors, and we will always be very thankful for his outstanding leadership and friendship."- Former Sen. Sam Nunn, a George Democrat who collaborated with Lugar on a program under which the U.S. paid to dismantle and secure thousands of nuclear warheads and missiles in the former Soviet states after the Cold War ended. ___ "Dick Lugar was not just the finest public servant I will ever know, he was the finest person. He embodied all we can hope for in our leaders: brilliance of mind, purity of motive, stainless in character, tireless in the pursuit of duty. Incomparably knowledgeable about the world, he was first and always a patriot, utterly dedicated to the security and wellbeing of his fellow Americans. His voice is now silent, but he is still with us. Indianapolis is a thriving and vibrant city because of him. The world is safer from nuclear danger because of him. And so many of us, while falling far short of the standards he set, are vastly better people because of him." - Purdue University President and former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who spent more than a decade as Lugar's chief of staff. Story continues ___ "As a boss, a mentor, and a person, Richard Lugar was the gold standard. At a time when nuclear proliferation was civilization's greatest threat, Senator Lugar helped save the world. He leaves a legacy as an exemplar of wisdom, civility, and bipartisanship. Always staying true to his temperament, he was a quiet, dignified statesman. He thought before he spoke. He emphasized substance over personality. In short, he set the bar for public leaders and for leaders more generally. I'm not sure we will ever see another Richard Lugar, but I pray that we do." - Indiana Republican Sen. Todd Young. ___ "Senator Richard Lugar is a towering figure in Hoosier history and one of the greatest statesmen ever to serve in the U.S. Senate. As our longest serving Senator, he worked tirelessly with leaders across the globe to better the state and the country he loved." - Indiana Republican Sen. Mike Braun. ___ "Senator Richard Lugar was a true statesman and patriot, a leader who served with such integrity and intelligence. He was one of the finest Senators with whom I had the privilege of serving. Senator Lugar made such a positive difference not only as a mayor and a Senator but also globally where his foreign policy expertise was widely respected. At the Lugar Center, he continued to promote the bipartisanship that was a hallmark of his work in the Senate."- Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins. ___ "From his work on the Farm Bill to his longtime commitment to reducing the stockpile of nuclear weapons, he was always willing to work across the aisle to do what's best for our country." - Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown. ___ Lugar was "a true statesman whose decades of public service left an indelible mark on Indiana, our nation and our world. ... He was a brilliant scholar, a brave member of our armed forces, and a dedicated public servant who championed people and principle over party. ... In our increasingly divided society, everyone must ensure his legacy lives on by pledging to advance the Hoosier values of bipartisanship and cooperation that defined his life."- Indiana Democratic Rep. Andre Carson. ___ "Senator Richard Lugar was a Hoosier statesman without equal who worked tirelessly for peace, prosperity, and freedom at home and abroad. His wisdom, bipartisanship, and commitment to American ideals made our country stronger and the world safer. We mourn his loss, but we know his legacy will endure in those who follow his example of servant leadership." - Republican Indiana Rep. Jackie Walorski. ___ "Indianapolis mourns the loss of a native Hoosier and American statesman who changed the face of our city and embodied the heart of our nation. Senator Lugar's career is rightfully characterized by his time in the United States Senate and his outstanding leadership on matters of foreign security and international diplomacy. But he began his public life as a member of the Indianapolis Board of School Commissioners, before becoming a visionary mayor who embraced the transformative potential of local government. He understood that progress could only occur when good ideas and good people came together from all sides of the political landscape." - Democratic Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. 10151 Dorrell Lane. | Photos: Zumper Curious just how far your dollar goes in Las Vegas? We've rounded up the latest rental listings via rental site Zumper to get a sense of what to expect when it comes to finding housing in Las Vegas with a budget of $1,100/month. Read on for the listings. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 235 W. Philadelphia Ave. (Meadows Village) Listed at $1,100/month, this 500-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment is located at 235 W. Philadelphia Ave. In the unit, expect hardwood flooring, a ceiling fan and central heating and air conditioning. The building offers on-site laundry, secured entry and on-site management. If you've got a pet, you'll be happy to learn that cats and dogs are allowed. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. Per Walk Score ratings, the area around this address is very walkable, has some bike infrastructure and offers many nearby public transportation options. (Take a look at the complete listing here.) 7100 Grand Montecito Parkway (Centennial Hills) Next, there's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom situated at 7100 Grand Montecito Parkway. It's also listed for $1,100/month for its 690 square feet of space. The building features garage parking, a swimming pool and a fitness center. In the unit, there is a balcony, and dishwasher and hardwood floors. Luckily for pet owners, both dogs and cats are welcome. Walk Score indicates that this location is moderately walkable, is fairly bikeable and has some transit options. (See the complete listing here.) 2000 Paradise Road (Huntridge) Next, check out this 360-square-foot studio that's located at 2000 Paradise Road. It's listed for $1,079/month. In the furnished unit, you'll find in-unit laundry and air conditioning. When it comes to building amenities, anticipate assigned parking and a swimming pool. Pet owners, take heed: cats and dogs are welcome. The rental doesn't require a leasing fee. Story continues According to Walk Score, this location is very walkable, is fairly bikeable and offers many nearby public transportation options. (Take a look at the complete listing here.) 9745 Grand Teton Drive (Kyle Canyon) Located at 9745 Grand Teton Drive, here's a 716-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom that's listed for $1,050/month. In the unit, you can anticipate hardwood flooring, high ceilings and in-unit laundry. When it comes to building amenities, expect a swimming pool, assigned parking and a fitness center. For those with furry friends in tow, know that cats and dogs are allowed on this property. Per Walk Score ratings, the area around this address is car-dependent, is somewhat bikeable and doesn't offer many public transit options. (Check out the complete listing here.) 10151 Dorrell Lane (Kyle Canyon) Listed at $1,049/month, this 751-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom is located at 10151 Dorrell Lane. In the apartment, you can expect in-unit laundry, a walk-in closet and a balcony. When it comes to building amenities, expect a swimming pool, a fitness center and garage parking. When it comes to pets, both meows and barks are permitted. According to Walk Score, the surrounding area requires a car for most errands, is somewhat bikeable and doesn't offer many public transit options. (Take a look at the complete listing here.) This story was created automatically using local real estate data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Following is a summary of current health news briefs. Women snore too - and just as loudly It's long been assumed that snoring is a man's problem. But a new study finds that women snore too and often don't own up to it. And even when they do admit to snoring, they insist, incorrectly, that theirs isn't as loud as men's. Researchers studying nearly 2000 patients who came into a lab for sleep studies found that nearly 40 percent of women who declared themselves to be non-snorers turned out to have severe or very severe snoring intensity, according to the study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. FDA approves expanded label for Regeneron/Sanofi's cholesterol drug The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc's cholesterol drug Praluent as a treatment to cut the risk of heart attacks, stroke and other major cardiovascular events. The FDA's decision will allow the drug, developed along with Sanofi SA, to be prescribed to reduce the overall risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). GSK's HIV drug wins European panel thumbs-up GlaxoSmithKline Plc's two-drug treatment for HIV infections won marketing approval from a European Medicines Agency (EMA) panel on Friday, after the British drugmaker received a nod from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this month. EMA's human medicines committee (CHMP) cleared the combination of dolutegravir and lamivudine, to be branded as Dovato, for treating newly diagnosed adults, boosting GSK's growth prospects against competitors. Kids' cavities probably not caused by bad genes Environmental factors appear to play a bigger role than genetics in shaping children's risk for cavities, a study of Australian twins suggests. Researchers followed 345 twins from 24 weeks' gestation through six years of age, when they all had dental checkups. At age six, 32 percent of the kids had tooth decay and 24 percent of the children had advanced cavities. Story continues Trump tells Americans: Go get your measles vaccination U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday urged Americans to protect themselves with the measles vaccination as the number of cases of the once-eradicated disease in the United States hit the highest levels since 2000. The growing outbreak in pockets across the country has triggered multiple public health efforts seeking to limit exposure to measles, including quarantines at two California universities. Cancer patients using alternative therapies may hesitate to tell doctors One in three U.S. patients with a cancer diagnosis has recently used non-standard therapies to manage their disease - but many haven't told their doctors, survey data suggest. Among patients who said they used so-called complementary and alternative therapies, such as herbal supplements and yoga, nearly 30 percent did not disclose this use to their physicians, researchers wrote in a letter published in JAMA Oncology. U.S. measles outbreak triggers quarantine at two Los Angeles universities A nationwide measles outbreak has led health officials to quarantine dozens of people at two Los Angeles universities, officials said on Thursday. The quarantine affects the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) and comes as the United States battles the highest number of measles cases since the country declared the virus eliminated in 2000. Parents bring newborns to ER for many non-urgent reasons One of the hardest things about being a new parent is figuring out when babies are so sick they need to go to the emergency room and when worrisome signs or symptoms might actually be perfectly normal, doctors say. Anxious parents bring babies to the ER for all kinds of things that could go either way like goopy eyes, concerns about how the stump from the cut umbilical cord looks, vomiting, strange looking stool, irregular breathing, and jerky or unusual body movements, doctors write in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine. Top Kansas court rules state constitution protects abortion rights The Kansas Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the state's constitution protects a woman's right to an abortion and upheld an injunction blocking a state law that would have banned a common second trimester abortion procedure. The ruling would protect the right to abortion in Kansas even if the conservative-leaning U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v Wade, the 1973 ruling that recognized a right to abortion in the U.S. Constitution. Following is a summary of current science news briefs. Fly me to the moon: Germany eyes slice of lucrative space market Facing tough competition from China, the United States and even tiny Luxembourg, Germany is racing to draft new laws and attract private investment to secure a slice of an emerging space market that could be worth $1 trillion a year by the 2040s. The drive to give Germany a bigger role in space comes as European, Asian and U.S. companies stake out ground in an evolving segment that promises contracts for everything from exploration to mining of outer-space resources. Oldest human footprint found in the Americas confirmed in Chile: researcher A 15,600-year old footprint discovered in southern Chile is believed to be the oldest ever found in the Americas, according to researchers. The footprint was first discovered in 2010 by a student at the Universidad Austral of Chile. Scientists then worked for years to rule out the possibility that the print may have belonged to some other species of animal, and to determine the fossil's estimated age. Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. Oliver North steps down as NRA president amid dispute over 'damaging' information Retired U.S. Marine Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North will step down as president of the National Rifle Association, North said on Saturday, adding he was being forced out due to his allegations that NRA leaders engaged in financial improprieties. In a letter read to the organization's annual meeting in Indianapolis by an NRA board member, North, a conservative commentator best known for his central role in the 1980s Iran-Contra affair, said he had hoped to run for re-election when his term ends on Monday. Boy hurled off Minnesota mall balcony now 'alert and conscious' The 5-year-old boy thrown off a third-floor balcony at Minnesota's Mall of America by a stranger is no longer in critical condition, said his family, who hopes he will be home by June. More than 28,000 well-wishers from around the globe donated a total amount of more than $1 million to an online fundraiser set up for Landen Hoffman, who was hospitalized after the April 12 attack in the Bloomington mall, a major tourist attraction in the state. Winter tries a comeback in U.S. Midwest with up to a foot of snow The phenomenon known as thundersnow announced the arrival of a storm expected to dump more than a half-foot of snow on the U.S. Midwest on Saturday, more than a month into spring. Midwesterners retrieved their winter wear from storage to trudge through a possible 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm) of snow predicted by evening in the Chicago area and more than a foot (30 cm) in some isolated areas of Minnesota, Iowa, southern portions of Wisconsin and northern Illinois, forecasters said. Trump says U.S. paid no money to North Korea over Warmbier U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said the United States did not pay any money to North Korea as it sought the release of comatose American student Otto Warmbier. The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Trump had approved payment of a $2 million bill from North Korea to cover its care of the college student, who died shortly after he was returned to the United States after 17 months in a North Korean prison. Story continues U.S. warrant issued for accused ringleader of North Korean embassy raid in Madrid U.S. authorities are focused on Southern California in their manhunt for a one-time human rights activist accused of leading a violent takeover of North Korea's embassy in Spain, according to a federal arrest warrant unsealed on Friday. Adrian Hong Chang is wanted by Spain in connection with the alleged embassy raid in February, but his lawyer denounced the U.S. Justice Department for seeking his arrest and extradition based on "the highly unreliable accounts of North Korean government witnesses." Russian agent Butina begs U.S. judge for mercy, gets 18 months in prison Admitted Russian agent Maria Butina was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Friday after the Siberia native, her voice breaking with emotion, begged a judge for mercy and expressed remorse for conspiring with a Russian official to infiltrate a gun rights group and influence U.S. conservative activists and Republicans. U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan imposed a sentence that matched the prison term prosecutors requested and also agreed to have Butina, 30, deported back to Russia after she completes her incarceration. The sentence included the nine months Butina already has served in jail since her July arrest, meaning she has about nine more months behind bars. Top Kansas court rules state constitution protects abortion rights The Kansas Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the state's constitution protects a woman's right to an abortion and upheld an injunction blocking a state law that would have banned a common second trimester abortion procedure. The ruling would protect the right to abortion in Kansas even if the conservative-leaning U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v Wade, the 1973 ruling that recognized a right to abortion in the U.S. Constitution. New York Archdiocese lists 120 former clergy accused of abuse The New York Archdiocese, one of the largest in the United States, on Friday identified 120 former Roman Catholic bishops, priests and deacons who were accused of sexually abusing children. The archdiocese was the latest in the United States to publicly list the names of former clergy members accused of abuse as the church faces state and federal investigations into its handling of decades of allegations of sexual misconduct by priests. San Diego-area synagogue shooting leaves one worshipper dead, three wounded A gunman walked into a San Diego-area synagogue crowded with Sabbath worshippers on Saturday and opened fire with an assault-style rifle, killing one woman inside and wounding three others in a hate crime carried out on the last day of Passover, authorities said. The suspect, a 19-year-old white male whose identity was not immediately made public, fled the scene by car and was arrested a short time later when he pulled over and surrendered to police, authorities said at a news conference. Democratic presidential candidates seek union support at workers' forum Six Democratic presidential hopefuls declared their support for American workers and a $15 federal minimum wage on Saturday as they seek the backing of labor unions in their battle to become the candidate to take on Republican President Donald Trump next year. The candidates spoke to an audience of union workers in Las Vegas, decrying low wages and corporate greed, as they woo organized labor, an important voting bloc in the Democratic Party's presidential nominating battle. Following is a summary of current world news briefs. How 'laid back' Sri Lanka became a soft target for Islamist strike A week ago, Sri Lankan tourist guide Ricky Costa was preparing for a typically easy Sunday ferrying backpackers between Colombo's tea shops and beach bars in his canary-yellow rickshaw. Then the blasts began. The coordinated suicide bombings by Islamist militants at hotels and churches killed more than 250 people and sent shockwaves through an Indian Ocean island state that had enjoyed relative peace since a civil war ended a decade ago. More than 270 died from overwork-related illnesses in Indonesia elections Ten days after Indonesia held the world's biggest single-day elections, more than 270 election staff have died, mostly of fatigue-related illnesses caused by long hours of work counting millions of ballot papers by hand, an official said on Sunday. The April 17 elections were the first time the country of 260 million people combined the presidential vote with national and regional parliamentary ones, with an aim to cut costs. Coming week will be important for Brexit negotiation: EU's Barnier The outcome of talks between British Prime Minister Theresa May's government and the opposition Labour Party to break the deadlock over Britain's exit from the European Union could be known in the coming week, European Union's chief negotiator said on Sunday. "This week will be very important. We will have the results of negotiations between the Labour Party and the Theresa May's government. Are these talks going to yield something?," Michel Barnier said on LCI television. Father, two brothers of Sri Lanka suicide bombings mastermind killed: relative, police sources The father and two brothers of the suspected mastermind of Sri Lanka's Easter Sunday bombings were killed when security forces stormed their safe house two days ago, police sources and a relative of the suicide bombers told Reuters on Sunday. Zainee Hashim, Rilwan Hashim and their father Mohamed Hashim, who were seen in a video circulating on social media calling for all-out war against non believers, were among 15 killed in a fierce gun battle with the military on the east coast on Friday, four police sources said. Story continues Churches fall silent in Sri Lanka a week after attacks Churches across Sri Lanka suspended Sunday mass and the Archbishop of Colombo delivered a televised special sermon from a chapel at his home, as fears of more attacks remained a week after suicide bombers killed over 250 in churches and hotels. Sri Lanka has been on high alert since the attacks on Easter Sunday, with nearly 10,000 soldiers deployed across the island to carry out searches and hunt down members of two local Islamist groups believed to have carried out the attack. Spain votes in wide-open election after tense campaign Voting started on Sunday in Spain's most divisive and open-ended election in decades, set to result in a fragmented parliament in which the far-right will get a sizeable presence for the first time since the country's return to democracy. After a tense campaign dominated by issues such as national identity and gender equality, the likelihood that any coalition deal will take weeks or months to be brokered will feed into a broader mood of political uncertainty across Europe. Airline SAS cancels 1,200 more flights as pilot strike drags on Scandinavian airline SAS canceled more than 1,200 flights scheduled for Monday and Tuesday as a pilot strike that has disrupted the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers entered its third day on Sunday. SAS pilots went out on strike on Friday as wage talks broke down, grounding around 70 percent of the airline's flights and impacting about 280,000 passengers including the latest cancellations. Peru ex-president Kuczynski ordered into pre-trial house arrest Former Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski is to spend three years under house arrest while corruption charges are prepared against him for allegedly taking bribes from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht, the government said on Saturday. Earlier this month Kuczynski had been ordered to up to three years in pre-trial jail. The judgment was softened due to health problems faced by the 80-year-old former leader, according to a tweet sent by the Public Ministry. Kuczynski's lawyers had been arguing for house arrest on grounds of poor health. Russia is open to possible new arms control deals with U.S.: Kremlin aide Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, commenting on a media report that U.S. President Donald Trump wants a new arms control deal with Moscow and Beijing, said Russia was open to the possibility of new arms control deals, but that there were no ongoing talks. Citing administration officials, The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Trump has ordered his administration to prepare a push for a new arms control agreement with Russia and China due to the mounting cost of the 21st-century nuclear arms race. Iran says leaving nuclear treaty one of many options after U.S. sanctions move Iran said on Sunday it could quit a treaty against the spread of nuclear weapons after the United States tightens sanctions, while an Iranian general said the U.S. Navy was interacting as before with an elite military unit blacklisted by Washington. Tensions between Tehran and Washington have risen since the Trump administration withdrew last year from a 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran and began ratcheting up sanctions. Following is a summary of current world news briefs. U.S. general says will ensure necessary resources to counter Iran U.S. Central Command chief General Kenneth McKenzie said on Saturday the United States would deploy the necessary resources to counter any dangerous actions by Iran, Sky News Arabia reported. "We're gonna continue to reach out to our partners and friends in the region to ensure that we make common cause against the threat of Iran," McKenzie, on an official visit to the Gulf region, was quoted as saying by Sky News Arabia. China puts gentler face on Belt and Road, hits back at critics China sought to put a gentler face on its massive plan to recreate the old Silk Road at a summit that ended on Saturday, saying it must do more to explain the program and boost sustainability even as state media hit back at critics. President Xi Jinping has made the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as it is formally called, one of the cornerstones of his administration. But it has run into opposition in some countries over fears that opaque financing arrangements lead to unsustainable debt and that it is more about promoting Chinese influence than bringing development. Ambassadors designated by Venezuela's Guaido meet in Colombia on winning over China and Russia Ambassadors designated by Juan Guaido, the Venezuelan opposition leader recognized by most Western nations as the country's president, are meeting on Saturday in Colombia to discuss how to win the support of China and Russia, staunch allies of President Nicolas Maduro. More than a dozen ambassadors from Latin America and the United States, gathered at a hotel in Bogota, will analyze the next stage they hope will lead Maduro and his military supporters to stand down. Putin calls U.S. treatment of admitted agent Butina an outrage Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday made his first comments on a U.S. court sentencing admitted Russian foreign agent Maria Butina to 18 months in prison, calling her treatment a travesty of justice. Butina was sentenced on Friday after the Siberia native, her voice breaking with emotion, begged a judge for mercy and expressed remorse for conspiring with a Russian official to infiltrate a gun rights group and influence U.S. conservative activists and Republicans. Story continues All to play for as polarized Spain votes after tense campaign Spain heads to the polls on Sunday for its most divisive and open-ended election in decades, set to result in a fragmented parliament in which the far-right will get a sizeable presence for the first time since the country's return to democracy. After a tense campaign dominated by emotive issues, notably national identity and gender equality, the likelihood that any coalition deal will take weeks or months to be brokered will feed into a broader mood of political uncertainty across Europe. "Jilted bride": As South Korea marks peace summit, North stays aloof Along forest trails below a bare mountain peak that until last year was a vantage point for a North Korean guard post, a group of around 20 ordinary South Koreans took a rare hike on Saturday near the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas. The hikers were chosen by lottery to explore a "peace trail" near the heavily fortified frontier, launched to mark the first anniversary of a landmark summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Sri Lanka bans groups suspected to be behind attacks; ringleader's relatives wounded Sri Lanka's president on Saturday outlawed two Islamist groups suspected to be behind the suicide bombings on churches and hotels while the wife and child of the suspected ringleader were wounded during a military raid in safe house, his family and police said. The National Thawheedh Jamaath (NTJ) and Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim were banned under his emergency powers, President Maithripala Sirisena said in a statement, nearly a week after the Easter Sunday attacks that killed more than 250 people. French police, yellow vests protesters clash in Strasbourg French police fired tear gas to push back protesters who tried to march towards the European Parliament building in Strasbourg on Saturday, the 24th consecutive weekend of protests against President Emmanuel Macron's policies. The "yellow vest" protesters were back on the streets across France two days after the president outlined policy proposals including tax cuts worth around 5 billion euros ($5.58 billion) in response to the protests. Sudan's military and opposition agree in principle to joint council: sources Sudan's military rulers and opposition agreed in principle on Saturday to the formation of a joint body to lead a transition from 30 years of autocratic rule by Omar al-Bashir, but not on the new council's make-up, two sources said. The two sides were holding their first formal discussions as opposition groups and protesters push for a rapid handover to civilian rule following Bashir's fall earlier this month. Air strike hits Tripoli as eastern Libyan forces send warship to oil port Air strikes hit the Libyan capital late on Saturday as eastern forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar pursued a three-week campaign to take Tripoli and also confirmed for the first time they had dispatched a warship to an oil port. The Libyan National Army (LNA) force of Haftar, which is allied to a parallel government, has repeatedly flown air strikes since starting an offensive three weeks ago to take the capital held by the internationally recognized government. LONDON, ENGLAND JANUARY 25: Piers Morgan attends the National Television Awards at The O2 Arena on January 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Fred Duval/FilmMagic) Piers Morgan has revealed what it will take to get him back as a judge on Britains Got Talent. With this years BGT now in full swing, former judge Morgan is dropping hints about a potential return to the talent show, and has revealed on social media exactly what TV bosses have to do to win him back. Yesterday a fan asked the Good Morning Britain host: mate how much would it take to get you back on #BGT? Get rid of Walliams. Ill pay. .@piersmorgan mate how much would it take to get you back on #BGT? Get rid of Walliams. I'll pay. Chris Houston (@thewayitchris) April 27, 2019 Morgans response was typically cheeky, taking a swipe at Simon Cowell: 5m + use of Cowells Bentley. Read more: Les Dennis banned from Good Morning Britain by Piers Morgan It isnt the first time he has dropped hints about a possible return. On Good Morning Britain, he voiced his opinion on the current show and made comments about how low numbers are compared to when he was a judge. He said: When were the highest ratings for Britains Got Talent in its.. how many series now, 13? Oh I remember, its when I was on it. 20.3 million people watched the Susan Boyle final, its about half that now. ASCOT, UNITED KINGDOM JUNE 17: Simon Cowell cheers whilst watching the racing with Piers Morgan on a balcony in Ascot, England. (Photo by Indigo/Getty Images) But Simon, Im available to boost those ratings. If you wanna get a bit of the old GMB magic, just write a big cheque baby and Ill be there. Read more: Piers Morgan gets revenge on anti-Brexit protestor by shouting at him with a megaphone Story continues Former Daily Mirror editor as humble as ever, there. Morgan was a judge on the show from its inception in 2007, where he sat on the panel alongside Cowell, and Amanda Holden, up until the fourth series in 2010. Since then it has had a host of stars judging, with the current line up consisting of comedian David Walliams, and talent show professional Alesha Dixon, who sit alongside original hosts Cowell and Holden. MANCHESTER, ENGLAND FEBRUARY 06: Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, David Walliams, Alesha Dixon, Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly during the Britains Got Talent Manchester photocall at The Lowry on February 06, 2019 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/Getty Images) He also judged the American spin-off alongside X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne, and Baywatch star David Hasselhoff. Washington (AFP) - Senator Richard Lugar, a leading US voice on foreign policy for decades and a onetime presidential candidate known for his civility and bipartisan ways, has died at a medical center in Falls Church, Virginia. He was 87. Lugar died of chronic inflammatory polyneuropathy, according to a statement from the Lugar Center in Washington, a global policy institute which he founded in 2013. A soft-spoken Republican moderate, Lugar was twice chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and built a reputation as one of Washington's most influential foreign-policy voices during the record six terms he represented Indiana in the Senate. That reputation was burnished by his willingness to work across party lines, most famously when he joined Democratic senator Sam Nunn in 1991 to forge what became known as the Nunn-Lugar program to help former Soviet republics dismantle their nuclear arsenals. In a statement, Vice President Mike Pence -- former governor of Indiana -- mourned the loss of "one of our greatest statesmen." "Senator Lugar's contributions to the life of our nation are countless," he said. "America has lost a true statesman in Dick Lugar," tweeted Pete Buttigieg, another Indiana native and current Democratic presidential aspirant. "A great mayor, senator and mentor, he made the world safer, stood up for better foreign policy, and knew how to work across the aisle." Buttigieg, who at 37 is mayor of the Indiana city of South Bend, is in a way following in the footsteps of Lugar, who became mayor of state capital, Indianapolis, at 35. - Worked against apartheid - Then president Barack Obama awarded Lugar the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013 for his "decency (and) his commitment to bipartisan problem-solving." "For thirty-six years, Richard Lugar proved that pragmatism and decency work not only in Washington but all over the world," the former president said Sunday. Story continues "Michelle and I send our warmest sympathies to his family and all those who had the privilege of knowing this American statesman." Lugar was a leader in pressing South Africa to end apartheid, and earlier in the campaign to oust the authoritarian Filipino president Ferdinand Marcos -- having to overcome opposition from President Ronald Reagan on both issues. Lugar sought the Republican presidential nomination in 1996, saying he wanted to see whether "serious talk" on the issues could prevail over "sound bites." But the bookish Lugar -- as a Rhodes scholar he earned an honors degree from Oxford in 1954 -- wryly acknowledged that charisma was hardly his strong suit and he ultimately withdrew from the 1996 race. Despite his longtime popularity in Indiana, Lugar ran into trouble when he sought a seventh Senate term. A Tea Party-backed Republican, Richard Mourdock, portrayed him as overly liberal and out of touch, and soundly defeated him in the party's primary (Mourdock was then defeated by a Democrat, Joe Donnelly.) After leaving the Senate, Lugar continued to work on nuclear nonproliferation issues, global hunger and energy conservation. He is survived by his wife Charlene, whom he married in 1956, and by four sons. Bucharest (AFP) - In contrast to most EU countries, there's hope in Romania for at least one positive side-effect from Brexit -- health workers returning from the UK or not leaving home, which could alleviate the crippling labour shortage in the country's hospitals. "I thought I would be more useful in Romania," says 37-year-old neurosurgeon Horatiu Ioani, who left Britain two years ago as the torturous process of leaving the EU was still in its early days. He had worked in British hospitals for eight years and since returning to Romania has been performing complex operations at Bucharest's Colentina hospital. Ioani tells AFP that among his younger colleagues "discussions about leaving are less frequent than before". Medical student Catalina Bamford agrees. "Lots of people from my generation have decided to come back to Romania," says the 23-year-old, adding that many see signs of improving career prospects at home. In recent years Romania has experienced an exodus of doctors and nurses, particularly after its entry into the European Union in 2007. Since then, more than 14,000 healthcare workers have left for other parts of the bloc in search of higher wages and better living conditions as well as higher standards of practice. And for now, many of those in the UK are waiting to see how the Brexit situation develops before deciding whether to move back to Romania. - Healthcare deserts - Alongside France, Britain has up to now been the go-to destination for those choosing to leave. There are 4,500 Romanian doctors practising there, according to Gheorghe Borcean, president of Romania's medical association. The exodus means their home country, already struggling with dilapidated healthcare infrastructure, has to make do with one of the lowest doctor-patient ratios in the EU, with barely 58,000 clinicians caring for a population of 19 million. Moreover, those who have stayed behind are concentrated in urban centres, leaving swathes of the country virtually deserted when it comes to medical care, says Borcean. Story continues Mariana Iancu, director of the hospital in the eastern town of Slobozia, concurs that "our biggest problem is lack of doctors". She currently has 138 doctors on her staff -- not counting around 20 more who are officially retired but continue working -- but needs 40 more. Recently however she has been cheered by several young doctors enquiring about job opportunities. As recently as 2016, 80 percent of medical students said they wanted to leave Romania on graduating, but since then the exodus has abated, says Borcean. - 'Brexit won't affect me' Still, not all of those who left Romania for the UK are packing their bags to come home. Nurse Adriana Silisteanu, who has been working in London for 10 years, worries that Brexit might revive the anti-migrant atmosphere she remembers in the aftermath of the 2016 referendum to leave the EU. Anti-immigration rhetoric played a key part in the referendum campaign and official figures showed a spike in hate crimes in the run-up to the vote and just afterwards. All the same, Silisteanu thinks this will be a passing phenomenon and says that in England, "healthcare workers are appreciated as people who are prepared to make sacrifices for the good of other people". In Romania, by contrast, young nurses "don't even have the right to an opinion," she says. Not to mention having to turn a blind eye to the corruption she claims still plagues the sector. "I never accepted bribes from patients. But if I went back I would have to change my behaviour to fit in," Silisteanu says. Borcean says he recognises that people leave Romania for a variety of reasons that go beyond pay, such as "the respect a profession attracts from society". As for psychiatrist Andrada Golumbeanu, who works in the northern English city of Bradford, she's confident that "Brexit won't affect me". She's convinced that the British authorities, already facing an under-staffed National Health Service with some 100,000 vacancies, will do everything they can to keep healthcare workers from the EU despite Brexit. However, pulling in the other direction is Romania's left-wing government. At the beginning of 2018 it tried to meet rising expectations in the sector by doubling wages in public hospitals. That brought the average nurse's salary up to 1,200 euros ($1,340) a month and that of a specialist doctor to 4,000 euros. This in one of the EU's poorest countries where the average wage is around 600 euros a month. But med student Bamford warns that young practitioners won't hang around if the improvement in conditions stalls. "If their hopes are dashed, they will definitely start leaving again," she says. (Repeats item first published on Saturday with no changes to text) By Hyonhee Shin GOSEONG, South Korea, April 27 (Reuters) - Along forest trails below a bare mountain peak that until last year was a vantage point for a North Korean guard post, a group of around 20 ordinary South Koreans took a rare hike on Saturday near the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas. The hikers were chosen by lottery to explore a "peace trail" near the heavily fortified frontier, launched to mark the first anniversary of a landmark summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Hours later at the Joint Security Area (JSA) in the border village of Panmunjom, where Moon and Kim met, a series of music performances and other events were held to highlight cross-border rapprochement fostered since the summit. But conspicuously absent from the peace-themed celebrations was North Korea, which failed to send any official or message in response to the South's invite. North Korea has effectively pulled back from engagement since a second meeting in Hanoi in February between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump fell apart without any agreement on dismantling Pyongyang's nuclear program. In the South, Moon's administration is forging ahead with its peace drive without it. The trail hiked on Saturday, dubbed the DMZ Pathway to Peace although it does not enter any part of the zone, was introduced after the North refused to implement an agreed plan to provide tourists from both sides with greater access to the JSA. Public access to the area was strictly limited as the two Koreas remain technically a war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. "I wish I could freely go down this road into the North," said Song Hae-sook, a 71-year-old hiker. "It's too bad that they're not keeping their promise, which is what always worries us." STALEMATE Story continues The failed Hanoi summit was a blow for Moon, who has offered to mediate between Kim and Trump for a deal that he hoped would help ease U.S. sanctions in return for the North taking steps toward denuclearisation, leading to a restart of inter-Korean economic cooperation. Moon's efforts to meet Kim again and send an envoy to Pyongyang to discuss a possible compromise after the breakdown have made little headway. Planned weekly talks at an inter-Korean liaison office in the North's border city of Kaesong have not taken place since the Hanoi summit, and the North briefly pulled out of it without giving a reason. "It may look like a bride walking down the aisle when there's no groom waiting from the other side to greet her," a South Korean official said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. "But many in the Blue House would just be happy as long as the soldiers keep finding some remains from the DMZ." Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul expressed regret over the North's absence, but requested understanding citing the "change of the situation." "But it isn't less meaningful for us to once again reaffirm our resolve to implement the agreement made in Panmunjom through these events," he told reporters during a rehearsal for the celebration on Friday. DIGGING ALONE The DMZ tourism plan was part of a military pact, sealed during a September summit in Pyongyang, which calls for a set of tension-defusing measures. Both Koreas implemented some steps last year, halting major military drills, setting a no-fly zone around the border and removing landmines and guard posts within the DMZ, including the mountaintop watchtower above the "peace trail." But the North snubbed the South's proposal last month for talks to discuss follow-up action. This month, the South began excavating the remains of soldiers missing from the war from the DMZ on its own. Moon's unfazed push for peace has triggered worries that Seoul may be moving faster than anyone else is prepared to. U.S. officials have openly said since last year that inter-Korean relations should keep pace with progress on the North's denuclearisation. . Marking the anniversary of the Panmunjom summit, the North's state media released a series of articles on Saturday blasting the South's "submissive" alliance with the United States, which it said tries to "interfere" in inter-Korean ties, and urging Seoul to "take a proper stand." "North Korea is expressing discontent and disappointment after the South raised hopes for a deal but then failed to deliver as a 'mediator' eventually," said Hong Min, a senior fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul. Saturday's ceremony was titled "Long journey," which Moon's office referred to a "path that is long but must be taken" until lasting peace is established on the Korean peninsula. "This is a new path, and as we all must take it together, we need, sometimes, to wait for those moving slower to catch up," Moon said in a video message, conveying his greetings to Kim. (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Additional reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Alex Richardson) MOSCOW, April 28 (Reuters) - Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, commenting on a media report that U.S. President Donald Trump wants a new arms control deal with Moscow and Beijing, said Russia was open to the possibility of new arms control deals, but that there were no ongoing talks. Citing administration officials, The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Trump has ordered his administration to prepare a push for a new arms control agreement with Russia and China due to the mounting cost of the 21st-century nuclear arms race. Ushakov, in remarks to Russian state TV released on Sunday, said Moscow was ready to hold talks about the subject. "Firstly, what exists already (by way of arms control agreements) needs to be honored," said Ushakov. "We are also ready for new ones, but for that serious negotiations are needed and unfortunately so far nobody has embarked on any." Ushakov's words were more upbeat than those of a Kremlin spokesman who on Saturday dismissed Trump's proposals on nuclear arms disarmament as "not serious." Relations between Moscow and Washington are strained and both countries have said they are quitting the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, stoking fears of a wider arms race. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin Editing by Andrew Osborn) By Bridget Clerkin POWAY, Calif. (Reuters) - A gunman walked into a San Diego-area synagogue crowded with Sabbath worshippers on Saturday and opened fire with an assault-style rifle, killing one woman inside and wounding three others in a hate crime carried out on the last day of Passover, authorities said. The suspect, who fled the scene by car but surrendered to police a short time later, was identified by authorities as John Earnest, 19, of San Diego, the apparent author of a "manifesto" who claimed to have set a nearby mosque on fire last month and professed drawing inspiration from the gunman who killed nearly 50 people at two mosques in New Zealand. San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said police and FBI were investigating Earnest's "possible involvement" in an unsolved predawn arson on March 24 at the Islamic Center of Escondido, a town about 15 miles (24 km) north of the synagogue attacked on Saturday. No one was hurt at the mosque fire. Gore said Earnest, whose weapon apparently malfunctioned after the first several rounds he fired, had no prior criminal record. The gun violence at the Congregation Chabad synagogue in the town of Poway, California, about 23 miles (37 km) north of downtown San Diego, unfolded six months to the day after 11 worshippers were killed and six others wounded by a gunman who stormed the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh yelling, "All Jews must die." The assailant in that massacre, said to be the deadliest attack ever against Jews on U.S. soil, was arrested. Saturday's Passover violence followed a recent spate of deadly attacks on houses of worship around the world. Suicide bombings during Easter Sunday services at several churches in Sri Lanka killed more than 250 people. A gunman who opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15 left 49 people dead and more than 40 wounded, some as they knelt in prayer. Poway Mayor Steve Vaus characterized Saturday's shooting as a "hate crime," saying his assessment was based on statements uttered by the gunman when he entered the synagogue. At a news conference later, Gore told reporters: "Clearly it's being investigated as a homicide, but we're also looking at the hate crime possible violation as well as federal civil rights violations." A rambling, violently anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim screed written by an individual calling himself John Earnest was found posted to the online text-storage site Pastebin.com and the file-storage site Mediafire.com. Links to the content on both sources were posted on the Internet message board 8chan. In that letter, the author also claimed credit for the Escondido mosque arson, which was put out by congregants inside who were alerted by the smell of smoke. Local media at the time reported that a message scrawled on the driveway of the mosque mentioned the New Zealand massacre. Speaking with reporters at the White House about Saturday's attack, U.S. President Donald Trump said, "My deepest sympathies go to the people that were affected." He added that "it looks like a hate crime" and that authorities will "get to the bottom of it." RABBI AMONG THE WOUNDED Gore told reporters that four people were struck by gunfire and taken to Palomar Medical Center, where one of the victims, an "older woman," died. The three other patients - "two adult males" and a "female juvenile" - were listed in stable condition, Gore said. Authorities later identified one of the victims as the rabbi, who underwent surgery for treatment of "defensive wounds to his index fingers." The sheriff's office said the two other patients, a 34-year-old man and the girl, were each struck by shrapnel but were "doing well." The attack occurred shortly before 11:30 a.m. in Poway, a suburb of about 50,000 residents, when the suspect walked into the synagogue and started shooting, Gore said. As he was making his getaway, an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent opened fire on the suspect, striking the vehicle but apparently missing the suspect, according to Gore. The gunman was arrested a short time later when he gave himself up to police. A San Diego officer was en route to the shooting scene when he overheard a California Highway Patrol (CHP) radio dispatch "of a suspect who had called into CHP to report that he was just involved in this shooting and his location," San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit recounted. "The officer was actually on the freeway and he clearly saw the suspect in his vehicle. The suspect pulled over and jumped out of his car with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody," Nisleit said. He said the assault-style rifle believed to be the murder weapon was found on the front passenger seat of the car. The synagogue was hosting a holiday celebration beginning at 11 a.m. and due to culminate in a final Passover meal at 7 p.m. Authorities said about 100 people were inside the temple, where Saturday services marking the Jewish Sabbath would have been under way or have just concluded. A man who lives nearby, Christopher Folts, said on CNN he heard six to seven gunshots, then a man yelling, followed by six to seven more shots. Cantor Caitlin Bromberg of Ner Tamid Synagogue, down the street from the shooting scene, said her congregation learned of the shooting at the end of their Passover services and that they headed to Chabad of Poway to show support and help. "We are horrified and upset, and we want them to know we are thinking of them," Bromberg told The Los Angeles Times, adding that she has not heard from Chabad of Poway leadership because they would not normally use the phone during the Sabbath. "They would only do that on emergency basis, if they do it at all," Bromberg told the newspaper. (Reporting by Bridget Clerkin in Poway; Additional reporting by Barbara Goldberg in New York; Writing and additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Daniel Wallis, Jonathan Oatis, Matthew Lewis and Andrea Ricci) Washington (AFP) - Two top Saudi royal advisors have been linked to journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder. One has been labeled the "ringleader" but questions are swirling over the absence of the other in the closed-door trial of 11 suspects, multiple sources told AFP. Saudi prosecutors have said deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Assiri oversaw the Washington Post columnist's killing in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate last October and that he was advised by the royal court's media czar Saud al-Qahtani. Both aides were part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's tight-knit inner circle and have formally been sacked over the killing but only Assiri has appeared in the five court hearings since January, according to four Western officials privy to the information. "Qahtani is not among the 11 facing trial," one of the officials told AFP. "What does his absence mean? Are the Saudis keen to protect him or discipline him separately? No one knows." The kingdom's public prosecutor last November indicted 11 unnamed suspects, including five who could face the death penalty over the murder. Diplomats from the UN Security Council's permanent members - the US, Britain, France, China, Russia - as well as Turkey are allowed to attend as observers of the legal proceedings that are held entirely in Arabic. They are not allowed to bring interpreters and are usually summoned at short notice, the sources said. A representative of the Khashoggi family - which this month rejected reports of a settlement with the Saudi government - has attended at least one court session, they said. Maher Mutreb, an intelligence operative who frequently traveled with the crown prince on foreign tours, forensic expert Salah al-Tubaigy and Fahad al-Balawi, a member of the Saudi royal guard, are among the 11 on trial who could face the death penalty, the officials said. The defendants are allowed legal counsel. Story continues Many of them have defended themselves in court by saying they were carrying out orders by Assiri, describing him as the "ringleader" of the operation, according to the officials. The kingdom's media ministry did not respond to AFP's request for comment. The defendants' lawyers could also not be reached. - Where is Qahtani? - Assiri, lionized in Saudi military ranks as a war hero, does not face the death penalty, the Western officials added. Believed to have previously worked closely with US intelligence, he is also not named in two American sanctions lists of Saudis implicated in the murder. Qahtani, who led fiery social media campaigns against critics of the kingdom and was seen as a conduit to the crown prince, is on both lists. He met the Saudi hit squad team before they left for Turkey to share "useful information related to the mission based on his specialisation in media," according to the Saudi prosecutor's office. But he has not appeared publicly since the murder and his current whereabouts are a subject of fevered speculation. Some Saudis claim he continues to peddle influence behind the scenes, but others say he is lying low, waiting for the international outrage over the murder to subside. Washington Post columnist David Ignatius reported earlier this year that Prince Mohammed continues to seek his counsel, citing US and Saudi sources. "Qahtani holds a lot of files and dossiers," Ignatius quoted one American who met the crown prince as saying. "The idea that you can have a radical rupture with him is unrealistic." - Lack of transparency - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who faces intense scrutiny in Congress over Washington's close relations with Riyadh, has urged the crown prince to snap his ties with Qahtani, two Western officials told AFP. The CIA has reportedly said the murder was likely ordered by Prince Mohammed, the de facto ruler and heir to the throne. Saudi authorities strongly deny the allegation, and in private conversations with Western officials they have instead criticized Turkish authorities for failing to stop the murder. "Their intelligence knew that a (Saudi) hit squad was coming. They could have stopped them!" one of them quoted a Saudi official as saying. Turkish officials were the first to report Khashoggi's murder and have continued to press Saudi Arabia for information on the whereabouts of his dismembered body, which has yet to be found. Agnes Callamard, the United Nations special rapporteur conducting an independent inquiry into the killing, last month condemned what she called a lack of transparency in the legal proceedings and demanded an open trial. The kingdom "is grievously mistaken if it believes that these proceedings, as currently constituted, will satisfy the international community," she said. It was unclear when the Saudi trial will conclude. This month, a coalition of seven international human rights and press freedom groups called on Britain, France, and the US to issue public reports on the trial. Secret trial proceedings "run the risk of enabling the 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 coalition said in an open letter. Photo: Caitlin B./Yelp Craving barbecue? You're in luck: a new business has opened its doors in the neighborhood. Called Flat & Point, the fresh arrival is located at 3524 W. Fullerton Ave. in Logan Square. Husband and wife duo, chef Brian and Taylor Bruns, offer a menu featuring all things wood-fired. According to Eater Chicago, they'll be pulling "meats out of a custom-built 500-gallon barrel smoker." With a 3.5-star rating out of 14 reviews on Yelp so far, Flat & Point is getting solid feedback from clientele. Mary T., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new spot on March 31, wrote, "It isn't clear on the website, but several of the dishes can be made vegetarian or vegan, which is awesome for folks like me." And Mi K. wrote, "Flat & Point has a lot of potential, the Wagyu brisket was awesome! However everything else on the menu was lacking flavor and excitement." Head on over to check it out: Flat & Point is open from 59 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, 510 p.m. on Friday, noon10 p.m. on Saturday and noon8 p.m. on Sunday. (It's closed on Monday and Tuesday.) This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. The crane was atop a Google Cloud building in Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood. Four people are dead and three others injured after a large crane collapsed off a building and onto a street in Seattle, crushing multiple cars. The collapse occurred in the citys South Lake Union neighborhood, at the intersection at Fairview Avenue North and Mercer Street. According to the Seattle Fire Department, a total of six cars were crushed. The Seattle Fire Department confirmed the fatalities just before 5 p.m. local time. The three injured victims were hospitalized. Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said three men and a woman were killed and all were dead on arrival at a hopsital. Two of the deceased were operators of the crane and the two others were in separate vehicles. Those injured were a 27-year-old male, a 25-year-old female and a 4-month old. A fourth individual was assessed on the scene but was not transported. Obstruction on Mercer St and Fairview Ave N blocking the EB lanes. Fallen crane on west side of Fairview Ave N and Mercer St intersection. Avoid the area and use alt routes. pic.twitter.com/GLUAXTTjHl SDOT Traffic (@SDOTtraffic) April 27, 2019 The crane appears to have fallen from a building that houses the Google Cloud offices. The building was also damaged during the collapse. A Google spokeswoman told HuffPost that Vulcan, a real estate development company, is managing the work site. We share our deepest condolences with those whove been affected and thank all the first responders who quickly sprang into action, the spokeswoman said in a statement. We are in communication with Vulcan who is managing the site and working with the local authorities on the ground. In a separate statement, Vulcan said that general contracting company GLY was working on the development project. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families who have lost loved ones and our hope is that those who have been injured return to full health as soon as possible, Vulcan said in a statement posted to their site. It added that GLY and its sub-contractors are fully cooperating with the authorities investigating this incident. Story continues Devastating scene on Mercer at Fairview. Three cars severely hit by fallen crane. pic.twitter.com/uH4PE2gJyG Frank Kuin (@frankkuin) April 27, 2019 This story been updated with statements from Google and Vulcan. Sri Lanka's churches remained shut Sunday, forcing Christians to say prayers of grief in private over the Easter suicide attacks that the country's Roman Catholic leader called "an insult to humanity". Fearing a repeat of the Easter Sunday bombings of churches and hotels in which 253 people died, the archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, held a private Mass after cancelling all public services. Amid heavy security imposed across the country, a vigil was also held outside St Anthony's Shrine in Colombo at 8:45 am, the moment the bomber struck the church, killing dozens of worshippers. "Today during this Mass we are paying attention to last Sunday's tragedy and we try to understand it," the cardinal said at his official residence, where President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe were among the small congregation. "We pray that in this country there will be peace and co-existence and understanding each other without division," he said. "What happened last Sunday is a great tragedy, an insult to humanity," he added. - Stuck in time - At exactly 8:45 am, the singing of hymns by scores of people outside St Anthony's stopped and bells tolled. The hands on the tower clock remain fixed at the time of the blast. "I come to this church every Sunday. It feels like my second home," said Dharshika Fernando, 19, fighting back tears. "It feels like people blasted my own home." Later in the day, the cardinal made his first public appearance since the attacks to participate in a candlelight vigil for the victims. Speaking to reporters, he expressed fears that the official investigation into the massacre would end up a "flop". "There is a certain amount of suspicion among our people that there will be no more follow-up, only words... If they (the authorities) are sincere, they must have a thorough investigation," he said. Story continues The cardinal has repeatedly assailed the authorities for failing to share intelligence reports that had warned of an impending jihadist attack against Christians. Thousands of Sri Lankan troops remained on the streets, guarding churches and mosques for the symbolic day. Security forces also carried out new arrests, a day after at least 15 people were killed in a raid on a jihadist hideout where suicide bombers blew themselves up. Police said they searched the family home of two of the bombers and arrested one of their brothers. Elsewhere, more suspects were detained, bringing to 150 the number of people arrested since the bombings. The prime minister said security forces had killed or arrested most of the jihadists linked to the attacks, which he said were carried out by a "small, but a well-organised group". "Most of them have been arrested. Some have died," Wickremesinghe said in a statement. "Now we are able to return to normality". Authorities say they are also seeking about 140 followers of the Islamic State group. Two of the latest suspects arrested, Mohamed Saadik Abdul Haq and Mohamed Saahid Abdul Haq, were on a list of six "most wanted" radicals issued on Thursday. They were wanted for the December 26 desecration of Buddha statues in the central town of Mawanella, the act that first brought to prominence the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) group, which has been blamed for the Easter bombings. - Schools stay closed - On Friday night, three men set off explosives, killing themselves, three women and six children after a showdown with security forces near the eastern town of Kalmunai. Police said three other suspected suicide bombers were shot dead by security forces outside the hideout. A civilian was killed in crossfire. IS, which claimed responsibility for the Easter bombings, said the three men who blew themselves up at Kalmunai were its members. Kalmunai is in the same region as the hometown of the jihadist Zahran Hashim, who founded the NTJ. Police said Hashim's widow and their child were wounded in the Kalmunai raid. "The woman and her four-year-old daughter are now being treated at a government hospital," police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera told AFP. Gunasekera said DNA tests should help establish whether Hashim's father was among those who perished at the safe house. Another raid in the region targeted a house where authorities said Hashim and the other suicide bombers filmed a pledge of allegiance to IS before their attacks. The video was shown by IS when it made its claim of responsibility. The firebrand cleric is said to have died in the attack on the Shangri-La, one of three Colombo hotels hit by suicide bombers. Sirisena on Sunday said he was using emergency powers to ban any form of face covering in public, "to ensure national security". The restriction will take effect from Monday, his office said in a statement. Only a small number of women in Sri Lanka wear the face-covering niqab. On Saturday, Sirisena used emergency powers to ban the NTJ and a splinter group, Jamathei Millathu Ibraheem (JMI). In a sign of continuing tensions, the reopening of schools across Sri Lanka, originally scheduled for Monday, has been put back one week. Denis Poroy A 19-year-old man armed with an assault rifle walked into a suburban San Diego synagogue Saturday morning and opened fire, killing one person and injuring three others, including a child, in a mass shooting that the mayor cast as a hate crime. The San Diego Sheriff's Office said that John Earnest of San Diego had been arrested in connection with the shooting at the Chabad of Poway but they didn't believe there were any other suspects. Police said he has had no prior contact with police and was being questioned by local detectives and local FBI agents Saturday afternoon. Sheriff William Gore said authorities were looking into a rambling, multi-page manifesto that was published minutes before the shooting by a person with the same name, in which the writer claimed Jews were destroying whites and praised attacks in Pittsburgh and New Zealand. We are aware of his manifesto, which we are in the process of reviewing to determine its validity and authenticity, Gore said, adding that the attack is being investigated as a homicide and authorities are looking into charges that include state hate crimes statutes and federal civil rights violations. Authorities were also looking into the possibility of Earnest's involvement in a mosque fire in nearby Escondido last month, a claim that is made in the manifesto, Gore said. More lives may have been spared in the shooting thanks to the work of an armed off-duty Border Patrol agent believed to be working as a security guard in the synagogue during the shooting. The guard, who has not been identified, returned fire as the suspect fled to his car, hitting the vehicle with several bullet holes. Investigators were working to determine if Earnest left the scene because he was engaged by the Border Patrol agent. Gore said there were also some indications that Earnests gun malfunctioned after he fired several rounds. Sadly we are seeing this happen all too often around our country, Gore said of the shooting. Its tragic, especially when it happens here in our own backyard. Story continues The attack on the 33-year-old synagogue in Poway, a town of about 50,000 people located just northeast of San Diego, took place on the last day of Passover and exactly six months to the day after Robert Bowers, 46, allegedly entered the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh just after 10 a.m, reportedly shouting all Jews must die before opening fire and killing 11 people. The Chabad center was founded in 1986 as part of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement's international outreach efforts. It serves Jews of all backgrounds who want to learn more about their Jewish roots, according to their website, and like other Chabad centers, attracts a variety of congregants, many of whom are not traditionally religious. The congregation according to an event listing was in the midst of a Passover Holiday Celebration that began at 11 a.m. and was set to end at 7 p.m. with a final Passover meal. It was interrupted around 11:30 a.m. when Earnest allegedly entered the synagogue carrying an AR-15 type assault weapon and opened fire, striking four people, including a woman who was killed and two men and a girl who were all expected to survive. Police said among those injured was Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was conducting service at the time and was shot in the hand. He was in surgery Saturday and was expected to survive. Earnest was arrested without incident by San Diego police as he was fleeing the scene, Chief David Nisleit said. A San Diego police officer en route to the scene overheard on the California Highway Patrol scanner that a suspect had allegedly called 911 to report that he was just involved in this shooting and gave authorities his location, Nisleit said. As the officer was exiting the freeway, he clearly saw the suspect in his car, Nisleit said. The suspect pulled over, jumped out of his car with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody, he said. As the officer was placing this 19-year-old male into custody he clearly saw a rifle sitting on the front passenger seat of the suspect vehicle. The local FBI and ATF offices in San Diego said agents are working with local officials on the investigation. Poway Mayor Steve Vaus, speaking on CNN, called the attack a hate crime based on statements the shooter made when he entered the building. Gore said police have copies of the suspects social media posts and an alleged hate-filled manifesto he wrote right before the shooting, which would be reviewed to determine the legitimacy of it and determine how exactly it plays into the investigation. The manifesto reviewed by The Daily Beast was created before the attack and the writer identifies himself as Earnest. A spokesperson for the sheriff's office declined to provide any additional details about the manifesto. The manifesto was first shared on the toxic trolling board 8chan minutes before the suspect opened fire. It contains apparent misinformation and is clearly meant to be found and disseminated. (It uses the same question-and-answer format as the manifesto of the terrorist who attacked two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.) The writer identifies himself as a Christian of European descent. While he eschews political labels, the writer repeats a far-right accusation that Jews seek to destroy the white race through immigration of non-whites. It is the same purported motive given by the man who allegedly killed 11 Jews at a Pittsburgh synagogue last October. California State University San Marcos identified Earnest as one of its students in a statement released Saturday evening. We are heartbroken by this tragedy, which was motivated by hate and anti-Semitism, the schools president, Karen Haynes, said, adding that the university is dismayed and disheartened by Earnests alleged involvement. Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn, President Donald Trump expressed his deepest sympathies to the Poway congregation and the people that were affected in what obviously... looks like a hate crime. We are doing some very heavy research and we will see what comes up but it looks like a hate crime, Trump said before heading to Wisconsin for a rally in protest of the annual White House Correspondents Dinner. Hard to believe, hard to believe. Read more at The Daily Beast. Madrid (AFP) - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialists have won snap elections without the necessary majority to govern solo in a fragmented political landscape marked by the far-right's entry into parliament. The results raise the spectre of another period of instability for Spain, with Sanchez depending on alliances with hostile rivals in an environment that has soured since Catalonia's failed secession bid in 2017. A significant development was the rise of the ultra-nationalist Vox party, which garnered just over 10 percent of the vote in a country that has had no far-right party to speak of since the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975. Sanchez's Socialist Party (PSOE) got 123 lawmakers out of 350, or close to 29 percent of votes -- short of an absolute majority but much better than the 85 seats it got in 2016. "The Socialists have won the general election and with it the future has won and the past has lost," he told cheering supporters from the balcony of the party's headquarters in Madrid, claiming victory late Sunday. The big loser was the conservative Popular Party (PP), which bagged 66 seats compared to 137 in the previous election that saw it govern Spain with a minority government. - Possible alliances - Sanchez, who came to power in June after ousting conservative prime minister Mariano Rajoy in a no-confidence vote, could seek to forge alliances with far-left Podemos and smaller groupings like Catalan separatist parties, as he had done over the past 10 months. He could also try to cosy up to centre-right Ciudadanos, which won 57 seats. Together, they would form an absolute majority but voters from both parties would likely frown on such a move. "I hope Sanchez won't reach an agreement with Ciudadanos, I want a left-wing government," 51-year-old Esther Lopez, said at the Socialist Party headquarters, wearing earrings marked "PSOE." Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera, built his campaign on disparaging Sanchez, criticising his attempts to negotiate with Catalan separatist parties in a bid to ease a secession crisis in the northeastern region. Story continues In an editorial on Monday, Madrid daily El Mundo called on Sanchez to "reach out to Rivera and consider forming a moderate government -- which would undoubtedly go down well in Europe -- to ensure the stability" of the country. - Far-right emergence - The crisis in Catalonia was precisely what fuelled Vox's meteoric rise from the outer margins of politics to the national scene, after gaining nearly 11 percent of votes in December regional polls in southern Andalusia. Founded by Santiago Abascal, a disgruntled former PP member, it will now take 24 seats in the national parliament. This is less than what opinion polls had predicted. "I thought Vox would get way more votes, with this result Vox won't have any weight in parliament as no one supports them. We needed more seats," said Maria Bonilla Ortega, a 22-year-old philosophy student in central Madrid, a Spanish flag draped around her shoulders. Abascal was more optimistic: "We can tell Spain with complete calm that Vox has come to stay," he told cheering supporters. After a tense campaign, voter turnout was high at 75.76 percent, up from 66.48 percent in 2016, election authorities said. - Catalonia shadow - With a strong stance against feminism and illegal immigration, Vox stood out with ultra-nationalist rhetoric advocating the "defence of the Spanish nation to the end" and a hard line against separatists in Catalonia. The region in northeastern Spain was the scene of a secession attempt in 2017 that sparked the country's biggest political crisis in decades and caused major concern in Europe. The issue has continued to cast a pall over Spanish politics. Sanchez was forced to call Sunday's elections after Catalan pro-independence lawmakers in the national parliament, angered at the trial of their leaders in Madrid, refused to give him the support he needed for his 2019 budget. Right-wing parties for their part lambasted Sanchez, at the head of a minority government, for talking with separatists who still govern the region, accusing him of cosying up to those who tried to break up Spain. That controversy is likely to continue as two Catalan separatist parties gained even more lawmakers in the national parliament than they did in 2016 -- up to 22 from 17. The five separatists elected are in jail and currently being tried at Spain's Supreme Court. In a sign of the impact the crisis had on voters, Dolores Palomo, a 48-year-old domestic worker, said she had always voted for the socialists but cast her ballot for Ciudadanos this time at a polling station in Hospitalet de Llobregat, near Barcelona. The reason? Sanchez "is a puppet of the separatists," she said. MADRID, April 28 (Reuters) - The leader of Spain's far-left Unidas Podemos party said that, on the basis of results in Sunday's national election, he would be open to forming a left-wing coalition government with outgoing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialists. "I have expressed to him (Sanchez)...our willingness to work towards a coalition government," Pablo Iglesias told supporters in Madrid after a tally of results with more than 95 percent of votes counted showed Podemos winning 42 seats. The two parties combined would be around 11 seats short of a parliamentary majority, the same interior ministry tally showed. Forming such a coalition "will take much time and I would ask for your patience," Iglesias added. (Reporting by Isla Binnie and Andres Gonzalez; writing by John Stonestreet, editing by Ingrid Melander) The cancellations started before the dust had settled on the hotels and churches hit by suicide bombers in Sri Lanka as tourists and operators pressed the panic button. Sanath Ukwatte, chairman of the colonial-era Mount Lavinia hotel in Colombo, said he lost about 30 percent of his bookings within days of the Easter Sunday attacks that killed 253 people. Many holidaymakers got the first plane out of Colombo after the blasts -- at least 40 foreigners were among the dead -- raising fears for a tourism industry that had managed to move on from the shadows of a decades-long civil war. The United States, Britain, Australia, India and Israel have all warned their nationals against visiting, while the Netherlands is organising a special flight to evacuate hundreds of Dutch tourists. On Friday, European travel giant TUI announced it had stopped taking bookings for the South Asian country. And the crisis could get worse before it gets better for the island nation, whose palm-fringed beaches and mountain tea plantations were recently named the best place to visit in 2019 by the Lonely Planet guide. - Armed guards - Sri Lanka's Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera had hoped tourism would earn a record $5.0 billion this year, up from $4.4 billion in 2018. He thinks the attacks could now see the country lose up to one third of that. Tourism accounts for about five percent of the economy, with Britain, India and China the main markets. Official figures show tourist arrivals in the first quarter of this year jumped 4.6 percent to 740,600 from 2018. But with armed guards now a fixture in some Colombo hotels and cancellations flooding in after the carnage unleashed by coordinated suicide attacks, Samaraweera must work out a rescue plan for establishments now facing ruin. "We expect a 30 percent drop in arrivals and that means a loss of about $1.5 billion in foreign exchange," he said on Friday. Ruchir Desai, a senior investment analyst with Asia Frontier Capital in Hong Kong, said the next year will be a tough one for Sri Lanka. Story continues "Given the scale of the attack I still think you would see a negative impact on the industry," Desai told AFP. "It should recover," he added, "obviously it depends on the steps the government takes to improve stability." Ukwatte, who is also president of the Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, hopes Sri Lanka can "bounce back". Sri Lanka's tourism is heading into its low season, and Ukwatte believes if confidence can be restored by October or November, "then we will be able to revive the industry with European winter travellers." Finance Minister Samaraweera highlighted how other countries hit by Islamic State-inspired attacks rebuilt their image and convinced tourists to come back. "Typically, countries that suffer isolated IS-style attacks see tourism recovering within one-to-two years, as long as root causes are addressed and security measures taken are well communicated," the minister said. He pointed to tourist industries in Belgium, France, Spain and Tunisia as countries which had all managed to bounce back after suffering indiscriminate terror attacks. - Bad message - Much will depend on how the government gets its message across, observers said. Canadian adventure tourism promoter Wade Campbell criticised the government's communications after the attacks, particularly a top defence ministry official -- who has since resigned -- who said Sri Lankan hotels should have arranged their own security to avoid being hit. Danger is "a perception thing," said Campbell, who is now looking at redirecting bookings to rival destinations like Nepal. Italians Donatella Papi and her husband Maurizio Fantappie were on a 25-day holiday in eastern Sri Lanka when the bombers struck. "My husband wanted to leave after the bombings, he suggested going to Thailand. But I wasn't too scared then, I thought it would settle down," said Papi. "I think Sri Lanka tourism will fall -- we are very sad about it. This year is the anniversary of the end of the war -- it was supposed to be a celebration," she said. "We have no regrets about staying on but we are very sad and worried -- for our safety and for Sri Lanka." str-aj/tw/rma/rox/tom TUI AG CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY Khartoum (AFP) - Sudanese protesters Sunday welcomed a breakthrough in talks with army rulers who agreed to form a joint civilian-military council, paving the way for the civilian administration demanded by demonstrators. Saturday's agreement would replace the existing 10-member military council that took power after the army ousted veteran leader Omar al-Bashir on April 11 amid massive protests. "What happened yesterday is a step to have a civilian authority," said Mohamed Amin, one of thousands of demonstrators who have been camped for weeks outside the army headquarters. "We are happy about the progress in the talks, but we are still waiting for the composition of the council and the civilian government." The joint civilian-military council would be the overall ruling body, the protest leaders say, while a new transitional civilian government was expected to be formed to run the country's day-to-day affairs, a key demand of protesters. That civilian government would work towards having the first post-Bashir elections. The demonstrators said they would pursue their sit-in until a civilian administration is set up. "Last night's agreement is a step forward in the stability of our country. But I don't think we will leave the sit-in until we achieve our demand of a civilian government," said protester Sawsan Bashir. Protest leader Ahmed al-Rabia confirmed to AFP the decision to form a joint council. "We are now in consultation about what percentage of the council should be represented by civilians and how much by the military," said Rabia, who is involved in talks. On Sunday, protest leaders from the Alliance for Freedom and Change met to discuss the progress of talks with the military council. But the joint committee talks that were expected on Sunday were cancelled, activists said. - Lengthy talks - Activists say the new council could be a 15-member body, with eight civilians and seven army generals. Story continues The decision to have a joint council came after hours of talks on Saturday, the first by a joint committee representing the current ruling military leadership and protesters. Bashir was ousted by the army after months of protests against his three-decade rule. Thousands of demonstrators, braving volleys of tear gas fired by security forces, reached the sprawling military headquarters on April 6, demanding the army support those opposing Bashir. Five days later, the army toppled Bashir and took power through a transitional military council. The military council has so far insisted it has assumed power for a two-year transitional period. Western governments have expressed support for protesters' demands, but Sudan's key Gulf Arab lenders have backed the military council, while African states have called for more time for the army to hand over to civilians. Last week, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates announced $3 billion (2.7 billion euros) in financial aid for Sudan following Bashir's overthrow. Of the $3 billion, the oil-rich countries pledged to inject $500 million in Sudan's central bank to support its weakening currency. The remaining $2.5 billion was to help provide food, medicine and petroleum products, according the official Saudi Press Agency. On Sunday, the UAE-owned Abu Dhabi Fund for Development said it would deposit $250 million in the central bank as part of the aid package. Sudan's economy has worsened over the years, hit by multiple armed conflicts and secession by oil rich South Sudan in 2011. - Call to join ICC - As the joint committee met on Saturday, top opposition leader and former premier Sadiq al-Mahdi told reporters Sudan should "immediately" join the International Criminal Court. Bashir is wanted by The Hague-based tribunal for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for his alleged role in the conflict in Darfur, charges the 75-year-old has repeatedly denied. The Darfur war erupted in 2003 when ethnic minority rebels took up arms against Khartoum's Arab-dominated government, accusing it of social and political marginalisation. The UN says about 300,000 people have died in the conflict, with another 2.5 million displaced, many of them still living in camps across the western region. Protest group spokesman Amjad Farid said Bashir and other regime figures could be tried in Sudan. "We are not seeking retaliatory measures against them, but we want to rebuild our justice system to hold them accountable for their crimes," he said. Mahdi, who was forced from office by Bashir in a 1989 coup, said the army's ouster of the veteran leader was "not a military coup". But "the toppled regime might still try to do a coup," he said, without elaborating. An Islamist rally called on Monday has been cancelled, while the military council dissolved the country's labour association, a statement said. We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Sydney Airport Limited (ASX:SYD). What Is Insider Selling? It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market. We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. For example, a Columbia University study found that 'insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers'. View our latest analysis for Sydney Airport The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Sydney Airport Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Non-Executive Director Abigail Cleland for AU$102k worth of shares, at about AU$6.79 per share. That implies that an insider found the current price of AU$7.64 per share to be enticing. That means they have been optimistic about the company in the past, though they may have changed their mind. While we always like to see insider buying, it's less meaningful if the purchases were made at much lower prices, as the opportunity they saw may have passed. The good news for Sydney Airport share holders is that an insider was buying at near the current price. The only individual insider to buy over the last year was Abigail Cleland. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! Story continues ASX:SYD Recent Insider Trading, April 28th 2019 There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). Does Sydney Airport Boast High Insider Ownership? Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Insiders own 0.4% of Sydney Airport shares, worth about AU$75m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment. What Might The Insider Transactions At Sydney Airport Tell Us? The fact that there have been no Sydney Airport insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Overall we don't see anything to make us think Sydney Airport insiders are doubting the company, and they do own shares. 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: Sydney Airport 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. BANGKOK, April 28 (Reuters) - Forty roads were closed in Bangkok as a band and officers on horseback marched past the Grand Palace on Sunday in a dress rehearsal for the next weekend's coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Thailand's first in nearly seven decades. Vajiralongkorn, 66, also known by the title King Rama X, became constitutional monarch after the death of his revered father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, in October 2016 after 70 years on the throne. His coronation follows a mourning period for Bhumibol, whose grand funeral was held a year after his death. The military-run government has set aside 1 billion baht ($31 million) for coronation ceremonies on May 4-6, about one-third of the cost of the funeral. The official coronation will be a mix of Buddhist religious ceremonies and Hindu Brahmin rituals. The king will be crowned on May 4, and the procession follows the next day. On May 6, declared a national holiday, he will meet Thai and foreign dignitaries. Thailand has been a constitutional monarchy since 1932, but the king is regarded as the spiritual protector of its people and culture. A revival in the monarchy's popularity has been helped by a formidable public relations machine - the evening news in Thailand includes a daily segment dedicated to the royals. Thais have been invited to wear yellow - a color associated with the monarch and his late father - to show support for the king from April until his birthday in late July. ($1 = 31.93 baht) (Reporting by Orathai Sriring and Juarawee Kittisilpa; Editing by Kay Johnson and Kevin Liffey) By JESSIE PANG and Greg Torode HONG KONG, April 28 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of people marched on Hong Kong's parliament on Sunday to demand the scrapping of proposed extradition rules that would allow people to be sent to mainland China for trial - a move which some fear puts the city's core freedoms at risk. Opponents of the proposal fear further erosion of rights and legal protections in the free-wheeling financial hub - freedoms which were guaranteed under the city's handover from British colonial rule to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. Ranks of marchers snaked peacefully for more than three hours through the shopping and business districts of Causeway Bay and Wanchai, with thousands staying on into the evening outside the Legislative Council and government headquarters. Police said 22,800 people marched at the peak of the procession, but organizers estimated 130,000 turned out - making it one of the largest street protests in the city for several years. Observers said the turnout dwarved an earlier protest against the plan last month. Veteran activist and former legislator Leung Kwok-hung said the government's move risked removing Hong Kongers' "freedom from fear". "Hong Kong people and visitors passing by Hong Kong will lose their right not to be extradited into mainland China," he said. "They would need to face an unjust legal system on the mainland." Some younger marchers said they were worried about traveling to the mainland after the move, which comes just as the government encourages young people to deepen ties with the mainland and promotes Hong Kong's links with southern China. Law clerk Edward Wen, 45, said the difference in human rights standards between Hong Kong and the mainland was too great to bridge. "You will be screwed as long as they put up a crime on your behalf," he said. The marchers' chanted demands for Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam to step down echoed through the high-rise streets, with some protesters saying she had "betrayed" Hong Kong. Some sported yellow umbrellas - the symbol of the Occupy pro-democracy movement that paralyzed parts of Hong Kong for 11 weeks in 2014. The proposed changes have sparked an unusually broad chorus of concern from international business elites to lawyers and rights' groups and even some pro-establishment figures. Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong who handed the city back to Chinese rule in 1997, on Saturday described the move as "an assault on Hong Kong's values, stability and security", government-funded broadcaster RTHK reported. LOOPHOLES Chief Executive Lam and other government officials are standing fast by their proposals, calling them vital to plug long-standing loopholes. Under the changes, the Hong Kong leader would have the right to order the extradition of wanted offenders to China, Macau and Taiwan as well as other countries not covered by Hong Kong's existing extradition treaties. As a safeguard, such orders, to be issued case-by-case, could be challenged and appealed through the city's vaunted legal system. Government officials have said no one at risk of the death penalty or torture or facing a political charge could be sent from Hong Kong. Under pressure from local business groups, they earlier exempted nine commercial crimes from the new provisions. The proposals could be passed into law later in the year, with the city's pro-democratic camp no longer holding enough seats to block the move. The government has justified the swift introduction of the changes by saying they are needed so a young Hong Kong man suspected of murdering his girlfriend in Taiwan can be extradited to face charges there. The government's assurances are not enough for Lam Wing-kee, a former Hong Kong political bookseller who said in 2016 he was abducted by mainland agents in the city. Lam left Hong Kong for Taiwan last week, saying he feared being sent back to the mainland under the new laws and his experience showed he could have no trust in China's legal system. A group of 33 followers of Falun Gong, a religious sect banned in China, flew from Taiwan to Hong Kong on Saturday to join the march but were refused entry to Hong Kong, RTHK reported. Sunday's march comes amid renewed calls for deeper electoral reforms stalled five years ago after Occupy protests. Four leaders of the movement were last week sentenced to jail terms ranging from eight to 16 months, part of a group of nine activists found guilty after a near month-long trial. (Reporting By Jessie Pang and Greg Torode; Additional reporting by Aleksander Solum and Clare Jim, Editing by Michael Perry, Richard Pullin and Dale Hudson) Jerusalem (AFP) - Thousands attended the funeral Sunday for a revered Israeli rabbi and Holocaust survivor known for his especially brutal treatment at the hands of the Nazis and his efforts to memorialise the genocide's victims. Menahem Mendel Taub, a Hassidic rabbi, died at the age of 96 in Jerusalem on Sunday, drawing tributes from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin. Born in Transylvania, Taub was deported to the Auschwitz death camp in 1944 at the age of 22 along with his six brothers and sisters. He was the sole among them to escape, but reportedly had been experimented upon by Nazi doctor Josef Mengele. Taub emigrated to Israel in 1963 from the United States and was a high-profile witness to the horrors of the Holocaust. His experience during the Holocaust left him unable to have children or grow the beard common among rabbis. He was also known for his voice and regularly sang songs he wrote when he spoke in public. Taub worked on a multi-volume encyclopaedia on the Holocaust with testimony from Jews who sought to maintain their religious faith despite the genocide. Netanyahu expressed "deep sorrow" over his death and said Taub "was tirelessly engaged in enshrining the memory of the Holocaust, especially the triumph of the impressive spirit in the ghettos and camps." Rivlin said he gave voice to "the spiritual heroism of Jews during the Holocaust and did all he could to honour the memory of its victims." Donald Trump could use executive privilege to block former White House lawyer Don McGahn from complying with a subpoena from congress, Kellyanne Conway said on Sunday. (It) is always an option, it's always on the table, said Ms Conway, a Trump aide, telling CNNs Jake Tapper that the congressional grilling of the ex counsel amounted to presidential harassment. The House Judiciary Committee served McGahn with a subpoena almost a week ago, as it investigated whether the president obstructed justice. Mr McGahn is someone with a ringside view of Mr Trumps efforts to undermine the Russia probe, details of which were outlined in special counsel Robert Muellers report on Russian interference in the 2016 election. Ms Conway added that its Trumps right to use executive privilege - an established move which allows members of the executive branch to resist subpoenas by claiming that withholding information is in the public interest. Mr McGahn's testimony is still being negotiated with the committee, which has requested documents by May 7 and testimony by May 21. The committee is likely to request interviews with several White House officials, so how the McGahn situation plays out will be a key test case for the committees clout. Ms Conway added: "Those who are subpoenaing different individuals are trying to push aside the fact that we have an entire Mueller investigation that lasted 22 months, cost about $30m - that is the expansive, somewhat expensive, definitive and conclusive investigation. Donald Trump has falsely claimed that newborn babies are being legally executed during a wild and often incoherent rally speech in Wisconsin. The US president said mothers who had just given birth were being given the choice of keeping the child or allowing it to be killed. The claim demonstrably false came as he spoke about late-term abortions. The baby is born, the mother meets with the doctor, they take care of the baby, they wrap the baby beautifully, and then the doctor and the mother determine whether or not they will execute the baby," Mr Trump said to a chorus of boos. He rounded on Wisconsins democrat governor Tony Evers, who, earlier this year, vetoed a Republican bill that would have required doctors to provide medical care to babies born alive after failed abortion attempts. Mr Evers said he did not support the bill because he believed existing laws offered enough protection to such babies. The remarkable inaccuracy was one of a series of extraordinary claims made by the president during a typically bellicose rally address in the city of Green Bay. He also referred to former FBI officials he has purged from government as scum, referred to the media as sick people, and mimicked the accent of King Salman of Saudi Arabia. He implied that he had continued to deal with the Middle East country after its leaders are said to have ordered the execution of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi because they "have a lot of money". At one point he revelled in anti-Hillary Clinton chants of lock her up. At another, he said his proposed plan to send all undocumented immigrants to just a handful of Americas sanctuary cities had been my sick idea. He also dismissed rumours that, if voted in for a second term in 2020, he would attempt to change the constitution so he could run for a third time. I promise at the end of six years, Ill be very happy but youre gonna be left with the strongest country youve ever had," he said. The rally, which Mr Trump said had attracted more than 10,000 people, was held as a counter event to the annual White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington, which is traditionally attended by sitting presidents. At counter-WHCD rally in Wisconsin, Trump rips Democrats' collusion delusion, takes aim at 2020 presidential field originally appeared on abcnews.go.com At his first campaign rally since the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election, President Donald Trump decried what he called the "collusion delusion," and took aim at the crowded field of 2020 Democratic candidates as his battle to win a second term in the White House continues to intensify by the day. "Liberal democrats put all their hopes behind their collusion delusion, which is totally exposed as a complete and total fraud," Trump said in a nearly two-hour long speech in front of roughly 10,000 supporters in Green Bay, Wisconsin, a swing state critical to his re-election hopes. "Look at what's happened with the scum that's leaving the very top of government. People that others used to say oh that's...dirty. These were dirty cops. These were dirty players," Trump said in an apparent reference to Mueller and his investigators. Trump called the special counsel's investigation "the greatest political hoax in American history," and called out potential Democratic rivals from former Vice President Joe Biden, or "Sleepy Joe," to Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, or "Crazy Bernie," to Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, for whom the President revived his "Pocahontas," moniker. The president eagerly labeled his opponents as socialists, saying "Democrats are now the party of high taxes, high crime, open borders, late-term abortion, hoaxes and delusions." In a stem-winding speech that touched on a wide-range of policy issues, Trump also claimed that the administration is sending illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities, a controversial proposal that the administration originally claimed was just an idea under discussion, but now the president says it was actually his "sick idea." Story continues "100,000 illegal immigrants arrived in our borders, placing a massive strain on communities and schools and hospitals and public resources like nobody's ever seen before. Now we're sending many of them to sanctuary cities," Trump claimed, "I'm proud to tell you that was my sick idea." Earlier this month a White House official told ABC News the idea was "a suggestion that was floated and rejected, which ended any further discussion." Trump also took another swipe at the late Sen. John McCain, a frequent target of his criticism even after his death, for his vote against the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. "We should have had health care, but one man decided to vote against us at the last moment. I was even though he campaigned for eight years repeal and replace, but that's okay." Trump sad. Trump added that he and the Republicans would be revealing a new healthcare plan after the 2020 election, but declined to offer any additional details on the plan. "We're coming up with a great package of healthcare. We're going to be the party of healthcare. We're coming up with a great package, after the election, we got to take back the House," Trump said. The president also swiped at "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, calling him a "third rate actor" and the situation regarding his arrest and release a "disgrace to our nation." Trump also complained about the amount of money the United States is paying to protect "rich countries," like Saudi Arabia militarily. "I called the King, I like the King I said we're losing our a-- defending you and you have a lot of money," Trump said. Trump's victory in Wisconsin in 2016 marked the first time a Republican presidential candidate won the state since the mid-1980s, and will be hotly contested in 2020 as Democrats aim to re-build the so-called "blue wall" of Midwestern states that helped propel the likes of Barack Obama and Bill Clinton to victory in their presidential bids. However, 2018 was a banner year for Democrats in Wisconsin, when the party swept all statewide elections and unseated Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who was seeking a third term in office but was defeated by Democrat Tony Evers. The victories in Wisconsin and Michigan, where Democrats flipped the governor's mansion and two congressional seats, underscore the importance of both states for Trump's re-election prospects and the difficult political terrain he may encounter in 2020. Saturday's rally was Trump's third campaign event this year. The president has held re-election rallies so far in El Paso, Texas, and Grand Rapids, Michigan, as his campaign ramps up to take on whoever emerges from the field of crowded Democrats that swelled to 20 this week with the official entry of former Vice President Joe Biden. PHOTO: Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers speaks to supporters as he makes a campaign stop at the Coordinated Campaign southside office, Nov. 4, 2018, in Milwaukee. (Darren Hauck/Getty Images) The president's rally was also Trump's most sustained and direct response to Mueller's report, and the subpoenas from Democrats on Capitol Hill, which continue to loom over his presidency. (MORE: Trump White House snub of subpoenas latest in power struggle with Congress) In the wake of Mueller's report, Trump has continued to rail against the special counsel's investigation, tweeting earlier this week that is was "'composed' by Trump Haters and Angry Democrats." .....Despite the fact that the Mueller Report was composed by Trump Haters and Angry Democrats, who had unlimited funds and human resources, the end result was No Collusion, No Obstruction. Amazing! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 25, 2019 Ultimately, the special counsel's office did not find sufficient evidence to suggest that members of the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with the Russians. The report made no conclusion, however, on the matter of possible obstruction of justice by the president. Despite Mueller's detailed findings into Russian meddling, Trump's senior advisers maintain it was the candidate's message that ultimately resulted in his upset 2016 victory. "Donald Trump won we didn't need WikiLeaks. We had Wisconsin. He won because he was the better candidate with a better message," Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on "This Week" last Sunday. (MORE: Kellyanne Conway says 'president is not going to jail,' predicts another Trump term) During the rally, the president also invited on stage White House press secretary Sarah Sanders who seemed to relish the crowd's chants of her name and acknowledged that last year she was at "a slightly different event" where she didn't get "the best welcome." Last year, Sanders bore the brunt of comedienne Michelle Wolfs acerbic routine at the the White House Correspondents' Dinner. PHOTO:President Donald Trump listens to White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders speak at a Make America Great Again rally, April 27, 2019, in Green Bay, Wis. (Mike Roemer/AP) MORE: Comedian Michelle Wolf delivers one-liner in response to Trump attack Trump's rally coincided with this year's press dinner, which he skipped for the third year in a row, and his administration boycotted the celebration of journalistic freedoms. During the dinner, keynote speaker, presidential biographer and historian Ron Chernow gave a historical, and, at times comical, account of the sometimes tense relationship between presidents and the press since the nation's founding and the need to hold governments accountable. PHOTO: Author and historian Ron Chernow speaks at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner in Washington D.C., April 27, 2019. (James Lawler Duggan/Reuters) My main theme tonight is that the relations between presidents and the press are inevitably tough, almost always adversarial, but they do not need to be steeped in venom, Chernow said. He also lauded the journalistic tradition of exposing the ills of slavery, discrimination, labor abuses and government corruption. The historian advised journalists on how to respond to President Trump when he dubs the press the "enemy of the people" advising journalists to take inspiration from Noreweigan playwright Henrik Ibsen's play about a man who was shunned for telling an unpopular truth, "An Enemy of the People." "I hadn't realized that the president was a student of Norwegian literature, did you realize that? Chernow joked and told the crowd to wear the title as a badge of honor. ABC News' Kelsey Walsh contributed to this report. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump pressed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to have Japanese automakers produce more vehicles in the United States, according to a readout of their recent meeting provided by the U.S. ambassador to Japan on Saturday. The two discussed recent public announcements by Japanese car makers, including Toyota Motor Corp's decision to invest more in U.S. plants. "We talked about the need to see more movement in that direction but I think the president feels very positive that we will see such movement because all the economics support that," said Ambassador William Hagerty. Trump told a campaign rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Saturday that Abe said Japan would invest $40 billion in U.S. car factories, though Trump did not give details on the timeline for the planned investments. Toyota, Japan's largest automaker, said last month it would exceed a 2017 pledge to invest $10 billion over five years with a new commitment to reach nearly $13 billion over that period. Trump has prodded Japanese automakers to add more jobs in the United States as the White House threatens to impose tariffs of up to 25 percent on imported vehicles, on the grounds of national security. Trump on Friday said it is possible that the United States and Japan could reach a new bilateral trade deal by the time he visits Tokyo in May, but he and Abe cited areas where they differ on trade. "We want to ensure that the U.S. has trading terms with Japan that are no less favorable than any other nation," Hagerty said in a phone call with reporters. He added that Trump is planning to attend the summit of the Group of 20 industrialized nations set to take place in Osaka, Japan in June. Separately, Trump was optimistic trade talks with China would be successful, the ambassador said. (Reporting by Chris Sanders, Jan Wolfe and Jason Lange; Additional reporting by Richard Cowan in Green Bay, Wisconsin; Editing by Andrea Ricci) WASHINGTON President Donald Trump focused on his accomplishments, the road forward on key policies and took swipes at both Democrats and the media during a campaign rally in Wisconsin Saturday evening. But he took care not to mention the event his rally sought to compete with: The White House Correspondents' Association dinner. Over an hour and 20 minutes, Trump boasted to a packed arena in Green Bay about the growing economy and number of jobs across the country. He offered his path forward on a healthcare bill, trade agreements with several countries, including the ongoing negotiations with China and laid out why Wisconsin the state that delivered him the 2016 election should stick with him through a second term. He hit the press several times, using the nickname "fake news" to attack coverage of his administration. It was the president's first rally since the nation saw the results of special counsel Robert Mueller's lengthy investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and the Trump campaign. In his 448-page report, Mueller detailed "sweeping and systematic" Russian efforts to benefit Trump in the 2016 election and campaign aides eager for the help, though he and his investigators ultimately found no conspiracy between Americans and Russians. Mueller also found Trump tried repeatedly to thwart the inquiry but declined to decide whether the president's conduct constituted an obstruction crime. Instead, Attorney General William Barr and others in the Justice Department later said there wasn't enough evidence for obstruction-of-justice charges. Trump noted the results, calling the investigation a "witch hunt" and claiming the probe was the "greatest political hoax in American history." A boycott?: Donald Trump tells staff to boycott White House Correspondents' Association dinner Trump skips dinner again: Donald Trump says he will again skip the White House correspondents dinner Story continues More from the rally: Donald Trump heralds end of 'collusion delusion' in return to battleground Wisconsin He said the investigation "wasn't just about me." Trump told the crowd that the investigation was aimed at hurting supporters who "rose up" and demanded "a government that put America first." Throughout his speech, Trump hit the press on multiple fronts. As he spoke about unemployment numbers, he pointed to the media at the back of the arena. "If I make any misstatement, if I'm off by just a little tiny bit, those people back there will be headlines! So I have to be very careful. Fake news. They're fake! They are fake. They are fakers!" Trump said. As the crowd started chanting "CNN sucks!" Trump added, "I'll tell you, you know what sucks? Their ratings suck." The only mention, though, of the White House correspondents dinner in Washington, happened when White House press secretary Sarah Sanders was called on stage. "Last year this night I was at a slightly different event. Not quite the best welcome, so this is an amazing honor," she said, taking a swipe at last year's dinner. After last year's White House Correspondents' Association dinner, Trump and other administration officials criticized comedian Michelle Wolf for a barbed monologue that included attacks on Sanders and her appearance. There will be no comedian this year; instead, the association invited presidential historian Ron Chernow to speak. Earlier this month, Trump announced he would not be going to the dinner, calling it "too negative" and saying, "I like positive things." He told reporters he would instead hold Saturday's rally in Wisconsin, a pivotal state in the 2020 presidential election. Ahead of the dinner, aides, some of whom attended last year's event, were told at a staff meeting that Trump did not want them to go to the dinner and boycott it, officials said. Trump also did not attend the dinner during his first two years in office. He is the first president to intentionally skip it since Jimmy Carter in 1980. President Ronald Reagan did not personally attend the dinner in 1981 he was recovering from an assassination attempt but he did phone in some remarks to the crowd. Before Trump, the dinner traditionally featured comics who made fun of the president and other politicians and offered presidents the chance to retaliate with comedy routines of their own. Perhaps most famously, in 2011, President Barack Obama mocked an audience member who had questioned his U.S. citizenship and was contemplating a campaign against him. That dinner guest? Donald J. Trump. Wisconsin will be one of the toughest battlegrounds in 2020, with Democrats already preparing their fight to flip Wisconsin back to blue. Of the 20 candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for president, five have already visited the state. Trump on Saturday took a couple of swings at his Democratic challengers, calling them Sleepy Joe Biden and Crazy Bernie Sanders. We say tonight that America will never be a Socialist country, Trump said to loud cheers. You took back your country with that great election two and a half years ago. Four more years, the crowd chanted in response. Contributing: Molly Beck and Haley BeMiller of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump takes swipes at media in rally during White House correspondents dinner Donald Trumps attorney general William Barr may refuse to attend this week's scheduled congressional hearing to review special counsel Robert Muellers report on Russian election interference. The Justice Department has told the House Judiciary Committee it has objections over the format of planned questioning, according a Democratic senior committee aide. The department disapproves of plans to allow committee lawyers from both sides to question Mr Barr after the traditional round of questioning by committee members. Justice officials also told the committee they are opposed to the panels plan to go into a closed session if members want to ask about redacted portions of the Mueller report, the anonymous aide said. House committee chairman Jerry Nadler has threatened to use subpoena powers should the attorney general refuse to attend this week. The New York Democrat told CNN that Mr Barr would not dictate the format the witness is not going to tell the committee how to conduct its hearing. Asked what would happen if the attorney general refused to testify on Thursday, Mr Nadler replied that they would "have to subpoena him, and we will have to use whatever means we can to enforce the subpoena. The Justice Department declined to comment on the dispute. Mr Barr is also scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, but the Republican-led Senate committee is expected to have more traditional rounds of member questioning. It is unusual for committee counsels to question a witness, but committees can generally set their own rules. During Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaughs confirmation hearing last year, Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee hired an outside prosecutor to question a witness who had accused him of sexual assault. Mr Trump's aide Kellyanne Conway said the president could use executive privilege to block former White House lawyer Don McGahn from complying with a subpoena requiring him to testify before the House Judiciary Committee. Story continues The Democratic-led committee served Mr McGahn with a subpoena almost a week ago, as it investigated whether the president obstructed justice. House Democrats and the Trump administration remain at odds over full access to Mr Muellers report, having also subpoenaed the Justice Department for the unredacted version of the Mueller report and underlying material gathered from the investigation. In response, the Justice Department has said they will make the full report, minus grand jury material, available to a limited group of members an offer that Democrats have so far refused. Experts have predicted the dispute will eventually end up in court. A spokeswoman for the top Republican on the committee, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, noted that Mr Barrs testimony is voluntary. Democrats have yet to prove their demands are anything but abusive and illogical in light of the transparency and good faith the attorney general has shown our committee, said Jessica Andrews. Democrats have criticised Mr Barr for drawing his own conclusion that Mr Trump did not obstruct justice, despite the Mueller report concluding he could not be exonerated on that point. Additional reporting by Associated Press Vinci (Italy) (AFP) - Butterflies flutter around centuries-old olive groves in Vinci, the Tuscan village where Leonardo da Vinci was born and honed his inventor skills as a child by studying the local flora and fauna. Locals preparing to mark the 500th anniversary of Leonardo's death say little has changed among the vineyards, lush fields and brooks that appeared in his art. The Renaissance polymath, whose most famous works include the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper but whose vast range of talents is legendary, drew lifelong inspiration from his humble rural upbringing, according to experts. "The landscapes, impressions and interests that influenced Leonardo throughout his life remain almost intact," Roberta Barsanti, director of the Leonardian Museum of Vinci, told AFP. "From his native house, set away from the village, we can still see the view he reproduced in 'Landscape', his earliest-known drawing, which he dated August 5, 1473," she said. Born on April 15, 1452, from an illegitimate liaison between a notary and a teenage peasant girl, Leonardo was raised by his grandfather and uncle. It was with them that he explored the surrounding countryside, studying and sketching insects, animals, plants and flowers. The natural world was a rich source of ideas for the prolific and imaginative inventor, who designed machines that would only be built centuries later -- from tanks to telescopes, flying machines to scuba gear. - 'Language of peasants' - Da Vinci was fascinated by the mills around Vinci and the various rivers that fed them. The Tuscan master, who left Vinci and moved some 30 kilometres (19 miles) away to the city of Florence as a teenager, would go on to study hydraulic energy and its mechanical applications, as shown in his many drawings on this subject. Da Vinci, who would draw himself in self-portraits with a stern brow and flowing beard, also developed a passion for anatomy, architecture, music, painting and sculpture. Story continues Experts say the rhythms of Vinci life -- and even the colloquialisms of the rural inhabitants -- echo throughout his later works. "Leonardo is the expression of a territory. He has internalised many things about this land, starting with the world of peasants," said Nicola Baronti, president of the "Vinci nel cuore" (Vinci in the heart) association. "When he draws his inventions, he uses the language of Vinci's peasants, and has thus immortalised terms still used in engineering world-wide," he added. - 'Secret signature' - Tourists who visit Vinci can walk the paths he trod five centuries earlier, and gaze upon the same waterfalls or vineyards. Baronti, a local history buff, said numerous devotees had been drawn to Vinci over the centuries, including many eccentric inventors who feel an affinity with the Renaissance pioneer. A few years ago, he said, an American dressed all in white wandered the streets of the village claiming to be in contact with da Vinci, who died on May 2, 1519. The village takes its name from the "Vinchio" willow tree, whose soft branches were used by farmers to tie their grape vines. The pattern of the knots typical in Tuscany since the 11th century is a familiar artistic motif -- plaster peeling off the walls in a nearby church in San Pantaleo recently revealed the ancient design beneath. "These interlacing threads, which recall the wicker braids specific to Leonardo's native village, can be found in his paintings, even on the corsage of the Mona Lisa," Baronti said. "It is the master's secret signature, as if he were telling us 'I left, that is true, but this is where I come from'." By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON, April 28 (Reuters) - Attorney General William Barr objects to testifying before the House Judiciary Committee in a closed session dedicated to redacted portions of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia report, a congressional Democratic aide said on Sunday. Barr is threatening to skip his planned appearance on Thursday, the aide told Reuters on condition of anonymity. The committee's chairman, Jerrold Nadler, has proposed that Barr's public testimony be followed by a second round of questioning, where sensitive matters would be discussed behind closed doors and include committee staff lawyers, a House Democratic aide told Reuters. Barr opposes both stipulations, according to the aide. The attorney general is also scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. A Justice Department spokeswoman did not immediately return calls for comment. The attorney general, a Trump appointee, released a redacted version of Mueller's report on the 22-month investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential race on April 18. The report https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-TRUMP-RUSSIA/010091HX27V/report.pdf detailed a series of actions by Trump to impede the probe, but did not make a conclusion on whether those actions constituted the crime of obstruction. It also concluded that Trump and his campaign had not engaged in criminal conspiracy with Moscow. Nadler has subpoenaed the Justice Department for the full report. The House panel's Republicans sided with Barr, saying Democrats' demands were unreasonable. "Democrats have yet to prove their demands anything but abusive and illogical in light of the transparency and good faith the attorney general has shown our committee," they said in a statement. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Additional reporting by David Morgan and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) By Pete Schroeder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. admiral in charge of the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba has been fired "due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command," U.S. Southern Command said in a statement on Sunday. Rear Admiral John Ring was removed from the post on Saturday, the brief statement said, without giving details about why. Jose Ruiz, a spokesman for Southern Command, which oversees Guantanamo, told Reuters the decision was the result of a monthlong investigation completed earlier in April, but declined to provide specifics. The firing was first reported by The New York Times. Ring had led Guantanamo since April 2018. General John Hussey, formerly the center's deputy commander, will now lead it in an acting capacity, the statement said. "This change in leadership will not interrupt the safe, humane, legal care and custody provided to the detainee population at GTMO," Southern Command said in its statement. The Guantanamo detention center, opened by Republican President George W. Bush to hold terrorism suspects captured overseas after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, has become a byword for harsh detention practices that have opened the United States to accusations of torture. President Barack Obama shrank its population while in office but failed to completely close the center as he had once promised. President Donald Trump signed an executive order in 2018 to keep the center open, and has discussed adding to its population. Since May 2018, Guantanamo has housed 40 prisoners. (Reporting by Pete Schroeder; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States signed a document agreeing to pay North Korea for the care of American Otto Warmbier but never paid the $2 million Pyongyang demanded, White House national security adviser John Bolton said on Sunday. Bolton, who said he was not part of the administration at the time, confirmed newspaper reports that North Korea demanded the money before Warmbier was flown out of Pyongyang in a coma on June 13, 2017. Asked whether U.S. envoy Joseph Yun signed the document when he went to retrieve Warmbier, Bolton told "Fox News Sunday" in an interview: "That is what I am told, yes." He said no payment was made. "It is very clear to me from my looking into it in the past few days that nobody was paid. That is clear," Bolton said. Warmbier, a University of Virginia student visiting North Korea, was imprisoned in January 2016. North Korea state media said he was sentenced to 15 years hard labor for trying to steal an item bearing a propaganda slogan from his hotel. Bolton said Trump was ready to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for a third summit to reach a deal for Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons. The second summit in Vietnam collapsed without an agreement after Trump and Kim failed to agree on the extent of economic sanctions relief for North Korea in exchange for giving up its nuclear program. During the meeting, Trump demanded full denuclearization, including the transfer of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and bomb fuel to the United States. "He still looks for the possibility of a third summit with Kim. He feels pretty strongly about it," Bolton said, rejecting a return to six-party talks to persuade Pyongyang to shut its nuclear program. The six-party format, which included Russia, China, Japan and South Korea, as well as the United States and North Korea, has been sidelined by unilateral U.S. efforts to broker a deal. "The six-party approach failed in the past. That doesn't mean we don't consult" with other countries, Bolton added. "Kim Jong Un has wanted the one on one contact with the United States, which is what he has gotten." Story continues Kim met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for their first face-to-face talks on Thursday. "I think both Russia and China could tighten up their enforcement of the sanctions," said Bolton, "I think they have been pretty good about it in recent months, but I think they could always tighten up." (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) By Julie Steenhuysen April 28 (Reuters) - Adults in the United States who were vaccinated against measles decades ago may need a new dose depending on when they received the shot and their exposure risk, according to public health experts battling the nations largest outbreak since the virus was deemed eliminated in 2000. Up to 10 percent of the 695 confirmed measles cases in the current outbreak occurred in people who received one or two doses of the vaccine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The figure illustrates what can happen when a large number of individuals, even those who have been vaccinated, are exposed to the measles. CDC recommends that people who are living in or traveling to outbreak areas should check their vaccination status and consider getting a new dose. Dr. Allison Bartlett, an infectious disease expert at the University of Chicago Medicine, said the continued vulnerability to infection is why high-risk adults such as healthcare workers are routinely advised to get a second dose of the measles vaccine if they have not had one. But knowing your vaccination status can be tricky, experts said. Its complicated and often futile because it's very difficult to resurrect those old records, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. People vaccinated in the United States since 1989 would most likely have received two doses of the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) shot under federal guidelines, and that is still considered the standard for protection. Anyone vaccinated between 1963 and 1989 would likely have received only one dose, with many people immunized in the earlier years receiving an inactivated version of the virus. Americans born before 1957 are considered immune as they would have been exposed to the virus directly in an outbreak. Merck & Co Inc is the sole U.S. provider of the MMR vaccine. The company said in a statement that it has taken steps to increase U.S. supply of the vaccine due to the current outbreak. Story continues HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS The measles virus is highly contagious and can cause blindness, deafness, brain damage or death. It is currently spreading in outbreaks in many parts of the world. According to the World Health Organization, 95 percent of a population needs to be vaccinated to provide herd immunity, a form of indirect protection that prevents infection in people too young or sick to be vaccinated. U.S. public health officials have blamed the current outbreak in part on rising rates of vaccine skepticism that have reduced measles immunity in certain communities. For travelers to outbreak areas abroad, the CDC recommends adults consider getting another dose of MMR unless they have proof of receiving two prior doses, take a blood test showing immunity, or were born before 1957. In general, the CDC says two doses of the measles vaccine should provide 97 percent protection; one dose should offer 93 percent protection. However, immunity can wane over time. This has occurred even in adults with two documented doses of the vaccine, said Dr. Michael Phillips, chief epidemiologist at NYU Langone Health, which serves parts of New York City, a hot spot in the U.S. outbreak. He said in kids, the vaccine is really effective, but in some adults, memory T-cells, which recognize and attack germs, do not fight the virus as effectively as they once did. Rapid blood tests are available that can detect whether a person is immune based on the level of measles antibodies, but the tests are not 100 percent reliable. Adults who have any doubt about their immunity should get another dose, Schaffner said: "It's safe. There's no downside risk. Just roll up your sleeve. (Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago; Additional reporting by Mike Erman and Gabriella Borter in New York; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) London (AFP) - With Brexit passions running high, campaigners are hitting Britain's streets and taking to social media ahead of European elections. Political parties old and new are gearing up for what has been described as a "zombie" election that was never meant to be held until Britain delayed its scheduled departure from the European Union. The vote could now become a poll on Brexit -- three years on from a referendum in which 52 percent voted to leave the bloc. "I see it as a soft referendum," said Isis Queresma-Cabral, 44, a French citizen in Britain for 19 years and a pro-EU election activist. "(It's) an opportunity for us European citizens who felt hurt by the first referendum to voice that," she said. Brexiteers are similarly minded, with social worker Richard Harris, 37, joining anti-EU firebrand Nigel Farage's new Brexit Party. At its April 12 campaign launch, he predicted "the biggest slap in the face for the party political system that we've had in generations." - 'Intriguing contest' - The May 23 vote looms with Britain in a deep political crisis over its stalled departure from the European Union after nearly half a century of membership. Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to ask EU leaders for a second delay this month that could run until October 31 amid continued opposition from MPs to her divorce deal. She had previously said it would be "unacceptable" to ask Britons to participate in the poll but has been left with little choice. The government continues to claim hope it could be scrapped if talks with the main opposition Labour Party break the Brexit deadlock. But few are expecting that in the coming weeks, leaving a febrile atmosphere for European elections that have recently favoured anti-establishment forces in Britain. "We have ourselves a phenomenally intriguing contest," wrote Patrick English, a lecturer at the University of Exeter. Story continues "New parties have arrived and are eating into the vote share of the old guard, who are struggling to retain much of their support." Pollsters say the rise of new parties makes the result hard to predict. - 'A very bad idea' - Change UK, a new anti-Brexit party formed by breakaway MPs from Britain's two main parties, could get votes from EU supporters. But Farage's Brexit Party is topping the polls, picking up endorsements from Brexit supporters disgruntled at both the ruling Conservative and the main opposition Labour Party for their stances on Brexit. Farage previously led the UK Independence Party (UKIP) to victory at the last European elections in 2014 -- one of the factors that prompted then prime minister David Cameron to call a referendum on EU membership. Neither of Britain's two main parties, which have been riven with internal divisions over Brexit, held campaign launch events, opting to release candidate lists quietly online this week. Some Conservative activists have vowed not to campaign in protest at May's current failure to deliver Brexit -- or even to switch allegiance to Farage. Ashley Fox MEP, the party's leader in Brussels, has called holding the election "a very bad idea" and campaigners have reported hostility -- and even violence -- while out canvassing. - 'No point voting' - As a result, activists are waging much of the battle online. "I'm spending 18 hours a day campaigning, eight hours roughly on social media," pro-European Magdalena Williams told AFP. The self-described "hard Remainer" who moved to Britain from Hungary in 1970 said she manages 11 pro-EU Facebook groups. She has committed to the Liberal Democrats for this election. "It's a good opportunity to show that we are actually a majority," Williams said, referring to the pro-EU side. However, some angry eurosceptics plan to boycott the poll over Brexit's "betrayal". "There's no point voting," said 35-year-old London construction worker Charlie Smith. Wielding his mobile phone displaying the result of the 2016 referendum, he added: "We voted for Brexit and they're not delivering it. "That's why I won't be voting for any of them." University graduate, 25, has revealed she is set to marry her 71-year-old former professor [Image: Facebook] A university graduate, 25, has revealed she is to marry her former professor, 71, after seven months of dating. Cameron Platt, who recently graduated with a masters degree from Oxford University, announced she is engaged to Lee Clark Mitchell who is a professor in English. The couple who have a 46-year age gap met when Cameron took one of Lees classes as an undergraduate at Princeton University in the United States five years ago. READ MORE: The ideal relationship age gap revealed In a lengthy Facebook post she opened up about her romance with the lecturer who will be 72 in June acknowledging that it might come as a surprise to many of you. Cameron Platt first met Lee Clark Mitchell when he was her English professor [Image: Princeton] READ MORE: Man secretly discovers his wife is exchanging sexy texts with her boss I was taking his lecture course on Henry James and William Faulkner, she wrote. Lee was little more than a stranger to me then, but he captivated me with his brilliance, sensitivity, and passion. His lectures changed forever the way that I think. Cameron said that by the time she had graduated, Lee had become a devoted mentor. The woman revealed their engagement in a Facebook post [Image: Facebook] READ MORE: Dating app launches dick pic detector to protect users from receiving nudes She then spent two years at Oxford, but admitted she often thought of her former professor. I was surprised to find how much I still thought of Lee and soon I understood that I felt something for him that Id not fully acknowledged before, she explained. At the end of my two years in Oxford, after much reflection, and with encouragement from my wonderful friends, I resolved to shoot my shot. READ MORE: Celebrity couples with the biggest age differences Last September, the pair went on their first date to the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Despite Lee not knowing it was a date, they acted like shy teens, eager but tentative and were unsure of how to test new boundaries with each other. Cameron continued: At last, to our amazement, we broke through. Something then sprouted from a seed that neither of us had known that wed planted, and we realised that the force of feeling that wed long had for each other and called by other names (admiration, wonder, devotion, gratitude) held within it the hope and the potential for love. Story continues She said that while they are at different stages of life, they are in love and decided to make their relationship official with an engagement ring. Princeton have confirmed that Lee is currently on academic sabbatical. READ MORE: Woman takes to Twitter after dinner date calls her disrespectful for not texting after he paid Lee and Cameron arent the only smitten couple with a hefty age gap. Back in January, Almeda, 71, shared how she fell in love with 17-year-old Gary at her sons funeral. The couple married just two weeks later. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo Traders travel freely through the bustling Khorgos special economic zone that straddles the Kazakhstan-China border, but signs on the Chinese side bear a blunt warning -- no veils or long beards allowed. It's a stark reminder of the severe security policies that China has imposed on mostly Muslim ethnic minorities in its vast border region of Xinjiang, which it considers crucial to the success of President Xi Jinping's cherished Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The gateway to Central Asia and key project partner Pakistan, Xinjiang is at the heart of the globe-spanning trade infrastructure programme. A series of riots, bombings and stabbings blamed on ethnic Uighurs over the years prompted authorities to launch a massive security crackdown in the far western region. "The BRI is an important factor behind the central government's urge to bring the restive region of Xinjiang once and for all under its control," said Adrian Zenz, an independent German researcher specialising in Xinjiang. The drastic measures have included placing as many as one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim Turkic-speaking minorities, including ethnic Kazakhs and Kyrgyz, in internment camps that Beijing downplays as "vocational education centres". Uighur wives of Pakistani traders have also been swept up in the dragnet. The crackdown has put the leaders of Central Asia and Pakistan, who attended a Belt and Road summit in Beijing this week, in an awkward position. Key recipients of BRI projects, they have refrained from publicly criticising China's Xinjiang approach despite discontent within their own countries. "Frankly, I don't know much about that," Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan told the Financial Times in March when asked about China's treatment of Uighurs. Although Kazakhstan has stated that the wellbeing of ethnic Kazakhs in China is an "important factor" in ties with Beijing, it has also voiced support for China's battle against terrorism, extremism and separatism. Story continues Kazakh authorities are holding an activist on suspicion of inciting inter-ethnic hatred after he highlighted the treatment of ethnic Kazakhs in Xinjiang, while an escaped Chinese national who described conditions in an internment camp has been denied asylum. "Fundamentally for these countries it's quite difficult because they have this economic partner which is only going to become bigger and more powerful," said Raffaello Pantucci, director of international security studies at the Royal United Services Institute. "They need to try to manage that relationship while at the same time make sure that they are representing their people to some degree," Pantucci said. - Trade hub - Xi picked Kazakhstan's capital to launch his pet project in 2013, a symbolic choice highlighting Central Asia's historic place on the ancient Silk Road. Projects include a highway connecting China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, a railway tunnel in Uzbekistan and a regional natural gas pipeline. China's investments in Central Asia pre-date BRI as Beijing has long seen development in the region as key to pacifying Xinjiang, Pantucci said. "From China's perspective, the long-term answer to problems -- separatism, unhappiness in Xinjiang -- is basically economic prosperity," he said. Kazakhstan and China share the massive, special trade hub in Khorgos, where traders can shop for clothes, kitchenware and other goods without needing a visa to go through security checkpoints. "The goods are cheaper there. Every day we can come to the border without it (feeling) like a border," said Aida Massimzhanova, a resident of Kazakhstan's largest city Almaty. But Khorgos is also a reminder of China's tightening stance on the Muslim faith that is dominant in Kazakhstan. A Kazakh journalist on a press tour was told by Kazakh officials that she would not be able to pass through the Chinese security check if she kept her hijab. She chose to stay back. On the Chinese side, journalists were prevented from approaching a sign showing Muslim veils are prohibited -- an apparent violation of an agreement on a common law governing the special trade zone. Authorities have banned a number of Muslim practices in Xinjiang, including wearing "abnormal" beards. - Public anger - Gaukhar Kurmanaliyeva associates the special economic zone on the border with the long arm of Beijing after her cousin Asqar Azatbek was allegedly snatched by unknown Chinese people on the Kazakh side in December 2017. The Kazakh foreign ministry raised the case with Beijing and told Kurmanaliyeva that Azatbek, a Chinese-born Kazakh passport holder, was jailed for breaking Chinese citizenship laws. "We don't know where he is (being held) or how he is," Kurmanaliyeva told AFP. In Kyrgyzstan, a committee was formed by relatives of those vanished in Xinjiang's security sweep. Marat Tagayev, who joined the committee over fears for friends living in China, said the foreign ministry reported that most Kyrgyz have left the internment camps. "But how many still remain in the camps?" Tagayev said. The Chinese foreign ministry did not respond to questions related to security or detentions in Xinjiang, but said in a statement that Belt and Road "has become the main line of cooperation between China and Central Asian countries." In Pakistan, which hosts the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor linking Xinjiang to the port of Gwadar, traders have protested over the detention of their Uighur wives in the Chinese region. Ali Ibrar, a 39-year-old trader from northern Pakistan married to a woman from Xinjiang, has been involved in a push to bring abuses there to the attention of Islamabad. "Pakistan is not only silent about the plight of Uighur Muslims but is also aiding and abetting China by forcing people like me to silence," he said. LONDON, ENGLAND APRIL 24: Zac Efron and Lily Collins attend the Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile European premiere at The Curzon Mayfair on April 24, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage) Zac Efron has revealed the sheer talent of one of his co-stars almost gave him a mental breakdown while filming his latest movie. Efron plays serial killer Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile, and in an interview with ET Online, the former High School Musical idol has praised the acting ability of co-star Lily Collins, which left him feeling inadequate. Read more: Zac Efron on Ted Bundys white privilege: A person of colour couldnt have gotten away with any of those things The actor said: The first day of filming, Ill never forget Its freezing cold in Kentucky, I smell like a thrift shop because my clothes were all from the 60s and I was just getting used to walking in this style. I walk in and I know my lines, Im ready for the day and it was the first warm-up scene, and Lily was ready to go right then at rehearsal, perfect. LONDON, ENGLAND FEBRUARY 10: Lily Collins attends the EE British Academy Film Awards at Royal Albert Hall on February 10, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage ) Gave a perfect performance on the rehearsal, and I literally walked outside and I almost had a mental breakdown. I was like, We didnt even get to rehearse and Lily is going for awards already? Shes so good! And I just sat at home and said, Zac, you gotta be better, you gotta be better, how can you do it?' Collins plays Liz Kloepfer in the film. Her memoir Phantom Prince, about the seven years she spent with Bundy, is what the movie is based on. Talking to Sky News, Collins said of her character: She had no idea what he was doing. You read about these cults and you can read about women that know whats going on and yet they still love whoever is involved. Story continues (Original Caption) Close up of Theodore Bundy, convicted Florida murderer, charged with other killings. In my opinion theres a big difference between that type of character and Liz, who was completely blind to everything that was going on. She loved this man wholeheartedly, did not believe in any of the crimes that he was committing. Read more: Zac Efron reveals Ferris Bueller changed my life It was evidence that came out in the televised trial that Collins believes finally allowed Liz to realise Bundys guilt. Ted was good to her daughter. It felt like the right family for her until the very end when that court case was being televised and she was privy to information that she had not been before. Thats when doubt struck in. Before that she was just a woman in love with a man. LONDON, ENGLAND APRIL 24: Zac Efron attends the Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile European premiere at The Curzon Mayfair on April 24, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage) Zac Efron believes Ted Bundy was able to kill so many women and evade capture for so long due to his white privilege. Efron, who plays Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile, a movie about the life and crimes of the serial killer who killed more than thirty women. The former High School Musical idol told Sky News: Friends or more distant family or anyone that knew him at school described him as a fun-loving, very smart, intuitive young Republican. Efron found fame in High School Musical (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) He had every kind of white privilege; he was good looking, he had things going for him. That right there makes this unique. A person of colour couldnt have gotten away with any of those things. Its shocking. Read more: Zac Efron reveals Ferris Bueller changed my life Bundy used his charm to lure women to their deaths and used his clean cut image to evade capture. Become a TV sensation in America after he was arrested and his trial became the first criminal trial to be televised, leading to the killer gaining a whole host of, mostly female, admirers. (Original Caption) Orlando, Fla.: Theodore Bundy watches intently during the third day of jury selection at his trial in Orlando for the murder of 12-year-old Kimberly Leach. Efron added: We have to be careful who we put on TV, because the day somebody made that trial public Ted Bundy was able to manipulate the masses with his charisma and his charm and his clean-cut white image. We cant repeat history like that. Bundy has been in the limelight again in the past year, thanks to Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile, and the Netflix documentary Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, which began streaming in January 2019. Read more: Zac Efron eager for Ted Bundy role not to make him look desperate There has been concern giving Bundy such a profile could be seen to glorify his horrific acts. Speaking to Variety after he was cast, Efron said: Initially, I had reservations about playing a serial killer. Ive seen people make horror films like this before, and it seems like an aggressive play to separate yourself from a perceived image. Boeing Inc.s (BA) costs to defend lawsuits tied to the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes of its 737 Max 8 aircraft that resulted in the deaths of 346 people remain uncertain as the company issued its quarterly earnings report Wednesday. The company reported a steep drop in first-quarter earnings, its first financial filing since the second fatal crash, in part due to at least $1 billion in setbacks anticipated from the global grounding of its most profitable jetliner. The report referenced undetermined potential litigation costs based on the two crashes, saying We cannot reasonably estimate a range of loss, if any, that may result given the ongoing status of these lawsuits, investigations, and inquiries. Shortly after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia on October 29, Lion Air Flight 610 crashed into the Java Sea. Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 similarly crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on March 10. Boeing did not respond to an email from Yahoo Finance asking how many crash-related lawsuits have been filed. However, a search of court documents and news reports shows the company is facing at least 34 claims from victims families and one claim seeking class certification on behalf of shareholders. The claims allege Boeing is responsible for losses after installing an unsafe anti-stall system, called MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System), on its 737 Max 8 planes, suspected to have played a role in both crashes. Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said it was apparent the system had been activated in both crashes. Boeing 737 Max 8 lawsuits Liability will not truly be in dispute here. Boeing is at fault. Their equipment failed. Their planes crashed twice, Mark Lindquist, an attorney with the Herrmann Law Firm who is representing the families of 26 victims of the Lion Air crash, told Yahoo Finance. Other foreseeable complaints could come from airlines that have been not only forced to ground all 737 Max 8 aircraft, but also must calculate whether consumers will be willing to fly on the troubled jets, if regulators re-certify the model as airworthy. That calculation could impact whether airlines seek to cancel or modify purchase contracts. Story continues According to the Capa Fleet Database, Boeing had delivered 378 MAX 8 aircraft, globally as of March 11, the day after the Ethiopian crash, at which time another 5,526 were on order. List price for the MAX 8 was $117.1 million in 2018. Added to the uncertainty of potential expenses for Boeing are pending regulator probes. The U.S. Justice Department initiated a criminal investigation into Boeings Federal Aviation Administration certification, as well as how it marketed its 737 Max 8 planes. The U.S. Department of Transportations Office of Inspector General is also conducting an inquiry. Shareholders say Boeing misled investors On April 9, the lawsuit seeking class certification was brought on behalf of shareholders who purchased Boeing stock between January 8, 2019 and March 21, 2019. The proposed class period covers a time frame beginning after the Lion Air crash, and extending beyond the Ethiopian Airlines crash, when Boeings stock experienced a steep decline. According to the complaint, Boeings share price dropped as the truth began to emerge that its new automated anti-stall system may not have been fully disclosed to pilots. A man offers lays a flower at portraits of victims of the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX crash. (Photo by EDUARDO SOTERAS / AFP) (Photo credit should read EDUARDO SOTERAS/AFP/Getty Images) A preliminary report issued by Ethiopian regulators said an investigation clearly showed that the Ethiopian Airlines Pilots who were commanding [the Ethiopian Airlines flight] followed Boeing's recommended and FAA's approved emergency procedures, yet could not prevent the planes nosedive. Investigations to determine definitive causes for the crashes have not been completed. The shareholder suit, filed in federal district court for the Northern District of Illinois, claims Boeing violated securities laws by failing to disclose the MCAS issue following the Lion Air crash. Defendants misled investors about the sustainability of Boeings core operation its Commercial Airplanes segment by touting its growth prospects and profitability, raising guidance, and maintaining that the Boeing 737 Max was the safest airplane to fly in the skies, the lawsuit claims. In an email to Yahoo Finance, Boeing said it would not comment on the class action litigation. More victims lawsuits to come At least 29 wrongful death claims have been filed in U.S. courts against Boeing on behalf of victims of the Lion Air crash that killed all 189 people on board. At least five U.S. lawsuits have been initiated over the Ethiopian Airlines crash that resulted in the deaths of all 157 passengers and crew. Very few have been filed thus far, Thomas Demetrio, a plaintiffs attorney who has represented the families of multiple air crash victims, including those of Lion Air crash victims, told Yahoo Finance. Im sure there will be more to come. Lindquist said Lion Air has illegally sought consent from victims families to settle legal claims, including those they may have against Boeing and other potential defendants, by coupling a proposed liability release with a unique Indonesian law that requires airline carriers to pay roughly $94,000 U.S. dollars to crash victims families without needing to show fault. The lawyers for Lion Air offered different families slightly more than [the required amount] and in exchange asked these victims families to sign away all their legal rights, not only against Lion Air, but against Boeing, and literally hundreds of other corporate entities, Lindquist said. At some point, Boeings going to try to move the cases out of the United States to Indonesia, Lindquist added, though he says he is confident the litigation will remain in the U.S. because evidence concerning the allegedly defective equipment is located in the U.S. and because the U.S. has a significant interest in the safety of planes manufactured within its jurisdiction. The second crash could prove more costly for Boeing to settle wrongful death claims if the company is found to have known about, and failed to address, a safety issue that became apparent after the first crash. Demetrio said he is waiting to hear the outcome of the FAA and international investigations before filing a complaint on behalf of victims of the Ethiopian Airlines crash. Lion Air victims The Herrmann Law Group filed a claim on behalf of 17 Lion Air crash victims in King County, Washington, where Boeing is headquartered and where its 737 Max 8 is manufactured. The case, since moved to the federal district court for the Northern District of Illinois, now includes 24 families. The Herrmann firm expects to add two more victims to the litigation. Soerjanto Tjahjono (R), the head of Indonesia's national transportation safety committee (KNKT) and Nurcahyo (L), head of the flight accident sub-committee of KNKT, brief journalists during a press conference about the Lion Air Boeing 737 Max 8 crash in 2018, in Jakarta on March 21, 2019. (Photo by BAY ISMOYO / AFP) (Photo credit should read BAY ISMOYO/AFP/Getty Images) The estate of one victim, Rohmanir Pandi Sagala, who died in the Lion Air crash filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The father of Indonesian man, Dr. Rio Nanda Putrama, filed a wrongful death lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County. Deceased Lion Air passengers Rudi Roni Lumbantoruan and Remand Ramadhan are represented by their families who also filed wrongful death actions on behalf of their estates in federal district court in the Northern District of Illinois. Lion Air co-pilot, Harvino, who died in the Java Sea crash, is represented in a lawsuit filed by his family in December. Ethiopian Airlines victims The first wrongful death action filed in the U.S. based on the Ethopian Airlines crash was brought in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, where Boeing is headquartered, by the family of 24-year-old, Samya Stumo, the grandniece of former presidential candidate, Ralph Nader. The family of 31-year-old victim, Jackson Musoni, a Rwandan man who died in the Ethopian crash, filed a wrongful death lawsuit claiming Boeings MCAS system was defectively designed. American victim Mucaad Hussein Abdalla is also among victims whose family has sued Boeing, alleging the company actively concealed the nature of the automated system defects. A similar action was filed by siblings of a 29-year-old engineer, George Kabau. Kabaus family hopes that by filing an action Boeing will be forced to release documents, including communications, concerning its 737 Max aircraft model. Minnesota resident Mucaad Siraaj Hussein Abdalla, 31, was among the victims of Ethiopian Airlines whose family filed a complaint in federal court. Among cases filed on behalf of crash victims, Boeing faces claims of wrongful death, product liability, negligence, failure to warn, and civil conspiracy. Some litigants who have also filed claims against Lion Air or Ethiopian Airlines, as well as the FAA, and Rosemount Aerospace which manufactured the MCAS sensor. Boeing had an opportunity to tell the world We care about you by grounding these planes. Instead theyre still trying to cast guilt or fault on these pilots of both aircraft, Demetrio said. Its very clear to me that the PR and legal teams are not working together at Boeing. In its quarterly filing Wednesday, Boeing scrapped its prior estimates saying, previously issued 2019 guidance does not reflect 737 MAX impacts. The company said it would issue new guidance on a future date. Boeing has not said when its 737 Max 8 model will be permitted to fly. See also: Boeing faces a very, very serious criminal probe Heres what to expect Alexis Keenan is a New York-based reporter for Yahoo Finance. She previously worked for CNN and is a former litigation attorney. Follow on Twitter @alexiskweed. Meghan Markle apparently 'felt sorry' for Kate Middleton after the birth of her three children. Photo: Getty Images Its one of the most secretive royal births in years, but according to reports, theres a big reason why Meghan Markle doesnt want the eyes of the world on her just after she gives birth. The 37-year-old Duchess of Sussex is due to go into labour any day now, with Prince William revealing on a walkabout in New Zealand that the royal family are waiting by their phones for the news. "I haven't got my phone on me, I have no idea. You guys will find out before I do at this rate, the Prince is said to have told a fan when they asked about Meghans due date. However, it seems Prince Williams wife, Kate Middleton, may have been one of the reasons Meghan wanted to keep the experience as private as possible. According to The Post, a friend of Meghans said the duchess felt sorry for Kate Middleton when she stood on the steps of the Lindo Wing in London just hours after giving birth to all three of her children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Not only was the Duchess of Cambridge forced to pose and wave for photographers, but she was also done up to the nines, wearing heels, a dress and had her hair and makeup done. According to The Post, a friend of Meghans said the duchess felt sorry for Kate Middleton when she stood on the steps of the Lindo Wing in London just hours after giving birth to all three of her children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Photo: Getty Images Meghans friend said the Duchess of Sussex wanted the moment to be about her new family with Harry, away from the eyes of royal fans. It comes as baby speculation reaches fever pitch all over the world, with a royal expert claiming the baby will arrive any day now. ITVs royal correspondent Chris Ship revealed the babys due date is imminent, but not yet passed. We know the baby is due, in fact I can tell you that the due date is pretty much today, Chris told Good Morning Britain. Today, tomorrow, we really are in the realms of imminent arrival. According to reports, if the duchess has a home birth, she will have a helicopter at her Windsor residence so she can be whisked to hospital if there are any complications. Photo: Getty Images Chris also stirred some speculation around the location of the birth, saying the widely reported plans for a home birth are not set in stone. We dont know if she is gonna have it at home, we think shes gonna try to but were not sure whether she is, he said. Story continues According to reports, if the duchess has a home birth, she will have a helicopter at her Windsor residence so she can be whisked to hospital if there are any complications. Got a story tip? Send it to lifestyle.tips@verizonmedia.com Want more lifestyle and celebrity news? Follow Yahoo Lifestyle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Or sign up to our daily newsletter here. While European oil supermajors are yielding to investor pressure to set emission reduction targets and announcing investments in renewables and EV charging networks, U.S. majors ExxonMobil and Chevron are doubling down on oil production on their home turf, turning the shale game into a scale game, as Chevrons CEO Michael Wirth has recently said. The two biggest U.S. oil firms aim to boost significantly their respective production from the most prolific U.S. basin, the Permian, which now pumps more than 4 million bpd of crude oil. Both Exxon and Chevron hold vast acreage positions in the basin, and both have the financial resources to invest in ramping up shale production even through various oil price cycles, even at oil prices at which smaller independent drillers struggle to break even and scale back drilling and capital spending. The shorter-cycle shale production yields returns in two-three years, compared to many years of lag time from discovery to development to start-up of complex offshore oil projects, for example. While Exxon and Chevron are not giving up on their most promising conventional oil projects outside the U.S., their common key priority by the middle of the next decade will be the Permian. And in order to achieve their ambitious growth targets, the U.S. supermajors rely on innovationnot only innovation in drilling, but also digital innovation and transformation with increased use of various AI technology, cloud computing, automation, and data analytics. Related: The Index Investors Need To Watch In This Oil Rally Chevron and ExxonMobil, for example, work with Microsoft to boost efficiencies and profits. Chevron signed in 2017 a seven-year partnership with Microsoft, under which the tech giant is Chevrons primary cloud provider and the companies are working on speeding up the application of analytics and the Internet of Things (IoT). Earlier this year, Exxon struck a digital partnership with Microsoft to use cloud technology to increase oil production and profitability in the Permian. According to Exxon, the partnership will make its Permian operations the largest-ever oil and gas acreage to use cloud technology. Cloud technology application is expected to generate billions of U.S. dollars in net cash flow for Exxon over the next decade, as data analysis and operational efficiencies improve. The partnership also has the potential to increase Exxons production in the Permian by 50,000 oil-equivalent barrels a day by 2025, the U.S. supermajor says. Last month, Exxon and Chevron announced increased targets for their Permian production. Chevron now sees its Permian unconventional net oil-equivalent production rising to 600,000 bpd by the end of 2020, and to 900,000 bpd by the end of 2023. In 2018, Chevrons annual production in the Permian was 310,000 bpd, up by 71 percent on the year. Chevron boasts a unique position in the Permian characterized by long-held acreage, zero-to-low royalty on more than 80 percent of our land position, and minimal drilling commitments, said Jay Johnson, executive vice president, upstream. These factors, combined with the use of new technologies, are driving higher returns and stronger cash flows, according to Johnson. Similarly, Exxon also revised up its Permian growth plans to produce more than 1 million oil-equivalent barrels per day by as early as 2024, which would be an increase of almost 80 percent. Related: Iran Demands U.S. Apologize For Illegal Sanctions The shale game is now a scale game, Chevrons Wirth told CNBC in March after the company announced its latest Permian growth targets. The big thing that I think has changed is the shale game has become a scale game, and so people that can do things at large scale and bring the capabilities to bear that a company like Chevron has are the ones that really can take this to the next level, Wirth told CNBC. While independent exploration and production firms are much more sensitive to oil price trends in their drilling plans, the supermajors are bringing in scale and technological innovation to the shale game to squeeze as much profits from the Permian as possible. Chevrons agreement to buy Anadarko and Occidental Petroleums offer two weeks later to buy Anadarko at a higher price than the one Anadarko had accepted from Chevron highlight a larger scale pivot in supermajors strategy to short cycle shale investments, Tortoise, which invests in energy assets, said in a recent update. With strong balance sheets, stable multi-year investment programs and the ability to invest through production cycles, the expanding presence of supermajors in U.S. shale is positive for stable, visible longer term production growth, said Tortoise, noting that it expects more large acquisitions of independent U.S. E&Ps, particularly in the Permian basin, as the supermajors look to increase scale by blocking up significant chunks of acreage to support their growth plans in the future. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: On Monday, in a decision that rocked oil market participants around the world, the Trump administration announced that they will not be renewing or extending oil waivers they had granted to eight counties allowing them to continue purchasing Iranian oil in reduced quantities despite U.S. sanctions. The original six-month grace period granted by these significant reduction exceptions ends on May 1, and Washington is demanding that the nations previously allowed to continue buying Iranian crude immediately and unilaterally cut Tehran off. For many, the decision came as a shock, and many nations dependent on Iranian oil are now scrambling to determine just what that means for the future. One major group, however, seems surprisingly unruffled. Even after Trump mentioned the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries by name, suggesting that they will be stepping up to fill in any supply gaps once Tehran is edged out, members from OPEC themselves have remained extremely measured on the issue, saying that they will not be rushing to ramp up production. On Wednesday Saudi Arabias energy minister Khalid al-Falih said that the kingdom will not be taking any immediate action to increase oil production, adding that they respond to market fundamentals as opposed to pricing and that the nation, the top oil exporter in the world, will remain focused on maintaining a balanced global oil market above all other concerns. Inventories are actually continuing to rise despite what is happening in Venezuela and despite the tightening of sanctions on Iran. I dont see the need to do anything immediately, Falih was quoted by CNBC in Riyadh. Our intent is to remain within our voluntary (OPEC) production limit. Falih added that his country would be responsive to our customers, especially those who have been under waivers and those whose waivers have been withdrawn. Related: The Worlds Cheapest Natural Gas This is not to say that Saudi Arabia thinks that the ending of U.S. sanctions waivers will not have an impact on global crude supply and the global oil market as a whole. We think there will be an uptick in real demand but certainly we are not going to be pre-emptive and increase production, al-Falih said. Saudi Arabia is not the only OPEC country vocally taking an unhurried, reserved public stance. On Tuesday, one day after the Trump administrations waiver-ending announcement, Kuwait's oil minister Khaled Al Fadhel told reporters that OPEC will hold off on making any decisions on the matter until after OPEC members meet in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in May and had the opportunity to thoroughly review prices. That being said, the end of Iranian crude waivers will be a major topic of discussion at the meeting on May 19. "I am sure the topic of American sanctions will be a hot topic to be discussed [at the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee meeting in Jeddah in May]," Fadhel told reporters in Tokyo. When pressed to comment about whether OPEC will review its output policy in light of Mondays announcement, Fadhel elaborated, "A decision will be made only after the review of [oil] prices and how that influences the prices" adding that, "Kuwait as a country, a member in OPEC and a founder in OPEC, we always seek stabilization of [oil] prices across the world." As to whether Kuwait is ready to ramp up its own oil production to meet any new demand left in Iranian oils absence, Fadhel shrugged off a sense of urgency, saying simply: "As a minister of oil, we have not discussed this issue as of now." OPEC has another meeting scheduled in Vienna, Austria on June 25, when the participating nations will discuss whether or not they will extend their prior agreement to slash OPEC producers output by 1.2 million b/d to continue past the end of June. The current agreement, set to expire at the end of June, allows an exception to production cuts for Iran, as well as Venezuela and Libya. A follow-up meeting with non-OPEC signatories will be held the next day. By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: OPEC de facto leader and the worlds largest oil exporter Saudi Arabia has now officially joined the ranks of the worlds ever-expanding liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters club. State-owned Saudi Aramcos chief executive Amin Nasser said on Thursday that the company was in discussions with many partners around the world regarding potential joint ventures in gas and that it had sold its first LNG cargo, reportedly from Singapore, the LNG trading hub in the Asia-Pacific region, which accounts for two-thirds of global LNG demand. The storied oil giant has indicated several times that its interested in going long on gas, both exports as well as for domestic usage. Riyadh also said recently that it planned to produce 10 percent of its power from renewable sources in the next five to six years to diversify its energy mix and free up even more crude oil for export purposes. Saudi Arabia still primarily uses crude oil for electric power generation. However, if the Kingdom turns to both natural gas (the cleanest burning hydrocarbon as well as renewables, solar and wind power) it could free up more oil for export, anywhere between 300,000 barrels per day to 1 million barrels per day, depending on whose figures you use. Solar promises On the solar front, however, the Kingdom talks a bigger game than it actually plays, at least up to the present. Riyadh has pledged over the last several years to become one of the top global solar producers by investing some $350 billion in solar infrastructure. In March, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced a $200 billion agreement with Japans SoftBank Group Corp. to build enough solar capacity to triple Saudi Arabias current electric output. Going long on renewables, particularly solar, is also part of the crown prince's vision to revolutionize the Saudi economy, both in terms of modernization and to pivot away from over-reliance on crude oil. Riyadh is developing around 30 solar and wind projects targeting 9.5 GW of renewable energy by 2023, as well as plans to build 17.6 GW of nuclear capacity by 2032. Related: This Country Will Be Critical For The Oil Industrys Future However, virtually no construction on projects has begun according to media reports in the region. Likewise, Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in December that the Saudis have a "lot of stop and go" efforts in its renewables energy push. Gas ambitions Saudi Aramco plans to boost its gas production to 23 billion standard cubic feet (scf) a day from 14 billion scf now, Nasser said at a chemicals industry event in Dubai late last year. Our gas program... will attract investments of about $150 billion over the next decade, he said. We also have world-class unconventional gas resources that are rapidly supplementing our large conventional resources. We are looking to shift from only satisfying our utility industry in the kingdom, which will happen especially with the increase in renewable and nuclear to be an exporter of gas and gas products. Saudi Arabia is also expressing interest in taking a major part, around a 30 percent stake, in Russias proposed massive Arctic LNG 2 project. The ramifications of any possible Saudi investment in the project could see Saudi Arabia either resell cargoes on the secondary (spot) market, or strike mid to long term supply deals, or simply using it for domestic usage. A deal between Saudi Arabia and Russia on the gas front will also solidify its growing participation in the OPEC+ group of oil producers that is currently drying up excess oil supply in its second oil output deal in as a little as three years. In January, Nasser told Reuters in an interview that Saudi Aramco was also looking to spend billions of dollars on natural gas acquisitions in the U.S., as part of the state-owned oil majors strategy to bolster its gas business and become a global natural gas player. By Tim Daiss for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The United States security agents have arrested nine Nigerians for defrauding $3.5m from people. Disclosing this in a statement obtained by newsmen, Mr. Geoffrey S. Berman, the attorney for the southern district of New York, and James C. Spero, special agent in charge of the Tampa, Florida, field office of U.S. immigration and customs enforcements Homeland security investigations (HSI), said they allegedly committed the fraud through business email compromises, a Russian oil scam, and a romance scam. The statement reads thus, As alleged, these defendants deployed three different email schemes to defraud their victims. The common denominator in all three schemes was the defendants alleged fleecing of their victims through fictitious online identities. The schemes allegedly earned the defendants $3.5 million and also arrests on federal felony charges. Sending victims email messages that appeared to be, but were not, from legitimate business counterparties that included instructions to the victims to wire payment to those seemingly legitimate business counterparties into bank accounts that were actually under the control of, and/or maintained by, Adelekan, Daramola, Aburekhanlen, Oyeneyin, Olajumoke, Omotayo, Eadie, Lucas, and Adebogun (the Business Email Compromise Scam), read the statement. Sending email messages and text messages to at least one victim offering an opportunity to invest in oil stored in Russian oil tank farms conditioned on that victim wiring upfront payments into bank accounts purportedly affiliated with the purported oil investment but actually opened by and under the control of Aburekhanlen, Olajumoke, and Oyeneyin (the Russian Oil Scam). Sending email messages and text messages to at least one victim from an individual (or individuals) purporting to be a female with romantic intentions toward the victim requesting, further to establishing a romantic relationship, the wiring of payment into a bank account under the control of Omotayo (the Romance Scam). How elite discontent threatens democracy As Nigeria roils in its most combustible presidential electoral dispute since the advent of the Fourth Republic, it is time to understand the role of elite discord in the travails of democratic rule, particularly in postcolonial Africa. The loss or lack of elite amity impacts on certain institutions of the state in a very fundamental way, often opening the door directly to chaos. Unless we focus our attention on this root problem, we will be beating about the bush for a long time to come. The judiciarate is a very strange coinage indeed. But it rises to the peculiar circumstances of the Nigerian judiciary. Before now, Nigerias electoral destiny was determined by two principalities: the electorate and the selectorate. The electorate elects to select while the selectorate selects to elect. No question about which is more powerful. As it was famously observed, it is not those who vote that matter but those who count. But what happens in the case of a tie or a dubious deadlock between the selectorate and the electorate? This is where and when the third principality, or what we propose as the judiciarate, kicks in as a tie breaker between the electorate and the selectorate. For the past forty years beginning with the Second Republic, the judiciary has been a looming presence in Nigerias bitter and often acrimonious electoral disputes. Despite increasing voters awareness and a sharp rise in political consciousness, the judiciarate is increasingly called upon to determine the actual winners of disputed elections. In the final analysis, it is the judiciary that counts. And as the National Question bites harder, the state can no longer count on it. Surely what counts so decisively, so finally and infallibly can also become an instrument of political terror, driving the fear of the Lord into the state, particularly if they are not in political alignment. This is where the insurmountable contradictions begin. If the judiciary is so powerful and implacable why was its principal helmsman so messily and mercilessly defenestrated by the executive arm? Why are so many of its principal luminaries in tactical retreat? On the one hand, the onerous burden and added responsibility of being the nation principal electoral adjudicator has added immensely to the prestige and grandeur of the judiciary. Yet on the other hand, it is precisely at the point of grandeur and glory that the judiciarys vulnerabilities and infirmities appear in bold relief for all to see. It is a damning paradox and this is what is responsible for the tragedy of Walter Onnoghen and his fall from grace. Onnoghen, an otherwise brilliant and soberly-comported jurist, showed that he was a callow amateur on the political chessboard. There were rumours of a creeping partisanship and of being sighted where he ought never to have been sighted. He was beginning to prematurely flex his muscles in a mistaken belief in the power and omnipotence of the judiciarate. There were rumours of compromising phone calls and allegations of unhealthy chumminess with a powerful governor. It was the scary prospects of his adjudicating wrongly in what promises to be the greatest judicial showdown of electoral adjudication that led to Onnoghen being summarily unhorsed from his high horse. Power neophytes may scoff at the sheer bloody-mindedness of it all. But these things matter to those who take power seriously. And it did not begin yesterday. At the turn of the nineties shortly after the publication of former president Obasanjos Not My Will , snooper sat down to lunch with a very distinguished Nigerian who had played a very prominent role in the electoral abracadabra that led to the emergence of Alhaji Shehu Shagari as the president of the Federal Republic in his majestic north London pile. Obviously irritated by some of the revelations in the book, the great man suddenly blurted out: Now that Obasanjo is running his mouth all over the place, what if I were to bring out my own confidential files which show that. (Details withheld ). It shows that contrary to public disinformation, the military junta knew well beforehand that the electoral showdown of 1979 was going to end at the Supreme Court. The 1983 elections showed the judiciary wielding its utmost powers in what is in retrospect a dress rehearsal of the current powers of the judiciarate. A major gubernatorial electoral verdict was reversed to avoid further conflagration. The electoral umpire arrived in his Benin ancestral homestead in a military tank. The putative governor himself fled to Lagos in disguise as the electorate rose to welcome him. In the old East, the drama was equally riveting. On the day of judgement, the redoubtable C.C Onoh was seen prowling and pacing up and down the courts corridor even as he munched banana and groundnut waiting to see which judge would have the folly and temerity to reverse his mandate. In Imo state, Samuel Mbakwe, a former Colonel in the Biafran Reservist Force, dispensed with mere formalities and simply went to the radio station to declare himself elected for a second term. A gun slide, as General TY Danjuma famously put it, followed the NPN landslide. But that was that. The aborted Third Republic was full of significant surprises. For the first time in the history of the nation, the electorate as Nigerian masses had a full measure of the selectorate as military and civilian oligarchy. The selectorate had already selected. But in a flagrant breach of the rule of engagement, they began stonewalling. It was obvious that they were not interested in democratic election but the perpetuation of oligarchic rule. The Nigerian people told them to go to hell. The military state went into full panic mode. In desperation, the junta turned to the emerging judiciarate for a life line. It obtained a black market injunction from an Abuja High Court which forbade the election to hold. In a controversial broadcast to justify the annulment, General Babangida cited the various law suits which he said were capable bringing the judiciary to ridicule and public infamy. He had completely forgotten that his own ouster decrees had expressly forbidden judicial interference in the conduct of the election. It was the military state itself that was bringing the judiciary to public ridicule and infamy. In retrospect, it was a remarkable benchmark in the pilgrims progress towards demystification, dishonour and disgrace. But you cannot cure leprosy with skin ointment. As the Fourth Republic unfolded, it became obvious that the grave symptoms had developed into a full blown ailment. The judiciarate was in full bloom, like a monstrous flower. It was also at this point that the judicial vulnerabilities began to manifest in sharp relief. Curiously enough, it coincided with the collapse of the Obasanjo Settlement of 1998/1999 which made it possible for the Abubakar military regime to transit to a civilian regime with some honour and a semblance of equity. It will be recalled that in 1999, strong remonstrations and pressures from all sides of the political divide persuaded Chief Olu Falae to drop his judicial challenge to Obasanjos victory at the polls. Many felt that this early challenge to civil rule might open the backdoor for ambitious military officers who were yet to be persuaded that the party was over. It showed the substantial degree of elite buy in to the new democratic dispensation. By the end of 2003, particularly after General Olusegun Obasanjo decided to annex the South West in an electoral blitzkrieg the like of which had never been seen in the history of the country, the old western component of the detente disintegrated. It was also about this time that a vicious battle for political supremacy commenced between Obasanjo and his deputy. But despite this and the spate of assassination of leading figures, Obasanjo managed to keep the lid on the roiling cauldron through a combination of intimidation, cajolery and sheer force of personality. It was a battle of political and psychological stamina, not talk of mental alertness. Four years after the departure of the military, Nigeria was back in the full default mode of political belligerence. By 2007, after Obasanjo, as a parting gift, managed to impose Umaru YarAdua on the nation in an electoral heist which has since entered the history books as the worst election in the history of democracy, the lid was blown open. Politically sensitive and acutely aware of the crisis of legitimacy which heralded his tenure, YarAdua wisely refrained from the fray. It was then left to the judiciary to clear the electoral mess. Their Lordships were compelled to add Mathematics to their core competence and professional proficiency. Beginning with the brilliant judgement of the Edo Tribunal led by Justice Umeadi which restored the mandate of Adams Oshiomhole, judicial reversals of purported electoral victory followed in Ondo, Osun, Anambra and Ekiti in no particular order. At the federal level, presidential elections were fiercely disputed from 2003 through 2007, 2011 and now in 2019. There were two dissenting minority judgements in 2003 and 2007 by messrs Nsofor and Oguntade. Both, courtesy of General Buhari, have since become Nigerias ambassador to the US and High Commissioner to UK respectively. As it wades deeper to clear the electoral mess, the judiciary is sucked into the vortex of corruption and sleaze revealing the moral and ethical infirmities of many of their lordships. . The deep entanglement of the Nigerian judiciary in politics has been its greatest undoing to date. The debasement of politics has spread its tentacles to other state institutions. The debasement of politics occurs when there is no substantial elite consensus or fundamental amity among political elite about the core values that drive national goals. In such circumstances, anything goes and everything is game. Successful democracies are driven by elite unanimity about where the country is headed. Where elite consensus is lacking as a result of multi-ethnic politics or where a hegemonic group decides to appropriate the political patrimony of the entire political class in pursuit of sectional interests, the road is open to centrifugal forces from below to lay siege on the state. There are written and unwritten rules of engagement. Anything short of that leads to a political jungle of Hobbesian dimensions such as we are currently hosting in Nigeria. Since we like putting the cart before the horse, it is useful to point out that the sanitization of the judiciary cannot proceed without a deep cleansing of our errant political culture. Until we come to our senses, there will be many more political and judicial casualties. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has attributed the drop in power supply in April to challenges of gas supply. In a statement issued on Saturday, TCNs General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, explained that there was an emergency maintenance by Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) on pipeline supplying gas to Egbin, Omotosho, Olorunsogo and Paras power stations. The maintenance, which resulted in the total shutdown of the four power generating plants on April 25, was necessitated by leakage discovered on the Escravos-Lagos gas Pipeline System. Mbah also said that prior to the incident, Omotosho National Integrated Power Plant (NIPP) and Olorunsogo NIPP were already out due to gas supply issues. She, however, said NGC had begun works to repair the gas pipeline and restore normal supply to the affected power plants. Presently, repairs have been completed and the pipeline is currently being pressurized prior to resumption of gas supply to the affected power stations, it said. ALSO READ: Nigerias power grid under attack TCN further noted that it has diverted about 312MW load from the Benin-Egbin 330kV transmission line which tripped at 23.14hours on Tuesday, 23rd April, 2019, to Omotosho Ikeja West and Ayede-Ikeja 330kV transmission lines, due to on-going repair works on the Benin-Egbin 330kV transmission line. The tripping was caused by a line cut between Ofofu and Okada Towns, however TCN engineers are making concerted efforts to complete repair work on the transmission line, despite the very difficult terrain at that location. Due to the diversion of the load from this line to the two transmission lines equally feeding Lagos axis, load shedding in Lagos axis was minimised to about 280MW at the first instance. load shedding increased considerably. TCN regrets inconveniences and wish to assure Nigerians that power supply would return to normal as soon as normal gas supply is restored to the affected power stations and transmission repair work is completed, the statement added. A group under the aegis of Northern Youth Movement has accused the National Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Bola Ahmed Tinubu, of plotting to take over power from President Muhammadu Buhari before 2023. 0in a statement signed by the groups chairman, Mallam Ishaya Jato on Saturday, the group claimed that the APC leaders desperation to take over the National Assembly by installing Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, his political boy as Speaker of the House was part of his moves to pave way for his presidential ambition. The statement by the NYM reads thus; Tinubu is banking on two scenarios; the President becoming incapacitated before 2022 or his impeachment and he will need the National Assembly for both. Having used the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole to take over states in the South from governors like Rochas Okorocha and Ibikunle Amosun that he opined can challenge him in 2023; Tinubu is now after the larger picture of total control of the National Assembly. It is, therefore dangerous for the north for the same Southwest, which already has the Vice President to produce the House of Representatives Speaker. Its even more dangerous for the same Tinubu; whose political boy is the Vice President to also have another of his stooge as the House of Representatives Speaker. ALSO READ: Gbajabiamila, 50 Reps-elect take campaign to Saudi Arabia We in the NYM will resist this attempt by one single individual to control the political destiny of our country and we urge our leaders in the north to take note of this. This is more so that the in the spirit of federal character formula enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria, the six positions of President, Vice President, Senate President and Deputy as well as Reps Speaker and Deputy available, the six geopolitical zones must get one position each. Already, Northwest and Southwest have taken President and Vice President respectively; the remaining four positions must therefore be shared among the South-South, South East, and North Central and North East zones. Particularly, the North Central, which gave massive votes to President Buhari must produce the Speaker. As the documentation for the commencement of the N30,000 minimum wage is in progress, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) expresses fear over the ability of several states to pay the new salary when they are already carrying the burden of salary arrears over the years. The umbrella body of the Organised Labour in Nigeria, therefore, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to grant further bailout funds to states to enable them clear arrears of workers pensioners that have piled up over the years. The NLC National President, Comrade Wabba, said to be represented by a national executive member of the union, Comrade Maureen Onyia-Ekwuezie, had made the appeal to President Buhari at the Sixth Quadrennial Conference in Ekiti State. The NLC was said to have opposed government decision to fund the 2019 budget with value-added tax (VAT). The State NLC chairman in Ekiti, Comrade Kolapo Olatunde Joshua, had commended members for the opportunity given to him to serve the Congress, saying that the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage is non-negotiable. Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, represented by the Chief of Staff, Biodun Omoleye, was said to have reaffirmed the commitment of the state government to creating a work-friendly environment for labour to thrive. It was noted that the past administration in the state owed workers salary arrears of six months which are yet to be paid by the present administration. However, salaries were said to be paid regularly since October when Fayemi assumed office. Here is the ... and here is some advice from a former student ( more advice here ): From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As... " " Literature is passed out during a voter registration drive sponsored by The Partnership for the Homeless, Sept. 29, 2004, in New York City. The group had registered 2,000 homeless people and planned to register more before the November election. Spencer Platt/Getty Images If voting is the cornerstone of American democracy, then why does it have to be such a pain? Election Day in the U.S. is always a Tuesday, smack in the middle of the work week. If you move to a new state or county, you need to re-register. State voter ID requirements change all the time, so you could show up to a polling station, wait in line and still get blocked from voting. Now imagine that you're homeless in America. You move so frequently that it's nearly impossible to maintain a stable mailing address. You've never had a driver's license and your Social Security card was lost years ago. You can't afford transportation to the county elections office or your local polling place. And frankly, you have a lot more pressing problems than registering to vote. Advertisement So, while homeless people have every right to vote in U.S. elections (and may want to if only to influence policy on housing and poverty), the obstacles to successfully registering and voting while homeless can be insurmountable. First, there's the residence and mailing address issue. Interestingly, none of the 50 states requires that voters live in a traditional residence. On voter registration forms, you can put a homeless shelter address, a street corner, a park bench you can even attach a hand-drawn map. That's fine for establishing that you're a resident of the state and county, but many states also require that you provide a mailing address where you can actually receive mail. Again, that can be a shelter, or a friend or relative's house, but it can't be a P.O. box and it can't be a park bench. While it's easy for most Americans to provide an alternative address where we could receive mail, that's often not the case for people struggling with homelessness. And without a fixed address to receive election notices from the county clerk's office, homeless voters can be wiped from voter registration rolls. "It's important to remember that homelessness is an inherently unstable state," says Tristia Bauman, senior attorney with the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty. This state is made even more unstable by local laws that criminalize sleeping or camping in public places. "Those laws have the effect of displacing people from the areas where they normally live and have connections. The lack of an address and the lack of ability to stay in one location lawfully conspire to make it ever more difficult for homeless people to register to vote or vote by mail," she says. Lack of identification is another big challenge for homeless voters. As of 2018, there are 10 states with "strict" photo ID or non-photo ID laws, meaning that you cannot vote on Election Day without presenting some kind of valid government-issued identification. Another 24 states have "non-strict" voter ID laws that allow voters without an ID to sign an affidavit swearing to their identity. Even in states without voter ID laws, first-time voters registering online or by mail are required to provide a driver's license number or copies of a utility bill, bank statement or other document certifying their residency. If they fail to provide identification during first-time registration, they'll be asked to show an ID on Election Day. Homeless Voting Obstacles While obtaining a driver's license or state-issued ID is free in most states, that doesn't mean it's easy for a homeless person to jump through the administrative hoops to make it happen. Poor, elderly and homeless people are far more likely to not have a state-issued ID, which is why voter ID laws have been challenged as discriminatory. Then there's the issue of safeguarding personal property. Even if a homeless person is lucky enough to have an ID in their possession, there are many ways for those documents to get lost or stolen, even at the hands of police. "Local governments often respond to illegal homeless encampments by coming in and doing a 'clean up' that results in the seizure and destruction of a homeless person's property," says Bauman. "You could potentially lose your ID or your birth certificate or Social Security card or any of the other prerequisite items that you need to register." The good news is that homeless advocacy groups like the National Coalition for the Homeless have created resources like this homeless voting rights guide to help homeless shelters, drop-in centers, food pantries and other nonprofit groups organize voter registration drives to help homeless individuals register and get to the polls. And despite the daunting bureaucratic hurdles facing homeless voters, there are a handful of states that specifically offer exemptions for homeless citizens, a trend that hopefully continues. In Indiana, for example, which is a strict photo ID state, you can register and vote without an ID if you claim "indigent" status. And in Oregon, homeless voters can use the county election office's address as their mailing address. Now That's Cool North Dakota is the only state that doesn't require voter registration at all. Voters can simply show up at any polling station on Election Day and vote. (You still need proof of residency, though.) " " Although some police departments claim there have never been official or unofficial quotas, others admit that it is a thing that happens. moodboard/ThinkStock The symbiotic relationship between police operating budgets and traffic ticket revenue has long been implied, but it's very rarely spelled out. The fines attached to traffic tickets are supposed to be merely punitive, a slap-on-the-wrist punishment for driving dangerously and a deterrent to disobey traffic laws. However, fines got steeper, and cities and towns discovered they liked the money coming in, which might have made fines even steeper than before. Then cities started actually depending on ticket revenue. As in, counting on money from traffic tickets in order to make budgets balance out. And in order for that to work, police need to write a certain number of traffic tickets. So although some police departments claim there have never, ever been official or unofficial quotas, others admit, yup, this is a thing that actually happens. In 2013, the city of Atlanta came up with a plan to tie police pay increases to ticket revenue. And if the recipient of a ticket chooses to challenge the ticket in court, and the officer who wrote the ticket doesn't show up, the ticket is dismissed. Police officers were told that they did not have to increase the number of tickets they write under this plan, but they had to spend more time hanging out in court to defend the tickets (instead of patrolling or engaging in other crime-preventing police duties). This was spelled out in an email sent from the head of the Atlanta police union to all the union's members, and it might have been the first time that such an explicit connection was made public [source: AOL Autos]. Advertisement When police officers believe, or are explicitly told, that their pay and promotions depend on how many tickets are issued, the tactics can get a little problematic. Some police officers have come forward to discuss their problems with traffic ticket quotas; others have actually been investigated by their own departments for engaging in dishonest or fraudulent ticketing [source: AOL Autos]. And it's safe to deduce that countless others have gotten away with it. This includes practices such as pulling over drivers who haven't done anything wrong and trying to provoke them for an excuse to write a ticket; actually manipulating or intimidating drivers until they do something wrong; issuing duplicate tickets or sending tickets to people who are no longer alive; and outright lying. Ticket quotas vary, and quotas that have been leaked or reported on fall in the range of one per day to 100 per month. In some districts, officers that meet quotas are given prizes or bonuses, and officers that do not meet the quotas are punished with poor reviews or bad shift schedules. The good news is that the practice of ticket quotas is under scrutiny, at least in some places. The state of Illinois banned traffic ticket quotas in 2014 and similar legislation was passed in Arizona in early 2015, although the state's governor vetoed the bill [sources: Smith, Hendley]. ASIDE from the growing demand of co-working spaces that cater to flexible workers or startup entrepreneurs, event spaces are in demand too, especially in a progressive city like Cebu.Artist-entrepreneur ASIDE from the growing demand of co-working spaces that cater to flexible workers or startup entrepreneurs, event spaces are in demand too, especially in a progressive city like Cebu. Artist-entrepreneur Margarita Frasco said not a lot of groups or individuals can afford to rent function rooms that are normally attached to restaurants or hotels to mount activities like theater rehearsals, art exhibits, fitness programs or just a space to host support group meetings. This need led her to open The Core, a multi-faceted space located on the second floor of FLC Center along Hernan Cortes St. in Mandaue City. Frasco, who owns MDF Productions said the idea stemmed from her experience of directing a theatrical play a few years back where one of the major obstacles of the production she faced was finding a place to hold rehearsals. She realized this was a shared problem among independent theater productions in the city and that a shared space, not limited to theater rehearsals, could at least bridge this gap. The Core is a community space. It is for everyone, she said. We dont sell anything, just the space. The 100-square-meter space can be a venue for various activities. At present, the space holds fitness classes like yoga, zumba, pop dance and meditation. Frasco said the company made investments in making the interior of the space comfortable and accommodating to everyone who will use the space. Its flooring is suitable for all types of physical activities. Its black walls and curtains that are able to cover the mirrors can transform the rehearsal studio into a space for seminars, workshop, discussions and conferences or exhibits. Frasco said the space is also viable for support group meetings. Moreover, she believes that business concepts like The Core will support the creative economy in the city as it provides a space for aspiring artists to showcase their talents and craftsmanship. We have plenty of creative talents. They just dont have the venue, she said. Story continues Cebu is currently seeking to be a Unesco Creative City of Design. In 2008, Cebu City was recognized by the British Council as the Creative Capital of the Philippines. After Cebu, Frasco said she plans to bring the concept to Bacolod, Davao and Bohol and also to her hometown in Liloan. She also has plans to hold pocket events every two months at The Core to support Cebus creative economy. Rental fees at The Core cost P2,588 for four hours; P3,888 for six hours; P5,188 for eight hours; P6,488 for 10 hours, and P7,788 for 12 hours. (KOC) By Dinuka Liyanawatte and Shihar Aneez SAINTHAMARUTHU/COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - As darkness fell in Sainthamaruthu village on Sri Lanka's east coast on Friday, troops and police prepared to storm a concrete shack that local residents had told them was a safe house for a band of Islamist militants. It was five days after suicide bomb blasts that killed more than 250 people and stunned a country that few expected to be a target of Islamist attacks. Many of the dead in Sunday's attacks were killed in Batticaloa, a town about 28 miles (46 km) north of Sainthamaruthu. On Friday evening, as the troops approached the house - a one-storey building on a narrow lane opposite an open drain - three explosions went off and they opened fire on the suspects holed up inside, according to the military. The wife and a daughter of the suspected mastermind of the suicide attacks, Mohamed Hashim Mohamed Zahran, were wounded in the ensuing gunbattle, police and his sister said on Saturday. Nearly 10,000 soldiers have been deployed across the island to carry out searches since the Easter Day attacks on three churches and four hotels, most of which were in the capital Colombo. Security forces have detained 100 people, including foreigners from Syria and Egypt. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the bombings on the Buddhist-majority country, which would be one of the worst attacks carried out by the group outside Iraq and Syria. The Friday night shootout in the Muslim-dominated district of Ampara followed warnings from authorities that there were still militants at large plotting further strikes. The militants hiding there were suspected members of a domestic Islamist group, National Thawheedh Jamaath, the military said. The gunbattle ended before dawn, and as troops moved in on the ruined house they found the bodies of 15 people, including six children and three suspected suicide bombers, a military spokesman said. A large cache of explosives were found at the house, he said. Story continues The road outside was strewn with shoes and debris, and spattered with blood, said a Reuters witness, who saw bodies wrapped in cloth and body parts being carried away in fertiliser bags. Villagers had noticed unusual activity at the house on Friday, a resident told Reuters, adding that the suspected militants spoke arrogantly and refused to reveal their identity. "One of the persons in that house came for prayer to the mosque and he looked so suspicious," the resident said, who declined to be named because he feared for his own safety. The villagers went back to the house a second time, this time with a government official, but the suspects opened fire. They then informed the police, he said. After the shooting was over, about 500 village families were evacuated as troops began a seven-hour search of the area. "We never experienced this kind of scare, even during the LTTE war," the resident told Reuters over the phone, referring to the 26-year conflict between government forces and ethnic Tamil separatists that ended a decade ago. As the door-to-door search of the village continued, a soldier emerged from one house carrying an injured child in his arms. As the child was laid in a military vehicle, she called through tears for her father. The military said that as the search widened to Sammanthurai village nearby, they found a haul of explosives, detonators, acid bottles, Islamic State flags, suicide kits and military uniforms. (Reporting by Dinuka Liyanawatte in Kalmunai and Shihar Aneez in Colombo; Writing by A. Ananthalakshmi; Editing by John Chalmers and Frances Kerry) 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 CARMEN, Davao del Norte--A pilot of an aerial spray plane died after his plane crashed around 6:45 a.m. Saturday, April 26, at Purok 1, Barangay Mangalcal. The victim, identified as Jessie Kevin Roska Lagapa was declared dead at 7:55 a.m. by Dr. Jacouline Agustine after he was rushed to a nearby hospital by the rescuers from the Carmen Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. The 25-year-old Lagapa was a resident of Block 2, Lot 6, Ibabao Rd., Baywater in Barangay Agus, Lapu-Lapu City, Cause of crash In the initial investigation by the Carmen Municipal Police Station, it was learned that an aerial spray plane, owned by Davao Aerowurkz Corp., was conducting aerial spraying on a banana plantation when it crashed. According to residents, the plane was flying very low and caught a power line. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines is assisting in the investigation to determine the cause of the crash. The victims body is at a morgue of the Carmen District Hospital, waiting for his family to bring his body back to Cebu. (FROM JPC OF SUPERBALITA DAVAO) THE Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Saturday, April 27 that the study of the Ateneo Policy Center saying that over 7,000 drug personalities have been killed in the governments war on drugs THE Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Saturday, April 27 that the study of the Ateneo Policy Center saying that over 7,000 drug personalities have been killed in the governments war on drugs is totally erroneous. "It is totally erroneous to record more than 7,000 homicide deaths, with all sorts of possible motives including family feuds, quarrels, land disputes, accidents, stray bullets, road rage, directly as drug related incidents," PNP spokesperson Colonel Bernard Banac said. Banac expressed doubt on the studys sources of information but maintained that the agency respect its result. The Ateneo Policy Center has recorded a total of 7,029 drug related deaths from May 2016 until December 2018. It said the killing was most rampant in the National Capital Region with 2,475 reported deaths. Among the provinces, the Bulacan has recorded the most number of killings with 937 followed by Cebu with 542. Of the figure, 4,512 people were killed after allegedly fighting it out against the police during the conduct of anti-drug operations while 2,469 were killed by assailants and the rest were bodies discovered or found. "It is totally erroneous to record more than 7,000 homicide deaths, with all sorts of possible motives including family feuds, quarrels, land disputes, accidents, stray bullets, road rage, etc., directly as drug related incidents," a briefer on the updated data states. However, Banac noted that in the governments records, the Real Number Ph, there were only 5,281 deaths since the government launched its war on illegal drugs in July 2016 until February 28, 2019. He also said that it is normal that the police be accused of human rights violation amid the conduct of anti-drug operations which resulted in the killing of drugs suspect. But as an institution, let this be known to all, that we adhere to the rule of law, respect human rights, and value life. As any organization, we are not perfect. But this has not deterred us from intensifying internal cleansing to maintain discipline among our personnel and weed out from our ranks rogues, misfits and scalawags, said Banac. Story continues He said since 2016, a total of 8,440 personnel have already been disciplined for various offenses and illegal acts. Out of this number, he said 4,500 were suspended and 2,600 were dismissed from the service. Of those dismissed, 322 were found positive of illegal drugs use and 119 either for coddling, protecting drug suspects or not attending court duties, said Banac. Despite this, we assure the public that the PNP remains committed to perform its mandate to enforce the law, dismantle drug syndicates, and assist the rehabilitation of drug users with transparency, and utmost respect for human rights, he said. But as a dynamic organization, the PNP will always remain open to listen, and understand ways how to best serve our people. In fact, we have already introduced improvements in our law enforcement operations, such as the use of body cameras; the shift to reduction of drug supply by going after high value targets and big drug syndicates; the emphasis on adherence to rule of law and respect for human rights; and, the intensified PNP internal cleansing, he added. (SunStar Philippines) Daniel Ricciardo was given a three-place grid penalty for next month's Spanish Grand Prix after reversing his Renault car into Daniil Kvyat's Toro Rosso in Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Australian backed into the Russian after failing to pass him with a lunge down the inside of Turn Three that saw both halted, after Ricciardo had locked up, at a run-off area. Ricciardo had misjudged his move and after stopping reversed into the stationary car behind him. He was also given two penalty points by the stewards. "I don't feel good about what happened. It's weird," said Ricciardo. "I saw a gap so thought I would have a go. "Initially, I had the commitment and thought I would pull it off, but then I felt I would start to lock up and I missed the corner. "As soon as I went down the escape road, it was a sense of urgency and a bit of panic. I found reverse and started going and had no idea he was there. I guess the urgency stopped me from looking. "Trying to minimise the mistake I made turned into another mistake." Both drivers had to retire due to the damage suffered in the collision. Sudanese protesters Sunday welcomed a breakthrough in talks with army rulers who agreed to form a joint civilian-military council, paving the way for the civilian administration demanded by demonstrators. Saturday's agreement would replace the existing 10-member military council that took power after the army ousted veteran leader Omar al-Bashir on April 11 amid massive protests. "What happened yesterday is a step to have a civilian authority," said Mohamed Amin, one of thousands of demonstrators who have been camped for weeks outside the army headquarters. "We are happy about the progress in the talks, but we are still waiting for the composition of the council and the civilian government." The joint civilian-military council would be the overall ruling body, the protest leaders say, while a new transitional civilian government was expected to be formed to run the country's day-to-day affairs, a key demand of protesters. That civilian government would work towards having the first post-Bashir elections. The demonstrators said they would pursue their sit-in until a civilian administration is set up. "Last night's agreement is a step forward in the stability of our country. But I don't think we will leave the sit-in until we achieve our demand of a civilian government," said protester Sawsan Bashir. Protest leader Ahmed al-Rabia confirmed to AFP the decision to form a joint council. "We are now in consultation about what percentage of the council should be represented by civilians and how much by the military," said Rabia, who is involved in talks. On Sunday, protest leaders from the Alliance for Freedom and Change met to discuss the progress of talks with the military council. But the joint committee talks that were expected on Sunday were cancelled, activists said. - Lengthy talks - Activists say the new council could be a 15-member body, with eight civilians and seven army generals. The decision to have a joint council came after hours of talks on Saturday, the first by a joint committee representing the current ruling military leadership and protesters. Bashir was ousted by the army after months of protests against his three-decade rule. Thousands of demonstrators, braving volleys of tear gas fired by security forces, reached the sprawling military headquarters on April 6, demanding the army support those opposing Bashir. Five days later, the army toppled Bashir and took power through a transitional military council. The military council has so far insisted it has assumed power for a two-year transitional period. Western governments have expressed support for protesters' demands, but Sudan's key Gulf Arab lenders have backed the military council, while African states have called for more time for the army to hand over to civilians. Last week, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates announced $3 billion (2.7 billion euros) in financial aid for Sudan following Bashir's overthrow. Of the $3 billion, the oil-rich countries pledged to inject $500 million in Sudan's central bank to support its weakening currency. The remaining $2.5 billion was to help provide food, medicine and petroleum products, according the official Saudi Press Agency. On Sunday, the UAE-owned Abu Dhabi Fund for Development said it would deposit $250 million in the central bank as part of the aid package. Sudan's economy has worsened over the years, hit by multiple armed conflicts and secession by oil rich South Sudan in 2011. - Call to join ICC - As the joint committee met on Saturday, top opposition leader and former premier Sadiq al-Mahdi told reporters Sudan should "immediately" join the International Criminal Court. Bashir is wanted by The Hague-based tribunal for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for his alleged role in the conflict in Darfur, charges the 75-year-old has repeatedly denied. The Darfur war erupted in 2003 when ethnic minority rebels took up arms against Khartoum's Arab-dominated government, accusing it of social and political marginalisation. The UN says about 300,000 people have died in the conflict, with another 2.5 million displaced, many of them still living in camps across the western region. Protest group spokesman Amjad Farid said Bashir and other regime figures could be tried in Sudan. "We are not seeking retaliatory measures against them, but we want to rebuild our justice system to hold them accountable for their crimes," he said. Mahdi, who was forced from office by Bashir in a 1989 coup, said the army's ouster of the veteran leader was "not a military coup". But "the toppled regime might still try to do a coup," he said, without elaborating. An Islamist rally called on Monday has been cancelled, while the military council dissolved the country's labour association, a statement said. 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 IN EVERY election, national candidates always court the so-called Cebuano vote since Cebu is the most vote-rich province in the country with over three million registered voters accounting for almost five percent of the total registered voters in the Philippines. However, the so-called Cebuano vote is different. While its about numbers, its also about who the Cebuanos vote for. The Cebuano vote may be difficult since it cant be dictated by a mayor or a governor on who to vote for in a national position. In fact, I remember a senatorial candidate who once mentioned that when he won as a senator, he placed second overall, but in Cebu in that particular election, he placed only twenty-second. Iba talaga dito sa Cebu, he said. That brings me to ask what is a Cebuano vote? Can a Cebuano vote win a candidate for a national position? Because in this coming May 13, 2019 election, we have only one Cebuano candidate for senator in the name of Sergio Serge Osmena III, and IF that Cebuano vote, which is drooled over by all senatorial candidates, will go for Senator Serge, then can we have a Cebuano senator in 2019? And IF that Cebuano vote, which we pride ourselves in as different because we cant be smitten by dancing, singing, acting and sweet-talking, but only by ones capability for the position aspired in the national level, then I am confident Sergio Osmena III, aka Serge, will get the support of Cebuanos in the May 13, 2019. You know why? A search on Senator Osmena online would show you that he has authored over 155 bills into law: He has also championed the fundamental need of all Filipino children to be properly trained to meet the challenges of life. Farmers and fisherfolk have benefited from his tireless efforts to enhance the countryside transportation network. In all past congress, Sen. Sege Osmena has always filed the most number of bills in the Senate. I remember Sen. Cynthia Villar describing Serge as the most hardworking senator in the birthday celebration of Mayor Tommy. I laughed and told myself how much more if you are a staff of Senator Serge because in my six privileged years of working for him, he just kept on reading and writing. Story continues This coming May 2019 election is crucial in the national level for Cebuanos since I dont see any Cebuano who can be our voice in the Senate in the future other than Serge. How ironic it is that the province of Cebu is courted by senatoriables and presidentiables in every election and yet the province hasnt produced any senators other than the Osmenas recently. I know Cebu doesnt lack capable candidates for national positions, so what gives? Dont Cebuano politicians trust the Cebuano votes to unite in the national level? I know the three million votes from Cebu cant get Serge elected to the Senate, but it will attest that the Cebuano vote is a quality one. A man lights a cigarette as he takes a break from work at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, Metro Manila. (REUTERS/Erik De Castro/File Photo) President Rodrigo Duterte promised Chinese investors to build an environment that is conducive to business. Duterte made the pledge in a speech during the signing of 19 deals between the Philippines and China. The agreements are expected to yield over $12 billion in investments and create more than 21,000 jobs. The Philippines welcomes responsible foreign investors as partners for national development. The Philippine government guarantees, through good governance, an enabling environment that allows business and investments to prosper, Duterte said. Dutertes promise came at the heels of the Cebu Korean Association urging the government to strengthen the implementation of the ease of doing business law. Can the Philippines make business processes easier? Have your say in the poll and leave us a comment below. Related stories: Duterte assures Chinese firms of ease of doing business Korean investors interested, but want easier processes A) Photography of the original sedimentary structure attributed to a human footprint that was excavated at the Pilauco site. A sediment lump is apparently embedded within the trackbed (star). Scale bar 5 cm. B) Three-dimensional model in dorsal view with a virtual 45 tilt toward the south to facilitate the observation of profile lines 12, 34 and 56 drawn on the 3D model surface (123Catch from Autodesk and trial version of Rhino4, McNeel &Associates). C) Profile lines: [12] crossing from the heel, medial longitudinal arch and hallux; [34] passing by the midline. Notice that the sediment lump is 2.1 cm high from the footprint base; and [56] line passing through the heel, lateral longitudinal arch and lateral digits. Credit: PLOS ONE (2019). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213572 Scientists in Chile say they have found a footprint dating from at least 15,600 years ago, making it the earliest such sign of man's presence in the Americas. The footprint was found at the Pilauco excavation in the city of Osorno (820 kilometers, or 500 miles, south of Santiago), where scientists have been digging since 2007. Archeologists from the Austral University of Chile said the footprint was first spotted in 2011 next to a house. It took years for paleontologist Karen Moreno and geologist Mario Pino to reliably confirm that the print was human. "There are other human footprints in the Americas," Pino told the Osorno newspaper El Austral, "but none has been dated as far back." He said scientists were able to do so by applying radiocarbon dating techniques to organic plant material where the print was found. Pino said the footprint appears to be that of a barefoot man weighing about 70 kilograms (155 pounds) and of the species Hominipes modernus, a relative of Homo sapiens. The area in Chile has proven rich in fossils, including evidence of an ancestor of today's elephants and American horses, as well as of more recent human presence. An earlier footprint found at a site south of Osorno was found to be about 1,000 years more recent. The newer findings were published in the latest edition of the peer-reviewed scientific journal PLOS One. Explore further 230 million-year-old dinosaur footprint found in north Spain More information: Karen Moreno et al. A late Pleistocene human footprint from the Pilauco archaeological site, northern Patagonia, Chile, PLOS ONE (2019). Journal information: PLoS ONE Karen Moreno et al. A late Pleistocene human footprint from the Pilauco archaeological site, northern Patagonia, Chile,(2019). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213572 2019 AFP Pilots demanding better pay and conditions walked off the job in Sweden, Denmark and Norway on Friday and the disruption is now expected to hit some 280,000 travellers overall A further 110,000 air passengers faced being left grounded after Scandinavian carrier SAS on Sunday cancelled 1,213 flights as pilot strike action spiralled. Pilots demanding better pay and conditions walked off the job in Sweden, Denmark and Norway on Friday and the disruption is now expected to hit some 280,000 travellers overall. SAS had initially predicted that 170,000 passengers would be affected by the end of Sunday, but now says a further 667 Monday flights and 546 more due Tuesday will be annulled. The stoppage by 1,409 pilots is affecting domestic, European and long-haul flights. The Swedish Air Line Pilots Association, which initiated the strike, has said that months of talks have failed to find a solution to pilots' "deteriorating work conditions, unpredictable work schedules and job insecurity". "No discussion is currently underway between the two parties," Rawaz Nermany, president of the association, said on Sunday. "To overcome our differences, SAS must show a real willingness to discuss and meet around the negotiating table," he told the Swedish TT agency. But the Swedish Confederation of Transport Enterprises insists it cannot accept a demand for a 13-percent wage increase, given their "already high average wage of 93,000 kronor (8,766 euros, $9,769) a month". The pilots' association say work schedules, not wages, are their main gripe as most SAS pilots have to work at variable times and days and sometimes have to work several weekends in a row. SAS has implemented repeated savings programmes in recent years to improve its profitability, after almost going bankrupt in 2012. "If SAS gives in to the demands of the pilots, we can be pretty sure that in a few quarters, SAS will be in deficit and will have to fight to survive," Jacob Pedersen, chief analyst of the Danish bank Sydbank, told the Ritzau agency. In the first quarter of 2019, the airline widened its losses, impacted by negative exchange effects and high fuel prices. It posted a net loss of 469 million kronor, compared to 249 million a year earlier. Although the carrier forecast a full-year profit Sydbank on Friday predicted the strike would cost SAS 60 to 80 million kronor ($6 million to $8 million) per day. Explore further SAS pilot strike strands 72,000 passengers 2019 AFP 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. February 16, 1979 April 25, 2019 GRANVILLE Christopher David Barker, 40, passed away peacefully at his home, with his wife and family by his side, on Thursday, April 25, 2019, following a brief illness with cancer. David was born on Feb. 16, 1979 at Glens Falls Hospital, the son of the late C. Dana and Kay (Roberts) Barker. David graduated from the Hartford Central School and attended Adirondack Community College, obtaining a degree in liberal Aarts. He has been employed as a medical lab technician at Glens Falls Hospital for 19 years. He was a volunteer EMT with the Argyle Emergency Squad for more than 20 years and was elected in 2006 to serve as captain, serving in that capacity for the past 13 years. Besides his involvement with the EMS, he would be there to help anyone in need in any situation. He was a true friend to his EMS brothers and sisters, but most of all, his wife and his two daughters were his world. He enjoyed the many trips that he took to the ocean with the wife and family. He is predeceased by his parents. Survivors include the love of his life for the past 18 years, Stephanie A. (Colvin) Barker; his two loving daughters, Emmaline C. and Abigail P. Barker of Granville; his brothers, C. Dana Barker Jr. and his wife, Beth, of Granville, Ira Lee Barker and his wife, Linda, of New Jersey, Lloyd Dana Barker and his wife, Gretchen, of Granville and Gilbert Dean Barker and his wife, Elaine, of Hudson Falls; his sisters, Christie Ann Dyer and her husband, Bruce Bentley, and Debra Louise Downing and her husband, Brian, all of Hartford; his in-laws, Paul and Charlene Colvin of Fort Edward; his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, at the Granville United Methodist Church on Church Street in Granville, with Rev. Jerry McKinney and his brother-in-law, Steven Colvin, co-officiating. Friends may join the family from 4 p.m. until the time of the services at the church. Following the memorial service, there will be a reception at the Hartford Fire House, Route 40, in Hartford. Food may be taken directly to the firehouse following the services. The family requested that in lieu of flowers, they ask that donations be made to care for his two daughters through contributions made to the Emmaline C. and Abigail P. Barker Fund, in care of the Park Heritage Credit Union, 5 Murray St., Glens Falls, NY 12801; or to the Argyle Emergency Squad, 15 Sheridan St., Argyle, NY 12802. Arrangements are under the direction of the Michael G. Angiolillo Funeral Home, 210 Broadway, Whitehall. To leave an online condolence, please visit angiolillofuneralhome.com. Martha Petteys Follow Martha Petteys 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. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Move over, I said, delivering a finger poke to my sons ribs. You move over, he said, sending a bony finger back. We jockeyed for position around the plastic box for the best view through the plexiglass window. Well name this chicken Ethan, after you, said my boy to the neighbor kid who had joined our viewing party. And well name this chicken after you, he said to the neighbor kids sister, who stepped up between us. And well name this chicken after So generous were my sons naming rights, wed need to start stacking sponsorships like billboards at a ball field, plastering the tiny creatures with first, middle and last names. A freshly hatched chick named after the school bus driver tottered around the incubator. If youve never seen a bunch of chicks hatch, it is like watching people wake up the morning after a drunken riot. There is confusion. People blindly stepping on top of people trying to sleep. Theres yelling, pushing and fluids everywhere. LOOK! Another is hatching! Not since watching a cow give birth at the county fair had I witnessed the beautifully revolting miracle of life so up close and personal. I could just sit and watch those eggs for hours. Okay, maybe not hours many, many minutes at least. And so could everyone else, as evidenced by the stream of people coming through the house, all telling me how lucky I was to have chickens hatching in my living room. Our adventure had begun 21 days before, when my husband came home with an exciting surprise. Yes, those were his words. In this case, the exciting surprise was an incubator and two dozen eggs. The man had been floating the idea for months, visiting all his usual backyard chicken websites, which is always a weird rabbit hole to go down. As I have said before, chicken people are weird. Not as weird as horse people, but weird nonetheless. Think chickens in diapers. And fed bottled spring water. That kind of weird. Eventually, our hatchlings were moved to a plastic tote filled with wood shavings, food, water and the smell of chicken funk. Now, under a heat lamp, they are ogled and occasionally manhandled. They are learning what it is like to be a part of our family, which is part love, part survival of the fittest. Did anyone water the chickens? Silence. Hello? Can anyone hear me? Silence. Guys! Move! Now! Bus Driver Betty is thirsty! Martha Petteys writes a weekly column for The Post-Star. Write to her at petteyshome@gmail.com or visit her on Facebook. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Electronic health records, which were at the core of Glens Falls Hospitals two-year billing disaster, are apparently reviled by doctors throughout the country. In the Physicians Foundations annual survey of physicians, 39% said EHRs were their greatest source of dissatisfaction about their jobs. Thats up from 27% in 2016. The other top choices were loss of clinical autonomy and insurance requirements. Not everyone hates EHRs. About a quarter of the physicians said the system improved quality of care and efficiency. But 56% said it made them less efficient and 66% said it detracted from their interactions with their patients, because they spent too much time staring at a laptop while entering data electronically during exams. On quality of care, 36% said that EHRs made care worse. Physicians in the survey said the problem is that some systems are poorly designed or are not user-friendly. But it can really depend on which EHR is being used and how it was set up, said David Fletcher, who founded a company based on helping hospitals get the most out of their Cerner electronic health records system. He thinks Cerner the system used by Glens Falls Hospital is the best one available. But he said every system is customized to the point where they are all very different from each other, even if they are all Cerner systems. For example, a hospital could choose to include in its system a message asking physicians to determine whether a patient is pregnant every time the physician prescribes aspirin to a female. This has frustrated some doctors, who find themselves having to click no again and again in unreasonable cases children or the elderly, for example. They can make the rule more complex. Say, age range. What age range should we have? Well, at what age can someone be pregnant? Fletcher said. Now youre making a subjective call. To avoid that, the system usually just asks about pregnancy every single time. When these hospitals are configuring their systems, theyre defining their rules, he said. In addition to small annoyances like that, he said the most common problems he sees with electronic records involve user error. Every time a patient is seen, in Cerner and most systems, it is called an encounter. Insurance companies, and the government, and common sense in general say you cannot place an order for a lab or pharmaceutical on a patient who is discharged, he said. If I choose the wrong encounter one thats already discharged the rules on the back end will say nope. But the system does not usually notify the physician when that happens. So they might order a lab test or prescribe a drug and then have no idea that it vanished from the system. If they notice, they might not know why it happened. Doctors have described feeling frustrated as they enter the same lab order again and again, only to see it disappear. The system is working correctly, Fletcher said. They selected the wrong encounter. Not only does that mean the patients care could be seriously delayed, but also bills for that work would not be sent out. Fletchers company writes software that tests any hospitals Cerner system to see if it is billing everything the way it should. We will show them a list of everything ordered in 30 days and (which) items didnt generate a charge, he said. Some, like cotton balls, are built into the room charge. But weve seen drugs, weve seen procedures not charged. Other items are often inconsistently generating a charge because of variations like whether it was ordered in the ER, a doctors office, or a hospital patients room. We find big issues. Its not usually one big glaring silver bullet, he said. Its a death by a thousand cuts. Physicians know its causing problems, even though they may need software engineers to fix it. On the survey, 43% said EHRs were increasing health care costs. Will EHRs lead to an exodus? Author Twila Brase has written a book predicting that electronic health records will push many physicians out of medicine. The book, Big Brother in the Exam Room: The Dangerous Truth About Electronic Health Records, discusses the ways in which electronic health records hurt patients and doctors. She talks about the way the records-making process has reduced the amount of time physicians spend looking at their patients and answering their questions, because theyre entering data into a computer at the patients bedside. The Physicians Foundation survey found that 46% of physicians now plan to change career paths, although that isnt necessarily all because of electronic health records. About 17% plan to retire this year, up from 14% in the last survey. About 22% plan to cut back on their hours and 12% want to find a job outside of medicine. The issue may have as much to do with hours of work as it does with electronic health records. In the most recent survey, doctors reported working an average of 51 hours a week, seeing 20 patients a day. They said they spent about 11 hours a week on paperwork. That leaves them with about 20 minutes per patient, at best. It is perhaps no surprise that 40% of physicians reported often or always feeling burnt out. But that is an improvement from 2016, when 48% of them reported that level of burnout. Albany Med recertified Every three years, Albany Medical Center Hospital must recertify as a Level I trauma center and a level II pediatric trauma center. The certification is from the American College of Surgeons. Albany Med is the only Level I trauma center and the only pediatric trauma center of any level located in Northeastern New York. It serves 25 counties and is often the busiest trauma center in the state. The certification for children is new. Thats due to the Massry Family Childrens Emergency Center that Albany Med opened last year. It is an ER just for children. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Public school enrollment is almost universally down across Upstate New York, according to a report released on Sunday by the newly formed Rural Data Journalism Project. In its report, titled Evaporating Enrollment, the organization used New York State Education Department data going back to 1994 to show the decline being felt by many of the 31 districts in The Post-Stars coverage area. Smaller and more rural districts were some of the hardest hit with Minerva Central School District seeing more than a 40% drop and many others in Warren and Washington Counties in the high 20% range. Shrinking has been slow at some larger districts such as Queensbury Union Free and Hudson Falls Central School Districts, which saw five and seven percent drops respectively, but not all were insulated from decline as Glens Falls City School District saw a 28% decrease. Of the 31 districts in The Post-Stars coverage area, only three have increased in size since 1994, including Newcomb Central School District, which expanded mostly due to its foreign student program, and Schuylerville which saw a gain of only four students in the 25-year span. The only district with significant growth without programs specially designed for it was South Glens Falls, which saw a gain of 8.8%. The decline is no great secret to districts in the area, and some, such as Lake George Central School District, have already commissioned studies to examine how to deal with the decline going forward. The study focused on the issue many districts struggle to grapple with; how to maintain programs and opportunities for students with less and less revenue. Lake George schools plan ahead for shrinking population LAKE GEORGE Lake George Central School District received the results of a comparative stud Although the findings may not be surprising, it is important to get a measure of exactly how much the populations are changing, according to the projects Founder and Editor Tom Foster. The stated mission of the collective is to crowdsource coverage of rural areas that are struggling to maintain a local paper or are stretched too thin to tackle large scale stories on their own. Foster said enrollment became the focus of the first report from the collective was on enrollment because it was not only interesting, but pertinent to his life and family. We thought it was wise to start in New York because thats where my kids go to school, Foster said. The readily available data and Fosters childrens enrollment in Jasper-Troupsburg Central School District made it a great place to start Foster said. He said the organization is ready to tackle all sorts of topics that affect people in rural communities such as broadband internet access and distances to healthcare providers. The group will use whatever publicly available information they can find such as census data or weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Foster said the practicality of one person or newsroom to harvest national data sets in high detail is daunting, so the crowdsourcing model made sense to bring coverage into coverage deserts where rapidly folding newspapers no longer have the time or staff for many of their own investigative work. Foster hopes the collective can bring people together in a way that keeps residents in the communities informed. Theres a lot of people who can spot stories in the data, but the time it takes to do it on their own is often unavailable because of how thin people are stretched, Foster said. Samuel Northrop is the education reporter for The Post-Star. He can be reached at snorthrop@poststar.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 0 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. Kenneth Tingley Editor 12801 Follow Kenneth Tingley 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. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The Evening Sentinel was my hometown newspaper when I was growing up in Connecticut. Even as a youngster, I sensed the historical significance of a newspaper front page. Whether it was the Apollo moon landing, the assassination of Robert Kennedy or the resignation of a president, I had a sense I should be saving these old newspapers. Maybe it was just the tumultuous times in which we lived, or maybe I had a sense, even then, of what I would be doing with my life. Years later, when I was working for a newspaper, my father found two large boxes of old newspapers in the attic and delivered them to my doorstep in an old, blue suitcase. It was a treasure trove. Inside was The Evening Sentinel front page screaming in the largest headline type size I had ever seen: Astronauts take first moon steps. There was a New York Daily News cover: Nixon quits. I later had both newspapers framed. They now hang in my home office, a testament to the times in which I grew up, and two seminal moments from my youth. Years later, after I became editor of this newspaper, I sought out old Post-Star covers to be framed and hang in the newsroom. I wanted the staff to know that newspapers record history. Hanging in our newsroom today we have a collection of Post-Star front pages that capture historical moments: The destruction of downtown Glens Falls in a fire in 1956. President Johnson announcing he will not run for re-election in March 1968. Apollo 11 returning from the moon in July 1969. The election of George W. Bush in November 2000. The 9/11 attacks in 2001. The explosion of the space shuttle Columbia in 2003. The sinking of the Ethan Allen on Lake George in 2005. On Thursday, Clayton Burgess, a longtime Post-Star reader, stopped by the newsroom at The Post-Star. I didnt see him, but he left a note addressed to me: Alice and I thought you would enjoy this old issue of Post-Star. No need to return. The yellowed issue was from Nov. 23, 1963. The headlines screamed, President Kennedy is assassinated across eight columns of Post-Star newsprint. For me, this was historical gold. Its not unusual for a reader to turn up at our front door with copies of The Post-Star from a half-century ago. We happily take the old newspapers and save them for posterity in a big metal cabinet in our library where we also keep our microfilm. But this was different. The Kennedy assassination was the most significant news event in my young life. I was 7 years old and in the first grade, but I remember the moment when the teacher told our class the president had been shot. I remember the TV coverage when I got home and the muffled sounds of drums from the funeral three days later. This copy was in near-perfect condition, and as I gently thumbed through the 18 pages of the Post-Star that day, I found its reporters had been working the local angles, just as my reporters had done in 2001 with another national tragedy. On the newspapers editorial page, I found that someone had tried to make sense of it all. I dont know who wrote it, but it seemed to hit the mark. Whatever he was, the president was a man of courage. He was brave in war. He was even more so in peace. A Catholic could not lightly run for the presidency of this country in the face of old religious prejudice, yet he did and he won. No politician other than a courageous one would have jeopardized his popularity by so forthrightly tackling the racial issue as President Kennedy did. And who will forget the evening Mr. Kennedy addressed Premier Khrushchev and told him to get his rockets out of Cuba? We cannot here comment upon the meaning of the tragedy in Dallas from the standpoint of the man or men responsible for the death of the president, but only upon the pointlessness of it all. Thats a pretty good first draft of history. Ken Tingley is the editor of The Post-Star and may be reached via email at tingley@poststar.com. His blog The Front Page discusses issues about newspapers and journalism. You can also follow him on Twitter at . Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 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 Where the thunderstorms pop up is difficult to predict, he said. The timing of the storms is whats in question. If the rainfall occurs south of the Quad-Cities the impact will be minimal. If it falls north of the Quad-Cities before the crest it could impact the height of the crest. Once the river starts to fall, Ervin said that any rainfall here or north of the Quad-Cities may mean a longer duration of high water, but it will not necessarily mean a higher crest. It takes a big event to cause another crest on the Mississippi River, Ervin said. The reason we had a second crest was because of two big events back-to-back, a major snowstorm and then a big rain event. So once we get past the crest, any further rainfall may mean a long duration of high water, but it likely wont mean a higher or another crest. The Mississippi River at Lock and Dam 15 crested at 20.68 feet on April 8. Flood stage there is 15 feet. The temperatures will be below normal for the next several days. The normal high temperatures for this time of year are in the middle to upper 60s. However, the high Sunday is expected to reach into the middle 50s, while 63 is the expected high for Monday, and then expect a high of 58 on Tuesday. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 2 Angry 5 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. Two paintings done by Friendship Manor residents will be on auction at the Memories in the Making fundraiser for the Alzheimer's Association. The paintings, created by residents Jeanette Akin and Colly Peterson, will be auctioned off to raise money for the Alzheimer's Association's Memories in the Making fundraiser. The event is an art auction of professionally framed and matted watercolor paintings created by residents of local memory care facilities. For Akin and Peterson, the works represent cherished memories. "We're the pumpkin center of the world, and I worked at Libby's canning factory a couple of years canning pumpkins," Akin said of her childhood in Eureka, Illinois that inspired a painting of pumpkins. "We always carved a few, and I cooked them and made pumpkin stuff to make pumpkin pie with." Akin's dad also worked at the factory, and the family would plant pumpkins in their backyard to see how big they could grow. Peterson painted tomatoes, she said, because she plants them every summer and enjoys cooking with them. September 28, 1947-April 25, 2019 ROCK ISLAND Robert L. Bob Lenger, 71, of Rock Island, died Thursday, April 25, 2019, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City. Services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, Rock Island. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Rock Island National Cemetery, Arsenal Island, where military honors will be presented. Memorials may be made in care of the Vietnam Veterans of America Post No. 299. Bob was born in Moline on Sept. 28, 1947, a son of Elmer D. and Elma L. Ray Lenger. He married Sue I. Duyvejonck on July 25, 1980. They later divorced. Bob was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in Vietnam. In the early 70s, Bob owned and operated the Red Carpet Club in Moline. In 1975 he worked as an apprentice machinist at the Rock Island Arsenal. He later worked for the Moline Fire Department for 15 years as an engineer and fireman. Bob last worked 10 years for the Rock Island County Sheriff's Department as a bailiff. Bob was a member of the International Association of Firefighters Local 581 and a lifelong member of the Vietnam Veterans of America Post 299. The overriding message of EIU's rise and WIU's decline is that if Western is to thrive, administrators, the university board, faculty and staff, and the Q-C and Macomb communities must join together and begin immediately to create an aggressive plan to make both campuses thrive. Leading that task will be the new board members appointed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker to engineer WIU's renaissance. Greg Aguilar of the Quad Cities Chamber was chosen to lead it by new members Erik Dolieslager of Quincy, Kisha Lang of Maywood, Nick Padgett of Chicago, Polly Radosh of Good Hope, Doug Shaw of Peoria and Jackie Thompson of Macomb, and holdover student board member Justin Brown. Pritzker has tasked them with revitalizing student recruitment and outreach, investing in core programs, improving and building Western's brand throughout Illinois, and strengthening relationships with the universitys communities. Pritzker is right. If WIU is to thrive, it must do a better job of going where the students are to sell a university that still has a great deal to offer and needs to find a way to offer even more. WIU also must have administrators in place who are eager to embrace the challenge and have the skills to do so. The Legion has been doing this for more than 20 years, and has reached more than 6,000 students in that period of time, Brockhouse said. Brockhouse, a U.S. Army veteran who served from 1954-1956, enjoys watching students become involved in patriotic observances. "When these students are out there and they salute the flag, it chokes me up, he said. Jennifer Gertson, principal, and Sherrys teacher Olivia Day, are proud of their student. The beauty of her essay is it was very heartfelt, Gertson said. It refers to her immigration. Gertson adds that, at Riverdale, students speak 18 different languages. Writing the essay challenged her, Sherry said. I had all these thoughts and I had to make this only 300 words, she said. She spent about two weeks on it. This is the first time in 20 years a student has gone on to state, Day said. During the flag essay assembly, the students will gather outside around the flagpole. Brockhouse will be on hand to show the proper way to salute the flag, and Sherry will read her essay. The school also will receive a new flag. DES MOINES The Iowa Legislature gave final approval Saturday to a $1.94 billion health and human services budget despite emotional opposition from lawmakers who argued it failed to meet the needs of vulnerable Iowans, did not address problems in the private management of Medicaid and endangered the lives of transgender individuals. In the final hours of the 2019 session, lawmakers also approved changes in Iowas judicial nominating system by increasing the sway of the governor over who sits on the Iowa Supreme Court and appeals court. House Democrats were sometimes angry and tearful in calling for the rejection of amendments to the health and human services budget to bar state money from being used to cover sex reassignment surgery for transgender Iowans on Medicaid and block Planned Parenthood from participating in state-funded sex education programs. Rep. Bruce Hunter, D-Des Moines, accused majority Republicans of homophobic bigotry and called the measure offensive on its face. Republicans seem intent on doing everything you can to deny the basic human rights to the LGBTQ+ community, he said. You have proven today that while rights can be given, they can also be taken away. Erin Jordan of The Gazette is researching and reporting on the progress or lack of progress in reducing the flow of nitrate and phosphorus into the Mississippi River and other lakes and rivers during a nine-month OBrien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis. Because Iowas state revolving fund provides low-interest loans for water quality and water infrastructure projects, Jordan spent the last four months investigating the politics behind bills to prohibit use of this fund by nonprofit groups, like the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, to buy land later sold to government agencies for conservation. Jordan talked with eight current and former state lawmakers, a half-dozen Iowans who sent letters to legislators about the bills, agency leaders, conservationists, a commodity group and water quality experts to write this story. She also reviewed more than 1,000 pages of emails from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State University about past water quality legislation. Marquette University and administrators of the program played no role in the reporting, editing or presentation of this project. Or maybe its not. The 58th District is certainly not the most politically divided: It's made up of 31 percent Democrats, 25 percent Republicans and 44 percent no-party voters, according to the most recent state data. And its in the heart of Obama-Trump country. The district swung 33 points between 2012, when Democrat Barack Obama won it, and 2016, when Republican Donald Trump was the victor. Only one Iowa House District the 51st, in north Iowa swung more. Maybe in the 58th District the candidate is more important than the letter after his or her name. McKean hopes so, since he plans to run for re-election in 2020, this time with a different letter. "I hope the people back home will know that Im still the same Andy McKean I always was. Ive just changed my party affiliation. But Ill still be working for the very same goals and priorities that Ive had over many years in public service," McKean said. "I fully expect that there will be some ramifications. I know there will be people who will be disappointed. There will probably be people who will be pleased, too." U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsacks announcement that he will leave office after 2020 has set up a scramble in both political parties for Iowas newly competitive 2nd District congressional seat. Its been 13 years since the Quad-Cities has seen a wide-open race for a congressional seat, so we know by experience this will draw lots of interest. We wont go through the laundry list of possible congressional wannabes in this space. Undoubtedly, there are many. But it seems unlikely any will be quite like Loebsack. The 66-year-old former college professor has been a bit of a mystery in Iowa political circles. He doesn't have a marquee law to his name. Hes not a media star who is quick with a soundbite or a tendency to outrage or inspire. He doesn't rake in big campaign bucks. Yet, he wins. Consistently. When we endorsed Loebsack for a seventh term six months ago, this is what we said: Every hour, every day, your local hospitals provide life-saving care to everyone coming through their doors. However, lawmakers in Springfield are considering a proposal House Bill 2604 that would take away the ability of local hospitals and healthcare professionals to decide how best to care for patients and keep healthcare close to home. This proposal "nurse staffing ratios" would dictate exactly how many patients a nurse can serve at any given time at every Illinois hospital. This one-size-fits-all approach ignores the seriousness of each patients injury or illness and the skills, specialized training and experience of each nurse in a hospital unit. The number of patients and their conditions change quickly in hospitals. Local healthcare professionals need flexibility to adjust to properly staff the ER and hospital units. Healthcare shouldnt be boiled down to a simple set of numbers. Ratios would force hospitals to lay off key support staff and reduce services. At critically busy times, when your local hospitals are needed most, they would have to divert patients further away to other hospitals to comply with the ratios mandate. Local non-profit Rural America Initiatives is working with Rapid City Central High School to offer a free summer school program for seniors from lower-income families. Central Principal Mike Talley said the program will replicate one that has been been offered for the past seven years and was previously funded by federal and private grants. It's all about getting kids closer to graduation, Talley said in a phone call Tuesday. A $10,000 agreement between the group and the schools was approved unanimously and with no discussion at a Monday meeting of the Rapid City Area Schools Board of Education. A copy of the agreement indicates the program will focus on providing credit recovery to students who are either not on grade level or are in need of additional credits. Talley added that students whose credits did not carry over upon transferring to Rapid City schools also benefit from summer school. Students will be able to take up to two half-credit classes or one full-credit class, as is the case with the current high school-level summer program. The session is slated to run from June 10-27 from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will be provided through the existing summer food service program. Tuition for standard high school summer classes, which are offered from June to July, cost $175 per half credit and $350 per full credit course. Subjects range from math and English to chemistry and biology. The middle school summer program offers math, English and reading courses for $175 per class. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 After scarfing down sandwiches and grabbing free hiking sticks at the trailhead, students began hiking up some at a runner's pace Black Elk Peak, the highest point in South Dakota. "It's pretty cool and fun to go on, and tiring," said Isabella Two Crow, a seventh-grader at the Lakota Waldorf School in Kyle. Two Crow was part of a group of more than 20 students, five staff members and three dogs who made the trek to welcome back the Wakinyan Oyate, or thunder beings, by smudging sage and leaving food and prayer ties at the 7,244-feet-tall summit. "Every time the thunders roll for the first time we always come up here," Two Crow said. For generations, Lakota people have hiked up Black Elk Peak to honor the thunder beings, which disappear in the winter and return in the spring, said teacher Celestine Stadnick. "It's a way of paying respect and welcoming them for the renewal of life, for another year," said Santee Witt, who teaches Lakota cultural studies at the school. The coming of the thunder beings is when "everything starts anew again," when animals have babies and when nature is reborn. The Lakota Waldorf School, the only Native American and tuition-free Waldorf School in the country, opened in 1993 as a kindergarten through second-grade school. The private, nonprofit school expanded to sixth grade in 2017 and has continued to grow since. Waldorf Schools believe in going beyond "head learning" by teaching children not just by thinking, but through emotions and activity, said school administrator Isabel Stadnick. "Learning doesnt happen through the mind. Learning happens through feeling what you're learning about and what youre doing with it," Celestine said. "What's the point of reading if you can't really go out there and do it yourself?" Two Crow asked. The second annual field trip to Black Elk Peak perfectly combines the school's values of hands-on learning and the importance of teaching Lakota culture. The students first learned about the thunder beings in class, then created prayer ties (tobacco wrapped in cloth) and finished by hiking up the peak to make the offerings. "Cultural identity is one of the big themes that Native children have to gain. Its really important for their mental health and their future," Celestine said. "Our culture is really starting to become stronger." Celestine said the field trip also helps the students understand that "everybody is a part of a big circle," that all people, spirits, animals and the earth are related. "They have to experience intimacy with nature," to feel responsible for taking care of it, she said. On their way up the mountain, students discovered ponds, pointed to the spires that surround the summit, picked up sparkly rocks and stepped on a squishy part of the trail that made mud ooze out of the earth, all without the prompting of the staff members. Teegin Livermont, a third-grader, seemed to take an appreciation for the environment with her. The hike is a "little hard," she said, but worth it since "nature is beautiful." Contact Arielle Zionts at arielle.zionts@rapidcityjournal.com. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. Environmental regulators are trying to scrape together enough money to plug a portion of 40 orphaned natural gas wells in northwest South Dakota after assessing a $15.494 million penalty with dubious prospects for payment against the former operator of the wells. The wells were drilled beginning in 2006 in the Buffalo area by Spyglass Cedar Creek, a company in Houston, Texas, that initially boasted of $22 million in financing. But the wells eventually fell idle as the companys prospects disintegrated under the strain of falling natural gas prices, a lenders bankruptcy, at least four lawsuits, and a tax-fraud indictment against a business partner. After several years of hoping the company would right itself and put the wells back into production, the South Dakota Board of Minerals and Environment revoked the companys permits in January. Because someone associated with Spyglass cashed out a $20,000 bond without the knowledge of state regulators in 2015, the only money now available to plug the orphaned wells is a separate bond for $9,850 also posted by the company. The state Department of Environment and Natural Resources has estimated that the total cost to plug the wells will be $887,700. At a March 21 meeting in Pierre, the Board of Minerals and Environment, a nine-member citizen panel appointed by the governor, imposed a maximum civil penalty of $500 per well, per day on Spyglass for violations of state regulations related to the condition of the wells. The total penalty is $15.494 million. Extracting any money from Spyglass could prove challenging, based on past indications. Earlier this year, for example, the company failed to stave off the revocation of its permits when it was unable to post a $200,000 cash or surety bond requested by the Board of Minerals and Environment. To help fund the plugging of some of the Spyglass wells, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has proposed using a $130,000 bond from a failed oil-well project near Wasta. That project, undertaken by a company called Quartz Operations, ended shortly after it began in 2013. During drilling of the projects first well, a 150-foot section of the drill stem got stuck 2,760 feet down the borehole. After trying and failing to remove the drill stem, the company capped the upper portion of the well with concrete. The Board of Minerals and Environment had required Quartz Operations to post not only a minimum $20,000 bond but also an additional $110,000 bond because of concerns about the companys plans and inexperience. After the failed drilling effort, the board captured the $130,000 in total bond money but did not spend it, in part because of expert testimony indicating that further plugging of the well could cost $2 million and might not be technologically possible. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has now proposed using the $130,000 Quartz bond and $9,850 Spyglass bond to plug some of the Spyglass wells, focusing on the highest-priority wells as determined by the department. The Board of Minerals and Environment has postponed action on the plan and has asked the state Attorney Generals Office for an opinion about the legality of using the Quartz bond money to plug some of the Spyglass wells. The board anticipates having an answer and taking action next month. Mike Lees, of the DENR, told the board that plugging some of the Spyglass wells would be a precautionary measure. Mr. Lees said the wells are not an environmental threat and there is no potential for groundwater contamination, said the minutes of the boards March 21 meeting, but the departments biggest concern is human health and safety in the event of future gas leaks. Contact Seth Tupper at seth.tupper@rapidcityjournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 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. South Dakota should take a lesson from progressive states like Colorado and legalize marijuana immediately. The benefits are obvious: mellower citizens means less crime, hunting, road rage and other unacceptable aggressive behaviors. The first time my dog steps on a free, government supplied trap, I'll be suing the state of South Dakota, Game, Fish & Parks and Kristi Noem. Trapping is a lazy person's way to brutalize and torture animals. We know property taxes are higher on rental property so will the city be raising taxes on Accessory Dwelling Units to be equal with renters who already pay the higher rate for the apartment or home they live in? So the democrats are promising free college and loan forgiveness. Predominantly the promise is coming from someone who lied about her ethnicity to get licensed in her chosen field, so that should indicate how much that can be trusted. Bicyclists have the same rights, but also the same responsibilities, i.e. obeying traffic laws. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. 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Synagogue Shooting-California Synagogue Shooting-California Synagogue Shooting-California Synagogue Shooting-California Synagogue Shooting-California Synagogue Shooting-California Synagogue Shooting-California Synagogue Shooting-California Synagogue Shooting-California Synagogue Shooting-California Synagogue Shooting California Synagogue Shooting California Synagogue Shooting California " " How do they make those long streaks, short bursts and palm leaf shapes? www.JamesPhotography.com.au/Getty Images On a warm summer night, you're stretched out on a blanket in the grass gazing up at the sky. The patriotic sounds of John Philip Sousa's "The Washington Post" march ring through the air. Overhead, red, white and blue lights dazzle and glow -- bursting into shapes like fountains, flowers and flags. It's Independence Day -- a day that has been synonymous with fireworks since the founding of the United States of America in 1776, when future president John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail, suggesting the day be "solemnized with ... illuminations" [source: APA History]. Of course, in modern times we know these "illuminations" as fireworks. But oh, how fireworks have changed over the years since their invention -- which is thought to have occurred in China or India about 1,000 years ago -- alongside the discovery of gunpowder. The first fireworks came about with the realization that stuffing gunpowder into rolled-up paper or bamboo tubes and then lighting it would create a bang so loud it was thought to scare evil spirits away. The bang, in fact, was all there was to fireworks in the beginning, much like our modern firecrackers, keeping evil spirits away from births, deaths, weddings and new-year celebrations, among other events [source: APA History]. Advertisement After Italian explorer Marco Polo brought gunpowder from China to Italy in the late 13th century, Italian pyrotechnicians learned to send firecrackers into the sky with the development of aerial shells, which used gunpowder to both launch shells into the air and then have them explode. Italians were also the first to add metal bits to the shells to create gold and silver sparks, and in the 1700s, Italian pyrotechnicians added metal salts to create other colors [source: APA History]. Those loud, spirit-scaring bangs have long since evolved into brilliant overhead displays, with shapes and colors that grow more elaborate with every passing year thanks to the myriad people -- chemists, artists, firebugs, often entire families -- who have devoted their careers (and sometimes their lives) to the development of a better, brighter show that literally provides more bang -- and more beauty -- for the buck. To create these well-choreographed fireworks shows, not the loud bangs and sparklers people set off in their own backyards, chemists and pyrotechnic professionals "bottle stars" -- in a certain manner of speaking. Let's take a look at how they do it. First off, we're talking specifically about what are known as "display fireworks," not the consumer products people buy at their local fireworks stand every Fourth of July (wherever it's legal to do so, of course). Display fireworks are used in the professional fireworks shows sponsored by cities and towns large and small across the world, often occurring on New Year's Eve. At these shows, you might see peonies, the fountain-like bursts of colors that create the most common shape; brocades, which make an umbrella shape with a lot of trailing stars; or even hearts, smiley faces and flags [source: APA Glossary]. The pros create these shapes in a surprisingly simple way -- although this doesn't necessarily mean it's an easy process. So, don't try this at home, kids, because if not handled property, fireworks can cause serious injuries or death. To create the aerial shells that make up display fireworks shows, small tubes are packed with explosive chemicals to create the desired lights, colors and sounds. Gunpowder makes up the majority of the material inside an aerial shell, along with smaller bits of explosives called stars, a bursting charge (think of something along the lines of a firecracker) and a fuse. When the fuse is lit, it ignites the bursting charge, which explodes, causing the whole shell to explode and light up the sky. Aerial shells explode in two parts. First, the shell must be shot into the air so that the lights explode above the heads of onlookers, rather than on the ground. This is similar to a rocket being shot into the air. You need an explosion on the ground to send it soaring. To achieve flight, a tube called a mortar is set on the ground or partially buried in sand. Gunpowder with a fuse attached is placed inside the mortar. The shell is placed on top of gunpowder. When the fuse is lit, the gunpowder explodes, creating enough heat and gas to propel the shell into the sky [source: SciBytes]. In just a few seconds, the shell is high enough that the time-delay fuse inside the shell ignites, causing the bursting charge to explode. This sets off the gunpowder, which causes the entire shell to explode, sending the stars in all directions and creating the shapes and lights of fireworks that we enjoy [source: SciBytes]. While all parts of the aerial shell are essential for producing the fabulous fireworks shows we've come to know, it's the stars that are responsible for the "oohs" and "aahs" of mesmerized spectators. The chemical makeup in stars -- an oxidizing agent, fuel, colorant and binder -- along with the placement of the stars in the aerial shell, creates the specific shapes and colors. Pyrotechnicians use carefully selected chemicals -- strontium carbonate to create red, calcium salts and calcium chloride to make orange, salt to create yellow and barium compounds and chlorine to create green. Blue -- the most difficult color to create -- is made up of copper compounds and chlorine to make up stars that will in turn create the specific shapes as the fireworks bloom across the sky [source: De Antonis]. To create the shapes, stars are arranged on a piece of cardboard in the desired configuration. If the stars are placed in a smiley face pattern on the cardboard, for example, they will explode into a smiley face in the sky. In fact, you may see several smiley faces in the sky at one time. With shaped fireworks, pyrotechnicians often set off several at the same instant to ensure the shape can be seen from all angles. Spectators with the cardboard lined up along their line of sight may only see a burst of light or stars rather than the desired shape. If several go off at once, one of them should be oriented correctly at the moment it bursts so the crowd can see the shape [source: Wolchover]. " " The firework's interior architecture creates the shape of the explosion. 2015 HowStuffWorks According to Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association, the first shaped fireworks were used in the early 1990s in Washington, D.C., to welcome returning Desert Storm troops. The original shapes were purple hearts and yellow bows [source: Wolchover]. Shapes are also created for what are known as set pieces. These are fireworks that stay on the ground, forming a picture such as an American flag. Set pieces are built out of different colored lances -- tubes four to five inches (10 to 12 centimeters) long -- which are filled with chemicals to create different colors that burn for about a minute. Lances are set into frames or boards and lit all at once in any shape you can dream up -- from flags to words. Set pieces are expensive to create and time-consuming to build, so they're not seen as often as aerial fireworks [source: Fireworks Alliance]. So the next time you're lying back enjoying the light show in the sky, think about the work, imagination and creativity necessary for creating fireworks. And who knows? Maybe next Fourth of July, you'll be treated to an interesting, patriotic parade across the night sky -- perhaps even accompanied by rousing renditions of "The Stars and Stripes Forever" or the 1812 Overture. Advertisement Originally Published: Jun 22, 2015 "I just figured this would be happening in the US." One of the characters early on in Red Letter Day elucidates the sometimes subtle (sometimes not) passive-agressive smugness in the Canadian attitude, as defined by self-comparison to the American experiment down below. Chaos and murder erupt, between so-called normal people, when a shadowy anarchist group, called The Unknown, mails out a series of letters - red paper, in bright red envelopes - to the residents of an upscale Calgary suburb. Everyone, child and adult alike, in Aspen Ridge receives one, which has the picture and address of someone they are urged to murder ASAP. The intended victim has a mirror letter asking the same: kill them before they might kill you. At first, single mom Melanie Edwards, and her two teenaged children, Madison and Timothy, laugh it off with bad jokes, and facile sarcasm about nobody knowing anyone in their so-called 'planned community.' They, as would anyone, turn to social media to see what is going on. Memes already abound. It seems like the Red Letter phenomenon is a thing. A call to the police, and a very long hold-queue, add some additional worry; they all point to signs that the supposed prank should be taken seriously. Melanie's letter has the only neighbour she spends any time with as her target (or targeter). A quick walk up the street and cup of tea with her friend (new baby and husband in the periphery) starts off well enough: "These Facebook algorithms are really getting out of hand!." And yet, it is not long before the breakdown of any semblance of the (admittedly fragile) social contract goes out the window, along with a freshly roasted chicken and the husband's right arm. The blood flies fast and free for the remainder of Cameron MacGowan's get-in and get-out quick, debut feature. It plays like a 'Sunny Ways' modern mash-up of David Cronenberg's Shivers* and Fukusaku Kinji's Battle Royale. Keeping the tone less on suspense or horror, and more on the unusual mix of satire and comedy, MacGowan ostensibly makes a pass at the (all too easy) target of the 'isolated manicured reality' of the suburban experience, but deep down, Red Letter Day's satirical daggers go after all of Canada, and civilized society. I wonder if he has seen his fellow Calgarian Gary Burns' cheeky mock-doc, Radiant City, as it would make an interesting double bill here: two radically different approaches to circling human nature through urban planning and genre. Clearly, the tiny budget of the film keeps the scale within the Aspen Ridge community (and anonymous trolls on the internet), but that doesn't stop the blood and assorted creative maiming: a knife to the face and ensuing strained conversational shaming amusingly recalls Timothy Dalton's miniature village fate in Hot Fuzz. The characters here might be a little thin, it's a slasher movie of sorts, but this is somewhat made up for by filling in the details of the idiosyncratic denizens of the subdivision as we go, with Heavy Metal rockers, walkers of cats, and Kevin Smith doppelgangers hovering on the margins. Cory Feldman's Ricky Butler would be be smiling. Taking place entirely in broad daylight amongst the ticky tacky boxes and perfect-circle cul-de-sacs that circle our cities, most of them less than one hundred kilometers from the USA border, Red Letter Day tells us something about ourselves. While Canadians may not 'gate' their communities, and feel better about ourselves for our diversity and inclusiveness, and certainly consider themselves more or less immune to the culture of fear and intolerance that we see in American news media and apocalyptic television, we have our own unique ways of failing to live up to the ideals of being a good neighbour. There are no heroes here, we also tend to cut the tall grass before it can put on airs. *Fun-Fact: both Cronenberg's Shivers and Red Letter Day were made when a Trudeau was Prime Minister. By Alasdair Pal and A. Ananthalakshmi COLOMBO/KATTANKUDY (Reuters) - Sri Lankan police raided the headquarters of a hardline Islamist group founded by the suspected ringleader behind the Easter suicide bombings of churches and hotels, a Reuters witness said, as Sunday mass was cancelled due to fears of further attacks. Armed police in the town of Kattankudy searched the headquarters of the National Thawheedh Jamaath (NTJ) and detained one man at the premises, a Reuters reporter at the scene said. Police did not comment. On Saturday the government banned the NTJ under new emergency laws. The authorities believe Zahran Hashim, the founder of NTJ, masterminded and was one of the nine suicide bombers in the attacks on Easter Sunday which killed 253 people. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks. Police suspect the bombings were carried out by two local Islamist groups, including the one established by Zahran. Around 10,000 soldiers have been deployed around the island as the authorities hunt for more suspects. Police sources told Reuters on Sunday that Zahran's father and two brothers had been killed two days earlier in a gun battle with security forces. A relative identified the three men in a video circulating on social media calling for war against non-Muslims. The Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Ranjith, who had asked churches to suspend Sunday mass due to security fears, delivered a televised special sermon from a chapel at his home. The service was attended by President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. The archbishop said earlier this week that he had seen an internal security document warning of further attacks on churches. "We cannot kill someone in the name of God ... It is a great tragedy that happened," the archbishop said in his sermon. "We extend our hand of friendship and fraternity to all our brothers and sisters of whatever class, society or religion that differentiates us." Story continues The archbishop and political leaders then lit candles to commemorate the victims. Most of those killed in the Easter Sunday attacks were Sri Lankans. The dead also included 40 foreigners, including British, U.S., Australian, Turkish, Indian, Chinese, Danish, Dutch and Portuguese nationals. Police believe that radical Muslim preacher Zahran led the NTJ - or a splinter faction - to mount the attacks in Colombo as well as on a church in Batticaloa in the east. The authorities have named the other group suspected of involvement as Jammiyathul Millathu Ibrahim. Neither group were well known before the attacks but the government has come under heavy criticism for not heeding intelligence warnings of the bombings, including one from India's spy service hours before the attacks. On Friday, Sirisena said the government led by premier Wickremesinghe should take responsibility for the attacks and that prior information warning of attacks was not shared with him. GUN BATTLE More than 100 people, including foreigners from Syria and Egypt, have been detained for questioning for questioning over the Easter attacks. The Sri Lankan military said at least 15 people were killed during a fierce gun battle with Islamist militants on the east coast on Friday, including six children. In an apparent reference to the three men, Islamic State said on Sunday that three of its members had clashed with Sri Lankan police for several hours on Friday before detonating their explosive vests. It did not name them. The group's news agency Amaq said 17 policemen were killed or injured in that battle. It did not give any evidence. Sri Lanka's 22 million population is majority Buddhist and includes minority Christians, Muslims and Hindus. At the Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo where one of the bombs went off last Sunday, Buddhist monks, some as young as 10 and senior clergy, performed rituals in a tribute to the victims. (Additional reporting by Shri Navaratnam and Shihar Aneez; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Raissa Kasolowsky) Passengers wait it out at Beijing airport as flights delayed, cancelled following summit Many passengers arrived at Beijings international airport on Saturday to be told their flights had been delayed or cancelled, either because of air traffic restrictions or bad weather. All services to Hong Kong and Macau faced long delays, while evening flights to Guangdong province were cancelled. Most flights bound for other destinations appeared to be unaffected, though a tour guide at the airport said services to Sichuan province had also been delayed. The delays came as many state leaders were expected to leave the Chinese capital on Saturday night after a joint communique was signed at the Belt and Road Forum. Some passengers were told there were air traffic control measures in place, while others who were booked on flights to Guangdong and Macau were told thunder and rainstorms in the south of the country were to blame. Si Ka-heng, a first-year student at Renmin University of China whose flight home to Macau was delayed, said she was warned in advance. The airline actually told us a month ago it could be delayed [because of air traffic restrictions], said Si, who was travelling with a group of students from Macau for the spring break. But Macau Airlines counter staff said the delay had been caused by rainstorms in southern China. In Hong Kong, after waiting nearly four hours to board an Air China plane bound for Beijing, one passenger said airline staff announced that the delay had been caused by air traffic control measures. Our flight was originally scheduled for 2.10pm, now its almost 6pm and were still waiting, Keith Kwan Pak-hei said from aboard the plane, which departed soon after. Hong Kong Airlines also said one of its flights from Hong Kong to Beijing had been delayed for nearly 3 hours in the afternoon because of air traffic control measures. Panamanian businessman Pier Paolo Bemporad, who was visiting China for the first time, was told his flight to Hong Kong was delayed when he reached the airport counter in Beijing. He said his trip was not affected much by road closures for the Belt and Road Forum because he used the subway to get around the city. Story continues The logistics [situation] in the city didnt affect us. We had a fantastic four days [in Beijing]. At this point I am hoping the experience will not be dampened by the flight delay, he said, adding that he planned to travel from Hong Kong to Guangzhou for the Canton Fair to source garments for his boutique in Panama. Some passengers had no choice but to spend another night in Beijing. China Airlines told passengers booked on a 7pm flight to Guangdong that it had been postponed until Sunday morning. Meanwhile, a group of Pakistani passengers whose China Airlines flight from Hangzhou to Beijing was delayed said it meant they missed a connecting flight to Karachi. Punhal Khan Lashari, a biology and fisheries professor at Zhoushan University in Zhejiang province, said they were told the delay had been caused by air traffic restrictions. He said they had spent hours talking to airline staff trying to find a way to continue their journey and that they would have to spend the night in Beijing then fly to Dubai on Sunday morning, then get a flight to Islamabad. We were told there was no other option. It is not handled well, Lashari said. Additional reporting by Naomi Ng More from South China Morning Post: This article Passengers wait it out at Beijing airport as flights delayed, cancelled following summit first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. U.S. President Donald Trump tosses a pen to the crowd after signing an executive order as he announces that the United States will drop out of the Arms Trade Treaty signed during the Obama administration during a speech at the National Rifle Association-Institute for Legislative Action's (NRA-ILA) 148th annual meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S., April 26, 2019. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's proposals on nuclear arms disarmament is "not serious," a Kremlin spokesman said on Saturday. Trump has ordered his administration to prepare a push for a new arms-control agreements with Russia and China citing the cost of the 21st-century nuclear arms race, The Washington Post reported on Thursday citing administration officials. "It would be ideal to clean up the whole world from the nuclear weapon...but on the other hand we would have been deprived from the deterrent factor," Dmitry Peskov told reporters on the sidelines of a summit on China's Belt and Road plan. "Don't forget about the deterrent factor, about the deterrent parity," he said. Peskov also said Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held substantial talks and exchanged views on Syria, Venezuela and Libya when they met on Friday. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; writing by Beijing Monitoring Desk; Editing by Michael Perry) After making auction history at Christie's New York, Leonardo da Vinci's 'Salvator Mundi' will be at the center of a new Broadway musical Later this year, the Louvre in Paris will host an exhibition of masterpieces by the Italian painter Leonardo da Vinci to mark his death 500 years ago in France. But the work that in recent months has been the intense focus of scrutiny by the media and da Vinci specialists, may not be on show. In 2017, "Salvator Mundi" was sold at auction by Christie's as a work by da Vinci for a record $450 million. But it has not been displayed in public since, triggering doubts about its ownership, its whereabouts and its authenticity. The painting, a portrait of Jesus, was to go on display at the Louvre Abu Dhabi in September last year. But its unveiling was postponed by the museum without any explanation. The Louvre Abu Dhabi has kept tight-lipped about the identity of the buyer, saying only that the emirate's Department of Culture and Tourism had "acquired" it. And the mystery has further deepened ahead of a visit by Italian President Sergio Mattarella who will join France's President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday on a trip to the Loire Valley to mark the anniversary of da Vinci's death there in 1519, at the age of 67. "The Louvre has asked the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi for the painting to be given on loan," a Louvre spokesperson told AFP. "But we have not yet had any reply." - Proscribed by Islam? - According to the Wall Street Journal, the buyer of the picture was Saudi prince Badr ben Abdallah, acting in the name of powerful Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. He has never confirmed or denied the report. Prince Badr was appointed to head the kingdom's culture ministry in a government shakeup in June. Saudi Arabia and the neighbouring United Arab Emirates are very close allies who are both engaged militarily in the war against rebels in Yemen. Mohammed bin Salman (known as MBS) is also a close confidant of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed who along with Macron opened the Louvre Abu Dhabi in 2017, the first foreign institution to carry the name of the great Paris museum. Story continues The painting's disappearance comes as MBS's international reputation has taken a battering over the murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, in which he denies any involvement. Artprice, the leading art market information service, said clerics from Sunni Islam's leading authority the Al Azhar university in Cairo told MBS the painting could not be displayed on religious grounds. Jesus is seen as a prophet within Islam, which prohibits any physical depiction of God. But the picture portrays him as a saviour and thus a deity. - 'Nothing by Leonardo' - Many art experts remain unconvinced of the painting's authenticity. "Certain details are very telling," said Jacques Franck, a specialist in da Vinci's technique, pointing to the poor depiction of a finger and other elements that are "anatomically impossible". He said that at the time the canvas was painted, da Vinci had his workshop complete certain paintings because he himself had very little time. Daniel Salvatore Schiffer, another da Vinci expert, also believes the painting was not done by the Italian master. "When you analyse the details, nothing is by Leonardo, it doesn't have his spirit." Ben Lewis, an art historian who wrote "The Last Leonardo" said London's National Gallery, which exhibited the painting in 2011, had not taken on board the advice of five experts who were sent to authenticate the painting. Although two of them believed it was authentic, another didn't, and the others were unsure. But the painting was presented at the exhibition as a genuine work by Leonardo da Vinci. But Diane Modestini, who worked on the restoration of the painting from 2005, said she did not understand the controversy, insisting that "Leonardo da Vinci painted it". A Christie's spokesman said, "We stand by the thorough research and scholarship that led to the attribution of this painting in 2010. No new discussion or speculation since the 2017 sale at Christie's has caused us to revisit its position." - 'Reputation and credibility' - The Louvre says its exhibition, due to open in Paris in the autumn, will bring together "a unique group of artworks that only the Louvre could bring together" in addition to its own outstanding Leonardo collection. But whether people will be able to draw their own conclusions by actually seeing the "Salvator Mundi" remains to be seen. "If the Louvre has still not received a response (from Abu Dhabi) months before the exhibition, it is because the work will not be exhibited there," said Franck. Schiffer said it could end up being a positive thing for the Paris gallery, which could see its "reputation and credibility tarnished" if the work was exhibited. bk-sjw/hmw/har/tom CROWN HOLDINGS ARTPRICE.COM SHELDON, Iowa -- A boom in demand for work trucks has prompted Maintainer Corporation of Iowa, the Sheldon-based work truck manufacturer, to expand its operations with a new building. Shelley Morris, president at Maintainer, said work on a new, 28,800-square-foot manufacturing structure, was expected to begin last week. Maintainer anticipates the new plant will be churning out trucks by this fall. "We're tremendously busy," Morris said. "We're looking at about a one-year lead time right now for our products. We can't build them fast enough." In early 2018, Maintainer purchased the nine-acre site, formerly occupied by RV Central, which is half a mile down the road from the existing Maintainer plant. The new factory will sit near the Second Avenue interchange of Highway 60 on the south end of Sheldon. The expansion has an estimated price tag of $2.25 million. Estherville, Iowa-based Christensen Construction is leading the construction. This will be the third major expansion at Maintainer in the last four years. A major, 20,750-square-foot expansion was completed in 2015, followed by a 7,800-square-foot expansion in 2017. Maintainer, founded in 1976, makes custom-built mechanics' service truck bodies, lube truck bodies, rescue vehicles and cranes commonly used in agriculture, construction, mining, logging, utilities, railroads, rescue agencies and others, to do work in the field. Morris said the firm manufactures "just shy of 600 trucks a year." Roughly 225 are currently employed at Maintainer, with additional hiring expected once the expansion is completed. Morris said he expects between 20 to 25 new jobs as a result of the expansion, though the new plant will have space to accommodate even more workers if demand requires it. "The plant is sized to house as many as 70 more people," Morris said. In addition to the 80,000-square-foot main plant at 1701 Second Ave. in Sheldon, Maintainer has another 32,000-square-foot plant in Rock Rapids, Iowa, where they build EMS and other rescue-oriented vehicles. With the addition of the new, 30-foot-tall steel-frame building and its 28,800 square feet, Maintainer will have more than 140,000 square feet of manufacturing capabilities between Sheldon and Rock Rapids. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new plant is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday to celebrate the expansion. Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. DES MOINES -- Most states have plans in place should a foreign animal disease find its way onto U.S. soil. But, says Jeff Kaisand, there is no simulating the real thing. There are different issues or people react differently, says Kaisand, who serves as Iowas state veterinarian. Some of the plans we write down may get thrown out the window the very first day of an outbreak. With African swine fever (ASF) in China and parts of Eastern Europe, the U.S. pork industry has braced itself as efforts continue to keep the deadly disease out of the domestic herd. Concerns led the National Pork Producers Council to make the rare decision to cancel the World Pork Expo, held each June in Des Moines. The front line of defense consists of two elements local veterinarians and a premises identification program that allows state and federal agencies to trace the history of an animal, leading to a more rapid containment that could allow the continued flow of non-infected livestock operations. Kaisand says most states have some sort of premises ID program in place. In Iowa, for example, nearly 33,000 livestock operations have a premises identification number. He says it is difficult to know exactly how many farms have livestock, but says he is pleased with the number of voluntary registrations in Iowa. The swine industry is probably ahead of everyone else, Kaisand says, adding most packers require a premises ID number. The other species are coming along pretty well in recent years. Producers who suspect something should immediately contact state or federal officials, along with their local veterinarian. Kaisand says Iowa is developing a program that essentially creates of pool of veterinarians who would be available to assist with a foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreak. While the emphasis is on ASF at the moment, he says other FADs such as foot and mouth disease and classical swine fever also pose a threat to the nations livestock industry. The pork industry has been encouraging producers to register their premises, says Patrick Webb, a veterinarian and director of swine health programs for the National Pork Board. We look at this as a 911 system for livestock, he says. Its a critical piece that links all information for states and their animal health departments. Webb says the process for investigating any disease that could be an FAD involves contact with the state veterinarians office. The area veterinarian in charge, who Webb calls the state veterinarians counterpart with the USDA, will also be contacted. Iowa has four district veterinarians, and others work for the USDA. The state will assign an investigator, Webb says, with the hope of ruling out an FAD as soon as possible. Thats where traceability is going to be important, he says. Webb says many potential cases have been reported in recent years because symptoms of Seneca Valley virus look similar to foot and mouth disease. He says if testing is positive, it is up to the state veterinarians office to get information back to the producer. All information is kept confidential. Webb says the plan is to isolate the infected pigs and track their history, helping to minimize exposure to other herds. We have the ability to link the information to the farm because we can tie premises ID to production and movement records, he says. There is a nationwide level of preparedness, and I think the process we have in place will work well. Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 LOS ANGELES Gloria Estefans grandmother insisted she make music her lifes work. This is your gift, Estefan remembers her saying. Youre supposed to share this. Instead of studying international law or clinical psychology, she decided to sing with Emilio Estefan at bar mitzvahs, weddings, quinceaneras -- all over Miami. And it just grew, she says. May 3, PBS will air a special celebrating the Estefans careers. The two won the 2019 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. They're the first married couple or musicians of Hispanic descent to win the prize. The award is particularly fitting since the couple covered Gershwin tunes when they first started collaborating. A recent album, The Standards, includes Embraceable You and How Long Has This Been Going On? Emilio was working from the minute he came into this country, Gloria Estefan says. When I came into the band, I actually introduced him to a lot of pop music in the United States and to the old standards that I used to love to sing. Both born in Cuba, they're actually melting pots of cultures, able to blend sounds into something new. No label wanted to sign us because they said, People wont like it, Emilio Estefan says. The fusion, however, clicked. It was something fresh. One by one, the hits piled up. The Estefans began producing other Cuban-American acts and served as the godparents of a new genre of music. While performing in Europe, they had played all of their songs and were asked for more. Emilio said, Im going to take my accordion out and were going to do this old Cuban medley of congas, Gloria Estefan recalls. And I said, But they dont speak Spanish. He goes, They dont speak English, either. What difference does it make? The audience, she says, went crazy, and, at 3 a.m., Gloria Estefan said to her drummer, We need to write a song focusing on this rhythm. Conga was born and, gradually, it became a Top 10 hit. It took a year ... but eventually it blew up. So many years later, were still doing it and the Chipmunks have done it on two of their movies. The secret to the couples success: We did our career being honest, being who we are, Emilio Estefan says. They refused to change their names, their sound, their focus. Their life story became the basis for a hit Broadway musical, On Your Feet. The two say they complement each other nicely. Hes restless, shes calming. Love and respect, Emilio Estefan says. Something we were taught since we were immigrants. We came with a lot of dreams, no money, we were fighting for our dreams. It makes us proud to live in a country that you can still have the American dream. In Cuba, they both noticed the Communist regime cracking down on lyrics that were critical of the government. The thing that was able to flourish still under Castro was jazz, because it didnt have lyrics, Gloria Estefan says. Now were seeing a lot of Yoruba music, rappers, that are being jailed for expressing themselves through rap. There is a rich musical tradition in Cuba with very deep African roots. In May, the Estefans will release an album of their songs in local languages. The Yoruba tribe, she says, went to both Brazil and Cuba. Music is how people get by. When her father was suffering from Agent Orange poisoning, Gloria helped her mother care for him. Music, she says, was her escape. Music gave me wings. There was a lot of pressure on my shoulders. It was a wonderful way to focus and get a lot of that pain out. When you are going through very tough things, you really get in touch with your innermost feelings. And if, then, you combine that with a good way to communicate, thats where songs come from and where beautiful things happen. The key to their success? Never give up, says Gloria Estefan. Emilo and Gloria Estefan: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Music airs May 3 on PBS. Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- "U.S. Stamps that Put Sioux City and Iowa in the Spotlight," with Lincoln, Nebraska-based scholar and stamp collector Bob Ferguson, will be presented at 2 p.m. May 5 at the Betty Strong Encounter Center, 900 Larsen Park Road. Ferguson will cover a range of local topics, including how the U.S. Postal Service designated Sioux City a first-day-of-the-issue site, three times between 1954 and 2004. A longtime stamp collector, Ferguson will discuss how stamps celebrate Iowa and inform audience about 12 notable Americans who visited and, in some cases, performed in Sioux City from 1896 to 1981. Admission is free for this open-to-the-public event. A reception will follow the program. Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SOUTH SIOUX CITY -- Before announcing a week ago that it was temporarily suspending its biogas production operations in order to make equipment repairs, Big Ox Energy's immediate future already was clouded with rumors of financial difficulties. The Wisconsin-based company owes more than $3 million to the city of Sioux City alone, and the South Sioux City biofuels plant's manager has referred to financial troubles in conversations with Nebraska regulators. The Journal has learned that Big Ox also has reached out to vendors and suppliers to set up payment plans for outstanding bills. Perhaps the most pressing issue is the status of Big Ox's permit to send pretreated wastewater across the Missouri River to Sioux City's regional wastewater treatment plant. The permit expires Tuesday, and the city has yet to make a decision on the company's renewal request. Sioux City officials can't recall the city ever denying a permit renewal, but Big Ox's debt, coupled with discharge issues in past months, raises concerns. "We would need to have a lot of assurances for a lot of things, including payment of what they owe" before granting the renewal, city utilities director Mark Simms said. Kevin Bradley, Big Ox director of business and economic development, said the company would continue discussing its permit renewal with the city. Even though the plant for the time being will no longer be accepting organic waste from local food and beverage manufacturers and converting it to methane, Bradley said it will continue to receive and treat wastewater from other South Sioux City industries and discharge it to Sioux City, though at a lower volume. If the city were to deny its permit renewal or make a decision days or weeks after Tuesday, Big Ox would not be able to legally discharge wastewater to Sioux City. "They'd have to go someplace else with their wastewater," assistant city attorney Justin Vondrak said. The discharge of higher volumes of wastewater with high concentrations of pollutants and suspended solid waste late last year and early this year led to huge bills for Big Ox, leading to Sioux City's hesitancy to renew the company's wastewater permit. Billing records show that the city has billed Big Ox more than $3.5 million in wastewater fees, fines and late fees since June, when Big Ox stopped making monthly payments. The company has made three payments -- two in November, one in December -- totaling $478,501 since then, leaving a balance due of a little more than $3 million. Vondrak said Big Ox officials have given the city no explanation for the nonpayment, despite committing last fall to making payments on past due amounts and staying current. "We have had a lot of dialogue with Big Ox concerning this matter. Big Ox has failed to follow through on several commitments they have made," Vondrak said. Simms said Big Ox racked up higher costs for a period of time when it was discharging high volumes of highly concentrated wastewater to Sioux City. That increased volume pushed Big Ox into a higher billing rate charged to industrial users that discharge strong waste or high volumes that can take a toll on the wastewater treatment plant's equipment. The city has fined Big Ox a total of $95,500 for several violations, most of them for discharging excessive amounts of suspended solid waste, from June until February, when, Simms said, Big Ox seemed to stabilize its operations and began operating within the parameters of its permit, dropping out of the higher rate tier. The fines have yet to be paid, however. Simms said Big Ox claims the city has not incurred the costs it has charged the company to treat its wastewater. "They don't believe that we've justified the fees that we've charged, but the fees are ones they would have known about when they hooked up," Simms said. "We aren't in the business to make money, but obviously every user has to pay for services." Vondrak said litigation is a possible step toward collecting the money Big Ox owes. Terminating service is another option, which also could involve litigation. Opting not to renew Big Ox's permit, however, would effectively terminate the company's service, which would affect South Sioux City's ability to discharge wastewater from other industries and residences to Sioux City. South Sioux City Mayor Rod Koch said the city has a contingency plan in place if that were to happen. "We've already made plans no matter what happens to Big Ox," Koch said. "The city and Big Ox and businesses, we all have to work together and be in partnership to make this successful." Big Ox also owes South Sioux City for sewer, electric and water use. "No, they're not current," city manager Lance Hedquist said, declining to say how much Big Ox owes the city and how long it's been since the city was last paid. It appears that Big Ox also has failed to pay other area vendors. On April 19, the day Big Ox announced it would temporarily cease biogas production, the company sent letters to vendors, suppliers and contractors, asking them to send current billing statements. "It is our intention to develop a payment plan on all outstanding balances," Big Ox general manager Rob Ernest said in the letter. Since the plant began operations in September 2016, it had hauled solid waste, averaging up to five to seven side-dump truckloads of a semisolid sludge byproduct daily, to a Jackson, Nebraska, landfill operated by Gill Hauling. "We did take considerable material from them, but haven't for the past couple months," said Leonard Gill, president and owner of Gill Hauling. Gill said things with Big Ox are "in a state of flux" and declined to comment on whether Big Ox owes him money. He also declined to comment on any possible legal action. Bradley, Big Ox's spokesman, declined to comment on the company's financial matters. The millions in unpaid bills adds to the mystery surrounding Big Ox's financial stability. Plant manager Jody Anderson twice in the past month has referred to possible financial troubles in communications with the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. In a March 29 email to the NDEQ concerning removal of solid waste being stockpiled on site, Anderson said, "We started hauling off site using two trucks from local contractor due to financial difficulties those only two trucks could get to haul. ... If had ability to hire more trucks to haul away to fields this project of removal would be much faster to remove solids. We will have to look for financial support to remove newly generated solids each day ..." In an April 2 memorandum summarizing a March 28 visit to the plant, an NDEQ inspector referred to a discussion with Anderson about the department's concern about plant safety and uncontrolled emissions. The inspector wrote, "Mr. Anderson agreed that emission controls and safety measures are needed, but explained BOE's current financial outlook forced him to prioritize needed projects." Nearly three weeks later, Big Ox announced its plan to temporarily suspend its biogas production operations in order to make repairs that the company hopes will solve ongoing emissions and odor issues that have led to more than a dozen lawsuits from homeowners in the plant's vicinity who claim its odors are a nuisance and, in some cases, have caused health issues and made their homes uninhabitable. Those emissions have led to past citations from regulators, the most recent, an April 2 NDEQ citation for failing to control emissions after inspectors noticed gases leaking from a damaged anaerobic digester structure. Big Ox has had problems with repeated venting of hydrogen sulfide gas into the atmosphere and solid waste spills. The company also has been cited for storing solid waste on its grounds outside the plant. The plant has been cited for various violations nine times by the NDEQ and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The NDEQ has called Big Ox to appear in Lincoln next month to justify why its storm water and air quality permits shouldn't be revoked, a move that would effectively shut down the plant. Bradley said on April 19 it's not yet known how long it will take to fix the damaged digesters or when the plant will be able to resume its methane production. Prior to the shutdown, Bradley said, Big Ox was producing enough gas to supply more than 4,000 homes daily and injecting it into an interstate pipeline and selling it to an unnamed private customer. With production ceased, a main source of revenue is now gone. Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 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. WASHINGTON -- Our nation faces a constitutional conflagration, and President Trump is not the only actor willing to put personal and partisan interests above the preservation of our system of self-rule. Five conservative justices on the United States Supreme Court signaled clearly on Tuesday that they are willing to allow the administration to act lawlessly in distorting the 2020 Census and thus representation in Congress to benefit the party that placed them on the court. Trump's brazen attacks on American institutions and the court's partisanship are not separate stories. They are the product of a radicalization of American conservatism. Republicans and conservative ideologues -- including the ones wearing the robes of justice -- are destabilizing our institutions in pursuit of power. The apparent willingness of the court's five conservatives to go along with the Trump administration on the census is of a piece with earlier rulings gutting the Voting Rights Act and increasing the power of big money in politics. All tilt the workings of our democratic republic in favor of conservative candidates, conservative causes and the appointment of conservative judges just like them. At stake in Tuesday's court argument is Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross' move to add a question to the 2020 census asking if a respondent is a citizen. Never mind that Ross lied about why he was including the question. Never mind that three lower courts ruled Ross' actions illegal. Never mind that the Commerce Department's own experts say this will lead many noncitizens to avoid answering the census, which means, according to one well-grounded estimate, it will miss 6.5 million people. Never mind that this would undercount places with large numbers of immigrants that tend to be Democratic and lead to skewed legislative representation. Too bad, said conservative justices, whose hypocrisy was transparent. Chief Justice John Roberts, who had no problem eviscerating the Voting Rights Act, piously asked, "Do you think it wouldn't help voting rights enforcement?" Conservative justices regularly denounce using foreign law in our court decisions. This time, Justice Neil Gorsuch cited "evidence of practice around the world" to defend Ross' question, while Justice Brett Kavanaugh cited a United Nations recommendation. When it comes to the president, his indifference to the law is so recurrent that we treat it almost as background noise. But we cannot become deaf to the message he is sending: He will destroy our constitutional arrangements if doing so will help him survive. The House of Representatives is part of a coequal branch of our government with a responsibility to hold the executive branch accountable. In pursuit of this duty, the House regularly calls on administration officials to testify before its committees and to provide documents relevant to its work. There is always give-and-take in the process, but past administrations of both parties have acknowledged Congress' right to do its job. Not Trump. He has issued a blanket diktat opposing testimony to Congress by current and former officials of his administration about the findings of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. He is also stalling or seeking to block the release of documents ranging from his income-tax returns to his business records. And he has made clear he does not view the House as having a legitimate, constitutionally sanctioned role in exploring what Mueller found for one simple reason: A body controlled by Democrats has no standing to question him. "There is no reason to go any further, and especially in Congress where it's very partisan -- obviously very partisan," he told The Washington Post. Think about it: Only an autocrat says that when voters entrust part of the government to the party that's not his own, he will override its rights and prerogatives by fiat. Ah, you say, but there are the courts. Trump can't possibly sustain his position, can he? Surely a judge is, as former Justice John Paul Stevens wrote, "an impartial guardian of the rule of law." After Tuesday's arguments on the census, we can no longer have confidence that this is true. It should thus come as no surprise that Trump tweeted on Wednesday morning: "If the partisan Dems ever tried to Impeach, I would first head to the U.S. Supreme Court." Once upon a time, we could depend on justices regardless of party to stand up to a paranoid, power-mad president making weirdly unprecedented claims about the Supreme Court's role in the impeachment process. It should scare us, really scare us, that members of the court's conservative majority are giving us reason to wonder if they would do so now. Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The historic 2011 Missouri River flood was a game-changer for the massive river basinss residents and communities. What was supposed to be impossible happened: widespread flooding in spite of the construction of six massive dams, reservoirs, and channelization of the river, all designed to protect us from the violent unpredictability of the Big Muddy. The project known as the Pick-Sloan Plan failed us. And, as everyone painfully learned, man-made floods are so much worse than natural floods. Instead of the natural recession of water following the inundation, massive reservoirs continue to open the floodgates, soaking downstream land for weeks or even months at a time, multiplying the damage. Everyone thought 2011 was a fluke. The Missouri River flood of 2019 has proved them wrong. And even though flooding in the immediate Siouxland area on the Missouri has not reached 2011 catastrophic portions, the story is much worse south on the river where tens of thousands of acres of land are under water, closing Interstate 29 from just south of the Missouri Valley exit to the Missouri border. Even Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha was under five feet of water. This flood did not sneak up on the Corps, they had been letting high water levels out of Gavins Point and the other reservoirs for quite some time. The Corps, in fact, claimed they took every action available to minimize the damage and that there was nothing more they could do. If they (the dams) were all empty, this would have still occurred, said Major General Scott Spellman, the deputy commanding general of civil and emergency operations for the Corps, in an April 24 Omaha World-Herald article. In other words, we may have to face a new reality - that the Pick-Sloan Plan was never meant to accommodate high water levels like those in recent years that may become the new normal. Maybe its time to start rethinking the entire Pick-Sloan Plan. It hasnt protected us from flooding, it prioritizes maintaining a navigable channel for non-existent barge traffic and has been an environmental disaster. The Pick-Sloan Plan, which created this massive configuration of dams, reservoirs and channelization, is a cruel and tortured abomination of nature - turning a wild, lush river valley into a series of massive reservoirs upstream (many with more shoreline than the California coast) and a drainage ditch (a/k/a navigable channel) downstream from Ponca, Nebraska, to St. Louis. The only part of this river that would be even remotely recognizable to Lewis and Clark would be from Yankton, South Dakota, to Ponca, now designated as a scenic river portion of the Missouri. By the way, this is also the only part of the river that did not have any major flooding in 2011. At the time of the Pick-Sloan Plan, a massive national inter-waterway system was envisioned across the country, uniting river after river. It never materialized. But the cost to the environment for constructing this water ghost highway is stunning. The damage to the environment has been catastrophic. The Pick-Sloan Plan, according to the Corps of Engineers, has resulted in: * 17,000 acres of wetlands lost * 18,000 acres of islands and sandbars lost * 15,000 acres of river bottom timber lost And, the river was actually shortened by 32 miles. Channelization, due to its swift, narrow current, has scoured the bottom of the river, deepening the channel by 20 feet and drying up just about all the backwaters, oxbows and wetlands over the years. Federal law in the Corps master manual has already made it clear what the two top priorities for river management must be: (1) flood control (2) maintenance of a nine-foot navigable barge channel. Some politicians are asserting that flood control should be the number one priority when, in fact, it already is. (Nice press release, though.) Maintaining a nine-foot navigable barge channel for largely non-existent barge traffic should be removed from Corps number two priority in the master manual. Channelization requires the Corps to spend millions of dollars each year that would be better spent for purposes for the river that would benefit all of us. Besides, you cant have barge traffic during floods. *** Supreme Court Justice Daryl Hecht passed away from cancer on April 3. Im proud to say Daryl was a good friend of mine, not because of his title but because of who he was as a man. Daryl was the most humble man you would ever meet, with or without a judicial robe. His Supreme Court colleagues said it best: Justice Hecht was one of the most thoughtful, caring and conscientious judges to grace the Iowa bench. He linked wisdom with mercy, analysis with compassion, discipline with humor, detail with perspective, and the demands of the past with the hopes of the future. Next week: Katie Colling A Sioux City resident and local attorney, Al Sturgeon is a former Democratic state representative and senator. He is the father of six children. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 OK, President Trump has now been exonerated from all the charges against him. Almost three years and $30 million just to conclude what we all knew. Because of this, I fully support Attorney General William Barr really digging into why this was all started in the first place. WAKEFIELD, Neb. -- More than a hundred wind turbines loom large over the small town of Wakefield. In Dixon County, just northeast of Wakefield, Enel Green Power North America Inc. built the $430 million Rattlesnake Creek Wind Project. All of the project's 101 Acciona AW125-3.15 MW wind turbines, spread out over 32,000 acres, are operational, an Enel spokesman said. The project has a capacity of 320 megawatts, though Rattlesnake Creek senior project manager Georg Becker-Birck cautioned that the turbines don't generate that much power round-the-clock. "That's installed capacity, that's like the horsepower in your car -- your truck has maybe 140 horsepower, but when you're driving along in the city you don't use all of them," he said. The turbines are expected to generate around 1,300 GWh annually, according to a press release from Enel. Social media giant Facebook has agreed to purchase 200 megawatts from the project to power its new data center in Papillion, Nebraska, a suburb of Omaha. A Facebook spokesperson said the data center will begin operations this year, though construction will continue through 2023. Adobe, a major computer software company, will purchase another 10 megawatts through 2028. After that, all the generated power will go to Facebook, which aims for a 100 percent renewable energy supply to the data center. Rattlesnake Creek employed between 320 and 400 construction workers during the construction process. Enel expects the project to create roughly 20 permanent jobs. The project's builders strive to be attentive to local sentiments about the project -- they even hired a dedicated "landowner liaison" whose job is to hear and respond to any landowner concerns. "We take that pretty seriously," Becker-Birck said. "I think in general the community is pretty supportive... Most residents are, I think, excited about it." The more than 150 landowners who have turbines, project-built roads or other infrastructure from the project on their land receive undisclosed royalty payments from Enel Green Power North America, a subsidiary of the multinational Enel Group. Becker-Birck said the payments are more substantial than what could have been earned by planting on the (relatively small) space taken up by the turbines and service roads. Farmers are able to plant crops "pretty much" up to the base of the turbines. They can also use the Enel-built roads for their own purposes. "The land loss for the farmer at the end is actually pretty small," Becker-Birck said. And the extra revenue can be a big deal: "For some of them, that's additional income, or retirement benefits, or benefits their business." Copyright 2018 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. There's no polite way to eat a Chicago hot dog. I discovered that as I tried to bite down on an all-beef wiener which was blanketed by chopped onions, tomatoes, a pickle spear, sport pepper and bright green relish inside a poppy seed bun. If you eat it too gingerly, the toppings take a header onto your plate. However, if you squish it too aggressively, the contents will find a landing space on your just-pressed pants. Both scenarios are a pity since Pinky's Ice Cream & Hot Dogs makes a howlingly good hot dog. Located next door to a convenience store, the newly opened 2928 Gordon Drive location might be easy to miss. That is, if you don't see the eatery's unusually pink building. So, who's Pinky, you ask? It isn't owner Starla Anderson, her 10-month-old son Jacob or her 13-year-old daughter Hannah, whose hair has more of a reddish-purplish tint. "We did a Google search for hot dog restaurants and 'Pinky's' kept on popping up," Starla explained. "Well, Pinky's seemed like a fun name and stuck." But don't think of Pinky's as simply being a hot dog joint. Nuh-uh, ice cream actually gets top billing at this family owned business. Thankfully, Hannah's already an expert at making ice cream nachos. Um ... what the heck are ice cream nachos? "The nachos are really just small waffle cone pieces," Hannah said, making a sundae studded with a waffle cone base, three different types of ice cream, chocolate syrup, whipped cream and a cherry on top. "The nachos give an ice cream dessert a bit of a crunch." Plus Pinky's has some unique ice cream flavors. Available in a shake, sundae or simply a cone, you can get ice creams with distinctive names like "I'm Your Huckleberry" (a berry-based ice cream); the "Superman" (a red, yellow and blue fruit punch-flavored ice cream); and a Unicorn Power ice cream, which is a particular favorite of 10-month-old Jacob. "Unicorn Power ice cream is made with a mix of cherry and raspberry ice cream, along with plenty of candy sprinkles," Hannah said. "Plus we add some marshmallow fluff because everybody likes marshmallow fluff." "The Jolted Cow has a bit of espresso in it," Starla said. "I'm usually a strictly chocolate girl but I admit I am curious about coffee ice cream." This is one of the best aspects about Pinky's Ice Cream & Hot Dogs. You never know what to expect. "We'll be adding more ice cream flavors as the weather heats up," Starla, a first-time restaurant owner, said. "In addition, we'll be adding items to our food menu." Currently on the drawing board is an Italian Beef Sandwich recipe that Starla's still tinkering with. It may soon join up with the Pinky Dog (a variation on a Coney dog); the Super Dog (which ups the ante with a handful of veggies); plus the aforementioned Chicago Dog, which has a tidal wave of toppings to tickle one's taste buds. Open for less than a month, Pinky's was designed to satisfy a niche. "We always wanted to open a place that was colorful and fun," Starla said, admitting there is something wonderfully retro about an eatery that specializes in food from one's childhood. "Sometimes, you just want to relive a memory of an earlier time," she said, adding that ice cream and hot dogs are often a part of that memory. What's the best way to eat a Chicago Hot Dog? Open your mouth as wide as possible and get in touch with your inner pelican. Believe us, you do not want to want to drop a single tomato slice, pickle spear or, even, some slippery relish from Pinky's winning wiener creation. Nope, it is that good. Is it a pretty sight to behold? Absolutely not. But, like we said, there is no polite way to eat a Chicago dog. Copyright 2019 The Sioux City Journal. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #17 Posted on 28 April 2019 by John Hartz Story of the Week... Opinion of the Week... Toon of the Week... SkS in the News... SkS Spotlights... Report of Note... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Reviews... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... Reckoning With Personal Responsibility In The Age Of Climate Change As someone who loves traveling and going outdoors, I struggle with balancing my hopefulness and my despair and my culpability regarding an imperiled earth. Gentoo penguins taking a rest from fishing on an iceberg passing by in the Gerlache Strait, Antarctic Peninsula. Sophie Lanfear / Netflix A couple weeks ago, I made the mistake of watching Netflixs new documentary series Our Planet after hitting a friends weed pen. Even though I knew that famed naturalist David Attenboroughs latest project aimed to explicitly address the effects of climate change, I was still expecting to (mostly) enjoy a big, splashy nature doc, letting myself become fully immersed in the overwhelming beauty and vastness of life on Earth especially since, someday all too soon, many of these glorious scenes will be lost to us. What I didnt expect were the horrors awaiting me at the (now-infamous) end of Episode 2. A huge group of walruses congregate on a tiny stretch of land because they cant gather on swaths of Arctic sea ice that no longer exist. Forced to find space from the crowd, some of the poorly sighted animals climb up steep cliffs then, sensing other walruses below, fling their bodies off the edge. Somehow Id missed all the coverage of Netflixs warnings to animal lovers about this particular moment. Even if I had, I dont think anything could have prepared me to see these gentle, gigantic animals tumble to their deaths. I started to weep; I think being stoned could only partially account for my spiral. Reckoning With Personal Responsibility In The Age Of Climate Change by Shannon Keating, BuzzFeed, Apr 27, 2019 Opinion of the Week... The Climate Change Generation Needs to Know What's Coming The fossil fuel industrys decades-long campaign to build political power and spread disinformation about climate change is well-documented. It has long kept the American public in the dark and elected leaders in their pocket. Their strategy of denying the causes of climate change has been wildly lucrative for the fossil fuel industry, but devastating for our environment and democracy. As kids across the U.S. and around the globe rise up to demand action, this disinformation campaign is now being targeted at Americas classrooms. A spate of bills introduced in states across the country would either prohibit teachers from discussing climate change in their classrooms or require public school teachers to present both sides of an issue that has come to dominate American political discourse. This would give science equal weight with flat-out propaganda. The Climate Change Generation Needs to Know What's Coming, Opinion by Michael E Mann, Newsweek, Apr 24, 2019 Toon of the Week... SkS in the News... Willard MacDonald? article, Its Easy to be Tricked by a Climate Denier (Medium, Apr 20), debunks claims made in Gregory Wrightstone's book, Inconvenient Facts and is a neat example of debunking done very well. The article references the consensus studies and the SkS homepage. "Wrightstone attacks the often-quoted statistic that 97% of climate scientists agree that global warming is man-made. This 97% number comes from a number of studies, including one by Cook et al which looked at the abstracts from 11,944 peer-reviewed papers related to climate change over 21 years. They identified 4,014 papers that stated an opinion about whether climate change is man-made or not. 3,898 said it is man-made. The study correctly calculated 3,898/4,014 x 100 = 97%. Wrightstones complaint about this study is that the 7,930 papers that made no statements about whether climate change is man-made or not were not included in the 97% calculation. His argument is that the researchers should have counted these in the denominator of the % calculation, and so the number should be 3,898/11,944 x 100 =32.6%. This is not a valid way to tally opinions. If you are trying to report the number of people who have opinion A vs opinion B, you take the total number who have opinion A and divide it by the total number that stated either opinion A or B. If there was no opinion stated, then it is not part of the statistic. Other similar studies have been done by numerous scientists with similar results to the Cook et al result from 2015. See the image below from Skeptical Science." Towards the end of his article MacDonald references the SkS homepage: "The motivating forces behind climate denial are most certainly from the fossil fuel industry. Climate denial has become a formula, and the people and institutions spreading this false information recycle the same arguments over and over again. Skeptical Science does a great job cataloging and debunking these myths. The home page includes the image to the left showing the top 10 most used myths. Youll recognize many of them from the analysis of Wrightstones book." SkS Spotlights... EndClimateSilence.org is a volunteer organization dedicated to helping the media link stories about climate-change impacts to climate change itself. Mobilizing through digital activism, we focus on all media platformsfrom television networks to print outlets to online content providers to radio programs. We are motivated by the awareness that climate change poses a grave danger to humanity and we must transition from fossil fuels to safe energy immediately in order to preserve a planet that supports civilization. We see that climate change has begun to hurt people, and it's the media's job to report on that fact. Report of Note... Nature loss: Major report to highlight 'natural and human emergency' Credit: Getty Images Scientists and government officials meet this week in Paris to finalise a key assessment on humanity's relationship with nature. The Intergovernmental Panel for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, or IPBES, will issue the first report of this type since 2005. It will detail the past losses and future prospects for nature and humans. One author says the report will highlight the "social and ecological emergency" the world is now facing. From Monday some of the world's leading researchers in the field of biodiversity will meet in the French capital to work through the details of their report with representatives from 132 governments. Their conclusions, known as a Summary for Policymakers, will then be published on 6 May. Nature loss: Major report to highlight 'natural and human emergency' by Matt McGrath, Science & Environment, BBC News, Apr 28, 2019 Coming Soon on SkS... Rebellious Times (John Mason) (John Mason) What's Earth's ideal temperature? (Climate Adam) (Climate Adam) Inspiring, not depressing, film fest messages (Daisy Simmons) (Daisy Simmons) Former climate 'denier' regrets 'how wrongheaded but certain I was' (Karen Kirk) (Karen Kirk) New research this week (Ari) (Ari) 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #18 (John Hartz) (John Hartz) 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #18 (John Hartz) Climate Feedback Reviews... [To be added.] Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... After last years White House Correspondents Dinner, in which Michelle Wolf drew fire for correctly noting that press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders lied to the press, the White House Correspondents Association decided to hire a historian instead of a comedian. Ron Chernow, author of Alexander Hamilton, got tapped primarily to provide less controversy, as he acknowledged: I confess that I was surprised when I got the invitation to speak here tonight. I mean, I knew they werent approaching me as an international sex symbol, right? Then Olivier told me that they wanted to try boring at this years dinner, and I said, Oh, I can deliver on that big time. Now youre talking my language. Advertisement For the most part, Chernow succeeded. Heres his full speech: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Stephen Colberts legendary 2006 WHCD appearance in 2006, the WHCD has occasionally been a venue where people spoke frankly about the governmentand worldweve built. Chernows speech, although it included a few quips about Donald Trumps intelligence, seemed like it was written on another planet, someplace where authoritarianism could be effectively fought with civility: Even though it may seem wistful and naive and a touch quixotic, I would like to keep alive tonight the fading memory of more civilized dealings between chief executives and the news media. Call it a museum of presidential decorum. At this confrontational moment in American politics, we must recall that civility has been an essential lubricant in our democratic culture and that our best presidents have handled the press with wit, grace, charm, candor, and even humor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chernow is exactly right: That does seem wistful and naive and a touch quixotic. It doesnt matter how plush the velvet glove on the iron fist is, and there is no amount of wit, grace, charm, or humor that would make the resurgence of authoritarianism and white supremacy in the United States any better for anyone. Still, candor does matter, and it is true that Donald Trump is a different sort of president. Chernow made this point by tracing the history of presidential relationships with the press, sharing stories about both Roosevelts, Kennedy, and, of all people, Ronald Reagan: Advertisement Advertisement Now, Ronald Reagan was a no less sunny personality and a past master, of course, of media relations. When he became president, he said, I think that most of the time, the overwhelming majority of reporters do a fine job, and as a former reporter, I know just how tough their job can be. Nevertheless, Reagan had a sometimes bumpy relationship with the press. Then on March 30, 1981, he was shot and nearly killed outside this very hotel, the Washington Hilton, as he was about to duck into his limousine. A bullet lodged within an inch of his heart. Reagan was scheduled to speak at, yes, the White House Correspondents Dinner. And so he telephoned in this line instead. If I could give you just one little bit of advice: When somebody tells you to get into a car quick, do it. That was a touch of class that has been sorely missing in our political culture in recent years. It was a subtle reminder that whether Republicans or Democrats, we are all bona fide members of Team U.S.A., and not members of enemy camps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With all due respect to Chernow, what the government of the United States is missing today is not a touch of class, or a phone call from the president to the White House Correspondents Dinner, and Ronald Reagans lawless, inhuman presidency should be a model to no one. Its pointless to decide who is a bona fide member of Team U.S.A. when the planet is boiling and white supremacists are shooting up synagogues, but pretending that the politicians responsible are not members of enemy camps to all humanity is voting for table manners over the survival of the species. But Chernow did point to journalists who spoke frankly about how power and money work, including Ida B. Wells, Jacob Riis, Lincoln Steffens, Ida Tarbell, and Upton Sinclair, all of whom are well worth reading and contrasting with Chernows palpable wish for a more civilized era. Theres nothing civil about any of this. There never has been. Lori Kaye went to Saturday services at Chabad of Poway to say a prayer for her mother, who died in November. Now shes being hailed as a hero because when a gunman opened fire in the synagogue located north of San Diego, Kaye, 60, placed herself between the shooter and the rabbi. She died at a nearby hospital. Lori you were a jewel of our community a true Eshet Chayil, a Woman of Valor, Audrey Jacobs, a friend of Kayes, wrote on Facebook. You were always running to do a mitzvah (good deed) and gave tzedaka (charity) to everyone. Your final good deed was taking the bullets for Rabbi Mendel Goldstein to save his life. Advertisement Her name is Lori Gilbert Kaye and she is a hero. She took a bullet to save her rabbis life. She died at the hospital... her rabbi survived.#Hero #ChabadofPoway #RIP pic.twitter.com/hfuzaVqk4R Steve Price (@SteveNews8) April 28, 2019 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kayes husband is a doctor and rushed to help but when he realized his wife was a victim he fainted, according to reports. Kaye is also survived by a 22-year-old daughter. Advertisement Advertisement When Kaye tried to shield Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein had already been shot in the hand and he became one of the three people injured in the shooting. Goldstein described Kaye as a pioneering, founding member of the congregation and said he was heartbroken by her death. On the last day of Passover, a gunman opened fire inside the Chabad of Poway in California. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein of the temple describes the horrific scene: I heard a large banging, a large noise, and I turned around and I was face to face with this murder, this terrorist. pic.twitter.com/FyRONXxNuE TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 28, 2019 Advertisement The other two were Noya Dahan, 8 and her uncle Almog Peretz, 34. Peretz was shot in the leg as he tried to get children to safety. Peretz who had recently moved to California from Israel, said the shots seemed to be coming from all directions. I was with my back to the shooter. I heard a shot or two and then turned around to face him and thats when he fired at me. I ran quickly, picking up a small girl in my hands, he told Israeli news site YNet. He hit me once in the leg and I kept running. I didnt feel it much since there we so many bullets flying by. I heard them and I saw them right next to me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This hero is 34-year-old Almog Peretz. During the #Poway Chabad shooting, Peretz was described as scooping up kids to safety. Luckily his injuries are not life-threatening. pic.twitter.com/nzQoO9xOWh Tom Jones (@TomJonesNBC) April 28, 2019 Synagogue shooting:Lori Gilbert Kaye was killed taking bullets for Rabbi Goldstein to save his life. 19yr old stormed in, said F*ck the Jews & opened fire. Others injured include 8yr old Noya Dahan. She asked for her picture to be shared & for everyone to know she is strong. pic.twitter.com/sopaI5Tq6z Henrietta Curzon (@hcurzon) April 28, 2019 John T. Earnest, 19, was charged with one count of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder. The United States lost a civil rights icon on Sunday when Judge Damon Keith died at the age of 96. A judicial giant who served on the bench for more than 50 years, Keith adamantly refused to tolerate injustice in any form. His landmark opinions defending the constitutional liberties of unpopular groups provoked ire and, at times, death threats against the judge. But Keith never yielded, facing down opponents as powerful as the president of the United States and as violent as the Ku Klux Klan. He maintained his resolute belief in equality to the very end of his extraordinary career. Advertisement Keith was born in Detroit on July 4, 1922, a patriotic coincidence he always relished. He served in a segregated Army unit during World War II, an experience that drove home the evils of American racism. I served my country, Keith later said, but when I returned, I still had to ride on the back of the bus, drink from separate water fountains and use separate bathrooms. I thought, is this what Ive been fighting for? Have I been laying down my life to come back to this world of Jim Crows and racists? After attending Howard University School of Law, Keith worked closely with the NAACP and eventually served on the Michigan Civil Rights Commission. In 1967, President Lyndon Johnson appointed him to federal district court in Detroit; 10 years later, President Jimmy Carter elevated him to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As soon as Keith joined the bench, he faced a series of hugely controversial disputes over civil rights. In 1970, he ordered the desegregation of public schools in Pontiac, Michigan, prompting serious threats against his life. A year later, the KKK firebombed 10 Pontiac school buses. (Keith never considered backing down, explaining: I dont scare easily.) In 1971, he ruled that the city of Hamtramcks urban renewal programwhich mostly entailed demolishing black peoples homesconstituted unlawful housing discrimination and ordered the homes rebuilt. That same year, Keith halted the Nixon administrations warrantless wiretapping program. President Richard Nixon sued Keith in an effort to maintain the practice, but the Supreme Court unanimously sided with Keith, holding that Nixon had violated the Fourth Amendment. Advertisement These decisions alone wouldve been enough to cement the judges legacy. But on the 6th Circuit, he continued to field contentious disputes over civil rights. In 2002, he wrote the decision for the court in Detroit Free Press v. Ashcroft, a challenge to the Bush administrations efforts to close off post-9/11 deportation hearings to the public and press. Keith ruled that the First Amendment barred the government from holding secret deportation hearings. It was in this opinion that Keith coined his famous phrase democracies die behind closed doors. The passage in which that aphorism appears is worth quoting in full. Explaining that a free press is a vital safeguard of immigrants rights, Keith wrote: Advertisement Today, the Executive Branch seeks to take this safeguard away from the public by placing its actions beyond public scrutiny. Against non-citizens, it seeks the power to secretly deport [immigrants] The Executive Branch seeks to uproot peoples lives, outside the public eye, and behind a closed door. Democracies die behind closed doors. The First Amendment, through a free press, protects the peoples right to know that their government acts fairly, lawfully, and accurately in deportation proceedings. When government begins closing doors, it selectively controls information rightfully belonging to the people. Selective information is misinformation. The Framers of the First Amendment protected the people against secret government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Bush administration declined to appeal Keiths decision to the Supreme Court. Even in his mid-90s, Keith never wavered from his staunch defense of the Constitution. In October 2016, at age 94, he wrote an impassioned and historic dissent from a 6th Circuit decision allowing Ohio to curtail black voters access to the ballot. Keith, in protest, included a gallery of martyr of the struggle for equality in his opinion. He explained: The utter brutality of white supremacy in its efforts to disenfranchise persons of color is the foundation for the tragedy that is the majoritys effort to roll back the progress of history. I will not forget. I cannot forgetindeed America cannot forgetthe pain, suffering, and sorrow of those who died for equal protection and for this precious right to vote. I add the following publicly available historical statements to humanize the struggle for the right to be equal participants in the democratic process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later, Keith told me he wanted to dramatize the racist attitude of the majority. He made no effort to conceal his disdain for the conservative judges who turned a blind eye to Ohios racist assault on the franchise. Today, judges like Keith are in short supply. In just two years, President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans have stacked the judiciary with judges who are overwhelmingly straight, white, and male. These individuals were chosen because of their past work defending the powerful and harming the powerless. Many spent their careers helping to abridge minority voting rights and now refuse to say if Brown v. Board of Education was correctly decided. Some promoted racist conspiracy theories and defended states rights to disenfranchise black voters. These judges are anathema to Keiths enduring vision of constitutional equality. His death is a great loss for the countryand a reminder of what judicial courage looks like at a time when it is in increasingly short supply. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slammed White House counselor Kellyanne Conway on Sunday, claiming the White House official was trying to stoke suspicion of her Christianity. It all began when Conway appeared on CNNs State of the Union Sunday morning, and in the midst of a bit of sparring with host Jake Tapper over white supremacy, the White House counselor brought up the freshman lawmaker. In the middle of their discussion, Conway threw a seemingly offhand comment about how Ocasio-Cortez had tweeted many times about the shootings at two mosques in New Zealand that killed 50 people last month but never once about the church bombings in Sri Lanka that killed more than 250 people. (The relevant portion starts at 3:25 in the video below.) Advertisement .@JakeTapper repeatedly asks WH counselor Kellyanne Conway if President Trump thinks white nationalism is a growing threat around the world, and if she thinks his response on Charlottesville was perfect as he says it was. #CNNSotu https://t.co/hetfI07Gq6 pic.twitter.com/xtdd1SfvD5 State of the Union (@CNNSotu) April 28, 2019 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ocasio-Cortez took to Twitter to question Conways motivation for saying that in the middle of a discussion about an entirely different topic. And she also used it as an opportunity to criticize the White Houses response to the devastation in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. On Easter I was away from tech visiting my grandmother in Puerto Rico, which continues to suffer from the White Houses incompetent disaster response, Ocasio-Cortez wrote. Are you trying to imply that I am less Christian? What was the point of you bringing this up on national TV? Advertisement Advertisement Hello Ms. Conway, On Easter I was away from tech visiting my grandmother in Puerto Rico, which continues to suffer from the White Houses incompetent disaster response. Are you trying to imply that I am less Christian? What was the point of you bringing this up on national TV? https://t.co/TIypLf2CaB Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 28, 2019 In another tweet, Ocasio-Cortez answered her own question, accusing Conway of using this as an excuse to stoke suspicion around my Christianity + faith life before noting that the terrorist attack in Sri Lanka was horrifying. The New York Democrat went on to call on Conway to do more to welcome immigrants feeling religious persecution. Advertisement President Donald Trump skipped the White House Correspondents dinner Saturday night and instead held a raucous rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he hit several familiar themes. The president criticized the media, praised the economy, and mocked Democrats. At one point, he turned to what has emerged as a favorite talking point for the president as he gears up for the 2020 presidential campaign: extreme late-term abortion. Trump claimed Saturday that Democrats are in favor of allowing children to be ripped from their mothers womb right up until the moment of birth. Advertisement Trump went on to falsely characterize what he said an extreme late abortion would entail in horrifically graphicand not to mention misleadinglanguage. Your Democrat governor here in Wisconsin, shockingly, stated that he will veto legislation that protects Wisconsin babies born alive. Born alive, Trump said in a disapproving tone. The baby is born, the mother meets with the doctor, they take care of the baby, they wrap the baby beautifully, and then the doctor and the mother determine whether or not they will execute the baby. Trump then put on an incredulous tone. You hear late term, but this is where the baby is born, its there, its wrapped, thats it, Trump said as he made a guillotine motion with his hand, as if he were implying that the babys head would be sliced off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump falsely claims Democrats support murdering babies. "The baby is born, the mother meets w/the doctor. They take care of the baby. They wrap the baby beautifully. Then the doctor and mother determine whether or not they will execute the baby." The crowd respond w/angry boos pic.twitter.com/DgVgw5IZ0f Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 28, 2019 Trump has previously accused Democrats of supporting the killing of babies, often falsely twisting comments by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam to make it seem like Northam supports infanticide. The governor stated that he would even allow a newborn baby to come out into the world, Trump said at a rally in El Paso, Texas, in February, and wrap the baby, and make the baby comfortable, and then talk to the mother and talk to the father and then execute the baby. Execute the baby! He even made a similarly misleadingyet much less graphicclaim during his State of the Union address. Lawmakers in New York cheered with delight upon the passage of legislation that would allow a baby to be ripped from the mothers womb moments before birth. These are living, feeling, beautiful babies who will never get the chance to share their love and dreams with the world, he said. The claims, of course, are false. Advertisement President Donald Trump slammed Fox News legal analyst Andrew Napolitano on Saturday night, accusing the former judge of getting angry when the commander in chief refused to nominate him to the Supreme Court. Trump also claimed that he rejected a request to pardon one of Napolitanos friends. In a pair of tweets after his campaign rally in Wisconsin, Trump said that Napoitano had become very hostile toward his administration after he rejected his requests. Ever since Andrew came to my office to ask that I appoint him to the U.S. Supreme Court, and I said NO, he has been very hostile! Also asked for pardon for his friend. A good pal of low ratings Shepard Smith, the president said, referring to another member of Fox News who has been more critical of Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thank you to brilliant and highly respected attorney Alan Dershowitz for destroying the very dumb legal argument of Judge Andrew Napolitano.... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 28, 2019 ....Ever since Andrew came to my office to ask that I appoint him to the U.S. Supreme Court, and I said NO, he has been very hostile! Also asked for pardon for his friend. A good pal of low ratings Shepard Smith. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 28, 2019 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is, of course, a big fan of Fox News and often praises the networks journalists and commentators. But Napolitano has recently spoken up quite a bit against Trump, particularly after the release of special counsel Robert Muellers redacted report. I am disappointed in the behavior of the president, Napolitano said earlier this week. If he had ordered his aides to violate federal law to save a human life or to preserve human freedom, he would at least have a moral defense to his behavior, he added. But ordering them to break federal law to save him from the consequences of his own behavior, that is immoral, that is criminal, that is defenseless, that is condemnable. He also published a scathing op-ed earlier this week that said Mueller laid out at least a half-dozen crimes of obstruction committed by Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before this recent turn, Trump and Napolitano seemed quite fond of each other. Trump even quoted Napolitano in his tweets several times during his presidency and referred to him as a very talented legal mind during a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Down On My Luck has had nothing but good fortune since arriving at Buffalo Raceway and posted his second-straight victory at the oval with a head win over Upfront Countryboy in the featured $11,500 feature pace. Making his debut at Buffalo Raceway on April 13, Down On My Luck was spectacular with an eight-length win in 1:54.2. Given a perfect first-over trip by driver Drew Monti, Down On My Luck took command of the race in the stretch and held firm late as Upfront Countryboy put pressure on the leader but missed by a head. Adonis Bay and China Dream finished in a dead heat for third. It was the third win in 12 starts for Down On My Luck (Camluck-False Alert). The five-year-old gelding, owned by Robert Woodburn and trained by Patrick Shepherd, has now earned $19,414 this year and $96,983 in his career. He paid $4.30 to win. In the $11,000 co-featured pace, Rose Run Ranger made it two-straight victories with a gate-to-wire decision over Harry Hoo N in 1:55.3. With the field dwindled down to five due to the scratches of Heaven Rocks and A F F Bigdaddy, Rose Run Ranger fired off the starting vehicle and posted fractions of :29.0, :57.2 and 1:28.0. There was little suspense through the lane as Rose Run Ranger kept to task and enjoyed a one-and-a-half length advantage on the wire. Harry Hoo N was second with Lucan Hanover third. Co-owned by the Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, the six-year-old gelded Rose Run Ranger (Major In Art-A And Gs Finest) has now found the winner's circle three times in 12 starts. The victory upped his seasonal bankroll to $22,760 and $98,736 lifetime. Ray Fisher Jr. steered the $4.40 winner. Kevin Cummings completed the evening with a driving triple while Fisher Jr. and McDonough had doubles. James Clouser Jr. had a pair of training wins. Racing will resume on Wednesday, May 1 at 5 p.m. with a nine-race card scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. (with files from Buffalo Raceway) A double header of live harness racing; a hat revue with six categories including the Triple Crown winning hat; and a Champagne Brunch are all part of the biggest Kentucky Derby party north of Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May at the Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Doors open Saturday, May 4 at 10:00 a.m. Post for the first of the double-header of live harness racing card is 11:00 am. Pacers Clubhouse will host a Champagne Brunch from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. featuring delectable Southern delicacies and Brunch favourites, by reservation only. Call 1-888-WIN-IN-PA. At 5:00 p.m., a top shelf all-you-can-eat dinner buffet will be featured, also by reservation only, and the dinner seating is almost sold out. Ladies can proudly wear their elaborately decorated Kentucky Derby hats for the Run for the Roses Hat Revue. All hats must be registered between 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the lobby, and the Revue takes place promptly at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Winners Circle with cash prizes! Six categories will be judged, including The Hottest Trotter for the best horse-themed; Most Fascinating Fascinator; Exquisite Elegance for the most elegant; Prettiest Pocono Pacer for the most colourful; Judges Choice; and the top prize, Triple Crown Winner. A photo booth will be open at 3:00 p.m. in the lobby for fans to capture fun moments of the day, with a $3 minimum donation to the Standardbred Retirement Foundation. For a last-minute hat, fascinator, or accessories, stop by the Spa Sapphire Kentucky Derby Fashions in the racing lobby, open at 2:00 p.m. The Trackside Concessions, bars, and the Party Tent open at 3:00 p.m., and of course, Mint Juleps will be available all day in the official Kentucky Derby 145 souvenir glasses! Following Kentucky Derby 145, fans can stay and enjoy exciting live harness racing under the stars. A stellar card is planned, including the first of the Great Northeast Open Series, the Van Rose Memorial Pace for four-year-olds and up. As always, parking and admission is free at the racetrack. The Downs will open for advance Derby wagering and coverage of Kentucky Oaks Day on Friday, May 3 starting at 11:00 a.m. (Pocono) It has been announced that Chaplain Kelly Blanton, 90, of Miami Lakes, Fla., passed away on March 12, 2019. Blanton served as the first executive director for the Racetrack Chaplaincy of America in the 1970s. In that capacity, he spent the summer of 1976 at Rockingham Park helping Chaplain Lee Alphen ramp up her ministry there. Blanton spent his life serving his lord in missions, pastoring churches, and as chaplain at racetracks. Most recently, he was chaplain at Pompano Park Raceway. The horsemen and women there loved his weekly bible study. Blanton and his wonderful wife, Jacqueline, enjoyed many exciting adventures. He adored his daughter, Rolline; son, Tommy; two grandchildren; twin boy great-grandsons; and his great-granddaughter. His lord and his family were his life. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolence to the family and friends of Chaplain Kelly Blanton. (Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association) 5.55pm Update: Police can now confirm eight people died in this morning's crash on Ohakuri Road. Two vehicles were involved the crash - an SUV and a van. The driver of the SUV (the sole occupant of that vehicle), and the driver and six passengers in the van were killed. One passenger in the van, a child, was critically injured and was air-lifted to Waikato Hospital. The road has now re-opened. Police thank motorists for their patience and cooperation as emergency services worked at the crash scene. 3pm Update: Police have confirmed that there have been multiple fatalities following the crash near Ohakuri Road this morning. An SUV and a van have collided and a significant amount of debris has been strewn all over the road. At the moment Police say it is unclear how many people have been killed due to the catastrophic nature of the crash and therefore it will take some time for emergency services to establish exactly how many people have been involved in the crash. The Disaster Victim Identification team (DVI) have been called in to assist with the investigation. At least one person suffering critical injuries was air-lifted to hospital this morning. The road is closed for an extended period for the scene to be examined so traffic is diverted and there will be lengthy delays. Police thank motorists for their patience at this time. 11.40am update: Police have confirmed that there are several fatalities following a crash near Ohakuri Road this morning. At least one person has suffered critical injuries and a rescue helicopter has been called to the scene. The road will be closed for an extended period, so traffic will be diverted and there will be lengthy delays. Motorists are asked to plan their journey to avoid SH1 between Taupo and Atiamuri if at all possible. 11.03am update: Police are currently on the scene of a vehicle crash which occurred around 10.30am near Ohakuri Road, Atiamuri, Taupo. Several people have been injured and the road will be closed while emergency services work at the scene. Motorists are asked to take road diversions where indicated. It is believed that two vehicles are involved. More information will be released when it comes to hand. The Serious Crash Unit has been notified. At the scene? Email newsroom@thesun.co.nz In the aftermath of a traumatic event like a line-of-duty death of an officer, experts say police and deputies lean on each other more than ever. Cowlitz County Sheriff Brad Thurman would know. After last weekends shooting death of 29-year-old deputy Justin DeRosier, Thurman said the countys other police chiefs immediately rushed their officers in to cover for the sheriffs office without even being asked. It let his deputies catch their breath and process what happened. Now, Thurman said, his deputies are back on the job, trying to go back to normal. Its going be a new normal, working through something like this, he said Thursday. Its going be difficult. I dont know what all lies in store for us. But were going to stick together and go through it together and hopefully come out stronger in the end. From group debriefings for deputies and their spouses with a police psychologist to one-on-one interventions as needed, the sheriffs office will keep doing its job while helping its staff cope, he said. Federal research, psychologists and chaplains all say traumatic events carry special challenges for the departments that respond to them. In the short term, DeRosiers coworkers and friends will need to adjust to their loss, Lead Cowlitz County Chaplain Doug Fields said. For those who worked with Justin on a daily basis ... theres that reminder, that loss on a daily basis. Just figuring out what that new normal looks like on a daily, weekly basis is going to be challenge. ... As most people know, its not over with after the funeral. And in the long term, officers who isolate themselves or choose unhealthy coping mechanisms can run into more mental health problems down the road, Fields said. Fields said that while officers and deputies might be more vigilant and check in on each other more in the aftermath of DeRosiers death, theyll continue to do the job well. These guys are highly trained, but theyre human, too, Fields said. Theyre not overreacting or anything, but there is a heightened awareness, and a reminder that theres no guarantee that any situation or call they go to (wont) turn into a bad situation. A roundup of research by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2018 reported several factors that make EMTs, firefighters and cops more resistant to mental health problems during disasters. Some arent surprising: a longer career, more specialized training, and confidence in ones personal and team capabilities can protect against burnout and stress. During traumatic events, first responders who stay longer on scene report higher levels of mental health trouble, as do those who are given extra, unfamiliar or conflicting duties or who have poor leadership or inter-agency communication, the report said. But social support, especially from ones coworkers and leaders, can promote mental well-being during a disaster. Fields said the chaplaincy has been checking every day with the officers and other responders to the DeRosier shooting to help them process emotions and recover. What I teach kids is were just a professional teddy bear, Fields said. Thats my job, to be a teddy bear in the name of God. I open my arms and I hug them, listen to them. Deputies and other responders need a chance to take a break after theyre exposed to trauma, Fields said. Now first responders, being who they are, ... they hate to be given breaks, Fields said. Because of their loyalty, dedication, they want to continue, but in the mental health sense of things, its important for them to have those breaks, and to know and trust there are other first responders stepping up and supporting them. Ronald A. Lehto is the director at Community Integrated Health Services, which provides individual and group debriefing for first responders who handle difficult calls.He said 911 dispatchers and other responders who work primarily over radio waves face their own kind of trauma in those cases: I think thats human nature, that if were not there to see it and were just hearing it, we put something in that space. Sometimes that can even be worse, if thats even possible, than being there and seeing it. Thats something that I think plays out for a lot of first responders.Monroe, Wash., police Sgt. Brian Johnston, who is also the board president of a law enforcement support group called the Behind the Badge Foundation, said that through family support, critical stress debriefing, memorial planning and other programs, Behind the Badge will be involved with the Cowlitz sheriffs office for years to come. Any kind of stress, any kind of trauma is cumulative, Johnston said. We have stressful jobs. Anybody and everybody in emergency services certainly has an amount of stress and now (DeRosiers coworkers) are, for lack of a better term, participants in this trauma as well. Chaplain Fields concurred: Anytime an event like this happens, any previous losses, any previous issues often are exaggerated and made fresh again.The report also said that after a disaster, public response plays an important role: publicity and news coverage of the event can trigger PTSD and emotional distress for those who responded to it, the report said. But the Health Services Administration report also said that disaster relief workers who receive acknowledgment or thanks tended to suffer fewer mental health problems. Weve been blessed by the positive support, Fields said. I know thats had a very positive impact on the deputies and their families, their sense of pride. Just to hear that thanks and hear that support has a really positive effect. It increases the retention of officers, because theyre in a place that cares for them and what they do. Theres a greater sense of loyalty and pride, connection with their community. That is something Cowlitz County can be proud of. Love 14 Funny 4 Wow 3 Sad 2 Angry 5 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. Editors note: Capitol Dispatch appears every Sunday during the legislative session. With the 105-day state Legislative session coming to an end Sunday, Southwest Washington lawmakers have successfully passed a number of bills related to local issues. Our two senators from the 19th and 20th districts, Republican Sen. John Braun and Democrat Sen. Dean Takko respectively, worked together on three bills that were passed out of both houses, including one regarding cemetery district withdrawals that Gov. Jay Inslee already signed into law April 17. The second bill from Braun and Takko, which reduces the fee public works contractors pay with their mandatory statements showing they paid prevailing wages from $40 to $20, was delivered to Inslee on Tuesday. A third bill to examine the impact of state regulations on small forest landowners passed unanimously out of both houses. The two lawmakers, along with all other senators, also adopted a resolution on Monday to honor slain Cowlitz County Sheriffs Deputy Justin DeRosier. Two other bills from Braun, a Centralia lawmaker, relating to firefighter safety and pensions both passed out of both houses unanimously. The governor signed the safety bill on April 19. Takko, a Longview Democrat, successfully steered a bill and a state constitutional amendment through the Legislature that ensures government continuity in the event of an emergency. The Senate president and the House speaker have both signed the amendment. The bill is now on Inslees desk, awaiting his approval. As the chairman of the Senate Local Government Committee, Takko also introduced six other governance bills that have passed out of both houses. The bills deal with local government modernization and efficiency, the administration of irrigation districts, tax exemptions for the sale of personal property after the merger of two political subdivisions, liability for county treasurers that fail to collect personal property tax, insurance for water-sewer district commissioners and foreclosure sales of mobile home parks. Meanwhile in the House of Representatives, Aberdeen Democrat Rep. Brian Blake had five bills pass both the Senate and House: two relate to access to medical marijuana, two deal with commercial egg layers and commercial fishing access, and one establishes a dog training program in the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Republican Reps. Jim Walsh of Aberdeen and Ed Orcutt of Kalama co-sponsored the dog training legislation, House Bill 1516, which has yet to go to the governors desk. Walsh also co-sponsored three of Blakes bills, including legislation to expand commercial fishing opportunities for young families, which unanimously passed both houses. The other two bills make it easier for children who use medical marijuana to have their second dose while at school and exempts qualifying patients from having an in-person exam to renew medical marijuana authorization. Blakes fifth bill requires commercial egg producers to meet national housing standards that provide a certain minimum amount of floor space. In addition, the Senate version of Blakes bill to expand protection of the southern resident orca whale passed both houses and was delivered to the governor on Thursday. The Senate version of Rep. Walshs bill regarding address changes for registered voters, which Sen. Takko co-sponsored, passed both houses and was delivered to the governor. Rep. Ed Orcutt, with co-sponsor Rep. Richard DeBolt of Chehalis, had a bill pass out of both houses that allows people to enter an abandoned cemetery for authorized reasons. The bill was delivered to the governor on April 18. In addition, Orcutts bill to increase the number of waivers that can be granted to small school districts to reduce the number of required school days in a year passed out of both houses. Orcutt also successfully proposed a joint memorial to designate the bridge over Skookumchuck River on State Route 507 as the Regina Clark Memorial Bridge. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Washington Democratic Senate leaders on Friday evening announced details on a new, two-year state budget that if approved would significantly boost spending on college affordability and the states struggling mental-health system. The $52.4 billion 2019-21 operating budget is to be paid for by a broad tax package that funds both that spending blueprint and an additional, brand-new account for higher-education spending. All told, it raises more than $836 million over the next two years, according to Senate Democratic staff. This is probably the biggest investment that the states made in higher education in decades, said Sen. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island and chief Democratic Senate budget writer. The revenue package includes a change to the states real estate excise tax (REET), normally paid by people selling homes, that would raise $243.5 million over two years. It also creates an excise tax on vapor products and rolls back a handful of tax preferences. And it increases the business-and-occupation tax for large financial institutions and boosts the hazardous substance tax, which is often paid by oil companies. And the agreement creates a dedicated account that raises hundreds of millions more dollars to, among other things, boost college financial aid and increase high-demand degree programs, such as engineering, computer science and nursing. That money comes on top of the $52.4 billion figure and is funded by a second type of business-and-occupation tax increase one sought earlier this year by Microsoft. The deal also funds an ambitious and complex proposal intended to reshape Washingtons mental-health system, which has been battered over the years by court decisions condemning its treatment of patients. The deal includes $155 million for new K-12 special-education funding over two years. Republicans, who broadly agreed on the mental-health proposal and the need to better fund special-education programs, have called the taxes too much to stomach. The budget would boost state spending too quickly at a time when a new recession could appear on the horizon, Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, said. Braun invoked the Great Recession, after which state lawmakers had to slash budgets and important government programs to cope with dwindling tax revenues. We know the economy will turn eventually, said Braun, ranking Republican on the Senate Ways and Means Committee. And I dont think theres anything more painful than taking a service away from someone ... The budget details come after lawmakers on Thursday announced a tentative agreement that had, as in the past, been crafted behind closed doors. The budget itself must still be printed and made public expected to happen Saturday before lawmakers try to finish up Sunday, the last scheduled day of the session. Obstacles remain. Lawmakers are still negotiating a bill to raise the cap on the amount of money school districts could raise through local levies. Thursday night, Senate lawmakers passed several of the tax bills, including the real estate excise tax plan, Senate Bill 5998, before budget details had been released. It was the latest example of how state budget deals can come together in secrecy and with little public review before being approved. When Senate lawmakers passed it around 11:30 p.m. by a vote of 26-22, there was no updated legislative analysis of how much money the bill might raise, or how many home sellers would pay the different rates being created. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig of Spokane on Friday morning defended the late-night vote. The bill received a public hearing earlier this month, he said, and the concept was included in the Senates proposed budget that was made public in March. We are on the glide-slope to end on time on Sunday, and everything that were passing is part of moving our state forward and helping to get really good policies and a budget passed for the people of Washington, Billig said. Open-government advocates, who for years have criticized the general lack of transparency in Olympia surrounding last-minute budget deals, were not pleased with the vote. Nothing much surprises me anymore when it comes to the lack of transparency with single-party control in Olympia or in Washington, D.C., Toby Nixon, president of the Washington Coalition for Open Government, wrote in an email. Legislative accountability is poor even when there is mixed control, but with single-party control it is basically nonexistent, added Nixon. Advertising If Washingtonians were still awake around 11 p.m. Thursday night and channel-surfing, they might have stumbled across the debate on TVW, the states public-affairs network, about SB 5998. The bill changes the REET from a flat 1.28% to a graduated rate, based on the idea that people with less-expensive homes would get a tax cut under a lower rate, and people with pricier homes would pay a higher share. (The overall rate ultimately paid is sometimes higher, due to a local rate added atop that.) Democrats have hailed it as a way to raise new revenue while also addressing Washingtons regressive tax system, under which poorer households pay a larger share of their income in taxes than wealthier households do. The version that passed the Senate on Thursday night would lower the state rate for home sales under $500,000 to 1.1%. The 1.28% would remain for homes selling between $500,000 and $1.5 million. For houses selling between $1.5 million and $3 million, the rate would increase to 2.75%. For homes going for above $3 million, the rate would be set at 3%. Agricultural and timber lands being sold would stay at the current 1.28%, according the amended bill. Not included in the deal is a new tax on capital-gains earnings, sought by many Democrats. Rolfes, the Democratic Senate budget writer, acknowledged that it was difficult to get the Senate votes needed to approve it. Budget writers also worried it wouldnt be a reliable enough revenue source to fund the budget, she added. Democratic lawmakers, who this year have sizable majorities in the Legislature, have faced tough decisions about how much revenue in new taxes to raise or what spending to forgo. With Washingtons economy still strong, lawmakers are expected to have close to $50.6 billion to fund the 2019-21 operating budget from existing projected tax collections. That represents an almost 16% increase from the existing budget when Inslee first signed off on it in June 2017. But Democrats have cited the costs of continuing to fund Washingtons recent court-ordered K-12 schools funding plan, which they contend has eaten up almost all that existing revenue. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 An attack perpetrated Thursday in Boulde, in the region of Mopti (central Mali) by unidentified gunmen left at least 15 people dead and several others wounded, official sources confirmed Saturday. Armed men dressed as traditional hunters burst into the village of Boulde (Mondoro Commune) around 5 am, opening fire on the population, killing about 15 people and wounding several others, Malian press agency, AMAP, quoted the sources as saying. The attackers also set fire to homes and attics and stole cattle, said the sources. Elements of the armed and security forces stationed in Mondoro went to the scene to elucidate the exact circumstances of the attack and to hunt the attackers and their accomplices. In another incident that took place Friday, two civilians were killed and another person was wounded by an explosive device in central Mali. On Saturday, a soldier was killed in a shooting that erupted when gunmen attempted to rob an army vehicle, in northern Mali, a Malian military source said. The West African Sahel country has been engulfed in conflict since a loose alliance of ethnic Tuareg separatists and Islamist fighters with ties to Algeria and Libya seized large swathes of the north in 2012. A federal lawsuit has been filed seeking to prevent the state of Washington from publicly disclosing the names of those who participated in the states buyback program for bump stocks. The now-illegal device enhances the rate of fire of some semiautomatic firearms and was used to kill 58 people and wound more than 400 at an outdoor concert in Las Vegas in 2017. The proposed class-action complaint and an accompanying motion for a temporary restraining order were filed Friday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Tacoma and seeks to short-circuit a series of public-disclosure requests filed with the Washington State Patrol seeking the identities of the 324 people who were paid $150 each for up to five bump stocks. The state Legislature last year set up the program and funded it with $150,000. The State Patrol said all of that money was allocated, meaning 1,000 bump stocks were purchased. The federal action seeks to broaden a temporary restraining order (TRO) preventing the release of the information issued this year by Spokane County Superior Court Commissioner Jacquelyn High-Edward. That order expires May 3, according to filings included with the federal complaint. The federal action would broaden the state-court TRO into a class action to include everyone who participated in the program, and asks U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle to declare the release of personal, identifying information about the previous owners of the devices a violation of privacy rights and unconstitutional. It asks the judge to permanently enjoin the state from ever giving it out. In this time of rampant vitriol in public discourse, few topics are subject to more controversy than the private use and ownership of firearms, wrote Joel Ard, a Bainbridge Island attorney who has been joined by lawyers from a Washington, D.C., firm, Cooper & Kirk. And within this particularly controversial topic, few issues are as contentious as the private use and ownership of bump stock devices. The action claims that the individuals who owned bump stocks and sold them back to the state were exercising their Second Amendment rights and that the public release of their personal information through the states Public Records Act will subject them to a heightened risk of public censure and scrutiny. What is more, because their addresses will be published along with their names, they and their families will not be secure in their homes from unwanted attention from protesters and criminals looking to steal firearms, according to the motion for a federal TRO. The court cannot allow the state to release this information. Ard, contacted Friday, declined to comment for publication. Bump stocks attach to the stock and lower receiver of a semi-automatic rifle and use the energy from the guns recoil to enhance the rate of fire. They were relatively unknown outside of firearms enthusiasts until Oct. 1, 2017, when Stephen Paddock opened fire on a concert from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, spraying hundreds of rounds into the crowd using bump stock-enhanced rifles. The Trump administration banned them shortly thereafter. The Washington state Legislature set up and funded with $150,000 a program to purchase bump stocks from their owners for $150 each. The program ended last month with 324 people turning in 1,000 of the devices, according to the State Patrol. Shortly afterward, the State Patrol received two public-disclosure requests, one from an individual identified as Yati Arguna and the other from Paul Holgate. The Arguna request stated an intention to create a searchable database and a map. The public has a right to know that these dangerous devices may have been in neighborhoods that the (sic) live in and who has previously owned such devices, Arguna wrote in his request. The federal documents indicate that both of those requests were eventually withdrawn following the issuance of the state court TRO, but that a third request from The Spokesman-Review newspaper in Spokane has since been filed. The federal complaint states that the plaintiffs in the case identified as John Doe 1 and John Doe 2 does not contest the states right to collect the personal information, but only its public dissemination. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Editors note: Todays editorial originally appeared in The Oregonian. Editorial content from other publications and authors is provided to give readers a sampling of regional and national opinion and does not necessarily reflect positions endorsed by the Editorial Board of The Daily News. Time and again, the leaders of Oregons Department of Human Services vow to do better to protect children in foster care. After news articles or lawsuits reveal abuse, deplorable living conditions or deaths of foster children, DHS top managers appear before legislators assuring them theyll adjust practices to ensure that such lapses dont occur again. But inevitably, they do. DHS and child-welfare leaders are replaced, new appointees take the helm and the dysfunctional cycle starts again. The agencys broken system persists, cemented in place by an immutable culture, as even the most well-intentioned caseworkers, agency heads and governors come and go. And here we are again. As reported in recent months, the agency has been shipping abused and neglected children to converted juvenile jails and out-of-state institutions with controversial practices. The kids arent receiving adequate counseling, education or services and have little, if any, contact with Oregon caseworkers. And the agency has continued its long-standing pattern of obscuring, misstating and withholding information from the public about how well, or poorly, it is doing its job. Accountability isnt going to come from the system we have in place and likely not under a new advisory board that Gov. Kate Brown announced on Thursday. And thats why Oregons leaders should swallow their pride and welcome the federal lawsuit filed against them that seeks to represent Oregons 8,000 foster kids. Instead of fighting the suit, the state should work with the plaintiffs on a settlement that maps out specific, measurable and enforceable reforms that can finally, effectively repair Oregons foster-care system. The complaint, filed by foster-care nonprofit A Better Childhood and Disability Rights Oregon, doesnt seek monetary damages. Rather, they want a judge to require the state to fulfill its obligations to foster children under federal law. Among other things, they want the state to conduct individualized assessments of foster children, provide them with counseling and other needed services, and develop a plan for a permanent home. They seek a court order requiring the state to hire an adequate number of caseworkers to keep workloads at a manageable level so they can provide the attention, care and follow-up that foster children need. And they want the state to develop a plan for recruiting, training and retaining a sufficient network of foster and adoptive families who can provide safe homes for children entering the system. These are not outlandish goals. They are what many Oregonians would expect that DHS Child Welfare division would already be doing and match the agencys own objectives. But DHS, now under its fourth interim or permanent director in four years, struggles to hire and train enough caseworkers, remains woefully short of suitable foster families and has been overwhelmed for so long that it cant even recognize how broken it is. But anyone who sees the lawsuit does. Theres the 7-year-old girl who has been in five different foster homes in less than two months, separated from her brother and dropped off at a home with lice so bad, her head was shaved. Or the boy whose reports of being sexually abused by a relative went uninvestigated by DHS for years, even as he defecated on himself repeatedly as a defense mechanism. Or the 9-year-old girl who was shipped out of Oregon to a Montana facility, effectively abandoned by Oregon caseworkers and regularly injected with a chemical restraint to calm her down. Were traumatizing these children more, said Sen. Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis, whose stalwart advocacy for children has helped close some of the gaps in foster-care policies and who has pressed DHS relentlessly on its practice of institutionalizing foster kids. She decried a general lack of urgency, noting that agency leaders are focused more on long-term goals than addressing that a 9-year-old is spending her childhood alone and in misery. These are kids in our system right now, she said, noting her frustration that Oregon officials waited 24 days from the time the agency was told of the injections before telling the Montana facility to stop administering them. That lack of urgency has extended on up to the governors office until recently. Just a year ago, after the Secretary of States office released a scathing audit about the foster-care system, her spokesman, Chris Pair, dismissed it as just about politics. It was only after her Republican opponent, Knute Buehler, called for a $50 million investment and a rapid improvement team to carry out reforms in DHS, that she sought less than a third of that from the Legislature with no plan for a team. And while news stories about the state shipping kids out of Oregon have been coming out for months and legislators have been grilling DHS officials for weeks, it was not until Thursday, two days after the lawsuit was filed, that Brown announced a new child-welfare board and a crisis management team to advise her in overseeing the agency and implementing reforms. A court judgment or settlement requiring the state to hire an adequate number of case workers instantly elevates child welfare as a funding priority for the governor and the Legislature. A court-ordered monitor overseeing whether DHS is providing individualized assessments of foster care children within 60 days brings a level of accountability that cant easily be brushed aside. And Oregon could follow the lead of Tennessee, which had also been sued by A Better Childhood and is now lauded for the improvements it has made in its system. There is an opportunity that comes when you finally admit the need for help. These kids the ones who are covering themselves in feces to prevent sexual abuse, the ones who are kept in locked detention centers despite having committed no crime, the ones who were separated from their families and for whom DHS has no plan of a permanent home have been waiting and waiting for someone to hold the state accountable. Oregon leaders should not pass up this opportunity to do so. Ad ProTrading Research Are These Metaverse Stocks in Your Portfolio? Fortune 500 Companies, Semiconductor producers, and even some of the largest sportswear manufacturers are all betting big by investing in a market Bloomberg Intelligence says could be worth $800 Billion by 2024. Get the free report with the 5 most promising stocks to capitalize on the groundbreaking Metaverse. Bradenton's Bill Galvano ascended to the President of the Florida Senate via a play-it-safe, don't-rock-the-boat strategy that saw him reach the top spot in the legislature without having cemented a reputation, so far as a signature issue. That changed in January when Galvano named a massive toll-road expansion of the Florida highway system as his top priority. A bill launching the project into action passed the Senate this week and looks poised to pass the House. If it does, Galvano's legacy might be one of historic environmental consequences. Senate Bill 7068 passed this week and is expected to pass the House before the session closes on Friday. The massive project would be the largest expansion of Floridas highway system in six decades, paving its way mostly through rural, interior parts of the state. The Suncoast Parkway, which currently extends less than 60 miles from Hillsborough to Citrus County and has not attracted enough drivers to pay for itself, would be expanded through the middle of the state, all the way to the Georgia state line. The Florida Turnpike would be extended west from its connection at I-75 to connect to the Suncoast Parkway, and a new toll road would travel from Lakeland all the way to the Naples area. Florida already has more miles of toll roads than any other state in the U.S. The bill is sponsored by state Senator Tom Lee (R-Brandon), a developer who is part owner of his family's Tampa-area company, Sabal Homes. Galvano and Lee say that the project will alleviate congestion on existing roadways while bringing economic development and prosperity to the rural areas the toll roads would cut through, though most of those areas have been vocally opposed. Not surprisingly, the plan has the support of groups like the Florida Transportation Builders Association, Florida Trucking Association, states Ports Council, Asphalt Contractors Association and Florida Chamber of Commerce. The long list of environmental groups opposing the project , however, note that an FDOT I-75 Relief Task Force recommended in 2016 that expanding the vehicle capacity of the interstates and their connecting highways would be a better approach to alleviating congestion than building new roads. The groups claim that the roads will increase sprawl while damaging critical environmental resources and further contributing to Florida's notorious water-quality crisis by destroying wetlands, mangroves and salt marshes in its path. In fact, the plan was launched without even consulting FDOT, circumventing the normal process in which the transportation department studies such needs and makes requests for needed roadway projects. It's clearly an industry-driven project, rather than an expert-driven one. The project also caught Georgia off-guard, as officials at the Georgia Department of Transportation said a request for comment from the Tampa Bay Times was the first they'd even heard of the idea of linking the Suncoast Parkway to their state. There's also the massive cost, which would start with $45 million next year just in studies. Study and planning would jump to $90 million in FY 2020-21, about $135 million the following year, and about $140 million in FY 2022-23. After that, billions more would be bonded to actually build the toll roads from 2023 until their scheduled completion by the end of 2030. Opponents say that money would be much better spent on things like education and dealing with the many water quality/supply issues the state faces in both the short and long term. In essence, the project represents the long-term transformation of what remains of rural Florida into an image that would mirror the overdeveloped, asphalt-laden, strip-mall riddled perimeter that already traces tens of miles inland along the entirety of our peninsula. Indeed, one has to wonder whether the growth that is sure to follow would not be the straw to break the proverbial camel's back in terms of our maximum capacity and maintaining anything even remotely resembling a sustainable ecological balance. It's hard not to wonder whether this represents one big, giant final land grab, a last wring of the rag so to speak, meant to squeeze the state dry while there's still some juice remaining. It gets harder not to wonder when you take a look at who else would benefit, aside from developers like Lee and the associated industries pushing the bill. One name that keeps coming up is billionaire Republican donor Thomas Peterffy, who served on Gov. DeSantis' campaign finance team and is listed by Forbes as Florida's richest man. Peterffy, who owns a brokerage firm that operates the largest electronic trading platform in the U.S., has created a half-million-acre real estate portfolio in north Florida in recent years that would be in a prime location to benefit from the project. In fact, Peterffy's holdings in Taylor County alone make up over half of the county's total land area, part of a tract that Florida Trend called "the largest continuous piece of undeveloped property in private hands east of the Mississippi River." The Palm Beach Billionaire's Row resident and Mar-a-Lago member has said that he was unaware of the project, calling the location of his holdings a mere "coincidence." It's hard to imagine something that is more business-as-usual Florida than this project, which has an air of nostalgia, calling to mind some of the state's most audacious boondoggles. In fact, it feels almost like a tribute to the Florida legislatures of yore, when almost any scheme could get through with the right people pushing, no matter how bad of an idea common sense arguments showed it to be. In fact, it might even be on par with the draining of the Everglades, given the infinitely more dire state of Florida's present environment. As Joni Mitchell sang, Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got till it's gone, they paved paradise and put up a parking lot. Dennis Maley is an editor and columnist for The Bradenton Times. With over two decades of experience as a journalist, he has covered Manatee County government since 2010. He is a graduate of Shippensburg University, where he earned a degree in Government. He later served as a Captain in the U.S. Army. Click here for his bio. Dennis's latest novel, Sacred Hearts, is available here . PARRISH - Originally known as Addison's Fort, Fort Rough and Ready was one of few cattle crossings on the Manatee River north of present-day Rye Road.It was re-named during the Seminole Wars and became one of the first voting districts in Manatee County. It all started when John Addison and his sons William, Joel, David and John Jr. moved to the area shortly after Manatee County formed from Hillsborough and built a strong log cabin on the south bank of the manatee river near present-day Rye Bridge The Addisons were cattle men, and there was a shallow crossing nearby where the cattle could cross the river safely. At the time, tensions were high between the Seminole Indians and the pioneers. Two conflicts with Seminole Indians had already taken place, the first from 1817-18 and the second from 1835-42 as more white pioneers were taking over lands the natives depended on. When the third and final Seminole War broke out in 1855, settlers around Manatee County began fortifying their homesteads. The Addisons were no exception; they renamed their reinforced cabin Addisons Fort. The Third Seminole War (1855-1858), was also known as the Billy Bowlegs War, as Bowlegs was the main Seminole leader in this third and final installment. The war broke between early Florida settlers and the Seminole Indians primarily over land disputes. Many of the local settlers knew Bowlegs personally. In the historical book The Lures of Manatee Lillie B. McDuffie describes several friendly encounters that Bowlegs had with families living in the area, prior to the war. He had dinner with the Wyatt family, of Parrish, on several occasions. Bowlegs made no attempt at guile while discussing the war with the Wyatt family. On one occasion, when asked if hed kill them if another war broke out, he replied yes, but said hed do it quickly. The response was meant to be a compliment he wasnt going to make them suffer. When the war did break out, Addison and his sons formed a small company of volunteers who served in the war from August until October 1856, before Seminole troops were pushed south. The purpose was to patrol the area and keep the settlers safe. One evening, a small band of Seminoles attacked Braden Castle, located in present-day East Bradenton. While they were unable to gain access to the main residence, they captured several slaves with the hopes of forming an alliance. Addisons company hunted them down, capturing several of the natives and returning the slaves to Braden Castle, according to Joe and Libby Warner in the book The Singing River. Addisons fort became the second voting precinct in Manatee County. It was renamed Fort Rough and Ready as an homage to General Zachary Taylor the man primarily responsible for the removals of American Indian tribes in the southern U.S., including Florida. Taylors nickname was Old Rough and Ready. Precinct 2 had a total of nine voters in 1855. It was probably no surprise to anyone that John Addison was elected as one of the first Manatee County Commissioners that year. After all, his sons made up half the voters! After the threat of attack by Seminoles had subsided, Fort Rough and Ready went back to being a log cabin again. More and more people began to populate Looking for the vulture assist with Neolithic burials 1 year ago The US Africa Command (Africom) announced Saturday that its special forces had eliminated three terrorists on Friday in an airstrike against the Islamic State group in northern Somalia. Africom, which oversees US troops on the African continent, said the latest strike was carried out in cooperation with the Somali government in the Golis Mountains. This airstrike eliminated ISIS-Somalia members in a remote location in Northern Somalia, said Gregg Olson, Africom director of operations. Removing these extremists impacts ISIS-Somalias ability to terrorize innocent Somalis in the region and it creates confusion within the terrorist network. Fridays attack was the second precision airstrike executed by the US military against ISIS-Somalia this month. The first airstrike occurred on April 14, killing the second in command of ISIS-Somalia, Abdulhakim Dhuqub. Africom stated that no civilian was wounded or killed in the Friday airstrike. US strikes have so far mainly targeted al-Qaeda-affiliated Shebab terrorist group in southern Somalia, where it maintains a strong grip on some areas. The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has denied reports that Al Shebab group has taken over the newly liberated village of Sabid (south), asserting that the village is still controlled by allied forces. Africom said it will continue to work with its partners to transfer the responsibility for long-term security in Somalia from AMISOM to the Federal Government of Somalia and its Member States. In support of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces will use all effective and appropriate methods to assist in the protection of the Somali people, including partnered military counterterrorism operations with the Federal Government of Somalia, AMISOM, and Somali National Army forces. Assailants from the jihadist group Boko Haram killed at least four people, one soldier and three civilians, and seriously injured four others during an attack on Kofia, a Cameroonian island on Lake Chad. In the attack that occurred in the night from Saturday to Sunday the assailants also destroyed part of a military post and vandalized businesses, according to an official source. Kofia Island is located in Lake Chad, in Northern Cameroon, not far from Chad. Cameroonian and Chadian forces launched a pursuit operation immediately after the attack, the source said. The jihadists of Boko Haram have recently increased deadly attacks in Cameroon and neighboring countries. In mid-April, eleven civilians were killed in an attack in Charkamari, also in northern Cameroon. Since the beginning of the month, at least seven Cameroonian soldiers were killed in attacks by the terror group and in the explosion of a mine at the passage of a military vehicle. Boko Haram group is active in all the countries of the Lake Chad zone (Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger), where it commits deadly attacks against security forces and civilians. More than 27,000 people have died since the start of the Boko Haram uprising in northeastern Nigeria in 2009, and another 1.8 million are still unable to return to their homes. Curious historical fact: Yesterday was the 10th anniversary of the death of the American car brand Pontiac, named for the city in Michigan where they were first built, which in turn was named for an Odawa (Ottowa) chieftain who was assassinated in 1769. The last of the final 100 G6 sedans rolled off the assembly line on April 27th, 2009. None other than Bob Lutz placed the blame on the Feds, who were urging GM to cut brands during the post-crash bankruptcy and bailout. Olds was already gone by that time, but Saab, Hummer and Saturn shared the tomah...er, the axe. Lutz had to fight for Buick and GMC and could back up those arguments by showing profits, but Pontiac hadn't made much in the way of profits in the 2000s. The plan at the time (well, probably just Lutz's plan) was to turn Pontiac into an import-fighter brand. Among other goals was that Pontiac would offer only rear-wheel-drive cars. There was supposedly another GTO in the works at the time of the assassi...er, the end of production. Pontiac began in 1926 as a companion nameplate to GM's Oakland Division. The Oakland was a marque started in 1907 by an engineer with the unusual name of Alanson Brush, who was quickly bought out by GM in 1909. Oaklands were supplanted by the more popular Pontiacs by 1931. The site of Pontiac's grave is unknown. The Odawa chief, I mean. Mike Original contents copyright 2019 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. (Not) everything must fade away (To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.) Featured Comments from: hugh crawford: "Alanson Brush is also interesting in that originally most automobile engines turned clockwise. He noticed that if a right-handed person was starting the car with a hand crank, a clockwise engine was more likely to break their thumb or arm. He designed his engine to rotate counterclockwise and the rest of the industry followed." Dave: "A trivia tidbit about Pontiac: In the '20s GM introduced 'companion makes' with lower prices to help sell cars during the (Great) Depression. Cadillac begat LaSalle, Oldsmobile begat Viking, Buick begat Marquette, and Oakland begat Pontiac. When GM decided to discontinue the companion makes, they kept the Pontiac companion make instead of the parent make." [Actually the "companion makes" were all introduced prior to the Great Depression, to fill perceived gaps in GM's pricing range. Ed.] Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois announced that Amber Haantz, of Marion, has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, she created a standalone free library while attending Indooroopilly High School in Brisbane, Australia. To help students have more access to books, Haantz created a plan and met with school administrators to propose creating a new library. Next, she assembled a team of teachers and students and assigned each volunteer a role. The team then built the library by deconstructing recycled furniture and rebuilding into new bookshelves. Next, they stocked the library with pre-owned literature from around the globe. Haantz set up a system that allowed students to borrow, keep, trade or donate to the library. Last, she led her volunteer team to host a weeks worth of book-inspired events to promote the librarys opening. Its a really amazing feeling to build something with your own hands, Haantz said in a news release. Amber is the daughter of James and Sandy Haantz. She graduated from Indooroopilly High School in 2018 and plans to attend college in the coming year. The Southern Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 China Communication Construction Company Ltd. (CCCC), and China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) will take over the construction and development of Mohammed VI Tangier Tech City that was initially set to be partly carried out by Chinese group HAITE. The related Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Tangier Tech Development Company (SATT) and the two Chinese companies CCCC, and CRBC, on Friday in Beijing, on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum, China. The MoU, which was initialed by SATT President Othman Benjelloun, CCCC Vice-President Liang Qingshan, and CRBC Vice-President Sun Yao Guo, reflects the determination of the three groups to develop the Mohammed VI Tangier Tech City through providing all the necessary means to move forwards in the implementation of this project, said a statement issued by BMCE Bank of Africa. The development of this project will strengthen cooperation between Morocco and China and also foster the economic development of Morocco and of the entire African continent, the statement added. Launched by King Mohammed VI in March 2017, Tangier Tech is a smart city, set to house over 200 Chinese companies that are expected to bring investments worth $10 bln, and to be a financial and industrial hub. According to data released in March 2017, the new city, to be ready in 10 years, will include multiple industrial zones specializing in several sectors including aeronautics, automobiles, telecommunications, renewable energy, and transport equipment. Upon completion, the city will offer jobs to 100,000 people and will house 300,000 inhabitants on a surface area of 2000 hectares. HAITE, the first Chinese group involved in the project, pulled out after having reportedly encountered a series of problems. Some press reports spoke of a disagreement between Morocco and the Chinese company over who would own the city. However, no official clarification was given by either side to explain why HAITE abandoned the project. Experiential learning is a critical component of STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) education and career training. The College of Science at Southern Illinois University Carbondale aims to ensure that every science major who wants an opportunity for mentored, independent research gets one. The college takes pride in the large number of students participating in capstone research opportunities in various laboratories. For many science students, such opportunities can even begin in the first semester of their freshman year. For example, 10 to 20 CHEM 200 honors students are matched up each fall with laboratory research opportunities throughout the college, particularly in chemistry, biochemistry, physiology, microbiology and physics. Zoology majors are introduced to research and independent study during sophomore year. Research Experiences for Undergraduates: Every year, the college hosts a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program in the area of interdisciplinary materials research. Currently in its 14th year of operation, this National Science Foundation-funded program hosts an average of 14 students each summer in research labs in chemistry and biochemistry, physics and microbiology, along with several Engineering faculty. Besides SIU Carbondale students, this program primarily recruits students from two- and four-year institutions without major research opportunities, including those from groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM. While the programs primary goal is to increase the number of U.S. students pursuing STEM careers (and boasts that three-fourths of its former participants are on that track), several have returned to complete their BS, MS, or Ph.D. degrees at SIU. Our students often participate in a number of other externally supported opportunities, including internships with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Joining a community of scholars: By participating in independent research, students learn to think critically and solve problems often as part of a larger team. Many receive training to use state-of-the-art instrumentation within their mentors laboratories or on centrally located research facilities and at federal laboratories. Many student researchers gain research experiences as volunteers, for academic credit, or with financial support through faculty grants. Some students also fund their own research through competitive grants such as the REACH (Research Enriched Academic Challenge) award. Importantly, many students publicly present their research at local, national, or international conferences and society meetings. Some students travel abroad and collaborate internationally (with recent destinations including the United Kingdom, Russia and Antarctica), and others even become co-authors on major peer-reviewed publications highly coveted achievements. Joy of discovery: Most importantly, research allows students to participate in the joy of discovery finding something new. Most recently, under the mentorship of Professor Scott Hamilton-Brehm, microbiology senior Amanda Blocker is working to characterize an entirely new type of microbe, a thermophilic (heat-loving) bacteria dubbed SIUC-1. Research experience also provides our students a competitive advantage for admission to graduate schools, professional schools (e.g. medical) and/or STEM career opportunities. Indeed, one of our seniors, chemistry major Madison McMinn, was just awarded a highly-competitive graduate research fellowship from the National Science Foundation. Meera Komarraju is the interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WEST FRANKFORT Taking steps to further prove purchasing the mall was a good investment, the City of West Frankfort applied for and was awarded a $2 million grant to make improvements to the facility. A news release from the Economic Development Administration announced the award earlier this month in a news release. Call center in renovated West Frankfort outlet mall to bring 100 more jobs to town The new WPS Health Solutions call center, which is expected to open in March in a renovated portion of the old West Frankfort outlet mall, is projected to employ a total of 225 people. This investment will strengthen West Frankforts efforts to attract and grow local small businesses by making critical infrastructure improvements to the malls parking lot, heating and cooling systems, and surrounding roadways, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, said in the release. In 2015, Tom Jordan and the West Frankfort City Council made the controversial decision to purchase the struggling outlet mall on the edge of the city. Jordan has contended since it was all in an effort to give the city more control when bringing business in. Previously, he said the city could bring businesses to the table, but the progress would fall flat when the owner of the mall would drag feet. Jordan previously told The Southern that he thinks making these kinds of choices, choices that may seem risky at the time, are how cities grow. Thats what you do thats how you keep from dying, Jordan said. Progress has been slow, but steady at the mall, with the biggest boon coming last year with the addition of a WPS Health Solutions call center. The $2 million grant will go to making more significant gains, according to the news release. Get to know the 2 men running for mayor of West Frankfort WEST FRANKFORT Eight years into his job as West Frankforts mayor, Tom Jordan wants to continue to lead the city, but Ed Blades thinks the c According to grantee estimates, the project is expected to create 218 jobs, retain 208 and generate $1.5 million in private investment, the release said. The news release gives credit to Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission for its planning and being part of what makes the grant possible. (The Economic Development Administration) funds the Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment and create jobs, the release says. This announcement comes after the city has also received $1.5 million to begin the first phase of engineering work on the Interstate 57 interchange in town, which Jordan has said previously will allow employees at the mall to get to and from work easier. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Orangeburg chapter of The Links Inc. will hold its annual fundraiser at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 18, at The Cinema. This years event, "Fete En Blanc -- An All-White Affair" -- is an evening to celebrate both the power of serving the community and the power of partnerships. For more than 50 years, the Orangeburg chapter has provided quality services both locally and abroad in the areas of education, health and human services, national and international trends, community advocacy, services to youth, cultural enrichment, support of the arts and scholarships to high school students aspiring to attend South Carolina State and Claflin University. The group takes great pride in identifying and acknowledging leaders who share these same desires and make sustaining differences in the Oarngeburg area. The theme of the fundraiser, Effecting Change through Leadership and Service, captures the essence of the Orangeburg chapter and provides a platform by which to recognize six distinguished honorees. The 2018-2019 honorees are: Dominique Rolle (International Trends and Services); the Orangeburg Branch of the NAACP (National Trends and Services); Epsilon Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Inc., (Services to Youth); Dr. Charles Kilgore (Health and Human Services) and Dr. Frank C. Martin II (The Arts). Additionally, the chapter will present its first Distinguished Community Service Award to Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, president of Claflin University, and first lady Mrs. Alice Carson Tisdale. The Links Inc. is a not-for-profit service organization with a membership of approximately 15,000 women of color in 288 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas and the United Kingdom. Built on the tenants of service and friendship, the organization contributes more than 1 million hours of community service annually. For the past two years, the chapter has introduced and implemented an after-school program for fourth- and fifth-grade girls at Mellichamp Elementary. This year middle school students were invited to participate in a STEM-related writing contest, "The Future of Technology." The contest provided a platform for students to use their skills and creativity to develop new technology, specifically in the area of app designs while integrating written expression. I continue to be amazed by the passion and commitment to service by our chapter members," said chapter president Pamela Dawson, but even more so, I am blown away by the ideas and talents of our youth. It is most rewarding and gratifying to see the active involvement and the positive development in our youth as a result of our programs. All proceeds are used to maintain programs and scholarships and The Links Foundation. Tickets are $50. Deadline for purchase is May 11. For more information, email orangeburg@linksinc.org or call 803-534-2286. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Four South Carolina State University student researchers placed in competitions at the bi-annual 1890 Association of Research Directors (ARD) Conference. The 40th ARD Conference was held March 30 through April 3 in Jacksonville, Florida. Nafisat Isa, a senior biology major, won first place in the undergraduate student oral presentation in the category of Energy, Natural Resources and Environment. Her research is titled, A Preliminary Provenance Study of Nok Sculptures in the I.P. Stanback Museum with Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. The study analyzes West Nigerian Nok sculptures with an active nuclear test to examine the differences between the compositional profiles of artifacts. Isas principal investigator for the study is Dr. Zaijing Sun, assistant professor of S.C. States Nuclear Engineering Program. She was also guided by Dr. Frank Martin, the director of the universitys I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium. Makaela Jackson, a junior biology major, won first place in the undergraduate poster presentation competition in the category of Renewable Energy, Natural Resources and Environment for her research, Efficient Delivery of Tn5 for the Production of Biosurfactant Deficient Mutants of Alcaligenes Piechaudii. Jacksons research involves performing random transpositional mutagenesis to identify specific genes in alcaligenes piechaudii that are involved in biosurfactant production. The microorganism has been demonstrated to reduce uranium levels, which is a process enhanced by biosurfactant activity. Jackson's principal investigator is Dr. Waltena Simpson, biology professor, in the Department of Biological and Physical Sciences. Desmond Williams, a sophomore industrial engineering major, placed second in the undergraduate student competitive poster presentation in the category of Family, Youth, Community and Economic Development for his research, Efficiency-Based Facility Location-Routing Design Problem with Disruption Risks. The research uses a goal programming (GP) model and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach to design the most efficient configurations for the facility location, allocation and routing systems. The GP model and DEA technique are designed to help practitioners and decision makers responsible for strategic and operational decision plans, as they relate to supply chain network structures and mitigate the impact of disruptions. Williams principal investigator is Dr. Jae-Dong Hong, Distinguished Professor of the Industrial Engineering Program. Kayla Mazariego, a junior biology major, placed third in the undergraduate competitive poster presentation in the category of Plant Health and Production and Plant Products for her research, Ozone as an Alternative Fumigant for the Control of Oryzaephilus Mercator (Coleoptera: Silvanidae). Additionally, she was awarded first place during a special poster session in the Implementation of Integrated Pest Management in Specialty Crops, Postharvest and Communities competition, where she competed against graduate students. She investigated the efficacy of ozone for controlling all life stages: eggs, larvae, pupae and adults of oryzaephilus mercator (merchant grain beetle) in the presence or absence of food. Mazariegos principal investigator is Dr. Rizana Mahroof, professor of biological sciences. I am extremely proud of students and faculty who participated at the symposium, said Dr. Louis Whitesides, 1890 Research and Extension Program director. I received numerous compliments from other universities on how well prepared and knowledgeable the students were in their area of research. They represented themselves and demonstrated what S.C. State University is all about, and that is excellence. The students can compete with the best, and it was proven as our students placed in their respective categories. The future of research was on full display at the conference, as students displayed their expertise through poster and oral presentations, said Delbert T. Foster, executive director of 1890 Research and Extension Programs. Competing and winning against all of the 1890 universities is a major accomplishment. I would like to thank the 1890 researchers for their guidance and level of commitment towards their students, as they prepare them to become the leaders of tomorrow through research discoveries and innovation. The Association of Research Directors is the federation of all 19 1890 land-grant universities. The association provides coordination of research initiatives among 1890 institutions in cooperation with federal, state and private partners. The 2019 symposium included more than 900 participants. More than 500 research papers and posters were presented during the 2019 symposium. For more information about the ARD awards or the 1890 Research and Extension Program, contact Dr. Louis Whitesides at 803-536-8616 or lwhitesides@scsu.edu. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BAMBERG -- Phoenix Specialty Mfg. Co. announced that its board of directors has appointed Russell Hurst III as chief executive officer. Phoenix has operated as a family-owned company for more than 100 years, and with the appointment of Hurst, the business is now operating in its fourth generation. Prior to joining Phoenix, Hurst received his masters degree from North Carolina State University in integrated manufacturing systems engineering. Since joining the company as press room manager in 2010, Hurst has held the positions of operations manager, vice president of sales and now CEO. Since 1907, Phoenix Specialty Mfg. Co. is a contract manufacturer of small, precise stamped sheet metal parts such as shims, seals, gaskets, spacers and washers. All parts are made to customers blueprint specification. The company is AS91OO/ISO 9001 certified and is a leading supplier of customer parts to OEMs, including most major aerospace companies. For more information about Phoenix Specialty Mfg. Co, visit www.phoenixspecialty.com. Thorne joins RMC Holly Hill practice The Regional Medical Center announced that Carinne Thorne, NP, has joined RMCs Primary Care practice site in Holly Hill. Thorne is a board-certified pediatric family nurse practitioner who brings to the Holly Hill community nearly a decade of experience providing primary care to children and adults. A member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and a Doctor of Nursing Practitioner Research Fund recipient, she is highly regarded as skilled and compassionate clinician with a unique focus on pediatric wellness and preventive care. We are very pleased to welcome Carinne Thorne to our team, said RMC Vice President of Physician Operations Rachelle Ball, MHA. Her experience and expertise coupled with her commitment to delivering optimal pediatric care make her ideally suited to provide this much needed service to the Holly Hill community. Trained in all facets of pediatric medicine, including health and wellness, diagnosis and treatments, physical examinations, health management, prescription medications, acute problems and chronic conditions, Thorne is now accepting pediatric patients of all ages from infants to young adults. The addition of Thorne coincides with RMCs mission to provide Orangeburg and its surrounding counties with accessible and evidence-based driven community providers, Ball said. Thorne earned a bachelors degree in nursing from Florida State University, a masters of science degree and a doctor of nursing practice degree from the University of Central Florida. She completed her nursing externship at the Capital Regional Medical Center in Tallahassee, Florida. Thorne is accepting new patients and appointments can be scheduled by calling 803-395-3068. For more information, visit www.trmchealth.org. Blanchard Equipment locating in Greenwood Blanchard Equipment in Clinton is relocating to Greenwood in May 2019. The John Deere dealer's new location at 1827 Bypass 72 will serve the Greenwood and surrounding area customer needs of various customer segments ranging from agriculture to home-owners. Customers can expect to see an increased variety of whole-good products, attachments, and implements on display. A larger showroom will provide for an enhanced shopping experience for parts as well as equipment, and the Service Department will be much larger than the existing We are excited for our customers and employees and we were fortunate to find the facility in Greenwood, General Manager, Matt McMahon said. Enhancing our network of stores, providing newer facilities and investing in the most up-to-date technologies allows Blanchard to provide excellence in customer service. Blanchard has locations in Orangeburg and St. Matthews. Max Metcalf Elected Chairman of the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance BMW exec chairs Manufacturers Alliance CHARLESTON The South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance has elected Max Metcalf, manager of government and community relations at BMW Manufacturing Company, as the next chairman of the organizations board of directors. The election took place at SCMA's two-day annual statewide meeting in Charleston. I am honored to be elected by my colleagues to serve as chairman of such an important organization for manufacturers, Metcalf said. As the voice of South Carolina manufacturing, SCMA has been the leader for more than a century in representing the needs and interests of manufacturers throughout our state. I look forward to continuing the work to strengthen our industry. Max Metcalf is a 1986 graduate of Clemson University, where he received a bachelor of arts in economics. Metcalf was the director of transportation and intergovernmental relations for the late Gov. Carroll A. Campbell Jr., district administrator for Congressman Bob Inglis, vice president of public policy with the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce until joining BMW in 2001. Commerce launches innovation resource COLUMBIA -- The S.C. Department of Commerce's Office of Innovation announced the launch of Scribble, an online tool for the state's innovation community. Providing individuals and businesses a platform to access resources, this new site is designed to highlight South Carolina's exceptional ingenuity and create a common place for users to access a variety of helpful tools. With access to company video features, podcasts, blogs and events, Scribble allows users to create a profile to save resources and content, further enhancing the innovation community's connectivity. Launched at the 2019 DigSouth Tech Summit in Charleston, Scribble will help innovators connect with startup programs, venture capital and other resources around the state. "South Carolina's burgeoning innovation sector has come a long way, and this new, state-of-the-art platform will ensure that entrepreneurs have all they need to thrive," Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt said. "Inspired by our human nature to document or write down that 'ah-ha' moment, we're excited to celebrate our innovators through Scribble." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Officials with Bowman's outdoor concert venue Yonder Field initially had some big plans. The company projected an estimated 10 to 15 concerts a year with a $40-50 million impact on the local economy. It estimated 20,000 to 30,000 people would attend the concerts. The venue was expected to employ between 300 and 400 seasonal workers, such as parking staff, guest services staff, security, stage crews and cleaning staff. However, low turnout and financial losses put a damper on its success, causing the company to cancel the last concert of its 2017 inaugural year. The turn of events caused Yonder Field officials to reassess plans for the 218-acre site off Homestead Road on Log Cabin Road. "At the end of 2017, I stepped back from Yonder Field and took stock in the previous year," Yonder Field President and General Manager Stacie Darr said. "I decided to take time away from the venue and went back to doing what I love, which is working on festivals." But throughout 2018, Darr received an outpouring of support from residents of Orangeburg and the county through emails, phone calls and social media to "not give up on the efforts" at Yonder Field. "Because of these repeated shows of love and support, I decided to make the venue available to local folks, churches and community groups for rental use," Darr said. "After hearing how much people really did love the property, I thought it made sense to open it up to the community so that anyone that wants to enjoy it can do so." Yonder Field continues to host various events such as the Lowcountry Christmas Extravaganza in December 2018. The Christmas event was a benefit for the Orangeburg County Library. It was complete with activities for children to include arts and crafts as well as rides. Another Christmas event in conjunction with the county library is scheduled for Dec. 1, 2019. Yonder Field has hosted such events as a truck show and thus far in 2019 there have been two family-orientated kite festivals for the local Hindu cultural centers. The venue is also hosting the inaugural South Carolina Hemp Summit on Friday, May 17. The summit will provide farmers more information about hemp growth, production and processing. A wedding is also booked for 2020. Even before having to scale back expectations, Yonder Field did host the Solar Eclipse Festival on Aug. 21, 2017. The event included an inflatable obstacle course (The Giant Inflatable Race), music featuring Uncle Kracker as well as South Carolinas own Edwin McCain and Corey Smith. The venue has also had movie showings. Yonder Field continues to operate and maintain a web presence at www.yonderfield.com. The website encourages individuals to book events through 2019 and 2020. The website also touts its site and 25,000-square-foot pavilion as "ideal for weddings and other events such as reunions, corporate retreats, and other festivities." The website is also touting Yonder Field as "we are all about the music" and as a "perfect location to celebrate life, happiness, and music." The venue has not been without controversy. Some Bowman residents near the property expressed concerns about traffic, noise, the impact on the environment, emergency response, security, litter, quality of life, drunkenness and property values. The individuals sought relief through a number of appearances before Orangeburg County Council. County Council did implement a number of plans for the concert related to noise, emergencies and law enforcement. Today, Darr is not at a loss for things to do. She spends much of her time traveling and working festivals throughout the country. "Currently, I am helping to oversee site operations for Woodstocks 50th Anniversary in Watkins Glenn, New York," she said. "So I still get to do what I love and Orangeburg gets the benefit of this amazing facility. Feels like a win-win for everyone." Contact the writer: gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5551. Check out Zaleski on Twitter at @ZaleskiTD. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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. So Bernie Sanders, self-anointed scourge of the malign influence of "millionaires and billionaires" on American politics, is himself a millionaire. Firmly ensconced in the top 1% of income earners in the United States. Which you've got to admit is pretty funny. Only in America, as comedians like to say. Except to Bernie himself, of course. Poking fun at himself isn't one of the Vermont socialist's strengths as a politician. His recently released tax returns showed that he earned more than a million dollars in 2016 and 2017 due largely to royalties on his book "Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In." Which in itself is somewhat ironic. Some revolution. Why, there are big-league relief pitchers who earned less than Bernie Sanders last year, although very few successful ones. So he had to know he was going to get a hard time about it. Self-deprecating humor was definitely the way to go. Sanders, however, got defensive. "I wrote a best-selling book," he snapped at reporters who asked him about it. "If you write a best-selling book, you can be a millionaire, too." Wrong answer. Although still testy, Sanders did better the other night on a Fox News town hall, continuing to attack the unfairness of our "absurd" tax code that lets major corporations pay no income tax at all, and ultimately turning the tables. "Why don't you get Donald Trump up here and ask him how much he paid in taxes?" he challenged the network's interlocutors. Good question. Also, not going to happen. And never mind that Sanders' own refusal to release his income tax records during the 2016 presidential campaign helped give Trump cover for hiding his. Few Americans begrudge Bernie his success. Moreover, Sanders and his wife paid a 26% effective tax rate in 2018, no doubt far higher than Trump. And he would end up paying considerably more if his own policies were adopted. Some Trump voters are just now awakening to the deep fraudulence of the president's vaunted tax cuts, which delivered vast benefits to the fat cats Bernie has long assailed, and little or nothing to them. Sanders' income won't be an issue in the 2020 race unless his petulance makes it one. Ah, but therein lies the problem. To hear Bernie's impassioned supporters tell it, he's the only candidate for the Democratic nomination who can unify the working class and put together a powerful coalition to defeat Trump. And wouldn't it be lovely to think so? I'm not quite as old as Bernie, but I've been hearing people like him prate about this imaginary uprising since Woodstock. That storied exercise in mob psychology took place exactly a half-century ago, in August 1969, for those of you keeping score at home. (Me, I was in Dublin visiting the tomb of Jonathan Swift.) Today, even the movie is unendurable. Writing in The Nation, Eric Alterman reminds readers of Bernie's history as a classic hippie left-winger, losing several statewide elections in Vermont during the '70s on a platform calling "for the nationalization of pretty much every industry in America, together with a 100 percent income tax on America's top earners." Alterman adds that "Sanders was still a socialist in 1980, when he served as an elector for the Trotskyist Socialist Workers Party, which favored the abolition of the U.S. military budget and proclaimed itself in solidarity with both Cuba and Iran at a time when the latter held over 52 Americans hostage." There's more. Much more. Bernie in Managua, Nicaragua, with Sandinista President Daniel Ortega as a crowd chants "the Yankee will die." Bernie on what he later jokingly called his Soviet "honeymoon" in 1988, shirtless and singing "This Land Is Your Land" with a bunch of Russians. According to journalist Kurt Eichenwald, who has seen it, Republicans have a book of oppo research documenting such incidents that's 2 feet thick. There are videotapes. For very good historical reasons, most Democrats are unwilling to go there. Almost needless to say, Republicans, much less Trump, won't be so shy. One friend privately describes this dilemma as "a real Catch-22. The things that primary voters need to know about him are precisely the things I feel proscribed from saying. My honest opinion is that he'd be destroyed in a general election." Mine too. Bernie's seeming unwillingness to explain himself or admit error doesn't help. As Alterman points out, Sanders has evolved over the years into "a typical New Deal-style liberal or European social democrat." But he can't erase, and won't explain, his past. Sure, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are socialist programs. So is the public library, for that matter. "Medicare for All" sounds like a fine aspirational goal, although getting it through Congress appears impossible. Nevertheless, calling yourself a "socialist" and talking about a "revolution" remain deeply suspect to most American voters. As a presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders makes a fine senator from Vermont. Arkansas Times columnist Gene Lyons is a National Magazine Award winner and co-author of "The Hunting of the President" (St. Martin's Press, 2000). You can email Lyons at eugenelyons2@yahoo.com.) Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A Volvo supplier announced in November 2018 that it is locating in Orangeburg County. Gnotec Group, a Swedish firm, is going to invest $5.9 million and create 78 new jobs over the next five years. It is the company's first North American plant. We at Gnotec Group are excited to take the next step in our development to support our global customers by adding operations in the United States," Gnotec Group CEO Jorgen Oldenstedt said. "We are very satisfied with Orangeburg Countys great logistics position, as well as South Carolinas growing automotive industry, skilled workforce and excellent support for our establishment, he said. Gnotec will locate in a 30,000-square-foot production facility in the Carolina Regional Park off of U.S. 601 near Interstate 26. The building formerly housed flooring company Mohawk Industries Inc. Gnotec will use the facility initially for warehousing and then manufacturing operations focused on welding and product assembly. It is expected to come online in the first quarter of 2019. "Gnotec is a leading Scandinavian company that will support nearby Volvo Cars," Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright Sr. said. "We welcome many more suppliers to Orangeburg County and the South Carolina Global Logistics Triangle." The company will receive tax incentives from the county, including a fee-in-lieu of taxes agreement and special source revenue credits. The company will be taxed at a 6% assessment ratio at a rate of 370.1 mills for 30 years. The typical assessment ratio for business in South Carolina is 10.5%. Orangeburg County Councilwoman Janie Cooper-Smith praised the company's decision to locate in County Council District 5. "I believe the sleeping giant has awakened," Cooper-Smith said, welcoming the company to the county. "We also welcome you to the use of our institutions of higher learning. We want and need you to remain here for many generations to come." Orangeburg County continues to be the chosen location to live, work, learn, shop and play," Orangeburg County Development Commission Chairman Ken Middleton said. "The word is getting out around the world. Sweden now represents the single largest manufacturing investor in Orangeburg County and we wish Gnotec continued success. Fort Motte LLC partner Marion Moore helped develop the Carolina Regional Park to attract suppliers of companies such as Volvo. "With the Port of Charleston only 60 miles away and four major interstates within 35 miles, Carolina Regional Park is one of the great manufacturing/distribution locations in all of South Carolina," Moore said. "Adding a company of Gnotecs quality will enhance our parks and Orangeburg Countys visibility to other Volvo suppliers and to other automotive entities seeking to locate in South Carolinas Global Logistics Triangle. Gnotec's arrival comes as Volvo cranks up operations at its Berkeley County plant, which will serve as the global production site for Volvos all-new S60 sedan. The plant is expected to produce the next-generation XC90 in 2021. The plant will make over 150,000 cars annually. Volvo announced it will create almost 4,000 jobs over the next five years. The plant is about 20 miles from Interstate 95 and the Orangeburg County line. Gov. Henry McMaster described Gnotecs announcement as representing, not only the strength of our automotive industry, but the strength of our states economy as a whole. The talented workforce in South Carolina has established a reputation as one of the best in the world," McMaster said. Contact the writer: gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5551. Check out Zaleski on Twitter at @ZaleskiTD. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. San Diego sheriffs deputies look over the Chabad of Poway synagogue after the shooting on Saturday. Photo: Sandy Huffaker/AFP/Getty Images A woman has been killed and a rabbi and two other people injured after a domestic terrorist attacked a synagogue north of San Diego, on Saturday morning. The gunman, who expressed white-supremacist and anti-Semitic views in a manifesto published before the attack, fled but was quickly apprehended. The attack happened approximately six months to the day after 11 people were killed in an attack on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. Below is everything we know so far. The Attack Just before 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, a 19-year-old gunman armed with an AR-15-style assault rifle walked into the Chabad of Poway synagogue in Poway, California, and began firing on those inside. About 100 people had assembled at the synagogue for a celebration of the last day of Passover. The shooter, dressed in a green military vest, fatally wounded 60-year-old Lori Gilbert-Kaye, who jumped between him and Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, 57, who was delivering the sermon at the time of the attack and was subsequently injured in the hands. An 8-year-old girl, Noya Dahan, was struck in the face and leg with shrapnel, and 34-year-old Almog Peretz took shrapnel in the leg while trying to shield and evacuate children from danger. Some witnesses say the lone gunman shouted obscenities as he fired. His rifle apparently jammed, which appears to have limited the carnage. He then fled. An off-duty Border Patrol agent who was working as a security guard at the synagogue fired on the shooter several times as he drove way, but only struck his car. Shortly after, about two miles from the scene, the gunman pulled over and called 911, telling the dispatcher that he was involved in the attack and providing his location. A San Diego police officer responding to the shooting then apprehended the suspect, who surrendered without incident. His assault rifle was sitting on the passenger seat of his car. The shooter, later identified as John T. Earnest, reportedly posted a hate-filled open letter on social media beforehand in which he expressed white-supremacist views and claimed responsibility for an attempted arson at a mosque in nearby Escondido last month. (No one was injured in that attack, as the fire was quickly discovered and put out, and a message referencing last months Christchurch mosque attacks was left behind by the arsonist.) All four victims were taken to nearby Palomar Media Center, where Gilbert-Kaye ultimately died. The injuries to the other three victims were not life-threatening, and they were later listed in stable condition. Sheriffs crime scene tape placed in front of the Chabad of Poway synagogue after the shooting. Photo: Sandy Huffaker/AFP/Getty Images Poway mayor Steve Vaus quickly called the attack a hate crime, citing witnesses accounts of what the shooter said while firing on his victims. Vaus also indicated in an MSNBC interview that he believed the congregants response prevented more bloodshed, insisting that, We are grateful to those in the congregation there that engaged the shooter and prevented this from being a much more horrific incident. Hate has no place in ANY community... least of all Poway. We will put our arms around each other and walk through this tragedy as the family we have always been and always will be. #PowayStrong Steve Vaus (@SteveVaus) April 27, 2019 Sadly, were seeing these things happen all over the country, and now even in our backyard, San Diego County sheriff Bill Gore said on Saturday. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who founded the Chabad of Poway and was injured in the attack, apparently continued his sermon after the shooter fled. A member of the congregation told CNN that he did not leave his congregation until he was finished speaking to them calming their fears and pledging resilience. The investigation into the attack and gunman was quickly underway, including a search of the shooters home in a neighboring town. Authorities believe the attacker acted alone, but police in San Diego and Los Angeles nonetheless announced on Saturday that they were expanding their patrols at local synagogues just in case. The Chabad of Poway is part of the Chabad-Lubavitch Orthodox Jewish Hasidic movement, which is one of the worlds largest Hasidic movements, and is focused on outreach and education for other Jews. The synagogue was founded 33 years ago in Poway, a middle-class suburb of roughly 50,000 residents that is about 25 miles northeast of San Diego. Since the attack happened during the Sabbath, some Jewish congregations in the region did not fully become aware of the attack until much later in the day. The Gunman John T. Earnest is a 19-year-old white man who lives in Rancho Penasquitos, which is just west of Poway. He has no criminal history and no known links to white-supremacist groups, Sheriff Gore said on Saturday. In an anti-Semitic manifesto attributed to Earnest and published to the white-nationalist-frequented message board 8chan just over an hour before the attack, the gunman described himself a man of European ancestry, quoted the Bible, and wrote of his hatred and disgust for Jews. He said he had been inspired by the deadly attacks on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh last October and a pair of mosques in New Zealand last month both of which were perpetrated by white supremacists. Saturdays shooting also happened approximately six months, to the day, after the Pittsburgh attack, which was the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history. Earnest was attending college at Cal State University, and had gone to Mt. Carmel High School before that, where his father was a science teacher until retiring in 2016. The author claimed that he was a nursing student and had been planning the assault for less than four weeks, insisting the ease and speed in which he conceived and carried out the attack was a testament to the fact that literally anyone can do this. He also took credit for last months early-morning arson attack at the Islamic Center of Escondido, which is only nine miles from the synagogue in Poway. That claim has not yet been confirmed by police. In his purported 8chan post, the gunman included a link to his Facebook page and said a livestream of the attack will begin shortly. The Facebook page, which was deactivated several hours after the attack, reportedly contained no livestream link. NBC News noted on Saturday that the 8chan post is nearly identical, in tone and (Q&A) format, to the one left by the Australian gunman who killed 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15. Will we? (An impromptu memorial made by community members across the street from the synagogue on Saturday.) Photo: Sandy Huffaker/AFP/Getty Images The Victims Neighbors describe Lori Kaye as a wonderful mother, and wife who loved to garden. Sunflowers were her absolute favorite. pic.twitter.com/oY5tFZsYyG Jeff McAdam (@JeffMcAdamTV) April 28, 2019 Lori Gilbert-Kaye, 60, was killed in the attack after apparently throwing herself between the gunman and the rabbi in order to protect him. Her husband, a physician, was also in the synagogue during the attack and the San Diego Tribune passes along the harrowing story of how he discovered that she had been shot: Worshippers called him over to help victims, and he began to do CPR on one until he realized it was his wife, [Dr. Roneet Lev] said. He then fainted. Kaye had gone to the synagogue to say Kaddish, a Jewish prayer for the dead, for her mother, who had recently passed away, according to Lev. The irony is people will be saying it for her now, Lev said. Gilbert-Kaye, who had a 22-year-old daughter, was instrumental in helping found and support the congregation over its more than three-decade history. Regarding her heroism on Saturday, a close friend told the Tribune that, When we heard what happened, we all said to ourselves, yes, thats how Lori would have wanted to go Im pretty sure if she could have picked a place to die, that wouldve been it. She died how she lived. This is Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, the Rabbi of #Poway Chabad #SanDiego Synagogue. Even after being shot, he continued his sermon & stood before his congregants, saying we are strong, we are united, they cant break us! THIS is the Jewish spirit. This is #AmYisraelChai! pic.twitter.com/oy3yIVCasL Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) April 28, 2019 Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, 57, had both of his index fingers blown off after he instinctively raised his hands when the gunman fired at him. Goldstein, who founded the Chabad of Poway in 1986, has also served as a Jewish chaplain for the San Diego Sheriffs Department. Congregants said he delivered a sermon after the gunman fled, despite his injuries, telling the survivors, They cant break us. Speaking with NBC News on Sunday morning from the hospital, Goldstein called for resolve in confronting anti-Semitism and remembered Gilbert-Kaye, who he said was a dear friend and a pioneering family member of our congregation. He also had a message for the country: I am just so heartbroken by the senseless killing. The Constitution of the United States guarantees freedom of religion for all faiths. And you know, we are so grateful to live here in this country that protects our rights to live openly and proudly as Jews. One thing [you can be sure of] we will not be intimidated or deterred by this terrorist. Terrorists will not win. As Americans, we cant cower in the face of this senseless hate that is in anti-Semitism. You know beneath the surface of every terrible experience, there lies an opportunity to grow and increase in goodness. This horrific event must raise alarm and concern for the safety of all places of worship, and our government needs to continue to step up and [help prioritize] securing our houses of worship. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, just out of surgery for a gunshot wound, continues to speak about the synagogue shooting. As soon as (the gunman) saw me, he started to shoot towards me and I just sort of put my hands up and my fingers got blown away. #ChabadofPoway #SundayTODAY pic.twitter.com/ZTXkcK4VRa TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 28, 2019 He also spoke out in response to the Christchurch massacre last month: Wow. Heres how Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue responded to the Christchurch masjid attacks in N.Z. The world should take notes from the Rabbi. Humanity would be better for it. And no doubt Christchurch stands w/ Poway. Picture courtesy: @shannonrwatts. pic.twitter.com/GSkO69smI9 Dr. Craig Considine (@CraigCons) April 27, 2019 Goldstein has a deep connection to Brooklyn, where he lived before heading west in his early 20s. The Daily News reported on Saturday that his father Yossi helped build the Chabad sect in Crown Heights and was a key lieutenant of much-revered Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson. When the gunman burst into the synagogue and sprayed the congregation with bullets, Almog Peretz began grabbing children by the hands and running with them to the exitshttps://t.co/gLP9xVH3Dn KTLA (@KTLA) April 28, 2019 Almog Peretz, a 34-year-old Israeli immigrant, was injured with shrapnel in the leg while trying to rush children to safety during the attack. Heres what he told the Times of Israel: A person with a big rifle, like an M16, entered the synagogue and started shooting everywhere. At first we thought the ceiling had collapsed, but then I turned around and saw he was aiming his weapon at me. There were many small kids next to me. I took a little girl who was our neighbor and three nieces of mine and ran. I opened the back door and we ran with all the children to a building in the back. I hid them in that building. As I picked up the girl, the terrorist aimed his weapon at me. I was injured in the leg. Noya Dahan is 8 years old and is in the hospital after being shot. #PowaySynagogueShooting #AntiSemitism #Jewish pic.twitter.com/SSUPUjbhsW Brian Appel (@BriApp) April 28, 2019 Noya Dahan, an 8-year-old girl and Israeli immigrant, was struck in the face and leg with shrapnel during the attack. She was attending the Passover celebration with her family. They had left Sderot, Israel, for California after several close calls during rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, according to Dahans father, who added that their home in the U.S. had been spray-painted with swastikas back in 2015. We came from fire to fire, he said after the synagogue shooting. This post has been updated throughout to reflect new information as it became available. A cement packaging and distribution facility announced in September 2018 that it is locating near Holly Hill. Longleaf Packaging broke ground on its 18,700-square-foot automated package and distribution center on Good Farm Road off of Interstate 95. "We feel very at home here. We are confident we made the right decision to locate here," Longleaf Packaging President Ray Love told those gathered for the company's announcement in September. "The proximity of resources and ease of logistics of I-95 and I-26 as well as being near some of the fastest-growing markets in the nation all make Orangeburg the perfect place for our company," he continued. The company is investing about $6 million and is projected to create 28 new jobs at its 28-acre site over the next five years. The plant will package and distribute bagged, pre-blended dry-mix products in 80-pound to 3,000-pound bulk bags. Longleaf Packagings product line will include mortar mix, concrete mix, portland cement and sand mix. The company will also offer specialty items such as construction block fill grout and colored mortar mixes. Longleaf Packagings sales and distribution plan targets professional masonry trades, commercial builders and home improvement stores within a 180-mile radius of its plant. It is the company's first packaging facility. The company's owners also own several Redi-Mix plants around the Charlotte, North Carolina area. Love explained that the company's name honors the longleaf pine's endurance in the region for years and its instrumentality to the local construction industry. Three longleaf pines were planted on the property: one by the company, one by a representative of the nearby Providence community and another by county government. The three trees are also a part of the company's logo. The S.C. Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved a $100,000 Rural Infrastructure Grant to assist the county with the cost of site preparation and infrastructure improvements, including providing Orangeburg Department of Public Utilities natural gas service and telecommunications. The county has also provided the company the traditional fee-in-lieu of taxes and multi-county industrial park incentives. "Finding a home for Longleaf Packaging here in the Holly Hill/Providence area will help someone here find a home," Orangeburg County Development Commission Chairman Kenneth Middleton said. "Helping Longleaf to be successful here will help someone here to be successful. Our goal is unprecedented success. Welcome to the big city." Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright Sr., whose district is on the eastern end of the county, expressed his extra special pleasure at the company's announcement. "We certainly appreciate you considering this part of the county to start your business," Wright said. "The support never stops." Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, expressed her excitement about being able to welcome Longleaf to the area. "They are a family-oriented company, innovative," she said. "It is just a unique opportunity to offer a different kind of small business here. The potential for growth, I think, is fantastic." Cobb-Hunter thanked Barry Hutto for his work in helping to bring the company to the area. The announcement also received statewide praise. "Today, we welcome Longleaf Packaging to the impressive roster of manufacturing companies that have decided to call our state home," Gov. Henry McMaster said. "This new plant and the 28 jobs it will create will have a significant impact on Orangeburg County, and I look forward to watching it thrive there." The company was presented with a state flag and a plaque representing the palmetto tree. The eastern area of the county is no stranger to the cement and concrete industry. LaFargeHolcim, Adams Oldcastle (formerly Cemex) and Concrete Supply Co. are among the cement companies located in the area. They came to the area because of the natural limestone formations that were deposited millions of years ago. Near the surface and relatively easy to mine, this soft rock forms the bedrock of a large-scale manufacturing process. Contact the writer: gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5551. Check out Zaleski on Twitter at @ZaleskiTD. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ROWESVILLE Dempsey Wood Products announced in December 2018 that it was expanding and creating 25 new jobs. Parker Dempsey, president of the company, said plans for the expansion date back several years. Its a project weve been planning for probably the last several years, and took a big step two years ago in the expansion we did there. That was kind of the first step of this project. This is finishing that part of it off, Dempsey said. Theres a big opportunity for us to improve our efficiency and productivity. So, we wanted to take advantage of that opportunity by installing state-of-the-art equipment and keeping up with todays industry and sawmill industry, he said. Orangeburg County Council approved tax incentives for the expansion of the family-owned lumber company. You have someone who is already contributing to Orangeburg County and that is Dempsey Wood Products expanding its business in Orangeburg County, Orangeburg County Attorney DAnne Haydel said. Haydel detailed the tax incentives. The promise is a minimum investment of $26,465,970 and 25 new jobs, and in exchange for fulfilling that promise the county will allow Dempsey Wood Products to take advantage of some state law incentives, she said. The expansion will receive the fee-in-lieu of taxes incentive for 30 years, which will allow it to pay a set fee based on a 6-percent tax assessment. It will also receive a 20% special source revenue credit. Dempsey said the expansion will include an extension to our saw line and complementing the saw line is a full-blown trim line sorter and stacker. The tail end part of that is an additional second dry kiln added to our operation, he said. Of the 25 new jobs, Dempsey said there will be some new titles for people who work with the new equipment. Some of those new jobs would be skilled technicians, maintenance people. A lot of equipments fairly technical, so itll take skill and experienced people to be able to work on that, he said. Some of the new jobs have been filled, according to Dempsey. There has been an addition of good new talent to an already great and veteran workforce, he said. Much of the expansion has taken place, Dempsey said. We plan to do other expansions down the road, Dempsey said. Dempsey said there was a major expansion of the company in 2000, and recently there have been expansions starting in 2014. Dempsey said the company was on the brink of closing not long ago. He expressed his gratitude for his father, Ron Dempsey, and some of the employees who have been with the company for decades. Id like to give credit to my dad for being the true visionary of starting this business and making to where we are today, Dempsey said. Two key employees Id like to mention who have played a big role in helping us be able to survive through the rough times, and also getting us we are today, is Michael Gulle and Bubba Hall, Dempsey said. Dempsey also noted that Mike Cocke has been critical to the companys success. Were big believers in investing money back into the business, and I think all of our employees have an appreciation when we do that, Dempsey said. Contact the writer: bharris@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5516 Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ST. MATTHEWS Calhoun County's Eastman Industrial Site received enhancements thanks to a grant awarded by the South Carolina Department of Commerce. The 800-acre Eastman property was purchased by Calhoun Land Investors LLC for $4.4 million, according to the Calhoun County property records. The county signed a letter of intent agreeing to adhere to certain stipulations regarding the grant related to the industrial site located in Gaston. The Department of Commerce has awarded the Eastman property a site-enhancement grant that involves several things. One, those funds have to be given to a public body as a part of this process, Calhoun County Administrator Ted Felder said during the councils meeting on Jan. 28. They (DOC) want to have us procure the services of several items that are listed in the letter and also to commit that we will own the necessary rights of both of the public utilities, maintenance of the spine road, etc., Felder said. Felder noted the grant is issued specifically for infrastructure purposes. Calhoun Land Investors LLC assigned Alliance Consultant Engineers to share a conceptual plan for the industrial site. Kyle Clampitt, vice president and principal of Alliance Consultant Engineers, presented council with the plan and said the grant was secured based on the potential of the site. In the past, its been marketing more to one individual site, but its really more of a park aspect with all the utilities that are running throughout there that carve up the property into individualized parcels, Clampitt said. The Department of Commerce has, as Mr. Felder mentioned, issued a grant as long as these stipulations are met, which are making sure the property is going to be publicly owned, as well as the commitment that the county would be maintaining and operating the water, wastewater and roadways associated with that, Clampitt said. The property group that has purchased the Eastman site is willing to grant that land over to the county at no cost. There will not be an additional cost on behalf of Calhoun County for this, Clampitt said. A spine road will be constructed at the site. Right now as we move forward with the design and permitting of the spine road, which is known as the road that goes through the properties thatll bisect between parcels one and 10, two and nine, and four and eight, and five and seven, thats whats known as the spine road of phase two, Clampitt said. That roadway will be designed and permitted, so the permit is ready whenever a tenant looks to locate in that area, we move forward with construction. The idea would be that project would generate incentives from the state, Clampitt said. Clampitt said the county will not incur any additional costs in relation to a $500,000 commitment previously made by the county. The project thats underway right now thats serving the water and wastewater to Zeus Inc. will not use all of that original amount. You should have additional funds left over, Clampitt said. In addition to that $500,000 from the county, there was a $500,000 grant from RIA, which is Rural Infrastructure Authority, the division of the Department of Commerce, as well as, the million dollar grant through incentives associated with the Zeus Inc. project, Clampitt said. Those will be more than enough to cover construction costs, so you are not at risk of going over what youve been spending already, Clampitt said. Contact the writer: bharris@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5516 Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. COLUMBIA OPDE Group announced last April its plans to construct a state-of-the-art solar farm in Bamberg County. The company will invest approximately $63 million in the new 55-megawatt solar farm. Bamberg County Council provided OPDE incentives to include a fee-in-lieu of taxes agreement and special source revenue credits. The project was coded Mary Guess prior to the unveiling of the company's name. OPDE Group is thrilled to have the opportunity to bring new investment in clean, affordable, low-risk power to rural South Carolina. We look forward to continuing our work with South Carolina Electric & Gas, Bamberg County, the SouthernCarolina Regional Development Alliance, the S.C. Department of Commerce and local stakeholders to make this project a success, OPDE Group USA Managing Director Logan Stephens said. The OPDE Group solar farm will be the first to locate in Bamberg County. Solar farms typically do not result in the creation of any new jobs, but do require on average between 200 and 300 workers during the construction phase. Bamberg County welcomes OPDE Group, and we are pleased that our county now has this clean energy resource. Bamberg County Council supports innovation in energy production and manufacturing," Bamberg County Council Chairman Clint Carter said. OPDE Group will be a great addition to Bamberg County. The opportunity to improve and increase our economic footprint in Bamberg County is always a great thing. Bamberg County offers prime sites for solar energy development, and we are excited to add this source of renewable energy to our growing industrial community," Bamberg County Economic Development Commission Chairman Craig Walker said. SouthernCarolina Alliance and Bamberg County welcome this investment by OPDE Group. New technology in renewable energy will continue to change the landscape in our region and bring clean energy options to our area," SouthernCarolina Alliance Chairman Buddy Phillips said. South Carolina is an ideal business destination for industries of all types, and todays announcement by OPDE is a testament to that. Were excited to add them to our portfolio of solar companies providing abundant, clean energy to power our state and our economy," Gov. Henry McMaster said. Weve worked hard to diversify South Carolinas economy, and that includes supporting the renewable and sustainable energy industry. Im excited to welcome an innovative company like OPDE Group to Team South Carolina, Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt said. Headquartered in Spain, OPDE Group develops and promotes photovoltaic solar power plants around the world. Since the company was established in 2005, OPDE has expanded continuously in a number of renewable markets. At present, the company has a portfolio of more than one gigawatt of renewable energy projects worldwide. Contact the writer: gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5551. Check out Zaleski on Twitter at @ZaleskiTD. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A plastic injection molding company announced in February 2019 that it is expanding its Orangeburg County operations. The site is currently being cleared and graded for the expansion. Canada-based Quality Model Group said it is going to invest $9.5 million and create 37 new jobs at its Orangeburg plant over the next five years. The QM Group is pleased to reaffirm, through this investment, our confidence in the Orangeburg community and in South Carolina for fostering the appropriate competitive advantages for our business," QM Group founder and owner Bill Szekesy said. "Our preference for this location has been established to the point where we have now designated it as our U.S. operations headquarters, he said. Orangeburg County is providing the company with economic development incentives including the fee-in-lieu of taxes and job tax credits. The project will be placed in a multi-county industrial park. About $8 million of the new investment will be used for machines. The rest will be used to purchase land. The new jobs will include office, engineering and other technical positions with an average hourly wage of about $15. "The addition of their U.S. operations headquarters is very special," Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright Sr. said. "We value their partnership and growth. This is an excellent time to celebrate in Orangeburg County and we thank the QM Group for helping us start off the new year with this tremendous announcement." Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler said, "We celebrate this latest expansion and extend our appreciation for investing in Orangeburg, our community and our residents. We wish you continued success in 2019 and beyond. The QM Group specializes in mold building, injection molding, urethane molding, thermoforming and secondary assembly. The Orangeburg County facility operates under the QM Groups plastics division, which offers design, tool building and manufacturing services for the power sports, industrial, automotive and aftermarket industries. Located at 190 Global Drive in the Orangeburg County/City Industrial Park, the QM Groups Orangeburg County facility opened in 2005. Since that time, the company has invested more than $16 million and created 100 new jobs in the community. The company operates five North American facilities, including locations in Indiana, Michigan and Ontario. "The U.S. operations headquarters is the big piece," Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson said. "I am pleased for the U.S. operations headquarters and thank them for their continued commitment in Orangeburg County and in South Carolina. Anytime we can get another international headquarters in the state is a testament to the success of our manufacturing presence." The announcement received statewide praise. South Carolina is proud to have international manufacturers like the QM Group operating within our borders," Gov. Henry McMaster said. "This announcement is a great win for one of our rural communities, and I look forward to watching the QM Group continue to thrive there. Today, we celebrate the continued growth of another one of our existing industries," Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt said. "The QM Groups decision to further invest in Orangeburg County is a testament to the business-friendly environment that exists in Orangeburg and across this state. Contact the writer: gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5551. Check out Zaleski on Twitter at @ZaleskiTD. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. For the first time in its 29-year history, the South Carolina Rural Summit was held in Orangeburg County. Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical Colleges Roquemore Auditorium was the site for the summit, which was held Monday, March 4, through Tuesday, March 5. "It is a big deal," Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson said about Orangeburg County hosting the event. He said Orangeburgs selection is a testament to the growth the county has seen over the past few years and how it is being proactive in tackling the issues facing our community. "No one is perfect," he said. "We are trying to establish a game plan to address issues that make us better in smaller, bite-size pieces so we can improve and ultimately win more manufacturing projects and win more commercial, housing and retail. Robinson said the county's new hotels and facilities like Roquemore Auditorium show the county has made it. "Now we can host conferences and conventions," he said. The summit, which was formerly known as the Governor's Rural Summit, was sponsored by the South Carolina Department of Commerce. All of the state's 46 counties were given the opportunity to host the summit and Orangeburg County stepped up and offered its services. The summit seeks to provide community leaders, economic developers and state officials the opportunity to come together and learn about innovative methods to improve rural South Carolina. Additionally, the summit serves as a venue to honor individuals for work they've done to advance their communities. Highlighting this year's summit was keynote speaker, entrepreneur and author John Hope Bryant. Bryant offered a message that creating wealth is primarily contingent upon the building of self-esteem, optimism and hope. Bryant also noted credit scores are a prime indicator of a community's success and well-being is its average credit score. The higher the credit score, the more well-off a community. State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman also spoke to those in attendance, informing those gathered of her commitment to making sure rural students receive the same educational opportunities as those in urban areas of the state. Of the 170 in attendance, about 50 individuals were representing Orangeburg County. Contact the writer: gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5551. Check out Zaleski on Twitter at @ZaleskiTD. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Charleston-based solar company announced in August that it is investing $28 million in the development of a 20-megawatt solar farm near Elloree. Southern Currents entire team commends Orangeburg County and its partners on this commitment to harness reliable, cost-effective solar energy for the future," Southern Current Chief Development Officer Paul Fleury said. "This $28 million investment will produce a substantial amount of clean energy, which is good for the community and the entire state of South Carolina. Were proud to be part of this important movement, he said. The 180-acre solar farm will be known as Ulmer Solar LLC. The solar farm will be located southwest of the Food Lion distribution facility near Felderville Road, Veneer Street and Farmers Road. The solar farm will create some local jobs during construction, and then local labor will be used for maintenance and upkeep. There will be no full-time jobs. Southern Current is an owner and developer of utility-scale solar energy facilities across the Southeastern United States. Clean, renewable energy is vital in the future development of communities across America," Elloree Mayor Michael Fanning said. "The Town of Elloree welcomes Ulmer Solar to Orangeburg County and the Elloree community. County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright Sr. said the county is grateful for the investment. "Our growing partnership creates a positive impact for our citizens by bringing economic and environmental benefits to our county. We wish you much success, he said. The company will pay a fee-in-lieu of taxes for 30 years based on an assessment ratio of 6 percent instead of the standard 10.5 percent for industry. The project is expected to generate about $1.8 million in total revenue over the 30 years. The company will also be placed in a multi-county industrial park with Dorchester County. The multi-county industrial park is a mechanism designed to provide industries with additional incentives. There is no physical park. The project follows Southern Currents $10 million, 8-megawatt solar facility near Springfield. It was announced in March 2017. The solar company's announcement received praise statewide. Were grateful that Southern Current continues to invest in our rural communities and helps provide clean, abundant energy that is vital to the economic prosperity of our entire state, Gov. Henry McMaster said. Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt said, The renewable energy market continues to be a major driver of South Carolinas economy, and todays announcement in Orangeburg County is proof of that." Plans have been announced for eight solar farms in Orangeburg County. Six farms have been announced in Calhoun County and one has been announced in Bamberg County over the last three years. The developers of the eight Orangeburg County solar farms have promised to invest a total of $503.5 million and provide 460 megawatts of power. The six solar farms in Calhoun County have promised a total investment of at least $344 million for farms generating at least 298 megawatts of power. Contact the writer: gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5551. Check out Zaleski on Twitter at @ZaleskiTD. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Years of planning and discussions finally came to fruition on Thursday afternoon at 4pm. A freight train left the Luxembourgish station on Thursday, destination: Chengdu, city of pandas, railways, and the capital of south-western Chinas Sichuan province. The photos published on this site are subject to copyright and may not be copied, modified, or sold without the prior permission of the owner of the site in question. From mid-2019 onwards, one train a week will be making the 8000km trek across the globe, passing through Luxembourg, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia before it finally terminates in China. With a journey time that is only a third of the time it takes by ship and only an eighth of what it costs by plane, its a highly attractive development in terms of transport alternatives. However, the Chinese-German-Luxembourgish partnership did not come easy; beginning the journey in Europe meant more difficulties with regard to loading cargo. According to Barbara Chevalier, strategic director of CFL Multimodal, this initial test run is an important first step towards further commercial opportunities. 41 containers will be on the move for 2 weeks at a time. This first freight train sported a wide range of goods, ranging from auto parts, to food, and medicine, establishing whether the goods would withstand the journey. Video in Luxembourgish: According to the Tageblatt's research, Luxembourg is mentioned in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's mammoth report on Russian interference in the 2016 US elections. The Luxembourg connection in the Mueller report relates to the Russian oligarch Petr Aven's attempts to make contact with President Donald Trump's team. Aven, who is close to the Russian President Vladimir Putin, first's step in this attempt occurred at the end of December 2016 in Luxembourg. The headquarters of the company LetterOne is based on Place de l'Etoile right next to the Russian Orthodox church. Aven, also the director of Alfa, one of the largest Russian private commercial banks, is on the executive board of LetterOne. Allegedly, Putin told Aven during a meeting to ensure that his bank no longer be affected by US sanctions, which Aven understood as taking up contact with Trump's team. As a result, towards the end of December 2016, Aven met with another member of the executive board of LetterOne - US businessman and former diplomat Richard Burt. In the private meeting, Aven explained that there is an interest in establishing communications between the Kremlin and Trump's team, as reported by the Mueller investigation. The two businessmen's efforts did not turn into much else. Mueller investigated the possibility of Russian collusion in Donald Trump's election team. The full report was published on 18 April 2019. Phase 4 of the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 will be conducted on Monday, April 29. A total of 71 seats would be going to the polls, starting at 7 am in the morning. The polls will be concluded at 6 pm in the evening. The states that will be voting in this phase are: Maharashtra (17 parliamentary constituencies), Rajasthan (13), Uttar Pradesh (13) and West Bengal (8), Madhya Pradesh (6), Odisha (6), Bihar (5), Jharkhand (3), and Jammu and Kashmir (1). Continuing with the campaigns, BJP chief Amit Shah held a rally in Bihar's Sitamarhi. He said that Modi government has given the kind of governance that people were looking for for the past 70 years. He also spoke about the Ayushman Bharat scheme and said it is helping the poor people receive treatment. Meanwhile, the exchange of harsh words between political rivals continues. At a rally in Amethi yesterday, Congress President Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Prime Minister wants two Indias and that Congress won't let that happen. On the other hand PM Modi said at a rally in Kannauj that the Opposition parties abuse him all the time but won't say anything about the terrorists. Follow the Lok Sabha Election 2019 updates on BusinessToday.In blog: 3:34pm: BJP's Kailash Vijayvargiya says, "If Mamata ji stays, Islamic State (ISIS) can enter West Bengal anytime. It'll become like J&K. It is because of her appeasement politics that people related to terror activities have made their base in the border-states and ISIS threat is a proof of that." 3:15pm: BJD writes to Chief Electoral Officer, Bhubaneswar demanding to immediately stop BJP's campaigning through voice call during silent period. Odisha: BJD writes to Chief Electoral Officer,Bhubaneswar demanding to immediately stop BJP's campaigning through voice call during silent period and take action against BJP leaders and the service provider circulating these voice calls in violation of model code of conduct. pic.twitter.com/d6RXdhqDbg ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 3:00pm: Renuka Chowdury on BJP MP Rajveer Singh's remark on Congress over open defecation: "Are we surprised that this is standard of BJP? When PM can talk abt women in Parliament and call them'Surpanakhas', this is the yardstick by which the BJP goes. Women of the country have taken note." 2:45pm: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Bahraich: "Even today, I do not know his (PM Modi's) caste. The Opposition and the Congress leaders are only raising issues related to development. We have never made any personal remarks against him." 2:32pm: Amit Shah said at a rally in Bihar's Chhapra, "From the time Narendra Modi came to power, he has been serving with integrity, has done a lot of good work and has taken tough decisions whenever necessary." 2:00pm: Polling parties at EVM and VVPAT distribution centre in Jodhpur. Rajasthan: Polling parties at EVM & VVPAT distribution centre in Jodhpur. #LokSabhaElections2019pic.twitter.com/yGcA0Lxzpi ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 1:37pm: Election Commission makes arrangements to ferry specially-abled voters in Mumbai for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls. Maharashtra: Election Commission makes arrangements to ferry specially-abled voters in Mumbai for the fourth phase of #LokSabhaElections2019 to be held tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/1fxVrhycGD ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 1:25pm: Amit Shah said at a rally in Bihar's Sitamarhi, "UPA government gave Rs 1 lakh 93 thousand crore to Bihar. But Narendra Modi government have more than Rs 6 lakh 6 thousand crore to Bihar for development." 1:20pm: Amit Shah said at a rally in Sitamarhi, "When Lalu-Rabri and Rahul Gandhi were in power, the poor didn't have money for healthcare. They were desperate for treatment. Today, Ayushman Bharat scheme has provided 24 lakh poor people with free healthcare. This work has been done by BJP's Modi government." 1:15pm: Amit Shah said at a rally in Sitamarhi, "Modi ji has not taken a single leave till now. On the other hand, Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi vanishes every three to four months. Even his mother cannot find him then." 1:00pm: Amit Shah said at a rally in Sitamarhi, "In east, west, north and south, people are only raising slogans for Modi. This is because the kind of governance people were looking forward to in the last 70 years, Modi ji delivered it." 12:43pm: Visuals from EVM distribution centre in Bolpur, in Birbhum district. West Bengal: Polling parties gather at EVM distribution centre in Bolpur, in Birbhum district; 8 Lok Sabha constituencies to go to polls tomorrow. #LokSabhaElections2019pic.twitter.com/BhDpwCjpb3 ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 12:40pm: Visuals from EVM and VVPAT distribution centre in Jhalawar-Baran Lok Sabha constituency. #Rajasthan: Visuals from EVM and VVPAT distribution centre in JhalawarBaran Lok Sabha constituency. 13 parliamentary constituencies to vote in the fourth phase of #LokSabhaElections2019, tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/DxFknFhaz8 ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 12:30pm: Visuals from VVPAT and EVM distribution centre at Malabar Hill in Mumbai. Mumbai: Visuals from VVPAT and EVM distribution centre at Malabar Hill; 17 parliamentary constituencies in the state will go to polls in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/WAMMPjAPxV ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 12:25pm: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Amethi said, "The way they contest polls by distributing money, sarees and shoes in front of media is wrong... People of Amethi have never begged in front of anyone. I've been coming here since I was 12, people of Amethi and Raebareli have a lot of pride." 12:15pm: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Amethi said, "Issues are clear - employment, education and health. Nationalism is to solve problems of people. Here they don't listen to people. When they raise their issues they suppress them, it's neither democracy nor nationalism." 12:02pm: "Will the PM ever speak about the people? He talks about the Opposition one day, then foreign enemies on the other day." : ? , . , ? ? pic.twitter.com/n5gCo0N608 Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) April 28, 2019 11:58am: Polling parties collect EVMs and VVPATs and leave for their respective polling stations for the 4th phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 in Palamu. Palamu: Polling parties collect EVMs and VVPATs and leave for their respective polling stations for the 4th phase of the #LokSabhaElections2019#Jharkhandpic.twitter.com/LoZTUWBYK0 ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 11:40am: "This is a historic election as it is the first time in the country that a son and father are contesting polls on the same day and in the same district. I seek your blessings as not your 'neta' (politician) but 'beta' (son)," Nakul Nath, said son of MP CM Kamal Nath. While the chief minister, a nine-time MP from the area, is contesting an assembly bypoll, Nakul Nath is hoping to get elected to the Lok Sabha from Chhindwara. 11:35am: Eight seats - Baharampur, Krishnagar, Ranaghat (SC), Burdwan East (SC), Burdwan-Durgapur, Asansol, Bolpur (SC) and Birbhum - in West Bengal will see a four-cornered contest between the Trinamool Congress, the BJP, the Congress and the Left Front in the fourth phase. 11:25am: Gautam Gambhir said, "When you don't have a vision and have done nothing in the last 4.5 years, you make such allegations, EC will decide this. When you have a vision you don't do such negative politics." He was referring to AAP MP Atishi Marlena's allegation that he has two voter-ID cards. 11:20am: Refuting the ruling AAP's demand for full statehood to Delhi, Union minister and BJP's Chandni Chowk candidate Harsh Vardhan said, "Delhi is suffering because of the negative mentality of its government and the chief minister in particular. They have hardly done anything in the last four years. You can see their 70 promises and find there is hardly any promise that has been delivered. They have not done anything except wasting their time and abusing the Prime Minister day in and day out. What has Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal done? Nothing. This is the same chief minister who felt proud in calling himself an 'anarchist' ahead of the Republic Day parade a couple of years ago. Now he (Kejriwal) is shouting about statehood. Do you think statehood can be given to a chief minister who is dubious and is of questionable character?" 11:10am: "All EVMs and VVPATs will be dispatched from the strong room today. Security forces and police force have been deployed in adequate numbers.We won't face any law and order situation," said Rajasthan DM IS Rao. 10:54am: TMC writes to EC as Khali campaigns for BJP candidate from Jadavpur, Anupam Hazra. TMC writes to Election Commission of India over wrestler The Great Khali campaigning for BJP's Jadavpur MP candidate,Anupam Hazra on April 26. The letter states, 'He(Khali) holds US citizenship, therefore,a foreigner shouldn't be allowed to influence the minds of Indian electors' pic.twitter.com/DIOKzVjkcu ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 10:45am: BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said, "If the people of UP want me to continue fighting against corruption then TDK and her Bambino must be defeated in Raebareli and Amethi. If either of them wins, it will dishearten people like me who are striving hard to create a clean India." 10:40am: Polling parties collect EVMs and VVPATs and leave for their respective polling stations for the 4th phase of the Lok Sabha Election. Chhindwara: Polling parties collect EVMs and VVPATs and leave for their respective polling stations for the 4th phase of the #LokSabhaElections2019#MadhyaPradeshpic.twitter.com/I6z1kEkJix ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 10:30am: Nearly 81 lakh voters will get an opportunity to decide the fate of 78 candidates contesting the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra's Thane and Palghar districts where voting will be held on Monday, officials said. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of the polls, Thane collector Rajesh Narvekar told reporters here on Saturday. There are total 62.22 lakh voters in Thane district where 6,715 polling booths have been set up, according to official figures. 10:28am: "Modi has been misleading the people and those who have been shouting Modi-Modi-Modi would have to regret later," said Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. 10:24am: AAP leader Manish Sisodia said that Congress is weakening the Opposition across the country. "Not only in Delhi but across the country, the Congress is weakening the Opposition. If the BJP wins any seat in Delhi or outside it, the Congress should be blamed," he told news agency IANS. 10:21am: A burger vendor is contesting as an independent from the Ludhiana LS seat. Punjab: RP Singh, a burger vendor is contesting as an independent from the Ludhiana LS seat. He says, "If I'm elected I'll take on the education mafia & ensure good education for poor people. I'm unable to put up big posters, I'm only campaigning on my scooter but I'm confident." pic.twitter.com/x8l6qJl4JS ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 10:20am: At a press conference, BSP leader Mayawati said that PM Modi is an OBC only for electoral gains. "He was an upper caste when he was Gujarat Chief Minister. Later he got his caste included in the OBC (other backward class) category," she said. 10:19am: Fifty farmers from Telangana to file their nominations as independent candidates in Varanasi today. They will be contesting against PM Modi. "We are not opposing anyone. We just want to highlight our problems and demand creation of a turmeric board and Minimum Support Price of Rs 15000 per quintal (MSP) for turmeric," a spokesperson for the farmers said. 10:15am: When BJP leader Uma Bharti was asked if Pragya Thakur will take her place in Madhya Pradesh, she said, "She is a great saint, don't compare me with her, I'm just an ordinary and foolish creature." 10:05am: NCP leader Majeed Memon took Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha's side and said, "Amit Shah should note that till yesterday he (Shatrughan Sinha) was with them, if he said something anti-national then it is their teaching. He (Jinnah) made a big contribution to the freedom struggle, just because he was a Muslim you are offended and are calling Shatrughan Sinha anti-national." Shatrughan Sinha had said that everyone from Mahatma Gandhi to Jawaharlal Nehru to Mohammad Ali Jinnah were part of the Congress family. He later apologised and said that he didn't mean Jinnah, he meant Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. 10:00am: Taking a dig at Sadhvi Pragya, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said, "Thakur says she had cursed ATS chief Hemant Karkare, who had given supreme sacrifice for the country and is considered a martyr. There would have been no need of surgical strikes if she had cursed Pakistan based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar." Many European states are currently experiencing droughts after inadequate levels of rain in the last months. Forests are burning in Norway, the United Kingdom has already experienced several wildfires, and farmers in France and Germany are concerned a possible dry summer will lead to a reduced harvest. Despite recent heavy rain across Luxembourg and more forecast across the weekend, the water is no longer able to reach the groundwater. Usually, this is only feasible in the winter months, when the lack of vegetation allows the water to flow freely. Luc Zwank, assistant director of the Water Management Authority, called it a deficient winter - with a deficit of 10 percent compared to the average amount between 1981 and 2010. If the springs can't produce enough water over the summer, there will be a distinct impact on vegetation, said the director of the Water Management Authority, Jean-Paul Lickes. Should this summer be as warm and dry as last year, measures will have to be taken in order to reduce the amount of water used. Agricultural businesses will be dependent on the next month's rainfall. If there is insufficient rain through the month of May, there are expected to be repercussions in terms of the harvest. [Video above in Luxembourgish.] Judith Judy Crow, special education high needs paraprofessional at Campbell County School District in Gillette will be honored by District 26 Toastmasters serving Colorado, Wyoming and western Nebraska for her achievement in the fields of communication and leadership. The event will be held at noon on Saturday at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Denver Tech Center in Denver. Working for decades as an educator, Crow spent the last 11 years in the field of special education and is currently a para-educator at Campbell County High School and Thunder Basin High School. She prepares special needs students to meet everyday real life circumstances and to learn how to face and overcome challenges. Her job also includes taking special education students to job sites, and shes been responsible for students when participating and functioning in classroom activities. Judy is an educator who believes in volunteering and giving back to her community, says John Gutierrez, member of Energy Capital Toastmasters Club in Gillette. She constantly uses her voice to advocate for others in different situations and under different circumstances. The District 26 Toastmasters Communication and Leadership Achievement Award is presented annually to a non-Toastmasters member, someone outside a Toastmasters club, either in the community or an organization, who is a distinguished individual in the fields of communication or leadership. Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that teaches communication and leadership skills through a worldwide network of more than 16,400 clubs in 141 countries. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Children of Employee Scholarships given annually by the True Companies have been awarded to 12 students throughout the region. There were 22 applicants for the 12 scholarships. Winners include Courtney S. Feehan, Pinehaven; Delcy D. Graham, Rozet; Macie L. Mackey and Preston J. Mackey of Gillette; William W. Stewart, Laramie; Shyla R. Whalen, Glenrock; Samantha R. White, Casper; Bailey L. Boltz, Belfield, North Dakota; Kylee M. Boltz, Grassy Butte, North Dakota; Benjamin M. Hansen, Cypress, Texas; Racey B. Reynolds, Billings, Montana, and Jordyn R. Savageau, Dickinson, North Dakota. Winners were selected on the basis of scholastic attainment, intelligence, merit, need and their potential for success in and after college. This is the 59th year of the scholarships, which are in the amount of $2,000 each. They may be used at any four-year college or university or at any accredited two-year college. All children of employees with three or more years of service to the companies are eligible. In addition to the Children of Employees Scholarships, the companies award direct scholarship grants of $5,000 each year to Casper College and the University of Wyoming. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The American Veterans Traveling Tribute Vietnam Wall is coming to the Casper College campus outside the Gateway Building, arriving on Wednesday and departing Sunday. We spoke with Nick Whipps, special populations coordinator and Veterans Club advisor at Casper College, about the project. How did you get this wall to come here? We want to provide something community oriented every spring that is something especially the veterans in the community will appreciate. This wall is out of Texas and is absolutely spectacular. They were able to fit us into their schedule. And volunteers are key to the project? Yes, we need community members to actually help set the wall up when it arrives. Meet at 9 a.m. on Thursday in front of the Gateway Building on campus. We need at least 15, and the more people we have, the quicker it goes. There are different sections that need to be held up and then you put the joists together. Its kind of like a huge puzzle with really good instructions. It is an 80 percent replica, 8 feet tall, 360 feet long, and contains all 58,318 names engraved on the panels. You have added a Wyoming touch to the presentation. Yes, there will be 123 American flags to commemorate the 123 from Wyoming who were lost in the Vietnam War. There will be a laminated card with information about each individual attached to the flag. Tell us about the unique way that the caravan arrives. This is a nationwide deal so the people who deliver it are very experienced. There have been issues before with those who mean well who actually interrupt the caravan as its traveling. So if people want to help escort the truck into Casper, they need to wait to meet it at the Broken Wheel truck stop in Douglas at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. I cant stress enough that there is no opportunity to join the caravan before it gets to Douglas. And once its here, people can visit whenever theyd like? Yes, they can come from the time it is assembled, which we estimate will be noon on Thursday, until 3 p.m. on Sunday, 24/7. There will be plenty of security and the area will be lit at night. We have heard that veterans especially like to come at night because it is quieter and a little more solemn. Your veteran students are obviously much younger than those who served in Vietnam. What is their reaction to this? People in the military have a brotherhood no matter what, but I feel like sometimes there is a little bit of disconnect between the generations. I really do feel like this is going to be something to bridge that gap in a very meaningful way. What are your veteran numbers like at the college? We have approximately 300 military affiliated, both veterans and currently serving. That number is increasing greatly. We have a lot of people who are starting to utilize their GI bill scholarships. Both state and federal have wonderful benefits for them to continue their education or get retrained in another field. How did you find funding to bring the wall here? We get so much support from the community. Everything we get is grant and community funded. This is about $8,000 to bring it in and another $2,000 for the extras, so its a cost of about $10,000 for the four days. Its all been raised in the community. My students are amazing. Most have families, most work part-time, many full-time and go to school, and yet they drop everything to go out and raise money to make this happen. (Aside from the 24/7 viewing, the exhibit will be welcomed and closed with formal ceremonies 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the Chapman Lobby on the second floor of the Gateway Building, and a closing ceremony at 3 p.m. Sunday. Those are free and open to the public as well.) Follow community news editor Sally Ann Shurmur on Twitter @WYOSAS Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Wyomings prison population was the third-fastest growing in the country at the end of 2017, according to a government report released last week. The report, which was authored by two U.S. Department of Justice statisticians and released Thursday, states that Wyomings prison population grew by 4.2 percent between the year-ends of 2016 and 2017. The Cowboy State was outpaced only by Utah, where the incarceration rate grew by 4.3 percent, and Idaho, where the rate grew by 5.1 percent. The three states topping the list were also the only Mountain West states with notable increases. The report indicates the continuation of a trend a 2018 Star-Tribune analysis noted began more than a decade ago Wyoming prison population rates as a percentage of the states total population grow while national numbers drop. Nationwide, 390 per 100,000 people were locked in state prisons by the end of 2017 across the country. That number was down 7 from the year prior. In Wyoming, however, 429 people per 100,000 were in corrections department custody at years end, up more than 20 per 100,000 compared to the prior year. Because the report analyzes prison populations on the basis of supervising authority, rather than physical location, Wyoming Department of Corrections prisoners held in a Mississippi private prison for space reasons, are included in the total the report attributes to Wyoming. The report indicates Wyomings prison population increase was the result of both an increase in newly incarcerated people and a decrease in people released from prison. About 80 percent of people released from Wyoming prisons were let out on probation, supervised mandatory releases, and other unspecified terms. On a state-by-state basis, Wyoming is also in the minority. Twenty-nine states saw their prison populations decrease over the course of the year and in one, Maine, the population did not change. Of the Mountain Wests other five states, New Mexico did not report figures to the Department of Justice, while Nevada and Colorado saw changes of 0.2 percent. In Arizona, the number of people incarcerated dropped by 1.4 percent and in Montana, 3 percent. In Wyoming, as with every state in the country, male prison populations dwarf the number of incarcerated women. There about 7 times more men than women in Wyoming prisons. Nationwide, that number is about 12. Wyomings prison population growth likewise nearly all took place in mens facilities. Follow crime reporter Shane Sanderson on Twitter @shanersanderson Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. RIVERTON (WNE) Five people are in custody on charges of aggravated assault and battery following reports of confinement and assault at a Riverton residence late Saturday night Geraldine Blackburn, 56, 32-year-old Basil Blackburn, 22-year-old Kelly Martinez of Colorado, 34-year-old Darilyn Dodge of Arapahoe, and 23-year-old Janelle Warren of Arapahoe were arrested by the Riverton Police Department. A police report stated that two females were held against their will for approximately nine hours inside an apartment. An affidavit of the Fremont County Circuit Court of Riverton states that a woman came to police April 20 saying she had escaped confinement in the apartment by escaping through a back door, but, she said, my sister is still in there. On Tuesday before Judge Wesley A. Roberts, the five faced various charges related to unlawful confinement, including conspiracy to commit unlawful confinement, aiding or abetting unlawful confinement, and counseling or encouraging unlawful confinement. The charges are punishable by between 20 years and life in prison. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Wyoming retirees are no strangers to the world of caregiving. Many raised their own children, and today a large number provide unpaid care to family members or loved ones. As companies that provide home service in Wyoming try to recruit and retain a quality workforce, older more experienced caregivers are in high demand. Paid caregiving can be a great opportunity to stay active, connect with community and make pretty good money. Experts in the field tell me that the home care services industry is prioritizing recruiting retirees as caregivers. Home services companies offer their paying clients everything from companionship to personal care, medication reminders, meal preparation and even rides to and from medical appointments. Retirees often make outstanding professional caregivers for a variety of reasons. Retirees generally have experience in helping a loved one in a similar capacity; they tend to form a stronger personal connection with the eldest generation; and often times they are looking for ways to give back to their communities in their retirement years. Maguire says in some cases home service companies will pay between $10-20 per hour to someone willing to perform these services. Wyoming needs caregivers. According to AARP numbers, Wyoming has 66,000 unpaid caregivers offering support to family members, neighbors or loved ones. This translates into 62 million hours of care and $817 million per year. These numbers are important because without these unpaid caregivers, many of the beneficiaries of this care would end up in a nursing home paid for by the state. Last year, long-term care cost Wyoming around $138 million and the Department of Health suggests that number could rise to over $300 million over the next 10 years. Paid care providers provide a similar value. The cost of in-home care is typically a fraction of the cost of nursing home care. And that does not even take into account the independent value of being able to age in your own home. This value proposition gives both clients and the state considerable motivation to find more caregivers. The ability to make a little cash might be good motivation for retirees kicking around the idea of becoming a professional caregiver. Communities across the state have home care companies looking to bump up their workforce. Call around to find out what the job market looks like in your area. When you talk to a provider, tell them what you think you are capable of doing in terms of duties as well as the times you are available. If you dont think you can offer a lot of time, that is fine. Home service providers are often flexible and will try to match you with clients that fit your schedule. Before you commit to working with a home services organization its always a good idea to be clear about expectations, supports and employment status. You might ask these four questions First, would you be a direct employee of the company? Some organizations treat paid caregivers as employees and some treat them as contractors. That has implications for benefits and taxes. Second, would you be bonded and insured by the company to protect yourself legally? Third, what does the initial training look like before you are asked to provide support services and is there available continuing training? Finally, what sort of benefits above cash does the company offer? To find a list of service providers that the state Department of Healths Aging Division does work with, go to aarp.org/wyoming. Sam Shumway is the State Director for AARP Wyoming and he can be reached at sshumway@aarp.org or 307-432-5816 Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Recent events at Cheyennes McCormick Junior High have brought several issues to light. First, theyve illustrated the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing bullying on the school campus. In March, a substitute teacher and the sponsor of the Gay-Straight Alliance Club alerted the media and an LGBTQ advocacy group that some students on campus were hanging homophobic and racist flyers, part of a larger issue of bullying targeted at the LGBTQ students at the school. The students said the harassment and bullying had been ongoing for some time and was escalating in recent weeks. Shortly after the teacher came forward with this information, the principal informed her she was no longer welcome on the school campus. We condemned this decision to attack a whistleblower, and we were glad to see that the school walked back its original action and reinstated the teacher. But this highlights another pressing concern at the school. In the wake of these events, district officials have repeatedly fumbled in handling the situation. After temporarily banning the teacher who shined a light on this issue, we hoped the school and the district would be more cautious and thoughtful going forward. However, that hasnt always been the case. When the community learned about the flyers spouting racist and homophobic slurs, several members of the public demanded that district leaders take a firm stance in opposing the hateful messages. LCSD1 Superintendent Boyd Brown was asked by three different members of the public during a community meeting to denounce white supremacy. And all three times, he declined, citing the need for school board approval, according to reporting from the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. Board of Trustees Chair Marguerite Herman also declined to issue a statement denouncing white supremacy. More than a week later, Brown did read a statement clarifying that the school district opposed white supremacy and other hate-mongering ideologies. But we are concerned that the delay sent the wrong message to students, who needed to hear, without hesitation or delay, that racist ideologies are wrong. Unfortunately, that wasnt the last concerning incident in the response to the racist and homophobic flyers. Last week, McCormicks Gay-Straight Alliance club, those very students being bullied in the first place, were told that they could not wear LGBTQ-related apparel on school grounds. In fact, the students were told they werent even allowed to wear rainbow colors to school. District officials did this in response to a planned demonstration, in which students were planning to display Confederate flags or rainbow flags. In an effort to avoid distractions, they felt the best move was to ban all flags district-wide. Their motive may have been well-intentioned by banning all flags that would have incited other students, they sought to diffuse a quickly escalating situation. However, by banning LGBTQ flags and apparel in conjunction with Confederate flags, officials falsely equivocated the two. The students intending to fly LGBTQ flags were doing so in an effort to stand up against hate and bigotry. Their message was one of inclusiveness and equality. On the other side, those students carrying Confederate flags were only propagating hate and showing support for a violent insurrection against the American government in support of slavery. They are not the same and should not be treated as such. And doing so is both offensive and flies in the face of historical truth. We were heartened to see the district change course and allow students to continue wearing LGBTQ apparel. But again, we have to wonder, why was banning it ever a consideration? Most recently, Gillette lawmaker Scott Clem weighed in the issue and laid blame on the LGBTQ advocacy group, Wyoming Equality. Clem accused the group of exploiting children to further their agenda. But its worth noting that Wyoming Equality says it has been trying to engage with McCormicks principal for several years with no results. Ultimately, using media and a public platform was the last resort. And by accusing the advocacy group of exploiting these students, Clem is insulting the students intelligence by implying they arent capable of asking and advocating for change because they are children. Wyoming Equality is doing what it exists to do advocate on behalf of a group of people who would otherwise not have a platform. Last fall marked the 20th anniversary of the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student. During the coverage of the anniversary, some in the community were quick to complain that Matthew Shepards story belongs in the past that continuing to talk about how the LGBTQ community is treated in Wyoming is unnecessary. Unfortunately, its these instances that underscore how much more we have to learn from the story of Matthew Shepard. Wyoming still has a ways to go, and the first step in making change is acknowledging that problems persist. Editors note: This editorial was written before an announcement late Friday that Jeff Conine was no longer principal at McCormick Junior High School. Love 3 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A former Minister of Finance, Mr Seth Terkper, has advised the government against implementing policies that are popular with the electorate but have the tendency to hurt the economy in the long run. He cited the reduction in the benchmark values for imports as one such policy that could deepen the perennial fall in domestic revenue and lure the government into accumulating more debts in order to meet rising expenditure needs. In an interview last Saturday, Mr Terkper said the introduction of the policy at a time revenues had suffered consistent falls since 2016 begs the question if there have been any thorough discussions on it. With the benchmark valuation being the cedi value upon which import duties are calculated, he said reducing those values by 30 percent for vehicles and 50 percent for other imports can lead to an immediate drop in revenue. Before you get to the medium term, when you hope to become competitive with the ports to be able to attract the volumes, we must be ready to face the fact that a reduction of 30 to 50 percent in benchmark values will affect the tariff base collected by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, he explained. Customs collections In 2017, the Customs Division missed its target by 8.63 percent. The Commissioner General of the GRA, Mr Emmanuel Kofi Nti, said that year customs collected GH12.7 billion, against a target of GH13.9 billion. The shortfall increased to 18.6 percent last year, with actual collections in 2018 being GH13.19 billion, compared with a target of GH16.21 billion, Mr Nti said in January this year. Mr Terkper, who is a tax expert, explained that beyond affecting the base upon which import tariffs were calculated, the reduction in the benchmark values could also affect collections from excise duties, thereby deepening the implications of the policy on total revenue collections. If you change the base of computation, you are changing not just tariffs, which are the core Customs duties, but you are likely to change it for excise too. This is because there is some excise tax on imported vehicles and so that is going to be affected. Also, are you going to change for Value Added Tax (VAT)? he asked. Those ripple effects, he said, could lead to a huge revenue loss at a time the GRA is already struggling to meet its revenue targets. On an annual basis, domestic revenue collected by the GRA has turned up lower than budgeted since 2016. Consolidated Fund Mr Terkper also questioned the legality of the benchmark values, explaining that their continuous existence meant that the country was superimposing the benchmark values, previously called commissioners values, on invoice values. He recalled that following the introduction of the Single Window system at the ports, the country started moving towards World Customs Organisation base, which was invoice base, with strong customs database for prices and classifications. He said the reduction in some fees charged at the ports could also affect revenue inflows into the Consolidated Fund. Part of those fees are also internally generated funds (IGFs) for some of the agencies that have been named. So my worry now is that those that go into the Consolidated Fund will affect budget revenue and the portion that goes to the agencies will affect their IGFs. The question, then, is: what is the proposal to replace all these likely revenue losses at a time when Customs is already struggling? he asked. He asked traders to be moderate in their jubilation because of the reduction, saying that similar reductions in the past turned out to be short-lived. He cited the announcement of the recalibration of the Value Added Tax (VAT) rate, which was initially misinterpreted as a reduction; the reduction in taxes on spare parts, which turned out not to be true, and the continuous existence of taxes that were originally meant to be terminated by 2018 as examples. Source: Graphic.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video While Victim Services has always offered on-scene crisis response, the follow-up component is somewhat of a new thing, Helms said. Some victims might request follow-up assistance from crisis advocates at the scene and Victim Services always provides follow-up if a case progresses through the criminal justice system, but if no arrest is made, that used to be where Victim Services work ended, Helms said. But with funding last year from a Tucson Foundations grant, the division was able to hire two new advocates specifically to provide follow-up for victims identified through APRAIS. That has been the biggest change for us: Our ability to be able to connect with victims, even if it isnt on the scene, within 48 hours of the incident, Helms said. We find that provides an opportunity for victims to feel supported from the get-go and essentially seem to be more engaged in prosecution because they feel like they have a voice, which otherwise they may not have. Prior to APRAIS, Victim Services volunteers and advocates also had very limited contact with victims in misdemeanor cases. Occasionally, theyd be called by detectives to assist at the scene in misdemeanors, but the majority of their responses were to felony cases. Try as they might, the Ramirez family could not get anybody to drive them to the border west of Lukeville, the last step in a long journey from Honduras to the United States. The family of four were stuck in Sonoyta, the Mexican border town south of Luke-ville, after fleeing a gang that took over their neighborhood in Honduras. They needed somebody to take them to the Mexican highway that runs parallel to the border for a dozen miles west of town, but taxi drivers in Sonoyta said they feared drug traffickers along that stretch of highway. Finally, a woman took pity on Oscar Ramirez, his wife, Alba, and their 16-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter. She agreed to drive them to the border on one condition: She said, Im going to take you to the highway near the border, but you have to get out fast. If anybody sees me, they could kill me, because everybody works for the narcos, Ramirez said Thursday afternoon outside the former Benedictine Monastery in Tucson, which is now a temporary shelter. Thats a challenge. Because youre always having to center the conversation around our countrys history and our institutions history, she added. The conversation is rarely, if ever, about the history of indigenous people and the destructive effects that tribal conquest and colonization have had on Native Americans, she said. Barriers notwithstanding, indigenous students can and do find success at the UA, said Cheromiah and Tagaban. Much of that begins with Native SOAR. Cheromiah is the programs director and Tagaban is its graduate assistant. They said the program has proven to be effective in retaining indigenous students, but struggles from minimal resources. While the two are full-time grad students and not full-time employees, they have taken on the responsibility to find funds for the program. They said the challenge for the UA is to bring more resources to the program and for administrators to get out into the communities that are underrepresented at the UA. I honestly think if they were just present in some of these events that we go to in our communities that we love so much, they would learn so much and understand why these programs need to be sustained, said Cheromiah. I had that incredible experience at the state office and just tried to use that as a springboard to show where I think the field could be 20, 30, 40 years down the road and how I think I could be someone getting us to that point, Murugesan said. That was my vision, and I guess they agreed with that vision. Murugesan was competing against 840 candidates nominated from 346 colleges and universities, roughly 200 of which advanced to national interviews. But he said winning wasnt about beating anyone else. All the other finalists were just incredibly inspiring. It was cool just meeting them, Murugesan said. Busy campus life Murugesan is also chief and executive director of the UA Emergency Medical Services, a position that sometimes requires him to balance 6 a.m. shifts with his schoolwork. However, Murugesan said his passion for the job makes the hard work worth it. No two days are the exact same, and thats something I love about this field, the unpredictability of it is exciting, but also the privilege of being able to help people in some of their most vulnerable times, Murugesan said. It is a privilege, and at UA EMS, we really dont take that lightly. Veterans who were once lost have been found and laid in their final resting place at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Marana. During a Saturday afternoon event to honor their service to the country, the cemetery welcomed about 200 people made up of representatives from all military branches, families and friends who came to pay homage to 17 homeless or unclaimed veterans who were given their own spot inside the cemeterys stone columbarium. Each of the service members names were read aloud during a roll call, followed by a bell that was rung in their honor and to signal their watch was over. They were laid to rest with full military honors. We all know were going to be there one day, said Ret. U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Mike Matthews, who served in Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm. This is respect from all of us to anybody who has served. These people didnt have anybody, and we represent the community of veterans that come out to honor them so that they can be buried. Attendees came together under the clear Marana skies because of the work of volunteers with the Missing in America Project. OPINION: "We are now entering a new "industrial revolution," one in which using non-fossil fuels to power society is receiving all the attention. However, I contend we are making the same mistake as was made in the 1700's. Namely, we are not considering what will be the effect of the new sources of energy on the environment," writes Green Valley resident William Frix. From December 19th through December 26th we will be granting free access as a gift to our readers presented by Copenhagen Imports Some of the best places are like hidden gems you have to search for. Leaders of Christian organisations have asked their followers and members of the public to use this years Easter festivities to reflect on national challenges and lead lives that will help build a united country. They observed that although Easter was a religious festival for Christians to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ, it was equally a period for concerted efforts to be made to build bridges at all levels of national life. In separate statements to the Daily Graphic yesterday, the leaders urged members of the public to stay away from negative attitudes and tendencies that were inimical to national development. The Christian groups are the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference (GCBC), the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) and the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC). The President of the GCBC, the Most Rev. Philip Naameh; the Moderator of the General Assembly of the PCG, Rt Rev. Professor Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, and the President of the GPCC, Rev. Prof. Paul Frimpong-Manso, signed the statements for their respective groups. GCBC The GCBC called on Ghanaians to use the celebration of Easter to rise above all negative or harmful tendencies and see themselves as members of one nation. As members of the one family of Ghanaians, let us realise that there is the need for us to live in unity and peace. As Christians and children of God, we should realise, as St Paul says, that There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28), it said. It urged Ghanaians to eschew all ethnocentric tendencies, actions and statements that would not bring peace to the country. The message noted that the first gift of the risen Christ to His disciples was peace and, therefore, urged Ghanaians to pray for and work towards the realisation of peace in all sectors of their lives. They must also put an end to everything that did not promote peace, especially conflict and violence, it said. It said the celebration of Easter offered Ghanaians hope that their situation would never remain the same. It is our prayer that the Risen Lord will help us overcome these hardships and that the vulnerable, especially children, women and the elderly, will be protected from exploitation and desertion, it said. Unemployment The GCBC also expressed concern about the rising incidence of youth unemployment and called on the government and the private sector to help find practical solutions to that phenomenon, knowing that unemployment could lead and often led to many of the youth engaging in criminal activities, including cyber fraud, armed robbery, prostitution, among other vices. On the moral front, the message said if Ghanaians had died and risen with Christ, then they should put an end to immoral acts. We need to put an end to corruption, immoral sexual living, the embezzlement of public funds, armed robbery, the taking of illicit drugs, drunkenness, reckless driving, Internet fraud and other forms of fraud that are destroying the nation. It is our prayer that the resurrection of Christ will help us rise above these and other evils and live better lives as Ghanaians, it said. Presbyterian Church The PCG, in its message, said it was important for Christians to reflect on the death of Jesus and stay away from negative behaviours such as greed, hatred, envy and vindictiveness and work towards virtues that promoted national unity and cohesion. We all seem to blame Judas for the death of Jesus so much so that most people will not dare name their children as Judas, thinking that Judas is the most wicked person in the world. But we must note that through the story of Judas, God wants to teach us that greed is the number one destroyer of life and of communities in this world, the message said. It observed that violence and conflicts in the political, social and economic spaces resulting from the insatiable desire to gain undue advantage over others ought to be shelved in the interest of the country. Rev. Prof. Mante, who signed the message, also urged Christians to avoid the tendency of amassing material wealth on a silver platter. Easter teaches us that no great thing is achieved without some sacrifice. For a community, church or nation to progress, somebody or some people must be willing to sacrifice and suffer now, he said. The message called on members of the public to use the Easter festivities as an opportunity to inculcate the virtue of forgiveness, saying it was the greatest medicine for national development. GPCC For its part, the GPCC underscored the need for the Easter season to be used for reconciliation and renewing of stale relationships. Its statement to the Daily Graphic said it was when people forgave one another and worked together in unity that the country could progress. The world today must accept the message of reconciliation between God and humans and also between one human being and another. This message of reconciliation means the healing of our broken relationships and overcoming our hostilities towards one another and seeking the welfare of our neighbours, it said. It called on Christians to use the Easter season to confess their sins and also show love to other people. Source: Daily Graphic Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A stretch of North First Avenue is in the top 10% for pedestrian crashes citywide and was meant to be made safer in the coming years, but a funding gap has put it at risk. There is no surprise that Vietnam lies in the heart of this strategys approach toward Southeast Asia if taking the UK-Vietnam trade relations into account, a British trade commissioner has said. Introducing Global Britain as a new foreign policy, the UK implies their commitment to be an outwardly facing country, Her Majestys Trade Commissioners Natalie Black told Tuoi Tre News in an excusive interview last week. Potential partnership According to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), Vietnam is leading the way in ASEAN in terms of promoting free trade. While protectionist forces are on the rise, Vietnams approach is taken to be a typical example of free and open trade. And for observers like Black, Trade Commissioner for the Asia-Pacific region, Vietnams performance is seen as a sign of potential partnership and cooperation. We watch the Vietnam trade relationship carefully, she said in the interview on April 19. You are a big proponent of free and open trade, which is very important at the moment. Congratulations on your membership at CPTPP! I know that the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EUVFTA) is progressing very well, we are watching that closely. Black was referring to CPTPP as a free trade pact between 11 countries Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Their combined economy represents 13.4 percent of global GDP, approximately US$13.5 trillion. The pact entered into force on December 30 last year. The potential for cooperation between Vietnam and the UK is huge, according to the FCO. The ASEAN Economic Community is already a $2.6 trillion market and the sixth-largest economy in the world with over 640 million people, the office said. Bilateral trade between the UK and Vietnam is growing strongly, reaching around US$5.5 billion per year. However, this is just the beginning as London wants more UK companies to be trading with and investing in Vietnam. Commenting on trade activities between the two countries, Black underlines that they are thriving. Last year our trade was worth 5 billion pounds [$6.46 billion]... Exports from the UK to Vietnam increase by 9 percent, so we are really excited and proud of the relationship, she told Tuoi Tre News. The FCO noted that being an economic member of CPTPP, Vietnam is an important hub in connecting the value chain in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as an excellent example of a developing country participating in a new-generation free trade accord. This department also stated via email that the UK fully supports the EUVFTA. This expectation represents the UKs aim to continue trade and promote free trade alongside with Vietnam. Both countries share a vision on free trade and ambitions for an innovative economy. But those are not all UK and Vietnam have in common, the two nations are also facing many similar economic challenges, such as the need to adapt cities and infrastructure to changing demographics, climate change, and the impacts of automation and technology on the future of the job market. The FCO underlined that free trade has transformed many areas of the world, including Vietnam as a central plank of global prosperity and stability. Vietnam in Global Britain Global Britain is an ambitious strategy of the UK government, especially when the kingdom is leaving the European Union. For Brexiters, Global Britain could be seen as the way the UK repositions its partnerships post-Brexit by building a new position in the world and seeking alternative markets. To UK scholars, Southeast Asia and Vietnam in particular would be a good destination. Speaking on Vietnam in the Global Britain strategy, Black said: Global Britain is about our commitment to be an outwardly facing country. Southeast Asia in particular is very important for the UK government, and me myself. In my first six months in the role, I spent a lot of time travelling around Southeast Asia. And later this year, we will open a new British Embassy to ASEAN. We hope thatll show our particular commitment in Southeast Asia. There are nine new UK trade commissioners around the world. Black is in charge of Asia-Pacific, and covers North East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. According the trade commissioner, the UK has a great trading relationship with Vietnam across a whole range of sectors. That is why the UK is interested in how it can get more research and development and innovation in Vietnam to help a lot of Vietnamese companies grow and go global. Here in Vietnam, I think 25 percent of your population are under 35. So I really want to build a relationship with that generation, identify the new entrepreneurs, the new business people and work with them to build relationships in the UK, because we really want to see the future in Southeast Asia, she noted. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Your browser does not support the audio element. In a northwestern province of Vietnam lies beautiful mountains surrounded by fog, which appeal to many tourists as an impressive and mesmerizing place to explore. Known as Dinosaur Backbone, the mountains are nestled in Bac Yen District, Son La Province, which is home to Ta Xua National Park. The scenery is known to many local and foreign wayfarers for its beauty and mystery with clouds and fog floating around the top of the hills as if they were covering them. It takes a few hours to travel the distance of 100 kilometers from Son La City, the nearest municipality, to the mountains. There are two footpaths leading up to Dinosaur Backbone, both of which are narrow and can only be driven on by experienced drivers as they are quite dangerous. Hence, most visitors take a walk on the pathways running along the Dinosaur Backbone hills, climb the mountains, or just stop to take photos of the beautiful scenery. The scenery, people and even driving on the zigzag road to reach this place [Dinosaur Backbone] are an interesting experience, Phung Thi Thanh Huyen, a university student who traveled here with a group of friends from Hanoi, said. Standing on the hills, visitors are not only exposed to a mesmerizing sight of mountains surrounded by clouds and fog, they are also a witness to terrace paddy fields, known to local as stair paddy fields for their resemblance to an actual staircase. This is a unique and traditional form of practicing agriculture of Mong people, one of the ethnic minorities of Vietnam, which is also another attraction for visitors. According to one of the locals Mua Nhe Di, Dinosaur Backbone started attracting tourists around 10 years ago and the number of visitors has increased over the years. In response to this new influx of tourists, the Mong people started opening local diners where many tourists pass by. During the winter or raining season, the top of Dinosaur Bone will slowly disappear among a sea of clouds, especially in the early morning, Di said. Usually on the weekend this is an ideal place for backpackers and youngsters to go camping, gather, and get to know other visitors, he added. Here are some of the photos of Dinosaur Backbone mountains. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Your browser does not support the audio element. While previously many Vietnamese doctors lacked the expertise in comparison with foreign ones, nowadays Vietnamese medicine impresses the world with three branches including in vitro fertilization, cardiology, and endoscopy, with foreign doctors coming to Vietnam to learn about these procedures. The first foreign doctors and professors to come to Vietnam and learn from its medicine were welcomed by the National Hospital of Endocrinology. Now it is not the only hospital to embrace foreign doctors as other hospitals such as Tu Du Obstetric Hospital, Heart Institute Ho Chi Minh City, and University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City also provide training courses open to qualified foreigners. Doctor Do Quang Huan (fourth from left), director of Heart Hospital Ho Chi Minh City, is seen in a photo with his team, foreign doctors who came to learn from Vietnams procedures, and a cardiac patient. Photo: Mai Chi / Tuoi Tre Training courses for foreign doctors Doctor Tran Ngoc Luong, director of the National Hospital of Endocrinology, is known for being the first surgeon in the world to do a thyroid endoscopic surgery with the cut being between the neck and armpit, which was done around 10 years ago. Vietnamese techniques usually stand out thanks to their practicality, time-saving feature, and low cost as both Vietnamese hospitals and patients cannot afford high expenses. Hence, instead of having a hospital buy an expensive robot for thyroid endoscopic surgery like hospitals in developed countries, Doctor Luong had to come up with his own solution when in 2004 he was the first person to successfully conduct the surgery. Currently, the technique has been shown to doctors and professors of many countries including Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, India, Korea, Pakistan, Thailand, Australia, Singapore, and China, among others. In regard to technique, it is very simple, and the tools used are the most basic ones for endoscopic surgery, but the effect is apparent, with patients not having a long scar on their necks, Doctor Luong said, adding that it might be the main reason why so many doctors in the world are interested. There have been around 300 foreign doctors who have come to Vietnam to learn Doctor Luongs technique with one-third being professors and most being experienced doctors. Even though the technique has drawn much interest from foreign counterparts all over the world, the expenses for learning it are very low and a course usually lasts from one to three weeks. Another area of medicine that has significantly improved throughout the years is endoscopic surgery. In 2003, the University Medical Hospital Ho Chi Minh City was the first hospital to establish a center to train endoscopic surgery techniques with a simulation system worth US$200,000. It was also one of the two institutions in Asia to allow doctors to practice on real corpses. Until now, the center has provided training for over 1,600 surgeons, 700 of whom were foreigners. Tu Du Obstetric Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, which implements endoscopic procedures in obstetrics, is another unit to notice the influx of foreign doctors having come to Vietnam for training in the last 10 years. According to Doctor Ba My Nhi, vice-director of the hospital, it has welcomed and trained doctors from many countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, and the Philippines, among others. In order for the foreign doctors to qualify for the training, they need to meet many tough requirements including showing their passports, having a letter of recommendation, and a certificate for basic understanding and implementation of endoscopic techniques. On the other hand, the trainees can enjoy low costs as it only costs from $800 to $1,000 for a course, which is usually six to eight weeks long. Vietnamese doctor Phan Hoang Hiep (fourth from left), a doctor at the National Hospital of Endocrinology, operates on a patient during a model operation he did for 110 Bangladeshi doctors. Photo: Supplied From being taught to teaching others Thirty years ago, around 50 Vietnamese doctors came to France to study modern cardiology, yet nowadays the doctors of these countries teach their counterparts and share their experience with them. The Heart Institute Ho Chi Minh City has become one of the most reputable places to study heart surgery, both nationally and internationally. Instead of coming to France for training, many foreign doctors choose Vietnam instead. So far, the institute has provided training for over 270 doctors from several countries including New Zealand, Germany, Singapore, the Philippines, Morocco, and more. Many foreign doctors register for training but we limit each training to six or eight people so as to guarantee its efficiency, Doctor Do Quang Han, director of the Heart Institute Ho Chi Minh City, said, adding that the institute hopes to teach foreign doctors everything they can so that these doctors can save more lives in their own countries. Not only are these doctors pioneers of Vietnam, but their talent are also acknowledged worldwide, as many have been invited to several panel discussions and conferences in developed countries such as the U.S., China, Korea, and European countries, among others. When I am invited to countries whose medicine is developed to lead a conference or do a model surgery, I do not consider that my own personal pleasure but our countrys pride, Doctor Nguyen Van Phan, vice-director of the Heart Institute Ho Chi Minh City, said. In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed their interest in turning the Oncology Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City into a training center for cancer care for countries in the Southeast Asian region. The WHO is currently researching the human resources and facilities for the hospital before reaching a final conclusion, Doctor Pham Xuan Dung, director of the Oncology Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A total 16 people were killed in traffic accidents across Vietnam on the first of a five-day holiday marking Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers Day (May 1). Nineteen crashes occurred in the Southeast Asian country on Saturday, killing 16 victims and injuring 15 others, the National Committee for Traffic Safety confirmed. Traffic police officers dealt with approximately 4,328 traffic violations on the same day, issuing fines worth a combined VND4 billion (US$172,000) and revoking 613 drivers licenses. About 32 automobiles and 512 motorbikes were impounded for the offenses. The hotline of the traffic safety committee received eight reports from residents regarding traffic violations and congestion. All of the issues were promptly solved following the reports. Public workers in Vietnam are given five days off, from April 27 to May 1, to celebrate Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers Day (May 1). Many people in big cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City started traveling to their hometowns on Saturday, resulting in serious traffic jams on major routes and at the cities entrances. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Here are todays leading news stories: Politics -- A state funeral will be held for former State President Le Duc Anh in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on May 3 and 4, with Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong leading the funeral committee. Society -- Sixteen people were killed and 15 others injured in traffic accidents across Vietnam on Saturday, the first of a five-day (April 27 to May 1) holiday marking Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers Day (May 1). -- A 23-year-old man, who is a senior student of a major university in Ho Chi Minh City, was apprehended on Saturday for allegedly murdering his 59-year-old aunt by hitting her head with a hammer. -- One person was killed while another critically injured after a motorbike crashed into a passenger bus as it descended the Prenn Pass in Da Lat, a famous tourist city in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, on Saturday night. -- A 25-year-old man and 14-year-old girl in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa have run away after they were discovered having sex on multiple occasions, which eventually causing the young girl to be pregnant, according to the girls family. -- Five crew members aboard a Vietnamese fishing boat were brought to safety by search and rescue units on Saturday afternoon, five days after their ship broke down and drifted in a maritime area located to the south of the Gulf of Tonkin. -- Police in the north-central province of Nghe An on Saturday arrested 13 members of an illegal ring for scamming people on Facebook and pocketing tens of billions of dong (VND10 billion = US$430,000). -- Nearly 1,000 houses in the northern province of Phu Tho were damaged after a hailstorm occurred in the locality on early Saturday morning. -- A car driver was caught traveling in the wrong direction along the expressway connecting Hanoi and the northern city of Hai Phong on Saturday afternoon and attempted to run away by steering his vehicle in reverse. He was eventually stopped by local authorities. Business -- Three solar power plants worth more than VND7 trillion ($301 million) were put into operation in the south-central province of Binh Thuan on Saturday, with their capacity totaling 330 MWP (Megawatt Peak). Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The wife of Nguyen Huu Linh, a former procuracy official who is being probed for child molestation, has withdrawn a denunciation letter against her supposed insulters, just hours after she submitted it to police in the central Vietnamese city of Da Nang. Tran Thi Thanh Tan, who resides in Hai Chau District, Da Nang, took back her denunciation on late Saturday afternoon. The district's police unit confirmed earlier the same day that Tan had submitted the document, stating that multiple individuals and organizations had insulted and humiliated her and her family. She reiterated how her house was defaced and smeared with paint and dirty substances, and how photos of herself and her children were shared on social media for public shaming. The only request she has for local authorities now is to ensure safety and security for her family, said Colonel Tran Phuoc Huong, chief of police in Hai Chau District. On Friday, Tan penned a heartfelt letter to the municipal Department of Police, stating that she and her children have tried to deal with public pressure during this tough time, but they were no longer able to bear it anymore. They had been too frightened to return to their house, Tan wrote. The wife acknowledged that what her husband did was wrong and extended her apologies, saying she was partly responsible for his mistake. But my children and other family members have nothing to do with this, she said. Tans husband, Linh, is currently being probed by police in District 4, Ho Chi Minh City for molesting an under 16-year-old person. The man, who is former deputy head of the Da Nang Peoples Procuracy, has yet to be arrested but is required not to leave his place of residence. The alleged sexual harassment occurred at around 9:10 pm on April 1 and was caught on CCTV installed in an elevator of the Galaxy 9 apartment building in District 4. In the video, Linh could be seen grabbing and kissing a young girl, estimated to be somewhere between five and seven years old. Legal procedures against Linh were initiated last Sunday, 20 days after the incident. Prior to this decision, the public had been pressing police to file charges against the man. His house in Da Nang was repeatedly smeared with paint and dirty substances. Someone also painted a large text reading child sex abuse on his houses metal fence gate. The management board of the Galaxy 9 had submitted a petition to Ho Chi Minh City authorities, demanding that legal proceedings be launched against Linh. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Ms Sarah Adwoa Sarfo, the Deputy Majority Leader of Parliament, has called for a high-quality research finding for Parliament to use as evidence in decision making and come out with good policies. The gathering of evidence and the use of such data by Parliament to carry out the function of overseeing the activities and spending of the executive is relevant in the democratic dispensation of every country, she added. Ms Sarfo made the call on Monday in Accra at the opening ceremony of a three-day training workshop on Evidence Generation and use of Legislative Oversight Function in Ghana and ECOWAS Parliaments. The workshop brought together ECOWAS Parliaments and administrative staff of Parliament of Ghana, hosted by the Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results (CLEAR) of Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in collaboration with CLEAR South Africa with support from the World Bank. She said most of the evidence in policy-making were not necessarily scientific, but emanated from statistical data, public opinion, input from think tanks, reports of stakeholders, consultation and evaluation of seminars, which were not empirical enough for effective decision making. Ms Sarfo who is also the Minister for Public Procurement and a Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, said the availability of research and reliable information were critical factors for evidence policies and laws in parliamentary procedures. She expressed concern about the existing bureaucracies within the executive, which occasionally slows down access to critical information, thereby impeding decision making processes of parliament on its oversight functions. Parliament is empowered to control the expenditure of public of the country and also exercises oversight function over the executive, which is imperative in article 93(2) of the 1992 constitution. She said Legislative function of Parliament includes passing bills into laws and scrutinizing statutory instruments, authorized the granting of loans and monitors the exchange receipts and payments, which was imperative in article 184 of the Constitution. Ms Sarfo said the passage of the Right to Information Bill would enhance evidence generation of use by Parliament and its various committees as well as the general citizens, adding that the digitalization of Parliament activities into e-procurement was a further enhancement of evidence gathering to promote proper oversight over the executive. The training programme will promote evidence used by Parliament through building the capacity of parliamentarians to use monitoring and evaluation as part of its oversight functions. Mr Frederick Opare Ansah, a representative of ECOWAS Parliament Delegation, said the training would empower participants with the needed skills to improve service delivery in public administration. Professor Philip Duku Osei, the Deputy Rector of GIMPA, said training and development of public and private institutions had been the institutes hallmark, urging participants to make good use of the knowledge acquired and impact it positively to their various countries. Dr Charles Amoatey, the Coordinator for CLEAR GIMPA, said participants would be taken through topics including National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy, Evidence-informed Policy, and Approach to Assessing Evidence. 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 On Valentines Day 2018, instead of enjoying a romantic tete-a-tete, Russian oil and gas tycoon Farkhad Akhmedov was having his $436 million superyacht impounded in Dubais Port Rashid as part of his bitter divorce battle with ex-wife Tatiana. Luckily for the oligarch, last month the Dubai court of appeal ruled that he could have his boat back. Farkhad and Tatianas split reached meteoric levels in 2016 when the tycoon was ordered by Londons High Court to hand over roughly 40 percent of his fortune to his former wife; after the oligarch failed to pay the costly divorce bill, the London court ordered a global freeze on the tycoons assets. Dubai obliged until now. Akhmedovs pride and joy Luna boasts everything from a mini-submarine to a helicopter landing pad to what was once the largest outdoor pool on any superyacht. Farkhad bought the opulent craft from his friend and Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich in 2014the same year that Tatiana filed for divorce in London, though her former husband claims that they were already divorced before they left Moscow. Opulence galore onboard Luna The oligarch once memorably quipped that he would rather watch the Luna rot under the Dubai sun than hand it over to Tatiana. The boat is undoubtedly worth fighting for, resembling more of a floating luxury villa than a yacht. All nine decks are kept in pristine condition by a crew of fifty, and a single one of Lunas lifeboats costs $4 million. She seems to be customised specially for a man anticipating trouble, replete with a missile detection system, bulletproof windows and bomb-proof doors. Even so, it seems no amount of hardware may be sufficient to protect her from Tatiana and her legal teamwho have vowed to appeal in the Dubai courts. The Luna is far from the only luxurious craft Russian oligarchs have splashed out major cash onnor the only one to be embroiled in a marital dispute. Natural gas mogul Oleg Burlakov, who sensationally escaped an assassination attempt in Moscow last fall, snatched up the worlds largest sailing yacht, which he named the Black Pearl after the ship from the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. The Black Pearl is powered by solar energy, and boasts luxuries such as a beach club which can be converted into a cinema. Oleg may not be able to enjoy his waterside cinema much longer, howeverthe oligarch is reportedly on the verge of divorcing his long-time wife and has been spotted dining and shopping at Moscow hotspots with a young girl, Sofiya Shevtsova. Under Russian law, Burlakovs wife should be entitled to a substantial portion of the family fortunebut Shevtsova is reportedly trying her best to ensure that Oleg keeps the lions share of his riches, including the Black Pearl. Who gets the yacht in the divorce? Another one of Russias richest men, Vladimir Potanin, tussled over the family collection of Yachts during his own extremely expensive divorce with his long-time wife; the two fought over more than 10 billion worth of assets accumulated over the course of their marriage, with Natalia insisting on ownership of one of the family yachts as part of her settlement. Vladimir seemed set on keeping his purse strings tight, initially offering his ex a paltry sum. Natalia argued she was entitled to much more from the richest man in Russia, given her former husbands $15.4 billion fortune, not including untold wealth in offshore companies. "Natalia claims Potanin's real wealth is held in offshore companies, and she's launched an international legal battle to get hold of it," CNN reported, with Natalia pledging to give her claimed shares to the state: I want such a big strategic object to be under the state control, she said. While Natalia fought for her share of their joint riches, Potanin added a third yacht to his fleet. Abramovich's "navy" Potanins collection, however, has nothing on the veritable navy of stunning yachts which Abramovich has accumulated. Once the holder of the enviable, but apparently fickle, title of the Richest Man in Russia, Abramovich sits on a massive personal fortune. The tycoon is the majority shareholder of Evraz, Russias second-largest steelmaker, and also owns a stake in the largest producer of refined nickel worldwide, Norilsk Nickel. He has also been married three times, with his second divorce being with Irina Malandina, his wife of 16 years. When the two were married in 1991, Abramovich had not yet amassed the bulk of his wealth; by the time of their separation, he was worth almost $19 billion. Malandina managed to walk away with a real prize: the Pelorus, the worlds 11th largest yacht at the time of her delivery in 2003. Even when these opulent crafts dont get dragged into divorce court, they can present legal troubles for their owners: take the case of Boris Berezovsky, for example, who defaulted on payments for one of his yachts amid a humiliating court battle with Abramovich. His vessel Darius suffered serious flood damage thanks to a leaking porthole while it was under construction in Germanyand that was only the beginning of Berezovskys problems. When the Russian oligarch failed to make contractual payments on the boat, he was forced to sell it to the Emirati Al Futtaim family for the bargain price of 200 million. The tycoon, whose body was discovered in his upscale English home in 2013 under suspicious circumstances, had a further two yachts seized by French authorities while he was being investigated for fraud, money laundering and other crimes. These oligarchs may seem like they're living the high life with their luxury vessels, but their constant stream of legal troubles and romantic drama tarnishes their seemingly gilded existence. A police officer lays flowers at the scene in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, following the death of 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Images via Getty Images The death of a 29-year-old journalist during riots in Northern Ireland on Thursday night is being considered a terrorist incident, police have confirmed. Lyra McKee was shot and killed Thursday in Creggan, a heavily Catholic area of Londonderry, during a night of unrest in the Northern Irish city. Police said on Friday that dissident republican group the New IRA was likely responsible for her death. We believe this to be a terrorist act, assistant chief constable Mark Hamilton said. We believe it has been carried out by violent dissident republicans. Hamilton said a number of shots were fired at police, as well as petrol bombs. "The death of Lyra McKee in last night's suspected terrorist incident in Londonderry is shocking and truly senseless. My deepest condolences go to her family, friends and colleagues. She was a journalist who died doing her job with great courage, prime minister Theresa May said in a statement Friday. Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar also condemned the attack in a statement. The Government condemns in the strongest possible terms the fatal shooting of journalist and writer Lyra McKee in Derry. We are all full of sadness after last nights events. We cannot allow those who want to propagate violence, fear, and hate to drag us back to the past, Varadkar said. McKee was an internationally recognized journalist who had appeared on Forbes 30 under 30 list in media in 2016. Originally from Belfast, she was known for her coverage of the Northern Irish conflict and had recently signed a deal to publish two books. The first book, The Lost Boys, was about the Troubles and a group of young boys who went missing in Belfast. It was set to be released next year. McKee first gained prominence for a 2014 blog post called Letter To My 14-Year-Old Self, where she wrote about growing up gay in Belfast. Her last tweet was sent from the scene of the unrest in Londonderry: The UK's second-biggest steel producer is seeking an urgent 100m government loan after Theresa May's failure to pass a Brexit deal left it frozen out of an EU-wide carbon trading scheme. Sky News has learnt that British Steel, which directly employs 5,000 people, is in talks with Whitehall about securing the emergency funding within weeks. Ministers have drafted in the professional services firm KPMG to advise them on the talks, which have been going on for several weeks, insiders said this weekend. Greg Clark, the business secretary, has been briefed about the situation. British Steel is understood to face a cash-flow shortfall as a consequence of the European Union's decision not to allocate UK-based companies their usual permits under its carbon emissions trading system (ETS). Under the scheme, industrial polluters - which should have been awarded their permits last month - can use their allocation to pay for their previous year's emissions. The freezing out of British companies from this year's EU ETS allocation covers more than 2bn of emissions allowances, equating to 100m tonnes of carbon credits - with British Steel accounting for roughly 5% of the total. However, British Steel is understood to have already utilised last year's permits to fund working capital requirements, leaving it unable to pay for the current round of carbon credits. This week's six-month Brexit extension is thought to have exacerbated the issue for the company because without an imminent deal being approved by parliament, the UK would continue to be excluded from the ETS. The government's participation in the talks about providing financial support to British Steel is understood to be being led by the department for business, energy and industrial strategy (BEIS), with the environment agency and the treasury also involved. British Steel has approached officials about a short-term commercial loan, although other options are also thought to have been under consideration. Story continues A source expressed scepticism about the likelihood of such a loan being provided because of issues relating to state aid that would arise. Owned by the private investment firm Greybull Capital, British Steel has been revived from the brink of closure since it was acquired from the Indian giant Tata Steel in 2016. The company broke even in its first year after Greybull's takeover and has reported positive earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation in each of the last three years. Greybull is being advised by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) on its search for new funding, while EY, another of the big four accounting firms, is advising the company's lenders, which include PNC and ABN Amro. A source close to the discussions dismissed speculation that British Steel's Scunthorpe plant could face an uncertain future as a result of the funding impasse. "There is no scenario where this creates uncertainty over Scunthorpe," the source said, denying the suggestion that ministers had been warned that it could face closure. However, the prospects of the company securing a loan from commercial lenders in the next fortnight were dismissed as remote, meaning that it could face a hefty financial penalty from Brussels next year for failing to surrender its credits on time. In addition to the 5,000 people it employs directly, British Steel's supply chain is responsible for a further 20,000 jobs. The company is the largest supplier of steel rails to Network Rail and its French counterpart, SNCF. It produces 2.8m tonnes of steel annually, meaning it ranks second in size behind Tata Steel, the owner of the vast Port Talbot steelworks in Wales. The company's turnaround programme under Greybull's ownership has involved cost reductions, more than 150m of investment in plant and machinery and a series of overseas acquisitions. British Steel is now reported to be pursuing further expansion through the potential acquisition of Ascoval in France. Earlier this month, the company promoted Gerald Reichmann, its chief financial officer, to chief executive. In a statement to Bloomberg News in February, Mr Reichmann said British Steel had "robust plans in place to deal with the various Brexit scenarios including the change in carbon credit regime". British Steel exports much of what it produces to Europe, meaning that Brexit-related issues have posed an increasingly pressing headache for the company and its shareholder. "The reality is that this impasse is making the industry in the UK much less competitive," said one insider. Last month, the BEIS select committee accused ministers of neglecting the steel industry by failing to unveil a sector deal as part of the government's industrial strategy. The funding squeeze at British Steel is the latest problem to affect an embattled manufacturing sector in recent months. Much of the focus has been on the automotive sector, with job cuts at Ford and a decision by Nissan to abandon plans to build its X-Trail SUV in Sunderland. In February, Honda confirmed the closure of its Swindon plant in 2021, putting more than 2000 jobs under threat. Greybull has a history of investing in troubled companies, including the airline Monarch, which collapsed in 2017. Greybull and British Steel both declined to comment this weekend, while BEIS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Chinas ambassador to the UK has urged the Government to act independently and resist external pressure as he defended the tech giant Huawei. The firm is at the centre of a Whitehall leak inquiry after details emerged of a National Security Council (NSC) meeting when Theresa May was said to have given the green light for Huawei to help build the UKs 5G communications network. Some of the UKs closest allies have blocked Huawei from work on their own networks because of security concerns, some of which were reportedly raised by Cabinet ministers present at the NSC meeting about the firms involvement. Chinese ambassador Liu Xiaoming defended Huaweis security record and urged the UK to resist external pressure over the firms involvement in 5G (Nick Ansell/PA) The US has banned Huawei from its government networks and Australia also has restrictions in place, but there is no united position within the Five Eyes intelligence alliance which also includes the UK, Canada and New Zealand. Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Beijings ambassador Liu Xiaoming questioned whether the UK would choose independent decision-making or not. Countries of global influence, like the UK, make decisions independently and in accordance with their national interests, he said. When it comes to the establishment of the new 5G network, the UK is in the position to do the same again by resisting pressure, working to avoid interruptions and making the right decision independently based on its national interests and in line with its need for long-term development. He urged the UK to resist protectionism and added: The last thing China expects from a truly open and fair global Britain is a playing field that is not level. Mr Liu said security concerns around the development of 5G were understandable because it was a new technology and is not perfect. The risks should be taken seriously but risks must not be allowed to incite fear. They can be managed, provided countries and companies work together. Story continues Huawei has had a good track record on security over the years, having taken the initiative to invest in a Cyber Security Evaluation Centre which employs an all-British monitoring team. The company has been working hard to improve its technology and to enhance the security and reliability of its equipment. The manner in which details of the NSC discussion were leaked to the Daily Telegraph has prompted a major inquiry. Members of the Cabinet were expected to be summoned for interviews as part of the formal inquiry headed by Cabinet Secretary and National Security Adviser Sir Mark Sedwill. Ministers and aides were reportedly issued questionnaires requiring them to explain where they were in the hours following Tuesdays NSC meeting. The Cabinet Secretary, Sir Mark Sedwill, is heading the leak inquiry (PA) They were also said to have been asked to provide details of all mobile phones in their possession and whether they spoke to the Telegraph, which carried the original report about the Huawei decision. Much of the attention has focused on five ministers who were said to have voiced objections to the Huawei decision Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox. MPs were quick to link the leak to the manoeuvrings around the Tory leadership, with whoever was responsible hoping to burnish their credentials for being tough on China. All five, however, have either publicly denied being the guilty party or let it be known through aides that they were not responsible. Also present at the meeting were David Lidington, the Cabinet Office Minister and Mrs Mays de facto deputy, Chancellor Philip Hammond, Business Secretary Greg Clark and Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright. Much of the anger around the leak from the NSC where ministers are briefed by the heads of the intelligence agencies, MI5, MI6 and GCHQ reflects concern among MPs and officials that it could damage intelligence-sharing with key partners such as the US. Some MPs have called for the matter to be referred to the police or for MI5 investigators to be brought in, amid concerns that conventional Whitehall leak inquiries have a poor track record of finding the culprit. Fifty years ago, French liberation-hero-turned-president Charles de Gaulle stepped down after losing a crucial vote. Here's a look at the events that led up to his resignation half a century ago.On 27 April 1969, De Gaulle asked the French to vote on a long-awaited bill which would set up new regions in France and renew the Senate.A few days earlier, as a peace gesture, he had announced he would quit if he lost the vote.The French rejected the bill by a majority of 52.41%.The next day, De Gaulle resigned, as he had promised.Here are some key events leading up to De Gaulle's resignation. Fifty years ago, French liberation-hero-turned-president Charles de Gaulle stepped down after losing a crucial vote. Here's a look at the events that led up to his resignation half a century ago. On 27 April 1969, De Gaulle asked the French to vote on a long-awaited bill which would set up new regions in France and renew the Senate. A few days earlier, as a peace gesture, he had announced he would quit if he lost the vote. The French rejected the bill by a majority of 52.41%. The next day, De Gaulle resigned, as he had promised. Here are some key events leading up to De Gaulle's resignation. The number of Facebook profiles of people who have died may exceed the number of living profiles in just 50 years, according to a new study. As such, the social network could become the keeper of a significant part of humanitys memory. The dead will one day take over Facebook. In 50 years, if not sooner, there will likely be more profiles of deceased people than of living users on the social network, according to a study published online by the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) on April 27.This study is the first to give a scientifically rigorous projection of the development of dead user profiles, said Carl Ohman, researcher at the OII Digital Ethics Laboratory and author of the report. Ohman cross-referenced United Nations data on mortality rates by age group and country with the figures he was able to obtain on Facebook users to establish two evolution scenarios.Unable to predict the exact growth in the total number of users, currently standing at nearly two billion members, the researcher selected two extreme situations. At first, he imagined that there would never be any new people registered on the social network again. In this extreme hypothesis, nearly 98% of Facebooks population will have died by the end of the century, and the number of deaths will exceed the number of living people by 2070.A digital cemetery mainly populated by Asians and AfricansIf, on the other hand, Facebook continues to gain new users at the same rate as at present (13% growth per year), it will not be until the first decade of the 22nd century that the balance of power between the living and the dead is reversed. There would then be nearly five billion profiles of deceased people on the social network.Neither of these two evolution scenarios is credible, admitted Ohman. The reality lies somewhere in between these two extremes. If I had to make an informed estimate, I would say that there will be more profiles of deceased people than of living users on Facebook in 60 to 70 years, said the researcher in an interview with FRANCE 24.While analysing the data, he also realised that this digital cemetery will be populated mainly by Africans and Asians. These are the continents where the growth in the number of users is most dynamic, he said. By his estimations, no European country would feature in the top 10 most represented nations.This revelation raised a problem for him: Currently, Facebooks measures to honour the dead such as memorial pages are inspired by Western customs. Facebook needs to take into account the sensitivities of all cultures with regards to death, especially as the body of users will become more and more African and Asian.However, he fears that the American company will not change anything because like any commercial organisation, it will always be more attentive to its most profitable customers. And, in this case, this means its European or North American users.The first democratic archiveHowever it is also possible that Facebook will no longer exist in a few years time, or a competitor will have dethroned it. And this would obviously distort all our projections, admitted Ohman.However, this does not call into question his analytical work because, he stressed, if it is not Facebook, it will be one or two other internet giants, and the central question of the future of our digital heritage remains.Until now, historians have mainly worked on the traces left behind by the powerful and illustrious characters who, in the end, are the ones who write history, Ohman pointed.But all the messages, the family photos, the likes and even the shared images of cats constitute a collection of information that has both sentimental and historical value for future generations, said the researcher. For him, this immense archive represents the first truly democratic archive of an era in the history of humanity.However, Facebook holds the keys to this resource, and thats where the problem lies. In this digital age, historical data and, more broadly speaking, the human memory is increasingly in the hands of a few technological empires that respond to profit-seeking logic above all, said Ohman.Scandals, such as that of Cambridge Analytica, have demonstrated Facebooks limitations when it comes to protecting personal data. So what about the preservation of all these memories and experiences?Keeping track of the activity of all deceased users costs money, and the pages of the dead are also economically less profitable, since Facebook does not place advertising on them. If the social network decided to remove them to increase its profits, it might be tempting to first remove the dead users who offer the least economic value, which could first concern the profiles of Africans, warned Ohman.Orwell to the rescue?An alternative is that Facebook could try to monetise access to this vast and unprecedented archive, over which the social network holds all the rights. History would then become a commodity, said the researcher. In this pessimistic view of the future, historians might have to pay small fortunes to access images or comments posted by participants in the Arab Spring, during which Facebook played a central role.The purpose of this study is not only to predict the date when the dead will outnumber the living, but to appeal to politicians to warn them of the risks of privatising the memory of a whole section of humanity, said Ohman.He would like Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, to emulate Twitter, which donated the digital archive of all of its public tweets to the U.S. Library of Congress in 2010. But, if Facebook resists, legislators need to try to convince Facebook to let historians, archivists or librarians have a say in how the preservation of this data is managed.According to Ohman, it is also essential for political reasons because as George Orwell observed in his book 1984, he who controls access to our past also controls how we perceive our present.This article was adapted from the original in French. The number of Facebook profiles of people who have died may exceed the number of living profiles in just 50 years, according to a new study. As such, the social network could become the keeper of a significant part of humanitys memory. The dead will one day take over Facebook. In 50 years, if not sooner, there will likely be more profiles of deceased people than of living users on the social network, according to a study published online by the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) on April 27. This study is the first to give a scientifically rigorous projection of the development of dead user profiles, said Carl Ohman, researcher at the OII Digital Ethics Laboratory and author of the report. Ohman cross-referenced United Nations data on mortality rates by age group and country with the figures he was able to obtain on Facebook users to establish two evolution scenarios. Unable to predict the exact growth in the total number of users, currently standing at nearly two billion members, the researcher selected two extreme situations. At first, he imagined that there would never be any new people registered on the social network again. In this extreme hypothesis, nearly 98% of Facebooks population will have died by the end of the century, and the number of deaths will exceed the number of living people by 2070. A digital cemetery mainly populated by Asians and Africans If, on the other hand, Facebook continues to gain new users at the same rate as at present (13% growth per year), it will not be until the first decade of the 22nd century that the balance of power between the living and the dead is reversed. There would then be nearly five billion profiles of deceased people on the social network. Neither of these two evolution scenarios is credible, admitted Ohman. The reality lies somewhere in between these two extremes. If I had to make an informed estimate, I would say that there will be more profiles of deceased people than of living users on Facebook in 60 to 70 years, said the researcher in an interview with FRANCE 24. Story continues While analysing the data, he also realised that this digital cemetery will be populated mainly by Africans and Asians. These are the continents where the growth in the number of users is most dynamic, he said. By his estimations, no European country would feature in the top 10 most represented nations. This revelation raised a problem for him: Currently, Facebooks measures to honour the dead such as memorial pages are inspired by Western customs. Facebook needs to take into account the sensitivities of all cultures with regards to death, especially as the body of users will become more and more African and Asian. However, he fears that the American company will not change anything because like any commercial organisation, it will always be more attentive to its most profitable customers. And, in this case, this means its European or North American users. The first democratic archive However it is also possible that Facebook will no longer exist in a few years time, or a competitor will have dethroned it. And this would obviously distort all our projections, admitted Ohman. However, this does not call into question his analytical work because, he stressed, if it is not Facebook, it will be one or two other internet giants, and the central question of the future of our digital heritage remains. Until now, historians have mainly worked on the traces left behind by the powerful and illustrious characters who, in the end, are the ones who write history, Ohman pointed. But all the messages, the family photos, the likes and even the shared images of cats constitute a collection of information that has both sentimental and historical value for future generations, said the researcher. For him, this immense archive represents the first truly democratic archive of an era in the history of humanity. However, Facebook holds the keys to this resource, and thats where the problem lies. In this digital age, historical data and, more broadly speaking, the human memory is increasingly in the hands of a few technological empires that respond to profit-seeking logic above all, said Ohman. Scandals, such as that of Cambridge Analytica, have demonstrated Facebooks limitations when it comes to protecting personal data. So what about the preservation of all these memories and experiences? Keeping track of the activity of all deceased users costs money, and the pages of the dead are also economically less profitable, since Facebook does not place advertising on them. If the social network decided to remove them to increase its profits, it might be tempting to first remove the dead users who offer the least economic value, which could first concern the profiles of Africans, warned Ohman. Orwell to the rescue? An alternative is that Facebook could try to monetise access to this vast and unprecedented archive, over which the social network holds all the rights. History would then become a commodity, said the researcher. In this pessimistic view of the future, historians might have to pay small fortunes to access images or comments posted by participants in the Arab Spring, during which Facebook played a central role. The purpose of this study is not only to predict the date when the dead will outnumber the living, but to appeal to politicians to warn them of the risks of privatising the memory of a whole section of humanity, said Ohman. He would like Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, to emulate Twitter, which donated the digital archive of all of its public tweets to the U.S. Library of Congress in 2010. But, if Facebook resists, legislators need to try to convince Facebook to let historians, archivists or librarians have a say in how the preservation of this data is managed. According to Ohman, it is also essential for political reasons because as George Orwell observed in his book 1984, he who controls access to our past also controls how we perceive our present. This article was adapted from the original in French. FILE PHOTO: Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara gives a speech during a summit on the crisis in Mali and Guinea Bissau, at the Fondation Felix Houphouet Boigny in Yamoussoukro February 28, 2013. REUTERS/Thierry Gouegnon/File Photo ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Ivory Coast will more than quadruple its troop presence in the United Nations' peacekeeping mission in neighbouring Mali to 800, President Alassane Ouattara said on Friday, making it one of the mission's leading contributors. The batallion of 650 troops will join the 150 Ivorian soldiers deployed in Mali, where security has deteriorated sharply in recent years due to attacks by jihadist groups with links to al Qaeda and Islamic State as well as ethnic clashes. The unrest has destabilised West Africa's entire Sahel region as national armies, Western commandos and the 15,000-strong U.N. mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA, fail to maintain control. MINUSMA was set up in 2013 after an Islamist uprising in the north the year before. Amid continuing violence, it has become the U.N.'s deadliest mission, with nearly 200 members killed, mostly in combat. Led by France, Western powers have also provided funding to a regional force called the G5 Sahel made up of soldiers from Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania to combat jihadists. "We must strengthen our security cooperation and continue our advocacy for the G5 Sahel and the resolution of the crisis in Libya which contributes greatly to instability in our sister countries of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and beyond," Ouattara told reporters on Friday. He said the additional troops would be deployed "very soon" without providing details. While Ivory Coast has been largely spared the violence affecting its neighbours, an attack in 2016 by al Qaeda gunmen on a beach resort along its southern coast killed 16 people. (Reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly, Writing by Edward McAllister, Editing by William Maclean) Lorraine Kelly has opened up about a personal story close to her heart. The TV presenter has written an article for the Mail on Sunday about her friend and producer Helen Addis, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in April 2018 at the age of just 39. Lorraine said that the news "completely floored" everyone at ITV who worked with Helen, who has three young children and keeps fit and healthy. The mother-of-one revealed that Helen had been reminded to check her breasts after Dr Hilary Jones had been talking about the importance of checking, and that was when she found a lump in her right breast. lorraine-kelly Lorraine Kelly has spoken out about her friend's battle with breast cancer MORE: Gordon Ramsay shares the sweetest message of encouragement to son Jack Helen didn't think that the lump would be cancer, but after getting diagnosed, she underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery to remove lymph nodes under her arms where the cancer had spread. Lorraine added that her friend is currently having further drug treatment in the hope that her tumours don't come back. "We hope we've seen the back of her cancer. And she caught it early, which means she has the best possible chance of being well again," she wrote. Helen has now launched a campaign, Change And Check, which will see stickers put on mirrors in women's changing rooms in shops and gyms to help remind everyone to check for symptoms and be aware. lorraine-kelly-heartbreaking-story The star is helping to promote breast cancer awareness Elsewhere, Lorraine has recently returned to work following the Easter break, which saw her daytime show being hosted by Christine Lampard in her absence. The star enjoyed a magical break away to Zambia and Botswana with her husband Steve Smith, and shared some lovely photos on Instagram of their time there. READ: New huge clue revealed about Meghan Markle's due date "Oh Africa beautiful and heartbreaking. Cannot wait to see you again. Thank you #botswana #zambia #wildlifeconservation. We will be back soon. #blessed," Lorraine captioned a photo of herself and Steve at sunset, both clutching what appears to be a gin and tonic while they cuddle up for a photo. Another snap shows the pair in matching outfits during a day out on safari. "Thank you beautiful #botswana and #zambia for an incredible trip," Lorraine wrote, adding: "Close encounters with lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, cheetah, African wild dogs and even honey badgers. Generous and open hearted people. Loved camping. Cant wait to return." Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Meghan Markle naturally has a soft spot for California. Prince Harry also loves the United States because he engaged in some Army time at a helicopter-training base in the state. Now, it seems that Meghans brother Thomas feels his pregnant sister will want to have a home of her own in the city of Los Angeles. Express UK reports that the logic of Thomas is simple. In his opinion, once a child grows up with a beach in the background, there will be a desire to return to those roots. It will always be uppermost in the mind. Moreover, Meghan Markle was a part of Hollywood and grew up in such an environment. As her brother says, It is really easy to fall in love with the California lifestyle. He believes Meghans upbringing could reflect in the way she brings up her child in London and in the end, could persuade Prince Harry to settle down in Los Angeles. Meghan Markle and Harry could live in California with baby, claims her brother https://t.co/EVQKgZprI0 pic.twitter.com/PzCmIBpqFh Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) April 28, 2019 The dreams of Thomas Markle Jr Meghan Markles brother Thomas is in his 50s and it seems he still associates his sister Meghan with her childhood rather than as a member of the royal family. He expects Meghan to take her baby to all the jaunts she used to visit in her childhood. He is believed to have spoken about this in a US TV special and made mention of the favorite spots she loved to visit during her growing-up years. He also talked about snippets of her lifestyle like outings to the beach. From what Express UK says, it appears Thomas Markle Jr wants his sister to remember the days before her marriage and opt to have another establishment in America. Discuss this news on Eunomia No one knows Meghans views on this. She lives in a world of her own and has her priorities defined as a member of the royal family. Once she becomes a mother and settles down to a new chapter in her life, she could think about her connections in California. Citizenship of Baby Sussex According to Independent UK, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are yet to become parents but there is some curiosity about the citizenship status of Baby Sussex. The child can claim dual citizenship because its father is a UK national while the mother is a US citizen. As per provisions of the current law, the parents can apply for dual citizenship for their child. Since Baby Sussex is the child of Prince Harry, it will automatically be a British citizen. The child also fulfills the criterion for US citizenship from the mothers side. Meghan Markle relocated to London in 2017 and married in May 2018. Of course, she does not become a British citizen automatically because there is a waiting period involved. The Independent cited a royal expert as saying that the royal baby will make history because it will be the first "Anglo-American" to be born into the royal family. No one in royal history has had an American mother. Hawaii Five-O fans had two reasons to celebrate Friday's April 26 Episode 22 of Season 9, O ke kumu, o ka mana, ho'opuka 'ia (The Teacher, the PupilLet it Come Forth). The first is that the current Season 9 will have 25 episodes, meaning three more Hawaii Five-O adventures await the police dramas faithful following. The second is that this tantalizing and terrorizing tale brings the stalwart talents of Kimee Balmilero as the medical examiner, Noelani Cunha, and Ian Anthony Dales Adam to the forefront in a pivotal storyline. The action opens with edge-of-your-seat suspense for the dutiful and sharp-as-a-sword medical examiner. She is forced at gunpoint to retrieve a heart valve from a morgue victim and then forced into the car of the mob captors in the early morning hours. She can hardly imagine the task that awaits her at her unknown destination. The same morning, a bride-to-be and former betrothed of Adam shows up at Hawaii Five-O headquarters with worries for beyond simply being a jilted bride. Her story draws Adam back into the dark Yakuza world briefly and leaves hints of lingering romance. An unexpected and evil OR Noelani arrives at an isolated warehouse, where a makeshift operating room has been created. She is stunned, but relieved, to see her medical mentor, Dr. Chu (Page Leong), there as well. Dr. Chu tells Noelani that she was chosen because the doctor knew that her former student would be the only one with access to a heart valve off the grid, so to speak. More surprising is Dr. Chu's insistence that Noelani assists her with the surgery [VIDEO]. Noelani is gob-smacked by the terrorizing stakes of the situation, but more than aware that her own and her mentors life are in the balance. Their patient is the father of the primary mob member, and his survival means survival for them both. Discuss this news on Eunomia The portrayals by Balmilero and Leong are standouts in this scenario. Noelani plots a plan for escape, thinking that Dr. Chu is as much captive as she is. She employs the irrefutable need to go to the bathroom as her ploy, overpowering her takers. The 410 actress puts her girl power on full display. She and Chu run for escape, but at the final door, the Dr. tells Noelani that I can't let you leave, pointing a gun at her. A series of unfortunate situations, scape-goating, and desperate choices put Dr. Chu in the position of operating for the enemy. As stupefied as Noelani is from these revelations, a more immediate problem is that the heart valve she brought his calcified, and cannot be used. A new valve is unfortunately available swiftly, as the captor in charge of Noelanis nature call is shot by the son of the patient. Dr. Chu takes a bullet herself, being in the line of fire. She guides Noelani through the procedure as her life is fading out. The patient seems to pull through, until some vital alarms sound. The scares aren't over, when Lt. Commander McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) and Hawaii Five-O find out about the peculiar hours and activity from dependable Noelani, they rush to the scene to intercept the crooked operation and save lives, but still more bullets fly. Sadly, Dr. Chu does not survive, and Noelani is both devastated by her death and by the circumstances that brought her to her demise. Steve comforts her in the closing scene, counseling from his own experiences with not being able to save his own father figure and mentor, Joe White. With a sweet embrace, he encourages that Noelani has to accept that she could not save her own mentor, but her own choices for the good of others can honor the goodness in her. Tani (Meaghan Rath) and Junior (Beulah Koale) exemplify more of the Hawaii Five-O ohana when she restores a beautiful portrait of his father and sister as a gift, and Junior discloses that the drunk driver responsible for his sister's death is soon to be paroled from prison. He fears for his father's mental stability, with the father-son relationship so recently restored. A Yakuza rewind Adam comforts Tamiko (Brittany Ishibashi), with a familiar hug of his own, when he finds the beautifully dressed bride at Hawaii Five-O headquarters. The man she was set to marry was really an undercover FBI agent who was investigating her father's business. Only she thought she knew his true identity, and her love for him was so true that she dared not tell her father, Masuda (Sonny Sato). Adam and Hawaii Five-O initially conclude that this is simply a case of a father finding out about his future son-in-law and taking care of the problem, crime boss-style. When Adam talks with Masuda, however, he feels that the dad is being truthful about not wanting to snuff out his daughter's happiness, having seen her arranged marriage already fail. Masuda went so far as to put $5 million in a bank account, insisting that the newlyweds move away and live in safe anonymity, after learning of his son-in-laws situation. Adam and Tamiko get close and seem to take pleasure in their stroll through past memories, and perhaps there is potential for a closer connection between the characters later. Adam convinces her that she had no part in her fiances death, and neither did her father. What is revealed, however, is that the fiance was involved in another case, investigating a pharmaceutical manufacturer who was really running a meth lab. When that man was sent to prison, the agent provided financial support to his wife and unborn child, which continued until his release. He was the one who wanted the agent gone, but when Steve and Adam track down his boat, a bullet is already shot through his head. Adam knows that this hit has to be ordered from Masuda. When he confronts the captain of organized crime, Masuda self-assuredly reminds Adam that he will be back to his old Yakuza ways, and this drink will be waiting. Adam does not partake, and just weeks ago he celebrated the feeling of being free and creating a new life for himself with Captain Grover. He is likely not ready to surrender all that now, but he may again become a marked man. Faithful Hawaii Five-O viewers will have to wait and see how the last three Season 9 episodes roll. As of this past week, there was no official word yet on Season 10, but the police drama that has become appointment TV is almost assured of its decade run. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: There is an old saying that one should be careful what they ask for because they just might get it. This coming week on "The Young and the Restless," Nikki Newman is going to receive more than she bargained for when she hired detective Rey Rosales to investigate her husband. A few weeks back, Victoria spotted her dad in Nevada and he did not give a satisfactory reason why. On Thursday (April 25), he left town again, immediately after Neil's funeral. Sharon and her new lover will head to Las Vegas, where they will uncover the secret of what Victor has been up to. Sharon and Rey head to Las Vegas Soaps She Knows indicates that Nikki will pressure Rey to take her up on her offer of investigating her spouse. He will eventually agree and Sharon will decide to go with him. The duo will head off to Las Vegas to find out what the Newman patriarch has been hiding. Adam is supposed to return to Genoa City by May 14, so viewers know he is out there somewhere. Mark Grossman has been confirmed for the role, but nothing has been said about the character having plastic surgery. Rey has no knowledge of Adam, but his companion does. If no plastic surgery has been involved, then Sharon would recognize her former lover right away. Celeb Dirty Laundry suggests that She" will indeed discover Victor's second born son and that the duo will work great together. When they report back to Nikki, however, what transpired in Las Vegas, things will really become crazy indeed. Mrs. Newman probably will not immediately believe them, but if they have photos there is no denying that Adam is among the living. Victor's secrets will be exposed Spoilers indicate that Rey and Sharon will indeed uncover what Victor ha been up to. Discuss this news on Eunomia What if it has nothing to do with his son? The Newman patriarch had been able to keep his activities hidden until Victoria saw him in Las Vegas. There could be something else going on that will be a diversion for fans who are eager for Adam to show his face. Whatever Shey uncovers, CDL states that it will startle Nikki. When Victor finds out Rey and Sharon were spying on him, they might incur his wrath. One thing that "Y&R" viewers know with certainty is that Adam will return to Genoa City by mid-May. Shey may be instrumental in ushering him back home, or they could uncover another secret that Victor is hiding. Whatever takes place in Las Vegas, viewers know that Mark Grossman has been hired and will soon show his face as Adam Newman. Newman's return is still veiled in secrecy. We know chocolate in its limitless varieties as a delicious, feel-good dessert. And now, theres plenty of research to prove the health benefits of chocolate and how eating it in can improve your mood, reduce stress and is safe for people with diabetes. I know very few people who do not like chocolate. (Gasp!) But I also know too many people who cannot say no to this little piece of heaven, this food of the gods. The history of Xocolatl or Chocolate So how exactly did chocolate come into this world and make it a better place? In Latin, the cacao tree is called Theobroma cacao, which literally means food of the gods. It is believed that the Mayans of Central America were the first to discover cocoa in 900 AD although theres evidence that cocoa beans were used by the Olmec culture in the pre-classic period. The origin of the word chocolate can be traced to the Mayan word xocoatl or XOCOLATL pronounced as shoh-KWAH-tul which means bitter water. They harvested the beans inside the pods and made them into a liquid that was considered a treasured Mayan treat. This was basically a bitter drink brewed from cacao beans. They poured the liquid from one cup to another until a frothy foam appeared on top. The Mayan and Aztec cultures used cocoa beans in their religious and sacred rituals related to birth, marriage, and death. The sacrificial victims who were too depressed to dance in the rituals (naturally) were given a gourd of chocolate tinged with the blood of previous victims to cheer them up. Ugh. They also used cocoa beans as currency for trading with other people. Four beans got them a pumpkin, ten beans could get them a rabbit or an escort. 100 beans could buy them a slave. Talk about money growing on trees, eh? While xocoatl may have been bitter water, it was revered by the Mayans. They painted images of the cocoa pods on the walls of stone temples and Mayan artifacts where they showed Kings and Mayan Gods drinking chocolate. According to the Aztec people, they believed that their god of wisdom Quetzalcoatl descended from heaven on a beam of a morning star, carrying the cocoa tree, which he had stolen from paradise. Heres a pic of Quetzalcoatl, aptly molded in chocolate. The Mayan and Aztec people used cocoa as the base for a thick cold and unsweetened drink called xocolatl which they considered a health elixir. Sugar was unknown at the time, so they used spices like musk, cinnamon or hot chili peppers to add flavor. History has it that the demand for the cocoa bean and Xocolatl were quite high and resulted in major trade networks in the Mayan and Aztec regions. When the Aztecs conquered the Mayans, they had to pay taxes to the Aztecs. They paid it in cocoa. Since the Aztecs could not grow their own cocoa, they traded to get the beans. Soon they renamed xocolatl to chocolatl. They used the cocoa beans as currency. Businesses kept cocoa beans in locked boxes just like money. Here is how the Mayans made XOCOLATL which is probably where our modern day hot chocolate is derived from! Remove the beans from cocoa pods Ferment and dry them Roast them on a griddle Remove shells and grind seeds into a fine paste Mix paste with water, chili peppers, and cornmeal Pour this concoction from pot to cup until frothy foam forms on top Enjoy in earthenware cups And just as we cherish our cuppa coffee, the Mayans whipped their Xocolatl up and enjoyed it for its healing properties. You can enjoy Mayan Xocolatl too! You can make your version of Xocolatl by substituting the cocoa beans with 3 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 3 cups of water, 1 green chili pepper sliced and 1 tsp vanilla extract. What you do is boil the green chili and one cup of water in a pot. Bring it to a boil. After it boils for about 5 minutes, strain it to remove the chili and the seeds, then put the water back in the pot. Add the remaining water and bring it to a boil. Whisk in the vanilla extract. Then add in the cocoa powder, continuing to whisk until it begins to froth. Finally, once its boiling, add in the cocoa powder and keep whisking for another 5 minutes or so. Youll notice the mixture froths easily, but its not a very thick froth. Enjoy your no-added-sugar, antioxidant-rich Xocolatl! Did you know sweetened chocolate only came into existence after the discovery of America? Legend has it that the Aztec king Montezuma welcomed the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez with chocolate, assuming he was Quetzalcoatl reincarnated. Sadly, Cortes didnt really like chocolate, so they mixed it with honey/cane sugar, which is how it became popular in Spain. Incidentally, Montezuma drank 50 cups of Xocolatl every day and an extra cup when he had a date for its invigorating properties. Around the 17th century, chocolate was the elite drink in Europe. It was believed to have nutritional, medicinal and aphrodisiac properties. But only the rich had access to it, until the invention of the steam engine, after which chocolate was mass produced. In 1828, a Dutch chemist managed to make powdered chocolate by removing half the natural fat (cacao butter) from chocolate liquor. This was called Dutch cocoa and was the predecessor to solid chocolate. The first chocolate bar, as we know it, was made by Joseph Fry in 1847, who made a moldable chocolate paste by combining Dutch cocoa and cacao butter. America valued the chocolate during the revolutionary war where they included it in the soldiers rations and also used instead of wages. While you and I may not accept chocolate as a paycheck today, the cacao bean is still quite powerful. Today, we can enjoy a huge range of affordable chocolate treats that contain sugar and additives, along with handmade exclusive chocolates. So thats how one of our favorite desserts, the chocolate came into being. And it definitely collects smiles! Do you like chocolate? Namaste! Thank you for visiting! For a regular dose of happiness twice a month, subscribe via email Email Address Leave this field empty if you're human: Disclosure Some of my posts may contain affiliate links to products or services Ive experienced and recommend. When you use these links to buy, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I will donate this commission to charity. Thank you. Some of my posts may contain affiliate links to products or services Ive experienced and recommend. When you use these links to buy, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I will donate this commission to charity. Thank you. Namaste! Thank you for visiting! For a regular dose of happiness twice a month, subscribe via email Email Address Leave this field empty if you're human: Disclosure Some of my posts may contain affiliate links to products or services Ive experienced and recommend. When you use these links to buy, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I will donate this commission to charity. Thank you. Some of my posts may contain affiliate links to products or services Ive experienced and recommend. When you use these links to buy, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I will donate this commission to charity. Thank you. Xocolatl and the History of Chocolate was last modified: by American companies are inserting Vietnam into the global supply chain, while creating quality jobs and helping the country become more productive and efficient. US investors registered US$141.12 million into Vietnam in the first quarter of 2019 Rising high-quality investment inflow, especially from the US and EU, has helped Vietnam better integrate into the global supply chains. According to Amanda Rasmussen, chairwoman of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Ho Chi Minh City, American companies are inserting Vietnam into the global supply chain, while creating quality jobs and helping the country become more productive and efficient. More and more American and European firms are setting up facilities in Vietnam, whose products are mainly exported worldwide. Among the investors is American Universal Alloy Corporation (UAC), a leading global manufacturer of aircraft components for aerospace companies such as Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, Bombardier and their associated supply chains. UAC held an opening ceremony for an aerospace component factory in Danang in late February this year. With the registered investment of US$170 million, the factory aims to manufacture and install aerospace components from aluminium alloys and composite in service of the industry. It is capable of manufacturing and assembling around 4,000 out of five million aircraft components, all for export. Kevin Loebbaka, chief operations officer of UAC, expressed hopes that the factory will play an important role in the strategy of providing components to its partners worldwide. This is its first facility in Vietnam and Asia as a whole to serve the global aerospace industry. Alton Industry Company, another American business, last month also registered to invest over US$87 million into building a factory to manufacture air compressors and robot vacuum cleaners in Danang Hi-Tech Park. Beside Danang, southern cities and provinces like Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, and Binh Duong are also attracting a large number of American and European investors. Dong Nai province, for example, has 27 American investors, mainly operating in the industrial production with total registered capital of over US$207 million, and more than 70 projects worth over US$2.8 billion from 13 European countries, focusing on industry and machine equipment production, spare parts, electronics, and garment and textiles. In Dong Nai, 80 percent of goods produced by businesses are exported, with the remaining used for domestic consumption. Positive outlook US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Mary Tarnowka said US firms want to invest in Dong Nais industry, infrastructure, aviation, and high technology sectors. A large number of American firms will come to Dong Nai in the near future to study the local investment environment, she revealed. AmChams Rasmussen said the prospects for US investment in Vietnam are good and improving. Currently, many American companies are planning to move to the country, partly because of the special tariffs imposed on US$250 billion worth of American imports from China. Data from the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment showed American investors registered US$141.12 million into Vietnam in the first quarter of 2019. As of March 20, 2019, the US had 924 projects in Vietnam with the total registered capital of US$9.13 billion. The positive move was also forecast for the investment inflow from the EU. According to Vice Chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham) in Vietnam Tomaso Andreaatta, the planned signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) will strongly increase investment attraction from European businesses. Besides investing in infrastructure and high technology, EU firms are looking to join projects on smart city building and green growth, he said. Carlos Dominguez Agulleiro, deputy head of Spains Economic and Commercial Office in Ho Chi Minh City, said the number of Spanish businesses deciding to invest in Vietnam is increasing. Sharing the same view, Michele DErcole, chairman of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, said the investment flow from Italian businesses in Vietnam will surge this year. Hanoitimes Vietnamese women are proving business ideas can emerge from daily experiences. Vietnamese startups benefit from enabling environment Vietnamese businesses sell products overseas via online retailers Bui Thi Minh Ngoc (second from right) and her colleagues at Green Lady Vietnam, a startup company that produces and distributes cloth sanitary pads. Minh Ngoc is among the Vietnamese women who have founded and are running start-up companies before reaching the age of 30. Photo thanhnien.vn Among them are Nguyen Thi Nhu Ngoc who has started a project that helps people buy authentic products from overseas, Bui Thi Minh Ngoc who runs a company that produces and distributes cotton sanitary pads, and Ly Kim Yen who provides young people with an opportunity to run their own businesses. These women have founded and are running start-up companies before reaching the age of 30. Nguyen Thi Nhu Ngoc was an outstanding student in HCM City who got a job at Vietjet Air when she was in her fourth year at the Viet Nam Aviation Academy. She was in charge of co-ordinating 100 ground service staff members both at domestic and international stations, but after a year she decided it was not the job for her. I didn't feel working for a big company was right for me, so I left my job and went to work at a technology start-up specialising in travel, she said. Two and a half years later, after taking the company to success as its business development and marketing director, again, Ngoc felt she wanted something more. One time while having dinner with a friend who was a flight attendant, I leaned how tourists often get tricked into buying fake products in Vietnam and about the many experiences you should have when shopping overseas. From there I came up with wowmua.com, a website that connects customers in Vietnam with people who often travel abroad so they can help each other buy authentic products from anywhere in the world. In January, Ngocs business idea was selected as a finalist for the Asia Business Competition at the Global Entrepreneurship Youth Summit in Malaysia. Unlike Nhu Ngoc who focused on customer demands, Bui Thi Minh Ngoc from Hanoi takes advantage of her experience as a woman and runs a business that serves her biological needs and helps protect the environment. As a student she took part in an ecological design course in Thailand in 2016, and that was the first time she heard of cloth sanitary pads. An average woman uses 10,000 sanitary pads in her life, and the time each pad takes to decompose is equal to that of four plastic bags. That was something that really bothered me, she said. From that she established Green Lady Vietnam, a company that imports cloth pads and distributes them across Vietnam. A year later, Minh Ngoc decided to produce her own pads. Our small group of young women do everything, from choosing the materials to make the pads, to the production process, to marketing and distribution. My biggest challenge is to change Vietnamese womens habits of using normal pads made from plastic to cloth pads. But the most wonderful thing I feel we are doing is creating trust among our customers and contributing to creating a green lifestyle. Running a start-up that benefits society is what pleases me. Taking the idea of a start-up to another level, Ly Kim Yen from Hanoi comes up with her own business ideas, gets them up and running, then sells them to young enthusiasts who want to have a try at running their own businesses. She is running simultaneously the Kim Technology Solution Company Ltd and the Hoa Xuong Rong (Catus Flower) Project, aiming to have 300 business projects that she can sell through these two platforms. Ive had 50 projects by far. The cost of transferring a project is VND95 million (US$4,000), and buyers can pay in installments over 19 months. It saves a lot of time and effort for those who buy and run my projects, because my company has already helped them develop products, find customers, decide on a business direction and provide capital and marketing support. Yens experiences in implementing business ideas stemmed from her failures with online selling. After failing to maintain my online businesses several times, I realised it could only survive if it operated as a total package and took charge of the whole process from production to distribution to customer services, she said. It takes guts for young people especially young women to run a business, Yen said. You have to get over your own sluggishness. This is very important as the majority of those who struggle to succeed are those that keep thinking Ill do it tomorrow instead of today and right now. Young women who want to get into the business world need to have independent thinking, have a unique personality, and are willing to take everything head on. VNS The ao dai (Vietnamese traditional long dress) has long been an endless source of inspiration for fashion, poetry, music and movies, and now it is inspiring Vietnamese and Japanese artists to create a new design for the long dress. Fabric flowers made by Japanese artists are displayed at a cultural exchange event held during the Ao Dai Festival. VNS Photo San Ha The new creative concept is inspired by the traditional Japanese pinching craft called tsumami zaiku. The tsumami technique is used to make petals, flowers, cranes, and other items for kanzashi (ornamental hairpins) that go with kimonos. It has a long history of about 200 years, according to Japanese artists from TSUMAMIDO, a shop and school in Tokyo dedicated to promoting tsumami zaiku. Traditional tsumami is made from small squares of silk called habutae. By pinching and holding habutae like an origami with tweezers, each figure is created. Inspired by the elegant and vividly colourful folded fabric flowers, renowned ao dai designer Si Hoang used fine silk fabric for his designs in yellow and pink decorated with apricot and peach fabric flowers. The apricot and cherry blossoms are assembled on the ao dais front flaps with painted tree branches. Hoang said that apricot and cherry flowers symbolise the spring season and the close friendship of Vietnam and Japan. He used a tiny pin to fasten the flowers on the long flaps so the flowers can be easily changed. Hoang said that ao dai made of fine silk enhances the beauty of the silk fabric flowers, moving delicately with the womans body. The design is a combination of painting on fabric, in which he is a master, and the Japanaese pinching craft, according to Hoang. I admire the tsumami technique, which makes meticulously folded petals of fabric into beautiful flowers. I was surprised to see the harmonious blend of fabric flowers and the long dress. I hope that the ao dai is not only our national costume but also fashionable attire favoured by women in the world, he said. Designer Tung Vu has another creative design that combines ribbon embroidery on ao dai with colourful fabric flowers. I use Vietnamese traditional ribbon embroidery to add cheerful colour which highlights the spirit of the spring season, Tung said. The handcrafted Japanese pieces of art appear in harmony with traditional Vietnamese ribbon embroidery, creating a new look for Vietnamese ao dai, he said. The designs were showcased at the two-week Ao Dai Festival that was held in early March in HCM City. Preservation efforts Shojiro Kamoshita, an official from the Tsumami Crafted Association, said: Its a fantastic idea to combine the Japanese tsumami craft with the Vietnamese traditional dress. It would be incredible if the new concept is widely adopted to ao dai designs as it contributes to preserving the traditional values of the two nations. I hope this brings happiness and new experiences to people around the world who learn how to make tsumami. Last year, Masayuki Takahashi, owner of TSUMAMIDO, led a group of Japanese artists to introduce the tsumami craft at a cultural exchange event held during the Ao Dai Festival 2018. Designs of Vietnamese traditional dress decorated with tsumami flowers by Si Hoang were displayed for the first time at the event. Takahashi, who passed away in January, had hoped to attend this years festival to promote the traditional Japanese craft in Vietnam. Ly Thanh Phuong, who is the first Vietnamese tsumami instructor from TSUMAMIDO, said the colourful flowers would enhance the beauty of ao dai. For me, it is a perfect combination which creates a new look for the long dress which makes the flowers more vivid and lively. The flowers in different colours and shapes can be assembled on the sleeves, neck or chest depending on the wish of the wearers. Huynh Ngoc Van, deputy director of the Viet Nam-Japan Friendship Association in HCM City, said that last year marked the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties between the two countries. The ao dai decorated with tsumami flowers symbolises the close friendship and cultural exchange between the two countries, said Van, who is also director of the Ao Dai Museum. She said that the tsumami craft would be widely used in Vietnam. Designer Hoang said that the traditional ao dai had gone through many transformations since the 17th century. It became the ao dai tan thoi (modern traditional long dress) or Le Mur long dress in the early 1930s, the neckless ao dai in the 1950s, the hippie ao dai in the 1960s, and now a long dress decorated with embroidery, paintings and drawings along the front flap. Designers should continue to combine traditional values and international influences in their designs. Hoang said he would create a new collection of ao dai decorated with different kinds of fabric flowers with the cooperation of Japanese artists. VNS RELATED NEWS Ao Dai embellished with Japans Tsumami flowers Twenty-six designers take part in Ao Dai Festival in HCM City Foreign leaders extend condolences to Vietnam over former Presidents death Former President Le Duc Anh Leaders of China, Laos, Cambodia and Cuba have sent messages and letters of condolences over the death of former President Le Duc Anh to leaders of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), the State, Government, National Assembly and people of Vietnam, and the family of the deceased. Former President General Le Duc Anh, who served as President of Vietnam from September 1992 to 1997, passed away on April 22 at the age of 99. In his message addressed to General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee and President of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping expressed deep sympathy on behalf of the CPC, the Government and people of China. He emphasized that the late President Le Duc Anh had made important contributions to Vietnams national construction and defence, and unceasing efforts to promote the development of the China-Vietnam relationship. With his death, the Vietnamese people lost an outstanding leader and the Chinese people lost a dear friend, Xi wrote, while expressing his belief that the Party, Government and people of Vietnam will turn sorrow into strength and continue to reap new achievements in the cause of socialist building. The Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, the Lao National Assembly, the Lao Government and the Lao Front for National Construction have sent a letter of condolences to their Vietnamese counterparts. In the letter, Laos expressed deep sorrow at the death of the former President and offered deepest sympathy to the CPV Central Committee, the National Assembly, the Government, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Vietnamese people as well as the family and relatives of the late President. The Lao side praised the deceaseds great contributions to Vietnams past struggle for national liberation and its nation building and safeguarding cause over the past more than 80 years. Comrade Le Duc Anh made important contributions to strengthening and developing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam over the past times, the letter wrote. The Lao side said with the passing away of comrade Le Duc Anh, not only the Vietnamese Party, State and people lost a beloved leader, but the Lao party, State and people also lost a close friend. President of the Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen sent a letter of sympathy to the General Secretary of CPV Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong. He expressed deep sorrow at hearing the news about the death of the late Vietnamese President, who he described as a leader with great contributions to Vietnams national construction and development. President of the Council of State and Council of Ministers of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez sent a message of sympathies to CPV leader and President Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Raul Castro Ruz also extended his condolences to CPV leader and President Nguyen Phu Trong. Vietnam will hold a State funeral for late President Le Duc Anh, with the respect-paying ceremony to be held from 7am-11am on May 3 at the National Funeral Hall, No. 5 Tran Thanh Tong street, Hanoi. The memorial service will be held at 11am on May 3 at the National Funeral Hall, No. 5 Tran Thanh Tong Street, Hanoi. The burial ceremony will take place at 5pm on the same day at the Ho Chi Minh City Cemetery. At the same time, the respect-paying and memorial ceremonies for the late President will also be held at the Thong Nhat Hall in Ho Chi Minh City and the hall of the Peoples Committee of Thua Thien-Hue. PM Nguyen Xuan Phucs attendance in the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing has affirmed Vietnams goodwill and role in international economic integration, said Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung. Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung PM Phuc returned to Hanoi after attending the second BRF International Cooperation (BRF) on April 27 evening. In an interview granted to the media on the PMs trip, Deputy FM Le Hoai Trung said the trip produced important results on both bilateral and multilateral aspects. Vietnam had made careful preparations and actively and proactively joined in the forums activities and the building of the round-table meetings joint statement. In his address to the forum, PM Phuc shared Vietnams reform experience over the past three decades, noting that making good use of advantages and potential along with promoting international integration are the foundation for successful cooperation. He affirmed that Vietnam is pushing ahead with both socio-economic development and global integration, including cooperating with the Belt and Road initiative, and striving to realise the UN sustainable development goals. Deputy FM Trung said many leaders expressed support for the PMs speech and Vietnams stance, Trung said. On bilateral activities, PM Phuc met Chinese Party chief and President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, and permanent Politburo member and Secretary of the Party Central Committees Secretariat Wang Huning. It is noteworthy that the two sides signed five economic agreements, including two deals that opened the Chinese market for Vietnams exports of milk and mangosteen. PM Phuc also met with executives of many leading Chinese companies, during which he vowed all possible support for them to do business in Vietnam while having a straight talk on several ineffective and delayed projects by Chinese contractors. The PM and his entourage, including Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh and many ministers, also met leaders and officials of many countries and international organisations. During those meetings, PM Phuc asked the countries to support Vietnams run for a seat in the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure and work closely with Vietnam during its ASEAN Chairmanships term in 2020 to maintain peace, stability, maritime security, safety and freedom in the East Sea. He also discussed ways to create stronger progress in economic-trade-investment ties and deal with issues related to the border and overseas Vietnamese with related countries. According to Deputy FM Trung, the countries had expressed support for Vietnams candidacy for the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 term, and their wish to coordinate closely with Vietnam as Chair of the ASEAN as well as in the UNs activities. Talking about the main outcomes of the 2nd BRF, the Deputy FM said under the theme Belt and Road Cooperation: Shaping a Brighter Shared Future, the forum attracted nearly 5,000 delegates from 150 countries, over 90 international organisations and 800 businesses, particularly heads of States and governments from 37 nations, including 10 ASEAN member states. The most important event of the forum was a round-table meeting of leaders to discuss promoting connectivity, strengthening policy resonance, fostering green and sustainable development. Trung said the forum achieved three major results, including issuing a joint statement that reaffirmed commitment to stepping up economic connectivity, trade liberalisation and respect for multilateralism, with a focus on infrastructure, economy, science-technology, socio-culture and people-to-people exchange. Secondly, participating leaders shared constructive views, contributing to new adjustments in Belt and Road cooperation in the direction of more balanced benefits for participating countries with an emphasis on the principles of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit. Thirdly, the high-level round-table meeting and 12 thematic session afforded participants chances to discuss cooperation opportunities and joint work across infrastructure connectivity, policy resonance, trade, finance, innovation and creativity, digital economy and green development.-VNA Chairman of the Cuban National Assembly Esteban Lazo Hernandez and Vietnamese NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu have agreed on measures to strengthen traditional cooperation between the two legislative agencies and the two countries in general. During their talks on April 26 in Havana, the Vietnamese legislator expressed his admiration for the Cuban people's unyielding will and efforts to overcome difficulties, and congratulated Cuba on its recent achievements in law making, especially the approval of new constitution last February. He expressed his belief that Cuba will gain success in both economic development and national defence, and continue to update its socio-economic model. NA Vice Chairman Luu suggested the two sides maintain exchange of regular visits and information and experience sharing mechanisms, and improving the legal framework for bilateral relations. He stressed the need for the two sides to enhance cooperation projects of agriculture development, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, tourism and production of consumer products; and continue support each other at multilateral and international forums. For his part, Esteban Lazo thanked Vietnam for its continuous support for the Cuban peoples struggle against economic, commercial and financial embargo. He agreed with Luus proposals to boost the bilateral relations, and appreciated the exchange of experience in law making and organising activities of the two legislatures. He reaffirmed the determination to make the economic and trade ties between the two nations to match with their political relations. The same day, NA Vice Chairman Luu and the Vietnamese delegation had working sessions with head of the Cuban Supreme Procuracy Yamila Pena Ojeda and head of Cubas Communist Party Central Committees Department of Culture and Propaganda Roberto Montesino Perez , during which the two sides discussed ways to promote cooperation among of the two countries ministries and sectors.-VNA Pham Trong Thuc, deputy director general of the Industrial Safety Technique and Environmental Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, talks to Cong Thuong newspaper on the national plan to develop coal-fired power plants. Environmental protection tax on many commodities next year Legal loopholes make it impossible to control air quality A worker checks waste water treatment system of the Coc Sau Coal Mine in Cam Pha City, the northern province of Quang Ninh. Experts confirm that coal-fired power plant must ensure environmental protection. VNA/VNS Photo Minh Dong What is the current state of Vietnamese coal power plants? Vietnam has 25 coal power plants operating commercially. Their gas emissions, solid industrial waste and environmental issues have been closely monitored in accordance with Vietnamese standards issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE). Focus is placed on three main factors, namely suspended particulate matter, nitrogen oxides (NOX) and sulphur dioxide (SO2). At present, all 25 coal power plants have installed suspended particulate matter systems using CORONA technology. Thanks to the technology, electrostatic precipitators (ESP) are used to capture up to 98 per cent of particulate matter. For NOX and SO2, we have also applied advanced technologies to cut down their negative impacts on the environment. Industrial solid waste, including flying dust and coal ash, has been used to make fly ash bricks for use as construction materials. What measures has the Industrial Safety Technology and Environmental Agency issued to minimise negative impacts on the environment from these power plants? Our agency has applied many measures, including the legal framework towards revising of the 2014 Environmental Law on the development of environmental technology and standards. We have also given advice to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to develop legal documents to use flying dust or coal ash to make bricks or to produce fertiliser. In the future, we plan to hold international workshops to share experiences inside and outside Vietnam on the use of waste to make bricks or produce fertiliser. However, the quality of the flying dust and coal ash from Vietnamese coal plants is not high. This has presented a big challenge for the consumption of the bricks. The 2014 Law on Environment contains articles on the environmental industry, yet there is no detailed guidance on the responsibilities of concerned ministries and busineses. Though the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIT) is in charge of monitoring the imports and exports of industrial products an area which has great potential for environmental impacts Decree No.38/2015/N-CP dated April 24, 2015 did not have any article or provision specifying the MoITs responsibility on its environmental management of import-export activities. What should the Government do to overcome the loopholes in environmental laws? The first thing the Government should do is revise the 2014 Environmental Law to develop the technical standards and norms for equipment used in environmental treatment, and to step up monitoring and law enforcement activities. At the same time, the National Assembly should consider a resolution on the development of thermo power to ensure energy security while still being able to protect the environment particularly to control fly dust and coal ash as well as gypsum and plaster. The Government should revise as soon as possible Decree No.38/2015 to add specific rules governing of fly dust and coal ash. I also want the Government to adopt policies to limit the use of baked bricks. Last but not least, we should launch communication campaigns on the operation of these power plants and the use of construction materials from waste to help the general public understand their benefits in environmental protection. VNS The peak of Fansipan mountain is known as The Roof of Indochina. Visitors can travel to Fansipan mount, which stands at a height of 3,143 metres, by cable car system or climb the mountain themselves. The weather in the local town of Sapa is such that visitors can enjoy four seasons during the course of a single day In Dien Bien city, visitors can tour historical relic sites such as Linh Quang pagoda, Muong Thanh airport, A1 hill, the De Castries bunker, Muong Thanh bridge, and the Victory Monument Moc Chau features roving green tea hills that have emerged as an attractive destination for young people due to the areas romantic scenery. Visitors can rent clothes in the style of local ethnic girls at a price of only VND10,000 Mai Chau in the west of Hoa Binh province is popular among visitors thanks to the areas stunning scenery of paddy fields and the tranquil atmosphere in its villages. There are two famous tourism hamlets located in Mai Chau that are suitable for local and foreign visitors; Lac and Pom Coong hamlets COLOMBO, April 28: The father and two brothers of the suspected mastermind of Sri Lankas Easter Sunday bombings were killed when security forces stormed their safe house two days ago, police sources and a relative of the suicide bombers told Reuters on Sunday. Zainee Hashim, Rilwan Hashim and their father Mohamed Hashim, who were seen in a video circulating on social media calling for all-out war against non-believers, were among 15 killed in a fierce gun battle with the military on the east coast on Friday, four police sources said. Niyaz Sharif, the brother-in-law of Zahran Hashim, the suspected ringleader of the wave of Easter Sunday bombings that killed over 250 people in churches and hotels across the island nation, told Reuters the video showed Zahrans two brothers and father. Three of the people killed in Fridays gun battle were the same people who were seen in the undated video on social media, in which they discuss martyrdom and urge their followers to kill all non-believers, police sources said. Sri Lanka has been on high alert since the attacks on Easter Sunday, with nearly 10,000 soldiers deployed across the island to carry out searches and hunt down members of two local Islamist groups believed to have carried out the attack. Authorities have detained more than 100 people, including foreigners from Syria and Egypt since the April 21 bombings. In the video, Rilwan Hashim is seen calling for all-out jihad, or holy war, while children cry in the background. We will destroy these non-believers to protect this land and therefore we need to do jihad, Rilwan says in the video, sitting beside his brother and father. We need to teach a proper lesson for these non-believers who have been destroying Muslims. Authorities suspect there may be more suicide bombers on the loose. Defence authorities have so far focused their investigations on international links to two domestic groups they believe carried out the attacks, the National Thawheedh Jamaath and Jammiyathul Millathu Ibrahim. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Easter bombings, and on Sunday the group said three of its members clashed with Sri Lankan police for several hours in Fridays gun battle on the east coast before detonating their explosive vests, the militant groups news agency Amaq said. The group said 17 policemen were killed or injured in the attack, but the Sri Lankan military has denied this. A police source told Reuters two policemen were slightly injured in the battle. The Khmer-Vietnamese Association in Cambodia on April 27 organised a grand meeting to mark 44th anniversary of the Liberation of South Vietnam and National Reunification (April 30). Chairman of the associations chapter in Phnom Penh Huynh Minh Phu speaks at the event. The event created opportunities for the Vietnamese people in Cambodia to look back on the countrys magnanimous war for national liberation four decades ago, to which the Vietnamese expatriates in Cambodia had made important contributions. Vice Chairman of the Khmer-Vietnamese Association Chau Van Chi expressed his gratitude to the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese State, and committed to doing his utmost to promote solidarity among the Vietnamese community in Cambodia. Meanwhile, Chairman of the associations chapter in Phnom Penh Huynh Minh Phu delivered his thanks to war martyrs, wounded and ill soldiers, and families who rendered services to the national liberation cause. He said that the Khmer-Vietnamese Association will promote solidarity and friendship with Cambodian people and local authorities while enhancing communication work among Vietnamese people in Cambodia to ensure that they abide by legal regulations in the host nation. The event also featured art performances staged by students from Khmer-Vietnam Tan Tien friendship primary school.-VNA A Vietnamese cultural event took place in the southern Czech city, Ceske Velenice, on April 26, as a highlight of the Vietnam Culture Month programme that runs throughout April in the city. A food festival as part of the Vietnam Culture Month programme in Ceske Velenice Speaking at the event, Tran Vinh Bac, Counsellor in charge of cultural affairs at the Vietnamese Embassy in the Czech Republic, thanked the municipal authorities for their support of the organisation of the programme as well as Vietnamese expatriates integration to the local community. The event is held in the context of the Vietnamese community preparing for their celebration of the 20th founding anniversary of the Vietnamese Association in Czech Republic (1999 2019) and the two countries about to mark 70 years of their diplomatic relations, he added. Mayor of the city Jaromir Sliva said the two countries traditional ties and potential for further cooperation create favourable conditions for boosting exchanges and mutual understanding between people of the two countries, and between Czech natives and Vietnamese expats. The official lauded the Vietnamese communitys integration efforts and contribution to Ceske Velenices socio-economic-cultural development. He stressed the city supports the organization of the Vietnam Culture Month as it helps locals better connect to the Vietnamese expat group and understand more about Vietnamese culture. According to Chu Minh Khanh, head of the Vietnamese Associations chapter in the city, this is the first time his organisation has cooperated with the local authorities to hold a programme on the Vietnamese culture. The programme comprises various activities, including a photo exhibition, performances of traditional music, a food festival and film screening event.-VNA Workers install solar pannels on rooftop of a residential house. The HCM City Power Corporations subsidiary, Sai Gon Power Company, has signed contracts with households installing solar power panels on their rooftop in districts 1 and 3 to buy electricity from them. VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Tan HCM CITY The Sai Gon Power Company on April 25 signed net-metering contracts with households in districts 1 and 3 that have rooftop solar power panels. Contracts will be signed in other districts in future, the company, a subsidiary of the HCM City Power Corporation (EVNHCMC), has said. Under a 2017 Prime Ministerial Decision on incentives for solar power projects, EVNHCMC has provided assistance and encouragement to people for installing solar panels. Lingering problems related to buying and selling solar power as well as tariffs seem to be solved thanks to a new circular to be issued next month by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, according to EVNHCMC. It will buy electricity from households at VN2,134 (US$0.09) per kilowatt hour. The price will be fixed every year. The payments will start in May and be done via their bank accounts. As of now, 1,432 households with rooftop solar panels with a combined capacity of 17.46MWp have connected to the city grid. At VN2,134/kWh, EVNHCMC will have to pay more than VN8.5 billion ($369,565) a month. It seeks to increase the capacity to 50MWp to 80MWp this year, Nguyen Ngoc Tuong Vi, acting head of its trade board, said. More than 18,000 potential customers are likely to install solar panels. Besides, according to the World Bank, there is potential to install 150-200MW of solar systems along the citys highways. EVNHCMC has promised to assist everyone who wants to install solar panels by simplifying administrative procedures to connect to the grid and making payments in time for the power it buys. It has called on banks, manufacturers and international and domestic organisations to encourage more people to install solar panels. ang Ngoc Quoc Bao of EVNHCMC told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that before installing solar panels, people should contact the local office of the power utility for assistance. There is a fear that too many households in an area could install them while the cable network and transformer stations there are unable to handle them, leading to overloading, he said. Nguyen Thanh Vinh who installed solar panels on his roof said he is happy to be paid for power and the tariff is clear. His company also uses solar power, he said. In the Central Highlands and central regions, 330 families have installed solar panels with a total capacity of more than 2.1 MWp and connected to the grid, according to Vietnam Electricity's Central Power Corporation. VNS Tractor Supply has Market Day WATERLOO Tractor Supply stores are asking farmers, craft makers and artisans to sell their homemade and homegrown goods during Tractor Supplys Market Day on May 18. The event is an opportunity for members of the community to show off their talents. Whether the area of expertise is homemade crafts, candles and soaps, or produce, baked goods, and handmade furniture, everyone is welcome to sign up. There is no fee to participate. Interested vendors can visit TSCeventpartners.com or their local Tractor Supply store to sign up by May 15. Mitchell County spurs industry OSAGE -- The Mitchell County Economic Development Commission will implement Phase 2: Commercial Construction Incentive Program to boost the local construction industry and spur development of commercial, rental and residential projects in the county. With the completion of Phase 1, which resulted in more than $4.4 million in new valuations for Mitchell County, the Mitchell County Board of Supervisors targeted $1 million toward the program as part of the Mitchell County TIF revenue bond for Phase 2. For more information, complete guidelines and application for the Construction Incentive Program, go to www.mcedciowa.com or contact the Mitchell County Economic Development Commission at (641) 732-4790 or mcedc@osage.net. Food Bank sets area campaign WATERLOO To raise awareness and combat the issue of hunger, Walmart, Sams Club, Feeding America and the Northeast Iowa Food Bank are kicking off the sixth annual nationwide Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign, which began Monday and will run through May 20. In partnership with the Northeast Iowa Food Bank, Walmart and Sams Club now invite Northeast Iowa shoppers to help fight hunger in their local community. There are three ways to participate purchasing a participating item in-store or online, donating in-store or donating on Feeding Americas website, feedingamerica.org/Walmart. Credit union elects officers CEDAR FALLS Members of Cedar Falls Community Credit Union held their 61st annual meeting March 19, electing their board of directors. Board members Irvin Tiller, Sheila Kittleson, Becky Riehm and Gordie Sorensen were re-elected to serve on the board of directors for another three-year term. Directors also held an organizational meeting electing officers. Bruce Sorenson will continue as chairman, Frank Miller as vice chairman, M.A. Reifsteck will serve as the secretary, Kittleson as the chief financial officer, Tiller will serve as audit committee chairman, Fred Ritchie will serve as the credit committee chair, and Scott Hagberg will serve as the associate director. Other board members include: Meghan Sullivan, James Sealman, Larry Bockes, Riehm and Sorenson. U.S. Cellular donates to club WATERLOO U.S. Cellular has made a $15,000 donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Cedar Valley to provide K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) educational opportunities to youths for the fifth consecutive year. During the companys fifth annual Month of Giving, U.S. Cellular associates will celebrate National Volunteer Month in April by taking part in a variety of volunteer opportunities. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WATERLOO A new city business park is being developed to capitalize on a network of highways, railways and runways near the Waterloo Regional Airport. Planning officials have already endorsed a plat for the Waterloo Air and Rail Park, a 12-lot industrial park bounded on the west by the city limits and Leversee Road and to the east by the airport runways. The city has already secured a release from the Federal Aviation Administration to develop the land, won a grant from the Iowa Department of Transportation to build a road, and even has its first potential tenant in a truck wash. We have nearly 400 acres for some large-scale lots next to the highway system, said Community Development Director Noel Anderson. It also has a rail component and the potential for air development. Anderson believes the site will be attractive to businesses engaged in transloading, which is the process of moving shipped goods from one mode of transportation to another. The Waterloo Air and Rail Park has easy access to the Lone Tree and Airport Boulevard interchanges of U.S. Highway 218. Plans are underway to bring a rail spur off the Canadian National Railroad to the south. It would be great at some point if somebody want to bring in something by air, Anderson added. The Iowa Transportation Commission approved a Revitalize Iowas Sound Economy grant March 12 to extend Lone Tree road from Leversee into the Air and Rail park some 1,150 feet, providing access to five lots. The grant will cover half the estimated $766,720 cost. City Council members are expected to vote May 6 on a site plan and development agreement with Prosper Farm Network LLC to construct a new 14,400-square-foot truck wash building northeast of 2510 Leversee Road. A development agreement approved in 2017 for Standard Distribution Co. to construct a new 50,000-square-foot warehouse and 26-acre laydown yard on the southwest corner of the airports property has expired. But Anderson said he expects the city to move forward with the project at some point. The city still needs to extend sewer, water and power utilities into the industrial park, with that work expected to start this summer or early next spring. The Waterloo Air and Rail Park will be adjacent to the Northern Cedar Falls Industrial Park, developed on the west side of Leversee Road, which serves as the border between the two cities. Cedar Falls, in fact, had once asked to annex a portion of the Waterloo property in 2007 when a farmstead was up for sale. Waterloo rejected that proposal and purchased the farm itself for $350,000 from Robert and Rita Welter. Anderson believes the side-by-side parks can co-exist and noted his predecessor once thought that area could be a great way for the cities to cooperate on economic development efforts. Don Temeyer always envisioned a shared industrial park out there with a shared (tax-increment financing) district going into both cities, he said. Obviously it didnt turn out that way. The citys plans to develop the property has raised some concerns from the airport board, which relies on farm rents generated from the land to balance its budget. But Anderson said he believes the potential business growth at that site could have a positive future impact on the airport. Our hopes are that as we get more and more businesses out there it will increase traffic at the airport, he said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 LARRY FOX of Larry K. Fox & Associates, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., was named a Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisor for 2019. The award is presented to advisors for their experience and helping clients achieve their goals. BLAKE COLWELL of Bill Colwell Ford in Hudson was re-elected secretary-treasurer of the Iowa Automobile Dealers Foundation for Education. Colwell has served on the foundations board of directors since 2012 and has served as secretary-treasurer since 2017. GALE BONSALL of Oakridge Realtors received the Gold Achievement Award from the Iowa Association of Realtors in recognition of a high volume of listings sold and sales in 2018. BILLY RADER joined Retrieving Freedom Inc. as chief executive officer. Rader, a native of San Diego and formerly of the Ozarks, previously was a corporate technology director before moving into nonprofit leadership. Over the past 13 years he has been the CEO of two organizations serving youths as well as homeless veterans and their families. In addition, RFI Founder SCOTT DEWEY has moved from his role as the organizations director of operations position in Iowa to chief development officer for the organization. KATIE HANSEN and ERIN LYONS joined Lincoln Savings Bank in the Waterloo-Tower Park location. Hansen, a digital marketing coordinator from Waverly, received a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication, as well as art and design from Iowa State University in 2014. She previously was at VGM Forbin. Lyons, a trust officer, received a bachelors degree in history from the University of Iowa in 1999, followed by one year at the University of Northern Iowa to pursue teaching and then earned his J.D. from the University of Iowa in 2004 and passed the Iowa Bar Exam in 2005. Lyons has more than 13 years experience as a trial lawyer. JOSH BALK, project coordinator with Blackhawk Soil and Water Conservation District, received the Stormwater and Urban Watershed Partner of the Year Award at the 2019 Iowa Water Conference in Ames. The award recognizes Balks leadership role in securing funding to implement green infrastructure locally, educating stakeholders on ways to implement conservation practices to protect water quality in local streams. Balk also partnered with the city of Cedar Falls to help construct two permeable paver alleys funded through an IDALS Water Quality Initiative Urban Conservation grant. Four people have joined Homelink, a division of VGM Group Inc. NATAJ "TAJ" KELLY is an intake patient care coordinator. He previously was at Best Buy and Tokyo Bay and is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa. HAILEY SULLIVAN is a customer service coordinator and formerly worked for The Hotel at Kirkwood Center. She is a graduate of UNI. ANDREW MAAS is a business analyst and formerly worked for Transamerica. LAURA HOLUB is a nurse care coordinator. JEREMY THESING joined Lincoln Savings Bank as an SBA commercial lender. Thesing, a native of Reinbeck, attended North Central University in Minneapolis where he received a degree in business administration. In 2007 he began his banking career at LSB but left to pursue nonprofit work in the Des Moines region. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CEDAR FALLS Diana Blake doesnt pull her punches. Youre sitting on that note like an egg, the director admonished a section of the New Horizons Band in a recent rehearsal for their May 6 spring concert. Several musicians snickered in response, but the band performed a decidedly sprightlier second playing of the Scherzo movement in Shostakovichs Waltz No. 2. Blake, who has led the 85-member band for the past 15 years, jokingly says its like trying to work with a bunch of ornery middle schoolers, but shes quick to point out that, kidding aside, these 50+ and older players arent fooling around and take their music seriously. Musicians must be at least 50 to join New Horizons; the oldest member is 97-year-old Lewis Lynch, who plays saxophone and is one of the bands few remaining original members. I joined to have good time. I started back when New Horizons started here back in 1999 with 17 people, and Bill Shepherd was our conductor, Lynch recalled. None of us members knew much about playing, but once I got into it, I loved it. Its a good time, and I plan to keep coming until I cant, the sax player said. Lynch still shows up an hour before rehearsal to take group lessons. All the brass instruments trumpet, tuba, trombone, euphonium, French horn along with woodwinds flute, clarinet, saxophone, oboe and bassoon and percussion, including timpani, bells and xylophone, are all represented in the band. Members come from Waterloo and Cedar Falls, as well as Grundy Center, Waverly, Janesville, Readlyn, Sumner, Floyd, Fredericksburg, Tripoli, Dysart, Hudson, Jesup, Denver, Charles City, Maynard, Oelwein and Dike. The band includes people who may have played an instrument in their younger days, who currently play an instrument, or who might like to try a new instrument. Retired band leaders and music teachers share music stands with homemakers and retirees from teaching, business, sales and marketing and law enforcement, for example. Some are folks who cant give up being part of a music ensemble, and others may have played horn or clarinet, whatever, in high school and want to get back into playing. You may think youve forgotten how, but its still up there in your brain. We just have to dig it out, blast it free, Blake explained. Beginners can join, too. You can start from scratch, too, but you might struggle a bit, and you need to be able to read music, she advised. The band is offered through the UNI Community Music School, directed by Heather Hamilton. Seven UNI music education majors teach group lessons for band members. Its a great opportunity for the students to get experience with a different style of teaching. It also shows them that making music can last a lifetime, Hamilton said. Lessons begin at 8 a.m., followed by band rehearsals at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Davis Hall at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. The fall session is 12 weeks long, and the summer session lasts eight weeks. Blake, who retired after 38 years teaching instrumental band and music for Waverly-Shell Rock elementary and middle schools, joined in 2003. Bill Shepherd was directing. All I wanted to do was sit in a chair and play without having to make decisions, she recalled. That lasted about one year, when Shepherd asked her to take the baton when he had to step away from the podium. That was 15 years ago in May. Participating in the band gives mature adults feelings of belonging, enjoyment and importance, Blake said. You begin to know everybody depends on everybody else, and you want to be there to fill your role. Playing an instrument requires mental alertness and hand-eye coordination, which is important as we get older. You may be old, but you can still learn new things. People make new friends and feel less lonely or socially isolated, Blake explained. Theyre having fun, even when Im yelling at them. It makes you feel youre doing something special and being part of the community. Lee VerMulm of Cedar Falls hadnt played euphonium in 44 years when he joined the band 12 years ago, but now he wouldnt miss it for anything. I taught for 34 years at Cedar Falls High School, but Id gone so long without picking up an instrument. My wife suggested it, so I bought a new instrument. I love the people, and I love playing the music, he said. Retired Waverly-Shell Rock law enforcement officer Jeff Franzen joined to play his French horn. I got interested at my 25-year high school reunion, attended a few concerts and decided to start playing again. I love the challenge, he said. Im having a blast. Its so much fun, and youre never too old to learn something new, said Bev Dirks of Grundy Center. The retired elementary music teacher plays saxophone. Charles Rowe, a veteran trombone player who performed in the New York City area for 45 years until twin grandsons brought him and his wife to the Cedar Valley, joined four years ago. I just like playing good band music. I love that theres an outlet for more mature players. Its a large group, and were very social, he said. Rowe also belongs to the Cedar Valley Big Band. In addition to Shostakovichs jazzy waltz made famous on the soundtrack for Stanley Kubricks Eyes Wide Shut, the New Horizons Band concert will feature several other waltzes, a medley of railroad songs, marches, the Armed Forces Salute, the Trombone Rag featuring the trombone section, and several other waltzes. Travis Toliver will sing a Cole Porter medley with the band. Toliver is vice chair of the Waverly Chamber Music board and executive director of the Waverly Chamber of Commerce and Waverly Main Street program. To find out more about New Horizons Band and/or to join, contact Blake at 352-3007, dblake1941@yahoo.com, or Hamilton at 273-2142, heather.hamilton @uni.edu. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Illegal Marijuana Growing Operation Busted 14,497 cannabis plants were removed and destroyed. Illegal indoor cannabis grow operation busted in Medford, Oregon. Photo: OSP (JACKSON COUNTY, Ore.) - A several-month long investigation into black market marijuana exportation from Oregon to several Midwestern states has revealed a large scale indoor marijuana growing operation, which was not licensed or legal, in southern Oregon. The Oregon State Police-Southwest Region Marijuana team executed a search warrant on April 11, 2019, at a property in the 3900 block of Independence School Rd. Medford, Oregon. They discovered two individuals on site. Investigators say the illegal operation was being managed by 24-year old Gregory Martin Day, of North Carolina. He was taken into custody. 14,497 cannabis plants weighing 1,907.7 lbs were removed and destroyed. According to investigators, the street value is estimated at $15 million, the worth possible at the end of production. Also seized during the search warrant: $557,488.00 US Currency, 29-Firearms including two fully-automatic rifles, 6,000 BHO (Butane Honey Oil) cartridges, 141,838.3 gross grams of other BHO product, 1,047 gross grams of psilocybin mushrooms and also some LSD. Gregory Day was lodged in the Jackson County Jail on numerous drug and weapons related charges. The other subject was identified and released. The Oregon State Police-Southwest Region Marijuana team was assisted by the Oregon State Police-Major Crimes Section, the Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) team, OLCC, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Fire District 5 and law enforcement members from Illinois and Kansas. Source: Oregon State Police _________________________________________ FAYETTE Before the March 4 sunrise, Jim and Nina Beeghly rose in the dark, put on their warmest clothes to brace for subzero temperatures and joined about 50 of their Northeast Iowa neighbors on a bus ride to Des Moines. They werent going to sight see the sights or take in a musical at the Des Moines Civic Center. The Beeghlys rode three hours to let lawmakers know a bill proposed by Iowa House Republicans and backed by the Iowa Farm Bureau would take away their ability to sell 120 acres of undulating hills, oak savanna and wetlands to the county so the land can be preserved for the public to enjoy. When I heard they were considering a law that would basically shut down our plan for our farm, we didnt like that very well, said Jim Beeghly, 77, of Decorah. The Legislature seems interested in interests other than conservation. The Iowa Legislature last week approved a bill making it much harder if not impossible for private groups to use the state revolving fund to buy land that would later be sold to a public agency, such as the Iowa Department of Natural Resources or a county conservation board. Groups like the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation can act quickly to purchase land desired for conservation and then sell it later to a government agency that wants it but isnt as agile. The bill is a stripped-down version of House File 542, which lawmakers scuttled after more than 300 people showed up March 4 to oppose it. That bill would have prevented public agencies from buying land or even accepting donated land unless a donor paid for upkeep. It also would have ended a popular tax credit for land donations. The bills illustrate how political influence works in a state shaped by large-scale agriculture but facing major environmental challenges. While some conservation advocates are glad they didnt lose more ground this session, one Republican lawmaker says its just the beginning. Public vs. private It started last year when Sen. Ken Rozenboom, an Oskaloosa farmer and Republican, dropped into the budget bill a yearlong moratorium on the state revolving fund, a program that provides low-interest loans for water and wastewater infrastructure projects. Rozenbooms rider also required the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to inventory all properties purchased by a public entity with loans from the fund. I did that, for one, to call attention to the use of the state revolving fund for projects I believe are questionable, Rozenboom said. Rozenboom is glad Iowa is ranked one of the lowest in the nation for the share of land owned by the public. He and other Republican lawmakers dont want groups like the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation to be able to use low-interest loans from the state revolving fund to buy land that later becomes public. Were a farming state, Rozenboom said. Compared to states that have other natural resources, mountains and deserts, thats not who Iowa is. That 3 percent doesnt mean a lot to me. It makes sense were relatively low. The share of Iowa land owned by federal, state and local government ranges between 1 and 3 percent, depending whether government buildings are counted. An analysis by the National Resources Council of Maine in the early 2000s ranked Iowa at 49th in the nation with just over 1 percent of land owned by the federal or state government. Unfair competition? Only two groups registered support for HF 542: The Iowa Farm Bureau and the Iowa Cattlemens Association. They say nonprofits that buy land and later sell it to the state or counties make it harder for young farmers to buy their first parcels for corn, soybeans, cattle or hogs. As early as 2016, Farm Bureau delegates included in a list of policy priorities ending tax breaks for Iowans who donate land to state, county or local government, according to a 2017 Des Moines Register article. Government incentives for donations eliminates opportunities for young farmers, Iowa Farm Bureau President Craig Hill told the Register. A lot of our young farmers think its wrong. Hill declined The Gazettes request for an interview until after the Legislative session. The only two people to speak in favor of HF 542 at the March 4 meeting were Farm Bureau lobbyists. David Trowbridge, president of the Iowa Cattlemens Association, which represents nearly 10,000 Iowa beef-producing families and associated companies, told The Gazette his organization would like to see land in Iowa remain in private hands. The Cattlemens group is concerned state and county governments dont have enough money to maintain public lands, which could lead to eroded soil that doesnt support livestock grazing. Colby Holmes, 47, of Mount Ayr, in southwest Iowa, has a story he thinks underscores why changes are needed in Iowas public land laws. Holmes, a Farm Bureau member who grows corn and soybeans and raises Angus cattle, recently planned to help his 19-year-old son buy some land in Ringgold County. There were two 76-acre tracts for sale at an estate auction in March, according to DreamDirt auction website. The parcel Holmes preferred sold for $2,575 per acre, which still was too expensive for his son, he said. The other parcel brought $4,300 per acre. That piece over there was bid on by local neighbors, but they were ultimately outbid by the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Holmes said. He contends the higher sale price shows conservation purchases inflate the cost of farmland over what local farmers can afford. The Natural Heritage Foundation disputes Holmess account, saying at least two other bidders wanted to buy the land at comparable prices and an independent appraisal showed the parcel was worth $4,300. The land is ideal for conservation because its never been plowed and is adjacent to the Kellerton Wildlife Management Area, Foundation President Joe McGovern said. The state revolving fund was not used in making the purchase. Best use Since 2006, the state revolving fund has been used to purchase about 11,000 acres for about $52 million, an average of about $4,700 per acre, according to the Iowa DNR inventory. This is far less than the $7,264 per acre average Iowa farmland sold for from November 2017 to November 2018, according to the 2018 Iowa State University land value survey. This is not prime farm land, Patti Cale-Finnegan said of land purchased for conservation. She managed the revolving fund from 2004 to 2018. Its land that often has wetlands on it. A lot of times its next to wildlife management areas that have already been established. The Natural Heritage Foundation also has bought land in the flood plain, sold off by farmers tired of years of crops being ruined by flooded rivers and streams. Just this spring, western Iowa farms have sustained up to $2 billion in damage from the swollen Missouri River, the Iowa Farm Bureau reported. That is one reason Silvia Secchi, a University of Iowa associate professor in geographical and sustainability studies, is frustrated about the new limits on the loan fund. Some farmers may say For fair market value, I would be willing to sell my land, Secchi said. Thats why this bill is so silly. Its not like they are using eminent domain. You are taking that tool away from communities. Come back Jim and Nina Beeghly bought their Fayette County farm in the early 2000s. The retirees have spent more than $25,000 returning the land to its natural state by removing undergrowth and seeding native prairie plants, planting trees and shrubs and building five wetlands that now host animals including Canada geese, ducks, leopard frogs, chorus frogs and, on a recent visit, a snowy egret. The couple has been aided by groups including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Fayette County and Pheasants Forever. The Beeghlys wetlands filter water from their neighbors corn and soybean fields. This is important because nitrate and phosphorus washing from farmland across the Midwest into the Mississippi River is causing an oxygen-deprived dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. The nutrients also have caused harmful algal blooms in some of Iowas recreational lakes. A 2.5-mile paved trail through the Beeghly farm takes cyclists, runners and walkers from Fayette to the banks of the Volga River. The couple granted an easement for the trail and for a lookout tower at the high point of the property. The Beeghlys offered to sell their farm to Fayette County at a discounted rate, taking advantage of the state tax credit on the donated portion. The county is applying for a state grant to buy the land, which would be used for educational programming. Nina Beeghly said one of her grandsons cried when he learned his grandparents were moving from the farm to Decorah in 2014. I told him not to worry, that we could always come back here, she said. If this deal goes through, that will always be the case, added Rod Marlatt, Fayette County Conservation director. Farm Bureau Lawmakers dont know or wont say who wrote HF 542 and Senate File 548, which has passed both chambers and is awaiting Gov. Kim Reynoldss signature. Iowa DNR officials and the Natural Heritage Foundation think the bill likely would prohibit most of the ways the nonprofit now is using the fund to buy land for water quality projects. Rozenboom, who introduced the Senate bill, declined to share his drafting notes but said Farm Bureau lobbyists made clear the organizations priorities. They presented things to me and I took what I saw as the most obvious thing to work on right now, he said. Thats how it works. Everybody does that. Is it a Farm Bureau wish? Yeah. But its my wish. The Iowa Farm Bureau is a tax-exempt organization with $1.72 billion in assets, according to its most recent Form 990 tax report. The organizations revenue for the year that ended Oct. 31, 2017, was $90.3 million, mostly from investments and income from Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company. Farm Bureaus expenses that year were $31.7 million. The Farm Bureau paid 20 employees more than $100,000 in 2017, including President Hill, who received $590,460 in compensation and Don Petersen, director of government relations, who received $1.2 million. The Iowa Farm Bureau contributed $291,700 to Iowa political candidates in 2018, with 94 percent going to Republicans, according to reports filed with the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board. The biggest beneficiaries were Reynolds and Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig with $50,000 each, Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver with $14,500 and candidate Shannon Latham with $11,000. Latham, co-owner and vice president of Latham Hi-Tech Seeds, was unsuccessful in unseating incumbent Democrat Amanda Ragan in the November election in north central Iowa. The Democrat who got the most campaign cash from the Farm Bureau in 2018 was Kevin Kinney, an Oxford farmer and former Johnson County sheriffs deputy, at $7,500. He defeated another farmer, Heather Hora, last fall for Senate District 39. Kinney is the only Senate Democrat who voted for the public lands restriction bill. I probably got a little different perspective on it since Im the only farmer on the Democratic side, Kinney said. Im not saying what the land trust is doing is wrong. I just dont think we should be funding a private entity to be going against the taxpayers. Kinney said he worked with Senate Republicans to keep the tax credit for land donations. He also pushed an amendment that said the revolving fund could grant loans to private groups if the land had been out of production for 10 years, but the amendment didnt pass. Last year, the Iowa Farm Bureau created Iowans for Agriculture, a 527 political organization it used to buy more than $200,000 in television ads in the Cedar Rapids/Dubuque/Waterloo market to promote Naigs campaign for ag secretary, Iowa Starting Line reported in October. Naig, a former Monsanto lobbyist, is a Republican. Iowa farmers and agribusiness will benefit for years to come if this campaign is successful, according to a fundraising memo obtained by Starting Line. The memo from Petersen lists water quality, soil conservation, value-added agriculture, livestock production and biotechnology as issues Naig could influence. Iowans for Agricultures postelection report, posted Dec. 6 on the IRS website, lists $335,000 in payments to broadcast stations and Victory Enterprises, a Davenport-based communications firm that makes television commercials. The group paid another $50,000 in October to the Republican Governors Association in support of efforts to bolster Gov. Reynolds election. Contributors to the fund include the Farm Bureau, Monsanto, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Turkey Federation, Iowa Select Farms, Agribusiness Association of Iowa and Kent Corporation. Whats next Conservationists fear this years public lands bills will be followed by more efforts to restrict public land buys. Pheasants Forever has spent years advocating for a sales tax increase to fund Iowas Water and Land Legacy, a program created in 2010 by referendum but not funded. Matt OConnor, habitat team coordinator, said the Farm Bureau has falsely inflated how much money from that program could be used for land acquisition. Through their lobbyists, through legislators, he said of how the group spread misinformation. I want to have professionals and I want to have citizens of Iowa make decisions for Iowa, not politicians. Rozenboom said hes not done looking at state conservation policy. Senate File 548 probably isnt the end of it. I have a lot more things I want to look at. Erin Jordan of The Gazette is researching and reporting on the progress or lack of progress in reducing the flow of nitrate and phosphorus into the Mississippi River and other lakes and rivers during a nine-month OBrien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis. Because Iowas state revolving fund provides low-interest loans for water quality and water infrastructure projects, Jordan spent the last four months investigating the politics behind bills to prohibit use of this fund by nonprofit groups, like the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, to buy land later sold to government agencies for conservation. Jordan talked with eight current and former state lawmakers, a half-dozen Iowans who sent letters to legislators about the bills, agency leaders, conservationists, a commodity group and water quality experts to write this story. She also reviewed more than 1,000 pages of emails from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State University about past water quality legislation. Marquette University and administrators of the program played no role in the reporting, editing or presentation of this project. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1 A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items for Saturday: New appeals judges Gov. Kim Reynolds on Saturday announced her appointments of Sharon Soorholtz Greer of Marshalltown and David May of Polk City as judges of the Iowa Court of Appeals. Greer received her undergraduate degree from Iowa State University and a law degree from the University of Iowas College of Law and is in private law practice. She fills a vacancy created when Reynolds appointed Christopher McDonald to the Iowa Supreme Court earlier this year. May received his undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri and a law degree from Drake University. He serves as a district court judge. He fills a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge David Danilson. Electric vehicles After a politically charged debate Saturday, Iowa senators sent Gov. Kim Reynolds legislation to impose a new state fee for electric vehicle registration. House File 764, which passed the state Senate, 34-14, will add a supplemental registration fee. When fully phased in, it will cost owners of electric vehicles an additional $130 a year. Backers said the goal is to maintain the Road Use Tax Fund (RUTF) that supports the construction and maintenance of Iowa roads and bridges. The RUTF provides 45 percent of the money for state, county and city roads, she said. The goal of House File 767 is for every vehicle owner to support the transportation system. The Iowa Department of Transportation is concerned that, as electric vehicle sales grow, federal and state motor fuel tax revenues that have supported transportation will continue to decline. The measure had passed the House, 78-20. Senate confirmation The Iowa Senate adjourned the 2019 session Saturday without taking up the confirmation of Gov. Kim Reynolds reappointment of Janet Phipps Burkhead to lead the state Department of Administrative Services. Minority Democrats had expressed reservations about supporting the DAS director, who served as the states chief negotiator in collective bargaining talks, at a time when Republicans revamped the law. She would be the top human resources officer during a period in which the state had to pay settlements to employees who alleged sexual harassment by the former head of the Iowa Finance Authority. Reynolds spokesman, Pat Garrett, declined to comment on the confirmation outcome for Phipps Burkhead, who will have to exit her post in May after failing to win the minimum 34 votes for a two-thirds majority of the 50-member Senate. Sen. Roby Smith, R-Davenport, said a vote was not taken because Democrats communicated that they were going to take her down and its disappointing they would do something like that. She was one of the most qualified and accomplished woman that has every served the state of Iowa, Smith said. He said it is up to Reynolds whether she would appoint Phipps Burkhead to a different assignment. Also, senators adjourned with reconsidering the vote for Phil Hemingway of Iowa City to serve on the state Board of Educational Examiners. He also had failed to muster the 34 votes needed for confirmation. Senators voted 49-0 on Friday to confirm Mark Schulings reappointment as the states consumer advocate. Explosive wine Officials in the states Alcoholic Beverages Division released an advisory Friday that bottles of wines manufactured by a Missouri winery pose a risk of exploding. The bulletin followed a warning by the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control that certain products manufactured by the Casa de Loco winery, based in Eldon, Mo., might pose a danger and should immediately be secured. Six brands of Casa de Loco wine have been identified as posing a risk of explosion: Applesauced, Bellini Gold, Coming in Hot, Kona Lover Port, OCD and Peachy Thoughts. We dont believe these products have been sold in Iowa, but may have been purchased by Iowans traveling to Missouri, said |osh Happe, Iowa ABD chief of regulatory compliance. Anyone in possession of these products should immediately store them in a safe location should they explode and contact the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control at (573) 751-2964. The brands were known to have been sold in the following Missouri locations: Camdenton, Glasgow, Keytesville, Lebanon, Newburg, Osage Beach, Salisbury, St. Joseph, St. Robert, Stoutland, Sunrise Beach, Warsaw and Wright City. The wines also might have been distributed to consumers in other locations. Regent requirement State legislators reversed course Friday on a policy proposal that would have imposed at 40 percent match requirement for the University of Iowa and Iowa State University and a 20 percent match requirement for the University of Northern Iowa on future construction projects at the three campuses. Match-requirement language had been included in an infrastructure budget bill that won legislative approval, but Sen. Michael Breitbach, R-Strawberry Point, said Friday the 40-40-20 language was scrapped in favor of more study of the financing issue. Language calling for a study was included in a fiscal 2020 standing appropriations bill that won Senate approval, 31-18. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DECORAH - The Decorah City Councils personnel committee will meet Monday to discuss the hiring process for a new police chief. Chief Bill Nixon is retiring in July. The mayor appoints the chief with council approval. The city is in the process of soliciting proposals from firms that could assist with the search for Nixons replacement. The firm hired also would help with the civil service compliance requirements for the candidates, according to City Administrator Chad Bird. After Nixon announced in December his intent to retire, informal discussions began about the possibility of consolidating the Police Department with the Winneshiek County Sheriffs Office in an effort to save money. After researching possibilities for more than a month, Mayor Lorraine Borowski told the council in March she did not find sufficient support for a merger. She cited the governmental differences between the Sheriffs Office and the Police Department. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 WATERLOO In 1959, Anna Mae Weems brought Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Waterloo. On Saturday, the Poor Peoples Campaign that King started in 1968 which was revived in 2018 circled back to Waterloo to honor Weems for her work in civil rights. She brought Dr. King, (civil right activist Ralph) Abernathy and so many others right up Chestnut Street and introduced them to me and my family. She had fed many a hungry person. She has given power to the powerless, a voice to those who thought they had no voice. She taught us to speak up, said niece Joshalyn Hickey Johnson. She got a job for a lot of people. You could put her on your resume, and it would either help you or hurt you because she was known, like Dr. King, as a troublemaker to many, she said Surrounded by family, friends and other local civil rights leaders, Weems was awarded the Iconic Civil and Human Rights Champion for Justice Award during the Poor Peoples Campaign event at Jubilee United Methodist Church on East Fourth Street. Also honored at the event were 2018 award recipients Willie Mae Wright, Lawrence Stumme Jr., Sheila Bohr, Rebecca Grant, David Goodson, Mary E. Robinson, Kenneth Adderley and Chaveevah B. Ferguson. The campaign is active in more than 30 states, and the Waterloo event was part of a larger tour by the campaigns Iowa branch. Prior events have focused on the Des Moines area. What we are trying to do is reach out to folks. We are giving folks a platform to share their stories, this is the reality of whats going on in our communities, said organizer Natalie Robinson. During a discussion, Allen Hayes talked about high incarceration rates for people arrested in Black Hawk County. Keegan Smith, 18, a member of the Waterloo Youth City Council, talked about setting up a police review commission, citing a recent scuffle at West High School that included social media video of an officer striking a student while trying to detain him. Local defense attorney Kathryn Mahoney said she would like to see state employees receive diversity training. We need it because its not going well, she said. Eddie Moss, 76, was concerned he couldnt find any assistance for home repairs. I paid into society just like anybody else. What can I do? asked Moss, who retired 20 years ago after working in road construction. Love 3 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Church holds fundraiser WATERLOO First Baptist Church will have a fundraiser rummage and bake sale on May 3-4 at 1621 Williston Ave. The sale will help send 13 church members on a mission trip to Puerto Rico in June to participate in hurricane recovery efforts with the American Baptist Home Mission Society, painting, roofing, cleaning and filling other needs. Sale hours will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.n. May 3 and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 4. All kinds of items will be available, including furniture, music speakers and baby items. BBQ Loo seeks food vendors WATERLOO Main Street Waterloo is accepting applications for BBQ and other food vendors to participate in the 18th annual BBQ Loo and Blues Too! The event is scheduled Friday and Saturday, July 19-20 in Lincoln Park, downtown Waterloo. For more information or to request an entry application packet, call Main Street Waterloo office at 291-2038 or visit www.mainstreetwaterloo.org. Deadline for entries is July 10. CFHS recognized for STEM work CEDAR FALLS Cedar Falls High School has been recognized as a Project Lead The Way Distinguished School for increasing access, engagement and achievement in the program. The program is designed to inspire and engage students in science, technology, engineering and math while preparing them with the skills to succeed in any career path. At the high school, there are 184 students in Project Lead The Way classes and 103 students in multiple program classes. The high school offers three gateway courses, two computer science courses and four engineering courses. All seventh-graders take PLTW computer science for innovators and makers over 12 weeks and PLTW automation and robotics is offered to eighth-graders at Peet and Holmes junior high schools. Academy sets open house WATERLOO Royal Legacy Christian Academy will host an open house for prospective families with students entering kindergarten through seventh grade. The event will be 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday at 715 E. Fourth St., Waterloo. Parents will learn about the vision and mission of the school and have an opportunity to ask questions. Enrollment packets will be available on site. For more information, contact the school at 595-1097. Pony Express raises $254,000 WATERLOO The Pony Express ride for the Easter Seals camp raised more than $254,000 this year in Iowa, more than $21,000 from the Cedar Valley. The ride has been held annually since 1968, always on Good Friday and the Saturday before Easter. Over the course of the of the rides 51 years it has raise a total of $10.5 million. Last year $300,000 was raised. The first ride raised $12,000 in northwest Iowa. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 "I respect the will of the council, and clearly there is no support to go forward on this. I thought it was worth a stab." WATERLOO --The Cedar Valley just witnessed its snowiest winter on record. The National Weather Service Office in Des Moines on Saturday said the Waterloo area beat the old record for seasonal snowfall by midafternoon, putting it atop the board with a new record. Snow began falling in the metro area in the late morning. While the ground temperature kept most of the snow from sticking, it didn't stop it from falling. At 1 p.m., the Waterloo area had tied the record -- 59.4 inches of snow had fallen in the 2018-19 winter season. It tied the amount same amount last set in the 1961-62 winter season. By 7 p.m. Saturday, the National Weather Service announced the new record -- 60.0 inches. Weather officials said the area received a total snowfall Saturday of 0.7 inches. Northern counties were getting even more snow. Officials were reporting some snowfall sticking and others warned of slippery conditions with the fresh snow. A winter storm watch was in effect all day Saturday for Allamakee, Bremer, Butler, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Howard, Mitchell and Winneshiek counties in Northeast Iowa, according to the National Weather Service. Officials issued a freeze warning for today for the Waterloo area. Overnight lows were expected to drop below freezing across much of central Iowa until 9 this morning. Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 2 Angry 5 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. By now, most people have probably heard all they care to about the Mueller report and its conclusions. Nonetheless, I do have several comments. Sorry! Its pretty clear President Trump expects loyalty to him personally from everyone he appoints or who surrounds him. There is a tiny grain of reasonableness in this. After all, the job of president is demanding and always subject to criticism and second guessing. A president should have confidence his team thinks the way he does. However, a president must also understand it is unreasonable to expect everyone to unequivocally agree with all his ideas. But it is obvious Trump expects just that. A careful reading of the report indicates those who dont doggedly obey him dont last long. This is becoming a serious problem. From the report: The Presidents efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests. Yet, most of those very people are gone. Trumps circle now consists almost exclusively of those who give him complete personal loyalty and obedience. This is a serious shortcoming for any leader, let alone the president. In government, loyalty should be to the Constitution and the country, not personally to the president. Trump claims the report dismisses any charge of collusion with the Russians to sway the 2016 election. Well, not exactly. What about the Trump Tower meeting between members of his family and campaign committee with Russians? This undeniably occurred, and the purpose was to get dirt on Hillary Clinton. The Mueller report states there was not enough evidence for a conspiracy charge, as defined in the law, but says little on whether there was collusion, which has no legal meaning. On top of that, Rudy Giuliani says, Theres nothing wrong with taking information from Russians. It depends on where it came from. Really Rudy? Isnt that collusion? Then there is Trumps infamous public plea about Clintons emails: Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press. Collusion doesnt have to be a secret, and this certainly sounds like collusion. Suppose Clinton had said, China if youre listening, find and make public Trumps tax returns and financial statements. Youll be rewarded by the press. How would that play? Probably interpreted as collusion. Finally, on obstruction of justice. According to the Mueller report, James Comey testified the president asked him to shut down an FBI investigation of Trumps former national security adviser, Michael Flynn. I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. Despite Trumps denial, the special counsel concluded, substantial evidence corroborates Comeys account. It goes on and on, but its clear we have a president who thinks he is above the law and will do anything to win. Its an unhealthy combination for our country. Fred Abraham is professor emeritus and former head of the economics department at the University of Northern Iowa. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not reflect those of the university. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SNc Channels: Search About Salem-News.com Apr-28-2019 12:58 TweetFollow @OregonNews Netanyahu Wins, Palestinians Lose To this day, Israel has not defined its borders. Ever. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just won a fifth term. Image: Palestine Advocacy Project (SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.) - Despite three pending corruption charges, Benjamin Netanyahu won a fifth term as Israels prime minister. During the campaign, he said he would annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank land captured in 1967. This would firm up Israel's hold on them and will probably preclude any Palestinian state. Presently, there are more than 2.5 million Palestinians in the West Bank and severely blockades 2 million more in Gaza. Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967, In 1981, Israel annexed the Golan Heights. In March 2019, Trump officially recognized Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights. Netanyahu has announced plans to name a neighborhood in Golan Heights after President Trump in appreciation for his decision last month to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the region. Under the United Nation's Charter there can lawfully be no territorial gains from war, even by a state acting in self-defense. Therefore, even if Israels action were to be considered defensive, its retention of the West Bank and the Golan Heights is unlawful. Netanyahus threat to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank were foreshadowed by events at the creation of Israel in 1947 when the United Nations partitioned the land, allotting the Jews 55 percent of Palestine. The Arabs did not agree to this partition. The action of the UN conflicted with the basic principles for which the world organization was established, namely, to uphold the right of all peoples to self-determination. By denying the Palestine Arabs, who formed the two-thirds majority of the country, the right to decide for themselves, the UN had violated its own charter. Most of the Zionists accepted the partition resolution because they were convinced that the crucial issue at that time was to establish a firm foundation for Jewish sovereignty. In closed meetings, the Zionists, including David Ben-Gurion, never concealed their intention to expand at the first opportunity the territory given to the Jews. That is why the Declaration of Independence did not define the state's borders and Israel has not defined its borders to this day. Consider as early as 1938, Ben-Gurion stated, "After we become a strong force, as a result of the creation of a state, we shall abolish partition and expand into the whole of Palestine." In 1948, Menachem Begin declared, "The partition of the Homeland is illegal. It will never be recognized. The signature of institutions and individuals of the partition agreement is invalid. It will not bind the Jewish people. Jerusalem was and will forever be our capital. Eretz Israel (the land of Israel) will be restored to the people of Israel. All of it. And forever. (Noam Chomsky, The Fateful Triangle.) In the war of 1967, Egypt did not attack Israel. Rather, Israel conducted a pre-emptive strike against Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. After the war, the remaining Palestinian territory was captured by Israel. Out of this captured land, Israel created the West Bank and the Gaza Strip by chopping up the land into isolated enclaves surrounded by Jewish settlements and Israeli occupation forces. The Palestinians lost 78 percent of their land to Israel and are left with 22 percent. Israel has erected a wall or fence, which cuts deep into Palestinian territory, joining large Jewish settlement blocks to Israel, further confining the Palestinians to isolated enclaves. And Israel continues to establish new settlements (called outposts), demolishing homes and uprooting plantations in the process. President Trump has aided and abetted Netanyahus squeezing of the land the Palestinians claim for an independent state . Trump hardline pro-Israel stance that fits easily with the Republican Party and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government. David Friedman, his ambassador to Israel, is a pro-Israel advocate who once wrote that the two-state solution is a suicidal peace with hateful radical Islamists hell bent on Israels destruction. Trump moved the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump has abandoned efforts to curb illegal settlement activity in the West Bank. The Trump administration has stopped all aid to the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, including all support for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. Israel has withheld millions of dollars of tax transfers to punish the Palestinians for their martyr fund, a program that provides stipends to the families of Palestinians imprisoned or killed as a result of fighting with Israel. Meanwhile, Israel was the largest annual recipient of direct economic and military assistance since 1976, According to President Trumps fiscal year budget request, Israel is expected to receive $3.3 billion in annual funding in 2019. The Trump administrations long promised peace plan, supposedly being drafted by son-in-law Jared Kushner, is reportedly tilted toward Israels view of the conflict. The peace plan is unlikely to include an independent Palestinian state. Meanwhile, Israel, with the approval of the Trump administration, is incrementally absorbing what is left of land claimed by the Palestinians. _________________________________________ Israel | Palestine | Racism | Justice | Most Commented on Articles for April 28, 2019 | Articles for April 29, 2019 Lakshmi Manchu, who is currently on a vacation, surprised her followers on social media when she posted a video of Nagarjuna and Rakul Preet on Instagram. The actress, who is a close friend of both the stars, is currently in Portugal, where she is seen bonding big time with the Manmadhudu 2 team. For the past few days, Nagarjuna, Rakul, and Vennela Kishore have been shooting in Portugal, and recently, Amala Akkineni too landed there to spend the summer with Nagarjuna. Rahul Ravindran is directing the film, and Annapurna Studios is producing the film. Lakshmi Manchu had recently acted in Mrs Subbalakshmi, a web series which was aired on Zee5. The actress is yet to announce her next project. Articles that might interest you: Terry W. Hartle in The Christian Science Monitor: Arthur Brooks is one of the limitless number of policy analysts who toil in Washington. He stands out both because he is prolific and his work has had an impact. He has already written 10 books on a wide range of subjects, served as president of the influential center-right American Enterprise Institute, and writes a column for the Washington Post. His background sets him apart. An accomplished classical musician, he spent 12 years playing in a symphony orchestra. He worked his way through college and attended Thomas Edison State University in New Jersey not exactly a big name school in the corridors of power (though he did earn a Ph.D. in public policy from the Rand Institute). On a personal level, he is deeply religious (Roman Catholic) and calls the Dalai Lama a friend and mentor. In his latest book, Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America From the Culture of Contempt, Brooks takes aim at the hypertoxic climate that affects our civic culture. His description of the current situation is essentially that hyperbolic public discourse driven by an outrage industrial complex has produced a culture of contempt that is tearing America apart. He uses the word contempt deliberately because it is more than mere anger. A culture of contempt reflects a desire to mock, shame, and permanently exclude [the other side] from relationships by belittling, humiliating, and ignoring those with whom we disagree. Contempt says to others: You disgust me. You are beneath caring about. Brooks marshals an impressive amount of evidence to make his point. Not only is such behavior damaging to the public discourse, he writes, but it undermines the health of not only its practitioners but also of those on the receiving end. He cites research to suggest that humans are likely hard-wired to be decent and kind and to seek common ground. To him, the toxic political culture undermines our democracy and health and is contrary to human nature. More here. Mint chocolate chip cookies perfect for last-minute bakers No matter what the reason, if a quick batch of Christmas cookies is needed, these mint chocolate chip cookies are perfect. If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). Sandoval County has become a resting place for immigrants on their journey to legally live in the U.S. Since February, Jim Ganon, CEO of Catholic Charities in Albuquerque, has been working with immigrants to help them reach that goal. Ganon, a grandson of Irish immigrants, said he wanted to help with what he called the ebb and flow the immigration hurricane as a way of implementing the example of the Good Samaritan parable told in the Bible. We assist immigrants that want to make a legal claim for residency, he said. We assist with statewide visas for victims of criminal assault and other domestic violence situations so they can testify and help prosecute their alleged abusers. Ganon said his organization serves about 20,000 people every year. It includes a childrens learning center in Albuquerques South Valley, and a senior program that helps those in need get around the community. We work in all sort of areas where there is a need for help, he said. The families seeking asylum at the southern border, Ganon said, remind him of his own familys struggle to enter the country many years ago. They werent wanted; they brought alleged sickness and all the same stories you hear, which certainly werent true, he said. Today the descendants of those families have helped build this country and answer the call of service. Immigration has been a lifeline to this country. Most of the immigrants that Ganon works with are transitioning through New Mexico to other parts of the country where they have family members or a sponsor waiting for them. Next, each immigrant will have to make a legal claim in the U.S. court for the right to stay. We dont determine any of that, Ganon said. As it stands, the Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement determine the eligibility of each immigrant to enter the country under an asylum claim. We are just facilitating the stranger on their journey, he said. So far, Ganon said his organization has been able to help close to 1,000 immigrants with much-needed resources on their way to their final destination. We are gearing up to help some 500 immigrants a month, which still on a daily basis, there are about 700 people being released in the El Paso area, and that number is climbing, he said. The alternative to helping these people, he said, is the Border Patrol releasing them into the streets with no assistance. This leaves these people vulnerable to criminal elements, plus we also receive immigrants from Central America that speak indigenous languages, which makes getting assistance that much more complicated, he said. So just letting them wander the streets of El Paso with the hope they will get to their family members seems impossible. According to Ganon, 20 percent of the immigrants his organization helps are from Brazil with small numbers of Africans and Cubans. Slowly over the past few years, the avenues of coming into the country legally have been closed off more and more are taken away from people, he said. Ganon said the immigrants he has dealt with mainly come in pairs as one parent with a child or an entire family. Very few single individuals come. Once an immigrant claiming asylum has been deemed safe, they are no longer detained, he said. They are given whatever paperwork they came with, as well as instructions on where they are to go. Each adult immigrant is fitted with an ankle bracelet, which tracks their movement toward their family or sponsor at a final destination. If an immigrant is shown to have veered from the path they are supposed to be on, legal measures are taken to apprehend them. Catholic Charities is set up to give each person seeking asylum a fresh start by offering a hot meal, a shower, clothes and a place to sleep. Many of the people we help have already been through so much, Ganon said. You can imagine how scary it must be to enter a border facility, and after youve been processed you are now in a foreign place with no resources. Ganon wouldnt verify the sites around the Metro Area where the immigrants stay before moving on. He did say his organization has many places throughout several counties, including Sandoval County, that offer a safe place for each group. We havent had any reporters at any of our sites, because these folks are traumatized and some dont understand the ramifications of what they may say, he said. We want this layover to be a chance for these people to rest before they continue on their journey toward their families and sponsors. Alexander Girard wove color and texture into objects of playfulness and joy. The Museum of International Folk Art is celebrating the legacy of its major donor with Alexander Girard: A Designers Universe, an exhibition organized by Germanys Vitra Design Museum, beginning Sunday, May 5. The exhibition encompasses about 400 works, from furniture and textiles to Braniff Airlines baggage tags. Famous for his color blocking and whimsical design, Girard was a pivotal figure in the museums history, donating some 106,000 objects from his personal folk art collection. In 1981, he created the museums long-term exhibition Multiple Visions, a series of vignettes including a 19th century Mexican village, a Polish village and a Chinese opera set from his own collection of folk art . But the museum owns just 12-15 objects actually created by the designer. This is a different side of Girard than were able to show, MOIFA curator Laura Addison said. People tend to think about him as re-introducing visual pleasure, whether it was color or texture. Before Girard, midcentury design retained a highly reductive and colorless sensibility. Born in New York City, Girard grew up in Florence, Italy, and attended boarding school in England. His creative vision surfaced as a preteen when he created a world called The Republic of Fife, Addison said. The young designer created costumes, currency, banners and stamps, as well as his own coded language of symbols. He was a creator of universes, of imaginary places, she said. He crafted this world that was very grounded in color, pattern and texture. Trained as an architect in London and Rome, Girard launched his design career outside Detroit, where he worked for furniture manufacturer Herman Miller in 1951. He created fabrics for the designs of George Nelson and Charles and Ray Eames. In 1967 he developed a furniture collection for Herman Miller. Girard created Braniff Airlines lounge and office furniture and splashed his signature palette onto its planes like a canvas, signaling the end of plain planes. He redesigned everything from the airlines sugar packets to the ticket counters, using blues, beiges, oranges, turquoise and lemon yellow to make the planes recognizable from the ground. He used the same process to design New Yorks La Fonda del Sol restaurant in the Time & Life Building, splashing its menus, matchbooks, tableware, floor tiles and walls with his signature bright colors. Girard based his repeating patterns on vegetal motifs, typography or simple geometric shapes. Affectionately known as Sandro, Girard created a team that has influenced the fundamentals of design throughout the U.S. and the rest of the world. Girard moved to Santa Fe in 1953. There was so much he loved about New Mexico and its folk art influence, Addison said. His letters described its crystal clear, crispy air, the fires that smell like incense and the sight of horses, goats and cows from his home portal. Girard spent much of his free time driving to Mexico to collect folk art. He also visited both the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe and collected both New Mexican and Native American art. He was truly remarkable for taking in all this visual experience especially the Hispanic folk art without being appropriative, without duplication, Addison said. He designed a strong visual language all his own. In 1978, Girard donated his entire folk art collection to the Museum of International Folk Art. The objects include toys, dolls and icons. The museum has since gained international recognition as home to the worlds largest collection of folk art. Girard died on Dec. 31, 1993, at age 86, in Santa Fe. A few months ago I saw the best production of a Neil Simon play I had ever seen, a gut-busting rendition of his 1993 Laughter on the 23rd Floor. But just when I thought Simon could not be done better, Henry Avery of Albuquerque Little Theatre presents an impeccably directed, beautifully designed, and flawlessly acted production of Simons 1988 farce Rumors. Farce is an extremely difficult genre. It requires immense energy and perfect comic timing. When done right it appears effortless. Avery was smart enough to cast two of the actors from that brilliant production of Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Matt Heath and Michelle Volpe Roe. Heath was astonishing in Laughter, and here he is equally good as Lenny Ganz, who arrives to his friends party with whiplash and a nearly destroyed BMW. Volpe, an adept comic actor, is at the top of her game as Chris Gorman, who is not sure what to do when her friend Charlie Brock accidentally shoots himself and passes out on Valium at his own 10th wedding anniversary party. Of course, in a well-crafted farce like Rumors the plot is deliciously outrageous, with one extremely improbable occurrence following another in rapid succession. Simon has the couples arrive one by one, with Chris and her husband, Ken, attempting to keep everyone in the dark so at to protect their friend Charlies reputation. But as we all know, lying almost always makes matters worse, as it does here. Dehron Foster had the audience howling as lawyer Ken Gorman, who accidentally fires the gun, making himself almost completely deaf for most of the show, mishearing people and responding too loudly. Ronda Lewis plays Claire Ganz, Lennys gossip-loving wife. Her facial and kinetic responses are wonderful, but her unmiked voice does not carry far enough in the large ALT theater. The third couple to arrive are Ernie and Cookie Cusack. Stephanie Larragoite, who was so wonderful as the hippie Jeanette in The Full Monty, is top-notch again as Cookie the television show cook with a bad back. Joel Daniel Miller, whose appearance as Shakespeare in The Book of Will did so much to boost that shows dramatic appeal, is good as Cookies other half, the psychoanalyst Ernie. The last couple to arrive are Glenn and Cassie Cooper. David Bello is terrific as the narcissistic politician on the rise, worried that a scandal could topple his career. His real worry, however, should be his pathologically jealous and neurotically antagonistic wife, brilliantly played by Fawn Hanson. Joe Moncadas set and costume design are gorgeous, perfectly capturing the New York upper class. The color design (mostly white framing vibrant colors, especially red) and the color coordination between set and costumes is exquisite. Every detail including a large Jackson Pollack-like work of abstract art on the second level is precise and a delight to the eye. Director Henry Avery worked for decades in the professional New York theater before taking over as artistic director of the ALT. That experience is evident in his sense of stage composition, dramatic rhythm, and his sensitive work with actors. In short, this is a perfectly executed farce and not to be missed. Rumors is playing through May 5 at Albuquerque Little Theatre in Old Town. Go to albuquerquelittletheatre.org or call 242-4750. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo next Sunday with the New Mexico Symphonic Chorus and the music of Argentinas Ariel Ramirez. Scheduled for First United Methodist Church, the chorus season finale will open with music by contemporary composer Emma Lou Diemer and Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Felixs sister. The musicians include pianist Daniel Cummings and tenors Kevin Chavez and Colton Hardy and baritone Richard Powdrell. Diemer based her Three Madrigals (1962), arranged for piano and chorus, on Shakespeares Twelfth Night, Measure for Measure and Much Ado About Nothing. After a University of Maryland professorship, Diemer joined the faculty at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she taught and established its electronic music program. Felix Mendelssohn knew how good his sister Fanny was, music director Roger Melone said. She was composing from the time they grew up together, he said. There was at that time zero chance for public performance, because she was female. The texts of Fanny Mendelssohns 1846 six-part Gartenlieder came from recognized German poets, including her husband, the painter William Hensel. After they married in 1829, she organized a salon giving regular concerts in the garten. At one point, Felix took one of her pieces to his publisher and said, I composed this, Melone said. They instantly published it and it was a huge hit. But her stuff has been nonperformed forever. They are just gorgeous, and they obviously deserve a hearing. Ramirez composed his Missa Criolla in 1963-64 soon after the Second Vatican Council of the Catholic Church approved the use of non-Latin texts. The composer subtitled it Folk Mass based on the rhythms and traditions of Hispanic America. The accompaniment and the soloists are in the style of mariachis, Melone said. Its really quite beautiful. The Gloria is quite festive, and it sounds very Hispanic. Ramirez composed more than 300 works; the Missa Criolla is his most famous. In an interview with the Jerusalem Post, Ramirez said he was inspired by a visit to Germany after World War II. The composer spoke to two sisters who regularly risked their lives to bring food to Nazi prisoners near their home. If you go WHAT: Cinco de Mayo with the New Mexico Symphonic Chorus WHEN: 3 p.m. Sunday, May 5 WHERE: First United Methodist Church, 315 Coal SW HOW MUCH: $25; $45 premium at nmschorus.org, brownpapertickets.com, 800-838-3006. State Parks director Christy Tafoya moved here nearly three decades ago even though she had never set foot on New Mexican soil. She had just graduated from Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Va., earning bachelors degrees in history and historic preservation. It was 1991 and she accepted a job with Lincoln National Forest, inspired by New Mexican culture, history and architecture. I came out here sight unseen, she said. My mom was thrilled. Former Gov. Susana Martinez made history in 2015 when she named Tafoya to lead New Mexicos State Parks Division, making Tafoya the first woman to hold the post. New Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham recently reappointed Tafoya to the position. Its a common practice for incoming governors to let go of top government officials appointed by the previous administration and replace them with a candidate of their choice. I did not know what was going to happen, Tafoya said. I had to reapply for my job. Im very grateful our governor is giving me an opportunity to continue my work. After 10 years of planning and work, the department is steps away from establishing Pecos Canyon State Park with Tafoya continuing at the helm. Tafoya decided to attend New Mexico State University to earn a masters in anthropology where she did a project at Oliver Lee Memorial State Park. Thats how I came to know the state park system here, she said. I thought This would be a good agency to work for. I applied and was hired as the first archaeologist for the parks. Tafoya spent her childhood in Maryland just outside of Washington, D.C., where she had access to not only the outdoors but a front-row seat to history. I love history, she said. I have a historic preservation background. Those experiences led me to come to New Mexico to see the architecture. But it was the Girl Scouts when she was a child that ignited her passion for the natural world. Shes currently on the board of directors for Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails and said she works with the organization to connect girls to the outdoors. Peggy Sanchez Mills, CEO of the states Girl Scout organization, said she reached out to Tafoya knowing she would be a good role model for the girls. She is such a great role model for our girls, shares our passion for girl leadership and the outdoors, she said. Her ethics and integrity impress me tremendously and her strong sense of responsibility. Lewis Ledford is the executive of Americas State Parks, a national organization with the goal of promoting state park systems across the country. He met Tafoya at a convention in 2010. He said her background as an anthropologist and history are two important tools she offers. I would describe her as passionate and competent, he said. In addition to providing safe and quality outdoor recreation opportunities, Christy has a strong desire to convey an understanding of the importance of parks now and for future generations, and their economic value. New Mexico has 34 state parks that offer a wide range of activities for visitors, including hiking, boating, camping, fishing, bird watching and star gazing, with some parks containing observatories. Tafoya said the Legislature provides 25 percent of the New Mexico State Parks budget and the remaining funding comes from fees, grants and federal funds. According to state figures, 5 million people visit the states parks annually. The state is responsible for maintenance and ensuring the parks are clean. They also put in place things like picnic tables, trash cans, electricity, dump stations for RV waste, and buildings that become the point of contact for the public. The state park system is nestled under the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department. Sarah Cottrell Propst, department director, called Tafoya an inspiring example. With Director Tafoyas 20 years in the State Parks Division, we are thrilled to have her at the helm, Cottrell Propst said. Her resource and education background, as well as her invaluable institutional knowledge, make her the perfect fit to lead the continued growth of the State Parks Division. While the political chattering class and cable TV talking heads continue to obsess over the Robert Mueller report, in New Mexico we are looking to our southern border as the situation threatens to spin out of control. Among the most recent developments: Federal authorities last week arrested a man who identified himself to the Journal as the commander of an armed group camped near the New Mexico border. He was there as a supposed deterrent to the flood of undocumented immigrants pouring into the United States many presenting claims for asylum and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The last thing anyone needs is vigilante groups like the United Constitutional Patriots packing heat on the border. Its unacceptable. And predictable. To millions of Americans, the government has been unable to defend our borders, given a system that allows virtually anyone in the world as evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of people who have crossed the border in recent months to be released into the U.S. while they wait for their asylum cases to be adjudicated. Historically, only about 13 percent of asylum claims are successful; most of these immigrants will likely end up slated for deportation. The man arrested, Larry Mitchell Hopkins, 69, of Flora Vista, was severely injured in a jail incident. His attorney said authorities didnt properly protect Hopkins and his client suffered broken ribs in a beating. More vigilante justice? Construction is expected to begin on a border barrier next month despite several lawsuits challenging President Donald Trumps emergency declaration to provide money for a wall. Funded with $1 billion being diverted from military projects, the vast majority of the new barriers 46 miles is slated for Dona Ana and Luna counties. Much of the construction will replace vehicle barriers with structures 18 to 30 feet tall. Congress tried to block the emergency declaration, but Trump vetoed the legislation. n The humanitarian crisis is real. The asylum-seekers have been promised by human smugglers that if they get here they can stay. Many are poorly nourished, in need of medical care and with few job skills. It has been up to good Samaritans, church groups and, in some cases, the taxpayers to take care of them. Otero County declared a state of emergency Wednesday and demanded that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham return National Guard troops to the border so checkpoints can be reopened. Border agents were pulled to help with the influx of asylum-seekers last month, shutting down the checkpoints that target drugs and other illegal activity. That shift of agents has slowed border commerce to a crawl. Wait times for legitimate cargo to cross can exceed 10 hours, crippling the nations supply chain that extends far beyond our southern border. Albuquerque City Councilor Pat Davis wants to use $250,000 of city taxpayer money to help with the thousands of migrants passing through Albuquerque, who now rely on the kindness of church groups and other nonprofits. Its well-intentioned but sends the message south to Guatamala and El Salvador: Get here and well take care of you. Its impossible not to be sympathetic to these immigrants and their children, especially as you hear the stories and see the faces of those coming through Albuquerque. But the bigger question becomes: Should the City of Albuquerque encourage more to come? With public money? At last check the city had thousands of low-income, at-risk residents and homeless individuals camped in culverts and parks to try to take care of. Even local leaders of groups who have opened their wallets and hearts to asylum-seekers worry the current situation is unsustainable. There are plenty of bad people involved. In addition to the human traffickers, drug runners are using the flood of immigrants as a diversion since they tie up Border Patrol manpower. They make the best case for Trumps wall other than sending an important message that we do have a border. A recent fatal shootout between federal officers in Arizona and a suspected migrant smuggler packing an AK-47 last week provides a glimpse inside the brutal tactics of traffickers who prey on border-crossers, even holding them to shake down their families. Trump is once again threatening to send more armed troops to the border after an incident in which Mexican soldiers confronted U.S. personnel. Mexico blamed the incident on confusion and said it was not looking for confrontation. But again, the mix is toxic. And as you read this, a massive caravan of approximately 10,000 migrants is expected to arrive in Mexico City this week. The group has been described by Mexicos Interior Secretary Olga Sanchez Cordero as carvana Madre, or roughly translated: mother of caravans. According to news reports, Mexican citizens are much less hospitable to the endless stream, prompting some migrant groups to complain they are now being greeted with hostility. And Mexican officials say they have deported thousands of people this month but thousands more made it past federal officers, intent on traveling to the U.S. where the messages are conflicting at best, for example, Trumps wall vs. Councilor Davis $250,000 proposal to help undocumented immigrants. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small, D-N.M., laments the lack of efforts to find a compromise solution but quickly says everyone knows there isnt an emergency on the border. Shes right on Count 1, wrong on Count 2 though we can play semantics and substitute crisis, disaster, debacle, etc., to define the situation. Some resolution is desperately needed, preferably through Congress, but if need be via the president and the courts. Because there is no end in sight to the flood or the unease and political turmoil ripping the country apart. 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 A provision in city law designed to stimulate rental housing development in Santa Fe is set to expire at the end of the year, raising concerns among builders and city officials that a push to encourage the construction of more apartments in Santa Fe could be stalled. In 2016, the city adopted an ordinance that allows developers to pay a fee in lieu of meeting a requirement to allocate 15% of newly constructed single-family rental units to affordable housing, with rents that meet city guidelines. Most developers have opted to pay the fee instead of offering units at cheaper rents considered affordable for lower-income individuals or families. Not everyone thinks thats been good for Santa Fe, including Rick Martinez, chairman of Keep Santa Fe Beautiful and an activist on the board of the Santa Fe Neighborhood Network. Everybody is complaining that were in a crisis for affordable housing and yet they are letting these developers pay a fee in lieu, Martinez said. It lets them buy their way out instead of doing affordable housing, which is whats needed. And what bothers me the most is that these developments are usually backed by out-of-state investors. They should be a part of the community and investing in the people that make up the community, yet they are going to build 2,000 units without one affordable unit? Give me a break. But officials emphasize that the ordinance did stimulate construction of or at least plans to build market-rate rental housing. It did exactly what it was intended to do, Alexandra Ladd, director of Santa Fes Office of Affordable Housing, said of the fee-in-lieu provision. It was a deliberate, focused, strategic initiative to get multi-family development going in this community. It was designed to get market-rate housing approved, permitted and built. City records indicate there are now more than 1,500 multi-family residences in the pipeline for development, 1,378 of them assigned to nine projects that have committed to paying the fee in lieu and are subject to a Jan. 1, 2020, deadline for payment, regardless of whether the city Planning Commission has approved the project. One, the 52-unit Railyard Flats, has already been built. The 139-unit Capitol Flats and the 188-unit Broadstone Rodeo developments are under construction. That leaves six other developments totaling nearly 1,000 units that have been approved and are subject to the payment deadline. An official at Albuquerque-based Titan Development says his company would never have gone ahead with the 188-unit Broadstone Rodeo apartment complex on Rodeo Road without the fee-in-lieu provision. There was no way prior to the fee-in-lieu to make a multi-family apartment complex like that one work, said Josh Rogers, director of multi-family housing for Titan. We could not have done that project under the original ordinance (requiring that 15% of the units are considered affordable). The numbers dont work. Its complicated, Rogers says, but the simplified explanation is that developers project a 15% profit when they do a development. So if a company makes 15% of the units affordable instead of the fee in lieu, all the profit is gone, he said. The city calculates affordable rental rates based on area median income. Housing is considered affordable if a renter pays no more than one-third of household income for housing costs. Titan has been criticized for not including affordable housing in its development. But Rogers says the payments Broadstone paid $232,500 instead of creating 28 affordable units out of the 188 total are a necessary incentive. From what I can tell, theres about 1,500 new units planned or in the process, and theres anywhere from 3,000-6,000 units needed to bring housing back into balance in Santa Fe, Rogers said. Everybody wants to have more affordable housing in Santa Fe, but you cant stifle the development of market-rate housing in the process. Because if supply is fixed, demand will rise and prices will rise along with it. City Councilor Mike Harris spent a career working in the construction business, providing development and management services, and he also served on the citys Planning Commission for many years. He said he has heard developers have a hard time financing projects that include the affordability quotient. Its harder to develop than it ever used to be, quite frankly, he said, adding that high land costs and difficulty obtaining financing make it difficult. But he still wants to know why so many projects in the development pipeline havent broken ground. Im wondering whats going on in the marketplace. Whats holding them back? The city is working on amendments to the ordinance with an eye toward keeping the fee-in-lieu provision in place, but likely at an increased rate. There is no one way to solve this, Ladd said of the housing shortage in Santa Fe in general. You have to come at it from all angles. Managing units a burden City Land Use Director Carol Johnson said uncertainty about what the city will do could have an impact on residential construction projects in the near future. The in lieu program expires at the end of this calendar year, and those fees are collected at the time of building permit issuance. So, if youre one of these projects that just recently got your land use entitlement, you still have to prepare your architectural construction drawings, all your site development grading and drainage and infrastructure plans and bring those in for review by the city, she said. A change in the ordinance now could affect developers who are building projects over time in multiple phases, Johnson said. And, especially if youre doing a phased project where youre pulling permits and building one phase at a time, if you are going to end up pulling permits after the first of the year right now, its uncertain about whether or not you can pay the in-lieu fee or whether you have to go back to the old program (requiring that 15% of the units have affordable rents). That old program was set up more like our single-family program, where those units have to be included in the project. Then the property owner or management firm has to do income verification and manage all those (affordable) units in a similar sense to a public housing project, because they have to be restricted to certain income groups and you have to go through that whole process to verify that tenants actually do meet those income requirements. Johnson said builders dont want to do that kind of detailed management of their tenants incomes. My understanding is (the fee-in-lieu provision) was a response from the development community because having to manage these affordable housing units was a burden that they werent equipped to address the income verification and all of that and that was what was preventing more apartments from being built in Santa Fe, said Johnson, who came on board as city land use director last July. So there was a stretch of time where we really werent getting any larger scale developments that could make a substantial dent in the housing needs. The fee in lieu was a response by the governing body at the time to try to incentivize larger scale apartment buildings. Payments go to trust fund The revenue generated from the payments goes into an affordable housing trust fund. Affordable Housing Director Ladd said that since 2014 the city has collected more than $800,000 in fees that have been deposited in the trust fund for home ownership and rental programs. She said at least half of that amount was generated through the fee in-lieu-of provision from the construction of rental units since 2016. Ladd said the trust fund has been used to support mortgage principal buydown loans through such groups as the Santa Fe Community Housing Trust, Homewise and Habitat for Humanity; home repair loans; facility repair or construction at St. Elizabeth Shelter, Presbyterian Medical Services and Hopewell Community Health Clinic; and for rental assistance allocated through groups like Life Link, Adelante and Youthworks. Nearly $500,000 has been approved for distribution during the upcoming fiscal year. Of that, $150,000 will go to the Santa Fe Civic Housing Authority for the rehabilitation of the Villa Consuelo apartments, $157,000 to the Santa Fe Community Housing Trust and $80,000 to Habitat for Humanity to assist with mortgage principal reduction, $60,000 to Life Link for rental assistance, and $27,500 to the Santa Fe Recovery Center for sober living rental assistance. More flexibility needed Mike Loftin, executive director of Homewise, which develops affordable housing, agrees that the fee-in-lieu provision has helped stimulate construction, even if its not in the affordable category. There has been a lot more rental development now than before, so it did accomplish that objective to build market-rate housing, he said. Loftin, who chaired Mayor Alan Webbers task force on affordable housing and presented a report to the City Council in November, said he hopes the city keeps the fee-in-lieu provision in some form so as not to discourage the construction of market-rate residences. The task force he chaired made several recommendations, including finding a dedicated funding source to provide $3 million annually to the trust fund. Some of that money could be used for rental assistance that may help keep residents in their homes. Another recommendation was promoting new construction to create a larger inventory. The supply of market-rate housing helps, said Daniel Werwath of the New Mexico Interfaith Housing Corp., who also served on the task force. But we also must recognize that it will never trickle down to the low-income family. Werwaths Interfaith group received good news last week when it was notified of a preliminary award of just shy of $10 million worth of low-income tax credits through a federal grant for the Arts + Creativity Center, a 65-unit live/work affordable housing development intended for artists on Siler Road. In addition, the Santa Fe Civic Housing Authority received a preliminary award of $7.6 million worth of tax credits for a 45-unit affordable housing complex in the same general neighborhood. For both developments, no in-lieu payment was involved. Both Werwath and Loftin said raising the fee-in-lieu rate is something the city should consider. Werwath said creating other forms of compliance, like creating rent-controlled units at a slightly higher price, or giving housing preferences to voucher holders, could also work. Ladd said various incentive ideas are being considered. She agrees that there needs to be more flexibility for developers. There should be more than one way of compliance to meet developmental needs and options provided. It needs to be more flexible, not easier, she said. Activist Martinez acknowledged the city may have succeeded in adding to the inventory of housing in Santa Fe, but said still they are ignoring the need of the people that need to be paying affordable rent. Martinez suspects the city will want to keep the fee-in-lieu provision. He thinks the city should consider lowering the percentage of required affordable units from 15% to 10% or even 5%. That way we get something, rather than nothing, he said. Ladd said several meetings are planned to discuss possible amendments to the ordinance, but the public will have an opportunity to chime in, likely in June. SEATTLE Four people died and three were injured when a construction crane on the new Google Seattle campus collapsed Saturday, pinning six cars underneath. One female and three males were dead by the time firefighters got to the scene, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said. Two of the dead were ironworkers, not crane operators, as had been previously stated, and the two others were people who had been in cars, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said Saturday night. A 25-year-old mother and her 4-month-old daughter were in a car that was smashed by the crane, but both managed to escape with only minor injuries, Durkan said. They and a 28-year-old man were taken to Harborview Medical Center, Seattle Fire spokesman Lance Garland said. A fourth person also was injured and treated at the scene. Harborview spokeswoman Susan Gregg said Saturday night that the mother and baby had been discharged, while the man injured was in satisfactory condition. The King County Medical Examiners Office said it would not release names of people who died until Monday. Its a horrible day in Seattle when something like this happens. But its a time when we come together because Seattle is a city that rallies around each other, Durkan said. The crane collapsed near the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue near Interstate 5 shortly before 3:30 p.m., Scoggins said. With Amazon and other tech companies increasing their hiring in Seattle, the city has dozens of construction cranes building office towers and apartment buildings. As of January, there were about 60 construction cranes in Seattle, more than any other American city. Officials do not yet know the cause of the collapse. Police and the state Department of Labor and Industries were investigating the incident, which Durkan said could take months. Daren Konopaski, the business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302, which represents heavy-equipment operators, told The Seattle Times he understood the crane was being dismantled when heavy winds moved through the area. We dont know, but thats what seems to have happened here, he said. We are in the process of trying to get information. Durkan confirmed that people were actively working on top of the building Saturday, but she didnt say whether the crane was being dismantled. A line of showers moved over Seattle just about the time the crane fell, the National Weather Service in Seattle said. An observation station on nearby Lake Union showed winds kicked up with gusts of up to 23 mph at 3:28 p.m., just about the time officials said the crane fell. It was terrifying, witness Esther Nelson, a biotech researcher who was working in a building nearby, told the newspaper. The wind was blowing really strong, she said, and added that the crane appeared to break in half. Half of it was flying down sideways on the building, she said. The other half fell down on the street, crossing both lanes of traffic. The office building the crane fell from was badly damaged, with several of its windows smashed. A Google spokesperson said in a statement that the company was saddened to learn of the accident and that they were in communication with Vulcan, the real estate firm that is managing the site and working with authorities. A crane collapsed in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue in 2006, damaging three neighboring buildings and killing a Microsoft attorney who was sitting in his living room. The state Department of Labor and Industries cited two companies for workplace-safety violations after an investigation that found a flawed design for the cranes base. Trudi and I join all Washingtonians in extending our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the four people who died in this afternoons tragic accident, Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee said in a statement. Inslee also said he hoped for a speedy and full recovery for those injured, thanked first responders and urged people to stay clear of the accident scene. Assistant Police Chief of Patrol Operations Eric Greening said all lanes may be closed until Sunday night. ___ Geranios reported from Spokane, Washington. A suspected drunken driver traveling the wrong way on Interstate 25 caused a head-on crash that left a motorcyclist dead and another person injured early Saturday in Las Cruces, according to New Mexico State Police. Daniel Medina, 41, of El Paso, Texas, struck one vehicle before colliding with a motorcycle driven by 21-year-old Austin Wagner of White Sands Missile Range, State Police spokesman Lt. Mark Soriano said. Wagner was killed and the driver of the other vehicle, a 26-year-old man, was taken to a hospital with unknown injuries. Alcohol does appear to be a factor, Soriano said. He said Medina was driving his truck southbound in the northbound lanes of I-25 around 1:20 a.m. near mile post 1 in Las Cruces when the crash occurred. Medina was uninjured in the crash, and now faces vehicular homicide, great bodily harm by vehicle, DWI, driving on the wrong side of the road, having an open container and other charges. He was arrested and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center. When he founded Foto Forum Santa Fe, Sage Paisner wanted a place for beautiful, interesting and challenging work. One of the reasons I opened the space is because I know how competitive and how hard it is to get a show, even when you have great work, he explained. In the art venue world, he said, curating shows is often about whether the work will sell or not. The photography exhibition space and darkroom opened just outside of the Railyard on Paseo de Peralta back in November 2017. Other parts of its mission were offering photography workshops and renting out the darkroom, But Foto Forum lost its home last summer after its short-term lease was up and the landlord wanted the spot for other uses. But recently, the same property owner offered a permanent venue next door. The space will relaunch this week, kicking off with a solo show from Mexican American documentary photographer Joel Orozco. Everything will be the same in terms of Foto Forums offerings exhibition space for shows and talks, and a dark room studio that locals can use. Foto Forum also received its 501c3 nonprofit status at the beginning of the year. Even though we didnt have a space, weve been trying to do our outreach, Paisner said. Hes recently been conducting classes elsewhere photo printing workshops on location for elementary school students in Artesia, Carlsbad and Hope, and a digital landscape tutorial at the local Audobon Society. Going forward, the organization hopes to add portfolio reviews and an annual photo contest with two winners, one from New Mexico and one for photographers from anywhere in the country. Now that we established the 501c3, have a following and have had some great exhibits, we feel we can expand into those areas, said Paisner. When the new space opens on Friday, so will Orozcos solo show. Orozco was a student of Paisners at the California Institute of the Arts and graduated in 2016. The 27-year-old photographer spent about seven years, starting in his teens, photographing communities of the indigenous Tahumara who live in remote parts of Mexicos Chihuahua state. Before attending CalArts, Orozco who now splits his time between Los Angeles and a small Chihuahuan town had no traditional education in photography, he told the Journal. Raised in Santa Barbara de Tutuaca in Chihuahua for most of his childhood, he became fascinated with films and eventually the movement of cameras. As a teenager, his dad bought him a point-and-shoot digital camera. I could walk with most of the children in my town, the parents always found this amusing, they thought it was funny that I was picking up a camera and taking pictures, they were like, why the (expletive) are you taking pictures of stuff so mundane or things like that, he said. They thought, why not, if you want, why dont you photograph one of the activities, my sons wedding, this and that. Itll be good. One day, a Tarahumaran man he worked with invited him to come to the native groups communities and take pictures. He noticed my passion for photography, said Orozco. I used to work in a farm, in a field, picking up corn, but I always had my camera with me. Naturally, through conversation, he said, he gained the trust of the Tarahumara. He said hes been named godfather for some their children. Orozco said he didnt go in with the idea of making some sort of statement about the tribe or the way the Tarahumara people live. To him, it was simply about documenting everyday events that were interesting in the moment. For me, I do it because I was fortunate enough and I had a camera, he said. Working with masks For a recent project, which Paisner plans to highlight at Foto Forum, Orozcos moved into the realm of staged photography, with his subjects donning a variety of Halloween-eqsue masks, some humorous, like presidential face masks, and others of more eerie creatures. He describes the work as a collaboration that began with the Tarahumara people that hes since taken into other communities. Paisner said he was interested in these surrealistic images because of the way they connect to stories or characters from regional Mexican folk tales. Its kind of very different than most documentary photographers and it kind of lent itself to its photo tableau, otherworldly, indigenous, Mexican folklore, said Paisner. Orozco said he started experimenting with masks around 2015. He recalled being at a festival when he saw a mask and picked it up to take a funny photo. He then got the idea of taking masks into the Tarahumara villages. Because where I go, they dont have any television, they like to play around . I said, well, why not buy these masks to bring into the community, (see) how they can dress up how they can engage with one another?, he said. Over time, Orozco said, he found the masks in fact made for interesting images, with elements of mystery and theatricality. The photos simplicity leaves it to the viewer to see or interpret them how they choose. Its open to everyone then, said Orozco. You dont have to be an artist to understand. If you go Joel Orozco photography show and Foto Forum relaunch WHEN: The show runs Friday (May 3)-May 31. The re-opening reception is Friday, 5-8 p.m.WHERE: Foto Forum Santa Fe, 1714 Paseo de Peralta A new law committing New Mexicos electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote in presidential elections has the support of at least two members of the congressional delegation. I agree with what the Legislature did, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall told the Journal. I think people are very frustrated because weve had recent elections where the person with the most votes lost by millions of votes (the election). I think people are very disenchanted by the process. I support the thought of one person, one vote, said fellow Democrat U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan. A national popular vote system would take effect if enacted by enough states to form a majority of the Electoral College. Under such a scenario, a constitutional amendment would not be needed to make the change, as the Electoral College would not technically be abolished. To date, it has been approved by 13 states representing 177 electoral votes, which is 93 fewer than needed for a majority. I think a good way to get it done is through the state level, Udall said. U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small calls the issue a rural-versus-urban issue. It really shows the divide within our country, said the southern New Mexico Democrat, who didnt voice support or opposition. In all, there have been five presidential elections in which the winner did not win the national popular vote. Most recently, President Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the 2016 general election despite winning nearly 2.9 million fewer votes than Clinton nationwide. HAALAND WANTS CLIMATE STORIES: In commemoration of Earth Day, U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland launched a 1st Congressional District Climate Change Impacts Me story bank. She is encouraging New Mexicans to share their stories about how climate change affects their lives. New Mexicans are also encouraged to share their stories on social media using #ClimateChangeImpactsMe. The story bank will be open indefinitely. Climate change is not a distant threat; were already seeing the impacts of climate change in our state, the Democrat said. Im interested in hearing the stories from my constituents so that we can find solutions to address climate change. She said she is working to make New Mexico a leader in addressing climate change while boosting the renewable energy economy through her role as vice chair of the Natural Resources Committee. The congresswoman supports legislation such as the Green New Deal. LAWMAKERS CONDEMN MILITIA GROUP: U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., and Haaland called for an investigation into the militia group United Constitutional Patriots, which is accused of detaining migrants after they cross the border. Vigilante groups attempting to utilize authorities reserved for law enforcement cannot be tolerated, Heinrich said on Twitter. Haaland called the detentions a violation of human rights. She praised the arrest of one of the groups leaders by the FBI. The actions of these groups must be scrutinized, and they must be held accountable, Haaland posted on Twitter. Scott Turner: sturner@abqjournal.com Prev 1 of 3 Next Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal The sound of drums beat loudly in the parking lot outside Tingley Coliseum at Expo New Mexico. Sometimes, the drummers beat slowly and methodically Other times, they speed up. A group of dancers did their best to keep up with the rhythm in a display filled with steps and turns. Drummer Amado Vargas and dancer Ivone Torres admitted it could take a physical toll on them, their fellow drummers and dancers. It takes a lot of work to be a drummer, Vargas said. Oh, yes, it is pretty physical, Torres said. Their group, the Xiuhrate Dancers, drew a large crowd at the 36th annual Gathering of Nations Powwow in Albuquerque on Saturday, not only for the physical dancing and drumming, but for their costumes, which included headdresses adorned with large, colorful feathers. The group, made up of dancers from Mexico and Los Angeles, spent much of their day having their photos taken by people attending the final day of the gathering. We perform instrumental, ceremonial Aztec dances, Vargas said. Not far away is a group of much younger dancers who are performing a buffalo dance. The children from Zuni Pueblo, south of Gallup, are trying to keep time with drummers Kevin Chimoni and Brandon Lesansee, who also sing. We dance to try to bring that sacred animal back from (near) extinction, Lesansee said. It is the second day of dancing for the family, who did a corn dance the previous day to ask for rain for their crops. Were all related, cousins, Chimoni said. We get our dances from our family passed through the generations. For Kenneth Taylor of Thomas, Oklahoma, taking part in the Gathering of Nations is a way of keeping his culture alive. Taylor, who is Cheyenne, is at the powwow as a Grass Dancer. Parts of his costume represent the grass of the Plains. I remember the stories of how the tribes, when they traveled on the Plains, would have high grass growing, Taylor said. The Grass Dancers would be the first dancers to come out. They would flatten all of the grass so people would be able to set up their camps. I learned by watching other people as a I grew up, but Ive also incorporated my own style. The White Mountain Apache Dancers are no strangers to the gathering. From eastern Arizona, near the New Mexico border, they also appear periodically at events throughout the region. The boys are performing a healing dance; we are blessed by being here, drummer Rudy Padilla said. It was their sixth year to perform here. Padilla said there are about 20 dancers in the group but I only bring a few of them here. The dances we learn in history go way back, Im talking about many years, Padilla said. He said the dancers were taught by a medicine man. Its good that many of our traditions have stood the test of time, Ruth Buffalo said. Buffalo, the first Native American woman elected to the North Dakota state legislature, was honored at the gathering for her work on Native American causes, including the plight of missing and murdered Native women. This is really a beautiful celebration. About 3,000 dancers representing 750 tribes in the United States, Canada and Mexico attended the gathering. Dancing and drumming contests for all ages took place in Tingley Coliseum throughout much of the day leading up to the crowing of the new Miss Indian World later in the evening. Tucked away in the foothills of the southern Rockies, the Philmont Scout Ranch has become a holy grail, its stretches of untamed wilderness and challenging backcountry treks drawing more than 1 million Boy Scouts and other adventurers from across the United States over the past 80 years. For many of those who have spent time at the mountain retreat, they cant get enough. It gets in the blood, its infectious and its the reason for so much heartbreak last year when a wildfire ripped through the heart of the ranch. Dozens of miles of trails were wiped out, along with campsites, leaving behind a scar that will take years and millions of dollars to restore. The work is necessary, ranch managers and troop leaders say, pointing to Philmont as a crown jewel of the scouting experience. Theres just a real sense of loss, kind of a grieving process so to speak, said Roger Hoyt, a longtime Scout leader and Philmonts general manager. But at the end of the day, nature does renew itself and I think from the tragedy and the heartache comes this sense of renewal and opportunity. More than a half-million dollars has already been raised and the rebuilding effort is well underway with the installation of 85 new campsites and work to shore up some of the ash-covered hillsides. Crews were sidelined in January due to snow, but work has resumed in the lower elevations as the clock ticks down for the start of the summer season. And it will be a banner season with a record number of Scouts possibly as many as 24,000 expected to pass through Philmont, Hoyt said. Some of them initially planned to make the trek in 2018 but were derailed due to the fire and the subsequent closure of the backcountry. With nearly one-fifth of Philmont blackened, the ranch is not alone in its new mission to become more resilient as western land managers face larger and hotter wildfires fueled by overgrown forests and dry conditions. In 2018, more than 8.7 million acres (13,594 square miles) burned across the U.S., with most of that being in the West, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Records were broken in California, which marked its deadliest and most destructive blaze in November as the town of Paradise was destroyed and 85 people were killed. Scientists have said the 2018 season was part of a longer trend of larger and more frequent fires in the western United States. In New Mexico, more than 382,000 acres (597 square miles) burned in 2018, and the state has seen its largest and most destructive fires on record within the last decade. Hoyt estimates that Philmont Scout Ranch will spend $1 million in the next year on conservation and fire mitigation projects. That includes addressing silt thats washing down from barren slopes to clearing fuel from the forest floor, thinning trees and creating fuel breaks to keep fires from racing across other parts of the ranch. While the work is relatively low-cost, its labor intensive, Hoyt said. In March alone, 140 volunteers spent over 6,000 hours on fire mitigation and restoration projects. Within two years, he hopes pockets of the burned area can be used as an outdoor classroom for visiting Scouts. On the other side of the country, members of Troop 715 are preparing for this summers journey to Philmont. The Richmond, Virginia-based group was gathering over the weekend for a 2-mile backpacking trip so they could learn about what gear to take and what to leave behind. Theyll eventually work up to covering 10 miles a day. Then theres the first aid training and other skills that will help when theyre far from civilization, said Scout Master Steve Tyler, who will be accompanied by his sons, including one who is an Eagle Scout and will have just graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Aside from being immersed in what Tyler calls big sky country, he said another highlight is summiting Baldy Mountain a 12,441-foot peak on Philmonts northern boundary not far from the Colorado border. Around here, the horizon is about 100 yards away and youre looking at a tall oak tree, Tyler said of his Virginia surroundings. So its very, very different out there. It is a special experience. New Mexico Gas Co. is warning about a fake bill collector who went to a Rio Rancho customers home recently to demand immediate payment. The bogus employee, wearing a white shirt with a Gas Co. logo, threatened to shut off the customers service if no payment was made. The customer did give the imposter a check but realized it was a scam and had the check blocked. While scammers have telephoned customers to make threats, this is the first episode in recent memory where someone apparently impersonated an employee, walked up to a customers door and asked for money, company president Ryan Shell said in a written statement. The company reminds customers that they can confirm an employees identity by asking for ID or by checking with the company at 1-888-664-2726. Remember the old adage Theres no such thing as a free lunch? Turns out the same holds true for pizza. Little Caesars this month warned that a Facebook posting offering free pizza for life was fake. Clearly, this falls into the category of if its too good to be true, then its too good to be true. The same company in February had to put out a warning about fake coupons offering three large pizzas in honor of the chains 60th birthday. Clicking through to these kinds of offers can unleash malware into your computer. And its not just pizza thats used as bait. There have been bogus offers involving Kohls as well as Dunkin, formerly known as Dunkin Donuts. These online offers are tricky because scammers can make a coupon look official with brand logos and colors. Sometimes theyll ask you to buy an item before you get the coupon. Or they might try to solicit personal information by asking you to take a survey that asks for credit card numbers. Here are some tips about counterfeit coupons, courtesy of the Better Business Bureau: Realize that often, the better a deal looks, the more likely it is to be fake. If youre uncertain, go to the companys website to look for the coupon, or contact the company. Find the contact information on your own; dont trust details given on the coupon. Look for an expiration date. Most coupons have one, so if youre seeing a coupon that doesnt, thats a red flag. Legitimate coupons for freebies rather than discounts usually expire more quickly. Verify the source. If a coupon comes to you in an email, hover the mouse over the link (without clicking) and the URL destination address should appear. If it looks like a random assortment of numbers and letters, dont click on it. Check out the Coupon Information Corp. (couponinformationcenter.com) and click on counterfeit notifications. It has a list of suspicious fake coupons. If youre one of the multitudes who has got those persistent calls about Medicare orthopedic braces, there is good news. Federal agents have busted two dozen people who are accused of bilking Medicare for $1 billion by pushing unneeded back, shoulder, wrist and knee braces to hundreds of thousands of seniors. Among those charged were doctors accused of writing bogus prescriptions. Also involved were 130 medical equipment companies, according to Medicares anti-fraud unit. Profits were laundered through offshore shell companies and used to buy high-end cars, yachts and luxury homes, federal officials said. Contact Ellen Marks at emarks@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3842 if you are aware of what sounds like a scam. To report a scam to law enforcement, contact the New Mexico Consumer Protection Division toll-free at 1-844-255-9210. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal As a caregiver for her elderly mom, Michelle Lujan Grisham says she has spent plenty of time waiting in hospitals, moving between poorly connected buildings and watching providers trip over old equipment. Now shes making health care a priority as she heads into her first summer as governor of New Mexico. Lujan Grisham, a former Cabinet secretary for the state Department of Health, says she wants to address the states shortage of doctors, offer Medicaid to customers willing to pay for it and help fund a new tower at the University of New Mexico Hospital. Her agenda also includes recruiting doctors to rural areas, improving reimbursement rates for Medicaid providers and expanding services for people with developmental disabilities. Some of Lujan Grishams proposals are just beginning to take shape, and some will require legislative approval. They come as New Mexico faces deep-rooted health care challenges that no governor has found easy to solve. The shortage of doctors isnt new, and more than 40% of the population is covered by Medicaid. Nonetheless, Lujan Grishams attention to health care has been on display throughout her first few months in office. Just last week, as she spoke in a hotel conference room to 300 business and community leaders in Albuquerque, Lujan Grisham devoted much of her time to speaking about plans to make New Mexico a better place for doctors and patients. She highlighted her own family as an example, sharing anecdotes about taking her mother, Sonja, to UNM Hospital and seeking out-of-state treatment for a nephew struggling with addiction. If anyone has ever provided a service to me, Lujan Grisham told the audience, you know I am no easy customer. She spoke about waiting lists and wait times, crowded conditions and outdated equipment. But she also described New Mexicos health care providers as kind, caring people who deserve more resources and a better working environment. Her ideas certainly have the attention of the medical community. Barbara McAneny, an Albuquerque doctor and president of the American Medical Association, said she is encouraged by the governors interest in health care. A healthy population, she said, is the foundation of a strong economy and community. McAneny doesnt agree with all of Lujan Grishams proposals she opposes a Medicaid buy-in program, for example but she said she likes the governors focus on early childhood education and health care. I think the best investment that a government can make in a state is in the people, she said in an interview. Helping providers New Mexico has struggled for years with a doctor shortage, especially in rural areas. The state ranked 48th out of 50 for access to health care in a recent report by Merritt Hawkins, a national physician recruiter. The analysis considered 33 factors, including physicians per 100,000 population and percentage of those with insurance. David Scrase, a longtime UNM physician who took over this year as secretary of the Human Services Department, said the Lujan Grisham administration is working on a variety of fronts to make the state more attractive to doctors and recruit providers to rural communities. We need to do everything we can, he said, to grow our primary care and behavioral health networks in rural areas. Were going to keep pushing it. The Lujan Grisham administration has some money to work with. The general-fund budget for the year beginning July 1 authorizes about $7 billion in spending a record high, driven largely by an oil boom in the southeastern part of the state. About $987 million in the general fund is dedicated to Medicaid, about $52 million more than this year, for an increase of nearly 6%. The state money, in turn, is used as a match for federal funds. Some of the extra funding, officials say, will help boost reimbursement rates for providers, reducing the financial pressure on them. The exact amount is unclear because the proposals must work their way through a regulatory process. But Scrase said he expects a substantial increase in payment for certain services, such as in-person visits between doctors and patients. He also expects increases for health care provided in a persons home to allow the patient to avoid going to a nursing facility. Medicaid is jointly funded by the federal and state governments and provides health care to low-income people and families. The federal government pays New Mexico roughly $3 to $4 for every dollar the state spends. Its a critical part of the health care delivery system in New Mexico, which led the nation in the percentage of babies born into Medicaid families, according to a 2017 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Providers are typically paid less for serving Medicaid participants than they are for patients covered by private insurance, making New Mexico a less financially attractive place to practice medicine. McAneny said she estimates that in her own medical practice, Medicaid pays roughly 60% of the actual cost of doing business a shortfall thats made up by other customers. Increasing reimbursement rates, then, would be exceedingly helpful, she said. Rural care The administration is also working on plans backed by $300,000 in state funding that will be used as a match for federal money to expand training slots for medical students or graduates in rural communities or other areas of high need. People who train in rural areas, Scrase said, are much more likely to stay there, so the training slots are a good way to encourage people to work outside big cities. Still to come, he said, are programs that would help doctors repay their student loans if they work in rural areas, an idea in its early stages. Hospital tower Lujan Grisham, a Democrat who took office Jan. 1, also supports expansion of UNM Hospital an idea that stalled under the previous governor, Republican Susana Martinez. A capital outlay package signed by Lujan Grisham this year includes $30 million in state funding for a new medical tower at UNM Hospital, the only Level 1 trauma center in the state. In a presentation earlier this year, UNM officials who have been working on the expansion showed regents pictures of small operating rooms and a hallway crowded with equipment because of a lack of storage space. The state funding is just a small slice of what would be needed to construct the tower. The university has discussed several different proposals for expansion over the years, with price tags usually running in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Skeptics say the construction of more bed space isnt necessarily the best way to improve health care that spending on actual services is more productive. Medicaid buy-in The governor has also touted the merits of a Medicaid buy-in proposal that would allow people to pay a monthly premium to receive insurance through Medicaid. Lujan Grisham said it would target people who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but cant afford private insurance. Its a critical way to expand access to health care, supporters say. Opponents, in turn, say the program would worsen the financial challenges of providers who already make less serving Medicaid patients. An analysis by legislative staff suggested that a targeted Medicaid buy-in program would cost the state in the neighborhood of $27 million to $81 million a year, depending on how many people enrolled. The idea cleared one House committee this session but failed to make it through another. Lujan Grisham said she intends to continue the conversation. Behavioral health Lujan Grisham has touched on a variety of other ideas, too, aimed at improving health care. She has directed her administration to craft a plan for providing new services to people who wait a decade or more for help under a program for individuals with developmental disabilities. The Human Services Department is also planning to hire a few more staff members to work with behavioral health providers to help them navigate the billing process and to encourage them to expand services. The extra effort is needed, supporters say, after the state in 2013 cut off Medicaid and other funding to 15 providers, citing allegations of overbilling, mismanagement and possible fraud, as outlined in an audit. The Office of the Attorney General later cleared all 15 providers of fraud allegations. Lujan Grisham said she is also interested in revising the states medical malpractice laws, which some say discourage doctors from staying in New Mexico. Were going to create an environment where this is an easy, productive, wonderful state to practice medicine in, Lujan Grisham said in a speech last week. Competing approaches Some of the new governors proposals have picked up Republican support, though GOP lawmakers have strongly opposed the Medicaid buy-in legislation. Rep. Gregg Schmedes, a surgeon and Tijeras Republican, said he appreciates Lujan Grishams support for improving services for people with developmental disabilities, the push to improve Medicaid provider reimbursement rates and creating incentives for doctors to practice in rural New Mexico. One of the defining characteristics of health care in the state is how we pay attention to those folks who may not have a voice, including those with a severe disability, he said. But Schmedes said hed also like to see more attention paid to reducing health care costs by promoting competition and transparency. Much of the legislation that passed this year will raise costs, he said. The only way to reduce costs, Schmedes said, is to increase free-market principles and let consumers drive prices. Really personal Lujan Grisham, meanwhile, has made clear that health care is more than just an early focus of her administration. Its a field she has worked in, both as a consultant and as a Cabinet secretary, and is an area of ongoing interest. She told one audience last week that she isnt interested in candy coating New Mexicos medical challenges. Lujan Grisham grew up with a developmentally disabled sister who deserved better care than was then available in institutions, she said, and her parents brought her home to live with the family. Her mom has been in and out of the hospital since October. And she has watched a nephew battle addiction. Health care policy, Lujan Grisham said, is really personal to me. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal One year ago, Jeff Apodaca was vying with then-Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham for the Democratic nomination in New Mexicos gubernatorial race. Today, hes investing in what he says is likely to become the next great agricultural leader in our state: Hemp. Pretty soon, when you talk about New Mexico, youll be talking about green chile, pecans and hemp, Apodaca said. Hemp, also known as industrial hemp, belongs to the cannabis species of plants like marijuana. The plants can appear nearly identical, but hemp varieties contain only trace amounts of psychoactive components and do not cause a high. That makes it ideal for extracting cannabidiol more commonly known as CBD for medical, health and beauty products. Hemp can also be used for food, fabric, rope and biofuel, among other applications. Hemp was legalized nationally in December with Congress passage of the Farm Bill, and the New Mexico House Bill 581, passed during the recent legislative session, authorizes several agencies to regulate the industry here. Now New Mexicans are hurrying to capture part of what cannabis market research firm New Frontier Data estimated will become a $2.6 billion industry nationwide by 2022. Apodaca was hesitant to disclose little more than that he is creating a hemp-focused company and is investing in related businesses with several partners. His interest in the plant stems from his experience with CBD oil, which he said allowed him to abandon a regimen of three to four Vicodin a day a few years ago after a debilitating back injury. He and others describe the states burgeoning hemp sector as a gold rush, one that is attracting investors with varying degrees of sophistication. The hemp industry is bursting with potential, Gov. Lujan Grisham said in a recent news release. As we do the work to diversify our state economy, hemp can and will play a key role. Which of the prospectors will reap the riches of this treasure hunt, if any? Brad Lewis, a division director at the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, said that will depend on any number of variables. There are no guarantees in this business at all, Lewis said. Unresolved issues While people have grown hemp in the Southwest for centuries, it is only in the past few months that New Mexico has created the regulatory structure around a formal hemp industry. The Farm Bill decriminalized cannabis varieties containing less than 0.3% of the psychoactive compound THC, providing the framework for the states agriculture department to begin issuing hemp-growing licenses in December. New Mexicos recent House Bill 581 created additional regulations, including ensuring that businesses would not be punished if the THC level rose temporarily during hemp processing. As of April 15, the department issued 93 hemp-growing licenses and had 38 applications pending, according to information obtained by the Journal. Of the 93 licensees, 52 are for continuous grow operations, or those that will maintain a crop throughout a year. The remaining 41 are for annual grow operations. Nearly all of the licensees are associated with New Mexico mailing addresses, with a sprinkling from Arizona, Colorado and Texas. Still, Lewis said, the regulatory issues in play with those licenses are far from resolved. For one thing, its not clear how the interstate commerce issues around hemp will be handled nationally. The state also has yet to submit a report to the federal government describing its regulation plan in detail, and the United States Department of Agricultures rule-making process will require time and stakeholder input. Sovereign nations and tribal entities can also submit regulation plans. At a committee hearing during the recent legislative session, New Mexico Department of Agriculture Secretary Jeff Witte said the Navajo Nation had expressed interest in both hemp cultivation and processing operations. One issue all parties are likely to monitor closely: how the state handles hemp crops that go hot, or have their THC levels spike above the 0.3% threshold before they are processed. According to Lewis, that can happen for any number of reasons, including unstable plant genetics, environmental factors and cross-pollination from nearby high-THC plants. While the industry wants to sell such plants to the states medical marijuana producers, or have access to some form of financial relief, current regulations require hemp farmers to destroy their crop and lose thousands or millions of dollars in the process. The green chile theory Duke Rodriguez, CEO and president of Ultra Health, New Mexicos largest medical marijuana producer and the parent company of Ultra Hemp, said that without resolving the hot crop issue, hemp investments will be a very win-lose type of thing. Theres very little margin for error, Rodriguez said. Nobody penalizes a green chile grower for having chiles that are especially hot one season. The green chile analogy has extra meaning for Rodriguez. He said there is some indication hemp and green chile plants prefer similar growing conditions. He hopes studying the parallels between the two crops may lead to an answer to what he calls the million dollar question: How might requirements for hemp cultivation differ from requirements for cannabis cultivation in New Mexico? The answer isnt clear in this state, which unlike hemp-growing vanguards such as Kentucky and Tennessee, doesnt have a long history of growing tobacco on an industrial scale. The cultivation of tobacco is somewhat similar to that of hemp. For Ultra Hemp, it is quite literally the million dollar question. Rodriguez said the company is experimenting with about 500 hemp plants and has spent $1.1 million on its Tularosa hemp- and cannabis-growing operation alone. Ultra Hemp also has cultivation facilities in Bernalillo. To diversify its investments, the company is looking at both CBD extraction and fiber production as end products. While Rodriguez said he believes cannabis organizations with an existing New Mexico footprint have an advantage in the states newest industry, he also said farmers have a breadth of agricultural knowledge the medical marijuana producers dont have. The smartest thing may be collaborations between cannabis farmers and cannabis companies, Rodriguez said. No one is going to figure this out by themselves. The path to profit Gemma RaStar, founder of Wumaniti Earth Native Sanctuary, has grown hemp in New Mexico for years under a religious freedom law frequently used to defend plant-based sacraments. RaStar said she is excited the industry is growing but feels that individuals are focusing so much on cultivating hemp that they arent thinking about what is required to process it at the industrial level: either their own machinery or partnerships with those who have it. Mikki Anaya shares similar concerns. Anaya is the founder of Industrial Hemp Ventures, LLC, a hemp education and advocacy organization. In addition to the processing issue, she believes New Mexicans have such outsized interest in CBD which has driven the bulk of growth in the U.S. hemp market in recent years that the industry here may become oversaturated, driving CBDs price down. Anaya said she believes industry experts who say the price of the substance will peak here in five years. Everybody is really thinking CBD is where theyre going to get rich, Anaya said. But the price is all over the place and there are companies out there making all sorts of unfounded claims about (the medical properties) of CBD. Those who sell CBD-laced products everything from lotions to pet treats to vaping cartridges claim it can be used to help alleviate anxiety as well as pain, inflammation and a host of other conditions. Because hemp and CBD contain only trace amounts of THC, the products are available without a medical marijuana card and at a wide variety of retailers. While researchers say several applications look promising, the FDA has only approved one CBD drug that treats seizures and has issued warnings to companies that make other claims about the substance. Michael Segura and Letitia Montoya, like Ultra Hemp, are choosing to diversify their investment by focusing on hemps fiber properties as well as CBD. Segura, a former executive at financial services company Wachovia, said their company Nebula Hemp will differentiate itself in an increasingly crowded field by focusing on processing instead of growing. Oh, my God, its like a free-for-all out here, and every time I turn around theres a new company, said Segura, who is based in Santa Fe. Theres this train coming down the track, and thats the growers. We want to lay down the railroad. Researchers have shown that merchants made more money than miners during Californias gold rush in the 1800s. Only time will tell if the same is true with hemps prospectors in New Mexico. POWAY, Calif. In the minutes after the gunman fled the scene of a shooting that killed a woman inside a Southern California synagogue, a wounded Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein wrapped his bloodied hand in a prayer shawl, stood on a chair and addressed the panicked congregation, vowing to stay strong in the face of the deadly attack targeting his community. We are a Jewish nation that will stand tall. We will not let anyone take us down. Terrorism like this will not take us down, Goldstein recalled telling his congregants after the gunfire erupted Saturday at Chabad of Poway. Congregant Lori Kaye, 60, was killed in the shooting, which injured Goldstein, 8-year-old Noya Dahan and her 34-year-old uncle, Almog Peretz, authorities said. Hours after the three wounded were released from hospitals, Goldstein described the onslaught at a news conference Sunday outside the synagogue north of San Diego. Goldstein said he was preparing for a service on the last day of Passover, a holiday celebrating freedom, and heard a loud sound. He turned around, and a saw a young man wearing sunglasses standing in front of him with a rifle. I couldnt see his eyes. I couldnt see his soul, Goldstein said. He raised his hands and lost one of his fingers in the shooting. And then, Goldstein said, miraculously the gun jammed. The attack Saturday came exactly six months after a mass shooting in a Pittsburgh synagogue. John T. Earnest, 19, surrendered to police after bursting into the synagogue and opening fire as about 100 people were worshipping inside. Earnest, who had no previous contact with law enforcement, may face a hate crime charge in addition to homicide charges when hes arraigned later this week, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said. He was being held without bail, and it was unclear if he had an attorney. Police searched Earnests house and said he was also being investigated in connection with an arson attack on a mosque in nearby Escondido, California, on March 24. The 8-year-old victim said she had just finished praying and was getting ready to go play with other children when gunshots rang out. Her uncle rushed her and the other children outside, the girl said. Her leg was bleeding but doctors told her she didnt need surgery, she said. I was scared, really, really scared, she said. I didnt see my dad. I thought he was dead. Her father, 32-year-old Israel Dahan, said he flipped over a folding table as soon as he saw the man enter carrying a long rifle and told people to run. He went to look for his children and found two had been ushered out and his 5-year-old was hiding in the bathroom, he said. There were indications an AR-type assault weapon might have malfunctioned after the gunman fired numerous rounds inside, Gore said. An off-duty Border Patrol agent fired at the shooter as he fled, missing him but striking his getaway vehicle, the sheriff said. Shortly after fleeing, Earnest called 911 to report the shooting, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said. When an officer reached him on a roadway, the suspect pulled over, jumped out of his car with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody, he said. Friends described Kaye as giving, warm and attentive to community members on their birthdays and when they were sick. A wife and mother, she loved gardening and made delicious challah for her family and friends, said Roneet Lev, 55. Goldstein described her as a pioneering founding member of the congregation and said he was heartbroken by her death. He said the attack could have harmed many more people had the shooter turned toward the sanctuary where so many were praying. Lori took the bullet for all of us, the rabbi said, his hands wrapped in bandages. She didnt deserve to die. He said that Kayes physician husband was called to tend to a wounded worshipper and fainted when he realized it was his wife. When the gunfire erupted, another worshipper, Shimon Abitbul, said he immediately placed his 2-year-old grandson on the floor and waited for a break in the shooting to grab the boy and sprint away. Then Abitbul ran back to the shooting scene to try to help a woman he described as having a hole in her chest and who later died, he said Sunday. Abitbul, who was visiting from Israel and staying with his daughter and her family in Southern California, said he was still coming to grips with the carnage. All of us are human beings, he said. It doesnt matter if you are Jews or Christians or Muslims. Peretz, who was wounded in the leg, said he turned around after hearing gunfire and saw the shooter standing by the door. He grabbed his niece by the hand and carried out another child. He then saw a group of children and got them running, I tell them, go this way, go this way, said Peretz, who is visiting from Israel. Gore said authorities were reviewing Earnests social media posts, including what he described as a manifesto. There was no known threat after Earnest was arrested, but authorities boosted patrols at places of worship Saturday and again on Sunday as a precaution, police said. A person identifying himself as John Earnest posted an anti-Jewish screed online about an hour before the attack. The poster described himself as a nursing school student and praised the suspects accused of carrying out deadly attacks on mosques in New Zealand last month that killed 50 and at Pittsburghs Tree of Life synagogue on Oct. 27, in which 11 people were killed. It was a hate crime, no doubt about it, national security adviser John Bolton said on Fox News Sunday. He said investigators have not seen any connection between the suspect and other extremist groups. California State University, San Marcos, confirmed that Earnest was a student who was on the deans list and said the school was dismayed and disheartened that he was suspected in this despicable act. Goldstein said President Donald Trump called him to share condolences on behalf of the American people. The White House acknowledged the call. The President expressed his love for the Jewish people and the entire community of Poway, Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere said in a statement. Several dozen people, many wearing black, gathered on a street corner in Poway Sunday to show their support for the victims and congregation and to call for an end to hate and violence. They carried signs reading no more killing and Shalom. A young boy sat with a cardboard sign reading we must do better. Deb Lira, 71, of San Diego, said she was angry and sickened by the attack in what has long been a peaceful community. Im here because Im Jewish and this is my message, she said, pointing to a sign that read never again and never forget. I will not be silent, she said. ___ Weber reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Elliot Spagat in Poway and Daisy Nguyen in San Francisco contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to show the victims name is Lori Kaye, not Kayne. RIO RANCHO Marg Elliston of Corrales won re-election Sunday as chairwoman of the state Democratic Party, grabbing 87 percent of the vote to defeat challenger Rusty Pearce. Elliston, a retired state employee, is set to serve a two-year term and preside over the party as New Mexico heads into an election cycle highlighted by open races for the U.S. Senate and 3rd Congressional District. Her election came as hundreds of Democrats from across the state gathered at Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho for a meeting of the partys State Central Committee. Elliston touted the gains Democrats made in last years general election when they swept every statewide office, expanded their majority in the state House and flipped control of the 2nd Congressional District. The election also brought a historic number of female lawmakers to the Capitol, where women now make up 35 percent of the state Legislature, their largest share in at least 52 years. Weve remade the Roundhouse in the image of New Mexico, Elliston told the audience Sunday. The central committee re-elected her 353-51 over Pearce. He argued that it was time for new leadership and highlighted his role as campaign manager for Kim Stewart, who won election in Dona Ana County last year to become New Mexicos first openly gay sheriff. Elliston took office a year ago to fill the unexpired term of Richard Ellenberg, who had resigned amid criticism over his response to sexual misconduct allegations levied against a prominent union leader, Jon Hendry, and a former Dona Ana County commissioner, John Vasquez. Sundays meeting offered a peek at whats shaping up to be the highest-profile race in New Mexico next year the campaign to succeed U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, a Democrat who is retiring. The two most prominent Democrats in the race U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan and Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver each delivered short speeches to start Sundays meeting. The audience greeted each candidate with shouts of support. Lujan, who as assistant speaker is one of the top four Democrats in the U.S. House, spoke about his role in helping elect a Democratic majority in the House last year to take on President Donald Trump. We are standing up to Trumps hateful policies, he said. Toulouse Oliver, a former Bernalillo County clerk, said she had worked as New Mexicos chief election officer to impose new disclosure requirements on dark money political spending. The Senate, she said, is one of the last old boys clubs, and Im ready to break down those doors. Lujans entry into the Senate campaign creates an open race for his seat in Congress, where he represents Santa Fe and northern New Mexico. Toulouse Oliver, meanwhile, won election last year to a four-year term as secretary of state, so she doesnt have to give up her position to run for the Senate. Also Sunday, the State Central Committee on Sunday elected Marcus Porter of Albuquerque as vice chairman of the party. The chairman of the state Republican Party is former congressman Steve Pearce. He was elected to lead the GOP in December. NEW YORK, N.Y. (AP) - New York state's attorney general has begun an investigation into the National Rifle Association. Kelly Donnelly, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Letitia James, said Saturday that James' office has issued subpoenas as part of an investigation related to the NRA. William A. Brewer, the NRA's outside lawyer, says the NRA "will fully cooperate with any inquiry into its finances." James, a Democrat, vowed during her campaign last year to investigate the NRA's not-for-profit status if elected. The NRA has clashed repeatedly with New York elected officials aiming to curb the organization's influence. The group filed a lawsuit last year against Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo and other state officials after New York fined insurance broker Lockton Cos. LLC $7 million for underwriting an NRA-branded insurance program called Carry Guard. (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press) --- INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (AP) - The Latest on Oliver North announcing he won't serve a second term as president of the National Rifle Association (all times local): 12:10 p.m. Retired Lt. Col. Oliver North has announced that he won't serve a second term as the president of the National Rifle Association after he lost support of the gun-rights group's leadership. In a statement read to members of the group Saturday, North said he had hoped to be endorsed by the NRA's board of directors for reelection. He said: "I'm now informed that will not happen." North's announcement came after his apparent effort to force out top executive Wayne LaPierre, who has long been the public face of the group. LaPierre sent a letter to board members Thursday saying that North was trying to push him out by threatening to release "damaging" information about him to the board. North, best known for his role in the Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s, is nearing the end of his first one-year term. ___ 10:40 a.m. Lt. Col. Oliver North has announced that he will not serve a second term as the president of the National Rifle Association amid inner turmoil in the gun-rights group. In a statement read to members of the group Saturday, North said he believes a committee should be set up to review the NRA's finances. He said there is a "clear crisis" and "it needs to be dealt with" if the NRA is to survive. (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press) 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. https://www.aish.com/ci/s/Audrey-Hepburn-Teenage-Spy.html A new book sheds light on the Hollywood stars heroic wartime activities. Film icon Audrey Hepburn long hinted that she was active in the Dutch Resistance against the Nazis as a girl living in Nazi-occupied Holland. Now a biography of the star by Robert Matzen, called Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II has uncovered previously unknown ways that Hepburn, and her mother, aided the Allies. Audrey Hepburn was only ten years old when World War II broke out. At the beginning of the war, she seemed like an unlikely heroine: she was born into an upper class Dutch family and some of her relatives were sympathetic to the Nazis. Six years later, her life was unrecognizable, marked by poverty and trauma and loss - and by secret work for the heroic Dutch resistance. Hepburn was born in Belgium in 1929. Her mother Ella van Heemstra was a baroness, and her father was an Austrian-British banker. Both parents had fascist sympathies; they had met privately with Hitler in 1935, and Hepburns mother once wrote for a Nazi newsletter, saying, Well may Adolf Hitler be proud of the rebirth of this great country and of the rejuvenation of the German spirit. Hepburns father walked out on the family in 1935. She and her mother moved to England for a few years, where Audrey Hepburn attended a private boarding school near Dover, but with war on the horizon the two returned home to Holland in 1939, settling in the eastern city of Arnhem. Hepburns mother took a job selling furniture, and for a while the Netherlands was peaceful and safe from the Nazi war machine at its borders. That peace was shattered in May 1940, when Germany invaded the Netherlands. Soon, German troops were installed in every town and village, street signs were changed from Dutch to German, and the Nazi swastika replaced Dutch flags flying over town halls. Hepburns school curriculum was drastically altered: In the schools, Audrey Hepburn later recounted, the children learned their lessons in arithmetic with problems like this: If 1,000 English bombers attack Berlin and 900 are shot down, how many will return to England? Soon, Hepburn witnessed unimaginable tragedies. She later recalled seeing a group of Jews being forced onto a train in 1941. I remember, very sharply, one little boy standing with his parents on the platform, very pale, very blond, wearing a coat that was much too big for him, and he stepped on the train. I was a child observing a child Then I realized what would have happened to him. Audrey Hepburn and her mother Ella, Baroness van Heemstra Hepburn-Ruston In 1942, the Nazis orgy of killing finally hit Hepburns family directly. Her uncle Otto van Limburg Stirum was arrested with four other men accused of anti-Nazi activities. They were driven to a forest, forced to dig their own graves, then tied to a stake and shot to death. This finally shook Hepburns mothers faith in Nazism and she became a vocal opponent of Nazism and its cruelties. Mother and daughter moved to the small town of Velp, where Hepburns grandfather lived, and explored ways to help the secret Dutch resistance in their fight against the Nazis. Hepburn was only a teenager but she found ways to materially aid the resistance. Shed studied ballet for years and hoped to become a professional dancer. Now she used her dancing talents to help the resistance. Audrey with her mother, Ella, in London in the late 1940s In 1944, when she was 15, Hepburn began volunteering with Dr. Hendrik Vissert Hooft, a Christian theologian who was a committed anti-fascist. Throughout World War II, Dr. Hooft organized contact and deliveries between the Dutch resistance and the Dutch Government in exile in London. With Hepburns aid, he organized secret dance recitals where Hepburn would perform, raising money for the resistance. They called these top-secret performances zwarte avonden, or black evenings because of their top-secret nature and the fact that they had to blacken out the windows so nobody would guess what was going on inside. Guards were posted outside to let us know when Germans approached, Hepburn later described. The best audiences I ever had made not a single sound at the end of my performance. Hepburn also aided Dr. Hooft with his courier work, delivering the underground anti-Nazi newspaper the Oranjekrant throughout the area on her bicycle. Because paper was hard to get hold of in wartime Holland, the Oranjekrant was tiny, only a few inches square. I stuffed them in my woolen socks in my wooden shoes, got on my bike and delivered them, Hepburn later explained. A fluent English speaker, she also delivered messages from the resistance to Allied pilots whod been shot down. For a time, Hepburns family sheltered a British pilot whod been shot down over Holland. Hepburns son Luca Dotti is recorded in the book explaining that this was his mothers favorite story to tell about World War II. My mother told me it was thrilling for her - it was risky, he was a stranger in uniform, a savior, and therefore a knight and hero. Then I learned about the German law that if you were caught hiding an enemy, the whole family would be taken away. By the end of the war, Hepburn and her mother were reduced to living in a cellar to avoid aerial bombings. They had very little heat, water, or food. At times Hepburn would go several days at a time without eating; by the end of the war, when she was 16, she weighed just 88 lbs. When her town was liberated by Allied troops in 1945, Hepburn and her family rushed outside, only to find themselves surrounded by armed soldiers pointing guns at them. Hepburn spoke to the soldiers in English and the troops started cheering. Not only have we liberated a town, we have liberated an English girl! one of the soldiers cried. After the war, Hepburn continued to dance and also modeled. She acted in her first movie in 1948, and later danced in a musical in Londons West End. She moved to New York in 1951 to star in the musical Gigi on Broadway. Audrey Hepburn with Otto Frank and his second wife. Years later, after she was established as a major star, Hepburn was asked to play Anne Frank in a movie. Anne Franks father Otto Frank personally asked Hepburn to play his daughter, but Hepburn felt there was no way that she could. Both girls were born the same year and grew up not far from each other in Holland. Hepburn had read Anne Franks diary and felt an overwhelming kinship with the murdered Jewish girl. That child had written a complete account of what I had experienced and felt during the war, Hepburn told her son. I was so destroyed by it (reading Annes diary) again, that I said I couldnt deal with playing Anne Frank in a movie, a sorrowful Hepburn explained as she turned down the role. Its a little bit as if this had happened to my sister, Hepburn explained. In a way she was my soul sister. Despite her fame as an actress, Hepburn was most proud of her resistance activities during World War II. The war was very, very important to her, Hepburns son Luca Dotti says in the book. It made her who she was. https://www.aish.com/ci/s/Judah-Samet-Dodging-Bullets-Again.html 70 years after surviving three Holocaust death trains, Judah Samet narrowly escaped the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh. An exclusive look at his fascinating life. With the deadly anti-Semitic shooting at a San Diego synagogue occurring just prior to Holocaust Remembrance Day, perhaps nobody felt it more viscerally than Judah Samet. A survivor of three Holocaust death trains, Samet came within a whisker of machine gun bullets at the Tree of Life synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh last October. Judah welcomed Aish.com into his comfortable Pittsburgh home, to share his remarkable story of courage, faith and plain good luck a life celebrated by millions at the 2019 State of the Union Address. Genesis In 1938, Judah Samet was born in Hungary to a prominent Orthodox family. His grandfather was a chassid who went to cheder with the Belzer Rebbe. (They were lifelong friends, Judah says.) As a child, Judah spent summers in Israel, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Nobel Laureate Shay Agnon who enjoyed hanging out at the bookstore operated by Judahs grandfather in Mea Shearim. Back in Hungary, Judahs parents were trying to build a business. They worked at my grandfathers grocery store, he explains. Poor people would come into the store and my grandfather would give away all the food. That generosity wiped out the profits and my parents had trouble earning a living. Along with Judahs two older brothers, the family moved to Debrecen, Hungarys second-largest city. There they prospered with two knitting factories and a retail business for high-end knitted dresses. Before the war: The only existing photo of Judahs father. Judah sits next to him. Dark Night Judahs photographic memory recalls details from 1942, at age four. One day, the daughter of a regional governor came to the knitting factory and said: There was a big meeting at the palace yesterday with top German officers. They spoke about the Jewish problem and all agreed there are too many Jews in Hungary. (Jews constituted 8.5% of the population.) My mother looked at this woman and said, Hungarys problem is that there arent enough Jews. That was the end of their relationship. Judah mentions that historically, Hungary was very anti-Semitic. Remember Attila the Hun? he says. Hungary had this pattern of kicking out the Jews. When the economy went down, they brought the Jews back. This went on, back and forth, for centuries. In March 1944, when Judah was six years old, the Nazis came to town. I heard the goose-steps from nearly a mile away. We knew what was coming. The SS soldiers marched into town and stopped right in front of our house we lived directly across from the synagogue. The officer called out on the loudspeaker: Be outside in 15 minutes! Take only your valuables, papers, and a change of underwear. You are going to a better place. At the time, 7,300 Jews lived in Debrecen; the Nazis corralled another 6,000 from surrounding villages. They moved us through the main streets of Debrecen. The elderly were clubbed on the spot. Children were carried by their parents. Along the way, I noticed some employees of my parents. But we appeared to them as ghosts. Even more than the hatred, there was a horrible feeling that nobody cares you exist. Along with his family and thousands of other Jews, Judah was penned into a local brickyard while the accursed Nazis tried to procure a train. During that stage of the war, the Wehrmacht urged Hitler to prioritize railway lines to transport vital troops and desperately-needed supplies to the battlefront. Ignoring these warnings, Hitler instead gave orders to allocate the precious railways to deport Hungarian Jews to extermination camps. This decision was a key factor in further debilitating the German war effort, yet Hitler seemed to regard the killing of Jews as more important. Throughout this turmoil, Judah was protected by his mother, Chana Rachel. She reminded me of the biblical Devorah a prophet, head of government, head of military. She was the heart and soul of our family. She always had my back. During those few months in the brickyard, she voluntarily bought and cooked food for masses of people literally saving hundreds of Jews, he says. In addition to speaking Hungarian, Judahs mother spoke fluent high-end German and became the main translator between SS officers and Jewish prisoners. She believed this would significantly increase the odds of her familys survival. At home in Pittsburgh: Judahs wall of cherished family photos. Death Trains In June 1944, the fatal day arrived. A train pulled into Debrecen to transport its human cargo to Auschwitz. By then the killing machine was well-oiled, Judah reflects. Adolf Eichmann killed 450,000 Jews in less than two months. They put 80 of us into each cattle car, standing room only. They brought two small buckets one filled with water, the other for toilet purposes. All sense of modesty had disappeared. Judahs mother realized that with such a small amount of water, those crammed onto each train would never survive the 3-day journey. She went straight to the SS Commandant and spoke in high German, Judah recalls. We looked so haggard and he was so immaculately dressed, with skulls for buttons and on his cap. And though the law was that a Jew does not speak unless spoken to first, my mother figured there was nothing to lose. If she didnt get more water, hundreds of people would die. The Nazi, calmly following procedure, drew his gun and put it to her head. Yet her language and leadership skill skills saved her life; a superior officer said it was foolish to kill their most reliable interpreter. A larger barrel of water was brought. So began Judahs journey to Auschwitz cramped, thirsty, bewildered. Though the trip was supposed to take a few days, they never arrived. Railway tracks had been blown up by Czech partisans. The train was diverted to Austria, where Judah and the others were dumped in a big lumber yard, to await their fate. At night, Judahs mother would go out to nearby farms bartering custom-knitted clothes in exchange for bread, cheese and eggs. One farmer taunted the Jews by unbuttoning his shirt to reveal the swastika tattooed on his chest. My mother saved hundreds of people, Judah says. It was a very dangerous enterprise, for her and the farmers, because Hitler gave a direct order not to deal with the Jews. One night she didnt come back and we were sure shed been killed. We started to panic because without her, we would not survive. Bergen-Belsen After a few interminable months, a train finally came and transported the Jews to Bergen-Belsen. Judah was 7 years old. The first thing I saw was corpses piled up by the gate, Judah reflects. There were probably a thousand corpses, skin and bone, piled two stories high. Every day the pile would be cleared, and every day a new pile would form. He describes the camp conditions: In Auschwitz, youd be chimney smoke within an hour of arrival. In Bergen-Belsen, the policy was starvation. Once a day, we each received a slice of moldy, rock-hard bread and some colored water. My mother wisely broke it into small pieces and fed us six times a day. Judahs youthful energy managed a few other morsels. When the German officers finished a meal, theyd discard the bones on the ground. Id pick up a bone, bite it, and the taste would fill my mouth. The prisoners spent most of their time inside the bunks, trying to stave off starvation. The entire camp was teeming with lice, Judah explains. My mother told us to eat the lice, because as blood-suckers theyre a source of protein. Take back what they took from you, she would say. At the Passover Seder, during the third plague of lice, I always think how they saved my life. During his 10 months in Bergen-Belsen, Judah had various brushes with death. One time a Nazi guard started speaking Hungarian to my friend and I. So we thought he was friendly. Then he started shooting bullets between our legs. He didnt try to kill us, but he sadistically wanted to frighten us. On the brink of starvation, the prisoners immune systems were depleted, leading to rampant Typhoid fever throughout the camp. An estimated 50,000 Jews, including Anne Frank, perished at Bergen-Belsen. By spring 1945 the Russians closed in on Hungary and Poland, with the Germans essentially in retreat. Each prisoner in Bergen-Belsen was offered a choice: either stay in the camp, or board a train to a destination unknown. Judahs mother chose the train. She figured if we stayed in Bergen-Belsen, wed be dead in a day or two, Judah says. The infrastructure had broken down and theyd stopped supplying food and water. The other option was to get on the train which circled around looking for a place to kill us perhaps Theresienstadt Ghetto, or simply running the train off a bombed-out bridge. But we figured maybe a miracle will happen. Sure enough, it did. One morning, our train suddenly screeched to a halt. All the German guards fled. A soldier emerged from the forest. We didnt know who he was, and we thought wed all be finished off. My father had studied English and cried out with joy: 'It's the Americans! Theyd been monitoring our train for days, to determine if it was transporting soldiers, which theyd then destroy. I saw my mother laugh for the first time in 15 months, and I knew all that hunger and pain was over, he recalls. We started dancing and shouting with joy. The jubilation of achieving freedom was short-lived, however. Within a week, Judahs father Yekutiel was dead from Typhoid. After the war, age 7: Judahs head appears oversized next to his emaciated body. The Holy Land In the immediate aftermath of the war, Judah showed signs of starvation a big head, small body, and distended stomach. The Jewish Agency sent his family to Paris. They put us in a fancy hotel and fed us, he says. The Samet family needed to decide where to go next. The government invited Judahs mother back to Hungary to operate their knitting factories an option she would not consider. America was not an option, due to a lack of proper identification papers. So in 1946 they moved to Jerusalem. At this point, my mother wanted to live with Jews, Judah says. He was enrolled in cheder, then transferred to an orphanage in Bnei Brak run by the illustrious Rabbi Yosef Kahaneman, who saved many Jewish children from Christian orphanages in Poland. He had big blue eyes and a long white beard that glistened like diamonds in the sunshine, Judah reminisces. Holocaust trauma was a constant presence at the orphanage. We were all bed-wetters, Judah says. I wet my bed until age 11. I remember a wonderful woman named Mrs. Munk walking the hallways in the middle of the night, waking us up so wed use the bathroom. Judah was fond of attending morning prayers with the saintly Chazon Ish, the leader of Torah Jewry during the early days of Israeli statehood. One day my sister Henyah got very sick, fell into a coma, and was taken to the hospital where they said theres no hope, Judah recalls. So I went to see the Chazon Ish. When I arrived, he was waiting for me yet there were no telephones and no way for him to know I was coming. He asked me: What is her name? He started to pray and said: May God send her a full recovery. I went home and told my mother that everything will be okay. The next day, my sister opened her eyes and recovered. Judah stops and reflects: I know this story is true because it happened to me! Life in Israel was difficult, as Judah had no father and no money. He recalls learning a powerful lesson in childhood education: In those days, a bar mitzvah boy would get a fountain pen as a gift from his parents, he explains. We didnt have money for this, and one day I stole from a womans purse. I went to the store and asked for the pen. The owner knew I was from the orphanage and informed Mrs. Munk. The next day she called me into her office and tried to get me to confess. I claimed that Id found the money, but she knew the truth. Id been doing poorly in school, and one day the teacher said to the class: Its a shame that the smartest boy in the class will be held back a year. The teacher never looked at me, but I got the message. I buckled down and by the end of the year I had straight As. Mrs. Munk called me into her office and handed me a box. Inside was a fountain pen. She said: The only way you get something in this world is by earning it. Sinai Campaign 1956 marked the second installment of the Arab-Israeli war an effort by Israel, the UK and France to regain control of the Suez Canal. Judah was trained and served as an IDF paratrooper. (When you jump from airplanes, 50 years later your knees stop working, he says.) Judahs brother Yaakov, a machine gunner, also fought in the Sinai Campaign. One day, while searching for terrorists in southern Gaza, a Palestinian fighter knocked down a door and threw a grenade into the room where IDF soldiers were stationed. When Yaakov ran outside, a sniper shot him dead. He was 20 years old. My mother said: At least Yaakov didnt die in Bergen-Belsen. He died for Israel. That gave her comfort. (Judahs other brother, Moshe, is a scholarly librarian at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and is a global authority on the great 19th century Hungarian rabbi, Chatam Sofer.) After completing his IDF service, Judah worked for the Israeli government managing towns, while continuing his religious involvement by preparing boys for bar mitzvah. One time an uncle, on a visit from Canada, suggested a match for Judahs younger sister. Judah tagged along to America and wound up meeting a Pittsburgh native, Barbara, at a cousins bar mitzvah. They were married a few months later and raised a daughter, Elizabeth. (Barbara passed away in 2013.) Judah settled into life in Pittsburgh, teaching Judaism classes and serving as the synagogues Torah reader. He earned a nice living, taking over and expanding his father-in-laws jewelry business in downtown Pittsburghs landmark Clark Building. Over the years he generously supported Israel Bonds. Judahs mother at age 17. Yaakov in his IDF uniform. Tree of Life Fast forward to the morning of October 27, 2018. A regular attendee at Tree of Life, Judah likes to arrive to services on time. This day, he was four minutes late. It saved his life. As soon as I arrived, a man told me to turn back because theres an active shooting inside the synagogue. It took me a minute to process what was going on. Then a police officer popped his head out from behind a wall and fired his pistol toward the doorway of the synagogue. Three shots. Judah had a clear vision of the gunfire exchange. The murderer was standing in the doorway with a large, black submachine gun. Tatatatata five shots each burst. I felt the bullets whizzing past my head. Unbelievably, 70 years after surviving some of humankinds worst atrocities, anti-Semitism almost took Judahs life. As I stood there, I thought of the Holocaust and said out loud: For me, it never stops. Eleven of Judahs friends were massacred that day, the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in American history. In the synagogue, I always sit near one of the victims. Had I arrived five minutes earlier, Id have been in the line of fire. The FBI interviewed Judah four times, leaving him to reflect: Jews are never completely safe. It's in the DNA. It never ends. For my family, it never ends. Makeshift memorial in front of the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. State of the Union Fascinated by Judahs story of survival, the White House invited him to attend the 2019 State of the Union Address as the Presidents personal guest. They sent Secret Service and FBI to Pittsburgh to speak to people who know Judah, and on February 5, he was flown to Washington, put up at the Grand Hyatt, then whisked to the White House for a chat with First Lady Melania Trump, followed by a kosher dinner of lasagna and salmon. I had a nice conversation in the Oval Office with President Trump, Judah says. I told him the last words that Moses spoke to Joshua: Chazak vamatz be strong and courageous. The president appreciated that, and gave me an extra-long handshake. Hes physically strong, with hands like steel. Judah visits in the White House with First Lady Melania Trump. Upon entering the House chamber, Judah was asked to remove the large Bucharian-style kipa that he regularly wears. One of the ushers told me that nobody wears a hat in Congress, Judah recounts. But I regret taking it off. Im from a very Chasidic family and this yarmulke is a symbol of my faith. Plus it keeps my head warm. State of the Union address: Judah listens as the president speaks about him. The climax of the day was the 2019 State of the Union address, when the President singled out Judah and devoted several minutes to telling the story of his surviving both the Holocaust and Tree of Life. In a viral moment, the President mentioned it was Judahs 81st birthday triggering a standing ovation and an impromptu performance of Happy Birthday by the entire Congress (what one commentator called a rare moment of political unity). The President mimed a conductors baton, while Judah blew a kiss and shouted "thank you. The president smiled and quipped, "They wouldn't do that for me. One of the presidents top aides told Judah: You made history. Thats the first time Congress has formed a chorus. The celebrity treatment continued. On the flight home, the pilot came over, gave me a big hug and kiss, and took a picture of me. And for weeks later, wherever I went, people wished me Happy Birthday! Today, Judahs life revolves around speaking to thousands of people, mostly in high schools, on discussion panels, and through the Pittsburgh Holocaust Center. He enjoys telling his story and urging people to Never forget. As our time together draws to a close, I ask Judah how he managed to survive these two horrific events. You got to go on, he says pensively. Someone is looking out for me. https://www.aish.com/jw/s/Passover-Shooting-in-California-Synagogue.html A gunman opened fire on Jews at prayer on the last day of Passover. It has happened again. On Saturday, April 27, Jews praying in a synagogue found themselves targeted and marked for death again, the victims of another shooting. Six months after the rampage in the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh that left 11 Jewish worshippers dead, another hate-filled gunman burst into a synagogue on Shabbat, intent on murder. The Chabad synagogue of Poway, California, about 25 miles north of San Diego, was packed with up to 60 worshippers. In addition to being a busy Shabbat, it was also the eighth day of Passover, when the Jewish Yizkor prayer is recited; some congregants had made a special effort to attend to remember loved ones. As they prayed, a local 19 year old burst into the synagogue brandishing an assault rifle, screaming that Jews are ruining the world and shooting at terrified congregants in the synagogues lobby. Three people were injured and one 60-year-old mother, Lori Gilbert Kaye, was murdered. Lori Gilbert Kaye is a Jewish heroine, and will be remembered as a heroine in Jewish history, said Israels minister of diaspora affairs, Naftali Bennett. She sacrificed her own life, throwing herself in the path of the murderers bullets to save the life of the Rabbi. But it is clear that such heroism and good deeds are not only characteristic of dear Lori in death, but that this was the way she lived her life constantly doing charity and good deeds for those in need. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, 57, who was shot in the hand, refused to go to the hospital until he finished his sermon, calling for peace. Congregant Oscar Stewart, a former US soldier, heard the shooting in the lobby and realized a gunman was in the building. I ran out there and I chased him, Mr. Stewart recalled. He looked scared I yelled as loud as I could in my mean sergeant voice. I yelled Get down! and then I ran towards him. Some witnesses report that the gunmans gun seemed to jam at that point. He dropped his gun and ran outside. He was a coward Mr. Stewart explained later. Noya Dahan, 8, a girl originally from Sderot in Israel, was hit by shrapnel in the face and leg. Her uncle Almog Peretz, 31, was shot in the leg as he ushered children in a playroom to safety, according to media reports. In the hours after the attack, authorities labeled the shooting a hate crime. The shooter posted a hateful racist, anti-Semitic screed on social media before going on his rampage. He said he was inspired by the massacre in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand in March and by the massacre in the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. This was a pointed attack on Chabad, on the visible Jewish community here, and this is a collective attack on all Jewish communities, declared Jonathan Greenblatt, the chief executive officer and national director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). This is anti-Semitism unleashed. In a pattern where prejudice is minimized in an environment where intolerance is trivialized and when prejudice becomes politicized, we shouldnt be surprised. Jews are under attack and offering thoughts and prayers before going back to our regular routines isnt nearly enough. A generation ago, Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira, the Grand Rabbi of Piaseczno, Poland, and rabbi of the Warsaw Ghetto, witnessed persecution and anti-Semitism on a scale thats scarcely imaginable today. Rabbi Shapiras answer was the very opposite of many peoples reactions to Jew hatred today. Stripped of his freedom, of his ability to earn a living, marked for death, Rabbi Shapira refused to be cowed. In the unimaginable hell of the Warsaw Ghetto, he organized weekly classes on Jewish themes. Week after week, Jews responded to the violence and hatred all around them by studying with Rabbi Shapira and growing to new spiritual heights. On the final days of Passover in April 1942, Rabbi Shapira urged his students to respond to the hatred they faced. We can learn from the fact that the Red Sea did not split of Israel until the whole tribe of Benjamin had jumped in, Rabbi Shapira taught; it wasnt enough to hope and pray, our Jewish forefathers also had to act. Rabbi Shapira was murdered in 1943, but his notes were discovered after World War II in the ruins of his house in the Warsaw Ghetto. I beg and plead with every individual Jew to study my books, he wrote in his manuscript. Its a message from the midst of hate and violence that we need to heed today. With rising anti-Semitism, with horrific violence against Jews in America, in France, in Israel, Argentina, Russia, and elsewhere, we have to respond by strengthening our Jewish commitment. When one of us is gunned down at prayer, we are all attacked. In the memory of the heroic Lori Gilbert Kaye who was gunned down in Poway because she was Jewish, lets work on changing ourselves and our communities. Lets grow in her memory and resolve to be proud Jews, to study Jewish texts, to strengthen our bonds with our fellow Jews. Lets use this period after Passover, an auspicious time for spiritual development, to respond with real change and growth. As clashes rage in southern Tripoli between eastern military commander Khalifa Hifters forces and the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) made up of various militias, the Amazigh in Zuwara fear their border area and city could be attacked at any moment. We just tried to escape. I thought it was the last day of my life, civil society activist Fadi Dhan from Zuwara told Al-Monitor by phone, describing Hifters forces attacking the inactive military base of Abd Al-Samad on April 13, when eight rockets launched by a war plane at 6:45 a.m. injured two people. It was the first attack in the western border area of Zuwara since Hifter's Libyan National Army (LNA) began an offensive on the Libyan capital Tripoli on April 4, causing at least 254 deaths, over 1,228 injuries and displacing nearly 32,000 people. Zuwara's mostly Amazigh residents feel their area could be attacked again at any moment. Me and other five friends, all civilians, were at the military base of [Abd Al-Samad] volunteering. We usually do day and night shifts there to warn the military operations room if someone is coming to attack us, Dhan continued. As a civil society activist, Dhan also takes pictures and videos for the Zuwara Media Center, which has been active since the 2011 revolution against deposed leader Moammar Gadhafi to independently document local events and support peace and democracy. Zuwara is a strategic area for three reasons. It's the site of the Mellitah oil and gas plant, jointly operated by the Italian ENI and state oil firm NOC, that supplies Italy with gas through the Greenstream pipeline. It's a border area between Tunisia and Libya, important for travelers, trade and smuggling activities. Then there are the city's port and airport, which the residents fear that Hifters army could take even before finishing with Tripoli. The Amazigh, which means free people or free men, are also known as Berbers. They are indigenous to North Africa and comprise 10% of the Libyan population. During Gadhafis rule, the Amazigh were expressly forbidden from practicing their historical customs, celebrating cultural holidays or giving their children non-Arabic names. I was in Tripoli when the attack started, said Halab, who declined to share his full name. The resident of Zuwara who works and travels regularly between Tripoli, Zuwara and Tunisia told Al-Monitor, The capital's city center was calm, but it was hard to get a taxi and people were cautious while the clashes erupted in the southern area. But when I had to travel from Tripoli to Zuwara, I was really worried. I feel that as Amazigh, I am a target. The coastal cities of Sabratha and Surman, between Tripoli and Zuwara, host LNA-allied militias like the al-Wadi Battalion, which is engaged in human trafficking. The Hifter-supporting Madkhalist Salafists are hostile to the Amazigh's Ibadism tradition, a branch of Islam marginalized under Gadhafis regime. Back in 2017, the Amazigh Supreme Council, which fights for Amazigh rights, denounced a fatwa issued by the religious arm of the eastern government labeling Ibadi Muslims as "khawarij," or deviants, and infidels without dignity. The council considered the fatwa incitement to genocide of Libya's Amazigh. Zuwaras people are afraid of genocide if this war continues, Halab concluded. Founded by the Saudi preacher Rabee al-Madkhali, the Madkhalists were welcomed in the 1990s by Gadhafi for their support of authoritarian rule and in 2011 their opposition to the revolution, telling Libyan citizens to stay home. In 2012, Madkhalist militants demolished Sufi shrines in Zliten and Tripoli using bulldozers, explosives and hammers. Some Madkhalists are members of RADA, Tripolis special operations military police unit, and seem to be against the current offensive, though Madkhalists in Libya have generally supported Hifter. The Tunisian government previously supported the Tobruk government, but with the GNA in Tripoli and the border controlled by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, Tunisia has taken a neutral position. To support Hifter directly or to close the border would be suicide for Libya's neighbors. Tunisia also hosts international diplomacy for the country and thus has to support a cease-fire. Younes Nanis, an independent researcher and political analyst and a former member of the Zuwara military operations room, told Al-Monitor, The message is clear: What in English we call the Libyan National Army in Arabic is literally Arab Libyan Armed Forces and with the term Arab we, as Amazigh, are automatically excluded. We werent included during the preparations and back-room negotiations for political agreement before the Ghadames National Conference, a planned meeting for organizing elections, and a peace process in Libya that was scheduled to take place in Ghadames on April 14-16. But because of Hifters offensive, it didnt take place. He went on, With Sarrajs GNA, Amazigh are not taken into account, but at least they are not under threat. With the LNA, which is mostly made up of pro-Gadhafi components during the 2011 war who seek revenge on western cities, and the Madkhalists, we are under direct threat. Residents of Zuwara and other western cities demonstrated in the streets against the war on Tripoli, calling for a united Libya. They also protested April 18 against the return of a military regime, carrying both Amazigh and Libyan flags and chanting, We will not go back to chains. We dont like any kind of war, Arabs or Amazigh. We all want to stay alive and rebuild our country. We reject killing, Dhan said. When [the LNA forces] say terrorists are in Zuwara, they are lying just an excuse to take our geographically strategic city. We want a political resolution and transition of the conflict. But if Hifter takes Tripoli, I am afraid there will not be a free Zuwara and free men anymore. ALEPPO Opposition factions in the Operation Euphrates Shield area in the Aleppo countryside continue to hold various military training sessions under the supervision of officers from the Turkish army and the so-called Syrian National Army, which is affiliated with the Free Syrian Army (FSA), opposition officials have told Al-Monitor. The program, which began April 7, includes training on airdrop operations using Turkish army helicopters. This is the first time FSA fighters have received this type of training. Director of the politburo for the FSA-affiliated Al-Moaatsem Brigade Mustafa Sejari told Al-Monitor, The trainings of the National Army are ongoing, and preparations for the upcoming battle in the Eastern Euphrates are underway. The trainings are reaching high levels to ensure the success of operations in record time. Undoubtedly, previous experience in the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch operations will benefit the Eastern Euphrates battles. Sejari added, The trainings are part of the cooperation between the FSA and the Turkish army in their joint war on terror. FSA fighters receive intensive training on airdrops and new military tactics. This is the first such training for FSA fighters. The FSA continues to coordinate and cooperate with the Turkish army, which is offering special trainings and sessions constantly to teach our forces more battle expertise. Trainings are held at Turkish military bases in the Aleppo countryside and in training camps affiliated with the factions in the area. FSA-affiliated National Army leaders said the main aim behind the trainings is to raise fighters combat readiness to engage in a joint battle with the Turkish army against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Eastern Euphrates. The SDF is a coalition of Arab and Kurdish fighters, with the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) being the largest component. Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist group and an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party, which the Turkish army is fighting inside Turkey. The training also includes lessons in tactics for storming enemy positions. The 2nd Corps, 2nd Regiment affiliated with the National Army launched these training sessions in its camps near al-Bab city on April 15. Before the training began, 18 Syrian officers who defected from the Syrian regimes army at the beginning of the war joined the ranks of the 2nd Regiment to participate in the trainings by sharing their military and training expertise. The Ahrar al-Sharqia faction affiliated with the FSA is holding training sessions on machine guns, mortars, urban warfare and close distance martial arts, in addition to giving lessons about the geographic nature of the Eastern Euphrates and the tactics that should be followed in a battle against the SDF. The training of Ahrar al-Sharqia began April 15 as part of the oppositions efforts to prepare for a possible battle in the Eastern Euphrates, as per the Turkish Anadolu Agency. A military group graduated from the FSA-affiliated Al-Sultan Murad Division in Afrin on April 12. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had declared on Dec. 12, 2018, a military operation in the Eastern Euphrates against the YPG. But the surprising announcement of US President Donald Trump Dec. 19 to withdraw US troops from the northeastern Euphrates delayed the operation. On March 30, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar opened a joint operations room near the Syrian-Turkish border in Gaziantep to plan and implement military operations in the Eastern Euphrates. Official spokesperson for the National Army Yusuf Hamoud told Al-Monitor, The FSA has benefited a lot from direct contact with the Turkish army and acquired wide-scale technical and military expertise during the two joint battles Operation Olive Branch and Operation Euphrates Shield. The FSA also benefited from the training offered by officers and experts in the Turkish army to the FSA fighters, including training on several military disciplines like airdrop and landing operations. Hamoud added, If our battle against the SDF in the Eastern Euphrates is launched, it will be a wide-scale one and will require various military tactics. The airdrop and landing operations supply the battlefield with fighters within enemy lines and transfer equipment and ammunition to deep frontlines that can only be accessed through helicopters. Ali Tamii a member of the Kurdish Future Movement, which is active in SDF-controlled areas undermined the importance of the FSA trainings before engaging in the upcoming battle in the Eastern Euphrates. He told Al-Monitor, The trainings of the Turkish army for FSA factions aim to pressure the SDF, and they are not as important as a US-Turkish consensus for entry into the Eastern Euphrates. Without such consensus, there wont be a wide-scale confrontation. Tamii pointed to ongoing talks between Turkey and the United States over the fate of the Eastern Euphrates area, saying Ankara will only launch a battle against the SDF if it gets the green light from Washington. In such case, the SDF would be abandoned by the United States its main backer and would be forced to retreat, Tamii explained. On the topic of whether the SDF will insist on waging a battle against the Turkish army and the FSA despite a US-Turkish consensus on Turkeys entry into the Eastern Euphrates region, Tamii said the SDF could not wage such battle without their US and European allies. They will be left alone if a Turkish-Western consensus on the region is reached. The SDF might wage limited battles and resistance acts, but only for a short period. The Afrin experience proved that defense is a lost bet because the two sides [Turkey and the SDF] do not have equal powers. He said Turkey got US approval to launch Operation Olive Branch in 2018 against the YPG in Afrin, and thus the United States had abandoned their ally which is why they lost the battle. Homewood police say a man was shot early this morning after looking out the window of his room at a hotel. Police were dispatched to La Quinta Inn on State Farm Parkway at 1:13 a.m. on a report of shots fired. A 36-year-old South Carolina man on the third floor said he was in his room when he heard several shots. He went to his window and was apparently struck by a stray bullet. The man was taken to UAB Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Police said the gunfire appears to have resulted from a large fight in the parking lot. Several shots were fired and multiple parked vehicles were struck by the gunfire. Three persons of interest, two adults and one juvenile, were taken into custody for questioning and released. Anyone with additional information about the shooting is asked to contact Homewood Police at (205) 332-6200. Linda Donahoo says she occasionally gets phone calls from inmates at Easterling Correctional Facility in Barbour County. Thats where her son Shannon is imprisoned. The phone calls are simple: Send money, or your son could die. She says she sent $300 last time. Shes sent larger sums over the years - $400, $500. The money is sent through Green Dot, Pay Pal, Western Union or Walmart cards. She reports the calls, she says, to the Alabama Department of Corrections and to federal authorities. Donahoos story of extortion is similar to those found during an extensive two-and-a-half-year federal investigation of Alabama prisons, released this month by the U.S. Department of Justice. Alabamas inability to prevent and address the extortion of prisoners and prisoners family members leads to a substantial risk of serious harm, the report stated. The federal findings provided seven examples, along with screenshots of texts with threats, painting a picture of criminals behind bars able to extend influence on innocent relatives beyond the walls. They say, dont pay it, she said. I said, I dont want my son dead over money. Ive spent nearly everything Ive got trying to keep him alive, any time hes out in population. Its horrible Shannon Donahoo, 46, has been in Alabamas prisons for 26 years following a murder conviction in Talladega County. Housed in Easterling, he is a four-hour car trip from his mothers home in Pell City. Linda, 72, can no longer make the journey because of her vision, affected by cataracts. In addition to the extortion threats, she regularly pays money for debts her son may incur behind bars. But the extortion calls are the worst. Theyve been standing over him, fixing to kill him, sometimes when they call, she said. Its horrible. Its because hes on drugs. But its happened in different prisons. I never know who it is. She says the calls began more than 15 years ago, at different prisons, but with the same threats of violence and death. Linda has documented her sons time in prison, writing letters on notebook paper to wardens, prison officials and others advocating for her son. Her letters, in a flowing cursive script, turn bold when she repeats a familiar phrase: He is in fear for his life. It is that devotion that drives her to continue to pay the extortion money. When your kid hurts, you hurt, she said. If you care about your son or daughter, youd do anything you could in the world to help them. Here is our complete coverage of Alabamas prison crisis Donahoo said she didnt speak to the Justice Department during its investigation, but others have fallen victim to similar schemes. According to the DOJ report, a Ventress prisoners mother in January 2018 reported that she and her son were being extorted for money to pay off an alleged $600 debt to another prisoner. Because of his failure to pay, the victim was beaten and threatened with rape. His mother later called to report that she was being extorted by a prisoner at Ventress who texted her photos of a prisoners genitals from a cell phone, the report stated. Through texts, he threatened to chop her son into pieces and rape him if she did not send him $800. In February 2018, the inmate called our toll-free line and affirmed what his mother had reported. Method & means The Alabama Department of Corrections says it investigates every extortion case involving inmates and will charge and prosecute any individual proven to be involved, whether the person is an inmate or not. Over the past 18 months, ADOC says its Investigations and Intelligence Division has looked into 18 extortion cases. The department notes that extortion schemes are often associated with illegal contraband, such as cell phones, which officers look for during contraband sweeps in its institutions. Over the last few months, ADOC has initiated several high-profile contraband sweeps through its prisons. Last week, more than 300 law enforcement officers staged a predawn raid at William C. Holman Correctional Facility, beginning about 4:30 a.m. at the maximum-security Atmore lockup, which houses 870 inmates. Officers seized 356 makeshift weapons, 91 grams of meth, 98 grams of marijuana, cocaine, more than 400 assorted pills and 16 cellphones, ADOC officials announced Friday. In February, ADOC held another contraband raid at St. Clair Correctional Facility. Over the last three years, ADOC says it has confiscated more than 12,000 cellphones in sweeps of all its facilities. How do cellphones get in? Through several avenues, ADOC says, including visitors and unsecured perimeters at prisons. Last year, ADOC said it made more than 60 arrests for crimes ranging from smuggling contraband cell phones to drug trafficking. There are other ways for contraband to get in. Last year, federal prisons were added to FAA restricted zones for drones - another potential method of getting items to inmates. While state prisons are not included in this, ADOC said a review is underway about adding them. Expensive measures Last February, ADOC Commissioner Jeff Dunn and other state corrections directors met with officials from the Federal Communications Commission about introducing new technology, such as jamming equipment, to make contraband cellphones unusable inside correctional facilities. But this would require action from Congress and the FCC. And these remedies are not cheap. A similar system under consideration for the South Carolina prison system, which includes 17 facilities, was estimated at costing $9 million. And as with other problems facing Alabama prisons, ADOC said preventing contraband could be improved by hiring more officers and building better prisons. In February, Gov. Kay Ivey announced that her administration will seek bids for building three regional prisons for men to replace aging, cramped facilities that ADOC has said are too costly to maintain and repair. By increasing our staffing and improving the conditions of our facilities, we will be able to build on some of the new processes and procedures that have been implemented to prevent contraband from entering our facilities, the department said. That makes sense to John Blume, the director of Cornell Universitys Death Penalty Project. Blume represents death penalty and juvenile offender cases and has some familiarity with contraband issues. He said an inmate in another states prison system laughed at the idea of drones bringing in contraband. Most of the items come in, he said, by correctional officers. A regular morning sweep of prison perimeters would eliminate most of the items getting in. Theyre understaffed and underpaid, Blume said of correctional officers. That creates the financial incentive to bring it in. When youre short staffed, theres not a lot of oversight. Better pay would reduce the financial incentives, and more officers would increase the professionalism. One case last year in Alabama illustrates the problem. A correctional officer with a 10-year career was arrested in December after investigators said they found multiple packages containing 10 cell phones during a search of his vehicle. ADOC said the officer admitted to purchasing the phones with the intention of receiving payment from inmates. At a certain point And extortion schemes are not specific to Alabama prisons. Last year, five South Carolina inmates and 10 other people were implicated in what authorities called a sextortion ring. According to investigators, the inmates created fake profiles on dating websites and posed as women who wanted to date military personnel. They sent nude photos found online, requesting nude photos in return. The inmates would then contact the victims pretending to be the father of a juvenile female and demanding hush money. Authorities said the racket brought in more than $560,000 from 442 military personnel. Blume said contraband and extortion rackets also point to another issue prisons with lack of programming and rehabilitation services, Blume said. Inmates with little incentive to do anything other than drugs will engage in extortion, among other things, as the level of violence and abuse continues to escalate behind bars. Weve created a system thats all stick and no carrot, he said. At a certain point, all stick wont work. This is an opinion column. Governor Kay Ivey, is this how the story ends? The site in Jefferson County, Alabama, was never put on the NPL nor was Drummond deemed a responsible party. The poisonous toxins are still in the ground in North Birmingham. Drummond saved itself over 100 million dollars by preventing the land in North Birmingham it has contaminated from being deemed a Superfund cleanup site and put on the NPL. Those are not my words. Theyre from the court record filed on behalf of David Roberson, the former vice president of Drummond Co., and one of two men convicted last year of bribing state Rep. Oliver Robinson as part of the very scheme he describes. Roberson is suing Drummond Co., which fired him earlier this year, for $50 million. In his lawsuit, he accuses the companys general counsel of setting him up to be a fall guy for the Alabama coal giant. Roberson also says the companys law firm, Balch & Bingham, caused him to believe the scheme was legal, and hes suing them, too. Maybe its too much to swallow that the former vice president of Drummond didnt understand the bribes he was paying were bribes. After all, the jury in his federal corruption trial didnt buy that argument. But whats important here isnt that. Its this. A former vice president of Drummond Co. now says theres poison in the soil around the companys ABC Coke plant in north Birmingham. And he says the company saved itself as much as $100 million by running a disinformation campaign. Is that where were going to leave it? In Alabama, were well practiced at ignoring our social, civic and environmental ills. Our history is an ugly habit of ignoring our history. But just because were well practiced, that doesnt mean were any good at making those problems go away. This week the Washington Post visited to retell this sordid, ugly story to its national audience. Now the rest of the country knows what a lot of Alabama officials would rather pretend never happened. At least two more national news outlets are interested in the story, Im told. This isnt going away. You can ignore the problem. But the problem wont ignore you. Nor should it. Three men might be going to prison, but justice wasnt served not for the people of north Birmingham and Tarrant who still live with the uncertainty of whats in the dirt their children play in. It will be with us, as long as that dirt is still in the ground. But this story could end another way. The Justice Department could pursue its case further. So far, the US Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, Jay Town, has said only the men convicted already were responsible. Does that change now that one of those men is saying thats not true? DOJ and the EPA continue to discuss next steps as it concerns north Birmingham and Tarrant, Town said when I asked him this week. Also, the Environmental Protection Agency could add the north Birmingham Superfund site to its National Priorities List. If it did, then the EPA would cover 90 percent of cleanup costs. Alabama would have to pay the other 10 percent. Next, the EPA would pursue responsible polluters there to make them repay both the federal and state government. This is the very thing that Drummond and Balch fought so hard to prevent. Rep. Terri Sewell, Sen. Doug Jones and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin have asked the EPA to put the north Birmingham site on the NPL, but the EPA has indicated that it wont do so without the states cooperation that matching 10 percent. That would have to come from you, governor. And so far, your silence hasnt been just deafening, but poisonous, too. I know corruption when I see it, and we are not having it. Or at least, thats what you said in your campaign ads last year. In the last election cycle, Drummond Co. contributed $55,000 to your campaign. You took that money, even after this bribery scandal in Birmingham was public knowledge. And you havent taken any steps to change the states posture on the north Birmingham pollution since you won reelection. Is this hows it going to be, governor? Is this how it ends? We cleaned up that mess, you said last year, referring to corruption in Montgomery. Uh, huh. Ill believe it when someone cleans up this mess in north Birmingham. Kyle Whitmire is the state political columnist for the Alabama Media Group. Want access to the best analysis and in-depth reporting about Alabama each week? Sign up for the weekly Reckon Report newsletter and follow Reckon on Facebook and Twitter. Follow Whitmire on Twitter and Facebook, too. And Instagram. Further reading on north Birmingham and Tarrant Chris Curry isnt one to dwell on historical footnotes related to Mobiles sometimes colorful aviation past. As president of the Mobile Airport Authority, Curry is charged with a forward-looking approach. But the past will certainly loom over a historic flight from Mobiles Downtown Airport (coded BFM) at the Brookley Aeroplex on Wednesday, when Frontier Airlines Flight 413 is scheduled to depart at 1:59 p.m. to Chicagos OHare International Airport. It was the same day 91 years ago, in 1928, that Mobile entered the era of commercial aviation, according to research compiled in the 2011 book, Mobile Aviation. On that May 1, the citys inaugural airmail flight landed at Mobiles Legion Field, the citys first municipal airport located not far from present-day Brookley beside Mobile Bay southeast of downtown. May is a big month in terms of aviation for Mobile, said Billy Singleton, a Clanton resident and author of multiple historical accounts of aviation in Alabama, including Mobiles history. Brookley turnaround Indeed, Mobile is bracing for a big month of celebrations to highlight its new $8 million terminal at Brookley, which airport and city officials believe is the first step toward a bigger goal of a complete shift of the citys commercial aviation from Mobile Regional Airport (MOB) closer to downtown Mobile. Brookley, named after a captain in the U.S. Army AirCorps who died during an aviation accident in 1934, long served as a military aviation installation and was the only military aviation depot in the U.S. during World War II with a deepwater port. But from the 1960s until 2015, Brookley was more known for its sensational setbacks than advancements. The 1969 closure of the military base represented the largest base closure in U.S. history up to that time and left 13,000 people without work. About 40 years later, in 2010, a lucrative military contract to build the new KC-45 aerial refueling tanker was scuttled over formal protests from Boeing. But a turnaround has quickly occurred this decade, highlighted by the 2015 opening of Airbuss $600 million manufacturing plant for the A320-series of planes. The development made Mobiles Airbus facility the largest North American manufacturing operation for Boeings biggest rival and thrust Mobile squarely into the fierce international battle for commercial airline supremacy. But even as a massive airplane assembly plant sits in the citys midst, the options to actually take a flight have been limited. Mobile Regional Airport, in the western edges of the city, has handled commercial flights since 1986, but has long suffered a reputation for offering few direct flights and costly fares compared to nearby airports in Gulfport, Mississippi and Pensacola, Florida. Mobile Regional is also far removed from the interstate highways. Trips to downtown can be a half-hour or longer depending on traffic along congested routes such as Airport Boulevard. Brookley, by comparison, has two ready-made runways and is a mere four miles from downtown Mobile. Its also in closer proximity to the Eastern Shore area of Daphne, Spanish Fort and Fairhope among the fastest-growing areas in the state. The accessibility, and the possibility to luring lower-cost airlines, is a tantalizing prospect for city leaders. And the previously quiet Mobile Airport Authority has become one of the citys most active governing bodies as its presses to open the Downtown Mobile Airports terminal. Giant leap forward Chris Curry, president of the Mobile Airport Authority, speaks to a guest at a town hall event on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018, at the Mobile Carnival Museum in Mobile, Ala. Curry has vowed to attend as many neighborhood meetings as possible and to answer questions about the relocation of Mobile's commercial air service to the Downtown Mobile Airport. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com). Curry, who arrived to Mobile in October 2017, is calling the May 1 moment transformative for not only the airport, but the entire city and region. After all, the last commercial flight from Brookley took place in the early 1940s, when an Eastern Airlines plane lifted off. Mayor Sandy Stimpson, who along with Curry will be aboard Frontiers Flight 413, calls the moment a giant leap forward in the citys goal of delivering premium air service to the region. We believe that more direct flights at more affordable prices will have a tremendously positive impact on the city, from jobs and economic development to the continued growth of our tourism industry, said Stimpson. Stimpson began advocating for the commercial aviation shift to Brookley several years ago, shortly after Airbus began operations nearby. The Mobile Airport Authority, under the leadership of Stimpson appointee Elliot Maisel, was placed in charge of restarting commercial air service at Brookley. Construction in and around the new Terminal One at Brookley has been fast and furious. The two-gate terminal, covering 20,000 square feet, is situated inside a 50,000-square-foot building that partially serves an Airbus logistics center. Airbus plans to leave the building in June, which will allow the Airport Authority the option to expand. The terminals construction cost around $8 million and was paid for through the Airport Authoritys cash flows, reserves and other financing. Construction was substantially completed on April 15, though work has been ongoing in and around the terminal. The parking lot, which Curry describes as essentially finished, is getting striped before the first passengers arrive. The Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, is also on-site and completing its work ahead of signing off on an airport security plan. Curry is confident everything will be ready for the inaugural flight. Terminal One So what will visitors to Terminal One at BFM see upon arrival? -Five ticket counters and adjacent display screens providing visitors with up-to-date information on arrival and departure times. -Each ticket counter will include areas for visitors to check-in their non-carry-on luggage. -From there, passengers will proceed through a TSA checkpoint where they will be screened. Terminal One will feature two security check-in lines. -After proceeding through the TSA checkpoint, visitors will arrive into the whole room area where they will find two gates. One of the gates will have an enclosed walkway protecting visitors from inclement weather as the board an airplane. The other is not enclosed. Curry said there is no enclosed, moveable connector jet bridge at BFM. -Within the whole room area, there will be electronic charging stations for people to use before boarding their plane. Also, there will be a concessions area that is unmanned. Said Curry, It will have snacks and sandwiches and sodas and water, etc., but they can be purchased through vending machine applications. - Curry said arriving passengers will exit through either Gate 1 or 2 and proceed to three ticket counters where three major rental car companies are represented. A sidewalk will take passengers to the parking lot. - Airport parking fares have not yet been determined, and parking will be at no charge initially. Curry said passengers will eventually have the option to pay at the terminal or pay upon exiting the airports parking lot. Curry said the airports two runways a 9,500-foot runway closest to the terminal, and a 7,500-foot runway further away are both approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. The runways have been in use for years, primarily serving general aviation cargo carriers such as FedEx. Curry said the FAA recently inspected the runways after the Airport Authority official requested a categorical change in operations to commercial. In summation, weve been approved to conduct commercial service operations, Curry said. Low-cost dynamic The two airlines flying out BFM are Frontier, based out of Denver, and Via Airlines, based in Orlando, Florida. Frontier will operate five flights per week from the airport: Monday, Wednesday and Saturday departures to Denver International Airport and Wednesday and Saturday flights to Chicago OHare. This is their entry into the market and as the market responds, they may increase that frequency, said Curry. Frontier will fly a 186-seat Airbus A320 plane similar to the aircraft produced at the Mobile Airbus plant. Zach Kramer, a spokesman with Frontier, said the company will provide more details about its plans on Wednesday, when the local media is invited to attend a grand opening event around noon. A more public and elaborate grand opening is scheduled for May 8, to largely accommodate the schedule of Gov. Kay Ivey. Via Airlines, meanwhile, is scheduled to oversee flights to Orlando Sanford International Airport starting Thursday. Via currently provides flights to Orlando from Mobile Regional Airport on Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday. Both airlines are considered low-cost carriers, meaning their round-trip air fares are competitively priced compared to carriers like Delta, American Airlines and United which already fly out of Mobile Regional. A round-trip air fare aboard Frontier to Chicago, for instance, is priced at $63. To Denver, the price is around $83. Curry said the rise in popularity of the low-cost carriers are the reason why Mobile was able to start the air service from its downtown airport. We were interested in expanding our market, but the carriers we have in Mobile were not able to do that, said Curry. It was just not part of their profile for the city of Mobile. And so the low-cost carriers bring another dynamic to that. They bring point-to-point service and at the same time, we want to create competition in our market because we understand that MOB is one of the higher-fare airports in the country. International appeal The significance of Thursdays flight, and the terminals opening, is a mere step for what airport and city officials hope is a more expansive journey toward relocating Mobiles commercial airline operations entirely to Brookley. A $1.5 million master plan, paid for primarily by the FAA, has been under way for a few months by aviation consultants LeighFisher. The plan is examining a complete shift of commercial air service to Brookley from Mobile Regional. Curry has high hopes for what the plan might reveal, even though its completion may not be ready for a couple of years. One aspect Curry is anticipating is the establishment of a true international airport for Mobile that includes, among other things, the addition of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection port of entry that would differentiate Mobile from international airports in Pensacola and Gulfport. Mobile Regional Airport does not offer any flights outside the U.S. I think Mobile is well-positioned to have an international airport, said Curry. I feel pretty confident it will be expressed in the master planning effort. Curry said that other airports are international in name only, because they do not have the Customs and Borders Protection areas. And at Brookley, where international businesses are popping up including European-based Airbus, the demand could be building for direct processing into the U.S. through Mobile. At Brookley alone, we have 20 international business that exist and wed like to have more whether they are supply chain providers or international companies locating here, said Curry. He added, Until you become an international airport, no one can fly directly to Mobile from an international location unless you have a Customs and Border Protection system for those airlines. From a business standpoint, its important for us to have an ability that a corporate guy flying in a corporate jet can fly into Mobile without processing somewhere else. Corporate, millennial appeal Aviation industry experts believe the direct link to the corporate community could be driving the interest in bringing commercial flights closer to the more densely populated downtown area. William Gartner, a professor within the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota, said one of the benefits could be more on-site leasing of the airport to corporate entities. For comparison, he said, the downtown St. Paul, Minnesota, airport operates as a reliever airport for traffic at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, but also as an aviation home for larger corporations like 3M. Gartner also said the move in Mobile could serve as an economic incentive for low-cost carriers, similar to what existing airports in mid-size cities consider when trying to lure in more airlines. The Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority, for instance, has set aside over $1 million in incentives to bring in new round-trip flights. According to media accounts, about $1 million has been spend on incentives such as landing fee waivers, terminal rent waivers, etc. Megan Ryerson, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, conducted an analysis of 26 airports that doled out air service incentive programs to recruit new routes. She determined that those incentives tallied a combined $171.5 million between 2012 and the first quarter of 2015, and that 40 percent of those routes were not retained once the incentives ended. It is not unusual to find mid-size cities actually paying for commercial carriers to operate out of their airport, so it appears Mobile is doing something similar but instead of outright payments, they are making an infrastructure investment, said Gartner, who added that the proximity to the industries in and around Brookley should be considered a benefit of the move. Other experts note that Mobiles interests in shifting commercial air service closer to the downtown area represents an oddity in modern-era aviation. Airports, generally speaking, do not locate near densely populated areas where noise, traffic and property values are a concern. John Kasarda, president of Aerotropolis Institute China, said the activity is more common in larger Asian cities. A number of main downtown airports closed or substantially curtailed services when a suburban international airport opened only to reopen later, often with low-cost air service providers, he said. Kasarda said he is unaware of any cases in the U.S. in which a downtown airport closed, only to reopen at a later date. Said Curry, I cannot find in any recent history where this is being done. Curry said Mobile could be on the cusp of establishing a trend as cities look to bring air service closer to downtown areas where a growing number of Millennials and younger populations are migrating. They want to live downtown and they want to be in places that do not require them to travel a lot, said Curry. When you look at the new generation, an airport that is 20 miles out of the city may not provide the best options for them. Future Challenges Experts, though, admit that relocating an entire airport operation closer to downtown Mobile will be tricky, both financially and in practice, especially with nearby neighborhoods consisting of longtime homeowners worried about noise and gentrification. State Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, recently introduced legislation that requires a property owner receive fair market value, instead of appraised value, for their property if its seized by a government body through the eminent domain process. The bill, HB38, specifically states that a homeowner whose property is acquired through eminent domain be compensated by the amount it would take to wholly reconstruct the existing property as it exists at the time it is valued by an assessor. Drummonds proposal isnt scheduled for a hearing, but she said its introduction has already accomplished what she wanted: A community-wide interest in ensuring that longtime property owners near Brookley are compensated if their properties are needed to accommodate an airport expansion. Curry has said that eminent domain has never been discussed by the Airport Authority. Brookley, which is almost entirely industrial, does have some residential street within the complex. Most of the residential neighborhoods are on the opposite side of Interstate 10. Drummond has said she supports the relocation of the airport, and claims that her legislation is not a negative as it relates to the airports growth. She calls the new terminal a really good for Mobile because the city has long been haunted by high air fares out of Mobile Regional. What were seeing with the opening of this new terminal as well as other positive things that come with the new terminal, is that we will see changes that will be transformative for the community, Drummond said. Our ultimate goal is to make sure that these longtime residents are adequately compensated for their properties. Curry said he will remain committed to visiting the neighborhoods for the foreseeable future. He said that part of the master planning process includes meeting routinely with different neighborhood groups and to address concerns raised by the residents. A citizens advisory committee will also be formed in the coming weeks. We want to make sure the people are represented through a committee throughout the master planning process and that the major businesses are also represented through a technical advisory committee, Curry said. From a financial standpoint, the federal government may not have the resources to build a brand-new commercial airport complex at Brookley. Kim Kenville, a University of North Dakota professor in charge of the schools aviation management program, has long argued that federal funds are tight for new airport construction. In Kenvilles home state, for instance, federal funds paid for only half of the construction of a $231 million new international airport in the small city of Williston. The city and state contributed to paying for the other half. She said the biggest obstacle for Mobile will be convincing the FAA that the move is needed, and even then, resources may be unavailable. The amount of public dollars that flow through the Aviation Trust Fund is relatively stagnant, and the allocation from Congress has not increased in years, Kenville said. In the end, the passengers will follow the air fares. So if they are traveling to (Pensacola) now, they will likely continue. Even if you build it, they may not come. Curry said that both the feasibility study and master plan for the airport shift has been almost entirely funded by the FAA, underlining what he says is support from the FAA. I dont know how you can get anymore support from the FAA toward this initiative than their support in financing the studies for it, he said. He also said the city is interested in public-private partnerships, illustrating a point that were not looking at the FAA as the only option of financing the downtown airport. We are looking at many different sources. Marketing magnate Meanwhile, marketing efforts ramping up to generate more attention about the new commercial service from the downtown airport. Stimpson, recently, called on businesses to recognize employees with a free flight to Chicago or Denver. Curry said there will need to be a marketing effort in both Chicago and Denver in order to entire more people to fly to Mobile and ensure both destinations are a success. David Clark, president/CEO of Visit Mobile the convention and visitors bureau arm of the city said that Mobile is already seeing an impact with offering flights from Brookley. He said a Chicago-based health care group booked 495 room nights for February 2020, only because of the direct flight from Mobile to Chicago. The Frontier flight to Chicago OHare is the first Mobile-to-Chicago direct flight since United Airlines discontinued them last year from Mobile Regional. If this airport move was not happening for direct flights to Chicago, they would not be booking a meeting here, said Clark. This is going to be monumental for selling conventions and leisure into the future. I think the move of the airport to downtown Mobile is a total game changer for selling conventions. The Grand Hotel in Point Clear, south of Fairhope, is one such venue that offers room nights and convention spaces. For years, the far distance of Mobile Regional has hurt the hotel and events complex in attracting groups for multi-night stays. Kevin Hellmich, director of sales and marketing with the hotel, said he believes the shortened drive time from Brookley will be beneficial. A lot of our convention planners and directors want to keep (their events) within a 50-minute commute to and from an airport, said Hellmich. With the new location, the travel time would be 35 minutes from Brookley to the Grand Hotel. Its going to be a less of a commute for individuals living on the Easter Shore as well as the people coming in for conventions and vacations. Curry said that when he arrives to Chicago, hell meet with colleagues and discuss marketing strategies. From there, he plans on a meeting soon in Tucson, Arizona, where discussions with more airlines will take place about potential flights from the new terminal. For us, its a continuous process to try and recruit air service to the destination that works best for Mobile and Baldwin counties, he said. Singleton said the efforts in Mobile illustrates a moment of history repeating itself. If you think about the entire air transportation world, weve evolved from twin and three-to-four engine planes, said Singleton. Now weve made the full circle back to two-engine airplanes and its interesting to me that we are now seeing Mobile aviation returning to its roots. He added, (Brookley) is where everything started. Mobile Regional was only built because the U.S. military took over the downtown airport. A chilling murder case, potentially landmark legislation, good food and honors for veterans are among a few Alabama news stories to look out for this week. First hearing in capital murder case A man and woman are set to appear at 9 a.m. in Washington County Monday for a hearing. Samuel Sullivan, 42, and Jenny Sullivan, 44, are charged with capital murder by prosecutors, who say they kidnapped Terri Sullivan from her home in Washington County on Jan. 20 before setting her rental car on fire and leaving her remains scattered 75 miles away in Grand Bay. Law enforcement found the burnt out car and her remains on the Grand Bay Wilmer Road March 28. Chuys opening Tuesday in Huntsville Tex-Mex restaurant Chuys is opening Tuesday at 11 a.m. in the retail district across from Whole Foods at Memorial Parkway and Bob Wallace Avenue. The first 50 people through the doors at the opening will receive vouchers for free Chuys for a year an appetizer, entree and dessert each month. The Huntsville location will be the third in Alabama, preceded by restaurants in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. Decision expected in prison case U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson is expected to issue an opinion this week on immediate remedial relief for suicide prevention in Alabamas prisons. Last week, Thompson said the court would need additional time to resolve the issue because of its extremely complex nature. In February, lawyers representing state inmates said the suicide rate in Alabama prisons has risen to a level that constitutes an emergency and that it shows the state is not fixing what a federal judge ruled in 2017 was an unconstitutional lack of mental health care for inmates. Lottery, abortion bills inching toward Alabama House A measure setting up a lottery for Alabama goes to the Alabama House. The legislation was passed out of the Alabama Senate by a 21-12 vote Thursday, receiving the bare minimum number of votes needed to win a three-fifths supermajority. If it receives the same three-fifths vote, it will then proceed to the voters for a final verdict during the March 2020 primary. Gov. Kay Ivey has stopped short of endorsing the idea, saying last week she supports the peoples right to vote on the issue. On Tuesday, the House is expected to debate a measure that would make performing an abortion a felony with almost no exceptions. The bill would make performing an abortion punishable between 10 and 99 years in prison, although a woman would not be charged for having the procedure. The legislation contains an exemption when there is a serious risk to the mothers health, but not for rape and incest. Medal of Honor recipients to be honored Two Medal of Honor recipients names will be added to the Huntsville-Madison County Veterans Memorial Tuesday at 10 a.m.: Capt. Gary Michael Rose and Lt. Col. James Michael Sprayberry. In 1970, while on a Special Forces operation deep in enemy territory in Vietnam, Rose, a combat medic, exposed himself to enemy fire multiple times to reach and treat wounded soldiers and was repeatedly wounded himself. While serving in Vietnam in 1968, Sprayberry then a first lieutenant volunteered to lead a patrol into a heavily defended enemy area to rescue a large number of soldiers who had become surrounded. Sprayberry broke through to the men, moved them to protective cover, and began eliminating enemy positions, killing 12 of the enemy during a seven-and-a-half hour fight. Fans of a near-century-old concrete ship that has been partly submerged in the Houston Ship Channel since 1922 warn it could be fully underwater in a matter of years. The SS Selma launched from Mobile in June 1919. It was abandoned after hitting a reef near Pelican Island that tore an unrepairable 60-foot hole in its hull, The Galveston County Daily News reported . "It's deteriorating, deteriorating greatly," said Ken Cox, the president of the corporation that owns the Selma. "It really, really is in pretty bad shape and could be completely under water within 15 years." The Selma was declared a Texas archaeological landmark in 1993 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are no plans in place to arrest the ship's sinking. It was one of 12 World War I pilot ships made from concrete rather than steel because of a metal shortage. The ship was never used during the war. The day it launched was the same day Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles, which formally concluded the war. It was instead used as an oil tanker. After it was scuttled, the Selma sat in the channel for decades until a retired journalist, A. Pat Daniels, bought the ship to preserve its history. Norma Jean Nelson, a member of the Crew of the SS Selma, a group of enthusiasts who annually honor the ship with a party, said she hoped the May 11 celebrations in Galveston to mark 100 years since the ship's launch will raise awareness about the landmark. Its a part of Galveston history, Nelson said. I would just like to see her never forgotten. A lot of people know of the Selma, but they dont know the Selma. A man believed to be suffering from some type of drug-induced mental event died in the custody of Oxford police. Chief Bill Partridge provided this account of what happened: The department received a call about 10:40 p.m. Friday on a report of a male roommate destroying property inside a home on Watson Road. The man appeared to be under the influence of some sort of substance, the chief said in a press release. Once officers arrived on the scene, the man had already fled the home, crossed Watson Road and entered into a thick wooded area. Officers could hear the subject scream and approached him, Partridge said. Officers called for an EMS unit due to realizing he was suffering from some type of possible drug-induced mental event. The man, whose name has not been released, was restrained by officers and brought out of the wooded area. At that point, he suffered an apparent cardiac event. Officers started CPR until medics arrived and took over. The man was taken to Regional Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead. As is standard procedure, Oxford requested an outside agency review, along with JSU Applied Forensics, to investigate the circumstances of the incident for transparency. The mans body was sent by the Calhoun County Coroners Office to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy. Ive spent a stupid amount of time in the last week trying to discern how mad, if at all, I should be about the phrase Easter worshippers. After the terrorist attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton both tweeted about the incidents using the odd label to identify the Sri Lankan Christians who were murdered. https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1120013694073810944 At first, I rolled my eyes at the backlash. I dont know if youve noticed, but we modern Americans have extraordinary skills in the art of outrage. We work hard at it, tutored by talking heads who make a fine living keeping national levels of righteous indignation--on all sides--as high as possible. Was the Easter worshippers skirmish just another attempt to meet this weeks outrage quota? At first blush, I felt like it was. Sure, I would have said Christians. But is it an intentional slight to use the phrase Easter worshippers? After all, it was Easter, and they were worshipping. I reject out of hand the silly pushback some like Laura Ingraham offered, insisting that Obama and Clinton were saying that the people killed were worshipping Easter. Thats not how modifiers work, guys. But nice try. Still, it would have been more natural and straightforward to say Sri Lankan Christians. Where did the oddball phrase Easter worshippers come from? Its possible that it was spun out by a public relations outfit affiliated with the Democratic party. Barbara Boland of The American Conservative makes the point that many politiciansboth left and rightuse such firms to craft statements, speeches and social media posts. This theory seems even more plausible because three major Democratic figures used the same uncommon language in the span of a few hours. But the failure to use the word Christians didnt rankle me until someone pointed out that when Orlandos Pulse nightclub was attacked, Secretary Clinton didnt offer a vague umbrella of condolence to Saturday night partiers. She stood with LGBT people as a distinct group who had been purposefully attacked. https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/874284812193935360 Similarly, when the mosque in New Zealand was attacked, Clinton didnt hesitate to label the religious group which had been directly targeted and affected (Muslims) and offer support to them as a distinct group. They werent just mosque attendees. They were Muslims. https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1106532154232766465 Why didnt she just call the dead Sri Lankans what they are: persecuted Christians? Why didnt she call for the defeat of terrorism against Christians? In isolation, her language about the massacre of Sri Lankan Christians doesnt bother me so much. But in the context of how Clinton has offered support to other distinct groups who were victims of violence, the incongruity of her words gives something away. Is it that she or Obama hate Christians? I dont think thats the case. Each of them professes to be a Christian, after all. (Spare me your assertions about the sincerity of their faith, because none of us knows, and its beside the point here.) But I do think it betrays a politicized way of thinking about religion and religious liberty, wherein Christians are the pet and ally of the political right, and minority religionslike Islamare the pets of the left. Its easy to bemoan the persecution of the religious or identity group you deem sympathetic to your political interests. But we resist loaning credibility to the grievances of others, for fear that it will bolster the political power of their team. In other words, we will tap dance around saying the things that are obviously true to even the casual observer, if we fear that truth benefits the wrong people. Our devotion to religious liberty, is seems, is pretty shallow all around. I pray that Christians worshipping in hostile cultures will be protected, because we know they are targeted. It would be nice if when the unimaginable comes to pass, US leaders on both sides of the aisle could call a spade and spade, and not be so obviously political in their responses. Amb. Hu Joined President Julius Maada Bio in Commissioning the Lumley Market Second Juba Bridge 2019/04/25 On April 25, 2019, H.E. the Chinese Ambassador in Sierra Leone, Mr. Hu Zhangliang joined H.E. President Julius Maada Bio in officially commissioning the Lumley Second Juba Bridge together with H.E. the First Lady, Fatima Jabbie Bio, Hon. Vice President, Mr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, Ministers, Parliament Members, Representatives of diplomatic corps, staff of China Railway Seventh Group as well as residents from neighborhood communities. Aiming at relieving traffic congestion around Lumley market area, the bridge was successfully built in five months with funding from the Governments of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Sierra Leone. In his keynote speech, President Bio mentioned that the bridge and infrastructure would unlock the tremendous economic potentials in tourism, fisheries, and other sectors. He also commended the partnership and generosity of the Peoples Republic of China, noting that the years of friendly relations between the two countries had seen China consistently providing technical assistance and capacity building for various sectors, improving public health and healthcare institutions, enhancing livelihood, helping modernize agriculture, and developing infrastructure in the county. Ambassador Hu extended his congratulations to President Bio and the Government and people of Sierra Leone on the official commissioning of the bridge, saying it is a bridge of friendship, a bridge of happiness and a bridge of big hope which will bring positive changes on people's daily life. Ambassador Hu introduced the ongoing second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in China, noting that there will be more fruitful results and good stories in China-Sierra Leone BRI cooperation with joint efforts of the two countries. Zalmay Khalilzad says any agreement with the Taliban requires a permanent truce and lasting peace. Any peace agreement with the Afghan Taliban would depend on the declaration of a permanent ceasefire and a commitment to end the countrys long war, the US envoy for peace in Afghanistan said. In an interview with Tolo News, Afghanistans largest private television station, Zalmay Khalilzad said on Sunday the Talibans demands were focused on the withdrawal of US forces from the country. If the Taliban insist on going back to the system they used to have, in my personal opinion it means the continuation of war, not peace, Khalilzad said. Our focus is on terrorism. No agreement will be done if we dont see a permanent ceasefire and a commitment to end the war, he added. We are seeking peace and [a] political settlement We want peace to give us the possibility to withdraw. Khalilzad has signalled progress in the talks being held in Doha between the Taliban and the US government. They centre on the Taliban guaranteeing Afghanistan can never again be used as a springboard for attacks on foreign soil, in return for an eventual withdrawal of foreign forces. But the talks do not include members of the Afghan government, which the Taliban view as a puppet regime. Intra-Afghan dialogue The Afghan-born US diplomat arrived in Kabul on Saturday to meet President Ashraf Ghani ahead of his next meeting with the Taliban in Qatar in the coming days. Ghani has convened a grand consultative assembly, the Loya Jirga, on Monday. The traditional gathering of elders, religious scholars, and prominent Afghans will see more than 3,000 people gather amid tight security for four days in Kabul to discuss peace in Afghanistan and next steps in the push for direct talks with the Taliban. Khalilzad said it was vital all parties communicate in an intra-Afghan dialogue. Such a meeting was supposed to take place in Doha this month, but it collapsed amid squabbling about the size of the guest list. He added Washington was a bit impatient to end the war, given its $45bn annual cost to the US taxpayer and the continued toll it takes on US forces. The US has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of a NATO-led mission known as Resolute Support, which is training and assisting the Afghan governments security forces in their battle against Taliban fighters and armed groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) and al-Qaeda. Leave a good legacy 190424055107555 US President Donald Trump wants to reach an agreement to end his countrys longest-ever war, which dislodged the Taliban from power in Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the US. Intense fighting is still going on all over the country, and while the Taliban are negotiating, they now control and influence more territory than at any point since 2001. The US wants to put an end to their expenses in Afghanistan and the dangers the forces face, but also Washington has a responsibility and wants to end this war responsibly and leave a good legacy, Khalilzad said. Why this years election in Benin has taken an interesting turn as voters prepare to head to the polls on Sunday. Voting is due in the West African country of Benin and the election is controversial. There are only two parties on the ballot, and both are loyal to the president. That is because opposition parties failed to meet the necessary requirements to field candidates. Al Jazeeras Ama Boateng reports from Cotonou. Police say gunman opened fire on crowded Poway, California synagogue on the last day of Passover. A gunman walked into a southern California synagogue crowded with Sabbath worshippers on Saturday and opened fire with an assault-style rifle, killing one woman inside and wounding three others in a hate crime carried out on the last day of Passover, authorities said. The suspect, 19-year-old John Earnest, fled the scene by car and was arrested a short time later when he pulled over and surrendered to police, authorities said. There were indications that an AR-type assault weapon might have malfunctioned after Earnest fired numerous rounds inside the Congregation Chabad synagogue in the town of Poway, California, about 23 miles (37km) north of downtown San Diego, Sheriff William Gore said. US President Donald Trump and other elected officials decried what they called an anti-Semitic attack exactly six months since 11 people were killed at a Pittsburgh synagogue in the deadliest assault on Jews in US history. 190124143748024 Gore told reporters that four people were struck by gunfire and taken to Palomar Medical Center, where one of the victims, an older woman, died. The three other patients two adult males and a female juvenile were listed in stable condition, Gore said. The identities of the victims were not given. Hate crime Poway Mayor Steve Vaus, speaking from a police command centre, characterised Saturdays shooting as a hate crime, saying his assessment was based on statements uttered by the gunman when he entered the synagogue. Nothing else was disclosed about a possible motive. But Gore said investigators were reviewing the suspects social media posts and his open letter. Earnest has no criminal record, but investigators were looking into a claim he made in an online manifesto about setting a fire at a mosque in nearby Escondido last month, Gore said. There was damage but no injuries. Speaking with reporters at the White House, Trump said: My deepest sympathies go to the people that were affected. He added that it looks like a hate crime and that authorities will get to the bottom of it. San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore, left, walks past the Chabad of Poway Synagogue [Denis Poroy/AP Photo] The attack occurred shortly before 11:30am local time (18:30GMT) in Poway, a suburb of about 50,000 residents, when the suspect walked into the synagogue and started shooting, Gore said. As he was making his getaway, an off-duty US Border Patrol agent opened fire on the suspect, striking the vehicle but apparently missing the suspect, according to Gore. The gunman was arrested a short time later when he peacefully surrendered to police. 190211164855747 A San Diego officer was en route to the shooting scene when he overheard a California Highway Patrol (CHP) radio dispatch of a suspect who had called into CHP to report that he was just involved in this shooting and his location, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit recounted. The officer was actually on the freeway and he clearly saw the suspect in his vehicle. The suspect pulled over and jumped out of his car with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody, Nisleit said. He said the assault-style rifle believed to be the murder weapon was found on the front passenger seat of the car. You cant break us Local television channel KGTV 10News said the synagogue was hosting a holiday celebration beginning at 11 am local time and due to culminate in a final Passover meal at 7pm . Authorities said about 100 people were inside the temple, where Saturday services marking the Jewish Sabbath would have been under way or have just concluded. San Diego television station KGTV reported a woman whose husband was still inside the synagogue as saying the rabbi was among those shot. 181102172541480 Minoo Anvari, an Iranian refugee who said her husband was attending services inside when gunshots rang out, told KUSI-TV the wounded included a female friend and the rabbi, who was shot in the hand. We are united. You cant break us., Anvari told KUSI. Cantor Caitlin Bromberg of Ner Tamid Synagogue, down the street from the shooting scene, said her congregation learned of the shooting at the end of their Passover services and that they were heading to Chabad of Poway to show support and help. We are horrified and upset, and we want them to know we are thinking of them, Bromberg told The Los Angeles Times, adding that she has not heard from Chabad of Poway leadership because they would not normally use the phone during the Sabbath. They would only do that on emergency basis, if they do it at all, Bromberg told the newspaper. The Ron Burke Stable won five races on Saturdays 14-race card including three of the four Late Closer Finals, and Dave Palone steered home six winners on a busy day in Washington, PA. Firedbylindie moved to the front for driver Dave Palone going to the half mile point and never looked back winning the $28,700 Margaret Provost Memorial by two-and-a-quarter lengths in 1:56.4. The winner trained by Ron Burke now has lifetime earnings of $47,500. Following the winner home were the Wilbur Yoder trained entry of Lindy Missunshine and Giant Possession. Next up for Burke was the pair of three-year-old Sweet Lou fillies: Pretty N Fast and Walk On Air. Using similar tactics as with Firedbylindie, Pretty N Fast moved to the lead approaching the half and went on to victory in the $26,300 Ruby Cook Memorial Pace by one-and-a-half lengths over her stablemate in 1:53.1. Crew Sock Hanover grabbed third money for David Brickell. The third late closer winner for the Burke Stable was Capt Chaps Hanover, winning the $31,100 Ben Wood Memorial Trot in 1:56 over 50-1 shot Explosive Form and Cash Hit. Dave Palone steered Capt Chaps Hanover for his third-consecutive win on the card. Sent at 2-5 Capt Chaps Hanover went gate to wire and paid $2.60 to win. Norm Parker-trained and Mike Wilder-driven Wild Wild Western won the Tom Kirwan Memorial late closer final with an impressive wire-to-wire win from post nine in a lifetime-best 1:52. Wild Wild Western paced through a pedestrian half of :57.1 before pacing his last half in :54.4 for the win. The Ron Burke-trained Yacht Week followed the winner home but was no match. Captain Hill grabbed the show spot. The Winners Over $10,000 life saw a three-horse stretch duel with Atta Boy Dan and Royaltyhasarrived finishing first in a dead heat in 1:51.1. Nitro Seelster finished a nose back in third. Racing resumes Monday, April 29 with a 1:05 p.m. post. On Kentucky Derby Saturday, May 4, The Meadows will have a special 11:25 a.m. post time. (with files from The Meadows) As protests spread across the Arab world in 2011, Egypt became a beacon of hope in the region. But this glimmer of light quickly dimmed, rights groups say, pointing to a widespread crackdown on dissent, with recent constitutional amendments only deepening the countrys human rights woes. In 2013, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the then-defence minister who overthrew the countrys first elected president in a coup, promised to keep to the two four-year terms mandated by the Egyptian constitution. But on Tuesday, electoral authorities announced that the amendments had been approved in a national referendum with a 44 percent turnout allowing President el-Sisi to extend his current four-year term to six years and run for another six-year term in 2024. The amendments also bolster the role of the military and expand the presidents power over judicial appointments, further raising analysts concerns over the countrys judicial independence and human rights situation. The human rights trajectory in Egypt has been in a deep descent for several years now. The litany of serious abuses during President el-Sisis rule appears set to continue with the constitutional amendments enshrining long-term autocratic rule, Michael Page, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch (HRW), told Al Jazeera. Whats especially concerning in these now-approved amendments is how they further undercut whats left of the concept of an independent judiciary in Egypt, as well as how the amendments grant further licence for Egypts military to intervene in civilian affairs, he added. Egyptians overwhelmingly backed constitutional changes allowing el-Sisi to extend his current four-year term to six years [File: Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters] Subordinated judiciary, stronger military Under amended constitutional articles 185, 189 and 193, the president will have the authority to appoint the heads of judicial bodies and authorities, select the chief justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court, and appoint the public prosecutor. 190416070525681 At the same time, amended article 200 vastly expands the power of the military, giving it the duty to protect the constitution and democracy, and safeguard the basic components of the State and its civilian nature, and the peoples gains, and individual rights and freedom. Said Benarbia, Middle East and North Africa director of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), said the amendments enshrined executive control of the judiciary and interference in judicial matters while placing the military above the law and constitution. Egypts military and executive have subordinated the judiciary and the office of the general prosecutor to their political will, making them a docile tool in their ongoing, sustained crackdown on human rights in the country, Benarbia told Al Jazeera. According to Benarbia, the amendments run contrary to international standards on judicial independence and undermine Egyptians basic rights. The amendments will undermine Egyptians right to take part in the conduct of public affairs, including to freely determine their political status and to choose the form of their constitution or government free from any interference by, or subordination to the military, explained Benarbia. Benarbia added that these amendments will also undermine Egyptians right to a fair trial before a competent, independent and impartial court of tribunal. Lead-up to the vote Concerns among observers had heightened in the weeks leading up to the referendum, as a campaign of intimidation, ongoing mass arrests and a deepening crackdown on fundamental freedoms by the Egyptian authorities attempted to silence any opposition. According to a Human Rights Watch report published ahead of the vote, mass arrests and smear campaigns targeted activists who called for boycotting the referendum or rejecting the amendments, including members of a coalition of 10 secular and leftist political parties, several activists and famous actors. 190423180853792 According to local newspapers, opposition figure and former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi was under investigation by the authorities for instigating chaos over his opposition to the amendments. Meanwhile, award-winning actors Amr Waked and Khaled Abol Naga, both of whom are based abroad, were expelled from the Egyptian actors union. Egyptian authorities are also investigating them over accusations of treason after they spoke out against el-Sisi. According to HRW, 160 dissidents were arrested or prosecuted in Egypt during February and March alone. The authorities blocked independent campaign website, Batel which translates into void ahead of the referendum, along with seven other alternative websites that campaigned against the amendments, said the report. The referendum itself, therefore, took place amid widespread suppression of fundamental freedoms, including freedoms of expression, association, and assembly and the right to political participation, said HRW in its report. Years of suppression During el-Sisis time as defence minister, security forces embarked on a nationwide crackdown that began with the killing of around 1,000 protesters as they cleared Muslim Brotherhood sit-ins in Cairo in August 2013. Following el-Sisis election as president in 2014, the government committed widespread and systematic human rights violations, including mass killings of protesters, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings of detainees, and torture and other ill-treatment in detention, according to HRW. Dalia Fahmy, associate professor of political science at Long Island University, told Al Jazeera: Hundreds of political activists and protesters have reportedly been arrested for unauthorized protests or for criticizing the president online. Mass unfair trials sweeping death sentences and using death sentences to settle scores have further tightened the noose. The youth that Amnesty International once referred to as Generation Protest is now Generation Jail. 181223084527884 Although the crackdown initially targeted el-Sisis Islamist opponents, it quickly expanded to include a vast array of political dissidents, human rights lawyers, members of the LGBTQ community and journalists. Among them was Al Jazeeras reporter Mahmoud Hussein, who was detained in 2016 upon his arrival in Cairo to visit his family. Hussein completed two years in prison without charges, trial or conviction, in December last year, which experts say is a violation of Egyptian and international law. An NGO law issued by Egyptian authorities in 2017 effectively banned independent work by nongovernmental groups, allowed for the prosecution of dozens of Egyptian NGO workers, froze the assets of many human rights defenders in the country and issued travel bans against them, according to an HRW report published earlier this month. That same year, Egypt imposed a state of emergency which has, according to experts, allowed the state to abuse counterterrorism and media laws to suppress basic freedoms. Since el-Sisi secured a second term in 2018, HRW says his security forces further escalated their campaign of intimidation, violence, and arbitrary arrests against political opponents, activists. Analysts believe this campaign is likely to continue following the amendments, even if currently the civil and political space is already incredibly restricted, and there are tens of thousands of people languishing in Egyptian jails on political grounds, explained HRWs Page. Venezuela imports almost everything people eat, including rice, beans, pasta and corn flour. Sanctions banning US companies from buying Venezuelan oil come into effect on Sunday, making it even harder for President Nicolas Maduros government to import much-needed food. A quarter of the population, or seven million people, are in urgent need of humanitarian aid. Faced with this crisis, the government is discussing making local food production a priority. Al Jazeeras Lucia Newman reports from El Tocuyo in north-central Venezuela. Tripoli-allied forces appear to gain ground against Haftars LNA as officials say four civilians killed in LNA raids. Forces backing Libyas internationally recognised government fought house-to-house battles with troops loyal to renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar in southern parts of the capital, Tripoli, on Sunday and appeared to be gaining ground. Government soldiers, some in jeans and t-shirts, took cover by abandoned buildings as they fired on Haftars positions. Some carried anti-aircraft guns they had had to remove from their trucks to get through the narrow streets. Haftars Libyan National Army (LNA), which is allied to a rival administration in eastern Libya, mounted an offensive on Tripoli three weeks ago, but despite heavy fighting has failed to breach the citys southern defences. A Reuters news agency team visiting the southern suburb of Ain Zara on Sunday said they estimated that forces allied to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) gained up to 1,500 metres compared with a visit a few days earlier. Other parts of the front line appeared unchanged and the situation remains fluid. Both sides have gained and lost territory within days or even hours during the fighting. 190407155352767 Meanwhile, Fayez al-Sarraj, head of the GNA, has ordered the arrest of 64 people, including two of Haftars sons and senior LNA commanders, on charges of leading the aggression on Tripoli. The statement came as the GNA health ministry said at least four people were killed and 20 others wounded in LNA air raids overnight on Sunday. The death toll could increase, said Amin al-Hachemi, a spokesman for the ministry. A pro-GNA military source told the AFP that the victims were civilians. Several sites were targeted by air strikes late on Saturday night, causing victims among civilians, the source said, adding: Most of the strikes hit areas in the district of Abou Slim [but] none hit military targets. GNA accuses Haftar of using foreign planes to carry out air attacks, without naming a country of origin. This criminal conceals his failures and those of his soldiers at the gates of Tripoli by resorting to foreign aviation to hit unarmed civilians in the city, spokesman Mohanad Younes said on the GNAs official Facebook page. Battle for Tripoli airport Al Jazeeras Mahmoud Abdelwahed, reporting from Tripoli, said clashes were ongoing in the vicinity of Tripolis inactive international airport, now held by the LNA. The airport was very strategic because if the government forces recapture it, they can easily cut the supporting line coming for Haftars forces from the city of Gharyan, south of Tripoli, he said. At least 278 people have been killed and more than 1,300 wounded in the clashes this month, according to a casualty toll released by the World Health Organization on Wednesday. According to the International Organization for Migration, 39,000 people have been displaced by fighting along Tripolis southern districts. The UN refugee agency has evacuated hundreds of migrants and refugees trapped in detention centres on the front line of the clashes, relocating them to temporary shelters in schools in Tripoli. We are concerned about the health conditions of the migrants, we sometimes handle patients with chronic diseases and pregnancy that need specialised clinics, Ritaj Bin Khalifa, a medical worker, told Al Jazeera. We also provide the migrants with psychological support. Some Sudanese migrants told Al Jazeera they will be seeking asylum in other countries with the help of relief organisations. Libya has been mired in chaos since the NATO-backed uprising that deposed and killed long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Massive crowds carrying yellow umbrellas rally against legal changes that would send people to mainland China for trial. Tens of thousands of people have marched on Hong Kongs parliament in opposition to proposed extradition rules that would allow criminal suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial. Many of those taking part in Sundays protest carried yellow umbrellas, recalling Hong Kongs massive 2014 pro-democracy protests, the leaders of which have been sentenced to up to 16 months in prison. 190403040927412 Opponents of the proposal fear a further erosion of rights and legal protections, which were guaranteed under the citys handover from British colonial rule to Chinese sovereignty in 1997. Participants marched peacefully for more than three hours through the shopping and business districts of Causeway Bay and Wanchai, with thousands staying on into the evening outside the Legislative Council and government headquarters. Police said 22,800 people marched at the peak of the procession, but organisers estimated that 130,000 turned out making it one of the largest street protests in the city for several years. Observers said the turnout dwarfed an earlier protest against the plan last month. Demonstrators carried placards accusing Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam of selling out Hong Kong and called on her to resign. Some protesters dressed as Chinese mainland police officers guarding another demonstrator standing behind a portable red cage. One held up a sign that said: President Xi Jinping, no legalised kidnapping of Hong Kong people to China. Demonstrators hold yellow umbrellas, the symbol of the Occupy Central movement, during the protest to demand authorities scrap a proposed extradition bill with China [Tyrone Siu/Reuters] Unjust legal system Leung Kwok-hung, a veteran activist and former legislator, said the governments move risked removing Hong Kongers freedom from fear. Hong Kong people and visitors passing by Hong Kong will lose their right not to be extradited into mainland China, he said. They would need to face an unjust legal system on the mainland. Roland Lo, a 49-year-old protester, said Hong Kong and China have completely different legal systems. Creating a loophole that could mean a Hong Kong person gets extradited to China to face prosecution there, that completely destroys the guarantee of human rights and legal protection of one country, two systems. Lam and other government officials are standing fast by their proposals, calling them vital to plugging long-standing loopholes. Under the changes, the Hong Kong leader would have the right to order the extradition of wanted offenders to China, Macau and Taiwan as well as other countries not covered by Hong Kongs existing extradition treaties. Pro-democracy supporters and activist Lee Cheuk-yan (front) hold yellow umbrellas and placards to support leaders of the Occupy Central activists [Tyrone Siu/Reuters] As a safeguard, such orders to be issued case-by-case can be challenged and appealed through the citys independent legal system. Government officials have said no one at risk of the death penalty or torture or facing a political charge can be sent from Hong Kong. The proposals could be passed into law later in the year, with the citys pro-democratic camp no longer holding enough seats to block the move. The government justified the swift introduction of the changes by saying they are needed so a young Hong Kong man suspected of murdering his girlfriend in Taiwan can be extradited to face charges there. Under pressure from local business groups, they earlier exempted nine commercial crimes from the new provisions. Sundays march comes amid renewed calls for deeper electoral reforms stalled five years ago after the Occupy Central protests. Four leaders of the movement were last week sentenced to jail terms ranging from eight to 16 months, part of a group of nine activists found guilty after a near month-long trial. Election commission official says 272 workers died mostly from overwork-related illnesses days after disputed polls. Ten days after Indonesia held the worlds biggest single-day elections, more than 270 election staff have died, mostly of fatigue-related illnesses caused by long hours of work counting millions of ballot papers by hand, an official said. The April 17 elections were the first time the country of 260 million people combined the presidential vote with national and regional parliamentary ones, with an aim to cut costs. Voting was largely peaceful and was estimated to have drawn 80 percent of the total 193 million voters, each of whom had to punch up to five ballot papers in more than 800,000 polling stations. As of Saturday night, 272 election officials had died, mostly from overwork-related illnesses, while 1,878 others had fallen ill, Arief Priyo Susanto, spokesman of the General Elections Commission (KPU), told Reuters news agency on Sunday. The health ministry issued a circular letter on April 23 urging health facilities to offer the utmost care to sick election staff, while the finance ministry is working on compensation for families of the deceased, Susanto added. The KPU has come under fire because of the rising vote-count death toll. 190416055723477 The KPU is not prudent in managing the workload of staff, said Ahmad Muzani, deputy chairman of the campaign of opposition presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, reported by news website Kumparan.com. Prabowo, who independent pollsters said had lost the 2019 polls based on quick counts, has alleged widespread cheating and his campaign claimed some officials punched ballots in favour of incumbent President Joko Widodo. Widodos security minister said the allegations were baseless. Both candidates have declared victory, though quick counts suggested Widodo won the election by about 9-10 percentage points. The KPU will conclude vote counting and announce winners of the presidential and parliamentary elections on May 22. No change in US military behaviour despite Washingtons blacklisting of Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iranian general says. US navy interaction in Gulf waters with Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) remains unchanged despite Washingtons decision to blacklist the elite force as a foreign terrorist organisation and clamp down on Iranian oil exports, an Iranian general said. Chief of staff of Irans armed forces, Major-General Mohammad Baqeri, said on Sunday the IRGC which ensures security in Gulf waters and the Strait of Hormuz for Iran had not observed any change in the US militarys behaviour towards the force after the blacklisting. US warships are obliged to respond to the IRGC on the passage of the Strait of Hormuz and until yesterday they have been answering IRGC questions, and we have not seen change in their procedures, Baqeri was quoted as saying by Irans semi-official Fars news agency. Earlier this month, the United States designated the IRGC a terrorist group and demanded that buyers of Iranian oil including India, China and Turkey stop purchasing by May or face sanctions in a bid to bring Irans oil exports to zero and deny Tehran its principal source of revenue. Oil of others Washingtons decision on April 22 to end oil waivers that allowed some of Irans largest customers to import fuel without facing financial penalties prompted senior officials in Tehran to threaten to close the Strait in the event Iran was prevented from using the waterway. The Strait of Hormuz carries about one-third of the worlds seaborne oil every day and links Middle East crude producers including Iran to markets in Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America and beyond. On Sunday, Fars quoted Baqeri as saying Iran did not intend to close the Strait unless hostilities reach a level where this cannot be avoided. If our oil does not pass, the oil of others shall not pass the Strait of Hormuz either, Baqeri said. 190427184255749 A spokeswoman for US Naval Forces Central Command, meanwhile, warned threats to close the waterway impact the international community and undermine the free flow of commerce. The US, along with our allies and partners, is committed to freedom of navigation and remains well positioned and postured to preserve the free flow of commerce, and we are prepared to respond to any acts of aggression, Lieutenant Chloe Morgan told Reuters news agency in an emailed statement. Iran-US tensions rise Tensions between Tehran and Washington have steadily escalated since US President Donald Trump withdrew the US last year from a nuclear deal brokered with Iran and other world powers in 2015 and reimposed punitive financial measures on the Islamic Republic, suggesting the country was a destabilising actor in the Middle East. Under the deal, signed in Vienna with the US, UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and the European Union, Iran scaled back its uranium enrichment programme and promised not to pursue nuclear weapons. In exchange, international sanctions were lifted, allowing it to sell its oil and gas worldwide. 190424134820957 Since the US withdrawal, Washington has pursued a maximum pressure strategy aimed at crippling Tehrans revenue streams. On April 8, it branded the IRGC a terrorist group. The decision marked an unprecedented step by the US against an entire institution of a foreign government and drew an immediate tit-for-tat response from Iran, with Tehran designating the US a state sponsor of terrorism. Absurd On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif called the IRGC blacklisting absurd, but suggested Iran did not plan to respond militarily unless the US changed the rules of engagement guiding how it interacts with Irans forces. The IRGC was set up to protect the countrys Shia clerical ruling system after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which toppled Western-allied secular monarch Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and led to the formation of the Islamic Republic headed by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. With an estimated 125,000 personnel comprising army, navy and air units, it is Irans most powerful security organisation. The force controls the countrys ballistic missiles and nuclear programmes, answers directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and owns a vast network of businesses ranging from oil and gas projects to construction and telecommunications. Israel releases two Syrians as a goodwill gesture after the repatriation of the body of a long-missing soldier. Israel has released two Syrian prisoners in what it described as a goodwill gesture following the repatriation of the remains of an Israeli soldier who went missing more than 35 years ago. In a statement on Sunday, the Israeli military said the two prisoners were transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross at the Quneitra crossing on the armistice line with the Syrian Golan Heights. Israels Prisons Service identified the freed men as Ahmed Khamis, from a Palestinian refugee camp near Damascus, and Zidan Taweel, from the Syrian Druze village of Hader. Khamis was a member of the Fatah faction who was jailed in 2005 after trying to attack an Israeli army base, and Taweel was jailed in 2008 for drug smuggling, the prisons service said. Syrias state-run SANA news agency published photos of the two men shortly after their return to Syria. SANA published pictures of the two freed prisoners but did not name the men in the images [SANA/ Handout via Reuters] The move came after Russia, a key Damascus ally, handed Israel the remains and personal effects of Zachary Baumel, who was declared missing in action along with two other soldiers during Israels 1982 invasion of Lebanon. Israeli soldiers fought against Syrian forces in a battle on June 10-11, 1982, in the Lebanese village of Sultan Yacoub, near the Syrian border. 190407082536790 The Syrian government denied any knowledge of Baumels whereabouts and said it was not involved in the repatriation of his remains. An Israeli official, speaking to the AFP news agency on condition of anonymity, said Israel agreed to release the prisoners as a goodwill gesture after the return of Baumels remains. The decision was not part of a pre-arranged deal, the official said. Tzachi Hanegbi, Israels minister for regional cooperation, said the prisoner release did not constitute a swap with Syria but voiced hope that it might help with the recovery of other Israelis lost to the Syrians in past wars. If with a gesture like this we leave the Syrians with less of a sour taste, then that is a positive thing, he told Israels Army Radio. Russia is acting as an intermediary between Syria and Israel. In an interview with Russia Today on Friday, Alexander Lavrentiev, Russias special envoy to Syria, said that a number of Syrian citizens will be released from Israeli jails. Experts in London warn of new stage in settler-colonial process amid fears for Palestinian citizens under 2018 law. London, United Kingdom Israel is poised to unleash a new round of oppressive apartheid policies against Palestinian citizens within its own borders, according to leading experts. The re-election of Benjamin Netanyahu, a hard-right nationalist, as prime minister sets the scene for a new phase in an historic project to end the demographic threat posed by Palestinian citizens of Israel to the Jewish majority, they say. On Saturday, experts at a London conference explored the challenges facing the 1.8 million Palestinian citizens of Israel, a group that comprises 20 percent of the Israeli population yet faces widespread discrimination. Speaking to Al Jazeera, panellist Jonathan Cook, a prominent writer on Palestine, said the controversial 2018 Nation-State Law has essentially heightened a comprehensive apartheid that reflects the demographic fear of Palestinian citizens of Israel among the countrys leaders. Palestinian citizens had long been regarded as a Trojan horse by Israeli politicians, he added. The Nazareth-based author told the conference: Stating that the law turns Palestinians into second-class citizens or risks turning it into an apartheid state can easily become a trap. It suggests that Israel was a normal Western-style liberal democracy before the law. But the law changes very little: Israel was established as an apartheid state. Middle East Monitor organised the London event, which brought together prominent academics and writers from across the world who all agreed on the characterisation of Israel as an apartheid state. Attention has turned to Palestinian citizens of Israel since the Nation-State Law declaring Israel to be the historical homeland of the Jewish people was passed last summer, and since Netanyahu won a fifth term on pledges to annex additional parts of the occupied West Bank. Lawyer Suhad Bishara, a Palestinian human rights expert, told delegates: The Nation-State Law has no one state vision. There will be annexations, and we can see that from whats happening on the ground. Referring to the efforts by Israels Zionist left to conceal mistreatment of the Palestinians behind liberal democratic language, Cook said: The law may have done us a favour: it makes it clearer what kind of state Israel is. Speakers outlined a broad range of areas social, economic, legal and geographic in which apartheid policies operate to discriminate against Israeli Palestinian citizens, many of whom were declared present absentees by Israel under a 1950 law to enable it to appropriate their land and property. New stage in settler-colonial process Comparing Israel with apartheid South Africa, whose government corralled the indigenous majority into self-governing bantustans, Professor Oren Yiftachel of Ben-Gurion University said the Nation-State Law opens a new stage in the Israeli settler-colonial process, which he called one of deepening apartheid. Apartheid, of course, is illegal, it is a war crime, it is a crime against humanity. Mapping out the process of Judaisation by which the Israeli state has taken control of Palestinian ancestral lands, he said the Nation-State Law enshrines this process in a legal framework, and likened the hierarchy of citizenship that now exists in the country to that of apartheid South Africa. Mazen Masri of City University in London explored the legal strategies that now exist in Israeli law to discriminate against Palestinian citizens. He said: Discrimination already exists in a range of legal strategies that are meant to discriminate without actually officially sanctioning discrimination. The main concern of the Nation-State Law is not really the ethnoreligious and inherently exclusivist principles and also the entrenchment of Israels colonial nature and policy, the main problem is that this act demonstrates that Israel is closer to apartheid than democracy. An Israeli Palestinian politician, Dr Yousef Jabareen, told the conference that he had sat in the Knesset and had to listen to other politicians making racist arguments in which the Palestinians were depicted as both a dangerous fifth column but also as inferior. The basis of democracy is equal rights and equal citizenship and for the Palestinians these have been violated for over 70 years, he said. The Nation-State Law restates this: it opens the door for further policies and tools of oppression. Royal court ex-adviser Qahtani, who is allegedly involved in Khashoggis killing, not present at trials, officials say. One of the two top Saudi royal officials linked to journalist Jamal Khashoggis killing has been absent in the closed-door trial of 11 suspects, multiple sources have told the AFP news agency. Saudi prosecutors have said that deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Asiri oversaw the Washington Post columnists killing in the kingdoms Istanbul consulate last October and that he was advised by the royal courts media tsar Saud al-Qahtani. Both aides were part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans tight-knit inner circle and have formally been sacked over the killing but only al-Asiri has appeared in the five court hearings since January, according to four Western officials privy to the information. Qahtani is not among the 11 facing trial, one of the Western officials told AFP. What does his absence mean? Are the Saudis eager to protect him or discipline him separately? No one knows. The kingdoms public prosecutor last November indicted 11 unnamed suspects, including five who could face the death penalty over the murder. Diplomats from the UN Security Councils permanent members, the US, Britain, France, China, Russia, as well as Turkey are allowed to attend as observers of the legal proceedings that are held entirely in Arabic. 190314170808134 They are not allowed to bring interpreters and are usually summoned at short notice, the sources said. Maher Mutreb, an intelligence operative who frequently travelled with the crown prince on foreign tours, forensic expert Salah al-Tubaigy and Fahad al-Balawi, a member of the Saudi royal guard, are among the 11 on trial who could face the death penalty, the officials said. The defendants are allowed legal counsel. Many of them have defended themselves in court by saying they were carrying out orders by al-Asiri, describing him as the ringleader of the operation, according to the officials. Al-Qahtani missing Al-Asiri, lionised in Saudi military ranks as a war hero, does not face the death penalty, the Western officials added. Believed to have previously worked closely with US intelligence, he is also not named in two US sanctions lists of Saudis implicated in the murder. Al-Qahtani, who led fiery social media campaigns against critics of the kingdom and was seen as a conduit to the crown prince, is on both lists. He met the Saudi hit squad team before they left for Turkey to share useful information related to the mission based on his specialisation in media, according to the Saudi prosecutors office. 190419144820497 But he has not appeared publicly since the murder and his current whereabouts are a subject of fevered speculation. Washington Post columnist David Ignatius reported earlier this year that Prince Mohammed continues to seek his counsel, citing US and Saudi sources. Qahtani holds a lot of files and dossiers, Ignatius quoted one American who met the crown prince as saying. The idea that you can have a radical rupture with him is unrealistic. Prince Mohammeds order The CIA has reportedly said the murder was likely ordered by Prince Mohammed, the de facto ruler and heir to the throne. Saudi authorities strongly deny the allegation, and in private conversations with Western officials they have instead criticised Turkish authorities for failing to stop the killing. Their intelligence knew that a (Saudi) hit squad was coming. They could have stopped them! a Saudi official was quoted as saying. 190403134850792 Turkish officials were the first to report Khashoggis murder and have continued to press Saudi Arabia for information on the whereabouts of his dismembered body, which has yet to be found. Agnes Callamard, the UN special rapporteur conducting an independent inquiry into the killing, last month condemned what she called a lack of transparency in the legal proceedings and demanded an open trial. The kingdom is grievously mistaken if it believes that these proceedings, as currently constituted, will satisfy the international community, she said. It was unclear when the Saudi trial will conclude. With 99.9 percent votes counted, Socialist Workers Party wins election with 30 percent of the vote. Madrid, Spain The governing Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) has won the countrys general election with 123 seats after 99.9 percent of the votes were counted. PSOEs historical centre-right rival, the Peoples Party (PP), won 66 seats in Sundays election in Spain. Speaking to supporters in Madrid, PSOE leader and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the future has won after his party won about 30 percent of the vote. Turnout was about 75 percent. Supporters chanted With Rivera, no! at the rally, referring to Albert Rivera, the leader of Citizens, a party that considers itself centrist but allied with PP and Vox, leading to further criticism that it is far right. PP won 66 seats, a decrease of 71 seats from the previous government. PP leader Pablo Casado told supporters on Sunday evening that the party will continue to lead the opposition and the centre-right of Spain. Citizens won 57 seats, a gain of 25, while Vox made historic gains with 24 seats representing the far rights return to Spanish national politics. Sanchez announced that he would soon open talks with other political parties to form a coalition. Catalan question In Catalonia, which has its own language, voters turned out beyond expectations. The Catalan Republican Left (ERC) headed by Oriol Junqueras, who is facing trial on charges of sedition, rebellion and embezzlement of public funds over a 2017 referendum on Catalan independence is projected to win 13 or 14 seats. That number is unprecedented for the Catalan nationalist party. If ERC agrees to a coalition with PSOE and UP, a government could likely be formed. However, PSOE leader Pedro Sanchez has taken a tough stance against Catalan independence, saying there would be no referendum and no independence during a rally in Barcelona on Friday. Gerardo Rodriguez, a 42-year-old having lunch in front of a church, said he voted PSOE in part to Sanchezs tough stance on Catalan independence. Politically, I am in the centre. I have voted for both PP and PSOE in the past, Rodriguez said. I didnt want to vote PP because of Vox, but I was concerned with Sanchezs stance towards Catalan independence, he continued. When he said there would be no independence, I was convinced. 190426140445042 Far-right gains Rodriguez said he admired PP leader Pablo Casados tough stance towards Catalan independence, but found his willingness to partner with far-right Vox distasteful. I grew up hearing stories from my family about how horrible life was under fascist dictator Franco. Members of Vox spoke warmly of Franco. I couldnt vote for anyone who would work with them, Rodriguez said. Final results are expected early on Monday. With all eyes on the far-right Vox party, left-wing PSOE is expected to win most seats but not an outright majority. Madrid, Spain Votes were being counted in a pivotal election on Sunday that could see a return of a far-right party in a ruling coalition for the first time since its transition to democracy. Voters turned out in unusually high numbers, according to election authorities in Madrid. Despite being the third election in four years, 60.7 percent of eligible voters cast their ballot by 6pm (16:00 GMT), about 9.5 percentage points more than at the same time in the last parliamentary election in 2016. Mainland polls closed at 8pm local time (18:00 GMT), although they were extended to 9pm in certain areas. According to a survey by GAD3, published shortly after mainland voting ended, no single party was close to winning a parliamentary majority. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of the centre-left Socialist Workers Party of Spain (PSOE) called a snap vote after his government failed to pass a budget in February. There are five main parties that could form two possible ruling coalitions; one comprised of left-wing parties and regional nationalists, another with the traditional centre right and the far right. Sanchez, who has reinvigorated support for PSOE after nearly a decade of losing to the mainstream right-wing Peoples Party (PP), finished his campaign by saying he was open to a ruling coalition with left-wing Podemos, headed by Pablo Iglesias, in an interview with daily newspaper El Pais. PSOE is expected to win the most seats, though come short of a majority. 190425204740082 Sanchez cited the real risk of the right wing becoming one with the extreme right as a reason to support PSOE during the interview. PP, headed by Pablo Casado, could conceivably win a governing election with the support of the Citizens party, which considers itself centrist and liberal but is considered far right by many in Catalonia, where it was founded in 2006; and the far-right, anti-immigrant Vox. [The Miguel concerned with Catalonia and Franco, Im concerned with getting a job. They say the crisis is over, but we dont feel it.] A separatist push in Catalonia, coupled with continuing migration from Muslim-majority nations, has aided Vox, which is projected to take about 12 percent of the vote, Ignacio Jurado, a senior lecturer of politics at York University, told Al Jazeera. Members of Vox have voiced their support for the four-decades-long fascist dictatorship of Francisco Franco, which ended in the 1970s, which was previously considered taboo in mainstream Spanish politics. A vandalised mural of Jordi Cuixart, who is in jail on charges of rebellion and sedition [David Ramos/Getty Images] Francos rule was marked by a tough stance on national minorities in Spain, which is being echoed by Vox. PP and Citizens have also issued calls for limited autonomy in Catalonia, where many still hope for an independent state. The economic crisis and migration were possibly underlying factors that gradually created some conditions for the far right to emerge. However, its the Catalan crisis what has energized it, Jurado said. If Vox wins seats in the national parliament, it will be the first time a far-right group has held seats in the governing body since Francos death in 1975. For Miguel Angel Rivera, a 20-year-old philosophy student, the talking points for Vox, PP and Citizens hold no water. Theyre concerned with Catalonia and Franco, Im concerned with getting a job, Rivera, who plans to vote PSOE, told Al Jazeera. They say the crisis is over, but we dont feel it. Spain was one of the countries hardest-hit by the global recession that began in 2008. It has been declared over, and EU countries like Germany and Hungary are experiencing unemployment rates dipping below four percent. Spain needs stability. It can't survive attacks on its territory. Maria Villalobos, pensioner who plans to vote PP Spains unemployment rate sits at 14 percent, according to trading economics, even as living costs increase. PSOE and Podemos agreed to an increase in the minimum wage in 2018, which Rivera said contributed to his support for PSOE. Maria Villalobos, a pensioner in her 70s who lives in Madrids trendy La Latina neighbourhood, plans to vote PP. Spain needs stability. It cant survive attacks on its territory, Villalobos told Al Jazeera. Casado, who has vowed to enact Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution in Catalonia, which will place it under direct rule of the national government, understands this, Villalobos said. When asked if PP entering a ruling coalition with Vox concerned her, Villalobos replied: I lived under Franco. It wasnt easy, but we were Spanish. All of Spain understood that. Voting in the Spanish election is expected to continue through the evening, when preliminary results will be announced. Thousands remain camped out in Khartoum calling for a transition to civilian rule after the fall of Omar al-Bashir. Sudans ruling military council and the opposition alliance have reached an agreement in principle to form a new body to run the country until the next election. The agreement was reached during a meeting on Saturday between the ruling Military Transitional Council (MTC) and the Declaration of Freedom and Changes Forces, an umbrella organisation of opposition groups. Al Jazeeras Mohamed Vall, reporting from the capital Khartoum, said while the agreement marked a breakthrough, it was still at an early stage and details had yet to be ironed out. There is still a lot of discord and disagreement between the two sides. The military wants 10 members on this council, three of them civilian, seven of them military. The opposition wants the council to be made up of 15 members, eight of them civilians and seven people from the military. 190410135717502 So there are still some very difficult issues to discuss today and in the coming days. The first step that was taken yesterday was the easiest. Shams al-Din Kabashi, the spokesperson for the military council, told Al Jazeera that the talks started with high spirits and great transparency. Talks will continue and we are optimistic on reaching a final result that we can announce to the Sudanese people as soon as possible. After the fall of President Omar al-Bashir on April 11, following months of popular demonstrations against his 30-year rule, the MTC is now overseeing a two-year transitional period during which it has pledged to hold presidential elections. Act with wisdom, not tension Opposition groups and protesters, however, have continued to stage large demonstrations to demand that the ruling military council hand over power to a civilian administration. On Saturday the protesters clashed with members of the Popular Congress Party of late opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi outside a meeting in Khartoum, leaving 65 party members injured. Meanwhile, the Sudanese opposition has rejected an African Union move to give the ruling military council a three-month deadline for handing power over to a civil administration. Sudanese dont need the recommendation of African Union, said Sadiq al-Mahdi, the head of the National Umma Party. Speaking in a press conference in Khartoum, al-Mahdi called on the MTC to act with wisdom, not tension. We hope that the civilian authority in the transition period will organize national, economic and international conferences, he added. Al-Mahdi stressed that the transitional period must follow free elections. Al Jazeeras Hiba Morgan, reporting from Khartoum, said protesters were continuing to keep the pressure on the military council. Over the past three weeks, more and more people have been arriving from different parts of the country to join the sit-in. They say they want civilians, and not the military, to be the ones who have the ultimate say on the shape of Sudans future. US president reiterates support for the Saudi monarchy citing Riyadhs large purchases from American companies. US President Donald Trump has reiterated his support for Saudi Arabia at a Make America Great Again (MAGA) rally where he also described a negotiation tactic he used to get more money from the kingdom for the United States military support. During a rally with his supporters in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Trump indicated that he would remain a steadfast supporter of the Saudi government, largely due to Riyadhs purchases from US companies. They have nothing but cash, right? he told the crowd. They buy a lot from us, $450 billion they bought. You had people wanting to cut off Saudi Arabia I dont want to lose them, he said. 190219181918317 Its unclear where Trump drew the $450bn figure from. PolitiFact, a fact-checking website, has previously rated the claim as Pants on Fire. Trump then described a recent phone call with Saudi King Salman in which he demanded more money from the oil-rich nation in exchange for the defence the US provides. We lose $4.5 billion on a country to defend them, and theyre rich, Trump said. So I called them. I said: listen, no good. They were in a state of shock because theyve never got a call like this in 25 years, right, he said as the crowd cheered. Trump went on: I said were losing $4.5 billion every year, we cant do this anymore. This is crazy. He [King Salman] got very upset, angry, said this is not fair. I said, of course, this is fair. He said well give you $500 million more I said I want more. We argued. So they paid us more than $500 million for one phone call, it took me one call. He said the king then asked him why he was calling, because nobody had made such a call. Thats because they were stupid! Trump said. Increased scrutiny US-Saudi ties have faced increased criticism since the murder of Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. 190318075621971 Khashoggi, a longtime royal insider who had become a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (also known as MBS), was killed and his body dismembered by a Saudi team, Turkey has alleged. The murder prompted a global outcry, with several countries imposing an arms embargo on the kingdom in light of the controversy. But Trump stood with the Saudi leadership. At the time of the murder, Trump said: If we foolishly cancel these contracts, Russia and China would be the enormous beneficiaries, and very happy to acquire all of this newfound business. It would be a wonderful gift to them directly from the United States. In November, the CIA concluded that MBS, the de facto ruler and heir to the Saudi throne, ordered the assassination. Saudi authorities have strongly denied the claim, and in private conversations with Western officials have instead criticised Turkish authorities for failing to stop the murder. Their intelligence knew that a (Saudi) hit squad was coming. They could have stopped them! one of them quoted a Saudi official as saying. Children of women raped by ISIL men will not be accepted into Yazidi community, say the sects faith leaders. Children born to Yazidi women raped by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) fighters will not be permitted to join the community in northern Iraq, the minority sects faith leaders have said. In a statement late on Saturday, the Yazidi Supreme Spiritual Council said an earlier declaration stating all survivors of ISIL crimes and their children would be accepted in the community did not, as widely interpreted, include children born of rape, but [instead] refers to children born of two Yazidi parents. Children born of rape by ISIL forces have been the subject of fierce debate in the insular community, which once numbered about 500,000 people and only recognises children as Yazidi if both their parents hail from the sect. It had also long considered any women marrying outside the sect to no longer be Yazidi. But in 2015, a year after ISIL fighters stormed the Yazidi heartland in Iraqs Sinjar region massacring men and imprisoning thousands of women as sex slaves Yazidi spiritual leader Baba Sheikh issued a decision welcoming those women back home. And last week, Hazem Tahsin, head of the Supreme Faith Council, issued what appeared to be a landmark shift, publishing an order accepting all survivors [of ISIL crimes] and considering what they went through to have been against their will. The decision was hailed as historic by Yazidi activists, who understood it to mean that children born of rape would be allowed to live among their Yazidi relatives. But the council clarified its position late on Saturday, blaming the misunderstanding on distortion by the media. Ali Khedhir Ilyas, a Yazidi official, said on Sunday the council encourages the women to return with their children, no matter the parentage, but added that they cannot force the families to accept those born of rape. Human Rights Watch has condemned the councils Saturday decision. Shame on the community tweeted Belkis Wille, the groups senior Iraq and Qatar researcher. So many women taken captive by ISIS fighters who later gave birth to children from rape have told me how painful it was for them to give their children to orphanages or to the fighters families before they were able to return home to their community, she wrote. Shame on the community! So many women taken captive by Isis fighters who later gave birth to children from rape have told me how painful it was for them to give their children to orphanages or to the fighters families before they were able to return home to their community https://t.co/iMLipCmtej Belkis Wille (@belkiswille) April 28, 2019 Many of the communitys women who were kidnapped have escaped in recent years, and dozens more fled to safety in the last few months as ISILs so-called caliphate crumbled in Syria. An estimated 3,000 Yazidis are still missing after ISILs assault. Earlier this month, Iraqi President Barham Salih proposed a bill to parliament that would provide reparations for Yazidi female survivors of ISIL crimes and establish a court to clarify civil status issues. About the show A weekly programme that examines and dissects the worlds media, how they operate and the stories they cover. Watch The Listening Post every Saturday at 0830GMT Survivors of the notorious Brothers Home describe being grabbed off the streets, abused and held against their will. I think there are somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 Democrats who have thrown their hats into the ring so far. Frankly, Ive lost count. Each week, as a new hat comes flying, the contender is the recipient of free, often favorable, press doting, only to be followed within hours by attacks on his or her personality, policies and history. This weeks person-who's-definitely-going-to beat-the President is Obamas former vice president, Joe Biden. He postponed the big announcement several times, and finally, the big day arrived this week. His partys theme for some time now has been straight white men bad, and its difficult to see how hell garner the nomination. But shrewd Joe has a plan: He hired Symone Sanders as his campaign manager just weeks after shed contributed to another wannabe contender, Pete Buttigieg, the gay mayor of a failing Indiana city. Previously, she was the spokesperson for Bernie Sanders 2016 campaign. After leaving that position, she announced on CNN "We Don't Need White People Leading The Democratic Party Right Now." That was then. Apparently, we need them now, in campaign official-speak. You can see why viewing the crazy train of Democrat contenders, party people who want to wrest the White House back, have hitched their star to someone who might appeal to straight white men, a still not insignificant voting tranche to political observers outside newsrooms. It doesnt seem likely to meet their expectations. In the first place, Biden is still not very fast on his feet. Watch him stumble through even this cloud-soft interview on The View, the idiotic show I imagine is watched largely by shut-ins too weak to change the channel on their remotes. And if you want to know what ill-informed millennial youngsters think, theres no better source than Vox, which I think may still be hoping for a totally inexperienced person of the right sexual orientation and ethnicity to grab the Golden Apple: Mainstream Democrats like other mainstream Democrats. But what it means to be a mainstream Democrat has changed significantly since Biden entered the Senate 46 years ago. As Democrats gear up to take on Trump, the partys best shot is to do anything possible to avoid repeating the 2016 experience of defending decades worth of twists and turns on various issues from the Iraq War to LGBTQ rights to banking deregulation. Vox noted his then-mainstream positions which are out of synch with progressives in todays party: He was an Iraq war proponent. He was too tied to the banking industry, He voted for the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act and was a tough on crime drug warrior. He mishandled the Clarence Thomas hearings. (This was before (a) all women must be believed; and (b) before Bill Clinton when some women must not be believed; and (c) Kavanaugh hearings where once again all women must be believed or something.) Much is made of his habitual groping of women and young girls. Far more serious handicaps in my opinion, are his apparent corrupt acts to benefit his son, Hunter. He steered $1.8 billion dollars to the then-Russian-linked government of the Ukraine and in return his son Hunter received millions of dollars from a Ukrainian energy company, Burisma. He pulled a similar stunt with China. Peter Schweizer, president of the Government Accountability Institute and author of the new book Secret Empires: How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and Enriches Family and Friends, joined SiriusXMs Breitbart News Tonight on Monday to detail the involvement of Hunter Biden, former Vice President Joe Bidens second son, in a China-backed private equity firms investment in a Chinese atomic energy company indicted for nuclear power conspiracy against the United States. In an interview with Breitbart News Senior Editors-at-Large Rebecca Mansour and Joel Pollak, Schweizer highlighted the financial relationship between Hunter Biden and the Chinese state -- including a $1.5 billion deal establishing a private equity firm -- as an illustration of what he dubbed the new corruption. He further explained how foreign governments purchase political influence through sweetheart deals with the children of politicians. I think after the Clintons, the voters are fed up with such corrupt self-dealings. While his name has not yet appeared to my knowledge in the now rapidly unraveling coup attempt against President Trump, Biden was vice president during all this, and not coincidentally, the prior Ukraine government plays a prominent role in the scandal. He may still find himself enmeshed in it as a new Ukrainian prosecutor, who replaced the one Biden forced out, reopens the case. Some hard questions should be answered by Biden as he prepares, potentially, to run for president in 2020: Was it appropriate for your son and his firm to cash in on Ukraine while you served as point man for Ukraine policy? What work was performed for the money Hunter Bidens firm received? Did you know about the Burisma probe? And when it was publicly announced that your son worked for Burisma, should you have recused yourself from leveraging a U.S. policy to pressure the prosecutor who very publicly pursued Burisma? The coordination between Obama officials and the Ukrainians began in January 2016: Donald Trump began his meteoric rise to the presidency, the Obama White House summoned Ukrainian authorities to Washington to coordinate ongoing anti-corruption efforts inside Russias most critical neighbor. The January 2016 gathering, confirmed by multiple participants and contemporaneous memos, brought some of Ukraines top corruption prosecutors and investigators face to face with members of former President Obamas National Security Council (NSC), the FBI, State Department and Department of Justice (DOJ). The agenda suggested the purpose was training and coordination. But Ukrainian participants said it didnt take long -- during the meetings and afterward -- to realize the Americans objectives included two politically hot investigations: one that touched Vice President Joe Bidens family and one that involved a lobbying firm linked closely to then-candidate Trump. The end result was to scotch the claims about Biden and tar Trump with Manafort. More than the seemingly corrupt payoff to the Biden family is involved. The President made this clear a few days ago. Ukrainian officials said this month they have gathered a heap of evidence of collusion with Democrats and they are trying to share the information with the US Justice Department. A court in Ukraine ruled recently that the Manafort leak amounted to illegal interference in the 2016 election. Back in 2017, a report by Politico found that Ukrainian officials had sought to undermine the Trump campaign by questioning his fitness for office. They were also said to have worked to secure Clinton's victory by conducting research on her behalf and going after Manafort for his ties to Russia. And then there are the lying, divisive comments he made when he announced his candidacy, which has enraged even the very moderate former law professor, Ann Althouse: How dare Biden rest his campaign on a blatant lie -- a lie that has been used to stir up fear and racial discord?! The hypocrisy of offering to bring us together and embrace lofty values when he is either repulsively ignorant or just plain lying! I could not finish watching that video. I tried, but I couldn't force myself. It's utterly toxic bilge. If Biden does not come forward and retract this video and apologize and commit himself to making amends, I consider him disqualified. He does not have the character or brain power to be President. She was referring to the false claim that Trump endorsed the neo-Nazis In Charlottesville. He did not. His reference to good people on both sides as the transcript shows was to those who demonstrating for and against the removal of historic Confederate statues. He specifically condemned the violent protestors. Indeed, while repeating this slander, Biden endorsed Antifa, the fascist thugs who revel in beating up anyone who opposes their views. Former Vice President Joe Biden endorsed Antifa in a video announcing his presidential bid Thursday, characterizing the group as courageous and saying its wrong to draw a moral equivalence between white nationalist groups and those opposing them The violent methods of Antifa are well documented. The nebulous group often uses these violent means against peaceful conservative speakers, benign free speech advocates, and even journalists. In a retelling of the events at a 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., Biden describes the white nationalists as having crazed faces, illuminated by torches, veins bulging and baring the fangs of racism, but describes the Antifa members who engaged violently with them as a courageous group of Americans. Capri Cafaro, a Biden fan, notes how unlikely it is that Bidens announcement will win over the support he needs: The insinuation was that another four years of Donald Trump would do irreparable damage to our nations core values. The latent message seemed to suggest that if Trump stays in the White House, we are doomed to be a nation that accepts racism and bigotry, doubts our institutions of government and the press, rebukes our historic global allies and attempts to ignore the rule of law if it is politically expedient or personally beneficial. While Biden did not explicitly say these all of these things in his video, the message seemed to permeate the underlying premise. Herein lies the problem with this bold strategy. This message, by deduction, basically says to Trump supporters, Hey, since you support Trump you are on the side of evil. You are embracing these bigoted policies. You are just as bad as I am saying Trump is. Again, Biden did not explicitly say this in the same kind of way Hillary Clinton called Trump supporters a basket of deplorables. But, the offensive insinuation is there, leaving me to wonder how Joe Biden in 2020 can win over Americans who voted for Trump in 2016. The Democrats great white (straight male) hope could well prove this years hill for them to die on. Jared Kushner, President Trumps special envoy for the Middle East, recently told 100 foreign diplomats in the Blair House, that the Plan sometimes referred to as the Deal of the Century will be rolled out after the new Israeli government is sworn in and following the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ends June 5. But will it? Many dates have been suggested over the last year or so for tabling the plan, but time and again they have been postponed for one reason or another. Similarly, there have been many conflicting reports detailing the plan, ranging from creating a new Palestinian state on 90% of the West Bank to not creating a new state at all. Daniel Pipes in his recent article, Anticipating Trumps deal of the century , wrote, A stream of leaks, however, contains enough internal consistency that their collation, supplemented by conversations with administration officials, provides a plausible outline of the plans contents. These suggest the plan boils down to a grand exchange: The Arab states recognize Israel and Israel recognizes Palestine, both with capital cities in Jerusalem. After setting out the probable details of the plan he concludes that it will fail. He is not alone in saying so. Virtually all commentators do likewise. In effect, they are saying that Trump is naive or stupid to think otherwise. Their forecasts are all based on their understanding that Trump is merely putting lipstick on a pig, the pig being what has been proposed before with new variations. Everyone is selling Trump short. Surely, he knows that such a pig wont fly. So, he must be thinking of an entirely out of the box solution. The Beirut-based newspaper Al-Akhbar two weeks ago published a report which made no mention of a Palestinian state but did say the plan involves the emigration of one million Palestinians to Jordan and regional co-operation and financing. As such it is out of the box thinking. It is Trumps intention to look to the Palestinians for consent rather than the Palestinian Authority (PA). But his suggested plan will require the approval of King Abdullah of Jordan, who is adamantly against it. Thus, even this plan will end in failure. It is for this reason I do not believe that it will be tabled in June as Kushner suggests, unless the circumstances change. Mudar Zahran, Sec Gen of the Jordan Opposition Coalition, and I have been promoting the Jordan Option for ten years now, which is premised on the belief that both Abbas and King Abdullah will never accept a plan acceptable to Israel. Thus, I argued that Abbas and the PA must be marginalized and Abdullah must abdicate and be replaced by Mudar Zahran, a Palestinian, as leader. With the election of Pres Trump we went into high gear. The Jordan Option is a two-state solution in which Jordan is the Palestinian State and Israel the Jewish state with the Jordan River the border separating them. All Palestinians will be given Jordanian citizenship and be invited to emigrate to Jordan. According to this plan, the PA will wither away and Jordan will replace it as administrator of Area A in Israel. It is fair to ask, "What difference will this make?" We will wake up to see a new ruler in Jordan who will base all his policies vis-a-vis Israel on co-operation, not confrontation. Zahran will accept that plan once it is tabled whereas the king wont. The PA, the Muslim Brotherhood, Iran and the EU will do their utmost to prevent this from happening, but they will be powerless to stop it. Zahran will grant citizenship to all Palestinians and will invite them to return to Jordan for social security, healthcare and education. As a result, Israel will have no obligation to offer them a path to citizenship, should Israel annex the land on which they live. President Trump will continue to cut off funds to the PA and United Nations Relief and Works Admininistration (UNWRA) as he has been doing. He will also continue to undermine the antisemitic UN entities such as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and UNESCO. He has already neutered the Inyternational Criminal Court. Trump will also redefine who constitutes a refugee entitled to UNRWA services, thereby greatly reducing their number. The Palestinians in Judea and Samaria will then have choices: confront or cooperate; and the PA or Jordan. They will openly resist the PA, which is becoming irrelevant. Hamas will try to take over, but they will be roundly defeated. Within about two years, Jordan will replace the PA as the administrator of Area A as defined by the Oslo Accords. Oslo Accords areas (via Wikimedia) Throughout this period of time, Israel and Jordan will provide financial inducements to the Palestinians to emigrate to Jordan or elsewhere. Israel will begin extending her sovereignty to the Jordan River and will build like crazy in Area C. The end result is that we will have two states, Jordan, i.e., the Palestinian State, and Israel, the Jewish State, both of whom have signed a Peace Treaty recognizing the Jordan River as the separating border. It will signal the end of the peace process, not the beginning of a new one. All this without the Trump Plan being tabled. With these facts on the ground, there will be no need for the Deal of the Century. I suspect that just as Trump has proceeded over the last 2 years with pro-Israel policies, he will enable the cooperation between Jordan and Israel to succeed and prosper and encourage Palestinian emigration without the necessity of tabling a Plan. Ultimately, Israel and Jordan will cooperate in defeating Hamas in Gaza. Israel will not have to occupy it, Jordan will. Gaza will become another area A administered by Jordan. Last October Trump said the plan when tabled will have semi-agreement. I commented on it in The Jordanian Option is the only game in town. After meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, he said I like the two state solution. and added, to everyones astonishment, I want a plan thats solid, understood by both sides, really semi-agreed by both sides before we present. I would say two-three-four months. Given the total rejection of his ideas by Abdullah and Abbas, how can he expect to have semi agreement within two-three-four months? The only answer to that question is that he does not expect to have a semi agreement with either of them. He expects that Mudar Zahran will replace Abdullah, and knows, based on my writings and Zahrans speeches and interviews, that he would have Zahrans agreement on behalf of all Palestinians to his Plan. Eighty-three year old Abbas is irrelevant. As a result, I firmly believe that Zahran will take power before the plan is tabled. The plan then will simply endorse the reality and provide for economic assistance to Jordan to facility Arab emigration to Jordan. Chag Samaech. Does anyone else remember when a New York Times editorial blamed Sarah Palin for the shooting of Gabby Giffords because of a bulls-eye on a map? The New York Times published a hideous, obviously anti-Semitic cartoon the day before a gunman entered a Chabad synagogue in suburban San Diego, killing one person and injuring 3. Rabbi Yonah Fradkin, executive director of Chabad of San Diego County, says in a statement that Lori Kaye, 60, of Poway was killed. He says those injured in the shooting Saturday were Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Noya Dahan, 8, Almog Peretz, 34. By the standards that a 2017 New York Times editorial published after Bernie Sanders supporter James Hodgkinson attempted a mass assassination of members of the GOP House caucus, the Times bears some responsibility. In 2011, Jared Lee Loughner opened fire in a supermarket parking lot, grievously wounding Representative Gabby Giffords and killing six people, including a 9-year-old girl. At the time, we and others were sharply critical of the heated political rhetoric on the right. Before the shooting, Sarah Palins political action committee circulated a map that showed the targeted electoral districts of Ms. Giffords and 19 other Democrats under stylized cross hairs. Keep in mind that an unsigned editorial means that it is the product of editorial board itself, not just one op-ed writer, and is this the Times official position Punditfact described the hornets nest the NYT prodded with a stick: The New York Times has since issued a correction following broad criticism. (snip) The original editorial claimed that maps circulated by Sarah Palin's PAC amounted to "political incitement," which the authors said was clearly linked to the subsequent 2011 shooting of Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz. (snip) The editorial, penned amid the frenzy of the mass shooting, sought to connect the attack on GOP lawmakers with the 2011 Giffords shooting to make a broader point about politically motivated violence. The piece reasoned that the latest attack, which left the gunman dead and four injured, including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, RLa., was probably "evidence of how vicious American politics has become," and that the shooters derangement "found its fuel in politics." Now, I think it is nonsense to blame attempted mass assassinations on one item published somewhere. But the NYT proclaimed that standard when it gave them an excuse to vilify Sarah Palin. Now, the shoe is on the other foot (which to mix metaphors, is firmly planted in the Times metaphorical mouth). Hat tips: Andrew Bolt, John McMahon Unlike his predecessors, President Trump chose to absent himself from the mainstream media's smug , sanctimonious, self-celebratory annual gathering, formally known as the White House Correspondents Dinner. Last year's crude, rude, misogynistic attack on Trump's White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, by a crude, rude, unfunny female comedian at the dinner, was the last straw. His staying away now proved that Trump is a man of taste. Rather than bother with these failed clowns, Trump attended an enthusiastic rally in Wisconsin, a place most of the White House correspondents know about as much about as Hillary Clinton does, given that it's a state filled with people these same correspondents look down upon. These know-nothing newsies, or as Trump describes them, purveyors of fake news, didn't like being ignored. The organization's president, Olivier Knox, drowning in self-pity, proved it with his poor-little-me fake news speech I dont want to dwell on the president, Knox said while discussing President Trump. This is not his dinner. Its ours, and it should stay ours. But I do want to say this. In nearly 23 years as a reporter Ive been physically assaulted by Republicans and Democrats, spat on, shoved, had crap thrown at me. Ive been told I will never work in Washington again by both major parties. And yet I still separate my career to before February 2017 and what came after, the pious Knox continued, filling himself with tears and flapdoodle, pouring it on. And February 2017 is when the president called us the enemy of the people. A few days later my son asked me, Is Donald Trump going to put you in prison? And the glurge and treacle kept flowing. At the end of a family trip to Mexico, Knox mused that "if the president tried to keep me out of the country, at least Uncle Josh is a good lawyer and will get you home. Journalists in the Trump era are actually under physical threat, Knox said somberly. Ive had to tell my family not to touch packages on our stoop, he told the crowd. My name is on a statement criticizing the president for celebrating a congressmans criminal assault on a reporter. Ive had death threats, including one this week. Too many of us have. It shouldnt need to be said in a room full of people who understand the power of words but fake news and enemies of the people are not punch lines, pet names or presidential. And we should reject politically expedient assaults on the men and women whose hard work makes it possible to hold the powerful to account." Yeah right. NOT! Knox, your speech was the epitome of fake news. Does Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez know anything at all about the job of a congresswoman? Or does she just talk and talk, parrotty-like, not understanding a thing she's saying? She's out blaming President Trump for turning illegal aliens into ... illegal aliens because he's trying to enforce U.S. law. You know, the job he was elected to do, for the law he was sworn to uphold. Letting migrants in requires processing and By Ocasio-Cortez's logic, Trump is the one to blame for foreign nationals choosing of their own free will to emigrate from their home countries into the U.S. without any documentation or vetting. Trump did it, Trump is to blame, they're just helpless dolls who can't help themselves, and breaking the law is part of their DNA, they don't respond to incentives. It's baloney. In reality, Trump is doing his job, enforcing U.S. law as it is currently written by, of all places, Congress. If Ocasio-Cortez doesn't like those laws, well, guess what -- she's the lawmaker who's in a position to change them. Is she trying to do that? There's no evidence for it on her website. It's quite likely she doesn't even know that that's her own job. Trump has no such power to change quotas or processing requirements. But she does - assuming she can persuade enough of her fellow legislators to enact open borders or increased quotas or more agents to process visa applications. Why isn't she doing it? Because it's so much easier to poops all over Trump. Congress itself not only writes the law on entry to the U.S., it also is responsible for immigration quotas, meaning, how many people can be admitted to the U.S. Want more migrants? Easy, change the law to admit more migrants. Only Congress can do it. The U.S. admits about 1 million foreign nationals a year as legal residents. If Ocasio, who is whining about processing times for migrants doesn't like that number, she's perfectly free to change the law to allow larger numbers of migrants in, assuming she can get her fellow congressmembers to agree. Instead, she's just yelling about Trump, saying he's forcing foreign lawbreakers to become illegal aliens because of all that vetting or because they are short staffed based on their inability to see a wall constructed. Cause, effect. For good measure, she says she doesn't care if migrants are legal or illegal on the spurious grounds that she care about 'human rights.' That would be news to Venezuelans, whose brutal socialist dictatorship she loudly defends. But she seems to think all foreign nationals have a 'human right' to enter the U.S. and partake of its government services. So where's her bill in Congress to increase legal migrant quotas? Where's her proposal to increase border wall funding so that more agents are free to process legal migrant entries? Where's her bill to reduce red tape for migrants applying to be let in? Where's her bill for open borders/ What we are seeing here is Ocasio-Cortez blaming Trump for the fact that she's not doing her own job. One can only wonder what she must have been like as a bartender out stealing from the tip jar. She has a funny way of blaming the president for things she didn't do. Like a medieval pope, Pope Francis has decided that machiavellian meddling in global power affairs is a lot funner than merely shepherding the faithful and serving the poor. He's taking a deep dive into politics to enact a particular policy result - in this case, against U.S. interests and rule of law in general, by donating money for more caravan infrastructure. According to the Washington Examiner: In 2018, six migrant caravans entered Mexico, for a total of 75,000 people; the arrival of other groups was announced. All these people were stranded, unable to enter the United States, without a home or livelihood, read a statement from the Vatican's Peter's Pence Office. In this context, Pope Francis donated US $ 500,000 to assist migrants in Mexico. This amount will be distributed among 27 projects in 16 dioceses and among Mexican religious congregations that have asked for help in order to continue providing housing, food and basic necessities to these our brothers and sisters, the statement read. His $500,000 donation to aid groups to support migrants from six caravans in Mexico still waiting to be admitted to the U.S. is clearly a bid to affect U.S. laws on immigration, keeping the pressure on President Trump to open the borders. A fresh infusion of cash, of course, keeps the migrants from returning to their homes, which serves this aim. It also creates incentives for more migrants to leave their homes without papers, given that the free housing will now be waiting for them. It all makes the pope the human smuggler's best friend, given the fact that larger numbers of migrants, including virtually all Guatemalan migrants according to Border Patrol agents, are trafficked into the U.S. by human smugglers. The caravans themselves have been accused by Mexicans of being fronts for human smuggling operations as well. Human smuggling is a $2.3 billion business, according to a recent study cited in a page one article in the San Diego Union-Tribune. So if the pope is beefing up the "conveyor belt" for illegal entry to the U.S., well, as Pope John Paul II once said in a different context: 'cui bono'? Which is a sad thing. The funds being disbursed, from the Peter's Pence collection, is money placed into a special church basket by trusting parishioners for the pope to disburse to areas where the need is greatest. Many worthy causes have been funded from it and they are not controversial. A look at the Vatican's website on the matter shows that Peter's Pence has been used to help the victims of terrorism rebuild their homes in Bangladesh, to fund hospitals and medical personnel in the Central African Republic, to help the victims of the Greek earthquake on the island of Lesbos, these are all worthy causes. Most donations are made in the $50,000 to $100,000 range according to the website (though many do not say how much was given) but it seems that the $500,000 donation to the Mexican groups to enable potential lawbreakers to realize their desire of breaking into the U.S., or filing false asylum claims, is well out of this category. What's more, it's been donated with a false rationale -- claim to be helping the poor. The Central Americans who have joined a caravan in hopes of easy entry to the states aren't the poor at all -- studies show that they come from the lower middle classes of their countries, not the poorest of the poor, and have the technology and social media skill to take part in the new organized smuggling operations such as caravans. They're either looking for a better job or more likely, an easier life courtesy of the U.S. taxpayer. We have all seen photos of these caravaners wearing designer clothes, pushing expensive strollers, using cellphones, fighting obesity, leaving huge mounds of garbage, something truly poor people can't do given they have nothing to litter with, and triumphantly waving the Honduran flag as if they were conquering something. Poorest of the poor, hardly. And what we don't see, yet which is obvious enough, is that most have plenty of money for the journey, including for some, money to pay coyotes for the final border break into the U.S. The hypocrisy piles up when one considers that these supposed poor come from some place - a place the pope has yet to condemn in his sermons as he points the finger at us, places whose democratic governments that supposedly drive people from their homelands. Where's his condemnation of those governments if the problem is what he says it is? And if these people are so poor and deprived, can he tell us why he didn't donate the money to them in their home countries? Here's another hypocrisy: If poverty and starvation are something the pope claims he is concerned about, why hasn't the Vatican delivered a $500,000 donation to Venezuela's genuinely impoverished and oppressed people? We are seeing pictures like this coming out of Venezuela now: No es #Africa es #Venezuela. Es una verguenza que us pais con grandes extensiones de tierras no sea capaz de asegurar la #seguridad #alimentaria a toda su poblacion. Personas desnutidas son mas susceptibles a enfermedades y a disminucion de su capacidad intelectual. pic.twitter.com/bXuml539A4 Alianza Venezolana por la Salud (@alianzavsalud) April 27, 2019 It's true the Maduro administration is blocking aid from the U.S., but it has softened up and allowed aid from the International Red Cross and Russia to come in. What's more, dictator Nicolas Maduro has openly sought favor from Pope Francis, which makes acceptance of Vatican aid a very likely prospect. Here's another way: Economist Steve Hanke reports that cryptocurrency can bring aid to the country with no interference from Maduro. The Vatican has a lot of options. Any Venezuelan aid listed for Peter's Pence? Not a dime. No, this cash is meant to get a political result. It's a bad one, given that the U.S. requires a credible system for rule of law for its democracy to function at all. The pope doesn't seem to understand any of this, despite the rich bed of scholarship throughout the Church that would suggest just that. His cash to encourage illegal migration is bad stuff, and nakedly political, diminishing his office. With the Vatican now meddling in U.S. internal affairs like Machiavellian popes of old, maybe it's time for President Trump to give it a taste of U.S. sanctions. Image credit: Fox News, via shareable YouTube screen shot A day ago, I heard V.P. Biden say the world encouraged him to run. We didn't get a lot of details, but let's take V.P. Biden at his word. So why are all of those world leaders looking to replace President Trump? It cannot be the U.S. economy. After all, the latest first-quarter GDP figure is rather strong at 3.2%. In other words, that's a lot exports and imports going across the Atlantic. Maybe they miss President Obama. Didn't he call them "free riders" over NATO? In other words, President Trump was not telling the NATO countries anything different from what they've heard from many U.S. presidents. Maybe it's about those wonderful and universally loved Paris Climate Change Accords. Well, let's see what world leaders think of the Paris deal. This is from National Post: Barely two years ago, after weeks of intense bargaining in Paris, leaders from 195 countries announced a global agreement that once had seemed impossible. For the first time, the nations of the world would band together to reduce humanity's reliance on fossil fuels in an effort to hold off the most devastating effects of climate change. "History will remember this day," the secretary general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, said amid a backdrop of diplomats cheering and hugging. Two years later, the euphoria of Paris is colliding with the reality of the present. Global emissions of carbon dioxide are rising again after several years of remaining flat. The United States, under President Donald Trump, is planning to withdraw from the Paris accord and is expected to see emissions increase by 1.8 percent this year, after a three-year string of declines. Other countries, too, are showing signs they might fail to live up to the pledges they made in Paris. In short, the world is off target. Really? The world is off target? And they are expecting to get back on target with a President Biden? Not so fast, world. One of the reasons why Mr. Trump won is that he went into Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania and won blue-collar workers. I am not sure that V.P. Biden is going to go there and tell those workers to let Europeans show them the way. So the world wants V.P. Biden? My guess is that he won't be bragging about it. PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. Marysville, CA (95901) Today Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 48F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 48F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Oman Airports, represented by Saud Nasser Al-Hubeishi, senior vice president, accepted the award at award ceremony which was attended by a wide spectrum of professionals in the aviation, airports and travel industry across the world with a network of senior representatives of more than 200 companies from all sectors of the airports, aviation, travel, tourism and hotel industries. Chief executive officer of Oman Airports, Sheikh Ayman bin Ahmed Al Hosani, said: On behalf of the Executive Management of Oman Airports, I would like to congratulate all the employees of Muscat International Airport and all the official and commercial companies and airlines operating at the airport as well as all our strategic partners who contributed directly to this achievement. This award recognizes the exceptional efforts and services by all our staff and partners who demonstrate outstanding dedication to the betterment of Muscat International Airport as well as all the other airports of Oman. He added, We are proud of this new achievement, which represents a valuable addition to our national success stories and which is the result of our endeavor, at Oman Airports, to continuously expand our global presence as a primary way to help the various actors operating at our airports achieve their strategies through state-of-the-art infrastructure and facilities and record level of services to all our customers. He concluded: May God bestow success on us and guide us along the path of achievements and expansion at international level. Congratulations to all of us. DIPAM will start developing the index for the ETF based on investors' feedback. ETFs function like a mutual fund scheme and have underlying assets of government-owned companies. (Representational image) New Delhi: Finance Ministry has started consultation with global investors for launching CPSE-scrip based Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) in overseas market in the current fiscal, a government official has said. The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) will start developing the index for the ETF based on investors' feedback about demand of sector specific stocks. "We are eyeing large overseas pension funds for investments into the overseas ETF. We will soon appoint fund managers for developing the new ETF. Global roadshows have seen good investor interest in ETF route for investments into CPSEs," the official said. The government currently has two exchange-traded funds -- CPSE ETF and Bharat-22 ETF -- listed on domestic exchanges. ETFs function like a mutual fund scheme and have underlying assets of government-owned companies. Bharat-22 ETF, which was launched in 2017-18, has 16 central public sector enterprises covering six sectors, 3 public sector banks and 3 private sector companies where the government holds minority stake. Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE)-ETF comprises shares of 11 companies -- ONGC, Coal India, Indian Oil Corp, Power Finance Corp, REC, Bharat Electronics, Oil India, NTPC, NBCC (India), NLC India and SJVN Ltd. The government has already raised Rs 32,900 crore through two tranches and an additional fund offer of Bharat-22 ETF, and Rs 38,000 crore in five tranches of CPSE ETF in the domestic market. The government has budgeted to collect Rs 90,000 crore through CPSE disinvestment in the current fiscal as against Rs 85,000 crore mopped up in 2018-19. Disha kick-started her career in the industry with the MS Dhoni biopic and then, was seen opposite Tiger Shroff in the blockbuster film Baaghi 2. Disha Patanis career is in a great phase right now as the actress will not only share screen space with Salman Khan in his next, Bharat, but she also has a substantial role in the film. Plus, her latest song Slow Motion from the film has got a thumbs up from fans. The young actress seems to be in Salman Khans good books, an actor known for encouraging and giving movie breaks to his friends, because after the big-ticket film Bharat with Salman, Disha will be seen in another Salman starrer, Kick 2 according to industry sources. However, apart from Kick 2, the actress is in talks with Salman for one more project. Disha kick-started her career in the industry with the MS Dhoni biopic and then, was seen opposite Tiger Shroff in the blockbuster film Baaghi 2. The title role of Wani in the film is to be played by Pakistans ruling party PTI leader and controversial religious preacher Aamir Liaquat Husain. New Delhi: In an attempt to whip up anti-India sentiments and glorify top militants like Burhan Wani, certain elements in Pakistan are planning to make a film on Wani. The title role of Wani in the film is to be played by Pakistans ruling party PTI leader and controversial religious preacher Aamir Liaquat Husain. Pakistani actor Ayub Khoso is making the film on Hizbul Mujahideen commander Wani who died during an encounter with security forces in 2016. Wanis death had plunged Kashmir into unrest in which many civilians, mostly teenagers, were killed and thousands wounded. Mr Khoso said that the movie will be based on Kashmir and will be issue based. Televangelist Husain, who is known for making controversial statements had earlier called British-Indian novelist Salman Rushdie as worthy of death. He is famous in Pakistan for hosting religious shows. Human rights groups had severely criticised him in past when during a show he declared Ahmadis as non-Muslims and worthy of death. Soon after his show, two Ahmadis were gunned down in Sindh and many suspected that killers were inspired by Mr Husains rhetoric. Mr Husain has also been signed by Pakistans official broadcaster PTV to do special Ramadan show which is next month. However, Husain has been flayed in Pakistan on social media for playing the role. He should be shot with real bullets to make it more authentic and Karachi will also get rid of a hypocrite and filthy character, said one post. Giving him this role is in exact spirits of what the movement has been finally rendered to-mockery, money, fame, industry and a lot of deceit with equal hypocrisy, said a Tweet. Others wondered how a 49 years old can portray Burhan. Cmon not this fat cow, Wani was a handsome young lad, said another tweet. Sources said that not only the BJP but the Congress party is equally offended by his remark. Patna: Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha has triggered a controversy by praising Pakistans founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah during a political rally in Madhya Pradesh. On Saturday NDA leaders including Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar criticized him for his Jinnah remark. Speaking to this newspaper BJP MLA Nitin Navin said that Shatrughan Sinha has hurt the sentiments of Indians by praising Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Shatrughan Sinhas mentality has changed after he joined the Congress party. On Friday while speaking at a rally in Madhya Pradesh Shatrughan Sinha had said that Jinnah was part of the Congress family and also praised him for playing a crucial role in Countrys independence. However, on Saturday, he clarified that it was a slip of the tongue that he uttered the name of Muhammad Ali Jinnah when he wanted to say Maulana Azad in his speech. My statement is being blown by some people who want to gain out of it. I was speaking about the Congress which is a grand old party and its role in Indias independence and development. It was a slip of the tongue that I uttered Jinnahs name when I wanted to speak about Maulana Azad. I dont think I have committed a crime by taking Jinnahs name by mistake, Mr Sinha said. Sources said that not only the BJP but the Congress party is equally offended by his remark. Mr Sinha who has been pitted by the Congress from Patna Sahib Constituency had created a flutter in his party recently when he campaigned for his wife Poonam Sigha, who is contesting from Lucknow in UP on Samajwadi Party ticket. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et al. Happy reading. Shah said Prime Minister Modi has shown he is a man with a 56-inch chest by destroying terrorist hideouts in Pakistan. Sitamarhi/Saran (Bihar)/ Barabanki (UP): On the eve of Lok Sabha phase-four voting on 72 seats in nine states, BJP chief Amit Shah on Sunday once again took to Pakistan-bashing and showcased the Narendra Modi governments commitment to national security, saying if Pakistan fires a bullet, well surely bomb them. He also said that India is only the third country after Israel and the US to counter terror bravely. Attacking the Congress for allegedly showing a soft corner for the neighbouring country, Mr Shah said Prime Minister Modi has shown he is a man with a 56-inch chest by destroying terrorist hideouts in Pakistan. The BJP presidents nationalism pitch coincided with Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan claiming that the NDA has gained momentum in every phase and is set to repeat its 2014 win. The Prime Minister has taken effective steps to secure the borders of the country. In the regime of UPA-I and II, enemy forces used to run havoc in the country but no action was taken on that front, said Mr Shah, addressing back-to-back election rallies in Bihars Sitamarhi and Saran, which will be voting in the fifth phase of national polls on May 6. In the recent past, our 40 security personnel lost their lives in the Pulwama attack by Pakistan-aided terrorism. Due to the decisive nature of PM Modi, our brave IAF (IAF) troops retaliated and entered enemy territory to destroy their terror camps. India is only the third country after Israel and the US to have retaliated to terrorism in this brave manner, Mr Shah said. Hitting out at the Congress, the BJP chief said, Sam Pitroda issued a statement that such a retaliation is unwarranted but is it a fair question by the Opposition. One thing is clear that if Pakistan fires a bullet, well surely bomb them, he said. The BJP chief Shah said all anti-national elements will end up behind bars once the Modi government returns to power, as he hit out at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for what he described as his temerity to promise scrapping of the sedition law. He also targeted the Congress and the RJD, which have been alleging that Mr Modis claim of belonging to a backward caste was false. The Prime Minister is not just a pichhda but an ati-pichhda and he has shown his empathy for the downtrodden by granting constitutional status to the OBC Commission, a move that was opposed by the UPA, he said. In Uttar Pradeshs Barabanki, Mr Shah sought votes in the name of improved law and order situation in the state under Yogi Adityanath , claiming that while criminals roamed freely when the SP and the BSP ruled the stat. Till the time the SP and the BSP ruled the state, criminals would roam freely. But, after Yogi Adityanath assumed office, criminals are seen moving with a patta (placard) reading arrest us but dont do encounter. Mr Shah also claimed that a pall of gloom had descended on Pakistan and the offices of the SP, the BSP and the Congress on the day of surgical strikes. In Patna, Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan asserted that the ruling NDA is on track to retain power at the Centre, helped by the Modi factor and the appeal of the issue of nationalism, while the Opposition has become a picture of disunity in a key state like Bihar. Our vote is increasing in every phase. The Modi factor was recently at work in the Prime Ministers massive road shows in Varanasi and Jharkhand. More people are joining us. On the other hand, Opposition parties have not been able to unite either in Delhi or here in Bihar. People wonder what is the point of even voting for them as they dont know what these parties will do, he said. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading. India has committed to eliminating measles and significantly reducing cases of rubella by 2020, and 32 states have rolled out the campaign so far. We are currently observing World Immunisation Week, which raises awareness of the value of vaccines globally. In India, we have much to celebrate. India has been a leader in fighting vaccine-preventable diseases, providing vaccinations free of cost through the Universal Immunisation Programme since 1985. This commitment has brought polio cases down to zero, and rid the country of other diseases like smallpox and maternal and neonatal tetanus. Two years ago, the government took another key step, launching the world's largest campaign to prevent two highly contagious diseases measles and rubella. Despite some progress, India still sees more than a million measles cases and nearly 50,000 young children lose their lives to measles. Rubella causes almost 40,000 birth defects annually, due to women contracting the disease during pregnancy. India has committed to eliminating measles and significantly reducing cases of rubella by 2020, and 32 states have rolled out the campaign so far. But to achieve its full potential, the vaccine must reach at least 95 per cent of all children, and India is among the many countries around the world experiencing a troubling trend that threatens success growing scepticism around vaccines. This is despite the abundance of scientific evidence that show vaccines are one of the best tools we have for child health. A recent controversy in New Delhi is just one example. This January, parents raised concerns about consent for immunisation in a petition to the Delhi high court. In response, the court ordered that the government make several changes to the campaign, including conducting more intensive community engagement to inform parents about the measles and rubella (MR) vaccine. As a parent myself, I can absolutely understand the variety of concerns that parents have around vaccination, who simply want to make the best decisions possible about their children's health. Parental consent obtained through effective communication is critical when administering any medical intervention to minors, and vaccines are no exception. Yet the case exemplifies the problematic, growing hesitancy around vaccines, making it more difficult to protect children and prevent outbreaks. The challenge is not limited to Delhi. Vaccine hesitancy is becoming increasingly important in India. For example, misinformation was spread around recent measles rubella campaigns in several states, including Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Globally, the challenge is severe scepticism around vaccines is listed among the World Health Organisation's top 10 threats to global health in 2019, alongside issues like climate change. Around the world, measles is spiking due to vaccine hesitancy - with a 30 per cent overall increase and outbreaks from Japan to Brazil to the United States. Hesitancy could also lead to a resurgence of other vaccine-preventable diseases and cost thousands of people their health, well-being, and even their lives. While the factors driving this phenomenon are complex, the facts are simple. Science has proven over and over that MR vaccines, which are used in approximately 150 countries, are very safe. They are also highly effective - between 2000 and 2017, measles vaccination prevented an estimated 21 million deaths globally. In India, the MR vaccine has contributed to a 51 per cent decline in measles deaths between 2000 and 2015. Conversely, a person infected with measles spreads the disease to as many as nine out of 10 unvaccinated people they come into contact with. The virus can begin to spread days before symptoms such as the rash become visible, through coughing and sneezing. Because measles is so contagious, high levels of immunisation coverage with this safe, effective vaccine are critical to prevent the spread of this disease - including to those who are not medically able to get vaccinated, like infants or those with certain health conditions. Even pockets of vaccine hesitancy can be catastrophic. It is more important than ever that we convey facts, clarify misconceptions and establish trust for today and the future. This means governments investing in programmes clearly communicating the value of new and existing vaccines. It means doctors listening to parents concerns and sharing the evidence. It means all of us committing to spread accurate information among our communities that vaccines work and save lives. Lets build on Indias legacy as a leader in child health, protect our children from measles, rubella and other life-threatening diseases and keep our communities healthy for generations to come. Dr N.K. Ganguly, a former director-general of the Indian Council of Medical Research, is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan and numerous national and international awards The searches assume significance given the recent attacks in neighbouring Sri Lanka and the devastating bomb blasts there last Sunday. The agency said in a statement that it had conducted the searches at the houses of three suspects two in Kasaragod and one in Palakkad. New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency on Sunday carried out searches at three places in Kerala as part of its investigation into the ISIS Kasaragod module case. The agency said in a statement that it had conducted the searches at the houses of three suspects two in Kasaragod and one in Palakkad. These persons are suspected to have links with some of the accused in the case who had exited India to join the proscribed terrorist organisation ISIS/Daesh, the NIA said. The searches assume significance given the recent attacks in neighbouring Sri Lanka and the devastating bomb blasts there last Sunday. The NIA said that mobile phones, SIM cards, memory cards, pen drives, diaries with handwritten notes in Arabic and Malayalam, DVDs and books of certain controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, besides some untitled DVDs and CDs with religious speeches, and books of Syed Kutheb were recovered during the searches. The digital devices will be forensically examined and analysed, the agency said, adding that the three suspects are being questioned. The NIA had recently arrested an ISIS sympathiser from Delhi. The ISIS sympathiser, identified as Mohammad Faiz, was arrested for allegedly conspiring to carry out blasts in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Faiz was a key member of Harkat-ul-Harb-e-Islam, which is a pro-Islamic State module. According to the NIA, he was allegedly involved in founding the group and bringing other members into its fold. The case pertains to the Harkat-ul-Harb-e-Islam group of terrorists who formed a gang which was engaged in acts preparatory to commission of terror attacks with a view to wage war against the Government of India, the NIA had said. In September last year, the NIA had arrested Nashidul Hamzafar, an accused in the ISIS Kasargod case, after he was deported from Kabul to New Delhi. Hamzafar belongs to Keralas Kalpetta. He was arrested in Afghanistan for illegally entering the country to join his associates in ISIS. Hamzafars arrest was related to the conspiracy hatched by some ISIS sympathisers from Kasaragod district of Kerala and their associates in 2015 to propagate the ideology of the Islamic State. The request is being made by Georgian ambassador Archil Dzuliashvili to the ministry of external affairs (MEA) in New Delhi. New Delhi: Eager to revive historical ties with New Delhi, Georgia, earlier a part of the Soviet Union and an independent nation now for close to three decades, is asking India to set up a diplomatic mission there. The request is being made by Georgian ambassador Archil Dzuliashvili to the ministry of external affairs (MEA) in New Delhi. At present, the Indian ambassador to Armenia with residence in Yerevan (Armenia) is concurrently accredited to Georgia. The Georgian side had first set up its honorary consulate in Delhi in 2005 which was upgraded to a full-fledged embassy subsequently in 2009. India had recognised Georgias independence on December 26, 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union and had established formal diplomatic relations on September 28, 1992. Georgian ambassador Dzuliashvili told this newspaper recently that both the countries have survived may historical challenges and have had strong trade ties in the past. India needs to revive and rebuild its historical ties with Georgia in the 21st century, he said. Although India was one of the first states to establish diplomatic relations with Georgia, until today, it does not have a resident mission in Georgia. The Georgian side is hopeful that soon India will open its diplomatic representation in Georgia, which is dictated by the necessity. Once the Indian mission is opened in Georgia, the trade between the two countries will improve a lot more, Georgian embassy officials told this newspaper at an interaction recently. The Georgian ambassador is also pushing for robust direct aviation connectivity between the two countries that can boost tourism, given that wealthy Indian tourists head to new and exotic locales in Europe every Summer for their annual vacation. The Georgian ambassador said, At present, India and Georgia are deepening bilateral ties in an array of fields, including tourism, aviation, investment and cultural exchanges. Georgia, located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, can become a gateway for India to the European market. Georgia, in turn, will have a new supporter connecting it to the Orient. A close India-Georgia relationship will enable India to gain a strategically beneficial partnership with the Caucasus region, thereby expanding its connectivity strategy towards Europe. The gang is believed to have sexually harassed and blackmailed a large number of women in Tamil Nadu which triggered an outrage in state. The CBI has taken over the investigation into alleged sexual harassment of a woman in Pollachi town of Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district by a gang of men who had shot a video of her and blackmailed her demanding money, officials said. (Photo: Representational Image) New Delhi: The CBI has taken over the investigation into alleged sexual harassment of a woman in Pollachi town of Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district by a gang of men who had shot a video of her and blackmailed her demanding money, officials said. The agency has registered two FIRs in the matter one pertaining to sexual harassment of the woman and second related to the assault on her brother against different sets of the accused, they said. The CBI has begun the probe on the request of the Tamil Nadu government on March 12. The gang is believed to have sexually harassed and blackmailed a large number of women in Tamil Nadu which triggered an outrage in the state. Citing the need for specialised attention, dedicated investigation with technical expertise and the extremely serious nature of the crime, the government had given its consent transferring the harassment and a related assault case from the state's CB-CID to the CBI. A gang of four men had on February 12 allegedly tried to strip the woman inside a car near Pollachi, over 500 km from Chennai, and had shot a video of the act and blackmailed her using the visuals. The victim, who managed to free herself, lodged a complaint with police on February 24. The case assumed political overtones since a local functionary of the ruling AIADMK allegedly attacked the victim's brother. The attack by the functionary, who was later expelled from the AIADMK, coupled with reports in a section of media that the gang had sexually harassed several other women, led to an outrage. The issue eventually snowballed into a political row and the main opposition DMK targeted the AIADMK asking if it was protecting the accused persons. A slew of protest demonstrations by parties including the DMK, students and the youth outfits had escalated the row, bringing more pressure on the government and police for speedy action. More visuals of the gang have surfaced on social media, heightening suspicion about them among the people, Coimbatore district police had said. The four accused in the sexual harassment case Sabarirajan, Thirunavakkarasu, Sathish and Vasanthkumar are under judicial custody. They were were booked under various sections of the IPC, Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act and the Goondas Act. Nagaraj, the expelled AIADMK functionary, is one of the accused in the assault case besides Senthil, Babu, Manivannan and Vasanthakumar. The CBI has taken over these FIRs and re-registered them as its cases which is part of a procedure. In 2014 Kirti Azad of the BJP had defeated RJDs four-time MP Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatmi from the seat by a margin of 34,000 votes. After a tough contest in three phases, it appears that NDA and grand alliance are locked in a neck-to-neck contest in the fourth phase in Bihar. (Photo: File) Patna: After a tough contest in three phases, it appears that NDA and grand alliance are locked in a neck-to-neck contest in the fourth phase in Bihar. Of the five seats going to polls on April 29, Darbhanga, Begusarai, and Ujiyarpur are crucial for the BJP. Senior RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui has been pitted against BJP nominee Gopalji Thakur from Darbhanga. Mr Siddiqui, former finance minister of Bihar, hopes to get the support of RJDs traditional Muslim Yadav (M-Y), and a sizeable number of OBC and EBC votes. Besides Mukesh Sahani of the Vikasheel Insan Party also has some influence in Darbhanga which may prove helpful for the grand alliance. In 2014 Kirti Azad of the BJP had defeated RJDs four-time MP Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatmi from the seat by a margin of 34,000 votes. BJP gave the ticket to local MLA and senior state-level party functionary Gopalji Thakur from Darbhanga after Kirti Azad joined Congress party. Political analysts claim that Darbhanga being a key Mithilanchal seat has a sizeable number of upper caste Brahmin and Bhumihar voters. Begusarai is also gearing up to see a three-cornered contest on April 29 between CPIs star candidate Kanhaiya Kumar, firebrand BJP leader, and Union minister Giriraj Singh and RJDs Tanveer Hassan. Giriraj Singh was shifted to Begusarai after his Nawada seat went to Ram Vilas Paswans LJP under the seat-sharing formula in the NDA. Mr Singh was earlier reluctant to contest from the seat but after BJP leaders including party chief, Amit Shah intervened he accepted the offer. While all the three candidates are being seen as strong contenders, political analysts do not rule out the possibility of a split in votes as two political heavyweights Kanhaiya Kumar and Giriraj Singh belonging to the same caste (Bhumihar) are locked in a do or die battle. As per an assessment, there are about 4 lakh Bhumihar voters in Begusarai followed by 2.5 lakh Muslim voters. Bhumihar is a dominant community in the constituency. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et al. Happy reading. The Jodhpur constituency will go to polls on April 29 in the fourth phase. Jodhpur: The Lok Sabha constituency of Jodhpur, in the desert state of Rajasthan, has become one of the toughest battles in the ongoing general elections where Union minister and incumbent member of parliament Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is pitted against Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlots son, Vaibhav Gehlot. The high profile battle is also being pitched as mooch ki ladai (battle for ones honour) as a sitting union minister takes on the chief minister's son. While BJPs electoral battle effort is being led by none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah, the opposing side is banking on the image and work of chief minister Ashok Gehlot for securing a win on the seat The major part of the campaign burden for Vaibhav is being carried by his Chief Minister father, who has been camping on and off in the constituency ever since he was named as the candidate. Though, the son of a sitting chief minister of state is being pitted in the contest, the BJP has decided not to give a walk over to Vaibhav and has deployed its top most leaders to secure votes for Mr Shekhawat. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresed a rally seeking support for the party candidate on April 22, his party chief Amit Shah participated in a roadshow in support of Shekhawat in Jodhpur on April 26. Shekhawat had won the seat in Lok Sabha 2014 polls defeating Chandresh Kumari of the Congress with a margin of over four lakh votes. Interestingly, while the top central leadership to the BJP has been seeking votes for its Jodhpur candidate, its Congress counterparts are missing in action and the entire canvassing is being controlled and run by Ashok Gehlot camp. A few ministers in Gehlot Cabinet, including deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, have also made brief appearances during the campaigning for Mr Gehlots son. While the Congress is relying on its victory in six of the eight Assembly seats in the constituency in the December 2018 polls, the BJP is hoping that PM Narendra Modis name and Shekhawats popularity will help it sail through. Interestingly, it was in 1980 the year of Vaibhavs birth that Mr Gehlot first contested from the prestigious constituency. Jodhpur is known to be a bastion of Mr Gehlot, the current and three-time CM of Rajasthan. He has represented Jodhpur five times in the Lok Sabha before shifting to state politics. The Jodhpur constituency will go to polls on April 29 in the fourth phase of the seven phase Lok Sabha election. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et al. Happy reading. Dr Singh was first elected to Rajya Sabha from Assam in 1991. He was then re-elected in 1995, 2001 and 2007. Guwahati: The Congress is not likely to nominate former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as its nominee for Rajya Sabha from Assam as the party doesnt have requisite strength in the state Assembly to win the seat this time. Dr Singh has been representing Assam since 1991 without a break and his current term lapses on June 14. The ruling coalition, on the other hand, has the sufficient number to wrest not just Dr Singhs seat, but also the second seat from the Congress. The six-year term of two Congress Rajya Sabha members from Assam Manmohan Singh and Santiuse Kujur expires in mid-June and elections need to be completed before that. A party needs 43 votes to win a Rajya Sabha seat and 86 votes for two seats. The BJP-led ruling coalition has 88 seats 61 of the BJP, 14 of the AGP and 12 of the BPF, besides Independent MLA Bhuban Pegu. On the other hand, the Congress has 25 seats and the AIUDF has 13 legislators. Amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, lobbying has started in the ruling coalition for the two Rajya Sabha seats. Indicating that one seat may go to AGP, sources said the BJPs central leadership would be applying its mind to the selection of candidate for the second seat only after the notification of the poll dates. Just before the Lok Sabha polls, when the AGP reverted to the BJP-led coalition, the BJP had assured it that in one of the two Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant in June it could field its candidate. Insiders in the Congress told this newspaper that the party has decided not to field Dr Singh from the Rajya Sabha seat as his defeat is almost certain in the absence of the requisite strength in the state Assembly. Dr Singh was first elected to Rajya Sabha from Assam in 1991. He was then re-elected in 1995, 2001 and 2007. Moreover, Assam witnessed high-voltage election campaigns in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls with frequent visits by the Prime Minister and other senior leaders of both the BJP and Congress, but Dr Singh, who has represented the state in Rajya Sabha since 1991, was not called to address even a single public meeting in Assam. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et al. Happy reading. On January 8, 2013, Lance Naik Hemraj was beheaded by Pakistans Border Action Team along the Indo-Pak border, triggering a nationwide outrage. Daltonganj, Jkhand: BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday slammed the UPA government, alleging that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh kept silent when terrorists from Pakistan beheaded Indian soldiers. But, now for every bullet fired from across the border, the response is given with double the force, he told a rally in Jharkhands Daltonganj town. Under former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Pakistans alia, malia and balia (referring to terrorists) used to come and take away heads of our jawans after killing them. Even today, I cant forget the incident of Hemrajs beheading and his disrespect. But mouni (silent) baba Manmohan Singh did not even utter a word, Shah said. On January 8, 2013, Lance Naik Hemraj was beheaded by Pakistans Border Action Team along the Indo-Pak border, triggering a nationwide outrage. The BJP chief said, ab goli ka jawab gola se, int ka jawab pathar se. Shah was campaigning for BJPs sitting MP from Palamu and former DGP Vishun Dayal Ram. He hit out at National Conference leader Omar Abdullah for advocating a separate Prime Minister for Jammu and Kashmir and asserted that the state is an inseparable part of India. We will remove Article 370 (of the Constitution) if you make Narendra Modi prime minister again, he said. The article grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Omar Abdullah wants a separate prime minister for Kashmir. Should there be two Prime Ministers for one country? Mr Shah asked the gathering, which responded resoundingly in the negative. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et al. Happy reading. Mr Chouhan was flying to Chhindwara from Bhopal in the helicopter to attend meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Bhopal: A stone slab found lying on an airstrip in district headquarters of Chhindwara when the chopper carrying former chief minister and BJP national vice-president Shivraj Singh Chouhan landed there on Friday afternoon, had triggered concern on his security. Mr Chouhan was flying to Chhindwara from Bhopal in the helicopter to attend meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was shocked to find a big stone slab on the airstrip when his chopper landed there. BJP had later raised the issue with the local administration. However, the in-charge of the airstrip later clarified that the stone served as anchorage for choppers. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et al. Happy reading. The former Bihar deputy chief minister had said on April 20 that Modi would call himself a son of extremely backward caste parents. Patna: Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday rebuffed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion of belonging to an "ati-pichhda" (most backward) caste, insisting that he saw this coming from the PM a week ago. Addressing a public meeting in Uttar Pradesh Saturday, the prime minister aggressively pitched his backward caste identity, declaring that he was not just an OBC, but was "born" into the "most-backward caste". Yadav, in a tweet, said Sunday, "I had said on April 20 (2019) said that @narendramodi ji, after portraying himself as fake OBC, will call himself a person belonging to extremely backward caste. He did so yesterday (in Kannauj rally in UP). "The fact is that he is an upper caste (person) by birth and backward on papers. He (PM) will say so many things just to fetch votes." Notably, the former Bihar deputy chief minister had said on April 20 that Modi would call himself a son of extremely backward caste parents, hours before the prime minister held a rally in the Araria Lok Sabha constituency. "PM @narendramodi ji is coming to Bihar today. He would portray himself as the son of extremely backward caste. He will make an abortive bid to polarize voters. "Bihar is expecting lies and jumlas from him. Hope that the PM would give account of his 2014 promises," the RJD leader had tweeted. Earlier, too, Yadav had termed Modi as a "fake backward", who did nothing for OBCs, inviting the wrath of several saffron party leaders. BJP national general secretary Bhupendra Yadav said that the RJD leader's remarks were "arrogant, graceless and childish", made on the advice of Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Mr Gandhi also accused Mr Modi of not wanting to fill 22 lakh vacant posts in the government. Rae Bareli (Uttar Pradesh): Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of lying to the people in the last five years on employment and farmers issues and described demonetisation and GST as foolishness that was not done by anybody in the last 70 years. Narendra Modi has lied to the nation for the last five years. In his speeches, he does not speak about employment, farmers or Rs 15 lakh (in every persons bank account). He speaks by looking at the teleprompter and his speech is controlled by a controller from behind. Time is about to change, he said. Addressing an election meeting in Unchahar in Rae Bareli from where UPA chairperson and his mother Sonia Gandhi is seeking re-election, Mr Gandhi said, In the past 70 years, the foolishness of demonetisation and Gabbar Singh Tax (Mr Gandhis coinage for the Goods and Services Tax or GST) was not done by anyone, Mr Gandhi said. His remarks come against the backdrop of repeated attacks by the Prime Minister on the Congress, holding it responsible for all ills since the country got Independence. The chowkidar (watchman) has done chori (theft) of factories and employment of people of Rae Bareli and Amethi (the Lok Sabha seat represented by the Congress chief himself), he said. He alleged that work on railway line, railway factory and food park was stopped in Amethi. I have the list of all the works which were stopped by this government. I will do double the work for Rae Bareli and Amethi and ensure employment for people, he said. Referring to the Rafale jet deal, Mr Gandhi said, Why Rs 30,000 crore was given to Anil Ambani. The contract was taken away from HAL, Amethi. Mr Gandhi also accused Mr Modi of not wanting to fill 22 lakh vacant posts in the government. Some 22 lakh jobs are vacant in the government. Modi does not want to fill these vacant posts and only wants to help his friends. We will give these 22 lakh jobs in one year and 10 lakh jobs in panchyats, he said. Attacking the Modi government, the Congress president asked the gathering, Where are Anil Ambani, Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya, Lalit Modi in jail or outside? Reaching out to distressed framers, Mr Gandhi said, If a farmer of Rae Bareli takes loan of Rs 20,000 and is unable to repay, he is sent to jail, but when our government will come to power, no farmer will got to jail in such cases. We will bring a separate farmers budget in which they will get to know MSP, storm loss compensation, insurance details and what they will get when they suffer losses, he said. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et al. Happy reading. Earlier on Saturday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh also inquired about Yadav's health at his residence here. Yogi Adityanath on Saturday held a telephonic conversation with Mulayam Singh Yadav and inquired about his health. (Photo: ANI) Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday held a telephonic conversation with Samajwadi Party (SP) patron Mulayam Singh Yadav and inquired about his health. "Today I held a telephonic conversation with Mulayam Sigh Yadav ji and inquired about his health. I wish for his good health," Yogi Adityanath wrote on his Twitter handle. Earlier on Saturday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh also inquired about Yadav's health at his residence here. "Today I met and inquired about former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav's health and well being at his residence in Lucknow. I wish for his good health and long life," Singh had tweeted after meeting with the SP veteran. On Friday, Yadav was admitted to the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences for a routine medical checkup following weakness and mild uncontrolled diabetes. He was discharged later after examination by a team of doctors. Rajnath is seeking re-election from Lucknow Lok Sabha seat while Mulayam is contesting the polls from Mainpuri parliamentary seat. In February, Mulayam had said that he wanted Narendra Modi to become the Prime Minister once again. I congratulate the Prime Minister because he has tried to take everybody along. I want to say that all members must win and come again and Narendra Modi should become the Prime Minister again," Mulayam had said in the Parliament. A well-researched fiction or non-fiction based on mythology has played the role of an eye-opener in interpreting events. The heroic character of Ram from the epic Ramayana plays a cult even today in Indian politics. The pan-Indian presence makes him attractive to most politicians in search of symbols. Are mythological tales based on true events? Or are they a list of mere imageries from a bygone era that nobody really knows of, where elements of nature ruled the roost. The heroic character of Ram from the epic Ramayana plays a cult even today in Indian politics. The pan-Indian presence makes him attractive to most politicians in search of symbols. The persona of Ram and Krishna are used in every walk of life, despite no records to bring in the authenticity of them being super-humans. World over, mythological characters have been interpreted to suit an agenda. The Heroes of Olympus, for example, deals in pentalogy of fantasy-adventure. Hollywood movies like Avengers and X-Men have flooded us with superheroes with a mish mash of spirituality. Fans believe in them more than their own traditional heroes. Modern Indian literature too is dealing with mythology with a different stroke. Be it Amish Tripathi, Devdutt Pattanaik or Vishwas Mudagal, Indian authors have their own way of transcribing epics. Some prefer to bring out the odd side of the tales that are often presumed to have been kept a secret. Others believe in making them relevant to the new era. During an open chat author Vishwas Mudagal spills the beans about the unknown lot. A well-researched fiction or non-fiction based on mythology has played the role of an eye-opener in interpreting events. The recent release of the book, Kalki - The Last Avatar, has added the much-needed feather to this crown. Here Kalki plays the role of a superhero and an era relevant personality. Speaking about his belief whether mythology is based on reality or is an attempt to hide the ancient reality, Vishwas Mudagal says,Our mythology is our history. Its obvious that there has to be some truth to it and Im sure many versions and flavours were added to it over the centuries. India had a glorious past and we were the beacon of knowledge, culture and trade in the world. Our epics and puranas are testimony to this fact. There is always a turning point where one feels writing is the best career for him. As for Mudgal, who is an engineer by profession, writing is more fascinating. I have two passions - storytelling and entrepreneurship. And all my companies are based on technology. I never fell out of love with engineering. Im a techie at heart and will always be. However, I accidentally discovered my passion for writing after my first company Jobeehive shut down. I was practically bankrupt and writing came as solace. I wanted to write about someone who was in my exact same position and would be able to bounce back in life. That gave me an inspiration to write my first book - Losing My Religion, which went on to become a best-seller. Storytelling became my parallel career. Further, I wrote The Last Avatar - Age of Kalki (Book 1) which is now doing extremely well. The plot The story starts when the world falls victim to an apocalyptic war. A deadly sting operation by the terrorist group Invisible Hand brutally eliminates the Indian prime minister and the union cabinet. National emergency is declared, while chaos, fear and death reign across the country. Against the backdrop of falling democracies around the world, an unconventional hero emerges a vigilante known only as Kalki. Backed by a secret society called The Rudras, Kalki, along with Nushen, the Chinese superhuman spy, must do the impossible to save his country, and the world. When you take a step back and look at the research, you will notice that Kalki Purana was written as a response to the barbaric invasions by the foreign invaders from Central Asia. These invaders were the Huns and Mongols. To end this brutal era, Vishnu had to appear on Earth to destroy the enemy and restore a pure way of life. This formed the basis of my story. Mudgal claims to have been fascinated with the prophecy of Kalki, the 10th and last avatar of God, who the ancient Hindu Puranas and epics predict would be born in the future to end the age of darkness on Earth. It is told that Kalki the Destroyer would be all powerful and merciless towards evil. But what if the God incarnate was born as mortal as any one of us and had to toil through a tumultuous path with true grit and valor to one day save humanity from destroying itself? I take pride in Indias history and knowledge that our ancient ancestors possessed. After considerable research, I concluded that our prehistoric forefathers had achieved significant science and technological breakthroughs thousands of years before any other civilization in the world could even think about them. Sadly, he says, most of that knowledge was lost to wars and invasions bleeding our motherland through the eras. But what if we are wrong? What if the knowledge was not destroyed but hidden because it was so powerful that in the wrong hands it could be used to enslave the planet and destroy all the good? he says. Mythology is era relevant Its true that fiction follows facts. When he further researched on ancient Indian secret societies, he was captivated by the results and foundmyths and legends of mysterious stealth groups were created to protect the ancient wisdom of our forefathers. This laid the foundation of The Rudras in his book, he claims. Its really necessary to bring back pride in our ancient Indian knowledge and characters. Even more so in todays time when Hollywood has flooded our lives with their superheroes. He was tired of Hollywood superheroes. Amid the flood of Marvel & DC characters, we Indians have no choice whatsoever of our own Indian superheroes. I decided to do something about that and set on a quest to bring out a true Indian superhero rooted deeply in our ancient knowledge and the product was the AGE OF KALKI universe, Mudgal says What fascinated him most about the Kalki Avatar is that he is a merciless leader and warrior, who shows no mercy to enemies who are destroying the very fabric of human values and reigning terror. Mudgal decided to take on the challenge of bringing out Kalki in a way no one had ever thought about beforeas a true Indian superhero! It was a monumental task but one I committed to pursue. India, he says, needs such stories that are deeply rooted in our ethos, culture and history. The time of Indian superheroes will be upon us shortly. This is my humble attempt in this direction, he concludes. Fun meets anti-bullying campaign at annual Sikh Day Parade. New York: New Yorks Madison Avenue was awash with live Indian music, food and dancing as it hosted the citys annual Sikh Day Parade. April 27, the celebration came with an effort to raise funds for a national TV ad campaign aimed at combating what organisers say is the bullying of Sikh children, especially those wearing the turban that is their traditional headwear. The hours long Manhattan parade was hosted by the New York-based Sikh Cultural Society. A Sikh American family watches participants march down Madison Avenue during the Sikh Day Parade, celebrating the Sikh holiday of Vaisakhi, in New York. The Sikh religion was born more than 500 years ago in Indias Punjab region. After a 1984 genocide, many left. In New York, Sikhs are most visible in the borough of Queens, though the parade was held in Manhattan. Backing Mr Chadhas claims, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the charges against Mr Bidhuri are very serious. Aam Aadmi Partys South Delhi candidate Raghav Chadha (left) with Dy CM Manish Sisodia at a press conference in New Delhi on Saturday. (Photo: G.N. Jha) New Delhi: AAPs South Delhi Lok Sabha candidate Raghav Chadha on Saturday approached the Delhi high court challenging the decision of the returning officer to accept BJP South Delhi candidate Ramesh Bidhuris nomination papers. Mr Chadha claimed in his plea that the returning officer (RO) overlooked glaring discrepancies in Mr Bidhuris nomination and it was accepted without application of mind on the ground that they do not have any power to reject a nomination once an affidavit is filed, regardless of any concealment therein. The plea sought direction to call for the records and quash the ROs April 24 order. It also sought direction to the RO to scrutinise the nomination of Mr Bidhuri in accordance with various directions of the Supreme Court. The ROs decision is arbitrary, illegal, unsustainable, and ought to be quashed, the AAP candidate said. The impugned order failed to appreciate that every citizen in India has an unimpeachable and indefeasible fundamental right to information about the candidate they are called upon to vote for, which ought to not be rendered nugatory by an abdication of duty at the time of scrutiny, the plea added. Backing Mr Chadhas claims, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the charges against Mr Bidhuri are very serious. He is sure to be disqualified. South Delhi voters should not waste their vote on him, Mr Kejriwal said. Reacting to the development, Mr Bidhuri accused the ruling party in Delhi of engineering a conspiracy against him. All the facts and papers submitted in my nomination are true. AAP leaders are conspiring against me because they are losing the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP leader said. I have earlier fought and won Assembly and Lok Sabha elections and nothing wrong was ever found in my nominations, he added. All in all the BJP is in control of one of the most powerful political machines in the world, in terms of people, networks and money. One goal of the Congress Party would surely have been to rebuild its organisation so that it begins to match that of the BJP. When you log on to www.bjp.org, there is a message that says welcome to the website of the worlds largest party. The BJP has 10 crore members. About one in 10 adult Indians is a member of the BJP. This is a staggering statistic. The National Democratic Alliance got about 16 crore votes in 2014 and most of this was the BJP's share. This means that the party has almost as many members as it has voters. To appreciate its size, let's have a look at the second largest political party, which is the Communist Party of China (CPC). China is a one-party state run by the CPC. This party has over nine crore members, but membership is not easy to get. This is because every top position in the government, military, banking, education, healthcare and state-owned enterprises is held by members of the party. In 1921, it had only 57 members. In 2014, 2.2 crore Chinese people applied for membership to the CPC and of them only 20 lakh were admitted. Membership takes one year from application to entry. Applications must include a letter, which says why the individual believes in the CPC, the areas in which he or she falls short of the requirement to be a member, and then the applicant must take a test. If they pass, they are screened further, then they must produce two current members to recommend them, and then they are accepted on probation. While the BJP does not restrict its membership in this way, it is not free. Membership is Rs 5 and there is a further 'voluntary' contribution, with a minimum of Rs 100. Every member of the BJP must therefore contribute Rs 105 or more on joining the party. If this is indeed their definition of member, then the party has collected Rs 1,000 crore from individuals alone. This is remarkable. Just below that on the form is a further ask for contributing to the party fund through the Aajiwan Sahayog Nidhi, which is a minimum of Rs 1,000. It will interest the reader to know that the BJP constitution requires all members to swear an oath that includes the line: I subscribe to the concept of the secular state and nation not based on religion. The other matter of interest to those who look at the party through its ideology is that the BJPs constitution opens with the lines that it will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established and to the principles of socialism, secularism and democracy. Under Amit Shah, the party began a programme of attracting people through the missed call. The BJP advertises this number in various cities on hoardings. Individuals who call this number are then sent messages and are called to see if they can contribute money or their voluntary services. A computer record is kept of how each individual responds to text messages or calls and whether they contributed their time or money. Through this mechanism, the party can see over time which individuals can be relied on and they can concentrate their efforts. Because the BJP is being headed by a leadership which is very popular in the middle class, we can expect that the membership and the number of volunteers will continue to expand. In addition the party can rely on the world's largest non-governmental organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. There are over 55,000 RSS shakhas across India. There are 6,000 full time pracharaks who are currently deployed on election duty and are trained for years in how to organise people. One can disagree with every aspect of the RSS and what it stands for but one has to admit that it has produced an army that is efficient and single-minded. All in all the BJP is in control of one of the most powerful political machines in the world, in terms of people, networks and money. One goal of the Congress Party would surely have been to rebuild its organisation so that it begins to match that of the BJP. However, this has not happened, though Rahul Gandhi has been in the party for 15 years now. In his first 15 years in India, Mahatma Gandhi led the Champaran, Kheda, Khilafat, Non-cooperation and Dandi salt agitations. We do not see similar grassroots activity from this Congress. We do not see, or at least I do not see, the sort of vision that led the party in earlier decades to mobilise society. It has also in some sense lost touch with the grassroots because of its evolution. The Congress has a body of volunteers called the Seva Dal, founded a year before the RSS. This is the body that offered logistical and manpower support to all the pre-Independence agitations of the Congress. But after Independence it has been substantially eroded over the decades, while the RSS has grown. Membership, especially paid membership, is a true sign of the popularity of a party. The Congress has a gargantuan task before it, if it has to inspire young Indians to sign up as its members on the basis of its activities and its vision for this country. The Tribunal noted that the unauthorised period of absence of the applicant was six years and one month. Officers on a foreign posting who do not report to their cadre state for duty are not eligible for the Voluntary Retirement Scheme or pension the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order has directed. The Tribunal dismissed the case of former senior IAS officer, Sanjeev Singh Ahluwalia, for voluntary retirement from service and pensionary benefits. Mr Ahluwalia is a 1980-batch UP cadre officer. According to sources, in 2005 Mr Ahluwalia was on central deputation holding the post of joint secretary in the department of disinvestment, ministry of finance. At his request, he was repatriated to his parent cadre before completion of the term of deputation. Subsequently, the babu got the permission to accept a World Bank assignment to serve in Sudan for a year between September 18, 2005, and September 17, 2006. However, he never reported back to his cadre state after the completion of his one-year foreign posting. In April 2010, Mr Ahluwalia forwarded an application seeking voluntary retirement under the terms of the relevant All India Service Rules. The Centre rejected his application claiming he wasnt given any extension beyond a year of his foreign posting, and yet he did not report on duty after the expiry of his foreign assignment. The Tribunal noted that the unauthorised period of absence of the applicant was six years and one month. It further observed that if a member of the service who is on valid leave for a period exceeding five years can be deemed to have resigned, the applicant, who remained on unauthorised absence for six years, cannot keep himself on a higher pedestal. Unrest in Modis PMO Prime Minister Narendra Modi winning a second term could actually result in an exodus of babus from the Prime Ministers Office (PMO). It is learnt that several senior bureaucrats in the PMO have sought premature retirement or transfer to some other posting. Those in the know say that there are many officials in other ministries who too want out. In almost all cases, the reason for wanting to leave is the lack of synergy with the PM and the small group of advisers who control government policy. But some feel that the babus are actually unhappy since Mr Modi runs a famously tight ship and also a rather punishing work schedule! His top-down approach has also created a wedge between the routine bureaucracy and the leader. Of course, such movement is not unheard of, especially at the end of every governments tenure and the beginning of another. Depending on how one looks at it, either Mr Modi is succeeding in his efforts to streamline governmental administration, or that the usually complacent bureaucracy is unwilling to adapt to his more hands-on style of functioning. A matter of seniority Its been nearly five years since Telangana state was created out of Andhra Pradesh, but there are still unresolved issues relating to the bureaucracy between them. Recently, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) has directed the state reorganisation wings of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to sort out discrepancies in the seniority list of inspector of police (civil) at the earliest in consultation with the heads of departments of the two states. In a letter sent by the MHA under secretary, R. Venkatesan, the two states were advised to settle the seniority dispute with respect to feeder grade and initiate the allocation of this category of officers as decided by the sub-committee constituted in this regard. The development is seen as significant as it upholds the contention of Telangana that the revised seniority lists of home department employees, specifically inspectors (civil), DSPs (civil), additional SPs (civil) and SP (non-cadre) were against the agreed principles. Chromium is Googles open-source web-browser project that is being used by Microsoft for its Edge browser. A new preview experience of Hangout Meet will be made available following the recent release of developer previews for Edge. Microsofts new Edge browser that uses Chromium is under beta and the few early users discovered that Google Meet suddenly stopped working on the browser. This raised concerns about Google not supporting the new Edge browser. However, the company told The Verge that a new preview experience of Hangout Meet will be made available following the recent release of developer previews for Edge. Chromium is Googles open-source web-browser project that is being used by Microsoft for its Edge browser to provide improved web compatibility for the default browser on Windows 10. Britain will ban Huawei from all core parts of 5G network but give it some access to non-core parts. The decisions by Britain and Germany to use Huawei gear in non-core parts of 5G network makes it harder to prove Huawei should be kept out of New Zealand telecommunication networks. (Photo: ANI) Chinas Huawei Technologies said Britains decision to allow the firm a restricted role in building parts of its next-generation telecoms network was the kind of solution it was hoping for in New Zealand, where it has been blocked from 5G plans. Britain will ban Huawei from all core parts of 5G network but give it some access to non-core parts, sources have told Reuters, as it seeks a middle way in a bitter US-China dispute stemming from American allegations that Huaweis equipment could be used by Beijing for espionage. Washington has also urged its allies to ban Huawei from building 5G networks, even as the Chinese company, the worlds top producer of telecoms equipment, has repeatedly said the spying concerns are unfounded. In New Zealand, a member of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network that includes the United States, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) in November turned down an initial request from local telecommunication firm Spark to include Huawei equipment in its 5G network but later gave the operator options to mitigate national security concerns. The proposed solution in the UK to restrict Huawei from bidding for the core is exactly the type of solution we have been looking at in New Zealand, Andrew Bowater, deputy CEO of Huaweis New Zealand arm, said in an emailed statement. Spark said it has noted the developments in Britain and would raise it with the GCSB. The reports suggest the UK is following other European jurisdictions in taking a considered and balanced approach to managing supplier-related security risks in 5G, Andrew Pirie, Sparks corporate relations lead, said in an email. Our discussions with the GCSB are ongoing and we expect that the UK developments will be a further item of discussion between us, Pirie added. New Zealands minister for intelligence services, Andrew Little, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. British culture minister Jeremy Wright said on Thursday that he would report to parliament the conclusions of a government review of the 5G supply chain once they had been taken. He added that the disclosure of confidential discussions on the role of Huawei was unacceptable and that he could not rule out a criminal investigation into the leak. The decisions by Britain and Germany to use Huawei gear in non-core parts of the 5G network makes it harder to prove Huawei should be kept out of New Zealand telecommunication networks, said Syed Faraz Hasan, an expert in communication engineering and networks at New Zealands Massey University. He pointed out Huawei gear was already part of the non-core 4G networks that 5G infrastructure would be built on. Unless there is a convincing argument against the Huawei devices ... it is difficult to keep them away, Hasan said. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government had filed the treason case against Musharraf over imposition of extra-constitutional emergency. A special court indicted Musharraf for high treason in March 2014. Musharraf left for Dubai in 2016 to "seek medical treatment" and has not returned since. (Photo: File) Islamabad: Pakistan's former military dictator Pervez Musharraf, who is facing a high-profile treason case for suspending the Constitution, is unlikely to return to the country due to his family pressure and medical board's recommendations, a media report said. The development came a day after his lawyer Salman Safdar told reporters that the 75-year-old former president, despite his deteriorating medical condition, is determined to appear before the court that had summoned him for the hearing scheduled for May 2. However, Dawn news reported that General (retd) Musharraf might not return to Pakistan because of his medical board's recommendation and family pressure. "Gen Musharraf has been facing pressure from his family that he should not travel at the cost of his health. However, as everyone knows that Gen Musharraf is a man of his words so still there are 50 per cent chances of his return," a member of the All Pakistan Muslim League Ali Nawab Chitrali said. "He is eager to come to Pakistan and wants to appear before the court. He has been suffering from severe backbone pain and the medical board has advised him not to travel," he was quoted as saying in the report. A special court indicted Musharraf for high treason in March 2014. Musharraf left for Dubai in 2016 to "seek medical treatment" and has not returned since. Last month, he was admitted to a hospital in Dubai after suffering a reaction from a rare disease for which he is already under treatment. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had filed the treason case against Musharraf over the president's imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007. The Supreme Court, while hearing a plea filed by a lawyer who pointed out that proceedings of the treason case had come to a halt as former president Musharraf had not returned since 2016, on April 1 directed him to appear before the special court on May 2. The three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa also warned him that if he fails to turn up then he will lose his right to record a statement under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedures. The special court declared Musharraf a proclaimed offender and ordered the confiscation of his property owing to his no-show. Later, on orders of the Supreme Court, Musharraf's passport and national identity card were also cancelled. Musharraf ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008. A conviction for high treason carries the death penalty or life imprisonment. He pledged instead to "give citizenship to representatives of all nations that suffer from authoritarian and corrupt regimes" In his Facebook post, Zelensky warned Russia not to talk with Ukraine "in the language of threats or military or economic pressure." (Photo: File) Kiev: President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed an offer by Vladimir Putin to provide passports to Ukrainians, and pledged instead to grant citizenship to Russians who "suffer" under the Kremlin's rule. The Russian president said Moscow was considering plans to make it easier for all Ukrainians to obtain Russian citizenship, after it earlier moved to grant passports in the country's separatist east. Kiev has been fighting Moscow-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine since 2014 in a war that has killed 13,000. Zelensky, a comedian who won Ukraine's presidential election last week, responded to Putin's offer by releasing a statement on Facebook late on Saturday. "We know perfectly well what a Russian passport provides," he said, listing "the right to be arrested for a peaceful protest" and "the right not to have free and competitive elections." He pledged instead to "give citizenship to representatives of all nations that suffer from authoritarian and corrupt regimes. "But first and foremost to the Russian people who suffer most of all". He said that one of the differences between Ukraine and Russia is that "we Ukrainians have freedom of speech, freedom of the media and the internet in our country." A political novice, Zelensky has pledged to "reboot" peace talks with the separatists that also involve Russia and the West. Putin has not congratulated Zelensky on his election, but said he is ready to talk with a new Ukrainian leadership and wants to "understand" the actor's position on the conflict. In his Facebook post, Zelensky warned Russia not to talk with Ukraine "in the language of threats or military or economic pressure." He previously called for more international sanctions against Moscow in response to Russia providing citizenship to residents of Ukraine's separatist east. The EU also condemned Moscow's passport scheme, calling it a fresh assault on Ukraine's sovereignty and saying Russia sought to "destabilise" Ukraine after its presidential election. Putin's decree last week allows people living in Ukraine's unrecognised Donetsk and Lugansk breakaway republics to receive a Russian passport within three months of applying for one. Zelensky is due to take office by early June. AWD At $56,490 from the get-go, the CT6 is much obliged to feature the 3.6-liter V6 with 335 horsepower and 284 pound-feet of torque, all-wheel drive, and the 10-speed automatic transmission that Ford offers as an option in the Mustang.The 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 is also available exclusively with. As for the range-topping Blackwing V8, that ones sold out. Were sorry that you missed the window to reserve a CT6-V , says Cadillac on their website, but theres still time to visit your dealer and experience the newly redesigned CT6.Given that General Motors will end CT6 production in North America, thats one of the cheekiest things weve heard in a long, long time. As if that wasnt enough, Cadillac added insult to injury when the plug-in hybrid option was discontinued from the U.S. lineup.Another version of the 4.2-liter twin-turbo engine is coming to the Platinum trim level, detuned from 550 horsepower to 500 . Torque is also down from 627 to 553 pound-feet, and once again, all-wheel drive comes standard. It is hard to understand these changes in the CT6 range, but then again, the suits at General Motors might know better.Also manufactured in China, the CT6 arrived in the United States for the 2016 model year from the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant. Only the plug-in hybrid option was imported from Jinqiao, a town of Pudong in the municipality of Shanghai.The Cadillac CT6 is the only General Motors vehicle to feature the Omega platform, derived from the Alpha of the ATS, CTS, and Chevrolet Camaro. The automaker also used the Omega for the Buick Avenir Concept from the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.On that note, would you spend your hard-earned cash on the CT6 or go for the German rivals? They werent far off. The Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama spans over 650.8 hectares, featuring a 5.3-kilometer track with a 75-meter change in elevation. The country road test course will be complemented by a high-speed test course and specialized test courses by fiscal year 2023.Toyota plans to invest approximately 300 billion yen in Shimoyama, and employees total around 50 for the time being. When the facility will be completed in 2023, approximately 3,300 people will work at the site.Environmental conservation was a foremost consideration in the construction of this new research and development facility, according to Toyota , and around 70 percent of the area consists of trees and greenery that were preserved. The Japanese have a thing for preserving nature as much as possible, and the term youre looking for is satoyama.Sato stands for village and yama means hill or mountain. Satoyama has multiple definitions, but cohabitation with the existing ecosystem is the easiest way to understand the concept.We have replicated a variety of roads in the world at the new test course, said Akio Toyoda, the president of Toyota. In addition to conducting driving tests all over the world, and with the replication of severe driving conditions at the new test course, we intend to thoroughly hone every one of our models and develop the types of cars that epitomize the true joy of driving.At the opening ceremony, Toyota brought the Supra sports car, Prius hybrid, and Prius plug-in hybrid, driving the media on the track to get a feel for the corners and straights. These days, the Japanese automaker combines the eco-friendly image with exciting models developed with the help of Gazoo Racing and TRD Known as Prius Prime in the United States, the plug-in hybrid is priced at $27,350 excluding destination charge. The GR Supra retails at $49,990 while the 3.0 Premium levels up to $53,990. 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. Nearly 1,300 migrants escaped a detention center near the Mexico-Guatemala border over shortages of food and sleeping space, reports AP. Why this matters: This recent breakout highlights the pressure that's been placed on the Mexican government following an influx of new arrivals, reports Reuters. Mexico has already returned 15,000 migrants during the past 30 days following threats from President Trump to close the border if the country didn't reign in the migrant caravans, per Reuters. Details: The Siglo XXI detention center has capacity for less than 1,000 people, and had more than double that, per AP. Nearly 700 of the escaped migrants were captured and returned to the center by midday Friday. The migrants were heard chanting "We want food! We want out!" the AP reports. Go deeper: How social media is fueling the migrant caravans Sri Lankan military personnel and suspected Islamist militants engaged in a shoot-out Friday night during a military raid, as soldiers searched for suspects of this week's fatal Easter Sunday suicide bombings, CBS News reports. What's happening: 15 people were killed in the aftermath of the raid, including family members of the militants, according to CBS. The Sri Lankan military said they believed the militants to be part of the same group behind the Easter Sunday attacks, which killed over 300 people. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks this week. The Sri Lankan military reportedly found an ISIS flag during their first raid to find the Easter Sunday attackers. Go deeper ... Sri Lanka attacks: Suicide bombers were "well educated" What should a Democratic presidential candidate's economic policy look like? The field is now up to 20 candidates, with Joe Biden the latest big name to declare that he's running. The state of play: While Elizabeth Warren and Andrew Yang have carved out a niche for themselves as the wonks of the race, most of the rest are light on detail, especially when it comes to fiscal policy. Enter Joe Stiglitz, whose new book, "People, Power, and Profits: Progressive Capitalism for an Age of Discontent," presents itself as "a platform that can serve as a consensus for a renewed Democratic Party." Stiglitz, a Nobel laureate who worked in the Clinton administration, has written a coherent manifesto that could quite easily be adopted by a majority of the Democratic candidates. The book avoids labels. While a lot of its prescriptions can be seen as socialist, Stiglitz goes no further than to say that he's a "progressive capitalist." And while he says that the government should spend as much money as it takes to bring the economy to full employment, he nowhere deviates from economic orthodoxy. Nor does he even so much as mention modern monetary theory. While a lot of its prescriptions can be seen as socialist, Stiglitz goes no further than to say that he's a "progressive capitalist." And while he says that the government should spend as much money as it takes to bring the economy to full employment, he nowhere deviates from economic orthodoxy. Nor does he even so much as mention modern monetary theory. A much stronger antitrust regime is at the top of Stiglitz's agenda. He calls for breaking up Facebook and aggressively regulating all monopolists, however they arrived at their position. (That includes pharmaceutical companies with patented drugs.) He also wants to limit the degree to which companies can use and agglomerate data; even after it's broken up, he says, Facebook should probably be regulated as a public utility. is at the top of Stiglitz's agenda. He calls for breaking up Facebook and aggressively regulating all monopolists, however they arrived at their position. (That includes pharmaceutical companies with patented drugs.) He also wants to limit the degree to which companies can use and agglomerate data; even after it's broken up, he says, Facebook should probably be regulated as a public utility. A guaranteed job for all who are willing to work is also on the list. Stiglitz opposes a universal basic income, saying it's too expensive and doesn't place sufficient value on employment. The jobs guarantee would not explicitly be a form of reparations, he says, but by its nature it would disproportionately benefit African-Americans. is also on the list. Stiglitz opposes a universal basic income, saying it's too expensive and doesn't place sufficient value on employment. The jobs guarantee would not explicitly be a form of reparations, he says, but by its nature it would disproportionately benefit African-Americans. Public options should be introduced in many areas of American life, says Stiglitz. Americans should have the option to sign on to Medicare just like they should have the option to pay extra money into their Social Security accounts, rather than relying on Wall Street for their pensions. They should also have the option to obtain a mortgage directly from the government. should be introduced in many areas of American life, says Stiglitz. Americans should have the option to sign on to Medicare just like they should have the option to pay extra money into their Social Security accounts, rather than relying on Wall Street for their pensions. They should also have the option to obtain a mortgage directly from the government. College should be paid for through an Australian-style graduate tax. Graduates earning more than $30,000 might pay 1% of their income toward repaying their student loans; those on seven-figure salaries might pay 4%. After 25 years, the loans are forgiven. Why it matters: Stiglitz is a critic of what he sees as the incrementalist approach of Presidents Clinton and Obama. "Our polity has slid so far that we are now compelled to turn to fundamental issues in order to cure what ails us," he writes. "Minor tweaks of current arrangements won't get us to where we need to be." Whether or not his specific ideas are adopted, you can expect such maximalism to be a theme coming from most of the Democratic field. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) spoke out Saturday against hate crimes after arrests for a shooting at a synagogue and an attack allegedly targeting Muslims, which occurred within 3 days of each other. Two days. Two acts of violence and hatred. An attack against any community is an attack against our entire state who we are and what we stand for. Our country has to be better than this. Gov. Gavin Newsom Details: Newsom made the comments in reference to Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety Officers' arrest of Army veteran Isaiah Joel Peoples, 34, after a car plowed into a crowd, wounding 8. Police allege he targeted victims for their race and and Muslim faith. Newsom was among several leaders to speak out earlier after a fatal shooting at Chabad of Poway Synagogue. The FBI has opened a hate crimes investigation into an Army veteran who police say drove into a crowd at Sunnyvale, California, allegedly targeting victims because of race and religion, the San Francisco Chronicle first reported Saturday. Details: Police allege Isaiah Joel Peoples, 34, deliberately drove into the pedestrians Tuesday, wounding 8 including a 13-year-old girl, who's in a coma with severe brain trauma following the incident. He was charged Friday with 8 counts of attempted murder. He targeted the victims based on their race and his belief that they were of the Muslim Faith." Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety statement The other side: Peoples attorney Chuck Smith said the crash wasn't intentional. "Its clearly a case where his mental state is the issue," he said of his client, who served in the Iraq War. What's next? Peoples is due to return to court on May 16 to enter a plea, according to KPIX-TV. The series of coordinated blasts that struck several Sri Lankan churches and several hotels Easter Sunday has left more than 207 people reported dead and more than 450 injured making the cluster of terrorist attacks more deadly than both the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the 2002 Bali bombings. The big picture: The attacks targeting Christian worshippers suggest a new front in the annals of violence in Sri Lanka. Since the end of the bloody civil war in 2009, the country has mainly returned to peace, so the Easter attacks came as a shock. Details: The attacks took place in the capital city of Colombo, the nearby city of Negambo, and in Batticaloa, across the island on the country's eastern coast. By the end of day, the government had attributed the blast to suicide bombings and announced the arrests of 13 unnamed suspects. Between the lines: Sri Lanka's decades-long civil war was driven largely by ethnolinguistic cleavage, with Tamil separatists in the north and east fighting against the Sinhalese-majority government. The pattern of todays Easter Sunday attacks in churches point to yet another growing divide. In its religious demographics, Sri Lanka is overwhelmingly Buddhist, more than 70% of the countrys population of more than 22 million, with around 12% Hindu, just under 10% Muslim, and a little more than 7% Christian. The countrys earlier history of violence pitted ethnic Sinhalese (mainly Buddhist) against Tamil (mainly Hindu), with the small Muslim and Christian minorities not a target. Tensions have been growing between Buddhists and Muslims, however; last year Buddhist extremists attacked Sri Lankan Muslims. What to watch: The Sri Lankan government also announced the suspension of several social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. The inability of such prominent services to catch up to and counter the spread of misinformation, especially during times of crisis, continues to be a major challenge for government and civil society. In South Asia, governments have repeatedly opted to suspend platforms in situations of emergency, sparking difficult debates about freedom of expression, hate speech and misinformation. Look for this to become a growing concern in the region and beyond. Alyssa Ayres is senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations. She served as U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for South Asia from 2010 to 2013. Vice President Mike Pence's former chief of staff, Josh Pitcock, has responded for the first time to speculation in conservative media outlets that FBI agents wanted to use him to infiltrate President-elect Trump's transition team in 2016. Driving the news: In a statement to Axios, Pitcock said he had "no contact" with either former FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok or former FBI attorney Lisa Page the officials at the center of the speculation and "took zero actions on their behalf." Pitcock also said there was "no infiltration through me or my wife," an FBI agent and another focus of the speculation. "Any assertions or speculation to the contrary is unfounded, uninformed and 100% false." (Read his full statement here.) But Pence is taking the issue seriously, and is demanding further investigation into the possibility of attempted infiltration into the Trump administration and its 2016 transition team which started with a letter from top Republican senators raising questions about a text message exchange between the two former FBI officials. I was deeply offended to learn that two disgraced FBI agents considered infiltrating our transition team by sending a counter intelligence agent to one of my very first intelligence briefings only 9 days after the election," Pence said in a statement to Axios. "This is an outrage and only underscores why we need to get to the bottom of how this investigation started in the first place." "The American people have a right to what happened and if these two agents broke the law and ignored long-standing DOJ policies, they must be held accountable. Why it matters: The text messages quoted in the letter from Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson have become the latest firestorm on the right over how the Russia investigation started, with Sean Hannity asking President Trump about it on his show. Trump has asked Republicans to investigate why the FBI was allegedly conducting surveillance on the president's transition team in the first place, and Attorney General William Barr has said he plans to launch an investigation. Between the lines: It's unclear from the text messages what the FBI officials' motive was and there's no direct evidence that the two former FBI officials were talking about Pitcock or his wife. As the Washington Post points out, that's a connection made by an independent reporter and frequent Hannity guest who he cited on his show. Strzok didn't respond to a request for comment. The backstory: Grassley and Johnson sent the letter to Barr Thursday with a tip to aid his review of the investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign. They cited an exchange between Strzok and Page shortly after the election, in which "the two discussed staffing for a November 2016 FBI briefing for presidential transition team staff." At one points Strzok refers to a CI guy, counterintelligence: "He can assess if thete [sic] are any news [sic] Qs, or different demeanor. If Katie's husband is there, he can see if there are people we can develop for potential relationships," the message reads. Grassley and Johnson then wrote that "The nature of these communications, and the precise purpose of any attempts to develop relationships with Trump or Pence transition team staff are not immediately clear. But conservative media reports suggested that "Katie" may have been a reference to Katherine Seaman, the wife of Pitcock who had been working with Strzok on the FBI's counter-intelligence investigation of Hillary Clintons email server. Almost 2 months after President Trump formalized the creation of the Space Force, the U.S. Navy announced there has been an increase in reports of UFO sightings, reports Politico. Why it matters: While the Navy isn't saying aliens are out there, it is concerned about the increasing number of reports alleging highly advanced aircraft flying near sensitive military facilities and in military-controlled ranges, per Politico. These reports have been happening consistently since 2014, Luis Elizondo, a former senior intelligence officer, told the Washington Post. Elizondo explained that new Navy guidelines formalized the reporting process, allowing for data-driven analysis of the reports. He called it "the single greatest decision the Navy has made in decades," per the Post. What they're saying: Chris Mellon, a former Pentagon intelligence official, told Politico that military personnel often does not know what to do when they see something. Mellon also said, "Right now, we have [a] situation in which UFOs and UAPs are treated as anomalies to be ignored rather than anomalies to be explored." What they're seeing: The sailors reported seeing small spherical objects flying in formation, or white Tic-Tac shaped aircrafts, per the Washington Post. The intrigue: In 2017, the New York Times reported that the Pentagon spent $22 million on the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP). The Department of Defense never acknowledged the existence of this program and shut it down in 2012, per the New York Times. The program studied Unidentified Ariel Phenomena (UAPs), with the support of numerous senators, including former Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). 1 fun thing: Blink-182's former guitarist Tom DeLonge shared a declassified video of 2 pilots allegedly seeing a UFO and questioning what the aircraft was, per Mashable. Go deeper: The interstellar object Oumuamua is almost certainly not an alien spaceship National security adviser John Bolton confirmed on "Fox News Sunday" that a Trump administration official signed a document pledging to pay North Korea a $2 million hospital bill to release Otto Warmbier, though he said no money was ultimately transferred. WALLACE: Did North Korea demand money for the release of Otto Warmbier? BOLTON: It appears that they did. This occurred before I came into the administration, but that's my understanding. WALLACE: Did the U.S. official who was there to get him out of the country, Joseph Yun, did he sign a document pledging the money in order to get him out. BOLTON: That is what I am told, yes. WALLACE: I guess the bottom line question is, did the U.S. pay any money to North Korea, however it was disguised, after Warmbier was released? BOLTON: Absolutely not. And that's the key point. The backdrop: President Trump called the Washington Post story that first reported the hospital bill "fake news," though the report notably said it was "unclear" whether the administration actually ended up paying the bill. Nothing in the story has been proven inaccurate. Spain's Socialist party, led by incumbent Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, is on pace to win 123 out of the 350 seats in parliament after Sunday's snap election far more than any other party, but not enough to secure a majority without a coalition, Politico Europe reports. The big picture: It's unclear what Sanchez's path forward will look like. He'll need the support of separatist parties to form a government, but as Axios' Dave Lawler points out a dispute with pro-independence parties is what forced him to call the election in the first place. Sunday's election, which reportedly produced the highest voter turnout in Spanish history (75%), also saw far-right Vox pick up enough seats to enter parliament for the first time ever. Go deeper: The New York Times on everything you need to know about Spain's election At last month's St. Patrick's Day lunch in the Capitol, President Trump told Richard Neal, the powerful Democratic chairman of the House's tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, that he wants to spend close to $2 trillion on infrastructure, according to two sources to whom Neal recounted his conversation. The big picture: Trump's 2020 Budget calls for just $200 billion in additional infrastructure spending. A spokesperson for Neal did not comment on this reporting. A former senior White House official told me that on infrastructure, Trump's instincts are much closer to Elizabeth Warren's than they are to his tight-fisted acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney. Why it matters: Trump meets on Tuesday with Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi to discuss infrastructure. These meetings usually amount to nothing besides a media circus. But Democrats still take these meetings in fact, Pelosi requested this one because they know that, left to his own devices, Trump would happily spend a ton of federal money on infrastructure. (It's his own party that won't let him.) The dirty secret which multiple senior White House officials have confirmed to me is that Trump hates the infrastructure plan his own White House released last year. In private, he has referred to it dismissively as "Gary's plan," a shot at his former top economic adviser Gary Cohn. which multiple senior White House officials have confirmed to me is that Trump hates the infrastructure plan his own White House released last year. In private, he has referred to it dismissively as "Gary's plan," a shot at his former top economic adviser Gary Cohn. The heart of "Gary's plan" was to build infrastructure through "public-private partnerships" leveraging a modest amount of government spending to stimulate private investment in projects around the country. Democratic leaders have no interest in public-private partnerships. Neither does Trump. Even though he himself has benefited richly from public-private partnerships (as with the Trump International Hotel in D.C.), he has told aides he thinks they don't work and that they need to spend real federal money instead. Behind the scenes: Trump came into office imagining a presidency in which new projects "built by the Trump administration" would be erected all over the country, sources close to him tell me. "There was a genuine naivete about the prospect of Democrats and Republicans coming together to do something on a grand scale with infrastructure," a former White House official told me. "It was one of those things where Trump said it was gonna be easy. He really thought so." In an early 2017 infrastructure meeting at the White House with his friend, New York real estate billionaire Richard LeFrak, Trump laid out his grand Trumpian vision. "They say Eisenhower was the greatest infrastructure president. They named the highway system after him," Trump said, per a source who was in the room. "But we're going to do double, triple, quadruple, what Eisenhower did." What's next? Nobody will come into the Tuesday meeting with an infrastructure plan, according to White House, administration and Democratic leadership sources whove discussed the meeting plans with me. And there are no plans to present even a top-line figure or a list of ways to offset new spending. "The whole thing comes under the heading of an ongoing discussion," a senior administration official with direct knowledge of the plans for Tuesday's meeting told me. "Nobody wants to lay down specific markers. Nobody wants to rule in; nobody wants to rule out." The White House team working on the issue led by Larry Kudlow seems much less excited than Democrats are about new, large-scale federal spending on infrastructure. Instead, they are focused on cutting permitting regulations, making it easier to spur energy development, and signing a longer-term transportation funding bill. Go deeper: Inside Pelosi and Schumer's prep for Tuesday's meeting President Trump told a Green Bay, Wisconsin, rally Saturday that his administration is sending undocumented migrants to sanctuary cities. "Last month alone, 100,000 illegal immigrants arrived at our borders, placing a massive strain on communities ... and public resources, like nobody has ever seen before. Now we're sending many of them to sanctuary cities, thank you very much. They ain't too happy about it. I'm proud to tell you that was actually my sick idea." The state of play: The Department of Homeland Security has yet to announce the sanctuary cities plan. Senior White House officials and immigration lawyers have told Axios U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement wouldn't have enough funds for it and there'd be major liabilities if anyone got hurt during transfers. The Democratic National Committee said on Twitter that Trump's migrant remarks were "disgusting." A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted. The big picture: Trump covered a range of issues at the rally in Wisconsin a key battleground state held the same night as the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. Key topics included: The U.S. economy's strength: The Commerce Department said Friday gross domestic product increased at an annual rate of 3.2 percent in the first quarter of 2019. The Commerce Department said Friday gross domestic product increased at an annual rate of 3.2 percent in the first quarter of 2019. Condemnation for "the evil of anti-Semitism and hate" and condolences for the California synagogue shooting victims. for "the evil of anti-Semitism and hate" and condolences for the California synagogue shooting victims. Defense of deals with Saudi Arabia: " You had people wanting to cut off Saudi Arabia," Trump told the crowd. "They bought $450 billion. I dont want to lose them. You had people wanting to cut off Saudi Arabia," Trump told the crowd. "They bought $450 billion. I dont want to lose them. Democrats' efforts to pursue his administration in the wake of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation findings which Trump called the "collusion delusion." to pursue his administration in the wake of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation findings which Trump called the "collusion delusion." Personal attacks on potential Democratic presidential rivals, including front-runners Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. on potential Democratic presidential rivals, including front-runners Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. Former FBI and Justice Department officials, whom he called "scum." By 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, Trend reports with reference to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Azerbaijan was elected deputy chairman of the Customs Cooperation Council of the World Customs Organization (WCO), head of the Europe Region at the WCO Europe Region Heads of Customs Conference held in St. Petersburg, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee. During the conference, the head of the UK Customs Service voiced a positive opinion about Azerbaijan. The representatives of the customs services of Kazakhstan, Turkey and Belarus also expressed positive opinions. Following the discussions, Azerbaijan was elected deputy chairman of the Customs Cooperation Council of the World Customs Organization, head of the Europe Region for a period of two years. The reports of the head of the European Regional Office of Capacity Building of the World Customs Organization, located in Baku were heard. Then the elections for the post of Deputy Chairman of the Customs Cooperation Council of the World Customs Organization, Head of the Europe Region were held. The Customs Cooperation Council of the World Customs Organization unites 53 countries. During the event, the Azerbaijani delegation was represented by chairman of the State Customs Committee, Lieutenant-General of the Customs Service Safar Mehdiyev. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Turkmenistan has signed two memorandums on cooperation in the organization of insurance and reinsurance with UK insurance brokers, Trend reports referring to the State News Agency of Turkmenistan. In particular, the local company Hazar atiyaclandyrys OJSC (Hazar insurance) has entered into agreements with insurance brokers Ed Broking LLP and United Insurance Brokers Ltd. In Turkmenistan, 27 enterprises with the participation of UKcapital and 180 investment projects with the participation of UK companies totaling over $1.7 billion are registered. It was mentioned during the Turkmenistan-UK Trade & Industry Council (TUKTIC) held in Ashgabat, in which the trade representative of the UK Prime Minister Baroness Emma Nicholson took part. Turkmenistan, as a country that has rich resources and economic potential and demonstrates high dynamics of development, is open to effective interaction with the UK as one of its strategic partners, Turkmenistan State News Agency said. During the negotiations, it was also stated that there are huge opportunities and mutual potential for a significant increase in foreign trade relations, including through the implementation of new investment projects. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Part 2: Seven Freakiest Things I've Seen on the Oregon Coast Published 04/27/2019 at 3:53 PM PDT By Andre' Hagestedt (Oregon Coast) Freaky glowing sand, an unexplained glow on the horizon, and sea foam performing bizarre aerial stunts. Sounds like an alternate dimension or an alien world, doesnt it? Nope, its simply the Oregon coast. In part one of this list of the weird, I went back decades, almost to the very beginning of my experiences with the area (which actually would be as a kid, growing up in Salem and visiting Yachats around 1970, but thats another story). The above examples started in the 80s, and then I moved forward to 93 and just a tad beyond. I also let loose one bit truly stranger than fiction: I grew up hating the coast. An absolutely crazy concept for someone who now admits a complete obsession for the region. These early experiences helped cement my fanaticism for these beaches, and theres a lot more on these and other finds in the book series Ive written recently (theres currently four soon to be ten of them). This list of seven had to be broken up into two parts because the article was so huge. Here are the final four of the weirdest stuff I've personally seen on these beaches. Rainbow in a Raging Pink Sky (above). Sometime in spring 2002, this scene presented itself just east of Pacific City. A crazy, angry bank of clouds was moving in from the east, while the coastal sunset hit it with wild colors and tinted it in pinks and reds. Rain was beginning to fall, and lightning could be seen in the distance. For a brief time, this collection of conditions created a rainbow in the midst of this almost sepia-toned moment. Its blues and greens were largely cut out by the fierce cast of the reds from behind, but it remained visible. Down the road, in Neskowin, the lightning was directly overhead, and created the most thunderous, cataclysmic noise imaginable. Lighthouse In a Bubble. Sometime in the early 2000s, Cape Meares Lighthouse went under the knife for a few months of renovations and refurbishing. Few things were more startling than to walk up to this beauty and find it all covered up in a white bubble reminiscent of those scenes in the movie E.T when the government covered up the familys house in a kind of quarantine. It was freaky and pretty funny, and I was lucky enough to see it in person. Crusty Historic Cannon. One of the more remarkable finds of the last century happened at Arch Cape in 2008, when a teenager from Lake Oswego stumbled across the remnants of two legendary cannon that were first spotted here in the 1840s, but had been missing since. They came from a shipwreck way up in Astoria, and the third cannon was pulled from the surf back then, later creating the name Cannon Beach. For awhile, Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) had them soaking in giant tubs at Nehalem Bay State Park, part of the preparation for restoration. They were covered in a thick layer of concretion - various earthy elements that had compacted around them over 150 years. I was lucky enough to be at the big press conference on the subject and got to see and touch them in this state. Its a rare moment in Oregon history that I got to be a part of (and admittedly its not weird, per se, just remarkable.) Theyve since been fully restored and are at the maritime museum in Astoria. See the original press conference Bubbles in the Surf of North Oregon Coast. Periodically, visitors and residents alike on the coast get startled by the occurrence of brown waves, usually appearing in the form of brown goo or large blobs of the stuff. This happens in the Seaside/Gearhart area more than anywhere else, and it often causes visitors there to run to local stores and tourism agencies to inquire about whether this is pollution or an oil spill or whatever unsavory possibility. Theres nothing to be alarmed about, and in fact its a sign of a healthy ocean. The cause is a lot of phytoplankton in the water, something that happens in great numbers in that area because of the nutrients coming down from the Columbia River. These feed the tiny, microscopic plants and allow for enormous blooms of the stuff so much so they appear as bundles of brown bubbles. The picture here is from about 2011. Oregon Coast Lodgings in these areas - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours - More photos below: More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. The execution of John William King on Wednesday closed one chapter in the book of an unthinkable crime, but its hard to feel much satisfaction from this result. King was the second killer of James Byrd Jr. to be put to death by the state, with a third accomplice, Shawn Berry, locked up until at least 2038, if he lives that long. If King were still sitting in a prison cell just like Berry and for that matter, Lawrence Brewer no one could doubt that they were being punished, and punished severely, for their horrendous murder. We purposely waited a few days to consider this editorial, to see if a valid reason for the death penalty surfaced, but it hasnt. All residents of Jasper, Southeast Texas and the entire state are left with the strange rationale that the penalty for taking a human life is exactly what the state does to the perpetrator. There is no doubt that this was a ghastly crime, one of the worst in the states history. But theres no nice way to kill someone, and every Texas inmate on death row did something beyond the comprehension of most people. They killed someone, and undoubtedly caused enormous terror for their victims while that crime was happening. In turn, their family and friends are haunted with grief and an unending sense of loss. The person they knew is not just gone forever, but taken from them in a cruel and senseless manner. In the minds of many people, losing your life is the appropriate punishment for taking one. But capital punishment is a flawed, erratic way of dispensing justice. Its more expensive than long-term incarceration, costing taxpayers many hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees for trials and appeals that stretch out over a decade or two. Not all murderers are executed either, even though all of them committed the ultimate crime. Some killers grew up so abused by their parents and surroundings that their descent into crime was not that unexpected. They lost the birth lottery, but what if you had? Over the years, in Texas and other states, its also likely that a few innocent people were executed for murders they didnt commit, or had a lesser role than prosecutors charged. Some inmates have been saved from that fate just in time, after years on death row. Given the inherent imperfection of human activity, its hard to imagine that a few didnt take that final walk undeservedly. Taxpayers have none of those concerns for inmates serving life sentences. If a handful of them are innocent, it can be eventually proved. If, like most, they truly committed a beastly act, they will answer for it every day of the rest of their lives. They will wake up and go to sleep in one of the most unpleasant places in Texas, a state prison. They can think every day about what they did and why it was wrong. For the religious among us, this gives them a chance to repent. Its over, and no one will miss King. He didnt do much during his time on Earth except cause heartache to others. But his death didnt bring back James Byrd Jr. or erase this terrible crime. All it did, for a brief period Wednesday evening, was give the state of Texas something in common with him. General view of Donegall Square North in Belfast City Centre where a man in his sixties was assaulted on Saturday evening. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye An assault and a robbery carried out in the space of just a few hours in Belfast may be linked, police have said. A man in his 60s was assaulted in the Donegall Square North area of the city at around 7pm on Saturday. A shop on North Queen Street was then robbed by two men at 12.30am on Sunday. Police believe a taser stun gun may have used in each incident. The man was assaulted in the vincity of Belfast City Hall by an unknown male. It was reported the suspect pinned the victim to the ground before punching him and then fleeing on foot. Police believe a taser stun gun may have been used by the suspect during the assault. Detective Sergeant Eric Fairfield said: "This must have been an extremely distressing ordeal for the victim who was treated at the scene by staff from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service. "The suspect is described as being of a heavy build, with black hair and thought to be aged in his late twenties. He is reported to have worn a red Adidas tracksuit top that was zipped with a white hood underneath, black tracksuit bottoms with white stripes down the side and white trainers." "Our enquiries are at an early stage, and I would appeal to anyone who saw what happened to get in touch with us. " Police are also appealing for witnesses and information following the report of a robbery on North Queen Street. Two men entered the shop, one of whom was armed with what was described as a taser stun gun. They threatened a member of staff before fleeing with a sum of money. The staff member was not injured but was left shocked by the traumatic ordeal. Detective Sergeant Fairfield said: "One of the suspects is described as being tall and wore a red and white Adidas jacket, green shorts, white trainers and had his head and face covered. "The second suspect is described as wearing a blue/green-coloured jacket with white stripes on the sleeves, grey knee-length shorts and had his face covered. "We believe these two incidents may be linked and I want to appeal to anyone who has information about either of them and which may assist our investigation, or who witnessed either incident to call detectives at Musgrave on the non emergency number 101, quoting reference number 38 of 28/04/19 or 1044 of 27/04/19." Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Police and forensic experts at the scene. Photo By Justin Kernoghan A murder inquiry has been launched after a 21-year-old man died from stab wounds following an incident at a house in Crumlin. Emergency services were called to Cairn Walk at around 2.50am on Saturday. The victim was taken to Antrim Area Hospital for treatment of his injuries. Detective Inspector Michelle Griffin said: "Sadly, the man died this morning as a result of his injuries. "Four men aged 19, 24, 25 and 29 are in custody in connection with the incident and are assisting us with our enquiries. "I am appealing to anyone who was in the Cairn Walk area at around 2:50am yesterday morning and has information which may assist our investigation to contact detectives by calling the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 141 of 27/04/19." It was reported yesterday that three men aged in their twenties and a teenage girl were taken from the scene to hospital for treatment. It is understood two of the men who have been arrested were also treated in hospital. One of the men arrested remains in hospital. A Northern Ireland Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We got the call at 2.54am following reports of a stabbing incident in Cairn Walk. "We sent a rapid response paramedic, three ambulance crews and ambulance officers to the scene. All three crews took patients to the Antrim Area Hospital." South Africa: Concerns over recent murders in Northern Cape The recent brutal killings in communities in the Northern Cape have been condemned by MEC of Transport, Safety and Liaison, Lebogang Motlhaping. A number of murders have been recorded in the last few weeks, including the brutal killings of teenagers, an elderly person and more recently a two-year-old toddler. The provincial police reported the gruesome discovery of a two-year-old in Delportshoop. The baby girl was found submerged under water in the Vaal River. It is alleged that a 41-year-old man had attempted to rape the little girls mother before snatching her. Her body was discovered later on. A suspect has been arrested and appeared in the Barkley West Magistrates Court on multiple charges including kidnapping and murder. Motlhaping said he was concerned with the murders and their brutal and senseless nature. He said such criminality was not only immoral but had no place in communities. Everyone deserves to live in peace, free from fear and deserves the right to life. It is important that communities continue to join hands with the police to rid communities of criminals and criminal elements destroying them, Motlhaping said. He said no parent deserves to go through such an ordeal nor a family lose the life of a loved one at the hands of a criminal. The MEC commended the efforts of the police in making a swift arrest. He reiterated the call for communities to continue to work together with the police to collectively rid communities of criminality. Criminals are known in communities and ridding them from communities needs collective efforts from everyone, including the efforts of the intelligence driven operations by law enforcement. Motlhaping also called on anyone with information on any cases being investigated by police to come forward and share the information, as any information is valuable in resolving crimes and putting criminals behind bars. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-04-28. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Voters in Northern Ireland should send a message to politicians who have failed to restore powersharing at Stormont, the SDLP leader has said. Colum Eastwood urged voters to reclaim their government by turning their backs on the politicians who have done the same to the people of Northern Ireland. Mr Eastwood made the comments ahead of canvassing in support of local SDLP candidates on Monday where he will be joined by Fianna Fail Leader Micheal Martin. Both leaders said local and European elections present an opportunity to support candidates who are willing to work for everyone. Expand Close Micheal Martin and Colum Eastwood (Niall Carson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Micheal Martin and Colum Eastwood (Niall Carson/PA) Mr Eastwood said: As the primary architects and builders of the Good Friday Agreement, the SDLP and Fianna Fail are determined to ensure that our peoples right to a government is no longer denied. The institutions at Stormont werent simply meant to secure the peace, they were also designed to deliver real economic and social progress for our people. Unlike in Scotland, that opportunity for a responsive and dynamic government was wasted by the DUP and Sinn Fein. Theirs is a record of incompetence, blind party interest and eventual collapse. Faced with Brexit and a dangerous political vacuum, our people have been denied their right to a government and an assembly. The public have paid the cost of their failure its now time they both paid an electoral cost. The SDLP leader said his party, in partnership with Fianna Fail, offer a politics that will deliver on the day-to-day needs of people while building an Ireland for all. The snake was returned to its owner (McGills Buses/PA) A fare-dodging snake had to be removed from a bus after alarming passengers. McGills Buses posted an image of the reptile slithering along a window ledge on its service in Paisley, Renfrewshire. The pet is said to have escaped from a passengers bag on Friday. Our Inspector Mick removing a fare dodging passenger from a bus in Paisley yesterday Now safely back with its owner but we hope it adder good time. Posted by McGill's Buses on Saturday, April 27, 2019 McGills said on Facebook: Our Inspector Mick removing a fare dodging passenger from a bus in Paisley yesterday. Now safely back with its owner but we hope it adder good time. Bus inspector Mick McArthur was pictured with the pet, believed to be a corn snake, safely in a bag. The creature was reunited with its owner after a phone call to lost property. Ralph Roberts, McGills managing director, told the BBC News website: Mick took one look at it and said he thought it was just a corn snake. He lifted it up and kept it safe before it could upset any of the passengers. MPs will vote on Wednesday whether to declare an environmental and climate emergency following mass protests over political inaction in addressing the crisis. Labour will force a Commons vote on the issue, one of the key demands of the Extinction Rebellion (XR) movement, whose activists paralysed parts of London in previous weeks. Jeremy Corbyn said he hoped other countries would follow if the UK Parliament became the first in the world to declare a climate emergency. For young people, the climate emergency is the cause of their generation. And we in older generations must face up to this seriouslyJeremy Corbyn The move was backed by 16-year-old activist Greta Thunberg, who has been nominated for the Nobel peace prize for her campaign to tackle climate change. XR is calling for Government to tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency setting out the need for urgent change. Mr Corbyn praised the inspiring climate activism weve seen in recent weeks and said it was a massive and necessary wake up call for rapid and dramatic action. As part of their protest, which saw key parts of central London occupied by activists, a small group of XR activists targeted Mr Corbyns home by using a bike lock on a fence and then gluing themselves together. Mr Corbyn said: For young people, the climate emergency is the cause of their generation. And we in older generations must face up to this seriously. We have to have a much more focused and serious approach towards climate change and the damage were doing to our planet. We want a world for those in countries worst affected by and least to blame for climate change and our young people. On Wednesday, the UK Parliament will have the chance to be the first in the world to declare an environment and climate emergency, which we hope will trigger a wave of action from parliaments and governments around the world. Labours policy is for the UK to achieve net zero emissions before 2050, an ambition which falls far short of Extinction Rebellions call for a 2025 deadline. The Opposition pointed to official figures showing a 2% reduction in emissions last year, suggesting that a level compatible with net zero emissions would not be reached until 2100. Expand Close Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg met politicians including Jeremy Corbyn and Green MP Caroline Lucas during a visit to Westminster (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg met politicians including Jeremy Corbyn and Green MP Caroline Lucas during a visit to Westminster (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Labours actions were praised by Miss Thunberg, the Swedish teenager who has sparked a wave of youth climate protests around the world. She said: It is very hopeful that a major European political party has woken up to propose a declaration of a national climate emergency. It is a great first step because it sends a clear signal that we are in a crisis and that the ongoing climate and ecological crises must be our first priority. We cannot solve an emergency without treating it like an emergency. I hope that the other UK political parties join in and together pass this motion in Parliament and that political parties in other countries will follow their example. Labour will use an opposition motion to push Parliament to act with urgency to avoid more than 1.5C of global warming, which requires worldwide emissions to fall by about 45% from 2010 levels by 2030, reaching net zero before 2050. The motion will call for targets for the mass rollout of renewable and low-carbon energy and transport, properly-funded environmental protection measures to reverse the trend in species decline and plans to move towards a zero-waste economy. The family of the crash victim have spoken of their devastation (Andrew Milligan/PA) A great-grandmother who died following a two-vehicle crash on a major road has been named by police. Katrina Smith, 76, was fatally injured in the collision on the A96 Forres to Inverness road near Brodie in Moray. Ms Smith, from the Burghead area, was driving a grey Peugeot car when it was involved in the collision with a silver Isuzu pick-up at around 5.55am on Sunday. In a statement issued via police, her family said: We are devastated at the loss of our much loved mam, granny and great granny. Expand Close Police have named the crash victim as Katrina Smith (Police Scotland/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police have named the crash victim as Katrina Smith (Police Scotland/PA) A 25-year-old man who was in the pick-up was airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary by helicopter, having suffered significant injury, officers said. He remains in a serious condition at the hospital. Sergeant Scott Deans, of the road policing department, said: Our thoughts at this difficult time remain with those involved. Our investigations continue and in order to help piece together exactly what happened, I would urge anyone who may have seen either vehicle prior to the collision, or who saw the incident itself and who hasnt yet come forward, to contact police on 101, or speak to a police officer in person, quoting incident number 1012 of April 28. The road was closed for around 10 hours following the crash but has now reopened. The number of prescriptions for opioid painkillers has increased by 60% in the last 10 years, according to the Department of Health (Julien Behal/PA) Opioid painkillers will soon have to carry a prominent warning about the risk of addiction in a bid to tackle growing concerns around prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Prescriptions for opioid-based medication have increased 60% in the last 10 years to 23 million annually, according to Department of Health data. The drugs, derived from opium, have a sedative effect and can cause feelings of pleasure. A long-term dependency on prescription drugs can have life-changing consequences and similar side effects to illegal drugs. Users can build up a tolerance and require stronger doses to have the same effect, and suffer withdrawal symptoms when they try to quit. Although considerably lower risk than illegal street opioids like heroin, an overdose of prescription painkillers can still kill the user. A number of high-profile figures have admitted a dependency on prescription drugs, notably Ant McPartlin of showbiz duo Ant and Dec. The presenter has been open about his stints in rehab trying to tackle his addiction to painkillers, which began following a knee operation in 2015. We must act now to protect people from the darker side to painkillersMatt Hancock, Health Secretary The prescription opioid crisis in the US is now so severe that in 2017 the countrys Department of Health declared a national emergency. It estimated that by 2017, 11.4 million people in the country were misusing prescription painkillers. Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced on Sunday that packaging on common medications such as morphine or fentanyl will now have to carry a warning informing patients about the risk of addiction. Dependence on the drug can have devastating consequences for the user. We know that long-term use of painkillers can lead to life-altering and sometimes fatal addictionsProf Dame Sally Davies, chief medical officer for England Mr Hancock said: I have been incredibly concerned by the recent increase in people addicted to opioid drugs. Painkillers were a major breakthrough in modern medicine and are hugely important to help people manage pain alongside their busy lives but they must be treated with caution. We know that too much of any painkiller can damage your health, and some opioids are highly addictive and can ruin lives like an illegal drug. Things are not as bad here as in America, but we must act now to protect people from the darker side to painkillers. We need to place a greater focus on making sure that these medicines are used appropriately and for pain management alone, and make sure people are fully aware of the risks. The wording of the warning must be based on guidance from the Commission on Human Medicines opioid expert working group and will be enforced by the UKs Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Professor Dame Sally Davies, chief medical officer for England, said: We know that long-term use of painkillers can lead to life-altering and sometimes fatal addictions so I am delighted to see measures put in place to raise awareness of the risks of codeine and prescribed drugs. It is vital that anyone who is prescribed strong painkillers takes them only as long as they are suffering from serious pain. As soon as the pain starts to alleviate, the drugs have done their job, and it is important to switch to over-the-counter medication like paracetamol which do not carry the same risk of addiction that comes with long-term use. A specific deadline for the introduction of the warning has not yet been set but the regulator thinks a review could be concluded within the year. A spokesman for the MHRA said: We are working as quickly as possible to introduce regulatory changes once all the evidence has been assessed. These labelling changes are a first step in a number of regulatory measures being developed. It will take a certain amount of time for the new packaging to reach patients. While we have not given the Expert Working Group a specific deadline, we have asked them to work promptly and, given the progress already made, we anticipate the review will be completed in 2019. Theresa May is braced for an electoral backlash over Brexit as voters prepare to go to the polls on Thursday. Senior Tories acknowledged the party faces a difficult night in the local elections in England, with one expert predicting the party will lose more than 800 seats. Worse could follow if May 23s European elections take place, with opinion polls suggesting the Conservatives lie a distant third behind the Brexit Party and Labour. Tory chairman Brandon Lewis acknowledged huge frustration among grassroots members and activists as he pleaded with them to back the Conservatives rather than Nigel Farages party. Deputy chairwoman Helen Whately admitted the local elections are going to be a difficult night for us. Election pundit and Tory peer Lord Hayward said he expected the Conservatives to lose more than 800 councillors and marked losses of control of authorities. The Tories are at an historic high for a governing party after nine years in power, he said. A fall from that level is therefore inevitable at some stage and it will come this year with force. He suggested Labour would gain around 300 seats from the Tories and the Liberal Democrats 500. Elections will take place at 248 councils in England and Ms Whately admitted the contests in England were a chance to kick the Government and said she had seen more anger than before on the doorstep. Great to talk to @SophyRidgeSky this morning about local elections, reasons to vote for well-run @Conservatives councils, future of Conservative party, US President visit... quite a lot in one interview in fact. @SkyNews @RidgeOnSunday pic.twitter.com/e2y9wFrF5o Helen Whately (@Helen_Whately) April 28, 2019 Speaking to Sky News Sophy Ridge On Sunday, she said: I think theres no doubt that its going to be a difficult night for us. She said it was down to the fact that the seats which were up for grabs this time round were last contested in 2015, the high point for her party but acknowledged that frustrations over Brexit were also a factor. Ms Whately rejected claims that Theresa May was a problem and said she was not sure it would be helpful for the Prime Minsiter to be more clear in setting out a timetable for her departure. Mr Lewis insisted it was still a possibility that a Brexit deal could be approved by MPs which would mean the May 23 European elections would not be required, but such an outcome appears highly unlikely given the lack of progress in talks with Labour. Expand Close Brandon Lewis (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Brandon Lewis (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Asked when the Tories would launch their campaign, he told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show: Our first priority is to not have to fight the European elections. I think we should be looking to do everything we can to respect that 2016 referendum. If and when we are at the point where we know we are definitely fighting those European elections then we will take some decisions about that. He played down reports about donors deserting the party, insisting that 2018 had been a record peacetime fundraising year. But he added: I dont deny the frustration people in our party have over where we are on Brexit. I share that frustration, I want to get this done so we dont fight those European elections. Polls have suggested that Tory members, and even elected councillors, will back the Brexit Party on May 23. Mr Lewis said: I fully appreciate the huge frustration that particularly our members and councillors have, that we havent left the EU yet and we might have to fight these elections at all. But if we do, I hope theyll vote Conservative. Derbyshires Tory councillors have already said they will not campaign for Conservative candidates in the contest, but Mr Lewis said he hoped his party would unite behind its would-be MEPs. I hope that Conservative members, colleagues, volunteers, activists will come to want to not just vote for, but campaign for Conservatives to get elected, because ultimately Conservative representation is better than any other party, he said. A YouGov study for Hope Not Hate put the Tories on 13% for the European contest, behind the Brexit Party on 28% and Labour on 22%. Latest European Parliament voting intention (23-26 April) Brexit Party - 28% Lab - 22% Con - 13% Green - 10% Change UK - 10% Lib Dem - 7% UKIP - 5% Other - 6%https://t.co/mH1jYT91dG pic.twitter.com/m9TfNpx5iQ YouGov (@YouGov) April 28, 2019 The Tories were just three points ahead of the Greens and Change UK on 10%, with the Liberal Democrats on 7% and Ukip on 5% in the poll of 5,412 British adults conducted between April 23 and 26. Brexiteer former Cabinet minister Priti Patel said the mood is dark on the doorstep. She told BBC Radio 4s Westminster Hour: The public are frustrated. They are fed up I think more widely with politics and the way in which Brexit has been handled and in particular the fact that, as many people say to me in my constituency, they expected us to leave effectively on March 29. This has not happened. An electoral mauling in either of Mays contests could heap further pressure on the Prime Minister to quit, and potential successors have been setting out their stalls. Treasury Chief Secretary Liz Truss burnished her free market credentials by condemning a worrying outbreak of neo-puritanism. The Sunday Telegraph reported an essay written by Ms Truss for the Freer think tank in which she attacked the nannying tendency of the state. The assumption is that society is a machine where levers can be pulled, the handle can be cranked, and better results will ensue. So, there are calls to regulate or ban foods too high in sugar or fat, to reduce obesity. But people arent machines they are agents of their own destiny, it read. Justice minister Rory Stewart, another potential leadership contender, said the only hope for our party surviving is for us to be a very broad church which could include moderates and hardline Brexiteers. On BBC Radio 5 Lives Pienaars Politics, Mr Stewart said he would not serve under a leader who wanted a no-deal Brexit, warning about the danger of polarising, extreme right-wing politics. Asked if he could remain in a Conservative Party led by Boris Johnson, Mr Stewart said: I would find that difficult if he were campaigning for a no-deal Brexit. Pope Francis has donated 500,000 US dollars (387,000) to help migrants in Mexico offering assistance to local projects that provide food, lodging and basic necessities. The funds, from the Peters Pence collections, will be distributed among 27 projects promoted by 16 Mexican dioceses and religious congregations, Peters Pence said in a statement. Expand Close Migrants cross the border between Mexico and Guatemala (Moises Castillo/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Migrants cross the border between Mexico and Guatemala (Moises Castillo/AP) In recent months, thousands of migrants have arrived in Mexico, travelling on foot or with makeshift vehicles from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. But they have been blocked at the border with the United States. In particular, the aid is intended to assist the more than 75,000 people who arrived in Mexico in 2018, in six migrant caravans. All these people were stranded, unable to enter the United States, without a home or livelihood, the statement says. Emergency crews work at the scene of a construction crane collapse in Seattle (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times via AP) A construction crane fell from a building on Googles new Seattle campus during a storm that brought wind gusts, crashing down on to one of the citys busiest streets and killing four people. One female and three males had died by the time firefighters had arrived on Saturday afternoon, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said. Two of the dead were ironworkers who had been inside the crane while the other two were people who were inside cars, Fire Department spokesman Lance Garland said. A 25-year-old mother and her four-month-old daughter were in a car that was smashed by the crane on its passenger side, and both managed to escape with only minor injuries, Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan said, calling it a miracle. They and a 28-year-old man were taken to Harborview Medical Centre. A fourth person also was injured and treated at the scene. This is a tragic day in Seattle with this catastrophic incident in the heart of our city. My heart breaks for those who lost loved ones today. Please avoid the area so that investigators can continue their work. https://t.co/zlI5hYDR9Z Mayor Jenny Durkan (@MayorJenny) April 28, 2019 The King County Medical Examiners Office said it would not release names of people who died until Monday. There has been a major incident at Fairview Ave & Mercer. Please avoid the area. @SeattleFire, @seattledot, @OEMSeattle, & @SeattlePD are coordinating our response. My thoughts and prayers are with those killed and injured. Mayor Jenny Durkan (@MayorJenny) April 27, 2019 My thoughts and prayers are with those killed and injured, Ms Durkan said on Twitter. The crane collapsed near the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue near Interstate 5 shortly before 3.30pm local time, Mr Scoggins said. The city has dozens of construction cranes building office towers and apartment buildings. As of January, there were about 60 construction cranes in Seattle, more than any other American city. Officials do not yet know the cause of the collapse. Police and the state Department of Labour and Industries were investigating, which Ms Durkan said could take months. Expand Close A construction crane fell in Seattle, pinning cars underneath (Greg Gilbert/The Seattle Times via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A construction crane fell in Seattle, pinning cars underneath (Greg Gilbert/The Seattle Times via AP) Daren Konopaski, the business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302, which represents heavy-equipment operators, told The Seattle Times he understood the crane was being dismantled when heavy winds moved through the area. We dont know, but thats what seems to have happened here, he said. We are in the process of trying to get information. The incident at Fairview Ave N and involved a crane that fell into traffic. 5 cars were crushed. There are a total of 4 fatalities, and 3 injured patients that have been transferred to the hospital. pic.twitter.com/HM3PBZ5Udt Seattle Fire Dept. (@SeattleFire) April 27, 2019 Update: the incident at Fairview Ave N and Mercer street has an 8th patient that was treated on-scene and not transported. This was the 6th car with damage from the fallen crane. Seattle Fire Dept. (@SeattleFire) April 28, 2019 The National Weather Service in Seattle said a line of showers moved over Seattle just about the time the crane fell. An observation station on nearby Lake Union showed winds kicked up with gusts of up to 23mph at 3.28pm, just about the time officials said the crane fell. It was terrifying, witness Esther Nelson, a biotech researcher who was working in a building nearby, told the newspaper. The wind was blowing really strong, she said, and added that the crane appeared to break in half. Half of it was flying down sideways on the building, she said. The other half fell down on the street, crossing both lanes of traffic. Washington state governor Jay Inslee said in a statement: Trudi and I join all Washingtonians in extending our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the four people who died in this afternoons tragic accident. The office building the crane fell from was badly damaged, with several of its windows smashed. A Google spokesperson said in a statement that the company was saddened to learn of the accident and that they were in communication with Vulcan, the real estate firm that is managing the site and working with authorities. Harborview spokeswoman Susan Gregg said on Saturday night that the mother and baby had been discharged, while the man injured was in satisfactory condition. 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 Trend: The Second Road and Belt International Cooperation Forum has continued in Beijing. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the Forum. Chairman of the Peoples Republic of China Xi Jinping welcomed Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and other heads of state and government. In his remarks, Chairman of the Peoples Republic of China Xi Jinping noted that the second Forum opened up new opportunities in terms of cooperation between the countries. The first session of the Forum was held under the motto Boosting connectivity to explore new sources of growth. The heads of state and government then posed for photos. President Ilham Aliyev then attended the second session on Strengthening policy synergy and building closer partnership. The head of state also participated the Forums third session on Promoting green and sustainable development to implement the UN 2030 Agenda. Addressing the session, President Ilham Aliyev thanked Chairman of the Peoples Republic of China Xi Jinping for the invitation. The head of state congratulated the Chinese people on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. President Ilham Aliyev described Azerbaijan and China as partner countries. The head of state noted that a Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of Silk Way Economic Belt was signed during his state visit to China in 2015. President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the development of infrastructure. Solid base of infrastructure was created in Azerbaijan, which serves to the benefit of us and our partners. Azerbaijan is also an energy exporting country. Exporting energy has created a substantial base and foundation for our development. We have used and continue to use our energy resources for the benefit of our people, and have achieved sustainable development. The diversification of economy is one of the key tasks today, the Azerbaijani President said. Pointing to the transport infrastructure, the head of state underlined the Alat Sea Trade Port and the newly launched Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway. Over 15,000 km of roads were built, the railroads were modernized in Azerbaijan. We are particularly actively involved in the East-West transport corridor, as well as in the development process of the North-South transport corridor. Air transportation infrastructure was created in Azerbaijan. Six international aiports were built. Azerbaijan is a country which has a largest fleet of 260 ships in the Caspian Sea. Azerbaijans potential continues increasing which creates good potential for international cooperation. Thanks to the economic development, the unemployment and poverty were reduced to 5 percent in Azerbaijan. Transport and energy security are a key element of national security, the head of state added. The President described the One Belt One Road as not only a transportation project, but also a project which contributes to peace, security and cooperation. On April 27, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev completed his working visit to Peoples Republic of China. BRACEBRIDGE, Ont. - The ongoing flooding plaguing Ontario's cottage country prompted another town to declare a state of emergency on Sunday as members of the Canadian Armed Forces descended on a nearby community to help with sandbagging before more rain arrives. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/4/2019 (969 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. BRACEBRIDGE, Ont. - The ongoing flooding plaguing Ontario's cottage country prompted another town to declare a state of emergency on Sunday as members of the Canadian Armed Forces descended on a nearby community to help with sandbagging before more rain arrives. Muskoka Lakes declared a state of emergency on Sunday after water levels in its namesake lake rose by 12 centimetres over the past 24 hours, said its mayor Phil Harding. Volunteer Regan French, 11, helps bag sand for flooding relief in Bracebridge, Ont., Sunday, April 28, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Thornhill "All estimates are suggesting that the water is going to continue to rise... Our primary concern in doing this is the safety of our residents," he said during a press conference. Muskoka Lakes is the latest community north of Toronto to take this step, after Huntsville, Minden Hills and Bracebridge all declared emergencies in the past week due to the fast-rising floodwaters. Bracebridge called the Canadian Armed Forces for more help in the battle against the flood as the forecast signals there is more rain on the way. Mayor Graydon Smith said that while there are dry conditions for a couple of days, the 25 millimetres of rain forecast for Wednesday means that the already-high water levels will take longer to recede. "While we're expecting things to come down in portions of the watershed over the next few days ... Wednesday could throw a bit of wrench into it," Smith told reporters Sunday morning. Lt.-Col. Graham Walsh told the same press conference that a group of reservists based in the Toronto area will deploy a total 60 soldiers to help with emergency efforts in Bracebridge. Thirty soldiers were already on site with the remainder to follow, he added, and their immediate plan was to help with sandbagging. Smith has said his town is dealing with a flood of "historical" proportions, with both higher water levels and more homes and residents affected than during the devastating floods of 2013. "If you go down and look at the Bracebridge Falls area, we've got a dam where the water is going straight over the top of it, and infrastructure that we built after 2013 ... that's completely submerged." He told reporters on Sunday that roughly 27,000 sandbags have already been distributed in the community, and he expected the flood conditions to linger for "several more days." "We're monitoring future weather closely, and hopeful that precipitation is minimal over the next week and that the system has a chance to flush itself out," Smith said. He said the rushing water is moving incredibly fast, and urged people not to drive on closed roadways, while noting that people have been seen on Jet Skis and in a boat near the mouth of the river. In addition to the danger due to what Smith called a "massive amount of debris" in the surging waters, those "touring around" were hampering sandbagging efforts, he said. "There were people down there actively trying to sandbag their properties and then they had to deal with the wake off these watercrafts... That's unacceptable," he said. In nearby Minden Hills, Mayor Brent Devolin said the water levels remain high but sub-zero temperatures overnight helped to stabilize the flooding. Like Bracebridge, the forecast calls for more rain by Wednesday or Thursday, but Devolin said he is not expecting to require help from the Forces. "We'll continue to watch and monitor, and obviously those people in those flooded areas should continue to be diligent ... but I feel better than I did a couple of days ago," he said. By Armina Ligaya in Toronto OTTAWA - A new poll suggests support for Justin Trudeau, his government and his party sank to a new low this month, just six months before Canadians will decide whether to re-elect the Liberals or give them the boot after just one term. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/4/2019 (969 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shovels sand to fill sandbags in the Ottawa community of Constance Bay, as flooding continues to affect the region on Saturday, April 27, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang OTTAWA - A new poll suggests support for Justin Trudeau, his government and his party sank to a new low this month, just six months before Canadians will decide whether to re-elect the Liberals or give them the boot after just one term. But it also provides a glimmer of hope for the beleaguered prime minister, suggesting that support for Andrew Scheer and the Conservatives is soft and could yet dwindle as the Oct. 21 election draws closer. And it suggests the Liberals could rebound if the election plays out as a polarized choice between them and the Tories, squeezing out the NDP and Green party. According to the Leger poll, conducted April 18-22 for The Canadian Press, just 27 per cent of respondents said they'd vote for Trudeau's Liberals 13 points behind Scheer's front-running Conservatives, who, at 40 per cent, were in the range needed to win a majority of seats in the House of Commons. The Tories led in every region except Quebec, where the Liberals enjoyed an eight-point lead with 31 per cent support; the Conservatives and Bloc Quebecois were tied at 23 per cent. Nationally, the NDP had 12 per cent support, one point ahead of the Green party; Maxime Bernier's fledgling People's Party of Canada registered just three per cent. Only 30 per cent of respondents said they were very or somewhat satisfied with the Trudeau government while 65 per cent said they were very or somewhat dissatisfied worrying numbers for the prime minister that were reflected across every region and demographic group. Moreover, Trudeau was five points behind Scheer on the question of who would make the best prime minister, with 20 per cent to the Conservative leader's 25 per cent. Still, when asked if Canada would be better off with a Liberal or Conservative government, 30 per cent chose the Liberals and 25 per cent picked the Tories. Fully 45 per cent said they didn't know. Among respondents who identified as primarily NDP or Green supporters, a Liberal government was preferred by 48 and 42 per cent respectively, compared to just 18 and 23 per cent who preferred a Conservative government. "That again to me is sort of a yellow light for the Conservatives," said Leger executive vice-president Christian Bourque, adding that Conservative support appears to be "fairly soft." "Yes, they are in the lead but to what extent that lead is comfortable at this point, I certainly think it's not." Legers internet-based survey cannot be assigned a margin of error because online polls are not considered random samples. It surveyed 1,522 eligible Canadian voters who were recruited from the firms online panel. The results were weighted to reflect the makeup of Canadas population. Trudeau's popularity has taken a big hit since the SNC-Lavalin affair erupted in early February. He has lost two senior cabinet ministers, his most trusted adviser in principal secretary Gerald Butts, and the country's top public servant since allegations first appeared that former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould felt improperly pressured by the prime minister's office to halt the criminal prosecution of the Montreal engineering giant. The latest poll numbers are the lowest Leger has recorded for the Liberals and Trudeau since they took power in 2015. The poll suggests potentially more trouble for Trudeau is in store following the election of openly hostile conservative governments in provinces across the country, particularly Ontario and Alberta. Respondents were evenly split overall when asked if their province should be more demanding and contest federal decisions (as 41 per cent said) or do all it can to have an excellent and peaceful working relationship with Ottawa (40 per cent). But a plurality in Ontario and Manitoba-Saskatchewan (which Leger grouped together) and fully 60 per cent in Alberta preferred the more confrontational approach. Moreover, a plurality or majority of respondents in every region except Ontario said their province doesn't get its fair share from Ottawa. Even in Ontario, opinion was split, with 39 per cent saying the province is treated fairly and 37 per cent saying it's not. Noting that some provincial conservative leaders, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford and incoming Alberta premier Jason Kenney, won election by campaigning against the Trudeau government, Bourque said: "One more variable that Mr. Trudeau will need to consider in the next federal election is the fact that a lot of regional barons have turned people against Ottawa." On two other issues that might be factors in the coming election, the poll suggest the Liberals are more on side with public opinion. While Quebec respondents were strongly in favour of banning civil servants in positions of authority from wearing obvious religious symbols as the provincial government has already moved to do a plurality or majority of respondents in every other region were opposed. That could be to Trudeau's advantage: He has made the defence of charter rights and diversity a central pillar of his political appeal. However, Bourque said the poll suggests the issue is "not all black and white" given that sizable numbers of Canadians outside Quebec also favour banning religious symbols. Opinion was much more clear cut on the issue of gun control. More than 80 per cent of respondents indicated support for each of three key provisions in the Trudeau government's Bill C-71: requiring gun retailers to keep detailed registries of all gun sales, extending the police background check on a person applying for a gun permit to include his or her entire life and requiring authorization to transport restricted firearms. And 77 per cent said they were somewhat or strongly in favour of stricter gun control in general while just 17 per cent said they were somewhat or strongly opposed. TORONTO - Ontario's government-run cannabis distributor has cancelled its tender for couriers to make same-day pot deliveries. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/4/2019 (969 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In this June 28, 2017, photo, a finished marijuana product fills a bag at the Desert Grown Farms cultivation facility in Las Vegas. The Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation says it has cancelled its tender for couriers to make same-day pot deliveries. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-John Locher TORONTO - Ontario's government-run cannabis distributor has cancelled its tender for couriers to make same-day pot deliveries. The provincial corporation tasked with the online sale and distribution of recreational cannabis posted a cancellation notice on Friday via the Ontario government's tender portal. The Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation, which conducts e-commerce as the Ontario Cannabis Store, did not cite a specific reason for why it decided not to proceed, and the OCS was not immediately available for comment. The corporation first posted the tender in January, calling for "expedited same-day delivery" for OCS orders. The project was set to begin as early as March in the Greater Toronto Area. The OCS was the only way to legally buy recreational pot in Ontario until April 1, when the province's first bricks-and-mortar cannabis stores opened their doors. However, consumers can still only make online purchases of adult-use pot from the OCS. The tender cancellation comes after the Ontario Chamber of Commerce earlier this month called on the province to consider allowing consumers to buy pot directly from licensed producers and retailers to "improve customer convenience," among other recommendations. Ryan Dempsey, the chief executive of Ontario-based cannabis delivery service company Eddy Delivery, which had been vying for the contract, said he was surprised at the cancellation. Dempsey said he hopes the Ontario government will instead make changes to current regulations to allow for on-demand delivery of recreational pot, similar to the framework in place for alcohol in the province. If consumers were able to order directly via private retailers' e-commerce websites, it would be faster and more efficient as the orders would come from various retailers rather than just one provincial warehouse, he added. "In a lot of ways that would actually be an even more convenient solution for consumers than what this OCS potential solution would look like," he said. After Canada legalized recreational cannabis last October, consumers who ordered from the OCS faced lengthy delivery delays and product shortages as legal retailers across the country faced a supply crunch. The Ontario Ombudsman said in October it had received more than 1,000 complaints against the OCS about delays, billing problems and poor customer service. In December, citing national supply issues, the Ontario government said it was limiting the number of initial retail licences to 25 stores. OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau didn't close the door Sunday on using federal dollars to help relocate communities facing the recurring threat of severe flooding. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/4/2019 (969 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Residents paddle through flooded streets after a dike broke causing widespread flooding and forcing thousands of people to evacuate Sunday, April 28, 2019 in Ste.Marthe-sur-la-Lac, Que. .THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau didn't close the door Sunday on using federal dollars to help relocate communities facing the recurring threat of severe flooding. Flooding in New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario has forced the evacuation of thousands, and threatened more property as water continues to rise with peaks not expected along the Ottawa River until Tuesday. Since the Liberals took office in late 2015, the government has approved almost $1.27 billion in funding for 41 projects deemed "disaster mitigation," according to federal figures. The numbers show that only a handful of projects have started and many will take years to complete. In the meantime, Trudeau suggested, the federal government needed to make sure future infrastructure spending hit the "right" projects to "protect our communities and ensure their prosperity long-term." He said the country needed to look "new ways of ensuring" Canada was doing just that. "Once we secure the situation through this spring flooding season, we will have to have significant reflections and conversations on how we move forward," he said at a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. "(T)here is always much more to do and as we have conversations around how we build back, how we build back better and where we build back, indeed, the federal government will be a partner to the provinces and to the municipalities." Flooding is the most common disaster event in Canada and has been a focus of funding through the $2 billion, 10-year Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund that Infrastructure Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne oversees. Champagne plans to fast-track projects that could prevent flooding in areas currently under siege, but warned in a recent interview that not every project would be approved, particularly those that might not be able to hold back Mother Nature. Federal assistance to provinces for natural disaster costs is estimated to be $198.35 million this fiscal year, which ends March 2020, even though last year's estimates pegged the cost at $609 million. On CTV's Question Period, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said the program, called the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangement, has paid out more in the last six years than it did in the previous 40 years. He said the government would look at Quebec's proposals, and referenced the decision in High River, Alta., to not allow redevelopment in flooded areas. "Building better infrastructure, protective devices is also part of the equation, but we'll look at the proposal for relocation," Goodale said in the interview televised Sunday morning. International energy provider SSE has no plans to exit the consumer/retail market in Ireland amid rising speculation that it is ramping up attempts to sell its retail arm in the UK. The company trades here as SSE Airtricity and has around 740,000 Irish customers. Reports over the weekend, in the British media, suggested SSE has sounded out a number of companies - including telecom and broadband firm TakTalk - about a deal for its household energy supply division in Britain. Late last year SSE said it was continuing to consider all options surrounding the separation of its UK energy services business from its main group operations following the failure of a proposed merger between its retail operations in Britain and rival energy provider NPower. Any developments associated with SSEs energy services business in Great Britain will not affect the SSE Airtricity business or its customers in Ireland," a company spokesman said. SSE values its UK retail arm at 1bn (1.15bn) and plans to formally update investors on the division's future next month. SSE Airtricity has seen is Irish customer base decline by around 5% in the past two years. The company closed 2018 with 740,000 customers across the island of Ireland, down from 750,000 at the end of 2017 and 790,000 at the end of 2016. On the back of rising wholesale energy prices, the company raised its consumer prices twice last year - in line with competitors. It most recent hike, in December, pushed up customers' average annual electricity bill by over 60 and gas bills by over 52. SSE is looking to be a significant player in the Irish wind energy market, recently saying it hopes to complete the expansion of Ireland's only operational offshore wind farm, the seven-turbine Arklow Bank project off the Wicklow coast, and have it working at full capacity as a meaningful energy provider by the early 2020s. SSE has consent for up to 200 turbines at the site, but has said advances in technology over the past 15 years mean an installation of only 80-100 turbines would be needed to provide enough clean energy to power 420,000 homes and offset 640,000 tonnes of harmful carbon emissions per year. Many of the great stars of the 1980s are disappearing. Last week alone, we bade goodbye to businessman Feargal Quinn and to actor Ken Kercheval, the man who played the long suffering rival of JR Ewing, Cliff Barnes, on the TV soap, Dallas. The passing of Feargal Quinn is a matter of particular poignancy to those of us who experienced the full rigours of a particularly challenging decade. The best of the Superquinn stores served as exemplars of what could be achieved by Irish people when they put their mind to it. Over his long career Mr Quinn displayed many of the skills of an old style promoter. He may have been a man of modest physical size, but he knew instinctively how to draw attention to himself in the best manner possible. He was everything that blustering Cliff Barnes was not. Over time, he began to develop a business philosophy centred around a strong service offer to the customer, but at the heart of the Quinn strategy was an acute sense that full delivery on the promise to the customer implicit in the Superquinn brand would not be possible without the wholehearted backing of the workforce. Last Thursday, senior Mandate union official Gerry Light was quick to pay tribute to Feargal Quinn and the organisation he left behind. While the Superquinn name has all but disappeared a questionable decision this on the part of its current owner, Musgrave Group - much of the philosophy of the founder survives in the DNA of the organisation in spite of the fact that it is now almost 14 years since the Quinn family sold their stake in the company. As Mr Light noted, "the company still fully embraces trade unions." This may appear curious given that the company, as such, no longer exists yet a strong CEO leaves behind DNA and an abiding philosophy. The union leaders point is that when officials deal with the former Superquinn stores, they are still dealing with people who absorbed his ideas on how to go about business on a day-to-day basis. Measuring success in business is never easy. Superquinn, after all, ended up disappearing. In terms of size, it was bested by Dunnes Stores and ultimately by Tesco. It remained largely a Greater Dublin entity, though with a strong niche. When measured in terms of sales per square foot, it ended up in around 20th place among European supermarkets a pretty impressive performance. Feargal, of course, left the business with a large sack of money well over 400m - having sensed, one suspects, that a store group of his size would struggle to compete against the retailing behemoths. In the end he was outlasted by the Dunne family and in particular, by its remarkable CEO, Margaret Heffernan. Trade unionists lament the fact that Dunnes Stores has remained in their view hostile to trade unions while relations between Tesco and the unions have also deteriorated markedly in recent years. Mandate has been campaigning vigorously on the issue of working hours and in particular, on the lack of working hour security. There are few signs of melt in the Dunnes Stores iceberg when it comes to industrial relations. However, it does seem clear that Ms Heffernan and her senior team have been adopting large chunks of the Feargal Quinn script when it comes to customer service and staff retention. Anyone who visits flagship Dunnes Stores shops will be struck by the quality of the service and variety of the products on the shelves. There are echoes of the old Ben Dunne slogan 'Better Value Beats Them All' - in the competitive offers on the shelves. Familiar older faces remain at the tills alongside the burgeoning automated areas. It was noteworthy that both Ben Dunne Jr and Maurice Pratt two high profile grocery rivals of the 1980s and 1990s queued up to pay their respects. Both highlighted his personal courtesy while pointing to his legendary shrewdness. Mr Quinn was clearly, in turn, inspired by the example of his father, Eamonn a grocery innovator in his own right. Entrepreneurship runs in the blood. His cousin Lochlann Quinn was, for many years, the right hand man of Martin Naughton, the founder and CEO of the successful Co Louth-based manufacturer, Glen Dimplex. But he also drew on outside sources for his ideas. He was a particularly keen follower of US management guru Tom Peters whose book 'In Search of Excellence' became the first business book to really crack the bestseller lists after its publication in 1982. Mr Peters rolled out his homespun philosophy. "Kindness is Free and Turns a Profit" was his motto. A Vietnam veteran and trained engineer, he forged a career at the management consultancy McKinsey and in Silicon Valley before turning to writing and a stellar career speaking at business conferences. Mr Peters is correct when he states that while many senior managers have preached about their people being their most important asset, very few have actually "walked the walk" in that regard. In fact, many in senior management have gorged like fat hogs at the trough while their underlings have been left to swallow scraps. Over the past four decades, the pay packages of top Fortune-listed bosses have jumped almost tenfold in value while the median salary has edged by just over 10%. The political consequences are there for all to see. The Peters formula for customer satisfaction is simple. It is : K=R=P. Kindness = Repeat Business = Profit. This formula also captures the Quinn philosophy. Mr Peters cites the example of Starbucks boss, Howard Schultz who visits at least 25 shops each week. The idea, there, is if the boss "does not see it, does not smell it, he/she does not know whats going on". Mr Peters lavishes praise on capitalism "the business of America is business"- yet lauds the US Government for putting him through college. He also points to immigrants as people who are "the very essence of America." Feargal Quinns own homespun philosophy as contained in his book Crowning the Customer- is couched in short sentences and easily digested ones, rather like his sausages. Listening to customers including the first customer, the employee- is at its core. Somehow, in recent years, as technology has become deeply embedded and managements have retreated behind automated fences, in the effort to cut costs and pass administrative burdens onto customers, these lessons go unlearned. If anything, we are witnessing a financially-driven retreat from meaningful human encounters in spite of the spread of social media with its opportunities for immediate feedback. The undoubted popularity of Feargal Quinn arose from his ability to deliver the goods at affordable prices while retaining real humanity in the process. There are lessons here that his successors in the business world could usefully learn. Leading Middle East consultancy firm ValuStrat said it has acquired a majority shareholding in Capital Chartered, a UK firm specialising in various real estate advisory services including property valuations, building surveys, RICS HomeBuyer Reports, lease extensions and enfranchisement services. Capital Chartered is a reputable, RICS-regulated firm that has been successfully operating in London for over a decade. As per the deal, ValuStrat will supplement Capital Chartereds real estate offering in the UK with additional consulting services, both in real estate and other non-real estate sectors; services that it already provides to its large client base in the Middle East, such as strategic advisory, business planning, research, business valuations, plant and machinery valuations, due diligence and industrial consulting. The acquisition of a UK real estate consultancy company by a Middle Eastern firm is a unique transaction, which will further enhance ValuStrats geographical reach as well as its corporate profile and brand image. On the strategic move, ValuStrats chairman Shahid Umerani, said: "After creating a successful network of offices in the Middle East, we look to expand beyond this region and have chosen UK as our initial destination." "We will endeavour to maintain this trajectory and continue our efforts to identify and grow into other prominent locations and financial hubs across the world. Dubai will remain our centre of excellence and our headquarters, from where we will fuel our ambitions and goals," stated Umerani. Dubai-headquartered ValuStrat is a leading consulting group that has been providing advisory, valuations, due diligence, research and industrial consulting across a diverse range of industry sectors since 1978. With offices in the UAE, UK, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Qatar, it serves over 1,000 corporations, ranging from government and large multinationals to local corporations, family businesses and SMEs. Group CEO Shahid Kazi said: "This is a major milestone in ValuStrats growth story and our whole team is excited and energised at this acquisition. There is a strong nexus between the UK and the Middle East, and we are now ideally positioned to maximise this business potential for the benefit of our clients." "The UK is one of the oldest and most well-established real estate markets in the world, so it is exciting for any real estate professional to be working there," noted Kazi. Declan King, MRICS - Managing Director & Group Head of Real Estate, ValuStrat, said: "Several of our existing clients in the Middle East have active presence in the UK and it gives us great pleasure that we can now serve them in the UK as well." Fraser Maldoom, FRICS director, Capital Chartered, said: "We are delighted to deliver our company into the ValuStrat Group, whose strong infrastructure and diverse consulting services will provide support and depth from which we can grow our London expertise into new areas of work." Robin Jones, MRICS director, Capital Chartered was equally enthusiastic. This is a great step in Capital Chartereds evolution, a testament to the quality of services that we provide and endorses the strength of our reputation and presence, he added. Following the move, Maldoom and Jones will continue working in Capital Chartered as directors while retaining minority shareholding. Salonica Group, an independent investment bank headquartered in London, acted as advisors for this deal, with its director Othman Shoukat leading the transaction. "This acquisition will bring exciting prospects; combining ValuStrats international capabilities and scale with Capital Chartereds local market expertise and experience will provide for a compelling proposition for the UK market," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Health Minister Simon Harris has said he will not be intimidated by the latest protest at his home in Wicklow in which gardai were called. Mr Harris said his main concern was his family's safety but that he remains focused on his duties. In February, the Fingal Battalion and Wicklow says No groups targeted Mr Harris at his family home while he, his wife, and their then three-week old child were inside. Today's protest was carried out by the same group, Fingal Battalion, who posted a video message online, demanding for Mr Harris' resignation. In the post, the group wrote: "Today we returned to failed health minister Simon Harris, since last been here the health care in Ireland has been constantly headlines in the paper due to lack of facilities and the overwhelming cost of the new childrens hospital. "Simon also slatted[sic] people who commemorated our fallen hero's [sic] but Simon needs to know he would never be commemorated in this country as he's one of Ireland's biggest embarrassments." The group was referring to a tweet in which Mr Harris condemned the marching of the Republican Sinn Fein by the GPO on O'Connell Street just days after journalist Lyra McKee was shot deal while covering riots in Derry. Mr Harris tweeted in response to a video of the march: "Only one army. Pretty simple and important concept in a democracy. "Anything that endeavors to undermine that in any way cannot be tolerated. "Pleased this will now be looked at. It needs to be. Really pathetic behaviour. Should be called out as such #NotInMyName" There have been three more petrol bomb attacks overnight in Drogheda, County Louth. The first incident happened at around 12.15am this morning at St Laurences Park, where the front window of house and front living room were damaged. Consultants have welcomed a commitment by the Minister for Health to resolve a dispute over pay discrimination. Simon Harris told the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) AGM in Killarney, County Kerry, yesterday that a process is clearly needed to avoid any further risk of industrial action. Incoming President of the Irish Medical Organisation, Dr Padraig McGarry has welcomed the news - but warned that it cannot just be "talks about talks". "This has to happen quickly, this has to be a priority," said Dr McGarry. "It is having adverse effects on patient care due to the inability to recruit consultants across the country." "I was encouraged earlier with the commitment by the Minister to set up a process to address the issue. We will be writing to Minister Harris in the coming days to seek a formal start to the process" Dr McGarry #IMOAGM19 Irish Medical Organisation (@IMO_IRL) April 27, 2019 Dr McGarry said that more than 20% of the consultant posts in the country are lying vacant. The conference heard yesterday that doctor burnout is putting enormous strain on the health service. Dr McGarry said doctor and patient welfare are very important issues for the organisation. It is crucial that health service employers particularly recognise this as a problem and put in place programmes to support doctors at all career stages, he said. As doctors we can sometimes prioritise the health of our patients ahead of our own, so we need to be more aware of how we are feeling so that we can perform at our best. That way, patients will get the optimal level of care. Detectives in the North are appealing for information after a fire broke out in County Armagh. The fire broke out at a commercial premises in the Tullysaran Road area in the early hours of this morning. Emirati nationals applying for jobs in the mainland must now attend a training session on labour regulations in UAE, before their employment contract is approved by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Emiratis employed by companies in free zones do not have to attend the training. This new requirement is in line with the opening of a number of Tawteen service centres, designated by the MOHRE to offer guidance on rights and responsibilities of employers and Emirati employees prior to any contractual engagement, as well as new regulations on employment of Emiratis in the private sector, issued in July 2018. Similar training program for foreign nationals in select professions was introduced by the MOHRE in October 2018. Training session details The training involves a 30-minute classroom session with an informational video on UAE employment regulations. Upon completing the training, attendees will be issued their labour contract and a training booklet. All applicants, regardless of their job title, must attend the training at any Tawteen service centre across the UAE. The session is free of charge and no prior booking is currently required. Employers in the mainland must account for extra time it will take to obtain employment contract for their Emirati employees due to the new step in the process. Emiratis must ensure that they are available to attend the training session as soon as possible in order to avoid delays in the employment contract issuance process. Fragomen, an International immigration firm, will continue monitoring the situation and will revert with additional information as developments occur, the US-headquartered company said in a statement. TradeArabia News Service "We prohibit retaliation in the workplace and publicly share our very clear policy," a Google spokeswoman said in an emailed statement. "To make sure that no complaint raised goes unheard at Google, we give employees multiple channels to report concerns, including anonymously, and investigate all allegations of retaliation." This is a pattern, these are systemic issues, and we will change it only by speaking up and acting together. Claire Stapleton Whittaker is a researcher at Google specialising in artificial intelligence. She co-founded a research group, AI Now, that is affiliated with New York University. Whittaker wrote to her colleagues in an email that she was told she would have to "abandon my work on AI ethics." Stapleton, who works in the marketing department at YouTube, alleged that she was informed she was being demoted and later told to take a medical leave she didn't need. After she retained a lawyer, Stapleton said, the company "walked back my demotion, at least on paper," but "the environment remains hostile and I consider quitting nearly every day." Protests included Google's London office. Credit:PA Sick Leave In the email, Stapleton said that she arranged a meeting with Google's human resources division after flagging changes to her job. She was told to go on sick leave. When she replied that she wasn't sick, Stapleton wrote, the HR director said: "We put people on it all the time." On Friday, Whittaker and Stapleton shared additional information about their situations in an internal post to colleagues. Loading Whittaker said that her manager, whom she did not name, told her that her AI ethics work "was no longer a fit." The manager said Google's cloud division had plans to massively increase sales by "being everywhere Lockheed is," according to Whittaker. That's a reference to the defense company Lockheed Martin Corp. Google's work with the U.S. military was the subject of employee protests last year. A Google spokeswoman declined to comment on the mention of the cloud business. Whittaker tried to get transferred to another Google AI team, a move she said was supported by Jeff Dean, the company's head of artificial intelligence. Soon after, Whittaker was involved with another protest: an employee petition against the appointment of Kay Coles James to an AI ethics counsel organised by Google. The company ended up scrapping the group. Two weeks after the petition, Whittaker said she learned that her planned transfer had been cancelled and that her role at Google would be changing. "Continuing my work at AI Now and my work in AI ethics was not on the table," she wrote. Oona King, Google's director of diversity strategy, rejected at least one of the employee's claims. "I can genuinely say when I've looked at the details of one of the cases, it isn't as it appears here," she wrote, according to a message viewed by Bloomberg News. #NotOkGoogle Executives at YouTube and Google Cloud sent messages to staffers earlier this week disputing the accounts of Stapleton and Whittaker, according to a person who had seen them. Several current and former employees took to Twitter on Friday to register complaints using the hashtag #NotOkGoogle, a riff on the company's virtual assistant product. "This is just the tip of the iceberg," wrote Alex Hanna, a member of Google's cloud division. "I am grateful that I quit Google," wrote Liz Fong-Jones, an engineer and outspoken critic who left the company earlier this year. "This is a pattern, these are systemic issues, and we will change it only by speaking up and acting together," Stapleton wrote in the email. Google management publicly endorsed the employee walkout in the fall, giving the blessing for staff to vent frustration. But as dissent continued to rise inside Google, the company's lawyers urged the U.S. government to give companies more leeway to reign in rebellious employees from organising over workplace email. NLRB Complaint Liz Rouse likens choosing a school to buying a house you will probably need to inspect plenty before you find the right one. You might walk into three houses and think, I could never buy this one. You go into the fourth, and it might not be the most glamorous house but its the one you feel you want to buy, said Dr Rouse, who has done research on children starting school. Choosing a school is very much like that its the vibe you get. Open day period is upon us, providing an opportunity for schools to spruik and for families to get a feel for the place, the students and the principal. Open days wont provide all the answers for parents weighing up where to send their child. But they will reward parents who have thought deeply about what they want in a school, and attend as many as possible with questions at the ready. Controversial preference whisperer Glenn Druery has brokered a deal between Labor and Derryn Hinch's Justice Party in a bid to win or hold three key marginal seats in Victoria. The preference deal will likely boost the chances of Justice Party candidates joining the former broadcaster in the Senate, however Labor has said it made no policy promises in exchange for the influential crossbencher's support. Senator Penny Wong and Senator Derryn Hinch during debate on the ABCC bill in the Senate at Parliament House in 2016. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The major parties have been in fierce negotiations with smaller players ahead of the start of early voting on Monday, with a formal deal between the Coalition and mining magnate Clive Palmer to be announced this week. Former Liberal MP Julia Banks, who is running as an independent against Health Minsiter Greg Hunt in the Mornington Peninsula seat of Flinders, is expected to preference Labor in a move that will give the party a chance of unseating the long-serving MP. From the taste of blood in her mouth to feeling powerless and unable to talk, sexual assault survivor Juliet dreaded annual visits to the dentist. Everything brought back the trauma of the sexual abuse she'd endured from a male relative from the age of three to 14. She would "white knuckle" the dental chair, scared she would die. New research and treatment, thought to be a world first, by Melbourne dentist Sharonne Zaks finds many victims of severe trauma - from those who have survived the Holocaust to sexual assault - avoid the dentist. "The blood would bring back memories. I am three-years-old being told what to do. I am this powerless child, and these grown-ups are doing things I don't understand. I can't see and I only have their word," Juliet, now 60, said. "And you have an authority figure telling you everything will be fine. That's what he [the relative] said, too." Onlookers rush to close the gates after he enters, but the man appears to realise he could be trapped and turns his horse sharply, forcing his way through the gates and a small group of people. As he does so a woman is knocked over, leaving people shouting as the man rides away. Police pursue the man, driving after him as he rides out of the showground and away. Video shows the man riding through the showground. Credit:Glenn Conroy. Witnesses and convoy members Jo Pritty and Liz Cameron said the man riding the big horse galloped into the showground and did a circuit of the main arena before riding through the gates and into the central crowd of people. Ms Cameron, describing the incident as confronting, said the man rode through the gates, out again and then appeared to hit the woman before galloping away, chased by a large group of people. She said it was lucky more people had not been injured, particularly with the number of children in the crowd. Loading Former Greens leader Bob Brown, who has been leading the convoy, said he had spoken to the woman immediately after the incident, and she was conscious. There was a loud yahoo and this man rode between the crowd and the stage and coming out the gates knocked down a lady against the gates, he said. He was yelling and waving his hat. Mr Brown said the woman had medical attention quickly and he hoped she wasnt seriously injured. Police speaking to witnesses and convoy members. Credit:Lucy Stone. The woman was a convoy participant from northern NSW, and her husband was with her as she was taken to hospital, Mr Brown said. Its the sort of random thing that comes from inside of people, Mr Brown said. He said it was the kind of behaviour the right-wing politicians who vocally supported the pro-Adani rally on Saturday should condemn, and if it were him in those shoes he would. Bob Brown Foundation campaign manager Jenny Weber asked any witnesses to speak to the police around the showground and provide any photos or videos of the incident. Former Greens Leader Bob Brown attends a Stop Adani rally in Mackay on Saturday, before arriving in Clermont. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer. Isaac Region Mayor Anne Baker condemned the incident. This act is deplorable and I condemn it in the strongest of terms, Cr Baker said. Loading We made it absolutely clear from the outset that disruptive behaviour from any party or person would not be tolerated. This rider has ignored the shared expectation for an environment of mutual respect. I expect they will face the full force of the law for their actions and the injury caused. Our thoughts are with the injured woman and we wish her a speedy recovery. Cr Baker said the mans actions did not reflect the community and the council remained in contact with the Bob Brown foundation. Sunday's separate rallies for mine supporters and anti-Adani protesters had been peaceful until the incident, following the convoy's tension-filled arrival on Saturday afternoon. On Saturday, pro-Adani residents, unions and organisations met the convoy at the gates of the showground, jeering, shouting, and waving signs. One protester said a man holding a long metal bar swung it repeatedly at her windscreen and police received one call regarding possible shots fired at the showgrounds at about 10pm, but the caller said it was likely just a firecracker. Residents had earlier gathered at a local pub in the town about three hours west of Mackay and 160 kilometres away from Adani's planned Carmichael mine to send Mr Brown and his convoy a message: dont tell us what to do. Pro-Adani politicians including Clive Palmer and Pauline Hanson spoke at a rally before the hundreds-strong protest convoy arrived, confirming their support for the controversial mine to the joy of locals and unions alike. Supporters from both sides faced off on Saturday afternoon. Credit:Lucy Stone. Clermont resident of 48 years Carol Elly said if the mine didn't go ahead, the town and others around it would collapse. "It's not just Clermont, it's all the little mining towns around that get the benefit of it, the jobs and the money in the town," she said on Saturday. "Once the mining stops, the town will be dead." Before the convoy set off, Adani Mining issued a statement saying 14,500 people had registered an interest in working for the mine and asked activists to respect the people wanting it to go ahead to provide more jobs. Convoy organisers had been keen to reframe Sunday as a peaceful ceremony titled Karmoo Dreaming, hosted by members of the Wangan and Jagalingou Family Council, the traditional owners of the region. The ceremony begins at the Stop Adani Karmoo Dreaming event at the Clermont Showgrounds. Credit:Lucy Stone Wangan and Jagalingou man Adrian Burragubba has been locked in a series of bitter court battles attempting to block the Indian mining giant's Galilee Basin project. Federation Square will host another vigil for a young African-Australian woman found dead in Chinatown last week. More than 50 people attended a vigil for Geelong woman Natalina Angok on the steps of Parliament on Friday evening, the same day Melbourne Magistrates Court held a brief filing hearing for a 32-year-old Christopher Bell, who has been charged with her murder. Natalina Angok's body was found in Melbourne's Chinatown. A man has been charged with her murder. Ms Angok's family said she had been in a relationship with Mr Bell. More than 700 people have posted on Facebook stating that they intend to go to Sunday's vigil, which is set to begin at 7pm. Bahrain Polystyrene Factory (BPF), a division of leading industrial group J A Zayani in the kingdom, has launched the latest product in thermal insulation at the ongoing Gulf Construction Expo. The company, which has been manufacturing expanded polystyrene (EPS) since 1998, has recently diversified into production of extruded polystyrene (XPS) to cater to the growing demand for thermal insulation products in Bahrain. Located at the Bahrain International Investment Park (BIIP), BPF is a first-of-its-kind plant that produces EPS and XPS using state-of-the-art technology. According to Paul Uruvath, manager BPF, the new thermal insulation product XPS will be one of the finest being manufactured in the GCC with the latest technology delivering a fire-retardant composition for both residential and commercial buildings. Bahrain Polystyrene Factory aims to meet the growing demand for thermal insulation products in Bahrain. Our extruded polystyrene plant looks to support this for thermal insulation of roof and walls to provide savings on energy costs and protect from climate change, he remarked. Insulation of buildings is essential for consumers. Extruded polystyrene for roof and wall insulation is vital when considering higher thermal conductivity, he added. XPS is produced from solid polystyrene crystals. The main utilisation of this product is in waterproofing and thermal insulation. The standard size of the product is 1250 x 600 x 50 mm with density of 32 to 35 kg per cu m. BPFs XPS manufacturing unit has the production capacity to manufacture 450 kg per hour of extruded polystyrene in various thickness ranging from 20 to 100 mm with length of 1000 to 1800 mm and density ranging from 30 to 40 kg per cu m. EPS is produced from solid polystyrene beads, which are moulded as per various specifications to foam insulation boards, blocks or customised shapes for the requirements of building insulations, decorations and packaging industries. - TradeArabia News Service A federal Liberal Party pledge to remove a level crossing in Kooyong falls $100 million short of the required funding, the state government says. On Sunday Treasurer Josh Frydenberg promised the crossing on Glenferrie Road would be removed, and the railway sent underground at a cost of $260 million. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says the Glenferrie Road level crossing is dangerous and congested. Credit:Daniel Pockett The level crossing sits in the electorate of Higgins, which is next to Mr Frydenbergs own seat of Kooyong. Mr Frydenberg said the Glenferrie Road level crossing was dangerous and congested but despite being named by VicRoads as a priority for removal, it was not on the state governments list. Colombo: The hole where militants behind the Easter Sunday bombings had hidden their cache of explosives and bomb-making materials lies open in the earth of a coconut plantation. It was on these 30 hectares of farmland near Wanathavilluwa in the country's north-west that Sri Lankan detectives found more than 100 kilograms of explosives and containers of bomb-making chemicals. Sri Lankan police and army officers display bomb making materials recovered from a hideout of militants after Friday's gun battle. Credit:AP The January haul by detectives investigating an increasingly militant Islamist extremist group then known only for smashing Buddhist statues should have set alarm bells ringing. Yet while four people were arrested at the time, two were quickly freed and police downplayed the find, making no mention of its link to the National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ) group. Four months later, with 253 people dead in last week's bombings, the Sri Lankan government is reeling from accusations that they could have been prevented. Jakarta: The owners of the land where the Sari Club once stood have hit back at criticism of a new five-storey restaurant they plan to build on the Bali bombing site, and promised construction will begin this week. They have also erected an Indonesian flag on the site and declared they will not allow anyone to "intervene" over the use of Indonesian land. Both Indonesian and Australian survivors of the 2002 Bali bombings, in which 202 people - including 88 Australians - were killed have described the planned restaurant complex, which would have a monument or memorial on the fifth floor, as outrageous and unfeasible. The Australian-based Bali Peace Park Association has been fundraising for years so that it could buy the site, but it has not been able to raise enough money and has never been able to agree on a price with the land owners. London: A 26-year-old model collapsed and died on the catwalk in front of horrified onlookers at a fashion show in Brazil. Model Tales Soares is taken from the catwalk by paramedics after he collapsed during Sao Paulo Fashion Week in Sao Paulo. Credit:AP Tales Soares staggered as he turned to walk back while modelling clothes and footwear at Sao Paulo Fashion Week on Saturday night. The audience thought his collapse might be part of the show until emergency medics rushed onto the stage as he began foaming at the mouth. They were unable to revive him and he was pronounced dead at hospital. The exact cause of his death remains unclear. The show went on, although models brandished handwritten placards on the catwalk with messages, such as "Luto" (mourning) and "Amor" (love). The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has seized 2,350 kg of bulk drugs, allegedly illegally imported from China. The cost of the seized material is estimated at Rs 1.5 crore but could be worth much more in the open market. The total value of such illegal transactions would be even higher, said the authorities. The raid was on Thursday at the premises of a Kawarlal & Co, by inspectors from the CDSCOs head office in Delhi and of its south zone, with those from the drugs control department of the state government. Co. These bulk drugs were sold to formulation ... 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 Eset, a global leader in cybersecurity, has partnered with Chronicle, an Alphabet company, to provide essential validation on security incidents and alerts within Backstory, a global cloud service by Chronicle. Backstory allows companies to privately upload, store, and analyse their internal security telemetry to detect and investigate potential attacks. Eset said its partnership with Backstory will provide customers enhanced insight enabling better protection from advanced persistent threats. With more than 30 years of cybersecurity innovation, Eset protects over 110 million users in 200 countries and territories globally, said a company statement. Almost 40 per cent of Esets employees work in research and development, keeping both the companys customers and the world at large safe from the latest and most advanced cyberthreats, it stated. Esets threat intelligence data blocks targeted attacks, protects against phishing, stops botnets and detects advanced persistent threats, it added. Tony Anscombe, global security evangelist and industry ambassador, Eset, said: Our partnership with Chronicle will lead to simpler, faster and more streamlined remediation of advanced persistent cyber threats. Together, customers will be able to quickly understand incidents in more detail, take the appropriate actions and stay one step ahead of bad actors. This truly will make the world a safer place, he added. Ansh Patnaik, chief product officer, Chronicle, said: We are thrilled to bring onboard Eset as an Insight Partner. As a global platform designed to analyse enterprise security telemetry, Backstory provides more value to customers when its integrated with other key technologies within the customers networks. We believe our collaboration with Eset gives customers a broader, more accurate view of threats within their networks, Patnaik added.-TradeArabia News Service American Airlines Group Inc cut its 2019 profit forecast on Friday, blaming an estimated $350 million hit from the grounding of Boeing's 737 MAX planes during its busiest travel season, but said it was confident the aircraft would start flying by mid-August. American, the No. 1 US carrier by passenger traffic, said earlier in April that it was extending the grounding of its twenty-four 737 MAX jetliners until Aug. 19, leading to about 115 daily cancellations during the peak summer travel season. No. 3 US carrier United Airlines also said it expects to cancel hundreds of flights ... With his official declaration that hes running for president again, Joe Biden is now considered the front-runner in the crowded Democratic race to take on Donald Trump in 2020. Bidens status as the early favourite is another example of the #MeToo movement showing itself to be an ineffective tool when it comes to Democratic politics in the United States. 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 A week ago, Sri Lankan tourist guide Ricky Costa was preparing for a typically easy Sunday ferrying backpackers between Colombos tea shops and beach bars in his canary-yellow rickshaw. Then the blasts began. The coordinated suicide bombings by Islamist militants at hotels and churches killed more than 250 people and sent shockwaves through an Indian Ocean island state that had enjoyed relative peace since a civil war ended a decade ago. How such a sophisticated operation could have been carried out in a country where violence by Islamist militants drawn from the Muslim ... Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday he hoped Iranian oil exports would continue despite Washington's efforts to stop them. Washington has demanded that buyers of Iranian crude halt purchases by May 1 or face sanctions, a move to choke off Tehran's oil revenues. The United States expects Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies to boost output in order to offset the cut in Iranian supplies. But Putin, in Beijing to attend an investment conference, said he was unaware of any Saudi intention to increase production. Asked about Saudi Arabia's position on ... The owner of popular workplace instant messaging app Slack made public strong year-on-year growth numbers on Friday, and an annual loss of $140.7 million, as it filed formally for its long-awaited market debut. The San Francisco-based company, Slack Technologies, seeking to go public via a direct listing similar to that of music browser Spotify last year, published numbers showing it had more than 10 million daily active users as of the end of January. Only 88,000 of those were paying subscribers, but that was up almost 50 percent from a year earlier and more than double the 37,000 ... Dubai Executive Councils Resolution No. (4) of 2019 related to the regulation of sanctions, grievances and complaints for Dubai government staff has been approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and chairman of The Executive Council. The regulation aims to create a strong framework for addressing the challenges facing employees and applying disciplinary measures in a neutral way. According to the Resolution, the regulations apply to civilian employees of government entities, who are subject to Law No. (8) of 2018 related to human resources management, and every administrative violation or complaint for which a final decision has not been issued. In addition, all decisions issued during the period from 1 January 2019 to the date of issuance of this Resolution are considered valid. All violators will be subject to penalties unless the violator proves that the administrative violation was made because he or she executed the orders of his managers despite informing them that the order is an administrative violation. In this case, the person who issued the order will be held responsible for the violation. As per the regulations, the director general of each Dubai Government entity is authorised to issue a decision to set up one or more committees called Committee of Administrative Violations to adjudicate the violations and issue a decision within 30 days. The director general of the government entity can extend the deadline for a similar period only once, unless the employee is referred to a competent judicial authority. In this case, the committee must issue its decision within fifteen working days of the date of receiving the decision or the court ruling issued to the employee. The committee should submit a report to the director general in case it fails to issue a decision during the specified period highlighting the reasons for not doing so. According to the new regulation, resignation will not prevent an employee from being subject to disciplinary action for violations committed by him. The disciplinary actions can include written warning and deduction of salary for up to a maximum of 15 days for each violation per month. Total salary deducted will not exceed 60 days per year. In case of absence without justification, the employees salary can be deducted. In case the absence exceeds 15 consecutive working days or 21 working days per year, the employee will be dismissed from his position. In case he submits a justification, the committee will review the justification and take a decision within 15 days, failing which the justification will be considered valid. The HR department of the Dubai Government is tasked with training members of the Committees to ensure that they are well qualified to deliver their responsibilities efficiently. TradeArabia News Service Sri Lanka's president on Saturday outlawed two Islamist groups suspected to be behind the suicide bombings on churches and hotels while the wife and child of the suspected ringleader were wounded during a military raid in safe house, his family and police said. The National Thawheedh Jamaath (NTJ) and Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim were banned under his emergency powers, President Maithripala Sirisena said in a statement, nearly a week after the Easter Sunday attacks that killed more than 250 people. Authorities could not act earlier to ban the two little known groups ... US President Donald Trump pressed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to have Japanese automakers produce more vehicles in the United States, according to a readout of their recent meeting provided by the US ambassador to Japan on Saturday. The two discussed recent public announcements by Japanese car makers, including Toyota Motor Corp's decision to invest more in US plants. "We talked about the need to see more movement in that direction but I think the president feels very positive that we will see such movement because all the economics support that," said ... A group of 50 turmeric farmers from Telangana's Nizamabad arrived in Varanasi on Saturday to file their nomination as independent candidates to contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. "We are not opposing anyone. We just want to highlight our problems and demand creation of a turmeric board and Minimum Support Price of Rs 15000 per quintal (MSP) for turmeric," a spokesperson for the farmers said while speaking to ANI. Alleging that their problems were not addressed under both the ruling BJP government and UPA government, a farmer said: "This was not solved during UPA's tenure too, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did the same. We are not against him or campaigning against anyone." Turmeric farmers across the country are facing hardships due to famine conditions and lack of MSP for the last three to four years. This year, turmeric prices have fallen to Rs 3,200 per quintal from Rs 5,200 per quintal. On April 26, Prime Minister Modi had filed his nomination for Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency. PM Modi is contesting against Congress' Ajay Rai and SP leader Shalini Yadav. This would be the second time Prime Minister Modi and Rai will battle from Varanasi seat. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Modi won from Varanasi by a margin of 3.37 lakh votes. AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and Rai were among the candidates from the seat. While Kejriwal came in the second place, Rai stood third in the vote tally. Varanasi will go to polls on May 19 in the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections. 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.) After Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Majeed Memon on Sunday lauded Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah for his contribution in the freedom struggle and said that BJP president Amit Shah dubbed Sinha, "anti-national" as Jinnah was a Muslim. On being asked to respond on Sinha's statement "from Mahatma Gandhi to Muhammad Ali Jinnah, all part of Congress parivar", Memon told ANI, "Amit Shah should note that till yesterday he (Shatrughan Sinha) was with them, if he said something anti- then it is their teaching." He added, "He (Jinnah) made a big contribution to the freedom struggle, just because he was a Muslim you are offended and are calling Shatrughan Sinha anti- " The actor-turned-politician courted controversy for saying that "from Mahatma Gandhi to Muhammad Ali Jinnah, all are part of Congress Parivar." Sinha during a public rally in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara had lauded Muhammad Ali Jinnah along with Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, and Jawaharlal Nehru, saying they all had a role to play in India's independence. However, Sinha, who recently left BJP and joined Congress issued clarification over his statement saying that the remark was a "slip of tongue" from his side. Speaking to ANI, Sinha yesterday said that he wanted to take Maulana Azad's name but instead, uttered the name of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah. "Whatever I said yesterday was slip of tongue. I wanted to say Maulana Azad but uttered Muhammad Ali Jinnah," he had claimed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh state police on Sunday allegedly "barred" film director Ram Gopal Varma from entering Vijayawada. Varma landed at Gannavaram airport and reached Vijayawada for a press meet. He was accompanied by Rakesh Reddy, producer of Varma's sensational film 'Lakshmi's NTR'. "Sorry to inform that the press meet at 4 pm is cancelled because the police stopped us and have barred my entry into Vijayawada and forcibly sending me back to Hyderabad. Hey @ncbn Where here is democracy? Why is truth being back-stabbed?" Varma asked. Posting a video of police personnel escorting him, the filmmaker tweeted: "Just see the number of police escorting me out of Vijayawada as if I am the biggest criminal ever and my only crime is telling all the backstabbing truths behind #LakshmisNTR." The director-producer duo was to hold a press meet on the politically oriented film which allegedly portrays the character of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu in a negative light. However, the police stopped them at Prakash Nagar area and sent them back to the airport. According to police, Varma's proposed press meet was not given permission in order to safeguard the law and order situation. Amid protests from TDP cadres, the film was released only in Telangana on March 29. The film is set to release in Andhra Pradesh on May 1. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It was a proud moment for famed bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger as his youngest son, Joseph Baena, graduated from California's Pepperdine University. The actor shared a picture of himself congratulating his 21-year-old son, who can be seen wearing his cap and gown from the commencement at the University. "Congratulations Joseph! Four years of hard work studying business at Pepperdine and today is your big day! You have earned all of the celebrations and I'm so proud of you. I love you!" he captioned the post. According to Fox News, Baena was the child who resulted from scandal when Schwarzenegger had an affair with his former housekeeper, Mildred Baena, while he was still married to Maria Shriver, the NBC News correspondent and member of the Kennedy and Shriver political clans. Earlier this year, Baena garnered attention when he shared a series of pictures in which he re-created his dad's classic bodybuilding poses. After leaving California governor's office in 2011, the 71-year-old Schwarzenegger has had mixed success in trying to revive his acting career. However, he has remained in limelight because of the kind of messages he shares on social media. In March, Schwarzenegger blasted President Donald Trump for his comments on late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. Later Trump has also criticized Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger's four other children are daughters Katherine, 29, and Christina, 27, and sons Patrick, 25, and Christopher, 21. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tourism Malaysia, a leading organisation under the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, has announced its participation at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019 in the UAE. Renowned as the leading global gathering for the Middle Easts travel and tourism industry, the event will take place from April 28 to May 1 at Dubai World Trade Centre. Led by Malaysias minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, YB Datuk Mohamaddin bin Ketapi, the Tourism Malaysia delegation will include representatives from more than 50 key stakeholders from the countrys travel sector including 33 hotels, 15 tour operators, six tourism products and three state officials. Tourism Malaysias participation in the trade show is aimed at promoting the countrys tourism offerings to travellers from the GCC in line with the objectives of the Visit Malaysia 2020 initiative, which aims to attract more than 30 million tourists and around Dh89 billion ($24.2 billion) in tourist receipts. The event will provide an ideal platform to highlight Malaysias stunning natural environment, exciting array of cultural adventures, and global reputation as a safe, family-friendly destination. The Middle East is seen as a key market for the country, which was recently named the number one destination for Muslim travellers for the ninth consecutive year by Singapore-based CrescentRating, the world's leading authority on Halal Travel. The ranking is based on an annual online survey covering several criteria, including the availability of Halal food, access to prayer facilities and Muslim-friendly services in hotels, and the overall safety and security of each destination. Shahrin Mokhtar, director of Tourism Malaysia, commented: We are delighted to further strengthen our presence at this years ATM, which remains one of the key annual events on the global travel and tourism industry calendar. The attendance of Malaysias Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture highlights the importance of the Middle Eastern market to our plans to boost visitor arrivals. As a Muslim-majority country, our shared cultural ties position Malaysia as one of Southeast Asias most visitor-friendly destinations for tourists from the region. We are confident that our participation will serve to further strengthen business ties and inspire more travellers to discover our wonderful country. Tourism Malaysias participation at ATM 2019 is part of a wider GCC roadshow encompassing visits to Kuwait City, Muscat and Sharjah. The series of events will introduce 14 representatives from key stakeholders in the Malaysian travel sector to local industry players and members of the media with the goal of promoting Malaysias world-class offerings throughout local market, which continues to demonstrate steady growth in both visitor numbers and tourist receipts. - TradeArabia News Service United States President Donald Trump on Saturday expressed his heartfelt condolences for victims of the California synagogue shootings and urged for the defeat of hatred and anti-semitic sentiments. Speaking on the shootings, while addressing a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, CNN quoted the President as saying, "Tonight, America's heart is with the victims of the horrific synagogue shooting." He added that the entire nation stands in solidarity with the Jewish community. "Sincerest THANK YOU to our great Border Patrol Agent who stopped the shooter at the Synagogue in Poway, California. He may have been off duty but his talents for Law Enforcement weren't!" Trump tweeted. Meanwhile, San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore told reporters that the suspect in the accident has been identified as 19-year-old John Earnest. Gore was quoted as saying that the law enforcement authorities are aware of a "manifesto" that Earnest wrote and posted on Twitter shortly before the attack, and are currently reviewing the document. The Jerusalem Post reported that the manifesto included several far-right catchphrases, including descriptions of an "international Jewry" which is responsible for countless age-old blood libels, including the murder of Christ and alleged control over the media and the economy. Within the post, he wrote, "Every Jew young and old has contributed to these. For these crimes they deserve nothing but hell. I will send them there." He also said that he hoped to inspire others to commit similar crimes to his and that he expected to be freed from prison and "continue the fight." The manifesto was full of religious imagery. Earnest repeated throughout it that he was carrying out the attack to be a good Christian, saying "My God understands why I did what I did" and quoted multiple verses from the New Testament as "proof." . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Election Commission of India (ECI) banned me from campaigning after I gave the antidote of 'Bajrangbali' to check the communal virus being spread by the Congress party, said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath here on Sunday. "When I gave an antidote in the form of 'Bajrangbali' against the communal virus being spread by the Congress party and its allies, then the Election Commission (EC) banned me. I am surprised that if we say something, we are tagged as communal," said Adityanath, while addressing an election rally here. "Those who speak in support of terrorism are considered as humans. Those who speak against terrorists are considered as communal. If we stand firm on the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,' we are dubbed as communal," he said. Adityanath made some objectionable statements during an election rally at Meerut on April 9 following which the ECI on April 15 barred him campaigning for 72 hours for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). EC said that Chief Minister Adityanath had accepted using - 'Hara virus' and 'Bajrangbali' in his speech. Talking about the current political mood in the country, he said: "Wherever I went, the people are enthusiastic to give Prime Minister Narendra Modi a second term. The voice of the country is - 'Phir Ek Baar, Modi Sarkar." He said that there is a strong "Modi wave" in the form of a storm in which the opposition parties including the Congress would be "blown away." "The Congress party, the RJD and their grand alliance will be blown away in Modi's storm," said Adityanath. The Congress party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) are fighting the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar in alliance with each other. Elections in Bihar were held in three phases and will continue to be held in the remaining four phases on April 29, May 6, 12 and 19. The counting of votes will begin on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The father and two brothers of Zahran Hashim, the suspected mastermind of the gruesome coordinated terror Easter Sunday blasts in Sri Lanka, were killed in Friday's overnight gun battle between troops and suspects in the eastern Ampara district, the police said on Sunday. On Friday, at least 15 people, including six children, were killed in bomb blasts and gunfire as Sri Lankan security forces closed in on a low-slung house in the seaside Sri Lankan town of Sainthamaruthu, The Washington Post reported. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara on Sunday said that a woman, identified as Abdul Cader Fathima Kadiyar -- Hashim's wife along with his daughter, were rescued alive from the house at the center of Friday's gun battle and bomb blasts. The police said that both wife and the daughter were hospitalised and were under security cover by the police while adding that the two were identified by Zahran's driver, who was arrested on Friday. The raid on Friday's night killed 15 people. Bomb detonators, explosive tubing and three identical new backpacks were found inside the house, authorities said. Meanwhile, in an undated video circulated on social media on Sunday, three men identified as the father and two brothers of Hashim, encouraged others to kill non-Muslims. In an interview with The Washington Post, a brother-in-law of Hashim identified the men as Hashim's father and brothers. In the video, Hashim's brother Zainy is seen urging followers to quit their jobs and join a jihad against nonbelievers of Islam. He was quoted as saying, "Kill them wherever you see them," adding, "This won't stop even if we die. You will definitely see these bombs going off everywhere. Don't give up . . . Allah will help us. Our brigade will win." The Easter attacks have been claimed by the Islamic State, but all the individuals who have been identified by authorities as suicide bombers, as well as all have been detained or sought suspects, have been Sri Lankan natives. It is said that the suspected terrorists were affiliated with the National Thowheed Jamaath, an extremist Islamist group that has been banned in the country in the wake of the Easter Sunday attacks. On the same day, the Sri Lankan government decreed that face coverings and burqas would be banned in the country, beginning Monday, in what officials described as a security measure to allow authorities to identify people. Shortly after the attacks, last week, the lone female perpetrator of the massacre had reportedly escaped from a Dematagoda apartment complex wearing burqas. More than 250 people were killed and several hundred suffered injuries in the eight coordinated explosions that rattled various churches and high-end hotels located across Sri Lankan cities of Colombo, Negombo, Kochchikede and Batticaloa as the Christian community celebrated Easter on April 21. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands of people took to streets of Hong Kong on Sunday to protest against the newly proposed extradition rules by their government that would allow criminal suspects to be sent to mainland China for trial. Protestors feared that the newly framed extradition plan would further dissolve the rights and legal protections, which were guaranteed under the city's handover from British colonial rule to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, Al Jazeera reported. The police told the agency that nearly 22,800 people marched peacefully for more than three hours through the shopping and business districts of Causeway Bay and Wanchai, with thousands staying on into the evening outside the Legislative Council and government headquarters. Sunday's protests marked one of the largest street protests in the city in several years. Most of the protestors also carried yellow umbrellas that recalled Hong Kong's massive 2014 pro-democracy protests, in which four leading activists were sentenced to up to 16 months in jail. Demonstrators carried placards accusing Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam of "selling out" Hong Kong and called on her to resign. Some protesters also dressed as Chinese mainland police officers guarding another demonstrator standing behind a portable red cage. One of the protestors held up a sign that read: "President Xi Jinping, no legalised kidnapping of Hong Kong people to China". On April 3, Hong Kong implemented new extradition rules that allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial, standing fast against growing opposition to a move that many fear could further erode the city's legal protections. According to the laws, Chief Executive Carrie Lam would have the right to order the extradition of wanted offenders to China, Macau and Taiwan as well as other countries not covered by Hong Kong's existing extradition treaties. The bill, however, has become a diplomatic quagmire as Hong Kong and Beijing both consider Taiwan, a self-ruling island, to be part of greater China. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister and BJP leader Uma Bharti on Saturday urged people to not compare her with Bhopal BJP candidate and Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and called herself "an ordinary and foolish creature". Asked if Thakur will take her place in Madhya Pradesh politics, Uma Bharti told media here, "She is a great saint, don't compare me with her, I am just an ordinary and foolish creature." BJP has fielded Thakur against Congress' Digvijaya Singh from Bhopal seat. Voting in Bhopal will take place on May 12. The counting of votes will be held on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP President Amit Shah on Saturday affirmed in a public meeting at Sitamarhi that it is the Modi government which has truly secured the borders of the country and made security as its foremost priority. "The Prime Minister has taken effective steps to secure the borders of the country. In the regime of UPA-I and II, enemy forces used to run havoc in the country but no action was taken on that front," Shah contended. "In the recent past, our 40 security personnel lost their lives in the Pulwama attack by Pakistan-aided terrorism. Due to the decisive nature of PM Modi, our brave Indian Air Force (IAF) troops retaliated and entered enemy territory to debase their terror camps. India is only the third country after Israel and United States of America (USA) to have retaliated to terrorism in this brave manner," Shah asserted. "Sam Pitroda issued a statement that such a retaliation is unwarranted but is it a fair question by the opposition," Amit Shah asked the public. "One thing is clear that if Pakistan fires a bullet, we'll surely bomb them," he affirmed. "Omar Abdullah said that Kashmir should have a different Prime Minister. It is very unfair and this shows their design that they want Kashmir to not be part of the nation. Till the date, BJP workers are alive, we will make sure that Kashmir is an integral part of India," Shah said. "In every corner of the country, people are not chanting the name of Prime Minister Modi without any reason. They are chanting PM Modi's name because he works for the poor with honesty and purpose. He has never taken a holiday since he became Gujrat's chief minister. He works 18 hours a day and takes tough decisions with sensitivity for the people," he said. "8 crore households have got toilets, 2.5 crore houses have been made for the poor and 2.35 crore people have got electricity for the first time in their houses. Under Ayushman Bharat Yojana, 50 crore people have got the facility of getting upto Rs 5 Lakh for treatment of serious diseases, free of cost," he added. "In the times of RJD and Congress rule, people were deprived of basic healthcare facilities. It is the BJP government which has taken credible steps towards alleviation of these problems," Shah lamented. The BJP President then elaborated the steps taken by the central and state government for the development of Bihar. "PM Modi has done a lot for the development of Bihar. The NDA governement under Nitish Kumar and Sushil Modi have freed Bihar from the lawlessness under the jungle raj of RJD rule," he said. "Rahul Gandhi keeps asking PM Modi that what has been done in five years. In reality, Rahul Baba has no right to ask this as he did precious little for Bihar when his government was there. In the 13th Finance Commission under the UPA rule, Bihar got Rs 1.93 lakh crore. When PM Modi came in power, the NDA government gave above Rs 6.06 lakh crore to Bihar. What right does UPA have to question us?," Shah questioned. "The NDA government brought in 133 development schemes for the people of the country. We brought dignity for the backward and oppressed classes of the country. We also heard the plight of economically backward classes in the forward classes by giving them 10% reservation without affecting other classes," he said. He specifically cited road and railway construction in North Bihar and of the inclusion of Sitamarhi in the Ramayan Circuit by the NDA government which includes a road to Nepal that was built from here. Shah talked about other development work done in Bihar and urged the public to vote for NDA and not the propogators of jungle raj. Three phases of election are over in Bihar while four phases remain on April 29, May 6, 12 and 19. The counting of votes will be done on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Capitals made their way to the playoffs for the first time since 2012 as they defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by 16 runs in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) here on Sunday. Chasing a total of 188 runs, RCB's openers, Parthiv Patel and Virat Kohli, gave their side a brilliant start. Both formed a 63-run partnership before Kagiso Rabada got hold of Patel (39). AB de Villiers then joined Skipper Kolhi. However, their partnership did not last long as Kohli became a victim of Axar Patel. Shivam Dube then formed a 35-run partnership with De Villiers before the latter got out on 17 runs. Heinrich Klaasen then joined Dube. However, Amit Mishra sent both the batsmen back to the pavilion in the 13th over. The rest of the batsmen struggled a bit to form a good partnership as they kept on losing wickets. However, Marcus Stoinis and Gurkeerat Singh formed a 49-run partnership which helped their side get closer to the target. Singh scored 27 runs before he gave away his wicket which brought Washington Sundar to bat but Sundar too was sent back in the very next over. Stoinis played a scintillating knock of 32 runs off 24 deliveries but it was not enough to take his side over the line as they lost the match by 16 runs. Earlier, Delhi got off to a steady start as both the openers, Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan, struck regular boundaries. However, Shaw gave away his wicket in the fourth over after scoring 18 runs. Dhawan was then accompanied by the skipper Shreyas Iyer and both stitched an impeccable partnership of 68 runs. Dhawan scored his fifth half-century and with this Dhawan surpassed Sunrisers Hyderabad's batsman Jonny Bairstow run tally of 445 runs to become the second highest run-getter in this season of IPL with 451 runs. Iyer too scored a half-century. However, Dhawan (50) and Iyer (52) both were sent back to the pavilion in quick succession. Shortly after that, Rishabh Pant and Colin Ingram too lost their wickets. Sherfane Rutherford and Axar Patel then came out to bat and both formed a crucial partnership of 46 runs which helped their side post a target of 188 for the visitors. Delhi will now visit Chennai to compete with Chennai Super Kings on May 1 while RCB will host Rajasthan Royals on April 30. Brief scores: Delhi Capitals (Shreyas Iyer 52, Shikhar Dhawan 50, Yuzvendra Chahal 2-41) defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore (Parthiv Patel 39, Marcus Stoinis 32*, Amit Mishra 2-29) by 16 runs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Mumbai Indians by 34 runs in the ongoing Indian Premier League here on Sunday after they posted this season's highest total, 232 runs. Chasing a mammoth target of 233 runs, Mumbai had a substandard start as they lost wickets of both of their openers, Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock, in the first four overs. Then Evin Lewis and Suryakumar Yadav came out to bat and formed a 20-run partnership before Lewis gave away his wicket. Soon after Lewis Yadav too followed him back to the pavilion. Keiron Pollard and Hardik Pandya then took the field and gave their side a crucial momentum. Hardik Pandya scored the fastest half-century in this season of IPL as he scored his half-century in just 17 balls and both the players formed a 63-run partnership. Sunil Narine got hold of Pollard (20) which brought Krunal Pandya to the field. Hardik Pandya, however, kept on smashing regular boundaries and sixes and formed a 64-run partnership with Krunal Pandya, As Mumbai was getting closer to chasing down the target, Hardik Pandya gave away an easy catch to Russell which ended his 91-run inning. After Hardik Pandya's dismissal, Mumbai's batting line-up crumbled and faced a 34-run defeat. Earlier, KKR were sent to bat first and they had a brilliant start as both the openers, Shubman Gill and Chris Lynn, struck regular boundaries. Both the players stitched a 96-run partnership and gave their side an outstanding start. Gill and Lynn both struck their half-century, scoring 76 and 54 runs respectively. Mumbai Indians bowler Rahul Chahar provided his team with their first breakthrough in the name of Lynn. Lynn's wicket brought KKR's most destructive batsman Andre Russell to bat and Russell did not disappoint his side as he smashed eight maximums during his inning. Gill formed an amazing 62-run partnership with Russell as well before the former was sent back to the pavilion by Hardik Pandya. Then skipper Dinesh Karthik came out to bat. However, Russell stole the show in the final overs as he hammered regular boundaries. Russell scored unbeaten 80 runs off just 40 balls which propelled KKR to post the highest ever total of 232 runs in this season of IPL. KKR will now visit Punjab to face Kings XI Punjab on May 3 while Mumbai will host Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 2. Brief scores: Kolkata Knight Riders (Andre Russell 80*, Shubman Gill 76, Hardik Pandya 1-31) defeated Mumbai Indians (Hardik Pandya 91, Suryakumar Yadav 24, Andre Russell 2-25) by 24 runs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is scheduled to visit North Korea soon, state media said on Sunday. Zarif, who is on an official visit to the United States, told Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) in an interview that the date for the visit will be announced soon. The Iranian Foreign Minister also asserted that he is not aware of President Hassan Rouhani's possible visit to the South Asian country. The visit holds prominence as both countries are facing US sanctions. Last year, Trump had announced "toughest sanctions" on Iran, which has since punctured the country's economy. This was followed by Monday's decision to not extend sanction waivers for the nations importing Iranian Oil. Speaking on the same, the Zarif said that Iran could consider leaving the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as one of the options of responding to the US sanctions. The NPT is a multilateral international document drafted by the UN committee on disarmament with the aim of preventing the expansion of the list of countries possessing nuclear weapons and easing the risk of a nuclear conflict, according to TASS news agency. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jammu and Kashmir police on Sunday arrested two terrorists that carried out an attack on a police post in Srinagar's Chanpora on April 26. The terrorists were arrested in Budgam's Wathora. In the incident, a policeman was critically injured and was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for the treatment. Security forces had launched searches in the area to nab the terrorists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the worlds leading hotel companies, has signed a global partnership agreement with Seera Group, a major travel and tourism company in the Middle East with a prominent local, regional and global presence. Announcing the significant direct connectivity distribution agreement at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019, Seera Group said with this deal it will get access to IHGs current global portfolio of 15 brands and over 5,600 hotels, in more than 100 countries, for the leisure travel category. Seera Group will also have access to automated real-time pricing and inventory across IHGs portfolio, it added. CEO Abdullah Al Dawood said: "Our customers remain at the heart in all our transformation, expansion and partnership plans. As IHG has an extensive global foot-print and an expansive property portfolio a direct partnership agreement offers competitive rates and last-minute availability on properties worldwide, with the booking experience our customers expect." "Seera Group is fast becoming the partner of choice for hotel brands looking to harness the power of the Middle Easts travel industry, and with a new partnership, IHG will gain exposure to our offline and online travellers in the region, as we have the largest travel platform in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East; with 180 million online sessions expected for 2019," he stated. IHG Managing Director (IMEA) Pascal Gauvin said: "IHG has ambitious growth aspirations for the region, and the exciting agreement will allow us to connect with a wider audience of leisure travellers. Leisure travel is a growing category amongst the regions domestic and outbound travellers, including Saudi Arabia, with a number of projects initiated under the KSA National Vision 2030." "Our global portfolio of well-known brands and hotels, coupled with the partnership, will allow us to be able to bring both greater awareness and choice to the travellers in the region," he stated. The agreement will provide IHG with access to Seera Groups extensive regional network of retail branches and call centres, as well as the groups leading consumer travel brand Al Mosafer and its UAE-focused OTA tajawal, strengthening IHGs visibility and sales capabilities. IHG currently operates 91 hotels across 6 brands in the Middle East, including: InterContinen-tal Hotels & Resorts, voco, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and voco with a further 37 in the development pipeline due to open within the next three to five years.-TradeArabia News Service American actor Megan Fox filed to dismiss her divorce case against husband Brian Austin Green after the two restored their relationship. The 32-year old on Thursday requested to dismiss her divorce filed in Los Angeles, reported US Magazine. The couple got married in June 2010. Five years later, they decided to part ways and filed for divorce in August 2015. Fox and Green have three children - Noah Shannon, Bodhi Ransom, and Journey River. On the work front, Megan and Brian Austin Green are teaming up together for their feature film 'Dakota'. Fox will play a widow named, Kate, who lost her husband in a war in Afghanistan. Green will be essaying the role of a soldier who reunites a dog named 'Dakota' with Kate and her daughter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid stalled talks with the United States over sanctions relief, North Korean media outlets have reiterated call for creating a self-supporting national economy. US-North Korea engagement has been in a state of limbo since the failed Hanoi summit between the leaders of two nations. The two sides were unable to reach an agreement over the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and Washington's sanction relief." In an editorial, North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun called on the citizens to follow party leadership to construct a "self-sustaining economy" at a time of continued sanctions pressure, reported Yonhap news agency. "Thoroughly establishing the party leadership system is a significant demand to hold up high the banner of independence and self-reliance and press ahead with the construction of socialist economy," the editorial read. "Especially, the trend of today's political situation -- where hostile forces' instigation of sanctions has become more explicit -- calls for raising the banner of independence and self-reliance," it added. North Korean news website Uriminzokkiri wrote that the banner of self-reliance "is the driving force that has allowed our people to achieve the best outcome in a short period time in the midst of worst hardships" It is pertinent to mention that the reiteration of such calls for self-reliance have come after Kim met Russian president Vladimir Putin at Russia's port city of Vladivostok on Thursday. During the summit, Kim had blamed Washington's "unilateral" attitude for the current statement in denuclearisation negotiations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan police has arrested two people and seized five cartons of liquor from their possession here in Dungarpur. "Based on a tip-off, we found two cartons of liquor from a vehicle outside a showroom and arrested two people in the case. After interrogating them, three more cartons were recovered from the showroom," said police. The arrests were made on Saturday. A case has been registered and investigation is underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jhalawar district administration held a voter awareness programme here in an effort to encourage voters to exercise their franchise in large numbers. The voter awareness programme was held for the Bohra community in the town. The administration has roped in girls to create awareness among the people to cast their votes. Authorities also apprised the benefits of voting to lactating and pregnant mothers. These women will be helped by Anganwadi workers at the time of voting, while specially abled-people will be helped by volunteers to exercise their franchise. The administration said that potable water units would be set up at polling booths for the convenience of the people. "We have started a programme for the Bohra community on voting. We have given a message to these people that everyone should exercise their franchise. We are hopeful that there will be 100 per cent voting here," Inderjeet Singh Rai, collector, told ANI. There are 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan. Polling in Baran-Jhalawar seat, along with 12 constituencies in Rajasthan will be held on April 29. The remaining 12 seats will go to polls on May 6. 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.) At least one woman was killed and several others suffered injuries when a man opened fire at a synagogue in the Californian city of Poway on Saturday. CNN quoted Poway Mayor Steve Vaus, who described the shooting as a possible hate crime that occurred at Congregation Chabad on the last day of Passover, one of the holiest Jewish celebrations of the year. Derryl Acosta, a spokesman at Palomar Medical Center, was quoted as saying that the hospital received four patients from the shooting. Vaus said the three people injured, including two men and a female juvenile, have non-life-threatening injuries, Fox News reported. He said he considered the incident, which around 11:30 a.m. (local time), to be a hate crime "because of statements that were made when the shooter entered." The mayor further noted that the congregation was targeted by "someone with hate in their heart ... towards our Jewish community and that just will not stand." The congregation "took security very seriously," he said. "I also understand from folks on the scene that this shooter was engaged by people in the congregation and those brave people certainly prevented this from being a much worse tragedy," Vaus told CNN. Meanwhile, witnesses of the event were quoted as saying that the shooter was screaming and cursing when he opened fire, which was followed by six or seven gunshots. "No known threats however in an abundance of caution, we will be providing extra patrol at places of worship," San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said. United States President Donald Trump also sent his deepest sympathies to the victims of San Diego shootings. "Thoughts and prayers to all of those affected by the shooting at the Synagogue in Poway, California. God bless you all. Suspect apprehended. Law enforcement did outstanding job," the President tweeted. The incident comes six months after the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh happened on the same day. Last year on October 27, Robert Bowers stormed the synagogue, killing 11 people in what the Anti-Defamation League said was the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in the history of the United States. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Services were briefly delayed on the Dwarka Sector 21-New Delhi section of the Airport Express Line on Sunday due to a technical snag, after which operations resumed. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) announced that there was a delay in service from Delhi Aerocity to Dwarka Sector 21. "Airport Line Update -- Delay in service from Aerocity to Dwarka Sector 21. Normal service on all other lines," the DMRC wrote on their Twitter handle. However, after a few minutes, the mass transit agency said that normal services were restored on the line. "Airport Line Update -- Normal service has resumed," read another tweet by DMRC. On April 24, services on Airport Express Line was briefly affected due to the slow movement of trains from Dwarka Sector 21 to New Delhi. The 22.7 km Airport Express Line, also known as the Orange Line, connects New Delhi Railway Station with Dwarka Sector 21. It crosses T3 terminal of Indira Gandhi International Airport and Delhi Aerocity, where a feeder bus connects it to the airport's T1 terminal. There are three interchange stations on this line -- Dwarka Sector 21 (Blue Line), Dhaula Kuan (Pink Line) and New Delhi (Yellow Line). Currently, while it takes just three minutes from Dwarka Sector 21 to T3 Airport station, a journey from New Delhi to the airport takes around 18 minutes. The Airport Express Line is being extended to ECC Centre in Dwarka Sector 25, where a convention centre is under construction and will be ready in few years. Services are expected to commence in 2020-21. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Voting for the third general elections in the last four years is underway across Spain, with the preliminary results expected to be announced on Sunday evening. The major parties in the electoral race are the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), the conservative People's Party (PP), left-wing populist Podemos, centrist-populist Ciudadanos (or Citizens) and far-right Vox party The polls are being held in the wake of tensions over Catalonia, following the failed bid for Catalan independence in 2017. Sunday's snap polls could see a return of the far right in Spain, even though left-wing PSOE is expected to win most of the seats but not an outright majority, according to Al Jazeera. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who led the country for around a year, was forced to call for fresh elections after his budget proposals were rejected in February. He is seeking to retain his post during the elections for the 350-seat parliament. The outcome of the snap polls could see the surge of two possible blocs - one made up of traditional centre-right and far-right parties, while the other comprising of left-wing parties. "(The right is) concerned with Catalonia and Franco, I'm concerned with getting a job. They say the crisis is over, but we don't feel it," said Miguel Angel Rivera, a 20-year-old philosophy student. Voting for the polls is expected to shut by 8 pm today. However, the polls may be extended until 9 pm in certain areas, if the need arises. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking the first step towards breaking the prevailing deadlock, Sudan's ruling Military Transitional Council (MTC) and the Declaration of Freedom and Changes Forces agreed in principle to create a joint council to run the country until the next elections. "Talks will continue and we are optimistic on reaching a final result that we can announce to the Sudanese people as soon as possible," Shams Eldin Kabashi, the spokesperson for the military council, told Al Jazeera, He added that Saturday's "talks started with high spirits and great transparency". However, Saturday's decision is only the first step as both the sides are yet to sort out disagreements. "There is still a lot of discord and disagreement between the two sides. The military wants 10 members on this council, three of them civilians, seven of them military. The opposition wants the council to be made up of 15 members, eight of them civilians and seven people from the military," Al Jazeera's Mohamed Vall said. Sudan's former President Omar al-Bashir was ousted and arrested in a military coup last month. This came as the African country faced months of continuous protests against the ousted leader's decades-long rule which was marred by rampant corruption. The protests snowballed after initially being triggered by the rising prices of daily commodities like bread. After overthrowing Bashir, the military council promised to hold elections after overseeing a two-year transitional period - a move which has been slammed by protesters who are holding sit-ins against the military rule. The demonstrators have also rejected the African Union's proposal to give the MTC a three-month period to hand over power to a civil administration. "Sudanese don't need the recommendation of African Union," Sadiq al-Mahdi, the head of the National Umma Party, said. "Over the past three weeks, more and more people have been arriving from different parts of the country to join the sit-in. They say they want civilians, and not the military, to be the ones who have the ultimate say on the shape of Sudan's future," he stated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump lashed out at actor Jussie Smollett at a rally on Saturday, calling him a "third-rate actor." As reported by Variety, Trump in his rally said, "It's a MAGA country. I didn't hear that term until that third rate actor in Chicago went out and said I was beaten up by MAGA country, can you believe it?" "Turned out to be a total lie," he added. The 'Empire' actor in January claimed that he was attacked by two masked men who yelled racial slurs against him as he was gay and black. He also claimed that the attackers shouted, "This is MAGA country." After the investigations, Smollett was indicted on 16 felony counts by the city of Chicago. However, the charges were dropped as he forfeited USD 10,000 and agreed to do some community service. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson criticised the dropping of charges. Later, Jussie was sued by the city of Chicago for USD 130,000 in order to recover the costs incurred during his investigations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Saturday said that the United States needs to prove its seriousness on prisoner exchange before the two countries can begin negotiations. Zarif made the comment in an interview with CBS's 'Face the Nation' show where host Margaret Brennan asked him whether he would, "as a show of...seriousness" release some of the at least five Americans who are incarcerated in Iran. On Wednesday, the Foreign Minister, in a diplomatic overture amid a worsening relationship with Washington, publicly proposed to negotiate a prisoner exchange between the two countries, saying he had been authorised to conduct such talks. During the interview, Zarif said that many Iranians are imprisoned in the US for violating sanctions, adding that the Trump administration already aware of which prisoners Iran would like in return for American prisoners in Iran being released. "I am responsible for foreign policy. I'm not responsible for interfering in court's decisions. I can intervene when there is an exchange, an offer of exchange. I cannot intervene as foreign minister," Zarif was quoted as saying. However, Zarif denied that Americans imprisoned in Iran were being mistreated. He claimed that Iran had made an offer six months ago to Washington to discuss the status of the prisoners but it went unanswered. He said, "I can intervene as a private individual on humanitarian basis, and I do, I do," adding, "But as foreign minister, I do not have a standing in any Iranian court unless I can engage in an exchange with Iranians who are wrongful, in our view, detained either inside the United States or elsewhere." Meanwhile, a US State Department spokesperson told The Hill in a statement on Saturday that Iran can show it is serious by releasing "innocent US persons." "The Iranian regime can demonstrate its seriousness regarding consular issues, including Iranians who have been indicted or convicted of criminal violations of US sanctions laws, by releasing innocent U.S. persons immediately," the spokesperson said. "We call on Iran to free all unjustly detained and missing U.S. persons, including Xiyue Wang, Robert Levinson, Siamak Namazi, and Nizar Zakka, among others," he added. Tension between Iran and the United States have heightened recently after the Trump administration designated Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organisation. This is the first time when the US has designated any foreign country's military as terrorists. In addition, the US has also threatened to sanction other countries who purchase Iranian oil, including India and China, starting from May 2, to which Iran has likely retaliated. "I have enough responsibility on my shoulders to prevent a war, to try to circumvent the U.S. attempts to prevent Iran from engaging in what is legally ours, and that is normal economic relations," Zarif said. "So, I do this as a part of my job, as foreign minister to exchange people without attribution of guilt. Simply to make it possible for people to go back home," the Foreign Minister was quoted as saying. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Help India! TCN News Fatima Rasool Siddique, Muslim candidate of BJP from Bhopal who had contested the Assembly elections from Bhopal North last year, said she will not campaign for Pragya Singh Thakur who is contesting from Bhopal for the Lok sabha elections. Support TwoCircles Fatima says, Pragya Singhs statements have been anti-Muslim and has hurt her as well as the Muslim community. The formed chief Minister Shivraj Chauhan from BJP had begun building rapport with the Muslims in MP but Pragyas statements have been communal and spiteful against the Muslim community. Pragya Singh is one of the main accused in the Malegaon blast in 2008 that killed 6 people and injured nearly 100 people. She has not yet been acquitted but is still fighting the election from Bhopal. One of the victims father has complained to the HC to cancel her nomination. Fatima, 35 years, is the daughter of congress leader Rasool Ahmed Siddique, who joined BJP in November 2018 when she contested the assembly elections. She lost her North Bhopal seat to another congress leader. However, Fatima is ready to campaign for Pragya on the condition that she apologises to Muslims for hurting their sentiments. Pragya Singh, in her interviews has called for a Dharm Yudh, has referred to the Babri mosque as kalank while openly admitting that she was among the people who demolished the mosque, she has also spoken ill about the ATS chief Hemant Karkare who was martyred in the terror attack in Mumbai. Fatima strongly feels such statements will divide the Hindu-Muslims which she does not approve of. The polling in Bhopal is on May 12 and the results are likely to be out on May 23rd. Over 2.57 crore voters will decide the fate of 115 candidates -- 108 men and seven women -- in Rajasthan's first phase of polling on Monday, according to an election official on Sunday. Anand Kumar, Chief Electoral Officer, said, voters include 1.32 crore men and 1.24 crore women and they would be casting their votes on Monday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. in 13 Lok Sabha constituencies of Rajasthan. Around 6.5 lakh first time voters will also exercise their franchise. For Lok Sabha polls, 51,965 voting centres have been set up, Kumar said and added, in the first phase of voting in Rajasthan voters would cast their votes in 28,152 centres. The 13 seats going to polls on Monday include Jodhpur (19.51 lakh voters), Barmer (19.39 lakh), Jalore (20.899 lakh), Udaipur (20.69 lakh), Banswara (19.75 lakh), Chittaurgarh (20.15 lakh), Rajsamand (19.9 lakh), Bhilwara (19.95 lakh), Tonk-Sawai Moadhopur (19.43 lakh), Ajmer (18.72 lakh), Pali (21.56 lakh), Kota (19.47 lakh) and Jhalawad-Baran (19.3 lakh). While the maximum number of voters are in Pali, the minimum in Ajmer, Kumar said. There are over 26,000 service voters in the state and over 1.12 lakh employees have been deputed at different voting centres. Over 2,222 micro observers have been appointed at sensitive booths in Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, Kota and Rajsamand, the official said. Videography would be done at 1,942 polling centres, he added. Around 5,377 vulnerable villages have been identified. Since the announcement of elections Rs 3.34 crore in cash, drugs and narcotics worth Rs 13.04 crore and Rs 7.38 crore gold-silver have been seized. The second phase of the vote in the state is on May 6. --IANS arc/pgh/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A total of 72 Lok Sabha constituencies spread over nine states, mostly in Hindi heartland, will go to polls in the fourth phase of the elections on Monday. An estimated 12.79 crore electorate will be eligible to exercise their franchise in 13 seats each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, five in Bihar, eight in West Bengal, three in Jharkhand, six in Madhya Pradesh, 17 in Maharashtra and six in Odisha. Polling will also be held in the second of the three phases in Jammu and Kashmir's troubled Anantnag constituency. In the fourth phase, the BJP will be defending 45 of the seats it won in the 2014 Lok Sabha battle -- 13 in Rajasthan, 12 in Uttar Pradesh, five in Madhya Pradesh, three in Bihar, three in Jharkhand, eight in Maharashtra and one in West Bengal. In Maharashtra, all the remaining nine were won by the Shiv Sena while in Bihar, the remaining two seats were bagged by BJP's ally Lok Janshakti Party. The Congress got only two -- one in Madhya Pradesh and one in West Bengal. Among other parties, the Biju Janata Dal won all six in Odisha, the Trinamool Congress six in West Bengal and the Samawadi Party one in Uttar Pradesh. With the end of the fourth round of polling, over 61 crore of the electorate would have taken part in the democratic exercise, the largest in the world. The fourth round will also mark an end to staggered voting in Odisha and Maharashtra. Odisha is also electing its state Assembly. In Madhya Pradesh, the VIP Chhindwara Assembly constituency will go the polls, with Chief Minister Kamal Nath in the race to become a member of the legislature. Campaigning for Monday's polling ended on Saturday evening amid allegations and counter-allegations bordering on personal affairs, making it one of the most bitterly fought elections in the country. The BJP and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi are determined to secure a second term while a divided opposition is aiming to end his five years in power. Prominent candidates on Monday include three Union Ministers: Babul Supriyo (West Bengal), Giriraj Singh (Bihar) and S.S. Ahluwalia (also West Bengal). Giriraj Singh, for whom Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar campaigned, is pitted against former JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar of the CPI in Begusarai. Kanhaiya Kumar's candidature has virtually overshadowed the RJD contestant in the seat. Moon Moon Sen of the Trinamool Congress has taken on Supriyo, Urmila Matondkar is contesting from Mumbai North and Baijyant Panda of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Kendrapara in Odisha are among the key candidates on Monday. The next three rounds of the Lok Sabha battle will conclude on May 19 and the vote count across the country will be taken up on May 23. --IANS ss/vd/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The NSCN-IM has committed a serious violation of ceasefire ground rules by setting up an "unauthorised camp" in Ukhrul district of Manipur, Indian Army sources have said. They said that NSCN-IM had violated ceasefire by setting up camp in the north of Ukhrul district. Sources said that during the routine aerial recce on April 25, some suspected temporary hutment type structures were observed in the forest in "Sihai Khunou/Khamasom, Ukhrul". Troops were deployed to verify existence of an unauthorised camp of NSCN-IMA in the area. The commander, they said, requested the villagers and the pastor to inform NSCN-IM cadres to vacate the camp immediately as it was unauthorised and "in gross violation of existing ceasefire ground rules". The same day, General Secretary of United Naga Council gave a phone call to commander of Assam Rifles Sector and confirmed the presence of NSCN-IM camp. The sources said that chairman of Ceasefire Monitoring Group (CFMG) was briefed about the prevailing situation and existence of unauthorised camp on April 26 by Inspector General of Assam Rifles. The next day at around 2.15 pm, it was confirmed by the Chairman CFMG that instructions have been issued for immediate vacation of the NSCN-IM camp. Accordingly, Assam Rifles asked the villagers whether the camp had been vacated or not. The sources said that area has been reinforced by additional troops and the unauthorised camp is under constant surveillance by air and other means. They said that aerial reconnaissance on April 27 morning revealed that the camp has not been vacated and the onus for inconvenience to villagers is entirely due to the irresponsible actions by NSCN (Isac-Muivah) cadres. The sources said that security forces have shown great restraint. The villagers, who were again sent towards the camp, on Sunday met SS Lt Col David Rambo. Despite extreme restraint being shown by Assam Rifles troops, no action has been taken by NSCN-IM to vacate the unauthorised camp and this was a serious violation of ceasefire ground rules. The onus for further escalation rests with NSCN-IM hierarchy, if the unauthorised camp is not vacated immediately, the sources said. The government and NSCN-IM had arrived at a ceasefire agreement in 1997. --IANS ps/vin/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Sunday alleged that the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal put up obstacles in his election campaign in the state. "The Trinamool Congress government violated the Election Commission's guidelines by not allowing me to hold a roadshow in Bishnupur (in Bankura district of West Bengal). The state administration also created problems (for me) to campaign there," Biplab Deb told the media after returning here from Kolkata. Biplab Deb, who is also the Tripura Pradesh President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), addressed several election rallies in West Bengal during his five-day long stay there. He claimed that the BJP would win in most parliamentary seats in West Bengal this time. West Bengal has 42 Lok Sabha seats out of which two are currently held by the saffron party. "The people of West Bengal are fed-up with the 'syndicate-raj', 'cadre-raj' and the dynastic of the Trinamool Congress," the Chief Minister said. Commenting on the opposition CPI-M and Congress' threat to move the Supreme Court if the Election Commission didn't hold re-election in the Tripura West Lok Sabha constituency, Biplab Deb said: "The court cannot help the candidate of a political party win if he doesn't have people's support." Meanwhile, Niti Deb, the Chief Minister's wife who accompanied him, told the media that she was shocked and stunned at some bogus social media posts about their marital life. The Tripura Police had on Friday registered a case against Anupam Paul, a social media user, for allegedly spreading fake information about a "divorce suit" filed against Biplab Deb by his wife Niti Deb in a Delhi court. Another FIR was lodged against a police constable in Dharmanagar police station in northern Tripura on Saturday on the same issue. The Chief Minister had earlier said in a statement that "such social media propaganda was a deep-rooted conspiracy with malafide intention". --IANS sc/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Midway though the Lok Sabha elections, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh is caught in a bind. The party has failed to create a plan to reach out to youth voters who now form a sizeable segment of its vote bank. The BSP has failed to effectively establish its presence on the social media and does not encourage individual leaders to do the same. "All other political parties are going full steam on the social media but the BSP does not go beyond official statements for which Mayawati has her own Twitter handle. Party leaders are not allowed to promote the party on the social media and our meetings are not streamed live," said a party functionary. BSP leaders are apparently worried that they may lose out on youth support due to faulty political strategy. The BSP has been on the downslide in this decade. After losing power in the 2012 Assembly elections, the party drew a complete blank in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and then managed to win only 19 seats in a house of 403 in the 2017 Assembly polls. "The social media is now an important part of campaigning, especially among youth, but the BSP does not believe so. This is going to be a major disadvantage for us." confessed the party functionary. What is adding to the BSP's worries is the fact that the Bhim Army is marching ahead, creating footprints' among Dalit youth. After being initially soft towards the BSP, Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar has now launched a full blown war against Mayawati after she accused him of being a 'BJP agent'. Chandra Shekhar has accused the BSP of giving 42 per cent of seats to upper caste candidates who form barely 16 per cent of the population. He said that the upper caste should have been given seats in proportion to their population. "Till now 16 of the 38 seats announced by the BSP have been given to the upper caste which comes to almost 42 per cent," he pointed out. He also asked: "Now where will the OBC, Dalits and Muslims go? The BSP is now a party of moneybags with huge bank balances." He said the only reason why he and others like him were silent was that they wanted to save the Bahujan movement and considered Mayawati to have been a pioneer. "But she is wavering from the basic ideology of the party." Chandra Shekhar's allegations are flooding the social media and there has been no effort to counter the same from the BSP. A BSP candidate from eastern UP admitted that the party faced a major disadvantage because of its failure to connect with the youth. "Today I feel that I have already lost the elections because my party does not address issues related to youth or even connect with them. The BJP, which is very active on the social media, is making things worse," he said. --IANS amita/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Writer-director and Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana's wife Tahira Kashyap has documented her journey battling cancer on social media. From sharing a series of photographs of herself showing how chemotherapy affected her to talking about the change in her attitude towards life due to the disease, Tahira on Saturday took to Instagram to open up about her struggles on being a cancer patient. Dedicating her post "to women of all shapes and sizes and to all those posts I get when they fret losing their hair during or after chemotherapy", she wrote: "I am hoping there is a change in the perception of that one perfect flavour that we have always had. "The last couple of months have been an extreme case of metamorphosis for me. And I am not categorising it whether it was from a caterpillar to a butterfly phase or vice-versa. I could be the larva or the pupa or any other intermediate stage as each phase is unique and special. "But there is a deep sense of acceptance when it comes to the life cycle of this creature. Taking a 'leaf' from this caterpillar's life, I feel I have undergone a tremendous change mentally and physically too. "From my obsession with long hair, associating beauty with rapunzel tresses, and hiding most of the time behind my hair (as I felt secure, lest my crooked nose, or freckles or pimples or simply not so chiseled face isn't exposed) to losing my hair, wearing extensions and a cap, going bald to now a short crop, I am enjoying every phase because somehow with hair I lost my insecurity, my stupid notion of beauty and my complexes." She doesn't know whether she will be keeping long hair or not, "in either case I am not going to hide my face". "I have changed my own mindset and my biggest victory is changing the mindset and perception of my seven-year-old-son, the next generation. From running to get a cap and placing it on my head when I was losing my hair and had a bald patch to proudly introducing me to his friends when I was bald or now with short hair, I feel I am a part of a change," she added. On September 22 last year, Tahira revealed that she was detected with DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) in her right breast with high grade malignant cells. --IANS sim/nn/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday appealed to Pakistan and India to mend their ties, ruptured after the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama by a Pakistan-based terror outfit early this year. Meeting visiting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and exchanging views on the situation in South Asia, Xi expressed the hope that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway and promote stabilization and improvement in their relations, according to a Chinese government official. Imran Khan also attended the three-day Belt and Road forum that concluded on Saturday, while India gave the summit a miss for the second time in protest against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor planned through the part of Kashmir held by Islamabad. The meet between Xi and Khan comes at a time when the already-strained India and Pakistan's ties have fallen to a new low after Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) carried out a deadly suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 40 Indian security personnel in February. The issue has also caused tension between India and China as Beijing has blocked resolutions to designate JeM chief Masood Azhar a 'global terrorist' at the UN. China has put a "technical hold" on resolutions each time they have been moved by India, the US and other countries at the UN 1267 committee. However, officials in Beijing say the solution to the issue is in sight. At his meeting with Imran Khan, Xi also said China will stand by Pakistan in all times. "Pakistan is China's all-weather strategic cooperative partner. China and Pakistan are 'iron friends' and have always firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests," he said. China takes Pakistan as a priority in its diplomacy, he said. "No matter how international and regional situations change, China firmly supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and national dignity, choosing its own development path suited to its national conditions, combating terrorist and extremist forces, striving for a sound external security environment, and playing a constructive role in international and regional affairs," Xi said. He said major progress had been made in bilateral cooperation in the construction of the CPEC, especially in areas such as finance, trade and other aspects, a statement said. --IANS gsh/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) J.P. Agarwal, the Congress candidate from Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency, here on Sunday, promised to address the sealing and the goods and services tax (GST) issues troubling traders. "The BJP's decision of sealing, demonetisation and the GST have drastically affected traders," he said. Demonetisation and the GST dented small and medium traders and many people died in the serpentine queues to exchange currency during demonetisation, he added. Taking a jibe on the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) "acche din" election slogan, Agarwal said people of Delhi were still waiting for the promises to be fulfilled. "They (the BJP leaders) have no moral grounds to ask for votes. First, they should fulfil the promises made to 1.25 billion people in 2014, then come up with new slogans," he said Agarwal, a four-time Congress MP, slammed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for failing to take satisfactory action to protect the livelihood of traders. On sealing, Agarwal said during a similar crisis in 2006 the Congress government came out with solution within a fortnight, and added the AAP and the BJP were just mute spectators during the recent crisis. He also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for politicising the security personnel's death. --IANS ss/pgh/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress is weakening the Opposition across the country, senior leader of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has said against the backdrop of a failed attempt at stitching an pre-poll alliance between the two parties. Sisodia said the Congress should be blamed if the BJP wins in Delhi and across the country and returns to the power after the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. "Not only in Delhi but across the country, the Congress is weakening the Opposition. If the BJP wins any seat in Delhi or outside it, the Congress should be blamed," he told IANS when asked if the AAP feels the failed alliance talks with the Congress could help the BJP in winning seats in the capital. He said the AAP was ready for an alliance with the Congress in Delhi because it had in mind other states where seat-sharing was important to avoid division of votes. "Delhi was never the centre of our talks... We can and will win all the seven seats here.. We were ready for the alliance thinking about the other states. Congress is not going to win any of the seven seats here," the AAP leader insisted. The talks for an alliance between the two parties were on since February and ended last week with Congress naming all the seven candidates for Delhi. While the Congress was only talking about seat sharing in Delhi, the AAP was asking for the same on 33 seats in Haryana, Punjab, Goa, Chandigarh and Delhi. Later, the AAP was even ready for talks on 18 seats spread over Delhi, Haryana and Chandigarh, but the Congress did not agree for that as well and maintained that seat-sharing could take place only in Delhi. Sisodia expressed confidence that the AAP candidates would win all the seven seats here and that the party does not consider the Congress as a competition. Polling in Delhi will take place on May 12. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had bagged all the seven seats here. Asked why it is important for his party to win the seats here, he said the MPs of his party would work to secure full statehood for the city, which the other two parties -- BJP and Congress-- did not. Sisodia, who also holds the Education portfolio, said while working for the city, the AAP government could not get the support of the MPs and so the decision-making was slow. "We have done a lot of work in the field of education but because we lacked power, we could not do so much. The teachers' appointment is not in our hands. If it were, we could have hired more teachers and regularised the ones on contract. Similarly, the officials are not under our control," he said. The AAP leader, whose party had won 67 of the total 70 Delhi Assembly seats last time, said full statehood for Delhi is important to speed up the works done by the city government. Listing out the achievements, he said his government, "despite all the hurdles" created by the central government, built 8,213 new classrooms since it came to power in 2015. "There were 24,157 classrooms in the Delhi government schools in 2015. By November, another 12,748 new classrooms will be completed, apart from 8,213 build since 2015," the minister said. He said the government wanted to build more schools, college and hospitals for the city "but the land has always been an issue." In the manifesto, he said, the party has promised full statehood to Delhi. With full statehood, the party promised to build new schools, colleges and other educational institutions. "After full statehood and more powers, we will expanded 'Right to School Education' programme and ensure that every child in Delhi is entitled to free, world class education from Nursery to Class 12. He also said the students of Delhi schools securing more than 60 per cent marks in Class 12, will get admission in a college as a regular student. The party has promised 85 per cent reservation in college admission and jobs in the city for the residents of Delhi. The national capital will see a triangular contest between Delhi's ruling AAP, BJP and the Congress. (Nivedita Singh can be contacted at nivedita.singh@ians.in) --IANS nks/akk/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A police constable was arrested and subsequently suspended from service on Sunday for spreading fake information on social media about an alleged "divorce suit" filed against Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb by his wife Niti Deb, the police said. "Constable Jamal Hossain was arrested for sharing fake information on social media. He was later suspended from service by the authority," a police officer said. Hossain is the bodyguard of Islam Uddin, a legislator of the opposition Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M). The Tripura Police had on Friday registered a case against Anupam Paul, a social media user, for allegedly spreading fake information about a "divorce suit" filed against Biplab Deb by his wife Niti Deb in a Delhi court. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Arindam Nath told IANS that the police were looking for Paul and a probe was on.Paul, who had earlier worked in the social media wing of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been previously accused of posting fake messages on different issues on the social media. Biplab Deb, who returned here on Sunday after campaigning in West Bengal, told the media that FIRs have been filed against five people on the same issue. "Nobody involved in spreading the fake news would be spared," said the Chief Minister, who who had earlier said in a statement that "such social media propaganda was a deep-rooted conspiracy with malafide intention". Biplab Deb's wife Niti Deb said she was shocked and stunned by some bogus social media posts about their marital life. "Such fake campaign spoils the social reputation and stature of a person. None, especially the women, should be the target of such bogus social media campaigns," she said. "A few weeks back, similar fake social media campaign was launched against the state's Social Welfare and Social Education Minister Santana Chakma, who's also a young tribal woman," Niti Deb said. --IANS sc/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier told Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on Saturday that he hoped the US-China trade dispute that has slowed global growth would soon be over, Deutsche Welle reports. For months, the world's two largest economies have been locked in a trade war that has cost them billions of dollars and rattled global markets. The row has also taken its toll on businesses from Germany and other European countries that are operating in China, Altmaier was quoted by state media as saying. Bitter trade war The 9-month trade dispute between Beijing and Washington has disrupted supply chains, upset global markets and involved both sides imposing tit-for-tat tariffs on $360 billion (322 billion) worth of goods. Ongoing talks, including a meeting between Chinese and US negotiators in Beijing next week, have fueled optimism the two economies will soon reach a deal to put the conflict to bed. Altmaier at the summit The German minister discussed the conflict with Liu on the sidelines of the second Belt and Road forum in the Chinese capital. Representatives from more than 100 countries were attending the event to discuss Beijing's plans to build infrastructure projects connecting China with other parts of Asia, Africa and parts of Europe. In separate comments to reporters on Friday, Altmaier said major European Union countries were keen to sign a deal with China, but as a group rather than individual states. "In the big EU states we have agreed that we don't want to sign any bilateral memorandums but together make necessary arrangements between the greater European Economic Area and the economic area of Greater China," he said. In March, Italy became the first G7 country to sign up to the Belt and Road project. And while other European countries have expressed an interest in participating as well, France and Germany insist China must improve access and fair competition for foreign firms. Altmaier said he was heartened by Chinese President Xi Jinping's pledge to make China's economy more accessible to foreign business, and to ensure Belt and Road was transparent and sustainable. "We will take this promise seriously" and make suggestions on how to achieve these goals in both Asia and Europe, Altmaier said, adding that the EU had to make its own interests clear. What is Belt and Road? The Belt and Road Initiative is the signature foreign policy project of President Xi, with infrastructure development and investment in 152 countries globally. The aim is to reestablish traditional land-based connections (the "belt" part of the strategy) from China to other parts of Asia, Europe and beyond. Since the initiative was launched in 2013, China has invested some $90 billion (81 billion) in projects, with banks supplying some $200 billion to $300 billion. But the massive project has proven controversial, with some voicing concerns that it is fueling local corruption and leaving behind debt and environmental damage. Union Minister and BJP candidate from Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said that people of the capital will never vote for a party which promises repeal of the sedition law. Addressing people of his constituency during his voter connect programme, he said: "Delhi has always been a bastion of nationalist ideologues and their supporters. The citizens of Delhi never ever tolerate an anti-national element.. that's why they are all out to strengthen nationalist elements." Hitting out at the Congress for promising to repeal the sedition law after coming to power, he claimed that Delhi's voters will never forgive the party for this promise as well as "those elements who openly sided with JNU student leader associated with tukde-tukde gang". Harsh Vardhan, who is pitted in a triangular contest against Congress's J.P. Agarwal and Aam Aadmi Party's Pankaj Gupta, said that the BJP has been considering India and nationalism as their first commitment, and personal interests as the last priority. Hitting out at the Arvind Kejriwal government for not granting sanction to prosecute JNU Students Union's former President Kanhaiya Kumar and others in the 2016 sedition case, he said: "The Kejriwal government has been sitting over a file which deals with grant of permission for taking the matter to court of law in respect of main student leader directly involved in tukde-tukde rhetoric." "BJP would never allow such forces to damage the unity and integrity of the country," he said. Targeting the Congress and AAP, he said: "It looks like that both AAP and Congress have been in league on the issue of weakening the country and its unity. Their priority is to safeguard their political interests." Harsh Vardhan visited the Railway Colony in Kishanganj area, Moti Bagh, Vivekanand Puri, Padma Nagar and Roshanara Road under Sadar Assembly segment and Kedar Building, Ghantaghar and Kamla Nagar localities under Model Town Assembly segment. The elections for all the seven seats in Delhi are due May 12 in the sixth phase. --IANS aks/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Government proposes to offload substantial portion of its stake in select blue chip companies this year to meet higher disinvestment target even though the exercise will bring down its holding below 51 per cent level, the minimum holding required for an entity to qualify as a central public sector enterprise (CPSE). Officials in Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) said that market regulator SEBI is expected to soon issue policy guidelines on Differential Voting Rights (DVR) that will allow promoters to raise finds without dilution of control. Once these regulations are in place, government could consider divesting higher stake in CPSEs without losing control or changing the PSU character of an entity. At present there are more than two dozen CPSEs that are widely held by the public with government stake of less than or close to 60 per cent. These include maharatna and navratna CPSEs like Engineers India Ltd (EIL-52%), Indian Oil Corporation (IOC-52.18%), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL-53.29), Gail India (52.64%), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC-64.25%), Power Finance Corporation (PFC-59.05%), Powergrid Corporation (PGCIL-55.37%), NTPC, Shipping Corporation of India (SCI-63.75%), Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL-63.17%), NBCC (68.18%), Container Corporation (Concor - 54.80%). If government sells more of its equity in these entities it could raise its disinvestment proceeds easily from the market without looking at other instruments like share buyback, new issues of ETFs or higher dividend payout from PSUs including declaration of special dividend. This would also eliminate pressure on achieving disinvestment target, as even a small issue by a bluechip PSUs can get better realisation for government shares. The shares of most of these companies have got good valuation from the market. Government has set disinvestment target of Rs 90,000 crore for FY20. "Golden share or DVR could be first step for the government to bring down its holding in several non-strategic and non-core PSUs. This could be followed by government changing the definition of PSUs itself by mandating lower than 51 per cent government holding," said a finance ministry official asking not to be named. Last month market regulator SEBI issued consultation paper on DVR allowing companies to issue shares having rights disproportionate to their economic ownership. In India, DVR shares with inferior voting rights (Fractional Rights/FR) or lower voting rights is already permitted by the Securities and Exchange Board of India. Now, SEBI is introducing DVR shares with Superior Voting Rights (SR) or higher voting rights along with FR. DVR regulations are expected to be introduced quickly as the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has also favoured such a move. Officials of ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) and the finance ministry are also discussing DVR regulations and how it could be applied in the case of PSUs. The changes would implemented for PSU after the new government takes charge at the centre. DIPAM officials said once DVR structure is formalised, they could also look at using this structure to scale up disinvestment targets as in most blue chip CPSEs the level of government holding is close to 51 per cent. (Subhash Narayan can be contacted at subhash.n@ians.in) --IANS sn/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Visiting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday met Chinese President Xi Jinping here for bilateral talks. The meeting took place at the Great Hall of the People. Khan was received by Xi upon arrival at the venue, reports The News International. The two countries are expected to sign the Free Trade Agreement after the bilateral talks which are focused on the next stage of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Khan is on a four-day visit to China to attend the 2nd Belt and Road Forum where he made two separate addresses. On Sunday, he is also scheduled to meet officials of the KCIO telecom company and attend a lunch by the Pakistan-China Trade Investment Forum being held in his honour, reports Samaa TV. He will also visit the headquarters of automobile companies and visit the Pakistani stall at a cultural exhibition being held in Chinese capital. He will leave for Pakistan on Sunday night. On Saturday, Khan held talks with Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian naval ships Kolkata and Shakti on Sunday arrived at South Korea's Busan to participate in the ADMM-Plus Maritime Security Field Training Exercise (FTX) as part of deployment of the Eastern Fleet to the South China Sea, said an official statement. The ships were welcomed into the harbour by officials from Republic of Korea Navy on arrival, it said, adding the exercise demonstrated India's 'Act East' policy and Indian Navy's increasing footprint and operational reach. "During the visit, the Indian ships will have professional interaction with ADMM-Plus Navies towards further enhancing co-operation between the navies," the statement said. "In addition, calls on senior government and military authorities, sporting and cultural interactions are also planned with ROK Navy." A deck reception for the delegates of ADMM-Plus (the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus) and dignitaries of the ROK Navy is also planned onboard INS Kolkata on Tuesday. The Indian ships have arrived at Busan on successful completion of International Fleet review at China's Qingdao. On departing Busan on Wednesday, the Indian ships are scheduled to undertake Maritime Security Exercise with the participating navies and, later, to sail to Singapore to participate in the International Maritime Defence Expo IMDEX-19 and the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise, SIMBEX-19. The ADMM-Plus is a platform for ASEAN and its eight dialogue partners to strengthen security and defence cooperation for peace, stability and development in the region. The ADMM-Plus countries include ten ASEAN Member States and eight other countries, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States. --IANS spk/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iraq's Foreign Ministry on Sunday said that it has summoned the charge d'affaires of the US embassy in Baghdad over comments on social media considered offensive to the diplomatic norms. Ministry spokesman Ahmed al-Sahaf told Xinhua news agency that the charge d'affaires was summoned on what was considered "a violation of diplomatic norms and international rules governing the operation of missions in host states". The summoning came after the US embassy in Baghdad accused Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of corruption while his people were living in poverty. "The publishing by a diplomatic mission in Iraq against one of Iraq's neighbors and its religious or political symbols is contrary to the principles of the Iraqi constitution and Iraqi foreign policy," al-Sahaf said. The Ministry issued a statement late Saturday demanding the US embassy to "delete the offensive publication, and refrain from issuing such publications in the future". --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Islamic State (IS) terror group has claimed responsibility for an "ambush" carried out by three jihadis in Sri Lanka, saying that it caused 17 deaths after authorities in the island nation confirmed 16 dead in an operation in Kalmunai city. An Arabic language statement on the group's official al-Amaq news agency on Saturday said that 17 police officers were killed in the ambush in Kalmunai, the same place where the security operation took place, reports Efe news. Amaq also issued an image of two alleged terrorists involved in the action. Sri Lankan security forces continued to carry out a series of raids on Saturday and confirmed the death of 16 people in the incident. The Sri Lankan Army reported the death of six children, three women, a civilian and six terrorists during the operation that began following a tip-off. The majority of the deaths occurred when, according to the authorities, six suicide bombers blew themselves up killing their own families. One hundred people have been arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday bombings in which 253 people died and more than 500 were wounded. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" completed two years of its release on Sunday, actor Rana Daggubati who played Bhallaldev in the film expressed happiness on being part of the epic saga that changed his life forever. "Two years this day changed my life and Indian cinema forever! 'Baahubali'," Rana tweeted along with the poster of the film. Celebrating the second anniversary of S.S. Rajamouli's directorial, makers on the official Twitter handle of "Baahubali" franchise thanked fans for their love. "It's been two years for the epic saga that not only set unbeatable records but also the supreme standards in Indian cinema. Thank you everyone for supporting us, trusting us and enabling us to make something so big. We are obliged. Keep loving us," the post read. Released in 2017, "Baahubali: The Conclusion" is the second part of "Baahubali" franchise. "Baahubali: The Beginning" and "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" stars Prabhas and Rana. The film's story is about the battle for the ownership of an ancient kingdom between two brothers. "Baahubali: The Conclusion" is one of India's highest grossing films. --IANS sim/nn/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After major reforms such as the Real Estate Regulation and Development Act (RERA) and the rationalisation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the likely resolution of the Jaypee Infratech Ltd (JIL) insolvency case will be another major development to boost the home buyer's confidence, more so in the subdued realty market of the national capital region, market experts said. "If this resolution takes place successfully, it would be a confidence booster because Jaypee has been one of the most highlighted cases. After RERA and GST, there is lot of transparency in the segment, and this will definitely further give the end users a lot of confidence, that their money is very safe," said Asha Singh, Vice President, Marketing at 360 Realtors. The Committee of Creditors (CoC) of Jaypee Infratech would finalise on April 30 who gets the insolvent JIL and the responsibility to build over 20,000 incomplete flats. According to sources, among the fresh bids of National Buildings Construction Corp (NBCC) and Suraksha Realty, that of NBCC got rejected on Friday as the CoC found the offer to be conditional and subject to approvals from several government departments. Conditional bids are not allowed under the insolvency law. Now, on April 30, the CoC would put Suraksha's bid to vote and sources say the bid might go through. A successful resolution and timely completion would mean that under any circumstance the home buyers' money would be safe and developers too would understand that they have to play a fair game, analysts said. The realty firm has an outstanding debt of nearly Rs 9,800 crore and over 22,000 of its flats in Noida remain incomplete. The deadline for resolving the JIL insolvency case is May 6. Meanwhile, the Adani Group is also raring to enter the ring and sent an expression of interest to the CoC but eventually did not submit its resolution. Jaypee promoters also persuaded the home buyers to support the company in withdrawing the case from the insolvency process under Section 12 A of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). In a letter written to the anguished home buyers last week, Manoj Gaur, Chairman, Jaypee Group, promised to construct the incomplete flats in four years, offered 2,000 equity shares out of promoter holding and also pledged to set up an "overseeing committee" consisting of a retired Supreme Court judge. Gaur also promised a "minimum" haircut to banks in terms of their loan recovery. Further, as per the resolution plan of Jaypee Associates Ltd (JAL), the group company of which JIL is a subsidiary, JAL would infuse Rs 1,500 crore "up front to cover deficit in cost of completion of homes". It also said that 100 acres of unused land shall be preserved for the need of funds, if needed, in future. "100 acres of unencumbered land shall be preserved for unforeseen circumstances. No development/sale/mortgage on this 100 acres will be undertaken for three years or completion of last home (out of 20,524) whichever is later." Although several home buyers raised concerns that the lenders have turned in favour of JAL, as they have assured minimum or no haircut, sources say now the lenders may zero in on Suraksha and vote for its bid on April 30. If this resolution goes through, the developers also would not take home buyers for granted any more, realty experts said. --IANS rrb/mag/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Ekta Party President Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Sunday alleged that Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had "cheated" the Sikh community by giving clean chit to former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal in the Behbal Kalan firing incident on Sikhs protesting against sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib. However, the Punjab Police immediately refuted his claim. In a statement here, Khaira said that the SIT formed to investigate the role of police and Akali Dal leaders in the Behbal Kalan case on the recommendations of Justice Ranjit Singh Commission had quietly submitted a 'challan' in the Faridkot court on April 24, giving a clean chit to the Badals. "Amarinder Singh's lofty statements of putting Badals behind bars were only political gimmicks and reflection of his true political character," he alleged. Khaira stated that the timing of transfer of SIT member, Inspector General Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, who questioned Badals and filing of 'challan' in his absence has raised many questions about the conspiracy hatched by the Badals to get the officer transferred under the garb of the model code of conduct. Police soon dismissed the allegations. "The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Behbal Kalan firing case has categorically rejected the media reports, claiming clean chit to some persons, pointing out that only a single challan filed by it against one accused had been selectively taken into consideration to come to erroneous conclusions," a Punjab Police spokesperson said here. He said that the case was still under investigation, with many aspects yet to be probed. "There is no question of giving a clean chit to anyone till the completion of the investigations," he said. "The 792-page challan submitted in Faridkot court and cited in the media reports was against only one accused i.e. former SSP Charanjit Singh Sharma. The challan was based on strong evidence, with investigation against him on other aspects still in progress," said the spokesperson, adding that after the investigation is completed, a supplementary challan/(s) shall be presented in the court against all those found guilty as per law, including Sharma. "The fact that investigations were still going on precluded the possibility of clean chit being given to anyone. A single document presented as challan based on partial investigation could not be taken as evidence for giving clean chit to those not mentioned in the challan," he added. The spokesperson made it clear that action would be taken in accordance with law against anyone found guilty in the case relating to two people being killed and over 20 injured in alleged police firing on Sikh protesters agitating against sacrilege cases of Guru Granth Sahib during in 2015 during the tenure of the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP) alliance government in Punjab. --IANS js/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mafia don-turned-politician and former MP Atiq Ahmad has moved a bail application before a special court, seeking a short-term bail to contest parliamentary elections from Varanasi. District Government Counsel (Criminal) Gulab Chandra Agrahri said the bail application will be taken up by the court on April 29. The special court is already hearing as many as 26 criminal cases against Atiq Ahmad, who is presently lodged in the Naini Central Jail in Allahabad. According to Atiq's counsels, the former MP has obtained nomination papers for contesting the Lok Sabha election from Varanasi. However, he would not be able to campaign for himself as he is lodged in jail. Hence he moved the present application requesting the court to release him on short term bail, so that he could campaign. The Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia state General Secretary Lallan Rai said Atiq Ahmad will contest elections on his party ticket provided he gets parole. --IANS amita/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Spain is preparing for weeks of fraught coalition negotiations as polls suggest Sunday's election is highly unlikely to deliver a clear winner. Amid a surge in support for the hard-Right, the country is facing its most fragmented political period since democracy was ushered in after General Franco. As the Telegraph reports, Vox, a start-up which has burst onto the scene carving up support among the traditional conservative parties, is expected to win their first seats - and the first representation at a national level for the hard-Right in Spain since the fascist era. But they are unlikely to prevent the governing Socialist Party (PSOE) from being the biggest party, with support for the Left hardening in the face of Vox's brash nationalism. Party leaders used their final stump speeches on Friday to warn of the potential for stalemate for a country that has been through its third general election in four years. Pedro Sanchez, the Socialist prime minister, urged PSOE voters to turn up en masse. Winning does not mean governing, he said in Valencia. He warned of the possibility of the extreme-Right being at the controls, in reference to Vox. Mr Sanchez has regularly been accused of being a danger to the unity of Spain and an enemy of the nation by Right-wing opponents due to his reliance on Catalan pro-independence parties during his 10-month minority government. Fearing an exodus of voters, the conservative Popular Party (PP) leader Pablo Casado reached out to those tempted to jump on the Vox bandwagon. Weve already changed; weve already mended our ways, Mr Casado, who has moved the PP to the Right, told supporters in Madrid. Why step on each others hoses when the key is to reach a majority? The only way the PP can return to power is via a three-way coalition with the liberal Ciudadanos and Vox. Mr Sanchezs best chance of holding on to power is by striking a deal with Left-wing ally Podemos and Basque nationalists. But neither of these hypothetical blocs are guaranteed to win even a slender majority. There is an evident risk that a clear majority will not emerge from this election, says Pablo Simon, a political analyst from Madrids Carlos III University. Mr Simon argues that a strong result for Vox could complicate a repeat of the three-way Right coalition that took power in Andalucia last December. Parties with more extreme policies tend to have a greater shy vote. Vox focuses on symbolic cultural issues and its conservative social agenda, and any government could become a prisoner of those demands. As well as the emergence of Vox, the obscure anti-bullfighting animal rights party Pacma is predicted to win its first-ever seats. And as the defence of Spains cultural symbols has come to the fore, the PP has put up two bullfighters and the widow of a matador killed in the ring as candidates. Vox has recruited four retired military generals, including two who signed a manifesto against the Socialist governments plan to exhume the remains of the dictator Franco from his colossal mausoleum outside Madrid. Several Catalan politicians in custody while on trial for rebellion are also running, with the campaign including televised press conferences from prison by Catalonias former vice-president, Oriol Junqueras, and by Jordi Sanchez, candidate for the JxCAT party of self-exiled former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont. Post-election negotiations will inevitably be made even more complex by regional and local elections in May, leading to a potential spiders web of multiple coalition deals being thrashed out across Spain. Not that many Spaniards may care. During the almost year-long political paralysis of 2016 the economy continued to improve and unemployment fell by two percentage points. Former Union Minister and Congress leader Ajay Maken who is contesting from the New Delhi Lok Sabha seat on Sunday held meetings with government employees, traders and civic body employees as part of his voter outreach programme. Interacting with the government employees in Aram Bagh area of the constituency, Maken, who is contesting against BJP's Meenakshi Lekhi and AAP's Brijesh Goyal, asked them if they wanted a BJP MP who does not raise their issues in the Parliament or a person like who always raised their voice in Parliament and outside it. He said he was instrumental in appointment and implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission which was beyond doubt most beneficial for them. Interacting with the New Delhi Municipal Council employees in Sarojini Nagar, Maken accused the Narendra Modi government of being against government employees, borne out by the fact that even after five years, the Seventh Pay Commission has not been implemented for NDMC employees. He pointed out that NDMC was among the richest municipal bodies in India and it was shameful indeed that it did not look after its employees. Maken said they have choice between the BJP MP who did not have the interest in understanding their issues or a person like him who has always stood by them through thick and thin. He assured the NDMC employees that if they give him another chance, he would continue to fight for justice for them. Interacting with the traders community in Karol Bagh, he promised to stop the sealing within one month of the Congress coming to power. He also reminded the traders when the MCD, on the Supreme Court's orders, came to execute sealing in the Karol Bagh, the Congress government took immediate steps in stopping the sealing and promised to do it again. Maken claimed that sealing reflected the "anti-business" and "anti-trader" mindset of the Modi government. "They have killed opportunities of employment by their faulty anti-trader and anti-business policies. The unemployment rate is the highest in 45 years. They have destroyed businesses through ill-thought-out GST and demonetisation policy," he added. Polling for all the seven seats in the national capital is scheduled in the sixth phase of polling on May 12. The BJP, which won all seven seats in 2014, is faced with triangular contests in the city after talks failed on an alliance between Congress and the AAP. --IANS aks/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following an announcement that former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf will appear before a special court on May 2, it was learnt that he might not return to the country because of his medical boards recommendation and family pressure not to do so. "Gen Musharraf is eager to come to Pakistan and wants to appear before the court. He has been suffering from severe backbone pain and the medical board has advised him not to travel. Moreover, he has been facing pressure from his family that he should not travel at the cost of his health. However, as everyone knows that Gen Musharraf is a man of his words so still there are 50 per cent chances of his return," advocate and member of the All Pakistan Muslim League Ali Nawab Chitrali, told Dawn news on Saturday night. Earlier Saturday, Musharraf's lawyer Salman Safdar claimed that the former president, who has been facing a high treason case, would reach Pakistan on May 1 and will appear before the special court the next day. The special court, which is hearing a treason case against the former army chief, had ordered him to appear before it on May 2. Chitrali, who claimed that he had contacted a close associate of Musharraf, said that it was very difficult for the ailing former leader to travel, but he was eager to come to Pakistan. "Although both the medical board and Musharraf family have asked him not to travel there are strong chances that the former president would return to Pakistan to appear before the court," he told Dawn. Musharraf had announced in the past a number of times that he would return to Pakistan, but failed to do so on medical grounds. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan met Chinese President Xi Jinping here on Sunday for bilateral talks, with the latter saying Beijing considers Islamabad a priority in its "Pakistan is China's all-weather strategic cooperative partner. China and Pakistan are 'iron friends' and have always firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests," Xi said after meeting Khan at the Great Hall of the People. Major progress has been made in bilateral cooperation in construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), finance, trade and other aspects, Xinhua news agency quoted the President as saying. "In the next stage, China and Pakistan should make more efforts to advance the all-weather strategic cooperation," Xi said, calling on both sides to deepen high-level contacts and mutual support within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In response to Xi's remarks, Khan said the CPEC had played an important role in his country's economic development and improvement of people's lives. Pakistan was ready to consolidate its friendship with China, deepen pragmatic cooperation and enhance communication and coordination in multilateral affairs, he added. They also exchanged views on South Asia situation. Xi expressed the hope that Pakistan and India would meet each other halfway and promote stabilisation and improvement of relations. After meeting Xi, Khan held talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang and attended the signing ceremony of bilateral agreements. On Saturday, Khan held talks with Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan. Khan is on a four-day visit to China during which he attended the second BRI Forum. He will leave for Pakistan on Sunday night. --IANS ksk/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking direction to the government of India to ascertain the feasibility of linking Aadhaar with social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter and web news portals, in order to curb fake news. The petition filed by advocate and Delhi BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay claimed that currently 35 million Twitter handles and 325 million Facebook accounts were operational in the country, and according to social media experts 10 per cent of each were fake. "There are hundreds of fake Twitter handles and bogus Facebook accounts in the name of eminent people and high dignitaries. These fake Twitter handles and bogus Facebook accounts use real photos of constitutional authorities. Therefore, the common man relies upon the messages published on them," read the petition. It also claimed that fake social media accounts were the root cause for many riots and communal tensions which endangered the peace and harmony of the country. "It is necessary that the political parties and the contesting candidates do not use these fake twitter handles and bogus Facebook accounts for self-promotion and image building. They should also not use them to tarnish the image of their opponents, especially during the elections," the petition said. It also said the Supreme Court should direct the Union government to take appropriate steps to deactivate bogus social media accounts. --IANS ss/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jammu and Kashmir police on Sunday arrested two militants blamed for attacking a police post in Srinagar city on Friday. Police sources identified the two as Junaid Ahmad and Mushtaq Ahmad, both belonging to Wathoora village in Badgam district. "Some arms and ammunition have been recovered from them," a police officer said. One policeman was injured in the attack on the Chanapora police post. --IANS sq/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The great Indian election season has hit midway - with three phases of voting now over and four more to go - but social media platforms are still scrambling to control the spread of election-related misinformation. Social media "warriors" are busy propagating "reworked" and "reoriented" content related to political news, government scams, historical myths, patriotism and nationalism on Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter. "Apart from the fake news and doctored contents, chatbots are sending bulk WhatsApp messages on active mobile numbers, not only on WhatsApp but on Facebook Messenger as well," nation's leading social media expert Anoop Mishra told IANS. There are several cases where people who joined Facebook renamed their Pages, Groups and accounts later, only to use it for spreading their political agenda in the election season. Despite Facebook's efforts, such misinformation is thriving and has reached mammoth levels, say experts. "Over 90,000 groups on WhatsApp and more than 200 fake Facebook Pages and accounts are currently influencing the group members and followers with biased political content," said Mishra. The content involves fake statistics of the government's policies to news prompting regional violence, from manipulated political news, government scams, historical myths, propaganda to patriotism and Hindu nationalism. Two main political parties are leaving no stone unturned in reaching out to voters via various social media platforms. Social media platforms, however, say they are proactively disabling bots and fake accounts being used for political interference in India. Facebook said recently it is removing or blocking about one million abusive accounts a day with the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) tools. The social media giant has also removed nearly 700 Pages, Groups and accounts in India for violating its policies on what it calls "coordinated inauthentic behaviour" and spam. It now has Ad Library, a searchable database, in place in India. Indians spent around Rs 7 crore for running political ads on Facebook and Instagram in the first 20 days of April, while the amount spent on these platforms in February-March was about Rs 10 crore. On the other hand, Twitter has announced a new tool within the platform to make it easier for users to report attempts to interfere in the general elections in India through spread of misleading information about voting. It earlier launched an Ads Transparency Centre that allows anyone to view details on political campaigning ads and billing information in India. WhatsApp has also launched a research project in India where over 200 million users in the country can tip off fake news, misinformation and rumours related to elections. Launched by PROTO, a media skilling start-up, the tipline will help create a database of rumours to study misinformation during elections for Checkpoint -- a research project commissioned by WhatsApp. Are these measures sufficient to curb the fake news in the world's biggest election? "The social media giants began their work towards safeguarding the India elections a bit late and some of the measures were announced near to the poll dates. It is difficult to tell if these measures will bear fruits and tame the fake news factories or not," lamented Mishra. --IANS na/pg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pope Francis donated $500,000 to aid Central American migrants in Mexico, the Vatican has announced. The money will be used for housing, food and necessities for the Cmigrants. The funds will be split among 27 projects in 16 Mexican dioceses and religious congregations, CNN quoted a Vatican statement as saying on Saturday. "Men and women, often with young children, flee poverty and violence, hoping for a better future in the US. However, the US border remains closed to them," Peter's Pence, the Pope's charity, said in a statement. The near 75,000 migrants from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala that arrived in Mexico in caravans have been "stranded, unable to enter the US, without a home or livelihood", it said. The Catholic Church said it hosts thousands of these migrants in hotels within dioceses or congregations. "Media coverage of this emergency has been decreasing and as a result, aid to migrants by the government and private individuals has also decreased," the Vatican said. Thirteen projects have already been approved for aid, including in Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana and Nogales, which border the US. The remaining 14 projects are still undergoing the approval process, according to the release. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Voters in Spain on Sunday headed to the polls for the third time in four years. The ruling Spanish Socialist Workers party (PSOE) expected to win the general elections but fall short of a majority. The election is marked by rise of the far-right movement Vox, which opposes multiculturalism and has threatened to end self-rule for regions like Catalonia. Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has presented himself as a bulwark against the advance of the hard right. Polls suggest Sanchez's party will lead the vote, but no single group will win an overall majority, the BBC reported. The opinion poll in El Pais newspaper put the PSOE at about 30 per cent, the conservative People's Party (PP) at around 20 per cent, the centre-right Ciudadanos and left-leaning Podemos both near 14 per cent and the far right Vox party at about 11 per cent. However, it also showed up to four in 10 voters were yet to make up their mind. Voting began at 9 a.m. and will end at 8 p.m. on the mainland. Speaking after casting vote at a polling station near Madrid, Sanchez said he hoped for stability. "After many years of instability and uncertainty, it's important that today we send a clear, defined message about the Spain we want. And from there a broad parliamentary majority must be built that can support a stable government," he said. An exit poll will be published after the end of voting, but in the previous two elections it failed to give an accurate picture of the outcome. Almost all votes are expected to be counted by midnight. The highly polarised campaign was dominated by issues like, national identity, gender equality and the future of Catalonia. The semi-autonomous region of Catalonia held an independence referendum in October 2017 and declared its independence from Spain weeks later. A dozen of its leaders have since gone on trial in Madrid, facing charges, including rebellion and sedition. Analysts say support for Vox has been boosted by widespread anger at the independence drive. The party opposes any concessions to secessionists. Women's rights have also been a key poll topic. Gender-based violence has provoked debate and street protests across Spain for years and more politicians than ever are courting women's votes. Vox, however, has spoken out against what it calls "radical feminism" that it claims "criminalises" men. With polls suggesting no clear mandate, observers say the vote could plunge Spain into a prolonged period of political uncertainty. This also means chances of a repeat election are high. Particularly notable within the split vote is the rise in support for Vox who are set to become the first far-right party to sit in Parliament since 1982. --IANS pgh/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Latching on to the recent Supreme Court judgement giving the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) a "last opportunity" to disclose the list of defaulters under the Right to Information Act (RTI), the Congress party on Sunday alleged that the government favours crony capitalists. At a press conference here, the Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi alleged connivance between the RBI and the government for not disclosing the list of 100 biggest loan defaulters. "Many cooperative banks, especially in Gujarat, are not disclosing the list of defaulters. The government is favoring its crony capitalist friends. Why is the government not directing the RBI to disclose the information?" Singhvi asked. The Congress was referring to the RBI's November 2016 Disclosure Policy, which stonewalls the revelation of various kinds of information under the Right to Information Act, including the list of willful defaulters and annual inspection reports. The Supreme Court struck this down on Friday. The Congress also said that the non-performing assets (NPAs or bad loans) of scheduled commercial banks have increased five-fold, from Rs 2.5 lakh crore to Rs 10.36 lakh crore, in four years between March 2014 to March 2018, especially of cooperative banks in Gujarat. "The government should have taken action against these defaulters...the apex court has given the RBI last opportunity to release the information under RTI, otherwise it will treat it equivalent to contempt of court..seems government is hiding information" added Singhvi. The Congress said that state-owned banks have been the most vulnerable to serious violations under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) and the Money Laundering Act. While addressing media queries, the Congress spokesperson slammed the BJP's candidate for the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, Sadhvi Pragya, for her comments about former Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare. --IANS ss/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor, undergoing medical treatment in the USA, on Sunday sought help from the Indian Consulate in New York for casting vote in the Lok Sabha elections. "Called the Indian Consulate's office here to enquire if there was any facility for people like us to vote (away from home)," Rishi tweeted. But after finding out that there is no such facility for people living abroad temporarily, the actor urged citizens to "not forget to vote wherever and whenever you have to". Last year, the "Mulk" actor had shared with his fans the information that he was flying to the USA for medical treatment. "Hello all! I am taking a short leave of absence from work to go to America for some medical treatment. I urge my well-wishers not to worry or unnecessarily speculate. It's been 45 years 'plus' of wear and tear at the movies. With your love and good wishes, I will be back soon," Rishi tweeted in September 2018. The 66-year-old actor was last seen on silver screen in a cameo in "Manto", directorial venture of noted actor Nandita Das. --IANS sim/nn/pcj (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran is considering plans of leaving the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as one of the options of responding to tightening US sanctions against the Islamic republic, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told state television, TASS reported citing the Mehr news agency. "The Islamic Republics choices are numerous, and the officials are studying themleaving NPT is one of them," Zarif said on Sunday. Just when the industry through innovation in the smartphone business had hit stagnation, wowed us with its first foldable device "Galaxy Fold," worth a whopping $2,000. A super-premium phone that took almost a decade in the making and opens like a book when unfolded, shouted everything next-generation. However, the expectations took a beating when reports of the Galaxy Fold issues surfaced. The units given to international tech reviewers encountered display distortion and screen flickering issues, forcing the South Korean giant to postpone its launch in Hong Kong and Shanghai on April 23 and 24 respectively, and issue a recall of review units. The big question lingers: Will the "Foldgate" make a dent in Samsung's image like the Galaxy Note 7 with exploding batteries did in 2016? According to CyberMedia Research (CMR), the smartphone major has been mature and pragmatic enough by postponing its launch and sorting out all the issues before its general availiability. "All said, for Samsung, there is no race for first past the post with its foldable smartphone. It is more imperative for the company to focus on not delivering a flawed product, but rather ensuring highest consumer experience when the device goes on sales," Prabhu Ram, Head, Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CMR, told IANS. Defending its devices just days before its roll-out, a spokesperson assured that the firm would "thoroughly inspect" the units. According to market research firm Gartner, foldable phones would make up 5 per cent of high-end phones sales by 2023 with around 30 million units. According to Faisal Kawoosa, Founder and Principal Analyst of market research firm techARC, from a technology-rich company like Samsung, "one would expect things out only after reliability of desired levels are achieved". The Galaxy Fold is expected to be priced around Rs 1,40,790 in India. "Nevertheless, the lab and real-world conditions play differently. I don't see it as a big issue as the product has not exchanged hands with consumers yet. They have time to correct this aberration," Kawoosa told IANS. Some units of the Galaxy Fold, which became the first phone with a foldable OLED display, is encountering two primary issues: the foldable screen seems to have a layer of protective layer that is similar to a cheap screen film. Several units reportedly failed after the layer was taken off. Few other screens failed because the hinge exposed areas which allowed debris to get inside of the display, thus, damaging the unit. "We expect that users will use a foldable phone as they do their regular smartphone, picking it up hundreds of times a day, unfolding it sporadically and typing on its plastic screen, which may scratch quickly depending on the way it folds," Roberta Cozza, Research Director at Gartner had earlier said. However, according to market research firm techARC, this is primarily a material issue than a design. "I think till the time it's a plastic-based screen, the chances of such mishaps remain high. I would certainly like to see a glass display, that too from credible makers like Corning, to have a reliable foldable screen," stressed Kawoosa. Moreover, there's no denying that the second-generation of foldable devices would be better that the experimental and ambitious first generation iterations. "The first generation of an innovation is always experimental, and which over successive iterations achieves perfection. Let's'face it. The Galaxy Fold was just a mistake in timing. It does not take away anything from its manufacturing capabilities," Ram noted. Voters in Spain on Sunday headed to the polls for the third time in four years, with the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers party (PSOE) expected to win the country's general elections but fall short of a majority. Nearly 36.9 million voters are eligible to cast their vote in the general elections to decide their 350 representatives in the Congress of Deputies and 208 in the Senate, reports Efe news. Polling stations opened at 9 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m., except in the Canary Islands, where the local time is an hour behind the rest of the country. The elections were called by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, in February after Catalan separatists joined right-wing parties in rejecting his 2019 budget, the Guardian reported. Sanchez's PSOE has governed Spain since last June, when it used a no-confidence vote to oust the corruption-ridden conservative People's party (PP) from office. But his minority government has struggled to advance its legislative agenda as it holds only 84 of the 350 seats in the congress of deputies. Sanchez's opponents argue that he should take a far tougher line on the Catalan independence issue, which has dominated Spanish since the regional government's secession attempt in 2017. The territorial crisis has also fuelled the emergence of Vox, which, until last year, was a fringe party without the support to win seats in congress. According to the latest polls, Vox could secure about 11 per cent of the vote on Sunday, making it the first far-right grouping to win more than a single seat in congress since Spain returned to democracy after the death of General Franco in 1975. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After reports of violence and death of a voter in the previous phases of polls, the office of West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer on Sunday said that law and order has been given special attention in the fourth phase election on Monday. Eight parliamentary constituencies, namely Baharampur, Ranaghat, Krishnanagar, Burdwan East, Burdwan-Durgapur, Asansol, Bolpur and Birbhum, will vote in this phase from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Asked about special measures taken to ensure voters' security, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Basu said: "Law and order, be it inside or outside the booth, is being given attention. All sorts of measure to ensure a fair and peaceful poll have been taken." Earlier, Bengal CEO Aariz Aftab had told reporters that the fourth phase will have around 98 per cent Central force coverage. According to sources, around 561 companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed for the eight constituencies. An electorate of around 13,456,491 will decide the fate of 68 candidates in the eight seats. There are 59 male candidates and 9 females. To address health issues related to rising temperatures, the Commission has arranged for shade and done a mapping of hospitals for quick response in case anyone falls ill. --IANS bnd/ssp/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Stephen Moore, who was picked by US President Donald Trump to serve on the Federal Reserve Board, said he is facing a "smear campaign", but showed confidence that he will make it through the process and be formally nominated. Moore told ABC's "This Week" on Sunday that he was "apologetic" for the content of some of the humour columns he wrote years ago that have recently sparked controversy, but argued that the focus for the Fed board nomination should be on his economic qualifications, Xinhua reported. CNN, among others, has reported about Moore's past writings disparaging women. In a 2000 column, Moore criticised female athletes advocating for pay equality, saying that they wanted "equal pay for inferior work." "What's happened is there's five or six full-time reporters investigating every area of my life," Moore told ABC, adding that the so-called "smear campaign" against him began two or three weeks ago. Moore said the discussion should be centred on his economic expertise. "I'll debate anybody on economics... Let's make this about the economy," he said. In March, Trump offered a Fed board seat to his former campaign adviser Moore, who has criticised the Fed's tight-money policy, calling it a threat to US economic growth, which echoed the view of the US President. Moore, a visiting fellow for Project for Economic Growth at The Heritage Foundation, and the founder of the conservative Club for Growth, is also the author of the book "Trumponomics: Inside the America First Plan to Revive our Economy." Some are concerned that the nomination of Moore, who holds similar views with the US President, might undermine the Fed's independence. Moore has also faced mounting criticism after court documents filed in 2018 surfaced in late March showed that he owed USD 75,000 in unpaid federal taxes, interest and penalties. Larry Kudlow, the director of the White House National Economic Council, has said that the administration still supports Moore for the Fed seat. "He's in the process, being vetted by the FBI and so forth, and if he gets through that we will nominate formally," Kudlow said Wednesday. There are currently two vacancies on the seven-member Fed board, and nominations have to be approved by the Senate. --IANS vin/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Astronaut Christina Koch will set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman when she completes her 11-month-long mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in February 2020. Her long stay on ISS has to do with NASA's preparation of human missions to the Moon and Mars. Koch's mission will provide researchers the opportunity to observe effects of long-duration spaceflight on a woman, NASA said. Her planned mission duration will be just shy of the longest single spaceflight by a NASA astronaut, 340 days set by former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly during his one-year mission in 2015-16. The mission became necessary as the majority of data available is on male astronauts. But male and female bodies respond differently, and health conditions occur at different rates in male and female populations. With this mission, researchers hope to better understand astronaut adaptability over long periods of space exposure and better support the development of effective countermeasures to maintain crew health. NASA last month accepted a challenge from the Donald Trump administration to return humans to the Moon by 2024, four years ahead of the US space agency's earlier set target. "This time, when we go to the Moon, we will stay. And then we will use what we learn on the Moon to take the next giant leap -- sending astronauts to Mars," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine had said then. Koch's stay on the space station will eclipsse the previous mark set by Peggy Whitson of 288 days on Expeditions 50 through 52 in 2016-17, NASA said. Koch arrived on board the space station March 14, beginning scientific research activities as part of the Expedition 59 crew. She is now scheduled to remain in orbit until February 2020. "It's an honour to follow in Peggy's footsteps," Koch was quoted as saying by NASA. Meanwhile, NASA's Human Research Programme continues to lay the groundwork for future one-year missions on the space station and has selected 25 proposals to investigate biological, physiological, and behavioural adaptations to spaceflight. With information gained from the selected studies during future one-year missions, NASA said it aims to address five hazards of human space travel - space radiation, isolation and confinement, distance from Earth, gravity fields (or lack thereof), and hostile/closed environments that pose great risks to the human mind and body in space. --IANS gb/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said that the youth must shoulder greater social responsibility of exercising judgement while looking at "We will be able to fully realize the vast demographic dividend in the years to come only if we can empower our youth with the right skills and attitudes," Naidu told the 68th Convocation of Panjab University, of which he is the Chancellor, here. Urging the youth to adhere to traditions of tolerance and respect and protect the country's pluralistic culture, Naidu said that India of the future would be powered by the dreams, ambitions, character and competence of young people. He also urged the youth to use means of communication that technology has provided, responsibly. He emphasized that these modern means of communication must be used to facilitate social harmony and to cultivate a culture of healthy and civilized discussion on many of the pressing problems such as class and gender inequalities and the needs of the less privileged in society. "We need to address these problems with empathy and sincerity," he added. Naidu said that Panjab University had a glorious past and was one of the oldest universities in India, set in a land which has witnessed centuries of civilization and dedication to spreading knowledge in ancient centres of learning like Takshila. He expressed happiness at the university's relentless quest for academic excellence and the rapid progress it has made in providing quality to over thousands of students. He congratulated Panjab University for having secured the 34th position among all academic institutions in the nation in the recent rankings under the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). He applauded the University's focused efforts towards cultivating innovation and entrepreneurship among students. "I am very happy that the university has been recognized by the UGC as the 'University with potential for excellence in Biomedical Sciences' with facilities for stem cell Research and Drug development," he said. The Vice President proposed that there was a need to "rethink and re-orient our educational system in the context of the 21st century when the concerns of ecology, of human welfare and the welfare of the planet are equally imperative. "It is possible only if we turn our system around, including aspects of curriculum and evaluation, towards critical thinking," he said. The Vice President also felicitated Dr. K. Sivan, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization who was honoured on the occasion with the Vigyan Ratna Award. --IANS js/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists, involved in Friday's attack on a police post here, have been arrested, police said here on Sunday. "We have arrested three persons so far in connection with the Chanapora attack case," senior superintendent of police (SSP) of Srinagar Haseeb Mughal told reporters here. The SSP identified the arrested terrorists as Mushtaq, Junaid and Latief. Mughal said the three belonged to JeM and were involved in the attack on the Chanapora police post in which a sentry was injured. They had also made a failed attempt to snatch his rifle. "We collected the digital evidence and strengthened the intelligence grid after the attack. We focussed on the suspects already on our radar. We picked them up, questioned them and during questioning, one of them confessed and gave us further details about the group, he said. Giving details of the attack, the SSP said the three came to Chanapora on a motorcycle, but left it some distance away from the police post. One of them, named Junaid, went inside the police post with the excuse of tracking the status of passport verification. He checked the place and when he saw that the sentry there had no visible backup, he came out and told his accomplices that perhaps there is no backup for the sentry, so he (sentry) can be targeted. Then he came back to the post and was accompanied by another person named Mushtaq who was wearing a pheran and a helmet. When Mushtaq was asked to remove the pheran for undergoing search, he took out a pistol and fired on the sentry, the SSP said, adding the sentry was injured and is undergoing treatment at SKIMS Hospital at Soura. The senior police official said the terrorists also tried to snatch the rifle of the injured sentry but had to leave it because the gun was clamped with a chain to his belt. In the meantime, the other policemen fired and they fled from the spot, he said. He said police have recovered a Chinese pistol, two magazines and six live rounds from them. The motorcycle has also been recovered, he said, adding further investigations in the case were on. Mughal said Mushtaq, a postgraduate from Kashmir University, was in touch with a JeM cadre, named Sameer from Pulwama district of south Kashmir, and has been associated with the group for about a year. "Sameer and Mushtaq were classmates in KU. It was on Sameer's direction that they tried to loot weapons in Srinagar, he said. Junaid, the SSP said, was involved in a number of stone-pelting cases, while Lateef is an overground worker (OGW) of the militants and helped them with logistics. He said the three were arrested from different places in Budgam district in cental Kashmir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A woman, native of Ukraine, has been arrested for child trafficking in Georgia, InterPressNews reports citing the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The detention took place in one of the hospitals of Kutaisi on April 25. Woman faces prison term from 14 to 17 years if convicted. The investigation established that the woman arrived in Georgia together with 10 children from Russia on April 8 and was going to move to the occupied territory of Abkhazia. All the ten juveniles are the womans children and have the womans surname. However, 4 of the children were born in 2017, which raised suspicions of trafficking. Interrogation of witnesses revealed that the woman was aggressively treating the children, which became a ground for issuing a restraining order. A 500-year-old well, believed to have been built during the lifetime of the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev, has been discovered at the enclosure of a gurdwara on the Kartarpur corridor which will facilitate easy passage of Sikh pilgrims to the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan. The well was discovered while digging the enclosure of Gurdwara Dera Sahib Kartarpur, some 125 kilometres from Lahore, on the Kartarpur corridor, caretaker of gurdwara Sardar Gobind Singh told reporters. The 20-foot well, made of small red bricks and believed to have been built during the lifetime of Guru Nanak Dev, will be opened to the visitors after its restoration, he said. "The well (Khu sahib) is a boon for the Sikh pilgrims who would flock to the place on Baisakhi and other occasions and take away its sweet water. The water of the well had healing quality," Singh said. "It will also be a great attraction for the Indian Sikhs due here on the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak," he said. The year 2019 marks the 550th birth anniversary year of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, whose birthplace is Sri Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. Last November, both India and Pakistan agreed to set up the Kartarpur corridor to link the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib - the final resting place of Guru Nanak - in Pakistani town of Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district. Kartarpur Sahib is located in Pakistan's Narowal district across the river Ravi, about four kilometres from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine. The corridor will facilitate visa-free travel of Indian Sikh pilgrims to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur. Pakistan has committed to open the corridor in November this year on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. "During the time of Baba Guru Nanak the water of this well was so sweet that the Sikh pilgrims believed that it was the gift of the founding leader and could rid them of ailments," caretaker Singh said. According to officials, some 50 per cent of the development work on the four-kilometre stretch being built by Pakistan has been completed. The stretch between the zero line to Baba Nanak's shrine is being built by India. On November 26 last year, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu laid the foundation stone of the Dera Baba Nanak - Kartarpur Sahib Corridor (up to the International Border) at an event at Mann village of Gurdaspur district of Punjab. On November 28, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan laid the foundation stone for the 4-kilometer corridor which is expected to be completed by 2019. The much-awaited corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Gurdaspur district and facilitate visa-free movement of Indian Sikh pilgrims, who will have to just obtain a permit to visit Kartarpur Sahib, which was established in 1522 by Guru Nanak Dev. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Polling will be held on Monday for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha election in 72 parliamentary constituencies spread across nine states. The stakes are high for the ruling BJP and its allies as it had swept 56 of these seats in 2014, leaving just two for the Congress and the rest for other opposition parties such as the Trinamool Congress (six) and the Biju Janata Dal (six). Voting will take place in 17 seats in Maharashtra, 13 each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, eight in West Bengal, six each in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, five in Bihar, three in Jharkhand and a part of the Anantnag constituency in Jammu and Kashmir. Election in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP had cornered all but two of the total 54 seats in 2014, will begin in this phase. The Congress appeared to make a comeback, forming the governments in the states after last year's Assembly polls. In the first three phases, voting has been held in 302 Lok Sabha constituencies, and 168 more seats will go to polls in the last three phases. The fate of 961 candidates, including Union ministers Giriraj Singh, Subhash Bhamre, S S Ahluwalia and Babul Supriyo of the BJP and former Union ministers Salman Khurshid and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of the Congress, will be decided by about 12.79 core voters in the fourth phase. Among other key contestants in the fray are Kanhaiya Kumar (CPI), Baijayant Panda (BJP), Urmila Matondkar (Congress), Dimple Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Satabdi Roy (TMC) and Milind Deora (Congress). The Election Commission has set up 1.40 lakh polling booths/stations and has made elaborate security arrangements. In Maharashtra, where election will come to end with this phase, the opposition Congress is facing a tough task of reclaiming its lost base in north Maharashtra and Mumbai, while the NCP is trying to get a foothold in Thane district and Western Maharashtra. The BJP and its ally Shiv Sena had won all 17 seats in 2014. Union minister Subhash Bhamre, and Congress leaders Milind Deora and Urmila Matondkar are among the 323 candidates in the fray in this phase. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son, a member of erstwhile Jaipur royal family and two Union ministers are among 115 candidates whose fate will be decided on Monday. Jodhpur became one of the most talked about seats in the Congress ruled state where Gehlot did massive campaigning for his son Vaibhav, pitted against sitting MP and Union minister of state Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. In Rajasthan, where the BJP had won all the seats in 2014, the Congress appeared to make a comeback, forming the government in the state with a narrow majority after last year's Assembly polls. In Uttar Pradesh, most of these 13 seats are seeing a direct fight between the BJP and SP-BSP alliance with Kannauj being a matter of prestige for the SP. In 2014, the BJP won 12 of these 13 seats in the state. Only Kannauj, won by the Samajwadi Party, defied the Modi wave that year among them. Former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple is seeking re-election from Kannauj. The Congress has a good presence in at least three of the constituencies -- Unnao (Annu Tandon), Farrukhabad (Salman Khurshid) and Kanpur (Sriprakash Jaiswal). In West Bengal, all the eight seats, which are spread across four districts, will see a four-cornered contest between Trinamool Congress, BJP, Congress and the Left Front. In Odisha, where the state's ruling BJD won all six seats, the BJP is making concerted efforts to bag a few seats. Prominent among the hopefuls include BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda (Kendrapara), who quit the BJD to join the party recently. Polling will also be held in 41 assembly seats in Odisha in this phase. In Bihar, the BJP and its allies are looking to retain all the five seats in the face of a spirited fight put up by the RJD-Congress alliance. The cynosure of all eyes in this phase, however, is the Begusarai seat which will witness an electrifying contest between the political Left and the Right with CPI debutant Kanhaiya Kumar taking on firebrand BJP leader Giriraj Singh. In all the six seats in Madhya Pradesh, a direct fight between the Congress and the BJP is on the cards. The state's new power centre is witnessing a unique father-son electoral show with Chief Minister Kamal Nath and his son Nakul in the fray, hoping to boost not just the Congress but also strike roots as deep as the tree from where this region takes its name. While the chief minister, a nine-time MP from the area, is contesting an assembly bypoll, Nakul Nath is hoping to get elected to the Lok Sabha from Chhindwara, named after the wild date palm tree known as Chhind. Over 45.26 lakh voters will decide the fate of 59 candidates in the first phase of polls for three Lok Sabha constituencies in Jharkhand. Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Sudarshan Bhagat is seeking re-election from the Lohardaga(ST) seat. Polling will also be held in Kulgam district, which is part of Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency. Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency is spread over four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama with 16 assembly segments. The Lok Sabha polls to this constituency are being held in three phases due to security reasons. Election to 542 Lok Sabha seats is being conducted in seven phases between April 11 and May 19. Election in Vellore constituency in Tamil Nadu has been cancelled following excess use of money power. Results will be declared on May 23. The bitterly fought election campaign might have a sting but scorpions in a dargah here don't not even when you pick them up. Syed Sharfuddin Shah Wilayat's dargah in western Uttar Pradesh's Amroha is where long held beliefs in the power of miracles meet everyday rationality. And where the lines of what you know and what you see sometimes begin to blur. Locals say the dargah (shrine) is the everyday miracle of poisonous scorpions that don't sting. The town is still gripped with election fever even after the voting here on April 18, with people endlessly discussing the outcome. The main contenders here are BJP's sitting MP Kanwar Singh Tanwar, BSP's Danish Ali and the Congress' Sachin Chaudhary. However, in the midst of it all, locals don't forget to tell visitors about the "must-see" shrine. They swear by the "magical powers" of the Sufi saint who is believed to have said scorpions will not sting inside the premises of the place he lived in after arriving in Amroha in the 13th century. Since then, scorpions, no matter how poisonous, brought from any part of the world, have not stung anyone inside the premises of the dargah, according to popularly held belief. What's more, you can not only hold the scorpions in your hand, but also take them home with the "permission of the Sufi saint". "But there is a catch. You have to state when will you bring back the scorpion. Till that deadline, the scorpion will not sting you. But if that deadline exceeds even by a minute, the deadly creature will sting," said Anis Ahmed, a 'khadim' who serves at the dargah like generations of his family before him. Next to the Sufi saint's grave, a man sits with a green box containing a deadly black scorpion. As devotees and visitors take the scorpion in their hands tentatively, the man tells them not to worry as the "powers" of Sufi saint Shah Wilayat, popularly known as Dada Shah Wilayat, are at work. The scorpion doesn't sting as promised. And children, men, women and senior citizens get photographs clicked to capture the moment that seems straight out of the reality show "Fear Factor". Many scorpions are found in and around the dargah. If someone takes the one in the green box home, it is immediately replaced. Narrating the folklore around the dargah, Ahmed said when Shah Wilayat arrived here from Iraq in 1272 A.D there was another Sufi mystic in the village called Shah Nasruddin who asked him to go elsewhere as they were a number of mystics already staying here. Shah Nasruddin told Shah Wilayat the many scorpions and snakes in the area would not let him stay. "Then Shah Wilayat replied, at my place they will not sting. Since then they don't sting. It is a miracle. You can get a poisonous scorpion from outside, but when it will come here, it will not sting," the dargah 'khadim' recounted. Endorsing the belief, Mohammad Arshad, a lawyer who comes regularly to the dargah, said his family has been visiting the shrine for generations and the story is "100 per cent true". "Generations of my family have been devotees here. People take the scorpion home and then return it before the deadline. We used to take it home with permission of the Sufi saint and return it before the deadline," he told PTI. Abdul Qayyum, another devotee, said he has lived in the dargah for the last 30 years. Not once has a scorpion stung anybody in the premises. And nor has the deadly creature stung if a person has taken it home. "People have always brought back the scorpion before deadline," he said. Not all subscribe to the story. Though in a minority, there are sceptics in the area. Hasan Askari, a businessman and keen observer of cultural developments around Amroha, said such folklores are carried by word of mouth through generations. "It is claimed the scorpions don't sting. Probably they (those at the dargah) may have been taking out the poison. Probably the saint knew how to handle scorpions so they don't sting and the legend was built on that. But one thing is true, this has been a very widely held belief in Amroha since ages," he said. The stories don't end here. The popular belief about Shah Nasruddin's shrine a few kilometres away is that missing donkeys or horses will make their way there. The owner should come to that dargah and will find them there. Hasan Mohammad Abidi, the caretaker of that dargah, said, "I've been here for the last six-seven years and I have seen myself that people have found their donkeys and horses here. Another miracle is that the horses and donkeys do not excrete while in the premises of the dargah." A twist in the 'tail' even one that doesn't have a sting. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress Sunday claimed agricultural growth rate had gone down from 4.2 per cent during the UPA regime to 2.5 per cent under the Narendra Modi government. Addressing a press conference here, the Congress' communications in charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said the Modi government would need "20 years" to double the income of farmers, as against the Centre's promise of achieving the feat by 2022. "As per data shared by the Modi government in the Lok Sabha, agricultural growth rate between 2014 and 2018 has gone down to 2.5 per cent. This rate was 4.2 per cent between 2009-14 under the UPA government," Surjewala said. "Going by this pace, it would take 20 years for the Modi government to double the income of farmers," he added. He said the Centre had not been able to provide Minimum Support Price (MSP) to farmers despite promising to give them support price at 50 per cent higher than production cost. While the MSP for paddy was fixed at Rs 1750 per quintal, it was being sold at Rs 1600 while other crops were getting still lower prices, he said, quoting what he claimed was government data. He alleged the NDA government deceived farmers by reducing import duty on agricultural produce to zero just before the arrival of crops in the market. "The NDA government imported produce just before the seasons of different crops by reducing duty to zero. This has resulted in heavy loss to farmers and brought profits to middlemen," he alleged. "Agricultural import was worth USD 18,779 million in 2014-15, which rose to USD 32,830 million in 2017-18," Surjewala said. He claimed Food Corporation of India, under pressure from the Centre and the BJP's Madhya Pradesh unit, has written to the Congress-led state government that it would purchase only that much grains on MSP as is required for the public distribution system (PDS) in the state. "The farmers of Madhya Pradesh produce 90 lakh metric tonnes of grains while the FCI would purchase only 30 lakh metric tonnes at MSP as required under PDS. What would happen to the remaining grain stock," he asked. Replying to a query on an EVM having only BJP's name under its symbol during a mock poll in West Bengal's Barrackpore constituency, Surjewala said it was the Election Commission's duty to ensure free and fair polls. He further claimed that the Modi government had asked fuel companies to increase prices of diesel and petrol by Rs 10 per litre on May 23, the day Lok Sabha polls results are announced. "But the UPA would reduce the prices after forming a government at the Centre in the first week of June," Surjewala asserted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Financial costs are likely to climb further for airlines in the near term, with new accounting standards on leases set to create "significant volatility" in their profit and loss accounts. Indian Accounting Standard 116 or Ind AS-116 has come into effect from April 1 and pertains to principles for recognition, presentation and disclosure of leases. The standard, notified by the corporate affairs ministry, would have a significant impact on various industries such as airlines, where aircraft operated are mostly on lease. It also comes at a time when the domestic airline industry is grappling with tough times due to rise in fuel prices, intense competition, financial issues and infrastructure woes. Sandip Khetan, National Leader and Partner (Financial Accounting Advisory Services) at EY India, said that many aircraft leases are denominated in USD, which is likely to be a currency different from the functional currency of most domestic airline companies. "Ind AS requires foreign currency lease liabilities to be retranslated at each reporting date and resulting gain or loss is typically recognised in P&L (Profit & Loss). This will create significant volatility in the P&L of Indian airline companies," he told PTI. However, he noted that companies might wish to assess whether they are able to apply hedge accounting to address this volatility and reconsider their treasury strategy. In the airline industry, leasing of planes is a common practice rather than outright purchase and the new accounting standard requires entities to show all leases on their respective balance sheets. With Ind AS 116, experts said that net income would be negatively impacted in the early years of operating lease arrangement on account of higher interest costs while there would be a positive impact in the later years of lease life cycle. Besides, there would be an impact on various key ratios of companies such as EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation) and net income. Under the accounting standard, leases which were previously treated as operating leases would now be recognised on balance sheet. "A lessee will recognise a 'right-of-use asset' and a corresponding 'lease liability'. The consequence is that instead of lease rental recognised earlier, it will now recognise depreciation and interest expense in its Statement of P&L. This will lead to increase in EBITDA and an increase in interest expense in the P&L," Khetan noted. The new standard would not differentiate the accounting treatment that lessee is required to follow for operating or finance leases but generally, total costs related to lease arrangements are unlikely to change over its entire life cycle. There would be an impact in between different reporting periods over the total life cycle of the lease. ADeloitteIndia spokesperson said Ind AS 116 would have an impact on key metrics of airline companies likeEBITDAand Return on Capital Employed (ROCE). These companies would also have to assess the effect of these changes on other aspects like debt covenants for example, he added. Ind AS 116 provides an option to account for lease and non-lease components separately or combined. "Airline industries will have to choose amongst these options for wet leases (an arrangement covering the hire of an aircraft including the provision of a flight crew) considering the consequential impact on assets and liabilities on the balance sheet and the resulting impact on profit and loss on theEBITDA, operating expenses, depreciation and interest cost. "For an airline industry whileaircraftare the obvious targets under this leasing standard, other ancillary assets fore.g. hangars and parking bays also need to be assessed from a perspective of lease assessment," the spokesperson said. While VistaraandAirAsiaIndia declined to comment on the Ind AS-116 impact, queries sent toSpiceJet,IndiGoand Air India remained unanswered. "The new standard will require a company to do more than simply convert its existing operating lease commitments disclosure to reflect lease assets and liabilities. Its implementation could result in changes to the policies, processes, controls and IT systems that support lease accounting," Khetan noted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A groundnut merchant was arrested here Sunday for making a bomb threat call, saying his friend, a Sri Lankan refugee, had planted an explosive device at Pollachi railway station, police said. A thorough check at the station since last night, when the call was made, proved the call was a hoax, they said. Police nabbed the 53-year-old merchant after tracing his call. On being questioned, he said he had made the call in an inebriated state on Saturday night to get even with his friend, whose wife refused to promptly respond to his queries on the health condition of her father. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Sunday said Articles 370 and 35A should be seriously reviewed and scrapped. While Article 370 gives autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir, Article 35A allows the Himalayan state's legislature to define permanent residents of the state. Speaking at a voters' awareness programme here, Singh attacked National Conference leader Omar Abdullah for his recent remarks that there should be a separate prime minister for Kashmir. "When a person, who has occupied a Constitutional post says such things, then Articles 370 and 35A should be seriously reviewed. Since these (provisions) have mostly caused losses, Articles 370 and 35A should be scrapped." Singh said, "There is a conspiracy in Jammu and Kasmir. Some organisations want to kindle the feelings of separatism among the people, but majority want to stay with India. Barring three-four organisations, the rest are with India" The Lok Sabha MP praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi. International Monetary Fund has endorsed that India is growing at rapid speed, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With AAP's candidate for the East Delhi Lok Sabha seat, facing a diatribe over her surname, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister has warned both the and to beware of her her, saying "she is a Rajputani". "I am sad that the and together are spreading lies about the religion of our East Delhi candidate," said Sisodia in a tweet. The and men! Be aware that her full name is Atishi Singh. She is a Rajputani. A hardcore Kshatrani... the Queen of Jhansi. Beware! She will win and create history too, Sisodia added in his tweet. ALSO READ: Lok Sabha Elections Phase 4 LIVE Atishi began facing diatribes allegedly involving her religion after she restored her surname Marlena in her affidavit and nomination paper to the Election Commission. She had dropped her surname last year, fearing its misuse by political adversaries. Sisodia came to the rescue of the candidate amid the latest onslaught on her by former Okhla Congress MLA Asif Khan, who, in a message on social media, has been allegedly dubbing Atishi as a Jew and asking Muslims not to vote for her. Hindu-Muslim-Sikh Issai (Christian) Bhai Bhai but not a Yahudi. A Jew has no place in India, he is heard, purportedly saying in a video. Khan is also reported to have told a poll campaign meeting in East Delhi that Jews have no place in India and the people have to send this message to every household. "You may vote AAP, you may cast your vote for broom. But if you vote for a Jew, I will mind it," he is reported to have said. Asked about his stand on Atishi Marlena, Khan told PTI, It is my understanding that she is a Jew and this information is making rounds on social media." I also want to ask leaders why did they make Atishi remove her surname Marlena if nothing was wrong with it and why he (Sisodia) has to justify it saying she is a thakurain, said Khan. Is it not ironical that the AAP, which had come to the politics to start a fresh trend is resorting to the same casteist politics, asked Khan. Atishi also responded to the diatribe against her, seeking an explanation from Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. I belong to a Punjabi Hindu family, and despite knowing it, former Congress MLA Asif Khan is lying about me and dubbing me as a Jew," said Atishi in tweet. "I have three questions to ask from Rahul Gandhi who talks of fraternity. Does he agree with this statement? Will he apologise to me? What action will he take against Asif Mohammad Khan? asked Atishi. The Baha'i International Community (BIC), an organisation representing Baha'is, has expressed deep concern over the safety of all its members in Yemen following a Houthi prosecutor's "baseless" accusations against one of its members, who has appealed against his death sentence. Hamed bin Haydara, detained since 2013, will face his appeal hearing on Tuesday in Houthi-controlled Sana'a. The BIC is deeply concerned for the safety of all Baha'is in Yemen following the Houthi (an Islamic religious political armed movement) prosecutor's baseless accusations against a member of its community who is appealing his death sentence, a statement issued by them said. Following a series of sham trials, Haydara was sentenced to death in 2018. The court further called for the confiscation of all assets owned by Baha'is and the dissolution of Baha'i institutions. "We appeal to the good conscience of the judge and trust that he will have high regard for justice and the rule of law, and therefore not give credence to prosecutor's absurd allegations," said Bani Dugal, Principal Representative, Baha'i International Community to the United Nations. Hundreds of Baha'is face persecution on the basis of their religion in Houthi-controlled areas, it said. Despite calls by the international community to cease the persecution and release the Baha'i prisoners, the prosecutor has outlined a series of false and irrelevant accusations against Haydara, the Yemeni Baha'i community, and the Baha'i faith itself, the statement said. The prosecution alleges that the Baha'i faith, an independent world religion, was founded as a result of satanic thought, and that Haydara was intending to form a "national homeland for the Baha'i faith" on the Yemeni island of Socotra, and it has even threatened Haydara's lawyer, who is not a Baha'i, it said. In 2018, 24 Baha'is were falsely accused of apostasy and espionage by a court in Houthi-controlled Sana'a. Five of the 24 are currently imprisoned. Their case is being presided over by the same judge that sentenced Haydara to death. The Baha'is of Yemen have long sought to contribute to the life of their country and their fellow citizens, the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) FMCG firm Bajaj Consumer Care has roped in global management consultancy Bain & Company to speed up the growth of its hair oil brands. Bajaj Consumer Care Ltd, which was earlier known as Bajaj Corp Ltd, said Bain will help it control costs and form strategies to push growth of its hair oil business. The company's hair oil brands include Bajaj Almond Drops, Bajaj Kailash Parbat and Bajaj Brahmi Amla. "Bain & Company will help our company plan to grow our hair oil brands faster. They will be using their well respected BBA or Bain Brand Accelerator model to guide us towards faster growth," Bajaj Consumer Care Managing Director Sumit Malhotra told analysts in a conference call. Malhotra said Bain & Company, which has come on board from April 1, has been mandated to look at the hair care business and it may or may not be engaged for the overall company strategy. "The first part that we have set out is only on hair oil, further we may and may not engage with the overall company strategy. "Currently we are only looking at hair oil and what can we do to increase the rate of growth in hair oil which we are currently around 10 per cent market share," Malhotra said. The size of the hair oil market is around Rs 13,000 crore in India, he added. Bajaj Consumer Care is also present in the skincare category after it acquired NoMarks brand from Ozone Ayurvedics in 2013. In fiscal 2018-19, Bajaj Consumer Care reported a net profit of Rs 226.13 crore and total income of Rs 926.89 crore. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Orthodox Christians in more than 60 countries are celebrating Easter on April 28. The Russian, Serbian, Georgian, Constantinople, Greek, Bulgarian, Jerusalem and other local Orthodox Churches celebrate it according to the Julian calendar, TASS reports. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia carried out Easter service in Moscows Cathedral of Christ the Savior this night. "Like the Gospel Myrrhbearers and other Christs disciples who became the first witnesses of the resurrection, we have to bring people - those who are near and dear to us, those who surround us, those whom we know - good tidings of this great joy. We tell them, Christ has risen! And, like many centuries ago, some who believe answer immediately Truly He is risen! and others, like Thomas the Apostle, doubt it and say, Unless I see Him myself and place my hand in His side, I will not believe." Some even reject it. The belief in the Resurrection of Christ is the bedrock foundation, the unshaken pillar on which Christianity is based," the patriarch said in his address. A total of more than 35,000 Russian Orthodox churches that are located in 68 countries are celebrating Easter. The essential part of the holiday is kind deeds that any Christian should do. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will visit patients of Morozov Childrens Clinical Hospital this day, and Orthodox service Mercy (Miloserdiye) will congratulate more than 13,000 patients in hospitals and orphan asylums during the Easter week. A Bangladesh court Sunday sentenced three Rohingya extremists of a now defunct militant group to 10 years in jail for possessing bomb-making materials, a prosecutor said. The trio were arrested in 2014 in Dhaka with materials to be used for making improvised explosive devices (IEDs), said Salahuddin Howlader, a prosecutor at the Metropolitan Special Tribunal in the capital. They were found guilty and sentenced immediately under the country's explosives laws, the prosecutor said, adding one of them was sentenced in absentia as he was on the run. "They were involved with several international militant outfits including the RSO," he told AFP, referring to the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation, a small militant group that was active in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state in the 1980s and 1990s. Local media, citing the police charge-sheet on the case, said the three men were suspects in the 2014 Burdwan blast in the neighbouring Indian state of West Bengal that killed at least two people and wounded several while they were allegedly making IEDs. "The charge-sheet read the accused admitted planning sabotage in Bangladesh with the assistance of international Islamist extremist outfits," the online edition of the mass circulation Bengali daily Prothom Alo said. In recent years, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army has emerged as the main Rohingya militant group operating in Myanmar's troubled Rakhine state that borders Bangladesh's southeast. In August 2017, ARSA attacked several police posts in Rakhine prompting a massive military crackdown that forced some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh, where they are housed in squalid refugee camps. The refugees joined some 300,000 Rohingya who have been living in the camps for years and even decades. Bangladeshi security officials say no extremist groups such as ARSA or RSO operate in the camps, but this week the International Crisis Group said militants were increasing their grip on the settlements and were responsible for the murder of at least one Rohingya camp leader. The conflict research group has urged Bangladesh to step up its police presence in the camps, saying gangs and extremist groups were now operating openly in the settlements. Threats from extremists had left Rohingya leaders fearful for their lives and frequent murders were rarely investigated, the group said. Bangladesh police said the creation of seven new police posts, the deployment of armed officers and better intelligence had improved security. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It is a battle between 'bade naam' and 'bade kaam' this time in Delhi polls and people have to choose whether they want a government which works or one that just talks, AAP Chandini Chowk candidate Pankaj Gupta said. In the historically significant Chandni Chowk constituency, Gupta is locked in a three-way battle with incumbent BJP MP Harshvardhan and Congress candidate J P Agarwal. On being fielded against veteran politicians from the BJP and Congress, Gupta said people have seen what they got by electing incumbent Harshvardhan. This is an election of bade kaam vs bade naam. Harshvardhan was a very big name but what did they give his constituency, people have seen. I wouldn't comment on Congress (candidate J P Agarwal) because he is not a competition here, he told PTI. Elaborating on competition from the Congress, Gupta said the grand old party is playing the role of vote-cutter and nothing else. Congress was never a competition in Delhi. Congress has been in the third position in the past three elections. In last assembly elections, Congress just got 9 per cent votes and in Lok Sabha polls they got 15 per cent votes so how is it a competition for AAP, how can it defeat us. They have just made their candidates to stand in the election to cut our votes, he said. He said on the one hand Congress says they want to defeat BJP, they want to remove Modiji but on the other hand they fielded their candidates in constituencies where they have no presence. if you ask anyone who could beat BJP in Delhi people say it can be done only by AAP, he said. Gupta said this election of about saving the Constitution and people have to make a choice between a government with a motive and good intention and a government that can just talk and jumlas. On his vision for his constituency Chandini Chowk, he said, if elected, he plans to convert parks in his constituency into lungs for the national capital. My constituency has the highest number of parks and if they are maintained properly then they can be made into lungs of this city and can also act as tourist attraction, he said. Noting that sealing of shops has broken the backbone of the middle class community in his constituency, Gupta said it has led to massive unemployment and that is another area he plans to work on. It the biggest issue faced by the middle class of how their children would get jobs, those who had jobs have also lost employment due to sealing so people in my constituency are worried that how they will make ends meet, what will they feed their family, he said. Gupta said engaging youth fruitfully and productively is a challenge and that is another area he would be concentrating upon. All these issues are linked to each other. If one problem is solved then others would be resolved themselves, the 52-year-old engineer said. Chandini Chowk has 20 per cent Muslim voters out of total of 14 lakh electorate. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Harsh Vardhan had got 4,37,938 votes (44.81 per cent) while AAP's Ashutosh managed 3,01,618 votes (30.86 per cent) and Kapil Sibal of the Congress got 1,76,206 votes (18.03 per cent). On being asked how his party is different from others, Gupta said that AAP believes in honest We believe that if the is honest then this country can change. If honesty comes in if intentions are right in politics then work can be done the country can progress and that is our message to the people, he said. The country would change once people start voting based on work. I tell people that vote for us because I am your friend who would always be there for you. I wouldn't be unapproachable.The biggest complain of this constituency is that the incumbent MP is unavailable, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Facing acute water shortage throughout the year owing to government apathy, voters of five villages in the Jhansi-Lalitpur constituency of Uttar Pradesh have threatened to boycott elections on April 29. Villagers complain that the administration has failed to make use of various water sources and dams present in the region, forcing five villages in this district to face the worst water crisis every year. They say the situation has also triggered migration of families to nearby urban centres. "The villagers of Lalaun, Gulenda, Chakra, Kasa and Rajpur in Jhansi-Lalitpur constituency have decided to boycott the elections on April 29," Mahendra Singh, a villager from Gulenda, told PTI. These five villages have about 5,000 voters, he says. Singh says villagers are often forced to remain awake throughout the night, awaiting their turn to use hand pumps to fetch a bucket of water. Lalitpur district comes under the Jhansi-Lalitpur seat which goes to polls on April 29. The area under the Bundelkhand region is prone to draughts and poor groundwater level as it has a predominant granite base, which does not allow recharging of groundwater. The Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh has four parliamentary seats, including Jhansi-Lalitpur, and 19 assembly constituencies. All these seats are currently held by the ruling BJP. Call it irony, Lalitpur district has 13 dams to harness seven rivers which flow through the region. "We have decided not to vote in the elections. We have been seeking a solution to our water issues, but the district administration has been passing the buck," Singh says. He says a solution is not difficult as there is a rivulet which catches seepage water from Rajghat canal, making it brimming with water throughout the year. "We are seeking a small lift canal (where water is pumped from lower area to canal on a higher land) from that rivulet to be brought here. It will help recharge groundwater and also solve our irrigation problem," says the villager. Singh, who works as a contractor in Lalitpur district, says a survey was conducted to bring water from the rivulet by the previous Samajwadi Party government, but no progress was made in the matter under the present Yogi Adityanath government. These villages also have a large concentration of Saharia tribals who were given over four acres of land by the government. While some of it is rocky, the remaining land also has limited use due to scarce water sources, prompting members of the community to migrate. Manibu (65) is one such Saharia tribal whose son and family moved to Indore where they do masonry, leaving behind the elderly parents in the village. "The only problem is water. If we get water, we can cultivate our land here," she says. Shiv Gopal of Parmarth, a voluntary organisation working in the field of water conservation, says water level rises during night time in the summers because of moisture from seepage coming from nearby water bodies. He says women wait for their chance to fetch water. "The water can only be found at 50 feet depth which is basically surface water. Since the base is of granite, there is no groundwater in the region. During summer, this surface water, which is used up through hand pumps, also dries," says Sanjay Singh, founder of Parmarth. He claims the entire situation is "man-made" because of poor planning and implementation of schemes. "There are water sources and damns, but water is being diverted to power plants in the region. Farmers are not on the priority list of government officers here," he adds. Sanjay, who has been working on the issue of water scarcity in the region, says more creativity and study of the area can help frame better solutions to meet the water shortage. He cites the example of reviving 1,000-year-old huge ponds built by Chandela Kings. He also suggests building check dams to hold rainwater and small canals to divert water to small villages. The Parmarth founder also asserts that all these steps could have been taken using funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Generation scheme. "MNREGA was a very effective scheme till 2012, but after the SP government and change in the central dispensation, its efficacy dipped because of corruption," he alleges. Sanjay's father was reportedly murdered in broad day light for fighting against corruption in MNREGA. Similar was the fate of Rs 7,000 crore relief package for the region between 2010 and 2015. The funds helped to improve irrigation and tap water systems, but the package was later plagued by corruption, he says. Sanjay and other villagers rue that such crucial issues are not finding a mention in the political discourse this election. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar Economic Corridor, originally listed in the China's multi-billion dollars Belt and Road Initiative projects, has been conspicuously missing from the new list issued at the end of the Belt and Road Forum meeting here. China's high-profile 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF), in which 37 heads of state and governments took part, concluded Saturday with signing of deals worth USD 64 billion and affirming respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity towards Beijing's trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a key demand of India. Like in first BRF meeting in 2017, India skipped the meeting over its objections on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). A joint statement issued at the end of the meeting carried an annexe mentioning names of "Economic corridors and other projects catalysed and supported by connectivity". The CPEC, "the Nepal-China Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, including Nepal-China cross-border railway" and the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) figured in the list from the South Asian region. The Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIMEC), which has been previously mentioned as part of BRI when it was launched in 2013, did not figure in the list of 35 corridors mentioned in the new list of projects under the BRI. India has been opposing the CPEC, a flagship of the BRI, as it passes through Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). The 2800-km BCIMEC proposes to link Kunming in China's Yunnan province with Kolkata, passing though nodes such as Mandalay in Myanmar and Dhaka in Bangladesh before heading to Kolkata. The 1700-km CMEC would provide China another node to access the Indian Ocean. The corridor will run from Yunnan Province of China to Mandalay in Central Myanmar. From there it will head towards Yangon, before terminating at the Kyaukpyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) on the Bay of Bengal. Similarly, the Nepal-China Trans-Himalayan connectivity network starts from Chengdu, from where it is linked to Tibet by the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, or the Sichuan-Tibet Railway. It is proposed that the railway from Tibet will be further extended to Kathmandu, via Ya'an, Qamdo, Lhasa and Shigatse. "We respect sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other and affirm that each country has the right and primary responsibility to define its development strategies in accordance with its national priorities and legislation," the joint statement said. A total of 283 items of practical outcomes were achieved during the preparatory process and the holding of the forum, Xi said in a statement to the media after his round table meeting with world leaders. "We must implement the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits to see that all voices are heard, all reached their full potential and all stand to benefit," Xi said after the BRF. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) People in Bengaluru may face call drops and disruption in internet services as the local municipal body and telecom players are at loggerheads over payment issues. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has ordered to cut telecom cables laid over the ground, citing them to be non-compliant with existing norms, and has demanded fees from companies to lay them underground. However, telecom service providers said the cables were laid overhead temporarily due to road construction work and they have already paid the fees for laying them under the ground. A BBMP official told PTI that it was disconnecting only those optical fibre cables which were unauthorised. "We have incurred huge financial losses because of the unauthorised cables. Several times we had warned the telecom companies to get the cables regularised and should be laid in as per regulations but they ignored our warnings. We were left with no option but to disconnect them," the officer said. He added that telecom companies still have the chance to disclose the cables they have laid and get them regularised by paying the prescribed fees. The officer said most of the cables were laid overhead and were dangling from trees, which had caused many accidents in the past. Meanwhile, telecom industry body COAI said they were authorised temporarily to lay cables aerially as road construction work was going on that frequently damaged cables and they have already paid fees for laying them underground. "BBMP is demanding right of way charges again to lay telecom cables underground. We have already paid fees and the cables were laid overground temporarily after permission from BBMP. "We asked them to put the order on hold and give us time to put them underground as cable cut will lead to disruption in services which is already on red alert after terror attack in Sri Lanka," COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews said. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has approached Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan over the issue. "After telecom secretary's intervention, we met Karnataka State Chief Secretary along with representatives from Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea. "The chief secretary has asked BBMP to resolve the matter. We will be meeting BBMP commissioner on Tuesday and hope the matter will be resolved amicably," Mathews said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The people of Benin voted on Sunday for a new parliament but without a single opposition candidate to choose from, as rights groups warn of a crackdown in a country once seen as a model for democracy. Voters in the small West African state were given the choice to select their 83 members of parliament from two parties both allied to President Patrice Talon. The country's main opposition parties, effectively barred from fielding candidates by tough new eligibility rules, had asked their supporters to protest by boycotting the polls. Many of the five million registered voters seemed to have stayed away, with streets quiet and turnout extremely slow at voting booths in the economic capital Cotonou. In one polling station in the capital Porto-Novo, only five of the 261 registered voters had cast their ballots four hours after opening. The situation seemed similar in other parts of Benin. In Attogon, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of Cotonou, election officials explained that voters had gone to Sunday church, meaning few had cast ballots in the boxes. In the run up to polling, protests were broken up by force. Internet access was tightly restricted with blocks on the main social media and messaging apps. In some opposition areas, internet access appeared to be shut down entirely. Still, those who had voted encouraged others to follow. "All is well," said Edith Avodagbe, a woman who had just voted. "I would like to ask my compatriots to come and do their duty by voting for the candidate of their choice." That choice, however, is limited. Election watchdogs ruled last month that only the two parties allied to Talon -- the Republicans and Progressive Union -- met toughened conditions of admissibility under new electoral laws. Their decision effectively barred the entire political opposition from fielding candidates. People say they are "stunned" and "shocked" by the situation, but blanket bans on demonstrations ahead of voting has kept people off the streets. Even after two ex-presidents, Nicephorus Soglo and Thomas Boni Yayi, urged people to take to the streets to protest, there was little response. Late on Saturday, some roads were blocked by angry demonstrators in opposition areas. "The wave of arbitrary arrests of political activists and journalists, and the crackdown on peaceful protests, have reached an alarming level," Amnesty International researcher Francois Patuel said, speaking ahead of the polls. Before 1991, Benin struggled under decades of authoritarian rule. The transition to democracy brought a flowering of political competition -- five years ago, voters could chose from 20 parties for the 83 seats in parliament. But this year, lawmakers from the ruling party pushed through a new electoral code. Talon, elected in 2016, portrays himself as reformer and modernist. He has defended the electoral code, saying it would bring together the scores of political parties -- more than 250 parties in a country of some 12 million people -- into simpler blocs. But critics say the rules were too tough and bureaucratic, and opposition parties failed to meet all the administrative requirements in time. Several international and domestic observers scrapped their missions to monitor the polls. Some warn of the risk of unrest. "Banning peaceful protests and detaining those who speak up against the exclusion of opposition parties from the legislative election will only fuel political turmoil," Amnesty's Patuel added. The president is, however, apparently not worried. When polls close, there seems little doubt that the new parliament will back the presidency in its entirety. "The resentment will pass," presidential spokesman Wilfried Houngbedji said. "On Monday, life will resume its normal course. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP on Sunday alleged that its candidate Joy Bandyopadhyay was attacked by motorbike borne goons of the Trinamool Congress in Howrah district and five workers of the saffron party were injured. BJP workers later put up a road blockade in front of Bagnan police station to protest the attack by the TMC, a charge denied by the ruling party of West Bengal. The incident took place at Bainan under Bagnan police station limits when Bandyopadhyay, the BJP nominee for Uluberia Lok Sabha constituency, was on the way to campaign at Sabsit in rural Howrah. Bandyopadhyay alleged that a group of men armed with sharp weapons came in five motorbikes and intercepted his car. While they are moving towards my car, my security guards brandished their firearms and they fled. My vehicle passed that spot but they attacked the party workers who were behind me, he claimed. They assaulted five BJP activists and two of them were hospitalised, he said. The saffron party has lodged a complaint in this regard, the police said. Polling in Uluberia Lok Sabha constituency will be held in the fifth phase on May 6. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi BJP leaders raised questioned on Sunday over the opposition's objections in giving credit for the surgical strikes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi when they had no issues in crediting Indira Gandhi for the 1971 war victory over Pakistan. Ahead of the May 12 polling in the national capital for the ongoing Lok Sabha election, the Delhi unit of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held a meeting with the Rajput community here on Sunday. BJP national vice-president and Delhi-Uttarakhand in-charge Shyam Jaju and Lok Sabha polls co-incharge Jai Bhan Singh Pawaiya addressed the meeting. They alleged that the governments before 2014 were known for disregarding the sacrifices of our soldiers and added that by executing the surgical strikes under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our armed forces had proved that they had the capacity to give a befitting reply to the enemy. "If the credit for the victory in the 1971 war was given to (then prime minister) Indira Gandhi, why do the opposition parties have objections in giving the credit for the surgical strikes to Modiji?," Pawaiya asked. May 12 would be a historical day for Delhi, which will be watched by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and terrorist Masood Azhar, he said. Jaju said Modi did not need a certificate from the opposition parties for protecting the pride of the nation. "By executing the surgical strikes, our armed forces have avenged the attack on them. The entire nation is behind the patriotic leadership of the country and the terrorists are afraid of it," he added. The prime minister's proposal to observe June21as "Yoga Diwas" was supported by 193 countries in the United Nations (UN) and India had achieved a place of distinction at the international level under Modi's leadership, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bracing the rain and wind, around 50,000 revellers on boats and the banks of Amsterdam's three main canals witnessed the colourful sight of a ferry sailing with Indian dancers inviting people to travel to India through a special initiative 'Bollywood on a Boat'. The event to promote tourism to India, on King's Day (the biggest national holiday of the Netherlands) celebrated on Saturday, was a huge success for a second year in a row, a statement issued by the Indian Embassy here said. The boat with the dancers and musicians sailed through the three main canals of Amsterdam - Prinsengracht, Leidsegracht and Reguliersgracht - covering more than 100 km for over five hours. An initiative of the Embassy of India in The Hague in association with India Tourism, the boat was decked with banners of Incredible India and the upcoming International Yoga Day celebrations on the side. The boat evinced great interest from the crowds who were captivated by the colourful performances, it said. Dancers from the Netherlands Marathi Mandal staged Dhol, Lavani, Bihu, Bhangra and Ghoomar (folk dances from different parts of India) while members of the Tandav Dance Academy showcased Bollywood dances on the boat, the statement said. The boat was flagged off in the morning by Ambassador Venu Rajamony who described the "Bollywood/Folk Dances on a Boat" as a colourful and novel addition to the canals of Amsterdam which are the most popular tourist attraction of the country. Prominent members of the Indian community of Amsterdam joined Ambassador Rajamony and other officials of the embassy at the flagging off. April 27 is celebrated as King's Day, a national holiday in The Netherlands in the honour of the birthday of King Willem-Alexander. The day is marked with nationwide parties, flea markets and concerts. In Amsterdam, the streets and canals burst with orange the national colour - as the "Amsterdammers" enjoy the biggest street party of the year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A British national died after his motorcycle collided head on with a speeding truck in Rajasthan's Bundi district, police said. Four tourists, two each on two motorcycles, were riding back to Jaipur after spending a night in Bundi when the accident occurred on national highway 52 near Kishorpura toll plaza in Hindoli area in the evening, the police said. The deceased, Rhys Jhon Jenkins, suffered critical head injuries. Jenkins, in the forties, was rushed to the district government hospital where he was declared brought dead. The woman who was riding pillion escaped unhurt, while the truck driver fled from the spot, the police said. According to the Spanish travel agent who accompanied the tourist group, Jenkins is from a place near London and was a designer by profession. The British embassy has been communicated about the incident the post-mortem will be carried out on Monday morning, district Additional Superintendent of Police Satnaam Singh Choudhary said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia insists on introducing a complete ban on military exercises related to the use of nuclear weapons in non-nuclear states, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said, Global Times reported. "A complete ban should be introduced on any drills related to honing skills of using nuclear weapons by troops of non-nuclear states", Ryabkov said. The diplomat added that Washington had not responded to Russia's proposal to issue a joint statement on the avoidance of a nuclear war. Ryabkov stressed that the US handing over its nuclear weapons to non-nuclear states goes against the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. "This creates additional obstacles for nuclear disarmament. This problem can have only one solution the return of all US nuclear weapons to the US, a ban on their use abroad and demolition of the infrastructure that allows using these weapons fast", Ryabkov said. Property brokerage firm 360 Realtors will hire 1,000 employees this fiscal year and is actively looking for acquisition in the US market to grow its business in India and overseas, a top company official said. Gurugram-based 360 Realtors currently has over 50 offices across India and overseas with a sales force of more than 1,000 people. Its revenue grew by 46 per cent to Rs 152 crore during the last fiscal. The company sold 6,000 units worth Rs 4,100 crore during 2018-19. "We have set a target to sell 12,000 units this fiscal. To achieve this, we need people. We will be hiring about 1,000 people this financial year," the company's founder and MD Ankit Kansal told PTI. With 30 per cent of sales in value terms coming from non-resident Indians (NRIs), he said, the company is actively looking to acquire a brokerage firm in the US to market Indian properties. The discussions are underway with some of the US-based brokerage houses that are marketing Indian properties in America. 360 Realtors competes with the likes of PropTiger.com, ANAROCK, Square Yards, Investor Clinic and Wealth Clinic in the organised property brokerage business, which has now come under the ambit of new realty law RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Authority). On the overall real estate market, Kansal said, it has once again started turning bullish on the back of regulatory reforms and healthy economic growth. "Developers are also coming up with numerous attractive schemes such as developer subvention, attractive prices and freebies, thereby giving a buying boost," he added. Kansal said, housing prices are likely to remain stable for at least another 6-8 months. Over the last year, the company has incubated verticals such as a unique broker aggregation platform, strategic advisory services for developers and a media house to achieve higher growth, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Tessa Thompson says she drew inspiration from her childhood memories for her character in the upcoming film, "Little Woods". The Nia DaCosta-directed film features Thompson and Lily James as two estranged sisters from North Dakota who are driven to extremes when their mother dies, leaving them with one week to pay back her mortgage. In an interview with Collider, Thompson said things would have been less "confusing" for her if the film had released when she was young. "It is also my experience. My half-sister, who I grew up and who has my heart, is white, and I'm me. We grew up in an experience where people were like, 'You're what?! How do you relate to each other?' To see that on screen and normalised was huge for me. "If I had seen depictions like that when I was little, it would have probably helped me navigate all of the confusion that I felt around being at public schools and being one of the only brown people in that space, and looking across at my sister and feeling alienated because we didn't look alike. There were just so many things about this project that meant a lot to me," she added. Thompson was last seen in "Avengers: Endgame". She will also be seen in "Men In Black: International". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Children born to Yazidi women as a result of rape by Islamic State group fighters will not be permitted to join the community in northern Iraq, the faith's Supreme Spiritual Council said. The Yazidi community once numbered around 500,000 members in the mountainous Sinjar region of northwest Iraq, but it was ravaged by IS's 2014 sweep into the area. Jihadists killed Yazidi men, forced boys to join their ranks as fighters and abducted and imprisoned thousands of Yazidi women as sex slaves. The children born of those rapes have been the subject of fierce debate in the insular community, which only recognises children as Yazidis if both their parents hail from the sect. Last week, the head of the Supreme Spiritual Council Hazem Tahsin Said issued what appeared to be a landmark shift, publishing an order "accepting all survivors (of IS crimes) and considering what they went through to have been against their will". The decision was hailed as "historic" by Yazidi activists, who understood it to mean that children born of rape would now be allowed to live among their Yazidi relatives. But late Saturday, the Council published a clarification that the decision "does not include children born of rape, but refers to children born of two Yazidi parents". The Yazidi community had long considered any women marrying outside the sect to no longer be Yazidi, initially including those assaulted by IS in 2014. But Yazidi spiritual leader Baba Sheikh issued a decision the following year welcoming those women back home, without resolving the fate of their children. Many Yazidi women who were kidnapped by IS have escaped in recent years, and dozens more fled to safety in the last few months as IS's "caliphate" crumbled in Syria. Those who had children with IS fighters faced a difficult choice: either remain ex-communicated from their Yazidi relatives, or leave the children behind. Dozens who returned to the Yazidi heartland of Sinjar in northwest Iraq in recent months chose the latter. In Iraq, children inherit the religious sect and nationality of their father, so those born to Sunni Muslim men would have the same religion. Those born to suspected IS fighters who are either missing or dead are at risk of remaining stateless because of lack of proof of their father's identity. Earlier this month, Iraqi President Barham Saleh proposed a bill to parliament that would provide reparations for Yazidi female survivors of IS crimes and establish a court to clarify "civil status" issues. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China and Pakistan firmed up their cooperation under the USD 60 billion CPEC by signing a host of agreements on Sunday, including upgradation of a Karachi-Peshawar railway line, launching of second phase of the Free Trade Agreement and establishment of a dry port. The agreements were stated to be part of the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan who came here to attend China's second Belt and Road Forum (BRF) on April 25 met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Sunday during which they signed an agreement to build a double railway track from Karachi and Peshawar, Pakistan's state-run Radio Pakistan reported. The railway agreement is titled "Declaration for Completion of Preliminary Design of Phase-I for Upgradation of ML-1". The BRF was held here from April 26-27 to highlight China's trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in which the CPEC, connecting China's Xinjiang with Pakistan's Gwadar port and covering about 3,000 kilometres, is a flagship project. India protested to China over the CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). As per the previous reports, to build the Karachi-Peshwar railway line covering a distance of over 1,680 kilometres, China would provide USD 8.4 billion funding for it as part of the CPEC projects. Soon after he came to power in August last year, prime minister Khan's government expressed concern over the huge amount and Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid said it would be slashed by USD two billion to reduce the debt burden. During Khan's first visit here in November, China agreed to extend the CPEC projects towards western regions of Pakistan, following criticism that most of the projects were garnered by the dominant Punjab province. China said about USD 19 billion have been spent so far under the CPEC projects mainly relating to energy and power generation. Recently, Chinese Foreign Ministry while dispelling concerns over debt burden of the CPEC projects said only less than 20 per cent were based on loans provided by China and rest of the 80 per cent ventures are either directly invested by Beijing or use Chinese grants. Pakistan is going through an acute balance of payments crisis and Khan on Saturday met IMF Chief Christine Legarde to discuss the bailout package. The cash-strapped country has already received several billions of dollars in funding from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and China to meet the present economic crisis. No monetary details of the agreement to build the railway line were disclosed. Rashid is part of Khan's delegation visiting China. Rashid was quoted in a Pakistan magazine that it would be an 1,800-kilometer-long double track with fencing and bridges and a game-changing initiative for Pakistan's economy. Rashid said Main Line-1 (ML-I) from Peshawar to Karachi via Lahore would be upgraded under the CPEC which includes upgradation of the entire railway line and would be completed in next five years. A report in Pakistan daily Dawn quoted Rashid as saying that the speed of trains on the new track will be around 160 kmph. China and Pakistan also singed an agreement to launch the second phase of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) under which China will open up 90 per cent of its market for Pakistani goods in an effort to address trade deficit which stood at USD 9.7 billion last year. While China exported goods worth USD 11.45 billion, Pakistan's exports to China were valued at USD 1.744 billion last year. It is estimated that the new FTA would increase Pakistani exports by USD 500 million. The agreement is being concluded after protracted negotiations spanning over nearly seven years, said the media reports in Pakistan. The two sides also signed an agreement to establish a dry port at Havelian city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It is located in the Karakoram highway connecting China and Pakistan. The other agreements signed on Sunday included an MoU on cooperation in the field of marine sciences between the China Geological Survey (CGS), Ministry of Natural Resources of China, the Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Science and Technology. Also an MoU between China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) and Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform on implementation of the projects under the joint working group of the CPEC on socioeconomic development. China-Pakistan Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement for Rashakai special economic zone joint venture. Later in the day while addressing the Pak-China Trade Investment Forum, Khan said the BRI had "become much more than the Chinese leadership had imagined". About his talks with President Xi Jingping he said, "I am happy we talked about getting help from China in science and technology. We want to establish an elite university for eight subjects where china has excelled". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese President Xi Jinping met Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday and expressed hope that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway to improve their strained relations following the Pulwama terror attack by a JeM suicide bomber. Both leaders also exchanged views on the situations in South Asia, an official Chinese statement here said about the meeting between Xi and Khan. The India-Pakistan relations reportedly figured prominently in the meeting. Xi expressed hope that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway and promote the stabilisation and improvement of India-Pakistan relations, it said. Khan arrived in China on April 25 and attended China's 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF) held on April 26-27. The BRF meeting was held to highlight the achievement of the trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) started by Xi in 2013 in which USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an important component. India skipped the meeting for the second time, protesting over the CPEC which is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Sunday's meeting between Xi and Khan was regarded significant as it was held in the backdrop of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the February 14 Pulwama terror attack carried out by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) which killed 40 Indian CRPF soldiers. China had sent its Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou to visit Pakistan in March as part of its efforts to ease the tensions. Khan's meeting with Xi took place when China is under pressure at the United Nations over its repeated attempts to block efforts to declare Pakistan-based JeM leader Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. Last month, China put a technical hold on a resolution put forth by the US, the UK and France at the UN's 1267 counter terrorism committee to declare Azhar as a global terrorist. The US later took the issue to the UN Security Council (UNSC) in a bid to pressure China to take a public stance on Azhar's issue instead of just putting up blocks at the 1267 committee. China had expressed its firm opposition to the issue being taken to the UNSC, saying that the matter headed for settlement and blamed the US for scuttling it. While there is no word here whether the Azhar issue figured in Xi's talks with Khan, officials say there is a sense of wariness on the part of Beijing to block India, the US and other countries' efforts to blacklist him at the UN on behalf of Pakistan. Officials hoped that the issue could be resolved in the coming weeks following Khan's visit to China. Prior to his meeting with Xi, Khan called on Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during which the two countries signed a number of agreements. Earlier, he met Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan. During Sunday's meeting, Xi expressed China's firm support to Pakistan to further the bilateral ties between the all-weather allies. "Pakistan is China's all-weather strategic cooperative partner. China and Pakistan are 'iron friends' and have always firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests." Xi said. China takes Pakistan as a priority in its diplomacy, he said. "No matter how international and regional situations change, China firmly supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and national dignity, choosing its own development path suited to its national conditions, combating terrorist and extremist forces, striving for a sound external security environment, and playing a constructive role in international and regional affairs," Xi said. He said major progress had been made in bilateral cooperation in the construction of the CPEC, especially in areas such as finance, trade and other aspects, the statement said. "In the next stage, China and Pakistan should make more efforts to advance the all-weather strategic cooperation," Xi said. He called on both sides to deepen high-level contacts and mutual support, strengthen strategic communication and promote high-quality cooperation in production capacity, infrastructure construction, people's livelihood and trade within the framework of the BRI. Khan said the CPEC had played an important role in Pakistan's economic development and the improvement of people's lives. He said he believed more and more countries will support and participate in the cooperation under the BRI. Pakistan is willing to consolidate its traditional friendship with China, deepen pragmatic cooperation and enhance communication and coordination with China in multilateral affairs, Khan was quoted as saying in the statement. During his meeting, Khan spoke a few times about India-Pakistan relations and the prospects of peace between the two countries. Addressing Pakistan and China Investment Forum in Beijing on Sunday, he expressed hope that the relations between the two neighbours will improve after the Indian general elections. "We want to build a civilized relationship with our Eastern neighbour and there is a possibility that if we can resolve the Kashmir issue through dialogue, things can improve," he was quoted by state-run Radio Pakistan as saying. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Public sector mining giant Coal India Ltd supplied 488 million tonne (MT) of fuel to the power sector in the 2018-19 fiscal, registering an increase of 7.4 per cent over the previous year. The world's largest coal miner had dispatched 454.2 MT of coal to the power sector in 2017-18, as per the latest government data. Coal India Ltd (CIL) supplied 46.1 million tonne coal to the power sector in March as against 42.7 MT in the same month of the previous fiscal, the data showed. The supply of fuel by Singareni Collieries Co Ltd (SCCL) to the sector in 2018-19 went up to 55.4 MT, from 53.5 MT in the previous year. SCCL is a government coal mining company jointly owned by the Centre and Telangana. The March supply was almost flat at 5.4 MT, against 5.3 MT in the year-ago month. Union Coal Minister Piyush Goyal had said that no power plant was facing fuel shortages. The minister had also claimed that none of the thermal power plants have reported any loss of generation due to supply shortages. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP chief Amit Shah Sunday said while criminals roamed freely when the SP and the BSP ruled Uttar Pradesh, they are seen moving around with a "patta" (placard) reading "arrest us but don't do encounter" since Yogi Adityanath became chief minister. The Yogi Adityanath government had come for criticism last year after the UP Police launched a massive crackdown across the state, killing dozens of criminals. Reports had suggested that many people facing criminal cases wanted to be in jail rather than getting killed in encounters. Addressing a rally here, Shah said, "Till the time the SP and the BSP ruled the state, criminals would roam freely. But, after Yogi Adityanath assumed office, criminals are seen moving with a 'patta' (placard) reading 'arrest us but don't do encounter'." Shah also claimed that a "pall of gloom had descended on Pakistan and the offices of SP, BSP and Congress on the day of surgical strikes". He also asked "Buaa-Bhatija (Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav) and Rahul Gandhi" to make their stand clear on having a separate prime minister for Jammu and Kashmir and asserted that no one can take it away from India till his party exists. The BJP has been aggressively attacking opposition parties for keeping mum on National Conference leader Omar Abdullah's suggestion that there should be a separate prime minister for the state, which enjoys special status through Article 370. During his election campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked several opposition leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, N Chandrababu Naidu and Sharad Pawar, whether they support Abdullah's comment. While presenting a report card on the completion of two years of his government Adityanath had told a presser earlier this month: "There is zero tolerance for crime and criminals and 73 criminals have been killed in police encounters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Diksha Dagar rounded off her week with an even par 73 for a total of even par 292 to end in Tied-17th place on Sunday here at the Lalla Meryem Cup. The 19-year-old Dagar, who won the Women's South African Open last month for her maiden win, was in the Top-3 for the first two rounds. However, she slipped to T-17, which is still a creditable finish, considering this was only her sixth start as a professional and she has made the cut in five of them. She has won once and finished fifth on another occasion. Dagar shot 69, 75, 75, 73 and was the best of the three Indians who made the cut. Starting on the 10th, she had two birdies and two bogeys in her card. Tvesa Malik, starting from the back nine, was four-under at one stage, but ultimately finished three-under 70, her best for the week. She finished T-41 with a total of seven-over 299. Astha Madan dropped a bunch of shots with two bogeys and a double between 15th and 18th for a finishing 77 and a total of nine-over 301 for T-50th. Spain's Nuria Iturrios shot her four successive sub-par round to emerge a runaway winner at 13-under 279. She shot 68, 71, 70 and 70. She won by a whopping seven shots over Caroline Hedwall (70) and Lina Bonqvist (77), who were tied second at six-under 286. Four players were tied for fourth. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the arrest of three persons, police Sunday claimed to have busted a gang of auto lifters. The arrested persons are Delhi residents Amit Kumar, Jitender and Haryana resident Annu Kumar, officials said. A car, a pistol and 10 cartridges were recovered from them, they said. While Amit was previously involved in six criminal cases, 26-year old Jitender was involved in two criminal cases and Annu in ten criminal cases in Haryana, police said. During interrogation it was found that the pistol and cartridges had been provided to them by another criminal, police said. The gang was planning to shoot down another notorious criminal, who is currently lodged in Bhondsi Jail and efforts are being made to track down the other criminal, who carries a reward of Rs 50,000 on him, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CPI contestant from Begusarai in Bihar, Kanhaiya Kumar would be campaigning for Congress' Bhopal nominee Digvijaya Singh, who is pitted against Hindutva leader Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur of the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh. Addressing a gathering at the CPI office here, Singh called himself an "admirer" of the former JNUSU president, and said that he was happy that Kumar would campaign for him on May 8-9. Singh also sought to dispel perception that Kumar's arrival might rake up "Tukde-Tukde" controversy in the poll season, as Thakur is viewed as a polarising figure. He blamed the BJP and the RSS for "defaming" Kumar in the 2016 Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) sloganeering controversy. "I am an admirer and a supporter of Kanhaiya Kumar. He has become an ideologue. I openly support him. I told my party that the RJD has made a big mistake (by fielding its candidate in Begusarai). This seat (Begusarai) should have been allotted to the CPI," Singh said. Kumar is contesting his maiden election against Union minister Giriraj Singh of the BJP in Begusarai. "I challenge if anybody comes out saying that they (Kanhaiya and his associates) had raised the 'Tukde-Tukde' slogan (on the JNU campus in 2016). It was the work of the BJP and the RSS to defame Kumar and others who are fighting against fundamentalism," he alleged. Singh claimed that "separation" of the Congress and Left parties was responsible for his party's defeat in 2014 general elections. "I believe that we (Congress) won again after UPA-I era because the Left was with us, but we got separated on a petty issue. The control over social and economic policies that existed during the UPA-I government (because of Left allies) was missing during the tenure of the UPA-II government, which was the reason for the Congress' defeat (in 2014)," he said. Singh also took a dig at his political detractors in Madhya Pradesh Congress. "After the Congress' defeat in the 2003 (assembly polls), it was said that my presence in the state would slash the party's vote share. However, I witnessed that the BJP was winning and the RSS becoming powerful over years whereas the Congress remaining a silent spectator. This is the reason I decided to become active again," the former chief minister said. He hailed the "help" extended by CPI leaders in defeating the BJP in the assembly elections held last year. The contest for Bhopal, a BJP bastion since 1989, has become high profile since the saffron party fielded Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case. Bhopal goes to polls on May 12 in the sixth phase of ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Voting for all the 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh would be held in four phases from April 29 to May 19. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ukraines President-Elect Vladimir Zelensky is ready to discuss new conditions for coexistence of Ukraine and Russia, TASS reported citing message he posted on his Facebook page. "I would like to note once again that I am ready for negotiations. I hope that at the next meeting in the Normandy format Russia will demonstrate readiness for de-escalation ... Our side is ready to discuss new conditions for coexistence of Ukraine and Russia," Zelensky wrote. In his opinion, mutual exchange of prisoners under the "all for all" formula should be a concrete confirmation of Russia's readiness for de-escalation. In a first, the Goalpara administration in Assam appointed differently abled personnel in a booth, while also making arrangements to aid voters with disabilities in the other polling stations of the district, during the third phase of elections, an official said. As part of its initiative to encourage female participation in the voting process, the officials also set up eight pink booths in the district, she said. "A total of 1,931 differently abled voters were identified for the April 23 polls and transportation arrangements made accordingly to ensure that they get to exercise their franchise without any hassles," District Election Officer and Deputy Commissioner Varnali Deka said. The administration also made provisions for separate queues of senior citizens, the bureaucrat said. "We sensitised the polling personnel on the special needs of persons with disabilities and the elderly voters and taught them ways to handle the braille ballot papers to assist the visually impaired," she told PTI on Sunday. More than 800 anganwadi workers were deployed at the 277 booths in the district to assist the voters, she stated. Deka also noted that one of the booths were successfully manned by differently abled poll personnel. "All polling officers, including the presiding officer, in that booth had some or the other disabilities. But they did not their disability come in the way of their duties," she said. The administration had set up four model polling stations in Goalpara, replete with necessary facilities - creche, children's playing zone, clean drinking water, sofa and chairs, she maintained. "In all eight pink booths, the women personnel were gifted traditional Mekhela-sador as a token on appreciation for their efforts," Deka said. In keeping with the request of the district administration, several business establishments and restaurants provided complimentary meal and substantial discounts to voters on April 23, during the third and final phase of polls in the state, Deka added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister and RPI (A) chief Ramdas Athawale Sunday said he disagreed with BJP Bhopal Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Singh Thakur's comment on former Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare, adding that his party would never have given her a ticket. Thakur had earlier said that Karkare was killed in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack as she had "cursed" him for "torturing" her while he was probing the 2008 Malegaon blast case. Thakur is an accused in the Malegaon blast case and is currently out on bail. "Karkare was martyred while fighting terrorists to save people. I do not agree with Sadhvi's statement on Karkare. We condemn it. It is for the court to decide what is right and what is wrong," he told reporters here. "If left to our party, we would not have fielded her," he added. Speaking about the ensuing Lok Sabha polls, Athawale, minister of state for social justice and empowerment at the Centre, said the NDA would win 350 seats. He said, post victory, he hoped Prime Minister Narendra Modi would give him a good ministerial post. On being asked what his stand would be on Pakistan if he was made defence minister, Athawale said he would attack the neighbouring country if it harboured those who carried out terror attacks against India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after Prime Minister targeted the opposition over "politics of caste", Congress leader Vadra on Sunday said her party never made personal remarks against the PM and was fighting the ongoing Lok Sabha polls on the issue of development. Speaking to reporters in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi, the Congress general secretary said she doesn't know Modi's caste. "Till today, I don't know as to which caste prime minister belongs to. The opposition has never talked on these lines. The Congress is only raising the issue of development in this election, which are directly related to the people," she said. "As I had said, we have raised the issue of employment, farmers and security of women. We have been talking on these problems. We have never indulged in making personal remarks at him," she added. On Saturday, the prime minister had slammed the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh, saying the tie-up of "opportunists" wants a helpless government because its mantra is "jaat, paat japna; janata ka maal apna" (play politics of caste and pocket people's money). "Mayawatiji (BSP chief), I am most backward...I request with folded hands not to drag me into caste politics, 130 crore people are my family," he had said while addressing a rally in Kannauj. "This country didn't know my caste till my detractors abused me...I am thankful to Mayawatiji, Akhileshji (SP chief), Congress people and the 'mahamilavatis' that they are discussing my caste... I believe that taking birth in a backward caste is an opportunity to serve the country," the prime minister had said. Hitting back, Mayawati said the prime minister had included his caste among the backwards during his tenure as the Gujarat chief minister for political benefits. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Congress leader P Chidambaram and RJD leader also joined the war of words. While Yadav called Modi a "fake OBC", Chidambaram said he campaigned for becoming prime minister while wearing his caste on his sleeves. Taking potshots at the opposition leaders, Jaitley said the prime minister has never done caste politics and is inspired by nationalism. Vadra hit out at the BJP over the issue of nationalism. "What type of nationalism is there in 'main hoon Modi' (I am Modi)? What is the meaning of nationalism? It means patriotism and love for the country. Who is the country? Its people and their love." "If you have affinity only towards yourself, then what type of nationalism is this?" she said. She also accused Modi of not visiting even a single village in his constituency and not asking anyone about their problems. "Arranging a crowd using the power of money and addressing them or sending a message to them is very easy," she said, adding the real challenge is to resolve the problems of people. "The ground reality is absolutely different. When you speak to the people, a different message emanates and I have never seen the prime minister or the BJP leaders accepting that message," she said. She described the policies of the BJP as "anti-people", "anti-youth" and "anti-farmers". "The menace of stray animals is very much here and the farmers are forced to keep a watch on their crops during night. There are still some places where electricity supply is absent," she said. The Congress leader also dubbed the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) an insult to farmers. Read our full coverage on Lok Sabha elections 2019 Addressing a rally in Bahraich, she said: "The BJP is, in fact, insulting the farmers in the name of the Kisan Samman Yojana, which the prime minister discusses very much, as it will give only Rs 3.50 per day to the beneficiary. This is 'Kisan Apmaan Yojana' (a scheme to insult the farmers)." Under the PM-KISAN scheme, Rs 6,000 per year will be given in three instalments to 12 crore small and marginal farmers holding cultivable land up to two hectares. Comparing the PM-KISAN to the Congress' minimum income guarantee promise, she said, "On the other hand, the Congress has announced that it will give Rs 6,000 per month to the poor households (if voted to power)." The Congress leader said the crop insurance scheme has not helped the farmers either, alleging it has instead benefited some industrialists. Seeking votes for the party's Bahraich candidate, Savitribai Phule, Vadra attacked the BJP over the alleged atrocities on Dalits and minorities. "I had met a few Dalit youngsters who had told me that they were beaten up and tortured since they had demanded their rights." "An effort is being made by the BJP to damage the Constitution, and institutions and democracy are being weakened," she said. Vadra said while the BJP leaders rake up the issue of Pakistan and nationalism, there are leaders who speak about redressing the people's grievances. "I feel that the biggest nationalism is listening to the voice of the people and resolving their problems," she said. Senior Congress leader P Sunday accused the of being "silent spectator" to the "excesses" of the and to the utterances of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the poll body has "largely failed" the people of India. The former Union Finance and Union Home Minister also said the plank of nationalism, propagated by the BJP, is a ploy to hide "failures" of the NDA government. "According to me, the has largely failed the people of India. It has been a silent spectator to the excesses of the BJP, Mr Modi's utterances and the enormous amount of money that has been spent by the BJP," he told PTI in an interview. Recently, the opposition has complained to the EC alleging that the PM had "brazenly" violated the poll code by invoking armed forces repeatedly during his poll rallies and demanded that a campaign ban be imposed on him for some time. The Congress has said it has given 37 representations to the EC of which 10 can be categorised under "hate speeches, virulent, divisive, polarising" by Modi and President Amit Shah. In the interview, answered questions ranging from the possibility of UPA-III coming to power after the Lok Sabha polls, recent searches by the Income Tax department, the CBI and Enforcement Directorate on some opposition leaders, besides other issues. claimed that the EC has been asking accounts of every opposition candidate and even on their small spendings like on a flag. "They (EC) are adding what it is called notional expenditure, to the expenditure account of the candidates. If you apply the same standard, every candidate will be disqualified," he said. Asked about the BJP raising the issue of nationalism during the campaigning, the Congress leader asked whether Indians were anti-nationals before the BJP came to power. "Nationalism is a slogan to hide their failure. Every Indian is a patriot. No patriot can be called anti-national. The BJP has manipulated the media to sell this idea of nationalism which has no meaning. The only relevant question is (whether) every Indian is happier than what he was five years ago. I am saying 'No'. Every Indian is living in fear. Women, Dalits, Scheduled Tribes, journalists, academicians, all of them are living in fear," he claimed. Asked about the prospects of the formation of the UPA-III government by the opposition after the general elections, the Congress leader said he was absolutely confident that the BJP will not be able to retain power. "The government will be a non-BJP government. Obviously, that is Congress plus preelection allies which will play a big part. If there are more postelection allies, then I think the UPA-III has a very good chance," he said. Chidambaram said there is a "reality" that all non-BJP parties like the SP, BSP and Trinamool Congress will join hands with the Congress to form a stable government. "I am very confident that the SP, BSP and the TMC, which are now contesting separately, will join hands with the Congress and other UPA parties," he said. Chidambaram said after the Lok Sabha elections, the reality will be set up and the reality is that all non-BJP parties, particularly all secular progressive parties, will have to come together to form a stable government. The Congress leader said never before in India, certainly not in election period, has the Income Tax department, the CBI, and the Enforcement Directorate were so "blatantly misused". "There are 545 constituencies in India. Is unaccounted money found only in opposition candidates contesting some constituencies? No BJP candidate has got unaccounted money? "They said tip-offed. Tip-offs (come) only about opposition candidates? There is no tip-offs about the BJP candidates? What about the huge amount spent in every PM rally? Every (PM) rally must be costing about Rs 10 crore. Where is these money coming from? Who is paying for the rallies? Where is that accounted for?," he asked. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has topped the list of political leaders, who held maximum number of public rallies for the Lok Sabha elections in the state. While Fadnavis addressed as many as 87 rallies for the BJP-Shiv Sena across Maharashtra, NCP leader Dhanajay Munde ranks second with his 80 public meetings. While both Fadnavis and Munde are in their forties, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, who is 79 years old, ranks third as he addressed 78 political rallies in the state, which sends 48 members to the Lok Sabha. While polling for three out of four phases in Maharashtra has already got over, the fourth and final phase will be held on Monday. Fadnavis not only addressed rallies for the BJP candidates, but also canvassed for ally Shiv Sena's nominees. He also held talks with voters and prominent people in the respective regions. Besides, the chief minister was present at all the nine rallies addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Maharashtra. While addressing a rally in North Maharashtra, Modi even praised Fadnavis saying, "You don't have to follow the protocol and attend every rally that I address. But I have seen you attending every rally of mine in Maharashtra." A BJP leader said, "Fadnavis addressed as many as 87 rallies in Maharashtra. He had prepared a plan of holding of holding at least one rally in every Lok sabha constituency and he managed to do it." "Fadnavis even addressed one rally in Vadodara and he is likely to address a few rallies in Uttar Pradesh as well once polling in Maharashtra gets over on Monday," he added. Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray held 24 rallies in Maharashtra. However, all his meetings were only for the Sena candidates. He did not address even a single rally for those contesting on BJP ticket. Thackeray also shared the dais with the prime minister in two rallies. The BJP and the Sena are contesting 25 and 23 seats respectively. An NCP leader said, "It is interesting to note that instead of a Congress leader, it was Dhananjay Munde of the NCP, who held maximum rallies after Fadnavis. He addressed 80 rallies across 21 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, mainly in the rural parts of the state." Former Union minister Sharad Pawar campaigned for both NCP and Congress candidates and also held meetings with NCP workers and local key persons, where he appealed them to vote, another BJP leader said. "Pawar planned his rallies as per the geographical proximity of constituencies. He held public meetings accordingly and used the helicopter service extensively," an NCP leader. BJP national chief Amit Shah held four public meetings in the state, but his other rallies got cancelled at the last moment. Interestingly, MNS chief Raj Thackeray addressed eight rallies in different parts of Maharashtra, although his party is not contesting the general election this time. In his speeches, Thackeray lashed out at Modi, Shah and the policies of the BJP-led government, including demonetisation and GST. During the rallies, the MNS chief showed videos of sharp contrast of old promises made and the delivery, which became the talk of the town. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Ministry has started consultation with global investors for launching CPSE-scrip based Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) in overseas market in the current fiscal, a government official has said. The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) will start developing the index for the based on investors' feedback about demand of sector specific stocks. "We are eyeing large overseas pension funds for investments into the overseas We will soon appoint fund managers for developing the new Global roadshows have seen good interest in ETF route for investments into CPSEs," the official said. The government currently has two -- CPSE ETF and Bharat-22 ETF -- listed on domestic exchanges. ETFs function like a mutual fund scheme and have underlying assets of government-owned companies. Bharat-22 ETF, which was launched in 2017-18, has 16 central public sector enterprises covering six sectors, 3 public sector banks and 3 private sector companies where the government holds minority stake. CPSE-ETF comprises shares of 11 companies -- ONGC, Coal India, Indian Oil Corp, Power Corp, REC, Bharat Electronics, Oil India, NTPC, (India), and SJVN Ltd. The government has already raised Rs 32,900 crore through two tranches and an additional fund offer of Bharat-22 ETF, and Rs 38,000 crore in five tranches of CPSE ETF in the domestic market. The government has budgeted to collect Rs 90,000 crore through CPSE disinvestment in the current fiscal as against Rs 85,000 crore mopped up in 2018-19. (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 electoral fortunes of 66 candidates will be decided on Monday when five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar will go to polls in the fourth phase on Monday. The five constituencies Begusarai, Darbhanga, Ujiyarpur, Samastipur and Munger had been won by the NDA in 2014 with the BJP bagging the first three and Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP winning the rest. These seats have a total of 87.75 lakh voters, including 228 belonging to the "third gender". In Begusarai, firebrand leader and Union minister Giriraj Singh is engaged in a closely fought three-cornered contest with CPI's Kanhaiya Kumar and RJD's Tanveer Hassan. The seat has been lying vacant for the past few months following the death of incumbent Bhola Singh of the BJP. A loyalist of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Giriraj Singh moved here from Nawada, the seat being held by him, and hopes to keep at bay a split in votes of his Bhumihar caste, which dominates the district and to which his Left rival also belongs. Kanhaiya is banking on the support of young voters cutting across the lines of religion and caste and a good performance at the hustings will enable him to wash off the stigma of a sedition case slapped on him while he was a student leader at the JNU. The constituency was once known as "Leningrad of Bihar" by virtue of its pronounced leanings towards the Left. Hassan of RJD, who was the runner up five years ago, is confident that the formidable Muslim-Yadav combine would remain intact and propel him past the electoral finishing line ahead of the other contenders. Darbhanga is witnessing a straight contest between BJP's Gopalji Thakur and RJD's Abdul Bari Siddiqui. Both parties had to battle competing claims by their respective allies before they declared their candidates. The seat was won for BJP by Kirti Azad, who got suspended by the party later and ended up joining Congress. His new party wanted to field him from here but had to give in to the claim of RJD. The BJP too had to negotiate with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U), which initially desired to get the seat for its national general secretary Sanjay Jha. State BJP president Nityanand Rai seeks to retain Ujiyarpur and inflict a crushing defeat on RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha whom he has been describing as the "bhagoda (fugitive) from Karakat seat". Kushwaha had fought the last general elections as an ally of the NDA, which he quit a few months ago, giving up his ministerial berth at the Centre too. Besides being in the fray from his sitting seat of Karakat in south Bihar, Kushwaha has also thrown his hat in the ring from Ujiyarpur considering it "safer" in view of a more sizeable number of the Koeri caste to which he belongs. The reserved constituency of Samastipur is witnessing a direct contest between LJP chief's brother and sitting MP Ram Chandra Paswan and Ashok Kumar of the Congress, who had lost five years ago by a thin margin of about 7,000 votes. Munger, which the LJP had won the last time but had to forgo this time in favor of the JD(U), is witnessing virtually a straight contest between Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh a state minister and Nitish Kumar's close aide and Neelam Devi of the Congress, who is the wife of Anant Singh, Mokama MLA and a Bahubali. In 2014, the seat was won by Veena Devi, the wife of another Mokama gangster-turned-politician Suraj Bhan Singh, who has been compensated with the LJP ticket for his brother Chandan Kumar from Nawada. Voting will take place from 7 am to 6 pm during which 4252 micro-observers will carry out surveillance. Live webcast will be conducted at 130 polling stations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Claiming that the majority of people in Jammu and Kashmir want early abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution that accords special status to the state, the BJP Sunday said the government is working for "total amalgamation" of Kashmiris with the country. The state unit of the BJP made the claim while launching a blistering attack against National Conference top leadership for terming the BJP-RSS a "grater threat to the state than Pakistan". "NC vice president Omar (Abdullah) is unhappy because the BJP is assuring the abolition of Article 370, the demand of crore of Indians, but (he) is perfectly comfortable with Pakistan," said state BJP spokesperson Brig (Retd) Anil Gupta. Claiming that for the people of Jammu and Ladakh and a "silent majority" in Kashmir, saving Article 370 is a "non-issue", Gupta said, "They want its early abrogation so that they can benefit from the economic boom in India, the world's fastest growing economy." "Their only hope lies in the BJP. They are sure that only BJP can save them from the evil intents of Pakistan, a hidden ally of Abdullahs," said Gupta. "The BJP is determined to find a lasting and permanent solution to the problems in Kashmir. Towards this end, the government is working towards return of Kashmiriyat and Insaniyat and elimination of terrorism to create an environment of safe and peaceful living for the Kashmiris and their total amalgamation with the rest of the country, he added. Referring to NC president Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, Gupta said the father-son duo is busy criticising the BJP for "reviving the electoral fortunes of their party" which, he said, was once the strongest political force in the state but currently is in a state of decline. "Omar's threat assessment in which he claimed RSS-BJP a bigger threat to J&K than Pakistan is not only illogical but weird as there is no comparison between the two," he said. Gupta said while the BJP represents the voice of the people of the state, Pakistan is responsible not only for unleashing a proxy war in the state but has also subjugated the voice of the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan by engineering large scale demographic changes, allowing China free access there and by denying basic necessities like water and electricity to the residents of these areas. Referring to Farooq Abdullah's statement that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has failed to embalm people of the state, he said the allegation is far from reality. "The reality is that the vast majority of the people of Jammu and Kashmir are happy with the prime minister as far as security forces-led 'Operation All Out' and the Enforcement Directorate and NIA-led operations against the over-ground terror support network and the terror funding are concerned," Gupta said. Reacting to Abdullah's another remark that the BJP failed to carry forward the legacy of former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee, Gupta blamed the NC leaders and other mainstream parties for the murder of insaniyat (humanity) and Kashmiriyat in the Valley. "Insaniyat has become haivaniyat (beastly attitude) and Kashmiriyat has been replaced by Khalifaiyat (Islamic rule)," he alleged. Rather than trying to mainstream the dissatisfied Kashmiris, these parties contributed towards their further alienation from India by promoting the interests of the Jammat-e-Islami and the Hurriyat while wearing the mask of mainstream parties," he said. The state BJP spokesperson said Abdullahs "claim allegiance to the Constitution of India and the symbols of nationalism like the national anthem and the national flag but fail to uphold their esteem". "In any case the Abdullahs who represent a party that has lost its political footing in both Jammu and Ladakh regions and are now struggling for political space in Kashmir, reducing their party to a sub-regional party, have no right to speak on behalf of the people of the state," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four suspected drug peddlers were arrested Sunday after huge quantities of contraband substance, including 18 kg of charas, were recovered from them in Ramban and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. Mohammad Qasim and Mohammad Karim Sheikh, both residents of Mumbai, were arrested after the recovery of charas from their vehicles during checking near Ramban along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, a police official said. He said the duo was travelling to Jammu from the Kashmir Valley in their separate vehicles. While 10 kg of charas were recovered from Qasim, eight kg was recovered from Sheikh. Harvinder Singh and Jarnail Chand, residents of Punjab, were arrested after police recovered 5.20 kg poppy straw from their truck during vehicle checking at Tapyal-Ghagwal on Jammu-Pathankot highway in Samba district, the official said. He said the truck was on its way to Punjab when it was intercepted by police. All the four drug peddlers were booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) act and further investigation is underway, the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A suspected love affair in Bhangela village here led to a clash between two families in which those from the girl's side attacked four persons with stones, leaving them critically injured, police said Sunday. The girl's lover was among the four assaulted on Saturday, Station House Officer (SHO), Khatoli, Harsharan Sharma said. A case was registered against Meherchand, his wife Kamlesh, his brother Nehal and a relative identified as Kanti -- all family members of the girl, he said. While Meherchand and his wife were arrested, efforts are on to trace the other accused, the SHO said. The injured were rushed to a hospital, Sharma added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A practice lesson with a foreign teacher at Lilama 2 Vocational College__Photo: Internet , , The green light for establishment of foreign-invested vocational education institutions in Vietnam was switched on under the 2014 Law on Vocational Education (the Law). However, more than four years after the Law came into force, foreign investment in vocational education remains difficult due to lack of regulations specifying conditions on establishment of foreign-invested vocational training schools in Vietnam.To remove the bottleneck, the Government in February issued Decree 15 detailing a number of articles of and guiding measures for implementing the Law.Speaking with Vietnam Investment Review newspaper, Mac Van Tien, Director of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs National Institute for Vocational Education and Training, said there are currently around 300 foreign-funded vocational education and training institutions in Vietnam with foreign-language and informatics training centers accounting for the majority and just a few vocational training schools.Before Decree 15 is issued, Decree 86 of 2018 is the only document outlining regulations on foreign-invested education institutions but it mainly focuses on preschool and higher education. Meanwhile, Decree 15 specifies the order and procedures for opening foreign-invested vocational training schools.Under the Decree, which took effect on March 20, the time limit for competent authorities to perform procedures and grant a license for establishment of a foreign-invested vocational education institution is 15 days. For invalid dossiers, licensing agencies will, within three days after receiving them, notify investors for the latter to modify or supplement the dossiers.Difficulties of foreign investors will be resolved quickly, Tien affirmed.The Decree specifies conditions for setting up a foreign-invested vocational education institution in the country.Firstly, the investors scheme must be in line with the master plan on Vietnams network of vocational education institutions.Secondly, the investor must obtain a land area of at least 0.1 hectare, if wishing to set up a vocational education center; 1 hectare or 2 hectares, for a vocational intermediate school in or outside urban areas, respectively; or 2 or 4 hectares, for a vocational college in or outside urban areas, respectively.Thirdly, the investor must possess an investment capital amount of at least VND 5 billion (USD 217,000), for a vocational education center, VND 50 billion (USD 2.17 million), for a vocational intermediate school, or VND 100 billion (USD 4.34 million), for a vocational college.Fourthly, projected training curricula must meet the requirements prescribed in Article 34.1 of the Law , and neither have a content that might threaten national defense, public security or public interests nor propagate religious ideology, distort history or cause adverse impacts on Vietnams culture, morals and customs.Lastly, the investor must work out a specific plan on the organizational structure, physical foundations, training programs, and lecturing and administering staff in conformity with Decree 15 and Decree 143 of 2016 on conditions for investment and operation in the vocational education sector.In addition, if the project is subject to investment registration under the investment law, the investor must obtain an investment registration certificate before applying for a license to establish a vocational education institution.The Decree also specifies conditions for establishment of a branch of a foreign-invested vocational intermediate school or college. Accordingly, the investor must sign an in-principle contract or agreement on hiring of infrastructure and facilities for at least five years and have an investment capital at least equal to 25 percent of that required for establishment of the vocational education institution.Foreign-invested vocational education institutions may use Vietnamese or foreign training programs according to regulations.The maximum operation duration of a foreign-invested vocational education institution is 50 years, counting from the date of issuance of its establishment license. Exceptions will be decided by the Prime Minister on a case-by-case basis.According to Tien, Vietnam welcomes foreign investors but they will be selected carefully. Investors need to meet strict conditions on training programs, training facilities, the trainer-trainee ratio, and advanced training technologies tested by host countries, he said.According to the Decree, joint training programs with foreign partners may be conducted wholly in Vietnam or partly in Vietnam and partly overseas.For joint training programs which are conducted wholly in Vietnam, the two parties have four choices: (i) to conduct training using programs jointly formulated by themselves for grant of Vietnamese diplomas or certificates; (ii) to use training programs transferred from abroad and accredited by international education and training institutions and grant Vietnamese diplomas or certificates; (iii) to apply foreign programs or programs jointly formulated by themselves and accredited by international education and training institutions and grant foreign diplomas or certificates; and (iv) to provide training under programs transferred from abroad and accredited by international education and training institutions and grant foreign diplomas or certificates.Meanwhile, joint training programs which are implemented partly in Vietnam and partly overseas may take any of the following three forms: (i) using foreign programs accredited by international education and training institutions and granting Vietnamese diplomas or certificates; (ii) applying foreign programs accredited by international education and training institutions and granting foreign diplomas or certificates; and (iii) undertaking foreign programs or programs jointly designed by the two parties and accredited by international education and training institutions and granting both Vietnamese and foreign diplomas or certificates.Joint training programs may be conducted at all degrees and in all disciplines of vocational education, except those in the fields of politics, national defense, public security, and religious ideology.Enrolment of trainees to joint training programs must comply with Vietnams law, in case of granting Vietnamese diplomas or certificates, or foreign laws, in case of granting foreign diplomas or certificates. Particularly for programs under which both Vietnamese and foreign diplomas or certificates will be granted, enrolment of trainees must adhere to both Vietnamese and foreign laws.Joint training programs may be taught in Vietnamese or foreign languages, with or without interpreters. However, trainees who follow joint programs for grant of foreign diplomas or certificates must at least reach the outcome standard at level 3 of Vietnams six-level foreign-language proficiency framework or equivalent.The Decree also specifies conditions on physical foundations and lecturing and administering staff of institutions conducting joint training, such as requirements on labs, practice workshops and trial production facilities.- Gold worth over Rs one crore has been recovered from 18 air passengers who arrived from Dubai and Colombo on Saturday, the Customs Department said Sunday. The seizure included 3.64 kg of 24 carat gold from 14 women passengers on Saturday, besides the recovery of the precious metal kept in the toilet of a national carrier that arrived from Colombo, a Customs release said. A total of 5.33 kg of gold valued at Rs 1.76 crore was recovered on Saturday, it said. The seizure was made following the "constant vigil" by officials of Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs, it added. The men and women carried the gold in their checked-in baggage as well as in "concealed" in their person, it said. Further, 892 grams of gold, covered with adhesive tape, was found from the rear toilet of a national carrier that arrived from Colombo and was scheduled to proceed to Hyderabad in its domestic run, it said. Further investigation was on, the release said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A headmaster was arrested for allegedly molesting a teenage student of his school in Cahcar district of Assam, police said on Sunday. The head master was picked up from his home on Saturday night after receiving a complaint from the parents of the girl, Cachar Superintendent of Police Mugdhajyoti Dev Mahanta said. In the FIR lodged with the Dwarbond Police Station, her parents said the headmaster called the student to his chamber in the school located in Barjalanga area on Saturday and tried to force himself on her. The girl managed to run away from his office and narrated the incident to her parents, Mahanta said. "The headmaster was arrested on the basis of the FIR lodged by the family. He will be produced in court on Monday," the SP said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The IMD has issued a heat wave warning for North Madhya (Central) Maharashtra and Marathwada regions for Sunday and Monday. It also said that Marathwada region would receive thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty winds. Nashik, Pune, Ahmednagar and Jalgaon districts would witness a heat wave along with warm night conditions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated in a report released this afternoon. "It would be felt in some isolated pockets. On the other hand, the south Madhya Maharashtra would face thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty winds with the speed reaching 30-40 km per hour at isolated places in the districts of Satara, Sangli, Solapur and Kolhapur," the IMD said. The trough from the above cyclonic circulation to south Konkan now runs across Marathwada and Madhya Maharashtra, it stated. There is no warning of a heatwave for south Konkan and South Madhya Maharashtra for Monday. Meanwhile, Akola and Chandrapur in east Maharashtra recorded the highest temperature in the state at 47 degree Celsius Saturday, followed by Amravati and Wardha which sizzled at 46 degree Celsius each. Yavatmal, Parbhani, Nanded, Jalgaon and Ahmednagar districts each recorded 45 degree Celsius temperature. Except Ahmednagar where departure was of + 6 degree Celsius, the departure in other districts was between 2-4 degree Celsius which is considered as normal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lanka's Roman Catholic leader Sunday said God is the reflection of love and kindness and wondered how someone can kill in the name of God as he referred to the Islamist militants who claimed the massive Easter Sunday bombings were on behalf of the Almighty. As the country marked a week since the coordinated blasts hit three churches and three luxury hotels, killing 253 people and inuring over 500 others, Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, conducted the special private mass. Attended by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe along with other leaders, the mass was shown live on television after Sri Lanka's Catholic churches on Thursday suspended all public services until the security situation improves. The Archbishop, who started his mass with an appeal for peace and unity, said: "It is our faith which has been challenged". "God is the reflection of love and kindness, so how can someone kill in the name of God?" Cardinal Ranjith asked in a reference to the militants who claimed that the attacks were on behalf of the almighty. "What happened last Sunday is a great tragedy, an insult to humanity," he said, adding that nothing is more precious than the human lives. The Islamic State (ISIS) terror group has claimed the April 21 coordinated blasts, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ) for the attack. In a statement issued through its propaganda 'Amaq' agency, the ISIS claimed that "the executors of the attack that targeted citizens of coalition states and Christians in Sri Lanka two days ago were with the group," according to the Site Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist activities. It listed the names of the suicide bombers, who were also shown in a video swearing allegiance to the terror group. The ISIS statement, which was disseminated on the group's chat rooms on the app Telegram, said that the bombings had been intended to target Christians, as well as citizens of countries belonging to the coalition fighting the Islamic State. The group referred to Easter as an "infidel holiday". Sri Lanka has said that the NTJ was behind the attack and it was investigating whether they had international support. A total of 106 suspects, including a Tamil medium teacher and a school principal, have been arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday blasts, the police said. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday, killing 253 people. Sri Lanka on Saturday banned the NTJ and a splinter group linked to the ISIS. According to Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry, the number of foreign nationals who have been identified as killed remained at 40, including 11 from India. Sri Lanka has a population of 21 million which is a patchwork of ethnicities and religions, dominated by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. Muslims account for 10 per cent of the population and are the second-largest minority after Hindus. Around seven per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jaydev Unadkat finally lived up to his potential after a below-par outing in the ongoing IPL and the lanky Rajasthan Royals left-arm pacer said he desperately needed the performance to boost his sagging confidence. Having gone for runs in the previous games, Unadkat on Saturday night finished with figures of 2/26 besides latching on to three fine catches during Rajasthan Royals' seven-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad. "I can't really express how much I needed this performance for my own confidence. Times have been tough but I have grown strong from this and have become better as a player. I think that's how it is," Unadkat said at the post-match press conference here. "In T20 you can't always expect that as a bowler you are going to win matches for your team in every single game. As long as you are contributing in every game and you are trying to be there by reading what the batsmen wants do and not allowing him to do, that's what is important. "To be honest this season I have been trying whatever I have and I am happy with the way things have gone but the figures don't suggest that," added Unadkat, who was adjudged player-of-the-match on Saturday. Chasing 161, Liam Livingstone (44 off 26) gave a flying start to Rajasthan's innings and Unadkat said it was pre-planned move from the team management to open with the Englishman in the absence of Jos Buttler. "It was a decision of the management and I am sure they must have planned before the match. His role was similar to that of Buttler, to go and take advantage of powerplay. He is a hard-hitting batsman," Unadkat said. "It was a favourable position for him and now that we don't have (Ben) Stokes and Buttler, so there is space for him to open and then we have guys like Sanju Samson who are in good form and can go down the order and get things going." Rajasthan will now have to win their remaining two games and hope for favourable results from other matches to sneak in as the fourth team in the play-offs, a task which will become difficult in the absence of their foreign recruits like Buttler, Stokes and skipper Steve Smith, who will head home after the next tie against Royals Challengers Bangalore. But Unadkat said they have enough local back-up to replace the foreign stars. "Everyone knew that they would be leaving early so we took some back-ups in the auction. We have good players like Manan Vohra, Prashant Chopra and guys like Mahpal Lomror, they are very good. I mean they haven't got their chances," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Economic equality, strengthening the fight against terrorism, gender parity and climate action are issues occupying the centre stage as India's 900 million-strong electorate casts its ballot, Chair of the Hinduja Bank, Switzerland, Hinduja SP Shanu has said. "India's intelligence" will shine through the crucial elections that will shape the country's future, she said. "This election season, 900 million Indians have the opportunity to go to one of our one million polling stations and have their say in the country's future," SP Shanu told PTI. "In a country facing entrenched poverty and inequality, at a point when humanity is facing existential challenges, the stakes in this election have never been higher. This is no time for voters to be swayed by passing trends, by social media fame and easy promises," she said. SP Shanu identified poverty eradication, equality, combating terrorism and the environment as the key issues motivating the Indian voters, adding that only when India becomes a global leader on all of those issues will "we as a nation find true balance and harmony". "India's intelligence will shine through this election. For the sake of our future, I hope that whoever is elected will bring the same intelligence to their period in power, and combine that intelligence with a love for this country and its people," she said. SP Shanu, recently conferred as Professor of Leadership at the University of Bolton Institute of Management, UK, stressed that there is a need for "serious and rational" debate about the issues that will determine the country's future. "The complexity of our national identity and political discourse mean that our politics cries out for balance. Political candidates need to balance the competing demands of different sections of our society, and to find a balance in their policies that promote the welfare of all Indians," the Chair of the Hinduja Bank, Switzerland said. Underscoring the message of her father, renowned business tycoon and philanthropist Srichand P Hinduja to always "think of the cause", she said looking at the underlying root causes that motivate voters in these elections can help find a path to balancing their interests. "In this year's elections, four themes have stood out for me as root causes of the country's ambitions, anxieties and ailments. I have always believed that India, as a nation, shows its intelligence when it comes together to vote," she said. SP Shanu the Chair of the Hinduja Foundation US, said the first key this election is economic growth and equality. Citing the World Bank, she said that one in five Indians lives in poverty and the poorest in the society is twice as likely to be illiterate than those above the poverty line, and much more likely to lack access to basic services like sanitation and electricity. "We all have a duty to promote true equality, and inequality will always lead to anxieties economic, political and spiritual," she said. The second theme of this election concerns gender inequality. While women constitute over 50 per cent of the world's population, they continue to be under-represented in voting figures, as candidates and as parliamentarians. "Only 11.2 per cent of our elected parliamentarians are women. Female inclusion, participation and female political empowerment are vital human rights and critical to abolishing gender inequality," SP Shanu said. Outlining terrorism as the third key issue, she said that one of the reasons international terrorism is so persistent and hard to tackle is because it is so responsive to the world events. "There are no easy answers prevent terrorism, but a mix of support for security forces, healing and unity at home, and intelligent foreign relations are all part of the path we must walk to prevent future tragedies," SP Shanu said. She stressed that climate action and environmental balance is an issue that affects the future of the whole human race. "The planet is threatened by ever increasing carbon emissions and a changing climate, while the air in our cities gets harder and harder to breathe. If we are to take our rightful place on the world stage, we cannot treat this as an issue for others to contend with or a lower priority cause," she said. SP Shanu underscored that "our intelligence as a voting public does not mean that we always agree on the right candidate. It means that the issues that motivate our voting decisions are the same issues that determine our country's future". She said that as the Chair of Hinduja Bank (Switzerland), she helps her clients to bridge East and West. "One of my roles is to look at evolving demographic and economic trends, particularly in countries like India," she said, adding that she finds hope for India's future in the country's young people. "With the right political leadership, our country's youth can achieve more than any generation before them," SP Shanu added. Lok Sabha elections are being held in India in seven phases. The polling began on April 11 and would be over on May 19, followed by counting of all votes on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) InterGlobe Hotels, a joint venture between InterGlobe Enterprises and global major Accor Hotels, plans to invest around Rs 700 crore to add six hotels in India by 2022, a top company official said. The company currently has 19 hotels across the country under 'ibis' brand with 3,559 rooms. "By 2022 we will have up to 25 hotels in India. We will be adding 6 more hotels in the country. We will be investing around Rs 700 crore for this expansion," President and CEO J B Singh told PTI. The new hotels will come up at Bengaluru, Mumbai, Thane and Goa. With the addition of these six hotels, we will be adding around 980 roooms, he added. has already invested around Rs 2,000 crore in the portfolio of 'ibis' hotels so far, Singh said. When asked about the strategy the company follows for expansion, he said; "In our system of development, we look at almost 200 opportunities in a year where we can invest, but we have our own criteria for We focus on the cities and locations where we want to be present". Secondly the company also follows the strategy of densifying presence in the cities where we are already present, he added. On being asked how the will fund the expansion, Singh said: "It will be through a mix of debt and equity. Around 50 per cent will be equity and 50 per cent will be debt". Highlighting the need for more hotel rooms in the country, Singh said, "There is a huge need for more hotel rooms at the rate the economy is growing. There is vacuum in the mid-market segment. Opportunity here is enormous". InterGlobe Hotels was established in 2004 for development of the 'ibis' network of hotels in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. While Accor owns 40 per cent stake in the JV, InterGlobe Enterprises has a 60 per cent stake, Singh said. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said leaving the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is one of the "many options" Tehran has to retaliate against US sanctions, state media reported Sunday. The United States has imposed a raft of sanctions against the Islamic republic since President Donald Trump withdrew last year from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal with world powers. On Monday Washington announced an end to sanction waivers for buyers of Iranian crude oil, and earlier this month the US declared Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards a "foreign terrorist organisation". "The Islamic republic has many options... (leaving) the NPT is one of them," Zarif said in remarks to Iranian reporters in New York aired by state television. State agency IRNA said Zarif was asked why he had not touted leaving the nuclear treaty as one of Iran's possible reactions during his trip as he had done so previously. "The country's officials are deliberating" the different options and measures, Zarif replied, adding that the possibility of leaving the NPT was among those options. He did not list the other options. Iran has branded the US sanctions "illegal" and Zarif warned on Wednesday that there would be consequences should Iran be barred from selling its oil. The 2015 Iran nuclear deal with six world powers -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany -- had given the Islamic republic sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran's foreign minister says he will visit North Korea as both countries struggle under US sanctions. Iran's official IRNA agency on Sunday quoted Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying that the visit is being planned and a date will be announced soon. The United States has ramped up sanctions on Iran since President Donald Trump withdrew from its 2015 nuclear accord with world powers last year. The US has tightened sanctions on North Korea to try to persuade it to give up its nuclear weapons. An Iranian parliamentary delegation visited North Korea in December, and North Korea's top diplomat, Ri Yong Ho, visited Iran in August. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The has claimed the three militants who blew themselves up during a fierce gun battle with security forces in Sri Lanka's Eastern province, a media report said on Sunday. The shootout occurred on Friday night as the security forces continued their hunt for members of the Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ), the local terror outfit behind the April 21 coordinated blasts that killed 253 people and injured over 500 others. The Special Task Force and Army troops, following a tip-off, raided a house in Kalmunai city, about 360 kms from Colombo leading to the heavy exchange of fire with the armed group. As the heavily-armed men opened fire on troops, a civilian caught in the middle got killed. As the clashes intensified, three men are believed to have set off explosives. In a statement published early Sunday through the its propaganda 'Amaq' news agency, the said that it gave their noms du guerre as Abu Hammad, Abu Sufyan and Abu al-Qa'qa, the Colombo Gazette reported. It said they opened fire with automatic weapons and after exhausting their ammunition, detonated on them their explosive belts. Six children and three women were among 15 people killed when the militants opened fire and blew themselves up during the gun battle with security forces. A police spokesman said that three suspected suicide bombers were among the 15 dead. A huge cache of explosives was also recovered from the spot. Officials have recovered detonators, suicide kits, army uniforms and flags. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday, killing 253 people. The claimed the attacks, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group NTJ for the attacks. President Maithripala Sirisena said Friday that over 130 suspects linked to the ISIS have been operating in the country. (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.) Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party activists Sunday staged a demonstration here to press for early Assembly polls, saying there is no justification to keep the people "deprived" of their right to choose their representatives and to have an elected government in the state. The protest led by JKNPP chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh at Exhibition Ground was held two days before the Election Commission (EC) officials are scheduled to meet in New Delhi to discuss the possible dates of the Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir. "If the municipal, panchayat and parliamentary elections could be held in the state, then what was the hitch for the EC to conduct the assembly elections?" Singh asked. Accusingthe state administration of creating hurdles in the way of the assembly elections without any rationale, the JKNPP leader alleged that democracy in the state was being guillotined ruthlessly for the political expediencies of the ruling party at the Centre and vested interests of the Governor's administration. "BJP, knowing the fact that it has lost the ground in its core constituency, is hell bent to procrastinate the assembly polls while the Governor and his coterie seemed to have tasted the pleasure of power and have become reluctant to part ways from it. "What a shame that for their petty gains the people have been kept deprived of their right to choose representatives and to have an elected government in the state," he told reporters. On Friday, top officials from the Jammu and Kashmir administration, including Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmaniam, Home Secretary Shaleen Kabra and DGP Dilbagh Singh, met the EC officials in Delhi to discuss the poll preparedness in the state. However, the administration did not favour holding of polls to the state legislative assembly in the near future in view of the ongoing tourist season and the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra in the valley, which will begin on July 1. The election authorities in Jammu and Kashmir had written to district election officers last week to submit list of district level nodal officers within two days for assembly polls in the state. However, the order was withdrawn within hours of it being issued. Jammu and Kashmir does not have an elected government since the PDP-BJP coalition government fell apart in June 2018. The state was placed under the Governor's rule, as provided by the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, on June 19, 2018. As mandated by the Constitution, the state was brought under President's Rule on December 19, 2018, which will have to be extended for a period of six months on May 19 or till an elected government is put in place, whichever is earlier. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A journalist and a police constable were arrested on Sunday for sharing a post which claimed Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb's wife has filed a divorce suit against him, police said. Freelance journalist Saikat Talapatra has been arrested and lodged for the night at the West Agartala Police station, Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Subrata Chakraborty said. The police constable was arrested after a case was registered against him for sharing the post, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Puneet Rastogi said. Details of the police constable is yet to be made available. Both of them would be produced in court on Monday. Talapatra has worked with several TV channels before starting to freelance in 2018. The two were arrested for sharing a post by one Anupam Paul, in which he claimed that Biplab Deb's wife Niti Deb has filed a divorce suit in Delhi's Tees Hazari court, officials said. A case has already been registered against Paul, who is currently on the run, they said. The chief minister has described the post as a "deep rooted conspiracy" to tarnish his image. "It is a baseless and motivated post which is in bad taste." His wife Niti Deb has also denied that she has filed any divorce suit and said, "Rumours have no mouth, only dirty, filthy and sick minds...." The state BJP had demanded that the administration take strictest action against those involved in it. Judge Damon J Keith, a grandson of slaves and figure in the civil rights movement who as a federal judge was sued by President Richard Nixon over a ruling against warrantless wiretaps, died Sunday. He was 96. Keith died in Detroit, the city where the prominent lawyer was appointed in 1967 to the US District Court, according to the Swanson Funeral Home. Keith served more than 50 years in the federal courts, and before his death still heard cases about four times a year at the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati. A revered figure in Detroit for years, Keith captured the nation's attention with the wiretapping case against Nixon and Attorney General John Mitchell in 1971. Keith said they couldn't engage in the warrantless wiretapping of three people suspected of conspiring to destroy government property. The decision was affirmed by the appellate court, and the Nixon administration appealed and sued Keith personally. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, where the judge prevailed in what became known as "the Keith case." Keith revisited the civil liberties theme roughly 30 years later in an opinion that said President George W Bush couldn't conduct secret deportation hearings of terrorism suspects. Keith's opinion contained the line, "Democracies die behind closed doors." A similar phrase "Democracy dies in darkness" is now the slogan of The Washington Post, which has credited Keith. "During his more than 50 years on the federal bench, he handed down rulings that have safeguarded some of our most important and cherished civil liberties, stopping illegal government wiretaps and secret deportation hearings, as well as ending racial segregation in Pontiac (Michigan) schools," Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement. Praveen Madhiraju, Keith's former law clerk, worked with him on the 2002 opinion against Bush. Keith had credited Madhiraju with coining the "Democracies die behind closed doors," line, but the attorney now based in Washington, DC, said Keith deserves far more credit. "I came up with the words, but Judge Keith was clearly the inspiration behind the whole thing," Madhiraju told The Associated Press in December 2017. "There's no way if I'd worked any other judge in the country I would have thought of that phrase." Madhiraju said it helped that Keith would periodically pop in the clerk's office to offer suggestions, such as instructing him to review the Pentagon Papers on US policy toward Vietnam and the words of the late Senator J William Fulbright, who said, "In a democracy, dissent is an act of faith."Keith told the AP in an October 2017 interview that the phrase, "Equal justice under law," etched onto the US Supreme Court building in Washington, inspired him and always summoned the lessons Thurgood Marshall taught him as one of his professors at Howard University. Marshall became the first black Supreme Court justice in October 1967 the same month Keith received his federal appointment. He recalled Marshall saying, "The white men wrote those four words. When you leave Howard, I want you to go out and practice law and see what you can do to enforce those four words." Keith did just that. In 1970, he ordered a bus policy and new boundaries in the Pontiac, Michigan, school district to break up racial segregation. A year later, he made another groundbreaking decision, finding that Hamtramck, Michigan, illegally destroyed black neighbourhoods in the name of urban renewal with the federal government's help. The remedy was 200 housing units for blacks. The court case is still alive decades later due to disputes over property taxes and the slow pace of construction. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Sunday said he was 'boycotting' the media, apparently upset over the coverage of the Mandya Lok Sabha polls, where his son Nikhil Gowda is in the fray. "I'm boycotting you," an upset Kumaraswamy told reporters who sought his comments after his meeting with Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal here. "You do whatever you want for your story... Go do it. Go enjoy," he said. Though the reason for his outburst was not exactly clear, sources said he was upset over the media coverage of the Mandya Lok Sabha polls, where his son Nikhil from JD(S) was pitted against multi-lingual actress Sumalatha Ambareesh, an independent candidate, in what is perceived to be a cliffhanger contest. In the run-up to the election to the seat, Kumaraswamy had repeatedly hit out at the media, accusing them of supporting Sumalatha. This is not the first time the chief minister has spoken about boycotting the media. In November last year, Kumaraswamy said he would not address the press "for any reason". He had also said that he would "limit the media to what I speak from the stage." Kumaraswamy recently alleged that the media showed only Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he gets the "makeup" done to get a glow on his face before appearing in front of the camera. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Archbishop of Colombo on Sunday condemned the Easter suicide bombings as "a great tragedy" and an "insult to humanity" at a special mass attended by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, marking a week since the country's worst terror attack killed 253 people. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the country's Roman Catholic leader, conducted the special private mass shown live on television after Sri Lanka's Catholic churches on Thursday suspended all public services until the security situation improves. Tight security was provided in the vicinity with military standing by at the Archbishop's House, the Cardinal's official residence. "It is our faith which has been challenged," the Cardinal said. Nothing is more precious than the human lives, he said. "God is the reflection of love and kindness, so how can someone kill in the name of God?" Cardinal Ranjith asked in a reference to the militants who claimed that the attacks were on behalf of the almighty. As the country marked a week since the coordinated blasts hit three churches and three luxury hotels, killing 253 people and inuring over 500 others, police and security forces continued their hunt for members of the National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ), the local terror outfit behind the attack. Meanwhile, the curfew in the Eastern province districts where the security forces had raided a hideout of NTJ, has been lifted for the first time since it came into force, the military said. "We will arrest all of them and the operations will continue until then," said Brigadier Sumith Atapattu, the military spokesman said. The police said that among the 15 people killed in the Eastern province hideout on Friday night were the two brothers and the father of Zahran Hashim, the leader of the NTJ who blew himself up at the Shangri La hotel in Colombo. The arrest of his driver had led to the discovery of many vital information including on the case of the killing of two policemen last November. The weapons seized by the killers from the policemen were also recovered following the driver's leads, the police said. The police said that two Muslim local politicians linked to the ruling United National Party (UNP) and the Opposition Sri Lanka People's Party have been arrested for possessing a large number of swords, suspected to be used for an attack in Colombo and the western coastal town of Negombo where one of the three church attacks took place on April 21. A total of 106 suspects, including a Tamil medium teacher and a school principal, have been arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday blasts, the police said. The Islamic State terror group, in a statement published early Sunday through the its propaganda 'Amaq' agency, claimed the three militants who blew themselves up in the Eastern province were its members. Security has been improved at hotels, schools and public places. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday, killing 253 people. The Islamic State claimed the attacks, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group NTJ for the attacks. Sri Lanka on Saturday banned the NTJ and a splinter group linked to the ISIS. According to Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry, the number of foreign nationals who have been identified as killed remained at 40, including 11 from India. Sri Lanka has a population of 21 million which is a patchwork of ethnicities and religions, dominated by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. Muslims account for 10 per cent of the population and are the second-largest minority after Hindus. Around seven per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In this election season, Haryana's Jui Khurd village has a different demand. Villagers want to shed the "hypersensitive" polling station tag which was given to it two decades back. The Election Commission had identified the Jui polling booth in Haryana's Bhiwani-Mahendragarh constituency as hypersensitive in 1989 after a man died in firing following a clash between two groups over elections. Since then it has become a permanent tag for the village which impacts its image, according to villagers. The village, which has a population of over 6000 persons, is headed by a woman sarpanch. There have been seven general elections since the incident and all of them have been peaceful. However, we still carry the tag which has become a permanent one. The village has developed so much and we are happy with the progress but being termed as hypersensitive not only impacts our image but also future prospects, village sarpanch Roop Pati told PTI. But we have been appealing to the government as well as the Election Commission to conduct a review and remove the hypersensitive tag since there has been no unfortunate incident in the past, she added. According to Ramesh Bahadur, who is planning to contest the next sarpanch elections, the Election Commission keeps repeating the same lists without conducting any fresh inspection. Once a polling booth is declared critical, sensitive or hypersensitive. It becomes a forever thing. No wonder how much an area progresses, they never conduct fresh review or inspections, he said. Bhiwani-Mahendargarh constituency is among 10 constituencies in which will vote on May 12. The constituency also has two women candidates in the fray. While the BJP has fielded sitting MP Dharambir Singh from the constituency, the Congress has nominated former MP Shruti Chaudhury. Swati Yadav is the representative of the AAP-JJP alliance and the INLD has fielded Balwan Yadav from the constituency. Nearly 81 lakh voters will get an opportunity to decide the fate of 78 candidates contesting the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra's Thane and Palghar districts where voting will be held on Monday, officials said. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of the polls, Thane collector Rajesh Narvekar told reporters here on Saturday. There are total 62.22 lakh voters in Thane district where 6,715 polling booths have been set up, according to official figures. Narvekar said rooms where the electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be stored will have three-tier security cover comprising personnel from the Central Reserve Police force (CRPF), State Reserve Police (SRP) and local police. Besides, the vehicles transporting election material and senior poll officials will be equipped with the global positioning systems (GPS), he said. In the adjoining Palghar district, which is witnessing Lok Sabha polls for the first time after being carved out of Thane, there are total of 18.85 lakh voters, its collector Prashant Narnavre said. The Election Commission has refused sanction to seven auxiliary polling booths in Palghar, a release from the election office said. These seven polling centres, located in Boisar area, have been merged with the regular booths, it said, adding that Palghar district will now have total 2,170 booths. In the Thane Lok Sabha seat, sitting Shiv Sena MP Rajan Vichare is pitted against NCP's former parliamentarian Anand Paranjpe. In Bhiwandi seat of Thane district, sitting BJP MP Kapil Patil is locked in a battle with Congress' Suresh Tawre. In Kalyan seat of Thane, the main contest is between Sena's sitting MP Shrikant Shinde and NCP's Babaji Patil. In Palghar Lok Sabha seat, sitting MP Rajendra Gavit, who recently quit the BJP to join the Sena, is facing former parliamentarian Baliram Jadhav of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, an ally of the Congress-NCP. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, NCP president Sharad Pawar and state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addressed several rallies in the two districts. The BJP-Sena combine targeted the Congress over 'failures' of its previous governments, while the opposition parties slammed the NDA government for its decisions like demonetisation and implementation of the GST. Polling for the fourth phase in the state's 17 constituencies, including those in Thane, Palghar and Mumbai, will be held on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras High Court bench here has sentenced a man to three months of simple imprisonment for using foul language against a judicial magistrate in a representation and casting aspersions on a sessions judge. Justices P N Prakash and B Pugalendi, on their own, directed that the man be taken into custody and lodged in the nearest central prison for serving the sentence, and disposed of his petition. The judges said the court would not take such assaults on its staff lying down. They opined that using foul language against a judicial officer would not only demoralise him, but indubitably interfere with the due course of justice by instilling fear in his mind. "Once the emotion of fear afflicts a judicial officer, he will not be able to discharge the responsibility of administering justice. "Honour is the bedrock of human life and if that is unjustly annihilated, what remains is only a living corpse," the judges said. If a disgruntled litigant was allowed to go scot-free even after addressing a judicial officer in such language, the latter would not be able to command respect in his court from litigants and other stakeholders, they added. All this would hamper the administration of justice, the court said. The judges referred to the petitioner's attitude of not even feeling remorse about his comments on the lower court judges and said the high court had a solemn duty to protect and safeguard the judicial officers of the subordinate judiciary against such "brazen attacks" by disgruntled litigants. "Our judicial set-up is akin to a Hindu undivided joint family, where the 'kartha' is the Supreme Court, the eldest brother is the high court and the younger siblings are the courts subordinate to the high court," they said. A clear message should go to one and all that the eldest brother would brook no such vituperative insult to his younger siblings and that the high court would feel the pain of the hurt suffered by them, the judges said. "We will be showing misplaced sympathy if we treat elements like this person with kid gloves, as that will embolden others to mount such attacks on defenceless subordinate judicial officers, who are not clothed with any power under the Contempt of Courts Act to rein in such attackers," they said. Manoharan was convicted and sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment by the judicial magistrate, Rajapalayam, in a case registered by the police on a complaint from a soldier. The petitioner had a civil dispute with the soldier. A quarrel had taken place between the two when the petitioner allegedly exposed himself while the soldier was sitting with his wife in front of his house and also misbehaved with his daughter. The police had registered a case against Manoharan under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act. After considering the evidence on record and hearing both sides, the judicial magistrate sentenced the petitioner to undergo various terms of imprisonment. Manoharan then moved the sessions court in Srivilliputhur, headed by judge Ganesan, who said his petition was not maintainable. The judge did not number the petition, but posted it before the high court to decide the issue of maintainability. The petitioner, who came to know about this, sent a representation to the chief justice of the Madras High Court, the president, the prime minister and the Tamil Nadu chief minister. In his representation, he used foul language against the judicial magistrate and alleged that he had killed justice, besides casting aspersions on the sessions judge. The chief justice ordered initiation of criminal contempt action against Manoharan and the matter was placed before the advocate general for consent under the Contempt of Courts Act. Manoharan, in his petition, sought to justify his act by contending that the magistrate had colluded with the soldier to convict him "illegally". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Mumbai-bound passenger has been apprehended at the Delhi airport for allegedly carrying two live bullets in his baggage, an official said Sunday. An officer of the Central Industrial Security Force, deputed at terminal-1D of the Indira Gandhi International Airport(IGIA) to scan baggages, detected bullet-like objects while checking the bag of passenger Mohd H Qureshi on Saturday, he said. "Two live bullet rounds of 7.65 mm calibre were recovered from the passenger who was supposed to take a flight to Mumbai," the official said. The traveller was not allowed to board the flight and was handed over to the Delhi Police as he could not produce any document for the ammunition, he added. Carrying arms and ammunition inside an airport terminal area or an aircraft is banned under the Indian aviation laws. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man missing from Nagpur since Friday was Sunday found dead in Kondhali in the rural part of the district, about 40 kilometres from here, police said. An official said the body of transporter Bobby Makan did not have any injury marks and it had been sent for post mortem to ascertain the cause of death. Preliminary probe auggests he might have been kidnapped from Pachpaoli area of Nagpur on Friday, the official added. "His wife had filed a missing complaint at Jaripatka police station on Friday. Makan stayed in the Jaripatka area of the city. We are investigating further," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) I hear occasionally from someone who sometimes accuses the Orthodox Church of being foreign, and so unsuitable for the British. A few days ago he sent me a card saying the word in English is Easter. My reply was the word in Greek (and, therefore, English), is Pascha. This is a much more important subject than a mere dispute about words. If the word in English is Easter, then one is bound to ask what word? Was there some word which, when translated into English, became Easter? The plain answer is no. There is one simple reason for this, Jesus Christ in the days of his flesh never visited these shores, and his words were not written in English. He spoke Aramaic, and his sayings were recorded in Greek, as were the words of the other NT writers like Paul and Peter. An example of the desire to replace the word Pascha with Easter is the King James version translation of Acts 12:4 which describes the arrest of Peter by Herod and his intention after Easter to bring him forth to the people. The Greek word here is pascha, and all modern translations rightly now translate the word Passover BJP chief Amit Shah Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown he is a man with a "56-inch chest" by destroying terrorist hideouts in Pakistan. Shah said all anti-national elements will end up behind bars once the Modi government returns to power, as he hit out at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for what he described as his "temerity" to promise scrapping of the sedition law. Addressing back-to-back election rallies in Bihar's Sitamarhi and Saran, which will be voting in the fifth phase of national polls on May 6, Shah drew a contrast between Modi and Gandhi, claiming that the prime minister has been working "tirelessly for the past 20 years" unlike the Congress chief "who needs a prolonged holiday every few months". Lambasting the Congress-led UPA for its "inadequate response" to the beheading of Lance Naik Hemraj six years ago, Shah said, "When militants backed by Pakistan dared to attack the Uri army camp, we gave a befitting reply with surgical strikes." "They did not learn their lessons and attacked the CRPF convoy in Pulwama. Pakistan massed its troops along the borders thinking that it would protect itself against surgical strikes. But our prime minister showed that he is a man with a 56-inch chest and thus came the air strikes that destroyed the terror hideouts in Balakot," Shah said amid a huge applause from BJP supporters. As long as the BJP is in power, all anti-national elements will end up behind bars, he insisted. "Rahul 'baba' has the temerity of saying that if voted to power his party will scrap the sedition law. Let me assure him and his allies, as long as the BJP is in power, anti-national elements will continue ending up behind bars and every bullet fired from terrorists will be retaliated with a mortar shell," the BJP president said. He also targeted the Congress and the RJD, which have been alleging that Modi's claim of belonging to a backward caste was false, asserting that the prime minister understands the pain of the downtrodden. "The prime minister is not just a 'pichhda' but an 'ati-pichhda' (EBC) and he has shown his empathy for the the downtrodden by granting constitutional status to the OBC Commission, a move that was opposed by the UPA. "Modi also appointed Bhagwan Lal Sahni of Muzaffarpur district as the chairman of the commission after it earned constitutional status, thereby giving our OBC brothers in Bihar the respect that has always been their due," he said in a deft play of the caste card. Shah said no government in the past had the courage to take measures for the economically weak section in the unreserved category. "It has always been known that in the unreserved category, many were economically weak and needed help. But no government mustered the courage to take action. Our government did and also effected the required constitutional amendments to ensure that the move withstood judicial scrutiny." The BJP chief also said that the "jodi" (duo) of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi had brought Bihar out of the era of lawlessness, asserting that "things have started moving at an unprecedented speed ever since Modi formed the government at the Centre". Shah was accompanied by Sushil Kumar Modi at both the rallies. At Sitamarhi, where he campaigned for JD(U) candidate Sunil Kumar Pintu, those present on the dais included sitting MP Ram Kumar Sharma, who belonged to the RLSP and stood with the party in its decision to sever ties with the NDA a few months ago, but rebelled and announced his support to the BJP-led coalition after he was denied a ticket by party chief Upendra Kushwaha. At Saran, those present included sitting MP and BJP national spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pro Modi, anti Vasundhara Raje slogans reflected the strong anti-incumbency sentiment that uprooted the BJP's government in Rajasthan in December last year. Four months later with Lok Sabha elections underway, slogans like "Modi tujhse bair nahi, Vasundhara teri khair nahi" (We have no enmity with Modi, but Vasundhara will not be spared) are not heard, of course, but the sentiment appears eerily similar pro Modi but anti the BJP's sitting MP Sona Ram. In the bylanes of this desert district, several voters rued the fact that Ram has done no work but said they are inclined to vote for another term for the Modi-led BJP government. The desert city, under the Barmer-Jaisalmer parliamentary constituency, goes to the polls on Monday with both the Congress and the BJP fielding new candidates. While BJP is fielding Kailash Chaudhary, the Congress has put forward Manvendra Singh, the son of former cabinet minister and senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh, who joined the party last October. Many voters said they know Manvendra Singh, don't know Choudhary and are unhappy with Sona Ram's poor performance but may still back Modi. "Sona Ram didn't get anything done. People are still facing issues regarding water supply. There is not much done in the name of Swachh Bharat, but I will still vote for Modi ji in the Centre," Parth Bhatia, a local trader, told PTI. "Modi ji thinks about the country. He has done well for everyone. Farmers are in a better condition now. The Army has become more powerful. India's name is respected in the world because of Modi ji. The only problem we have is with the MP and the MLA. They have done nothing," Parth added. Several people showed affinity for former MP Manvendra Singh but Chaudhary's name neither rang any bells nor received any vote of confidence. "We have never heard of Kailash Chaudhary before, Manvendra has served the city earlier. We know him, but not Chaudhary," said Naresh Bhatia, a chemist. He added that the election is also a means for Singh to prove his worth. Discussing the impact of Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonetisation, local traders said it impacted only those who had something to hide. "It will again be Modi government in the Centre. I don't think he has played a single card wrong. All those complaining about GST and demonetisation are those who were making money on the side," said Rishi Raj Bhatia. Many businessmen vouched for Modi despite problems such as lack of water and jobs as well as unclean roads. "Water supply issues are not new. We always had that problem," Rishi Raj said. Issues of employment and water for farmers echo with Parth too. But he believes another term for the Modi government will set it right. "Farmers need timely water supply. That's the biggest issue here. There are lakhs of people on temporary posts or looking for jobs, Modi ji had said they will be made permanent. But let's give him another chance, I am sure he will work towards these issues." In the chorus of approval for Modi, there were also some who said the government was "anti-poor". "If you simply walk around a market, any market in the country, you will realise a large number of traders don't use computers. Heck, they can't even read or write more than what they need to. How will they understand GST?" asked Purushottam Malpani, a local trader. Attacking the centre's Swachh Bharat programme, Malpani said mountains of garbage can be seen next to the railway tracks on the way to Delhi. "If Modi can't clean the place where he lives, how can he make promises to clean the country? Look around and you can see so much garbage in this city, a globally famous tourist place. Where is Swachh Bharat?" he added. Former BJP loyalist Azad Bhatia said he did not like the way Modi government had "killed the market entirely". "You can still see the effects of demonetisation. The market is at its lowest. Traders still haven't recovered from it. If this is what the government has given us in the last five years, why should I vote for it again?" Not just businesses, the secular fabric of the country is in tatters, he added. "Earlier Hindus and Muslims were quietly doing their own things, now even that has become an issue," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Polling in six Lok Sabha seats of Madhya Pradesh and by-election to Chhindwara Assembly constituency where Chief Minister Kamal Nath is in the fray will be held on Monday. Lok Sabha constituencies of Sidhi, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Mandla, Balaghat and Chhindwara will go to polls in the first phase of general elections in the central state. Total 108 candidates are in the fray, including maximum 26 in Sidhi, followed by Balaghat-23, Jabalpur-22, Chhindwara-14, Shahdol-13 and Mandla-10. Nine candidates are trying their luck in the Chhindwara Assembly bypoll. Altogether 1.08 crore people, including 9,864 services voters who will cast postal ballot, are eligible to exercise their franchise. State chief electoral officer V L Kantha Rao said barring the Naxal-affected Baiher, Lanjhi and Paraswada Assembly segments under Balaghat parliamentary seat, polling will be held from 7 am to 6 pm. In Naxal-affected areas, polling will be held from 7 am to 4 pm, he added. In 2014, riding on the 'Modi wave', the BJP won five of these six Lok Sabha seats. Congress veteran Kamal Nath had won from his bastion Chhindwara, where his son Nakul Nath is the party candidate this time for the Lok Sabha polls. State BJP president Rakesh Singh and former Union minister and BJP's tribal face Faggan Singh Kulaste are contesting from Jabalpur and Mandla, respectively. After taking over as chief minister following Congress' victory in the last year's Assembly polls, Kamal Nath needs to get elected to the state Legislature within six months. Congress MLA Deepak Saxena quit from the Chhindwara Assembly seat to make a way for him. In the last leg of electioneering for the six Lok Sabha seats, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held rallies in Sidhi and Jabalpur whereas Congress chief Rahul Gandhi addressed public meetings in Shahdol and Jabalpur. BJP chief Amit Shah also addressed a public meeting in Chhatarpur. Kamal Nath and his predecessor and senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan also campaigned extensively for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in the state. In 2014, the BJP won 27 out of the total 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Later, the Congress reclaimed Ratlam seat in a by-election, taking its tally to three. The Congress is hoping to do better in the polls after ending the BJP's 15-year reign in the state last year, while the saffron party is hoping to repeat its 2014 performance. Lok Sabha elections in MP will be held in four phases on April 29, and May 6, 12 and May 19, and counting of votes will take place on May 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi Sunday said slum dwellers and tenants in Mumbai will get homes of their own if his party comes to power after the April-May Lok Sabha polls. All six seats of Mumbai will go to polls on Monday. In a tweet in Marathi, Gandhi said that he had backed the proposal of his party colleagues that slum dwellers and tenants be given houses with a minimum area of 500 square feet. "I assure Mumbaikars that if the Congress is voted to power, slum dwellers and tenants will get homes of their own," Gandhi's tweet stated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's former military dictator Pervez Musharraf, who is facing a high-profile treason case for suspending the Constitution, is unlikely to return to the country due to his family pressure and medical board's recommendations, a media report said Sunday. The development came a day after his lawyer Salman Safdar told reporters that the 75-year-old former president, despite his deteriorating medical condition, is determined to appear before the court that had summoned him for the hearing scheduled for May 2. However, Dawn reported that General (retd) Musharraf might not return to Pakistan because of his medical board's recommendation and family pressure. "Gen Musharraf has been facing pressure from his family that he should not travel at the cost of his health. However, as everyone knows that Gen Musharraf is a man of his words so still there are 50 per cent chances of his return," a member of the All Pakistan Muslim League Ali Nawab Chitrali said. "He is eager to come to Pakistan and wants to appear before the court. He has been suffering from severe backbone pain and the medical board has advised him not to travel," he was quoted as saying in the report. A special court indicted Musharraf for high treason in March 2014. Musharraf left for Dubai in 2016 to "seek medical treatment" and has not returned since. Last month, he was admitted to a hospital in Dubai after suffering a reaction from a rare disease for which he is already under treatment. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had filed the treason case against Musharraf over the president's imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007. The Supreme Court, while hearing a plea filed by a lawyer who pointed out that proceedings of the treason case had come to a halt as former president Musharraf had not returned since 2016, on April 1 directed him to appear before the special court on May 2. The three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa also warned him that if he fails to turn up then he will lose his right to record a statement under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedures. The special court declared Musharraf a proclaimed offender and ordered the confiscation of his property owing to his no-show. Later, on orders of the Supreme Court, Musharraf's passport and national identity card were also cancelled. Musharraf ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008. A conviction for high treason carries the death penalty or life imprisonment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The contest is between nationalism and regional vision in this constituency with the BJP's Bhagirath Choudhary relying on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stress his honour-for-Bharat Mata poll plank while the Congress' Riju Jhunjhunwala is focusing on issues like water and jobs. If the country's ruling party candidate based his campaign in Ajmer, known as the education city of Rajasthan, on making Modi the prime minister once again, the contestant for the state's ruling party Congress left no stone unturned to convince voters of his vision for the region. The constituency, comprising eight assembly segments of Ajmer north, Ajmer south, Pushkar, Nasirabad, Kekri, Masuda, Kishangarh and Dudu, has 18.62 lakh voters and will vote on Monday. Many voters did not immediately speak on their concerns but seemed to be leaning towards nationalism. Congress leader Jhunjhunwala, an industrialist, said he tried to connect with voters by promising industries and drinking water from the Chambal canal to resolve the two main issues of water and jobs if he is given the mandate. "I come from an industrial background and I know how to set up industries. Ajmer has huge potential for industries and job creation and the city can emerge as an industrial and IT hub. I am also committed to bringing drinking water from Chambal river to address the drinking water issues of Ajmer," Jhunjhunwala told PTI. He said he got a good response from the people, particularly the youth, on the two issues. "As far as the issue of nationalism is concerned, a Congressman is more nationalist than the BJP's, but this is all about development and addressing people's need and requirements as a parliamentarian," he said. The 40-year-old, from the Vaish caste, is the son-in-law of former state minister Bina Kak. He said his aim is to restore the glory of Ajmer. For BJP candidate Chaudhary, the election is all about making Modi prime minister once again and protecting the honour of 'Bharat Mata' (India). "It is our collective responsibility to prevent divisive powers from entering Parliament. Vote for BJP for making the 'chowkidar Narendra Modi' our prime minister once again," the 64-year-old former MLA told a gathering in Kekri area recently. Countering Congress candidate's agenda of development, Choudhary, a Jat who was denied a ticket in the 2018 assembly elections, said he is the son of a farmer and understands the real needs of the people. "I struggle and work for farmers and people's issues. I understand their needs and people have confidence in me. I am hopeful of getting their support," he said. Despite hectic electioneering, the election buzz is distinctly subdued. "It is true that development and growth are the main requirements but people are more influenced by the prime minister. Therefore, there is no debate on who will win," said a man purchasing groceries at a shop. A shopkeeper in front of the Ajmer bus stand seemed to agree. "After all it is the government that matters. We have to elect a strong government and there is no alternative to Modi," he said. Ajmer has been the constituency of PCC president and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot who has held meetings in support of Jhunjhunwala. The main source of drinking water in Ajmer is the Bisalpur dam but the crisis has deepened and water is being supplied only once in two-three days. Congress' Raghu Sharma, who is now the state health minister, won the Ajmer Lok Sabha seat in a bypoll held last year following the death of BJP MP Sanwar Lal Jat. Sharma defeated Jat's son in the bypoll. There are as many as 16 candidates contesting the LS elections in Ajmer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP ally and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan asserted on Sunday that the ruling NDA is on track to retain power at the Centre, helped by the "Modi factor" and the appeal of the issue of nationalism, while the Opposition has become a picture of "disunity" in a key state like Bihar. The Lok Janshakti Party leader said the 2019 general election stands out from many elections he has seen in his over five-decade long career for the centrality of the issue of nationalism in this poll with people supporting the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for development as well as national security. In an interview to PTI, the Dalit leader said the momentum in the NDA's favour is increasing in every phase of polling and that the "wave has now become a tsunami". Three phases of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections have been held so far, with the Hindi-heartland states being the key battleground in the remaining phases. Paswan claimed there has been no contest so far in Bihar, seen as a key state to the NDA's fortunes. Giving seat-wise figures to support his claim, Paswan said opposition parties like the Congress and the RJD have been working at cross-purposes while "united" NDA partners -- BJP, JD(U) and LJP -- have got better of them in most seats. "Our vote is increasing in every phase. The Modi factor was recently at work in the prime minister's massive road shows in Varanasi and Jharkhand. More people are joining us. On the other hand, opposition parties have not been able to unite either in Delhi or here in Bihar. People wonder what is the point of even voting for them as they don't know what these parties will do," he said. The NDA may win over 35 seats of the total 40 in Bihar, he said. It had won 31 in 2014. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and RJD's Tejashwai Yadav have often avoided campaigning for candidates of the other party, Paswan said and added that they held their first joint rally in Samastipur only this Friday. "I am confident that the NDA will repeat the scale of victory it had achieved the last time. It will form the government under Modi's leadership," he said. The NDA had won 336 seats in 543-member Lok Sabha in 2014, with the BJP getting its maiden majority by winning 282 seats on its own. Paswan said issues like terrorism and nationalism may have emerged as central issues in the poll but Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has also received people's support on the plank of development. From subsidised food to LPG cylinders, toilets, homes and health insurance, the government is working to provide the masses all essentials of life, he said, adding that people have been backing the NDA for these measures as well. But it is the emotive issue of nationalism and action against Pakistan-based terrorists that has been a central theme of the NDA's campaign, something that the opposition has criticised, accusing the ruling dispensation of using them to divert people's attention from issues like jobs and economy. The LJP leader dismissed the opposition criticism, saying "all is fair in love and war". He also hit back at the opposition parties and alleged a "sinister campaign" over the issue among Muslims. "The big issue here is that we target terrorists, we say terrorism should be finished, but they (Opposition) whisper in Muslims' ears that we want to finish them. As if, Muslims are terrorists," he said. Paswan referred to the response from people when NDA leaders in their campaign speeches invoke the issue of nationalism, saying all such references have received wide support from the masses. The Modi factor and the nationalism issue have helped the NDA cover up localised factors like choice of candidates among others, he said. Paswan claimed that a section of even Yadavs, seen as a solid vote bank of Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), have supported NDA nominees in seats where opposition candidates enjoyed little connect with them. Yadavs have long been part of "power politics" and they are in no mood to give votes to candidates of parties Vikassheel Insaan Party or Hindustani Awam Morcha as they have little resonance on the ground, he said. Both these parties are also part of the opposition alliance. The 72-year-old leader is not fighting the poll this time with his younger brother Pashupati Kumar Paras contesting from Hajipur, a seat Paswan has traditionally represented in Lok Sabha. The senior leader's son Chirag and another brother Ramchandra Paswan, both MPs, are also in the fray. The LJP had won six seats in 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gunmen in Nigeria's restive oil-rich south have attacked an oil rig, kidnapping a British, a Canadian and a Nigerian worker, security forces said Sunday. The violence is the latest in a long line of attacks in Nigeria's southern Rivers state, where kidnapping for ransom is rife. Half a dozen gunmen attacked the rig on Saturday in the Ogbele area of Rivers state, firing weapons as they stormed in, grabbing the three men and then heading off into the thick forest and swamps around. "The victims are a Canadian, a Scottish man, and we have also been briefed that a Nigerian worker is also unaccounted for," said Abdullahi Ibrahim, a spokesman for the government security force, part of the team known as Operation Delta Safe. "Efforts have been intensified, and are still ongoing towards rescuing the victims and arresting the hoodlums," Ibrahim added. The oil rig was reported to be operated by Niger Delta Petroleum Resources (NDPR). In past such attacks, the victims have often been released after a few days once ransoms are paid. On Thursday, gunmen kidnapped two Shell workers and killed two policemen guarding them, also in Rivers state. There has been no yet on those hostages. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Coming down heavily on the Congress for its promises to amend AFSPA and quash the sedition law, if voted to power, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Sunday said the "hand symbol of the grand old party denotes that it was hand-in-glove with traitors". Addressing a rally in Sheohar Lok Sabha constituency near here, Adityanath claimed that "no nationalist or dignified person" would support the Congress or its allies having gone through its Lok Sabha poll manifesto. "I was shocked to see the Congress manifesto. It said that the party will do away with the sedition law and amend Afspa, the law which gives special power to the army in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast states. It seems 'Congress ka hath hai deshdrohiyon ke sath' (Cong has extended its hand to the traitors of this country)," he insisted. Referring to IAF air strike in Balakot, Adityanath said that the Indian Army always had the courage and valour to carry out such attacks, but the "erstwhile governments lacked resolve and willpower to make powerful decisions". "The Narendra Modi government showed its determination to eliminate terrorists and allowed forces to carry out air strikes inside Pakistan. Terrorists are now fleeing their hideouts," he said, adding that "both terrorism and naxalism would be completely wiped out from the country after Modi becomes the PM for another term." When it comes to the prime minister's post, the BJP and its allies have unanimously chosen Modi as their leader, while the Congress, RJD and its allies are still struggling with their choice for the top post, their policies and intentions, the senior saffron party leader said. "It seems they (opposition parties) just want to create political instability in the country and hamper the momentum of growth generated by the Modi government," the Uttar Pradesh CM, who had recently stirred a controversy by referring to Indian Army as 'Modiji ka sena', said. Enumerating the welfare schemes introduced by the NDA government, he asserted that Modi has lived up to the BJP's age-old slogan of 'development of all, appeasement to none' by doling out benefits without discrimination. Claiming that the Congress policies were biased and prejudiced, Adityanath noted, "Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who headed the UPA government from 2004 to 2014, had said that Muslims have the first right on nation's resources. The fact remains that all 130 crore people in the country have equal rights on the resources." The senior BJP leader also praised NDA candidate and sitting MP Rama Devi for her "initiatives to usher in development" in the constituency and appealed to the people to associate themselves with "Fir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar" slogan. Maintaining that Bihar and Uttar Pradesh share a special bond, he said, "We started work on the four-lane Ram-Janki Marg, connecting Ayodhya with Sitamarhi. Once the project is complete, people of Sitamarhi will be able reach Ayodhya in three to three-and-half hours." The Uttar Pradesh CM, who was barred from campaigning for 72 hours earlier this month for his provocative remarks, addressed three more election rallies in Bihar Sunday - at West Champaran, Madhubani and Maharjganj constituencies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There will be no enduring peace in Afghanistan unless the Taliban adapt to the changes that have swept the country since they were ousted in 2001, a US diplomat said Sunday. Special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who is leading US efforts to forge a peace deal with the Taliban, made the comments in a visit to Kabul as he continues a months-long push for a settlement. Speaking to Tolo News, Khalilzad said the Taliban recognise their government "made a lot mistakes" when it was in power from 1996-2001, and "they have learned a lot". "If the Taliban insist on going back to the system they used to have, in my personal opinion it means the continuation of war not peace," said Afghan-born Khalilzad, speaking in Dari. Khalilzad has signalled progress in talks, which centre on the Taliban guaranteeing Afghanistan can never again be used as a springboard for foreign terror attacks, in return for an eventual withdrawal of foreign forces. When the hard-line Islamists were in power, they barred girls from school, executed women on flimsy allegations of adultery and banned a free press, music and many other basic freedoms. Khalilzad is expected to meet with the Taliban in Doha in the coming days, but critics have lashed peace talks for so far failing to include members of the Afghan government, which the Taliban view as a puppet regime. The special envoy said it was vital all parties communicate in an "intra-Afghan dialogue". Such a meeting was supposed to take place in Doha this month but it collapsed amid squabbling about the size of the guest list. "We have started discussion for the withdrawal of the (US) forces, but for the past few weeks my struggles were focused on providing a ground for intra-Afghan talks," Khalilzad said. "That is the first step for further discussion, but there has been no proper progress yet." He added that Washington is "a bit impatient" to end the war, given its USD 45 billion annual cost to the US taxpayer and the continued toll it takes on US forces. Washington wants "to put an end to their expenses in Afghanistan and the dangers the forces face but also Washington has a responsibility and wants to end this war responsibly and leave a good legacy," Khalilzad said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Not long ago, Pakistani Hindus living in Jodhpur held little political sway. However, as time passed and they grew in numbers, the community has emerged as an important vote bank, with manifestos of political parties promising to fulfill their basic needs like water and electricity. According to Hindu Singh Soda, who runs a charity here for Pakistani Hindus, around 20,000 members of the community in Jodhpur are eligible to vote. There are around five lakh Pakistani Hindus in other districts like Barmer, Jaisalmer and Bikaner. Of these two lakh have been granted Indian citizenship, Soda told PTI. These people are eligible to apply for Indian citizenship only after living in the country for seven years and till then, they stay here on extended visas, he said. "For them, partition is not over. They are running from persecution, but basic facilities are not provided here," Soda said. "After being conferred Indian citizenship by authorities, these people are eligible to vote and to benefit from government schemes," he said. Soda claimed that the Congress manifesto promising to provide water and electricity, among others things, to the community is an acknowledgement of its strength. "Seeing a good number of voters among Pakistani Hindus, the Congress has, for the first time in its manifesto, promised to provide electricity, education, employment to migrated Pakistani Hindus," he said. With this, the party hopes to win over the likes of 22-year-old Jagdish Thakur, who fled Pakistan after completing school and could not resume his studies immediately after coming to India. Thakur said he was unable to continue his studies because he did not have any Indian documents to provide proof of age, among other things. He had to start over from Class 10. Now he is pursuing BA in Jodhpur. However, Thakur's woes are far from over. He lives in a makeshift camp with 850 other Pakistani Hindus in Magra Punjila 14 kilometers from Jodhpur city. With no power in the camp, it sinks into darkness every day as the sun sets. Cases of snake and scorpion bites are common in the camp, which is surrounded by shrubs. Another Hindu migrant, who did not wish to be named, pointed out that the BJP had not made any promises for the community in its manifesto. "They (BJP) think that Hindu migrants from Pakistan are their vote bank because it is a party based on Hindu ideology, but Pakistani Hindus cannot be taken for granted, he said, "We will support those who address our issues," he added. The electoral battle in Jodhpur on April 29 will see Congress candidate Vaibhav Gehlot, son of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, take on BJP's sitting MP and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A gunman opened fire at a synagogue in California, killing one person and injuring three others including the rabbi as worshippers marked the final day of Passover, officials said Saturday. The shooting in the town of Poway came exactly six months after a white supremacist shot dead 11 people at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue -- the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the history of the United States. "During the shooting, four individuals were wounded and transported to Palimar hospital. One succumbed to their wounds. The other three are in stable condition," San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore told a press conference. He added the injured were a female juvenile and two adult men, while an older woman died from her injuries. Gore told reporters a 19-year-old man from the city of San Diego had been detained over the shooting, and added investigators were reviewing his social media activity and establishing the legitimacy of an open letter published online. He said police were called shortly before 11:30 am after the man entered the synagogue and opened fire with an "AR-15 type" weapon. AR-15 assault rifles have been used in many mass shootings in the United States. "We have copies of his social media posts and his open letter and we'll be reviewing those to determine legitimacy of it and how it plays in to the investigation," he added. An off-duty border patrol officer who was at the scene fired at the suspect as he fled and struck his car, Gore said. The man was eventually apprehended by a K-9 officer who had been monitoring dispatch radio and raced to the scene, added San Diego chief of police David Nisleit. "He clearly saw the suspect's vehicle, the suspect jumped out with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody by the San Diego police department. "As the officer was placing this 19-year-old male into custody, he clearly saw a rifle on the front passenger seat of the suspect vehicle. The suspect was taken into custody without further incident." Mayor Steve Vaus had earlier told MSNBC the rabbi at the Chabad of Poway synagogue, located in the town of 50,000 around 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of San Diego, was shot in the hand. "For this to happen only a week later at the end of the Passover, only a week after Easter is horrific," he told the network. "We are grateful to those in the congregation there that engaged the shooter and prevented this from being a much more horrific incident. At the White House, US President Donald Trump offered his "deepest sympathies." "At this moment it looks like a hate crime, but my deepest sympathies to all those affected and we'll get to the bottom of it," he said. Minoo Anvari told the local CNN affiliate that her husband was inside the synagogue during the shooting. "Just one message from all of us from our congregation that we are standing together," she said. "We are strong. You can't break us. We are all together." On Twitter, Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she was "heartbroken" by of the shooting. "We have a responsibility to love + protect our neighbours," she said." "The hatred and violence has got to stop," added California representative Mike Levin. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In some good for Satyajit Ray fans, five previously unpublished titles of the master filmmaker author will be brought out from 2020 onwards. Penguin Random House India has announced an association with the Society for the Preservation of Satyajit Ray Archives (Satyajit Ray Society) and the legal estate of the Ray Family to publish these five titles under the aegis of The Penguin Ray Library. These works consist of previously unpublished essays by Ray, Tarini Khuro translations by Ray and a lot of his illustrated works remain unseen till date among many others. The Penguin Ray Library will give Ray's works a unique look of their own. Establishing a series with a distinct identity, these new titles will be presented in a special layout with quintessential aesthetics inspired by Ray's sensibilities. The Penguin Ray Library will be an endeavour to capture the brilliance of a Renaissance man and share his works with a wider readership, Penguin said in a statement. Ray was an ace designer, music composer, illustrator and a gifted writer. This association will celebrate his contribution to the world of art, literature, cinema and music and take his work to the next level - opening them up to new platforms and readers, it said. Sandip Ray, member secretary of the Satyajit Ray Society and Ray's son, says, We are excited to be a part of vision that Penguin Random House has for perpetuating Ray's luminous legacy. The Penguin Ray Library and The Penguin Satyajit Ray Memorial Lecture are excellent platforms to introduce his works to new audiences. Premanka Goswami, senior commissioning editor at Penguin Random House India, terms it a historical moment for the publishing house to be able to engage with Satyajit Ray's works in this way. We have visualised the Penguin Ray Library to be a hallmark of the master's work as a confluence of aesthetic subtlety and creativity. The series of new titles is a first step to building an enduring and meaningful relationship with Satyajit Ray Society and the Ray family, Goswami says. Penguin is also collaborating with the Satyajit Ray Society to be a part of the annual lecture that is held in Ray's memory each year. This year, The Penguin Satyajit Ray Memorial Lecture, as it will be called hereon, was delivered by renowned filmmaker Tarun Majumdar Saturday. Further establishing the lecture as one of the most prestigious cultural events of the year, Penguin will work collectively with the Ray society and family towards building the property further, as a true tribute to Ray's life and body of work. Niti Kumar, senior vice president of Marketing (digital and communications) at Penguin Random House India says The Penguin Ray Library and The Penguin Satyajit Ray Memorial Lecture are the publishing house's gestures to commemorate the greatness of Ray. This association is definitely aiming to step up and scale up the showcase he truly deserves. We have concentrated our efforts to be present in different mediums and induct more people to the iconic world of Ray's books and other works of art, given the right exposure and platforms, Kumar says. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Sunday said the 2019 Lok Sabha elections are about saving democracy, as he accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of following "dictators" in preaching nationalism. He said people will not be "lured and fooled" by BJP's talk of nationalism and will change the government at the Centre for good of the country. Rajasthan, where the Congress ousted the BJP from power in the assembly elections last year, has 25 Lok Sabha seats out of which 13 are going to polls Monday, and the rest 12 will vote on May 6. "Democracy is in danger under the Modi government. Saving democracy is our biggest challenge in this election. To save democracy, people should understand the allurements of BJP and not get misled by their false promises," Gehlot told PTI in an interview. Training his guns on the PM, Gehlot alleged Modi is "misleading" people in the name of nationalism. "Every dictator in the world used nationalism for his benefits. Modi is following their footsteps by raising nationalism as the only issue. People should be cautious of this trap." The Congress veteran added that the BJP got only 31 per cent of the votes polled in the 2014 general elections. "Does this mean that the 69 per cent who did not vote for Modi are not patriots? Modi is questioning their patriotism," Gehlot noted. The Rajasthan CM said that BJP candidates are contesting only in the name of Modi, without talking about development or any other issue. "BJP MPs should also talk about their failures to fulfill the promises the party made in the 2014 elections -- two crore jobs a year, eliminating terrorism, Rs 15 lakh in every bank account, retrieving all black money stashed abroad, among so many other things," he said, adding "The entire country should understand their (BJP's) jumlebaazi (rhetoric) and vote out this government." The state's all 25 Lok Sabha seats were won by the BJP in 2014. The CM's son, Vaibhav Gehlot, is in the fray opposite Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat from Jodhpur, which is one of the seats going to polls Monday. Accusing Modi of politicising the armed forces, the CM said former prime minister Indira Gandhi won the 1971 Bangladesh war but she never bragged about the victory. "There has always been a smooth transition of power in the country from one democratically elected government to the other and no government has ever politicised the Forces like the BJP. The way they have politicised the Army is dangerous for the country," the Rajasthan CM said. "Who gave PM Modi the right to criticise an elected CM? He is insulting the seven crore strong electorate of Rajasthan by doing so. It's unimaginable that the PM can fall to this level to win one election," Gehlot said. At a rally in Jodhpur recently, Modi had attacked the Rajasthan CM, saying Gehlot is "roaming around in the streets to save his son" and not the Congress. "I have always moved around in the lanes and by-lanes of Jodhpur in my 40 years of political career," said Gehlot, who was first elected as an MP in 1980 from Jodhpur and went on to represent the seat five times. Gehlot said Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah are launching personal attack on him only to "avenge" BJP's defeat in the assembly polls and also for the challenge he posed to Modi in his home turf Gujarat in the 2017 state elections there. "Since we had challenged Modi and company in Gujarat in 2017 they are trying to take a revenge now," alleged Gehlot, who was AICC general secretary in charge of Gujarat when the state went to polls that year. The Congress had put up a strong fight in the polls which BJP won narrowly. Asked about the much-touted opposition unity, Gehlot said, "The BJP is mistaken if it thinks the opposition unity has dissipated. There are prepoll alliances and there are post-poll alliances. Post-poll alliances will happen. One thing is clear: the Modi government is going." Gehlot said issues that will determine the future of the nation are economy, unemployment, farmer welfare, and not the "divisive practised by the BJP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday dubbed the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) an "apmaan"(insult) to farmers. Vadra also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the issue of nationalism, saying it can be best served by listening to the problems of the people and solving it. Addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district, Vadra said: "The BJP is, in fact, insulting the farmers in the name of the Kisan Samman Yojana, which the prime minister discusses very much, as it will give only Rs 3.50 per day to the beneficiary. This is 'Kisan Apmaan Yojana' (a scheme to insult the farmers)." Under the PM-KISAN scheme, Rs 6,000 per year will be given in three instalments to 12 crore small and marginal farmers holding cultivable land up to two hectares. Comparing the PM-KISAN to the Congress' minimum income guarantee scheme, Nyay, Vadra said: "On the other hand, the Congress has announced that it will give Rs 6,000 per month to the poor households (if voted to power)." The Congress general secretary in charge of east Uttar Pradesh said the crop insurance scheme, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, had not helped the farmers during the times of crisis, alleging that it had instead benefited some industrialists of crores. Vadra also pointed out to the Congress' manifesto promise of a separate budget for agriculture. "Every district will have a mini food park. This will help the farmers to link himself to the countrywide market," she said. Seeking votes for the party's Bahraich candidate, Savitribai Phule, Vadra attacked the BJP over the alleged atrocities on Dalits and minorities during its rule. "I had met a few Dalit youngsters who had told me that they were beaten up and tortured since they had demanded their rights," the Congress leader said. "An effort is being made by the BJP to damage the Constitution, and institutions and democracy are being weakened," she said. Vadra said while the BJP leaders rake up the issue of Pakistan and nationalism, there are leaders who speak about redressing the people's grievances. "I feel that the biggest nationalism is listening to the voice of the people and resolving their problems," she said. Earlier, speaking to reporters in Amethi constituency, represented by party president and her brother, Rahul Gandhi, Vadra asked: "What type of nationalism is there in 'main hoon Modi' (I am Modi)? What is the meaning of nationalism? It means patriotism and love for the country. Who is the country? Its people and their love." "If you have affinity only towards yourself, then what type of nationalism is this?" she added. Vadra accused Modi of not visiting even a single village in his Varanasi constituency and not asking anyone about their problems. "Arranging a crowd using the power of money and addressing them or sending a message to them is very easy," she said. "But, the real thing is to resolve the problems of the people." "The ground reality is absolutely different. When you speak to the people, a different message emanates and I have never seen the prime minister or the BJP leaders accepting that message," Vadra said. She described the policies of the BJP as "anti-people", "anti-youth" and "anti-farmers". "The menace of stray animals is very much here and the farmers are forced to keep a watch on their crops during night. There are still some places where electricity supply is absent," Vadra added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi took credit for the valour of the armed forces, but his government was not ready to accept responsibility for the Pulwama terror attack. Party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also alleged that when the entire country was in shock over the terror attack, the prime minister was busy shooting a film in Jim Corbett national park. "The prime minister is taking credit for the valour of defence forces for votes... Why doesn't he accept responsibility and failure of his government, national security advisor, home ministry and intelligence even three months after the terrorist attack?" he said a press conference here. Surjewala also sought to know why was Jaish-e-Mohammed threat video released 48 hours before the terrorist attack overlooked and from where did terrorists get such a huge quantity of explosive materials, carbines and rocket launchers. "Why was J&K Police input released on February 8 on terrorist attack overlooked and the request for air-transit facility for CRPF jawans turned down?" he asked. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Superstar Prabhas on Sunday said working on "Baahubali" franchise was one of the most cherishable moments of his life. The 39-year-old south actor, who attained pan-India star status after the release of the two "Baahubali" films, said even after two years he still misses being part of the beautiful universe created by filmmaker SS Rajamouli. "I miss every set up from 'Baahubali'. From shooting for the film, the sets, the war sequences. It is a journey of five years which is a really long time to have an emotional connect with. The whole mood of the periodic effect that Rajamouli created is one of the most cherished times that I could ever be a part of," Prabhas said in a statement. "Baahubali: The Beginning", the first film in the series, released in 2015. It was the first Telugu film to get a worldwide release in Hindi. "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion", which opened in 2017, became the biggest hit in the history of Indian cinema. Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar was attached as the distributor on both the films' Hindi version. The franchise also featured Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah, Ramya Krishnan, Sathyaraj, Nassar and Subbaraju. Prabhas will next be seen in "Saaho", the is simultaneously being shot in Telugu and Hindi. It also features Shraddha Kapoor. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The People's Union of Civil Liberty (PUCL) has demanded immediate intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) regarding the death of a prisoner in Rajasthan. PUCL state president Kavita Shrivastav has written to the NHRC chairman over the death of Mohammad Ramzan, 60, a resident of Mangrol town in Baran district. Ramzan, who died of multiple organ failure, was allegedly beaten on Friday by police personnel who was guarding him when he was admitted at a hospital in Kota. According to the police, Ramzan, an inmate of the Kota central jail who was serving a sentence for murder, died at the New Medical College Hospital (NMCH) on Friday night after a prolonged illness. Shrivastav said Rizwan, the son of the deceased, had claimed that before death, his father had shown a video of him being beaten by the police. Rizwan alleged that the police personnel demanded Rs 500 to allow the family members to meet his father, she said. Shrivastav said the Kota superintendent of police had assured the family of an investigation by the judicial magistrate and removed the policemen involved in the incident. Family members of Ramzan had carried out a protest on Saturday as they accused the police of beating and thrashing him. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Targeting Congress president and Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi, Union minister Smriti Irani said on Sunday it was the erstwhile Congress-led government which denied permission for a mega food park in the constituency. Speaking to reporters, Irani, who is the BJP candidate against Gandhi here, said, "The food park, which Rahul Gandhi has been talking about, the decision to not supply gas to it was given in writing by the then government headed by Manmohan Singh. The letter has been presented before the country long time ago. Rahul is misguiding people by telling lies." Gandhi has been accusing the BJP of putting up hurdles in the way of setting up a mega food park in Amethi. Targeting Gandhi, Irani said, "The Congress president talks about interests of farmers, but the land of the farmers have been grabbed in the name of setting up factories. Even three years after the passage of orders of the court, Rahul has not returned the land to the farmers." Slamming the Congress, she said, "The Congress is bowing before separatist leader Yasin Malik, who is accused of killing four IAF jawans. He was the one who was involved in the massacre of Kashmiri Pandits, and compelled them to flee from their place. Rahul Gandhi must answer to the country on this. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nearly 1,600 refugees from about 15 countries, mostly from Pakistan, are facing threats and have been attacked in Sri Lanka following the Easter Sunday bombings which killed over 250 people, an official said Sunday. Sri Lanka Sunday marked a week since the coordinated blasts hit three churches and three luxury hotels, killing 253 people and inuring over 500 others. The Islamic State (ISIS) terror group has claimed the April 21 coordinated blasts, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ) for the attack. There are about 1,600 of them from about 15 countries and from various religious beliefs. They had arrived here to avoid persecution in their own countries. A majority of them are Pakistani Christians, a welfare official working with the refugees said. A majority of them were living in the western coastal town of Negombo where one of the Churches, St Sebastian's, came under attack by an ISIS-linked suicide bomber. "They have come under attack and threats, some of them have been subject to physical violence. Their landlords have been pressed to evict them," the official said. The moves to shift them elsewhere have been met with resistance by respective local politicians. "At least 4 times they had been taken in buses out of Negombo only to be brought back due to protests," the official said. He said the state protection for them and collaboration with the UN refugee agency were important. "The government's public commitment is needed to explain the temporary nature of their stay and why we need to support and protect them," the official said. Sporadic cases of anti-Muslim violence have been reported since the blasts. A large number of Christian devotees from the Negombo area were killed in the St Sebastian's Church attack. A timely intervention by the head of Catholic Church Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith calmed the situation. All Sunday masses were canceled due to the volatile security situation, resulting in one main mass by Cardinal Ranjitht, the first Sunday since the attacks. A total of 106 suspects, including a Tamil medium teacher and a school principal, have been arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday blasts, the police said. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday. Sri Lanka on Saturday banned the NTJ and a splinter group linked to the ISIS. According to Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry, the number of foreign nationals who have been identified as killed remained at 40, including 11 from India. Sri Lanka has a population of 21 million which is a patchwork of ethnicities and religions, dominated by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. Muslims account for 10 per cent of the population and are the second-largest minority after Hindus. Around seven per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At first glance, Rupali Biswas looks like any other woman from rural Bengal but the 25-year-old reflects a determination to make her presence felt in the Ranaghat Lok Sabha seat. Rupali, wife of slain TMC MLA Satyajit Biswas, is party candidate for the Ranaghat constituency which will go to polls in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections on Monday. Probably one of the youngest candidates for the 17th Lok Sabha elections, Rupali, was only 25 years and eight days old at the time of filing her nomination on April 5. She is from the Matuas community forming around 55 per cent of total voters in Ranaghat Lok Sabha constituency. "Rupali is a new woman. She has changed in the last three months. She has matured a bit and picked up quite quickly realising hard facts of life. I can see a birth of a new woman," Ritika Kundu, Trinamool Congress Sabhadipathi of Nadia Zilla Parishad said. "She has realised that working for the common people is her motto. And that's how she can realise dreams of her husband," Kundu said. "Politics is not new to me. I have grown up seeing politics and my husband was a popular politician but I had never thought of being into it totally. I never dreamt that didi (Mamata Banerjee) will find me fit to share this huge responsibility," Rupali told PTI. "Life has never been this busy before. My world came down crashing down on the night of Saraswati Puja when I got that he (Satyajit) was shot. I thought the world was finished for me," says Rupali as she holds her one-and-half-year old son Soumyajit in her arms. The two-time TMC legislator from Nadia's Krishnaganj assembly constituency, under the Ranaghat Lok Sabha constituency, was shot dead on February 10. "I had never imagined life without him (Satyajit). We got married in November 2016 and now, I am alone with my little son. I was a bit nervous when my name was announced. But didi (Mamata Banerjee) has given me a new direction. I have realised that by working for the common people I will be able to realise my husband's dream. It's a challenge to me. There is a void created after my husband was murdered... I have to fill it up," she said. "I prefer talking to locals personally. I take a note of their grievances or any complaints. I want to find out what are they looking for.. I want to feel their pulse," she said while feeding her son, who has been unwell for the last few days. Rupali has been taking the little boy to several rallies in the past few days. "He (Soumyajit) does not want to leave me and that was why I was taking him to meetings and rallies on several occasions. I used to get up early in the morning, feed him and then get ready to go to meetings. But in this hot and humid weather he has fallen ill. Now, he is staying with my family... In between meetings I trying to go home and take care of him," Rupali stated. Talking how difficult it was to attend rallies and take care of the child, Rupali said, "My family is with me. My party is with me. They are my strength. I know and I am confident of fighting this battle. And when you have our beloved didi with you, there is nothing to worry about. She is face of this candidature... I am nothing." The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has filed Jagannath Sarkar against Rupali while the Congress has nominated Minati Biswas and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Rama Biswas. Trinamool's Nadia president Gourisankar Dutta appears confident about Rupali's win and dismisses any BJP invasion into the TMC citadel in the constituency. "There is no Modi wave or anything like that. I have seen many such waves in my life. Nothing will be able to stand in front of Mamata Banerjee's unnoyon (development). Rupali will definitely win we are confident of that." Locals from Shantipur, Hanshali, Nawabdwip echo Dutta's confidence about Rupali's win. "She (Rupali) has gone through much. She is fighting and we are with her. She is a little girl and we have seen her grow. I can feel her pain. She is definitely going to win. There is a huge emotion involved with her. We from the Motua community want her to win," Satyabrata Karmakar, a resident of Krishanganj, said. Another voter Ratna Singh says, "We are for Rupali. What is BJP? Do you eat or use it for bathing? I do not know that... I knew the manner Satyajit was murdered. She (Rupali) must get justice. She must win and everybody must vote for her." The Ranaghat Lok Sabha constituency was created from the Nabadwip parliamentary seat. Ranaghat, a seat reserved for members of the Scheduled Castes, has been a TMC fortress since Sucharu Ranjan Haldar won the first Lok Sabha election in 2009 against the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Sitting MP Tapas Mondal defeated Left Front candidate Archana Biswas in 2014. Voting for Ranaghat parliamentary constituency is scheduled in the fourth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections on April 29. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two top Saudi royal advisors have been linked to journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder. One has been labeled the "ringleader" but questions are swirling over the absence of the other in the closed-door trial of 11 suspects, multiple sources told AFP. Saudi prosecutors have said deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Assiri oversaw the Washington Post columnist's killing in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate last October and that he was advised by the royal court's media czar Saud al-Qahtani. Both aides were part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's tight-knit inner circle and have formally been sacked over the killing but only Assiri has appeared in the five court hearings since January, according to four Western officials privy to the information. "Qahtani is not among the 11 facing trial," one of the officials told AFP. "What does his absence mean? Are the Saudis keen to protect him or discipline him separately? No one knows." The kingdom's public prosecutor last November indicted 11 unnamed suspects, including five who could face the death penalty over the murder. Diplomats from the UN Security Council's permanent members -- the US, Britain, France, China, Russia -- as well as Turkey are allowed to attend as observers of the legal proceedings that are held entirely in Arabic. They are not allowed to bring interpreters and are usually summoned at short notice, the sources said. A representative of the Khashoggi family -- which this month rejected reports of a settlement with the Saudi government -- has attended at least one court session, they said. Maher Mutreb, an intelligence operative who frequently traveled with the crown prince on foreign tours, forensic expert Salah al-Tubaigy and Fahad al-Balawi, a member of the Saudi royal guard, are among the 11 on trial who could face the death penalty, the officials said. The defendants are allowed legal counsel. Many of them have defended themselves in court by saying they were carrying out orders by Assiri, describing him as the "ringleader" of the operation, according to the officials. The kingdom's media ministry did not respond to AFP's request for comment. The defendants' lawyers could also not be reached. Assiri, lionized in Saudi military ranks as a war hero, does not face the death penalty, the Western officials added. Believed to have previously worked closely with US intelligence, he is also not named in two American sanctions lists of Saudis implicated in the murder. Qahtani, who led fiery social media campaigns against critics of the kingdom and was seen as a conduit to the crown prince, is on both lists. He met the Saudi hit squad team before they left for Turkey to share "useful information related to the mission based on his specialisation in media," according to the Saudi prosecutor's office. But he has not appeared publicly since the murder and his current whereabouts are a subject of fevered speculation. Some Saudis claim he continues to peddle influence behind the scenes, but others say he is lying low, waiting for the international outrage over the murder to subside. Washington Post columnist David Ignatius reported earlier this year that Prince Mohammed continues to seek his counsel, citing US and Saudi sources. "Qahtani holds a lot of files and dossiers," Ignatius quoted one American who met the crown prince as saying. "The idea that you can have a radical rupture with him is unrealistic." US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who faces intense scrutiny in Congress over Washington's close relations with Riyadh, has urged the crown prince to snap his ties with Qahtani, two Western officials told AFP. The CIA has reportedly said the murder was likely ordered by Prince Mohammed, the de facto ruler and heir to the throne. Saudi authorities strongly deny the allegation, and in private conversations with Western officials they have instead criticized Turkish authorities for failing to stop the murder. "Their intelligence knew that a (Saudi) hit squad was coming. They could have stopped them!" one of them quoted a Saudi official as saying. Turkish officials were the first to report Khashoggi's murder and have continued to press Saudi Arabia for information on the whereabouts of his dismembered body, which has yet to be found. Agnes Callamard, the United Nations special rapporteur conducting an independent inquiry into the killing, last month condemned what she called a lack of transparency in the legal proceedings and demanded an open trial. The kingdom "is grievously mistaken if it believes that these proceedings, as currently constituted, will satisfy the international community," she said. It was unclear when the Saudi trial will conclude. This month, a coalition of seven international human rights and press freedom groups called on Britain, France, and the US to issue public reports on the trial. Secret trial proceedings "run the risk of enabling the 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 coalition said in an open letter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A private collection of rare hand-woven Kashmiri shawls dating back to the 17th century are on offer at auction by Christie's here. Described as "treasured heirlooms", the auction house has announced that the online sale will take place between June 11 and 18 with prices ranging from 1,000 pounds to 12,000 pounds. "This 'Important Private Collection of Kashmir Shawls' is perhaps the most significant collection of shawls ever to be offered at auction. Dating back from the 17th to the late 19th century, these hand-woven, decorated Kashmir shawls were created as items of luxury," Christie's said in a statement. "Traditionally worn by men and women, these treasured heirlooms were handed down in the family for generations, prized for the very fine quality of wool used and their intricate embroidered decoration. The high level of craftsmanship achieved by Kashmiri weavers remains unmatched anywhere in the world," the statement noted. A few highlights offering a glimpse into the "opulent" shawl collection are on display alongside Christie's Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds sale in London until next Thursday. The auction notes elaborate on the shawls, known in Kashmir as "pashmina", as hand-woven from the softest, warmest, light-weight fabric spun from the fine under-hair of high-altitude goats. The weaving of this fine fabric into shawls is thought to have been done in Kashmir since the 1st century AD and remains in practice even today. "This extraordinary collection demonstrates the high level of craftsmanship achieved by Kashmiri weavers, with skills perfected over centuries which remain unparalleled anywhere in the world," Christie's notes. The highlights of the sale include an early 19th century square shawl with an unusual pattern, which combines the stripes with the central moon design, estimated to fetch between 7,000 pounds and 10,000 pounds. Moon shawls are known to have been modelled after a type of 16th century carpet from the Ottoman court in Cairo. Striped examples were especially valued by members of the royal court of Jaipur in Rajasthan. Moon shawls were also very popular in Western markets, especially with fashionable ladies in Britain in the late 18th and 19th centuries to be worn as accessories with their gowns. Among the other major highlights include a 17th century Mughal long shawl border fragment comprising eleven singular floral motifs woven on an ivory ground, estimated to fetch between 4,000 pounds and 6,000 pounds. Very few early shawls or shawl fragments are known to have survived, making it an extremely rare 17th century example illustrating an iconic motif often associated with Mughal architecture and miniature paintings. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman left for Kyrgyz capital Bishkek on Sunday on a three-day visit to attend a key meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Sitharaman will attend the SCO Defence Ministers' conclave on Monday during which she is likely to press for concerted efforts by the powerful bloc to deal with terrorism and extremism, officials said. She is also likely to hold bilateral meetings with a number of counterparts from the SCO member countries on the sidelines of the conclave, they said. The SCO defence ministers will explore ways to further boost defence and security cooperation among the member countries in the wake of evolving security challenges in the region. India became a full member of the the China-dominated grouping in 2017 and New Delhi's entry into it increased the bloc's heft in regional geo-politics, besides giving it a pan-Asian hue. India is also keen on deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence. India was an observer at the SCO since 2005 and has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region. Along with India, Pakistan was also granted membership of SCO in 2017. The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its members last year. Sitharaman will return to India on Tuesday, the officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Spain voted Sunday in an uncertain snap general election marked by a resurgence of the far-right after more than four decades on the outer margins of Opinion polls give outgoing socialist premier Pedro Sanchez a win but without the necessary majority to govern alone, meaning he will have to seek alliances in a political environment that has soured since Catalonia's failed secession bid. By far the novelty of these elections is the emergence of far-right party Vox, which burst onto the scene in December regional polls in southern Andalusia and looks set to make its first-ever entrance into the national parliament. Polls predict it could take more than 10 per cent of the votes in a country that had no far-right party to speak of since the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975, in what is likely to cause further concern in Europe. "What I ask Spaniards is to send a clear majority that can provide stability," Sanchez told reporters after he cast his ballot at a cultural centre in an affluent Madrid suburb shortly after polling stations opened at 9:00 am (0700 GMT). Polling stations will close at 8:00 pm local time, with results announced later Sunday. Sanchez, who took power in June after ousting conservative prime minister Mariano Rajoy in a no-confidence vote, has warned against Spain replicating what happened in Finland's elections two weeks ago. There, the far-right Finns Party came second, closely tailing the leftist Social Democrats, after polls initially predicted it would end up in fifth position. In Spain, polls also forecast that Vox, with its ultra-nationalist rhetoric that advocates the "defence of the Spanish nation to the end," will come in fifth place. But analysts believe it could do better, saying there may be many "hidden" Vox supporters who lie when asked by pollsters who they will be voting for. "There is a real, true risk," Sanchez said this week, warning that a right-wing government supported by Vox could emerge in Spain after the elections, even if opinion polls say this is unlikely. Founded by a former member of the conservative Popular Party (PP), with a strong stance against feminism and illegal immigration, Vox has risen thanks to its hard line against separatists in Catalonia. The region in northeastern Spain was the scene of a secession attempt in 2017 that sparked the country's biggest crisis in decades and caused major concern in Europe. Since then, the crisis has continued to cast a pall over Spanish Sanchez was forced to call Sunday's early elections after Catalan pro-independence lawmakers in the national parliament, angered at the trial of their leaders in Madrid, refused to give him the support he needed for his 2019 budget. Right-wing parties have for their part lambasted Sanchez, at the head of a minority government, for his attempts to negotiate with Catalan separatists who still govern the region, accusing him of being a traitor. With no party expected to get anywhere near an absolute majority in what will be the third elections in three-and-a-half years, Spain's fragmented political landscape looks set to continue. If, as opinion polls predict, Sanchez wins without a majority, he will have to forge alliances with far-left Podemos -- as he did over the past 10 months -- but also possibly smaller groupings like Catalan separatist parties. He would rather not have to do that, given right-wing parties' accusations that he cosied up with the "enemies of Spain" during his time in government. A possible alliance with Ciudadanos has not been ruled out, even if the centre-right party's leader Albert Rivera has made "chasing" the socialists from power a "national urgency." Rivera told reporters after casting his vote in a town near Barcelona that a high turnout was needed to "usher in a new era" and change the government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A total of 106 suspects, including a Tamil medium teacher and a school principal, have been arrested in Sri Lanka in connection with the Easter Sunday blasts, police said Sunday, even as the claimed the three militants who blew themselves up during a raid in the Eastern province were its members. As the country marked a week since the coordinated blasts hit three churches and three luxury hotels, killing 253 people and inuring over 500 others, police and security forces continued their hunt for members of the National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ), the local terror outfit behind the attack. The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is carrying out the interrogation of the 106 suspects, Colombo Page reported. The arrested people include a 40-year-old Tamil medium school teacher who was found in possession of 50 SIM cards and other incriminating items, the report said. He was held following a joint operation conducted by the Kalpitiya Police and the Navy. In a special joint operation conducted by the Army and police in Vavuniya town, 10 suspects were arrested. On a tip-off, main roads were blocked and search operations carried out for nearly three hours. Security has also been stepped-up in the area. Meanwhile, two suspects were arrested in Damgedara area in Galle during a search conducted on information received of a school managed by the NTJ. One of the suspects is the principal of the school and the other is a doctor who has served as an instructor. The Galle police are conducting further investigations. Sri Lanka on Saturday banned the NTJ and a splinter group linked to the ISIS. ALSO READ: ISIS claims 3 militants blew themselves during gun battle in Sri Lanka raid On Friday, six children and three women were among 15 people killed when militants linked to the Easter Sunday bombings opened fire and blew themselves up during a fierce gun battle with security forces in Eastern province. A huge cache of explosives was also recovered from the spot. The terror group, in a statement published early Sunday through the its propaganda 'Amaq' news agency, claimed that the three militants who blew themselves up during the fierce gun battle were its members. At the security council meeting on Friday, it was decided that search operations to crackdown on extremist terrorism must continue until the threat is completely eliminated. Security has been improved at hotels, schools and public places. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday, killing 253 people. ALSO READ: Sri Lanka bans 2 Islamist groups; 6 kids among 15 killed in military raid The claimed the attacks, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group NTJ for the attacks. President Maithripala Sirisena said Friday that over 130 suspects linked to the Islamic State terror group have been operating in the country. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said Sri Lanka needs new laws to deal with threats posed by local terror outfits linked to ISIS. According to Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry, the number of foreign nationals who have been identified as killed remained at 40, including 11 from India. Sri Lanka has a population of 21 million which is a patchwork of ethnicities and religions, dominated by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. Muslims account for 10 per cent of the population and are the second-largest minority after Hindus. Around seven per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians. After the BJP accused the Trinamool Congress of inviting Bangladeshi actors in its campaign in the state, it is the TMC's turn to move the EC alleging that "American" wrestler "The Great Khali" had taken part in the electioneering of a saffron party nominee here. The TMC has lodged a complaint with the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer that BJP's candidate for Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency, Anupam Hazra, had taken the wrestler along while campaigning on April 26. Dalip Singh Rana aka "The Great Khali" holds US citizenship and the BJP was trying to influence Indian voters by using his "celebrity status", the complaint said. "A foreigner should not be allowed to influence the minds of the Indian electors as he has little or no knowledge as to who should be an appropriate MP in India," the complaint lodged by the TMC said. In an interview to the media, Khali had said, "Whenever he (Hazra) calls me, wherever I am called, I will make it. I have specially come from America to support my younger brother. I want to request everyone to cast their votes for him. Do not waste your votes. Anupam is a learned man, he knows your troubles and will be able to serve you better than anyone else." The TMC urged the EC to take "strictest possible steps against Khali as well as the candidate". BJP leader Mukul Roy, however, said Khali holds the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card and can work and live in India. The OCI is an immigration status permitting a foreigner of Indian origin to live and work in India indefinitely. "Khali is an Indian citizen and therefore he has done no crime accompanying Anupam (Hazra) while filing nomination for the general elections," Roy, convener of BJP election management committee in West Bengal, told PTI. The TMC had courted controversy after two Bangladeshi actors Ferdous Ahmed and Gazi Noor were seen participating at rallies of the TMC candidates. Ferdous was seen at rallies of TMC's Raiganj nominee Kanhaiya Lal Agarwal in Hemtabad and Karandighi near the Indo-Bangladesh border while Noor was found on an open jeep at a road show for TMC's Dumdum candidate Sougata Roy. The central government had expelled Ferdous and asked Noor, who had overstayed in the country, to leave India immediately following complaints lodged by the BJP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Navi Mumbai police Sunday arrested two persons for allegedly distributing cash to voters in separate incidents in Maval Lok Sabha constituency, an official said. In the first incident, police arrested one Pratap Arekar after he was found distributing cash of Rs 5,600 to the voters in Sukapur near Panvel, an official said. "He was allegedly luring voters to vote for Congress-NCP candidate Parth Pawar, son of NCP leader and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar," he said. In another incident, police arrested Sanjay Hiraman Patil, a businessman, at Devat village in Raigad district. "Patil was found distributing Rs 26,100 and asking voters to vote in favour of Shiv Sena-BJP alliance candidate Shrirang Barne," he said. Ashok Dudhe, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-II), said, "Non-cognisable offences under section 171 (B) and 171 (E) were registered against both the accused was at Khandeshwar police station and they were arrested." On Saturday, two persons had been arrested by Kamothe police in Navi Mumbai for distributing cash to voters, the official said. Seventeen Lok Sabha seats, including the Maval constituency, which is divided between Pune and Raigad districts, will go to polls in the fourth and final phase of election in Maharashtra on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two gangsters, accused of abducting and killing a local BJP worker, were arrested in Greater Noida following an encounter with the Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh Police, officials said Sunday. The accused, identified as Bhagat Singh (34) and Gaurav Singh (27), were held near Dhoom Manikpur village on Saturday night by the Noida field unit of the STF, the officials said. "The two are active members of the notorious Randeep Bhati gang. Bhagat Singh, a class 8 pass, was carrying a reward on his arrest. Working on a rip-off about his movement in the area, the STF and the local police had trapped the duo and arrested them after a gunfight," an STF official said. On the intervening night of January 4 and 5, Dharmendra alias Dharmi, who had several criminal cases registered against him at the Badalpur police station, was picked up by the members of the Randeep Bhati gang from his house and shot dead, the official said. The assailants had later dumped his body near the Roopvaas roundabout, about a km from Dharmendra's home, and then fled from the spot, he said. An FIR has been registered against the duo at the Badalpur police station, the official said. They have been booked under Indian Penal Code sections for rioting, abduction, murder and related offences, he added. Some of the other accused in the case have already been arrested, the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United Arab Emirates announced Sunday it would deposit USD 250 million in Sudan's central bank as part of a support package for the country following the overthrow of longtime leader Omar al-Bashir. The government-owned Abu Dhabi Fund for Development signed an agreement with the Sudanese central bank "confirming the deposit", the UAE's official WAM agency said. Last week, Saudi Arabia and the UAE announced three billion dollars (2.7 billion euros) in financial aid for Sudan. The oil-rich Gulf states pledged to inject USD 500 million into the Sudanese central bank and USD 2.5 billion to help provide food, medicine and petroleum products, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. The deposit for the central bank was aimed at shoring up the Sudanese pound, the SPA said. In recent years Sudan has been hit by an acute lack of dollars, a key factor behind the nationwide protests that led to the toppling of Bashir by the army this month. Sudan plays a key role in the regional interests of Saudi Arabia and its allies, siding with Riyadh against Shiite Iran and providing troops in the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen's war. Both Gulf nations have voiced backing for Sudan's military rulers, who are facing calls from protesters to cede power to a civilian transitional government. The Sudanese currency had plunged even after the United States lifted its 20-year-old trade embargo on the country in October 2017. Expectations that the end of US sanctions would bring an economic recovery failed to materialise, putting pressure on the pound. The country's economic crisis has deepened since the secession of South Sudan in 2011 that took away the bulk of oil earnings. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Britain's security forces are on the hunt for so-called "crocodile cells or sleeper cells" of (ISIS) operatives plotting terrorist attacks in the UK and Europe, according to a UK media report. The country's police chiefs are urging churches and mosques in Britain to have counter-terrorism training because of fears of further attacks in the wake of the Sri Lanka terrorist strikes, which claimed hundreds of lives over Easter. "Now that ISIS has been defeated in Syria and Iraq, it will become more violent outside (this area). As its core weakens, its peripheries will become more dangerous," Charlie Winter, of the Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King's College London, told 'The Sunday Times'. "It's a grim outlook, but we are likely to see more attempts at attacks, more regularly, for the foreseeable future. Sri Lanka was not a one-off. If anything, it was a test run," he said. The UK's intelligence services continue to investigate links between one of the Sri Lankan suicide bombers, Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohamed, and the UK-based extremists since it emerged he had studied in Britain. Mohamed is considered by Western intelligence agencies to be one of the plot's ringleaders. He is believed to have secretly travelled to Syria to prepare for the attack. Once there, he was reportedly "mentored" by a group of notorious British ISIS fighters and recruiters, including the killer known as Jihadi John. "Mohamed appears to have been sent back to Sri Lanka after receiving his terrorist training under an ISIS strategy utilising 'crocodile cells' or sleepers waiting to pounce," The Sunday Times reported. "We've seen intelligence which connects him (Mohamed) to a number of British terrorists who were in Syria, as well as to Jihadi John and Junaid Hussain, around the time that ISIS set up its caliphate," an intelligence source told the newspaper. "The British jihadists seemed to be mentoring him through communication online and also when he travelled to Syria," the source added. Mohamed is likely to have spent only a matter of months in the Syrian war zone, and it remains unclear when he returned to Sri Lanka to become part of an ISIS sleeper cell. Another theory is that Mohamed may have fallen under the influence of terror outfit Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HuT) while living in London and studying at Kingston University in the mid-2000s. The group, which calls for the foundation of an Islamic caliphate, had a strong presence on the Kingston campus at the time Lathief was in the UK to study aeronautical engineering, according to 'The Sunday Telegraph'. ALSO READ: ISIS claims 3 militants blew themselves during gun battle in Sri Lanka raid However, a spokesperson for HuT Britain said the group had no record of Lathief Mohamed being a member. "To be absolutely clear, we abhor the senseless killing of citizens in any country by any person, group or military. The Islamic Shari'ah does not give justification for such acts as in Sri Lanka last week," the spokesperson said. HuT is banned in more than a dozen countries, but not the UK. Former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and David Cameron both tried unsuccessfully to ban it. Union minister and candidate from Chandni Chowk in the ongoing hit out at the on Sunday for promising to repeal the sedition law and said the people of Delhi would never forgive such a party. The Union minister of science and technology, who held jan sabhas and foot marches in the constituency, said Delhi had always been a bastion of nationalist ideologues and their supporters. "The citizens of Delhi will never ever tolerate an anti-national element and that is why they are all out to strengthen nationalist elements. The voters of Delhi will never forgive the party promising to repeal the sedition law and those who openly sided with the JNU student leaders associated with the 'tukde, tukde' gang," he said. The incumbent MP said for the BJP, the country and nationalism were its topmost priority, while personal interests were at the bottom. He accused the (AAP) government headed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi of sitting over a file that dealt with grant of permission to take the matter to the court of law in respect of the main student leader directly involved in the "tukde-tukde" rhetoric. "The would never allow such forces to damage the unity and integrity of the country. In case such forces create further trouble, the country will face a chaos," the Union minister said. Vardhan lambasted the for promising to repeal the sedition law in its election manifesto. "Looks like both the and the are in league on the issue of weakening the country and its unity. Their priority is to safeguard their political interests. These parties will not be able to face the in the current and future elections because Delhiites are fully committed to nationalism," he said. Vardhan is pitted against the Congress's Jai Prakash Aggarwal and the AAP's PankajGupta in the Chandni Chowk constituency. Delhi will go to the polls in the sixth phase on May 12. Cautioning all universities in the country to shun politics and controversies, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Sunday urged them to strive to emerge as centres of excellence to make India 'vishvaguru' again. The vice president also urged youths to adhere to the country's tradition of tolerance and respect and protect its pluralistic culture, while empowering themselves the right skills and attitude. If you look at the history, you had Aryabhata, Bhaskaracharya and so many great people who were there because India was a knowledge centre and knowledge giver. Now we must aim to become once again 'vishwaguru' that is the centre of excellence," said Vice President Naidu Sunday in his 68th convocation address to Panjab University. "That is possible if universities focus more on academic enhancement. Not on other issues. Not on politics. Not on controversies," added Naidu, who is also the chancellor of the University. "Universities should not get into controversies at all. The only aim of university is to work hard, aim high and take the country forward. That is the first purpose of the university, said Naidu. Noting that building an institution is not an easy task and it requires vision, passion and commitment, Vice President said nothing should be done which could sully the image of university. Naidu also called upon youths to shoulder greater social responsibility. There is a need to exercise judgement in looking at social issues and be part of the traditions of tolerance and respect that are characteristics of our pluralistic culture, he said. Lauding the contribution of Panjab University in the field of education, the vice president said, "Panjab University has a glorious past and is one of the oldest universities in India, set in a land which has witnessed centuries of dedication to spreading knowledge in ancient centres of learning like Takshila. In his 45-minute address, the vice president at the Panjab University's "quest for academic excellence and the rapid progress it has made in providing quality education" to its 15,000 students enrolled in about 200 affiliated colleges, three regional centres, six constituent colleges and one rural centre. Naidu also emphasized that educational institutions should identify the talent of youth and then upgrade their skills. Some talent is there in everybody. What is required is to understand that talent and you have to identify the talent and upgrade skills. That is the purpose of the universities, IITs, IIMs and all other technical universities. Upgrading the skills which are already there, he noted. All of you are partners in the progress of this institution and everybody should focus on that. Not on other issues. Senate and syndicate (of PU) should focus more on academic activity not on other things," he said. On the occasion, Indian Space Research Organisation chairman, Dr K Sivan, was given 'Vigyan Rattan' award. Niadu stated that India's future would be powered by the dreams and ambitions, the character and competence of young people. If we can empower our youth with the right skills and attitudes, we will be able to fully realize the vast demographic dividend in the years to come. That is indeed a big challenge before the country today, he said. He further said youth must be fully equipped to face the challenges of the 21st century with confidence and contribute to the shaping of a new world. Observing that access to higher has been improved considerably in our country, Naidu said, We have to focus upon raising the quality of and ensure that we offer the best possible to our young people. On this occasion, Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore and PU Vice Chancellor Raj Kumar were also present. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The U.S. has little interest in joining other countries in a multi-nation effort to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, President Donald Trump's national security adviser said Sunday. The United States is not trying to exclude other nations from nuclear talks with Pyongyang, John Bolton told "Fox Sunday," but "I think it's not what our preference is." "I think Kim Jong Un, at least up until now, has wanted the one-on-one contact with the United States, which is what he has gotten," Bolton said, adding that Trump is open to possibility of a third summit with Kim. Following their talks in Russia on Thursday, President Vladimir Putin suggested the revival of a multilateral approach to the denuclearization negotiations, which have failed in the past. Putin said Kim is willing to give up nuclear weapons, but only if he gets ironclad security guarantees supported by a multinational agreement. The U.S., North Korea, China, South Korea, Russia and Japan began so-called six-party negotiations in August 2003. North Korea accepted a deal in September 2005 to end its nuclear weapons program in exchange for security, economic and energy benefits. But disagreements between Washington and Pyongyang over financial sanctions imposed on the North temporarily derailed the six-nation talks before North Korea conducted its first nuclear test in October 2006. The disarmament talks resumed a few weeks later and the six governments reached a deal in February 2007 where North Korea would receive an aid package worth about $400 million in return for disabling its nuclear facilities and allowing international inspectors to verify the process. A final attempt to complete an agreement to fully dismantle North Korea's nuclear program fell through in December 2008 when the North refused to accept U.S.-proposed verification methods. Trump's two high-profile meetings with Kim first in Singapore and then in late February in Hanoi have yielded no denuclearization roadmap. In Russia, Kim strongly criticized Washington for taking a "unilateral attitude in bad faith" in Hanoi that he said caused the diplomatic standstill, North Korea's state-run Korean Central Agency said Friday. Bolton said Trump is still looking at the possibility of a third summit with Kim. "He feels pretty strongly about it," Bolton said. "He's said repeatedly he thinks he has a good relationship with Kim Jong Un and the six-party approach failed in the past." Bolton also said Trump also does not favor Kim's desire for a step-by-step approach to denuclearization where North Korea would get some sanctions relief in exchange for taking steps toward denuclearization. "I think if you look at the past policies, the answer to that is no," Bolton said. "The past policies that have tried a step-by-step approach have all failed. Kim or his father have gotten economic relief and then somehow have never gotten around to that commitment to denuclearize. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A villager who was critically injured in a Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district died at a hospital in neighbouring Telangana, a police official said on Sunday. On Saturday evening, two policemen were killed and the villager received injuries when Naxals opened fire on them near Tongguda camp of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Pamed area, located around 500 km from the state capital Raipur, he said. Constable Arvind Minj and assistant constable Sukku Hapka, belonging to the District Police Force, along with the villager, identified as Kawasi Itta, were returning on a motorcycle to Tongguda camp from Tippapuram side, he said. A 'Small Action Team' of Naxals (typically comprising four-five cadres) opened fire on them, killing Minj and Hapka on the spot and leaving Itta critically injured, he said. The villager was initially shifted to a hospital at Cherla in Telangana, located around 17 km from Pamed. "He was later referred to a Bhadrachalam-based hospital where he succumbed to his injuries in the wee hours of Sunday," the official said, adding that the body was brought back to Itta's native village Gadigudam in Pamed. The two jawans were posted at the CRPF camp for coordination between local police and paramilitary personnel in anti-Naxal operations, he said. As per preliminary information, Naxals were apparently frustrated with the death of two of their colleagues in an encounter with a joint team of the special anti-Naxal Greyhounds unit of Telangana and Chhattisgarh Police on April 21 in Pamed area, the official said. Since then, they were keeping a watch on the movement of security forces in the area to target them, he said. On finding the two policemen on a motorcycle without any extra security, the rebels attacked them and the villager, he said. A search operation was underway in the area to track down the attackers, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Accusing the BJP of doling out money to buy votes in the general election, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee Sunday said her party will request the poll panel to seek an account of expenditure at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rallies. Banerjee also demanded that Modi's candidature from Varanasi be cancelled, claiming that he has written "does not know" on many counts in his affidavit. Addressing back-to-back rallies in East Midnapore, she said, "We will ask the Election Commission (EC) to keep an account of the spendings in the prime minister's public meetings. If the EC can seek details of expenditure from others, why not from him?" The chief minister also alleged that the saffron party is doling out thousands of rupees to lure people to its rallies, while also buying votes. Taking her diatribe against the prime minister to his homefront, she claimed that "all throughout his life, Modi never respected his mother or his wife". "You shy away from giving your wife her due respect, what respect will you give to the people?" the CM said. Maintaining that she has seen Modi's affidavit in his nomination papers, Banerjee said, "The PM has written that he does not know about his wife's movable and immovable assets. I don't like making such comments, but the level he has stooped to forced me to speak out," the TMC boss said. She urged the Election Commission to carry out an investigation into the spendings of Modi's "colourful rally" in the holy town of Varanasi before filing his nomination. "This election is not (a test) for Mamata Banerjee, but for you (Modi). It is time for you to answer what you have done in five years," she said, insisting that the prime minister was busy touring the world during his tenure. Maintaining that Modi is worse than Muhammed bin Tughlaq, the 14th century sultan of Delhi known for his whims, she said that the sudden demonetisation of high-value currency notes in November 2016 caused immense hardship to people, be it a housewife, farmer, worker or a small businessman. Banerjee, whose aversion to communism and everything associated with it including the colour red is well-known, for once sought refuge in Karl Marx to deride the BJP. Drawing from Marx's famous statement "religion is the opium of the masses", she said, "The BJP is using religion as opium to divert the attention of people from the non-performance of its government at the Centre. She, however, did not mince her words when it came to targeting the Left parties in the state. "Those who wore red shirts earlier are now donning saffron kurtas in West Bengal," the TMC chief said, indicating that many BJP workers in the state are former CPI(M) cadres. The CM also iterated that Modi will ensure that there was no further election in the country if re-elected to power. She charged the poll panel with "doing the bidding of the BJP". Banerjee, whose party was accused of unleashing a reign of terror during the panchayat polls, insisted that it was her partymen who were killed during the elections in 2018. "In Bengal, there is a democratically elected dispensation, but the BJP is trying to run a parallel government here. A retired officer is dictating terms to the serving officers, this is unconstitutional," she said, referring to the two special observers appointed by the EC to oversee polls in West Bengal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Award-winning children's writer Ramendra Kumar has said authors need to connect with "vibrant minds" before penning books for them. Expressing satisfaction after participating at the Sharjah Childrens Reading Festival (SCRF), held from April 17 to 27, Kumar said the festival is one of the "best" events, to have been attended by him. The writer represented India at the programme, featuring 33 authors from 18 countries. "The festival is one of the best events related to childrens literature which I have attended. The children though are the same everywhere bright with ideas and imagination. All we writers need to do is to connect and catlayse," Kumar told PTI. Kumar, who is the Chief of Communications, SAIL, Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), said he took part in panel discussions on 'The craft of writing childrens books' and 'Fiction in childrens and young adults literature. The writer said he was also taken to four schools in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah as a part of the festivals outreach programme, during which he discussed the art of spinning yarns, conducted story telling sessions and interacted with the "vibrant minds". "In one of the schools in Abu Dhabi the number of children was a whopping 1100 a humongous number by any standards," he said. The writer was also extended a special invite to a school in Dubai, beyond the schedule of the festival. Kumar who has authored 36 books is also a storyteller and inspirational speaker. His writings have been translated into 15 Indian and 14 foreign languages. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government might ban Deloitte Haskins and Sells over its alleged role in the mess at Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS). The Ministry of Corporate Affairs might invoke the Companies Act to debar the global auditing firm over charges of fraudulent actions and misconduct in the IL&FS case, reports suggest. The ministry is considering imposing a ban on Deloitte under the provision of Section 140 (5) of the Companies Act, news agency IANS reported. The section allows the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to take action against auditors involved in fraudulent activities. Section 140 (5) of the Companies Act states: "Without prejudice to any action under the provisions of this Act or any other law for the time being in force, the Tribunal either suo motu or on an application made to it by the Central Government or by any person concerned, if it is satisfied that the auditor of a company has, whether directly or indirectly, acted in a fraudulent manner or abetted or colluded in any fraud by, or in relation to, the company or its directors or officers, it may, by order, direct the company to change its auditors." ALSO READ: IL&FS case: NCLT issues contempt notices to Ramesh Bawa, Axis Bank, StanC CEOs "The investigations on the company IFIN are in progress and we are cooperating fully. We reaffirm that we have conducted our audits in accordance with the Standards on Auditing and applicable laws and regulations," a Deloitte spokesperson told IANS. In its defence, Deloitte maintained that IL&FS Group's defaults began in May 2018. During this period, the three principal arms of the group - IL&FS, IL&FS Transportation Networks Limited (ITNL) and IL&FS Financial Services Limited (IFIN) - were audited by Ernst & Young and KPMG. Deloitte did not audit 347 subsidiaries of the IL&FS Group, most of which are overseas, the report said. These companies were audited by various smaller firms, most of them being non-Big Four. Also during the many years that Deloitte was auditing the Group, it was seen that the secured loans were sufficiently collateralised which in turn was independently valued by reputable parties such as Knight Frank or NM Raiji, the report added. ALSO READ: MCA list shows top MNCs caught in IL&FS toxic bonds pandemic: report If the government does decide to ban Deloitte, it will be second Big Four company to face such punishment after PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). In January 2018, the Securities and Exchange Board of India had debarred PwC from providing audit services to listed companies and intermediaries for two years. The market regulator had also ordered the disgorgement of over Rs 13 crore of wrongful gains from PwC and its two erstwhile partners who worked on Satyam's accounts. ALSO READ: NCLAT seeks details about four IL&FS group firms Fixed deposits and tax-free bonds seem to be among the most favoured financial investments for the political leaders fighting the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, while mutual funds and stocks also adorn the portfolios of many and some even have got shares of long-defunct firms like Kingfisher Airlines. Shares of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), the country's most valued company with a market capitalistion of over Rs 8.82 lakh crore, can be found in the portfolios of several leaders, while stocks and mutual fund units of the firms from younger brother Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group are also a common sight, as per disclosures made in election affidavits of the contestants. However, some top leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi have no stock market or mutual fund exposure at all and their financial savings are limited to deposits in banks, tax-free bonds, insurance policies and instruments like National Savings Certificate. The direct equity investments for a few are limited to unlisted companies, including those owned by their families. BJP President Amit Shah has disclosed a long list of listed and unlisted shares in his name and in the name of his spouse. The listed shares in his name, totalling over Rs 17.5 crore, include companies from Aditya Birla Group, Bajaj, L&T, Tata and both Reliance groups, as also several PSUs. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has disclosed equity holding in Young Indian and investments in several mutual funds. The portfolio of his mother and senior party leader Sonia Gandhi includes equity shares of Young Indian and Maruti Technical Services Pvt Ltd and mutual fund units of HDFC, Kotak, Motilal Oswal and Reliance MF. NCP's Supriya Sule, daughter of veteran leader Sharad Pawar, has got unlisted shares worth over Rs 1 crore and listed shares worth over Rs 6 crore, besides some mutual funds. The listed shares include those of Adani Group firms, the two Reliance groups, several Tata firms and even Kingfisher Airlines as also of some other companies from the erstwhile UB Group, including United Spirits which was sold by defaulter businessman Vijay Mallya to global liquor giant Diageo Plc. Kingfisher shares have long been delisted from the stock exchanges, though they quoted at above Rs 300 apiece once. The stocks eventually slipped below Re 1 and trading was eventually suspended in 2014-end after mounting troubles for the erstwhile luxury airline had led to its closure. Union minister and BJP candidate from Nagpur Nitin Gadkari has equity shares of Purti Power and Sugar Ltd, among other investments. Poonam Mahajan, BJP candidate from Mumbai North Central, has disclosed listed equity investments by her spouse in Kingfisher Airlines, as also in Reliance Industries, TCS, Vodafone Idea Cellular and Reliance Power. Her Congress rival Priya Dutt has listed several mutual fund and portfolio schemes totalling about Rs 14.92 crore, while the listed shares disclosed in the name of her spouse include Reliance Industries, Reliance Infra and Reliance Power. Congress candidate from Mumbai South, Murli Deora, has disclosed multiple bonds, structured market products, PMS account, mutual funds and FMPs (fixed maturity plans). Actress-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar, Congress candidate from Mumbai North, has disclosed Rs 28.28 crore worth investment in shares, bonds and mutual funds and PMS (portfolio management service) investments worth about Rs 6 crore, but the individual stocks/units were not disclosed. Jaya Prada, another former actress and the BJP candidate from Rampur in Uttar Pradesh, has also disclosed investments in some listed companies such as Energy Development Company Ltd (which has got her political mentor Amar Singh as a promoter), Coal India, HDFC Bank, ITC, MCX and Reliance Industries. Actor-politician Raj Babbar, the Congress candidate from Fatehpur Sikri, has investments in IL&FS Transportation Networks Ltd. Among other Uttar Pradesh candidates, Union minister and BJP leader Satyapal Singh has disclosed investments worth Rs 1.5 lakh in mutual funds and bonds in his name and some equity shares held by his spouse including of Reliance Capital and Reliance Industries. Another union minister V K Singh and his spouse have also invested in various mutual funds. Also read: PM Modi received income tax refunds five times, Rahul six in last 18 years Also read: 83% Lok Sabha MPs are 'crorepatis', 33% have criminal cases: ADR report China's high-profile 2nd Belt and Road Forum ended Saturday with the signing of deals worth USD 64 billion and affirming respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity towards Beijing's trillion-dollar BRI projects, a key demand of India. The forum in which 37 heads of the state and governments took part concluded with an announcement by Chinese President Xi Jinping that cooperation agreements worth USD 64 billion were signed at a CEO conference during the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) meeting. A total of 283 items of practical outcomes were achieved during the preparatory process and the holding of the forum, Xi said in a statement to the media after his round table meeting with the world leaders. A joint statement issued at the end of the meeting highlighted that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation should respects openness, transparency, inclusiveness and level playing field. It affirmed the respect for sovereignty. "We respect sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other and affirm that each country has the right and primary responsibility to define its development strategies in accordance with its national priorities and legislation," it said. The reference for sovereignty and territorial integrity was significant in the context of India's boycott of the BRI and BRF following its protests over the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), disregarding New Delhi's objections. China says it is an economic project and will not have any impact on sovereignty-related issues. The statement also carried an annexe mentioning names of "Economic corridors and other projects catalysed and supported by connectivity". The CPEC, the Nepal-China Trans-Himalayan Multi-dimensional Connectivity Network, including Nepal-China cross-border railway and China-Myanmar economic corridor figured in the list in the South Asian region. The Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar (BCIM) corridor, which has been previously mentioned as part of the BRI, did not figure in the list. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was among the 37 leaders who took part in the meeting. Besides Khan, Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari of Nepal and State Counsellor Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi attended the meeting from India's neighbourhood. Rest of the countries from South Asia were represented by ministerial and officials level delegations. Like in first BRF meeting in 2017, India skipped the meeting over its objections on the CPEC. This time the US has emerged as a fierce critic of the BRI and abstained from the meeting, asserting that its predatory financing is leaving the smaller countries in heavy debt. Earlier in the day, speaking at the round table meeting of the leaders, Xi called for joint efforts of all parties to promote high-quality development of the Belt and Road projects. He said the BRI should benefit all around the world and deliver common development by following established international rules and norms. "We must implement the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits to see that all voices are heard, all reached their full potential and all stand to benefit," the Chinese President said. The BRI must be open, clean and green and follow high standards, people centred sustainable approach, he said, adding that it should be aligned to the United Nations' sustainable development agenda. "Align our cooperation with universally accepted rules, standards and best practices and pursue social and economic progress and environmental protection in a balanced way. The BRI should be beneficial to all and deliver common development," Xi said. Those who attended the BRF meeting included Russian President Vladimir Putin and heads of several Asian, African and Latin American countries besides heads of the UN and the IMF. Concerns over Chinese investments grew louder after China acquired Sri Lanka's Hambantota port for a 99-year lease as a debt swap. The heavy Chinese financing of the CPEC also raised concerns over Pakistan's ability to pay back. China has clarified that less than 20 per cent of the CPEC projects are based on loans provided by it and rest of the 80 per cent ventures are either directly invested by Beijing or used Chinese grants. The BRI was launched by President Xi when he came to power in 2013. It aims to link southeast Asia, central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea routes. China is doling out huge sums of money for infrastructure projects in countries from Asia to Africa and Europe, enhancing its global influence. Commenting on the BRF meeting, Li Xiangyang - Director of China's National Institute of International Strategy - said that "the BRI has helped China expand its global friendship network which shows that China is playing an increasingly pivotal role in promoting regional development and safeguarding multilateralism". The initiative, which focuses on utilising market and economic resources to explore new diplomatic relations with other countries, also drives the country's transition to economic diplomacy, Li told Global Times on Saturday. Also read: India rejects China's invite to attend Belt and Road Initiative meet for the second time Also read: Xi Jinping says BRI not an exclusive club; vows transparency amid global concern over predatory financing Winter solstice this year falls upon the 21st of December. The still point of the year, it has been marked and honoured around the world for thousands of years. In Britain and Ireland, we have several monuments dating to the neolithic period which are aligned to the winter solstice, either its sunrise or sunset. Newgrange, or Si an Bhru as it is more correctly called, in Co. Meath, Ireland is a neolithic passage grave, and was built an astonishing 5000 years ago around 3200 BCE. It is aligned to the winter solstice sunrise, and each year a beam of light enters the passage and illuminates the chamber within. The symbolism of this simple act is astonishing, speaking to us today in much the same way as it must have so long ago. To bring light to the darkness, to bring life to death at the darkest time of the year- to find renewal once again. Try this exercise to pull in the magic of this time. Outside just before the dawn is ideal but otherwise you can do this indoors. Prepare a candle, unlit before you, and take some time to sit in stillness and darkness. Breathe deep and slow, let your body relax and sink into the earth. Be held by the rock and soil of the land that rests beneath you where ever you are- be it outside or in your home. Feel held by the land. Take some more breaths and send your inner vision deep into your heart what do you find there? Sit with all you find within yourself, breathing slow and letting all sorrow or stress fall into the earth. Feel into the darkness for a while, surrendering all that needs to go. When you are ready, and you feel you have given it the time you need, imagine in this darkness, far ahead, that the sun is rising. Slowly it pours sunlight across the land before you, its rays touch your heart, bringing life and light back, bringing healing. Fill your heart with light and light the candle before you. Spend some breaths meditating on the light and all it brings. ... Sri Lanka blasts: After a series of explosions claimed more than 250 lives in the neighboring country of Sri Lanka, India has issued a travel advisory urging its citizens to not travel to the country. A press statement by the Ministry of External Affairs urged Indians not to undertake "non-essential" travel to the country under the prevailing situation. The ministry also advised that whoever is travelling to the country for work must establish contact with the mission or the consulates in various provinces of the country. "In case of those undertaking essential/emergency travels, they can contact the High Commission of India in Colombo or the Assistant High Commission in Kandy / Consulates in Hambantota and Jaffna in case of requirement of any assistance. The helpline numbers of the Indian High Commission are available on the Mission's website," the ministry said. The MEA press release further added, "The Government of Sri Lanka has beefed up the security in the country. A nation-wide emergency including night time curfew is in place at present which may also affect travel within Sri Lanka", says the statement. According to the latest update from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sri Lanka, 40 of the 253 killed were foreign nationals. Five injured foreign nationals are receiving treatment in hospitals. There were 11 Indian nationals who lost their lives in the attack and one who was seriously injured. He has returned to his home state of Kerala. After the devastating attacks, domestic carriers such as IndiGo and Air India waived off cancellation fee and offered free rescheduling of tickets up till April 24. Also read: Vero Moda, Jack & Jones owner Povlsen loses three children in Sri Lanka attacks Also read: Sri Lanka attacks: ISIS claims responsibility for serial bombing that killed over 310 people Phase 4 of the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 will be conducted on Monday, April 29. A total of 71 seats would be going to the polls, starting at 7 am in the morning. The polls will be concluded at 6 pm in the evening. The states that will be voting in this phase are: Maharashtra (17 parliamentary constituencies), Rajasthan (13), Uttar Pradesh (13) and West Bengal (8), Madhya Pradesh (6), Odisha (6), Bihar (5), Jharkhand (3), and Jammu and Kashmir (1). Continuing with the campaigns, BJP chief Amit Shah held a rally in Bihar's Sitamarhi. He said that Modi government has given the kind of governance that people were looking for for the past 70 years. He also spoke about the Ayushman Bharat scheme and said it is helping the poor people receive treatment. Meanwhile, the exchange of harsh words between political rivals continues. At a rally in Amethi yesterday, Congress President Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Prime Minister wants two Indias and that Congress won't let that happen. On the other hand PM Modi said at a rally in Kannauj that the Opposition parties abuse him all the time but won't say anything about the terrorists. Follow the Lok Sabha Election 2019 updates on BusinessToday.In blog: 3:34pm: BJP's Kailash Vijayvargiya says, "If Mamata ji stays, Islamic State (ISIS) can enter West Bengal anytime. It'll become like J&K. It is because of her appeasement politics that people related to terror activities have made their base in the border-states and ISIS threat is a proof of that." 3:15pm: BJD writes to Chief Electoral Officer, Bhubaneswar demanding to immediately stop BJP's campaigning through voice call during silent period. Odisha: BJD writes to Chief Electoral Officer,Bhubaneswar demanding to immediately stop BJP's campaigning through voice call during silent period and take action against BJP leaders and the service provider circulating these voice calls in violation of model code of conduct. pic.twitter.com/d6RXdhqDbg ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 3:00pm: Renuka Chowdury on BJP MP Rajveer Singh's remark on Congress over open defecation: "Are we surprised that this is standard of BJP? When PM can talk abt women in Parliament and call them'Surpanakhas', this is the yardstick by which the BJP goes. Women of the country have taken note." 2:45pm: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Bahraich: "Even today, I do not know his (PM Modi's) caste. The Opposition and the Congress leaders are only raising issues related to development. We have never made any personal remarks against him." 2:32pm: Amit Shah said at a rally in Bihar's Chhapra, "From the time Narendra Modi came to power, he has been serving with integrity, has done a lot of good work and has taken tough decisions whenever necessary." 2:00pm: Polling parties at EVM and VVPAT distribution centre in Jodhpur. Rajasthan: Polling parties at EVM & VVPAT distribution centre in Jodhpur. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/yGcA0Lxzpi ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 1:37pm: Election Commission makes arrangements to ferry specially-abled voters in Mumbai for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls. Maharashtra: Election Commission makes arrangements to ferry specially-abled voters in Mumbai for the fourth phase of #LokSabhaElections2019 to be held tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/1fxVrhycGD ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 1:25pm: Amit Shah said at a rally in Bihar's Sitamarhi, "UPA government gave Rs 1 lakh 93 thousand crore to Bihar. But Narendra Modi government have more than Rs 6 lakh 6 thousand crore to Bihar for development." 1:20pm: Amit Shah said at a rally in Sitamarhi, "When Lalu-Rabri and Rahul Gandhi were in power, the poor didn't have money for healthcare. They were desperate for treatment. Today, Ayushman Bharat scheme has provided 24 lakh poor people with free healthcare. This work has been done by BJP's Modi government." 1:15pm: Amit Shah said at a rally in Sitamarhi, "Modi ji has not taken a single leave till now. On the other hand, Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi vanishes every three to four months. Even his mother cannot find him then." 1:00pm: Amit Shah said at a rally in Sitamarhi, "In east, west, north and south, people are only raising slogans for Modi. This is because the kind of governance people were looking forward to in the last 70 years, Modi ji delivered it." 12:43pm: Visuals from EVM distribution centre in Bolpur, in Birbhum district. West Bengal: Polling parties gather at EVM distribution centre in Bolpur, in Birbhum district; 8 Lok Sabha constituencies to go to polls tomorrow. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/BhDpwCjpb3 ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 12:40pm: Visuals from EVM and VVPAT distribution centre in Jhalawar-Baran Lok Sabha constituency. #Rajasthan: Visuals from EVM and VVPAT distribution centre in JhalawarBaran Lok Sabha constituency. 13 parliamentary constituencies to vote in the fourth phase of #LokSabhaElections2019, tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/DxFknFhaz8 ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 12:30pm: Visuals from VVPAT and EVM distribution centre at Malabar Hill in Mumbai. Mumbai: Visuals from VVPAT and EVM distribution centre at Malabar Hill; 17 parliamentary constituencies in the state will go to polls in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/WAMMPjAPxV ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 12:25pm: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Amethi said, "The way they contest polls by distributing money, sarees and shoes in front of media is wrong... People of Amethi have never begged in front of anyone. I've been coming here since I was 12, people of Amethi and Raebareli have a lot of pride." 12:15pm: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Amethi said, "Issues are clear - employment, education and health. Nationalism is to solve problems of people. Here they don't listen to people. When they raise their issues they suppress them, it's neither democracy nor nationalism." 12:02pm: "Will the PM ever speak about the people? He talks about the Opposition one day, then foreign enemies on the other day." : ? , . , ? ? pic.twitter.com/n5gCo0N608 Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) April 28, 2019 11:58am: Polling parties collect EVMs and VVPATs and leave for their respective polling stations for the 4th phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 in Palamu. Palamu: Polling parties collect EVMs and VVPATs and leave for their respective polling stations for the 4th phase of the #LokSabhaElections2019 #Jharkhand pic.twitter.com/LoZTUWBYK0 ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 11:40am: "This is a historic election as it is the first time in the country that a son and father are contesting polls on the same day and in the same district. I seek your blessings as not your 'neta' (politician) but 'beta' (son)," Nakul Nath, said son of MP CM Kamal Nath. While the chief minister, a nine-time MP from the area, is contesting an assembly bypoll, Nakul Nath is hoping to get elected to the Lok Sabha from Chhindwara. 11:35am: Eight seats - Baharampur, Krishnagar, Ranaghat (SC), Burdwan East (SC), Burdwan-Durgapur, Asansol, Bolpur (SC) and Birbhum - in West Bengal will see a four-cornered contest between the Trinamool Congress, the BJP, the Congress and the Left Front in the fourth phase. 11:25am: Gautam Gambhir said, "When you don't have a vision and have done nothing in the last 4.5 years, you make such allegations, EC will decide this. When you have a vision you don't do such negative politics." He was referring to AAP MP Atishi Marlena's allegation that he has two voter-ID cards. 11:20am: Refuting the ruling AAP's demand for full statehood to Delhi, Union minister and BJP's Chandni Chowk candidate Harsh Vardhan said, "Delhi is suffering because of the negative mentality of its government and the chief minister in particular. They have hardly done anything in the last four years. You can see their 70 promises and find there is hardly any promise that has been delivered. They have not done anything except wasting their time and abusing the Prime Minister day in and day out. What has Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal done? Nothing. This is the same chief minister who felt proud in calling himself an 'anarchist' ahead of the Republic Day parade a couple of years ago. Now he (Kejriwal) is shouting about statehood. Do you think statehood can be given to a chief minister who is dubious and is of questionable character?" 11:10am: "All EVMs and VVPATs will be dispatched from the strong room today. Security forces and police force have been deployed in adequate numbers.We won't face any law and order situation," said Rajasthan DM IS Rao. 10:54am: TMC writes to EC as Khali campaigns for BJP candidate from Jadavpur, Anupam Hazra. TMC writes to Election Commission of India over wrestler The Great Khali campaigning for BJP's Jadavpur MP candidate,Anupam Hazra on April 26. The letter states, 'He(Khali) holds US citizenship, therefore,a foreigner shouldn't be allowed to influence the minds of Indian electors' pic.twitter.com/DIOKzVjkcu ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 10:45am: BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said, "If the people of UP want me to continue fighting against corruption then TDK and her Bambino must be defeated in Raebareli and Amethi. If either of them wins, it will dishearten people like me who are striving hard to create a clean India." 10:40am: Polling parties collect EVMs and VVPATs and leave for their respective polling stations for the 4th phase of the Lok Sabha Election. Chhindwara: Polling parties collect EVMs and VVPATs and leave for their respective polling stations for the 4th phase of the #LokSabhaElections2019 #MadhyaPradesh pic.twitter.com/I6z1kEkJix ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 10:30am: Nearly 81 lakh voters will get an opportunity to decide the fate of 78 candidates contesting the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra's Thane and Palghar districts where voting will be held on Monday, officials said. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of the polls, Thane collector Rajesh Narvekar told reporters here on Saturday. There are total 62.22 lakh voters in Thane district where 6,715 polling booths have been set up, according to official figures. 10:28am: "Modi has been misleading the people and those who have been shouting Modi-Modi-Modi would have to regret later," said Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. 10:24am: AAP leader Manish Sisodia said that Congress is weakening the Opposition across the country. "Not only in Delhi but across the country, the Congress is weakening the Opposition. If the BJP wins any seat in Delhi or outside it, the Congress should be blamed," he told news agency IANS. 10:21am: A burger vendor is contesting as an independent from the Ludhiana LS seat. Punjab: RP Singh, a burger vendor is contesting as an independent from the Ludhiana LS seat. He says, "If I'm elected I'll take on the education mafia & ensure good education for poor people. I'm unable to put up big posters, I'm only campaigning on my scooter but I'm confident." pic.twitter.com/x8l6qJl4JS ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 10:20am: At a press conference, BSP leader Mayawati said that PM Modi is an OBC only for electoral gains. "He was an upper caste when he was Gujarat Chief Minister. Later he got his caste included in the OBC (other backward class) category," she said. 10:19am: Fifty farmers from Telangana to file their nominations as independent candidates in Varanasi today. They will be contesting against PM Modi. "We are not opposing anyone. We just want to highlight our problems and demand creation of a turmeric board and Minimum Support Price of Rs 15000 per quintal (MSP) for turmeric," a spokesperson for the farmers said. 10:15am: When BJP leader Uma Bharti was asked if Pragya Thakur will take her place in Madhya Pradesh, she said, "She is a great saint, don't compare me with her, I'm just an ordinary and foolish creature." 10:05am: NCP leader Majeed Memon took Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha's side and said, "Amit Shah should note that till yesterday he (Shatrughan Sinha) was with them, if he said something anti-national then it is their teaching. He (Jinnah) made a big contribution to the freedom struggle, just because he was a Muslim you are offended and are calling Shatrughan Sinha anti-national." Shatrughan Sinha had said that everyone from Mahatma Gandhi to Jawaharlal Nehru to Mohammad Ali Jinnah were part of the Congress family. He later apologised and said that he didn't mean Jinnah, he meant Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. 10:00am: Taking a dig at Sadhvi Pragya, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said, "Thakur says she had cursed ATS chief Hemant Karkare, who had given supreme sacrifice for the country and is considered a martyr. There would have been no need of surgical strikes if she had cursed Pakistan based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar." In phase four of Lok Sabha elections 2019, to be held on April 29, polling will be conducting in 71 constituencies across nine states. Over 940 contestants in fray in this round, of which 238 candidates have been fielded by national/state parties, 347 candidates by regional parties and 358 are independents. Over a third of the contestants, or 306 politicians, have declared assets worth Rs 1 crore and more, with average assets per candidate standing at Rs 4.53 crore, India Today reported. The National Election Watch and non-profit election research group Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) analysed affidavits of 928 candidates - affidavits of 15 contestants could not be analysed due to unavailability complete information - and found that 18 candidates have declared their annual total income to be more than Rs 1 crore. Topping the chart is Congress party's Priya Sunil Dutt with Rs 13 crore as self-income in the last fiscal. She is contesting for the Mumbai North Central seat. Vivek Tankha, another Congress candidate from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, has declared income of Rs 11 crore. Next in line is Baijayant Panda of the BJP, contesting from Odisha's Kendrapara, with a declared an income of Rs 9 crore. Nakul Nath, the Congress candidate from Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara constituency, is the richest candidate contesting in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections. He is Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath's son and has declared assets worth Rs 600 crore. In the second rank is Sanjay Sushil Bhonsale, the Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi candidate from Mumbai South Central, with assets worth Rs 125 crore, followed by BJP's Anurag Sharma (Rs 124 crore), who is contesting from Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi. Out of the 57 candidates fielded by the Congress, 50 are reportedly crorepatis. Similarly, 88% of the 57 BJP candidates have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore. The respective figures for the Bahujan Samaj Party, Shiv Sena and Samajwadi Party are 37%, 62% and 80%. The analysis further found that a total of 210 candidates face criminal charges in Phase 4 - 158 are named in serious cases and 12 have declared convicted cases, IANS reported. "Among the major parties, 20 out of 57 candidates from BJP, 9 out of 57 candidates from Congress, 10 out of 54 candidates from BSP, 9 out of 21 candidates analysed from Shiv Sena and 45 out of 345 [analysed] independent candidates have declared serious criminal cases," the ADR said in a statement. It added that 37 of the 71 constituencies up for polling are red alert constituencies, where three or more contestants have some sort if a criminal record. Which constituencies will vote during Phase 4 of Lok Sabha Elections 2019? Maharashtra (17 constituencies): Mumbai-North, Mumbai North-East, Mumbai North-West, Mumbai North-Central, Mumbai South-Central, Mumbai South, Nandurbar, Dindori, Dhule, Nashik, Bhiwandi, Palghar, Kalyan, Thane, Maval, Shirur and Shirdi Rajasthan (13): Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Pali, Jodhpur, Barmer, Jalore, Udaipur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Kota and Jhalawar-Baran Uttar Pradesh (13): Shahjahanpur, Kheri, Hardoi, Misrikh, Unnao, Farrukhabad, Etawah, Kannauj, Kanpur, Akbarpur, Jalaun, Jhansi and Hamirpur West Bengal (8): Baharampur, Krishnanagar, Ranaghat, Bardhaman Purba, Bardhaman-Durgapur, Asansol, Bolpur and Birbhum Madhya Pradesh (6): Sidhi, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Mandla, Balaghat and Chhindwara Odisha (6): Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur Bihar (5): Darbhanga, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, Begusarai and Munger Jharkhand (3): Chatra, Lohardaga and Palamu Jammu and Kashmir (1): Anantnag, the only seat in the country that is voting in three phases. What are the major parties in the states voting in Phase 4? While national parties Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress have their presence in most of the above constituencies in the country, regional parties are a force to reckon with. To begin with, Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party, which has tied up with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh, will prove to be a forceful third front in the state. Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha is facing stiff competition from the BJP this time while in West Bengal, the BJP is trying to take on Mamata Banerjee's formidable All India Trinamool Congress (AITC). In Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena is in coalition with the BJP, and Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) as well as the Congress will fight the ruling party. Of the five seats in Bihar, the BJP had won only one in 2014 and it is again contesting one seat this time. Janata Dal (United), the BJP's ally in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), is contesting three seats while the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) is contesting one seat. As part of the grand alliance, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is contesting three seats, while the Congress and the Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP) are contesting one seat each. The Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, together accounting for 19 seats in this phase, will be closely watched. In the 2014 elections, the BJP had won all the 25 constituencies in Rajasthan and 27 out of 29 constituencies in Madhya Pradesh. But farmer distress and other factors tipped the balance in favour of the Congress in the recent assembly elections in both states. While a repeat of the Modi sweep of 2014 now looks impossible, it remains to be seen if the populist measures introduced in the latest Budget will woo voters in these states. What will be the biggest battles on April 29? Battle for Begusarai: Former JNU Students' Union president and CPI candidate Kanhaiya Kumar is locked in a triangular contest in Begusarai, which is possibly the most keenly-watched constituency in Bihar. He is pitted against firebrand BJP leader and Union minister Giriraj Singh, and RJD's Tanweer Hassan. Begusarai was once considered a CPI stronghold and was even known as Leningrad of Bihar. However, after sending an MP back in 1967, CPI's hold over the constituency declined sharply. The party is now banking on 32-year-old Kumar, a native of Beehat Panchayat in Barauni block of Begusarai, to revive its fortunes. This is Kumar's first election. The CPI initially wanted the RJD to back Kumar, but Lalu Prasad's party refused to do so. In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, RJD candidate Tanweer Hassan had bagged 3.69 lakh votes despite the Modi wave, hence the RJD has decided to field him from the seat again. Hasan is believed to be comfortably placed with the Yadavs and Muslims reportedly rallying behind him. Meanwhile, the BJP, having won this seat in 2014 with Bhola Singh, is hoping to get lucky a second time with Giriraj Singh. The seat fell vacant with the sitting MP's death in 2018. Given that its new candidate hails from the Bhumihar caste - reportedly the most vocal and assertive of the upper castes in Bihar - which dominates in Begusarai, the party is keeping its fingers crossed. Battle for Chhindwara: This Madhya Pradesh constituency has been its Chief Minister Kamal Nath's stronghold since 1980. Nath has been the longest serving MP from this seat, having served for nine terms. It was one of the only two constituencies in the state that had defied the saffron surge five years ago. This time round the Congress stalwart has vacated the seat for his son, Nakul Nath. He will be contesting against BJP's Nathansaha Kawreti and BSP's Gyaneshwar Gajbhiye. Will the BJP be able to capitalise on Nath senior's absence? Battle for Kendrapara: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has held this politically-sensitive seat since 1998. But Baijayant Jay Panda, who had won on the BJD ticket twice in a row since 2009, recently switched allegiance to the BJP. Amit Shah last month appointed Panda as the party national vice president and spokesperson. His entry gives a boost to the saffron party in Odisha, a state where its attempts to make inroads have come a cropper since 2009, when the BJD walked out of its alliance with the BJP in the run-up to the general elections. In fact, in the 2014 elections, BJP bagged only one seat out of the state's 21 while the Congress got nothing. But 2019 could see a big change in the state given the strong anti-incumbency factor. Panda had reportedly won with a margin of 2 lakh votes in 2014 and the BJP will be hoping he can recreate that magic for them on April 29. He is up against Ollywood superstar Anubhav Mohanty, who is the BJD candidate. How to check the name on voters' list for Phase 4 of Lok Sabha Elections 2019? Log on to the National Voter Services Portal's Electoral Search page (nvsp.in) and check your name on the voter's list by entering your details. You can alternatively put in your Electoral Photo ID Card (EPIC) number. What to do if you don't have a Voter ID card? Log on to the NSVP Electoral Search page and click on search by details. Put in your details, such as name, gender, age, assembly constituency etc. Based on your details, a result will pop up, which means that your name is in the voter's list. In case, there is no pop-up, it means your name is probably missing from the voter's list. How can you report any violation of Model Code of Conduct? Through the ECI's mobile app, cVIGIL, people report about any violation of Model Code of Conduct, any incident of intimidation or inducement within minutes of having witnessed. cVIGIL is an Android-based mobile app, which is user-friendly. "All that one has to do is to simply click a picture or to take a video and briefly describe the activity before uploading it on the cVIGIL mobile application. If the complainant desires to remain anonymous he has the option to do so," says the EC. The district control room allocates cVIGIL cases to the flying squads, which further investigate the matter. The status of the complaint is also with the cVIGIL complainant in 100 minutes. (With PTI inputs) ALSO READ: Lok Sabha Election 2019: Poll dates, full schedule, voting FAQs, election results, constituencies' details ALSO READ: Lok Sabha elections 2019: Here's how to check your name on voter's list ALSO READ: General Election Polling 2019: How to vote, get polling booth details without voter ID card When Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman shot down an F-16 Falcon over Pakistan occupied Kashmir on February 27, it was a case of sheer bad timing for Lockheed-Martin. Just a week earlier, at the Aero India Show in Bangalore, the US aerospace giant had launched a repackaged F-16 as a brand new F-21 specifically for the Indian market. With the seventies era Falcon getting smoked by an even older Soviet aircraft with an atrocious crash rate, Lockheed received a ton of flak for peddling old technology to the Indian Air Force. There's no getting around the fact that the aircraft Lockheed is pitching to India - in response to an IAF tender for 110 fighters - is not a new generation aircraft but only an upgraded F-16 that first flew in 1974. In aeronautical timeframe, that's ancient history. In its bid to win the Indian order, Lockheed has gone for pushy salesmanship, which is never a good tactic. It is an especially unwise move in India where corruption in the defence sector is deep-rooted, with a string of big-ticket contracts tainted by kickbacks. In this backdrop, the rebadged F-16 seems like an amateurish attempt to impress the Indian market. Not just old wine Lockheed should have retained the Falcon's original badge with its latest iteration - the F-16 Block 70. For, the Falcon remains - 45 years after its first flight - a high-performance aircraft that becomes an even more potent weapon in the right hands. In a mock combat exercise held in the US in 2016, an F-16 outgunned and outmanoeuvred the latest F-35, thoroughly humiliating the stealth fighter. More significantly, the Falcon was deliberately handicapped with a full load of missiles, bombs and fuel while the F-35 was flown clean - that is minus its missiles - for optimum performance and speed. And yet the F-16 won. One must be careful not to read too much into the results of mock combat exercises because most of the data is classified and the media never really gets a full picture of what really happened. Whether Lockheed gamed the dogfight in order to impress the IAF may always remain a mystery. However, the F-16 doesn't need a hard sell because it has a great kill record, albeit against poorly trained air forces in the Middle East. The Israeli Air Force, for instance, has used the aircraft to strike its adversaries near its borders and has also destroyed targets as far as Tunisia and Iraq. Also, it's a myth that F-16 production lines are closing in the US. Defense Industry Daily reported that on April 23 Lockheed-Martin opened a new line in South Carolina with Block 70 production scheduled for later this year. Earlier, in March, Lockheed announced the establishment of the first F-16 maintenance facility for foreign-owned Falcons, in Norway. One must not forget that as many as 3,000 operational F-16s are in service in 25 countries, and the company expects the new production line to build at least 400 more aircraft. Also, with the ongoing troubles with the F-35 programme, the Falcon remains the backbone of the US Air Force, which operates 1,235 of these fighters. Also read: American defence company Lockheed Martin proposes 'game-changing' partnership with India Lockheed's India strategy The IAF global tender to buy 110 aircraft could easily dwarf the $8 billion Rafale order. Janes reported the order could be worth at least $15 billion, making it India's largest defence order ever. According to the terms of the bid, 17 fighters are to be delivered flight-ready, while the remaining 93 would be produced in India. The document also specifies 82 of the aircraft should be single-seat, with the rest being dual-seat jets for pilot training. In this backdrop, Lockheed's announcement that it would shift the F-16's entire production chain to India and manufacture the jet fighter jointly with Tata Advanced Systems Limited looks like a game changer in the global aerospace industry. If the deal gets the government's green light - and provided Lockheed is able to deliver the goods - it would be the first time in the modern armaments history that an entire aircraft ecosystem is transplanted in a different country. The Block 70 that Lockheed has offered India is the latest version, with extended range. With upgrades, the F-16 will, in all probability, be flying in the second half of this century. Some predict that it could be the world's first 100-year-old fighter. With its airframe showing no signs of fatigue, it could fulfil that prediction. Clearly, this is an aircraft with a long shelf life. Lockheed India Vice President Vivek Lall said at Aero India that the aircraft comes with "greater standoff capability, greater staying power with less fuel burn, and network data linking capabilities across all platforms". The aircraft also has an active electronically scanned array radar, which has detection ranges nearly double that of previous mechanically scanned array radars and the ability to track and attack more targets with higher precision. It also has an advanced electronic warfare (EW) system that provides enhanced survivability against ground and air threats; and long-range infrared search and track (currently only available in the Sukhoi Su-30MKI), enabling pilots to see threats without being detected. The IAF is making rapid strides towards becoming a fully networked force. Its new emerging network architecture includes the Operational Data Link, the Integrated Air Command and Control System and Air Force Net. These networks when merged create what is known as sensor fusion, providing a complete picture of the battlespace out to hundreds of kilometres. Unlike older jets like the MiG-21, the F-16 can tap into this network and round out its surveillance picture. PAF factor Since the Pakistan Air Force flies several squadrons of older F-16s, there is an unease in certain quarters about its induction in the IAF. These fears are misplaced. Both Indian and Pakistani pilots are aware of the strengths and weakness of each other's aircraft. IAF pilots routinely fly with USAF pilots in their F-16s during mock combat exercises. (Similarly, the PAF may have obtained data on Sukhois from Indonesia, Malaysia and the fountainhead of all leaks, Ukraine.) The only downside of having the Falcon on both sides of the border is that air defence forces will have a hard time, especially when fighter aircraft are on missions with their IFF (identify friend or foe) systems switched off. Also, since the average dogfight lasts under 10 minutes, things can get real ugly in the heat of combat. Fratricide is often the result. To illustrate, it was an Indian air defence unit that brought down an Indian helicopter during the February 27 skirmish. Also read: Lockheed Martin unveils new F-21 fighter jet to be made in India However, Pakistan which has a weaker air defence system will face the bigger problem. Don't forget that after the Balakot air strikes and the February 27 air battle over J&K, Pakistan's airspace was closed for more than two weeks. Despite the hardship faced by domestic travellers and the huge economic consequences, Pakistan kept its airspace closed. The reason for the bizarre fly ban was that the entire Pakistani defence establishment was spooked by the Indian raid - the first in 48 years. The only way Pakistan could reliably identify enemy jets was if there was zero civilian movement in its airspace. So in a situation with over a hundred F-16s on the Indian side of the border, you can well imagine the PAF's plight. And now the bad news Manufacturing the F-16 in India carries with it the danger that the defence import lobby would use it as an excuse to kill off the Tejas. The indigenous fighter, which has been wowing aviation experts and enthusiasts at air shows worldwide, is on the cusp of becoming India's first major armaments export. If India places an order for the planned 110 fighters, there is the danger of the axe falling on the Tejas. With a limited share of the defence budget, the IAF may not have the cash to splurge on two separate fighter programmes. As long as the air force brass are assured they'll get sufficient numbers of modern battle tested F-16s - or any other modern foreign fighter - they may not care what happens to the Tejas. There is a precedent for this. In the 1960s, with German collaboration, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) India had developed the HF-24 Marut fighter. During the 1971 War, the IAF had enough confidence in the Marut to send it on bombing missions deep into the Pakistani airspace. For a fighter developed on a budget, it produced reasonably good results. However, just as the Marut programme appeared to take off, the Soviets offered India the MiG-21 interceptor. Moscow also sweetened the deal through long-term, low-interest loans and also allowed licence production. With HAL factories around the country saddled with MiG production lines, the public sector aircraft maker was ordered to kill the Marut. It took another 50 years before HAL would make another indigenous fighter, the Tejas. Why licence production is a dead end India's state-owned defence industry has for decades been addicted to licence production, which in plain language means screwdriver technology. In a paper titled 'Transfer of Defence Technology - Exploring the Avenues for India', the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) explains why licence production or manufacture is a technological dead end. "The licence manufacture mode, currently being referred to as transfer of technology in the Indian Defence Procurement Procedure, essentially delivers the capability to manufacture or produce defence systems through the acquiring of necessary knowhows. However, for significantly upgrading the system or designing, developing and manufacturing new variants independently of the foreign technology seller firms, the know-whys are needed. These know-whys are never provided for established reasons and huge costs, leaving the recipient country considerably dependent on the seller firm for its futuristic needs." In the last five decades, India has licence produced a number of aircraft (MiG-21, MiG-27, Jaguar and the Sukhoi Su-30MKI), tanks (T-72 and T-90) and BMP armoured personnel carriers among others. And yet India's state-owned companies did not develop a single new home-grown version of these weapons platforms. Licence production, which India pioneered with the MiG-21, does not involve the transfer of technology and neither does it lead to innovation. The weapons system is pretty much frozen and much of its most critical parts are imported. For instance, the engines of the Su-30MKI are imported fully built from Russia, and in fact, a HAL Sukhoi costs more than a made in Russia one. Also read: Mirage-2000 vs F-16 Falcon: Which is a better fighter jet? Making the Falcon in India The F-16 could change that by ushering in a new era of technological advancement in India. To illustrate, when India took the first steps towards economic liberalisation, it was the re-entry of Coca-Cola that made India kosher for foreign multinationals. The presence of Coke, the defining symbol of Western capitalism, assured investors that India was dumping Soviet-inspired socialism and ready to do business again. Similarly, Prime Minister Narendra's Modi's Make in India initiative in defence will receive a turbocharge if the Falcon lands in India. First up, there will be an immediate impact on the Indian aerospace industry. The entire process of transplanting an aircraft ecosystem could potentially create thousands of technical jobs. According to Lockheed executives, "it's like bringing up a whole new industry". How Turkey rode the Falcon A highly successful example of how the transfer of technology transformed a nation's aerospace sector is the Lockheed-Turkish Air Industries (TAI) tie-up in the 1980s. According to the IDSA, this project resulted in the production of a total of 308 F-16 aircraft over a period of around 12 years. In this landmark deal, the state-owned TAI had the major share with 49 per cent; Lockheed Martin had 42 per cent; General Electric (GE) had 7 per cent and the remaining was held by two other firms. A total investment of $137 million was made, with $70 million from Turkish partners and $67 million from the US partners, which was later supplemented by the latter with another $100 million. Lockheed Martin provided three experienced directors for five years and the general manager for 14 years. "From the experience gained from building 80 per cent of the F-16 aircraft, TAI began branching out into other areas to include: parts of the transport aircraft CN-235 and A400M; modifications of Boeing 737s into an airborne early warning aircraft; and parts of helicopters Agusta Mangusta T-29 and Sikorsky T-70 Blackhawk. The TAI also developed a modification centre where they upgraded aircraft such as the C-130s, F-4s, T-38s and F-16s." Lockheed claims the Turkish company is now developing indigenously designed unmanned aerial vehicles, basic trainer aircraft and even a fifth generation fighter aircraft. Rivals from Europe Lockheed's offer to move the F-16 production line to India does not guarantee the American company will walk away with the deal. It faces five rivals in the race - Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet, Dassault Aviation's Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab's Gripen and the MiG-35 from Russia's United Aircraft Corporation. The Gripen is a dogged rival that has tasted success in South Africa, Czech Republic and Hungary. Saab has offered to move the Gripen plant from Sweden to India. It has offered the IAF an aircraft that is cheap as chips but is no laggard either when it comes to performance technology. As well as highly developed net-centric warfare capabilities, the Gripen has good short takeoff performance. Plus, Saab has designed it to have low maintenance requirements, which could interest the IAF, whose Achilles heel is maintenance. American influence What tilts the balance in the F-16's favour is geopolitics. An order this big is rarely about just price or performance - it is also about quid pro quo. Sweden is a geopolitical lightweight and there is very little it can offer in terms of swinging the balance of power in India's favour. However, with the US, India is in a position to extract its pound of flesh. As well as aerospace, New Delhi could nail down guarantees on the transfer of technology in other critical areas while also getting the US to align its diplomacy in line with India. India can ensure US support in isolating Pakistan, squeezing its economy and dismantling the terror state. The F-16 order has the potential to bind India and the US in a long-term strategic alliance. It will also isolate the anti-India hawks in the State Department (the US foreign ministry) and the Pentagon where doddering pro-Pakistan generals - the detritus of the Cold War - continue to treat India with suspicion. The deal will also ease the flow of technology and investment into India's defence private sector. India being the technologically and economically weaker partner will derive greater gains from association with the likes of Lockheed. Endgame The 110 aircraft order is a crucial requirement of the service, which currently has a reduced strength of 31 fighter squadrons, whereas it requires 42 squadrons to tackle the collusive threat of Pakistan and China. With hundreds of antiquated MiGs due for retirement and HAL producing just around a dozen Tejas jets annually, the IAF doesn't have the luxury of numbers or time. Provided it doesn't result in the cancellation of the Tejas fighter, Lockheed's offer is a win-win for India. The IAF should speed up negotiations and user trials so a deal can be inked quickly. For, the danger is that India's ponderous defence procurement machinery could drag the tender into the abyss - just like it did with the MMRCA. (The author is a New Zealand-based defence and foreign affairs analyst) Also read: Falcon down: Why Pakistan is desperate to fake the F-16 dogfight The National Aviator's Guild (NAG), which represents pilots of the grounded carrier Jet Airways, Saturday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "direct" the airline's lender State Bank of India to release one month's salary of all the employees. In a late evening e-mail to the prime minister, the guild also sought government's directive to "stop de-registration" of the airline's aircraft, which are now being leased by other domestic carriers. "We urge you to direct SBI to release a month's salary to all employees on an urgent and humane basis. We don't want to see a repeat of the human tragedy which unfolded post the Kingfisher Airlines demise," said NAG president Karan Chopra in the e-mail. Thousands of employees of Kingfisher lost over eight months' salary after the airline went bust in October 2012. The guild also sought to expedite the binding bid date for the Jet Airways stake to "preserve" enterprise value of the airline. It also urged the government to ascertain if there was a "premeditated conspiracy" to delay bid declaration or any other "illegal move" was afoot to allow those who have bid as individual entities to team up as a consortium now. On Friday, Jet Airways chief executive Vinay Dube had said there was no commitment on the part of stakeholders on paying salaries. The airline has not paid March salaries to its over 20,000 employees. Jet ceased operations on April 17. The airline suspended operations after the SBI-led consortium of lenders rejected its demand of a Rs 983-crore lifeline to help carry out operations and pay salaries. Also read: Hapless Jet CEO says stakeholders not assuring salaries, 'highest authorities' haven't listened Also read: Foreign airlines savour rising demand as Jet Airways crumbles Government of Canada supports Economic Development in T'Sou-ke Nation, British Columbia News release Government of Canada supports Economic Development in T'Sou-ke Nation, British Columbia April 27, 2019 T'Sou-ke Nation, BC Indigenous Services Canada The Government of Canada is working in partnership with First Nations to support community-driven economic development opportunities and growth in Indigenous communities. Today, the Honourable Seamus O'Regan, Minister of Indigenous Services, announced $988,637 in funding which enabled the first phase of the construction of a gas station, convenience store and Tim Hortons restaurant on T'Sou-ke Indian Reserve No. 1. The completed project creates jobs and new business opportunities for the community and its members. This project is a T'Sou-ke Nation initiative to create economic development on reserve. Departmental funds were used for site clearing, the construction of a water distribution and storm sewer system, road work, electrical work, and related inspections. Funding was provided in 2017-18 through the Community Opportunity Readiness Program (CORP) of Indigenous Services Canada. CORP funding helps First Nations and Inuit communities develop business plans, expand existing Indigenous-led businesses, and launch new Indigenous-led start-ups. In 2018-19, the Government of Canada provided almost $1.6 million of CORP funding to 14 First Nations in British Columbia. Budget 2019 is proposing to invest a further $78.9 million over five years, starting in 2019-20, with $15.8 million per year ongoing, to support First Nation and Inuit community-owned businesses and the construction of community economic infrastructure. Quotes "The Government of Canada is committed to economic success for First Nation communities. Community-driven projects like the one in T'Sou-ke Nation create jobs and build healthier, more sustainable communities". The Honourable Seamus O'Regan , P.C., M.P. Minister of Indigenous Services "The support from the CORP fund was invaluable to T'Sou-ke Nation as it allowed for key infrastructure to be built and allowed us to focus on the commercial development aspects of the project. It is the cornerstone that will ultimately support the development of approximately 6 ha of commercial enterprises that will supply the T'Sou-ke Nation with revenues that will be directed towards the needs of our nation." Chief Gordon Planes T'Sou-ke Nation Quick facts T'Sou-ke Nation is located in Sooke, BC, and has a population of about 260, with 135 on reserve. T'Sou-ke Nation anticipates its project will create 46 full-time and 32 part-time jobs, and six spin-off businesses. Fourteen communities in British Columbia will benefit from 2018-19 CORP funding, totaling up to $1,585,747. List of band names, projects and approved funding: Lake Babine Nation Gas Bar Equity Gap Funding ($250,000), Esketemc Indian Band Light Indiustrial Development Site Planning and Design at I.R. #2 ($180,000), Nuxalk Nation Nuxalk Multiple College and Trades Centre ($160,000), Esquimalt Indian Band Commercial Lands, Comprehensive Site Plan and Servicing Strategy ($156,000), Xeni Gwet'in First Nations Government - Destination Business Plans ($140,000), Takla Lake First Nation - Takla Narrows Lodge ($110,000), Nicomen Indian Band - Thompson RV Park Redevelopment Strategy ($108,000), Kwikwasut'inuxw Haxwa'mis - Revitalizing the Shores of Gwa'yas'dums ($104,000), Shxw'ow'hamel First Nation - Highway 1 Commercial Lands Planning ($94,953), Sliammon Indian Band - Tla'amin Nation Lund Hotel and Business Optimization ($93,938), Fort Nelson First Nation - Securing Fort Nelson First Nation's Forestry Operations ($67,000), Skwah Indian Band - Economic Development Opportunities and Land Designation Support ($45,879), Gwa'Sala-Nakwaxda'xw Indian Band - Developing Seafood Product Lines and Branding Strategy for International Marketing ($45,429), Tk'emlups te Secwepemc - 7 Mile Master Plan ($30,548). Total of $1,585,747. Contacts For more information, media may contact: Jeff Valois Director of Communications Office of the Honourable Seamus O'Regan, Minister of Indigenous Services 613-698-2884 Media Relations Indigenous Services Canada 819-953-1160 SAC.media.ISC@canada.ca Stay Connected Join the conversation about Indigenous peoples in Canada: Twitter: GovCan Indigenous Facebook: GovCan Indigenous Peoples Instagram: @gcIndigenous You can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds. For more information or to subscribe, visit www.isc.gc.ca/RSS. Reinsurer SCORs shareholders on Friday blocked an attempt by an activist fund to oust the companys CEO, in a sign that activist investors are increasing pressure on French blue chips. Nearly three quarters of SCORs shareholders supported CEO Denis Kessler and rejected a motion put forward by French activist fund CIAM over whether to keep the veteran boss on the companys board. CIAMs attempt to oust Kessler came after months of tension over French co-operative insurer Coveas failed 8.2 billion euro takeover bid for SCOR last year, which was opposed by Kessler and had earned him criticism from CIAM. Shareholders approved Kesslers 6.5 million euro ($7.2 million) pay package by a much thinner margin, with 54 percent voting in favor of his compensation for 2018. They approved his 2019 compensation with almost the same margin. There is increasing scrutiny in France over the role of activist investors, which have become more active in Europe, buying stakes in companies they consider are underperforming and pushing for changes. New York hedge fund Elliott Management, for example, has put pressure on drinks group Pernod Ricard. The French government is examining measures to prevent activists from destabilizing French companies. CIAM, which holds just under one percent of SCOR shares, had asked other shareholders to remove Kessler from the board, while keeping him as CEO. CIAM questioned Kesslers opposition to the 8.2 billion euro takeover bid for SCOR last year from Covea. Kessler is now under watch, Catherine Berjal, the co-founder of CIAM told Reuters after the vote. He saved his salary by a short margin, he will have to justify it now, she added. CIAM has said Kessler wielded too much power at SCOR and the firm lacked the right checks and balances. The fund also said the lack of a succession plan for the 67-year-old Kessler was a risk for the company. Seeking to address the succession issue, SCORs board has hired headhunters to find a replacement for Kessler. His current mandate is due to end in mid-2021. We have a succession plan, but I dont want to unveil it too much in advance to avoid destabilizing the company, Kessler told Reuters after the shareholders meeting. He said he would announce his successor nine months ahead of the last shareholders assembly he is due to chair. Dismissing the CEO would have created an instability that would be detrimental to shareholders, Amber Capital founder Joseph Oughourlian, said. Kessler had said he would not remain CEO were he was ousted from the board. Kessler has won credit from key shareholders by taking over a struggling company and turning it into one of the most solid international reinsurers. Im quite happy to pay for success, what I dont want is to pay for failure, Oughourlian said. ($1 = 0.8957 euros) (Reporting by Inti Landauro; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Jane Merriman) Letters No fan of 'gig' economy Re.: Rob Hopkins letter Employees vs. contractors (Castanet, Dec.17) Rob Hopkins' recent letter to Castanet hits the nail squarely and firmly on the head, driving home a very important point. Uber and Lyft and similar "gig" (i.e. contractor-, freelancer-, or piecework-based) "employers" leverage Internet platforms that use (often secret and hidden) algorithms to extract maximum profit from each and every region they operate in. They do not meet any reasonable standard of good corporate citizen. They use micro-optimizations of service, controlled by algorithms designed to extract the maximum amount of work, with the least amount of cost, and drive a most addictive form of nearly programmed control over their customers and consumers. Gig workers do not actually enjoy true flexibility and autonomy in return for opting out of job security and upwardly mobile career paths, but rather are driven by, and are slaves to, "the machine. They work more hours (55 per week on average in the U.S.) and suffer greater mortality, never mind also having lower mental and physical health on average, and all this for less pay and benefits. In gig work your boss is an app driven by algorithms that you are not permitted to truly know or understand, never mind change or even influence. I'm stunned and dismayed that some, indeed so many of, our local politicians and pundits, most notably our mayor, are so publicly and vehemently pushing, apparently blindly and with little critical thought, their support for these non-local, non-tax paying, non-citizen, international corporate behemoths instead of sticking up for and supporting our own local service companies. Why support Uber instead of (any of the local taxi companies)? It's bad enough that true employee wages have long lost pace with inflation (and other employee benefits have similarly fallen behind), but now our elected politicians are pushing services that pay absolute minimum possible compensation to their contractors while controlling every aspect of their lives and actions as they deliver services on behalf of these faceless and unaccountable global profiteers. These companies, and others like Amazon, Google, Facebook, Ebay, Etsy,etc. are directly responsible for (though not entirely alone in) vastly increasing the ever more massive wealth gap between the 1% (and especially the 0.1%) and the rest of us. In the U.S. the gig economy has effectively halved the average nationwide minimum wage, from one that was already below the poverty line to one that is scraping the bottom of a long-empty barrel. Do our local leaders really want to support such arguably unethical and immoral corporations? If they continue to do so, they will most certainly lose my support and vote. Greg A. Woods, Kelowna A definition of Christmas Christmas C is for cherish. Cherish all you hold dear. H is for hope. Hope for one and all. R is for remembering to give from your heart. I is for imagination. Imagine yourself in someone elses shoes before you judge them. S is for sharing. God gave us a heart to share love and compassion with those who need it most. T is for trust. Trust you inner feelings and your heart to make you the person you know you can be. M is for memories. Memories are made for you to have forever. Our own personal movie we can recall whenever we need to. Thanks for the memories. A is for always. Always be kind. Show the world how to love again. S is for smile. Give someone a smile, its free. You may just make someones day a little brighter. Merry Christmas my friends. Lets remember the simple things in life are the best things in life. Pat Baril Property under-taxation Re: Peter Emerys letter Questioning CMHC (Castanet, Dec. 14) Peter Emery's response to Lloyd Vinishes letter Don't Believe Government (Castanet Dec. 14) is a little misplaced. I fully agree with government in stating that the under-taxation of real estate wealth needs to be addressed. To think that a primary residence bought for $50 million and sold for $70 million resulting in a profit of $20 million should not be taxed is ludicrous and extremely unjust. People working daily at minimum wage will pay more in taxes on their earnings than that individual. Instead, there should be a lifetime limit indexed to inflation of say $500,000 to $1million and full taxation beyond, as in no capital gains tax break. Likewise, those investing and flipping houses only pay 50% of their tax rate as capital gains earnings. Twenty-six percent of houses bought in Ontario are bought as investments, not as primary dwellings for people. This is driving house prices to unapproachable levels for working people who need a place to live. It should be 100% of their tax rate on profits, the same as earnings from actual work. The taxation policies seem backward as people who actually work for a living pay their full tax rates, but those who sit on their butts reaping great profits investing are rewarded with tax breaks. The money gained through real estate taxation of this sort could be used to pay for universal government programs such as day care, health care, pharmaceuticals, etc. It's obvious to see where those individuals presently drafting the laws reside. Rob Hopkins, Osoyoos Maintain roads properly I just read the comments of truck driver Mcgillvary. I could??t agree more. I am a truck driver as well, mostly travelling west of Kelowna. Road maintenance is usually good to the Pennask summit. The next zone is mostly poorly maintained. I seldom see any maintenance vehicles on (the road in) that zone. I speak from experience after working on winter road maintenance for 35 plus years, including several years on Highway 97C (the Okanagan Connextor), the road to Big White and Highway 33. I don??t believe the (transportation) ministry is doing enough to enforce proper maintenance. Its very hit and miss. I cant believe ICBC is OK with this situation, due to the accidents caused by bad conditions on the roads. Its time to eliminate the profit motive and get the job done no matter what the cost. If the province wants goods to move, they have to give us reasonable road conditions to do it on. Dean R Martin Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck UPDATE: 1 p.m. Police have removed dozens of protesters from a barn at a hog farm in British Columbia's Fraser Valley where activists say a video was shot depicting sick and dead pigs in cramped crates. Protester Susan Rowbottom says she was among about 50 people police led out of the barn at Excelsior Hog Farm in Abbotsford just before noon today. Abbotsford police Sgt. Judy Bird says the protesters are not under arrest and are still standing outside, but there will be a criminal investigation of alleged mischief, break-and-enter and trespassing. Another 135 individuals who arrived on buses early this morning have gathered outside the property wearing black shirts that read "Meat the Victims" and singing. The demonstration comes after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals released a video that it says shows dead piglets as well as fully grown pigs with growths and lacerations. Ray Binnendyk, one of the brothers who operates the farm, says they are raising the animals to the best of their ability, they love what they do and they are saddened by being depicted as "bad people." - with files from the Canadian Press UPDATE: 9:30 a.m. Police officers and activists are inside a pig farm in Abbotsford as part of a large protest this morning. Animal activist Amy Soranno is inside the pig farm, along with another 200 protestors, and documenting the protest. This is Canadas first Meat the Victims, we are here to document the realities and truth of what is happening to farm animals in Canada, said Soranno. About 65 people are inside the farm and another 135 people are outside protesting. Soranno says they are working with farmers and police to allow media into the pig farm. - with files from Alanna Kelly ORIGINAL: 8:25 p.m. Animal activists are occupying an Abbotsford pig farm this morning. The Excelsior Hog Farm is the scene of a large protest involving 200 people, organizers say, and 65 of those are reportedly "locked down" inside the farm, where undercover video released to PETA recently revealed shocking conditions and dead animals. The group says it is part of an international movement called Meat the Victims. Busloads of protesters could be seen unloading at the farm property early Sunday. We have come together from all over North America in response to an investigation that was recently released from this farm. We are speaking out against the cruelty of the animal agriculture industry, and to stand in solidarity for the animals," the group said in a statement released to the media. The aim of this action is to expose the reality of what is happening to the victims of the meat industry and to challenge the current mindset within our society. "The truth is being hidden from the public, and we believe that people are making choices that go against their values. Most people are against animal cruelty and would not want to support this industry if they knew what was truly happening." The group says industry perpetuates a myth of humane treatment with labels such as local, free range, grass fed, organic, and cage free. It claims the Abbotsford facility is not unique, but rather "a standard representation of factory farming here in Canada." "This action is not about this one facility, or a call for better animal welfare standards, but rather a call to end the inherently violent animal agriculture industry entirely," the group's statement said. Last week, HB 1079/SB 97 passed in the Tennessee State Senate and must now go before a joint committee in order to iron out the differences between the House and Senate versions. The Unity Group of Chattanooga continues to stand with civil rights and social justice organizations from across the state and nation in denouncing this discriminatory and demeaning piece of legislation. We continue to believe that its very presence dishonors and debases the reputation and integrity of our great state, and its sole and primarily objective is to deny and abridge the right to vote. It is also important to point to the fact that that on last year, the Pew Research Center ranked Tennessee as 40th in voter registration and 50th, dead last, in voter turnout. This vote is indicative of a long history of disparate and discriminatory treatment that has been waged along racial, class and social lines for decades. Likewise, let there be no mistake, this legislation is aimed at the Tennessee Black Voter Project, who registered more than 90,000 new voters during the 2018 midterms, and other groups who focus on voter education and empowerment, and we will vigorously oppose it. This legislation is punitive and retributive in nature because it seeks to punish those who submit more than 100 incomplete voting registration forms by imposing financial penalties as much as $10,000 while subsequently making it a crime, a Class A misdemeanor, if registration drive organizers misstate imposed training. As an affect, this can be viewed as being the most narrow, stringent and expensive poll tax in all of American history and is akin to the grandfather clauses, literacy test, and disenfranchising scare tactics used in the past to intimidate potential voters. We will also continue to advocate that more productive measures to ensure voter effectiveness and integrity be adopted, such as: (1) An expansion of early voting to include Sunday voting so that Souls may go to the Polls; (2) Automatic Registration; (3) Same Day Registration; (4) Allow College IDs to be permissible during elections; (5) Fully restore the vote to formerly incarcerated persons; (6) Congress to restore key provisions of the Voting Rights Act; (7) Ensure fairness in all Redistricting Processes. Redistricting, in particular is imperative because our area has seen tools of voter suppression such as cracking, packing, stacking, the purging of voters, and reassignment of polling locations, all in an effort to deny and dilute the voting prospects of African-Americans, minority and poor communities. These bias-based and racialized forms of gerrymandering have all but eliminated a local state Senate seat and the loss of a House seat as the 28th and 29th legislative districts were forced to merge over five years ago. As illustrated by a federal court ruling against the state of Michigan on this week, during the last several years, federal courts have struck down illegal gerrymandering and the iniquitous drawing of electoral boundaries as they have looked at issues such as local zoning border practices, compactness and potential efficiency gaps. Legislation, such as that which has be proposed in Tennessee, will make majority-minority districts nonexistent as they become coalition or swing districts; these consequences will be open to violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. One way to avoid this is through the establishment of independent redistricting commissions to redraw district boundaries in order to ensure non-partisan electoral integrity and fairness. In fact, more than 20 states now use advisory boards or redistricting commissions, but sadly, Tennessee is not amongst them. Another bill passed by the Senate last week included the education savings account neo-voucher measure. We are also emphatically opposed to this bill. Instead of limiting achievement to a diminutive number of schools and students, and siphoning up to $125 million a year that should stay in the domain that aides and assists public schools, we advocate for more progressive and practical approaches to education. We strongly align with many of the 2019 Legislative Policies developed by the Southern Education Foundation, some of which are amongst others included: Equitable K-12 state funding formulas that address historical and present-day opportunity and achievement gaps and fiscal inequities that negatively impact students of color; Increasing K-12 per-pupil expenditures and amending tax provisions to ensure districts have the appropriate level of resources to invest in providing college-and-career ready curriculums, professional development, and support to attract and retain well-prepared and highly effective staff; and Teacher pay that is commensurate with experience and effectiveness and is competitive with other similar professional workforce salaries Academic supports, and is competitive with other similar professional workforce salaries. We also call for the full and immediate cessation of labeling predominately African-American, minority and poor schools and students as underachieving, low performing, failing and at-risk. We must be mindful that these negative stigmas and stereotypes create egregious misperceptions and fallacies that create additional barriers for them to overcome. In a day and age that has moved from dual academic tracks that afforded all students an opportunity for success, in favor of a single track that attempts to funnel them all to 4-year universities, we call for more public debate on what student success should be, namely, becoming a contributing and productive member of society. Most importantly, we should all be alarmed about the lack of civil discourse, dispassionate objectivity, and empathetic discernment which has befallen our State government. We must lay asunder our confirmation biases, attitude polarizations, and detrimental vices and do what is in the best interest of all our citizens. The plot of this course we are currently traveling will only serve to further divide us. Rather, we must agree to reconcile ourselves to be amicable in our beliefs, principles and basic fundamental differences should they arise, and resolve, with a determined fervor and moral equivalency that honors our State and citizens, to uplift it for the better, which will by virtue help us all be firmly planted atop higher ground. Unity Group of Chattanooga, Sherman E. Matthews Jr., chairman Eric Atkins, corresponding secretary Paul Russell Simulis, 31, of Apison, Tennessee, died on Saturday, April 27, 2019. Paul was of the Seventh-day Adventist faith. Survivors include his wife, Jaime Simulis, daughters, Brooklynn and Stacy, parents, Jerome and Laurie Simulis and siblings, Phillip, Joshua, Sarah Long and Timothy. The family will receive friends from 4-7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1, at the Valley View Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 2, at McDonald Road Seventh-day Adventist Church, 5440 McDonald Road, McDonald, Tn. 37353 with Pastor Fred Fuller officiating. Interment will follow at Collegedale Memorial Park. Please share your thoughts and memories at: www.ChattanoogaValleyViewChapel.com Arrangements are by Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory & Florist, Valley View Chapel, 7414 Old Lee Highway, Chattanooga, Tn. 37421. The Prince Harry and Meghan Markle rumor machine wages on with the focus on rumblings of the couple moving to Africa moving on to related buzz that they will take Baby Sussex on a tour of Africa later this year. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | FADEL SENNA/AFP/Getty Images Will Baby Sussex travel to Africa? On the heels of rumors that Prince Harry and Markle planned to move to Africa for an extended stay, comes a new report that the couple instead will embark on a two-week tour that may have them bringing Baby Sussex along. The timeline of that visit, according to a report from The Times, is around the time the baby is six months old, sometime in the fall, which would make him or her one of the youngest royals to go on an official tour. A royal source told The Times: They hope to take the baby with them but will make a decision nearer the time. Potentially, Meghan and the baby could do some, if not all, of the trip. If the rumor pans out, Baby Sussex would follow his fathers example, as Harry made his first appearance during a royal tour in Venice in 1985 with Princess Diana, Prince Charles, and Prince William when he was six months old. Prince William visited New Zealand for a royal tour when he was nine months old and Prince William and Kate Middletons son, Prince George, was taken to visit New Zealand in 2014, at eight months old. Will Baby Sussex be too young for overseas travel? There are conflicting reports, naturally, as a source told Vanity Fair that plans for a trip to the U.S. and Canada for the couple were postponed, sharing: As it stands, the Duchess of Sussex wont be going away on an official overseas tour this year. Thats the word out of the Palace, although things might change. The insider added: Right now we have been told that there wont be any overseas travel before the end of the year because Baby Sussex will be too young. Details of a years-long Africa move were addressed by the palace Reports first swirled that Prince Harry and Markle had a move to Africa planned that would be for a three-year assignment combining Commonwealth and charity work, according to The Sunday Times. A source told the site that plans were being drawn up by advisers that involved the couple living there for two to three years. Piggybacking on that claim was the idea that this distance had much to do with the reported feud between Harry and his brother William. An insider told Sunday Times: In some ways it would suit William to get his brother out of the country for a few years and Meghan as far away as possible. A spokesman for the royal family remarked of the rumors: Any future plans for The Duke and Duchess are speculative at this stage. No decisions have been taken about future roles. The Duke will continue to fulfill his role as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador. Similarly, a press officer for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wouldnt comment on the report, but did tell E! News, that any official visits or tours undertaken by any members of the royal family are announced in the usual way. The popular HBO show Game of Thrones has featured many familiar faces over the years, including industry veterans like Lena Headey and Peter Dinklage. The show has also been instrumental in launching the careers of several young stars. None of these fresh-faced actors shine brighter than Kit Harrington, who plays Jon Snow. As a young English actor with a natural affinity for dramatic roles, Harrington quickly became a global star after he was cast in Game of Thrones in 2010. Kit Harringtons early career Harrington was born in 1986, and got his start on stage, acting in a wide variety of dramatic roles. He studied drama and acting in high school and, upon graduation, moved to London to further his career. His first big onstage role was that of Albert in the play War Horse. His work in the play started gaining Harrington a good deal of attention in theatre circles, and critics started noticing the young actor. During his work on War Horse, Harrington was partially responsible for the great success of the play. Ultimately, War Horse won two Olivier Awards, which recognize excellence in theatre. Although Harrington loved the stage, he decided it was time to try something new. In late 2010, Harrington tried out for an upcoming HBO show called Game of Thrones. While he didnt know it yet, his time on the show would ultimately make him a household name all over the world. Kit Harringtons role as Jon Snow In 2011, Game of Thrones premiered on HBO to immediate success. A fictional show based on the novels by George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones is a big-budget fantasy that follows the lives and fortunes of a great many characters. In order to be successful on a show with so many players, an actor must really make an impression on an audience and Harrington did just that. Although his role as Jon Snow, the illegitimate son of Ned Stark, was a leading one, it was also quite challenging. Harrington had to play many serious scenes in difficult filming situations, including sub-zero temperatures on location in Iceland. After Harrington was launched to worldwide fame on Game of Thrones, he started landing roles in films such as Pompeii and 7 Days in Hell. However, over the past eight years of the show, his main focus has definitely been Game of Thrones. In addition to fame and wealth, Game of Thrones brought Harrington into contact with his future wife. Harrington met his co-star, Rose Leslie, on set, and the two started dating after playing star-crossed lovers on screen. In June 2018, Harrington and Leslie tied the knot, in a grand ceremony in Scotland. Many of their co-stars from Game of Thrones attended the ceremony. Whats next for Kit Harrington? With the final season of Game of Thrones well underway and the very last episode set to air in May, Harrington is thinking to the future. Even though he is well-known to be a private person, staying under the radar and giving very few interviews, he recently spoke out about his upcoming projects. He revealed that hes open to doing a wide variety of projects, and would prefer to work in both theatre and film, like his heroes, English actors Ben Whishaw and Benedict Cumberbatch. Of course, with his theatre roots, it is likely that he might want to return to the stage at some point, either in a drama or a lighthearted comedy. The actor that plays Jon Snow is actually one of the hottest stars in the world, with a world of possibilities to explore once Game of Thrones ends. Matt Damon is a big name in Hollywood, having been the face of the Bourne franchise films since the 2000s as well as several other blockbuster hits such as Good Will Hunting (1997), The Departed (2006), and The Martian (2015). While Matt Damons roles are well known, some people might be curious to know more about the man behind them. For example: How old is Matt Damon? What is his personal life like and does he have kids? Read on below to find out the answers! How old is Matt Damon? Matt Damon | Katie McGowan/NBC/NBCU Photobank Matt Damon was born on October 8, 1970, which means that he will turn 49 this year. He grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with his mother and an older brother named Kyle. As a student, Matt Damon was involved in his schools theater productions and he ended up becoming good friends with a younger kid named Ben Affleck, who also shared his passion for acting. After graduating from high school in 1988, Matt Damon attended Harvard while trying to also pursue an acting career. He eventually dropped out in 1992 and moved to Los Angeles, where he and his buddy Ben Affleck went to many auditions together. The pair also took on odd jobs, such as working in construction and demolition, to sustain their lifestyle. When Matt Damon was 27, he and Ben Affleck finally hit it big with their movie Good Will Hunting that they both wrote and starred in. Since then, Matt Damon has been a fixture in Hollywood with iconic roles in many successful Hollywood films. Is Matt Damon married? Matt Damon has actually been married for over a decade. His wife is a woman named Luciana Bozan Barroso and their love story is as awe-inspiring as a romantic movie. In 2003, Matt Damon was in Miami to film the movie Stuck On You when he went to a bar and met Barroso, who was a bartender from Argentina. It was a very fateful encounter as well because the actor was never even supposed to be in Miami. Stuck On You was initially meant to be filmed in Hawaii, but the crew decided to move the location to Miami instead. Matt Damon and Luciana Barroso also only met because a few crew members dragged the actor out to a bar even when he said that he did not want to go. I dont know how else our paths wouldve crossed if that didnt happen if all those things didnt happen, Damon recalled. The two eventually fell in love and got married in 2005. Does Matt Damon have any kids? Luciana Barroso has one daughter from her past marriage named Alexia (b. 1998), which means that Matt Damon became a stepfather when he married Barroso. However, you wont find any bad blood and drama in this family. Barrosos ex-husband (who she divorced in 2004) once shared in an interview that Matt Damon has been a phenomenal stepfather to Alexia: I couldnt possibly have asked for a better stepfather for my daughter than Matt. He treats Alexia like she is his own flesh and blood. Matt has been an absolute blessing for my daughter. Additionally, Matt Damon and Luciana Barroso also have daughters of their own: Isabella (b. 2006), Gia (b. 2008), and Stella (b. 2010). The family leads very private lives, so not much is known about Matt Damons children. Nevertheless, Damon has shared a few information here and there about how he and his wife are trying to not spoil their daughters and, instead, raise them to become worldly, compassionate people. Matt Damon himself also does a lot of philanthropic work, including with his organization Water.org, which helps provide clean water to developing regions. Hes also hoping that, with exposure to his own charity work, that his children can learn the importance of giving back and that there is more to life than what they know in their privileged community. Thats something my wife and I are able to do with our kids: Show them a bigger world and hopefully build some empathy and compassion, and some understanding for different perspectives and different ways of living, he told AOL. Hopefully, thatll lead to continued empathy and compassion as they get older and start to engage with some of these issues in a real way. Most of us who are Matt Damon fans know of his long-term friendship or should we say bromance with Ben Affleck. We have watched Damon grow up on the screen from Goodwill Hunting more than 20 years ago and portraying Private First Class James Francis Ryan through to the Oceans trilogy. His portrayal of Jason Bourne is also a personal favorite for many fans. But, what do we know about his private life? Is Damon married? And if so, to whom? Matt Damons film career At the age of 48, Damon is one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. His continual charisma and boyish charm make him a good bet for film casters and producers if they can garner his interest in their script. Damon, along with Affleck, co-wrote the screenplay for Goodwill Hunting for which they earned the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Screenplay in 1997. The friends, who had met in acting classes in Cambridge, Massachusetts were only in their 20s. Damon was also nominated for Best Actor in the film. Damons film career has included drama, comedy, and romance. But his work hasnt been limited to the Big Screen. He portrayed the bisexual lover Scott Thorson to Michael Douglas Liberace in Behind the Candelabra for HBO, which netted him an Emmy nomination. Is Matt Damon married? Damon is married to Luciana Bozan Barroso the two tied the knot in 2005. They met in 2003 while he was on location in Miami for the film Stuck on You. She was working as a bartender in a South Beach nightclub where the movie crew ventured into one night. Damon has told of their meeting in a romantic tale when he spotted her across a dark room, which featured a spotlight on her, and he knew he had to meet her. The Argentine-born Luciana recently told Vogue Australia, that wasnt really the case. It was more like he ran behind her bar to hide from fans, and she put him to work bartending. She told him, as recalled to Vogue: You know, if youre going to be back here, you cant just be standing there! He had trained as a bartender for a film years before, so he started making drinks, she added. And he made me a ton of money in tips that night because of course everyone wanted to go and see him. They had immediate chemistry and he asked her out. She was a single mother of a four-year-old and Damon appreciated her priority to her daughter, Alexia. The Damon family Matt and Luciana Damon married in a civil ceremony two years after they met. Together they have three additional daughters: Isabella, Gia, and Stella. They have a home in Pacific Palisades. But, about a year ago, the family purchased another home and moved to Byron Bay in New South Wales along the eastern coast of Australia. Thats about 763 kilometers, or 475 miles, north of Sydney. It had been a tumultuous 12 months prior to that including the loss of Matt Damons dad, Kent. They needed a break from Hollywood. The Damons Australian neighbor is Chris Hemsworth, of Avengers fame, and his family. In fact, Luciana has found a best friend in Chris wife, Elsa Pataky. Where will we see Matt Damon next? "Ford v. Ferrari" looks like an awards contender based on #CinemaCon preview https://t.co/SV1f0yYPEG Variety (@Variety) April 4, 2019 Damon has recently been back stateside working on Ford v. Ferrari opposite British actor Christian Bale, which is due to release in November. Damon plays engineer Carroll Shelby, Bale plays race car driver Ken Miles in the real-life drama of a Ford Motor team looking to take on Ferraris dominance in the race car world during the 1960s. Variety is already calling it an Oscar-contender for 21st Century Fox. To say that Brie Larson has been everywhere this year is a bit of an understatement. She has starred in three films released this year, and its only April. Two of those were big-budget superhero flicks within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, meaning shes played a lead role in the two highest grossing movies of the year so far (and, likely, of the year total). But shes not slowing down. Heres what the actress had to say about her future within the MCU. Brie Larson | Han Myung-Gu/WireImage Larsons Captain Marvel has set records Februarys Captain Marvel was a long time coming: It was the first woman-led solo film in the MCU after rival DCEU put out Wonder Woman in 2017. And while it took far too long to get here, it was incredible when it did. Captain Marvel grossed $1 billion, a feat which no other female-led superhero movie has accomplished. It is also the ninth highest-grossing superhero film ever. At the time of publication, it was the highest-grossing film of 2019, but its on track to be surpassed by Avengers: Endgame. We finally got to see Captain Marvel interact with the rest of the MCU in Avengers: Endgame While Captain Marvel was the heros origin story set in 1995, she was brought into the 21st Century with Endgame. Carol Danvers shows up ready to take on Thanos by herself after the Avengers page her with the device she gave Nick Fury. However, she ends up working alongside Earths Mightiest Heroes. Mild spoiler alert here: Larsons doesnt get an overwhelming amount of screentime in Endgame, as its meant to serve as the finale for original Avengers like Iron Man and Captain America. But considering her strength, she is obviously a pivotal part of the film, especially when it comes to fight scenes. These are the women she wants to see get their own MCU films Larson has been an outspoken advocate of increasing representation in the MCU. Speaking with Ashley Esqueda for CNET, she spoke about the Marvel women shes like to star in their own films. In addition to giving her pal, Tessa Thompson, a Valkyrie movie, Larson said she wants to see Kamala Khan, who goes by the name Ms. Marvel, enter the universe, likely through a forthcoming Captain Marvel flick. She also said she wants the Dora Milaje from Black Panther to strike out on their own, saying, I could watch a whole movie of those warrior women, theres so much to be mined from that. Heres what she had to say about directing a Marvel movie Larsons only non-Marvel film to come out in 2019 was Unicorn Store, a movie she directed herself, which is now available on Netflix. Knowing that she has an interest in continuing to work behind the camera as well as in front, Esqueda asked if shes want to helm her own MCU flick. Totally. I mean, for me, whether its acting or directing, its about story, said Larson. But it would definitely depend on the subject for her, saying, It has to be a story that you feel passionate in your gut that its undeniable and will carry you through for a couple years. Check out the Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Princess Diana died in a tragic car accident while in Paris, France, on August 31, 1997. Her untimely death came as a shock to the royal family and to the world. Her sons, Princes William and Harry, were 15 and 12 years old respectively when they lost their mother. Now, more than 20 years later, the princes have opened up about the last phone call they had with their mother. Princess Dianas fatal car accident At the time of her death, Princess Diana had been vacationing with her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, in Paris, France. They left their hotel and got into an awaiting Mercedes S280 driven by Henri Paul. Fayed and Princess Diana were in the car along with their bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones. In the Pont de lAlma tunnel, Paul lost control of the Mercedes and crashed. Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed (both partially visible in back seat), bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones (front, left) and driver Henri Paul, in their Mercedes-Benz S280, shortly before the fatal crash which killed Diana, Fayed, and Paul, Paris, 31st August 1997.| Jacques Langevin/scottbaker-inquests.gov.uk via Getty Images The accident killed Paul and Fayed while Princess Diana and Rees-Jones were taken to a hospital. Princess Diana died but Rees-Jones survived. Where were Prince William and Prince Harry when their mother died? Princess Dianas sons were on vacation in Scotland when she passed away, according to Readers Digest. Last phone call with Princess Diana The boys were vacationing in Scotland while their mom spent time in France with Fayed. Even though they were in two different countries, Princess Diana spoke with her children on the phone. At the time of their phone call, Prince Harry and Prince William recalled being very excited about playing with their cousins. Harry and I were in a desperate rush to say goodbye, you know, see you later, Prince William said in the documentary film, Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy. Mohammed Al Fayed (far left) and Princess Diana, are seen in St Tropez with Prince William and Prince Harry in the summer of 1997, shortly before Diana and Dodi were killed in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997. |Michel Dufour/WireImage Had he known the fate of his mother, the phone call wouldve gone very differently, Prince William said. If Id known now what was going to happen, I wouldnt have been so blase about it, Prince William said in an interview for the film. But that phone call sticks in my mind quite heavily. And for Prince Harry, the last phone call with his mother is something he still grapples with today. Looking back on it now, its incredibly hard. Ill have to sort of deal with that for the rest of my life, Prince Harry said. How differently that conversation could have panned out if Id had even the slightest inkling her life was going to be taken that night. Prince William tells his kids about Granny Diana While their mother has been gone since 1997, the boys keep her in their thoughts. One of the many ways they do that is by talking about her with family. Prince William talks about his mother with his own children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis at bedtime, calling her Granny Diana. Princess Diana, Prince William, and Prince Harry Visit The Thorpe Park Amusement Park Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images While Prince Harry doesnt have children of his own quite yet, his wife, Meghan Markle is due any day now with their first child, hes been keeping his mothers memory alive in other ways. For instance, Prince Harry proposed to Markle with a ring made up of two diamonds from his mothers personal collection and a stone he sourced from Botswana. Prince Charles may be next in line to the throne after Queen Elizabeth II, but rumors have been running wild that Prince William will actually be the next King of England. In the event that Williams gets the throne, Kate Middleton has been slowing preparing for her new role as Queen Kate. Queen Elizabeth II and Kate Middleton | Photo by Oli Scarff WPA Pool / Getty Images Kate Makes First Solo Appearance With Her Majesty Last month, Kate had her first solo appearance with Queen Elizabeth. The duo visited Kings College in an event that was designed to prepare Kate for her duties alongside Prince William. The outing was the first of its kind for the pair, but it clearly shows that Queen Elizabeth is taking Kate under her wing. According to US Weekly, royal experts, such as Rebecca Long, believe that the majority of people in the UK want to see William on the throne over Charles. That does not mean Charles will abdicate his place at the head of the table, but it could prompt the family to move in a new direction. William and Kate are the favorite royals to take the crown in many generations, so the people of the U.K. are very excited about it, Long shared. Apart from their recent solo outing, Her Majesty has been spending more one-on-one time with the Duchess of Cambridge. Inside sources claim that Elizabeth and Kate often spend time together discussing where the monarchy is headed and the ins and outs of royal life. The lessons are undoubtedly valuable to Kate, despite that she will likely run things differently. Are William And Kate Already Preparing For A Major Power Move? It takes a large team to run the royal familys household, and William and Kate are already putting together a top-notch squad of staffers, many of whom have experience in government. This includes the hiring of a new PR manager in Sarah Latham, who previously worked in the White House during Bill Clintons administration. Theres also the fact that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving out of Kensington Palace and setting up shop in Windsor. The move gives them more space for their growing family, but it also makes room for William and Kates expanded role. William recently stepped down from his job as a pilot for an air ambulance crew in order to focus all of his efforts at Kensington Palace. The timing of the move means that William is preparing to become king, just like his father. Even if Charles takes the throne, he will not have the crown for long. With Charles pushing 70 years old, there is a good chance that William will become king within 20 years. What Are The Chances That William Is Named King Over Charles? The fact that Queen Elizabeth has already named Charles as her heir means it is unlikely that her oldest son will abdicate. That said, polls show that William and Kate have a lot of support from the people. According to International Business Times, some 46 percent of the population in the UK would like to see Charles give up the crown. Another 27 percent want Queen Elizabeth to skip Charles altogether and give the reigns to his oldest child. The only problem with Charles abdicating is that he has been waiting to become king for such a long time. Although Elizabeth is getting up there in age, she is still in great health and will likely remain on the throne for a few more years at the least. If that happens, Charles will have to wait even longer to claim his birth right, which means he is unlikely to give it up without a fight. William Wants To Inherit The Crown When The Timing Is Right With his father prepared to take the throne, royal watchers believe that William does not want to sit on the throne before his time. Instead, William would reportedly rather wait until he is older and wiser, just like his father. Given all the pressures of being king, this is probably a good decision. Sister Wives fans think that Aspyn Brown is moving towards plural living even if she doesnt know it yet. While the young bride has been outspoken about her desire to live a more traditional lifestyle, it looks like that may not be in the cards for her- at least not if her husband, Mitch has anything to say about it. Aspyn Brown married Mitch Thompson in June 2018. The wedding, held in Sandy, Utah included 120 guests the Alldredge family of Seeking Sister Wife was in attendance. The pair had been longtime friends prior to Apsyns move to Las Vegas. They later reconnected when Aspyn made the first move, and from there Thompson moved to Vegas to be close to his impending bride. While the story seems sweet, fans of Sister Wives see some red flags in the fledgling marriage. Fans think Mitch is being shady when questioned about living a plural life While Aspyn has been outspoken about her desire to remain in a monogamous relationship, Mitch has spent a good amount of time dodging questions about his intentions. One fan questioned the couple about their family plans on Instagram, and while Aspyn decided not to answer, Mitch happily chimed in. While he said he was hoping theyd stick to just one husband, he never actually suggested he wasnt planning to add more wives to his family. Reddit users have discussed Mitchs wishy-washy feelings on polygamy in-depth, and many agree that his lack of commitment to monogamy is a huge problem. Young and inexperienced, fans fear that Aspyn has no idea what she is getting into; fans note that she seems to mimic her mothers overly enthusiastic behavior. Its possible 24-year-old Aspyn could be led into a life that she is vehemently against, at least for herself. The move to Utah has some fans concerned Aspyn recently noted that she and Mitch were spending some time as tourists while they were still in Vegas. They apparently plan to head back to Utah as soon as Aspyn ties up loose ends at school. While it seems the move was always in the cards, some fans are giving the decision the side eye. Aspyn and Mitchs move to Utah puts them substantially closer to Mitchs family and further away from Aspyns siblings, all of whom have decided polygamy is not for them. Mitch is from a well-known polygamist family. In fact, he is directly related to Vanessa Alldredge, the current star of Seeking Sister Wife. Royal baby watchers might have been disappointed to learn of Prince Harry and Meghan Markles desire to keep the details of their first childs birth private, but the request is understandable. Still, many fans find that the couple snubbing the notion of the traditional first baby photo taken on the steps of the hospital is quite upsetting. Meghan Meghan Markle | Hannah McKay WPA Pool/Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ask for privacy Given that the media puts the royals under a microscope regularly, its understandable that Prince Harry and Markle dont want any intrusion on a special day like the birth of their first child. Prince Harry and Markle made their wishes well known when Buckingham Palace released a statement on the matter, noting: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very grateful for the goodwill they have received from people throughout the United Kingdom and around the world as they prepare to welcome their baby. Their Royal Highnesses have taken a personal decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby private. The Duke and Duchess look forward to sharing the exciting news with everyone once they have had an opportunity to celebrate privately as a new family. Markle reportedly feels sorry that Kate Middleton had to pose after childbirth The notion of being glammed up post-baby delivery to have a photo snapped on the steps of the hospital is definitely jarring, but its a royal tradition that weve become accustomed to, as Princess Diana and Kate Middleton both did it with their children. Were in the age of social media now, so perhaps this tradition is wholly unnecessary. Prince Harry and Markle can announce their happy baby news on their own time and share the first photos of their child on their official Instagram account. According to a report, Markle really feels the whole traditional photo to be unnatural, with a friend of the duchess telling The Post that Markle felt sorry for Kate Middleton going through with the photo, requiring to be made up just hours after giving birth. Prince Harry and Markle have been criticized for wanting privacy As this is not how things are traditionally done, of course, Prince Harry and Markles statement about privacy has gotten plenty of criticism. Duncan Larcombe, former royal editor at The Sun, told The Post: Theyre basically conducting the birth in virtual secrecy. I think its a bit foolish. He added: Harry absolutely hates being the subject of speculation, and this just shows his petulance to the media its just a shame. Those who know Markle believe that she is looking for an experience that her mom, Doria Ragland, would approve of, with a family friend telling The Post: Meghan and Doria are like two peas in a pod. Both perfectionists, both can be controlling, but they know their own minds for sure! They just like things the way they like them. Everyone in the family says that when theyre together, Harry who is extremely fond of Doria will have to take a back seat. He wont be able to get a word in edgewise. Trevor Noah is an international stand up comedian, who, in 2015, succeeded Jon Stewart as host of Comedy Centrals, The Daily Show. The South African born comic has seen much success since moving to America to pursue his career. At 35-years-old, Noah seems to have it all. But life wasnt always so glamorous. He might laugh about it now and use his past in his stand up routine, but times were hard when he was younger. What is Trevor Noahs nationality? If you are looking at his beautiful face and hearing his accent, you might be trying to figure out what nationality Noah is. You are not alone. A quick internet search comes up with well over 65 million hits on the subject. Here is a quick recap of his nationality and back story. He was born in apartheid-era South Africa. His mother is a black Xhosa woman, and his father is white, of Swiss-German descent. They needed to keep their relationship a secret due to the countrys oppression and segregation. The very fact that Noah was born was a crime at the time. Trevor Noahs life started with a crime Noahs life started out as a crime. His parents were interracial, making his birth illegal. While growing up, it wasnt unusual for his mother to be caught trying to see his father. The country was segregated at the time, so she needed to sneak around. When she would be caught, she would get a few days in jail. Sometimes she would be gone for a couple of weeks, reports NPR. He spent a lot of his early years in hiding because, if found, he would be taken away from his family, and his parents might face several years in prison. He told Fresh Air: My grandmother kept me locked in the house when I was staying with the family in Soweto. If the police did show up it was a constant game of hide-and-seek. Everything changed when he moved to America Its hard to imagine that Noah had to hide from police as a child, and now he owns a $20 million Bel-Air bachelor pad. In 1994, when he was 10-years-old, the apartheid ended. He and his mother still had challenges, but his existence was no longer against the law. Noah caught the acting bug in his late teens when he appeared on a soap opera. After that, a dare from his friends got him on stage at a comedy show. This decision ultimately started his career as a comedian in his early twenties. Stand up comedy led him to a foreign correspondent job for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. In 2015, Comedy Central offered him the hosting job, and he accepted. Everything changed for Noah when he moved to America. His newfound success came with some controversy from people who knew little about his background. The release and success of his book, Born A Crime, shed insight into this life. Fun facts about Trevor Noah that youll want to know Did you know that Noah speaks eight languages fluently? Its true. He knows six different South African languages, in addition to English and German, reports MSNBC. Another fact many people dont know is that growing up; he was plagued with acne. It was so bad that he would hang out in the corner and keep to himself. He was put on several different treatments with little luck. It affected his self-esteem, and some of the medications caused depression. Not that any of that matters now, with his handsome face and clear complexion. His past has only made him stronger, and we have a feeling more success is on the horizon. The royals are no stranger to rumors of infidelity. For as long as they have been around, they have been scrutinized by the public. This time it looks like Prince William and Kate Middleton are under the microscope. By all appearances, Prince William and Kate Middleton have a great life together. They have three beautiful children, a lot of money, and they live in a palace. But, some rumors claim they are not as happy as they seem. The rumors claim Prince William is following in his fathers footsteps by having an affair. This would be unthinkable, given how Prince Charles affair tore apart their family. It also means that the Duke of Cambridge would have had the audacity to have an affair with one of his wifes closest friends. On the other hand, if the cheating rumors are not true, then why doesnt Prince William address his affair rumors directly? Heres what we know so far, and why you shouldnt expect Prince William to address the nasty allegations directly anytime soon. This is what started the cheating rumors The initial thought of Prince William taking things too far started a couple of years ago when he went on a ski trip with his buddies. He apparently got a little too handsy with a lady at a bar in Switzerland. The PR nightmare eventually blew over, though. Cut to a few weeks back when rumors started swarming around an alleged feud between the Duchess of Cambridge and one of her closest friends, Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley. This probably wouldnt be a big deal, because according to tabloids, the royals are always feuding with someone. What makes this different, is that according to Page Six, an anonymous source told In Touch that Kate Middleton wanted Rose Hanbury to be phased out of their inner circle of friends. The article also claims that Middleton confronted the prince about cheating rumors, and he laughed it off. Does this mean the rumors are true? Why hasnt there been any official word about it? If someone is being accused of something they didnt do, they usually speak up. Prince Williams lawyers threaten legal action There is no way to know if Prince William actually had the affair that hes been accused of having. Thats between him, his wife, and the Marchioness, and so far none of them have tried to set the record straight. With no official announcements, we have to assume they are just rumors. What we do know is that, according to Daily Beast, their lawyers sent a letter that reads: In addition to being false and highly damaging, the publication of false speculation in respect of our clients private life also constitutes a breach of his privacy pursuant to Article 8 of the European Convention to Human Rights. The fact that they had to threaten a major publication with legal action is notable, given how rare it is for the royals to even acknowledge rumors. Why doesnt Prince William address his affair rumors directly? The truth is the royal family cannot publicly address every rumor about them. It would take up their entire day. Nothing else would get done because there are just too many people talking about them. They have excellent lawyers and PR people to do that for them. Plus, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge should be able to handle these things themselves. Just because they are in the public eye, does not mean this matter is a public one. If Prince William did, in fact, cheat on Kate Middleton, he would not want or need to make a public statement. We are sure his wife would also like the matter to remain private as well. A good amount of drama has been surrounding the royal family lately, in particular, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle. For months, there have been rumors of a feud between Kate Middleton and Meghan, and recently, reports surfaced that Harry may be on the outs with his older brother, Prince William. These rumors ran rampant when Harry and Meghan moved their office out of Kensington Palace and began to operate more independently. A few days ago, the news broke that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex may be temporarily relocating to Africa after the birth of their child. Is this relocation a punishment of sorts as a way of penalizing Meghan and Harry for wanting to branch out on their own? Lets take a look. Africa is a special place for Meghan and Harry It was in Botswana that Meghan and Harry fell in love, so it is only natural that Africa will always be special to them. Harry has spent significant time on the continent throughout his entire life and is said to absolutely love Africa, going there whenever he can. It is so special to him, in fact, that he designed Meghans engagement ring to feature a massive diamond sourced from Botswana as a way of representing the place that is so near and dear to them. We can only speculate that the Duke and Duchess are beyond excited about the possibility of spending some significant time there, especially with their newborn baby. Is it a way of putting distance between Meghan and Harry and the rest of the family? Absolutely not. It is to be expected that rumors would come to light that speculation of recent tension between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is the reason for the move, however, this is not the case. Princes William and Harry have always been extremely close, and now that they are both married and growing their own families, their bond is growing even stronger. The Duke and Duchess like to be independent In the past year, Meghan and Harry have bent the rules more than once, again leading to even more rumors that they were making Queen Elizabeth angry. Not only did these rumors turn out to be completely not true, but the queen actually supports Harry and Meghan in their journey for independence. Although she allowed the split of the royal household, fans should understand that she does have to put limitations on the couple, which is why she was unable to permit their request for complete independence. Harry and Meghan love humanitarian work Long before Harry and Meghan ever met each other, they were known for humanitarian work. This is actually one of the reasons why Harry has spent so much time in Africa over the course of his life. They are both caring and compassionate people, qualities that somehow became even stronger once they were an official couple. Africa is the perfect place for Meghan and Harry, and fans cant help but agree. Is the trip to Africa a punishment? Most definitely not. Queen Elizabeth certainly knows that the royals must support all of the commonwealth countries, and there is no better royal couple to do just that than Prince Harry and Meghan. The Duke and Duchess would continue their humanitarian work no matter where they were located, however, Africa is the perfect place for them to be at this time. The couple has taken two special trips to Africa, and will likely be taking many more in the future. It is a wonderful place for them to bring their newborn baby as they embark on one of the most significant royal trips to date. Teresa Giudice and her daughters are begging Donald Trump to stop Joe Giudices deportation. But some Real Housewives of New Jersey fans arent too sympathetic to the familys plight. Critics are saying that rules are rules, and that because Joe committed a crime, he deserves to be kicked out of the U.S., just like other immigrants who have committed felonies. Teresa and her kids are asking the president to stop Joes deportation The 46-year-old Giudice spent more than three years in federal prison after being convicted of mail, wire, and bankruptcy fraud. He was released from prison in March, but was immediately transferred to ICE custody. Thats because Giudice is not a U.S. citizen. He is a legal permanent resident who has lived in the country since his parents brought him to New Jersey from their native Italy when he was a small child. I was a year old when I came here, he has explained in the past, according to People. My parents are citizens. My brother and sister are citizens they were born here. I just never thought to file for citizenship. That decision not to apply for citizenship has now come back to haunt Giudice. In April, Giudices deportation appeal was denied. His lawyer has filed a stay in an attempt to allow him to stay in the U.S. In the meantime, Teresa and her daughters are reaching out to Donald Trump on social media, begging the president to intervene on Giudices behalf. His daughter Gia has also started a petition asking the president to stop her dads deportation. Not everyone is sympathetic Teresa Giudice and Joe Giudice | Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images Gias petition to Trump has garnered more than 55,000 signatures. Those who signed left comments supportive like His kids need him. He did his time and Everyone deserves a second chance. But when her mom Teresa shared it on Instagram, some commenters said they werent inclined to sign. A few pointed out that Joe is a non-citizen who has been convicted of a felony, which like it or not gives the government the right to deport him. They noted that he had ample opportunity to apply for citizenship and should have realized the risk of deportation when he committed his crimes. Joe has had 30 years since becoming an adult to get his citizenship and did not. He committed two felonies knowing the consequences. Now like a responsible adult he must get the consequences of his actions, wrote one commenter on Instagram. Law is the law no different for Joe. Sad that he never took the time to study for citizenship, another added. A number of people drew attention to the fact that Teresa Giudice is a Trump supporter. Trump has taken a tough stance on immigration. In addition to stepping up removals of unauthorized immigrants, an increasing number of legal immigrants are being deported after committing crimes, including those who have served in the U.S. military. I love that you supported trump and his terrible policies but now you dont like his policies because it effects your family! one person commented. [Y]ou got what you voted for. So embrace it. You knew Joe wasnt a citizen, added another. One follower said that the Giudices shouldnt expect their celebrity to insulate them from the consequences of their actions: Hahahaha NO he broke the law! Bye bye Joe! Just because youre famous doesnt make you or your family above the law! Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Henniker the leading UK manufacturer of vacuum & atmospheric plasma treatment equipment & processes Henniker are an experienced, dynamic and expanding company already established as a leading UK manufacturer of plasma surface treatment equipment and processes, from simple bench-top vacuum plasma cleaners for small scale production and R&D applications, to atmospheric in-line plasmas for industrial and high throughput processes. 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In a recent interview with Canadian writer and speaker Matthew Belair, renowned American physicist Thomas Campbell explained what the Mandela Effect is and its relationship with virtual reality. In the interview, published on YouTube by Mr Belair, the physicist affirmed that many people have had very strange experiences when they claim to have been driving and sometime in the middle they realise they are not even here in this planet anymore. According to Mr Campbell, the Mandela Effect is part of virtual reality. It [Mandela Effect] could affect a group, or could affect an individual, but this is a virtual reality; it is programmed, he said. Virtual reality or digital computing is the most flexible information system that you can imagine. Anything can be done in virtual reality; anything can happen, he asserted. There is a few rules that says things will not happen here if they are not in consonance with history and the rule set. Well, if time is out of whack with history, like the person who drives off and ends up in some other reality frame and then comes back, and if this only happens to individuals or small groups of people, it does not create a problem in the simulation, it does not undermine the integrity of the simulation, the former NASA scientist explained. Anything can happen in a virtual reality, and most of these strange things do happen as wake-up calls to those people just to let them know, by personal experience, that they are living in something that is a lot stranger, deeper and richer than this material reality, he added. Virtual reality can be strange, so that will cover a whole lot of things, and that strangeness usually has a purpose, and the purpose is just to wake people up to a bigger picture, Mr Campbell expressed. Draw your own conclusions For more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv8fjXtXjaI Great awakening on global scale is near, reminiscent of Welsh revival, Wallace Henley predicts Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The great move of God known as the Welsh revival that touched Wales soon after the turn of the 20th century portends the "lightning" of yet another awakening, according to Wallace Henley. God is up to something huge, he says in his new book, Call Down Lightning: What the Welsh Revival Reveals About the End Times. And it's that particular revival and historical cycle that reveals the world is about to see a fresh outpouring of the Spirit. Henley, whose previous experience includes time as a journalist and a congressional and White House aide, is confident that we are about to see it happen. He is presently the senior associate pastor at Second Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, and what precipitated his latest book was the "immensity of the [political and cultural] crisis," he explained in a phone interview earlier this month with The Christian Post. When he left the nation's capital decades ago after serving in government, he became convicted that the most important institution in society was the Church. The problems plaguing society were beyond human capacity to solve and such problems have only intensified over the years. But as he looked into the Welsh revival he saw not only a profound move of God's Spirit springing up in the churches, but vast social transformation. "I grew up in the age of revivals in the 1950s, in the deep South, and we called them revivals but they really are not revivals until we see the fruit of revivals coming out of it, which includes the fruit of repentance," he said. The fruit of the Welsh revival was so extensive that, historians have noted, the donkeys that were used in the coal mines had to be retrained because the coal miners who had encountered Jesus stopped cussing and the animals no longer responded as they once did. The Welsh revival, Henley says, "is prototypical of what Jesus predicts for the end of the age. That is, it's a sample on a small scale of the great global revival that He predicts in Matthew 24 and Matthew 13 when there will be mass harvests of people coming into the Kingdom." The coming revival will be very sudden, just like the Welsh revival was, and will encompass every social group in the culture, he said. "It will be the promise of God made manifest in the redemption of whole societies," he said. Christians need not fear the end times, he went on to say. Indeed, Jude refers to this time as the "blessed hope." But many Christians tend to view them as a period of awful dread, he said. "Yes, there will be suffering. Jesus said there will be many tribulations," he stressed, "but He said this is the beginning of birth pangs. He didn't say that was the summation of the end." The end times began with the ministry, atonement, and the ascension of Jesus Christ, he emphasized. "We've been living in the end times for two millennia and as the end times approach we not only will see the tensions and stresses that we're experiencing but we've got to look beyond that and see the tremendous fruit," Henley elaborated. "So I say to every church: Get ready for the harvest. Do all possible to be ready for the harvest." The metaphor of lightning Henley uses, both in the title and throughout the book, is that the charge is first built up in the ground and then the ground literally draws the lighting. And so it is spiritually, Henley said. "God wants to come. The lightning is in the cloud. He wants to send revival. But He moves on us through crisis, through hardship, through dark times. He moves on us to begin to pray for that, to release that. He limits Himself at the point of our freedom. And He sovereignly moves and brings about those conditions that will cause us to move, to cry out to it," Henley said. When Henley was a congressional aide, it occurred to him on one particular day as he watched members of the House of Representatives vote that they were elected by the people they represent to voice the desire of the people they represent. "What a picture of intercession," he thought to himself that day. Anytime a piece of legislation is presented in Congress it's because of a need that arises in a congressional district served by the congressman, and that person is voting on behalf of all those people. The Church of Jesus Christ, then, is God's House of Representatives. The remnant of people on the Earth who have the authority on the Earth to cast the proverbial ballot through their prayers, he elaborated. Henley writes extensively about Evan Roberts, a Methodist minister at the forefront of the Welsh revival in 19041905, who led meetings at which hundreds upon hundreds of people repented and professed faith in Jesus Christ. Roberts was known to tarry for hours in prayer with the Lord in solitude and had visions of God doing miraculous things. Though he was a devout Christian and spent his childhood memorizing Scripture and studying the Bible, he had no formal education or theological training. Yet God used him mightily. "God chooses the lowly things, the things the world counts as foolish, the things that are not in the sense of the world's reputation," Henley says of how God worked through Roberts, referencing 1 Corinthians 1:2728. And it's His heart to use people today whom the world regards as unimportant, he stressed. "You are mighty in the Kingdom when you call down lighting, when you call out to God for revival," he says to readers who have long prayed for God to move again. "The deeper the darkness, the brighter the light. So I anticipate that with the profound darkness of our times, that when revival comes it's going to come in a very explosive, dynamic form," Henley said, when asked about the state of the United States. More than anything he hopes Call Down Lighting will be used as a catalyst for revival in congregations all over the world. "Revival is not going to come through the Republican Party or the Democrat Party, or to America, or anywhere if it doesn't come to the Church. The Church is the key. And I hope church leaders will catch a new vision for the critical nature of the Church and its role in God's great cosmic plan." A new call to justice: Progressive Christian leaders respond to Democrat candidate faith talk Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Many Democrat Party presidential candidates have been talking about their faith in interviews and town halls. Jack Jenkins of Religion News Service noticed the trend last month and started keeping a thread on his Twitter account of the instances of Democrats publicly discussing their beliefs. Many progressive Christian leaders have also observed this apparent rise in faith talk among Democratic presidential candidates, with some expressing optimism over the trend. Jim Wallis, president and founder of Sojourners, told The Christian Post in an interview that he believed it was part of the effort to make the Democratic Party a more faith-friendly party. There are a number of these candidates who are people of faith, explained Wallis, who have been wanting to figure out how to bring their faith more into their political conversations. "I don't endorse or ever endorse a candidate. Never have. What I endorse is a fuller, deeper, more thoughtful, richer conversation about the relationship between faith and politics." Wallis felt that South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg was a great example of this new faith conversation, saying that he has been talking more about faith than any other candidate. Democrats felt or have been less willing in recent decades to speak about their faith with the great exception of African-Americans, said Wallis. So that's changing, and in the form of Mayor Pete who is talking about his faith in a regular way. A member of the Episcopal Church and married to a man, Buttigieg has been vocal about his Christian beliefs, drawing controversy for criticizing Vice President Mike Pences conservative views and for claiming that entering a same-sex marriage strengthening his religious beliefs. Wallis believed that Buttigieg was challenging a narrative advanced by both secular progressives and religious conservatives about faith. Some on the secular left agree with the Religious Right that they want Americans to think all religion is right-wing and of course its not, Wallis added, noting that while both groups have an ideological interest to portray all religion as right-wing, Buttigieg is upsetting their plans. Wallis acknowledged to CP that there might be some in the Democratic Party turned off by the religious rhetoric of Buttigieg and other candidates, explaining that there are people on the secular left who really are nervous about this conversation about faith among Democrats. Nevertheless, Wallis felt that these secular fundamentalists were outnumbered by others who were respectful of religious expression, even if they do not subscribe to it. Wallis said that when talking about religion with younger progressive activists, many, while religiously unaffiliated, still love to talk about Jesus. They're not really secular, they're unaffiliated because they don't like what they see religion doing and not doing. But the majority of them believe in God, explained Wallis. They may not be going to church, but they love conversations about Jesus. And its very dangerous for Jesus to be raised up in our politics and campaigns, because He can't be conformed or controlled by the right or the left." The Rev. Cari Jackson, Clergy-In-Residence with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, told CP that she hoped with more presidential candidates discussing their beliefs, we can all get a fuller picture of how they will represent the people. It has been the intent of political leaders, who have highly regarded the principle of separation of church and state with integrity, not to talk about their own faith and religious beliefs. This silence has been interpreted by some as their lack of religious and spiritual grounding, said Jackson. This has been far from the case. So now, many more Democrats and independents are beginning to speak more freely and directly about how their faith guides them to work for justice. Jackson told CP that she believed that the ways in which Democratic presidential candidates speak about their faith lifts up the social duties we all share. This is critical, Jackson added. Their voting records need to substantiate and be in alignment with what they espouse. RCRC is pleased that any presidential candidates share their faith openly as long as they do not seek to use their faith over and against the spiritual beliefs of others. While Democratic candidates appear to emphasize faith more in their public comments, evidence indicates that the vast majority of religious groups in the United States are becoming more conservative. In an analysis of data from the Cooperative Congressional Election Study published earlier this month on the website Religion in Public, Ryan Burge of Eastern Illinois University found that of 34 major religious groups, 27 of them leaned more Republican in 2018 than they did in 2008. Jackson told CP that she believed that this apparent shift by religious communities towards the Republican Party had more to do with generational influences. Data from Pew Research Center shows that many Christian denominations in the US are heavily compromised of baby boomers, silent and greatest generational groups. These groups tend to be more conservative. It is this conservatism that greatly contributes toward Republican leaning, Jackson said. Many younger people from the Gen X and millennial generations, with good reason, have chosen not to be a part of religious denominations that are entrenched in dogma. Jackson believed that despite the lack of institutional affiliation, many younger Americans were still spiritually guided in their understandings of society and morality. The 2020 Democratic presidential candidates understand and represent this new call to justice that is deeply faithful and seeks to represent the human rights and promote the well-being of all, stated Jackson. The Rev. William Barber II, president of the group Repairers of the Breach and co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign, was cautious about the discussions of faith by the candidates. Were really not looking at whether candidates talk about faith per se, particularly from a personal perspective. You know, in America we have no religious test, said Barber to CP. What were more looking at from our perspective is where candidates are coming down not just in talk, but on policy. At issue for Barber was how the candidates, regardless of political affiliation, plan to handle issues including the millions of Americans who live in poverty, systemic racism, treatment of women, concerns over re-segregation of schools, immigration, and the treatment of Native Americans, among other issues. Barber denounced the idea of having the only moral issues discussed in the public square be where somebody stands on the LGBTQ issue, where they stand on the issue of womens rights, and where they stand on the issue of prayer in schools. What we want to hear candidates talk about from a moral perspective is where their policies line up when were dealing with issues like systemic racism, voter suppression, continued Barber. Where the candidates stand on the moral issue of ecological devastation and clean air, clean water. Where do politicians stand on the moral issue of how we fund war, the war economy and militarism. Barber touted the influence of the Poor Peoples Campaign, which draws its name from an economic justice campaign championed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. not long before his assassination in 1968. According to Barber, the launch of the modern campaign last year has led to weeks of activism by thousands of people, including the practice of civil disobedience. For his work, Barber was one of 25 people awarded a MacArthur Foundation "genius" fellowship, which included a grant totaling $625,000. The movement is forcing these issues back into the public narrative where for nearly fifty years since the Poor Peoples Campaign the issue of just saying the word the poor had almost been eradicated from the public discussion, noted Barber. Some issues are not about left versus right, we resist that language because it is tribalistic, it doesnt get us anywhere. Some issues are not about conservative versus liberal, Democrat versus Republican. Its literally about whats right versus wrong. In addition to the progressive Christian leaders, others including Peter Montgomery of the liberal group People for the American Way was supportive of politicians mentioning their beliefs. "Candidates who recognize and respect that Americans are a religiously diverse group of people can enrich the public discourse by bringing their religious values into the public arena," said Montgomery to CP. "The primaries are a chance for voters to get to know candidates, and if a candidates faith is important to who they are, it makes sense for them to include that in the conversation." Montgomery attributed the interest in the beliefs of candidates like Buttigieg as a possible example of "media and public curiosity about candidates whose faith" is not connected to the Christian Right. "The Religious Right get most of the attention when it comes to religion in the public arena," continued Montgomery. "Theres value in exposing the lie that liberals cant also be Christians or people of faith. "Many people of faith vote for Democratic candidates, and it makes sense for candidates to appeal to them. The Democratic base is more religiously diverse than the Republican base, which makes the job of Democratic candidates a bit more complicated." How a church bombed by Nazis ended up in Missouri Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The tower of this English Baroque church, which overshadows the campus of the small liberal arts college that surrounds it, is rather striking for a college chapel on these shores. The Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and built after the Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed the previous medieval edifice. It served the needs of the surrounding parish for three centuries until the Blitz of 1940, when Nazi bombs struck it. While the walls, made from stately Portland stone, remained standing, the interior was mostly destroyed. As with many of Londons other Wren churches over 50 churches are attributed to Wren or his workshop it stood in a ruinous state as British authorities developed plans and came up with money for rebuilding the city. This was a herculean task given that 116,000 buildings were either destroyed or bombed beyond repair. By the 1960s, some of the churches were reopened after they were authentically restored to their original designs. In other cases they received Wren-esque designs in keeping with the style of the late 17th century. However, St. Mary the Virgin remained a bombed out ruin. Around the same time, Westminster College, a historically Presbyterian college, was looking to honor Sir Winston Churchills 1946 speech on its campus in Fulton, Missouri. It was remarkable that Churchill despite being no stranger to the American speaking circuit would visit a college in a small town in the middle of nowhere. Of course, it helped that Westminster Colleges audacious invitation had the support of President Harry Truman, a native Missourian. Churchill used his speech, officially titled Sinews of Peace but more commonly called the Iron Curtain, to warn of the Soviet Unions postwar expansionism and what later became the Cold War. Adding to its significance was the very presence of Truman, who attended even though Churchill was no longer British prime minister. Nearly 20 years later, Westminster College decided to purchase and rebuild St. Mary the Virgin. The invitation to Churchill was certainly audacious, but this project was on a completely different scale. First, what remained of the church had to be meticulously chronicled stone-by-stone before deconstruction. It was then shipped across the Atlantic with the 7,000 stones used as ballast before traveling by rail to Fulton. Then it had to be reconstructed with an interior faithful to Wrens original design. Three years later, in 1969, it was reopened with considerable pageantry that somewhat ironically Westminster College being Presbyterian in establishment included rites by an Anglican bishop. Lord Mountbatten, the war hero and last viceroy of India, was even sent by Queen Elizabeth II as her representative. Over the ensuing 50 years the church evolved from a memorial into the National Churchill Museum that exists today. Located in the undercroft of St. Mary the Virgin, the museum tells the story of Churchills fascinating life as a historian, journalist, politician, soldier and statesman. Then there is the church, which rivals any of the famous Wren churches in London, most of which are also restored. Somewhat thankfully, it is still used for religious worship. Outside on a plaza stands a sculpture by Edwina Sandys, a granddaughter of Churchill, made from eight sections of the Berlin Wall. What makes the National Churchill Museum most impressive is its location. You expect such a museum somewhere in England, not in Missouri. Westminster College has punched well above its weight. Even if you cant make next weekends grand 50th anniversary celebration, which includes a keynote speech by the acclaimed historian and commentator Andrew Roberts, a visit to Fulton is a must for anyone wanting to better understand not only Churchill but also the Cold War. If you go The National Churchill Museum is open daily between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tickets range from $6.40 for teenagers and college students to $8.50 for adults. Fulton is about 90 minutes by car from St. Louis and the closest major airport. I stayed at the Loganberry Inn, a bed-and-breakfast whose past guests include Margaret Thatcher. Spires and Crosses, a travel column exclusive to The Christian Post, is published every week. Follow @dennislennox on Twitter and Instagram. Calif. synagogue shooting: 1 woman dead, 3 injured; suspect detained by authorities Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment One woman was shot dead and three others were injured at the Chabad of Poway synagogue just before 11:30 a.m. Saturday, the last day of Passover. A 19-year-old San Diego man believed to be the shooter has been detained by authorities, who will hold a news conference later today to provide updates about the suspect and those who were injured, which include at least two adults and one girl. As the suspect fled the scene, an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent who was in the synagogue at the time of the shooting opened fire on the suspect, missing the man but striking his vehicle, Sheriff Bill Gore said, NBC San Diego reports. The suspect's vehicle was spotted by a San Diego police officer who was en route to the scene. As the suspect pulled over he jumped out of his vehicle with his hands up and was taken into custody, San Diego Police Department Chief David Nisleit told the NBC news station. The injured were taken to Palomar Medical Center. The Associated Press reported that the hospital said it was treating four injured people. The city of Poway is located about 20 miles from San Diego and has a population of around 50,000, The Wall Street Journal reported. "Hate has no place in ANY community ... least of all Poway. We will put our arms around each other and walk through this tragedy as the family we have always been and always will be," Mayor Steve Vaus wrote in post on Twitter Saturday. "I want you to know, this is not Poway," Vaus added at a news conference where he described the shooting as a hate crime. "We are grateful to those in the congregation there that engaged the shooter and prevented this from being a much more horrific incident." President Trump, who also described the shooting as a hate crime, called Vaus to offer assistance. My deepest sympathies go to the people that were affected, the families, their loved ones, Trump said to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House. "Obviously looks right now, based on my last conversations, looks like a hate crime. Hard to believe. Hard to believe." "We're some doing very heavy research," the president added. "We'll see what happens, what comes up. At this moment it looks like a hate crime, but my deepest sympathies to all those affected and we'll get to the bottom of it. It looks like the person was apprehended." "I appreciated the presidents call from Air Force One offering assistance following the tragic shooting in @cityofpoway - I told him Poway will stand together and wrap our arms around the victims of this senseless, hateful act," Vaus tweeted. This is a developing story. Facts might change as updates are provided by authorities. This week in Christian history: Joan of Arc, Martin Luther, Confederate chaplains Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Christianity is a faith with a long and detailed history, with numerous events of lasting significance occurring throughout the ages. Each week brings the anniversaries of great milestones, horrid tragedies, amazing triumphs, telling tribulations, inspirational progress, and everything in between. Here are just a few things that happened this week, April 28 to May 4, in Church history. They include Joan of Arc relieving the garrison at Orleans, France, Martin Luther celebrates his first mass as an ordained priest, and the Confederate States of America approving a bill to appoint chaplains for their armed forces. 1 2 3 4 Next Americans who favor New Testament most likely to oppose gay marriage, be pro-life: poll Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Americans who say the New Testament is their favorite Testament in the Bible are more likely to oppose gay marriage and say they are pro-life than those who prefer the Old Testament, according to new data. YouGov, a market research company headquartered in the United Kingdom, has released data compiled through YouGov Profiles of more than 30,000 Americans related to their biblical preferences and how they might shape their individual practices and beliefs. The data show that less than 21 percent of Americans favor the Old Testament, which can be embodied by fire and brimstone. Meanwhile, 38 percent of Americans say their favorite part of the Bible is the New Testament, which focuses more on the love, grace and forgiveness offered through Jesus Christ. However, 40 percent of Americans who responded to the survey said they either didnt know which part of the Bible they liked best (19 percent) or they were unfamiliar with the Bible (21 percent). While 31 percent of 18- to-24-year-olds said the New Testament was their favorite part of the Bible, 46 percent of those aged 65 or older said the same. This will in part be because younger Americans are less likely to be familiar with the Bible in the first place, Matthew Smith, YouGovs lead data journalist, wrote in a report. The data show that 31 percent of 18- to 24-year-old respondents said they are not familiar with the Bible, while only 14 percent of people aged 65 and older said the same. The data also suggests that Protestants (59 percent) are more likely than Roman Catholics (38 percent) to say they prefer the New Testament. But within Protestantism, there are differences between the denominations. The most likely group to say they favor the New Testament are Protestants who attend nondenominational or independent churches (65 percent). By comparison, 51 percent of Baptists, Methodists, and Lutherans said they prefer the New Testament. Lutherans were least likely to say that they prefer the Old Testament (18 percent), while Baptists were most likely to say they prefer the Old Testament (28 percent). Nineteen percent of independent or nondenominational Christians and 20 percent of Methodists said they preferred the Old Testament. Twenty-six percent of Catholics say they prefer the Old Testament. The poll shows that New Testament Americans are more likely to consider themselves very religious (36 percent), pray once a day (60 percent) and go to church at least once per week (44 percent). Twenty-one percent of Old Testament respondents said they are very religious. About 47 percent of Old Testament respondents said they pray daily and 28 percent said they attend church weekly. The poll also showed a bit of a divide between Old Testament Americans and New Testament Americans when it comes to beliefs on certain hot-button political issues. When it comes to the issue of abortion, 56 percent of New Testament respondents said they are strongly or somewhat pro-life, while 52 percent of Old Testament respondents said they are strongly or somewhat pro-choice. Forty percent of New Testament Americans said they were somewhat or strongly pro-choice, while 39 percent of Old Testament respondents said the same. "Insofar as the reasons given by many pro-lifers for holding that view are religious in nature, it would stand to reason that those who are less religious are less likely to be pro-life," Smith told The Christian Post in an email. "Although real life is complicated and the correlations are never perfect for all sorts of reasons, there will be some very religious people who are pro-choice and some unreligious people who are pro-life." Fifty-five percent of New Testament Americans said they somewhat or strongly oppose gay marriage, while only 43 percent of their Old Testament counterparts said the same. Forty percent of New Testament Americans said they strongly or somewhat support gay marriage, while 49 percent of Old Testament Americans expressed the same beliefs. The result is a bit ironic considering the Old Testament contains the warning in Leviticus that "If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. Smith told CP that he thinks the result on gay marriage like the result for the pro-life/pro-choice question is tied more strongly to the fact that Old Testament respondents were less likely to say they are very religious. He also noted that "preferring the New Testament is not the same as disliking or disregarding the Old Testament." When asked about the issue of assisted suicide, majorities of both Old Testament and New Testament Americans said they think assisted suicide should be always or mostly legal. Twenty-three percent of Old Testament Americans said they believe assisted suicide should be always or mostly illegal, while 37 percent of New Testament respondents said the same. Sixty-two percent of Old Testament respondents believe that assisted suicide should be always or mostly legal, while 52 percent of New Testament Americans said the same. New Testament respondents more so than Old Testament respondents were more likely to believe in theological concepts such as Heaven (77 percent to 62 percent), angels (73 percent to 60 percent), an eternal soul (71 percent to 52 percent), the afterlife (69 percent to 50 percent), Hell (65 percent to 49 percent), the devil (62 percent to 46 percent), judgement day or end times (63 percent to 45 percent). The data show that those who prefer the Old Testament are more likely to have a negative view of the impact religion has had on the history on the planet. Old Testament Americans, meanwhile, are more likely than New Testament Americans (42 percent to 32 percent) to believe that across history, religion has done more bad than good. Additionally, New Testament respondents were (53 percent) more likely to say there is only one true religion than Americans who said they preferred the Old Testament (41 percent). The YouGov data also indicates that 83 percent of New Testament Americans are more likely to believe in a Creator while just 67 percent of Old Testament Americans said the same. Old Testament Americans were slightly more likely to say they definitely believe in Darwinian evolution (28 percent), while just 24 percent of New Testament Americans said the same. The data is drawn from a pair of questions asking "which of these do you definitely believe" and "which of these do you definitely not believe" so data on whether respondents somewhat believe in evolution is not available. "The level of difference between the two groups [on Darwinian evolution] is relatively small (almost small enough to be considered margin of error), especially when compared to the difference for all the other entities in that question," Smith told CP. "So I wouldnt read a lot into that gap." Black churches torched in arson attack to rebuild in hope after public donates more than $2M Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Three historically black churches in Louisiana that were razed by fire in racially motivated arson attacks in recent weeks will rebuild better sanctuaries than they had before thanks to an outpouring of donations from the public. Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church in Opelousas became the third historically black church over 100 years old to burn down in St. Landry Parish, in a span of 10 days earlier this month. St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre was the first reported church fire on March 26 while Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas went up in flames a week later. They are all confident that theyre going to rebuild better than what they had before, the Rev. Freddy Jack, president of the Seventh District Baptist Association to which all three churches hold membership, said in an interview with The Christian Post. They are keeping their heads up. They are remaining positive and hopeful and because of the outpouring of love from supporters to their cause, it makes it a whole lot easier for them to be able to manage this burden. And with each and every day, every passing day it gets easier to bear, he said. Reluctance to online fundraising A GoFundMe campaign which the churches were at first reluctant to use to get assistance to rebuild after the fires, raised more than $2 million in less than two weeks, exceeding their initial request of $1.8 million. For the century-old churches that were more inclined to collect donations through snail mail, they first had to overcome their distrust of online fundraising before taking the plunge with the idea that first came from a woman who called Jack after the fires seeking to help. A lady called me. I think she was from up east, on the east coast somewhere. She asked me what was the method for them to contribute and I told her we have a mail-in method. She used that, and she said, you ever thought about using a GoFundMe? And I said yes but thats about as far as it had gone, he said. After talking over the idea with his finance secretary, Jack said they decided to move forward with it. I called my secretary and said you need to look at setting up a GoFundMe account. And then she asked me what the goal should be and I said, well, it would take at least $600,000 [each] in addition to what they have or more to build and rebuild. And I said lets ask for $1.8 [million]. And thats how we come to that goal to help meet that need and rebuild and replace all that they lost, Jack explained, noting that replacing the furniture in the churches is expected to come at a high cost. The leaders of the churches were hesitant about online fundraising because of potential scamming. Once they were satisfied that they would be able to properly distinguish themselves in their campaign and it began getting media attention, however, they felt better about upgrading their fundraising efforts with online technology. Our feeling on the matter was simply this. A lot of people were kind of skeptical because so many people said to me scam. They had to make certain that it was a legitimate page. And thats when other people of influential status came in like Benjamin Watson, former player for the Saints and Baltimore Ravens, Jack said. Taking their appeal online turned out to be quite a boon for the churches. High-profile support from Hillary Clinton, others High-profile figures like Hillary Clinton asked the public to remember them too when more than $700 million was quickly raised to restore the famed Notre Dame cathedral in France that was damaged in a fire on April 15. As we hold Paris in our thoughts today, lets also send some love to our neighbors in Louisiana. Three historically black churches have burned in recent weeks, charring buildings and scattering communities, Clinton tweeted Tuesday with a link to the GoFundMe campaign that had initially been struggling to raise the $1.8 million needed to restore the three churches. After the Burning of the Cathedral in Paris, Hillary Clinton tweeted not only do we want to support that. We want to remember three black churches in the south. And thats when things skyrocketed, Jack said. It helped boost it because of the tweet that Hillary Clinton, Benjamin Watson and some others, I cant call all of their names, but people of influential status, people with a little more clout or contacts. Those people had an impact on a lot of people giving the way they give. As the media became more and more involved, the public became more and more aware that this was [something] that had occurred. It made it a lot easier [for people] to become more generous. The Rev. Kyle Terrell Sylvester of St. Mary Baptist Church, Rev. Harry Richard of Greater Union Baptist Church and Pastor Gerald Toussaint of Mount Pleasant, were reached for comment for this report but they were not immediately available to discuss individual recovery plans. In a recent interview with NPR, however, Toussaint said he was now focused on rebuilding and responding to the man charged with burning down his church with forgiveness. Holden Matthews, the 21-year-old son of a sheriff's deputy with alleged ties to Satanism, was charged with burning down the three churches. He allegedly used a secondary Facebook account to claim Baptist worshipers were brainwashed people days before his arrest. He also used his secondary account to comment on April 6 about Afrikan spirituality, saying he cant stand all these Baptists around here, bunch of brainwashed people trying to find happiness in a religion that was forced on their ancestors just as it was on mine. I wish more blacks people would look into ancient beliefs of pre Christian Africa. Forgiving Holden Matthews We got to forgive him. I feel for him because, oh, he's so young. He don't know nothing about the civil rights movement. He doesn't know nothing about lynching, Toussaint told NPR. He doesn't know nothing about racial violence. He don't know that. That young man is 21 years old. What does he know? Only what people feed him hatred and envy and strife. And if you keep feeding people with that, then it's going to turn into a whole lot worse than three churches. Jack in his interview with CP said he could not say how much was lost by each church that was razed but knows that people born during slavery are buried at Mount Pleasant. There are several of them (graves). I went and visited them myself, he said. All three churches destroyed in the fire will try to rebuild in a way that protects them better from similar future arson attacks. Its a terrible experience and ordeal that they have gone through," Jack said, "but they have learned from this and they are taking measures to prevent it in the building of a new edifice. At least something that will curtail it from ever happening in the way which it did. Uber fires 'hero' driver who refused to take student to get an abortion Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Pro-lifers are rallying around a hero Uber driver who was fired for not taking a passenger to an abortion clinic and instead dropped her off at a gas station. The San Francisco-based ride-sharing company confirmed on Thursday that it barred the unnamed driver responsible for leaving a 20-year-old college student at a gas station instead of taking her to an abortion appointment after the woman posted about the experience on Reddit. The company told The Daily Caller that the act violated its community guidelines pertaining to safety. [A]ny actions that threaten the safety of drivers and rider will be investigated, a spokesperson told the conservative news outlet. Dropping someone off in the middle of nowhere threatens someones safety. In addition to the firing, the woman is seeking to bring a lawsuit against the driver. But at least one pro-life organization has vowed to help the driver find his own legal representation. Three weeks ago, the unnamed woman created a post on Reddit titled My Uber driver left me on the side of the road because he figured out I was going to an abortion clinic. The post recounts the journey that she took with the driver after leaving her home in upstate New York. At a school in upstate New York, the 20-year-old woman stated that she didnt have a car and is in no financial condition to take care of her child. She found an appointment at a clinic that was an hour away from her school and called an Uber to help her get there. My Uber arrived and he immediately seemed uncomfortable. After about five minutes in the car, he asked, are we going to a planned parenthood? I said no (because we werent), but it set off alarm bells that he would even ask that, She wrote. The destination I put in was just the name of the doctor and the address of the clinic, there was nothing that would suggest it was an abortion clinic. After a few more minutes he asked, are we going to an abortion clinic? The passenger said that she was shocked by the question and just remained silent. He then said I know its none of my business, but and proceeded to mention something about his wife being pregnant, how awful the procedure was (and proceeded to explain it in graphic detail), and that there is so much they dont tell you, the post reads. He then said youre going to regret this decision for the rest of your life and that I was making a mistake. About halfway through the trip, the woman wrote that the driver pulled over with no warning at a gas station. He reportedly told her that he cant take her the rest of the way but offered to take her back home. Unable to catch an Uber at her location, she was forced to have to call cab companies to seek a ride. She stated that the Uber driver hung around for about 10 to 15 minutes. He also asked her again if she wanted to go back to the city with him. But she declined. She eventually reached her appointment by cab, but she was an hour late. I reported the driver to Uber and the next day I filed a police report with my citys police department. Someone on Ubers team got in touch with me after I told them about the police report and called me to get a detailed account of what happened, she explained. I told them everything on a call that was recorded, and the rep mentioned that it appeared the driver had taken a less direct route to get me to my destination prior to dropping me off. Within a few days they reached out again and told me the driver had been banned from Uber, she continued. They also mentioned that it didnt appear hed ever done this before judging from his user ratings. Still though, the woman indicated in her post that she would like to pursue further legal action against the driver if possible to do so. She asked Reddit users if she had a legal case and what the next steps would be. I reached out to a law firm and a few legal aid societies but nothing has happened, she explained. Im not sure what I should do now. Lila Rose, prominent pro-life activist and president of Live Action, wrote in a tweet that the Uber driver is a hero. She wanted to know how to get in contact with him to help him get legal representation. This uber driver is a HERO. Does anyone have contact for him? We'd love to help support him and connect him with legal representation. https://t.co/aLzdpKM4WK Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose) April 25, 2019 This Uber driver showed courage and compassion in a life and death situation, Rose said in a statement. If he is in need of it, Live Action is ready to help by connecting him with legal representation. In a blog post, Live Action added that the driver was right in that there are risks to the abortion pill that many women just dont know about. Forcing an Uber driver to go against his conscience and receive pay for transporting someone to an appointment where he knows the intentional killing of a child will take place is questionable, to say the least, Live Action asserts. This driver chose not to be an accessory to what he and other pro-lifers believe is murder. He acted in accordance with his conscience, and he offered to drive the student home (leaving her at the halfway point only after her insistence that he do so), so as not to be party to what he saw as a morally reprehensible act. Pro-life activist and former Planned Parenthood clinic director Abby Johnson tweeted: Whoever this guy is, I want to know him and give him the biggest high five ever. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As the Notre Dame cathedral burned, many mournedsome for the destruction of history and beauty and others because it was one of the worlds most iconic houses of Christian worship, where for centuries, French Catholics lifted up prayer, song, and sacrament to God. As of now, the devastating fire has been ruled an accident, but earlier suspicions that the blaze may have been deliberately set werent unfounded. In the months prior to the Notre Dame fire, historic churches across France were set ablaze, altars and crosses and statues were knocked down, and treasures were looted, all by vandals. Some churches were even fouled with human excrement. By some reports, over 800 churches were hit just last year. In fact, theres been a startling surge in church desecration worldwide. Back in January, the Guardian reported on a new wave of anti-Christian persecution in China. Hundreds of churches have been shut down, defaced, even demolished by the Chinese government. Last year, officials in Shanxi province dynamited the sanctuary of Golden Lampstand Church, one of Chinas largest houses of Christian worship. And thats not all. Here in the States, a Louisiana man was just charged with setting fire to three African American churches in St. Landry Parish. And just last week, in the wake of the Notre Dame fire, New York police arrested a philosophy professor at St. Patricks Cathedral who was carrying cans of gasoline and lighter fluid. Heaven only knows what he had planned. Of course, in addition to hundreds of people tragically killed by Islamic militants in the Sri Lanka terror attacks on Easter Sunday, many church buildings were devastated too. Godless governments, racists, radical Islamists, and common arsonists seem to understand that places matter, especially sacred spaces. But before the smoke had even cleared above Notre Dame last week, well-meaning Christians took to social media to remind us that the Church isnt a building, its a people. Of course, thats true in the same way that a family isnt a house. But that doesnt make it less tragic, painful, or awful when someones house burns down! Why are so many, especially evangelical Christian, so quick to dismiss the importance and value of tangible beauty and creative expression, including sacred space? Since the very first days of the early church, Christians have struggled with the temptation to stray into a Gnostic way of thinking. Gnosticism takes various forms, but believes that the material world is ultimately bad, and therefore only spiritual things matter. Terrorists, racists, and vandals attack sacred space because of what it means, not only to those who worship but to the histories of the communities in which they exist. Sacred space is defined by a purpose, set aside for the worship of God. When the early Christians were finally free to publicly worship, they responded by setting aside space for corporate and individual worship, some that are amazing feats of architecture and design. For two millennia Christians sought to fill these spaces with beautyin art, song, and in reverence. Its an amazing heritage. The fact that so many churches today are seen primarily as functional spaces, and therefore made to look like shopping malls or performance venues, suggests that weve lost something. Charles Taylor called it disenchantment. Thats a fancy way of describing how a sacramental view of reality has been replaced by an efficient, functional view. Of course, true worship often happens in plain, simple buildings. The book of Acts describes a pretty amazing worship service once held in a Philippian jail. Still, the human impulse to beautify spaces, and to mourn the loss of spaces points to a truth about God and ourselves. Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky may have overstated it when he said beauty will save the world, but to downplay the loss of beauty is to miss something very important about ourselves and our world. No, buildings arent the Church. But in a time when attacking church buildings has become a favorite means of attacking God, His people, and even cultural order, we should never forget what even arsonists and vandals know: that beauty matters, and stones can sometimes preach. Resources Notre-Dame Cathedral Fire Not Arson But 875 French Churches Vandalized In 2018, Dawn Geske | International Business Times | April 16, 2019 In China, theyre closing churches, jailing pastors and even rewriting scripture, Lily Kuo | The Guardian | January 13, 2019 Originally posted at Breakpoint. Americans who prefer the New Testament are more likely to be pro-life and oppose gay marriage Americans who say they prefer the New Testament over the Old Testament are more likely to oppose gay marriage and say they are pro-life, according to new data. YouGov, a market research company headquartered in the United Kingdom, has released data compiled through YouGov Profiles of more than 30,000 Americans related to their biblical preferences and how they might shape their individual practices and beliefs. The data show that less than 21 per cent of Americans favor the Old Testament, which can be "embodied by fire and brimstone." Meanwhile, 38 per cent of Americans say their favorite part of the Bible is the New Testament, which focuses more on the love, grace and forgiveness offered through Jesus Christ. However, 40 per cent of Americans who responded to the survey said they either didn't know which part of the Bible they liked best (19 per cent) or they were unfamiliar with the Bible (21 per cent). While 31 percent of 18- to-24-year-olds said the New Testament was their favorite part of the Bible, 46 per cent of those aged 65 or older said the same. "This will in part be because younger Americans are less likely to be familiar with the Bible in the first place," Matthew Smith, YouGov's lead data journalist, wrote in a report. The data show that 31 per cent of 18- to 24-year-old respondents said they are not familiar with the Bible, while only 14 per cent of people aged 65 and older said the same. The data also suggests that Protestants (59 per cent) are more likely than Roman Catholics (38 per cent) to say they prefer the New Testament. But within Protestantism, there are differences between the denominations. The most likely group to say they favor the New Testament are Protestants who attend nondenominational or independent churches (65 per cent). By comparison, 51 per cent of Baptists, Methodists, and Lutherans said they prefer the New Testament. Lutherans were least likely to say that they prefer the Old Testament (18 per cent), while Baptists were most likely to say they prefer the Old Testament (28 per cent). Nineteen per cent of independent or nondenominational Christians and 20 per cent of Methodists said they preferred the Old Testament. Twenty-six per cent of Catholics say they prefer the Old Testament. The poll shows that New Testament Americans are more likely to consider themselves "very religious" (36 per cent), pray once a day (60 per cent) and go to church at least once per week (44 per cent). Twenty-one per cent of Old Testament respondents said they are "very religious." About 47 per cent of Old Testament respondents said they pray daily and 28 per cent said they attend church weekly. The poll also showed a bit of a divide between Old Testament Americans and New Testament Americans when it comes to beliefs on certain hot-button political issues. When it comes to the issue of abortion, 56 percent of New Testament respondents said they are strongly or somewhat "pro-life," while 52 percent of Old Testament respondents said they are strongly or somewhat "pro-choice." Forty per cent of New Testament Americans said they were somewhat or strongly pro-choice, while 39 per cent of Old Testament respondents said the same. "Insofar as the reasons given by many pro-lifers for holding that view are religious in nature, it would stand to reason that those who are less religious are less likely to be pro-life," Smith told The Christian Post. "Although real life is complicated and the correlations are never perfect for all sorts of reasons, there will be some very religious people who are pro-choice and some unreligious people who are pro-life." Fifty-five per cent of New Testament Americans said they somewhat or strongly oppose gay marriage, while only 43 per cent of their Old Testament counterparts said the same. Forty per cent of New Testament Americans said they strongly or somewhat support gay marriage, while 49 per cent of Old Testament Americans expressed the same beliefs. The result is a bit ironic considering the Old Testament contains the warning in Leviticus that "If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination." Smith told CP that he thinks the result on gay marriage like the result for the pro-life/pro-choice question is tied more strongly to the fact that Old Testament respondents were less likely to say they are very religious. He also noted that "preferring the New Testament is not the same as disliking or disregarding the Old Testament." When asked about the issue of assisted suicide, majorities of both Old Testament and New Testament Americans said they think assisted suicide should be always or mostly legal. Twenty-three per cent of Old Testament Americans said they believe assisted suicide should be always or mostly illegal, while 37 per cent of New Testament respondents said the same. Sixty-two per cent of Old Testament respondents believe that assisted suicide should be always or mostly legal, while 52 per cent of New Testament Americans said the same. New Testament respondents more so than Old Testament respondents were more likely to believe in theological concepts such as Heaven (77 per cent to 62 per cent), angels (73 per cent to 60 per cent), an eternal soul (71 per cent to 52 per cent), the afterlife (69 per cent to 50 per cent), Hell (65 per cent to 49 per cent), the devil (62 per cent to 46 per cent), judgement day or end times (63 per cent to 45 per cent). The data show that those who prefer the Old Testament are more likely to have a negative view of the impact religion has had on the history on the planet. Old Testament Americans, meanwhile, are more likely than New Testament Americans (42 per cent to 32 per cent) to believe that "across history, religion has done more bad than good." Additionally, New Testament respondents were (53 per cent) more likely to say "there is only one true religion" than Americans who said they preferred the Old Testament (41 per cent). The YouGov data also indicates that 83 per cent of New Testament Americans are more likely to believe in a Creator while just 67 per cent of Old Testament Americans said the same. Old Testament Americans were slightly more likely to say they "definitely believe" in Darwinian evolution (28 per cent), while just 24 per cent of New Testament Americans said the same. The data is drawn from a pair of questions asking "which of these do you definitely believe" and "which of these do you definitely not believe" so data on whether respondents somewhat believe in evolution is not available. "The level of difference between the two groups [on Darwinian evolution] is relatively small (almost small enough to be considered margin of error), especially when compared to the difference for all the other entities in that question," Smith told CP. "So I wouldn't read a lot into that gap." Courtesy of The Christian Post How 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' inspired the cathedral's 19th-century revival On April 15, people around the world watched in horror as a voracious fire consumed the medieval wooden roof of Paris's Notre Dame cathedral and felled its spire. The following day brought some measure of relief: Despite the building's wrenching losses, its masonry structure was largely intact, and many of its precious relics had been swiftly and lovingly removed by a human chain of church officials and firefighters. The building had steadfastly endured the destructive flames. Since then, Notre Dame has been hailed as a stable and enduring symbol of French identity. But it would be more accurate to say that the cathedral's importance comes from the very instability of its meaning. Originally completed in 1345, by the early 19th century Notre Dame stood in a state of dire disrepair. It took an idiosyncratic young architect, moved by Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," to fashion a new meaning for the building one that, ironically, looked nostalgically to the past for inspiration. 'The book will destroy the edifice' In 1831, when Victor Hugo published his famous novel "Notre Dame de Paris" known in English as "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" the country was experiencing rapid social, political and industrial change. The cathedral, meanwhile, had fallen by the wayside. Years of neglect, blinkered renovation efforts and the anti-Catholic zeal of the French Revolution had left the once-regal building in ruins. Set in the 15th century, the novel alluringly evoked a different period in French history. In the novel, Hugo lamented that the printing press had supplanted architecture as the primary communicator of civilization's cherished values. In one of the book's most famous moments, the archdeacon Frollo points sadly to a printed book on his table. "Alas! This will kill that," he laments, directing his finger to the cathedral looming magisterially outside his window. He continues, "The book will destroy the edifice." Like other Romanticist writers and artists, Hugo imagined the Middle Ages as a simpler time, an era when society was governed by pure faith. He believed that back then, the cathedral was able to inspire the masses and guide them toward a life of devotion and morality. Hugo hoped that his novel might spur the building's rebirth, allowing it to renew France's ethical core during the Industrial Revolution. One architect, attracted to the picturesque history on view in Hugo's novel, would ultimately heed his call. An architect reaches longingly for the past Eugene Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc was a teenager when Hugo's novel was published. The book affirmed Viollet-le-Duc's suspicion that his own age's riot of styles and tastes reflected the unwieldy chaos of modern life. Like Hugo, he sought to capture France's "authentic" past and, like Hugo, was drawn to the Middle Ages. For this reason, he refused to enroll in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, the main training ground for France's architects, because of the school's dogmatic focus on classical architecture. He opted instead to learn on the job, working for architects around Paris while studying the city's medieval architecture in his spare time. In 1842, the government announced a competition for Notre Dame's restoration and the 28-year-old Viollet-le-Duc threw his hat into the ring. By then, he had already established his reputation as an expert in the restoration of medieval buildings. But for him, restoration was about more than touching up an existing form. It meant breathing life into a building by transforming it. As he later wrote, "To restore a building is not to preserve it, to repair or rebuild it; it is to reinstate it in a condition of completeness which could never have existed at any given time." Viollet-le-Duc knew that the very act of restoring old buildings was, itself, a modern notion. A symbol of stability in uncertain times? Thus, Viollet-le-Duc's winning entry would not simply aim to preserve the cathedral as it then stood. Instead, he sought to revive the building's mythical past. During the restoration, Viollet-le-Duc redesigned and rebuilt the medieval spire, which had been removed in the 1780s due to its vulnerability in high winds (an absence that had appalled Hugo). He also sprinkled the building with its now-famous gargoyles in accord with Hugo's atmospheric depiction of a building adorned with "grinning monsters." Viollet-le-Duc's renovated cathedral the version that we know today is a product both of the French Middle Ages and of its architectural revival in the 19th century. Like Hugo, Viollet-le-Duc romantically conceived medieval architecture as a stable bulwark against his own uncertain times. He wanted to intensify what he saw as the building's mystical power its ability to speak to France's past at a time when the forces of modernity were threatening to sweep its traces away. Viollet-le-Duc also ensured his own role in the rehabilitation would forever be preserved: His likeness appears in the face of a copper statue of St. Thomas at the base of the spire. By good fortune, this statue was removed for the renovation just last week and was spared from the conflagration. Since the fire, many writers have correctly pointed out that the catastrophe is also only one episode in a much longer story of architectural survival. Notre Dame will certainly live on in some new form; France has been offered astronomical donations for the purpose. In fact, a competition to redesign the spire has already been announced. Much like Viollet-le-Duc's restoration, this newest version of Notre Dame will look to the past selectively to ensure the building's future. Julia Walker, Assistant Professor of Art History, Binghamton University, State University of New York. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Sri Lanka's churches remain closed a week after Easter Sunday suicide bombings Churches across Sri Lanka fell silent on Sunday as the country's Christian minority continues to fear more attacks after last week's deadly suicide bombings. Over 200 people were killed, including dozens of children, when suicide bombers targeted three churches and several hotels mainly in Colombo. The churches were attacked on the holiest day in the Christian calendar as hundreds of churchgoers were attending Easter Sunday services. Leaders of the Anglican Church in Sri Lanka told its churches to "prayerfully discern" whether to go ahead with services today. They said churches could consider "creative means" for parishioners to observe Sunday worship if they decided to cancel the usual services. The Catholic Church suspended all masses across the island on Sunday in the wake of the attacks. The Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, delivered a televised sermon from a chapel at his home that was attended by President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Together, they lit candles in memory of the dead following the service. "We cannot kill someone in the name of God... It is a great tragedy that happened," the Archbishop said in his sermon. "We extend our hand of friendship and fraternity to all our brothers and sisters of whatever class, society or religion that differentiates us." Steven Selvaraj, South Asia Team Leader at Christian Solidarity Worldwide, told Christian Today that the situation remained tense and some Christians were resorting to holding worship in their homes. "Almost all churches have been asked to be closed. It is very tense there," he said. "There are many churches and Christian based organisations that are working on security plans for churches. "And the situation is such that they have to both do short and long term planning against any terror attack that could arise as more bombs and bomb making equipment have been discovered recently. "Christians are certainly afraid of more attacks no doubt." He asked Christians in the UK to pray for "godly assurance in this time of chaos and confusion". "The attacks have broken hearts and can blind people to the truth at this time. People have not just lost loved ones, but the loss could also test people's faith," he said. He asked for prayers of comfort and healing for those directly affected and that the Sri Lankan government would take "decisive action" to bring the perpetrators to justice and protect churches. "Reports indicate that the government was briefed about a terror attack months before but had not acted on it. There is a breakdown in the government ministries," he said. He also asked for prayers for the Muslim community so that there would be "no escalation of reprisals" and for unity among the various ethnic and religious groups in Sri Lanka. Welsh Muslims in show of solidarity with Christians after Sri Lanka church attacks Welsh Muslims met Christians in Bangor as they emerged from their Sunday service to express their sympathy following the horrific Easter bombings on churches in Sri Lanka last week. Muslims gathered outside Bangor Cathedral as the morning service was taking place in order to greet worshippers as they left the building. Ayad Mawla, of the Bangor Islamic Centre, organised the symbolic gesture as a way of standing in solidarity with Christians against terrorist attacks on religious buildings. Earlier in the week, he reached out to the Dean of Bangor to condemn the "abhorrent events" last Easter Sunday when suicide bombers attacked churches and luxury hotels, killing 253 people. The Bishop of Bangor, Andy John, welcomed the "gracious gesture" from the town's Islamic community. He said, "We are all conscious that there are forces which seek to set people against each other and to create a climate of fear and suspicion. "This gracious gesture by our Muslim friends shows we can overcome hatred and violence and I'm delighted the Cathedral in Bangor will host this meeting of solidarity. "It builds on the excellent relationships we have established together between Cathedral and the Islamic community." Open Doors is asking Christians to pray for the church in Sri Lanka following the attacks and has produced a prayer guide to be used in connection with the country. Open Doors UK and Ireland CEO, Henrietta Blyth, said: "Enough is enough. It is time the world woke up to the fact that persecution is happening every day. Everyone, no matter what their faith, should be free to worship without fear." The organisation's partners in Sri Lanka have been visiting people directly affected by the bombings and are asking for prayers of comfort and healing. "Please pray for all the people who were affected by this. Many are injured or grieving the loss of loved ones. Pray for strength and comfort and for His healing hand upon them," said one partner who cannot be named for security reasons. The charity is also asking people to send messages of encouragement to Christians in Batticaloa, Kochchikade and Katana where the churches were targeted by the terrorists. Messages can be emailed to: messagestosrilanka@opendoorsuk.org or posted to the Open Doors Facebook page. What Leonardo's depiction of Virgin Mary and Jesus tells us about his religious beliefs On the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci's death, Italian academic Francesco Caglioti's recent claim that a sculpture held at a London museum bears close similarities with the work of the Renaissance genius has opened up a fresh discussion. The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has been cautious and said: "A potential attribution to Leonardo da Vinci was first proposed in 1899, so Professor Caglioti's study opens up the discussion of its authorship afresh." It is a charming and jovial image of "The Virgin with the Laughing Child," in which the young Mary appears to be enjoying the magic of motherhood with her son resting comfortably on her lap. Baby Jesus has a joyous expression as he entwines his right hand with his mother's left. Whatever the final outcome on this finding, as a scholar of religious art, I would suggest that, beyond the immediate charm of his art creations, Leonardo invites viewers into a religious message. Leonardo's Virgin and laughing child expresses both church teachings and what it means to be a human. Leonardo: Religion and his art Leonardo was one of the greatest artists in history. However, very little is known about his early life and even less so about his religious one. What is known is that he was baptized as an infant in the presence of 10 witnesses and that at the end of his life he asked for a priest to hear his last confession and administer the Last Rites. He was given a Catholic funeral and buried in consecrated ground. Art historian Luke Syson has argued that Leonardo had solid knowledge of religious symbolism and contemporary Catholic teachings, which he combined with a humanistic approach to his art's subjects. An example is how Leonardo transformed the traditional image of "The Last Supper" into a more human-centered drama. The traditional emphasis of the Last Supper is on the institution of the Eucharist. It forms the scriptural basis for Communion, in which bread is seen to be a symbol for Jesus' body and wine as a symbol for his blood. Leonardo, instead, emphasized the announcement of the betrayal by one of the disciples. He had a large collection of religious books in his personal library and is known to have made regular references in his notebooks to religious ideas. Leonardo's drawings as evidence In fact, much of what is known about Leonardo has been found through the visual evidence of his drawings, paintings and notebooks. And they reveal another side to him. Beyond being an artist, Leonardo's creativity expanded into the study of science, human anatomy and military armaments. The pages of his numerous notebooks are filled with anatomical drawings such as his studies of the fetus and the eye. His study of human anatomy was not simply through live models but more significantly through participation in autopsies. His drawings are used today as illustrations in medical textbooks. Yet, at the same time, his notebooks are also filled with sketches and drawings of religious figures. His art reflected his meditations on the Bible and his knowledge of Christian symbolism. These were an important basis for "The Last Supper" and his paintings of the Virgin of the Rocks. Picturing the Bible Leonardo reinterpreted traditional Christian iconography. From its earliest days, Christian art employed signs and symbols like flowers, animals and colors to identify individuals and ideas. As the majority of the population at the time was unable to read, Christian art was a form of visual literacy. It helped teach stories of faith. In Leonardo's time, additional books were being written about the Christian faith, especially those given to episodes in the life of Christ and of his mother. Leonardo's sculpture expanded the forms that Christian art had taken until then. One of the most popular themes of Christian art was that of the Madonna and Child. Madonna meant "my lady," which was the title for the Virgin Mary from the Middle Ages. Typically, the Madonna was presented as an elegantly dressed and beautiful woman with a halo and surrounded by angels. The artist's emphasis was on identifying her as the regal mother and queen of heaven. Over the course of his life, Leonardo drew and painted many images of the Madonna. Leonardo emphasized Madonna's humility by removing her crown and halo and replacing her extravagant costumes with simpler dress. In 1483, he painted the Virgin of the Rocks. This image illustrated a new doctrine on the Immaculate Conception of Mary. This teaching emphasized that with God's intervention, Mary was conceived without the stain of "original sin" even though she had two human parents. This differed from the belief regarding Mary's miraculous virginal conception of Jesus. Typically in images that promoted this teaching, the artist depicted a prayerful Mary dressed in white being elevated by a group of angels. Leonardo painted her as an earthly mother with her young son and his cousin, the young John the Baptist, in a landscape setting. His paintings of baby Jesus and the Virgin Mary do not simply show "any mother" or "any child." He both depicted the naturalness of their relationship and touched upon the religious meaning of their identities. He also emphasized the emotional intimacy between the two. He communicated ideas and feelings through their hand gestures, facial features and body poses. Both divine and human As scholars of cultural history like Lawrence Cunningham and John Reich have noted, Leonardo was interested in a Renaissance worldview which centered around the human person. This interest resulted in not only his works that depicted a natural view of the human body but one that explored the personalities of the individuals he drew and painted. Even as the final word is awaited from Victoria and Albert Museum and it might take many years to resolve I would agree with the scholars who support the view that The Virgin with Laughing Child bears Leonardo's hallmarks. The mother is dressed, but the child is totally naked. While this naturalism of their human figures is typical of the Renaissance, what I propose is that the presentation of a laughing but naked baby Jesus made visible the complex theological idea of the Incarnation that God became flesh in Jesus. For Christians, Christ was the unique son of God who was miraculously human and divine at the same time. He was identified in the New Testament as "the Word was made flesh" In all his art, Leonardo made this visible through the joyful demeanor of baby Jesus and the obvious display of his fully human form. Simply put, Leonardo illustrated how Jesus' humanity came from his mother and his divinity from God. Diane Apostolos-Cappadona, Haub Director of Catholic Studies, Georgetown University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. An HFD firefighter was injured while battling a 3-alarm fire that damaged five apartment units in Houston's Montrose neighborhood. The fire erupted around 1 a.m. Sunday morning near an apartment complex on Michigan and Commonwealth. HFD Deputy Chief, Douglas Harrison said that the firefighter has transported to the hospital and is expected to recover. There's one defining thing about Houston nights. They're never boring. Houston nightlife was in full swing this week--from the "Celebrate Selena" party on Wednesday to MFAH's Van Gogh soiree on Friday. On Wednesday, The Rustic toasted to the "Queen of Tejano," Selena Quintanilla. Festive fans donned Selena-inspired outfits to the venue's "Celebrate Selena" bash which featured a Selena look-alike contest. In just five years and a few months since its inception, Houstons nonprofit serving teens and adults with Down syndrome is moving for the third time. This time, the organization is excited to announce it has purchased its own building, allowing it to grow for years to come. Friends of Down Syndrome is moving its Down Syndrome Academy (a school for teens and adults with Down syndrome) and offices to 11947 North Freeway, Houston 77060, this week. Students will officially report to the new building for classes on April 29. Friends of Down Syndrome and the Down Syndrome Academy opened in January 6, 2014, when President and Founder Rosa Rocha saw a need for continued education for her son, David, who is now 29. Students with Down Syndrome may attend public school until age 22, Rocha said. After that, there are few educational opportunities for them. At the Down Syndrome Academy, students spend Monday, Wednesday and Friday taking classes in reading, math, science, Texas history, music and health/physical education. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the students learn job skills and some even work in the community at a local church. They also continue with their physical education, as well as build birdhouses and other items to sell to the public and dismantle trophies for reuse by a local company. Once the word spread about the educational and social opportunities at the Down Syndrome Academy, Rocha said, she saw students coming from all over Houston, as well as Katy, Missouri City, Stafford, Bellaire, Tomball, Cypress and Angleton. The move will allow the Down Syndrome Academy to take care of the waiting list that already exists and even add a few more students. We currently have 75 students, and we will be able to expand our roster to 100 students before expanding (the school) to the fourth floor, Rocha said. The Down Syndrome Academy first opened with just 17 students. We picked this area because it allows us to increase the number of families that we currently serve, Rocha said. We will be able to add students from The Woodlands, Kingwood and Humble areas. The schools largest annual fundraiser is the Cinderella Ball, held at Houstons CityCentre. At the most recent ball in March, the organization raised $194,000 for its capital campaign. The purchase of the new building would not have been possible without a donation from the buildings previous owner, Richard Fallin, who donated $1 million toward the purchase of the property, Rocha said, adding that Spirit of Texas Bank was the only local bank willing to do the financing. Because of Mr. Fallins generosity, we were able to purchase the building and move into a building that was ready for us, Rocha said. Two floors of the six-story building were previously occupied by a Houston ISD Alternative school. The classrooms are twice the size of our current classrooms, and all we had to do to get it ready was to paint, Rocha said. The building currently also houses others tenants, including Mission Greenspoint and Q West Communications, who have been there several years and will remain. Our next goal will be to turn part of the space behind the building into a green space for the students, Rocha added. We will be needing landscaping materials, trees, plants, park benches, picnic tables and other things along those lines. In addition, Rocha said, the organization is planning to expand its Vocational Training Program. We have so many students who want to get a job, earn a paycheck, and we have been growing too fast to help them reach that goal. We want a paying job for every student who wants one, Rocha said. Anyone interested in a spot at the Down Syndrome Academy can find an application online at www.friendsofdownsyndrome.org. E-mail the completed application to rosarocha08@att.net to set up a tour and evaluation. For more information on volunteer opportunities or to support Friends of Down Syndrome, call 281-989-0345. Hungarian Exhibition Highlights Persecution of Christians in the Middle East Munich (AINA) -- A unique, disturbing and touching exhibition of the Hungarian National Museum under the title In the Crossfire: Christian Persecution in the Middle East drew attention to the sad reality of the persecution, suffering, fear and destruction of Christians in the Middle East and North Africa. The interactive exhibition, in Hungarian and English, was on display from March 27 to April 14, 2019 at the Hungarian Consulate General in Munich. The aim of the exhibition, as explained by Ms. Krisztina Spiller, Consul in Munich, was "to draw attention to the development taking place in the Middle East with respect to Christians, point out the unsustainability of their situation, explain the causes, and outline the consequences." For Iraq and Syria, the situation of the Assyrians (also known as Chaldeans and Syriacs) was presented. For North Africa the situation of the Coptic Christians was partly documented. Most interviews and pictures were prepared by experts from the Hungarian Migration Research Institute, Avicenna Institute of Middle Eastern Studies, and Hungarian National Museum, from fact finding missions in 2016 and 2017. NGOs, like Open Doors, which monitor religious discrimination worldwide, report regularly that Christians in many countries are the targets of most attacks. The situation is especially desperate in the Middle East, in the cradle of Christianity, where the survival of Christian communities of two thousand years is at risk. On February 4th, 2016, the European Parliament passed a resolution in which it recognized the atrocities committed by ISIS against Christians and other ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq and Syria as genocide. ISIS systematically persecuted religious minorities in its self-proclaimed caliphate in Iraq and Syria, kidnapping hundreds of Assyrian in Syria and forcing them to live under its radical strand of Islam in the central Syrian city of Al-Qaryatain. According to a recent article by the British Guardian, Christianity is the most persecuted religion, though the fate of Christians is largely ignored in the West. The exhibition was designed as a traveling exhibition by the Hungarian National Museum and has already been displayed in Budapest (Fall 2017), New York, and Washington (February 2018). It consists of six topical panels, each highlighting different themes of the situation of the Christians: Christians in Danger of Extinction in the Middle East The Aims of Jihadism: Humiliation and Banishing "...We are Associated with the West" The Destruction of Constructed Heritage The Causes of Christians Persecution -- and Flight The Future: Hopes and Efforts Similarly, each panel is built of various pictures and explanatory text; background information is complemented by videos and interactive displays. Records (video and/or text) of personal profiles of several people enrich and deepen the impression of the viewer. Country profiles with respect to Christians population are provided for Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria. Panel 3, for example, explains what it means being associated with West: "Jihadist propaganda inherently equals Christians and medieval crusaders with the secular West, atheist in their interpretation. On the one hand they identify Christians living in the Middle East as descendants of conquering crusaders, who hated Islam and wanted to recapture the lost territories for Christianity. On the other hand, they consider them as agents and attendants of the western colonizing powers...Christian communities in the Middle East are outposts of the enemy for the Jihadists, whose aim is to eliminate the Christian civilization worldwide in the long run." According to the Chief Curator, Ms. Bianka Speidl (Hungarian Migration Research Institute), "daily explosions, bloody confrontations, the humanitarian disaster covering most of the Middle East and North Africa has become a routinely repeated element of the news. However, the exhibition does not look at reality through the eyes of Western journalists and experts. The pictures and items were contributed by people who bear the marks of destruction on both body and soul: they all have a name, a family, a home, a love, they have their desires, and most importantly, they have their dignity." The former vice president of the German Bundestag and member of the Christian Social Union (CSU), Johannes Singhammer, who visited the exhibition, is cited saying that "Hungary's humanitarian policy for the protection of persecuted Christians is unique in the world and with this this exhibition the country set an example for the West." The first conference for persecuted Christians was hosted by Hungary's government in October 2017. The Hungarian government is continuing its policy of supporting Christian communities in the Middle East. It is financing the rebuilding of the entire Assyrian village Telesqof in the north Iraq, enabling more than 900 families to return. According to Ms. Spiller, the government has recently set also a scholarship program dedicated for Christian young people studying in Hungary. After completing their studies the students will return to help their home communities with their gained knowledge, and participate in the reconstruction of war-destroyed villages. A 19-year-old man with an assault rifle opened fire at the Chabad of Poway synagogue in Poway, California, Saturday morning, leaving one dead and three injured, according to authorities. Four people were transported to Palomar Medical Center with gunshot injuries at around 12 p.m., Pacific time, officials said in a news conference Saturday afternoon. One of the victims, a woman, "succumbed to their wounds," according to Poway Mayor Steve Vaus. The three others - a girl and two men - remain in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. "I can only tell you that we have a fatality," Vaus said in an interview with MSNBC, "and I can also tell you that it was a hate crime, and that will not stand." Saturday's shooting in Poway, approximately 20 miles north of San Diego, comes six months after the massacre at Pittsburgh's oldest synagogue, Tree of Life, where an armed shooter killed 11 people and injured six others in the deadliest attack on Jews in the history of the United States. In an apparent manifesto posted online, the alleged shooter drew inspiration for his attack from that tragedy as well as the mosque shootings in New Zealand in March. The San Diego County Sheriff's office identified the suspect as John Earnest. According to Sheriff William Gore, the assault weapon might have malfunctioned after the gunman fired inside the Chabad of Poway, preventing a more extensive tragedy. An off-duty border patrol agent fired at the shooter when he was fleeing, but missed. The agent struck the suspect's car as he fled, Gore said in a news conference. San Diego police Chief David Nisleit said the suspect called in to police to say he was involved in the shooting and gave his location. A K-9 officer who was on his way to the synagogue saw the suspect's car. "The suspect jumped out of the car with his hands up," said Nisleit, and was taken into custody. While making the arrest, the officer saw an assault rifle in the suspect's car, Nisleit said. The suspect is in custody for questioning, according to Nisleit, and Gore confirmed the alleged shooter had no earlier contact with law enforcement. Earnest is a California State University San Marcos student, the university's President Karen Hayness said, according to the Associated Press. In a manifesto published online Saturday under the name John Earnest, the writer described plans to kill Jews, referring to himself as an "anti-Semite" and "white supremacist." It referenced the alleged shooters at the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue and the New Zealand mosques, Jesus Christ and Adolf Hitler as role models. The writer expressed no remorse for his impending actions. In the document, the writer confessed to setting fire to a mosque in Escondido, California, located fewer than nine miles from the Poway Chabad, a month earlier, and dedicated the arson to the alleged New Zealand shooter. The writing mirrors the alleged New Zealand shooter's manifesto. In a post on 8chan, an Internet message board, a user who appears to be Earnest shared the manifesto and announced his plan to live-stream his actions on Facebook and shared a link, but the social media platform blocked the profile before it gained widespread attention. In his 8chan message, the user references the "red pill" movement, which developed on Internet message boards and revolves around the idea of men's rights, anti-feminism and the alt-right, and generally promotes a misogynistic worldview. The three injured in Saturday's shooting are in stable condition, authorities said. Among the injured was Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein. Sheriff Gore said the rabbi was wounded in the hand and is undergoing surgery. Minoo Anvari, a member of the congregation, told CNN that "[Goldstein] did not leave his congregation until he was finished speaking to them - calming their fears and pledging resilience." The Poway shooting occurred one week after Easter Sunday on the last day of Passover, a holiday celebrating Jewish freedom from persecution. Chabad is an orthodox Jewish Hasidic movement. Chabad Houses, like Jewish community centers, foster a philosophy of inclusion, opening their doors to individuals of all faiths and levels of observance. The Chabad of Poway hosts a weekly Kiddush luncheon after Shabbat morning services conclude. On Saturday, it also held a Passover celebration, according to 10News, which was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. and end at 7 p.m. with a final holiday meal. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department responded to reports of an active shooter at the synagogue just before 11:30 a.m. Two prayer services were in session at the synagogue at the time of the shooting. The Poway Sheriff's Station confirmed the shooting via Twitter, after deputies were called to the scene by "reports of a man with a gun." President Donald Trump expressed his "deepest sympathies" for the victims of the shooting, which he said "looks like a hate crime," before departing for a rally in Wisconsin. "My deep condolences to all of those affected," the president added. Other political and religious leaders condemned Saturday's attack and voiced their support of the Jewish community. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., said on Twitter: "Yet again a place of worship is the target of senseless gun violence and hate. Anti-Semitism is real in this country and we must not be silent - enough is enough." Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., also posted on Twitter, condemning the act of violence: "Tragic news that a gunman has attacked Chabad of Poway synagogue, on this, the last day of Passover, a day that is supposed to be a celebration of faith and freedom. I am thinking of, and praying for, those hurt and affected." Former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper, a Democratic presidential candidate, said the latest synagogue shooting underscores the need for tougher gun laws. "This is one more demonstration that we have a new normal, and that we have become so divided that . . . we are allowing the divisions to lead to hate and allowing the hate to lead to violence," Hickenlooper, who was governor during the Aurora movie theater shooting in 2012 that killed 12 people, told reporters after speaking at a labor forum in Las Vegas Saturday afternoon. "It is a combination of President Trump's leadership at the top but tied into some of the real challenges we have around issues of mental health. People seem so vulnerable to the hatred." The Anti-Defamation League, which has recorded mass murders of Jews in the United States for decades, also vowed to monitor the situation. "The Jewish community again is devastated," Jonathan Greenblatt, the organization's chief executive, said on Twitter Saturday. "It's heartbreaking to see yet another tragedy on Shabbat, on Passover, exactly 6 months after the Tree of Life." - - - The Washington Post's Tony Perry in Poway, California, Anu Narayanswamy in Washington, and James Hohmann in Las Vegas contributed to this report. Relatives of missing 60-year-old Veronda Kay Sanders feel detached in the process of finding their aunt. In the six months shes been missing, they said rarely do they get updates on whats being done to find her. We just feel like shes in a pile, said Sanders niece, LoRinda Roy. Dozens of families came Saturday to the Childrens Assessment Center for Missing in Harris County Day to update their missing loved ones files and get clarity on the search process. DNA swabs also were taken that were to be sent to the University of North Texas for examination and entered into a database. Sanders went missing on Oct. 17, 2018 while riding her bike in South Park. Roy said shes one of four women in to have gone missing in the neighborhood recently. The family said they are frustrated in how they dont know what happened after they reported Sanders missing, and how there was no follow-up. Something is broken in the system, Roy, 45, said. Yentle Brooks, another niece of Sanders, said Saturday she entered her missing aunt into NamUs, a national database of records for missing people. Law enforcement officials explained their process when they get a missing persons case, and what the families should be doing. We dont know the families of the missing, said Houston Police Detective Darrin Buse, a 22-year veteran the missing persons unit. But we have to get to know that family really fast. Police need to know about difficulties the person might have, including medical issues, he said. Buse also advised families to contact their neighborhood hospitals, even though HPD contacts several larger Houston hospitals such as Ben Taub. The Harris County medical examiners office had notebooks containing pictures and descriptions of around 350 unidentified remains. Some of the remains date back to the mid-1950s, said Dr. Deborrah Pinto, identification manager with the medical examiner. A panel of people who have had missing loved ones for a long time gave advice for handling emotions, law enforcement and the media. There was also a roundtable discussion for families of missing loved ones to console each other. Buse said they get 25 new cases a day, about half of which are classified as runaways. A record number of people attended the fifth such Missing in Harris County Day, signaling that people are trying to help find their loved ones but also that more have gone missing. I wish we werent here, said founder and Director of Texas EquuSearch Tim Miller. Every year the rooms get bigger. A man is accused of shooting his uncle to death Sunday afternoon at a north Houston home, according to police. MORNING UPDATES: Get all the news you need to know to start your day, delivered to your inbox The victim's family, including the suspect's aunt, was at church when her nephew allegedly called from the her home in the 9900 block of Aldine Westfield Road around 3:30 p.m., according to a relative who declined to be identified. "Better him than me," he told the aunt, according to the relative. The aunt then heard three gunshots ring out during the phone call and she rushed home. Her son was first to find his father's body inside the home, HPD INVESTIGATIONS: Two people killed in a North Harris County car wreck "The son came outside screaming bloody murder. It was a crazy scene, like a nightmare," he said. The suspect's aunt called police and identified her nephew as the culprit. Her husband, a man in his 30s, was dead by the time police arrived and had been shot at least once in the torso, according to Houston police. A tip soon led authorities to the nephew and he was apprehended at around 4:15 p.m., officials said. Family members said he was taken into custody near the intersection of Foy Lane and Little York Road, about two miles from the home. The alleged shooter, who is in his 20s, was not immediately identified. He is believed to have fled the home in a car which he then ditched nearby, police said. More than a dozen members of the grief-stricken family flocked to the home to comfort each other, with one woman sitting along the sidewalk in tears. Police officers brought the family three chairs from inside the home to sit on near the edge of the crime scene, which blocked southbound traffic of Aldine Westfield Road for most of the evening. nicole.hensley@chron.com NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here. ERIN SCHAFF, STF / NYT President Donald Trumps frequent visits to Texas appear to be paying off in contributions for his reelection campaign. Texans are responsible for at least $5.7 million of the $97 million Trump has raised for his reelection, according to donations tracked by the Federal Election Commission more money than Trump has raised in any other state. Four people died when a crane fell in the heart of South Lake Union Saturday afternoon, crushing six cars and closing all lanes of traffic at the Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue intersection through Sunday. Mercer Street and other South Lake Union streets closed for the investigation reopened early Monday morning before the commute. The South Lake Union streetcar will also run on a normal schedule Monday, according to the Seattle Department of Transportation. In addition to the four that died in Saturday's crane collapse, three people suffered injuries and were taken to Harborview Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries, Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Lance Garland said in an email. Another person was injured but was treated at the scene. Of the four killed three men and one woman, according to Garland two were in the crane and two were in separate vehicles, Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said. The two in the crane were ironworkers, not crane operators as previously reported, Mayor Jenny Durkan said at a news briefing Saturday night. Seattle Pacific University released a statement on Sunday morning confirming that Sarah Wong, a freshman at SPU, was one of those killed when the crane fell onto her car. Tim Church, a spokesman for the Washington Department of Labor & Industries, says the agency formally opened an investigation into four companies general contractor GLY, Northwest Tower Crane Service Inc., Omega Rigging and Machinery Moving Inc. and Morrow Equipment Co. LLC. Church said he didn't know where the companies are based. RELATED: Investigation opened into crane collapse Three of the injured were a 28-year-old man, a 25-year-old woman and a 4-month-old girl, according to Garland. Harborview Medical Center spokesperson Susan Gregg said that the mother and her child were discharged on Saturday night. The 28-year-old man remains at Harborview in satisfactory condition, as of 8 a.m. Sunday. Gregg said the three injured were conscious when they arrived at the hospital and were not in life-threatening conditions. As of Sunday morning, Mercer Street was still closed to traffic, as was Valley Street between Fairview and Westlake; and both Boren and Terry between Valley and Republican. All roads reopened early Monday morning. Wind gusted around the area Saturday at the time of the collapse -- and at least one witness reported high winds -- but it wasn't clear whether that was a factor. Around the time of the crane's collapse, National Weather Service data showed gusts of up to 23 mph at a weather station on the eastern side of Lake Union. Daren Konopaski, the business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302, which represents heavy-equipment operators told the Seattle Times that the cranes were being dismantled when wind gusted through the area. Durkan confirmed that work was happening atop the building Saturday, but couldn't confirm that the crane was being dismantled. The Seattle Fire Department tweeted at 3:38 p.m. Saturday that crews were responding to a call of a crane falling on Mercer Street and landing on multiple cars. Before 4 p.m., the Seattle Department of Transportation tweeted that westbound and eastbound lanes near the intersection were closed. Interstate 5 ramps from Mercer Street were closed and Washington State Patrol spokesperson Rick Johnson tweeted they would "be closed for a long time." The Seattle Police Department urged motorists to avoid the area Saturday evening in a tweet. "It's a horrible day in Seattle when something like this happens, right in the heart of our city," Durkan said during the Saturday night briefing. She offered her condolences for the people driving down Mercer Street, enjoying their Saturday and the workers who died. "But it's a time when we come together, because Seattle's a city that rallies around each other," Durkan said. Gov. Jay Inslee tweeted Saturday evening, "We are closely monitoring the situation in South Lake Union. My heart goes out to the family and friends of the four people who died in this terrible accident. Please stay clear of the scene and allow medical personnel and investigators to do their work." The crane, operated by Northwest Tower Crane, fell off the roof of a building being constructed for Google. Google signed the lease for the building in 2017 but had yet to occupy the space. "We were saddened to learn of today's accident at South Lake Union," a Google spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "We share our deepest condolences with those who've been affected and thank all the first responders who quickly sprang into action. We are in communication with Vulcan who is managing the site and working with the local authorities on the ground." Durkan said the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries was investigating the cause of the collapse. Once those investigators were through with the scene, the Seattle Department of Transportation would have to inspect the road for any damage before reopening it to traffic, she said. As of January 2019, Seattle had 59 cranes in the city, the most out of any city in the U.S. The last time a crane fell in the Seattle area was in 2006 when a crane fell and killed one person in Bellevue. The crane struck a building that time, killing a man in his apartment. Durkan said the investigation into that incident took six months to complete. A lawsuit was settled in 2009 between the contractor and the parents of the 31-year-old victim. SeattlePI staff photographer Genna Martin, producer Zosha Millman, Producer Natalie Guevara and senior editor Daniel DeMay contributed to this report. The Associated Press also contributed to this report This story will be updated as more information becomes available. SeattlePI reporter Alex Halverson can be reached at alex.halverson@seattlepi.com. Follow him on Twitter @AlexHalversonPI. Find more from Alex here. A nun, a professor and an aspiring politician walked into state Sen. Alessandra Biaggis Albany office, but it wasnt the setup for a joke. The trio arrived on April 9, alongside a dozen other activists from Buffalo, Albany, the Bronx and elsewhere to deliver a message. The freshman lawmaker was not in the office, so the activists Sister Honora Kinney, Barnard College adjunct professor Claire Ullman and Albany County Legislature candidate Steve Wickham and the rest left her some parting words. Were here to protect the people and places we care about from climate change and environmental racism, said Geovaira Hernandez, an energy organizer with Push Buffalo, one of more than 170 groups in the New York Renews coalition promoting the Climate and Community Protection Act, often shortened to CCPA. On cue, the rest of the activists joined in: Its time to vote yes on the CCPA. Then they moved on to the next legislators office and the one after that until they visited some 200 members of the state Senate and Assembly. While their focus was on state legislators that day, the federal governments approach to climate change was very much on the activists minds. President Donald Trump has derided climate change as a Chinese hoax and reversed his predecessors efforts to mitigate its effects. One of the best ways to work against the devastation in Washington, D.C., is to work to shore up the protections in New York state, Ullman said. Starting local is the way to have a national impact. Activists have pledged to come back for more rallies until the state Legislature passes the bill, which would make New York the first state to write into law a plan to effectively eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. It aims to do this by 2050 while earmarking funds from a potential carbon tax for historically disadvantaged communities and those most threatened by climate change. It would also expand the prevailing wage to workers on renewable energy projects that are supported by the state. The CCPA is not the only bill before the Legislature that aims to codify the states commitment to combating climate change, but it appears to be the one with the best chance of passing. But first, supporters of the bill have to overcome concerns from business groups, manufacturing interests and most importantly Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Nearly every Democratic state senator has signed on as a co-sponsor to the legislation, along with more than 50 members of the Assembly, which has passed the bill each of the past three years. We have been clear, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said on WCNYs The Capitol Pressroom on April 10. Were hopeful that well come to an agreement on the CCPA. While Cuomo in particular has objected to the specific deadlines the legislation would set for the states transition to renewable energy, he remains largely supportive of its wider goal of reach zero net emissions. Heastie and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins resisted the governors efforts to reach a broad deal on climate change policy in the budget, according to the bills sponsor Assemblyman Steve Englebright. Both the Senate and the Assembly leadership were strongly of the opinion that it was so important to get it right that it should not be shoehorned into the complexities of trying to sort out everything else, he said. (Now that the budget is done) what comes next is, I believe, to touch base with many of our advocate voices. Weve had some voices that basically would beguile us into taking the sense of urgency and dumbing it down. By this, he meant that business and industry lobbyists are looking to make sure that any action on climate does not hurt their bottom line. By writing into New York state law even more aggressive policies toward climate change, the thinking goes that other states would follow and push the country toward dramatically reducing its greenhouse gas emissions despite hostility from theTrump administration. It will fall to the states to help define collectively the direction that our nation will take on the issue, Englebright said. What New York does will be noticed. As things currently stand, New York has climate goals that are hardly set in stone. Climate scientists say that greenhouse gas emission must be reduced by 80% from 1990 levels by 2050 in order to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change. One of the biggest innovations of the CCPA is that the state would not only set its goal as a total elimination of net greenhouse emissions but it would be written into state law. Other states likeCalifornia have made similar goals though executive action, as Cuomo didlast year in pushing the state toward a 40% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030. New York state is behind when it comes to setting its climate and clean energy goals into law, said Peter Iwanowicz, executive director of Environmental Advocates of New York. It has been behind for more than 10 years. A 2018 report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recommended that worldwide emissions reach net zero by mid-century in order to prevent the most catastrophic effects of global warming. The CCPA lays out state climate goals in five-year increments, mandating net greenhouse emissions be equal to 85% of 1990 levels by 2020 and be eliminated by 2050, with some exceptions. According to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, reducing emissions from four sources is key to meeting those benchmarks: transportation (44% of current emissions) buildings (31%), electricity generation (19%) and industry (6%). With more than half of thestates electricity coming from nuclear and hydropower, state efforts have focused on replacing natural gas largely through wind and solar. While the state generates just a tiny sliver of its electricity from wind and solar, the rates of technological advances are accelerating, according to NYSERDA President and CEO Alicia Barton. The rates of growth can be really high once you get the ball rolling, she said. In the past two years, 46 projects across the state are aiming to bring 3,000 megawatts of renewable power online, enough to meet 10% of the states energy needs. Eliminating emissions in industry is trickier, especially in chemical processes like those used to make cement, which create greenhouse gases without using fossil fuels at all. That is going to be the hardest nut to crack, Barton said. Under the CCPA, two advisory committees and the state Department of Environmental Conservation would be key to figuring out the states climate strategy. The heads of more than two dozen state agencies would serve on a climate action council that would issue recommendations to the department on how to implement the law, which would take full effect within three years. While the department, and by extension the governor, would ultimately have authority over the climate plan, many of its details would be based in statute. Just how much influence it would have on exempting small businesses from some emission limits a topic the legislation states it should consider remains to be seen. A climate justice working group made up of agency heads, local officials, activists and residents meanwhile would focus on advising the department on what areas and groups qualify as historically disadvantaged or most affected by climate change. Potential metrics could include race, income, education level, elevation and proximity to areas damaged by fossil fuels. The stakes are high because communities that ultimately receive recognition would receive at least 40% of the eventual proceeds from the sale of future carbon credits from the state. We know that climate change has a disproportionate impact on low-income communities, on communities of color, state Sen. Julia Salazar said at an April rally in the state Capitol in support of the CCPA. Its beyond time to finally implement a just transition. The focus on social justice does not end with the working group. Another provision in the bill would expand the use of the prevailing wage in any project receiving more than $100,000 in state financial assistance, or with a total value of more than $10 million a key provision aiming to win union support for the bill. I dont mean to sound glib. But whenever an environmental law is proposed, certain business groups push back. state Sen. Pete Harckham The GOP can do little to stop Democrats from passing the bill, but representatives from the business and manufacturing sectors are pushing lawmakers to limit how the legislation would affect them if they cannot block it altogether. It is simply not practical to eliminate industrial emissions by 2050, Darren Suarez, senior director of government affairs at the Business Council of New York State, said during a February hearing on the CCPA. If rising costs or uncertainty drive up the costs of manufacturing to places with weaker standards, it will serve to increase global greenhouse gas emissions in the long term. Opponents of the legislation also said at the hearing that the CCPA would hurt the upstate economy and lead to hundreds of dollars per year in increased energy costs for households. Yet, when asked by state Sen. Pete Harckham at the hearing to substantiate that claim, Michael Kracker, executive director of Unshackle Upstate, a pro-business advocacy group, demurred from specific examples. I dont mean to sound glib, Harckham said. But whenever an environmental law is proposed, certain business groups push back. With strong support from the state Senate and Assembly, it appears that the CCPA could very likely pass the state Legislature before it adjourns in June. However, many of its provisions mirror the Green New Deal that Cuomo proposed at the beginning of the year. Upcoming negotiations among Cuomo, Heastie and Stewart-Cousins will ultimately determine to what extent the CCPA will have to evolve in order for it to gain Cuomos signature. But activists say they want action this year and lawmakers including Englebright and state Sen. Todd Kaminsky, who is sponsoring the CCPA in the Senate said they are aiming to get something done in the upcoming weeks given the stakes. This is arguably the most important issue on Earth, Englebright said. Literally. After a day of rallying outside the legislative chambers and knocking on doors in the Legislative Office Building in April, dozens of activists from the New York Renews coalition went to the second floor of the state Capitol. As they marched in circles outside Cuomos office, they repeated a surprisingly optimistic chant for a movement facing a steadily worsening ecological catastrophe: We believe that we will win. CLEVELAND, Ohio Last years Avengers: Infinity War earned more than $2 billion worldwide, which is more than the gross national product of Greenland and other countries and the 2017 budget of Cleveland. The sequel, Avengers: Endgame, is expected to do even better with its opening this weekend. So why would directors Anthony and Joe Russo choose now to give up on the Marvel movie franchise? Anthony Russo, born and raised in Cleveland, took time from putting the finishing touches on Endgame, to talk about the movie and their cinematic future. Weve done four movies for Marvel in seven years, he said. Its been the greatest time of our lives. We have loved the material, the comics, since our childhood. Making movies for them has been a dream. But Endgame is the ending of the current Marvel Cinematic Universe that started with Iron Man. It all comes together here, all of it. We have no plans to do another, but on the other hand we might like to work with Marvel again someday down the line. Next up for the brothers is a movie called Cherry, written by fellow Clevelander Nico Walker. They hope to shoot the movie in Cleveland. Were working with the Greater Cleveland Film Commission to see if we can get the tax incentives to do it in Cleveland, Russo said. They filmed Captain America: Winter Soldier in the city. Cherry is a very intuitive portrait of a man who joins the Army and has a bad experience in Afghanistan. He returns home, where he suffers from PTSD, which leads to a heroin addiction. To feed his habit, he robs banks. We feel like its a very timely movie considering the opioid epidemic in our country. Anthony talked about Cherry, but clammed up when asked about the three-hour-plus Endgame. I cant speak to it, specifically," Russo said. Joe and I want to make sure that people can have the full experience in the theater." But will the Marvel universe exist after Endgame? Absolutely, but it will look different. And Russo declined to elaborate. "As I said, this is a closure of the Marvel universe, but with every closure there is a new beginning, he said. As anyone whos seen Infinity War can attest, there is not much of the Marvel universe left after the end. Spoiler alert for the benefit of the seven people who have not yet seen it; what follows are some facts about the previous film that will impact the new movie. The evil, godlike villain Thanos took possession of the Infinity gems, which gave him control of everything: time, space, reality, the whole shebang. Thanos believed that the universe would be a better place with fewer people, so at the end of the movie he snapped his fingers and half the living creatures on Earth dissolved. Shown dissolving were Spider-Man, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Winter Soldier, Scarlet Witch, Nick Fury, Hank Pym (the original Ant-Man), Loki, Heimdall, Gamora and most of the Guardians of the Galaxy. The survivors include Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, Ant-Man (Scott Lang) and War Machine, who, with an assist from Captain Marvel, will take on Thanos. Suspicious people have noted that the survivors were the big-paycheck actors whose contracts were ending, so maybe they are really the ones on the way out. No comment, said Russo. Really, I dont want to spoil it. But Keep in mind that there was a rift between Cap and Iron Man in Civil War that has never healed, Russo said. They did not reconcile in Infinity War, and that prevented them from working as a team. Perhaps that is the reason Thanos won. Im not saying anymore. Russo said the brothers have been busy. We used our success at Marvel to set up our own company, AGBO, he said. The origin of that name is a funny story. When we were students at Case [Western Reserve University], we started a sketch comedy troupe. We were trying to get publicity, and Joe had an idea. He wrote a scathing review of the show for the Case student newspaper, he continued. "The reviewer despised the show. But we were able to talk about everything that was special about the show, disguised as a nasty review by someone named Gozie Agbo. Joe also used that name when he performed as an actor, so thats how we ended up with AGBO. Since Marvel movies are not in the Russo Brothers foreseeable future, is there any chance that the brothers would bring their directing skills to DC and Warner Bros., whose superhero films have paled before Marvels? We consider all possibilities, he said. We would consider doing a DC superhero movie. After all, when I was a kid, my favorite character was Batman. Russo said its also too soon to talk about the repercussions of the purchase of Fox by Disney, meaning they can now bring the X-Men, the Fantastic Four and others into a joint universe. Its all too new, he said. But my brother and are have always been huge fans of Wolverine. Never say never, he said. There are no plans for that, but who knows?" Last April, after the release of Infinity War, the brothers hosted a showing of it along with both of their Captain America movies at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque. He said something similar is planned for the opening of Endgame. We will return to Cleveland and host a showing; were still working out the details, he said. BEREA, Ohio -- Besides the Grindstone Award given to an outstanding citizen, the Berea Chamber of Commerce also gives out Courtesy Awards to employees of public and private businesses and organizations who go above and beyond to make customers feel comfortable. The Rising Star Award is given to up-and-coming entrepreneurs. Courtesy Award winners this year include Paul Anzalone, service director of the City of Berea. He also heads up the Building Department and oversees the water plant. His nomination read in part, Paul is not only well-liked but very respected by his colleagues who can see that his work ethic is second to none. Johnny Bollin is assistant principal of Berea-Midpark Middle School. He shows appreciation for the growing diversity in our community and the ability to work with kids and families from many different backgrounds. Emily Moes is co-owner of Boss ChickNBeer and Boca Loca Burrito Factory. She treats every single customer like family, one nomination read. Tom Monhollen is a security guard at Berea City Hall and is employed by the Berea Municipal Court. He is the front line in a sometimes hectic work environment but you would never know it by the smile on his face. Natalie Stewart is business manager of Broad View Eye Centers four locations. Natalie is a selfless individual who treats others with kindness and compassion. Laura Upson is a social worker at Northwestern Healthcare Center. She goes beyond expectations to attain the highest physical, mental and psychosocial well-being of each of the residents, which include a large population of veterans. The Rising Star winner is Broad View Eye Center. Dr. Nicolette Scott founded the optometry practice and was later joined by partners Drs. Josie Kosunick and Douglas Wiersma. The original store opened in Broadview Heights in 2002 and expanded into Berea in 2016. In October, Broad View opened facilities in Bath and Strongsville. The business has been a strong supporter of the community, sponsoring families at Christmas through Berea Community Outreach, organizing Thanksgiving food drives, providing free vision screenings for students in Olmsted Falls and Berea. The doctors and staff also offered free services to victims of a fire that destroyed an apartment building in Berea last year. Dr. Scott and her family live in Berea. Dr. Kosunick lives in Olmsted Township while Dr. Wiersma lives in Bay Village. MEDINA, Ohio -- In celebration of Arbor Day, a group of volunteers gathered to plant 200 trees at the Kuehn-Todd Conservation. The Medina Early Childhood PTA (MECPTA) organized the event as a way for children and their families to give back to the community, and learn about nature in the process. While young children and their parents planted seedling, MECPTA voluntary philanthropy coordinator Alaina Rutledge said the event was a way to plant seeds of community service in the students as well. All those ash trees were removed from the tree lawns and replaced this year, so (the students) had some concern about the trees being removed in their neighborhood, Rutledge said. We thought this would be a good way for them to learn to give back and sort of be the change and teach them that they can do something positive." Since many Ash Trees had been removed from the parks, the group worked with Medina City Parks to find out which trees they should plant that would be resistant to invasive species. Arborists also came to the event to help teach young students about the importance of the trees. We are excited that they have selected to partner with the City of Medina on this project, said Medina City Parks Director Jansen Wehrley. It has been a goal of the department to work with community groups, civic organizations, and eagle scouts to help return this park to a naturalized area for the communitys benefit and enjoyment. Medina City Arborist Thad Conkey demonstrates to volunteers how to plant trees. (Sean McDonnell, special to Cleveland.com) Rutledge said she hopes the event not only teaches the young students about giving back, but also gives them a way to connect with nature. So we want them to have the emotion around giving back and also give them the opportunity to learn about nature and connect them with nature so that they'll be inspired to maybe walk that trail and watch the tree that they planted grow., Rutledge said. This might be something that they could even bring their children back you know in 20 years and say Look I planted this tree when i was your age, and it would sort of be something that would continually give back. The MECPTA purchased 400 trees to plant. The group planted 200 trees at Kuehn-Todd Conservation, and others were given to volunteers to take home and plant themselves, who were a mix of MECPTA members and people from the community. MORELAND HILLS, Ohio -- Harassment, SOM Center Road: A resident reported April 13 that she has been receiving threatening texts from a former co-worker after she turned him in to management for stealing on the job. One showed a screen shot with rifle cartridges and a caption stating that the Cleveland-Shaker Square man, 51, had just been to the bookstore and he had "a magazine in your name." He also threatened to punch the woman in the face and apparently came looking for her at the Beachwood steakhouse where they had worked, although she was not there. She told police she did not want to press charges, just for the contact to stop. Suspicious person, Jackson Road: A resident reported April 21 that about 45 minutes earlier, an unknown man showed up in their driveway openly carrying a semi-automatic pistol in his waistband. In broken English, he claimed to be a police officer using a "chat app" on his smartphone that showed the next-door neighbor's address. Asking to use their phone -- although he appeared to have a full signal on his -- the stranger was asked at least twice to leave, and eventually did, heading next door, leading police to wonder why it took the resident so long to call them. Extra police patrols were planned in the neighborhood. Domestic violence, SOM Center Road: A Solon man, 68, was arrested following an April 20 incident with another family member in which she claimed he came to her house, threw her on the floor, got in her face and threatened to kill her, on the grounds that she was upsetting another family member. She was visibly upset talking to police, saying that she did not want to pursue charges, she just wanted a protection order against the relative. Given the fact that he has a prior conviction for domestic violence, the state pressed the charges and the man was arrested in Solon. Driving under suspension, littering; Bentleyville Road: A Chagrin Falls man, 27, was cited after police pulled him over on the night of April 23 when he tossed a cigarette butt out of his car window. He told police he was unaware that his license was suspended, and when his passenger was asked if she was able to drive, she only had a temporary permit, which requires a valid driver in the car. Given the fact that they had small children in the car, police had them contact someone to come and get the car for them. If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page. Read more news from the Chagrin Solon Sun here. BEREA, Ohio -- Lindbergh Boulevard will close northbound from West Street to Bagley Road for two weeks beginning on Monday, April 29. Detour signs will be posted. Traffic will be routed down West Street to State Route 237 (Prospect Street) northbound to Bagley Road westbound. The detour will be in place while a road construction project is under way on Lindbergh. The roadway is being resurfaced and includes sidewalk repairs, drainage improvements, new ADA compliant ramps and a new berm. The project is partially funded by a $170,000 grant from the Cuyahoga County Local Resurfacing Program. Guest columnist Leonard Hough is retired from the physical education department at Cuyahoga Community Colleges Metro Campus. For 32 years, students at Tri-C helped him achieve retirement; in the 15 years since, hes been writing about what he has learned. In 1998, the Ohio Legislature passed Senate Bill 55, requiring school districts to formulate zero-tolerance policies. The intent was to enforce regulations against anti-social behaviors and possession of items considered threatening to the safety of others. Ever since, the public has been debating the rights and wrongs of delving out suspensions and expulsions to students as young as kindergarten. Such discipline can become a stepping stone toward indoctrinating youth into the world of crime, harming communities and potentially leading young offenders to prison or death. Its been estimated that over the past few years, 34,000 suspensions a year have been handed out to greater numbers of children for minor offenses -- not the original intent of the policies -- according to a 2017 Plain Dealer report. https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2017/11/36000_suspensions_for_ohio_thi.html Last year, then Gov. John Kasich signed into law House Bill 318 -- the School Safety act. The suspension reform bill is a good beginning. But it should not cause zero-tolerance advocacy groups and supporters to rest on their laurels. What does the bill include? And what should parents have been informed about by now? The law covers suspensions in pre-kindergarten through third grade. The change in codified rules (from out-of-school suspensions) applies to in-school suspensions for children charged with minor offenses. Students are placed in separate rooms with monitors who can, if needed, help keep students focused on current academic assignments. The suspension rules for students who display violent behavior will not change. A note of importance for parents and guardians: Suspensions can be avoided, as suggested in the document. When minor offenses occur, notifications or phone calls from school officials are sent to parents explaining the wrongdoings and the intent to suspend, if the acts are not corrected by the following day. If students correct their errors, and return to normal classroom pursuits, the warnings are dropped. Included in House Bill 318 is a four-year program that addresses, among other issues, a no-nonsense approach to future suspensions. The number of suspensions handed out in Ohio schools in 2017-2018 must be reduced by 25 percent in 2018-2019 and by 50 percent In 2019-2020. And by 2020-2021 -- 100 percent. Now, that is a big order, especially for school officials who still embrace zero-tolerance policies. This should be monitored by interested citizens in neighborhood schools. When Ohio Sen. Peggy Lehner (R-6) introduced her Senate Bill 246 proposal to the public about three years ago, the bill looked promising. But then the day of the vote arrived; legislators passed (with no dissension) a rushed bill that was placed in the second part of House Bill 318 (without public input), and added an amendment (without public input) that questions the rights of parents to intervene, forestall suspensions if children understand the ramifications, and change behaviors. The amendment made it exclusively clear that school officials still have the options to give a student an in-house suspension for any reason seen fit, Lehner said last May. Sounds a bit like citizens are back to square one on zero-tolerance policies. And the bill addresses younger students, but not those in fourth through 12th grades. Twice, Ohio Sen. Charleta B. Tavares, D-Columbus, raised bills in favor of removing the questionable policies, in favor of ones that give meaning to the word civil. Twice, the legislative body voted against them. Another bill must be raised that clearly references equality on the issue of suspensions for minor offenses, in all grades, in all public schools. Have something to say about this topic? Use the comments to share your thoughts, and stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using Notification Settings (in blue) just below. Readers are invited to submit Opinion page essays on topics of regional or general interest. Send your 500-word essay for consideration to Ann Norman at anorman@cleveland.com. Essays must include a brief bio and headshot of the writer. Essays rebutting todays topics are also welcome. SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio -- OVI, Lomond Boulevard: At 1:55 a.m. April 19, after a stop for a traffic violation, police arrested a Shaker Heights woman, 35, for operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. The woman failed field sobriety tests and was found to have a blood-alcohol count of .171, above the state minimum for drunk driving of .08. The woman was additionally charged for having a prohibited blood-alcohol content. Theft from auto, Kemper Road: At 7:45 a.m. April 19, police on patrol spotted a parked car with a broken window and learned that items had been stolen from inside the auto. Passing bad checks, Lee Road: At 2:15 p.m. April 20, two men were arrested at Shaker Quality Foods, 3753 Lee Road, for passing bad checks. Arrested were men, 18 and 25, of Maple Heights. Also arrested at the scene was a Maple Heights woman, 26. The woman was arrested on a misdemeanor warrant. Warrant arrest, Lee Road: At 9:20 p.m. April 19, following a stop for a traffic violation, police arrested a driver, a Cleveland man, 28, on a warrant issued by the Lorain County Sheriffs Office for failure to pay child support. Warrant arrest, Ashby Road: At 11 p.m. April 19, following a stop for a traffic violation, police arrested a driver, a Cleveland man, 49, on a warrant issued by the Cuyahoga County Sheriffs Office for failure to pay child support. Theft from auto, Chadbourne Road: At 11:05 a.m. April 20, police took a report of property being stolen from an unlocked car. OVI, Northfield Road: At 9:30 p.m. April 20, an officer conducted a traffic stop on a car that did not have a working tail light. It was then learned that the driver, a Beachwood resident, 48, was intoxicated. The driver had a blood-alcohol content of .195 and was charged with OVI, the tail light infraction, prohibited BAC, and for not wearing a seat belt. Breaking and entering, Chagrin Boulevard: At 6:50 a.m. April 22, police investigated a report of a broken front window and items stolen from inside Budget Dry Cleaners, 16222 Chagrin Blvd. Stolen was $100 in cash. If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Hopkins International Airport message boards have gone dark for more than 5 days due to malware. Communications from Mayor Frank Jacksons office have been offline or malfunctioning for 4 terms. Although there was a flicker of Jackson communication light, after 5 days of being in the dark, on April 26, when the Mayors office declared that malware wasnt hacking, in a statement about the message boards grounding. On April 21, malware was discovered on several Cleveland Hopkins International Airport computing systems. As a result, the Flight Information Display, Baggage Information Display and email systems were impacted. These systems were not accessed by any unauthorized personal (hacked) and there were no ransom demands. Cleveland.coms Robert Higgs has reported that according to three sources, hackers had infected the info boards. There had also been multiple reports that the airport was a victim of a ransomware cyberattack, as happened to the city of Akron in January 2019. Malware is hacking. Malware doesnt create itself. It isnt spread to computers by itself. The fact that the city would issue a statement suggesting malware is not hacking raises even more questions about their IT aptitude. Up until their Friday statement, Mayor Frank Jacksons communications office had been in its customary holding pattern. A pattern it has been flying in for 4 terms now. The city wouldnt even confirm that the FBI was involved in investigating the cyberattack, even when Cleveland.com reported that the FBI confirmed it was called by the city and that it is cooperating in the assessment of the problems. Airport staff have been helping travelers with flight and baggage information. Mayor Frank Jackson has a lot of baggage for poor communication, as Cleveland.coms Mark Naymik wrote about in his April 12, column. In his column, Naymik reported that for the third time, Jackson won approval to contract with a communications consultant for $100,000. This will come as a shock to many people who have tried to communicated with the mayor and his top communications aide, Valarie McCall, wrote Naymik. While they have been receiving the consultants advice. I have personally found their communications skills mystifying. They ignore most interview requests, appear unprepared to field obvious questions, are not forthcoming on administration controversies and moved at a snails pace on publics records requests. The taxpayers who a paying for the bills might want to ask if Jackson and McCall are just ignoring the consultants advice, or not executing it well. Comparing how Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan responded to the January ransomware cyberattack on Akron to how Mayor Jackson has responded to CLE Airport hack, is like comparing a Lear Jet to a paper airplane. The Akron Beacon Journal reported that City of Akron spokeswoman Ellen Lander Nischt said the city did not have to pay a five-figure sum ransom demand. The city did not need to respond to the ransomware demand because we have daily back-ups of all city files. We will be able to restore locked files from these daily back-ups. Nischt wrote in an email, following a press conference, the ABJ reported. Horrigan made a request to Governor Mike DeWine for help from the Ohio National Guard Cyber Team. DeWine immediately responded activating eight cybersecurity experts and tweeting: I authorized the deployment of @OHNationalGuards team of cyberwarriors to assist #Akron following this #CyberAttack. Its important that the state supports local government, and we will do whatever we can to help communities in times of need such as this. In the age of Russia and China cyberattacks, and domestic terrorism, for Mayor Jackson not to properly inform the public about a cyberattack on the airport, which is what malware is, is indefensible. Jacksons response has be tantamount to him standing in front of the darkened message boards and telling the public Nothing to see here folks, move along. CLEVELAND, Ohio A man accused of carjacking a woman and then threatening patrons of a laundromat was shot Sunday morning after a foot chase with Cleveland police. The shooting happened about 11 a.m. Sunday on East 83rd Street, between Gill and Holton avenues in the citys Kinsman neighborhood, Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said. Dozens of police officers and city officials remained at the shooting scene as of 3 p.m. Sunday. The incident began about earlier in the day, when a woman called Cleveland police and reported she was a victim of a carjacking, Cleveland police Chief Calvin Williams said during a press conference at the scene. A short time later, Cleveland police received a call from a laundromat on Fleet Avenue. The caller said a man had brandished a weapon and threatened people inside before leaving the scene, Williams said. Officers quickly found the man driving the vehicle that had been reported stolen earlier in the day, Williams said. Police attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver continued to speed away. The man eventually abandoned the vehicle on East 79th Street near the intersection of Holton Avenue when it caught fire due to damage it sustained during the chase, Ciaccia said. Officers began chasing the man, first in police cruisers and then on foot, Williams said. Gunfire was exchanged between the man and five officers involved in the chase - four Cleveland police officers and one officer from the Cleveland RTA police force, Williams said. The man was injured in the shooting and taken to University Hospitals, Williams said. He underwent surgery and is expected to survive, the chief said. Authorities have not provided the mans identity as of about 3:15 p.m. Sunday. The man is about 40 years old, Ciaccia said. No police officers were injured in the shooting, Williams said. The Cuyahoga County Sheriffs Office is leading the investigation into the shooting, Williams said. The five officers involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative leave with pay for at least three days, Ciaccia said. This story will be updated as more details about the shooting become available Sunday. If youd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio A man was injured Saturday in a shooting on the citys East Side, Cleveland police say. Few details regarding the shooting were released Sunday morning. The shooting happened about 6:15 p.m. on the 3600 block of East 52nd Street, just east of Interstate 77 in the citys Broadway-Slavic Village neighborhood, Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said. A 30-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to his leg. The injured man was taken to MetroHealth by paramedics, Ciaccia said. His current condition was not made available. Cleveland police have not publicly identified any suspects, and no arrests have been made. This post will be updated if more information regarding the shooting is released Sunday. If youd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. Those who want the Perry (Lake County) and Davis-Besse (Ottawa County) nuclear plants to continue generating power say the plants produce huge amounts of electricity without polluting Ohios air. But electricity generated by burning natural gas is cheaper than power from Perry and Davis-Besse. Result: The nuclear plants cant stay in business without subsidies from Ohio electricity customers. Predecessors of Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp. built the two plants. Theyre now owned by FirstEnergy Solutions. The Solutions company was created as a FirstEnergy subsidiary. The Solutions company (but not FirstEnergy Corp.) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018. The bankruptcy is pending in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Akron. According to an April 18 filing, if the Solutions companys bankruptcy is resolved as now envisioned, the plan provides for the cancellation of FirstEnergy Corp.s continued equity ownership of [Solutions] and for the ultimate ownership interests in [Solutions] to be held by third-party creditors people to whom Solutions owes money who [will] receive new common stock [in Solutions]. Based on subcommittee testimony last week, its obvious that House Bill 6 has split the Statehouses business lobbies. And that sends a mixed message to General Assembly members who are typically pro-business but also see some plusses in HB 6s pro-nuclear-power goals. The legislation, sponsored by Republican state Reps. Jamie Callender, of Lake Countys Concord Township, and Shane Wilkin, of Hillsboro in southwest Ohio, would repeal the monthly renewable energy and energy efficiency/peak demand surcharges that Ohio electricity customers now pay. Instead, HB 6 would require Ohios residential electricity customers of FirstEnergy; and American Electric Power; and Duke; and Dayton Power and Light to pay a $2.50-a-month Clean Air fee. (Business and commercial customers would pay bigger monthly fees.) For some residential electricity customers (but not Dayton Power and Lights] the HB 6 fee trade-off would amount to a small net savings over Ohios current electric bill surcharges. (DP&Ls current monthly renewable and other residential surcharges are less than the proposed $2.50 Clean Air fee.) The Clean Air fee wouldnt benefit just Perry and Davis-Besse but also Ohio wind and solar generators and even Ohio gas- and coal-burning power plants that cut emissions. Still, how would exempting Ohioans from current renewable energy and energy efficiency/peak demand charges guarantee a net gain in air quality? Then theres this: As noted, Davis-Besses and Perrys new owners will be people wholl get stock in post-bankruptcy Solutions in exchange for debt pre-bankruptcy Solutions owed them. If HB 6 guarantees that Perry and Davis-Besse will be able to sell their electricity, wouldnt that boost the value of new owners stock? If yes, who would benefit more Ohio consumers, or Wall Street operators? True, Akrons Democratic mayor (Dan Horrigan) and Summit Countys Democratic executive (Ilene Shapiro) support HB 6; FirstEnergy and Solutions are headquartered in Akron. And does Republican Gov. Mike DeWine think nuclear plants are necessary parts of Ohios electric generation mix? Yes. True also, have other states begun to subsidize nuclear power plants? Yes: Illinois, New Jersey, New York. They have Democratic governors and legislatures. Yes, as noted last week, political contributions linked to FirstEnergy Corp. heavily backed Republican House Speaker Larry Householder, of Perry Countys Glenford, and his House allies. But cleveland.com has also reported that the largest single 2018 campaign donation linked to FirstEnergy was $250,000 given in October to A Stronger Ohio, a Super PAC aligned with Democratic governor candidate Richard Cordray. The bottom line on House Bill 6: Perhaps the advice of the Office of the Ohio Consumers Counsel, which represents Ohios residential utility customers, is the advice that rank-and-file Ohioans ought to consider. Heres what the Consumers Counsels Michael Haugh told the House generation subcommittee last week: [House Bill 6] is a step backwards for consumers from [Ohios 1999 electricity deregulation] law. [House Bill 6] would subsidize nuclear power plants and other plants. For consumer protection, the Ohio Consumers Counsel recommends that you not enact [House Bill 6]. Thomas Suddes, a member of the editorial board, writes from Athens. To reach Thomas Suddes: tsuddes@cleveland.com, 216-999-4689 Have something to say about this topic? Use the comments to share your thoughts. Then, stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the Follow option at the top of the comments, and look for updates via the small blue bell in the lower right as you look at more stories on cleveland.com. Last years statewide Issue 1 on drug crime reform was soundly defeated, with only 37 percent of Ohio voters supporting it. There were powerful reasons for that. It was a deeply flawed measure, and an example of why major legal reforms are best handled in the legislature, where they can be examined carefully with hearings and debate. But the need for drug reform remains. Drug addicts who are not drug dealers should be treated appropriately and be able to access the states growing network of drug courts to get the help they require. They should not be shoveled into an unmerited vortex of felony criminal prosecution and prison just because of outdated drug laws. Now, as he promised he would, Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof has laudably stepped up to address these concerns -- concerns that led a majority of voters in Cuyahoga County and a few other parts of Ohio to support Issue 1. Senate Bill 3 to reform drug laws is sponsored by Obhof, a Medina Republican, and state Sens. John Eklund, a Geauga County Republican, and Sean OBrien, a Democrat from Trumbull County. A key goal of SB 3 is to ensure that the offense of possession of illicit drugs for personal use is considered a misdemeanor. In committee testimony on SB 3, Eklund and OBrien said current Ohio law too often mandates ever-increasing prison terms for people who need treatment much more than they need punishment. That costs Ohio taxpayers, too -- $27,835 a year to house just one state prison inmate, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Yet, right now, too many drug addicts are being sent to prison, instead of to treatment. Twenty-five percent of people sent to prison are going to serve less than one year, Eklund and OBrien testified, adding that the No. 1 offense for which Ohioans go to prison is drug possession. Some judges and prosecutors are pushing back on SB 3 -- preferring to retain an option to treat a personal-use-possession case as a felony. But under the bill, addicts could still be subject to a possible year in jail under certain circumstances. SB 3 "would make possession of small amounts of drugs an unclassified misdemeanor with a presumption of treatment, but subject to a maximum one-year jail sentence if the court deems the offender a threat to others, Eklund and OBrien testified. It would also toughen penalties for drug trafficking. What we are trying to accomplish is to arrest the [drug abuse] problem and get Ohioans who are struggling with addiction help before their offenses could mean jail time, Eklund said. We want people to get better and move on to lead productive lives, while also ensuring that traffickers are arrested and stay behind bars. In announcing Senate Bill 3, Eklund and OBrien said in a statement that they want to remove the scarlet letter of prior possession convictions so that a recovering offender faces fewer obstacles to finding gainful employment and housing as the individual works toward an addiction-free life. A recent report, whose backers include the conservative Buckeye Institute and Americans for Prosperity Ohio, found that the consequences of felony convictions are destabilizing and can last a lifetime, adding that, "as many as 600,000 people are barred from being eligible for securing employment, housing, and further education prohibitions on self-sufficiency [that] carry significant costs for our economy and state budget. SB 3 also would let counties keep using their current drug court set-ups, such as Franklin Countys use of a drug court in its countywide Municipal Court and Cuyahogas use of one in Common Pleas Court. SB 3 is a sound, common-sense approach to promoting drug-treatment in lieu of imprisonment for Ohioans battling addiction. The bill would benefit them and their families in fact, all taxpayers. The Senate and House should send the Obhof-Eklund-OBrien bill to Gov. Mike DeWines desk. About our editorials: Editorials express the view of the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer -- the senior leadership and editorial-writing staff. As is traditional, editorials are unsigned and intended to be seen as the voice of the news organization. Have something to say about this topic? * Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication. * Email general questions about our editorial board or comments on this editorial to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com. * Use the comments to share your thoughts. Then, stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the Follow option at the top of the comments, & look for updates via the small blue bell in the lower right as you look at more stories on cleveland.com. CLEVELAND -- Recently, my father turned 70, prompting family from all over the country to fly to Cleveland to celebrate. During the festivities, I caught up my family members on my life as a solo practitioner working on the pro bono case of a lifetime: advocating for a lead-safe housing ballot measure to better protect the 25 percent of Cleveland children who end up lead poisoned by our citys aging housing stock. After explaining the basics of our citys lead crisis and our proposed ordinance, there was one aunt in particular who could not understand why advocating for this no-brainer legislation was taking up so much of my time. Have you tried talking to members of City Council? she asked. Couldnt they just pass this law themselves so you dont have to go to the ballot? I tried to explain how we ended up where we are today: how I worked for Cleveland Lead Advocates for Safe Housing (CLASH), a community coalition whose members had spent years researching and drafting a lead-safe housing ordinance; how we had tried to take the ordinance to City Council but had never gotten traction; how we decided to announce a ballot measure; how, months later, key City Council members were poised to endorse the ideas behind our proposal, but still would not work off of our proposed language; how the relationship between CLASH and City Council had grown increasingly tenuous. "But don't you all want the same thing?" my aunt kept saying. Rebecca Maurer is a Cleveland attorney. I believe many Clevelanders share my aunts confusion. We all want to protect children from lead poisoning. So why arent a community coalition and City Hall getting along? City Hall will argue that we were too aggressive pointing to our name and our decision to go to the ballot. They will say that we didnt properly work our proposal though City Halls process the recently formed Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition. But both of these responses belie the true issue at hand an issue that goes far beyond the problem of lead poisoning. Simply put, our city leadership dislikes any public engagement that isnt in lock step with the endorsed position of City Hall. Working from this mindset, City Hall views engaging with CLASH as a political loss, rather than as a win for the citys kids. Of course, this distaste for the public goes far beyond CLASH. We have seen it play out in large ways, such as the lengths Council President Kevin Kelley has gone in recent years to avoid other citizen-led referendums. But the citys political structure itself is also designed to decrease public engagement. City Council rarely allows a public comment period during their meetings. Even basic legislation is passed quickly by emergency ordinance. On an average Monday night, the public viewing space in City Council is sparsely populated at best. City Council would have you believe that the public does not show up because they are not interested and do not want to engage. I disagree. This city is filled with passionate, committed people who are eager to fight to make it a better place to live. But years of experience have rationally led them to believe that City Hall is not a place where that fight can be won. This lack of hope in our political structure is its own kind of poison dimming Cleveland's future. In recent days, City Hall has struck another victory for disengagement by design. A technical problem in CLASHs petition language prevented our 10,000 signatures from getting us to the ballot. Rather than seeing the 10,000 public voices as valuable, members of City Council declined to independently introduce the ordinance for consideration. Instead, Councilman Blaine Griffin insisted that the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition process was all that was needed. Despite what has happened, I remain optimistic that well see a genuine policy resolution on the question of lead-safe housing. It seems likely that City Council will work independently to produce an ordinance largely similar to the one I helped to draft for CLASH. Im proud of the ordinance I helped to write, though I wish it would have been taken seriously sooner. Regardless, I certainly believe a good ordinance could be written in other ways and Ill support any legislation that makes equivalent or better strides towards protecting children from lead poisoning. However, passing a lead-safe housing law is just one step to address one problem in a city riddled with other pernicious and intractable challenges. If we are to solve any of them, our politicians must learn to work with the public even when they disagree. In the meantime, nothing that Ive seen from our current political leadership has given me as much hope as the sight of hundreds of CLASH volunteers going out to gather signatures in the dead of winter because they believe despite years of being told otherwise that their participation matters. Rebecca Maurer is an attorney who lives and works in Cleveland. Prior to opening her solo practice, she was a clerk to U.S. District Judge James Gwin and a fellow at the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, where she also worked on lead-safe housing policy. ...................... Have something to say about this topic? Use the comments to share your thoughts. Then, stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the Follow option at the top of the comments, and look for updates via the small blue bell in the lower right as you look at more stories on cleveland.com. The U.S. has roughly $1.57 trillion in student debt the U.S. government holds more than 90 percent of it. Some Democrats want to make that, or at least a large portion of it, disappear. The idea of canceling student debt has been gaining steam with 2020 candidates vying for the votes of young college-educated Americans. On April 23, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. was the first 2020 presidential candidate to unveil a plan to erase large portions of student debt. But what would it actually take to eliminate a big chunk of government-held student debt, and is it really a good idea? Watch the video above to hear what experts and students think about plans to forgive student debt. See more: Margie Patel, Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager with Wells Capital Management. Brendan McDermid | Reuters Margaret Patel, a successful investor for more than four decades, has a simple secret: Be flexible. "Often there are opportunities that everybody can see, but you're restricted by mandate or asset class," Patel told CNBC at the sidelines of the Ned Davis Research conference earlier this month. "We have a much more flexible approach." "I start with the top-down macro view of the economy and what industries should do well. Then, I look for the companies in each industry," she said. "Then, I make a capital-structure decision, which is: Should we buy the bond or the stock, or a combination of both?" This go-anywhere approach has paid off. Patel's fund, the Wells Fargo Asset Management's Diversified Capital Builder fund (EKBYX), is up 16.5% this year and is outperforming 97% of its counterparts in the 70% to 85% equity allocation category, according to data from Morningstar. The five-star-rated fund has also done well long term. In the past five years, the fund has returned 10.7% to investors and 14.2% over the past decade. The fund also ranks in the category's top percentile over both time periods. Patel's broad mandate lets her make investments other managers bound by stricter rules on their funds cannot. For example, she is able to buy both a company's stock and bonds if she finds both attractive. The fund owns stocks and bonds of data-storage company Seagate Technology, Micron Technology and Huntington Ingalls Industries, among others. These three stocks are all outperforming the S&P 500 this year, gaining 19.8%, 35.3% and 17.5%, respectively. "What I've observed in looking at other blended funds and asset-allocation funds is typically they have a rigid asset allocation," Patel said. "So, it doesn't matter if you're a bonds manager, you're not going to buy equities." But while Patel's approach has led to strong returns, it also takes on more risk than other funds in its category. For example, the fund has 35% of its equity allocation in the technology sector, while the category average is 18.5%, according to Morningstar. "It's one of the best-performing funds in the category, but it's also one of the most risky. In cases of market drawdowns, this fund is likely to underperform peers," said Thomas Lancereau, an analyst at Morningstar. "In 2008, for instance, the fund lost 45%." Stay invested in the US buy tech and utility stocks When Apple reports second-quarter earnings on Tuesday after the bell, sales will be down from the same time last year. That's according to Apple's own guidance. Apple has been pummeled in the headlines all year. On January 2, Apple said that its critical holiday quarter revenue would be $7 billion short of its previous projection because iPhone sales had taken a beating in China. Since then, Apple has made the rare move of cancelling a previously announced product, held a strange invite-only event at its campus without any new hardware products and missing critical details on the products it did announce, and most recently, settled a legal war with Qualcomm and paid it a one-time amount analysts believe to be in the billions. Yet Apple stock keeps going up. Since Apple pre-announced disappointing first-quarter earnings with shrinking revenue on an annual basis, the stock up over 43%, and last week, several Wall Street analysts covering Apple even upgraded their price targets for the stock. Apple now has a market capitalization over $965 billion, up from about $674 billion on January 3. This streak is coming as it's become increasingly clear that iPhone unit sales are likely to decline year-over-year but Apple stopped reporting those numbers late last year. Morgan Stanley is forecasting 42 million iPhones, and last year Apple sold 52 million during the same quarter. "There's nothing good you can say about fact that they stopped reporting unit sales," D.A. Davidson analyst Tom Forte said. "Looking at our model and our projections for iPhone sales, as it pertains to the March quarter, we're not looking for anything magical on iPhone or on China," Forte said. Here's what Wall Street is expecting for the quarter, according to Refinitiv consensus estimates: Boeing did not tell Southwest Airlines, its largest 737 Max customer, that a standard safety feature designed to warn pilots about malfunctioning sensors had been deactivated on the jets. The safety feature is an alert that lights up in the cockpit if a plane's angle-of-attack sensors transmit faulty data about the pitch of the plane's nose. This feature is known as an angle-of-attack disagree light and was included in previous versions of the 737. Southwest did not know about the change until after the fatal crash of a Lion Air flight in Indonesia. The airline, in a statement to CNBC, said Boeing had indicated through its manual that the disagree lights were functional on the 737 Max. Southwest said Boeing told the airline that the disagree lights were inoperable only after the Lion Air crash. The airline subsequently took action to turn the alerts on. Southwest Airline's statement: Upon delivery (prior to the Lion Air event), the AOA Disagree lights were depicted to us by Boeing as operable on all MAX aircraft, regardless of the selection of optional AOA Indicators on the Primary Flight Display (PFD). The manual documentation presented by Boeing at Southwest's MAX entry into service indicated the AOA Disagree Light functioned on the aircraft, similar to the Lights on our NG series. After the Lion Air event, Boeing notified us that the AOA Disagree Lights were inoperable without the optional AOA Indicators on the MAX aircraft. At that time, Southwest installed the AOA Indicators on the PFD, resulting in the activation of the AOA Disagree lights - both items now serve as an additional crosscheck on all MAX aircraft. Federal Aviation Administration safety inspectors and supervisors were also unaware of the change, according to government and industry officials that spoke to The Wall Street Journal. The FAA even considered grounding Southwest's Max fleet while they weighed whether or not the airline's pilots needed additional training about the safety alert, according to the Journal. But those discussions were brief and did not go up the chain, the newspaper reported. Boeing, in a statement to CNBC, said the "angle-of-attack" disagree lights would be included as a standard Max feature. "As we return to service, all customers will have the AOA disagree alert as standard and have the option to include the AOA indicator at no cost," a Boeing spokesperson said. "This change will be made to all MAX aircraft production and retrofit." Boeing's 737 Max was grounded by the FAA in March in the wake of fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people. Several major airlines have extended Max flight cancellations through the summer. American has canceled Max flights through Aug. 19, totaling 115 flights per day, while Southwest has canceled through Aug. 5 and United through June 5. The Wall Street Journal first reported this story. The note taped to the TV in the Airbnb rental in what turned out to be a questionable apartment building in a sketchy neighborhood in New York City was the first clue. "It said, 'Anyone ask, you say you friend of Jay,'" remembers Washington, D.C.-based documentary producer Richard Paul. "We never met Jay." The note wasn't the weirdest thing about the apartment. "You couldn't open the front door because it hit the fridge," said Paul, "The AC didn't work. The girl from the live sex show up the block smoked on the front steps. And we think a guy got pushed off the roof as we were leaving." Not the kind of vacation rental you want to end up in? There's always a chance the swank-looking, well-reviewed home, cabin, apartment or castle you book through a home-sharing site such as Airbnb or Vrbo (which includes HomeAway.com and a handful of other companies) will have some problems or not end up being as advertised. Worse, you could end up booking an illegal short-term rental and, like some recent vacationers in Miami, have to vacate the property in the middle of the night. Home-sharing companies post advice, rules and tips on websites to help minimize problems for both renters and hosts. And the companies encourage potential renters to be sure to read the reviews, rules and rental offerings carefully. Millions of people have no problems with their home-share stays. But as the summer travel season comes around, here are some questions to ask yourself and your host during the booking process and your stay. The blades of wind turbines catch the breeze at the Saddleback Ridge wind farm in Carthage, Maine, on March 19, 2019. The state's new Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has taken to show she would be more supported of green energy than former Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who lambasted wind power as a "boutique" source, fought subsidies for solar power and pulled the state out of a much-touted off-shore wind project. Turbines blow in the wind at an Xcel Energy wind farm on the Colorado-Wyoming border south of Cheyenne. Xcel Energy announced it would supply zero-carbon electricity by 2050 to customers in the eight states in which in operates. It may seem odd to compare Father Martin Magill, the priest who spoke last week at Lyra Mackees funeral, with Greta Thunberg, the 16-year old girl who spoke last week at the Palace of Westminster but please bear with us. Both gained standing ovations from their audience. But in neither case is the applause likely to signal a change of course. Michael Gove told Thunberg that Your voice still, calm and clear is like the voice of our conscience. When I listened to you, I felt great admiration, but also responsibility and guilt. But for the person with capacity to change the Governments policy, look to a venerable peer, John Deben, rather than a teenage activist, namely Thurberg. For it is Debens Committee on Climate Change which, in practice though not in theory, sets the framework for government emissions policy. Fr Magill asked: why in Gods name does it take the death of a 29-year-old woman with her whole life in front of her to get to this point? He was referring to talks in Northern Ireland about the restoration of devolved government. Sinn Feins Michelle ONeill stood to join the ovation. That is the fastest move she is likely to make on the matter for some time. It pulled out of government for its own reasons, and there is no sign that these have changed. One can understand why Theresa May has sought to seize the moment, and join in the pressure on the Northern Ireland parties to move. But the harsh truth is that very few of Northern Irelands horrors have made a quick change to the provinces fractious politics. The Omagh bombing was perhaps an exception. But in this case, neither of the main parties have much of an incentive to shift their positions on the most contentious issues. Sinn Fein has a clearly-defined stance on the Irish language, what are euphemistically called legacy issues, and social issues such as same-sex marriage. The DUP is not at all of the same mind. The two have cohabited in government, on and off, since the age of the Belfast Agreement. Sinn Fein has concluded that it is not in its interest to do so at present. And the remote prospect of a No Deal Brexit provides another incentive not to return. Admittedly, such an outcome is improbable. Some Brexiteers have gambled on the EU, led by France, refusing the UK membership extensions. Their hopes have not been realised to date. Besides, most of the EU27 countries, plus the Commission, have an incentive to extend namely, the hostility in the Irish Republic to No Deal and the harder border that would follow. And the Commons might well plump in extremis for revocation rather than No Deal. But Sinn Fein will be reluctant to gamble on it not happening. Were it to do so, the Republican vote in Northern Ireland would doubtless rise. But the party would be saddled with the co-responsibility of administering No Deal. This is not a task that it would relish. Furthermore, the Prime Minister has signalled that one of the reasons why she is unwilling to countenance No Deal at present is precisely that Northern Irelands institutions are not in place to help mediate it. Sinn Fein has thus been given, in effect, a veto on No Deal. Meanwhile, the DUP has clocked May breaking from the precedent of the Cameron years, whereby the Prime Minister fought shy of joint public statements with the Taioseach, at least as far as Northern Ireland is concerned. It was a way of making it clear to all concerned that the province is not under joint authority. But May last week gave a joint statement with Leo Varadkar, and Karen Bradley a joint press conference with Simon Coveney. These diplomatic move sis a disincentive to the renewal of the Conservatives confidence and supply arrangement with the DUP. They represented a very small shift. But little things can have a big effect on the politics of Northern Ireland. One wonders why the Prime Minister thinks that any sketchy gain from it is worth the potential loss. Perhaps she thinks that she wont be around in the summer to deal with the consequences. 100% Website bursztyn.pl uses latest and advanced technologies like: Boostrap. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 77037 bytes (75.23 kb uncompressed) and 13277 bytes (12.97 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-12-14, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. 100% Website monedalia.es uses latest and advanced technologies like: JQuery, Boostrap and Php. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 508065 bytes (496.16 kb uncompressed) and 105152 bytes (102.69 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-10-14, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. 91% Website overheid.nl uses latest and advanced technologies. It is very popular on the web, it's within the 1 million most visited websites of the world at position 32301 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 15939 bytes (15.57 kb uncompressed) and 3764 bytes (3.68 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-09-24, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. 60% Website rentemit63.com uses latest and advanced technologies. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 10779 bytes (10.53 kb uncompressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-08-03, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. He was part of a group of 37 people part of a "mass execution". One of the defendants was 16 at the time of detention. His charges included having an "extremist ideology" and "forming terrorist cells". The Ulema Council approves: "sharia-compliant" killings. Riyadh (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Saudi authorities have "executed and crucified" a man accused of "terrorism", part of a group of 37 people put to death in a "mass execution". The last had occurred towards the end of 2015 and had involved defendants accused of belonging to extremist groups, including al Qaeda, and ties with enemy foreign powers (read Iran). According to an official statement from the government, the man was sentenced to death for "having adopted an extremist and terrorist ideology" and "having formed terrorist cells" that threatened "the peace and security of society". Analysts and experts point out that these terms indicate that there are Sunni jihadist militants and Shiite activists among them. Amnesty International adds that one of the 37 defendants was only 16 at the time of the arrest. The Ulema Committee, which brings together the country's Muslim scholars, justified the killings by pointing out that they are "sharia compliant" (Islamic law). Those executed allegedly committed several crimes, including attacks on security headquarters, killing of several officials and policemen, and participating in anti-government demonstrations. The executions took place simultaneously in different parts of the country: in the capital Riyadh, in Medina and in Mecca, in the central region with a Sunni majority of al-Qassim, the southern province of Assir and in the eastern province where the Shiite minority is concentrated. Usually in Saudi Arabia the defendants sentenced to death are executed by beheading. The authorities also impose crucifixion in the case of serious crimes. In 2018 a man was executed and crucified for stabbing a woman to death; he also reportedly tried to kill a man and rape another woman. Riyadh, one of the nations in the world in which the executioner strikes most frequently, and does not release official statistics about executions. However, from the data collected by activists and international NGOs it emerges that under the leadership of Mohammed bin Salman (Mbs) the number has doubled. The number of executions in June 2017 and March 2018 touched 133, almost twice as many as the 67 registered in the eight months prior to the rise to power of the crown prince. Furthermore, about half of the people who ended up in the executioner's hands were foreigners, especially poor migrants sentenced to death for drug trafficking. The death penalty, often by public beheading, is applied for crimes ranging from terrorism to rape, from armed robbery to drug trafficking. Dr. John Murphy still remembers an early visit to Danbury Hospital by staff of the University of Vermonts medical school, amounting to an executive exam on the fitness of the hospitals physicians to teach UVM students. He recollects vividly the surprise by some of those doctors that there could be any questions on that front. With the university cementing the relationship this summer with the designation of a clinical branch campus in western Connecticut, the new Nuvance Health hospital system led by Murphy will now get to work on building a similar program for a New York college pushing ahead with a new medical school affiliated with Nuvance. Entering April, Connecticut regulators approved the $2 billion merger of Western Connecticut Health Network with New York-based Health Quest to form Nuvance Health, coupling seven hospitals running north along the two states shared borders. Driven primarily by the notion of two healthy hospital systems benefiting from each others strengths and an expanded footprint, for Danbury-based WCHN the deal had an additional perk: the addition of a medical school, offering a pipeline to physicians embarking on their careers. Health Quest was already well down the road of creating the new medical school in conjunction with Marist College, targeting an opening in 2022 at the schools Poughkeepsie, N.Y., campus. Health Quest successor Nuvance Health will now complete that process and accreditation under CEO Murphy, who held the same role at WCHN; and Robert Friedberg who becomes Nuvance president after steering Health Quest through the merger. Murphy told Hearst Connecticut Media that the new medical school gives Danbury Norwalk and New Milford hospitals direct access for the first time to newly minted physicians, as well as the Health Quest hospitals which include the small Sharon Hospital in Litchfield County, N.Y. Whats in it for us is that we want to be able to replace retiring physicians, Murphy said. Its very hard to recruit primary-care (doctors), psychiatrists and others. Were getting creative in recruiting primary care doctors with loan-forgiveness programs and other generous benefits, but we do believe that we have to build a program that consistently brings young people here. Keeping us on our toes Murphy said Nuvance will maintain its 10-year affiliation with the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, with about 1,000 UVM students having rotated through Connecticut to date and about 40 doing medical residencies here. For the first time this year, Vermont students can apply to the universitys newly designated Connecticut branch campus, allowing state residents to secure one- or two-year rotations at the three historic WCHN hospitals in Danbury, Norwalk and New Milford. Each years cohort will have close to three dozen slots, with students previously having the option of spending just six weeks in Connecticut under the rules of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. Any students from Vermont pursuing a global health track will be required to cycle through Nuvance Health as well. LCME spent a good deal of time here and said, You know what? The quality of education is identical to the quality of education (students) could get back at the mother ship, Murphy said. That has benefited the University of Vermont because what they wanted was diversity. ... Now they have access to lots of interesting patients and physicians who have been teaching for most of their careers. What we get out of it is a pipeline of very bright students who I believe keep us on our toes, because you have to know what youre doing if youre giving a lecture tomorrow morning, he added. There is evidence that teaching hospitals provide higher levels of care. Murphy indicated UVM officials have been in contact with him since the original Health Quest merger announcement last year, for reassurances Nuvance will remain fully committed to the UVM relationship, even as it sets up the new medical school at Marist. Dire need with physician shortage Connecticut is home to two top medical schools at Yale University and the University of Connecticut. The former is tied tightly to Yale-New Haven Health System whose subsidiaries include Bridgeport Hospital and Greenwich Hospital, while the latter is connected to the UConn School of Medicine and UConn Healths John Dempsey Hospital, both located in Farmington. Quinnipiac University created a third medical school in 2013, focused on primary care practitioners, with the school processing more than 7,500 applications in the past year for just over 90 slots in this falls entering class. Since then, 11 medical schools have gained LCME accreditation, with CUNY Medical School in New York City the lone Northeast institution to do so. Last month in Hartford, a contingent of UConn medical students, graduates and staff weighed in on the importance of the state expanding its educational pipeline for the industry and opportunities for graduates to stay close to home, including Milford native Dr. Roshni Patel who pursued a UConn track giving her additional training for work in cities with patients not getting adequate care under the current health system. I was able to get an affordable yet quality education in my home state this was really a huge motivating factor for me to actually stay in Connecticut post-residency, Patel told lawmakers in March. I hope to settle here long-term and serve in both a primary care and academic setting this way I can serve as a primary care physician for patients in Connecticut and fill an essential gap in care, something that we are in dire need of with the physician shortage in primary care. This week, the Association of American Medical Colleges projected the Northeast will require 11,000 additional physicians by 2032, the time frame at which point Marist and Nuvance medical students would be getting licensed after completing their clinical residencies. Broken out by relative populations and not factoring in demographic considerations like age, that would mean Connecticut would need about 700 additional doctors in the coming dozen years. The association indicated demand will be high for both general practitioners and specialty physicians and surgeons. One perk Marist medical students may get is the opportunity to interact on an ongoing basis with the CEO of a major hospital system, with Murphy still making the rounds practicing neurology, with 30 years experience focusing on movement disorders like Parkinsons disease. Murphy said he relishes the opportunities that gives him to interact directly with medical residents embarking on their own careers. I put my badge away it just says Murphy on my jacket, he said. It gives me the opportunity to say, how are the rotations? or, whats it like in the (operating room) for a student? And it really is, to a certain extent, like that show Undercover Boss where you really do get a peek at the organization from somebody whos young, enthusiastic (and) idealistic. ... We were all in their shoes. Includes prior reporting by Rob Ryser. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman This weekends shooting at a synagogue in California continues what one local religious organization called the disturbing trend of attacks on Jews and places of worship around the world. Local religious leaders condemned a Saturday shooting at Chabad of Poway in Poway, Calif., near San Diego, that killed one and injured three others. The shooting is being investigated as a hate crime and occurred on the last day of Passover. Leaders at Congregation Bnai Israel in Bridgeport said they were deeply saddened and pained by the shooting. Jews and people of all faiths should be able to enter their synagogues and houses of worship without fear of deadly violence and hate, read a Facebook post from the synagogue. We will do all we can to pray for those killed and injured in this terrible incident. Saturdays shooting came six months after 11 people were killed in a massacre at Pittsburghs Tree of Life synagogue. That attack was the deadliest on the Jewish community in the United States. There is little doubt that once again we are reminded of the troubling and heartbreaking rise in anti-Semitism and hate locally and worldwide, Diane Sloyer, CEO of the United Jewish Federation of Stamford, New Canaan and Darien, said in a statement. It is also a result of and inevitable outcome of the language of hate that has become all too familiar in our society and has resulted in similar attacks on Jews, Muslims and Christians worldwide. The shooting also comes about a week after more than 250 people were killed on Easter Sunday in bombings at churches and hotels in Sri Lanka. Last month, 50 people were gunned down at two mosques in New Zealand. In 2015, nine people were shot and killed at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C. This trend of gun violence in places of worship is disturbing, the Jewish Federation of Western Connecticut said. We stand with Chabad of Poway and our hearts are broken, the organization said on Facebook. Local synagogues heightened security in the wake of the October shooting in Pittsburgh. This is an attack on all of us, Rabbi Joseph I. Eisenbach, who leads Chabad Lubavitch of Northwest CT in Litchfield, said in an email. Congregation Bnai Israel in Bridgeport asked the citys police department to be at the synagogues religious school hours on Sunday. In the wake of these recent assaults, local leaders need to stand against hatred, the Anti-Defamation League of Connecticut said. This shooting is a reminder of the enduring virulence of anti-Semitism, the organization said in a statement. It must serve as a call to action for us as a society to deal once and for all with this hate. People of all faiths should not have to live in fear of going to their house of worship. The Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven is holding an event at 1 p.m. May 5 to honor victims of the Holocaust and the shootings in Pittsburgh and Poway. We are alarmed by the escalating string of attacks on houses of worship and the continued, increasing tide of anti-Semitic and hate incidents overall, read a release issued Sunday by the Federation. All places of worship for all faiths should be prayerful, peaceful and free from violence. At 5 p.m. Sunday, the United Jewish Federation of Stamford, New Canaan and Darien also planned an event to combat hate and honor Holocaust Remembrance Day We remain committed to fighting hate and will rededicate ourselves to building understanding, tolerance and care for our neighbors, Sloyer said. The Muslim Coalition of Connecticut also condemned the latest attack. We offer our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of the slain, and we pray for those who were injured, the coalition said in a statement. We stand firmly in solidarity with the Jewish community in Poway and throughout our nation. Police are investigating a claim the shooter made in an online manifesto that he set fire last month to a mosque in Escondido, Calif. That claim demonstrated how racist ideology threatens diverse communities, the Muslim Coalition of Connecticut said. The Muslim community has also been under attack locally and around the country recently. On Friday, a man deliberately drove into pedestrians in California because he thought some of them were Muslim. The FBI is also investigating after a man threatened last month to burn Muhammad Islamic Center of Greater Hartford, according to WNPR. The Muslim Coalition of Connecticut calls on all people to stand together to oppose hatred and violence against any group of people and urges the redoubling of efforts to promote knowledge, understanding, and respect for all, the organization said. Eisenbach encouraged the community to light Shabbat candles on Friday in honor of Lori Gilbert-Kaye, who was killed in the shooting. The synagogue is offering free Shabbat Candle Lighting kits to all. Those interested should contact office@chabadNW.org with their name and address for a free kit to be mailed. Let's cover the entire Northwest CT and let us bring light and love into the world to combat this senseless darkness and evil, Eisenbach said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. BRIDGEPORT The citys $3.5 million public facilities garage was beset by cost overruns and no bid work and vulnerable to a potential conflict of interest, city records show. The records also raise questions about the citys oversight of a multimillion project, the largest undertaken by Mayor Joe Ganims administration. Former Deputy Public Facilities Director Joe Tiago, fired in February following a city scrap metal scandal now under investigation by the FBI, played an ongoing role in the job awarded to Vaz Quality Works of Bridgeport despite having a financial relationship with the owner of Vaz. As the garage was developed and built, Tiago received price quotes directly from Vaz, including paving prices a month after the work was authorized, according to records obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media through a freedom of information request. This while Tiago held a $670,000 mortgage for Luis Vaz for property he sold in 2014, just two years before the garage project began. The additional work by Vaz added a half million dollars to the price tag for paving the lot. Although the final cost of the project has not yet been calculated by the city, records indicate it could reach as high as $3.5 million of taxpayers money a 14 percent overrun. Vaz was low bidder for the overall project with an original offer of $2.9 million to do the job. City officials defended the cost overruns and the process used to the build the garage, saying nothing was done improperly. They said unexpected issues came up that drove up costs and required change orders a construction term for revised plans. "Most change orders are of a substantive nature such that they are not anticipated, which is why there are change orders," Rowena White, a spokesperson for Mayor Joe Ganim. "This amount of change orders 24 were submitted is typical for this size project," White said. She said five of those orders were rejected and three are on hold for further discussion. "All change orders, whether approved, revised, rejected, increasing or crediting the project, are accounted for in municipal construction projects," she said. But the cost overruns and number of change orders seem unusual for the size of the project, said Chris Fryxell, president of the Connecticut chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors Inc., a national group that represents tradesmen. It does seem high to me, Fryxell said. The question is, should they have known, and what pre-planning did they do? Should these issues have been foreseen or did they cut corners? Officials previously said the garage project was reduced from a $5 million, and that cost increases were mostly caused by paving additional portions of the lot, including an area prone to flooding, and moving a vehicle washing station to an outside location. A federal Grand Jury and the FBI in February subpoenaed documents involving $4.4 million in city work awarded to Vaz since 2015, the year Ganim took office. That total includes other work performed for the city by Vaz. Tom Carson, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney John Durham, declined comment on whether the office is looking into possible illegality regarding the garage project. No-bid paving Paving the garage parking lot represented the largest cost overrun; the unexpected increase of nearly $500,000. The paving work was first outlined through a bid from Vaz in 2016 for $185,822 and swelled to $678,899 by 2018, records show. A plan to expand the paving work was included in a Sept 12, 2018, letter from Public Facilities Director John Ricci to the city purchasing department. In that letter, Ricci sought permission for a "qualified purchase" a city term for a no-bid contract. The new work was estimated to cost $269,277 more than originally budgeted for paving. Ricci said that selecting Vaz would "provide a lower cost than would result from competitive bidding since they are already on site and mobilized." Riccis request for a no-bid contract prompted questions from the purchasing department. Sharon Roberston, a purchasing department employee, noted in an email to the public facilities department that the "project overran bid amount before paving was ever started?" In response, Robertson was told her assessment was correct, and advised that the "the paving is for the existing contract for the municipal garage." White said the city followed proper procedures in seeking a no-bid contract for the paving work. "A qualified purchase was requested and approved by the citys purchasing agent per ordinance due to timing, review of bid paving line items from the original project, VAZs agreement to hold their unit pricing from the 2016 bid package and Vaz being already familiar with the existing drainage on site," White said in a written statement. "The priority paving work to create alternative employee parking areas due to site demolition was required to be performed prior to the approaching winter close of the paving season," she said. The day before Riccis request for a no-bid contract, Vaz submitted price quotes to Tiago for the $269,000 in work, city records show. That new work included paving an additional 39,450 square feet of lot. Delayed quotes The cost of paving the lot continued to rise as the scope of work expanded. On Sept. 21, 2018, the citys purchasing department issued a purchase order for paving that included a new charge of $223,800, bringing the cost of changes in the paving job to $493,077. The new work involved paving three additional yards of lot, removing existing pavement, laying new sub material and other activity. But city records show Vaz submitted the new price quote to Tiago on October 23, 2018 more than a month after the city cut the September purchase order that essentially authorized the work. When asked how a purchase order could be issued before price quotes were received, White said the new costs were added to the September purchase order after they were received in October. The date on the original order stays the same, White said. Ganim has said Tiagos financial interest in Vaz Quality Works was not disclosed to the city when the garage was being built. The mayor also said he was told Tiago recused himself from the public facilities garage project, the largest building venture undertaken by his administration. Tiago and his criminal lawyer, John Gulash, have declined repeated requests for comment about his role in the garage project. Change orders As work progressed, the process of building the garage continued to undergo changes and alterations The garage was first put out to bid in the summer of 2016. In September, the city received five offers, ranging from a high of $3.7 million from G. Pic & Sons Construction to the low bid of $2.9 million from Vaz. The second lowest bid was $3.34 million from OWI Contractors in Stratford. Fryxell, of the trade group, said change orders can be issued for a variety of reasons and acknowledged they are often used during large construction projects. Reasons for the projects change orders varied, including different HVAC systems, revisions to a main sanitary line and employee cost increases due to higher prevailing wages. But this seems high as an overall percentage of the project, Fryxell said. The concern is always over being a good steward of the taxpayers money. White, as of last week, said the final cost of the project $3,077,569 reflected change orders approved so far. That $3.1 million figure comes from a 2017 purchase order and does not reflect additional costs due to the garage. When those costs are included, the price of the overall project rises to $3,570,546, city records show. White stressed the final price is still to be determined, pending the result of further change order reviews and accounting. bcummings@ctpost.com BRIDGEPORT The city is moving forward with a sidewalk repair program awarded to a firm named in a subpoena related to an ongoing FBI probe. G. Pic and Sons Construction bid in 2017 on the pilot program that covers half the costs of repairing hazardous private sidewalks if the property owners agree to pay the balance. The city budgeted $3 million for the shared-expense initiative. With over $2.45 million left, according to municipal documents, the Public Facilities Department is asking the City Council to approve $182,586 Bridgeports share for 38 sidewalk upgrades. G. Pic is one of three local contractors listed in a subpoena issued in early February. Federal agents investigating allegations of illicit scrap metal sales and no-bid contracts involving Public Facilities have subpoenaed four years worth of documents and communications related to G. Pic, Vaz Quality Works and Seaview Equipment. None of the three companies has been accused of wrongdoing. Still, Mayor Joe Ganims administration recently delayed the long-awaited, $500,000 state-funded improvements to Fairfield Avenue in Black Rock because Vaz was awarded that bid in January. But rather than similarly hit pause on G. Pics sidewalk work, council members are moving to authorize the expense. On March 4, the full council forwarded the list of 38 pending sidewalk repairs to its Public Safety Committee, which unanimously approved them the following evening. The repairs will be back before the full council Monday for a final vote. According to the Public Safety Committees meeting minutes, no one present raised any questions about the FBI investigation or about G. Pic, including Council President Aidee Nieves. Nieves, however, did tell Public Facilities officials she wanted a full report on the program to gauge its success. Nieves said Thursday that she was initially in favor of pausing G. Pics sidewalk contract. But, she said, because the list of proposed repairs exists, Bridgeport could be successfully sued if the city does not act and someone trips or is otherwise injured on one of the included sidewalks. We can be held liable because we were put on notice something was defective and we didnt do anything about it, Nieves said. She added, however, that once this pending work is completed, the contract should be rebid. Councilman Kyle Langan, a Public Safety Committee member who admitted he had not considered the FBI probe when voting on the sidewalks last week, said he now believes the program should be paused. Any company thats named in these subpoenas, although innocent until proven guilty, we have to do the responsible thing ... until we find out what actually happened, Langan said this week. Too expensive? The sidewalk cost-sharing initiative was created by the Ganim administration in 2016 as a temporary pilot program that would expire once the $3 million was spent. Bridgeport is covered with miles of broken sidewalks and has the authority to force homeowners to make repairs, but has rarely done so. Meanwhile, many residents wrongfully assume all sidewalks are the citys responsibly, and City Hall gets sued when someone falls on a damaged section. So the Public Facilities department suggested offering homeowners the incentive of paying for half the work and providing the contractor, in this case G. Pic, which also has the contract to fix the sidewalks on public property. Property owners that do not participate or do not repair their hazardous sidewalks on their own face property liens. When the cost-sharing proposal was originally presented to the council, then-Deputy Public Facilities Director Joe Tiago was overseeing sidewalk work in the city. Ganim fired Tiago in February, following an internal review of anonymous allegations that Public Facilities workers were selling scrap metal for cash the same allegations the FBI is also probing. The mayor has not specified what Tiago did wrong, and Tiagos union is fighting the termination. Tiago has a financial relationship with the owners of Vaz Quality Works and has hired a criminal defense attorney. The FBI investigation aside, the shared-expense sidewalk effort has been criticized for other reasons. Langan and Councilman Peter Spain have questioned whether it forces property owners into expensive, but not necessarily urgent, repairs. The majority of the properties on the current list of 38 repairs are being charged in the $1,500 to $3,500 range. A few are closer to $6,000 and $9,000, with Success Village Apartments responsible for $75,627 worth of sidewalk upgrades. If anyone says anything about your sidewalk it is on the slate for repair and you only have two options at that point - repair it yourself or get into the (shared expense) program, Langan said this week. Ive gotten complaints in terms of people not having the means or the desire at that moment to repair their sidewalks (or) complaints (the damage) was this one area, and the city gave a quote for all the way to the end of the property. Spain recently contacted the Public Cacilities Department after a constituent complained that they called City Hall simply to learn about the sidewalk program and then received an order to make the repairs. Spain acknowledged the sidewalk in question might need some repair but the situation is not dire or an emergency. Also this week, a local contractor who did not want their name published told Hearst Connecticut Media that they recently provided a price quote to a property owner on the list of sidewalk repairs currently before the council. This contractors quote was significantly cheaper, the contractor said, and they wondered why the city was using only G. Pic for the work. Councilwoman Eneida Martinez, whose East End district includes some lower-income neighborhoods, said Thursday that she too has heard from a local contractor claiming he could offer more affordably price sidewalk repairs. The city sidewalk pilot program was initiated to help homeowners in hardship, not screw them over, Martinez said. Adding she too was concerned about G. Pic being named in the federal subpoena, Martinez said let the homeowner get three estimates and give (them) to the city. Martinez added that small, minority-owned businesses should be encouraged to participate. Should the House of Representatives begin impeachment hearings? Maybe. As they ponder that decision, should members consider political implications, including how it would play in 2020? Thats even more complicated. Jim Himes, who has represented Connecticuts Fourth District for the past decade, argues yes, which got him in some trouble online but is, he argues, the only sensible path forward. Himes makes himself available on social media in a way that some politicians shun. Last Monday, he engaged in an extended Twitter discussion with a group that included a few known figures but mostly random users, who may or may not have been constituents or, who knows, even real people. But the discussion got to the heart of serious questions facing Congress, and what the job of representative actually entails. It started with a reporter posing a question on Twitter: Anyone want to guess which Democratic member seemed the most forceful tonight about not impeaching Donald Trump? adding later, LOL it was Jim Himes, along with a link to a story on a private call on which Democratic House members talked about the Mueller report. To which Himes quickly responded, No it wasnt. Jim Himes argued that we should reflect on and consider the effect of impeachment proceedings on the chances of the presidents re-election. To his credit, Himes then responded to a few dozen accounts taking him to task for, in their minds, abdicating a duty to hold the president accountable. Key to the back-and-forth is the question of what exactly a representative in Congress is supposed to do. We dont hold a town meeting to consider every piece of legislation that comes around; we elect people to do that job for us. If we dont like what theyre doing, they get replaced. But is the role of a representative to (a) do as he or she sees fit and deal with the consequences? Or is it (b) to figure out how the public feels about each piece of business and vote accordingly? Those paths would lead to radically different outcomes. In truth, its almost always (a). For instance, polls show something like 90 percent support for universal background checks on gun purchases, but of course we dont have that. The reason is that representatives dont ask their constituents what they think on almost anything they vote as they please and count on everyone moving on by the time Election Day comes around. In this case, though, Himes was arguing we should put an emphasis on public opinion. Its a defensible position, given the stakes; in a phone interview later in the week, Himes called impeachment the nuclear weapon of political tools. Im not saying we dont impeach or that we dont do our duty, he said online. I am saying we should consider public sentiment. The furthest that would reach, presumably, would be the extent of ones district. Its not for a Connecticut congressman to care about (or at least not put foremost) what people think in Ohio or Florida. According to Himes, maybe it is: I wasnt forceful about not impeaching Trump ... I was forceful about making sure we had the best picture possible of how impeachment plays in presidential swing states. The issue here, as Himes himself acknowledged, is the unknowable. The 2016 election taught most people not to take anything for granted voting-wise. But if the goal is holding the president accountable, then all aspects of that question need to be considered, including whether such an action would help him stay in office. One more quote from Himes Twitter exchange: I was making an argument for care and consideration of facts and implications in however we choose to act. I expressed no view on how we should act. True enough. Take away the political question, though, and its clear he does know how Congress should act. In the eyes of many people, that ought to be enough. Hugh Bailey is editorial page editor of the Connecticut Post and New Haven Register. He can be reached at hbailey@hearstmediact.com. No one is going to turn down $100 million. That made this months announcement by the founder of the worlds largest hedge fund of a massive donation to Connecticuts public schools a major event. But it was not unprecedented. It wasnt long ago that another multibillionaire appeared with leaders of a densely populated Northeastern state to pledge a $100 million gift to public schools. As to how that one worked, the best that can be said is Connecticut can try to learn how to do things better this time around. In 2010, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg came on Oprah Winfreys talk show with Chris Christie, at the time the governor of New Jersey, and Cory Booker, then the mayor of that states largest city, to discuss a $100 million gift Zuckerbergs foundation planned for the Newark public school system. The five-year plan was matched by the same amount from other donors, making for a massive infusion aimed at making over a troubled system. Zuckerberg, Winfrey, Christie and Booker, who as a group could almost make up their own Jeopardy category of People Who Will Never Be President, lavished praise on one another as they talked about what promised to be a transformative gift, with Newarks plan to serve as a national model for reform. It didnt quite work out as planned, and nearly a decade later its not clear what $200 million over five years accomplished. There were some improvements, but also some backsliding. Some measures got better, but many stayed about the same. A troubled school system then, Newark is still in a tough spot. Included in the program were millions of dollars spent on consultants drawing up plans in a boardroom that had little to do with what was happening in the classroom. That makes the specifics of plans for the Connecticut money specifics which do not seem to exist at this point so crucial. Bookers successor as mayor last year mostly dismissed the project on those grounds. You cant just cobble up a bunch of money and drop it in the middle of the street and say, This is going to fix everything, he said. Then as now, the eye-catching numbers looked smaller compared to actual education spending, adding up to about 4 percent of what went into Newark schools on an annual basis. And the Facebook money was going to one city, not spread over many in Connecticut. In this state, the occasion this month was one of those Greenwich-themed get-togethers our governor loves so much, with Ned Lamont and his wife joined on stage at East Hartford High School by Ray and Barbara Dalio, he the founder of the hedge fund Bridgewater and she the operator of the familys charitable foundation. In addition to their $100 million, the plan calls for the same amount of state money plus a further $100 million from other philanthropic sources. A lot has changed in the past decade on the education reform front. Bookers philosophy in Newark of charter schools first, last and always has fallen a bit out of favor, and most of what passed for reform has been exposed as anti-union privatization efforts. Barbara Dalio, in her telling, had in the past directed her education philanthropy in a charter school-friendly direction. To her credit, shes moved on. I realized charter schools have their place and are doing great work, but it really doesnt solve the problem, she said recently, probably overstating on the great work but at least acknowledging the shortfalls of such an approach. For now, the Connecticut plan involves jargon like promises to help advance positive outcomes as quickly and sustainably as possible and to utilize practices with demonstrated positive impact, whatever that means. Already jockeying is underway to ensure that everyone in the state gets a share of whats coming. Under a best-case scenario, this should be thought of as a welcome gift, but not anything more than that. An infusion, even a large one, is not a solution. The plans purported focus on students who are losing touch with school sounds sensible. The best idea is something the governor hinted at this year before quickly backing down as the Wiltons of the world erupted. Education in the state would be best-served by a wholesale makeover of the kind that is never going to happen for political reasons. Maybe some of the $300 million could go toward selling rich towns on that whole regionalization thing? Hugh Bailey is editorial page editor of The New Haven Register and the Connecticut Post. He can be reached at hbailey@hearstmediact.com. That adage is attributed to St. Francis. It is one of my favorites, as it reminds us that we can say anything we like, but it is our actions that tell our true story and make a real difference. We have the same opportunity to preach the credit union gospel in our communities with our actions. The benefits of doing so positively impacts our employees, members and the broader community. Employees report that they get more from these opportunities than they give making them feel good about their job and their employer. Credit unions benefit from positive association with the cause. And, obviously, the community benefits from the credit unions support. Many credit unions already encourage its employees to support causes, either individually or those selected by the credit union. Some other ways credit unions can support their communities beyond what is traditionally done include: Publicity Your credit union is a huge publicity machine. You can put that machine to use to support a community organization or cause. At minimal cost, you can promote the cause on social media, your website, on your IVR system, and in branches. This promotion may be exactly what your local organization needs to break through to the next level. Foundations Many credit unions have launched non-profit foundations. When structured as 501(c)(3) organizations, these foundations provide benefits with both inflows and outflows. Supporters can make contributions to the foundation and benefit with a tax deduction, all while doing good. When deploying funds into communities, funds can be coupled with your lending products to provide lending solutions that you otherwise may not be able to provide. Ive seen some very creative combinations in all areas of lending consumer, mortgage and commercial. Participation in city government While many credit unions are active in their local chambers, they can broaden their reach and impact by participating in city government. Opportunities include volunteering (e.g. adopt-a-highway), serving on a commission (such as planning commission), or running for city council. Preaching the credit union gospel through our actions benefits so many, both inside and outside the credit union. I encourage you to continue preaching the credit union gospel. And, if you have found unique ways to support your community, Id love to hear about them and what theyve done for you and your community. Our own Bruce Siwy and Eric Kieta talk about their true-crime cases in Return To View: The Roundtable Rum-loving Diane Abbotts illegal swigging of a Marks & Spencer mojito on a London train earned her merciless mockery from Shadow Cabinet colleagues Rum-loving Diane Abbotts illegal swigging of a Marks & Spencer mojito on a London train earned her merciless mockery from Shadow Cabinet colleagues. At the start of their weekly pow-wows they queued up to make the same joke, and at the umpteenth rendition of Oi, Diane, theyve sold out of those cocktails you got shares in Marks? even the grumpy Shadow Home Secretary managed a smile. Ex-Commando Johnny Mercer will need all his combat skills when he next meets Ann Widdecombe. Asked about the Tory grande dames desertion to The Brexit Party, the Plymouth MP breezily told BBC1s Have I Got News For You he hadnt heard from Widdecombe his local Tory association chairwoman for so long that I thought shed died. Charming. Widders, a youthful 71, is still fighting fit, Johnny. Leader of the Brexit Party Nigel Farage with former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe, who has defected from the Conservatives to join the Brexit Party, in Westminster, London, last week. Widders, a youthful 71, is still fighting fit, Johnny Bulldog-like Tory Brexiteer Mark Francois should perhaps dress down the next time he goes canvassing in his Essex constituency. One woman nervously half-opened her front door to him last weekend before exclaiming: Oh, its you, Mr Francois. As youre in a suit, first off I thought you must be from the Jehovahs Witnesses. How beaming Dave got that rose glow Reports that David Cameron is bored s***less in his political retirement are clearly wide of the mark, based on this picture Reports that David Cameron is bored s***less in his political retirement are clearly wide of the mark, based on this picture. The former Prime Minister managed to escape from tweaking his eagerly awaited memoirs earlier this month to enjoy an enormous bottle of rose with pals in a posh London eatery. Thats one way to banish the Brexit blues... cheers, Dave! Still on Brexit, literary types whisper that an early draft of the Cameron memoirs contained more references to his famously nebulous Big Society initiative than to the B word that curtailed his political career. Dave was quietly told by his publishers to go back to his Oxfordshire shepherds hut and rework it, Dog hears. Crispins blunt sword Crispin Blunt, above, was ridiculed by colleagues after his no-confidence motion in Speaker John Bercow over alleged anti-Brexit bias was signed by just one MP Blunt himself Tory veteran Crispin Blunt was ridiculed by colleagues after his no-confidence motion in Speaker John Bercow over alleged anti-Brexit bias was signed by just one MP Blunt himself. The ex-Royal Hussars officer sadly has form for futile solo missions. During local elections in 2003, he broke ranks to say that then Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith must go only for poll results to be better than feared. IDS limped on for another seven months. Leftie Lloyd Russell-Moyle called Speaker Bercow a credit to both the House and UK democracy. A favour returned, perhaps? When the Brighton Labour MP committed the heinous offence of seizing the Commons mace in December in protest at a Brexit vote delay the Speaker let him off lightly. The mace was wrestled off lanky Russell-Moyle by 5ft 2in Commons flunkey Jo-Anne Crowder, a former Miss Sheppey beauty queen. Two weeks ago I was sacked from my unpaid position as chair of a Government commission devoted to beauty in building. Given the atmosphere of intimidation that is growing in our country, I have to say that my sacking was no surprise. It is unusual, to say the least, for a believing conservative to be appointed to a position of responsibility by a Conservative Government. The main aim of the Tories in office is to get through to the next Election without being noticed. But I was glad to take on the job, nevertheless. There is no more urgent aim than this one, which is to restore public confidence in the planning process by persuading people that we can build the housing that we need, without spoiling the beauty of our country. It is unusual, to say the least, for a believing conservative to be appointed to a position of responsibility by a Conservative Government. The main aim of the Tories in office is to get through to the next Election without being noticed I was naive, however, in thinking that we could achieve this aim by actually believing in it. Look around, and you will quickly see there is a vested interest in ugliness. Powerful people make easy money out of spoiling our built and natural inheritance, and they will sweep aside the obstacles placed in their path by a mere philosopher. No sooner was my appointment announced than I found myself accused of all the isms and phobias in the repertoire (racism and homophobia among them) by people who clearly had not the slightest acquaintance with my writings or thoughts on any subject at all, least of all on the subject of architecture. Persuaded to remain in the post, I spent four months working as hard as I could, helped by my excellent fellow commissioners and a valuable team of advisers. I was careful not to get drawn into any controversy, knowing how easy it is to be demonised. But I fell into a trap, all the same. My publisher had proposed to mark my 75th birthday by reissuing three of my books, and inviting discussions of my philosophy. I expressed reservations, given the previous attacks, but again allowed myself to be persuaded. The publisher, Bloomsbury, eventually told me that the New Statesman magazine wished to write a general piece, and would be glad for an interview. It seemed harmless enough: after all I had worked for the Statesman as a wine critic. In the event, the publicity officer was ill and I was alone with the interviewer, George Eaton, who I saw was recording my words on his phone. I assumed this was simply because, like so many young people, he had never acquired the habit of taking notes. A week later the New Statesman published an account of the interview, written by Eaton, in which I am portrayed as some kind of racist bigot. Eaton gave maximum publicity on social media to the article and reaffirmed its accuracy when questioned. A statement was released by the Labour Party denouncing me in terms so damaging that I cannot bring myself to repeat them. The Housing Secretary, James Brokenshire, then reacted, without consulting me, and I learned of my dismissal as I travelled back that day from Paris. In the event, the publicity officer was ill and I was alone with the interviewer, George Eaton, who I saw was recording my words on his phone. I assumed this was simply because, like so many young people, he had never acquired the habit of taking notes Eaton, meanwhile, posted a picture of himself on Instagram, drinking champagne from the bottle and triumphing over the racist and homophobe Roger Scruton. I searched my memory for what I might have said that could have led to such a catastrophe, but remembered only the general contours of what I had assumed to be a cordial attempt to communicate my view of the political situation of our continent. The next day, seeing the terrible headlines, I asked to see the transcript of the interview. Neither Eaton nor the New Statesman editor would release the tape, and so I was forced to flounder in a morass of accusations, without proof of my innocence. Meanwhile, the smears were repeated delightedly by all those vested interests that originally objected to my appointment. A Labour MP went so far as to accuse me (in Parliament) of being a white supremacist, so associating my name with the mass murderer in Christchurch, New Zealand, and demanding that I be stripped of my knighthood. The newspapers took up the story and soon the humiliation was complete, with even Tory politicians hurrying to dissociate themselves from me on social media. Fortunately I have loyal friends, and questions were raised about the justice of my dismissal. Had there been a right of reply? Had the principles of natural justice been followed? Had any evidence of my words actually been produced? From all over the world came statements of support, defending my character against the worst of the libels. But still no proof of my innocence, since the New Statesman and Eaton refused to release the tapes. To my great relief they have now been hooked from the cybersphere. Everyone can read the summary given by Douglas Murray in the most recent Spectator magazine and excerpted in the article on the opposite page and the New Statesman has responded to the pressure and published a transcript. The tapes, which can also be heard on YouTube, show clearly that the character assassination, built from the out-of-context fragments that were published, has no foundation at all. The important point, though, is that the interview has done its work: the Conservative Party has not regarded me as an asset worth defending, and Brokenshire, who dismissed me without a word of enquiry, has yet to come up with an apology. Those who dare to defend ordinary conservative values now do so at considerable risk, like the Christian teacher who told The Mail on Sunday last week how she was fired for supporting a Facebook post criticising the teaching of transgender issues in schools. In the academic world, anyone identified as a conservative is likely now to be defenestrated by the social media mob. Recently, my friend and colleague Ryszard Legutko, a distinguished Polish philosopher and MEP, was disinvited by an American college following an attack on social media. A few weeks previously, after a similar assault, Jordan Peterson, the distinguished Canadian psychologist, had an offer of a Fellowship withdrawn by Cambridge University. All around us, in universities, the media, in Parliament itself, we are observing a determined effort to raise the cost of conservative beliefs to the point where no one dares to express them. We are to proceed in all our deliberations without the conservative voice. And the sad thing for those who have defended that voice is that Tory politicians will join the stampede to abandon us. But in doing this, they are abandoning those who vote for them, too. Conservative values are not the caricature kicked around on social media. They are part of the social fabric of this country. If not defended by the Conservative Party, these values will have no part in the political process. And what will happen when the people come to see their values are without a voice in Parliament? It is surely time for the Tory Party to wake up to the direction in which they are taking us. Who runs Britain? Who is actually responsible for the governance of our nation this morning? It isnt the Prime Minister. Mrs May holds that title, but has relinquished any grip on the office. The only meaningful decision left for her now is the announcement of the date of her departure from Downing Street. Its not the Cabinet. As the Huawei debacle has revealed, their focus is no longer on running the Government but jostling for the premiership. The views of the voters of Britain are now secondary to the views of the 120,000 members of the Tory Party who will be eligible to vote in the upcoming leadership election. British Prime Minister Theresa May and Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Leo Varadkar attend the funeral of journalist Lyra McKee at St. Anne's Cathedral in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Wednesday When Ministers thoughts do turn to the wider political world, they no longer relate to the agenda of their own administration. I was speaking to a senior Government adviser, a Brexit Party official told me last week, and he said, Well, we havent got any choice now. Were all just going to have to vote for your lot in the European elections, arent we? And then there is Parliament. Last Tuesday, MPs played host to an historic event. The 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg addressed them over her concerns about global warming. In response, the British political class rose in fawning, toe-curling acclamation. Michael Gove called her the voice of our conscience. Ed Miliband said: Her message that politics isnt doing nearly enough is right and we all need to step up then tweeted a photo with her. Colleagues of Brownite Shadow Health Secretary Jon Ashworth were perplexed when he showed up to address the environmental protesters camped in Parliament Square. But the mystery has been solved. Jons decided to throw his hat in for the leadership, a fellow Opposition Minister informs me. Hes trying to cultivate support from the Corbynites and the kids. Hes going to run on a New Corbynism ticket. Good luck with that, Jon. Advertisement The politicians didnt seem to be aware they were venerating their own failure. What Thunberg had actually said to them was: You lied to us. You gave us false hope. You told us that the future was something to look forward to. She added: We have not taken to the streets for you to take selfies with us, and tell us that you really admire what we do. At which point they posted their photos, and told her how much they admired her. The incompetence of our politicians is only matched by their self-regarding conceit. A conceit finally shattered on Wednesday by a priest called Father Martin Magill. I commend our political leaders for standing together in Creggan on Good Friday, he said as he addressed the mourners at Lyra McKees funeral in Belfast. I am, however, left with a question. Why in Gods name does it take the death of a 29-year-old-woman, with her whole life in front of her, to get to this point? As the congregation gave him a standing ovation, Theresa May and the other senior MPs present were left with no option but to rise and join the applause applause that again endorsed their own failure. A failure that had resulted in the casual murder of a young journalist on the streets of the United Kingdom. Remains poll blow ... from EU citizens As opinion polls continue to show Nigel Farage surging, Remain strategists have been pinning their hopes on the 3.5 million EU citizens eligible to vote in next months European elections. But they look set to be dashed. I understand that so far only one in ten European nationals is signed up, with the deadline set to expire on May 7. This is causing most concern to Change UK, who had been hoping their second referendum pledge would give them a boost among EU voters, especially in London. To be honest, these elections have come too soon for us, a party official acknowledges to me. We only just managed to get our own registration papers submitted in time. Meanwhile Brexit Party officials are increasingly confident they will not be hampered by a boycott from disillusioned Leavers. We actually think were going to get a higher turnout than in 2014, one tells me. People are saying, Thank God. Youve given a reason to come out and vote. Could the polls be underestimating the scale of the Farage insurgency? Advertisement We are not witnessing just a political collapse, but a psychological one. Utterly incapable of addressing the major issues, our politicians are constructing an alternate universe. One in which another Prime Minister, another Cabinet and another Parliament somehow shoulder the blame for their own abject inability to govern. It is now a month since MPs voted to seize control of the Brexit process. On the night of the vote that enabled them to do so, Minister Richard Harrington resigned saying the Government was playing roulette with the lives and livelihoods of Britons. Now it is the entire political establishment playing roulette. Having connived to overturn centuries of parliamentary precedent, what do our MPs have to show for it? Nothing, except a series of indicative votes that only serve to indicate they do not have the first clue how to solve the Brexit crisis. And so the self-indulgent displacement activity continues. Last week a new group the More United MP Network was formed. Were sick of urgent issues being ignored in favour of Brexit, was the headline accompanying its launch. Sorry, but who actually gets paid to highlight and deal with these issues? Who has responsibility for ensuring Brexit is implemented? Not Father Magill, not Greta Thunberg, but the 650 MPs who we elect to act as our legislature. And yet it as if the political stasis engulfing the nation is nothing to do with them. Like the crowd in the Life Of Brian, they have relinquished all accountability for their actions. The politicians must do something! the people demand. Youre right. The politicians must do something, our politicians chant back. This situation is not sustainable. The vacuum that has been created as MPs of all parties flounder around, trying to get to grips with the repudiation of the political status quo, is already starting to be filled. Its most benign manifestation is the misguided but largely good-natured protests of the environmentalists who brought Central London to a standstill over the Easter holiday. Its worst is the shadowy, balaclava-clad figures who stalked the streets of Derry with murder in their hearts. This weekend our politicians are on notice. If they are unwilling or unable to govern us, there are others who will. A luxurious tinted moisturiser is so popular it has thousands of glowing reviews online - and even Meghan Markle and Margot Robbie are fans. The Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser, available at Australian store Mecca for $70, promises natural-looking completion with a healthy, dewy finish. Touted by beauty fans everywhere, thousands of women are raving about the 'magical glow' they get when using the product. And it's not hard to see why it's become the must-have beauty staple. The Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser, available at Australian store Mecca for $70, promises natural-looking completion with a healthy, dewy finish. The Laura Mercier Tinted moisturiser can be bought from Australian store Mecca for $70 Australian actress Margot Robbie previously told British Vogue that she uses it religiously after hearing about it from make-up guru Patti Dubroff. And in a 2016 interview Meghan Markle said it is the product that gives her skin a 'dewy glow'. Even celebrities, such as Angelina Jolie, Madonna and Ashley Grahams have sworn by it. The $70 bottle is a multi-tasking formula that enhances the skin with subtle, sheer colour and hydrates the skin. It has been designed to sit in place, stay 'colour-true' all day long and its blend of vitamins C and E helps to protect the skin from damaging environmental effects. The moisturiser has a cult-like following with its fans sharing their positive reviews online. The luxurious tinted moisturiser is so popular it has thousands of glowing reviews online - and even Meghan Markle and Margot Robbie are fans Despite the $70 price tag, more than 2,400 women agreed the tinted moisturiser was worth every penny. Many fans said it was ideal for days when you want to look like you're not wearing any makeup and if you want to add a natural glow to the skin. 'I have been using this product for ages! I keep trying other brands, but this is hands down the best tinted moisturiser I have ever used,' one happy customer said. One said: 'It evens skin tone, brightens completion and leaves the most magical glow that lasts all day. Do yourselves a favour - and buy it. It will change your life.' Another person said that although she has fairly oily skin, this product works for her. 'Keeps me shine-free for at least four hours. It gives my face a much smoother, more even look without screaming "I'm wearing makeup!",' she said. Despite the overwhelming amount of positive reviews, some shoppers weren't as happy with the product. 'Unremarkable tinted moisturiser ... It's semi-matte on my skin and evened out very little. It was hard to blend, which is odd considering it's such a liquidy product,' one person wrote. 'Personally, I find the smell of this product to be terrible. It is like a chemical Play-Doh. The consistency is very thin and almost sticky or tacky. I don't find the tinted moisturiser has any longevity and hasn't had any benefit to my skin,' said another. The two beauty aficionados behind cult beauty brand Summer Fridays have revealed their sought-after makeup and skincare secrets. Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Gores Ireland visited Mecca HQ in Australia where they shared insight into their must-have products. From their morning and night skincare routines to their travel essentials, this is the best advice offered by the glowing Los Angeles based influencers. Marianna Hewitt (right) and Lauren Gores Ireland (left), the two beauty aficionados behind cult beauty brand Summer Fridays, have revealed their makeup and skincare secrets Morning routine Both Marianna and Lauren avoid applying heavy makeup in the mornings unless they have a special occasion. And if they're not doing something for social media, they won't wear makeup. When only applying light makeup Lauren will put on concealer, curl her lashes and apply Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara and a dab of lip balm. She added that when she's going out at night her makeup routine is a lot more complicated and often involves 50 products. Marianna's every day makeup routine starts with her curling her lashes, applying concealer, a creamy bronzer, blush and lip balm. 'Maybe a little brow gel. I do my brows myself with tweezers. I used to be tempted to try new looks but then I kept regretting it, so I learned to do them myself,' she said. Marianna's makeup routine starts with her curling her lashes, applying concealer, a creamy bronzer, blush and lip balm When only applying light makeup Lauren will only put on concealer, curl her lashes and apply Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara and a dab of lip balm Night time routine Both women choose to focus on their skin care maintenance in the evenings and they incorporate a variety of different products, including some of their own. Marianna starts off with a gel cleanser as she doesn't like foaming washes as they tend to dry out her skin. 'I double cleanse just to get rid of makeup or, if I need to, I use a little bit of Summer Fridays Overtime mask as an exfoliating wash and pre-scrub my makeup off,' she said. Then she will use a cleanser followed by a face serum. She also incorporates a chemical exfoliant, such as the Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Pads. Both women choose to focus on their skin care maintenance in the evenings and they incorporate a variety of different products, including some of their own What are some of the products they use? - Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara - Summer Fridays Overtime face mask - Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Pads - Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask - Slip Silk Eye Mask - Slip Scrunchies - RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek - NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer - Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist - Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette Advertisement 'I always add in a retinol and then I use Jet Lag Mask as a moisturiser and an under-eye mask. I just use an extra layer under and over the eye, it's safe to use on both,' she said. 'Then I use a lash serum. It did take me six months to really notice results, but all of a sudden, my lashes got really long. Finally, I always apply a lip balm. I have a lot of different options.' Lauren starts her routine by cleansing as well but unlike Marianna she will reach for a cleanser that foams. Then she uses a toner to ensure she's removed all of her makeup, exfoliates and applies extra face oils at night before putting on their Jet Lag mask overnight. 'So I'll put on a pretty thick layer right before bed, on my under eyes and forehead. L.A. is really dry, so I have to constantly put more on. I use it as a lip mask as well,' she said. Two or three times a week she will use their brands Overtime face mask as well. 'I always add in a retinol and then I use Jet Lag Mask as a moisturiser and an under-eye mask. I just use an extra layer under and over the eye, it's safe to use on both,' Marianna said Lauren uses a toner to ensure she's removed all of her makeup, exfoliates and applies extra face oils at night before putting on their Jet Lag mask overnight Travel beauty must-haves These two beauty gurus understand how to look after their skin while travelling as one of their most sought-after products is their Jet Lag Mask which was created to handle all travel skin issues. 'In-flight I have my Slip Silk Eye Mask and we both use their silk scrunchies for our hair. I use all these sleep vitamins and the Jet Lag Mask. That's all the essentials,' Marianna said. So that she feels refreshed and awake when hopping off the plane Lauren will use the RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek to warm up her cheeks. 'We both love NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer for quick touch-ups, Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist is really good for kind of hitting the reset button. And I use a great Hourglass palette that has a bronzer, blush and highlighter,' she said. Both women travel with their full skin care routine because they both notice a negative difference when they don't use all of their regular products. A British filmmaker who revealed he had an unusual encounter with Hugh Grant, has urged others to share their surreal experiences with celebrities. Writing on Twitter Michael Segalov, from London, who is a contributing editor and filmmaker, claimed the Hollywood actor stuck his tongue out at him while he was riding a bucking bronco in Liverpool last year. Taking to the social media site, he asked his 24,000 followers to contribute their own bizarre and heartwarming encounters, which has since been collated by Bored Panda. The post, which has received more than 31,000 likes - includes everything from one guy who mistook Morgan Freeman for a family friend, to another who praised Stephen Fry for helping her secure a job at a bookshop. Filmmaker Michael Segalov, from London, sparked a viral thread sharing encounters with celebrities on Twitter after telling his own story of meeting Hugh Grant (pictured) Michael claimed the actor stuck his tongue out and shrugged when they made eye contact while in Liverpool last year Many of the amusing stories involved people unexpectedly rubbing shoulders with famous faces while using public toilets. 'Outside a bathroom at Disneyland, Lindsay Lohan noticed my daughter who was upset about her new braces,' wrote one. 'Lindsay told my daughter that she thought braces were cool and how fun it is to get the bands changed. I always had a special place in my heart for her after that.' Another penned: 'I once peed next to Archbishop Desmond Tutu in the toilets of Coventry Cathedral.' Among the unusual encounters was one person who met Desmond Tutu (pictured left) in a bathroom and another who chat to Lindsay Lohan (pictured right) while visiting Disneyland One Twitter user praised Stephen Fry for helping her secure a job at a bookshop after they began talking when she was waiting for an interview Others told how they engaged in lengthy conversations with celebrities without even realising who they were. One Twitter user revealed how he once confused Morgan Freeman for a family friend. 'I mistook Morgan Freeman for a friend of my parents when he said "hi" in a queue at the bank, and spent 10 minutes filling him in on my mum's health,' commented one. 'He was engaged and charming throughout. The teller asked how I knew him, I looked over in shock and he grinned and winked.' Another wrote: 'Sat next to Ryan Gosling at Broadway play. Didn't recognise him until we were chatting at intermission.' 'My face registered that because he laughed and said, "you just figured out who I am." I nodded. He grinned and said, "clearly you don't spend enough time on Pinterest."' Many Twitter users shared their encounters with famous faces including Morgan Freeman and Ryan Gosling Speaking of her encounter with Stephen Fry, a third explained: 'Was in a bookshop waiting to interview for a job there when I saw him shopping.' 'I approached and we chatted. I told him I was waiting for a job interview. He insisted on waiting with me until the manager came to meet me and he told her she simply must hire me. I got the job. Another claimed they had their sunglasses stolen by Liza Minnelli while visiting a Caribbean resort in the Eighties. 'I left my mirrored sunglasses at a poolside table at a Caribbean resort in the 80s,' wrote one. 'Liza Minnelli and some friends sat down thinking the table was free.' 'She put on my sunglasses and they all started laughing. Then they walked away. Liza Minnelli stole my sunglasses.' Another added: 'I had always joked I loved Alan Rickman's voice so much that I would listen to him read a menu. Then I sat next to Alan Rickman in a restaurant and heard him read a menu.' A number of people revealed many of the celebrities they had met made jokes, including one who had always dreamed of Alan Rickman reading them a restaurant menu - which actually came true If you're in the market for a coffee machine, Aldi Australia is set to launch a product that rivals brands costing more than four times the price. From Wednesday May 1, shoppers will be able to purchase the Espressi Capsule Machine for just $89.99 at the discount retailer across the country. As part of its new Special Buys range, the coffee machine will be the perfect addition to your home over the colder months. In comparison, a similar product such as the Smeg Espresso Machine would set you back $399, cost four times the price of the Aldi range. On sale Wednesday May 1 shoppers will be able to purchase the Espressi Capsule Machine for $89.99 Available in black with chrome features, the kitchen appliance has 19bar high performance pump pressure, automatic capsule insertion and removal and an automatic start and stop function. It also has automatic and programmable cup filling quantity and an integrated cleaning function with reduced temperature. To make their coffee the same standard as their local coffee shop customers will also be able to also get their hands on the Expressi Large Milk Frother for $49.99. It has dual functionality as it both froths and heats to 65 degrees. On top of this customers will be able to buy other coffee-related items to accompany the machine. To make their coffee the same standard as their local coffee shop customers will also be able to also get their hands on the Expressi Large Milk Frother for $49.99 Aldi will also be selling a two pack of Double Wall Thermo Glasses for $8.99 and Stainless Steel Travel Mug in silver or gold for $4.99 Aldi will also be selling a two pack of Double Wall Thermo Glasses for $8.99 which are made from lightweight borosilicate glass. They are suitable for both hot and cold drinks and the double wall keeps drinks inside hot or cold for a longer period than standard glasses. If customers are more likely to have their coffee on the go they will also be able to purchase Stainless Steel Travel Mug in silver or gold for $4.99. For those who want to add a shot of extra delicious flavour to their brew they can purchase Expressi Coffee Syrups for $3.99 They'll also be selling an Expressi Coffee Capsule Value Pack for $29.99 each to accompany the coffee machine. They're offering three different coffee flavours: Milano, Torino or Calabrese. And for those who want to add a shot of extra delicious flavour to their brew they can purchase Expressi Coffee Syrups for $3.99 which come in flavours vanilla, caramel or hazelnut. With Baby Sussex due to be born any day now, it appears Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are already planning an overseas adventure for the new royal. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to take their new baby on a tour of Africa in the autumn, making him or her one of the youngest royals to go on an official tour. 'They hope to take the baby with them but will make a decision nearer the time. Potentially, Meghan and the baby could so some, if not all, of the trip', a royal source told the Times. It would see the new baby following in the footsteps of their father, who made his first appearance on a royal tour in Venice in 1985 alongside his mother, the late Princess Diana, Prince Charles and Prince William, then just two. Scroll down for video The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to take their new baby on a two-week tour of Africa in the autumn, making him or her one of the youngest royals to ever go on an official tour, a royal source has claimed (pictured, Meghan and Harry in Morocco in February) Harry (right) was just six and a half months in April 1985 when he travelled to Venice with his mother Princess Diana (left), father Prince Charles and brother Prince William The European jaunt saw Harry, pictured alongside his older brother William, then two, join his parents as the couple travelled to the Italian city on an official visit in the mid eighties It comes amid reports the royal couple postponed their trip to the US and Canada in autumn amid anxiety the baby is too young to travel. 'As it stands, the Duchess of Sussex won't be going away on an official overseas tour this year,' a source told Vanity Fair. 'That's the word out of the Palace, although things might change. Right now we have been told that there won't be any overseas travel before the end of the year because Baby Sussex will be too young.' However, a visit to Africa may be more likely than a return to Meghan's native US after reports the Sussexes may move to the continent 'for a three-year assignment combining Commonwealth and charity work' when the baby comes. A visit to Africa may be more likely than a return to Meghan's native US after reports the Sussexes may move to the continent 'for a three-year assignment combining Commonwealth and charity work' when the baby comes. Pictured: Meghan in Rwanda in 2017 Reports of Harry, 34, and Meghan's, 37, 'Out of Africa' project first surfaced in The Sunday Times, which quoted a source as saying that courtiers had drawn up plans to send them abroad 'for two to three years.' It's believed the trip would be a sabbatical instead of a long-term fixture and would combine their jobs as Commonwealth ambassadors with charity work and a role promoting Britain. It was also suggested the proposal would offer them a break from the reported rift between Harry and his brother William, while 'harnessing' the Sussexes' global appeal. Harry and Meghan both have close ties to Africa, visiting the continent separately and together on multiple occasions. Pictured: Harry in Zambia last year Baby Sussex will be among the youngest royals to embark on international travel. Traditionally, young children have not been taken abroad on official tours but Prince Charles and Princess Diana (pictured left) broke with protocol by taking a nine-month-old Prince William (left) to New Zealand in 1983. William and Kate took Prince George (right) to New Zealand and Australia in 2014 Sources claimed the Sussexes' advisers are working on Harry and Meghan's 'bespoke' African role with the help of Sir David Manning, a former ambassador to the US, and Lord Geidt, the Queen's former private secretary who chairs the Queen's Commonwealth Trust. Botswana which Harry has previously described as his 'second home' is one of the countries that has been suggested, as well as Malawi and South Africa. Not only is Harry's charity Sentebale based in Botswana and Lesotho, but he and Meghan visited the country just a few weeks after it was announced they were dating in 2016. The Sussexes' advisers are working on Harry and Meghan's 'bespoke' African role with the help of Sir David Manning, a former ambassador to the US, and Lord Geidt, the Queen's former private secretary who chairs the Queen's Commonwealth Trust (pictured in Morocco in February) Harry took Meghan to his favourite luxury camp, Meno a Kwena in Botswana, to celebrate Meghan's 36th birthday and mark their first year together. They recently gave the public a unique glimpse into their 2017 trip, sharing stunning never-before-seen photos on their new Instagram account. One of the moving shots shows the royal couple tending to a large bull elephant in the bush, equipping him with a satellite collar. Meghan and Harry are said to have a close connection to Africa, and have travelled together and separately to the continent, picture: Meghan in Rwanda in 2017 It is believed they fell in love on a safari in Botswana, and Meghan and Harry even returned there for the former actress' 36th birthday two years ago (pictured) Their Royal Highnesses were assisting Dr. Mike Chase of Elephants Without Borders, who is working to protect elephant populations by tracking their movements. Harry was rumoured to have proposed in Botswana, and Meghan's engagement ring includes a center diamond from the country, which is cushioned by two smaller diamonds from Princess Diana's collection. On Meghan's first ever wildlife safari, the couple watched the sunset behind a spectacular vista of acacia thorn trees and green-backed herons fishing in the river. Although this is unlikely to be decided until next year, The Sunday Times report the role is likely to be in Africa because of the couple's ties there. Pictured: Harry in Lesotho on his gap year in 2004 Prince Harry also spent a gap year in Lesotho back in 2004. He once described it as his 'second home'. A spokesman for the royal family didn't deny the reports and said: 'Any future plans for The Duke and Duchess are speculative at this stage. No decisions have been taken about future roles. 'The Duke will continue to fulfil his role as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador.' Prince Charles and Princess Diana broke with protocol by taking their sons of royal tours before their first birthdays. Prince Harry was taken to Venice in 1985 at just six months old while Prince William flew across the world to New Zealand for a royal tour at nine months (pictured) The Queen was often absent from the first few years of Prince Charles and Princess Anne's lives, leaving them to be looked after by her mother while she went on a tour of the Commonwealth. It wasn't until 1953, when Charles was five and Anne was three that they were taken abroad (pictured in Gibraltar in 1954) If Harry does take his new son or daughter on tour, he will be following in the footsteps of his parents and brother. Prince Charles and Princess Diana broke with protocol by taking their sons of royal tours before their first birthdays. Prince Harry was taken to Venice in 1985 at just six months old while Prince William flew across the world to New Zealand for a royal tour at nine months. Baby Sussex's first cousin, Prince George was also taken to New Zealand in 2014, at just eight months old. However, the Queen was often absent from the first few years of Prince Charles and Princess Anne's lives, leaving them to be looked after by her mother while she went on a tour of the Commonwealth. It wasn't until 1953, when Charles was five and Anne was three that they were taken abroad. She's woken Britain up for the last twenty years and, as a regular host on Good Morning Britain, has no intention of stopping anytime soon. Presenter Kate Garraway says she's enjoying being in her fifties and is even looking forward to the menopause. The presenter, 51, who lives in North London with husband Derek Draper and her two children Darcey, 13 and Billy, nine, says she's utterly relaxed at the thought of hitting 52. Speaking to Fabulous, Garraway said women need to 'embrace' getting older and that there has never been a better time to be a woman in her fifties. Scroll down for video Kate Garraway (above), 51, said she was excited about menopause - although she's not yet in it - and that women should celebrate getting older, as there is no other alternative From left to right, Kate with her husband Derek Draper, son Billy, nine and daughter Darcey, 13, photographed at a publishing event in September 2018 Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway presenting 'Good Morning Britain' earlier this year. Garraway (right) says there is something special about hosting morning television She said she welcomed the fact being over fifty meant women got to reassess their priorities and leave their fears and insecurities behind. Although she recalled watching her mother finding going through the menopause hard, the TV presenter, who said she has yet to experience symptoms of the life-change, felt very differently about nearing it. 'At some point, bits of you are going to go wrong, but I've had friends who've had breast cancer and a friend who didn't make it to fifty, so we need to celebrate getting older,' she said. Garraway went on to say the menopause was 'not the end' anymore, as progress in treatment and scientific research have her hopeful that her own experience will be a positive one. 'There are actually lots of studies that show the menopause is a great thing and it rewires the brain in a positive way,' she said. Garraway, pictured with Ben Shephard and Susanna Reid, said she loved doing morning TV as people felt they knew' the presenters The presenter - who says sex gets better with age - is vocal about her intimate life and famously once shared a sex schedule with husband Derek Draper. Pictured: Garraway hosting Good Morning Britain in April Garraway has seen it all - from interviewing the cast of Harry Potter through the years to witnessing the rise and fall of prominent faces of the political world - and she does not plan on stopping. In her personal life as well, Garraway said sex gets better as a woman gets older. 'When you're younger you want to be impressive, but when you're older I think there's a different kind of intimacy.' The Loose Women panelist has been vocal about her sex life with husband Derek Draper in the past, even revealing that the pair has has a go at minding their own 'sex schedule' in order to make time for intimacy. She said the couple 'forced' themselves to have sex once a day but eventually had to slow down after Derek broke his ankle - in an incident unrelated to their daily sex romps. After the injury occurred, they used the time they had reserved for each other to talk. Draper and Garraway met back in 2004, on a date that was arranged by friend and colleague Gloria de Perio. But Kate revealed that because of a miscommunication, Derek thought he would be going on a date with ITV's then weather girl Andrea McClean. She opened up too about keeping up with her kids, admitting she sometimes felt she needed a dictionary to understand her teenager, Darcey. 'She says things are "peng 123" and that's good. And so is "lit". "Peak" is bad, though,' she joked. A group of aristocratic women are hoping the Duchess of Sussex's new baby is a girl, after parliament rejected at bill to change the law to allow firstborn daughters to inherit titles. Members of the campaign group Daughters' Rights want to see the aristocracy modernised and, with the backing of MP Philip Davies, have proposed a Private Member's Bill to change the law. They believe Baby Sussex being born a girl will be the boost they need to reform the archaic discrimination laws against firstborn noblewomen, after Cabinet rejected the bill. Under current laws, they are denied the right to stand for election to the House of Lords, and the women argue that they are being discriminated against by the British Government. Head of the campaign group Charlotte Carew Pole, 43, (left) said the law represents a 'fundamental inequality' and she suspects Meghan (right), a self-proclaimed feminist, would be horrified to learn a future daughter will have less rights than a future son Prince Edward's daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, 15, (pictured with her mother Sophie, Countess of Wessex, last year) will not inherit her father's title, The Earl of Forfar upon on his death despite being his firstborn. Instead it will go to her brother, James, Viscount Severn, 11 In 2013, Parliament rushed through changes to the Law of Succession ahead of Prince George's birth to promote gender equality, meaning that Princess Charlotte is fourth in line to the throne ahead of Prince Louis. But the Cabinet stifled a Private Member's Bill the so-called 'Downton Abbey Law' which would have granted firstborn females in the aristocracy the same rights as men. This means if Meghan gives birth to a daughter, Baby Sussex will not receive the the Earl of Dumbarton title that was bestowed upon Harry after he wed. In the hope to change the law, five daughters of peers are taking the Government to the European Court of Human Rights on the grounds they are discriminated against on the basis of their gender and the right to a free election. Charlotte's (left) husband, Tremayne, will become the 14th holder of the Pole Baronetcy, granted to his family by Charles I in 1628, when his father dies. But under current laws, her son Lucian, one, will inherit the title ahead of his sister Jemima, three. The Hon Sarah Long, 59, (centre) is the eldest daughter of 4th Viscount Long of Wraxall, who died last year aged 88. The title was inherited by her younger brother James, 57, who lives with the effects of Thalidomide. Lady Willa Franks, 45, (right) is the eldest of four daughters born to the 5th Earl of Balfour, 69, an investment executive. With no heir, her fathers title will go to his brother, her uncle Charles Head of the campaign group Charlotte Carew Pole, 43, said the law represents a 'fundamental inequality' and she suspects Meghan, a self-proclaimed feminist, would be horrified to learn a future daughter will have less rights than a future son. Charlotte's husband, Tremayne, will become the 14th holder of the Pole Baronetcy, granted to his family by Charles I in 1628, when his father dies. But under current laws, her son Lucian, one, will inherit the title ahead of his sister Jemima, three. She told the Telegraph: 'This is a fundamental inequality and it is very disappointing a change in the law was blocked by the government. All the more disappointed that it was blocked by Chloe Smith, the minister for the constitution, despite her putting through the change in royal succession. Philip Davies, who proposed the bill, added: 'It's very disappointing. I'm afraid what this now needs is support from the Government. It is frankly staggering that the practice of male primogeniture for her hereditary titles is still ongoing' 'I would have thought that Meghan would be horrified that a daughter of hers would not be entitled to the same kind of privilege her son was. Baby Sussex will not be the first royal to fall victim to the archaic rules. Prince Edward's daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, 15, will not inherit her father's title, The Earl of Forfar but instead upon on his death. Instead it will go to her brother, James, Viscount Severn, 11. Charlotte previously told the Daily Mail: 'Only in the aristocracy does the ridiculous notion still exist that a son is somehow superior to a daughter, and it makes me very cross that Jemima could never inherit her father's title simply because of her gender. Lady Willa is one of five daughters taking the government to the European Human Rights. Her mother is the elder sister of the Duke of Norfolk, who inherited the ancestral seat, Arundel Castle in West Sussex (pictured) 'I think there is still pressure in some families to produce an heir and a spare before you can have a daughter, and it affects the way the children are brought up. 'This is a simple case of discrimination. Women are not allowed to stand in a fair and free election to the upper house and that is fundamentally wrong. 'It is 100 years since women won the vote, yet we still don't have the same political rights as men. Philip Davies, who proposed the bill, added: 'It's very disappointing. I'm afraid what this now needs is support from the Government. It is frankly staggering that the practice of male primogeniture for her hereditary titles is still ongoing. It would certainly made a difference to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex if my Bill had succeeded. Theyve toasted your triumphs, stood by you through lifes rough patches, and know what makes you tick (sometimes even better than your other half) but would you risk going into business with your best friend? If you count yourself among the one in eight women who wants to start their own business, having a work wife by your side could boost your chances of success a 2016 report found that startups with more than one founder tend to be more successful than solo endeavours. A work wife is more than just a business partner; when your co-founder is a trusted female friend, shes your cheerleader, sounding board and conspirator all rolled into one. Your friendship is the fuel that fires your business and, when youve already got that emotional shorthand between you, together you can hit the ground running. Women who've founded a successful business with a friend shared their story as this year's NatWest Everywoman Awards starts searching for nominees, Sarah Hesz, 37, and Katie Massie-Taylor, 36, (pictured) from London launched Mush in 2016 For work wife inspiration, look no further than parenting website Mumsnet, launched in 2000 by Justine Roberts and Carrie Langton, who met in an antenatal class, or unique gift site Not On The High Street, founded in 2006 by friends Holly Tucker and Sophie Cornish. Both are now multi-million-pound firms. In fact, female-led startups contribute 85 billion a year to the UK economy. But what does it really take to build a successful business with your best friend without a bust- up particularly when you add raising a family into the mix? Here, four pairs of friends and co-founders reveal how theyve fought for funding, balanced budgets and babies, and kept each other motivated through the inevitable meltdowns. Their success stories are a fitting way to launch our call for nominees for this years NatWest Everywoman Awards, celebrating Britains growing number of female entrepreneurs. For the fifth year, the Daily Mail is proudly sponsoring the Aphrodite Award, dedicated to championing women who have juggled motherhood with launching their business. Read on to be inspired . . . Wed discuss ideas while out jogging with our buggies Mush is an app that connects new mothers. Launched in 2016 by Katie Massie-Taylor, now 36, and Sarah Hesz, 37, theyve since secured investment of more than 3 million and have about half a million members. Based in London, Katie has two daughters, Tilly, six and Lyla, four, with a third baby expected any day. Sarah is mum to Rosie, six, Leo, four, and Noa, one. Lots of Mushs early discussions happened over our running baby buggies, says Katie. There were two kids in each and wed bat around ideas while we jogged. Katie and Sarah (pictured with their children) have about half a million members of their app which connects new mothers After meeting in a playground in 2014, they quickly bonded. We could talk all day. Even through our new-mum tiredness, we shared everything we were going through: the difficult bits and the funny bits, says Sarah. Within a couple of months of meeting, we already wanted to do some kind of joint project together. And the more that we talked, the more we discovered this real pain point for new mums, which was loneliness. That was the spark that led to Mush: members sign up and can discover other mums nearby with whom to meet up. Neither of us had any tech experience, says Katie, a former financial broker; Sarah used to work in advertising. But, if you have an idea you passionately believe in, which we did, you can find people to do the thing you cant. The idea is the magic. The pair have done the full gamut of fundraising: 250,000 in seed-funding from angel investors, then 920,000 from crowdfunding via Crowdcube (crowdcube.com), and, last year, a 2 million injection from venture capitalists Octopus Ventures. How to enter... Have you started a business while being a mum? Enter our Daily Mail/NatWest Everywoman Aphrodite Award for mumpreneurs. You must be based, or have your chief operations, in the UK, and have set up your own business from scratch while raising a child or children aged 12 or under. You must be able to show you are the key company owner, and must have been in business for longer than 18 months as of the nomination deadline of July 8, 2019. The business must also generate a profit. Nominations and evidence must be received by Monday, July 8, 2019. The judges decision will be final. No correspondence will be entered into before or after the judging. Entrants must agree their story can be featured in the Daily Mail. They can be nominated or enter themselves. Enter online at everywoman.com/mumpreneur Advertisement In the early days, there were meetings where we felt a bit patronised, says Sarah. People assumed the business was just a hobby. But weve proven this is a mass-market and hugely popular product. Now, we have a business that speaks for itself. Both are evangelical about the benefits of working in a partnership. Practically, it helps, adds Sarah. Katies just about to have a baby and I had my youngest last year. We really trust each other to get on with stuff when we need time to focus on our families. Katie is the visionary and leads the team, while Sarah is all about the details. I have such respect for sole founders, but it just doesnt appeal to me, says Sarah. The emotional resilience you need to go it alone would be too big a challenge. And no fun! For example, we got to meet the Duchess of Cambridge, but if I hadnt had Katie there to giggle with, then it wouldnt have been as memorable. Yes, they have disagreements, but because we have this unshakeable trust between us, its fine. We should disagree on things otherwise we wouldnt push each other forward. Its healthy to have different opinions. Their top advice for would-be work wives? Mutual respect is key, says Katie. You cant go into it thinking your skills outweigh theirs or that youll bring more to the table than them. Think carefully about whether youre the right sort of friends, too. I have friends that I have a slightly polite relationship with. But, in business, you cant tiptoe around each other: you have to be absolutely candid, says Sarah. Dont forget to be each others cheerleaders, either. Starting a business is tough. It will take a lot of your life. When youre feeling overwhelmed you need someone who will say: Were doing brilliantly, well get there, its OK. letsmush.com A signed contract helps to protect our friendship More than a decade ago, Rachael Corson and Joycelyn Mate, now both 29, met as students at Birmingham University. Frustrated with the lack of natural products for afro hair, they developed their own range, Afrocenchix, launching in 2009. Its now stocked in Whole Foods Market and sold in 23 countries worldwide. They are both married and live in London Rachael has two children Akua, two, and Kwesi, six months. Rachael Corson, 29, and Joycelyn Mate, 29, (pictured) who met while studying at Birmingham University founded Afrocenchix in 2009 We were trying to solve a problem, rather than start a business, says Rachael, who, along with Joycelyn, now oversees a team of eight. The haircare industry is geared towards one type of hair, and there are so many people who cant just walk into Boots and pick up shampoo. Many of our customers are white mothers who struggle to find products for their mixed- race children. Fuelled by a shared passion to become the LOreal for afro hair, after ten years of steadily building their brand and expanding their range of gentle, allergen-free products (Rachael spent a year at the Institute of Trichologists), the beginning of 2019 brought a significant financial boost. The pair won more than 450,000 of investment via the global WeWork Creator Awards, which will allow them to scale-up at a much faster rate. Some investors made it clear the pregnancy was an issue - Rachael Its taken perseverance to get here, says Joycelyn. To get to the point where we can create jobs and meet with huge companies we recently negotiated a deal with Amazon. Their contrasting personalities are their strength and whats given them longevity, says Rachael. Joycelyns very firm. Well be in a meeting and Ill think: Wow, I cant believe she just said that! But the business works because of the balance between my softer approach and Joycelyns toughness. Previously, they have sought investment from angel investors, with mixed success. Compared to male entrepreneurs we know, we found it harder to get meetings, says Rachael. She recalls fundraising while pregnant. Some investors made it clear the pregnancy was an issue. Theyd say: We have some reservations, theres a lot of uncertainty . . . And it wasnt just men. The idea shed be less committed to her business because she has children makes her scoff. Joycelyn and Rachael (pictured with their children) chose to have clear contracts to avoid disagreements over business If Id been working for someone else, Id have been able to take a full year of maternity leave for both my babies and wouldnt have felt the need to check in. But when its your company, and its still growing, its very difficult to switch off. The pair are adamant that, to make a business partnership work between friends, you need to get the nitty-gritty agreed on paper. Have clear contracts in place to protect your friendship. You never really know what its going to be like working with someone until youve started, warns Joycelyn. People say: Oh, were friends, we dont need a contract! but this way, everyone knows what are the expectations. If disagreements arise between the pair, theyve learnt to involve an external party often their husbands to get an objective perspective, but they never doubt each others commitment to their business as they continue to expand. Rachael says: We know were stronger together. afrocenchix.com There was one big row in a car park... Naomi Reilly, 40, and Sarah Slade, 41, who live in Sussex, launched luxury candle firm Seven Seventeen in 2016, donating 1 of every sale to charity. Naomi has three children, Iris, ten, Florence, eight, and Arthur, five, while Sarah has Max, seven, and Sam, four. Sarah Slade, 41, and Naomi Reilly, 40, from Sussex who launched Seven Seventeen in 2016 began their business by each contributing 2,500 Our name refers to that golden time, around 7.17pm, when, if its a good day, youve got the kids to bed and finally can clock off from the daily chaos, says Sarah, who, with co-founder Naomi, signs off emails Chief Calm-Givers. Their candles follow suit, with names such as Hello Calm and And Breathe. Their USP? Being eco-friendly plant-based waxes, cotton wicks, recycled glass jars and determinedly luxe. We were always chatting about working together our shared love of scented candles seemed the right route. One night, we decided to make it happen, says Naomi. Each stumped up 2,500 the amount they were prepared to lose if things went awry. Their first batch was tiny just 100 candles. Since then, a flurry of good press, high-profile collaborations with Fearne Cotton and Not On The High Street and hitting every trade show going has meant theyre now stocked in Fenwick and have extended their range to include bath salts, soaps and lotions. If one of us has a wobble, we lift each other up - Sarah In the early days, we were there with double-sided tape making the boxes ourselves, then trudging to the Post Office with our kids hanging off our arms. Its been gradual stepping stones, says Sarah. Theyre proudest of raising more than 20,000 for mental health charities, including Pandas, which helps mothers with post-natal depression: both have friends affected by it. There are times when were absolutely exhausted, but we spur each other on. If one of us has a wobble, we lift each other up, says Sarah. Theyve had one almighty row in a car park (we were exhausted, and something had to give!), but nothing that 20 years of friendship cant handle. The real power in working with a friend? You give each other confidence, explains Naomi. Business success is all about getting out of your comfort zone with a friend by your side, youre more willing to push yourself a little further. seven-seventeen.co.uk We share the worries and the wins Claire Spencer-Churchill and Alex Lyles, both 39, founded wholesale and distribution fashion company Claret Showroom in 2006. Introducing international labels to the UK, they have showrooms in London, where they live, as well as New York and Paris. Claire has two children, Martha, six, and Ivor, four, and Alex has three sons, Kit, nine, Bay, six, and Gil, one. Claire Spencer-Churchill, 39, and Alex Lyles, 39, (pictured) who launched Claret Showroom in 2006 have showrooms in London, Paris and New York Im like Eeyore and Claires Tigger, says Alex. Im detail-driven: I like to think things through. Claires the action girl. Alex was in fashion PR and Claire in womenswear wholesale when they spotted an opportunity to help fashion brands without UK stockists break in to the market. We were young and naive and didnt really have a plan but we didnt have much to lose, as neither of us earned a big salary, says Claire. After successfully launching a small Australian brand in the UK, more labels got in touch, asking for representation. As the business grew, so did their families. Weve had five children between us. Without planning it, weve managed to tag-team and have them at different times! says Claire. Having children has made them more ambitious, as we want to provide for our families. And their close friendship means they can be open about what they need to juggle work and family life. When Ive wanted more time at home, or a day off a week, Im able to be totally honest with Claire, says Alex, who adds that theyve never had a single fight. We know what riles each other, so we dont let it get to that point. Five years ago, they needed an injection of working capital; like many startups, as business grew, they needed additional finances to manage cash flow and keep up with demand. They hit a brick wall after lots of frustrating meetings with the bank. Fortunately, they found Growth Street (growthstreet.co.uk), which offers flexible credit to small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), like a business overdraft, which they rave about. With a healthy turnover of 8 million, in 2016 they expanded and launched Splash Paris, Europes first resortwear trade show. That was tough, says Claire. We nearly lost our venue at the last minute and Alex was eight-and-a-half months pregnant. When we pulled it off, it was a huge sense of achievement. claretshowroom.com What price would you put on parenthood? For many couples who are struggling with the heartbreak of infertility, no sum could be too high. Yet free cycles of IVF on the NHS are randomly allocated and increasingly rare, while the cost of private treatment is around 3,000 to 5,000 per round, although some private London clinics can charge as much as 17,000 pricing many out of parenthood altogether. It's led to the advent of 'budget' IVF clinics, where everything, from drugs to admin, is streamlined, bringing costs down to as low as 2,500. Yet still the baby-making business remains a lottery. Femail spoke to six women to find out how deep they had to dig to become a mum. OUR PARENTS HELPED MAKE FAMILY DREAMS COME TRUE Alicia Jones, 33, is a vet who lives in Leicestershire with her husband Ryan, also 33, a silversmith, and their 14-month-old daughter Niamh. They spent 40,000 on four private rounds of IVF. Alicia says: 'It has taken five years, a devastating miscarriage and 40,000 to finally have our gorgeous baby daughter, who was born in January 2018. 'We started trying for a baby as soon as we married in 2010 but tests eventually revealed Ryan had a low sperm count and motility. We subsequently learned that I also had fertility issues, although they couldn't pinpoint exactly what. Alicia Jones (right), 33, is a vet who lives in Leicestershire with her husband Ryan, also 33, a silversmith, and their 14-month-old daughter Niamh (left) 'We had our first round of IVF on the NHS in 2013 using ICSI where sperm is injected directly into the egg. Sadly, it didn't work and at the time in Leicestershire couples were permitted only one NHS treatment, whereas in some other counties it was two or three. 'So, three months later we underwent treatment privately at a nearby clinic. We did our research, and wanted the best we could afford, because we knew our treatment would be expensive. My parents gave us 8,000 to pay for it, knowing how desperately I wanted to be a mum. 'When that didn't work, we used savings to pay for a second round privately, and Phil's parents then paid for a third course of treatment. Although I did fall pregnant that time, I lost the baby at nine weeks, which left us heartbroken. 'We took two years off having treatment, to recover emotionally, before having a fourth private round in June 2017, splitting the cost with both sets of parents. Alicia only told her parents and close family about the baby, and she hid her small bump beneath baggy clothes throughout the whole pregnancy, until Niamh (pictured) was safely delivered in January last year 'By then we were numb to the process and the cost and were astounded to discover that I was pregnant. 'We only told our parents and close family about the baby, and I hid my small bump beneath baggy clothes throughout the whole pregnancy, until Niamh was safely delivered in January last year. 'There was a huge amount of relief when she was born, and we're consumed by joy and love after enduring such a struggle to have a family.' CUT-PRICE CLINIC GAVE US OUR BARGAIN BOY Sam Merrell, 27, is a nursery nurse who lives in Basildon, Essex, with her husband, Jason, 31, who works in security, and their four-month-old son, Jenson. They spent 2,500 at a no-frills IVF clinic. Sam says: 'Jason suffers from Crohn's disease and had been warned the medication could affect his fertility, so it wasn't a surprise when tests three years ago confirmed this. 'Unfortunately, our local authority had cut all funding for IVF on the NHS in 2016 so, desperate to have a family, we looked into undergoing IVF at a private clinic nearby, but were quoted 8,000 for one cycle. Sam Merrell, 27, is a nursery nurse who lives in Basildon, Essex, with her husband, Jason, 31, who works in security, and their four-month-old son, Jenson 'Our lifeline came when my aunt saw something on TV about clinics offering cheaper, no-frills IVF, so in November 2017 we went to a fertility exhibition at London's Olympia to find out more. 'There, we came across one such cut-price clinic called ABC and made an appointment for the following January. 'They reassured us that despite our scepticism about the price, it really was only 2,500 for treatment. They achieve this by paring appointments and drugs down to the basics. 'Jenson was born last November weighing 9lb and he is utterly adorable. You really wouldn't know that he came out of the 'bargain' section of IVF treatments', says Sam 'We started treatment a month later, with daily hormone injections for me before the eggs were collected and one of them injected with Jason's sperm. 'We made it to London through heavy snow in March 2018 to have the embryo transferred to my womb. To our amazement, three weeks later I had a positive pregnancy test. 'Jenson was born last November weighing 9lb and he is utterly adorable. You really wouldn't know that he came out of the 'bargain' section of IVF treatments.' WE WENT ABROAD IT WORKED FIRST TIME Hayley Pedwell, 30, is an assistant in accident and emergency, and lives near Nottingham with her husband Neil, 40, an emergency medical technician, and their 17-week-old son, Harry. They spent 2,500 on treatment at a foreign clinic. Hayley says: 'We started trying for a baby after marrying five years ago, but after a year, our GP referred us to a fertility clinic where I was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries. 'We needed IVF, but didn't qualify for an NHS cycle because Neil has a son from his first marriage. 'A clinic in Nottingham quoted us 8,500, but we'd never have been able to save that. Hayley Pedwell, 30, is an assistant in accident and emergency, and lives near Nottingham with her husband Neil, 40, an emergency medical technician, and their 17-week-old son, Harry 'Then, a colleague revealed she'd been to a clinic in the Czech Republic and paid just 2,500 for treatment. 'When we told the private clinic we were considering going abroad for treatment, they tried to warn us off, saying it was unregulated and dangerous. 'Both Neil and I work for the NHS, so we checked it out with a professional eye. It was spotlessly clean, everyone spoke impeccable English. I also contacted lots of former patients, who were very happy with the service. 'Back home after treatment last March, Neil and I took a pregnancy test and when it was positive we couldn't believe IVF had worked first time. In fact, we did another ten tests just to be sure! 'Harry was born last December I'm the happiest I've ever been.' MY SON'S WORTH EVERY PENNY Amanda Moss, 45, is a medical devices rep. She is single and lives in St Albans, Herts, with her son Joshua, three. She spent 50,000 on fertility treatment. Amanda says: 'In my early 30s I decided that if I hadn't met Mr Right by the time I was 39 I'd have a child using donor sperm. 'Aged 37 I'd banked 10,000 to have my eggs collected and frozen at a fertility clinic, and for the next two years I lived frugally. I didn't buy clothes, had cheap holidays, and eschewed nights out. Amanda Moss, 45, is a medical devices rep. She is single and lives in St Albans, Herts, with her son Joshua, three Amanda says: 'In my early 30s I decided that if I hadn't met Mr Right by the time I was 39 I'd have a child using donor sperm' 'Single again after my 39th birthday in 2012, I reasoned it was now or never. The following summer I paid 2,000 to have IUI artificial insemination using donor sperm but it didn't work. 'Over the next four years, I spent 50,000 in my quest to be a mother, including four rounds of IVF. 'When I had a miscarriage after the fourth IVF, I felt quite down. It didn't matter if a child was biologically mine, I just wanted to be a mummy. 'Then I spotted an advert on the Tube for a Spanish clinic offering donor sperm and eggs with the promise that 'if we don't get you pregnant after three attempts you get your money back'. 'I'd never seen a clinic offer that sort of reassurance. Family and friends were supportive, and I sent a photo to the clinic for them to match my eye, hair and skin colouring to that of a sperm and egg donor. Joshua was born in December 2015 with Amanda's mum at her side. She already tells him how he was conceived, and they read a little book together about different family dynamics 'After scans and hormone medication at the UK clinic, I flew to Madrid in April 2015 for embryo transfer. A week later I took an early pregnancy test and couldn't believe it was positive. 'Joshua was born in December 2015 with my mum at my side. I already tell him how he was conceived, and we read a little book together about different family dynamics. 'He's worth every penny and all the heartache I endured.' BABY JOY ON OUR FINAL ATTEMPT Jemma Hawkes, 35, works for social services and lives in East Lothian with husband, Daniel, a trainee train driver, and their son Jack, three. They spent 6,000 on private treatment. Jemma says: 'In 2013 we started trying for a baby, but when I hadn't got pregnant a year later, tests revealed Daniel has a low sperm count and motility. 'Although we were entitled to IVF on the NHS, I have such a phobia of anything medical a legacy of an anaesthetic failing when I had a wound stitched as a child that we had our first round privately at a cost of 6,000. Jemma Hawkes, 35, works for social services and lives in East Lothian with husband, Daniel, a trainee train driver, and their son Jack, three Jemma says: 'In 2013 we started trying for a baby, but when I hadn't got pregnant a year later, tests revealed Daniel has a low sperm count and motility' 'My parents and Daniel's generously gave us 2,000 each and we put the rest on our credit card. 'It was a huge hurdle for me to inject myself twice a day for weeks on end. Unfortunately, the treatment didn't work. Having had counselling to get my head around the process, we had our next try on the NHS, but that was also unsuccessful. 'Five months later, feeling increasingly anxious, we had a third, final NHS cycle. I was surrounded by friends who were effortlessly having babies and it was horrible for Dan because he felt it was his fault. 'This was our last chance and I often relive the moment in July 2015 when we found out I was pregnant. Dan phoned the clinic for the blood test results, then smiled and threw his arms in the air in triumph. Her parents and Daniel's generously gave us 2,000 each and we put the rest on our credit card 'After we'd had a good cry, I sent him out to buy pregnancy tests just to be sure. 'Jack was born in March 2016 and the moment he was laid on my chest I was in heaven. Seeing my parents and Dan's with their new grandson was magical. 'We're hoping to try for a brother or sister for Jack later this year, but will have to pay for that now that we have a child. 'We have three embryos left and it will cost 1,000 each time we have one transferred to my womb. Whatever happens, I'm just so thankful every day for our gorgeous little boy.' The decision by McDonald's in the UK to stop using plastic straws has seen a slew of them being listed for sale on eBay. Plucky sellers were quick to spot the potential opportunity after the fast-food chain dumped its white, red and yellow plastic straws for more eco-friendly paper ones. The eco-friendly decision hasn't been an outright hit - some customers have voiced their frustration with the new straws online and even launched a petition to bring back the plastic ones. On eBay, one ambitious seller listed one under the heading: '1,000 SUPER RARE plastic straw' over the weekend. And now other would-be entrepreneurs are following suit. The last straw: eBay sellers are banking on McDonald's divisive decision to swap plastic straws for eco-friendly papers ones. One listing advertises a plastic straw for a staggering 5,000. Pictured: a McDonalds' plastic straw in its original paper packaging A one-of-a-kind business opportunity? eBay sellers are advertising McDonald's straws for 1,000 to 5,000 While this listing is now over, other eBay sellers are making their own shot at straw-based financial security. The original description of the listing read: 'Brilliant uncirculated brand new McDonalds straw this is soon to become the stuff of legend, imagine your about 50 years older than you are now, telling your grandchildren how you got given plastic straws from McDonalds and they will look up to you like god! 'And you will turn to them and laugh and say Im no god, I was alive before the snowflake generation took over,' it concluded. Another listing published today doubled-down on the joke and boasted about the potential of investing in the straw, while advertising the object for a eye-watering 5,000 - but with free delivery included. For the collector on a budget, other eBay listings start from 0,99 to 1.50. Be assured that all straws are 'brand new' The first listing, which is now over, advertised the straw for 1,000 'to become the stuff of legend' 'A superb opportunity to acquire a rare plastic McDonalds straw. 2018 vintage and preserved in it it's original paper wrapper. Possible investment opportunity ;)' 'Please do your own research,' the description added. McDonald's has divided British customers after swapping plastic straws for paper in a number of branches. The fast-food chain is gradually making the switch from plastic to paper in across their 1,361 restaurants in the UK and Ireland after facing pressure from environmentalists to become more eco-friendly. However the new straws have left customers disappointed, with many taking to Twitter to express their frustration at the quality, saying they 'dissolve' in drinks. Customers across the UK and Ireland have slammed McDonald's decision to swap plastic straws for an eco-friendly paper alternative Over 40,000 fans of the fast-food chain have signed a petition requesting the return of plastic straws across all 1,361 restaurants Customer Martin Reed even created a petition demanding for McDonald's to bring back plastic straws which has received over 40,000 signatures. A stream of social media users have blasted McDonald's paper straws claiming that they dissolve before a drink can be finished. Calling for the return of plastic straws, some customers have even suggested boycotting the fast-food provider until their demands are met. Writing on Twitter one person said: 'I agree with the plastic straws being scrapped, yet also agree with comments on the paper straws being useless for milkshakes, which is the only drink I get from McDonald's. The paper straws collapse before your halfway through the drink' Another wrote: 'All for McDonald's paper straws but they could make them a bit stronger yano, act like a *** bath bomb in my coke' A third added: 'PurpleDon2973 this is what I was telling you about the other day! I couldn't drink my shake at all, the straw dissolved before the shake was melted enough to suck! @McDonaldsUK' McDonald's first revealed that they would be changing their straws to meet demands from environmentally conscious customers last June (file image) A flood of Twitter users have claimed the new paper straws dissolve before they're able to finish their milkshake Following the news of the petition many people have taken to the online platform to slam those who are campaigning for the return of plastic. A user speaking under the handle 'Gigglechops74' declared that those asking for the return of plastic show a lack of care about the environment. She wrote: 'People are being blown up stabbed + murdered but McDonald's fans have more important problems... hating paper straws + wanting plastic ones back which damage environment + kill nature... but as long as your pathetic issues are addressed huh? This world is doomed!' Another said: 'Absolutely loving how much everyone is starting to care about the environment, but then there's those ***** that are signing petitions for McDonald's to bring back plastic straws, just drink from the cup if you don't want to use a paper straw?' A number of social media users have slammed those complaining about the new straws, arguing that they should drink straight from the cup if they're unhappy Chief executive of McDonald's UK and Ireland Paul Pomroy, previously revealed that the restaurant's decision to introduce paper straws is the result of requests from customers. Speaking in June last year he said: 'Reflecting the broader public debate, our customers told us they wanted to see a move on straws but to do so without compromising their overall experience when visiting our restaurants. 'Over the past few months we've been working closely with supplier partners to find a solution that works both for our customers, and that the supply is there given the size of our business.' A representative of McDonald's UK replied to a number of social media users who've voiced their hate of the paper straws revealing that the restaurant is working on an alternative. '...We completely understand your concerns and can reassure you that whilst paper straws will be introduced to all restaurants, we'll be working on retaining an alternative option for those that require one.' A spokesperson for McDonald's told Mail Online: 'Our suppliers have made us paper straws that last at least 30 minutes in most, if not all liquids. They were introduced following customer feedback, and we are pleased to be doing the right thing in removing plastic from our restaurants and taking significant steps to reduce our environmental impact.' A drug-free gel drink that helped remove radioactive toxins from Chernobyl victims could provide relief to millions of Britons enduring the misery of irritable bowel syndrome. NHS experts are overseeing a major trial into whether Enterosgel, an intestinal adsorbent, can ease the diarrhoea, bloating and other embarrassing and painful symptoms associated with IBS, a condition that afflicts one in ten Britons and prompts two million GP visits a year. The over-the-counter solution mops up harmful viruses, toxins and allergens from the gut, with manufacturer EnteroMed claiming it can lead to relief from some of IBSs most distressing symptoms. Woman suffering from the painful symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (stock image) Its effectiveness in removing toxins was hailed in a scientific study of 4,700 children who were contaminated by radioactive fallout from the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Ukraine in 1986. Doctors at Bogomolets National Medical University in Kiev found that three courses of a mixture containing Enterosgel administered over ten-day periods provided effective detoxification. Senior NHS doctors in England are hoping to recruit 400 volunteers with IBS to take part in a trial at 27 hospitals and GP surgeries. A list of research sites and more information about the trial is available at www.relieve-ibs-d.co.uk. It delivers a surge of radiotherapy direct to the prostate in one single session igh dose-rate brachytherapy 'is safe and effective for men with low-risk cancer' A single blast of radiotherapy could save prostate cancer patients weeks of gruelling treatments, research suggests. High dose-rate brachytherapy which delivers a powerful surge of radiotherapy direct to the prostate in one single session is safe and effective for men with low-risk cancer, researchers found. The findings, presented at the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology conference in Milan, suggest patients can be spared daily trips to hospital for bouts of lower-strength radiotherapy. Brachytherapy has been used in Britain for a few years, but has usually been delivered in several sessions of lower-powered doses, requiring men to visit hospital between four and nine times [File photo] One-hit treatment also cuts the risk of side-effects, reducing the toxic impact of covering surrounding healthy tissue in radiation. The researchers, from the Christie hospital in Manchester and Mount Vernon in London, found all men with low-risk cancer were clear of the disease three years after receiving the treatment, which usually takes just ten to 20 minutes. It was also successful in treating some men with medium and high-risk prostate cancer but in up to a quarter of these men the cancer showed signs of returning, suggesting a higher dose may be needed for aggressive cancer types. The Daily Mail is campaigning for an urgent improvement to prostate cancer treatments and diagnosis, which lag behind other diseases such as breast cancer. Some 15,000 men with prostate cancer receive radiotherapy every year nearly a third of the 47,000 men diagnosed in Britain annually. But powerful single-blast high dose-rate or HDR brachytherapy is available in only ten NHS hospitals across the country. The vast majority of men receive external beam radiotherapy, which bathes the entire pelvis in a low-powered radioactive beam. The external treatment is given over 37 days, requiring men to go to hospital every weekday for nearly two months. Brachytherapy instead fires a higher dose of radiation via thin tubes directly into the prostate for a few minutes to destroy the cancer cells. Because it is much more targeted, it spares healthy tissue from radiation. Some 15,000 men with prostate cancer receive radiotherapy every year nearly a third of the 47,000 men diagnosed in Britain annually. But powerful single-blast high dose-rate or HDR brachytherapy is available in only ten NHS hospitals across the country [File photo] Brachytherapy has been used in Britain for a few years, but has usually been delivered in several sessions of lower-powered doses, requiring men to visit hospital between four and nine times. But the researchers, who tracked 441 men receiving the single-dose version, found it was safe and effective, at least for those with low-risk cancer. Researcher Dr Hannah Tharmalingam said: These results indicate that high dose-rate brachytherapy is a safe and effective treatment for men with low-risk prostate cancer but further research is needed in medium- and high-risk patients to see if the results can be improved with a higher dose. This type of treatment offers an attractive alternative to surgery or other forms of radiotherapy as it has a comparatively low risk of side effects. It is also a patient-friendly option because the treatment can be given quickly at a single hospital visit. Experts last night welcomed the findings. Dr Bradley Pieters, chair of the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology brachytherapy committee, said: This research suggests that a single treatment of high dose-rate brachytherapy could be a very good option for many men with prostate cancer. The technology and expertise needed to deliver this treatment is not yet available in all cancer centres. However, given that it may offer time and money savings for hospitals as well as benefits to patients, there is a good argument for investing in this type of radiotherapy. In todays social-media-obsessed world, some of the littlest influencers (even ones still in the womb!) are enjoying big success but at what cost? Julia Llewellyn Smith explores the popularity of the Instamums and their photogenic offspring When Oscar Ramsay was born earlier this month, his father chef Gordon introduced him to the world via Instagram. The following day, the youngest of Ramsays five children had an Instagram account of his own showing him being snuggled in the arms of his elder sister Tilly and within just four days posts of him being carried in a car seat by his proud dad or snuggled up in a dressing gown had attracted over 35,000 followers. Mum Lauren shows off her scans @babyLuyendyk. Baby Luyendyk already has 238,000 followers But Oscar was a late social-media starter compared to the likes of Baby Luyendyk, who isnt due until June but already has 238,000 followers, with businesses keen for an online shout-out showering her with gifts such as nappies and prams. Obviously, Baby cant yet access the internet, but someone presumably her parents Lauren and Arie Luyendyk, who met on US reality show The Bachelor regularly posts updates along the lines of today Im the size of a lime, accompanied by shots of Laurens bump and scan photos. Making your fetus a social-media star may sound extreme, but for wannabe Instamums it makes perfect sense. While once we had stage mums living vicariously through their childrens successes, today mothers are looking to Instagram and YouTube to make their offspring famous. Inspired by the likes of the Ramsays, the Beckhams, Jools Oliver and heiress Tamara Ecclestone, all of whom regularly juxtapose Instagram shots of their children with plugs for their respective businesses, now more and more parents are attracted to the idea of raking in some cash (or at least freebies) while also spending time with their child. In Britain, we have four-year-old Gabriella and her brother Alex, five, whose Toys And Little Gaby YouTube channel is currently the most popular in the country with over 11 million subscribers more than stars such as Sam Smith, Rita Ora and the band Queen and is estimated to have earned the family upwards of 1 million a year since their mother Sabine, 28, launched it three years ago. Then theres Albanian-born, now UK-based Laerta Mataj, whose Instagram (@fashion_laerta) has 1.2 million followers swooning over the eight-year-olds poses in everything from designer ballgowns to fake-fur coats all donated by companies (brands will pay as much as 10,000 a post to gain exposure). When Laerta was three, I started occasionally posting her in different outfits, says her mother Ardita. Once she started to have a lot of followers, we took it more seriously and posted daily outfits. Laerta was always a natural poser. Laerta Mataj, aged eight, striking a pose for her 1.2 million fans. She has always been a natural, says her mum Ardita Viral Talent, which manages many of these stars, says it is inundated with parents wanting their children to become influencers, saying some had even given up work to run their offsprings accounts. But Alex Chavez, Virals director, warns: A lot of people who want to do this wont be right for it. Successful influencers are children who are natural on camera and show their personality. Cara Pettengell, 30, from St Albans, Hertfordshire, set up an Instagram account (@colefamilylife) for her son Harley now aged one when he was three months old. Today he has 13,000 followers. In hindsight, I wish Id started earlier, even when I was still pregnant, she says. A former primary school teacher, Cara started the account after seeing others use the popular hashtag #babybloggers while reviewing free products. I thought, I can do that! she says. While newborn Harley slept, Cara spent hours liking and commenting on posts in order to grow follower numbers. Now he is more active, she is strict about not using social media while hes awake, but every night she spends about two hours on the site before uploading one of the hundred or so pictures taken earlier. I dont post immediately I wait for a high engagement time around 8pm, when Ill get the most responses, she explains. When she reached 5,000 followers, small brands began to send her products to test. Larger ones followed. Recently weve started being paid to advertise things, she says. Though shes made several friends via baby-blogging, some are envious of her success. Its a bitchy world. People want to know why you got free stuff and they didnt. They inundate the brand with messages saying Why not me? Naomi Facer, 34, also from St Albans, had used Instagram for years so it seemed natural to post pictures of her pregnancy bump and then when Darcie, now 13 months, was born to transform the account @ickle_na into one dedicated to her daughter. Today it has more than 15,000 followers. Since Darcie, the account has grown significantly, she says. People like looking at babies. Naomi, who plans to return to work as a designer, doesnt take her blogging as seriously as Stacey Woodhams, the mother of two-year-old Ralphie Waplington, who recently revealed she wants another baby in order to maintain relationships with the brands that Ralphie is already outgrowing. Stacey has also banned relatives from sharing unapproved photos of Ralphie (who has nearly 20,000 followers), in case theyre out-of-keeping with his lucrative endorsements. It sounds awful referring to him as a brand because he is a human, but essentially, the name that we have created is a business, she has said. Carlie Mullaney, 22, from Worcestershire whose Instagram account @witharchieandindie (for her son Archie, three, and daughter Indie, six months) has more than 4,000 followers says shes been attacked for her parenting methods: Some criticise me for oversharing; others dont like specific things about us, such as the fact that Archie was breastfed until 27 months. I try not to let it upset me. She started the account when Archie was born prematurely and on a hospital ventilator. According to Carlie, everyone she knows uploads pictures of their children, so the fact she receives hundreds of pounds of free merchandise (recent gifts have included a Stokke highchair worth around 178) is simply a perk: If someone says, Would you like to have this for nothing in return for putting an honest review online? you are going to say yes. Theres lots of Insta-love for Darcie who has 15,000 followers and counting. People like looking at babies, says her mum Naomi While not everyone is putting their childs pictures online a recent Ofcom survey found that 56 per cent of parents thought it was wrong to do so another report last year by the Childrens Commissioner for England revealed that by the time the average child reaches 13 (the age when theyre legally allowed to have a Facebook or Instagram account, though many start earlier), an estimated 1,300 photos and videos already exist of them on the internet. What might also give Instamums pause for thought is the Commissioners reports from focus groups, in which many children confessed to feeling uncomfortable or bothered by these images. Many children said it was common for their parents to post a bad photo or video of them, for example when they are in their underwear, naked or in the middle of eating, the report said. Sure enough, while most Instamums are careful not to post dubious images, some are less scrupulous. Instagram hashtags such as #nappychange reveal dozens of bare-bottomed infants, #pottytraining shows them balancing on a lavatory seat, while #tantrum presents toddlers lying red-faced and furious on the floor. According to security expert Will Geddes, co-author of Parent Alert! How To Keep Your Kids Safe Online, such pictures are often posted in a desperate bid to attract followers: Parents who commodify their child track their numbers obsessively, and if they drop desperation kicks in and they think, What can I post to up the ante? That interferes with the common-sense filter. Many parents seem so caught up in garnering likes that their children seem little more than merchandise to be displayed to best advantage. While all the Instamums I spoke to said they would never do more than use a filter to change the colour-tone of an image, many do follow their idols, Kim and Khloe Kardashian, who both have reportedly used photo-editing apps to adjust their babies features for the internet. Recently, Danielle Wall, 20, who runs @lifeofislarose for her daughter and also enters her in baby beauty pageants, admitted she airbrushed out the 15-month-olds blemishes. I wouldnt say Im improving her appearance as such, just making her look more professional for companies, she explained. How will being constantly scrutinised by strangers affect childrens self-confidence? The Childrens Commissioner report showed many children suffered acute anxiety about follower numbers and the amounts of attention their posts attracted. For those whose images are being used to boost a business, the pressures can only be more intense. Last year, blogger Katie Bower, a US-based mother of five, was widely criticised after she bewailed on Instagram that pictures of her eldest son, Weston, never attracted as much engagement as those of her younger children. Instagram never liked my Munchkin and it killed me inside, she wrote, adding that she was discussing it publicly because one day [Weston] will have to see the numbers and have to learn his value is not in online approval. As yet, no one knows what the psychological fallout could be. Its all untested territory, says child psychotherapist Dr Nicole Gehl. You could say Instagramming your child isnt really so different from letting them be a model or an actor but models and actors are playing parts, while influencers are being themselves. This is more like putting your child on Big Brother from birth and letting the whole world witness their development. Will Geddes cautions that even when parents are careful about protecting details about their children online, such as where they go to school its impossible to control how their images are used. Its not unheard of for people to take a picture of a childs head and attach it to another body, he warns. Earlier this year, YouTube came under fire when it was revealed paedophiles had posted lewd comments under innocent videos of children. Geddes also warns that parents are creating a digital footprint that could be difficult to erase. It could have a huge effect on how your child is regarded by future partners or employers. Surveys show nine out of ten interviewers will do an internet search and if they see someone was promoting God-knows-what then your potential perception of that person is fairly set in stone. In this digital Wild West, no one knows what will happen once these cute tots become teenagers. Will they be able to sue their parents if they object to the online archive of them flogging nappies and cots? And while everyone I spoke to said they put any earnings from baby-blogging into savings accounts for their children there are currently no laws (as there are in showbiz) limiting the amount of hours children work, or preventing parents from banking the cash, arguing that they were the ones who created their childs online profile. WHO RUNS THE WORLD? THESE KIDS Meet some of social-medias most powerful young stars Ryan (Ryan ToysReview) 18 million YouTube subscribers This seven-year-old played his way to netting 17.3 million in a year making him the worlds highest-earning YouTube star. Ryan (Ryan ToysReview) (left); Emma and Mila (@kcstauffer) (right) Emma and Mila (@kcstauffer) 4 million Instagram followers The four-year-old twins are internet sensations and have already launched a kids clothing line in the US. Tiana (Toys AndMe) 10.6 million YouTube subscribers The Nottingham schoolgirl, 11, is estimated to have made 3.2 million from her videos reviewing toys. Tiana (Toys AndMe) (left); Asahd Tuck Khaled (@asahdkhaled) (right) Millie-Belle Diamond (@milliebellediamond) Asahd Tuck Khaled (@asahdkhaled) 1.9 million Instagram followers The two-year-old (who is the son of music producer DJ Khaled) has already released a sportswear range. Millie-Belle Diamond (@milliebellediamond) 402k Instagram followers The mini travel blogger, four, has walked at New York Fashion Week and launched her own range. Advertisement This area raises a host of potential legal issues, says Professor Claire Bessant of Northumbria Law School. Even babies and young children have rights to privacy, so from the beginning of their lives parents should consider how and whether their offsprings lives are discussed online. When their children get a little older, parents should ask them: Are you happy for me to continue doing this? All the mothers I spoke to said that if their children didnt want to baby blog any more, theyd stop and, if requested, delete all past posts. But for now I cant see what the problem is, says Carlie Mullaney. I wish Instagram had been around for my parents when I was a child. Id really enjoy looking back at pictures of me then. While I helped my aunt fill in the examples of unreasonable behaviour section on quickie-divorce.com an attempt to extricate her from a decade-long marriage to a man whod made her life difficult in so many ways she took a glug of wine, turned to me and said, I wish me and Penny [her female best friend] fancied each other. Wed be so happy as a couple. Well, why not try it? I asked, semi-seriously. Were a close family; Im gay and so is her other niece, so no one would bat an eyelid. We never argue, my aunt added. Everything would be so easy and fun with Penny except the sex bit sadly we could never do that. While my aunt, 63, doesnt have the necessary sexual attraction to seriously embark on a lesbian relationship, lots of other women do. And finding themselves in a similar position to my aunt that is, realising their long-term relationship with a man has been unfulfilling they decide to start dating women. The fact that gay marriage has been legal in the UK since 2014 means that societally it has never been easier for someone in this country to lead a happy and fulfilled life as a gay person Louise Edwards*, a 56-year-old midwife, told me that it was like coming home when she eventually began having gay relationships after her 13-year marriage to a man broke down. The ex-couple had three children, who were 11, nine and seven when Louise first got together with a woman. My youngest son and daughter were less bothered than my eldest son they took it in their stride. I didnt make a big deal of it and neither did they. Sexual desire is dynamic and changeable at any stage of life Being gay in this country is now less of a big deal than ever before. When I was a teenager in the late 1990s, chat show host Ellen DeGeneres was pretty much the only out lesbian Id want a poster of on my wall, but now there are an array of role models, from former Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon to broadcaster Clare Balding. Even mainstream culture has embraced its Sapphic side: The Favourite a film about a bawdy love triangle between Queen Anne (played by Olivia Colman), the Duchess of Marlborough and a maid was the toast of the Oscars. The fact that gay marriage has been legal in the UK since 2014 means that societally it has never been easier for someone in this country to lead a happy and fulfilled life as a gay person. All this goes some way to explain why more and more women of my generation (Im 37) and older might leave men for other women: its just not an issue in the way it once was. The 56-year-old historical novelist Elizabeth Fremantle, whose latest book is The Poison Bed, describes herself as bisexual but waited until her late 30s to act on her desire for other women. She told me: I went to a girls boarding school and there were two older girls who had an affair. I remember the cruelty of the other students, who ostracised them. It was awful and made me unwilling to talk about my feelings until much later. When I finally did, it was cathartic more than anything. To think that it is only external factors more social tolerance and equality that might encourage a woman to come out in middle age is to miss the nuances of an individuals sexuality and emotional trajectory. It is natural for change to occur at a later stage of life. Oak trees can take 30 years to create an acorn some things need time and experience to come to fruition. It is natural for change to occur at a later stage of life. Oak trees can take 30 years to create an acorn some things need time and experience to come to fruition I asked Lisa Diamond, a professor of psychology who has written a book called Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Womens Love and Desire, is it possible to develop desires at 50 that you hadnt felt at all previously? Or is it more likely that the feelings were always there but you were just suppressing them? Both are possible, she answered from the University of Utah, where she teaches. If you have lived your life focusing on being a good wife and mother, its easy to set aside your own desires (certainly, our culture doesnt encourage women to prioritise their sexual desires). But it is also the case that sexual desire is a dynamic, changeable phenomenon, and it is possible to develop truly novel desires at any stage of life. Interestingly for me as a gold-star lesbian (one who has never slept with a man), Ive become increasingly open-minded about how I define my sexuality. If I was not married to a woman, I may well have fallen into a relationship with a man at this age. My wife and I often point out good-looking men she teases me playfully about fancying my male dentist. Data from public opinion consultant Joe Twyman shows that, in a survey of 3,129 women, 24 per cent have fantasised about sex with a woman but only nine per cent have actually done it. The same question was asked of roughly the same number of men, and 16 per cent admitted to fantasising about sex with another man, while 14 per cent have done it. So perhaps it isnt that female sexuality is more fluid than male, its just more socially acceptable for women to speak about it. If your best female friend started sleeping with women after appearing to be straight for as long as youd known her, an inevitable question would be, well, is the sex really better? The women I spoke to for this story agreed it was more about the individual than the gender that made sex different, but generally speaking, as Louise Edwards explained, the main difference between sex with a man and a woman is the fact that its far more likely to be about more than having an orgasm. Its taking time to kiss and caress each other. It can be slower and much more intimate. As for who makes the first move, novelist Elizabeth told me that although shed always known she was as, if not more, attracted to women than men, she hadnt the courage to reveal her feelings: I was very shy and socially awkward so ultimately it was good that the woman I had my first relationship with took it upon herself to seduce me. She tells me more about the emotional difference in dating men and women in later adulthood. Im more comfortable with women and find communicating with them much more satisfying. Its as if Im speaking my mother tongue with women and a learned language with men. I couldnt deny who I was any longer Lisa Dordal, 54, poet and teacher. As told to Katreen Hardt I came out at 30 after being married to a man for five years. Wed lived together in San Francisco where we were surrounded by a lot of lesbian and gay people and deep down I knew I was a lesbian. In 1993, I had a dream in which I clearly identified as one. I cried for days, as I didnt want to be a lesbian. I was married and couldnt conceive of a different life. But a year later, I realised I couldnt deny who I was any longer. Lisa Dordal, 54. 'People dont understand how I could have been married to a man without realising that I was a lesbian' In a heart-to-heart with my husband, I admitted I was attracted to women. He wasnt surprised. In fact, he suspected it. He told me how much he loved me and that he wanted me to be happy, even if it meant we could no longer be together. He moved out shortly after. And I was glad hed taken this initiative, painful as it was, because I dont think I was ready to say, Im a lesbian and we need to get a divorce. In hindsight, the clues had been there. As a teenager Id written poems about girls I had crushes on and I can remember falling in love with my best friend at the age of 14. Id just never been able to face the truth. I wrote a long letter to my parents and my mum praised me for my beautiful words. Still, it was a difficult time. It wasnt as if I could immediately celebrate coming out because there was also a lot of grief about my marriage ending. I had to learn to love myself after years of feeling like something wasnt right. As a teenager, when dating boys was expected, my sense of self collapsed. Gradually, the longer I was out, those feelings of self-hatred and insecurity fell away. People dont understand how I could have been married to a man without realising that I was a lesbian. They often underestimate the power of cultural norming. I grew up in a traditional family with defined gender roles, but I strongly believe that I was born a lesbian. In 1998, I met my wife Laurie at a dinner party and we immediately clicked. She is one of the kindest and smartest people I know, and she has always felt like home to me. Advertisement I asked if she ever regretted not experiencing a same-sex relationship sooner than her mid-30s. Perhaps I regret not being more courageous when I was younger, she said. I do feel that I missed out on being part of a scene of likeminded women in my 20s, which might have shaped my relationships. The community that embraces you when you come out as gay in midlife can be a big part of the appeal. After Louise came out, she started a local group for lesbian and bi women which became the heart of her social life. There must be something quite freeing about the idea of a queer life for a woman who has felt stifled by the conventions of being straight and doing what everyone else is doing getting married and having babies without ever questioning if its right for her. It doesnt surprise me that a more unconventional lifestyle appeals in this way, but I hate to tell you as a woman who got married, bought a house and had a baby with another woman the same pressures to conform to tick those life stage boxes can still apply. Which is another reason it makes sense that women are waiting until theyve done all the boring life stuff before going gay and really enjoying it. Psychologist Lisa Diamond explains: As people get older, for example, they tend to trim their social networks of less meaningful relationships. Individuals often see big changes in hobbies, too, and feel less constrained by social forces. Cassandra Grey is one of many high-profile women (fashion retail guru Mary Portas, actress Portia de Rossi, Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert, to name a few) who have begun same-sex relationships after a break-up, or in Cassandras case the death of a male partner. Cassandra is the guru behind smash-hit beauty brand Violet Grey. She is currently in a relationship with Samantha Ronson, the DJ (and sister of Mark), who famously dated Lindsay Lohan. In an interview for US Elle magazine, Cassandra said that the attraction to Samantha was instantaneous, likening the moment to a high-schooler meeting Justin Bieber. If theres ever an advert for later-life lesbianism its Cassandras Instagram, which features gorgeous pictures of her lover and captions such as the slightest glance from you, even if its from all the way across the room, makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world Cassandra has spoken openly of her love for her late husband Brad. It was a good marriage and throws doubt on the assumption that falling for a woman is the consequence of negative experiences with men. However, Lisa Diamond points out that, while it may be too simplistic to call it a consequence, having experienced an unfulfilling relationship with a man might certainly motivate a woman to say, What else is there? What do I want in an intimate relationship? She explains that often, women who have been through unfulfilling relationships are more willing to take the risk of entering into a same-sex one. And many of the post-straight lesbian relationships I know of are indeed happy. Much of it comes down to the division of emotional labour the things women do for a family, home or just their partner which often go unreciprocated and even unacknowledged by the man. I generalise, but with two women there is more equality in who does what in this respect because there are no gendered expectations to fall back on or use as an excuse for not mopping the kitchen floor, for example. Theres more of a balance, agrees Louise Edwards, who says with her current girlfriend they just do whatever needs doing. They both notice when water needs changing in a vase of flowers or that the spice rack is a mess the small things straight women often complain their male partner doesnt see. 'My aha moment came at age 50 the first time we kissed' Lisa Ekus, 61, literary agent. As told to Katreen Hardt I was married twice to my first husband for 14 years, with whom I have two daughters, and to my second husband for nine years. I was 39 when I divorced the first time and in my early 50s the second. In 2006, Virginia Willis, a cookbook writer, submitted a proposal to my agency and we agreed to meet at a food writers conference. Her initial appeal to me was that she was an extraordinary writer. But she was also beautiful: red lipstick, pearls and a way with a sentence that made me determined to represent her. Lisa (right) with her partner Virginia they have been together for 11 years Our work grew into a friendship that deepened over the years. And although Id always appreciated the wisdom and friendship of other women, I never thought I was gay. Up until that point I had neither been with a woman nor considered a relationship with one. Then, in 2008, it occurred to me that I was falling in love. Virginia and I were both in emotionally unsatisfying relationships me with my second husband and Virginia with another woman. But we didnt leave our partners for one another. The realisation of what we were missing hit us hard over the course of our years working together. It became clear that we wanted more in life and from our partners. My aha moment came at age 50 the first time we kissed I refer to this as my midlife epiphany. I believe that it is who Virginia is as an individual that attracted me to her. My comfort level with this woman is far greater than I have ever felt with the men in my life. Virginia is not only wonderful and smart, but she meets my intellectual and emotional needs. When I knew our relationship was serious, I decided to come out. I told my mum first and she reacted by giving me a high-five. My two grown-up daughters welcomed Virginia with open arms. Her family made me feel welcome, too. We are all very close. Some of my friends have expressed how lucky they think I am to be with another woman, which makes me laugh. They joke: Men age so badly. Some clients have taken issue with my being in a relationship with another client. I have to wonder if theyd have felt the same had I fallen in love with a male client. A few left the agency, but most are happy for me. My business continues to thrive, along with my personal life. If there is anything Ive learnt its that I can trust myself and my instincts. Having divorced twice, I often wondered if something was wrong with me, as I seemed incapable of sustaining a relationship. But the truth is, I can with the right person. Its been 11 years since that first kiss and not once do I regret coming out. Id suggest to any woman thinking about it to stay true to yourself. Be fearless. Be kind to yourself confide in friends or a therapist. But follow your heart. Advertisement Elizabeth Fremantle brings an important perspective: I do think that in a heterosexual relationship its easy to fall into the cliched roles but its important to resist that. There is no truth that a woman is better at cleaning the loo and Ive never met a man whos as good as me at building a flat pack. Whoever Im with, man or woman, will usually end up doing the cooking, as I have no talent for it. Theres no denying that women share the life experience of having been a woman and this creates an intense empathy and intimacy in lesbian relationships that not even the most sensitive man could match. This dynamic is no doubt appealing to women who have never felt truly seen by male partners. There are times such as when my wife and I are getting ready for a night out, painting our nails, talking and listening to music that I think how lucky I am to be married to a woman. We have such easy, uncomplicated fun together and are best friends with benefits (and a baby!). Alongside the positive aspects of falling for a woman later in life, it would be naive to think that coming out at this stage wouldnt be without its challenges. Louise Edwards had some friends struggle to understand her new relationship but also felt that some gay women doubted her credentials having been previously married to a man: I wasnt a real lesbian because I had long hair. I waxed my legs. I had children. I think it can definitely be harder for older women to tell their friends they are in a same-sex relationship, says Lisa Diamond. Often their social networks are comprised of individuals who have a pretty rigid notion of who you are, and they might find that their friends and family think, This cant possibly be true at this late stage what on earth is going on? The best advice is to remember that you are always in charge of how much you share about yourself to others. Coming into an awareness of your sexuality doesnt obligate you to share that. Telling someone such a personal detail about yourself is a gift not everyone deserves. The poster girls for midlife same -sex love Elizabeth Gilbert The Eat Pray Love author, 49, began a relationship with best friend Rayya Elias in 2016, having separated from her husband Jose Nunes (whom she met on the travels described in her book). When Rayya was diagnosed with cancer, Elizabeth realised the depth of her feelings. Sadly, Rayya passed away a year after the pairs commitment ceremony in 2017. Elizabeth Gilbert and Rayya Elias (left); Mary Portas and Melanie Rickey (centre); Anna Richardson and Sue Perkins (right) Mary Portas The Queen of Shops, 58, was blown away when she fell in love with her fashion editor partner Melanie Rickey. After Marys divorce from Graham Portas, with whom she has two children, she and Melanie wed; they now have a son, Horatio. Mary says that one perk of being married to a woman is access to each others wardrobes: We wear what we like and share it. Anna Richardson The Naked Attraction host, 48, was single after an 18-year relationship with TV director Charles Martin when she saw Sue Perkins at a party in 2013. The planets were singing; there was magic in the air and I realised that I found this person extraordinary, says Anna. The pair have been together ever since, but dont call Anna a lesbian. Im not into labels. Cynthia Nixon and Christine Marinoni (left); Portia De Rossi and Ellen DeGeneres (right) After a 30-year relationship with Joseph Schwartz, the psychotherapist, 72, fell for Oranges are Not the Only Fruit author Jeanette Winterson in 2010 Cynthia Nixon The Sex and the City star, 53, was in a long-term relationship with her male high school sweetheart Danny Mozes (with whom she has two children) before she began dating education activist Christine Marinoni in 2004. I had never dated a woman or even kissed a woman, Cynthia recalls. She and Christine married in New York City in 2012. Portia De Rossi The actress, 46, aka Mrs Ellen DeGeneres, had been married to a man, filmmaker Mel Metcalfe. But, says Portia: After our first year together, my latent fear of my real sexuality was simmering and about to boil. She started dating Ellen in 2004 and the pair married in 2008. Portia says, The only thing we argue about is who loves who more. Susie Orbach After a 30-year relationship with Joseph Schwartz, the father of her two children, the psychotherapist, 72, fell for Oranges are Not the Only Fruit author Jeanette Winterson in 2010 after Jeanette was sent to interview her. The writer declared afterwards, Im in love and I dont care who knows it. They married in 2015. Advertisement What advice would a therapist give a woman beginning to acknowledge her burgeoning feelings towards women during a long-term male relationship? Diamond says, Id advise her to love and accept herself and enjoy the process of self-exploration that these experiences can bring. Theyre often portrayed as scary or threatening, but they can be amazing opportunities for growth and self-knowledge. We are lucky to live in a country that doesnt persecute people for being gay. Once more and more women begin to truly question their desires and follow their hearts free from the expectations of their early adulthood (which was perhaps lived in a very different era) Im certain we can expect later-life lesbianism to become less of a taboo. And perhaps todays gender-fluid, sexually non-defining Gen Z teens will feel equally compelled to explore old-fashioned heterosexuality in their middle age. Love is love, after all. If this strikes a chord with you, wed love to hear your stories at you.features@mailonsunday.co.uk Royal Bank of Scotland is expected to announce the appointment of the first female chief executive in its 300-year history as soon as the summer. If indeed Alison Rose is installed in the top job, it will be much more radical and do far more to promote growth and equality in the UK economy than any of the half-witted schemes for RBS being touted by Labour. Women have run British banks before. Debbie Crosbie is at the helm of TSB; Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia led Virgin Money until it was taken over and Ana Botin was CEO of Santander UK before taking control of the entire Spanish-based empire. Royal Bank of Scotland is expected to appointment Alison Rose as its new chief executive But Rose, 49, is favourite to be the first at one of the Big Four, and for good measure she would be working alongside a female finance chief, Katie Murray. The succession is not a done deal. Departing chief executive Ross McEwan promoted Rose and makes no secret he would like to see an internal candidate take over. It is not, however, in his gift. Headhunters have been appointed and they may take a different tack. Lets hope not, because Rose would be a great choice and not merely for the sake of smashing glass ceilings. Male bankers were accused of bringing about the credit crisis by macho behaviour and in the Fred Goodwin years there was a testosterone culture at RBS. They have also been blind to the huge untapped potential of female entrepreneurs. Any bank that can successfully harness this energy would be on the high road to growth. We have all heard of the gender pay gap but the same phenomenon occurs when women try to start and expand their own firms. Only one in three entrepreneurs are female, which equates to more than a million missing businesses. This is not for lack of merit. I was for several years a judge of this newspapers Everywoman awards and can testify first hand to womens amazing achievements. Despite their abilities, companies led by women are, on average, less than half the size of those run by men. It is harder for them to secure finance, because of residual sexism at the banks and among venture capitalists, where only around 13 per cent of senior players are women and around half of all the teams that make funding decisions are all-male. If these barriers were knocked down and women did launch and build up firms at the same rate as men, then it could create 250billion of value for the UK economy. That would be a very nice post-Brexit booster. How do I know all this? Because I read a document called the Alison Rose Review, a painstakingly-researched piece of work published and delivered to the Government earlier this year. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell wants to keep RBS as a nationalised bank Of course, it would not require a woman at the top of RBS to give a fair deal to female entrepreneurs an enlightened man could do it. But a female chief executive would send out a powerful signal to businesswomen that they are finally being taken seriously. Its also encouraging that for the first time ever, there is a roster of credible female candidates for Governor of the Bank of England. Although the favourites are men, it is only a matter of time before we have a woman governor as the US had with Fed chairman Janet Yellen. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has been indulging in ill-informed pontification about keeping RBS as a nationalised bank and using it as a tool of his socialist policy, but he has missed a much simpler and more fruitful point. Sexism directed against women in business is holding back the economy. It is one reason our productivity is so poor, but if reversed, it could unleash a wave of entrepreneurial energy. What a shame McDonnell and his female comrades cant see it. A depraved sea captain used his position with a fancy cruiser company to lure bright-eyed teens into a perverted deep sea nightmare. Daniel Curmi, 39, of Keilor Downs - in Melbourne's west - was cruising the open seas and rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous when his sexual urges took a hold and ultimately sunk him. He now faces years in jail after pleading guilty to four sex assault charges on teenage boys. Daniel Curmi, 39, of Keilor Downs, gives the thumbs up while at the helm of a large cruiser. He had been an employee at the company for three years when he began luring in boys and sexually assaulting them Groups enjoy a sunny day out on the ocean in one of Pleasure Cruising Club's cruisers. Daniel Curmi pleaded guilty to four sex assault charges on boys It was just weeks before Christmas in 2016 when the predator pounced on his unsuspecting victim, whom he had lured into his web via Facebook. Curmi had been a manager and skipper for Pleasure Cruising Club - a members only charter company catering to Melbourne's elite. Based in Melbourne's Docklands precinct, the company boasts access to Miami Vice-style vessels sporting names such as 'Reckless', 'The Show Pony' and 'The Dazzler'. Images on the company's Facebook page show Curmi enjoying his time at sea, catching fish, cooking up a storm and piloting a large vessel. But in reality, Curmi was using his position as a skipper to sexually abuse young boys. While taking the covers off one of the company's Mustang cruisers, Curmi grabbed a teenage boy's genitals. Sex creep Daniel Curmi cooks up a storm on one of the fancy cruisers he used to work on. He now faces a stint in jail after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting three teens Daniel Curmi hangs onto a snapper caught on one of the cruisers he used to captain. He was later exposed to be a sexual predator who molested teenagers on the ships The teenager would later tell police Curmi had done so more than a dozen times. In early January 2017, the teen was on board a boat when Curmi sexually assaulted him. The brave teen sat with his parents in the County Court of Victoria as his ordeal was recounted by a prosecutor. The court heard Curmi had also assaulted another boy just weeks earlier, squeezing his genitals too. He had also bombarded him with lewd text messages and asked him to stay the night with him. Curmi's third victim was asked to show him 'nude photos and his genitals'. The court heard Curmi asked the teen to spend the night with him on one of his boss's cruisers where they could watch porn together. In early January 2017, a teen was onboard 'The Dazzler' when Daniel Curmi sexually assaulted him. Curmi later claimed he had been depressed and bullied for most of his life Onboard one of Pleasure Cruising Club's luxurious cruisers. Daniel Curmi had been a skipper for the company "The Boss": another of Pleasure Cruising Company's large cruisers it markets out to Melbourne's elite. Daniel Curmi had worked at the company for three years By June that year, Curmi had been arrested. 'I know I shouldn't have touched a minor,' he told detectives. Curmi proceeded to spill the beans on all of his depraved sexual exploits with the children and even dobbed himself in for crimes that had not been reported. He has pleaded guilty to one charge of sexual penetration and three more of committing indecent acts with children under 16. Curmi's barrister Daniel Porceddu said his client had been more than co-operative with police and had offered to plead guilty to the charges before police had even compiled a brief of evidence. He said Curmi cried throughout his police interviews and had expressed remorse for his behaviour. Curmi had since undergone psychiatric treatment. Mr Porceddu asked Judge Liz Gaynor not to jail Curmi, arguing he did not need to be specifically deterred from reoffending. But prosecutors disagreed, declaring an immediate jail term was appropriate. Curmi will be sentenced on June 11. The friend of a double murderer who killed his girlfriend and her daughter before dumping their bodies 1200 kilometres apart has revealed how being linked to the horrific case 'destroyed' him. Daniel Holdom, 43, murdered 20-year-old Karlie Pearce-Stevenson and her daughter Khandalyce Pearce in December 2008. He was charged for his crimes in 2015 - more than seven years after he dumped the body of Ms Pearce-Stevenson in NSW's Belanglo State Forest and tossed the remains of her two-year-old child, Khandalyce, on the side of a South Australian highway in a suitcase. Dereck Dover, a former friend of Holdom's, was investigated by police amid suspicions he knew about the murders and had failed to tell authorities. While there is no suggestion Mr Dover was involved in the killings, the Canberra local admitted he was 'destroyed' by his connection to the case, The Daily Telegraph reported. Daniel Holdom, 43, murdered 20-year-old Karlie Pearce-Stevenson (left) and her daughter Khandalyce Pearce in December 2008 Daniel Holdom (pictured) as charged for his crimes in 2015 and pleaded guilty to the two murders in July 2018 Dereck Dover (pictured), a former friend of Holdom's, was investigated by police amid suspicions he knew about the murders and had failed to tell authorities Two days after Ms Pearce-Stevenson was slayed by Holdom, the now convicted killer got Mr Dover to go to a Canberra car yard and trade in her Holden Commodore for an older model Holden Statesman. Mr Dover claims Holdom told him he had Ms Pearce-Stevenson's car because she owed him money. With the newly acquired vehicle, Holdom took off to southwest NSW with Khandalyce. She was brutally murdered and stuffed in a suitcase, which was left on the side of the Karoonda Highway. Mr Dover denied knowing Holdom murdered the mother and daughter. 'It s***s me to tears that police think I had anything to do with it,' he said. Mr Dover, who was married to Holdom's cousin for 16 years, lived in the northern suburbs of Canberra. Holdom was living with Mr Dover before the murders. When Holdom became a key suspect for the crimes, his friends were also under the watchful eye of investigators. Court documents say Mr Dover told detectives years later that Holdom returned from his journey to Belanglo State Forest on December 15, 2008 with a scratch on his face. Mr Dover also recalled that before Holdom cleaned Ms Pearce-Stevenson's car, he retrieved a blanket from inside the vehicle. Mr Dover denied knowing Holdom murdered the mother and daughter. 'It shits me to tears that police think I had anything to do with it,' he said. Khandalyce was brutally murdered and stuffed in a suitcase on left on the side of the Karoonda Highway Detectives from NSW referred evidence to ACT Police in 2017, which suggested Mr Dover could be charged with concealing a serious indictable offence. But a legal loophole meant that Mr Dover was never hit with the charges as the offence did not exist in ACT. During the week, Mr Dover confirmed he had not seen the mother and daughter since Holdom left with them almost a decade ago. He also remained adamant he did not know about the murders at the time and if he did, he would have dealt with it then. Police reports say Mr Dover dropped Ms Pearce-Stevenson at a bus stop in December 2008 but he denied that this week. 'Last thing Holdom said to me is he dropped them off to South Australia or Adelaide and I thought ''OK their relationship is over'',' he said. Mr Dover later told Holdom to get out of Canberra and said he didn't hear from him until detectives knocked on his door in 2015. 'They were accusing me of trying to be involved in it and I said, ''Don't you dare put me in that category ever'',' he said. In July 2018, Holdom pleaded guilty to murdering his short-term girlfriend Ms Pearce-Stevenson and then her daughter about four days later Mr Dover said he was destroyed to learn of Holdom's offending and that he had been living under the same roof as the killer. Holdom tried to blame Mr Dover for the killings in his 2015 interview with homicide detectives. In a 'confession' from Holdom, he claimed Mr Dover tried to frantically message him when the body was found in the forest. He claimed Mr Dover told him not to say anything to anyone. When the missing persons report was released Holdom said he heard from Mr Dover again but this time Holdom claims he was instructed how to respond. Holdom's 'confession' claimed he did what he was told by Mr Dover. The revelations come under a week before a book hits the shelves about the high-profile case. The Lost Girls The Untold Story Of The Double Murder That Haunted The Nation will detail Holdom's attempts to frame Mr Dover. In July 2018, Holdom pleaded guilty to murdering his short-term girlfriend Ms Pearce-Stevenson and her daughter, about four days later. Ms Pearce-Stevenson's remains were found in 2010 but she was not identified until her daughter was found in 2015. Ms Pearce-Stevenson became known as the 'Angel of Belanglo' as her unidentifiable boy was found with a t-shirt with the word 'angelic' on it. In November 2018, Justice Robert Allan Hulme imposed life sentences on Holdom for both murders in the NSW Supreme Court. Advertisement Unsung American D-Day troops killed by Nazis in British waters as they rehearsed for the momentous landings have been remembered in a poignant art installation. Bootprints of 749 GIs have been laid out on Slapton Sands, in Devon, to mark the 75th anniversary of Exercise Tiger, the secret mission to prepare for the Allied invasion of Normandy. The troops were killed on April 28 1944 when a Royal Navy convoy carrying them was torpedoed by fast-moving E-boats from Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. More people died during the exercise than in the D-Day landing at Utah Beach - with many soldiers sinking and drowning during the exercise weighed down by their heavy kit and sodden clothes. There But Not There artist Martin Barraud working on an installation of 749 pairs of bootprints at Slapton Sands, Devon, to mark the 75th anniversary of Exercise Tiger where 749 American soldiers where killed while rehearsing for the D-Day invasion of Normandy 749 footprints cover the beach for 50 metres, representing the troops who lost their lives during the D-Day rehearsal Artist Martin Barraud worked with a team to lay down 749 foot prints in the sand at Slapton, Devon, commemorating the previously unreported deaths of Exercise Tiger More than 1,200 allied soldiers were killed during a D-Day training mission at Slapton Sands in Devon in April 1944 Slapton Sands in Devon was used because it resembled Utah beach in Normandy which was going to be a D-Day target The haunting episode was kept quiet over fears the Germans would realise the exercise had been planned as a rehearsal for D-Day, which would take place five weeks later. Artist Martin Barraud created the installation which was unveiled by the Remembered charity and will raise money for veteran employment projects. To commemorate the 75th anniversary of Exercise Tiger and remember its victims, charity 'There But Not There' has installed the moving memorial made up of 749 pairs of bootprints on the beach at Slapton Sands, in South Devon. The installation, over 50 metres long, will be unveiled today. HMS Azalea, pictured, was part of the training exercise and spotted nine German E-boats approaching, but a radio error prevented allied forces from intercepting the attacking vessels before the could open fire killing 749 men Residents in Slapton Sands were forced to abandon their homes without being told why ahead of the training mission The extent of the tragic loss is illustrated effectively by the boot prints that remind us of the hundreds of men who gave up their lives while preparing to fight More than 1,200 Allied soldiers were killed over two days off Slapton Sands in Devon, a disaster that was kept hidden by the authorities for decades. On April 27, 1944 over 400 of them were slaughtered by the friendly fire of shells bursts on the beach due to a timing error The following day nine German E-boats passing through Lyme Bay stumbled upon the exercise and opened fire on the mock-invasion fleet, killing 749 men. Scores of bodies washed up on to the beach in harrowing scenes that would be replicated six weeks later on the beaches of Normandy The survivors of Exercise Tiger were sworn to secrecy as the tragedy had to remain out of the public domain so not compromise the impending D-Day landings General Eisenhower wanted live ammunition used during the training operation so troops would know the sound when they stormed the Normandy beaches a few months later Mr Barraud also designed last year's There But Not There campaign, which placed silhouettes of First World War 'Tommy' troops across the UK, to mark the centenary of the end of the war. He said: 'Last year our Tommy campaign captured the hearts of the nation, whilst giving a substantial boost to the mental health and wellbeing of veterans across the UK. 'A year on and we're hoping the great British public will get behind our D-Day 75 campaign by purchasing their own Bootprints to mark the great sacrifice of our WW2 heroes, in particular those who helped kick-start the liberation of Europe with the invasion of Normandy on D-Day.' Details of the horrors have slowly come to light over the intervening decades. However, far less is still known about an appalling 'friendly fire' incident which the US authorities have never officially recognised Schools, businesses and communities will be able to purchase commemorative D-Day Bootprints vinyls for 4 each, to be placed in public spaces nationwide Eisenhower wanted the training missions to be as realistic as possible, although this led to problems when the delayed start of landings was not communicated naval officers planning an artillery barrage. As a result, troops arriving in landing craft, file photograph, were attacked by naval guns Survivors of the friendly fire incident were ordered to remain silent because military officials did not want details of the blunder to be made public The servicemen were killed in Operation Tiger which was a training operation ahead of the D-Day invasion of Normandy The Exercise Tiger incident was only nominally reported afterwards because of the strict secrecy of the D-Day landings. Pam Wills, 85, from Devon, was just 10 when Exercise Tiger took place near her home, and her family was evacuated before the exercise began. She said: 'The US soldiers came over and talked to us, they gave us sweets and comics, but they then suddenly disappeared. 'We didn't know Exercise Tiger had taken place, but my father, who was in the Royal Observer Corps watching for enemy aircraft, saw ambulances going to and from Slapton Sands, so we knew something was wrong.' Woody Johnson, the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, praised the soldiers who died during the exercise. The British government set up a training ground around Slapton Sands on the coast of south east Devon, in late 1943 for the US forces. The location was chosen because of its similarities to Utah beach, where the Americans would be landing in Normandy The victims of the tragedy, who were not acknowledged at the time of the incidents, were later commemorated at this memorial at Slapton Sands in Devon He said: 'For a long time, many people had no idea that so many hundreds of American servicemen lost their lives on the coast of Slapton Sands as they rehearsed for the D-Day landings. 'Those men did not die in vain. 'Their sacrifices paved the way for their comrades to succeed on the beaches of Normandy and begin the liberation of Europe from Nazi tyranny.' The disastrous exercise took place early on 28 April 1944 when eight tank landing ships, full of US servicemen and military equipment, converged in Lyme Bay near Slapton Sands. However, a group of German E-Boats were alerted to the convoy and torpedoed the slow-moving ships. With no British Navy destroyer to escort the American GIs, the consequences were catastrophic, with the final death toll considerably more than the number who died storming Utah beach in Normandy. Among the dead was Sergeant Louis Archer Bolton, a 19-year-old newlywed from Iowa. He was in the tank deck on board LST 531, when it took a direct hit by two torpedoes. His body was never recovered. His niece, Laurie Bolton, will be among those at the event. She said: 'My uncle was in the US Army, 607th Graves Registration Company, 1st Platoon. Artist Martin Barraud helps lay down 749 foot prints in the sand Commemorative Bootprints plaques made by veterans will be available for 29.99, with each representing one of the 22,763 British and Commonwealth servicemen and women who were killed on D-Day and during the Battle of Normandy in the summer of 1944 The bootprint installation is the brainchild of Martin Barraud, the artist behind last year's 'There But Not There' campaign to mark the centenary of the end of WW1 'His platoon of 19 men was attached to the 3206th Quartermaster Service Company, and was going to be in charge of burying the dead on Utah Beach on D-Day. 'Only five men from his platoon survived Exercise Tiger. He was just 19 years old when he died and a newlywed, only having been married for just under a year. I was born on his birthday eight years after he died.' The bootprint installation is the brainchild of Martin Barraud, the artist behind last year's 'There But Not There' campaign to mark the centenary of the end of WW1. Commemorative bootprint plaques, made by veterans, can be bought for 29.99 with money raised from the campaign going towards programmes supporting veteran employment projects. General Dwight D. Eisenhower wanted his men to be battle-hardened ahead of D-Day so he insisted on live ammunition being used during the trial run American authorities acknowledged the E-boat incident in 1954 but they still refuse to accept what happened the day before when troops were killed by friendly fire during the botched training exercise. Pictured: Medics on the beach at Normandy Each of these plaques represents one of the 22,763 British and Commonwealth servicemen and women who were killed on D-Day and during the Battle of Normandy in the summer of 1944. Martin, who is chair of 'There But Not There', said: 'These plaques are made by veterans, to commemorate the veterans of 75 years ago and will help support the veterans of today, back into employment. 'Last year our Tommy campaign captured the hearts of the nation, whilst giving a boost to the mental health and wellbeing of veterans across the UK. 'A year on and we're hoping the Great British public will get behind our D-Day 75 campaign by purchasing their own bootprints to mark the great sacrifice of our WW2 heroes, in particular those who helped kick-start the liberation of Europe with the invasion of Normandy on D-Day.' Associate professor Harry Bennett, a historian from Plymouth University, added: 'There were losses day in, day out, whether it was in Africa, down at Plymouth, on the Eastern Front, in the Northern Atlantic. The drip, drip, drip of lives being lost was enormous. 'Exercise Tiger was a terrible event with 749 deaths and it gets lost in history. The first practice assault took place on the morning of April 27. Several of the landing ships were delayed so the American Admiral Don Moon decided to put back the assault on the beach until 8.30am. However, shockingly, some of the other landing ships were not informed of this schedule change and arrived at the beach at the previously agreed time of 7.30am. As a result, the artillery barrage which was meant to be fired before the practice invasion to recreate the sounds and smells of a naval bombardment was actually unleashed on disembarking American troops 'With Tiger you had 749 people whose lives were washed away and this installation gets people to think about something in a different way. 'Any new means which encourages the public to think about what happened to previous generations, to ordinary people is a good thing.' Schools, businesses and communities will be able to purchase commemorative D-Day Bootprints vinyls for 4 each, to be placed in public spaces nationwide. Commemorative Bootprints plaques made by veterans will also be available for 29.99, with each representing one of the 22,763 British and Commonwealth servicemen and women who were killed on D-Day and during the Battle of Normandy in the summer of 1944. Mr Barraud said: 'Our enduring hope is that every one of the US, British and Commonwealth soldiers, sailors and airmen who gave their lives will have a Bootprint purchased in their memory.' Apple has been accused of moving against apps that are designed to limit iPhone usage after introducing its own Screen Time tool, which app makers say is less strict than their own products. On Thursday, two of the most popular parental-control apps, Kidslox and Qustodio, filed a complaint with the European Union's competition office claiming Apple forced restrictions that damaged business. Over the past year, Apple has removed or restricted at least 11 of the 17 most downloaded screen-time and parental-control apps, according to a new analysis by The New York Times. Because it controls the App Store, Apple has full say over what apps are allowed on iPhones - leading some to accuse the company of anti-competitive behavior for removing apps designed to help consumers use its products less. Apple introduced its Screen Time tool in September. App makers say the company has been purging competing products from the App Store in the months since Apple introduced its own Screen Time tool in September - but app makers say it isn't as aggressive about limiting screen time and doesn't provide as many options. 'Their incentives aren't really aligned for helping people solve their problem,' Fred Stutzman, chief executive of screen-time app Freedom, told the Times. Freedom had more than 770,000 downloads before Apple removed it in August. 'Can you really trust that Apple wants people to spend less time on their phones?' Apple insists that it only removes apps for violating its terms, and treats app-makers fairly. 'We treat all apps the same, including those that compete with our own services,' Tammy Levine, an Apple spokeswoman, told the Times. 'Our incentive is to have a vibrant app ecosystem that provides consumers access to as many quality apps as possible.' Apple CEO Tim Cook said at a conference this month that Apple had added screen-time tools to help people monitor and manage their phone use She said Apple removed or required changes to certain apps because they could gain too much information from users' devices. She added that the timing of Apple's moves was not related to its debut of similar tools. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a Democratic candidate for president, has waded into the debate. Warren recently suggested spinning off the App Store from Apple as part of her proposal to rein in the American tech giants. Apple CEO Tim Cook said at a conference this month that Apple had added screen-time tools to help people monitor and manage their phone use. 'We don't want people using their phones all the time,' he said. 'This has never been an objective for us.' Advertisement The driver of a speeding semitrailer who allegedly caused a 28-vehicle crash which killed at least four people and injured six has appeared in court. The truck driver, 23-year-old Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, of Houston, Texas, made his first court appearance Saturday after being arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide. According to court documents released Saturday Aguilera-Mederos appeared to be 'wide eyed' and 'terrified' as he passed a truck ramp before plowing into other vehicles on a crowded highway near Denver. State District Judge Chris Zenisek set $400,000 bond. Aguilera-Mederos, who suffered minor injuries in the crash, didn't speak during the hearing. Scroll down for video Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, of Houston, Texas, made his first court appearance Saturday after being arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide Aguilera-Mederos was represented by Denver attorney Robert Corry, who couldn't be reached for comment afterward Part of the I-70 was still closed Friday morning after the Thursday fireball crash that involved 28 vehicles. The chief engineer with the Colorado Department of Transportation said immense heat and oil could burn the road away Aguilera-Mederos, who is from Texas and holds a commercial driver's licence, said his brakes had failed He was represented by Denver attorney Robert Corry, who couldn't be reached for comment afterward. Deputy District Attorney Kate Knowles had recommended a $500,000 bond, citing Aguilera-Mederos' status as a green card holder from Cuba with no ties to Colorado and the seriousness of the wreck. His next court hearing is set for May 3, when prosecutors are expected to file charges against Aguilera-Mederos, who remains in the Jefferson County jail. The fiery crash happened Thursday on Interstate 70 where the highway descends from the Rocky Mountains and involved 28 vehicles. The massive collision sparked a 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit fireball which melted the road and metal on cars. Aguilera-Mederos covers his face with his hand in court Saturday. Aguilera-Mederos, who suffered minor injuries in the crash, didn't speak during the hearing According to the arrest affidavit in the case, Aguilera-Mederos, who holds a commercial driver's licence, told investigators that his brakes had failed on his truck that was hauling lumber and he noticed his truck was traveling 85 mph (136.7 kph) before the crash. However, other motorists told police that the truck seemed to be traveling faster, with one witness estimating as much as 100 mph (160.9 kph). In addition, two witnesses in another truck said they saw fluid coming from the rear of the trailer on the truck driven by Aguilera-Mederos. According to the affidavit, Aguilera-Mederos' truck passed a sign advising drivers of a runaway ramp, which enables vehicles that are having braking problems to safely stop, 2,000 feet (609.6 meters) ahead and had a 'free and unobstructed path' onto the ramp but instead swerved away from the ramp, which is located off the side of the highway. Lakewood police spokesman John Romero described it as a chain reaction of crashes and explosions from ruptured gas tanks. 'It was crash, crash, crash and explosion, explosion, explosion,' he said The road will also have to be resurfaced after it began to melt under the scorching temperatures Aguilera-Mederos, 23, appeared in court Saturday. He appears left in his mug shot and right with a lip piercing in a driver's license image A speed limit sign on that stretch of road limited commercial vehicles to 45 mph. Aguilera-Mederos told police that he tried to activate emergency brakes without success and that just before his truck hit other stopped vehicles he thought he was going to die so he 'closed his eyes,' the affidavit says. One driver whose vehicle was passed by the speeding truck said he saw that 'the driver of the semi was 'wide eyed' with a 'terrified look on his face.' After the collision, he crawled from the truck as fire began to engulf the crash scene, triggering explosions and a fire so intense that it melted the roadway and metal off cars. The interstate was closed for nearly 24 hours before completely reopening Friday night. Lakewood police spokesman John Romero described it as a chain reaction of crashes and explosions from ruptured gas tanks. 'It was crash, crash, crash and explosion, explosion, explosion,' he said. Police are examining sickening statements about child abuse made by a highly controversial Ukip candidate. Carl Benjamin was formally adopted by the party as a candidate for the European elections last week despite fury over his remark that he wouldnt even rape a Labour MP. Now a senior Ukip source has told The Mail on Sunday that they have passed a dossier to Wiltshire police containing deeply offensive remarks made by Mr Benjamin, an online vlogger from Swindon who calls himself Sargon of Akkad. The dossier includes a screenshot of a social media message in which Benjamin says he needs something to really trigger outrage, adding: Do you have any underage porn or child porn? I will delete it fast so nobody gets in trouble' The insider says the dossier was passed to Ukips ruling National Executive Council last autumn but no action was taken. It includes a YouTube broadcast in which Mr Benjamin says: I can be quoted as saying you can f*** young boys. Its actually not as controversial as you think. Depends on the child, doesnt it? The ancient Greeks were pederasts. It was considered to be normal. It was mentoring. The dossier also includes a screenshot of a social media message in which Benjamin says he needs something to really trigger outrage, adding: Do you have any underage porn or child porn? I will delete it fast so nobody gets in trouble. The unnamed recipient responds: Dude, what the f***? The cache of documents also includes a racist pornographic tweet Benjamin posted showing a white woman having sex with three black men, under which he wrote: So this is your sister. Benjamin was banned from Twitter in 2017 for violating the platforms rules on targeted abuse. Last night, when asked about the child-sex remarks, which he made in 2014, Benjamin who is standing for the EU parliaments South West England constituency said: It was an abstract conversation. You are a dirty, dirty smear merchant. Carl Benjamin was formally adopted by the party as a candidate for the European elections last week despite fury over his remark that he wouldnt even rape a Labour MP He added that he believed that the age of consent should be 18. The source who has been interviewed by the police about the material said: The party leadership were fully aware of this as long ago as September, and not only did nothing about it but actually allowed Benjamin to join the party and become a lead candidate. I will swear an affidavit to that effect. Other material studied by the police include a now-deleted 2015 video showing him repeatedly using the racial slurs n****r and sp*c. He described two people as a fag and a retard, and said it was just f***ing fine to call an Asian woman a ch*nk. Benjamin, 39, first hit the headlines in 2016 when he tweeted I wouldnt even rape you at MP Jess Phillips which Ukip leader Gerard Batten labelled satire. When confronted, Benjamin said: I think we should treat women the same as men. That means if a woman is being a giant b***h and laughing at male suicide, Im going to be a giant d**k back to her. Ms Phillips later responded by suggesting she would take legal action, tweeting: Oh Ive just watched the clip of Mr Benjamin telling lies on a stage about me, so I think hell be hearing from the lawyers. Deary me. A spokesman for Mr Batten did not respond to a request for comment last night. Chinese inspired technology will soon be used to track what Australians are browsing on their phone, where they're going and if they're involved in criminal behaviour. This year, Darwin council will install the new 'Smart technology', which uses facial recognition to implement 'virtual fences' across the city. The 'virtual fences' have the ability to instantly trigger an alert to the council if boundaries are crossed, such as a criminal entering an area they are not allowed to be in. According to NT News, the technology originated in Shenzhen, in China's south-east, and created a social credit system, allowing people to earn or lose points based on their behaviour. Technology from the Chinese government is going to be adopted in Australia to gather data on what people are doing on their phones (stock image) While it's not yet known whether the social credit system will be implemented in Australia, people living in China have been given 'scores' based on how they live their life. The national system was designed to promote better individual behaviour and has already seen more than 7 million people banned from boarding flights. Others have been branded as 'dishonest', preventing them from buying a house, taking a holiday or sending their children to private schools. People can earn points for acts such as donating blood and completing volunteer work, and lose points for disobeying laws, regulations and social norms. General Manager for Darwin Council's Innovation, Growth and Development Services Josh Sattler said the technology will be used in Australia to track where people are and what technology they use. Poles will be set up across the city, equipped with speakers, cameras and Wi-Fi, allowing council to collect information such as how many people walk on footpaths and what websites and apps they visit in certain areas of the city. 'The artificial intelligence program will be watching, we won't be,' Mr Sattler said. 'We'll be getting sent an alarm saying 'there's a person in this area that you've put a virtual fence around' boom an alert goes out to whatever authority, whether it's us or police to say 'look at camera five'.' Darwin council has plans to install the new 'Smart technology' that will put up 'virtual fences' across the city, triggering the government if boundaries are crossed (stock image) The CCTV cameras were rolled out before April 25, with the rest of the technology expected to be set up before the end of the financial year. Darwin is the first city in Australia willing to test out the technology. Mr Sattler said the data will help the city's council make informed decisions that will benefit the community. 'We can let businesses know "hey, 80 per cent of people actually use Instagram within this area of the city, between these hours",' Mr Sattler said. While there are expected benefits to the technology, Law lecturer from Charles Darwin University Dr Jenny Ng says it's only fair to warn people the public Wi-Fi is less secure than personal Wi-Fi. A father-of-three who had 'no pulse' for almost two years has a second chance at life after undergoing a heart transplant. Graeme Klemm, from South Australia, suffered a severe cold in 2010, leaving him with a weak heart and damaged kidney. Seven years later, the 56-year-old went to Royal Adelaide Hospital in August 2017 and inquired about a possible heart transplant. He was flown to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne on September 1 for further tests, Adelaide Now reported. Within two days of arriving, the graphic designer suffered a heart attack and kidney failure and he was placed on life support. Graeme Klemm, from South Australia, suffered a severe cold in 2010, leaving him with a weak heart and damaged kidney (pictured with his wife) Seven years later, the 56-year-old went to Royal Adelaide Hospital in August 2017 and inquired about a possible heart transplant A ventricular assist device (VAD) was then inserted through Mr Klemm's abdomen to help pump his blood to his heart. A almost two years on the transplant list, Mr Klemm received a phone call on April 10 at 5.40pm telling him a matching heart had become available. Just hours later, he flew to The Alfred Hospital and underwent surgery the following morning. Mr Klemm flew to The Alfred Hospital (pictured) in Melbourne where a new heart was implanted Mr Klemm pictured with his wife Andrea - 'I was so lucky, everything went very smoothly,' he said 'They described it to me as a vigorous heart they attached the arteries and away it went,' Mr Klemm told the publication. 'I was so lucky, everything went very smoothly. I woke up at 7am the next day, looked around and thought "wow, it worked", it was a very happy feeling.' He remained in the intensive care unit for two days and was discharged from hospital within a week. His wife, Andrea, and their three children, Olivia, 25, Lewis, 24, and Henry, 20, are looking forward to the 56-year-old's 'new life'. His wife, Andrea, and their three children, Olivia, 25, Lewis, 24, and Henry, 20, are looking forward to the 56-year-old's 'new life' (pictured together) However, Mr Klemm still needs to be wary of his everyday activities, such as avoiding large crowds in case he becomes infected. He said it's a 'small price to pay'. 'I've got my pulse back I'm already taking it for granted,' he said. The government of Mozambique has urged people to seek higher ground as Cyclone Kenneth rips through Pemba city and the Macomia district. More heavy rain is expected to hit the country in the next few days which could cause mudslides and flooding. The extreme weather conditions would put the lives of 700,000 people at risk and five people have already been killed following Saturday's storm. The country's disaster management agency said two people died on Ibo Island, and one in both Pemba and Macomia, with the fifth being unconfirmed. An aerial views shows the devastation caused to communities by Cyclone Kenneth, which has lashed the region Homes and shops in the village of Nacate,south Macomia Cabo Delgado province have been destroyed One man, Assan Madal stands next to his destroyed house in the village of Nacate after the storm Dramatic aerial photos showed the devastation across some communities which had near enough been flattened by the storm. Homes in the Cabo Delgado province were either part or fully destroyed, with key bridges having collapsed and roads being blocked. Schools and health centres were damaged and many people have been left exposed and hungry as waters continue to rise. Response team leader at Save the Children, Nicholas Finney said people were in shock in Macomia, a region where a cyclone has never been recorded in a modern age. Badly damaged communities are seen from an aerial view across the Ibo island area In the Macomia district, washing lines and clothing were seen scattered among the debre Men carry a mobile shop to safer ground in Pemba city on the northeastern coast of Mozambique 'There's a very intense strip of destruction where the wind first made impact in coastal districts'. Terrified children and traumatized parents 'face a huge task to start to rebuild,' he said. Rain is forecast over the next several days, and Mozambique's meteorological authority said the storm could potentially move back out to sea and intensify again. Finney added. 'It doesn't look good, quite honestly,' he said of the risk of flooding. A drinks cup can been seen left behind at the cafe 'Salao de Cha' destroyed by the cyclone Kenneth The tragedy comes just weeks after the country suffered one of the worst storms in its history The storm had destroyed homes with just the foundations being left behind As water levels rose, Mozambican authorities asked residents of Mecufi and Chiure districts and parts of Macomia and Muidumbe districts to immediately seek higher ground. Some rivers in the region have burst their banks in the past, notably in 2000. Cyclone Kenneth arrived late Thursday, just six weeks after Cyclone Idai ripped into central Mozambique and killed more than 600 people. This was the first time in recorded history that the southern African nation has been hit by two cyclones in one season, again raising concerns about climate change . The remnants of Kenneth, which packed the power of a Category 4 hurricane, could dump twice as much rain as Idai did last month, the U.N. World Program has said. Some forecasts warned of as much as 250 millimeters (9 inches) of torrential rain, or about a quarter of the average annual rainfall for the region. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reported heavy damage to Cabo Delgado province, with the communities of Macomia, Quissanga and Mocimboa da Praia of highest concern. The damage was seen in one home in Nacate where a table had managed to withstand the storm Rubble can be strewn across the landscape in Nacate and thousands of people have lost their homes A group of residents in Nacate gathered around a sodden mattress to assess the damage caused A spokesperson for the U.N humanitarian agency, Saviano Abreu said: 'Too many small communities are completely destroyed, not a single house is standing anymore. 'This will be a very complex humanitarian operation.' Communications were challenging in some areas as authorities and aid groups scrambled to assess the damage, especially in more far-flung communities in the largely rural region. On hard-hit Ibo island alone more than 4,000 houses were damaged, administrator Issa Tarmamade told Mozambique's disaster management agency. 'The situation wasn't worse thanks to awareness-raising work by local authorities,' the agency said while posting photos of buildings where metal roofs had been crumpled or ripped away. Other photos from Macomia showed a mud-walled home that had disintegrated, a bus that appeared to have slid off the road and a toppled electrical pole, its wires straining. Parts of this building had been ripped off during the storm and villagers could be seen climbing through Two chairs and a small table were seen left behind from the storm as well as a mattress People left homeless tried to patch together shelters from the rain. 'I'm looking for someone to lend me a porch so I can clean it up and stay with my family,' one Macomia resident, Wild Eusebio, told the Portuguese news agency Lusa. Another family of 13 people, including eight children, was living in an improvised plastic tent, the report said. Harry Flynn, 65, (pictured 1976) could be dragged before a fresh Scotland Yard investigation into the death of Conservative MP Airey Neave on the murder's 40th anniversary -born A Belfast-born pub landlord is poised to face police interrogators over the murder of Conservative MP Airey Neave who was blown up by an Irish terrorist mob. Harry 'Basher' Flynn, 65, is reportedly going to be brought before a fresh investigation into the death of the then Northern Ireland secretary who was killed when a car bomb exploded in the House of Commons courtyard 40 years ago. The supposed former leader of an IRA splinter faction now runs The Celts Well Irish Pub in Majorca, which Flynn has apparently turned into a shrine to republicans who fought in the Troubles - along with bunting which hails the death of Margaret Thatcher. Flynn, who was previously named as the Irish National Liberation Army chief of staff, is set to be questioned by a re-opened Scotland Yard investigation into the murder, according to the Sunday Telegraph. After years of living in Spain with his wife, Vera, he could now appear before the police probe following DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson's intervention demanding Home Secretary Sajid Javid to drag Flynn back to the UK. The expat, who has been described as a former arms trafficker, was embroiled in several crimes in the 1970s and 1980s such as bank robbery and weapons smuggling. Airey Neave was killed in a car bomb in the courtyard of the House of Commons in March 1979 Flynn has transformed the inside of the Celts Well pub in Santa Ponsa,Majorca, into a shrine to republicans who fought in the Troubles Inside the pub, there also reportedly hangs some bunting which hails the death of Margaret Thatcher The decision to reopen the probe into the 1979 killing of Margaret Thatcher's close friend and political wing man Airey Neave comes two days shy of the 40th anniversary of his death. Neave was shadow Northern Ireland secretary at the time of his slaughter at the hands of an IRA splinter group, the INLA. He was killed in a car bomb in the courtyard of the House of Commons while leaving the car park but now Sajid Javid has dragged the case back to the fore after pleas for justice for the former army officer's family. The case has reopened after the Public Prosecution Service also found enough evidence to charge a British soldier, known as Soldier F, with a double murder during the Bloody Sunday riots in Derry seven years prior to Neave's death. Wreckage of a car hit by an INLA terrorist bomb killing the Tory spokesman on Northern Ireland The DUP made clear their stance on the Neave case last month, calling the approach to killings carried out during the Troubles 'unbalanced' if no one is charged for the 63-year-old's death - which came during the 1979 election campaign. However, just today the same party's Jeffrey Donaldson dubbed the calls for Soldier F to be prosecuted for allegedly killing unarmed civilian protesters, a 'witch hunt'. In a letter to Greg Hands, Member of Parliament for Chelsea and Fulham - Neave's son William's constituency - the Home Secretary said there is 'new work' being done, The Telegraph revealed. He said: 'I have reviewed the case and can confirm that extensive searches have been carried out, including by the Metropolitan Police, into the circumstances of the murder.' The review came about because Javid had asked for it 30 years after it had last been touched, because Mr Hands requested it in honour of the 40th anniversary of the killing on March 30, 1979. But Javid was keen to stress that it's resuming did not necessarily mean progress in terms of clarity around the 'circumstances' of the murder. Javid added: 'I do not want to raise hopes of progress, but following my review of the case new work has been commenced by the police and the investigation is open. 'Should any potential leads come to light they will be scrutinised by the police to see if those responsible can be brought to justice.' Wolf Rudiger Hess (left), the son of Nazi politician Rudolf Hess, arrives at the Foreign Office in London with MP Airey Neave to discuss the possibility of his father's early release from Spandau Prison, 5th January 1970 Mr Javid confirmed in his review of the case that the Irish National Liberation Army, which claimed responsibility for the attack, 'is likely to have been the perpetrator'. Mr Hands said he was 'delighted on behalf of my constituents, the Neave family, to hear that the case has been reopened' adding that he was grateful for Javid's 'personal interest' in it. Maragaret Thatcher, speaking just hours after Neave's death, said: 'Some devils got him. They must never, never, never be allowed to triumph. They must never prevail.' The INLA issued a statement regarding the murder in the August 1979 edition of The Starry Plough, the official magazine of the Irish Republican Socialist Party: 'In March, retired terrorist and supporter of capital punishment, Airey Neave, got a taste of his own medicine when an INLA unit pulled off the operation of the decade and blew him to bits inside the 'impregnable' Palace of Westminster. 'The nauseous Margaret Thatcher snivelled on television that he was an 'incalculable loss'and so he wasto the British ruling class.' Out for blood: Sir Mark Sedwill The Cabinet official leading the hunt for whoever leaked Theresa Mays decision to let Chinese telecoms giant Huawei build part of Britains new mobile phone network has vowed to jail the culprit. Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill stunned colleagues by furiously slamming his hand down on a desk as he made the pledge. The leak of the Prime Ministers controversial decision over contracts for the 5G network made at a top-secret meeting of the National Security Council last week has sparked a full-scale inquiry and political row. A senior Government source told The Mail on Sunday: Mark is determined to have someone arrested for this and only needs a reasonable level of suspicion to make this happen. Hes been looking for an excuse to collar a special adviser for months over leaks and once youre in custody, there is no warrant needed for the police to go through your phone. No one in Whitehall will ever come out of that with a job. However, there are concerns that Sir Mark has become obsessed with Cabinet leaks and has too many demands on his time, having refused to give up his role as national security adviser when he was made Cabinet Secretary. He is also serving as President of the Special Forces Club, a private club in Knightsbridge, West London, for intelligence agents and elite armed forces. Meanwhile, claims emerged in a new report by two respected US academics last night the Huawei is effectively state-owned. The assertion that 99 per cent of the holding company behind Huawei is owned by a trade union committee will further raise concerns that it could be used as a Trojan Horse by the Chinese government to disrupt or eavesdrop on Britains communication network. The US report into Huawei, compiled by Donald Clarke, Professor of Law at George Washington University, and Christopher Balding, of Fulbright University, Vietnam, flatly contradicts the telecom giants repeated insistence that it is owned by its 188,000 employees. Instead, a study of publicly available documents shows the operating company, Huawei Technologies, is 100 per cent owned by another company called Huawei Holding. Huaweis founder Ren Zhengfei has a one per cent stake in Huawei Holding with the remainder owned by an entity called the trade union committee. The academics say Huawei has never revealed any details of the committees structure nor who its members are. If the trade union and its committee function as trade unions generally function in China, then Huawei may be deemed effectively state-owned, the report concludes. Regardless of who, in a practical sense, owns and controls Huawei, it is clear that the employees do not. Huawei keeps a ten-volume printed register of its employee shareholders inside a glass case which it often shows to Western journalists, but the academics say it is a facade. The thick volumes of names and numbers displayed to journalists paper records, under glass, in a shrine-like setting, at a high-tech company in the 21st Century bear every mark of being a Potemkin shareholder register, the report claims. The phrase is a reference to Potemkin villages , a ruse devised by the Russian leader of the same name to build painted facades to mimic real villages to give a false impression of prosperity. In a statement, Huawei said: This report was based on unreliable sources and speculations, without an understanding of all the facts. Huawei is a private company wholly owned by its employees. No government agency or outside organisation holds shares in Huawei or has any control over Huawei. But Prof Clarke said: Huawei does not identify any of the sources it believes are unreliable or wrong, or from which we drew the wrong conclusions. Jeremy Corbyn is poised to table a motion which will force MPs to vote on whether the UK should be the first country to openly declare an environmental emergency. The Labour leader's move to put climate change on the Commons agenda comes after Extinction Rebellion's (XR) eco-activists rallied in London for ten days of disruption which ground much of the capital to a standstill. Bolstered by the endorsement of 16-year-old campaigner Greta Thunberg, the Opposition will trigger a vote on the 'ecological crisis' on Wednesday. Jeremy Corbyn is poised to table a motion which will force MPs to vote on whether the UK should be the first country to openly declare an environmental emergency Acknowledging a full-blown crisis is one of Extinction Rebellion's core demands as the movement urged the Government to 'tell the truth' through formal recognition Mr Corbyn said: 'For young people, the climate emergency is the cause of their generation. And we in older generations must face up to this seriously. 'We have to have a much more focused and serious approach towards climate change and the damage we're doing to our planet. 'We want a world for those in countries worst affected by and least to blame for climate change and our young people. 'On Wednesday, the UK Parliament will have the chance to be the first in the world to declare an environment and climate emergency, which we hope will trigger a wave of action from parliaments and governments around the world.' Acknowledging a full-blown crisis is one of XR's core demands as the movement urged the Government to 'tell the truth' through formal recognition. The Labour leader's move to put climate change on the Commons agenda comes after Extinction Rebellion's (XR) eco-activists rallied in London for ten days of disruption which ground much of the capital to a standstill Climate change activists from Extinction Rebellion glued themselves to Jeremy Corbyn's house during the protests More than 1,100 activists were arrested during their demonstrations which dramatically saw protesters glue themselves to trains, office buildings and even the Labour leader's own house. But Jeremy Corbyn hailed the disorder as 'inspiring climate activism' and a much needed 'wake up call'. Swedish activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Ms Thunberg, who inspired a string of classroom walkouts, has called on MPs to pass Mr Corbyn's motion. She said: 'It is very hopeful that a major European political party has woken up to propose a declaration of a national climate emergency. 'It is a great first step because it sends a clear signal that we are in a crisis and that the ongoing climate and ecological crises must be our first priority. We cannot solve an emergency without treating it like an emergency. Jeremy Corbyns leaves his home past Extinction Rebellion protesters in North London on April 17 Swedish activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Ms Thunberg (pictured meeting with party leaders in Westminster), who inspired a string of classroom walkouts, has called on MPs to pass Mr Corbyn's motion More than 1,100 activists were arrested during their demonstrations which dramatically saw protesters glue themselves to trains, office buildings and even the Labour leader's own house 'I hope that the other UK political parties join in and together pass this motion in Parliament - and that political parties in other countries will follow their example.' Labour's policy is for the UK to achieve net zero emissions before 2050, an ambition which falls far short of Extinction Rebellion's call for a 2025 deadline. The Opposition pointed to official figures showing a 2% reduction in emissions last year, suggesting that a level compatible with net zero emissions would not be reached until 2100. Their motion will force Parliament to act with urgency to avoid more than 1.5C of global warming, which requires worldwide emissions to fall by about 45% from 2010 levels by 2030, reaching net zero before 2050. It will call for targets for the mass rollout of renewable and low-carbon energy and transport, properly-funded environmental protection measures to reverse the trend in species decline and plans to move towards a zero-waste economy. Downing Street is urging Tory leadership rivals to stop jostling to succeed Theresa May until the Prime Minister has secured Commons approval for her Brexit deal. Chief Whip Julian Smith is begging the main contenders to lay down their arms in the national interest and concentrate instead on persuading diehard Brexit Spartans to back Mrs Mays deal and avert the humiliation of being forced to contest the European elections next month. Mr Smith, who has arranged a series of one-to-one meetings with the contenders over the coming days, is prioritising Brexiteers such as Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab, who he believes stand the best chance of persuading the Spartans to drop their opposition. It is understood Chief Whip Julian Smith has already met Boris Johnson to plead with him to do everything in his power to convert the opponents Others include Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who supported Remain in 2016 but now back Brexit. It is understood Mr Smith has already met Mr Johnson, who has abandoned his long-standing opposition to the deal, to plead with him to do everything in his power to convert the opponents. The former Foreign Secretary was canvassing for the Tories in the West Midlands yesterday and managed to find time to pose for photos with supporters. A senior Government source said: Julian does not think that now is an appropriate time for the rivals to be eyeing the prize. Julian Smith is also hoping to meet with Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who supported Remain in 2016 but now back Brexit The party is facing complete wipeout in the European elections and it is in everyones interests to stop this happening. There will be plenty of opportunity to go on the hustings after that. Downing Street aides are also urging all Ministers and MPs to avoid the airwaves to bang on about Brexit in the next four days or face being blamed for worsening an expected local elections drubbing on Thursday. A No 10 source said: Word has gone out to shut up for a few days. There is a direct correlation between us arguing on television and people getting fed up, so we are hoping to avoid that on the eve of the polls. However, Brexit hostilities are expected to resume on the Government benches in the vital three weeks between local polls and European elections on May 23. Downing Street insiders have nicknamed this period the death zone amid fears it could see a major attempt to oust Mrs May. No 10 was shaken by last weeks Mail on Sunday poll of Tory councillors, which revealed that 40 per cent were planning to vote for Nigel Farages Brexit Party. A subsequent poll of Tory members put the figure even higher at three out of five. Mrs Mays aides are now planning to lay Brexit legislation before the Commons in the three weeks before May 23 in a last-ditch attempt to get her deal over the line. Boris, who has already abandoned his long-standing opposition to May's Brexit deal - was canvassing for the Tories in the West Midlands yesterday and managed to find time to pose for photos with supporters Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson out campaigning in Walsall with local Conservative candidate's ahead of this Thursday's local elections They hope that it will focus MPs minds on the consequences of not passing a deal and dare them to vote against legislation that would allow Brexit to take place without delay. But Downing Street has conceded it will not be possible to complete the exit legislation before the crucial cut-off date of May 22 for the UK to avoid taking part in the 100 million European elections. In all likelihood we will now end up fighting the Euros, but the new goal is to make sure anyone elected never takes their seat, said one senior ally of the Prime Minister. But a former Cabinet Minister told The Mail on Sunday last night: Its absurd we are fighting these elections and its why there is no trust any more. I am fed up with giving her chances to try to save herself. It is absolutely absurd she is simply ignoring every lifeline. If she wants to stay in office shes got to go back to Brussels and start again, or move aside for someone who will. A toddler has been killed after he and his twin brother were accidentally hit by a 16-year-old learner driver. The three-year-old twins were playing at a gated residential complex in Thornside in Brisbane's east at 3.30 on Saturday. Emergency services rushed to the scene after both boys were struck by a reversing car driven by a male learner driver. A toddler has been killed after he and his twin brother were accidentally hit by a 16-year-old learner driver One of the toddlers was pronounced dead at the scene, as his brother was taken to hospital with minor injuries. The teenage learner driver was also taken to hospital for shock, as he became quite emotional following the incident. A witness heard the boys' mother scream 'no' before holding the unresponsive little boy in her arms, The Courier-Mail reported. Witnesses said the pair had been playing in the large gated residential complex. The death follows a road fatality in northwestern Queensland, where a woman was killed and two young children left in hospital. It's believed a car carrying two children and a ute collided on Camooweal Street in Mount Isa about 3.40pm on Friday. The driver of the car, a 26-year-old woman, died at the scene. Emergency services rushed to the scene after both boys were struck by a reversing car that was being driven by a male learner driver (stock image) An eight-year-old boy was also taken to Townsville Hospital in a critical condition but he had improved to a stable condition by Saturday night. A baby girl was taken to Mount Isa Hospital in a stable condition. The driver and passenger of the ute, two men aged 44 and 57, were taken to hospital in a stable condition. A 27-year-old motorcyclist also died following a crash at Park Ridge at 10am on Saturday. The night before, he appeared to be just another guest checking in at hotel reception during the busy Easter season. But the next morning, an unassuming figure marked out only by the rucksack on his back emerged from his room, coolly strode into the breakfast buffet area and blew himself up, killing the innocents all around him. These chilling CCTV images show one of the nine terrorists who claimed at least 250 lives including those of eight Britons in simultaneous suicide attacks in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. The co-ordinated atrocity left a further 500 people injured in explosions at three churches and three luxury hotels. Easter Sunday suicide bomber Abul Mukhtar arriving at the Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo and checking in on Saturday April 20 at around twenty to eight Islamic State has since claimed responsibility. In the latest developments in one of the deadliest terrorist attacks the world has seen, The Mail on Sunday can reveal: The family company of the millionaire brothers who were among the attackers sold spices in Britain; One of the bombers was part of the same group as notorious IS executioner Jihadi John; Eyewitnesses revealed how a terrorist ate breakfast just before blowing himself up. Our pictures show a terrorist later identified as Abul Mukhtar at the five-star Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo. It has now emerged that he checked in and slept at the hotel before calmly carrying out his deadly mission. And with equally blood-curdling cool at the Cinnamon Grand hotel, another terrorist, Inshaf Ibrahim, even sat down and ate breakfast alongside those he was about to murder. On the morning of Easter Sunday the bomber, an unassuming figure marked out only by the rucksack on his back is pictured emerged from his room at 8.43am Among the dead were a British couple on holiday GP Sally Bradley, 56, and her husband, retired fireman Bill Harrop and a British IT director, Lorraine Campbell, 55, who was on a business trip. Rohan Karr, the Cinnamon Grands manager, said: Ibrahim behaved like a normal customer. He walked in the night before, he checked in, and we served him a welcome drink. He went up to his room and he came down in the morning with a rucksack on his back. Mr Karr said Ibrahim aroused suspicion as he carried his rucksack with him all the time, even as he filled his plate with food. He also callously chose to sit at a table in the middle of the restaurant to kill the maximum number of diners. Mr Karr said: A staff member watched this and they were wondering why this guy was walking with his bag. He sat, he ate, he waited for people to gather towards the buffet. When he saw a bigger crowd, thats the time he decided this is the time for me to create maximum damage. The manager revealed five of his staff were killed, including one woman who swapped her shift so that her Christian co-worker could attend Easter Mass. Mr Karr recalled the horror of seeing dead bodies strewn everywhere around the restaurant. He said: Bodies, body parts were all over the place even in the pond there was a hand. And we had to take a 6ft table, break the legs and put the people on that and carry that to take them out of the restaurant. Captured in chilling CCTV images, the Sri Lanka suicide bomber poses as an Easter tourist as he heads to the hotel restaurant Of the eight Britons who were killed in the attack, five died at the Shangri La hotel as they ate breakfast among them were Anita Nicholson, 41, her son, Alex, 14, and daughter Annabel, 11. The family, from Upminster, Essex, were on holiday with Mrs Nicholsons lawyer husband, Ben, who survived. Matthew Linsey, a City fund manager from Kensington, West London, was also having breakfast with his family. His son Daniel, 19, and daughter Amelie, 15, died in the blast. It is believed that two suicide bombers struck the Shangri La, including cell leader Moulvi Zahran Hashim. The other suicide bomber is believed to have been Ilham Ibrahim, 36, the brother of Inshaf. The two brothers were millionaires who ran a spice company and a copper manufacturer. Their company, Ishana Spice Exports Limited, supplies Indian spices to the UK, and it even received an award in London in 2004 at a gala ceremony from a company called Business Initiative Directions. Ilhams wife, Fatima, who was heavily pregnant, is reported to have blown herself up when their mansion was raided by police. The blast also killed three of her children. Last week, it emerged that one of the suicide bombers, Jameel Mohammed Abdul Lathief, 36, who blew himself up in a guesthouse, studied aerospace engineering at Kingston University between 2006 and 2007, and lived at a rented house in Tooting, South London. The moment of the explosion in the buffet restaurant, which the bomber has turned into a scene of appalling carnage MI5 and counter-terrorist experts are now investigating Lathiefs time in Britain, and whether he met extremists in London. But he is believed to have been radicalised in Melbourne, where he went to study after Kingston University. It is thought he formed links there with local jihadis who would go on to Syria to join IS. Last night, it was reported that Lathief returned to Sri Lanka from Melbourne then travelled to Syria in 2014 to join the murderous Islamic State group. Once in Syria, he is thought to have become a member of a Western cell within IS called the Legion, which included among its members Mohamed Emwazi, also known as Jihadi John. Last week, Lathiefs sister, Samsul Hidaya, said that after he returned from his studies at Melbournes Swinburne University, he was a changed man. She said: My brother became deeply, deeply religious while he was in Australia. He had a long beard and had lost his sense of humour. He became serious and withdrawn and would not even smile at anyone he didnt know, let alone laugh. It was the overpowering stench and the thick swarm of flies that told Reinet Meyer she had stumbled upon something truly horrific. Ms Meyer, a senior inspector at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, had been tipped off that lions were being left in tiny cages at the Wag-n-Bietjie farm, 20 miles outside Bloemfontein in South Africas Free State Province. Knowing that her countrys controversial lion breeding industry supplies the appalling international trade in lion bones meant she was expecting the worst. Reinet Meyer a senior inspector at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, had been tipped off that lions were being left in tiny cages at the Wag-n-Bietjie farm, 20 miles outside Bloemfontein in South Africas Free State Province. About 200 yards from the abattoir, two lions were housed in steel transport crates that were too small for them to stand up or turn around in. Above: one of the lions But nothing could prepare her for the grotesque and macabre scene she found inside an anonymous-looking farm shed. The building was being used as a lion slaughterhouse, and a supervisor and eight workers were stripping the skin and flesh from the fresh carcasses of a group of recently killed lions. Dead lions, some skinned and others waiting to be skinned, littered the blood-stained floor. A pile of innards and skeletons lay elsewhere inside, while discarded internal body parts were piled high in overflowing black plastic bags on a trailer outside. Photographs taken by investigators showed a squalid scene of gore. Many are too horrific to be shown in a family newspaper. It was shocking, Ms Meyer said. We couldnt believe what was happening. You could smell the blood. The lions got shot in the camp and then were all brought into this one room. The flies were terrible. For me, a lion is a stately animal, a kingly animal. Here he is butchered for people just to make money, its absolutely disgusting. About 200 yards from the abattoir, two lions were housed in steel transport crates that were too small for them to stand up or turn around in. Ms Meyer said they had been left in the crates without food or water for three days. She initially thought that one of them was dead because it was not moving. The lion was so depressed that it did not move at all. It was totally disgusting that they were kept like this. A lion is a wild animal, it wants its freedom but now its kept in a small cage for three days. Its absolutely deplorable. A total of 54 lions had been killed at the farm in just two days. They were first shot with tranquiliser darts before being shot dead with a .22-calibre rifle. It is understood the bullets were shot through the ear and directly into the brains because overseas buyers will not pay for damaged skulls. Some of the lions are believed to have been trucked about 250 miles to the farm from a safari park near Johannesburg. Remarkably, the workers at Wag-n-Bietjie are allowed to kill lions. The site, owned by lion breeder Andre Steyn, is one of a series of licensed lion slaughterhouses in South Africa which supply the huge demand for lion bones from South East Asia. South Africa allows 800 captive-bred lion skeletons to be exported each year, but campaigners believe many more are illegally slaughtered to feed the disgusting, but lucrative, trade. Wag-n-Bietjie, which calls itself an eco-farm that puts nature first, appears to have been issued the relevant permits by the Free State. Steyn, who is a former council member of the South African Predator Association, a trade organisation for the captive breeding industry, gave Meyer unfettered access to his property. But along with his foreman Johan van Dyke, he now faces animal welfare charges related to the two lions kept in small cages, and may face further charges related to the way lions were being killed and the squalid condition of the abattoir. What will happen to the 246 lions found at the farm remains unclear. About 100 were reportedly marked for slaughter, but the farms permits have been revoked. Their fate will not be decided until Steyn and Van Dykes court case concludes. Hybrid cats defy nature in lust for profit Lions and tigers are being crossbred in captivity in a sickening bid to squeeze even greater profits from South Africas barbaric bone trade, conservationists claim. My undercover investigators have learned that bizarre hybrid animals are being created that are even bigger and more imposing than the big cats found naturally in the wild. This makes them even more valuable when they are slaughtered and their skeletons sold to South East Asia and China to satisfy the huge demand for medicines made from lion and tiger bones. Lions and tigers are being crossbred in captivity in a sickening bid to squeeze even greater profits from South Africas barbaric bone trade, conservationists claim. Above: lionesses and tigers lie together in one wildlife park In a sinister twist to South Africas lion farming trade, some operators have imported tigers, which have no place on the African continent, to breed with lions and produce ligers (when the father is a lion) or tigons (when the father is a tiger). Remarkably, a three-year-old liger or tigon can be the same size of a nine-year-old lion, thereby producing more bone weight and greater profits once slaughtered. Ligers have the greatest financial value: they weigh an average of 71 stone and would stand nearly 12ft tall on their hind legs. Experts say the abusive breeding process often results in birth defects and the early death of cubs, as well as complications for mothers because they have to give birth to super-sized cubs. A report four years ago estimated that there were 280 tigers in South Africa at 44 sites. My investigation, however, suggests this is a dramatic underestimate, with around 50 tigers believed to be at just one location. At another wildlife facility in Free State Province, my investigators made a disturbing discovery. In a fenced enclosure a group of three tigers and five lions were laying down together in the shade. In the same enclosure, another lion and tiger were found together near the perimeter fence. One of the investigators described the experience as unsettling, adding: Its not something you expect to see. We were thinking, what are they here for, where are they going to go? Staff at the park told my investigators that the lions and tigers were only kept together until they reached breeding age at around two years old. The park last week did not respond when asked whether it was cross-breeding. At another wildlife park near Johannesburg, one of my team found a large tiger that was pregnant and expecting a litter of cubs. Without carrying out DNA tests, my investigators were unable to prove cross-breeding at any individual centre but conservationists believe inbreeding in South Africa is rampant. Meanwhile, tourists are unwittingly fuelling both the bone trade and trophy hunting by paying to either pet lion cubs or for walking with lions experiences. Ukutula game reserve, about 50 miles north-west of Pretoria, charges visitors 46 for a one hour enrichment walk with lions. Visitors must sign an agreement that any photographs taken there are for private use only. Spokesman Willi Jacobs said: Ukutula conducts these walks to enrich the lives of animals who would otherwise be confined to their enclosures. The revenue generated allows us to support research projects that contribute meaningfully to conservation. Why wont Britain ban import of lion trophies? Britain has failed to slap an import ban on lion skins despite public outcry and the demands of campaigners. There was international outrage four years ago when American dentist Walter Palmer tracked and killed a 13-year-old lion called Cecil with a bow and arrow in Zimbabwe. Australia, France and the Netherlands have all banned the importation of any lion trophies amid growing public fury, while America banned hunters bringing in trophies from captive-bred lions. One of Lord Ashcroft's undercover investigators recorded Adrian Sailor, a UK representative for Settlers Safaris in South Africa, explaining how a lion skin could be smuggled into the US. Above: four stuffed lions in the US Britain, however, has continued to offer permits to hunters to import lion skins and heads as long as the trophy has been obtained from a sustainable hunting operation. Last December, this newspaper revealed how the number of lion body parts shipped into Britain had soared. And today I can reveal how this loophole can be exploited by hunters determined to flout the US ban. To sidestep the US controls, Sailor suggested legally importing the skin via the UK, shooting a red stag in Scotland, then you stick the lion skin inside the bloody stag... you just roll it all up, and just export it as a red stag. Above: the kind of lion skin that gets smuggled One of my undercover investigators recorded Adrian Sailor, a UK representative for Settlers Safaris in South Africa, explaining how a lion skin could be smuggled into the US via Britain by hiding it in a deer skin. Sailor admitted the issue was so hot, in the press and everything else, adding: They want all the stuff done right. But to sidestep the US controls, Sailor suggested legally importing the skin via the UK, shooting a red stag in Scotland, then you stick the lion skin inside the bloody stag... you just roll it all up, and just export it as a red stag. Its a bit dodgy, but you know. Its all folded over, rock hard, you cant open it. Its all salted and rock hard. I mean a lions a big thing, to get inside, but the [only] thing you cant get in there is a skull. When confronted by The Mail on Sunday, Sailor did not deny making the suggestion but stressed that no crime has been committed and that everything is done legally. He said that he does not deal with anyone in the US, adding: How will a lion fit inside a deer skin? Major size difference. The captive-bred lion industry shames South Africa indeed it shames us all. By allowing such a barbaric practice, the South African government is harming the reputation of a country that treasures its position on the international stage in the aftermath of apartheid. A country that until 25 years ago tolerated appalling human rights abuses is now turning a blind eye to cruelty towards Africas most noble animal on an horrific scale. By allowing the barbaric practice of the captive-bred lion industry the South African government is harming the reputation of a country that treasures its position on the international stage in the aftermath of apartheid. Above: Simba the lion was shot with a tranquilliser by city worker Mark Wakefield, who paid 3,076 to do so Arguments put up by the pro-canned hunting lobby suggesting that captive-lion breeding promotes animal conservation are ludicrous and spurious. Only a small number of people the owners of the 200-plus breeding farms and those peddling canned lion hunts benefit from this unethical and, at times, illegal activity. Labourers involved in the whole process are usually paid rock-bottom wages. The South African government may resent being told they are wrong by an outsider like me but I feel that I have a moral duty to bring the growing problem of captive-lion breeding what I prefer to call lion farming to the attention of the world. I know that I am far from alone in my concerns over the treatment and hunting of canned lions by trophy hunters. Last month I tweeted a short film of an American hunter I use the word loosely shooting and killing a sleeping lion, and it was seen by more than two million people in less than a week. The captive lion industry is truly barbaric: rarely, if ever, has any species of animal been so exploited. All lions, other than arguably a small number in zoos, should be born, reared and die in a natural environment. I have compiled a substantial dossier on my findings that I will send to the South African authorities. I hope the South Africa government is shocked and embarrassed into action: that it will eventually pass laws to ban captive lion operations that so damage their countrys international reputation. A country that until 25 years ago tolerated appalling human rights abuses is now turning a blind eye to cruelty towards Africas most noble animal on an horrific scale. Above: Simba before he was shot - he was later rescued by a team directed by former Conservative peer Lord Ashcroft Today I also call on the UK Government to follow the lead of other nations, notably the US, France and the Netherlands, in banning the importation of captive lion trophies. We must do our bit to stamp out lion farming and show that we are not in any way complicit in it. However, we should go further, and it should become illegal for individuals or companies to trade, ship or be in possession of these body parts, or to be involved in the handling of the finances involved in this trade. My comprehensive dossier resulting from Operation Simba will also be sent to Cites the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. On May 23, a Cites Conference of the Parties meeting begins in Sri Lanka. I would like to see moves that eventually lead to the lion being elevated from Appendix II to the higher Appendix 1 level of protection. Appendix 1 protection, which allows no trade in such animals or their body parts, is restricted to species threatened with extinction but, with only some 20,000 wild lions left in the world, we should act now to safeguard the King of the Jungle before it is too late. Police have said Michael Cummins, 25, has been arrested in connection to the deaths of five people that occurred in Sumner County, Tennessee Police in Sumner County, Tennessee, have arrested a suspect on Saturday evening who is believed to be responsible for the deaths of five people. Police captured 25-year-old Michael Cummins after a manhunt lasting several hours. Cummins was wanted in connection to multiple homicides that occurred in two separate locations in the tiny town of Westmoreland, northeast of Nashville on Saturday afternoon. Four people were found dead at a home on Charles Brown Road and a fifth person was found deceased on Luvy Daniels Road, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The deaths are believed to be connected and are now being investigated with authorities holding Cummins responsible. The identities of the victims have not yet been made public. 'He may be in the woods in the area near the scene and may be armed. If you spot him, call 911 immediately,' police tweeted early on Saturday evening at the start of the manhunt. Law enforcement officials work at a command center set up at North Sumner Elementary School, in Bethpage, Tennessee as they go on the search for Michael Cummins Authorities in rural Tennessee captured Cummins during a manhunt that was prompted by the discovery of several bodies in two homes 'He may be in the woods in the area near the scene and may be armed. If you spot him, call 911 immediately,' the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation tweeted. Cummins was caught soon after Sumner County Sheriff Sonny Weatherford said 'several bodies' were discovered at a home in northern Sumner County late afternoon on Saturday. Weatherford said the bodies were found inside a house on Harve Brown Road between Portland and Westmoreland in a suburb, northeast of Nashville. A post from the Westmoreland Police Department on Facebook warned residents to keep a lookout for a white male suspect considered armed and dangerous. Cummins was identified as a suspect early on in the investigation. The TBI used a helicopter and eventually found him cowering in a muddy creek about a mile from where one of the shootings occurred. A tactical SWAT team of a dozen officers was sent into the woods to capture the suspect The five killings appeared to have occurred late afternoon on Saturday in two locations More than a dozen law enforcement officers from the countys joint SWAT Team went to the creek and arrested him. One officer fired his weapon shooting Cummins who was then placed under arrest and taken to a local hospital for treatment to his injuries that were not immediately believed to be life-threatening. Meanwhile, TBI agents and forensics are working to piece together relevant evidence into the five murders that took place, along with an effort to identify a possible motive. Police are looking at the relationship Cummins had with each of those who lost their lives. Police announced that they had caught Michael Cummins, 25, by 11 o'clock on Saturday night Ministers are coming under growing pressure from a powerful alliance of Tory MPs to reinstate a Government adviser they say was stitched up during a magazine interview in which he was accused of making racist slurs. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith is leading calls for Sir Roger Scruton to be given back his job as a housing adviser after the release of a tape of his interview with the New Statesman that casts strong doubt on claims he made Islamophobic and anti-Semitic remarks and offensive comments about the Chinese. Mr Duncan Smith, who is backed by MPs on both Left and Right wings of the party, including Sir Nicholas Soames, Zac Goldsmith and James Gray, said last night: Roger Scruton is a decent man and a sincere philosopher who believes in discussing issues. What was done to him was appalling. George Eaton posted this image on his private Instagram account. He captioned the post: 'The feeling when you get right-wing racist and homophobe Roger Scruton sacked as a Tory government adviser' Their demand comes as The Mail on Sunday has learned that the author of the article, George Eaton, has been accused by senior figures in the magazine of attempting to mount a Corbynista coup to take over the editorship from Jason Cowley and steer its political direction harder to the Left The Government should apologise and then commit to two things one, offer him his job back, but he probably doesnt want it, and two, say we are never going to react like this to biased Twitter storms. And in future we will operate only on evidence. Their demand comes as The Mail on Sunday has learned that the author of the article, George Eaton, has been accused by senior figures in the magazine of attempting to mount a Corbynista coup to take over the editorship from Jason Cowley and steer its political direction harder to the Left. Sir Roger complains that he was abandoned by the Government and Tory MPs based on misrepresentations of his remarks about China, which Mr Eaton published on Twitter, although he has conceded his description of huge tribes of Muslims from the Middle East was not a very good phrase when taken out of context. The 75-year-old complained that he had faced the complete destruction of my career and identity and personality and described it as a witch-hunt of people on the Right. After a tape of his interview was leaked to The Spectator magazine, Sir Roger said he has been vindicated in his claim that his remarks were misrepresented. In an article for todays Mail on Sunday, see opposite, Sir Roger says he fell into a trap in the interview: I was forced to flounder in a morass of accusations, without proof of my innocence the Conservative Party has not regarded me as an asset worth defending. Mr Eaton has admitted that he truncated some of Sir Rogers remarks on Twitter posts but stands by his article as a whole. He has also deleted a crass Instagram post showing him celebrating Sir Rogers dismissal by drinking from a bottle of champagne, accompanied by the caption: The feeling when you get Right-wing racist and homophobe Roger Scruton sacked as a Tory government adviser. The MPs say Sir Roger should be immediately reinstated to his job at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as the chair of a Government commission devoted to beauty in building. Mr Goldsmith said: Roger Scruton was stitched up by the New Statesman in a way that covers the journalist and magazine in shame. No thinking person will ever take that magazine seriously again. The fact that the Government also caved in within hours is a sign of its own weakness and uncertainty. Scruton deserves a full apology at the very least, and in a fair world he would get his job back. Sir Roger complains that he was abandoned by the Government and Tory MPs based on misrepresentations of his remarks about China, which Mr Eaton published on Twitter, although he has conceded his description of huge tribes of Muslims from the Middle East was not a very good phrase when taken out of context The row has exposed deep divisions at the New Statesman, which is traditionally a magazine for moderate, centre-Left Labour supporters. Sources claim Mr Eaton has been trying to steer it in a more pro-Corbyn direction and had hoped to line himself up for the editorship by using the interview to gain a reputation as a hitman of the Left. It is understood the magazines editorial board has been taking evidence on the row and whether it is a sign of an attempted Corbynista coup. Last night, an industry source said: George was shunted up to deputy editor in name only because they wanted to bring in a new political editor, but the title went to his head. He was key to hiring a load of Left-wing children who just want to go on TV and spout Labour attack lines about austerity. Mr Eaton declined to comment. How witch-hunt was led by self-righteous Tories It started with an inflammatory tweet and ended, just a few hours later, with a high-profile sacking and public disgrace. The New Statesman magazine hadnt even hit the news stands when deputy editor George Eaton took to Twitter, claiming the conservative thinker Sir Roger Scruton had made a series of outrageous remarks in an interview to be published the next day. Sir Roger had been racist about the Chinese, suggested Eaton. He had derided the influence of Jewish financier George Soros and dismissed Islamophobia as a convenient invention to suppress criticism. The response was immediate and angry, as Eaton no doubt intended. Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat replied with a tweet condemning racism seen as a demand that Sir Roger be dismissed from his unpaid post advising Ministers on the design of homes and high streets. Another Conservative MP, Johnny Mercer, declared that sacking Sir Roger was a no brainer. George Osborne, the former Conservative Chancellor, now newspaper editor, condemned Sir Roger for his bigoted remarks. By teatime, James Brokenshire, the Housing Secretary who appointed Sir Roger as an adviser, announced he had duly been fired. All without discussion, without investigation and without a word in Sir Rogers defence. Cue a tasteless social media post from Eaton since withdrawn showing him swigging a bottle of champagne while crowing at getting the sack for Sir Roger, the Right-wing racist and homophobe. But that was not the end of the matter. The philosopher has maintained throughout that the New Statesman manipulated his comments and distorted his views, both on Twitter and in print. Now a transcript of the interview has been published that proves he was correct. Here, we print the evidence that spells out how unjustly Sir Roger Scruton has been treated. On the Chinese: How it appeared in the New Statesman: Theyre creating robots out of their own people... each Chinese person is a kind of replica of the next one and that is a very frightening thing. What Sir Roger actually said: There is something quite frightening about the Chinese sort of mass politics and the regimentation of the ordinary beingWe invent robots, and they are them. In a sense they are creating robots out of their own people by so constraining what can be done. Each Chinese person is a kind of replica of the next one. And thats a very frightening thing. Maybe I dont know enough about it to be confident in making that judgment, but the politics is like that, and the foreign policy is like that. And the concentration camps have come back, largely there to re-educate the Muslims and so on. On Jews and anti-Semitism: How it appeared in the New Statesman: Anyone who doesnt think that theres a Soros empire in Hungary has not observed the facts. [Jewish financier George Soros has become a target for anti-Semitic criticism. The magazine implied that Sir Roger is also critical of supposed Jewish influence.] What Sir Roger actually said: Anybody who doesnt think that theres a Soros empire in Hungary has not observed the facts. Its not necessarily an empire of Jews I mean thats such nonsense. Scruton then laments the legacy of anti-Semitism in Hungary and adds: If you had a political movement in Hungary which excluded the Jews in some way, youd be damned foolish because they are the ones with the minds. On Islamophobia: How it appeared in the New Statesman: The Hungarians were extremely alarmed by the sudden invasion of huge tribes of Muslims from the Middle East. Scruton told the interviewer that Islamophobia was a propaganda word invented by the Muslim Brotherhood in order to stop discussion of a major issue. The article accused Sir Roger of defending the Hungarian leader Viktor Orban against charges of anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim prejudice. What Sir Roger actually said: I think power has gone to his [Orbans] head. Hes made some decisions which are very popular with the Hungarian people. Because the Hungarians were extremely alarmed by this sudden invasion of huge tribes of Muslims from the Middle East. And you have to remember that their history with, their relation with Islam is not a happy one... Muslims who settle into the Meccan way of life are obviously perfect citizens. They have the inner serenity that the citizen should have and we ought to learn to appreciate that and encourage it. Advertisement Sarah Sanders took a subtle shot at the Washington political press on Saturday night as President Donald Trump spoke in Wisconsin, rallying his faithful instead of appearing at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner. Sanders, the second White House press secretary to serve the 45th president, endured a series of aggressive insults at least year's dinner in Washington, listening as comedian Michelle Wolf called her a liar and an embarrassment to women. Trump invited her to the stage in Green Bay after his audience erupted in chants of 'Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!' at his first mention of her name. 'Thanks to all the amazing things you've done for this country,' she said at Trump's podium. 'Last year this night I was at a slightly different event. Not quite the best welcome.' Trump embraces White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders during a Make America Great Again rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Saturday Sanders speaks alongside US President Donald Trump during a Make America Great Again rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin Comedian Michelle Wolf called Sanders a liar and an embarrassment to women at last year's dinner Sanders hasn't held a press briefing in nearly seven weeks, but on Saturday she spoke to more than 10,000 people in Wisconsin as a skeleton crew of reporters looked on and the rest of the industry boozed and schmoozed back in D.C. Trump referred to her as 'the great Sarah Huckabee,' using her maiden name. After hearing Sanders rattle off a list of his accomplishments and scorch his detractors, the president re-enacted the most famous moment from his NBC series 'The Apprentice' and pretended to fire her in public. 'Oh, she doesn't get it. She doesn't get it. She doesn't understand me after all these years,' he joked. 'She's becoming too popular. I'm jealous. Sarah, you're fired!' Sanders' litany of wins seemed aimed at the reporters she corrals daily, a group she has characterized as an unfairly hyper-critical bunch. 'They said he couldn't win in 2016 and he did,' she said. 'They said that he couldn't make our economy better, and it's booming. They said he couldn't rebuild the military, and he's done it. they said there was collusion and there wasn't. 'They've questioned him at every step, and he's proven them wrong every single time because of all of you. Thank you Mr. President for leading our country. Thank you!' U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks at a Make America Great Again rally at the Resch Center Complex in Green Bay Members of the audience cheer as President Donald Trump takes the stage at a rally at Resch Center Complex in Green Bay Wolf, the stand-up comic, roasted Sarah at the 2018 dinner with unusual vigor, crossing a line into what many observers saw as cheap-shot territory. Calling her 'Aunt Lydia in "The Handmaids Tale",' Wolf said Sanders was 'very resourceful, like she burns facts, and then she uses that ash to create a perfect smoky eye.' 'Like maybe shes born with it, maybe its lies. Its probably lies.' 'And Im never really sure what to call Sarah Huckabee Sanders, you know?' she continued. 'Is it Sarah Sanders, is it Sarah Huckabee Sanders, is it Cousin Huckabee, is it Auntie Huckabee Sanders?' 'Like, whats Uncle Tom but for white women who disappoint other white women? Oh, I know. Ann Coulter.' Bloomberg News reporter Margaret Talev, then the president of the White House Correspondents' Association, said afterward that the insult-comic act was 'not in the spirit' of the dinner's goal of celebrating the First Amendment. Trump has held counter-programming rallies during all three White House Correspondents' Association dinners during his presidency. The others were held in Michigan and Pennsylvania, both swing states like Wisconsin. Unlike the past two performances, however, he delivered mostly muted attacks on the news outlets he loves to hate. He didn't mention a controversial New York Times editorial cartoon, which the newspaper retracted earlier in the day. It showed him holding a leash and walking a dog whose face was drawn as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. US President Donald Trump waves as he arrives for a Make America Great Again rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin And he didn't mention the dinner or the reporters' association whose annual invitation he has consistently rubbished. But he couldn't resist a moment of needling his least favorite cable TV network. As he rattled off a list of record or near-record unemployment figures, he pointed to the press section and cautioned the audience that he had to parse his words carefully. 'If I make any misstatement, if I'm off by just a little tiny bit, those people back there will be headlines!' he said. 'So I have to be very careful. Fake news. They're fake! They are fake. They are fakers!' As his audience broke into a now-standard chant of 'CNN sucks! CNN sucks! CNN sucks!' the president wound up for a rhetorical swing. 'I'll tell you, you know what sucks?' he asked. 'Their ratings suck.' The president complained earlier that a faulty weather report, promising snow, had nearly forced the event's cancellation. 'The people who get it wrong the most,' he complained, 'are the weather forecasters and the political analysts.' The leadership of the correspondents' association opted this year to break with tradition and ask a presidential historian, not a comedian, to deliver the keynote dinner speech. Ron Chernow, who wrote the book that Lin-Manuel Miranda adapted into the 'Hamilton' musical, got the honors. Trump gives a thumbs up during a Make America Great Again rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Saturday Trump's speech Saturday night was nearly all politics, but he detoured into pop culture long enough to complain about the case of Jussie Smollett. Smollett, who is black and gay, claimed that he was attacked on a Chicago street by two white men shouting racist and anti-gay slurs, and claiming that Smollett was in 'MAGA Country'. 'We may have the greatest theme in the history of politics. It's called "Make America Great Again." It's called MAGA Country,' Trump said. 'You know, I didn't hear that term until that third-rate actor in Chicago went out and he said, "I was beaten up by MAGA Country." Can you believe it? Now that's a hate crime right?' 'He said he was beaten up by MAGA Country,' Trump said. 'Turned out to be a total lie.' After two Nigerian bodybuilders gave sworn testimony that Smollett had paid them to stage the attack as a hoax, the actor was charged with 16 felony counts of filing a false report. Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx later controversially dropped all of the charges. Referring to what critics call a sweetheart deal that saw a raft of criminal charges vanish into thin air, the president was indignant. 'That case in Chicago is a disgrace to our nation. Disgrace,' he said. One of Jeremy Corbyns closest allies chaired a Commons event in support of a convicted IRA terrorist just five months before an extremist Republican killed journalist Lyra McKee in the Province. Outspoken MP Chris Williamson hosted the event, which called for the release from prison of convicted IRA member Tony Taylor and two others jailed for the murder of an Ulster policeman. The MP was joined by ex-Labour activist Gerry Downing, who earlier this month reacted to the shooting of Ms McKee by publishing a statement from his Irish Republican Prisoners Support Group (IRPSG) that placed the blame for the riot that ended in her death squarely at the feet of the British Crown Forces. Outspoken MP Chris Williamson hosted the event, which called for the release from prison of convicted IRA member Tony Taylor and two others jailed for the murder of an Ulster policeman. Pictured, with Jeremy Corbyn in 2017 The controversial meeting was held under the auspices of the Labour Representation Committee, the hard-Left group whose president is Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell. Derby MP Mr Williamson is suspended from Labour after claiming it had given too much ground in dealing with the anti-Semitism allegations now engulfing the party. But as a fully fledged Labour MP in November, he hosted a meeting to call for action over the continued detention of Tony Taylor, originally jailed for IRA offences in 1994 then released under the Good Friday agreement before being jailed again in 2011 for possession of a rifle. The MP was joined by ex-Labour activist Gerry Downing, who earlier this month reacted to the shooting of Ms McKee by publishing a statement from his Irish Republican Prisoners Support Group (IRPSG) that placed the blame for the riot that ended in her death squarely at the feet of the British Crown Forces Taylor was arrested again in 2016 on the orders of then Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers, to the fury of family and friends who claimed his detention without charge could not be justified. Taylors wife Lorraine spoke on his behalf at a 2017 event organised by Saoradh, the political wing of the New IRA which has accepted responsibility for Ms McKees death. After Ms McKees murder, supporters demonstrated in Londonderry outside Saoradhs office, accusing it of having blood on its hands. Taylor was freed without charge after the November event, which also called for the release of Brendan McConville and John-Paul Wootton, the so-called Craigavon Two, who were alleged members of the Continuity IRA and were convicted of killing police officer Stephen Carroll in 2009. Despite claims at the Commons event of a miscarriage of justice including allegations that the main witness against McConville and Wootton was unreliable, the two men are still in Maghaberry. After the brutal killing of Ms McKee, 29, this month, shot dead while observing a riot in the Creggan area of Londonderry, Downing published a statement from the IRPSG saying the group expresses our full solidarity with the anti-imperialist struggles in Ireland Mr Downing, a former Labour activist and member of the IRPSG, posted pictures on Facebook of himself attending the event. After the brutal killing of Ms McKee, 29, this month, shot dead while observing a riot in the Creggan area of Londonderry, Downing published a statement from the IRPSG saying the group expresses our full solidarity with the anti-imperialist struggles in Ireland. It said the blame for the riot lies squarely at the feet of the British Crown Forces, who sought to grab headlines and engineered confrontation with the community. Downing, a veteran hard-Left activist, was expelled from the Labour Party in March 2016 after David Cameron highlighted a blog in which he argued the 9/11 attackers should never be condemned. Downing then joined a group of former party members called Labour Against the Witch-Hunt. He was expelled from that group in January after being accused of anti-Semitism. The New IRA largely consists of new recruits, plus some former members of the Real IRA, Continuity IRA and Provisional IRA. Saoradh, which has been described as an unregistered political party, acts as a mouthpiece for the New IRA, which has also adopted the cause of the Craigavon Two. Mr Williamson defended his decision to host the Commons meeting yesterday, saying that it was called to discuss the concerns about the safety of convictions, not political support. He added that it involved cross-party representation of members of the dail, the Irish Parliament. Challenged last night that he had acted as an apologist for the New IRA after Ms McKees killing, Mr Downing said: We made a statement, the statement makes clear our position. We are opposed to the British imperialist occupation of the six North-Eastern counties of Northern Ireland. There was a meeting of a few TDs (MPs) from Ireland I thought it was a good meeting, we defended them. I have nothing to add. CJ de Mooi has accused his ex-Eggheads colleagues of 'needing backbone transplants' after they failed to reach out to him when he revealed he was dying of AIDS. The 49-year-old TV quizzer, whose real name is Joseph Connagh, gave an insight into his 30-year battle with HIV which he contracted when he was 18 after being forced into prostitution while homeless. While he has said that the reaction to his disclosure has been 'overwhelmingly positive', he hit out at his BBC ex-colleagues who he claimed have failed to reach out to offer support. CJ de Mooi has accused his ex-Eggheads colleagues of 'needing backbone transplants' after they failed to reach out to him when he revealed he was dying of AIDS. The 49-year-old TV quizzer, whose real name is Joseph Connagh, gave an insight into his 30-year battle with HIV which he contracted when he was 18 after being forced into prostitution while homeless CJ (third left) has declared bankruptcy to try and recoup costs relating to the false allegation of sexual assault that was made against him in 2016. Pictured L to R: Chris Hughes, Daphne Fowler, CJ de Mooi, Barry Simmons, Kevin Ashman, Judith Keppel 'The response I've had since speaking about my diagnosis from the BBC and my fellow Eggheads has been exactly the same as it has been for the past three years ever since I was fired from the programme,' he told the Mirror. 'The support and everything they've said has been completely constant in the fact that it's been absolute deafening silence. 'I haven't heard a word from the BBC, none of my fellow colleagues on the show have had any contact with me.' CJ claimed that the Eggheads were told by the BBC never to contact him again after he was fired. He added: 'They're clearly all waiting for their backbone transplants.' 30-year battle: Ex Eggheads star CJ de Mooi, 49, bravely told Eamonn Holmes on talkRADIO on Tuesday that he contracted HIV while being forced to work as a teen prostitute in a bid to 'stay alive' while homeless - he recently revealed he is 'dying from AIDS' His revelation comes after he was forced into bankruptcy thanks to a legal battle to keep the home he shares with his husband, Andrew Doran. CJ opened up to Eamonn Holmes on talkRadio on Tuesday where he revealed he contracted HIV when he was forced into sex work on the streets 'in a bid to stay alive'. The former Egghead faced spiralling legal fees while fighting extradition to the Netherlands over claims he murdered a homeless man in Amsterdam in 1988, for which he was never charged in Britain. The claims came from an excerpt in his autobiography in which he said he thought he had killed somebody. However, in a candid video uploaded to YouTube, CJ said: 'That was a complete lie. 'No one took five minutes to ask me about it.' He declared bankruptcy in September 2018 and his spokesperson said this was due to opposing solicitors trying to recoup costs relating to the false allegation of sexual assault made against him in 2016. Speaking out: The TV star previously thanked fans for their support, adding: 'I hope I can return the love and positivity youve shown me' In the video he said: 'A year and a half ago I named the person who accused me, which I was allowed to do'. That person then demanded 10,000 in damages and hundreds of thousands of pounds in costs - which CJ says he can't afford. He continued to say: 'I have had no money and no income for the last three years. 'I've been surviving purely on a disability living allowance.' CJ said that he believes Freeths solicitors in Birmingham will succeed in their attempts to repossess his home. He said: 'This will make me homeless for the second time in my life'. A GoFundMe page set up to raise 15,000 for CJ's legal fees claims that any money that isn't used will be sent back to donors. So far the page has raised 5,442. CJ lives with his husband of three years, and partner of 18 years, Andrew Doran in Caldicot, Monmouthshire but continues to worry about losing their home. CJ became a panellist on Eggheads, which features five quiz champions competing as a team against different challengers, in 2003. Originally from Rotherham, he has revealed how he ran away from home at the age of 17 following an abusive childhood and became homeless. A bitter row has erupted between a wealthy Jewish familys property firm and government diversity tsars over allegations that the companys board is closed to women. Daejan Holdings, which owns buildings worth 2.4 billion in the UK and US, is set to become the last of Britains 350 largest listed companies to operate under an all-male board of directors. A state-backed diversity drive has seen the number of boards without a woman representative fall drastically, having stood at 152 in 2010. Yet the Governments Hampton-Alexander Review body has found it impossible to convince Daejan to act. The Mail on Sunday understands that officials have sent the Freshwater family, who control Daejan, a series of demands. Sources close to the body said it could now consider formal action. Daejan Holdings Plc, based at Freshwater House in central London (pictured), is set to become the last of Britains 350 largest listed companies to operate under an all-male board of directors But in response, a spokesman for the Freshwater family last night accused the Hampton-Alexander Review of trying to bully the firm into contravening the owners Orthodox Jewish beliefs. The family still controls 79.5 per cent of FTSE 250 listed Daejan, which was founded by Osias Freshwater after he fled Poland in the late 1930s. His sons Benzion known as Benny and Solomon sit on the board, with Benny the company chairman. Company secretary Mark Jenner told The Mail on Sunday: We dont like being bullied and were not ever going to be told what to do. The fact that [the family] is Orthodox Jewish is not something they play on, or would ever mention, but it is a factor. They have a different way of conducting their lives to everyone else. Benny would never get in a lift with a woman he would be very uncomfortable. Not that he is anti-women in any way they just have a set of rules in their lives. In Orthodox Judaism, there are a variety of settings in which men and women must remain separate. Both sexes sit separately in Orthodox synagogues, and there are religious laws that forbid men from touching women unless they are married or a close relative. Denise Wilson, chief executive of the Hampton-Alexander Review, accused the company of looking increasingly out of touch. She added: Daejan Holdings has had plenty of opportunity to refresh their board membership should they wish, but have failed to do so. A state-backed diversity drive has seen the number of boards without a woman representative fall drastically, having stood at 152 in 2010. Yet the governments Hampton-Alexander Review body has found it impossible to convince Daejan to diversify (file image) It would seem reasonable to conclude that positions on their board are currently closed to women. To be a publicly listed company on the London Stock Exchange and enjoy the considerable advantages that go with it also brings a level of scrutiny, and a set of explicit and implicit expectations. The Citys diversity push saw all-male boards eradicated from the FTSE 100 list of largest companies in 2015. On the FTSE 250 the next 250 largest companies the number of all-male boards fell from 131 in 2010 to just 13 in 2016, before dropping to five last November. The figure now stands at two. Daejan is expected to be the last to change its ways because the only other offender, TR Property Investment Trust, did have a female director until she resigned in February. The company said several women are in the final stages of its current recruitment process. At Daejan, there are just three non-family executives on the board. This is required to comply with listing rules. Founder Osias Freshwater fled to Britain in 1939 on a business visa before the outbreak of the Second World War. He intended to secure visas for his wife and three children but they perished in the Holocaust. He later remarried in Britain and built a property empire which grew to become the countrys largest private landlord in the 1960s. Mr Jenner said: Weve said that next time the opportunity arises, we will recruit on merit. We point to our record over 50 years you wont find a property company to match it. We are very risk-averse, we have a huge amount of property, and the brothers are quite happy with the way they are running it. Peter Dutton is one of the most despised politicians in Australia and a regular target for mockery on social media by those who disagree with him. But for his wife and three children caught in the crossfire, the reality of the constant barrage of abuse and threats he receives can be terrifying. The Home Affairs Minister is not just the target of relatively harmless political and personal attacks, but warnings of death from criminals and crazies. Petter Dutton's wife of 16 years Kirilly Dutton, 45, (left) pleaded with his detractors to see him more like the 'good father' she did, not 'a monster' Regular threats of harm were not only directed at him but his wife and children Rebecca, 17, Harry, 15, and Tommy, 14 His wife of 16 years Kirilly Dutton, 45, revealed they included threats directed not only at him but his children Rebecca, 17, Harry, 15, and Tommy, 14. Photoshopped pictures depicting Mr Dutton being gruesomely killed or maimed are regularly emailed to childcare centres she owns. 'They are so demented and perverted. They are personal attacks, death threats, threats of injury, threatening our children by name. It makes me angry and really upsets me,' she told the Sunday Mail. The family has 24-hour police protection, even on holiday, to guard against credible threats from organised criminals, bikies, and activists. Ms Dutton said she understood why her husband was so disliked, but pleaded with his detractors to see him more like she did. 'He is a really good man. He is a really good father and he's not a monster,' she said. The family has 24-hour police protection, even on holiday, to guard against credible threats from organised criminals, bikies, and activists Mr Dutton is fighting for his political career ahead of the May 18 election, holding just a 1.7 per cent margin in his seat of Dickson, which he was elected to in 2001 Ms Dutton said running Home Affairs was 'not a light and bubbly subject' but her husband appreciated the affect his decisions had on people's lives. 'He's not sitting there randomly putting red pen strikes through visa applications and things like that,' she said. 'Everything that comes across his desk is very seriously considered. He is very pragmatic and considered in every decision he makes. He is a person of conviction.' Mr Dutton is fighting for his political career ahead of the May 18 election, holding just a 1.7 per cent margin in his seat of Dickson, which he was elected to in 2001. He is widely tipped to lose his job to disability advocate Ali France with big swings against the government expected across the country. The number of teachers quitting their jobs is rapidly rising across Australia amid claims angry parents are to blame. Teachers say they are being met with bullying, harassment and violence from parents more than ever, and even face the prospect of losing their role if they speak up. But parents claim they're just being vocal about their concerns. Scroll down for video The number of teachers quitting their jobs is rapidly rising across Australia amid claims angry parents are to blame Kevin Saunders was disciplined for criticising the way his son was being taught at school, causing the angered father to pull him out altogether A study from Melbourne's La Trobe University found 80 per cent of teachers were subject to student or parent-led bullying in the past year. A separate report conducted by the Australian Catholic University found that 45 per cent of school principals across the country were threatened with violence in 2018. In an emotional interview with Channel Nine's 60 Minutes, former teacher George Allertz says that although he was passionate about his job, the constant physical, verbal and electronic abuse he copped pushed him out of the profession. 'You're going home after being abused from a parent because they didn't agree with something that you taught or the way that you taught it,' Mr Allertz says. 'You basically become deflated I can't do that anymore.' Mr Allertz says he has witnessed school events during which parents become violent. The former teacher says parents have opted to fight not only teachers but other parents on school grounds. He also said he's seen parents use horrific language and come to physical blows before having to be escorted off the grounds. Former teacher George Allertz (pictured) says that although he was passionate about his job, the constant physical and verbal abuse he copped pushed him out of the profession However, parents have insisted they're just speaking up about their concerns over their children's treatment or the education system. Kevin Saunders was disciplined for criticising the way his son was being taught at school, causing the angered father to pull him out altogether. Mr Saunders was bewildered that he was disciplined and questioned why he didn't have the right to speak up for his son. 'I spoke the truth and suddenly I'm getting escorted out of there,' he said. 60 Minutes 'Class warfare' airs Sunday at 8.40pm on Channel Nine. Two brothers who allegedly made an eye-watering $220,000 a week selling cocaine have been arrested. Detectives from Strike Force Tippet seized more than 1.5kg of drugs and $350,000 in cash after busting an alleged south western Sydney drug syndicate in March. Nour Al-Khateib, 22, his brother Kamal, 23, and two other men are accused of selling 1kg of cocaine each week from apartments and safe houses rented out with fraudulent documents, according to court documents. Detectives from Strike Force Tippet seized more than 1.5kg of drugs and $350,000 in cash after busting an alleged south western Sydney drug syndicate in March (pictured) Nour Al-Khateib, 22, his brother Kamal, 23, and two other men are accused of selling 1kg of cocaine each week from apartments and safe houses rented out with fraudulent documents, court documents revealed The alleged syndicate is accused of using multiple vehicles registered to family and friends to deliver the drugs. The NSW Police Criminal Group Squad watched the men with security cameras for months before their arrest. On Australia Day, police allege they saw the men at another apartment allegedly used to store the drugs. Police raided the property when no one was home and made sure their targets were not aware they were being watched. The following month, a Belmore apartment was raided by investigators and police allegedly seized 148g of cocaine and about $40,000 in cash, as well as a money counting machine. On March 22, officers watched Al Khateib allegedly break a 1kg brick of cocaine in half and place them into smaller bags. Then, he allegedly left the apartment, only to return later and retrieve the extra cocaine and place it in a backpack before leaving again, police allege according to The Daily Telegraph. Officers stormed the Canterbury Rd apartment in Belmore, in Sydney, and arrested Al Khateib. His brother Kamal is yet to be charged and is believed to have fled the country and is living overseas. On March 22, officers watched Al Khateib allegedly break a 1kg brick of cocaine in half and place them into smaller bags Later that day, police swooped on the Peakhurst property and allegedly seized more than $350,000 cash, 1.4kg of a powder believed to be cocaine, a cache of other drugs, designer clothes, mobile phones and three vehicles, the publication reported. Kingsgrove kitchen maker Malik Husseini and Adrian Cosmo Care, both 22, allegedly tried escaping by jumping from the second floor apartment and were taken to hospital under police guard. They were charged and appeared at Burwood Local Court on March 25, and entered no pleas. Nour Al-Khateib and Husseini will face Burwood Local Court on May 22 while Care will face court on May 15. George Mikey Turner, 26, was arrested by law enforcement on Tybee Island, Georgia on Friday The promoter of the Orange Crush beach festival in Georgia was arrested on Friday night for hosting a loud party with more than 200 people at a house without the landlords permission. The arrest of George Mikey Turner, 26, resulted in the cancellation of an event that was expected to draw tens of thousands of people to Tybee Island. The event's cancellation, which came after it charged money for tickets, reminded the public of the Fyre Festival, the 'luxury music' event that charged people thousands of dollars for tickets only to be later exposed as a fraud. Tickets were being sold online to the Georgia beach festival. Three-day passes were selling from $40 to $75. Turner was arrested and charged with felony city ordinance violations pertaining to promoting an unpermitted event, the Tybee Island Police Department announced on Saturday. Turner was booked into Chatham County Jail just after 11pm on Friday, according to authorities. He faces charges of second-degree criminal damage to property; giving a false name, address, or birthdate to law enforcement officer; and maintaining a disorderly house, police said. His bond was set at $2,400. According to his social media, Turner is a former member of the U.S. armed forces Following his arrest, police said that events associated with him are canceled, police announced. The police posted the announcement of Turners arrest early Saturday morning, just hours before the start of the festivals main event at noon. On Friday evening, Tybee Police were called to a house on Tybees north end due to overflow parking and loud noise emanating from the house, the city of Toybee said in a statement. Upon Police arrival, over 200 people vacated the home. Authorities said Turner held an unauthorized party where over 200 people showed up at a home he was renting on Tybee Island Turner has been promoting house parties on Tybee Island, Georgia this weekend in the run-up to the festival The 'Orange Crush' beach festival has gained a reputation for debauchery and drunkenness The owner of the home had previously asked that the home be vacated. Police inspected the property afterwards and found substantial damage done to the property. Mr. Turner provided a fictitious name to the officers on scene, was properly identified by Tybee Police and was arrested. He was actively promoting a party that took place at the home without the homeowners permission and charging admission for the party. This is an ongoing investigation so we can share no additional information at this time. In years past, the annual Orange Crush event has been a headache for locals who say the revelers consume too much alcohol and even engage in acts of violence. Last year, police arrested 36 people, one of whom shot a gun while under the influence of alcohol, over the course of the event, which was held without a permit from local authorities. Turner promoted the house party on social media. Police say the landlord did not permit Turner to throw a party Sheriffs deputies also confiscated four guns, two of which were stolen, according to Savannah Morning News. The local police department confiscated six guns, two of which were from a convicted felon. Investigators also seized cah, marijuana, ecstasy, THC oil, THC cookies, MDMA, and other various pills. Last years event was held despite a local ban on loud music and public consumption of alcohol. The year before, 31 people were arrested at the event. In 2016, 42 people were arrested. Last October, Billy McFarland, the founder of the Fyre Festival, was sentenced to six years in prison and three years probation. He was also ordered to pay restitution of more than $26million after a federal judge said he was a serial fraudster who has been dishonest for most of his life. Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid and other models who helped promote Fyre Festival could soon face subpoenas for information about payments they received from organizer Billy McFarland. Supermodels Elsa Hosk, Emily Ratajkowski, Hadid, Lais Ribeiro, Gizele Oliveira and Rose Bertram are seen above (left to right) while in the Bahamas filming a promotional video for the two-weekend festival that ended in disaster in the spring of 2017 Fyre Festival was the brainchild of businessman Billy McFarland, right, and rapper Ja Rule, who both heavily promoted the event - and now face multiple lawsuits He admitted defrauding investors of $26million in the 2017 music festival and over $100,000 in a fraudulent ticket-selling scheme after his arrest in the festival scam. The festival was promoted as the cultural experience of the decade, an ultra-luxurious event on the Bahamian island of Exuma over two weekends in April and May 2017. It was promoted on social media by Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski and other models and celebrities as the event organizers coaxed people into buying ticket packages ranging from $1,200 to over $100,000. Customers hoping to see Blink-182 and the hip hop act Migos arrived to learn music acts were canceled. Their luxury accommodations and gourmet food consisted of leaky white tents and cheese sandwiches. Customers lashed out on social media with the hashtag #fyrefraud. Gavin Hapgood (pictured in 2014), 44, has been charged with manslaughter for allegedly killing, Kenny Mitchel, 27, in Anguilla. He claims it was 'self-defense' The UBS investment banker who has been charged with manslaughter for allegedly killing a maintenance worker while vacationing with his wife and two children in Anguilla, was seen checking into another hotel just hours after the attack and acting 'as if nothing had happened'. Gavin Scott Hapgood, 44, was with his two young daughters in his hotel room at the upscale Malliouhana resort when Kenny Mitchel, 27, was killed there on April 13, according to police spokesman Randy Dick. Hapgood claims the killing was 'self-defense'. On the day of the attack he was seen departing the Malliouhana resort and checking into the equally posh Four Seasons hotel where he and his family remained until it was time to return to the United States. Rooms at the exclusive hotel start at around $800 a night. 'He was staying at the Malliouhana resort, where he killed Kenny. He checked into the Four Seasons the very first day it happened and stayed until his departure from the island. 'I've spoken to staff and they said he didn't act like someone who just had a traumatic event,' Haydn Hughes, a former parliamentary secretary of tourism for the Caribbean island and a local radio host, told Page Six on Friday. Police say that Hapgood's two young daughters were in the room at the Malliouhana resort (above) when Mitchel died. Hapgood said he acted in self defense when Mitchel pulled a knife Kenny Mitchel, 27, (left and right) died in Anguilla on April 13. Mitchel was a maintenance worker at the upscale Malliouhana resort, where Hapgood and his family were staying Hapgood and his family headed to the exclusive Four Seasons resort down the road from the Malliouhana on the same day as the attack. He remained on the property for four days Hapgood remained at the $800-a-night Four Seasons property until he was charged four days later by authorities, with manslaughter. He was released on a $74,000 bond that sparked anger among Anguillans, who are demanding that he return to face justice in the British territory of nearly 15,000 people. 'The Malliohana resort paid for the Hapgood family to stay at the Four Seasons because of the extremely traumatic incident Scott and the children had just experienced in one of their rooms,' a statement released by a representative of the family stated. 'In fact, the Hapgoods did not even know how much the Four Seasons cost until reported by media outlets. The family arrived at the Four Seasons terrified, and in complete shock in the aftermath of the armed robbery and violent attack.' The island is known for its rich and famous vacationers. A source told the New York Post that they simply want the entire case to disappear: 'It's horrible for the island. Hotels have cancellations . . . The attitude is, 'Don't make a mess for tourism.' People are cautious about what information they're giving, but the island is rallying behind Mitchel. There's no racial divide. Anguilla just isn't like that.' Though Dick says police do not have a clear motive in the case, an island source said that Hapgood has claimed Mitchel pulled a knife and tried to rob him, prompting the banker to fight in self defense 'to protect the lives of his young daughters and himself'. 'Scott and the members of his family have been traumatized by the assault they survived and are thankful to be alive,' a rep for Hapgood said. Mitchel's death certificate states that he was killed by 'prone restraint, positional asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head, neck and torso.' In a radio interview, Mitchel's father alleged that during the incident that led to his son's death, 'none of them tried to take this man off my son, not one, from what I understood.' He believed that people feared they would 'lose their job for touching a tourist'. Hapgood, an account manager with UBS Global Asset Management in New York City and lives in Darien, Connecticut. Dick said Hapgood was originally held at Her Majesty's Prison in Anguilla after he was denied bail, but he was later released on bond after his attorney appealed to the High Court. U.S. public records show Hapgood had never been previously charged with a crime. He's due in back court in August. Hapgood (pictured, during his arrest) was originally denied bail, but a judge later his application for $74,000 in bail. He is back in the US but must return to Anguilla by August 22 Video posted to Facebook shows Hapgood being handcuffed and led inside Her Majesty's Prison, and another shows him after he was released being led to a private jet. Hapgood's release prompted a flurry of comments on social media both from residents of Anguilla demanding justice for Mitchel and from foreigners who regularly visit the island, with some saying local anger directed at tourists frightened them. 'It's clear that people are angry over this situation,' Dick said. 'They are very emotional about it. The police continue to perform in a very professional manner, and they allow the law to take its course.' It is unclear how Mitchel ended up in Hapgood's hotel room at the upscale Malliouhana resort where he worked. Hapgood's spokesperson told PageSix that 'despite false reports to the contrary, the Hapgoods never called maintenance'. According to the spokesperson, Mitchel showed up to the family's room 'unannounced in uniform' and claimed 'he was there to fix a broken sink before carrying out his sudden, violent attack on the family'. Mitchel's causes of death were ruled to be prone restraint, positional asphyxia and blunt force trauma to the head, neck, and torso Dick said that 'there are only two persons who actually know what happened,' adding that police still don't have any definitive answers. The case has been explosive in the small island community, and Dick took to Facebook to blast what he called 'racial or prejudicial statements' that he feared would taint the jury pool. 'The comments being made on the RAPF Facebook have no foundation in fact and are likely to incite racial hatred and can prejudice a jury especially since they will be chosen from among the community of Anguilla,' Dick said in a statement on the social media platform. Dick declined to say whether Mitchel, who is from Dominica, had a criminal background. An army veteran who struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder after returning from Afghanistan was found dead in his hotel room on Anzac Day. Bradley Carr, 34, lived in Cairns but had been on the Gold Coast seeking mental health treatment when he was found in his hotel room bed at about 10am on Thursday, according to The Age. The cause of death has yet to be determined, however, his mother, Glenda Weston, has spoken about her son's lengthy battle to readjust to life after war. Bradley Carr, 34, lived in Cairns but had been on the Gold Coast seeking mental health treatment when he was found in his hotel room bed at about 10am on Thursday morning Mr Carr grew up in Charters Towers and joined the defence force in 2007. He was sent to Afghanistan in 2009 and was there for about a year before returning to Australia. He left the army in 2012. His mother has been critical of how the defence force has dealt with the 'epidemic' of PTSD among soldiers. 'His biggest problem was to start with it took a long time to have him diagnosed with PTSD because no-one wanted to be part of it,' Mrs Weston said. 'Things got so bad, I got so desperate. At the end of the day the system doesn't know how to handle PTSD. The doctors, they just prescribe drugs because they don't know how to handle it.' 'It's become an epidemic with our boys. It's tragic. Then to watch your own son (go through it). The demons in their heads is intense. It took a long time before anything happened. These boys are juggling drug abuse, alcoholism, but the biggest thing they are battling is their PTSD.' She claims her son was not debriefed or offered counselling after he returned from service. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Department of Defence for comment. An 8-year-old boy heroically saved his 10-year-old sister after an alleged heroin addict tried to drive away with them in the backseat of a car moments before their 69-year-old great-grandmother valiantly chased him down. Police in Ohio say that the incident took place at Atrium Medical Center in Middletown on Thursday. Nita Coburn, 69, was driving a woman friend to the emergency room while Coburns two great-grandchildren were in the backseat of the car. According to police, Coburn pulled up to the entrance and got out of the car to help her friend. Police in Ohio say that the incident took place at Atrium Medical Center in Middletown on Thursday Nita Coburn, 69, was driving her female friend to the emergency room while her two great-grandchildren were in the back seat After Coburn and her friend went inside, police say a heroin addict jumped into the driver's seat and started pulling away. But the two kids managed to escape thanks to the heroic actions of an 8-year-old boy Ten seconds after she and her friend had left the car, police say Dalvir Singh, 24, jumped into the drivers seat and took off with the two kids in the backseat. The boy, Chance, opened the door to escape the car. His sister, Skyler, tried to jump out of the car as well, but Singh allegedly grabbed onto her hoodie to keep her inside the vehicle. Coburn, 69, is seen far right with her great-grandchildren - Chance (center), 8, and Skyler (left), 10 Chance and Skyler were left alone in the backseat of their great-grandmother's car while she and a friend went into the emergency room on Thursday Chance grabbed his older sister and pulled her out of the moving car while Coburn is seen above on the top left giving chase, thinking that the two children were still inside Coburn grabbed onto the steering wheel in an attempt to stop Singh from stealing her car but was forced to eventually let go while Chance and Skyler tumbled out of the car from the rear passenger door The image above shows the great-grandmother hanging onto the steering wheel of the car while her two great-grandkids have already escaped Police eventually caught up to Singh and arrested him. The two kids are seen above as Singh drives away Thats when her younger brother grabbed hold of her and pulled her away from Singh. While this was happening, Coburn was giving chase. She ran down the car from the driver's side and tried to grab onto the steering wheel. When she tried to open the door, Singh slammed it shut and then locked it, forcing her to let go. The siblings then tumbled out of the moving car. This little guy is a hero, no question, Police Chief Rodney Muterspaw told WLWT-TV. Police say Singh is a heroin addict from India. He was charged with two counts of kidnapping, felonious assault, and grand theft He pulled his sister out of the car with no concern for his own safety. Police pulled Singh over and arrested him. He was charged with two counts of kidnapping, felonious assault, and grand theft. Police allege that the man is addicted to heroin. Coburn told WCPO-TV that she thought she had locked the car. Otherwise, she says she would not have left her great-grandchildren alone in the backseat. But because she left the keys inside, a safety feature prevented her from locking the doors. That allowed Singh to allegedly enter the drivers seat and begin to drive off. Every time I think about it, I want to cry, she said. Its the most morbid feeling in the world. Coburn said that while she tried to regain control of her stolen car from Singh, she could see her great-granddaughter trying to escape his hold. Coburn said she believed she had locked the door when she went into the emergency room, but a safety feature on the car prevents the doors from locking when the keys are still inside the vehicle Police officers are hailing Chance (left) as a hero for pulling his sister, Skyler, out of the car The second time he slammed it shut, I saw he had a hold of Skyler, she said. Coburn says she then screamed and grabbed the door handle while Singh dragged her along the pavement. As the car was approaching the curve, her great-granddaughter was pulled out of Singhs grip by Chance. Surveillance video shows Chance and Skyler tumbling out of the back seat of the car together. Police believe Coburn was dragged four car-lengths before she let go. She then saw the two children running toward her while Singh drove away. That car didnt bother me at all, Coburn said. It was them two babies. No one needs to feel that fear. No one does. Advertisement President Donald Trump has called the handling of hate crime hoax allegations against Jussie Smollett 'disgraceful,' blasting the Empire actor and prosecutors who dropped charges against him. Trump's speech on Saturday night in Green Bay, Wisconsin was nearly all politics, but he detoured into pop culture long enough to complain about Smollett's case. Smollett, who is black and gay, claimed that he was attacked on a Chicago street by two white men shouting racist and anti-gay slurs while telling Smollett he was in 'MAGA Country'. 'We may have the greatest theme in the history of politics. It's called "Make America Great Again." It's called MAGA Country,' Trump said. Trump's speech on Saturday night in Green Bay, Wisconsin was nearly all politics, but he detoured into pop culture long enough to complain about Smollett's case Smollett (front), who is black and gay, claimed that he was attacked on a Chicago street by two white men shouting racist and anti-gay slurs while telling Smollett he was in 'MAGA Country' Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx's office drew criticism for dropping all charges against Smollett in the case 'You know, I didn't hear that term until that third-rate actor in Chicago went out and he said, "I was beaten up by MAGA Country." Can you believe it? Now that's a hate crime right?' 'He said he was beaten up by MAGA Country,' Trump said. 'Turned out to be a total lie.' After two Nigerian bodybuilders gave sworn testimony that Smollett had paid them to stage the attack as a hoax, the actor was charged with 16 felony counts of filing a false report. Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx's office later controversially dropped all of the charges. Referring to what critics call the sweetheart deal from prosecutors, the president was indignant. 'That case in Chicago is a disgrace to our nation. Disgrace,' he said. Saturday's rally was scheduled as counter-programming to the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington DC, and Trump made sure to give Sarah Sanders a chance to get her licks. Sanders, the second White House press secretary to serve the 45th president, endured a series of aggressive insults at least year's dinner in Washington, listening as comedian Michelle Wolf called her a liar and an embarrassment to women. Trump invited her to the stage in Green Bay after his audience erupted in chants of 'Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!' at his first mention of her name. 'Thanks to all the amazing things you've done for this country,' she said at Trump's podium. 'Last year this night I was at a slightly different event. Not quite the best welcome.' Trump embraces White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders during a Make America Great Again rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Saturday Sanders speaks alongside US President Donald Trump during a Make America Great Again rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin Comedian Michelle Wolf called Sanders a liar and an embarrassment to women at last year's dinner Sanders hasn't held a press briefing in nearly seven weeks, but on Saturday she spoke to more than 10,000 people in Wisconsin as a skeleton crew of reporters looked on and the rest of the industry boozed and schmoozed back in D.C. Trump referred to her as 'the great Sarah Huckabee,' using her maiden name. After hearing Sanders rattle off a list of his accomplishments and scorch his detractors, the president re-enacted the most famous moment from his NBC series 'The Apprentice' and pretended to fire her in public. 'Oh, she doesn't get it. She doesn't get it. She doesn't understand me after all these years,' he joked. 'She's becoming too popular. I'm jealous. Sarah, you're fired!' Sanders' litany of wins seemed aimed at the reporters she corrals daily, a group she has characterized as an unfairly hyper-critical bunch. 'They said he couldn't win in 2016 and he did,' she said. 'They said that he couldn't make our economy better, and it's booming. They said he couldn't rebuild the military, and he's done it. they said there was collusion and there wasn't. 'They've questioned him at every step, and he's proven them wrong every single time because of all of you. Thank you Mr. President for leading our country. Thank you!' U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks at a Make America Great Again rally at the Resch Center Complex in Green Bay Members of the audience cheer as President Donald Trump takes the stage at a rally at Resch Center Complex in Green Bay Wolf, the stand-up comic, roasted Sarah at the 2018 dinner with unusual vigor, crossing a line into what many observers saw as cheap-shot territory. Calling her 'Aunt Lydia in "The Handmaids Tale",' Wolf said Sanders was 'very resourceful, like she burns facts, and then she uses that ash to create a perfect smoky eye.' 'Like maybe shes born with it, maybe its lies. Its probably lies.' 'And Im never really sure what to call Sarah Huckabee Sanders, you know?' she continued. 'Is it Sarah Sanders, is it Sarah Huckabee Sanders, is it Cousin Huckabee, is it Auntie Huckabee Sanders?' 'Like, whats Uncle Tom but for white women who disappoint other white women? Oh, I know. Ann Coulter.' Bloomberg News reporter Margaret Talev, then the president of the White House Correspondents' Association, said afterward that the insult-comic act was 'not in the spirit' of the dinner's goal of celebrating the First Amendment. Trump has held counter-programming rallies during all three White House Correspondents' Association dinners during his presidency. The others were held in Michigan and Pennsylvania, both swing states like Wisconsin. Unlike the past two performances, however, he delivered mostly muted attacks on the news outlets he loves to hate. He didn't mention a controversial New York Times editorial cartoon, which the newspaper retracted earlier in the day. It showed him holding a leash and walking a dog whose face was drawn as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. US President Donald Trump waves as he arrives for a Make America Great Again rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin And he didn't mention the dinner or the reporters' association whose annual invitation he has consistently rubbished. But he couldn't resist a moment of needling his least favorite cable TV network. As he rattled off a list of record or near-record unemployment figures, he pointed to the press section and cautioned the audience that he had to parse his words carefully. 'If I make any misstatement, if I'm off by just a little tiny bit, those people back there will be headlines!' he said. 'So I have to be very careful. Fake news. They're fake! They are fake. They are fakers!' As his audience broke into a now-standard chant of 'CNN sucks! CNN sucks! CNN sucks!' the president wound up for a rhetorical swing. 'I'll tell you, you know what sucks?' he asked. 'Their ratings suck.' The president complained earlier that a faulty weather report, promising snow, had nearly forced the event's cancellation. 'The people who get it wrong the most,' he complained, 'are the weather forecasters and the political analysts.' The leadership of the correspondents' association opted this year to break with tradition and ask a presidential historian, not a comedian, to deliver the keynote dinner speech. Ron Chernow, who wrote the book that Lin-Manuel Miranda adapted into the 'Hamilton' musical, got the honors. John Wilkes Booth may have gotten away with the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. New evidence uncovered by facial recognition technology appears to show that Booth lived for decades under an assumed identity after he shot Lincoln at Fords Theatre in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865. The conventional historiography holds that Booth was shot dead by Union soldiers five days after the assassination inside a barn on a farm in Virginia. But an investigator with the Discovery Channel series Mummies Unwrapped says that modern-day face recognition technology shows that Booths face matched with that of two other men - John St. Helen and David E. George. The researchers ran the images of St. Helen, George, and Booth through a computer and found that there was a strong possibility that these three individuals were the same man. John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC, in April 1865 Facial recognition technology used on photos of Booth and two other men - David E. George (right) and John St. Helen - indicate that they are likely the same person While Booth is purported to have died in 1865, the image of St. Helen was from 1877. The picture used of George was from 1902. St. Helen was considered a near perfect match. The facial recognition software analyzes features like the spaces between the eyes, jaw lines, and the shapes of the noses and cheek bones. Just before St. Helen is purported to have died in 1877, he told Finis L. Bates, an acquaintance of his in Granbury, Texas: I am dying. My name is John Wilkes Booth, and I am the assassin of President Lincoln. Conventional history says that Booth was killed by Union soldiers inside a Virginia barn days after the assassination Bates, the grandfather of Academy Award-winning actress Kathy Bates, said that St. Helen told him that Lincolns assassination was masterminded by Vice President Andrew Johnson. Johnson then allegedly gave him a password allowing him to escape the manhunt that ensued, according to the History Channel. Finis L. Bates, a Texas lawyer, says John St. Helen confessed to him that he was John Wilkes Booth in 1877 St. Helen said that the man who was killed in the Virginia barn was passed off as the assassin so that the soldiers who tracked him down could claim the reward. The man who was buried in the Booth family plot in Baltimore is innocent, while the real John Wilkes Booth used aliases to live another 38 years. In 1903, a man named David E. George committed suicide by ingesting poison in a hotel room in Enid, Oklahoma. News reports indicated that George botched a suicide attempt nine months earlier. Believing he was dying, George reportedly told the wife of a local Methodist minister: I am not David Elihu George. I am the one who killed the best man that ever lived. I am J. Wilkes Booth. After Georges death, newspapers printed his image alongside that of Booth and people thought there was an uncanny resemblance. The man killed in the Virginia barn was passed off as Booth so that the soldiers who tracked him down could claim the sizable cash reward, it is now claimed Georges body was then embalmed and paraded around America, where it was touted as Booths mummified corpse. Bates then gained custody of the cadaver and rented it out to circuses, carnivals, fairs, and midways, where it became a tourist attraction. The mummy is now believed to be in the hands of a private collector. The courts have so far denied requests to exhume the body in Booths grave and conduct DNA tests to determine if it is really him. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten's speech pledging to make childcare more affordable for families was interrupted on Sunday after an anti-fracking protester stormed the stage. The teenager stormed the stage during the Labor leader's speech in Melbourne's Box Hill, which called for action on climate change. The teenager was dragged away by security as Mr Shorten brushed aside the incident, telling the protester and audience, 'if you want action on climate change, don't protest against Labor - vote the government out.' Australian Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is seen during a Labor Party campaign rally at Box Hill Town Hall in Melbourne, Sunday The teenager stormed the stage during the Labor leader's speech calling for action on climate change. He continued with his pledge, saying he will slash childcare costs for 887,000 families as part of a $4 billion package if Labor wins the May 18 Federal election. 'From next July we will put more money back in the pockets of working Australian families,' Mr Shorten told the party faithful at a rally in Melbourne. 'This will save people up to $2,100 per child per year. Under our plan, no family will be worse off.' The majority of families earning up to $69,000 will get their child care absolutely free, which Labor estimates that will affect about 372,000 families. A further 158,000 families earning up to $100,000 a year will get their subsidies boosted to 85 per cent of the capped daily rate. And another 357,000 families earning up to $174,000 a year will have their subsidies tapered between 85 and 60 per cent of the daily rate. Bill Shorten said he will slash the childcare costs for 887,000 families as part of a $4 billion package, if Labor wins the May 18 Federal election 'From next July we will put more money back in the pockets of working Australian families,' Mr Shorten told the party faithful at a rally in Melbourne Early Childhood Australia welcomed the news and said it would work with an elected Labor government to maximise benefits to children, particularly those at risk of educational disadvantage. 'Labor's pledge on childcare fee relief is good news for families on lower incomes,' ECA CEO Samantha Page said in a statement. Australian Greens education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi applauded Mr Shorten on his pledge but said more needs to be done to abolish the Coalition's unfair activity test. 'The Greens believe that the 100% subsidy should be extended to more families,' she said. But government minister Alan Tudge warned families that the country has been here before. 'When (Labor) were in government they promised the world like they are doing now but they didn't deliver,' Mr Tudge told Sky News. He said prices went up 50 per cent when Labor was in government, but since July last year out of pocket childcare costs have come down nine per cent under his government. 'That's in sharp contrast with what the Labor Party did when they were in government,' Mr Tudge said. Mr Shorten also announced that nearly three million pensioners will get $1000 of free dental work over a two year period under a Labor government In a separate pledge, Mr Shorten also announced that nearly three million pensioners will get $1000 of free dental work over a two year period under a Labor government. He said the policy would help improve quality of life, self confidence and basic dignity to those on the aged pension. 'No policy matters more to me than making sure our pensioners can get the dental care they need,' he said. A 17-year-old boy has been stabbed in the torso at a large house party. Emergency services including Riot Squad were called to a house on Myee Road in Macquarie Fields, in Sydney's south-west, just after 10pm on Saturday after reports someone had been stabbed. The teenager was treated by paramedics for the wound before being taken to Liverpool Hospital. Emergency services including Riot Squad were called to a house on Myee Road in Macquarie Fields, in Sydney's south-west, just after 10pm on Saturday after reports someone had been stabbed (stock of Myee Road pictured) He is in a stable condition and his injuries are not considered life threatening. Other units were called in - including Campbelltown City Police Area Command, Dog Unit and Pol Air - to make partygoers leave. No arrests have been made and inquiries continue. Police urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online here. A woman has died and four other people have been taken to hospital after two cars collided early on Sunday morning. Police attended the Berkshire Park crash scene in Sydney's northwest just after 1.15am. Three women had to be freed from one car, with police and witnesses performing CPR on the 21-year-old driver. She died at the scene. A 21-year-old women died after a head-on car crash at Berkshire Park just after 1.15am on Sunday Three women had to be freed from one car while police and witnesses performed CPR on the 21-year-old driver who died at the scene Her two passengers and a man, who was freed from the other car, were taken to hospital with injuries. A second man was airlifted to Westmead Hospital in a serious but stable condition. A 22-year-old woman from Carnes Hill was stopped after she attempted to turn right into the scene. She returned positive to a breath test and was taken to Windsor Police Station. The woman was charged with drive with low-range PCA, and drive while licence suspended and will appear at Windsor Local Court. Tutankhamun, the boy king of ancient Egypt, came to power only after two of his sisters jointly held the throne, according to an Egyptologist at Canada's Universite du Quebec a Montreal. Researchers have known for more than half a century that a queen had reigned before Tutankhamun, whose intact tomb was discovered in 1922, sparking global interest in Egyptology. Some thought she was Nefertiti, the sister and wife of Akhenaten, who proclaimed herself 'king' following his death. Others believed it to be the eldest daughter Princess Meritaten. Valerie Angenot, an Egyptologist at Canada's Universite du Quebec a Montreal is suggesting that two daughters of Akhenaten ruled before Tutankhamun It had long been known that a queen reigned before Tutankhamun, but now an Egyptologist is suggesting that two daughters of Akhenaten ruled before him. Pictured, an artifact from Tutankhamun's tomb Angenot says her new theory has been well received at the Egypt annual conference in Virginia The pair who were King Tut's sisters ascended the throne under a common name (file photo from current Paris exhibition) UQAM's Valerie Angenot says she has now conducted an analysis based on the study of symbols which revealed that two daughters of Akhenaten seized power at his death while their brother Tutankhamun, aged four or five at the time, was too young to rule. Akhenaten had six daughters before having his son later on, who had a frail constitution and was plagued by illness throughout his life. Akhenaten married Meritaten to prepare her to one day rule, but some inscriptions also indicate he was grooming another daughter Neferneferuaten Tasherit, for rule. They jointly ascended to the throne under a common name, according to Angenot. Angenot is suggesting that a pair of queens who were in fact daughter's of Akhenaten and King Tut's sisters ascended the throne under a common name Akhenaten had six daughters before having his son, Tutankhamun, later on Her work was presented at American Research Center in Egypt annual conference in Alexandria, Virginia, where she said it was well received. 'Egyptology is a very conservative discipline, but my idea was surprisingly well received, except for two colleagues who fiercely opposed it,' she said. Angenot added she hoped it could advance knowledge on succession issues in Ancient Egypt and of the Amarna Period, the era of the reign of Akhenaten, (1353-1336 BCE), who was known as the 'heretic king.' A statuette of Tutankhamun is displayed during the exhibition 'Tutankhamun,Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh' at La Villette in Paris Earlier in the week, Egypt said archaeologists had uncovered an ancient tomb with mummies believed to date back about 2,000 years in the southern city of Aswan. The Antiquities Ministry said the tomb is from the Greco-Roman period, which began with Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. It is located near one of Aswan's landmarks, the Mausoleum of Aga Khan, who lobbied for Muslim rights in India and who was buried there after his death in 1957. The statement said archaeologists found artifacts, including decorated masks, statuettes, vases, coffin fragments and cartonnages chunks of linen or papyrus glued together. Are you lost in the wild? Sorry, but the page you're looking for has not been found Try checking the URL for errors, goto home or try to search below. At the Regina Caeli on Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope Francis recalls the gifts of the Risen Lord: peace, joy, mission. "But let's not forget the wounds of Jesus". The memory of the Argentine martyrs, defenders of the peasants against the landowners. Solidarity for refugees in Libya and for flood victims in South Africa. Best wishes to the Orthodox Churches that today celebrate Easter according to the Julian calendar. Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "If you are not at peace, touch my wounds": for Pope Francis this is the invitation that Jesus addresses to everyone, on Divine Mercy Sunday, the second of Easter, in which the Gospel narrates of the incredulity of the apostle Thomas and of the invitation addressed to him by the risen Jesus "to touch his wounds". Speaking to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square for the Regina Caeli, He continued: "To touch Jesus wounds, which are the many problems, difficulties, persecutions, sicknesses of so many suffering people. Are you not in peace? Go, go visit someone, who is the symbol of Jesus wound. Touch Jesus wound. Mercy flows from those wounds. Therefore, today is the Sunday of Mercy, which comes to all of us through wounds. All of us, we know, are in need of mercy. Let us approach Jesus and touch His wounds in our suffering brothers. Jesus wounds are a treasure: mercy flows from there. Let us be courageous and touch Jesus wounds. He is before the Father with these wounds, He makes the Father see them as if to say: Father, this is the price, these wounds are what I have paid for my brothers. Jesus intercedes, with His wounds, before the Father. He gives us mercy if we approach Him, and intercedes for us. Do not forget Jesus wounds." Still referring to the Gospel of the day (John 20, 19-31), Francis emphasized that "then, in addition to peace and joy, Jesus also brings the mission as gift to the disciples. He says to them: As the Father has sent me, even so, I send you (v. 21). Jesus Resurrection is the beginning of a new dynamism of love, capable of transforming the world with the presence of the Holy Spirit.". "On this Second Sunday of Easter, we are invited to approach Christ with faith, opening our heart to peace, to joy, and to the mission. However, let us not forget Jesus wounds, because from there issues peace, joy and the strength for the mission. We entrust this prayer to the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven and earth." After the Marian prayer, Francis expressed a long list of greetings. First of all, yesterday in La Rioja (Argentina), diocesan bishop Enrique Angel Angelelli (1923-1976), bishop Carlos de Dios Murias (1946-1976), conventual Franciscan, Gabriel Longueville (1931-1976), fidei donum priest, and Wenceslao Pedernera (1936-1976), lay catechist and family man were declared blessed. All of them were killed during the so-called "national reorganization process", while they defended the rights of peasants against the landowners. "These martyrs of the faith - Francis explained - were persecuted for the cause of justice and evangelical charity. May their example and intercession support, in particular, all those who work for a more just and solidary society. One of them was French; he went to Argentina as a missionary. The other three were Argentines. Let us applaud all the new Blesseds!" The pontiff then asked everyone to join his prayer "I invite you to join my prayer for the refugees that are in detention centers in Libya, whose situation, already very grave, is made even more dangerous by the on-going conflict. I make an appeal so that the women, the children and the sick, can be evacuated soonest through humanitarian corridors." He also expressed his hope that " our solidarity and also the concrete support of the International Community not be lacking these brothers of ours" who have lost their lives or suffered serious damage from the recent floods in South Africa. Finally, recalling that today the Orthodox Easter is celebrated - for the Churches that follow the Julian calendar - he expressed his "cordial wishes". "The Risen Lord - he added - gives them joy and peace! And an applause also for all Eastern Catholics and Orthodox, And an applause also for all Eastern Catholics and Orthodox, to say to them: Happy Easter!. The tragic death of Theresa May's niece is reportedly behind the Prime Minister's campaign to increase the UK's mental health services. Vikki McQuaid, of Bodmin, Cornwall, was just 20-years-old when her mother Cathy - the sister of Mrs May's husband Philip - discovered her lifeless body. Earlier Vikki, who was also Mrs May's goddaughter, had revealed her distress to a friend over fears she would never have a baby following two miscarriages. Vikki McQuaid, of Bodmin, Cornwall, was just 20-years-old when her mother Cathy - the sister of Mrs May's husband Philip - discovered her lifeless body She left a note which read: 'I'm sorry, it's unbearable without children,' an inquest heard. A postmortem showed a distraught Vikki had taken a mixture of two over-the-counter drugs with a potentially fatal dosage. Her mother, who discovered Vikki's body in her bedroom on August, 18, 2013, told the inquest she did not believe her daughter intentionally took her own life. 'Victoria could be very impulsive and often didn't think things through. I don't think she meant to kill herself,' she said. Earlier Vikki, who was also Mrs May's goddaughter, had revealed her distress to a friend over fears she would never have a baby following two miscarriages Mrs May, who has never spoken publicly about the loss of her niece, announced earlier this year a boost for young people's mental health care. She also pledged up to 1.8million to support The Samaritans helpline and appointed Jackie Doyle-Price as Britain's first Minister for Suicide Prevention. Speaking at the time, the prime minister said: 'There are few greater examples than the injustices facing those with mental health issues. 'But together we can change that. We can end the stigma that has forced too many to suffer in silence. 'We can prevent the tragedy of suicide taking too many lives. And we can give the mental wellbeing of our children the priority it so profoundly deserves.' Recording an open verdict, Cornwall coroner Dr Emma Carlyon said there was not enough evidence to prove that Vikki intended to kill herself Vikki had visited close friend Laura Watts the night before her death. The friend told The Sun on Sunday: 'She started crying and she believed she would never be able to have a baby.' Boyfriend Ziggy Matheson, who was the father of one of the babies Vikki lost, said his partner was fun-loving and would help anyone, the inquest heard. He was the last person to see her alive and revealed that on the night of her death Vikki was 'not herself' and had not been sleeping well. Mr Matheson, who left the following morning, told the inquest that he believed she was sleeping heavily and failed to see the note left in the room. Recording an open verdict, Cornwall coroner Dr Emma Carlyon said there was not enough evidence to prove that Vikki intended to kill herself. The prime minister has previously spoken about the death of another of her goddaughters, which inspired her new NHS initiative to fight cancer. Teresa Brasier the daughter of one of Mrs May's cousins died of cancer aged 47 in December 2017. In October 2018, Mrs May said: 'We will increase the early detection rate from one-in-two today, to three-in-four by 2028. 'It will mean that by 2028, 55,000 more people will be alive five years after their diagnosis compared to today.' For confidential support in the UK, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see samaritans.org for details Serious flooding is raging in parts of northern Mozambique hit by Cyclone Kenneth that killed at least five people three days ago. The government urged people in the city of Pemba to immediately seek higher ground. Hundreds of thousands of people are at risk with more rain forecast for days ahead. 'Help us, we are losing everything,' residents in Pemba shouted at passing cars as the rushing waters flooded their homes and heavy rain fell. Women and girls with buckets and pots tried to scoop away the torrent. Houses began to collapse and a rescue team was mobilised, UN workers added. A group of men wade through floodwaters as rain falls in the aftermath of Cyclone Kenneth in Pemba, Mozambique on Sunday Residents stand outside a flooded house as rain falls in the aftermath of Cyclone Kenneth in Pemba today A woman in Macomia, northern Mozambique assesses the damage after a mature baobab tree slammed into her home during Cyclone Kenneth yesterday A couple walk through rising waters in Natite neighbourhood, Pemba, Mozambique today People leave their flooded homes, in Natite neighbourhood, in Pemba, on the northeastern coast of Mozambique today A child sits on a bus during rainfall, in Natite neighbourhood, in Pemba, on the northeastern coast of Mozambique on Sunday 'We are unfortunately expecting devastating floods,' the UN humanitarian agency said in a tweet. Kenneth arrived just six weeks after Cyclone Idai ripped into central Mozambique and killed more than 600 people with flooding. The new storm's remnants could dump twice as much rain as Idai, the UN World Programme has said. As much as nine inches, or about a quarter of the average annual rainfall for the region, had been forecast over the next few days. 'I have never seen such rains in my life,' said one Pemba resident, 35-year-old Michael Fernando. A man clears rubble on a street, in Pemba, on the northeastern coast of Mozambique today A family desperately scoop water from their flooded home, in Natite neighbourhood, in Pemba, Mozambique, today Up to four inches were forecast in the next 24 hours for some parts of the region, Mozambique's meteorological institute said. This was the first time in recorded history that the southern African nation has been hit by two cyclones in one season, again raising concerns about climate change. Some Pemba residents tried to pile up tyres and sand-filled sacks as barricades. Children took refuge in a bus that appeared to be stuck as vehicles struggled on the streets. Cars began to slip under the waters. A woman crosses a flooded street, in Natite neighbourhood, in Pemba, on the northeastern coast of Mozambique on Sunday Women wait outside a closed shop in Natite neighbourhood, in Pemba city, on the northeastern coast of Mozambique on Sunday A pregnant woman makes her way out of her flooded home in Natite neighbourhood, in Pemba There was no immediate word of deaths on Sunday. Authorities have said at least five people died after Kenneth roared in Thursday evening with the force of a Category 4 hurricane, stunning residents of a region where such a storm had not been recorded in the modern era. More than 160,000 people have been affected in the largely rural region, many already exposed and hungry. More than 35,000 homes in parts of Mozambique's northernmost Cabo Delgado were partially or fully destroyed by the storm. On Saturday, aerial photos showed several coastal communities flattened by the storm. 'Not a single house is standing any more,' said Saviano Abreu, a spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency. A boy does push-ups in the rain, in Pemba, on the northeastern coast of Mozambique A family walks in the rain, in Natite neighbourhood, Pemba on Sunday This was the first time in recorded history that the southern African nation has been hit by two cyclones in one season, again raising concerns about climate change. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has reported heavy damage to Cabo Delgado province, with the communities of Macomia, Quissanga and Mocimboa da Praia of highest concern. About 3,500 homes in parts of Cabo Delgado were partially or fully destroyed by the cyclone, with electricity cut, some roads blocked and at least one key bridge collapsed. A woman scoops water from her flooded house in Natite neighbourhood, in Pemba city Water gushes from a flooded house, in Pemba, Mozambique, on Sunday Children seek refugee from the rain, on a bus, in Pemba, on the northeastern coast of Mozambique, on Sunday Water gushes out from a house, in Pemba, on the northeastern coast of Mozambique on Sunday A young boy takes a break from scooping water from his family home, in Natite neighbourhood, in Pemba, Mozambique In this photo provided by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), badly damaged communities are seen from an aerial view, in Macomia district, Mozambique, before flooding started on Saturday Men carry a mobile shop to safer ground in Pemba city on the northeastern coast of Mozambique on Saturday before rain started to fall Community members look at rubble and other items washed close to their doorstep when Cyclone Kenneth struck in Pemba on Saturday In this photo badly damaged communities are seen from an aerial view, Ibo island, Mozambique yesterday In this badly damaged communities are seen from an aerial view, in Macomia district, Mozambique, on Saturday before floods began Advertisement Seven young revellers would likely have died at a music festival in Canberra because their MDMA capsules were laced with a deadly toxin that has already claimed other young lives. Instead they kept dancing to their favourite beats alongside their friends and thousands of others, sober but alive, with their drugs lying in an amnesty bin. Their lives were potentially saved by a controversial pill-testing service operating for its second year at the Groovin the Moo festival - the only example of the practice allowed in Australia. Scroll down for video Seven young revellers could have died at a music festival in Canberra because their MDMA capsules were laced with a deadly toxin that has already claimed other young lives (pictured: a Groovin the Moo attendee's drug capsules before being tested) Revellers were at no point told their drugs were safe to take - they never are - but the pills, capsules, and powders were grouped into three categories - red, yellow, and white Just over the border in NSW, the State Government has stubbornly refused to allow a similar program to run - despite five young people dying from tainted drugs at festivals over the summer. Instead, dozens of police with sniffer dogs patrol festivals, search everyone who enters, and arrest and charge anyone carrying even a single pill - which pill-testing advocates say just increases risks. Inside the nondescript medical tent in Canberra - which had long lines even though it can't legally be advertised - doctors, chemists and counsellors tested the contents of their pills. Revellers were at no point told their drugs were safe to take, but the pills, capsules, and powders were grouped into three categories - red, yellow, and white. Yellow indicates the drug is not what the patron thought it was, while white means the drug was accurately described by the patron on arrival. A red result meant the drug contained potentially deadly additives such as n-ethyl pentylone - a stimulant which was present in seven samples at Sunday's festival by mid-afternoon. N-ethyl pentylone looks like MDMA but is three times more potent and can result in convulsions, paranoia and death. A red result meant the drug contained potentially deadly additives such as n-ethyl pentylone - which was present in seven samples at Sunday's festival by mid-afternoon Last year there were two samples marked red and other drugs were found to contain paint, toothpaste, a muscle rub, and other strange substances used to cut them. In last year's trial, 18 per cent of participants said they would not use their drugs after receiving the results of their test. Another 12 per cent said they would consume less of the drug, and five per cent opted to consume a different drug instead after hearing their results. Organisers said 128 people passed through the tent last year with 85 samples tested, and that number was already surpassed by mid-afternoon this year. Yellow indicates the drug is not what the patron thought it was, while white means the drug was accurately described by the patron on arrival Attendees also sign a waiver, which essentially signs away any rights should they choose to take the substance after learning what is in it How pill testing works Revellers enter a first aid tent where they sign a waiver form They are asked a set of basic questions about what they think their drugs are Their drugs are then weighed and recorded before a sample is taken A sophisticated machine is used to give a breakdown of the chemical compounds Workers then explain in simple terms what those compounds mean Pills, capsules and powders are grouped into three categories Red means the drug contains potentially deadly additives Yellow means the drug is not what the reveller thought it was White means the drug was accurately described by the patron on arrival Advertisement While waiting for their products to be tested, multiple festival goers told Daily Mail Australia that the service made them feel safer than at other festivals. One of those festival-goers, Jordie, 21, wore a jacket with the words 'pill testing saves lives' on the back. She said her only concern with the current set-up at Groovin the Moo is the likelihood of getting caught once leaving the testing tent, which turned her off using it. She told Daily Mail Australia that the festival scene around Australia needs to follow Canberra's lead and introduce pill testing. Pills Jordie and her friends had purchased pills thinking they were MDMA, only to discover they actually contained methamphetamine. They threw them out without a moment's hesitation, and said they were grateful they had the option to check what they were consuming. 'My friends and I without a doubt would throw them out if the experts told us they weren't what we thought,' she said. 'We haven't seen anyone passed out or unwell and nobody has died, so that goes to show how much pill testing helps. We all just feel safer and can enjoy ourselves more'. In last year's pill testing trial, 18 per cent of participants said they would not use their drugs after receiving the results of their test, while another 12 per cent said they would consume less, and five per cent opted to consume a different drug instead after hearing their results (2019 festival goers, pictured) Patrons are given a unique number and told to hold onto it in case they overdose. First responders can then call the pill testers and ask what drug the patient took so they treat them accordingly n-ethyl pentylone - N-ethyl pentylone was found in seven drug samples at GTM on Sunday - The drug may cause convulsions, paranoia and may result in death - It emerged around 2016 in the United States - It's been linked to a number of overdose deaths and mass-casualty incidents all over the world - It's part of the bath salts (cathinone) family of stimulants - The prevalence of the new drug in Australia is unknown outside of drug testing services at festivals - It's been known as a phenomenon known as mass casualty overdoses, where 10-20 people drop simultaneously - It's often sold as a white or coloured powder and looks just like MDMA but can be three times more potent Advertisement Jordie said the biggest concern for most young people at festivals is the fear of being caught, saying more festival goers are inclined to take all their drugs at once when they see such a significant police presence. But their bodies can't cope with the high quantities being taken at once and often there are casualties. Jordie's friend, Ellie, agreed. 'The cops can be so harsh here. It'd be better for the government to just let it be safe,' she said. 'But Groovin the Moo is definitely a step in the right direction. You've got FOMO and Rabbits Eat Lettuce where it's not legal, and pills aren't being tested, and look what happened there.' At last year's Groovin the Moo, one of Ellie's friends got their pills tested and found out it was made up almost completely of bleach. 'They obviously threw it out when they found out, but my friends and I definitely feel safer coming here where we know that option is available,' Ellie said. 'It's just about giving people the opportunity to make a smarter decision. Everyone is doing drugs anyway.' Other attendees were quick to agree, saying the pill testing option made them feel safer in knowing what they were consuming Max and his girlfriend, Isobel, from Kuringai in Sydney's north, said they'd travelled the extra distance to attend Canberra's festival over Groovin the Moo in Maitland. 'I would take them at other festivals, too, but the option to get them tested, you know, it makes you feel a bit more secure,' Max said. 'Like if I found out my MDMA was actually meth, I'd put it in the bin, 100 per cent.' Organisers said 128 people passed through the tent last year with 85 samples tested, and that number was already surpassed by mid-afternoon this time (2019 festival goer pictured being assisted by event staff) While the Groovin The Moo festival in no way promotes the use of illicit substances, a statement from the organisers say they support harm reduction procedures and the safety of patrons (2019 festival goers pictured) Chloe, who had recently taken MDMA on Sunday night, said she wouldn't ignore pill-testing results but was skeptical of the process. 'If they said it could kill me, yeah I wouldn't take it but I'd be like skeptical they were not just saying that to everyone.' Chloe said she probably wouldn't have as much fun without taking drugs, claiming it was more convenient than drinking. 'Have you seen the line up for drinks? No thank you, I have Billie Eilish to see.' The 21-year-old from Sydney said she managed to get her drugs into the festival by hiding them inside a chapstick. Several festival attendees (not pictured) told Daily Mail Australia that they felt safer due to the pill-testing set-up Sophie, 19, was much more conspicuous about taking her drugs into the festival, simply putting them in her bag. 'I literally just left them in my bags, there was no tricks, they didn't check very well. It's not that scary as long as you're not suss,' she said. Peter, 24, said one of the reasons he brought ketamine into Groovin the Moo was so he wouldn't sober up in the long lines to purchase alcohol. 'Just here for a good time, I don't want to waste an alcohol buzz lining up for more alcohol,' he said. The Red Frog volunteer tents had a steady stream of revellers come through to take a break from dancing In another part of the festival, volunteers working in Red Frogs tent support revellers who overdose or become too intoxicated. While the Groovin The Moo festival in no way promotes the use of illicit substances, a statement from the organisers say they support harm reduction procedures and the safety of patrons. Drugs are illegal in Canberra, and officers are heavily policing the event but police have agreed not to target the area near the pill testing tent in order to support the trial. The process itself is kept under lock and key. It is run by a host of different drug and harm reduction groups, including DanceWize a group that often shares insights online regarding cautious drug taking practices and Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP). Upon entrance into the tent itself, patrons are required to hand over their phones, or any potential recording or imaging device. They also sign a waiver, which essentially signs away any rights should they choose to take the substance after learning what is in it. As day turned to night, more people turned to the Redfrogs tents volunteers for support and to keep them out of the cold The festival and the organisers weren't inclined to share any further details with the media, and Canberra's laws state it is illegal to record any medical procedures, so undercover cameras were ruled out as well. Once in the tent and safely away from prying eyes, the volunteer asks some standardised questions including, 'What do you suspect the drug is? Who did you get it from (a friend, coworker, dealer etc.)? Do you normally take illicit drugs?' Festival goers then surrender their pill or substances, in which a small sample is scraped off and placed through a sophisticated infrared machine, which can identify substances from a range of previous samples. Testers then distribute a card with a unique identifier on it. While there is no requirement to keep it, it is recommended as it essentially makes sure emergency medical staff can contact the tent if a person has overdosed. Knowing what a person has ingested saves time and can be the difference between life and death. With two tents located on opposite ends of the festival and situated conveniently next to medical tents, the Red Frogs volunteers have provided tired and intoxicated revellers much needed water, sunscreen and sugar hits throughout the day Red Frog volunteers have been safeguarding patrons at music festivals since 2006, and their tents had a steady stream of revellers come through to take a break from dancing at Groovin the Moo. With two outlets located on opposite ends of the festival and situated conveniently next to medical tents, the volunteers have provided tired and intoxicated revellers much needed water, sunscreen and sugar hits throughout the day. As day turned to night, more people turned to the tents volunteers for support and to keep them out of the cold. Revellers were seen crowding around heaters and curling up on each others laps. Others were comforted by friends while clutching spew bags and wrapping themselves in tin foil for warmth. Police have confirmed they will not be targeting patrons heading in or out of the pill testing tent. 'While our message first and foremost is not to take illicit substances at all, ACT Policing is committed to harm minimisation initiatives such as pill testing and we are actively engaged with the ACT government and other stakeholders,' an ACT spokesman said. Police warned patrons that despite pill testing, drug possession was still a crime: 'If you are caught by police this weekend in the possession of illicit drugs you can expect to face consequences,' an ACT police spokesman said Police are urging all festival goers to think of their safety and that of their friends, and warn revelers to be wary of any drug they take - whether it's been tested or not. 'Despite having information on what a drug may contain, it is still unsafe to take any illicit drug as you do not know the effect it will have on your body or how you will react to it.' Police also warned patrons that despite pill testing, drug possession was still a crime. 'If you are caught by police this weekend in the possession of illicit drugs you can expect to face consequences,' the spokesman said. 'The penalties for drug possession vary, but as an example if you possess 25 grams of cannabis or less you could receive a $100 fine or if you possess a prohibited substance such as one or two MDMA tablets you could be fined a maximum of $8000 or imprisoned for a maximum of two years.' Police confirmed they would not be target patrons heading in or out of the pill testing tent, and are urging all festival goers to think of their safety and that of their friends, and warn revelers to be wary of any drug they take - whether it's been tested or not (paramedic tending to a patron, pictured) Pill Testing Australia spokesman Gino Vumbaca stressed that illicit drugs were not permitted at the event - or to be in possession of anywhere in the ACT or Australia. 'But if they are brought in and going to be consumed then we recommend that you talk to our team first to know exactly what you may take and what the potential consequences are,' Mr Vumbaca said. Mr Vumbaca said that police have respected that the pill testing tent is part of the medical services area of the festival, and that confidentiality is required. Despite being a service within the festival - with the permission of the promoters and the ACT government - pill testing tents aren't part of the festival or the state government. 'We are an independent, not-for-profit, self-funded service committed to providing the best public health services for communities.' Dozens of police with sniffer dogs and security guards patrol festivals, search everyone who enters, and arrest and charge anyone carrying even a single pill - which pill-testing advocates say just increases risks Two top Saudi royal advisers have been linked to journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder but according to officials, only one is facing trial. While one of them, 'ringleader' Ahmed al-Assiri, turned up to the closed-door trial of 11 suspects, questions are swirling over the absence of the other. Saudi prosecutors have said deputy intelligence chief Assiri oversaw the Washington Post columnist's killing in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate last October and that he was advised by the royal court's media czar Saud al-Qahtani. The Saudi royal court's media czar, Saud al-Qahtani (pictured), has not turned up to court during the trial for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and questions are swirling over his absence Both aides were part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's tight-knit inner circle and have formally been sacked over the killing but only Assiri has appeared in the five court hearings since January, according to four Western officials privy to the information. 'Qahtani is not among the 11 facing trial,' one of the officials told AFP. 'What does his absence mean? Are the Saudis keen to protect him or discipline him separately? No one knows.' The kingdom's public prosecutor last November indicted 11 unnamed suspects, including five who could face the death penalty over the murder. Diplomats from the UN Security Council's permanent members - the US, Britain, France, China, Russia - as well as Turkey are allowed to attend as observers of the legal proceedings that are held entirely in Arabic. They are not allowed to bring interpreters and are usually summoned at short notice, the sources said. A representative of the Khashoggi family - which this month rejected reports of a settlement with the Saudi government - has attended at least one court session, they said. Qahtani was named alongside the 'ringleader', deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Assiri (pictured), as a royal adviser who played a key role in Khashoggi's murder Maher Mutreb, an intelligence operative who frequently traveled with the crown prince on foreign tours, forensic expert Salah al-Tubaigy and Fahad al-Balawi, a member of the Saudi royal guard, are among the 11 on trial who could face the death penalty, the officials said. The defendants are allowed legal counsel. Many of them have defended themselves in court by saying they were carrying out orders by Assiri, describing him as the 'ringleader' of the operation, according to the officials. The kingdom's media ministry did not respond to AFP's request for comment. The defendants' lawyers could also not be reached. Assiri, lionised in Saudi military ranks as a war hero, does not face the death penalty, the Western officials added. Believed to have previously worked closely with US intelligence, he is also not named in two American sanctions lists of Saudis implicated in the murder. Qahtani, who led fiery social media campaigns against critics of the kingdom and was seen as a conduit to the crown prince, is on both lists. He met the Saudi hit squad team before they left for Turkey to share 'useful information related to the mission based on his specialisation in media,' according to the Saudi prosecutor's office. But he has not appeared publicly since the murder and his current whereabouts are a subject of fevered speculation. Some Saudis claim he continues to peddle influence behind the scenes, but others say he is lying low, waiting for the international outrage over the murder to subside. Washington Post columnist David Ignatius reported earlier this year that Prince Mohammed continues to seek his counsel, citing US and Saudi sources. Officials are unsure whether the absence of Qahtani could indicate that the Saudis are protecting him or whether they are keen to punish him privately for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi (pictured entering the Istanbul consulate where he was killed) 'Qahtani holds a lot of files and dossiers,' Ignatius quoted one American who met the crown prince as saying. 'The idea that you can have a radical rupture with him is unrealistic.' US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who faces intense scrutiny in Congress over Washington's close relations with Riyadh, has urged the crown prince to snap his ties with Qahtani, two Western officials told AFP. The CIA has reportedly said the murder was likely ordered by Prince Mohammed, the de facto ruler and heir to the throne. Saudi authorities strongly deny the allegation, and in private conversations with Western officials they have instead criticized Turkish authorities for failing to stop the murder. Of the 11 unnamed suspects on trial 'behind closed doors', five of them could face the death penalty for the murder of Khashoggi (pictured entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul) 'Their intelligence knew that a (Saudi) hit squad was coming. They could have stopped them!' one of them quoted a Saudi official as saying. Turkish officials were the first to report Khashoggi's murder and have continued to press Saudi Arabia for information on the whereabouts of his dismembered body, which has yet to be found. Agnes Callamard, the United Nations special rapporteur conducting an independent inquiry into the killing, last month condemned what she called a lack of transparency in the legal proceedings and demanded an open trial. The kingdom 'is grievously mistaken if it believes that these proceedings, as currently constituted, will satisfy the international community,' she said. It was unclear when the Saudi trial will conclude. This month, a coalition of seven international human rights and press freedom groups called on Britain, France, and the US to issue public reports on the trial. Secret trial proceedings 'run the risk of enabling the 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 coalition said in an open letter. Recovering ice addict Harriet Wran has been spotted for the first time since she pleaded guilty to drug possession and stolen goods charges almost a month ago. The troubled daughter of the late former New South Wales Labor premier Neville Wran has been pictured in the smoking area of a drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinic in Sydney's inner-west this week. The 30-year-old was wearing a bright green singlet and black pants with her hair in a and appeared downcast as she sat hunched over on a bench with several others in the outdoor smoking area at the facility. Harriet Wran was spotted in the smoking area of a Sydney rehabilitation centre this week Desperate to avoid another stint behind bars, Wran has received treatment at the facility since March 27, when she was arrested on the New South Wales Central Coast. She is expected to finish the 28-day program this week, The Sunday Telegraph reported. It's unknown why she was allowed to be treated at the clinic, which states on its website it does not take patients who are currently before the courts. It also states residents will be subjected to random urine tests and random breath tests may be taken at any time during the program. Wran remains on bail until her sentencing on May 15. She pleaded guilty to having crystal methamphetamine and more than 30 stolen laptops, mobile phones and credit cards in her possession when she appeared in Wyong Local Court on April 3. Harriet Wran was last seen in publicly public when she faced Wyong Local Court in April 3 When asked outside court if it's a tough time, Wran told media: 'Yeah it is.' WHAT HARRIET STOLE: - Unopened mail addressed to homes in Shelly Beach and West Gosford - An academic transcript - Five Visa and Mastercards - One iPad - Two Apple iPhones - Three Apple macbook laptops - Three other laptops - A Samsung mobile phone - Seven unopened USB sticks - A black wallet - Assortment of unopened toll notices - A medicare card - One handsfree car kit Advertisement Court papers revealed Wran was stopped by highway patrol officers after being seen driving a Holden ute in an industrial estate on the Pacific Highway, at North Wyong, on March 27. Officers searched Wran's ute and allegedly found 0.96 grams of crystal methamphetamine, as well as drug paraphernalia and more than 30 other items. Among the suspected stolen items police found six credit and debit cards, three mobile phones, six laptops, an iPad, unopened mail and an academic transcript. Police alleged all the items were stolen during a recent spate of break and enters in the area. Court papers also showed that since Wran was released from prison in September 2016, she has been receiving an $800-a-fortnight payment from a family trust fund. Harriet Wran, the daughter of late former NSW Premier Neville Wran appeared downcast as she sat hunched over on a bench at the drug rehabilitation centre Bail documents revealed the prosecution case against Wran is regarded as 'strong'. 'Some of this property has been proved to have come from various break and enters recently,' Senior Constable Damien Slade said in the documents. 'The offences are not in the high scale of seriousness but they may lead to other more serious offences, which the accused has not been charged with. 'Police do not believe the accused will receive a custodial sentence if convicted.' A man who was in the passenger seat of the ute when police stopped Wran fled the scene and ran into nearby bushland, dumping a large amount of stolen mail. He remains on the run. When asked outside court on April 3 if it had been a tough time, Wran told media: 'Yeah it is' Wran's latest drama comes two-and-a-half years after she was released from prison. She was jailed for two years for her role in a robbery, which led to the murder of drug dealer Daniel McNulty in August 2014. Wran was with her ex-boyfriend Michael Lee and his friend Lloyd Haines when they spontaneously robbed Mr McNulty at his inner-Sydney housing commission flat. A struggle broke out and 37-year-old Lee stabbed Mr McNulty to death. Lee was sentenced to at least 13 years for the 'senseless' stabbing murder. Haines, 31, who knew Lee had a knife but did not think he would use it, was jailed for at least 11 years. Wran was arrested after a sleepless six-day ice bender. She said she thought the men would only rob Mr McNulty, not kill him. Harriet Wran pleaded guilty to having crystal methamphetamine and more than 30 stolen laptops, mobile phones and credit cards in her possession when she appeared in court Before she was arrested on March 27, Harriet Wran had been living at her mother JIll's $2million Ravensdale property Wran was convicted of being an accessory after the fact. When she was released in 2016, she said: 'It's going to be a long process and it's going to be hard. 'I won't pick up drugs again,' she said. 'I never thought in a million years I'd end up in jail, let alone for murder. I've never intended for anyone to get hurt in my life; it was almost not real to begin with. Harriet Wran has been staying at the facility in Sydney's inner west since she was arrested on the NSW Central Coast on March 27. She will be sentenced on May 15 Wran (right with her mother Jill in 2016), 30, was jailed for her role in a robbery which led to the murder of drug dealer Daniel McNulty in August 2014 In November, photos posted to Wran's social media accounts showed her riding horses in between working on her mother Jill's 50-hectare farm. She has been studying an agribusiness degree at the University of New England while recovering at the $2million Ravensdale property before her arrest. Her father Neville Wran was the Premier of NSW from 1976 to 1986. He died in April 2014, aged . He was known for his 1978 campaign slogan Wran's Our Man. Wran (pictured) spent two years behind bars for her role in the death of Daniel McNulty The father and two brothers of the suspected mastermind of Sri Lanka's Easter Sunday bombings were killed when security forces stormed their safe house two days ago, police sources and a relative of the suicide bombers told Reuters on Sunday. Zainee Hashim, Rilwan Hashim and their father Mohamed Hashim, who were seen in a video circulating on social media calling for all-out war against non believers, were among 15 killed in a fierce gun battle with the military on the east coast on Friday, four police sources said. Niyaz Sharif, the brother-in-law of Zahran Hashim, the suspected ringleader of the wave of Easter Sunday bombings that killed over 250 people in churches and hotels across the island nation, told Reuters the video showed Zahran Hashim's two brothers and father. Police officers display an ISIS flag in Ampara after the raid on Sunday in which several people were killed A police officer inspects the site of a gun battle between troops and suspected Islamist militants Police officers display ball-bearings that increase the lethality of explosions in Ampara Zainee Hashim, Rilwan Hashim and their father Mohamed Hashim were all killed in the raid. They were related to Zahran Hashim (pictured), the suspected ringleader of the wave of Easter Sunday bombings Three of the 15 people killed were the same people who were seen in the undated video on social media, in which they discus martyrdom and urge their followers to kill all non believers, police sources said. Sri Lanka has been on high alert since the attacks on Easter Sunday, with nearly 10,000 soldiers deployed across the island to carry out searches and hunt down members of two local Islamist groups believed to have carried out the attack. It comes as the country's Catholics celebrated Mass in their homes by a televised broadcast as churches across the island nation shut over fears of militant attacks. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the archbishop of Colombo, delivered a homily before members of the clergy and the country's leaders in a small chapel at his Colombo residence - an extraordinary measure underlining the fear still gripping this nation of 21 million people. 'This is a time our hearts are tested by the great destruction that took place last Sunday,' Mr Ranjith said. A Catholic family at home near St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo follow a TV service conducted by the Archbishop of Colombo on Sunday The mass was delivered on TV following a shutdown of Catholic churches in Sri Lanka amid terror warnings The Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, announced that all Sunday Masses were cancelled 'This is a time questions such as, does God truly love us, does He have compassion towards us, can arise in human hearts.' In a rare show of unity, President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa attended the Mass. Their political rivalry and government dysfunction are blamed for a failure act upon near-specific information received from foreign intelligence agencies that preceded the bombings that targeted three churches and three luxury hotels. All Sri Lankan churches were asked to ring bells on Sunday while the lamp lighting takes place. The US Embassy in Colombo has warned against attending any service at a place of worship this weekend. In the eastern district of Ampara on Sunday, where a gunfight and explosions left 15 people dead the previous day, soldiers guarded St Mary Magdalen's Church, where a sign on the gate said the church and the school would be closed until May 6. Thousands of families reportedly prayed in their own homes instead of attending public places A view of St. Sebastian's Church, which was damaged in the blast in Negombo, north of Colombo, on Sunday morning More than 1,000 mourners gathered at the St. Sebastian church in Negombo, where more than 100 parishioners were killed as they worshipped on Sunday morning A nearby mosque also had soldiers stationed outside. The Islamic State group, meanwhile, claimed three of the militants who blew themselves up during a police raid in Ampara that was linked to the Easter bombings. In a statement carried by the extremists' Aamaq news agency, IS identified the bombers by their noms du guerre as Abu Hammad, Abu Sufyan and Abu al-Qa'qa. It said they opened fire with automatic weapons and 'after exhausting their ammunition, detonated ... their explosive belts'. Sri Lanka's military said the gunfight on Friday night near the town of Sammanthurai left 15 dead, including six children, when militants opened fire and set off explosives in suicide bombings as security forces closed in on their safe house. At the main police station in Ampara, an outdoor stage now holds what police recovered after the firefight. Wreckage: Sri Lankan security personnel inspect the damage at St Anthony's Shrine Security personnel patrol outside St. Anthony's Church, one of the sites of bomb blasts on Easter Sunday The IS-aligned militants had created a bombmaking factory at the home, complete with laboratory-style beakers and thick rubber gloves. Bags of fertiliser, gunpowder and small ball bearings filled boxes. Police found gallons of acids, used to make the fire of the blast more lethal. Police also recovered religious tracts in Tamil glorifying suicide bombings, saying they granted the attacker direct entrance to heaven. The government on Saturday formally banned two extremist groups purportedly connected to the attacks, allowing officials to confiscate their property, presidential spokesman Dharmasri Ekanayake said. The government, crippled from a long political crisis between the president and prime minister last year, promised swift action to capture militants still at large. Mr Sirisena said about 140 people had been identified as having links to the IS. Police confirmed that the leader of the local militant group blamed for the attack, Mohamed Zahran, died in the suicide bombing at the Shangri-La Hotel. Zahran appeared in an IS video claiming responsibility for the coordinated assault, and authorities in both Sri Lanka and Australia confirmed links between IS and the attack. A French pensioner who imported cocaine into Australia has claimed that he was approached by strangers on a beach in Mexico to move the illicit drugs. Juan Pedro Carpentier, 64, and three other European nationals were arrested on a cruise ship in Sydney's White Bay in 2017 where 30 kilograms of cocaine was allegedly found. Mr Carpentier, Belgian national Fatiha Kallouch, 41, French cake maker and mother-of-one Anais Deirolle and cruise ship chef Bruno Pieton-Larroque were all charged with importing a commercial quantity of cocaine. The foursome has boarded the cruise ship Astor in October travelling from France to Australia, stopping in Portugal, Mexico, Barbados and New Zealand. Scroll down for video A French national facing a possible life sentence for the alleged importation of cocaine told police he was approached by strangers in Mexico to import the illicit drugs Juan Pedro Carpentier, 64, and three other European nationals were arrested on a cruise ship in Sydney's White Bay in 2017 where 30 kilograms of cocaine was allegedly found Mr Carpentier told officers he was approached by strangers while on the beach in Mexico, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. He said the man asked him to put the cocaine into his bag and to sneak it into Australia, adding he did not receive any payment for the role nor did he learn the names of the men. He was told to drop the bag off once the ship had reached Fremantle, on its ways to Sydney. A joint investigation by foreign intelligence border agencies and Australia's Federal Police and Border Force eventually uncovered the alleged importation. It is alleged the 30 kilograms of cocaine was found split up throughout the common areas of the cruise ship and in Mr Carpentier's luggage. Footage released by the AFP shows one of the women being lead from the ship handcuffed as an officer carries a backpack. 'This detection is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of a vast network of law enforcement officers around the world focused on disrupting the supply of drugs destined for the Australian community,' an AFP statement read. AFP Commander Justine Gough, Manager Crime Operations, said seizures through 2017 were record breaking at the time. It is alleged the 30 kilograms of cocaine was found split up throughout the common areas of the cruise ship and in Mr Carpentier's luggage 'Weve seen the damage cocaine causes when it reaches Australian communities. The health effects on drug users, the increases in domestic violence, the increases in property crime and the increases in assaults,' she said. 'This detection is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of a vast network of law enforcement officers around the world focused on disrupting the supply of drugs destined for the Australian community.' Mr Carpentier and Ms Deirolle have pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in June. Meanwhile Ms Kallouch and Mr Piton-Larroque have pleaded no guilty and will face trial in October. A woman has been hit by a horse at an anti-Adani rally as tensions between protesters who are for and against the controversial mine reached boiling point on Sunday. The 62-year-old suffered back injuries after being hit by a horse ridden by pro-Adani protester in Clermont, in QLD, at about 3.40pm. Witnesses say the man galloped into the showground on the horse before charging into a crowd of people, according to The Age. Police say the woman was in shock and has been taken to hospital in a stable condition. The man riding the horse - who is believed to be a supporter of the controversial mine - was arrested. Anti-Adani convoy member Liz Cameron described the incident as 'confronting,' and said the man galloped away while a large group of people chased him. A woman in her 50s or 60s has been hit by a horse at an anti-Adani rally as tensions between protesters who are for and against the controversial mine reached boiling point on Sunday Former Greens leader and leader of the convoy Bob Brown said the man on the horse was yelling and waving his hat. 'There was a loud yahoo and this man rode between the crowd and the stage and coming out the gates knocked down a lady against the gates,' he said. The injured woman and her husband are from northern New South Wales and were part of the anti-Adani convoy. Witnesses say the man galloped into the showground on the horse before charging into a crowd of people Up until the incident, Sunday's separate rallies had been peaceful, but came aftera tense Saturday afternoon. Hundreds of activists protesting against the Adani mine were greeted by jeering Clermont residents lining the main street of the town. Anti-Adani protesters were warned the convoy would be met with hostility, with Clermont's three pubs agreeing not to serve them. The incident comes amid growing tensions between pro- and anti-Adani protesters, after a green convoy rolled into Clermont in Queensland - the town closest to the controversial coal mine project Former Greens leader and leader of the anti-Adani convoy Bob Brown (pictured) said the man on the horse was yelling and waving his hat, and was part of the pro-Adani residents who heckled activists A sign hung from a hotel read, 'go home and turn off your power and walk'. On Saturday evening, there was reports of firecrackers and rocks being thrown at the anti-Adani protesters, as tensions boiled between the opposing groups. Pro-Adani campaigners, unions and organisations were seen shouting, swearing and waving signs at the anti-Adani group. The rallies and protests at Clermont Showgrounds started with traditional dancing for the crowd of hundreds of activists One woman said a man wielding a long metal bar swung it at her windscreen. There's claims from the Bob Brown Foundation that on Saturday night, cars had rocks thrown at them, and young families in cars were abused and threatened and had flags ripped from vehicles. 'There was no gunshots, it was firecrackers, they were supposed to sound like gunshots,' Mr Brown told the Courier Mail. 'Like so much in the pro-Adani crowd, it was fake.' Tensions between pro-Adani locals and anti-Adani activists reached boiling point on Sunday, after a woman was taken to hospital at a rally after being hit by a man on a horse No one was injured during Saturday's protests. Pro-Adani politicians Clive Palmer and Pauline Hanson spoke at Saturday's rally, before the 400-strong crowd of anti-mine activists rolled into the town. Hundreds of pro-Adani residents and unions were overjoyed as the politicians declared their support for the mine. Hundreds of activists against the Adani mine were greeted by jeering Clermont residents lining the main street of Clermont on Saturday If the Adani Coal Mine gets underway, it will dig the biggest coal mine in Australia's history, and will be one of the biggest coal mines in the world. Adani would have grave environmental effects on not only the Great Barrier Reef, but on the atmosphere. More than 4.6 billion tonnes of carbon pollution will be pumped into our atmosphere, while the mine will also risk damage to aquifers of the Great Artesian Basin. Beyond the environmental impacts, the mine will also destroy ancestral lands, waters and cultures of Indigenous people - without their consent. Pro-Adani politicians Clive Palmer and Pauline Hanson spoke at Saturday's rally, before the 400-strong crowd of anti-mine activists rolled into the town However, those for the creation of the mine say residents and local businesses depend on mines and cannot exist without these jobs. 'The whole town depends on mining. We are the silent minority and people only hear about the local majority,' Grand Hotel Motel publican Kelvin Appleton told Daily Mail Australia. The $1million coal mine in the Galilee Basin is expected to create more than 1,500 jobs for the rail and coal mine construction. Local resident Carol Elly told The Age that Clermont and surrounding towns would collapse if the mine didn't go ahead. 'It's not just Clermont, it's all the little mining towns around that get the benefit of it, the jobs and the money in the town,' she said on Saturday. Pro-Adani protesters warned the convoy would be met with hostility, with Clermont's three pubs agreeing not to serve them Peers could be forced to reveal links to foreign companies under new transparency laws drawn up amid concern over a tide of 'red money' from Russia and China swirling through Parliament. Ben Wallace, the Security Minister, said a lack of complete transparency in Westminster was a 'weak point' in Britain's defences against hostile countries. Unlike MPs, peers do not have to declare how much money they have earned from foreign activities in the Register of Members' Financial Interests. Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Easter service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow last night There have been calls for a 'foreign agents registration act' that would force any individual or company that lobbies or acts politically on behalf of other countries to declare it publicly. Mr Wallace said action is needed to change parliamentary rules to ensure 'transparency in our political system' and protect against 'hybrid attacks' by hostile states. Ben Wallace, the Security Minister, (seen on April 9) said a lack of complete transparency in Westminster was a 'weak point' in Britain's defences against hostile countries He told the Sunday Times: 'Countries that seek to undermine the West target vulnerabilities in their politics and media. 'The UK has a strong mainstream media that gives us better resilience than most but I am certain that one of our weak points is where we lack transparency in our political system. 'Salisbury taught us we have to harden the environment and plug the gaps where foreign intelligence agents exploit our open society and economy.' Ministers were jolted into drafting new legislation and powers for dealing with foreign agents in the wake of the deadly nerve agent attack last year, he told the paper. This week a row over tech giant Huawei's role in UK infrastructure boiled over and a group of MPs has written to culture minister Jeremy Wright voicing their concerns. A letter from Bob Seely and five fellow Tories states: 'Having China anywhere near our communications systems poses structural risks about the level of Chinese influence in our society. 'Chinese law demands that Chinese firms work with the Chinese secret services.' Unlike MPs, peers do not have to declare how much money they have earned from foreign activities in the Register of Members' Financial Interests. Pictured is the Lords on April 4 Writing in the Times, Mr Seely said threats to free societies also come from 'how powerful people are influenced' and 'all parties are vulnerable'. 'Britain needs a foreign agents registration act. We need to know the individuals and companies that lobby or act politically on behalf of other countries and their proxies, including those on international sanctions lists,' the former Army captain said. 'We need a publicly available list of PR agencies, reputation management firms and others who do this work. 'It needs to include MPs and members of the House of Lords, some of whom have links to Russian businesses. 'If you want to work for President Vladimir Putin, China, another state or their cronies, directly or via proxies, you need to be open about it, describe the work you do, who you meet and why.' Kate McCann was a secret MI5 agent when her daughter Madeleine McCann went missing, it has been outrageously claimed. A Portuguese newspaper linked anguished Kate, 51, to the UK's counter-intelligence service in a new slur in the run-up to the 12th anniversary of the youngster's unsolved disappearance. A McCan family spokesperson, addressing the claims, said: 'These are absolutely absurd and ridiculous allegations, which Madeleine's parents are certain no one in their right mind would even consider believing. 'It is unmitigated garble and yet more nonsense they are having to endure at a very painful and difficult time for them.' Veteran journalist Jose Antonio Saraiva fed the wild conspiracy theories surrounding the mystery by alleging a female doctor had contacted him to insist Madeleine's disappearance was linked to her parents' 'secret activity' because of her mum's 'suspected' MI5 membership. Kate (pictured with husband Gerry McCann) has been wildly accused of being a member of the UK's counter-intelligence service in the run-up to the 12th anniversary of their daughter's unsolved disappearance And he gave the hair-brained idea oxygen in Sol - the weekly national Portuguese newspaper he founded nearly 13 years ago - by claiming it might explain Gordon Brown's decision to 'dispatch' then-British Ambassador John Buck to Praia da Luz after the youngster vanished from the McCanns' Algarve holiday apartment. Disgraced ex-Portuguese police chief Goncalo Amaral, who features heavily in the new Netflix documentary on the Madeleine McCann case, claimed last year MI5 spies helped to cover up her death and disappearance. Amaral, the original lead investigator in the case before his October 2007 sacking for criticising the British police, said British secret agents 'for sure had an involvement' in an Australian documentary which aired last April. Jose Antonio Saraiva, who wrote the piece for newspaper Sol, said a female genetics doctor he named only as H. Santos had identified Kate McCann as an MI5 agent and claimed it explained her daughter's disappearance, but also singled out husband Gerry as a potential spy Lisbon-born Saraiva, who trained as an architect before becoming a journalist, said a female genetics doctor he named only as H. Santos had identified Kate McCann as an MI5 agent and claimed it explained her daughter's disappearance, although husband Gerry was also singled out as a a potential spy. Writing in Sol, which sells to thousands of copies every week, he fuelled the hurtful claim and wrongly identified Gerry and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown as old schoolmates. Saraiva writes: 'This would explain the immediate dispatch to Portugal of a representative of the Chancellor of the Exchequer and future Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Madeleine McCann disappeared on the May 3 2007 from her bed in a holiday apartment in the resort of Praia da Luz. Despite several international police investigations, the whereabouts of the missing youngster remain unknown 'It was said that Brown did it because he was Gerry's schoolmate. But this explanation doesn't wash. 'The English are very formal and there's not the cronyism there that characterises southern Europe. 'A minister doesn't send an official representative to find out about the disappearance of a little girl because he went to school with her father.' Gerry McCann and Gordon Brown never attended the same school or university, but the ex-PM is known to the McCann's family through links to one of his sisters. Brown went to Kirkcaldy West Primary School and High School before beginning a long academic life at Edinburgh University, whereas Gerry McCann went to a primary in Glasgow, Holyrood Secondary School and Glasgow University on the other side of the country. Kate and Gerry McCann have spoken in the past about the hurt that speculation and conspiracy theories have caused the family. Family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said their refusal to take part in new Netflix series 'The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann' was based on their belief it may encourage conspiracy theorists and would do nothing to help with the ongoing search for her. In making reference to the theories thrown about online, he told This Morning last month 'the worst of human nature' was spread across social media. Kate McCann insisted from the outset her daughter had been abducted and she and her husband took Goncalo Amaral to court over his claims in controversial 2008 book 'The Truth of the Lie' that they had covered up her accidental death in their holiday apartment. Mr Mitchell revealed last year in an interview one of the 'most ridiculous' conspiracy theories he had ever heard was that Madeleine was 'born as the result of a government cloning project'. Gerry McCann said two years ago of the hurtful fake accusations: 'I'm sure it is a very small minority of people who spend their time doing it, but it has totally inhibited what we do.' AwazToday.pk Privacy Policy: We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our Website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address email address or telephone number) about your visits to this and other Web sites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here. Disclaimer: AwazToday.pk is not responsible for any content linked to or referred to from these pages. All videos, live tvs, blogs or video links point to content hosted on third party websites or members. We are using third party links for live tvs. Users who upload these videos or blogs agree not to upload illegal content when creating their user accounts. AwazToday.pk does not accept responsibility for content hosted on third party websites or by the members. If you have any questions please contact us. Copyright 2000-2021 AwazToday.pk. All rights reserved unless where otherwise noted. A 17-year-old daredevil was filmed hanging from a towering building with just three fingers in the ultimate death-defying stunt. The stuntman, who goes by the performance name of The Little Nuisance, took to the 44-storey Anaconda Cut building in Salford, Manchester, which stands at 430 feet, to carry out the heart-pounding rooftop stunt on April 20. YouTube viewers were left watching in awe as the teenager gained access to the top of one of the city's newest buildings and went on to hang from its side. Speaking to MailOnline, the young stuntman, who wished to remain anonymous, said he refused to let fear get to him as he climbed the UKs second tallest tower. The 17-year-old daredevil, who goes by the name of The Little Nuisance, hangs from the 44-storey Anaconda Cut building in Manchester Viewers are left open-mouthed as the teenager gains access to the top of one of the city's buildings The stuntman uses both hands to stabilise himself before hanging over the rooftop with just one hand Describing the moment that he was left hanging from the towering building the teenager, who posts his stunts on his Instagram page, said: 'I was just enjoying myself and not thinking about it too much. Just enjoying life really. 'I'm not fearful of performing the stunts. It's hard to explain but I'm just focusing on the present moment and not thinking about it too much. 'The first time I hanged off the building it was for about ten seconds and then that grew to about 15-20 seconds for my second attempt. 'I hanged off the building with two hands at first but then on my third attempt it was with just one hand.' The stuntman and his three friends first ventured to the top of the building, which was formerly the Greengate 100 building, during broad daylight. The gleaming building has since seen around 20 people move into its 349 luxury apartments. The daredevil uses one hand to hang from the 44-storey building in Salford, Manchester Fans of The Little Nuisance watch in horror as the stuntman looks down at the buildings and cars below him The young daredevil said: 'When the building was first finished we went onto the roof and decided to put up an abseil post. 'I spoke to my friend and we put a caribener on top of the roof. 'We've been on the roof about four times now and the first time we went up there it was daylight. 'The reason I only hanged with three fingers was because that was all the fingers the caribener would allow me to put through.' Later on YouTube the stuntman wrote: 'I know it's 44 floors, but I already made the thumbnail and can't be f***** changing it, so whatever. The young adrenaline junkie one day hopes to become a climbing or skydiving instructor The young stuntman often posts his dangerous performances on his Instagram page The thrill-seeker hangs from the top of a crane in Salford, near Cornbrook Tram Stop, in another death-defying stunt 'Yeah, hung off the side of this building with 3 fingers, bit stupid really but oh well. Enjoy.' He added: 'Do not try anything you see in this video. It's really f*****g dangerous, really f*****g stupid and not a good idea. Seriously.' The young adrenaline junkie, who one day hopes to become a climbing or skydiving instructor, now has his horizons set on another tall building. The Anaconda Cut building is the second tallest tower in the UK after South London's 45-storey UNCLE building He said: 'I have been climbing for a while but I got into rooftop hanging about six months ago. 'I next want to hang from anything that is high enough.' The towering building, which took two-and-a-half years to build, was designed by OMI Architects, and is the second tallest tower in the UK after South London's 45-storey UNCLE building. The full stunt can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/2QdQbajxjbI MI5 is investigating Isis plans to carry out a new wave of attacks across the UK and Europe using crocodile cells made up of sleeper operatives. It comes amid revelations that a ringleader of Sri Lanka's Easter massacre was mentored by a group of notorious British Isis fighters, including the killer known as Jihadi John, when travelling to Syria to prepare for the attacks. Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohamed, 36, who is considered by western intelligence agencies to be one of the plot's ringleaders, blew himself up at the Tropical Inn in Colombo on Easter Sunday. Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohamed is considered by western intelligence agencies to be a ringleader of Sri Lanka's Easter massacre Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohammed, one of eight Sri Lanka suicide attackers, was filmed on CCTV walking into the Tropical Inn guest house where he blew himself up And now, experts fear the West could see more deadly spectaculars as Isis, which claimed responsibility for the Sri Lanka attacks, switches tactics. The terror group is said to be relying on regional cells to do its work following its military defeat in its Syria and Iraq strongholds earlier this year. Mohamed was also mentored by a group of notorious British Isis fighters, including the killer known as Jihadi John (pictured) Police chiefs have urged churches and mosques in Britain to undertake counter-terrorism training over the fears of further attacks and far-right revenge plots. It comes as security services scramble to find out any associates or signs of extremist activity during Mohamed's time in Britain which could have encouraged him onto a journey of terrorism. Following his studies in the UK and Australia, where it is thought he formed links with local extremists, Mohamed travelled to Syria to join the murderous Islamic State group in 2014. Once in Syria, privately educated Mohamed is thought to have become a member of a Western cell within Isis called the Legion, which included among its members Mohamed Emwazi, also known as Jihadi John. 'We've seen intelligence which connects him [Mohamed] to a number of British terrorists who were in Syria, as well as to Jihadi John and Junaid Hussain, around the time that Isis set up its caliphate,' an intelligence source told The Sunday Times. Police in Ampara show the explosives, chemicals and Islamic State flag they recovered from the site of one security force raid on Sunday It comes amid revelations that Mohamed studied at Kingston University, south-west London, the same year a preacher (Shakeel Begg pictured) linked to Lee Rigbys killers gave a speech promoting Jihad 'The British jihadists seemed to be mentoring him through communication online and also when he travelled to Syria.' It is likely Mohamed only remained in the war zone for a few months, although it remains unclear when he returned to Sri Lanka to become part of an Isis sleeper cell. The Legion was set up to lure other English-speakers to the so-called caliphate and to encourage supporters in the West to carry out attacks. Made up of around a dozen members, at least a third of whom were from the UK, the Legion included Junaid Hussain, a computer hacker from Birmingham, as well as Jihadi John and Neil Prakash, an Australian-born Buddhist converted to Islam. The unit was killed in drone strikes, with one member Prakash jailed in Turkey last month after trying to flee the terror group's territory. The sister of British-educated Sri Lanka suicide bomber Mohamed (pictured as a school boy) has revealed how he became radicalised abroad and ended up 'really angry and totally crazy' even telling off male relatives off for trimming their beards Mohamed's sister said her sibling lost a lot of his childhood innocence, becoming serious and withdrawn - adding 'He would not even smile at anyone he didn't know, let alone laugh.' Charlie Winter, of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King's College London, said: 'Now that Isis has been defeated in Syria and Iraq, it will become more violent outside [this area]. 'It's a grim outlook, but we are likely to see more attempts at attacks, more regularly, for the foreseeable future. Sri Lanka was not a one-off. If anything, it was a test run.' On Friday, MI5 was investigating whether Mohamed had his first taste of extremism while studying at Kingston University from 2006-07. He enrolled on an aerospace engineering degree at the Asian Aviation Centre in Sri Lanka, in which students spend their third and final year at Kingston University. Aged 23, he arrived in the UK on January 1, 2006, and returned to Sri Lanka in September 2007. He also visited Britain in 2008. During Mohameds first year in Surrey, hardline preacher Shakeel Begg, spoke at the university, telling students: You want to make jihad? Very good... go to Palestine and fight the terrorists, fight the Zionists. Mohamed, one of six siblings, was from a wealthy tea trading family based near the central city of Kandy. He lived in this house in an upmarket part of Colombo which was raided on Monday Begg is the imam at the Lewisham Islamic Centre, which was later attended by the killers of Fusilier Lee Rigby. Kingston University said it condemned extremist activity in the strongest terms. It is not known if Mohammed attended the speech or came into contact with Begg. Mohammed's sister, Samsul Hidaya, said that after he returned from his studies at Melbournes Swinburne University, he was a changed man. 'My brother became deeply, deeply religious while he was in Australia,' she said. 'He was normal when he went to study in Britain, and normal when he came back. 'But after he did his postgraduate in Australia, he came back to Sri Lanka a different man. She said: He had a long beard and had lost his sense of humour. He became serious and withdrawn and would not even smile at anyone he didnt know, let alone laugh. Mohammed is thought to have been radicalised in Melbourne, after Kingston University. It is thought he formed links there with local jihadis who would go on to Syria to join IS. He is believed to have botched his attempt to detonate his bomb at a five-star hotel and is thought to have blown himself up by accident at a much smaller guest house on Easter Sunday. Mohammed tried to blow up the luxury Taj Samudra hotel (pictured) in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Easter Sunday The world's deadliest hitman, who has killed more than 500 victims, has shed light on his blood drenched career as a professional killer. Contract assassin Julio Santana, now 64, who stopped counting the number of people he had killed at 492, has taken the lives of political targets, gold miners and cheating spouses. Santana's dark and dangerous career, which was recently transformed into the book 'The Name of Death' by the award-winning Brazilian reporter Klester Cavalcanti, takes a look at the hitman's murky path. Speaking to The New York Post, Santana, who has since given up his job, described how he would keep meticulous notes of each kill he had made alongside information on who had hired him and how much he had been paid for carrying out the dark acts. Contract assassin Julio Santana, now 64, who has killed more than 500 victims, has shed light on his blood drenched career as a professional killer. His life was transformed into the book 'The Name of Death' Santana first entered the murky career of contract killing in 1971 when he was just 17-years-old. (Stock image) He told The Post:'I dont like to think about it anymore. That part of my life is over.' He added: 'I have always believed in God. I believe that God gave me the strength to endure everything I suffered in my life because of that evil job. I know what I did was wrong.' Santana, who was raised as a devout Christian, first entered the murky career in 1971 when he was just 17-years-old. Up until that point, Santana, who lived deep in the Amazon rainforest and seemed destined to become a fisherman, had only ever killed forest rodents and monkeys. However an invitation from his uncle Cicero, who was a professional hitman, would change the course of his life forever. Santana's uncle had been hired to kill local fisherman Antonio Martins, 38, who had allegedly raped a 13-year-old girl in a nearby village, and asked Santana to carry out the dark deed. While he was reluctant at first and feared he would go to hell for the atrocious act, Santana decided to take on his first assignment and soon became a prolific contract killer. During the 1970s, Santana was ordered to capture the Brazilian politician Jose Genoino (right) and then went on to kill school teacher Maria Lucia Petit (left), 22 Despite vowing to never kill anyone again after his first assignment, Santana went on to commit hundreds of murders across the country. He was soon assigned as an assassin for the Brazilian government and from 1967 to 1974 helped in the battle against communist insurgents in the Araguaia River basin. During the 1970s, he was ordered to capture the Brazilian politician and leftist militant Jose Genoino, who had been one of the guerrilla leaders, before going on to kill school teacher Maria Lucia Petit, 22. For years Ms Petit's family were unaware of what had happened to her and it was only after mounting pressure on the Brazilian authorities that it was revealed her body had been buried in secrecy. In 2006, Santana, at the age of 52, decided to turn his back on the world of contract assassinations and change his life amid continuing pressure from his wife. The former assassin added that had it not been for the support of his wife he would not have overcome his dark past. He added: 'She is the love of my life, the person who has given me strength to overcome everything I have been through. Without her, I would be nothing.' Armed French police protecting the fire-ravaged Notre Dame Cathedral from fire are smoking openly while on duty. This is despite revelations that the devastating blaze that almost destroyed the ancient place of worship in Paris might have been caused by a discarded cigarette. A video shot in a secure No Smoking zone around the building on Friday shows a Gendarme officer puffing away on the historic Double Bridge, which crosses the Seine River to the Cathedral. He then strolls towards Notre Dame, and tosses his cigarette butt into a dustbin. 'It all looked very casual and careless,' said the witness who shot the video. 'The officer didn't seem fussed about fire precautions, which are currently very strict indeed around Notre Dame. 'None of his colleagues seemed to care either. This is despite the risk of fire around Notre Dame still being extremely high.' Extensive interviews carried out by detectives since the horrific Notre Dame blaze two weeks ago has led to renovators confessing that they smoked illegally around the cathedral. Police also found seven discarded cigarette butts around the roof, where the fire broke out. An inferno raged through Notre Dame Cathedral for more than 12 hours, destroying it's spire and roof but spared its twin medieval bell towers, as a frantic rescue effort was made to save the monument's 'most precious treasures' A video shot in a secure No Smoking zone around the building on Friday shows a Gendarme officer puffing away on the historic Double Bridge near Notre Dame While the cause of the fire is still considered accidental, any proof that a discarded cigarette butt led to the fire could result in a prison sentence. A criminal enquiry has been on going since April 15 - the day the fire started - and prosecutions are possible. The main suspects are the renovators working for Le Bras Freres (The Bras Brothers) - a company based in eastern France which had won a contract to restore the Cathedral spire. 'It all looked very casual and careless,' said the witness who shot the video. 'The officer didn't seem fussed about fire precautions, which are currently very strict indeed around Notre Dame' 'None of his colleagues seemed to care either. This is despite the risk of fire around Notre Dame still being extremely high' the filmer said It was lost in the blaze, along with most of the roof, although the Bras workers have insisted they were not on site when it started. Company spokesman Marc Eskenazi said: 'Yes, there are some people who, from time to time, have ignored the ban and we regret this.' Mr Estenazi added: 'Under no circumstances can a poorly extinguished butt be the cause of the Notre Dame fire.' In fact, investigators have said the fire could have started at least a full day before emergency services knew about it. The policeman then strolls towards Notre Dame, and tosses his cigarette butt into a dustbin Forensics experts have told those leading the criminal enquiry that a discarded cigarette could have started carbonising tinder-dry wood without anyone noticing. 'This is very common in the old buildings around central Paris,' said a source close to the enquiry. 'There would not have been much energy in the fire to begin with, and certainly not enough to trigger alarms. The roof of Notre Dame caught fire in the evening of April 15 and caused a huge response from across the city 'This would have changed as the combustion intensified and sparked a full blown fire on the roof of the building.' While British police are not allowed to smoke on duty, it is common to see officers with cigarettes in France. However, a Gendarme source said it was 'unfortunate that an officer was seen smoking so close to Notre Dame so soon after the fire.' He added: 'It is likely that this will be looked into.' In a further twist, it has emerged that Le Bras Brothers were involved in another site fire earlier this month. On April 1, a blaze broke at a listed building being used as a youth centre in Belleville-sur-Meuse, in eastern France. The damage was minor, and the fire was easily brought under control by firefighters, but Le Bras restorers were once again implicated, and interviewed by police. The Paris investigating source said: 'The company has accepted responsibility for the fire in Belleville, but not the one in Paris. What happened in Belleville is obviously of significance to the enquiry in Paris.' An aerial view of the cathedral shows the full extent of the damage which started on April 15. A criminal enquiry has been on going since the start of the fire, and prosecutions are said to be possible Le Bras Freres last year finished a widespread restoration programme of Reims Cathedral in eastern France. It had won the contract to restore the Notre Dame spire that was designed by the architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc and erected in 1859. They were due to be on site for up to four years along with Europe Scaffolding, another company which had just put 250 tons of scaffolding around Notre Dame, along with a lift that could move up and down the 300ft fire. Notre Dame has been closed for the foreseeable future, but a trust fund has already raised more than a billion euros for its restoration. French president Emmanuel Macron has pledged that it will reopen 'within five years' and that it will be 'more beautiful' than before. Imtiaz Dharker has written about themes including religion, identity, culture and feminism A self-described 'Pakistani-Scottish Calvinist Muslim' is expected to succeed Carol Ann Duffy as poet laureate. Imtiaz Dharker, who has written about themes including religion, identity, culture and feminism, would be the first Asian person and second woman to become poet laureate in the position's 350-year-long history. It is understood that Dharker, 65, was chosen by the government after culture secretary Jeremy Wright introduced a 15-person committee of poetry experts to help select the next laureate before Duffy's ten-year term ends on April 30, the Sunday Times reported. Dharker, who was born in Lahore, Pakistan, and grew up in Glasgow, appeared on Desert Island Discs in 2015 where she told Kirsty Young: 'I am a Pakistani-Scottish Calvinist Muslim, adopted by India and married into Wales Don't try to put me in a box I'm a cultural mongrel.' The culture department said that an appointment has not yet been confirmed. The final decision will be taken by The Queen. Dharker's mixed heritage and roaming lifestyle is a central theme in her work. In her poem They'll Say 'She Must Be From Another Country', she writes: 'Maybe there is a country / where all of us live / all of us freaks / who aren't able to give /our loyalty to fat old fools... 'The crooks and thugs / who wear the uniform / that gives them the right / to wave a flag... 'Puff out their chests... 'Put their feet on our necks... 'And break their own rules.' The Queen presents Imtiaz Dharker with The Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry at Buckingham Palace Pictured: A demonstration outside Pentonville Prison protesting against the ban on sending books to prisoners. Led by the Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy (centre), with Vanessa Redgrave, Shami Chakrabarti, Al Kennedy, Imtiaz Dharker and Frances Crook on March 28, 2014 Dharker was awarded the Queens Gold Medal for Poetry in 2014, and is a former poet-inresidence at Cambridge University Library. Her first collection, Purdah, published in 1989, was titled after the Muslim and Hindu practice of keeping men and women separate. Commenting on her work, Dharker had written: 'The image of purdah for me was on the dangerous edge of being almost seductive: the hidden body, the highlighted eyes, the suggestion of forbidden places. 'But of course it is also one of the instruments of power used to bring women to heel in the name of religion.' Her following works include Postcards from God, I speak for the Devil, The Terrorist at my Table, Leaving Fingerprints and Over the Moon. Dharker's work appears in GCSE and A-level syllabuses, and she speaks to more than 25,000 students a year in poetry recitals across the country. While giving one talk, she explained the origin of her poem Tissue. She noticed her father had written her date of birth on the tissue paper on the back of a book. It is understood that Dharker was chosen by the government to succeed Duffy (pictured) when her ten-year term ends on April 30 'Looking at it, I felt a connection to him, that we had lost for years,' she said. 'And in this poem I wrote, I was really trying to think about what matters, what's worth writing in books, birth, death, family, relationships, and how the scraps of paper that we throw away are the things that tell the real story of our lives. 'And also how something as fragile as tissue, tissue paper, human skin, can be more precious than all the things we build to try and make ourselves feel safe and secure, the temples and churches and mosques, and the monuments.' Dharker was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2011. Waiting for Crossrail Victoria and Elizabeth, Ada and Phyllis swoop in from the ends of the city to marvel at the newly unearthed find. The tunnel has seen it all before. It yawns, and at its open mouth these people have materialised like words it has just spoken, a speech balloon that blossoms out of darkness. Extract from Waiting for Crossrail by Imtiaz Dharker Advertisement There have been recent calls from poets for the new laureate reflect multicultural Britain. Poet Daljit Nagra, the son of Indian immigrants who uses a colourful mix of Punjabi and English - or Punglish - was reported to have been a contender for the role, along with Lemn Sissay, who sold his first poetry to Lancashire miners on strike. While growing up in Scotland, Dharker's Pakistani parents banned her from going out and dancing in the evenings, instead pushing her towards focusing on education. 'I spent a lot of my time looking out over the city and the shining lights, and feeling as if all of life was happening somewhere else, somewhere out there, somewhere where I was not,' she said. She fell in love with an older man on the faculty of her university while studying, and the couple married and ran away to India shortly after Dharker's final exams, never to see her mother again. But following her divorce she would reconcile with her father and siblings, but Dharker said it is still 'too painful' to talk about it with them. Her second husband, Welshman Simon Powell, founded Poetry Live before his death in 2009 following a struggle with cancer. Her daughter Ayesha, 42, appeared on Coronation Street from 2008-9 as Tara Mandal. Carol Ann Duffy, who was the first woman, first Scot and first openly gay or bisexual poet to hold the laureate position, has praised Dharker. She said: 'Reading her, one feels that were there to be a world laureate, Imtiaz Dharker would be the only candidate.' A man and his son was injured in a brutal hit-and-run crash on Sunday in central Victoria. The father, 57, and the teenage boy were travelling on the Calder Freeway near East Malmsbury at around 6am when their black Ford collided with another car. A man and woman allegedly left the crash on foot however the pair were arrested on Mollison Street 30 minutes later. Two people have been arrested after a horror hit-and-run smash left a 57-year-old and his teenage son injured Police searched the nearby area for evidence that may have dumped, according to 9News. The father was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital with a severe back injury but has since been released. His son was treated for minor injuries on the scene. A 29-year-old man, from Corio, is expected to be interviewed in regards to various offences. These include possessing firearms and ammunition and traffic offences as well as conduct endangering life/serious injury. While a 33-year-old Bendigo woman was released from police custody as they continue to investigate. The investigation is ongoing and police ask anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A paraglider who tragically died at a popular coastal lookout has been remembered as a 'thoroughly likeable' father and teacher. Des Hamilton, 54, was at Bald Hill, south of Sydney, on Saturday afternoon, when he was blown back into the cliff face as he tried to take off. It's believed Mr Hamilton fell more than 50 metres to his death. Des Hamilton, 54, was at Bald Hill, south of Sydney, on Saturday afternoon when he was blown back into the cliff face as he tried to take off A specialist paramedic had to abseil down to the base of the cliff before discovering Mr Hamilton had died at the scene A specialist paramedic had to abseil down to the base of the cliff before discovering Mr Hamilton had died at the scene, the Illawarra Mercury reported. A friend of Mr Hamilton's told the publication he was an experienced pilot. 'It's definitely rocked the paragliding community, he was regular pilot who had been piloting for a long time. We all knew him pretty well and it's devastating for us as a group,' he said. 'You get a few scrapes here and there but it's typically quite a safe sport if you follow the guidelines and follow the safety protocols.' Peter Ffrench, a friend of Mr Hamilton's told 9 News the man was well liked among the community. 'Des was doing something totally addictive, we love our sport, just a thoroughly likeable person, he really was,' he said. Other witnesses said Mr Hamilton took off from the cliff correctly but a wind gust blew him back into the cliff face. Due to poor light and conditions emergency services could not retrieve Mr Hamilton's body until Sunday. Boris Johnson will have a private audience with Donald Trump during his state visit to Britain, according to friends of the president. One scenario could see Mr Trump hosting a private dinner party at Winfield House, the US ambassador's palatial London residence, where he will stay during the trip due to the ongoing renovations at Buckingham Palace. The US leader is also considering including Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage on the guest list, sources close to the plans suggested. Donald Trump and Boris Johnson at the NATO summit in New York on September 18, 2017; and Nigel Farage in London on Wednesday The reports in The Sunday Times will fuel fears President Trump could use the visit to embarrass Theresa May, who he has repeatedly criticised for her approach to Brexit. He has previously described Mr Johnson as a 'friend' who would make a 'great prime minister'. A government source said: 'There are fears within government circles about any potential meeting with Boris Johnson so the timetable is being scrutinised to limit the opportunities he has to do his own thing.' Mr Trump will hold bilateral talks with Mrs May at Downing Street during the visit from June 3-5, and will take part in commemorations in Portsmouth marking the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. Jeremy Corbyn has already said he will not attend a banquet held in Mr Trump's honour - claiming it was wrong to 'kowtow' to a president who tore up international treaties and used 'racist and misogynist rhetoric'. Mr Corbyn was immediately accused of hypocrisy for refusing to dine with the leader of the world's most powerful democracy despite having previously broken bread with terrorists and extremists. Jeremy Corbyn has been criticised for refusing to meet President Trump despite having shaken hands with controversial figures including China's President Xi These include representatives of the terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah, convicted IRA volunteers, Gerry Adams, President Assad of Syria, as well as President Maduro of Venezuela. Commons Speaker John Bercow, another prominent Trump critic, has also decided to snub the Queen's invitation, as has Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable and SNP leader Ian Blackford. The white tie dinner banquet at Buckingham Palace, hosted by the Queen, is always one of the key events of any state visit. It is traditionally attended by senior politicians - including the leader of the opposition - and other dignitaries. Mr Corbyn attended a state banquet in honour of Chinese President Xi Jinping shortly after becoming Labour leader in 2015. However, during the last state visit - made by King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands in October - he was represented by shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry. On that occasion, he was believed to have been attending a family event. The Labour leader also missed the banquets staged to mark the July 2017 visit of King Felipe VI of Spain, and the official visit of the Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos in November 2016. Mr Trump's visit is highly controversial and is expected to attract mass demonstrations. The Prime Minister was widely was criticised by some for inviting the US leader to make a state visit just days into his presidency in 2017. The reports will fuel fears Trump could use the visit to embarrass Theresa May, (seen today at church in Maidenhead with her husband) who he has repeatedly criticised for her approach to Brexit Tory deputy chairwoman Helen Whately today called Mr Trump's comments on women 'really unhelpful and wrong', as she defended going to his inauguration. Appearing on Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday, she was asked about Mr Trump calling women 'fat slobs and pigs'. Ms Whately, who is also the Conservative Party's vice chairwoman for women, said: 'Yes, I don't like some of the things he's said about women, and I think that rhetoric is really unhelpful and wrong, and it suggests an attitude towards women that I have no support for. So I don't like seeing that.' She was also asked about a photo she posted on social media in January 2017 from Mr Trump's presidential inauguration ceremony in Washington DC, after facing criticism for attending. The MP for Faversham and Mid Kent said she was asked to go as a representative of the Conservative Party, and said it was 'an interesting thing to go along to', to listen to the mood of the American people, saying people told her they voted for Mr Trump because they 'felt nobody was listening to them'. But she added she was 'not particularly' a fan of the man himself, saying she had 'more mixed feelings' about him personally. A grieving mother has lost two sons to suicide in a matter of weeks after her youngest 'wanted to be like his brother'. Michelle French lost her sons Dai, 28, and James, 23, within the space of two months. James discovered his older brother's body at their home in Abertillery near Newport when Dai killed himself shortly after laughing and drinking with the family. Michelle French has spoken out about the death of her two sons in a matter of weeks in order to raise awareness about male mental health Weeks later, James told his mother he 'wanted to be like' Dai and the next day he was found hanged and placed in a coma for six days when the decision to turn off his life support machine was made. Mrs French told Wales Online: 'I just don't understand it. The beginning of this year I had seven children. Now I have two missing and they took a piece of my heart with them. 'I'm not ever going to get that back and that's what's killing me.' With five sons and two daughters, Mrs French said her children grew up in a happy and lively home. She described Dai, a machine minder and keen rugby player, as a 'very likeable little rogue' and said he would have made a great father if he had the chance. Dai Lane, 28, was described as a 'very likeable little rogue' by his mother and killed himself in February after a long battle with depression James Lane, 23, discovered his brother's body and later said he 'wanted to be like' Dai and hanged himself The grieving mother has decided to speak publicly about her horrific ordeal to encourage other young men to talk about their mental health. She said Dai's mental health deteriorated after he was hit by a car and chipped a tooth and a bone in his hand, causing him to miss work and stop playing rugby. James on the other hand was described as 'mischievous' with his life going from strength to strength with a new job and a girlfriend. Mrs French says she has taken comfort from the fact that James was an organ donor whose kidneys, liver and pancreas have helped four people following his death. She said: 'Because of the way my boys died I wouldn't like to see anyone else go through that. 'Men's mental health needs to be addressed. And it's not just men, it's boys as well. It's not a bad thing to say you need help.' A fundraising page set up by two of their sisters is hoping to raise money to help their mother pay for James's funeral after her devastating loss. For confidential support in the UK, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see samaritans.org for details The plight of British army veteran locked up in a Dubai jail for seven months on false drugs charges is to be brought before the United Nations. Lawyers for Andy Neal will present his case to the Special Commissioner on torture and unlawful detention in a new bid to get him freed. The former corporal, who suffers from PTSD after a tour of Afghanistan, has been jailed since October last year despite no evidence that he was ever involved in the supply of drugs. The father of two has had his hopes of being released repeatedly dashed and has been transferred from a Dubai jail to a maximum security prison in Abu Dhabi in what is seen as a political move by the prosecutor to distance himself from the wrongful arrest. Lawyers for the British army veteran Andy Neal will present his case to the Special Commissioner after he was locked up on false drugs charges Human Rights lawyers are now stepping up the pressure to get the father of two released and reunite him with is wife Sue and two young children. The Guernica International Justice Chambers will this week petition the UN and demand his immediate release. They will be meeting with the UN Special Representative of Torture, Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment to get them to intervene and put pressure on the United Arab Emirates. Andy, 44, had been living in Dubai since 2015 running a dog training school when he was suddenly arrested last October. Despite denying any involvement with drugs he was forced to sign a confession in Arabic admitting his involvement in a drugs ring. He was arrested after a man he had never met named him as a supplier involved in an international drugs ring. When the case came to court his accuser admitted he had never met Andy and retracted his statement. Despite the lack of evidence, prosecutors refused to release Andy as police had mistakenly allowed the main drug pusher to leave the country. Analysis of Andy's phone records showed he never had any contact with the other 16 people arrested. No drugs were found at his home and all drugs tests proved negative. The human rights lawyers are increasing pressure to get the father of two released and reunite him with is wife Sue and two young children The prosecutor had said he would make a final decision on Andy's fate in January but has since transferred the case to Abu Dhabi. Campaign group Detained in Dubai, who have been working to secure Andy's release, said the move was aimed at avoiding embarrassment over the botched investigation. Radha Stirling, CEO if the Detained in Dubai, said: 'His treatment by the UAE is disgraceful. Andy and his family's lives have been turned upside-down because the Dubai police and Public Prosecutor cannot admit that his arrest was a mistake from the beginning. 'The British government has conspicuously failed to stand up for Andy, though he risked his life to stand up for the United Kingdom for over 20 years. 'The Foreign Office has provided no support for him and his family, and the Foreign Secretary has been silent. In these circumstances, Andy's only recourse is to the United Nations. 'It is outrageous that mere accusation is sufficient in the United Arab Emirates for someone to be treated as guilty; and even more outrageous that proof of innocence can be blatantly disregarded just to protect the professional reputations of those in law enforcement, when a man's life and freedom are on the line.' Andy's parents Maurice and Sue, from Nottingham, are desperately worried for their son's health. He was recently visited by a doctor over concerns about his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the former soldier was bluntly told 'it was all in his head.' Andy, who was awarded 17 medals and a bravery commendation during his two decades in the army, is only allowed to see his wife once a week while being held in Abu Dhabi. The family enlisted the help of their local MP and Andy's former commanding officer in an attempt to get the Government involved and put pressure on the UAE to speed up his release. A spokesman for London based Guernica 37 Chambers said: 'It is argued on his behalf in the Communication to the UN that this decision to transfer the case to Abu Dhabi is clearly a politically motivated decision on behalf of the Public Prosecutor, given that he is reportedly seeking promotion. 'To release Mr. Neal now would mean that his department would be forced to admit fault, whereas by transferring the case to Abu Dhabi, it is no longer his responsibility. 'Whilst in custody, Mr. Neal has been denied his prescribed medication to treat his diagnosed PTSD following his final tour of Afghanistan. The visiting psychiatrist chose to interrogate Mr. Neal rather than provide any counselling. The protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms ought to go beyond the political posturing of national states; human rights are universal, they are not dependent on diplomatic, trade or military allegiance, and yet governments consistently allow such factors to blinker their policies to the detriment of individuals, rather than discharge their obligation to humanity. In filing this petition of complaint, Guernica urges the UN Special Procedures Branch to circumstances of Mr. Neal's detention, to conduct an inspection of the conditions of his custody and examine the on-going ill-treatment with a view to securing his immediate release and exoneration. The report complicates claims by Cabinet Office minister David Lidington about Huawei's independence from the Chinese state earlier this week Huawei is almost entirely answerable to Chinese state spies, according to a former Government security adviser - despite a minister's claim that the tech firm is a 'private company'. The report, written by Peter Varnish OBE for the Henry Jackson Society, says that Huawei is nearly 99% owned by a trade union, which in Chinese law are ultimately controlled by the Communist Party. As a result, the think tank concludes that it is 'high to certain that Huawei acts on behalf of China's intelligence organs'. The report, published in The Sunday Times, complicates claims by Cabinet Office minister David Lidington about Huawei's independence from the Chinese state earlier this week. 'Legally speaking, Huawei is a private firm, not a government-owned company,' he told MPs in answer to a question by Julian Lewis, chair of the defence committee. The firm is at the centre of a heated debate after details emerged of a National Security Council (NSC) meeting when Theresa May was said to have given the green light for Huawei to help build the UK's 5G communications network. The row boiled over this week, with a group of Conservative MPs writing to culture minister Jeremy Wright voicing their concerns. A letter from Bob Seely and five fellow Tories states: 'Having China anywhere near our communications systems poses structural risks about the level of Chinese influence in our society. 'Chinese law demands that Chinese firms work with the Chinese secret services.' Philip Hammond, who has been in China seeking closer trade ties, said whoever leaked the information must be identified. He is pictured on Friday Mr Seely was a co-author of the Henry Jackson Society report alongside Mr Varnish and Dr John Hemmings, its director of Asia studies. It found that Huawei is 98.86% owned by the Huawei Investment and Holding Trade Union Committee, which is ultimately answerable to the All-China Federation of Trade Unions. This was described by the report as a 'core report of the Chinese party-state apparatus'. China's ambassador to the UK has urged the Government to act independently and resist external pressure as he defended the tech giant Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Beijing's ambassador Liu Xiaoming questioned whether the UK would 'choose independent decision-making or not'. 'Countries of global influence, like the UK, make decisions independently and in accordance with their national interests,' he said. 'When it comes to the establishment of the new 5G network, the UK is in the position to do the same again by resisting pressure, working to avoid interruptions and making the right decision independently based on its national interests and in line with its need for long-term development.' The manner in which details of the NSC discussion were leaked to the Daily Telegraph has prompted a major inquiry. Members of the Cabinet were expected to be summoned for interviews as part of the formal inquiry headed by Cabinet Secretary and National Security Adviser Sir Mark Sedwill. Ministers and aides were reportedly issued questionnaires requiring them to explain where they were in the hours following Tuesday's NSC meeting. They were also said to have been asked to provide details of all mobile phones in their possession and whether they spoke to the Telegraph, which carried the original report about the Huawei decision. Much of the attention has focused on five ministers who were said to have voiced objections to the Huawei decision - Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox. MPs were quick to link the leak to the manoeuvrings around the Tory leadership, with whoever was responsible hoping to burnish their credentials for being tough on China. All five, however, have either publicly denied being the guilty party or let it be known through aides that they were not responsible. Also present at the meeting were David Lidington, the Cabinet Office Minister and Mrs May's de facto deputy, Chancellor Philip Hammond, Business Secretary Greg Clark and Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright. Much of the anger around the leak from the NSC - where ministers are briefed by the heads of the intelligence agencies, MI5, MI6 and GCHQ - reflects concern among MPs and officials that it could damage intelligence-sharing with key partners such as the US. Mr Hammond, who has been in China seeking closer trade ties, said whoever leaked the information must be identified. A woman's mysterious disappearance 35 years ago is now being treated as a homicide, police have confirmed. Stella Farrugia was just 18 when she was reported missing on October 18, 1984, by her boyfriend Wojciech Kubale. The teenager was never seen again but for six years her devastated family, from Sunshine, Victoria, received creepy telephone calls from an unknown caller. Family members would answer the call but the person on the other end of the line would remain silent before hanging up. The teenager was known to be outgoing, kind and generous, but also a little easily led, police said on Sunday. Mr Kubale told officers he last saw Stella a their home address in Henley Beach, Adelaide, the day before she went missing. She had struck up a relationship with Mr Kubale after previously breaking up with another boyfriend. Stella Farrugia (pictured) was 18 when she was reported missing on October 18, 1984, by her boyfriend Wojciech Kubale Detective Sergeant Cameron Georg, the Major Crime investigator overseeing the case said: 'There was a suggested history of domestic violence in connection with both relationships, but there were no reports to police so it is hard to gauge to what extent. 'During this period she had written to her sister, demanding she make contact by a specific date and saying if she didn't she would cut off all ties. 'That date came and went before her sister got around to replying but sadly did not receive a response from Stella.' Mr Kubale, who died in 2010, told police that he had been out for the day and came home to find Stella's dog, bank books and personal possessions in the flat but no sign of her. When he contacted her family weeks after Stella's disappearance police became more concerned. Before she lived with Mr Kubale on Seaview Road in Henley Beach, Adelaide, she had lived with another boyfriend in Mt Torrens, who she met when she was living in Cairns. Pictured in an age progression mock-up Detective Sergeant Georg said there were two possible explanations for Stella's disappearance. The first is that Stella deliberately chose to move away and break all ties with her family, possibly with the assistance of someone who had offered to support her; or that she had met with foul play. 'My feeling is that it's more likely that she's deceased, given that her story has appeared on a number of occasions in the media and there has been ample opportunity for her to make contact with either police or her family, but she hasn't,' he said. Detective Sergeant Georg said Stella either deliberately chose to move away from the family she clashed with or she had been met with foul play 'But until such time as you have a body or a confession, there remains that very faint hope that she may be alive. 'Her disappearance is being treated as a homicide, so there is a reward available if someone is holding on to information. 'Both of her boyfriends from around that time remain persons of interest in the case, albeit that one of them is deceased.' Rewards of up to $200,000 will be paid to anyone who provides information and assistance that leads to the conviction of the person or persons responsible for the suspected murder of Stella Farrugia. Police urge anyone with information on Stella's disappearance to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A 37-year-old man has been charged with murdering his neighbour after she was found dead in her London home - an hour before a double stabbing left a man dead nearby. Police were scrambled to an apartment in Whitechapel at around 1.30pm on Friday after concerns were reported about the 'welfare of a female resident'. Doctors pronounced the woman, named as Amy Parsons, 35, dead at the scene. They arrested her neighbour, Roderick Deakin-White later that day and have today charged him with her murder. Just an hour later two men were found stabbed in nearby Hackney, with police called to the scene at 2.43pm. The first victim, 29, was rushed to hospital where he later died. The second victim, a man in his twenties, is in a 'stable' condition in hospital. The day of bloodshed resulted in the 39th and 40th murders London has seen so far this year. Police were scrambled to an apartment in Whitechapel, east London (road pictured) at around 1.30pm on Friday after concerns were reported about the 'welfare of a female resident'. The victim, Amy Parsons, 35, was pronounced dead at the scene Deakin, who is believed to have known his alleged victim, will appear at Thames Magistrates' Court tomorrow. Ms Parson's family has been informed, but formal identification and a post-mortem examination awaits. Meanwhile detectives probing the Hackney murder are questioning a 16-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of GBH at the scene. The suspects of the double Hackney stabbing arrived at the scene in a 'Ford SUV type vehicle'. A road lock down was put in place along Frampton Park Road and Loddiges Road after police were called to the scene. Officers were then told of another man, believed to be in his twenties, had been stabbed in nearby Wilton Way. Just an hour later two men were found stabbed in nearby Hackney, with police called to the scene at 2.43pm. Police are pictured at the scene where the first victim, 29, died First victim was rushed to hospital but later pronounced dead. Police are pictured at scene of first stabbing in Hackney, east London Detective Chief Inspector Richard Vandenbergh of the Met Police's Homicide and Major Crime Command leads the investigation he said: 'This was a shocking attack that happened in broad daylight in a residential area. 'Our enquiries have established that the victim was in a black Mercedes car prior to the attack. The suspects arrived at the scene in a white Ford SUV type vehicle at some point the victim has left his car and has been attacked in Frampton Park Road. 'Work, including CCTV analysis, continues but we also need to speak to people who witnessed this attack and the events surrounding it. 'Were you in the area and did you see anything? If so I would urge you to come forward and speak to police as soon as possible as you may have information that could assist this investigation.' 'A 16-year-old male was arrested at the scene on suspicion of GBH he was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody at an east London police station. 'Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room on 020 8721 4961 or call 101 and quote CAD 4373/26Apr. 'Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.' Police were then told of another man, believed to be in his twenties, who had been stabbed in nearby Wilton Way. His condition is stable Officers were called to Hackney just before 2.45pm on Friday following reports of a man suffering stab injuries on Frampton Park Road Mike Mukuna, pastor at the nearby UCKG help centre, was walking close to the Hackney scene in the immediate aftermath of the stabbing. 'When I arrived it just happened. He was just bleeding on the floor,' he said. Mr Mukuna said locals had gathered around to help and had the man in the recovery position. He could hear people say 'place your hand on him' to stop the flow of blood. 'I could see his breath was getting shallow,' he said, adding: 'I saw the blood coming out but because people were around I couldn't see where it was coming from.' Mr Mukuna said the emergency services arrived quickly, probably within a minute. A family pass by the police cordon in Frampton Park Road, Hackney, where a young man was stabbed A man who lives in nearby Exbury House, opposite Frampton Food, said: 'It's an estate isn't it? What goes on goes on. It's like all the estates.' A woman who lives nearby, and who also did not want to be named, said she saw an air ambulance, adding: 'I came out of my house moments after it happened.' She said she thinks the air ambulance landed in a nearby school car park. The woman recalled that there has been similar incidents in this area in the past. A red object, which looked like a towel or item of clothing, could be seen lying in the road in front of the tent. A youth worker who lives nearby, and gave her name as Hannah, said the stabbing victim on Frampton Park Road was around 26 or 27. A man has been arrested after a double stabbing in north-east London. Officers were called to Hackney just before 2.45pm on Friday following reports of a man suffering stab injuries on Frampton Park Road. Police were then told of another man stabbed in nearby Wilton Way She said she went to school with him, adding that he is a 'decent young man'. She added: 'He keeps himself to himself. He's very pleasant when you see him. 'It's got to the point that the kids don't value lives any more.' She added: 'It's just sad that this couldn't have been prevented.' Hannah said anti-social behaviour is common in the area. Dean Saliba, 40, said he witnessed the scene when he arrived at a shop on the street. 'I turned up after. Someone in the shop said he was stabbed in the back as he ran to escape,' said Mr Saliba, from Bethnal Green. 'He was having a seizure when I arrived and there was a lot of blood.' Another man who lives nearby, but did not want to be named, said: 'The area is changing. There's a lot of affluent people have moved in.' He added: 'It's quiet. You feel safe here. It's a safe area.' In a statement to MailOnline a London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: 'We were called at 2:44pm this afternoon to Frampton Park Road, Hackney to reports of an incident. Officers were called to Hackney just before 2.45pm on Friday following reports of a man suffering stab injuries on Frampton Park Road. Minutes later another stabbing was reported in nearby Wilton Way 'We sent an incident response officer, a medic in a car and an ambulance crew to the scene. We also dispatched London's Air Ambulance. 'We treated a person at the scene and took them to hospital as a priority.' A second ambulance was also called to the Wilton Way incident just four minutes later. WHO ARE THE 36 OTHER VICTIMS OF LONDON MURDERS IN 2019? # NAME AGE DATE INCIDENT TIME STREET LOCATION 1 Charlotte Huggins 32 Jan 1 4.20am John Ruskin Street Camberwell 2 Tudor Simionov 33 Jan 1 5.36am Park Lane Mayfair 3 Simbiso Aretha Moula 39 Jan 4 7.50am Lower Mardyke Avenue Rainham 4 Sarah Ashraf 35 Jan 6 6.20pm East Ferry Road Isle of Dogs 5 Jayden Moody 14 Jan 7 6.30pm Bickley Road Waltham Forest 6 Asma Begum 31 Jan 11 4.00pm City Island Way Canning Town 7 Kamil Malysz 34 Jan 27 10.15am Alfred Way Acton 8 Nedim Bilgin 17 Jan 29 6.49pm Tilloch Street Islington 9 Carl Thorpe 46 Feb 4 6.30am Dartmouth Park Hill Highgate 10 Lejean Richards 19 Feb 5 7.52pm Wolsey Court Battersea 11 Dennis Anderson 39 Feb 10 2.35am Lordship Lane East Dulwich 12 Bright Akinlele 22 Feb 18 10.44pm Euston Street Camden 13 Brian Wieland 69 Feb 19 1.12pm Genever Close Chingford 14 Glendon Spence 23 Feb 21 6.45pm Minet Road Brixton 15 Kamali Gabbidon-Lynck 19 Feb 22 8.09pm Vincent Road Wood Green 16 David Lopez-Fernandez 38 Feb 25 2.35pm Globe Road Tower Hamlets 17 Che Morrison 20 Feb 26 8.48pm Cranbrook Road Ilford 18 Jodie Chesney 17 Mar 1 9.25pm St Neot's Road Harold Hill 19 Elize Linda Stevens 50 Mar 2 10.19am Great North Way Hendon 20 Jolia Bogdan 3 months Mar 2 11.57am Tamworth Road Croydon 21 Unnamed man 37 Mar 3 6.00am Romilly Street Soho 22 Laureline Garcia 34 Mar 6 pm Darell Road Kew 23 David Martinez 26 Mar 6 4.25pm North Birkbeck Road Leyton 24 Antoinette Donnegan 52 Mar 7 6.40pm Este Road Battersea 25 Ayub Hassan 17 Mar 7 2.14pm Lanfrey Place West Kensington 26 Nathaniel Armstrong 29 Mar 16 12.37am Gowan Avenue Fulham 27 Abdirashid Mohamou 17 Mar 22 10.35pm Union Lane Isleworth 2 8 Ravi Katharkamar 54 Mar 24 6am Marsh Road Pinner 29 Ramane Wiggan 25 Mar 27 4.11pm Friar Mews West Norwood 30 Zahir Visiter 24 Mar 28 6.15pm Cunningham Place Regents Park 31 Gavin Garraway 40 Mar 29 2.30pm Clapham High Street Clapham 32 Calvin Bungisa 22 Apr 1 8.30pm Grafton Road Kentish Town 33 Hubert Hall 60 Apr 2 6.44am Hoe Street Walthamstow 34 Annabelle Lancaster 22 Apr 7 6pm Turkey Street Enfield 35 Noore Bashir Salad 22 Apr 8 9.26pm Church Road Manor Park 36 Unnamed man 27 Apr 16 1.28am Ealing Road Wembley 37 Unnamed man 30s Apr 17 5.47pm Matthias Road Stoke Newington 38 Meshak Williams 21 Apr 24 9.00pm Harlesden High Street Harlesden 39 Unnamed man 29 Apr 26 2.45pm Frampton Park Road Hackney London Ambulance said: 'We treated a man at the scene and took him to hospital.' Dean Saliba, 40, said he witnessed the scene on Frampton Park Road when he arrived at a shop on the street. 'I turned up after. Someone in the shop said he was stabbed in the back as he ran to escape,' he said. 'He was having a seizure when I arrived and there was a lot of blood,' Shortly after officers arrived on the scene, they were told about another man who had been stabbed in nearby Wilton Way. Scotland Yard said one man has been detained by officers and enquiries continue. MPs have been warned they will be kicked out of the Conservative Party if they back Nigel Farage in the European elections. It comes as a YouGov poll put support for the Tories at just 13% compared to 28% for Mr Farage's Brexit Party. This would cull half of their 19 MEPs while giving the Brexit Party 28 seats. Dozens of Tory MPs have indicated privately they will vote for Mr Farage, while some, including the MP for Telford Lucy Allan, have offered their support in public. Theresa and Philip May say hello to Blitz, a border collie who regularly comes to meet them in the churchyard In an effort to dampen down the revolt the Conservative Party board sent an sternly-worded email to activists, which was seen by The Sunday Times. This read: 'All party members, including elected representatives at all levels, are expected to fully support the party in all elections. Campaigning for or endorsement of any other political party is incompatible with membership of the party... The board will not hesitate to enforce these rules.' Downing Street is also urging Tory leadership rivals to stop jostling to succeed Mrs May until the Prime Minister has secured Commons approval for her Brexit deal. Chief Whip Julian Smith is begging the main contenders to lay down their arms in the national interest and concentrate instead on persuading diehard Brexit Spartans to back Mrs Mays deal and avert the humiliation of being forced to contest the European elections next month. Mr Smith, who has arranged a series of one-to-one meetings with the contenders over the coming days, is prioritising Brexiteers such as Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab, who he believes stand the best chance of persuading the Spartans to drop their opposition. Leading party figures took to politics shows today to say they understood the frustration of grassroots members and activists, which will be tested first at Thursday's local election. Tory deputy chairwoman Helen Whately admitted the local elections 'are going to be a difficult night for us' after predictions her party could lose a thousand councillors amid anger over Brexit. Elections will take place at 248 councils in England and Ms Whately admitted the contests in England were a chance to 'kick the Government' and said she had seen 'more anger than before' on the doorstep. Mr Farage leaving the LBC studio in London today Speaking to Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday, she said: 'I think there's no doubt that it's going to be a difficult night for us.' She said it was down to the fact the seats which are up for grabs this time round were last contested in 2015, the 'high point' for her party. Meanwhile, Conservative Party Chairman Brandon Lewis said acknowledged the 'huge frustration' among activists but begged for their support. He said the focus was on getting a Brexit deal through Parliament which would allow the UK to avoid the May 23 vote. 'Our first priority is to not have to fight the European elections,' he told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show. 'I think we should be looking to do everything we can to respect that 2016 referendum. 'If and when we are at the point where we know we are definitely fighting those European elections then we will take some decisions about that.' He played down reports about donors deserting the party, insisting that 2018 had been a 'record peacetime fundraising year'. But he added: 'I don't deny the frustration people in our party have over where we are on Brexit. I share that frustration, I want to get this done so we don't fight those European elections.' One of the most high profile efforts to bridge Tory Brexit disagreements was overseen by Kit Malthouse, architect of the Malthouse Compromise, which would have tried to renegotiate the backstop and extend the transition period by three years. Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph today, Mr Malthouse urged voters not to punish local Tories for the chaos at Westminster. 'People have a general sense of being fed up with politics in its wider sense,' he said. But he added: 'We're all part of one party, but in the end these are people who volunteer for public service in their area because they feel a sense of commitment to their community. 'And that they're trying to do their best for their community and for that vote to be affected by the Brexit impasse would seem to me unfortunate.' Hospital patients won't be getting Weetabix or Bran Flakes for breakfast anymore under a new plan to save the NHS 420,000. Alpen cereal bars, owned by Weetabix, will also be unavailable due to increased prices after Health Minister Stephen Hammond said the NHS could save a third on breakfasts if it buys in bulk. Hospital managers have been encouraged to buy supplies from one of the NHS's procurement arms, NHS Supply Chain. Have you had YOUR Weetabix? Not if you're in hospital you haven't. The NHS procurement arm has scrapped its orders with the firm, for Weetabix (left) and Bran Flakes (right) The Breakfast Savings Initiative, which 19 NHS trusts participate in, is part of plans to save 2.4billion, according to the Guardian. Mr Hammond said: 'The NHS serves up thousands of delicious breakfasts every day but pays wildly different amounts for simple things like beans, tea and jam'. In early 2017, then-chief executive of Weetabix, Giles Turrell, said Weetabix could become another consumer brand to raise prices as a result of the pound's slump since the Brexit vote. The breakfast cereal manufacturer said if prices were to go up, the increases would probably be in the 'low single digits' Although the company harvests wheat in Northamptonshire, it is sold in US dollars on global markets, meaning the cost in pounds to buy wheat in the UK has gone up. Like other packaged food makers, it has been squeezed by the plunging value of sterling, which has raised the cost of imported goods or globally traded commodities priced in US dollars. NHS hospitals will continue to be able to purchase the discontinued products from NHS Supply Chain while stocks last, the procurement team said. A spokesperson for NHS Supply Chain said: 'NHS customers can still order Weetabix through NHS Supply Chains wholesaler frameworks and the Weetabix will be delivered to the hospital via the wholesaler. 'Patients are therefore still able to have Weetabix for breakfast in those NHS hospitals which purchase Weetabix.' Runners who took part in an event organised by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez didn't know they were donating to her campaign. The New York Democrat, 29, held a 5k run in Queens on Saturday that she described as 'a Family Fun Run supporting U.S. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.' But many of the 400 runners didnt realize their $30 registration fees were going directly into the lawmakers campaign funds, the New York Post reported. Runners who took part in an event organised by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, (pictured) didn't know they were donating to her campaign 'Were getting together for our own health, for our planets health and to fight for the Green New Deal together,' the freshman Democrat told the participants before they set off. Supporters jogged through Astoria Park alongside a AOC, who walked the route and believed their money was going to help save the planet. 'Its going to help raise awareness and educate people,' a female runner told The Post. 'I think its really for this particular New Green Deal,' said Brian Schwartz of Long Island. 'No question.' Another woman claimed: 'Its to help the environment. To support the Green New Deal. Its a good cause.' A notice on AOCs Facebook page claiming that the run would support 'U.S. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez & the Green New Deal' added to the confusion. However full disclosure was made in the fine print, which participants may have been unaware of. 'Registration fees are contributions to AOC for Congress,' reads the legal disclosure on aoc5k.com, which lists the Federal Election Commission rules that donors must follow. The freshman lawmaker posted pictures and stories on her Instagram page throughout the day on Saturday as supporters took part in a 5k run organized by her Ocasio-Cortez shared many pictures of her meeting and greeting runners at the Queens event Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez looked like she was having a great time as she sang along to song played by the band Fogo Azul in Astoria Park 'It was a campaign fundraiser,' Ocasio-Cortez spokesman Corbin Trent confirmed that the event was in fact a campaign fundraiser. 198 runners came from the Bronx and from Queens neighborhoods within the 14th congressional district at Saturday's run. The remaining 200 came from other areas. Children as young as three took part with a $20 fee to join the kids 1k. It is understood participants paid $11,000 in total. Some participants felt told the New York Post they were felt they were taken in by the misleading advertising. 'The site says its to benefit her environmental plan,' said one supporter who would not give his name. 'If it is going to go directly to her campaign they should have said so.' Children as young as three took part in the fun run with a $20 fee to join the kids 1k Another person claimed that it did not bother her. She said: 'Even if thats so, its because its her plan and she is the one we need to push it.' In March the Senate roundly rejected Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal as expected on Tuesday with not a single senator voting 'yes' for the progressive star's signature policy initiative. She defended herself after the defeat and argued she encouraged the Democratic senators to vote 'present' instead of in the affirmative. Democrats slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for holding a 'sham' vote on the matter - it was a non-binding resolution, meaning it had no force of law, and needed 60 votes to advance in the legislative process, which was an impossible task given Democrats only have 47 votes in their corner. Most of the Democrats voted 'present' in protest while Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin, who represents the red state of West Virginia; Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona; and Doug Jones of Alabama voted no, as did Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with Democrats. All the presidential contenders in the Senate have signed on as co-sponsors of Ocasio-Cortez's signature legislation: Sens. Cory Booker, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Gillibrand. Ocasio-Cortez uses social media widely for fundraising events and for her Congress activity Her plan, unveiled in January, aims to transform the U.S. economy, combat climate change and create thousands of jobs in renewable energy. It could also serve as a central campaign issue in 2020 despite President Donald Trumps failure to mention climate change in his State of the Union address. However the Mercatus Center at George Washington University estimate that Ocasio-Cortez's plan for universal Medicare would end up costing more than $30 trillion. This is after factoring in the sweeping tax hikes that would offset the expense by only roughly $2 trillion. Charles Blahous, a senior strategist at the Mercatus Center and an author of the study, later charged that Ocasio-Cortez had wildly misinterpreted his study to try to argue that 'Medicare-for-all' would save money. The nonbinding resolution calls for a "10-year national mobilization" on the scale of the original New Deal to shift the economy away from fossil fuels such as oil and coal and replace them with renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. The plan goes far beyond energy to urge national health care coverage and job guarantees, as well as high-quality education and affordable housing. The resolution urges elimination of fossil fuels pollution and greenhouse gas emissions as much as technologically feasible in a range of economic sectors and calls for upgrading all existing buildings in the United States to be energy-efficient. Many of the 400 runners taking part in Saturday's event didnt realize their $30 registration fees were going directly into the lawmakers campaign funds The Green New Deal push has seen resistance not only from Republicans, but also some key Democrats. Senator Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, wasn't convinced by plans about the plan to replace planes with high-speed rail and did not seem impressed. 'That would be pretty hard for Hawaii,' she laughed.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi similarly appeared to dismiss the plan. 'It will be one of several or maybe many suggestions that we receive,' Pelosi told Politico. 'The green dream, or whatever they call it, nobody knows what it is, but theyre for it, right?.' Critics claimed that the plan would cost trillions of dollars and will have no positive effects on infrastructure. The Green New Deal also proposes retrofitting every existing building in the U.S.. One estimate finds it would cost $1.4 trillion for residential buildings alone. A 21-year-old woman has been killed and four others are injured after two cars collided in the early hours of Sunday morning. Shania McNeill, from Queensland, collided head-on with a Nissan Micra at Berkshire Park in Sydney just before 1.15am, killing her and injuring her two passengers and the two occupants of the other car. A policeman was driving along Richmond Road when he noticed bystanders helping people out of the two destroyed cars - Ms McNeil's Suzuki and the other driver's Nissan Micra. Shania McNeil and her two passengers were freed from the wreckage before police and witnesses begun performing CPR on her - but died before paramedics arrived Police say Ms McNeil was travelling eastbound when it collided with the Micra in the westbound lane, the Daily Telegraph reported. Ms McNeil and her two passengers were freed from the wreckage before police and witnesses begun performing CPR on her. But, she died before paramedics arrived. Her two passengers - a 20-year-old woman and a 23-year-old woman, were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The devastated family and friends of Ms McNeill have paid tribute to her 'beautiful soul' online The devastated family and friends of Ms McNeill have paid tribute to her 'beautiful soul' online. Ms McNeill's housemate and friend Rachel Macefield said that she was one of a kind and had 'brought light to my life.' 'In such a short amount of time she has put such a big impact on me and my whole family and anyone that knew her. She was honestly just a beautiful soul.' The 61-year-old man behind the wheel of the Micra, and his 39-year-old male passenger were freed from the wreckage. One man was flown to Westmead Hospital in a serious but stable condition while the second man suffered non-life threatening injuries. Two men are fighting for their lives in hospital after a triple stabbing in Wolverhampton. Police were scrambled to the city's Civic Hall just after midnight on Sunday where they found two men with slash wounds lying on the ground. They are in a serious but stable condition in hospital, while a third man sustained 'minor' knife injuries. The violence is believed to have taken place after an altercation in the area. No arrests have yet been made but investigators in protective suits were seen scouring the scene today. Three men were stabbed in Wolverhampton city centre last night. Police are pictured investigating at the scene today No arrests have yet been made but investigators in protective suits were seen scouring the scene outside Wolverhampton Civic Hall today A West Midlands Police spokesman said: 'Police are investigating a triple stabbing in Wolverhampton city centre just after 12am this morning. 'Officers were called to North Street, near to Wolverhampton Civic Hall, where two injured men were found on the floor. 'They were taken to hospital with serious injuries, where they remain today in a serious but stable condition. A third man also sustained minor injuries. 'CCTV and forensic enquiries continue to establish the circumstances around the incident.' An eyewitness, who asked not to be named, said the road had been closed for a number of hours. The violence is believed to have taken place after an altercation in the area He said: 'There have been loads of police around here today - it's quite worrying. 'No-one knows what has happened by forensics officers are at the scene. 'Anyone with information is asked to contact us via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am and midnight or to call 101 anytime. 'Crimestoppers can be called anonymously on 0800 555 111. Quote crime reference 20WV/100895V/19.' West Midlands Police dealt with 3,210 blade offences in 2018 - a hike of 17 per cent on the year before. Officers are currently dealing with 61 knife crimes on average every week. A police operation has taken place in Sydney after an online threat was made against a synagogue. Police searched Bondi Junction's Central Synagogue on Sunday for several hours. They were alerted to a threat made online, which police are still looking into. At least six Public Order and Riot Squad police cars were seen leaving the area surrounding Bondi Junction's Central Synagogue on Sunday Footage showed a large police operation winding down as seven Public Order and Riot Squad cars drive away from a synagogue. Police maintained a large perimeter and stopped pedestrians from getting too close to the building. While other officers from the Dog Unit were also seen standing by after the empty building had been searched. A helicopter could also be heard overhead as it circled the building. Footage showed a large police operation winding down as seven Public Order and Riot Squad cars drive away from a synagogue A NSW Police spokesperson said that the area on Bon Accord Avenue between Old South Head Road and Flood Street had been closed off while police conducted their search. The spokesperson said that the threat is believed to be a hoax and inquiries continue. The operation comes after three people were injured and one person died at a synagogue shooting in California on Friday. Other officers from the Dog Unit were also seen standing by after the empty building had been searched Advertisement Remarkable photographs have captured the moment a pair of squirrels fly through the air in their search for food. The daring rodents leapt around five foot across tree branches after spotting a nutty treat while in the Scottish Highlands. Amateur photographer Gary Bruce snapped the hungry animals soaring through the air and said it 'looked like Superman'. Mr Bruce, 52, took the photographs in woodland just outside of Inverness, Scotland, and said these squirrels are part of a group of four who regularly search the area for nuts and seeds. The photographer, who regularly visits the woodland to see the wildlife, put nuts out for the squirrels before capturing images of them leaping through the air to retrieve them. Caretaker Mr Bruce, from Invergordon, said: 'It's always so exciting to see a leaping squirrel in action. I put some hazelnuts in a container on a perch and the squirrels leapt across the gap to reach the nuts. The way they jump looks like Superman.' The hungry rodents leap around five feet across tree branches after spotting a nutty treat while in the Scottish Highlands With its arms spread wide and its legs out, the squirrel reaches forward as it soars through the air in its search for food George Osborne's former secondary school, St Paul's, is set to accept girls for the first time One of the UK's last boys'-only public schools, which boasts George Osborne as an alumnus, is set to accept girls for the first time. Former students of St Paul's School in Barnes have said that while they felt their education was outstanding, they weren't able to experience working with powerful and successful women. The school was founded in 1509 and was also attended by diarist Samuel Pepys and poet John Milton. Its board of governors is currently discussing plans to admit girls in sixth form. According to the Sunday Times, former pupils said they felt 'socially confident with women' but weren't so assured when it came to the workplace. Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the Independent Schools Council and former headmaster of Harrow, told the Sunday Times that going to a single-sex school 'might make you fearful of women and gauche and awkward - but not disrespectful'. Former students of the school said that while their education was outstanding they were unable to experience working with powerful and successful women Another reason for the change in admissions may be down to girls outperforming boys in exams, thereby pushing schools higher up the league tables. Just five per cent of all schools only accept boys and St Paul's, which charges between 20,000 and 25,000 a year for day pupils, was the only all-boys' school to make the top 10 in the Sunday Times Parent Power tables. Coming in 10th, the school boasted more than 80 per cent of its A-level grades being A* or A over the past five years. Its sister school, St Paul's Girls' School, came top of the list but some of its alumnae recently said they resigned from jobs in the City because of laddish behaviour from male colleagues. Their previous headmistress, Clarissa Farr, told the Sunday Times in 2015 that 'private boys schools produce sexist lads'. She added: 'Girls educated in girls schools have no experience of this kind of thing, as they are used to being taken seriously'. TurboTax and H&R Block have been accused of hiding their free filing tax option from Google results which forced many low-income workers to needlessly pay for the service. Intuit, the company that operates TurboTax, added a code to its free filing website that essentially told Google and other search engines to not list it in search results, ProPublica reported. The code in question, which can be found in a file called robots.txt or in an HTML tag, has to be actively added to a site, as Intuit has done. TurboTax and H&R Block have been accused of hiding their free filing tax option from Google results which forced many low-income workers to needlessly pay for the service The code to block the free filing system, which can be found in a file called robots.txt or in an HTML tag, has to be actively added to a site, as Intuit has done It is typically used on pages that designers want to hide from the open internet, such as those that are for internal use only. Without that code, Google and other search engines default to adding a site to their search results. ProPublica reported that H&R Block, also hid its H&R Block Free File product from Google using the same sort of code. Intuit, H&R Block, and other tax preparation companies created free filing software in exchange for the IRS not creating their own version. However, while 70% of workers filing tax are eligible for free filing, just 3% use the service. The Senate is currently considering whether or not to make a free filing deal with companies like Intuit and H&R Block permanent. Senator Ron Wyden, a Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, described Intuits tactics to reduce access to a free filing program as 'outrageous' and confusing to taxpayers. He said in a statement: 'The IRS agreement with the tax-preparation software industry requires companies to work to increase the number of taxpayers who file their taxes for free. Intuit, H&R Block, and other tax-prep companies created free filing software in exchange for the IRS not creating their own version A H&R Block tax official assists workers file their taxes in an H&R Block office in Des Plaines 'Steering eligible taxpayers away from filing for free or blocking the Free File page from search results violates the spirit of the agreement and calls into serious question the justification for the program.' The code on TurboTaxs Free File site claims 'noindex,nofollow' instructions for it not to show up in search results. In contrast, the TurboTax page that puts many users on track to pay signals to Google that it should be listed in search results. Senator Ron Wyden, a Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, described Intuits tactics to reduce access to a free filing program as 'outrageous' Under the Free File deal, Intuit and other companies pledged to work 'to increase electronic filing of tax returns, which includes extending the benefits of online federal tax preparation and electronic filing to economically disadvantaged and underserved populations at no cost.' Intuit is the dominant player in consumer tax software, and it has a reported market share of 60%. Intuit said it would review the issue in a statement obtained by the New York Daily News. It read: 'We are undertaking a thorough review of our search practices to ensure we are achieving our goal of increasing eligible taxpayers awareness of the IRS Free File Program and its availability.' The group has claimed responsibility for shooting dead Lyra McKee (pictured) last week as she watched a riot in Londonderry Brexit has become a recruiting tool for the New IRA, a member of the terror group has said as it vowed to continue its campaign of violence after murdering 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee. The militant said Britain's upcoming exit from the EU had helped 'put the border on the agenda again' and that 'it would be remiss of us not to capitalise on the opportunity'. The group has claimed responsibility for shooting dead Ms McKee last week as she watched a riot in Londonderry. A New IRA member told The Sunday Times: 'Brexit has forced the IRA to refocus and has underlined how Ireland remains partitioned. 'It would be remiss of us not to capitalise on the opportunity. It's put the border on the agenda again.' MsMcKee's death, which followed a large car bomb in Londonderry in January that police also blamed on the New IRA, has raised fears that small militant groups are exploiting a political vacuum in the province and tensions caused by Brexit. The Sunday Times said the interview took months to arrange through discreet contacts and secret meetings with nationalists and their supporters north and south of the border. Its reporter was driven for about an hour in the back of a vehicle from an arranged meeting point to conduct the interview. The New IRA is far smaller than the Irish Republican Army (IRA), which disarmed after the peace accord mostly ended three decades of conflict between mainly Protestant supporters of continued British rule of the province and mainly Catholic proponents of unification with the Irish Republic. The group was formed in 2012 after three of the four main militant nationalist groups merged, the first time since the peace deal that most of the disparate nationalist groups still intent on violence came together under one leadership. It has been responsible for other attacks since then, including the separate killings of two prison officers. The group, which simply refers to itself as the 'IRA', refused to discuss their strength, or whether they planned to increase gun and bomb attacks. 'Our armed actions serve one purpose. They are symbolic. They are propaganda. They let the world know there is an ongoing conflict in Northern Ireland,' another of the members said. 'As long as you have the British in Ireland and the country remains partitioned, there will be an IRA.' The Justice Department has informed the House Judiciary Committee that Attorney General William Barr may not attend a Thursday hearing to review special counsel Robert Mueller's report. The DOJ objects to the hearing's format, according to a Democratic senior committee aide, because the panel plans to allow the committee's lawyers from both sides to question Barr after the traditional round of questioning by lawmakers. Justice officials also told the committee that they are opposed to the panel's plan to go into a closed session if members want to discuss redacted portions of Mueller's report. Attorney General William Barrmight be a no-show at a scheduled May 2 House hearing on the Mueller report House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler, a New York Democrat, wants committee lawyers to be allowed to grill Barr a practice that would be unusual but not unprecedented The aide who spoke to the Associated Press requested anonymity to discuss confidential communications with the DOJ, which declined to comment on the dispute. Barr is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday and the House panel on Thursday. The GOP-led Senate committee is expected to have normal rounds of member questioning without allowed staff attorneys to participate. It is unusual for committee counsels to question a witness, but committees can generally make their own rules and other panels have made similar exceptions. In a confirmation hearing for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh last year, for example, Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee hired an outside prosecutor to question a witness who had accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault. The current dispute comes as tensions have escalated sharply between House Democrats and the Trump administration over full access Mueller's report and government witnesses who have defied congressional subpoenas to testify. Democrats have been eagerly anticipating the hearing with Barr as they try to build on Mueller's findings with their own investigations into the president. House Democrats have subpoenaed the Justice Department for the unredacted version of the Mueller report and underlying material gathered from the investigation. In response, the Justice Department has said they will make the full report, minus grand jury material, available to a limited group of members - an offer that Democrats have so far refused. The dispute could eventually end up in court. Special Counsel Robert Mueller sent the Justice Department a report that Barr was forced to partially redact, and Democrats on the Judiciary Committee want the freedom to see what's under the black boxes by taking the May 2 hearing into 'closed session' A spokeswoman for the top Republican on the committee, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, noted that Barr's testimony is voluntary and criticized the Democrats for not reading the full report. 'Democrats have yet to prove their demands are anything but abusive and illogical in light of the transparency and good faith the attorney general has shown our committee,' Jessica Andrews said. Democrats have criticized Barr for drawing his own conclusion that Trump did not obstruct justice after Mueller found he couldn't exonerate the president on that point. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said Barr is involved in a 'staggering public effort' by the Trump administration to put a positive face on Mueller's findings. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat, has also invited Mueller to testify and subpoenaed former White House counsel Don McGahn. McGahn was a vital witness for Mueller in the report, which recounted the president's outrage over the Mueller investigation and his efforts to curtail it. The White House has asserted it will fight the McGahn subpoena. Advertisement John Earnest, 19, has been accused of killing one person and injuring three others at a San Diego, California synagogue The 19-year-old accused of killing one person and injuring three others at a California synagogue allegedly tried to burn down a mosque last month. John Earnest was taken into custody following the shooting at the Chabad of Poway Jewish congregation in San Diego on Saturday. Lori Gilbert-Kaye, 60, was killed in the attack. The three injured victims were identified as Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, an eight-year-old girl visiting from Israel, and the girl's 34-year-old uncle Almog Peretz, who was also visiting from Israel. A manifesto posted online shortly before the attack and purporting to be by Earnest cites hatred of Jewish people as the motive for the attack, and takes credit for a separate arson attack on an Escondido mosque last month. The manifesto author claimed he tried to burn down the Dar-ul-Arqam mosque in Escondido on March 24, adding that he spray-painted the message 'For Brenton Tarrant' in the parking lot of the mosque. Tarrant allegedly killed 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand in March, a week before the arson attack in Escondido. Authorities at the time said the suspect had left a message in graffiti in the mosque's parking lot that referenced the New Zealand shooting. Surveillance video captured a suspect pouring a flammable liquid near a side door of the mosque and then setting it on fire. People who were inside the mosque at the time were able to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher. Authorities are now investigating Ernest's alleged involvement in the arson attack. A manifesto posted online shortly before the attack and purporting to be by Earnest cites hatred of Jewish people as the motive for the attack, and takes credit for a separate arson attack on an Escondido mosque last month The manifesto author took credit for an unsolved arson attack against the Dar-ul-Arqam mosque in Escondido on March 24, adding that he spray-painted the message 'For Brenton Tarrant' in the parking lot of the mosque The manifesto author wrote that he was carrying out the attack on the synagogue because he was a good Christian. 'My god understands why I did what I did,' it read, according to The Jerusalem Post. The author claims that Jewish people were responsible for the murder of Christ and now control the media and economy. 'Every Jew young and old has contributed to these,' it reads. 'For these crimes they deserve nothing but hell. I will send them there.' The manifesto author revealed he believed he would be freed from prison and promised to 'continue the fight'. In the 4,000-word manifesto, which was posted online before the shooting, the author described himself as a 19-year-old nursing student and native of California. Earnest was a student at California State University, San Marcos, CSUSM President Karen Haynes confirmed in a statement. The author of the manifesto said that he had been playing piano since the age of four. Video from social media shows that Earnest is a talented piano player. 'If you told me even six months ago that I would do this I would have been surprised,' the author wrote. 'I'm just a normal dude who wanted to have a family, help and heal people, and play piano.' Synagogue members console one another outside of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue Saturday on Saturday in Poway Lori Gilbert-Kaye, 60, (pictured) was identified as the woman who was killed during the horrific attack on Saturday Almog Peretz, 34, was among the injured. He had been visiting family in the area for the Passover holiday from Israel Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein was shot in the hand, but witnesses say he continued to deliver a sermon during the shooting An unconfirmed manifesto purporting to be by Earnest cites hatred of Jewish people as the motive for the attack Video from social media shows that Earnest is a talented piano player. The author of the manifesto said that he had been playing piano since the age of four He wrote that he was inspired by the Christchurck attack, revealing that Tarrant was his 'catalyst'. The author also references the shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue exactly six months to the day before the Poway attack, as well as the suspect in that case, Robert Bowers. Both Bowers and Tarrant are in custody. Like Tarrant in his own writings, the manifesto author states that his end goal is to prompt the US government to begin confiscating guns, predicting that a civil war will ensue. The author said he had been planning the attack for four weeks. The author of the manifesto also wrote that he does not support President Donald Trump, calling the president 'Jew-loving' and 'anti-White'. Much of the manifesto consists of a long list of detailed grievances against Jewish people, accusing them of planning a genocide against the 'European race'. A car, allegedly used by the gunman who killed one at the Congregation Chabad synagogue in Poway, is pictured, few hundred feet from the Interstate 15 off-ramp north of San Diego, California Heavily armed San Diego police officers approach a house thought to be the home of 19 year-old John T. Earnest, who is a suspect in the shooting of several people in a Poway synagogue, on Saturday Earnest's father is seen being interviewed by police. Public records show that the father is a high school teacher and the president of an orthodox Presbyterian church in Escondido There are indications in online postings that the shooter planned to livestream the synagogue attack on Facebook, but did not succeed. An anonymous post on the imageboard 8chan, posted roughly 30 minutes before the attack, linked to the manifesto and Earnest's Facebook page, promising a livestream, which never occurred. The 8chan post also included a 'playlist' of songs for the attack and a goodbye note. The post does not specify an intended target, but makes clear that an imminent attack of some kind is planned. At least one person saw the post and alerted the FBI, according to a post on Twitter. The person said that they got off the phone only eight minutes prior to the shooting, making a tactical response all but impossible. 'We are collecting digital evidence and are aware of the manifesto,' San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said at a press conference. Gore said that Earnest had no prior criminal record, and no known ties to white supremacist groups. He said Earnest lived with his parents. Public records show that Earnest's father is a high school teacher and the president of an orthodox Presbyterian church in Escondido. The manifesto stated that the shooter did not get his beliefs from his family. Synagogue members walk outside of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue Saturday in Poway, California An FBI agent gives out information to members of the media outside of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue on Saturday Saturday's shooting unfolded during services on the last day of Passover. There are believed to have been about 100 people inside the synagogue at the time of the attack. Witnesses say the gunman was wearing a tactical vest and a helmet, according to CBS 8. Authorities said the shooter was armed with an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle. There is initial suspicion that the weapon may have jammed during the shooting, limiting the loss of life. Rabbi Goldstein, who founded the Chabad center in 1986, was reportedly shot and lost two fingers. Witnesses say the rabbi tried to calm the gunman and members of the congregation even after he was wounded. An armed off-duty Border Patrol agent who was inside the synagogue returned fire at the shooter, who then retreated in a vehicle before calling 911 and surrendering to officers without incident, according to police.= Trump responded to the shooting in remarks to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House as he departed for a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin. 'Based on my last conversations, it looks like a hate crime. Hard to believe,' Trump said. 'My deepest sympathies go to the families who were affected.' 'It looks like the person has been apprehended, no more danger, and law enforcement has done a fantastic job,' he continued. Once at the rally, Trump made additional remarks, calling the shooting 'horrific' and saying, 'we forcefully condemn the evil of anti-Semitism and hate, which must be defeated'. 'Incredible response today by law enforcement. And I especially want to recognize a certain off-duty border patrol agent who bravely returned fire and helped disrupt the attack and saved so many lives. Border patrol!' added Trump. President Donald Trump responded to the shooting in remarks to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House as he departed for a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore, center, speaks at a news conference held outside of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue Saturday in Poway, California. Several people were injured and one died in a shooting at the synagogue Poway Mayor Steve Vaus, speaking from a police command center, characterized Saturday's shooting as a 'hate crime,' saying his assessment was based on statements uttered by the gunman when he entered the synagogue. The attack occurred shortly before 11.30am in Poway, a suburb of about 50,000 residents, when the suspect walked into the synagogue and started shooting, said San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore. As he was making his getaway, an off-duty US Border Patrol agent who was inside the synagogue opened fire on the suspect, striking the vehicle but apparently missing the suspect. A San Diego officer was en route to the shooting scene when he overheard a California Highway Patrol (CHP) radio dispatch 'of a suspect who had called into CHP to report that he was just involved in this shooting and his location,' San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit recounted. 'The officer was actually on the freeway and he clearly saw the suspect in his vehicle. The suspect pulled over and jumped out of his car with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody,' Nisleit added. He said the rifle believed to be the murder weapon was found on the front passenger seat of the car. People hug next to police tape across the street from the Chabad of Poway Synagogue after a shooting on Saturday in Poway Two people hug as another talks to a San Diego County Sheriff's deputy outside of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue. There have been four confirmed victims of the shooting, with one left dead Police are seen responding to the shooting after a gunman opened fire at the Chabad of Poway congregation on Saturday The shooting comes on the last day of Passover. According to the synagogue's website, the congregation were hosting a Passover Holiday Celebration that began at 11am and was scheduled to last all day Residents place flowers and messages of support at an intersection next to the Chabad of Poway synagogue where a gunman opened fire earlier in the day killing one person and injuring three, in Poway, California A group gathers outside the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh for a vigil to honor the victims of the Saturday attack on a synagogue in Poway. It is six months to the day that a gunman shot and killed 11 people while they worshipped at the Tree of Life Synagogue on October 27, 2018 Major Vaus told CNN that members of the congregation attempted to overpower the gunman. 'This shooter was engaged by people in the congregation and those brave people certainly prevented this from being a much worse tragedy,' Major Vaus stated, adding that the shooter had 'hate' in his heart. It's believed the man fired between 12 and 14 shots inside the center. Witnesses say that even after being shot, Rabbi Goldstein called for unity and prayer among the congregation. 'Rabbi said, "We are united,''' said Minoo Anvari, a refugee from Iran. 'This is something bad (that) is happening all over. And we have to believe that this bad thing is real and we don't have to ignore it,' she added. 'We have to open our eyes. He prayed for peace. I respect him - even in spite of being injured he refused to go to hospital and he spoke. And he finished his speech and he then left the synagogue.' A high school student was shot dead last week as she walked her nine-year-old sister to a convenience store in New York to get the finishing pieces to the youngster's school project. Marilyn Cotto Montanez, 18, was shot in the head around 6.30pm near Lake and Morningside avenues, police said. When officers from the Yonkers Police Department responded to the area, they found Montanez on the sidewalk suffering from one gunshot wound to the head. First responders attempted medical aid and transported her to a local trauma center where she later succumbed to her injury. Scroll down for video High school junior, Marilyn Montanez (left and right), 18, was shot dead last week as she walked her nine-year-old sister to a convenience store in New York to get the finishing pieces to the youngster's school project When officers from the Yonkers Police Department responded to the area, they found Montanez on the sidewalk suffering from one gunshot wound to the head According to a police statement, several people were involved in an altercation prior to the shooting incident. Surveillance footage from the scene shows two young men getting out of a vehicle and chasing others down the street. One of the suspects fired at least one shot in the direction of the group, but it struck Montanez instead. Police said it appeared that Montanez wasn't involved in the dispute and was an innocent bystander who was tragically shot right in front of her nine-year-old sister. The high school junior was a part of the Yonkers Public Schools learning community. 'The City of Yonkers and Yonkers Police Department offers its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ms. Montanez,' police said in the statement. According to a police statement, several people were involved in an altercation prior to the shooting incident Surveillance footage from the scene shows two young men getting out of a vehicle and chasing (center) others down the street One of the suspects (pictured, holding the gun) fired at least one shot in the direction of the group, but it struck Montanez instead Police Commissioner Charles Gardner said: 'Last night we experienced a tragic event where a young person lost her life due to gun violence.' 'First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim. The Yonkers Police is dedicating every available resource to apprehend the person responsible for this heinous act,' he continued. 'We anticipate an arrest in the near future and will ensure he will be held accountable for his despicable actions.' Detectives are still interviewing witnesses, reviewing surveillance video, and processing forensic and ballistic evidence. Montanez's family created a GoFundMe account to help with funeral arrangements as well as help with seeking psychological help Montanez's little sister who witnessed the traumatic ordeal. The family explained that Montanez was walking to the store to get the finishing pieces to our younger sister's school project. Montanez's family created a GoFundMe account to help with funeral arrangements as well as help with seeking psychological help Montanez's little sister who witnessed the traumatic ordeal Montanez's family described her as being 'full of life and so eager for her future' Family and friends left candles and flowers near the area where Montanez was killed 'Before collapsing she yelled at our 9 year old sister to run but in a panic she froze. She only ran once she saw her sister collapse,' the account reads. Montanez's family described her as being 'full of life and so eager for her future'. 'She wanted to go to Farmingdale to pursue nursing and began applying for scholarships to help her pay for it,' the family wrote. Montanezs sister Celimary Ramos told NBC: 'Theyre killing people for no reason. Little girl didnt have nothing to do with it and you all took my sisters life for no reason.' Family and friends left candles and flowers near the area where Montanez was killed. No one has been arrested in connection with the shooting, but several people of interest are in custody and being questioned. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Yonkers Police Detective Division at (914) 377-7724. Protestors from Extinction Rebellion have declared a temporary victory in their bid to save trees due to be felled to make way for HS2. Today saw ten environmentalists sat up the trees in the London Borough of Hillingdon to save them from chainsaws. The protestors returned early this morning to the Colne Valley trees which were due to be felled between 8am and 6pm this weekend to make way for the high-speed train line. Protestors have climbed up trees to save trees which were due to be felled to make way for HS2 The activists declared the protest a success after the tree surgeons were unable to fell the trees and the roads were not closed And the activists have declared the protest a success after officials left the trees intact this weekend, meaning they will have to apply for another new road closure which will take 20 days to process, according to spokesperson Sarah Green. She told MailOnline: 'We are really grateful the trees are still standing here. 'HS2 has been wiping away whole habitats. Here it is all bushes and smaller trees, it is full of life and insects and birds.' Save Colne Valley also fears that the process of pile driving deep holes into the aquifer risks contaminating the water supply for 3.2 million Londoners. A spokesperson for the protest, Sarah Green, warned they will be up in the trees again when the authorities return The protestors are concerned HS2 is destroying biodiversity with its plans to build a railway line Some of the protestors stayed up the trees for the whole day with some as high as 60 feet up in the air, according to a spokesperson Ms Green warned the Extinction Rebellion protestors will be up the trees again if the tree surgeons return. She said: 'It is affecting the whole landscape around here. 'Some people were going to superglue their hands on to the trunks if they had to.' The Climate Change activists were sent up food and bottles which they could urinate into during the weekend-long protest The protesters made placards saying 'HS2 ends here' and 'Save London's wetlands' in a camp by the trees Sarah Green warned the Extinction Rebellion protestors will be up the trees again if the tree surgeons return Some of the protestors stayed up the trees for the whole day with some as high as 60 feet up in the air, according to Ms Green. She said people were ferrying up food and bottles for the activists to urinate into. Another spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion told MailOnline: 'It looks like peaceful protest has won again, for today. 'There was a big security presence from HS2 contractors early this morning, but the road has remained open, meaning planned work to fell trees cannot go ahead Some of the protestors were prepared to glue their hands to the trunk of the trees if necessary Extinction Rebellion has declared a temporary victory as HS2 contractors will take 20 days to process a new permit to close the road The climate change activists said: 'The fight continues to not only save many trees in the area but also to protect London's water supply' 'It will take another 20 days for them to apply for a new permit. 'The fight continues to not only save many trees in the area but also to protect London's water supply. 'This fits with Extinction Rebellions second demand to halt biodiversity loss (and go carbon neutral by 2025) which is why its so great to see Extinction Rebellion environmentalists show solidarity and support the local action at Colne Valley.' Bob Katter sparked much hilarity when he appeared on The Project on Sunday night after scrawling notes on his hands. The leader of Katter's Australian Party was on the programme to discuss the controversial Adani coal mine as protesters from both sides clashed in North Queensland. Clermont, population 3,000, is the closest to the proposed town to the mine and was chosen by Greens leader Bob Brown's for a 'Stop Adani' protest, 10 Daily reported. Scroll down for video Bob Katter sparked much hilarity when he appeared on The Project on Sunday night after scrawling notes on his hands However they were not met with open arms by residents, some of which decided to mount a counter-protest. While talking about the issue on The Project, Katter got animated with his hands, allowing for viewers to spot the handwriting. Australian comedy icon Magda Szubanski spotted the unusual inking and posted about it on her Twitter account. 'What does this writing on Bob Katter's hands say???' she wrote. Technology journalist for Tech Guide Australia Stephen Fenech also noticed the notes. 'What's the story with the writing all over Bob Katter's hands for his The Project interview? Did he just cheat on an exam or were they his interview notes?' he wrote. Many others also pointed out the words written all over Katter's hands and fingers, most with one line quips. 'My God! Bob Katter has the Encyclopaedia Britannica scrawled on his hands,' one Twitter user wrote. Katter was on the programme to discuss the controversial Adani coal mine as protesters from both sides clashed in a North Queensland town over the plans 'Perhaps Bob Katter has taken up reducing his paper usage and taken to writing notes on hands for his interview,' another added. It was hard for viewers to make out what exactly was written on Katter's hands but 'housing', 'no' could be made out. Other voters were left scratching their heads as to why Katter would have needed notes for his appearance on the show. 'Take a close look at bob Katter's left hand. He's written down notes for a 5 min interview concerning his own electorate,' one concerned voter wrote. 'Bob Katter on The Project checked his hands and came up empty,' another added. Thousands of animals have been tortured and killed in science experiments at a top secret government research base, it has been revealed. Around 48,400 animals were blown up, gassed, or poisoned by the Ministry of Defence at their Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down in Wiltshire. Official figures show the series of fatal tests took place between 2010 and 2017. Around 48,400 animals were blown up, gassed, or poisoned by the Ministry of Defence at their Porton Down site in Wiltshire The animals were used in a variety of tests for new experimental chemical and biological agents for MoD's weapons research programme, according to the Sunday Mirror. Scientists reportedly strapped pigs in body armour material before hitting them with explosives, causing either serious injuries or death. The tests are believed to be in aid of developing more effective body armour for troops serving abroad in countries such as Iraq, where there is a high risk of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) being used against them. Scientists reportedly strapped pigs in body armour materials before hitting them with explosives, causing either serious injuries or death It is claimed that guinea pigs were poisoned with nerve gas at the top-secret Wiltshire test site There were also reports of monkeys being tested with biological weapons and guinea pigs being poisoned with nerve gas at the top-secret Wiltshire test site. The base was also where tests were conducted to discover what was used to poison Salisbury Novichok victims Sergei and Yulia Skripal and kill Dawn Sturgess. But animal rights' campaigners claim the experiments are unnecessary and the numbers being killed are 'alarming' 'Animals suffer and die in so many different types of animal experiments, but there is something especially dark and troubling about warfare experiments,' Animal Aid's Jessamy Korotoga told the Sunday Mirror. Porton Down was in the news last year after researchers discovered that former spy Sergei Skripal and daughter Yulia were poisioned by Novichok in Salisbury 'To expose live animals deliberately to compounds, simulated blasts and biological pathogens which are known, and indeed developed, to cause extreme suffering and death, is morally unconscionable.' The MOD defends the practice, claiming it provides surgeons and doctors with vital training which has helped save the lives of British troops injured in battle. An MOD spokesman said: 'The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory is responsible for developing and creating indispensable technology and equipment to protect the UK and its armed forces. This could not, currently, be achieved without the use of animals in research.' A mother-of-three has died from her injuries six days after a horrific crash which killed her husband and injured her three young children. Keli Machado, 30, succumbed to her injuries at Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers on Friday, while her five-year-old daughter Khaleesi remains in a critical condition, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Keli's husband Jesus 'Tito' Machado was killed at the scene of the crash on April 20. The couple's sons, 11-year-old Anthony and 8-year-old Vincent, survived with minor injuries. Jesus Machado (left), 36, was declared dead at the scene of the April 20 car crash on US 41 in North Fort Myers, Florida. His wife, Keli (right), 30, died at Lee Memorial hospital on Friday. Their daughter Khaleesi (center), 5, remains in critical condition. The couple's two sons, 11-year-old Anthony and 8-year-old Vincent, escaped the same crash with minor injuries Jesus was driving south on US 41 near Avenue A in North Fort Myers at 10.19pm when the family's Jeep Wrangler hit the median curb, traveled off the road and rolled over multiple times, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Jesus, who was ejected from the vehicle, was declared dead at the scene. Keli, who suffered severe injuries, passed away on Friday. Jesus's sister Rita Noda said she and her devastated family members were struggling to find the words to tell the couple's children. We dont even know how were going to break the news to them that its not only one parent, but both," she told Fox 4. Five-year-old Khaleesi is still fighting to stay alive The family was driving south on US 41 near Avenue A in North Fort Myers at 10.19pm when their SUV hit the median curb, traveled off the road and rolled over multiple times The late Keli Machado and her three children smile for a picture posted on her Facebook page Jesuss dad Alain Hernandez suggested to Fox 4 that the accident could have been a hit and run involving another driver, and has appealed to Florida Highway Patrol to release any traffic camera footage. 'Thats my son. Thats what I need justice,' he said FHP's investigation is ongoing, Fox 4 reported. The family has launched a GoFundMe page to raise money to pay for funeral expenses. 'My brother was an extremely dedicated father and husband. He was hard-working, he was loving, and lived for his family,' Noda wrote on the page. 'Our family is completely unprepared for such tragedy. We now have to fight and care for their 3 babies and give them the wonderful life their parents did.' President Donald Trump said Sunday that a flood of family units streaming into the U.S. from Mexico has made the border region look like an amusement park. The administration recently stopped its earlier practice at the border of separating adults without documents from children they bring into the U.S. The policy was meant to comply with a court ruling that required the government to house children it apprehended, and with existing law that prohibits keeping them in the same facility as adults. But with dwindling bed space a constant issue, and a court ruling that limits children's detention to 20 days, that practice has largely ended resulting the president said in a Fox News Channel interview, in a carnival-like flood of children traveling north into America. 'We go out and we stop the separation,' he recounted. 'The problem is you have ten times more people coming up with their families. It's like Disneyland now.' President Donald Trump, pictured Saturday night at a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, said in a Fox News Channel interview Sunday morning that so many children have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in recent months that 'it's like Disneyland now' The president signed an executive order last year ending the practice of separating children and adults at the border following a public outcry, attempting to put pressure on Congress to change federal law This image, shot last Wednesday in El Paso, Texas, shows migrant children from different Latin American countries resting on cots inside a shelter after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released them because of a lack of government bed space Not exactly: Trump's claim of a Disneyland-like border doesn't mad egovernment detention anything like the 'Happiest Place on Earth'; the president's claim is that sheer numbers of children are more than the government's system can handle 'When they used to separate children, which was done during the Obama administration, with Bush, with us, with everybody, far fewer people would come,' he said. Trump painted the policy of family separation and its practical consequences as a matter of incentives, suggesting that Central Americans would typically say, 'Let's not go up.' 'Now you don't get separated, and you know, while that sounds nice and all, what happens is you have literally ten times more families coming up because they're not going to be separated from their children. So it turned out to be a disincentive that's obviously a disaster,' he said. The president participated in an interview via telephone with Maria Bartiromo on her Fox News Channel show 'Morning Futures' Trump also complained about a court backlog of 900,000 cases that has turned immigration proceedings into a farce that requires an endless supply of specialized legal expertise in order to protect the country. 'We know where everybody is and we're moving people out so fast. The problem is we have to register them, we have to bring them to court,' he said. 'And another country just says, "Sorry, you can't come into our country," and they walk them out. In our country you have to bring them to court and you have to have Perry Mason involved.' El Paso is relying on churches for help housing migrants including children Families that cross the U.S. border near McAllen, Texas are taken into custody, but those from Central America are ultimately released into the U.S. pending court hearings that many skip 'It just a system that Congress can fix,' he vented, adding that lawmakers 'don't get off their ass. And it's the Democrats who could solve it so quickly.' The president appeared on 'Morning Futures' with host Maria Bartiromo. South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said on the same program that 'if a family comes here with a minor child we'll release the entire family after 20 days because we don't have bed space.' Graham also noted that a quirk in U.S. immigration law treats Mexican and Canadian border-jumpers differently from people who are citizens of Central American countries. 'If you're from Central America you cannot be sent back home as a minor child because of the law on the books that prohibits sending children back from non-contiguous countries,' he said. 'We need to be sending these kids back to Central America where they come from.' Facial recognition cameras have been installed in shopping centres to detect the ages and moods of customers so billboards fitted with the devices can display custom marketing. Companies that support the devices claim they comply with data protection laws because none of the information gathered about customers can be stored so shoppers don't need to give consent to being filmed. One such company, Ocean Outdoor, said the technology allowed the right adverts to be shown at the right time. Facial recognition cameras have been installed in billboards outside shopping centres to detect the ages and moods of customers so they can display custom marketing More than 50 screens with facial recognition were found across the UK, including ones at Westfield in Shepherd's Bush, by the Sunday Times. The screens claim to be able to tell a person's age within a five-year bracket. Chief executive of Ocean Outdoor, Tim Bleakley, told the Sunday Times: 'We can measure the level of happiness or sadness. We can measure the dwell time'. The information that is collected is either used to hone in on a specific shopped or to decide when to target shoppers in general. In a promotional video for Ocean Outdoor's LookOut technology, shoppers walk past billboards in Westfield. More than 50 screens with facial recognition were found across the UK, including ones at Westfield in Shepherd's Bush, by the Sunday Times The video says: 'Three cameras give the billboard eyes'. While the cameras can be used to gather information which helps companies tailor their adverts, they can also be used for interactive advertising. Reebok put up a billboard in Stockholm that challenged passers-by to run past it as quickly as they could. If they beat a 10.5mph pace they were given a free pair of ZPump 2.0 shoes. A billboard that appeared outside Westfield in London to raise awareness about domestic abuse on International Women's Day showed a picture of a woman's face that was badly bruised. The caption on the billboard read: 'Look at me. We can stop it'. As more and more people looked at the woman, her injuries healed quicker. French company Quividi, which sells facial detection technology says that images of shoppers are processed in milliseconds and then permanently deleted. The company also claimed that their software couldn't recognise a particular person and that if a person were to leave sight of the camera and then return, they would be picked up as a new person. Ocean Outdoor have expanded their recognition technology to include detection of vehicles that pass by so companies can tailor adverts for expensive products to people driving expensive cars. Close-up: A camera captures a customer examining products in a Boots store - as seen in footage on SBXL's public YouTube channel It comes after the Daily Mail's findings that SBXL, a little-known behavioural analysis agency which records customers in aisles, has previously worked with Tesco, Boots, and Co-op. SBXL boasts it can use the footage to manipulate the emotions and behaviour of shoppers and raise takings. The firm, which has also worked with LOreal, Coca-Cola, Danone and Kelloggs, said adequate signage was in place and consent was sought from customers. Boasts: Sales chief Andy Bromley shoes our undercover reporter the covert methods used by SBXL However, the Information Commissioners Office said last night that it would examine the Daily Mails findings to check for breaches of data protection laws. Some of the stores whose customers were filmed by SBXL also claim that appropriate signage was in place, or consent sought. However none has provided evidence to prove this. Andy Bromley, the firms sales chief, showed a Mail undercover reporter footage taken in UK shops, telling her: These people dont know theyre being filmed. Principal Alison Colwell has been criticised before after she sent home five per cent of its pupils in one day for breaching uniform rules in 2013 One of England's strictest head teachers has called for a clampdown on the behaviour of parents as she prepares to leave the country after being sworn at, threatened and vilified by British families. Seven years after taking on a failing white, working-class school in Kent, Alison Colwell, who hit the headlines when she sent 20 girls home in a day for 'flashing their thighs' in short skirts, is to head an international school in Mallorca. Colwell, principal at Ebbsfleet Academy in Swanscombe, insisted she had not been driven out by the 'tiny minority' of parents who opposed her efforts to improve their children's life chances with a 'zero tolerance' approach to bad behaviour. However, she admitted they would probably be gleeful she was leaving and called on Damian Hinds, the education secretary, to introduce new sanctions for the most aggressive parents. 'One parent, I am told, has already posted on social media that they have finally worn me down,' she said. Colwell said she had been forced to call the police to remove abusive parents from her office, had banned some parents from entering the school without an appointment and had been vilified on a community Facebook page that dubbed her 700-pupil school 'Colditz Academy'. Scroll down for video Girls from the Ebbsfleet Academy, wearing the short skirts that are at the centre of the controversy Colwell has been the principal at Ebbsfleet Academy in Swanscombe for several years She said she had tried to forget many unpleasant encounters but recalled one parent who, in her first year in charge, 'stood in reception and, in front of the children coming in, swore at me using 'f***' and 'c***' '. Almost all the parents who had been abusive to her, she said, were white and working class. They set no rules at home and undermined those at school, dooming their children to failure. 'The most badly behaved children came from the most chaotic families,' she said. 'I once tried to tell a mother she was a bad parent. I got shouted and sworn at even more. It was not a strategy I tried again. My staff had to ask me if I was OK when she finished.' Ebbsfleet Academy has a strict policy which states that girls can wear a navy A-line skirt ''of a suitable length for school, that is, no more than 5cm (2ins) above the knee' Her regime transformed the lives of some children. She urged pupils to be in bed by 9.30pm, ready to rise at 6am. Her rules included a ban on mobile phones; if found they were confiscated until the next holiday. The proportion of pupils getting five good GCSEs rose from 24% to 60%. Ofsted recently rated the school 'good' and praised her leadership. 'When we first opened the new academy with our new rules and our high standards and our uniform and our high expectations, there was a Facebook page that was really vicious,' she said. 'There were personal comments about me. It was really demoralising. That's why I don't read it or look at it any more. 'You have always had difficult families, but with social media the abuse has got much, much worse, more prolific and more vicious. It's at a whole new level.' Parents were warned by Alison Colwell that the uniform policy will be enforced 'consistently and constantly' She claimed the flood of UK teachers leaving state education for private schools abroad would surge unless foulmouthed parents are tackled. Colwell is backing a motion at the conference of the NAHT head teachers' union this week calling for an end to so-called keyboard warrior parents harassing teachers online. The 52-year-old is writing a book about her 27 years of working in challenging schools in London and the southeast of England. In it she describes encounters with parents, 'all of which are true'. They include a mother who brought the letter giving her daughter a Saturday detention into school and tore it to pieces in the reception area, shouting: 'You can stick that up your f****** arse.' Another parent confronted Colwell in her office to denounce 'your silly rules in your Nazi regime. I've told my daughter to fight back, not to do what you ask.' A former pupil showing what lenth her skirt was at when she was sent home from Ebbsfleet Academy A third told the attendance manager to 'go f*** yourself' over a threatened detention for her son. And a father left a phone message to say his daughter would be off school for her brother's homecoming parade from Afghanistan. It ended: 'If you have a problem with this you can stick it up your f****** arse because you lot are starting to piss me off.' Colwell says only in Britain would parents be allowed to behave badly with no redress. 'What is so special about the British psyche?' she asked. 'Other countries hold teachers in high regard.' When she arrived at the then Swan Valley Community School it was 'failing on every measure'. Colwell, one of a group of head teachers lauded by the former education secretary Michael Gove, made new rules to change the culture. Her uniform policy stipulated that skirts should be no shorter than 5cm above the knee. Anyone with heavy make-up or a fake tan was handed a wet wipe. Leaving equipment such as calculators at home resulted in detention. When she brought in the rule that mobile phones would be confiscated until the next school holiday, staff were physically threatened and police had to be called. A former pupil showing what length her skirt should be according to Ebbsfleet Academy, where hundreds of girls where sent home due to their skirts being above the knee 'That's when we had some of the biggest confrontations with parents, because ... they said we'd stolen them. And we said, no, we've confiscated them, and quoted the law. Colwell still loves teaching and hopes her book will inspire others to join the profession. Some children in her charge had heartbreakingly sad lives, she said. 'I care so much about the children here. I care about their life chances and their aspirations, and everything we do is because of that. So when you get criticised and insulted and told, 'You don't care about the kids', those are the times I cried in my office ... [but] for every horrible email or comment I had a dozen lovely and encouraging ones, and that is what I want to remember. 'I want to remember the girl who thought the only career open to her was hairdressing but now dreams of being an engineer, or the boy whose English essay was so good it made tears well up in my eyes.' The iconic Joan Collins opened up about everything from her career and courtships to Cleopatra and the casting couch during an appearance on CBS Sunday Morning. Collins touched on some of the may men in her life, from her love affair with Warren Beatty and on-set romance with Harry Belafonte to her five husbands - whom she ranked during the interview. The legendary actress, 85, also shared a few of the #MeToo moments she endured back in the final days of Hollywood's golden era, and 25 years later when she bad a big splash on the small screen in Dynasty. Collins said that she was even promised what would become one of the biggest female roles in film history by one studio head, so long as she was willing to meet his requirements. 'There were some very, very big people who promised me this role if I would be "Nice" to them,' explained Collins. 'This was the casting couch. I was dancing with one of the men who was the head of the studio. And he said, "I can put you up in a nice little apartment and I will come and visit you and you'll not only get all the best roles at fox, but we will see that you get Cleopatra."' Scroll down for video Bombshell: Joan Collins opened up about the sexual advances and demands made by powerful Hollywood executives during the golden era of films (Collins above as Cleopatra) Kids: In that same interview she spoke about her husbands and great loves like Warren Beatty, Harry Belafonte and at least one of her five husbands (Collins and Beatty circa 1965) Shut down: 'I can put you up in an apartment and I will come and visit you and you'll not only get all the best roles at Fox, but we will see that you get Cleopatra,' said one exec (Collins above on CBS Sunday Morning) Close-up on Cleopatra: Collins, 85, declined, saying: 'I was never, ever, ever going to settle forgiving my body to some old man for a role, or even a young man or anybody' (Collins above in a Cleopatra screen test) The pay-for-play offer was quickly upended by the quick-witted and self-assured Collins, who responded by saying: 'I said, "Great idea, and I am here with my agent, Jay Kanter, let's go talk to him about it."' When asked if she was concerned or even aware that her decision to cut down the proposition would likely have repercussions, Collins explained that she had long held firm on her values. 'I was never, ever, ever going to settle for giving my body to some old man for a role, or even a young man or anybody. I would never do that, ever, ever,' explained Collins. She was more direct about the incident back in 2017 when she opened up about her encounters with the 20th Century Fox studio heads for the first time in a column for The Daily Mail. 'The head of 20th Century Fox at the time, Buddy Adler, and the chairman of the board a Greek gentleman old enough to be my grandfather bombarded me with propositions and promises that the role was mine if I would be "nice" to them,' wrote Collins. 'It was a euphemism prevalent in Hollywood. I couldnt and I wouldnt the very thought of these old men was utterly repugnant. So, I dodged and I dived, and hid from them around the lot and made excuses while undergoing endless screen tests for the role of Egypts Queen.' She then recalled the story she told on CBS, only in her column identifying that man as Adler, who quickly shot back as she tried to get out of the situation. 'Honey, you have quite a sense of humor,' Collins recalled Adler saying when she went to grab her agent. 'And a sense of humor is all youll ever get from me,' replied Collins, who soon found herself out of work while Taylor swept in to play the Egyptian queen. Not so funny: When Collins turned down the advances, Elizabeth Taylor got the role of Cleopatra (Collins screen test above) Damn you, Alexis: 'He frankly didn't like this English woman and every person saying that she made the show,' said Collins of John Forsyth (left with Linda Evans right) So vain: 'We used to stop on Sunset Boulevard at the news agents and Warren would look through modern screen and see if we had pictures in a magazine,' said Collins And much like Taylor, Collins also had many middling and a few great loves, including a few of her five husbands and Warren Beatty, who relished in his press according to his ex. 'We used to stop on Sunset Boulevard at the news agents and Warren would look through modern screen and see if we had pictures in a magazine,' revealed Collins of her seemingly so-vain lover. When asked if she was in love with Beatty, she responded: 'I think so. It's like Prince Charles said, "Whatever love is."' Sparks would later fly with Harry Belafonte on the set of Island in the Sun, but not with John Forsyth on Dynasty. 'John didn't like me,' said Collins. 'John is old school misogynistic, and a bit sexist.' She then added: 'He frankly didn't like this English woman and every person saying that she made the show.' The octogenarian is still doing just that too, almost 70 years after she arrived in Hollywood at the age of 17 following a stint in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Mark Zuckerberg has built a glowing wooden box to help his wife Priscilla sleep better at night as she cares for their two children. The Facebook CEO, 34, took to Instagram to inform followers of his latest invention and the reasoning behind it. The 'sleep box' emits a very faint light between 6 am and 7 am, when their daughters Max and August usually wake up. Mark Zuckerberg, (left), has built a glowing wooden box to help his wife Priscilla Chan, (right), sleep better at night as she cares for their two children The 'sleep box', (pictured), emits a very faint light between 6 am and 7 am, when their daughters Maxima and August usually wake up The box doesnt show the time as that would cause stress for his wife Dr Priscilla Chan, 33, and disrupt her sleep, the billionaire tech entrepreneur said in an Instagram post. He explained: 'Since it doesn't show the time, if she wakes up in the middle of the night, she knows to just go back to sleep without having to worry about what time it is. 'So far this has worked better than I expected and she can now sleep through the night.' The post garnered a number of comments online. Former Facebook manager and angel investor Dave Morin called the device, 'Genius.' Zuckerberg wrote that those in his social circle have been supportive of the idea. He said: 'A bunch of my friends have told me they'd want something like this, so I'm putting this out there in case another entrepreneur wants to run with this and build sleep boxes for more people!.' Chan and Zuckerberg married in their Palo Alto backyard in 2012 after dating for nine years. Chan, 33, is an American philanthropist and pediatrician who was born to immigrant parents from China. The couple welcomed their first child Max in 2015 and their second daughter August was born two years later in August 2017 The Facebook CEO took to Instagram to inform followers of his latest invention She was born and raised in Massachusetts and grew up speaking both Cantonese and English. She then attended Harvard University where she met and began dating Zuckerberg. Their first child, Maxima Chan Zuckerberg or 'Max', was born on November 30, 2015. In August 2017, they announced the birth of their second child called August. In October 2018, the notoriously private couple opened up about their ambitious joint venture, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which focuses on advancing human potential and promoting equal opportunity. Since the couple joined forces for CZI, they say it is important to stay organized and set aside time for conversations about business aspects versus family talk time. Chan and Zuckerberg married in their Palo Alto backyard in 2012 after dating for nine years 'We used to go out to dinner to talk about CZI one night a week,' Zuckerberg said at the time, 'but that felt weird over time, because we also go out on dates. 'I just think psychologically, you want to have different places. So now we carve off time, like our one-on-ones. 'And then when we're at the kitchen table with our kids, it's not like we're not talking about what's going on in our livesthat's weird too, you're not going to turn things off that are important and emotionalbut we try not to go through logistics and details and stuff like that.' In October 2018, the notoriously private couple opened up about their ambitious joint venture, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which focuses on advancing human potential Chan claimed she actually turns to her children's pediatrician for parenting advice, despite being one herself. 'I asked our pediatrician, can we talk about work in front of our children,' Chan said. 'We want them to be exposed to the types of issues [at CZI], but I don't want them feeling like there's a lot of disorder in the world. 'And the pediatrician's advice was, it's fine to have those conversations, just take it to its logical conclusion so they see that conflict gets resolved.' CZI is one of the best funded start-ups to date, with $45billion pledged in that initial announcement. Chan is the leader and oversees the annual budget which ranges around of $700-800 million yearly. One of CZI's ambitious goals is to help prevent, cure or manage all disease over the next century. Advertisement These vintage photos show pampered pets in an upmarket Paris salon - with dogs undergoing a lavish transformation from 'a bit ruff' to 'fabulously fetching'. The remarkable shots show an impossibly cute miniature dachshund being fitted with a new coat to keep out the worst of the elements, a groomer painstakingly trimming a dog's paw fur, and a pup being hand dried with a fluffy towel. The captivating photos were taken in the Parisian salon Au Chien Elegant in 1951, when lavishly indulging your pets was beginning to become increasingly acceptable. It was only in the first half of the 20th century that 'doggy barbershops' became commonplace. These were usually very cramped affairs with equipment which was uncomfortable for dogs or not for purpose. They would often house ineffective cage dryers which made the shops unbearably warm for both pets and employees. Advances in technology - and more available resources post war - saw improved grooming equipment for pets in the early 50s, and an explosion in the number of people keeping animals made pet grooming a more enticing business proposal for animal-loving entrepreneurs. Today in the UK, pet lovers spend over 10billion annually on their dogs and 8billion on their cats. Over one quarter of dog owners admit to pampering their pet with a spa-style treatment and over 50% of dogs in the UK will receive a Christmas stocking this year. A dog groomer is pictured clipping the dog's fur around the paws using early electric equipment. These pictures were taken in the Parisian salon Au Chien Elegant almost 68 years ago in 1951, when there was a boom in people owning pet dogs This pooch Jackie had been visiting the salon for five years when this picture was taken. He even wore his own rain mack, left, which is hung up with his collar and his lead. Advances in technology saw improved grooming equipment for pets in the early 50s This dog is being measured for a new coat. France had more resources after the war, leading to an explosion in the number of people keeping animals. This made pet grooming a more enticing business proposal for animal-loving entrepreneurs The photos were all taken in this upmarket Paris salon, above, in 1951. The pictures were taken when lavishly indulging your pets was beginning to become increasingly acceptable One groomer is seen using scissors to cut the dog's fur while he has a smoke at the same time. The dogs underwent a a lavish transformation from 'a bit ruff' to 'fabulously fetching'. It was only in the first half of the 20th century that 'doggy barbershops' became commonplace The groomer is pictured shampooing one dog before he is then washed off and is sparkling clean. By the early 1950s, the grooming salons started to become more modern. Decades before in the 30s and 40s, grooming salons were usually very cramped affairs with equipment which was not fit for purpose This poodle has its fur trimmed around its paws with scissors. By the early 1950s, pet grooming was a more enticing business proposal for animal-loving entrepreneurs ready to take advantage in the explosion in the number of household pets After shampooing, the dogs are dried down with a towel. Today in the UK, pet lovers spend over 10billion annually on their dogs and 8billion on their cats The groomer blow dries the dog's fur with an early machine. This was a world away from the decades before, as early dog grooming salons would often house ineffective cage dryers which made the shops unbearably warm for both pets and employees National Security Advisor John Bolton confirmed Sunday that the Trump administration agreed to pay the North Korean regime $2 million as part of a deal to secure the release of American prisoner Otto Warmbier, but never paid the bill. President Donald Trump denied Friday morning in a tweet that his administration paid the totalitarian country a reported ransom in 2017. The president did not, however, address a report about the $2 million invoice for Warmbier's medical care. 'No money was paid to North Korea for Otto Warmbier, not two Million Dollars, not anything else,' Trump wrote Friday. But when 'Fox News Sunday' host Chris Wallace asked Bolton if Trump's negotiator, Joseph Yun, and his team agreed to pay, he responded, 'It appears that they did.' The agreement was inked before Bolton joined the administration, he said. Bolton emphasized that the U.S. never paid a dime. National Security Advisor John Bolton confirmed Sunday that the U.S. agreed to pay North Korea $2 million for Otto Warmbier's release, but he said no money was ever sent Warmbier was arrested and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for stealing a propaganda poster in Pyongyang; he was flown to Ohio in June 2017 after he fell into a coma from unknown causes 'I think that's the key point,' he said. 'The president has been very successful in getting 20-plus hostages released from imprisonment around the world and hasn't paid anything for any of them.' 'No money was paid,' he said. 'That is clear.' Trump on Friday blasted his predecessor for agreeing to a 5-to-1 prisoner release as a condition of the Taliban cutting former Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl loose in 2014, and complained about a separate transaction that saw a 10-figure payout to Iran in an unrelated release of Americans in Tehran's custody. 'This is not the Obama Administration that paid 1.8 Billion Dollars for four hostages, or gave five terroist hostages plus, who soon went back to battle, for traitor Sgt. Bergdahl!' Trump vented on Twitter, misspelling the word 'terrorist.' A Washington Post report on Thursday concluded that the administration agreed to reimburse Pyongyang for Warmbier's care but stiffed the rogue nation on the bill after it released the comatose student to U.S. officials. Bolton emphasized on Sunday that no money changed hands, but his statement was the first to confirm that Trump's negotiator in North Korea agreed to pay what amounts to a ransom Warmbier mysteriously fell into a coma on the day he was sentenced, and died days after he was released into U.S. custody in 2017 Trump quoted an unnamed American 'chief hostage negotiator' in a second tweet to support his contention that he hadn't paid a ransom for Warmbier. 'President Donald J. Trump is the greatest hostage negotiator that I know of in the history of the United States. 20 hostages, many in impossible circumstances, have been released in last two years. No money was paid. Cheif Hostage Negotiator, USA!' he wrote, misspelling the word 'chief.' White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders identified the author of the quote for DailyMail.com: 'His name is Robert OBrien, the Administrations Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs.' The administration has not said who the '20 hostages' are. O'Brien has offered similarly sweeping praise for Trump in the past. Last month in the Oval Office he told reporters that 'the president has had unparalleled success in bringing Americans home without paying concessions, without prisoner exchanges, but through force of will and the goodwill that hes generated around the world.' President Donald Trump tweeted on Friday that he didn't pay North Korea for Warmbier's release, but didn't rule out the possibility that his State Department was sitting on an unpaid invoice for $2 million payable to Kim Jong-un's government Trump and Kim have had two face-to-face meetings including this one, pictured in June 2018 The president followed up with a tweet quoting an unnamed 'cheif [sic] hostage negotiator' Warmbier died shortly after returning to his home state. He fell ill while he was in a North Korean detention center after being sentence to 15 years of hard labor for stealing a propaganda poster from a hotel. Robert O'Brien, the president's chief hostage negotiator, offered glowing praise for Trump on Friday, as he has in the past An Ohio coroner said Warmbier died from a lack of oxygen and blood to the brain. Pyongyang blamed botulism and ingestion of a sleeping pill and dismissed torture claims. Barack Obama was president at the time of Warmbier's incarceration and his State Department was not successful in freeing him. Months after Obama left office, North Korea agreed to release the student, who arrived home in a vegetative state, to the Trump administration. Fred Warmbier, Otto's father, told the Post that he had not been informed about a hospital bill and said it sounded like a 'ransom' request for his late son. Trump tweeted Friday morning that the U.S. did not pay any money for Warmier's release Ottos father, Fred Warmbier, said that he had not been informed about any hospital bill and that it sounded like a 'ransom' for his late son Warmbier traveled to North Korea from China while completing a study abroad program in Hong Kong at the end of 2015, as part of a tour group that included ten other Americans. The group celebrated New Year's Eve in Pyongyang, and at some point during the stay, Warmbier took down a propaganda poster from the wall of his hotel that he planned to take home as a souvenir. He was arrested at Pyongyang airport shortly after, before tearfully confessing on North Korean television six weeks into his detention that he had taken the poster. A court sentenced Warmbier to 15 years in prison with hard labor for his confessed crime. The U.S. State Department said at the time that it was evident that North Korea arrested Warmbier to make a political statement. Shane M. Piche, 26, has been spared jail time despite admitting to raping a 14-year-old girl he met on his bus route A former New York bus driver, who admitted to raping a 14-year-old girl he met on his route, has been spared jail time. Shane M. Piche, 26, who used to work as a bus driver for the Watertown City School District, pleaded guilty to third-degree rape in February. Last week, Judge James P. McClusky sentenced Piche to 10 years probation and ordered him to register as a Level 1 sex offender. McClusky said he gave Piche the sentence because he had no prior arrests and there was only one victim involved, according to the Watertown Daily Times. Level 1 sex offenders are considered to be at low risk for committing the crime again. Piche will not be included in the online sex offender databases. Authorities said Piche met the teenager while on his bus route. According to the Daily Times, the rape happened at his residence along Ridge Road. Piche was fired from the bus company as a result of the incident. In addition to the probation, Piche is not allowed to be alone with anyone under 17 years old He also has to pay $375 in court fees and a $1,000 special sex offender registration fee. The victim's mother shared a statement with 7 News that reads:' 'I wish Shane Piche would have received time in jail for the harm he caused to my child. 'He took something from my daughter she will never get back and has caused her to struggle with depression and anxiety.' Advertisement Thousands of protesters have marched through central Hong Kong today in opposition to changes to an extradition law which would make it easier to send criminal suspects to mainland China. Many protesters carried yellow umbrellas, a protest symbol which first appeared in Hong Kong's 2014 pro-democracy protests, and placards which accused the territory's leader Carrie Lam of 'selling out' and called on her to resign. Hong Kong police said around 22,800 people took part the protest while organisers gave a much higher figure of more than 130,000. Thousands of protesters have marched through central Hong Kong in opposition to changes to an extradition law which would make it easier to send criminal suspects to mainland China Former British colony Hong Kong has a separate legal system to China through the 'one country, two systems' deal struck between Britain and China. The territory was handed back to China in 1997 on the condition it would retain a 'high degree of autonomy, apart from in foreign and defence affairs' for 50 years. Honk Kong has traditionally hesitated over mainland extraditions because of the opacity of China's criminal justice system and its liberal use of the death penalty. But earlier this year Hong Kong's government announced plans to overhaul its extradition rules, allowing the transfer of fugitives with mainland China, Macau and Taiwan on a 'case-basis' for the first time. Many protesters carried yellow umbrellas, a protest symbol in Hong Kong's massive 2014 pro-democracy protests, and placards which accused Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam of 'selling out' the territory, and called on her to resign Hong Kong police said around 22,800 people took part in Sunday's protest at its peak period, while organisers gave a much higher figure of more than 130,000 Honk Kong has traditionally hesitated over mainland extraditions because of the opacity of China's criminal justice system and its liberal use of the death penalty Honk Kong has traditionally hesitated over mainland extraditions because of the opacity of China's criminal justice system and its liberal use of the death penalty Marcher, Amanda Wong, 40, said it was important to exercise those rights while they were under perceived attack Business, legal, human rights and journalists groups have expressed concerns over the proposed changes, saying they will damage Hong Kong's reputation for legal independence. Marcher, Amanda Wong, 40, said it was important to exercise those rights while they were under perceived attack. 'We have to come out to march. It doesn't matter if we can change the situation or not, we just have come out while we still have the chance,' she said. Marcher Roland Lo, 49, said: 'Creating a loophole that could mean a Hong Kong person gets extradited to China to face prosecution there, that completely destroys the guarantee of human rights and legal protection of one country, two systems.' Business, legal, human rights and journalists groups have expressed concerns over the proposed changes, saying they will damage Hong Kong's reputation for legal independence. The amendments expand the scope for the transfer of criminal suspects to China and remove the legislature's right to scrutinise individual extradition decisions filed by Hong Kong's chief executive. The amendments expand the scope for the transfer of criminal suspects to China and remove the legislature's right to scrutinise individual extradition decisions filed by Hong Kong's chief executive The amendment to the extradition law expands the scope for the transfer of criminal suspects to China and remove the legislature's right to scrutinise individual extradition decisions filed by Hong Kong's chief executive. The extradition proposal has already sparked large protests and mounting alarm within the city's business and legal communities who fear it will hammer the financial hub's international appeal and tangle people up in China's opaque courts. Demonstrators on Sunday chanted 'Step down, Carrie Lam!' - referring to the city's pro-Beijing leader, while many held the yellow umbrellas that symbolised the 2014 rallies Many of the protesters are also furious over the recent jailing of democracy leaders in Hong Kong Business, legal, human rights and journalists groups have expressed concerns over the proposed changes, saying they will damage Hong Kong's reputation for legal independence. Demonstrators during the protest which comes just days after four prominent leaders of Hong Kong's democracy movement were jailed for their role in organising mass pro-democracy protests in 2014 Former President Barack Obama awarded Lugar with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, in 2013 He backed efforts to end apartheid in South Africa and denuclearize the former Soviet Union during the turn of the 20th century He's been recognized as one of the most renowned voices on US foreign policy Lugar was the longest serving US Senator in Indiana history, serving 36 years in the chamber from 1977 to 2013 He was surrounded by family members, including his wife, Charlene, and his four sons, Mark, Bob, John, and David, when he passed away The six-term Senator was declared dead at 1.44am Sunday at the Inova Fairfax Heart and Vascular Institute in Fairfax, Virginia Former US Sen. Richard G. Luger (R-Indiana) died early Sunday morning at the age of 87 Former US Senator Richard G. Luger, the longest serving Senator in the history of Indiana, has died at the age of 87. The 87-year-old former Mayor of Indianapolis died after complications due to chronic inflammatory demylinating polyneuropathy (CIPD), a rare neurological disorder that causes inflammation on nerve tissue. The Hoosier State Republican passed away peacefully surrounded by his family - including his wife, Charlene, four sons, Mark, Bob, John, and David, and their families - at the Inova Fairfax Heart and Vascular Institute in Fairfax, Virginia, according to the Lugar Center. 'This was a short illness. He was in generally good health until this month,' Lugar Center spokesman Dan Dillon told the Daily Mail in an emailed statement on Sunday. Lugar, who served six terms totaling 36 years in the legislative chamber from 1977-2013, chaired the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee twice during his tenure, from 1985 to 1987 and again from 2003 to 2007. In 2013, then-President Barack Obama presented Lugar with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. Scroll down for video Former President Barack Obama awarded Lugar with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, in 2013 Lugar (left) chaired the Senate's Foreign Relations Comittee twice during his tenure and has been recognized as one of the most renowned voices on U.S. foreign policy Obama tweeted his condolences to Lugar and his family Sunday afternoon, highlighting memories of working with 'Dick' throughout the former president's political career in Washington beginning as a freshmen Senator in 2005. 'For thirty-six years, Richard Lugar proved that pragmatism and decency worknot only in Washington but all over the world,' Obama said in a written statement. 'He understood the intricacies of America's power and the way words uttered in Washington echo around the globe... In Dick, I saw someone who wasn't a Republican or a Democrat first, but a problem solver - an example of the impact a public servant can make by eschewing partisan divisiveness to instead focus on common ground.' President Barack Obama reflected on working with Lugar while tweeting his condolences to Lugar's family Sunday afternoon Former President Bill Clinton also paid tribute tweeting: 'Dick Lugar was a man of great decency who was widely respected for his willingness to reach across the aisle in the name of good policy' Former President Bill Clinton also paid tribute tweeting: 'Dick Lugar was a man of great decency who was widely respected for his willingness to reach across the aisle in the name of good policy. I always liked working with him because he was on the level. His service made America safer and stronger.' Lugar has been recognized as one of the most renowned voices on U.S. foreign policy, backing efforts to end apartheid in South Africa and denuclearize the former Soviet Union during the turn of the 20th century. 'Hoosiers are saddened today to learn of the passing of one of our greatest statesmen,' Vice President Mike Pence, the former Governor of Indiana, said in a written statement Sunday afternoon. 'Senator Lugar's contributions to the life of our nation are countless. Richard Lugar was a leader not only in the Senate, but also on the world stage... Senator Lugar was also a friend and mentor throughout our public career and we will miss his kindness, example and wisdom.' Lugar backed efforts to end apartheid in South Africa and denuclearize the former Soviet Union during the turn of the 20th century In 1996, Lugar ran an unsuccessful bid for President, ultimately losing the Republican nomination to then-fellow Senator Bob Dole (R-Iowa) Lugar (second from right) poses for pictures with his fellow senators and former British Prime Minister David Cameron (center-right) in 2010 Lugar ran an unsuccessful bid for President in 1996, but missed out on the Republican nomination to Bob Dole. Dole eventually loss to incumbent Democrat Bill Clinton. The Washington Post reports Lugar was a moderate conservative holdover from the Cold War era who regarded the Soviet Union's stockpile of nuclear missiles as an existential national security threat, fearing the weapons of mass destruction eventually would fall into the hands of terrorists. He and Senate Armed Services committed chairman Sam Nunn (D-Georgia) sponsored 1991 legislation to create the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, known as Nunn-Lugar, to help Russia and other ex-Soviet republics dismantle or secure their nuclear arsenals. 'He navigated foreign policy matters adeptly, leaving a safer world because of his work,' US Rep. Susan W. Brooks said of Lugar on Twitter Sunday afternoon. 'It was an honor to be selected by him to serve as United States Attorney and we will miss his wisdom dearly, but his legacy will endure for generations to come.' U.S. Rep. Greg Pence, Mike Pence's brother, said, 'Sen. Lugar will be remembered as one of America's greatest Senators, leaving his mark on American and global affairs throughout his six terms.' 'He will also be remembered here in Indiana as a proud Hoosier who always kept our best interest in his heart,' the Congressman added. An eight-year-old boy is the world's youngest person to be fitted with a bionic 'hero arm' - and celebrated by eating his favourite burger with two hands for the first time. Freddie Payne, from Bracknell, Berkshire, was given his new arm days before his eighth birthday and was thrilled to be able to pick up the burger at his birthday party. The arm is the first medically approved prosthesis in Britain which allows for precise and delicate movements that other prosthetic hands cannot do. Freddie Payne, 8, from Bracknell, Berkshire, is the world's youngest person to be fitted with a bionic 'hero arm' - and celebrated by eating his favourite burger with two hands for the first time. Above: Freddie with his mother Suzy Cook, 42 The device weighs less than a bag of sugar and has enabled active Freddie - who was born without a right hand - to be able to grip the handlebars of his favourite scooter and climb with his friends. He has even enjoyed playing with a toy with his pet dog Lacie. Last week, he carried both his book bag and lunchbox out of the school gates - shouting to his mother, Suzy Cook, 'Look what I can do now mum!' Suzy, 42, said the device has completely changed the life of her son. She said: 'It is brilliant. Freddie has become much more conscious about his hand recently so this is incredible, he really wanted to be able to eat a burger just like all of his friends. 'As soon as he put on the arm he realised what to do, it was immediate. It will change his life.' Freddie was given his new arm on March 28, two days before his birthday and was thrilled to be able to pick up the burger - with added ketchup - at his birthday party Freddie has been described as a 'tech pioneer' by Open Bionics - the company who create the 'hero arms' - as the world's youngest user of a multi-grip bionic arm. When Freddie was born Suzy was told by private doctors it would be 'over 20 years' before technology became available which could replicate the movements of fingers. However, Freddie's dream was fitted with the bionic limb on March 28 - two days before his eighth birthday. The budding youngster had tried a prosthetic hand in the past but Suzy described it as 'doll-like' with no movement. Finally Suzy spotted Tilly Lockey - a 12-year-old girl who is the ambassador for Open Bionics and recipient of two 'hero' arms - on Good Morning Britain and realised this prosthetic was exactly what her son needed. The device weighs less than a bag of sugar and has enabled active Freddie - who was born without a right hand - to be able to grip the handlebars of his favourite scooter and climb with his friends She said: 'We had already begun the process of looking into private options but I remember spotting Tilly on television. 'She could do so much with her hands. I never thought at that stage anything could be done because of his age. 'When I found out Open Bionics decided to take him on as the youngest in the world I could not believe it.' Freddie, who lives with Suzy, his sister Megan, 12, and Suzy's fiancee Nathan Darlick, 43, was fitted with the 10k arm - self-funded by his family - at the end of March 2019. Speaking about his new arm, the brave boy said: 'I was so excited to use my new arm. 'It has let me do loads of new things with my friends and play like anyone else. Freddie said he can now grip his scooter 'like anyone else' and used to have to have his old prosthetic arm attached to his scooter Freddie has even enjoyed playing with a toy with his pet dog Lacie 'I used to have to use an old prosthetic arm which linked me to my scooter handlebars but now I can grip it like anyone else. 'I love that I can high five everyone and shake my mum's hand'. Suzy said Freddie had started to become 'conscious' of not having a right hand as he grew older. She added: 'As he grew up it wasn't too much of an issue and he got by. 'In recent years as he has got older, Freddie started to notice it more and he became a bit more conscious he didn't have a right hand like everybody else.' Suzy couldn't believe how quickly Freddie began to use the arm. She said: 'We were all chatting away in the room when he first put it on. The arm, built by firm Open Bionics, is the first medically approved prosthesis in Britain which allows for precise and delicate movements that other prosthetic hands cannot do 'Within about a minute, Freddie had worked out how to make the 'blah blah blah' sign with his fingers which we all thought was so funny. 'Freddie shook my hand almost straight away, it worked immediately. It was such an incredible moment. 'He came up to me recently and said 'Mum, I can be like everybody else now'.. It is his new normality.' Freddie celebrated his birthday at a trampoline park before going to the cinema and to eat his favourite burger. Freddie's mother Suzy, a beautician, said of the arm: 'It is brilliant...As soon as he put on the arm he realised what to do, it was immediate. It will change his life' He has spent the past three weeks learning how to make new movements with his hand. Suzy, a beautician, said: 'At first his school were a little sceptical because he had apparently told his friends the arm would have lasers on, which is funny. 'However, when they realised what it was all about, they have been brilliant. 'We're overwhelmed with how well everything has turned out.' Samantha Payne, co-founder and COO at Open Bionics said: 'We're incredibly excited to fit eight year old Freddie with our smallest ever bionic arm. 'With the Hero Arm, we wanted to create a bionic technology that was very advanced but also available, democratically, to the masses. 'As the world's youngest user of a multi-grip bionic arm, Freddie is a tech pioneer.' A prominent Iranian lawyer has been jailed for 38 years and sentenced to 148 lashes after she defended women who removed their headscarves in public. Nasrin Sotoudeh, an internationally renowned human rights lawyer jailed in Iran, was handed maximum sentence for all of her seven convictions. The 55-year-old represented protesters against the Islamic Republic's mandatory headscarves for women, many of whom filmed themselves taking off the garment and posing it on social media. Sotoudeh, who has represented opposition activists, was arrested last June and charged with spying, spreading propaganda and insulting Iran's supreme leader, her lawyer said. Nasrin Sotoudeh, an internationally renowned human rights lawyer jailed in Iran, was handed maximum sentence for all of her seven convictions Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh speaking on the phone next to her husband Reza Khandan in September 2013 Nasrin Sotoudeh was was handed a further sentence on Monday after already serving three years of a six-and-a-half year term in 2010 Her husband Reza Khandan confirmed her fate in an open letter on Facebook. So far, 119,977 people have signed an online petition calling for her release. She was jailed in 2010 for spreading propaganda and conspiring to harm state security - charges she denied - and was released after serving half her six-year term. Earlier this month, a judge at a revolutionary court in Tehran, Mohammad Moqiseh, said Sotoudeh had been sentenced to five years for assembling against national security and two years for insulting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported. The sentence is unusually harsh even for Iran which cracks down hard on dissent and regularly imposes death sentences for some crimes. Sotoudeh had already been found guilty in absentia of espionage charges and sentenced to five years by the court. While the sentences announced so far total 12 years, Sotoudeh's husband said she had been condemned to '38 years in prison and 148 lashes'. 'Five years of prison for the first case, and 33 years with 148 lashes for the second,' Khandan wrote on Facebook. Sotoudeh had already been found guilty in absentia of espionage charges and sentenced to five years by the court. Pictured in public without her headscarf The new ten-year sentence is the longest of seven different verdicts totalling 33 years bundled together in the case. 'But only the longest sentence will be served, which is encouraging corruption and debauchery', Khandan said. Sotoudeh already spent three years in prison after representing dissidents arrested during mass protests in 2009 against the disputed re-election of the ultra-conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Reza Khandan said his wife was jailed for five years for one case and 33 plus 148 lashes for the second in a Facebook post after her sentencing hearing The news comes after Iran appointed a new head of the judiciary - Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline cleric who is a protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The appointment is seen as weakening the political influence of President Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate. Iran, often accused of human rights abuse, said on Monday it had allowed U.N. Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Kate Gilmore to visit last week at the head of a technical mission. The European Parliament awarded her the Sakharov human rights prize in 2012 for her work on high-profile cases, including those of convicts on death row for offences committed as minors. The visit, confirmed by a U.N. official, appeared to be the first in many years by U.N. human rights investigators who have been denied access by the government. The U.N. investigator on human rights in Iran, Javaid Rehman, raised Sotoudeh's case at the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva on this month, saying that last week she 'was reportedly convicted of charges relating to her work and could face a lengthy prison sentence'. Worrying patterns of intimidation, arrest, prosecution, and ill-treatment of human rights defenders, lawyers, and labour rights activists signal an increasingly severe state response, Rehman added. Earlier this month, an Iranian activist group that's based abroad reported that Sotoudeh was convicted. Her sentencing has been widely criticised and she had 20 days to appeal the verdict. Last July Shaparak Shajarizadeh said she was sentenced to 20 years in prison for removing her compulsory Islamic headscarf out of protest. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wants to swap the pound for their own currency 'as soon as practicable' if the country gains independence. Nicola Sturgeon has pledged her SNP will fight its biggest campaign ever on the economics of independence. And she told party activists it 'is time to get your jackets on', as she announced plans to deliver a leaflet on Scottish independence to all 2.4 million homes in Scotland. If the country do win independence there have been discussions held within the party about the possibility of moving away from the pound. Nicola Sturgeon has pledged her SNP will fight its biggest campaign ever on the economics of independence Within her speech at SNP party conference earlier today Ms Sturgeon told those gathered: 'As an independent nation we will face challenges, as all independent countries do. We must be responsible with our finances. 'But few countries on earth can match our resources and our potential. 'So never let anyone tell you that Scotland doesnt have what it takes to be a prosperous, independent nation. 'Because our country most certainly does our new economic plan demonstrates the potential of an independent Scotland.' But Scottish Tories criticised the First Minister for looking to 'push ahead with an unwanted referendum' and with 'chaotic' proposals - endorsed by the SNP on Saturday - for an independent Scotland to have its own currency as 'soon as practicable'. Conservative constitution spokesman Adam Tomkins said: 'Nicola Sturgeon has made it clear this weekend that she is more interested in her party's narrow priorities, not those of the majority in Scotland. ' Similarly Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said: 'Nicola Sturgeon is more interested in uniting her party than uniting our country. 'There was no attempt to justify the SNP's new policy to scrap the pound as soon as possible, a move which would ramp up austerity and force hundreds of thousands of families with mortgages to gamble their house, pensions and savings on an untested new currency. 'Instead of harnessing the powers of devolution to tackle poverty, she is intent on using her time in office to stir up support for a referendum that a majority of the country does not want.' Ms Sturgeon revealed the SNP would create a social justice and fairness commission, which she said would 'set out how the proceeds of economic growth in an independent Scotland can be shared much more fairly'. This was being done because 'independence will mean little if it does not ensure a safe, warm home for everyone to live in'. Ms Sturgeon revealed the SNP would create a social justice and fairness commission, which she said would 'set out how the proceeds of economic growth in an independent Scotland can be shared much more fairly' The Scottish First Minister also insisted leaving the UK would 'bring an end to the shameful Westminster system which in 21st century Scotland leaves people without enough money to feed their families at the end of the week'. Her address - which included a 150 million scheme to provide loans to help first-time buyers with deposits - came just days after she set out her intention to push for a second Scottish independence referendum before the next Holyrood elections in May 2021. Westminster has repeatedly refused to countenance such a vote but Ms Sturgeon said 'surging' support for independence could help to bring about a change. A fresh referendum would not be a rerun of the 2014 independence campaign, in which Scots voted by 55% to 45% to stay part of the UK, Ms Sturgeon insisted. She told party activists they must always make their case 'with the decency, respect and dignity that we want to be the hallmark of our independent country'. But she insisted: 'Make no mistake about this - if we can now show what is possible with the economic powers of independence, we will win a referendum.' Ms Sturgeon went on to tell her party: 'We will now launch the biggest campaign on the economics of independence in our party's history. Her address - which included a 150 million scheme to provide loans to help first-time buyers with deposits - came just days after she set out her intention to push for a second Scottish independence referendum before the next Holyrood elections in May 2021 'From this summer, we aim to get information on Scotland's potential into the hands of every voter. 'Our plan is to distribute 'An independent Scotland - a household guide' to every home across the country - all 2.4 million of them.' In the wake of environmental protests across the globe, Ms Sturgeon said: 'As First Minister of Scotland I am declaring that there is a climate emergency.' She pledged Scotland would 'live up to our responsibility' to tackle the problem of global warming, pledging tougher targets would be set by her government if experts on the UK Committee on Climate Change advise that this is possible. And Scottish Green co-convener Patrick Harvie, said: 'It's welcome to hear the First Minister declare a climate emergency, even though her MSPs all voted against our calls to tackle it and watered down our Green New Deal proposals in the past few weeks because they can't bring themselves to stop backing the airlines and the oil and gas industry.' On housing she pledged action to help those struggling to buy their first home, saying that for many people 'saving for a deposit takes so long it has become a distant dream'. She pledged Scotland would 'live up to our responsibility' to tackle the problem of global warming, pledging tougher targets would be set by her government if experts on the UK Committee on Climate Change advise that this is possible The First Minister said: 'We will help young people with the deposits they need. 'I am announcing today a new 150 million scheme. 'If buyers can find just five per cent of the value of their new house from their own funds, we will do the rest. 'Starting later this year and running until the end of this parliament, we will offer first-time buyers loans of up to 25,000 to fund or top up their deposit.' With short-term accommodation providers such as Airbnb also impacting on the housing market in parts of Scotland, Ms Sturgeon said her government would be seeking views 'on a new system of regulation to make short term lets are subject to the same controls as other accommodation'. Such a move would 'give councils the power to control the number of lets and ensure they make a contribution to the services they use,' she added. The First Minister hailed this as evidence that the Scottish Government was acting on the 'very issues the UK government is ignoring'. Westminster has been 'paralysed by Brexit and broken by infighting,' she said, with 'no policies to tackle the big issues the UK faces'. A Zulu shield believed to have been used when 4,000 warriors attacked 140 British troops in South Africa will be auctioned off for 5,000. The cowhide armour may have been picked up from the battlefield following the Battle of Rorke's Drift where a large Zulu army attacked a small mission station. Now, 140 years later, the black 45inch shield will go under the hammer with Lyon & Turnbull at their African & Oceanic Art auction in Edinburgh. The famous battle was reimagined in the film Zulu, 1964, which starred Michael Caine as a British infantry officer. A Zulu shield, believed to have been picked up after the Battle of Rorke's Drift in South Africa, 1879, as a trophy will be auctioned off in Edinburgh at the start of next month for 5,000 During the 12-hour battle as many as 4,000 Zulu warriors faced 140 British troops Michael Caine wearing a British Army uniform in the film 'Zulu' on the battle released in 1964 The shield belonged to a prominent regimental historian before passing into the hands of a private collector and being placed in an auction. Its style suggests its original bearer was from the group umCijo, the sharp ones, which fought at both Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana, where the shield may also have been used. And the armour's dark colour means it could have been used by an unmarried, inexperienced man, as only the experienced warriors used white shields. Alex Tweedy, specialist at Lyon & Turnbull, said: 'This demarcation formed the basis of the Zulu's famous battle formation imitating the horns, chest and loins of a cow, which is thought to have originated in hunting as a means of encircling game. The dark colour of the shield suggests it was used by a young inexperienced male during the battle as experienced warriors used white shields 'During combat, the youngest and swiftest warriors, carrying dark shields, made up the 'horns', attempting to surround the enemy and draw him into the 'chest', whereupon the elite white shields would destroy him. 'It is absolutely possible that this shield was used at Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana. 'The British soldiers would pick up shields, wooden clubs known as knobkerries and occasionally shields from the battlefield and take them home as trophies.' The Battles of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift took place on January 22 and 23, 1879, with completely contrasting outcomes. At Isandlwana, 1,300 British soldiers were killed by rampaging Zulu warriors wielding spears and shields who overwhelmed them. But the tide turned when a heroic band of British soldiers somehow defended their mission station at Rorke's Drift despite being so heavily outnumbered. The Battle of Rorke's Drift was eventually turned into a film in 1964, starring Michael Caine, who plays an infantry officer. Over 350 Zulus were killed, compared to 17 Brits, in the rearguard action which prompted the award of 11 Victoria Crosses, the highest accolade for gallantry. The sale takes place on May 1. The shield will be put up for auction in Edinburgh by Lyon & Turnbull for 5,000 Gunmen kidnapped two foreign workers from an oil rig in Nigeria's Delta region on Saturday, the military said - the second abduction there in less than a week. The attackers raided the rig owned by Niger Delta Petroleum Resources at around 8am, the spokesman for the area's military operations, Major Ibrahim Abubakar, said. Authorities said the kidnapped expatriates are a Scot and a Canadian. Gunmen kidnapped a Canadian and Scot from an oil rig (file image) in Nigeria's Delta region on Saturday, the military said - the second abduction there in less than a week Troops were searching surrounding swamps, Abubakar said. 'When we heard about the incident, we mobilized to comb the swamp but to no avail; we couldn't arrest the perpetrators,' he added. Abubakar said efforts have been intensified to rescue and arrest culprits, 'but we have also advised the management to provide adequate security to their operations'. Authorities have not released the identities of the victims. The Niger Delta produces the bulk of Nigeria's crude. It has been plagued by criminal gangs and by armed groups demanding a greater share of oil revenues. On Thursday, two Royal Dutch Shell oil workers were kidnapped and their police escorts killed in Rivers State while returning from a trip. The workers were in Rivers State, returning from an official trip to Bayelsa state, when they were attacked. A Rivers state police spokesman said that efforts were underway to rescue the workers. Authorities said this is the second kidnapping in Rivers State in less than a week. The Ogbele Refinery is pictured A man arrested for allegedly murdering several family members, including his parents, may have killed a seventh person after stealing her car during a violent rampage on Saturday. Michael Cummins, 25, was taken into custody on Saturday night after the bodies of five people were discovered in two homes in the town of Westmoreland, northeast of Nashville on Saturday afternoon. Local media identified three of the victims as Cummins' parents, David and Clara, and his uncle Charlie Hosale. A 12-year-old child was also killed, according to News Channel 5. Cummins was armed at the time of his arrest and it is understood his victims were shot dead. Michael Cummins, 25, (pictured), has been arrested in connection with several murders, including those of his parents, after going on a violent rampage on Saturday Local media reported that the victims include Clara and David Cummins, (pictured), his uncle and a 12-year-old child. The other victims have not yet been named Officers responded to a 911 call from a family member which led to the original discovery of four bodies and an injured person at the first home at Charles Brown Road between Portland and Westmoreland. A short time later, a fifth body was found at another house on Luby Brown Road. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirmed on Sunday that two more bodies were found, which they say are connected to the homicide investigation. They believe a female victim was carjacked on Saturday night and was targeted in a random attack. They claim she was not related to the other people who were killed. Forensic scientists discovered another body at the house on Charles Brown Road, bring the total death toll to seven. In a Twitter update, TBI said on Sunday afternoon: 'Our Forensic Scientists, processing the scene on Charles Brown Road, have found a sixth body in the home. This brings the total to seven deaths and one critical injury. 'Efforts to identify the victims remain ongoing at this time.' During the brutal slaying, it is understood Cummins' grandmother was badly beaten and she is the sole survivor of the attack. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Special Agents are continuing to discover a possible motive for the horrific crime. CONTINUING: @TBIJoshDeVine details more on the capture & shooting of Michael Cummins, the person of interest in the killings of five people found dead Saturday in Sumner County. @WKRN pic.twitter.com/J3zdIa6k9K Josh Breslow (@JoshBreslowWKRN) April 28, 2019 Cummins allegedly killed his uncle Charlie Hosale, (pictured), and police are continuing to investigate a possible motive for the brutal murders Cummins was arrested on Saturday night after being shot about a mile away from one of the Sumner County crime scenes, TBI spokesman Josh DeVine said. DeVine said he produced weapons when officers tracked him down, which resulted in him being shot at least once and taken to hospital. Authorities have not yet said what kind of weapon was used and DeVine said Sunday he had no additional information. They captured Cummins after a manhunt lasting several hours after officers identified him as a suspect at an early stage. Cummins allegedly killed seven people including his parents during Saturday's violent rampage. Police said a woman, who was the victim of a carjacking, was murdered and is not related to Cummins' other victims Neighbors told local news outlets that Cummins, (pictured), was well-known in the area and they expected something like this to happen The TBI used a helicopter and eventually found him cowering in a muddy creek about a mile from where one of the shootings occurred. DeVine said at least one officer fired at Cummins after he emerged from the woods. He is believed to have produced multiple weapons and the situation escalated. He was then taken to a hospital for treatment for what are believed to be injuries that are not life threatening, DeVine said. Neighbors expressed their shock and sadness as news of the killings began to filter through the town. Law enforcement officials work at a command center set up at North Sumner Elementary School, in Bethpage before they apprehended Michael Cummins Authorities in rural Tennessee captured Cummins during a manhunt that was prompted by the discovery of several bodies in two homes Bill Heyes told News Channel 5: 'I'm not as shocked as I should be, I've been waiting for this guy to get caught for a while. 'He's done a bunch of trouble, we kind of all saw it coming, not this, but we saw something coming.' Meanwhile a family member set up a GoFundMe account to help pay funeral expenses for David and Clara Cummins and shared pictures of the some of the victims. 'He may be in the woods in the area near the scene and may be armed. If you spot him, call 911 immediately,' the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation tweeted. Cummins was caught soon after None of the officers who responded to Saturday's shooting were injured. TBI's airplane was able to help authorities spot Cummins on the ground in a creek bed, DeVine said. A number of law enforcement agencies had been searching for Cummins, saying he could be armed and dangerous. 'The community should hopefully be able to rest a little bit easier tonight, knowing that (Cummins) is in custody tonight,' DeVine said. A tactical SWAT team of a dozen officers was sent into the woods to capture the suspect The five killings appeared to have occurred late afternoon on Saturday in two locations More than a dozen law enforcement officers from the countys joint SWAT Team went to the creek and arrested him. TBI agents and forensics are continuing to work to piece together relevant evidence into the six murders that took place and are interviewing family members and neighbors who knew Cummins. WROC-TV reported that he has a lengthy criminal background in Sumner County with signs of escalating violence. He was first arrested in December 2012 for violation of an order of protection and simple possession of drugs. He was released about a month later on time served. In August 2013, he was arrested again for domestic assault and sentenced to 150 days in jail. Police announced that they had caught Michael Cummins, 25, by 11 o'clock on Saturday night Sumner County Sheriff's Deputies are investigating after multiple people were killed in a home in Sumner County, a rural suburb, northeast of Nashville A few years later, in 2017, Cummins was arrested in Sumner County three more times. In February 2017, he was charged with theft under $1,000 and evading arrest. Police records indicate he posted bond. Later in June, he served nearly two months in jail for robbery, domestic assault and violation of probation for the theft charge. Three months later, in September 2017, Cummins was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, aggravated arson (charge reduced to attempted aggravated arson), escape (reduced to resisting arrest), and violation of probation for domestic assault, evading arrest and theft. He was sentenced to 180 days on each charge day-for-day. Former top Justice Department official Sally Yates says that if Donald Trump were not president, he would have been indicted on obstruction charges in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Yates, a career federal prosecutor who rose to acting attorney general before Trump fired her in 2017 less than two weeks into his presidency, told NBC's 'Meet the Press' on Sunday the Republican president was shielded by department guidelines that a sitting president should not be indicted. 'I've personally prosecuted obstruction cases on far, far less evidence than this,' Yates said. 'And yes, I believe, if he were not the president of the United States, he would likely be indicted on obstruction.' Former top Justice Department official Sally Yates says that if Trump were not president, he would have been indicted on obstruction charges in Robert Mueller's Russia investigation Mueller's report, redacted for classified and other sensitive information, detailed a series of actions by Trump to impede the investigation. It did not make a conclusion on whether those actions constituted the crime of obstruction said the findings did not exonerate him. The report cited attempts by Trump to thwart the Mueller investigation, as well as the president telling Russian officials he had faced 'great pressure' from the probe but that it had been eased after he fired FBI Director James Comey. Mueller also said Congress has the power to address whether Trump violated the law and Congress is conducting its own investigations into whether he obstructed justice. Yates said on Sunday that the Republican president was shielded by department guidelines that a sitting president should not be indicted Yates told NBC there was a larger question raised by the report, which she said painted a 'devastating portrait' of a campaign that welcomed Russian intervention, lied about it and then tried to cover it up. 'Is this the kind of conduct that we should expect from the president of the United States?' she said. 'I mean, when the Russians came knocking at their door, you would expect that a man who likes to make a show of hugging the flag would've done the patriotic thing and would've notified law enforcement.' Yates was fired by Trump after she took the extraordinarily rare step of defying the White House and refused to defend new travel restrictions targeting seven Muslim-majority nations. The rabbi of the California synagogue where a man shot dead one worshiper and injured three others has recalled the moment he came face-to-face with the gunman. In an interview on Sunday with NBC's Today program, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein described the attack. Goldstein said he was washing his hands before the Yizkor memorial service when he heard a loud noise. The gunman had walked into the suburban San Diego synagogue late Saturday morning, the last day of the week-long Jewish holiday of Passover, and opened fire with an assault-style rifle. 'I was face-to-face with this murderer, terrorist, who was holding a rifle and looking straight at me,' Goldstein said. 'As soon as he saw me, he started to shoot toward me. My fingers got blown away.' One suspect - identified as 19-year-old John Earnest - has been arrested over the attack, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein (pictured) has recalled the moment he came face-to-face a gunman who shot dead a worshiper and injured three others at a synagogue in California Goldstein (left and right) was shot in the hand, but witnesses say he continued to deliver a sermon during the shooting. 'I was face-to-face with this murderer, terrorist, who was holding a rifle and looking straight at me,' Goldstein said Goldstein lost his right index finger, but he's hoping to keep his left index finger. He then recalled how the gunman killed Lori Kaye 'on the spot'. Goldstein said Kaye was a founding member of the three-decade-old congregation. 'Just a kind soul,' said Goldstein. 'Everyone in the community knew her.' John Earnest is alleged to be the gunman who walked into the synagogue Saturday morning and opened fire with an assault-style rifle, police said Audrey Jacobs, a woman who said she was a friend of Kaye, wrote on Facebook that Kaye left behind a husband and a 22-year-old daughter. 'Lori would have wanted all of us to stand up to hate,' Jacobs wrote. 'She was a warrior of love and she will be missed.' The other two wounded were eight-year-old Noya Dahan and her uncle, 34-year-old Almog Peretz. Their family had moved to the United States in search of a safer life after their home in Sderot on the Gaza border was hit several times by Palestinian rocket attacks. The sheriff said they were struck by shrapnel but were 'doing well'. Hospital officials said Sunday that all three injured people had been discharged. After the shooting, the suspect fled in a car, escaping an off-duty US Border Patrol agent who shot at the getaway vehicle but missed the suspect. The suspect pulled over and surrendered to police officers a short time later. Earnest, of San Diego, is the apparent author of a 'manifesto' who claimed to have set a nearby mosque on fire last month and professed drawing inspiration from the gunman who killed nearly 50 people at two mosques in New Zealand. San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said police and FBI were investigating Earnest's possible involvement in the March 24 pre-dawn arson fire at the Islamic Center of Escondido, a town about 15 miles north of Poway. No one was hurt at the mosque fire. Gore said Earnest has no prior criminal record. Lori Gilbert-Kaye, 60, (pictured) was identified as the woman who was killed during the horrific attack on Saturday Almog Peretz, 34, was among the injured. He had been visiting family in the area for the Passover holiday from Israel. He was with his eight-year-old niece at the time of the attack. She was also injured A car, allegedly used by the gunman who killed one at the Congregation Chabad synagogue in Poway, is pictured, a few hundred feet from the Interstate 15 off-ramp north of San Diego, California Heavily armed San Diego police officers approach a house thought to be the home of John Earnest Saturday's gun violence at the Congregation Chabad temple in the town of Poway, California, about 23 miles north of downtown San Diego, unfolded six months to the day after 11 worshipers were killed and six others wounded by a gunman who stormed the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh yelling: 'All Jews must die.' The assailant in that massacre, said to be the deadliest attack ever against Jews on US soil, was also arrested. The Passover violence came amid an upsurge in reports of anti-Semitism nationwide and abroad and followed a recent spate of deadly attacks on places of worship around the world. Suicide bombings during Easter Sunday services at several churches in Sri Lanka killed more than 250 people. A gunman who opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15 left 49 people dead and more than 40 wounded, some as they knelt in prayer. Gore told reporters authorities were investigating the attack as a potential hate crime. A rambling, violently anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim screed written by an individual calling himself John Earnest was found posted to the online text-storage site Pastebin.com and the file-storage site Mediafire.com. Synagogue members walk outside of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue Saturday in Poway, California A group gathers outside the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh for a vigil to honor the victims of the Saturday attack on a synagogue in Poway Links to the content on both sources were posted on the far-right internet message board 8chan. In that letter, the author also claimed credit for the Escondido mosque arson, which was put out by congregants who were sleeping inside and woke up to the smell of smoke. Local media at the time reported that a message scrawled on the driveway of the mosque mentioned the New Zealand massacre. Earnest was enrolled at California State University in San Marcos. In a statement, the university's president said the school was 'dismayed and disheartened' to learn Earnest was a student and was working with the sheriff's department. He attended Mt Carmel High School in San Diego, where his father taught physics before retiring in 2016, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper. The synagogue on Saturday was hosting a holiday celebration that had been due to culminate in a final Passover meal that evening. Authorities said about 100 people were inside the temple, where Saturday services marking the Jewish Sabbath would have been under way or have just concluded. Advertisement Horrifying video has emerged of a construction crane above Seattle's under-construction Google building crashing onto a busy street and killing four people, including a nursing student and two ironworkers. The crane collapsed and fell from the building in the city's downtown area on Saturday afternoon while it was being disassembled. Dashcam video captured the moment it came crashing down as cars were driving directly below. A separate timelapse video was filmed just moments earlier and showed the crane swaying dangerously in the wind. Horrifying dashcam video captured the moment the crane came crashing down as cars were driving directly below in Seattle on Saturday afternoon A timelapse video of the crane showed it swaying dangerously in the wind just moments before it collapsed and fell from the under-construction Google building in the city's downtown area on Saturday afternoon while it was being disassembled Deyan Cashmere and his father Eric, who both work in construction in Australia, decided to start filming after spotting the leaning crane. 'I thought it was going to fall. It was at an angle. It wasn't standing upright,' Deyan told the Seattle Times. About five minutes after taking the video, the pair said they heard a huge crash and knew immediately it was the crane. They gave copies of the video to police who are investigating the incident. Sarah Wong, a Seattle Pacific University freshman, was among the four people killed when the crane came crashing down onto Mercer Street. Wong had been riding in a car with another student when the crane fell. The other student was unharmed but is 'deeply shaken by the accident and the loss of Sarah', according to the school. Seattle Pacific University student Sarah Wong was one of four people who were tragically killed when a construction crane fell from a building and crashed into a busy street in Seattle Two of victims killed in the accident were experienced ironworkers who were disassembling the crane. One of those men, Andrew Yoder, was a 31-year-old from Seattle who was described as a young father Fire and police crew members work to clear the scene where a construction crane fell from a building on Google's new Seattle campus crashing down onto one of the city's busiest streets and killing multiple people on Saturday Wong, who was from South Pasadena, California, intended to major in nursing and had lived on campus. 'We are deeply saddened to confirm that one of our students passed away in the crane accident in Seattle on April 27,' SPU said in a statement on Sunday. 'While we grieve the sudden and tragic loss of our precious student, we draw comfort from each other, our strong community of faith, and God's presence with us in times of sorrow. We ask that the community join us in praying for Sarah's family and friends during this difficult time.' Two of victims killed in the accident were experienced ironworkers who were disassembling the crane, according to their unions. Andrew Yoder, a 31-year-old from Seattle, was described as a young father. His colleague, who hasn't yet been named, was from Portland and was recently married. Seattle Pacific University confirmed Wong's death with a statement and photo posted to its Facebook page on Sunday Wong, who was from South Pasadena, California, intended to major in nursing and had been living on campus The fourth person who died in the accident was, like Wong, traveling in a car at the time of the accident. The King County Medical Examiner's Office will release the names of all four victims on Monday. The crane at the South Lake Union project collapsed on Mercer Street near Interstate 5 shortly before 3.30pm and crushed six cars below, according to the Seattle Fire Department. It's unclear what caused the crane to collapse. Three people - including a mother and her baby - were also injured and taken to taken to Harborview Medical Center. Another person inside a damaged car was treated at the scene and not transported to hospital. The 25-year-old mother and her four-month-old daughter suffered non-life threatening injuries, according to Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg. A 27-year-old man was also evaluated for non-life threatening injuries. With a portion of the broken crane on the roof behind, a worker suspended in a basket clears debris from the damaged building on Sunday Workers suspended in a basket survey the damage on Sunday which was left on the building when the crane atop it collapsed a day earlier Police investigate the scene of a construction crane collapse near the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue Saturday Part of a construction crane which fell rests on a partially crushed car on Mercer Street in Seattle Emergency crews work the scene of a construction crane collapse near the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue near Interstate 5 in Seattle Three people were also injured and taken to the hospital. Another person inside a damaged car was treated at the scene and not transported to hospital Emergency crews work at the scene of a construction crane collapse. Two of the vehicles crushed by the crane are seen Esther Nelson, a biotech research assistant who was working in a building nearby, saw the crane fall and told the Seattle Times it was around eight or nine stories high and broke in half. 'I looked up. The wind was blowing really strong,' she said. 'Half of it was flying down sideways on the building. The other half fell down on the street, crossing both lanes of traffic.' Mayor Jenny Durkan tweeted: 'My thoughts and prayers are with those killed and injured' Mayor Jenny Durkan tweeted late Saturday: 'This is a tragic day in Seattle with this catastrophic incident in the heart of our city. My heart breaks for those who lost loved ones today.' 'We also saw some miracles, including a mother and her young child whose car was struck by the crane but survived,' Durkan said in a later statement. 'We are seeing our community come together in the face of tragedy and provide comfort to each other.' 'Determining how and why this tragedy happened will take time. The City of Seattle, including the Seattle Police Department, will continue to work with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries so they can complete a thorough investigation into the causes of this incident. SDOT will also ensure any road repairs are complete.' Blake Haner stands near the scene of the accident with flowers a for those killed in the construction crane collapse Workers are seen above at the scene of the accident on Saturday looking on in disbelief The crane at the South Lake Union project collapsed on Mercer Street near Interstate 5 shortly before 3.30pm on Saturday The damage caused to the under-construction building is seen above. The campus, which stretches two blocks, has been under construction for nearly two years The Washington Department of Labor & Industries has formally opened an investigation into general contractor GLY, Northwest Tower Crane Service Inc, Omega Rigging and Machinery Moving Inc, and Morrow Equipment Co LLC. According to GeekWire, Google is due to start moving into the South Lake Union neighborhood this summer. The campus, which stretches two blocks, has been under construction for nearly two years and will be made up of 607,000 sq ft of office space and 149 apartments. Google first set up a base in Seattle 15 years ago and has roughly 3,400 employees in the region. With Amazon and other tech companies increasing their hiring in Seattle, the city has dozens of construction cranes building office towers and apartment buildings. As of January there were about 60 construction cranes in Seattle, more than any other American city. A Google Maps photo above from August 2018 shows the site under construction above. The campus, which stretches two blocks, has been under construction for nearly two years Sri Lanka announced a ban on face coverings, including veils and burqas, in the wake of the Easter suicide bombings that killed 253 people. President Maithripala Sirisena used emergency powers to ban any form of face covering in public. The new decree announced today means Muslim women in Sri Lanka will no longer be able to wear veils covering their faces. An MP called for the ban last week, citing the religious garment's use by terrorists to escape authorities by concealing their identities. The powers prevent the wearing of the niqab, which covers all but the eyes, and the burqa, which includes a veil across the eye opening. But the law does not prevent women wearing the chador or the hijab, which leave the face exposed but cover the hair and neck. Scroll down for video. Women will not be able to wear niqabs (pictured) in public in Sri Lanka after emergency laws were introduced banning face coverings The ban on face covering, such as burqas (pictured), has been introduced for 'national security', the Sri Lankan government said A Sri Lankan MP, Professor Ashu Marasinghe, called for the burqa to be banned across the country to prevent male and female terrorists using it to cover up their identity. But the hijab and chador will still be allowed The restriction will take effect from Monday, President Sirisena's office said in a statement today. It read: 'The ban is to ensure national security... No one should obscure their faces to make identification difficult.' The announcement came days after local Islamic clerics urged Muslim women not to cover their faces amid fears of a backlash after the bombings carried out on luxury hotels and churches by jihadists affiliated to ISIS. The Sri Lankan cabinet had proposed laws on face veils at a recent meeting. It had deferred the matter until talks with Islamic clerics could be held, on the advice of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Muslims in the majority Buddhist nation account for about 10 per cent of its 21 million population. Most Sri Lankan Muslims practise a liberal form of the religion and only a small number of women wear the niqab. The law takes effect eight days after the Easter bombings of churches and hotels that killed more the 250 people. Sri Lankan Catholics pray standing on a road today during a brief holly Mass held outside the bombed St Anthony's Church marking the seventh day of the Easter Sunday attacks A Sri Lankan Christian catholic family watching a live transmission of Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, in Negombo, after churches were closed and Mass was celebrated at home Dozens of suspects have been arrested but local officials and governments around the world have warned that more militants remained on the loose with explosives. Just days after the co-ordinated suicide attacks, Sri Lankan MP Professor Ashu Marasinghe called for the burqa to be banned across the country to prevent male and female terrorists using it to cover up their identity. Professor Marasinghe, who is a member of the United National Party, declared on Facebook that he was going to present a private member's bill about the issue. He went on to claim that both male and female terrorists have used the burqa in the past while committing atrocities. Marasinghe also called for the niqab to be outlawed. Defence sources told Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror that female accomplices had escaped from a Dematagoda apartment complex wearing burqas. Officers had been questioning a suspect in the building hours after the initial attacks when they set off a suicide bomb, killing three police officers, where three suspects were detained. Police officers collect evidence today from a site of a gun battle between troops and suspected Islamist militants in Kalmunai, Sri Lanka Posting a copy of the bill, Prof Marasinghe said that the face covering garment is not traditional Muslim attire and should be banned The effects of Sri Lanka's Easter bombings reverberated across two faiths today, as Catholics shut out of their churches for fear of new attacks and left with only a televised Mass. Many across the nation knelt before their televisions as Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the archbishop of Colombo, delivered a homily before members of the clergy and the country's leaders in a small chapel at his residence in the capital. Ranjith told those watching across the nation: 'This is a time our hearts are tested by the great destruction that took place last Sunday. 'This is a time questions such as, does God truly love us, does he have compassion toward us, can arise in human hearts.' The closing of all of Sri Lanka's Catholic churches - an extraordinary measure unheard of in the church's centuries on this island off the southern tip of India - came after local officials and the U.S. Embassy in Colombo warned that more militants remained on the loose with explosives a week after initial bombings. Before services began, the Islamic State group claimed three militants who blew themselves up on Friday night after exchanging fire with police in the country's east. St Sebastian's church after a suicide bomber attacked it as part of co-ordinated blasts that killed hundreds of people Investigators sifting through that site and others uncovered a bomb-making operation capable of spreading far more destruction. Police said they had arrested 48 suspects over the last 24 hours as checkpoints mounted by all of Sri Lanka's security forces sprung up across this country of 21 million people. Those arrested include two men whom authorities recently appealed to the public to locate. The government also warned that it would crack down on those spreading false information and making inflammatory remarks. Police, meanwhile, entered the main mosque of National Towheed Jamaat on Sunday afternoon, just a day after authorities declared it and another organisation terror groups over the bombings. A two-day royal visit began today as Spain's Queen Letizia touched down in Mozambique to show solidarity to those affected by recent natural disasters. Serious flooding is raging in parts of northern Mozambique hit by Cyclone Kenneth, which killed at least five people last week. The Queen of Spain was already due to visit the region to meet with the officials to see the work being done to strengthen relations between the two countries. Queen Letizia of Spain arrives to the Maputo International Airport in Mozambique at the start of a two day visit to Mozambique to support the Spanish cooperation projects But today's trip went ahead despite devastating floods that put 700,000 people's lives at risk yesterday. Queen Letizia arrived at Maputo International Airport this evening ahead of a visit to Beira - the city worst hit by last week's cyclone and one earlier this month, Cyclone Idai. She will learn about 'work carried out by Spanish Cooperation in Mozambique in the areas of democratic governance, health, nutrition and rural development, as well as the emergency response for those affected by Cyclone Idai,' according to a statement from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Queen of Spain was always due to visit the region to meet with the Spanish Corporation and see the work being done to strengthen relations between the two countries She is expected to learn about 'work carried out by Spanish Cooperation in Mozambique in the areas of democratic governance, health, nutrition and rural development, as well as the emergency response for those affected by Cyclone Idai,' according to a statement from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Mozambique government have urged people in the city of Pemba to immediately seek higher ground as more rain is forecast for days ahead. 'Help us, we are losing everything,' residents in Pemba shouted at passing cars as the rushing waters flooded their homes and heavy rain fell. Women and girls with buckets and pots tried to scoop away the torrent. Houses began to collapse and a rescue team was mobilised, UN workers added. A group of men wade through floodwaters as rain falls in the aftermath of Cyclone Kenneth in Pemba, Mozambique on Sunday Residents stand outside a flooded house as rain falls in the aftermath of Cyclone Kenneth in Pemba today A woman in Macomia, northern Mozambique assesses the damage after a mature baobab tree slammed into her home during Cyclone Kenneth yesterday A couple walk through rising waters in Natite neighbourhood, Pemba, Mozambique today People leave their flooded homes, in Natite neighbourhood, in Pemba, on the northeastern coast of Mozambique today A child sits on a bus during rainfall, in Natite neighbourhood, in Pemba, on the northeastern coast of Mozambique on Sunday 'We are unfortunately expecting devastating floods,' the UN humanitarian agency said in a tweet. Kenneth arrived just six weeks after Cyclone Idai ripped into central Mozambique and killed more than 600 people with flooding. The new storm's remnants could dump twice as much rain as Idai, the UN World Food Programme has said. As much as nine inches, or about a quarter of the average annual rainfall for the region, had been forecast over the next few days. 'I have never seen such rains in my life,' said one Pemba resident, 35-year-old Michael Fernando. A man clears rubble on a street, in Pemba, on the northeastern coast of Mozambique today A family desperately scoop water from their flooded home, in Natite neighbourhood, in Pemba, Mozambique, today Up to four inches were forecast in the next 24 hours for some parts of the region, Mozambique's meteorological institute said. This was the first time in recorded history that the southern African nation has been hit by two cyclones in one season, again raising concerns about climate change. Some Pemba residents tried to pile up tyres and sand-filled sacks as barricades. Children took refuge in a bus that appeared to be stuck as vehicles struggled on the streets. Cars began to slip under the waters. A woman crosses a flooded street, in Natite neighbourhood, in Pemba, on the northeastern coast of Mozambique on Sunday Women wait outside a closed shop in Natite neighbourhood, in Pemba city, on the northeastern coast of Mozambique on Sunday A pregnant woman makes her way out of her flooded home in Natite neighbourhood, in Pemba There was no immediate word of deaths on Sunday. Authorities have said at least five people died after Kenneth roared in Thursday evening with the force of a Category 4 hurricane, stunning residents of a region where such a storm had not been recorded in the modern era. More than 160,000 people have been affected in the largely rural region, many already exposed and hungry. More than 35,000 homes in parts of Mozambique's northernmost Cabo Delgado were partially or fully destroyed by the storm. On Saturday, aerial photos showed several coastal communities flattened by the storm. 'Not a single house is standing any more,' said Saviano Abreu, a spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency. A boy does push-ups in the rain, in Pemba, on the northeastern coast of Mozambique A family walks in the rain, in Natite neighbourhood, Pemba on Sunday This was the first time in recorded history that the southern African nation has been hit by two cyclones in one season, again raising concerns about climate change. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has reported heavy damage to Cabo Delgado province, with the communities of Macomia, Quissanga and Mocimboa da Praia of highest concern. About 3,500 homes in parts of Cabo Delgado were partially or fully destroyed by the cyclone, with electricity cut, some roads blocked and at least one key bridge collapsed. A woman scoops water from her flooded house in Natite neighbourhood, in Pemba city Water gushes from a flooded house, in Pemba, Mozambique, on Sunday Children seek refugee from the rain, on a bus, in Pemba, on the northeastern coast of Mozambique, on Sunday Water gushes out from a house, in Pemba, on the northeastern coast of Mozambique on Sunday A young boy takes a break from scooping water from his family home, in Natite neighbourhood, in Pemba, Mozambique In this photo provided by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), badly damaged communities are seen from an aerial view, in Macomia district, Mozambique, before flooding started on Saturday Men carry a mobile shop to safer ground in Pemba city on the northeastern coast of Mozambique on Saturday before rain started to fall Community members look at rubble and other items washed close to their doorstep when Cyclone Kenneth struck in Pemba on Saturday In this photo badly damaged communities are seen from an aerial view, Ibo island, Mozambique yesterday In this badly damaged communities are seen from an aerial view, in Macomia district, Mozambique, on Saturday before floods began Prime Minister Scott Morrison has narrowed the gap behind Bill Shorten in the latest Newspoll as support for controversial billionaire Clive Palmer soars. Labor is leading the two-party preferred vote 51 per cent to 49 per cent ahead of the Coalition with three weeks to go until the federal election. But both of the major parties have lost votes to Mr Palmer, whose extensive $50million advertising campaign for the United Australia Party has resulted in five per cent of the primary vote. The result is a marked improvement for the Coalition since March, when Mr Morrison's government was down 54-46 on the same measure. Labor (leader Bill Shorten pictured) is leading the two-party preferred vote 51 per cent to 49 per cent ahead of the Coalition with three weeks to go until the federal election The result is a marked improvement for the Coalition since March, when Mr Morrison's (pictured) government was down 54-46 on the same measure The poll comes after the first two weeks of the election campaign in which Mr Morrison has campaigned heavily on the economy and attacking Labor's tax plans. But the Coalition's primary vote has dropped one point to 38 per cent, while Labor's primary is down to 37 per cent. PRIMARY VOTE NEWSPOLL Coalition - 38 per cent Labor - 37 per cent Greens - 9 per cent United Australia Party - 5 per cent One Nation - 4 per cent Source: The Australian Advertisement Support for One Nation has dropped to four per cent, while the Greens remain on nine per cent. Labor has ruled out negotiating a preference deal with Mr Palmer after making informal approaches. Deputy Labor Leader Tanya Plibersek played down Labor's approach to Mr Palmer. 'Look, I don't think a couple of SMSs is what you'd call a formal negotiation,' she told the ABC. 'Bill [Shorten]'s made it very clear that we would never have had a formal arrangement with Clive Palmer while he owes his workers $70 million.' Government minister Alan Tudge said if Mr Palmer does owe people money he should pay them. 'That's his business,' he told Sky News. But he skirted around the issue of the preference deal with Mr Palmer, saying what he wanted was for people to vote for the Liberal party or the Nationals party as their number one priority. 'The contest is really between who you want to be in government, that's where the contest is,' Mr Tudge said. 'There are only two choices here in terms of who will form government, it's either the Liberal/National Party with Scott Morrison as prime minister or Bill Shorten as prime minister.' Both of the major parties have lost votes to Mr Palmer (pictured), whose extensive, $50million advertising campaign for the United Australia Party has resulted in five per cent of the primary vote Malcolm Turnbull needed a primary vote of 42 per cent to win a one-seat majority in 2016. Despite the drop in primary vote, Newspoll calculates the Coalition has made up ground based on preference flows at recent federal and state elections. The two-party preferred vote is now back to where it was before Mr Turnbull was forced out of the top job in August 2018. Mr Shorten has climbed higher in the preferred prime minister stakes, jumping two points to 37 per cent, while Mr Morrison dropped one point to 45 per cent. The Labor leader has only won one preferred prime minister poll, getting his best result immediately after Mr Turnbull went, before Mr Morrison overtook him. The two leaders will conduct their first debate of the campaign on Monday night in Perth, before another debate in Brisbane on Friday. A British man is the prime suspect in the murder of a mother and her one-year-old daughter in Canada, police have confirmed. Robert Leeming, 34, claimed he did nothing wrong after being questioned over the disappearance of his tenant Jasmine Lovett, 25, and her daughter Aliyah Sanderson. The pair were last seen by witnesses on April 16 but were only reported missing when they did not show up for a family dinner a week later. Police have combed a wooded area in Southern Alberta, in the west of the country, for the victims but have had to suspend their search because of a heavy snow storm. Leeming is understood to come from a military background. Public records show he was born on a British Army base in Germany and later lived in Wiltshire. Robert Leeming, 34, claimed he did nothing wrong after being questioned over the disappearance of his tenant Jasmine Lovett, 25, and her daughter Aliyah Sanderson After being questioned by police, he told reporters outside a bar while a forensics team searched his house: They will find nothing because I did nothing wrong. He said he had previously been in an intimate relationship with Miss Lovett, who had lived with him for the past seven months, and that he had no issue with them at all. Describing how he was traumatised by the experience, he said he last saw Miss Lovett on April 18 but had no idea what happened to the pair afterwards. He said he had been to a picnic area near Bragg Creek, a hamlet in Southern Alberta, with her and her daughter the day before they disappeared. He said: We went for beers and chilled out and came back. They were here on the next day. I went somewhere else and they werent here when I came back. Leeming said police had almost bashed the door down when they arrested him at 11am on Thursday. He was questioned for 24 hours before being released. Miss Lovetts bank card has been used for an online delivery, but police said they did not know who made the purchase or where it was sent. Jasmine Lovett and her daughter Aaliyah Sanderson were last seen alive on April 16, 2019 Leeming who moved to Canada in 2013 and claimed to have permanent residence pleaded guilty to three animal welfare charges last year, according to CBC news. Police said they were looking to speak to anyone who had seen a white man in his mid-30s driving a grey Mercedes SUV between April 16 and 20. Leeming confirmed he drives an identical car which has been towed away by police for examination. The childs biological father, Robbie Sanderson, is not a suspect and is co-operating with police. The babys aunt, Josie Sanderson, said Miss Lovett described Aliyah as happy and smart. She said: I really just want them found thats it. I want some closure. She added: Jasmine was a really good mother. She would never put her daughter in any danger willingly like that. Calgary Police said they believe Miss Lovett and her daughter are dead. They appealed for anyone, particularly hikers and bikers, who may have seen the Mercedes car over a four day time frame to contact them urgently. A spokesman said: The man may have been alone or with either of the victims, and may have been carrying mulch in his vehicle. He added that anyone who has found a large pile of soil mulch dumped on their property in recent days should contact police. The suspect that police arrested has been released and no charges have been laid, however, he remains the primary suspect in the case, he added. A graphic designer who has worked for the Royal Opera House was today charged with the murder of his girlfriend at their upmarket London flat. Roderick Deakin-White, 37, was arrested after the body of his 35-year-old Australian partner Amy Parsons was found at their fifth-floor apartment at about 1.30pm on Friday. Scotland Yard said officers and paramedics had been called following 'concerns for the welfare' of a resident. Miss Parsons was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of her death has not yet been established. It is thought the couple had been together for at least six years, but that their relationship had been under strain recently. Roderick Deakin-White (left) was arrested after the body of his 35-year-old Australian partner Amy Parsons (right) was found at their fifth-floor apartment at about 1.30pm on Friday Roderick Deakin-White and Amy Parsons. She was found dead at the couple's home in Whitechapel, east London Roderick Deakin-White (pictured with Amy Parsons) has been described as 'really helpful' by a friend Deakin-White was described by neighbours at the east London apartment complex as 'really nice' and 'always willing to help'. One described Deakin-White known as 'Rod' as the 'local handyman'. Sam Broughton said Deakin-White, who calls himself a freelance 'motion graphic designer' who has worked for the Royal Opera House, was 'really helpful' and 'always there if you needed something fixed'. He added: 'Rod helped me when our flat flooded. He was the local handyman, the helpful guy to go to in the building. 'We never hung out and chatted or anything, but he was always willing to help. He seemed like a really nice guy. 'I was out at the time it happened, but when I came back there was a bunch of police here they didn't tell us much. I actually texted Rod to find out what happened but never got a reply.' Australian Amy Parsons (pictured) was found at their fifth-floor London apartment about 1.30pm on Friday Chi Building in Whitechapel, east London, where Amy Parsons lived with her partner Roderick Deakin-White Two-bedroom apartments in the seven-storey Chi building in Whitechapel sell for about 620,000. The grey and orange building can be accessed only with an electronic fob, while many of the flats have balconies. Within walking distance of the Tower of London and the Old Spitalfields Market, the building is located just a few minutes' walk from Shadwell station and just half a mile from Bank, Tower Hill and Wapping. The bustling area is full of hip restaurants and bars, vintage shops and galleries and is on the doorstep of trendy Shoreditch. Miss Parsons was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of her death has not yet been established It is thought the couple had been together for at least six years, but that their relationship had been under strain recently Another resident of the block said Deakin-White had come to help her with her internet connection and heating when she was having problems. The woman, who did not wish to be named, said: 'The last time I spoke to him was about a month ago. 'I only know the couple to say ''hello'' to, but Rod helped me a couple of times with my Wi-Fi and heating. I can't believe what's happened he seemed nice and normal. It's scary.' Deakin-White is due to appear at Thames Magistrates' Court tomorrow charged with Miss Parsons's murder. Police officers were called and Miss Parsons was pronounced dead at the scene Thousands of peak-hour commuters are facing major delays on the Sydney train network. The delays were caused by urgent repairs to signal equipment and a power outage. The repair work was completed just before 6am on Monday. A Sydney Trains spokesperson said travellers should be alert for announcements at stations across the city. Peak-hour commuters are facing major delays on the Sydney train network (stock image) Commuters took to Twitter to complain about the delays on Monday morning 'Delays continue to services this morning after a wide-spread power outage which affected all signalling between Strathfield and Ashfield earlier,' a spokesperson tweeted. People using the T1 Western Line and North Shore Line, T2 Inner West and Leppington Line, T3 Bankstown Line, T8 Airport and South Line, T9 Northern Line, Blue Mountains Line and Central Coast and Newcastle Line are being warned to expect a lengthy wait for services. Buses have been replacing trains in some areas between Redfern and Strathfield. Commuters took to Twitter to complain about the delays. 'How does a power outage at one station paralyse the entire network?' another traveller asked 'Monday and the city fails once again... stuck on a train for 20 minutes for one stop,' one person said. 'Oh good I'm so f**king glad I pay through the nose for transport from 1974,' another one said. 'How does a power outage at one station paralyse the entire network?' another traveller asked. Theresa May's former deputy was slapped down today after suggesting charging the over-50s an extra 300 to help fund social care in a move branded 'a tax on getting old'. Ex-Cabinet minister Damian Green suggested that people fork out the extra cash in National Insurance payments, in a new report released today. The Tory MP also said that pensioners must consider giving up some of their housing wealth if they want top-quality care in old age. He called for a radical overhaul of England's broken social care system to run it along the same lines as pensions. Under his proposals, everyone would receive a basic level of state-funded social care just as they are given a basic state pension. But if they want better care such as bigger rooms in a care home, better food and more trips out they should pay extra from their savings or their housing wealth. But the Prime Minister's official spokesman today stressed that the report was produced independently. He told reporters: 'It's clearly not a Government report. We will be bringing forward our own proposals in due course. Labour's Shadow chancellor John McDonnell also tore into the idea, saying: 'Theresa Mays top ally and close adviser has today let the cat out of the bag about Tory intentions to punish older people with a tax on getting old. 'After nearly a decade of brutal cuts to social care, the Tories now want to make older people pay through increased taxes. 'We want to hear today a clear statement from the Government that they will reject this call, protect the triple lock, and follow Labours call to fund social care properly. 'Anything less than a clear rejection of these plans to punish older people, and the voters will need to draw their own conclusions.' Mr Green's plans come despite the Tories being forced into a humiliating U-turn on the so-called 'dementia tax' during the 2017 general election. Damian Green said if pensioners want better care such as bigger rooms in a care home, better food and more trips out they should pay extra from their savings or their housing wealth But labour's John McDonnell said the plans amounted to a 'tax on getting old' that would 'punish older people' He demanded that the Government come up with plans to properly fund adult social care after years of cuts The manifesto pledge where tens of thousands of people who receive care at home would have faced costly bills as they grew older was regarded as a key reason the party did not win a majority. Mr Green's system, which would be comparable to private pensions, could give people the option of paying a lump sum of between 10,000 and 30,000 on retirement for the promise of better care if they end up needing it. The former minister also suggested as a last resort charging all over-50s a one per cent surcharge on National Insurance to pay the bill. This would mean an extra 308 a year for the average taxpayer between 50 and 64, and would raise 2.4billion. Money for social care could also be raised by taxing the winter fuel allowance. The radical proposals, drawn up by the Tory MP in a paper for the Centre for Policy Studies think-tank, come as the country waits for the Government's much-delayed social care green paper. Mr Green, chairman of the Commons all-party group on longevity, had been tasked with tackling social care reform before he was forced to resign over a year ago. He said: 'The crisis in our social care system is one of the most pressing issues our country currently faces. Damian Green arrives for a cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street. He said said pensioners must consider giving up some of their housing wealth if they want top-quality care in old age 'It causes acute problems for the wider NHS, with 1.98 million delayed transfers in 2017/18 for those moving out of NHS care. I propose a wholesale change in our approach to social care, mirroring the state pension system, with the introduction of a 'universal care entitlement' and a 'care supplement'. 'By combining this new system with an increase in funding, we will be able to tackle this most intractable of political dilemmas fairly and responsibly.' At present, people have to pay the full cost of their care right down to their final 23,000. The money can be taken from the value of their home, denying their children an inheritance. Eight years ago a review suggested that the state should impose a cap on the amount people have to pay, with the state stepping in to pay the rest. The cap has not yet been implemented and in Mr Green's proposals, there is no place for such a cap. He said the current system was financially and politically unsustainable, opaque, unfair, and discourages local councils from investing in social care and housing for older people. With the number of over-75s set to double from the current 5.3 million in the next 40 years, he said the need to address the problem was moving from 'urgent to critical'. Mr Green said under his plans, no one would be forced to sell their own home. It would also increase the supply of care beds. Robert Colville, director of the Centre for Policy Studies, said: 'Damian's proposals would pass all the key tests the system would be sustainable, there would be protection against the dementia lottery, no one would have to sell their own homes.' Millions of pounds of British aid money could be diverted to ease the pressure on cash-strapped local councils, under plans being put forward by the International Development Secretary. Penny Mordaunt is pushing to divert a chunk of the 14.5billion foreign aid budget to help pick up part of the costs councils face in coping with refugees. At present, aid money can be used only to help support a refugees first 12 months in the UK. Britain's Secretary of State for International Development Penny Mordaunt leaves 10 Downing Street In the case of children, this can leave councils to pick up the bill for many years. Official figures show councils spent 152million looking after unaccompanied child asylum seekers last year almost double the figure three years earlier. This year the Local Government Association warned the soaring costs were forcing councils to choose between caring for refugee children and other services, such as support for the elderly. Under Miss Mordaunts plans, the Department for International Development (Dfid) could help pay the long-term costs for disabled child refugees, provided they come from countries that qualify for foreign aid. Under Miss Mordaunts plans, the Department for International Development (Dfid) could help pay the long-term costs for disabled child refugees Miss Mordaunt is also looking at using the aid budget to pay the capital costs of facilities such as community centres for refugees and others and to help fund the training and salaries of therapists needed to assist them. A Dfid source said the proposal could be worth hundreds of millions over the next few years, freeing councils to spend more on services for local people. Miss Mordaunt said: The British public have been hugely sympathetic to bringing the most vulnerable people, especially unaccompanied children, to the UK, but the costs to local authorities is huge... We need to look at ways to make that possible, and ideally allow more to also be done to bolster living support, therapy and other services for local people too. The woman who died when a 19-year-old gunman opened fire in a California synagogue, lost her life protecting the rabbi by jumping in between him and the shooter. Lori Gilbert-Kaye, 60, was killed when gunman John T. Earnest, 19, stormed into the Congregation Chabad in Poway, California, at 11.30am on Saturday. She was an active member of the congregation and had attended the Passover service to say a Kaddish prayer for her mother who died in November. She was the only fatal victim in the shooting. Three others - Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, 57; Noya Dahan, 8; and Almog Peretz, 34, who was visiting from Israel, were injured in the gunfire. By Sunday morning, all three of those victims were discharged from the hospital. Rabbi Goldstein walked away from the shooting with his life thanks to Kaye. Scroll down for video California mother Lori Gilbert-Kaye, 60, died while trying to protect her rabbi on Saturday when a gunman stormed into Congregation Chabad in Poway, California during a Passover service The gunman had shot Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, 57, her friend of 25 years, in the hand when she stepped in between them and was shot herself. Kaye was the only fatal victim in the attack. Pictured above with Rabbi Goldstein He had been shot in the hand when Kaye stepped in front of him. According to a doctor at Palomar Medical Center, he suffered what appeared to be defensive wounds to both of his index fingers, and will likely lose his right index finger. Kaye's husband, a physician, rushed to the scene to help out after he heard of the shooting. When he learned his wife was the victim, he fainted, according to congregation member and Kaye's friend of 25 years Roneet Lev. 'She didn't die a senseless death,' Lev said to CNN. 'She died advertising the problem we have with anti-Semitism and to bring good to this world. ... If God put an angel on this planet, it would have been Lori.' Rabbi Goldstein hailed Lori as 'the ultimate woman of kindness' after she saved his life. 'Lori and I have known each other for over 25 years. She was one of the pioneering members of our congregation. She is not just a member, she's an activist. She personified ultimate of kindness and generosity,' he said Saturday night to CNN's Brisn Stelter. 'She's one of those people who are always there to be able to help others in their time of need. When people are diagnosed with cancer, she would be dragging them to appointments and would bring flowers to cheer people up and bake Shabbat challah just to bring the family some happiness. Kaye attended the Passover service on Saturday to mourn and say a Kaddish prayer for her mother who passed away in November Kaye pictured above with her daughter, 22, and husband Dr. Howard Kaye Eight-year-old girl Noya Dahan was another victim in the shooting. She hit by shrapnel and was wounded in one leg and in the face and transferred to a children's hospital Injured: Rabbi Goldstein, 57, (left) was shot in the hand and will likely lose his right index finger. Almog Peretz, 34, (right) was visiting family in the area for the Passover holiday from Israel. He is listed in stable condition 'She was the ultimate woman of kindness and it's unfathomable, why this beautiful, beautiful, wonderful human being would be shot down,' he added. Kaye is from San Diego and leaves behind her husband and 22-year-old daughter. Eight-year-old Noya Dahan was among the three injured victims. She was with her two sisters at the service and was injured by shrapnel, suffering a wound to the leg and the face. 'We're shocked, it's a little bit scary. We're all over the place,' her father Israel Dahan said early Sunday. The family had moved from Israel eight years ago in search of a safer life after he and his wife were injured by rockets. '(We were) under the impression that everything is good here. Today we noticed his is not even close to be regular life,' Dahan said. Gunman: John T. Earnest, 19, was taken into custody without incident on Saturday after he opened fire at the synagogue, killing one and injuring three others before he fled the scene People are seen hugging outside the shooting spree scene at the synagogue on Saturday Police pictured outside of the home of John T. Earnest before he surrendered himself Almog Peretz is the uncle of little Noya and was hit by shrapnel as he was trying to protect his niece. He was visiting from Israel for Passover and attended the service with some friends. He saw the gunman point his rifle towards the children and then opened the doors of the congregation, yelling for the kids to get out and helped bring them to a nearby home to hide. Many lives were saved in the shooting because the gunman's rifle jammed, according to Lev. A GoFundMe page has been created to raise funds for the Chabad synagogue following the shooting and by Sunday evening reached over $64,000, more than half the $118,000 goal. Gunman John T. Earnest opened fire with an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle then fled and retreated into a vehicle after an armed off-duty Border Patrol agency returned fire at the shooter. He later called the police on himself and surrendered. A GoFundMe page has been created to raise funds for the Chabad synagogue following the shooting and by Sunday evening reached over $64,000, more than half the $118,000 goal Grieving: Mourners flocked to the Chabad of Poway Synagogue on Sunday to lay flowers and signs following the devastating shooting Mourners signs saying 'Never Again' and held each other t a vigil held to support the victims of the shooting on Sunday Mourner Josh Wortman stands at a makeshift memorial across the street from the synagogue Clive Palmer has unleashed on Today host Deborah Knight during a wild rant about his wealth, fake news and his party's surging popularity. The controversial billionaire's United Australia Party is polling at five per cent of the primary vote just weeks out from the federal election, according to the latest Newspoll. But Mr Palmer, 65, said his party was actually far more popular than that during a heated interview on Channel Nine's Today on Monday morning. 'That is just fake news of course. We are polling much higher than that. And there is 28 per cent of Australians that have yet to make their decision,' he said. Clive Palmer (pictured) has delivered an extraordinary rant during a television interview, admitting he was a 'bad person' Mr Palmer was asked to respond to criticism from Labor's Anthony Albanese that he fell asleep in parliament and was often absent during his term as the MP for Fairfax from 2013 until 2016. 'Let's face it, I'm a bad person. I'm a bad person. Who cares about me? We care about this country,' Mr Palmer said. 'Why do you think we're standing in 151 seats across this nation. Because we intend to win. 'My wealth is $4,000 million. Do you think I give a stuff about what you personally think or anyone else... I care about this country.' PRIMARY VOTE NEWSPOLL Coalition - 38 per cent Labor - 37 per cent Greens - 9 per cent United Australia Party - 5 per cent One Nation - 4 per cent Source: The Australian Advertisement Knight asked Mr Palmer if he planned to follow through on his promise to pay the $7million he owes to workers at his failed Queensland Nickel company, prompting a testy reply. 'You're not listening. I said to you a minute ago that I will be paying $7million into a trust account of a solicitor who will disperse that money to the workers that make the claim,' he said. Mr Palmer refused to confirm if he had agreed to a preference deal with the Liberal Party and Prime Minister Scott Morrison. He said Opposition Leader Bill Shorten was a liar, and Labor's claims that they had only made brief, informal approaches to him about a preference deal were untrue. '[Mr Shorten] would love to have our preferences... They lie, lie, lie. That is all Anthony Albanese and Shorten can do. It is not much of an example for our children,' Mr Palmer said. Mr Palmer has spent about $60million on an extensive advertising campaign, bombarding potential voters with text messages and TV ads. Mr Palmer finished the interview by twice passionately declaring 'God bless Australia'. Mr Palmer (right) said his party was actually far more popular than had been reported during a heated interview with the Today Show's Deb Knight (left) on Monday Mr Albanese had previously called Mr Palmer a 'tosser'. Among Labor's complaints is that Mr Palmer didn't pay $7million in workers' entitlements after his Queensland nickel refinery collapsed in 2016, while spending millions more on election advertising. 'Scott Morrison had a choice between standing up for ripped off workers or sucking up to a tosser who ripped them off and he chose the tosser - he chose Clive Palmer,' Mr Albanese said on Friday. Mr Palmer said $7 million will be available to the workers of the refinery through a trust managed by a solicitor from Tuesday. Labor has ruled out negotiating a preference deal with Mr Palmer after making informal approaches. Mr Palmer made his money in mining, owning Mineralogy and Queensland Nickel before the refinery it collapsed in 2016 owing $300million to creditors. Taxpayers were forced to stump up for entitlements for 800 workers after the collapse. Mr Palmer was caught sleeping during Question Time in the House of Representatives in 2014 Mr Palmer is worth about $1.8billion according to Forbes, and is ranked 20th on the Australian Rich List. He was a member of the Liberal National Party in Queensland until he formed his own party, the Palmer United Party, in 2013. He was voted into parliament after an extensive advertising campaign but two of his senators - Jacqui Lambie and Glenn Lazarus - defected from the party. Mr Palmer was caught sleeping during Question Time in the House of Representatives in 2014 and was criticised for often being absent from parliament, only attending 54 per cent of sitting days. He chose not to stand for re-election in 2016 and de-registered the party a year later, before reforming it as the United Australia Party in 2018. Former Vice President Joe Biden has undergone numerous cosmetic procedures to alter his appearance, including Botox, hair transplants, and dental work, plastic surgeons say. Surgeons say that Biden, 76, who polls show is the front runner in the race for the Democratic nomination for president, began to look noticeably different during the 2008 campaign. That was when the then-senator from Delaware allegedly altered his hairline, filled in the wrinkles on his face and forehead, and installed dental veneers. Without any question Joe Biden had hair transplants, Dr. Barry Cohen, a Washington, DC-area plastic surgeon, told the Washington Examiner. Biden has never confirmed undergoing any of the procedures, nor has he spoken about his appearance publicly. Scroll down for video Former Vice President Joe Biden has had cosmetic procedures done, including hair plugs, according to plastic surgeons. Biden is seen left in 2019 and right in 1987 Plastic surgeons also say that Biden has had veneers installed on his teeth. He is seen left in 2008 and right in 1978 The former vice president has also tried to appear youthful by having a face lift, plastic surgeons say. The photo on the left shows Biden in April 2019. Biden is seen right during his term as senator from Delaware Biden is seen left during his second run for president in November 2007. He is seen right in March 2019 In fact, he had bad plugs years ago, Cohen alleges. Subsequently, he filled in his frontal hairline to camouflage the bad Barbie dollesque plugs. I suspect he has regular Botox and probably filler. If he had a face lift, he needs another. Bidens teeth have also attracted considerable attention. During the 2012 vice presidential debates against Paul Ryan, cosmetic surgeons speculated that Biden was fitted with either porcelain veneers or a porcelain bridge. The procedure likely cost around $20,000. Dr. Lawrence M. Koplin, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, told the Examiner that while Bidens procedures arent perfect, they were well done. Koplin said that after Biden lost his son, Beau, to brain cancer in 2015, it is possible the former vice president wanted to head off the aging process that is exacerbated by tragedies. It is not a stretch to imagine his desire to reach back to freshen his appearance and rewind to a time when things were better and happier, Koplin said. Hillary Clinton is seen left in July 2014 and right in May 2015. She has been rumored to have had cosmetic procedures done on her before her 2016 presidential run The current president, Donald Trump, also appears to have had work done to alter his look, most noticeably with his hair. Trump is seen above in February 2018 In years past, having so many procedures done may have been a political liability. But times have changed, as public figures routinely make themselves look younger. No one cares anymore, Cohen said. In 2015, journalist Edward Klein wrote a book, Unlikeable: The Problem with Hillary, in which he claimed that Hillary Clinton was operated on by a surgeon in a mini operating room in her home with the latest medical equipment. The former secretary of state underwent secret plastic surgery before beginning her campaign for the 2016 presidency, Kleins book claimed. Bill Clinton 'wanted her to get a face-lift' and 'she couldn't do anything about the calendar - she'd be 69 years old in 2016 - but she could do something about the lines and sagging skin on her face', according to Klein. The front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination 'had no intention of going to a clinic', so she asked a well-known plastic surgeon to set up a 'mini operating room' in her Chappaqua, New York, home with 'the latest medical equipment'. Clinton had her 'cheeks lifted and her wrinkles and lines Botoxed' and had 'work done' on her eyes, neck and forehead, according to Klein. The current president, Donald Trump, also appears to have had work done to alter his look, most noticeably with his hair. The Conservatives are heading for their worst local election defeat in more than 20 years as voters and activists prepare to punish Theresa May over Brexit. Analysis by Tory election expert Rob Hayward yesterday predicted the Conservatives are on course to lose more than 800 council seats when voters go to the polls in local elections on Thursday. Some senior Tories fear the party could lose more than 1,000 of the 4,628 seats it is defending if voters decide to stay at home in protest at the failure to leave the EU. The Conservatives are heading for their worst local election defeat in more than 20 years as voters and activists prepare to punish Theresa May (pictured leaving church with her husband Philip) over Brexit The party's deputy chairman Helen Whately acknowledged there was 'a lot of anger' over the party's failure to deliver Brexit. Mrs Whately told Sky News: 'The local elections are going to be difficult. People see it as the opportunity to send a protest and that could well hit the figures for us. 'I feel sorry for councillors who are standing and it is really important to remind people that this is about your local services and who you want in local government.' A heavy defeat is likely to set off a fresh wave of demands for Mrs May to name a date for her departure. The PM has yet to respond to a formal request from the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs to set out a departure 'timetable' to allow for the election of a new leader. The PM has yet to respond to a formal request from the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs to set out a departure 'timetable' to allow for the election of a new leader Downing Street is planning a fightback, with Tory whips telling MPs they hope to bring back key Brexit legislation in the hope of showing Mrs May can still deliver on her promise to lead the UK out of the EU. Lord Hayward, a former Conservative MP, said the Tories face their worst drubbing since 1995 when Tony Blair crushed John Major's divided government and the Conservatives lost more than 2,000 seats. He said: 'This was always going to be difficult because the seats the Conservatives are defending were won on a very good night for them in 2015. But the results are unquestionably going to be worse because of the current situation. 'There was a noticeable dip when the Prime Minister agreed to delay Brexit. That has calmed down a bit because there has been less debate about Brexit in the last fortnight. But at best, the Tories are at the crest of a trough.' If the results are as bad as forecast it will be the worst result for any governing party since 2003 when Mr Blair lost more than 1,100 seats following the Iraq War. Some 8,374 council seats are up for grabs in England and 460 in Northern Ireland on Thursday. Analysis by Tory election expert Rob Hayward (right) yesterday predicted the Conservatives are on course to lose more than 800 council seats as deputy chairman Helen Whately (left) acknowledged there was 'a lot of anger' over the party's failure to deliver Brexit The seats were last contested in 2015, on the same day that David Cameron delivered a surprise Tory win in the General Election. Mrs May could find relief in the fact that Tory voters have few places to go. Ukip, which secured 13 per cent of the vote in 2015, is contesting fewer than one in six seats while neither the Brexit Party nor Change UK field candidates as they focus on next month's European elections. The analysis by Lord Hayward suggests that the Liberal Democrats will be the main beneficiaries, with Sir Vince Cable's party on course to pick up more than 500 seats. 'It is counter-intuitive, but you could see some Tory Brexit supporters voting Lib Dem to register a protest vote against the establishment,' he said. Labour is set to gain around 300 seats. Ed Costelloe, chairman of the group Conservative Grassroots, said many Tory councillors were feeling 'very nervous' about the way Brexit was dominating conversations on the doorstep. 'People just want to talk about Brexit and the position of the Prime Minister and don't focus on local issue,' he said. Party Treasurer Sir Mick Davis is said to be in 'complete despair' over the Brexit crisis, with donations drying up. Sir Mick was yesterday reported to have told one donor he had been 'deserted by both Remain and Leave donors and therefore I am unable to run CCHQ and ensure we are capable of fighting and winning elections.' John Worboys victim Carrie Symonds has hit out at plans to tell sex offence victims to give their phones to police investigating A victim of 'Black Cab Rapist' John Worboys has criticised plans to tell sex attack victims to hand over their mobile phones to investigating police. Officers are seeking permission to trawl through victims' text messages, emails, photographs, videos and social media for evidence. But privacy and rape campaigners say the move is akin to a 'digital strip search'. Carrie Symonds, a former Tory political aide and the girlfriend of Boris Johnson, today added her name to a long list of campaigners opposing the move. She tweeted: 'It can't be right for police to drop rape cases if victims don't want to give over their phones & have all their messages from friends & family looked through & potentially used against them. 'Yet another way the victim is made to feel like the one really on trial.' Miss Symonds was given spiked champagne by cabbie John Worboys when he drove her home aged 19. She cannot remember what happened next, although she has said she doesn't believe she was raped. Miss Symonds was targeted by John Worboys - who is believed to have assaulted more than 100 women Commenting on the current row, Miss Symonds asked: 'Why should someone's entire phone history be downloaded & stored? Intimate texts & pics between friends from yonks ago which bear no relevance. 'The fear is police use the threat of this intrusion of privacy to get victims to drop their charges, regardless of whether they believe the victim was raped or not. 'I know girls who have been told by officers that the ordeal could be as traumatic as the actual rape. Is that ok? 'It can't be right for police to drop rape cases if victims don't want to give over their phones and have all their messages from friends and family looked through and potentially used against them. 'Yet another way the victim is made to feel like the one really on trial. 'It's not just a violation of the victim's privacy but that of anyone that has ever texted, WhatsApped, sent pictures to their phone. One friend of mine was told by a police officer that if she handed over her phone, the Crown Prosecution Service would 'rip her life apart'. 'Demanding the victim hand over their phone and all the data on it, intimidates many women enough not to push ahead with rape charges. They are made to feel that it's not worth doing. That the experience would be so traumatic it's better to just forget about it. Police chiefs have agreed a new consent form to allow detectives to seize mobile phones and laptops from victims and witnesses. The form states: 'If you refuse permission for the police to investigate, or for the prosecution to disclose material which would enable the defendant to have a fair trial then it may not be possible for the investigation or prosecution to continue.' The policy is already being rolled out across the 43 police forces in England and Wales, but has only been officially announced today. The criminal justice system came under the spotlight last year after a string of defendants had charges of rape and serious sexual assault against them dropped when material emerged as they went on trial. Among the most high-profile was that of 22-year-old student Liam Allan, who had 12 rape and sexual assault charges against him dropped after the discovery of messages showing the claimant pestered him for 'casual sex'. The new move comes after the rape case against Liam Allan was dropped following the discovery of vital evidence from the complainant's phone Blunders that triggered the change... The criminology student The trial of a student wrongly accused of a string of rapes collapsed because police did not reveal mobile phone messages proving his innocence. Liam Allan, then 22, a criminology student at Greenwich University in south-east London, spent nearly two years on bail and three days in the dock after being charged with six rapes and one sexual assault of a woman. He claimed the sex was consensual and that his accuser was acting maliciously because he would not see her again after he began university. His trial was dramatically halted in December 2017 when a series of phone messages from the woman was disclosed, revealing her secret fantasies about being raped and choked during sex despite her telling police she did not enjoy sex. She told friends in messages: 'You know it's always nice to be sexually assaulted without breaking the law.' In another, she pestered Mr Allan for casual sex. During the case, the investigating officer refused to disclose the messages, saying they were 'too personal' to share. It was only when a new prosecution barrister, former Tory MP Jerry Hayes, took on the case and demanded to review the evidence that it was revealed that police had a computer disk of 40,000 text and WhatsApp messages sent by the woman. Advertisement Victims will now be asked to sign a 'digital device extraction' form when they first report their allegations to police. Police and prosecutors argue the form is a 'positive step' as there is no law to force complainants or witnesses to disclose phones, laptops, tablets and smart watches. Mr Allan, who works with the campaign group Innovation of Justice, supports the move, telling the BBC: 'The consent form is a good step, as long as it's carried out in the right way, as long as it's not trawling through unnecessary information. 'I was innocent. I was asked to give over my phone. Does that mean I lose all my rights to privacy because I was accused? 'It has to work both ways. We deserve the same rights until the point of conviction.' Max Hill QC, the Director of Public Prosecutions, said digital devices will only be looked at when it forms a 'reasonable line of inquiry', and only 'relevant' material will go before a court if a judge agrees. Harriet Wistrich, director of the Centre for Women's Justice, has pledged to mount a legal challenge, arguing the forms are unlawful as they breach data protection, human rights and equality laws. The lawyer, who represented victims of black cab rapist John Worboys, has been instructed by two women who were told that their rape allegations would be dropped by police because they refused to hand over their phones. Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Dame Vera Baird said the forms are just part of the problem as police and prosecutors also look to harvest third-party material, such as school records and medical notes. 'The police are really saying, ''if you don't let us do this, the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service] won't prosecute'',' she said. With the new consent forms, victims are asked to hand over all of their digital material. But police say this does not mean all data will be examined. All information recovered in the course of a criminal investigation will be stored by officers. Yesterday Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Nicholas Ephgrave, of the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) on criminal justice, said he recognised the 'inconvenient' and 'awkward' nature of handing a phone to police which may be held for months. 'I wouldn't relish that myself,' he admitted. 'It will be awkward for some people to know people are looking at material on phones they didn't anticipate being seen by anyone other than the people they sent it to.' Liam Allan appearing on This Morning after the rape case against him collapsed when police did not hand over crucial texts and emails to the defence However, critics lined up to slam the move. Labour's Harriet Harman shared an email she received from a young woman who had been attacked by a stranger yet was still asked for her phone and other digital records. The woman wrote: 'I lie awake at night worrying about the details of private conversations with friends, boyfriends, business contacts, family, that are now in the hands of police. It is a gross intrusion into my privacy and theirs. 'I feel completely as if I am the one on trial.' Miss Harman said the consent form was far too extensive and a rethink was needed. Yvette Cooper, chairman of the Commons home affairs committee, said the form should be rewritten, adding: 'This looks as if you are going to have your phone taken away, potentially for several months and the police will be able to look into all corners of it, every aspect of your life that any of this information could be given to the person who has raped you and there are no safeguards in place at all. 'It really is pretty obvious that this form will deter people from coming forward.' Change UK MP Chris Leslie added: 'This is nothing short of a public relations disaster in our criminal justice system.' Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn described the consent form as a 'disturbing move'. In the House of Lords, Victims' Commissioner Baroness Newlove said: 'To ask people to sign this document without having legal representation is not right.' Former Metropolitan Police commissioner Lord Hogan-Howe said: 'It will be seen as an intrusion into the privacy of a victim. This seems to be a backward step.' Mr Hurd said he was open to discussing with the police and others about how the language on the form could be improved. The Prime Minister's spokesman said: 'The police have acknowledged that the use of personal data in criminal investigations is a source of anxiety and that they understand the need to balance a respect for privacy with the need to pursue all reasonable lines of inquiry. 'The police and the CPS will work with victims and the Information Commissioner's Office to ensure that the right approach is being taken.' Nick Ephgrave of the National Police Chiefs' Council said: 'We understand that how personal data is used can be a source of anxiety. We would never want victims to feel that they can't report crimes because of intrusion in their data.' Last year, 47 prosecutions for rape or serious sexual offences were abandoned due to issues with disclosure of material. Separate Home Office data shows just 1.7 per cent of rapes resulted in a charge or summons last year, compared to 3.3 per cent in 2017. Campaigners say the 57,600 rapes recorded by police in 2018 are only a fraction of the real figure as many victims do not report assaults. Griff Ferris, of Big Brother Watch, said: 'The CPS is insisting on digital strip searches of victims that are unnecessary and violate their rights.' The Information Commissioner's Office has launched an investigation into use of data extraction technology on phones. A CPS spokesman said: 'We understand that how personal data is used can be a source of anxiety and have developed the new forms to provide clear and consistent information on this. 'Mobile telephones should not be examined as a matter of course. However, in circumstances when it is necessary both for gathering evidence and meeting our disclosure obligations we hope the clearer information we have provided will help complainants give free, specific and informed consent.' ...and the case that shows how it's flawed When Olivia went to police after being raped by a stranger who pretended to be her taxi driver, one of the first things officers asked for was her phone. The 30-year-old was on a night out with friends when she believes her drink was spiked and she mistakenly got into the wrong car after ordering an Uber cab home. Seven hours later, she awoke to find herself in a stranger's bedroom. Terrified, she used her phone to order another taxi to escape before going to police. Although her attacker was a stranger, officers demanded her mobile phone and told her that he would not be prosecuted when she refused. She offered to show them the contents of her phone over the last seven hours, but was horrified to be told by a female officer that she must provide the full seven-year history of the phone in case there were pictures of her having sex with other men. Olivia, not her real name, said: 'I didn't have a problem with them having all the information about the night it happened and said they could go back over a year. But I said, 'why do you have to trawl through seven years of my personal life?' and the officer said, 'if we found a photograph of you having sex with 12 men seven years ago that would be relevant.' 'The fact that I would be judged on my sexual history people I might have had sex with, with full consent, could be used as evidence against me made me feel like I was on trial.' Olivia is appealing against the decision by Scotland Yard and has enlisted the help of lawyer Harriet Wistrich. She has since learnt an attempted rape was reported to police on the same street in London where she was attacked just a week later. Officers have now tracked down Olivia's alleged attacker, who has admitted they had sex but claims it was consensual even though he had never met her before that evening. She said of the new consent forms: 'It's just so wrong. It's putting rape victims on trial before they have even left the police station.' Advertisement How shameful that victims will be violated all over again, says women's justice campaigner By Harriet Wistrich, founder of Centre for Women's Justice If you report a crime to the police, such as your car being stolen, a burglary or an assault in the street, you would expect to be treated like a victim. Not told to hand over your mobile phone so officers can trawl through the data it contains, dating back several years. But this is what victims of rape and sexual assault will be required to do as a matter of routine, under the National Police Chiefs' Council's new policy. Most worrying, this change in the way rape cases are handled is deterring some victims from reporting being attacked. Many will choose not to proceed with investigations if they realise that their past lives will be subject to intensive scrutiny. Blunders that triggered the change... The Tory MP's chief of staff A Tory MP's chief of staff who was wrongly accused of rape and sexual assault in Parliament was exonerated after key evidence was disclosed to his defence team only eight days before his trial. Sam Armstrong, then 24, from Danbury in Essex, was cleared of raping the female parliamentary worker twice in the Westminster office of Craig Mackinlay, the MP for South Thanet in Kent, in October 2016. He denied both charges. Messages from his accuser's phone showed she had contacted a journalist hours after the alleged assault to ensure a 'sympathetic' write-up. They also revealed she had wanted to conceal her medical records showing that she suffered depression and anxiety. Mr Armstrong, a former grammar school pupil, was cleared of two counts of rape and two of sexual assault by a jury at London's Southwark Crown Court in December 2017. Advertisement As Olivia, one of the women preparing to launch civil proceedings brought by the Centre for Women's Justice against the National Police Chiefs' Council, said: 'My phone contains many of the most personal moments in my life and the thought of strangers combing through it, to try to use it against me, makes me feel like I'm being violated once again.' Olivia was raped by a stranger after she got in a car which she wrongly believed was provided by Uber taxi service and woke up the next morning in the driver's bed. She exchanged texts with the man about what had occurred and accepted that they were relevant and should be disclosed as part of the rape investigation. But why do the police need to trawl through the past seven years of a woman's personal data? I gave a talk at a rape crisis conference last November about failures in rape investigations and prosecutions. Many attendees who work on the frontline with rape victims spoke of the deterrent impact of these mobile phone disclosure requirements. Naturally, young women are most affected because they carry the most extensive intimate histories of their lives on their mobile phones. Of course, the disclosure of any evidence that might weaken a case against a defendant is a proper and necessary part of any criminal investigation. Indeed, the police and the Crown Prosecution Service have rightly been criticised for such failures which in some cases have led to miscarriages of justice and wrongful convictions in relation to a variety of criminal offences. Harriet Wistrich says it is shameful that rape victims will be violated all over again by being forced to hand over electronic devices to police However, it seems wrong that only rape and sexual assault complainants are routinely required to hand over their personal data. Reasonable lines of inquiry must always be permissible, but declaring open season on mining years' worth of material be it photos, messages and a woman's online browsing history, as the new National Police Chiefs' Council policy suggests is going too far. While the standardised consent forms aim to bring consistency to the practices of different police forces across the country, the approach may be unlawful for a number of reasons. First, although they don't specify which offence they are dealing with, we know they will primarily be used for cases of reported rape, sexual assault and domestic abuse, rather than for other criminal offences. Blunders that triggered the change... The Oxford undergraduate An Oxford University student who spent more than two years under investigation for rape was exonerated days before his trial when unseen evidence including his accuser's diary was disclosed. Oliver Mears, then 19, abandoned his chemistry degree at St Hugh's College, after being accused of raping and assaulting a woman at a party in July 2015. The student, from Horley, Surrey, denied both charges. The case against him was dropped in January last year after police handed over new evidence days before his trial, including his accuser's diary. Surrey Police admitted that it had failed to examine the woman's phone and laptop at the beginning of its investigation and only did so after a Crown Prosecution Service request. The woman's diary, which supported Mr Mears's account of events, was obtained days before the trial. Advertisement Thus those impacted are very predominantly women and the policy is therefore discriminatory. Second, such significant interference with privacy rights should be accompanied by sufficient safeguards including independent authorisation of the process. The process may violate the provisions of the Data Protection Act 2018 and Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (namely the right to privacy). In a challenge to this new policy, the Centre for Women's Justice is working alongside Big Brother Watch (an organisation that highlights threats to privacy and civil liberties) and two women who reported rape but who've been told that if they don't comply with requests to download phone data then it is likely the investigation into their cases will be dropped. It's only a matter of time before other victims come forward to share similar accounts. Meanwhile, it's right the Information Commissioner is investigating the excessive use of victims' personal information in cases of rape and serious sexual assault. But why hasn't the National Police Chiefs' Council waited until the commissioner's report has been made before implementing its new policy? In 1999, so-called 'rape shield laws' were introduced to limit defence lawyers from questioning rape complainants about their past sexual history except in cases where this was clearly relevant to the defence. It now seems we are returning to the bad old days before that needed change. Worse still, this move comes at a time when the number of rape prosecutions has fallen and when only about 2 per cent of reported rapes result in a criminal conviction. Treating victims as you'd expect suspects of crime to be treated simply adds insult to injury. Michel will join you on this wonderful eight-day river cruise on the Rhone The beautiful Rhone valley is the undisputed centre of French gastronomy and who better to discover it with than the two-Michelin star chef of Le Gavroche, Michel Roux Jr? There is no finer way to explore one of Frances great regions, sample wonderful Burgundy vintages and taste delicious Lyonnaise cuisine, than on a river cruise through the unspoilt countryside with stops at Arles, Avignon and the foodie capital Lyon. Michel will join you on this wonderful eight-day river cruise on the Rhone, aboard a luxury Emerald Waterways Star-Ship, and take part in exclusive events for readers, including a private cooking demonstration and a special market tour of Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse Market. Michel will also select the menu for the dinner on his final night on board. Michel says: I cant wait to join you on the Rhone for this wonderful holiday, on which I will help you to discover the secrets of French cuisine in a region famous for its gastronomy. REASONS TO BOOK Meet Michel Roux Jr and Tom Parker Bowles Romantic stop: Avignon's historic St Benezet bridge You will visit the famous Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse market with Michel and Tom, and shop for local fruit, vegetables and regional produce, as Michel explains his tips for choosing the best ingredients. Back on board, you will join an exclusive cookery demonstration with Michel, who will reveal his insights and stories and share the secrets of creating the finest French cuisine, using hand-picked ingredients from the market. Later that afternoon, join Tom for a presentation on local cuisine with ingredients he bought earlier. This evening, join Michel for dinner featuring courses specially chosen by the chef. You will also have an opportunity to ask Michel and Tom your burning questions during an exclusive Q&A and discover more about their lives and culinary careers. MEET OUR SPECIAL GUESTS You will be joined by Tom Parker Bowles, pictured above Michel Roux Jr is one of the worlds great chefs, taking over Le Gavroche in Mayfair, London, from his father Albert Roux and earning two coveted Michelin stars. A regular TV personality, Michel has made numerous appearances on ITVs Hells Kitchen with Gordon Ramsay and BBC Twos MasterChef. He has also co-presented BBC Twos Food And Drink, appeared as a mentor in The Chefs Protege, presented Channel 4s Kitchen Impossible and hosted the BBCs Saturday Kitchen. Tom Parker Bowles is The Mail on Sundays highly respected food critic. Advertisement Gastronomic highlights with Michel Roux Jr This exclusive river cruise is bursting with foodie highlights. As well as hosting an exclusive cooking demonstration on board, Michel will sign copies of his latest book (one complimentary copy per cabin) and Tom Parker Bowles will join you for a regional wine tasting on board. You will also discover the winemaking tradition of Chalon-Sur-Saone and the splendid Burgundy it produces, taste some of the regions finest olives and cheese, and enjoy a Provencale dinner hosted by expert local chef Fabien Morreale. YOUR ITINERARY Day 1 Fly to Marseilles and board Emerald Liberte in Arles Fly to Marseilles and board Emerald Liberte in Arles Day 2 Arles Arles Day 3 Avignon Avignon Day 4 Viviers Viviers Day 5 Tournon Tournon Day 6 Lyon Lyon Day 7 Chalon-Sur-Saone and Beaune Chalon-Sur-Saone and Beaune Day 8 Depart from Lyon to the UK Advertisement Sail in style on the Emerald Liberte One of the most recent additions to the Emerald Waterways fleet of Star-Ships, the Emerald Liberte offers a luxurious way to travel. It boasts fine-dining restaurants, bar areas, spa, an indoor heated pool with retractable roof which transforms into a cinema at night, and a delightful sun deck to take in the stunning scenery as you sail by. Explore Burgundy and the Rhone As well as visiting Lyon, one of the worlds great foodie destinations, your eight-day itinerary includes the chance to sail through the picturesque vineyards of Beaune and Provence, the land of lavender and rose, enjoy a visit to the evocative Roman ruins of Viviers, and stop at historic Avignon and the Roman town of Arles. he relationship 'is serious enough for the dancer to move into his LA mansion' Captured at the start of her career as a nightclub entertainer, Polina Glen entrances wealthy Russians by dancing on a bar top in her hometown, St Petersburg This is the Russian go-go girl who has set Johnny Depps heart dancing, showing off the moves that would one day captivate the Hollywood star. Captured at the start of her career as a nightclub entertainer, Polina Glen entrances wealthy Russians by dancing on a bar top in her hometown, St Petersburg. Just 17 at the time, the dancer wears a black leotard and stockings to entertain a leering young crowd at the fashionable nightspot Nebar, described in guides as oozing with upper income gents and the ladies who love them. She was photographed in 2012 soon after leaving school, having won the Miss Nebar title in a beauty contest with a 1,200 prize that helped her open her own dance school. One judge, writer Alexander Tsypkin, recalled her winning performance and described her as a very intelligent and clever girl she had something to talk about. A friend recalled how Miss Glen was ambitious and driven. And another said: She got to university early, and studied and worked at the same time, all by herself, without anybodys help. Miss Glen, now 23, is believed to have moved to the US two years ago to advance her career as a dancer and choreographer. She is reported to have met Depp at a party in Los Angeles last year. The 55-year-old actor is said to have become besotted with her as he recovered from an acrimonious divorce battle with actress Amber Heard after a 15-month marriage. The relationship is serious enough for the dancer to move into his LA mansion, sources said. It's all too common to see C-grade celebrities and influencers using their 15 minutes of fame to score free food and drinks in exchange for social media posts. But some of Australia's top chefs and restaurateurs are now saying 'no' to such requests, as it doesn't translate into dollars. Matt Moran, of Aria and Chiswick restaurants, told The Daily Telegraph on Sunday that he always refuses and enjoys 'watching the bill go out to the table'. Freebie-free zone: Australia's top chefs and restaurateurs including Matt Moran [pictured] are refusing to give influencers a free lunch in exchange for social media posts 'Shows like My Kitchen Rules, The Bachelor... shows like that. They have a few thousand followers, then they hit you up for free food,' Matt added. Justin Hemmes of hospitality empire Merivale and Maurice Terzini of Icebergs in Sydney's Bondi, have also taken a 'freebie-free stance'. Maurice told the paper that with his venue playing host to A-list stars on the regular, 'everyone pays'. 'We would be giving away more than we could afford if we did,' he explained. After their TV debut: 'Shows like My Kitchen Rules, The Bachelor... shows like that. They have a few thousand followers, then they hit you up for free food,' Matt added. Pictured is The Bachelor's Laurina Fleure Paying customers only: Justin Hemmes [pictured] of hospitality empire Merivale also refuses to give free meals to D-grade stars The comments come after Adelaide-based chef Duncan Welgemoed leaked emails from MKR star and self-proclaimed 'food blogger' Andy Vignati requesting free meals from his exclusive restaurant. Andy's correspondence with the the chef was published in the Adelaide Advertiser earlier this month, with the TV star writing: 'I'd love to come and try some food.' However, rather than shelling out for the hefty-priced meal, she continued: 'In exchange I can post food shots and stories on my Instagram page.' 'Everyone pays': Maurice Terzini of Icebergs in Sydney's Bondi, told the paper that with A-list guests on the regular, that wouldn't be able to afford dishing out free food The pay-with-pictures request fell on deaf ears, with Duncan posting Andy's e-mail on his Instagram page along with the hashtags: '#payforfood #payforstaff #f--kexposuredollars.' Meanwhile some cafe owners are all too happy to donate food in exchange for social media posts. One well-known insider told Daily Mail Australia last September how easy it is to get a free meal from Melbourne venue Legacy Camberwell. 'It's great, I get free food at Legacy whenever I want. There's no limit and I can take anyone with me,' the source revealed. 'Sometimes I feel guilty, so I'll do two posts on Instagram and [an] Instagram Story for more publicity. But at the end of the day, they don't really mind.' Repeat offender: Telverne Williams of Married At First Sight, is known to post photos at cafes on the regular Leaked emails: MKR star and self-proclaimed 'food blogger' Andy Vignati [pictured] was recently outed by Adelaide-based chef Duncan Welgemoed for requesting free meals from his exclusive restaurant One restaurant owner told Daily Mail Australia that they consider different factors when working out which customers go without a bill. '[The celebrity] will usually direct message us asking to collaborate,' the source said last September. 'To be honest, it doesn't matter how many followers they have - it's all about whether their brand is a good fit.' The source continued: 'I don't feel taken advantage of at all when they keep coming back because their Instagram posts pay off for us. 'We're the place to be right now. It's hard to measure [but] I'm sure one $20 meal will come back five times... the exposure you get from Instagram is a powerful tool.' She's no stranger to stepping out in a risque ensemble. And, Katie Salmon put on an extremely busty display in a plunging dark green mini dress as she arrived at Nobu in Mayfair, London on Saturday night. The Love Island alum, 23, flaunted her sensational curves in the bodycon frock with a central gold zip, exuding confidence as she marched down the street. Wow! Katie Salmon, 23, put on an extremely busty display in a plunging dark green mini dress as she arrived at Nobu in Mayfair, London on Saturday night Katie showed off her flat stomach and her perfectly toned derriere in her figure-hugging dress. Adding height to her shapely pins, she opted for a pair of vibrant blue stilettos, which featured a thick ankle strap with black wraps on top. The reality star's brunette locks were slicked back off her face into a tight ballerina-style bun. Katie looked flawless with a glamorous make-up look, complete with fluttering false eyelashes and preened brows. Bold: The Love Island alum flaunted her sensational curves in the bodycon frock Sensational: Katie showed off her flat stomach and her perfectly toned derriere in her figure-hugging dress Katie is certainly no stranger to causing a stir after her Love Island 2016 appearance. She is best known to viewers of the ITV2 show for pairing up with the late Sophie Gradon on the reality dating series. Sophie was originally partnered with Tom Powell but later coupled up with Katie after he quit the show. However, Sophie later dumped Katie and bowed out of the show to be with Tom again, leading Katie to pair off with Adam Maxted. Their romance was short-lived, lasting just two weeks after the series drew to a close. Work it! Katie exuded confidence as she marched down the street Striking! Adding height to her shapely pins, she opted for a pair of vibrant blue stilettos, which featured a thick ankle strap with black wraps on top Katie's appearance comes weeks after she opened up about the abuse she received from the LGBT community, following her same-sex romance with late Love Island star Sophie. Speaking on the Victoria Derbyshire programme in September, Katie admitted she was the subject of much uproar after her relationship with Sophie, who was tragically found dead in June aged just 32. Katie explained that men seem to misinterpret her sexuality as being 'a woman who likes having threesomes,' and went onto admit she doesn't understand why she is made to feel 'ashamed' about being bisexual. Chic: The reality star's brunette locks were slicked back off her face into a tight ballerina bun She said: 'In the villa I was so scared because I didn't know what the outside world was thinking, what my family was thinking, what my friends were thinking, so I was really upset that they'd not supported me from my own community. 'Why can't I be who I want to be? There's nothing to be ashamed of, there's nothing to feel bad about. 'You're completely normal, and there's so many people out there like you, just as long as you love you that's all that matters.' The Good Posture premiere brought out a bevy of stars to New York on Saturday. And Oscar-nominated actor Ethan Hawke led the luminaries as he looked ageless in a casual chic ensemble for the Tribeca Film Festival. The 48-year-old Hollywood heavy rocked a trucker hat, graphic tee, and green Converse sneakers for the swanky affair. Matinee idol: The Good Posture premiere brought out a bevy of stars including Ethane Hawke, 48, to New York on Saturday Although Ethan does not appear in Good Posture, he has been on the promotional trail for his latest film Stockholm. The hostage farce portrays Ethan as a lovable bank robber who holds up a financial institution in 1973 Stockholm. The movie was written and directed by Robert Budreau and based on a 1974 New Yorker article by Daniel Lang. Meanwhile, the co-star of Good Posture, Grave Van Patten, looked lovely in a black dress that boasted a high-cut hemline. Casual kicks: Hollywood heavy rocked a trucker hat, graphic tee, and green Converse sneakers for the swanky affair Stunning: The co-star of Good Posture, Grave Van Patten, looked lovely in a black dress that boasted a high-cut hemline Got the memo: Her co-star, Emily Mortimer, also got the memo for black as she draped her figure in a sleeveless number Her co-star, Emily Mortimer, also got the memo for black as she draped her figure in a sleeveless number. The film follows a young girl (Van Patten) who must live with a family friend and author (Mortimer) after her widower father moves to Paris with his young girlfriend. The American dramedy was written by Dolly Wells and marks her directorial debut. Slick: Hellboy's David Harbour matched a navy jacket with faded denim Quirky: Chloe Sevigny embraced her quirky style icon status in a royal blue NY trenchcoat Casual cool: Modern Family's Jesse Tyler Ferguson cut it casual in a denim jacket as well And the red carpet continued to bring out a cavalcade of stars. Chloe Sevigny embraced her quirky style icon status in a royal blue NY trenchcoat. Hellboy's David Harbour matched a navy jacket with faded denim. Modern Family's Jesse Tyler Ferguson cut it casual in a denim jacket as well. And comedian Timm Sharp cut a casual figure in jacket and sneakers as fellow comedian Mary Holland rocked a chic striped shirt and black leggings. Purple passion: The American dramedy was written by Dolly Wells and marks her directorial debut Casual cool: Comedian Timm Sharp cut a casual figure in jacket and sneakers as fellow comedian Mary Holland rocked a chic striped shirt and black jeans After party: Jesse, Grace, and Talene Monahan took a group photo Babes in black: The co-stars looked every inch the silver screen sirens Getting close: Emily and Alessandro Nivola enjoyed a beverage afterwards They recently flew over to South Africa to attend a friend's wedding. But on Saturday, Georgia Love and Lee Elliot were bombarded with fan questions about their own big day, or lack thereof. Former Bachelorette, Georgia, shared loved-up snaps with Lee at their friend's wedding in Boschendal and fans flooded the comments section with engagement questions. 'When are you two getting married?' Georgia Love and Lee Elliot are bombarded with engagement questions as fans urge him to finally propose on their South African holiday 'I can't take it anymore!': One user is finding it hard to keep her emotions under control 'Oh God I can't take it any more. Just hurry up and get hitched,' one user wrote. 'Get engaged already! it's the best love story ever,' another noted. A third fan wrote: 'You two are looking beautiful as usual... surely it's #ring time ....can't handle the cuteness anymore'. Wedding bells? The loved-up couple are currently in South Africa for a friends wedding Dressed in matching black outfits, Georgia and Lee looked every inch the loved-up couple. Georgia stunned in a peplum-style dress and Lee wore a traditional tuxedo. The Bachelorette lovebirds have been happily dating since falling in love on the reality dating program in 2016. Back in March, Georgia, 30, set tongues wagging after she hinted at her eagerness to get married to Lee, 37. Appearing on the Seize the Yay podcast, Georgia said: 'I've told Lee about the rule that it's 12 month's salary for the ring'. The couple spoke about their future, moving in together and the possibility of marriage. Georgia in love: The couple look loved-up as they pose for photos at the beautiful wedding in South Africa over the weekend The Australian Bachelor franchise has created five successful couples, with Georgia and Lee one of only two pairs to not have tied the knot or started a family since. Although the couple say they are 'in no rush' to get hitched, Georgia clarified she expects a lavish ring when Lee eventually proposes. An amused Lee replied: 'Well it isn't quite the rule. I believe you'll find that it's three months.' 'I've told Lee that it's 12 month's salary for the ring': Former Bachelorette Georgia Love revealed her engagement expectations for beau Lee Elliott as they announce that marriage is on the cards for them in the future Fate? Both Georgia and Lee were approached by producers and quit their jobs in order to appear on the reality dating show 'We just moved into together six months ago so we're certainly in no rush,' Georgia explained of marriage plans. 'We definitely want to get married, but we've always down things on our time,' Lee said. Both Georgia and Lee were approached by producers and quit their jobs in order to appear on the reality dating show. 'I truly went on that show to meet a partner... not to be on TV. I was already on TV, I already had my absolute dream job that I left to do that and it was a big risk,' Georgia told podcast host Sarah Holloway. Loved up! The couple have been dating since meeting on the 2016 season of The Bachelorette 'If an opportunity presents itself I think it's for some greater reason and I felt if I said no I would forever think, what if.' Lee agreed, adding: 'You only regret the things you never do'. While a ring has not yet been forthcoming, the couple have made progress towards a united future. In August last year, they reached another milestone in their fairy tale romance by getting their first home together. It was recently announced that he is taking on the role of the suave Secret Service agent James Bond's latest nemesis. And Rami Malek, 37, was spotted for the first time since the news broke as he strolled hand-in-hand with his actress girlfriend Lucy Boynton on Saturday. The couple cut a fashionable figure as they put on a loved-up display while shopping in Manhattan's SoHo neighbourhood during a sunny afternoon together. Spotted: Rami Malek, 37, was spotted for the first time since the news broke as he strolled hand-in-hand with his actress girlfriend Lucy Boynton on Saturday Bohemian Rhapsody star Lucy, 25, looked effortlessly chic in a buttoned-up coral mac and spotted black opaque tights for their outing. She completed her look with a pair of leather pointed-toe brogues and a quirky patterned bag, which was covered in a cartoon strip drawing. The actress wore her cropped locks in a loose natural style, sweeping her hair off her face with a pair of kooky shades and adding light touches of make-up to her face. Stylish: The couple cut a fashionable figure as they put on a loved-up display while shopping in Manhattan's Soho neighbourhood during a sunny afternoon together Beauty: Bohemian Rhapsody star Lucy, 25, looked effortlessly chic in a buttoned-up coral mac and spotted black opaque tights for their outing Meanwhile, Rami cut a cool figure in a grey Dunhill jacket and a pair of straight leg blue jeans, which he teamed with a pair of chunky leather boots. The future Bond villain beamed with delight as he ran errands with his girlfriend, ensuring to shield his eyes from the rays with a pair of black shades. Rami promised he 'won't give Mr Bond an easy ride' in the explosive next chapter of the franchise, as he appeared live via videolink during a cast Q&A at Goldeneye - Ian Fleming's estate on Oracabessa bay on the northern coastline of Jamaica. Kooky: She completed her look with a pair of leather pointed-toe brogues and a quirky patterned bag, which was covered in a cartoon strip drawing Fresh-faced: The actress wore her cropped locks in a loose natural style, sweeping her hair off her face with a pair of kooky shades and adding light touches of make-up to her face Cool: Meanwhile, Rami cut a cool figure in a grey jacket and a pair of straight leg blue jeans, which he teamed with a pair of chunky leather boots Happy: The future Bond villain beamed with delight as he ran errands with his girlfriend, ensuring to shield his eyes from the rays with a pair of black shades Speaking via videolink from New York City, he said: 'Hi everyone, this is Rami Malek and Im not jealous one bit that youre all in the absolutely stunning setting of Ian Flemings iconic Caribbean home Goldeneye, on the island of Jamaica. 'No, not at all. Im stuck here in New York in production, but I am very much looking forward to joining the whole cast and crew so very soon. I promise you all I will be making sure Mr. Bond does not have an easy ride of it in this, his 25th outing. I cant wait to see you all soon. Cheers.' Also joining the cast are Dali Benssalah, Lashana Lynch, Ana De Armas, David Dencik and Billy Magnussen. Promises: Rami promised he 'won't give Mr Bond an easy ride' in the explosive next chapter of the franchise, as he appeared live via videolink during a cast Q&A at Goldeneye - Ian Fleming's estate on Oracabessa bay on the northern coastline of Jamaica Jokey: Speaking via videolink from New York City, he said: 'Hi everyone, this is Rami Malek and Im not jealous one bit that youre all in the absolutely stunning setting of Ian Flemings iconic Caribbean home Goldeneye, on the island of Jamaica He added: 'No, not at all. Im stuck here in New York in production, but I am very much looking forward to joining the whole cast and crew so very soon' Villainous: 'I promise you all I will be making sure Mr. Bond does not have an easy ride of it in this, his 25th outing. I cant wait to see you all soon. Cheers' New faces: Also joining the cast are Dali Benssalah, Lashana Lynch, Ana De Armas, David Dencik and Billy Magnussen She is the glamorous model, who recently announced her engagement to fiancee Hayley Willis while on holiday in Vanuatu. And Fiona Falkiner had locals clamouring for her designer cast-offs as she delivered her unwanted clothes to a charity bin in Sydney's Surry Hills on Friday. Fiona, 36, was met with locals eager to snap up her second-hand goods as she and Hayley delivered six bags to the Smith Family bins in the trendy Sydney suburb. Hot property: Fiona Falkiner had locals clamouring for her designer cast-offs as she delivered her unwanted clothes to a charity bin in Sydney's Surry Hills on Friday (pictured) The former Biggest Loser host flaunted her new diamond engagement ring as she dropped off several bin bags stuffed with expensive goods. Eager to make sure her hand-me-downs went to a good home, Fiona appeared to plead with the group to put the clothes they didn't want into the bins. The model dressed casually in a button-up black shirt, black pants and ankle boots for the occasion. Bride-to-be: Her decluttering trip came after her engagement to fiancee Hayley Willis on April 15 while on a fairy-tale getaway to Vanuatu Get it before it's gone! Fiona, 36, was met with locals eager to snap up the model's second-hand goods as she and Hayley (pictured) delivered six bags to the Smith Family bins on Friday What a rock! The former Biggest Loser host flaunted her new diamond engagement ring as she delivered the haul to the awaiting group of opportunists She also showed off a pair of hooped earrings as she tied her hair back into a ponytail. Meanwhile, her Channel Nine reporter fiancee opted for a black top and blue denim jeans as she unloaded the plastic bin bags. The pair announced their engagement on April 17 after just seven months of dating. Eager beavers! Wanting to make sure her hand-me-downs went to a good home, Fiona appeared to plead with the group to put the clothes they didn't want into the bins Casual: Her Channel Nine reporter fiancee meanwhile opted for a black top and blue denim jeans as she unloaded the plastic bin bags Feeling charitable: The model dressed casually in a button-up black shirt, black pants and ankle boots for the occasion Loved-up: Hayley (centre) and Fiona (right) announced their engagement on April 17 after just seven months of dating Benevolent: Fiona and her bride-to-be unloaded six plastic bags of their unwanted goods at the charity bins The romantic proposal took place at sunset on a private beach at The Moso resort, with Hayley presenting her partner with a diamond ring. 'She asked and I said yes!' Fiona wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of herself showing off her new engagement ring. '15.4.19 I asked, and you said yes!' she wrote. 'I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you, Fee.' Before dating Hayley, Fiona was in a relationship with personal trainer Lara Creber, but they split last year. She is doing her part to help a cause close to her. And on Friday, Rose Byrne stepped out at the first annual Ads-Up It's Your Shout Gala in New York. The blonde beauty looked lovely in a flamenco-inspired, black ruffle dress. Looking great: On Friday, Rose Byrne, 39, stepped out at the first annual Ads-Up It's Your Shout Gala in New York Rosie paired her standout, high-low frock with a set of strappy heels. The 39-year-old accessorized with dark blue, drop earrings, and wore her light-colored locks back in an updo. The Australian stunner kept her make-up natural, but played up her eyes with dark liner. Celebrity pals: The actress was joined by designer Donna Karan, 70 Also attending the event was Donna Karan, whose clothing store, Urban Zen, hosted the gala. InStyle editor Laura Brown was also present. She was responsible for getting Rose involved with the charity, Ads-Up. The non-profit 'is a group of Australians in the USA who are working to support the 1,250 refugees being resettled in America under the US-Australia refugee deal,' according their official site. The motivator: InStyle editor Laura Brown was also present. She was responsible for getting Rose involved with the charity, Ads-Up, according to The Hollywood Reporter 'It's really shameful. It's not something to be proud of,' said Rose, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. 'It's been a long-standing, complicated and very sad part of Australia's international identity and reputation so anything to do to help.' Up next, Rosie can be seen in five projects. These include the films Irresistible, Peter Rabbit 2, Lexi, I Am Mother, Limited Partners and Lexi. Alessandra Ambrosio and her boyfriend, Nicolo Oddi, appeared to be on a mission on Saturday. The couple were spotted looking for that perfect item as they browsed around a children's clothing store near their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. And both of them kept things casual and sporty in the fashion department for the afternoon jaunt. On the hunt: Alessanda Ambrosio and beau Nicolo Oddi were spotted shopping at a children's clothing store in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, not far from their home The former longtime Victoria's Secret Angel model showed off her supermodel curves in black ultra-tight leggings. In a nod to hip-hop royalty, she rocked a black Run DMC long-sleeve sweatshirt that was cropped at the waist to help accentuate her svelte figure made famous on runways all over the world. She added a pair of black sneakers, sunglasses and had her long brown tresses pulled back into a loose ponytail. Oddi, who's an Italian fashion designer, also opted for comfort in black shorts, black sweatshirt, black sneakers and dark sunglasses. Revealing: The former Victoria's Secret Angel, 38, had no problem flaunting her figure On the go: The couple left empty handed, with the exception of their smoothies After sifting through the store, the couple left empty handed, with the exception of their ice-cold smoothies. From there they took the short drive to the beach for a little old-fashioned fun. With the winds swirling and the sun ducked behind clouds, Oddi looked to be in perfect control of his high-flying kite, to the amusement of his ladylove. The Brazilian-born beauty shot a selfie video showing the two relishing their day on the sand. Old school: The couple headed to the nearby beach to fly a kite The couple began dating since last July, during which time the two have been seen on a number of tropical holidays together. Oddi is the founder and CEO of Alanui, a knitwear fashion label based in Milan that he created with his sister Carlotta in 2016. Ambrosio shares two children - Anja, 10, and Noah, six - with former fiance Jamie Mazur. They broke up about a year ago after 10-years together. It was tools down for Scott Cam two weeks ago on the Gold Coast. The host of renovation series The Block was given top class service, having been picked up from the Tradies and Ladies Day Races in a Rolls-Royce. Dressed in a blue shirt, black trousers and brown suede boots, the 56-year-old enjoyed a beer and puffed on a cigarette en route to the airport. Tools down! Host of The Block Scott Cam, 56, enjoyed a beer and puffed on a cigarette, en route to Gold Coast Airport earlier this month In relaxation mode, Scott removed his black suit jacket and took a photo of his chauffeur-driven car on his iPhone. The Channel Nine personality enjoyed a few sips of beer before the driver poured the remainder onto the ground. Scott was joined on the outing by a female friend, who wore a red knee-length frock and black suede heels. Thirsty work: Having spent a day at the races, the tradie turned TV star enjoyed a few sips of beer Guest: Scott was joined on the outing by a female friend Attire: Scott wore a blue dress shirt, black trousers and brown suede boots, and had removed his suit jacket Scott maintains a busy schedule, having hosted The Block since 2010. Popular with viewers, he took home the Gold Logie back in 2014. However the tradie turned TV star revealed in October 2017 that filming the program can take a toll on his health and well-being. With the show filmed in Melbourne, Sydney-based Scott told TV WEEK magazine that he can spend months at a time away from his beloved wife Ann, and their children. Service: The Channel Nine personality enjoyed a few sips of beer before the driver poured the remainder onto the ground Demands: Scott maintains as a busy schedule, having hosted The Block since 2010 Memories: Scott took a photo of his chauffeur-driven car on his iPhone 'It's three months of pretty nasty stuff,' Scott told the publication of filming each season of the show. Scott told the magazine that he'll often skip meals and eat on the run when he's on location with The Block, a far cry from the delicious meals he gets cooked up at home by his wife. 'When I get back to Sydney, I get back into regular fitness and some healthy food', he stated, before adding: 'Ann looks after me.' Scott will once again take the helm of the program in 2019, when it returns to screens for another installment. Having a laugh: Scott appeared relaxed and at ease on the outing She's ready to debut her memoir Inside Out in September. But Demi Moore did not seem to be focused on her literary career as she took some time out for a girls' night in Los Angeles on Thursday. The 56-year-old Golden Globe winner was spotted with her daughters Rumor, 30, and Scout, 27, in the tony neighborhood of Santa Monica. Family affair: Demi Moore, 56, was spotted with her daughters Rumor, 30, and Scout, 27, in the tony neighborhood of Santa Monica on Thursday Daring to impress, the Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle star rocked a casual ensemble of black coveralls and suede jacket. Since winning season 20 of Dancing With The Stars in 2015, Rumor has landed roles in Hello Again and Future World. She can be seen opposite Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio in the upcoming Quentin Tarantino directed film, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. And Scout has dabbled in both acting and costuming with her last wardrobe intern on 2012's Moonrise Kingdom. Smoking hot: The ladies dressed in casual gear as Scout enjoyed a smoke Meanwhile, Demi is readying her literary debut as she is set to publish her memoirs called Inside Out. Jennifer Barth, Harper's executive editor, is already praising the intimate book which arrives in September. 'Inside Out is first and foremost a womans story; that the woman in question happens to be one of the most celebrated actresses of our time only makes her journey of vulnerability, strength, and self-acceptance all that more resonant,' she revealed. 'I think readers are going to be surprisedand movedby this book,' she added. She also called it a story of 'survival, success, and surrender - as well as resilience.' Inside Out will hit the stands on September 24. This Is Spinal Tap has become a cult classic phenomenon in the years after it's initial release in theaters back in 1984. Now, 35-years on, some of the stars and fans came out for a special anniversary screening of the rock mockumentary at the Beacon Theatre in New York City as part of the Tribeca Film Festival. 1980s leading lady, Jamie Lee Curtis, was among those who hit the red carpet to pay tribute to the film, and give support to her husband, Christopher Guest, who was part of the cast of characters in the fictional British heavy metal band. Special occasion! Jamie Lee Curtis, 60, attended the 35th anniversary screening of This Is Spinal Tap in New York City as part of the Tribeca Film Festival Curtis, 60, showed off her fantastic physique in a black form-fitting suit. Underneath the blazer she wore a a black patterned sheer shirt that gave a hint of her chest and stomach. After posing solo, the Trading Places star paired up with her hubby and held hands as the photographers snapped away. The couple will celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary December 18. The actress also took time to greet the sea of fans who gathered at the theatre. While in the midst of the crowd, she signed autographs and posed for pictures; she even snapped a few selfies of her own to remember the moment. Frenzy: The Trading Places star stopped to take some selfies to remember the moment Fan friendly: The Halloween actress also greeted the swarm of fans and signed autographs Family support: Jamie Lee Curtis was on hand, in part, to stand with her husband Christopher Guest, who was among the cast of characters in the film's fictional band Iconic: Guest hobnobbed with co-stars and co-writers Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, and Rob Reiner; Reiner helmed the mockumentary in his directorial debut At one point Guest joined co-stars and co-writers Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and Rob Reiner on the red carpet. Reiner, who also directed the mockumentary, played a filmmaker who follows the band around on their American tour. With improvised dialogue, the film satirized the behavior, musical mishaps and overindulges of rock and roll bands that had been chronicled in past rock documentaries. Classic: On top of his directorial duties, Rob Reiner also starred as filmmaker Marty Di Bergi Boys in the band: Harry Shearer had the role of Derek Smalls Boys in the band: Michael McKean played David St. Hubbins Despite receiving positive reviews, the film only had modest success after its initial release. But as the years have gone by, it reached cult-classic status, particularly after it was released on VHS. In 2002, This Is Spinal Tap was deemed 'culturally, historically or aesthetically significant' by the Library of Congress, and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. Rock legend Sting, his wife Trudy Styler and Orange Is The New Black actress Alysia Reiner were among the stars also on hand for the event. Star power: Rock legend Sting and his Trudie Styler looked classy as they posed for photographers on the red carpet Kyle Richards's husband Mauricio Umansky says a lawsuit in which he's accused of 'brazen breaches of fiduciary duties' has no merit and should be thrown out. The 48-year-old businessman, responding in court docs to a federal lawsuit from a company called Sweetwater Malibu LLC aimed at him and his firm, The Agency, asked the case be tossed out of court, according to The Blast Friday. Sweetwater said in a previous filing that Umansky was initially 'hired to sell a multimillion-dollar Malibu estate owned by Sweetwater,' and was later 'earning secret profits' after he sold the home in 2016, flipped it and resold it for $69.9 million a year later, the outlet previously reported. Trouble: Mauricio Umansky, 48, has asked fraud suit - over the the sale of a $32 million mansion in Malibu - be tossed out, according to The Blast; he was seen with wife Kyle Richards, 50, in February in LA 'This case involves brazen breaches of fiduciary duties by a high-end real estate broker and his firm the Agency, who were hired to sell a multi-million-dollar Malibu estate owned by Sweetwater,' Sweetwater said in court docs. Mauricio was listed as the selling agent in 2015 after the 15,000-square-foot home was partially seized by the U.S. government from Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue. The son of the Equatorial Guinea president had used funds stolen from his country to purchase the home, in addition to several Ferraris and Michael Jackson memorabilia, according to The Real Deal. Umanksy reportedly sold the home to a wealthy investor named Mauricio Oberfeld for $32.5 million in February 2016 and invested in the deal, before the pair flipped the house for double the profit in 2017. Home, sweet home: The 48-year-old Realtor and his company The Agency are being accused of fraud by Sweetwater Malibu LLC for 'earning secret profits' after Umansky sold the home to a man in 2016, only to flip the home and re-sell for $69.9million one year later Views: The massive estate overlooks the historic Surfrider State Beach and was featured during season 7 of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills In his response, Umansky said the accusations were 'unfounded and baseless,' and that Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue was looking to illegally profit 'using shell companies to take money from innocent parties.' He said he saw the suit as a last ditch effort from Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue to recoup monies forfeited to the U.S. government, which he noted oversaw the deal amid their settlement agreement with him. Sweetwater said that Umansky received much higher side-offers and also allegedly never disclosed he had partnered with the buyer to purchase the property. The documents list broker responsibilities and accuse Umansky and The Agency of having 'violated virtually every one of these duties, by engaging in blatant acts of self-dealing, earning secret profits, and both failing to disclose and outright misrepresenting material facts.' Drinks with a view: The backyard lawn was turned into a Great Gatsby-themed event for the Bravo show 'About last night,' Kyle captioned a photo from the event for an Instagram photo shared in 2017 Expansive: Guests were treated to valet services as they arrived at the party A separate lawsuit filed by Western World Insurance against Mauricio and The Agency claimed Umansky had breached contract with the purchase, and requested the court order they didn't have to pay legal bills. He later counter-sued and accused the company of taking sides, revealing last October that he had reached a deal with the insurance company and all claims were dismissed. The Malibu mansion is situated on a bluff above the famed Malibu Pier and has panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. Kyle and Mauricio hosted a Great Gatsby themed party at the compound during season seven of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Party planner: Before the home was sold, Mauricio used the mansion as a venue for events She's aware of the pressures of modelling, having been one herself. And as Lindy Rama-Ellis' daughter Stella shows an interest in becoming a model, the 41-year-old is keeping a close guard. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph's Confidential on Sunday, the ex-wife of Michael Klim said she doesn't want the former couple's 13-year-old to be 'burnt out' in just a year. 'I don't want her to burn out': Lindy Rama-Ellis told The Daily Telegraph's Confidential on Sunday, that she's closely guarding her 13-year-old daughter Stella's interest in becoming a model [both pictured] Lindy explained to the paper that she's keeping a watchful eye, with modelling and social media agencies keen to sign on the teen. 'It is kind of a weird area this whole social media modelling thing for Stella,' she said. And while she's happy for Stella to become involved in 'surfing campaigns' and a 'few little things', she doesn't want her to be 'burnt out by the age of 14'. Lindy shares Stella with ex-husband, Olympic Swimmer Michael Klim, along with son Rocco, 10, and daughter Frankie, seven. Doting parent: While she's happy for Stella to become involved in 'surfing campaigns' and a 'few little things', Lindy explained she doesn't want her to be 'burnt out by the age of 14' She has since wed British property developer Adam Ellis, and the couple welcomed daughter Goldie, in December 2017. In October last year, Lindy told Seven's The Morning Show that parenting the fourth time around has been somewhat challenging as she's 'forgotten certain things'. The businesswoman said she's forced to Google certain things because she doesn't remember everything she learned the last time she had a baby. 'Motherhood is great, it all comes back to you after a while and I often do a lot of Googling because I have forgotten certain things,' she said. She added: '[It's] because there's a huge age gap between all the children. I love it, I'm much more relaxed this time around.' She is the toast of Hollywood and known for her chic sartorial ensembles. And Dakota Fanning cut a chic figure as she stepped out for coffee in Los Angeles on Saturday. The I Am Sam actress, 25, slipped into a tailored camel blazer worn with a matching tee for her casual outing. Chic: Dakota Fanning cut a chic figure as she stepped out for coffee in Los Angeles on Saturday She paired this with matching baggy trousers and a pair of 90s inspired trainers. Her tresses were pulled back into a chic ponytail while she showcased her radiant complexion by going make-up free. The star accessorised with a pair of dark shades as she carried a coffee. Dakota, who recently helped her sister Elle celebrate her milestone 21st birthday, has made the successful Hollywood transition from her child star days, and has kept busy in recent years with an array of high-profile film projects. Style: The I Am Sam actress, 25, slipped into a tailored camel blazer worn with a matching tee for her casual outing The talent starred as the troubled daughter drawn in by violent '60s radicals in Ewan McGregor's 2016 directorial debut, American Pastoral, based on Philip Roth's acclaimed novel. Last year saw Dakota playing a cameo role in the female-centric heist film Ocean's 8, and in July she'll appear in Quentin Tarantino's highly-anticipated Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Dakota stars as Lynette 'Squeaky' Fromme, a member of the Manson Family cult who attempted to assassinate President Gerald Ford in 1975. The real-life figure was sentenced to life behind bars, though she was paroled in 2009. Meanwhile, Dakota's sister Elle has spent the past few weeks promoting her movie Teen Spirit. The actress plays a 17-year-old British singing contestant called Violet Valenski. They have been in an on-off relationship for more than four years. But Gerard Butler, 49, and girlfriend Morgan Brown, 48, appeared to be back together as they sauntered through New York City together on Saturday. The actor was spotted taking a solo bike ride before meeting up with his love as they looked the perfect couple. Back together: Gerard Butler, 49, and girlfriend Morgan Brown, 48, appeared to be back together as they sauntered through New York City together on Saturday The P.S I Love You star went casual in a zipped grey cardigan, cargo trousers and trainers as he rode through Manhattan. Going incognito, the Scottish hunk donned a trilby and aviator sunglasses as he kept a low profile while accompanying his beau. Gerard looked suitably rugged as he rocked a longer beard than usual. Morgan looked boho chic in a pair of ripped blue jeans and cropped white T-shirt which teased a glimpse of sun-kissed midriff. Throwing on a stylish black leather jacket, the brunette beauty styled the rocker look with a pair of heeled boots. Reunited: The P.S I Love You star went casual in a zipped grey cardigan, cargo trousers and trainers as he rode through Manhattan Trendy couple: Morgan looked boho chic in a pair of ripped blue jeans and cropped white T-shirt which teased a glimpse of sun-kissed midriff Low-key look: The actor was spotted taking a solo bike ride before meeting up with his love as they looked the perfect couple She finished the trendy ensemble with a distressed cowboy hat, a brown backpack, pink tassle earrings and a stack of bracelets. The couple have had a tumultuous relationship and have been on and off since 2014. They were last seen together in public in October 2018. MailOnline has contacted representatives for Gerard for comment. They were believed to have split in August last year, after a 'make or break' holiday to Mexico. But in October, the 300 star said he was ready to start a family and settle down within the next few years. New York moment: Going incognito, the Scottish hunk donned a trilby and aviator sunglasses as he kept a low profile while accompanying his beau Power couple: Throwing on a stylish black leather jacket, the brunette beauty styled the rocker look with a pair of heeled boots It was believed the Bounty Hunter actor was eyeing up potential properties in the Chelsea area of New York. A source told the New York Post's Page Six: 'Things are looking serious. Gerry sold his $6 million Chelsea loft last year and is looking for a bigger space to share with Morgan.' The couple are hoping to style the 4,100-square-foot apartment at 236 West 26th Street with a 'rustic' look. 'They have visited a sprawling loft in Chelsea twice and are trying to determine if the home can be decorated in a more "rustic" way compared to the sophisticated look that the current owners achieved.' Solo outing: Gerard looked suitably rugged as he rocked a longer beard than usual Last year, the 48-year-old actor sold his Chelsea loft apartment -which he described as 'bohemian old-world rustic chateau with a taste of baroque' - for a reported $5.99 million. But were believed to split again after eyeing up potential properties. Gerard - who has previously been romantically linked to the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Jessica Biel - said: 'I have no personal life. In five years I want to be in a relationship. I'd love to have one or two kids - it's about time. 'I want to be more run by my personal life than my career. Fiona Falkiner announced her engagement to Channel Nine reporter Hayley Willis last week. And on Sunday, the newly engaged couple took their relationship to the next level. Taking to her Instagram Stories, Fiona revealed that the pair are in the process of moving in together. 'Moving never looked so good': Fiona Falkiner and fiancee Hayley Willis moved in together on Sunday just a week after announcing their engagement In the clip, her fiancee Hayley packed her belongings in the boot of a car as Fiona penned: 'Moving house never looked so good'. Meanwhile, the loved-up couple are already planning their big day, with reports claiming that they've already picked their wedding song. This week's issue of Woman's Day claimed that the pair have chosen Billie Eilish's Ocean Eyes for their first dance. So romantic! Meanwhile, the loved-up couple are already planning their big day, with reports claiming that they've already picked their wedding song It comes after Fiona announced on Wednesday that her girlfriend had popped the question during their luxurious Vanuatu getaway together. The romantic proposal took place at sunset on a private beach, with Hayley presenting her partner with a diamond ring. 'She asked and I said yes!' Fiona wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of herself showing off her new engagement bling. Romantic: It comes after Fiona announced on Wednesday that her girlfriend had popped the question during their luxurious Vanuatu getaway In January, Woman's Day reported that the couple had been dating 'for about four months', meaning they had been together for just seven months when Hayley proposed last Monday. At the time, the magazine quoted an anonymous source as saying they were 'already talking marriage'. 'Fiona has told her friends that she has never been this happy, and getting married to Hayley is definitely something she would love to eventuate,' said the source. 'They know their relationship is solid and is going to keep growing into something beautiful.' Phoebe Burgess has hit back after a fan slammed her for promoting Johnson's Baby products. The 30-year-old took to Instagram last week to announce that she's become an ambassador for the brand. However some of her supporters were less-than-enthused with her new gig, with one person commenting: 'If only they didn't test on animals and use nasty ingredients!' 'I use these products on my children every single day': Phoebe Burgess (pictured) hit back this week after being slammed for promoting Johnson's Baby products Angered, Phoebe replied: 'Please do your research. They do not use nasty ingredients and certain governments test on animals. 'This is not endorsed by Johnson's. I use these products on my children every single day. I deal in science and fact.' She concluded: 'Please do the same before you judge my decisions.' However some of her supporters were less than enthused with the new gig, with one person commenting: 'If only they didn't test on animals and use nasty ingredients!' Angered, Phoebe replied: 'Please do your research. They do not use nasty ingredients and certain governments test on animals'. Pictured in a social media snap Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Johnson's Baby for comment. Speaking to Stellar on Saturday, Phoebe said she fits the brand well as she is 'a modern mum with traditional values'. She went on to explain that changes have been made to the popular brand for the better. She added: 'I use these products on my children every single day.' The journalist has two children, Poppy, two and baby Billy, four months (pictured) 'Johnson's has kept the essence of its products but reformed them for the modern mother by adding more natural ingredients, by getting rid of the dyes and by using ergonomic bottles,' she said. Phoebe travelled to Singapore last week to host a group talk on the brand with mothers from around the world. The journalist has two children, Poppy, two and baby Billy, four months, with husband Sam Burgess, with whom she recently reconciled. Comedian Chris Lilley, 44, has hit back at heavy criticism of his controversial latest Netflix series, Lunatics. Speaking in The Weekend Australian on Sunday, The We Can Can Be Heroes actor defended his 'mockumentry'-style comedy, insisting he won't give in to naysayers. Referencing emerging brands of comedy like Hannah Gadsby's furious left-wing rants, Chris said: 'I'm not trying to do the thing that is trendy at the moment.' 'I'm not trying to do the thing that's trendy': Comedian Chris Lilley has hit back at critics who accused him of doing 'blackface' and mocking minorities in his latest Netflix series Lunatics The award-winning thespian went on to say he would continue making 'clever, layered' characters - which is what he has done in the past. Defending his character portrayals, he said: 'When you meet them, you think 'I know that type of person' but then there is a twist, something crazy.' '[In] the end you think 'Actually, I kinda relate to this, she just did that thing that I do everyday'.' Layered: '[In] the end you think 'Actually, I kinda relate to this, she just did that thing that I do everyday': Chris said his multi-layered characters show 'everyone is a little bit weird' He went on to say the moral of Lunatics is that 'everyone is a little bit weird', which he feels the show cleverly highlights. One particular character, Jana, is an exotic-looking 'lesbian pet psychic to the stars', who has Afro hair, tanned skin and speaks in a South African accent. Prior to Lunatics appearing on Netflix, the actor was slammed for what many fans saw as performing in 'Blackface' on the show. Mocking? In Lunatics, Chris has a number of off-the-wall characters including former adult film star Joyce, who suffers from an array of psychological disorders Outraged: A number of Twitter users vented their outrage over Chris' characters Critics flocked to Twitter to vent outrage, with some even threatening to boycott the series earlier this month. 'This is kinda embarrassing. What year is it?' one user tweeted. 'We just gonna casually ignore all the blackface he's done in his previous shows and is CLEARLY doing in this one,' another wrote. Controversy: In 2007 he played Tongan teenager, Jonah Takalua (centre), in the internationally acclaimed sitcom, Summer Heights High Another user referred critics to media watchdog Australian Communications and Media Authority. Blackface refers to the darkening of one's skin to portray a caricature of a black person, which links back to minstrel shows and slavery. In 2007 he played Tongan teenager, Jonah Takalua, in the internationally acclaimed sitcom, Summer Heights High. He also played African American rapper, S.mouse (born Shwayne Jnr.), on spinoff show Angry Boys, while donning full blackface. At the time, there were only a few complaints. She recently debuted her much younger boyfriend, Jonathan Gregory Kelly, 36, to social media. And on Sunday, former Block star Suzi Taylor spent the night in her beau's hospital bed as he recovered from his second surgery this week. Taking to Instagram, the 47-year-old shared a hospital selfie of the pair while gushing over Jonathan. 'Who says they're only made for one': Suzi Taylor (R) spent the night in her boyfriend's hospital bed as he recovered from surgery. Pictured left: Suzi's boyfriend Jonathan Gregory Kelly, 36 'Who say's hospital beds are only made for one. Jonathan is my Muhammad Ali.. #fighter #braveheart #myhero,' she penned beside the snap. Earlier this week, Suzi shared another picture of Jonathan in a hospital bed, writing: 'Today Jonathan had his second operation... a much more invasive surgery then the first. She continued in the caption: 'Medical staff at the Mater were so quick to respond they literally saved his life. Tomorrow he will be having surgery again. Through all of this Jonathan has not once complained. Operation: Earlier this week, Suzie shared this picture of Jonathan in a hospital bed, writing: 'Today Jonathan had his second operation...a much more invasive surgery then the first' 'He makes the nurses 'giggle & blush'...the surgeons laugh...and everyone smile. I love him.' Suzi became a tabloid fixture after her controversial appearance on The Block in 2015. But four years later, the former Penthouse model is happier than ever and living her best life in Queensland. 'Life has come full circle!' Suzi (left) is living in a mansion four years after her controversial appearance on The Block. Pictured with boyfriend Jonathan Gregory Kelly Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia this month, Suzi revealed: 'My life has come full circle with the help of being loved.' She apparently lives in a mansion on the Brisbane River and has now found romance with Jonathan. Jonathan owns a large commercial landscaping business that services multinational companies. Friends say Jonathan is Suzi's 'saviour' because he brought happiness and stability into her life after a tumultuous few years in the spotlight. They are enjoying a luxury 'babymoon' in Fiji, ahead of the arrival of their first child together in two months' time. And it seems Matty Johnson had a very special reason for whisking away Laura Byrne on a surprise holiday - the pair have gotten engaged. Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the couple shared the happy news, with Laura showing off her diamond ring and revealing Matty popped the question on the first day of their getaway. 'You are my favourite everything': Heavily pregnant Laura Byrne and Matty Johnson (both pictured) announced their engagement during their surprise Fijian babymoon on Sunday In her Instagram post, Laura wrote: 'You are my favourite everything @matthewdavidjohnson. YES to a lifetime of love and flamboyant dance moves with you my honey'. In the photo, a beaming Laura cuddles up to Matty as she holds up her hand to flaunt diamond ring. The sparkler, featuring a gold band, large pear-shaped diamond surrounded by smaller stones, is made by Larsen Jewellery. She said yes! Laura showed off the sparkler, featuring a gold band, large pear-shaped diamond surrounded by smaller stones, and custom made by Larsen Jewellery Newly-to-wed: Laura revealed Matty popped the question on the first day of their getaway The company specialises in custom-made rings, so it appears Matty may have designed the unique ring himself for his future bride. Matty meanwhile shared a video of the moment the pair became engaged on the beach. Standing on the shore in a slip dress, Laura giggles and covers her mouth as Matty goes down on one knee in the sand. Moving moment! Matty meanwhile shared a video of the moment the pair became engaged on the beach Romantic! Standing on the shore in a slip dress, Laura giggles as Matty goes down on one knee in the sand Sweet: The pair kiss and hug, delighted, the sunset in the background and the waves lapping at their bare feet The pair kiss and hug, delighted, the sunset in the background and the waves lapping at their bare feet. Overjoyed, the former reality star, dressed in a white cotton shirt and matching jeans, throws his arms around his love as she gazes at her ring. Matty captioned the video: 'There's absolutely no one else I'd rather grow old and senile with. I can't wait to start a family together and now I can't wait to be your husband!' A ring on it! Laura appeared to be wearing a diamond sparkler in one of Matty's recent Instagram Stories, taking in Fiji, in which she relaxed aboard a boat Speaking to Daily Mail Australia exclusively earlier on Sunday, a source revealed: 'They're in Fiji at the moment, so it seems Matty proposed over there. They will make an engagement announcement shortly.' Laura appeared to be wearing a diamond sparkler in one of Matty's recent Instagram Stories, taking in Fiji, in which she relaxed aboard a boat. Although her hand was partially hidden, the designer appears to have a large bauble on her wedding finger in the snap, posted on Saturday. Glittering: Although her hand is partially hidden, the designer appears to have a large bauble on her wedding finger in the snap, posted on Saturday Happy days! The couple also seemed to be in a celebratory mood on Sunday, with Laura pictured on Instagram, sitting at a table with what looked like a glass of champagne nearby In other photos from the trip, she often has her ring finger obscured, perhaps deliberately. The couple also seemed to be in a celebratory mood on Sunday, with Laura pictured on Instagram, sitting at a table with what looked like a glass of champagne nearby, standing in front of what is presumably Matt's seat at the table. Laura, who is 34 weeks pregnant, was taken on the vacation by boyfriend of two years, Matty. Babymoon! Laura, who is 34 weeks pregnant, was taken on the vacation by boyfriend of two years, Matty They have yet to to learn the sex of their unborn child, which is due in June. The couple, who are staying at the five-star Six Senses Fiji resort, have been documenting every step of their trip on Instagram. The Bachelor lovebirds appear to be staying in a beachfront pool villa, with prices ranging from $2000 to $7500 AUD, depending on the night. happy days: The couple, who are staying at the five-star Six Senses Fiji resort, have been documenting every step of their trip on Instagram Fancy! The Bachelor lovebirds appear to be staying in a beachfront pool villa, with prices ranging from $2000 to $7500 AUD, depending on the night Fun times! They arrived for the surprise trip last week, sharing the moment they landed The resort, located at Malolo Island, boasts swanky beachside residences with private infinity pools and sweeping ocean vistas. A five-bedroom abode at the swanky location can cost an eye-watering AU $6,800 per night. The couple met on the fifth season of The Bachelor Australia in 2017. Bachelor In Paradise star Brooke Blurton has slammed racist trolls after being the victim of several vile attacks on social media recently. Taking to Instagram, the 24-year-old Indigenous beauty shared a photo of herself posing in front of an Aboriginal flag. In the caption, she wrote: 'PROUD to be Aboriginal. Your naive and ignorant comments can't or won't define my identity.' 'Your naive and ignorant comments can't or won't define my identity': Bachelor In Paradise star Brooke Blurton slammed racist trolls in this heartfelt Instagram post shared on Sunday She continued: 'My grandmother Charlotte Rose Blurton raised me to always, ALWAYS remember where you come from and acknowledge the land you're on or visiting. 'Thank you Sydney for the warmest welcome. I've missed you.' It comes after Brooke expressed her disgust after receiving several homophobic and racist messages online. 'I'm sorry but this is absolutely disgusting!' Bachelor In Paradise star Brooke Blurton was targeted by an online troll this week Earlier this month, a comment, which was left on one of Brooke's Instagram photos, read: 'You act so sweet, but you use ''who you are'' as an advantage, so no one can say anything back. #littlewench.' A frustrated Brooke wrote next to the post: 'Comments like this,' followed by an angry face emoji. Meanwhile, speaking to The Sunday Telegraph last week, Brooke slammed online commentary that she is a 'fake lesbian' depending on the circumstances. 'Little wench': It comes after Brooke revealed this vile comment she received from an online troll via Instagram on Thursday 'I have been called a fake lesbian quite often,' she said. 'People say I pick and choose whether I am going to be with men or women depending on the circumstance.' Brooke went on to explain that she has had two long-term girlfriends in her life, but does not put herself in the 'bisexual box.' 'I have always been very open with my family and friends': Meanwhile, speaking to The Sunday Telegraph last week, Brooke slammed online commentary that she is a 'fake lesbian' depending on the circumstances 'I was with both of them for a substantial amount of time and I have been with men,' she said. 'I knew I was attracted to women from quite a young age. I didn't have a coming-out party, but I have always been very open with my family and friends.' Despite the upset, Brooke did reveal she has found love since shocking fans when she quit Bachelor in Paradise. Brooke shared a loved-up snap with Perth hunk, Nick Power, and told fans: 'I am so happy to announce that I have found love.' Matty 'J' Johnson and his pregnant girlfriend Laura Byrne have sent fans into meltdown with the surprise announcement of the engagement. And just as the couple's love story was aired on The Bachelor, so too was Matty's romantic proposal when he shared a video on Instagram documenting himself dropping to bended knee on Sunday night. In a video shared to Instagram, Matty is seen proposing to his fiancee on the beach during their romantic Fiji babymoon over the weekend. The video begins with Matty kissing and hugging Laura tenderly as they watch the sunset on the beach. A barefoot Laura then framed the radio star's face with her hands, as the pair kissed sweetly. Showing his love for the art of surprise, Matty then dropped to one knee with his soon-to-be bride looking away in shock and awe. Happily ever after! Matty Johnson has shared a video of the moment he proposed to pregnant girlfriend Laura Byrne during their romantic Fiji babymoon Ecstatic: Showing his love for the art of surprise, Matty dropped to one knee with his soon-to-be bride looking away in shock and awe With waves lapping at their feet, Matty then got off bended knee before taking Laura in his arms for a passionate kiss. 'There's absolutely no one else I'd rather grow old and senile with,' an ecstatic Matty wrote under the video. He added: 'I can't wait to start a family together and now I can't wait to be your husband!' So romantic! 'There's absolutely no one else I'd rather grow old and senile with,' Matty wrote under the romantic video The couple were quickly flooded with well-wishes from fellow Australian celebrities, including fellow former Bachelor co-star Florence Moerenhout wishing them well. 'YESSSSSSSS HE DID IT!!!!!!!!!! IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU TWO You're one lucky man Matt!' she gushed. Married At First Sight star Cameron Merchant wrote: 'Amazing guys! Congratulations! Welcome Matty.' She said yes! Laura later shared a snap of the elated couple, with her showing off her stunning engagement ring while being cuddled by her future husband The sparkler: The ring, features a gold band, large pear-shaped diamond surrounded by smaller stones, made by Larsen Jewellery Laura later took to her Instagram to share a snap of herself and Matty looking elated, showing off her engagement ring. Laura wrote: 'You are my favourite everything, Matthew David Johnson.' She continued 'YES to a lifetime of love and flamboyant dance moves with you my honey.' Married At First Sight star Jules Robinson wrote: 'Yayyyyy congrats lovers xx.' Meanwhile, fellow Bachelor star Anna Heinrich left a simple: 'Congrats!!!' She recently returned home from Australia, where she shared her favourite recipes and culinary stories during a nationwide tour. And Nigella Lawson enjoyed some time off her busy schedule as she ran errands in London, England, earlier this week. The celebrity chef, 59, nailed casual chic as she donned a black belted trench coat, paired with trendy wide-leg trousers. Off she goes: Nigella Lawson enjoyed some time off her busy schedule as she ran errands in London, England, earlier this week TV personality Nigella opted for comfort in the footwear department as she sported a pair of white platform trainers. The Oxford University alum displayed her signature glamour with her choice of accessories, featuring square-framed shades and quirky fingerless gloves. Displaying her radiant complexion, the mother-of-two went make-up free and wore her tresses in its naturally wavy state. The award-winning author appeared to indulge in her sweet cravings as she picked up a Mars chocolate bar from her local corner shop. Effortless style: The celebrity chef, 59, nailed casual chic as she donned a black belted trench coat, paired with trendy wide-leg trousers Nigella's outing comes after she shared how she felt 'exposed and under attack' when she laid bare the 'traumatic' aftermath of her drug and marriage revelations. In an interview with The Irish Times , the cook discussed the 'shame' she felt after the infamous row with Charles Saatchi and confessing in court she took cocaine. The brunette beauty told the publication: 'It was generally about feeling exposed and under attack. In a way, it would have been much better for me to be able to speak openly.' Nigella's comments refer to when she was pictured in an argument with her husband of ten years eating at their favourite restaurant and a trial with her former assistants. Natural glow: Displaying her radiant complexion, the mother-of-two went make-up free and wore her tresses in its naturally wavy state Yum! The award-winning author appeared to indulge in her sweet cravings as she picked up a Mars chocolate bar from her local corner shop Shocking photos captured the moment Charles put his hands round a tearful Nigella's throat at their usual table outside Scott's restaurant, in Mayfair in 2013. Also, Nigella courted controversy when she said she had taken cocaine in a dramatic courtroom confession in 2014. In reference to both incidents, Nigella went on sharing: 'It goes against my nature not to... Everything I went through then, shame, various things, in a way gave me a form of trauma of its own.' They announced their engagement on Sunday. And later that day, Laura Byrne and Matty Johnson flew home to Sydney after the former Bachelor popped the question in Fiji. The pair looked relaxed and happy after their luxury 'babymoon' in Fiji, ahead of the arrival of their first child together in two months' time. He put a ring on it! Laura Byrne flashed her massive diamond bling at Sydney airport on Sunday as she and new fiance Matty Johnson were seen for the first time since becoming engaged during their Fijian babymoon Laura, who is 34 weeks pregnant, dressed down in a crisscross designed top in a pale coffee tone. She paired the long-sleeved shirt with loose, black satin pants and studded slide shoes. The designer appeared makeup-free and wore her brunette hair tied back in a ponytail. Good day! Laura Byrne and Matty Johnson flew home to Sydney after the former Bachelor popped the question in Fiji Look of love! The couple couldn't keep their eyes off each other as they arrived home Arrivals: The pair looked relaxed and happy after their luxury 'babymoon' in Fiji , ahead of the arrival of their first child together in two months' time Matty meanwhile looked casual in a pair of black shorts worn with a grey Nike hoodie. The couple stayed close together as they exited the airport, their baggage in tow. Laura had her engagement ring on display, the bauble worn with a number of other accessories. Chill! Laura, who is 34 weeks pregnant, dressed down in a crisscross designed top in a pale coffee tone Ring in: Laura had her engagement ring on display, the bauble worn with a number of other accessories All smiles: Matty looked casual in a pair of black shorts worn with a grey Nike hoodie Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the couple shared the happy news of their engagement, with Laura showing off her bling. In her Instagram post, Laura wrote: 'You are my favourite everything @matthewdavidjohnson. YES to a lifetime of love and flamboyant dance moves with you my honey'. In the photo, a beaming Laura cuddled up to Matty as she held up her hand to flaunt diamond ring. Sliding in! Laura paired the long-sleeved shirt with studded slide shoes Comfy! A pair of loose lack satin pants also featured in the flight ensemble Worked out! The couple met on the fifth season of The Bachelor Australia in 2017 The sparkler, featuring a gold band, large pear-shaped diamond surrounded by smaller stones, is made by Larsen Jewellery. The company specialises in custom-made rings, so it appears Matty may have designed the unique ring himself for his future bride. Matty meanwhile shared a video of the moment the pair became engaged on the beach. Standing on the shore in a slip dress, Laura giggles and covers her mouth as Matty goes down on one knee in the sand. The couple met on the fifth season of The Bachelor Australia in 2017. Yes! Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the couple shared the happy news of their engagement, with Laura showing off her bling They are busy planning their upcoming nuptials after getting engaged in December. And Petra Ecclestone and fiance Sam Palmer enjoyed some quality time together as they stepped out for dinner with friends at LA restaurant Catch on Saturday. The socialite, 30, and her art gallery manager love looked relaxed and happy as they stepped out after a lavish seafood dinner. Glow: Petra Ecclestone and fiance Sam Palmer enjoyed some quality time together as they stepped out for dinner with friends at LA restaurant Catch on Saturday F1 heiress Petra slipped her toned frame into a semi-sheer leopard print top which clung to the mother of three's taut midriff. She paired this with ripped skinny jeans and a pair of mint green trainers, while accessorising with a dove grey handbag. Her caramel tresses were styled in loose waves while her pretty features were enhanced with a rich palette of make-up. Sam looked casually cool in a grey hoodie and denim jacket, paired with jeans, Looking good: Sam looked casually cool in a grey hoodie and denim jacket, paired with jeans In the wake of their engagement, the Maddox art gallery manager posted a sweet tribute to the socialite after exclusively announcing their engagement to MailOnline. He told his followers Petra accepting his proposal was one of his personal highlights of 2018. As the former electrician delighted over the news, Petra's Formula 1 tycoon father, Bernie Ecclestone, 88, seemed less impressed, saying he 'doesn't know what the hurry is' - just 14 months on from his daughter's explosive divorce. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: 'I told her I dont know what the hurry is I dont understand the reason.' The businessman's reaction stood in stark contrast to Sam's words. The vintage car dealer wrote: 'A personal thank you to everyone that made opening Maddox Gallery Los Angeles possible. 'I hope everyone had as an amazing year as us and that 2019 brings lots of love,health and happiness to all. 'My personal highlights have been opening the gallery in LA with the woman I love and her agreeing to marry me Here is to a fantastic 2019.' Petra and Sam announced their engagement on New Year's Eve after one year of dating, and just 14 months on from her acrimonious divorce from James Stunt, with whom she shares three children. He is most famous for his role in the James Bond movie franchise. And Pierce Brosnan was seen sporting silver locks and a bushy beard while hanging out with Jake Gyllenhaal at the Pioneer Works Village Fete in New York on Saturday. The actor, 65, decided to ditch the hair dye and embrace his natural mane as he schmoozed with celebs at the star-studded event. Silver locks: Pierce Brosnan was seen sporting silver locks and a bushy beard while hanging out with Jake Gyllenhal at the Pioneer Works Village Fete in New York on Saturday Proving he gets better with age, the Irish actor looked exquisite in a blue suede bomber jacket over a denim shirt, finishing the look with a polka-dot neckerchief. Pierce, who is in the Big Apple filming for upcoming thriller False Positive, looked every inch the silver fox as he mingled. Jake, 38, looked dapper in a long blue overcoat and vibrant patterned shirt, wearing his brunette locks swept back. The Donnie Darko star sported subtle stubble and cut a typically handsome figure as he attended the event. Handsome: Pierce Brosnan was seen sporting silver locks and a bushy beard while hanging out with Jake Gyllenhal at the Pioneer Works Village Fete in New York on Saturday Silver lining: The actor, 65, decided ditch the hair dye and embrace his natural silvery mane as he schmoozed with celebs at the star-studded event Pierce is currently in the midst of filming for his upcoming thriller movie. Known for playing James Bond, Pierce starred in films Golden Eye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day. With Daniel Craig set to commence filming on the as-yet unnamed Bond 25 film, Pierce recently spoke about the latest generation of the franchise. The actor said Daniel's brooding portrayal had to be more serious because the franchise was forced to reinvent the character as 'more muscular' and solemn. Better with age: Pierce, who is in the Big Apple filming for upcoming thriller False Positive, looked every inch the silver fox as he mingled Stylish: Jake, 38, looked dapper in a long blue overcoat and vibrant patterned shirt, wearing his brunette locks swept back Suave: The Donnie Darko star sported subtle stubble and cut a typically handsome figure as he attended the event James Bond: Pierce is currently in the midst of filming for his upcoming thriller film However, in the process, Pierce claimed the series has lost its sense of humour while he spoke about the developments of the franchise over the years. He told The Rake magazine: 'There had to be humour, I felt. It is different now. They had strong competition and they haven't reinvented it but given it a much more muscular, dynamic twist. 'When I played him you have to let the audience in that this is a fantastic joke this man, jumping off a motorcycle and catching up a plane, is completely preposterous. But for me you had to let them in. 'That's what I was brought up with. Sean (Connery) did it, Roger (Moore) did it par excellence.' Shanghai (Gasgoo)- BYD inked a strategic cooperation agreement with Changzhou municipal government on April 25 to build a new energy passenger vehicle (PV) and core auto parts industrial park in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province. The industrial park, located at Changzhou National Hi-Tech District, will involve a planned investment of RMB10 billion. After the program completes, it is expected to have an annual capacity of 400,000 vehicles and output a total value of over RMB50 billion per year. The Changzhou base is designed to manufacture 10 models of BYD's Dynasty and e product series with segments ranging from mini-sized to large-sized vehicles. Besides, BYD also plans to establish a R&D center in this city. The automaker maker so far has vehicle plants in Shenzhen, Xian and Changsha. Along with the yet-to-be Changzhou base, BYD's will form a PV manufacturing deployment across the east, south, northwest and middle parts of China. BYD's current yearly PV capacity has exceeded 800,000 units with its utilization rate continuously climbing, the automaker revealed at the 2018 annual results introduction meeting on April 10. Last year, BYD sold a total of 520,687 vehicles, among which the new energy PV full-year sales reached 247,811 units. Richie Strahan dramatically walked out of paradise leaving co-star Cassandra Wood with a broken heart on Sunday night. And now the hunky reality star, 33, has revealed the moment was his 'lowest on the show' - calling it a 'heavy' time for him. 'When I decided to leave, that was really, really heavy for me,' Richie told website 10 Daily following him leaving the show. 'It was really heavy for me': Bachelor in Paradise star Richie Strahan has revealed the moment he walked out on Cassandra Wood was his 'lowest on the show' Richie went on to explain that he'd struggled with his emotions throughout his Paradise experience thanks to the presence of his ex-girlfriend Alex nation. 'The first three to four days in Paradise I wasn't myself, I was still there it was just emotionally very difficult to handle,' he told Ten Daily. Describing those difficult few days as a 'learning experience', the fair-haired Lothario revealed that he eventually began to enjoy his time on the show. However, all that came crashing down on Sunday Night's episode, when tense scenes unfolded between Richie and Cassandra after he told her he couldn't see a future for the pair. Case of the ex: Richie went on to explain that he'd struggled with his emotions throughout his Paradise experience thanks to the presence of his ex-girlfriend Alex nation 'When I decided to leave, that was really, really heavy for me': On Sunday Night's episode, tense scenes unfolded between Richie and Cassandra after he told her he couldn't see a future for the pair Richie was clearly emotional as he explained to a teary-eyed Cassandra why their romance was destined to fail. 'When I came into Paradise I was really cautious about the steps I wanted to take with someone,' Richie told her. He went on to praise Cassandra, saying he wanted someone he could trust and who 'liked him for him' - with the blonde beauty ticking all his boxes. Emotional: 'When I came into Paradise I was really cautious about the steps I wanted to take with someone,' Richie said, during the couple's emotional exchange on Sunday night's episode Despite this, the Perth ropes technician said he was concerned about the emotional toll a long-distance relationship might take upon the couple, and concluded it was best that they called time on their romance. Richie bid adieu to his former flame and exited Paradise for good- leaving Cassandra to break the news of their split to the rest of the group. Later, Cassandra was seen being consoled by Richie's ex-girlfriend Alex Nation. 'What you're going through and the confusion and everything, I went through the same thing with him,' she said. 'He's a good person, but I think he's a really lost one,' she added. 'He's a good person, but I think he's a really lost one': Later, Cassandra was seen being consoled by Richie's ex-girlfriend Alex Nation Advertisement Katie Price displayed her heavily bruised and bloodied visage after undergoing a face lift in Turkey on Friday. The former glamour model, 40, who also underwent an eyebrow lift and eye lift procedure, was covered in bandages and looked frail as she was wheeled out of surgery. On her arrival back in the UK on Saturday, mother-of-five Katie was greeted by her toyboy beau Kris Boyson, 30, and her eldest son Harvey, 16, who presented her with flowers at her West Sussex abode. Under the knife: Katie Price showed off her blood stained bandages after having a face lift in Turkey on Friday Bruised: The former glamour model looked in pain and swollen as she walked around the hospital after undergoing the intrusive surgery Insecure: Katie has undergone the extreme body makeover after confessing she felt insecure with her looks and branded her recent two stone weight gain 'digusting' Big procedure: The television personality looked frail as she was wheeled out of surgery Frail: Katie was unsteady on her feet as she came round from the anaesthetic Katie, who has undergone the extreme body makeover after confessing she felt insecure of her looks and recent two stone weight gain, was unsteady on her feet as she came round from the anaesthetic and held onto a nurse for support. Clad in a hospital gown and a medical hair net, the television personality had several bloodied bandages around her cheeks, forehead and nose and held onto a surgical drain. Katie's blonde hair was bloodied and matted. The mother-of-five looked in pain as she took deep breaths to steady herself while walking down the hospital corridor. Before and after: Katie, who has previously had a face lift which went wrong in 2017 and corrective facial surgery, posed for a photo before surgery (L) and again afterwards (R) Fresh out of surgery: Clad in a hospital gown and a medical hair net, the television personality had several bloodied bandages around her cheeks, forehead and nose Face lift: Katie was covered in blood as she was wheeled out of surgery Swollen: Holding onto her two surgical drains, Katie shuffled around in her pink slippers and struggled to walk Difficult: At one point the mother-of-five had to hold onto a nurse for support as she tried to walk down the hospital corridor Bloodied and bruised: After her surgery, two nurses wheeled her out to a hospital room to recover Feeling the pain: After coming round, the My Crazy Life star had to take deep, steadying breaths as she got back up on her feet Drastic measures: Katie (R) pictured before surgery. The mother-of-five could barely open her eyes after the eyebrow and eye lift surgery and relied on a nurse to help her walk to her hospital room Getting ready: Before going under anesthetic, a surgeon mapped out Katie's face, with the model posing for before and after photos Before going under anesthetic, a surgeon mapped out Katie's face, with the model posing for before and after photos. Last year, Katie admitted a non-invasive facelift - which involved hyaluronic acid being injected under her eyes - had 'f**ked up' her face. The busty pin-up defiantly vowed to go under the knife once again to get her face re-corrected following the 'botched' surgery. A day after the procedure, Katie headed back to the U.K and was pushed around the terminal in a wheelchair by an airport staff member moments before leaving the country. The TV personality opted for comfort during her flight from Turkey as she wrapped up in a black hooded jumper and skintight cropped leggings. Surgery addict: In the past, the businesswoman has undergone rhinoplasty, teeth veneers, bottom lifts, boob jobs and liposuction. The glamorous reality television star also has regular Botox and dermal filler regime Eyebrow and eyelid life: (R) pictured before surgery. Katie's eyes were nearly welded shut after the gruelling procedure (L) Determined: The star struggled and had to hold onto a wall for support as she made her way to her hospital room Independent: Katie reportedly decided to undergo the surgery against the wishes her closest family and friends, who are said to have begged her not to do it Casually- clad: Underneath her hospital gown, the former I'm A Celebrity star opted for comfort with a pair of three-quarter length leggings Uncomfortable: Katie appeared in extreme discomfort and looked like she was struggling to move her face Brave: The former glamour models had no second thoughts as she signed the paperwork Feeling prepared: Ahead of the surgery, Katie appeared in high spirits, flashing a smile as she checked into the hospital in the black Playboy bunny hoodie Covered in blood: Angry purple bruises had already formed around Katie's face and her blonde hair was bloodied and matted as she emerged from surgery Restoring her youthful looks: Part of Katie's hair was shaven for the radical face lift Injecting a hint of pazzazz into her casual look, the reality star sported a pair of eye-catching sliders, embellished with fluffy pink feathers. Katie styled her bright blonde tresses into a loosely-tousled plait while going make-up free at the airport, where she displayed dark brown bruises under her eyes as a result of her procedures. Hours later, the Brighton native appeared delighted as she returned to her home turf, and was showered with flowers from her eldest son Harvey and boyfriend Kris. Nerves: But Katie did appear a little apprehensive ahead of the procedure, as she headed out of her taxi and anxiously glanced at her phone in the waiting room Swollen: Katie displayed her heavily bruised visage as she was pictured jetting out of Turkey's Istanbul Airport on Saturday In need: The former glamour model, 40, looked frail as she was pushed around terminal by airport staff before leaving the country In good company: Mother-of-five Katie appeared in great spirits when she arrived back in the UK following her intensive surgery as she was greeted by her toyboy beau Kris Boyson, 30, and her eldest son Harvey, 16, at her West Sussex abode Bruised: The I'm A Celeb star styled her bright blonde tresses into a loosely-tousled plait while going make-up free at the airport, where she displayed dark brown bruises under her eyes as a result of her procedures All in the details: Injecting a hint of pazzazz into her casual look, the reality star sported a pair of eye-catching sliders, embellished with fluffy pink feathers In heartwarming scenes, the CBB star stepped out of a flashy red Mercedes vehicle to share a kiss with her loved ones after days apart from each other. Earlier this week, Katie tried to hide her face as she shared a cosy snap with her family after returning home over the weekend. Katie took to her social media platform to post a picture of herself with her toyboy beau Kris and children - Junior, 13, Princess, 11, Jett, five, and Bunny, four. Off she goes: The TV personality opted for comfort during her flight from Turkey as she wrapped up in a black hooded jumper and skintight cropped leggings Full makeover: It has been reported that she had undergone a face lift, eyebrow, eyelid surgery, as well as a tummy tuck and bum implants during her time at the clinic Overhaul: Katie jetted to Instabul on Wednesday to undergo cosmetic surgery, after she was left feeling 'insecure' about her two stone weight gain Cosmetic surgery enthusiast: Back in November, Katie discussed her cosmetic surgery hell on Loose Women which she claimed left her 'ill for days' However, the blonde attempted to keep a low profile after she was pictured earlier in the day bloodied following her face lift. KATIE'S SURGERY TIMELINE 1998: Aged 20 she had a breast augmentation going from a B cup to C cup. 1999: She had two surgeries in one year, going to a D cup, before later an ample F cup. 2006: After the birth of her three children, Harvey Price, now 15, Junior Andre, 12, Princess Tiaamii Andre, 10, Katie had another boob job taking her up to a G cup. 2007: Katie had rhinoplasty surgery but later said she liked her original nose. 2008: Katie expressed an interest in smaller breasts and went down to a 32C. 2012: After the breakdown of her marriages to Peter Andre and Alex Reid she went up to an F-cup. 2015: She announced she was having her breast implants removed and went au natural reducing them from a 32G to a natural 32B. 2016: Katie revealed her biggest implants yet when she revealed she had travelled to Belgium to go up to a 32GG. 2017: Along with the new silhouette facelift. Katie, who wears hair extensions and wigs has also had 3D liposuction, a bottom lift, veneers, lip fillers and Botox. Advertisement Revealing her eldest child Harvey, who was absent from the snap, was in bed at the time, she captioned the image with: '#ad Harvey in bed but the rest of us watch BGT,' she went on to promote her sofa and the company she bought it from. Katie's followers were quick to ask and comment why she was hiding her face in the pictures, as well as how she was able to return home so quickly from Turkey. It has been reported that she had undergone a face lift, eyebrow, eyelid surgery, as well as a tummy tuck and bum implants during her time at the clinic. Katie jetted to Instabul on Wednesday to undergo cosmetic surgery, after she was left feeling 'insecure' about her two stone weight gain. A source told MailOnline: 'Katies gone to Turkey for a procedure because she wants to sort her recent weight gain. Shes been insecure since putting on weight so is planning some work to help regain her confidence. ' Back in November, Katie discussed her cosmetic surgery hell on Loose Women which she claimed left her 'ill for days'. She said: 'I realised it was because I hadn't read the box, I'm allergic to penicillin and that's what I was taking. 'I was ill for days. I was crying and saying I couldn't go on air. Anyone who has any surgery - you don't just have the surgery and look great, it's always the in-between.' Before returning to the UK, Katie is said to have recovered from her cosmetic surgery operation in style at a luxury villa with breathtaking views as she's cared for by three maids and a live-in nurse offering 24/7 medical care. A-list treatment: Before returning to the UK, Katie is said to have recovered from her cosmetic surgery operation in style at a luxury villa with breathtaking views as she's cared for by three maids and a live-in nurse offering 24/7 medical care Lap of luxury: The troubled star reportedly stayed with other plastic surgery patients at the stunning three-floor accommodation and was treated to home cooked meals as part of her after-care plan Relaxation: A full time live-in nurse was on hand to look after the patients in residence, as well as three maids to ensure their every needs were met as they recovered Making a change: Her trip to Turkey for surgery comes after she vowed to be a 'MILF' and get her beach body back in My Crazy Life finale, after branding her recent weight gain 'disgusting' The I'm A Celeb star reportedly stayed with other plastic surgery patients at the stunning three-floor accommodation and was treated to home cooked meals as part of her after-care plan. The plush pad can also accommodate up to ten guests, should patients want to bring someone along to support them through their cosmetic procedures. A full time live-in nurse was on hand to look after the patients in residence, as well as three maids to ensure their every needs were met as they recovered. Return: Hours later, the Brighton native appeared delighted as she returned to her home turf, and was showered with flowers from her eldest son Harvey and boyfriend Kris Sweet reunion: In heartwarming scenes, the CBB star stepped out of a flashy red Mercedes vehicle to share a kiss with her loved ones after days apart from each other Woes: On her reality show My Crazy Life, the former wife of Mysterious Girl hitmaker Peter Andre hinted at her unhappiness with her appearance Catching the eye: Fitness enthusiast Kris stood out in a bright red tracksuit as he greeted his partner Set within picturesque lush green surroundings, Katie was a world away from the hectic hustle and bustle of life in the UK. Her trip to Turkey for surgery comes after she vowed to be a 'MILF' and get her beach body back in My Crazy Life finale, after branding her recent weight gain 'disgusting'. On her reality show My Crazy Life, the former wife of Mysterious Girl hitmaker Peter Andre hinted at her unhappiness with her figure. In the series finale, Katie told her friend Dionne she will get her beach body back, after flashing her bloated stomach. Off they go: Katie's toyboy boyfriend complemented his sporty look with a pair of black platform trainers as he headed to the mansion Stepping out: The TV star's eldest son Harvey dressed down in a khaki green T-shirt, navy shorts and neon green trainers She has spoken openly about her recent weight struggles after a turbulent year, and recently admitted she feels 'disgusting' when she looks in the mirror. She said: 'I've had five children, so yeah, I have put on weight and yeah it is affecting me because I find other people in the industry my size and they say yeah look at my nice curvy figure, but with me oh no if I put on weight I'm pregnant and I'm fat. I've always put on two dress sizes so what?' Despite lamenting her recent body woes, Katie vowed to get in shape for the summer, telling Dionne: 'I've always been a pin up I've always had ''the body'' and now I haven't got ''the body'.' 'I'm going to change my whole outlook, I want to go blonde I want the sun-kissed look I want my beach body and I want to turn it around. I want to be a MILF.' Surgery: The businesswoman has undergone rhinoplasty, teeth veneers, bottom lifts, boob jobs and liposuction. The glamorous reality television star also has regular Botox and dermal filler regime Candid: She has spoken openly about her recent weight struggles after a turbulent year, and recently admitted she feels 'disgusting' when she looks in the mirror She said on Loose Women earlier this month: 'My body, I am normally 52kg, I am now 63 I have never had to worry, I just eat what I want. 'Everyone used to say, ''You wait 'til you get to 40''...I've changed...I have put on weight and I look disgusting. [When I look in the mirror] I see my mum! I've got a mum bod. 'It's because I've never worked outI am going to do something about it, I've joined a gym but all I keep going on about is the spa there. I keep going, lying on the day bed and eating' Over the years: Katie is no stranger to plastic surgery and has been open about her procedures over the years including; more than 11 boob jobs, bottom lifts, liposuction and veneers (L-R pictured in 1997, 2004, 2006, 2019) The star was also branded a 'tramp' by her personal trainer beau Kris in a recent live-stream, where he also insisted she needed to 'lose weight'. The businesswoman has undergone rhinoplasty, teeth veneers, bottom lifts, boob jobs and liposuction. The glamorous reality television star also has regular Botox and dermal filler regime. She officially dismissed her pending divorce case with husband Brian Austin Green on Thursday. And Megan Fox looked like she couldn't be happier with her decision, beaming from ear to ear as she stepped out with friends in Calabasas on Saturday. The 32-year-old Transformers star was decked out in a maroon tracksuit for the sunny weekend stroll. Good call: Megan Fox looked like she couldn't be happier with her decision to remain married, beaming from ear to ear as she stepped out with friends in Calabasas on Saturday Fox's stylish leisure wear was adorned with rainbow patterns, down the sides of the pants and on the front of the top, with rainbows also wrapping around the arms. The Jennifer's Body actress completed the ensemble with white sneakers and a pair of aviator shades. Her brunette tresses were worn loose and with a center part as Megan chatted happily with her pals. Sweat it out! The 32-year-old Transformers star was decked out in a maroon tracksuit for the sunny weekend stroll Double rainbow! Fox's stylish leisure wear was adorned with rainbow patterns, down the sides of the pants and on the front of the top, with rainbows also wrapping around the arms The outing comes only days after the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles star filed documents in Los Angeles to terminate her divorce proceedings. The actress filed for a divorce from husband Brian Austin Green four years ago, but after the pair - who have Noah, six, Bodhi, five, and Journey, two, together - reconciled just one year later, Megan has finally dismissed her case in favor of staying married to the actor. Meanwhile, in 2017, Brian - who also has 17-year-old son Kassius from a previous relationship with Vanessa Marcil - admitted marriage was a lot of 'work'. Sticking it out: She officially dismissed her pending divorce case with husband Brian Austin Green on Thursday. The couple seen here in 2014 Speaking on his podcast, ...With Brian Austin Green, the Beverly Hills 90210 star said, 'Marriage is hard. It's work, I think for anyone. I think when you get to the point like we have, where you have kids and you've been married for a while and we've been together for a long time, it's - you just take it day by day. You're in it and then if you're not, then you look back and you go, "That was a great 13 years."' But the 45-year-old actor noted he and Megan were much stronger together since having split and reconciled. He added: 'I don't know what the secret is. Just stick it out. Like fighting and making up, believing in each other. 'I've dated people before and you kind of get to that point where you go, 'You know what, I don't feel the same way,' and I've never reached that with her. I mean we fight, we disagree on things. But I don't want to go anywhere and she doesn't, you know? So we stick it out.' She's about to make a last-minute return to Bachelor in Paradise. And on Monday, Elora Murger reflected on her journey to finding love in the spotlight in a lengthy post shared to Instagram. Hinting she may have found a boyfriend on the show, which was filmed in Fiji last year, the 30-year-old described herself as 'giving and loving'. 'I long for a love that feels powerful': Elora Murger (pictured) hinted on Monday that she found love on Bachelor in Paradise 'I long for a love that feels powerful and indestructible. Reality shows, paparazzi, fame, island or country girl. I adapt to it all,' Elora wrote. 'I am peaceful and kind, I am giving and loving,' she added. 'I like to be seduced and I like to feel like I'm loved. Big time. But mostly, I like the little things. Nature. Waterfalls. Mountains. The beach. Anything that makes me feel grounded.' Third time lucky? Elora reflected on her journey to finding love in the spotlight in a lengthy post shared to Instagram Elora, who rose to fame on Matty Johnson's season of The Bachelor in 2017, will return to Bachelor in Paradise on Monday night. During last year's series of the spin-off show, she found herself in a love triangle with then-BFF Simone Ormesher and hunky magician Apollo Jackson. It's believed this conflict ended her friendship with Simone. Former flame: During last year's series of Bachelor in Paradise, Elora found herself in a love triangle with then-BFF Simone Ormesher and hunky magician Apollo Jackson (pictured) After filming the program, she dated a man named Salvatore Savarese but they split after just two months. Elora exclusively confirmed the break-up to Daily Mail Australia in June 2018. Bachelor in Paradise continues Monday at 7:30pm on Channel 10 She's spent the past few days enjoying a romantic vacation with her husband Tome Ackerley in the Caribbean Islands after wrapping up filming as Harley Quinn in Birds Of Prey. And Margot Robbie and her beau touched back down refreshed on Saturday evening in New York City. The 28-year-old beauty kept things casual chic as she flashed her sunkissed skin while walking through the terminal. Scroll down for video Refreshed: Margot Robbie showcased her sunkissed skin on Saturday when she returned to New York City with her husband Tom Ackerely following their Caribbean getaway Margot wore a pair of comfortable loose fitting railroad striped overalls for the arrival. She teamed the look with a white cropped top underneath that showcased her toned and slightly sunburnt stomach. The I, Tonya, actress completed her ensemble with tan colored boots and walked with a black backpack to keep her possessions close. Casual chic: Margot wore a pair of comfortable loose fitting railroad striped overalls for the arrival Gorgeous: Margot styled her blonde tresses out naturally and appeared to be wearing a minimal amount of makeup Margot styled her blonde tresses out naturally and appeared to be wearing a minimal amount of makeup. The beauty struggled top wipe the smile off of her face as she walked next to her husband, director, Tom Ackerley, 29. Tom also kept things casual with a yellow T-Shirt and Nike trackpants and was seen rolling their carry-on luggage out of the terminal. Fashionista: The I, Tonya, actress completed her ensemble with tan colored boots and walked with a black backpack to keep her possessions close Happy days: The beauty struggled top wipe the smile off of her face as she walked next to her husband, director, Tom Ackerley, 29 No time to waste: And with Margot attending the Deadline Tribeca Film Festival just hours later, she appeared to be making her way through the terminal with some speed Time to go: The stunner was photographed picking up her step and running while Tom wheeled her bags And with Margot attending the Deadline Tribeca Film Festival just hours later, she appeared to be making her way through the terminal with some speed. The stunner was photographed picking up her step and running while Tom wheeled her bags. Earlier on Saturday, Margot took to social media to she an array of Polaroid photos that they had captioned whilst vacationing. 'What a holiday,' she wrote. The day before, the Wolf Of Wall Street star posted a short video of herself and Tom diving into the crystal clear blue ocean during a dip. Made it back in time! Following her arrival, Margot stepped out at Tribeca Film Festival on Saturday night (pictured L-R: Finn Cole, Margot Robbie and Mils Peyrafitte) Memories: Earlier on Saturday, Margot took to social media to she an array of Polaroid photos that they had captioned whilst vacationing Checking in: The day before, the Wolf Of Wall Street star posted a short video of herself and Tom diving into the crystal clear blue ocean during a dip Vacationing: Using an underwater camera she captured her man swimming Wrapped: On April 16, 2019, Margot wrapped filming of Birds Of Prey - the sequel of the very successful movie, Suicide Squad, which will see her character Harley Quinn take centre stage Margot and Tom met back in 2014 on the set of Suite Francaise, where the Australian beauty played the role of Celine. In 2016, the duo married in a private Byron Bay ceremony. They currently reside in Los Angeles. On April 16, 2019, Margot wrapped filming of Birds Of Prey - the sequel of the very successful movie, Suicide Squad, which will see her character Harley Quinn take centre stage. 'That's A Wrap,' she wrote alongside a picture of herself sitting in a chair while in costume. Birds of Prey is set to hit screens in 2020. Margot will also be seen in the highly anticipated Quentin Tarantino film, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood later this year where she'll play the role of the late Sharon Tate. She divorced Britain's Got Talent presenter Ant McPartlin in October last year. And Lisa Armstrong appeared defiant as she attended the BAFTA Craft Awards at the Brewery in London on Sunday in her first red carpet appearance since the split. Following the star-studded event, the make-up artist, 42, flashed a hint of her cream bra under a chic navy tie-waist jumpsuit as she made a stylish departure from the 18th-century venue. Stylish exit: Lisa Armstrong flashed a hint of her cream bra under a chic navy tie-waist jumpsuit as she departed from the BAFTA Craft Awards at London's The Brewery on Sunday evening Despite losing out on the Entertainment Craft prize to Nigel Catmur, David Cole, Kate Dawkins and Kevin Duff, Lisa still grinned from ear-to-ear as she left the venue. She completed her ensemble with black patent leather pointed-toe stilettos as she grinned ahead of an over-sized BAFTA statue earlier in the evening. Lisa slicked her short platinum locks back behind her ears and wore a gold pendant on a long gold chain for the ceremony. And, never one to forgo the glamour, Lisa opted for a bright red lip and dramatic eye makeup as she headed into the venue with choreographer Jason Gilkison. Off she goes: The make-up artist, 42, beamed with delight as she headed home following the star-studded event, held at the 18th-century venue Making a statement: The blonde beauty appeared in great spirits after making her first red carpet appearance since her divorce from host Ant McPartlin In good company: The star was in good company as she held hands with Strictly Come Dancing choreographer Jason Gilkison Heading home: After spending time with each other at the event, the close pals shared a kiss as they parted ways In good spirits: The pair ended their lively evening with a warm embrace Radiant: Despite losing out on the Entertainment Craft prize to Nigel Catmur, David Cole, Kate Dawkins and Kevin Duff, Lisa still grinned from ear-to-ear at the event Lisa had been nominated alongside Jason, Mark Kenyon and Richard Sillitto for her work on BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing. Also in attendance at the awards, which celebrate those who work behind the camera in British television, was ex-Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq, 43, and her screenwriter husband Charlie Brooker, 48. Konnie, who has been married to Charlie for nine years, wore a sleek black jumpsuit with ruffled sleeve detailing for the ceremony. Stunning: Lisa appeared defiant as she attended the ceremony following her bitter split from BGT's Ant, 43 Glam: Looking every inch the siren, Lisa posed on the red carpet outside the prestigious venue Pose: She completed her ensemble with black patent leather pointed-toe shoes as she grinned ahead of an over-sized BAFTA statue (Pictured with choreographer Jason) Glam: Lisa was later spotted enjoying a glass of champagne inside the event on Sunday night Lovebirds: Also in attendance at the awards, which celebrate those behind the camera, was ex-Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq and her screenwriter husband Charlie Brooker Statement: Konnie, who has been married to Charlie for nine years, wore a sleek black jumpsuit with ruffled sleeve detailing for the ceremony Stars: Mel Giedroyc and host Stephen Mangan were seen on stage at the awards as the ceremony kicked off on Sunday She paired her simple look with decadent drop earrings and carried a matching gold metallic clutch bag as she posed with Charlie on the red carpet. Her husband's latest Black Mirror episode, Bandersnatch, gained nominations in the Editing: Fiction and Special, Visual and Graphic Effects categories. Charlie also received a nomination in the Single Drama category at the Baftas - which take place on May 12. Celestial: Alex Kingston, 56, also appeared on the red carpet in a gorgeous star-print dress Model behaviour: The Doctor Who star completed her look with peep-toe kitten heels Pose: Call The Midwife actress Jennifer Kirby, 30, also attended the event in a sleek navy blue gown with her hair swept back Host: This year's ceremony will be hosted by actor Stephen Mangan, who was spotted arriving at the venue on Sunday in a classic three-piece suit Striking: Mel, 50, matched the red carpet in a scarlet trouser suit ahead of the ceremony Call The Midwife actress Jennifer Kirby, 30, also attended the event in a sleek navy blue gown with her hair swept back. EastEnders alum Nina Toussaint-White, The Durrells star Callum Woodhouse and Blue Peter presenter Lindsey Russell were also spotted at the star-studded awards. Alex Kingston, 56, also appeared on the red carpet in a gorgeous star-print dress. Lady in Red: Blue Peter presenter Lindsey Russell, 28, wore a long-sleeved scarlet gown Monochrome: EastEnders alum Nina Toussaint-White stunned in a black and white lace gown Suave: Callum Woodhouse, who portrays Leslie Durrell in ITV's The Durrells, wore a patterned burgundy tie for the occasion Thrilled: Ainsley Harriott also appeared on stage at Sunday night's event as he presented an award Pals: Konnie Huq and husband Charlie Brooker posed with Diane Morgan inside The Brewery Lovebirds: Hollyoaks actress Claire Cooper posed with her husband Emmett J. Scanlan at the BAFTA Craft Awards This year's ceremony will be hosted by actor Stephen Mangan, who was seen arriving at the venue on Sunday in a classic three-piece suit. The British Academy Television Craft Awards honour those who work behind the camera with an accolade to 'recognise, honour and reward individuals for outstanding achievement in television craft.' This includes those who edit, direct and write British television shows - alongside those who work in costume design and hair and make up. Chic: Star Wars actress Genevieve O'Reilly, 42, wore an enviable white co-ord for the awards Nominee: Charlie Cooper, 29, is nominated alongside his sister Daisy May Cooper, 33, for his work on the BBC Three comedy This Country Pose: Eamonn Holmes, 59, was also seen arriving at the British Academy Television Craft Awards on Sunday Regal: Stephen and his wife Louise Delamere posed on the red carpet ahead of the comedian's hosting gig Stephen Mangan transformed into Killing Eve's Villanelle in a funny parody shown at the BAFTA Craft Awards on Sunday night. The actor, 50, made a nod to the BBC crime thriller's nine nominations as he hosted the ceremony, held at The Brewery in London. In his sketch, aptly named Killing Steve, Mangan donned the assassin's frothy pink dress to imitate the femme fatale character, played by Jodie Comer in the show. Spoof: Stephen Mangan transformed into Killing Eve's Villanelle in a funny parody shown at the BAFTA Craft Awards on Sunday night In the spoof, his character was interviewed by two people who questioned the 'psychopathic quality' to his recent awards presenting. After they have quizzed him, he whipped out a gun and shot them both, simply saying 'Oops'. The BAFTA TV Craft Awards celebrates the technical achievements of those behind the camera in the past year of television, and opened with the video parodying the hit drama. Spitting image: In his sketch, aptly named Killing Steve, Mangan donned the assassin's frothy pink dress to imitate the femme fatale character, played by Jodie Comer in the show (pictured) Funny: The actor, 50, made a nod to the BBC crime thriller's nine nominations as he hosted the ceremony, held at The Brewery in London Assassin: In the spoof, his character was interviewed by two people who questioned the 'psychopathic quality' to his recent awards presenting Cat and mouse game: After they have quizzed him, he whipped out a gun and shot them both, simply saying 'Oops' Recognition: The BAFTA TV Craft Awards celebrates the technical achievements of those behind the camera in the past year of television, and opened with the video Suited and booted: Ahead of his hosting duties Green Wing Star Stephen hit the red carpet with his wife Louise Killing Eve has been nominated for nine awards at the ceremony, with costume design being recognised by the panel. Villanelle's famous bubblegum-pink tutu-style Molly Goddard dress and Balenciaga boots was so inspirational- Vogue hailed it the most fashionable show on television. The shows unique sense of style, created by veteran British costume designer Phoebe de Gaye, has obsessed viewers. United: The married couple put on a loved-up display as they walked down the red carpet Other nominations included; sound-fiction, titles and graphic identity, writer drama, original television music and production design. Ahead of his hosting duties Green Wing Star Stephen hit the red carpet with his wife Louise. The actor cut a dapper figure in a black three-piece suit while Louise looked a vision of beauty in a sophisticated velour emerald green gown. Loved-up: The actor cut a dapper figure in a black three-piece suit while Louise looked a vision of beauty in a sophisticated velour emerald green gown Kit Harrington recently admitted he 'couldn't stand' watching his wife kiss his friend Harry Treadaway when he watched her post-GoT project Honeymoon. But the 32-year old actor has declared that his favorite Game Of Thrones scene featuring Rose Leslie is the one in which her character Ygritte died in his arms. 'I liked her death. I know, it sounds bizarre,' Harrington told People. Tough love: Kit Harington has declared that his favorite Game Of Thrones scene featuring Rose Leslie is the one in which her character Ygritte died in his arms The Pompeii actor explained, 'I think its a beautiful, cradling moment as this battle is raging in the background.' 'It was one of those incredible shots.' The memorable moment occurred in the fourth season's ninth episode, titled The Watchers On The Wall. The actor met his now-wife Rose on the set of Game Of Thrones, and life imitated art when the pair, who played lovers in the series, fell in love themselves. Steamy: The actor met his now-wife Rose on the set of Game Of Thrones, and life imitated art when the pair, who played lovers in the series, fell in love themselves #awkward: Harrington recently admitted he 'couldn't stand' watching his wife kiss his friend Harry Treadaway when he watched her post-GoT project Honeymoon However it hasn't been all smooth sailing for the loved-up duo, with Harington getting uncomfortable during Rose's love scene with another man. Kit told The Mirror: 'I went to see a movie Rose did called Honeymoon where she spends half the move snogging with my friend Harry Treadaway. About five minutes in I had to close my eyes because I couldn't stand it. 'I was sitting between Rose and Harry and it was awful.' Kit and Rose wed on June 23, 2018, at the Kirkton of Rayne church, after confirming they were dating in 2016. They just launched their new TrialWatch app. And the work continued for George, 57, and Amal Clooney, 41, on Sunday, seen arriving into an airport in the Los Angeles area in the early hours of the morning with their twins Ella and Alexander, 22-months. The power-couple arrived via private jet and were seen strapping in their youngsters into the car-seat of a waiting black SUV. They've arrived: George and Amal Clooney cut casual figures on Sunday when they touched down into an LA-area airport in the early hours of the morning with their 22-month-old twins Ella and Alexander George dressed casually for the early morning arrival, opting for a dark navy polo shirt that was left unbuttoned. He teamed the look with blue denim jeans and a pair of lace-up shoes. The silver fox was rocking his beard as he helped strap in the youngsters. Never disappoints: And despite it being the early hours of the morning, Amal still appeared as chic and presentable as ever Casual: George dressed casually for the early morning arrival, opting for a dark navy polo shirt that was left unbuttoned And despite it being the early hours of the morning, Amal still appeared as chic and presentable as ever. The Lebanese/UK native showcased her trim frame in a striped multi-colored tank top. She paired the singlet with bell bottom jeans and styled her dark tresses out into waves. Something the matter? Last week Amal was spotted slightly teary eyed whilst with George in NYC Doing his best: George appeared to be trying to console his wife George and Amal's appearance comes after things appeared slightly tense between them late last week. The pair were seen putting their kids into an SUV in a garage of a hotel, while the barrister appeared slightly tearful. The actor and human rights activist got engaged in July 2014. The following month, they obtained marriages licenses in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London before marrying in September 2014. George and Amal's ceremony was held in Venice's city hall and was followed by quite a high profile turn-out two days earlier. The pair gave birth to their twin daughter and son in June 2017. She has been soaking up the sun in Brazil with her boyfriend Joshua Ritchie. And Charlotte Crosby couldn't keep her hands off her 24-year-old beau as they left their hotel in Rio de Janeiro for a date night on Saturday. The reality star, 28, put on a defiant display after sparking concern over her surgically-enhance features, planting a kiss on Joshua's lips as the pair headed out for dinner. Loved-up: Charlotte Crosby couldn't keep her hands off her 24-year-old beau Joshua Ritchie as they left their hotel in Rio de Janeiro for a date night on Saturday Charlotte caught the eye in a striking red bardot minidress, which made the most of her tanned and toned pins with its thigh-skimming hemline. The former Geordie Shore star accentuated her leggy frame with sky-high gold gladiators wedges and cinched in her tiny waist with a thick belt. Charlotte showed off her plump pout and bronzed tan with a minimal make-up look, while Joshua looked dapper in a white shirt, tight grey jeans and white Gucci jeans. Unfazed: The reality star, 28, put on a defiant display after sparking concern over her surgically-enhance features, as the pair headed out for dinner Packing on the PDA: The reality star planted a kiss on Joshua's lips Leggy display: Charlotte caught the eye in a striking red bardot minidress, which made the most of her tanned and toned pins with its thigh-skimming hemline Concern: During their couple's Brazil holiday, Charlotte caused concerned when she uploaded an Instagram snap showing her complexion, leading fans to 'beg' her to stop getting surgery (pictured L in 2013, R on Saturday) The couple have gone from strength-to-strength since they confirmed they were an item last year, with their relationship playing out on her reality show. During their couple's Brazil holiday, Charlotte caused concerned when she uploaded an Instagram snap showing her complexion, leading fans to 'beg' her to stop getting surgery. The Mirror reported her recent Instagram post was awash with comments from fans begging her to 'stop the surgery' after undergoing both a nose and boob job, as well as lip filler over the last three to four years. Surgically-enhanced: Charlotte showed off her plump pout and bronzed tan with a minimal make-up look, while Joshua looked dapper in a white shirt and white Gucci jeans Glam: The former Geordie Shore star accentuated her leggy frame with sky-high gold gladiators wedges, while she cinched in her tiny waist with a thick belt In the seemingly now-deleted comments, one follower is said to have written: 'Poor girl her face is badly swollen. Is it an allergy?' Another reportedly added: 'She should have stopped with the surgery, Botox & fillers a long time ago.' Charlotte has spoke candidly about her various surgeries in the past and in 2016 she unveiled her new nose after a rhinoplasty procedure. Speaking about her decision to go under the knife, the reality star opened up to Heat magazine about why it was so important to her. Charlotte admitted scrutiny from the show's audiences drove her to have the surgery. Stronger together: The couple have gone from strength-to-strength since they confirmed they were an item last year, with their relationship playing out on her reality show She told the publication: 'It's not like I can hide it. If I'd not been on TV, I'd never have got it done. 'I do think [my nose] caused a lack of confidence, and you always compare yourself to other people who are on TV as well.' She added: 'You just think, "I hate it", especially on television. I think it'll make a big difference to my life in terms of getting photographed and always being on the telly, not having to worry about where to stand or what angle to go from.' However, Charlotte did face backlash from the Loose Women panellists after Janet Street-Porter grilled her about the procedure in 2016. She said: 'Good luck to you, it's your choices, but what message does that send to teenage girls who watch your show, follow you on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, who might think, "My nose has a lump in it but I haven't got 4,000 to change it?"' She has been married for almost five months, and Jasmine Yarbrough is now apparently ready to have a baby. According to Woman's Day, the 35-year-old shoe designer has been telling friends recently she is determined to have a child. 'All she talks about is having a baby. She even has a Pinterest file dedicated to baby stuff,' a source claimed. Feeling clucky? Karl Stefanovic's wife Jasmine Yarbrough, 35, is reportedly 'obsessed with having a baby', as the former Today show host undergoes a second vasectomy reversal The insider added that Jasmine, who is a passionate advocate for adoption, is 'obsessed about having a baby of her own'. According to pals, the Mara & Mine co-founder 'has her heart set on a big family'. Karl and Jasmine's representatives declined to comment on Monday. Baby love! Jasmine, who is a passionate advocate for adoption, is 'obsessed about having a baby of her own', according to Woman's Day. Pictured cradling a friend's baby Karl, who was sacked as host of Channel Nine's Today show last year, already has three children from his previous marriage to Cassandra Thorburn. Jasmine enjoys a close bond with her youngest stepchildren, River, 13, and Ava, 14, but has less interaction with Karl's eldest son Jackson, 19. Earlier this month, The Daily Telegraph reported that Karl had quietly undergone a second vasectomy reversal surgery in order to start a family with Jasmine. Plans: Earlier this month, it was reported that Karl had undergone a second vasectomy reversal surgery in order to start a family with Jasmine. Pictured on their wedding day on December 8 He had apparently undergone the first surgery shortly after the couple's wedding in Los Cabos, Mexico on December 8, 2018. During the pair's nuptials, Karl had reportedly told guests: 'Jasmine and I really want to start a family together.' It's unclear if the initial surgery worked, as vasectomy reversals are not always successful and it can take months before fertility resumes. The TV personality had previously 'got the snip' during his marriage to Cassandra, confirming the procedure to Woman's Day in 2010. She spent some time last week on a spiritual psychology experience with her sister Scout and mom Demi Moore. And continuing with her new relaxing ways, Rumer Willis was spotted on Sunday enjoying a chilled morning at the farmers markets in Brentwood. The 30-year-old beauty kept things casual and chic in an all-black look complete with shorts and a matching top. Sunday funday: Rumer Willis cut a casual figure on Sunday as she stepped out with longtime pal Petra Murgatroyd, of Dancing With The Stars fame, at the Brentwood farmers markets Rumer sported a dark playsuit that drew attention to her long and toned legs at the markets. She completed her look with black sneakers and kept warm with an oversized jacket over the top. The beauty styled her long dark fringed tresses with extensions out and effortlessly flowing down her back. Natural beauty: Rumer appeared to be wearing a minimal amount of makeup for the morning outing Rumer appeared to be wearing a minimal amount of makeup for the morning outing. The daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore was seen with her close friends, Dancing With the Stars' Petra Murgatroyd and choreographer Maksim Chmerkovskiy. The Australian beauty also donned an all-black look with platform white sneakers. Gang's all here! The daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore was seen with her close friends, Dancing With the Stars' Petra Murgatroyd and choreographer Maksim Chmerkovskiy Gorgeous: Rumer sported a dark playsuit that drew attention to her long and toned legs at the markets Baby love: They were also joined by the couple's two-year-old son Shai Aleksander Her blonde tresses were slicked back into a low bun and she showcased her natural beauty. Maksim sported a red Supreme shirt and was seen carrying their son Shai Aleksander, two. Back in 2015, Rumer competed on the dancing competition and even took out the Mirror Ball prize. Winner! Back in 2015, Rumer competed on the dancing competition and even took out the Mirror Ball prize with Maksim's brother, Val Dedicated! After winning, Rumer got a tattoo on her forearm of the pair of them dancing She was partnered with Maksim's brother, Val - even getting a tattoo on her forearm of them dancing together. 'Rumer was so infatuated with Val when they won, she got this giant tattoo of them dancing together,' a source said at the time. It was never confirmed if the pair were dating. But when Val announced he was dating fellow DWTS pro Jenner Johnson, Rumer reportedly was heartbroken and she began to get it removed. Victoria saw the titular Queen on the brink of despair on Sunday, after yet another episode of clashes with her husband over her position vs popularity. In fiery scenes the couple clashed as some private sketches were sold to a newspaper, but after hearing of the positive response Her Majesty decides against suing for damages. Things go from bad to worse as she finally discovers the story behind Feodoras return to England, under the veil of a flamboyant Georgian-themed ball. Unhappy: Victoria saw the titular Queen on the brink of despair on Sunday, after yet another episode of clashes with her husband over her position vs popularity While the episode begins under a veil of concern after the couples relationship appeared to be hanging in the balance ahead of the arrival of their seventh child, all seems well as the family admire some old sketches. Bertie proves a problem for Albert yet again, after he adopts a pet mouse and skips his lessons, and a phrenologist compares him to the mad King George III. The household is then thrown into turmoil when it is revealed that private sketches have been sold to a newspaper, leaving Victoria adamant that her people will find the scenes of her bathing baby Vicky laughable. Problems: In fiery scenes the couple clashed as some private sketches were sold to a newspaper, but after hearing of the positive response Her Majesty decides against suing for damages Sadly the act is not illegal, and so the couple can only sue for damages. Meanwhile it appears that dear sister Feo is still in cahoots with Palmerston, as she invites some rather unusual guests to a Georgian-themed ball. Duchess Sophie is also set up for humiliation by her horrific husband who suggests she go as a former Duchess, who took her own life after being left divorced and destitute by her husband. Luckily that footman Joseph clues her in, and she opts for a far simpler ensemble - in honour of her grandmother, a former servant. Fears: The household is then thrown into turmoil when it is revealed that private sketches have been sold to a newspaper, leaving Victoria adamant that her people will find the scenes of her bathing baby Vicky laughable As the ball begins - the costume and makeup departments delivered for these scenes - it is clear the Queen has grown more and more unhappy at Feos presence at the Palace. The pair clash in a huge row, when Feo confesses she was sent away from England to be married off by her mother and Leopold, so Victoria could become Queen. It proves a nasty reality check for Her Majesty, as she realises how dreary her sisters life was in Germany. At odds: Meanwhile it appears that dear sister Feo is still in cahoots with Palmerston ... as she invites some rather unusual guests to a Georgian-themed ball Meanwhile Sophie enjoys a steamy encounter with Joseph in the back room, and avoids being discovered thanks to the ever-vigilant Emma. The next day Victoria is furious to see that a Latin declaration has been omitted from the newly-minted coin, but is surprised to hear from Palmerston that the private pictures have been a huge hit with the public. After deciding not to sue for the damages, Victoria is furious to hear that not only was Albert involved in the making of the declaration-less coin, but still plans to take legal action for the etchings. Racy: Meanwhile Sophie enjoys a steamy encounter with Joseph in the back room, and avoids being discovered thanks to the ever-vigilant Emma It leads to the biggest argument yet for the couple - and there have been a lot this series - as he calls out her contradictions about being liked AND respected as a monarch. And following the christening, Victoria confronts Albert yet again by asking when he stopped loving her, and he says he has a duty to love her and their seven children. The episode ends on a haunting note, as Victoria comforts Bertie who also thinks Albert does not love him due to his temperament, and our Queen remains fearful that her beloved husband may leave their union for good. Victoria continues on Sunday 5th May at 9pm on ITV. She's expecting a baby boy in October. But Amber Rose hid her baby bump beneath a black hoodie on Sunday, when the 35-year-old model stepped out in Los Angeles wearing casual attire. The ex-girlfriend of Kanye West clad her shapely legs in clingy leggings for the outing. Back to black: Amber Rose hid her baby bump beneath a black hoodie on Sunday, when the 35-year-old model stepped out in Los Angeles wearing casual attire On her feet, Rose -whose real name is Amber Levonchuck- slipped a pair of white slides. She touched her hidden baby bump briefly as she crossed the road. Amber is expecting a baby boy with Def Jam record executive Alexzander A.E Edwards in October. A while to go yet: Amber is expecting a baby boy with Def Jam record executive Alexzander A.E Edwards in October The short-haired beauty already has one son, named Sebastian Taylor Thomaz, with rapper Wiz Khalifa. The couple were married in July 2013, before filing for divorce in September the next year. She also briefly dated rapper and British national 21 Savage. Riot squad police have searched a synagogue in Sydney's east after they were made aware of an online threat. A police operation was underway at the Central Synagogue in Bondi Junction about 6.30pm on Sunday after officers were alerted to an online threat relating to the building, a NSW Police spokeswoman told AAP. Officers searched the building, which was empty at the time, and the operation finished about 9.15pm. The Central Synagogue has the largest Jewish congregation in Australia. Dave Sharma, the Liberal candidate for the federal electorate of Wentworth, said he was "alarmed" by the police operation. "Riot squad, dog squad, helicopters monitoring the area. My thoughts are with the Jewish community through this time," he posted on Twitter on Sunday night. Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack believes embattled MP George Christensen's engagement has "settled him down", with the former frequent flyer falling into line. Mr Christensen has been under heavy fire for spending almost 300 days in the Philippines over four years, rather than in his Queensland electorate of Dawson. "Any discussions between George and I will remain between George and I, but I was concerned George was spending too much time overseas," Mr McCormack told AAP. The Nationals leader spoke to Mr Christensen about his prolific travel in July last year. "George hasn't been overseas since last July," Mr McCormack said. Mr Christensen's fiancee April Asuncion is from the Philippines where he spent up to 11 weeks a year. "He had a friend over there, April. He's now subsequently engaged," Mr McCormack said. "I think April's probably settled George down a bit." Labor has released postcard-style pamphlets attacking the "member for Manila" for spending time outside the electorate. Mr Christensen has not disputed the travel, and insists it was within the rules, but has referred $3000 of taxpayer-funded flights to the independent umpire. He argues the issue is a political smear against him, saying he was doing church and charity work in the Southeast Asian nation. Mr McCormack said Mr Christensen was also working from the Philippines, answering correspondence on his iPad and taking calls. "It only ever took two rings and George was on the phone," he said. "To all intents and purposes he was still working." Mr Christensen previously grabbed headlines for threatening to quit the government over the banking royal commission and cross the floor on other issues. But Mr McCormack suggested those days could be behind the Dawson MP. "If you look at George's political record, George has been fairly circumspect too since I took over the leadership," he said. The deputy prime minister argued no one fought harder for jobs than Mr Christensen, who was a "robust and forthright" MP. At his campaign launch on Sunday night, Liberal Senate candidate and deputy Mackay mayor Amanda Camm leaped to Mr Christensen's defence. "All the current Labor government have, and the current candidate for Labor have, is to actually politicise his personal life and his choice to fall in love with a beautiful woman from the Philippines," she told the LNP faithful. "It's disgusting." Mr Christensen holds Dawson with a margin of 3.4 per cent. New Zealand rugby star Sonny Bill Williams has criticised Fraser Anning for a tweet about "Muslim immigration" New Zealand rugby star and heavyweight boxer Sonny Bill Williams has waded into an Australian political joust, calling a senator "cocky" and "racist" for vowing to ban Muslim immigration. In a tweet which has since been deleted, far-right senator Fraser Anning said the people of New South Wales were "very concerned about Muslim immigration". "My party will ban all Muslim and Black immigration and ensure safety for Australians once more," it read. Williams, a devout Muslim, responded with a tweet saying: "It's remarkable how cocky a racist can be in the today's society." Anning -- whose Conservative National Party is fielding candidates in Australia's upcoming general election -- was censured by his parliamentary peers last month for claiming the Christchurch mosques massacre resulted from New Zealand's immigration policies. The Queensland senator has long courted controversial views, and once called for a "final solution" to Australian immigration. Kazakhstan and China share special trade hub in Khorgos, where traders can move through security checkpoints without a visa Traders travel freely through the bustling Khorgos special economic zone that straddles the Kazakhstan-China border, but signs on the Chinese side bear a blunt warning -- no veils or long beards allowed. It's a stark reminder of the severe security policies that China has imposed on mostly Muslim ethnic minorities in its vast border region of Xinjiang, which it considers crucial to the success of President Xi Jinping's cherished Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The gateway to Central Asia and key project partner Pakistan, Xinjiang is at the heart of the globe-spanning trade infrastructure programme. A series of riots, bombings and stabbings blamed on ethnic Uighurs over the years prompted authorities to launch a massive security crackdown in the far western region. "The BRI is an important factor behind the central government's urge to bring the restive region of Xinjiang once and for all under its control," said Adrian Zenz, an independent German researcher specialising in Xinjiang. The drastic measures have included placing as many as one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim Turkic-speaking minorities, including ethnic Kazakhs and Kyrgyz, in internment camps that Beijing downplays as "vocational education centres". Uighur wives of Pakistani traders have also been swept up in the dragnet. The crackdown has put the leaders of Central Asia and Pakistan, who attended a Belt and Road summit in Beijing this week, in an awkward position. Key recipients of BRI projects, they have refrained from publicly criticising China's Xinjiang approach despite discontent within their own countries. Beijing has long seen development in the region as key to pacifying Xinjiang, experts say "Frankly, I don't know much about that," Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan told the Financial Times in March when asked about China's treatment of Uighurs. Although Kazakhstan has stated that the wellbeing of ethnic Kazakhs in China is an "important factor" in ties with Beijing, it has also voiced support for China's battle against terrorism, extremism and separatism. Kazakh authorities are holding an activist on suspicion of inciting inter-ethnic hatred after he highlighted the treatment of ethnic Kazakhs in Xinjiang, while an escaped Chinese national who described conditions in an internment camp has been denied asylum. "Fundamentally for these countries it's quite difficult because they have this economic partner which is only going to become bigger and more powerful," said Raffaello Pantucci, director of international security studies at the Royal United Services Institute. "They need to try to manage that relationship while at the same time make sure that they are representing their people to some degree," Pantucci said. - Trade hub - Xi picked Kazakhstan's capital to launch his pet project in 2013, a symbolic choice highlighting Central Asia's historic place on the ancient Silk Road. Projects include a highway connecting China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, a railway tunnel in Uzbekistan and a regional natural gas pipeline. China's investments in Central Asia pre-date BRI as Beijing has long seen development in the region as key to pacifying Xinjiang, Pantucci said. "From China's perspective, the long-term answer to problems -- separatism, unhappiness in Xinjiang -- is basically economic prosperity," he said. Major transport routes through China's sensitive Xinjiang region Kazakhstan and China share the massive, special trade hub in Khorgos, where traders can shop for clothes, kitchenware and other goods without needing a visa to go through security checkpoints. "The goods are cheaper there. Every day we can come to the border without it (feeling) like a border," said Aida Massimzhanova, a resident of Kazakhstan's largest city Almaty. But Khorgos is also a reminder of China's tightening stance on the Muslim faith that is dominant in Kazakhstan. A Kazakh journalist on a press tour was told by Kazakh officials that she would not be able to pass through the Chinese security check if she kept her hijab. She chose to stay back. On the Chinese side, journalists were prevented from approaching a sign showing Muslim veils are prohibited -- an apparent violation of an agreement on a common law governing the special trade zone. Authorities have banned a number of Muslim practices in Xinjiang, including wearing "abnormal" beards. - Public anger - Gaukhar Kurmanaliyeva associates the special economic zone on the border with the long arm of Beijing after her cousin Asqar Azatbek was allegedly snatched by unknown Chinese people on the Kazakh side in December 2017. The Kazakh foreign ministry raised the case with Beijing and told Kurmanaliyeva that Azatbek, a Chinese-born Kazakh passport holder, was jailed for breaking Chinese citizenship laws. "We don't know where he is (being held) or how he is," Kurmanaliyeva told AFP. In Kyrgyzstan, a committee was formed by relatives of those vanished in Xinjiang's security sweep. Gaukhar Kurmanaliyeva alleges her cousin was snatched by unknown Chinese people on the Kazakh side of the border Marat Tagayev, who joined the committee over fears for friends living in China, said the foreign ministry reported that most Kyrgyz have left the internment camps. "But how many still remain in the camps?" Tagayev said. The Chinese foreign ministry did not respond to questions related to security or detentions in Xinjiang, but said in a statement that Belt and Road "has become the main line of cooperation between China and Central Asian countries." In Pakistan, which hosts the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor linking Xinjiang to the port of Gwadar, traders have protested over the detention of their Uighur wives in the Chinese region. Ali Ibrar, a 39-year-old trader from northern Pakistan married to a woman from Xinjiang, has been involved in a push to bring abuses there to the attention of Islamabad. "Pakistan is not only silent about the plight of Uighur Muslims but is also aiding and abetting China by forcing people like me to silence," he said. On Sunday morning, scores of Sri Lanka's Christians held a heavily guarded vigil Church bells tolled mournfully at Colombo's devastated St Anthony's Shrine on Sunday, as scores of Christians wept but defiantly prayed and lit candles for the victims of the horrific Easter bombings. The bells rang out at 8:45 am, the moment a jihadist suicide bomber detonated his device inside the 18th-century church on Easter Sunday, one of six attacks on churches and luxury hotels that left 253 dead. The bomber destroyed part of the shrine's roof and scarred its walls with shrapnel, damaging the clock tower whose hands were still stuck at 8:45 -- a grim reminder of the destruction. The island's Roman Catholic leadership has suspended all public services, fearing new attacks. But on Sunday morning, as Sri Lanka's Christians sought to come to terms with the tragedy, scores of Catholics held a heavily guarded vigil outside the Colombo church. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith broadcast a tightly-guarded mass at the Roman Catholic Archbishop's residence From teenagers to elderly men and women, to parents carrying their children in their arms, the crowd gradually swelled, as worshippers came out on to the streets to mourn. As they prayed and wept -- some in silence, others loudly sobbing -- some fingered rosary beads, while others sang hymns and lit candles, placing them inside metal boxes as a makeshift memorial to the victims. Keuslaus Stanislaus said he had travelled to St Anthony's because he "wanted to participate in a mass in some way". "We wanted to participate because we haven't been able to worship all week," the 30-year-old told AFP. - 'Insult to humanity' - For those living near the church, the bombing felt like a personal onslaught. "I come to this church every Sunday. It feels like my second home. It's like people blasted my own home," said Dharshika Fernando, struggling to hold back tears. The island's Roman Catholic leadership has suspended all public services fearing more attacks "We don't know when the church will open again but we want it back soon," the 19-year-old told AFP. About an hour after the vigil began, worshippers fell silent as the parish priest walked out to the entrance of the church and held up a statue of St Anthony. The crowd raised their hands in prayer before resuming their solemn hymns. President Maithripala Sirisena also lit candles at the church site, where a major clean-up operation is now under way. Navy forces have been deployed to repair the damaged building, remove bloodstains from its ceiling and wash away the overpowering stench of death that still lingered a week after the bombing. Vice Admiral Piyal de Silva, commander of the Sri Lankan Navy, told reporters he hoped to quickly finish the reconstruction. "I hope within one month or so we will do it," he said. At the tightly-guarded Roman Catholic Archbishop's residence in Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith condemned the attacks in a private mass that was broadcast live on the country's television channels. With President Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Mahinda Rajapakse in the small congregation, the cardinal appealed for peace and unity in the multi-ethnic island of 21 million people. "In the name of God we cannot destroy any person," he said. "What happened last Sunday is a great tragedy, an insult to humanity," the cardinal said, urging followers to show kindness to others as a sign of respect for all the victims. The authorities have blamed the attacks on a local Islamist group affiliated to the Islamic State, which has claimed responsibility. Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, pictured on April 24, 2018, told Fox News that the people of Iran will get fired up to resist US pressure The US decision to end sanctions waivers for purchases of Iranian oil later this week will backfire by angering Washington's allies, Tehran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Sunday. Zarif said US policy is designed to make life hard for the Iranian people so they will "take action" against the Tehran government. "They are wrong in their analysis. They are wrong in their hope," Zarif told Fox News, insisting instead that the people of Iran will get fired up to resist such pressure. In May last year, President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal with world powers, which had given the Islamic republic sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme. Washington reimposed oil sanctions on Iran in November, but initially gave eight countries, including several US allies, six-month reprieves. Five of the countries -- Greece, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan -- have already heavily reduced their purchases from Iran. The others benefiting from waivers so far were China, India, and Turkey. But the US announced last week that the waivers would end on May 2. "This is coercion, pure and simple," Zarif said. "People are not happy. China is not happy, Turkey is not happy, Russia is not happy. France is not happy. US allies are not happy that this is happening and they say that they will find ways of resisting it. "How they will do it, it's up to them, and it's up to them looking at their own future, if they want to have their lives ruled by the United States." Zarif said Washington's allies in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia are pushing the US to bring about regime change in Iran. "They want -- they have all shown an interest in and dragging the United States into a conflict," said Zarif. In an interview aired minutes later, US National Security Advisor John Bolton said it was "completely ridiculous" to say that US allies in the region are pressing Trump into a conflict with Iran. Bolton also downplayed any splits with US allies in Europe, saying that the "glimmer of disagreement that he said is mostly in his own eye". "There have been statements by Chinese companies that have been importing iranian oil, that they are going to stop. I met ... with the Turkish foreign minister some weeks back I was already talking about the steps they were going to take to avoid buying Iranian oil. We will see how it plays out. We made our position clear," he added. POWAY, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on the shooting at a California synagogue (all times local): 8:20 p.m. Hundreds of people gathered Sunday night at a park for a vigil to honor the victims of an attack on a synagogue the day before. People at the community park near Chabad synagogue in Poway held candles and listened to prayer in Hebrew. Leaders asked community members to do acts of kindness to remember Lori Kaye, 60, a longtime member of the synagogue who was killed in Saturday's attack. Mayor Steve Vaus said he would stand with the community, and Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was shot in the attack, said seeing the crowd come together provided consolation. "What happened to us, happened to all of us," Goldstein said. Leslie Gollub, left, and Gretchen Gordon hug at a vigil held to support the victims of Saturday's shooting at Chabad of Poway synagogue, Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Poway, Calif. A man opened fire Saturday inside the synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of a major Jewish holiday. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) ___ 3:51 p.m. A Southern California rabbi who was shot during a deadly attack on his synagogue says he has received a call from President Donald Trump. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein on Sunday told reporters Trump called him to share his condolences on behalf of the American people. Goldstein says Trump was comforting and spoke about his love of peace, Judaism and Israel. Authorities say a 19-year-old man opened fire on the synagogue in Poway, California, during a service on Saturday, killing a woman and wounding three people, including Goldstein. ___ 2:30 p.m. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein says the gunman fled after the weapon used in the attack at a San Diego-area synagogue jammed. Goldstein spoke in front of Chabad of Poway on Sunday, one day after an attack killed a woman and injured three others -- including the rabbi. He says he looked up on Saturday and saw a young man wearing sunglasses standing in front of him with a rifle. Goldstein says he lifted his hands and was shot. He says he lost his index finger. And then, Goldstein says, "miraculously the gun jammed." A 19-year-old arrested after the attack is expected to be arraigned this week on charges including murder and attempted murder. Goldstein said "terrorism like this will not take us down." ___ 1:30 p.m. An 8-year-old girl hit by shrapnel during a shooting at a San Diego-area synagogue says she had just finished praying and was getting ready to go play with other kids when gunshots rang out. Noya Dahan says Sunday that her uncle rushed her and the other children outside as the gunman fired repeatedly inside Chabad of Poway. A worshipper, 60-year-old Lori Kaye, was killed in Saturday's attack. Noya says her leg was bleeding but doctors at the hospital told her she wouldn't need surgery. Her uncle, 34-year-old Almog Peretz, was also struck by shrapnel and has been released from a hospital. Noya says she was very scared. Her father, 32-year-old Israel Dahan, says he flipped over a folding table as soon as he saw the man enter carrying a long rifle. A suspect has been arrested. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was also wounded, plans an afternoon press conference outside the synagogue. ___ 12:30 p.m. Officials say the three people wounded in a shooting at a Southern California synagogue have been released from hospitals. The attack during a Passover service Saturday at Chabad of Poway killed one congregant, 60-year-old Lori Kaye. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein was shot in the hand. Two worshippers - 34-year-old Almog Peretz and 8-year-old Noya Dahan - suffered shrapnel wounds. Hospital officials say Sunday that all three have been discharged. Goldstein tells CNN that his scarred hand will serve as a reminder how vulnerable we all are to acts of terror. Police are searching the home of the 19-year-old alleged shooter who was arrested shortly after the attack. He's expected to be arraigned this week on charges including murder and attempted murder. ___ 10:30 a.m. Shimon Abitbul says when gunfire erupted inside a San Diego-area synagogue, he immediately placed his 2-year-old grandson on the floor. Abitbul says Sunday that he was attending a service at Chabad of Poway a day earlier with his son-in-law and grandson when the shooting started. Abitbul he grabbed the toddler and sprinted away when there was a break in the gunfire. He later returned to try to help a woman he described as having a hole in her chest. He later found out 60-year-old Lori Kaye died of her wounds. He says the congregation's rabbi was shot in the hand and had wrapped his wounded fingers in a prayer shawl. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein and two other people who were injured are expected to recover. Abitbul says he's still coming to terms with the carnage. ___ 10:15 a.m. A friend of the woman killed in the Southern California synagogue shooting says the victim's physician husband was called to tend to a wounded worshipper and fainted when he realized it was his wife. Sixty-year-old Lori Kaye died after being shot Saturday at Chabad of Poway near San Diego. Three others were hurt. Congregation member Roneet Lev related an account from Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein of how Kaye threw herself in front of him, possibly saving his life. Goldstein is recovering from a gunshot wound to the hand. Lev tells the Los Angeles Times that Kaye's husband began to do CPR on an injured person and was overcome when he realized it was his wife. Lev says Kaye had gone to the synagogue to say the Kaddish Jewish prayer for the dead for her mother, who had recently died. Lev says now the irony is people will be saying the prayer for her now. ___ 10 a.m. A shrine of flowers to honor those shot at a San Diego-area synagogue is growing on the sidewalk near the location where a gunman killed a congregant and injured three others. Next door to the Chabod of Poway synagogue, Father Alexander Federoff said Sunday that he is praying for the recovery of Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the hand after Saturday's shooting. Federoff says his Orthodox Christian congregation was in the middle of a prayer service when the gunshots rang out and that his church welcomed Jewish congregants and tried to offer them comfort. One worshipper, 60-year-old Lori Kaye, was killed. Goldstein tells CNN that two other victims have been released from hospitals. Investigators are searching the San Diego home of the 19-year-old shooter, who surrendered to police. Poway Mayor Steve Vaus has been meeting with residents, offering hugs, and vowing solidarity. ___ 6:20 a.m. The rabbi of a California synagogue that was the scene of a mass shooting recalls the moment the suspected shooter pointed a gun at him. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein says he was in the middle of his Saturday sermon at the Chabad of Poway when he heard loud noises. Goldstein says during a phone interview Sunday on "Today" he was "face-to-face with this murderer, this terrorist" when he turned around. He says he put his hands up to protect himself and lost one of his fingers in the shooting. One person, 60-year-old Lori Kaye, was killed in the shooting. The rabbi remembered her as a "pioneering, founding member" of the congregation and says he is "heartbroken" by her death. At least three others, including Goldstein, were injured. San Diego county sheriff deputies stand in front of the Chabad of Poway synagogue, Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Poway, Calif. A man opened fire Saturday inside the synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of a major Jewish holiday. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) Flowers and signs sit at a memorial across the street from the Chabad of Poway synagogue, Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Poway, Calif. A man opened fire Saturday inside the synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of a major Jewish holiday. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) Flowers and signs sit at a memorial across the street from the Chabad of Poway synagogue, Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Poway, Calif. A man opened fire Saturday inside the synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of a major Jewish holiday. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) Flowers and signs sit at a memorial across the street from the Chabad of Poway synagogue, Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Poway, Calif. A man opened fire Saturday inside the synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of a major Jewish holiday. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) Poway Mayor Steve Vaus, left, walks away after talking to San Diego county sheriff's deputies outside of the Chabad of Poway synagogue, Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Poway, Calif. A man opened fire Saturday inside the synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of a major Jewish holiday. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) Flowers and signs sit at a memorial across the street from the Chabad of Poway synagogue, Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Poway, Calif. A man opened fire Saturday inside the synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of a major Jewish holiday. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) A group gathers outside the Tree of Life Synagogue for a vigil to honor the victims of the Saturday attack on a synagogue in California, Saturday, April 27, 2019, in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. It is six months to the day that a gunman shot and killed 11 people while they worshipped at the Tree of Life Synagogue on Oct. 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) People from the community, many of them of various faiths, join members of the Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in a candlelight vigil for the Chabad of Poway synagogue shooting victims at the Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in the Rancho Bernardo neighborhood of San Diego, Calif., Saturday, April 27, 2019. (Hayne Palmour IV/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP) A group gathers outside the Tree of Life Synagogue for a vigil to honor the victims of the Saturday attack on a synagogue in California, Saturday April 27, 2019, in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. It is six months to the day that a gunman shot and killed 11 people while they worshipped at the Tree of Life Synagogue on Oct. 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump stretched the truth on various fronts at his Wisconsin rally and in weekend remarks, asserting that an immigration plan to send migrants illegally in the country to sanctuary cities had begun when it hadn't. He also claimed credit for jobs he didn't create, exaggerated his record on health care and spread untruths about the Russia investigation. A look at the rhetoric and the reality: IMMIGRATION TRUMP: "Last month alone, 100,000 illegal immigrants arrived in our borders, placing a massive strain on communities and schools and hospitals and public resources, like nobody's ever seen before. Now we're sending many of them to sanctuary cities. Thank you very much. ... I'm proud to tell you that was my sick idea." - Green Bay, Wisconsin, rally Saturday. THE FACTS: There's no evidence that the Trump administration has begun to send the migrants to sanctuary cities en masse . He proposed the idea in part to punish Democratic congressional foes for inaction on the border, but Homeland Security officials rejected the plan as unworkable. President Donald Trump speaks during a Make America Great Again rally on Saturday, April 27, 2019, in Green Bay, Wis. (William Glasheen/The Post-Crescent via AP) Trump said this month he was "strongly considering" the proposal, hours after White House and Homeland Security officials had insisted the idea had been eschewed twice. "Sanctuary cities" are places where local authorities do not cooperate with immigration officials, denying information or resources that would help them round up for deportation people living in the country illegally. There were no indications federal officials were taking any steps to move forward with the idea or considered the president's words anything more than bluster. His words to the Wisconsin crowd, suggesting his "sick idea" was in motion, appeared to be no more than that. People with knowledge of the discussions say White House staff discussed the idea with the Department of Homeland Security in November and February but it was judged too costly and a misuse of money. The people were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Sanctuary cities include New York City and San Francisco, home city of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. ___ TRUMP on U.S. population: "We need people to come in." - rally. TRUMP: "We have companies pouring in. The problem is we need workers." - Fox Business interview Sunday. THE FACTS: His position is a flip from earlier this month, when he declared the U.S. to be "full" in light of the overwhelmed southern border. His April 7 tweet threatened to shut down the border unless Mexico apprehended all immigrants who crossed illegally. But it turns out the U.S. is only "full" in terms of the people Trump doesn't want. Immigrants as a whole make up a greater percentage of the total U.S. population than they did back in 1970, having grown from less than 5 percent of the population to more than 13 percent now. In 2030, it's projected that immigrants will become the primary driver for U.S. population growth, overtaking U.S. births. ___ HEALTH CARE TRUMP: "The Republicans are always going to protect pre-existing conditions." - Wisconsin rally. THE FACTS: He's not protecting health coverage for patients with pre-existing medical conditions. The Trump administration instead is pressing in court for full repeal of the Affordable Care Act - including provisions that protect people with pre-existing conditions from health insurance discrimination. Trump and other Republicans say they'll have a plan to preserve those safeguards, but the White House has provided no details. Former President Barack Obama's health care law requires insurers to take all applicants, regardless of medical history, and patients with health problems pay the same standard premiums as healthy ones. Bills supported in 2017 by Trump and congressional Republicans to repeal the law could undermine protections by pushing up costs for people with pre-existing conditions. A recent poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that Democrats enjoy a 17 percentage point advantage over Republicans in Americans' assessments of whom they trust more to handle health care, 40% to 23%. That compares with a public more evenly divided over which party would better handle several other major areas of national policy, including the economy, immigration and foreign affairs. ___ RUSSIA INVESTIGATION TRUMP, calling special counsel Robert Mueller's probe a "witchhunt": It's "the greatest political hoax in American history." - Wisconsin rally. THE FACTS: A two-year investigation that produced guilty pleas, convictions and criminal charges against Russian intelligence officers and others with ties to the Kremlin, as well as Trump associates, is demonstrably not a hoax. All told, Mueller charged 34 people, including the president's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort; his first national security adviser, Michael Flynn; and three Russian companies. Twenty-five Russians were indicted on charges related to election interference, accused either of hacking Democratic email accounts during the campaign or of orchestrating a social media campaign that spread disinformation on the internet. Five Trump aides pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with Mueller and a sixth, longtime confidant Roger Stone, is awaiting trial on charges that he lied to Congress and engaged in witness tampering. Mueller's report concluded that Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election was "sweeping and systematic." Ultimately, it cleared Trump of criminal conspiracy with the Russians but did not render judgment on whether Trump obstructed justice, saying his investigators found evidence on both sides. ___ ECONOMY TRUMP: "Since the election, we have created more than 6 million new jobs. Nobody would have believed that. ... 600,000 manufacturing jobs." - Wisconsin rally. THE FACTS: The record is not all his, and it's not remarkable. The economy created about 6 million jobs in the roughly two years before the election, then again in the roughly two years after. By counting since the election, he's taking credit for jobs created in the last months of the Obama administration. The country has added 453,000 manufacturing jobs, not 600,000, since Trump took office. ___ Associated Press writers Calvin Woodward, Colleen Long, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Chad Day and Christopher Rugaber contributed to this report. ___ Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck President Donald Trump speaks at a Make America Great Again rally Saturday, April 27, 2019, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer) President Donald Trump speaks at a Make America Great Again rally as supporters hold up sign Saturday, April 27, 2019, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer) Tory deputy chairwoman Helen Whately has called Donald Trumps comments on women really unhelpful and wrong, as she defended going to his inauguration. As the row grows over the invitation for the US president to come to the UK for a state visit in June, she said it was right to maintain a good relationship with him and emphasised the importance of the office over his personality. Appearing on Sky News Sophy Ridge On Sunday, she was asked about Mr Trump calling women fat slobs and pigs. Ms Whately, who is also the Conservative Partys vice chairwoman for women, said: Yes, I dont like some of the things hes said about women, and I think that rhetoric is really unhelpful and wrong, and it suggests an attitude towards women that I have no support for. So I dont like seeing that. She was also asked about a photo she posted on social media in January 2017 from Mr Trumps presidential inauguration ceremony in Washington DC, after facing criticism for attending. Incredible to be in Washington for Presidential inauguration as Conservative parliamentary representative pic.twitter.com/9upQLY7gGT Helen Whately (@Helen_Whately) January 21, 2017 The MP for Faversham and Mid Kent said she was asked to go as a representative of the Conservative Party, and said it was an interesting thing to go along to, to listen to the mood of the American people, saying people told her they voted for Mr Trump because they felt nobody was listening to them. Donald Trump is due to visit the UK in June (William Glasheen/The Post-Crescent via AP) But she added she was not particularly a fan of the man himself, saying she had more mixed feelings about him personally. But I recognise that overall, he is President of the United States of America, and we have to recognise the importance of that office, the importance of America as a country we have such a strong relationship with; security relationship, trade relationship, and its really important to have that relationship, she added. Also, to have conversations about things we really care about like climate change, to try and influence President Trump to do his part on that. The comments came after a number of senior politicians rejected an invitation to a state banquet with Mr Trump during his upcoming visit, including the SNPs Westminster leader Ian Blackford. Speaking to the same programme he explained his decision, saying: Well I think its very important that we show due respect to the people of America and the office of the presidency itself. But of course when you look at what President Trump has been doing, the way that hes behaved, the way hes behaved in a misogynistic manner, the way that he has trampled over the rights of minorities, the racist way in which hes behaved, it simply wouldnt be the right thing to lay out the red carpet and to sit down on the basis of his state dinner and have a pleasant evening with the President of the United States. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has also said he will not attend the proposed dinner at Buckingham Palace, but has been accused of hypocrisy after attending a similar event when the Chinese president Xi Jinping came to Britain in 2015 despite that countrys human rights record. Shadow local government secretary Andrew Gwynne defended him on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show, saying: And of course when he met President Xi he raised with him directly the issues of those human rights abuses in China and he was absolutely right to do so. Look, I think that President Trump is more than welcome to come to the United Kingdom to commemorate those Second World War commemorations that he will be here for, but whether its appropriate to roll out the red carpet with all the pomp and ceremony, given his attitudes towards women, towards people of different races and religions, I think that Jeremy was right to make the decision that he has. It comes after reports today that during the planned state visit Boris Johnson could be granted a private audience with Mr Trump. The Sunday Times is reporting that friends of the US president say he is eager to meet the former foreign secretary, and may invite him to a private dinner party at Winfield House, the US ambassadors residence in London, with Nigel Farage another potential guest. A Government source told the newspaper: There are fears within Government circles about any potential meeting with Boris Johnson so the timetable is being scrutinised to limit the opportunities he has to do his own thing. A murder inquiry has been launched after the death of a man who was injured in a stabbing in Co Antrim, the PSNI said. The man, aged 21, sustained stab wounds during an incident at a house in the Cairn Walk area of Crumlin in the early hours of Saturday morning. Officers responded to a call at 2.50am along with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service. The man was taken to hospital by ambulance but he died on Sunday morning as a result of his injuries. Four men, aged 19, 24, 25 and 29, remain in custody in connection with the incident. Detective Inspector Michelle Griffin said: I am appealing to anyone who was in the Cairn Walk area at around 2.50am yesterday morning and has information which may assist our investigation to contact detectives by calling the non-emergency number 101. Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. Oliver North steps down as NRA president amid dispute over 'damaging' information Retired U.S. Marine Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North will step down as president of the National Rifle Association, North said on Saturday, adding he was being forced out due to his allegations that NRA leaders engaged in financial improprieties. In a letter read to the organization's annual meeting in Indianapolis by an NRA board member, North, a conservative commentator best known for his central role in the 1980s Iran-Contra affair, said he had hoped to run for re-election when his term ends on Monday. Boy hurled off Minnesota mall balcony now 'alert and conscious' The 5-year-old boy thrown off a third-floor balcony at Minnesota's Mall of America by a stranger is no longer in critical condition, said his family, who hopes he will be home by June. More than 28,000 well-wishers from around the globe donated a total amount of more than $1 million to an online fundraiser set up for Landen Hoffman, who was hospitalized after the April 12 attack in the Bloomington mall, a major tourist attraction in the state. Winter tries a comeback in U.S. Midwest with up to a foot of snow The phenomenon known as thundersnow announced the arrival of a storm expected to dump more than a half-foot of snow on the U.S. Midwest on Saturday, more than a month into spring. Midwesterners retrieved their winter wear from storage to trudge through a possible 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm) of snow predicted by evening in the Chicago area and more than a foot (30 cm) in some isolated areas of Minnesota, Iowa, southern portions of Wisconsin and northern Illinois, forecasters said. Crane collapse kills four, injures three in Seattle A giant construction crane operating at the site of a future Google campus collapsed from the roof of a building and toppled across a Seattle intersection on Saturday, killing four people and injuring three others, authorities and local media said. The crane collapse occurred in Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood shortly after 3:30 p.m. local time, crushing five cars and damaging a sixth at the intersection of Fairview Avenue North and Mercer Street, the Seattle Fire Department said. First swastikas, then synagogue attack: U.S. no safe haven for Israeli family For one family caught up in the California synagogue shooting, a move from Israel to the United States in search of a safer life has been a journey "from fire to fire." Israel Dahan and three of his five children were at Sabbath services at Congregation Chabad in Poway, near San Diego, on Saturday when a gunman opened fire, killing a woman and wounding three others in what local authorities deemed a hate crime. Trump says U.S. paid no money to North Korea over Warmbier U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said the United States did not pay any money to North Korea as it sought the release of comatose American student Otto Warmbier. The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Trump had approved payment of a $2 million bill from North Korea to cover its care of the college student, who died shortly after he was returned to the United States after 17 months in a North Korean prison. U.S. warrant issued for accused ringleader of North Korean embassy raid in Madrid U.S. authorities are focused on Southern California in their manhunt for a one-time human rights activist accused of leading a violent takeover of North Korea's embassy in Spain, according to a federal arrest warrant unsealed on Friday. Adrian Hong Chang is wanted by Spain in connection with the alleged embassy raid in February, but his lawyer denounced the U.S. Justice Department for seeking his arrest and extradition based on "the highly unreliable accounts of North Korean government witnesses." Top Kansas court rules state constitution protects abortion rights The Kansas Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the state's constitution protects a woman's right to an abortion and upheld an injunction blocking a state law that would have banned a common second trimester abortion procedure. The ruling would protect the right to abortion in Kansas even if the conservative-leaning U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v Wade, the 1973 ruling that recognized a right to abortion in the U.S. Constitution. Democratic presidential candidates seek union support at workers' forum Six Democratic presidential hopefuls declared their support for American workers and a $15 federal minimum wage on Saturday as they seek the backing of labor unions in their battle to become the candidate to take on Republican President Donald Trump next year. The candidates spoke to an audience of union workers in Las Vegas, decrying low wages and corporate greed, as they woo organized labor, an important voting bloc in the Democratic Party's presidential nominating battle. Deadly synagogue shooting suspect in California linked to mosque arson A 19-year-old man who authorities said gave himself up to police shortly after carrying out a deadly shooting in a Southern California synagogue filled with Sabbath worshippers is also under investigation in connection with an unsolved mosque arson. The gunman walked into the suburban San Diego synagogue late Saturday morning, the last day of the week-long Jewish holiday of Passover, and opened fire with an assault-style rifle, killing one woman inside and wounding three others, including the rabbi, authorities said. By Elisabeth O'Leary EDINBURGH, April 28 (Reuters) - Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's plans to lead her nation to independence from the United Kingdom have been muddled by Brexit, but the whirlwind at the centre of British politics may yet advance her cause. Brexit has disrupted British politics not least because, while the United Kingdom as a whole voted to leave the European Union in a 2016 referendum, the populations of two of its four nations - Scotland and Northern Ireland - voted to stay. Since then, Britain's government has tied itself in knots in failed attempts to win parliament's approval for a deal to leave the EU, and it is now unclear when, how or even whether it will manage to do so. "The Brexit debacle has further undermined confidence in the British political system," said Michael Keating, professor of politics at the University of Aberdeen. "But it matters in Scotland because of this alternative, the independence option." In a referendum in 2014, Scots rejected leaving their 300-year-old union with England and Wales by 55 percent to 45. Sturgeon argues that the changed circumstances of Brexit mean Scots now deserve a fresh choice, accusing the UK of ignoring Scotland's views on the shape of post-Brexit economic relations with the EU. Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative-led government, kept in power by Northern Ireland's small but strongly pro-United Kingdom DUP party, says Scotland's views have been heard. But its desire for an independent trade policy after leaving the EU is far from Sturgeon's preference of a much "softer" Brexit that would at least keep Britain in the EU single market. SNAP ELECTION? Many now see the greatest chance of Scottish independence arising if current talks between the Conservatives and the main opposition Labour Party fail to reach a compromise on future relations with the EU. That may prompt a snap election - which polls suggest Labour might win, but without enough votes to govern alone, giving Sturgeon's Scottish National Party (SNP) a kingmaker role. "The thing that the SNP have above all to hope for is that this government falls, we get a general election, and out of that general election we get a minority government in which they hold the power that the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) currently have (as kingmaker)," said John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. If Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and May reach a deal, many in Labour, as well as in Sturgeon's SNP, want a second Brexit referendum to ratify or reject it, with an option of remaining in the EU. But the Labour leader himself has expressed only tepid backing for a second vote. A senior SNP source said Corbyn was manoeuvring for a general election. "By not supporting a Brexit deal, he thinks he can force a national election, and that is a bigger prize," the source said. That outcome would also favour the SNP. Since 2014, support for secession has been stuck at 45 percent. But a YouGov poll on Saturday found backing at 49 percent after Sturgeon this week outlined her "Indyref2" plans. However, even under a Corbyn government, there is no sure way the SNP can "force" the UK parliament to agree a new legal vote on secession, as UK constitutional arrangements demand. RIPPLE EFFECTS The SNP's best bet, as it meets for conference in Edinburgh this weekend, is to drive up public support for secession. A grassroots campaign is already in the offing. If, eventually, Britain were to reverse Brexit, this would call into question the formal justification for another independence vote, described as a "material change in circumstances" in the SNP's 2016 policy programme. Sturgeon this week set out a tentative timescale for a new vote by the end of next year. But has ruled out an illegal referendum, so that, failing approval by London, the 2021 election for Scotland's devolved parliament seems likely to become a proxy independence vote. Those at the conference, such as Neil Gillespie, a 53-year-old self-employed electrician, welcome the idea of staying in the EU. But he says that would not remove the need for a new secession vote, because the UK government has shown that it lacks the will or ability to accommodate Scotland's views. "I have a lot of customers who voted 'No' in 2014 and a huge amount of them have looked at the way Scotland has been treated during Brexit and they have changed their minds," he said. Stopping Brexit might delay the debate over power. "The independence question certainly is not going to go away. But if we were to remain in the EU, we would have more time to think about it," said Keating, adding that this might mean seeking other ways to enhance the powers of the Scottish parliament. Keith Brown, deputy leader of the SNP, told Reuters that the chaos in London was helping persuade Scots that independence was a much less "scary" possibility than in 2014. But he said the UK was at the same time inadvertently giving important lessons on the need to seek consensus: "Like a map of landmines, May has shown us where not to step." (Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary; Editing by Kevin Liffey) As PM Modi was in Varanasi to file his nominations, the General Elections of 2019 is approaching its midpoint. Heated political campaigns form the order of the day as netas crisscross the length and breadth of the vast subcontinent. Fiery rhetoric against opposition parties and ideologies has become standard fare, even with PM Modi candidly saying in an interview with Akshay Kumar that he is in rather friendly terms with some opposition leaders and the fiery Didi of Bengal occasionally sends him sweets and kurtas. A day later, Didi put paid to all speculations of a 'fixing' by terming these gifts as 'courtesies' extended across the political spectrum. Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to supporters as he campaigns for BJP in Varanasi. (Photo: PTI) The results will be out on May 23, and whomsoever comes to power will need to maintain policy continuity in areas of statecraft. Consistent policy decisions in some areas are crucial in the national interest. Amidst an election campaign often dominated by a very muscular and masculine narrative over safeguarding national security from existential threats parties must remember that the threat of terror looms as ominously as ever. It has assumed increasingly diabolic dimensions and transcends political or religious beliefs. The implications of the terrible terror strike in Sri Lanka would not have been lost on any political party. Nor would have been the importance of using pre-emptive foreign policy initiatives to tackle the threat of international terror when terror has gone 'glocal', any slack anywhere down the chain of command will be suicidal to the security of the country and its people. Irrespective of its ideology, any political party which comes to power will have to live with the fact that every Indian initiative to counter terror will face continued opposition from Islamabad and Beijing. The spectre of terror returning to Sri Lanka just showed us how vulnerable the situation is, practically across the whole of South Asia probably worldwide. Sri Lankan soldiers stand guard inside a church after an explosion in Negombo on Easter. (Photo: Reuters) As soon as the last stronghold of the Islamic State was run over by US-backed forces in Syria, about a month ago, the liberators realised a chilling fact the thought-to-be-surviving leadership was largely unaccounted for. Bereft of a physical state, IS fanatics will be heading back home. They will bring along with them their ideology of hate and intolerance. What's worse is that now recruitments and indoctrination take place online and any lone wolf attack is claimed by the caliphate, often leading credence to lunatics. Tracing a lone wolf is way harder than cracking a sleeper cell and that will remain the biggest worry of the authorities. What further muddies the water is the consistent failure of the international community to effectively put a cap on terror networks operating from Pakistan. India and four veto-wielding UN members have so far failed to put Masood Azhar on the proscribed list. China keeps postponing the issue, demonstrating in turn, how little the international community can exactly do to control and tackle terror. In the near future, China will try to arm-twist India into participating in its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in lieu of action against Masood. India participating in the BRI would be an official endorsement of the Kashmir problem as a tri-lateral problem. Most recipients of 'cheap' Chinese loans are slowly realising the true implications. Irrespective of its ideology now, the next government of India must make safeguarding the country from terror its prime priority. That can as well be its cornerstone of foreign policy. The way we tackle terror must change. Instead of responding, we must pre-empt, we cannot simply react. India must act and leave the reacting to 'others'. Also read: Sri Lankas Islamist nightmare: Why the investigation is being closely watched by India and Maldives The following companies are subsidiares of Whirlpool: 1900 Holdings Corporation, ADC, Aeradriatica S.p.A., Airdun Limited, B. Blend Maquinas e Bebidas S.A., BUD Comercio de Eletrodomesticos Ltda., BWI Products Limited, Bauknecht AG, Bauknecht Hausgerate GmbH, Bauknecht Limited, Beijing Embraco Snowflake Compressor Company Limited, Bill Page Orchestra, Bill Page Orchestra Inc., Brasmotor S.A., Brunson Place Properties, Brunson Place Properties LLC, CNB Consultoria Ltda, Cannon Industries Ltd., Centro de Desarrollo Tecnologico e Innovacion WHM S. de R.L de C.V., Comercial Acros Whirlpool, Comercial Acros Whirlpool S. de R.L. de C.V., Consumer Appliances Service Limited, Ealing Compania de Gestiones y Participaciones S.A., Elera Delaware, Elera Delaware Inc., Elera Holdings Corporation, Embraco Europe S.r.l., Embraco Eurosales S.r.l., Embraco Industria de Compressores e Solucoes em Refrigeracao Ltda., Embraco Luxembourg S.a r.l., Embraco Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Embraco Mexico Servicios, Embraco Mexico Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Embraco North America, Embraco North America Inc., Embraco RUS LLC, Embraco Slovakia S.r.o., Everest Campus, Everest Campus LLC., General Domestic Appliances Holdings Ltd, General Domestic Appliances International Ltd., Guangdong Whirlpool Electrical Appliances Co., Guangdong Whirlpool Electrical Appliances Co. Ltd., Haceb Whirlpool Industrias S.A.S., Hefei Rongshida Sanyo Electric, Hefei Whirlpool Enterprise Management Service Co. Ltd., Hoover Comercial Limitada, IRE Beteiligungs GmbH, Indesit Argentina S.A., Indesit Company, Indesit Company Beyaz Esya Pazarlama A.S., Indesit Company Beyaz Esya Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Indesit Company Ceska S.r.o., Indesit Company Domestic Appliances Hellas Mepe, Indesit Company International Business S.A., Indesit Company Luxembourg S.A., Indesit Company Magyarorszag Kft, Indesit Company Nordics AB, Indesit Company Polska Sp. zo.o., Indesit Company Singapore Pte. Ltd., Indesit Company UK Holdings Ltd., Indesit IP S.r.l., Indesit International ZAO, Indesit Ireland Ltd., Indesit Middle East FZE, Indesit Ukraine LLC, Industrias Acros Whirlpool S. de R.L. de C.V., Industrias Acros Whirlpool S.A. de C.V, Jackson Appliances Ltd., Joint-Stock Company Indesit International, KitchenAid, KitchenAid Australia Pty Ltd, KitchenAid Australia Pty Ltd., KitchenAid Delaware Inc., KitchenAid Europa Inc., KitchenAid Global, KitchenAid Global Inc., KitchenAid Inc., KitchenAid Korea Limited, KitchenAid Promotions, KitchenAid Promotions LLC, KitchenAid Trading Co., KitchenAid Trading Co. Ltd., LAWSA S.A., MLOG Armazem Geral Ltda., Maytag Corporation, Maytag Limited, Maytag Properties, Maytag Properties LLC, Maytag Sales, Maytag Sales Inc., Maytag Worldwide N.V., Merloni Domestic Appliances Ltd., Nineteen Hundred Corporation, Polar S.A., Qingdao EECON Electronic Controls and Appliances Co., Qingdao EECON Electronic Controls and Appliances Co. Ltd., South American Sales Partnership, THC Assets Corporation, Up Points Servicos Empresariais S.A., Vitromatic S.A. de C.V., WCGP Nova Scotia Co., WHirlpool EMEA Finanace S.a r.l., Whirlpool (Australia) Pty. Limited, Whirlpool (B.V.I.) Limited, Whirlpool (China) Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (China) Investment Co., Whirlpool (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (Hefei) Trading Co., Whirlpool (Hefei) Trading Co. Ltd, Whirlpool (Hong Kong) Limited, Whirlpool (Japan) Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (Thailand) Limited, Whirlpool ASEAN Co., Whirlpool America Holdings Corp., Whirlpool Argentina S.r.l., Whirlpool Asia B.V., Whirlpool Asia Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Asia Inc., Whirlpool Asia LLP, Whirlpool Belux N.V./S.A., Whirlpool Bermuda Euro Ltd., Whirlpool Beyaz Esya Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S., Whirlpool Bulgaria Ltd., Whirlpool CIS Ltd., Whirlpool CR, Whirlpool CR spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool CSA Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Canada Co., Whirlpool Canada Co. (post 9/1/05 amalgamation company), Whirlpool Canada Holding Co, Whirlpool Canada Holding Co. (post 4/18/06 amalgamation company), Whirlpool Canada Investments S.a r.l., Whirlpool Canada LP, Whirlpool Canada Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Chile Limitada, Whirlpool Colombia S.A.S., Whirlpool Comercial Ltda., Whirlpool Company Polska Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Company Ukraine LLC, Whirlpool Croatia Ltd., Whirlpool EMEA S.p.A., Whirlpool Ecuador S.A., Whirlpool Eesti OU, Whirlpool El Salvador, Whirlpool El Salvador S.A. de C.V., Whirlpool Electrodomesticos S.A., Whirlpool Eletrodomesticos AM S.A., Whirlpool Enterprises, Whirlpool Enterprises LLC, Whirlpool Europe B.V., Whirlpool Europe Coordination Center, Whirlpool Europe Holdings Limited, Whirlpool Ev Aletleri Pazarlama Ve Ticaret A.S., Whirlpool Finance B.V., Whirlpool Finance Center Corp., Whirlpool Finance Luxembourg S.a r.l., Whirlpool Finance Overseas Ltd., Whirlpool Financial Corporation, Whirlpool Financial Corporation International, Whirlpool Floor Care Corp., Whirlpool France Holdings SAS, Whirlpool France SAS, Whirlpool Germany GmbH, Whirlpool Global B.V., Whirlpool Global Investments B.V., Whirlpool Greater China Inc., Whirlpool Guatemala, Whirlpool Guatemala S.A., Whirlpool Hellas S.A., Whirlpool Holdings Corporation, Whirlpool Home Appliances B.V., Whirlpool Home Appliances Limited Liability Company, Whirlpool Hungarian Trading Limited Liability Company, Whirlpool India Holdings Limited, Whirlpool Insurance Company, Whirlpool Insurance Company Ltd., Whirlpool Internacional S. de R.L. de C.V., Whirlpool International GmbH, Whirlpool International Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool International Manufacturing S.a r.l., Whirlpool Ireland Appliances Limited, Whirlpool Ireland Limited, Whirlpool Italia Holdings S.r.l., Whirlpool Italia S.r.l., Whirlpool Japan Co. Ltd., Whirlpool Japan Inc., Whirlpool Kazakhstan LLP, Whirlpool Latin America Corporation, Whirlpool Latvia S.I.A., Whirlpool Lietuva UAB, Whirlpool Ltd Belgrade, Whirlpool Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg Investments S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg Ventures S.a r.l., Whirlpool MEEA DMCC, Whirlpool Magyarorszag Kereskedelmi Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Whirlpool Management Services S.a.g.l., Whirlpool Maroc S. a r.l., Whirlpool Mauritius Limited, Whirlpool Mexico Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Whirlpool Mexico S.A. de C.V., Whirlpool Mexico Ventures LLC, Whirlpool Microwave Products Development Limited, Whirlpool NAAG Holdings Corporation, Whirlpool NAR Holdings, Whirlpool NAR Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Nederland B.V., Whirlpool Nordic, Whirlpool Nordic A/S, Whirlpool Nordic AB, Whirlpool Nordic AS, Whirlpool Nordic OY, Whirlpool Oceania Inc., Whirlpool Overseas Holdings, Whirlpool Overseas Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Overseas Hong Kong Limited, Whirlpool Overseas Manufacturing S.ar.l., Whirlpool Peru S.R.L., Whirlpool Polska Appliances Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Polska Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Portugal, Whirlpool Portugal S.A., Whirlpool Product Development (Shenzhen) Company Limited, Whirlpool Properties, Whirlpool Properties Inc., Whirlpool Puntana S.A., Whirlpool R&D S.r.l., Whirlpool RUS LLC, Whirlpool Realty Corporation, Whirlpool Romania S.r.l., Whirlpool S.A., Whirlpool SSC Limited, Whirlpool Slovakia Home Appliances spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool Slovakia spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Whirlpool Southeast Asia Pte, Whirlpool Sweden Aktiebolag, Whirlpool Taiwan Co. Ltd., Whirlpool Technologies LLC, Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited, Whirlpool UK Pension Scheme Trustee Limited, Whirlpool Ukraine LLC, Whirlpool WW Holdings B.V., Whirlpool do Brasil Investements B.V., Whirlpool do Brasil Ltda., Whirlpool of India Limited, Whirlpool Osterreich GmbH, Whirlpool Osterreich GmbH, Xpelair, Xpelair Ltd., Yummly, Yummly Canada Ltd., and Yummly Inc.. 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 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. American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected] | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. Fresnillo Plc is a holding company, which engages in the production of gold and silver. It operates through the following segments: Fresnillo, Saucito, Cienega, Herradura, Soledad-Dipolos, Noche Buena, and San Julia. The Fresnillo, and Saucito segments are located in the state of Zacatecas, an underground silver mine. The Cienega segment includes San Ramon satellite mine which are both located in the state of Durango, an underground gold mine. The Herradura, and Noche Buena segments are located in the state of Sonora, a surface gold mine. The San Julian segment operates on the border of Chihuahua/Durango states, an underground silver-gold mine. The company was founded on August 15, 2007 and is headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico. Read More 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 BlackRock: Acero Cooperatief U.A., Acero Holdings I B.V., Amethyst Merger Sub LLC, AnalytX Hosting LLC, AnalytX LLC, AnalytX Software LLC, Aperio, Aperio, Aquila Heywood, Asia-Pacific Private Credit Opportunities Fund I (GenPar) Ltd., BAA Holdings LLC, BFM Holdco LLC, BLK (Gallatin) Holdings LLC, BLK SMI LLC, BR Acquisition Mexico S.A. de C.V., BR Jersey International Holdings L.P., Beijing eFront Software Company Limited, BlackRock (Barbados) Finco 1 SRL, BlackRock (Channel Islands) Limited, BlackRock (Luxembourg) S.A., BlackRock (Netherlands) B.V., BlackRock (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco II Pte. Ltd., BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco Pte. Limited, BlackRock (Singapore) Limited, BlackRock AP Investment Holdco LLC, BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited, BlackRock Advisors LLC, BlackRock Advisors Singapore Pte. Limited, BlackRock Alternative Advisors GP Holdings LLC, BlackRock Alternatives Management LLC, BlackRock Argentina Asesorias Ltda., BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Deutschland AG, BlackRock Asset Management International Inc., BlackRock Asset Management Investor Services Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited, BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Schweiz AG, BlackRock Asset Management UK Limited, BlackRock Australia Holdco Pty. Ltd., BlackRock Brasil Gestora de Investimentos Ltda., BlackRock Cal 1 Investor LLC, BlackRock Canada Holdings LP, BlackRock Canada Holdings ULC, BlackRock Capital Holdings Inc., BlackRock Capital Investment Advisors LLC, BlackRock Capital Management Inc., BlackRock Cayco Limited, BlackRock Cayman 1 LP, BlackRock Cayman Capital Holdings Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco 2 Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco 3 Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco Limited, BlackRock Cayman West Bay Finco Limited, BlackRock Cayman West Bay IV Limited, BlackRock Cayman Z Limited, BlackRock Channel Islands Holdco Limited, BlackRock Chile Asesorias Limitada, BlackRock Colombia Holdco LLC, BlackRock Colombia Infraestructura S.A.S., BlackRock Colombia SAS, BlackRock Company Secretarial Services (UK) Limited, BlackRock Corporation US Inc., BlackRock Delaware Holdings Inc., BlackRock Enterprise Management Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Europe Development Management Limited, BlackRock Execution Services, BlackRock Finance Europe Limited, BlackRock Financial Management Inc., BlackRock Finco LLC, BlackRock Finco UK Ltd., BlackRock First Partner Limited, BlackRock France SAS, BlackRock Fund Advisors, BlackRock Fund Management Company S.A., BlackRock Fund Managers Limited, BlackRock Funding International Ltd., BlackRock Funds Services Group LLC, BlackRock Germany GmBH, BlackRock Group Limited, BlackRock HK Holdco Limited, BlackRock Holdco 2 Inc., BlackRock Holdco 3 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 4 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 5 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 6 LLC, BlackRock Hungary Kft, BlackRock Index Services LLC, BlackRock Infrastructure Management I LLC, BlackRock Institutional Services Inc., BlackRock Institutional Trust Company National Association, BlackRock International Holdings Inc., BlackRock International Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Australia) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Dublin) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Korea) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Investment Management (Taiwan) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management Ireland Holdings Limited, BlackRock Investment Management LLC, BlackRock Investments LLC, BlackRock Japan Co. Ltd., BlackRock Japan Holdings GK, BlackRock Jersey Finco 2 Limited, BlackRock Latin America Holdco LLC, BlackRock Latin American Holdings B.V., BlackRock Life Limited, BlackRock Lux Finco S.a r.l., BlackRock Luxembourg Holdco S.a r.l., BlackRock Mexican Holdco B.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura I S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura II S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura III S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager II S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager III S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager S de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Operadora S.A. de C.V. Sociedad Operadora de Fondos de Inversion, BlackRock Mortgage Ventures LLC, BlackRock Niagara LLC, BlackRock Operations (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., BlackRock Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock PC Holdings LLC, BlackRock Pensions Limited, BlackRock Peru Asesorias S.A., BlackRock Property Consulting (Beijing) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Property France S.a.r.l., BlackRock Property Lux S.a.r.l., BlackRock Property Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., BlackRock Realty Advisors Inc., BlackRock Saudi Arabia, BlackRock Scale Holdings LLC, BlackRock Services India Private Limited, BlackRock Singapore III Pte. Ltd., BlackRock Slovakia s.r.o., BlackRock Strategic Investors GP LLC, BlackRock Strategic Investors LP, BlackRock Trident Holding Company Limited, BlackRock UK (Alpha) Limited, BlackRock UK (Beta) Limited, BlackRock UK (Delta) LP, BlackRock UK (Gamma) Limited, BlackRock UK (Sigma) Limited, BlackRock UK 2 LLP, BlackRock UK 3 LLP, BlackRock UK 4 LLP, BlackRock UK A LLP, BlackRock UK Holdco 2 Limited, BlackRock UK Holdco Limited, Blackhawk Investment Holding LLC, CIE Automotive, Cachematrix Holdings, Cachematrix Holdings LLC, Cachematrix Integrations Private Limited, Cachematrix Software Solutions LLC, Cachematrix UK Limited, FutureAdvisor Inc., Glass Mountain Pipeline, Global Energy & Power Infrastructure Advisors LLC, Global Energy & Power Infrastructure II Advisors LLC, Grosvenor Alternate Partner Limited, Grosvenor Ventures Limited, HLX Financial Holdings LLC, MGPA (Bermuda) Limited, MGPA (Exec) Limited, MGPA Limited, Mercury Carry Company Ltd., Mercury Private Equity MUST 3 (Jersey) Limited, Object Capital Technology Inc., Phoenix Acquisition B.V., Phoenix Acquisitions Holdings LLC, Portfolio Administration & Management Ltd., Prestadora de Servicios Integrales BlackRock Mexico S.A. de C.V., SVOF/MM LLC, St. Albans House Nominees (Jersey) Ltd., State Street Research & Management, Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC, Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC, Tlali Acero S.A. de C.V. SOFOM ENR, Trident Merger LLC, eFront, eFront, eFront (Jersey) Limited, eFront DMLT Holdings LLC, eFront DMLT Holdings S.R.L, eFront DR S.R.L, eFront Do Brasil Solucoes Informaticas Para Sistemas Financeiros Ltda., eFront FZ-LLC, eFront Financial Solutions Inc., eFront GmbH, eFront Holding II SAS, eFront Holdings SAS, eFront Hong Kong Limited, eFront II SAS, eFront Kabushiki Kaisha, eFront Ltd, eFront SAS, eFront Singapore Pte. Ltd, eFront Software Luxembourg S.a r.l., eFront Solutions Financeieres Inc., eFront d.o.o. Beograd, iShares (DE) I Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, and iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC. Exelon Corp. operates as a utility services holding company, which engages in the energy generation, power marketing, and energy delivery business. It operates through the following segments: Mid Atlantic, Midwest, New York, Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and other Power Regions. The Mid-Atlantic segment represents operations in the eastern half of PJM, which includes New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, the District of Columbia and parts of Pennsylvania and North Carolina. The Midwest segment operates in the western half of PJM, which includes portions of Illinois, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee, and the United States footprint of MISO, excluding MISO's Southern Region, which covers all or most of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, the remaining parts of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio not covered by PJM, and parts of Montana, Missouri and Kentucky. The New York (NY) segment provides operations within ISONY, which covers the state of New York in its entirety. The ERCOT segment includes operations within Electric Reliability Council of Texas, covering most of the state of Texas. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Travelers Companies: 10762962 Canada Inc., 350 Market Street LLC, 8527512 Canada Inc., Aetna Life and Casualty Co, American Equity Insurance Company, American Equity Specialty Insurance Company, Aprilgrange Limited, Arch Street North LLC, Auto Hartford Investments LLC, Bayhill Restaurant II Associates, Camperdown Corporation, Constitution State Services LLC, Discover Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Discover Specialty Insurance Company, F&G UK Underwriters Limited, Farmington Casualty Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Underwriters Inc., First Floridian Auto and Home Insurance Company, Gulf Underwriters Insurance Company, IHP Capital Partners Fund VIII L.P., Northbrook Holdings Inc., Northfield Insurance Company, Northland Casualty Company, Northland Insurance Company, Phoenix UK Investments LLC, SPC Insurance Agency Inc., Select Insurance Company, Simply Business Holdings Inc., Simply Business Inc., St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company, St. Paul Guardian Insurance Company, St. Paul Mercury Insurance Company, St. Paul Protective Insurance Company, St. Paul Surplus Lines Insurance Company, Standard Fire Properties LLC, Standard Fire UK Investments LLC, TCI Global Services Inc., TPC Investments Inc., TPC U.K. Investments LLC, The Automobile Insurance Company of Hartford Connecticut, The Charter Oak Fire Insurance Company, The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company, The Family Business Institute LLC, The Phoenix Insurance Company, The St. Paul Companies Inc., The Standard Fire Insurance Company, The Travelers Casualty Company, The Travelers Home and Marine Insurance Company, The Travelers Indemnity Company, The Travelers Indemnity Company of America, The Travelers Indemnity Company of Connecticut, The Travelers Lloyds Insurance Company, TravCo Insurance Company, Travelers (Bermuda) Limited, Travelers Brazil Acquisition LLC, Travelers Brazil Holding LLC, Travelers Casualty Company of Connecticut, Travelers Casualty Insurance Company of America, Travelers Casualty UK Investments LLC, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of Europe Limited, Travelers Commercial Casualty Company, Travelers Commercial Insurance Company, Travelers Constitution State Insurance Company, Travelers Distribution Alliance Inc., Travelers Excess and Surplus Lines Company, Travelers Global Inc., Travelers Indemnity U.K. Investments LLC, Travelers Insurance Company Limited, Travelers Insurance Company of Canada, Travelers Insurance Designated Activity Company, Travelers Insurance Group Holdings Inc., Travelers Lloyds of Texas Insurance Company, Travelers London Limited, Travelers MGA Inc., Travelers Management Limited, Travelers Marine LLC, Travelers Participacoes em Seguros Brasil S.A., Travelers Personal Insurance Company, Travelers Personal Security Insurance Company, Travelers Property Casualty Company of America, Travelers Property Casualty Corp., Travelers Property Casualty Insurance Company, Travelers Seguros Brasil S.A., Travelers Syndicate Management Limited, Travelers Texas MGA Inc., Travelers Underwriting Agency Limited, Ultramar Travel Management, United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, Xbridge Limited, Zensurance Brokers Inc., and Zensurance Inc.. The following companies are subsidiares of Quest Diagnostics: AmeriPath, AmeriPath Cincinnati Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Cleveland Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Consolidated Labs Inc. (FL), AmeriPath Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Hospital Services Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Indianapolis PC (IN), AmeriPath Kentucky Inc. (KY), AmeriPath Lubbock 5.01(A) Corporation (TX), AmeriPath New York LLC (DE), AmeriPath Texas Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Tucson Inc. (AZ), American Medical Laboratories, American Medical Laboratories Incorporated (DE), Associated Clinical Laboratories L.P. (PA), Associated Clinical Laboratories of Pennsylvania L.L.C. (PA), Athena Diagnostics, Athena Diagnostics Inc. (DE), Blueprint Genetics, Blueprint Genetics FZ-LLC (UAE), Blueprint Genetics Inc. (DE), Blueprint Genetics Oy (Finland), California Laboratory Associates, Cape Cod Healthcare - Business, Celera, ClearPoint Diagnostic, Clearpoint Diagnostic Laboratories LLC (TX), Cleveland HeartLab, Cleveland HeartLab Inc. (DE), Clinical Laboratory Partners, Colorado Pathology Consultants P.C. (CO), ConVerge Diagnostic Services, Consolidated DermPath Inc. (DE), DFW 5.01(a) Corporation (TX), DGXWMT JV LLC (DE), Dermatopathology of Wisconsin S.C. (WI), Diagnostic Laboratory of Oklahoma LLC (OK), Diagnostic Pathology Services Inc. (OK), Diagnostic Reference Services Inc. (MD), ExamOne Canada Inc. (New Brunswick), ExamOne LLC (DE), ExamOne World Wide Inc. (PA), ExamOne World Wide of NJ Inc. (NJ), Focus Diagnostics, HemoCue, Hoffman M.D. Associated Pathologists Chartered (NV), Institute for Dermatopathology Inc. (PA), Isabella Street Urban Renewal LLC (NJ), Kailash B. Sharma M.D. Inc. (GA), Kilpatrick Pathology P.A. (NC), LabOne, LabOne LLC (MO), LabOne of Ohio Inc. (DE), Laboratorio de Analisis Biomedicos S.A. (Mexico), Lancet Labs, MACL, Med Fusion LLC (TX), Med fusion, MedPlus, Mid America Clinical Laboratories LLC (IN), Nomad Massachusetts Inc. (MA), Nuclear Medicine and Pathology Associates (GA), Ocmulgee Medical Pathology Association Inc. (GA), Pathology Building Partnership (MD) (gen. ptnrshp.), PeaceHealth Laboratories, PhenoPath Laboratories, PhenoPath Laboratories PLLC (WA), Q Squared Solutions Holdings LLC (DE), Q Squared Solutions Holdings Limited (UK), Quest Diagnostics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. (China), Quest Diagnostics Brasil Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories, Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics Domestic Holder LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics HTAS India Private Limited (India), Quest Diagnostics Health & Wellness LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Holdings Incorporated (DE), Quest Diagnostics Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (MD), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NV), Quest Diagnostics India Private Limited (India), Quest Diagnostics Infectious Disease Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics International Holdings Limited (UK), Quest Diagnostics International LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Investments LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Ireland Limited (Ireland), Quest Diagnostics LLC (CT), Quest Diagnostics LLC (IL), Quest Diagnostics LLC (MA), Quest Diagnostics Massachusetts LLC (MA), Quest Diagnostics Mexico Holding Company Trust (Mexico), Quest Diagnostics Mexico S de RL de CV (Mexico), Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute (CA), Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute Inc. (VA), Quest Diagnostics Receivables Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics Subsidiary Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics TB LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Terracotta LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Venture LLC (PA), Quest Diagnostics Ventures LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics do Brasil Ltda. (Brazil), Quest Diagnostics of Pennsylvania Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics of Puerto Rico Inc. (PR), Quest HealthConnect LLC (CA), ReproSource, Reprosource Fertility Diagnostics Inc. (MA), Solstas Lab Partners, Sonora Quest Laboratories LLC (AZ), Specialty Laboratories Inc. (CA), Summit Health, UMass Memorial Medical Center - Anatomic Pathology Outreach Laboratory Business, Unilab Corporation, and Unilab Corporation (DE). The following companies are subsidiares of Sherwin-Williams: Acquire Sourcing LLC, CTS National Corporation, Comex North America Inc., Compania Sherwin-Williams S.A. de C.V., Contract Transportation Systems Co., Dongguan Lilly Paint Industries Ltd, Duron, EPS (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., EPS B.V., Geocel Holdings, Geocel Limited, Guangdong Valspar Paints Manufacturing Co Ltd., Inver East Med S.A., Inver France SAS, Inver GmbH, Inver Industrial Coating SRL, Inver Polska Spoka Z O.O, Inver Spa, Invercolor Bologna Srl, Invercolor Ltd, Invercolor Roma Srl, Invercolor Torino Srl, Invercolor Toscana Srl, Isocoat Tintas e Vernizes Ltda, Isva Vernici Srl, Leighs Paints, M.A. Bruder & Sons, Omega Specialty Products & Services LLC, Oy Sherwin-Williams Finland Ab, PT Sherwin-Williams Indonesia, PT Valspar Indonesia, Paint Sundry Brands, Pinturas Condor S.A., Pinturas Industriales S.A., Piton Paints Limited, Plasti-Kote Co. Inc., Plasti-kote Limited, Productos Quimicos y Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Quest Automotive Products UK Limited, Quetzal Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Ronseal (Ireland) Limited, SWIMC LLC, SWIPCO Sherwin Williams do Brasil Propriedade Intelectual Ltda, Sherwin Williams Colombia S.A.S., Sherwin-Williams (Australia) Pty. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Belize) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Caribbean) N.V., Sherwin-Williams (Ireland) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sherwin-Williams (Nantong) Coatings Technology Co. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Nantong) Company Limited, Sherwin-Williams (S) Pte. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Shanghai) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Vietnam) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (West Indies) Limited, Sherwin-Williams Argentina I.y C.S.A., Sherwin-Williams Aruba VBA, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Mexico S.de R.L.de C.V., Sherwin-Williams Balkan S.R.L., Sherwin-Williams Bel Unitary Enterprise, Sherwin-Williams Benelux NV, Sherwin-Williams Canada Inc., Sherwin-Williams Cayman Islands Limited, Sherwin-Williams Chile S.A., Sherwin-Williams Coatings India Private Limited, Sherwin-Williams Coatings S.a r.l., Sherwin-Williams Czech Republic spol. s r.o, Sherwin-Williams Denmark A/S, Sherwin-Williams Deutschland GmbH, Sherwin-Williams Diversified Brands Limited, Sherwin-Williams France Finishes SAS, Sherwin-Williams Italy S.r.l., Sherwin-Williams Norway AS, Sherwin-Williams Paints Limited Liability Company, Sherwin-Williams Peru S.R.L., Sherwin-Williams Pinturas de Venezuela S.A., Sherwin-Williams Poland Sp. z o.o, Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings, Sherwin-Williams Realty Holdings Inc., Sherwin-Williams Services (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sherwin-Williams Spain Coatings S.L., Sherwin-Williams Sweden AB, Sherwin-Williams UK Coatings Limited, Sherwin-Williams do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., Spanyc Paints Joint Stock Company, Syntema I Vaggeryd AB, Taiwan Valspar Co. Ltd., The Sherwin-Williams Acceptance Corporation, The Sherwin-Williams Headquarters Company, The Sherwin-Williams Manufacturing Company, The Sherwin-Williams US Licensing Company, The Valspar (Asia) Corporation Limited, The Valspar (Australia) Corporation Pty. Ltd., The Valspar (Finland) Corporation Oy, The Valspar (France) Corporation S.A.S., The Valspar (France) Research Corporation SAS, The Valspar (Malaysia) Corporation Sdn Bhd, The Valspar (Nantes) Corporation S.A.S., The Valspar (Singapore) Corporation Pte. Ltd, The Valspar (South Africa) Corporation (Pty) Ltd, The Valspar (Spain) Corporation S.R.L., The Valspar (Switzerland) Corporation AG, The Valspar (Thailand) Corporation Ltd., The Valspar (UK) Corporation Limited, The Valspar (Vietnam) Corporation Ltd., The Valspar Corporation, The Valspar Corporation Limitada, UAB Sherwin-Williams Baltic, Valspar (India) Coatings Corporation Private Limited, Valspar (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Valspar (Uruguay) Corporation S.A., Valspar (WPC) Pty Ltd, Valspar Aries Coatings S. de R.L. de C.V., Valspar Automotive (UK) Corporation Limited, Valspar Automotive Australia Pty Limited, Valspar B.V., Valspar Coatings (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Valspar Coatings (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Valspar Coatings (Tianjin) Co. Ltd, Valspar D.o.o Beograd, Valspar Industries (Ireland) Ltd., Valspar Industries (Italy) S.r.l., Valspar Industries GmbH, Valspar LLC, Valspar Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Valspar Paint (Australia) Pty Ltd, Valspar Paint (NZ) Limited, Valspar Powder Coatings Limited, Valspar Rock Company Limited (Japan), Valspar Specialty Paints LLC, and ZAO Sherwin-Williams. Suncor Energy Inc. operates as an integrated energy company. The company primarily focuses on developing petroleum resource basins in Canada's Athabasca oil sands; explores, acquires, develops, produces, transports, refines, and markets crude oil in Canada and internationally; markets petroleum and petrochemical products under the Petro-Canada name primarily in Canada. It operates in Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; Refining and Marketing; and Corporate and Eliminations segments. The Oil Sands segment recovers bitumen from mining and in situ operations, and upgrades it into refinery feedstock and diesel fuel, or blends the bitumen with diluent for direct sale to market. The Exploration and Production segment is involved in offshore operations off the east coast of Canada and in the North Sea; and operating onshore assets in Libya and Syria. The Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil and intermediate feedstock into various petroleum and petrochemical products; and markets refined petroleum products to retail, commercial, and industrial customers through its other retail sellers. The Corporate and Eliminations segment operates four wind farm operations in Ontario and Western Canada. The company also markets and trades in crude oil, natural gas, byproducts, refined products, and power. The company was formerly known as Suncor Inc. and changed its name to Suncor Energy Inc. in April 1997. Suncor Energy Inc. was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More DOYLESTOWN >> The Bucks County District Attorneys Office and Perkasie Police Department are asking for the publics assistance in finding two men who have been missing from the area for more than two months. Matthew James Branning, 50, of Sellersville, and Michael Allen Stark, 47, of Royersford, were co-workers at Enchlor, Inc., in Silverdale Borough, and both were last seen... Pendragon PLC, together with its subsidiaries, operates in the automotive retail sector in the United Kingdom. It operates through Car Store, Franchised UK Motor, Software, and Leasing segments. The company sells new and used motor cars, motorbikes, trucks, and vans together with associated aftersales activities of service, body repair, and parts sales. It also operates carstore.com, an online marketplace for used cars; and distributes aftermarket parts, accessories, and workshop consumables under the Quickco brand. In addition, the company provides cloud-based dealer management systems; and Licence Link, an online license checking tool for fleets, as well as leases cars and vans to small, medium, and large fleets under the Pendragon Vehicle Management brand, and retails vehicles under the Evans Halshaw and Stratstone brand names. It operates 142 franchise points. Pendragon PLC was incorporated in 1988 and is headquartered in Nottingham, the United Kingdom. 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 The following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen Coding GmbH, Allen France SAS, Alpine Automation Limited, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Holdings Inc., Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, Arylux Hungary Elektromechanikus Alkatreszgyarto Kft, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix (Suzhou) Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Holdings Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel (Ireland) Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Brooks Instrument LLC, Buell Industries Inc., CAPMAX Logistica S.A. de C.V., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS (Australia) Pty Limited, CS (Finance) Europe S.a.r.l., CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, CSMTS LLC, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures (Australasia) S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Coeur, Coeur (Shanghai) Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Dorbyl U.K. (Holdings) Limited, Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO (Holding) AG, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elga Skandinavian AS, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, FEG Investments L.L.C., Fasver, Filtertek, Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech (Taicang) Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart (Japan) K.K., Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart Foster Belgium, Hobart International (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW (China) Investment Company Limited, ITW (Deutschland) GmbH, ITW (EU) Holdings Ltd., ITW (European) Finance Co. Ltd., ITW (European) Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW (European) Finance III Co. Ltd., ITW (Ningbo) Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Alpha Sarl, ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components (Chongqing) Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components (Langfang) Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium, ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS (UK) Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Contamination Control (Wujiang) Co. Ltd., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Delta Sarl, ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EAE B.V., ITW EAE Mexico S de RL de CV, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.A., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Finance Designated Activity Company, ITW Finance Europe S.A., ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW France Finance Alpha S.A.S., ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments II Inc., ITW Global Investments Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics (Thailand) Ltd., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Italy S.R.L. in liquidazione, ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France (Luxembourg) S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings UK, ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Holdings X Limited, ITW Holdings XI Limited, ITW Hungary Finance Beta Kft, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Finance Srl, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lombard Holdings Inc., ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW M FILMS II LLC, ITW MH LLC, ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Administration BV, ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Packaging Technology (China) Co. Ltd., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Plastic (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers (Wujiang) Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Philippines Holdings LLC, ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Spraytec, ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK Finance Zeta Ltd., ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Ideal Molding Technologies LLC, Illinois Tool Works (Chile) Limitada, Illinois Tool Works (ITW) Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Norway AS, Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron (Shanghai) Ltd., Instron (Thailand) Limited, Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Holdings Limited, Instron International Limited, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, International Leasing Company LLC, International Truss Systems Proprietary Limited, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kester Components (M) Sdn. Bhd., Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft S.L., Loma Systems, Loma Systems (Canada) Inc., Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, MOA Enterprises Inc, Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, Norden Olje AB, North Star Imaging Europe, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited (Enping), Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Penta Dnepr LLC, Penta Sever OOO, Penta Volga OOO, Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., Ramset Fasteners (Hong Kong) Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco (Nederland) B.V., Simco Japan Inc., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tapes (Hong Kong) Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Taiwan) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes BVBA, Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek (China) Limited, Teknek (Japan) Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V.B.A., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta (Guangzhou) Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Vesta Global Limited, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wynn Oil (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, ZF TRW (Engineered Fasteners and Components), and Zip-Pak International B.V.. 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 The following companies are subsidiares of Centene: APS Parent Inc., AWC of Syracuse Inc., Absolute Total Care Inc., AcariaHealth Inc., AcariaHealth Pharmacy #11 Inc., AcariaHealth Pharmacy #12 Inc., AcariaHealth Pharmacy #13 Inc., AcariaHealth Pharmacy #14 Inc., AcariaHealth Pharmacy Inc., AcariaHealth Solutions Inc., Access Medical Acquisition LLC, Access Medical Group of Florida City LLC, Access Medical Group of Hialeah LLC, Access Medical Group of Lakeland LLC, Access Medical Group of Miami LLC, Access Medical Group of North Miami Beach LLC, Access Medical Group of Opa-Locka LLC, Access Medical Group of Perrine LLC, Access Medical Group of Tampa II LLC, Access Medical Group of Tampa III LLC, Access Medical Group of Tampa LLC, Access Medical Group of Westchester LLC, Accountable Care Coalition Direct Contracting LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Chesapeake LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Community Health Centers II LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Community Health Centers LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers II LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers III LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers IV LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers V LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers VI LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Elite Providers VII LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Florida Partners LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Georgia LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Maryland LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Maryland Primary Care LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Mississippi LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of New Jersey Inc., Accountable Care Coalition of North Texas LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Northeast Georgia LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Northeast Partners LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Northwest Florida LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Prime Health LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Quality Health II LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Quality Health III LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Quality Health LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Partners LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Physician Partners LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Texas Inc., Accountable Care Coalition of Southeast Wisconsin LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Tennessee LLC, Accountable Care Coalition of Texas Inc., Agate Resources Inc., AirLogix, Ambetter of Magnolia Inc., Ambetter of North Carolina Inc., Ambetter of Peach State Inc., America's 1st Choice California Holdings LLC, American Progressive Life and Health Insurance Company of New York, Apixio, Apixio Inc, Arch Personalized Medicine Initiative LLC, Arkansas Health & Wellness Health Plan Inc., Arkansas Total Care Holding Company LLC, Arkansas Total Care Inc., B2B Gestion Integra S.L.U., B2B Salud S.L.U., Bankers Reserve Life Insurance Company of Wisconsin, Blackcrow Asistencia Medica S.L, Bridgeway Health Solutions LLC, Bridgeway Health Solutions of Arizona Inc., Buckeye Community Health Plan Inc., Buckeye Health Plan Community Solutions Inc., CCTX Holdings LLC, CMC Real Estate Company LLC, CT Poprad s.r.o., CT Presov s.r.o., Calibrate Acquisition Company, California Health and Wellness Plan, Cantina Laredo Clayton LP, Cardium Health Services, Care 1st Health Plan of Arizona Inc., Care1st Health Plan Administrative Services Inc., Carolina Complete Health Holding Company Partnership, Carolina Complete Health Inc., Casenet LLC, Casenet S.R.O., CeltiCare Health Plan Holdings LLC, CeltiCare Health Plan of Massachusetts Inc., Celtic Group Inc., Celtic Insurance Company, Cenpatico Behavioral Health LLC, Cenpatico Behavioral Health of Arizona LLC, Cenpatico of Arizona Inc., Centene Center I LLC, Centene Center II LLC, Centene Center LLC, Centene Company of Texas LP, Centene Europe Finance Company Limited, Centene Health Plan Holdings Inc., Centene Institute for Advanced Health Education LLC, Centene International Ventures LLC, Centene Investments LLC, Centene Management Company LLC, Centene Venture Company Alabama Health Plan Inc., Centene Venture Company Florida Inc., Centene Venture Company Illinois Inc., Centene Venture Company Indiana Inc., Centene Venture Company Kansas Inc., Centene Venture Company Michigan Inc., Centene Venture Company Tennessee Inc., Centro Inmunologocia De La Comunidad Valenciana S.L., Centurion Correctional Healthcare of New Mexico LLC, Centurion Detention Health Services LLC, Centurion LLC, Centurion of Arizona LLC, Centurion of Delaware LLC, Centurion of Florida LLC, Centurion of Kansas LLC, Centurion of Minnesota LLC, Centurion of Mississippi LLC, Centurion of New Hampshire LLC, Centurion of Pennsylvania LLC, Centurion of Tennessee LLC, Centurion of Vermont LLC, Centurion of West Virginia LLC, Centurion of Wyoming LLC, Chrysalis Medical Services LLC, Clinica Santo Domingo De Lugo S.L., Collaborative Health Systems IPA LLC, Collaborative Health Systems LLC, Collaborative Health Systems of Maryland LLC, Collaborative Health Systems of Virginia LLC, Comfort Hospice of Missouri LLC, Comfort Hospice of Texas LLC, ComfortBrook Hospice LLC, Community Medical Group, Community Medical Holdings Corporation, Comprehensive Health Management Inc., Comprehensive Reinsurance Ltd., Coordinated Care Corporation, Coordinated Care of Washington Inc., Country Style Health Care LLC, Discare CZ a.s., District Community Care Inc., Dr Magnet s.r.o., Elche-Crevillente Salud, Envolve Benefits Options Inc., Envolve Captive Insurance Company Inc., Envolve Dental IPA of New York Inc., Envolve Dental Inc., Envolve Dental of Florida Inc., Envolve Dental of Texas Inc., Envolve Health, Envolve Holdings Inc., Envolve Inc., Envolve Optical Inc., Envolve PeopleCare Inc., Envolve Pharmacy IPA LLC, Envolve Pharmacy Solutions Inc., Envolve Total Vision Inc., Envolve Vision Benefits Inc., Envolve Vision IPA of New York Inc., Envolve Vision Inc., Envolve Vision of Florida Inc., Envolve Vision of Texas Inc., Essential Care Partners LLC, Exactus Pharmacy Solutions Inc., Family Nurse Care II LLC, Family Nurse Care LLC, Family Nurse Care of Ohio LLC, Fidelis Care, Forensic Health Services LLC, Foundation Care LLC, Godgrace Asistencia Medica S.L., Golden Triangle Physician Alliance, Grace Hospice of Austin LLC, Grace Hospice of Grand Rapids LLC, Grace Hospice of Illinois LLC, Grace Hospice of Indiana LLC, Grace Hospice of San Antonio LLC, Grace Hospice of Virginia LLC, Grace Hospice of Wisconsin LLC, Granite State Health Plan Inc., Growly Asistencia Sanitaria S.L., HHS Texas Management Inc., HHS Texas Management LP, Hallmark Life Insurance Company, Harmony Behavioral Health IPA Inc., Harmony Behavioral Health Inc., Harmony Health Management Inc., Harmony Health Plan Inc., Harmony Health Systems Inc., Health Care Enterprises LLC, Health Net Access Inc., Health Net Community Solutions Inc., Health Net Community Solutions of Arizona Inc., Health Net Federal Services LLC, Health Net Health Plan of Oregon Inc., Health Net LLC, Health Net Life Insurance Company, Health Net Life Reinsurance Company, Health Net Pharmaceutical Services, Health Net of Arizona Inc., Health Net of California Inc., Health Plan Real Estate Holdings Inc., HealthSmart Benefit Solutions Inc., HealthSmart Benefits Management LLC, HealthSmart Care Management Solutions LP, HealthSmart Information Systems Inc., HealthSmart Preferred Care II LP, HealthSmart Preferred Network II Inc., HealthSmart Primary Care Clinics LP, HealthSmart Rx Solutions Inc., Healthy Louisiana Holdings LLC, Healthy Missouri Holdings Inc., Healthy Washington Holdings Inc., Heritage Health Systems Inc., Heritage Health Systems of Texas Inc., Heritage Home Hospice LLC, Heritage Physician Networks, Home State Health Plan Inc., HomeScripts.com LLC, Hospice DME Company LLC, Hospinet S.L., Hospital Polusa S.A., Hospital Povisa S.A., Hudson Accountable Care LLC, IAH of Florida LLC, Illinois Health Practice Alliance LLC, Infraestructuras y Servicios de Alzira S. L., Integrated Care Network of Florida LLC, Integrated Mental Health Management LLC, Integrated Mental Health Services, Interpreta Holdings Inc., Interpreta Inc., Iowa Total Care Inc., Kentucky Spirit Health Plan Inc., LBB Industries Inc., LifeShare Management Group LLC, LiveHealthier Inc., Louisiana Healthcare Connections Inc., MH Services International Holdings (UK) Limited, MHM, MHM Correctional Services LLC, MHM Health Professionals LLC, MHM Services Inc., MHM Services of California LLC, MHM Solutions LLC, MHN Government Services LLC, MHN Services LLC, MHS Consulting International Inc., MHS Travel & Charter Inc., MR Centrum Melnick s.r.o., MR Poprad s.r.o., MR Zilina s.r.o., Magnolia Health Plan Inc., Managed Health Network, Managed Health Network LLC, Managed Health Services Insurance Corporation, Maryland Collaborative Care LLC, Maryland Collaborative Care Transformation Organization Inc., Mauli Ola Health and Wellness Inc., Medicina NZ spol s.r.o., Meridian Health Plan of Illinois Inc., Meridian Health Plan of Michigan Inc., Meridian Management Company LLC, Meridian Network Services LLC, MeridianRx IPA LLC, MeridianRx LLC, MeridianRx of Indiana LLC, Michigan Complete Health, Mid-Atlantic Collaborative Care LLC, Nebraska Total Care Inc., Network Providers LLC, New York Quality Healthcare Corporation, Next Door Neighbors Inc., Next Door Neighbors LLC., North Florida Health Services Inc., Northern Maryland Collaborative Care LLC, Novasys Health Inc., OB Care, OB Klinika, Ohana Health Plan Inc., Oklahoma Complete Health Inc., One Care by Care 1st Health Plans of Arizona Inc, Operose Health (Group) Ltd., Operose Health (Group) UK Ltd., Operose Health Ltd., OptiCare Health Systems - Managed Vision Business, PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy, Panther Pass Co LLC, Panther Specialty Holding Co LLC, Pantherx Access Services LLC, Pantherx Specialty LLC, Parker LP LLC, Peach State Health Plan Inc., Penn Marketing America LLC, Pennsylvania Health and Wellness Inc., Phoenix Home Health Care LLC, Pinnacle Home Care LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Illinois LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Indiana LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Kalamazoo LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Missouri LLC, Pinnacle Senior Care of Wisconsin LLC, Premier Marketing Group LLC, PrimeroSalud S.L., Pro Diagnostic Group A.S., Pro Magnet CZ s.r.o., Pro Magnet s.r.o, Pro RTG s.r.o, Progress Medical A.S., Prowl Holdings LLC, QCA Healthplan Inc., Qualchoice Life and Health Insurance Company, Quincy Coverage Corporation, R&C Healthcare LLC, RMED LLC, RX Direct Inc., Rapid Respiratory Services LLC, Ribera Lab S.L.U., Ribera Salud II, Ribera Salud Proyectos S.L., Ribera Salud S.A., Ribera Salud Tecnologias S.L.U., Ribera Slaud Infraestructuras S.L.U., Ribera-Quilpro UTE, Salus Administrative Services Inc., Salus IPA LLC, Secure Capital Solutions 2000 S.L.U., SelectCare Health Plans Inc., SelectCare of Texas Inc., Seniorcorps Peninsula LLC, Servicios De Mantenimiento Prevencor S.L.U., SilverSummit Healthplan Inc., Social Health Bridge LLC, Social Health Bridge Trust, Specialty Therapeutic Care GP LLC, Specialty Therapeutic Care Holdings, Specialty Therapeutic Care Holdings LLC, Specialty Therapeutic Care LP, Sunflower State Health Plan Inc., Sunshine Health Community Solutions Inc., Sunshine Health Holding LLC, Sunshine State Health Plan Inc., Superior HealthPlan Community Solutions Inc., Superior HealthPlan Inc., The Practice Properties Limited, The WellCare Management Group Inc., Torrejon Salud S.A., Torrevieja Salud S.L.U., Torrevieja Salud UTE, Traditional Home Health Services LLC, Trillium Community Health Plan Inc., U.S. Medical Management Holdings Inc., U.S. Medical Management LLC, UAM Agent Services Corp., US Script, USMM Accountable Care Partners LLC, Universal American Corp., Universal American Financial Services Inc., Universal American Holdings LLC, WCG Health Management Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of America, WellCare Health Insurance Company of Kentucky Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Louisiana Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Nevada Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of New Hampshire Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of New Jersey Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Oklahoma Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Washington Inc., WellCare Health Insurance Company of Wisconsin Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Arizona Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Connecticut Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Hawaii Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of New York Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of North Carolina Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Southwest Inc., WellCare Health Insurance of Tennessee Inc., WellCare Health Plans, WellCare Health Plans of Arizona Inc., WellCare Health Plans of California Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Kentucky Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Massachusetts Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Missouri Inc., WellCare Health Plans of New Jersey Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Rhode Island Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Tennessee Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Vermont Inc., WellCare Health Plans of Wisconsin Inc., WellCare National Health Insurance Company, WellCare Pharmacy Benefits Management Inc., WellCare Prescription Insurance Inc., WellCare of Alabama Inc., WellCare of Arkansas Inc., WellCare of California Inc., WellCare of Connecticut Inc., WellCare of Florida Inc., WellCare of Georgia Inc., WellCare of Illinois Inc., WellCare of Indiana Inc., WellCare of Kansas Inc., WellCare of Maine Inc., WellCare of Michigan Holding Company, WellCare of Mississippi Inc., WellCare of Missouri Health Insurance Company Inc., WellCare of New Hampshire Inc., WellCare of New York Inc., WellCare of North Carolina Inc., WellCare of Ohio Inc., WellCare of Oklahoma Inc., WellCare of Pennsylvania Inc., WellCare of Puerto Rico Inc., WellCare of South Carolina Inc., WellCare of Texas Inc., WellCare of Virginia Inc., WellCare of Washington Inc., Wellcare Health Plans Inc., Western Sky Community Care Inc., Windsor Health Group Inc., Winning Security S.L., Worlco Management Services, and nirvanaHealth LLC. 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. 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Nelson County tourism officials are feeling the love as more than a dozen local businesses and initiatives are joining a 50-day county love fest. In celebration of the half-century anniversary of the states Virginia is for Lovers tourism motto, Nelson received a $10,000 grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporations 50 Years of Love program, part of $390,000 awarded statewide. The slogan was created in 1969 by the Richmond-based advertising firm now known as The Martin Agency. Those participating in the 50 days of love are the new Nelson 29 craft beverage trail; Nelson 151; the Brew Ridge Trail; Afton Mountain Vineyards; Blue Mountain Brewery; Bold Rock Cidery; Devils Backbone Brewing Company; Drumhellers Orchard; Lockn Festival; Saunders Brothers Farm Market; Veritas Vineyard and Winery; Virginia Distillery Company; and Wild Wolf Brewing Company. The celebration kicks off at the Lockn Festival on Aug. 22 and ends with Bold Rock Ciderys Fall Festival on Oct. 26. In Central Virginia, Nelson joins the tourism departments of Orange, Madison and Greene counties in participating in the state program, receiving a total of $10,000 to promote 50 Ways to Fall in Love with the Foothills. Send news tips to news@dailyprogress.com, call (434) 978-7264, tweet us @DailyProgress or send us a Facebook message here. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Using data from 2014 to 2016 provided by ACRJ, the county and city circuit and general district courts and the Office of Offender Aid and Restoration, Smith said MGT was able to determine that black residents are arrested more often than white residents and that the greatest disparity in charges happens at the felony level. So I guess youre thinking, Well, so what? Youre not telling me anything, I already know that, he said. We still have to crunch the numbers, look at the data, to be able to say these are our findings, not just my perception, because we do have the data to support our findings. Transitioning to the community input section, MGT consultants heard from residents about their experiences. The three residents who spoke did not give their names, per MGTs engagement process, but spoke about similar difficulties theyve faced with police. Pattie, speaking about 90 minutes before voting ended, felt the heavy turnout in Augusta County was a good sign. The county supervisor said he had spent many hours on the campaign trail, knocking on more than 3,000 doors in the lead-up to Saturdays vote. A big turnout in Augusta County helps us, thats what we are counting on, he said. That was my strategy, outworking my opponents, Fox, a political first-timer who describes himself as a farmer, not a politician, said the campaign had been a great experience. Its been a very, very humbling experience, he said, adding he felt his campaign resonated with district voters he had spoken with. Everyday people want a voice who will be accountable. Regardless of the outcome, Fox said, it was important for Republicans to rally behind the winner to maintain GOP control of House of Delegates. I look forward to being the nominee, but if not, I will look forward to helping the winning candidate, he said before voting closed. RICHMOND Sheets of rain pounded the towering glass walls of this city's new American Civil War Museum as workers raced to finish preparations for its May 4 opening. It seemed fitting for the Capitol of the Confederacy gray skies above, gray stone below, and across the lobby the ruined brick archways of the former Tredegar Ironworks. But behind that ruin artfully preserved as the centerpiece of the $25 million facility the exhibits aim to shatter expectations of what a Civil War museum looks like. Yes, there are all the artifacts you'd expect: Robert E. Lee's hat. J.E.B. Stuart's boots. A Confederate battle flag. And there are "Hey, Mabel!" oddities: a fossilized biscuit from the siege of Vicksburg, a pocket journal split by a fatal bullet. What's different, though, is the story that they tell. Museum chief Christy Coleman, curator Cathy Wright and their staffs and contractors have set out with the grandest of ambitions to reframe the way visitors view this crucial part of American history and the way that past continues to reverberate. The project's groundbreaking took place a few days after the 2017 violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville. Today, as it nears its unveiling, Charlottesville remains atop the national dialogue about race. And Virginia's top elected official, Gov. Ralph Northam, is embroiled in a scandal about a blackface incident from his past. The roots of those racial tensions, Coleman said, are exactly what the museum is trying to address. Not by highlighting division but by making the Civil War seem personal and relevant, as told by the stories of relatable people. That means including the perspectives of women and people of color from both North and South. It's all presented through displays that emphasize jagged fragments a reconstructed house is literally blown to bits, its wooden siding erupting across the ceiling and morphing into angular video screens and jarring colors. The motif "ties into the idea of a fractured nation," Wright said Friday during a media preview tour of the facility, which is an expansion and merger of two older museums. "We ... wanted people to walk into something that maybe disoriented their expectations of the Civil War story," said John Murphy of Solid Light, the company that designed the exhibits. One of the original museums that has been incorporated into this new venue was attached to the White House of the Confederacy, where Jefferson Davis plotted the war with his generals. That facility had one of the most extensive collections of Confederate artifacts in the world, assembled in the years after the Civil War by ladies from each state in the South who wanted to commemorate their "Lost Cause." While the old building had 250 items on permanent display, the new one has 550. There are nearly 15,000 more in storage. Though the Confederate museum had tried to expand its depiction of history, showcasing contributions of women and enslaved people, it was tethered to a traditional presentation: North and South, slavery and freedom. "We want to get away from the mythmaking and back to history," said Coleman, who helped lead the creation of the new institution. The new galleries show women as well as people of Native American, Asian and Hispanic descent, and free and enslaved black people, alongside the usual white male generals. Many of the photographs have been colorized in an attempt to bring them to life. The result is surprising, like seeing modern people cast back into historical settings. An imposing, wall-sized photograph in one gallery shows eight of Virginia's members of Congress from the postwar 1870s and all of them are black. They gaze across the room at an iconic painting of Lee and Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson in their last encounter. Many of the museum's stories are aimed at defying conventional ideas about the war. Wives who pushed their husbands to fight the Yankees in 1861, for instance, sometimes decided a few years later it wasn't worth it. Some slaves initially feared leaving their plantations, where life seemed relatively safe. Even some of the most conventional artifacts have surprising stories. One of the last galleries, set in 1865 amid the fall of Richmond, displays a square Confederate battle flag. This flag happens to have been captured in Richmond by Tad Lincoln, the president's young son, when they visited two days after the surrender in 1865. Tad is said to have waved it from a window of the White House on his birthday, shortly before his father was assassinated. The museum is in downtown Richmond near the James River, in what had been the heart of Southern industry. Tredegar Ironworks was the arsenal of the Confederacy, producing many of its big guns and locomotives. It survived Richmond's evacuation fire and lasted until the 1950s. With opening day drawing close, the museum is unfinished. Cardboard boxes line the floors, surrounded by power tools and clumps of hardware for display cases. Hand drills buzz, hammers tap and technicians scramble to finish exhibits. One woman carefully mounted discs holding locks of hair from John Wilkes Booth; a colleague worked near a tray holding a shoe, a canteen, a frying pan and other items found on a battlefield. Coleman said it makes sense for Richmond to take a lead role in redefining the legacy of the Civil War. Virginia saw more battles and casualties than any other state, and today it has more Confederate monuments. Coleman, who is African-American, helped lead a city commission to ponder the fate of the Confederate statues along Richmond's signature Monument Avenue. The result was a plan that called for "context," for presenting a more complete historical backdrop so the statues would lose any power as symbols of white dominance. Richmond's leaders haven't figured out how to do that yet. But just across town from Monument Avenue, the American Civil War Museum is an audacious effort to show what that looks like. "This is a story about us," she said. "What this has been about is bringing together the narratives [of the Civil War]. It isn't just about Union and Confederate, or African-American and white. What this is is an American story that impacted people from shore to shore, and we don't talk about that." Lets put this in perspective, shall we? Were being asked to believe that a police officer, fully armed, trained in combat and equipped to deal with the worst-case scenario when it comes to violence, is so threatened by a yipping purse dog weighing less than 10 pounds that the only recourse is to shoot the dog? If this is the temperament of police officers bred by the police state, we should all be worried. Clearly, our four-legged friends are suffering at the hands of an inhumane police state in which the police have all the rights, the citizenry have very few rights, and our pets viewed by the courts as personal property like a car or a house, but far less valuable have no rights at all. Its time to rein in this abuse of power. Ultimately, this comes down to better and constant training in nonviolent tactics, serious consequences for those who engage in excessive force, and a seismic shift in how law enforcement agencies and the courts deal with those who transgress. For example, environment-related AltGov accounts shared information about automotive fuel efficiency and how to participate in a public comment period. Other accounts gave examples of issues with net neutrality leading up to that comment period. Accounts have shared effective ways for citizens to communicate their views with their congressional representatives. There is valid and valuable information mixed in with the japes and GIFs. And in an America where a substantial portion of the population gets most of its news from social media, these voices matter. I studied a set of follower responses to the AltGov accounts, and I found that a top reason that followers choose to read the accounts is this much-needed context. Still, these posters choose to be anonymous because they are afraid of the possible career or personal consequences of being outspoken against proposed government policies. Doxxing, or providing real-world identification and contact information for people on the internet, has become vigilante justice in some case. The cost of sharing unpopular views has risen. Anonymity appeals when the consequences of publicly expressing your opinion can include a crowd yelling outside your home or someone showing up with a gun. L'avocat camerounais Akere Muna, a Douala, au Cameroun, le 15 aout 2018 AFP/Reinnier KAZE Barrister Akere Muna, former president of the Cameroon Bar Association and candidate in the 2018 presidential elections has said the Government of President Paul Biya no longer has control over what goes on in the North West and South West regions of the country. The international lawyer and son of one of the architects of Cameroon's Reunification, ST Muna made his observations in a tweet Saturday April 27 following the kidnapping of Ni John Fru Ndi, National Chairman of the opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) party. Barrister Akere Muna upon receiving news of Fru Ndi's abduction took to twitter to express the depths of his emotions. He said it came 21 days after he was targeted as he went to bury his brother, Wali Muna in Mbengwi, Momo Division. Eric Tataw had announced on March 31 that "the Family of Late S.T Muna attacked at funeral of brother", but very little is known of what actually happened. Akere wrote: "Just learnt about the kidnapping of SDF Chairman Fru Ndi. That fate was almost 21 days ago. Whither with this form of thuggery and Lawlessness? It is my prayer that he and all those abducted are released. Govt controls nothing in the Anglophone [North West and South West] regions. Inclusive dialogue now!" In another tweet that announced Fru Ndi's release, Akere thanked God and said Fru Ndi's abduction has sounded another alarm bell and government must now come out of its state of denial. "Just learnt about the release of the Chairman. Thank God. The government should heed to this alarm. It must stop smoking its own exhaust and getting high on it," he tweeted. He adds that: "The realities necessitate an urgent inclusive dialogue." Cameroon's fiery opposition leader Ni John Fru Ndi was kidnapped by separatist fighters in Kumbo earlier on Saturday, April 27, 2019 but was freed after over half a dozen hours in "detention". The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) party was heading a delegation to Kumbo to bury Hon. Banadzem Joseph Lukong, the party's group leader at the National Assembly when he was taken into "custody" by gunmen. John Fru Ndi en captivite, 27-04-2019. capture d'ecran Cameroon's lion-hearted opposition leader, Ni John Fru Ndi has told armed men fighting for the independence of a country they call Ambazonia that it will be unwise for him to recall the party's representatives at the Senate and National Assembly. Kidnapped at Wainama in Kumbo earlier on Saturday, April 27, 2019, the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) party is seen in videos explaining himself to his captors, spending over half a dozen hours in their "detention". He was heading a delegation to Kumbo to bury Hon. Banadzem Joseph Lukong, the party's group leader at the National Assembly when he was taken into "custody" by gunmen. "From Bamenda to Kumbo, the funeral convoy was subjected to several checks by security forces and separatist fighters. It was at Wainama that the 'boys' ordered Fru Ndi to follow them. He resisted and they shot rounds in the air. He then followed them in his car [to their camp]. With him was his driver, and the SDF National Treasurer, Atekwana Joseph Akonji and one other person," SDF shadow minister of information said Saturday night. Videos show Fru Ndi visibly confident as he responded to questions put to him by his captors who said he had been "arrested and not kidnapped because he is still working for La Republique [du Cameroun]." Asked why he had not recalled SDF Senators and Members of the National Assembly from Yaounde as they had long ordered, Fru Ndi in a firm tone said the presence of these lawmakers in Yaounde gives him the forum to talk to President Biya. He explained to the "boys" that it would not be wise to recall the MPs and Senators because it is their stay in Yaounde that gave Hon. Joseph Wirba a forum to tell truth to power. "Why did you not call for the Senators and Parliamentarians to come back," the Amba boys charged Fru Ndi. His response: "I cannot call them to come back." "Why?" they asked and again Fru Ndi responded without a second thought: "Because if they come back, I will not be able to talk to Biya the way I'm talking. It gives me the forum to talk - the parliamentarians and the Senators. Okay, you're talking today: Wirba! Wirba! Where did Wirba start talking? Is it not in parliament?" It is not known what transpired throughout Fru Ndi's stay with those who "arrested" him , but video snippets show him drinking from a can held in his right hand. Jean Robert Wafo, SDF Shadow Minister of Information and Media in a statement said the SDF chieftain was freed at 6:34pm by his captors. Fru Ndi upon his release went to the graveside of the fallen SDF MP at Njavnyuy, Kumbo. Banadzem had been buried in the absence of his political godfather, the SDF founding chairman. Fru Ndi had however organised mass for the deceased party stalwart at his Ntarinkon residence this morning. Banadzem Joseph Lukong was born on April 28, 1952 at Shisong. He holds a PhD in History from the University of Paris and died as a career member of the National Assembly. Fru Ndi had claimed that there were government sponsored groups terrorising the population in the name of separatists following the kidnapping of his brother, Azeh Ndi and two employees. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- China's Stage 6 Emission Standard applying to light-duty vehicles will officially come into effect in Shanghai from July 1, 2019, according to an announcement recently released by Shanghai municipal government. On December 23, 2016, China's Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) released the final rule of the Stage 6 Limits and Measurement Methods for Emissions from Light-Duty Vehicles, namely, the China 6 standard or China 6. This standard applies to light-duty vehicles primarily powered by gasoline or diesel. The document said the China 6 Standard would take effect beginning on July 1, 2020. Apart from Shanghai, there were several provinces and cities in China such as Hangzhou, Hainan, Tianjin, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shandong, Chengdu, Hebei and Shaanxi whose local governments have announced the plan to formally implement the China 6 prior to the official required time. Different from the previous standard phases, which closely follow the European emission standards, the China 6 combines best practices from both European and U.S. regulatory requirements while takes China's actual situation as the foothold. Specifically, it features two sets of fuel-neutral emission limits for air and climate pollutantsChina 6a and 6b, which will be put into effect from July 1, 2020 and July 2, 2023 respectively. In addition, the China 6 Standard has its testing basis shifted from the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) to the more representative and dynamic World Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Cycle (WLTC) and more rigorous World Harmonized Light Vehicle Test procedures (WLTP). Separatists' attacks send civil servants packing from Lebialem BBC A communique signed by the Divisional Officer for Alou, Lebialem Division of the South West region, convening stakeholders of his locality to a National Day preparatory meeting in Dschang, West region, comes to dismiss government's claims that they are in control of the situation in the Anglophone regions. The communique signed by D.O Ambang Fabian Kah, is addressed to all heads of security, sub- delegations, civil society organisations, managers of schools, religious authorities, political parties and elites, who are expected to be in Dschang on Friday, 3rd May 2019, at 10am. Sources in Alou, say the Divisional Office and some other government structures have been operating from Dschang. These sources say the Senior Divisional Officer of Lebialem, had written to South West governor Okalia Bilai, informing him they would be working from Dschang, due to rising security concerns. It is alleged that they all only go down to Lebialem, when theres an emergency, and are often accompanied by security officers. In some government offices in Lebialem Division, a sector dominated by a dreaded separatists group Red Dragon, civil servants have been on self-proclaimed holidays due to insecurity. Government has lately told concerned international observers that it was in full control of the situation in the Anglophone regions, although some of its workers still can't be guaranteed security, at their job sites and dont show up at work. The 47th edition of Cameroon's National Day celebrated on May 20, is one of the nation's most cherished events, as it celebrates national unity, cultural diversity and peace. However with the current unrest in the North West and South West, separatists have been ensuring that it is either boycotted or the turn out is low. For three years, the day has been accompanied by violent attacks, and threats, as most-stricken areas, haven't celebrated the event for three years, due to insecurity. Peter Mafany Musonge, Chairman of Cameroon's Bilingualism & Multiculturalism Commission NCPBM Participants at a two-day colloquium under the theme, "Multiculturalism in Cameroon at the crossroads between tradition and modernity" have resolved that the words "Anglophone" and "Francophone" should be banned and a "Ministry for Living Together and Multiculturalism" created. Convened by the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism (NCPBM) on April 24 & 25, 2019 at the Yaounde Mont Febe Hotel, the colloquium agreed on a number of recommendations that will be sent to President Paul Biya for his appraisal. "The Government of Cameroon must ban the words 'Anglophone' and 'Francophone' from state vocabulary and from use within the national territory," one of the recommendations read. The brains at the colloquium argued that the words Anglophone and Francophone are foreign but is the source of division today. They said citizens should first be identified as Cameroonians, not by foreign words that aim to split them. "Cameroonians are not native speakers of English and French, as such we should rather promote our national languages by teaching them in schools and speaking them in other public places," they argued. At a time when the ministerial departments are said to be too many by political analysts, the commission headed by Peter Mafany Musonge is proposing that a Ministry of Living Together should be created. "We urge the Government to create the 'Ministry of Living Together and Multiculturalism' so as to promote the values of living together and national Unity," they resolved. They also appealed that a day called "National Day of Living Together" be decreed wherein cultures and cultural values shall be showcased and aspects of living together hailed. The colloquium also said many Cameroonians do not know the history of Cameroon. As such, emphasis should be laid on the teaching of Cameroon's history as one people. The colloquium took place at a time when Northerners in Obala (in Cameroon's Centre Region) are having tough times cohabiting peacefully with the indigenous community. Clashes between the two communities led to the death of one Northerner and the destruction of property. Also, the crisis in the North West and South West regions that led to the creation of the National Commission on the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism seems to be getting little attention. $16 each Once there was a princess who dearly loved a poor woodland man. For this, she was banished by her father, the King. The couple had a baby. But he was stolen away in the night. The Princess and her woodlander died, brokenhearted. The baby boy was raised by a goatherd in a deep forest. Years passed and the King neared the end of his life. He called for his grandson to be brought to the palace. You are not a young goatherd, he said, you are the Young King. And the Young King gladly threw aside his rough goatherds cloak and staff. He embraced the glittering riches of the palace. For his coronation, the Young King demanded the most rare and costly silks and jewels for his robe, scepter and crown. On the eve of his coronation, in his velvet-canopied bed, the Young King was visited by three dreams. In the first, pale, crooked children bent over looms of golden thread to weave the Kings robe. In the second, a slave drew his last breath diving for pearls for the Kings scepter. And in the third, a deep mining pit of disease and famine brought forth rubies for the Kings crown. The Young King awoke in deep distress. He shunned the robe, scepter and crown and reached instead for his humble goatherds cloak and staff. He made a circlet of briar thorns for his head. His courtiers beseeched him: how shall the people know you are King? The townsfolk laughed, then grew angry: Dont you know, from your luxury comes our living? In turmoil, the Young King walked away from the palace to the edge of the city. He walked to where the forest began. And as the woodland welcomed him, he felt his heart and his step lighten. He turned to face the people one last time. And the sunlight beamed down and wove about him a robe brighter than gold, and his staff blossomed with lilies whiter than pearls, and his circlet of briar bloomed with roses redder than rubies. And he, and all the world around, knew he was King. What kind of king or queen would you be? The Young Kings courtiers will teach you how to greet the king before whisking you up to be part of the coronation. Journey with the Young King to a land of challenging choices and rich rewards. In this production, the beautiful and tender language of Oscar Wilde joins the intimate, immersive and magical world of Slingsby Theatre Company from Australia. Hyundais Venue new sub-4metre SUV is coming late to the segment. So, has it come better prepared to trump the competition? If so, how does the Venue plan to wow? The Challenge At the risk of stating the obvious, the Hyundai Venue competes with other sub-4 metre SUVs like the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Ford EcoSport, Tata Nexon and the Mahindra XUV300. The variety and richness of options that these SUVs offer is quite impressive. The EcoSport kickstarted the segment back in 2013 and offered Fords world class quality and robustness. While this made the EcoSport quite pricey, it also made it an aspirational product. Maruti Suzukis Vitara Brezza shook things up in 2016 with its value driven equation. While the Ford and the Maruti could be considered the two extremes of the segment, the arrival of the Tata Nexon and the Mahindra XUV 300 has changed how we perceive value and premiumness in this segment. Tougher Competition While value remains at the core, new competitors have brought stronger personalities and identities. The resulting change in experience and character of the cars has elbowed its way into buyers decisions too. Want a proper family friendly SUV that is cool, punchy, spacious and affordable - you may want to consider the Nexon. Want an affordable automatic? The Tata could be your answer. Want an upmarket rugged runabout instead? The XUV300 will serve your needs. It also packs in the fun to drive quotient that would make the Blue Oval turn a bit green. SUV Quotient The importance of looking right cant be overstated. The Venue, at a glance, is impressive. It looks well proportioned and a lot like a scaled down Creta. The A-pillar, the flat roof line and the chunky C-pillar seem a lot like the Creta. The sharp lines on the shoulders and the slightly flared wheel arches up the toughness quotient. Head on, the flat bonnet, the bluff nose and the wide cascading grille give it presence and the necessary amount of the square SUV look. Keeping with modern trends, there is a slim lighting element sandwiched right under the bonnet. Interestingly in the case of the Venue, this is the turn signal and not LED DRLs. The projector headlamps on the bumper sit in squared off sections that lend the shape for the LED DRLs. The tail lamps also get a similarly boxy look, a lot like the ones that Hyundai used on the Carlino concept. However, on paper it isnt the most impressive. Its wheelbase is on par with the Nexon, but it isnt the longest in the class. It is also narrower than most of the competition. The EcoSport is the narrowest while the XUV and the Nexon battle for the widest-in-class tag. The Venue isnt the tallest either. Fit For The Family Despite what the on-paper dimensions might suggest, the sense of space inside the cabin seems to be one of the Venues highlights. The upright stance and the large windows give it a great sense of airiness. The seats are supportive too. Even though it isnt the widest car in the class, it will accommodate three occupants in the second row in reasonable comfort. There is sufficient legroom and headroom to accommodate six footers too. The second row offers excellent underthigh support to keep even taller occupants comfortable. While Hyundai hasnt released India-spec figures yet, the Venue is likely to offer class-leading boot space. For reference, the US-spec Venue boasts of 530 litres of cargo space. Style & Quality The sense of quality, like on all Hyundais today, is impressive. It is on par with the Creta on this front, maybe a notch above too. But Hyundai has let the Venue down with a play-it-safe cabin design. The young and hip persona doesnt quite carry through on the inside, softening the appeal of the Venue. And even on the practicality front, you could do with better storage space in the door pockets. However, the open shelf above the glove box is a nice touch. Feature Power Unlike other Hyundais, the Venue offers very little in the way of segment-first features. The notable ones include a wireless charging mat for your phone (which we hope is Qi charging enabled) and projector fog lamps. While ventilated seats were rumoured to be a shoo-in, they werent. The headlamps are projector units and not LEDs. The turn indicators use conventional bulb-type elements. The wheels are 16-inch units and offer 215-section rubber. Nothing too wow over there. Yes, the rivals are offering so much that just matching up to them is a task in itself. So, the Venue packs an electrically operated sunroof and cruise control. More importantly it packs six airbags, vehicle stability management, hill start assist, brake assist and ISOFIX too. There are static cornering lamps and rear AC vents as well. But the competition has more. The XUV300 is the one setting the tone here. Its leatherette seats and dual-zone climate control add to the plushness of the cabin. It also offers seven airbags (an extra knee-airbag for the driver), it has front and rear parking sensors, all disc brakes and heated ORVMs. Auto dimming iRVM and rain-sensing wipers are available on other competitors too. Connected Tech - A Game Changer? Yes, the connected car technology increases the convenience and safety levels, but these wont be game changers for car buyers. Many of these functionalities could be had via OBD2-based devices and services that manufacturers have been offering for years. SOS? Ford can brag about that easily. And if you are imagining unlimited streaming through the e-sim, forget it. The SIM is locked to an IP which is used to communicate for car services. Driving Ahead We havent driven the Venue yet, but it is being offered with three engines. The two sensible options of the lineup are the 1.2 Kappa petrol with a 5-speed manual gearbox and the 1.4 diesel with a 6-speed manual gearbox, both of which are offered on the i20 too. In terms of petrol power, the 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated engine is likely to be the base offering from Hyundai. The XUV300 and the EcoSport offer more powerful options right from the base variant. The 83PS for the Hyundai versus 110PS (XUV300 and Nexon) or even 123PS (EcoSport). The less powerful engine is likely to be the more economical engine options. But Hyundai is offering a top-of-the-line 120PS, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine which will be offered with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission for the performance oriented enthusiasts. Even in terms of diesel power, the 90PS Venue sits lower than most of the competition. The Brezza (90PS) offers the same amount of power but the EcoSport (100PS), the Nexon (110PS) and the XUV300 (115PS) offer more. Value Equation The Venue will go on sale on the 21st of May, so we dont have prices yet. For reference, Hyundais i20 1.2 Kappa with the 5-speed gearbox starts at Rs 5.5 lakh. The sub-4 metre SUV segment benchmark is set by the Tata Nexon, which uses a 3-cylinder turbocharged engine and priced from Rs 6.49 lakh. The 4-cylinder Mahindra XUV300 (also turbocarged) and the Ford EcoSport start just under Rs 8 lakh. In terms of diesel power, the Elite i20 with the 1.4-litre diesel engine starts at Rs 6.9 lakh. Once again, playing the value card is the Tata Nexon with a starting price of Rs 7.49 lakh. The Nexon and Maruti also offer automatic transmission options with the diesel engine. And the Mahindra XUV300 is also going to offer an AMT-equipped version soon. For now, Hyundai is offering the automatic transmission only with the petrol engine. Any extras? Hyundai is offering a segment topping 3-year road-side assistance and 3-year unlimited mileage warranty package as standard. The next best is the XUV300 with a 2-year unlimited kilometre warranty. The EcoSport offers a 2-year/1-lakh kilometre warranty while the Nexon has a 2-year/70,000km warranty. The Brezza is the lowest on this front with a 2-year/40,000km warranty. Extended warranty options are available from each manufacturer. Bottomline? Its hard to pin where the Venue will fit without driving it or knowing its prices. But based on what we did experience, those looking for a sub-4 metre SUV would find that the Venue provides a sensible balance between the wants and needs of Indian car buyers. The peace of mind that Hyundai products offer will make it all the more appealing. So, while the segment has evolved with stronger characters, the latest entrant is looking to be the one you pick with your head and for that, we hope, the price will be sensible too. Words: Kartikeya Singhee Suggested Readings: Hyundai Venue Vs Rivals: Spec Comparison Disclaimer: This article has not been edited by Deccan Chronicle and is taken from a syndicated feed. Photos: CarDekho. BBMP official said most of the cables were laid overhead and were dangling from trees, which had caused many accidents in the past. Bengaluru: People in Bengaluru may face call drops and disruption in internet services as the local municipal body and telecom players are at loggerheads over payment issues. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has ordered to cut telecom cables laid over the ground, citing them to be non-compliant with existing norms, and has demanded fees from companies to lay them underground. However, telecom service providers said the cables were laid overhead temporarily due to road construction work and they have already paid the fees for laying them under the ground. A BBMP official told PTI that it was disconnecting only those optical fibre cables which were unauthorised. "We have incurred huge financial losses because of the unauthorised cables. Several times we had warned the telecom companies to get the cables regularised and should be laid in as per regulations but they ignored our warnings. We were left with no option but to disconnect them," the officer said. He added that telecom companies still have the chance to disclose the cables they have laid and get them regularised by paying the prescribed fees. The officer said most of the cables were laid overhead and were dangling from trees, which had caused many accidents in the past. Meanwhile, telecom industry body COAI said they were authorised temporarily to lay cables aerially as road construction work was going on that frequently damaged cables and they have already paid fees for laying them underground. "BBMP is demanding right of way charges again to lay telecom cables underground. We have already paid fees and the cables were laid overground temporarily after permission from BBMP. "We asked them to put the order on hold and give us time to put them underground as cable cut will lead to disruption in services which is already on red alert after terror attack in Sri Lanka," COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews said. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has approached Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan over the issue. "After telecom secretary's intervention, we met Karnataka State Chief Secretary along with representatives from Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea. "The chief secretary has asked BBMP to resolve the matter. We will be meeting BBMP commissioner on Tuesday and hope the matter will be resolved amicably," Mathews said. Given the scale of Basmati rice exports to Iran, a disruption in sales to this market can have a severe adverse impact on the Basmati rice industry. Kolkata: India has been continuing to import crude oil from Iran despite imposition of trade sanctions on Iran. However, the Trump administration has recently withdrawn that waiver. As a result, there has been a great degree of uncertainties over India importing crude from Iran. It's not just import of crude from Iran that will be affected, but the move is likely to have wide ranging impacts. For instance, analysts feel that the recent move by the US government can, skittle the exports of commodities, including Basmati rice. Given the scale of Basmati rice exports to Iran, a disruption in sales to this market can have a severe adverse impact on the Basmati rice industry. The Modi government had been pushing for an extension of the waiver. However that has been to no avail. And the US government has recently announced that the waiver extended earlier will be withdrawn in the first week of May. In the eventuality of discontinuation of crude imports from Iran, payment recovery for exports of commodities like Basmati rice is bound to face high uncertainty. Interestingly, Indian crude oil imports from Iran were to the tune of Rs 70,000 crore in FY2018 against which total exports were around Rs 17,000 crore. "Iran has remained a major export destination for Indian Basmati rice and the industry's concentration on Iran has only magnified in FY2019. Discontinuation of crude oil imports from Iran can lead to issues on recovery of outstanding dues for the Basmati rice shipments already made, hampering the financial position of such exporters. Moreover, this issue can impact the industry as a whole and even the players who do not export to Iran. Given the share of Basmati rice exports to Iran, any moderation in sales to this market can have a depressing impact on the Basmati rice prices globally," said Deepak Jotwani, Assistant Vice President, ICRA. Jotwani said that this can severely impact the industry performance, especially considering that prices of the raw material, that is, Basmati paddy have firmed up in recent times, resulting in industry participants carrying high cost inventory. Additionally, the government's policy stance on trade with Iran, post withdrawal of the waiver, will have a strong bearing on the prospects of the Basmati rice industry in the current fiscal, he said. Besides exploring the scenic beauty of the city right from the top of the peak, visitors can have a firsthand experience of the culture and tradition of the Khasi tribe. (Photo: ANI) Shillong: The north-eastern province of Meghalaya is an unexplored slice of paradise and is home to some of the most enchanting tourist spots that provide visitors with an unforgettable experience. One such tourist spot is the Shillong peak, located at a distance of 10 km southwards of the main city. Over the years, the mesmerising beauty of Shillong peak tucked away in the laps of nature has wowed tourists from across the globe. It has become the most talked about tourist destination of the state. The peak offers a breathtaking birds eye view of the city and the Himalayan ranges. The state of Meghalaya has carved a niche for itself on the countrys tourism map for its incredibly blessed natural scenic beauty. The state boasts of some of the best tourist spots that provide a major boost to the tourism sector of the state. Meghalayas capital Shillong- the Scotland of the East- is an unexplored slice of paradise that those who visit this place can never forget it in their lifetime. A large number of both domestic as well as international tourists are seen every day exploring the unmatchable beauty of the state. It is a beautiful place and I feel the whole country should seek inspiration from Meghalaya. People here are very warm and kind. We liked the hospitality. In fact, next time whenever we get time, we will definitely visit again, said a tourist. Engulfed in lush green mountains, picturesque landscape, surrounding waterfalls, the Shillong peak is a visual treat for the visitors. Shillong Peak is the highest peak of the province of Himalayas, standing at an altitude of 1,965 meters above the sea level and is one of the most visited sites of the hill station. One has to travel through deep gorges, zigzag roads with lush green scenery on both sides to reach the Shillong peak. The visitors can climb on the top of the peak to have a spectacular view of the city in its candid and casual avatar. Moreover, highly popular among locals and tourists, the Shillong Peak offers a panoramic view of the Himalayan range and Bangladesh plains on cloudless days. It is extremely beautiful and nice. After raining, the sky is clear and it looks more beautiful and adds to the charm of the state. We are surprised by natures beauty and it is mesmerising, said a tourist. Besides exploring the scenic beauty of the city right from the top of the peak, the visitors can have a firsthand experience of the culture and tradition of the Khasi tribe. For adventure lovers, treks can be an interesting part of their journey amid the rare flora and fauna. The Shillong peak is not steep and can be termed a gentle climb. Its structure is rather semi-circular. One can approach the Shillong peak through upper Shillong or the Jowai road by bus or car. Shillong is blessed with an abundance of natural resources which makes it inseparable from the rest of the country. And with a growing number of tourists every year, the Meghalaya tourism sector is likely to see a huge paradigm shift with tourists from around the globe converging to these tourist hotspots. Surat: Following the sudden spurt in heat across Gujarat, the state health department has issued an 'Orange Alert' for Sunday with temperatures likely to touch 44 degrees Celsius according to the weather department. "An Orange Alert has been announced for two days, due to heat wave. All our BRTS bus stands have ORS packets, Municipal Corporation has made arrangements for water at multiple points," Deputy Health Officer of Surat Municipal Corp Dr Mahendra Patel told ANI. Meteorological Centre (MC) Ahmedabad released warning on Saturday for heat wave in multiple regions of Gujarat for the next 48 hours. "Heatwave conditions very likely to prevail at a few places in the districts of Gujarat region namely Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Surat; in the Districts of Saurashtra-Kutch namely Bhavnagar, Veraval, Porbandar, Rajkot, Amreli, Surendranagar, Kutch and Diu during next 48 hours commencing from 0830 hours IST of today," the notice reads. The notice goes on to add that moderate temperature with tolerable heat will exist for the next two days but vulnerable people like children and elderly, people with chronic diseases should take special precaution. Authorities have issued advisories and warned people not to go out in the sun and keep themselves hydrated by taking fluids such as lemon juice, buttermilk and aam panna. Bhopal: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday sent a legal notice to Congress president Rahul Gandhi for making false claims that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought a legislation to attack tribals in the country. BJP national vice-president Prabhat Jha in his notice sent to Mr Gandhi said the Congress president while addressing an election meeting in district headquarters of Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh on April 23 said a law legislated by the Centre said that the tribals can be shot at for violating rules. Mr Gandhi has made false allegations against the PM to tarnish his image and he should apologise within three days to avoid legal action, the notice said. Mr Jha also said Mr Gandhi made a false claim that BJP national president Amit Shah was a murder accused and sought his apology for the comment. Congress candidate Digvijay Singh during his election campaign in Bhopal, Sunday. (Photo: AP) Bhopal: In a virtual snub to Lalu Prasad Yadavs Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), veteran leader and Congress candidate for Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency Digvijay Singh on Sunday said the party committed a blunder by fielding candidate against former president of Jawaharlala Nehru University (JNU) students union Kanhaiya Kumar in Begusarai in Bihar. Mr Singhs comment was feared to rub RJD, ally of Congress in Bihar, on the wrong side. I am a supporter of Kanhaiya Kumar. I also told my party that RJD has committed a major mistake (by fielding candidate against Kanhaiya Kumar). The seat should have been left to CPI (Marxist) (by the grand alliance), Mr Singh while addressing an election meeting here. Mr Kumar, who was facing sedition charge in the wake of students unrest in JNU recently, has been fielded by CPI (Marxist) in Begusarai. RJD has fielded Tanveer Ahmed in the constituency, which is going to polls on Monday. Mr Singh said Mr Kanhaiya was going to campaign for him in Bhopal for two days from May 8. He said CPI (Marxist) was a party which waged ideological battle. Cong-ress had won the 2009 LS elections because Left parties were with it, he said. Mr Singh is pitted against Sadhvi Pragya of BJP in Bhopal. In another development, Mr Singh took a swipe at his BJP rival for her offensive comment on slain IPS officer of Maharashtra Hemant Karkare, martyred by terrorists during 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. Pragya, who alleged tortured in police custody by the slain police officer and his men following her arrest in 2008 Malegaon blast case, had triggered a controversy by saying that her curse on him led to his tragic end. She could have ensured end of Pakistan terrorist Masood Azhar by cursing him, he quipped sarcastically. The three countries in Africa are going to show the way forward in how vaccine will help to tackle malaria. Vaccines have proved useful in tackling diseases like polio, chicken pox, measles and many others, and hence it is the way forward." Hyderabad: The Malaria Elimination Research Alliance, a branch of the Indian Council of Medical Research, has been set up to prioritise, plan and scale up relevant research in malaria and bring down the number of cases with the target of eliminating this vector born disease by 2030 in India. Ongoing biomedical research is going to play a major role with the introduction of the first malaria vaccine in three countries of Africa, setting a new benchmark to fight the disease. The first malaria vaccine, RTS,S/ASOI, will be administered to 3.5 lakh children in Malawi, Ghana and Kenya. It protects against the deadly Plasmodium falciparum parasite. The research for RTS,S vaccine was going on for 20 years and in 2001 the development of the vaccine was given to GSK along with partnership with PATH. The booster dose of the strain which was used in the controlled trials in 2014-15 has shown substantial level of efficacy according to a review carried out from multiple studies in Africa and published in the Lancet in 2015. Two more vaccines are presently under research for P. falciparum. JAIVAC-1 is currently in a phase-1 trial in healthy males by Lotus Laboratories in Bengaluru. The project has received funding from the Department of Biotechnology and the European Vaccine Initiative. This is a part of the multi- vaccine development programme. The third vaccine is PvDBPII which is found to be more promising in p. vivax cases and is in phase 1 studies for animals. The technology transfer of the vaccine will be carried out based on the reports of these studies. Dr Sai Kumar Katam, national president of the Doctor of Pharmacy Association explained, "Vaccines are found to create immunity in the population. When so many children receive the vaccine there will be a reduction in incidence. The three countries in Africa are going to show the way forward in how vaccine will help to tackle malaria. Vaccines have proved useful in tackling diseases like polio, chicken pox, measles and many others, and hence it is the way forward." Dr K.K. Aggarwal, president elect Confederation of Medical Associations in Asia and Oceania (CMAAO) says an investigational drug DM1157 is a modified form of the anti-malarial drug chloroquine which is found to interfere with the metabolism of the parasite. This inhibits the parasites ability to expel the drug and drug resistance is avoided. A phase 1 trial to evaluate the safety of the drug began in September 2018. These new inputs are helping to deal with the resistance to drugs that has been noted. But the major challenge before researchers is the sudden spike in the incidence of malaria in 2016-17. In 2017, there were an estimated 219 million cases of malaria worldwide and approximately 4,35,000 deaths due to the disease, according to the WHO. The risk was found to be 59 per 1,000 people in the high-risk areas and regions which is considered an all-time high for the oldest disease in the world. Hyderabad: TRS working president K.T. Rama Rao on Sunday said that he had no clue about the entity called Globarena and that he heard about them only recently after the Intermediate results fiasco, while interacting with netizens during the #AskKTR session on Twitter. One netizen suggested making the board of intermediate education officers accountable: The department inquiry is a sham, its conducted by their biradri, and they exonerate each other. An external disciplinary committee should be engaged. Mr Rama Raos response: Point taken. Replying to a tweet which asked him to contest from Andhra Pradesh in the next election, he replied, Thanks, but 2024 is far away. When a similar request was made by another fan from Tamil Nadu, Mr Rama Rao said that Tamil Nadu already has too many leaders. When asked who would be the next Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Mr Rama Rao made light of it and said, One of the MLAs from Andhra Pradesh, I think. One netizen asked him, Do you really think Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy is fit to be the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh? Let the people of Andhra Pradesh decide that. How does my opinion matter? Mr Rama Rao tweeted in response. Responding to a question pertaining to the establishment of the turmeric board in Nizamabad, he said that the TRS will soon strive for the turmeric board in Delhi with hopefully a friendlier new dispensation. Responding to a question about the parliamentary election results, Mr Rama Rao said, I believe we will win 16 Lok Sabha seats. In response to a tweet pertaining to the development plans for the coming five years, he said, We aim to complete the irrigation projects, improve health and education standards, and upgrade the urban and rural infrastructure. Several netizens asked Mr Rama Rao if he had watched Avengers: Endgame yet. Mr Rama Rao said that he knows nothing about Avengers. A netizen asked him to comment on Mr Modis interview with Akshay Kumar. I did not watch the whole thing but I liked Akshays pink trousers, Mr Rao tweeted back humorously. Commenting on the corruption in municipal offices, he said, We are going to make a sincere attempt by way of the new municipal act. On resolving water issues in South Telangana, Mr Rama Rao said, Palamuru lift irrigation project is our top priority. It will help irrigate parched areas of Mahbubnagar, Ranga Reddy, and parts of Nalgonda. Another netizen asked, Sir, how does it feel when people, sometimes even from other states, reach out to you about their problems, especially since youre not part of the government? I feel responsible as a public representative belonging to the party that is running the government, Mr Rao replied. To a tweeter who said he had tweeted to him over a hundred times already, but has received no reply, and who threatened that if he failed to respond to this one, he would swear at Nara Lokesh, Mr Rama Rao said, Brother, why are you dragging Lokesh in our conversation? In another hilarious tweet, a netizen told Mr Rama Rao that he would keep drinking beer until he received a response from him, even if that were to kill him. While interacting with netizens during the #AskKTR session on Twitter, he chose to clarify matters pertaining to the Intermediate examination results. Opposition parties have alleged that Globarena, the firm that had bagged the Rs 4.3 crore contract for three years starting 2018, had close links with Mr Rama Rao. One netizen asked Mr Rama Rao in a tweet, Do you think that it is right on your part to interfere in the governments activities despite the fact that you dont hold any constitutional post? Why do collectors tag you in the achievements of the government? Are you acting like an extraconstitutional autho-rity? Also, your name figures with Globarena. Any comment? Mr Rama Rao replied, I am an elected public representative and can request officers to look into peoples issues. Why should anyone have a problem with that? Now, about this entity called Globarena, I had not the slightest clue of them until I heard about them only recently after the intermediate results debacle. When another netizen @Imsiddu3 asked him to come clean on the allegation, Mr Rama Rao replied, Ill say absolutely rubbish./Its absolute rubbish. Responding to a flood of tweets concerning the ongoing Intermediate results controversy, Mr Rama Rao said, I was just as taken aback as everyone else in the state. What has happened is truly unfortunate. Now that the committee appointed by the Telangana government has submitted its report, action should be taken. In another tweet regarding the same issue, Mr Rama Rao said, What has happened is tragic and those that are responsible for it should be punished. Even Im a parent and I can understand the pain of those who have lost their children. Mr Rama Rao was fairly candid and witty with his responses during his two-hour session with the Twitterati as he shared his thoughts on national politics and parties and even spoke about his future plans to develop the state Sitamarhi/Saran (Bihar)/Barabanki (UP): On the eve of Lok Sabha phase-four voting on 72 seats in nine states, BJP chief Amit Shah on Sunday once again took to Pakistan-bashing and showcased the Narendra Modi governments commitment to national security, saying if Pakistan fires a bullet, well surely bomb them. He also said that India is only the third country after Israel and the US to counter terror bravely. Attacking the Congress for allegedly showing a soft corner for the neighbouring country, Mr Shah said Prime Minister Modi has shown he is a man with a 56-inch chest by destroying terrorist hideouts in Pakistan. The Prime Minister has taken effective steps to secure the borders of the country. In the regime of UPA-I and II, enemy forces used to run havoc in the country but no action was taken on that front, said Mr Shah, addressing back-to-back election rallies in Bihar's Sitamarhi and Saran, which will be voting in the fifth phase of national polls on May 6. In the recent past, our 40 security personnel lost their lives in the Pulwama attack by Pakistan-aided terrorism. Due to the decisive nature of PM Modi, our brave IAF troops retaliated and entered enemy territory to destroy their terror camps, Mr Shah said. Hitting out at the Congress, the BJP chief said, Sam Pitroda issued a statement that such a retaliation is unwarranted but is it a fair question by the Opposition. One thing is clear that if Pakistan fires a bullet, well surely bomb them, he said. The BJP chief Shah said all anti-national elements will end up behind bars once the Modi government returns to power, as he hit out at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for what he described as his temerity to promise scrapping of the sedition law. In Uttar Pradeshs Barabanki, Mr Shah sought votes in the name of improved law and order situation in the state under Yogi Adityanath. Till the time the SP and the BSP ruled the state, criminals would roam freely. But, after Yogi Adityanath assumed office, criminals are seen moving with a patta (placard) reading arrest us but dont do encounter. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Bhubaneswar: BJP Puri Lok Sabha candidate Dr Sambit Patra has expressed deep shock over the missing of EVM control units (CUs) from Booth No 62 under Brahma-giri Assembly Constituency (AC). I am extremely saddened by this kind of unsc-rupulous means adopted by BJD in collusion with administrative officials to murder the spirit of democracy! Just Imagine EVM control unit goes missing from the stro-ng room!! EC should take note of such blatant wrongdoings, Dr Patra tweeted on Sunday. Polls were held in Puri on April 23. The control units record all the votes polled. Dr Patra is likely to lodge a formal complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer, Odisha, soon. I have tweeted about the development today. Im exploring the possibility to lodge a formal complaint with the CEO, Dr Patra told this newspaper on Sunday. Odisha Chief Electoral Officer Surendra Kumar had on Saturday admitted that a control unit from booth no 62 under Brahmagiri Assembly Constituency (AC) was missing. Addressing mediapersons, Mr Kumar informed that the particular control unit was not kept in the specified strong room and there were lapses on part of the official who received the EVMs. There are 12 strong rooms and the control unit could be in another strong room. The EVMs were received and kept in strong room after the third phase polls on April 23. But the particular control unit was not kept in the specified strong room, said Dr Kumar. The matter was brought to the notice of Election Commission (EC) after getting information from Puri district Collector. Recommendation for fresh poll at the booth was already intimated to the EC on April 24, the Chief Electoral Officer informed. Moreover, re-polls in 10 booths including two booths under Brahmagiri AC, four booths under Athagarh Assembly constituency and one booth each under Badamba, Debagarh, Satyabadi and Talcher have also been recommended to the Election Commission by local officials. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Hyderabad: The casual attitude of police officers in passing detention orders under the Preventive Detention Act has been censured by the Telangana High Court in several cases. The court has said that to simply detain an accused by invoking the Preventive Detention Act would be improper and unjust and that nothing prevents the prosecution from opposing a bail application before the trial court. In the event that bail is granted but the prosecution still believes in the likelihood that the accused might repeat the crime, which might threaten the peace and decorum in society, the prosecution can always move an appropriate application seeking cancellation of the bail before the trial court, the court said The High Court found fault with the police authorities passing orders under the Telangana Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Dacoits, Drug Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders, and Land Grabbers Act, (PD Act) 1986, to detain persons mechanically, without good reason. The High Court criticised the police for humiliating Amrutha Varshini's father, who was the main accused in the murder of his son-in-law Pranay in Miryalguda town, by calling him a habitual offender. The Miryalguda police registered a case of murder against Maruthi Rao and two others on September 14, 2018 and after 22 days, the police filed two FIRs against him for wrongful confinement and trespass, both bailable offences. In the case of Marella Srinivas Reddy, the Rachakonda Police Commissioner passed a detention order as Srinivas Reddy, along with his associates, was found alleged to be indulging in forgery, impersonation and cheating innocent landowners by using duplicate official stamps to forge land documents. According to the police, this caused panic and unrest among the innocent general public and landowners living in the Commissionerate limits. S. Pradeep Kumar, counsel for Srinivas Reddy, said that while quashing the detention orders, a division bench comprising Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice T Amarnath Goud pointed out that the offences which were alleged to have been committed by the detainee could have been dealt with effectively under the ordinary law. The bench noted, As seen from the record, the detaining authority has failed to draw the distinction between a 'danger to public order' and a 'violation of law and order', and the detaining authority did not indicate any cogent reason in the detention order for invoking the draconian law, which has to be dealt exclusively in the rarest of the rare cases which might have the potential to put national security and public order at stake. The bench further said, Like any other fundamental right, 'liberty' is not an unruly horse. It can be cribbed, cabined, and confined by a procedure established by law. Article 22 of the Constitution of India permits preventive detention of individuals who are likely to disturb public order, thereby endangering the life and liberties of others. This is not the first time the chief minister has spoken about boycotting the media. (Photo: Twitter | ANI) Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Sunday said he was 'boycotting' the media, apparently upset over the coverage of the Mandya Lok Sabha polls, where his son Nikhil Gowda is in the fray. "I'm boycotting you," an upset Kumaraswamy told reporters who sought his comments after his meeting with Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal here. "You do whatever you want for your story... Go do it. Go enjoy," he said. Though the reason for his outburst was not exactly clear, sources said he was upset over the media coverage of the Mandya Lok Sabha polls, where his son Nikhil from JD(S) was pitted against multi-lingual actress Sumalatha Ambareesh, an independent candidate, in what is perceived to be a cliffhanger contest. In the run-up to the election to the seat, Kumaraswamy had repeatedly hit out at the media, accusing them of supporting Sumalatha. This is not the first time the chief minister has spoken about boycotting the media. In November last year, Kumaraswamy said he would not address the press "for any reason". He had also said that he would "limit the media to what I speak from the stage." Kumaraswamy recently alleged that the media showed only Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he gets the "makeup" done to get a glow on his face before appearing in front of the camera. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Kolkata: Blaming West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for her "appeasement policy" behind the recent threat by terror outfit: Islamic State (IS) to enter the state, senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya on Sunday assumed that IS can enter the state "anytime" and the state's situation would be similar to that of Jammu & Kashmir if the Trinamul Congress supremo would remain in power. He underlined that the IS poster "Coming Soon" in Bengali which surfaced in a pro-IS telegram channel few days ago was a proof of Ms Banerjee's "appeasement policy." Mr Vijayvargiya also called for her ouster from power. "It is alarming the way the IS has threatened to come to Bengal. All these happened because of appeasement policy practised by Ms Banerjee," the BJP leader reasoned. He argued, "If Mamataji remains in power, the IS can enter Bengal anytime. The IS threat is looming large over Bengal. Mamataji is responsible for this. The situation in Bengal will become like Jammu and Kashmir if she is not removed from power. So ousting Mamataji from power is very important. Courtsey to her appeasement policy terrorists have made their bases strong in the bodering states. This is evident from the IS poster." Trinamul secretary general Partha Chatterjee condemned his attack. "One thing is clear that coming from Delhi they are polluting the culture of Bengal. This is an example. There is a great danger of such comments on whether it will keep the country or society united. They are trying to trigger a fight between two states while making derogatory and unparliamentary comments to attack Ms Banerjee," he alleged. He claimed, "Everyone knows that there is no extremism in the state. The militant movement which they are dreaming of is about to make a comeback because of their provocative approach. The people of Bengal will never accept it. They do not accept it also. I am surprised to find them not caring of our country's foreign policy while giving an example." Lambasting the BJP the education minister added, "They are also neither showing any honour to the Indian Army nor even caring for the people of the country. Thus they are insulting the peace-loving people of J&K who are also the citizens of India. Vote is so much binding for them that they are not following any rule. They are upto attacking anyone on the lines of Modi Code of Conduct. Now they have crossed all limits." Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. 'On EVMs, the letters BJP are visible under the party's symbol. No party can use the party's name and its symbol together,' said Abhishek Manu Singhvi the national spokesperson of the Congress Party. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Congress along with other opposition parties met Election Commission (EC) on Saturday alleging that the initials of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been printed below the party symbol on the ballot papers on the EVMs. According to the rules of the Election Commission of India, no party's name or initial is supposed to be printed on the balloting unit. On EVMs, the letters BJP are visible under the party's symbol. No party can use the party's name and its symbol together, said Abhishek Manu Singhvi the national spokesperson of the Congress Party. Congress demanded that either all machines allegedly carrying BJPs symbol with letters BJP should be removed else all other parties should also be allowed to add their names on their election symbol. We have demanded ECI that either it should remove all machines which mention BJP clearly or all other parties' names should be added in all the machines. Till then the use of these machines should be totally stopped in the elections, said Singhvi. The Trinamool Congress had earlier on Friday alleged that the symbol of BJP 'lotus' on the ballot paper has broken lines appearing below its stem, smudged in such a manner that it can be easily read as BJP. TMC in its complaint to the Election Commission said that use of the party initial under its symbol is a huge conspiracy to give the saffron party an unfair advantage in elections. This is highly discriminatory and unfair as party names, initials or visuals of no other party appear with the symbol in the ECI approved list of National Party Symbols as well as in the Ballot papers. We sense this as a huge conspiracy to give the BJP an unfair advantage in the election thereby destroying the sanctity of the election process. This is also seen as a biased and deliberate attempt to confuse the voters and damage the spirit of free and fair elections, read the complaint by All India Trinamool Congress. The Election Commission is a constitutional body which is duty bound to ensure free and fair elections. Only one political party should not be unjustly allowed to use its initials under its symbol, while the other parties are deprived of such an advantage, read the complaint. The Lok Sabha polls for the 42 seats in West Bengal are scheduled to be conducted in all the seven phases. Two seats went to polls April 11, 3 seats on April 18, 5 seats on April 18. On April 29, 8 seats will go to polls, 7 seats on May 6, 8 seats on May 12, and 9 seats on May 19. The counting of votes will be done 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. Anecdotal evidence appears to be multiplying of malfunctioning EVMs throwing up the name of the present ruling party alone, no matter which button is pressed by a voter. (Photo: File) In the recent era since the time of T.N. Seshan in the 1990s Indias Election Commission has not been under such intense scrutiny as it is today. This is due to the laidback or dismissive attitude of the head of the poll body over complaints by the Opposition parties piling up by the day without being addressed in the ongoing Lok Sabha poll season. Chief election commissioner Sunil Arora appears to cut a sorry figure, unable to rein in some of the top leaders of the ruling side, and this is heightening fears that the poll process has already been sullied. The opponents of the present government are also keeping their fingers crossed about the temperamental behaviour of the electronic voting machines (EVMs). Anecdotal evidence appears to be multiplying of malfunctioning EVMs throwing up the name of the present ruling party alone, no matter which button is pressed by a voter. Amusingly, no instance has been reported of a malfunctioning EVM giving the green light to any other party. Severe doubts have been created in the public mind due to this, and not only among the BJP's political and electoral opponents. To salvage the situation, the Election Commission needs to come as close as feasible to meeting the demand of Opposition parties made last week to run VVPAT (paper trail) checks in 50 per cent of votes cast in a constituency. The EC took the plea before the Supreme Court recently that this would delay the election results. The point is, so what? It is more important to have credible and transparent polls to elect the Parliament of the world's largest democracy, with 900 million eligible voters, than to be bogged down over any technicality. Unable to rein in communal speech and other lowly remarks, and prejudicial conduct of top politicians, especially from the ruling party, the CEC recently pleaded helplessness in the Supreme Court, lamenting that he lacked the powers to crack the whip. The court blasted the poll chief and reminded him he had adequate authority to enforce the Model Code of Conduct under Article 324 of the Constitution. But the court's sharp words are yet to prove a sufficient goad. Mr Arora continues to prevaricate, show lethargy in the discharge of his duties, and attract the charge of partisanship. Last Saturday, senior representatives of the Congress, Trinamul Congress, TDP, NCP and AAP complained to the Election Commission about the ballot papers in Barrackpore in West Bengal displaying the name of the BJP along with its party symbol. This is against the law, but the EC seems determined not to change the ballot paper. Frustration with the EC's conduct appears to be mounting and the Congress Party has threatened legal action. It's to be hoped it wont come to that, and the poll body would take corrective action to salvage its reputation. The Congress Party appointed Milind Deora as the chief of its Mumbai unit on March 26, just a month before the Lok Sabha polls in the countrys financial capital, in an attempt to tide over growing factionalism in the party. Mr Deora, who is considered to be a member of Rahul Gandhis young brigade in the party, was given the responsibility to rejuvenate the party cadre within a month. In an interview to The Asian Age reporter Sonu Shrivastava, former Union minister and Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora said that there is no Modi wave in the country like in 2014. Mr Deora, who is Congress candidate in Mumbai South constituency, has received support from the likes of Mukesh Ambani and Uday Kotak. However, he insists that he is the voice of not only the business community in the city but also the paanwalas, whom he can represent in Delhi. Mr Deora is contesting against Shiv Senas candidate Arvind Sawant from Mumbai South. He shared his opinions on the political scenario and the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. What differences do you see between the 2014 and 2019 general elections? There is no Modi wave like in 2014. People have realised that the promises made in 2014 were not fulfilled. Another major difference is that there was a feeling that Mr Modi is good for business and economy. That myth has also been busted. The 2019 general election has an undercurrent of change and no hype. In many senses its like my first election of 2004. No pundit could guess it right. India Shining misled and misinformed; the people of India delivered a surprising mandate. Why are businessmen like Mukesh Ambani and Uday Kotak supporting you? If you see the video that I have posted on Twitter, you will realise that the video includes a paanwala to a stainless steel trader to industry captains. They have seen my work and they know how well I understand South Mumbai and how committed I am to represent it in Delhi. The business and trading communities want people who can understand their issues and articulate them before the government. I feel enterprise is very important for growth and jobs. How many seats are you expecting to win in Maharashtra, especially in Mumbai? I dont get into predictions. But I am certain that the Congress and NCP alliance is making a remarkable comeback. How is Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackerays campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah going to help the Congress-NCP alliance? The election results will provide answers to that. We need no help from any party. We have our message and strategy in place. The Congress alone has the capacity to woo voters. Is MNS intending to become a part of the Congress-NCP alliance in Maharashtra Assembly election that is scheduled in September-October? You should ask them. I dont think this arrangement is possible. We have not sought support from any party and I personally oppose the politics of appeasement and opposition towards any community for their practices and beliefs. What impact will the factionalism in your party have on the general election? What measures are you planning to take to end the factionalism in the Mumbai City Congress unit? There are no factions in the Congress. In any democratic party differences do exist. They cannot be termed factionalism. The party is united and we are giving a good fight to the BJP and Shiv Sena alliance. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh (UP) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra did not come to the city for a single rally. What went wrong that the Congress failed to organise a big party rally in the city even after the announcement of the poll date? Congress president Rahul Gandhi has launched a party campaign in March for the upcoming elections. Mr Gandhi is in Maharashtra today. His visits are driven by various calculations. The party believes the campaign in Mumbai is going good after he opened it last month. How are you going to provide a 500 sq ft house to slum dwellers as promised by Rahul Gandhi in March? What is the exact plan of a 500 sq ft house to slum dwellers? All you need is political will. If on mill lands and under SRA (Slum Rehabilitation Authority), tall towers with spacious homes can happen. Then why not 500 sq ft for all living in dilapidated buildings and slums? We are talking to town planners and urban renewal experts. Cluster development on Bhendi Bazar has given us a reason to believe that it is possible. As you have been appointed the city Congress chief, what changes will the city witness with you at the helm? The Congress party in Mumbai will make development a centrepiece of its politics. I will reorganise the party to take up civic issues of clean air and water. Non-developmental issues dominate Mumbai politics. We will strive to control the Mumbai Municipal Corporation to give Mumbaikars a better city. The BJP has criticised the reversal of the CRZ proposed by Congress, calling it anti-Mumbaikar. What do you have to say about that? The BJP development plans are only to benefit landsharks and private companies. See what they are doing with MbPT land. Whether the CRZ or DP plan, builders will be benefited under BJPs rule. The common Mumbaikar will lose and we will not allow them to suffer. The agreement lifts a cloud that has hung over Musk as Tesla tries to ramp up production of its most important vehicle, the Model 3 sedan, and make a profit at the same time.(Photo: AP) Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk has reached a deal with the US Securities and Exchange Commission to settle a dispute over his use of Twitter, agreeing to submit his public statements about the companys finances and other topics to vetting by its legal counsel, according to a court filing on Friday. If it is approved by a judge, the deal means the Tesla founder no longer faces the prospect of being held in contempt for violating an earlier settlement with the agency, which had required him to submit statements material to investors for prior review. The new agreement, disclosed in a filing in Manhattan federal court, lays out in more detail exactly what kinds of statements must be reviewed. Shares of Tesla rose 1.4 per cent to USD 238.50 in after-hours trading. The agreement lifts a cloud that has hung over Musk as Tesla tries to ramp up production of its most important vehicle, the Model 3 sedan, and make a profit at the same time. It could really have turned out far worse for him, said Stephen Diamond, a professor of securities law at Santa Clara University. The consequences of thumbing his nose at the SEC could have been far worse for him and the company. Tesla has struggled with logistics difficulties in delivering its Model 3 to global customers, a declining share price and lingering questions about the sustainability of demand. Earlier this week, the electric vehicle maker posted a USD 702 million loss and warned of a loss in the second quarter. Musks lawyer did not immediately return a request for comment. The SEC sued Musk last year after he tweeted on Aug. 7 that he had funding secured to take Tesla private at USD 420 per share. The agency said the tweet, which sent Teslas share price up as much as 13.3 per cent, violated securities laws. Musks privatisation plan was at best in an early stage and financing was not in place. Musk settled the lawsuit, agreeing to step down as chairman and have the companys lawyers pre-approve written communications, including tweets with material information about the company. In February, the SEC accused Musk of violating that settlement by sending a tweet about Teslas production numbers that had not been vetted by the companys attorneys and asked US District Judge Alison Nathan in Manhattan to hold him in contempt. At an April 4 court hearing, the judge declined to rule on the contempt motion and told the SEC and Musk to work out their differences and come to a settlement. Musks lawyers have argued that the February tweet did not contain new information that was material to investors, and that Musk did not need pre-approval for all tweets about Tesla under the settlement. They also argued the settlement was too ambiguous for Musk to be held in contempt. The new agreement unveiled Friday addresses that ambiguity by listing what kinds of statements must be vetted. They include statements about Teslas financial condition, proposed or potential deals, production numbers, performance projections, financing or lending arrangements and Musks own transactions in the companys securities. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. The shooting in the town of Poway, north of San Diego, came exactly six months after a white supremacist killed 11 people at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue. (Photo:AP) Los Angeles: A teenage gunman who wrote a hate-filled manifesto opened fire at a synagogue in California on Saturday, killing one person and injuring three others including the rabbi as worshippers marked the final day of Passover, authorities said. The shooting in the town of Poway, north of San Diego, came exactly six months after a white supremacist killed 11 people at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue -- the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in US history. San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said those wounded included the rabbi -- who had injuries to both index fingers -- as well as a female minor and 34-year-old man who were injured by shrapnel. A 60-year-old woman died from her wounds. Gore identified the suspect, who was arrested after fleeing the scene, as 19-year-old John Earnest and said he had no prior arrest record. He said Earnest burst into the Chabad of Poway synagogue shortly after 11:20 a.m. local time and opened fire with an assault weapon that appears to have malfunctioned, preventing him from inflicting more harm. Gore said an off-duty border patrol agent who was at the synagogue at the time of the shooting opened fire on the gunman as he was fleeing, striking his car but missing the suspect. The man was eventually apprehended by a San Diego police officer who had been monitoring dispatch radio and raced to the scene, San Diego police chief David Nisleit said. "He clearly saw the suspect's vehicle, the suspect jumped out with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody by the San Diego police department," Nisleit said. Gore said authorities were examining Earnest's social media activity and establishing the legitimacy of an anti-Semitic open letter he apparently published on a far-right message board hours before the attack. "We have copies of his social media posts and his open letter and we'll be reviewing those to determine the legitimacy of it and how it plays in to the investigation," he said. The manifesto, reviewed by AFP, is similar to one posted on the same message board by Brenton Tarrant, a white supremacist who was behind the March 15 mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, that left 50 people dead. The hate-filled letter lauds Tarrant's actions and that of the Pittsburgh shooter and claims responsibility for a fire at a mosque in California a week after the Christchurch shootings. Speaking at a rally in Wisconsin, President Donald Trump denounced Saturday's shooting as a "hate crime" and offered his support to the victims. "Tonight, America's heart is with the victims of the horrific synagogue shooting in California," he told supporters. "Our entire nation mourns the loss of life, prays for the wounded and stands in solidarity with the Jewish community. We forcefully condemn the evil of anti-Semitism and hate which must be defeated." California's Governor Gavin Newsom also denounced the tragedy. "While we continue to learn more about what transpired, we can't ignore the circumstances around this horrific incident," he said. "No one should have to fear going to their place of worship, and no one should be targeted for practicing the tenets of their faith." Minoo Anvari told the local CNN affiliate that her husband was inside the synagogue during the shooting. "Just one message from all of us from our congregation that we are standing together," she said. "We are strong. You can't break us. We are all together." On Twitter, Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she was "heartbroken" by news of the shooting. "We have a responsibility to love + protect our neighbors," she said. "The hatred and violence has got to stop," added California representative Mike Levin. The Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles said in a statement that the shooting was "a horrific reminder that the flames of hatred still burn strong among some." "An attack, on any house of worship, from churches in Sri Lanka and France to synagogues in Jerusalem or Pittsburgh to mosques in Christchurch, are an assault on human dignity and our rights as people of faith to pray to God," it added. Saturday's shooting comes amid a rise in hate crimes in the United States, the majority targeting those of Jewish faith. Last year, the Anti-Defamation League, which combats anti-Semitism and discrimination, reported a 57 percent leap in the number of anti-Semitic incidents in 2017, the sharpest yearly spike since the 1970s. In his Facebook post, Zelensky warned Russia not to talk with Ukraine "in the language of threats or military or economic pressure." (Photo: File) Kiev: President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed an offer by Vladimir Putin to provide passports to Ukrainians, and pledged instead to grant citizenship to Russians who "suffer" under the Kremlin's rule. The Russian president said Moscow was considering plans to make it easier for all Ukrainians to obtain Russian citizenship, after it earlier moved to grant passports in the country's separatist east. Kiev has been fighting Moscow-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine since 2014 in a war that has killed 13,000. Zelensky, a comedian who won Ukraine's presidential election last week, responded to Putin's offer by releasing a statement on Facebook late on Saturday. "We know perfectly well what a Russian passport provides," he said, listing "the right to be arrested for a peaceful protest" and "the right not to have free and competitive elections." He pledged instead to "give citizenship to representatives of all nations that suffer from authoritarian and corrupt regimes. "But first and foremost to the Russian people who suffer most of all". He said that one of the differences between Ukraine and Russia is that "we Ukrainians have freedom of speech, freedom of the media and the internet in our country." A political novice, Zelensky has pledged to "reboot" peace talks with the separatists that also involve Russia and the West. Putin has not congratulated Zelensky on his election, but said he is ready to talk with a new Ukrainian leadership and wants to "understand" the actor's position on the conflict. In his Facebook post, Zelensky warned Russia not to talk with Ukraine "in the language of threats or military or economic pressure." He previously called for more international sanctions against Moscow in response to Russia providing citizenship to residents of Ukraine's separatist east. The EU also condemned Moscow's passport scheme, calling it a fresh assault on Ukraine's sovereignty and saying Russia sought to "destabilise" Ukraine after its presidential election. Putin's decree last week allows people living in Ukraine's unrecognised Donetsk and Lugansk breakaway republics to receive a Russian passport within three months of applying for one. Zelensky is due to take office by early June. Relatives pay their respects to the victims of the Easter Sunday bombings after a televised Sunday mass by Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, in Negombo, north of Colombo. (Photo: AP) Colombo/Kalmunai: The father and two brothers of the suspected mastermind of Sri Lankas Easter Sunday bombings were killed when security forces stormed their safe house two days ago, police sources and a relative of the suicide bombers said on Sunday. Zainee Hashim, Rilwan Hashim and their father Mohamed Hashim, who were seen in a video circulating on social media calling for all-out war against non-believers, were among 15 killed in the gun battle with the military on the east coast on Friday, four police sources said. Niyaz Sharif, the brother-in-law of Zahran Hashim, the suspected ringleader of the Easter bombings, said the video showed Zahrans two brothers and father. In the video, Rilwan Hashim is seen calling for all out jihad, or holy war, while children cry in the background. A total of 106 suspects, including a Tamil medium teacher and a principal, were arrested in connection with the blasts, police said. The 40-year-old teacher was found in possession of 50 SIM cards and other incriminating items. He was held following a joint operation conducted by the Kalpitiya Police and the Navy. Two suspects were arrested in Galle during a search conducted on information received of a school managed by the NTJ. One of them is a principal of the school and the other is a doctor who has served as an instructor. The Galle police is conducting further investigations. In a special joint operation conducted by the Army and police in Vavuniya town, 10 suspects were arrested. A representative of the Khashoggi family -- which this month rejected reports of a settlement with the Saudi government. (Photo:File) Washington: Two top Saudi royal advisors have been linked to journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder. One has been labeled the "ringleader" but questions are swirling over the absence of the other in the closed-door trial of 11 suspects, multiple sources told AFP. Saudi prosecutors have said deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Assiri oversaw the Washington Post columnist's killing in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate last October and that he was advised by the royal court's media czar Saud al-Qahtani. Both aides were part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's tight-knit inner circle and have formally been sacked over the killing but only Assiri has appeared in the five court hearings since January, according to four Western officials privy to the information. "Qahtani is not among the 11 facing trial," one of the officials told AFP. "What does his absence mean? Are the Saudis keen to protect him or discipline him separately? No one knows." The kingdom's public prosecutor last November indicted 11 unnamed suspects, including five who could face the death penalty over the murder. Diplomats from the UN Security Council's permanent members -- the US, Britain, France, China, Russia -- as well as Turkey are allowed to attend as observers of the legal proceedings that are held entirely in Arabic. They are not allowed to bring interpreters and are usually summoned at short notice, the sources said. A representative of the Khashoggi family -- which this month rejected reports of a settlement with the Saudi government -- has attended at least one court session, they said. Maher Mutreb, an intelligence operative who frequently traveled with the crown prince on foreign tours, forensic expert Salah al-Tubaigy and Fahad al-Balawi, a member of the Saudi royal guard, are among the 11 on trial who could face the death penalty, the officials said. The defendants are allowed legal counsel. Many of them have defended themselves in court by saying they were carrying out orders by Assiri, describing him as the "ringleader" of the operation, according to the officials. The kingdom's media ministry did not respond to AFP's request for comment. The defendants' lawyers could also not be reached. Assiri, lionized in Saudi military ranks as a war hero, does not face the death penalty, the Western officials added. Believed to have previously worked closely with US intelligence, he is also not named in two American sanctions lists of Saudis implicated in the murder. Qahtani, who led fiery social media campaigns against critics of the kingdom and was seen as a conduit to the crown prince, is on both lists. He met the Saudi hit squad team before they left for Turkey to share "useful information related to the mission based on his specialisation in media," according to the Saudi prosecutor's office. But he has not appeared publicly since the murder and his current whereabouts are a subject of fevered speculation. Some Saudis claim he continues to peddle influence behind the scenes, but others say he is lying low, waiting for the international outrage over the murder to subside. Washington Post columnist David Ignatius reported earlier this year that Prince Mohammed continues to seek his counsel, citing US and Saudi sources. "Qahtani holds a lot of files and dossiers," Ignatius quoted one American who met the crown prince as saying. "The idea that you can have a radical rupture with him is unrealistic." US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who faces intense scrutiny in Congress over Washington's close relations with Riyadh, has urged the crown prince to snap his ties with Qahtani, two Western officials told AFP. The CIA has reportedly said the murder was likely ordered by Prince Mohammed, the de facto ruler and heir to the throne. Saudi authorities strongly deny the allegation, and in private conversations with Western officials they have instead criticized Turkish authorities for failing to stop the murder. "Their intelligence knew that a (Saudi) hit squad was coming. They could have stopped them!" one of them quoted a Saudi official as saying. Turkish officials were the first to report Khashoggi's murder and have continued to press Saudi Arabia for information on the whereabouts of his dismembered body, which has yet to be found. Agnes Callamard, the United Nations special rapporteur conducting an independent inquiry into the killing, last month condemned what she called a lack of transparency in the legal proceedings and demanded an open trial. The kingdom "is grievously mistaken if it believes that these proceedings, as currently constituted, will satisfy the international community," she said. It was unclear when the Saudi trial will conclude. This month, a coalition of seven international human rights and press freedom groups called on Britain, France, and the US to issue public reports on the trial. Secret trial proceedings "run the risk of enabling the 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 coalition said in an open letter. Last month, he was admitted to a hospital in Dubai after suffering a reaction from a rare disease for which he is already under treatment. (Photo:File) Islamabad: Pakistan's former military dictator Pervez Musharraf, who is facing high treason case, is likely to return to the country on May 1, his lawyer said on Saturday. A special court indicted General (retd) Musharraf, 75, for high treason in March 2014. He left for Dubai in 2016 to "seek medical treatment" and has not returned since. Last month, he was admitted to a hospital in Dubai after suffering a reaction from a rare disease for which he is already under treatment. "Despite his deteriorating medical condition, the former military ruler is determined to appear before the court that had summoned him for the hearing scheduled for May 2," Musharraf's lawyer Salman Safdar told reporters. "The approval of former president's personal physician had become of upmost importance in the current circumstances, considering his fragile medical condition," Safdar was quoted as saying by the Express News. However, family sources have confirmed his arrival date, he added. The Pakistan Supreme Court, while hearing a plea filed by a lawyer who pointed out that proceedings of the treason case had come to a halt as former president Musharraf had not returned since 2016, on April 1 directed the former military ruler to appear before the special court on May 2. The three-member bench of the top court headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa also warned him that if he fails to turn up then he will lose his right to record a statement under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedures. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had filed the treason case against Musharraf over the president's imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007. The special court declared Musharraf a proclaimed offender and ordered the confiscation of his property owing to his no-show. Later, on orders of the Supreme Court, Musharraf's passport and national identity card were also cancelled. Musharraf ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008. A conviction for high treason carries the death penalty or life imprisonment. In a clear indication of lack of support from the lenders on further funding, Jet Airways chief executive Vinay Dube has said it is painful that there is no commitment on the part of all stakeholders on paying salaries to the employees which are due in a few days. The now-grounded airline has not paid March salaries to its over 20,000 employees. Jet ceased operations on April 17. April salary is due in a few days. The airline suspended operations after the SBI-led consortium of lenders rejected its demand for Rs 983-crore lifeline to help carry out operations and pay to the employees their March salaries. "While we will continue to support the bank's bid find a buyer or the airline, it pains us to communicate that no clarity or commitment on salaries has been provided by any of our stakeholders so far," Dube said in a communication to employees Friday. Significantly, on Friday the employees had planned to take out a peace walk towards the venue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's election rally in the BKC are here but was cancelled at the last minute on request from the police and the state government. "While on the one hand, we are being told to preserve the value of Jet Airways during the bid process, on the other hand, with no salary payment, some of our colleagues have no choice but to find employment elsewhere. "When we highlight the disappointing irony of this situation to the lenders, we are simply told that this problem is to be addressed by the shareholders, who should and could have agreed on a resolution plan a long time ago," Dube lamented in the letter. He also said though there have been many board meeting, the promoters and strategic shareholder (Etihad) there was no favourable outcome on funding and paying salaries so far. "We have also approached government at the highest levels seeking intervention and assistance but that too has not yielded any positive results," he added. Dube also said in the past few days the leadership team is trying to convince the lenders to release some funds to the employees while continuing to support the bank led bid sale process. "We have told them repeatedly that our employees are facing grave hardships owing to non-payment of salaries and that if this were to continue any longer, our employees will have no option but to find employment elsewhere. "Unfortunately, the banks have said they are unable to make any salary commitments, until after the bidding process is complete," he said. Sunday church services took place in the city amid heavy security presence a week after the Easter blasts in Sri Lanka. People attending mass welcomed the measure by the home department to provide security cover to a few city churches, while some of them were taken aback by the police presence. The state government had assured citizens that security will be provided to religious institutions to ensure their safety. Security was deployed at St Marys Basilica, Infant Jesus and Holy Trinity churches. Extensive security measures were in place at St Marks Cathedral. But there was no police security at St Patricks, East Parade Church and other churches in the city. All churches deployed private security guards to manage the crowd who kept a watch on people entering the church premises. Some churches erected barricades to restrict the vehicles for a better vigil. A pink Hoysala vehicle was present on the premises between the entry and exit gates of the Infant Jesus Church in Viveknagar, from where the police watched visitors on both sides. But no one watched the entry and exit points at the street. The narrow two-way lane made life difficult for many, but citizens pitched in by managing traffic. At St Marys Basilica in Shivajinagar, the traffic police managed the vehicular movement in the area, while private guards managed the crowd inside the church. Elaborate security arrangements were in place at St Marks Cathedral on MG Road. While a pink Hoysala vehicle was stationed near the St Marks Road entrance, the MG Road entrance was closed. Traffic police officials were also deployed near the Lavelle Road entrance, even as police officials took care of security inside the premises. Private security guards checked visitors with metal detectors. A police outpost was put up at the Holy Trinity Church to station law and order and traffic policemen. Private security guards deployed by the church management checked vehicles from behind the barricades erected to restrict movement. City Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar told DH that security was provided at all places, adding that malls and hotels have been asked to keep a watch. As for establishments hiring private security guards, Kumar said they have been asked to deploy them if they could afford to, failing which the police department will help. With reiteration of the Karnataka Public Safety act, 2017, all establishments getting a footfall of over 500 people per day should have CCTV cameras and metal detectors. The police will be stationed at all places. Its a continuous process, Kumar added. Indian drug regulators have seized more than 2,300 kg of illegal Chinese bulk drugs awaiting dispatch to the pharmaceutical industry for use in formulating drugs sold in retail medicine shops. If used in formulation, such unauthorised bulk drugs raw material for tablets, capsules and syrups pose health risks to patients as their quality remains suspect. Import of bulk drugs requires registration certificate and import license. An importer has to provide information like manufacturing process, validation data, analytical procedure, bio-equivalence data, stability data and certificate of analysis to the regulator to ensure that only certified quality bulk drugs enter the country. After receiving a tip-off, officials of the Central Drug Standards Control Organisation and Tamil Nadu Drugs Control Department raided the office and premises of Kawarlal and Co, Madhavaram, Chennai, and recovered 2,354 kg of illegal bulk drugs earlier this week. The drugs recovered included Erythromycin Stearate (235 kg), Verapamil Hydrochloride (155 kg), Megestrol Acetate (70 kg), Trimetazidine dihydrochloride (1,344 kg), Folic Acid (125 kg), Silymarin (175 kg) and Calcium D Pantothenate (250 kg). As some of these drugs are antibiotics, they pose additional challenge to the regulators. If bulk quantities of unauthorised antibiotics found their way to retail markets for human and veterinary medicines, it will add to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. These drugs were manufactured in China by Zhejiang Medicines and Health Products, Ningbo Hitech Biochemicals, Jingjing Pharmaceuticals and Shandong Sinder Technology. Import of unregistered drugs without quality evaluation is a major health hazard to the patients using formulation made from these bulk drugs. The cost of the seized material is estimated to be about Rs 1.5 crore, which may be much more in the open market. It is suspected that the total value of illegal transactions may run into several crores, the CDSCO said in a statement. While the CDSCO continues with the investigation, regulators have also informed the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, which will take appropriate action under the law. Several organisations in Assam staged a protest on Sunday here, accusing the state government of failing to nab those involved in the attacks on three journalists in the last three days. Two days after miscreants attacked Rajen Deka and Upasana Barua Goswami, two journalists in Nalbari and Tinsukia districts, Rajib Bora, another journalist was attacked in Jorhat district on Saturday night. Deka, a correspondent of Dainik Asom, an Assamese daily was attacked with a bamboo pole on Thursday night while he was on his way home. Dekas family alleged that a BJP worker, who threatened him on Facebook recently over a news item had attacked him. Deka was admitted to hospital with serious injury. Police picked up a youth but the prime accused has not yet been nabbed. Upasana, a reporter with News18 Assam-Northeast, a news channel, came under the attack of miscreants in a restaurant the same day. Bora, a reporter with DY365, another news channel was attacked by owner of a street side food joint, allegedly following a news item that highlighted encroachment in Jorhat town. Every time there is an attack on journalist, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal promises action, but nothing happens thereafter. This is encouraging the miscreants to attack the journalists, said a protester of Students Federation of India. Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, a peasants rights body led by RTI activist, Akhil Gogoi alleged that such attacks have increased since May 2016 when BJP-led government came to power in the state. He said the government's failure to nab the accused indicated its indirect support to efforts of silencing the media. "Media is under constant threat and a sense of insecurity under the BJP government, not only in Assam but in rest of the country," said Ratul Hussain, publicity secretary of the forum. The credibility of polling process has come under serious doubt with the returning officer of Chikkodi Lok Sabha constituency taking serious note of the lapses by election staff. The election staff, after conducting the mock polling on the election day, had failed to erase this data before going ahead with actual polling. The Returning officer (RO) has sent a detailed report to the Election Commissioner of India seeking for further action. It is exactly not known in how many polling booths such blunders have taken place. However, the lapse came to the fore during the post polling scruitiny after the election officials informed about it to the polling agents to take them into confidence. Sources told DH that this blunder is not confined to one constituency. Such lapses have also taken place in Bangalore North constituency and in Udupi-Chikkamagaluru seat, the sources said. DH report Belagavi District Kannada Organisation Action Committee president Ashok Chandargi expressed shock over the blunder after DH published an article Blunder by polling officials cause concern over the lapses in the polling process, in the respective edition. Chandargi said, It is really shocking, the blunder created by polling staff is unacceptable after they underwent training. The dereliction in duty on the part of the presiding officer and other election officials was of serious nature, he said. The EC should ensure that it randomly counts votes in at least 25 of the EVMs and VVPAT machines in each of the Assembly constituencies, to clear the air about more active involvement of polling staff in the election process. Social activist B R Sangoppagol said the lapse should be thoroughly reviewed so that injustice is not meted out to any of the candidates. Congress rural district unit president Vinay Navalgatti urged for a thorough inquiry into the lapses before announcing the results of all the constituencies. Opposition chief whip in the Council Mahantesh Kavatagimath said, the lapses are highly condemnable. The Election Commission should come out clear on how it will rectify the blunder. The BJPs legal cell will seriously look into the matter and submit objections to the EC, he said. Returning officer Dr K V Rajendra told DH that details of votes polled after mock polling have been sealed in black envelopes, which will help resolve the issue. A detailed report has been sent to the EC, he said. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, who has undergone something of a metamorphosis when it comes to legalizing marijuana, certainly picked the right guy to lead the charge. In his first term, Wolf opposed any notion of legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, even while being a firm supporter of medical marijuana, which became law in Pennsylvania in 2018. Funny what cruising to an easy re-election win does for your outlook. After crushing Republican and fellow York County resident Scott Wagner in a lopsided gubernatorial race, Wolf suddenly announced he was keeping an open mind on the drumbeat for legal weed. That might have had something to do with the man standing beside him claiming victory. Wolf had a new running mate and a polar opposite at that. Wolf looks for all the world like the prim, proper businessman turned politician. Not so for new Lt. Gov. John Fetterman. The hulking, tattooed former mayor of Braddock, Pa., looks like a lot of things. A politician is not one of them. So in one of their first acts, Wolf and his new bud announced Fetterman would be embarking on a statewide listening tour to gauge public opinion on the issue of legalizing marijuana. Monday night they arrived in Delaware County. They were in Chester County the week before, and also have made stops in Berks and Montgomery. Delco was the 44th stop on the tour, which is expected to conclude in early May. Fetterman will eventually hit every county in the state. This is a good thing. Its nice to see our elected officials making such a concerted effort to actually listen to what residents think about a fairly important issue. No, its not taxes, education funding or a cure to the public pension crisis. But its still a big issue looming not just in Pa. but across the nation. Fetterman has stressed he wants to hear all voices, and all the comments are being recorded. What he heard in Delco echoed sentiments heard across the state. Public opinion seems to be solidly in favor of legalizing sales and possession of small amounts of marijuana. And for a lot of reasons, including getting these kinds of nuisance cases out of our clogged court system, rectifying what certainly appears to be lopsided arrest and jail time for minorities caught up in pot busts, and helping those with prior arrests clear their records. But all of those reasons pale beside the obvious: Legalizing marijuana could have a huge effect on the states bottom line. Were talking revenue. Legalize it and tax it. The pro-pot effort picked up steam in Pa. just as New Jersey seemed on the precipice of joining states such as Colorado in legalizing marijuana. The revenue numbers from Colorado are eye-popping, and dont think for a moment that Pennsylvania elected officials are going to sit back and watch all that money drive across the bridge to New Jersey every day. Think about legalized gambling. Only instead of rolling the dice, this time Pa. is going to roll it up and smoke it. For decades the state has been sticking it to tobacco users with any and all variety of so-called sin taxes. Now its pots turn. A caution here. The push is not without its opponents. There are those who fear an increase in people driving under the influence of pot, as well as the old warning against marijuana in the belief that it is a gateway to other drugs. Then there is politics. This is Pennsylvania after all. There is always politics. Wolf and Fetterman are Democrats. Both the state House and Senate remain firmly in the control of the GOP. And Republican leaders are a bit more tepid in their stance on legalizing marijuana. Recently a group of Republican state reps took off the gloves in their opposition, attacking Fettermans tour as nothing more than a cover to an agenda of legalizing drugs. They wonder if Fetterman is actually listening to the voices of those who oppose this idea, blasting the tour as a sham. Were not ready to go there. We take Fetterman at his word and laud the effort by both the governor and his second-in-command to actually go out and listen to what people have to say. Legal marijuana is likely not coming to Pennsylvania anytime soon. One look at the torturous, long-distance battle waged before finally winning the medical marijuana tour is ample evidence of what lies ahead. But if and when it comes and were betting that it eventually will you can also bet the house it will have a lot more to do with padding the states bottom line than any social or justice mores. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it. Joe Bidens recent presidential announcement surprised few, but it will surprise more than a few if Biden actually wins the Democratic presidential nomination. At age 76 today, he would be the oldest president ever inaugurated by more than seven years. He also brings several other liabilities not shared with other front runners into the race. His record in public office spans five decades back to the 1970s, a period in which huge cultural shifts have occurred -most particularly on racial and gender issues. Many of Bidens positions over the years such as his strong support for mass incarceration policies, with its now well understood racial consequences. Add to that his demeanor during the Anita Hill hearings that will be politically damaging for him. The recent controversy that erupted over his alleged improper touching of women illustrate the challenges that will confront him as he struggles to present himself as a moderate, senior statesman who still gets it. Moreover, Biden, as a lifelong centrist, will be swimming upstream in a Democratic party turning sharply to the left. Against these disadvantages, however, Biden brings some impressive strengths into the race. He was the vice president in a popular Democratic administration and the remaining glow from the Obama years still envelops him. Moreover, his long tenure in public office gives him by far the deepest roots in the Democratic party of any other candidate (Bernie Sanders has been an Independent most of his career). If there is an establishment candidate in the Democratic primary race, Biden is it. He is also a gifted politician, effective on the stump, experienced in national campaigns, personally likeable, and the nearest thing to an incumbent Democrats have. Additionally, Biden touts unrivaled foreign policy credentials and leads the Democratic field of the 20 announced candidates in the early polls. But, perhaps, his greatest strength among a Democratic electorate seeking an electable nominee is his unique opportunity to dismantle Trumps Electoral College strategy a strategy that relies heavily on Trumps ability to win again in 2020 the states of Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. These four states delivered the presidency to Trump in 2016. With Biden as the 2020 nominee, however, all four of these must states become problematic for Trump who probably needs all of them to win re-election. Of the four, Pennsylvania presents perhaps the greatest threat to Trump if Biden is the nominee. Thats because Biden, born in Scranton, enjoys almost native son popularity in the state, as well as strong support among working class voters. Trumps 44,000-vote victory statewide in Pennsylvania in 2016 was largely due to working class voter support in the southwestern and northeastern regions of the state. Biden is popular in both regions, which could enable him as the nominee to win Pennsylvania in a contest with Trump. Taking the Keystone State out of the Trump coalition would compel Trump to replace the sixth largest states 20 crucial electoral votes a task that may not be possible given the dwindling number of potential 2020 swing states. If Biden does become the nominee in 2020, Trump will be challenged to keep his 2016 Electoral College coalition together. Moreover, Trump lost the popular vote in 2016 and could well lose the popular vote again, meaning he would need to repeat his Electoral College performance. So, Democrats in 2020 may face a painful dilemma. Biden remains the face of the past within a party seeking a brave new future. Yet, he simultaneously looks like the Democrats most likely winner in the Electoral College. Ultimately, it may come down to how bad Democratic voters want to win in 2020. Biden may have the best opportunity to defeat Trump in the Electoral College but at least three and maybe more already announced Democratic candidates pose major threats to Biden in the battle for the partys nomination. For Democrats it will become a choice of purity or pragmatism. Historically, Republicans do a better job employing pragmatism to select a nominee, but Democrats may be ready to learn from their GOP counterparts. Hence, 2020 looks like it may be a presidential election fought out between two nominees selected for their electability over other more traditional factors. Some Republicans may not prefer Trump but its clear that he will be the nominee. While they may lose with him, they would surely lose without him. On the other hand, Democrats may prefer a nominee other than Biden but may chose him anyway because he seems most likely to beat Trump where it counts and that is in the Electoral College. The voters will work this all out as they always do. In the meantime, the stage is being set for one of the most hotly contested, drama-infused, and significant elections in modern American history. Winning a presidential election is always important but winning in 2020 may be as important as any election since 1932 in setting the future trajectories of both major parties and the role government plays in the lives of Americans. The newest report from the Social Security Board of Trustees was released Monday. Unfortunately, a lot of people are missing the point. Yes, the report actually moves back the projected date at which Social Securitys costs will exceed the taxes collected for the program, to 2020. The date at which the programs retirement payments are expected to completely exhaust its reserve was moved one year back, to 2035, but the programs disability payments now are projected to be in good shape until 2052, which is 20 years later than previously projected. Some people are claiming this as a reason to breathe easier, saying it shows there is no reason to panic or to cut benefits in anticipation of problems in 2035. Things change. Lets just wait and see what happens next. But the trustees themselves say this would be foolish. Its easier to fix anticipated problems today, while they remain relatively far in the future. The disability fund projections improved because todays economy is so strong that many disabled workers have found jobs and no longer seek claims. We should all hope those conditions continue; however, history would suggest otherwise. But the big point most people seem to be missing concerns Social Securitys underlying long-term problem. Simply put, Americans arent having enough babies. The big point most people seem to be missing concerns Social Securitys underlying long-term problem. Simply put, Americans arent having enough babies. The premise behind Social Security is that todays workers are taxed to provide benefits for todays retirees. Already this is a problem, with members of the large baby boom generation retiring and smaller younger generations bearing the burden. But the problem promises to get worse in the future. The trustees report assumes the U.S. fertility rate will be 2.0 (meaning two children on average per woman of childbearing age) by 2027. But the actual rate, according to the report, was about 1.74 last year, and it has been on a long-term decline. As Elizabeth Bauer, an actuarial and Forbes.com contributor, wrote, such a miscalculation wont change the 2035 insolvency date for retirement benefits because todays babies wont be working by then, but those low rates have a significant impact on the long-term finances of the program. The report itself shows that a fertility rate of 1.8, rather than 2.0, would mean a much larger deficit to overcome over 75 years. What to do? Thats a difficult question, but perhaps Hungary, the tiny former Soviet bloc nation in Central Europe, has an answer. Like many European countries, Hungary has been worried that its declining fertility rate would threaten its long-term ability to thrive economically. Nearly a decade ago, political leaders there began implementing family oriented policies aimed at supporting strong families as the key to survival. As a result, according to various sources, newlyweds receive subsidies and qualify for low-interest loans, some parents can qualify for a mortgage subsidy and paid maternity leave now applies even to grandparents, in an effort to help parents return to work sooner. Parents, meanwhile, get three years of paid leave, and the government pays for day care. Mothers with four or more children receive income tax exemptions, a logic that, unfortunately, seems lost on many who advocate higher taxes for Utahns with big families. Also, the more children one has, the more paid vacation one receives. Women who have worked at least 40 years can retire in order to spend more time with grandchildren. President Viktor Orban recently told a gathering of U.S. political officials that these policies have helped to increase marriage rates by 43 percent over eight years, and birth rates by 21 percent, while divorces have declined. The United States should take note. Such programs would be, of course, expensive. But the same could be said for long-term fixes to Social Security, especially given the lack of support in Congress to raise taxes, increase the retirement age or institute a means test for benefits. Solving the declining fertility rate would help a host of other long-term problems related to the economy as well, as I wrote in a recent column. Not everyone is ignoring this problem. Writing for The Motley Fool several weeks ago, Sean Williams said, With birth rates falling for nearly a decade straight, this is beginning to look less like an anomaly and more like a new normal. For those of you expecting to be reliant on Social Security income during retirement, this is certainly a wake-up call. A lot depends on whether the right people hear that call and answer it. SALT LAKE CITY Since leaving his job as a high school teacher 20 years ago to become the educational director for the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Michael Bahr has aimed to make Shakespeare accessible to young students. What I would like to say is: Shakespeare performed in playhouses, his actors were called players and all his works, they're plays, and it's through play that we discover more about ourselves, Bahr said in a recent interview with the Deseret News. Thats what Im really passionate about. With the goal to educate, enrich and entertain, Utah Shakespeare Festivals Shakespeare-in-the-Schools visits more than 50 schools and youth communities throughout Utah, Nevada, Arizona and Colorado from January to April each year. The performances, redacted to fit the 90 minute time limit of most class periods, include a Q&A with the productions six actors, and usually, a workshop that gives students a chance to practice some Shakespeare theatrics firsthand, and includes cool things like combat choreography. All the kids, they want to take stage combat; they get all excited about it," Bahr said. " The minute you take the students at any level, whether that is an adult or whether it's a 7-year-old, when they are on their feet speaking Shakespeare's text and performing, it's a self-actualizing experience. If you can do Shakespeare, you can do anything. In addition to its school outreach program, the Utah Shakespeare touring program aims to reach communities that do not have access to live Shakespeare performances, such as correctional facilities. Recently, the tour performed "Macbeth" at a juvenile correctional facility in Utah. According to the actors, students who would otherwise not have a chance to see a play let alone "Macbeth" appeared enthralled by the production. One kid at the facility said, I'm so glad I came, I was gonna stay in my cell and read a book, but like, I've never seen a play before, and this was the coolest thing I've ever seen,' Stefanie Resnick, who plays Lady Macbeth (among other characters), said in a recent interview. And the reactions during the shows were so visceral. I thought those kids were incredible. Tim (Sailer, who plays Macbeth) and I taught them Shakespeare text, and they were so attentive. They were interested and they got it. Something about "Macbeths" themes and characters, Resnick said, seemed to inspire the students at the facility to think about the play in terms of their own experiences. I feel like they were able to relate to the play, Resnick said. There was a little bit in the talk back about how we're rooting for Macbeth. Even though he's done terrible things and he doesn't get redemption in the end, there is a kind of, 'Oh wow, I understand what this guy's going through.' On the other end of the spectrum, students in public schools that are simply lacking materials benefit immensely from the live, professional performances that Utah Shakespeare Festival makes available. For example, Jennifer Ansted, an English and theater teacher at Taylorsville's Eisenhower Junior High, took her class of advanced theater students in the seventh, eighth and ninth grade to see "Macbeth," a play that most of her class had never seen before. I kind of just wanted to see what they would think because we spent a lot of time this year reading something and analyzing it, and then performing it," Ansted said. " I wanted them to experience just seeing Shakespeare and seeing how it comes to life without having a lot of context or background. Ansted, whose class had a surprisingly profound response to the performance, is grateful for what the Shakespeare-in-the-Schools program gives to her students. (Our theater program is) incredible because the kids and the parents are incredible. But there are just limits to what the kids can learn from me, from the time that we have together and the resources that we have, Ansted said. Seeing a play like this is such an important cultural experience because they're writing original plays and monologues, and they are performing some scenes at our festival. I'm just hoping that they saw something new, and that they've been inspired to think outside whatever box they have been in thus far. But the Utah Shakespeare Festival is doing more than touring to fulfill its educational mission. In addition to study guides, vocabulary and discussion questions available online to help educators teach Shakespeare, they also host other immersive Shakespeare programs. And Bahr communicates frequently with schools to discover what plays might be useful for teachers curriculums. We have multiple programs that we run. We have our summer classes, we have our six-week competition, we have our touring production, which runs from January to April, Bahr said. And then we have instructional programs for adults, and teachers and other people who come. I think the play is just the beginning of it," Bahr added. The play gets you talking. The play stimulates that elevated conversation about life that's what all of the other things are about. HERRIMAN Salt Lake County leaders have their eyes set on about 32,000 acres of undeveloped land in the county's west side, also known as the Oquirrh View area. After two years, the county's regional development team recently completed its study of the area, part of an effort to master plan and prepare the Salt Lake Valley's unincorporated west bench for future growth they say will inevitably come. Meanwhile, a coalition of the county's southwest mayors, who have a history of frustration with the county, are gearing up for their own study of the area one that the group's leader says will be more comprehensive as local elected officials prepare to master plan the Salt Lake Valley's last swath of undeveloped land. County and city leaders say they want to collaborate, but the studies so far have taken separate tracks. The county's study, reviewed by the Salt Lake County Council last week, seems to solidify what many southwest residents already know: Roads haven't been keeping up with rapid population growth, and it's going to take some major projects and planning to alleviate the gridlock now and in the future. But it also concluded planners are going to need to start thinking differently to accommodate demand and yes, that means not just single-family homes, but more town houses and apartments. Study highlights: About 135,500 residents call the area home, representing about 57 percent of Salt Lake County's growth since 2000. That's about 15 percent of the entire state's growth during the same time period. For every 100 working adults in the area, there are only 33 jobs where they call home. That's compared to 84 jobs per working adult in all of Salt Lake County, or 72 jobs per 100 working adults in the Sandy-Draper area. This means more residents commute in and out of the area, and is a likely a culprit of the grueling east-west commute, county officials concluded. Each day, about 26,000 people living west of Bangerter Highway are staying in the area to work, but 112,000 are commuting out. Meanwhile, about 62,000 residents are coming from areas west of Bangerter, including Tooele County, to work in the area. That's 81 percent of working residents who are leaving the area for work a daily net migration of 56 percent. Meanwhile, the housing landscape is changing. In 2000, single-family homes made up about 69 percent of Salt Lake County's housing stock, versus apartments representing about 22 percent and condos and town houses making up about 7 percent. Yet in 2017, single-family homes made up only 37 percent of the county's stock, while apartments made up about 31 percent and town houses jumped to about 28 percent. "We've had a change in Salt Lake County due to availability of land, pricing of homes, change in the market that no longer is a majority single family, but a mixture of single-family, town homes and condominiums and apartments," said Jake Young, planning program manager with the county's regional development department as he presented the study to the County Council last week. "This is something important to consider and know as we move forward in planning," he said. And water, obviously, will be a critical issue, Young added. "The overwhelming fact is water is available in the future, it's just going to be incredibly expensive," he said. "Conservation is going to be more important than ever." So those are the challenges facing the county's undeveloped west side as Utah's population continues to boom. Salt Lake County's current population of about 1.2 million is expected to see an additional 600,000 people by 2065, according to the study. Many, if not most, will live on the west bench, Wilf Sommerkorn, the county's director of regional planning and transportation, told the council. "The development pressures are certainly stirring out there, we know that," he said. At the same time, the west bench has "tremendous potential," he said, "but to develop successfully, it requires thoughtful and collaborative planning." This week, the Salt Lake County Council is scheduled to hear a presentation from the developers of Daybreak, the master-planned community in South Jordan that is seen as "kind of the gold standard," as Councilman Michael Jensen put it. City frustrations The study results come at a time when relations between Salt Lake County leaders and southwest mayors have been strained following the controversial proposal then veto of the 930-acre, 8,800-unit Olympia Hills development near Herriman. The project, paired with a transportation sales tax hike last year, brought local frustrations to a boiling point when some elected officials accused county leaders of ignoring the county's west side. Those frustrations also led to an informal push at the Utah Legislature this year for a bill that would allow communities to "divorce" from Salt Lake County, though the bill ultimately died. While reviewing the results of that study, county leaders emphasized multiple times their intentions to "collaborate" with the area's local elected officials as county leaders head into the next phase of their planning process: public engagement. "In my life, I detest managing or leading in crisis, and if you look ahead of the curve and plan and have contingencies I think it's a good thing," County Councilman Steve DeBry said, noting that he met recently with mayors from some southwest cities on the issue. "We need to continue to talk and work with those elected officials as we go down this road." Meanwhile, Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs has been leading a coalition of southwest mayors from cities including Bluffdale, Herriman, South Jordan, West Jordan and Copperton Metro Township after they convened about a year ago to conduct their own regional plan of the entire southwest valley. We can't just plan things in a silo. Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs While Staggs welcomes collaboration from the county, he also called the county's willingness to collaborate "reactionary" after frustrations over Olympia Hills. "I'm happy that the county is willing to come to the table after seeing how little consideration, really, our communities in the southwest were receiving from many of the county leaders," Staggs said, though he credited County Councilman Richard Snelgrove for reaching out to southwest mayors lately. "We can't just plan things in a silo," the mayor added. "We've recognized that in the southwest, and that's part of the genesis of (our) study." Of the 32,000 acres of undeveloped land in the area, only about 6,000 acres are in unincorporated areas, according to the county study. The rest lies within city boundaries. That's why Staggs said the study commissioned by his coalition of mayors, called the Southwest Visioning Study, will be more "holistic." "I question whether (the county) really needs to move much more on their Oquirrh View study, given the Southwest Visioning Study," he said, though he added, "I'm not saying the Oquirrh View study is a waste of effort, there's probably some data we might even be able to build on." The county in 2017 appropriated $200,000 for the study, after Snelgrove attempted to cut the money from the budget, arguing he'd received feedback from mayors that the outcome of the study wouldn't matter and mayors would do what's best in their own cities. The motion narrowly failed. Staggs' group is spending about $250,000 on its own study, with $100,000 coming from the county's transportation sales tax hike funds, $125,000 from the Wasatch Front Regional Council, and about $5,000 from Riverton, Herriman, Bluffdale, South Jordan and West Jordan and $1,000 from Copperton. LEHI After nearly a decade of dominating the list of U.S. patents earned by Utah companies and institutions, the University of Utah is a rare runner-up behind the 2018 patent champs home automation specialists Vivint Smart Home. Vivint topped the annual Utah Genius Awards rankings released last week with 74 U.S. patents earned last year for technology advancements, mostly focused on in-home automation and so-called "internet of things" innovations. While the U. finished the year with 60 patents, other top five finishers included BD Medical, Sorenson Holdings and mining equipment company U.S. Synthetic Corp. Vivint's accomplishment is especially noteworthy as just five years ago its total patent count came in at just one, according to the company. Vivint Chief Technology Officer Jeremy Warren said the slate of new patented technology reflects the company's push to lead innovation on products and processes breaking new ground on artificial intelligence-driven home automation. "The things that matter the most strategically, from a product and technology perspective, is the seemless integration of a smart home," Warren said. "It's about making lots of different devices work together to do complicated things." While it wasn't too long ago that homeowners were reliant on manually performing in-home tasks like adjusting heating and air conditioner settings, locking doors and windows, turning off lights and arming alarm systems, Vivint has developed technology that will do all of those things for you. But, the systems even go a step beyond that. The artificial intelligence behind the system is capable of learning home habits and even using sensor information, for example, to recognize that no one is home and sending you a message to let you know that your doors are unlocked or that the garage door was left open. The same smart processing will also learn your bedtime and wakeup schedule and make the right decisions about turning lights off/on and adjusting environmental controls. The company says the automation can also cut annual energy usage by over 10 percent. In addition to the smarts behind the system, Vivint has also incorporated voice control capabilities that can sync with popular home assistants made by Google and Amazon. Vivint says it has also distinguished itself among its smart home competitors, which include Google and Amazon, through a successful integration of products and services. That model likely owes much to the company's original iteration, all the way back in 1999, as a residential alarm system provider. The company rebranded itself as Vivint in 2011, and in 2012 New York City private equity giant Blackstone Group acquired the company for $2 billion. Vivint Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer Matt Eyring said the company has surpassed the $1 billion mark in recurring annual revenues, a measure of its success in vertically integrating its line of smart home products with monitoring services. It also offers financing packages for its customers and has struck partnerships in the last few years with brick-and-mortar retailers. Eyring said the company sees itself as ahead of the curve in the burgeoning smart home market thanks in part to its ability to link products and services as well as the fruit of deep investment in research and development of new technologies, as reflected by the volume of newly minted patents. "There was a hypothesis five or six years ago that the smart home market was just going to be about the products and the technology and services would take care of itself," Eyring said. "The expectation was people would educate themselves on the devices, purchase and install them, customize the settings and, when things broke, just figure it out. "That hasn't turned out to be the case. That model winning at scale is one that is vertically integrated to include products and services." Warren said he believes the potential smart home market is enormous and current penetration is likely in the single digit percentage points. Market data service Statista estimates the smart home industry will grow from just over $31 billion last year to over $53 billion in 2022. The same report noted there were some 1.2 billion connected smart home devices in active use in 2018. WASHINGTON For the past three years, virtually nothing has hatched at Antarctica's second biggest breeding grounds for emperor penguins and the start of this year is looking just as bleak, a new study found. Usually 15,000 to 24,000 breeding pairs of emperor penguins flock yearly to a breeding site at Halley Bay , considered a safe place that should stay cold this century despite global warming. But almost none have been there since 2016, according to a study in Wednesday's Antarctic Science. The breeding pair population has increased significantly at a nearby breeding ground, but the study's author said it is nowhere near the amount missing at Halley Bay. "We've never seen a breeding failure on a scale like this in 60 years," said study author Phil Trathan, head of conservation biology at the British Antarctic Survey. "It's unusual to have a complete breeding failure in such a big colony." Normally about 8% of the world's emperor penguin population breeds at Halley Bay, Trathan said. Black-and-white with yellow ears and breasts, emperor penguins are the largest penguin species, weighing up to 88 pounds (40 kilograms) and living about 20 years. Pairs breed in the harshest winter conditions with the male incubating their egg. Scientists blame the sharp decline on climate and weather conditions that break apart the "fast ice" sea ice that's connected to the land where the emperor penguins stay to breed. They incubate their eggs and tend to their chicks one per pair on ice. After breeding and tending to the chicks, the penguins move to open sea. In 2016 and 2017, there was no breeding in Halley Bay and last year there was just a bit, the study found. The nearby Dawson-Lambton breeding area, which had been home to a couple thousand pairs, increased to 11,117 pairs in 2017 and 14,612 pairs in 2018, the study said. While that's encouraging, it doesn't make up for all that was lost at Halley Bay, Trathan said. "Not everybody has gone to Dawson Lambton yet," he said. What's troubling isn't that part of the colony has moved to Dawson-Lambton, it is that scientists thought of Halley Bay as a climate change refuge in one of the coldest areas of the continent "where in the future you expect to always have emperors," Trathan said. David Ainley, a marine ecologist and penguin expert at the consulting firm H.T. Harvey & Associates, worried that some people will be more alarmed than they need to be because many of the penguins didn't disappear, but just moved. While not as scary as it may sound initially, with climate change "long term, it's another question as alternate breeding sites likely will become harder to find," said Ainley, who was not part of the study. The study makes sense, and sometimes dramatic environmental change can cause a breeding failure like this, said Stephanie Jenouvrier, a penguin expert at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution who wasn't part of the study. Trathan said a super strong El Nino a natural cyclical warming of the central Pacific that changes weather worldwide melted sea ice more than usual and exposed the fast ice to wind and waves, making the breeding home less stable. He said it's not possible to say yet if human-caused warming from fossil fuel burning that creates heat-trapping gases globally is a factor. A 2014 study by Jenouvrier projected that because of climate change the global population of emperor penguins will likely fall by at least 19% by the year 2100. The breeding colony failure, Trathan said, "is a warning of things that might become important in the future." ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. SALT LAKE CITY As Utah welcomes warmer spring weather, beekeepers in the Beehive State are advising residents on what to do about swarming honeybees their top sentiment being don't kill them. The honeybee is a huge provider of pollinating the crops that we eat, said Nick Cunningham, a local beekeeper in Pleasant Grove. "And it's a scientific fact that if the bees dwindled away, we would be soon to follow because we rely on all our crops that they pollinate." Cunningham made a Facebook post about honeybee swarms on April 15, which has since been shared more than 7,000 times and hosts more than 400 comments from people in and out of Utah. He listed his phone number and offered to pick up honeybee swarms in his area for free. My initial goal was just to spread the word to whoever I could get it to, he said. "Gathering swarms is a huge thing for beekeepers because if we don't gather them up, there's a good chance they won't survive." Since the post, Cunninghams received four notifications reporting swarms, all of which he said came from the Facebook post. He contacted other beekeepers closer to the areas where three calls came from and retrieved one swarm himself in American Fork. Rick Eiler, a resident in American Fork, called Cunningham Friday after a neighbor contacted Eiler and his wife about a bee swarm on a neighbor's property. The homeowners weren't at their house when the bees were spotted, but the neighbor had texted them about the swarm and planned on spraying it with poison. Rick Eiler intervened and inspected the swarm with his wife, Shannon Eiler, from about 4 feet away, where he said they were able to tell the insects were honeybees. "Bees are good, we want to keep bees," Rick Eiler recalled telling the neighbor. "We certainly know we are destroying the planet with every little thing that we do, and so anything we can do to, whether it's using less plastic or simply just knowing about our environment, in this case bees any conservatory efforts are I think important." Luckily, yet another neighbor had seen the Facebook post and gave Cunningham's phone number to Eiler. Cunningham arrived about 30 minutes later with equipment. He educated the growing crowd of neighbors and about 10 children about what a honeybee swarm was, what he was doing to it and why it's important to save them, according to Eiler. "People don't really know what to do, or what they are, or what it means," he said. "So their first reaction is to spray them with water, which isn't good for them anyways." To collect the bees he placed a hive box near the swarm, which was located in a bush on the ground, and transitioned the bees by scooping them up in handfuls and placing them in the box. He got most of the bees in the box Friday night, but because of time restrictions he wasn't able to get to the queen. So he left the box partially open to allow more bees to enter, and returned later that night to try and collect the rest. He returned again Saturday and was able to move the queen to the box, and the remaining bees followed the queen on their own. They now live at Cunningham's apiary. There are about 1,800 registered beekeepers in Utah, according to the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. Most beekeepers will pick up swarms for free. Department officials recommend using the comprehensive list of beekeepers across the state who collect swarm, which can be found at beeremovalsource.com. Cunningham, who's a member of Utah County Beekeepers Association, estimated the swarm was made up of about 50,000 honeybees, which he said would've been a big loss had the bees been sprayed. "The biggest problem with bees right now is we're losing them drastically to a lot of different things," he said. One of those things is heavy use of pesticides, he added. Bees swarm because they are "homeless" and looking for a new home, Cunningham explained. While honeybees aren't inherently threatening, like wasps, Peter Somers, Salt Lake County bee inspector, said honeybee swarms can be dangerous and it's best to stay away from them until a beekeeper is there. "The general opinion is that they're not going to sting I mean I hear that all the time," he said. "However, it's not true." He explained that people think this because swarming bees have no hive to protect, so therefore they won't sting. "But it's not true, they will I've gotten stung by many swarms," he said. However, that's not to say some swarms aren't calm, he noted. It really depends on several different factors, he said, such as time of day, health of the colony and whether or not the bees have been agitated and are acting defensively. "But I would not go in there believing that they won't sting you," he cautioned. "Too many people have allergies and a bee sting can be very serious for the wrong person, so it's not worth messing with." If someone sees a swarm, experts advise to try and identify the swarm as bees or wasps. Somers said bees have hair, are usually brown or black with a little yellow, whereas wasps are usually very yellow, and more slender and longer than bees. If it is a swarm of wasps or hornets, Somers advised people to call an exterminator. If people aren't sure, he said it's always better to call a beekeeper first rather than an exterminator. However, wasps and bees can be difficult to distinguish, even for experts, he said. "People confuse them all the time including beekeepers," he said. "It's easy to do." Somers said he gets a swarm call one to two times a week and people are usually curious and interested in the swarm. However some people can respond with fear, especially if they don't know what the swarm is. He estimated that a large number of people probably wouldn't know how to handle a swarm. "So that's what you do, you call a beekeeper," he said. "A beekeeper is always eager to catch a swarm." Honeybees dont swarm in the rain, and swarms are especially common this time of year, according to Somers. If theres been a period of several rainy days, that first nice day is usually a pretty active swarm day, at least in the months of April, May and June, he said. Ad Legacy Research 5,053 Interested This Week New Year Special: #1 Crypto Expert Says HURRY before 1/1/22 This could be the most profitable event in crypto history. And it only happens once. If you miss it, there are no second chances. A local councillor says there is huge anger in parts of west Donegal at the latest water outage which left around 200 homes without supply for up to three days. Homes and businesses in the Falcarragh and Gortahork areas were hit by a water burst on Thursday night and many did not have supply restored until late Sunday afternoon. Irish Water said on Friday that the cut to supply was due to a burst on the rising main from the treatment plant at Ardsbeg to the treated water storage reservoir. It said it expected the water supply to be restored early on Friday afternoon. But local councillor Seamus O Domhnaill said that the supply was not fully restored to homes and businesses in Falcarragh, Derryconnor, Meenlaragh, Glascherchoo, Meenaclady, and Shroughan until after 4pm today. The cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council paid tribute to local Irish Water staff who he said did sterling work on the ground to restore the supply. But their efforts are masking a lack of investment in the pipe network in the area, he said. The water burst was the latest in a series in the area. The water supply was previously interrupted on April 11 and was not restored for two days, Cllr O Domnhaill said. Irish Water said it has identified critical mains with repeated burst history in the Falcarragh, Gortahork area. The existing pipework is asbestos concrete which was a common pipe material in the 1980s. These tend to burst quite frequently as they reach the end of their lifecycle. Irish Water is assessing the next phase of mains replacement works under its National Leakage Reduction Programme, the company said. He said the aging pipe network in the area cannot cope with the high pressure of water from the new water treatment plant. Cllr O Domhnaill said the water burst had cost local businesses thousands of euro and had caused huge inconvenience to homes, businesses, and farmers. I am calling for immediate investment in the rising main which runs for 2km between the treatment plant and the reservoir and investment in the network in Derryconnor, Meenlaragh, Glascherchoo, Meenaclady and Shroughan, he said. An angry Cllr O Domhnaill said: The difficulty is people are totally and utterly frustrated with Irish Water customer service. People rang yesterday and when they rang again today they were told there was no record of their call. They are annoyed with the lack of compassion, bad customer service and lack of investment in the area. People are at breaking point. He said he believed the lack of investment in the area and the slow response is due to the policy of a government which has turned it back on rural Ireland. This is a prime example. If this was in Dublin or Galway it would be fixed straight away, he said. The Baptist College of Floridas Music and Worship Division will host a Night of Worship in partnership with the First Baptist Church of Bonifay with two performances. The first performance will take place at First Baptist Church in Bonifay on Sunday, April 28, at 6 p.m. The second performance will be held in the R.G. Lee Chapel on April 30 at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the general public. For more information, call 800-328-2660 or visit www.baptistcollege.edu. Dothan Messianic Fellowship will hold a fundraising yard sale on Friday, May 3, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 2026 Campbellton Highway. Funds will go to support a faith-based elementary school in rural Uganda. Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church, East Geneva County Road 4, will hold a fish fry on Saturday, May 4, to benefit Stan and Carla West. Serving will be from 4:30-7 p.m. and diners will have choice of fried fish or grilled chicken. Urinary incontinence can involve more than just physical therapy. Walthaus often has patients keep a bladder diary to track their bladder habits as well as how much and what they are drinking. Are they actually going to the bathroom when they need to or is their bladder bossing them around? Theres also the just in case pee breaks that cause problems by getting the bladder accustomed to being emptied when it doesnt need to be emptied. Walthaus said theres a strong connection between the bladder and the brain and part of the therapy for incontinence is getting patients around that. If you start going to the bathroom not based on if your bladder is full, it thinks it can just go anytime it wants, she said. There are bladder irritants that can exacerbate incontinence. Anything with caffeine is an irritant as are carbonated drinks with or without caffeine (even sparkling water). Cranberry juice long the go-to beverage for urinary tract infections can also irritate the bladder as can acidic drinks like orange juice, alcoholic beverages and spicy foods. Two-thirds of what we drink should be water, Walthaus said. Why is the Border so squiggly? Its because townland boundaries are squiggly and the counties are made up of townlands. Townlands are peculiar to Ireland with approximately 62,000 throughout the island, ranging in size from 5 to 2000 acres. Every one of them is an ancient estate in no way regulated in shape or form other than that their expanse is generally greater in the uplands than the plains. Up the road for buttermilk, down the road for brandy: Drumreagh is a shoddy place, Knockbarragh is the dandy. We rural children shouted at each other drawing strength and patriotism from the names and legends of our little kingdoms that stretched back in the mists of time. We never used the word townland or thought of them as pieces in a jigsaw to us they were an entity in themselves. These realms however were a problem for the House of Commons in the early nineteenth century because although their names and outlines were claimed to be known their acreage and rateability were doubtful causing agitation over local taxes known as the County cess. This running sore in Ireland was not helped by a perfusion of piecemeal surveys varying in accuracy and scale, Heated Government debate culminated in the setting up of a Government committee under Thomas Spring Rice, and the upshot was that on 22 June1824 the British parliament allocated the sum of 300,000 for the survey of the entire island and charged Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Colby with the job. Ably assisted by men like Lieutenant Thomas Drummond, and Lieutenant Thomas Lorcom they had the foresight to recruit George Petrie' a member of the Royal Irish Academy (an inspired antiquarian), his protege George Du Noyer, and the celebrated John ODonovan one of the greatest Irish scholars of all time. But it didnt start smoothly. Colby understood the importance of Irish involvement, but the tirade by the imperious Duke of Wellington - The Irish map cannot be executed by Irish engineers or agents. Neither science nor skill, nor diligence nor discipline nor integrity sufficient for such a work can be found in Ireland - influenced the training of low grade army personnel that devastated Irelands own map makers, putting them out of work. And on top of that, there was the matter of hostility to men dressed in military uniform unmistakable emblems of British occupation. It was only when the British sappers widespread drunken illiteracy had begun to get on officers nerves that Irish country labourers were employed. And in a short time were to outnumber the British Sappers by four to one. A German visitor to the Ordnance Surveys headquarters noted that the maps which had only been made by common workmen ranked amongst the best in the world. But it was at a price and by 1832 the initial 300,000 had been used up. Colby blamed the boundary measurement for much of the expense, arguing that he could not have known how many townlands Ireland possessed or the complexity of their borders and he argued forcefully for more money that the survey may be continued accurately and right. Establishing the ground position of the boundaries was anything but straightforward. Information had to be obtained from numerous sources, amongst them local demesne maps and county grand jury records. The assistance of knowledgeable local people was also sought. These locals known as mearsmenpointed out on the ground the precise position of the boundaries. Walking my own townland boundary I am constantly baffled by its twists and turns. From The centre of the steam, up a bit of a ditch, down the loanin and away up a hedge. I can only conclude its because these are ancient divisions that existed under other names prior to the introduction of Christianity. Here is a table showing these divisions. Im often bemused when I read or hear that townlands are being lost. There are textural descriptions in the copperplate handwriting of the original surveyors detailing the features to which every townland is meared. Here is a snippet. Levellyclonone : From its function with Ballymoney and Kilbroney the mearing takes south along the centre of a thorn hedge until it strikes Park Lane, crossing the road mearing becomes the centre of a small stream for five chains ... There is a book of boundary mearings (The Mustard Book) with extensive lists of acronyms RH: Root of Hedge; CR: Centre of Road; FW: face of Wall; to cover every eventuality from turf cuttings to high tides. In short Irelands Townlands and in turn its border between Northern Ireland and The Republic of Ireland are the most intensively surveyed and texturally described entities on Gods earth. Its all a far cry from the hundreds of miles of straight boundaries between other countries. Jonathan Swift in his very long rhyme On Poetry: A Rhapsody wrote, So geographers, in afric maps; With savage pictures fill their gaps: And oer unhabitable downs; place elephants for want of towns. Geraldine OConnor who died on Saint Patricks Day was a lady who defied great adversity fortified by her great faith which sustained her through a number of health crises , including a cancer diagnosis when given six months to live but extended to 16 years. Geraldine was born with a physical disability, but made light of that handicap, and was very gifted and possessed a high intellect. She was especially talented at art, and very proficient at knitting and making Aran cardigans and jumpers. She was reared by her granny Matthews and aunt Theresa in Blackrock, where she grew up with her cousins the Foxes and Lennons, who were like brothers and sisters. She attended the local national school, and received her secondary education in Saint Vincents in Dundalk. She moved to England in the late 60s, and lived there for 25 years, working as a secretary/typist. She returned to Dundalk, and lived with her aunt Theresa Matthews in Glenmor, Muirhevnamor. She became ill 15 years ago and needed a house suitable to her needs, which resulted in her moving to the Mullaharlin estate. Her religion was of paramount importance to her and she was a Minister of the Eucharist in the Holy Family Church. When in her health she travelled extensively, including to Italy and France where she loved to visit holy places, including Rome and Lourdes, and view churches. She believed her recovery from cancer was attributable to a visit to Lourdes. In more recent times she suffered another health setback, and resided in Blackrock Abbey Nursing home prior to her passing in Our Lady of Lourdes hospital. She was predeceased only last August by her brother, Michael who was former town engineer with Dundalk Urban District Council, along with her parents Paddy and Lily. She will be sadly missed by her nieces and nephews, cousins, especially Margaret Clarke, extended family relatives and friends. After reposing at Blackrock Abbey Oratory Chapel on the Wednesday, Geraldine was removed the next morning to the Church of The Holy Family, Muirhevnamor. Father Cormac McNamara celebrated Requiem Mass, and delivered a fitting eulogy. Personal objects symbolising Geraldines life, including a personal picture and glasses were laid before the altar by Margaret Clarke and Zara Smith. The Readings were given by Sharon and Zara Smith The Offertory gifts were taken up by Anne Baxter and Adwin OConnor. The beautiful music was provided by Patsy Breen and Eamon Cooney. Burial took place in Saint Patrick's cemetery, Dowdallshill. Geraldines Months Mind Mass is on Saturday, April 27 at 7pm in the Church of the Holy Family. Photo: The Canadian Press Conservative leader Andrew Scheer speaks to supporters before a door knocking event for volunteers in the Kanata suburb of Ottawa on Thursday, April 25, 2019. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer says he will present his party's climate change plan by the beginning of summer. Speaking to supporters in Victoriaville, Que., on Saturday, Scheer promised to unveil the plan by the end of the parliamentary session in June. He gave little detail on the plan during his speech, other than saying it would address the environmental challenges of the 21st century. But in an interview with The Canadian Press, he promised it would focus on incentives for individuals and recognize what he called Canada's "leadership" on clean energy. He also said his eventual goal is to make Canada self-sufficient in energy. The Liberals have criticized Scheer and the Tories for their lack of a detailed plan to address climate change. "Since the unveiling of my environmental plan is so highly anticipated from them," Scheer said, referring to the Liberals, "I am pleased to announce that before the end of the session, I will come back to Quebec to present my plan to protect the environment. "And I can tell you that our plan will not be about taxing Canadians more or giving millions of dollars to big companies like Loblaws to replace their fridges." Environment Minister Catherine McKenna announced this month a $12-million grant to cover one-quarter of the cost of retrofitting the refrigeration systems in 370 Loblaws supermarkets over the next three years. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hopes to make the environment a central issue in this fall's federal election. Between Editions: April 25 TUCUMCARI The New Mexico Racing Commission today abruptly canceled a planned April 30 special meeting to discuss awarding a sixth horse-racing license, and by the afternoon a new racing commission was appointed by Gov. Michelle Lujan-Grisham. The commission sent out an email Thursday morning, stating the planned April 30 meeting had been canceled under further notice. Commission Executive Director Ismael Izzy Trejo declined comment when contacted by phone Thursday morning but said he likely would make a statement later today amid fast-moving developments. Those fast-moving developments became five new commission members, announced early Thursday afternoon by the governors office. The new commission members are: Beverly Bourguet, a racing commission member from 2011 to 2015. She races and breeds racehorses, and is a board member and founding member of the Downs at Albuquerque Chaplaincy. John Buffington, a former chief operating officer of the San Juan Regional Medical Center with more than 40 years as both an owner and breeder. Freda McSwane, a Lincoln County attorney and a racehorse owner and breeder. David Sanchez, a racing commission member from 2003 to 2009 and owner of San Bar Racing, LLC, a horse breeding and racing program. He owns an investments company and construction company, and has served on the State Fair Commission since 2009. Billy G. Smith, owner of Smith Enterprises, LLC, a construction firm. He has been involved in the racing industry since the 1970s as an owner and served on various boards for the American Quarter Horse Association. According to state statue, at least three members of the commission must be practical breeders of racehorses within New Mexico, and no more than three may be members of the same political party. Now-former Chairman Ray Willis told Clovis Media Inc. Thursday morning Gov. Lujan Grisham sent him an email late Wednesday, informing him hed been relieved of his duties with the agency. Willis also said its my understanding the entire commission has been relieved. Ive never been fired before, especially by email, Willis said. Evidently, the governor and her people have different ideas on how to proceed. Willis said the commissions now-aborted April 30 special meeting was meant to review all options on whether to issue a license and, if so, to which one of the five applicants. The commission had planned to issue a sixth license in early December, but an injunction request by the Lordsburg applicant, Hidalgo Downs LLC, in late November derailed those plans. Hidalgo said an independent feasibility study commissioned by the agency was flawed, and it alleged Willis had a conflict of interest with one of the Clovis applicants. The attorney generals office instructed the commission to not award a license until the legal dispute was resolved. The other four license applicants objected to announced settlement earlier this month between Hidalgo and the commission, saying they didnt have any input with the agreement. Judge Carl Butkus refused to approve the settlement until hearing out their complaints. Willis said he wasnt sure which applicant his fellow commissioners favored for the license. He said two of the applications were weak, two were strong and one was somewhere in the middle, but declined to specify which applicants fit which descriptions. PORTALES Over the past month, Eastern New Mexico University has made a pair of moves to increase the universitys offerings in the area of renewable energy. On April 19, its board of regents approved a resolution that identifies renewable energy as a priority, both for ENMUs academic offerings and future facility upgrades. That followed an announcement at the boards March 19 meeting that the university would be adding a renewable energy emphasis to bachelors degrees offered at ENMU. Eastern New Mexico is really one of the best places in the country for renewable energy with the wind and solar, Regent Dan Patterson said. Our job as a university is to educate students to go out and get jobs and be successful in the world of work, and this is one of the upcoming areas of jobs. Its got the biggest job market in the country right now for the need for new employees and I think we owe it to our students that we provide the impetus for them to go out into the world and be able to fit into this market. The emphasis will include four lab courses and Jeff Elwell, president of ENMU-Portales and chancellor of the three-college system, said the university is searching for a faculty member to teach the additional courses. Those courses are scheduled to begin in the fall. Elwell said the earliest an ENMU student could graduate with the emphasis in renewable energy would be December 2020. ENMU has to plan and be innovative to provide degrees that are relevant and prepare our students for future opportunities, Regent Lance Pyle said. Costs to the university associated with the new renewable energy emphasis are projected to be $95,910 in reoccurring faculty and operational costs, along with $237,621 in one-time startup costs to purchase and install lab equipment. Elwell said ENMU will request some financial assistance from the Legislature in January. One key part of the resolution is the university is seeking to develop partnerships with local renewable energy providers in the industry. Weve talked to a lot of people in the renewable energy market and they need more and more and more workers, Patterson said. People not only to help with the construction of the facilities but manage them as theyre built and to provide the services that are needed. Crystal Coffman, the director of business development for Pattern Energy, one of the companies ENMU is exploring partnering with, said there are needs for workers in the industry across the board for anyone from project management to electrical to IT data systems. Its a growing field and people are very to difficult to find so it would be great to grow a pool of folks that are already trained in areas were already needing, Coffman said. It shortcuts having to re-train somebody where maybe they learned a different skill set. Pyle said starting in June the university will be holding monthly meetings with Pattern to determine the greatest areas of need in the field and how ENMU and its students could meet them. Elwell said partnerships with Pattern or other companies could provide a job pipeline for ENMU students following graduation, as well as opportunities to bring people from the industry into the classroom to give students an idea as to what working in renewable energy entails. Patterson said he envisions ENMU in the future offering a degree program dedicated to renewable energy and Elwell said the university could explore developing a large solar array to cut down or eliminate the universitys energy costs. The universitys efforts are partly motivated by a growing move toward renewable energy statewide. During the past legislative session, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the Energy Transition Act, which sets a goal of 50 percent renewable energy in the state by 2030. It makes sense from an environmental standpoint and also a budget standpoint to do these things. So were hoping to be part of what the governor and Legislature are looking to do, Elwell said. CLOVIS The New Mexico Environment Department is hosting a meeting Monday night in Clovis regarding the chemical contamination to local groundwater supplies from Cannon Air Force Base. The meeting is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Dr. Jay Gurley Town Hall Room at Clovis Community College, 417 Schepps Blvd. NMED will present information on testing results this month, which indicated that PFAS were not detectable in most of the drinking water systems that were tested, though some sites near Turquoise Estates detected low concentrations of some PFAS, according to a news release. Those recent tests focused on public drinking supplies, while PFAS contamination exceeding the Environmental Protection Agencys Lifetime Health Advisory were found at three private well sites outside the base last year. The extent of the contamination plume has not been completely delineated at this point, which is why we are seeking through our litigation to force the Air Force to determine this, NMEDs public information officer Maddy Hayden said in an email this month. The meeting is held in conjunction with the attorney generals office and the states departments of health and agriculture. Data on NMEDs testing for PFAS at sites on and around the base are compiled at: http://www.env.nm.gov/pfas/ data/ SANTA FE Manuel Lujan Jr., a New Mexico native son who rose to be a longtime Republican congressman and U.S. Interior secretary, has died at age 90, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's office confirmed. Lujan Jr., who came from a prominent Santa Fe political family, held New Mexico's 1st Congressional District seat from 1969 through 1988. He was the first Hispanic Republican to join the Congressional Hispanic Congress. He was later appointed interior secretary by then-President George H.W. Bush in 1989 and held the position for nearly four years. Lujan Jr. faced scrutiny in the high-profile Cabinet position, and said after leaving the office in 1993 that "no one is satisfied." "If you do something that's pro-development, you get the environmental groups against you, and if you do something that's pro-environmental, you get the industry groups after you," he told the Associated Press at the time. "What I tried to do and I think I was successful in doing was to bring a balance between the use of resources on public lands and environmental concerns." Lujan Jr., whose family owns an insurance agency in Albuquerque, is a distant cousin of Lujan Grisham, who was elected governor last year. In a statement, the Democratic governor described Lujan Jr. as the "picture of a statesman." "In a lifetime of public service, over the course of ten congressional terms and four years as secretary of the interior, he fought for his constituents, striving for balance between competing interests, never forgetting that New Mexicans' collective best interest comes first," Lujan Grisham said. "Over the years, it was frequently assumed Manuel was my uncle," she added. "He wasn't, but he always treated me like his favorite niece. He was a gentleman; he was generous; he was a thoughtful public servant. I will miss him, and I know New Mexico will long cherish his memory." Lujan Grisham also ordered all state flags to be flow at half-staff in honor of Lujan Jr. New Mexico Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce described Lujan Jr. as a "trailblazing Republican" and "one of the finest statesman" to ever represent New Mexico in Congress. As interior secretary, Lujan Jr.'s "expert knowledge of western land management and energy issues along with his integrity and competence made him one of the finest people to ever hold this office," Pearce said. Stuart Ingle, Senate Minority leader for the New Mexico Legislature, said, It has always been a source of pride for us here in New Mexico that the high and important office of the U.S. Secretary of the Interior was held by a New Mexican under the George H.W. Bush administration. As we reflect on the tremendous public service of the late congressman and secretary of the Interior, Manuel Lujan, Jr., I believe we can honor him in a very fine and respectable way by trying to emulate his lifelong dedication to making the Land of Enchantment a better place for all of us. U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., also not related to Lujan Jr., released a statement that memorialized the late congressman as a reliable advocate for New Mexicans. "As one of the most prominent Hispanics to serve at the federal level, he opened the door for many others to step forward and make a difference," Lujan said. "I am praying for his family and loved ones." Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his son Xavier fill sandbags in the Ottawa community of Constance Bay as flooding continues to affect the region on Saturday, April 27, 2019. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau picked up a shovel Saturday to lend a hand with sandbagging efforts, as he and his two sons visited a west-end Ottawa community hit hard by rising floodwaters. Trudeau was briefed by officials in charge of the fight against the flood at a community centre before filling sandbags and thanking those who came to the aid of local residents. "Thank you for doing what you are doing," Trudeau said as he and sons Xavier and Hadrien spoke with volunteers in Constance Bay, the riverfront village west of downtown Ottawa that has seen the worst flooding so far. Not everyone appreciated Trudeau's efforts to encourage others to help out flood-stricken families, however. As he was shaking hands with military personnel and volunteers, the prime minister was confronted by a local resident who complained that Trudeau's visit had slowed down sandbagging operations. "You and your security are blocking the roads," said the unidentified man. "What you're doing is insincere." The Prime Minister's Office later said it had confirmed with the RCMP that traffic around the Constance and Buckham's Bay Community Centre was not blocked for Trudeau's visit. Flood-weary communities in Eastern Canada were in for an anxious weekend, with rain in the forecast for an area stretching from cottage country north of Toronto all the way to New Brunswick's Acadian Peninsula. Montreal, Ottawa and many smaller communities across the expansive flood zone have declared states of emergency, prompting the federal government to deploy hundreds of soldiers to help with sandbagging and other relief operations. Quebec's Public Security Minister Genevieve Guilbault said Saturday about 50 landslides have been reported across the province. Rising river levels around the Montreal area prompted authorities to indefinitely close the busy Galipeault Bridge linking the city's western tip with Ile-Perrot. Heavy rain also forced the closure of two smaller bridges in the Montreal region. Across the river off Montreal's north shore is Ile-Bizard, where city authorities parked three snowblowers by the water's edge. Instead of grinding snow and ice, the machines are sucking in water leaking through the sandbagged wall and blowing it back into the river. Gerald Chouinard, whose house is located a few feet from the river, said the city has been doing a great job this year. "They put up a wall of sandbags that stretches almost a kilometre," he said, pointing down the road. Chouinard boarded up his basement windows and stacked sandbags around the doors to the home. The river has nearly reached 2017 levels, he said, when more than 100 centimetres of water surrounded the house. Chouinard said he expects the water to rise more Saturday night and continue getting higher for the rest of the weekend. "We are preparing for the worst," he said. "Worse than the worst." Quebec authorities said that as of Saturday morning, 3,056 homes across the province were flooded and 2,736 were surrounded by water. About 1,800 people have so far been forced from their homes. Just in the city of Rigaud, near the Ontario border, 685 people have left their houses. A close eye is also being kept on a hydroelectric dam, on a tributary of the Ottawa River between Ottawa and Montreal, that's at risk of failing. Water at the Chute-Bell dam has reached levels expected to occur every 1,000 years, but Hydro-Quebec said it's confident the structure is solid. Despite a night that gave the Ottawa region a break from rain, water levels around the capital are expected to rise half a metre higher than they did during a 2017 flood that was thought to have been a once-in-a-century event. A morning report from the board that monitors levels in the Ottawa River said that near Constance Bay, water levels are just shy of their 2017 peak and are forecast to rise another 47 centimetres. At a measuring spot near Parliament Hill, where paths and parking lots along the river are already underwater, the board forecasts a rise of another 75 centimetres before water levels peak on May 1. In southern New Brunswick, a bit of relief is in sight for flood-weary residents, with the latest forecast calling for waters to slowly recede in most areas over the next five days. Geoffrey Downey, a spokesman for New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization, said while it's raining across much of the province today, officials aren't expecting a lot of precipitation. He said the five-day flood forecast is for the Saint John River to be below flood stage in Fredericton, and down to flood stage in Maugerville, Oak Point and Saint John, by Thursday. Meantime, the mayor of a small town in central Ontario's cottage country said the late-season snow is a welcome sight as it acts as a "sponge" for rising floodwaters that now mark a "historical event." Mayor Graydon Smith said in a news conference Saturday that water levels in several areas of Bracebridge were up slightly due to rain Friday, but snow may help slow the flow into lakes, rivers and streams. Bracebridge is one several communities north of Toronto, including Huntsville and Minden Hills, that have declared emergencies this week due to flooding. In southern Manitoba, the rising Red River has forced some road closures and a small number of evacuations but earlier predictions for major flooding between the U.S. border and Winnipeg haven't come to pass. Reach key decision makers with sales-ready leads that shorten your sales process. Move the needle by delivering funnel qualified leads to your sales team. Learn more Telegram Messaging on Sunday announced a new privacy rights feature that allows user to delete not only their own comments, but also those of all other participants in the message thread on all devices that received the conversation. Although the move is meant to bolster privacy, its likely to spark some controversy. Telegram, a cloud-based instant messaging and Voice over IP service, is similar to WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Telegram Messenger allows users to send free messages by using a WiFi connection or mobile data allowance with optional end-to-end encryption and encrypted local storage for Secret Chats. Telegrams new unsend feature does two things. First, it removes the previous 48-hour time limit for removing anything a user wrote from the devices of participants. Second, it lets users delete entire chats from the devices of all participating parties. click image to play video Telegram also changed a policy regarding how users can or can not forward anothers conversation. Privacy policies are critical to people who rely heavily on chat communications, noted Paul Bischoff, privacy advocate with Comparitech. Many people use chat apps under the assumption that their communications are private, so it is very important that chat apps meet those expectations of privacy, he told LinuxInsider. Obviously, if youre a dissident in an autocratic country that cracks down on free speech, privacy is very important. However, it is also important to everyday people, said Bischoff, for sending photos of their kids, organizing meetings, and exchanging Netflix passwords, for example. Potential Controversy Telegrams new unsend feature could stir controversy over the rights of parties to a message conversation. One users right to carry out a privacy purge could impact other participants rights to engage in discourse. Regardless of who initiated the chat, any participant can delete some or all of the conversation. Criticisms voiced since the change in the companys unsend policy suggest that the first participant to unsend effectively can remove control from everyone else. Telegrams process allows deletion of messages in their entirety not just the senders comments. The chat history suddenly disappears. No notification indicates the message thread was deleted. A D V E R T I S E M E N T Privacy Treatments Telegram Messenger, like its competitors, has had an unsend feature for the last two years. It allowed users to delete any messages they sent via the app within a 48-hour time limit. However, users could not delete conversations they did not send. Facebooks unsend feature differs in that it gives users the ability to recall a sent message but only within 10 minutes of sending it. Telegram doesnt enable end-to-end encryption by default, but you can get it by using the Secret Chats feature, said Comparitechs Bischoff. End-to-end encryption ensures that no one except the intended recipient not even Telegram can decrypt messages, he said. WhatsApp and Signal encrypt messages by default. Telegram has an incredibly strong brand, according to Jamie Cambell, founder of Go Best VPN. It has a reputation for being the app of the people, since its been banned from Russia for not providing the encryption keys to the government. Its founder, Pavel Durov, actively seeks to fight censorship and is widely considered the Mark Zuckerberg of Russia, he told LinuxInsider. Why the Change? The new unsend feature gives millions of users complete control of any private conversation they have ever had, according to Telegram. Users can choose to delete any message they sent or received from both sides in any private chat. The messages will disappear for both you and the other person without leaving a trace, noted the Telegram Team in an online post. The change was orchestrated to improve the privacy of the Telegram messaging application, the post continues. Its developers upgraded the Unsend feature to allow users to remotely delete private chat sessions from all devices involved. The privacy changes are to protect users, according to the company. Old forgotten messages might be taken out of context and used against them decades later. A D V E R T I S E M E N T For example, a hasty text sent to a girlfriend in school can return to haunt the sender years later when you decide to run for mayor, the company suggested. How It Works Telegram users can delete any private chat entirely from both their device and the other persons device with just two taps. To delete a message from both ends, a user taps on the message and selects the delete button. A message windows then asks the user to select whether to delete just his/her chat messages or those of the other participants as well. Telegrams new feature lets users delete messages in one-to-one or group private chats. Selecting the second choice deletes the message everywhere. Selecting the first choice only removes it from the inbox of the user initiating the delete request. The privacy purge allows users to delete all traces of the conversation, even if the user did not send the original message or begin the thread. Forwarding Controls Added Telegram also added an Anonymous Forwarding feature to make privacy more complete. This feature gives users new controls to restrict who can forward their messages, according to Telegram. When users enable the Anonymous Forwarding setting, their forwarded messages no longer will link back to their account. Instead, the message window will only display an unclickable name in the from field. This way people you chat with will have no verifiable proof you ever sent them anything, according to Telegrams announcement. Telegram also introduced new message controls in the apps Privacy and Security settings. A new feature called Forwarded messages lets users restrict who can view their profile photos and prevent any forwarded messages from being traced back to their account. Open Source Prospects The Telegram application programming interface is 100 percent open for all developers who want to build applications on the Telegram platform, according to the company. Open APIs allow third-party developers to create applications that integrate with Telegram and extend its capabilities, Bischoff said. Telegram may be venturing further into open source terrain. The company might release all of the messaging apps code at some point, suggests a note on its websites FAQ page. That could bode well for privacy rights enthusiasts. Releasing more of the code will have a positive effect on Telegrams appeal, barring any unforeseen security issues. That allows security auditors to crack open the code to see if Telegram is doing anything unsafe or malicious, Bischoff added. Win-Win Proposition Telegrams new take on protecting users privacy rights is a positive step forward, said attorney David Reischer, CEO of LegalAdvice.com. It benefits both customers who want more control over how their data and communications are shared and privacy rights advocates who see privacy as an important cornerstone of society. It is not uncommon for a person to send a message and then later regret it. There also can be legal reasons for a person to want to delete all copies of a previously sent message. For example, a person may send a message and then realize, even many months later, that the communication contained confidential information that should not be shared or entered into the public domain, Reischer told LinuxInsider. Allowing a person to prevent the communication from being forwarded is also an important advance for consumers who value their privacy, he added. It allows a user to prevent sharing of important confidential communications. Privacy rights advocates, such as myself, see these technology features as extremely important because the right to privacy entails that ones personal communications should have a high standard of protection from public scrutiny, Reischer said. Still, there exists a negative effect when private conversations are breached through malicious actors who find an unlawful way to circumvent the privacy features, he cautioned. Ultimately, the trust and confidence on the part of senders could be misplaced if communications turn out to be not-so-private after all. Privacy Concerns First Priority Privacy is extremely important to those who use chat communications at least those who are somewhat tech-savvy, noted Cambell. For Telegram, privacy is the most important feature for users. Privacy is extremely important to many Americans who want to have private conversations even when the communications are just ordinary in nature, said Reischer. Many people like to know that their thoughts and ideas are to be read only by the intended recipient. A conversation taken out of context may appear damnable to others even when the original intent of the message was innocuous, he said. Additionally, many professionals of various trades and crafts may not want to share their confidential trade secrets and proprietary information, Reischer added. Privacy is important to all business people, and there is typically an expectation of privacy in business when communicating with other coworkers, management, legal experts or external third parties. Other New Features Telegram added new features that made the app more efficient to use. For example, the company added a search tool that allows users to find settings quickly. It also shows answers to any Telegram-related questions based on the FAQ. The company also upgraded GIF and stickers search and appearance on all mobile platforms. Any GIF can be previewed by tapping and holding. Sticker packs now have icons, which makes selecting the right pack easier. Large GIFs and video messages on Telegram are now streamed. This lets users start watching them without waiting for the download to complete. VoiceOver and TalkBack support for accessibility features now support gesture-based technologies to give spoken feedback that makes it possible to use Telegram without seeing the screen. By Ryan Raman, MS, RD Millions of people around the world depend on a morning cup of coffee to get their day started. Coffee is not only a great source of caffeine that provides a convenient boost of energy but also has many beneficial antioxidants and nutrients. A recent trend is to add coconut oil to coffee to reap the health benefits of this popular fat, too. However, you may wonder whether this practice is healthy. This article tells you whether you should drink coffee with coconut oil. May Help You Stay in Ketosis Coconut oil has become increasingly popular among people following the high-fat, very-low-carb ketogenic diet. Adding it to your coffee can help you reach or maintain ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body uses ketones molecules produced from fat breakdown as fuel instead of glucose, a type of sugar (1). Maintaining ketosis on a ketogenic diet has been linked to health benefits like weight loss, improved blood sugar control, and reduced heart disease risk factors (2, 3, 4). Coconut oil can help you stay in ketosis as it's loaded with fats called medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). Compared to other fats, MCTs are rapidly absorbed and immediately delivered to your liver. Here, they're either used as a source of energy or converted into ketone bodies (5). Interestingly, MCT oils are more easily converted to ketones than long-chain triglycerides, another type of fat found in foods (6). Research shows that MCTs can help you stay in ketosis even if you eat slightly more protein and carbs than recommended on a classic ketogenic diet (6). Coconut oil has 4 types of MCTs, and 50% of its fat comes from the MCT lauric acid (7). Lauric acid appears to make ketones at a slower but more sustained rate as it's metabolized more steadily than other MCTs. Therefore, adding coconut oil to your coffee is an effective way to help you stay in ketosis (7, 8). Summary Coconut oil helps your body make ketones. If you follow a ketogenic diet, adding it to your cup of coffee may help you reach and stay in ketosis. Health Benefits and Downsides Adding coconut oil to your coffee is an easy way to reap the health benefits of both. Here are some ways in which adding coconut oil to your coffee may improve health: May speed up your metabolism. Studies show that MCTs in coconut oil and caffeine in coffee may speed up your metabolism, which can increase the number of calories you burn in a day (9, 10, 11). May improve energy levels. Coffee contains caffeine, which can help you feel less tired. Coconut oil packs MCTs, which are transported straight to your liver and can act as a quick source of energy as well (12, 13). May help keep your bowels regular. Coconut oil MCTs and coffee compounds like caffeine and chlorogenic acids may help stimulate your bowels and keep your digestive system healthy (14, 15). May help raise HDL (good) cholesterol. Several studies have found that coconut oil can raise levels of HDL cholesterol, which is protective against heart disease (16, 17). However, adding coconut oil to coffee also has its drawbacks. For starters, many people who add it to their morning coffee use it as a breakfast replacement. Doing so means that you may miss out on many important nutrients that you would get from eating a more balanced breakfast. While coconut oil has some nutrients, it won't have as many as a nutritious breakfast that contains many different food groups. What's more, coconut oil is high in calories, providing 121 calories per tablespoon (14 grams). Most people who add it to coffee tend to use 2 tablespoons an extra 242 calories (18). If this doesn't sound like much, note that it would take a 155-pound (70-kg) person nearly 50 minutes of walking at a brisk pace (3.5 miles or 5.6 km per hour) to burn that many calories (19). Additionally, while the combined effect of coconut oil and coffee may slightly boost your metabolism, it's more likely to make you gain weight if you don't account for the added calories. The calories in a few tablespoons of coconut oil are likely to exceed the calories expended due to the small metabolism increase related to the ingestion of the MCTs and caffeine. What's more, certain medical conditions like gallbladder issues or pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) may make it necessary to limit your fat intake (20, 21). Coconut oil is much more effective when you use it to replace less healthy fats in your diet, such as those from processed foods, rather than on top of the fats you're currently consuming. Summary Adding coconut oil to coffee can offer some health benefits. Still, it has potential drawbacks, such as replacing a more nutritious meal and adding too many calories. Plus, certain medical conditions may make it necessary to limit your fat intake. How Much Coconut Oil Should You Use? If you want to try coconut oil in your cup of joe, start small by adding 1 tablespoon (14 grams) to hot coffee and stirring it thoroughly to ensure that the oil incorporates well. Some people prefer to blend the oil with coffee in a blender to make a delicious tropical-style beverage. Eventually, you can work your way up to 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of coconut oil if you would like to increase your fat intake. This may be most appropriate for those attempting to reach and maintain ketosis. Avoid adding too much coconut oil too quickly, especially if you follow a low- to moderate-fat diet, as it may cause nausea and laxative-like symptoms. Besides, 2 tablespoons (28 grams) is plenty to reap the health benefits of this tasty, healthy fat (22, 23). Summary Start by adding 1 tablespoon (14 grams) of coconut oil to your hot coffee. You can slowly work your way up to twice as much. Note that adding too much coconut oil too quickly may cause unpleasant side effects. The Bottom Line If you're watching your calorie or fat intake for medical or personal reasons, avoid putting coconut oil into your coffee. Still, if you follow a ketogenic diet or want to include this healthy fat in your diet, then adding it to your coffee can be an easy way to increase your intake. To avoid unpleasant side effects, start slowly and add no more than 1 tablespoon (14 grams) of coconut oil at first. Reposted with permission from our media associate Healthline. Mexico City is sinking. Home to 21 million people, who consume nearly 287 billion gallons of water each year, the city has sunk more than 32 feet in the last 60 years because 70 percent of the water people rely on is extracted from the aquifer below the city. Many of Mexico City's buildings are seriously leaning because of the land subsidence. Photo credit: Julia's Mexico City "There's no fixing it," journalist Andrea Noel told producer Alan Sanchez in the video below from Fusion. "Once land is subsided, it's subsided." The water table is sinking at a rate of 1 meter (3.2 feet) per year. As the city population grows and water demand increases, the problem will only get worse. "It needs to be stopped because it's too late to be remedied," Noel said. "The city needs to find a way to figure out their water problem. They really need to look into alternatives like collecting rainwater, which makes so much sense in a city like this, which gets so much rainfall every year." It's not just Mexico City either. A recent NASA analysis found that 4 billion peoplenearly two-thirds of the world populationare at risk as water tables drop all over the world. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE NASA: 4 Billion People at Risk as Water Table Dropping All Over the World Gruesome Tumors on Sea Turtles Linked to Climate Change and Pollution Solar-Powered Vacuum Could Suck Up 24,000 Tons of Ocean Plastic Every Year Horrible! This Guy Drags Shark From Sea Just to Pose for Photos Photo: CTV Four people are dead and three are left with injuries after a construction crane collapsed in downtown Seattle Saturday. The crane pinned six cars underneath it after it fell, Seattle's fire chief told CTV News. Four people were already dead by the time fire crews arrived. Two were crane operators and two had been in the cars. A mother and her baby along with one other person were transported to hospital, and another person was treated at the scene. The collapse happened at the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue near Interstate 5 around 3:30 p.m. "My thoughts and prayers are with those killed and injured," Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said on Twitter. The crane had been atop an office building under construction. "It was terrifying," witness Esther Nelson, a biotech researcher who was working in a building nearby, told The Seattle Times. "The wind was blowing really strong," she said, and added that the crane appeared to break in half. A 28-year-old man, a 25-year-old mother and her baby were being evaluated for their injuries, said Susan Gregg, a spokeswoman for Harborview. None of their injuries are life threatening, she said. Assistant Police Chief of Patrol Operations Eric Greening said all lanes may be closed until Sunday night. -with files from CTV News Sri Lanka attacks shouldn't be used to harass Muslims No one should use Sri Lanka terror attacks to harass Muslims, Turkey's Justice and Development (AK) Party spokesman Omer Celik says. Terror attacks in Sri Lanka shouldn't be used as a tool to harass Muslims, Turkey's ruling party spokesman said on Saturday. "NO ONE CAN HARASS MUSLIMS" "No one should use Sri Lanka terror attacks, which we strongly condemned, to harass Muslims," the Justice and Development (AK) Party spokesman Omer Celik told reporters. Celik said that following last weekend's terror attacks in Sri Lanka, Muslims living there were oppressed, even some had to leave their houses. The attacks were unjustly being attached to Muslims, he added. On April 21, Easter Sunday, a total of eight explosions targeted different locations in and outside Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka killing at least 253 people. Daesh terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attacks. Turkey strongly condemned the terrorist attacks. Celik also praised New Zealand's politics and premier for the stance over the Christchurch attack, and said their stance following the attack should be a model for everyone. At least 50 Muslim worshippers were massacred, with as many injured, in a terror attack on two mosques in New Zealand's Christchurch on March 15. Just after the attacks, hundreds of people gathered in front of the mosques to pay tribute to the victims as New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called for unity and solidarity with the Muslim community. Less than a month after the massacre, New Zealands Parliament overwhelmingly passed a bill restricting the use of semiautomatic weapons. Airstrike killed 5 civilians in Idlib Sources with the White Helmets civil defense agency said five civilians, including two women, had been killed in the airstrike in Qalaat Al-Madiq. At least five civilians have been killed in an airstrike on residential areas in Syrias northern de-escalation zones, local sources said on Sunday. 5 DEAD The sources said an unidentified warplane raided late Saturday Qalaat Al-Madiq town and Al-Hawash village, both located in the western countryside of Hama city and fall within the de-escalation zones. According to the Syrian opposition aircraft observatory, Qalaat Al-Madiq and Al-Hawash were targeted by a "Russian jet which took off from the Khmeimim airbase in Syrias western Latakia province". Last September, Turkey and Russia agreed to turn Idlib into a de-escalation zone in which acts of aggression would be strictly prohibited. Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected severity. Hundreds of Sudanese protest Sisi in Khartoum A similar demonstration took place on Thursday to condemn Sisis interference in their affairs. Hundreds of Sudanese gathered on Saturday in capital Khartoum to protest Egypts president for interfering Sudans internal affairs. PROTESTERS ENDED THEIR MARCH AT THE ARMY HEADQUARTER The protesters from Omdurman city, the second largest city in state of Khartoum, demonstrated against Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for meddling Sudans internal affairs in a march towards the Cairo Embassy in Khartoum. Chanting slogans like This is Sudan, your border ends at [the Upper Egyptian city of] Aswan!, the protesters objected any kind of foreign interference to Sudans internal issues. Protesters ended their march at the Army Headquarter. On April 11, the Sudanese army announced the ouster of President Omar al-Bashir following months of popular demonstrations against his 30-year rule. A Military Transitional Council (MTC) is now overseeing a two-year transitional period during which it has pledged to hold presidential elections. The Sudanese opposition, however, has continued to stage demonstrations to demand that the MTC relinquish power immediately to a civilian government. On Tuesday, Cairo hosted an African Union (AU) summit, where participants called for giving the MTC a three-month deadline for handing power over to a civil administration. Egypt currently holds the AUs rotating chairmanship. Sisi came to power in Egypt on the back of a 2013 military coup against Mohamed Morsi, the countrys first-ever democratically-elected leader. Turkish, Qatar and US forces hold joint air drill in Doha Qatari military chief on Saturday visited an ongoing three-nation air operation exercise in capital Doha. Qatari military chief on Saturday visited an ongoing three-nation air operation exercise in capital Doha, according to local media. Chief of Staff of Qatar Armed Forces [Lt. Gen Ghanem bin Shaheen al Ghanem] checked on Saqr 21 military exercise, which is carried out by the Amiri Air Force, Qatar News Agency reported. Turkish Forces and the US Air Forces also joined the exercise along with the Interior Ministry, coast guard, naval forces and special forces of Qatar, said the report. The tri-national military drill began on April 23 and will continue until April 30. Milan, Italy: Patients with advanced Hodgkin's lymphoma who have large tumours at the time of diagnosis may benefit from radiotherapy after chemotherapy even when all traces of the cancer appear to have gone, according to late breaking results presented at the ESTRO 38 conference today (Monday). Approximately 65-70% of patients with advanced stage Hodgkin's lymphoma can be cured by receiving six cycles of ABVD chemotherapy (which includes doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine), with or without subsequent radiotherapy. Currently, however, the addition of radiotherapy is controversial. In a statement before the conference, Dr Mario Levis, a co-author of the study, who is a radiation oncologist at the University of Turin, Italy, explained: "These patients can often have four or five decades of life expectancy ahead of them but, given this cure rate, the cancer treatment can result in a high risk of complications for many long-term survivors. For this reason, it's important that we give patients the most effective treatment for curing their cancer, while, at the same time, trying to keep the toxic side effects to a minimum." To investigate whether radiotherapy after ABVD chemotherapy provided any benefit to these patients, researchers in several centres in Italy, led by Professor Pier Luigi Zinzani, of the Institute of Haematology at the University of Bologna, and Professor Umberto Ricardi, head of the Department of Oncology at the University of Turin and President of ESTRO, recruited 512 patients between 2008 and 2013 to a randomised clinical trial: HD0801. Patients who had been treated successfully in the earlier, phase II part of the trial, and in whom PET scans showed no trace of cancer both during and at the end of chemotherapy, were randomised to the phase III part of the trial to receive either radiotherapy in order to mop up any remaining cancer cells, or no further treatment. In total, 354 patients had PET scans showing they were clear of cancer after the initial treatment. Of these, 116 (32.7%) had had large lesions (greater than 5cm in diameter) at the time of their diagnosis and they were assigned to radiotherapy or no further treatment. Dr Levis and Prof Ricardi found that more patients were alive three and five years later without their disease getting worse (known as progression-free survival) if they had been treated with radiotherapy than those who did not receive it. Professor Ricardi told the conference: "We found that three years later 92% of patients who received radiotherapy were still alive without disease progression compared to 82% of patients who did not receive it. After five years, these figures were 89% and 82% respectively. "This suggests that patients with large tumours, who have responded to six cycles of ABVD chemotherapy, may still benefit from the addition of radiotherapy, with a survival benefit ranging from 7% to 10% at three and five years. "This is something that should be considered carefully when deciding whether or not to give radiotherapy to these patients. The omission of radiotherapy would guarantee the prevention of radiation-induced toxic side effects, but, on the other hand, it exposes 10% of our, frequently young, patients to an increased risk of relapse and of even higher toxicity due to the heavy salvage therapies required when the disease returns." Nine patients who had been enrolled in the radiotherapy arm of the trial did not actually receive radiation treatment due to decisions made by their doctors, and the disease returned in five of them. This meant that when the data on the 116 patients were analysed according to "intention to treat" (i.e. regardless of whether or not they had actually received the radiotherapy), there was little difference between the two groups in progression free survival at three and five years. It was only when the researchers analysed the data according to the treatments the patients had actually received (a "per protocol" analysis) that it was possible to see the benefit on survival for those treated with radiotherapy, although this was not statistically significant. This was mainly because of the small number of patients in whom the disease returned: five in the radiotherapy arm and 13 in the 'no further treatment' arm of the trial. "The results of this trial do not provide definitive evidence on the role of radiotherapy after chemotherapy for patients with advanced Hodgkin's lymphoma and large tumours. However, the improvement in survival among those who did receive radiotherapy is not negligible. We think that the next step is for a meta-analysis of this and similar randomised trials in order to increase the robustness of the information we have on the best way to treat this disease," concluded Prof Ricardi. Professor Yolande Lievens, past-President of ESTRO and head of the department of radiation oncology at Ghent University Hospital, Belgium, said: "As physicians our main aim is to treat our patients effectively while keeping any adverse side-effects from the treatment to the minimum. This is especially important for patients with a disease such as Hodgkin's lymphoma, many of whom can expect to be cured and live long after their treatment has finished. The results from this trial provide us with additional, important information to take into account when advising our patients on what might be the best treatment." ### Abstract no: OC-0502, "Role of consolidation RT to bulky lesions of advanced Hodgkin lymphoma: results of FIL HD0801 trial. Proffered papers : Late breaking abstracts at 10.30-11.45 hrs (CEST) on Monday, 29 April, Gold plenary room. Milan, Italy: Mesothelioma patients are twice as likely to survive for two years or longer, if they are treated with a high dose of radiation to the affected side of the trunk, according to research presented at the ESTRO 38 conference. Mesothelioma is a rare but aggressive form of cancer that grows in the layers of tissues surrounding the lungs. It is usually caused by exposure to asbestos. Patients typically only live for a year or two following diagnosis and treatment options are very limited. The study looked at patients whose cancers could not be completely removed with surgery and the researchers say their findings have the potential to change treatment and outcomes for this group of patients. The study was led by Dr Marco Trovo MD, chief of the Radiation Oncology Department at University Hospital of Udine, Italy. He said: "There is an urgent need for more effective treatments for mesothelioma. Surgery can be given to these patients, but it is often impossible to remove all of the tumour. "Patients with mesothelioma are sometimes given radiotherapy to help control their symptoms. However, radiotherapy has evolved dramatically in the last few years so we wanted to see if it could now be used to prevent the cancer from spreading to nearby tissue, hopefully bringing improvements in survival." The study involved 108 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma who were treated at the National Cancer Institute of Aviano, Italy, between 2014 and 2018. All were given surgery to remove some tumour tissue, followed by chemotherapy. Half were randomly assigned to receive radical hemi-thoracic radiotherapy, meaning the radiation was delivered to either the left or right side of their trunk, depending on where the tumour was located. This involved 25 treatments delivering a total dose of 50 Gy to the left or right side of the trunk, as well as an extra 60 Gy dose to the precise location of the tumour. The other patients received a more typical palliative form of radiotherapy. This involved five to ten treatments delivering a total dose of 20-30 Gy to the precise location of the tumour. Of the patients who received the aggressive radiotherapy treatment, 58% were still alive two years later. In the patients who received the palliative radiotherapy, 28% were still alive two years later. Around 20% of patients receiving radical hemi-thoracic radiotherapy suffered radiation pneumonitis (inflammation of the lung). Other sides effects included weakness, nausea and mild inflammation of the oesophagus. Dr Trovo said: "This research shows a clear survival benefit in using this type of radiotherapy for mesothelioma patients whose tumours can only partially be removed by surgery. We believe that this should be considered the new standard of care for these patients." He hopes that even greater gains in survival could be made by treating patients with radiotherapy followed by targeted immunotherapy (where the body's own immune system is encouraged to fight cancer cells). Professor Umberto Ricardi, President of ESTRO and head of the Department of Oncology at the University of Turin, Italy, who was not involved in the research, said: "This is an extremely positive result that brings good news to patients with this rare and difficult-to-treat cancer. To ensure these patients benefit from this type of treatment, it's important that they are referred to a specialist cancer centre with the right expertise and equipment to carefully plan and deliver the most effective radiotherapy treatment, and manage any side effects that occur." ### Photo: The Canadian Press Sunny Balwaria, president of Cold Shot bus services in Edmonton. Six months after Greyhound Canada shut down most of its service in Western Canada and northern Ontario, the companies that stepped in to take its place say they still face a rough road full of unexpected turns. And they concede that the level of service they are providing doesn't come close to matching what Greyhound had offered before it decided to abandon what it says was a money-losing business. Bus operators report strong competition on profitable routes with good ridership, while remote routes with lower numbers usually aren't served at all or get less frequent or less reliable service, often on smaller vehicles or ones that don't accommodate disabled passengers. "If you're travelling the major markets, you definitely have options and there are good carriers that are reputable," said John Stepovy, director of business development for Calgary-based Pacific Western Transportation, which operates Red Arrow and Ebus services in Alberta and B.C. "Once you start going into smaller markets or travelling interprovincially, the marketplace is a lot more scattered and the travelling public is forced to create their own journeys. Previously, you just needed one ticket through Greyhound." About a year ago, Pacific Western was hired by the province of British Columbia to operate its BC Bus North service after Greyhound cancelled routes to communities including Prince Rupert and Dawson Creek. Since the larger Greyhound shutdown last Oct. 31, it has added more than a dozen buses as it rolled out intercity services in B.C. through its own brands for the first time and expanded service in Alberta as well, including taking on Edmonton-Camrose and Medicine Hat-Lethbridge routes aided by Alberta government grants. The loss of Greyhound means it can be difficult or impossible for passengers to find connecting bus routes, said Joe Jansen, executive vice-president of Wilson's Transportation of Victoria, which moves passengers via bus and ferry between downtown Victoria and Vancouver. It had an interline agreement with Greyhound that allowed it to sell tickets in Victoria to almost anywhere in Canada, but that ended with Greyhound's withdrawal. "Greyhound was the one carrier in Western Canada that tied everything from Winnipeg to Victoria together. We don't have that anymore and that can't possibly be positive," said Jansen, adding it's difficult to quantify the setback after one winter of results. Wilson's has steadied its revenue by buying Tofino Bus Lines last fall to become the major operator of bus routes on Vancouver Island. It applied for and was granted B.C. licences for former Greyhound routes Vancouver-Kelowna and Vancouver-Kamloops, but was then dismayed to learn that licences had also been given to rival Pacific Western the company is now reassessing the viability of continuing to offer those services, Jansen said. Meanwhile, in Edmonton, president Sunny Balwaria of Cold Shot bus services says his business is growing slowly, but he's not in a position to meet passenger requests for expansion. "I don't have deep pockets like (some competitors) and there's no support from government anywhere, so maybe next year I expand, after I steady out what I have in my hand," he said. Cold Shot had partnered with Greyhound to operate four routes in northern Alberta. When Greyhound left, it decided to expand into more empty Greyhound routes with a lower cost option using smaller 20-passenger buses. Competition, however, is fierce, says Balwaria. For instance, there are now three companies offering the Edmonton-Grande Prairie route previously served only by Greyhound. Cold Shot decided to drop its Edmonton-Camrose service last year when Pacific Western was chosen to supply the subsidized service. But it expanded to start its first service in B.C. to the northeastern community of Fort St. John. Milan, Italy: A single high dose of radiation that can be delivered directly to the tumour within a few minutes is a safe and effective technique for treating men with low risk prostate cancer, according to a study presented at the ESTRO 38 conference. Radiotherapy traditionally involves a series of lower dose treatments that take place over several days or week. The new treatment is called high dose-rate brachytherapy and it delivers radiation via a set of tiny tubes. Researchers say this technique could offer an effective treatment that is convenient for patients and brings potential time and cost savings for hospitals. The research was presented by Dr Hannah Tharmalingam, a Clinical Research Fellow at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Northwood, and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK. She said: "Brachytherapy, where we use temporary catheters to directly treat tumours, has already proved to be a good treatment for prostate cancer, both in terms of killing the cancer cells and minimising side effects. This usually means patients make four to six visits to the hospital for a series of lower dose treatments. We wanted to see whether we could get similar results but with just one high dose treatment, saving time for the patient and the hospital." The research included 441 men with prostate cancer who were treated at one of seven UK hospitals [1] between 2013 and 2018. Their cancers were classified, depending on how likely they were to spread, as either low risk (total of 44 men), medium risk (285 men) or high risk (112 men). All were treated with a single high dose (19 Gy) of radiation; 166 men also received hormone therapy but none had any surgery or chemotherapy. Researchers monitored the men's progress for an average of 26 months. They measured the levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in the men's blood two years after the treatment and again three years after the treatment. PSA is considered to be a good indicator of how well prostate cancer treatment has worked. If levels increase, this can indicate the cancer has returned. Overall, after two years, 94% of men showed no sign of the cancer returning, according to their PSA levels. For men with low risk cancer this figure was 100%, in men with medium risk it was 95% and in men with high risk cancer it was 92%. After three years, the overall figure was 88%, and in men with low, medium and high risk cancers, the figures were 100%, 86% and 75% respectively. Of the 27 men with raised PSA levels, researchers were able to identify where the cancer had returned in 25. In 15, the cancer had returned in the prostate. In the rest, it had spread to other parts of the body. At the time of the treatment, there were no serious side effects. Later on, two men developed urethral strictures that required surgery and two developed rectal fistulae that required colostomy. Dr Tharmalingam said: "These results indicate that high dose-rate brachytherapy is a safe and effective treatment for men with low risk prostate cancer but further research is needed in medium and high risk patients to see if the results can be improved with a higher dose. This type of treatment offers an attractive alternative to surgery or other forms of radiotherapy as it has a comparatively low risk of side effects. It is also a patient-friendly option because the treatment can be given quickly at a single hospital visit." Dr Tharmalingam and her colleagues hope to continue studying the impact of using this type of radiotherapy, especially in patients with higher risk prostate cancer who are more likely to suffer a recurrence. She believes it would be possible, given the low risk of side effects, to modify the treatment or increase the dose even further in higher risk cases. Dr Bradley Pieters, chair of ESTRO's brachytherapy committee and a radiation oncologist at the Academic University Medical Centers, The Netherlands, who was not involved in the study, said: "This research suggests that a single treatment of high dose-rate brachytherapy could be a very good option for many men with prostate cancer. The technology and expertise needed to deliver this treatment is not yet available in all cancer centres. However, given that it may offer time and money savings for hospitals as well as benefits to patients, there is a good argument for investing in this type of radiotherapy." ### Welcome to the News Release Wire Selection Control Panel. Instant News Wire A dazzling display of twinkling lights wowed thousands of San Antonians who packed into the citys downtown Saturday, eager to experience the largest illuminated night parade in the nation. Now in its 71st year, the organizers of the Fiesta Flambeau Parade expected more than 750,000 attendees to crowd along the 2.6-mile route, with another 1.5 million people anticipated to catch the floats and dancers on television. This year's theme was Reflections of Music Past, embodied by elaborately-decorated floats and marching bands that blasted melodies through the streets of downtown San Antonio. Fiesta faithfuls As they waited in the sunshine for the parade to start Saturday, people munched on sausage-on-sticks, their colorful medals clanking in the slight breeze. Virginia Martinezs family was staying at Hotel Gibbs for Fiesta, and after a week of festivities, she was getting ready to leave downtown ahead of the parade. Martinez has been going to Fiesta events for decades and said she loves the food and music. Market Square is the hot spot, she said. They like to party, Martinez said of fellow San Antonians, laughing. The party thats exactly what drew Lisa Garcia into the crowds, well before the first float was expected to roll down the parade route. The electric joy pulsing through the flashy displays, Fiesta queens, glittering lights and funky foods is what Garcia likes best about San Antonios signature festival. Its the feeling of celebration, Garcia said, grinning as she searched for the right words to capture the annual event. Its everything. The San Antonian, who has been part of the Fiesta faithful for decades, said she attends many of the festivities every year. Though the parade will usher in the end of Fiesta, which wraps up Sunday, Garcia sees it as a starting point. Its the beginning of party season! she said, laughing. In it for the medals As the sun began to set, parade-goers readied their glow sticks and other illuminated ornaments, fastening them to their wrists, necks and around the tops of their heads. But San Antonio native Norma Garza wasnt one of them. Instead of opting for glow-in-the-dark accessories, Garza kept it simple wearing dozens of Fiesta medals she has collected over the years, pinned to her shirt, sash and purse. For decades, Garza and her husband have been coming to the same exact spot the intersection of Houston and Alamo to watch the Fiesta Flambeau Parade, one of the only Fiesta events that aligns with their work schedules. On Saturday, they set up their camping chairs around 1 p.m. in anticipation. Garza, however, doesnt mind the wait. Because the longer shes there, the more Fiesta medals shes likely to collect. (My sash) got so heavy I had to take it off, Garza said, adding that she brought at least 100 medals with her. A family affair Pops of confetti guns and the clinking of tambourines echoed across the crowd in Alamo Plaza, where Casey Magusiak equipped attendees with all of the accessories that set Fiesta Flambeau apart from other festivities held during daylight hours. Flashing light sabers, sparkling flower crowns, light-up skull masks and necklaces made from string lights were among the illuminated goods that Magusiak sold during Fiesta Flambeau. With the help of his 12-year-old daughter, the two set up shop hours before the parade began. Anything glowing or bubble guns those are the major sellers, Magusiak said. This is the third year that Briana Kauska has been helped her father, the girl said. She loves watching the floats pass by and the smile on small childrens faces as they pick out their favorite party favors such as a 3-year-old girl she helped out earlier. Its pretty fun, she said. You get to meet new people. Destination Flambeau As night fell over San Antonio, the downtown streets came alive. With glowing unicorn horns fastened to their bridles, horses pulled sparkling carriages down Alamo Street, followed by marching bands that played on instruments wrapped in strings of lights. Majorettes twirled illuminated batons as children in the audience shrieked, waving glow sticks and flashing swords. Years ago, Marisol Adame was one of the majorettes entertaining the onlookers at one of San Antonios largest parades. But Saturday, she watched from the crowd, holding her 6-month-old daughter, Leila. Adame, her husband and their two young daughters drove all the way from Houston Saturday for the night parade. Armed diaper bags and strollers, the family walked from their hotel to stake claim at a spot in front of the Alamo. Adames 2-year-old daughter smiled and wiggled while sitting atop her fathers shoulders, looking out to the parade. Meanwhile, Adame held Leila, who giggled and kicked her feet as drummers marched by. For Adame, bringing her own daughters here so many years later was like coming full circle. Maybe one day, Leila, too, might perform, Adame said while the baby ogled and smiled at the crowds. Shes excited, she said. She was dancing because of the band. TMC (All India Trinamool Congress) led by Mamata Banerjee has themselves allowed Bangladesh actors to campaign in general elections 2019 but couldn't stop themselves to complain against Khali. In a recent report, it is being reported that TMC has registered a complaint against wrestler Khali, also known Dalip Singh Rana to campaigning for BJP candidate Anupam Hazra in Kolkata. TMC wrote a letter to Election Commission and alleged that Khali did campaigning for Hazra despite that he is an American citizen. "Mr Rana is not an Indian citizen and holds citizenship under the United States of America. Therefore, a foreigner should not be allowed to influence the minds of the Indian electors as he has little or no knowledge as to who should be an appropriate MP in India," letter to the EC reads. They also claimed that BJP is using Khali's celebrity status to misguide Indian voters. However, the letter doesn't mention how can foreign nationals are campaigning of TMC's own candidates. Bangladeshi actor Ferdous Ahmed recently was seen joining Kanaia Lal Agarwal's rally in Raiganj. While Ghazi Abdul Noor had been part of Saugata Roy's campaigning in Dumdum. The interesting thing is that the two Bangladeshi actors those did campaigning for TMC actually were found in violation of their visa provisions. While on the other hand, Khali, was born and raised in India, he was also a part of Punjab Police before giving up his job to enter professional wrestling. The Texas Legislature is debating the Texas Born-Alive Infant Protection Act. Introduced by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, and Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, the bill affords legal protection to infants born alive after surviving an abortion attempt. It institutes criminal and civil penalties for any abortionist who fails to provide them proper medical care. In more than 15 years of elected service, I have never encountered a bill more deserving of the support of every Texan. That the bill is necessary at all is a sad and frightening commentary on how far outside the mainstream the pro-abortion side has gone. Within the past few months, lawmakers in New York wildly cheered the passage of a bill repealing every meaningful restriction on late-term abortion. The bill, immediately signed into law by the states governor, makes abortion up until the very moment of a childs birth available for virtually any reason at all. The unabashed glee displayed by proponents of unrestricted late-term abortion in New York has emboldened abortion advocates to stake out yet more radical ground. The Democratic governor of Virginia a physician by training did Americans the service of demonstrating just how radical. In tones that might suggest to the listener a discussion of a trip to the dentist, he described the process by which an abortionist might keep a child comfortable and how a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother as to whether the infant would be resuscitated. Theres a word for intentionally allowing a fully delivered baby crying and struggling for life to die on a sterile medical table: infanticide. The born-alive bill would ensure that any abortionist who knowingly allows a precious human child to die of neglect will experience the full force of Texas law. A similar bill on the federal level failed when 44 U.S. lawmakers opposed it on the Senate floor. The failure of Congress to respond to the attempted mainstreaming of this heinous practice has rightly jolted Texans. If Congress cannot bring itself to decisively outlaw post-birth abortion, Texas must step up. And contrary to what the abortion lobby would like us to believe, live births during abortions do happen. Two weeks ago, the Texas House heard testimony from three women who survived an attempt on their life in abortion. In Florida alone, 18 babies have been born alive during abortions since 2017 that we know of. It should be obvious why legal clarity and strong penalties are needed in these situations. Abortionists are unique in the medical profession because they alone among doctors have a financial interest in the death of a human. That financial interest does not disappear when the child is delivered alive. Abortionists are paid to end a life. A child who fails to cooperate by dying while in the womb represents a job not done. Texans could be forgiven for assuming that the Texas Born-Alive Infant Protection Act would be altogether uncontroversial. After all, it does nothing whatsoever to restrict access to abortion; it applies only to children born alive. But 10 state senators have already voted against it. On the House side, all four Democrats on the Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee boycotted the bills legislative hearing. Apparently even debating an unambiguous statewide ban on infanticide violates their delicate sensibilities. Claire Culwell was one of the survivors of abortion whose testimony they missed. Her extraordinary story and powerful testimony should have the last word. Pregnant at 13 and unaware other options existed, Culwells birth mother underwent a late-term dismemberment abortion. But four weeks later, she was still showing signs of pregnancy she had been carrying twins. As she put it, An abortion that ripped my twin apart limb from limb left me untouched. Weeks later, Claire was born. Today, she is 31 years old and has a daughter of her own. A lot of people arent sure or maybe are in denial that abortion survivors exist, Culwell said. They obviously dont want to see our faces because it destroys what they have believed about a womans right to choose and about what the baby actually is. She closed her remarkable testimony with a question that every lawmaker considering this legislation should ask themselves. What about me? What about my face or my life makes me less deserving of a chance at life than someone like you who was wanted? Ken Paxton is Texas attorney general. HELENA - Montanas 66th Legislature adjourned Thursday, three days early and after a jam-packed final several days. Lawmakers introduced a total of 1,309 bills this session, ranging from cleanup bills that remove unnecessary language in Montana code to bills that deal with issues like infrastructure funding, which will touch every corner of the state and cost tens of millions of dollars. Of those introduced, 426 bills cleared both the House and Senate and were sent to Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock for either a veto or his signature. Republican Majority Leader Rep. Brad Tschida of Missoula said of the sessions in which hes served in the House, this was the most productive. Democratic Minority Leader Rep. Casey Schreiner, of Great Falls, agreed. I stand here proud to say we got (work) done, more than any legislative body that we've seen in a long time, Schreiner said. Lawmakers generally agree the 2019 session ran smoother than in years past. The constitutionally-mandated task of passing a two-year budget, which this session amounted to about $10 billion in spending, was accomplished by both the House and the Senate early. And, the state will fund infrastructure with bonds, or borrowing, and cash for the first time in at least five sessions. Also, one of the biggest pushes of the session was to extend Medicaid expansion, which passed in plenty of time before adjournment. Of course, not every proposal can find compromise. Bullock has advocated for the creation of a statewide public preschool program since before last session. In 2017, lawmakers did pass a pilot program that funded pre-K in 18 school districts. Two pre-K bills were killed early in the 2019 session, one carried by Schreiner and the other by Republican Rep. Eric Moore of Miles City. Sen. Jon Sesso, D-Butte, proposed two amendments to one of the state budget bills, Senate Bill 352, to add a full pre-K program or continue the pilot program. Both of those proposals failed. Quality preschool ought not be only for families who can afford it, Bullock said at a press conference. I do call on our future leaders who will be in these Capitol hallways in two years to find a way to get a permanent publicly-funded preschool program for this state. Multiple news sources reported the pre-K proposal was tied to a bill that would have incentivized Northwestern Energy to buy more shares of Colstrips coal-fired power plant or more of an energy transmission line that carries power to western states. The coal-fired power plant must close two of its units by 2022 and demand for coal has decreased in favor of renewable energy. Taxes on coal add millions of dollars to state revenue, and as its value declines, lawmakers have been urgently looking for a solution. But the proposal was widely criticized for what some saw as deregulation of the utility, taking away power from the Public Service Commission. It was amended multiple times and in its final form would have allowed for more oversight. On the Legislatures final day, lawmakers couldnt strike a deal on pre-K and a so-called Save Colsprip bill. Disagreements aside, Schreiner said a perfect storm of lawmakers were able to pass a number of bipartisan bills. Updating Crumbling Public Works For the first time in nearly a decade, lawmakers voted to pass a bill that allows the state to borrow money for public works, or what some call infrastructure, projects. Communities across Montana will be able to apply for grants and use them to update crumbling infrastructure, like sewer systems, bridges and roads. And, Montana State University and the Montana Historical Society will get funding for projects theyve been wanting for years. The infrastructure package includes money for Romney Hall renovations at MSU and a separate bill will stream new bed tax revenue into a new Heritage Center for the Historical Society. House Bill 652, which passed both the House and the Senate, allows for an $80 million mixture of cash and bonds to go toward public building projects. In the past, Democrats and Republicans have disagreed on borrowing money for infrastructure. Another bill that passed solved that issue. Rep. Eric Moore, R-Miles City, carried House Bill 553, which lays out a careful framework of how the state borrows money for projects, which made HB 652 more palatable for conservatives who have voted against bonding in the past. Senate Majority Leader Fred Thomas, R-Stevensville, said back in January when the framework was proposed that many in his party were enthusiastic about the bill. The main idea is that we want to take politics out of the process of passing infrastructure bills, Thomas said. And while the bonding bill and the framework proposal were both proposed and voted for by Republicans, not all were supportive. Sen. Dee Brown, R-Hungry Horse, said she will never vote for a bonding bill that leaves debt for the taxpayer to pick up. Being debt free is truly freedom, Brown said. Taxes In his proposed budget, the governor asked lawmakers to consider raising taxes on accommodations, rental cars, alcohol, tobacco and investment license fees to generate more state revenue. Rep. Nancy Ballance, R-Hamilton, was co-chair of the House Appropriations Committee and said at the very beginning of the session that there was no appetite in the Republican party, which held a majority in both the Senate and the House, to raise taxes in Montana. A major divide between how Democrats and Republicans think about taxes comes down to how the tax revenue will be used. Sen. Tom Jacobson, D-Great Falls, proposed an increase on taxes on rental cars. He said its purpose would have been to flow more revenue into the states general fund, which pays a wide variety of government services. During a tax debate on the House floor, Rep. Derek Skees, R-Kalispell, said wanting more state revenue is not enough to persuade him. I need a strong reason to raise a tax, Skees said. Most of the proposed tax increases, like those on alcohol or on carbon emissions, failed. However, a couple of specific proposals were able to squeak by. Lawmakers approved Senate Bill 338, which is the bill that will use accommodation tax revenues to build a new Heritage Center to house Montana Historical Society artifacts. An aviation fuel tax also passed in House Bill 661 and will add a one cent tax on each gallon of airplane fuel. Both proposals were carried by Republicans. Medicaid expansion Another issue that was as divisive as tax proposals, and maybe even more so, was Montanas Medicaid expansion program. First passed in 2015, the state-federal partnership provides government-subsidized health insurance for more than 96,000 Montanans. The state has been receiving a 100 percent match rate from the federal government through the Affordable Care Act, but that rate is decreasing to 90 percent. Meaning, the state now has to pay for 10 percent of the program. The four-year old program was set to sunset in June, but it was revived through House Bill 658. The revival was not without opposition. In December, Republican Senate President Scott Sales of Bozeman said he was not inclined to vote for the program. He was one of 24 senators who voted against HB 658 when it passed 26-24 this month. Some conservatives argue the program is financially unsustainable and that the government should not fund any so-called entitlement programs. Rep. Ed Buttrey, R-Great Falls, was able to find Republican support by tacking on so-called sideboards onto the enrollment process for Medicaid expansion. Some recipients will be required to report on whether they are working or volunteering to receive benefits. HB 658 also implements asset tests to weed out people who have significant property holdings from gaining benefits. Bullock said although its not the policy he would have chosen, hes happy the program will continue. Passing an infrastructure package and Medicaid expansion were priorities for Democrats. However, the minority party wasnt able to pass any legislation without bipartisan support. A group that proved powerful this session was the self-titled Solutions Caucus, which is made up of moderate Republicans who broke from party leadership on some major votes. Members of the caucus, including Representatives Moore, Ballance, Buttrey and Llew Jones, R-Conrad, carried high-stakes bills like the budget, bonding and Medicaid expansion. Before the session even began, the Solutions Caucus was causing strife in the majority party. Skees served within party leadership as a whip and said party members should vote with party leaders a majority of the time. And if they dont, he said, their service is a lie to constituents. But the strategy of independent voting proved effective for the caucus in passing the bills it sponsored. Overall, the governor said was pleased with the Legislatures work. Im thankful for the legislators who put in the hard work day-in and day-out, and for those who made it not about the political winds and losses, but instead about putting forth meaningful legislation, Bullock said. Shaylee Ragar is a reporter with the UM Legislative News Service, a partnership of the University of Montana School of Journalism, the Montana Newspaper Association, the Montana Broadcasters Association and the Greater Montana Foundation. Shaylee can be reached at shaylee.ragar@umontana.edu. COVER PHOTO: Montana Capitol rotunda. Photo by Shaylee Ragar / UM Legislative News Service. 2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning -- 4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS. We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover. We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike. We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve. SHANGHAI, April 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 19, 2019, SIMCom invited partners and clients, many industry benchmarking enterprises and industry veterans to have a partnership meeting at the Shanghai Marriott Hotel Hongqiao. Attending companies included CSG Smart Science & Technology Co. Ltd., Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co., Ltd., Fujian LANDI Commercial Equipment Co., Ltd., Zhuhai Gree Electric Appliances, Inc., Huizhou TCL Communication Electronics Co. Ltd., Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Guomai Technology Group, Telepower Communication Co., Ltd. Li Bin, Board chairman of the Module Business Group of Sunsea AIoT, Yang Tao, President of Module Business Group of Sunsea AIoT and SIMCom, Li Yongsheng, Vice General Manager of SIMCom, Luo Xiaoyan, Vice General Manager of SIMCom, and Chen Liping, Vice General Manager of SIMCom were all present to meet with the heads of suppliers and clients. Board chairman Li Bin first gave a speech for the present partners. He said that for Sunsea AIoT, this year is not only a year of development, but also a year of products and we should keep improving our abilities to develop new products and make full use of our strength through cluster effect, so as to increase our speed to market for new products. CEO Yang Tao gave a speech titled "SIMCom to Connect with Everything in the Future." In the speech, Mr. Yang Tao introduced the accomplishments SIMCom achieved in the previous 2 years since it joined Sunsea Group. Mr. Yang also said that as we are approaching the second half of 2019 when the 5G license will be granted, the stimulus 5G brings to Internet of Things will reach a peak and the industries related to 5G, Internet of Things and artificial intelligence will experience an explosive growth, which will pose both an opportunity and a challenge for SIMCom and new ways of thinking will be necessary for such a new environment. Therefore, Mr. Yang proposed 4 responding strategies: 1) to strengthen the cluster effect, specifically, to establish a module business group and improve SIMCom's development and innovation abilities; 2) to increase the investment, specifically, to improve research and development's efficiency and salesmen's service abilities via strong capital support; 3) to develop new markets, increasing enterprises' sensitivity and discovering the new industrial solutions and demands for application plans in the context of 5G; 4) to build a new ecosystem, specifically, to build a brand new ecosystem based on cloud module/AI module to provide more convenient and advanced plans for clients. Vice General Manager Li Yongsheng and Vice General Manager Luo Xiaoyan respectively introduced SIMCom's most advanced product and technology and SIMCom's constant effort in research and development to provide clients with faster, better connection technologies of higher quality. At the same time SIMCom released 12 new products with 5G modules at the center, including 5G/LTE CAT12/AI/LPWA/C-V2X module. 5G module SIM8200G-M2, with its uplink/downlink peak rate reaching 2.5Gbps/4Gbps, based on the Qualcomm SDX55 platform and supporting Sub6G frequency band; Automotive module SIM8100 used to realize C-V2X, which is designed for internet of vehicles; LTE Cat12 high speed modules SIM7912G-M2 that provide LTE-A communication abilities and evolve from 4G to 5G; LTE Cat4 module SIM7600G-H that supports all global mainstream frequency bands; Smart module SIM8980\SIM8950\SIM8950L, with directional optimized design and higher cost performance, able to work with different terminal applications and fully unleash the product performance; LPWAN module SIM7050C is backwards compatible that simultaneously supports 2G and NB so as to dispel the worry that NB network might be left behind area network; NB module SIM7060G integrated with GNSS chip, which enables terminals demanding positioning and tracking; SIM7080G that supports eMTC & NB-IoT modules and SIM7070G supports eMTC & NB-IoT & GSM 3 modules; SIMCom's Vice General Manager Chen Liping and Marketing Director Tan Mengxi shared their detailed plans on SIMCom's marketing management and branding operations: to strengthen the ties with partners and to further improve the reputation and influence of both parties. In the meeting, Wang Enxi, President of Sunsea Bewinner, Wang Xueqiang, Vice President of Sunsea IoT, Doctor Xue Guodong, CEO of Ayla Sunsea and other executive team members also gave speeches on their cooperation with SIMCom in "cloud+ terminal" full-ecology solutions. From 2G,3G to 4G and to 5G, with the support of upstream and downstream partners, SIMCom strived to explore and develop many new products to address the clients' needs for newer, stronger and better communication abilities, so as to bring commercial success. In a time like this, SIMCom meets with its partners and clients to have this partnership meeting and present outstanding contribution awards and best partner awards to the partners, as a gesture to express its gratitude for all the support and help in the previous 17 years. SIMCom sincerely hopes that we will keep working together in the future to achieve win-win situations. About SIMCom SIMCom Wireless Solutions Co., Ltd, owned subsidiary of SUNSEA AIOT (002313.SZ). Since its founding in 2002, the company has focused on developing innovative cellular modules and terminal level solutions based on 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G technologies. SIMCom also focuses on GNSS satellite positioning with module solutions for GPS, GLONASS, and BEIDOU. More information is available at the company's website (www.simcom.com), LinkedIn Page, or Twitter. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/878489/SIMCom.jpg The hike in duty is likely to make imports of wheat unviable for flour mills even after recent declines in global prices, potentially dragging further on global grain markets. Mumbai: The government has raised its import duty on wheat to 40 percent from 30 percent, the government said late on Friday, as the worlds Number Two producer of the grain tries to support local farmers. The step comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modis party looks to contain rural discontent due to lower crop prices amid voting in a general election that began on April 11 and ends on May 19. Local wheat prices have fallen over 11 percent in 2019 due to ample supply from last years crop and forecasts of record output. The hike in duty is likely to make imports of wheat unviable for flour mills even after recent declines in global prices, potentially dragging further on global grain markets. Local wheat production is higher. The government is now trying to ensure prices remain above support levels, said Harish Galipelli, head of commodities and currencies at Inditrade Derivatives & Commodities in Mumbai. The government has raised the price at which it buys new-season wheat from local farmers by 6 percent to 1,840 rupees per 100 kg for 2019. The government usually purchases about a quarter of such wheat from farmers at state-set prices to build stocks to run a major food welfare programme. Indias wheat production will rise 2 percent in 2019 from the year before to a record 99.12 million tonnes, according to estimates from the countrys agriculture department. Only one wheat crop is grown in India each year, with planting starting in late October and harvesting in March. Government wheat stocks stood at 17 million tonnes as of April 1, up nearly 30 percent from the same time a year ago. At 40 percent import duty, imports are not viable for flour mills. They have to buy local crop, said a Mumbai-based grain dealer with a global trading firm. He declined to be identified as he was not authorised to speak with media. Indian flour millers imported 1.65 million tonnes of wheat in the 2017/18 fiscal year, down from 5.7 million tonnes the year before. Those shipments were mainly from Australia, Russia and Ukraine. With almost two years into GST implementation, the government is now focussing on anti-evasion measures to shore up revenue and increase compliance. New Delhi: The Goods and Services Tax (GST) officers are working on a system where businesses above a certain turnover threshold will have to generate 'e-invoice' on government or GST portal for every sale, thereby effectively reducing the room for tax evasion. To start with, businesses above a specified threshold will just get a unique number for every electronic invoice or e-invoice generated. This number can be matched with the invoices reported in the sales return and taxes paid, an official said. Going forward, businesses will be required to generate full electronic-tax invoice or e-invoice recording entire value of sales. The official said that businesses beyond a turnover threshold would be provided a software which will be linked to GST or a government portal for generating e-invoice. The threshold can also be fixed on the basis of the value of invoice. "The requirement of e-invoice generation could be either on the basis of turnover of the registered person or value of invoice. The thinking is, ideally, it should be based on turnover threshold so as to avoid splitting of sales," an official said. Giving example, the official said that if the minimum invoice value is fixed at Rs 1,000, there is a possibility of businesses of splitting the bills to avoid the invoice-based threshold cap. E-invoice generation method will be similar to the one being followed for e-way bill on the 'ewaybill.nic.in' portal or payment of Goods and Services Tax on the GSTN portal. The proposed system of e-invoice will eventually replace the requirement of generation of e-way bill for movement of goods, as invoices would be generated through a centralised government portal. Currently, e-way bill is required for moving goods exceeding Rs 50,000. The official further said that once full e-tax invoice starts getting generated, it would significantly ease burden of return filing by businesses as invoice wise data would be auto-populated in the return forms. "We will have to study global models followed by countries like Latin America, South Korea and Europe. We will also look at ways to incentivise businesses to adopt the method of e-invoice generation," the official said. An officers committee, comprising central, state tax officials and GST Network Chief Executive, has been set up to look into the feasibility of introducing e-invoice system to streamline generation of invoices and easing compliance burden. The committee will finalise an interim report next month. The proposed 'e-invoice' is part of the exercise to check GST evasion. With almost two years into GST implementation, the government is now focussing on anti-evasion measures to shore up revenue and increase compliance. There are over 1.21 crore registered businesses under the GST, of which 20 lakh are under composition scheme. AMRG & Associates Partner Rajat Mohan said e-invoicing would help in avoiding duplication of efforts and minimise manual intervention in filing and checking of tax returns. "To incentivise businesses to adopt new system, the tax department could limit the frequency of mandatory departmental audits in case procurements are made on basis of e-invoices," Mohan said. Jet Airways has not paid March salaries to its over 20,000 employees. Jet ceased operations on 17 April. Mumbai: The National Aviator's Guild (NAG), which represents pilots of the grounded carrier Jet Airways on Saturday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "direct" the airline's lender State Bank of India (SBI) to release one month's salary of all the employees. In a late evening e-mail to the prime minister, the guild also sought government's directive to "stop de-registration" of the airline's aircraft, which are now being leased by other domestic carriers. "We urge you to direct SBI to release a month's salary to all employees on an urgent and humane basis. We don't want to see a repeat of the human tragedy which unfolded post the Kingfisher Airlines demise," said NAG president Karan Chopra in the e-mail. Thousands of employees of Kingfisher lost over eight months' salary after the airline went bust in October 2012. The guild also sought to expedite the binding bid date for the Jet Airways stake to "preserve" enterprise value of the airline. It also urged the government to ascertain if there was a "premeditated conspiracy" to delay bid declaration or any other "illegal move" was afoot to allow those who have bid as individual entities to team up as a consortium now. On Friday, Jet Airways chief executive Vinay Dube had said there was no commitment on the part of stakeholders on paying salaries. The airline has not paid March salaries to its over 20,000 employees. Jet ceased operations on 17 April. The airline suspended operations after the SBI-led consortium of lenders rejected its demand of a Rs 983-crore lifeline to help carry out operations and pay salaries. By Niklas Pollard and Nerijus Adomaitis STOCKHOLM/OSLO (Reuters) - Scandinavian airline SAS cancelled hundreds of flights scheduled for Sunday as a pilot strike entered its second day, disrupting the travel plans of tens of thousands of passengers. SAS pilots went on strike on Friday as wage talks broke down, grounding around 70 percent of the airline's flights and hitting some 170,000 people over the weekend alone. 'We deeply regret that our customers are affected by the ongoing pilot strike,' SAS said in a statement on Saturday outlining its flight cancellations for the rest of the weekend By Niklas Pollard and Nerijus Adomaitis STOCKHOLM/OSLO (Reuters) - Scandinavian airline SAS cancelled hundreds of flights scheduled for Sunday as a pilot strike entered its second day, disrupting the travel plans of tens of thousands of passengers. SAS pilots went on strike on Friday as wage talks broke down, grounding around 70 percent of the airline's flights and hitting some 170,000 people over the weekend alone. "We deeply regret that our customers are affected by the ongoing pilot strike," SAS said in a statement on Saturday outlining its flight cancellations for the rest of the weekend. "Due to the strike another estimated 64,000 passengers will be affected (on Sunday) when 587 flights are cancelled across Scandinavia." The stand-off showed little sign of nearing a resolution on Saturday. "We believe the unions have to face reality and resume talks," Torbjoern Lothe at the Norwegian Confederation of Enterprise, an employers' association involved in the negotiations with the unions last week, told Reuters. Norsk Pilotforbund, one of two SAS pilot unions in Norway, said it had had no contact with the airline, as did Rawaz Nermany, chairman of the Swedish Airline Pilots Association. "We are waiting for SAS to get in touch and show a real will to discuss the issues that are important to us," he said. "So far, they have not wanted to do that." A spokesman for the Swedish National Mediation Office, whose proposed deal the pilots rejected late on Thursday, said there were "no immediate plans" for contacts between the parties in Sweden. SAS has taken steps such as offering free food to passengers waiting to find alternative flights at airports across Scandinavia, but several travellers complained on social media that they were unable to reach the airline's customer services. "Hey SAS I've been trying to contact you for a day now," one wrote on Twitter, to which SAS responded: "Our customer service is answering the phone as fast as they can. Try again". The flag carrier, which is part-owned by the Swedish and Danish governments, has said it is prepared to resume negotiations but warned that meeting pilots' demands would have dire consequences for the company. The aviation industry's employer body in Sweden has said pilots demanded a 13 percent wage hike, despite what it called already high average wages of 93,000 Swedish crowns a month. The SAS Pilot Group, a union body representing 95 percent of the airline's pilots in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, says that the dispute concerns more than simply wages, pointing to demands for more predictable and transparent working hours. Analysts at Sydbank have estimated that the strike is costing SAS 60-80 million Swedish crowns ($6.3 million to $8.41 million) per day, which would effectively wipe out the airline's expected net profit for the year were it to last two weeks. The strike at SAS does not affect flights operated by its partners, which make up roughly 30 percent of all departures. The airline said it was offering passengers booked on flights through May 1 to reschedule free of charge. ($1 = 9.5122 Swedish crowns) (Reporting by Niklas Pollard; additional reporting by Stine Jacobsen in Copenhagen and Kanishka Singh and Subrat Patnaik in Bangalore; Editing by Alexander Smith and Clelia Oziel) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Ravneet Gill succeeded Rana Kapoor in March after RBI asked to leave by end January due to a regulatory discomfort. Mumbai: Ravneet Gill, the new chief executive at Yes Bank wants to increase focus on compliance and governance two critical areas in which his predecessor Rana Kapoor was found wanting to ensure that the bank is on the side of regulator. This indicates that Gill is not only cleaning up the balance sheet which saw the fifth largest private sector lender announcing the first-ever loss of a whopping Rs 1,506 crore over the weekend, but also the governance practices, which led to the ouster of Kapoor by the regulator earlier this year. Among other deficiencies, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had reportedly found serious lapses in governance and poor compliance culture at Yes Bank under Kapoor who was a co-promoter and chief executive, whom Gill succeeded in March after RBI asked to leave by end January due to a regulatory discomfort. Addressing analysts hours after shocking with a Rs 1,506-crore loss in the March quarter, Gill cited a recent meeting with a large MNC to cite perception issues. The multinational, which banks with a foreign lender, wanted to undertake a large remittance transaction and came to Yes Bank to check if it can get the job done without the hassle of going through the RBI, something which the foreign lender insisted on. "This is the perception that exists but we want to get away from that. We want to send out a very clear messaging to the market that we want to be very closely aligned with the regulator, by being on the side of the regulator and the regulator should be able to validate that", Gill said. Similarly, on governance too, he said the new leadership is very serious about confirming to the highest standards of governance and also set new industry benchmarks. "Over a period of time, we've attracted lots of regulatory scrutiny which were not exactly in our best interest, he admitted reasoning the need for a cultural change at the lender". Conceding that there may be a perception issue where the market even may stop trusting the numbers put out by the bank, Gill said he wants to set in greatest transparency by moving to conservative and prudent accounting. "The move to take a Rs 2,100 crore contingency provision for the March quarter, the prime reason for the maiden loss shown by the bank, is the same and not kitchen sinking", Gill said. "We thought let's go and put it out there that we are setting a new course for ourselves in terms of transparency", Gill, who previously worked as the country head of German lender Deutsche Bank, said. In its communications before curtailing Kapoor's term, RBI had reportedly said there is a persistent governance and compliance failure reflected by Yes Bank's highly irregular credit management practices, serious deficiencies in governance and a poor compliance culture. On the operational front, Gill rued that there is a lot of centralisation on the market approach, especially on the retail side, and said this is something he will work on to deliver better returns. The bank was very centralised from a decision- making perspective, which actually flies into the face of the logic that liabilities business has to be driven by bottom-up, he said. Gill admitted that only 30 percent of its 1,100 branches are profitable and it has initiated a branch-wise review that entails detailing key performance indicators and the business to be targeted. The aim is to make 80 percent of branches profitable by 2023 and make it 100 percent by 2025, he added. In what sounds like a departure from the extreme focus on retail under Kapoor, Gill said corporate lending will now become the calling card for the lender and the attempt is to only diversify the loan book. He also admitted that the bank lacks the needed focus on cross-selling and transaction banking, which will now be a key focus area. Explaining the same, Gill said the banks revenue at present is limited to interest income and some fees as it focuses merely on loan underwriting, but a cross-sell strategy can deliver better credit commissions, forex fees, guarantee commissions etc and can help the bank bridge the gap with its peers from a fund-cost perspective, which is adrift at high 125-150 bps now. It can be noted that many lenders, especially those focused on corporates and wanting to grow their retail play, have lately adopted a cross-selling strategy, making it seem almost like a trend. Gill said while Yes Banks retail book may be small, it has grown impressively and is one of the best in industry. 25-year-old Aswathi Rajappan is the first openly intersex person to have contested the Lok Sabha polls. While media coverage of the Lok Sabha election 2019 is largely restricted to high-profile candidates from national parties, some candidates for the election are making their mark for representing the interests of some of the most marginalised sections of society the LGBTQ+ community. One of them is 25-year-old Aswathi Rajappan, the first openly intersex person to have contested the Lok Sabha polls. They will contest from Ernakulam in Kerala. Rajappan has completed a BSc Electronics degree from IHRD College in Thodupuzha in Idukki district. They describe themselves as a "queer-Ambedkarite" candidate. Speaking to Firstpost, Rajappan said, "If I get elected to power, among the most important things I plan to do is to ensure housing for all. It is a basic need of citizens. I will especially take care of the housing needs of migrant labourers and trans people. I have seen a lot of migrant labourers who have to live below the Kochi metro rail. I will ensure proper shelter for them." Rajappan also promised to bring finishing schools to Ernakulam, which would "help students in their extra-curricular activities". They also promised ensuring the welfare of farmers and finding a solution to pollution in the constituency. Asked about the standpoints of mainstream political parties in Kerala about LGBTQ rights, Rajappan said, "I hope that mainstream politicians discuss the problems that are faced by queer persons, including intersex persons. The problems for intersex persons start before their birth. There are many cases in which foetuses are aborted after doctors find ambiguities in the genitalia of unborn babies. There should also be a law to prohibit corrective surgery for intersex individuals without their consent." "I want to protect the rights of people to be the way they are," they asserted. Rajappan also insisted that their identity should not be viewed only as a trans person, or a Dalit. Many people do not want to accept my identity as a whole that of an intersex individual, an Ambedkarite and a Dalit. However, some people only accept some of these aspects, and not others. While Rajappan aspires to be a rare political representative for the LGBTQ+ community, most of the promises made in their manifesto relate to the society at large. Among the prominent assurance made is ensuring that "land is given back to the original inhabitants of the forest, the Dalits, through the implementation of the Forest Rights Act". The implementation of the Forest Rights Act may well have a significant bearing on the parliamentary election, in the aftermath of the Supreme Court order to evict people from forest land if their claims under the Act have been rejected. While the court has now stayed its order, the legal battle is on. Another assurance in Rajappan's manifesto is that of putting pressure on the Centre to implement the Gadgil report for the protection of the Western Ghats. The Gadgil committee report, which had recommended that the entire stretch of the Western Ghats be declared an ecologically sensitive area, had become the subject of renewed discussion recently in the aftermath of last year's floods in Kerala. Rajappan is one of the "trailblazers" named in The Pink List, a website that highlights candidates who have publicly supported LGBTQ+ rights. Other such candidates, who are members of the community themselves, are transgender candidates Radha (Chennai South), Sneha Kale (Mumbai North Central) and Chirpi Bhawani (Prayagraj), and Jogati Kinnar community member Jatin Mummy (Mumbai North East). Among politicians from national parties mentioned as changemakers on the website are Shashi Tharoor (Congress), Baijayant Jay Panda (BJP) and Milind Deora (Congress). In an interview to Firstpost, Deora, who is contesting elections from the Mumbai South constituency, said, The Congress party has a non-discriminatory policy. We were the first national party to have appointed a transgender as our office bearer in the Mahila Congress. I personally support LGBTQ rights, and if the Congress comes to power, I will work towards ensuring an equal place for the LGBTQ community in India. To a question on whether he believes there is greater acceptance in society about LGBTQ rights now as compared to earlier, Deora said, Yes, there is greater acceptability. But we have a long way to go. On the question as to why the Congress did not read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (which, earlier, effectively criminalised homosexual relations), Deora said, If you recall, the Congress was the only party that supported the scrapping of (Section) 377 by an earlier Delhi high court judgment. Once any matter is in the court, it is very difficult to bring about a legislative intervention. Deora is known to have publicly supported decriminalisation of homosexual relations since the mid-2000s, when Section 377 of the IPC had not yet been read down by the Delhi High Court. Omar Abdullah also said the others who were in the fray in Anantnag parliamentary constituency 'lack' on all fronts to take on the challenges the state was facing. Srinagar: National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah Saturday said Jammu and Kashmir does not face as much threat from Pakistan or the muzzle of the gun as from the forces who were "hell-bent on destroying the special status of the state". Addressing a public meet in Kund valley area of Devsar in Kulgam district of Anantnag parliamentary constituency, in south Kashmir, Abdullah said keeping in view the challenges the state is facing, the people have to make a right choice in the ensuing elections while choosing their representative for the Lok Sabha. "Jammu and Kashmir does not face as much threat from neighbouring country or the muzzle of gun as it faces from the forces who are hell-bent on destroying the special status of the state," the NC vice-president said. He said any one holding a public post whether a governor or a chief minister in the state has to take oath on the state constitution, but "anti-state forces" were not able to digest this realism. "This has become a scorn in the eyes of those forces who have revived their vows to destroy the special constitutional position of our state in their manifesto. However, they fail to understand that the erstwhile Dogra ruler Hari Singh didn't merge with the Union, he had only acceded with the dominion of India on three subjects," Abdullah said. He said these forces are hell-bent on destroying the constitutional provisions of Article 370 and Article 35-A that confer special status to the state. "The fact remains that Maharaja would not have signed Instrument of Accession had New Delhi not taken an undertaking to protect the individual character of the state. Those who are questioning the vitality of Article 370 and Article 35-A, are unwaveringly questioning the rudiments of accession of the state with the Union of India. Any assault on the special status of our state will without doubt cast a shadow on the fundamentals of accession," he claimed. Underscoring the need of sending a credible and strong voice to the Lok Sabha, the NC leader said the ensuing elections provide the people an opportunity to send a person to the Parliament who could debate on the issues pertaining to the state. "The one who could fight for our unique identity and special status within the Union. Keeping in view the challenges our state is facing we chose to field retired Justice Hassnain Masoodi from the Anantnag Parliamentary seat. He has the necessary political acumen, to fight for our state. A legal luminary, Masoodi is the most suitable person to represent us in the Parliament," he said. Abdullah said the others who were in the fray in Anantnag parliamentary constituency "lack" on all fronts to take on the challenges the state was facing. "On one side we have a Congress candidate (GA Mir), who if elected to parliament cannot take on the forces as aggressively as Masoodi can. The Congress candidate would obviously be bound by the party's dictate. Moreover, much of the state's special status was obliterated by the Congress party, and what was left was subsequently surrendered by PDP before BJP for the lust of power," he said. "We have PDP president Mehbooba Mufti in the fray as well, whose political slyness and bankruptcy is known to all. How can she raise voice for state in parliament when she couldn't do that in 2008, when the sate was in flames because of Amarnath Land agitation? he asked. The former chief minister while hitting at the PDP for "unleashing unremitting torments on the people", said he had never seen the people of the state as "helpless in my entire stint in politics as I get to see them". "People are privy to the five years of plunder, destruction, exploitation nepotism and repression. PDP and Mufti's used the people who had voted for them as sacrificial goat for securing power. Muftis and PDP berated and betrayed the mandate of people in order to ascend the altar of power," he alleged. A senior technician with Jet Airways allegedly committed suicide in Maharashtra's Palghar district due to depression as he was suffering from cancer, police said on Saturday. Mumbai: A senior technician with Jet Airways allegedly committed suicide in Maharashtra's Palghar district due to depression as he was suffering from cancer, police said on Saturday. Shailesh Singh (45) jumped off the terrace of his four-storeyed building in Nalasopara East on Friday afternoon, an official said. As per functionaries of Jet Airways Staff and Employees Association, however, Singh was facing "financial constraints" as employees of the grounded airline have not got salaries for a long time. "He was suffering from cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy. Prime facie, it seems he was suffering from depression due to the ailment," the police official added. It was the first suicide of an employee since the airline suspended operations, these functionaries claimed. The deceased's son is also working in the operations department of the airline, they added. Singh is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters. An accidental death case has been registered and a probe was underway into the incident, the police official said. In yet another innovation in real-time information dissemination, the Election Commission of India has released a Voter Turnout app. People can check the estimated voter turnout in real-time using this app. In yet another innovation in real-time information dissemination, the Election Commission of India has released a Voter Turnout app. People can check the estimated voter turnout in real-time using this app. Currently available on Google Playstore, citizens need to have a smartphone running on Android 4.4 KitKat or above to use the app. Since its release, the app has been downloaded over 50,000 times. As India enters the fourth round of polling on 29 April, here is all you need to know about the Voter Turnout app and the data feeding process. Timely information to users The Voter Turnout app will provide citizens with the estimated voter turnout at a particular point of time. According to the Election Commission, the app is designed to provide not only the estimated voter turnout for every Lok Sabha constituency but also for the Assembly segments under it. For example: A user will be able to check out the estimated voter turnout in Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency as well as the six Assembly segments that fall under its jurisdiction. The data feeding process The Assistant Returning Officers (ARO) in every Lok Sabha constituency provide the data on the estimated voter turnout. The officers have to provide the information after every two hours during the course of the polling in a parliamentary constituency. As per the Election Commission's guidelines, the ARO or Returning Officer has to provide the voter turnout figures for 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm and 5 pm. The AROs and Returning Officers should be clearly directed that they are personally held responsible for voter turnout data entry, the Election Commission states on its website. Ultimately, these officers are also responsible for sending the final voter turnouts. The AROs and Returning Officers feed their data into the app Voter Turnout app through the Suvidha Admin app, the Election Commission said. All AROs and Returning Officers have access to this app across the country. Every ARO has been allotted a particular time period for entering the data. For the 9 am report, officers have been allotted time between 7.30 am and 9.30 am. Similarly, the 11 am report needs to be tabulated before 11.30 am. This process goes on till the 5 pm report is out. The Close of Poll data, which tabulates the final estimated poll percentage, can be filled anytime after 3 pm and is not bound by a deadline. It is to be noted that Odisha, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh held their Assembly elections simultaneously with the Lok Sabha election. Voting in Odisha will conclude with Phase 4 on Monday, while Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh voted in the first phase on 11 April. Keeping the simultaneous polls in mind, the Election Commission said the Returning Officer of the assembly constituency will not enter any data separately, and that the ARO's entry for the parliamentary constituency will be considered for both elections. After the polls close, the officers will release the figures for the final voter turnout. These numbers include the total male, female and third gender electors who voted in a Lok Sabha constituency. The app also provides details such as the exact number of voters in every Assembly segment of a Lok Sabha constituency. The Election Commission also states that these figures will be compared with the corresponding figures of the 2014 general election. At present, users can access the final voter turnout figures for the seats that went to polls in Phase 4. The results of the final voter turnout are only displayed once they are approved by the Chief Electoral Officer of the state. A push towards transparency The Voter Turnout app is another attempt by the Election Commission of India to make the electoral process smooth and transparent. In March 2019, it had released the CVigil app, which empowers citizens to report cases of violations of the Model Code of Conduct. Since its release, over 1.24 lakh cases of violation of the Model Code of Conduct have been reported. Kerala leads with over 64,000 complaints, while Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal are the second and third biggest source of complaints. To vote in any election, it is mandatory to have an election ID card and the electoral rolls must have your name, which can now be added online, as well. Phase 7 of the Lok Sabha election 2019 will be held today, on Sunday, 19 May, with as many as 59 Lok Sabha constituencies across seven states going to polls. The electorate will vote in all parliamentary constituencies in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, along with the Union Territory of Chandigarh. In Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, voting will take place in a few Lok Sabha constituencies. The Election Commission had announced the dates on 10 March, kick-starting a mega electoral battle where the BJP will pitch for a re-election of the Modi government amid the Opposition's efforts for a united fight to unseat it. The first six phases were held on 11 April, 18 April, 23 April, 29 April, 6 May and 12 May. Phase 7 is on Sunday, 19 May. Nearly 90 crore voters will choose their representatives in Parliament from 543 Lok Sabha seats. Here is how to check whether your name is on the voter list: Step 1: Visit the National Voters' Service portal on www.nvsp.in Step 2: Select the option at the top left that says 'Search Your Name in Electoral Roll' Step 3: You can choose between options: "Search by EPIC number" or "Search by details", to verify if your name on the portal Step 4: Select the 'Search by the EPIC number' and enter your details and hit the 'Search' button Step 5: Your details will appear in the search result at the bottom of the webpage Step 6: If it does not, that means you're name's most likely missing from the electoral list Step 7: You can also opt for 'Search by Details'. The portal will ask you to enter information such as name, age, DoB, state, sex and district Step 8: Fill in the details and if your name appears, that means you eligible to vote in your area The Election Commission of India published the electoral roll on its website on 31 January. And as long as you're mentioned in the electoral rolls, you can show any identity card such as voter's card or Aadhaar to cast your ballot. The Election Commission has launched a Voter Helpline app, the 1950 voter helpline and nvsp.in to help voters check their polling station and contact details of booth level, electoral registration officers and district officers. Around 90 crore people are eligible to vote in the seven-phase Lok Sabha Election 2019 that begun on 11 April, which is nearly the combined population of the whole of Europe and Brazil. About 432 million of these voters are women. With a view to ensure a smooth Lok Sabha election and Assembly elections (Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh), the Election Commission of India strengthened its toll-free voter helpline 1950 in February 2019 making it easy for voters to get authentic information about their voter registration. Voters enrolled in the electoral roll can check details of their personal information, polling station where they have to go to vote on polling day and contact details of booth-level officers, electoral registration officers and district election officers by using the voter helpline mobile app, or by visiting the nvsp.in portal or by calling 1950 helpline. Electors can also call the helpline to register any election-related complaint between 8 am and 8 pm in Hindi or English on all working days. The callers identity is kept anonymous. Services through SMS can also be availed by citizens by sending SMS without any cost to 1950. Here is the list of services that can be availed on SMS and the format to send SMS to 1950: To check your details in the electoral roll: Send an SMS in the format spacespace<0> (for reply in English) or <1> (for reply in the regional language) To get address of polling station where you are needed to to cast vote: SEND an SMS in the format: space To fetch the contact details of Booth Level Officers, Electoral Registration Officers and District Election Officers: Send an SMS in the format space NIA on Sunday conducted searches at three places in Kerala as part of its investigation into the ISIS Kasaragod module case New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday conducted searches at three places in Kerala as part of its investigation into the Islamic State's Kasaragod module case. The probe agency said in a statement that it carried out the searches at the houses of three suspects - two in Kasaragod and one in Palakkad. "These persons are suspected to have links with some of the accused persons in the said case who had exited India to join the proscribed terrorist organisation ISIS/Daish," the NIA said in a statement. It said that mobile phones, SIM cards, memory cards, pen drives, diaries with handwritten notes in Arabic and Malayalam, DVDs and books of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, besides untitled DVDs, CDs with religious speeches, books of Syed Kutheb were seized during the searches. "Digital devices will be forensically examined and analysed," the agency said, adding the three suspects are being questioned. The father and two brothers of the suspected mastermind of Sri Lankas Easter Sunday bombings were killed when security forces stormed their safe house two days ago, police sources and a relative of the suicide bombers told Reuters on Sunday. Colombo: The father and two brothers of the suspected mastermind of Sri Lankas Easter Sunday bombings were killed when security forces stormed their safe house two days ago, police sources and a relative of the suicide bombers told Reuters on Sunday. Zainee Hashim, Rilwan Hashim and their father Mohamed Hashim, who were seen in a video circulating on social media calling for all-out war against non-believers, were among the 15 killed in a fierce gun battle with the military on the East Coast on Friday, four police sources said. Niyaz Sharif, the brother-in-law of Zahran Hashim, the suspected ringleader of the wave of Easter Sunday bombings that killed over 250 people in churches and hotels across the island nation, told Reuters the video showed Zahran Hashims two brothers and father. Three of the 15 people killed were the same people who were seen in the undated video on social media, in which they discus martyrdom and urge their followers to kill all non-believers, police sources said. Sri Lanka has been on high alert since the attacks on Easter Sunday, with nearly 10,000 soldiers deployed across the island to carry out searches and hunt down members of two local Islamist groups believed to have carried out the attack. When the Supreme Courts dignity is in peril, it is certain to have a deleterious effect on the entire institution. When the adversary is visible, it is easier to face its challenge in a battle. But what if the enemy fights from the shadows? The challenge is greater. And what if the target of the attack is the highest seat in the final court of appeal under the Constitution of India? By targeting an individual, forces of the dark are attempting to wreck the Supreme Court an institution that serves as the savior and protector of Indian democracy. The challenge is even greater in this battle because a trap has been laid carefully to make a direct pushback fatally counterproductive. There are booby traps of morality and landmines of victimhood narrative. The threat paradigm is inverted in a way that destroyers have fashioned themselves as protectors of the institution. Only thing clear in this shadowy battle is that the dignity of Indias highest judicial institution is under threat. And when the Supreme Courts dignity is in peril, it is certain to have a deleterious effect on the entire institution because the dignity in Justice NV Ramanas words first and foremost, flows from the capacity of judges to render impartial justice". That, then, is the gist. The shadowy forces that have been described as a powerful lobby of fixers, disgruntled apex court employees and corporate figures are trying to stain the CJIs office so that it fails to stay committed to justice, law and fairness in delivering verdicts, leading to inevitable crumbling of the entire edifice. Yet every crisis also brings an opportunity. The threat at hand is dangerous, nasty and obnoxious. Still, it presents an unprecedented opportunity for the judiciary to get rid of fixers and power brokers that frequent its hallowed corridors. The danger is clear and precise, and thats why now is the time for the judiciary to shake free of ennui. We saw judges express their helplessness periodically yet fail to take concrete action. In May last year, a bench of Justices Arun Mishra and UU Lalit, while hearing a petition, accused a section of lawyers of killing the institution. Few months later in February, a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra, while hearing a contempt petition against advocate Prashant Bhushan, once again expressed anguish at the way attacks by lawyers are undermining judges and the judiciary. Freedom carries responsibility. What if bar is out to kill the judiciary? Thats what it looks like. Judiciary has to be protected from outside, not from insiders. Some lawyers seem to be carrying a dagger to kill the judiciary, the bench, also comprising Justice Navin Sinha, had observed. In mitigating the crisis, however, obvious traps must be avoided. The allegation of sexual harassment filed against CJI Ranjan Gogoi must be thoroughly inquired into and taken to its logical and legal conclusion. The Supreme Court has come under attack on its handling of the issue. However, the fact is that in appointing a three-member in-house committee led by the senior-most puisne judge Justice SA Bobde, armed with the approval of the Full Court to inquire into the charges, the apex court has stayed true to procedure. The extent of the threat, however, becomes clear when we see that the Supreme Courts liberal nature is used against it to sharpen the attack. The original three-judge in-house committee led by Justice SA Bobde had as its members Justice Ramana and Justice Indira Banerjee to examine allegations of sexual harassment leveled by a dismissed employee of the court against CJI Gogoi. Reservations were apparently expressed by the complainant over the inclusion of Justice Ramana in the committee on grounds that he may have prejudged the matter. This was based on a selective reading of his earlier speech and also because apparently Justice Ramana is a close friend of CJI Gogoi and like a family member to him. Justice Ramana, while recusing himself from the panel (where he was replaced by Justice Indu Malhotra), categorically rejected the aspersions cast on him as baseless, unfounded and misconceived". His three-page letter to colleagues explaining the reasons behind his recusal paint a sorry picture of the way pressure is being brought upon the judiciary to bend its will and elicit verdicts of choice through benches of choice. Justice Ramanas letter is explicit enough in dealing with the nature of threat (see here) and he strikes the right note when he writes that let my recusal be a clear message to the nation that there should be no fears about probity in our institution, and that we will not refrain from going to any extent to protect the trust reposed in us. That is, after all, our final source of moral strength. However, questions must be raised against why the recusal became necessary. In what way was Justice Ramana different from any of other 24 judges? Trust deficit in one judge of the Supreme Court is tantamount to trust deficit in all other judges and eventual trust deficit in the institution. If Justice Ramana must give way to another judge apparently because he was close (he has refuted that charge), the the judge who replaces him may fall prey to the same allegation. We may reach a situation where only one kind of verdict would be acceptable and all other judgments will be coloured as motivated. This sets a dangerous precedent. The Supreme Court Special Benchs move to appoint former judge Justice AK Patnaik to probe whether a conspiracy is afoot against the CJI is a good step. Justice Patnaik has already said that he wont begin his task unless the in-house inquiry into the sexual harassment allegations are complete. That is a welcome step and minimises the chances for disruptors to subvert the process. The Justice Patnaik probe flows from the extraordinary allegations brought by lawyer Utsav Singh Bains, who has claimed in his affidavit that he was offered a bribe of Rs 1.5 crore by a man claiming to be the complainants relative to file a false case against the CJI. If true, this indicates the depth of the rot and the fatality of the threat. The role played by the CJI must be commended. He may have initially erred in leading the bench and putting up his defence before the complainant got a formal hearing. He got a lot of flak for that but in the larger scheme of preserving the integrity of the institution he did well to shine light of public scrutiny on the murky affairs of the apex court. It is precisely because such issues have been sought to be dealt with away from public glare, things have got to this pass. The CJI needs to be commended for taking this brave step of putting his personal image on the line for preserving the integrity of the most important legal institution of the country. He has shown that he is a man who cannot be easily bended and wont be made to crumble under pressure. At a time when the judicial institution is under threat, his move to not take the easy way out and stand his ground at the risk of facing public condemnation must count for something. Political forces might be acting as the ventriloquist, striking at the heart of the judiciary from the clouds. The CJI himself has expressed such an apprehension, observing that bigger forces might be behind the affidavit just before the CJI-led Bench is expected to pass verdicts on some important poll cases. It is easy to float the narrative that the CJI wants to keep himself above scrutiny. The institutional disruptors (to borrow from Arun Jaitley), are trying hard to reinforce the narrative. Bainss allegations, however, have brought an entirely new angle to the crisis and have lent credence to concerns that a larger conspiracy may be afoot. The Congress that is busy crying wolf over the state of Indias institutions has been historically at the forefront of carrying out assaults on all public institutions including the judiciary. Indira Gandhis decision to proclaim Emergency was triggered by an unfavourable court verdict (for her) and she went on to unleash an extraordinary assault on the independence of Supreme Court. It is equal parts amusing and menacing to see her grandson, the current Congress president, play truant with SCs words and twist it to suit his political agenda. The Congresss proximity to the amorphous lobby that seeks to erode the credibility of the apex court is also well-documented. For all these reasons and more, the current crisis could be an epochal episode. Lets hope the Supreme Court emerges shinier and more pristine from this crisis. The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Government Examinations (TNDGE) will announce the results of the 2019 SSLC Class 10 exams tomorrow (29 April). Tamil Nadu SSLC Result 2019: The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Government Examinations (TNDGE) will announce the 2019 results for the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC), or Class 10, examinations tomorrow (29 April,2019). The results are expected around 9.30 am. Candidates who appeared for the examinations can check their scores on the official website tnresults.nic.in. Steps to check the Tamil Nadu SSLC Result 2019 results: Step 1 - Visit the official website tnresults.nic.in. Step 2 - Click on the link that says 'download result' Step 3 - Enter your registration number and roll number Step 4 - The results will appear on the screen Step 5 - Download the results and take a printout for future reference Around 10 lakh students await their results for the TN SSLC Class 10 exams, which was held between 14 March and 29 March. Since a large number of students will be visiting the website to check their scores once it is officially declared, the official website of TNDGE faces the risk of crashing. But the students should not panic. While the temporary glitch or slowdown is being fixed, candidates can use alternative methods to check their SSLC Class 10 results. Some of the alternative websites where the TN SSLC Class 10 Exam results will be made available are dge.tn.gov.in and examresults.net. To pass the SSLC exam, candidates need to score at least 30 marks out of 150 in the theory examinations and 40 marks out of 50 in the practical exams. In 2018, 10, 01,140 students had appeared for the SSLC Class 10 exams, of which 4,74,340 were boys and 4,76,340 girls. The overall pass percentage that year was 94.50 percent, which is expected to increase this year. The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Government Examination had announced the Tamil Nadu HSC Class 12 results on 19 April. In India's garment sector, which is estimated to be the second-largest employer in the country, the state of Karnataka plays an especially important role. Editor's Note: A network of 60 reporters set off across India to test the idea of development as it is experienced on the ground. Their brief: Use your mobile phone to record the impact of 120 key policy decisions on everyday life; what works, what doesn't and why; what can be done better and what should be done differently. Their findings straight and raw from the ground will be combined in this series, Elections on the Go, over a course of 100 days. *** Bengaluru: In India's garment sector, which is estimated to be the second-largest employer in the country after agriculture, Karnataka plays an especially important role. It is responsible for 20 percent of the national garment production and 8 percent of all Indian garment exports. Home to roughly 1,200 garment factories, employing 5,00,000 workers (80 percent of whom are women), its workforce for a long time was mainly migrant women from neighbouring villages and tribal areas of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. However, over the last few years, a new recruiting trend has emerged. Large numbers of women workers in their late teens and early twenties are being brought to the garment factories from northern and eastern states like Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam and Madhya Pradesh under government-sponsored schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana or Skill India. For women at these workplaces, the struggle is real, even for local women who have the advantages of language and mobility. So migrant women from the north and east of the country are doubly vulnerable to exploitation in an industry that is plagued with low or delayed salaries as well as physical and mental harassment at work. With barely 3 percent of the workforce unionised, thanks to strict rules in the companies against joining unions, bringing companies to task for violating labour laws remains an uphill task. And thanks to the high attrition rates in the industry, women are more likely to quit their jobs and move to another company rather than take on the management. The fragmented workforce also means politicos give these women a wide berth, despite there being regular strikes and protests. Senior activist and state general secretary of the All India Democratic Womens Association Gowramma says, Elections dont affect labourers much. Sometimes, the owner of a factory or his son are contesting, and they ask the employees to vote for them, promising better treatment, wages and other things if they win. But the state of the industry shows that most promises remain unfulfilled. The past term has been a mixed bag for these workers. In 2016, the Union governments special package of Rs 6,000 crore for the textile and apparel industry which was publicised as leading to an increase of $30 billion in exports as well as the creation of one crore jobs over the next three years introduced flexible labour norms to increase productivity. Workers' unions across India condemned the changes in labour norms as anti-worker. One of the changes makes Provident Fund optional for employees earning less than Rs 15,000 a month, which comprises the majority of workers in Bengalurus garment hub. This led to one of the largest organic protests witnessed in the industry in recent times. Over one lakh workers, overwhelmingly women, had staged a massive protest in the city, clogging up arterial roads and bringing the nations attention to their plight. The specific trigger was the Union governments decision to block workers from withdrawing a portion of the Employee Provident Fund until they turn 58. That decision has since been undone in response to the protests. This year, for the first time in 40 years, the state government has allocated money for the industry in its budget. Presented by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy for 2019-20 fiscal, the budget allotted funds for housing, skill development, and accident compensation for the labourers Rs 50 crore for a rent-based housing scheme, Rs 10 crore for childcare centres and accident compensation, and Rs 37.5 crore for skill development and apprentice training for 25,000 SC/ST women workers. These measures have filled the industrys workforce with some hope. A workforce pushed to the brink Recently, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry came up with a Worker Housing Scheme for Textiles and Garment Workers. The document explained the need for such a scheme by citing some of the most pressing problems the industry is facing the number of women workers in the garment industry is the highest in India compared to any other sector, and migration of workers has brought along its own set of problems. It added that many were forced, under different circumstances, to return to their hometowns despite wanting to continue working, and this had resulted in heavy monthly attrition of 8 to 10 percent, which in turn had burdened the industry and country with extra costs. Mother of two, Latha M (39), says, I worked in a garment factory in Uttarahalli, Bengaluru, for three years. I had to walk for 15 minutes and then take a bus. Transportation expenses cut into my meagre salary of Rs 4,800 a month. I was paid Rs 120 for overtime and Rs 100 if I had 100 percent attendance. So I pushed myself and didnt miss work, no matter what. My wages were never raised even after putting in so much work; only workload mounted, so much that it finally took a toll on my health, and I had to take a weeks leave. When I resumed work, I was sacked. Those really were the worst days of my life... Lakshmi Bavge, an activist who has been fighting for labourers and womens rights, says, One of the biggest problems workers in the informal sector face is gender-based violence. Women are harassed and abused verbally, physically, and mentally, and taken for granted. Also, wages are less and not paid on time. On June 19, 2018, Rukmini, president of the Garment Labour Union (GLU) along with workers in Bengaluru had protested for a week, demanding an increase in the minimum wages from Rs 8,500 to Rs 18,000 per month. GLU had also met then CM Siddaramaiah, but the government claimed it couldnt pay such a high amount. On 12 March this year, a 36-year-old garment worker at Texport Apparels LLP, Peenya 4th stage, was assaulted at her workplace by the general manager and a few others. More than 200 of her colleagues had then protested against the assaulters. Theyd also alleged that the Rajagopalnagar police had refused to register a case. Only after the Karnataka Garment Workers' Union (KOOGU) had stepped in that the cops had filed a case against the general manager, Shashi Kumar Shetty. A garment worker who was part of the protest says, We have been complaining about the harassment and putting letters in the complaint boxes inside the factory. Letters pile up, sometimes as many as 200; no one bothers to check them or respond, and they disappear after a few days. My friends and I were beaten up with helmets; we were scared we would lose our jobs, but we protested until action was taken. We are going through hell, says another. Nagalakshmi Bai, the chairperson of the Karnataka State Womens Commission, visited the factory and spoke to the women, later suspending the assaulters for three months and initiating an inquiry. However, MV Sagar, general manager (Human Resources), Texport Apparels LLP, says, It wasnt an issue of harassment, just a work-related problem. The woman was refusing to take instructions from her manager. When you work in hell KOOGU member Poornima says, Problems women are facing in the garments and informal sectors are endless. These sectors are made up of 80 to 85 percent women labourers, and the rest are men, most of whom are supervisors or managers. Thats where it starts working under men who dont understand women. There are countless incidents of sexual harassment, and most dont even come to light. The mental and physical abuse and stress are too much for any woman to tolerate for long. I have also seen and heard of men clicking pictures of women employees at the workplace." "There isnt any Internal Complaint Committee in place; where there is one, its members scare women into keeping quiet by threatening to fire them. In many factories, there is no toilet or clean drinking water facilities. For workers here, there are no sick leaves, government holidays or compensatory offs. Its high time all these issues are solved by putting good management in place, giving proper training to the managers, and holding seminars and workshops on womens rights. A minimum wage scheme should be followed; big brands like H&M and GAP say they pay a minimum wage of Rs 18,000, but they dont. Broken by illiteracy, lured by easy money. Why, then, have so many women taken up work in the garment and textile industry, and why do so many continue to stay put in the face of extreme torture? Gowramma explains, This is the easiest job for the uneducated, and it also has on-the-job training. So its a popular choice for someone going through financial troubles and having many mouths to feed women who are poor, women who have alcoholic husbands and face other domestic issues, and even widows and teenagers who have old parents to care for. She adds that not only are the women workers treated like doormats, they are also molested on a regular basis. There's even prostitution in this industry. Young and pretty girls who join are pimped out to buyers; threatened with job loss, they do as they are asked. Also, most factories dont have canteens, and workers are forced to eat by the roadside. Many employers dont allow women to go to washrooms either to avoid wasting time, says Gowramma. Rowdies and others who work for the local MLAs even attack union members and social workers who help such women and labourers. A reality check President of the Garment and Textile Workers Union (GATWU) Prathibha R says, So far, no party has done anything for garment workers. During a 2015 joint survey by the Centre for Workers Management and GATWU, the Union found that the wages paid to the workers were extremely low. In 2018, the Congress government had promised a wage hike from Rs 7,700 to Rs 12,000. A draft notification was brought out last February but was cancelled later. Besides low wages, transportation expenses is another serious problem. The government must give us bus services. We have conducted many awareness campaigns among the workers, especially to ensure their demands reach political parties and local netas. It remains to be seen when all this bears fruit. A member of GATWU says, Representatives of GATWU and other unions had met the CM in January 2019 to present their demands housing, transportation facilities, and scholarships for the workers children. The Budget has covered only one. Wed told the CM that the workers who stayed in rural areas were spending 10 to 15 percent of their wages on transportation, demanding that the state bear 45 percent of that cost. But the government has been silent on it as well as scholarships. Social activists along with GLU, GATWU, KOOGU, and Bangalore District Garment Workers Union are, nonetheless, keeping the fight alive, actively engaging to improve awareness levels, addressing problems, protesting, and raising their voice for the exploited workforce. The author is a Bengaluru-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters Arundhathi Subramaniam talks about her journey as a poet, her process and shares insights into the Bhakti saints and their poetry An excerpt from one of Janabai's poems (as translated by Arun Kolatkar) reads: i eat god i drink god i sleep on god Another, from Telugu poet Kshetrayya (translated by AK Ramanujan, V Narayana Rao and David Shulman), written in a female voice, goes: Now Ive got you all alone. If I hold you prisoner in this house, who is there to release you? Now Ive caught you. If I tie you down to my bed, who is there to release you? "There are so many more of these voices that speak to the divine with this mix of imperiousness, sensuality and intimacy which are the collective hallmark of the Bhakti traditions," says poet and seeker Arundhathi Subramaniam ahead of a two-day event titled Wild Women that was held at Mumbai's National Centre of Performing Arts (NCPA). Curated and conceptualised by Subramaniam, Wild Women is an amalgamation of poetry and performance celebrating the legacy of the women mystics and poets of the subcontinent. The Bhakti movement, which started around the 6th century (AD) and spanned all the way to the 18th century, in many ways broke barriers of gender, class and caste. At the same time, it shattered stereotypes associated with the perception of spiritualism; denounced orthodoxy and the rigid ritualistic practices of worship, and established a more personal and informal connection between the devotee and the divine. From Basavanna and Akka Mahadevi in Karnataka, Janabai and Tukaram in Maharashtra to Kabir, Tulsidas and Mirabai in North India and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Sarada Devi in West Bengal these mystics and poets challenged social hierarchy and questioned 'rules' of seeking salvation. In essence, the Bhakti movement gave an impetus to voices, most importantly the voices of the margins, to come to the forefront and denounce conventions. Hence, a Tukaram, who was born a Shudra (lowest caste in the Hindu varna system) could resonate with people at large regardless of their caste or class; a Mirabai could renounce her royal lineage and relationship and go out seeking the divine; and a Narsinh Mehta could speak to his God as a gopi (female lover) thus transcending the gender construct and the theological hierarchy at the same time. Listen to: Arundhathi Subramaniam's Song For Catabolic Women In an email interview with Firstpost, Arundhathi Subramaniam talks about her journey as a poet, her process and the insights she gained into the Bhakti saints and their poetry, during her own journey as a seeker. Edited excerpts: *** How and when did you get introduced to the world of poetry? How did you comprehend poetry and the language then? My love of poems began as a child, as it does with almost everyone I know. The only difference is that I kept at it. I always marvel at the fact that everyone has enjoyed nonsense verse and songs as a child, and everyone has written a love poem in their teens, but oddly, most stop reading and writing poetry after that. The only difference is that I didnt. I enjoyed hanging around poems, and I still do. As a child, of course, I was drawn to the sound and rhythm of poetry. Later, in my teens, poetry was a vital means of self-expression. Still, later, it was an excitement about the resources of language metaphor and tone, in particular. Now, I guess I turn to poetry for its very singular, highly distilled verbal mix of beauty and truth. As a poet yourself, what do you think poetry entails in terms of its creation, contextualisation and comprehension? What is your process? My process is quite simple, but the impetus varies. It usually starts with a line or image that imperiously demands to be written. At other times, there is a strong need to spend a day around a blank page, allowing words and feelings to swirl about in ones head. At other times, I might jot down a verse fragment on an airline ticket or a paper napkin when I'm at a restaurant. The process of making poems is for me a mix of doodling and dreaming, writing and waiting. I like to allow poems to take their time assuming their shape and form. Indias ancient history is filled with lyrical ballads and poems, and that too in various languages and dialects. Is there a remarkable difference in the craft and content of poetry of those days vis-a-vis that of today? This is a difficult question to answer. Primarily because were talking about a subcontinent with a plethora of languages, contexts, regions where forms and styles are staggeringly varied, and each of which has had its own history. Any comment about then and now in such a complex scene is going to be a falsification. I am a contemporary Indian poet who writes in English. And I consider mine an interesting cultural and historical context to inhabit. I am grateful to innumerable poets from this subcontinent from Nammalvar to Annamacharya, from Janabai to Abhirami Bhattar. At the same time, Im grateful to have had access to the work of poets across the world as well. That has been made possible by reading international poetry in English and in English translation. The wonderful thing about being a poet today is that one also has this access to poetry across the world more than ever before thanks to the online universe. This allows for a complex legacy. I can love Keats, Basho, AK Ramanujan and Tukaram all at once. And I can have access to contemporary voices ranging from Dennis Nurkse to John Burnside, Agi Mishol to Iman Mersal as well. This diverse inheritance shapes ones poetry in a host of subtle ways. Do you think the lyrical quality and expressional rhythm is more organic when one reads poems in regional languages as opposed to either translations or writings in English? Im increasingly beginning to feel life is too short to be spent lamenting the language one uses. No language is good enough to translate all our dreams. No language is too deplorable to be used either. I think it's time to lay the language debates to rest. Its time to speak of a single incredible language: the language of poetry. Whenever Ive travelled in India or around the world, Ive found poets almost always feel a certain kinship. The kinship poets feel is based on the fact that we all know what its like to spend hours in the smithy of our respective languages excited, weary, startled, humbled. In addition to writing poems, you also recite and perform poetry. Is the art of spoken word different to that of its written form? Does a poet always write knowing that his/her creation will be recited out loud? Yes, I do enjoy the act of reading a poem aloud. Its actually an integral part of my process of making a poem. When writing, I trust a poem when it works for me on the page and on my tongue. And I enjoy the act of saying a poem out loud. I dont know if I see it as a performance. More as a joyful extension of a poems life from book to voice. I love the quiet interior experience of reading of a poem on a page. But there is an aliveness and sensuousness and immediacy about the vocal dimension that I love too. What promoted you to conceptualise the NCPA event Wild Women? A deepening fascination with the female voice in mystical literature. This began to develop when I was putting together a Penguin anthology of Bhakti poetry, Eating God. I grew interested in how women walk the spiritual path. I also grew interested in the kind of freedom that is available to the male mystical poet when he adopts a female voice. We are heir to an incredible legacy of spiritual literature in this subcontinent passionate, profound, provocative. It would be tragic to ignore or overlook or trivialise it. Poetry is often considered a stronger medium of expression in comparison to prose. Do you think that is the reason why women poets, in India and across the world, have had to struggle to ensure their words are read and listened to? Well, poetry is in some ways a more vulnerable form than prose. It is so distilled and heightened so skinless in its aspiration that theres probably no escaping that. Thats why we have such a legacy of love poetry and spiritual poetry across cultures. Its not surprising that mystic poets across the world have turned to poetry to express themselves. In lifes most intense, most liminal situations, we instinctively turn to poetry, rather than prose. Does that mean women mystics have a harder time of it? Perhaps. The uninhibited female voice is always a subject of suspicion and censure. And theres no doubt that these voices have been tamed, trivialised, coopted, sanitised in a host of ways. But its not just orthodoxy that has sidelined them. Its also a contemporary world with its sometimes barren, desacralised worldview that habitually overlooks them. This festival [Wild Women], incidentally, is not about the travails of being a woman, though there these mystics have certainly negotiated their share of challenges. It is a celebration and an invitation to listen. It is about listening to voices that are invigorating, joyful, explosively free. What are the major differences between the works of female poets to that of male poets, in terms of Bhakti poetry? How do the spiritual journeys and the meaning of spiritualism vary between men and women poets of the Bhakti era? While this question merits too long a response, let me just say this: if women today walk a city street differently from men, is it surprising that they have walked the spiritual path differently too? These differences dont translate into a poetry of lamentation and grief alone. It translates into a poetry with a very particular resonance of eroticism, of joy, of sensuality, of freedom. There are differences, but I am wary of freezing them into facile demarcations. I am not suggesting, for instance, that women mystical poetry is superior to that of its male counterpart. I just hope that hearing these women in poetry, in song, in conversation, will fine-tune our understanding of the singular timbre of their voices. Its about listening to some remarkable individuals, not just to a category. Your session in the event Hes My Slave: The Body and the Beyond reflects on the role of the female body in Bhakti poetry. Could you throw some light on this? Ive been startled and inspired by the visceral quality, the unabashed eroticism, the celebration of embodiment, the joy of incarnation, the freedom of self-discovery that suffuses many of these poems. In popular perception, none of these characteristics would be associated with spiritual poetry. Also, my focus is not on womens voices alone. I am also interested in male voices that adopt the female voice and the freedom that allows the poets. How are spirituality and sexuality inter-related? Does that come into play when a spiritual person, a seeker, engages in writing poetry? The voices of these mystics remind us that spirituality is not about some detached intellectual experiment. It involves all of us body, mind, heart and more. It certainly involves the transformation of our appetites and instincts, but how can there be transformation without an acknowledgement of the body? The finest Bhakti poems acknowledge the body as a wonderful instrument the very basis of the spiritual journey. Has the world become more accepting of female poets with out-of-the-ordinary thought processes? From Mirabai to today what has changed, what hasnt and what needs to? I think challenges endure. But theyre different. Ive been doing a few conversations with contemporary women mystics. Lets see what that throws up and where it leads. But let me also say this: we live in a world that often sees the spiritual journey as outmoded, irrelevant. That is why we have turned the mystics of our past into toothless saints, calendar art, decorative oddities. The absence of a supportive spiritual ecosystem today can make life more challenging for women and men on a spiritual path. And yet, this is a world in which individual freedoms are prized and protected more than ever before. This may pose its challenges, but I believe it is something to be grateful for. How can the Bhakti poetry of today be seen different from that of the past? What does Bhakti mean in the 21st century in contrast to that of the earlier times? My anthology, Eating God, was about the assortment of Bhakti movements that exploded across the subcontinent in different regional and local languages, questioning divides of caste, class, gender and sect in a host of ways. That happened at different historical moments across the country. But experientially, bhakti is as old as time. So, theres a difference between a movement and an experience. The former is historical; the latter is universal. When compiling the anthology, I wondered if I should include present-day voices because bhakti certainly exists today. It always has. But I decided that this needed another kind of book. I was concerned about diffusing the focus. A poet told me the other day that he would be uncomfortable thinking of himself as a bhakti poet. I understood that. I would be uncomfortable too. For one, a tag runs the risk of setting up a kind of club membership. For another, there is a certain jingoistic and even self-aggrandising way in which the word spiritual is used today. So, of course, one doesnt try to become a Bhakti poet. That would be arrogant. Also vulgar. And yet, being a poet is about becoming more and more yourself, not about becoming someone else. So, if you are on a spiritual journey, it would be absurd to amputate your deepening engagement with the spiritual. The only question is: does your spiritual engagement translate into poetry that works, or not? As a poet, you have to keep looking for fresher and newer ways to talk about whats going on in life as you see it and live it. By Kanchan Srivastava It is just the beginning of summer. The mercury in Lalitpur one of the drought-prone districts of Bundelkhand, a region divided between the two states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh in India is already touching 42 degrees Celsius. Water has evaporated from ponds and tube wells in most areas of the southern part of Jhansi, the largest city in Bundelkhand. Rampyari, a resident of Rajpur village in Talbehat tehsil of Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh, which is around 600 kilometres from Delhi, makes five to six rounds daily to the only hand pump in her village to fetch water. The hand pump is about a kilometre from her home and her rounds start at 4 am. Water is the most precious item here. This is the first thing which comes into our minds as we go to sleep and when we wake up, an exhausted Rampyari told Mongabay-India as she filled her vessels under the scorching sun after harvesting the wheat in her farm. Ganeshi, who lives in Gulenda, a village close by, echoed her sentiments. This water crisis has made our lives miserable, she said. The same story plays out in Ratanpur and Rasina villages of Babina Tehsil of Jhansi district in Uttar Pradesh during summer, when most hand pumps, wells and ponds go dry. Like in most parts of rural India, it is mainly a womans job to fetch water in the Bundelkhand region, which is spread across 70,800 square kilometres and comprises 13 districts seven in Uttar Pradesh (Jhansi, Jalaun, Lalitpur, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Banda and Chitrakut) and six in Madhya Pradesh (Datia, Tikamgarh, Chhattarpur, Damoh, Sagar and Panna). Bundelkhand is divided between the two states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Map by Planemad/Wikimedia Commons. Men, mainly small farmers, struggle to arrange for water for agriculture as irrigation facilities are unavailable in most parts of the rocky terrain. They sow just one crop (wheat) and then end up working as unskilled labourers in cities to make ends meet. Pushpa Rai, a resident of Mastapur, Jatara Tehsil of Tikamgarh (Madhya Pradesh) who fetches water from a hand pump two kilometres away from her home, says, Parties dont talk about our plight when they campaign. We are simply reduced to numbers in the vote count. Not an election priority Bundelkhand has traditionally been a bastion of the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party, but in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party swept the elections winning all eight parliamentary seats across two states with the promise of development. Uma Bharti, the former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, who won Uttar Pradeshs Jhansi seat in 2014 and became senior minister in the Union government had also promised separate statehood for the region. Five years down the line, neither water crisis has been improved in the region nor it got statehood leading to huge anti-incumbency, say locals and activists. The general elections were around the corner when Mongabay-India travelled through the area in early April, but there was no sign of any political activity in rural areas. Most households in Rajpur and other dry villages of Lalitpur are under lock and key. Some have only kids or the elderly left. With no guardians around, the education and health of children get compromised and the vicious cycle of poverty goes on. According to 60-year-old Virendra Saharia of Gulenda in Talbehat, Lalitpur, there is no employment in the village. Even jobs under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), which promises at least 100 days of unskilled work to every rural Indian, are not there. My wife, son and daughter-in-law stay and work in Indore city to earn money. The situation is worse for cattle. Mongabay-India was witness to three cows breathing their last in Rajpur. Cattle carcasses were spotted all over Mastapur in Tikamgarh. Cattle carcasses at Mastapur, Tikamgarh. Photo by Kanchan Srivastava It is a man-made drought, say experts Interestingly, Tikamgarh received 51 percent more than the average rainfall last year while Jhansi and Lalitpur had a little below than the average eight and 11 percent less respectively. Most reservoirs and dams were overflowing. The situation in some areas even demanded helicopters rescue operations, says Kumudlata Srivastava, commissioner of Jhansi division, which includes Jhansi, Jalaun and Lalitpur districts. Clearly, conservation measures and rain harvesting in the region are inadequate. A study by the National Institute of Disaster Management found that droughts in Bundelkhand are not just a result of climatic conditions; they are also man-made. According to the study, usually, the meteorological drought rainfall much below average leads to agricultural drought in the same year. If the meteorological drought continues for the second consecutive year, then the hydrological drought below average water availability occurs. But in Bundelkhand, this pattern was broken many times suggesting lapses in water conservation. Sanjay Singh, the founder of Parmarth, an organisation working on rainwater harvesting projects in nearly 500 villages across Bundelkhand, says, Most rivers, wells and ponds have dried up due to poor water management. Groundwater has depleted over the years due to a lack of effort by the administration to take up water recharging. The Centre had provided a relief package of Rs 7,200 crores for the region between 2010-2015, which helped improve the irrigation and tap water system to some extent. But the scheme was marred by corruption and poor coordination. Irrigation projects launched during the previous Uttar Pradesh government tenure were stalled by the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government citing corruption, said Singh. No new projects have been approved. The plan to link the rivers Ken and Betwa has barely moved over the years, he added. The Ken-Betwa linking project aims to transfer surplus water from the Ken river to the Betwa basin, to help drought-prone Bundelkhand. In fact, water scarcity is the root cause of the many woes plaguing the region, such as poverty, farming crisis, debt and unemployment, say the villagers. Meanwhile, a bill to protect groundwater is pending for approval in UP. According to UPs groundwater department officials, 20 blocks in the region were in the critical category in the year 2000, in terms of water scarcity, primarily due to overexploitation of groundwater and lack of rainwater harvesting. The number went up to 173 in 2013, when the last assessment was made. The region might experience worse days ahead as the United Nations Institute for Training and Research has predicted a 2 to 3.5 degrees Celsius rise in temperature in Bundelkhand by end of this century. Villagers say that the mismanagement of water and the resulting water scarcity is their main concern. Photo by Kanchan Srivastava. Voters say politicians fool them No government has done anything for us so far. Politicians fool the poor to come into power, says 60-year-old Balkishan Ahirwar of Mastapur, claiming that over 1,000 cattle have died over the last three months due to water shortage in his village. Although the BJP manifesto talks about piped water connection for all by 2024 and the Congress promises to put water conservation at the heart of its programmes for agriculture, rural and urban development, there is hardly any discussion around the ground reality in Bundelkhand. Debates in rural and urban areas are, instead, centred around emotive issues like Indias airstrike on Pakistan or caste politics. Brajlal Ahirwar, gram pradhan of Ratanpur and Rasina, says, When people go to cast their vote, real-life issues take back seat and emotions take over. Political parties deliberately shift the focus from real issues so that people never hold them accountable, says Sanjay Singh from Parmarth. Does statehood for Bundelkhand hold the key? Its complex geography and history have often been considered the reasons behind the huge developmental backlog in Bundelkhand. After the 1857 First War of Independence, which originated in the region, against British rule, the British neglected development as a punishment to the people. After Independence, the region became notorious for dacoits, which hampered development to a large extent, said an official from the UP government, who requested anonymity. Bundelkhand is seen as a punishment posting for government officials even now. In most Bundelkhand villages, women make multiple trips in a day to a water pump kilometres away from their home. Photo by Kanchan Srivastava. Amit Tripathi, a social activist who works for youth rights through his Bundelkhand Development Foundation, said There are very few industries, good colleges or healthcare facilities here as a result of which youngsters flock to big cities for education and livelihood. Most of them never return. The continuous neglect eventually led to the demand for a separate Bundelkhand State that reached its peak in 2013. BJPs Uma Bharti even promised statehood for Bundelkhand within three years of the formation of the BJP government at the Centre during her 2014 election rallies. Bharti won the Jhansi parliamentary seat and BJP came to power at the Centre and in the state both she did nothing to grant Bundelkhand statehood. Fearing defeat, she backed out of the poll race the next time, said Bhanu Sahay, a statehood campaigner, who ran a massive signature drive urging people to defeat Bharti. Bharti withdrew from the contest. While activists believe that statehood will help address all the issues at hand, government officials disagree and insist that the administration is doing its best. The tapped water supply and irrigation system are being expanded. Water conservation is also being taken up. Upcoming projects like expressway and defence corridor and a few industries will address the employment issue, divisional commissioner Srivastava said. He is referring to the 296 kilometre long Bundelkhand Expressway, which is estimated to cost Rs 9,000 crores, recently cleared by the UP government; and a defence corridor, already approved, which aims to generate an investment of Rs 20,000 crore and create employment for 250,000 people. *** Central image: A village girl carries empty containers to collect drinking water near Chilla village in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh. REUTERS Mongabay-India is an environmental science and conservation news service. This article has been republished under the Creative Commons licence. BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday slammed the UPA government, alleging that former prime minister Manmohan Singh kept 'silent' when terrorists from Pakistan beheaded Indian soldiers. Daltonganj: BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday slammed the UPA government, alleging that former prime minister Manmohan Singh kept "silent" when terrorists from Pakistan beheaded Indian soldiers. But, now for every bullet fired from across the border, the response is given with double the force, he told a rally in Jharkhand's Daltonganj town. "Under former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Pakistan's alia, malia and balia (referring to terrorists) used to come and take away heads of our jawans after killing them. Even today, I can't forget the incident of Hemraj's beheading and his disrespect. But 'mouni (silent) baba' Manmohan Singh did not even utter a word," Shah said. On 8 January, 2013, Lance Naik Hemraj was beheaded by Pakistan's Border Action Team along the Indo-Pak border, triggering a nationwide outrage. The BJP chief said, "Ab goli ka jawab gola se, int ka jawab pathar se". Shah was campaigning for BJP's sitting MP from Palamu and former DGP Vishun Dayal Ram. He hit out at National Conference leader Omar Abdullah for advocating a separate prime minister for Jammu and Kashmir and asserted that the state is an inseparable part of India. "We will remove Article 370 (of the Constitution) if you make Narendra Modi prime minister again," he said. The article grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir. "Omar Abdullah wants a separate prime minister for Kashmir. Should there be two prime ministers for one country?" Shah asked the gathering, which responded resoundingly in the negative. He said as long as there is life in the last BJP worker, nobody can separate Kashmir from India. "Kashmir is the crown of India and nobody can snatch it," Shah asserted. Taking a swipe at the Congress for seeking proof of the Balakot airstrike, he said "When the nation was rejoicing...the Congress and Pakistan were mourning" He also slammed Gandhi family's close aide Sam Pitroda for asking for more facts on the strike, which was conducted by the Indian Air Force on a terrorist camp in Pakistan's Balakot following the Pulwama terror attack in February. "When terrorists from Pakistan struck the CPRF convoy in Pulwama on 14 February, killing 40 personnel, the country was angry and in despair," Shah said. The BJP chief claimed that Pakistan knew about the surgical strike following the 2016 Uri terror attack and had sent personnel and tanks on the border. Training his guns on the Opposition alliance, Shah alleged that whenever they came to power, they indulged in "massive corruption" and even made an independent legislator chief minister of Jharkhand. He was referring to Madhu Koda, who is an accused in a coal scam case. Shah took a swipe at the opposition Congress-led alliance for not naming their prime ministerial candidate, saying if the grouping is elected they will have a new prime minister everyday, except Sunday. Jharkhand is endowed with mineral resources, but its people are poor. But, in the last five years of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and Raghubar Das dispensation in the state ushered development, he said. The BJP chief highlighted 133 welfare programmes initiated during the last five years. Roads were improved, electricity has been provided and work on the Mandal dam began in Palamau and Latehar districts, he said. Cooking gas and ovens, housing and toilet facilities were also given to the poor, Shah said, adding that the Modi government has taken steps to give pension to farmers above the age of 60 years. The BJP on Saturday alleged the Delhi Waqf Board's decision to hike the salary of imams of the mosques in the national capital was in violation of the Model Code of Conduct and the move was aimed at 'appeasing' the minority community. New Delhi: The BJP on Saturday alleged the Delhi Waqf Board's decision to hike the salary of imams of the mosques in the national capital was in violation of the Model Code of Conduct and the move was aimed at "appeasing" the minority community. BJP's Lok Sabha election co-in charge Jai Bhan Singh Pawaiya said while the Arvind Kejriwal government hiked the salaries of imams, same was not done to Hindu priests, which he termed as "discrimination". Vijender Gupta, the Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Assembly, termed it "not only an open violation of Model Code of Conduct but also the illicit misuse of tax payers' money." "Kejriwal, in connivance with Revenue minister Kailash Gehlot and MLA from Okhla, Amanatullah Khan, has hatched a criminal conspiracy to distribute crores of rupees to the imams and moazzins in the name of raising their honorarium, salary to influence polling ahead of the polls," he added. However, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said the Delhi Waqf Board, like its counterparts in other states, have been paying honorarium to imams appointed by them. "The Waqf Board generates revenue from leasing its properties that are spread across the national capital," he said. "Like any pension, salaries or honorarium, this amount is revised from time to time. This decision of revisiting the honorarium was taken long back before the Code of Conduct, Bharadwaj claimed. Khan, the Chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board, said the imams on Friday received cheques of Rs 18,000 while the moazzins have received enhanced honorarium of Rs 16,000. Earlier, the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi had sought a factual report from the revenue secretary over allegations that the Delhi Waqf Board increased honorarium for imams after the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha election came into effect. "We have asked for a factual report from the Revenue Secretary. There has been a complaint and we have asked whether there has been such a measure undertaken by the Waqf Board during the Model Code of Conduct. A reply is awaited from them," an official had said. Gupta claimed when the concerned officials of the Delhi government did not give their approval and raised objections in the matter, they were bypassed. Gupta said he has also written a letter to the Lieutenant Governor, demanding action against the government. "The Hindu voters had also given a massive mandate but he did not hike the salaries of the priests of Hindu temples who are also in poor condition, Gupta said. Begusarai, which captured the medias imagination because of the contest between Kanhaiya Kumar and Giriraj Singh, was called the land of the rising red star in north India. Editor's note: In this series on contemporary history, consulting editor Ajay Singh takes us to places and talks about people who left yesterday's indelible mark on todays politics. Begusarai, which captured the medias imagination because of the intense contest between communist candidate and former JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar and BJPs loudmouth Giriraj Singh, was called the land of the rising red star in north India after independence. The red star then was none else but a redoubtable Marxist Chandrashekhar Singh, whose father was a Congress minister. In the 1956 by-election for the Assembly seat of Begusarai north (now Barauni), Singh, a young Marxist, having imbibed lessons from the Bolshevik revolution and with Lenin and Joseph Stalin as his icons, challenged Bihars most powerful politician and fellow Bhumihar chief minister Sri Krishna Singh. Begusarai was then part of Munger district, to which Singh belonged. Rebellion seduces the masses. Singh, known as Sri Babu, learnt this when the novice won despite his towering presence. Chandrashekhar was indeed an ordinary Marxist. He donated his land and called for unity of peasants and workers for the cause of revolution. This had got Sri Babus goat who mobilised his followers and was believed to have instructed, Kuch bhi ho pagalwa ko nahi jitne dena hai (come what may, this madman must not win), recalls a senior advocate, Ram Subhagh Prasad Singh, who fought many legal battles in the district court then. That "do whatever you need to do" instruction in 1957 was the first brick in the foundation of booth capturing in India. This form of subverting electoral politics by money and muscle power lasted well into the early years of this millennium. And thus began the story of booth capturing in the country in the 1957 elections. Begusarai earned the dubious distinction of being the pioneer in rigging in that election. At Ramdiri village, polling booths were captured. Other adjoining areas followed suit. Landlords and affluent people belonging particularly to the Bhumihar caste muscled their way into booth after booth and denied OBCs and Dalits their right to vote for the CPI candidate. Chandrashekhar lost by a narrow margin. But that one act of political indiscretion by Sri Babu sowed the future of destruction for Begusarai. Communists, who were never averse to armed struggle and violence, responded in kind to the Congress, then the most dominant political force. Though Chandrashekhar tried his best to restore social amity through his genteel demeanour, Begusarai witnessed the fiercest gun battles fought on the streets, like the ones shown in the Bollywood flick Gangs of Wasseypur. The Congress propped up Kamdev Singh, a powerful Bhumihar landlord whose business in contrabands earned him money and muscle, as an ideological counter to the rising forces of Marxism represented by the CPI. However, this ideological battleground gradually got overwhelmed by the forces of history. In the sixties, Sri Babu launched a series of developmental projects in Begusarai to rid the area of Marxist influence. Big industrial units like the Barauni refinery, a power plant and a fertiliser factory came up, along with a slew of small-scale industries that changed the areas economic landscape. For the first time, a bridge was constructed across the Ganga in the state in 1959 to facilitate movement of people and goods across the river to Begusarai and Munger. Begusarai began looking like the most developed region of Bihar. In the seventies, the CPI appeared to be fighting for its survival and attenuated its ideological position to the extent that it ultimately sided with the Congress in 1975 during the Emergency. The rebellion that seduced the masses in the 1950s and 1960s got hugely betrayed. Though Chandrashekhar was still alive and active, he seemed to have lost control of politics that had mutated into outright criminality. In 1980, Kamdev Singh, Bihars most powerful don, was shot dead by the police in an encounter that seemed to be a fallout of local politics. That the lines between politics and the underworld were blurred became evident when in 1985, a group of CPI activists led by Digvijay Singh, Ram Vijay Singh, Hareram Rai and Balram Sav raided the district jail in 1985 and killed a rival and domineering landlord Ram Kishore Pehelwan. This was the first instance of a murder inside the jail in which the CPI local leadership played a role. In the ensuing gun battles that spread all across Begusarai, hundreds of people were killed as gangs of criminals started dominating politics. The ideology of Marxism became a convenient facade for many gangs and their leaders to camouflage their criminality. On the other hand, the emergence of Mandal/Mandir politics gave a veneer of respectability to criminals owing allegiance to caste or religion and initiated them into mainstream politics. One of the most dreaded gangsters of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, Suraj Bhan, was initiated into politics by Ram Vilas Paswans Lok Janashakti Party (LJP). In the 2004 Lok Sabha election, Suraj Bhans victory confirmed the worst fears Begusarai had irretrievably lost its red star that promised optimism and hope in the fifties. It is in this context that Kanhaiya contesting as a CPI candidate makes the contest extremely interesting. Like Chandrashekhar, he is also seen as a rebel who is raring to challenge the established leadership of the BJP and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar. But unlike Chandrashekhar, who had then espoused an ideology getting traction in half of the world, Kanhaiyas political beliefs are unlikely to get resonance in Begusarai. The reason is not far to seek. Begusarai is the worst victim of the eternal communist adage, political power flows through the barrel of a gun. In the shadow of Marxism, Mandal and Mandir, Begusarai had enough of it. As the electorate goes to the poll on Monday, they are unlikely to carry a pleasant memory of red star in Begusarai. After BJP president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chouhan is one of the most sought-after leaders in the on-going election campaigning. He is not the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh any more, but his popularity has not waned. Every morning, people line up at Shivraj Singh Chouhans 74 Bungalows residence to appeal for some help. He meets them, listens to them and zips off to his next public meeting. This is one among other political engagements that he needs to keep in different parts of the state as well as outside it. The forthcoming Lok Sabha elections have made him extremely busy. After BJP president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chouhan is one of the most sought-after leaders in the on-going election campaigning. He is among the few party leaders who has been given a chopper and a small aircraft to fly around in for his campaign. Since he is hardly seen in Bhopal, catching up with him for a chat was quite a task. The best option was to travel with him while he was on the campaign trail and understand his views and thoughts on many issues. Looking at your mass appeal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was keen that you should contest from Bhopal against Digvijaya Singh of Congress. Why did you choose to decline? I have an emotional connect with the 7.5 crore people and have been chief minister for three terms. Now, it is the time to stand with the people of the state. Within four months of the new chief minister assuming office, people have been struggling and facing innumerable problems. My governments public welfare schemes for the poor and for the farmers have been scrapped and the youth feel cheated. At the same time, the government is battling massive corruption charges. I think it is time to take to the streets, stand with our people and boost the morale of our party workers. It is only because of these reasons that I requested the party to allow me to work with the people and excuse me from contesting the election. There is a palpable feeling that the Congress government, led by Kamal Nath, wont survive for long and you are the chief minister-in-waiting, especially if the BJP comes back to power at the Centre. What is your perception about the longevity of the incumbent government? We are not going to topple or destabilise any government from completing its term, but if the government falls under its own weight, then we cant help it. There is no denying the fact that this government is not a majority government. This government was formed with the help of Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and independents. And there are many inner contradictions and vested interests threatening its existence. If we wanted to topple the government, we would not have allowed the Congress to come to power in the first place. Many MLAs had approached us for extending support. But we realised that despite scoring highest votes, we didnt enough seats to garner a majority, so we thought a chance should be given to those who got more seats. This is the moral stand we took and are all sticking to it. You lost the election with a narrow margin. Have you analysed the factors leading to loss of crucial seats? I have said many times that I was the only reason and we lost because of my shortcomings. Party workers worked hard, people also showered their love on us but we still fell short of numbers. You mention in election rallies that Digvijaya Singh is no issue in this election and that he doesnt matter. What is your reason for saying so? He is known to have thrown the state into backwardness during the 10 years of his tenure. He committed the unforgivable crime of throwing the state into crises and chaos. When I say that he is not an issue in this election, it is simply because people have not forgotten his bad governance that lasted a decade. They know him and his deeds. In your opinion, what are the issues in this election? The most important issue before the people is the question of who will win this election. The issue is who will lead the country and they find there is no one other than Modiji. He is in the heart of the people. The other issues that dominate are concerns for national security, development and public welfare. Madhya Pradesh has an additional issue. There is a strong feeling of unease in the people. The current government has proved to be very bad in such a short time. Can you please explain why you find the Congress government 'very bad'? There are many reasons. To start with, their tallest promise of loan waiver is not fulfilled and the promise of unemployment allowance and generating employment opportunities have also notbeen fulfilled so far. Public welfare schemes for poor like Sambal had been closed, list of eligible farmers who did not get Rs 6,000 under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi are yet to be sent to the Centre. Rs 500 per quintal bonus on soybean crop has not been delivered, dhan (paddy) bonus has not been paid to farmers and bhavantar (price difference) amount has not yet been given to farmers. Our government had allocated Rs 5,000 to the poor for performing last rites, which has been withdrawn. Free medical treatment for the poor has ceased to operate. The state which never faced power shortage in the last 13 years is now facing power cuts. To make matters worse, people are getting hefty electricity bills. The only industry which is flourishing in Madhya Pradesh is the transfer industry and the present government is indulging in corruption big time. You are travelling a lot and addressing a lot of public meetings. How many public meetings have you addressed so far? After submitting my resignation from the chief ministers post, I have been continuously in touch with people on a daily basis. I was never attached to the chief ministers post, I am rather attached to the people, During my tenure as chief minister, I used to work for 18 to 20 hours a day for the benefit of the people. Today, we are in the Opposition and doing our duty to highlight their concerns and fight for them whenever they need it. We are now serving the people in a different capacity. Will your public meetings continue after this Lok Sabha elections? After the elections, it will continue. We will fight for peoples issues. This is the power of democracy and people have given us a mandate for the same. If you are in the Opposition, it is your responsibility to compel the government to serve the people for their welfare and make it accountable. We will keep the up the struggle. Should it be understood that you have no plan to move to the Centre for some other responsibilities? I love to work for my people and live with them. But in the current elections, I have visited 14 states as the party asked me to do so. I performed duties of the national vice-president of the party and traveled across the country. What will be your response if Centre demands your expertise and experience at the national level? It will depend on the party and I will follow the partys directions and orders. What is your calculation for this election? Bharatiya Janata Party will register glorious victory and we are trying hard to win all 29 seats of the state. Voters who haven't received their voter slip can check their name on the electoral roll and download their photo voter slip from the portal nvsp.in. Voting for the seven-phase Lok Sabha Election 2019 in India began on 11 April, with Phase 7 scheduled for Sunday, 19 May. There are nearly 90 crore people registered as voters, of which 1.5 crore are between the ages of 18 and 19. But before exercising their franchise, voters must check if their names have appeared in the voters' list, and download the voter slip, which needs to be presented along with a photo identity card at your polling station to vote in the upcoming election. If your name does not appear in the voters' list, the polling booth officials will not allow you to cast your vote. Usually, voter slips (which serve as proof that your name exists in the electoral roll) are made available to voters' by various political parties. But what if you haven't received yours yet? The Election Commission offers voters the facility to check their name on the electoral roll and download their photo voter slip from the portal nvsp.in. Every voter is required to carry their photo voter slip along with their voter identification card (also known as Electors Photo Identity Card or EPIC or Voter's ID) that is issued by the Election Commission of India (EC) or other approved photo identity proofs. Here are the steps to download your voter slip: Step 1. Visit the official website of the National Voter Services Portal's - nvsp.in Step 2. Click on 'Search Your Name in Electoral Roll' option Step 3. Fill in your credentials Step 4. Press the 'search' button Step 5. Your name will appear at the bottom of the page Step 6. Click on view details and the page will be directed to your voter slip. Step 7. Click on Print Voter Information' at the bottom of your voter slip and take a print out. In case your name does not appear after the first three steps, it is likely that you are not eligible to vote in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. The ongoing election is being held for 543 seats at nearly 10 lakh polling booths across the country, while the counting of votes will take place on 23 May. Full details of timing, schedule and list of constituencies is available here. Click here for complete coverage of Lok Sabha Election 2019 Click here for complete coverage of Assembly Elections 2019 Campaigning for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha election scheduled for April 29 in 72 parliamentary constituencies across nine states ended Saturday after days of hectic canvassing as leaders made energetic efforts to garner votes. New Delhi: Campaigning for the fourth phase of polling scheduled for April 29 in 72 parliamentary constituencies across nine states ended Saturday after days of hectic canvassing as leaders made energetic efforts to garner votes. Polling will be held in 17 seats in Maharashtra, 13 each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, eight in West Bengal, six each in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, five in Bihar, three in Jharkhand and a part of the Anantnag constituency in Jammu and Kashmir. The stakes are high for the ruling BJP and its allies as it had swept 56 of these seats in 2014, leaving just two for the Congress and the rest for other opposition parties such as the Trinamool Congress and the Biju Janata Dal. The fate of 961 candidates, including Union ministers Giriraj Singh, Subhash Bhamre, SS Ahluwalia and Babul Supriyo of the BJP and former Union ministers Salman Khurshid and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of the Congress, will be decided by about 12.79 core voters in this phase. Among other key contestants in the fray are Kanhaiya Kumar (CPI), Baijayant Panda (BJP), Urmila Matondkar (Congress), Dimple Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Satabdi Roy (TMC) and Milind Deora (Congress). Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and a host of Union ministers among others canvassed for their party candidates over the past few days, undertaking whirlwind tours of constituencies. In Maharashtra, where the election will come to end with this phase, the Opposition Congress is facing a tough task of reclaiming its lost base in north Maharashtra and Mumbai, while the NCP is trying to get a foothold in Thane district and Western Maharashtra. The BJP and its ally Shiv Sena had won all 17 seats in 2014. During the canvassing, which mainly remained centred around issues such as nationalism and agricultural distress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried to woo rural as well as urban voters by highlighting infrastructural and development work done under his rule. For his part, Congress president Rahul Gandhi tried to project the Congress's proposed minimum income guarantee scheme "NYAY" as a game changer for the poor. In Rajasthan, where the BJP had won all the seats in 2014, the Congress appeared to make a comeback, forming the government in the state with a narrow majority after last year's Assembly polls. In Uttar Pradesh, most of these 13 seats are seeing a direct fight between the BJP and SP-BSP alliance with Kannauj being a matter of prestige for the SP. In 2014, the BJP won 12 of these 13 seats in the state. Only Kannauj, won by the Samajwadi Party, defied the Modi wave that year among them. Former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple is seeking re-election from Kannauj. The Congress has a good presence in at least three of the constituencies Unnao (Annu Tandon), Farrukhabad (Salman Khurshid) and Kanpur (Sriprakash Jaiswal). Electioneering had reached a feverish pitch for this phase in Odisha as a galaxy of leaders from parties such as the BJP, the Congress and the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) undertook tours of the constituencies, mostly in coastal Odisha. This will be the final phase of polling in the state. Prominent among the hopefuls include BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda (Kendrapara) and state Congress president Niranjan Patnaik (Bhandaripokhari). Polling will also be held in 41 assembly seats in Odisha in this phase. In Bihar, the BJP and its allies are looking to retain all the five seats in the face of a spirited fight put up by the RJD-Congress alliance. The cynosure of all eyes in this phase, however, is the Begusarai seat which will witness an electrifying contest between the political Left and the Right with CPI debutant Kanhaiya Kumar taking on firebrand BJP leader Giriraj Singh. Monday's voting in three constituencies will be the first phase in the BJP-ruled Jharkhand. Addressing poll rallies in Jharkhand this week, a host of top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah, appealed to the people to re-elect the NDA to take forward the development work and protect the country. No prominent national level leaders of Opposition parties campaigned in the three seats Lohardaga (ST), Chatra and Palamu (SC) in the run-up to the election. In West Bengal, all the eight seats, which are spread across four districts, will see a four-cornered contest between Trinamool Congress, BJP, Congress and the Left Front. Electioneering in Kulgam district, which is part of Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency, remained by and large peaceful. Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency is spread over four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama with 16 assembly segments. The Lok Sabha polls to this constituency are being held in three phases due to security reasons. In all the six seats in Madhya Pradesh, a direct fight between the Congress and the BJP is expected. Chief Minister Kamal Nath's son Nakul is the Congress candidate from Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat. The by-election to the Chhindwara assembly constituency where Kamal Nath is in the fray will also be held on Monday. Election to 542 Lok Sabha seats is being conducted in seven phases between 11 April and 19 May. Election in Vellore constituency in Tamil Nadu has been cancelled following excess use of money power. In the first three phases, voting has been held in 302 Lok Sabha constituencies apart from Anantnag. Results will be declared on 23 May. Conducting polls in an ethnically and geographically diverse country like India is a herculean task, requiring extensive preparations. India is in the midst of electing its 17th Lok Sabha. The general elections are being held in seven phases between 11 April and 19 May, 2019. The counting of votes will take place on 23 May. At least 900 million voters will exercise their franchise this time, making it the worlds biggest election till date. Meanwhile, election campaigning is in full swing across the country with candidates belonging to different political parties hitting the campaign trail. Ultimately, 543 candidates will emerge successful in the Lok Sabha elections as per the First Past The Poll (FPTP) system. Conducting an election in an ethnically and geographically diverse country like India is a herculean task, requiring extensive preparations to keep the electoral processes up and running. Articles 324 to 329 in the Indian Constitution deal with the electoral system in India. The Constitution gives Parliament the power to create laws dealing with elections to the Parliament and state assemblies. In this regard, the Representation of the People Act, 1950 serves as one of the two legislation for the smooth conduct of elections in India the other being the 1951 Act of the same name. Determines total seats in Parliament, assemblies This Act was enacted by the Provisional Parliament in 1950 just months after the Constitution came into effect. The Act is divided into eight Parts and four Schedules. Part II of the Act deals with the allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha and the state Legislative Assemblies, the delimitation process for constituencies as well as the allocation of seats in the Legislative Councils in different states. As far as the delimitation process is concerned, Section 4 in Part II of the Act empowers the Delimitation Commission to draw the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies. However, states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Assam, Nagaland and Jharkhand are excluded from delimitation. This particular Section was amended in 2008 after the last delimitation process. Section 7(1A) of the Act reserves 12 seats for the Bhutia-Lecha community, two seats for the Scheduled Castes and one seat for the Sanghas in the Sikkim Assembly. Section 7(1B) also states the number of seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes in the Assemblies of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. The first Schedule lays down the number of Lok Sabha seats for every state, while the second Schedule enumerates the total Assembly seats in each state. The third Schedule gives a break-up of the total seats in the Legislative Councils of seven states. The Act also states that Tamil Nadu has 78 seats in its Legislative Council. However, the Upper House has not been revived in the state since its abolition in 1986. Act mandates regular updating of electoral rolls Part IIA lays down the different polling officers who are required for smooth conduct of polling across the country. This part of the Act specifically mandates the Election Commission to nominate in consultation with the concerned state a number of key officers. They include the Chief Electoral Officer, who heads the electoral machinery in a state, District Election Officer, who is responsible for the preparation and revision of the electoral rolls for constituencies within the district, Electoral Registration Officer, who is responsible for revising the electoral roll in a constituency, and the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer, who assists the ERO. Part IIB of the Act states that the electoral roll for a Parliamentary Constituency will consist of electoral rolls for all Assembly Constituencies that come under it, except in the case of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territories, which do not have a legislature. Part III of the Act lays down the qualifications for registering a voter along with the conditions that can bar someone from voting. As per the Act, a person needs to be above the age of 18 years on the qualifying date and an ordinary resident of India to be able to register as a voter. However, a person shall be disqualified from registering in the electoral rolls if he or she is not a citizen of India. People of unsound mind as well as those disqualified from voting under the provisions of any law relating to corrupt practices and other offences in connection with elections are also barred from registering their name in the electoral roll. After a 2010 amendment to the Act, Indian citizens living in foreign countries, commonly known as Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), are also eligible to vote in the place of residence which is mentioned in their passports. The Act specifies that the electoral rolls in every Assembly Constituency need to be revised from time to time. It also lays down the process of inclusion of names as well as correction of other details in the electoral roll. Moreover, the Electoral Registration Officer plays a key role in accepting applications for inclusion or correction in the electoral roll. Notably, the Act makes it clear that a citizen can only be registered in the electoral roll of one Assembly Constituency at a given point of time. Part V of the Act also bestows certain rule-making powers to the Centre. However, since 1998, the Election Commission has been demanding that the powers be transferred to them. Moreover, if any electoral officer is found guilty of not performing duties relating to the electoral roll, he or she may be imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three months but which may extend to two years and with fine. Across 72 constituencies in nine states, more than 12 crore voters will exercise their franchise on Monday during the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha election. Across 72 constituencies in nine states, more than 12 crore voters will exercise their franchise on Monday during the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha election. Voters will choose between 945 candidates. Elections will be held in five seats in Bihar, one in Jammu and Kashmir, three in Jharkhand, six in Madhya Pradesh, 17 in Maharashtra, six in Odisha, 13 in Rajasthan, 13 in Uttar Pradesh and eight in West Bengal. The stakes are high for the ruling BJP and its allies as it had swept 56 of these seats in 2014, leaving just two for the Congress and the rest for other Opposition parties such as the Trinamool Congress (six) and the Biju Janata Dal (six). In most constituencies, polling booths will be open between 7 am and 6 pm. More than 1.4 lakh polling booths have been set up across the country and special security arrangements have been made at sensitive booths. Election in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP had cornered all but two of the total 54 seats in 2014, will begin in this phase. The Congress appeared to make a comeback, forming the governments in the states after last year's Assembly polls. In all the six seats in Madhya Pradesh, a direct fight between the Congress and the BJP is on the cards. The state's new power centre is witnessing a unique father-son electoral show with Chief Minister Kamal Nath and his son Nakul in the fray, hoping to boost not just the Congress but also strike roots as deep as the tree from where this region takes its name. While the chief minister, a nine-time MP from the area, is contesting an Assembly bypoll, Nakul Nath is hoping to get elected to the Lok Sabha from Chhindwara, named after the wild date palm tree known as Chhind. In Uttar Pradesh, most of these 13 seats are seeing a direct fight between the BJP and SP-BSP alliance, with Kannauj being a matter of prestige for the SP. In 2014, the BJP won 12 of these 13 seats in the state. Only Kannauj, won by the Samajwadi Party, defied the Modi wave that year among them. Former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple is seeking re-election from Kannauj. The Congress has a good presence in at least three of the constituencies Unnao (Annu Tandon), Farrukhabad (Salman Khurshid) and Kanpur (Sriprakash Jaiswal). In West Bengal, all the eight seats, which are spread across four districts, will see a four-cornered contest between Trinamool Congress, BJP, Congress and the Left Front. In Odisha, where the state's ruling BJD won all six seats, the BJP is making concerted efforts to bag a few seats. Prominent among the hopefuls include BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda (Kendrapara). Polling will also be held in 41 Assembly seats in Odisha in this phase. Among the popular leaders in the fray are Union Ministers Giriraj Singh, Subhash Bhamre, SS Ahluwalia and Babul Supriyo. All eyes will be on former students union leader and now CPI candidate Kanhaiya Kumar, who is contesting from Bihars Begusarai, will face Giriraj Singh in the constituency. Congress Milind Deora, Priya Dutt and Urmila Matondkar are among the notable candidates from Mumbai. Following one of the most significant switch between camps, Panda will be contesting from Odishas Kendrapara on a BJP ticket, hoping to end the rule of the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal in the state. Special attention will be given on Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency and additional police force has been deployed, Surendra Kumar, Chief Electoral Officer, Odisha told PTI. In Maharashtra, a contest between Congress and BJP-Shiv Sena alliance will be seen, with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) seeking to claim victory in some constituencies too. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP, Congress and SP-BSP-RJD alliance will be the main parties contesting. Polling will also be held in Kulgam district, which is part of Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency. Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency is spread over four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama with 16 assembly segments. The Lok Sabha polls to this constituency are being held in three phases due to security reasons. Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases and the first three were held on 11, 18 and 23 April. The highest voter turnout so far was recorded in the first phase at 69.45 percent. The counting of votes will be done on 23 May. With inputs from PTI The Congress has questioned the Election Commission's 'silence' over Model Code of Conduct 'violations' by Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, saying it may approach courts to seek action. New Delhi: Alleging that the Model Code of Conduct has become "Modi code of conduct", the Congress on Saturday questioned the EC's "silence" over poll code "violations" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, and said it may approach courts to seek action against the duo. The two leaders have "cheated" on the issue of level playing field for all parties during elections and questioned the "silence of mega policeman" Election Commission (EC), Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi alleged at a press conference. "We have a right to approach the courts seeking action over model code violations... we can exercise that option... the mega policeman has turned a blind eye," Singhvi said, adding that silence can be construed as approval. Taking a jibe at the poll panel, he said the Congress is saddened to say that it seems that from the second word of Election Commission, 'C' has been dropped, and it has become "Election Omission" for the Modi-Shah duo. Singhvi wondered whether Modi and Shah are outside the ambit of the Model Code of Conduct, which he dubbed as "Modi code of conduct". He claimed that the two leaders have violated the poll code broadly under three categories: polarisation of votes, invoking armed forces in campaigns and taking out rallies on election days. "The EC has taken action against several leaders for violating the poll code based on our complaints. We appreciate that. Since the precedent has been set, why not take action against Modi and Shah," he said. "We are sad to say that the Modi-Shah duo has become a kind of an arch of immunity as far as the Election Commission's jurisdiction goes, as far as the Model Code of Conduct goes," Singhvi said. Never has there been a more "audacious set of individuals" who for petty electoral gains have turned a blind eye to the existence of the EC, poll code and the Constitution, he alleged. "I can understand the selfish petty motives of the party in power, but, what we cannot understand is how the mega policemen, the Election Commission, for this 50-day window of elections turned a blind eye to such egregious, wanton, unashamed conduct day in and day out," Singhvi said. "I salute them (EC) for acting on our complaint, where I have personally appeared and argued for the same issues I gave three categories hate speech, armed forces and doing campaigning while voting," the Congress leader said. On two of these issues, the EC had passed orders prohibiting or curtailing campaigning activities, he said, citing the case of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. The chief minister was barred by the EC from campaigning for 72 hours. Singhvi said in the past 25 days, he has personally led at least 15 delegations to the commission. He urged the poll panel to follow its own orders and precedents while looking into the complaints against Modi and Shah. The Congress leader said are there "two laws in this country for the prime minister and for Amit Shah on the one hand and for others on the other". "Is there a discriminatory application by their tomb like silence on these two persons? Is the EC not directly, not tacitly, directly accepting endorsing and supporting such conduct?" he asked. "Therefore, we are now complaining through you (EC) only when the water has risen above our head. The people of India demand an explanation for this inaction, for this silence and although we are doing everything in our power, including, if necessary, moving court. The point is why is the Election Commission not doing anything," Singhvi said. By not doing anything, the poll panel is in fact deciding by default, he alleged. Responding to questions on reported remarks by Congress leaders PC Chacko and Shatrughan Sinha on Yasin Malik and Mohammed Ali Jinnah, he said while Sinha has clarified his comments, it would be better if Chacko was approached directly on the issue. It appears that the contempt petitioner is more concerned about the prejudice Rahul Gandhi's statement is likely to cause to Narendra Modi in the minds of the people. A sitting member of Parliament belonging to the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) has filed a criminal contempt petition against Rahul Gandhi for stating that the "Supreme Court in its order of 10 April, 2019 had held that chowkidar chor hai (The 'guard' is the thief')". The factually incorrect statement made in an election rally appears to have been made the subject matter of the contempt petition for eliciting some adverse response from the Supreme Court against the alleged contemnor, whose "chowkidar chor hai" jibe has been making headlines and gaining traction in election rallies, as well as on social media, much to the chagrin of BJP leaders. In fact, the BJP has also approached the Election Commission with a complaint against the "chowkidar chor hai" campaign of Congress party, and has even succeeded in getting a favourable order to ban it in Madhya Pradesh. Sensing the BJPs game plan in the Supreme Court, the Congress president expressed regret for the erroneous statement at the first available opportunity by filing an affidavit to that effect. By doing so, he has been able to avoid, at least for the time being, any scathing remarks from the Supreme Court, which would have been lapped up by his political opponents for electoral advantage. The regret expressed by Rahul in the affidavit was confined to him incorrectly attributing the words "chowkidar chor hai" to the Supreme Court. The said affidavit was the subject matter of considerable legal debate in the hearing held on 23 April. The 10 April order had been passed in response to the review petition in the Rafale case, and was confined only to the rejection of the central governments preliminary objection to admissibility of certain documents on the basis of which the review petition was filed. The erroneous imputation to the Supreme Court was not supported by the contents of the 10 April order, and the same was quite evidently made for electoral gains in a speech given by Rahul in his constituency. From what is known in the public domain about the 23 April hearing, it appears that the petitioner in the contempt petition may be trying to get a blanket restraint order against Rahul, so that he cannot use the political slogan in his electoral speeches, statements to the media and tweets. The petitioners pitch before the Supreme Court was to highlight the incessant usage of the slogan "chowkidar chor hai" by Rahul Gandhi. The petitioners counsel is stated to have submitted that though Gandhi is not saying now that the Supreme Court had said that chowkidar chor hai, he is still continuing with the expression in his election campaign. Such a submission reveals the more painful grievance of BJP, arising from the continued usage of the unpalatable slogan by an irrepressible political opponent, who is at his formidable best at a time when the BJPs own supreme leaders popularity is on the wane. Such an inference is further strengthened by the lack of any other submission advanced on behalf of the petitioner pertaining to the alleged contempt of court that was occasioned as a result of Rahul's statement. Though Rahul, in his affidavit, has expressed regret for attributing the affirmation of his political slogan to the courts order of 10 April, he has defended his right to use the slogan itself, stating that it is his belief that the Rafale deal is a tainted transaction manifesting brazen abuse of executive power by the central government, and the same must be investigated by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). The Supreme Court must be wary of any attempt by the petitioner to seek a dilution/negation of a political leaders right to electoral sloganeering. A general objection to a political slogan is quite clearly beyond the scope of the ongoing contempt proceedings and must not be entertained, particularly at a time when even a casual observation by the the highest court of the land is likely to become the subject of news headlines and have electoral ramifications. The allegation against Rahul is that his statement that the "Supreme Court has held that chowkidar chor hai" amounts to criminal contempt of the Supreme Court because there was no such observation or finding in the 10 April order. Whether this allegation holds any water needs to be examined in the light of the definition of criminal contempt under Section 2(c) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971: criminal contempt means the publication (whether by words, spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise) of any matter or the doing of any other act whatsoever which (i) scandalises or tends to scandalise, or lowers or tends to lower the authority of, any court; or (ii) prejudices, or interferes or tends to interfere with, the due course of any judicial proceeding; or (iii) interferes or tends to interfere with, or obstructs or tends to obstruct, the administration of justice in any other manner; It is hard to point out how the Congress president's statement fits in any of the above requirements. Though the statement is factually inaccurate, it is inadequate to even prima facie satisfy the high threshold of the statutory definition of criminal contempt. The high statutory threshold is further underscored by Section 13(1) of the Contempt of Courts Act 1971, which confines the courts power to punish for contempt by imposing a sentence to only such cases where the contempt is of such a nature that it substantially interferes, or tends substantially to interfere with the due course of justice. Consistent with the said statutory requirement, the Supreme Court has often emphasised that criminal contempt proceedings are essentially quasi-criminal in nature and the requirement of standard of proof is similar to that of any other criminal proceeding. In other words, the statutory ingredients of the offence of criminal contempt must be established beyond reasonable doubt. It is hard to imagine that Rahul's statement caused or was intended to cause any interference with due course of justice. In fact, if the contents of the contempt petition, as mentioned on some websites, are to be believed, the petitioner has alleged that Rahul's statement was intended to prejudice the public against Sh Narendra Modi. Even if such prejudice against the prime minister is created in the minds of the people due to the statement, it is grossly inadequate to allege criminal contempt, as it neither "scandalises the authority of the court" nor "prejudices any judicial proceeding" nor "interferes/obstructs with administration of justice." It appears that the contempt petitioner is more concerned about the prejudice the statement is likely to cause to Narendra Modi in the minds of the people, at a time when political parties are fighting a no-holds-barred battle for electoral gains. An order in the form of a blanket ban on uttering the slogan "chowkidar chor hai" would certainly be an order with wide electoral ramifications. The contempt petitioner may well be aiming for such an order, as not only does her petition allude to the statement being aimed at prejudicing the public against the prime minister, she is also not satisfied with the admission of the mistake and expression of regret by Rahul Gandhi, which should have been sufficient in ordinary circumstances to bring the matter to a close. The statement in question was, at the most, an instance of erroneous reporting of the Supreme Courts order by Rahul to the electorate he was appealing to, and should have, therefore, resulted in the contempt proceedings being dropped once such misreporting was admitted on affidavit and regret expressed for the same. In his affidavit before the court, the Congress president has, in fact, admitted that he had not read the order at the time of making the statement. But even assuming that he had read the order, and then made the statement, it should still only be a case of incorrect interpretation of the Supreme Courts order. Such misinterpretation would be at par with the oft-repeated assertion by BJP leaders that the Supreme Courts order of 14 December, 2018, passed in the petitions seeking an independent probe into the Rafale deal, has given a clean chit to the Modi government. Such an interpretation is not supported by the wording of the order, in which the Supreme Court expressed its disinclination to order a probe in view of its limited jurisdiction under Article 32 of the Constitution of India. Given the fact that the controversy pertained to a sensitive matter relating to the countrys defence, the scope of Article 32 was interpreted more restrictively than in ordinary circumstances. The Supreme Court, taking note of the fact that the writ petitions brought into question the procurement of fighter jets that were crucial to the nations sovereignty, observed that the challenge to the Rafale deal will have to be scrutinised keeping in mind the confines of national security, which admitted of a somewhat constricted power of judicial review. Accordingly, the Supreme Court held that it could not sit as an appellate authority to scrutinise each aspect of the process of acquisition. On the issue of pricing of the Rafale jets, the court observed that the government has not disclosed pricing details, other than the basic price of the aircraft, even to the Parliament, on the ground that sensitivity of pricing details could affect national security, apart from breaching the agreement between the two countries. Such explanation given by the government for non-disclosure of pricing details was accepted by the court, presumably because it was under the impression that the pricing details have, however, been shared with the Comptroller and Auditor General, and the report of CAG has been examined by the Public Accounts Committee. Such an impression has now been revealed to be incorrect, as the government itself has approached the court with a clarification that neither had the pricing details been shared with the CAG, nor had the CAG report been approved by the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament. The above aspects of the Supreme Courts order of 14 December, 2018 can hardly be seen as a clean chit to the government, or its exoneration on merits, on the highly controversial Rafale deal. The Supreme Court evidently undertook a very limited scrutiny of the issues before it. All these issues are likely to be revisited by the Supreme Court in the review petitions that have been admitted against the order of 14 December, 2018, and may ultimately expose the brazenly misleading public narrative of clean chit conjured up by BJP leaders. It is quite probable that if the standards of misrepresentation of the court order adopted in the contempt petition against Rahul Gandhi are applied to the declaration of a clean chit from the Supreme Court in the Rafale deal, there may well be a case of criminal contempt against several BJP leaders, including the prime minister himself. The courts have always been loath to their misuse by litigants for oblique motives, and it is, therefore, imperative that the scope of the subject contempt proceedings is not allowed to be expanded for settling political scores. It is also important to note that contempt proceedings have always been regarded as an issue between the court and the alleged contemnor, with the petitioners role being limited to only bringing the facts constituting criminal contempt to the courts notice. The author is an advocate on record at the Supreme Court. With four Uttar Pradesh ministers fighting the ongoing Lok Sabha polls and standing 'bright chances' to win their seats, the Adityanath government may have to undertake its first Cabinet reshuffle soon Lucknow: With four Uttar Pradesh ministers fighting the ongoing Lok Sabha polls and standing "bright chances" to win their seats, the Adityanath government may have to undertake its first Cabinet reshuffle soon after the elections are over. The four state ministers in the poll fray include Rita Bahuguna Joshi from Allahabad, SP Singh Baghel from Agra, Satyadev Pachauri from Kanpur and Mukut Bihari from Ambedkarnagar parliamentary constituencies. "The names of ministers were zeroed in on for fielding, seeing their track record, utility and effectiveness in respective areas, dedication towards the party, communication with party workers and their overall performance, the names of ministers were zeroed in on," state BJP spokesperson Hero Bajpai told PTI. "They all stand bright chances of winning their respective seats," he added. Asked by PTI recently if any Cabinet reshuffle is on cards, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had said, "First let the elections get over." The whole election process will be completed by 27 May after counting of votes on 23 May, said an Election Commission official. Among the four state ministers fielded so far in the ongoing polls, the name of Cooperative Minister Mukut Bihari figured in the BJP latest poll list. Bihari has been fielded from Ambedkarnagar parliamentary constituency which goes to polls on 12 May in the sixth phase. The BJP had earlier named Minister for Animal Husbandry, Minor Irrigation and Fisheries Baghel in its first list as its candidate for the reserved Lok Sabha seat of Agra. Agra had gone to polls on 18 April in the second phase of elections. Two others, Minister for Women, Family, Mother and Child Welfare Department Joshi and Minister for Khadi Village Industries, Sericulture, Textile, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Export Promotion departments Pachauri have been fielded from Allahabad and Kanpur Lok Sabha seats. Joshi, who is presently also the tourism minister in the UP Cabinet had contested the 2014 General Elections from Lucknow parliamentary constituency on a Congress ticket and lost to the BJP's Rajnath Singh. Voting in Kanpur will be held on 29 April, while Allahabad goes to polls on 12 May. tech2 News Staff Sony very recently shared the first official details about the PlayStation 5. However, Sony didnt mention anything about a release date or pricing. Sony's lead architect on the PlayStation 4 and the PS Vita, Mark Cerny did state that the console wont be hitting shelves in 2019, but that's about all we know so far. Now though, we might be getting a better idea of when the PS5 might launch. According to Wall Street Journal reporter Takashi Mochizuki on Twitter, Sony has been telling press that the PlayStation 5 wont be launching at any point in the next 12 months. That rules out an early 2020 release for the console, but it does suggest that itll be here before the calendar rolls over into 2021. Reports in the past have pegged 2020 as the year that both the PlayStation 5 and the next Xbox will appear. From what we know so far, the upcoming console will support ray tracing and that it'll be capable of running games in 8K. Mark Cerny also said that the PS5 will use a custom AMD CPU based on third-gen Ryzen processors and will use an SSD for storage instead of a more typical hard drive. Sony: -No next-gen PlayStation launch over next 12 months -PS Now has been ave. 40% annual growth since launch, now 700,000 users -Much of Y31.1 billion (difference between past fy op vs this fy op outlook) to be invested to develop next PlayStation console Takashi Mochizuki (@mochi_wsj) April 26, 2019 The fact that Sony doesn't anticipate launching the PlayStation 5 within the next 12 months suggests that the company is considering a fall 2020 release date for the console. We're still too far out to make a confident call on when the console will release but we do hope for more details to follow as the months follow. tech2 News Staff Update: Apple's VP of worldwide marketing Phil Schiller has addressed concerns over the app bans. In a mail sent to MacRumours, Schiller explains that the New York Times report did not "share our complete statement." He states that Apple banned the apps to protect children from harm because the apps could be used to violate their privacy and security. The apps that were banned used a feature called MDM or Mobile Device Management which gives third-parties control over your phone. This is apparently an enterprise-only feature meant and not meant for the average developer or Apple customer. Apps using MDM have full access to a user's location, mail accounts, camera and network use, browsing history, etc. Such apps could also be misused to install malicious apps. Apple has reportedly decided to edge out apps on its App Store that function as competitors to its Screen Time feature, announced by Apple alongside iOS 12 in 2018. As per a report by The New York Times, Apple, over the past year, removed or restricted at least 11 of the 17 most popular screen time tracking and parental control apps on the App Store. Teaming up with app data firm Sensor Tower, the report interviewed developers, a number of which suggested that Apple is trying to push iOS device users into using only Apple's own apps such as Screen Time. Apple reportedly ordered developers to remove key features from their Screen Time-like apps or take them down entirely from the App Store. Apple is said to have justified its actions by saying that the apps violated policies such as using public APIs in an unapproved manner. However, the timing of the demands are suspect though, as some of these apps (namely, OurPact and Mobicip) have already been downloaded more than a million times. Mobicip chief Suren Ramasubbu told the New York Times that Apple required their company to change the app within 30 days or face removal from the App Store. After multiple messages seeking clarification and the submission of a revised app, Mobicip was ultimately removed from the App Store. Responding to the allegations Apple spokeswoman Tammy Levine told the publication, We treat all apps the same, including those that compete with our own services. Our incentive is to have a vibrant app ecosystem that provides consumers access to as many quality apps as possible, she added. This is not the first time that Apple has seemingly given its own offerings an unfair advantage over third-party apps. Spotify recently filed an antitrust complaint against Apple over the alleged preferential treatment for its own music streaming service. For those wondering, Apple's Screen Time app keeps a track of how much time iOS device owners spend on their devices and on specific apps. However, the feature is said to be less granular compared to competitors - a reason why a sizable number of users flock to third-party Screen-Time like apps. tech2 News Staff Chinese smartphone makers are continuing to strengthen their grasp on the Indian smartphone market. The market share of Chinese brands has reached a record 66 percent during the first quarter of this year, according to the latest Counterpoint's Market Monitor research report. Driven by new product launches, Xiaomi remained at the top of the smartphone market share table with a 29 percent share, witnessing a decline of 2 percent in comparison to the same period last year. The Chinese brands grew 20 percent year-on-year (YoY) riding mainly on the growth of smartphones brands such as Vivo, Realme and Oppo. Vivo's volume grew 119 percent whereas Oppo witnessed a growth of 28 percent year on year. In the meantime, India's overall smartphone shipments grew 4 percent year-on-year, the report added. Talking about the reasons for the growth of Chinese brands, Associate Director of Counterpoint, Tarun Pathak said that data consumption is on the rise and users are upgrading their phones faster as compared to other regions. This has led to users spending more on their purchase which is driving up the overall average selling price (ASP) in the market. Pathak expects these trends to continue in the future in the mid-tier segment. Xiaomi Redmi 6A remained the top model followed by Xiaomi Note 6 Pro, Redmi Y2, Samsung Galaxy M20, and Galaxy A50. Chinese brand aggressive offline expansion and a strong focus on product build helped to retain its top position in the Indian smartphone market. Earlier in February, Xiaomi India Managing Director Manu Kumar Jain claimed that the Chinese smartphone maker is 54 percent bigger than the second brand. . @CounterPointTR report for Q1 2019 is out: Xiaomi is once again the No. 1 smartphone brand in India. Read here: https://t.co/PrulqcNbHY We are now #1 for 7 consecutive quarters! Thank you Mi Fans and all our partners for your love & support. #Xiaomi #Redmi pic.twitter.com/n4goqLrNqU Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) April 27, 2019 However, Xiaomi faced fierce competition from non-Chinese brand Samsung, which had about 23 percent market share. In the premium segment, Samsung surpassed OnePlus to become the number one player driven by the good response for its newly introduced Galaxy S10 series. In the feature phone segment, Reliance Jio remained the leader, followed by Samsung, with about 30 percent market share. Although there is no near-term possibility of Moscow and Beijing forming a military alliance, however Russias growing coordination and cooperation with China is not without consequences for India Russian president Vladimir Putins red-carpet welcome by Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing on the occasion of the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation earlier this month has not surprised anyone. At a time when Xis ambitious project Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has alarmed the Western countries and Asian and African nations, including India, by fueling indebtedness to expand Beijings political and military influence around the world, Putin has come to his friends rescue. Putin has not only showered praise on the BRI by terming it as an extremely important initiative but has also said that it fits perfectly into our plans. His reference to our plans is about Eurasian Economic Union, which seeks to integrate Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan into a common market, and has often been viewed as BRIs rival. Putin had also remarked that the BRI is to strengthen cooperation and to provide harmonious development in Eurasia, and these goals bring us together here in Beijing". This is a transformative turnaround. Although there is no near-term possibility of Moscow and Beijing forming a military alliance, Russias growing coordination and cooperation with China is not without consequences for India. There is no doubt that both leaders are investing a great deal of time and energy in cementing their countries ties with each other. In 2017, Xi was awarded the Order of St Andrew the Apostle, Russias highest national honour. Returning the favour in 2018, Xi awarded Putin Chinas first friendship medal. Underscoring the close ties between Moscow and Beijing, Xi had said, No matter what fluctuations there are in the international situation, China and Russia have always firmly taken the development of relations as a priority. Praising Putin for his leadership qualities, Xi further remarked that, President Putin is the leader of a great country. He is influential around the world. He is my best, most intimate friend. A few months later, when Russian forces held the domestic Vostok 2018 military exercise in the Far East and Eastern Siberia, Putin did not forget to invite Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). Vostok 2018 was declared as the largest military drill in Russias post-Soviet history and the PLAs participation in it sent a strong message about the evolving relationship between Russia and China However, it was not the first time that Russia and China held joint military exercises. They have conducted joint exercises for more than a decade under the aegis of the Shanghai Security Cooperation Organization (SCO), adding a naval component in 2012. These drills have substantially grown in scale and sophistication. Similarly, what was unique about Vostok-2018 was the PLAs participation in a Russian military exercise, of which the military forces of countries that are members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) had never been made a part of. Although Chinas participation did not carry much operational importance, its strategic importance could not be missed. The Putin regime gave a significant political message that Russia no longer considered China as a military threat bordering the largely uninhabited areas of Siberia and the Far East. It needs to be mentioned that even after the two countries finalised a border demarcation in 2008, there are many in Russia who have continuously sounded alarm bells about Chinas serious threat to the deserted but resource-rich regions of Russia. It is worth noting that the disintegration of the Soviet Union was followed by a rapid decline in Russias military exports as many of its major clients for weapons disappeared. Coinciding with this disturbing development, China was seriously modernising its armed forces and acquiring advanced weaponry. The survival of Russias arms industry was greatly ensured due to its exports of newly produced combat aircraft, armoured vehicles and warships to China and India during this period. But the sale of advanced weapons to China was not smooth. There were warnings that Russia would be arming a future rival. Concerns were also expressed that Chinese would stealthily copy whatever Russia delivered to them. There were additional concerns of serious competition from China in the global arms market. However, Chinas willingness to buy a variety of weapons and ability to pay in cash silenced all critics. China was the first foreign buyer to sign a government-to-government deal with Russia in 2015 to procure the S-400 air missile system, which is known as Russias most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile system. Currently, Beijing is reported to be seriously considering purchasing Russias new Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter jet which is capable of both aerial combat and hitting ground and naval targets. Though China can boast of having its own fifth-generation aircraft, its dependence on Russian engines for the planes is a well-known fact. Even the China-Pakistan jointly produced JF-17 Thunder aircraft rely on Russian engines. Russia is not oblivious to Chinas growing influence in Central Asia and that the BRI is rapidly expanding Beijings footprint in the region, which is Moscows traditional sphere of influence. Hence, Moscow attempts to revive balance in the relationship. India prominently figures in Russias geopolitical schemes as part of Russia-India-China (RIC) summits as well as the SCO. Russia has considered itself as the centre of its bilateral security partnerships with India and China that could be used to counter American influence in areas of mutual concern. However, the deepening of strategic convergence between New Delhi and Washington has coincided with rising geopolitical tensions between the US and Russia, and now a raging trade war between the US and China. Consequently, the RIC trilateral has not served any useful purpose other than issuing periodical declarations critical of America. Russias suspicion over Chinas growing influence seems to have subsided somewhat in recent years. Beijing and Moscow are deepening their cooperation in areas that are likely to pose challenges to both Indian and American interests. The past several years of deterioration in US-Russian relations differ sharply with the persistent enhancement of the economic, political and strategic relations between India and Russia. In fact, the Western economic and military sanctions against Russia are not only promoting Moscow-Beijing intimacy but also undermining a key American policy objective of driving a geopolitical wedge between Russia and China. Russia and China are opposed to the international order shaped by the alliance of Western powers. Combined efforts of these two permanent members of the United Nations Security Council are already influencing the transformation of many regional conflicts. It may also be mentioned here that Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conti participated in the second BRI summit in Beijing on 26 April. Disregarding concerns that Chinese loans may lead towards a debt trap and unsustainable trade deficits, Italy has become the first western country to come on board the BRI. Even Turkey, which took part in the first BRI summit, did not participate in the second summit, citing rejection of debt-trap diplomacy and Chinas treatment of the Uighurs, a Turkic Muslim minority in Xinjiang province, as two key reasons behind its non-attendance. Russia-China's cordial relations and the impact on India As the world is seeing more conflicts, putting global rules and institutions under severe strain, Indian diplomacy faces many challenges. The most consequential challenge for India is the growing power, wealth and influence of China. Beijings anti-India position is driven by the Chinese desire to exercise unchallenged supremacy over Asia and beyond. Beijings intolerable role in shielding Pakistans security establishment at important global platforms and spoiling New Delhis chances of a seat at the UN Security Council is too visible to be ignored. Under such circumstances, the steady drift of Russia towards the strategic embrace of China is becoming a new strategic headache for India. Indias strategic response has reflected the hedging strategy. Indias foreign policy has involved a number of strategic partnerships, particularly with the US, Russia and Japan. Though the IndiaUS partnership tops the list, India has also cultivated a special and privileged partnership with Russia. Between India and Russia, there are some specific areas of convergence including a robust defence partnership. Russia is reported to have regained the top position in Indian arms purchases this year, after having lost it to the US for four years. Despite the threat of American sanctions, the Modi government recently signed a $5.2 billion pact with Russia for procuring five S-400 air defence systems. India is also planning to buy four Krivak-III class frigates, and has signed a contract for the lease of an Akula-1 class nuclear submarine. Russia continues to be preferred by India for procuring its weaponry due to Moscows flexibility in offering transfer of technology. Putin recently signed an executive order conferring the highest Russian national honour to Modi for his distinguished contribution to the development of a privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India and friendly ties between the Russian and Indian peoples. This decision may be seen as the renewed push by Russia to strengthen ties with India. But growing disagreement over the role of China is a worrying sign which may slow down the momentum. Russia playing a second fiddle to China in the multilateral institutions that promote Chinas interests is something that India cannot ignore. Russias accommodation of Chinas economic and strategic interests has severe consequences for Indias interests. When Russia and China seem to be in a close embrace, New Delhi has no option but to seek closer ties with Washington and to strengthen the India-Pacific strategy through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue to mitigate its strategic vulnerabilities. By Lucas Jackson INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - Retired U.S. By Lucas Jackson INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - Retired U.S. Marine Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North will step down as president of the National Rifle Association, North said on Saturday, adding he was being forced out due to his allegations that NRA leaders engaged in financial improprieties. In a letter read to the organization's annual meeting in Indianapolis by an NRA board member, North, a conservative commentator best known for his central role in the 1980s Iran-Contra affair, said he had hoped to stand for re-election when his term ends on Monday. "I am now informed that will not happen," North said in the letter. His departure came after NRA Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre accused North of trying to oust him by threatening to release "damaging" information about him, according to a letter from LaPierre to NRA board members that was published by the Wall Street Journal on Friday. NRA officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. North, 75, who was named by the NRA as its president in May 2018, was a pivotal figure in the Iran-Contra affair involving secret sales of arms to Iran by Republican President Ronald Reagan's administration and the unlawful diversion of the proceeds to Nicaraguan rebels. The NRA, with more than 5 million members, is by far the most powerful and well-connected gun lobby in the United States. It has worked closely with legislators to protect firearms manufacturers from liability for gun violence and pushed a ban on U.S. health officials from promoting gun control. When North was appointed president of the organization, LaPierre hailed him as "a legendary warrior for American freedom, a gifted communicator and skilled leader." But the pair have since fallen out, with LaPierre telling NRA board members in his letter on Thursday that North was seeking to humiliate him, discredit the NRA, and "raise appearances of impropriety that hurt our members and the Second Amendment" which gives Americans the right to keep and bear firearms, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. According to the newspaper, North sent board members a response to LaPierre's letter later on Thursday in which he defended himself, said his actions were for the good of the NRA, and that he was forming a crisis committee to examine financial matters inside the organization. North, long a hero to some on the political right, was convicted in 1989 of three felonies related to the Iran-Contra affair, but his convictions were overturned on appeal in 1990. He later became a conservative radio talk show host and frequent commentator on conservative television networks. (Reporting by Lucas Jackson in Indianapolis; Additional reporting by Barbara Goldberg in New York; Writing by Daniel Wallis; Editing by Matthew Lewis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Nearly 10,000 soldiers have been deployed across Sri Lanka to carry out searches and boost security since the bombings in three churches and four hotels, most of which were in the capital Colombo. Colombo: Sri Lankas president on Saturday outlawed two Islamist groups suspected to be behind the suicide bombings on churches and hotels while the wife and child of the suspected ringleader were wounded during a military raid in safe house, his family and police said. The National Thawheedh Jamaath (NTJ) and Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim were banned under emergency powers, President Maithripala Sirisena said in a statement, nearly a week after the Easter Sunday attacks that killed over 300 people. "Authorities could not act earlier to ban the two little known groups because the law required them to show firm evidence against them," officials said. Police believe the suspected mastermind of the bombings, Mohamed Hashim Mohamed Zahran, led either the NTJ or a splinter group. Less is known about Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim, whose members were also believed to have played a role in the bombings. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Nearly 10,000 soldiers have been deployed across the island to carry out searches and boost security since the bombings in three churches and four hotels, most of which were in the capital Colombo. "Security forces have detained 100 people, including foreigners from Syria and Egypt," police said. "A gunbattle erupted on Friday evening during a raid on a safe house in Sainthamaruthu in Ampara district on the islands east coast, killing at least 15 people including three people with suicide vests and six children," a military spokesmkan said. The wounded included the wife and a daughter of Zahran, his family said. "Yes, the wife and daughter were injured in the attack," said Mohamed Hashim Mathaniya, sister of Zahran. "I was asked to come to identify them, but I am not sure I can go," she told Reuters from the town of Kattankudy in the east where Zahran was originally based. Zahrans driver was detained in a separate raid, according to a police statement. Bomb-making materials, dozens of gelignite sticks and thousands of ball bearings were found in a search of a separate house in the same area, along with Islamic State banners and uniforms, the military said. Zahran appeared in a video released by Islamic State days after the bombing, the only one showing his face while seven others were covered. In the video the men stand under a black Islamic State flag and declare their loyalty to its leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. Fear of more attacks: Authorities have said there could be more attacks against religious centres. Last Sundays bombings shattered the relative calm that the Buddhist-majority country has seen since a 26-year civil war with mostly-Hindu ethnic Tamil separatists ended a decade ago. Sirisena and the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have faced strong criticism after it emerged that India had repeatedly given warnings of the possibility of attacks. Both Sirisena and Wickremesinghe have said intelligence was not shared with them, exposing rifts at the top of the government and raising questions about its ability to deal with the security crisis. The national police chief had refused to accept Sirisenas request to step down, two sources told Reuters on Saturday, a further embarrassment for the president. The US State Department said terrorist groups were continuing to plot attacks and cautioned its citizens against traveling to Sri Lanka, as well as ordering the departure of all school-age family members of U.S. government employees. The Islamic State has claimed the three militants who blew themselves up during a fierce gun battle with security forces in Sri Lanka's Eastern province, a media report said on Sunday. Colombo: The Islamic State has claimed the three militants who blew themselves up during a fierce gun battle with security forces in Sri Lanka's Eastern province, a media report said on Sunday. The shootout occurred on Friday night as the security forces continued their hunt for members of the National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ), the local terror outfit behind the 21 April coordinated blasts that killed 253 people and injured over 500 others. The Special Task Force and Army troops, following a tip-off, raided a house in Kalmunai city, about 360 kilometres from Colombo leading to the heavy exchange of fire with the armed group. As the heavily-armed men opened fire on troops, a civilian caught in the middle got killed. As the clashes intensified, three men are believed to have set off explosives. In a statement published early on Sunday through its propaganda 'Amaq' news agency, the Islamic State gave their noms du guerre as Abu Hammad, Abu Sufyan and Abu al-Qa'qa, the Colombo Gazette reported. It said they opened fire with automatic weapons and after exhausting their ammunition, detonated on them their explosive belts. Six children and three women were among 15 people killed when the militants opened fire and blew themselves up during the gun battle with security forces. A police spokesman said that three suspected suicide bombers were among the 15 dead. A huge cache of explosives was also recovered from the spot. Officials have recovered detonators, suicide kits, army uniforms and ISIS flags. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday, killing 253 people. The ISIS claimed the attacks, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group NTJ for the attacks. President Maithripala Sirisena said Friday that over 130 suspects linked to the ISIS have been operating in the country. Borussia Moenchengladbach forward Thorgan Hazard has confirmed German media reports that he has agreed terms with Gladbach's Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund. The Belgian international, who is the younger brother of Chelsea star Eden Hazard, told Belgian platform VTM Nieuws that it was now up to the two clubs to complete the transfer. "I have reached a personal agreement with Dortmund," said Hazard in a video interview published by VTM on Saturday. "I have said before that I want to take the next step in my career. I want to experience something new." "It is up to the clubs, there are talks between Gladbach and Dortmund. It will take time." Various German outlets, including kicker magazine and Bild newspaper, reported in April that Hazard was on the brink of a move to Dortmund after five years at Gladbach. Hazard joined the Bundesliga club on loan from Chelsea in 2014, and completed a permanent move the following year. His current contract expires at the end of next season, meaning Gladbach risk losing him on a free transfer if they do not sell him this year. Gladbach sporting director Max Eber has previously ruled out allowing Hazard to leave for no fee. Mahinda Rajapaksa said India has been helpful after the attacks in Sri Lanka, but there is no need for the NSG to come in. Former president of Sri Lanka and Opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa on Sunday acknowledged India's efforts to help the island nation after multiple blasts on Easter Sunday claimed the lives of more than 250 people and injured over 500. However, in an exclusive interview with News18, he vehemently denied the need for officers of India's National Security Guard (NSG) to be deployed in Sri Lanka, saying there was no need for foreign soldiers on Sri Lankan soil. NSG is a counter-terrorism unit under India's Ministry of Home Affairs. "India has been helpful. But there is no need for NSG to come in. We don't need foreign soldiers. Our forces are capable enough. We just need to give them powers and freedom." Rajapaksa also slammed the Sri Lankan government and held President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe responsible for the carnage on Easter Sunday. #EXCLUSIVE -- Ex-Sri Lanka president, Mahinda Rajapaksa reacts to CNN-News18 newsbreak, says 'we thank India for all the help and support but Sri Lanka at this point in time does not need the NSG support to tackle terror'. | @PradeepPillai with more details #SriLankaTerrorAttacks pic.twitter.com/u50U66lctz News18 (@CNNnews18) April 28, 2019 Lambasting the duo for risking national security, he said: "They are busy playing politics at the cost of national security. They all knew about the growth of radicalism. They were worried about votes and vote bank and did not act." He dismissed the perspective on authorities delaying earlier action against two little known groups, National Tawheed Jamaath (NTJ), which Sri Lanka believes was behind the attacks, and Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim. The Opposition leader said, "The existing laws are good enough to act against those with terror links." Officials had earlier said that authorities could not act earlier to ban the two little-known groups because "the law required them to show firm evidence against them". On Saturday, the Sri Lankan president outlawed two Islamist groups suspected to be behind the suicide bombings on churches and hotels on 21 April. The NTJ and Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim were banned under emergency powers, President Maithripala Sirisena said. Earlier, Rajapaksa criticised the Sri Lankan government for wasting its time "troubling war heroes", especially after all that he had done to end terrorism in Sri Lanka during his time in office. Nearly 10,000 soldiers have been deployed across the island nation to carry out searches and boost security since the bombings in three churches and four hotels, most of which were in the capital Colombo. Lovely verite documentaryis about eight-year-old Sasha, who was born into a boys body but is definitely a girl. This is an inspiring portrait of someone asking for so little: to be accepted for who she is. Read the review "The great thing about Mertens is that he always gives his all, even if he plays poorly," Ancelotti said. "I really like his attitude. ... He deserves to match Maradona." The teen said that around 5 p.m., he unintentionally discharged a handgun he was holding while in the 8700 block of South Cregier Avenue and suffered a gunshot wound to his inner thigh, according to Chicago police. About 3:20 a.m. an Uber driving south on Interstate 55 at Damen Avenue, near the boundary between the Pilsen and McKinley Park neighborhoods, was hit from behind by another vehicle, also headed south on the Stevenson Expressway, according to a spokesman from the Illinois State Polices Chicago district. The Uber was described as a gray 2011 Hyundai sedan and it was struck by a white 2015 Infiniti sedan, officials said. RICHMONDCathy Jett, a veteran reporter and editor with The Free LanceStar, received the Virginia Professional Communicators 2019 Communicator of Achievement Award Saturday at the groups spring conference at the University of Richmond. The award is the highest honor bestowed by the state group to those members who have distinguished themselves within and beyond their profession. It is given for exceptional achievement in the communications field and service to the affiliate, the National Federation of Press Women, and the community. A University of Richmond graduate, Jett began her career with The Free LanceStar in 1976 and has written thousands of news and feature stories on diverse topics, including education, city government and business. Formerly editor of the Style section, she currently is business editor, while also covering the Fredericksburg city government. Jetts articles helped expose a nationwide Ponzi scheme in 2007 and she has received numerous state and national journalism awards. Anyone who ventures out to Brandy Station this afternoon can hear history straight from the pens of men who made it. Visitors to the Brandy Station Foundations Graffiti House will get a rare chance to learn of two Vermont brothers who camped in Culpeper County and fought in the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Mine Run, the Wilderness and more. Their story was unknown until recently, when Pittsburgh resident Carleton Young began cleaning out the attic of his parents home after they died. He found an old wooden box filled with about 250 letters written home by Henry and Francis Martin, both members of the Union Army of the Potomacs Vermont Brigade. It was all quite confusing to me at first because I had no idea where the letters had come from or why they had ended up in my parents attic, Young wrote the Culpeper StarExponent. I had never heard of any relatives with the last name of Martin. And I could not imagine why, with my interest in history, that my father had never mentioned to me that he had this box of Civil War letters in the attic, he said. Symptoms varies, but NAS babies typically have low birth weight, body shakes, seizures, fussiness and poor feeding. Studies show that swaddling a baby, constant contact and dim, quiet surroundings can help them through withdrawals. The Woodbridge facility is looking for volunteers to help with the babies, after the volunteers have been screened and trained. Those who can help as-needed for three-hour blocks at a time can contact Beverly Brevard in volunteer services at 703/523-1345. MWH HELPS BABIES SLEEP SAFELY Womens & Childrens Care Services at Mary Washington Hospital was recently recognized by the National Safe Sleep Hospital certification program for its commitment to best practices and education on infant safe sleep. The hospital also was recognized for following the safe sleep guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and providing training programs for parents, staff and the community. The concepts of safe sleep are first promoted in childbirth education classes, then reinforced during hospital stays and discharge. All babies born at Mary Washington receive a halo sleep sack that promotes the concept that sleeping on the back is safest. A two-vehicle crash on Interstate 66 seriously injured a Front Royal man Thursday evening. A 2017 Ford F150 was traveling east on I66 at mile marker 23.8 when the driver lost control, ran off the roadway to the right and struck a disabled 2010 International tractor trailer, which was on the shoulder and had safety lights positioned around it, according to a news release from Virginia State Police. The driver of the Ford, Christian D. Stanley, 33, of Front Royal, suffered serious injuries and was transported to INOVA Fairfax Hospital. The driver of the International, a 57-year-old man from Woodbridge, and three adult passengers were not injured in the crash. No charges have been placed and the crash remains under investigation. Virginia State Police Senior Trooper D.J. Mabie was assisted at the scene by VDOT, Fauquier Fire and EMS, and the Fauquier Sheriffs Office. Culpeper StarExponent FROM STAFF REPORTS Virginia State Police are investigating a two-vehicle crash in Culpeper County on Friday that resulted in the death of one of the drivers. State Police trooper S.K. BurkeSmith is investigating the wreck, which happened Friday just before 3 p.m. on State Route 802 (Springs Road), just east of Fair Oaks Drive. The police reported that a 2006 Toyota Rav4 was traveling east on Springs Road when the driver lost control, ran off the roadway to the right, struck an embankment, then over-corrected and struck a 2006 Chevy Express van that was traveling westbound. The driver of the Toyota, 29-year-old Stephanie N. Rix of Manassas Park, suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to Fauquier Hospital. Rix was later flown to INOVA Fairfax Hospital, where she died. Rix was wearing a seat belt, police said. The driver of the van, a 22-year-old man from Culpeper, suffered minor injuries in the crash. He was also wearing a seat belt, police said. No charges have been filed in the crash, which remains under investigation. Little Fork Volunteer Fire Department and Culpeper County EMS assisted at the scene of the wreck. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Thornburg area is either the last or first outpost in Spotsylvania County for Interstate 95 travelers. It boasts one of only two I95 exits in the county, but remains largely rural and a lot less developed than Massaponax, the countys other interstate exit. The Massaponax area has seen explosive commercial and residential growth in the past decade or so. Not nearly as much has happened in Thornburg, but change appears to be on the horizon. Around the U.S. 1 intersection in Thornburg, a small shopping center with a Food Lion and other stores serves as the retail hub. Other, mostly small local businesses, such as used car dealers and a Mexican restaurant, stand along the highway near the intersection. Along Mudd Tavern Road close to the I95 interchange, there are gas stations, fast-food restaurants and a few hotels. The interchange is in the midst of a rebuild, with more work coming along Mudd Tavern toward U.S. 1, and that work is a harbinger of a likely spike in residential and commercial growth in Thornburg. Supervisor Kevin Marshall, whose Berkeley District includes Thornburg, thinks it will happen because of its proximity to the exit. Free tuition would have similarly skewed effects. The biggest benefit would go to families that can easily afford to pay the full sticker price of public universities. Low-income students, by the way, already have access to Pell Grants that can cover up to $6,095 per year which is more than enough to cover the average in-state tuition at a community college. And that money normally doesnt have to be repaid. Jeff Adams said that his father, who died more than seven years ago, spent the last year of his life trying to get his brother's name entered in the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor's Roll of Honor. It was a struggle because the family didn't have the medal or the certificate that came with it to prove he qualified. "I think he wanted his brother honored for his sacrifice, for his service and that somebody remembered his brother and others who gave their lives on Okinawa," Adams said. Laymond Adams finally found his brother's war record and got him listed. Adams said that he also has a copy of a letter written by one of his uncle's friends in 1962 that described the battle and witnessing his uncle being shot and killed. "It's satisfying that James was remembered for receiving the Purple Heart," Adams said. "Dad paid people to do all kinds of research. I wish my dad would have seen the medal, though." Yeager and Adams decided to meet at La Petite Auberge in downtown Fredericksburg recently so Yeager could hand over the Purple Heart. They had to wait about a week, because Adams wanted his son, James Perry Adams, to be there so he could pass on the medal to him. The younger Adams is named after two uncles, James Adams and Perry Ramsey Jr. Donny Phonea, who lives across the street from the synagogue, turned off his power drill and heard someone shout, "Police!" Then he heard three or four shots. The 38-year-old bank auditor looked over his backyard fence facing the synagogue and saw people hiding behind an electrical box in the parking lot of a neighboring church. At that point, he knew something was "very, very wrong," went inside and closed his doors and garage. "I'm a little taken aback," said Phonea, who moved to Poway two weeks ago. "I moved here because safety was a factor. Poway is very safe." Trump offered his sympathies Saturday, saying the shooting "looked like a hate crime" and calling it "hard to believe." The mayor of Poway, who tweeted that he got a call from the president offering help, also denounced what he called a hate crime. "I want you know to you this is not Poway," Mayor Steve Vaus said. "We always walk with our arms around each other and we will walk through this tragedy with our arms around each other." Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said he joins the community in grief. William ReBrook, Schoeps latest attorney, said his client didnt have administrative access to several of the sought accounts and didnt know what a couple of them were. Hoppe expressed distrust of Schoeps claims, citing an April 2018 admission by Schoep under oath to being the owner and/or operator of several online accounts, including BitChute, a video hosting site. How can you say he doesnt know what they are? Hoppe said. He admitted to knowing what they are last year. Im just telling you what was told to me, your honor, ReBrook replied. The evidence sought by the plaintiffs is primarily concerned with communications between the defendants, and ReBrook argued that some of the requests, such as administrative access to the National Socialist Movements sales site, nsmrecords.com, were beyond the scope of discovery and were intended to gain customers personal information in order to dox them, or reveal private details online to shame or harass them. Bloch pointed out that a protective order was in place and that the plaintiffs were uninterested in customer information and simply wanted access to any potential communication between parties. The American president is required to be both at the same time. Its already a difficult task, and is made more difficult when the president clings too tightly to the mantle of bipartisanship. Consider this hypothetical: There are almost certainly relatively moderate Republicans in Congress right now who would prefer Biden to President Donald Trump. What should they say when Biden starts criticizing and attacking Trump? Or when Trump starts attacking Biden? By siding with Biden, they could exemplify the very spirit of bipartisanship he is appealing to. Moreover, you might think, speaking out is the right thing to do. Why get into politics if not to stand up for what you believe in? But think through the consequences. Speaking out would all but guarantee they would face a primary opponent. A primary opponent would almost certainly be more extreme. And primary voters tend to be more partisan, so the extremist would likely bring down the incumbent. So the result of this brave moderate crossing party lines would be to produce a more extremist party. But Trump appears unmoved, and claims he does not know if its man-made. He routinely dismisses the increasingly dire climate reports released by the nations top climate scientists. His administration has even gone so far as to scrub mentions of climate change from federal agency websites. It is hard to overstate how much Americans need strong environmental protections to protect human health. Up to 10 million homes across America still get their drinking water through lead pipesin Flint, Mich., and across the nation. According to the American Lung Association, 125 million Americans live in counties with unhealthy air quality. We need more, better protection from pollution, not lessespecially children, the elderly and others who are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of pollution. Meanwhile, recent reports from top scientific organizations make it abundantly clear that aggressive action is needed to address climate change. All of these pressing environmental problems continue to be ignored by the White House. And so long as Trump remains president, we can expect attacks on science-based environmental safeguards to continue. On the second major charge against Trump, obstruction of justice, Mueller had this to say: While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. But Barr, in consultation with Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein, determined that Trumps sometimes bizarre reaction to the two-year Russian collusion probe outlined in Volume 2 of Muellers report did not rise to the level of criminal obstruction. In the absence of an underlying crime related to Russian election interference, Barr told Congress, obstruction could not be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Proof beyond a reasonable doubt is what our system of justice demands the government produce before someone is deemed guilty of a crime. The special counsel admitted, and the attorney general and his deputy concurred, that the government cannot prove that Trump obstructed justice during its investigation of non-existent Russian collusion. If thats not exoneration, what is? Democrats on Capitol Hill and various pundits who had hitched their stars to the collusion bandwagon and were left in the lurch by the Mueller Reports findings now seem determined to continue looking for a smoking gun that Muellers team somehow overlooked. The Tribune story (Off-duty cop gets involved after fatal shooting on Lower Wacker, April 22) that reports on an off-duty Chicago police sergeant being led away forcibly from a serious crime scene by responding officers tells the tale of a cops life. He could be overheard yelling at the officers, Youre gonna cuff me? After 33 years as a Chicago cop, my answer would have been hell yes. An overwhelming number of Chicago police officers are just worn out by those few who are destroying the profession and overshadowing the thousands of good deeds performed every day. This story overtook the story of officers delivering a baby in a private car that was unable to make it to the hospital. As well as the restraint and professionalism in the way Chicago cops handled hundreds of teens acting out April 17 and Easter Sunday. The moments where the younger Tommys are visited by older Tommy, and vice versa, give the show greater emotional depth. The staging of the final scene is particularly heartwarming. Captain Walker and Mrs. Walker are exceptionally played by Broadway veterans Borle and Gonzalez. Their voices come together so beautifully on the moving duet I Believe My Own Eyes, when their characters express their frustration and sadness about Tommy and their marriage. Gonzalez follows this up with Mrs. Walkers angry solo Smash the Mirror, lashing out at an unresponsive Tommy; her singing of that repetitive, escalating rise line is chill-inducing. With two musical powerhouses onstage, you cant help but want to hear much more from them. Gonzalez, an original from Lin-Manuel Mirandas In the Heights, is currently starring as Angelica Schuyler in Broadways Hamilton; and Borle is a two-time Tony winner for Something Rotten! and Peter and the Starcatcher. It would be fantastic to see these two return to the Kennedy Center and really put their talents on display. Summer 2019 arrived last week at your local movie house as "Avengers: Endgame" slammed into theaters, signaling the annual onslaught of seasonal high-concept, low-brainpower fare and sending a distinct message to moviegoers of a certain age: There's nothing to see here for you folks. Come back in late September, when we start rolling out the Oscar bait. Sure, the screens will be dominated this summer by superheroes and sequels and CGI Simbas (and, yes, we are curious about Jon Favreau's live-action "Lion King"), but adults need not steer clear of the multiplex this summer. You'll just need to know where to look. Here's my annual list of summer films that might offer pleasures for older moviegoers. My rules: No sequels. No spinoffs. No movies in which characters are forced to wear spandex superhero costumes. And a couple of warnings: Release dates can change. And I haven't seen any of these flicks, so it could be that some of them might not be very good. (I worry, in particular, about "Where'd You Go, Bernadette," which should be a slam dunk but has been frequently delayed, rarely a good sign.) One other note: I haven't included documentaries in this list, but if you go to the online version of the column, I've listed some of interest (and other titles that I couldn't cram into the print column). Here we go: "Fast Color" is already out in some markets. It's an offbeat story about a recovering addict (Gugu Mbutha-Raw) whose seizures can set off earthquakes, and the government agents on her trail. "Long Shot" (May 3) depicts the unlikely romance between political journalist Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron, the secretary of state who's considering a run for president. There are lots of ways this could go wrong, but the early buzz is promising. "Poms" (May 10) stars Diane Keaton, Pam Grier, Jacki Weaver and Rhea Perlman in a comedy about a group of women in a senior community who launch a cheerleading club. I know: This seems almost like a sequel to last year's "Book Club," but in my defense, "Book Club" was more fun than it had any right to be and this new movie has Pam Grier. "Rocketman" (May 31) stars Taron Egerton in a biopic about the early days of Elton John. Should be better than "Bohemian Rhapsody," but that's not setting the bar too high. "Late Night" (June 7) stars Emma Thompson as the host of a late-night talk show; with ratings tumbling, she hires the show's first female writer (Mindy Kaling, who also wrote the script). "The Dead Don't Die" (June 14) is a zombie comedy from director Jim Jarmusch. Check out the cast: Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Chloe Sevigny, Tilda Swinton and Steve Buscemi. "Yesterday" (June 28), from director Danny Boyle, is about a struggling musician who wakes up after being hit by a bus and discovers he's the only person in the world who's heard of The Beatles. Richard Curtis wrote the script. I'm still bummed that Boyle isn't directing the new James Bond flick, but this might make up for that. "The Farewell" (July 12) features Awkafina of "Crazy Rich Asians" in a Sundance favorite. It's about a Chinese family that discovers a beloved grandmother has only a short time to live; instead of telling her, they whip up an impromptu wedding to unite the family. "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" (July 26), from director Quentin Tarantino, features a huge cast led by Brad Pitt, Leonardo DeCaprio and Margot Robbie (as Sharon Tate) in a film set in 1969 Los Angeles, when the city was rocked by the Manson murders. "The Kitchen" (Aug. 9) features Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish and Elisabeth Moss in a crime drama about three wives who are forced to take over their husbands' mob empire in 1970s New York. Horror is Hollywood's hottest genre, and the summer brings a couple of intriguing new entries: "Ma" (May 31), from "The Help" director Tate Taylor, stars Octavia Spencer as a lonely woman who becomes obsessed with a group of high school students. "Midsommer" (July 3), from the director of last summer's "Hereditary," features rising star Florence Pugh visiting a remote Swedish village, where she runs afoul of a pagan cult. And finally: "Where'd You Go, Bernadette" (Aug. 9) is the Richard Linklater adaptation of Maria Semple's wonderful novel about a Seattle architect (Cate Blanchett) who goes missing and the daughter who searches for her. This was on the list last year, a worrying sign, but it's hard to see how Linklater and Blanchett could bungle this material. I'll see you at the movies. Save me an aisle seat, because I'm too old these days to scramble into the middle. (mm) Mike McInally is editor of the Democrat-Herald and the Gazette-Times. Contact him at mike.mcinally@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Jonathan Hayes, referring to the Mueller probe as ""a fraudulent partisan political piece of chicanery," objects in his recent letter to taxpayers having paid an estimated $25 million to $30 million for it. To put this cost into perspective, according to The Washington Post, as of Feb. 5, President Trump had taken 19 trips to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida at an estimated cost of $3.4 million each. That comes to taxpayer costs of $64.6 million, which is probably a conservative estimate. Putin Calls Jail Sentence In U.S. For Russian Agent Maria Butina 'Arbitrary' By RFE/RL April 27, 2019 President Vladimir Putin has criticized a decision by a U.S. court to sentence Russian citizen Maria Butina to 18 months in prison after she pleaded guilty of acting as a Russian agent without registering. Putin told journalists on the sidelines of a summit in Beijing on April 27 that the U.S. court decision was "arbitrary" and that Russian authorities "don't understand why she was sentenced." "There is nothing we could accuse her of, but to make this case not look completely ridiculous, she was sentenced to 18 months in prison," Putin said. Putin's remarks came a day after the U.S. court issued its sentence against Butina, who admitted she had tried to infiltrate conservative U.S. political circles and promote the interests of the Russian state before and after the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Earlier on April 27, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in Moscow that Butina's jail sentence was "unacceptable." "We believe that the Russian national was not, and could not, be involved in what she is accused of," Peskov said. Butina has been jailed since her arrest in July 2018 and will receive credit for the nine months she already has served. The U.S. court ruled that after completing her prison sentence in January 2020, she will be immediately deported back to Russia. Butina pleaded guilty to charges of not registering as an agent of the Russian government and carrying out activities on behalf of the Russian state while she was a university student in the United States. Defense lawyers had argued that Butina was merely eager to build connections with U.S. political activists, particularly conservatives, and that her failure to register with the Justice Department was an oversight on her part. But U.S. Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected those arguments on April 26. "This was not a simple misunderstanding by an overeager foreign student," Chutkan said. The case against Butina was separate from the now-concluded investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. But it touched on many of the same issues related to how and why Russia sought to interfere in U.S. politics ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Prosecutors say that before and during her studies at American University in Washington, she sought to build relationships with conservative groups like the National Rifle Association on behalf of at least one powerful Kremlin-connected lawmaker. Shortly after her sentencing, the Russian Embassy in Washington called Butina a "political prisoner" and demanded her immediate release. The Foreign Ministry said she had pleaded guilty to avoid a longer prison term. It called the sentence "a shameful stain on the American judicial system" and claimed it was "the result of a blatant political order." That kind of criticism is frequently made against Putin's government by Kremlin opponents, human rights groups, and Western countries who say Russian courts are routinely used as political instruments. Acquittals are very rare, and critics say suspects and convicts are often kept behind bars groundlessly. With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, TASS, and Interfax Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kremlin-criticizes -u-s-jailing-of-russian-maria-butina-in- espionage-case/29907088.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S., Russia, China Call For 'Inclusive Afghan-Led' Peace Process By RFE/RL April 26, 2019 WASHINGTON -- The United States, Russia, and China have agreed on the goal of withdrawing foreign forces from Afghanistan and to seek an "inclusive Afghan-led" peace process, the three countries declared in a joint statement. "The three sides call for an orderly and responsible withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan as part of the overall peace process," the joint statement, issued on the website of the U.S. State Department, said on April 26. "The three sides support an inclusive Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process and are ready to provide necessary assistance," it added. The statement also said that it takes note of the Taliban's "commitment" to fight the Islamic State (IS) extremist group and to break ties to Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. It said the Taliban promised to "ensure the areas they control will not be used to threaten any other country." Taliban negotiators have so far refused to negotiate with the government of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, calling it a puppet of the West, and have insisted on the withdrawal of foreign forces before talks with Kabul can begin. However, the United States, Russia, and China said they "encourage" the Taliban to speak "as soon as possible" with a "broad, representative Afghan delegation that includes the government." The comments came after Washington's special envoy for the Afghan peace process, Zalmay Khalilzad, met with Russian and Chinese representatives in Moscow as part of efforts to build international consensus for his efforts to end the 18-year-long war. The United States has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of a NATO-led mission, known as Resolute Support, that is training and assisting the Afghan government's security forces in their battle against Taliban fighters and extremist groups such as Islamic State and Al-Qaeda. Khalilzad has been engaged in a series of talks with the Taliban in Qatar as he looks to bring the extremist group into peace negotiations with the government in Kabul. Russia and China also have interests and a long history in Afghanistan. Some 14,000 Soviet soldiers were killed in Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989 in a conflict with Islamic guerrillas, who were then backed by the United States. China has looked to step up its influence in Afghanistan and the broader region both militarily and economically as it battles with Islamic militants on its own territory. Khalilzad is scheduled to hold separate talks during his current trip with Pakistan and India, which also have strong interests -- and divergent views regarding Afghanistan. Ghani has invited thousands of his country's politicians, religious scholars, and rights activists to Kabul for a loya jirga assembly next week to discuss ways to end the war. Several opposition leaders said they will boycott the four-day event, saying it was organized without their input and is being used by Ghani to promote his reelection candidacy in the September presidential vote. With reporting by AFP and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-russia- china-call-for-inclusive-afghan- peace-process/29906452.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address District in western Afghan province cleared of militants People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 16:37, April 27, 2019 QALA-E-NAW, Afghanistan, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The security forces after weeks of fierce fighting were able to wipe out the militants in the restive Bala Murghab district of Afghanistan's western Badghis province and restore law and order there, said an army statement released here Saturday. According to the statement, the beleaguered district was utterly cleared of the armed insurgents early Saturday and the security personnel have been deployed in sensitive areas to ensure lasting peace there. The security forces, according to the statement, have also discovered and defused 50 explosive devices including anti-vehicle and anti-personnel mines during the cleanup operations in Bala Murghab district, north of provincial capital Qala-e-Naw, 555 km northwest of Kabul. Taliban militants who launched a massive offensive on Bala Murghab district weeks ago and captured major parts of the important area, have yet to make comment on the situation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump says U.S. to withdraw from int'l arms trade treaty People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:18, April 27, 2019 WASHINGTON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the United States is withdrawing from an international arms trade treaty signed by the Obama administration, marking Washington's latest exit from an international pact. Trump made the announcement while attending an annual meeting of the National Rifle Association (NRA) in the U.S. city of Indianapolis, saying that he will be revoking America's status as a signatory of the pact supported by the Untied Nations. "We're taking our signature back," Trump told the audience. He also noted that the UN will soon receive formal notice of the U.S. withdrawal. The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which regulates international trade in conventional weapons from small arms to military aircraft, was approved by the UN General Assembly in 2013. It was signed by then U.S. President Barack Obama but has not been ratified by the U.S. Senate. The White House said later in a statement that Trump will ask the Senate to return it. The White House claimed the pact is "misguided" and constrains U.S. ability to sell arms to its allies and partners. The Trump administration's new move has drawn criticism from some international human rights groups. The United States will now behave as a non-signatory to "this historic treaty whose sole purpose is to protect innocent people from deadly weapons," Oxfam America President Abby Maxman told U.S. media. Kris Brown, the president of an anti-gun violence organization in the United States, said in a tweet, "This is a reckless move that will endanger countless Americans and other innocent people worldwide." So far more than 100 countries have formally joined the agreement. Since Trump took office in 2017, the United States has retreated from several global treaties, including the landmark Paris climate agreement and the Iran nuclear deal. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Boko Haram terrorists overrun army base in NE Nigeria, steal weapons: Sources Iran Press TV Sat Apr 27, 2019 04:03PM Members of the Takfiri Boko Haram terrorist group have attacked and overrun an outpost belonging to the Nigerian government troops in the northeastern parts of the African country, stealing weapons before fleeing, military sources say. Militants of the terror group launched their attack against the outpost at Mararrabar Kimba in the volatile Borno state late on Friday, two unnamed military sources told AFP on Saturday. The assailants were reportedly driving more than a dozen pickup trucks with heavy machine guns mounted on their top. Terrorists were accompanied by three armored personal carriers stolen from security forces. The terror convoy, flanked by a fleet of armed men firing from motorbikes, emerged from the woods and sped straight towards the outpost. "There was a serious gunfight," one of the sources said, adding, "The troops put up a good fight, but they were outgunned and overwhelmed... unfortunately, the base fell to the terrorists, who took away weapons and fled." The base lies some 135 kilometers from the state capital Maiduguri. It was not yet clear whether there were casualties, especially as some troopers reportedly scattered into the woods to escape the attack. One eyewitness had told the sources that some of stranded soldiers arrived at Biu, a town around 45 kilometers away from the outpost, a number of them wounded. Boko Haram's nine-year militancy is estimated to have killed more than 27,000 people and forced 1.8 million others to flee their homes. In 2015, Boko Haram pledged allegiance to the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Opposition leader says Sudan must join ICC 'immediately' Iran Press TV Sat Apr 27, 2019 04:08PM Sudan must "immediately" join the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has charged Omar al-Bashir, the ousted president, with war crimes. Head of the opposition National Umma Party Sadiq al-Mahdi said on Saturday that Sudan should "immediately" join the Hague-based court. "This should be done in coordination with the Transitional Military Council," the former prime minister said. Bashir is wanted by the ICC for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for his alleged role in the conflict in Darfur. Bashir, 75, was ousted by the army on April 11 after months of protests prompted the country's armed forces to take sides with the protesters, ending his three-decade rule. Mahdi added that his party would possibly "agree on a civilian authority with the Military Council because they did not plan a coup." Representatives from the TMC and opposition forces, gathered under an umbrella group known as the Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces, held their first meeting to discuss the protesters' demand for a handover to civilian rule. "Today we have taken positive steps and we expect to reach an agreement satisfactory to all parties," said Ayman Nimir, an opposition negotiator. "We expect to receive a response from the Military Council regarding the formation of a sovereign council within hours." A TMC spokesman, Shams el-Din Kabbashi, also said the talks had gone well. "God willing the talks will continue this evening and we are very optimistic that we can reach a final result and announce it to the Sudanese people," he said. The TMC has dismissed and arrested some former officials, announced anti-corruption measures and promised to give executive authority to a civilian government, but has previously signaled that ultimate authority will remain in its hands for a two-year transitional period. Opposition leaders, in response, vowed to continue protests as part of a widening campaign to force the TMC to transfer power to civilians. Protests began late last year after Khartoum decided to triple the price of bread. The protests quickly turned into a mass movement across the country against the ruling regime, and finally led to Bashir's ouster. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address As another year marked by the global pandemic comes to an end, our photojournalists remain challenged and, frequently, awed - by the constant state of change. We documented our ever-evolving world in ways few photo staffs could as we all worked to regain normalcy amid COVID-19s seemingly unbreakable hold on our communities. We showed the relieved faces of people receiving a coveted vaccine, telling the story of a scientific breakthrough with images of those benefitting from it. We covered new workplace policies, school protocols and policing practices. We traveled half-way across the world to an Olympics where the athletes couldnt hug each other, masked medalists step atop the podium and no one came to watch. The Chicago Tribune faced its own series of changes, too. We have new owners. New bosses. Endured another move. Gained new talented journalists and lost many others from the newsroom ranks. The one constant has been our dedication to providing photography on a daily basis that is relevant to the communities we cover: The joy of picnicking at the lakefront on a summer afternoon, the pain of children, police officers and neighbors all falling victims to violent crime. Documenting whos in and whos out in the political landscape, escaping to your favorite cultural event or sports competition. We hope this installment of the annual Photos of the Year project reminds us of the moments that shaped our lives and the thoughtful way we portray them. Its also a platform for acknowledging the talent and dedication of Tribune photographers, and all photojournalists, who make change a way of life. The Chicago Tribune staff photographers for 2021: Brian Cassella, Erin Hooley, Terrence Antonio James, Vashon Jordan Jr., John J. Kim, Youngrae Kim, Jose M. Osorio, Antonio Perez, Armando L. Sanchez, Chris Sweda, Abel Uribe, E. Jason Wambsgans, Stacey Wescott and Raquel Zaldivar. Tribune visual editors: Mark Hume, Andrew Johnston, Marianne Mather, Steve Rosenberg and Peter Tsai. - Todd Panagopoulos, Director of Content/Visuals Saudi airstrikes leave seven more civilians dead in southern Yemen Iran Press TV Sat Apr 27, 2019 03:08PM At least seven civilians have been killed when Saudi military aircraft carried out airstrikes in Yemen's southern province of Dhale as the Riyadh regime presses ahead with its atrocious bombardment campaign against its southern neighbor. Saudi fighter jets conducted aerial assaults against two civilian cars as they were traveling along a road in the al-'Awd district of the province on Saturday afternoon, an unnamed local source told Yemen's Arabic-language al-Masirah television network. The source added that there were women and children among the fatalities. Earlier in the day, Saudi military aircraft launched airstrikes against residential buildings in the southwestern Yemeni city of Dhamar. There were no immediate reports about possible casualties or the extent of damage caused. Separately, Yemeni army soldiers and allied fighters from Popular Committees targeted Saudi-backed militiamen loyal to Yemen's former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi at al-Hammad base in Saudi Arabia's southern border region of Najran, leaving a large number of them dead or injured in the process. The development came a day after nearly a dozen people were killed as armed clashes erupted between rival Saudi-paid militiamen in Yemen's southwestern province of Ta'izz. A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said at least 10 people had been killed and dozens of others injured from both sides in the exchange of gunfire. The official added that many families were forced to evacuate their homes near the site of the fighting amid panic over their lives and safety of their property. Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched a devastating campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the goal of bringing the government of Hadi back to power and crushing the Houthi Ansarullah movement. According to a December 2018 report by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research organization, the Saudi-led war has claimed the lives of over 60,000 Yemenis since January 2016. The war has also taken a heavy toll on the country's infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The UN said in a report in December 2018 that over 24 million Yemenis are in dire need of humanitarian aid, including 10 million suffering from extreme levels of hunger. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Palestinians will not accept US 'deal of century' at all: Haniyeh Iran Press TV Sat Apr 27, 2019 02:16PM A senior leader of the Hamas resistance movement says Palestinians will never agree to US President Donald Trump's controversial proposal for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians, dubbed "the deal of the century." Addressing a national meeting of the leaders of Palestinian political factions in Gaza City on Saturday, Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas political bureau, stressed that Hamas would make use of all its potential and capabilities to confront the American scheme, calling for unity among Palestinian parties in the face of the plot. "We are able to achieve national unity and run our Palestinian homeland without much effort if there is great will and genuine intention. Our nation is utterly determined to protect the Palestinian cause. It is steadfast to deal with the deal of the century, no matter what the challenges or sacrifices could be," Haniyeh pointed out. He added, "The Palestinian nation will remain in the occupied territories and confront arrogance until we achieve freedom and independence." Haniyeh further warned that Washington was determined to liquidate the Palestinian cause through the so-called deal of the century. He pointed out that the US attempted to completely destroy the Palestinian cause through rejection of Palestinian refugees' right of return, abolition of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, giving green light to Israel's official annexation of settlements in the occupied West Bank, and fomenting political rift between the Palestinian factions based in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Haniyeh underlined that the political agenda of all Israeli parties was based on this ideology: "No to the return of Palestinian refugees, no to the establishment of a Palestinian state and no to al-Quds as the capital of Palestine." The senior Palestinian official then said Hamas was ready to enter talks with other Palestinian factions to form a national unity government. Haniyeh reiterated that Palestinian land belonged only to Palestinians and that they would not give an inch of it to the occupying regime of Israel. The Hamas official also called on all Palestinians across the world to stand against Washington's so-called deal of the century. Haniyeh finally urged all Arab leaders to stop normalization of diplomatic ties with Israel. Trump's so-called "peace plan" has been dismissed by Palestinian authorities ahead of its unveiling at the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan and the formation of the new Israeli cabinet, most likely in June. Speaking in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah on April 16, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh lashed out at Trump's initiative, asserting that it was "born dead." Shtayyeh noted that negotiations with the US were useless in the wake of the country's relocation of its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem al-Quds, which Palestinians consider the capital city of their future state. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemeni forces fire 17 retaliatory missiles at Saudi Arabia's Asir Iran Press TV Sat Apr 27, 2019 07:53AM Yemeni forces and allied fighters from Popular Committees have fired 17 missiles at Saudi Arabia's southwestern Asir region in retaliation for the Saudi war on the impoverished Arab nation. A military source told the website of Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement on Friday that 15 domestically-manufactured Zelzal-1 (Earthquake-1) ballistic missiles had hit the gatherings of Saudi-led mercenaries in the Alab border crossing, killing and injuring dozens. The Yemeni forces also fired artillery shells at the crossing and managed to foil an infiltration attempt by Saudi-led forces from the same area, the source added. He further noted that the Yemeni troops had fired two more Zelzal-1 missiles at the gatherings of Saudi-led mercenaries in Asir's al-Majardah district, causing casualties. Saudi Arabia and its allies launched the war against Yemen in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstall the Riyadh-allied former regime and crush Houthis. The invaders have, however, failed to achieve their objectives in the face of the Yemeni resistance. The Houthi fighters, backed by Yemeni armed forces, have been defending the country against the Saudi aggression. The Western-backed war on Yemen, coupled with a naval blockade, has destroyed the country's infrastructure and led to a humanitarian crisis. According to a December 2018 report by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research organization, the Saudi war has claimed the lives of over 60,000 Yemenis since January 2016. Yemeni fighters regularly target positions inside Saudi Arabia in retaliatory attacks against the protracted Saudi offensive on the import-dependent state. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Accuses U.S. Of Political 'Blackmail' After Sanctions Imposed On Venezuela FM April 27, 2019 Russia has accused the United States of the "politics of blackmail" after Washington imposed sanctions on Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza as part of efforts to force embattled Moscow ally Nicolas Maduro to step down from the presidency. "We exhort the United States to return to the realm of international law, end its politics of blackmail, and stop provoking tensions in Venezuela from abroad," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on April 26. It added that "Washington has repeatedly displayed a categoric refusal to adopt the method of negotiation to resolve the situation." Washington and Moscow are facing off with increasingly vocal statements concerning activities in the South American nation. Russia, along with Iran, China, and Cuba, is among countries supporting Maduro in his tense battle for control of the Venezuelan government with opposition figure and self-declared interim President Juan Guaido, who is backed by Washington and more than 50 other countries. Maduro, who took office in 2013, was sworn in for a second term in January following an election in May 2018 that was marred by an opposition boycott and claims of vote-rigging, leading to mass street protests. Under the new sanctions, Arreaza's U.S. assets will be blocked and U.S. citizens will be prohibited from dealings with the top Venezuelan diplomat. Also designated on April 26 was Judge Carol Padilla, who has ruled against Venezuelan opposition figures. They join a growing list of Venezuelan officials designated to face U.S. sanctions. "The United States will not stand by and watch as the illegitimate Maduro regime starves the Venezuelan people of their wealth, humanity and right to democracy," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on April 26. Based on reporting by AFP, AP, and Interfax Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-accuses- u-s-of-political-blackmail-after-sanctions- imposed-on-venezuela-fm/29907011.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, Afghanistan Agree on Need for Intra-Afghan Dialogue With Taliban By Ayesha Tanzeem April 27, 2019 Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Zalmay Khalilzad, chief U.S. negotiator with the Taliban, emphasized the importance of an intra-Afghan dialogue in a meeting Saturday evening between the two in Kabul. A statement released by Ghani's office also called for "a future direct meeting with the Taliban led by the Afghan government." The Taliban have been negotiating directly with Khalilzad and his team since last September but have so far refused to include the Afghan government in that process or to engage with the government in any official capacity. The insurgent group participated in an "intra-Afghan" conference in Moscow in February, which included dozens of Afghan politicians and other stakeholders, on the condition that Ghani's administration would not be invited. Under intense pressure from several regional countries and the United States, the Taliban agreed to include some officials from the Ghani administration in the next intra-Afghan conference on the condition the officials participate in their personal capacity. The conference, scheduled for April 20-21, was canceled at the last minute because the Taliban said the government was insisting its delegates were official representatives of the Kabul regime. 'Bizarre meetings' "Just as all the arrangements for the conference were finalized, the Kabul administration officials launched their own bizarre meetings inside the Arg palace [presidential palace], announcing their red lines and conditions, claiming host status for the conference," a statement from Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said. "Despite tireless and well-intentioned efforts of all parties, a shared understanding on how to achieve inclusivity couldn't be reached," tweeted Sultan Barakat, the director of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies that was helping organize the conference. Khalilzad is on his seventh trip to the region to continue his diplomacy to try to find a negotiated end to the Afghan conflict. He has held five direct meetings with the Taliban since September, and he is expected to hold another during this trip. His last meeting in Doha, Qatar, where the Taliban maintain an unofficial political office, lasted 16 days. The one before that continued for eight days. Both sides have decided in principle the U.S. will withdraw its troops from Afghanistan, and in return, the Taliban will ensure that Afghan soil is not used by any terrorist group to carry out activities against any other country. However, details remain unsettled, and Khalilzad repeatedly has said "nothing is agreed to unless everything is agreed to," including a cease-fire in Afghanistan and inclusion of the Afghan government in the negotiations demands the Taliban have resisted. Meanwhile, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has asked Ghani to delay the Loya Jirga, or grand assembly of Afghans, scheduled for Monday, saying it might slow down the negotiations with the Taliban. Karzai had initially welcomed the initiative to convene a Loya Jirga when Ghani announced it in February. "The jirga should be convened once the peace process reaches a milestone," Karzai said in a statement issued through his political office. "At that time, the jirga should be conveyed to sign off on the developments." Thousands of delegates from around the country already have arrived in Kabul to participate in the event, which is expected to last several days. Of the 3,000 expected delegates, at least 30 percent will be women. Lack of consensus Karzai's statement also said the jirga did not have the requisite consensus that was traditionally accorded to such gatherings in Afghan culture. Even the Unity government, the statement pointed out, was not on the same page. Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah is boycotting the jirga, saying his office was not properly consulted in the planning and the delegate election process was not transparent. Abdullah is one of 12 presidential candidates boycotting the jirga. Analysts say other candidates fear Ghani might use this assembly to gain political mileage ahead of the election, set for Sept. 28. Ghani and his spokespeople say the objective of the gathering of Afghans was to prepare for an eventual negotiation with the Taliban, and for the people to decide the boundaries the government should respect. "Even if the U.S. makes a deal with the Taliban to have peace in Afghanistan, the responsibility for implementing that deal will fall on the Afghan government," said Ziaul Haq Amarkhel, a senior adviser to Ghani. On Thursday, Khalilzad met with his Russian and Chinese counterparts in Moscow to discuss the Afghan peace process. "The three sides encourage the Afghan Taliban to participate in peace talks with a broad representative Afghan delegation that includes the government as soon as possible," said a joint statement issued at the end of the meeting. Rahim Gul Sarwan of VOA's Afghan service contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Aid Groups Scramble to Assess Mozambique Storm Damage By VOA News April 27, 2019 Aid groups scrambled Saturday to assess the damage in northern Mozambique as heavy rains fueled fears of flooding and mudslides two days after the second cyclone hit the southern African country within six weeks. Cyclone Kenneth made landfall Thursday, with sustained winds of 220 kilometers per hour, prompting aid group warnings of massive flooding and mudslides that could put nearly 700,000 people in southern Africa at risk. Emergency workers arrived Saturday morning in Pemba, a port town and the capital of the country's Cabo Delgado Province, to assess the damage. Authorities said almost 3,500 homes in the most northern part of the province were damaged or destroyed. After an assessment was done in the province's Macomia district, Daw Mohamed of the global humanitarian aid group CARE said, "The entire area is a scene of vast destruction," and that people were in need of food, water and shelter. In addition to heavy damage in the Macomia community, aid groups said the communities of Quissanga and Mocimboa da Praia were also of great concern. Aid agencies said they continued to struggle to reach victims amid the heavy downpours and that rescuers were hindered by damaged infrastructure, poor communications and the lack of transportation. "We need a lot of support," said Captain Kleber Castro, who is with a Brazilian team assisting with the rescue efforts. "If you can help us, we need support from helicopters." The government said Kenneth claimed the lives of at least five people including a woman in Pemba, who was killed by a falling tree. Before reaching Mozambique, Kenneth swept over the island nation of Comoros, killing three people. Information about the fifth death was not immediately available. The government also said about 90 percent of the homes on the island of Ibo, home to about 6,000 people, were destroyed. Kenneth pounded Mozambique barely a month after Cyclone Idai struck the country, killing more than 1,000 people in Mozambique and in neighboring Zimbabwe and Malawi. The U.N. labeled Idai as "one of the deadliest storms on record in the southern hemisphere." This is the first time in recorded history that Mozambique was hit by two cyclones in one season, further raising concerns about climate change. As communities in Mozambique are still reeling from Idai, residents and emergency workers are bracing for remnants of Kenneth, which could continue to dump twice as much as rain as Idai did in the coming days, the U.N. said. Some forecasters warn as much as 250 millimeters (10 inches) of rain, about one-fourth of the average annual rainfall for the region, could deluge the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sri Lanka raids terror hideout amid fears of new bombings Iran Press TV Sat Apr 27, 2019 09:21AM Fifteen people, including six children, have been killed during a gun battle between Sri Lanka police and suspected militants, nearly a week after at least 250 people lost their lives in a string of bombings. The new deaths came as police, backed by military forces, raided a house in the town of Sainthamaruthu in eastern Sri Lanka on Friday night, sparking an hour-long gun battle. Local authorities said Saturday three men blew themselves up during the raid, killing three women and six children who were caught in the crossfire. "Three other men, also believed to be suicide bombers, were found dead outside the house," police said. Police were investigating the victims' possible relationship to the gunmen. The clashes came hours after police raided a nearby location where they believed militants recorded a video pledge of allegiance to Daesh leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi before carrying out the Easter Sunday bombings. The terrorist group had released footage of eight men whom it said had carried out the attacks last week. Sri Lankan officials said they were investigating the clip. Police said they seized a large cache of explosives, 100,000 ball bearings and uniforms and flags similar to those worn by the men in the video. The raid was part of a large-scale operation that has been launched in the aftermath of eight apparently coordinated blasts that hit churches and luxury hotels in the capital, Colombo, and the cities of Negombo and Batticaloa and left the country and the world in a great shock on Easter Sunday. The government blames a small group, known as National Tawheed Jamath (NTJ), for the Sunday bombings but the group has not claimed responsibility. The eastern cities of Kalmunai, Chavalakade and Sammanthurai remain under extended curfew until further notice, police said. President Maithripala Sirisena announced a "major search operation" in the country on Friday, saying, "Every household in the country will be checked." "The lists of permanent residents of every house will be established to ensure no unknown persons could live anywhere," he said at a news conference. The heightened tensions have put the South Asian country on edge as the leaders are under scrutiny over accusations that they failed to prevent the carnage despite security warnings that they had received several days ahead of the attacks. The president blames the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for weakening the security. The prime minister, who had earlier charged that he did not receive the warnings, blamed the attacks on a "breakdown of communication." According to government sources, opposing factions aligned to the prime minister and the president often refuse to communicate with each other and blame any setbacks on their opponents. The prime minister took to Twitter on Friday and apologized for the failure. "We take collective responsibility and apologies to our fellow citizens for our failure to protect victims of these tragic events," he wrote. The archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, however, said he felt "betrayed" by the government's failure to act on the warnings. Sri Lanka has a population of about 22 million people, 70 percent of whom are Buddhist, 13 percent Hindu, 10 percent Muslim, and seven percent Christian, according to the country's 2012 census. Fears of more violence have caused many people, including in Muslim communities, to leave their homes as intelligence services warned of more possible attacks. Police forces were deployed around mosques on Friday as the community leaders called on Muslims to avoid going to mosques. At least 700 refugees from a persecuted Islamic sect are in hiding after fleeing their homes in the Sri Lankan port city of Negombo, British daily the Guardian reported. "A group of around 500 Muslims are being sheltered in one city, which the Guardian is not naming," the paper said. There was a significant police presence outside their location and dozens of locals were protesting, calling for the group to be removed from the area, it added. The attacks and its aftermath have affected livelihoods of the residents in Colombo. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address FBI Chief Warns Of Russian Interference In 2020 U.S. Presidential Election By RFE/RL April 27, 2019 WASHINGTON -- FBI Director Christopher Wray has warned that Russia is continuing its attempts to meddle in U.S. elections, saying it is a "malign foreign influence" that poses a "significant counterintelligence threat" to the United States. In an April 26 speech at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, Wray warned that Russian operations under the direction of President Vladimir Putin are likely to intensify during the 2020 presidential campaign. "We recognize that our adversaries are going to keep adapting and upping their game," Wray said. "I do think that Russia poses a very significant counterintelligence threat, certainly in the cyber arena, certainly what we call the malign foreign influence territory, certainly in their presence of intelligence officers in this country." Wray described how the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. intelligence agencies created task forces to coordinate their efforts to confront interference in the 2018 U.S. midterm elections -- a move that followed Russia's attempts to manipulate U.S. public opinion during the 2016 presidential race. "We are very much viewing 2018 as just kind of a dress rehearsal for the big show in 2020," Wray said. Wray also said that countries like China, Iran, and North Korea have attempted "foreign influence" in the United States. He said those countries have been "watching and taking note of what the Russians attempted to do in 2016 and since." "I think we expect that this is going to become a phenomenon we're going to have to contend with, with a lot more than just Russia," he said. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/fbi-chief- warns-of-russian-interference-in-2020-u-s- presidential-election/29907470.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sri Lankan President Bans Two Groups Suspected to Be Behind Easter Sunday Blasts Sputnik News 17:31 27.04.2019(updated 18:03 27.04.2019) The New 1st outlet reported earlier in the day, citing a police spokesman, that Sri Lanka had arrested 20 suspects in connection with the coordinated bombings over the past 24 hours, adding that police had recovered the bodies of four suspected perpetrators of three bombings that rocked the city of Kalmunai on Friday. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has banned the groups National Thawheedh Jamaath (NTJ) and Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim (JMI) which are suspected of being behind the Easter Sunday blasts. The president said in a statement that all movable and immovable assets belonging to the groups would also be seized. Steps are also being taken to ban several other extremist organisations in line with emergency regulations, according to the president. According to reports citing security officials, the NTJ is suspected of being the main group that carried out the attacks. The three new explosions occurred in the wake of a series of coordinated blasts throughout Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday that left more than 250 people dead and more than 500 others injured. Sri Lanka launched a criminal investigation immediately after the attacks and has reportedly already arrested over 100 suspects. According to prosecutors, nine suicide bombers carried out the terror attacks, eight of which have already been identified. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sri Lanka Police Find 15 Dead Including 6 Minors at Daesh Hideout Sputnik News The news comes after on Friday Sri Lankan security forces raided a safe house of Daesh-affiliated* militants near the eastern the city of Kalmunai and killed at least four men in an exchange of fire. According to Sri Lankan Police, at least three militants set off explosives at a Daesh hideout, killing three women and six children inside the building. "Three other men, also believed to be suicide bombers, were found dead outside the house", the statement added, noting that the suspects had been shot. There is a total of 15 people dead during the operation, with no casualties among the security forces, the police said. Earlier it was reported that three civilians were wounded in the gunbattle that saw at least three explosions, according to AP citing Major General Aruna Jayasekara, the local military commander. "Three other men, also believed to be suicide bombers, were found dead outside the house", police said in a statement. The military said security forces have also recovered explosives, detonators, "suicide kits," military uniforms and Daesh flags during the raids on a location believed to have been used for the manufacture of suicide vests. "We have found the backdrop the group used to record their video", the police said in an earlier statement on Friday night. On 21 April, numerous bombings rattled Sri Lanka, leaving more than 250 people dead across the country. The government linked the attacks to supposedly Daesh-linked local terrorist group Thowheeth Jama'ath. At least two terrorists were believed to be on the loose after the attacks. Earlier this week, the US Embassy in Colombo issued an alert warning of more possible upcoming attacks this weekend, urging citizens to stay away from places of worship and large crowds. *Daesh (also known as IS, ISIS, ISIL) is a terrorist group, banned in numerous countries, including Russia. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address South Africa: Internet services for uMsunduzi Municipality schools Communications Deputy Minister Pinky Kekana is expected to head to Edendale, Pietermaritzburg on Monday to hand over internet services to two schools and a clinic. The handing over of internet services is part of the SA Connect Programme, government's ambitious project which aims to deliver widespread broadband access to 90% of the country's population by 2020 and 100% by 2030. Government is also looking to the project to meet the technology goals of the National Development Plan (NDP). As part of the NDP, government has undertaken to connect its offices across the country, starting in the rural areas, to ensure South Africans have access to the most modern communication tools and services. In terms of phase one, Connect SA aims to connect all schools, health facilities, government offices, Thusong Centres and post offices in eight rural district municipalities to broadband services. The implementation further provides the great potential to re-structure South Africas ICT infrastructure in support of the NDP goal of inclusive growth underpinned by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). The internet services will be handed over to Nyonithwele Secondary School, Nyanda Primary School and Edendale Gateway Clinic. The Deputy Minister will be accompanied by the partners that are implementing the programme, Broadband Infraco (BBI) and State Information Technology Agency (SITA). SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2019-04-28. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. What students dont know is the variety of engineering programs that even exist--even at the community college level, he said. Ibrahim said the students who attended the event benefited by learning about the Pathways Program, for example, at MVCC which guarantees a seat at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for students who meet all the criteria. 15 Bodies, Including Those of 6 Children, Found After Sri Lanka Raids By VOA News April 27, 2019 Sri Lankan security forces have exchanged gunfire with an armed group in Kalmunai in the eastern region of the country. A military spokesman says 15 bodies, including those of six children, were found in the house where the gunbattle took place late Friday. The Associated Press later reported that a girl and a woman survived an explosion at the suspected militant safe house during a raid linked to the Easter bombings. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said Saturday that the woman and girl are critically injured and are being treated at a nearby hospital in Ampara District. Sri Lankan security forces have been clearing the safe house following a Friday night gunbattle between soldiers and suspected militants. Authorities say the militants set off three explosions and opened fire. The Daily Mirror, a Sri Lankan newspaper, reported there was an explosion when the forces "attempted to search a suspicious man." The military found a cache of 150 sticks of gelignite (an explosive jelly), an Islamic State uniform, steel pellets, and a drone, according to the newspaper. A laptop and a van were also found. Meanwhile, a curfew has been imposed on Sri Lanka from 10 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Saturday. Catholic leaders cancel Masses Catholic leaders in Sri Lanka canceled Sunday Masses across the country as officials cited the possibility of more attacks on the island, nearly a week after the deadly Easter suicide bombings in churches and hotels blamed on Muslim extremists. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith asked the faithful throughout Sri Lanka to stay home for their own safety, saying "We don't want repetitions." The U.S. State Department Friday raised the travel advisory level for Sri Lanka to three out of four, meaning visitors should reconsider traveling to the country. It said "Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Sri Lanka" and that terrorists could again target places of worship as well as other public areas, including shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, sporting events and parks. The U.S. Embassy in Colombo urged people to "remain vigilant and avoid large crowds," on its official Twitter account. On Friday, thousands of Sri Lankan security personnel were deployed across the country to places of worship, as Muslims answered the call to prayer. "Everyone is nervous," 48-year-old Abdullah Mohammed told the Associated Press, before prayers. "Not just the Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus everybody's nervous." The warning comes days after a devastating attack on churches and hotels on Sunday in the capital, Colombo, in which suicide bombers killed more than 250 people. Officials had earlier set the death toll at more than 350 but revised the number on Thursday, saying some of the bodies may have been counted twice. Sri Lankan officials say the suspected mastermind of the attacks, Zahran Hashim, was killed in the attack on the Shangri-La Hotel. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China concludes joint naval exercise with Southeast Asian countries Global Times Source:Xinhua Published: 2019/4/27 21:56:41 China concluded a joint naval exercise with Southeast Asian countries on Friday, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Daily reported Saturday. The three-day exercise was conducted in nearby sea areas and airspace of Qingdao, an eastern coastal city, with focus on jointly handling pirate threats and maritime emergency rescues. The exercise helps improve the understanding and trust among the navies, deepening their cooperation on defense and security of the sea, and contributes to the maintenance of regional peace and stability, according to the newspaper. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address KCNA Commentary Terms U.S.-S. Korea Joint Military Exercises Aggressive, Not Defensive Korean Central News Agency of DPRK Date: 27/04/2019 Pyongyang, April 27 (KCNA) -- The U.S. and the south Korean authorities keep pushing the situation of the Korean peninsula and the region to an undesirable phase, defying public criticism and opposition at home and abroad. As known, the U.S. and the south Korean military war-like forces mull staging Alliance 19-2 exercises to replace Ulji Freedom Guardian in coming August, not content with holding Alliance 19-1 that replaced Key Resolve exercises in March. This is a crude violation of the agreement reached at the historic north-south summit and the DPRK-U.S. summit and a provocative act to chill the hard-won atmosphere of peace on the Korean peninsula. At the historic Singapore DPRK-U.S. summit the U.S. officially stated and declared before the world that it would suspend the U.S.-south Korea joint military exercises which are regarded as a provocation by the DPRK during the period when the DPRK-U.S. dialogue is under way. The south Korean authorities also welcomed it and committed themselves to positively taking practical measures for lasting and durable peace at several contacts with the DPRK. But those perfidious forces in the U.S. and south Korea backtracked on the commitment they made with the DPRK and are justifying their offending project while touting "cut-down" in the size of the exercises and terming it "defensive". This can not but be viewed as an intolerable mockery and insult to the desire and wish of the public for peace on the Korean peninsula. Those forces are mistaken if they think they can conceal the provocative and aggressive nature of the exercises by changing the codename of the exercises and cutting down their size. It is a unanimous view of the international community that despite the reduction in size, the U.S. and south Korea will get further braced up in the military aspect. This is proven by the announcement by the U.S. Department of Defence that "the military preparedness will be kept as usual despite the adjustment of the large-scale combined military exercises" and the statement by the south Korean military authorities that "size is not important and the programme of the exercises will be further substantiated as the exercises will be based on computer simulation". Moreover, Alliance 19-2 exercises envisages an attack drill meant "rebuff" and the south Korean military plans to reflect the expansion of armed forces deployment to the whole areas of the northern half of Korea in its "future ground force redeployment plan". This betrays the warlike forces' intention to stifle the DPRK. The situation clearly proves that the joint military exercises constitute an aggression war, not for defence, and an unpardonable act of hostility toward the DPRK, the dialogue partner. We are closely following the double-sided acts of the U.S. and the south Korean authorities getting intent on making the case for discord behind the scene, despite their lip-service for "peace" and "dialogue". The U.S. and the south Korean authorities had better think twice, mindful that their thoughtless saber-rattling will bring miserable repentance and catastrophic results only. -0- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Leaves Vladivostok Korean Central News Agency of DPRK Date: 27/04/2019 Pyongyang, April 27 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, left Vladivostok on April 26 after successfully wrapping up his historic visit to the Russian Federation. There took place a ceremony for seeing off Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un at the square of Vladivostok Railway Station. Kim Jong Un received a greeting report from the chief of the guards of honor of the three services of the armed forces of the Russian Federation and the national anthems of the DPRK and the Russian Federation were solemnly played, which was followed by a march-past of the guards of honor. Kim Jong Un exchanged greetings with senior officials from the capital and local areas. Kim Jong Un said that he leaves with good impressions and friendly feeling after finishing the visit to the Russian Federation with satisfaction amid the special care and cordial hospitality of President Putin and the Russian government and people, and expressed heartfelt thanks for them. The private train with Kim Jong Un aboard left Vladivostok Railway Station amid the warm send-off by fraternal and intimate Russian friends. Kim Jong Un visited the Russia-DPRK Friendship House in Khasan in the DPRK-Russia border on April 26 before returning home. He was greeted and guided by Minister of Development of the Far East and Arctic of Russia Alexandr Kozlov and other senior officials from the capital and local areas. He expressed deep thanks for finely building and tidying up the Russia-DPRK Friendship House, a symbol of friendship between the two countries, and had an amicable conversation with them. He exchanged warm farewell with the Russian friends and left the Russian border railway station in Khasan. -0- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Returns Home after Concluding Visit to Russian Federation Korean Central News Agency of DPRK Date: 27/04/2019 Pyongyang, April 27 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, returned home by the private train at dawn on Saturday after successfully concluding his visit to the Russian Federation. After getting off the train amid the enthusiastic cheering of the masses, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un received a greeting report from the head of the guard of honor of the Korean People's Army. A ceremony of saluting Kim Jong Un took place. He was presented with fragrant bouquets by a boy and a girl. Leading officials of the Party, government and armed forces organs greeted Kim Jong Un, who returned home safe after performing the immortal exploits in his external activities for peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and the region and independent life and happy future of the Korean people, with warm congratulations reflecting the unanimous mind of all the people of the country. Kim Jong Un gladly exchanged greetings with the senior officials. Acknowledging the enthusiastically cheering masses, he extended warm greetings to all the beloved people. -0- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address DPRK's Kim returns home after Russia visit People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 13:26, April 27, 2019 PYONGYANG, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), returned home by train Saturday morning after concluding his first visit to Russia, the official Korean Central News Agency reported. Kim was greeted by senior officials of the Workers' Party of Korea, the government and military bodies, the report said. During his visit to the far-eastern Russian city of Vladivostok, Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks on bilateral issues and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. On his departure, Kim said that he was leaving with good impressions and friendly feeling after finishing the visit to the Russian Federation with satisfaction amid the special care and cordial hospitality of President Putin and the Russian government and people, the KCNA said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address N. Korea Fumes, South Celebrates on Summit Anniversary By William Gallo April 27, 2019 South Korean President Moon Jae-in vowed continued outreach to North Korea on Saturday, saying the path to peace on the Korean Peninsula was irreversible despite temporary setbacks. "This is a new path, and since we all must take it together, we need sometimes to wait for those moving slower to catch up," Moon said. "In the face of obstacles, sometimes we need to catch our breath for a while and find the way together." Moon's comments came on the first anniversary of his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. That summit helped spur a year of diplomacy and negotiations with the United States over North Korea's nuclear weapons. Though both the nuclear talks and inter-Korean projects have stalled, South Korea pushed ahead Saturday with a celebration to mark the anniversary. Artists perform Artists from South Korea, China, Japan and the United States performed at the event, held at the border village of Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone dividing the two Koreas the site of the first Moon-Kim meeting. The artists performed at five stations, each of which commemorated a different aspect of the summit. In a sign of worsening relations, North Korea did not attend the celebration. Instead, Pyongyang marked the occasion with a sternly worded statement reported by the Korean Central News Agency, which blamed the United States for holding back inter-Korean progress. "The U.S. is employing every possible means and method to subordinate the North-South ties to its policy of sanctions and pressure upon the DPRK, while openly pressurizing the South Korean authorities," said KCNA, quoting the North Korean Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country. South Korea says it would like to move ahead with the agreements reached by Kim and Moon at the Panmunjom meeting, as well as two additional summits that followed. But doing so would most likely violate international sanctions against North Korea. The Trump administration has said it will not relax the sanctions until North Korea commits to abandoning its nuclear and chemical weapons programs. Moon on Saturday cited gradual progress in implementing the inter-Korean pledges, including withdrawing guard posts from the demilitarized zone, recovering remains of soldiers killed during the Korean War, and regular meetings at a joint liaison office just north of the border. But North Korean officials have skipped high-level meetings with their South Korean counterparts at that office for nine consecutive weeks. And South Korea's military has been forced to start searching for Korean War remains by itself in the DMZ after North Korea failed to cooperate on the project. Approach falters The lack of progress is a major problem for the Moon administration, which viewed inter-Korean cooperation as a top priority, said Shin Beom-chul of South Korea's Asan Institute for Policy Studies. "Moon's approach was that improving inter-Korean relations would eventually lead to the denuclearization of North Korea," Shin said. "That premise is now dismantling." While Moon's public approval rating was over 80 percent in the days following his first meeting with Kim, it has now slipped to 44 percent, according to the latest poll from Gallup Korea. Adding to Moon's woes, South Korea's economy unexpectedly contracted in the first quarter. Still, the Moon administration remains upbeat, pushing for another meeting with Kim. "We suggested the fourth summit," South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul told reporters Friday, "And we will try our best to make it happen." Juhyun Lee and Hyungjin Kim contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran rejects 'baseless, false' claims about request for US talks Iran Press TV Sat Apr 27, 2019 06:18PM Iran has rejected as baseless and false claims by certain foreign media outlets about the country's request for negotiations with the United States. "There has been no request for talks with the US," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Moussavi said on Saturday. He also said there were no talks underway between Iran and Saudi Arabia. "And as for Saudi Arabia, there are no negotiations underway between the two countries on any issues except for subjects relating to Hajj [pilgrimage]," which Moussavi said the two courtiers had agreed to "separate from the two countries' political issues and relations." He added that Iran pursued a "fully transparent" policy based on mutual respect, good and peaceful neighborliness along with cooperation and dialog vis-a-vis its neighboring countries. The spokesperson pointed out that Iran's priority was to promote constructive relations based on mutual respect with all its neighbors that adopted a "realistic" approach towards regional and global developments. "From the viewpoint of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Saudi Arabia is an important country in our region, which has taken a wrong path combined with an unconstructive approach in recent years and this issue has resulted in many difficulties and crises in the region," Moussavi said. He expressed hope that Saudi officials would soon follow the path of "sincere benevolence" and said, "Definitely under such circumstance, the Islamic Republic of Iran, like always, will be ready for interaction with this country within the framework of regional and bilateral cooperation." Speaking at a cabinet session on Wednesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said US claims of seeking negotiations with Iran were "mere lies" and that the US, in fact, intended to bring the Iranian nation to its knees. Contrary to what some are trying to promote, "the US does not possess the willingness for negotiations at all," Rouhani said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address No immediate hike in Russia's oil output after Iran waivers end, Putin says Iran Press TV Sat Apr 27, 2019 01:23PM Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated Moscow's commitment to an agreement with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on keeping production at a certain level, saying his country will not immediately increase oil output after the United States ends sanctions waivers for buyers of Iranian crude next month. "Russia is ready to meet the needs of not just China, but of all our partners around the world," Putin told reporters on the sidelines of a summit in the Chinese capital of Beijing on Saturday, adding, "We currently produce 1.5 million barrels of oil per day and we can produce more. We have colossal potential." "But we have an agreement with OPEC to maintain production at a certain level and this agreement is in force until July," the Russian president pointed out. The administration of US President Donald Trump said in a statement on April 22 that, in a bid to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero, buyers of Iranian oil must stop purchases by May 1 or face sanctions, ending six months of waivers which allowed Iran's eight biggest buyers -- Turkey, China, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan -- to continue importing limited volumes. "The United States, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates ... along with our friends and allies, are committed to ensuring that global oil markets remain adequately supplied," the White House statement said, adding, "We have agreed to take timely action to assure that global demand is met as all Iranian oil is removed from the market." In May last year, Washington unilaterally withdrew from a multilateral nuclear accord, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and six world powers that mainly guarantees Iran's oil sales in return for a number of concessions by Iran and the lifting of US sanctions on the country. Last November, the US enforced sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic's banking and energy sector. However, it granted waivers to the eight major importers of Iran's oil, fearing market instability. The end of the sanctions exemptions has sparked fears of supply shortages, pushing oil prices to near six-month highs. Countries affected by the US sanctions have so-far opposed the declared plan to end exemptions, citing tight market conditions and high fuel prices that are harming oil-dependent industries. Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said on Friday that his country is trying to convince the United States to allow refiner Tupras, its biggest oil importer, to continue buying crude oil from Iran free of sanctions. China also warned on Tuesday that the US decision to impose sanctions on buyers of Iranian oil will "intensify turmoil" in the Middle East and in the international energy market. South Korea and Japan have also sought negotiations with the US, calling on Washington to backtrack on its decision. Elsewhere in his remarks, Putin said he "can't imagine how the world energy market will react" at the end of the waivers in May. However, the Russian president added, "None of our partners, including Saudi Arabia, is withdrawing from our agreements within OPEC." Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Wednesday played down Washington's recent decision to end exemptions from sanctions for countries buying oil from Tehran and said the US administration's hostile attempts to block Iran's oil sales will lead nowhere, and that the country will export "as much crude as it needs and wishes" in defiance of American sanctions. "In the first place, such attempts will lead nowhere, and we are capable of exporting as much oil as we need and want," Ayatollah Khamenei said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China's Iran oil imports hit 7-month high in March ahead of new sanctions Iran Press TV Sat Apr 27, 2019 09:49AM China's oil imports from Iran have hit a seven-month high in March ahead of Washington's termination of sanctions waivers for major buyers of crude from the Islamic Republic. The latest data from China's General Administration of Customs showed on Friday that the country had purchased 2.3 million metric tonnes (mt) of Iranian oil in March, the highest since August 2018. The figures also showed that the March volume of China's Iran crude imports had increased 6.2 percent from February on a barrels per day (b/d) basis despite dropping by a quarter from the same month of last year. The data were released a few days after the White House threatened the buyers of Iranian oil with sanctions if they fail to stop their purchases by May 1, ending six months of waivers which allowed Tehran's eight largest customers to continue importing limited volumes. Separately on Friday, two officials at the administration of US President Donald Trump, who were speaking on condition of anonymity, said that neither a wind-down period nor a short-term waiver on China's oil purchases from Iran were being contemplated. "They've known about it, so to my knowledge that's not being contemplated," said one of the officials, referring to Chinese authorities. The officials also argued that China, which is Iran's top oil consumer, has alternative oil suppliers including the US and Saudi Arabia. Announcing the fresh oil sanctions against Iran, the White House said that its move is meant to "bring Iran's oil exports to zero" and deny the government "its principal source of revenue." US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a press conference on Monday that Saudi Arabia and the UAE had agreed to "ensure an appropriate supply (of oil) for the markets" in order to make up for the loss of Iranian oil in the global market. Iran's Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh has said Washington will never be able to achieve its "dream" of cutting Tehran's oil exports to "zero." Zangeneh also accused Saudi Arabia and the UAE of exaggerating their ability to replace Iran's oil in the wake of US measure. Leading US-based Foreign Policy magazine predicted that Trump's new Iran sanctions would hurt the United States in the long term. The fresh restrictive measures against Iran's oil exports are believed to be part of Trump's "energy dominance" agenda that seeks to advance diplomatic and policy objectives through rapidly expanding US oil and gas exports. Under the agenda, the US is trying to boost its exports to Asian countries. The United States is now the world's biggest oil producer, pumping more than 12 million bpd with exports topping 3 million bpd. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sentimental Journey: This is the story of Ross and Katey Lehman, told by their son, Chicago actor Ross (Robby) Lehman. It weaves the romantic history of their courtship, marriage and life together, set against the backdrop of WWII, when he was an Air Force bombardier held prisoner by the Germans, and she was a sophisticated career woman who waited for his return. This world premiere includes popular music of the period, such as "We'll Meet Again," and the title song "Sentimental Journey." Tickets: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays $40; Saturdays and Sundays $45; Discounts available for groups, seniors and students. 1 p.m. Wednesday, Citadel Theatre Company, 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest, $40-$45; group discounts available, 847-735-8554. Trump aides, regional allies dragging US into Iran conflict: Zarif Iran Press TV Sat Apr 27, 2019 05:52AM Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says hawkish politicians within the American government and their allies in the Middle East want to escalate tensions with Tehran. In an interview with Fox News set to air on Sunday, Zarif accused US National Security Adviser John Bolton as well as Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE of "dragging the US into a conflict" with Iran. Asked if the group is trying to exercise a government change in Iran, Zarif replied, "At least, at least." "They have all shown an interest in dragging the United States into a conflict. I do not believe that President Trump wants to do that, I believe President Trump ran on a campaign promise of not bringing the United States into another war. "But I believe President Trump's intention to put pressure, the policy of maximum pressure on Iran in order to bring Iran to its knees so that we would succumb to pressure, is doomed to failure," he added. Earlier this week, the White House targeted Iran's oil sector, ending six months of waivers which allowed Tehran's eight largest customers, most of them in Asia, to continue importing limited volumes. Washington threatened the buyers of Iranian oil with sanctions if they fail to stop their purchases by May 1, in a move that quickly sent global crude prices to their highest levels since last November. The White House said the decision is meant to "bring Iran's oil exports to zero" and deny the government "its principal source of revenue." Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei emphasized that the US administration's hostile attempts to block Iran's oil sales would lead nowhere, and that the country would export "as much crude as it needs and wishes." On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Zarif stressed that the Islamic Republic which has been the target of American sanctions for decades has gained much experience in going around such restrictive measures. The sanctions were lifted under a 2015 multilateral nuclear deal with Iran, but they were renewed year after US President Donald Trump abandoned the landmark agreement officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Assault on Tripoli 'Flagging,' Say Government Supporters By Jamie Dettmer April 26, 2019 The assault on Tripoli launched April 4 by Libya's would-be strongman Khalifa Haftar, a Gadhafi-era general, and his self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) appeared Friday to be flagging, with his forces withdrawing from some of the capital's southern suburbs amid heavy clashes. Leaders of the country's beleaguered, internationally recognized government are dismissing a behind-the-scenes effort by the U.N. special envoy, Ghassan Salame, for a cease-fire, suggesting they are more confident now of retaining their hold on the Libyan capital. "It felt like thunder was going to split my house," Libyan-American Holima El Haj, a mother of two, told VOA by phone. "I was crying, and I don't normally do that." Muhanad Younis, the spokesman for the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), told reporters there's no question of a cease-fire. He said Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj was determined to thwart the assault on the capital led by Haftar, who's allied with a rival government in the east of the North African country. There will be "no negotiations or dialogue until after defeating the aggressors," al-Serraj said. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters in New York that there's "grave concern" about "the indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas in Tripoli" and urged all parties to protect civilians. According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 39,000 people have been displaced by the clashes. Much of the fighting now, according to government military officials who discussed the flow and ebb of the battles, has been focusing on the suburb of Ain Zara in southern Tripoli. There have also been reports of fierce fighting around Wadi Rabea and Tripoli International Airport. GNA officials say Tripoli forces have been gaining ground and threaten to cut off LNA supply lines running from Gharian, a town 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Tripoli, which is serving as the LNA's forward headquarters for the assault on Tripoli. "We won't agree to a cease-fire," Abdulraham El Mansouri, an adviser to the GNA, told VOA. "If we agree to one, Haftar will only use the time to regroup his forces, and we won't allow that." He said the forces loyal to the GNA, which are made up mainly of an assortment of fighters drawn from the powerful and battle-hardened militias of Tripoli and Misrata, won't stop fighting during the holy month of Ramadan, due to start on the evening May 5. "We won't stop until we have driven Haftar all the way back to Benghazi and Tobruk, and we'll finish him there." Some independent analysts agree that Tripoli now may be beyond Haftar. His forces are "dangerously stretched," said Federica Saini Fasanotti, an analyst with the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank. She said LNA soldiers captured by forces loyal to the Tripoli government "are very young and clearly not up to the task." Many of the fighters the LNA is battling are veterans of the 2011 uprising against Col. Moammar Gadhafi. Haftar's forces are also drawn from less cohesive groups, including mercenaries from Chad and Sudan. The edge Haftar does have, say analysts, is in the backing he's receiving from Egypt and the United Arab Emirates in terms of supplies, which appear to include armed drones. "Haftar definitely overestimated his strength and underestimated his adversary," said Karim Mezran, an analyst with the Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East. His offensive prompted the country's most powerful western militias from Tripoli, Misrata and Zintan frequently at odds with each other in the past to join forces in support of al-Serraj, he said. But Mezran and other analysts say the GNA forces are probably incapable of capturing the LNA loyalist cities of Benghazi and Tobruk if Haftar is forced to withdraw from around Tripoli. "The United States, so far, along with Italy and Britain, has had a very straightforward position: There is no military solution possible in Libya, only a U.N.-backed negotiations process," said Mezran. Last week, it emerged that U.S. President Donald Trump might be considering reversing Washington's position. In a phone call with Haftar, the U.S. leader praised the general for his fight against the Islamic State and other jihadists. Bloomberg News reported Trump told Haftar he supported an attack on Tripoli. But State Department officials told VOA that U.S. policy remains the same: Only a negotiated settlement can end conflict in Libya. The U.N.'s special envoy to Libya, Salame, told reporters in Rome on Friday that he was exploring ways "to convince the parties to the conflict to stop fighting and resume the political process." He added: "The U.N. continues its role in Libya. We have been providing assistance to thousands of families affected by the fighting to be relocated to safer areas. The mission continues efforts to bring together the various parties in hope that they can recognize, before Ramadan, that it is better to stick to the political process than further fighting where there is no winner while the country is losing." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mass Panic, Propaganda, And Mobs: How An Anti-Polio Drive Came To A Screeching Halt In Pakistan By Frud Bezhan, Monawar Shah April 27, 2019 It started with rumors of children fainting or vomiting after they received a vaccination against the polio virus in a village in Pakistan's northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Then clerics at local mosques in the region blared warnings through loudspeakers, ordering parents not to let health workers immunize their children against the deadly disease. Meanwhile, anti-vaccination propaganda videos rapidly went viral on social media, with one claiming children had been "poisoned" by the drops. Rumors originating from a suburb of the provincial capital, Peshawar, then claimed that children were dropping dead after receiving the vaccine. As the rumors spread, thousands of panicked parents rushed their children by car, motorcycle, and foot to major hospitals in the city, forcing the stunned health facilities to declare emergencies. Panic then turned into anger, with one mob burning down a local medical clinic in a Peshawar suburb. The rumors turned out to be wildly exaggerated. Health officials said only several children out of the 25,000 rushed to hospitals were suffering from vomiting or stomach pain; there were no deaths. The dramatic events of April 22 highlighted the major obstacles to eradicating polio in Pakistan, one of only three countries, along with Afghanistan and Nigeria, that suffer from the disease, a childhood virus that can cause paralysis or death. Authorities arrested members of the mob that burned down the clinic and detained those behind the propaganda videos. The health minister went on television in a plead to parents to convince them that the vaccines were safe. But the damage was done. The mass panic halted the April 23-25 immunization drive in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, dealing a fresh blow to ongoing efforts to finally eliminate the disease from the deeply religious and conservative South Asian nation. Many residents of the poor, largely rural Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have long been suspicious of the vaccine, with conservative Islamic clerics and militants claiming it is a Western conspiracy to harm or sterilize children. Meanwhile, on April 27, Pakistani health officials announced they had suspended the anti-polio drive across the entire country following the killings of a health worker and two policemen escorting vaccination teams. 'A Nightmare' Riaz Khan was at work in Peshawar when he received a call from friends living in the Mashokhel suburb of the city. "They said some children have died there after taking the vaccine," he said. "I got so scared for my children that I couldn't even think about the authenticity of the news." The 35-year-old hurried home to his children, who had received the vaccination that day, and rushed them to the hospital. "At the hospital, the doctors told me that there was nothing wrong with my kids," Khan said. Muhammad Asim, an official at the Lady Reading Hospital, one of three major health facilities in the city, described what he said was "a nightmare." "For the last 15 years, we have been through many emergencies because of bomb blasts and terrorism-related casualties, but this was a nightmare," he said. Asim said the 500-bed hospital was overwhelmed with around 5,000 children and their families in the first 12 hours after the rumors spread. "They literally choked our system," he said, adding that the three major hospitals in Peshawar were flooded with more than 25,000 children within 24 hours. "All our doctors and nurses were trying to assure the worried parents that nothing had happened to their kids," he said. "We put announcements by well-known doctors on social media to calm the people, but it was like no one was ready to hear or believe it. I personally asked hundreds of kids and they told me that they are feeling just normal." 'It Backfired' Dr. Shabeer Ahmad, a coordinator of the anti-polio campaign at the provincial health department, said they had decided to add Vitamin A to the polio vaccine to help malnourished children. He said if taken on an empty stomach, Vitamin A can cause vomiting or stomach pain. Ahmad said this happened to a few children in Mashokhel, where he said angry parents set fire to a local health clinic that was administering the vaccines. Nobody was hurt in the blaze. "We added Vitamin A because it strengthens the immune system and helps the vaccine to be more effective," said Dr. Akram Shah, the director of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), a provincial body. "But it backfired. We had to stop the campaign in many areas." Shah said Pakistan has had a history of opposition to immunization efforts and "propagandists utilized the situation and took it to a new level." Despite the obstacles, Pakistani health workers, together with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international aid groups, have immunized millions of children across the country since 2012 with more than 100 rounds of the vaccination drive. The effort has brought the number of polio cases to eight, compared to more than 300 in 2014. Extremist Propaganda Public health studies in Pakistan have shown that maternal illiteracy and low parental knowledge about vaccines -- together with poverty and rural residency -- are factors that most commonly influence whether children are vaccinated against the polio virus. Another factor is that conservative Islamic clerics and militants in the region have spread propaganda claiming the vaccine sterilizes young boys. Anti-vaccination propaganda has also been fueled by distrust of Western governments who fund vaccine programs -- particularly after the CIA reportedly staged a fake hepatitis-vaccination campaign in 2011 to confirm the location of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who lived in and was killed by U.S. SEALs in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Since then, some clerics have even issued fatwas saying that children who become paralyzed or die from polio are "martyrs" because they refused to be tricked by a Western conspiracy. Pakistani militants have also propagandized that Western-made vaccines contain pig fat or alcohol, which are both forbidden in Islam. Militants have kidnapped, beaten, and assassinated dozens of vaccinators or their armed police escorts in recent years in a bid to stop local anti-polio campaigns. A police officer was shot and killed by gunmen on April 23 while on his way to join a polio team in the northwestern district of Bannu. A day later, gunmen shot and killed another police officer guarding a polio-eradication team in the remote Buner district. A female polio worker was shot dead by gunmen in the neighboring province of Balochistan on April 25. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/mass-panic- propaganda-and-mobs-how-an-anti-polio-drive-came-to-a- screeching-halt-in-pakistan/29907091.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kremlin: Trump proposals on nuclear arms disarmament 'not serious' Iran Press TV Sat Apr 27, 2019 10:03AM The Kremlin says Donald Trump's proposals on nuclear arms disarmament are "not serious," after media reports said the US president had ordered his administration to prepare for a new arms-control agreement with Russia and China. "It would be ideal to clean up the whole world from the nuclear weapon...but on the other hand we would have been deprived from the deterrent factor," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Saturday. "Don't forget about the deterrent factor, about the deterrent parity," he told reporters on the sidelines of a summit on China's Belt and Road plan in the Chinese capital Beijing. Peskov's remarks came after US administration officials told CNN on Friday that Trump was aiming for a grand nuclear deal with Russia and China. The White House, the broadcaster said, had engaged in intense talks to develop options for him to pursue the initiative after the expiration of the New START Treaty in 2021. "The President has made clear that he thinks that arms control should include Russia and China and should include all the weapons, all the warheads, all the missiles," a senior White House official told CNN. "We have an ambition to give the President options as quickly as possible to give him as much space on the calendar as possible," the official added, speaking on condition of anonymity. The Trump administration has not set out a timeline for negotiations over the new nuclear arms control deal or even raised the prospect with China and Russia. The New START treaty, signed in 2010, limits both the US and Russia to deploying 1,550 nuclear warheads over 700 delivery systems, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and long-range bombers. The treaty is set to expire in 2021 but could be extended for up to five years if the two sides agree. Trump's new proposal comes only two months after he announced that he was suspending the Cold War-era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with Russia. In February, the US president announced that Washington would unilaterally withdraw from INF over Russia's deployment of the 9M729 cruise missile, which American officials claim violates the existing limitations. Moscow has repeatedly denied the allegations that the missile violates the 1987 accord. The INF banned all land-based missiles with ranges of 500 kilometers (310 miles) to 5,500 miles. The original ban between Moscow and Washington led to the elimination of 2,692 missiles. Russian President Vladimir Putin has reciprocated Trump's move by suspending the historic nuclear arms treaty. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Launches Probe Into Cause Of Druzhba Oil Pipeline Contamination By RFE/RL April 27, 2019 Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has ordered Russia's energy and trade ministries to conduct an inquiry within seven days into the cause of contamination that has led to the suspension of Russian oil deliveries to Europe through the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline. A Russian government statement on April 27 about the investigation says the results should be sent to the Russian Prosecutor-General's Office. In Beijing, President Vladimir Putin said on April 27 that an inquiry must, "first and foremost," be conducted internally by Russia's state-owned oil transport monopoly Transneft, which operates the pipeline network. Putin also confirmed that he has spoken with Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka about the disruption of Russian oil shipments to Europe through the Druzhba pipeline due to contamination. Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of China's Belt and Road Forum, Putin described his conversation with Lukashenka as "a very brief exchange of views on this matter." "I am aware of what happened, but the details are unknown to me because in order to understand what happened there, one needs to conduct an investigation," Putin said. "First and foremost, it is necessary to conduct an investigation at the level of Transneft itself, and to identify the place from which it came from, for what reasons, what it was and so on," Putin said. "This investigation is ongoing." "If an inquiry within the corporation is insufficient, I do not rule out that we will conduct an investigation involving law enforcement agencies and security services," Putin said. Putin's remarks came hours after Russia announced it would be able to restore acceptable-quality oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline to Europe in about two weeks. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak said on April 26 after talks in Minsk with officials from Belarus, Ukraine, and Poland that the four countries had agreed on joint measures to eliminate the effects of the contamination that had forced the suspension of deliveries. "This would allow us, as earlier planned, to supply...[uncontaminated] oil to the border with Belarus by April 29 and to restore the pipeline [to stability] in two weeks," Kozak said. Poland and Belarus on April 19 announced they had stopped accepting shipments of Russian oil through the aging Druzhba pipeline, saying buyers in Poland and Germany could not accept the Russian crude because it is "contaminated" and of "poor quality." Belarus has said that the source of "chlorine contamination" of the oil was found within Russia along the pipeline's Samara-Unecha section. Organic chloride is typically used by producers to increase crude oil output, but it must be separated before the crude oil is shipped to refineries because it can destroy refinery equipment. Transneft said on April 26 that the contamination leading to the suspension of oil shipments to Europe could have been deliberate, and that a criminal case had been opened. Officials from Russia's Energy Ministry also met in Minsk with representatives of oil transport firms from Russia, Belarus, Poland, and Ukraine to discuss the issue. Those four companies included Russia's Transneft, Belarus's Belneftekhim, Poland's PERN, and Ukraine's Ukrtransnafta. Russia's deputy energy minister, Pavel Sorokin, told reporters after the talks that one of the options for supplying clean oil was to mix the contaminated product with an untainted supply. The Druzhba pipeline is the world's longest oil pipeline and one of the world's largest oil pipeline networks. Originally built to supply oil to the western parts of the Soviet Union and former Soviet bloc countries in Eastern Europe, it is now the main export route for sending oil to Europe from Russia and Kazakhstan. The suspension of deliveries through Poland is preventing major buyers from receiving Russian oil at their refineries in Poland and Germany -- including Poland's PKN Orlen refineries and plants in Germany belonging to Total, Shell, BP, and Rosneft. Western oil buyers say the suspension of oil flows could trigger a series of legal claims against Russian suppliers who, in turn, will likely seek compensation from Russia's Transneft oil monopoly. Belneftekhim's deputy chief Uladzimer Sizou on April 26 estimated that losses were about $100 million. Michael Lynch, an oil industry analyst who head the firm Strategic Energy and Economic Research, called the disruption of Russian oil deliveries "quite strange." Lynch said the chlorine contamination could be linked to "technical problems at a Russian refinery." "It has caused some nervousness in the markets, but it seems the situation can be resolved rapidly," Lynch said. With reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, and TASS Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-druzhba-deliveries- may-be-restored-two-weeks/29906457.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kids of IS Fighters, Syrian Mothers Face Uncertainty By Nisan Ahmado April 26, 2019 With the Islamic State's physical caliphate destroyed, the next challenge for many countries is what to do with hundreds of children of IS militants stranded in Kurdish-held refugee camps of northeastern Syria. Those born to IS foreign fighters and Syrian mothers face the most uncertain future of all, according to local rights activists and experts. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the final victory over IS in March after weeks of clashes in the eastern Syrian town of Baghuz. The operation brought many thousands of people to a makeshift refugee camp called al-Hol, consisting of fleeing civilians, arrested IS fighters and their family members. The camp managers are holding 10,000 women and children with ties to IS foreign fighters in a separate area of the camp, with children under 12 accounting for about 65% of this group, according to the International Committee for the Red Cross. Hannah Grigg, a researcher at the Syria Justice and Accountability Center, told VOA those in the group who are born to IS foreign fighters and Syrian mothers could end up stateless as it remains uncertain which parent's nationality each can obtain. "That is a huge challenge going forward for these children added to the social stigma because they are associated with IS," Grigg said. She noted that many of these children do not have strong claims to citizenship in their patriarchs' home countries. Similarly, Syrian nationality laws do not allow citizenship claims based on mother's nationality. Even if the Syrian state amends its rules to grant them citizenship, Grigg argued, many of the children are carrying their fathers' physical features, making them stand out as foreigners with little hope of making their way into the society. Grass-roots campaigns Many activists in Syria are organizing initiatives to face this problem among many other issues left behind by IS. One of the campaigns "Who is Your Husband?" is trying to help reintegrate the Syrian women and children born to IS foreign fighters to the society by helping educate communities. The group, based in the northwestern governorate of Idlib, has documented more than 1,700 women married to foreign fighters, who joined IS or al-Qaida-aligned militants. It vows to continue its efforts, despite threats from the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group. Naseeb Abdul Aziz, the manager of the campaign, told VOA his team also is investigating the reasons that pushed Syrian women to marry the foreign fighters sometimes despite their families' strong objections. They also work on raising women's awareness about the perils of such marriages and the consequences for their children. "Many of these foreign fighters either fled or were killed without knowing their real identities, leaving these women and children to deal with their families, societies and fate," said Aziz. "These children remain without any civil rights. They will be deprived from their rights of having an identity, going to school and finding a job," he said, adding that will be just one dimension of the difficult challenges facing Syria in the future. In addition, Aziz pointed to dealing with undocumented marriages and unregistered children, along with the deradicalization of women and children brainwashed by extremist ideology. Pressure on camps Officials in the Kurdish-controlled northeast region say an immediate solution for the detained IS relatives is necessary, particularly for the children who are facing diseases caused by poor living conditions. Recent figures by the United Nations show that since December 2018, 211 children have died at the al-Hol camp or en route to it because of malnutrition or illness. Samar Hussein, the co-chair of the Social Affairs and Labor Office of the Kurdish self-proclaimed administration in northeastern Syria, said many children and their mothers at the camp are sleeping in the open air without enough food or water. He pledged to seek international assistance to address the humanitarian needs of the refugees and their ultimate evacuation. "We are in the process of discussing their fate with the Committee of Foreign Affairs in the self-autonomous region and also with the international coalition," Hussein told VOA. Both the U.N. and the U.S. government have repeatedly asked that other governments take responsibility for repatriating IS foreign fighters estimated to be 1,000 jihadists from more than 40 countries, along with their relatives. Many countries remain reluctant to take them back, however, citing the difficulty of prosecuting the suspected fighters because of the hurdles involved in gathering battlefield evidence. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Daesh leader attempted to cross Syria into Iraq but failed: Report Iran Press TV Sat Apr 27, 2019 05:16PM An Iraqi intelligence official says the leader of the terrorist group of Daesh, Ibrahim al-Samarrai aka Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, had attempted over the past few weeks to cross Syria into Iraq's western province of Anbar, but failed to do so due to tight security measures along the border between the two countries. The unnamed official told Russia's RT Arabic television news network on Saturday that Baghdadi was currently hiding in Abu Rajmin mountainous area northeast of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria's central province of Homs. The official further noted that Baghdadi had been trying to enter Iraq for weeks, but could not succeed as strict security measures were being applied on the Iraqi-Syrian border. He highlighted that the Daesh leader was now supported by a small number of close aides, who were mostly of Saudi, Tunisian and Iraqi origins. The murder of a large number of Daesh terrorists in Syria and the subsequent elimination of the terror group's so-called caliphate "prompted Baghdadi to seek return to Iraq," the source pointed out. On April 3, Iraqi military aircraft dropped leaflets over desert areas in Anbar province, offering a reward of millions of dollars for intelligence that would lead to Baghdadi's capture. The planes dropped the leaflets over Upper Euphrates towns, Bedouin encampments, and villages adjacent to the borders with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. "The leader of Daesh and his fighters stole your land and killed your people, and now he is hiding in safety away from the death and destruction that he planted. With your intelligence reports, you can avenge," the leaflets read. They carried pictures of Baghdadi and a promise of a reward of 25 million US dollars for anyone, who provided information leading to the arrest of Baghdadi. The leaflets also provided two hot lines on WhatsApp messenger. The former Iraqi prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, declared the end of military operations against Daesh in the country on December 9, 2017. On July 10 that year, he had formally declared victory over Daesh in the strategic northern city of Mosul, which served as the terrorists' main urban stronghold in Iraq. In the run-up to Mosul's liberation, Iraqi army soldiers and voluntary fighters from the pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) better known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha'abi had made sweeping gains against Daesh. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Time not ripe for military offensive on militant-held Idlib: Russia Iran Press TV Sat Apr 27, 2019 01:49PM Russia's President Vladimir Putin has not ruled out a situation where Syrian forces, backed by Russian air power, would launch a full-scale assault against terrorists in Syria's northern province of Idlib. Speaking to reporters in the Chinese capital, Beijing, on Saturday, Putin said time was not ripe for such a military operation due to the presence of civilians in parts of the militant-held province. Such an operation, he said, "is not expedient now" and the security of civilians needs to be taken into account. "I don't rule it (a full-scale assault) out, but right now we and our Syrian friends consider that to be inadvisable given this humanitarian element," Putin said. He said Moscow and Damascus would continue their fight against terrorism and that any militants who tried to break out of Idlib, something he said happened from time to time, were bombed. Idlib, located in northwestern Syria, remains the only large area in the hands of anti-Damascus militants after government forces -- backed by Iran and Russia -- managed to undo militant gains across the country and bring back almost all of Syrian soil under government control. Around 90,000 militants are estimated to be holed up in Idlib, which has a population of some three million. Last September, Russia and Turkey, a backer of a number of militant groups in Syria, inked a buffer zone agreement in Idlib, which put on hold a massive government liberation operation in the region, situated near the Turkish border. However, a few months later, the so-called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a Takfiri militant alliance dominated by al-Nusra Front terrorists, swept through towns and villages in Idlib. Meanwhile, Turkey has been trying to avert a Syrian offensive against the city near its borders. On Friday, Syria's Permanent Representative to the UN Bashar al-Ja'fari accused Turkey's intelligence services of supporting HTS t terrorist group, saying Ankara's move was "another form of terrorism". According to Ja'fari, Turkey has provided terrorists in Idlib with dozens of shells charged with toxic chemicals for use against the Syrian army and civilians. "There is a great amount of chemical weapons in stock in Idlib. They will be put to use if Syria and its allies try to regain control of Idlib by military means," he said. Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist groups wreaking havoc in the country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Terrorist groups kill 17 Syrian government troops in Aleppo Iran Press TV Sat Apr 27, 2019 10:12AM Reports say at least 17 Syrian government forces have been killed in attacks by foreign-backed terrorists in northern Aleppo province. The attacks were launched shortly after midnight on Saturday by two al-Qaeda-linked terror groups, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Hurras al-Deen, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. Thirty other Syrian soldiers were injured. The attacks were repelled and several terrorists killed after Russian aircraft pounded their positions in the area. The terrorist attacks were in violation of a previously agreed buffer zone, which separated Syrian government troops from the Takfiri terrorists. Under the agreement, which was signed between Russia and Turkey last year, Takfiri groups had to withdraw from the area. Despite Turkey's pledge to implement the deal, the Takfiri groups have never complied with the agreement and periodically launched attacks against Syrian troops from the buffer zone. Saturday's raids took place as Turkey has set up patrols and bases in the province on the pretext of monitoring the agreement. Speaking on Friday, Syria's UN envoy Bashar al-Ja'afari slammed Ankara for failing to implement the demilitarization zone agreement. "The Sochi agreement clearly stipulated that Turkey's side was committed to the withdrawal of the terrorists groups to a behind a buffer of 20km," he said. "What Turkey's delegation says is not applied on the ground," Ja'afari added. Determined to fight terrorism Last week, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stressed his government's determination to ultimately eliminate terrorist groups in the country. The president called for the removal of any "obstacles" blocking the full implementation of the demilitarization deal. Seeking to further progress negotiations aimed at ending the conflict in the war-torn country, delegates from Iran, Russia and Turkey held a two-day summit in Kazakhstan's capital Nur-Sultan on Thursday. The talks, which are collectively referred to as the Astana peace process, have so far helped significantly reduce violence in the Arab country by establishing the de-escalation zones agreement. They have also paved the way for the formation of a Constitutional Committee. Following the summit, Tehran and Moscow discussed further cooperation in countering terrorist forces in the region. Despite significant progress in the fight against the foreign-backed terrorists, more than 60 Syrian soldiers were killed in a number of attacks last week. The Daesh Takfiri terrorists assaulted government-held parts of central and eastern Syria, where American military presence has prevented Syrian forces from completely defeating the group. The Daesh terrorists have commonly used US presence in the region as a cover to attack Syrian and allied forces. American forces are currently deployed in the Kurdish-controlled regions of Syria on the pretext of protecting Kurdish forces in the region and fighting Daesh. Syria, however, has denounced the presence of US forces, who are in Syria country without authorization from the government, stressing that Damascus reserves the right to defend its security and sovereignty against any act of aggression NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, Europe targeting Syria with 'economic terrorism': Syria's UN envoy Iran Press TV Sat Apr 27, 2019 08:07AM Syria's UN envoy Bashar al-Ja'afari has slammed the United States and the European Union for waging "economic terrorism" by imposing sanctions against the war-wracked country. "This is economic terrorism that is escalating through unilateral economic measures," Ja'afari said in a Friday press conference in Kazakhstan's capital Nur-Sultan, previously known as Astana. The Syrian envoy added that the unilateral sanctions were illegitimate given that they were not issued by the UN Security Council. Ja'afari said that the sanctions were on par with the "diplomatic and political terrorism" carried out by the West against the Arab country. The US and its Western and regional allies stand accused of supporting a foreign-backed terrorism against the country which led to the killing of hundreds of thousands in the Arab country. The US and the European Union also imposed draconian sanctions against the country during the years-long conflict, targeting Syrian oil imports, trade and financial institutions. The Syrian people, who withstood an eight-year-long foreign-backed terrorist onslaught, are now bearing the brunt of the West's oil embargo. The sanctions has halted the post-war construction, and sparked widespread fuel shortages, bringing life to a standstill in Syria's cities. The government has now tried to manage the crisis by rationing cooking gas and vehicle fuel distribution. The EU voted last May in favor of extending the bans until June 1, 2019. Seeking to counter Western measures hampering post-war reconstruction in the country, Damascus has greatly expanded its economic ties with Tehran and Moscow. Earlier this year, Iran and Syria signed 11 agreements, including a "long-term strategic economic cooperation" deal, in what observers have described to be as a sign of changing realities in the Middle East. Turkish Occupation of Syria Speaking on Friday, the UN envoy also slammed Turkey for its occupation of Syrian territory. "Today the Turkish authorities occupy six thousand square kilometers of Syrian territory in Afrin and other cities, as well as Idlib," he said. Ja'afari also said that Turkey was illegally imposing its own curriculum in schools and building a 70 km long wall near Syria's northern city of Manbij, separating Turkey-occupied Syria from Aleppo. Speaking about the implementation of a demilitarization zone agreement in Syria's Idlib province signed between Turkey and Russia last year, Ja'afari also condemned Ankara for failing to implement what it had agreed to. "The Sochi agreement clearly stipulated that Turkey's side was committed to the withdrawal of the terrorists groups to a behind a buffer of 20km," he said. Many terrorist groups have remained in the demilitarization zone despite the agreement. Ja'afari made the comments as delegations from Iran, Russia and Turkey were in the Kazakh capital Nur-Sultan on Thursday for a two-day summit seeking an end to the eight-year conflict in Syria. The UN envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, also participated in the talks. The talks, which are collectively referred to as the Astana peace process, have so far helped significantly reduce violence gripping the Arab country by establishing four de-escalation zones there. They have also paved the way for the formation of a Constitutional Committee. Forming a constitutional committee is key to political reforms and new elections meant to unify Syria and end the conflict. In a final statement issued at the end of the 12th round of talks, Iran, Russia and Turkey also categorically rejected US President Donald Trump's formal recognition of Israeli sovereignty over occupied Syria's Golan Heights. "In this regard, they strongly condemned the decision of the US Administration to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, which constitutes a grave violation of international law, particularly the UN Security Council resolution 497, and threatens peace and security in the Middle East," read the statement. The pace talks were held as Syria's war against the foreign-backed terrorist groups is winding down, with the army reclaiming most of the terrain captured by the terrorists since the war began in 2011. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The two still hospitalized were at Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, hospital spokesperson.Marcie Crawford said. One remained in the intensive care unit in serious but stable condition, while the other was no longer in the ICU and listed in good condition, she said. Iranian Forces in Syria Remain 50 Miles Away From Israeli Border - Putin's Envoy Sputnik News 11:45 27.04.2019 NUR-SULTAN (Sputnik), Anastasia Levchenko - Iranian forces in Syria remain around 80 kilometers (50 miles) away from the border with Israel despite Washington's statement that it recognizes Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentyev told Sputnik in an interview. "We have reached agreement with our Iranian friends that certain units that have been there [at the Syrian border with Israel] in order to ensure security of the southern de-escalation zone will be transferred to a safe distance, from 75 to 80 kilometers. They fulfill their promises," Lavrentyev said, when asked if Trump's statement had triggered the approaching of Iranian forces to the border. In July 2018, Iran agreed, due to the Russian mediation, to move its units present in Syria away from the border with Israel by 85 kilometers, which significantly reduced Israeli concerns, according to the presidential envoy. The recent statement by US President Donald Trump on the US recognition of the Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, disputed between Israel and Syria, could have made Tehran change its decision and approach again the border with the disputed strategic plateau. Israel has been long accusing Tehran of using Syria as a playground for a possible future military attack against Tel Aviv. Tehran has repeatedly denied those claims, stressing that it solely provides military advisors' assistance to Syria at Damascus' request to help the country in its fight against terrorism. Foreign Troops Withdrawal Addressing the issue of foreign troops pullout, the Special Presidential Envoy noted that the idea to create an international working group on foreign troop withdrawal from Syria remains in place, but stabilisation in the Arab country must come first. "There was an idea to create this group in order to contribute to the Syrian crisis settlement and the withdrawal of foreign troops from the Syrian territory Perhaps, it would be righteous to make effort toward withdrawal of all the foreign [forces] from Syria, but to do this, a strong Syria is needed. The situation in Syria should be stabilized, and all the terrorist groups should be eliminated," Lavrentyev said. He recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin had praised the idea to create an international working group on foreign forces withdrawal from Syria as an interesting one. According to Lavrentyev, the Russian leader has said that it will be possible to return to this matter only after stabilization in Syria is reached. Media reports that Russia intended to create such a group, which could include Syrian neighbors, namely Israel, emerged in February. Syria Constitution Committee Touching upon the Syrian Constitution Committee matter, the diplomat said that the United Nations still disagreed with six names in the list of candidates for the committee, but work on its creation continues. "The fact is that these six names still need to be coordinated. The acceptable formula [of the committee's composition] is yet to be found I mean one that the government, the opposition and the [UN] special envoy [for Syria] would be satisfied with. But we are already close to this. Work continues. I just believe that time is needed, taking into consideration that the new special envoy has asked us to introduce a package solution, which would include everything, and has expressed his willingness [to favor it]," Lavrentyev said, when asked if the UN stand on the candidates for the committee had changed when a new special representative had been appointed. He explained that UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen had to announce the creation of the constitutional committee and its subsequent launch only after all the parameters were coordinated. "By the way, the process of defining the parameters is going on fine. I believe that progress is obvious. This is very good," Lavrentyev noted. Lavrentyev also raised hope that UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen, who was appointed to the position in late October 2018, will stay free from any foreign influence and will move the settlement process forward. "Everyone should be independent in the United Nations. Of course, we believe that he will not be subject to any influence. We hope for this. If he continues to stick to these principles, this will be a great help in moving the negotiations process forward," Lavrentyev said, when asked if he believed that Pedersen was an independent figure. New Summit on Syria When asked about the new summit on Syria, the diplomat told Sputnik that Russia, Turkey, France and Germany may hold new joint summits on the situation in Syria in the future. "It was quite an interesting format. In principle, we do not rule out that a new meeting in such format could be held, but only if there is hope to reach some really common results. Such meetings should have some 'added value' we should come up with some working options that will ensure the settlement of the Syrian crisis in various areas, including the humanitarian sphere, finance and reconstruction. Creative ideas should be in place, while our foreign partners have not proposed anything yet. Let's see what happens," Lavrentyev said in an interview. Russia, Turkey, France and Germany held a summit on Syria in late October 2018 in the Turkish city of Istanbul. A new meeting in such a format has not been planned yet. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Erdogan pledges to confront opponents in own party after elections loss Iran Press TV Sat Apr 27, 2019 03:45PM Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) suffered shock election defeats in the capital Ankara and commercial hub Istanbul last month, has vowed to confront opponents inside his own party. "While we're fighting outside, I have to say, we had people doing us wrong from the inside too," said Erdogan, while addressing a gathering of the AKP in the capital Ankara on Saturday. The March 31 elections saw Turks voting to elect mayors, municipal councils, and other local officials. Erdogan's AKP secured an overall victory with some 51 percent of the votes. The ruling party, however, suffered major defeats in the elections, which handed a victory to the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) in the political power base, Ankara and the third-largest city of Izmir. The city of Istanbul seems to have come out from under the AKP's 25-year rule as the results showed the CHP had narrowly won control of the country's economic, cultural and historic center. "What is going on in which province, in which district, all that information come to us. We know it all ... For the future of this organization, we will call them to account. We're not going to carry them on our backs," Erdogan said. The Turkish president said his party would keep up its legal campaign challenging the results and calling for recount. "Until the last moment, we will continue our legal struggle. It is certain that there is a scam here. We have to get the case resolved, so that we can find peace," he said. "Although we have won the districts, we will question why we lost the big cities," he said, adding, "We need to focus on what to do and how to evaluate this process, especially in the metropolitan cities". 'Istanbul mayoral election questionable' He further raised doubts about the credibility of the elections in Istanbul, saying documents show a very serious organized set-up in the polls. Erdogan said that his ruling party had succeeded in local elections held last month. "Every election is an exam, struggle and an opportunity for assessment. We substantially succeeded in the March 31 local elections," said Erdogan. Elsewhere in his remarks, the Turkish leader said Ankara was determined to continue its fight against terrorist groups in Syria. Ankara, which has been assisting several militant groups fighting to topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad, has moderated its initial hostility toward Damascus and been working with Iran and Russia to restore peace to Syria within the Astana talks. He also said that Turkey would take measures to acquire the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system despite US pressures from the United States. "We will continue taking steps to clear terror swamps in Syria and procure S-400 and similar security entrenchments," he said. Moscow and Ankara finalized an agreement on the delivery of the S-400 missile systems in December 2017. In April 2018, Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin announced an agreement on expediting the delivery of the missile systems. At the time it was said that the delivery could be made between late 2019 and early 2020. The deal has drawn concerns among some of Turkey's NATO allies, particularly the US, who claim the missile batteries are not compatible with those of the military alliance. The missile defense system, whose full name is the Triumph Mobile Multiple Anti-Aircraft Missile System (AAMS), is an advanced Russian missile system designed to detect, track, and destroy planes, drones, or missiles as far as 402 kilometers away. It has previously been sold only to China and India. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Erdogan Vows to Further Boost Turkey's Security With S-400 Despite Spat With US Sputnik News 20:01 27.04.2019 The US has threatened Turkey with expulsion from the F-35 programme as well as with sanctions if it doesn't drop its deal with Russia. Washington claims that the Russian systems could reveal weaknesses of the F-35 once deployed in the country. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that Turkey will continue to boost its security, even if by doing so it leads to disagreements with other states as has been the case with its procurement of Russian S-400s in regards to Ankara's bilateral relations with the US. "We have serious disagreements with the US regarding the S-400 acquisition. But despite what others say, what is important for us is the future of our country. We will take steps to drain the swamp of terrorism in Syria and will proceed with [the] S-400 [purchase] and similar security reinforcements. Some say one thing, others another. But what is important, is what we say", Erdogan stated. Earlier, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Turkey that its participation in the Joint Strike Fighter project could be terminated along with F-35 deliveries due to Ankara insisting on acquiring Russian S-400 air defence systems. Washington has also threatened Turkey with sanctions for purchasing Russian military equipment. The US claims that if Turkey deploys S-400s in the country, the systems will be able to collect data on the F-35 and transfer it to Moscow, possibly revealing the jet's weaknesses. Washington has offered Ankara an American "analogue" instead, the Patriot missile system, but it is capable of downing only enemy missiles whereas the S-400 is also capable of downing hostile planes and drones. Turkey has insisted on keeping its deal with Russia, with Erdogan stressing that the US has failed to offer a better deal to replace it with. Turkish authorities have slammed the US plans to freeze F-35 deliveries, noting that Ankara has invested in the development of the aircraft and already paid for the first planes. An unnamed source recently told the website Defence News that if Turkey fails to obtain the American jets, Ankara will be looking at Russian fighters as a replacement. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Putin Says He May Expand Russian Citizenship Decree To Include All Ukrainians By RFE/RL April 27, 2019 Russian President Vladimir Putin says his administration is considering a plan to ease the process of granting Russian citizenship to all Ukrainians, not only those in war-torn parts of eastern Ukraine. The remark, made by Putin on April 27 at a summit in Beijing, is likely to further inflame tensions with Kyiv, and with the incoming administration of President-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy. "In general, we are thinking of giving our citizenship, in a simplified manner, to the citizens of Ukraine," Putin said. Zelenskiy won a landslide victory in the April 21 vote, defeating Petro Poroshenko, who has been president since just after Russia annexed the Crimea Peninsula and helped start a war in parts of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region in 2014. Putin has not congratulated Zelenskiy on his victory. Instead, the Kremlin announced a plan to grant citizenship to residents of regions currently controlled by Russia-backed separatists-- a decision that was widely seen as highly provocative. That drew a swift and angry response from Kyiv, the United States, Britain, and the European Union, as well as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe -- the international organization tasked with monitoring compliance with the 2015 Minsk peace agreements. Poroshenko said Putin's decree "is actually about the Kremlin's preparations for the next step of aggression against our state -- the annexation of the Ukrainian Donbas or the creation of a Russian enclave in Ukraine." In his news conference in Beijing, Putin also said he was open to meeting with Zelenskiy. "If we meet someday, begin some talks -- and I'm not ruling this out -- then we must talk about how to end the conflict in southeastern Ukraine in the first place," he was quoted as saying. Observers point to other frozen conflicts in former Soviet republics where Russia has granted citizenship to residents of separatist-held territory in order to choreograph demographic changes over time and justify future military operations. In 2002, the Kremlin began granting Russian citizenship to residents of Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. That policy that helped raise the number of Russian passport holders there from about 20 percent to more than 85 percent of the population. Then, when Russia went to war against Georgia in August 2008, the Kremlin justified its deployment of Russian military forces in Abkhazia and South Ossetia by saying those forces were needed to protect Russia citizens in the separatist regions. Russian media reports say Russia also has issued its passports to nearly half of the residents of Moldova's Moscow-backed breakaway region of Transdniester. With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian, Georgian, and Moldovan services, Reuters, and AP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-says-he-may- expand-controversial-russian-citizenship-decree-to -include-all-ukrainians/29907196.html Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, April 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ARABIAN TRAVEL MARKET STAND CR1955 Blacklane has launched its chauffeur services in Amman, Jordan and Beirut, Lebanon. Blacklane now offers chauffeured rides in 20 cities and 10 Middle East countries. To support its continued growth in the Middle East and Africa, Blacklane will hire sales and operations staff in its Dubai office this year. The Middle East is a unique market full of new opportunities. Travelers to and from the region expect high-quality service and premium brands, said Jens Wohltorf, CEO and co-founder of Blacklane. We will add more cities across the region to be travelers premium chauffeur service, as we already are in more than 300 cities. Among the unique aspects of Blacklanes guests residing in the Middle East: They are 50 percent more likely than other guests to sign up on Blacklanes mobile apps. This is in line with research by Global Media Insight showing that 61 percent of UAE internet traffic is on smartphones. They are twice as likely to book the Business Van/SUV class as guests from other parts of the world. Nearly one in five rides taken in the last 12 months occurred in the U.K. The USA was a close second, followed by the UAE, France and Germany. Globally, Blacklane serves more than 300 cities and 60 countries with chauffeured rides. Blacklane PASS, its airport concierge service, reaches more than 500 airports worldwide. All Blacklane services give guests: Top quality worldwide at rates well below legacy providers prices. Technology that makes premium travel services available and affordable for a broader market of travelers. All-inclusive rates comprising all base fares, taxes, tolls and fees guaranteed at the time of booking. Full duty of care. Commercially licensed English-speaking chauffeurs and concierges. Meet-and-greet, including luggage assistance. Real-time flight tracking and adjustment of pickup times according to actual arrival times. Chauffeur and concierge contact information. 24/7 multi-lingual customer service. About Blacklane ( blacklane.com ) Blacklane is the global premium mobility service. We take stress out of travel across more than 500 airports, 300 cities and 60 countries. We guarantee high-quality chauffeur and airport concierge services at fair, fixed and all-inclusive rates. Book Blacklane on our website or mobile apps or via distribution and channel partners. Blacklane Press Contact More than 600,000 Virginians most of them poor and living on the edges of society owe a debt of gratitude to Sen. Bill Stanley and Gov. Ralph Northam: As of July 1, theyll have their drivers licenses which are currently revoked because of their inability to pay court fines, fees and costs restored, and theyll be able to re-enter society. Stanley, a Franklin County Republican who represents part of Pittsylvania County in the General Assembly, had proposed a separate bill in the 2019 session of the General Assembly to accomplish the task. The legislation sailed through the Senate but hit a brick wall in the House of Delegates at the hands of Majority Leader Todd Gilbert of Shenandoah. Gilbert took a hard line when the bill came up in committee, decrying it as eliminating any accountability for people who break the law and fail to pay their fines. The majority leader bottled up Stanleys bill in a House committee and killed it. But Stanley, a lawyer in private life whos seen the effects a revoked license can have on the poor, decided to continue his fight. In meetings with Northam and his staff, Stanley broached the idea that the governor, with whom hed served in the Senate, could propose a budget amendment that would accomplish the job. When the Assembly reconvened earlier this month for a one-day veto session, Northams amendment passed the full House on 70-29 vote and the Senate on a 30-8 vote. Addressing this inequity in Virginias court system is a matter of simple justice. Suppose you get pulled over and ticketed for improper equipment, say a broken taillight, or an expired registration. If youre a single mom with a couple of children working a minimum wage job, chances are that fines and court costs might well be the difference between buying bread and sandwich meats for your kids or not. Or it might be what youd pay for the high blood pressure medication you need to stay healthy enough to work and support your family. So you make the choice to put your familys well-being before a court bill yes, its wrong, but on a moral plain, which is the greater good? As the weeks and months go by, the notices and the bills from the court keep coming in the mail. With each one, you become more depressed, dreading going to the mailbox each day. Finally, a notice from the Department of Motor Vehicles arrives telling you that your license has been revoked for failure to pay what is now a hefty bill. You cant legally operate your car now without risk of another ticket and another set of fines and fees. So what do you do? Some folks drive illegally in order to get to work, risking everything for their families, while others, out of fear, lose their jobs and their only means of support and of paying those steadily rising fees. Rent or medicine or food or electricity or the court fees. Its a legal trap state officials say more than 627,000 Virginians are caught in. And the folks who are most affected are the poor who live in rural Virginia where there likely is no public transportation to get to work, the grocery or the doctors office. In other words, the parts of Virginia very much like those Stanley represents. Over the course of his private career and his eight years in the Assembly, Stanley has seen how individuals and their families are affected by license revocation. After a while, its not enough to help one person at a time; you realize its the system that needs to be overhauled. And thats where Bill Stanley was when the 2019 session convened: It was time to help hundreds of thousands of Virginians in one fell swoop, not one at a time. According to Reason magazine, 41 states revoke drivers licenses for failure to pay fines and court fees, but in recent years, theres been a move afoot to abolish the practice. Both conservatives and liberals have come to view the practice as illogical and unfair. Illogical because, in revoking a license, the state removes the very means a person needs to earn a living and try to start working with the court to pay his debt. Unfair because it targets the poorest of the poor and only serves to knock them further down the economic ladder. Contrary to what Stanleys foes insinuated, court debts arent wiped away, nor is license revocation repealed for those whove been charged with dangerous driving infractions. What will happen July 1 is simple: If you have court debt you cant pay, you wont have the only means to earn a living, support your family and work to pay off that debt snatched away from you. Our thanks and the gratitude of 627,000 poor Virginians go out to Sen. Stanley and his allies from across the political spectrum for putting the commonwealth at cutting edge of judicial reform. Dear brothers in Christ, Greetings from Colombo, Sri Lanka, in the name of our crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ! I wanted to write to you immediately to reassure you, first, that my family and I are all safely at home in Colombo, and to give you an idea of what it was like for us yesterday. Early in the morning, at about 6.30, we left for Kuliyapitiya, which is just over two hours from our house, to attend Easter service with the Sinhalese colloquy students and congregation. During the service, we had the joy of the occasion of the baptism of three infants, which is significant, because this congregation previously only practiced infant dedication. It was during that church service that I learned about the bombings that had been carried out at several churches and hotels in Colombo, Negombo and elsewhere on the island. Subsequently I preached a sermon, which was translated into Sinhala, on the topics of (1) the truth of Christs resurrection, (2) the perfection of the image of infant baptism as a model of Gods grace without our works and (3) that we rejoice for these newly baptized infants, no matter what hardships, persecutions or difficulties they may face because of their baptism, because we know that an everlasting inheritance is prepared for all who are in Christ, who through baptism are crucified and risen with him to new life. We rejoice in our sufferings, considering ourselves blessed and honored to suffer for so great a king as the Lord God. We rejoice in the knowledge that whatever we suffer for the sake of our love for Jesus Christ pales in comparison to what he suffered out of love for us. And further we rejoice, because the sufferings of this life are not worthy of comparison with the glory that awaits us in the kingdom of heaven. After the service, our kind hosts provided a delicious Sinhalese meal for us, though everyones hearts were heavy because of the news of the morning. We were unsure what to do next whether to stay at a nearby hotel in Kuliyapitiya, or to return home to Colombo. In the end, we decided it would be best to return home, if possible, and hope that the roads would be open. On the way back, we picked up some supplies to get us through the next couple of days. We saw the military guards at the general hospital as we passed through Negombo. Then as we were driving, Pastor Devanesan called to tell us to avoid Baseline Road, which was on our way home, because another bombing was being reported in Dematagoda (Colombo), so we drove a different route. Then again, when we were in Colombo, another bomb went off near the zoo, not far from where we live. Thankfully, we made it home safely around 3 p.m., though we were disturbed by the events of the day, unsure of whether we would continue to hear of more attacks. Still we do not know if it is all over. When we returned home, my wife Monica tried to give the children some better memories for the day. She had them find some plastic eggs full of jelly beans, which she had hidden around the house. Then the older boys hid eggs for the younger kids. We gave them some chocolate eggs that I had brought back from the United States. We opened our hymnals and sang our first Easter songs in English. Watched a movie together. Said bedtime prayers. Then finally, after tucking them into their beds, as I was closing their bedroom door, I remembered to teach them to say what we had not said all day: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Thank you to all of you who have been praying for us, and for the people and country of Sri Lanka. We thank God that we are safe. Pastor Malhburg and his family are also safe, who were traveling in Hatton. No one in the Lutheran Church was harmed either. Yet we are also deeply saddened about the hundreds who have died, the many more injured, their families, and the entire country, which is terribly affected by these dreadful crimes. For the next couple of days we will just be staying at home, as school has been cancelled until Wednesday, and the government has imposed a strict nationwide curfew of 6pm. Please continue to pray for Sri Lanka, commending us to the care of our loving Father. Lord, have mercy! In these last days, may the light of the Gospel of Christ shine into the darkness, and may we be a light to the nations. Amen. Naumann and his wife are Lutheran Church Missouri Synod missionaries serving in Sri Lanka. A native of Scotland, he holds a masters degree in classics from the University of Edinburgh, a Master of Divinity degree from Concordia Theological Seminary in Indiana and a masters degree and doctorate from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He sent this message to friends and supporters, including some in Danville through whom permission was granted to the Register & Bee to republish this first-hand account of the terrorist bombings in Sri Lanka on Easter Day. There was also some concern about regulating one type of group and denying another a little later in the year. Village attorney Adam Simon said since the suggested change in the ordinance dealt only with numbers rather than message there should not be a problem. The Simpsons 8 p.m. (WGHP) When the Simpsons enjoy a family vacation in Niagara Falls, Lisa is mistakenly granted political asylum in Canada in this new episode. The situation forces Marge and Lisa to re-evaluate their love for America as they spend time in Canada. How Close Can I Beach? 8 p.m. (HGTV) Cameras follow a couple looking to buy their first home in St. Petersburg, Fla., in this new episode. They search for a property close to the beach with plenty of room to grow and entertain others. Jeremy Wades Dark Waters 9 p.m. (ANIMAL PLANET) Jeremy Wade heads to Alaska to learn about the disappearance of the majestic king salmon in this new episode. He travels through the heart of grizzly bear country, remote communities. Bake You Rich 10 p.m. (FOOD NETWORK) While one baker has a full-on meltdown, another baker is forced to change their recipe in the fly in this new episode. The chefs create a chocolate-cinnamon-pecan roll, salty sweet pretzel bark, a fancy almond cake and a savory meat pie. Find extended listings and daily grids at www.greensboro.com/tv_week and every Friday in the TV Week section in the News & Record. She said her accomplishments while on the council include the completion of the Independence Hill stormwater project to alleviate flooding, getting the Bridgeview area pulled out of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency flood zone map, saving residents there thousands of dollars a year in insurance, placing a moratorium on new apartments in her ward and working toward getting the first public park in her ward. Furthermore, the possibility that the administration might, in fact, successfully close the border at some point may have the perverse effect of convincing those who thought they might leave home someday to try their luck now, before crossing into the U.S. becomes too difficult. Democrats intent on resisting what they see as the presidents cynical and uncaring policy preferences are complicit in the current mess. Many Democrats unapologetically object to efforts to enforce existing U.S. immigration law. And some Democrat-controlled cities, in declaring themselves sanctuaries, have in effect broadcast to intending migrants: Just get here and we will help you avoid deportation. Part of what has made the current crisis so difficult to manage is that migrants are arriving in large groups and as families. They believe there is safety in numbers. But theres another reason. Those organizing these caravans know that the U.S. facilities to detain migrants are insufficient. The strategy of showing up en masse is calculated to overwhelm and force U.S. immigration to process and parole those who surrender to the Border Patrol or are apprehended after crossing illegally. And they bring their children because their home countries are not just poor, but violent. They also know they are more likely to be admitted and less likely to be detained if they arrive with children. Guilford County Association of Educators announces Raleigh prote (copy) (copy) Members of the Guilford County Association of Educators plan to join fellow educators at a May 1 protest in Raleigh during announcement in Gre Downtown Raleigh will become filled with a sea of red on Wednesday as thousands of teachers and their supporters flood downtown Raleigh to march on the state legislature. How big? Organizers of the N.C. Association of Educators march expect the crowd to be at least as large as last year's protest, when about 19,000 people marched on the Capitol. Teacher Rally Raleigh (copy) (copy) Thousands of educators and supporters rally on the Bicentennial Plaza during the 2018 March For Our Students and Rally for Respect in Raleigh. No school for many This year, at least 30 of the state's 115 school districts including Guilford County, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County, Lexington City Schools and Thomasville City Schools have canceled classes on May 1 because so many teachers and other school employees have requested the day off. The Guilford County Board of Education turned June 11, a previously scheduled teacher workday for most schools, into a student day, extending the school year which was supposed to end on June 7. Some schools that are not on the traditional calendar will substitute one of their previously scheduled workdays instead of June 11. What educators want What N.C. Association of Educators is calling for: Providing enough school librarians, psychologists, social workers, counselors, nurses and other health professionals to meet national standards. Providing a $15 minimum wage for all school personnel, a 5% raise for all school employees and a 5% cost of living adjustment for retirees. Expanding Medicaid to improve the health of students and families. Reinstating state retiree health benefits for teachers who will be hired after 2021. Restoring extra pay for teachers with advanced degrees such as a masters degree. What critics say Senate leader Phil Berger and Civitas call the protest a strike. North Carolina is a right-to-work state, so public sector employees like teachers are not allowed to strike. "This year, the far-left NCAE is calling on teachers to strike despite historic increases in teacher pay and education spending under Republican leadership," Berger said in a statement Wednesday. It reduces instructional time or alters the school calendar. Rep. Craig Horn, a Union County Republican and co-chairman of the House Education Committee, said NCAE runs the risk of wearing people out with another protest. Guilford effort More than 1,300 members of the Guilford County Association of Educators requested May 1 off, according to the group. Bus transportation to and from Raleigh is available with advance, prepaid ($8.50) reservations, at: High Point Central High Page High Smith High Participants should arrive at 7; buses leave at 7:30 a.m. Sign up for buses at http://bit.ly/GCAEtoRaleigh. GCAE says anyone can ride the bus (retirees, community supporters, kids), but everyone must sign up and pay. Guilford County Association of Educators announces Raleigh prote (copy) (copy) Mark Jewell, North Carolina Association of Educators president, announces plan for Guilford County educators to join fellow NC educators at a The Raleigh schedule 10 a.m., pre-rally begins at NCAE headquarters. At 10:30 a.m., march begins using Fayetteville Street as the main travel route. The march will go around the State Capitol Building, through Bicentennial Plaza, around the General Assembly and then to Halifax Mall behind the Legislative Building. At 12:30 p.m., a rally begins on Halifax Mall. At 1:30 p.m., march attendees hold regional meetings with state lawmakers. At 2:30 p.m., event ends. At 3:30 p.m., buses pick up people at NCAE headquarters to take them home. Sources: Tribune News Service, Guilford County Association of Educators She said Republicans support the bill not only because they want harsher penalties on abortion doctors, but also because its a wedge issue. Its an easy way to put lawmakers on the other side of the aisle on the record, making it easy to paint them as extremists, Ziegler said. And Democrats will often vote against it even though its not about abortion, per se. The bill doesnt appear to contradict current laws, either. A widely-circulated tweet by an activist for abortion rights suggested infants younger than 30 days old cant be added to a will in North Carolina. Heath Dedmond, a Raleigh-based estate law attorney, told us hes not aware of any such law. I wont swear theres nothing, but off the top of my head, I dont know of anything like that, Dedmond said in a phone interview. Once youre alive, youre alive. James B. McLaughlin Jr. teaches the course on wills at Campbell Law School in downtown Raleigh. He said people may bequeath property to future generations even if theyre not born yet. At a company that has never been more profitable, whose top executives drive home with seven- and eight-figure paychecks and whose primary resource is the good-spirited, public-facing people who greet guests day after day, why are we dancing around a minimum wage anyway? Im not arguing that Iger and others do not deserve bonuses. They do. They have led the company brilliantly. I am saying that the people who contribute to its success also deserve a share of the profits they have helped make happen. There are just over 200,000 employees at Disney. If management wants to improve life for just the bottom 10 percent of its workers, Disney could probably set aside just half of its executive bonus pool, and it would likely have twice as much as it would need to give that bottom decile a $2,000 bonus. Besides, at the pay levels we are talking about, an executive giving up half his bonus has zero effect on his quality of life. For the people at the bottom, it could mean a ticket out of poverty or debt. It could offer access to decent health care or an education for a child. Here is my suggestion to the Walt Disney Co. leadership. Lead. If any of this rings any moral bells for you, know that you are uniquely situated to model a different way of doing business. Reward all of your workers fairly. Dont turn away when they tell you they are unable to make ends meet. You do not exist merely for the benefit of shareholders and managers. Reward all the people who make you successful, help rebuild the American middle class and respect the dignity of the men and women who work just as hard as you do to make Disney the amazing company it is. Abigail Disney is the grandniece of Walt Disney and granddaughter of co-founder Roy O. Disney. She came home after a week or so in sixth grade complaining about Mr. Boyd. He, she said, was not following the book. Other social studies students with other teachers were further ahead and Mr. Boyd was instead skipping all over the book. Additionally, Mr. Boyd required outside reading. He wanted them to use the library for supplemental texts. He wanted them to do individual research, read newspapers and other periodicals and to think and extrapolate and form an opinion. Once I heard her complaint, I knew she had just the teacher she needed for such a time as this. After realizing that Momma did not share her concerns, she actually started enjoying the class. By midterm, my math whiz was enjoying social studies and credited her embrace of this abstract subject matter to Mr. Boyd. Years later, when asked to write a college essay on the person who had the most influence on her, yep, she wrote about Mr. Boyd. Half of all American adults have had someone in their immediate family go to jail or prison. I am one of them. My son is Kenneth Stanley, but we call him Graham. Graham was just 25 when he went to prison. He was heavily addicted to cocaine when he made the worst decision of his life and agreed to drive the vehicle in which a drug deal took place. Hed never been arrested before that. His sentence? Fourteen- and-a-half years in prison. I still remember the moment when the judge said Grahams sentence was quite harsh, but he had no choice but to impose it. I didnt get it at first. No choice? But he was right. That judge had to give my son all that prison time because of North Carolinas mandatory minimum drug sentencing laws. My son now has spent more than a decade behind bars. Hes taken that time to beat his addiction and rehabilitate himself, taking advantage of as much programming as he can. Hes even become a certified barber and has a job ready for him at my hair salon once hes released. Thats a good thing. But five more years? Jonathan Blob did not need to see the Freshii location at Stamford Hospital to know that when it came to a nutritious, healthy dining concept, it was the right one for him. After introducing the brand five years ago to southwestern Connecticut, Blob is looking ahead to Freshiis first spring on Greenwich Avenue, with the warmer months typically the busiest for wholesome food options like Freshii. The spring and summer dining season will expand Freshiis staff by about 20 people from 30 in the summer months, both at the Westport and Greenwich locations as well as in White Plains, N.Y. The Greenwich resident opened his first Freshii franchise in Westport in 2013 after a career in finance, taking over an art-gallery space near the base of Main Street. He opened a second location in Fairfield that did not last due to poor foot traffic and a customer base that overlapped somewhat with Westport. Last year, Freshii took over a former Greenwich Salad Co. storefront on The Avenue. I really liked the healthy, fast-casual space (and) I was looking to make a career change, Blob told Hearst Connecticut Media. Freshii was one that really intrigued me its the company that (was) the fastest-growing to 100 stores. ... Faster than McDonalds, faster than Subway, faster than Starbucks. Freshii did so by emphasizing health and convenience at an affordable price, with the menu featuring salads and bowls; wraps and burritos; and smoothies and juices among other items, as well as coffii and breakfast wraps. But in February, the companys founder acknowledged the business has recently been struggling with a cohort of underperforming stores amid a rapid expansion that added 70 locations last year. While Freshii reported a 1 percent decline in same-store sales last year across its footprint, overall revenue was up 25 percent to $172 million. A key takeaway from me which Im deliberately correcting in 2019 is that weve been trying to do too much at once, CEO Matthew Corrin said on a conference call. As we grew quickly, the business got increasingly complex. We had more opportunities and also more problems than ever before, and we try to tackle them all at once. As we move into 2019, its very clear to me that we need to do fewer things, but to do them better. With franchise rights in Fairfield and Westchester counties he does not own the Stamford Hospital location Blob said he envisions eventually opening additional Freshii locations in the region. In the meantime, he is enjoying Freshiis newest restaurant on Greenwich Avenue, less than 10 minutes from his home. This is naturally a fit for me obviously its my home, Blob said. I eat here. ... I spend a lot of my time in this store. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman GREENWICH Celebrity pizza chef Bruno DiFabio doesnt need to be asked twice to geek out about the science of pizza. He ferments his dough for 36 to 48 hours, which releases the carbon dioxide, creating a light, airy crust. The fermentation also cultivates a probiotic that breaks down the complex starches in the dough, making his pizza easy to digest. He ages his flour for five months, allowing enzymes to create a simple sugar byproduct. That reduces the amount of added sugar that the active yeast needs to eat, lowering the carbohydrates in his crust. But we dont sacrifice flavor, he quickly added. Ten varieties of his flavorful, scientific pizza which he boasts are obsessively authentic are encased in a sparkling display at the back of a low-ceiling, brick shop, attracting a steady stream of passersby from nearby Greenwich Avenue, who duck inside for a slice, or a roll, for lunch. The Food Network veteran and his nephew Nick Guerrero opened Lord of the Pies, an homage to his nickname, last week. But delivery requests along the Post Road have already picked up and hungry employees from the Apple store and Richards have made Greenwichs newest pizza place on Grigg Street their lunch stop. Local businesses have been incredibly welcoming, DiFabio said. DiFabio spent his adolescence in Greenwich, attending Western Junior Middle School and Greenwich High School, graduating in 1987. He also volunteered with the Greenwich Boys Club, now the Greenwich Boys & Girls Club. Greenwich High School really prepared me for college, he said. The school cultivated his creative writing abilities, and he hopes to release a collection of short stories with culinary themes in the near future. Guerrero owns the two Brasitas restaurants in Norwalk and Stamford. When the spot near the Avenue opened up, Guerrero went to see whether he could expand his pan-Latin restaurants to Greenwich. But his uncle DiFabio noted that the small space was ideal for take-out and delivery and said it screams pizza place. Hopefully we catch people many times a month, he said. We want to be their new favorite destination. Customers can opt for grandmas old-school New York pizza, or get a taste of Michigan with his classic Detroit pan pizza. Motor City pizza is known for its crust, which is covered in cheese that caramelizes against the hot pan. DiFabio owns a chain of restaurants in Fairfield County, including Amore Cucina & Bar in Stamford and ReNapoli in Old Greenwich, as well as pizza places in New Canaan and Wilton and in Pound Ridge and Scarsdale, N.Y. I like the challenge of designing restaurants and bringing my passion for food to the community and creating jobs, he said. The opening comes six months after DiFabio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to file false income tax returns and payroll tax returns. He failed to pay the IRS a total of $816,954 in income taxes and employment taxes for the 2013 through 2015 tax years. DiFabio does not hide his past, but that experience has changed the way he operates his businesses. Many establishments pay employees off-the-books, and some restaurant workers seek jobs from his businesses expecting that; but now, DiFabio said, all of his employees are on the payroll and he turns away people seeking the cash-only arrangement. One Greenwich woman stopped in with her son and grandson, ordered pizza and congratulated the staff on the opening. When Tesla goes out of business, what we need is a pizza place, she said. jo.kroeker@hearstmediact.com MONROE 1974 had been weird enough already. Americans were reeling from the energy crisis, Watergate and the resignation of their president. Then word leaked out of an exploding crucifix, flying furniture and a talking cat in a small home on Bridgeports Lindley Street. People wanted answers. In stepped Ed and Lorraine Warren, of Monroe. And the paranormal world changed forever. On Good Friday, it was announced that Lorraine Warren left this world Thursday night at age 92 perhaps joining her husband, who died in 2006 in a place more interesting to them. After all Ed, was a self-taught demonologist and Lorraine a self-professed clairvoyant and spiritual medium. On Thursday night, Nick Grossmann of Ghost Storm was leading a ghost hunting tour at the Twisted Vine restaurant in downtown Derby. I was with Lorraines niece, (Julie Zaffis-Marron) at about 9:30 p.m., when her phone completely died, Grossman said. That often happens when a spiritual presence is passing by. No one elses phone died. But when Zaffis-Marron got home, her phone turned on with 50 percent power, Grossmann said. I really believe the two incidents are connected, he said. Lorraine was clairvoyant. In 1952, the Warrens found their calling and created the New England Society of Psychic Research. Twenty-two years later, according to Ray Bendici in Damned Connecticut.com, Lindley Street in Bridgeport became the epicenter for one of the most documented hauntings in Connecticut History. Scary times The public already had an appetite for such things. The Exorcist released in 1973 was still terrifying movie audiences. And Lindley Street? Thousands began making pilgrimages to the site. Some carried religious artifacts while others brought cameras and binoculars hoping to catch a glimpse of the supernatural. Lindley Street put paranormal investigations on the map, said Rose Porto, lead investigator of Connecticut Spirit Investigations and Researchers, in Hamden. If it wasnt for the Warrens, I wouldnt be doing what I am now. Porto is investigating possible hauntings at a house in Milford and another in Hamden. On Feb . 23 she said, she confirmed that a friendly spirit called Ben who had taken up space inside Ramen-Ya, a Japanese restaurant in Berlin. While Porto said she never called Warren for advice just knowing she was still around was sort of a comfort, especially because she was local, Porto said. And if there was a paranormal issue or problem, who better to ask? Its a tremendous loss to the whole paranormal field. Grossmann said that because of the Warrens, paranormal and ghost-hunting shows now populate TV. To the Warrens, Lindley Street reeked of demonic possession, or at least a poltergeist. Even police and firefighters who entered the home reported unbelievable happenings. The homes address was 966 Lindley Street turn the first number over and you have 666. The Warrens called for an exorcism. Then police interviewed the 10-year-old native girl from Canada the family had adopted. She admitted to everything, police officials said. And by Christmas everything calmed down. But the Warrens went on, branching into books and movies. Screen legacy In 1974 they were called to home in Harrisville, R.I., where they claimed the angry spirit of Bathsheba Thayer was targeting the family. This became the story line behind The Conjuring , a currently popular movie series. The next year the Warrens were in Amityville, on New Yorks Long Island, investigating the home where Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered six members of his family. That turned into the Amityville Horror movie franchise. In 1986, there was the former funeral home in Southington rented by the Snedeker family, which the Warrens claimed was haunted by spirits of the dead allegedly abused by morticians. This made it to the screens as A Haunting in Connecticut. And there was the White Lady of Easton, who supposedly haunts the towns Union Cemetery and perhaps the Stepney Cemetery in Monroe, which is where Ed Warren is buried. But Joe Nickell, a former private detective and senior research fellow for the Committee of Skeptical Inquiry, doesnt buy any of the Warrens claims. Im the only full-time professional paranormal investigator who has never met a ghost, demon or poltergeist, even when Im supposedly just inches away, he said Friday. Things came to a head during a debate with the Warrens in 1992 over the Southington funeral home haunting, which was the subject of their being together on a taping of the Sally Jessy Raphael talk show. Harsh words were exchanged. Ive investigated haunted houses for some 20 years and Ive never met a house that I thought was haunted, Nickell said afterwards. I think the Warrens have not met a house that they didnt think was haunted. With both Warrens gone, Tony Spera, their son-in-law, now heads the New England Society of Psychic Research. The family requests that you respect their privacy at this time, the societys website read on Friday. Lorraine touched many lives and was loved by so many. She was a remarkable, loving, compassionate and giving soul. After four months of campaigning, the Democratic presidential race remains wide open, with the bulk of the electorate still uncommitted, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll. Asked to name the candidate they currently support, 54 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents did not volunteer anyone. That figure is little changed from 56 percent in January, despite a slew of candidate announcements, vigorous campaigning in the early primary and caucus states, multiple cable television town halls and interviews and constant fundraising appeals. Among the minority who expressed a preference, former vice president Joe Biden holds a tenuous advantage over Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. At least 20 contenders are courting a Democratic electorate closely divided over whether to nominate someone who can energize the party's core constituencies or win over political independents. Biden's campaign is centered on the idea of being the most likely to defeat President Donald Trump in a general election. But slightly more Democrats and Democratic-leaning adults prefer a candidate whose positions are closest to theirs, rather than the one who seems most electable. Democratic candidates have played to big and enthusiastic audiences in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. But the high and persistent level of uncertainty suggests that many Democratic voters are considering multiple options or have yet to pay much attention nine months before the Iowa caucuses. It also indicates that support for most candidates is more tenuous than suggested by surveys that ask respondents to choose among the lengthy list of Democratic contenders. The Post-ABC poll, conducted largely before Biden's Thursday campaign announcement, asked whom respondents support in an open-ended format that did not name any of the candidates. The results show notably lower levels of support than produced in polls that ask people to pick from a list of names. Biden tops the field with 13 percent among Democrats and Democratic-leaning adults, followed by Sanders at 9 percent and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 5 percent. Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts are at 4 percent, while former congressman Beto O'Rourke of Texas is at 3 percent. Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Cory Booker of New Jersey are at 1 percent each. Support for Biden has ticked up four percentage points since a Post-ABC poll in January that used the same open-ended format. Sanders gained five points in that time, as has Buttigieg, whose name was not volunteered by any respondents three months ago. Support for Harris has dipped four points from January. The poll finds less than 1 percent of Democratic-leaning adults volunteering former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper, former San Antonio mayor Julian Castro and entrepreneur Andrew Yang. None of the survey's 427 Democratic and Democratic-leaning respondents volunteered Rep. John Delaney of Maryland, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington, Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio, Rep. Eric Swalwell of California or author Marianne Williamson. Biden has a clearer advantage over Sanders when taking into account a follow-up question asking which candidate Democrats lean toward, which still did not name candidates. The poll finds 17 percent support or are leaning toward Biden, compared with 11 percent for Sanders, 5 percent for Buttigieg and 4 percent each for Harris, Warren and O'Rourke. No other candidate breaks 2 percent. Biden benefits from double-digit support among a wide range of Democratic and political groups, when taking into account both initial support and respondents' leanings. He garners 19 percent support among moderate-to-conservative Democrats, and 13 percent among self-identified liberals, just slightly behind Sanders's 16 percent in that latter group. Biden receives similar levels of support among whites and nonwhites, as well as among rank-and-file Democrats and independents who lean toward the party. Biden receives 18 percent support among men and 16 percent among women, who make up a clear majority of Democratic voters. Biden has been criticized recently by several women who said he made them uncomfortable with hugs or other physical expressions of affection. He has said he recognizes that in the #MeToo era, he must be more respectful. Younger Democrats are a clear weak spot for Biden, with 7 percent of those under age 40 expressing support for his candidacy. That compares with 24 percent support among Democratic-leaning adults ages 40-64 and 25 percent support among seniors. Sanders's support is fairly even across the primary electorate in this Post-ABC poll. He receives a similar level of support among whites and nonwhites, as well as among college graduates and those without four-year degrees, and among those with higher and lower incomes. But Sanders, among the progressive candidates in the Democratic field, receives 16 percent among liberals compared with 8 percent among moderate-to-conservative Democrats. He also receives twice as much support from independents who lean Democratic vs. rank-and-file Democrats, echoing a pattern from his 2016 campaign. Sanders's 2016 strength among younger adults continues. He has the support of 14 percent of Democratic leaners under age 40, though he also receives 12 percent support among those ages 40-64. He receives just 4 percent support among seniors. Buttigieg's 5 percent support is spread fairly evenly across demographic groups, with the exception of education and race: 10 percent of college graduates support him compared with 3 percent of those without four-year degrees. And while 8 percent of white Democratic leaners back Buttigieg, that falls to 3 percent among nonwhites. The Post-ABC poll finds stark demographic and political divides in which Democrats have chosen a favorite candidate so far, an indication of how some highly engaged groups are driving early vote preferences while the influence of others may not be seen until closer to the primary contests. Education is a principal divide. In the open-ended question, 61 percent of college graduates volunteer support for a candidate. That compares with 35 percent of Democratic-leaners without college degrees. Liberals are 17 points more likely to name a candidate at this stage than are moderate or conservative Democrats. Men are 15 points more likely to name a candidate at this stage than are women. Race and age also factor in, with whites and Democrats 40 and older more likely to state support for a candidate. As the Democratic electorate pays more attention, it appears divided over which political traits are most important in a party standard-bearer. Asked to choose which is more important, 48 percent say they prefer a candidate who is best positioned to energize the Democratic base, while 44 percent prefer a candidate who can best win over independent voters. A separate question finds about 4 in 10 Democratic-leaning adults saying it is more important to choose a candidate who seems most likely to defeat Trump in the general election, though slightly more say they should choose the candidate whose issue positions are closest to theirs. Both findings suggest ample room for candidates to appeal to voters on policy issues and on the question of electability in the coming months. The Post-ABC poll was conducted by telephone April 22-25 among a random national sample of 1,001 adults, with 65 percent reached on cellphones and 35 percent on landlines. The margin of sampling error among 427 Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents is plus or minus 5.5 percentage points. - - - The Washington Post's Emily Guskin contributed to this report. A documentary featuring newly discovered home-movie footage filmed at the Warsaw Ghetto is set to be released in Poland. In his film "Warsaw: A City Divided", which will premiere next month, Eric Bednarski explores the topic of the notorious Ghetto and its influence on the Polish capital by interweaving rich material from the past with glimpses of the present. "It's a film about Warsaw, the Warsaw Ghetto, and never seen before 8mm found footage, not shot by the Nazis - a story of the division and destruction of the City," Bednarski told Xinhua in an interview. "It is also the story of Warsaw remembering its tragic past, and the people who still live in Warsaw who remember the Ghetto and the Nazi occupation," he added. Throughout much of 1941, a Polish 8mm film enthusiast shot an extraordinary 10-minute film. Making use of a Ghetto pass, and risking arrest and possible death, he filmed from both sides of the Ghetto walls, showing everyday life soon after the division of Warsaw during the Nazi German occupation. "That film is so unique and so powerful that it motivated me to explore the topic of Nazi-occupied Warsaw, the Warsaw Ghetto, and the division and destruction of the city," Bednarski explained. He said the film material acts as a silent witness to the tragedy of the wartime division of the city and the murder of its inhabitants. "For starters, we are looking at the faces of people who were for the most part murdered by the Nazis," Bednarski said. "This is haunting. We also see a city that simply doesn't exist anymore. The everyday life we see in Ghetto is powerful and moving. This is footage not shot by Nazi occupiers, but by a Pole, who was able to get a pass into the Ghetto." Before the Second World War, over one million people, of whom almost 400,000 were Jewish, lived in Warsaw. Soon after the German invasion, a Ghetto was forcibly created by the Nazis to hold approximately 450,000 Jews from across Poland and other parts of Europe. Almost all of them would perish in the Holocaust. When reviewing the 8mm film, Bednarski was horrified at a 'truly shocking' scene where young Jewish children are seen smuggling food from the 'Aryan' side, as the Nazis called it, to the 'Jewish' side. "They are doing this through holes in the wall that were used for rainwater to run along the streets, which had been divided by the Ghetto wall. "At one point several of these children are cruelly beaten by police. These are desperate starving children trying to survive, trying to help their families, but they are brutally beaten. I've seen this film hundreds of times now, but every time those scenes are difficult for me to watch." The documentary also focused on two of the very few survivors of the Warsaw Ghetto - Agata Boldok and Krystyna Budnicka, both among a small number of survivors still alive. "Their stories are heartbreaking, and both women are strong and inspiring," Bednarski told Xinhua. "They evoke the setting up of the Ghetto and reflect on how it affected the city itself, their own lives and the lives of their respective families." Another character in the film is Polish-Christian man by the name of Zygmunt Walkowski, whose family was forced out of their home by the Nazis, as the neighbourhood in which they lived became part of the Warsaw Ghetto. Bednarski's previous film work with the National Film Board of Canada has earned him a Gemini Award and a Writers Guild of Canada Award nomination, and he was awarded the Decoration of Honour "Meritorious for Polish Culture" by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in 2015. The film will premiere on May 11 at the 16th Millennium Docs Against Gravity Festival in Warsaw. We got a chance to speak with Realme CEO Madhav Sheth about the future of the brand and its upcoming expansion plans both geographically and launching new models. Realme is expanding to China but has plans to launch in Europe and even the US. In fact, Realme phones should be available on the Old Continent by the end of June, kicking off with an online store selling directly to consumers. Besides smartphones, you can expect to see Realme-branded smart accessories later this year too. That covers the most immediate plans, but Sheth also talked at length about whats to come. The company will step up its game when it comes to software updates and it believes Color OS is the way to forward (despite many requests for pure Android). 5G-connected phones are coming too. Check out the full interview below for details on all plus Realmes plans to expand to beyond its current value for money segment, Sheths thoughts on foldable phones, biometric security and more. Is the Realme 3 Pro the next step as you build your portfolio from the entry level to the more premium offerings or do you plan, going for on keep focusing on the cheaper devices? We will focus on all the segments going forward - starting from $100 to $300. And once the 5G technology comes I think we will be going for that as well. So you have plans for 5G phones - should we expect them this year or maybe next one? In India we will be ready by the time the operators are ready. Maybe even before the operators are ready. Next year then? You never know - this market is too dynamic. And as we expand to different markets like Europe, US we know 5G is one of the most important features for us. Since you mentioned Europe when can we expect more on that front? We are planning to go to Europe very quickly before the end of first half of this year actually. In Europe do you plan to start with carrier partnerships, or online sales? Well go online first. Through partners or directly to consumers? Directly to consumers. Are you considering foldable phones or do you think they are not ready yet - either because they are not practical or too expensive? I would yes, why not. But it has to make sense for the users. So you are considering it? We would consider any technology, which is practical enough for the users. Because right now I see that the technology has not yet evolved completely. So it needs to develop further and well wait for the third or fourth gen and then well make the move. Any news on the software updates? All our devices will get two years of security patch and Android updates. All our devices will be upgraded to Android Pie before the end of June. We are hoping to reach 35 updates in our first 11 eleven months. What are your views on the facial unlock? As complicated systems that aimed to match the iPhone X are being phased out to minimize notches and most phones lately only rely on cameras Do you think that will stay relevant or do you think users will be switching to either fingerprint sensors or something else? I have a very clear view that biometric sensors will be the future and not the fingerprint scanner. The reason is because more and more technology focuses on digital payments. I think that will be the future. The issue with that kind of facial recognition is that its not very secure. Thats the perception, but again, this is the first gen and maybe down the road it will improve. Yes, we might need something more secure for payments, but for day to day use Id say its secure enough already. Which brand are your customers mostly coming from? Users are not from that brand or another. Users are users. But yes they would have migrated from some other phone according to our migration data 30% come from Samsung and 40% from Xiaomi. Do you plan in launching any other products beside smartphones? Smartphone and smart accessories for this year. We will definitely be announcing some accessories but more details are coming later. Do you consider releasing a stock Android phone at some point? I believe stock Android is not the right experience. A lot of people do ask about stock Android, but if you look around the most popular phones are never running stock Android. Our goal is to get closer to the stock Android experience and give users a stable OS with regular security patches and updates. If you see from ColorOS 5 to ColorOS 6 weve already made a big step forward bring back app drawer, making the whole thing lag-free a lot of things. And before Diwali (ed.note Oct 27) well have some more news for you. Weve already received thousands of requests for stock Android phone. So we went the next step and asked them what do you like about the stock Android experience. And thats something we like to deliver. The features they like, while still having extra features and a stable experience. Haiti - Economy: Denial of the Management of Port Lafito Following the court decision that temporarily suspended the Port Lafito container delivery activities as a result of an investigation into the release of 16 containers without customs inspections https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27551-haiti-justice-16-containers-missing-justice-temporarily-closes-port-lafiteau.html , the Management of Port Lafito SA, informs that it resumed its services on Thursday, April 25, 2019 hhttps://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27567-haiti-flash-the-mci-strike-and-the-closure-of-port-lafiteau-seriously-threaten-the-textile-industry.html and deeply regrets all the inconveniences caused by the temporary closure of its facilities and is working tirelessly to mitigate the negative effects of this unexpected interruption of its services. The Management also want to make a clear and categorical denial of the allegations of smuggling and illegal imports that have circulated in recent days in the media and on social networks, highlighting that Port Lafito "continues to work in close collaboration with the authorities concerned to shed light on the incident and to establish the truth of the facts." The Management and Port Lafito S.A. maintains its commitment to improve the communication with the State authorities of the sector with the permanent objective to reinforce all the governing procedures in this matter. However, it points out that "the sudden suspension of the operations of public service enterprises of this type adversely affects the capital investment in Haiti and the national productive apparatus and generates substantial losses for the business sector and the economy of the country." "The Port Lafito reiterates its full commitment to the development of the port, industrial and commercial sector in Haiti, evidenced by the importance of its investments and unequivocally reaffirms that its operations adhere to the highest international standards and this in accordance with international regulations and to the laws of the Republic." Learn more about Port Lafito : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-16612-icihaiti-economy-1-boat-arrives-every-2-days-in-port-lafito.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13242-haiti-economy-port-lafito-a-historic-first.html See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27567-haiti-flash-the-mci-strike-and-the-closure-of-port-lafiteau-seriously-threaten-the-textile-industry.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27551-haiti-justice-16-containers-missing-justice-temporarily-closes-port-lafiteau.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27547-haiti-security-containers-left-without-inspection-the-terminal-of-the-port-of-lafiteau.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19842-haiti-flash-new-weapons-seizure-at-port-lafiteau.html HL / HaitiLibre Haiti - Politic : Official Letter of Senator Cantave to President Jovenel Moise Senator Carl Murat Cantave, Speaker of the Upper House, facing a situation of "generalized degeneration" in the country, addressed a letter to President Jovenel Moise in which he suggests a meeting between the 3 Powers of the State "with a view to discuss the urgent solutions to adopt to face this untenable situation and to give hope to the population," correspondence which we invite you to read : Letter from Senator Cantave : "April 25, 2019 [...] Mr. President of the Republic, Our dear country is facing a situation of generalized degeneration. The problems of our Nation are indeed more and more numerous. The political transition initiated since 1986 has certainly not led to the long-awaited development path. Since the fall of the Duvalier dictatorship, the process of Haiti's collapse has accelerated and this, under the combined effect of unmaintained parameters : population explosion, rural exodus, weakness of the national education policy, under-qualified labor force, scarcity of foreign direct investment, drastic drop in national production, monopoly situation, concentration of wealth, high social inequality, widespread corruption and political instability. Just as numerous and desperate have been, during the last ten years, the signs of this collapse : the 2008 food riots, the countless losses caused by the 2010 earthquake and Hurricane Matthew in 2016, the riots for fuel and the expensive cost of life of 2018. Each of these events had negative political consequences : demonization of leaders, including parliamentarians, radicalization of political positions, low turnout, electoral conflicts, violent demonstrations. The overall situation continues to worsen since the beginning of 2019. To put it better, it is coming to a point of almost irreversible decay. As proof, the political crisis has worsened, capital is fleeing the country, our national currency has practically no value, unemployment is at its peak, hunger plagues a large proportion of the population, the State with difficulties pay public administration officials, and, worse still, organized criminal gangs operate daily with a raised visor in every corner of the country. Armed gangs define their territory. They sow grief and desolation in families. The population can no longer go about peacefully with its activities. The Republic is being held hostage. The efforts of the National Police have so far been unable to contribute to the restoration of peace. It is obvious that you can not, alone change this negative gives secular. To restructure and put the country on the fast track of development requires the support all citizens. But it is up to you to put them in trust, to consult them and to unite them around programs and projects of socio-economic transformation. In parallel with these structuring actions whose effects are expected in the medium term, Mr. President, you must address socio-economic problems, political instability and insecurity promptly because they constitute great obstacles to the success of development activities. In this perspective, as President of the Senate, I suggest to the President of the Republic the organization as soon as possible of a meeting between the three Powers of the State, in order to discuss urgent solutions to be adopted to face this untenable situation and give hope to the people. I hope that my patriotic and responsible petition will be heard and operationalized. I seizes the opportunity to renew to you the President of the Republic, the assurance of my highest consideration. [...]" HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Security : Day of remembrance of the victims of Fort-Dimanche and the massacres under Duvalier On Friday, April 26, the Office for the Protection of the Citizen (OPC) commemorated the National Day of Remembrance for Fort-Dimanche victims to those of the massacres perpetrated in Haiti under the dictatorship of Francois Duvalier aka "Papa Doc" (April 26, 1963 and April 26, 1986). In his address, the Protector of the Citizen Me Renan Hedouville drew the attention of the Haitian people, especially young people, on the importance of this day marking a symbolic date in the history of Haiti. 33 years after the fall of the Duvaliers, the human rights defender deplores the trivialization of the right to life in Haiti stressing that "members of the population continue to be victims of criminal acts". Concerned about the growing insecurity, Hedouville reminds the authorities of the obligation they are given under article 19 of the Constitution to guarantee the right to life of every citizen. He took the opportunity to address words of sympathy to the families victims of the massacre at the impasse Eddy (Carrefour Feuilles) occurred on Wednesday 24 in the evening and has killed at least 20 victims https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27559-haiti-flash-massacre-of-carrefour-feuilles-death-toll-climbed-cspn-emergency-meeting.html For the Protector of the Citizen "there is today an urgent need to reorganize and strengthen the body of law and institutional Haitian security." He recommends that the Government provide the National Commission for Disarmament, Dismantling and Reinsertion (CNDDR) with the necessary means within the framework of their mission to ensure the coordination and implementation of State policy related to disarmament, the dismantling of armed groups and the social reintegration of bandits who spread terror throughout the country. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27569-haiti-flash-big-police-operation-in-carrefour-feuilles-small-balance-sheet.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27295-haiti-politic-revised-minimum-wages-according-to-the-bill-voted-by-the-deputies.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27557-haiti-flash-massacre-at-carrefour-feuilles-at-least-14-victims.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... 45% of Haitians have an illegal electricity connection The FinScope Haiti 2018 survey, conducted in all departments of the country and whose results were unveiled this week at the Karibe Convention Center, as part of the 9th edition of the International Finance Summit, reveals, among other things, that 45% of families have an illegal electricity connection against 16% having a legal connection with EDH. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27561-haiti-notice-edh-announces-a-debt-of-more-than-20-billion-and-threatens-the-bad-payers.html Fredler Christophe signs with RC Strasbourg Signature of Fredler Christophe's professional trainee contract with the French Ligue 1 club, Racing Club Strasbourg. Congratulations to the 17-year-old captain of the U-17 national team. Senator Kely Bastien's comments on Arnel "The Senate must deal with Arnel's case with rigor and firmness. It's about his image, his reputation. Zero tolerance against insecurity, banditry, the example must come from above," said Senator Kely C. Bastien (VERITE) The Australian Julia Grinberg, Honorary Consul of Haiti Australian businesswoman Julia Grinberg has been named Honorary Consul of Haiti in Australia, where a Haitian community of about 4,000 members lives in Queesland, Victoria and New South Wales. Regarding the possibility for Haitians to continue their studies in Australia, Julia Grinberg said that doctoral scholarships in agriculture specialty animal and plant health are already available, adding "We are now seeing how to allow much more young Haitians to study in Australia." Foot : Gold Cup: Friendly match confirmed with El Salvador As part of the closing of its preparations for the 46th edition of the South American Cup (Gold Cup) to be held in Brazil from June 14, 2019 to July 7, our Grenadiers in Group B https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27431-haiti-gold-cup-result-of-the-draw-for-our-grenadiers.html just confirmed an agreement for a friendly match with El Salvador, on June 2 next at 4pm at RFK Stadium in Washington DC. This is the second match of preparation confirmed after the meeting with Chile scheduled June 6 at the Sausalito stadium of Vina del Mar https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-27408-icihaiti-sport-haiti-confirms-a-friendly-match-against-chile.html Funeral sung for Deputy Elience Petit Frer This Saturday, April 27, 2019, the Funeral of the Deputy of the district of Ferrier / Perche (Famni Lavalas) Elience Petit Frer died on March 2 hhttps://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27083-haiti-politic-death-of-the-deputy-of-the-northeast-elience-petit-frere-famni-lavalas.html were sung at St. Joseph Cathedral of Fort-Liberte. The Political Bureau renews "its sincere condolences to the whole family of the deceased, to friends, relatives and all the parliamentary colleagues of the Lower House. That his soul rests in peace." HL/ HaitiLibre By William Schwartz | Published on 2019/04/27 Supporters of the late South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun are under no illusions that he was a particularly smart man, nor that they were particularly wise to follow him. "Roh Moo-hyun and the Fools" traces how this was his main appeal. In a South Korean political system that had since time immemorial championed realpolitik over basic human empathy and decency, Roh Moo-hyun was a nutcase who refused to sneer at those who were different than him. Advertisement "Roh Moo-hyun and the Fools" is less about Roh Moo-hyun himself as it is about his star-eyed supporters who bonded with him via an Internet fan club. There's a nostalgic air to extended sequences where director Kim Jae-hee interviews members of this club and among other things goes into the logic by which they chose usernames. I liked the woman who named herself after her second child not because she wanted to, but because her husband had already named himself after their first child. They describe a golden age where Roh Moo-hyun would run around making populist speeches pleading for unityin South Korean culture. In a modern context these critiques may sound nonsensical, but only because the culture Roh Moo-hyun was attacking has mostly disappeared since then. Nobody implies that being from the Jeolla province makes someone a weak-willed fifth columnist in part because Roh Moo-hyun was so relentless in calling this rhetoric out. Unfortunately Roh Moo-hyeon's inspirational talents were of limited utility in politics. "Roh Moo-hyun and the Fools" documents how the political opposition made a point of demanding Roh Moo-hyun's immediate impeachment from the moment he took office, for extremely vague and petty reasons. A property tax that only affected wealthy landlords is one particularly galling example. Another extended attack over a satirical play shows that while the opposition could dish out malevolence they couldn't take it back in turn. All of this is effective foreshadowing for Roh Moo-hyun's successor Lee Myung-bak, who responded to criticism of his policies far more viciously and monstrously than Roh Moo-hyun's would have ever considered good and decent. Not that there's any discussion of him in the documentary. That's the main weakness of "Roh Moo-hyun and the Fools" actually. For a documentary there's surprisingly little context of the world Roh Moo-hyun came into and the one he left. Director Kim Jae-hee is clearly assuming you already know a lot of the story. Although even taking that into account there's surprisingly little discussion of actual policy here. To a properly cynical viewer Roh Moo-hyun may come off as vapid and useless a politician as his opponents, he was just a lot nicer about it. Strangely enough I'm not sure the target audience for "Roh Moo-hyun and the Fools" would even dispute this charge. Part of the reason why it's so easy to be fond of Roh Moo-hyun ten years after his death is because of the cultural change he inspired. That the South Korean people had to suffer through two miserable petty and vindictive conservative governments to get there just make the nostalgia shine that much brighter. Review by William Schwartz "Roh Moo-hyun and the Fools" is directed by Kim Jae-hee. Published on 2019/04/28 | Source LG is about to close its smartphone factory in Korea after four years of losses and move production to Vietnam, sources said Wednesday. Advertisement LG is already in talks with its labor union over the shutdown of the factory in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. "The decision was made to narrow losses at a time when the global smartphone market is suffering from a slump", an LG source said. The Korean electronics giant has overseas smartphone plants in Brazil, China, India and Vietnam. The Pyeongtaek plant makes the G8 ThinQ and V50 phones and accounts for around 15 percent of its annual output of 39.7 million handsets. The factory closure will mean layoffs. LG has offered to move hundreds of workers from Pyeongtaek to other home appliances and automotive electronics equipment factories, but it will also offer voluntary retirement. More than 10,000 workers were employed in the smartphone division in 2011, but by the end of last year they had dwindled to 4,014. LG posted losses for 15 straight quarters since the second quarter of 2015. In the first quarter of this year, it lost an estimated W200 billion (US$1=W1,150). Read this article in Korean Famous Chinese modern drama "Sunrise" was performed by Mongolian artists at Mongolia's State Academic Drama Theater on Saturday, as part of the celebration of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Mongolian audiences were on the edge of their seats for two hours, watching the artists of the Mongol Tuurgatan Theater performing the "Sunrise" written by Chinese playwright Cao Yu. Speaking at the premiere of this play, Dorjsuren Munkhbat, director of the performing team, expressed gratitude to the Chinese Cultural Center in Ulan Bator for its support in staging the play. Art is the best way to learn more about other cultures, he said. The "Sunrise," published in 1936, is among the most frequent productions at China's famous theaters. In the play, the stories of several Shanghai women show their lives disintegrating in response to the lack of affection and acknowledgment by the society surrounding them, leading them down a tragic path from which they cannot escape. Published on 2019/04/28 | Source Male infertility diagnoses have increased 2.5 times over the last 10 years, partly because of changing marriage patterns and partly because of growing awareness. Advertisement The number of men diagnosed with infertility rose from 26,682 in 2008 to 67,270 in 2018, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Tuesday. But the number of women diagnosed with infertility dropped to 135,268 last year after peaking at 162,921 in 2015. Health officials attribute the increase to people getting married later and planning their families more carefully. The average age of first marriage for men rose from 27.8 years in 1990 to 30.1 years in 2003 and 33.2 years in 2018. "Men normally maintain peak fertility until their mid-40s, but it drops as they get older", said Prof. Choi Young-sik at Yonsei University's Severance Hospital in Seoul. Other reasons include stress and exposure to various environmental hormones. But growing awareness is also a factor. An increasing number of single men visit hospitals to check their sperm count or viability these days as infertility is now seen as a problem of both men and women. "In the past, many couples tended to assume infertility was the woman's fault and only found out that the man was the cause when they went to hospital for artificial insemination or in-vitro fertilization, but now men also consult doctors more actively", said Prof. Bae Woong-jin at St. Mary's Hospital in Seoul. Published on 2019/04/28 | Source A mature student (center) attends a class with her younger peers at a vocational college in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province on April 2. Advertisement More and more young people are enrolling in vocational colleges amid a growing job shortage especially for university graduates. But many of them are also older people who seek qualifications for a job after retirement. According to the Korean Council for University College Education early this month, the proportion of students aged 25 or older at 136 vocational colleges across the country rose from 9.3 percent or 64,444 in 2016 to 10.4 percent or 68,621 last year. This year, 5,756 are over 40. Some 1,526 freshmen this year are graduates of four-year universities who returned to school to learn professional skills. According to the council, demand for education among senior citizens is also rising. The most popular subjects among students aged 25 or above are nursing, optometry and social work. This year, vocational colleges admitted 165,786 students overall, a decrease of 1,608, but a whopping 1.54 million people applied, up 108,600 in a year. The main reason is the acute job shortage. In 2013, the employment rate for university graduates was 64.8 percent compared to 67.9 percent for graduates of vocational colleges. But that has switched from 69.8 percent for vocational college graduates to 62.6 percent for university graduates. Hwang Bo-eun at the council said, "A growing number of students seem to be looking for practical skills that could make them more appealing to employers". Charter school, town, conservancy seek grant for 93-acre Summit Park A trail to the summit would reward hikers with a panoramic view of the valley and mountains. FLETCHER Residents could enjoy a hike to a summit and enjoy a panoramic view of mountains in the distance if a three-party team is successful in a plan to acquire 90 acres of undeveloped land for parkland and a charter school campus. Fernleaf Community Charter School and Conserving Carolina are partnering with the Fletcher Town Council to apply for state parks grant for the purchase of the mountainous 93-acre tract that stretches from Old Hendersonville Road to Howard Gap Road. A conceptual plan by the Equinox land planners shows a 1.7-mile network of trails to the Grand Overlook, a picnic shelter and a 40-space paved parking lot at the trailhead off Old Hendersonville Road. You get a pretty good 180 to 270-degree view from the summit, said Kieran Roe, executive director of Conserving Carolina, the Hendersonville-based conservancy that has been working with Fernleaf and the town. I think its definitely oriented toward the east, toward the national forest that you can see in the distance. There are spectacular views from up there. So that wold be definitely be the destination. It might be compared to driving to Jump Off Rock or hiking up to Big Glassy Mountain, with the payoff being a nice view of the valley framed by mountains. This would be the Jump Off park for Fletcher, Roe said. They have that wonderful community park along Cane Creek, which is so well loved. This would be a different kind of park. It wouldnt be ballfields but would be something unique for Fletcher. The three parties have developed a plan that would divide the land, 35 acres to expand the Fernleaf campus and 58 acres for the public park. The school has the land under option to buy at a price of $1.25 million, closing in February 2020. Fernleaf wants to use the land to add school buildings totaling 40,000 square feet to accommodate 608 students when it grows to its planned capacity of K-12. The school currently serves children through third grade and is adding one grade per year until it reaches grade 12, school Director Michael Luplow and Fernleaf board Chair Scott McDonald told the Fletcher Town Council on April 8. The school is currently in the processing of obtaining a construction loan through low-interest USDA program, it said in a letter. The school and land conservancy would sign a management agreement with the town of Fletcher, obligating the school and Conserving Carolina to the cost of improvements and maintenance. As a result, the town of Fletcher will bear no monetary responsibility for the project but will benefit from a mountainous park to serve many generations of future Fletcher residents, the school and conservancy said in the letter. The two parties said they anticipate: The schools part of land acquisition would be $650,000, with plans for $7 million worth of construction and $2 million in land improvements, financed by a $9.6 million loan. The land purchase would include $400,000 from the state Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant (if approved), $210,000 from Conserving Carolina and $200,000 from a bargain-price contribution. Park land improvements costing $750,000 would be paid by a $450,000 loan and $300,000 donation shared by Fernleaf and the land conservancy. In addition, Fernleaf also committed to granting an easement through its part of the land for an extension of the Cane Creek Greenway, which runs through the towns Bill Moore Community Park and along the creek. The new park could connect ultimately to a new Fletcher park on property Meritor donated to the town on the west side of U.S. 25. The Fletcher partnership is the third local application for a state PARTF funds, which must be matched by the applicant. The city of Hendersonville is seeking a grant for a new Clear Creek greenway from Carolina Village to northern terminus of the Oklawaha Greenway at Berkeley Mills Park and Henderson County is seeking a grant to move the Oklawaha Greenway trail at Jackson Park to higher ground. Its competitive but were cautiously optimistic based on what is proposed, Roe said. Luplow told the town council that Fernleaf plans to move forward with its campus expansion whether it gets the PARTF grant or not, Roe said the park probably wont happen without that grant this year or next. I cant speak for the school but in terms of creating the park I think it would be hard to make the park happen without grant coming through this year, he said. If at first we dont succeed we might try until we do succeed. Its always hazardous to try to predict an applications prospects. Ive heard that the budget may be down considerably this year for things like trust funds. All of that brings a note of precaution. On the other hand, the board that grants PARTF funding generally favors project that add new parkland as opposed to developing existing public lands. The three-way partnership plus the educational features of the proposal also may be an asset when it comes to the review in Raleigh, he said. -30- Chinese art with unique traditional traits and appealing content can have higher visibility in the mainstream Western art world, a Chinese artist dedicated to bringing Chinese folk art and culture to the rest of the world said Friday. Zhou Bing, a paper-cutting artist and CEO of Changzhou Qingyunge Art Co., Ltd. in Jiangsu Province, China, told Xinhua that he has been working for nearly 10 years to promote Chinese folk art and culture, particularly paper-cutting art, among Westerners. Zhou is bringing a host of paper-cutting works to Art Market San Francisco, an annual premier art fair in the San Francisco Bay Area, which opened to the public on Friday. The contemporary and modern art fair features established galleries from around the globe, and brings together some of the world's most intriguing artists and galleries in San Francisco. Zhou was the only Chinese art representative among 85 artists selected globally by Art Market Productions, a Brooklyn, New York-based art company, to attend the San Francisco art fair this year. Zhou said the items on display at the fair were the intricately carved paper-cutting works created by him and his family members including his father Zhou Yunhua, a renowned Chinese master of Jintan paper-cutting. "All the works exhibited here were inspired by Jintan paper-cutting, a Chinese folk art included in the List of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009," he said. The paper-cutting works blended Chinese tradition with the striking effect of woodcuts, the method of focus perspective in Western painting, and the effect of light and shade in photography to create a unique visual style of Chinese folk art expressed in the form of paper-cutting, Zhou said. The presence of Chinese paper-cutting at the prestigious art fair in the Bay Area indicated its acknowledgement by Western audiences, said Zhai Chunping, president of Kiangsu Chekiang Association of Northern California (KCANC). "Art is a bridge connecting different communities in the United States, and only by expanding communication and exchanges with other communities can overseas Chinese better help Western people understand the unique tradition and heritage of Chinese culture," Zhai said. During a VIP preview of the art fair Thursday night that attracted more than 5,000 invitation-only visitors, many professional art collectors, dealers and connoisseurs showed a strong interest in the paper-cutting pieces exhibited at the booth of the Chinese gallery, raving about the amazing and exquisite craftsmanship of traditional Chinese art. An American art collector from Seattle instantly placed an order of 30,000 U.S. dollars for a long-roll paper-cutting work, titled "Eighty-Seven Immortals," which was inspired by the Chinese legend of the immortals attending the birthday party of the Queen Mother of the West. Caroline Mota, a native artist from San Francisco, said she was greatly impressed by Chinese art. "I've been very aware of the contributions of the Chinese community, particularly in the arts," she said. "The subject matter of the artistic pieces is tremendous and there is a lot of representation here. The exchanges between Chinese and American cultures are vitally important as I think it's a very shared vocabulary," she added. Amy Spassov, an art dealer from Seattle, described the San Francisco art fair as a great event that brings people together. "I think that really is what it's about, it is about connecting with people ... and engaging and educating," she said. The ninth San Francisco art fair is open Friday through Sunday. The fair attracted more than 28,000 visitors in 2018. When the Chinese government first put forward the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013, green development was naturally included in its strategic plan. At the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in April 2019, Chinese leaders again highlighted the importance of building green infrastructure projects that are sustainable and of a high quality. Zhai Dongsheng, director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) Belt and Road Construction Promotion Center said in an interview that one of China's major efforts to realize high-quality development under the BRI is its investment in new energy, such as wind power, solar power, nuclear energy and hydropower. China's massive capacity for large-scale infrastructure projects suggests that the BRI will be critical to moving global energy consumption beyond fossil fuels. An analysis from the New Energy Outlook said that by 2050, 50% of the world's energy could come from the sun and wind. And China looks poised to become the world's first clean energy superpower since it can potentially generate 80% of its energy from renewables by 2050, according to a report from the World Wildlife Fund. To this end, many of China's centrally-administered SOEs like the China Energy Engineering Group Co, Ltd (Energy China) are already implementing this new concept of green development, which advocates a low-carbon and sustainable mode of production. Dubbed the "world's southernmost hydropower project", the Condor Cliff and La Barrancosa dam project is now being built by the China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC), a subsidiary of Energy China. As the largest China-Latin-American cooperation project and the largest overseas power investment project by a Chinese company, the hydropower station project boasts a huge investment of around US$5 billion. Upon completion, it will be able to boost the nation's power supply by 6.5% with an estimated annual electricity production of 4.95 billion kilowatts per hour, which will satisfy the energy demands of 1.5 million local households. The project will also help Argentina save about US$1.1 billion in oil imports and create nearly 20,000 jobs for locals. The BRI is playing an instrumental role in removing the country's primary bottleneck that impedes further industrialization. During his visit to the hydropower station this January, Argentina's President Mauricio Macri said the project will be able to significantly ease Argentina's energy burden. He added that he hoped China and Argentina would sincerely cooperate with each other to cultivate more talents in Argentina. According to Wang Jianping, chairman of Energy China, the project went through a two-year-long environmental impact assessment to avoid potential negative ecological impact on the local environment. "We hope to push forward our key technical standards in energy construction projects to the participating countries, and provide a Chinese approach to high-quality and sustainable development," he said. Besides imparting these Chinese standards to its partner countries, what helps Chinese new energy companies go global also lies in technology innovation and finance support. JinkoSolar, a solar panel manufacturer, has taken advantage of the new opportunities under the BRI and deployed their strategies for overseas markets by setting up overseas research centers. Qian Jing, vice president of JinkoSolar, told China.org.cn that her company has built a solar cell and module manufacturing facility in Malaysia, which is capable of manufacturing 3 GW of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells and 2.5 GW of solar modules. The company intends to invest about US$200 million to build a PV research center. "We believe that the BRI not only serves as a platform for exporting products, but is also an opportunity for Chinese companies to share their advanced technology and valuable experiences with their counterparts along the Belt and Road," Qian said, adding that her company will be the first Chinese PV company to set up an overseas research center. She explained that the aims of building the research center are to help local companies integrate into global supply, industry and value chains for better and more interconnected development. However, a huge financing gap still exists in the construction of green infrastructure. The World Bank estimates that an extra annual investment of US$80 billion is needed to achieve the goal of low-carbon energy transformation by 2030. Iason Rousopoulos, deputy chief financial officer of Greece's power grid operator ADMIE, said the BRI provides the opportunity for countries along the Belt and Road to take advantage of key financial institutions like the China Development Bank, to promote investment towards the construction of infrastructure with low carbon emissions. In 2016, the State Grid Corp of China signed a deal to purchase a 24% stake in Greece's ADMIE, a move to further extend its international reach. As I write these words, the 2019 general election for the next federal government of India is underway. This comes five years after a significant break from the past occurred in Indian politics. Now, for the first time since independence, the ruling party and the Prime Minister have no connection with the British colonial past. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister, was born in 1950, three years after the British left. It is perhaps no coincidence then that this cycles electioneering is by far of the lowest quality I have ever seen. Terrorists, criminals, mass-murderers, fanatics, conmen, and gang-rapists populate the field. Moreover, at least one-third of the current legislators have criminal proceedings against them, and this in a country where most crimes never get reported. Every face I see reminds me of Gollum (of The Lord of the Rings). The voter is obsessed with his ideological preferences and processes everything through partisan lenses. If a rapist is from a feminists preferred party, she will refuse to see any fault in him. Not that India has had much to do with concepts like morality and reason. In earlier times, there was a certain kind of tolerance of different ideas. That tolerance is long gone. Everywhere I look it is as if scavengers are feasting on carcasses. In India, as elsewhere, institutions provide us with the basic ecology to conduct social transactions. If these institutions are formed on the basis of reason and morality, they encourage people to think, operate and transact without aggression or fraud. Unfortunately, the rational institutions that the British left behind in India have continued to degrade since the time they left. Modi was a sudden and significant break from the British and also the start of an era of rapid degradation. Termites have now hollowed out these institutions. There is a suffocating smell of rot everywhere. Class, vision, honor, pride, and self-respect are conspicuous by their absence, not just among politicians but particularly among the citizens. Now the underlying tribal culture is reasserting itself through the continued - and accelerating - degeneration of these political institutions. According to the international organizationsthe World Bank, the IMF, etc.India is a vibrant democracy, and among the fastest growing economies in the world. I am not sure whether to trust my own senses or these well-staffed organizations with tens of billions of dollars in funding. Every party is operating on a single economic policy: Who will offer the most goodies if elected. Before he became the Prime Minister, Modi had suggested offering INR 1.5 million of free money to each individual, an amount that would have been 1,300% of GDP per capita. Rahul Gandhi, the main opposition candidate, is offering INR 71,000 to each poor family, and government jobs to many tens of millions. India is more regressive today than it was before the so-called liberalization of 1991. Unemployment has also shot up. Tens of millions were shown the illusion of success if they went to schools and colleges. These individuals are now knocking on doors, looking for whatever they can. It is not very difficult to find an Amazon delivery guy who is an engineer. Recently, Indian Railways posted 90,000 job vacancies. 28 million candidates applied a number comparable to the total workforce of the UK. But this is nothing unusual. Engineers, doctors, PhDs regularly apply for jobs that otherwise require no more than primary school education, including jobs that require dipping into pools of sewage to unblock drains (watch the Slumdog Millionaire movie to get a flavor of this). In 2016, Modi implemented demonetization of 86% of Indian currency, which seriously harmed the economy. For a long time, the backbone of the Indian economy has been its informal sector. Without cash, this sector went into a coma. Then Modi implemented an extremely onerous internet-based value-added tax system, in which every receipt is reconciled. There are now hundreds of regulations and circulars amending the tax system. I know many otherwise educated people who have never used their ATM card. In the low-trust society of India, they cannot foresee not having a human on the other side before they collect their cash. With poor people, the difficulty is much bigger. They simply cannot comprehend how this whole system works. I dont use my card either, for it is not impossible for money to leave my account and then never arrive where I send it. Everyone who has used Indian banks suffers from this problem and takes it in its stride. While economically, all parties are on the left, offering crumbs to the poor while stealing the public treasury, there is also a considerable religious divide. The party seen as the right-wing, BJP, favours Hindu nationalism and has contributed to significantly increasing fanaticism among Hindus. The left is made up of victim-card holders: Muslims, communists, and what are rightly called pseudo-secular (spineless non-Muslims who find faults in their own religions but then without any logical connection conclude with sympathy for Islam). Modi, who belongs to the right-wing, BJP, realized that he was likely to lose elections, so on 26thFebruary 2019, to get votes of the TV-watching zombies, who wanted to vicariously feel valorous, he decided to send fighter planes inside Pakistan to drop bombs, trying to enact what Israel or the US do. As a result of the incursion, India claimed to have killed 250 terrorists who were in training at a camp inside Pakistan. All evidence so far shows that they likely missed their target. (It seems they did shoot down a helicopter with six people in itexcept that it was Indias own.) Nine Indian fighter planes have fallen from the sky so far this year during training, for no good reason. The good thing is that when a nuclear war happens between India and Pakistan, the bombs will likely fail to explode. Average Indian IQ, depending on which statistics you look at, is between 76 and 82. Given that our political correctness no longer allows us to talk about IQ, the assumption among the IMF and the World Bank is that India will not only be the next China but much better, for India is a democracy. China copied western technology. India (and Africa) failedcopying is not all that easy. Shops in India are ridden with basic things like Chinese plastic toys. Finding skilled people is a near impossibility. When you bring a plumber home, you should expect him to create three new problems for each one he claims to solve. Those who think India will ever take over the manufacturing that is leaving China are living a politically correct delusion. Even Indias IT industry which was never a force to reckon with and dealt mostly with low-level work, and employed no more than 0.3% of the populationis rapidly losing ground . Call centres, as the reader might lately have realised, is rapidly moving either back to the US or to the Philippines. Nothing works in India. As time marches on, institutions continue to fall apart, degenerating and decaying. The Constitution is today mere pieces of parchment, with only as much value as the comprehension of the judge allows for. He simply does not have a rational mindset, for which the British formed Indias institutions. As institutions succumb to rot and decay, India has proven incapable of even maintaining them, let alone creating new ones to deal with the many modern challenges facing the country. India economic growth, which began in the early 1990s, came about not so much because of so-called liberalization, but because cheap telephony and internet force-fed technology into the country, as it did to the rest of the Third World. That benefit has now been used up. Even then, most of the Third World growth came from China, now clearly a Second World country. If you exclude China from the Third World, its growth does not look too good. By the end of WW2, Britain had realized that India and the rest of the Third World were not worth the effort. These societies had become too chaotic. And the few liberties that the British did extend to the locals were in turn used to fight against them, rather than to build upon the foundations and to use them as a springboard to improve their own lot. The Third World, including India, was living lives of savagery and barbarianism, existing at the margin of Malthusian equilibrium. In 1950, Indias population was 359 million. Today it is 1,369 million. In 2050 it is likely to be 1,659 million. But population explosion does not tell you the full horror of the reality. The most educated and smart Indians (who the readers of this article come across) typically emigrate to work for private companies abroad, and simply have fewer or no children. The underclass therefore continues to increase in number with abandon while the proportion of smart people continues to decline across the society. All this aided by the affirmative policy has rapidly made the Indian government increasingly braindead. The Third World wallows in victimization. The Christian guilt and virtue-signaling by the leftists in the West have encouraged this. Alas, this disallows the Third World to engage in any meaningful self-reflection, letting them to sink more and more into the quagmire; a reversion back to the dark ages . What will be the outcome of the ongoing elections in India? This is the wrong question. As the break with the British past has been completed, there really isnt any better option available. As institutions in India continue to fall apart, now faster than ever, it will soon start to go off the cliff. India faces a humanitarian disaster. When one thinks about the Third World, one must keep in mind that except for China, the future is grotesque. Five billion individuals live in the Third World. When that falls apart, for their institutions will eventually no longer be able to contain them, it will be a humanitarian disaster of the kind the world has never seen before. Ironically, the World Bank and the IMF look at the Third World as the future of humanity. It is a future only the politically correct could imagine, but that India will suffer nonetheless. You are here: China Cold functional tests began Saturday on a reactor of China's first nuclear power project using Hualong One technology, a domestically developed third-generation reactor design. The test was conducted on a circuit of the No. 5 nuclear power unit in the city of Fuqing, eastern China's Fujian province, to evaluate the performance of the circuit system and its supporting facilities under high-pressure conditions, according to the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). The CNNC said the test started 50 days ahead of schedule. Hualong One reactors were jointly designed by two nuclear power giants, China General Nuclear Power Group and the CNNC, and passed inspection by a national panel in August 2014. China has since approved the use of Hualong One technology to build two reactors in Fujian, the No. 5 and No. 6 units. As a community service, the Bristol Herald Courier will run a Pet Assistance listing the last Sunday of each month in Community. Each listing should be updated and the information should be sent to features@bristolnews.com with Pet Assistance in the subject line. Deadline is on or before the third Monday of the month at noon. Each group should email features@bristolnews.com to have at least two adoptable animals pictured with the monthly listing. Each month pictures of different animals should be emailed by the deadline. The listing will also be available on HeraldCourier.com. For questions, call Dorothy Hurt 276-645-2556 or email dhurt@bristolnews.com. The upcoming 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition, the largest-ever expo of its kind, will leave an important legacy for the city, the country and the industry, head of the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) has said. With an area of 503 hectares, the confirmed participation of over 100 countries and international organizations, and an estimated 16 million visitors, "the Beijing expo is by far the largest-ever horticultural event" and reflects the worldwide awareness of the needs to live greener, the AIPH President Bernard Oosterom said in a recent interview with Xinhua. The event, to run from April 29 to Oct. 7 in Yangqing District in Beijing's northwest suburb, is an A1-category international horticultural exhibition accredited by AIPH and recognized by the Bureau of International Exhibition. The last time China hosted the top level horticultural expo was in 1999 in Kunming, a city some 2,700 km south of Beijing. "I call it (the A1 event) an international 'melting pot' of knowledge and best practices. A country can host an A1 once in a decade. Apart from industry participants, there are also many cultural shows, educational experiences to attract visitors. It is really a 'city celebration' for six months," explained the head of the global association of growers. More than a several-month event, the expo "is part of a philosophy, a long-term strategy about how to develop the country and specifically that region. It must be connected to the city government's longterm strategy. It must fit in everything with what the city wants for the long term," he stressed. The AIPH team monitors the event's progress, working with the organizers to ensure the event complies with AIPH regulations. Recalling his several visits to the site of the event, Oosterom said he was really happy with the way China does the 2019 exhibition. "We are happy with the progress of the site. Construction of the expo and supporting infrastructure has been completed. Installations of international exhibition progress well. Over 100 participants and over 100 non-official participants have been secured," he told Xinhua. According to official data, more than 110 countries and international organizations, as well as over 120 non-official exhibitors, have confirmed participation. "As a person who has acted almost all my life in the green business, I really like the way China uses this kind of event to transform their environment and also to show the importance of living green in urban environment," Oosterom said. "China is one of the main important examples of countries where so many people are living in cities, and if you connect this to the worldwide awareness of the needs to live in a more 'green' environment, I think China shows the world how to do that, how to make decisions and how to implement," he added. In the view of the AIPH chief, there are two important things about hosting the top-level expo. "Before everything starts you need city government and developers really understand the benefits of greens," he said. "Second, before you make plans of expo or any other big events you have to think about the post-expo, the legacy." By the word "legacy", the president means the use of the infracture and regional development after the expo. "You need to think about this really carefully," he said. "Beijing and China can use the expo infrastructure to build a new area where people can live, entrepreneurs can start company providing all kinds of citizens' needs. There hopefully will also be a new research center of how to grow green in that region," he said. "That will be an important legacy for the city, for the country and for the international industry." While I am sure Rep. House is a good man who represents his constituents well, puts on wonderful barbecue fundraisers and smiles genuinely in photographs while presenting grant checks to volunteer fire departments, I must disagree with his assessment of Johnny Cash as a poor role model for children. (He just said model so I assume he meant role model and not Sears catalog model. If that is not the case, I sincerely apologize to Rep. House for the rest of this column and promise to buy barbecue fundraiser tickets the next time I am in Arkansas.) Here are some reasons why I believe Johnny Cash is a good role model for children: He didnt really shoot a man in Reno just to watch him die, but if he had he shows the terrible consequences resulting from such an act. In Folsom Prison Blues, the protagonist stuck in the titled penitentiary doesnt get to see the sunshine, time drags on and he hangs his head and cries. If that doesnt convince a kid not to shoot a man in Reno, I dont know what will. Yes, Rep. House, he had some substance abuse problems, but he overcame them (multiple times). The latest Politico-Morning Consult poll suggests that GOP senators, especially those vulnerable in 2020, who are bent on accommodating President Donald Trump and his noxious nominees, policy stances and behavior are paying a political price. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who has always pitched herself as a pro-choice moderate, has nosedived in the polls since voting to pass Trumps tax plan and to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. From a 67%/27% favorable/unfavorable rating in the first quarter of 2017, she has sunk to 52%/39%. Shes 25 net points underwater with Democrats. She might (or might not) have staved off a primary challenge, but shes setting herself up for her first competitive Senate race since 1996, with an army of pro-choice voters looking to knock her out of the Senate. For a pro-life moderate in a purplish-blue state, sticking by Trump has not worked to her advantage. As NARAL Pro-Choice America president Ilyse Hogue tells me, Collinss slide in popularity is a problem of her own making. She says, Instead of [using] the Kavanaugh moment to cap a career of commitment to women, she chose to cover for a corrupt president, a breach of the trust of voters who wont forget in 2020. You are here: China The quantity of intellectual property (IP) created by China increased in 2018 and their quality also improved, according to the National Intellectual Property Administration. The number of invention patents owned by individuals and organizations on the Chinese mainland reached 1.6 million by the end of 2018, an increase of 18.1 percent over the previous year, said Shen Changyu, director of the administration, at a press conference held Sunday by the State Council Information Office. As of end of 2018, valid trademarks registered by Chinese mainland entities reached 18.05 million, up 32.8 percent year on year. Throughout 2018, the administration registered copyrights for 2.35 million pieces of works and 1.1 million pieces of computer software, up 17 percent and 48 percent, respectively, Shen said. Waynesboro and Washington Township part ways in first due fire service The borough said that Washington Township has accounted for 45% of the total service area. This site uses cookies from Google to deliver its services, to personalize ads and to analyze traffic. Information about your use of this site is shared with Google. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies. Learn more here Grand Prize Winner: Donna Rickey Blog Winners: A Song for her Enemies by Sherri Stewart: Mary Ann Hake Spies & Sweethearts by Linda Shenton Matchett: Connie Ruggles Sword of Trust by DebbieLynn Costello: Brenda Walters Justice for Julia by Donna Schlachter: Natalya Lakhno Party Prize winners: Sherri Stewarts Winners A Song for her Enemies: Angie Pool Bottle of Dutch Syrup: Carol Koch Alscheff Corrie ten Boom book: Deb Gramie Burgess Linda Shenton Matchetts winners: $5.00 gift card to online retailer or choice (Kobo, B&N, AppleBooks, Amazon): Karen Hadley A Bride for Seamus: Carol Osterhouse Wotring DebbieLynn Costellos winners: Sword of the Matchmaker: Melissa Planas Sword of Forgiveness: Paty Hinojosa Gomez Shattered Memories: Charlene Zall Capodice Sword of the Perfect Bride: Licha Haney Donna Schlachters winner: Leather Journal: Lisa Turley GIVEAWAY RULES Winners must leave their email address and will be notified by email and the winners name will be announced in the days comments. No one under 18 can enter our giveaways. No purchase is necessary. All winners have one week to claim their prize. USA shipping only. Offer void where prohibited. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Flash Over 100 suspects have been arrested since last Sunday's explosions which targeted churches and luxury hotels in Sri Lanka, killing over 250 people and injuring over 500, police said on Saturday. Police spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekara said that 20 suspects had been arrested in search operations conducted within the last 24 hours, and raids were ongoing to search for more. The suspects had been arrested from across the island, he added. Police re-imposed a curfew for the seventh consecutive day, as abandoned explosives continued to be found. Gunasekara said the curfew would be re-imposed from 10 p.m. and would last till 4 a.m. Sunday local time. In the eastern town of Kalmunai where forces killed two gunmen and four suspected suicide bombers in an overnight gun battle, a curfew has remained in place since Friday evening. The curfew has been imposed on the outskirts of Kalmunai as well, the police said. President Maithripala Sirisena said on Friday that there were about 140 people suspected to have linked to the Islamic State group and assured all would be arrested in the coming days. Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor, undergoing medical treatment in the USA, on Sunday sought help from the Indian Consulate in New York for casting vote in the Lok Sabha elections. "Called the Indian Consulate's office here to enquire if there was any facility for people like us to vote (away from home)," Rishi tweeted. Called the Indian Consulates office here in NY to inquire if there was any facility for people like us to vote(away from home)There wasnt. Please do not forget to vote wherever and whenever you have to. Jai Hind! Vande Mataram! (Sorry for earlier error) pic.twitter.com/A0heLdBhZv Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) April 28, 2019 But after finding out that there is no such facility for people living abroad temporarily, the actor urged citizens to "not forget to vote wherever and whenever you have to". Last year, the Mulk actor had shared with his fans the information that he was flying to the USA for medical treatment. "Hello all! I am taking a short leave of absence from work to go to America for some medical treatment. I urge my well-wishers not to worry or unnecessarily speculate. It's been 45 years 'plus' of wear and tear at the movies. With your love and good wishes, I will be back soon," Rishi tweeted in September 2018. The 66-year-old actor was last seen on silver screen in a cameo in Manto, directorial venture of noted actor Nandita Das. Follow @htshowbiz for more Poor you! I simply dont know how you stand it. It was an odd way to start a conversation and it took me aback. We were guests at a party but we had never met before. She was puffing on a long cigarette. I had a drink in my hands. Stand what? The politicians you meet and keep interviewing. They seem such ghastly people. They come across as selfish, quarrelsome and full of themselves. Whilst a few politicians may be like that, the vast majority are not. However, I do realise that television is partly responsible for conveying this false impression. Most of you who dont know politicians judge by the way you see them. But the presentation is neither wholly accurate nor truly fair. The problem begins with our television talk shows which encourage politicians to quarrel. Its not that left to themselves they would be sedate and calm, reasonable and reflective, but that weve convinced them and probably entrapped them into believing that the fight is more important than the argument. The fault lies in the way such shows are conceived. They seek to portray the tamasha of politics, its theatre and spectacle, rather than its content and substance. They generate heat but they dont shed light. Unfortunately, most politicians willingly play along. Once the cameras roll, they slip into a role and perform to a preconceived script. The result is quarrelsome shouting matches which lead nowhere and are usually an end in themselves. This is tragic for at least two reasons. First, it demonises politicians. In fact, it panders to the already widespread opinion that they are a base tribe. People readily accept what they see because it bolsters their already biased view. More importantly, it wastes politicians. The object of a television talk show is to inform and to learn. This can be done in many ways. By explaining issues, by discussing differing views, by seeking answers, by carefully analysing. But each of these requires that we listen, and to listen, we have to care about what we hear. Thats where our problems start. Channel heads believe audiences dont care about the discussion. They claim most subjects bore them. Worse, they dont think audiences can be made to listen. In their opinion, serious conversation is a switch off. Rather than risk that, they blend it with drama. Create a storm in the studio and the thunder and lightning will hold the audience. It doesnt matter that the atmospherics are simply a waste of time. Or that politicians are used as objects to laugh at rather than opportunities to learn. Fortunately, the solution is simple. It would follow automatically if we change our attitude to news and current affairs. So far we judge by their ratings. We assume they are products for a mass market. But theyre not, nor should they be. News, and more so current affairs, are only for those who want to know and, dare I say it, care to. They are not vehicles for delivering eyeballs to advertisers. Yet when they are treated as such it becomes inevitable they will be designed primarily to capture attention. And so politicians are used to lure audiences with their cacophony. However, if programmes are designed to inform and not entertain, our perception of politicians will quickly change. Theyll play to a different script and our image of them will significantly improve. Of course, audience ratings will fall but the product will vastly improve. The views expressed are personal After her opening salvo that it was her curse on Hemant Karkare, the police officer who arrested her, that led to his death during the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai, Pragya Thakur, the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal, seems to be on a roll. She spoke with pride about how she was on top of the Babri Masjid and helped to bring it down. She is one in a long line of so-called sadhvis that the Hindutva forces have brought in to promote the greater cause of electoral and religious gains. You may recall earlier sadhvis who have contributed to the promotion of Hindutva. One is the now forgotten Sadhvi Saraswati who reminded Goans that they were not Portuguese and advised them to stop eating beef and take up vegetarianism to prove their nationalist credentials. Then we have the minister of state for food processing, Niranjan Jyoti, whose claim to fame was the unparliamentary language she used to describe minorities much to the delight of the lumpen crowds whom she addressed. The words of encouragement of Uma Bharti, former Union minister for water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation, to the mobs attacking the Babri masjid are now the subject of legend: Ek dhaka aur do, Babri masjid tod do ( one more push and break down the Babri mosque). These sadhvis and sanyasins have been a great driving force in the promotion of the Hindutva ideology. They are articulate, focused, charismatic and superb orators. The fact that they are unrestrained and virulent in their public speeches ensures that they are used to gain dividends in elections. According to the larger Hindutva philosophy, women are the primary unit of the family and their main task is to bring up children and serve their husbands loyally. But at the same time, there has been a rise of militant Hindutva among women and this has been fully exploited by a patriarchy, which is conditioned to keep women out of serious decision making. The Durga Vahini imparts martial arts training for women but its main theme is the role of the woman as the fulcrum of the family. The woman is not encouraged to seek a career or any role outside the house except the promotion of Hindutva. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) does have a womens wing but its not much more than a supporting cast to the real organisation run solely by men. This feminist Hindutva, for want of a better expression, does nothing to promote womens rights. In fact, the women of the Hindu right themselves are against what they call modern women who are shunning traditional roles and seeking their own space. A deeply patriarchal hierarchy uses women like Bharti and Thakur to propagate their electoral ends but never to promote a pro-woman agenda. For their pains, these women are not given any importance in the power structure. Imagine the positive difference it would make to Hindu society if the oratorical skills of these women were put to use to push real rights for women such as inheritance, equal pay, more job opportunities, more anganwadis, safe public spaces, security and so on. Instead, we hear patent nonsense like the need for Hindu women to produce more children. The Hindutva forces could have used these women to advocate an improvement in womens rights. What obtains now is a win-win situation for the patriarchs of Hindutva, who are able to get their message across through these skilled women orators, who will fade back into the shadows once they have served their purpose. British actor Idris Elba has married model Sabrina Dhowre in Morocco. Images featured by British Vogue on Instagram showed the star of Luther sharing an embrace with Dhowre, a former Miss Vancouver. The magazine says the couple exchanged vows Friday at the Ksar Char Bagh hotel in Marrakesh. Also read: Idris Elba doesnt know what the MCU is, despite starring in 5 Marvel movies The bride wore custom gowns by Vera Wang. For the ceremony, she wore a classic white off shoulder gown and later changed into an embroidered dress with pearls and gemstones. Elba wore a bespoke suit by Ozwald Boateng. The celebrations were spread over three days, with guests attending a colors of the Souk dinner the evening before. An image from the fashion magazine shows Dhowre looking ravishing in her form-fitting A-line white gown, while her make-up is executed by Charlotte Tilbury and her hair by Luana Babbi. In another, Elba cuts an incredibly dapper figure in his slick suit as he is seen gazing adoringly at Dhowre. Another photograph shows the pair just after they exchanged their vows, as they passionately embrace while the former beauty queen flashes her dazzling ring. Congratulations to newlyweds Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre who exchanged vows in Morocco on April 26 2019. Celebrations were spread over three days in Marrakesh, the caption read. With a colours of the Souk themed dinner on Thursday night, and their extravagant nuptials on Friday, the three-day celebrations will culminate with an all-white party at a hotel. Elba proposed last year by dropping to one knee before a screening of his film Yardie at the Rio Cinema in east London. Elba met Dhowre in her home country of Canada in 2017, and became acquainted on the set of the drama film The Mountain Between Us. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) Follow @htshowbiz for more The election office in Rajasthans Barmer on Saturday sent a factual report of Prime Minister Narendra Modis speech in Barmer to the Election Commission of India, a top official who didnt want to be named said. The election watchdog had sought the report on a Congress complaint regarding the PMs speech during an election rally on April 21. The official said Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had complained to the EC alleging that PM Narendra Modi repeatedly flouted the ECs guidelines by mentioning the armed forces in his poll campaign. In his April 21 address, PM Modi said, India has stopped the policy of getting scared of Pakistans threats. Every other day they say we have a nuclear button, we have a nuclear button. What do we have then? Have we kept it for Diwali? The Congress filed a complaint against this the next day, demanding a ban on the PMs campaign. The Barmer official said the EC had sought a factual report from the district election office two days ago. Following the ECs directions a detailed factual report along with a CD containing the PMs speech has been sent to the Election Commission. The EC will take the final call, the election officer said. Earlier, the Barmer DEO also issued a notice to BJP candidate Kailash Choudhary for the presence of posters of IAF wing commander Abhinandan Varthaman in the public meeting which was addressed by the PM. Choudhary denied the charge in his written reply and said it was a conspiracy against him. The Congress has fielded Manvendra Singh, son of former external affairs minister Jaswant Singh, from Barmer. He joined the Congress before the 2018 assembly elections. Bharatiya Janata Party national general secretary Ram Madhav said on Saturday that regional parties of Jammu and Kashmir are an impediment to states progress and development. Madhav was speaking to media on the sidelines of a BJP poll campaign in Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency. These two parties (PDP, National Conference) are an impediment to states progress and development. Our policy towards Kashmir is based on Ataljis principle of Insaniyat (humanity), jamhuriyat (democracy) and Kashmiriyat (eclectic culture), Madhav said. Asked about PDP president, Mehbooba Muftis statement in which she said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes that Kashmir is a loss to the nation then India should leave Kashmir, Madhav said, Kashmir does not belong to anybodys father or grandfather. It is an integral part of the country and will always remain as such. Kashmir is the pride of crores of Indian people and it will always remain like that. About BJPs election manifesto that asserts that the party would abrogate Article 370 and 35A, Madhav said, This issue will be decided by Parliament. All parties will decide this issue. We are fighting the election in the state on the agenda of development; so let us right now focus on this. BJPs Sofi Yusuf is among the 18 candidates in the fray in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, including Mehbooba Mufti of the PDP, Ghulam Hassan Mir of the Congress and Justice (Retired) Hasnain Masoodi of the NC. The three-phase election in this constituency started on April 23 and will end on May 6. Flash One person died and three were injured at a synagogue shooting in San Diego, California, on Saturday, San Diego County authorities confirmed. A man has been detained for questioning in connection with the shooting at the Chabad of Poway synagogue, said San Diego County Sheriff's Department. Deputies from the Poway station were called to Chabad Way, where the synagogue is located, just before 11:30 a.m. Multiple law enforcement sources told local media that four people were shot. Poway Mayor Steve Vaus told media that the facility was targeted because it was a place for the Jewish community to gather. "I understand that this was someone with hate in their heart, hate for the Jewish community," he said of the shooter. Those wounded were taken to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido. Their conditions have not been disclosed so far. A spokesperson for Palomar Medical Center confirmed they received four patients, declining to give any more details. The synagogue was hosting a Passover holiday celebration at 11 a.m. on Saturday, according to a post on its Facebook page. A large group of congregants had gathered behind the temple following the shooting, said Sgt. Aaron Meleen of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. It was unclear so far how many people were attending services. Some children were initially reported missing, he said, but they have been found. "As you can imagine, it was an extremely chaotic scene with people running everywhere when we got here," he told reporters. The Sheriff's Department asked the public to remain clear of the areas as the investigation will take several hours. "Please respect the medical privacy of victims and their families during this difficult time," it tweeted. It also asked the public not to spread misinformation that could cause concern or panic. "Thoughts and prayers to all of those affected by the shooting at the Synagogue in Poway, California. God bless you all. Suspect apprehended. Law enforcement did outstanding job," U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted shortly after the shooting. In Los Angeles, police said they were closely monitoring the synagogue shooting in Poway and "communicating with our local, state and federal partners." "At this time, there's no nexus to Los Angeles, but in an abundance of caution, we will conduct high visibility patrols around synagogues and other houses of worship," the Los Angeles Police Department tweeted. The Chabad of Poway website said the congregation is a center for Jewish people of all backgrounds. It was established in 1986. Chabad offers a wide variety of educational and spiritual opportunities, including Torah classes and lectures, Shabbaton dinners, and an array of family and social activities, according to the website. Poway, about 20 miles north of downtown San Diego, is the safest city in the San Diego County and among the safest in the state of California based on FBI crime data and population statistics, according to report of The San Diego Union-Tribune, a local daily newspaper. The incident comes exactly six months after deadly gun attack at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, which resulted in 11 fatalities and multiple injuries. The BJP has decided against fielding Manohar Parrikars elder son Utpal to succeed his father in the Panaji bypoll to be held on May 19. The bypoll was required after former Union Defence Minister and Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar passed away on March 17. It will instead see Parrikars former aide Siddharth Kuncalienkar as the partys candidate for the by elections in the state capital. The announcement was made by the partys election committee on Sunday afternoon. Kuncalienkar was earlier elected the Panaji MLA when Parrikar moved to Delhi to be the Union Defence Minister and was reelected in 2017. However, he was chosen to make way after Parrikar decided to return as Goa Chief Minister in February 2017. Kuncalienkar will be up against Congress candidate Atanasio Babush Monserrate whom he had defeated by a narrow margin of a little over 1,000 votes in 2017. Parrikars son Utpal while speaking to Hindustan Times, earlier, said he was asked by his party to hit the campaign trail, but declined to say whether it was in anticipation for his being given the BJP ticket. I have not thought about it yet. The only message to me from the party is to campaign for the Lok Sabha, Utpal added. The Congress has meanwhile taunted the BJP for it being the last party to declare its candidate for the bypoll. The constant delay and deadlines set by the BJP to decide its candidate for Panaji by-poll clearly indicates that the sympathy for Manohar Parrikar, which they were claiming was actually just hype, state Congress president Girish Chodankar said. The BJP tried to test the waters by first introducing Utpal Parrikar as their possible candidate but failed to get any response, he added. The Congress had also earlier accused the BJP of trying to foist dynastic politics upon the state by giving a ticket to Utpal. Voting will be held on May 19, while the results will be declared along with the Lok Sabha and other bypolls on May 23. Quick thinking and prompt action by a train driver saved the life of a man on the Kota-Bina stretch of Atru-salpura railway line. The train driver, whose name was not known, reversed the train for about a kilometre so that the injured passenger, who had fallen from the train, could be taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The incident took place on the Kota-Bina stretch around 4pm on Friday when a 32-year-old man, Rajendra, who was mentally ill, jumped from the train and in order to save Verma, his brother Vinod also jumped from the train. Giving information about the incident their cousin, Suresh Verma, who was also travelling with them in the train at the time of the incident, said, My paternal cousin Rajendra Verma works with me in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh (mp) as a labourer. For last five days, his mental condition was not well. On April 24 night, Rajendra was going to Sikar district via Katni town of MP where his health condition deteriorated. So instead of going to Sikar, we (Suresh and his cousins) took train for Jaipur. On April 25, around 3am, when the train passed through Ashok Nagar railway station, Rajendra jumped off the train. I had to pull the chain in order to catch him. I was also fined for this by police. Again, we took a train and left for Jaipur, Suresh added. Next day around 4pm, when train passed Salpura area of Baran district, Rajendra was sleeping on the upper berth of the train. Suddenly, Rajendra got down from the berth and ran towards the gate and jumped from the gate. In order to catch him, his brother Vinod also went behind him and lost balance and fell from the train, Suresh said. Senior divisional commercial manager (DCM) of Kota region Vijay Prakash said, As soon as Rajendra jumped off the train, somebody pulled the chain and the train stopped after crawling a few kilometres. Relatives of Rajendra called for ambulance. He added, As there was no path for ambulance to enter the point where the train had stopped. The loco-pilot reversed the train for about one kilometre so that the injured passenger, who fell from the train, could be taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Both the men were taken to Baran hospital where they were given treatment. Both of them are stable, Prakash said. In a repeat of 2016, the office of the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer issued an order on Sunday evening saying Anubrata Mondal, Birbhum district president of the Trinamool Congress, will be under surveillance during polling on Monday and will not have access to his mobile phone. The CEOs office said in an order that Mondal will be watched from 6 pm on Sunday to 7 am on Tuesday by an executive magistrate and a central armed police force staff. In addition, a videographer will record Mondals movement during this period. No political leader in post-Independence Bengal has been kept under such surveillance in not one but two successive elections, EC officials said. The districts two Lok Sabha constituencies, Bolpur and Birbhum, will go to polls on Monday. The district is known for political killings and violence and Mondal has been accused of instigating these on several occasions. Known for his inflammatory speeches, Mondal has always drawn more media attention than any other leader known to be close to chief minister Mamata Banerjee. On April 16, 2016, Mondal was kept under similar surveillance, though only for a day, when assembly elections were held in the district. On Sunday afternoon, Bharatiya Janata Party Bengal unit president Dilip Ghosh demanded that Mondal be sent out of the state and kept under surveillance till the polls are over. The CEOs order was issued a few hours later. The executive magistrate could not trace Mondal from 6 pm to 9 pm on Sunday since the TMC leader went on a tour of the districts party offices. He appeared unperturbed when the media caught up with him after 9 pm. The Election Commission of India must have gone mad. It is acting on orders from Narendra Modi. This surveillance will not affect me in any way. And I dont need my mobile phone to contact my men. I can use any phone. Our vote share went up despite the surveillance in 2016. The same thing will happen in this election, he said. I went to our party offices in Suri, Muraroi, Labhpur and other places and told my men what to do tomorrow. I prescribed the right pills for every disease, Mondal said in his signature style when asked what he was doing for more than three hours although he was supposed to be under surveillance. In 2016, Mondal virtually made the EC chase him for eight hours. The ECs attempt to keep him within sight of a deputy magistrate, eight Central paramilitary force personnel and a videographer had little effect on the Trinamool strongman. The surveillance, unprecedented in Bengals history, couldnt stop him from meeting party workers inside his home, where the deputy magistrate and his men were not allowed. Later, he went on a tour of district party offices with the EC team following his car for eight hours and making stops along the way. The Tripura Police on Sunday arrested freelance journalist Saikat Talapatra from Agartala for allegedly spreading rumours about chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb. Talapatra was arrested two days after police lodged an FIR against one Anupam Paul for allegedly spreading rumours on the social media that Debs wife, Niti, had sought divorce. Paul is yet to be arrested. Assistant police inspector general Subrata Chakraborty said Talpatra was allegedly involved in the same conspiracy. Talpatra has been arrested in connection with a case of spreading rumours against the chief minister. His involvement was found in a case earlier lodged against Paul, who is accused of defamation, forgery and criminal conspiracy against Deb, he said. Jamal Hussein, a security guard of Communist Party of India (Marxist) lawmaker Islamuddin, was separately arrested on Sunday on similar charges. North Tripuras police superintendent, Bhanupada Chakraborty, said Hussein was arrested for posting objectionable content against Deb on Facebook. Niti, who returned to the state on Sunday along with Deb, on Friday asked people not to pay attention to dirty rumours on her Facebook page. Praveen Chakravarty, chairperson of the Congresss data analytics department, believes that the fear of retribution is preventing anti-BJP voters in the Hindi belt from voicing their true opinion to pollsters. This has only compounded the problems for polling agencies which have got an overwhelming share of exit poll predictions since the 2014 Lok Sabha. Here are edited excerpts from an interview by Roshan Kishore and Abhishek Jha with Chakravarty for Hindustan Times. Q. All pre-poll surveys have suggested that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is coming back. What do you think? It is very brave for anyone to say that. 300 odd seats in 22 states have voted so far. Two things are well established now. There is no observable wave like there was in 2014. This is not one national election or 29 state elections, but 543 different elections, where every seat is voting almost independently. Predicting seats in such a situation requires surveying every seat with a sufficiently sized well-stratified sample. No survey agency has the resources or the know how to do this. I am not for a moment saying there is deliberate misrepresentation. It is just that the traditional method of talking to some 10,000 people to calculate vote shares and then put it through some black box model vote share to seat share does not work at all. There is empirical evidence to support this. An analysis of all exit polls, which should be more accurate than pre-poll suerveys, by four frequent agencies Chanakya, Axis, C Voter and CSDS since the 2014 general elections shows that 85% of them were wrong. Q. Were they biased towards a particular party? No, there is no pattern. They are wrong across parties, states and agencies. Q. In an earlier interview before the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh elections, you said your surveys showed that anti-incumbency in Madhya Pradesh was two times more than in Rajasthan. Yet, both were close elections. There is a big distance between measuring anger and its translation into seats. You have to remember that the purpose of our surveys is not about news values. We are not doing it out of curiosity. It is about decisions we make. When I measure anger, it is to know where I should focus my campaign more. Our surveys are less interested in predicting seat numbers. Our goals and objectives are very different from that of pollsters. Q. Are you saying that predicting elections has become more difficult in the post-2014 phase? Are multiphase elections more likely to be read wrong? If your methodology is robust enough, phases do not matter. But there is something unique about these elections. We have what is famously referred to as the silent voter phenomenon or preference falsification. A large percentage of voters, primarily in the Hindi belt, are just afraid to reveal their true voting intent, especially if they are not in line with the ruling establishment. What I am saying is if you are a non-BJP supporter, you are much less likely to come out and reveal your preference. The reverse holds for a BJP supporter. Pollsters have an adverse selection problem because of it. Q. The Congress has been able to defeat the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Even in Gujarat, the Congress improved its performance. This should have increased the BJPs vulnerability and reduced the perceived intimidation among the voters. This preference falsification phenomenon is not present in states such as Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It is an extremely Hindi belt phenomenon. It is also higher in regions where the BJP has won at all levels such as MLA, MP, corporator and minister. I have tested this on the ground. I do not think it has got to do with who is winning or not winning. The same voter was very happy to say that he was not voting for the Congress in 2014, even though it was the ruling party. You may be from the ruling party posing as a pollster, and I tell you something then that impacts me materially. They fear that there is an impact to their opinion. Q. So you are saying fear of retribution has contaminated responses? Yes, absolutely. It has come from personal experience for a lot of them in their villages and communities. Q. Why do you think the 2019 elections have come down to a seat-by-seat contest this time? Traditionally, a ruling party goes to fight polls on what it has done. It is for the first time that we find that the ruling party is talking about something that has nothing to do with what it has done in the five years, but apparently some idea, notion of what is patriotism, and nationalism, which is clearly not resonating. That has just removed what is a talking point for a voter when it comes to decision on voting. And then the election just starts to become very localised, very transactional. I do believe that elections have become very transactional, and I do not mean this in a negative sense. They are interested in what will they gain in the next two-three years. Everyones got different views, different needs. That is why it has become very, very localised. I actually do think this is going to be the trend going forward. Q. Is Nyay [the Congress poll promise of minimum income guarantee] generating such a transactional traction for the Congress? There are reports of discontent due to people in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan not gaining from farm loan waivers. We have something called the Nyay awareness index, which is measured daily. We can identify which pockets, which geographies will be the most likely Nyay beneficiaries. So we go measure how many people there know about Nyay, have heard of Nyay. You will be actually very, very surprised. Awareness about Nyay has increased and when people know about it, it does become an election issue to talk about. It is very clear for me from my polls that Nyay is the central talking point in states from third phase onwards. Your question about farm loan waiver, I think, is a logistical operational issue. In fact, one of the campaign promises of Nyay, at least in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, is that there was a loan waiver promise and it was delivered. Similarly, Nyay will be delivered. Q. You said in an interview that the Congress will triple its 2014 tally. This is roughly close to the Congresss 2004 tally. That remark Congress will at least triple and BJP will at least half from its 2014 tally was meant as a trend, not an exact number. What I am trying to point out is momentum. After the first three phases, it is clear that the momentum is against the ruling party, and in favour of a change. Where will it actually end up in terms of seats is difficult to say. I see no reason why the momentum cannot continue in states which have a dual contest between the Congress and the BJP. Q. One big change in Indian politics is the advent of social media. It allows everyone to push their narrative across class and caste. Has it changed the political game? Will the BJPs nationalism narrative weaken the momentum you are talking about? Today, almost every voter has a phone and you can reach that voter directly. What you choose to communicate through this pipe is very, very important. My surveys tell me that tangible issues matter much more than some intangible ideas. I choose to send them messages about Nyay, not some fake photoshopped image. A 28-year-old youth from Uttar Pradesh died when the crane that he was operating at the Haldia dock complex in Bengals East Midnapore district caught fire on Saturday. Eyewitnesses told the police that Dravin Rai jumped from the drivers cabin to save himself but a net that some workers held below could not break the fall. Rai landed on the ground and was critically injured. He was rushed to a hospital in Kolkata where he died. Rai was loading coal into a cargo vessel when the fire broke out. He jumped from a height of around 50 feet. A dock worker recorded a video of the incident. The short clip,showing Rai jumping from the crane while flames engulfled the base of the huge machine, was telecast by a local news channel on Sunday. The crane driver succumbed to his injuries after he was taken to a hospital in Kolkata, said Partha Ghosh, district magistrate, East Midnapore. I have learnt that some workers laid out a net and asked him to jump after a fire broke out at berth number 13. But he landed on the ground from a height of around 50 feet. He sustained multiple injuries, added Ghosh. Ten fire tenders were pressed into service to control the blaze. The berth where the incident took place is operated by private companies. We are yet to trace the cause of fire. We have shut down all operations at the berth and an investigation has started, Amal Datta, general manager (administration), Haldia Port, said. The Congress Sunday asked why the central government was not giving a one-line directive to the RBI to disclose information about annual inspection report of banks and list of wilful loan defaulters. The partys remarks came after the Supreme Court on Friday gave the banking regulator a last opportunity to reveal these details under the RTI Act. Under Banking Regulation Act and RBI Act, it takes Government of India 15 seconds to direct the RBI to disclose... There are specific provisions of 35A, 35B and 35AA (of Banking Regulation Act) that gives this power to the central government...Why is the government not giving a one-line simple directive to disclose, asked Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Addressing a press conference here, he said, The Supreme Court directed in 2015 that you must disclose. After that for four long years, the RBI under the direction of this government, clearly wanting to hide things, has procrastinated, has obstructed and has derailed, has avoided, and has given excuses. Why is the RBI not disclosing...Is it protecting someone, he questioned. Singhvi asked if the BJP was trying to protect crony capitalists whose names are in the list of RBIs wilful defaulters. Also read: RBIs revised norms for resolution of stressed assets likely before May 23 About wilful defaulters who are on the internal RBI list, he said, Nobody is asking for them to be sent to jail. We are only asking for names...We (Congress) are not afraid of it, so why are you afraid? We had told you a few weeks ago that within 5 years of this (BJP) government, the defaults and NPAs (non-performing assets) have increased...We ask the BJP to give information about all loan defaulters, he said. On Friday, the top court made it clear that RBI was duty-bound to furnish all information relating to inspection reports and other material under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, except those which pertained to matters of national economic interest. On December 16, 2015, the apex court had asked the RBI to disclose such information under RTI Act. However, the regulator did not do so. Therefore, on Friday, the apex court said that the RBI is in contempt of this court by exempting disclosure of such information. However, the court granted RBI a last opportunity to rectify it. Meanwhile, Singhvi also claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modis use of caste references during the election campaign is a sign of nervousness. What is the lecture that has been given to us. That we are above caste. We dont talk about it. Everyone talks about it in the world but Modiji does not talks about it. Now, you can see the evidence in front of you. This (use of caste by PM) is the symptom of nervousness, Singhvi said. On Saturday, the prime minister had said at a speech in Uttar Pradesh,Mayawatiji, I am most backward...I request with folded hands not to drag me in the caste politics, 130 crore people are my family. This country did not know my caste till my detractors abused me...I am thankful to Mayawatiji, Akhileshji, Congress people and the mahamilavatis that they are discussing my caste...I believe that taking birth in a backward caste is an opportunity to serve the country, he said. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. ) It will be a battle of alliances once again in Maharashtra during Mondays polling as the BJP and Congress with their allies seek to retain and win back the seats they lost in the last Lok Sabha election. Maharashtra, which sends 48 members to the Lok Sabha, will hold elections in 17 seats in the fourth round of the seven-phased general election on Monday. This phase includes three parliamentary constituencies from western Maharashtra, four from Konkan region, four from north Maharashtra and six seats from Mumbai. It will be the last phase of polling as it will cover all the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Polling in 31 seats has already been held in the first three phases. Read: Full coverage of Lok Sabha elections In 2014, the Congress and Sharad Pawar-led National Congress Party (NCP) alliance lost all the six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai, which they had won in 2009. This time, the fight will be crucial as they are looking to regain their lost ground while the BJP and Shiv Sena combine are leaving no stone unturned to repeat its performance again. Political expert Pratap Aasbe said this will be the most important and interesting phase of the polls in the state as it comprises all six seats from Mumbai and many glamorous and high profile candidates fighting it out. Read: BJP looks to retain Mumbai North constituency Actors such as Urmila Matondkar and Amol Kolhe are in the fray. The future of political families of Pawar, Mahajan, Dutt and Deora are at stakes. However, it seems difficult for the BJP-Sena combine to retain all the six seats of Mumbai, Aasbe said. The Bharatiya Janata Party has changed its candidate only on one seat of Mumbai North East owing to pressure from its ally Shiv Sena. The sitting member of Parliament (MP) Kirit Somaiya, who criticised Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray during the 2017 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, has been dropped. Somaiya had accused Thackeray of corruption and alleged that the Sena-controlled BMC was in the grip of a powerful mafia run by a saheb in Bandra (Thackerays residence). He had defeated Patil by a margin of over 3.17 lakh votes in the last general polls. Somaiya was replaced by municipal corporator Manoj Kotak, who is pitted against the NCPs Sanjay Dina Patil, an MP from the constituency in 2009-14. Read: Will Sena retain hold over Mumbai North West In Mumbai South Lok Sabha, sitting Sena MP Arvind Sawant is facing competition from Congress candidate and partys Mumbai president Milind Deora for the second consecutive time. In 2014, Sawant had defeated Deora, the then MP, by a margin of over 1.28 lakh votes. In Mumbai South Central constituency, sitting Sena MP Rahul Shewale will face-off senior Congress leader and former MP Eknath Gaikwad for the second time. Shewale had defeated Gaikwad by a margin of over 1.38 lakh votes in the last election. The constituency comprises Dharavi, the biggest slum area in Asia. Read: Mumbai North Central never repeats a party In Mumbai North West constituency, sitting Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar and Congress former MP Sanjay Nirupam are contesting against each other. Kirtikar had defeated the then sitting MP and senior Congress leader Gurudas Kamat by a margin of over 1.83 lakh votes. Nirupam was the MP from Mumbai North constituency. On his request, Congress decided to change his constituency for the general polls. In Mumbai North Central constituency, sitting BJP MP Poonam Mahajan is facing tough competition from former legislator Priya Dutt. Both the candidates come from political families Mahajan is the daughter of late senior BJP leader Pramod Mahajan and Dutt father was late actor and former MP Sunil Dutt. In 2014, Mahajan had defeated Dutt by a margin of over 1.86 lakh votes. Read: BJP looks to retain Mumbai North East In Mumbai North constituency is facing another tight fight where the sitting BJP MP Gopal Shetty will have to defend the partys bastion against Congress candidate and Bollywood actor Urmila Matondkar. Shetty had defeated the then sitting MP Sanjay Nirupam by a huge margin of 4.46 lakh votes. Actor Govinda was also the MP in 2004-09. As Congress candidate, he had defeated veteran BJP leader Ram Naik. Shirur constituency, a part of western Maharashtra region, will also witness a big contest as Marathi actor Amol Kolhe is fighting against Sena heavyweight and three-term MP Shivajirao Patil. The NCP has roped Kolhe for his star appeal and oratory skills. The Shirur seat comprises a significant number of voters from the Mali community, which the NCP is trying to tap by fielding Kolhe, who belongs to the same community. In 2014, Patil had defeated Devdutta Nikam of the NCP by a big margin of 3.01 lakh votes. Read: Mumbai South Central has been a Sena bastion In Maval constituency, sitting Sena MP Shrirang Barne is also facing a tough fight against Parth Pawar, third generation member from NCP chief Sharad Pawars family. He is the son of former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. Interestingly, the NCP chief was not keen on fielding Parth but eventually gave up to the family pressure. Since the seat was formed in 2008 following delimitation, both the attempts in 2009 and 2014 made by the NCP to win it have failed. The party has forged an alliance with the Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWP) that has a strong presence in the constituency to ensure a win. In the 2014 polls, its candidate Laxman Jagtap was the first runner who has got over 3.54 lakh votes. Barna had defeated him by a margin of 1.57 lakh votes. Read: All about Mumbai South In Shirdi constituency, Sena candidate Sadashiv Lokhande is fighting Congress Bhausaheb Kamble. Former Congress leader Bhausaheb Wakchaure, who joined the BJP, is contesting as an Independent candidate. Wakchaure was a former Sena MP from the seat in 2009-14. In 2014, he lost the polls as the Congress candidate against Senas Sadashiv Lokhande by a margin of 1.99 lakh votes. Another trouble the party is likely to face is from its Shirdi MLA and leader of opposition in the state assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who may help the Shiv Sena. Vikhe Patils son Sujay has joined the BJP to contest from the Ahmednagar Lok Sabha seat. Ahmednagar was with the NCP as part of the seat-sharing agreement with the Congress. Sujay wanted to contest from the seat which the NCP refused to leave for him. Patil is likely to remove from the position of opposition leader post elections. Nandurbar constituency is reserved for the Scheduled Tribes and will see a tough tussle between Congress and BJP candidates. Known to be a Congress bastion, which the party has lost only thrice since Independence, Nandurbar had elected the BJPs Heena Gavit as its representative in 2014. However, some of the decisions related to the tribals have upset the community, which account for about 70% of the voters. She is facing Congress KC Padvi and Sushil Anturlikar, who is contesting as a Vanchit Bahuja Aghadi nominee. Nashik has been the stronghold of the Shiv Sena and Raj Thackerays Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. It is also the home turf of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, a sitting MLA and former deputy chief minister. His nephew Sameer is the partys candidate and former MP from the seat. A revolt by the BJPs former MLA Manikrao Kokate may prove beneficial to the NCP candidate. The CPI(M) too has not fielded its candidate. The MNS is reportedly supporting Bhujbals. The constituency dominant Maratha votes followed by a sizeable voter share of Mali community and tribals. Bypoll for the Palghar constituency last year witnessed a high voltage rivalry between the BJP and Shiv Sena after they fielded their candidates against each other. This time as part of the alliance, Shiv Sena has nominated the BJPs sitting MP Rajendra Gavit as its candidate in the Lok Sabha election. Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) led by MLA Hitendra Thakur has a strong presence in the urban parts of the constituency, while in rural areas, tribals have a dominance. Congress and CPI(M) are supporting the BVA candidate. Raj Thackerays MNS too has its tacit support to the BVA candidate, making it easier for the party. In 2014, the BJPs Chintaman Wanga had defeated BVAs Baliram Jadhav by a margin of over 2.39 lakh votes. Wangas death necessitated the by-polls last year. The votes will be counted on May 23. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday countered the claims made by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray in his rallies and said he has been presenting edited videos to build a false campaign against the ruling party. Presenting its own set of videos, the Mumbai unit of the BJP said Thackeray has been twisting and distorting information to misguide people. Hours before the curtains came down on electioneering in Mumbai, the BJP and the MNS exchanged claims and counterclaims. While BJP said Thackeray has been speaking in the language of Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan and Pakistani media, the MNS said the ruling party is losing sleep over the expose by Thackeray. The MNS chief has been launching scathing attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Ganga cleaning project, Pulwama attack, Ujjwala Yojana, note ban, GST rollout, etc, at his rallies, which have attracted large crowds. BJPs Mumbai unit chief, Ashish Shelar, countered close to 20 allegations made by the MNS chief in the past 20 days to present the true picture. Shelar said the videos shown by Thackeray and the 32 allegations made were not sourced from verified social media accounts of the BJP or through RTI. On Pulwama, there was a lot of mudslinging. In one rally, he [Thackeray] said Amit Shah was the first to speak about the airstrike when in fact, the Pakistan Army PRO was the first to tweet about it at 5.12am on February 26. Amit Shah tweeted about it on February 26 afternoon, Shelar said at Rangsharda Auditorium. He claimed that Thackeray spoke half truth about the meetings between the national security agencies of both countries. He showed an article and said Ajit Doval and Pakistan NSA had a secret meeting in Bangkok in December. He didnt say which year the meeting took place. It was in December 2017 while the Pulwama attacks occurred in February 2019. Shelar also slammed Thackeray for questioning the valour of Indian servicemen. First Imran Khan said no war, then MNS said the same thing. Later, Pakistan PM said no F-16 shot down, and MNS said the same. Pakistan is demanding inquiry of Ajit Doval and so is MNS. He is speaking in the language of Pakistan. People now have a question: What Imran Khan plans, Thackeray does the same, he said. Shelar also claimed that in one of Thackerays rallies, he showed an edited video of Modis interview, where he was seen asking that if the death of farmers can be an election issue, then why the death of soldiers cannot be one. Shelar, on Saturday, showed an extended clip of the interview and said, If he had shown the question in the clip, people would have known [the context]. Shelar also countered Thackerays claim that though 20,000 crore has been spent on Namami Gange project, the river is still polluted. He said sewerage treatment plants have been set up in Hubli, Kanpur, Patna, Prayagraj and Varanasi in the past 1,200 days of the government. Responding to Shelars counter-claims, MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande said the Namami Gange video shown by Shelar is an advertisement of the BJP. Weve already exposed how fake their ads areTodays press conference was an example that the BJP is losing sleep after being exposed by Raj sahib, he said, while addressing the media at Shivaji Park. They are claiming Modi never said anything about giving 15 lakh in the accounts of citizens Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari have already said the statement was a jumla. The MNS on Saturday also claimed the states advertisement on skill development was fake. Deshpande introduced Rekha Vahatule, who had enrolled in the states skill training programme and whose name was allegedly used in the advertisement. Vahatule, who is from Aurangabad district, said, I have a masala business. I got skill training through the scheme. But they did not help me promote my business. I havent got any benefit. They used my name for the ad. A day before 72 seats across nine states go to polls in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, Congress president Rahul Gandhi renewed his attack on the Centre over issues faced by farmers on Sunday, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) treated them as liability. Our farmers are our pride and strength, he wrote on Twitter. Indias farmers are now rising up to demand NYAY..., he added, referring to the Congresss proposed minimum income guarantee scheme, or Nyay. The Congress has been focusing on the agrarian distress in its rallies. Earlier in the day, campaigning for his party in Bihar, BJP chief Amit Shah continued with his narrative of national security, saying all anti-national elements will end up behind the bars once the Modi government returns to power. He hit out at Gandhi over the Congress manifesto that promised to scrap the sedition law. He said Modi has shown he is a man with a 56-inch chest by destroying terrorist hideouts in Pakistan. In Uttar Pradesh, Shah said while criminals roamed freely when the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ruled the state, they are now seen moving around with a patta (placard) reading arrest us but dont do encounter since Yogi Adityanath became chief minister. The Yogi Adityanath government had come in for criticism last year after the UP Police launched a crackdown across the state, killing dozens of criminals. Meanwhile, a day before the last phase of polling in Maharashtra, the Congress said ally Sharad Pawars remark on the top contenders for the PM post could be his personal opinion. Nationalist Congress Party leader Pawar said on Saturday that West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu and former UP CM Mayawati could be top contenders for the post if the BJP-led NDA did not get majority. We are sure about getting a clear majority in the Lok Sabha polls and our president Rahul Gandhi is our choice for the post, said Congress leader Sachin Sawant. (With agency inputs) You are here: World Flash With more than 2,000 job opportunities, over 100 Chinese and British companies joined a high level talent fair in London on Saturday. The 2019 UK-China High-level Talent Fair, held in downtown London, was crowded with overseas Chinese students and scholars from prestigious universities in the UK, as well as talents from France, Germany, Italy and other countries. Companies, research institutes and universities came from over 20 Chinese provinces and municipalities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Shandong, Hunan and Fujian. According to the fair's organizer UK China Talent Development Association, demands for talents mainly concentrate on the emerging fields, in particular, education, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, biomedical and new energy. This year's fair features a substantially increased proportion of Chinese enterprises based in the UK and British enterprises, as companies such as Bank of China (UK) Limited, China Certification & Inspection London Company Limited and Huawei reached out to applicants with competitive positions. Liu Xiaoming, the Chinese ambassador to Britain, said in a congratulatory message that the talent fair, in its second year, would continue broadening communication channels for Chinese and British talents, so as to attract these brightest minds to China. The fair also saw a round table discussion on innovation, entrepreneurship and education, attended by scholars and enterprise managers from Britain and China. The talent fair was supported by the Chinese Embassy in Britain and the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is hoping to make inroads into Kerala by exploiting popular sentiment against the Supreme Court order allowing women of menstruating age into the Sabarimala shrine. Voter turnout figures released by the Election Commission of India show that polling percentage in Kerala was 77.6%, highest in Lok Sabha elections since 1991. To be sure, voter turn out has increased in all Lok Sabha elections in Kerala since 1998. A parliamentary constituency (PC) wise analysis of voter turnout figures shows that Pathanamthitta, the PC where the Sabarimala shrine is located, registered the highest growth in voter turnout. This region has seen continuous protests against the court verdict and the ruling Left Democratic Front government(LDF). Does this mean that the BJP stands to gain from this issue? Pathanamthitta PC is currently with the Congress, which defeated an independent candidate backed by the LDF in 2014 with a victory margin of 6.5% of total votes polled. The BJP finished third with a 16% vote share. The same candidate won the seat for the Congress in 2009 as well, with a vote share of 51%. The BJPs vote share in 2009 was 7%. This means that the BJP more than doubled its vote share between 2009 and 2014. However, its vote share figures at the PC level came down to 11% in the 2016 assembly election. Another important fact worth underlining is that the Pathanamthitta PC has been closing its gap with the rest of Kerala in terms of voter turnout since 2009. A comparison of change in voter turnout and increase in BJPs vote share in Kerala between 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections does not show a very strong correlation. BJPs 2014 vote share in Kerala was four percentage points more than that in 2009. (See Chart) This suggests that the BJPs gains are more from its ability to attract voters from other political parties in the state rather than appeal to a silent group which did not come out to vote for either the Left or the Congress, the two dominant players in the state. It remains to be seen whether the BJP can continue to usurp voters from the two dominant players in Kerala politics and maybe convert this gain into seats. Upset over BJPs decision to field actor Sunny Deol from the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency in Punjab, Kavita Khanna, wife of late Union minister and actor Vinod Khanna, on Saturday said she felt abandoned and rejected as she was denied a ticket at the last moment. She also made it clear that she will not contest the polls as an Independent candidate. Addressing a press conference here, Kavita indirectly hit out at the BJP for betraying her by not considering her candidature from Gurdaspur, which her late husband had represented four times in the Lok Sabha. I felt abandoned and rejected. I was made to feel absolutely insignificant. Nobody from the party called me to say there is another candidate. I was in Delhi when he (Deol) joined. I would have gone had they called. I have been approached by many other parties, she said addressing the media at Press Club of India here. The BJP Tuesday evening named Deol as its candidate from Gurdaspur, a decision which is being seen as a setback to Kavita who was hopeful of getting nominated from the seat. Kavita, who had been meeting public and party workers in Gurdaspur, said she was ready to file nomination papers from the seat after many assurances from the party, but she was denied the ticket at the last moment. I felt hurt because I understand the party has the right to decide a candidate but there is a way of doing it. The way it was done, I felt abandoned and rejected, she said. Actor Vinod Khanna, who died in 2017 at the age of 70 after battling cancer for many years, had joined the BJP in 1997. He had won the the Gurdaspur seat four times -- 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2014. On being asked if she would contest as an Independent candidate from Gurdaspur, Kavita said, No. I will not contest independently. I still have faith in the BJP and will support (PM) Narendra Modi. On Wednesday, she had said, I am weighing all my options. I have not decided anything yet (whether to contest polls independently). I have not taken any decision on any issue She did not respond on whether she would campaign for Deol, but said she wishes that the Gurdaspur seat falls in Modis kitty. The BJP has my support, my PM has my support. At the same time, I have to insist that this cant happen again, because I am making a personal sacrifice, she said. Kavita claimed that she has a massive support in Gurdaspur just as it was for her husband and the people of the constituency had encouraged her to fight the election. My husband was popularly known as sardar of bridges for connecting remote villages in his constituency. I have walked barefoot with him to work for the people. Im confident that had I stood as an Independent, I would have won, she said. Currently, the Gurdaspur constituency is represented by Congress MP Sunil Jakhar who won the seat in the 2017 bypoll, which was necessitated after the death of Vinod Khanna in April that year. Jakhar had defeated BJP candidate Swaran Salaria by a whopping margin of 1,93,219 votes. With 29 seats, and a direct contest between the two national parties, Madhya Pradesh is emerging as the big battleground of Lok Sabha 2019 as polls enter the fourth phase. In 2014, the BJP swept the state winning 27 seats. Four years later, it lost power at the state-level to the Congress. And thus the question that animates voters in MP is whether 2019 will be a repeat of 2014, or a replication of 2018. The answer may be neither. HT travelled to eight constituencies in the state. Four of these Jabalpur, Shahdol, Balaghat and Mandla vote in the fourth phase of polling on April 29. The travel did not cover two major regions, Gwalior-Chambal and Malwa-Nimar. The battle of Madhya Pradesh rests on a complex interplay of Prime Minister Narendra Modis overarching popularity, the Bharatiya Janata Partys local vulnerabilities, Congress advantage of being in power for five months and its disadvantage of being seen as failing to deliver its promises. The return of Modi There is a stark difference in the manner in which Modi was perceived at the end of last year, and as he is perceived in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls, in MP. Modi was seen as being irrelevant to the state elections, with many voters suggesting this was an election on local issues. In some quarters, there was outright hostility. Many claimed that Modi, instead of supplementing Shivraj Singh Chouhans campaign, was dragging it down. Central policies like demonetisation, the restoration of the provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Prevention of Atrocities Act and the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (which subsumes all indirect taxes within it), had alienated voters. But five months later, Modi has returned in the political consciousness of the state. This is, once again, Modis chunav. In the MP high court in Jabalpur, a group of four former government workers have come for a case from Satna. Among them, K P Mishra and C P Gupta are vocal when asked about their political preferences. Who else can provide leadership like Modi in this country? We are all with the BJP in this election, asked Mishra. What has changed from November last year? Gupta is quick to respond, This election is not to construct our street lanes. It is about the nation. Look at the alternative. Rahul Gandhi is immature. Both Mishra and Gupta come from caste groups traditionally seen as loyal to the BJP. In rural areas, Modis broad-based appeal is visible. In Jabalpurs Pahreva, a group of daily wage labourers from Kol community are sitting around a tea shop. Ram Milan Kol is a firm admirer of the PM. Modi has given rural homes. He has given gas cylinders. He has given toilets. Which PM before this thought of villages? he said. In the same village, a Dalit shopkeeper, Ratnesh, mentioned he too, was a supporter of Modi. I trust him, he said. Rahul Gajbhiye in Balaghat constituencys Barghat bazaar helps people with Aadhaar enrolment. I think Modi has improved Indias image, strengthened our armed forces. I also work with people in rural areas, so I know his welfare work, like Ayushman Bharat [the healthcare scheme], is reaching the ground. I voted NOTA in 2014, I voted Congress in 2018 in the assembly elections, and I am not a Hindu fundamentalist. But I think this country really needs Modi for five more years, Gajbhiye said. In Ratua Lalghati, on the outskirts of Bhopal, Govind is a young man who installs sound systems for functions. He rejects the contention that the policies of the Modi regime diminished prospects for organised jobs for young men like him. Was there no unemployment during Congress rule? We need to work ourselves. We need to make ourselves capable. Modi cannot come and feed us. Admittedly, some of these are traditional BJP seats. But it is still striking that what is helping both old and new voters rally behind the party is one name: Modi. The local challenge However, break it down to constituencies and the Modi story suddenly does not seem enough. Take Balaghat, which had enthusiastic supporters of Modi like Rahul Gajbhiye. He admits that the party faces a challenge in the constituency. The BJP picked Dhal Singh Bisen and did not give a ticket to sitting MP Bodh Singh Bhagat, who is now contesting as an independent. The Congress has put up Madhu Bhagat. In Balaghats Kanjai, a local police official, who did not want to be named since he was not allowed to express political opinions, is a firm Modi supporter. I dont know why BJP messed up its ticket. The Balaghat constituency has eight assembly segments six are from the Balaghat district and two from the Seoni district. The BJP candidate, Bisen, is from Seoni. So he does not have appeal across the seat, and the Congress is capitalising on the sentiment in Balaghats assembly segments that they have been overlooked. The BJP had won the seat with a margin of about 95,000 votes in 2014; now, a lot will hinge on whether the party can keep the base behind the new candidate. In some seats BJPs political calculus has got complicated by repeating the same candidate, who may have a degree of anti-incumbency. Faggan Singh Kulaste has been a long-term MP of the party from the reserved tribal constituency of Mandla, winning all elections here since 1996 (except 2009). In 2014, he won with a margin of over 100,000 votes. A well recognised figure with high recall value, Kulaste has local patronage networks. But voters are now seeking change at the local level. Rajiv Shivhare, who runs a popular dhaba, says he is a Modi admirer. I would like the local MP to lose though. We want Modi, we do not want Kulaste, he added. The BJP has held Khajuraho since 2004, and won with a huge margin of close to 250,000 votes in 2014. This time around, the party has put up a new candidate, V D Sharma, an old Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh hand. The RSS is the ideological fount of the BJP. However, Sharma is not from the constituency, which led to resentment among party workers in the constituency. The Congress candidate, Kavita Singh, is from a local royal family. At a local tea shop in Neganwa village, the refrain is common: this is an insider versus outsider battle. The BJP could well still retain Balaghat, Mandla, and Khajurao. But this may well be difficult if the old adage all politics is local prevails over the Modi factor. Congresss mixed bag If local issues seem to be a handicap for the BJP, the problem for the Congress is that a degree of disillusionment has set in with the state government. Make no mistake. The Congress, going by the consensus among local political observers as well as ordinary voters, is set to increase its tally in the state. It won only two of the 29 seats in the 2014 elections, and bagged an additional one in a bypoll. The question in this election is the extent of the gain or alternately, the degree to which it can inflict losses on BJP. A lot will depend on how Congress manages its messaging on farm loan waiver. This was its key promise during the assembly polls and it is widely believed in the state that this is what swung a substantial segment of farm voters towards the party. But on the ground, there is an increasing belief that the party has failed to deliver on its promise. In Hoshangabads Sohapur, Komal Patel is a Congress party supporter. He admits that his biggest challenge this time is in mobilising votes of farmers again. We have not been able to deliver on the promise to waive off loans up to two lakhs. Very few people have got any relief. This has not only led to anger, but it has also broken trust. In Vidishas Sanchi, Lakhpa Singh Lodhi said he voted for the Congress for the first time in the last elections. We thought they had lost thrice and we should give them a chance. And they promised the waiver. But I have got nothing. I will return to the BJP. Similar voices can be heard across constituencies, where people either allege they have got no relief, or that it is stuck in procedural delays, or only those with very limited liabilities have got loans waived off. This perception has resulted in a crisis of credibility on Nyay, the partys big idea to win over poorer voters by promising ?72,000 per year to the bottom 20% of Indias poor. Pradeep Jat in Sonkach, on the outskirts of Bhopal, said, They do not deliver what they promise. And then they make these bigger promises. Congress supporters claim that Modi instead should be held responsible for his failure to deposit ?15 lakh, a 2014 campaign pitch. BJP will find it hard to replicate the success of 2014, but the Congress will find it hard to translate the gains of 2018 too. A tough battle lies ahead. When polling for the fourth phase of the general elections starts on April 29, more than 35 lakh voters across Lohardaga, Palamu and Chatra parliamentary constituencies in Jharkhand will exercise their franchise to choose their representatives in the Lok Sabha. Polls for 14 seats in Jharkhand are scheduled to be held in four phases, beginning with three LS seats on April 29. The Lohardaga seat is reserved for Scheduled Tribes and Palamu for Scheduled Castes. Currently, the BJP holds 12 of the 14 LS seats in the state, including the three going to polls initially. Barring Chatra, where the opposition grand alliance partners, Congress and the RJD, are engaged in a friendly fight, the BJP is pitched in a direct battle with the opposition alliance in Lohardaga and Palamu. In Lohardaga, Sudershan Bhagat, who is representing the seat since 2009, is facing a tough battle this time round as he is locked in a direct contest with Lohardaga legislator and former Jharkhand Congress chief Sukhdeo Bhagat. Sukhdeo Bhagat is contesting on a Congress ticket as part of the opposition alliance in the state, hence there is likely to be a consolidation of opposition votes. In 2014, despite the huge Modi wave, Sudershan Bhagat had just scraped through with over 6,000 votes in a multi-corner contest. Also read: Maoist-hit Khunti is one of most backwards seats in Jharkhand Lohardaga, a reserved seat for scheduled castes, is dominated by tribals. The seat has a sizeable tribal Christian population, who are expected to polarize against the BJP due to local factors such as the Pathalgadi movement in neighbouring districts and the anti-conversion law legislated by the state government. The BJP won both the Palamu and Chatra seats by a handsome margin in 2014.Former state DGP VD Ram won from Palamu and Sunil Singh, despite being an outsider, won from Chatra. The party has repeated both of them in 2019 despite protests from local party workers in both constituencies. BJP leader and Latehar district board vice-chairman Rajendra Saw has turned rebel and is contesting as an independent from Chatra. While Ram is locked in a direct contest with RJDs Ghutan Ram in Palamu, Sunil Singh is having a breather as RJD and Congress are engaged in a friendly fight making the contest triangular. Also read: Many crorepati, criminal candidates in 3 Jharkhand Lok Sabha seats voting on April 29 Security beefed up: Ahead of the fourth phase of elections, around 38,400 personnel would be deployed to provide security cover. CRPF commandant Kailash Arya said that 154 companies of the central paramilitary forces would be deployed as per the Election Commissions guidelines. The strength of security forces in each area would be decided after security assessment of the polling booths is done. After completion of the first phase, these companies would be moved to other areas, he said. Recently, Inspector General of Police (provisions) Arun Kumar Singh issued a letter to concerned police officers regarding requisition of vehicles for the movement of troops. According to the letter, 94 companies of the paramilitary forces are already stationed in the state. An additional 60 companies of CPMF along with 52 echo companies of the Indian Reserve Battalion/ State Indian Reserve Battalion/State Armed Police/Jharkhand Armed Police will be moved to the districts ahead of the elections, it said. Winning from Thane has always been a prestige issue for the Shiv Sena, as the city is known to be a Sena bastion. The fight this election, although seemingly one-sided, might cost Sena if they are over confident. With an emerging non-Marathi population, voters may not fall for the usual emotional appeals of the Sena. Also, the NCPs decision to field a highly qualified and young candidate and an anti-incumbency sentiment can spoil Senas chances. Moreover, for its candidate, bastions are never meant to be permanent. The Thane Lok Sabha seat will be an acid test for Sena to keep its hold on the city, few months ahead of the Assembly elections. The constituency has around 23 lakh voters. The constituency comprises three cities Thane, Navi Mumbai and Mira Bhayender. The main fight here is between Sena candidate and sitting MP Rajan Vichare and NCP candidate Anand Paranjpe. Vichare has worked his way up to MP, from being a four-time corporator, citys mayor and MLA. Paranjpe, who became Thane MP in 2008 on a Shiv Sena seat, contested elections from Kalyan in 2009 and won. He, however, joined the NCP mid-term and lost the 2014 elections to Shrikant Shinde. Milind Ballal, senior journalist, said, Thane residents for generations have cast their votes in favour of the saffron alliance. The prime reason for this is the Senas strong connect with people at the ground level, massive presence in the civic body and emotional connect. The party gets most votes from the Marathispeaking community. However, Thane has now expanded into New Thane, which has a majorly cosmopolitan population. It remains to be seen if the party has managed to connect with this crowd. Ballal added that this is where the BJP can do Sena a great help, as it has managed to connect with the non-Marathi community in Thane. Meanwhile, Paranjpe is playing the educated candidate card and can also connect well with new voters. These voters might not go by the tradition of voting for the Sena. Ballal added, Moreover, there is an increase in young and first-time voters, whose loyalties do not lie with the saffron alliance. Sena has an uphill task and cannot take the seat for granted. They will have to focus on the larger chunk of voters from areas like Navi Mumbai, Owala-Majiwada and Mira Bhayander. The Maratha community comprises over 35% of the total voters. The community in Thane has not shown their open opposition to the Sena, despite a seeming unrest over the reservation issue. The Brahmin community, predominant in areas like Naupada and Panchpakhadi, is mostly known to favour the BJP. However, Paranjpe, being a Brahmin, and with the community having a soft spot for his father, the late Sena MP Prakash Paranjpe, some votes may go in his favour. Meanwhile, over 16 NGOs and activists group pledged their support to the NCP. A senior Sena functionary said even though several few NGOs, activists and MNS have decided to support the NCP candidate, there will be no huge loss to the Sena. There are many more organisations and unions that have pledged their support to us. Moreover, NCP is also losing its hold in Navi Mumbai too, as it at present has a BJP MLA and more than 25 Sena corporators. There is no unrest within the BJP. Most BJP leaders were present for filing nominations, he added. The NCP does not have a strong connect with people, as its presence in civic body is also much lesser than the Sena. In the recent civic elections, many NCP corporators also joined the BJP, affecting the hold of the party on the citys politics. The party also had to face opposition from Mira-Bhayander Congress leaders for the candidature of Paranjpe. Paranjpe said bastions are never permanent. Bastions can be demolished and we plan to prove it this time. There has being no marked development in any of the three cities of the constituency in the past five years. Even though Thane has favoured the saffron parties, people are unhappy and looking for a change. The Sena tried to campaign against us by pointing out that I am from Kalyan, however, I have worked as city president of Thane NCP for the past five years. I am confident of a win, he said. BJP chief Amit Shah Sunday said while criminals roamed freely when the SP and the BSP ruled Uttar Pradesh, they are seen moving around with a patta (placard) reading arrest us but dont do encounter since Yogi Adityanath became chief minister. The Yogi Adityanath government had come in for criticism last year after the UP Police launched a massive crackdown across the state, killing dozens of criminals. Reports had suggested that many people facing criminal cases wanted to be in jail rather than getting killed in encounters. Addressing a rally here, Shah said, Till the time the SP and the BSP ruled the state, criminals would roam freely. But, after Yogi Adityanath assumed office, criminals are seen moving with a patta (placard) reading arrest us but dont do encounter. Shah also claimed that a pall of gloom had descended on Pakistan and the offices of SP, BSP and Congress on the day of surgical strikes. He also asked Buaa-Bhatija (Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav) and Rahul Gandhi to make their stand clear on having a separate prime minister for Jammu and Kashmir and asserted that no one can take it away from India till his party exists. The BJP has been aggressively attacking opposition parties for keeping mum on National Conference leader Omar Abdullahs suggestion that there should be a separate prime minister for the state, which enjoys special status through Article 370. During his election campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked several opposition leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, N Chandrababu Naidu and Sharad Pawar, whether they support Abdullahs comment. While presenting a report card on the completion of two years of his government Adityanath had said earlier this month: There is zero tolerance for crime and criminals and 73 criminals have been killed in police encounters. Shah also said at present, only small and middle-scale farmers are benefitting from PM-KISAN scheme, but in the future every farmer will gain from it. Addressing another public meeting in Lucknows Mohanlalganj area, Shah said, Today, land mafia doesnt have the courage to grab land of the poor. The BJP president also alleged that former prime minister Manmohan Singh kept mum when terrorists from Pakistan beheaded Indian soldiers. Hemraj bhai was beheaded, but mauni (silent) baba did not say anything or did anything. But, this is not the case now. Befitting reply is being given to Pakistan, Shah said. In his 22-year-long political career Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik has alway been on the ruling side. This summer, can Odishas most famous bachelor continue this dream run? Patnaiks rivals, at least some, see him in awe (others accuse him of whimsy) and his own colleagues find him enigmatic and immune to the many perks of power politics. He started his career in Parliament in 1997 but loves to stay within the limits of his state. His party won 20 of the states 21 seats in last Lok Sabha but it has a limited national agenda. People love to hear him but he talks as less as possible. Now 72, Paktanik faces arguably his biggest political test as a strong Bharatiya Janata Party tries to expand footprint in the coastal state. Patnaik was an MP in the ruling United Front in 1997. He became a union minister in 1998. Since 2000, he has headed Odisha. His politics hinges on three factors: populist measures , such as rice for 1/kilo for poor people or the new guaranteed income scheme for farmers; allowing bureaucrats to run the administration much like what the late J Jayalalithaa (he enjoyed a great rapport with her) did in Tamil Nadu; and poaching popular leaders from rival parties to minimise contest. He is a very different of a political leader. He doesnt care much about many sides of the administration but remains very clued about schemes or matters that can affect votes, said former Odisha chief secretary Jugal Kishore Mahapatra. Many of his party MPs lament his limited interest in national politics. Once, party MP Pinaki Misra suggested to him that the BJD should have a Delhi office. Naveen replied: Why do you need a separate office? You can use my (ancestral) house there and closed the topic. A few years ago, Patnaik enquired if his partys Lok Sabha floor leader Bhartruhari Mahtab was free to meet him. Sensing urgency, Mahtab rushed to Patnaiks place only to accompany his leader to Khan Market. There, the CM spent an hour at a photo shop to choose the correct frames to mount some exquisite paintings. Patnaik and the BJP have enjoyed a good relationship in the not-so-distant past. As recent as last year, the BJD walked out of the Lok Sabha to avoid participation in the debate on the no trust motion against the Narendra Modi government. It supported the NDA on many issues including demonetisation and GST. Naveen had a stable partnership with the BJP in Odisha from 2000 to 2009. The alliance broke after communal clashes spread across Odishas Kandhamal district following the assassination of Swami Lakshamananda, a Hindutva ideologue who was active against Christian missionaries. Now, Naveen faces the biggest challenge from the same BJP. Acting fast, Patnaik changed 16 of his partys 20 sitting MPs for this poll. This looks like a direct fight between BJP and BJD as the Congress has weakened. Earlier, in 50% of the seats the BJD fought against the Congress and in the remaining seats, it fought against the BJP. Now the BJP is invariably everywhere, observed Mahtab in the ongoing simultaneous polls for assembly and Lok Sabha in the state. Patnaik knows his personal charisma and credibility is the key to the BJDs fortune. His rival, former Congress state president Sharat Patnaik dubs him a good man. Forgiving Odiyas, too, hail him as different from other politicians. During the UPA-era, when Patnaik came to his office for an official meeting, then rural minister Jairam Ramesh deliberately played an Odiya song to put Naveen in an awkward position. Patnaik loves his dogs and French novels. He is not fluent in the local language, but this election will tell the nation if Naveen Patnaik, in these changing times, knows the heartbeat of Odisha. The fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2019 will be held on April 29, Monday. In this round, 72 Lok Sabha constituencies across nine states will go to polls in the seven-phase election. The first three phases have seen polling in 303 of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha. A total of 963 candidates from across parties in the nine states will be testing their luck. Among these 963 candidates, 210 are facing criminal charges with 158 having serious cases and 12 of them being convicted in criminal cases. Among these 72 seats will be the sole Lok Sabha constituency of Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir. Elections in Anantnag are being held across three phases. The fourth phase will be Anantnags second round of voting with the third round to be held in the fifth phase. Odisha and Madhya Pradesh will see voting on six seats each with West Bengal going to the ballot on eight seats. In Maharashtra, 17 seats will go to poll, while 13 seats each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh will cast their votes. In Bihar, five seats will go to polls along with three in Jharkhand. Of the 72 seats going to polls on Monday, the BJP had won 45 - all 13 of Rajasthan, 12 out of the 13 going to vote in Uttar Pradesh, five in Madhya Pradesh, three each in Bihar and Jharkhand, eight in Maharashtra and one in West bengal. In Jharkhands three seats, Chatra, Palamu and Lohardaga, the BJP will be banking on Prime Minister Narendra Modis charisma to register a victory over the combined might of the Congress, JMM, RJD and theJharkhand vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik). The opposition alliance will be looking to ensure that the BJP does not repeat its performance of winning 12 of the 14 seats going to poll on April 29. In Chatra, the BJP is facing voter dissatisfaction with the sitting MP Sunil Singh, who is reported to not have visited the constituency even once in the past five years. Though the BJP had initially planned not to field him, Sunil Singh got a ticket thanks to the partys Rajput lobby. In Palamau, the BJP has fielded sitting MP and former director general of police VD Ram against the RJDs Ghuram Ram. VD RAm is considered to be a safe candidate for the BJP in the Palamau seat. Lohardaga is where the BJP will face a tough contest from the Congress, with the latter hoping to wrest the constituency from the BJP. In Bihar, which will see voting on five seats, the situation has changed since the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. At that time, the ruling JD(U) had fought the elections opposite the BJP, but this time around, the two parties have come together in an alliance and are contesting elections together. Ironically, its erstwhile ally, the RJD has opted to tie up with the Congress and some other smaller parties in the state. In Samastipur, LJP leader Ramchandra Paswan will be testing his luck. In Madhya Pradesh, chief minister Kamal Nath will be fighting a battle to save his honour considering that he took charge of the state barely five months ago after the Congress defeated the BJP in a narrowly fought assembly election. The Congress will be looking for a somewhat better performance of the assembly elections. In Maharashtra, all the seats in Mumbai will go to polls with Congress leaders former union minister Milind Deora, actor Urmila Matondkar and actor Sanjay Dutts sister Priya Dutt in the fray. From the BJP, the daughter of late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, Poonam Mahajan, will be testing her luck. In 2014, the BJP had made a clean sweep of the city. The Congress will be trying hard to reclaim its support base in the city. In Rajasthan, which the BJP lost to the Congress in the a narrowly fought assembly election barely five months ago, the traditional seats of chief minister Ashoke Gehlot and his predecessor Vasundhara Raje will go to polls. Along the South-Eastern coastline of the country, the BJP will be looking to make a dent in the Biju Janata Dals (BJD) bastion of Odisha. Former BJD leader Jay Panda, who moved to the BJP ahead of the elections will be contesting against actor-turned politician Anubhav Mohanty. Uttar Pradeshs Bundelkhand region will go to the hustings. In 2014, the BJP had had a good outing in the region. However, this time around, it will be facing a tough contest from the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance in the state. From Kanpur, where veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi had contested in 2014, the BJP has fielded state minister Satyadev Pachauri, who will go up against Congresss Sriprakash Jaiswal. On Mamata Banerjees turf, West Bengal, the BJP has been campaigning aggressively and has taken numerous potshots at the state chief minister. The BJP will be hoping to win some seats from the Trinamool Congress which has dominated the state since 2011. Starting Monday, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will begin visiting different states to meet leaders of regional parties to revive his idea of floating a federal front as an alternative to the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the national level. A TRS leader familiar with developments said KCR, as the party chief is popularly called, will leave for Kerala on April 29 to hold talks with Left Front leaders, including Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, to discuss the possibility of the formation of a non-Congress and non-BJP coalition government at the Centre. KCR has apparently chosen to negotiate with Left parties first to counter Congress allegations that the federal front was a B-team of the BJP and the idea was floated only to split allies of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA). After Kerala, he will go to other states, including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, one after the other to meet regional party leaders..., the TRS leader cited above said. According to inputs obtained by KCR, neither NDA nor UPA would be able to cross the 200-mark in the 543-member Lok Sabha. On the other hand, non-BJP and non-Congress parties would be able to get around 140-150 seats, the TRS leader quoted above said. Osmania University professor K Nageshwar said the formation of a federal front government at the Centre could not be ruled out, but the chances were bleak. Calling demonetisation a scandal, senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram on Saturday declared they will investigate the Central governments November 8, 2016, move after wresting power from the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance in the Lok Sabha election. Demonetisation was an ingenious device used by the BJP to help its friends to convert black money to white money. Unaccounted money has become accounted. Post demonetisation, all the money has come back to banks. It is a scam which will be investigated when there is a change in government, Chidambaram said. The former union minister was in Mumbai a day after PM Modi in an election rally in the city said he will put corrupt leaders in jail after getting re-elected in the general elections. Replying to comments made by the PM on Friday wondering whether the Congress would get even 50 seats in the Lok Sabha election, Chidambaram said, One cannot stop anybody from dreaming. Modi dreams not only when he is sleeping but also when he is awake. Chidambaram also said that after the conclusion of three phases of elections, which has covered 303 Lok Sabha seats, the Congress and its allies have a significant lead over the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). I am prepared to stick my neck out and make a prediction on the results of the first three phases. As a single party, Congress is level with BJP. That means the Congress has gained significantly and consequently, the BJP has suffered losses. As an alliance, the Congress and its allies have a significant lead over the BJP and its allies. Mark the word significant. The unfinished task is to retain the initiative, press forward and ensure the lead over BJP is extended, Chidambaram said. Chidambaram also clarified that there were no plans to field party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi from Varanasi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said it had been spread by the BJP in the media that the Congress would field her and had later decided to withdraw her candidature. You are here: World Flash Seven members of a family, including three children and a baby, were killed on Saturday in a traffic accident in Turkey's western province of Izmir, Turkish media reported. The tragedy happened when two light commercial vehicles crashed head-on in the Kaynaklar neighborhood of the Buca district, the private IHA news agency said. Just before the crash, the driver, who was reportedly taking his family to a picnic, lost control of the vehicle and crossed to the other side of the road, said IHA. According to the report, the driver of the other vehicle was wounded and rushed to a nearby hospital. With phase four, polling for which will be held on Monday, the elections will be moving into south Bengal that has been the fortress for ruling Trinamool Congress. So far the 10 constituencies where the people have voted in the first three phases were located mainly in north Bengal, where the emerging force of Bharatiya Janata Party is hoping to do better than in the southern parts of the state. While Mamata Banerjee has vowed to pick up all 42 seats in the state, the BJP state president Dilip Ghosh has claimed that her party is unlikely to win any seat in the 10 that went to the polls in the first three phases. Read: Full coverage of Lok Sabha elections 2019 Ignoring both extremes, political analysts say that the ruling party is likely to face extremely tough contest in some north Bengal constituencies such as Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, and Malda North from the BJP, while the Congress will give Trinamool a run for its money in Raiganj, Malda South and Jangipur. Thats all the more reason elections to the remaining 32 constituencies is extremely crucial for Mamata Banerjee. The eight seats up for grabs in phase four are Baharampur, Krishnagar, Ranaghat, Asansol, Burdwan East, Burdwan-Durgapur, Bolpur and Birbhum. Read: All about West Bengal In 2014, out of these eight, the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won one seat each. The remaining six were cornered by the ruling party. In the last Lok Sabha elections, Trinamool won 34 seats in the state and of these as many as 30 were in south Bengal. Just for the candidates contesting from them, three constituencies stand out among the eight in phase four. These are Berhampore, Asansol and Burdwan-Durgapur. The Congress candidate from Baharampur (in Murshidabad district), Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, is one of the most bitter and consistent critics of the Trinamool Congress chief. And he has not tasted defeat in the past four general elections, having carved out a following of his own despite the declining fortunes of Indias oldest party in West Bengal. Chowdhurys winning margin of 356,567 was the highest by any Congress candidate in the country in 2014. While Chowdhury looks set for a fifth successive victory, Mamata Banerjee unleashed a no-holds-barred campaign against him, even alleging that he was backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party during the campaign. While analysts pointed out that the Trinamool chief was probably trying to wean away some Muslim votes in the constituency that seem to be solidly with Chowdhury, the Congress candidate has dared anyone to vanquish him from the seat in Murshidabad district. Incidentally, according to the 2011 census, Muslims constitute as many as 66.27% of the population of Murshidabad district. Read: Once held by Somnath Chaterjee, Bolpur is in Trinamool kitty now Despite the apparent pro-Muslim tilt in Mamata Banerjees policies, her party has not won any Lok Sabha seat in the districts of Murshidabad and Malda, where Muslims make up 51.27% of the population (according to 2011 census). Asansol, another high-profile constituency, might offer tough contest for Trinamool Congress. The incumbent and BJP nominee from this seat, Babul Supriyo, won in 2014, with not so impressive margin of 70480 votes. The candidature of Trinamools Moon Moon Sen, who had a lacklustre performance as an MP from Bankura constituency in 2014, has raised many eyebrows. The other BJP MP from Bengal in 2014, S S Ahluwalia, who won from the high-profile Darjeeling seat, is contesting from Burdwan-Durgapur. His key opponent is Trinamools Mamtaz Sanghamita who won the seat in the last general elections by 107,331 votes. BJP leaders are quite confident that they would win in Asansol, Burdwan-Durgapur, Krishnagar and Birbhum. The last three were won by Mamata banerjees party in 2014. Read: Trinamool will look to retain Burdwan East Political analysts have pointed out Trinamool Congress has an edge in Burdwan Durgapur, Burdwan East, Bolpur and Birbhum. In many parts of south Bengal, and especially in Birbhum district, a sentiment that might play against the ruling party is the inability of many to cast their votes in the panchayat elections in May 2018, apart from the fact that in many areas the question of exercising the franchise never arose since opposition candidates could not even file nomination, allegedly due to muscle-flexing by Trinamool Congress workers. In Ranaghat, where more than a quarter of the electorate are Matuas (a dalit community that migrated from erstwhile East Pakistan since Independence and also after 1971), Mamata Banerjee sprang a surprise by nominating a 25-year-old homemaker, and a political greenhorn, whose husband, a two-time Trinamool MLA, was shot dead on February 10. To ensure free and fair elections in a state where polls and bloodshed go hand in hand, the Election Commission has planned to put about 98% of the polling stations under central paramilitary forces. Though Trinamool Congress leaders have repeatedly alleged that the poll watchdog is working at the behest of the BJP in putting such an overwhelming number of polling stations under central forces, the opposition parties have welcomed the decision, with Narendra Modi even mentioning in a public meeting on April 24 that before the general elections in 2009, Mamata Banerjee, then an opposition leader, demanded that Presidents rule be imposed in Bengal and the armed forces deployed for the sake of free and fair polls. In a no-holds barred attack not seen so far in this election season, Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not respecting his mother and wife. How can you, who has not shown any respect to your own mother, your wife, teach us how to respect our country? A prime minster like this can never be trusted with the country, Banerjee said at an election rally at Heria in East Midnapore district. The Prime Ministers speeches are instigating, the language is shameful, she added. The Trinamool Congress chief appeared agitated and referred to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders as liars and hooligans. They are using religious propaganda to divert your attention from crucial issues. If this is how elections are to be held, let there be no election at all. Let us all fight over religion, she said. This is not the first time that Banerjee has resorted to personal attacks on Modi, but she never accused the Prime Minister of disrespecting his family. Did you ever look after your family? Leave alone others, did you look after your wife? How can you know how mothers, daughters and sisters live? You have none, the Bengal chief minister had said while addressing a rally in Cooch Behar district on April 8. Reacting to Banerjees statement on Sunday, Bengal BJP general secretary Sayantan Basu said, It is a matter of shame that a chief minister resorts to personal attacks against the Prime Minister. She is incapable of countering Modi Ji politically and hence she is resorting to personal attacks. This is nothing but an expression of her fears. At her second rally at Nimtouri, also in East Midnapore, Banerjee alleged that crores of rupees were being spent on Modis rallies but the Election Commission of India (ECI) was not taking any action. She also targeted the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Those who unleashed violence wearing red shirts are now flexing their muscles in saffron shirts. CPI (M) has sold its flag to the BJP, Banerjee said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the BJP is rooting for Bollywood actor Sunny Deols victory from the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency in Punjab. What struck me about @iamsunnydeol is his humility and deep passion for a better India. Happy to have met him today. We are all rooting for his victory in Gurdaspur! Modi tweeted after a meeting with Deol. We both agree: Hindustan Jindabad tha, hai, aur rahega, Modi added, quoting the actors famous dialogue from the movie Gadar-Ek Prem Katha. Sunny Deol joined the BJP on April 23 and was nominated as the partys candidate from Gurdaspur. But his nomination had caused much heartburn to Kavita Khanna, wife of late Union minister and actor Vinod Khanna. On Saturday she said she felt abandoned and rejected after being denied a ticket at the last moment. Vinod Khanna was an MP from Gurdaspur for four terms. Much to the BJPs relief, Kavita Khanna clarified that she will not contest the polls as an Independent candidate. Sunny Deol is best known for the 1997 blockbuster Border, a war movie based on the battle of Longewala during the Indo-Pak war of 1971. Deol essayed the role of an army Major commanding a small infantry unit of 120 men who repulse the charge of Pakistani armour against heavy odds. Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, who is a former soldier himself, has dismissed Sunny Deol as a filmy fauji with no ground support in the constituency. He said Sunil Jakhar, the Congress candidate for the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat, faces no threat from Deol. Sunny Deols father Dharmendra represented the Bikaner Lok Sabha seat from 2004 t o 2009. Many female actors put their acting career on hold after getting married. And perhaps thats why many consider it as a roadblock in their career and put plans of settling down at the back burner. However, for TV actor Shubhangi Atre, this was never a thing to worry about. She got married in 2000, at the age of 19, and later pursued her acting dream. And she doesnt hesitate a bit in giving all the credit to her husband Piyush Poorey for giving wings to my passion. In fact, Shubhangi feels that starting her career post marriage worked best in her favour. When I was taking the baby steps in this industry, I wasnt alone. My husband was there by my side. Moreover, I was a mother to two-year-old daughter Ashi, and leaving her at home to start my career left me in dilemma. The initial couple of years [of my career] were full of ups and downs, but my family became my strength, says Shubhangi, who made her debut in TV with Kasautii Zindagii Kay (2007) and went on to do lead roles in Kasturi, Do Hanson Ka Jodaa and Chidiya Ghar. The actor shares how with a support system back home, shooting outdoor was never an issue. If I was going for an outdoor shoot for 15 days, I never had to worry about what will happen to my daughter. Rather, it was Piyush, who used to bring her to the sets, so I could spend time with her, she adds. Hailing from Indore, Shubhangi shifted base to Mumbai to pursue her dreams and she admits that its not easy to leave your family behind and one often gets directionless, too. There are actors who start getting name, fame, money and dont know how to handle it. Some even get in a wrong company and get influenced by wrong things, says the actor, remembering late actor Pratyusha Banerjee aka Anandi of Balika Vadhu, who committed suicide in 2016. I felt she [Pratyusha] was such a lovely girl and a wonderful actor. I used to love her screen presence; whatever happened with her was really sad. During her pursuit of acting in this city, she was alone and vulnerable. So, I feel one always needs to have someone by your side, be it your parents, good friends or your spouse with whom you can share everything and never feel any kind of void, asserts Shubhangi. Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter Chinese President Xi Jinping met Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday and expressed hope that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway to improve their strained relations following the Pulwama terror attack by a JeM suicide bomber. Both leaders also exchanged views on the situations in South Asia, an official Chinese statement here said about the meeting between Xi and Khan. The India-Pakistan relations reportedly figured prominently in the meeting. Xi expressed hope that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway and promote the stabilisation and improvement of India-Pakistan relations, it said. Khan arrived in China on April 25 and attended Chinas 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF) held on April 26-27. The BRF meeting was held to highlight the achievement of the trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) started by Xi in 2013 in which USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an important component. India skipped the meeting for the second time, protesting over the CPEC which is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Sundays meeting between Xi and Khan was regarded significant as it was held in the backdrop of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the February 14 Pulwama terror attack carried out by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) which killed 40 Indian CRPF soldiers. China had sent its Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou to visit Pakistan in March as part of its efforts to ease the tensions. Khans meeting with Xi took place when China is under pressure at the United Nations over its repeated attempts to block efforts to declare Pakistan-based JeM leader Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. Last month, China put a technical hold on a resolution put forth by the US, the UK and France at the UNs 1267 counter terrorism committee to declare Azhar as a global terrorist. The US later took the issue to the UN Security Council (UNSC) in a bid to pressure China to take a public stance on Azhars issue instead of just putting up blocks at the 1267 committee. China had expressed its firm opposition to the issue being taken to the UNSC, saying that the matter headed for settlement and blamed the US for scuttling it. While there is no word here whether the Azhar issue figured in Xis talks with Khan, officials say there is a sense of wariness on the part of Beijing to block India, the US and other countries efforts to blacklist him at the UN on behalf of Pakistan. Officials hoped that the issue could be resolved in the coming weeks following Khans visit to China. Prior to his meeting with Xi, Khan called on Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during which the two countries signed a number of agreements. Earlier, he met Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan. During Sundays meeting, Xi expressed Chinas firm support to Pakistan to further the bilateral ties between the all-weather allies. Pakistan is Chinas all-weather strategic cooperative partner. China and Pakistan are iron friends and have always firmly supported each other on issues concerning each others core interests. Xi said. China takes Pakistan as a priority in its diplomacy, he said. No matter how international and regional situations change, China firmly supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and national dignity, choosing its own development path suited to its national conditions, combating terrorist and extremist forces, striving for a sound external security environment, and playing a constructive role in international and regional affairs, Xi said. He said major progress had been made in bilateral cooperation in the construction of the CPEC, especially in areas such as finance, trade and other aspects, the statement said. In the next stage, China and Pakistan should make more efforts to advance the all-weather strategic cooperation, Xi said. He called on both sides to deepen high-level contacts and mutual support, strengthen strategic communication and promote high-quality cooperation in production capacity, infrastructure construction, peoples livelihood and trade within the framework of the BRI. Khan said the CPEC had played an important role in Pakistans economic development and the improvement of peoples lives. He said he believed more and more countries will support and participate in the cooperation under the BRI. Pakistan is willing to consolidate its traditional friendship with China, deepen pragmatic cooperation and enhance communication and coordination with China in multilateral affairs, Khan was quoted as saying in the statement. During his meeting, Khan spoke a few times about India-Pakistan relations and the prospects of peace between the two countries. Addressing Pakistan and China Investment Forum in Beijing on Sunday, he expressed hope that the relations between the two neighbours will improve after the Indian general elections. We want to build a civilized relationship with our Eastern neighbour and there is a possibility that if we can resolve the Kashmir issue through dialogue, things can improve, he was quoted by state-run Radio Pakistan as saying. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.) US President Donald Trump opened a new front in trade tensions with India on Saturday as he complained about big tariffs charged by the latter on paper import, even as he continued to litigate his case on Harley-Davidson motorbikes. We charge other countries zero tariffs on foreign paper products, Trump said at a re-election campaign rally in Wisconsin state, on Saturday evening. When Wisconsin companies exported abroad China charged us big tariffs, India charged as big tariffs. Vietnam charged us massive tariffs. Unfair, he added, to boos. The president has also complained of Indian tariff on whisky before. Its paper as well now. India is one of the worlds leading importers of paper, ranging from paper for writing, newsprint, coated paper, napkins, tissues and corrugated paper. The United States is among the top importers. But the volume or value of paper trade between the two countries could not be ascertained immediately. Americas bilateral and multilateral trading relations have been a top priority for President Trump and he has vowed to renegotiate them, not sparring even close such as Canada, Japan and the European Union, to address what he sees as imbalances, which he has tended to measure mostly by the size of trade deficits. The Trump administration has targeted India (which had a trade surplus of $24.2 billion in 2018, according to the US trade representatives office), as well. It slapped a tariff of 25% and 10% on steel and aluminum from India, as with the rest of the world, and intends to, and might, terminate Indias eligibility for a zero-duty government programme at the end of next week. The President has personally kept up the pressure on India with frequent swipes and attacks in public remarks at conventions and rallies, such as the one in Wisconsin on Saturday. He named India several times as he spoke of his trade agenda, mentioning it along with China, which, has by far received the most mentions from him, and Japan. He brought up Harley Davidsons again, in this instance because the company was headquartered in Wisconsin. His case remained the same, misleadingly unmatched in relevance to the volume and value of bilateral trade, which is set to cross $140 billion 84 Harley-Davidsons were imported by India in 2017, worth a measly $1.17 million in comparison. The company sells more there, but those units assembled locally. But President Trump doesnt contextualize his remarks, and he didnt yet again. He claimed company bosses told him they dont do any business in India, but they were not complaining, he conceded India charged a 100% tariff on a Harley-Davidson, he said and when they send up their motorcycles the US charges them nothing. So I called Prime Minister Modi and said unfair. he cut it to 50% but it is not good enough, the president said, adding, Look, its 50% to nothing. Sri Lankas police chief has refused a request by President Maithripala Sirisena to step down following suicide bombings on churches and hotels, two sources at the presidents office said on Saturday, deepening the rift at top levels of government. Sirisena, facing criticism over the failure to thwart the attacks, blamed the inspector general of police Pujith Jayasundara and defence secretary Hemesiri Fernando for not sharing advance warnings of the attacks with him. Fernando resigned earlier in the week, but Jayasundara was holding on, the two officials said. He has refused to resign despite the presidents request, one of the sources said. Under Sri Lankas constitution, only parliament can remove the police chief through a lengthy process designed to shield officers from political interference. The attacks in which more than 250 people were killed have exposed the divisions between Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, with both saying they had not seen warnings given by Indias spy service about impending strikes on churches and the Indian embassy including one just hours before the attacks. Jayasundara, the police chief, was handpicked for the job by Wickremesinghe. The first source at the presidents office said Sirisena was still expecting him to turn in his papers. The second source confirmed the situation. Both sources declined to be identified as they were not authorised to speak with media. Jayasundara did not answer his phone or email seeking comments. An officer at the police department said the police chief had not resigned but did not come to work on Saturday. (Reporting by Shihar Aneez; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Joseph Radford) Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday met with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who attended the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. China highly commends Italy's signing of a memorandum of understanding with China on jointly building the Belt and Road, taking the lead among major Western countries, according to Xi. The country is ready to work with Italy in advancing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and make the bilateral relations a model of Belt and Road cooperation between China and European countries, Xi said. Xi called on both sides to firmly grasp the strategic significance of the bilateral ties, step up coordination and collaboration in improving global governance system and safeguarding free trade and multilateralism, and forge a new form of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation. Conte said the speeches delivered by Xi at the forum helped the international community understand the significant benefits of the BRI for the world. Italy is firmly committed to participating in the BRI, he said, adding that the initiative is a good opportunity for the world and more countries will join. Italy welcomes Chinese companies to invest in the country, and will not adopt discriminatory policies against them, Conte said, calling on the two countries to reinforce solidarity and cooperation, and safeguard multilateralism. By Guest Blogger Sasha Jones A student-led petition urging 2020 Democratic presidential candidates to debate on environmental policy has garnered over 51,000 signatures since its posting nearly two weeks ago. The campaign, created by U.S. Youth Climate Strike activists, advocates for all candidates to commit to participating in a debate or forum on environmental issues. With the magnitude of the oncoming climate crisis, its no longer sufficient to have a single token environmental question that 2020 candidates get to brush off with a sound bite. We need an entire debate on environmental policies, the petition says. The petition is inspired by plans from the Human Rights Campaign and the University of California, Los Angeles, to co-host a forum for Democratic presidential candidates to discuss LGBTQ+ policy platforms. So far, candidates Kirstin Gillibrand, Tim Ryan, Julian Castro, Mike Gravel, and Jay Inslee have expressed their support for a debate. Inslee additionally has a different petition on his website specifically encouraging the Democratic National Committee to host a climate debate. Right now, theres so many people running and its getting hard to decide who you want to win, so before the primaries is an important [time] for this [debate] to be held, Karla Stephan, the Youth Climate Strike national finance director and petition co-author, said in an interview with Education Week. Youth Climate Strike is currently using social media to flood candidates. Most recently, they have used Twitter to target South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, although neither has responded to the campaign. The young activists petition also received support from former Vice President Al Gore, an environmental activist himself, who tweeted, I support the calls for the DNC to hold a #ClimateDebate. Americans need to hear the candidates ideas and policy proposals to confront the most important issue of this campaign and of our lives: how to urgently solve the climate crisis. I support the calls for the DNC to hold a #ClimateDebate . Americans need to hear the candidates ideas and policy proposals to confront the most important issue of this campaign and of our lives: how to urgently solve the climate crisis. -- Al Gore (@algore) April 18, 2019 On Earth Day, former President Barack Obama also acknowledged the youth climate activists in a Twitter thread, including U.S. Youth Climate Strike co-founders Haven Coleman and Ira Hirsi, who are cited as other co-authors in the petition. And in the U.S., 13-year old @AlexandriaV2005 of New York, 13-year old @havenruthie of Denver, and 16-year old @israhirsi of Minneapolis are some of the young people leading the fight at home. I hope more of us will follow their example. https://t.co/qe08CGHBEI -- Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 22, 2019 The recent petition is a part of a wave of student activism related to climate change. In March, hundreds of students rallied at the U.S. Capitol building , along with thousands of others nationwide, to call on lawmakers to curb climate change. Prior to the protest, Education Weeks Stephen Sawchuk interviewed three organizers , including Hirsi and Youth Climate Strike communications director Maddy Fernands. I said, Is anyone helping nationally? and [Coleman] said No, and thats how it started, Hirsi said in March. Author of Our Changing Earth : Why Climate Change Matters to Young People Arjun Marwaha, an 11th grader at Fairmont Preparatory Academy in Anaheim, Calif., said that a debate is important because it would stimulate awareness and discussions about solutions to climate change. If we get lost in the politics, we lose the essence of the movement and we lose our future along with it, Marwaha said. Were the ones inheriting the earth ... we will be seeing the consequences. Other youth environmental advocacy groups have made national headlines. The Sunrise Movement has organized walkouts and sit-ins in support of the Green New Deal. The group has most recently been organizing a national tour. I think people are really inspired right now by the new generation of politicians and the new generation of activists that are rising up that are saying we deserve clean air and we deserve clean water, said Garrett Blad, the Sunrise Movements national press coordinator . According to Blad, Sunrise Movement and Youth Climate Strike have worked together to bring the issue of climate change to the forefront of the 2020 primaries. Weve seen that there is no age where it is impossible to change the world, Blad said. Photo courtesy of Getty. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You should upgrade or use an You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser Other Hosting Offers This forum is intended for web hosting companies to publish their special hosting offers for services that don't fit in any other advertising category: email, backup/storage, streaming, adult, website builder solutions, SEO hosting, etc. NOTE: 10 days of membership and 15 relevant and valuable posts are required in select community forums in order to start a thread in this forum. Non-value posts, added with the sole purpose of increasing your post count, will be deleted and infraction issued. The Trillest One does not play around. As we reported, hip-hop veteran Bun B got into a shootout after an armed burglar attempted to steal his car. Bun B's wife Queenie opened her front door thinking it was a delivery when she was startled by a man in a mask wielding a gun. The thief threatened Queenie before heading to the garage to steal Bun B's Audi. Bun B heard the madness from upstairs, grabbed his gun, and entered the garage himself. A shootout occurred, and Bun was able to hit the thief, who was later identified as Demonte Jackson. Jackson fled and admitted himself to a hospital where he was treated for gunshot wounds and arrested. According to TMZ, there is more to the story. Bun B's lawyer, Charles Adams, told the media site that the rapper and his wife met with the District Attorney this week to discuss the incident. Adams claims that Jackson was not targetting Bun specifically, and that he was hitting the entire neighboorhood looking for loot. The lawyer also says that after the shootout, Bun B pursued Jackson in his vehicle, catching up with and unmasking the thief while holding him at gunpoint. Jackson was able to escape a second-time though, but was forced to go to a hospital for his injuries. Jackson is facing 3 first-degree felonies: 2 counts of aggravated robbery with a weapon and one count of burglary. Saturday night, Donald Trump made a stop to rally in Wisconsin and while on his usual freestyled diatribe, the President decided to use the opportunity to take another jab at Jussie Smollet. In his speech, he alluded to the newly coined phrase"MAGA Country," making Smollett responsible for popularizing it. "You know I didn't hear that term until that 3rd rate actor in Chicago went out and he said, 'I was beaten up by MAGA country.' Can you believe it? [...] That case in Chicago is a disgrace to our nation." Trump's reference goes back to Jussie Smollett's claims that he was attacked by two assailants who allegedly yelled out "This is MAGA country" while wrapping a noose around his neck and dousing him in bleach. Chicago PD insists that Smollett staged the whole attack, hiring brothers Ola and Abel Osundairo to pose as his attackers. While he was initially arrested and charged with 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct for filing a false police report, the charges were eventually dropped in exchange for the forfeiture of his $10,000 bail and an order for community service. Reports also claim that prosecutors allegedly dropped the charges because there ultimately was not enough evidence to convict Smollett. Previously, Trump referred to Smollett as the "actor nobody ever heard of" while speaking at the National Republican Congressional Committee. Tyga's been enjoying his major comeback to the rap game. His 2018 single, "Taste" took over the summer and he followed it up with ever more smash records like "Dip," "Swish," "Floss In The Bank," and more. Unfortunately, he's also been dealing with some legal battles as well. He was previously sued by a concert promoter for $1.4M who claimed the rapper bailed on three concerts in the United Arab Emirates. However, it looks like the two parties have reached an agreement. According to The Blast,Tyga and concert promoters Heavy Rotation have come to an agreement in the $1.4M lawsuit. Tyga and the promoters will be letting the court know that they've reached a deal. Lucky for Tyga, the settlement means that the case will be dismissed entirely. The promoters claimed that Tyga pulled out of a scheduled appearance because another club in Dubai was offering him a bigger bag. Heavy Rotation said Tyga's decision not to appear caused them monetary damages. However, Tyga continued to dispute their claims, saying that he never agreed to not be able to perform at other venues. Tyga also accused the promoters of failing to get the proper approvals for his performances. The decision to reach an agreement outside of court comes shortly after Tyga dropped his suit against Birdman and Cash Money over royalties. SAN FRANCISCO They all tell a similar story: They ran apps that helped people limit the time they and their children spent on iPhones. Then Apple created its own screen-time tracker. And then Apple made staying in business very, very difficult. Over the past year, Apple has removed or restricted at least 11 of the 17 most downloaded screen-time and parental-control apps, according to an analysis by The New York Times and Sensor Tower, an app-data firm. Apple has also clamped down on a number of lesser-known apps. In some cases, Apple forced companies to remove features that allowed parents to control their childrens devices or that blocked childrens access to certain apps and adult content. In other cases, it simply pulled the apps from its App Store. Some app makers with thousands of paying customers have shut down. Most others say their futures are in jeopardy. They yanked us out of the blue with no warning, said Amir Moussavian, chief executive of OurPact, the top parental-control iPhone app, with more than 3 million downloads. In February, Apple pulled the app, which accounted for 80 percent of OurPacts revenue, from its App Store. They are systematically killing the industry, Moussavian said. The screen-time app makers are the latest companies to suddenly find themselves both competing against Apple and at the mercy of the tech titan. By controlling the iPhone App Store, where companies find some of their most lucrative customers, Apple has unusual power over the fortunes of other corporations. Executives at the app makers believe they are being targeted because their apps could hurt Apples business. Apples tools, they add, arent as aggressive about limiting screen time and dont provide as many options. Their incentives arent really aligned for helping people solve their problem, said Fred Stutzman, chief executive of Freedom, a screen-time app with more than 770,000 downloads before Apple removed it in August. Can you really trust that Apple wants people to spend less time on their phones? Tim Cook, Apples chief executive, said at a conference this month that Apple had added screen-time tools to help people monitor and manage their phone use. We dont want people using their phones all the time, he said. This has never been an objective for us. On Thursday, two of the most popular parental-control apps, Kidslox and Qustodio, filed a complaint with the European Unions competition office. Kidslox said business had plummeted since Apple forced changes to its app that made it less useful than Apples tool. Apple also faces an antitrust complaint in Russia from Kaspersky Lab a Russian cybersecurity firm that American security officials claim has ties to the Russian government which said Apple had forced it to remove key features from its parental-control app. The company is exploring a similar complaint in Europe, a Kaspersky spokeswoman said. We treat all apps the same, including those that compete with our own services, said Tammy Levine, an Apple spokeswoman. Our incentive is to have a vibrant app ecosystem that provides consumers access to as many quality apps as possible. She said Apple removed or required changes to the apps because they could gain too much information from users devices. She added that the timing of Apples moves was not related to its debut of similar tools. Apple is facing other accusations that it is abusing its dominant position to lift itself and bury rivals an issue that has become more important as the iPhone maker expands into new markets like television, news and gaming. Spotify complained to European regulators last month that Apple used the App Store to give its Apple Music service an unfair advantage over Spotifys competing app. Dutch regulators announced this month that they would investigate whether Apple abused its control of the App Store. In the United States, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a Democratic candidate for president, recently suggested separating the App Store from Apple as part of her proposal to rein in the American tech giants. An Unhappy Parent In early 2018, two prominent Wall Street investors urged Apple to address concerns that people were becoming addicted to their smartphones. In June, the company announced plans for tools to help iPhone owners track and limit their and their childrens phone use. It began offering the tools in September, tucked into the phones settings menu. Shortly after announcing its new tools, Apple began purging apps that offered similar services. Apple told the companies that their apps violated App Store rules, like enabling one iPhone to control another, although it had allowed such practices for years and had approved hundreds of versions of their apps. Apple allows corporations to use such software to control employees phones. But last year, the company stopped apps from using the software to enable parents to control their childrens devices. The Apple spokeswoman said Apple had blocked the practice because app makers could gain access to too much information on the childrens devices. Unlike apps such as OurPact, Apples tools dont allow parents to schedule different times throughout a day when an app is blocked for school or family dinner. And Apples tool blocks adult content only on its Safari web browser and some apps, not on other browsers or many popular apps, like Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. Bruce Chantry, a 47-year-old father of two outside Cleveland, said he had used OurPact and Mobicip for years until Apple forced them to gut key features. He has found Apples tool more complicated and less restrictive. His children have already found workarounds to Apples web-filtering tool and, unlike the apps he had used, it has no kill switch to quickly disable certain apps on their phones, Chantry said. It didnt make managing these new digital threats any easier, he said. It actually made it more difficult. Apples tool has another shortcoming: It requires the whole family to own iPhones. Many apps removed by Apple allowed parents with iPhones to control their childrens Android devices. Apple has also limited the options for adults who want to fight their own phone addiction. In August, it abruptly pulled down the Freedom app, which allowed users to temporarily disable certain apps and websites. Stutzman, Freedoms chief executive, said that to return to iPhones, he was forced to stop blocking apps and to block sites only on Apples Safari browser. Apples tool now appears to be one of the few ways to disable apps, if not the only one. Yet when a user hits an apps time limit on Apples tool, it provides a single option: Ignore Limit. No Reason, No Detail The app makers said they were most frustrated by the process of meeting Apples sudden demands. In many cases, Apple alerted them that their apps would be removed and their businesses crippled via a short note, according to correspondence viewed by The Times. When app makers asked for more information, responses were often perfunctory and slow in coming. As a developer whos been on the App Store for 10 years, I would expect some courtesy from Apple of at least a phone call to explain what were doing wrong, said Suren Ramasubbu, the head of Mobicip, a parental-control app that had about 2.5 million downloads this year, about 70 percent of them on iPhones. On Jan. 19, Ramasubbu received a message from Apple that said he had 30 days to change the Mobicip app or it would be removed from the App Store. If you have any questions about this information, please reply to this message to let us know, the note said. Best regards, App Store Review. Over the next 27 days, Ramasubbu responded four times seeking more information. He eventually resubmitted the app with changes he hoped would satisfy Apples demands. Then, with Mobicips deadline just a few days away, Apple responded three times to his earlier detailed questions with virtually the same message: Your app uses public APIs in an unapproved manner, which does not comply with guideline 2.5.1 of the App Store Review Guidelines. We hear you loud and clear, Ramasubbu responded on the morning of Feb. 19, Apples deadline. He begged for answers: Could Apple tell him what he needed to do to keep Mobicip on iPhones? Any general direction, clue or specific guidance will be deeply appreciated. We have been one of the pioneers among parental control apps on the App Store over 10 long years and have always been playing by the rules, he wrote. Please point us in the right direction and we can take it from there. Five hours later, Apple responded with a 14-word message: Your app has an unresolved issue and has been removed from the App Store. No reason, no detail, Ramasubbu said. Suddenly we dont have a business anymore. This article originally appeared in The New York Times (Bloomberg) -- Hundreds of Google staffers met on Friday and discussed what activists allege is a frequent consequence of criticizing the company: Retaliation. Two leaders of recent company protests said theyve been mistreated by managers and collected similar stories from other workers at the worlds largest internet company. The claims of retaliation are the latest in a series of internal upheavals over issues ranging from the use of artificial intelligence for military purposes to executive misconduct and the rights of contract workers. Alphabet Inc.s Google set the standard in Silicon Valley for employing and retaining scores of highly-trained computer scientists. But the recent troubles have hurt its reputation. Employees registered a decline of faith in Googles executives in recent internal surveys. Several software coders refused to work on a project for the Pentagon last year, spiking the contract, and some resigned in protest. In November, several employees organized a company walkout over payouts to executives facing sexual assault allegations. Around that time, the activists gathered 350 accounts of employee concerns. On Monday, two of those organizers, Meredith Whittaker and Claire Stapleton, wrote an email saying Google had punished them because of their activism. The two asked staffers to join them on Friday to discuss the companys alleged actions, and during the meeting they shared more than a dozen other stories of internal retribution that they had collected over the past week. Like many meetings at Google, participants could watch via a video live-stream and submit questions and comments. High Stakes Now more than ever we need to reject retaliation, and reject the culture of fear and silence that retaliation creates, read an email from the event organizers, which Bloomberg News viewed. The stakes are too high. TEXAS INC. | NEWSLETTER: Get Texas business news updates from behind the scenes each weekday We prohibit retaliation in the workplace and publicly share our very clear policy, a Google spokeswoman said in an emailed statement. To make sure that no complaint raised goes unheard at Google, we give employees multiple channels to report concerns, including anonymously, and investigate all allegations of retaliation. Whittaker is a researcher at Google specializing in artificial intelligence. She co-founded a research group, AI Now, that is affiliated with New York University. Whittaker wrote to her colleagues in an email that she was told she would have to abandon my work on AI ethics. Stapleton, who works in the marketing department at YouTube, alleged that she was informed she was being demoted and later told to take a medical leave she didnt need. After she retained a lawyer, Stapleton said, the company walked back my demotion, at least on paper, but the environment remains hostile and I consider quitting nearly every day. Sick Leave In the email, Stapleton said that she arranged a meeting with Googles human resources division after flagging changes to her job. She was told to go on sick leave. When she replied that she wasnt sick, Stapleton wrote, the HR director said: We put people on it all the time. On Friday, Whittaker and Stapleton shared additional information about their situations in an internal post to colleagues. Whittaker said that her manager, whom she did not name, told her that her AI ethics work was no longer a fit. The manager said Googles cloud division had plans to massively increase sales by being everywhere Lockheed is, according to Whittaker. Thats a reference to the defense company Lockheed Martin Corp. Googles work with the U.S. military was the subject of employee protests last year. A Google spokeswoman declined to comment on the mention of the cloud business. Whittaker tried to get transferred to another Google AI team, a move she said was supported by Jeff Dean, the companys head of artificial intelligence. Soon after, Whittaker was involved with another protest: an employee petition against the appointment of Kay Coles James to an AI ethics counsel organized by Google. The company ended up scrapping the group. Two weeks after the petition, Whittaker said she learned that her planned transfer had been canceled and that her role at Google would be changing. Continuing my work at AI Now and my work in AI ethics was not on the table, she wrote. Oona King, Googles director of diversity strategy, rejected at least one of the employees claims. I can genuinely say when Ive looked at the details of one of the cases, it isnt as it appears here, she wrote, according to a message viewed by Bloomberg News. #NotOkGoogle Executives at YouTube and Google Cloud sent messages to staffers earlier this week disputing the accounts of Stapleton and Whittaker, according to a person who had seen them. Several current and former employees took to Twitter on Friday to register complaints using the hashtag #NotOkGoogle, a riff on the companys virtual assistant product. This is just the tip of the iceberg, wrote Alex Hanna, a member of Googles cloud division. I am grateful that I quit Google, wrote Liz Fong-Jones, an engineer and outspoken critic who left the company earlier this year. This is a pattern, these are systemic issues, and we will change it only by speaking up and acting together, Stapleton wrote in the email. Google management publicly endorsed the employee walkout in the fall, giving the blessing for staff to vent frustration. But as dissent continued to rise inside Google, the companys lawyers urged the U.S. government to give companies more leeway to reign in rebellious employees from organizing over workplace email. NLRB Complaint Google made that argument in an ongoing case before the National Labor Relations Board involving alleged retaliatory discipline against an employee. On Monday, a new complaint was filed with the agency accusing Google of retaliating against staff for discussing and protesting working conditions. The filing alleges that within the last six months, one or more employees suffered transfer, demotion, or other adverse action, and that the company acted in order to discourage employees from engaging in the type of collective action that is protected by U.S. federal law. The identity of the person who made the filing was redacted in the copy obtained by Bloomberg News via a Freedom of Information Act request. The matter has been assigned to the NLRBs regional office in New York. (Updates with information on NLRB complaint at end.) The exploration of possible incorporation into a new City of The Woodlands will continue for another 18 months up until the November 2020 general election after the townships board Wednesday approved a wide-ranging contract extension with an Ohio-based consulting firm. Under the contract, officials with the Novak Consulting Group will complete several analyses of law enforcement issues and other topics that as to date had not been fully completed. In a 6-0 vote, the board approved the 18-month extension with the Novak Consulting Group of Cincinnati, Ohio, for a total cost of $354,896. This amount is in addition to previously budgeted expenditures for the incorporation studies that has now topped more than $1 million since the studies began in January of 2018. Township board Chairman Gordy Bunch said that as Novak officials continue the studies, there will be less meetings than in the 2018 study phase, when there were an average of two incorporation planning sessions a month. Now, the Novak Consulting team will only come back for certain meetings when new, actionable information is ready to be present. It is estimated that the next incorporation planning meeting will not occur until June or July, he added. Were trying to be as cautious and though (as possible), Bunch said. Hopefully we are being as transparent as possible. Under the new agreement with Novak, the firm will continue to conduct incorporation studies through November of 2020, including completing and supplementing the law enforcement studies done by another firm the Matrix Consulting Group in 2018 but which were not completed as desired by township officials. Because the Matrix firm had their contract terminated in early December 2018, the report their staff had created has sat untouched since then and, according some township board members, was incomplete. The new contract also allows for officials from the Novak team to subcontract with a third consulting firm HR Green that has been used in a limited fashion during the incorporation studies process. The HR Green team will focus on finishing analysis and gathering more data on the public works and roadway pavement maintenance element of possible incorporation. The firm will also continue ongoing communication and support for the online informational website and the FAQs section; will refine the public works and infrastructure maintenance initiatives and plan a facilitate a March 2020 public forum to update residents on the process. A date of December 2019 was preliminarily set by the firm to determine the maximum tax rate if the township does incorporate. Novak presented three options for the finishing of the law enforcement study, including one that was more wide-ranging update and built off data gathered in a 2011 law enforcement report done for incorporation studies at that time; a second option that was to merely finish off the Matrix report from 2018; or a third option to explore what township directors have called a hybrid law enforcement model which would include mainly continuing service from the Montgomery County Sheriffs Department while also developing a smaller, preliminary in-house police force that would patrol parts of the township in Harris County. After very brief discussions amongst the six board members which was much less vigorous and shorter than prior meetings where directors debated each other for up to an hour at times the board unanimously approved Novak to take option one, which would be a revisiting of the 2011 law enforcement study as well as examining options two and three as part of an entire law enforcement assessment. The reports are hoped to be completed by October 2019. In addition to the intensive law enforcement report and analysis, Novak consultants will also examine dispatching issues related to the townships policing services and plan for a tentative public forum preliminarily scheduled for September 2020, but which will only happen if township directors vote to approve holding an incorporation vote in November 2020. Township Director Ann Snyder said she believes much more information, analysis and probing work needs to be done on the law enforcement study. It seems to me that there are a lot of unanswered questions, Snyder said. jeff.forward@chron.com A 19-year-old man with an assault rifle opened fire at the Chabad of Poway synagogue in Poway, California, Saturday morning, leaving one dead and three injured, according to authorities. Four people were transported to Palomar Medical Center with gunshot injuries at around 12 p.m., Pacific time, officials said in a news conference Saturday afternoon. One of the victims, a woman, "succumbed to their wounds," according to Poway Mayor Steve Vaus. The three others - a girl and two men - remain in the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. "I can only tell you that we have a fatality," Vaus said in an interview with MSNBC, "and I can also tell you that it was a hate crime, and that will not stand." File/Google Saturday's shooting in Poway, approximately 20 miles north of San Diego, comes six months after the massacre at Pittsburgh's oldest synagogue, Tree of Life, where an armed shooter killed 11 people and injured six others in the deadliest attack on Jews in the history of the United States. In an apparent manifesto posted online, the alleged shooter drew inspiration for his attack from that tragedy as well as the mosque shootings in New Zealand in March. The San Diego County Sheriff's office identified the suspect as John Earnest. According to Sheriff William Gore, the assault weapon might have malfunctioned after the gunman fired inside the Chabad of Poway, preventing a more extensive tragedy. An off-duty border patrol agent fired at the shooter when he was fleeing, but missed. The agent struck the suspect's car as he fled, Gore said in a news conference. San Diego police Chief David Nisleit said the suspect called in to police to say he was involved in the shooting and gave his location. A K-9 officer who was on his way to the synagogue saw the suspect's car. "The suspect jumped out of the car with his hands up," said Nisleit, and was taken into custody. While making the arrest, the officer saw an assault rifle in the suspect's car, Nisleit said. The suspect is in custody for questioning, according to Nisleit, and Gore confirmed the alleged shooter had no earlier contact with law enforcement. Earnest is a California State University San Marcos student, the university's President Karen Hayness said, according to the Associated Press. In a manifesto published online Saturday under the name John Earnest, the writer described plans to kill Jews, referring to himself as an "anti-Semite" and "white supremacist." It referenced the alleged shooters at the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue and the New Zealand mosques, Jesus Christ and Adolf Hitler as role models. The writer expressed no remorse for his impending actions. MORNING REPORT | NEWSLETTER: Get all the news you need to start your day in Houston In the document, the writer confessed to setting fire to a mosque in Escondido, California, located fewer than nine miles from the Poway Chabad, a month earlier, and dedicated the arson to the alleged New Zealand shooter. The writing mirrors the alleged New Zealand shooter's manifesto. In a post on 8chan, an Internet message board, a user who appears to be Earnest shared the manifesto and announced his plan to live-stream his actions on Facebook and shared a link, but the social media platform blocked the profile before it gained widespread attention. In his 8chan message, the user references the "red pill" movement, which developed on Internet message boards and revolves around the idea of men's rights, anti-feminism and the alt-right, and generally promotes a misogynistic worldview. The three injured in Saturday's shooting are in stable condition, authorities said. Among the injured was Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein. Sheriff Gore said the rabbi was wounded in the hand and is undergoing surgery. Minoo Anvari, a member of the congregation, told CNN that "[Goldstein] did not leave his congregation until he was finished speaking to them - calming their fears and pledging resilience." The Poway shooting occurred one week after Easter Sunday on the last day of Passover, a holiday celebrating Jewish freedom from persecution. Chabad is an orthodox Jewish Hasidic movement. Chabad Houses, like Jewish community centers, foster a philosophy of inclusion, opening their doors to individuals of all faiths and levels of observance. The Chabad of Poway hosts a weekly Kiddush luncheon after Shabbat morning services conclude. On Saturday, it also held a Passover celebration, according to 10News, which was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. and end at 7 p.m. with a final holiday meal. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department responded to reports of an active shooter at the synagogue just before 11:30 a.m. Two prayer services were in session at the synagogue at the time of the shooting. The Poway Sheriff's Station confirmed the shooting via Twitter, after deputies were called to the scene by "reports of a man with a gun." President Donald Trump expressed his "deepest sympathies" for the victims of the shooting, which he said "looks like a hate crime," before departing for a rally in Wisconsin. "My deep condolences to all of those affected," the president added. Other political and religious leaders condemned Saturday's attack and voiced their support of the Jewish community. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., said on Twitter: "Yet again a place of worship is the target of senseless gun violence and hate. Anti-Semitism is real in this country and we must not be silent - enough is enough." Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., also posted on Twitter, condemning the act of violence: "Tragic news that a gunman has attacked Chabad of Poway synagogue, on this, the last day of Passover, a day that is supposed to be a celebration of faith and freedom. I am thinking of, and praying for, those hurt and affected." Former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper, a Democratic presidential candidate, said the latest synagogue shooting underscores the need for tougher gun laws. "This is one more demonstration that we have a new normal, and that we have become so divided that . . . we are allowing the divisions to lead to hate and allowing the hate to lead to violence," Hickenlooper, who was governor during the Aurora movie theater shooting in 2012 that killed 12 people, told reporters after speaking at a labor forum in Las Vegas Saturday afternoon. "It is a combination of President Trump's leadership at the top but tied into some of the real challenges we have around issues of mental health. People seem so vulnerable to the hatred." The Anti-Defamation League, which has recorded mass murders of Jews in the United States for decades, also vowed to monitor the situation. "The Jewish community again is devastated," Jonathan Greenblatt, the organization's chief executive, said on Twitter Saturday. "It's heartbreaking to see yet another tragedy on Shabbat, on Passover, exactly 6 months after the Tree of Life." - - - The Washington Post's Tony Perry in Poway, California, Anu Narayanswamy in Washington, and James Hohmann in Las Vegas contributed to this report. MOSCOW - Kim Jong Un arrived in Russia on Wednesday ahead of the North Korean leader's first talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a meeting designed by both sides to send Washington the message that there are other players when it comes to dealing with North Korea's nuclear program. In the morning in Russia's Far East, Kim's armored train pulled up to the border town of Khasan, where he was greeted by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov, before being given a traditional ceremonial welcome by a group of women offering him a round loaf of bread and salt. "I've heard so many good things about your country and have long dreamed of visiting," said Kim, according to the press office of the Primorsky region. His train later pulled into the Russian port city of Vladivostok, where he will meet Putin at 1 p.m. on Thursday - two months after his second summit with President Donald Trump collapsed in Hanoi, Vietnam. The Kremlin has said no major agreements will be signed nor joint statements issued during Kim's meeting with Putin, which is expected to take place behind closed doors. This has not stopped pomp and ceremony from surrounding Kim's inaugural visit to Russia. In Vladivostok, a military orchestra played when his train pulled into the station. Members of Kim's entourage ran to meet the incoming train, where men in white gloves sprung into action, polishing the windows and door of the leader's wagon. Kim exited, hoisted a black trilby hat and smiled, before stepping down onto a carefully placed red carpet. "I hope this visit will allow me to concretely discuss the questions surrounding stabilizing the situation on the Korean Peninsula," Kim told Russian state television from the platform, before setting off in his motorcade of black limousines. The North Korean leader is also expected to tour the headquarters of Russia's Pacific Fleet, visit the city's aquarium and sample Russian soups and caviar, as well as swing by a bread factory, state media reported. Kim is eager to save face after the breakdown in talks with Trump on North Korea's nuclear weapons program. For Putin, the summit will offer him another chance to intervene in high-stakes nuclear talks and flex Russia's muscles on the global stage, where Moscow is increasing its diplomatic clout. After the failed talks with Trump in February, North Korea took aim at the United States, demanding that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo be replaced in any negotiations with Pyongyang with someone more "mature." On Wednesday, there were reports that Kim's top envoy, Kim Yong Chol, who had been instrumental in talks with the United States and in handling ties with Seoul, had been removed from his post, Reuters reported, citing South Korean media. No reason was given for his dismissal. In the wake of the failed U.S. talks, Kim reached out to Moscow, sending tremors of worry through Washington. Russia has not ruled out changing its previous position and asking that economic sanctions on North Korea be lifted. "These top-level contacts give added impetus to the development of bilateral relations in various spheres, including military cooperation," Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told a security conference in Moscow on Wednesday. "I hope Putin makes clear that Russia is ready to support a deal, but first you need a deal," said Alexander Vershbow, distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center on Strategy and Security in Washington. Wary of a possible Russian turnaround, the State Department sent its envoy for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, to Moscow last week to push for the country's full denuclearization. In response, Russian officials said they would expel North Korean laborers in December when their residence permits expire, potentially limiting a key source of cash revenue for the North, people familiar with the discussions said. Like Beijing, Moscow does not want to create regime change in Pyongyang, which could potentially wreak havoc in the area, inviting more U.S. influence. But there is also some illicit business, primarily transfers of Russian oil, and Cold War-era ties between Moscow and Pyongyang that the government in Russia may not be willing to relinquish. Last year, Russia secretly offered North Korea a nuclear power plant in exchange for dismantling its nuclear arsenal. - - - The Washington Post's Simon Denyer in Seoul and John Hudson in Washington contributed to this report. WESTMORELAND, Tenn. (AP) An officer in rural Tennessee shot the suspect in the investigation into the discovery of five bodies in two homes, capping an hours-long manhunt Saturday that ended with his capture. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokesman Josh DeVine said Michael Cummins, 25, was taken into custody that night about a mile (1.6 kilometers) away from one of the Sumner County crime scenes. Cummins was shot after he emerged from the woods, is believed to have produced multiple weapons and the situation escalated, DeVine said. Cummins is being treated at a local hospital for what's believed to be non-life-threatening injuries, DeVine said. MORNING REPORT | NEWSLETTER: Get all the news you need to start your day in Houston None of the responding officers were injured. TBI's airplane was able to help authorities spot Cummins on the ground in a creek bed, DeVine said. A number of law enforcement agencies had been searching for Cummins, saying he could be armed and dangerous. "The community should hopefully be able to rest a little bit easier tonight, knowing that (Cummins) is in custody tonight," DeVine said. Police said officers responding to a 911 call from a family member led to the original discovery of four bodies and an injured person at the first home. The injured victim was transported to the hospital with unspecified injuries. The fifth body was found in another home. The TBI believes the two scenes are related. Authorities have not released any details about the victims. They also have not said what kind of weapon was used. TBI is investigating the deaths and the officer-involved shooting, DeVine said. Sumner County is northeast of Nashville and borders Kentucky. The slaying were near the town of Westmoreland. The Harris County Civil Court At Law judge who inadvertently resigned his post in March, and unsuccessfully lobbied Commissioners Court to allow him to remain on the bench, said he plans to run for his former seat in 2020. Judge Bill McLeod also blasted the three Democratic members who decided to replace him, whom he says had already made their decision before McLeod pleaded for a reprieve at the April 9 Commissioners Court meeting. The manner in which commissioners handled it was really a disservice to Harris County voters, McLeod said Sunday. I want to take my bench back. County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia said they vetted several potential replacements ahead of the meeting, but decided to replace McLeod after hearing his testimony. McLeod, a Democrat who was elected this past November, mistakenly triggered a little-known provision in the Texas Constitution in March when he announced his intention to run for the state Supreme Court. Article 16, Section 65 of the state constitution considers such an announcement by anyone holding a county judicial post an automatic resignation. The jurist in April pleaded for a second chance before Commissioners Court. In a tearful speech, he said he was unfamiliar with that particular section of the Texas constitution and asked to be kept on the bench as a holdover judge. Court members were unmoved and appointed another Democrat, Houston attorney Lesley Briones, as McLeods replacement. Many of McLeod supporters who came to the meeting shouted in disapproval, and Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle, a Republican, said Briones had not been properly vetted. Briones had spoken only with Democratic court members, her name was absent from the meetings agenda and just half an hour passed between her nomination and approval. McLeods resignation spurred a special election in March 2020 to fill the remainder of his term, which runs through 2022. McLeod told Commissioners Court he abandoned his plans to run for the state Supreme Court, and instead wishes to regain his old seat. Briones said she will campaign next year to remain in the post. Her first day on the bench is Monday. McLeod said he will make a formal announcement May 15, and plans to return to private practice as a civil litigator until the election. Staff writer Nick Powell contributed reporting. Zach Despart covers Harris County for the Chronicle. You can follow him on Twitter or email him at zach.despart@chron.com . It was 10:45 a.m. on March 17 when Michael Laws got the call that a massive chemical fire had ignited just a little over 2 miles from his familys restaurant in Deer Park. Laws, a manager at the landmark Monument Inn, was prepping for the lunchtime rush when he heard that Intercontinental Terminal Companys storage tanks had burst into flames. The fire forced the popular seafood eatery to shutter its doors as emergency responders closed the only road connecting to the restaurant. Laws thought the restaurant would be closed for a day or two, but that turned into a few weeks and hundreds of thousands in dollars in lost revenue. Now after six weeks, the Monument Inn is finally serving its fried fish and stuffed shrimp again as Independence Parkway reopened late Friday night. The response (from customers) has been great Were famous for our cinnamon rolls and thats what people have been really anxious to get back to, Laws said. The restaurant bakes about 1,000 cinnamon rolls every Saturday. For Laws, there were much more than cinnamon rolls on the line though. The 29-year-old is the son of the Monument Inns owner Bob Laws, who bought the iconic restaurant with his wife Ann in 1990 when Michael was born. The eatery is popular for brunches and serves about 5,000 customers every Mothers Day weekend. On HoustonChronicle.com: Women seeks class action status for ITC plant fire suit The restaurant sits on spit jutting out into Burnet Bay - so guests can munch on mahi mahi with waterfront views. But the seaside spot is in a precarious position with limited roadway access and only one ferry route, which was also shut to southbound traffic for weeks after the ITC fire. Laws said the Monument Inn has shuttered for long stretches to recover after Hurricane Ike and Hurricane Harvey, but this closure lasted longer. We have never really encountered or seen a plant fire this big, Laws said, referring to the ITC fire that burned for four days. And nothing for this prolonged period of time. He estimates the business lost at least $700,000 in revenue - or roughly 10 to 11 percent of its annual income. Plus the restaurant was forced to throw out $17,000 worth fish and food to preventing rotting, according to a statement from owner Bob Laws posted on the restaurants website. Bob Laws also paid his 80 employees out of his own pocket during the closure, his son said. The owner also incurred costs hiring an independent environmental company to test its soil and water supply for his restaurant - which does not source its fish from the Galveston Bay or the Houston Ship Channel. Michael Laws said his father has been trying to recoup some of his losses through his insurance company, but its an uphill battle that could result in lawsuits. On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston Ship Channel closure could cost energy industry $1 billion The chemical fire had ripple effects across the Houston economy, as the fire destroyed 11 storage tanks and sent chemicals spewing into the ship channel. The U.S. Coast Guard closed the ship channel for three days during the cleanup, forcing refineries to limit production and constraining shipments for nearly a month. The cost to the regions oil and petrochemical industries could potentially add up to more than $1 billion, according to some estimates. While the ship channel reopened March 27, traffic flows were restricted by checkpoints along Independence Parkway for weeks. The nearby San Jacinto State Historic Site complex off Independence Parkway was also forced to close, but the parks staff will return to work Monday, said Bill Irwin, who oversees the historic complex. The park is working to restore its sewer system before opening to the public. The Deer Park Police Department posted on Facebook late Friday night that Independence Parkway was safe for travelers again. The Lynchburg Ferry, which routes to the Monument Inn, resumed normal operations at 11 a.m. Saturday, according to Harris County Precinct 2s Facebook. Laws said its been a slower than usual Saturday for the Monument Inn but more regulars are trickling in as word-of-mouth spreads. The phones have been ringing off the hook and were just all glad to be down there, he said. Reporter Nicole Hensley contributed. marissa.luck@chron.com twitter.com/marissaluck7 As a University of Texas freshman, Map Pesqueira looked well on his way to achieving his dream of becoming an Army officer. Pesqueira came out of Lee High Schools North East School of the Arts last spring with a 3.9 GPA, a National Honor Society induction and an SAT score of 1260. And he won a coveted three-year ROTC scholarship at UT-Austin. I was ecstatic, said Pesqueira, 19. One, because I get to start preparing for a military career as an officer in the Army. But, two, to also know that part of my higher education is taken care of. And lastly knowing that I had a job guaranteed to me after college, which is something not a lot of college students are able to say. But the dream may be over. Pesqueira was born female but began the transition last year to become male, hoping the courts would not uphold President Donald Trumps policy of banning many transgender recruits from joining the service. Now the Pentagon has stripped Pesqueira of a scholarship worth more than $10,000 a year. It would have taken effect next fall and defrayed part of the roughly $26,000 a year that it costs to attend UT. Pesqueira is using loans to pay this years tuition and expenses. He has a GoFundMe account that raised $26,193 in 13 days, near his goal of being able to pay for next year. Hes talked with UT officials about the dilemma and has found a friend in U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio. But the scholarship, in the end, may be out of reach. I would say that unless he can find other financial aid, its going to be very difficult for him to continue at UT-Austin, Castro said. This is an example of (Trumps) discriminatory policy affecting a great person and a great student, and potentially keeping somebody out of the military who was excited about being in ROTC and was looking forward to serving, he said. Military part of growing up Pesquiera has been fascinated with the armed forces since he was a young girl. Pesqueira grew up close to Fort Sam Houston, where challenge coins, July Fourth celebrations and the posts ordered pace of military life impressed him. Pesqueiras father, a funeral director, spent a lot of time at Fort Sam interacting with veterans and their families. Martin Pesqueira often brought home the unit coins as well as gift shop souvenirs. Map Pesqueiras grandfather, Marion Ray Cowger, was in the Navy during World War II. A cousin is a Marine staff sergeant and a brother-in-law is an Army officer. I distinctly remember there was a day when I was, say, about 11 or 12 in elementary school, and I would go to the military surplus store and get MREs and the Kevlar helmets, and my grandmother would buy them for me and I would come back home and get my little wine cork pop gun and hang out in the backyard and act as if I were a soldier, eating MREs for lunch, Pesqueira recalled. The chili macaroni and cheese Meal Ready-To-Eat was his favorite. Growing up, I automatically thought I was a male, Pesqueira said. I had the haircut, my parents allowed me to dress in male clothing, I was obsessed with all of the boy toys, getting them from McDonalds, Burger King, Wendys, fast-food places. I never wanted the girl toys,and thats who I thought I had been born as, as a male. I started to realize that I was born female around, I would say, 8 or 9. From the first memory I have leading up to 8 or 9, I thought I was male. The realization led to problems, compounded by his surroundings. Coming from a modest family and surrounded by wealthier, Anglo neighbors, he often wore Goodwill clothes and wanted to fit in, wanted to wear girl clothes. He eyed the offerings on display at boutiques in Alamo Heights and looked for fashion accessories in mall shops. For quite a while, at the end of my elementary school years and going into eighth grade, thats when I started to try to conform to what people were expecting me to be, Pesqueira said. And it was tough because I knew thats not what I wanted and it was not who I was. On ExpressNews.com: Transgender people will be allowed to serve openly in military Through it all, the military was always on his mind. In high school, Pesqueira realized that serving openly as a transgender soldier was out of the question. He considered joining as a woman. The other option was hoping the rules would change and they did, June 30, 2016, when the Obama administration said it would allow transgender people to serve openly in the armed forces. The Pentagon the year before had allowed women to apply for combat jobs that had been open only to men. In 2010, Congress repealed the dont ask, dont tell policy barring gays from openly serving. A series of initiatives were included in the Pentagons action. They included plans to issue a training handbook for commanders, transgender service members and the troops by that fall, as well as medical guidance so the military health care system could immediately provide transition-related care to transgender troops. A person gender identity would not bar qualified applicants from joining the military, the service academies or ROTC programs. Trumps election reversed the reforms. In a series of tweets posted on the 69th anniversary of President Harry S. Trumans historic executive order that desegregated the military, he said the Pentagon will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. military. On ExpressNews.com: Trump vows to boot transgender troops In practice, it did not become an outright ban affecting the estimated 11,400 to 15,000 active-duty troops and reservists who were transgender. A policy announced by then-Defense Secretary James Mattis barred transgender people with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria from joining the military unless they had taken no steps to transition for 36 consecutive months. Gender dysphoria, the medical diagnosis associated with being transgender, is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as a conflict between a persons physical or assigned gender and the gender with which he/she/they identify that can lead to discomfort with the persons body or assigned gender roles. On ExpressNews.com: As high court backs restrictions, transgender man still hopes to come to San Antonio for Air Force basic training The policy faced a series of court challenges until the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling, upheld it in January. Undergoing his transition By the time of the ruling, Pesqueira was well on his way to transitioning. He had started calling himself a trans male the year before. In February 2018, he began hormone therapy. In May, he legally changed his name. And last month, Pesqueira had a bilateral mastectomy. The Trump administration rules have stranded some transgender troops who were in the recruiting pipeline prior to the Supreme Courts decision. Theyve also ensnared Pesqueira, despite efforts by Lt. Col. Matthew ONeill, chair of UTs military science department and Pesqueiras military adviser, to grandfather his scholarship under the Obama-era policy. Pesqueira said ONeill told him this month that he couldnt salvage the scholarship. I felt like I had been betrayed. Excuse the way I say this, but I felt like I had been screwed over, Pesqueira said. But losing the scholarship was something he knew could happen. The Pentagon gave him the scholarship knowing he was transgender and would likely begin the change, so he had hoped. Pesqueira drew strength from his sense of optimism. Deep down, he didnt think the top court would approve the policy. Whats beyond the spring semester isnt clear. Pesqueira is working on a radio-television-film degree, focusing on American studies, which examines the nations culture and way of life. Hes been making his grades but concedes the stress of losing the scholarship has taken its toll. Though still in ROTC, Pesqueira hasnt been back since his surgery. He had enjoyed 5 a.m. workouts, spending time after classes in the cadet lounge and serving in the color guard. His friends, and heart, are there, but hell have no choice but to move on without the scholarship. What remains is a dream of getting good news in the future a change in administrations and a reversal in policy but above all else the chance for him to join the military when he earns his bachelors degree. When you want something badly enough, youre going to do anything to get it. And to me, doing anything is holding on to hope that something will change and that Ill be able to go in later on. It means a lot to me to be able to be a part of the military and to serve my country and also to help protect it, Pesqueira said. America hasnt always had the best track record, but its changed with time, so the same thing applies here. In my opinion, its very, very wrong, but Im hopeful that well be able to realize that this is wrong and well be able to make it right again. 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 Weve been asking around about how Texas selects its judges and the responses have been surprisingly uniform. Dumb. Stupid. The worst. Just about anyone with a role in the judicial system in Texas thinks we can do better when it comes to how we pick our local and statewide judges. Its not that Texas approach is all that unusual. Most states elect at least some of their judges, and even today, after experience shows how partisan fervor can upend the judiciary, Texas is one of 11 states whose judges run in partisan elections. That means, judicial candidates first run in political primaries and then appear on the ballot in November as their partys choice for the seat. But as we wrote Sunday in the first of our three-part series on Texas messed-up judicial selection, thats screwy. Why would we ask judges to be above political considerations when they issue decisions but then require them to campaign as partisans every time their name goes on a ballot? Besides, as Harris Countys own experience has shown, when politics shift in a county like ours, voters can end up tossing all the judges of one party or another out of office, no matter how good a job theyve done. Thats what happened in 2018. Every single Republican lost his or her race whether they were as qualified as their challengers or not. Some states have seen these same problems and done away with elections altogether. Judges are appointed instead. We made the case Sunday that the better idea is to keep the elections but drop the party labels. Voters have the right to select judges and to own the responsibility of electing a competent judiciary through nonpartisan contests. But getting rid of partisan elections is not enough to fix our judicial selection problem. Theres another problem that is just as serious. Elections are expensive, and anyone who participates needs a lot of money to make it work. Judges are no exception. Problem is, the people with the most interest in the outcomes of the elections are the same ones spending the most to assert influence. Who are they? The same lawyers and others who find themselves most often in front of the judges. That can become a recipe for corruption. In the 80s and 90s, spending on judicial campaigns skyrocketed as civil defense attorneys, plaintiffs lawyers, doctors, insurance companies, and other well-funded interests poured money into races to try elect judges more favorable to their claims. The 1988 Texas Supreme Court elections had 12 candidates vying for six seats and raising $12 million, according to the National Center for State Courts. Over a five-year period starting in 1992, the winning candidates raised over $9 million, with almost half of that money coming from parties linked to cases before the court. State and national attention, highlighted by appearances on 60 Minutes and Frontline, questioned if justice was for sale in Texas. This led to the 1995 Judicial Campaign Fairness Act, which limited contribution amounts for judicial races. The legislation curbed spending somewhat, but experts have concluded that the bigger factor in slowing donations was the emerging dominance of the Republican Party, which led to races being less competitive. Judicial reform: A three-part series. Part one: Partisan elections are the wrong way to choose judges. Texas should keep the election, lose the partisan labels. Part two: Campaign cash undermines integrity of judicial elections. Elections, partisan or not, still cost money. Public financing, or stricter limits on who can donate, are essential to restoring integrity to judicial selection process. Part three: Texas Legislature should act now. Short-sighted political gain, by both parties, has stalled previous efforts of judicial reform. Lawmakers have a chance this session to effect change. They should take it. See More Collapse So, while record-breaking spending went away, it doesnt mean big money left these races. In 2018, the six candidates vying for three seats on the Texas Supreme Court raised $2.6 million, most of that still coming from lawyers and lobbyists. At the local level, money still pours in from lawyers and law firms who expect to be in front of the recipients once they are on the bench. Combined 2018 fundraising by candidates for the 1st Court of Appeals and 14th Court of Appeals, both based in Houston, topped $2.8 million. Judges should never be put in the position of depending on donations from people who already have or are expecting to have business before the court. Nor should lawyers feel pressure to donate. Its a system ripe with conflicts of interests and it should and can be reformed. There is more than one way to accomplish that. Stricter limits on who can donate and how much would help. But we propose a public funding option for candidates who choose to opt-in, freeing them from having to solicit donations and shielding the courts from the impression that they are corrupt. A recent study out of North Carolina not only seems to confirm that money has an impact in judicial decisions, it also bolsters the case for public financing. It found that after the state switched to a public funding model in 2002, judges who took public money were 60 percent less likely to rule in favor of donors who had contributed to their previous campaigns. Public financing isnt cheap, even in states such as North Carolina where public funds are only available to Supreme Court and courts of appeals campaigns. But its a cost worth covering. After three election cycles, North Carolinas fund supported by an optional $3 donation on the states income tax form and a $50 surcharge on lawyers yearly fees to the State Bar had spent $1.2 million on voter guides and almost $2 million on campaigns. Texas has all the authority it needs put stricter caps on donations in judicial races or to publicly finance the campaigns. In a 2015 decision in the case of Williams-Yulee v. Florida Bar, the U.S. Supreme Court found that states have a compelling reason in restricting money in judicial elections. Judges are not politicians, even when they come to the bench by way of the ballot, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote. A state may assure its people that judges will apply the law without fear or favor and without having personally asked anyone for money. We couldnt have said it any better. Judges are not ordinary politicians, and Texas should stop making them act like they are every time run for election. 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. ADVERTISE Hypebot & MusicThinkTank With the internet and digital technologies driving rapid change within the music industry, articles about new releases and who has been hired and fired are no longer enough. Our up to the minute industry news alongside insightful commentary helps our readers sift through the rumors and developments to find the information they need to keep their businesses moving forward. Hypebot is read daily by more than 30,000 music industry professionals including executives and senior staff of music related tech firms, internet based music sites, every major label group and most indies as well as many managers, artists and members of the live music community: Contact us for the latesst stats, ad rates and sponosorship opportunites. We also offer combined rates with MusicThinkTank. By Brian Sumers, Skift | Apr. 26, 2019 Alaska Airlines has a message for investors who ask if the airline is permanently slowing its growth: It'll be on the move soon. "We always said the merger with Virgin America was about growth," CEO Brad Tilden said Thursday on Alaska's first quarter earnings call. "However, given our slower growth this year, some investors have asked whether thinking on this has changed. Our short answer to that is, no. We still see a lot of opportunity for profitable growth, especially in California." Alaska didn't grow at all in the first quarter, with flown capacity rising just 0.2 percent, year-over-year. Part of that could be blamed on poor weather -- Alaska canceled 1,100 flights in the Pacific Northwest due to a series of storms -- but it has also been by design. Alaska acquired Virgin America two and a half years ago, becoming the nation's fifth-largest airline. But there are still some kinks to work out, and Alaska executives said they decided to slow growth as they worked to manage the combined airline. Small Growth in 2019 For the year, Alaska said it plans to grow by just 2 percent, and most of the new capacity will come not on mainline airplanes, but on regional jets. Alaska plans to grow the mainline airline by just 1 percent this year. The goal, executives said, is to focus on margins. Alaska reported operating margin of less than 3 percent in the first quarter, according to Jay Shabat, senior analyst at Skift Airline Weekly, at the lower end of the U.S. airline range. Delta, Shabat noted, recorded a 10 percent operating margin in the same period. "As our margins improve, we'll also get back to growing the airline, albeit at a more moderate 4 percent to 6 percent annual pace that we believe is appropriate given the size of our business today," Tilden said. Executives declined to share details on where they'll put the new flights, other than that they expect to focus on California. One analyst pointed out capacity constraints in San Francisco and Los Angeles, Alaska's two main California airports, but executives said they can add flights elsewhere. "We have a broader California network we're going to look at as well," Chief Commericial Officer Andrew Harrison said. Alaska has bulked up recently in San Jose and San Diego. Max Deliveries Later this year, Alaska might have fewer aircraft in its fleet than expected. The airline has been planning to take its first three Boeing 737 Max aircraft soon, with one delivery slated for June, one in July, and one in October. Still, even if Boeing does not deliver the aircraft as planned -- it has paused deliveries indefinitely after the Federal Aviation Administration grounded the aircraft -- executives said they don't expect major changes to 2019 plans. "Obviously, we're watching the situation closely, but we don't expect much of an impact on the capacity side," CFO Brandon Pedersen said. First-Quarter Results Alaska reported net income of US$4 million, roughly the same as in the first quarter last year. Its revenue per available seat mile, or RASM, a metric that measures how much money an airline makes for each seat it flies one mile, increased 2.2 percent, year-over-year. The airline said its RASM increased in nine of the 11 geographic areas it tracks. The exceptions were flights between California and Boston and New York, and flights between the West Coast and Hawaii. Several airlines, including JetBlue Airways, have reported softness in transcontinental markets, saying capacity has outpaced demand. Other airlines have also noted issues in the Hawaii market. Southwest Airlines began flying to Hawaii in March, and industry fares have fallen. Harrison said he's "cautiously optimistic" transcontinental pricing will improve in the second quarter. But he said it might be a while before Hawaii revenue trends turn. "I'm not sure that's going to get a positive unit revenue just given the capacity that came on board and the fare environment," he said. China Aviation Daily | Apr. 28, 2019 Budapest Airport will cooperate closely with two major Chinese cargo hubs, in order to further develop aviation links between China and Hungary. This is the main goal of the cooperation agreement (memorandum of understanding) signed during the "Belt and Road Forum" summit held in Beijing. Budapest Airport has stepped up its efforts to turn the premier Hungarian airport into a major distribution and logistics base for China in the Central and Eastern European region. This is the essence of the document signed by Wang Zhendong, deputy managing director of Xi'an Xianyang International Airport and Rene Droese, chief property and cargo officer of Budapest Airport in the presence of Peter Szijjarto, minister of foreign affairs and trade. Mr. Szijjarto is representing Hungary at the Hungarian-Chinese Forum held parallel to the "Belt and Road Forum" summit in the Chinese capital. Budapest Airport will also sign a cooperation agreement with Zhengzhou International Airport in May this year, when a Chinese delegation is due to visit Budapest. "Between two countries -like these - with quite a distance between them geographically - strong economic cooperation is only possible if they are well-connected, which is why aviation connections, direct flights between Hungary and China, are of key importance. For this reason, we are delighted that a cooperation agreement between the airport of Xi'an and Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport is signed, as this agreement may link additional Chinese cities to the network where direct flights are available from Hungary, from Budapest. In addition to economic ties, our connections in tourism can also be developed further. Last year, a record number of 256 thousand Chinese tourists visited Hungary, representing a growth rate of 14 percent," said Peter Szijjarto, minister of foreign affairs and trade, at the signing ceremony. During the Hungarian-Chinese Forum, a series of other agreements were signed between the Hungarian and Chinese partners, in the field of investments and the pharmaceutical industry. The development of logistics and cargo fits in well with the efforts by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to boost cooperation between China and Hungary in the field of trade and the development of joint projects. The support of Hungarian diplomats and trade promotion experts has helped Budapest Airport to double the weekly capacity of direct cargo flights between Budapest, Hong Kong and Zhengzhou, and also to enhance the belly cargo links on board scheduled Air China passenger flights between Beijing and Budapest. "The foundation stone was laid with the direct connection to Zhengzhou, and now it is time to further intensify our cooperation with our new Chinese partners, and thus exploit the enormous potential in the freight business in particular. Zhengzhou, Xi'an and Budapest share a great dynamic of growth, and we are very confident that we can mutually benefit from this cooperation," said Jost Lammers, the CEO of Budapest Airport. The cooperating partners will highlight the dynamically growing Budapest Airport in China even more strongly, as a prime gateway to Central and Southeastern Europe. In addition to the tourism potential in passenger traffic (Shanghai Airlines will start three new direct flights per week between Shanghai and Budapest on 7th June), the aim is to develop freight flows between the Chinese locations and Budapest. This will be ensured by coordinating a regular, close exchange of information. Joint marketing campaigns and events are also planned, both in China and the CEE region. Since the beginning of April, Cargolux has been operating two additional direct cargo flights per week between Zhengzhou, one of the fastest growing airports in the world, and Budapest. With Xi'an International Airport, located at the "gateway to the Silk Road", in the industrial province of Shaanxi, Budapest Airport has gained a strategically important partner, to help develop the Hungarian capital airport into a regional cargo hub in Central and Southeast Europe for Chinese enterprises. With a view to increasing demand from dedicated cargo operators, last year Budapest Airport launched a 32.6 million euro (approximately 10 billion HUF) project to construct a brand new Cargo City. The structure of the 21 600 square meter warehouse near Terminal 2 of Budapest Airport has already reached its final form. Next to it, earthworks are progressing at full speed on the so-called forwarder building. The latter will offer 11 200 square meters of warehouse space, combined with office space adjacent to the cargo operations warehouse and the new, 32 000 square meter cargo apron to be built this year, which will enable cargo operators to service two code F or Jumbo-sized aircraft simultaneously. The new cargo facility of Budapest Airport will be handed over to operators and tenants by the end of this year. Contributed by Budapest Airport Game of Thrones season eights big battle episode has aired. In other words, a lot of characters were just killed off. **Spoilers for season eight, episode three ahead** This weekend, fans got to see the episode that cast and crew have been teasing for what feels like aeons: the fight between the living and the dead. At the end of last weeks outing, the White Walkers arrived at Winterfell ready to take down some of Westeross best-loved characters. Dont forget that the HBO show has just four episodes left to go before coming to an end, so this new instalment was bound to cull a few key names. Scroll through the below gallery to see who died in the battle at Winterfell. Game of Thrones characters who died in the battle at Winterfell Show all 7 1 /7 Game of Thrones characters who died in the battle at Winterfell Game of Thrones characters who died in the battle at Winterfell Eddison Tollet/Dolorous Edd One of the most loyal and comical characters on the show, Lord Commander Dolorous Edd was stabbed by a wight after saving his fellow Night's Watchman, Samwell Tarly. And now his watch has ended. HBO Game of Thrones characters who died in the battle at Winterfell Lyanna Mormont What a legend. Fans were sad to see Lady Mormonth go, but she definitely got one of the most epic deaths in the episode. After refusing to run from a charging wight giant, the dying girl uses a final ounce of strength even as the giant is crushing her body in his hand and stabs him right through the eye. Her death was later confirmed when the Night King raised her as a wight. Helen Sloan/courtesy of HBO Game of Thrones characters who died in the battle at Winterfell Beric Dondarrion It was a pretty safe bet that Lord Beric, who had died and been resurrected by his loyal friend Thoros of Myr a whopping six times, would meet his final death in this episode, given that Thoros wasnt around to save him anymore. He was stabbed multiple times by wights as he held them off to save Arya and The Hound. HBO Game of Thrones characters who died in the battle at Winterfell Theon Greyjoy Theon has enjoyed one of the best character arcs in the history of Game of Thrones. After first appearing on the show as a sycophantic brat at Winterfell, he was kidnapped and tortured into becoming Reek for the amusement of Ramsay Bolton. Once he was rescued, he managed to redeem himself after a long journey back to Winterfell (saving his sister along the way), where he pledged to fight alongside the Starks and protect Bran. He kept his word, fighting off dozens if not hundreds of wights before the Night King and his posse turned up. Bran called him a good man and thanked him, upon which Theon charged at the Night King knowing his death was inevitable. HBO Game of Thrones characters who died in the battle at Winterfell The Night King Technically he was already dead, but the Night King still counts given the entire build-up to episode three had been about destroying him. Right as he reached for his sword to kill Bran, Arya comes out of nowhere and attempts to plunge Littlefingers Valyrian steel dagger into his back. He catches her by the throat, but Arya is too smart for him. She drops the dagger into her free hand and stabs him in the stomach instead, triggering the deaths of all the wights and Wight Walkers the Night King created (literally all of them). HBO Game of Thrones characters who died in the battle at Winterfell Melisandre At least fans were prepared for this one. Given her knack for predicting future events, Melisandre saying she would die tonight at the Battle of Winterfell gave fans a pretty good idea of what to expect. Her final prophecy did indeed come true: after she used the power of the Lord of Light to help the Army of the Living, Melisandre walked into the battlefield, removed her magic necklace, and embraced her death. HBO / Helen Sloan Game of Thrones characters who died in the battle at Winterfell Ser Jorah Mormont Jorah Mormont had fully redeemed his betrayal of Dany by the end of episode three (some would argue he did when he saved her life back in series six). After she fell from Drogon as he was overwhelmed by wights, Jorah saved her from imminent death and ultimately died of his injuries right as the White Walker army was defeated. It was one of the most moving scenes of the episode, with Dany mourning while Drogon watches over them. You can read our review of Game of Thrones season 8, episode three here. The final season of Game of Thrones continues every Sunday. Our extensive ranking of every character in the series from worst to best is below. Game of Thrones characters - ranked Show all 70 1 /70 Game of Thrones characters - ranked Game of Thrones characters - ranked 70. Rickon Stark Played by: Art Parkinson : Art Parkinson Easily the most annoying Stark child an impressive feat next to Bran Rickon was at least handed one hell of a death scene: taken out by an arrow courtesy of Ramsay Bolton. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 69. Robin Arryn Played by: Lino Facioli : Lino Facioli Robin Arryn is remembered by most Thrones fans as being the 10-year-old breastfed by his mother (still weird). That's about it. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 68. Renly Baratheon Played by: Gethin Anthony : Gethin Anthony The Rickon of the Baratheon brothers. His claim to the Iron Throne was tenuous, considering his older brother, Stannis, was still alive. When Stannis's shadow monster came to kill him, it was only good news for the show. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 67. Leaf Played by: Kae Alexander : Kae Alexander A lot of mystery may surround Leaf, one of the show's mythical Children of the Forest, but her noble sacrifice to save Bran, Meera and Hodor from a horde of wights robbed her of any worth. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 66. Tommen Baratheon Played by: Dean-Charles Chapman : Dean-Charles Chapman Another boring younger brother. Whereas Joffrey was pure evil, Tommen was innocent and, inevitably, very boring. His cat, Ser Pounce, was an asset to the show. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 65. Lysa Arryn Played by: Kate Dickie : Kate Dickie Lysa, the creepy sister to Catelyn Stark, was first seen with Robin Arryn, her 10-year-old son, latched to her breast. Her death being pushed through the Moon Door couldn't have come sooner. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 64. Benjen Stark Played by: Joseph Mawle/Matteo Elezi : Joseph Mawle/Matteo Elezi Having gone missing in season one, Benjen returned during season six to save his nephew, Bran. The moment was a surprise to TV watchers book readers, however, had long speculated that Coldhands was an undead version of the Stark. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 63. Syrio Forel Played by: Miltos Yerolemou : Miltos Yerolemou The ill-fated Syrio's appearance way back in season one was a formative experience for one Arya Stark (Maisie Williams); he's the one who helped her on her way to becoming the vengeful assassin fans know and love today. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 62. Jeor Mormont Played by: James Cosmo : James Cosmo Father of Jorah Mormont, Jeor was an honourable leader of the Night's Watch perhaps to a fault. After giving Jon Snow the sword Longclaw, Mormont inadvertently showed the Stark bastard that Valerian steel can cut through White Walkers. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 61. Roose Bolton Played by: Michael McElhatton : Michael McElhatton Let's be honest: it's hard to really like as scheming a character as Roose Bolton, the man who orchestrated the violent Red Wedding the most infamous scene in the show's six-year history that saw the death of Robb, Catelyn and Talisa. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 60. Ellaria Sand Played by: Indira Varma : Indira Varma Ellaria Sand may have been a more enticing creation on the page, but in the series, her screen time regrettably amounts to reacting to loved ones being killed off in increasingly awful ways. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 59. Grand Maester Pycell Played by: Julian Glover : Julian Glover The secretly sprightly Pycell had seen a lot of things in his time, but there's an element of "unfulfilled potential" surrounding Glover's character whose late betrayal of Cersei Lannister saw a grisly end to his life of luxury at King's Landing. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 58. Three-Eyed Raven Played by: Max von Sydow : Max von Sydow Perhaps it was the casting of Max von Sydow that heightened anticipation for the Three-Eyed Raven in the series, but the half-hearted story arc left a lot to be desired. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 57. Gilly Played by: Hannah Murray : Hannah Murray Gilly's long journey from Craster's Keep to Winterfell sounds exciting on paper. But, unfortunately, she has been merely a passenger on Sam's journey for far too long. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 56. Daario Naharis Played by: Michael Huisman : Michael Huisman The man who won the heart of Daenerys Targaryen, only to be left behind in Essos. Ed Skrein originally played the character, but was soon replaced after the actor landed a role in Deadpool. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 55. Shae Played by: Sibel Kekilli : Sibel Kekilli Oh Shea. Her ill-fated betrayal sleeping with Tywin (Charles Dance) was a slap in the face not just for lover Tyrion, but the viewer also. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 54. Grey Worm Played by: Jacob Anderson : Jacob Anderson Leader of the Usullied, Grey Worm remains unmoved at all times unless around Missandei. While their romance can be heartwarming, it's hard to invest in two characters who are so wooden. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 53. Talisa Maegyr Played by: Oona Chaplin : Oona Chaplin To be fair to Robb Stark's wife Talisa, should she have avoided being murdered in arguably the most horrific way during the Red Wedding, she would most likely have been higher on this list. Alas. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 52. Shireen Baratheon Played by: Kerry Ingram : Kerry Ingram All the Greyscale-suffering Shireen ever wanted to do was read stories in her chamber, but due to her impressionable power-hungry father, Stannis, she was tragically reduced to ashes after being sacrificed to the Lord of Light. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 51. Viserys Targaryen Played by: Harry Lloyd : Harry Lloyd Viserys wanted the Iron Throne at any cost, giving away his own sister in exchange for an army. Dany, though, had other plans. Her new husband, Khal Drogo, covering Viserys in molten gold made for one of the show's most memorable death scenes. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 50. Maester Luwin Played by: Donald Sumpter : Donald Sumpter The kindly Maester Luwin was one of the nicest characters in the first few seasons, becoming a stand-in father for Bran and Rickon while the Starks endured horrors elsewhere. He was eventually killed when Ramsay Bolton took over Winterfell. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 49. Thoros of Myr Played by: Paul Kaye : Paul Kaye Thoros spent the majority of his time on the show resurrecting Beric and was most recently seen wielding his flaming sword alongside Jon Snow beyond the wall. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 48. Mance Rayder Played by: Ciaran Hinds : Ciaran Hinds Ciaran Hinds brought an intensity to Mance Rayder, a character who would otherwise have got lost in the crowd. As a result, his death at the hands of Melisandre was unexpectedly affecting. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 47. Podrick Payne Played by: Daniel Portman : Daniel Portman Ever loyal, Podrick Payne has become a fan favourite for being surprisingly brave in the face of adversity. He and Brienne of Tarth make an excellent duo. HBO/Helen Sloan Game of Thrones characters - ranked 46. Euron Greyjoy Played by: Pilou Asbk : Pilou Asbk While Euron Greyjoy may have only joined the show in season six, his presence was immediately felt. A wildcard character, Greyjoy's cut-throat, power-hungry nature has proven exciting to watch. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 45. Jaqen H'ghar Played by: Tom Wlaschiha : Tom Wlaschiha Jaqen H'ghar one of the Faceless Men of Braavos had such promise, but ultimately ended up being the one responsible for sapping Arya's story of the energy she'd had seasons before, alongside The Hound (Rory McCann). HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 44. Missandei Played by: Nathalie Emmanuel : Nathalie Emmanuel Missandei has somehow managed to come up trumps within the new world order, being an advisor to Dany. However, her stilted nature can make for some awkward encounters but at least she and Grey Worm are happy together. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 43. Ygritte Played by: Rose Leslie : Rose Leslie Ygritte the Wildling lover of Jon Snow will go down in Thrones lore for providing the series the with oft-quoted famous line: "You know nothing, Jon Snow." Spoken with a northern accent, obviously. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 42. Hot Pie Played by: Ben Hawkey : Ben Hawkey Has an actor ever been more suited to a role? Ben Hawkey, after all, has gone on to run a bakery of his own, even selling Thrones-themed goods. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 41. Walder Frey Played by: David Bradley : David Bradley One of the orchestrators of the Red Wedding, Walder Frey was a lurching, terrifying villain. When Arya unmasks herself and kills the old man, it's a sweet, sweet moment of revenge. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 40. Gendry Baratheon Played by: Joe Dempsie : Joe Dempsie The true heir to the Iron Throne. Gendry may have spent a few seasons rowing out at sea, but his return hints at big things to come for the Baratheon bastard. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 39. Robert Baratheon Played by: Mark Addy : Mark Addy Mark Addy brought a certain gravitas to Robert Baratheon, making him a believably world-weary king. Despite only having a few scenes, his character's presence is still felt on the show thanks to Gendry. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 38. Barristan Selmy Played by: Ian McElhinney : Ian McElhinney After being fired by the Lannisters, Selmy pledged allegiance to Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), bridging the gap between two of the show's key characters. He was also a bloody good warrior. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 37. Yara Greyjoy Played by: Gemma Whelan : Gemma Whelan Lily Allen was initially wanted for the role of Theon's sister. However, she declined: 'I felt uncomfortable because I would have had to go on a horse and he would have touched me up and s***.' Seeing as Allen's brother, Alfie, had already been cast as Theon, it was probably for the best. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 36. Margaery Tyrell Played by: Natalie Dormer : Natalie Dormer Margaery Tyrell was one of Game of Thrones's biggest players, wheedling her way into the Lannister family politics and actually becoming Queen for a spell. Her number was up the moment she made an enemy of Cersei, and her fiery death, while underwhelming, was a huge moment. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 35. Samwell Tarly Played by: John Bradley : John Bradley There's a theory going around that Samwell Tarly, who trains as a maester, is actually the author of the Song of Ice and Fire AKA the book series. In other words, Sam is George RR Martin. Go figure. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 34. Osha Played by: Natalia Tena : Natalia Tena The underused Osha was our very first wildling, an unpredictable knife-wielding danger to the characters we loved. Her subsequent evolution into Stark servant was interestingly played, which made the fact she was sidelined for multiple seasons, before being brought back just to be unceremoniously offed, a travesty. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 33. Ramsay Bolton Played by: Iwan Rheon : Iwan Rheon Ramsey cut off Theon's penis and sent it to the Greyjoy's father. He imprisoned and raped Sansa Stark. He killed Rickon Stark in front of his brother. And Ramsay eventually died by being fed to his own dogs. A terrifying death for a terrible human. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 32. Night King Played by: Richard Brake, Vladimir Furdik : Richard Brake, Vladimir Furdik The embodiment of evil. Why, exactly, the Night King marches South to destroy mankind remains somewhat a mystery. But, whatever the reason, he's a terrifying foe. Winter has, as the Starks say, finally come. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 31. Beric Dondarrion Played by: Richard Dormer : Richard Dormer Beric danced on the outskirts of the series until its third season when he surfaced as the leader of the Brotherhood Without Banners. His introduction paved the way for the Lord of Light's ability to resurrect the dead, a mystical sub-plot that would become very important for Jon Snow. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 30. Bran Stark Played by: Isaac Hempstead Wright : Isaac Hempstead Wright It says a lot that Bran Stark has become marginally more interesting since he sacrificed his personality in favour of becoming the spiritualistic heart of the series. His role in the final season looks set to be a huge one what with the long-standing theory that he could become the fearsome Night King. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 29. Theon Greyjoy Played by: Alfie Allen : Alfie Allen While Theon starts as a cocky kid, after being neutered by Ramsay he becomes the annoyingly weak Reek. Thankfully, Theon comes back around again in the later seasons, but not without us still hating his guts for not saving Sansa sooner. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 28. The High Sparrow Played by: Jonathan Pryce : Jonathan Pryce While at first a seemingly wise old man, the High Sparrow quickly becomes a tactical villain, using his newfound powers under King Tommen to turn King's Landing into his own domain. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 27. The Mountain Played by: Hafor Julius Bjornsson : Hafor Julius Bjornsson The hulking Clegane brother known as The Mountain now a zombie-esque servant to Cersei may not have come face-to-face with lots of characters in the series, but his presence is known by all in Westeros. His biggest moment? Battering poor Oberyn's head into mush. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 26. Khal Drogo Played by: Jason Momoa : Jason Momoa To the world he's now Aquaman, but for a brief time, Jason Momoa was Khal Drogo, the beloved Dothraki husband of his Khaleesi, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 25. Jon Snow Played by: Kit Harington : Kit Harington Every show needs a hero, and they do not come more obvious than Jon Snow. Rising from discarded bastard to King of the North, his climb has been one of the show's best storylines. A shame, then, that Snow can be such a bland person, doing only what is right and seemingly having no faults. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 24. Stannis Baratheon Played by: Stephen Dillane : Stephen Dillane With his propensity to make tough decisions for the greater good, Stannis could have been a heroic warrior. However, the Baratheon brother's continual fall from grace including sacrificing his own daughter and murdering his own brother were horrendous decisions that eventually doomed him. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 23. Hodor Played by: Kristian Nairn : Kristian Nairn Once you get over the fact that Kristian Nairn was essentially getting paid to repeat the word "Hodor" over and over, it's hard to deny that Bran Stark's protector was a heartwarming addition to the show. His death the breathtaking "Hold the Door" sequence will go down as one of the show's most memorable moments. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 22. Tywin Lannister Played by: Charles Dance : Charles Dance Stannis was a horrible father. His two favourite children became incestuous lovers, and he blamed his youngest for the death of his wife. Without Tywin, though, the Lannister family would not be nearly as riveting as they are to watch. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 21. Tormund Giantsbane Played by: Kristofer Hivju : Kristofer Hivju Tormund has some of the best lines in the series, particularly when expressing his admiration for Brienne. Here's one of the least explicit: "I want to make babies with her. Think of it. Great big monsters. They'll conquer the world!" HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 20. Daenerys Targaryen Played by: Emilia Clarke : Emilia Clarke "Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons." Every time Dany meets someone new, she forces Missandei to read out her entire CV. I guess everyone would if theirs was as impressive. Dany really has had a great journey to the top a shame she could not have come to Westeros slightly earlier. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 19. Olenna Tyrell Played by: Dianna Rigg : Dianna Rigg Olenna's scenes were always ones to cherish. The Queen of Thorns was as cunning as the best of them and seemed like she could worm her way out of any situation, all from the comfort of her own chair. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 18. Jorah Mormont Played by: Iain Glen : Iain Glen Poor Ser Jorah. Dany may be 25 years younger than him, but that never stopped the disgraced warrior from loving her. He even fought off Grey Scale to fight by her side. If that's not true love, then what is? HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 17. Davos Seaworth Played by: Liam Cunningham : Liam Cunningham Liam Cunningham's performance as the curt Davos Seaworth has quietly been one of the best things about the series since his introduction. As Jon Snow's kingly advisor, he's recently seen himself thrust into the heart of the series and, simply put, Game of Thrones would be a less enjoyable show without him. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 16. Melisandre Played by: Carice van Houten : Carice van Houten Lest we forget that Melisandre is actually a shrivelled old witch who has been manipulating men for hundreds of years. Her faith in the Lord of Light, though, could very well be misplaced. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 15. Oberyn Played by: Pedro Pascal : Pedro Pascal Few shows can bring in characters midway through their run that have such an impact as Oberyn. The Viper quickly became a fan favourite, and his death remains one of the show's most squirm-inducing moments. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 14. Eddard "Ned" Stark Played by: Sean Bean : Sean Bean Killing off a main character during a show's first season was practically unheard of before Game of Thrones. Yet, as dictated by George RR Martin's books, they cut off Sean Bean's head without a second thought, setting the tone for everything to come. No death has impacted the Thrones quite as much since. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 13. Varys Played by: Conleth Hill : Conleth Hill Early on in the series, it was hard to pin down Varys, a slippery eel of a character who has "little birds" fluttering around Westeros, feeding back crucial information. Going into the final season, his true intentions are clear: he's all for Daenerys taking the Iron Throne, even if he doesn't live to see the day (I have to die in this strange country, just like you," Melisandre prophesied last season). HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 12. Bronn Played by: Jerome Flynn : Jerome Flynn Perhaps the show's best wise-cracking side-kick, Bronn only has one loyalty: money. Paired with either of the Lannister lads, Tyrion or Jaime, Bronn makes for excellent company. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 11. Robb Stark Played by: Richard Madden : Richard Madden Before Bodyguard, Richard Madden was the extremely temporary king of Westeros. Robb was a man of honour, trying to bring light to the Thrones universe. He was a likeable presence who ruled with his heart, an act that ultimately saw him die during the infamous Red Wedding in season three. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 10. Brienne of Tarth Played by: Gwendoline Christie : Gwendoline Christie Brienne is a reassuring force of good in a world filled with scheming layabouts. She's also one of the most deadly. Her time on the series has been spent protecting the likes of Renly Baratheon, Catelyn Stark and Jaime Lannister, the latter of which made for an interesting turn as it put her at odds with her loyalty. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 9. Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish Played by: Aidan Gillen : Aidan Gillen There would be no Game of Thrones without Littlefinger. The silver-tongued manipulator had Jon Arryn killed, setting off a snowball that turned into an avalanche. As smart as he may have been, Littlefinger was finally outplayed by his own pupil, Sansa Stark. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 8. Sansa Stark Played by: Sophie Turner : Sophie Turner Sansa has perhaps had the most interesting story arc of any character on Thrones. Beginning as a cliched annoying teenager, she gradually became a stone-cold killer, capable of holding Winterfell and outsmarting even Littlefinger. With any luck, she could sit upon the Iron Throne when the war is over. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 7. Arya Stark Played by: Maisie Williams : Maisie Williams Arya Stark, arguably the greatest character of the first few seasons, was one of the biggest victims of the series overtaking George RR Martin's source material. Her limited screen time, due to being away from the central action, robbed us of classic moments that we're grateful she's been a part of in an otherwise lacklustre season eight. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 6. Sandor "The Hound" Clegane Played by: Rory McCann : Rory McCann From his regular delivery of the phrase"F** the king" to that chicken scene, The Hound is a reckless creation whose high ranking on this list can be attributed to the searing performance from Rory McCann. Most effective when paired with Arya Stark. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 5. Joffrey Baratheon Played by: Jack Gleeson : Jack Gleeson No character has been as hated by the fandom as Joffrey. His wicked ways and disgusting behaviour haunted the show's first four seasons. You never knew what was going to come next: whether he was about to behead your favourite character or start crying to his mother. It made for thrilling television. But, as The Hound says, "F**k the King". HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 4. Catelyn Stark Played by: Michelle Fairley : Michelle Fairley The lady of Winterfell, Catelyn Stark, became the show's honorary lead after the untimely beheading of her husband, Ned (Sean Bean) at the end of season one. As she tried to take control of spiralling events in the second and third run, Thrones was handed its most resilient character. Michelle Fairley's guttural cry of anguish before meeting her tragic end during the Red Wedding will always be the show's most horrific moment. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 3. Jaime Lannister Played by: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau : Nikolaj Coster-Waldau If the characters above Jaime in this list are the show's greatest characters, Jaime is the show's most disarming. The Lannister brother the Kingslayer started the series as a long-haired bad guy of the tallest order, but his humbling over the past few seasons have seen him inch his way into the hearts of viewers. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 2. Tyrion Lannister Played by: Peter Dinklage : Peter Dinklage Blamed for the death of his mother and hated for being a dwarf, Tyrion turned to drink and prostitutes to numb the pain. However, Tyrion has a fierce intellect, capable of outsmarting the toughest enemies (and offering cutting lines that George RR Martin says often take weeks to write). More importantly, despite being betrayed and cast away time and time again, Tyrion selflessly only wants the best for the people of Westeros. A true hero. HBO Game of Thrones characters - ranked 1. Cersei Lannister Played by: Lena Headey : Lena Headey The Mad Queen, alone on the Iron Throne. Cersei has, over the course of seven seasons, seen her three children die, driven her lover/brother away, blown up a church with a half dozen major characters inside, arranged the death of her husband (King Robert) and attempted to have her other brother (Tyrion) killed multiple times. Yet, thanks to Lena Headey's empathetic performance, you still feel sorry for the terrifying Queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. As one of the most complicated character to have ever reached television screens, there's no denying her place as the best Thrones character to date. HBO The show will be available on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV in the UK. Brexit is helping the New IRA to recruit young supporters and continue its campaign of violence, senior members of the paramilitary organisation have said. The group, who accepted responsibility for the killing of journalist Lyra McKee last week, said the fallout from Britain's decision to leave the European Union had highlighted the presence of border and partition. Brexit has forced the IRA to refocus and has underlined how Ireland remains partitioned," a representative told The Sunday Times. "It would be remiss of us not to capitalise on the opportunity. Its put the border on the agenda again." They acknowledged that their campaign of violence has no chance of achieving their goal of a united Ireland. Our armed actions serve one purpose," one dissident said. "They are symbolic. They are propaganda.They let the world know there is an ongoing conflict in Northern Ireland. Condemning the IRA is nothing new. We are not interested in being popular. Republicanism has always been a small core of people." Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Show all 21 1 /21 Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots A burning car in Creggan, Derry after petrol bombs were thrown at police during riots in Northern Ireland PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Armed police at the scene of unrest PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Petrol bombs being thrown at police PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Belfast Journalist Lyra McKee was killed during the riots. Police Service of Northern Ireland said that McKee was allegedly shot while reporting on clashes with dissident republican rioters EPA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots The scene on Fanad Drive the following day PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA The organisation is "driven by young people", they added. "Young people are being radicalised because they have no one to turn to," they said. "There are no left-wing political parties any more. Sinn Fein dont represent republicans. They are a centrist party now." While the organisation has accepted Lyra McKee's death was from shots fired by one of their members, they insisted the shooting was unintentional. The New IRA can trace its lineage back to the Real IRA, which was formed following a split in the Provisional IRA by dissident members who rejected the 1997 ceasefire. It was reported in 2012 the Real IRA had merged with several smaller Republican militant organisations and although the group still calls itself the IRA became widely referred to as the New IRA. The group rejects the Good Friday Agreement, which effectively brought about the end of The Troubles by setting out both Northern Irelands status within the UK and its relationship with the Republic of Ireland. It has been linked with a number of violent incidents in recent years. In 2014 the group sent seven letter bombs to British Army recruitment offices in south east England. And the group is considered the main line of enquiry in a car bomb attack on a courthouse in Derry, which took place in January this year. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events A study compiled by two Unesco chairmen in February warned a return to violence would be "inevitable" if there was a hard border in Ireland due to a no-deal Brexit or a rushed border poll. The report added that nationalist youths, who are marginalised, would be vulnerable "to being groomed into violent activity by dissident republicans including the 'New IRA'". 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 On NATOs border with Russia, soldiers with the UKs Yorkshire Regiment recently joined Estonians in a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Royal Navys critical intervention in the countrys battle for independence against the Bolsheviks. Schoolchildren clambered over a huge Challenger 2 battle tank, an AS-90 artillery gun and an armoured personnel carrier. To all appearances, it was a stirring reminder of Britains commitment to European defence, Brexit or no Brexit. But the battalion, based in Estonia as a critical part of NATOs response to Russias invasion of Crimea in 2014, is the polished surface of a hollow shell. Our military has been badly damaged by austerity and political choices that have consistently favoured symbol over substance in a struggle to remain a global power. Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Show all 13 1 /13 Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The wreckage of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre in the Barzeh district, north of Damascus, which was targeted by the US, UK and France air strikes. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier films the damage of the Syrian Scientific Research Center surrounded by papers and rubble. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Firefighrers extinguish smoke that rises from the damage. The Pentagon says none of the missiles filed by the U.S. and its allies was deflected by Syrian air defenses, rebutting claims by the Russian and Syrian governments. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The wreckage of part of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound . AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Part of a building collapsing, surrounded by the wreckage. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Further damaged to the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, also says there also is no indication that Russian air defense systems were employed early Saturday in Syria. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier sprays water on the wreckage. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Syrian state news agency SANA reported several missiles hit a research centre in Barzeh, north of Damascus, "destroying a building that included scientific labs and a training centre". AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier films the damage. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Damage to the Scientific Research Center building that was hit by the strikes. EPA Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The Scientific Studies and Research Centre was one of the targeted buildings by the US, UK and France. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Further damage to the centre. EPA For a military that once spanned the globe, this squad of some 1,000 troops and assorted armour represents the largest British battle group deployed anywhere in the world. Budget cuts have led to sharp reductions in troops, equipment and investment, and analysts warn that Britain is no longer capable of defending its homeland by itself. Britain remains a nuclear power and a member of the UN Security Council. It is one of the few countries able to fight on land, sea and air, and its intelligence capability is world class. In a post-Brexit world, should that come about, Britains role as a military power will be vital to its self-image, its geopolitical clout and its relationship with the United States. But the budget cutbacks have contributed to growing doubts in Washington about whether Britain remains capable of fighting a war alongside the US military. The British House of Commons Library assessed that in real terms, between 2010 and 2015, Britains defence budget fell by 8 billion, a cut of 18 percent compared with the 2009-10 budget. The budget has stabilised since then, but has not grown significantly. Experts say that France is gradually supplanting Britain as the leading European military ally of the United States, further weakening the special relationship between Britain and America a deep concern at a time when both Brexit and the isolationism of President Donald Trump are weighing on British security officials. Over the last 10 years, there is a steady decline of Britain as the partner of first choice for the US military, said former US assistant secretary of defence for international security affairs, Derek Chollet. Libya in 2011 was really the last gasp of Britain as a leading military power. Brexit is just a continuation and acceleration of the extended existential crisis. Britain has fought alongside US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and joined the fight against the Islamic State. But the forever wars have badly sapped British equipment and morale, and have deeply damaged faith in the judgment of the United States. The publics appetite for military adventures is waning, while Jeremy Corbyn has spent decades opposing nuclear weapons and NATO itself. Perhaps most telling of our lower military status, the United States last three formal defence reviews have been predicated on the assumption that Britain will never again fight a war without America. Thats a big concession to make, especially in the time of Mr Trump, said Kori Schake, a former Pentagon official who is now deputy director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. Independent Minds Q&A session on the Middle East, Trump, Syria and Isis Upon triggering Brexit, she added, Britain made a big bet on the US relationship, so that explains a lot of the jangled nerves now. Oddly, the problems with the British military echo the debate over Brexit. What does Britain actually want to be in the world? Ms Schake said. They dont know the answer. For Julian Lindley-French, a defence analyst and senior fellow at the Institute of Statecraft in London, austerity-shrunken Britain is retreating behind a nuclear shield, no longer with the popular will or the capacity to defend the Continent. Britain, he added, wants the symbols of power the nuclear deterrent and the ensign on the aircraft carrier. In an interview, defence minister Gavin Williamson spoke proudly of securing another 1 billion over the next two years for a military budget that would total 38.4 billion in fiscal 2020. Recommended Nato faces one of its most difficult crises in seven decades That represents 2.1 percent of gross domestic product, just over NATOs guideline of two percent, although since 2015 it includes spending for military pensions and intelligence. Britain cannot have the scale or the mass of the United States, he said. But we are the only other country in NATO that can lead the way the US can lead, the only country in Europe that has the full range of capabilities. Britain is making difficult spending choices, Mr Williamson said, about how we use our technology and new ideas to improve the lethality we have on the battlefield in the face of new threats. As for NATO, he said, I struggle to think of a request from NATO that Britain hasnt met. Another billion helps, but in June, the House of Commons Defence Committee called for an extra 20 billion in military spending, up to three percent of GDP, a recommendation unlikely to be met. It is not just the level of spending, however, that is hurting the British military. More important is how the money is being spent. US military wants to use sea creatures as underwater spies to monitor enemy activity The expenditures focus on two projects: replacing four ageing nuclear missile submarines and building two world-class aircraft carriers, with all the ships, planes and submarines required to protect them and the F-35B fighter jets to put on them. The nuclear program alone is costing 5 billion a year, about 14 percent of the annual defence budget, with total costs for the new subs estimated at 31-41 billion. Once you throw in the cost of attack submarines to protect the nuclear subs, total spending on the nuclear enterprise rises to around 70 billion over the next decade, said Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director general of RUSI, a military research centre. That comes to nearly 18 percent at todays budget and GDP levels. The combined impact of austerity-era cutbacks and spending choices has hit the army the hardest of all the services. Now smaller than at any time since Waterloo, it has failed to meet even modest recruitment goals, in part because of an embarrassing effort at outsourcing. It is still several thousands short of its goal of 82,000 fully trained regular army soldiers, despite downgrading what it means to be fully trained, as well as falling short of its goal of 30,000 in the army reserve. In other areas of modern warfare, however, Britains capacities are more highly regarded, especially in cyber-defence and cyber-offence, intelligence and space. Tom Tugendhat, a lieutenant colonel in the army reserves who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and is now chairman of Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee, said: The fundamental problem in defence is always personnel. Our army and navy are too small, and our reserves are not even vaguely close to being fully manned, partly because of the new carriers and nuclear submarines. But the big-ticket items are a measure of British resolve, he said. The UK will be the only European country with two aircraft carriers, the ability to deploy force and the willingness to do it, he added. Island Britain has always used a heavy navy to project a light army, while European forces usually have the reverse. NATO may complain about Britains not providing territorial forces to deter Russia, but its Germany that should be providing them, he said. In Tallinn, the Estonian capital, the defence minister, Juri Luik, praised the British presence as a symbol of solidarity. Estonian troops fought in a British brigade in Afghanistan, he said, so its a close relationship. Whatever the militarys current shortcomings, Mr Luik said, the British have a real military culture. They understand a battle is a battle. And they can take casualties. The New York Times Chinas ambassador to the UK has urged the government to ignore external pressure over the decision to allow Huawei to build key parts of Britains 5G network. The US and Australia have said the telecommunications firm is a security risk because of its ties to the Chinese state and have blocked its involvement in their own networks. But writing in The Sunday Telegraph, Beijings ambassador to London, Liu Xiaoming, urged the UK to make the right decision independently over the suppliers for the 5G network. Huawei is at the centre of a Whitehall leak inquiry after details emerged of a National Security Council (NSC) meeting in which Theresa May was said to have given the green light for the firm to be involved in building the 5G system. Some senior cabinet ministers, now suspected of leaking the decision, were reportedly opposed to the move. Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Show all 20 1 /20 Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China An employee enters a train in the Huawei's Ox Horn campus at Songshan Lake in Dongguan Reuters Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China A worker cleans a waterway as office buildings are seen at Huawei's new Ox Horn Research and Development campus in Dongguan, near shenzen Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China An area of Huawei's Ox Horn campus modelled after Cesky Krumlov in Czech Republic Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China The real Cesky Krumlov in Czech Republic Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Employees sleep in their cubicle in the research and development area after lunch at the Bantian campus in Shenzhen Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China An area of Huawei's Ox Horn campus modelled after Heidelberg in Germany Getty Images Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Employees play basketball on a court within the staff housing complex at the end of the workday at the Bantian campus in Shenzhen Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China A replica of the Karl Theodor Bridge in Huawei's Ox Horn campus Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China The real Karl Theodor Bridge in Heidelberg, Germany Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Huawei's Ox Horn campus at Songshan Lake in Dongguan Reuters Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Employees ride the bus home at the end of the workday from the company's Bantian campus in Shenzhen Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Huawei workers eat their subsidised lunch in one of many large cafeterias at the company's Bantian campus in Shenzhen Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Reception staff walk in front of a large screen showcasing different technologies in the foyer of a building used for high profile customer visits at the campus in Shenzen Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China An employee reads in the staff library on a break at the company's Bantian campus in Shenzhen Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China An area of Huawei's new Ox Horn campus modelled after a European City Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Servers are seen inside Huawei's factory campus in Dongguan Reuters Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China The conductor waits for a train in the Huawei's Ox Horn campus at Songshan Lake in Dongguan Reuters Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China A general view shows the research and development centre at Huawei's Ox Horn campus AFP/Getty Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China Employees works on a mobile phone production line at Huawei's factory campus in Dongguan Reuters Inside Huawei's new campus for workers in China An office building on the Huawei campus in Dongguan AFP/Getty Defending the firm, Mr Liu wrote: Countries of global influence, like the UK, make decisions independently and in accordance with their national interests. He added: When it comes to the establishment of the new 5G network, the UK is in the position to do the same again by resisting pressure, working to avoid interruptions and making the right decision independently based on its national interests and in line with its need for long-term development. Mr Liu urged the UK to resist protectionism, and added: The last thing China expects from a truly open and fair global Britain is a playing field that is not level. He also said the security concerns around the 5G network were understandable due to the technology being new and not perfect. The risks should be taken seriously but risks must not be allowed to incite fear. They can be managed, provided countries and companies work together, he wrote. Huawei has had a good track record on security over the years, having taken the initiative to invest in a cyber security evaluation centre which employs an all-British monitoring team. The company has been working hard to improve its technology and to enhance the security and reliability of its equipment. Meanwhile, six conservative MPs including Bob Seely, a member of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, have written to culture secretary Jeremy Wright about their concerns over Huawei. The letter, seen by The Sunday Times, said: Having China anywhere near our communications systems poses structural risks about the level of Chinese influence in our society. Chinese law demands that Chinese firms work with the Chinese secret services. This week, members of the cabinet are expected to be summoned for interviews about the leak as part of the formal inquiry headed by Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary and national security adviser. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Ministers and aides were reportedly issued questionnaires requiring them to explain where they were in the hours following Tuesdays NSC meeting. They were also reportedly asked to provide details of all mobile phones in their possession and whether they spoke to the Telegraph, which published the original report about the Huawei decision. Much of the attention has focused on five ministers who were said to have voiced objections to the decision: Sajid Javid, Jeremy Hunt, Gavin Williamson, Penny Mordaunt and Liam Fox. Additional reporting by PA Labour could sign up to a Brexit deal without a fresh referendum attached if the government makes significant concessions in the ongoing talks, the shadow business secretary has suggested. In a blow to pro-EU supporters, Rebecca Long-Bailey said the party was not hugely prescriptive on its terms, when asked if the inclusion of a public vote was a red line for Labour in the negotiations. Ms Long-Bailey, who has attended cross-party talks alongside shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer and shadow chancellor John McDonnell, said meetings had been productive with discussions about workers rights a key ask for Labour. Ahead of fresh talks on Monday, she told Sky Newss Sophy Ridge on Sunday: There has been movement in specific areas weve had fantastic discussions on workers rights, for example, and the government seems quite amenable to moving towards what Ive been asking for. Were waiting at the moment to see if that turns into pens on paper. 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 Jeremy Corbyn has faced an angry backlash over the failure to mention a Final Say vote in a draft leaflet for the upcoming European parliament elections. Some 90 MPs and MEPs signed a letter urging Labours ruling body to give a clear commitment to a public vote when it meets on Tuesday to decide on the partys manifesto. But when asked if it was crucial for Labour support, Ms Long-Bailey said the leadership were not being hugely prescriptive on the minute detail of specific elements, because we are willing to compromise and we are willing to be flexible. Pressed on whether it was a red line, she said: I wouldnt couch it in terms of a second referendum but our party policy has always been that firstly we want to get a Brexit deal that puts our economy and living standards first and protects our environmental protections, workplace protections, health and safety standards. We want a customs union arrangement in order to keep our borders open, so that our manufacturing industry isnt detrimentally affected, and we keep the movement of goods as freely flowing as possible. And we want a strong single market relationship. Ms Long-Bailey also hit back at claims from the Conservatives that her side has been stalling, saying: Were certainly not dragging our heels. Recommended Labour takes sizeable poll lead over Tories as Brexit Party surges She said: Honestly I think the discussions so far have been productive, theyve gone into a lot of detail, there seems to be a willingness on both sides to move towards some form of consensus. But as yet we havent seen the government move on any of their red lines. Were having further discussions this week and hopefully well see some movement but at the moment we are focusing on the detail where we stand in relation to our relevant positions and where we could move to. Her comments are likely to disappoint pro-EU MPs and MEPs who had been lobbying to make a referendum a central strand of Labours European elections campaign. Shadow communities secretary Andrew Gwynne told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show that the manifesto is going to be agreed by the National Executive Committee (NEC), but he expected it would endorse Labours conference policy. In a sign of the Brexit divisions plaguing Labour's top team, deputy Labour leader Tom Watson encouraged members to lobby NEC representatives "if you want them to support a confirmatory ballot on a Brexit deal". But shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner said those pushing for a referendum on any Brexit deal were seeking a change in Labour policy. The party's policy agreed at conference was for a referendum "to stop a no-deal or to stop a bad Theresa May deal", he told BBC 5 Live's Pienaar's Politics. In a letter to the NEC organised by the Love Socialism Hate Brexit campaign, the MPs and MEPs said Labour had a clear opportunity to win these elections if it fully supports a Final Say vote. They wrote: These elections are about the kind of Europe we want to live in, and we cant make a convincing case in them without being clear about Brexit. Labour has already, rightly, backed a confirmatory public vote. The overwhelming majority of our members and voters support this, and it is the democratically established policy of the party. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Our members need to feel supported on doorsteps by a clear manifesto that marks us out as the only viable alternative to Nigel Farages Brexit Party. A Labour spokesperson said: There are a number of different texts for different leaflets in circulation, including for a freepost and for other campaign purposes. They all reflect existing party policy. Our manifesto for the European elections will be decided next Tuesday. The Independent has been campaigning for a Final Say vote on any Brexit deal, which has attracted the support of more than a million people since its launch last year. Labour has taken a seven-point lead over the Conservatives ahead of the European elections, a new poll has found. A study by Opinium put Labour on 33 per cent, the Conservatives on 26 per cent and the insurgent Brexit Party on 17 per cent, when the public was grilled on how they would vote in a general election. The Liberal Democrats were on 6 per cent, with Ukip, the Green Party and the new centrist party Change UK all on 4 per cent. In a fresh headache for Theresa May, the former Ukip leaders new party was neck and neck with Labour on 28 per cent for next months European elections, while Tory support collapsed to 14 per cent in the 23 May contest. Support for the Brexit Party ahead of the European elections has surged from 12 per cent in the past two weeks, with voters apparently flocking to it from Ukip. Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Nigel Farage speaks at the launch of his new Brexit Party's campaign for the European elections Reuters Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Brexit Party candidate Annunziata Rees-Mogg, sister of Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, speaks at the launch AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures A supporter waits for Farage to speak AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Supporters wait for Farage to speak AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Farage's socks Reuters Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Farage and prospective candidate Annunziata Rees-Mogg wait at the launch AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Supporters listen as Farage speaks AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Free T-shirts for all attendees AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Posters on the seats for supporters of the Brexit Party AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures A safety sign is pictured AFP/Getty The poll also found more than half the public (55 per cent) believe the UK should never have held the EU referendum as it has been so difficult to agree a deal. Tory chair Brandon Lewis said he understood the huge frustration of Conservative members over Brexit, as the party faced pressure on the doorstep ahead of the local elections on 2 May. The party is still hoping to avoid the European parliament elections at the end of May by approving a Brexit deal, however time is running out for the prime minister to bring forward the legislation to parliament. Mr Lewis insisted it was still possible to avoid those contests having to take place, telling the BBCs Andrew Marr Show: I hope that between now and the European election polling day on 23 May, if we have to have those elections, over the next few weeks I hope that Conservative members, colleagues, volunteers, activists will come to want to not just vote for, but campaign for Conservatives to get elected, because ultimately Conservative representation is better than any other party. I fully appreciate the huge frustration that particularly our members and councillors have that we havent left the EU yet and we might have to fight these elections at all. But if we do, I hope theyll vote Conservative. Tory bosses warned MPs and grassroots activists against supporting Mr Farages party, after MPs such as Telfords Lucy Allan sent their encouragement to the Conservatives rivals. A leaked email to activists, obtained by The Sunday Times, said: All party members, including elected representatives at all levels, are expected to fully support the party in all elections. Campaigning for or endorsement of any other political party is incompatible with membership of the party ... The board will not hesitate to enforce these rules. Opinium Research carried out an online survey of 2,004 UK adults from 21-23 April. Results have been weighted to representative criteria. The infamous killing of Cecil the lion has encouraged British hunters to go to South Africa and shoot dead more big cats than ever, figures reveal. Experts had believed worldwide revulsion at the shooting would mark a turning point for the endangered species and the start of a decline in trophy hunting. But instead the number of British hunters targeting farmed lions and bringing home their body parts more than doubled in the three years after Cecils death, compared with the three years before, according to statistics from the global wildlife trade regulator. Imports after the 2015 shooting jumped to 59, against 27 before. In 2007 just four lion trophies were brought into Britain, but in 2017 the figure was 15, according to the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites). Conservation experts said they were horrified that lion hunting had become increasingly popular with British killers and stepped up calls for the government to uphold its pledges to ban the grisly imports. Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Show all 15 1 /15 Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Lobbying for a ban on imports of hunted wildlife parts It's estimated an elephant is killed every 20 or 25 minutes on average in Africa Paul Nicholls Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Lobbying for a ban on imports of hunted wildlife parts Broadcaster Nicky Campbell spoke passionately against trophy hunting and legal imports of animal parts Paul Nicholls Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Lobbying for a ban on imports of hunted wildlife parts Protesters at the fifth annual Global March for Elephants and Rhinos in London marched through central London Paul Nicholls Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Lobbying for a ban on imports of hunted wildlife parts Thousands of people joined the fifth annual Global March for Elephants and Rhinos in London Paul Nicholls Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Lobbying for a ban on imports of hunted wildlife parts Stanley Johnson, father of Boris Johnson, is a passionate supporter of the campaign to save elephants and rhinos from extinction Paul Nicholls Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Lobbying for a ban on imports of hunted wildlife parts Protesters at the fifth annual Global March for Elephants and Rhinos in London called for a UK ban on trophy imports Paul Nicholls Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Lobbying for a ban on imports of hunted wildlife parts Thousands of protesters at the Global March for Elephants and Rhinos marched to Downing Street Paul Nicholls Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Lobbying for a ban on imports of hunted wildlife parts Some protesters in London against trophy hunting dressed in wildlife costumes Paul Nicholls Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Lobbying for a ban on imports of hunted wildlife parts Campaigners fear elephants, rhinos and lions will become extinct if trophy hunting continues Paul Nicholls Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Lobbying for a ban on imports of hunted wildlife parts Protesters at the fifth annual Global March for Elephants and Rhinos in London against trophy hunting marched through central London Paul Nicholls Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Lobbying for a ban on imports of hunted wildlife parts Some protesters in London against trophy hunting dressed in wildlife costumes Paul Nicholls Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Lobbying for a ban on imports of hunted wildlife parts Protesters at the fifth annual Global March for Elephants and Rhinos in London called for a UK ban on trophy imports Paul Nicholls Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Lobbying for a ban on imports of hunted wildlife parts Protesters stopped traffic as they marched through London Paul Nicholls Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Lobbying for a ban on imports of hunted wildlife parts Campaigners fear elephants, rhinos and lions will become extinct if trophy hunting continues Paul Nicholls Protesters demand a UK ban on imports of 'trophy hunt' animal parts Lobbying for a ban on imports of hunted wildlife parts Palmerston the cat joined Denise Dresner, of Action for Elephants, John Stevenson, of Stop Ivory, actor Peter Egan, Cordelia Britton, of Four Paws, Mark Jones, of Born Free and Eduardo Goncalves, of the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, as they delivered a letter to Downing Street Paul Nicholls American dentist Walter Palmer was forced to go into hiding following an international outcry when he shot Cecil, one of Zimbabwes most cherished lions. Around half the body parts brought into Britain legally are mounted lion heads, but others include whole lion bodies, skulls, feet and skins some turned into rugs. The big cats are bred specifically to be shot by wealthy hunters in South Africas lucrative canned hunting industry. The deadly dozen Countries whose hunters imported most South African canned hunt lion parts in 2017 1 USA 84 2 Hungary 74 3 Spain 33 4 Brazil 32 5 Canada 31 6 Poland 27 7 Mexico 26 8 Germany 23 9 Latvia 21 10 Russia 20 11 Belgium 14 12 Britain 11 As the new figures came to light in a report by the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, conservationists dubbed Britain one of a deadly dozen top nations responsible for killing the most lions on canned hunting estates. The Independent has previously revealed how the government has broken pledges to halt imports. In 2017 America allowed the most imports, 84, followed by Hungary with 74. Eduardo Goncalves, founder of the campaign group, said one safari centre had more business after Cecils killing because the publicity seemed to make potential trophy hunters aware of something they did not previously know existed. Its also possible there was a rush because of the threat from then Defra minister Rory Stewart to shut down trophy imports before the door closed, he said. In November 2015 Mr Stewart promised that the government would ban lion trophy imports by the end of 2017 unless there were improvements in the way hunting takes place in certain countries, judged against strict criteria. Mr Goncalves said: Britain should hang its head in shame over its role in this disgraceful industry." He added that it was time that Environment Secretary Michael Gove "took action to help bring an end to this vile industry. Last year The Independent revealed that tourists were supporting canned lion hunting by paying farms for experiences such as feeding the animals. South Africa has an estimated 300 or more breeding farms, housing up to 12,000 big cats. Demand for parts for medicine in Asia also fuels the industry. Britain should hang its head in shame over its role in this disgraceful industry Eduardo Goncalves Sometimes they cross lions and tigers to create ligers which attract even higher prices from shooters. Some farms have stinking and bloody lion slaughterhouses on site and keep animals in steel transport crates too small for them to stand up or turn around in, according to The Mail on Sunday. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Last year Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn joined conservationists in calling for an import ban, and more than 160 MPs of all parties have signed an Early Day Motion over it. Asked about a possible ban, Defra referred to a statement earlier this year by minister Therese Coffey, who said: The government takes the conservation of species seriously. A spokeswoman said Mr Gove would be chairing a meeting on the issue in the next fortnight, but it was not clear with whom. At least five people have been killed after a cyclone swept through northern Mozambique, flattening villages, crushing houses and flooding streets. Rising waters were making it difficult for rescuers to evacuate people in the east African nation's Cabo Delgado region after Cyclone Kenneth made landfall last week. Winds hit 174 miles per hour when it made landfall. Aerial photos showed that some villages had been entirely wiped out, said Gemma Connell, head of the United Nations' Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). They look like they have been run over with a bulldozer, she added. Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique Show all 15 1 /15 Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique Tropical Cyclone Kenneth approaches the coast of Mozambique 25 April 2019. NASA/Reuters Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique The battered coast of Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, before Cyclone Kenneth hit on 25 April 2019. AFP/Getty Images/Stringer Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique The battered coast of Wimbi Beach in Pemba on 26 April 2019 as Cyclone Kenneth hit the north coast of Mozambique in Cabo Delgado province, barely a month after a super-storm slammed into the country's centre, leaving hundreds dead and causing devastation. AFP/Getty Images/Nour Hemici Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique The battered coast of Wimbi Beach in Pemba as Cyclone Kenneth hit the north coast of Mozambique in Cabo Delgado province 26 April 2019. AFP/Getty Images/Nour Hemici Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique Residents buy groceries at Sabasaba Market as they prepare for the effects of cyclone Kenneth in Mtwara town, Tanzania, 26 April 2019. REUTERS/Emmanuel Herman Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique Debris is seen in the aftermath of Cyclone Kenneth in Pemba, Mozambique 26 April 2019. SolidarMed/Reuters Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique A beach is seen in the aftermath of Cyclone Kenneth in Pemba, Mozambique. 26 April 2019. SolidarMed/Reuters Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique Children walk past a damaged building in the aftermath of Cyclone Kenneth in Pemba, Mozambique, 26 April 2019. SolidarMed/Reuters Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique People stand by fallen trees on 25 April 2019 in Moroni after tropical storm Cyclone Kenneth hit Comoros before heading to recently cyclone-ravaged Mozambique. AFP/Getty Images/Ibrahim Youssouf Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique A fallen tree is pictured on 25 April 2019 in Moroni after tropical storm Cyclone Kenneth hit Comoros before heading to recently cyclone-ravaged Mozambique. AFP/Getty Images/Ibrahim Youssouf Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique Homeless people take shelter in a community centre on 25 2019 in Moroni after tropical storm Cyclone Kenneth hit Comoros before heading to recently cyclone-ravaged Mozambique. AFP/Getty Images/Ibrahim Youssouf Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique People stand by damaged houses and fallen trees on 25 April 2019 in Moroni after tropical storm Cyclone Kenneth hit Comoros before heading to recently cyclone-ravaged Mozambique. AFP/Getty Images/Ibrahim Youssouf Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique A man stands on fallen trees which damaged his home in Moroni, Comoros, 25 April 2019 after Cyclone Kenneth hit the island nation of Comoros. AP/Anziza M'Changama Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique Cyclone damaged cars in Moroni, Comoros, 25 April 2019 after Cyclone Kenneth hit the island nation of Comoros. AP/Anziza M'Changama Cyclone Kenneth turns deadly as 140mph winds batter Mozambique A damaged house in the province of Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, before Cyclone Kenneth hit on 25 April 2019. AFP/United Nations World Food Programme The storm arrived shortly after Mozambique had been devastated by Cyclone Idai in March. It killed more than 1,000 people, destroyed property and crops and unleashed a cholera outbreak. Forecasters warned that Cyclone Kenneth could bring twice as much rain to the country. Shortly after Kenneth made landfall, homes started to collapse in the Natite neighbourhood in the city of Pemba, one of the worst-affected areas, according to OCHA. Residents tried to bail floodwater out of their houses, while others piled sandbags outside their doors and rescue workers evacuated at least 130 people to centres on Sunday, mostly by boat. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The city is at risk of being cut off from the rest of the country, they warned. The UN said 1.8m people in the country require aid. It is the first time on record that two such powerful cyclones have hit Mozambique in such a short space of time. Additional reporting by agencies Four people were killed when a construction crane collapsed Saturday in downtown Seattle, pinning cars underneath. All of the victims were dead by the time firefighters got to the scene, the Seattle Fire Department said. Other people have been transported to the hospital, the department said. "It was terrifying," Esther Nelson, a biotech researcher who was working in a building nearby, told The Seattle Times. "The wind was blowing really strong." She added that the crane appeared to break in half. Half of it was flying down sideways on the building, she said. The other half fell down on the street, crossing both lanes of traffic. Tweets from the scene showed the crane collapsed on the street, with vehicles stopped in the vicinity. Corina Berriel told the newspaper that the crane hit the car behind her. The first thing I felt was a jolt from behind, she said. It almost felt like an earthquake. She saw dust and debris falling from the sky. She thought she was about to die. The crane was atop an office building under construction in a densely populated area, near the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue when it collapsed. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events All lanes were closed, and motorists were told to avoid the area. With Amazon and other tech companies increasing their hiring in Seattle, the city has dozens of construction cranes building office towers and apartment buildings. As of January, there were about 60 construction cranes in Seattle, more than any other American city. Agencies contributed to this report Donald Trumps attorney general William Barr may refuse to attend this week's scheduled congressional hearing to review special counsel Robert Muellers report on Russian election interference. The Justice Department has told the House Judiciary Committee it has objections over the format of planned questioning, according a Democratic senior committee aide. The department disapproves of plans to allow committee lawyers from both sides to question Mr Barr after the traditional round of questioning by committee members. Justice officials also told the committee they are opposed to the panels plan to go into a closed session if members want to ask about redacted portions of the Mueller report, the anonymous aide said. House committee chairman Jerry Nadler has threatened to use subpoena powers should the attorney general refuse to attend this week. Mueller investigation: The key figures Show all 12 1 /12 Mueller investigation: The key figures Mueller investigation: The key figures Robert Mueller is the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mr Mueller has a pristine reputation in Washington, where he was previously in charge of the FBI. Throughout his investigation, he and his team have been notoriously tight lipped about what they know and where their investigation has led. REUTERS Mueller investigation: The key figures Former FBI director James Comey was the catalyst that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Comey was fired by the president after Mr Trump reportedly asked him to drop his own Russia investigation. Mr Trump has long maintained that the investigation is a "witch hunt". AFP/Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had authority over the special counsel investigation for much of the two years it has been active. Mr Rosenstein found himself with that responsibility after then-attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from that oversight. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney general Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from oversight of the special counsel investigation may have cost him his job in the end. Mr Sessions resigned last year, after weathering a contentious relationship with Donald Trump who vocally criticised his attorney general for taking a step back. Mr Sessions recused himself from the oversight citing longstanding Justice Department rules to not be involved in investigations overseeing campaigns that officials were apart of. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney General William Barr is currently responsible for oversight of the special counsel investigation. Mr Barr's office will be the first to receive the Mueller report when it is finished. His office will then determine what portion or version of that report should be delivered to Congress, and also made public. EPA Mueller investigation: The key figures Michal Cohn is the president's former personal lawyer, who has been helping the special counsel investigation as a part of a plea deal over financial crimes, and campaign finance crimes, he has pleaded guilty to. Among those crimes, Cohen admitted to facilitating $130,000 in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has said he did so at the direction of Mr Trump. Cohen has also admitted that he maintained contacts with Russian officials about a potential Trump real estate project in Moscow for months longer than Mr Trump and others admitted. The talks continued well into 2016 during the campaign, he has said. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Stormy Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, soon after Melania Trump gave birth to Baron Trump. The accusation is of particular importance as a result of the $130,000 hush money payment she received to keep quiet about the affair during the 2016 campaign. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Paul Manafort was Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort was charged alongside Rick Gates for a slew of financial crimes, and was convicted on several counts in a Virginia court. He then pleaded guilty to separate charges filed in a Washington court. Manafort has been sentenced to just 7.5 years in prison for his crimes in spite of recommendations from the special counsel's office for a much harsher sentence. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures George Papadopoulos was one of the first individuals associated with the Trump campaign to be charged by the Mueller probe. He ultimately received a 14 day prison sentence for lying to investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Roger Stone is a well known political fixer and operative, who has made a name for himself for some dirty tactics. He has been charged by the Mueller probe earlier this year, and he has been said to have had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks planned on publishing stolen emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Rick Gates was charged alongside former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for a range of crimes. Gates, who worked alongside Manafort for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. The two were charged with conspiracy and financial crimes. Gates pleaded guilty. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was one of the first casualties of the Russia scandal, and was forced out of his position in the White House weeks after Donald Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making fraudulent statements about contacts he had with Russian officials including former Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Flynn then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about that contact. REUTERS The New York Democrat told CNN that Mr Barr would not dictate the format the witness is not going to tell the committee how to conduct its hearing. Asked what would happen if the attorney general refused to testify on Thursday, Mr Nadler replied that they would "have to subpoena him, and we will have to use whatever means we can to enforce the subpoena. The Justice Department declined to comment on the dispute. Mr Barr is also scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, but the Republican-led Senate committee is expected to have more traditional rounds of member questioning. It is unusual for committee counsels to question a witness, but committees can generally set their own rules. During Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaughs confirmation hearing last year, Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee hired an outside prosecutor to question a witness who had accused him of sexual assault. Donald Trump could use executive privilege to stop former White House lawyer testifying to congress Mr Trump's aide Kellyanne Conway said the president could use executive privilege to block former White House lawyer Don McGahn from complying with a subpoena requiring him to testify before the House Judiciary Committee. The Democratic-led committee served Mr McGahn with a subpoena almost a week ago, as it investigated whether the president obstructed justice. House Democrats and the Trump administration remain at odds over full access to Mr Muellers report, having also subpoenaed the Justice Department for the unredacted version of the Mueller report and underlying material gathered from the investigation. In response, the Justice Department has said they will make the full report, minus grand jury material, available to a limited group of members an offer that Democrats have so far refused. Experts have predicted the dispute will eventually end up in court. A spokeswoman for the top Republican on the committee, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, noted that Mr Barrs testimony is voluntary. Democrats have yet to prove their demands are anything but abusive and illogical in light of the transparency and good faith the attorney general has shown our committee, said Jessica Andrews. Democrats have criticised Mr Barr for drawing his own conclusion that Mr Trump did not obstruct justice, despite the Mueller report concluding he could not be exonerated on that point. Additional reporting by Associated Press More than 270 election staff have died in Indonesia, officials say ten days after the country held the worlds biggest single-day vote. According to one official, the workers have mostly died of fatigue-related illnesses caused by long hours spent counting millions of ballot papers by hand. A further 1,878 workers involved in overseeing the ballot have fallen ill, said a spokesperson for Indonesias General Elections Commission (KPU). Voting is still ongoing but concern is growing over the number of deaths. The countrys health ministry has also urged medical facilities to care for sick election staff. Indonesias election commission has been criticised for its treatment of workers. Delivering ballot boxes to Indonesia's hard to reach places Show all 10 1 /10 Delivering ballot boxes to Indonesia's hard to reach places Delivering ballot boxes to Indonesia's hard to reach places Workers transport ballot boxes to Bonto Matinggi village, South Sulawesi AFP/Getty Delivering ballot boxes to Indonesia's hard to reach places Army and police guards guide the delivery of ballot boxes in remote East Java AFP/Getty Delivering ballot boxes to Indonesia's hard to reach places Election officials deliver ballot boxes to a remote village in Southern Aceh AFP/Getty Delivering ballot boxes to Indonesia's hard to reach places Workers deliver ballot boxes to Bandung in West Java amidst heavy flooding AP Delivering ballot boxes to Indonesia's hard to reach places Workers deliver ballot boxes to villages outside the city of Bogor EPA Delivering ballot boxes to Indonesia's hard to reach places Election officials load ballot boxes for delivery to a remote village in Southern Aceh AFP/Getty Delivering ballot boxes to Indonesia's hard to reach places Workers deliver ballot boxes to remote villages in Papua province AFP/Getty Delivering ballot boxes to Indonesia's hard to reach places Workers deliver ballot boxes by boat to remote villages in Papua province AFP/Getty Delivering ballot boxes to Indonesia's hard to reach places Workers load ballot boxes onto a lorry in North Sumatra AP Delivering ballot boxes to Indonesia's hard to reach places Army and police guards guide the delivery of ballot boxes in remote East Java Reuters The KPU is not prudent in managing the workload of staff, said Ahmad Muzani, the deputy campaign chairman for candidate Prabowo Subianto, according to news site Kumparan.com. The country held elections on 17 April, marking the first time it had combined a presidential ballot with national and regional parliamentary ones. The decision to combine the votes on a single day was taken to cut costs. Officials estimated that around 80 per cent of 193 million people took part. Each person cast up to five ballot papers in more than 800,000 polling stations across eight hours. Independent pollsters said Joko Widodo, the incumbent president, had won the election. The former furniture salesmans 2014 victory was seen as breaking the hold on the power of Indonesias deeply entrenched military and political elites. Prabowo Subiantos campaign has claimed widespread cheating and both candidates have declared victory. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The KPU will conclude vote counting and announce winners of the presidential and parliamentary elections on 22 May. Additional reporting by agencies Sri Lankas president Maithripala Sirisena has banned two groups linked to the Easter Sunday bombings under emergency powers. National Thawheed Jammath, or NTJ, and Jamathei Millathu Ibraheem, or JMI, would be banned by presidential decree, allowing the government to confiscate any property belonging to the two organisations, his office announced. It follows the death of 15 people, including six children, after a military raid on a suspected terrorist safe house descended into a gun battle in the eastern coastal town of Kalmunai, near Sammanthurai. The raid on suspects linked to the Easter suicide bombings turned violent after three explosions hit the building. Officials believe the blasts were caused by militants blowing themselves up as the search was underway. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said that a woman and girl who survived the explosions were critically injured and are being treated at a nearby hospital in Ampara District. Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Show all 38 1 /38 Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan Special Task Force officers raid a house following an explosion in capital Colombo AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A blood-spattered statue of Jesus Christ while crime scene officials inspect the site of a bomb blast, as the sun shines through the blown-out roof, inside St Sebastian's Church in Negombo Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A police officer inspects the damage after a bombing at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sri Lankan capital Colombo AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan soldiers look on inside the St Sebastian's Church at Katuwapitiya in Negombo following a bomb blast during the Easter service AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A woman cries next to a coffin of a bomb blast victim. A series of eight devastating bomb blasts ripped through high-end hotels and churches holding Easter services in Sri Lanka on April 21, killing more than 300 people AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath People who live near the church that was attacked the day before, leave their houses as the military try to defuse a suspected van before it exploded in Colombo Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Shoes and belongings of victims are collected as evidence at St Sebastian's Church AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan police were forded to clear an area while Special Task Force Bomb Squad officers inspected the site of an exploded van near a church the day after it was attacked Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath The Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka following a bombing AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Queues at the National Blood Bank in Colombo, Sri Lanka after a request for blood to aid in recovery efforts Mr Lavasquabble/Twitter Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Medical response team work to remove dead bodies from the scene of bombings in Sri Lankan capital Colombo AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan security personnel inspect the debris of a car after it exploded when police tried to defuse a bomb AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Security personnel work at the scene of a bombing at a church in Batticaloa in Sri Lanka AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A woman is helped near St Anthony's Shrine after a blast in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday 21 April 2019. At least 130 people were killed and more than 500 hospitalised after near-simultaneous explosions hit three hotels and three churches on Easter Sunday. AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan police officers clear the road as an ambulance drives through carrying injured of church blasts in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday 21 April 2019 AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A Sri Lankan soldier stands guard near a car explosion AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A woman prays at St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Priests stand inside St Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade church on the outskirts of Colombo after a bombing Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A Sri Lankan woman living near St. Anthony's shrine runs for safety with her infant after police found explosive devices in a parked vehicle in Colombo AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath People react during a mass for victims, two days after a string of suicide bomb attacks on churches and luxury hotels Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Security personal react as a device was detonated in a controled explosion in a van near the St Anthony's Church EPA Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Security forces inspect the scene of a bombing at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sri Lankan capital Colombo Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath The Kingsbury hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka after a bombing attack Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath The damaged interior of a church in Negombo, Sri Lanka following a bombing attack Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Police and security personnel stand guard outside the Shangri-La Hotel in Sri Lankan capital Colombo following a bombing attack EPA Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Debris is seen at St Anthony's Church in this still image from video footage after explosions hit churches and hotels in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 21 April 2019 Derana TV/via Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Damage inside a church following a bombing attack AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A Sri Lankan Special Task Force officer scales a house during a raid following an explosion in capital Colombo AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A general interior view showing damage after an explosion hit St Anthony's Church in Kochchikade, Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday 21 April 2019 EPA Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Priests walk into St Anthony's Shrine Kochchikade church after an explosion in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 21 April 2019 Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A Sri Lankan police officer stands outside St Anthony's Shrine in Colombo, Sri Lanka, after a blast on Sunday 21 April 2019 AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A shoe of a victim is seen in front of the St Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade Church Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Local and security officials gather at the scene at St Anthony's Church in Kochchikade, Colombo, Sri Lanka EPA Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath An ambulance is seen outside the church premises with gathered security personnel following a blast at St Anthony's Shrine in Kochchikade, Colombo, on Sunday 21 April 2019 AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Armed policemen patrol the area after an explosion hit at St Anthony's Church in Kochchikade in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 21 April 2019 EPA Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan Army soldiers secure the area around St. Anthony's Shrine after a blast in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday 21 April 2019 AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan security personnel keep watch outside the church premises following a blast at the St Anthony's Shrine in Kochchikade, Colombo, on Sunday 21 April 2019 AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Police officers inspect the scene after an explosion hit at St Anthony's Church in Kochchikade in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 21 April 2019 EPA The wounded woman and child are the wife and daughter of suspected mastermind of the bombings, Mohamed Hashim Mohamed Zahran, his family said. Yes, the wife and daughter were injured in the attack, said Mohamed Hashim Mathaniya, sister of Zahran. Isis claimed that three of its members had clashed with Sri Lankan police for several hours before detonating their explosive vests on them in Kalmunai, the militant groups news agency Amaq said. Policemen remove body from the site of battle between security forces and suicide bombers in Kalmunai (AFP/Getty Images) The group said 17 policemen were killed or injured in the attack, but did not give evidence for its claim. Sri Lankas military said security forces recovered explosives, detonators, suicide kits, military uniforms and Isis flags during Fridays raids. The Easter suicide bombings, claimed by the Isis group earlier this week, targeted churches and hotels and killed at least 250 people. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The government said nine homegrown, well-educated suicide bombers carried out the attacks, eight of whom had been identified and one of whom was a woman. Sri Lankan authorities are trying to track down 140 people believed linked to. Police have detained at least 76 people, including foreigners from Syria and Egypt, in their investigations so far. Additional reporting by agencies Q Any insight as to whether its going to be worth hanging on for late deals this summer, or should I bite the bullet and book now? Liz A The number of late holiday bargains in 2019 depends on three things: how you define summer; how flexible you are about departure points, destinations and departure dates; and how sunny it is in Britain. Next Friday, Westminster Abbey is due to hold a service to mark fifty years of continuous patrols by Britains nuclear-armed submarines. An odd thing to commemorate, you might think a fair number of bishops certainly do. But then, the UKs role as a nuclear power is a bit odd too. Having become the third country to test an atomic weapon, in 1952, Britain has never deployed a warhead except in tests (nor come particularly close to doing so) and the value of having an independent deterrent remains hotly debated. (An unreliable American president might be an argument in favour.) One contentious topic that, in my opinion, is not receiving enough consideration in the post-Brexit debate, is how EU citizens currently living in the UK will be affected by immigration. According to the government, if youre an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you and your family can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 30 June 2021. However, there is still a chance that your application may be rejected and the fear that the criteria could change (as so much to do with Brexit has already). Having to relocate again after Brexit would be a traumatic enough experience for anyone imagine having to leave your work, friends, the neighbourhood that you have become accustomed to and potentially even your family. But what if you had to relocate again as a former refugee? My mother fled the civil war in Somalia and came to the UK via the Netherlands through secondary immigration. This is quite common among refugees who live in more than one country before they settle. Other examples include the recent case of mostly Iranian asylum seekers crossing the English Channel from France in small boats to the UK last year. Brexit culture: film posters reimagined Show all 5 1 /5 Brexit culture: film posters reimagined Brexit culture: film posters reimagined The Hunchback of Notre Dame with a Brexit spin Jeff Moore / Rooftop Film Club Brexit culture: film posters reimagined Les Miserables reimagined Jeff Moore / Rooftop Film Club Brexit culture: film posters reimagined A Room with a View of Britain's future Jeff Moore / Rooftop Film Club Brexit culture: film posters reimagined Roman Holiday relocated Jeff Moore / Rooftop Film Club Brexit culture: film posters reimagined The Sound of Music reimagined Jeff Moore / Rooftop Film Club In these examples, refugees are hoping to escape from their former lives in the hopes of establishing better ones and as we all know, human rights and protections in the UK tend to be proportionally better than in a number of developing countries. According to UK immigration law, to stay in the UK as a refugee you must be either stateless or fearing prosecution in your own country and failed to receive protection from the authorities. In the case of my mother, she was suffering from PTSD from the war and followed my father, who had promised her a better life, to the UK. When I ask about the time she spent in the Netherlands, she says she doesnt quite remember with fresh memories of the war looming over her, she cared simply about providing for her children. Since then, she has lived and worked in Britain for well over a decade. She has in all respects (although I personally dislike the connotations of this word) integrated into British society. Now my mother feels a sense of anxiety whenever Brexit is mentioned. I also hold Dutch nationality, but my fears do not run as deep as hers. She has asked me numerous times if she will be forced to move again and worries because her memory of the Netherlands is hazy due to her suffering from shock at the time. It may seem like the least of politicians worries at the moment, but we need to treat the mental health of these former refugees more carefully. Its the same with other former refugees who have come to the UK via secondary immigration. Fatima* came to the UK via Sweden and is now concerned about the future of her immigration status. I spoke with her and she seemed visibly troubled as soon as I brought up the topic of Brexit. Its difficult because what do you do when most countries, most politicians dont seem to care about real peoples lives, she said. A common theme that I have observed in my community is that in most families, the men and/or fathers had already reached safety in the form of a western country (ie, Sweden) through procuring work permits. It was usually the women that were left behind in Somalia to flee the civil war and join them later. Thus, when they were reunited with their partners, the male breadwinner would decide that he wanted to move to the UK and so the women had to follow suit. Often, this meant that women were effectively debased and their agency taken away from them. Most of these women navigated these treacherous asylum routes on their own, often with small infants to settle in the UK. Only now, they fear the future of the places theyve called home once more. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events This was the case with Maryam*, who would have stayed in the Netherlands had her husband not forced her to relocate to the UK. But now she says it was the best decision that she could have made. She brags about her childrens academic success and the relatively low level of racism she has encountered here in London. When we think about EU citizens, its important that we also factor in former refugees. It is not as simple as them returning to their country of origin. Often, those countries are war-torn and its unsafe for them to return. As for them returning to the countries of their nationality? Most have only lived in these countries for a few months, a few years at most, and the UK is now their home. Even the mere thought of relocating can be harrowing for some. Politicians need to address what will become of former refugees who are now EU citizens post-Brexit. Its a lot more than geopolitics and border control; rather, it has to do with displacing innocent people and offering them no means of solace or clarity. *names have been changed Attacks on Sri Lankan churches during Easter celebrations rocked the news last week. Churches were desecrated and reduced to rubble. The pictures of agonising worshippers bled across media platforms. Residents across the country were shocked and terrified by reports and internet communications were limited. Intelligence officials found possible links between suspected attackers and a Sri Lankan group who pledged their allegiance to the Islamic State. Isiss own media reports revealed it claimed responsibility for the attacks. While the group lost its caliphate territory in Iraq and Syria last month, there are still fighters scattered globally looking for retaliation, mostly in the east. The group also claimed attacks in Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan on the same day. In Sri Lanka, officials admitted some fighters may have returned to the country from Iraq and Syria without being arrested or questioned. Sri Lankans were outraged at the lack of oversight by authorities and Muslim citizens say they warned officials about an extremist Imam three years ago, who was preaching hate in the eastern provinces. Colombo journalist Munza Mushtaq noted that, weeks before the attacks, a report from Indian intelligence warned Sri Lankan officials churches and tourist hotspots were possible targets and still no precautionary measures were taken. Mushtaq told The Independent: Increasing racism and anti-Muslim attacks could have been an important reason why this ugly head of jihadism has raised its head in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Show all 38 1 /38 Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan Special Task Force officers raid a house following an explosion in capital Colombo AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A blood-spattered statue of Jesus Christ while crime scene officials inspect the site of a bomb blast, as the sun shines through the blown-out roof, inside St Sebastian's Church in Negombo Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A police officer inspects the damage after a bombing at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sri Lankan capital Colombo AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan soldiers look on inside the St Sebastian's Church at Katuwapitiya in Negombo following a bomb blast during the Easter service AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A woman cries next to a coffin of a bomb blast victim. A series of eight devastating bomb blasts ripped through high-end hotels and churches holding Easter services in Sri Lanka on April 21, killing more than 300 people AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath People who live near the church that was attacked the day before, leave their houses as the military try to defuse a suspected van before it exploded in Colombo Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Shoes and belongings of victims are collected as evidence at St Sebastian's Church AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan police were forded to clear an area while Special Task Force Bomb Squad officers inspected the site of an exploded van near a church the day after it was attacked Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath The Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka following a bombing AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Queues at the National Blood Bank in Colombo, Sri Lanka after a request for blood to aid in recovery efforts Mr Lavasquabble/Twitter Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Medical response team work to remove dead bodies from the scene of bombings in Sri Lankan capital Colombo AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan security personnel inspect the debris of a car after it exploded when police tried to defuse a bomb AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Security personnel work at the scene of a bombing at a church in Batticaloa in Sri Lanka AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A woman is helped near St Anthony's Shrine after a blast in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday 21 April 2019. At least 130 people were killed and more than 500 hospitalised after near-simultaneous explosions hit three hotels and three churches on Easter Sunday. AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan police officers clear the road as an ambulance drives through carrying injured of church blasts in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday 21 April 2019 AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A Sri Lankan soldier stands guard near a car explosion AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A woman prays at St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Priests stand inside St Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade church on the outskirts of Colombo after a bombing Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A Sri Lankan woman living near St. Anthony's shrine runs for safety with her infant after police found explosive devices in a parked vehicle in Colombo AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath People react during a mass for victims, two days after a string of suicide bomb attacks on churches and luxury hotels Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Security personal react as a device was detonated in a controled explosion in a van near the St Anthony's Church EPA Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Security forces inspect the scene of a bombing at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sri Lankan capital Colombo Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath The Kingsbury hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka after a bombing attack Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath The damaged interior of a church in Negombo, Sri Lanka following a bombing attack Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Police and security personnel stand guard outside the Shangri-La Hotel in Sri Lankan capital Colombo following a bombing attack EPA Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Debris is seen at St Anthony's Church in this still image from video footage after explosions hit churches and hotels in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 21 April 2019 Derana TV/via Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Damage inside a church following a bombing attack AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A Sri Lankan Special Task Force officer scales a house during a raid following an explosion in capital Colombo AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A general interior view showing damage after an explosion hit St Anthony's Church in Kochchikade, Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday 21 April 2019 EPA Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Priests walk into St Anthony's Shrine Kochchikade church after an explosion in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 21 April 2019 Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A Sri Lankan police officer stands outside St Anthony's Shrine in Colombo, Sri Lanka, after a blast on Sunday 21 April 2019 AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath A shoe of a victim is seen in front of the St Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade Church Reuters Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Local and security officials gather at the scene at St Anthony's Church in Kochchikade, Colombo, Sri Lanka EPA Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath An ambulance is seen outside the church premises with gathered security personnel following a blast at St Anthony's Shrine in Kochchikade, Colombo, on Sunday 21 April 2019 AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Armed policemen patrol the area after an explosion hit at St Anthony's Church in Kochchikade in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 21 April 2019 EPA Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan Army soldiers secure the area around St. Anthony's Shrine after a blast in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday 21 April 2019 AP Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Sri Lankan security personnel keep watch outside the church premises following a blast at the St Anthony's Shrine in Kochchikade, Colombo, on Sunday 21 April 2019 AFP/Getty Sri Lanka: Scene of the bomb attacks and aftermath Police officers inspect the scene after an explosion hit at St Anthony's Church in Kochchikade in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 21 April 2019 EPA She believes ethnic Sinhala government officials arent willing to accept that racism is part of the motive for the attacks. They are known to issue inflammatory statements against Muslim communities, mostly of Tamil ethnic background. But Sri Lanka isnt the only country threatened by Isis fighters. Reports have emerged that militant gangs, potentially linked to Isis, are taking control in the Rohingya camps in Bangladesh. People are being kidnapped and women are threatened with violence. Bangladesh officials are worried about extremist recruitment among the nearly 900,000 refugees, who have already fled violence in Myanmar from both the government and extreme Buddhists. In 2017, militants who pledged to Isis in the Philippines held an entire island hostage for nearly five months. Over 1,000 people were killed in the battle to retain the main city. If Isis wants to recruit more fighters and reinstate their mission, moving east is an easy option in Asian communities where many Muslim communities are being persecuted. When I covered the battle for Mosul in 2017, I learned that people leaned towards Isis because they were the tribe who met their primal needs: first, security and representation, then food, water and purpose (or jobs). At first, it seemed like an attractive option. People want to feel like they belong and they are taken care of its part of being human. And so, even now, if Isis can appeal to people who have no one to defend them or if they threaten susceptible communities, they remain a strong force. In Mosul, there were many Sunni Muslims who felt threatened by the mostly Shia-directed Iraqi government. Security forces created dissent by discriminating against them. So when Isis looked to take over, they found people frustrated and ready to support them. But thats not the only way to remain in power. If they can raise funds they can restock and create weapons, transport them globally and carry out further attacks. Mosul native and analyst Rasha al-Aqeedi was recently interviewed on the Popular Front podcast. She explained that in the early days of Isis in Mosul, with every project they began, they would demand a tax rate, and their initial funding wasnt from abroad. Officials claimed they were getting all their funding from foreign entities, but Aqeedi says they didnt need to: All they had to do was issue death threats. Security forces werent doing anything. Their behaviour became normalised and in a city of nearly 2 million at the time, it was easy for them to move about without Mosul citizens realising it. They looked local, they looked like Iraqis. They were calling themselves rebels, so it was confusing, said Al Aqeedi. By the time June 2014 came and the Islamic State issued their decree to expand their caliphate, Aqeedi said, They were confident enough to carry out the surge. Back in Sri Lanka, two of the suspects who carried out the Easter attacks are associated with wealthy families in Colombo and were western-educated men. They are suspected of helping fund the militant group. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events While global heads of state are touting victory over Isis, and certainly theyve liberated the territory militarily, many fighters either left, were chased out, or slipped away. And if they have freedom of movement in their home countries, theyll work to regain influence. Isis will do that by exploiting a faction of Islam, giving them an excuse to assert that power but thats all it is: an excuse. Isis suspects in Sri Lanka claimed they enacted retaliation on the Christians due to attacks in New Zealand. But the Muslim community in New Zealand rejects this retaliation and has vocalised peace and forgiveness towards their attacker, who acted in the name of white nationalism and Christianity. The point is, powerful criminals like Isis know how to mobilise and exploit belief to divide people and take sociopolitical control. With the right support and the right funding, their violence is powerful. While its hard to tell if Isis will seek to regain territory, they may continue to look east and recruit fighters to ignite isolated attacks, creating fear in societies already battling so much division. The 2020 election isnt going to be close. The first-quarter gross domestic product growth rate of 3.2 per cent sets up the first reality that will be noted in November 2020 because it telegraphs where the economy will be then: not in recession. Recessions are charted when GDP growth is negative for two consecutive quarters or more. That can and has occurred in sudden fashion financial panics dont send save the date cards. But the economy over which president Donald Trump is presiding is strong and getting stronger. Innovation is accelerating, not declining. A recession before election day looks less and less likely by the day. The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Show all 25 1 /25 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Bernie Sanders The Vermont senator has launched a second bid for president after losing out to Hilary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primaries. He is running on a similar platform of democratic socialist reform Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Joe Biden The former vice president recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well and has since maintained a front runner status in national polling EPA The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts senator is a progressive Democrat, and a major supporter of regulating Wall Street Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Amy Klobuchar Klobuchar is a Minnesota senator who earned praise for her contribution to the Brett Kavanaugh hearings Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Michael Bloomberg Michael Bloomberg, a late addition to the 2020 race, announced his candidacy after months of speculation in November. He has launched a massive ad-buying campaign and issued an apology for the controversial "stop and frisk" programme that adversely impacted minority communities in New York City when he was mayor Getty Images The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but has faced tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Pete Buttigieg The centrist Indiana mayor and war veteran would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Deval Patrick The former Massachusetts governor launched a late 2020 candidacy and received very little reception. With just a few short months until the first voters flock to the polls, the former governor is running as a centrist and believes he can unite the party's various voting blocs AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Beto O'Rourke The former Texas congressman formally launched his bid for the presidency in March. He ran on a progressive platform, stating that the US is driven by "gross differences in opportunity and outcome" AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kamala Harris The former California attorney general was 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 AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Bill De Blasio The New York mayor announced his bid on 16 May 2019. He emerged in 2013 as a leading voice in the left wing of his party but struggled to build a national profile and has suffered a number of political setbacks in his time as mayor AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Steve Bullock The Montana governor announced his bid on 14 May. He stated "We need to defeat Donald Trump in 2020 and defeat the corrupt system that lets campaign money drown out the people's voice, so we can finally make good on the promise of a fair shot for everyone." He also highlighted the fact that he won the governor's seat in a red [Republican] state Reuters The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has focused on restoring kindness and civility in American politics throughout his campaign, though he has failed to secure the same level of support and fundraising as several other senators running for the White House in 2020 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam said he intended 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 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017 AP The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Andrew Yang The entrepreneur announced his presidential candidacy by pledging that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18 Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: 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 The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual adviser has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Eric Swalwell One of the younger candidates, Swalwell has served on multiple committees in the House of Representatives. He intended to make gun control central to his campaign but dropped out after his team said it was clear there was no path to victory Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Seth Moulton A Massachusetts congressman, Moulton is a former US soldier who is best known for trying to stop Nancy Pelosi from becoming speaker of the house. He dropped out of the race after not polling well in key states Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Jay Inslee Inslee has been governor of Washington since 2013. His bid was centred around climate change AFP/Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: John Hickenlooper The former governor of Colorado aimed to sell himself as an effective leader who was open to compromise, but failed to make a splash on the national stage Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tim Ryan Ohio representative Tim Ryan ran on a campaign that hinged on his working class roots, though his messaging did not appear to resonate with voters Getty The Democrat challengers to Trump in 2020 DROPPED OUT: Tom Steyer Democratic presidential hopeful billionaire and philanthropist Tom Steyer is a longtime Democratic donor AFP/Getty Small wonder then that Trump dominates the GOP with an approval rating above 80 per cent. His administrations deregulatory push is accelerating. More and more rule-of-law judges, disinclined to accept bureaucrats excuses for over-regulation, are being confirmed to the bench. Readiness levels in the US military have been renewed. Americas relationship with its strongest ally, Israel, is at its closest in decades. Meanwhile, the Democrats are facing a Hobbesian choice of Bernie Sanders or Kamala Harris, or former vice president Joe Biden. Sanders and Harris are too far to the left, Sanders by a lot. Biden is far past his best years. The nice folk lower down are looking for other rewards. The nomination going to someone such as Pete Buttigieg, mayor of Indianas South Bend, is possible, I suppose, but what happens when the dog chasing the car catches it? What was an entertaining and amusing aside suddenly becomes a commitment and, with that, well, comes a barrage of attacks. Where Trump deflects incoming with ease, the Democrats scatter, some limping away, some blown out of the picture. This will come as news to #Resistance liberals, who are certain Trump will lose, because they dislike him so much. They still havent figured out that 40 percent of the country love him and at least another 10 percent are very much committed to considering the alternative in comparison to Trump, not reflexively voting against him. That decile is doing very well in this economy. Unemployment remains incredibly low. The markets are soaring. Thats not a given for the fall of 2020, but better to be soaring than falling 18 months out. Beto ORourke praises AOC and Green New Deal: Climate change an existential challenge like Germany in WWII On immigration, border security has always been a legitimate concern (and Immigration and Customs Enforcement a legitimate agency). People dont talk much about it as they decline to state anything that will see them labelled racist, but the reality of open borders is understood to be an unqualified disaster by most of the country, and most of the country understands the Democrats to be arguing for a de facto open-border system, if not a de jure one. The Green New Deal sounds like a bad science-fair project where the smart kids got the colours to combine via an elaborate device and make all the lava flow black down the volcanoes sides and the village is destroyed. Medicare-for-all is a professor Harold Hill production, headed for Iowa as was the Music Man. Theres not a lot of serious thinking or talking among the Democrats about the Peoples Republic of China and the nine-dash line in the South China Sea (which many may think is some sort of shorthand for their marks on the debate stage), or Huawei, which is just too complicated to try to debate in five-minute exchanges. Senator Elizabeth Warrens turn as Madame Defarge may even wake up some of the wealthy-woke to their peril. Its a circus coming to a cable-news network near you soon. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Last weeks message from a booming economy should have rocked the Democratic field. Alas, the party seems collectively intent on poring over the Mueller report yet again in the hope that, somehow, someway, theres something there. But the probe is over. No collusion. No obstruction. Democrats have to campaign on something else besides a great economy, rising values of savings, low unemployment across every demographic, clarity about allies and enemies abroad, and a rebuilding military. Its a tough needle to thread, condemning everything about Trump except all that he has accomplished that President Barack Obama couldnt or wouldnt. Not just tough its practically impossible. This article was first published in The Washington Post Twice Jared Kushner, Donald Trumps smooth-talking son-in-law, has dodged questions as to whether their long-awaited peace plan for Israel and the Palestinian territories would include a two-state solution. The so-called deal of the century would be delivered in June after Ramadan, he confirmed at a TIME live event. If people focus on the old traditional talking points we will never make progress, he said. We have taken an unconventional approach, we have studied all the different past efforts and how they failed. We have tried to do it a little bit different, he added. Until recently for most of the international community, the concept of a two-state solution had been the generally accepted way to begin resolving the 70-year conflict: the creation of two states, Israel and Palestine, with the borders that roughly follow the 1967 Green Line. 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 In September, Donald Trump said he liked the idea of a two-state solution, adding he felt that it works best. But since then, all the murmurings from the White House signal the two-state idea is dead. At the same time, amid the scrum of an Israeli general election, Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who later won the vote despite campaigning under the shadow of a corruption trial, was clearer on this point than ever. Along the campaign trail, he ruled out the possibility of Palestinian statehood and pledged to begin annexing illegal Israeli Jewish settlements that stretch deep into the West Bank. This would be illegal under international law. He is expected to build a governing coalition of mostly religious and nationalist parties who also reject Palestinian independence. Because of Netanyahus platform, commentators said the victory of his Likud Party and its right-wing allies showed a strong indication that Israelis were edging towards a one-state future. A survey by the Israel Democracy Institute said that support for the two-state solution among Jewish Israelis has plunged from nearly 70 per cent in 2008 to just 47 per cent last year. That was even less among Israels younger population just a third of Israelis aged between 18 and 34 supported a two-state solution in 2018. Back in the States, the tide has been turning as well. Last week Jason D Greenblatt, Trumps special representative for international negotiations, told Sky News Arabic there was no reason to use the term two-state solution as everyone had a different opinion on it. A senior White House Official later clarified the comments in a statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency saying there is no point in using a phrase that never achieved peace. Earlier in the month, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo also refused to endorse the two-state solution at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the US budget. When repeatedly grilled by Senator Vincent Kaine, he replied: I would argue that millions of man hours have been spent to try and build out a two-state solution. It hasnt worked to date. It may work this afternoon, but it hasnt, he said. He also dodged direct questions about whether that meant the two-state idea was dead. Martin Indyk, a former US ambassador to Israel and once one of Obama administrations Middle East peace envoys, told the Associated Press that the architects of Trumps deal of the century believe a two-state is old think. He said: Their idea is that the Palestinians can be persuaded to forgo their national aspirations in return for normalcy and prosperity funded by the Arab states. No one knows what will be in the US plan. There have been swirling and somewhat mad rumours of colossal land swaps with Jordan and Egypt that have been rejected by the Americans. But the general shift in rhetoric has meant the Palestinians, who had severed ties with the US over Trumps decision last year to recognise the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israels capital, have already declared the US peace plan to be dead. Mohammad Shtayyeh, the new Palestinian prime minister, said on Tuesday he rejected the peace plan, adding in despair: "There are no partners in Palestine for Trump. There are no Arab partners for Trump and there are no European partners for Trump. Whatever the worlds position is on the two-state solution and the right for the Palestinians to have a nation, ditching the idea would obviously have massive implications for the region. While there is growing indifference to Palestinian independence among its Arab neighbours, the optics of no Palestine at all, and a significantly expanded Israel, will spark tensions abroad. But more concerning is what would occur internally: what would happen to the estimated 5 million Palestinians living within the Palestinian territories? What would their reaction be? Even from an Israeli perspective, there is a logic to a two-state solution. The absorption of this population into Israel would impact the demographics of the country and potentially undermine the future of Israel as a Jewish state: a key belief of Netanyahu, his allies and many Israelis, that was enshrined in last years controversial and constitutional-like nation-state law. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The inclusion of 5 million Palestinians into Israels new population would, in basic maths terms, change the demographic balance and see Israels population split approximately 50-50 between Jewish and non-Jewish Arab communities. The two outcomes of this, analysts argue, would either see Israel, as a democratic nation, lose its Jewish character or see it become an apartheid-like state in which Israeli Jewish citizens have more rights than their Arab counterparts. Then there is the headache and heartbreak of Gaza, a 25-mile-long besieged and stunted enclave where half of its 1.9 million population live under the poverty line, over 70 per cent of its youth are unemployed and 97 per cent of the water is undrinkable. There is no proposal regarding how to deal with the humanitarian crisis there. Ireland became the top European destination for job seekers immediately after the UK voted for Brexit, the head of the world's largest job-search engine, has said. Indeed chief executive Chris Hyams also revealed that the company will be moving its 600 staff out of its St Stephen's Green premises to a new headquarters in the Dublin Docklands. In an interview with the Sunday Independent, Hyams said that there had been a switch in job seekers' focus from London to Ireland. "In the period immediately following Brexit what we did see was that London used to be the number one destination for searches outside of a home country to another location in the EU. "Immediately following the Brexit vote, that shifted to Ireland," Hyams said. "There was a huge amount of interest from other EU companies who used to be looking towards the UK but are now looking to Ireland. Companies are paying close attention, but nobody knows what's going to happen right now - but we feel confident about the Irish economy." Indeed now has 29 offices in 14 countries. It's owned by Japanese giant Recruit Holdings, which touts annual revenues of 1.84 trillion yen. Indeed's Irish arm turned over 345.7m in 2017, according to its most recent results. The company has two offices here, one in Capital Dock and another on St Stephen's Green. "About two-thirds of our staff are on the green, and a third are based here in Capital Dock," Hyams said. "We've much more building work to be finished in the docks and we're planning to move all of our staff over here. "This is definitely our future home, we've a long-term lease here and having started out in the docklands originally it's great to come back," he added. Hyams said the company had yet to decide what to do with its premises on St Stephen's Green. Last week the business announced the creation of 600 new jobs at its Dublin base, which is its European HQ. 'Stephen Belton, newly appointed president of Original Irish Hotels, a grouping of 60 premises, said that 2019 would be a challenging year for the sector.' Photo: PA Germany and other key tourist markets in Europe have had their confidence in travelling to Ireland shaken by Brexit, according to a leading hotel organisation. Stephen Belton, newly appointed president of Original Irish Hotels, a grouping of 60 premises, said that 2019 would be a challenging year for the sector. "The media in Germany have been equating Brexit with Ireland and borders etc. That's what we're being told by the German operators," he said. "I think German people can be slightly conservative when they are travelling. And if they hear about delays in checks and borders, they get nervous. "We're looking at bookings coming down the line and they are soft from Europe. "I think Tourism Ireland realise that now and are getting the message out there," added Belton, managing director of the Garryvoe Hotel and the Bayview in Ballycotton, Co Cork. He also said that the performance of British visitors into Ireland is mixed. "I have been told by two ferry companies that people aren't booking yet because of Brexit," he said. The American market is performing well, however. The name Original Irish Hotels was launched in May 2018 and was a coming together of two brands, Manor House Hotels and Irish Country Hotels. Only three of its 60 independently-owned hotels are in Dublin and nearly all of the hotels in the grouping are four-star properties. It represents 9pc of the hotel stock in Ireland and is the largest independent hotel grouping in the country The organisation rebranded in a bid to raise profile among Irish visitors. Belton is optimistic about the domestic market, despite the restoration of the higher Vat rate this year. "The domestic market will be fine. There will be a certain amount of growth in the domestic market but I will qualify that by saying that when the economy goes well Irish people like to go abroad," Belton said. He believes Irish people have accepted the Vat rate but he said that it had been more difficult for hoteliers to pass on the hike to international visitors as rates had been agreed with tour operators well before the announcement in Budget 2019. While rates have been increased in 2019, all the hotels have agreed with overseas operators not make any further increases for 2020. Belton said that while forward bookings were weak, Easter had been good for the sector. "The Wild Atlantic Way has been a huge success, it's a geographic route and it has been a great idea," he said. "Ireland's Ancient East and Hidden Heartlands need more work," he added. "They are not geographic routes. They are contextual rather than geographic, so it's a long-term scenario." Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has claimed Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees Mogg admitted to him he didnt know what the Irish border was. Mr Ahern also described Mr Rees Mog as a "strange fish, in and out of the water". In a lively debate on Brexit at the Women In Media Conference in Ballybunion, UCCs Dr Mary C Murphy also said a greater understanding of the Unionist community in the North needs to be demonstrated in the Republic. Mr Ahern and Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness were in agreement that the backstop was necessary for Ireland in the EUs negotiations with the UK. The former Taoiseach told the conference there is a perception that the much talked about backstop was a "massive thousand page document". "The backstop plan is essentially a safety net. If theres no exit deal, it will avoid a hard border in the Republic. Basically thats all it is," he said, adding it would ensure no tariffs or quotas be applied between the EU and the UK. The former Taoiseach has attended several Brexit committees in Westminster, saying the backstop is used as an excuse by politicians there to "have a go". Referring to Tory arch Brexiteer, and leader of the partys European Research Group, Mr Ahern described Jacob Rees Mogg as a "lovely fella when hes asleep". Expand Close Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg When asked by Mairead McGuinness "how do you know?", he replied: "When hes awake, he definitely is a strange fish I tell you, in and out of the water." "But the reality is he admitted to me he had no idea of what the border was. I think a lot of British politicians thought the border was something up around Dundalk or Newry, and that there was a gate on it. "I mean the idea that it was 460 kilometres across the island and that you could criss cross it to farms and houses, they just didnt know it. "And regards to the fact that lot of these guys went to Oxford, Cambridge and Eton, theyre not very bright. This is the problem." "There is nothing wrong with the backstop," he added. Ms McGuinness paid tribute to EU negotiator Michel Barnier for his "endless patience" he displayed during the negotiations. Ms McGuinness said she believed there was a lack of understanding in the UK as to what the European Union is, which led to a lack of knowledge as to what was required for them to leave the UK. UCC lecturer Dr Murphy sounded caution during the debate saying people and politicians south of the Irish border need to demonstrate a greater understanding and knowledge about the Unionist community in the North and why they feel so aggrieved. She agreed with the backstop and its importance to the Republic "but there is a community in Northern Ireland, and its not just the DUP, its moderate unionism as well, who feel deeply aggrieved by the Backstop and its implications for their place within the United Kingdom". "And we cant write that off. We cant ignore that," she said. "I think to some extent there has been insufficient acknowledgement this side of the border about how deeply unionism feels aggrieved by the backstop. "Im not sure how you address that but there are probably issues around language. Unionism ca be its own worst enemy as well in terms of some of the characters who are filtering the unionist message. "Its made for this very charged negotiating environment which is feeding into that unionist nationalist divide and that politicisation of Brexit which is becoming another cleavage in Northern Ireland politics," she said. Violence will take centre stage in Northern Ireland unless political leaders keep at the talks in a bid to get Stormont back up and running, former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has warned. His call on talks was echoed by Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness, and UCCs Dr Mary C Murphy who warned that if talks dont happen in a proper forum, people die. The three were on a panel discussing Brexit at the Women in Media Conference in Ballybunion. The annual event, now in its seventh year, is sponsored by Vodafone and discussion was chaired by journalist Sarah Carey. Mr Ahern warned the conference that the spree of ATM robberies across the North and Border counties was likely the work of people who wish to buy arms. He also told the conference the Real IRA were recruiting people, and if politicians dont stay centre stage, violence will take over. Speaking about the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, Mr Ahern said British Prime Minister Theresa May was "visibly moved" at the funeral of Ms McKee. This prompted her to move ahead with opening talks between the parties in Northern Ireland in a bid to break the deadlock, he said. Mr Ahern described the murder of Lyra McKee as an "eye-opener for everybody". "The fact that she was a young, articulate, hardworking journalist, a really kind person who was known to so many people across different walks of life from Belfast to Derry, and everywhere in between, I think even made it more horrific. "I think her funeral and the events around it have been incredibly sad on one side, but a wake up call on the other, [which] maybe is a good thing. They (the DUP and Sinn Fein) got to the stage where they believed, wrongly in my view, that their own electorate or the electorate generally didnt really care that there was no institutions. "And every time you challenge them in private, you get the same old answer. And just the week before Lyra died, I was up in Belfast. I met the DUP people and I met the Sinn Fein people as well and they were saying listen were not under any pressure. "That was the difficulty in that they believed there was no pressure on them to actually deal with this. I think there is pressure on them." While Ms McKees murder was shocking, Mr Ahern said we should remind ourselves of the statistics. "In the last decade, 20 people have died in violence in Northern Ireland. From the time of the agreement in 1998 to 2008, 88 people died in the North. "In the previous decade, which was the decade up to the peace in the North, it was 658, and in the previous decade, it was just short of a thousand." Despite the fall in numbers, the threat of violence remains. "The ATM robberies in the North are not being robbed by the Boy Scouts and since Christmas, Ive been saying theyve been robbed for a particular reason. "It might be criminality but its associated with someone who wants to buy arms. And these are the difficulties. "Politicians should never allow centre stage to the violence. "If politicians dont keep the talks going, and I dont care if theyre successful, they have to keep going, and going and going. You have to keep at it. "Because the Real IRA are recruiting in the North. They are fundraising. They are not a huge organisation but theyre a dangerous organisation. So politicians have to be centre stage," he said. Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness told the conference that when she spoke to British MPs warning them of violence in Northern Ireland prior to Ms McKees death, she was "dismissed on occasion for scaremongering". Ms McGuinness said people have contacted her from Northern Ireland, urging her "not to forget us" when it comes to negotiations on Brexit. Dr Mary C Murphy, lecturer in politics in UCC, told the conference there is a severe lack of trust between leaders in the north. "There is a lingering lack of trust in Northern Ireland which is a legacy of the conflict playing out, the post-conflict period playing out the way that it has "I think, from my perspective, again with an academic hat, is they havent been talking to each other. Weve had a suspension of the institutions for over two years now. And that hasnt been the first suspension. Theres been several suspensions over years. "If youre not talking, you are losing. You dont need to be talking and finding solutions necessarily. You need to be talking. You need to be understanding. "You need to be communicating. You need to be sharing. Even if it still reveals difference and conflict. Thats okay. But thats the forum you need to be doing it in. Because if you are not doing it in that forum, people do die," she warned. The EU Parliament wound up its current term in office last week by backing voter-friendly moves to improve food quality and pesticide approvals. But the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) still hangs in the balance. A recent series of CAP votes in the agriculture committee has yet to get the green light from the full Parliament, which will fall to the new MEPs who take their seats in early July. Ireland's outgoing agriculture MEPs - Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness, Sinn Fein's Matt Carthy and independent Luke 'Ming' Flanagan - are all vying for re-election in the Midlands North-West constituency. Ms McGuinness is also throwing her hat into the ring for Parliament president, after losing out to Italy's Antonio Tajani in 2017. "God only knows" what her chances are, said her party colleague, Sean Kelly, who added that "she will be in the mix". If he is re-elected, Mr Carthy told the Farming Independent he is "willing to return" to the agriculture committee to "fight Ireland's corner" on the CAP. He said the EU needs to be "radically reformed", and he is opposing a spending boost for defence alongside cuts to the CAP. "This is not the direction Europe should be going in." He also said Brexit is playing into the vote but that "lots of people are just fed up by it. It has been played out." However, he hopes the new Parliament will advocate for Irish unity, and that many of his colleagues in Brussels have told him privately that the idea "makes sense". In a documentary called 'Taking the Job Seriously', Mr Flanagan highlighted his voting and attendance record in Parliament, and called for "full convergence" of CAP payments. But the make-up of the new agriculture committee - and Ms McGuinness's chances at Parliament's top job - will depend on how political groups are formed after the May election. In their last session before the European elections in May, MEPs also heard from 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg, who implored them to do more to lower carbon emissions. Fine Gael's Sean Kelly, who sits on the parliament's environment committee (and is also running for re-election), has welcomed recent climate protests inspired by Ms Thunberg, and said that Irish adults are "listening" to the concerns being raised by activists. The South MEP also put in a good word for his party colleague, EU agriculture chief Phil Hogan, who will face a different kind of re-election in November, when the new Commission takes office. He has done "a good job on agriculture, and trade is a kind of parallel role", Mr Kelly told the Farming Independent. "Some candidates stand out as suitable for a particular role and at this time Phil Hogan stands out as a suitable candidate for trade," he said. Processors have been accused of ignoring the plight of struggling pig farmers by failing to pass on the full benefit of market improvements in recent price increases. Although pig prices have lifted by 4c/kg over the last week, the IFA claimed that price hikes of at least 10c/kg were justified following confirmation of significantly tighter global pork supplies due to continuing disease troubles in China. Pig prices have improved to a base of 1.51-1.54/kg, but the IFA claimed that processors will have to move to a base of 1.60/kg to reflect current market returns. Pig production in China - which is the world's largest producer and consumer of pigmeat - is forecast to contract a third this year due to an epidemic of African Swine Flu (ASF) which has infected up to 200 million animals. Rabobank estimates that this ASF outbreak will cut Chinese production by close to 40 million tonnes and result in a serious shortfall in the country's overall meat supplies. IFA pigs chairman Tom Hogan said the expected shortage of supplies in China had already been reflected in improved prices across Europe. "Demand from Chinese buyers has been strong in recent weeks, due to a shortage of domestic pork production," Mr Hogan said. "Across the EU there have been dramatic price increases since January. Countries with a similar producing and export profile to Ireland have experienced price increases of 25-30pc," he added. Although Irish prices have increased by around 16c/kg since March, returns to farmers are still well below those available across the EU, Mr Hogan said. The IFA representative pointed out that the German pig price has increased from a low of 1.36c/kg in January to 1.73ckg at the moment. Meanwhile, 1.60/kg is being paid in Spain. Mr Hogan said it was imperative that processors supported pig farmers by immediately reflecting market improvements by increasing pig prices. "Pig farmers are battered and bruised financially and mentally. They need to see the benefits of the improved market conditions immediately to begin the process of repaying the massive debt levels that has accumulated over the past 14 months," he explained "Low pig prices, combined with rising feed costs in 2018 resulted in the lowest margin in the last 20 years." Mallow pig farmer Tom Sherman said the recent lift in prices had "come too late" for some producers. He said meal bills and other debts had spiralled over the last 18 months as farmers tried to ride out the downturn. He said producers will require a base price of 1.80/kg for two years to balance the losses incurred since 2017. Two people were rescued after a fishing vessel they were travelling in lost all power off the coast of West Cork during Storm Hannah. A 33ft vessel was stranded in Bere Haven Harbour, and a callout was put to the RNLI in Castletownbere who launched immediately. Throughout the month of May, the RNLI is asking the public for assistance in raising 780,000 to fund volunteer kit (lifejackets, helmets and boots) for their 1,500 members in Ireland who provide a 24-hour search and rescue service. In 2018, RNLI boats launched 995 times, bringing 1,351 people to safety and directly saving the lives of 18 people. Photo: Castletownbere RNLI AFTERMATH: Storm Hannah uprooted and split numerous trees in Co Clare, including this one near Kilrush. Photo: Press 22 A massive clean-up operation began yesterday after Storm Hannah's gusts which topped 120km/h hammered coastal areas, knocked trees and left thousands of homes without power. Munster was worst hit by the storm with ESB crews working from 6am yesterday to restore power to more than 32,000 customers. A status red level warning had been issued for counties Clare and Kerry on Friday, with yellow warnings issued for a further 11 counties. Much of the damage was caused by falling trees, which hit overhead powerlines in the high winds that blasted across the country. Power had been restored to approximately 22,000 homes, farms and businesses by lunchtime yesterday, an ESB spokesman said, and efforts to help the remaining customers continued last night. Crews from areas least affected by the storm were deployed to parts of west Munster to help carry out repair work. "These include Co Clare, the Iveragh and Dingle peninsulas, North Kerry, West Limerick and parts of Tipperary," the spokesman said. "The damage to the electricity network is mainly attributable to trees falling on overhead lines as a result of the high winds. All available resources from ESB Networks are deployed to carry out repairs to the network and restore power." The power outages also had an impact on water supplies. Kerry County Council and Irish Water warned their customers in Sneem, Castlecove, Caherdaniel, Dromin Milltown, Ardfert and Ballyheigue that services there were interrupted because of the power outages but that normal service would be restored gradually. Expand Close Two people were rescued after a fishing vessel they were travelling in lost all power off the coast of West Cork during Storm Hannah. A 33ft vessel was stranded in Bere Haven Harbour, and a callout was put to the RNLI in Castletownbere who launched immediately. Throughout the month of May, the RNLI is asking the public for assistance in raising 780,000 to fund volunteer kit (lifejackets, helmets and boots) for their 1,500 members in Ireland who provide a 24-hour search and rescue service. In 2018, RNLI boats launched 995 times, bringing 1,351 people to safety and directly saving the lives of 18 people. Photo: Castletownbere RNLI / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Two people were rescued after a fishing vessel they were travelling in lost all power off the coast of West Cork during Storm Hannah. A 33ft vessel was stranded in Bere Haven Harbour, and a callout was put to the RNLI in Castletownbere who launched immediately. Throughout the month of May, the RNLI is asking the public for assistance in raising 780,000 to fund volunteer kit (lifejackets, helmets and boots) for their 1,500 members in Ireland who provide a 24-hour search and rescue service. In 2018, RNLI boats launched 995 times, bringing 1,351 people to safety and directly saving the lives of 18 people. Photo: Castletownbere RNLI Irish Water customers in Cork, Clare and Waterford also had supplies disrupted by power outages. A man had to be removed from a derelict building in west Clare that was partially knocked down during the storm. A section of the rear of the property, at O'Connell Street in Kilkee, collapsed during Friday night. Gardai were called to the scene yesterday but were unable to gain entry to the building and requested assistance from the fire service. Crews from nearby Kilkee fire station responded to the call and forced the front door of the building to gain access. During a search of the property, the local man was located in an upstairs room. He was found to be unhurt and unaware of any damage that had been caused to the building by the storm. A spokesman for Clare County Fire and Rescue Service said: "Gardai requested assistance from the fire service with gaining entry to a derelict property in Kilkee. There was some structural damage to the rear of the house and gardai were concerned there may have been someone inside. Kilkee Fire Brigade responded and assisted Gardai." Met Eireann said the storm passing will bring a "good deal of dry weather". Scattered patches of rain are expected in some parts, especially in t he east, but temperatures are expected to remain mild with sunny spells continuing to this evening with top temperatures ranging between 12 and 17 degrees. Yesterday the national forecaster said the highest gusts recorded for Storm Hannah were measured in Co Galway. Gusts of 122km/h were recorded there at Mace Head. At Shannon Airport, where a number of flights were cancelled because of the poor weather, wind speeds reached 119km/h. Meanwhile, gusts of 114km/h were recorded in Kerry and Cork on Valentia Island and Sherkin Island. Safety was the main reason behind farmer Padraig Moran's decision to install a 70-unit suckler shed on his farm which he runs in partnership with his wife Nuala and son Eoin outside Borrisokane in Co Tipperary. "In the early 2000s I was helping a neighbour calve a cow and unfortunately I was the first in line when it fell on top of me and it made bits of my legs. Thanks be to God I was fine and the neighbours looked after the farm when I was in recovery because I was out for the whole spring," says Padraig, who hosted the recent Teagasc and North Tipperary Farm Safety Day. "The new suckler unit allows for safety procedures which we just wouldn't have done before. Before this we were just throwing ourselves in at the mercy of the cow at calving time but now we can get the cow in the pen and protect ourselves," says Padraig of the seven-bay unit they installed this year. "We're always convinced someone else will experience a farm tragedy and not ourselves." The building of the suckler unit is a sure sign that the Moran family are committed to the beef industry. The family also rent a 70-acre plot of land in addition to the 120 acres of their home farm for their 70 sucklers made up of mainly Limousin Crosses and 170 sheep to graze. Dedicated While the family are dedicated to their beef and sheep operation, Padraig remarks that a lot of pressure has been put on farmers to switch to dairying which he is "fearful" of. "I'm worried that we are putting all our eggs in one basket in Ireland and that isn't a good thing. "When I took over this farm from my uncle 40 years ago he was very much a mixed farmer. He had tillage and livestock so if one was a little bit down, the other could keep him going. There is a lot of peer pressure on us to go into dairying but it isn't for everyone. It wasn't for me." In 2010 Padraig completed a life coaching course in Athlone and it was around this time that he decided to open up the farm to agricultural science student tours and tourist groups which he says has increased the viability of his farm. "It's amazing, about 65pc of the students who visit have never been on the farm before. I don't know would you call it a stroke of genius or innovation when we decided to open the farm. I was always open-minded. Some people say it was thinking outside the box but I say it's thinking in the box about what could I do," he adds. "Any single farm payment I got over the years, I'm standing on it now. I put every bob of it in to making this farm more viable and a safer environment for us," says Padraig whose son Ronan works in Arrabawn in nearby Nenagh. While Padraig is worried that Brexit could put the farm out of business, he maintains the biggest problem facing farmers is isolation. "Farmers are on their own all day and if a partner comes home the farmer might think the last thing they want to hear is their problems. We have mobile phones and everything but we are still so isolated. "One time farmers were able to go down to the local pub and chat to other farmers and it wasn't for the drink element. We are social beings; we need to talk to people and if we have a bad day we were able to talk to each other and help each other feel right again." The way Irish people are eating is changing, in urban areas particularly. Thanks to the success of German discounters Aldi and Lidl, value is high on the agenda. This has forced the likes of Marks & Spencer (not exactly known for being cheap) to tailor value messages specifically for its Irish food business. The economy may be doing well, but Irish consumers aren't willing to loosen their purse strings for just anything. Alongside the thrifty grocery shopping trend is a treat mentality, where consumers are willing to splash out for a bit of luxury, be it an artisan cheese from Cork or a pricey takeaway that can set a couple back well over 30. This is borne out by numbers from food delivery services such as Just Eat and Deliveroo. While the working conditions of takeaway delivery bikers is causing growing discomfort among policymakers, swathes of people in Irish and international cities are more than happy to browse these food apps and get restaurant-style food delivered to their door. As they chow down on their stone-baked pizzas or pad Thai noodles, not too much thought is given to how it gets there - judging by the growth numbers for the segment. Last Friday, rival Just Eat reported a 21pc rise in first-quarter orders to 61.4 million. In the UK, orders were up 7.4pc, while outside the UK orders surged 40pc thanks to growth in several international markets included Ireland. It is, however, under pressure - not because of slowing demand - but because of intense competition in this space from the lives of Deliveroo and Uber Eats, a relatively new entrant in Ireland. Deliveroo already generates over 48m of revenue in Ireland and has more than 1,100 bikers with very ambitious plans to grow these numbers over the next couple of years. So perhaps it was inevitable that we would see some corporate activity in this quality 'food on the go' area. As reported in the Irish Times last week, Dunnes Stores is chasing Base Wood Fired Pizza, a Dublin phenomenon which raised the bar for Irish delivery pizza standards. It started off 10 years ago in Terenure promising to bring authentic Italian pizza to the people of Dublin 6. Owned by former Clongowes boy Shane Crilly, it has opened another five, as well as partnering with a small number of trendy city centre bars. It has its own fleet of delivery drivers. While a takeover approach from Dunnes might seems like an odd match, it shows once again that Dunnes, which is increasingly going for treats rather than thrift, yearns to understand the fast-changing food market. And get a slice of future revenues. Meanwhile, another top-end food business, Fallon & Byrne, is seeking 6m in investment with the help of Goodbody Stockbrokers. It too is benefiting from the higher end of the market and indeed does a brisk business in pizza deliveries from its Rathmines restaurant, not too far from Base's original premises. But Fallon & Byrne is much more than pizzas. It started off in the city centre, with a good restaurant, wine bar and foodhall. In Rathmines it also does pizzas and crepes - all with plenty of culinary flair. A more formal restaurant from the group will open in another building in Rathmines in the coming months. Fallon & Byrne's foodhall has echoes of Donnybrook Fair, which Dunnes lost out on to Musgrave. But it is across several areas of modern eating habits. Dunnes could do a lot worse than taking a bite of Fallon & Byrne. It was a reflection of the success of Primark, better known at Penneys to Irish shoppers, that there was a such a flurry of excitement both in the Irish and international press around reports that the value retail chain is working on plans for a click-and-collect service. The story was being traced back to a mention in a Davy report which suggested click and collect was 'on the horizon'. The company later played down the story, saying it has "no plans in the near future to trial click and collect". Davy rarely gets such things wrong and based its comments on an interview given by the Primark chief executive Paul Marchant to industry bible Retail Week last month. In the interview he spoke frankly about online. He said that a transactional model would not work for the company's business model. "On the surface, we like the idea of click and collect. We think of it as a route to driving footfall to our stores and again giving the opportunity to showcase our fantastic offer, click and collect might be another route for doing that. "So is that something we would consider? Yes. Is it something that we have in the current pipeline? No. "But as a business which is continually challenging our operating model, click and collect is something that we will explore and if we can find a way of making a click-and-collect offer financially viable then maybe that's something you'll see in Primark in the future." Okay, so nothing immediate on click and collect but it is very much a live issue. As Marchant knows all too well, it would be unthinkable that any clothing retailer of scale is not seriously planning for a digital future. Franciscan Well founder Shane Long says the brand can go from strength to strength. Photo: Gerry Mooney Franciscan Well, one of the country's largest craft beer brands, intends on doubling its output to more than 200,000 kegs in the next five years, its founder has said. The business, which was sold to drinks giant Molson Coors in 2012, has invested more than 3m in a brewery in Co Cork with a further investment of just under 1m to come. Shane Long told the Sunday Independent that its aim was to achieve "sustainable growth in a tough market". The company has just launched its new beer, Pilgrims. "We want to go to several more countries. Coors are very strong in Eastern Europe, so I'd imagine we'll go there. They've acquired a brewery in Italy and in Spain so I would imagine we'll be following there because there is a route to market," he said. "We went from the equivalent of 7,000 kegs when I was independent in my best year to last year which would have been 90,000 kegs. A fifth is coming from the UK and growing rapidly." Long, who now works as an adviser to Molson on the Franciscan Well brand, said that he was "living the dream" following the sale of his business seven years ago. "It's a very ambitious plan. That brewery we have has the ability to do 200,000 kegs, but it requires further investment, which they're doing in the form of a canning line and they've invested 3m into it already," he said. "If the growth keeps going the way it is we'll see that in five years, but anything can change. When we took over the warehouse it was 50,000 sq ft and we thought that we would never fill it, but now I think we will." Franciscan Well has propelled itself to becoming one of the most recognisable brands in craft beer. Its flagship 'Chieftain' accounts for 43pc of all Indian pale ales sold in Ireland. Despite the strong growth reported by Franciscan Well, Long warned that the industry was about to face into some tougher times. "When I was chairman of the brewers' association in 2012 there were 22 of us, last year there were 90," he said. "This is not going to last. I think you'll see the same statistics of closures that we saw in the 90s, unfortunately. I'd say you're looking at 20 closures within the next 12 to 24 months. I honestly think even a global brewer would struggle with the more developed craft countries." Long said that the "real battle" will be faced by brands that had expanded nationally or into export markets and that the most secure brands were those that were "hyper-localised". The company's new beer will have a lower alcohol content, 4pc, to that traditionally associated with craft brands. Long said that the aim of the beer was to target those that enjoyed the Franciscan Well taste, but were unable to drink it for the night due to its high alcohol content. He also said that if the company was capable of creating a non-alcoholic beer "bursting with flavour" he would look at it. Globally the craft beer market has been tipped to reach $502bn (450m) by 2025. Hopes were high that the WB Yeats ferry would sail from Rosslare to Cherbourg, instead it will sail to the French port from Dublin When Irish Continental Group (ICG) announced its decision not to run its Irish Ferries services this summer to France from Rosslare, Co Wexford at the end of last year, the move was met with both surprise and shock in the south-east port. After all, the company's new 'cruise ferry', the WB Yeats, which can carry more than 1,800 passengers and 1,200 vehicles, had just arrived in Ireland after a delay and there were great expectations that ICG would put the boat on its Rosslare to Cherbourg, France route. Instead, ICG decided to operate the ferry service from Dublin Port to Cherbourg, lured by the scope for additional business in the capital. Irish Ferries is still operating its Rosslare-to-Pembroke service while Stena runs from the south eastern port to Fishguard as well as to Cherbourg. But if many were stunned by the move, for some in the Rosslare business community it was a progression for Irish Ferries that should have been anticipated. According to Damien Roche, managing director of Rosslare-based Roche Logistics Group, which he co-owns with his brother Conor, it was simply a numbers game for IGC. Expand Close The WB Yeats Ferry / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The WB Yeats Ferry "I wasn't surprised from a commercial point of view. It has shareholders to answer to. The company did the maths and it went with the traffic," he said. Roche Logistics employs 52 people in Rosslare and 30 at its Swansea depot and runs an average of over 200 trailers weekly between Rosslare and Fishguard. Roche has a point. Not only is the capital the end point for the country's motorways, but Dublin Port passed its millionth freight trailer unit last year while the Rosslare equivalent was about 140,000. Rosslare versus Dublin Port is a classic David and Goliath story and, in many ways, the future of the former is unclear despite investment plans for it by its operator Irish Rail and its strategic position with access to mainland Europe. According to the port's general manager, Glen Carr, there's a 25m investment plan in train for the port over the next five years. "We're in the final design phase of our infrastructure plan, which will be finished in October. This involves traffic planning and port reconfiguration for border inspection as well as higher capacity. "Other developments include the expansion of berths - increasing the length of the third berth from 190m to 220m so it will be able to accommodate longer ships - that's the future. We are future-proofing the port and creating more space at the quay side." In addition to the Irish Rail investment, the Office of Public Works has purchased a 16-acre site near the port, formerly it was a car-distribution centre once owned by businessman Bill Cullen. It will be used as a temporary facility to carry out checks on UK imports in the event of a no-deal Brexit. While the site is not considered ideal as a border and inspection checkpoint, as it is 2km away from the port, there are plans to build a centralised compound at the Europort that would include 13 inspection bays for trucks coming off ferries and ships, and a parking facility for 35 trucks as well as a border post for live animals. However, the construction of this will not be finished for a number of years, it is understood. "Investment from the agencies has been really important to us. All of these agencies will be in one compound at the port, which means a very efficient experience for the customer. "Our investment plan also involves a 1.5m investment in the digitalisation of the port, automating it. This will speed up check-in facilities and link in to customs and revenue clearance systems," Carr said. There are also plans for a new road entrance to the port and an extension of the motorway to Rosslare, which is also seen as a way to avoid congestion at Dublin Port post-Brexit. According to Carr, Rosslare is running at 40pc capacity, so there is plenty of scope for further business post-Brexit and the port is also looking at other opportunities including the energy market. "We're talking to players in the offshore energy market. Cherbourg has gone into the wind-energy market, Rosslare has the potential to handle the turbines while Dublin doesn't. It could be a great opportunity for us," said Carr. While Carr is keen to highlight the future of the port, other business people are as concerned about what's happening there now as they are about what the future holds and whether the investment is enough to bring it to the next level. Irish Road Haulage Association president Verona Murphy, who is based in Wexford, said that while there has been much talk about plans over the past few years, Rosslare never really recovered after the most recent recession. She added that it has suffered from underinvestment since then, while the port's strategic location needs to be maximised more. "Let's face it, it's our nearest gateway to the Continent. And with the New Ross and Enniscorthy bypass expected by the end of the year, it will make a big difference access-wise as they were big bottlenecks. "We need to spread the economic growth and utilise what we have. We can complement Dublin too. Rosslare needs huge investment and has been overlooked in the past, but Brexit has brought to the fore that it is the most strategically-located port when it comes to Europe," she said. "Dublin is choc-a-bloc. From a hauliers perspective, particularly for Europe, Rosslare is a far better option. "We need to look at staggered sailings, as is the case in Dublin. We also need to find an operator to take up the vacancy left by Irish Ferries but we need to find that now. I am actively looking at the moment for that. There's nothing from Rosslare to Cherbourg on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Sunday although I realise one of those days will never have a sailing, usually the Monday, because of scheduling," For his part, Carr also said the port is actively looking at a way to replace the vacuum left by the Irish Ferries move. He said that the port's revenues have also taken a hit to the tune of 1.2m as a result of the Irish Ferries move too, but remains profitable. It recorded a net profit of 2.7m last year. Murphy added that the port's connection with Irish Rail has meant that instead of reinvesting profits back into the port it is being spent on the rail network -a point echoed by Roche. But Carr said that this would not be the case going forward and that the company is committed to reinvesting profits back into the port business as part of its new investment plan. "In addition, during the recession, the subvention to the railway was cut dramatically. The profits at Rosslare will be going to the port as part of our plan. Rosslare is a division within Iarnrod Eireann/Irish Rail," he said. One area where there is agreement among stakeholders on Rosslare's future is that the port could benefit from complementing its bigger neighbour, Dublin. "We should be looking at this more strategically, and business coming out of south Dublin should be going to Rosslare. Look at our emission targets, surely there's an argument for a rail link for container business if it was viable. It's being done on the continent. We could complement Dublin Port. We should have been doing it for years. "In addition, lo-lo services could be developed in Rosslare - but we're talking big bucks. We could be talking 100m of an investment," said Roche. While all agree investment in Rosslare is key to the port's future, one issue that may be weighing on it in the past is its complicated ownership structure, according to Murphy. She added that it might be better served if it were run by a dedicated port authority, as is the case in Dublin. While Rosslare Europort is operated as a division of Irish Rail technically the port forms part of the Fishguard and Rosslare Railways and Harbours Company, which is a 19th century joint venture company comprising Irish Rail in Ireland and Stena Line in Fishguard. A report for the Department of Transport in 2017, produced by Indecon, found that the creation of an independent port authority to run Rosslare would be difficult given its complicated legal structure. "Legislation stipulates that Iarnrod Eireann/Irish Rail is the operator of Rosslare Port and in order to change that we would require a UK Act of Parliament. "In these times that can be done. We have the Common Travel Arrangement, we have a good enough relationship with our nearest neighbours," said Murphy. According to Carr, the ownership structure is irrelevant once you have commitment from the board on investment, but one key opportunity is Brexit. Currently an estimated 85pc of our road freight goes through Dublin Port. While Rosslare will soon benefit from stronger, more direct road links to the capital and is closest to continental Europe and there will be more appetitive for direct sea routes if the land bridge is cut off post-Brexit, he added. "For example, for time-sensitive goods currently going via the land bridge to Europe, there's an estimated 150,000 trailers, and at a minimum 35,000 of these could shift for direct sailing from Ireland. "That works out as an additional one ship a day, again at a minimum," he said. "Our message is that Rosslare is easy to get to, easy to get into and easy to get out of." Rosslare: By the numbers 25m Rosslare Europort investment plan 2.7m Rosslare Europort net profit last year 1.2m The hit to the ports revenues following Irish Ferries decision to move its Cherbourg sailing to Dublin for 2019 150m Irish Ferries investment in WB Yeats Two decades ago Austin, Texas, was a "sleepy town" in middle America. It was far from a place one would associate with cutting-edge technological research, let alone a hub for some of the biggest names in the tech industry. And yet, today, in the middle of the city sits Silicon Hills. Austin may be the home of Indeed, the world's biggest job-search engine, but Dublin, or more specifically Silicon Docks, is its European home. And Chis Hyams, chief executive of Indeed, believes there are plenty of similarities between the two locations. "We've seen all of these other big companies grow here in the same time and it has been really remarkable to see the growth of this city. Dublin has reminded us a lot of Austin, where we live. They're both extraordinarily high growth, which has good and bad that comes along with it." The former special education teacher has just announced a further 600 jobs in the Irish capital, which will eventually bring its headcount to in excess of 1,600. It is quite a journey from 2012 when only three staff members were employed here. "It's not that Dublin was unknown but now it is clearly the centre of European business for so many big companies," says Hyams, who was appointed to the top job in February. The bad he speaks about are the teething pains that Dublin, like many cities before it, have suffered from during intense growth periods. Housing and transport infrastructure are well-documented ailments here. "There has been a big shift this century where companies are now moving to where the talent is, as opposed to before where people would have to move to where the work is," he says. "That means that everywhere we go there is a lot of competition and anywhere there is competition there's challenges for housing and traffic and all of those things. Obviously it's a big deal here, but it's not unique. We've noticed it pretty much everywhere we have an office." Indeed now has 29 offices in 14 countries. It's owned by Japanese giant Recruit Holdings, which touts annual revenues of 1.84 trillion yen. Indeed's Irish arm reported turnover of 345.7m in 2017, according to its most recent results. The company has two offices in Dublin, one in Capital Dock and another on St Stephen's Green. Its premises on the Green will be very familiar to Luas users who see the company's logo through the ground-floor windows. However, its future in that office is unclear. "About two-thirds of our staff are on the Green, and a third are based here in Capital Dock," Hyams says. "We've much more building work to be finished in the docks and we're planning to move all of our staff over here. This is definitely our future home, we've a long-term lease here and having started out in the docklands originally it's great to come back." The company's aggressive growth both in Ireland and abroad is in line with meeting its mission: to get every job in the world advertised on Indeed. Such a world-dominating goal would usually be associated with a hyper-ambitious leader. And yet, Hyams says he's not ambitious, at least not in the usual sense. "I had no expectations and when people ask what were my career goals, I will be totally honest: I have no ambition from a traditional sense of wanting to get to some place or some role or title. My ambition has always been to do something that is useful, which is why I went into teaching," he says. "My first work out of college was teaching in public high school in the north east of the US, teaching special education." He admits that he had a "non-linear" path to the head of a billion-dollar business and modestly concedes that a lot of it had to do with luck. Hyams followed his wife to Los Angeles in the '90s where she attended grad school while he played as a musician full-time for three years. "In LA there are some really hallowed places there and I got to play the Roxy and the Troubadour and some of these places that I grew up going to as a kid," he says. "It's a very, very challenging way to make a living and one of the things I saw was that there were so, so many people that were much more talented than me that had a tough time making a career out of it. I gave myself three years and at the end of those three years I decided it was time to start something new." That next move was to Houston, Texas, where his wife secured a job at Rice University. Hyams made great use of the "free classes for the spouses of staff members" perk. He achieved an undergraduate degree and masters in computer science in 1993 "before it was a cool or lucrative thing to do". His studies began just two years after he got his first email address. "It was something that was intellectually interesting and in how my brain works I saw it as something I could see doing for the rest of my life," he says. "I worked as an engineer and then got sideways pulled into leadership opportunities. Really, I didn't want to be a manager, I just wanted to write code. But I found my experience of working with people turned out to be valuable so the connection of the bits and bytes and the humans was sadly not as frequently available as you might think." After six years with his own startup, which was eventually wound up, Hyams made the move to Indeed as its head of product. "We had about 200 people in 2010, and I think success is 90pc luck and timing and I think the founders of Indeed will tell you that." In his position Hyams is able to view employment trends at a very granular level. Take, for example, after Brexit. "In the period immediately following Brexit what we did see was that London used to be the number one destination for searches outside of a home country to another location in the EU. Immediately following the Brexit vote that shifted to Ireland," Hyams said. "There was a huge amount of interest from other EU companies who used to be looking towards the UK, but were now looking towards Ireland. Companies are paying close attention, but nobody knows what's going to happen right now but we feel confident about the Irish economy." Hyams' perspective of the working world is also of interest given the immense change that it has undergone and is due to go through in the coming years. Among the biggest disruptions is automation. "I'm a big personal believer in a liberal arts undergraduate, I think it's really important to understand that world and how to read, write and communicate," Hyams says. "In technology it's not possible to be successful if you can't communicate well." He said that there was a "huge focus" in the US on universities preparing students for a specific job and that it was really hard to do as the job may not even exist yet. "I think it's impossible to think that coding will not be part of everyone's curriculum in 10 year's time. Anyone who uses Excel codes, you don't need to be a software developer to be thinking in terms of programming. It's an essential skill, but I think so is reading literature and studying history," he says. "I'm not going to try and predict the future, but I can tell you that the history of technology is that the word 'luddite' comes from when the loom was first invented and the people who made their living as weavers raised up and burned factories and destroyed these looms because they thought they were going to kill there jobs. There are more people working in textiles today than there were handweaving." He said that while it doesn't mean the future will continue that way, "every technological disruption has led to basically a kind of work that was required less skill and less knowledge going away and creating a huge amount of more work". However, Hyams does recognise that the disruption will hurt people along the way, while pointing to the imminent introduction of autonomous trucks and the effect that will have on the some four million people in the US that rely on driving for their income. "We have a unique obligation in the global market to help minimise that disruption, but it's hard to predict. I personally am on the side of humans, so I'm not one of those ones who think we're going to see structural unemployment and certain humans just aren't going to be useful. I'm an optimist," he says. Hyams is back and forth to Dublin. Since coming here first he has witnessed the city emerge from a recession and enjoy impressive growth. During his visits he has enjoyed several tourist destinations, not least the Wild Atlantic Way. He also has his own favourite restaurant in Dublin, which he booked two weeks in advance of his arrival. "I always like to mention my favourite restaurant in town, it's the Winding Stair," he says, speaking highly of its smoked fish plate. "The food here, I'll tell you that's something that people outside don't know. No one told us before we came here how good the food is here. The food here is remarkable." Dublin may not have been a sleepy town when Hyam landed here first, but it has gone some way to planting itself as the tech hub of Europe over the last decade. The one-time drummer believes that the city isn't finished yet, admitting that he would be "surprised" if there were not more Indeed job announcements in the future. Newsreader and presenter Seamus O Scanlain is anchor of Raidio na Gaeltachta's weekday morning show Iris Aniar. Earlier this year, he co-presented the TG4 talent show Glor Tire. He also contributes as reporter to TG4's Leirmheas Leabhar show, usually interviewing schoolchildren. What's the most important lesson about money which your career in broadcasting has taught you? To try and set a few euro aside when I get paid and not to go near it for as long as possible - a bit like a rainy day fund, I suppose. What's the best advice you ever got about money? We were always encouraged, from a young age, to save. Usually it was funnelled into the local credit union - which is where my mother works. Even now, my mother acts as my financial adviser. What's your favourite Irish saying about money? Is fearr cara sa gcuirt na punt sa sparan - which basically means that you're better off with a good friend in court than you would be with loads of money. What's the most expensive country you ever visited? It would have to be America. We were only in Boston last November with our local cumann dramaiochta (drama society) and had a great time - but I really don't know where the money went. I always spend a lot on food while abroad and the US was no exception. Also, accommodation prices in cities like New York can run into hundreds of dollars a night. Clothes tend be a bit cheaper over in the States though, as long as you know where to shop. What's your favourite Irish coin? The millennium pound coin. I consider it special as it marked the turn of the century and also, because Ireland fully changed over to the euro a couple of years after the coin was released. Apart from property, what's the most expensive thing you have ever bought? A car. I have a huge interest in cars and as soon as I started working in my current job, I bought myself a new-ish car and changed it a year or two after. What was your worst job? I've never had a job that I could call my worst job. Sure, you'll have bad days in some jobs but I've loved every minute of any of my jobs. What was your best financial killing? I was fortunate enough to win the local GAA Lotto years ago. If you won the Euromillions, what would you do with the money? My first stop would be Crumlin and Temple Street children's hospitals in Dublin, where my sister spent some time when she was younger. Then mam and dad would get a nice chunk of the cheque. Then I'd sort the rest of the gang out with a few bob. iTunes or Spotify? I'm of that generation that went through mountains of CDs and tapes. I'm a huge country music fan and would have gathered a load of CDs. I'm not sure I believe those who say the old CDs and records are dying a slow death - but I don't know where I'd be without Spotify, especially whilst in the gym or out walking. Spotify is also great for long journeys, as I travel a bit with work. Would you buy property now? I don't think I'd get a mortgage just yet. I'm happy enough at the moment living where I am - which is at home. Whenever I will be in a position to climb the property ladder, I think I'd sooner build as I'd much prefer to put my own stamp on things. Do you ever haggle? I am hopeless at haggling - though when I bought my first brand new car a few years back, I reckon I got a good deal. Not sure had it anything to do with my dad being co-haggler though. What three things would you not be able to do without if you were tightening your belt? My mobile phone, my Spotify account and probably my car. Q My daughter is due to return from Australia next month along with her husband and two young children - aged two and four. She has worked there for the last five years. Will she qualify for child benefit when returns - or does she face a wait for it? Mary, Co Kerry Once your daughter and her family are resident in Ireland, she can apply for child benefit (applications are normally submitted in the mother's name). However, she will first have to apply for PPSNs (Personal Public Service Numbers) for the children. Generally, applications for PPSNs cannot be made in advance. However, if the family have firm dates for when they will arrive in Ireland, they can book an appointment in advance at the relevant PPS registration centre by setting up an online account with mywelfare.ie. To complete the PPS application process, on arrival in Ireland your daughter will have to take the children along to a 'face-to-face' appointment at the PPS registration centre. She will need to ensure that she has proof of address in Ireland, valid photo ID (for her and the children) as well as providing a valid reason for why a PPSN is required (such as a child-benefit application form). Your daughter and her husband (assuming that he has lived or worked in Ireland previously) may already have PPSNs here. If they have forgotten or mislaid those, they can make enquiries by contacting the Client Identity Services section in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. Once the children's PPSNs have been registered, your daughter can then start completing the application for child benefit. As part of the application process, applicants are required to meet the habitual residence condition, so the child-benefit application will also need to be accompanied by the HRC1 (the form which helps establish whether or not an individual has habitual residency in Ireland). There are a number of factors that are used to assess if applicants are habitually resident in the State. These include the length and continuity of residence in Ireland, the length and purpose of any absence from Ireland, their nature and pattern of employment, their main centre of interest, and the applicant's future intentions to live in Ireland (as it appears from evidence). In your daughter and son-in-law's case, as they are returned Irish emigrants resuming a previous residence in the State, they should not have too much difficulty in meeting the habitual-residence condition if they can provide a good paper trail of documentation with their application to show that they have severed their ties in Australia - such as, for example, proof to show they have closed bank accounts in Australia, given up a tenancy or sold a property there. They must also be able to show their strong ties to or in Ireland (such as, for example, being born in Ireland and having close family connections here) and demonstrate their intention to remain here (such as proof of a job offer in Ireland, registration with an Irish GP, or enrolment of the children in pre-school) Processing times for child benefit may vary. To speed up the application process on return, applicants should familiarise themselves with the relevant welfare applications, so that they can gather the supporting documentation in advance. All welfare application forms are available from welfare.ie Applications for child benefit can be made online. To apply online, applicants must have a Public Services Card and a verified MyGovID account. Housing for emigrants Q I'm in my late 50s and have been living and working in the US for the last 30 years. I'm Irish and originally from Dublin - but I moved to the US in my 20s. I would like to move back home, so I can retire in Ireland. I've rented in the US all my life - and don't own a property there, or in Ireland. I don't have much savings and can't afford to buy or rent a property in Ireland. Would I qualify for social housing in Ireland and if so, how long would I be waiting on it - and how would I go about applying for it? John, New York Qualifying older Irish emigrants, can apply for limited social housing options in Ireland while still resident abroad, via a scheme administered by Safe Home Ireland. To apply for housing under this scheme, applicants must be older Irish-born emigrants (aged 57 years plus); living in rented accommodation abroad; capable of independent living; and unable to provide accommodation from their own means (such as income or savings) on return to Ireland. Safe Home Ireland does not manage or build any properties itself. It processes applications from qualifying Irish emigrants and tries (with assistance from voluntary housing bodies and local authorities) to match them up with Housing Association schemes back in their native areas. While this scheme allows certain Irish emigrants to be considered for Housing Association properties, it does not give them any element of priority over people applying for social housing from within Ireland. The scheme does not cover other social housing supports, such as council accommodation or help with rent costs in the private sector (such as through the Housing Assistance payment). If you wish to be considered for the broader range of social housing supports, you would have to be living in Dublin first and then apply via the relevant council in order to have your housing needs assessed. If you have the option of coming to stay with family or friends in Dublin, once you are resident here, you could then apply directly to the council (the one that covers the catchment area where are staying or where your strongest local connection lies). The council housing application process can take up to 12 weeks to be assessed. You will have to provide a range of supporting documentation with your application and an income assessment also forms part of the application criteria. What I have outlined above are the various avenues to apply for social housing supports in Ireland. Sadly, when it comes to how it all works out in practice, it is not so straightforward. Once you qualify or are assessed as having a housing need, you enquire as to how long you may be waiting before you are made an offer of accommodation. We really cannot give any timescale as councils throughout the country have their own scheme of letting priorities when it comes to the allocation of social housing units. As a general rule, priority will be given to people or families that are homeless or in crisis and thereafter, a 'time on the list' system applies. There is a housing crisis in all parts and sectors of Dublin. Certainly for anyone applying for council or Housing Association tenancies, they may well be waiting for years before they are offered a secure tenancy. If you return to Dublin under your own steam in the future and need help applying for housing or welfare supports, you could contact Safe Home Ireland (safehomeireland.com), Crosscare Migrant Project (migrantproject.ie) or your nearest Citizens Information Centre (citizensinformation.ie). Karen McHugh is chief executive of Safe Home Ireland (safehomeireland.com); email: info@safehomeireland.com. Email your questions to lmcbride@independent.ie or write to 'Your Questions, Sunday Independent Business, 27-32 Talbot Street, Dublin 1'. While we will endeavour to place your questions with the most appropriate expert for your query, this column is not intended to replace professional advice. The comedic travails of the Bluth family in TV show Arrested Development can be avoided with proper succession planning in a family business Alan O'Neill, author of Premium is the New Black is Managing Director of Kara Change Management, specialists in strategy, culture and people development. Go to kara.ie Last week, I described the challenges that family members face in having a cordial work relationship so that inevitable tension doesn't go from the office to the home. I also outlined some tips to help prevent that, which fundamentally boil down to open communications and planning. In a previous feature, I talked about succession in family businesses and the need for planning in advance. We already know the statistics that show the declining success rate of family businesses as they pass through the generations. It seems that as the family tree spreads out and as siblings, in-laws and cousins get involved, differing perspectives can either enhance or interrupt the rhythm of the business. While there are many positive stories of family businesses that manage succession really well, think about the more negative case-studies that have hit the news in recent years. Many of them are about businesses that are being passed from parent-founders to their own children. The challenges for succession in sibling-founded businesses There is another cohort of family businesses founded by siblings that I'd like to focus on today. Last week I met Tomas O'Connor, one of the founders of O'Connor Pyne Accountants, based in Ballycollig in Cork. With a team of 47 staff, Tomas describes the company as general practitioners for SMEs. However, I was intrigued by its experience and expertise with family businesses in particular. Tomas quoted lots of successes with clients, many of them great family names in the hospitality sector. For those businesses founded by individuals or couples, passing on the business to their own children brings a particular set of challenges. But what if the business is founded by a number of siblings? The issue of succession to more than one set of children is another ball game altogether. That introduces cousins to the mix very quickly in the second generation. The success rate for second-generation family businesses is low and the success rate for families making it to the third generation is in the lower double-digit numbers. That suggests that the risks escalate when cousins work together. On the positive side, the country has many hidden examples of success with preventative measures and it's worth exploring what some of them have done well. Tips on planning for sibling succession Before succession becomes an issue and for various reasons, one or more siblings may feel that the best option is to depart the business, rather than leave their shares to their children and all the challenges that go with that. It could be that the levels of passion and commitment vary across the cousins. Some may have a burning desire to get involved while others may want to pursue a different career altogether. Whatever the reasons, rather than force cousins to work together, these tips will give you food for thought as you plan to exit the business. O'Connor outlined that "according to the Tax Consolidation Act (Section 598) 1997, a departing sibling and partner can legitimately extract up to 1.5m tax-free from their trading business, with certain conditions". They include: You must be aged between 55 and 65 to qualify for the full amount (after age 65, the sum reduces); You must have worked in the business for at least 10 years; You should own at least 10pc of the shareholding; The tax-free amount you receive must match the valuation of your shares at the time of exit of the business; You can also receive a tax-free termination amount; The spouse of the departing sibling also qualifies for a similar amount provided s/he also has at least 10pc shareholding and has worked in the business for the preceding five years. To maximize this opportunity 1 Because every individual has unique circumstances, seek professional advice to help you plan ahead; 2 Construct a shareholder agreement now that takes due consideration of all the opportunities and risks; 3 Due to the 10-year rule, start planning now (especially if you are currently aged between 45-55); 4 Consider how the business will fund this payment, as the money cannot be borrowed to pay for it. The Last Word This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of conditions or steps to take. I'm merely illustrating some alternative possibilities. The more important message is that some sibling founded businesses have taken a preventative approach while recognising the negative risks in succession to future generations. Departing the business through careful planning with the guidance of a specialist is one possible way to avoid that. While the approach that I have taken here is pointed towards sibling-founded businesses, the challenges and the suggested tips will also work for businesses founded by friends or colleagues. The key message is to have open communications and to plan ahead, regardless of your current formation. Locals in the Black Valley, Co Kerry, have had to get used to the delayed arrival of new technology. As Ireland's most remote destination, it was the last corner of the country to be touched by electricity in 1976. It only got a telephone landline in 2007 - because of the challenging mountainous terrain. Broadband is the latest technological advancement to pass the Black Valley by. "We usually are the last on the list - the forgotten people," local resident Susan Tangney told the Sunday Independent. Traditions of the past are somewhat of a unique selling point for the area. The valley is well served by local jarveys who bring tourists through the area with horses and carts. It is also a hive of activity in summer for the local boatmen carrying tourists out on the region's lakes. Cyclists also flock here. Manpower rules the day but locals bemoan the missing piece of key infrastructure. Independent councillor Dan McCarthy lives nearby. He said local businesses and the "forgotten people" are left at a disadvantage because of poor connectivity. "All it says at home in my place is: 'cannot connect'. "We are so dependent on it and for jobs to come around here to this area and we are damned if we don't get it. We are dependent on technology to be competitive." Susan runs the Black Valley Hostel with her sisters Irene and Siobhan. Like the valley itself, the hostel has a history pre-dating the telegraph poles that dot the surrounding landscape. It was set up 70 years ago and was run by their parents Michael and Eileen before them. When the battery operated radio-link phone system that previously served the area was replaced by Eircom (now Eir) in 2007 at a cost of 500,000, there were hopes that good broadband and consistent mobile coverage would soon follow. Susan said this has not been the case. "Everything is done by email these days, everything happens online so it is not easy to run a business without it." She has an internet package with a local provider because she was unhappy with services from major telecoms providers. It uses line-of-sight technology with a transmitter and wireless antenna instead of the wired connection. Mobile phones operate using similar technology but the 70 or so residents in the heart of the valley are not served as they would wish. The signal to the hostel comes from Ladies View, about 5km away across the valley, but the terrain causes issues. "It is very hit and miss," Susan explained. "You have to put the phone up on the windowsill and almost turn it upside-down to get a signal. "If something happens where we are, near the Gap of Dunloe, we are very isolated. "A guy fell off his bike and broke his leg in the Gap on Easter Monday. "There is no mobile coverage in that area, so you would have to run up towards the top of the Gap to get a signal to call an ambulance or seek help." When the then Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte launched the National Broadband Plan in 2011, he promised it would be "the rural electrification of the 21st Century". The plan was to be delivered by 2015. It has yet to be delivered. "They are talking about it and talking about it," Susan said. "Everything is talk and we are getting nowhere. They would want to just get on and do it at this stage. "They seem to waste more money talking about it and putting forward plans. We didn't see any action. "Local elections are coming up now and they'll promise us the world but nothing will come of it. We are sick of hearing it at this stage really." The State is understood to have made a return of four-and-a-half times its investment in Payzone through a stake held by Isif in Carlyle Cardinal Ireland. As first revealed by the Sunday Independent, Carlyle Cardinal Ireland (CCI) put the payments company on the market last summer. Earlier this month it was announced that Payzone was being acquired by a newly-formed joint venture established by AIB and First Data Corporation. CCI bought the business for around 39m in 2015 and the recent sale price is worth up to 100m. About half the initial investment in Payzone was leveraged, boosting the return on the deal, while dividends were also paid to shareholders in the period before the sale. The company grew significantly over the past four years. Daragh Lane, Cardinal Capital Group said at the time of the sale: "When CCI acquired a majority shareholding in Payzone four years ago it processed 61 million transactions a year, delivering a gross transaction value of 1bn to its customers. Today it processes 125 million transactions a year delivering in excess of 2bn of value to its customers and is a well-established Irish fintech organisation that drives significant innovations across many traditionally cash-based markets." Cardinal has also delivered a 16pc return annually to Isif on its Cardinal Mezzanine fund, it is understood. That return came from backing high-risk, high-return deals such as Johnny Ronan's redevelopment of the AIB HQ for Facebook. The fund provides subordinated real estate debt financing for investment, development and loan refinancing. The typical loan size is between 5m and 50m per transaction. Uber Technologies is seeking to raise as much as $9bn (8bn) in an initial public offering that could give the ride-hailing giant a market valuation of as much as $84bn. The leading ride-hailing company plans to offer 180 million shares at $44 to $50 each, according to a regulatory filing made on Friday. The filing puts Uber on track to make its trading debut in May on the New York Stock Exchange in what is expected to be the year's biggest U.S. IPO. At the top of the range, the listing would value Uber at almost $84bn, based on the number of shares outstanding after the offering. On a fully diluted basis, including the addition of stock options, restricted shares or other stakes not included in the outstanding total, the valuation could top $91.5bn. PayPal has agreed to buy $500m of Uber's stock at the IPO price in a private placement. The investment is part of a deal to extend the payment company's partnership with Uber. The two companies plan to work together to develop a digital wallet for Uber, a spokesman for PayPal said. Uber also provided a range for its first-quarter performance in the updated filing. Based on the midpoint of Uber's projections, the company expects to have a net loss of $1.07bn on $3.07bn in revenue in the quarter. Revenue growth slowed to 19pc compared to 22pc in the same quarter last year. At the low end of the range, Uber's market valuation would be just $74 billion - below its last private funding round, in which Toyota invested at a valuation of about $76bn. Uber is taking a conservative approach to its valuation and could later raise the price depending on investor demand, people familiar with the matter have said. Last year, bankers jockeying to lead the offering told Uber it could be valued at as much as $120bn in an IPO. Some recent big listings by technology unicorns have seen valuations come back down to earth after years of access to huge pools of private capital. Shares of Lyft, which made its market debut in March at a $20.5bn valuation after raising $2.34bn in its IPO, have since dropped 22pc - well below their IPO price. Uber's rival has a market value of $16.1bn as of last Thursday, much closer to its last private funding round at $15.1bn. Pinterest, meanwhile, has seen its shares soar since it priced its April 17 IPO below the last private valuation of $12.3bn. It closed 52pc above its trading debut at $28.80 on Thursday, valuing the digital scrapbooking company at $15.2bn. Venture capital firm Benchmark, Uber's second-biggest shareholder, plans to sell the most shares into the public offering, Friday's filing shows. At the high end of Uber's range the sale could net the firm $287m. It would still hold onto 8.5pc of Uber's shares after the transaction. The SoftBank Vision Fund as well as Uber co-founders Garrett Camp and Travis Kalanick also intend to sell portions of their holdings. San Francisco-based Uber's offering is set to be among the 10 largest US IPOs of all time and the biggest on a U.S. exchange since Alibaba's $25bn global record in 2014. Other high-profile startups with plans to go public, or considering it, include Slack, Postmates, Palantir and Airbnb. Uber's offering is being led by Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America. The bankers, along with the company's management, will be hitting the road to start marketing the stock to potential investors, according to a term sheet. They'll travel to cities including New York, London, Boston and San Francisco to pitch the shares, before aiming to set the final price on May 9, the terms show. The presentations are expected to feature comparisons to e-commerce kingpins Amazon and Alibaba. In 2018, Uber lost $3.04bn on an operating basis on revenue of $11.3bn, bringing total operating losses over the past three years to more than $10 billion, according to earlier filings. The company reported a net income of $997m for 2018. The profit was mainly driven by Uber's sale of assets in south-east Asia and Russia as well as an increase in the estimated value of its stock in Didi Chuxing, China's largest ride-hailing company, to which Uber sold its Chinese business in 2016. Bloomberg 'I feel like a real Irish cailin," tweeted the Chinese-born writer Yan Ge. A copy of Being Various: New Irish Short Stories had just arrived in the post and she'd seen that her story, 'How I Fell in Love with the Well-Documented Life of Alexander Whelan', opens the anthology - which also contains work by the likes of Lisa McInerney, Sally Rooney and Eimear McBride. When Yan Ge moved to Ireland in 2015, the first book she read was Town and Country: New Irish Short Stories, edited by Kevin Barry, a previous anthology in the Faber series. Now things had come full-circle. It was, she said, "magical". Melatu Uche Okorie, who came to Ireland from Nigeria as an asylum seeker, responded similarly to the news that her story, 'BrownLady12345', a subtle and nuanced account of a refugee exploring his sexuality, would be published in the anthology. "Would you believe," she wrote in an email to me, "I have three editions of the Faber New Irish Short Stories series? And now I get a chance to be a part of it? This is MY Irish dream come true!" Anthologies matter. Before I was a published writer, before I had started to consider myself an Irish writer, and long before I even dreamed of editing one of them, I too had the David Marcus-edited anthologies on my bookshelves. Whenever I travel to a new place, I buy an anthology of that country's literature. It might be the Dalkey Archive's Best of Contemporary Mexican Fiction or Beirut 39: New Writing from the Arab World or Modern Greek Writing: An Anthology in English Translation. Anthologies are an easy introduction to a place's literature, and an instant snapshot of how that place sees itself. I have several anthologies of ghost stories, too, and love stories, always a sharp glimpse into the psyche of a particular time, and many anthologies of "young" or "emerging" writers. The word anthology, first used in 1624, comes from the Greek word for flower, "anthos", and "logia", meaning to gather. It's a bouquet of flowers, an offering. Anthologies are a joy to read because of this delightful sense of variety: there's always a story, a writer, a mood to suit the moment. But the act of anthologising is a deeply political one, too. The mid-century anthologies of Irish writing on my shelves invariably have only a handful of women writers, and usually the same three or four names. I have anthologies of contemporary Irish literature that do not include a single Northern writer. "New" is too often a synonym for "young". And very few, even those that purport to be 21st century collections, include work by Irish-born or currently-residing writers who have mixed cultural heritage. As Linda Anderson and Dawn Miranda Sherratt-Bado, the editors of the recent Female Lines: New Writing by Women from Northern Ireland, say in their introduction: "There is a risk in the way that anthologies are seen as constructors of a canon. They can be used to cement existing hierarchies and unknown absences." The predecessor to their anthology, The Female Line, published by the Northern Ireland Women's Rights Movement in 1985, came about when its editor, Ruth Hooley, lamented the lack of female writers on further and higher education course reading lists, or on the covers of locally published fiction and poetry. She stated bluntly that her aim for the book was "to highlight what is being written and to encourage more women towards publication". Sinead Gleeson, similarly, described her landmark 2015 New Island publication The Long Gaze Back: An Anthology of Irish Women Writers as an act of "literary archaeology", seeking out writers who had all but vanished, and physically locating texts and work of a suitable length, in order to question and rebut the ways in which women writers are so frequently erased from the canon. Its publication spurred many conversations about whose stories are missing, not just from the literary pantheon, but our quotidian lives. It was at a panel discussion for The Long Gaze Back in Belfast that the four Northern women panellists remarked in incredulity how rare it was to share a stage, and agreed we needed our own anthology, and The Glass Shore: Short Stories by Women Writers from the North of Ireland was born. A good anthology becomes more than the sum of its parts. The stories talk to each other: augment and contradict each other. As the editor, you try to curate the contents in ways that will allow for such conversations to occur. David Marcus saw the energy of his Faber series as coming from the juxtaposition of brand-new writers alongside established and lauded names, so that was my first guiding principle. My second was to focus on writers who began to publish after the Good Friday Agreement. It changed everything for my generation, and for the North, allowing us, for the first time, a plurality of identity; opening the way both practically and psychologically for a new sort of Irish identity. This seemed entirely in keeping with the Marcus spirit. Video of the Day The final rule was that all work had to be brand new. That meant I commissioned writers, rather than selecting from stories already written, so I had little control over subject matter. But I knew from the start that I wanted a good representation of female writers, and writers from the North, and perhaps most importantly of all, of writers who might be Irish by dint of parentage or residence rather than birth. I wanted, also, representatives of the sort of writing that's all too often excluded from self-styled "literary" anthologies. Young Adult fiction is the place where some of the thorniest questions about feminism and bodily autonomy are being addressed, and where the frankest discussions about gender and sexuality take place. The importance of the crime-writing scene in the North, and the way it has confronted the political violence of the past, especially in the absence of a formal Truth and Reconciliation Commission, has long been under, if not unacknowledged. It seemed crucial, too, at a time of rising right-wing rhetoric, when the mainstream media seems evermore intent on normalising the ugliest types of nationalist and neo-fascist sentiment, to make a gesture of openness. Being Various: New Irish Short Stories is a snapshot of where we are, now. It's also a provocation: it asks, just as many of its individual stories do, again and again, questions about contemporary Irishness which cannot be answered, only further complicated. But most of all, it's a celebration - of the range of brilliant writers we have working today, and of the spirit of glorious multiplicity, taking its title from Louis MacNeice's poem, 'Snow', and the lines that are the closest I have to an article of faith: "World is crazier and more of it than we think / Incorrigibly plural." Long may that be the case. I pass on the torch. Being Various: New Irish Short Stories, edited by Lucy Caldwell, is published by Faber Sigourney Weaver has surprised a group of students in the US whose onstage version of Alien became a viral sensation. The actress, 69, paid a visit to North Bergen High School, New Jersey, on Friday after its students take on the sci-fi film was circulated online. Look who stopped by North Bergen High to visit the spectacular cast of Alien: The Play. Thank you, Sigourney Weaver! And thank you, North Bergen High! #AlienDay #Alien40th pic.twitter.com/ObMZh4m4t3 Alien (@AlienAnthology) April 27, 2019 A video posted to the official Alien Twitter page shows Weaver, who played Ellen Ripley in the acclaimed series, meeting the students behind the play. One is heard shouting: I love you. Youre my childhood hero. I cant believe youre here right now, before coming forward to embrace her. Videos of the production went viral last month with fans of the film complimenting its surprisingly detailed costumes and set. This prompted director Ridley Scott to pen a letter to the North Bergen Drama Club, crediting their creativity, imagination and determination. The group revived the play to celebrate the original films 40th anniversary Weavers visit came after she praised the production in a video message last month. Video of the Day She saluted the heart and soul they had put into it. She said: I wanted to send our compliments, not only from me but from James Cameron and the original screenwriter Roger Hill. We all say bravo and well done. Being close to a Luas stop, rather than a Dart station, leads to greater house price increases in the capital, according to a new analysis of the property market. Demand for housing with key transport links to Dublin city centre has a significant impact on the cost of a home, with buyers now paying a premium of 129,000 to live close to light rail links near the capital. Research by property website Daft.ie shows houses within walking distance, or 1km, of Luas stops and Dart stations cost an average of 512,000 in the first three months of 2019, a 4pc increase compared to the same period last year. Luas access had a greater bearing on price hikes in the first quarter of this year. However, the most expensive homes are those close to Dart stations in leafy south Dublin. The analysis of homes close to light rail and tram links to Dublin shows the biggest price increases last year came in areas within walking distance of on the Luas red line between Saggart and Heuston. Prices here increased by 10.4pc in the first three months of the year compared to the same period in 2018. The cost of a home between the Point and Museum stops, also on the red line, increased by 7.2pc in the first quarter of 2019. Daft.ie's Light Rail House Price report, released today, shows buyers are paying 34pc more for properties close to Dart and Luas links. The average asking price in Dublin is 383,000 but this rises by a further 129,000 for houses within 1km of a Dart or Luas stop. Trinity College economist Ronan Lyons said homes along the proposed MetroLink line, due to be completed by 2027, will see further price hikes because of increased demand as the project nears completion. "When people buy homes, they typically buy them for the long term - 10 years or more. Therefore, they plan ahead and it is envisaged that MetroLink will be up and running by 2027, less than 10 years away. "It is likely that, just as the Luas before it, these areas will see extra demand as the MetroLink becomes a reality." Property expert Michael Dowling said the level of premiums people are paying for good transport connections is a surprise. "I am not surprised a premium is being paid to live close to public transport, and when you look at it, Luas has been a success," he said. "The reason is, access to public transport is so important and people will pay the premium, particularly because they are frequent services. I am a little surprised with that level of premium. I would have thought 20pc or 25pc was realistic but 34pc is a significant premium to be paying. "The Luas is the one that seems to be attracting greater premiums for house prices. For example, if you look at Cabra, as soon as the new Luas stop went in there, prices shot up significantly." On the green line, stops between St Stephen's Green and Sandyford rose 7.8pc this year. There was a 5pc jump in prices for houses within walking distance of the stops between Sandyford and Brides Glen, and a 1.1pc increase between the Bloombridge and Dawson stops. House prices close to Dart stations north of the Liffey increased 7.26pc in the first quarter of 2019, compared to the same period last year. South of the river saw similar price changes, up 7.2pc. Michael Dowling said the proposed MetroLink route will also impact house prices in the coming years. Current prices along the proposed route range between 285,000 and 724,000, peaking in Charlemont and bottoming out in Ballymun. "I am not sure the increases there will be as high as 34pc but you will have an increase in house prices by being so close to the route. The Metro is going along a route that is not as well served by public transport currently like the way the Luas route is. The Metro is absolutely going to have an impact on house prices and those areas along the route." Homes within walking distance of Sandymount Dart station are the most expensive included in the survey, costing 870,000 on average. Dalkey and Lansdowne Road are the next most expensive stops at 848,000 and 821,000 respectively. On average, the cheapest homes with access to the Dart are all north of the Liffey near Clongriffin (350,000), Howth Junction (372,000) and Kilbarrack (373,000). South Dublin, and specifically stops along the green line, also accounts for the most expensive homes with Luas access. Houses near the Beechwood, Ranelagh and Charlemont stops cost 788,000, 741,000 and 724,000. The red line accounts for the cheapest homes located within walking distance of a Luas or Dart stop. Homes in Cheeverstown cost 217,000 on average. DNA testing of teeth found in megalithic tombs older than the pyramids has revealed how family members as much as 12 generations apart were buried together by our Stone Age ancestors. A new international study confirmed for the first time through genetic analysis that megalithic tombs, which have always been shrouded in mystery, contain many closely related individuals. Scientists analysed teeth and bones from tombs in Ireland, Scotland, on the Swedish island of Gotland and in the Czech Republic as part of the new genetic study of Stone Age funeral practices. They found 12 Irish individuals from 16 different teeth dated from 3,790 and 3,360 BC. The study reported than some of the family members were "separated in time by at least one generation and possibly up to 12 generations" which meant the tombs could have been used over hundreds of years by one family line. The scientists suggest that the tombs could contain chieftains or village chiefs and mostly their male relatives. The international research team examined the remains of 24 individuals - 11 people from the Primrose Grange tomb and one from the Listoghil tomb at Carrowmore site in Co Sligo. Bones and other remains from the tombs in other countries were included in the study. The megalithic tombs built from 4,500BC along the Atlantic have long attracted speculation, but until now scientists could never determine if they were graves used by societies or by families. The findings show the megalithic tombs held mostly family members and were also heavily male-dominated. "Our results show kin relations among the buried individuals and an over representation of males, suggesting that at least some of these funerary monuments were used by patrilineal societies," said the authors. Researchers, led by Uppsala University in Sweden, radio carbon-dated the human remains to between 3,800 and 2,600BC. DNA was extracted from both bones and teeth for genome sequencing. In the two Irish tombs, there were five close family relationships. Two were first degree (which were categorised as offspring or a parent, or a full sibling) and three were second degree (defined as an aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, grandparent, grandchild, cousin or half-sibling). In the Primrose Grange tomb, they found what was predicted to be a father-daughter relationship, along with a second-degree relationship between another two remains thought to be half-siblings or cousins, with a less likely possibility of a grandfather-grandson or uncle-nephew relationship. The male in the nearby Carrowmore grave and one of the Primrose males were thought to be at least second-degree related - which shows family members were buried close by in neighbouring graves. They also found another of the Irish females had family ties to the males buried in her tomb. It is thought one of the main functions of the tomb was to house the remains of the male line of the family. "This would explain the inclusion of more males than females in the tombs," said the study. But even though there were only two females compared to nine males in the tomb, they both had strong family ties to the men or boys. "The finding that three of the five kinship relationships in these megaliths involved females indicates that female kindred members were not excluded." The findings have just been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The paper, headed by co-first authors Dr Federico Sanchez-Quinto and Dr Helena Malmstrom, explained that starting around 4,500BC, a new phenomenon of constructing megalithic monuments - particularly for funerary practices - emerged along the Atlantic. The researchers compared their gene pool to other Stone Age groups and found they were closely related to Neolithic farmers in northern and western Europe, and also to some groups in Iberia, but less related to farmer groups in central Europe. Gardai are to launch a new plan to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime on public transport following a meeting with a leading safety agency. Notes obtained by the Sunday Independent of a meeting of the Railway Safety Advisory Council (RSAC) - a body with a role similar to the Health and Safety Authority - show gardai will travel on trains and breach geographical boundaries as part of a four-day show of strength against hoodlums and criminals. A separate crime-prevention survey will also take place in Dublin and at two other locations to see what can be done to address increasing disruption on passenger journeys. These will include an urban and rural location to assess the different needs in certain areas. Garda Superintendent Kevin Daly, a senior officer in the community-relations division, met key industry stakeholders at the RSAC last month. It was agreed a publicity campaign was necessary to highlight the issue of anti-social behaviour and the involvement of stakeholders to tackle the issue on trains, buses and trams. The deployment of gardai on trains and buses has been an issue because the travelling involved would lead to members of the force going into other geographical areas and garda divisions. The National Bus and Railway Union (NBRU) has previously called for the establishment of a specialist garda transport unit but this idea was shot down by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. NBRU general secretary Dermot O'Leary said he was concerned "a serious injury or worse will have to happen" before further action is taken to protect drivers and passengers. "Bank holiday weekends are coming one on top of the other now and the weather changes," he said. "That can bring more problems for people travelling on trains and buses. Something needs to be done before it goes too far." Irish Rail said it was concerned about an "upward trend of instances of anti-social behaviour". There were 803 incidents recorded on its services last year, up from 703 in 2017 and 492 in 2016. A spokeswoman said most passenger journeys passed without incident. "We are working closely with the gardai on this issue. We have also deployed more contracted security teams on our services and at stations to reduce the number of instances of anti-social behaviour," she told the Sunday Independent. "We are also in the process of introducing on-board customer-service agents on all inter-city services, which we believe will assist with this problem." Bus Eireann said that the number of incidents on its services was low, adding: "Most anti-social behaviour occurs in city locations from late evening onwards." It has also reported concerns about stone-throwing incidents in Cork and Limerick. CCTV has been rolled out across its fleet and drivers have two-way radio communication with a control centre and an emergency button. A source told the Sunday Independent that gardai in parts of Dublin have been told by senior officers to board buses and come off at the next stop to increase visibility across the network in recent weeks. Dublin Bus said anti-social behaviour was down 18pc on its services. Acting the clown can help people who have suffered a stroke or who have dementia, a leading academic has said. Although such people may no longer be able to speak well, clown therapy can help them express themselves and reduce stress. Doctors, nurses and caregivers could also learn from therapeutic clowning by being more attuned to non-verbal communication, Dr Lenisa Brandao told the Sunday Independent. Dr Brandao is an Atlantic Fellow in the Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity College, Dublin, a speech and language therapist, and an associate professor at a university in Brazil. She will hold a sold-out 'Clown Around' workshop at Trinity College tomorrow as part of Trinity Week. She will be engaged in a number of workshops in Ireland during the coming months. She learned much on how to be a clown from professional clowns. Dr Brandao said stroke is the major cause of aphasia, a communication disorder provoked by damage to language areas in the brain. People, whose ability to speak is impaired, can feel vulnerable when trying to express themselves, she said. "Clowning can be a way of encouraging those people to make a shift in their emotional view of all the changes in their lives as clowning is a lot about viewing failure as success. "A clown is open and does not try to hide vulnerability. Clowning is a way of being vulnerable in a non-judgmental context and to even laugh and look at things differently," she said. "What is usually seen as failure you begin to see as interesting, different and authentic and that this can be viewed with empathy." She said clowning involves the whole body and engages the emotions without speech. "Clowning gives you freedom to use more ways of expressing yourself, you get to express emotions through gestural movements of your body - which can be very helpful for people whose verbal skills are impaired, through dementia or a stroke." Dr Brandao works with people in Brazil who suffered lesions in the left side of their brains - the area related to language. "Often those people would have felt stigmatised and embarrassed making errors when communicating through speech. They had not been using all the ways of communicating non-verbally which prevented them from opening up. Clowning performances can help give a voice for those people. It helps their self-esteem and self-acceptance. "People need to accept the differences and diversity in communication. The whole of society should be more aware and accepting of the diverse ways of communicating," she added. Studies have also found that people with dementia who are visited by clowns can react well and experience a reduction in stress levels. Storm Hannah whipped her way around Grand Canal Dock last Friday night but Ireland's most-stylish VIPs came prepared. As they emerged on to the red carpet at the Marker Hotel for the Style Awards, not a hair was out of place. Anyone who says Ireland's fashion Oscars are not competitive is lying, according to nominee Glenda Gilson. This is a beauty arms race. And by the look of things, even a few of the token men were caught up in the war. Several seemed to have embraced Andy Warhol's mischievous maxim: make-up maketh the man. We love a good style dynasty and several were present. The Garrihy sisters looked stunning in elegantly contrasting outfits. Then there were the Ryans, Morah, Lottie, Babette and Bonnie, who this year eschewed matching gear. The warmly personable Lottie, wearing a purple off-the-shoulder Oh Polly dress, is now making her own way in broadcasting. She said her famous dad Gerry would have struggled in today's PC broadcasting landscape. "I've often thought about it," she said. "When he was around, we didn't have Twitter and Facebook. I think he would have found it tough today with the way things are. I'm sure he would have gotten into a whole load of s**t because he loved being controversial and getting himself in trouble." The DJ added that she regularly listens to tapes of her dad, who passed away nine years ago. "Sometimes I have him on in the car and I get self-conscious if I've the window down that people will be looking over at me in traffic going 'what is she on?'" Social media has changed things for everyone; Gilson pointed out that all the vloggers and influencers can mean it's hard to recognise everyone. From the mesmerisingly beautiful Roz Purcell to Kathryn Thomas, the big names here have daunting Instagram presences and the event unfolded in real time. Rosanna, in a pastel Alex Perry design from the Ivory Closet, said she would resist online post-mortems. "I've had to step back a bit from social media," she says. "It can be unhealthy. I only do it at the very end of the day now." Expand Close Broadcaster Gerry Ryan photographed in 2008. Photo: Mark Condren / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Broadcaster Gerry Ryan photographed in 2008. Photo: Mark Condren Host Maia Dunphy, resplendent in Paul Costelloe, said it was the toughest crowd in Dublin. "It might be the cocktails. It might be because people get competitive. When someone doesn't win you can see all the facial bones clench." Dunphy and Johnny Vegas reunited last year after splitting up, and the year taught her that "love is damn hard. For us we are trying to strike a balance. We are back living in separate countries. We have a three-year-old, so it's pretty exhausting". Many of the women went all out with the sheer size of their gowns and avoiding stepping on trains was one of the parlour games of the night. "The dress cost three grand and she's been in hair and makeu-p for six hours, but if you say she looks good she'll be like 'no I'm only a pile of s**t','' Dunphy said. "If you admit you look good, you've lost the run of yourself." A suspect in the case of a shocking 'viral' video has presented themselves to gardai. The footage online shows a man racially and physically abusing a taxi driver, and has been shared widely on Twitter over recent days. It is understood the incident was recorded on Easter Sunday night in Dublin. Gardai in Clontarf, Dublin have confirmed that they are investigating an alleged assault of a taxi driver. They said a suspect in the case has presented themselves at a north Dublin Garda station and gardai are following a definite line of enquiry. Gardai said they will provide no further comment as the investigation is ongoing. In the footage, a man - who is sitting in the front passenger seat - is seen shouting whats your favourite position? in the face of the driver, before referring to him using a racial slur on several occasions. The man - who appears to be heavily inebriated - then proceeds to attack the driver him referring to him as a f***ing c*** and punching him on several occasions. The passenger then removes his seatbelt and accosts the driver, requesting that he gets out of the car while claiming to be a police officer. The video has been shared hundreds of times on social media with the original poster requesting help in identifying the passenger. It is understood the man is not a member of An Garda Siochana. Derek Devoy, who founded Taxi Watch, a suicide prevention service run by his taxi drivers, said earlier he has been in contact with who he believes is the passenger today. Mr Devoy confirmed to Independent.ie earlier that the man was due to go to a garda station on Sunday evening. I dont want anything that will jeopardise his court case. I just want to get him to the Garda station and after that Im finished," Mr Devoy said. I spoke to him for an hour this morning. Hes 100pc remorseful but I dont think thats going to help him. Vincent Kearns, CEO of Xpert Taxis has worked as a taxi driver and was Vice President of the National Taxi Drivers Union. He said that incidents like this are not uncommon for taxi drivers. Its horrific. Its a difficult one to handle. I spent most of my life as a taxi representative, the head of a union and even now I run a taxi company with over 500 drivers. If I get a driver, whether it be a Nigerian driver or an Indian driver, someone who is easily identifiable by race as not being Irish, I ask them if they have ever suffered any type of racial abuse. The majority of them say, nothing too serious, but yes. On Friday and Saturday night when people are tanked on drink or drugs, that type of talk often happens in taxi. Independent drivers working the street are at the highest risk. Mr Kearns added the majority of such attacks go unreported. If youre out on a Friday or Saturday night driving your taxi and you call for Garda assistance, the likelihood is that they are pushed with more serious issues so the majority of these attacks are never unreported," he said. There are no statistics on how frequently this type of abuse happens, but I can tell you, its frequent enough. Ive certainly heard of many cases of it. Tensions are flaring in Fine Gael over constituency boundaries in a key European election battleground with polling day fast approaching, the Sunday Independent can reveal. Maria Walsh, first-time candidate and former Rose of Tralee, has hit out at her running mate Mairead McGuinness for encroaching on to her side of the Midlands North West constituency in the fight for a seat in the European Parliament. In unsparing comments, Ms Walsh said she "will not be pushed over" and insisted that she would stand her ground against Ms McGuinness who she accused of straying into her designated electoral area. Ms Walsh told the Sunday Independent it was "disappointing" that her party colleague was not sticking to her side of the constituency while canvassing for votes. "It's disappointing from the perspective of a new female candidate because the inclusivity line is important to focus in on and it is a shame because we are both trying to win two seats for the party," she said. The Defence Forces Reserve member added: "As a 31-year-old woman I have a crown and sash from the Rose of Tralee in one hand and in the other hand my marksmanship is 37 out of 40 shots with a Steyr rifle. I'm not here to be pushed over." The new candidate was challenged on the language she used during the Midlands North-West debate on RTE's The Week in Politics on Sunday Expand Close Fine Gael European candidate and former Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh. Picture: North West Newspix / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fine Gael European candidate and former Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh. Picture: North West Newspix Ms Walsh initially said she is "very proud" of being a member of the Reserve Defence Forces and her role representing Ireland abroad as a Rose of Tralee. She was pressed on if she was proud of boasting about her marksmanship during a row with another candidate. Ms Walsh replied: "No not at all. I think that was a flippant comment that didn't belong there." She said the parties aim is to win two seats "securing an effective voice for both east and west". She said it's "factual" that she uses a Steyr as a member of the Reserve Defence Forces and that she is a Rose of Tralee. "There' s no grey areas there. "That's who I am and I think the most important thing here is the fact that it was an interesting line in the sense that people look at perhaps me or any other female candidate as just having on label. "We're many different things." Earlier, Ms Walsh told the Sunday Independent the party's strategy was for her to focus on the West and the North West of the constituency while Ms McGuinness was to canvass the East. A diktat issued by Fine Gael headquarters two weeks ago stated that Ms McGuinness and her team were to canvass Louth, Meath, Kildare, Longford, Westmeath, Cavan and Monaghan, while Ms Walsh was to focus on Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim, Sligo and Donegal. However, shortly before boundary lines were officially issued, Ms McGuinness is understood to have spoken in Ms Walsh's former secondary school, Presentation College in Headford, Mayo. Ms Walsh's camp were also taken aback by advertisements paid for by Ms McGuinness in Mayo and Galway-based local newspapers which made no mention of her running mate. Sources on the serving MEP's team said she was invited to the Headford secondary school long before Ms Walsh was announced as a candidate and insisted the advertisements related to the candidate's work with the European People's Party rather than the election campaign. Ms McGuinness said: "I fully support and am abiding by the party's decision to split the constituency between myself and my very able running mate. It makes perfect sense and the focus of my canvass is exclusively on the counties allocated to me. "Our aim is to win two seats in this large 13 county constituency and I believe we will achieve that." The two Fine Gael candidates are up against Sinn Fein's Matt Carthy, Fianna Fail's Brendan Smith and Anne Rabbitte, and Independent Peter Casey and Luke 'Ming' Flanagan. The Labour Party is running Dominic Hannigan and the Green Party is represented by Saoirse McHugh. People before Profit are running Cyril Brennan and former Fine Gael senator Fidelma Healy Eames is running as an Independent. A GROUP of protesters have gathered outside Health Minister Simon Harris this afternoon, criticising his opposition to fake military parades. Mr Harris was among the most vocal critics of the Easter parades by men and women who marched down OConnell Street in the days after Lyra McKees murder. He said the marches by groups supporting dissident republicans were repulsive, distasteful and sickening. There is only one Irish Army, and the idea of people playing dress-up is repulsive, frankly, he said. But the demonstrators who targeted his Wicklow home today took issue with his commentary. Independent.ie understands Mr Harris was at home during the protest today. Gardai were at the scene. A spokesperson for the minister said: "The Minister's paramount concern is the safety of his family and he is very grateful for the swift response of An Garda Siochana. "The Minister remains focused on his duties and will not allow such attempt at intimidation to succeed." It is the second time the Fingal Battalion have targeted Mr Harris. They posted a message online stating: Simon also slatted people who commemorated our fallen heros but Simon needs to know he would never be commemorated in this country as hes one of Irelands biggest embarrassments. Mr Harris described the previous protest outside his home as very frightening. It was widely condemned across the political spectrum. One of the country's most senior civil servants has warned Cabinet ministers that the 3bn National Broadband Plan does not represent value for money for taxpayers, the Sunday Independent can reveal. An astonishing row at the heart of Government has seen Department of Public Expenditure and Reform secretary general Robert Watt explicitly tell Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe that they should abandon plans to bring high-speed broadband to almost every home and business in the country. It is understood Mr Watt, who is in the running to become the next governor of the Central Bank, is vehemently opposed to the proposed broadband plan as he believes the 3bn price tag cannot be justified. At several behind-closed-doors meetings in Government Buildings, Mr Watt has directly told the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance that spending billions of euro rolling out fibre optic cables to almost every part of the country will not pay off in the long run. "Robert's job is to give the unpopular view and the advice that the politicians don't want to hear," a government source said. "Sometimes it makes him unpopular but it is his job to give this advice." However, Mr Varadkar and Mr Donohoe look set to ignore Mr Watt's advice and become the first Government in the world to introduce high-speed broadband across the entire country. Yesterday, Mr Donohoe said he and his officials have "engaged thoroughly on this plan for many months". However, he refused to address the concerns raised by one of the most senior civil servant in his department after the cost of the plan ballooned from 500m to 3bn. Mr Watt's warning is sure to cause alarm among ministers and Opposition TDs who already have serious concerns about the project. It is understood the National Broadband Plan will be discussed by the Cabinet next week, where ministers will be asked to sign off on a proposal for high-speed online connectivity for all areas of the country not served by commercial operators. A consortium led by American businessman Frank McCourt will be given the green light to commence the first-of-its-kind broadband project once the Cabinet reaches agreement. However, Cabinet ministers are expected to raise concerns with the Taoiseach, Minister for Finance and Minister for Communications Richard Bruton. Several ministers are apprehensive about pumping billions of euro into another State capital project in the aftermath of the National Children's Hospital project controversy. There are also concerns over suggestions the taxpayer is being asked to fork out billions of euro for a massive infrastructure project that the State will not ultimately own. The Cabinet discussion is likely to centre on the value for money in bringing fibre optic cables to homes in the most rural parts of the country. Sources familiar with the plan say bringing broadband to around 443,000 homes is relatively cost effective. But the costs dramatically increase for the remaining 100,000 homes. It is expected some of the more difficult homes to reach will be fitted with domestic broadband receivers which can connect to local transmitter outposts. "You could have a transmitter on a gatepost on the side of the road and the fibre optic cable running into the transmitter and two miles across the field, you have a receiver in the house getting the broadband," a source said. Meanwhile, former Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Brendan Howlin has accused Fine Gael of "abandoning spending controls" and ignoring official advice. The Labour Party leader said the Government's plan to bring high-speed broadband to 543,000 homes and businesses will cost the taxpayer 5,500 per property. "The Government needs to publish far more information to clarify the numbers involved, and to confirm its assumptions about the average cost to connect homes to the broadband network," Mr Howlin said. He said the Taoiseach was "weighing the short-term political benefit of winning seats at the local election over the long-term financial stability of our country" and urged voters "not to be fooled by Fine Gael". Mr Howlin also said it was "outrageous" to make taxpayers pay for a major capital project which the State would not ultimately own. Fianna Fail's communication spokesman Timmy Dooley described the Government's handling of the project as a "monumental failure of the procurement process" as the State is paying for the plan but will not own the infrastructure once it is in place. Under the terms of the current contract, Mr McCourt's consortium will build, operate, maintain and manage the country's biggest broadband network for 25 years. The State will have the opportunity to buy the infrastructure once this period has lapsed. Last month, the Taoiseach said: "At that point, Government has the option to buy, as it is not a commercial piece of infrastructure, one would expect that to be a relatively inexpensive proposition, and at any point if the contractor fails to deliver, the Government can step in and take over." Last year, former Minister for Communications Denis Naughten was forced to resign from his position over his contacts with Mr McCourt. At the time, he attacked the Taoiseach, saying the decision to sack him was "more about opinion polls than telecoms poles" and "more about optics than fibre optics". However, writing in the Irish Independent yesterday he insisted broadband is a now a "basic human requirement". He said introducing high-speed broadband should be treated with the same importance as the introduction of rural electrification almost 100 years ago. Sinn Fein MEP Lynn Boylan has accused the EU of being "overly confrontational" towards Russia and has defended voting against plans to block a Russian gas line. Ms Boylan and her Sinn Fein colleagues voted against a recent European Parliament resolution which was critical of Russia's annexation of Crimea and its interference in European elections. The 'State of EU-Russia political relations' resolution also aimed to block a controversial offshore pipeline which would deliver gas from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea. The Nord Stream 2 gas line is backed by major energy multinationals such as Gazprom, Shell and Uniper. The EU resolution said the pipe line "reinforces EU dependency on Russian gas supplies, threatens the EU internal market and is not in line with EU energy policy or its strategic interests, and therefore needs to be stopped". Ms Boylan and Sinn Fein colleagues Matt Carthy and Martina Anderson voted against the directive. The vote was passed, with 402 MEPs voting in favour of the final resolution, 163 against and 89 abstentions. Responding to queries about her voting record, Ms Boylan said the EU had "imposed restrictive measures" against Russia since Vladimir Putin's annexation of Crimea and said this resulted in the Kremlin responding with its own restriction. "This spiralling escalation has weakened the strength of global diplomacy and contributed significantly to increasing global tensions," she said. Ms Boylan added that the resolution published in March was "overly confrontational" towards Russia as it was "calling for the continuation of a foreign policy approach that offers no solution to the reckless power game being played between Russia and Nato". She also said: "There are many valid and justifiable reasons to criticise the Russian government for failing to protect human rights and uphold international law. However, the approach contained in this report is lock-step in line with Nato military policy, is recklessly confrontational and can only serve to worsen the situation." On the gas pipe line, Ms Boylan said she voted against the directive because it gave to EU Commission too much power over member states' gas policy. "This represents the commission expanding its control over the internal gas market to cover aspects of the gas network in third countries," she said. "While Gazprom and Nord Stream 2 are certainly not the type of state-led investment we support, we are nonetheless opposed to the expansion of regulations designed to push a liberalised economic model on EU member states and third countries." In 2015, Sinn Fein abstained from an European Parliament resolution which condemned human rights abuses in Russia and criticised Putin's annexation of Crimea in the Ukraine. Its basically an Irish vineyard, thats exactly what it is, but its apples in an orchard. Mark Jenkinsons 12-acre orchard in Slane, Co Meath, is in full bloom. He is one of more than a dozen craft cider makers in Ireland who says craft cider is experiencing a revival on the coattails of the craft beer movement. But craft cider is nothing like beer, Mark says, its closest cousin is wine. And apple blossom walks taking place around the country this spring are helping to grow its name. Mark, who gives pre-booked tours, explains: It was called the wine of the north. If you look at a map of Europe: where the wine regions stop, the apple regions start. In parts of Germany for example, they have apple wine which is really quite wine-like." Making real or craft cider is identical to winemaking. If you make it very carefully, its exactly the same, its quite difficult to tell the difference, and it can taste like a dry white wine. I make a traditional cider from pressed apples the apples are brought in from the orchard, washed, pressed into a pulp, and the juice is fermented into cider... The only difference between wine and cider is the alcohol content. Wine is 12 or 13 per cent alcohol because grapes have a higher sugar content. Apples ferment to five or six per cent alcohol. In America at the moment theres a huge revival in cider... and a lot of us cider makers are hoping for a revival here as well. Marks cider, Cockagee, is a keeved cider - only cider apples are used to make it; no sugar, no water, or anything else is added - which features on menus at Michelin starred restaurants like Mews in West Cork and Aniar in Galway, and Adare Manor in Clare. A cider apple is "bitter and sweet," Mark says. "Theyve a different texture, theyre quite dry and mealy, and most people have never come across them." Different yields produce different vintages of cider, just like wine. And one nights frost could potentially wipe out an entire crop of apples, says Olan McNiece who makes Dan Kellys cider. A frost hasnt done that for us but you might have various levels of damage. My father can remember a frost that wiped out the whole crop. And after that you still have to maintain your orchard and take care of it for the next year. Its an expensive way to farm. This weekend, Olan is hosting apple blossom walks in aid of Drogheda Homeless Aid and SOSAD. It is a beautiful environment, people travel to France to visit vineyards... Its the fault of ourselves that we dont publicise it enough. Honey bees, bumble bees and solitary bees are busy pollinating while hares, rabbits, badgers and foxes run around, and buzzards, crows and pigeons play. 'Live and let live' is Mark Jenkinson's modus operandi. Im one of the few cider makers that let my orchards almost grow wild. Some others have got bottom lines and accountants chasing them, so [the orchards are] highly managed. I have half a dozen beehives, a large farm pond that acts as a drinking hole like in Africa. It attracts wildlife in from all over because its a water source. Rupert Atkinson, sales and marketing manager for cider and brandy at Longueville House Cider in Mallow, Cork says their operation is "as biodynamic as possible." Were as biodynamic as possible. We havent gone the full steps for going organic because that takes years. We do understand and I have read a bit about planting by the moon and harvesting by the moon (a principle in biodynamic production), but if a storm is coming you dont want to wait for the moon cycles. Its all taken into consideration but sometimes you just cant wait. Have we just witnessed what happens when identity politics gets real? Have we just witnessed a generation maturing beyond identity politics and into the real world? Have we just witnessed terrorism and nationalism disrupted in the way that taxis, food delivery, retail and family values were disrupted? Is it #Time'sUp for terrorism? Is it #Metoo for murderers? We need to be careful not to lay too much on Lyra McKee's shoulders, to expect too much from her. There is no doubt last week constituted some kind of a moment. No one could have predicted the ripples, or perhaps the tsunami, that emanated from the death of Lyra. It caught a lot of people by surprise. You were tempted to think it might not resonate ''down here'' as much as it did ''up there''. But that was old-world thinking. That was thinking from a time when there was a notional border. It was a mistake to think Lyra would not cause an earthquake down here because she was not of this tribe. Lyra did not work according to the old tribal network of Catholic or Protestant, up there or down here. Lyra was part of many other tribes though, and they were tribes without frontiers. She was part of a tribe of fearless Northern female journalists. She was part of the LGBT tribe, part of the Harry Potter tribe, part of the Marvel tribe, part of the tribe of ceasefire babies who never saw the spoils, part of the social media tribe, part of the millennial tribe. And when one of their own is attacked, these tribes don't see county or country or creed. And they rallied around and said: "Actually. No." They are not inured to violence the way we were. They aren't dulled to victims the way we were. We were all inoculated against horror for too long. We were grateful for peace, but we did not take a lack of violence for granted the way this generation does. They saw this act for what it was and they saw it with complete clarity, not just the latest victim, the latest atrocity. They saw one of their own out doing the kind of thing they do, being shot in cold blood. And they don't think it's acceptable. You would hope that this is the watershed people want it to be in Northern politics, but looking at the two main parties already adopting entrenched positions, you'd wonder. The murder of Lyra could be a watershed moment in another way, however. Is this the moment when Irish millennials, North and South, graduate to ''real'' politics? Issues of gender, sexuality, language, offence, mental health and identity politics in general are important issues to this generation. And millennials and GenZ-ers have effectively, in an astonishingly short period of time, disrupted years of thinking, custom and practice in these areas. But there is a sense that they sometimes fail to engage with what you might call the traditional realm of politics - call it old politics. They get indignant about housing a bit but they aren't hugely agitating on economic issues in general. They are exercised about climate change but we haven't yet seen them turn the traditional politics end of environmentalism - the Green Party - into the force you feel it should be at this moment in time. Up to now, in many ways, millennials have been happy to leave old politics, traditional politics, in the hands of the older crowd. They march but they don't run. They prefer direct action to representative democracy. They fight the system from outside. It is remarkable really that traditional politics on this island, along with, to a certain extent, education, are two huge arenas that have not been disrupted by the huge changes wrought by technology and by wokeness. The media, music, film, TV, theatre, the social scene, dating, food, shopping, health, transport have all changed hugely in a short time. We've seen massive tipping points. But the same kind of people still run the North - older, tribal, out of touch. Certainly there has been an element of identity politics grafted on to the Northern divide. It's telling that two of the main issues allegedly keeping them from having a government in the North are now gay marriage and the Irish language. But the optics of Northern politics now are that an older out-of-touch generation is holding everyone back and causing tragedies like the death of Lyra. There is a more powerful and more damning optic too. The narrative that has emerged from Derry and specifically from the Creggan over the last 10 days has been one of older men - ''conflict junkies'' - manipulating underprivileged kids, giving them guns and petrol bombs. It is a familiar image of these times - out-of-touch old men from the past, desperately trying to hold on to power and relevance, vampires whose time is up, feeding greedily off youth. The image of Brian Kenna of Saoradh perhaps sums it up. And something extraordinary has happened in the Creggan this past week. The Creggan is Woke. They are not afraid anymore. They are helping the police, 140 of them in the first few days of the investigation into Lyra's death. Unthinkable before last week. They are changing the nature of graffiti in broad daylight. They are daubing blood-red hands on the wall of a dissident HQ. They are taking the symbols and the techniques of the social revolution of recent years, even using the hashtag notinmyname, and they are applying them to the land where time stood still. Back in the 1990s, the time in which the sitcom Derry Girls is set, two groups of young people from either side of the divide might have had difficulty thinking of things that Catholics and Protestants had in common to write on the blackboard. But if that scene were re-enacted in 2019, you can be sure they'd think of plenty. Those who thought that there was unfinished revolution in the North might find that it is not the revolution they were expecting. The murder of Lyra McKee could become a lightning rod and rallying call for a new revolution, by young people who reject the past, who reject violence, who won't have it, who are calling time's up on tribalism and who are starting to realise that from Harry Potter to the Marvel Universe to the lack of a future, to mental health, to revulsion at the cold-blooded murder of one of their own, they have more in common with each other than they do with an out-of-touch generation of politicians and paramilitaries who are stuck in the past. The stalemate in the North has continued for well over two years. The institutions of devolved government established under the Good Friday Agreement have not functioned since January 2017. The 'New IRA' murder of Lrya McKee 10 days ago has added a fresh impetus to efforts to restore those institutions, as formally announced by the Irish and British governments last Friday. It is to be hoped that the talks among the Northern parties succeed. But the obstacles appear insurmountable, particularly as the incentives for what have become the two main players - the DUP and Sinn Fein - to make compromises are extremely limited. The talks are scheduled to begin after this week's local elections in the North. If these elections show a significant swing from the two hardline parties, the calculus for Sinn Fein and the DUP could change. But there is little expectation of any such shift. If anything, the trend of the past two decades is set to continue. The last time voters in the North went to the polls, for the 2017 Westminster election, the DUP won 36pc of the vote, by far its best performance in election history. Sinn Fein also had its best election, winning almost 30pc of the vote. By contrast, the centrists of the SDLP and the Ulster Unionists had their worst ever performances. One of the flaws of the Good Friday Agreement was that it created incentives for voters to move from the middle-ground parties, which had dominated Northern politics for so long, in favour of the more extreme parties. This, incidentally, is exactly what happened in the European peace process that is most similar to Ireland's, that of Bosnia Herzegovina. The experience of both places shows that intense electoral competition (this week's elections in the North will be the fifth poll since the last local elections in 2014) in divided societies with limited trust in shared political and civic institutions gives an advantage to those who claim to take the hardest line in defence of their respective communities. The Agreement, signed just over 21 years ago, was negotiated at a time of global decline in non-democracies and the emergence of a belief that democracy was inevitable. This was best encapsulated by the 'End of History' thesis of political scientist Francis Fukuyama. The Irish version of this at the time was the captured in the phrase "politics works". The intervening two decades have shown that politics does not always work, in the North, in Bosnia and in the dozens of countries around the world where democratisation processes and democratic institutions have not brought well-functioning democracies. Given its weaknesses, the Good Friday Agreement should not be seen as some sort of a sacred text. Nor should it be conflated with the peace process, as happens frequently when politicians claim that it is the reason violence ended. There is a need for conceptual clarity: the Agreement was the political outworking of the peace process. It is thus part of the peace process, and an important part, but it is not the peace process. Like any policy instrument, it has flaws and needs flexibility when those flaws become obvious. But making changes to the Agreement at this juncture would be even less likely to succeed than restoring its institutions of devolved government. And even that looks harder than ever given the polarising effect of Brexit, Sinn Fein's (related) push for a border poll, the role of the DUP in propping up Theresa May's government, and the emergence of a new and deep division between the two largest parties on social issues. Each one is worth exploring in more detail. The hammer blow of Brexit Opinion polls show the two communities are spilt both on leaving the EU and on the backstop. On the nationalist side, those polls suggest almost complete opposition to Brexit and overwhelming support for the backstop. The unionist side is different, but not by much - and not by nearly as much as is often portrayed south of the Border. While there is a minority of unionists who did not back Brexit in 2016 and who now support the backstop, including some significant economic interests, both the DUP and UUP (in other words, all of political unionism) vehemently oppose the backstop. Those two parties share the view that if it were to kick in, the status of the North would be changed. As UUP leader Robin Swann recently wrote, "the backstop undermines the principle of consent underpinning the Belfast Agreement", going on to say that it "is a direct attack on the bedrock of the Agreement". Nothing in the text of the Agreement points to his interpretation being wrong. Sinn Fein's border poll push Most normal political parties in democracies have a range of objectives. For Sinn Fein, getting "England out of Ireland", as was emblazoned on a banner behind which the party's leader marched recently in the US, is the objective which trumps all others. All events are viewed through the prism of ending partition. Brexit has shifted opinion among the nationalist community in favour of a united Ireland. In the past, many in that community were content to avoid the disruption and risks that a unification process would cause. But the prospect of being locked into a union in which English nationalism is a significantly more powerful force than before has changed things. For Sinn Fein, pushing a border poll will be more difficult if it returns to a devolved government with the DUP. As in other areas, being free of the responsibilities of government allows it to pursue its over-riding objective more freely. The destabilising role of the DUP in Westminster What is now the North's largest single party did not sign the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. Many of its senior figures have never bought into its devolutionary intent, preferring full integration with "the mainland". It is for that reason that a return to direct rule from London has never been viewed negatively by the party. Since it has held the balance of power at Westminster, the prospect of direct rule from London, over which the DUP could expect to have some sway and be seen by its supporters and opponents alike to have sway, is all the more appealing. The architecture of the Agreement is fragile, with Dublin and London governments book-ending the political process, which, among other things, provides buttressing pressure to keep the institutions standing. Since 2017, the British government has depended on the DUP for its majority in Westminster, something that has inevitably undermined London's role as a straight player in the process (Sinn Fein having a role in government in the Republic, something that is far from impossible, would have a similar effect). The Agreement did not envisage the delicate architecture being destabilised in this way. Culture wars have created a new fissure As if differences between the two hardline parties were not great to begin with, the rapid opening up of another fissure has made matters even more intractable. In recent years, Sinn Fein has shifted from being socially conservative to become socially liberal. The DUP has remained staunchly socially conservative. As a recently as a decade ago, same-sex marriage was still viewed by most politicians as a fringe issue. Just half a decade ago, change to the prohibition on abortion was not supported by any of the major parties. On abortion, Sinn Fein dropped its pro-life policy stance as recently as 2015. Prior to that, both Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness had described the party's position as "anti-abortion". Now Sinn Fein is ardently pro-choice and is seeking change to the North's prohibition on abortion, along with legalisation of same-sex marriage, as part of whatever grand bargain might be struck to bring about the restoration of devolution. The 'culture wars' between conservatives and liberals has become a more important aspect of politics in many western countries in recent years, with each side increasingly intolerant of the position of the other. This has infected the politics of Northern Ireland, where tolerance of the other side's positions was already in short supply. None of these factors augurs well for a sustained and successful restoration of the North's political institutions. Add into the mix the low esteem in which the current secretary of state, Karen Bradley, is held almost universally, and the deep distrust among unionists of all hues of her interlocutor and counterpart, Tanaiste Simon Coveney, and the chances of a breakthrough appear even more remote. So, I was looking for something on the internet, as you do. And I came across a quote, as you will. Then, having followed that up, I remembered something else. Pretty soon, I had a long page of dates and notes on a variety of events. I remembered each of these things from when they happened, over a period of almost 30 years. Each one came with its own excuse, or reason, or explanation of why it was in all our interests. It's only when you see them laid out, in sequence... Most of us think of a government as a kind of referee. Various interest groups compete, and the referee rules on what matters and who played fair. That's the theory. And though I never really bought into that notion, I didn't entirely disbelieve it. After all, we change governments every so often, don't we? And politicians have to answer to the voters, don't they? Today, many people believe there's a housing emergency. Gross psychological damage is being done to large numbers of children, aside from the misery that's wrecking the lives of adults. It's not just the thousands of homeless who are affected. The dysfunctional (but very profitable) property market distorts the lives of countless people who watch their plans crash into reality. Many have demanded that the Government declares an emergency, and employ urgent measures. Such calls are ignored. And it's now 13 years since a national emergency was declared in our hospitals' accident and emergency facilities. This column has long hammered home a belief: when a solvable problem is not solved over a period of years, it's not a problem, it's a policy. Here's the sequence of events that left me looking at my long page of dates and scribbles, and wondering what the hell... October 1983, the Seanad sits all night, and the Oireachtas rushes a Bill through in one day, to protect the PMPA insurance company. Using a business model that was unsustainable, PMPA sold cheaper car insurance to capture the market. It went belly-up. Warned that this could lead to catastrophe for motorists, the Government stepped in and picked up the tab. Five months later, March 1984, the Insurance Corporation of Ireland (ICI) went belly-up. It had been a State company, but it had been privatised. Only the private sector, we're told, has the necessary sense of enterprise. ICI was bought by Allied Irish Banks in 1983, for 86m. The bankers were bugger-all use running an insurance company. Within a year, ICI was up to 200m in debt. Warned that this could lead to catastrophe for Irish banking, the Government stepped in, took over ICI and the State paid its debts. As with PMPA, a levy was slapped on the rest of us. AIB went on its merry way - having had a disastrous entrepreneurial fling, for which we picked up the tab. In 1988, the Government ordered a tax amnesty. For years, the Irish rich had been treating tax as optional. The PAYE classes had marched in huge numbers in the late 1970s, protesting at the tax burden which largely rested on them. Much of the anger was misdirected at farmers - it was true there were various ways some farmers could game the system, but the big problem was the rich. They had vast arrangements for fraudulent schemes - fake non-resident accounts, fake offshore accounts, real offshore accounts. They simply refused to pay tax. By 1988, it was an embarrassment, and the State was in dire need of money, during a prolonged economic recession. The money the rich was hiding was openly referred to as "hot money". The amnesty - which demanded no payment of interest, no penalties, no questions asked or answered - would bring the hot money "ashore". It would allow the rich to become law-abiding. This, they were warned, was their "last chance". The amnesty was expected to bring in about 50m. It brought in 517m. It became clear the frauds had been gigantic, the rich were very, very, very rich. In August 1990, the Oireachtas was recalled to pass emergency legislation when the Goodman meat company got into trouble. Today, in the face of a collapse of the normal accommodation market, the reaping of vast profits and the imposition on countless citizens of continuing misery, the Oireachtas remains unmoved. In 1990, TDs were hauled back from holidays when one company got into trouble. In 1993, there was another tax amnesty. Revenue was against it, as was the Department of Finance. Nevertheless, the fix was in, the amnesty was enacted. If you brought in your dirty money, the Government would launder it for you, at a charge of 15pc. There was a terrific bonus. The amnesty was handled by special tax officers, sworn to secrecy. Fraudsters remained anonymous, and got a certificate of clearance. Any subsequent questions raised about your tax affairs, you merely waved your cert and Revenue had to back off. Violent criminals, as well as fraudsters, took advantage of the 1993 amnesty to launder their money, and their reputations. The 1993 amnesty brought in 260m (that was 15pc of the money disclosed, so the total hidden from Revenue was over 1.7bn). Danger now loomed for the rich. In February 1997, the McCracken Tribunal was set up. In September, the Moriarty Tribunal was set up. In October, the Planning Tribunal. These would unearth an array of tax frauds, some involving politicians. Happily, in that same year, the Taxes Consolidation Act of 1997 was passed. Section 1078 (7) said: "Proceedings in respect of an offence under this section may be instituted within 10 years from the date of the commission of the offence." This 10-year rule would become an impediment to Revenue when it sought to bring the tax fraudsters to account - from the Ansbacher shower to the fake offshore crowd, with all the still-hidden scams in between. The frauds of the rich ran from the 1970s into the 1990s. The 10-year rule effectively gave them an advance amnesty for any behaviour that might be uncovered. In 2008, the bankers collapsed the financial system. In September of that year, the Government stepped in with a 440bn guarantee, which put the State in hock to preserve the credibility of the European banking business. In 2011, the Sean Quinn empire collapsed, as Ireland's richest man blew his billions, gambling in an effort to become richer. Part of this involved Quinn Insurance, another unsustainable business model, offering cheaper insurance in pursuit of easy profit. Oh dear, must avoid catastrophe for all of us: so, another bailout, another levy, which is where we came in 29 years earlier, with PMPA. Two separate streams of activities, within the same timeline, led us to where we are. One: a policy of the State persistently taking emergency action at our expense when misfortune afflicts private enterprises. Two: a policy of ignoring the criminality of a wide swathe of rich people, helping them transfer unlawful assets from outside the system to inside it, legitimising the gains from blatant illegality. At the same time, Government refuse us the emergency action required to counter the social effects of market failure. We've been the fall guys, financing the consequences of incompetence, deceit and greed. It's not just that the referee is making the odd bad decision. The referee is playing for the other side. During the years of near-permanent Fianna Fail government, a golden rule of Irish politics was that taoisigh-in-waiting had first to do some time in the Department of Finance. Jack Lynch, Charlie Haughey, Albert Reynolds, Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen all duly served as Minister of Finance before becoming Taoiseach. It was a kind of apprenticeship, to test their mettle, to see if they were up to the number one job. The Minister of Finance has to deal with rival budgetary claims from Cabinet colleagues, has to assess the merits of competing demands from vested interests, and, perhaps most importantly, has to have the strength of character to say ''No''. If you could stay afloat in this job, the logic was that you had the correct temperament for one more promotion. This rite of passage rarely applied to Fine Gael, John Bruton being the one exception, because the party was never in office long enough. But now the political rulebook has been rewritten, and with the old guard in Fine Gael removed, the informal rules of government that once applied to Fianna Fail now apply to Fine Gael's young turks. More specifically, this means that after the crisis-management years of Michael Noonan, Finance may yet again be an apprenticeship for future leaders. The current incumbent, Paschal Donohoe, is having none of it, saying he's not interested in the top job. But then he could hardly say otherwise, could he? Of more relevance is whether the top job would be interested in him. Has Paschal Donohoe demonstrated the correct mettle in Finance to convince the powers that be that he is up to a future promotion? While few would deny that he has the intellect for the post, it is debatable if he has yet accrued the necessary political experience, a far more valuable asset. When Donohoe was appointed Minister of Finance by Leo Varadkar in June 2017, it might have seemed an obvious progression from the Ministry of Public Expenditure and Reform (a post he kept), but he was barely in that job more than a year. In fact, when this promotion to Finance came along, Donohoe had only been in the Dail six years, and only in Cabinet three years. In contrast, Brian Cowen was 22 years in the Dail before he was appointed to Finance, Bertie Ahern 14 years, and Albert Reynolds 11 years. Another obstacle facing Donohoe was an image he had with the public of being perhaps too nice a guy for Finance, potentially one not able to say no. One party mandarin unsympathetically recalled emotion getting the better of Donohoe, when, as party secretary, he had the task of distributing ballot papers in the unsuccessful heave against Enda Kenny in June 2010. This more saccharine side to Donohoe is best encapsulated in his portrayal on RTE's Callan's Kicks, where the Minister has the audience oohing and aahing to his very word. But lest anyone be fooled by this image, Callan's satirical depiction of Donohoe also cleverly intimates that he uses it to always get his way. "We only have a certain amount of money," is Donohoe's trademark response. Never a truer word spoken in jest. Take the story reported last Christmas about eight junior ministers of state accosting Donohoe because they weren't afforded the same allowances as backbench TDs. Oliver Callan couldn't have scripted Donohoe's response better: "I listened carefully to what they had to say, but made very clear in context of pressures in finances, we need to be very careful about changes we make. I don't have any plans to make immediate changes on support available." It's not just with his colleagues that Minister Donohoe is playing hardball. Last week he penned an opinion piece in The Irish Times headed 'Let's not forget the State is a good employer'. It was a message deliberately targeted at any public sector bodies looking for wage hikes, just as the nurses before them had recently tried. He reminded readers that "public service employment offers terms and conditions that are, in truth, beyond what is available in many parts of the private sector". Minister Donohoe did not pull any punches about the future viability of pay agreements, warning unions that a fundamental bargain is at stake, which on their part requires "a full commitment to ensuring industrial peace and co-operation with reform". But these pay demands could pale into insignificance compared to the potentially spiralling costs of major capital projects. The bill for the now-infamous Children's Hospital is likely to reach 2bn, and yet this is something the seemingly prudent minister was not aware of, despite his civil servants having been briefed on the issue last October. And now we have the National Broadband Plan, priced at 3bn, but also with the potential to rise and rise. The Department of Finance is firmly opposed to the additional rural broadband extension, and it is well aware of the criticism its minister received last year from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council for a failure to maintain "prudent economic and budgetary management", which left the public finances more exposed to potential shock. The Department of Finance in most countries is renowned as a conservative lot, and while ours might have thought they had found a like mind when Paschal Donohoe was appointed, in recent months such opinions may well have wavered. Yes, the minister may be well read in the field of economics and fiscal conservatism, but he is first and foremost a politician. And for politicians the primary goal is re-election. Paschal Donohoe knows this more than most, having scraped home without reaching the quota last time out. So as we draw nearer to the next election, we are going to see the minister having to weigh up the management of the public finances against the realities of auction politics. Already, he and the Taoiseach have agreed to postpone any changes to the Local Property Tax, shelving an inter-departmental report that suggested only upward increases in the tax. Minister Donohoe attempted to stand eyeball to eyeball with the nurses' unions earlier this year, before he came to an arrangement that suited both sides. But can he do likewise with the two departments he heads in Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform? Paschal Donohoe faces the age-old political quandary of whether it is better to be feared or loved. Being feared by unions might give him power to keep a rein on the purse-strings, while being feared by his civil servants might give him some power to loosen them. On the other hand, all politicians want to be loved. They need to be, or they'll be out of a job. Paschal Donohoe is a clever guy. He's well aware of this dilemma. He's also well aware that this is a crucial stage in his apprenticeship. He cannot afford to slip up this early in his ministerial career. Given his interest in political philosophy, he could do worse than turning to the ''how-to'' guide on being a ruler: Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince. One passage of this 16th-century text is particularly illuminating: "In the question whether it is better to be loved rather than feared, or feared rather than loved. It might perhaps be answered that we should wish to be both; but since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved." Minister Donohoe needs to be feared more than loved. Otherwise he'll be Paschal the Pretender, not Paschal the Prince. Dr Liam Weeks is a lecturer in the Department of Government & Politics at University College Cork Michael Fassbender with his partner Alicia Vicander and his parents Adele and Josef at a civic reception in Muckross House, Killarney on Friday evening. Photo: Don MacMonagle When it comes to celebrity watching, there are few more joys than when two bonafide A-listers set up camp in Ireland. When Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds moved here last year while she filmed The Rhythm Section around Dublin and Wicklow, there was a veritable parade of paparazzi shots of two of Hollywood's most influential actors on a regular basis. "The people are very warm and friendly and open and willing to chat about, you know, whatever. And when they ask you how you're doing, it's an actual question," Reynolds said of their time here earlier this week. Now it's Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander's turn. This is less of a shock to the system due to the fact that Fassbender is Irish - from Killarney, Co Kerry, specifically - but his star power is no less impressive. He's been nominated for two Oscars, three Golden Globes and four BAFTAs and this time around, he's joined by his wife, who won her first Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2016. The couple have set up camp in Dublin in recent weeks as Vikander dives headfirst into filming The Green Knight, a sci-fi epic filming in Tipperary and at Ardmore Studios in Wicklow, opposite Dev Patel and Barry Keoghan; which makes for a consistent feed of pictures and updates of this A-list pair's antics in the capital. What to do Expand Close Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender Alicia has visited our shores numerous times over the years in a personal capacity as Fassbender's long-term partner. She visited his family home in Kerry for the first time in 2016 when her husband was inducted into the Order of Innisfallen, the highest honour his hometown issues for being an extraordinary citizen. My dad has been there four times in his life and its actually one of his favorite places. Ive grown up hearing about this beautiful place and I finally got the chance to go there last year. The coastline and the mountains are just stunning," Vikander told the Irish Sun in 2016. So I was very happy to finally get the chance to travel around Kerry for the first time. Its really nice and I feel quite at home in Ireland. This time around, she has been making the most of her time in Dublin and was spotted socialising earlier this month at Stephen's Green club 9 Below Ex Machina co-star Domhnall Gleeson, Patel, actor Joel Edgerton and girlfriend Christine Centenera, as well as Liam Cunningham and Love/Hate's Laurence Kinlan. Where to stay Video of the Day Expand Close Actress Alicia Vikander seen on crutches entering The Merrion Hotel / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Actress Alicia Vikander seen on crutches entering The Merrion Hotel When it comes to long-term luxury in Dublin for visiting stars, there are two options: one is a luxury home rental and the other is a stay in either The Shelbourne, where Patel is holed up, or The Merrion, where Vikander is currently residing. The five-star hotel located in Merrion Square has hosted countless celebrities over the years including Cameron Diaz, Bruce Springsteen, Mark Wahlberg, Rihanna and former US president B ill Clinton. There's only one entrance which means it's harder to make a discreet entrance or exit, but it makes up for it in opulence. On Saturday, Vikander was pictured using crutches as she made her way to her temporary digs after reportedly injuring herself on-set. Where to eat Expand Close Joel Edgerton with Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander with employees at Rosa Madre in Temple Bar. Picture: Instagram / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Joel Edgerton with Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander with employees at Rosa Madre in Temple Bar. Picture: Instagram Since landing in Dublin, Fassbender and Vikander have been availing of a myriad dining options around the city, shunning the usual upscale options in favour of more down-to-earth choices. To ring in Fassbender's 42nd birthday, they dined at Shouk restaurant in Drumcondra, enjoying a quiet meal for the occasion. "They both seemed really relaxed and were enjoying their evening like any other normal couple," a source told us at the time. While their Hollywood pals flew into town, they were pictured at Rosa Madre, the legendary Italian restaurant in Temple Bar. The eatery is considered one of the best Italian seafood restaurants in the city and if not for some gracious posing with staff, their visit would have gone entirely under the radar. Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry the Duke of Sussex arrive at the residence of Moroccan King Mohammed VI in Rabat, Morocco February 25, 2019. Yui Mok/Pool via REUTERS Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive for a visit at a cooking demonstration, where children from under-privileged backgrounds learn traditional Moroccan recipes, at the Villa des Ambassadors in Rabat, Morocco, February 25, 2019. Tim P. Whitby/Pool via REUTERS Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Duke and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex meet Simon Weston and Alun Cairns (R) as they attend a reception to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the investiture of the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace on March 5, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England The Duchess of Sussex arrives at Canada House in London for a Commonwealth Day youth event celebrating the diverse community of young Canadians living in London and around the UK Meghan and Harry, left, Kate and William, centre, and Meghan, at an earlier event, right, celebrating Commonwealth Day in London (L-R) Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (L), talks with Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (R) as Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, stand by attending the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London on March 11, 2019 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex walk through the walled public Andalusian Gardens which has exotic plants, flowers and fruit trees during a visit on February 25, 2019 in Rabat, Morocco. (Photo by Facundo Arrizabalaga - Pool/Getty Images) Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex during the JLR Drive Day at Cockatoo Island on October 20, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation) Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the unveiling of The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy in Redvale on October 30, 2018 in Auckland, New Zealand Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex speak on stage during WE Day UK 2019 at The SSE Arena on March 06, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images) Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan "can't wait" for the arrival of their first child. Meghan, who married Harry in May 2018, is heavily pregnant, but excited about what the future holds for their family. A source told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: "It won't be long now. Meghan's really excited. Of course she's nervous like any first-time mum but she and Harry can't wait." Meghan reportedly wants to stay at home for as long as possible when she goes into labour, although she's aware that the hospital is the safest environment for her to be in. The insider shared: "She's been preparing for the birth - she wants it to be as natural as possible - and so has been practising hypno-birthing and breathing techniques with Harry. "It's been a huge support having her mum by her side and now she's just getting as much rest as she can." The British royal couple could welcome their child into the world at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey - which is a short drive away from their home in Windsor. The source said: "The plan has never changed, Meghan has been very clear what she wants. She is taking medical advice daily and she and Harry are very flexible and will be guided by their team. "When she goes into labour, she wants to remain at home for as long as possible but she's in a situation where if something did go wrong and she had to be whisked to hospital, she would be." Una-Mary Parker, who has died aged 89, was a journalist and author who spent 10 years as social editor for Tatler before writing a series of steamy "bonkbuster" novels beginning with the bestselling Riches. She and her husband, the royal photographer Archie Parker, were a high society couple of the 1960s and 1970s, and she regularly made headlines of her own wearing couture dresses by Franka and hats by Madame Vernier at Royal Ascot and smart parties. Of Scottish and Anglo-Irish descent, she was born Una-Mary Nepean Gubbins in London on March 30, 1930. She came from a family of diplomats; her maternal grandfather, while stationed in Tokyo in 1890, compiled a Japanese/Chinese dictionary and a Japanese/English dictionary. Her uncle, General Sir Colin Gubbins, was the prime mover behind the establishment in 1940 of the Special Operations Executive. Her childhood was not particularly happy - her father had a tendency to gamble and her parents broke up when she was young - and she was largely brought up by her grandmother. Remaining in London throughout the war she was educated at home, and as an only child, was used to entertaining herself. She started writing when she was six and had her first story published in The Scotsman when she was 12. She also won competitions in local papers and magazines. She took riding lessons in Hyde Park until she was 13, when the master exclaimed: "Oh dear, look at you now, and you promised to be such a pretty girl!" She was presented at Court as a debutante in 1947. In 1951 she married Archie Parker, great-grandson of the Earl of Macclesfield. After her marriage she became a journalist, writing at various times for the Daily Mail, the London Evening Standard and Queen (before it merged with Harper's Bazaar to become Harper's & Queen). Meanwhile, she also helped her husband Archie in his photography business from the late 1950s. Their clients included Somerset Maugham, Pietro Annigoni, Nubar Gulbenkian and Yves Saint Laurent; often they photographed their subjects out of the studio, during weekends in Paris, the south of France and Italy, as well as in London. In the early 1960s, they were commissioned by the British royal family to take official photographs, as well as portraits to mark the 15th birthday of Princess Anne and the first few birthdays of Prince Andrew. During the 1970s and into the dawn of the booming 1980s she was social editor of Tatler, the magazine that chronicled the party-going of the rich and brash, and she wrote the social column there for 10 years. It was said that her address book held 5,000 entries. After giving that up, she became an events organiser, arranging up to 19 charity bashes every year including the annual Poppy Ball, for the Royal British Legion, though she wound down the party-planning as her novel-writing took off. Video of the Day It was in 1984, by which time her marriage had ended in divorce and she was living with the actor Edward Duke, that she fulfilled her lifelong ambition to write a novel. The result, published in 1987 by the newly-founded firm of Headline, was Riches, about Tiffany, a Park Avenue costume designer. The doorstop-sized book became a bestseller on both sides of the Atlantic, though The Daily Telegraph's Patrick Gale observed that it was "worth reading only for its punctual sex scenes, which assume an air of metaphysical poetry in their striving after unusual verbs". A representative passage read: "Electric sparks seemed to fly whenever he held her close, and his groin was on fire. He wondered if she felt the same." Nevertheless, the novel sold in large numbers and more in the genre followed, notably Scandals, and Temptations, which was "over the top, but deliciously entertaining", enthused the Telegraph's Anthony Looch in his regular Guide to Bodice-Rippers. Joan Collins bought the film rights to Forbidden Feelings (set in the Scottish Highlands) and Broken Trust. In all, Una-Mary Parker produced more than 20 books, translated into 11 languages and selling more than eight million copies. When asked how she researched the torrid erotic content of her fiction, she joked: "Does a writer of murder stories need to commit one?" Una-Mary Parker had her own brush with criminal investigation when in 1993, in a widely reported episode, she was recruited by police to help in the surveillance of a network of suspected social security fraudsters occupying a nearby house in the Knightsbridge square where she lived. She kept a discreet eye on her suspect neighbours while taking her two King Charles spaniels, Max and Lottie, for walks. "The dogs were a very useful decoy," she explained, adding that the experience had provided essential background for her books, one of which, A Guilty Pleasure, required a knowledge of police protocol. She was also in demand as a royal pundit on radio and television, and reported through the night on the occasion of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, on August 31, 1997. Una-Mary Parker, who died on April 11, was known for her irrepressible party spirit, her deep voice and for always being immaculately dressed and bejewelled: when staying with friends for country weekends, she could be seen striding across the fields in her silver fox coat and high-heeled boots. She would always wear full hair and make-up - "in case someone rings me". Una-Mary Parker, who latterly lived with a poodle called Toffee, is survived by her two children, Buffy and Baba, seven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Telegraph Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] ISLAND UNDER SIEGE: Armed security personnel at the site of the gun battle between troops and Islamist militants. Picture: Reuters Fifteen people, including three women and six children, were killed this weekend when a bomb was detonated as police raided the home of more suspects linked to Sri Lanka's Easter Sunday attacks. Police discovered a significant haul of explosives and weapons in the Friday night raid, which ended in a shoot-out and explosion - and underlined the scale of the terror network on the island. Two further suspects linked to the Easter bombings were also said to be on the run after a gun battle with police. The wounded from the blast included the wife and a daughter of Mohamed Hashmi Mohamed Zahran, the mastermind of the Easter Sunday raid. Photos show the charred remains of one child and the body of another wearing a green T-shirt with the words "good boy" written on the back. Police curfews have shut down areas of Sri Lanka, and Catholic leaders have cancelled Sunday Masses indefinitely. Officials urged Muslims to stay home for prayers. Fear of more attacks has led to increased security at churches, shrines, temples and mosques across the multiethnic island nation of 21 million people. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the archbishop of Colombo, said church officials had seen a leaked security document describing churches of all denominations as major targets. He asked the faithful across Sri Lanka to stay at home. It was an extraordinary request for a Catholic clergyman to make, as churches often remain a refuge. A church historian said he believed it was the first time the church had cancelled Masses across a country for security reasons. Friday's casualties raised further questions about Sri Lankan security services, which have be dogged by claims they missed key warnings about the rising terror threat. Reporters yesterday visited a coconut plantation where intelligence agencies found a cache of explosives and bomb-making materials back in January. It was on these 80 acres of farmland near Wanathavilluwa in the country's north-west that Sri Lankan CID officers found more than 220lb of explosives and containers of explosive chemicals. The January haul by detectives investigating an increasingly militant Islamist extremist group then known only for smashing Buddhist statues should have set alarm bells ringing. Yet while four people were arrested at the time, two were quickly freed and police downplayed the find, making no mention of its link to the National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) group. Four months later, with 253 people dead in last week's bombings, the Sri Lankan government is reeling from accusations that they could have been prevented. The government faces criticism that it not only failed to spot the NTJ threat in January, but then did not act on detailed warnings - of targets, times and operatives - given by Indian intelligence chiefs in the weeks before the blasts. Officers at the site of the gun battle found 150 sticks of blasting gelatin and 100,000 small metal balls, as well as a van and clothing suspected of being used by those involved in the Easter attacks. Suicide bomb vests are often packed with such balls to increase the shrapnel in the explosion, making them even deadlier. Another man was detained on a tuk tuk with 2.2lb of C4 explosives near the Wellawatta railway station in Central Colombo, heightening fears of a second wave of attacks. Government intelligence sources said they are investigating whether NTJ founder Zaharan Hashmi and fellow bombers had used the plantation site in the north-west as a training ground or base. Residents of the nearest village said the site had been rented out to a group of men for several months before January's raids.Lorries regularly drove down to the land, which also contains a small chicken farm. The district is renowned for heroin and hashish smuggling across the Palk Strait to India and the coconut plantation is only around 500 yards from a lagoon. The land belonged to a young Muslim businessman who was arrested in January and is thought to be still in custody. He is said to have told neighbours not to visit the farmland when the new tenants arrived and village boys who used to steal coconuts stopped amid rumours it was had been booby-trapped. Zahran Hashmi studied in India and used the country as a base to upload fiery sermons attacking other religions. He is thought to have regularly smuggled himself in fishing boats to Sri Lanka. Indian security agencies warned Sri Lanka about possible bombings after its National Intelligence Agency (NIA) investigated an Isil-sponsored cell that was planning to kill prominent south Indian leaders. During the inquiry, the NIA had stumbled upon Hashmi's videos asking young people from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, as well as Sri Lanka, to work towards establishing an Islamic Caliphate in the region. India arrested and charged seven people accused of criminal conspiracy to target Hindu leaders and activists who were critical of Islamist terrorism. All were found to be in contact with Hashmi and were sharing Isil propaganda on social media. Communications surveillance by the Indians then discovered chatter about a plot to target churches and Colombo was repeatedly tipped off in the weeks ahead of the attacks. The last warning came only hours before terrorists strolled into hotel breakfast buffets and Easter church services. Complacency over the threat and a dysfunctional government riven by infighting had meant the intelligence was not shared or acted upon. While Sri Lanka's Muslims have been viewed as a "model community" that supported the government in the fight against the Tamil Tiger rebels in the country's civil war, they have increasingly been preyed on by outside radical preachers, Rohan Gunaratna, a terrorism expert said. It was only after 9/11 and the US invasion of Iraq that radical preachers began coming to Sri Lanka, added Gunaratna. The Manchester office will also expand from 20 to 50 people over the next six months and move to a bigger location (Dave Thompson/PA) Challenger bank OakNorth has unveiled plans to further expand its operations outside of London, in a bid to attract regional business owners. The lender, which has previously backed the likes of Leon and Notes Coffee, has ramped up hiring in Manchester, the Midlands and the South West to keep up with demand for its business loans. It comes as the UKs biggest fintech players compete to gain national recognition, with Monzo creating hundreds of jobs in Cardiff while lender Iwoca has pledged to loan 100 million in the North by 2020. OakNorths new hires will make it easier for regional businesses to apply for funds from the bank, which has lent more than 3 billion since it launched in 2015. Ben Barbanel, head of debt finance at OakNorth, said: One of the features about our process that our borrowers greatly appreciate is the ability to discuss their finance needs directly with the Credit Committee. Expand Close Ben Barbanel (OakNorth/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ben Barbanel (OakNorth/PA) To ensure we can continue offering this experience whilst providing British businesses and property developers with access to customised debt finance options, we have made several senior hires in Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham all of whom have incredibly strong regional knowledge and over a century of experience between them. Christopher Swarbrick, who joins from Europa Capital Debt Investment, will head up the Manchester office. He will be joined by David Rowlinson, formerly of Investec. The Manchester office will also expand from 20 to 50 people over the next six months and move to a bigger location. Meanwhile in Bristol, OakNorth has poached Tom Windett from HSBC as its first hire in the South West. Christopher Richards also joins from RBS as the first appointee in Birmingham. OakNorth more than tripled its profits in 2018 as its loans facilities surpassed 2 billion. Profits before tax rose 220% to 33.9 million last year, while total loan facilities grew 160% to 2.2 billion. It lends between 500,000 and 40 million to profitable British businesses with ambitions to scale up. Its clients to date include Leon, NetPay and Raymond Blancs pub and restaurant group Brasserie Bar Co. A man on a docking bay on the coast of Pemba city (Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi/AP) Flooding has began in parts of northern Mozambique that were hit by Cyclone Kenneth three days ago. The government has urged many people to immediately seek higher ground, with hundreds of thousands of people at risk. Authorities have said at least five people died after the storm arrived on Thursday evening with the force of a Category 4 hurricane, stunning residents of a region where a cyclone had not been recorded in the modern era. A shocking aerial image following #CycloneKenneth in Macomia, Mozambique today. Damages are severe, many homes and infrastructure are completely destroyed. @UNOCHA_ROSEA / Saviano Abreu pic.twitter.com/MDcQyjx08D IFRC Africa (@IFRCAfrica) April 27, 2019 Kenneth came just six weeks after Cyclone Idai ripped into central Mozambique and killed more than 600 people. The remnants of Kenneth could dump twice as much rain as Idai did, the UN World Programme has said. It was the flooding after Idai that caused most of the deaths. Heavy rain was falling in the main city of Pemba, which had lost power. As much as nine inches of torrential rain, or about a quarter of the average annual rainfall for the region, is forecast over the next few days. Nearly 700,000 people could be at risk in the largely rural region, many left exposed and hungry as waters rise. Some rivers in the region have burst their banks in the past, notably in 2000. With streets nearly deserted in Pemba, a few braved the pouring rain. One woman held a plastic dish over her head, negotiating a flooded street. We just got back from a fly over the area affected by #CycloneKenneth in Cabo Delgado, #Mozambique, and we are heartbroken by the level of destruction we saw. Check this video with Gemma Connell, the Head of @UNOCHA_ROSEA, explaining the situation: pic.twitter.com/8BXIEPKCzK OCHA Southern & Eastern Africa (@UNOCHA_ROSEA) April 27, 2019 I have never seen such rains in my life, this doesnt happen in Pemba. The storms we sometimes have, but such rains, never, said a 35-year old resident, Michael Fernando. Aerial photos taken on Saturday showed several coastal communities flattened by the storm in Mozambiques northernmost Cabo Delgado province. Not a single house is standing anymore, Saviano Abreu, a spokesman with the UN humanitarian agency, told reporters after the aerial assessment. With many houses built of mud, wooden poles and metal roofs destroyed, families have begun wading through rising waters to what they hope are safer areas or huddling under impromptu shelters. This was the first time in recorded history that the southern African nation has been hit by two cyclones in one season, again raising concerns about climate change. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has reported heavy damage to Cabo Delgado province, with the communities of Macomia, Quissanga and Mocimboa da Praia of highest concern. About 3,500 homes in parts of Cabo Delgado were partially or fully destroyed by the cyclone, with electricity cut, some roads blocked and at least one key bridge collapsed. Pope Francis has donated 500,000 US dollars (387,000) to help migrants in Mexico offering assistance to local projects that provide food, lodging and basic necessities. The funds, from the Peters Pence collections, will be distributed among 27 projects promoted by 16 Mexican dioceses and religious congregations, Peters Pence said in a statement. Expand Close Migrants cross the border between Mexico and Guatemala (Moises Castillo/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Migrants cross the border between Mexico and Guatemala (Moises Castillo/AP) In recent months, thousands of migrants have arrived in Mexico, travelling on foot or with makeshift vehicles from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. But they have been blocked at the border with the United States. In particular, the aid is intended to assist the more than 75,000 people who arrived in Mexico in 2018, in six migrant caravans. All these people were stranded, unable to enter the United States, without a home or livelihood, the statement says. San Diego County Sheriffs vehicles line up outside of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue (Denis Poroy/AP) A gunman opened fire inside a synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of a major Jewish holiday, killing a woman and wounding the rabbi and two others, authorities have said. President Donald Trump and other elected officials decried the attack which comes exactly six months since 11 people were killed at a Pittsburgh synagogue in the deadliest assault on Jews in US history. An off-duty Border Patrol agent working as a security guard at the Chabad of Poway fired at the shooter as he fled, missing him but striking his getaway vehicle, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said. The gunman, identified as John Earnest, 19, used an AR-type assault weapon, Mr Gore said. There were indications that the gun might have malfunctioned after firing numerous rounds inside the synagogue, the sheriff said. Update #5 @SDSheriff Bill Gore confirms one person was killed and three others were injured in the #synagogueshooting at Chabad of Poway. Our hearts go out to those affected by this incident. 19-year-old man was arrested in connection with the shooting by @SanDiegoPD. San Diego Sheriff (@SDSheriff) April 27, 2019 Update #8 from @PalomarHealth's Trauma Surgeon on wounded victims: Rabbi is in surgery after suffering defensive wounds to his index fingers. 34-year-old man and minor patient were hit by shrapnel from bullets. They're doing well. Minor has been transferred to @radychildrens. San Diego Sheriff (@SDSheriff) April 28, 2019 Shortly after fleeing, Earnest called police to report the shooting, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said. When an officer reached the man, the suspect pulled over, jumped out of his car with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody, Mr Nisleit said. A girl and two men were wounded as the Jewish congregation gathered for Passover, a weeklong commemoration of the deliverance of the ancient Hebrews from slavery in Egypt. The three were in stable condition, authorities said. Expand Close Two people hug outside the Chabad of Poway synagogue (Denis Poroy/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Two people hug outside the Chabad of Poway synagogue (Denis Poroy/AP) A Jewish leader in the San Diego area identified the victims of the shooting. Lori Kaye, 60, of Poway was killed, Rabbi Yonah Fradkin, executive director of Chabad of San Diego County, said in a statement. Those injured in the shooting on Saturday were Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Noya Dahan, eight, and Almog Peretz, 34, he said. In the face of senseless hate we commit to live proudly as Jews in this glorious country, he added. We strongly believe that love is exponentially more powerful than hate. We are deeply shaken by the loss of a true woman of valour, Lori Kaye, who lost her life solely for living as a Jew. Earnest has no criminal record, but investigators were looking into a claim he made in an online manifesto about setting a fire at a mosque in nearby Escondido last month, Mr Gore said. There was damage but no injuries. Mr Gore said authorities were reviewing copies of his social media posts and were investigating the attack as a possible hate crime. Update #9 @SDSheriff Gore: We are serving search warrants for the suspect's home, car and the Chabad of Poway. We are also working with @FBISanDiego, @ATFHQ & @EscondidoPolice to check John Earnest's possible involvement in the arson and vandalism of mosque in @Escondido_CA. San Diego Sheriff (@SDSheriff) April 28, 2019 There was no known threat after Earnest was arrested, but authorities boosted patrols at places of worship as a precaution, police said. Minoo Anvari, a member of the synagogue, told media outlets that her husband was inside during the shooting. She said he called to tell her the shooter was shouting and cursing. She called the shooting unbelievable in a peaceful and tight-knit community. We are strong; you cant break us, Ms Anvari said. Expand Close San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore, centre, speaks outside of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue (Denis Poroy/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore, centre, speaks outside of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue (Denis Poroy/AP) Donny Phonea, who lives across the street from the synagogue, turned off his power drill and heard someone shout, Police! Then he heard three or four shots. The 38-year-old bank auditor looked over his fence facing the synagogue and saw people hiding behind an electrical box in the car park of a neighbouring church. At that point, he knew something was very, very wrong, went inside and closed his doors and garage. Im a little taken aback, said Mr Phonea, who moved to Poway two weeks ago. I moved here because safety was a factor. Poway is very safe. Mr Trump offered his sympathies on Saturday, saying the shooting looked like a hate crime and calling it hard to believe. Our entire nation mourns the loss of life, prays for the wounded and stands in solidarity with the Jewish community, Mr Trump said later at a rally in Wisconsin. We forcefully condemn the evils of anti-Semitism and hate, which must be defeated. The mayor of Poway, who tweeted that he got a call from the president offering help, also denounced what he called a hate crime. Hate has no place in ANY community... least of all Poway. We will put our arms around each other and walk through this tragedy as the family we have always been and always will be. #PowayStrong Steve Vaus (@SteveVaus) April 27, 2019 I appreciated the Presidents call from Air Force One offering assistance following the tragic shooting in @cityofpoway - I told him Poway will stand together and wrap our arms around the victims of this senseless, hateful act. Steve Vaus (@SteveVaus) April 27, 2019 I want you know this is not Poway, Mayor Steve Vaus said. We always walk with our arms around each other and we will walk through this tragedy with our arms around each other. Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom said he joins the community in grief. No one should have to fear going to their place of worship, and no one should be targeted for practising the tenets of their faith, he said. Residents of Pittsburgh gathered at the Tree of Life synagogue for a vigil in the wake of the shooting. We gather. Again. Always. Until we drive hate speech & acts of hate out of our city, our state, our nation, our world. pic.twitter.com/37LtUTc1vc bill peduto (@billpeduto) April 28, 2019 Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto tweeted a picture of the gathering of over 100 people in a steady rain. It was accompanied by text that read: We gather. Again. Always. Until we drive hate speech & acts of hate out of our city, our state, our nation, our world. The Tree of Life released a statement, saying We know first-hand the fear, anguish and healing process such an atrocity causes, and our hearts are with the afflicted San Diego families and their congregation. Emergency crews work at the scene of a construction crane collapse in Seattle (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times via AP) A construction crane fell from a building on Googles new Seattle campus during a storm that brought wind gusts, crashing down on to one of the citys busiest streets and killing four people. One female and three males had died by the time firefighters had arrived on Saturday afternoon, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said. Two of the dead were ironworkers who had been inside the crane while the other two were people who were inside cars, Fire Department spokesman Lance Garland said. A 25-year-old mother and her four-month-old daughter were in a car that was smashed by the crane on its passenger side, and both managed to escape with only minor injuries, Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan said, calling it a miracle. They and a 28-year-old man were taken to Harborview Medical Centre. A fourth person also was injured and treated at the scene. This is a tragic day in Seattle with this catastrophic incident in the heart of our city. My heart breaks for those who lost loved ones today. Please avoid the area so that investigators can continue their work. https://t.co/zlI5hYDR9Z Mayor Jenny Durkan (@MayorJenny) April 28, 2019 The King County Medical Examiners Office said it would not release names of people who died until Monday. There has been a major incident at Fairview Ave & Mercer. Please avoid the area. @SeattleFire, @seattledot, @OEMSeattle, & @SeattlePD are coordinating our response. My thoughts and prayers are with those killed and injured. Mayor Jenny Durkan (@MayorJenny) April 27, 2019 My thoughts and prayers are with those killed and injured, Ms Durkan said on Twitter. The crane collapsed near the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue near Interstate 5 shortly before 3.30pm local time, Mr Scoggins said. The city has dozens of construction cranes building office towers and apartment buildings. As of January, there were about 60 construction cranes in Seattle, more than any other American city. Officials do not yet know the cause of the collapse. Police and the state Department of Labour and Industries were investigating, which Ms Durkan said could take months. Expand Close A construction crane fell in Seattle, pinning cars underneath (Greg Gilbert/The Seattle Times via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A construction crane fell in Seattle, pinning cars underneath (Greg Gilbert/The Seattle Times via AP) Daren Konopaski, the business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302, which represents heavy-equipment operators, told The Seattle Times he understood the crane was being dismantled when heavy winds moved through the area. We dont know, but thats what seems to have happened here, he said. We are in the process of trying to get information. The incident at Fairview Ave N and involved a crane that fell into traffic. 5 cars were crushed. There are a total of 4 fatalities, and 3 injured patients that have been transferred to the hospital. pic.twitter.com/HM3PBZ5Udt Seattle Fire Dept. (@SeattleFire) April 27, 2019 Update: the incident at Fairview Ave N and Mercer street has an 8th patient that was treated on-scene and not transported. This was the 6th car with damage from the fallen crane. Seattle Fire Dept. (@SeattleFire) April 28, 2019 The National Weather Service in Seattle said a line of showers moved over Seattle just about the time the crane fell. An observation station on nearby Lake Union showed winds kicked up with gusts of up to 23mph at 3.28pm, just about the time officials said the crane fell. It was terrifying, witness Esther Nelson, a biotech researcher who was working in a building nearby, told the newspaper. The wind was blowing really strong, she said, and added that the crane appeared to break in half. Half of it was flying down sideways on the building, she said. The other half fell down on the street, crossing both lanes of traffic. Washington state governor Jay Inslee said in a statement: Trudi and I join all Washingtonians in extending our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the four people who died in this afternoons tragic accident. The office building the crane fell from was badly damaged, with several of its windows smashed. A Google spokesperson said in a statement that the company was saddened to learn of the accident and that they were in communication with Vulcan, the real estate firm that is managing the site and working with authorities. Harborview spokeswoman Susan Gregg said on Saturday night that the mother and baby had been discharged, while the man injured was in satisfactory condition. Avengers: Endgame isnt just a film. Its an emotion, a phenomenon. The movie is having a profound effect on the entire world. For the last two days, people all over the world rushed to their nearby and even far away theatres to watch the culmination of 10 years and 22 films of Marvel Cinematic Universe. And everybody is making efforts to avoid spoilers. From people quitting social media to schools urging students and teachers to not spread spoilers, everyone is currently soaking in the after-effects of the emotional roller coaster that Avengers: Endgame was. Also Read: Man Gets Beaten Up Outside Theatre In Hong Kong For Shouting 'Avengers: Endgame' Spoilers My teacher is so serious he just had to make note of it#AvengersEndGame pic.twitter.com/ghoNheDIIW Kamilious (@kamiilious) April 26, 2019 If you have not watched it yet, let us tell you if you are a true Marvel fan, you will cry in the theatre maybe numerous times. Chris Evans AKA Captain America said that he cried six times after watching the movie. And this 21-year-old woman in China was hospitalised because she cried uncontrollably while watching the film. Also Read: Keep Your Tissues Handy! Chris Evans Says He Cried 6 Times While Watching Avengers: Endgame Twitter After watching the surprise and dramatic end to the Avengers: Endgame, this woman reportedly named Xiaoli, began to hyperventilate. So much so, that she was facing difficulty while breathing, her hands and feet were numb, and she couldnt even stretch out her fingers. She was rushed to the hospital immediately. I saw that the patient had been breathing heavily, and according to the description from her peers, we thought that her crying had caused hyperventilation. We immediately gave her oxygen and relaxed her emotions by appeasement, reducing her hyperventilation symptoms, one of the emergency doctors was quoted as saying by China News. If you havent watched Avengers: Endgame yet, just be okay, pals. Joey Tribbiani might not know that 'Joey' is not his family name but Tribbiani is. but what he DOES know is how to make us laugh with his crazy one-liners. He might not like sharing his food but he does know to be there for his friends through thick and thin. It might a little tough to pick out our one favourite character from the sitcom FRIENDS but we do have a soft corner for joey because he is just too adorable. Here are some of the best one-liners from Joey that you must read, and then read again. 1. "Well, the fridge broke, so I had to eat everything." 2. "How you doing?" tenor 3. "Joey doesn't share food." Tenor 4. "You hung up on the pizza place? I don't hang up on your friends." Tenor 5. "I am curvy and I like it." Tenor 6. "It's like a cow's opinion, it just doesn't matter, it's moo." tenor 7. "That is a great story, can I eat it?" Tenor 8. "Oh sorry, I hear "divorce", I immediately go to Ross." Tenor 9. "Why do you have to break up with her? Be a man. Just stop calling." Tenor 10. "Over the line? you are so far past the line that you can't even see the line. The line is a dot to you." Tenor 11. "Don't put words in people's mouths You put in people's mouths. " Tenor 12. "You don't own a TV. What's all your furniture pointed at?" Tenor 13. "It is not what you said, it's the way you said it." Tenorcms Legal in some places and illegal in others, Marijuana is the most popular drug known to man. Most of us have tried it, and some of us deny it. From rolling one to dropping it in a bong, we humans have found innovative ways to interact with marijuana. Pop culture references and its important role in the lives of people struggling with health issues, have created two sides to its story. And while much has yet to be known, researched and proven, here are the facts we do know about. 1. It's now legal to use marijuana recreationally in eight U.S. statesAlaska, California, Colorado, Oregon, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Washingtonand the District of Columbia. Unsplash 2. Marijuana is, in fact, the most commonly used criminalised drug substance in the United States. Unsplash 3. People have used medicinal marijuana to ease everything from glaucoma to the side effects of chemotherapy. Unsplash 4. According to a 2012 study done in Italy, trace amounts of marijuana are wafting through the air around the Colosseum and the Pantheon, as well as in seven other Italian cities. Unsplash 5. It is certainly possible that smoking weed could help people who suffer from migraines and other types of headaches. Unsplash 6. Edibles made with cannabidiol (CBD) are generally viewed as healthier as opposed to marijuana that is smoked. Unsplash 7. One of the most interesting facts about marijuana is that it is actually getting stronger. Unsplash 8. One can be allergic to pot and it doesn't necessarily suit everyone. Unsplash 9. Smoking marijuana is no more addictive than candy. Unsplash 10. It can also increase the intensity of your orgasms. Some companies have even tried to create THC-infused lubes to increase sensation. Unsplash 11. It's well-known that pot can sometimes cause paranoia. But in 2011, doctors reported another possible negative side effect of marijuana: cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. Here's a hint as to what that might be "emesis" is the Latin for "vomiting. Unsplash The history and personal stories of South Asians in the Gulf, and Khaleejis in South Asia This is how the account Gulf South Asia describes itself on Instagram. The account serves as platform for numerous Indians and Pakistanis who are living in the Gulf, making a living and sharing the stories of their lives. South Asians have been migrating to Gulf for work for centuries now after the cultural and commercial exchange began between the two regions. Close to 3 lakh Indians travel to Gulf nations each year for work. Gulf South Asia, captures the lives and memories of people connecting Persian Gulf and South Asia in the 20th century. Abdelhaq is the local barber in Al Mureijah neighbourhood in the heart of Sharjah. Abdelhaq, originally from Delhi, grew up in the UAE and was taught to cut hair and attend to the men in the neighbourhood by his father. I met Abdelhaq the first time a few months back during Ramadan, while exploring Sharjah. I remember walking into his shop just as the maghreb prayer was about to begin, and he was cutting open a huge watermelon. He was very quick to offer me a piece. Abdelhaqs father opened this shop - Al Abyad Gents Salon - in Sharjah in 1974 and Abdelhaq has been working in his fathers shop for over 26 years. My father passed away in this shop a few years back, he tells me while offering me a stool to sit. Dont you want to go back to India after all these years away? No, this is where my life is. - says a post on the account. Another post is a photograph of the crew of Emirates' inaugural flight on October 25, 1985, from Dubai to Karachi. (Gulf News Archive). EMBED 2 The crew of Emirates' inaugural flight on October 25, 1985, from Dubai to Karachi. (Gulf News Archive) Emirates airline was conceived in 1985 after Gulf Air began to cut back its services to Dubai. Pakistan International Airlines played a large role in the establishment of the new carrier by providing technical and administrative assistance as well as leasing two planes. Captain Fazle Ghani Mian was part of the team involved in the launch of Emirates inaugural services, and was the pilot at the controls of flight EK600 to Karachi on 25th October 1985: "I came to Dubai [from Pakistan] on the 1st of October 1985 and met with HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and then Emirates Airline Managing Director Maurice Flanagan and their teams. We discussed the tasks ahead and how we wanted to proceed. On the 18th of October a group of 100 pilots, flight and aircraft engineers, maintenance staff, among others all came to Dubai to initiate the planning stages, and we began test flights from then on to ensure everything would operate to plan. I was also tasked to train UAE National pilots. They were trained in Dubai and got their commercial licenses from the Civil Aviation Authority in Pakistan. We had some great memories from the first flight. Some of the flight caps were oversized for some of our pilots and they looked quite funny with them on their heads. However, that was a minor detail. We pushed back and took off on time, and this signaled a great achievement for the airline in such a short period of time." Sources: Emirates Media centre, Wikipedia Gulf South Asia is set up by Ayesha, a writer and Arabic translator, born in India and brought up in United Kingdom. Her interest in Gulf evolved after her relatives including her grandfather - recounted experiences of living in those nations. She moved to Bahrain in 2001 and became very interested in the history of Gulf and South Asia. You can check out more pictures on Gulf South Asia The Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) are planning to testfire the air-launched version of the worlds fastest supersonic cruise missile BrahMos next week from a Su-30MKI combat aircraft to boost ability to destroy major ground targets. Sources in the IAF said they are very keen on a fast-track development of the 290-km strike range missile which can destroy targets on the ground and can be used for Balakot-type air strikes, where the planes will not even have to cross enemy borders for the hit, says a report by ANI. BCCL "A test of the missile is planned for the next week in the southern part of the country to prove its integration with the heavyweight Su-30 fighter," said sources. During Balakot airstrikes, launched in the wake of Pulwama attacks in February, IAF had used the Spice-2000 bombs launched from a Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft for striking Jaish-e Mohammed (JeM) terro camp in Pakistan. Reuters With the help of the missile developed by DRDO, IAF would become efficient to destroy similar targets from at least 150 kilometres inside the Indian territory. The world's fastest supersonic cruise missile was first flight tested in July 2018 over the Bay of Bengal from a Su-30MKI only. The Supreme Court refused to review its decision it had given against passing any order to reclaim Kohinoor diamond from Britain. The five-judge-bench, headed by Ranjan Gogoi, the CJI, found no grounds on which it could have reconsider its earlier order. The bench said there is no merit to the petition and the petitioner failed to make any substantial argument which would compel the court to keep the issues alive, therefore the petition was dismissed. "We have gone through the Curative Petition and the connected papers. In our opinion, no case is made out within the parameters indicated in the decision of this Court in the case of Rupa Ashok Hurra Vs Ashok Hurra and another. Hence, the Curative Petition is dismissed," News18 quoted the recent order. Other judges on the beach were Justice NV Ramana, Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice SA Bobde and Justice SK Kaul. Earlier an NGO 'All India Human Rights and Social Justice Front' had filed a petition and the apex court had earlier disposed it off. The court had noted that it cant direct the UK on what it has to do with Kohinoor. The court also said how petitions seeking the return of the properties held by other countries come to the SC which has no such jurisdiction over any such matter. The central government to its affidavit in the SC had said that it was continuing to explore ways for a satisfactory resolution over the diamond with the UK. The affidavit had said the issue of the Kohinoor was taken up time and again since the Independence. The government had also said that the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972, doesnt help in this restitution of the Kohinoor diamond, though it prevents the export of precious articles and treasures from the country. The British East India Company in 1849 had got the diamond from Sikh empire heir, boy king Maharaja Duleep Singh. Another Indian-American is going to be seen participating in active politics in the US soon, as Hirsh Singh, the 33-year-old Indian-American has announced that he would challenge the Democratic senator from New Jersey in 2020. Singh, who is a known supporter of President Donald Trump will seek nomination from Republican party for the US Senate in 2020 against Cory Booker, as per the New Jersey Globe news website. Facebook Booker, however, is yet to announce whether he will ruin for re-election or not. The new law, however, allows him to sun for president and re-election to the senate simultaneously. An engineer from Atlantic County in the aerospace and defence industries, Singh filed his campaign committee with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday. He suffered losses earlier in 2017 and 2018 as this would be his third bid for the public officer. pressofatlanticcity.com He lost the Republican Party primaries for governor in 2017 and Congress in 2018. "Booker has brought nothing to New Jersey. Having a US Senator who's not just resisting the president is critical," news agency PTI quoted Singh. Singh is the first Republican to announce his challenge to Booker who in 2014 was election by the margin of 56 percent against 42 percent. Booker was endorsed the Republican National Committeeman from New Jersey, Bill Palatucci. Dennis Levinson, the Atlantic County Executive has all praises for Singh and calls him ambitious, bright and focussed, Shore News Network reported. "For as long as I have known him, he has been very interested in serving the community and being involved. He's capable of meeting the uphill challenge that lies ahead of him. Cory Booker is a national name with a lot of money, but Hirsh has a good understanding of what he has to do to win," Levinson said. "Hirsh is a good man who will bring real energy and passion to a United States Senate run. I'm glad he's putting himself forward at this critical time, Somerset Chairman, Al Gaburo also praised Singh. With the 2019 elections currently underway, some of you may have already gone out and cast your ballot. But how much do you really know about the machine that you trust with casting your vote for the leaders that will set policies for the next few years? Here's a quick primer. What is an EVM? An EVM is an electronic voting machine that replaced the older paper-driven ballot boxes in 1982. It consists of a simple box housing the circuitry that displays the name and symbol of each one of the candidates next to a button. The voter simply has to press the button next to the candidate of their choice and their vote is cast, and the machine locks itself to prevent you from casting multiple votes. The next voter can only cast their vote using their uniquely assigned ballot number. It's important to note that the piece you interact with is only one half of the EVM, called the balloting unit. That is connected by cable to the other half, the control unit. The entire device also doesn't run on electricity, to prevent any accidental loss of votes or delays in case of a power failure. Instead it functions entirely on a battery. What's the point of an EVM? The most obvious benefit to using an EVM instead of a paper ballot system is that we're not wasting a tonne of paper. The process is also limited to a single button click for the voter, meaning there's less chance of confusion. As of 2013, the Election Commission also introduced the Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system. With this, voters receive a sort of printed out receipt directly from the machine after they cast their vote, so they can double check that the vote was recorded for the right candidate. Another benefit is that everything goes so much faster, both the actually voting and the tallying thereafter. Thanks to all of this, EVMs have saved a tonne of money too, more than the initial Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 investment per device. How does it work? Each of these balloting units can accommodate voting for up to 16 candidates. If there are ever more than that number in a constituency, these balloting units can be synced up together in a recurring fashion. This can go up to 24 Balloting units synced to one control, supporting a maximum of 384 candidates. Additionally, to prevent tampering, the EVM is powered by a one-time programmable chip that can't be rewritten or erased. It's also kept airgapped, meaning it can't be connected to the Internet, or for that matter even USB and Bluetooth. Are there safety measures? When it comes to tallying all this up, the EC has election officials gather the EVM control units in a specially allotted counting hall in each constituency. Tables here are alloted for overseers, while the rest are occupied by counting officials, as well as a counting supervisor and assistant for each table. When the counting units are brought to the tables here, the balloting units are not with them. Is is to prevent the data of votes stored within the counting units from being changed in any way. It's capable of retaining this data for up to 10 years. The units are also sealed after voting ends, so those seals and the serial number on them are checked at this point for tampering. The unit also has a built-in tally system, that needs to be specially activated at a counting house. There it tallies up the votes entered into it for each candidate in about 20 seconds. However, officials need to manually not down these results for a later tally, as they're displayed one at a time for each candidate. #ITCounts is an Indiatimes initiative to move beyond the noise and focus on issues that matter to our generation. We aim to be more about LGBTQIA+ rights, women's rights, pollution and healthcare than about political posturing and trolling. Nothing can compare to the loyalty of the dog! A dog is a mans best friend and the most loyal too. A pet dog died in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, after it was bitten by a snake while trying to protect its owner, a local farmer. The tragic incident took place on Saturday morning when the owner was out on a morning walk to his agricultural fields. The farmer, 50-year-old Natarajan is a resident of Nadu street in Vengarayankudikadu in Thanjavur district. Natarajan with his son and puppy/Times Of India Natarajan told The Times Of India Puppy was with me during my morning walk on Saturday, when I noticed a five feet long cobra in the bunds crawling towards me. I froze at the sight of the snake and my pet dog began barking at the reptile. I took a step back and the snake tried to attack me and the puppy pounced on it in order to protect me, said Natarajan. The farmer also said that he carried puppy all the way back home where the dogs condition worsened. Times Of India He had been raising the puppy for the last four years. The farmer said that his wife and two sons treated the dog as part of their family and the puppy also accompanied him everywhere. A Brazilian model, identified as Tales Soares, died after collapsing on the ramp during the catwalk on the last day of Sao Paulo Fashion Week on Saturday, the organisers said. El modelo Tales Soares se desvanecio durante la pasarela de #OCKSA en la #SPFW, fallecio mientras era atendido en el hospital al que fue trasladado, en #SaoPaulo, #Brasil pic.twitter.com/9fsx31d0Jv David de la Paz (@daviddelapaz) April 28, 2019 "SPFW has just received the news of the death of model Tales Soares, who suddenly took ill during the Ocksa show," the organization said in a statement, without giving a cause of death. The 26-year-old model fell while turning to leave the ramp. Doctors immediately attended to him in front of the horrified onlookers, according to local media reports. Twitter The organisation said that he was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. "We offer our sincere condolences to Tales' family," it said, while label Ocksa said on Instagram its entire team was "shocked" by the death of Soares, who was signed to Base MGT modelling agency. The Sao Paulo Fashion Week is a clothing trade show held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It is considered as the fifth largest fashion week after in the world behind New York, London, Paris and Milan. Kashmiri villagers stand next to the remains of a house destroyed during a deadly gun battle between militants and Indian government forces in the Pinglish area of Tral, in Pulwama district south of Srinagar, on March 11. (Tauseef Mustafa/AFP/Getty Images) We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Sixty is the new 45, 80 is the new 60, and 100 is well, really dang old. But even centenarians know that once you stop learning, you star... A Serbian expert on international relations said that China's global cooperation project has emerged as a major factor in the infrastructural and economic development of Serbia and other Central and Eastern European countries, fostering regional partnerships and mutual benefits. China and Serbia signed more deals during the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, and both have vowed to bring cooperation to a new level. Ivona Ladjevac, head of the center for the Belt and Road at the Institute of International Politics and Economics in Belgrade, Serbia's capital, believes cooperation will be boosted. "The two countries' joint efforts in the Belt and Road Initiative will lead to broader prospects and strong support for bilateral cooperation," she said. Ghanaian cleric, Bishop Daniel Obinim has again found himself in the news after he sacked all his pastors for a betrayal shown by one of them. The controversial Bishop, reportedly called for a meeting with all the pastors after he returned from an event in Spain. He then proceeded to line them up before the congregation. After each pastor had introduced themselves, Obinim revealed he can no longer work with them, Ghpage reports. He gave his reason as one of the pastors was pastoring at a different church before joining him. Obinim also provided a brief background of some of the pastors. He spoke on one Pastor Solomon who is the resident pastor in Tema. According to him, Solo was a poultry farmer who approached him with his problem before he made him into a pastor. An Imam has called out popular cross crossdresser for giving them a fake N500k cheque. The Imam had hailed the drama queen for pledging the above amount to them to build a mosque During Liz Anjorins coronation party. The Imam has now called out the cross-dresser for not only giving them a fake cheque but for sleeping with men for money. The Muslim cleric also alleged that he knows some gay partners of Bobrisky. A few months who, Nollywood actress, Liz Anjorin revealed that she had been awarded Borokinni Adinni of Nigeria by the Islamic Foundation of Nigeria and threw a party to the effect. The actress also thanked Bobrisky for being part of those who attended her coronation ceremony While she revealed how some attendees of the event werent so pleased that the cross-dresser attended but that quickly changes when Bobrisky started sharing bags of beverages. Anjorin, however, said that except it was proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Bobrisky, in fact, sleeps with men, she would never ever dissociate herself from him. Nigerian activist, Edafe Okporo has penned a romantic note to his partner of one year. Okporo, who draw public attention to himself after he called out actor Williams Uchemba, for being a fraudster who poses as a United Nations envoy to defraud unsuspecting victims said his gay partner is the best thing that has happened in his life for the last one year. He shared a beautiful photo of himself and his partner via his Instagram page and wrote: Talented Nigerian musician, professional dancer, model and actress, Korra Obidi, has joined the now viral trend of posing for maternity shoot unclad. The Delta State born princess is married to Dr. Justin Dean. Photos: Alhaji Aliko Dangote and his Foundation contributed to the development of the educational sector in Nigeria by donating 10 blocks of hostels to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. According to reports, this is the first hostels built in the school in the last 40 years. With the capacity of over 2000 beds, it is also the largest individual intervention in any tertiary institution in Nigeria. Read More: Actress Lizzy Anjorin Sends Out Warning to Person Peddling Rumours About Her This intervention comes at a time when there has been a public outcry over the inadequate infrastructure in Nigerias public institutions. See pictures below; A close member of President Muhammadu Buharis circle, Tony Momoh has revealed why the president cant be loved by the elites in the country. According to Momoh, a former Minister of Information and Culture, members of the Nigerian elite have no love for Buhari, and they did a lot just to ensure he failed during the 2019 presidential election. Momoh, speaking in an interview with The Guardian, said when it comes to making decisions, even Buharis immediate family are not spared. He noted that Buhari has adopted the take-no-prisoners-approach Saying a team that continuously hurts rich Nigerians. The former Daily Times Editor described Buharis Next Level in his second term as connoting no sacred cows on his watch. His words: You know that things are really very tough and rough. And someone said that when the going gets tough, only the tough get going. Everybody will have to be tough to get. Buhari is not going to relax his hold on getting tough. He is not going to give National Honours to those who want to ruin this country. Anybody who owns this country a dime will repay it. Are you not aware that the first battle has been won? The first battle is those who have nine lives laid down their lives to destroy this man and discovered that you could count up to nine but not beyond nine. How can military men who dont belong in the same party as you tell you not to contest the election? Is that democracy? The answer is no. And many of your colleagues (journalists) were supporting them. You are members of another party; here is someone who wants to contest election in a particular party and you said he shouldnt contest because you want oil blocs with no commitment. You want national assets to be given to you. Who do you think you are? This man takes a decision even if it affects his family. Is that a hat you are against? Things are going to be tougher my friend. That is the next level in the area of fighting corruption, rebuilding the economy and curbing insecurity. Are you aware that some top people are responsible for what is happening in Zamfara State? Do these herdsmen who kill people here and there has money to buy AK47 rifles? Its the owners cattle that buy those weapons. So, this man is going to tackle anybody who thinks he has more right to exercise than the average Nigerian. Nigeria belongs to all of us. No sacred cows. That is the next level. Momoh reiterated that his support for Buhari was hinged on the fact that he was laying the foundation for a Nigeria that must make a statement to the world in the next few years. Since the 60s, he has lived virtually everywhere in Nigeria in the course of his national assignments. He has performed in all his roles and he has never been found wanting in any role he performed. He has been very disciplined. This is the type of people who will grow the world in the next few years and the foundation is being laid and there is nothing anybody can do about it. As for those who dont understand why he supports Buhari, he says My eyes are open materially, intellectually and spiritually to know what is happening in Gods Creation; and I dont take any step blindly. So, those who think that I am following anybody blindly or ever followed anybody blindly should really think twice and look at the steps I have taken. I have no human hero. AUDUSD Weekly MACD Trying to Positively Cross Tradable Patterns - 50 minutes ago The (AUDUSD) is consolidating near its December high after yesterdays near 100 pip rally from the intraday low to high. Significantly, although the AUDUSD will have to break downchannel resistance... ^AUDUSD : 0.72142 (+0.02%) FXA : 71.63 (+0.86%) Spain to adopt mask-wearing outdoors amid record virus surge AP - Wed Dec 22, 4:46PM CST MADRID (AP) Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is convening a special Cabinet meeting Thursday to pass a law by decree that makes it mandatory to wear masks outdoors, amid a record surge in COVID-19... $SPX : 4,696.56 (+1.02%) $DOWI : 35,753.89 (+0.74%) $IUXX : 16,180.14 (+1.21%) Wheats Extended Rally through Wednesday Barchart - Wed Dec 22, 4:45PM CST At the closing bell for the Wednesday session, winter wheat prices were up double digits and spring wheat gained as much as a nickel in the front months. MPLS wheat was 0.2% to 0.5% higher on the day,... ZWH22 : 817-6 (+0.46%) ZWPAES.CM : 7.6734 (+1.99%) KEH22 : 859-4 (+0.67%) KEPAWS.CM : 8.3305 (+1.67%) MWH22 : 1032-2 (+0.44%) Cattle Complex Gains on Wednesday Barchart - Wed Dec 22, 4:45PM CST Front month live cattle futures closed Wednesday 22 to 77 cents higher. There was no FCE auction this morning. Cash trade for Wednesday was reported from $135 to $140 in all feeding regions with the bulk... LEZ21 : 135.750s (+0.17%) LEJ22 : 142.125s (+0.55%) GFF22 : 161.775s (+0.58%) GFH22 : 161.925s (+0.06%) Russian pipeline faces big hurdles amid Ukraine tensions AP - Wed Dec 22, 2:29PM CST FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) The pipeline is built and being filled with natural gas. But Russias Nord Stream 2 faces a rocky road before any gas flows to Germany, with its new leaders adopting a more... $SPX : 4,696.56 (+1.02%) $DOWI : 35,753.89 (+0.74%) $IUXX : 16,180.14 (+1.21%) China Railway Express freight trains are a key part of connectivity initiative One early morning in April, a cargo train departs from the Shilong Railway International Logistics Base in Dongguan, in Guangdong province, heading for the Russian capital Moscow. It takes 15 days for the train, loaded with mobile phone accessories, machinery, toys and other items, to cover 4,400 kilometers to Manchuria, in Inner Mongolia, and then travel another 6,600 kilometers to its destination in Russia. Amazonas - Large Brazils Superior Court of Justice (STJ), which has the power to deliver final decisions regarding legality (constitutional matters are addressed by the Brazilian Supreme Court STF), has reaffirmed that sales to the free trade zone of Manaus (FTZM) which is in the state of Amazonas must be equal to export transactions. Companies that have sold inputs or merchandise to the FTZM can therefore recover tax credits to foster exports, under the Special Regime for Reintegrating Tax Values for Exporting Companies (REINTEGRA). The free trade zone of Manaus was established in 1967 to promote the development of Brazils inner Amazon region by establishing an industrial, commercial and agricultural hub. Decree-Law 288/67 set up the FTZM by granting significant tax exemptions and incentives. It set forth that the sale of domestic goods to the FTZM for consumption or manufacturing processes must be equal to foreign trade transactions, for tax purposes. It is important to note that in general, exports from Brazil are exempt from taxes. The REINTEGRA, originally established by Law 12546/11, grants exporters deemed credits related to the social contributions on gross revenues (PIS and COFINS), which are connected with the sales of products pointed out in Decree 8415/2015. Such PIS and COFINS credits, which range from 0.1% to 3% depending on the type of good and period considered, can be offset with other federal taxes or refunded to taxpayers. The Federal Revenue Service has historically prevented refunding those credits, and this is largely due to the fact that the National Tax Code notes that exemptions and similar tax reliefs should be literal rather than indirect exemptions. The legislation that instituted the tax benefit used the expressions direct sales to abroad and sales to a trading company aiming specifically at exportation, and this would ultimately not comprise sales to the FTZM. As a result, taxpayers considered that they had grounds to challenge that stance, and filed lawsuits. The STJ had precedents noting that transactions with the FTZM were equivalent to exports. Recently, the First Panel of the First Section of the STJ reinforced its position in favour of taxpayers by ruling in Special Appeal 1679681-SC (by three votes to two) that the PIS and COFINS deemed credits granted by the REINTEGRA are applicable when sales to the FTZM are performed. Despite the STJs interpretation, the precedents related to this matter are only binding for the parties in the lawsuits, and the Brazilian Federal Revenue Service may still deny the credits in this situation. Nonetheless, taxpayers can request in court their right to use PIS and COFINS deemed credits in courts regarding their sales for the FTZM in accordance to the REINTEGRA, and to also recover (with interest) such credits related to the past five-years. Ricardo M. Debatin da Silveira Rogerio Gaspari Coelho This article was written by Ricardo M. Debatin da Silveira (rsilveira@machadoassociados.com.br) and Rogerio Gaspari Coelho (rcoelho@machadoassociados.com.br) of Machado Associados. The material on this site is for financial institutions, professional investors and their professional advisers. It is for information only. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy before using the site. All material subject to strictly enforced copyright laws. 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQ. Share this article Facebook has more than 2.8 billion monthly active users worldwide, but virtually no footprint in China. Thats because the service, the parent company of which is now known as Meta (FB), is banned in that country, along with many other global social media providers. The Chinese government controls internet content and restricts, deletes, or bans content it deems is not in the interest of the state. That roster has grown into a long list of companies. Key Takeaways The 'Great Firewall' in China prevents Internet users from viewing or posting socially or politically sensitive content. The Great Firewall targets many foreign internet companies, sites, and services in particular. Facebook is blocked in China, and the parent company Meta's efforts to court China have been rebuffed. Meanwhile, homegrown services such as TikTok, WeChat, Sina Weibo, and Tencent QQ flourish under the watchful eye of government censors. Despite the ban, there are a few ways to access Facebook and other blocked sites in China, like VPNs and proxy websites. Timeline of Actions Chinese authorities blocked Facebookalong with Twitter and Google servicesin July 2009 following riots in Xinjiang, a special autonomous region in western China. The crackdown was aimed at curtailing communications among independence activists. China is considered to have one of the most extensive and sophisticated censorship regimes in the world. Dubbed the "Great Firewall," a number of methods are employed to control online expression, including website blocking and keyword filtering, censoring social media, and arresting content posters who broach sensitive or political issues. A host of government agencies wield authority over the internet in China, such as the Central Propaganda Department and the Ministry of Public Security. In 2014, the government established the Cyberspace Administration of China as the main body for Internet censorship in China. The Great Firewall prevents users from accessing foreign news sites such as the BBC, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. Foreign web services that are blocked include Facebook, Google, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Yahoo, Slack, and YouTube. In 2018, Facebook attempted to set up a $30 million subsidiary in Hangzhou to incubate start-ups and give advice to local businesses. Permission to run the start-up was quickly withdrawn. Despite not being able to operate in China, Meta derives significant revenue from the country. In its 2020 annual report, the company said it generated "meaningful revenue from a limited number of resellers representing advertisers based in China." Pivotal Research Group estimated that number to be $5 billion. Meet Social, a Shenzhen-based advertising reseller, said it would place between $1 billion and $2 billion in advertising on Facebook and Instagram in 2019. Macau and Hong Kong, China's special administrative regions, do have access to Facebook, as they operate under the Chinese mantra of "One Country, Two Systems." Who Is Successful in Chinese Social Media? While the Great Firewall has kept foreign internet companies at bay, homegrown companies have been allowed to flourish. Some of the larger players include e-commerce retailers Alibaba (BABA) and JD.com (JD), search engine Baidu (BIDU), and micro-blogging service Sina Weibo (WB). Tencent QQ and WeChat are popular messaging apps similar to WhatsApp, while Tudou and Youku are China's version of YouTube. Some Chinese Internet companies have enjoyed considerable success abroad. Beijing-based ByteDance runs the short-form video app TikTok, estimated to have 600 million daily users worldwide. In addition to being banned in China, Facebook is also blocked in North Korea and Iran. How to Access Facebook in China Despite the ban, there are a few ways to access Facebook and other blocked sites in China. Below are three options: Virtual private networks (VPN) are indispensable to travelers and foreigners living in China. Though VPNs are sometimes blocked and difficult to use, foreigners report they remain available. It is suggested you secure several VPN subscriptions before entering China, and always assume traffic is being monitored. A proxy website is another option, though these can also be monitored. Tor helps users to surf the internet anonymously. However, hackers in China have found ways to prevent users from accessing the network. The Future of Facebook in China The Great Firewall prevents U.S. internet companies from establishing a foothold in China. Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive officer of Meta, has made several high-profile visits to China, with little progress. The site has been blocked since 2009, though Facebook still manages to earn some revenue via advertising reseller networks. As long as strict controls remain in place, it appears Facebook and others will remain on the sidelines. Venture capital investment in Irish-based firms fell significantly in the first quarter of the year, but a recovery is expected in the coming months. Latest figures from KPMG show Irish-based businesses raised over $68m (61m) in the first three months of the year, down hugely from around $200m in the final quarter of 2018. "The pattern of venture investing in Ireland can be quite volatile quarter-to-quarter and can be heavily influenced by one or two large fundraisings. Expectations are that the numbers will rebound significantly in the second quarter," said KPMG's Anna Scally. Indeed, the healthcare and technology sectors accounted for around $67m of the first quarter investment value. However, KPMG's positive outlook is seemingly at odds with that of the Irish Venture Capital Association, which recently bemoaned a 25% fall in overall VC funding in the Irish technology sector in 2018 and called the drop-off "worrying". A recent InterTrade Ireland venture capital conference found a lack of investor readiness among many Irish SMEs to be a significant barrier to accessing venture capital funds. "The number of options for funding is expanding year-on-year, so its vital that companies have the right information to help them access these funds and are investor ready," InterTrade Ireland's Margaret Hearty said. Meanwhile, Irish business sentiment picked up this month on the back of the delay to the Brexit deadline. "With Brexit pushed out, the threat of a no-deal outcome has been staved off for now, and firms look to have taken some comfort from this judging by the bounce in business sentiment in April," said Bank of Ireland chief economist Loretta O'Sullivan. "Recent developments haven't translated into a corresponding uptick in firms' growth ambitions, though, and with households also remaining worried about the economy, it seems relief that a cliff edge Brexit has been avoided is tinged with an understanding that unless the impasse in Westminster is broken, the can may just have been kicked down the road," she said. Calls are mounting to scrap the proposed National Broadband Plan. The Government has signalled it will sign off on the already delayed plan which has jumped from 500m to 3bn in cost. But Fianna Fail TD and European candidate Brendan Smith said the Government should now appoint the ESB to provide high-speed fibre to every home and business in the country. The ESB should have been the provider because they are a utility that has a presence in every building in this country. Thats the way it should have been delivered, he said. Sinn Fein MEP Matt Carthy said broadband is no longer just for people to run a business, its essential for people to run a home and should be provided, but he hit out at the Governments plan. People need broadband, they shouldnt be getting it under the current Government plan because it is a facade, we should not be relying on private companies to deliver public services, he said. Fellow candidate in the Midlands North-West constituency Peter Casey accused the Government of lying to the people about the provision of rural broadband. Asked if he would let the plan go ahead, he said: Absolutely not, it should be scrapped. Meanwhile, Mr Casey came under criticism for comments made over the weekend in which he said there were freeloaders in the direct provision system, who he said should be put back on the plane. In an election debate on RTEs The Week in Politics, Mr Smith said that the language used by Mr Casey was terrible. Mr Carthy said Mr Casey was trying to play on and take advantage of peoples concerns. Ireland is richer when we have a multicultural society, he said. There are a lot of communities who feel very frustrated and Peter is trying to tap into that by blaming foreigners, he said, adding that investment is needed in those communities. Defending his comments, Mr Casey said genuine refugees should be given a warm Irish welcome when they arrive in this country. Anyone who is coming from a war-torn area, we absolutely have a responsibility to take our allocation and we should. Mr Casey ruled out joining the same group as Nigel Farage if elected to the EU parliament and also backtracked on comments in which he previously said Ireland should return to the punt. A County Louth Deputy is warning that criminal gangs are turning the North East into the Wild West. It follows petrol bomb attacks in Drogheda in the early hours of Saturday morning - less than 48 hours after a shooting in the town, which Gardai are treating as attempted murder. Frontline garda representatives along the border are concerned the foot is being taken off the pedal in preparing for Brexit. There is concern that while the Garda Northern Region which stretches from Donegal to Louth received a contingent of 49 probationers in the last recruitment batch that less than half that number are expected to be sent there in the next allocation in June. The Northern Region branch of the Garda Representative Association also expressed concern that border policing will be assigned in part to a generation of gardai with no experience of a border with Northern Ireland. A spokesman for the GRA Nothern branch said: There is a concern the foot is being taken off the pedal because Brexit has been postponed until the end of October. Following a decision earlier this month, EU leaders agreed to push the UK's departure date to October 31. Speaking ahead of the GRA annual conference, which starts today in Killarney, the spokesman said they hoped the next allocation of probationers would continue in the same vein as the last one. In the last allocation, in early March, the Northern Region got 49 probationers, out of a total of 200 graduates, from Templemore Garda Training College. In the next batch of graduates, due in June, it is thought that the northern region may only get around half the previous number. The GRA northern branch spokesman also said there was a fear around sharing the knowledge that older more experienced gardai have of a hard border to younger colleagues. There are concerns around the transfer of institutional knowledge from members who remember a hard border to those coming through, who know nothing about border policing and border policing is a very unique job, said. The Garda Northern Region takes in Donegal, Sligo/Leitrim, Cavan/Monaghan and Louth divisions. There have been estimates that 500,000 people live along the border, North and South, and that while gardai don't believe there will be a hard border that there will still be some border that will have to be policed. One Garda source said: We will have to police an international land border between the EU and a third country, one the fifth largest economy and the other the largest economy. We will need the resources, equipment and training to do that. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said An Garda Siochana will absolutely help Europol, the EU police agency, in setting up a specialist unit to target the finances of European crime bosses. He was responding to requests from Europol executive director Catherine De Bolle when she held meetings with the commissioner and other senior gardai in Dublin last week. Ms De Bolle, who also gave a presentation to the Institute of International and European Affairs, told the Irish Examiner that they were looking for the expertise of the Criminal Assets Bureau to assist them in creating the unit. Ms De Bolle, accompanied by her chief of staff Brian Donald, said they hoped this could include the secondment of officers from CAB to Europol headquarters in the Hague, the Netherlands. Speaking at a conference on policing in NUI Galway at the weekend, Commissioner Harris said CAB was a very effective tool in taking money out of criminal organisations. If you can degrade them in terms of their finances that makes a major contribution to public safety and serious criminality, he said. We have a model here I think other states are very interested in. He told the Irish Examiner: Certainly Europol is very interested in our input in how we can help the rest of European law enforcement agencies achieve more in terms of seizing assets. Asked if he was favouring assisting Europol with their request, he said: As a national service and one that is entirely committed to working with Europol and our European partners we will absolutely be there in terms of providing guidance and support, no problem at all. He said this may mean secondments from CAB to Europol. I'm very positive about secondments, he said. They're a great opportunity for the organisation in terms of development, for our own members learning skills and also in promoting Ireland and law enforcement in Ireland across Europe and beyond. The commissioner added: I don't know what the specifics of the asks are yet and we'll have to see, but when you look at them [secondments] there are always plenty of benefits in terms of the contribution it can make overall for citizens across Europe, and secondly for development for the individuals. It also gives us a strong place at the table. Ms De Bolle said the request to gardai was on the back of increasing demands from member states for expertise in targeting and seizing the finances and assets of criminal organisations. We have very good collaboration with them [gardai] and we discussed about the presence of their police service in Europol, because when we start to invest more in economic and financial crime they have a lot of experience, she said. She added that CAB have had a lot of good results. Mr Donald said that the Garda had not yet used an existing system of secondments to Europol, where the home country continues to pay the salaries, while Europol pays accommodation costs. We were exploring ways how that might work for them and for us, Mr Donald said. He [Mr Harris] was open to it. Separately to secondments, there are two garda liaison officers in the Hague, while Customs have one. 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. The father of a man who is presumed to have been murdered in Corks 'House of Horrors' in 1994 has issued an appeal for information that will lead to the recovery of his son's remains. Cathal O'Brien moved to Cork from Kilmore in Co Wexford in 1993 after graduating from Waterford Institute of Technology. He was working as a volunteer with the Simon Community when he went missing in April 1994. He had befriended Kevin Ball (42) from Wales who also disappeared from Cork City in April 1994. Even though it was against Simon policy, Cathal kindly offered individuals he met in Simon accommodation in his rented flat on Wellington Terrace in Cork city. Mr Ball was one of the people he accommodated at his flat. Gardai suspect that both Kevin and Cathal (23) were murdered by local man Fred Flannery with Ball killed first and O'Brien some days later when he started asking questions about the fate of his friend. Mr Flannery, who had lived in a bedsit in Wellington Terrace, was never charged with the killing of either men. However, he was charged with the murder of Denis Patrick O'Driscoll (32) who disappeared in December 1994. Cathal O'Brien Mr O'Driscoll had also lived in the flat in Wellington Terrace. The remains of Mr O'Driscoll, who was known as Patch, were found buried in wasteland near Silversprings in Cork in 1995. Gardai believe the killer dismembered the corpse using a Stanley knife and a bow saw. Gardai discovered that all three men had known each other and had spent time in bedsits at the property on Wellington Terrace. Gardai charged Fred Flannery with Mr O'Driscoll's murder. The trial collapsed because gardai failed to furnish documents to the defence and a retrial was not thought to be viable in the case. Mr Flannery died by suicide in his home in Carrigaline, Co Cork in May 2003. Gardai heavily suspect that he was responsible for the death of all three men. During the murder trial his then 17-year-old nephew Micheal Flannery Jnr, said that his uncle Fred had shown him body pieces and told him that he had killed Mr O'Driscoll and had cut up his body with a saw. Fred Flannery Over the last quarter of a century Seamus O'Brien, father of Cathal, has done everything in his power to keep the memory of his son in the public domain in the hope of finding a body. The Wexford man, who is a retired school principal, met Mr Flannery on three occasions. However, he never confessed to the murder. Mr O'Brien told Neil Prendeville on Cork's Red FM that the collapse of the O'Driscoll trial continued their purgatory. He said he had asked Flannery to tell him the truth "man to man". "He was more adept than me. I had honesty and he had deviousness. He did not have a human side," said Mr O'Brien. "I went down to Macroom where he was living in a caravan to talk to him. I did not feel safe with him. I wore a butchers apron under my clothes because I felt so unsafe. "But he had to be faced and to be given a chance to face up to what he did. I wasn't dealing with someone who was inclined to do that. "His whole way of life was stealing motorbikes and this kind of stuff. He wasn't of the normal society. "He didn't live his life according to our norms. Double-crossing was one of the pluses of his existence." Mr O'Brien said the death of Fred Flannery was of little consolation to him because they were left without answers. He is critical of the judicial system and of gardai for failing to bring peace to the grieving relatives of those left behind. "The trial judge should have ordered a retrial. I do not believe the guards did all they could. "I reported Cathal missing in early July. I was told 'they all turn up, they all turn up - 95% of them'. "That's when I knew I was kinda on my own and I started knocking on doors and doing what I did. "If the guards had come with me then, up to Wellington Terrace on that evening, we might have got somewhere, in a way of putting it up to Flannery. "It was easier for him to hide from me than the forces of law and order. "If he had been held and questioned things might have turned out differently but they didn't do that. They didn't do enough early enough. "We have had 25 years of blank purgatory and are still none the wiser. It's unreal." Seamus says somebody has to know what happened to his son. "I absolutely believe there is information still out. There a lot of people who were in that circle and knew the Flannerys and Cathal. "I believe they have background that can lead to a resolution of this. "We would be eternally grateful even after 25 years if there was information that could lead to where Cathal is buried. "Gardai have assigned two detectives to continue investigating and they are working on the case." Seamus says Cathal is frozen in time at just 23 years old. When I look at his brothers and sisters and how well they are getting on it sears your heart. "Cathal was a big deal. He was part of us and we part of him and that will never change." It is understood that Cathal O'Brien was a warm-hearted and generous man who fundraised for Simon in addition to doing volunteer work for the charity. His family last saw him on Easter Monday in 1994. He was an IT and Business Studies graduate. The Bookstor at Newmans Mall in Kinsale, Co Cork, is owned by Stuart Gallagher, and run by Helen OConnell and Heather Maiden. The book sells new and second-hand books. We spoke to Helen OConnell. When did the shop open and how did you come to work there? It opened in 2006 and it was sold to the current owner, Stuart Gallagher, in 2011. He kept it running exactly as it was. We had a manager at the time, and she left in 2013. Heather used to do lunchtimes and Id do Saturday mornings; we were both available to work more so we job-share now. Heathers been here over ten years and Im here ten years in December. What did you do before you became a bookseller? I started out doing a two-year bilingual secretarial diploma, then I worked in London, and did Montessori teaching by night there. When I came back to Ireland I opened a nursery school, then I went back to study midwifery in CUMH. I dropped out of that and then wanted a part-time job, the Bookstor came up and that was it, Ive been here since. Im from Dublin originally, I met a Corkman in London. He won, and we ended up in Cork. Kinsale is a busy tourist town, are visitors a big part of your trade? We wouldnt be in business but for tourists and our childrens section. We have one book we sell that our rep from Argosy, the Irish wholesaler, says no other bookshop in Ireland is selling. Its Dead Wake, a book about the Lusitania. Don and Barry, who do the historic stroll of Kinsale, recommend it on their walks and then because people pass the shop on the walk they come in and buy it. And we sell a lot of maps, too the Bord Failte office doesnt sell them any more, so they send people up to us. Our childrens section is huge, and everyone admires it. We love it and we expand it as much as we can. Its threatening to take over the back of the shop but children are encouraged to read by their schools so much now, you hear teacher said to read more, and we think, yay. Non-fiction for children is really big, they love all the reference books. What is local trade like? We have local regulars who are really loyal. Were really busy in the run-up to Christmas. Theres a certain cohort who love coming in on Christmas Eve some people would travel from Fermoy and all sorts of places to Kinsale on Christmas Eve for last-minute shopping. Its manic. People come in to say their sister or cousin will be in and to have the book ready for them theyre wrapped with the name on them, ready to go. How has the business weathered the challenge of online booksellers? Reading off a screen, I think that threat is gone. The Kindle hasnt grown or caught on except for people who travel. Most people miss the cover of a book, the photograph of the author and just having it. In terms of ordering books online, you can be waiting for ages for a book from Amazon, and we can get it in quicker from the wholesalers. We do our best. There are people who get everything on Amazon, it is cheaper, but hopefully it wont dent our sales any more. One of the most extraordinary things ever was when an American girl came into the shop, in her late twenties, and she said, Ive never been in a bookshop before. I nearly cried. It still gets me. How could you get to your late twenties without being in a bookshop? What are your big sellers? The History of Kinsale Harbour by John Thuillier turns over very well. Also Jerome Lordan, who does the harbour cruises, has a book called No Flowers On A Sailors Grave [Shipwrecks of Kinsale and Courtmacsherry]. Anything to do with sailing does well. Ron Holland the yacht designer was over last year and he had a lovely book. The Mr Men leprechaun book is one of our biggest sellers. We have it by the till and it sells an extraordinary amount. What are the rewards of being a bookseller? I enjoy it, in the current consumer climate Id hate to be selling anything else. Its also lovely to work in Kinsale, with people coming in, having a browse and enjoying the shop. There can be days in the summer though when its absolutely glorious outside and nobody comes in because theyre all gone to the beach. From honey to venom, Rachel Marie Walsh is all about beauty and the bees this week. Clarins Ireland, ever keen to work in harmony with nature, is to fund research at Maynooth University into extending the lives of honey bees. The two-year project, which will be conducted by Rachel Ward under the supervision of professor Kevin Kavanagh and Dr Mary Coffey (University of Limerick), will examine the immune response of winter bees. These can live for up to six months, but may be susceptible to infection. It will analyse the effect of different treatments on their immune systems and identify the optimum time for treatment to ensure survival of hives through the winter. Insect populations are in decline due to climate change, the emergence of new pathogens and developments in agriculture. Beekeepers face problems in maintaining populations of honey bees in Ireland and can lose up to 25% of their hives each year due to disease or adverse weather conditions. This project will make a significant contribution to reducing the losses of bee hives each year and assist Irish beekeepers in maintaining bee populations, said professor Kavanagh. Honey bees are responsible for pollinating food crops that account for approximately 35% of global food intake. Bee products also have many wonderful uses in the cosmetic and perfume industries. Honey, beeswax and bee propolis are well-tolerated and reparative for hair and skin. Clarins Honey Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil, 21, shows how glamorous they can look. Honey is perhaps best known for its humectant (moisture-trapping) power, but regardless of skin type, there is a bee product to suit you. Bees in skincare Honey, a multipurpose beauty aid, is surely the nectar of the goddesses. Its powers stem from a complex amino acid, peptide, antioxidant and antibacterial composition. It is very hydrating, with a moisture content of 14%-18%, according to US cosmetic science database cosmeticsinfo.org. Honey acts as a potent antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory in skincare. It is wound-healing and forms a barrier on skin that can help soothe and protect. Beeswax is secreted by honey bees. It is used in cosmetics to keep an emulsion from separating into its oil and liquid components, especially in products that require a creamy consistency. These waxes also increase the thickness of the fatty part of stick-like products, such as lipstick, giving them shape, allowing for a smooth application and keeping them solid. When used in eye makeup, the wax stiffens but does not harden the eye makeup, and actually facilitates application. Bee propolis is a brown, resinous material that is collected by bees from the buds of poplar and cone-bearing trees for use in hive construction. In skincare it is valued for its antioxidant, antibacterial and skin-soothing properties. Royal jelly sounds luxurious but, beauty-wise, this is the least useful of all bee-related ingredients. A honey bee secretion that is used in the nutrition of larvae, it is mainly water, with small amounts of protein and fatty acids and traces of vitamins. Skincare claims related to this extract are exaggerated, in my view. What is the deal with bee venom? Bee venom (listed as apitoxin or melittin on skincare) is collected from living bees stingers and has been in the news periodically since it was reported that the Duchess of Cambridge uses Deborah Mitchells Heaven Honey Bee Venom Mask. The Daily Telegraph also reports that Ms Middleton had bee sting facials (which can involve bee venom injections) in preparation for her wedding. When you are stung by a bee the melittin causes your skin to release histamine, making the area swollen and tender. Melittin itself also contains histamine, confusingly, and the logic behind putting it in skincare is that it can trick skin into stimulating blood flow to the face. Swollen skin looks plumper and smoother. Bee venom injections are also thought to stimulate collagen development. This is not the only ingredient to irritate/stimulate skin into swelling, cayenne and camphor have been doing it through lip glosses since the Nineties. They do work temporarily as surface plumpers, provided there is enough of the irritant in the bottle to do anything at all (a tingly feeling indicates effect). I think it is worth noting that constantly irritating the skin with topical products sensitises it to UV damage and other environmental aggressors. It also encourages collagen breakdown, which is the opposite aim of most anti-ageing skincare. Bees in haircare As a humectant, honey can be a water-binding gift to dry hair. It also imparts great shine and is used in a broad variety of colour and colour-protective products. Applying raw or manuka honey to your hair as a pre-shampoo treatment is a pure route to better condition. You could also try Garnier Ultimate Blends Honey Treasures Strengthening Hair Mask, 6.79 at Boots. It strengthens and protects hair with honey and bee propolis. I really like this mask, but do not recommend the shampoo from the Honey Treasures collection. Though it contains honey, it is higher in skin-sensitising sodium lauryl sulphate. Honey in fragrance There are lots of hit fragrances with honey notes. The scent, like the taste of honey, depends on the variety: It can be predominantly woodsy, floral, herbal, or even tobacco-scented, so you neednt be super-girly to get into it. However, the most popular examples are honey-florals, such as Marc Jacobs Honey, 63.50, and Nectarine Blossom & Honey, 54, by Jo Malone London. I also like Laura Merciers Ambre Vanille Honey Bath, 53, which offers both scent and skincare. As schools reopen after the Easter break, many classrooms will be consumed with last-minute communion preparation. But what about the kids who wont be participating? Susan OShea has advice for parents For thousands of Irish children, and their extended family and friends, May means communion fever. Up and down the country, sporting and other activities are put on hold as the four Saturdays in the month are devoted to white dresses, bouncy castles, cards full of cash, food, drink (lashings of it in many cases) and, of course, a few hours of quickly forgotten religion. But what about those families whose children wont be partaking in communion but are forced to attend Catholic schools because there is no other choice available locally? Its a tricky path to navigate. On the one hand your child risks exclusion by being the only one, or one of a small handful, not at the altar that day with all the attendant fuss. On the other hand, if they arent making communion, whats to celebrate? Here are some suggestions on how best to deal with the May madness. Role-playing Most Catholic schools will offer children who are not making their Communion a role on the day, should parents want them included. This can vary from singing in the choir, to handing out the Mass booklets, to sitting with their classmates but not taking the sacrament. They can also attend the refreshments back in the school hall. As children not taking communion are still involved in the preparations in the run-up to the big day, they will be familiar with what happens and having a role will make the rehearsals and hymn-learning a lot less tedious. The difficulty with this option is that atheist or agnostic parents, or those who have turned back on the Church because of recent scandals, may find it anathema to have their child involved in any way. Say yes to the dress A bit of honesty here. For many parents and children, Communion day is all about the dress. If you have a daughter who fears missing out because of the dress, then buy her a new frock. Let her go as dazzly as she wants, and that way she can be included in the whole what are you wearing conversation that drags on for weeks. The daughter of a friend of mine picked a super sparkly number from Next, wore it to the Church, and was a source of envy among her classmates who had to wear boring white. Party on For most children, apart from the wads of cash, the highlight of the day is the party and the bouncy castle. There is nothing to stop you from holding your own non-communion party. It may be nigh impossible to get a bouncy castle unless you booked one in September, and, of course, nearly all of your son or daughters classmates wont be available to come, but invite cousins and friends over. Another option is to attend the party being held by a classmate. In fairness, most people will offer the non-communion child an invite, but do you want your child to feel they are gate-crashing on someone elses big day? An alternative party idea is to host a humanist ceremony, where like-minded parents and children mark the day in a non-traditional way. The Co Kildare-based My Little Big Day ceremony is one such initiative and saw at least 12 like-minded families come together for a day of strictly non-religious celebration for their children last year, with a secular ceremony, followed by a meal, DJ and childrens entertainer in a local hotel. The families limited the cost by splitting the bill between them. All about me Ask your child what would be their perfect day and plan it (trips to the moon, or Disneyland aside). My son picked bowling, quasar, followed by a trip to a fancy burger joint, where he was in seventh heaven. My daughter said swimming, so we took her to the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin, where she had hours of fun. It meant they both had something to talk about when they returned to school, and I kept reminding them that they didnt have to utter a prayer in return. Give a gift Considering many second-class pupils now get a phone to celebrate their communion (I kid you not!), and the average communicant gets 558, its important your child gets something on the day. You dont have to spend a fortune, put some thought into it and make it something they will cherish. A Swatch watch with their favourite colour strap, a box set of books from their favourite author, a telescope or something to stimulate their interest in science (which suffers in second-class thanks to all that devotion to religion). Get the hell out of dodge Taking your annual holiday at the same time as the communion has a number of distinct advantages. Firstly, little or no actual schoolwork is done in the week preceding the event, what with preparations and excitement, so your child is not missing out educationally. As its May and not yet peak season, you should get a good deal on flights and accommodation. The average spend on a First Communion is now 860 (Ulster Bank Survey 2018), which should help pay towards your trip away. The downside is that any other children in the family, especially older ones, will also have to miss school (though I wouldnt anticipate howls of protest), and if summer sun is your thing you may be limited in terms of flights and destination options. Sleeping in a hammock, getting more rest, drawing and reading aloud might help you remember things for longer, writes Shane Cochrane. The good news, according to neuroscientists at Boston University, is that some age-related memory decline can be reversed. Theyve shown that working memory the system that allows us to hold information in our heads for short periods of time can be rejuvenated. The bad news, however, is that it requires electrical stimulation of the brain and the effect only lasts for 50 minutes. Not to worry, though. The Bostonians arent the only scientists looking at memory improvement, and some others have devised ingenious and non-invasive memory boosting techniques that just about everyone can try and possibly benefit from. 1 SLEEP IN A HAMMOCK A good nights sleep is an essential ingredient of a good memory, and an excellent way of achieving this, according to researchers at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, is to sleep in a hammock. The rocking motion of the hammock, they say, is just the thing for a restful night. Our volunteers even if they were all good sleepers fell asleep more rapidly when rocked and had longer periods of deeper sleep, said Laurence Bayer, one of the studys authors. Bayer and his colleagues were also curious about how sleeping in a hammock might affect memory consolidation, the process that converts short-term memories into long-term ones. So they conducted another experiment and found that those who had slept in a hammock the night before a memory consolidation test performed better than those who had slept in a bed. 2 GET SOME (LIGHT) EXERCISE Light exercise, such as walking, tai chi or yoga, can increase the connectivity between the parts of the brain responsible for memory formation and storage. In a joint study by the University of California, Irvine, and the University of Tsukuba, Japan, the brains of 36 healthy young adults were scanned immediately after they had completed some light exercise. And according to the brain scans, just 10 minutes of exercise was enough to cause increased connectivity between the hippocampus and the other parts of the brain responsible for memory processing. The hippocampus is critical for the formation of new memories; its one of the first regions of the brain to deteriorate as we get older - and much more severely in Alzheimers disease, said Michael Yassa, co-leader of the study. Improving the function of the hippocampus holds promise for improving memory in everyday settings. 3 DRAW IT Drawing, even if youre no Leonardo da Vinci, is a great way to help you remember new information, especially if youre an older adult according to researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. They gave a group of adults young and old sets of words to learn and had them try a number of memory-encoding methods to help them remember the words. These methods included: writing out the words; drawing the words; and listing the physical attributes of the words. We found that drawing enhanced memory in older adults more than any other known study techniques, said Melissa Meade, one of the studys authors. Were really encouraged by these results and are looking into ways that it can be used to help people with dementia. 4 READ ALOUD Another team at the University of Waterloo found that youre more likely to remember written material if you read it aloud. Seemingly, reading combined with hearing yourself reading can have a strong effect on your memory. This study confirms that learning and memory benefit from active involvement, said Professor Colin M MacLeod, who co-authored the study. When we add an active measure or a production element to a word, that word becomes more distinct in long-term memory, and hence more memorable. MacLeod and his team tested a number of methods for learning written material, including reading silently and listening to someone else read, but they found that reading aloud had the biggest effect on memory. 5 HAVE A CURRY In a study by the University of California, Los Angeles, adults with mild memory problems were given 90 milligrams of a curcumin supplement twice a day for 18 months. Curcumin, which is a substance found in turmeric, the spice that gives curry its bright colour, is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. By testing each adults cognitive abilities before, during and after taking the supplement, the researchers found that the curcumin had had significant a significant effect on their memory. Exactly how curcumin exerts its effects is not certain, said Dr Small, but it may be due to its ability to reduce brain inflammation, which has been linked to both Alzheimers disease and major depression. 6 HAVE A REST A number of recent studies have shown that short periods of rest after learning can help us retain the new information. In fact, according to Erin J Wamsley of Furman University, South Carolina, periods of unoccupied rest may be an essential part of memory consolidation. The importance of sleep when learning new material such as revising for exams has long been established, but Wamsley believes that short periods of doing nothing and resting with ones eyes closed may serve the same function. Her own research found that a 15-minute period of eyes-closed rest following the learning of new material enhanced later recall of the material. In her research paper, she concludes: Far from being a waste of time, rest during wakefulness may end up being a crucial and widely underappreciated contribution to long-term memory formation in everyday life. In the Kitchen with Video Series Join Darina Allen in her home kitchen as she shows us how to make her famous Ballymaloe mince pies. You'll have enough mincemeat left over to gift to friends and family over the Christmas season, and mince pies that can be frozen and reheated for guests over the festive period. Join Darina Allen in her home kitchen as she shows us how to make her famous Ballymaloe mince pies. Mortal Engines author Philip Reeve tops the bill at the Towers and Tales festival in Lismore, writes Marjorie Brennan. IT WOULD appear that writers block is not something Philip Reeve has ever had to worry about. Perusing his significant body of work as a writer and illustrator, ideas have certainly never been in short supply. He wrote his first story, about a spaceman called Spike and his dog Spook, at the age of five a fact that will no doubt encourage his many young fans who will have the opportunity to see him speak at the upcoming Towers and Tales childrens book festival in Lismore, Co Waterford. While there were always books around when he was growing up, Reeve says that he found inspiration wherever he could find stories. It was more about the stories than books honestly, television was as important as books were, and cinema when I could get to it, back in the 1970s. You didnt have as much access to visual stories as we do now. He was working as an illustrator on books such as the Horrible Histories series, when he decided to take the plunge and approach a publisher about producing his own book. It never occurred to me that I could make a living as a writer, whereas with the illustrations, you made something and sold it. It felt like a proper job. I wouldnt have had any idea about the writing business. But working as an illustrator, I was working with publishers all the time. Id been working on Mortal Engines as a hobby for years and years, and I dusted it off and showed it to them. DYSTOPIAN WORLD Mortal Engines is set in a dystopian world made up of roving predator cities that move around and attack smaller cities. While the setting and themes are quite dark, Reeves believes children are well able to navigate them. Its dark in places but I think the humour leavens that, and I think theres room for everything in childrens books. A lot of writers write far darker stuff, especially since the YA genre has become a thing. Reeves work reached a new audience with last years screen adaptation of Mortal Engines. Produced by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, the resulting bounce in sales of the book was welcome for Reeve. For sure, Mortal Engines did perfectly well for years but in no way am I a household name, most people had never heard of the book, so the film was very good [in that respect], he says. Reeve says he was more than happy to leave the adaptation to others. I wasnt involved at all. Peter Jackson and his team were very nice about keeping me in the loop, and I was invited down with my family to New Zealand for a couple of weeks to see them working, but I didnt have any direct input at all. When I saw it, occasionally I thought hang on, thats my idea but I was completely removed from it. It looked really well and the actors did a great job but it didnt feel like mine the way a book does. Reeves output is prodigious, including four sequels to Mortal Engines, a trilogy of Victorian space adventures, Larklight, Starcross and Mothstorm, as well as a novel set in 5th century Britain called Here Lies Arthur. He says such awards are important in terms of reaching young readers. Winning an award or being shortlisted brings the books to peoples attention. The terrifying thing about writing is so many books are published, and so many vanish without a trace. Notwithstanding his work rate, Reeve says he is not that disciplined as a writer, and his method involves letting his ideas percolate for a while before he puts them down on paper in intense bursts. I go through long periods of not doing much, not writing, but vaguely thinking of things, toying with ideas. When I decide to go for something I go for it quickly, Im impatient, so I want to get it done. I work hard, intensely on something for a relatively short period of time, while other writers work on books for years and years. BETTER NOW While there are lots of competing distractions for childrens attention now, Reeve says its important not to lose perspective about technology versus reading. I imagine they must be reading less because there are so many other things to do if Id had films on demand when I was ten Id have been watching movies rather than reading books. But going back to the 70s, I dont remember many of my friends reading. I was odd because I read a lot, and I knew a few people whod read, but most of my friends... they might read a comic but they wouldnt read a book unless they were forced to by school. Im only going on my own personal experience in England, but in my time, there was a pile of sticky paperbacks in the corner and you were encouraged to read when it was too wet to play. That was about it. Nowadays you have authors going into schools, book weeks, book days, I think theres more of a focus on it and thats good. Reeve will also be doing an event in Lismore with illustrator Sarah McIntyre, with whom he has collaborated on a series of books for younger children, including Oliver and the Seawigs and Pugs of the Frozen North. He says that in terms of feedback from his fans, they are divided along age lines. With the older kids, they come up to get their books signed and they are quite shy and respectful, theyre interested in the ideas and stuff. For the younger kids, there are two of us on stage, me and Sarah, and it becomes an extravaganza, with songs and games and sketches, its a hoot. I realise that were in showbusiness really. Its a part of the job I really enjoy. Philip Reeve will read at two events in Lismore as part of Towers and Tales, on Saturday, May 4 Towers and Tales: Other highlights Mary Murphy Say Hello Like This! Author and illustrator Mary Murphy introduces the smallest readers to a wonderful chorus of animal noises in this interactive reading event. Children can get hands-on with Marys favourite animals and add their own splash of colour to her life-size animal drawings. - Saturday, 10am, Lismore Library, age 03, 5 (carers free), relaxed performance. Rob Biddulph Wide Awake with Dinosaur Juniors Rob Biddulph, the official World Book Day Illustrator for 2019 and 2020, will read from his latest book Dinosaur Juniors: Wide Awake and help children draw a dinosaur of their own. - Saturday, 12pm, Lismore Heritage Centre, age 3-7, 5. Siobhan Parkinson Writing Miracles Siobhan Parkinson was Irelands first Laureate na nOg, from 2010-2012. In this workshop for young readers (and writers), she talks about the magical and miraculous power of stories and how to imagine your own. - Saturday, 11am, The Dukes Study, age 11-plus, 5 David Roberts Suffragette: Illustrating the Battle for Equality New York Times bestselling author and illustrator David Roberts talks about his new book, Suffragette: The Battle for Equality, a beautifully illustrated history of the womens suffrage movement. David will share his tales of the bold and daring things women who changed history. - Saturday, 4pm, Lismore Heritage Centre, age 11-plus, 5 www.towersandtales.ie For protests to be effective in gathering support and achieving the desired outcome, strong leadership is an essential part of the process, writes Ngaire Woods Elections and referenda are just two ways for people to have a say in how they are governed. Protesting is another, which is why rights of assembly and free speech are protected in most democracies. And in many democracies nowadays, those rights are being used to the fullest. Climate activists and Brexit-related demonstrations have partly shut down London during the past month, and protesters are already making plans for US President Donald Trumps state visit to the United Kingdom in June. In France, the Yellow Vests are out in force every Saturday. Social media has made it easier to organise mass protests. Thanks to Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, people with a common cause can instantly fuel each others outrage while sharing logistical details. But these modern-day demonstrations often lack the leadership and coalition-building skills that can translate collective grievance into real change. True, large protests may help to push an issue up the agenda and increase public debate. But even in democracies, big crowds are often not enough to sway governments. Massive anti-war demonstrations in the UK and the United States in February 2003 did not stop the two countries from invading Iraq the following month. The 2011 Occupy Wall Street movement, which spread to some 900 cities worldwide, did not achieve any particular goal. Nor did the three annual Womens Marches that took place between 2017 and 2019 in cities around the world. A lack of clear leadership is partly to blame. Before the advent of social media, organising effective mass demonstrations took more time and effort. Activists would have to plan, raise money to place newspaper advertisements, create telephone rosters, and find rousing speakers to attract the masses. All of this required leadership to assure people that investing their time, money, and connections in a protest was worth it. By contrast, the new social-media-driven adhocracy, for all its flexibility and efficiency, often lacks leaders who can mobilise people toward a well-defined, achievable goal. Yet there have been successes. In Poland in 2016, well-organised protests persuaded the countrys parliament to reject a proposed near-total ban on abortion. Street demonstrations in several major Polish cities were accompanied by an online campaign and a womens strike, with women refusing to attend school, go to work or perform domestic chores. The organisers also mobilized supporters elsewhere in Europe, and applied lessons learned from other countries. Most important, the protesters articulated a straightforward goal to prevent the new law from being enacted and their campaign to achieve it benefited from effective leadership and careful planning. Extinction Rebellion protestors lying down inside the Natural History Museum in London. (Laura Parnaby/PA Wire) Recent successful mass protests in Algeria and Sudan, meanwhile, highlight the importance of building coalitions with parts of a ruling regime. Demonstrators in these two countries also had clear goals, despite the greater dangers of taking part in street protests against authoritarian governments. When Algerians first protested against the ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika standing for a fifth term in office, they were not protected by democratic rights of assembly or free speech. And initial protests in December 2018 were rapidly suppressed. By March 2019, however, some 3m Algerians were reportedly in the streets. The protesters goal was clear: to force Bouteflika to step down. They succeeded not only because of their sheer numbers but also because their persistence eventually led Algerias military to side with them and force Bouteflika from office. And in Sudan, three months of nationwide protests finally persuaded the army to oust President Omar al-Bashir. These unlikely alliances between protesters and the military were crucial in both Sudan and Algeria. Many protest movements find it hard to forge coalitions with those in power, instead preferring the heady excitement of a full-frontal assault on a regime. But the most effective protests aim to co-opt some of the powerful in order to weaken a regime. Mahatma Gandhis campaign against British rule in India, for example, did not confront the colonial power head-on. Instead, and to the initial incredulity of his fellow insurgents, Gandhi began with a protest march against the British salt tax in 1930. Social media generally makes it hard to build such unlikely coalitions. Digital platforms are good at crowdsourcing dissatisfaction and magnifying it online, but they are more likely to polarise than to help a movement build bridges. An artwork which appears to be by street artist Banksy has appeared near the former location of the Extinction Rebellion camp in Marble Arch, London. (Jonathan Brady/PA Wire) The adhocracy can quickly unite those who share a grievance, whether toward global capitalism or the UKs plans to leave the European Union. However, it takes much more to unite people around a positive goal and to mobilize them in ways that can achieve it. Successful protests require effective leadership, whether individual or collective. And they need to go beyond speaking truth to power from the street. Change happens when well-led citizens find ways to speak truth through power in coalitions that are unlikely to be forged online. Digital tools can facilitate effective political organising. But they should never be viewed as a substitute for it. Ngaire Woods is Founding Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2019 The idea that those who try to influence elections through covert social media campaigns are as happy to sow uncertainty as they are to have a preferred candidate elected has moved to the centre of the debate on election security. By exacerbating doubt, unfortunately not that hard to do, a troll can create a vacuum that leads to fractured, ineffective politics. Discontent festers, laying the ground for ever-more incendiary intervention. The EU has warned this tactic will be in play in next months elections, it may have been influential in yesterdays election in Spain. It would be naive to imagine that this doubt-and-confuse ploy is confined to politics. Those with most to lose if we ever take climate change seriously may be behind the denials still, and dangerously, offering comfort to those who refuse to modify their behaviour. Health Minister Simon Harris entered these murky waters last week when he said he wants to make childrens vaccinations mandatory. He criticised populist nonsense in the Oireachtas which led to a dramatic decline in vaccination rates. He must be relieved that though the issue is divisive, it is not a matter of life or death but it can be. Just last week, polio vaccination workers were killed in Pakistan by the Taliban who believe vaccinations cause infertility and are an attack on their culture. In America, white supremacist and far-right sites have jumped on the anti-vaxxers bandwagon, encouraging suspicion of government and mistrust of big pharma. Italys Five Star Movement has harnessed resistance to compulsory vaccinations, exploiting resentment around elites. Conspiracy theories abound, rejuvenating old fears. In extreme cases the struck-off doctor Andrew Wakefields discredited linkage of autism and the MMR jab is disinterred. A shooting at a synagogue has left people injured but the extent is unclear, according to authorities in southern California. San Diego County sheriff's office also said on Twitter that a man has been detained in connection with the shooting at the Chabad of Poway synagogue today. The Coalition Government will pledge $156 million to bolster cyber security efforts that are in place to guard the country's communications networks, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison set to make the pledge on Monday. Of this, $50 million will go towards hiring people to expand the workforce, The Age reported. Australian Cyber Security Centre head Alastair MacGibbon is expected to lead this initiative, in co-ordination with the Defence and Home Affairs departments. The pledge will come in the wake of an announcement in February that the networks of the Australian Parliament and the three main political parties Liberal, Labor and National had been breached. Earlier this month, the director-general of the Australian Signals Directorate, Mike Burgess, told the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee that the breach had been carried out by sophisticated nation-state actors. Another $40 million will be allocated for the ACSC to work with the Australian Federal Police to counter attacks by cyber criminals from outside the country. The ACSC will get an additional $26 million to provide assistance to the community in the event of any cyber attacks. The workforce expansion program will provide scholarships for study in the field of cyber security with 50% of the places reserved for women. Questacon, a Canberra science and technology centre, will be provided funds to train teachers and help students develop an interest in STEM subjects. The Australian Defence Force will use the remaining $40 million to hire more military cyber experts over the next four years. Chinese brands are continuing to dominate the Indian smartphone market, with first-quarter 2019 figures from analyst firm Counterpoint Research showing that their share of the market grew 20% year-on-year, to reach a record 66%. But despite this, the market was flat, growing by less than 2% to 30.1 million units, another analyst firm, Canalys, said. The main reason behind this growth was the success of brands like vivo, OPPO and Realme an OPPO spinoff Counterpoint said, pointing out that vivo's volume had grown 119%, while OPPO had grown by 28%. OPPO, vivo and OnePlus are all owned by the multinational firm BBK Electronics Corporation. "Vivos expanding portfolio in the mid-tier (7000-14,000 or roughly US$100-US$180) [segment] drove its growth along with [an] aggressive IPL campaign around [the] flagship V series," Counterpoint said. "OPPO, on the other hand, focused on expanding its portfolio in the less crowded 15,000-25,000 (roughly US$210-US$350) segment." Counterpoint associate director Tarun Pathak said the Indian market was attracting interest from Chinese and other players because data consumption was soaring and consumers were upgrading their phones much faster than in other regions. "This has led to users spending more on their purchase which is driving up the overall average selling price in the market," Pathak said. "As a result of this, the premium specs are now diffusing faster into the mid-tier price brands. We estimate this trend to continue leading to a competitive mid-tier segment in coming quarters. Overall, Indian smartphone shipments increased by 4% year-on-year for the quarter, with demand picking up during the latter part of the three months. Counterpoint research analyst Anshika Jain said overall growth was slower than anticipated because some big brands had unsold inventory after building up stock during the festive season in the last three months of 2018. "This quarter we have seen all major brands expanding their footprint in offline channels to gain market share," said Jain. "Xiaomi has laid out big plans for offline expansion by increasing its number of retail stores (Mi Preferred Partners), Mi Homes, and Mi Stores specifically to target smaller towns. Realme, which started as an online-only brand, now gets the majority of its sales from offline channels. OnePlus is also now increasing its offline points of sale by launching exclusive stores across key cities. Counterpoint said the Chinese brands also dominated the top five best-selling devices. The Xiaomi Redmi 6A was the top model, after a number of price cuts, followed by Xiaomi Note 6 Pro, Redmi Y2, Samsung Galaxy M20, and Galaxy A50. The top 10 models made up 35% of overall smartphone shipments. Graphic: courtesy Counterpoint Research 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 King Nagarjuna is currently starring in Manmadhudu 2 romancing Rakul Preet Singh in the direction of Rahul Ravindran in the exotic locations of Portugal. Expectations are increasing as Manmadhudu 2 is the sequel for his blockbuster film Manmadhudu. Already movie lovers are stunned by Nagarjuna's workout pictures released from the sets by the makers. Nag's every youthful and handsome looks are leaving all awe struck. Advertisement In the meantime Rakul Preet Singh showered praises on Nagarjuna. Speaking about their chemistry, she went over the moon. She said, I totally admire the person that he is. He is an excellent co-star, a chilled out human being, not egotistic, and forever concerned about everybody on the sets. He prefers to bask in the joy of every moment and live life king size. And now, that I think of it, I kind of get why people call him King Nagarjuna. Ive always been quite a fan of him, and now Im an even bigger fan. Speaking about their roles, Rakul said, Our roles are fantastic, and both our roles are completely different from anything weve ever done before. The script is hilarious, which is probably why were pretty much always laughing on the sets. This is easily one of the most fun experiences Ive ever had on a films sets. However Rakul stopped short of revealing the secrets about their roles. Rakul revealed, Weve bonded a great deal while working out together, and were both foodies. Since we were in Portugal, we try a new cuisine almost every day. Oh, and we love eating fish. We have been shooting on the streets of Portugal. Cork is very popular here, and Ive bought a bunch of cork jewelry and artifacts. Speaking about Nagarjuna and Naga Chaitanya, the father son duo whom she romanced, she says, Theyre extremely chilled out, well-behaved, and non-judgmental. A statue of American music legend Johnny Cash will soon stand in the hallways of the U.S. Capitol, looking as if hes ready to warn all those politicians to walk the line, but not everyone is as happy about that as I am. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed a measure to replace two marble figures on the wrong side of history with statues of Arkansas native Cash and civil rights icon Daisy Lee Gatson Bates, part of a move by some states to revamp the two statues they are allowed to place in the Capitol building. Back in Arkansas, where the lawmakers were doing the debating, the politicians in charge had the good sense to offer few objections to Daisy Bates, but Johnny Cash had some of them singing a different tune. One of those was Rep. Doug House. Mr. Cash is a great musician ... but the drugs, the alcohol, the women, that kind of thing ... no, I cant hold him up to my children as a model, House said . The measure failed in the state House by a single vote, according to reports, but eventually wound its way back through the process. When all the speechifying was over, Johnny got the OK. A top opposition leader called Saturday for Sudan to join the International Criminal Court which has indicted its ousted president Omar al-Bashir, as a panel of protesters and the military met to discuss civilian rule. Sadiq al-Mahdi, a former prime minister and head of the opposition National Umma Party that has backed the protests, also told reporters that the armys ouster of Bashir was not a military coup. His comments came as a joint committee representing the ruling military leadership and protesters held their first meeting to discuss a demand by demonstrators for a handover to civilian rule. Rashid al-Sayed, a spokesman for the protest movement, said the meeting was a confidence-building step between both sides who are partners in the revolution and a second round was due later on Saturday. He said the military council vowed at the talks that a protest camp outside army headquarters will not be dispersed by force. Bashir was ousted by the army on April 11 after months of protests against his three-decade rule. Thousands of demonstrators reached the sprawling military headquarters in central Khartoum on April 6, demanding that the army support those opposing against Bashir. Five days later, the army toppled Bashir but then took power into its own hands through a 10-member transitional military council. The protesters, who have kept up the pressure round-the-clock outside army headquarters for weeks, are now demanding that the council step down and make way for a civilian government. Mahdi, who said his party would not join a civilian transitional government, told reporters it is possible to agree on a civilian authority with the military council because they did not plan a coup. He also said Sudan should immediately join the Hague-based International Criminal Court where Bashir is wanted for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for his alleged role in the conflict in Darfur. This should be done in coordination with the transitional military council, he added. Bashir, 75, has consistently denied the charges against him. The war in Darfur erupted in 2003 when ethnic minority rebels took up arms against Khartoums Arab-dominated government, accusing it of social and political marginalisation. The United Nations says about 300,000 people have died in the conflict, with another 2.5 million displaced, many of them still living in miserable camps across the western region of the country. Bashir swept to power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989 that toppled Mahdis elected government. Regime still present Mahdi, who was ousted by Bashir in the 1989 coup, said Saturday that the presidents regime remained in place despite the upheaval. The head of the regime has been ousted but the regime is still present, Mahdi said. The toppled regime might still try to do a coup, he said without elaborating. Protest leaders have held several rounds of inconclusive talks with the military council since Bashir was ousted. Earlier this week, the two sides agreed to set up the joint committee to chart the way forward. The military council has so far refused to step down, insisting that it has assumed power for a two-year transitional period. Western governments have expressed support, but Sudans key Gulf Arab lenders have backed the military council, while African states have called for more time for the army to hand over to civilians. As protesters were pushing the military on civilian rule Saturday, assailants hurled rocks at a meeting of members of the Islamist Popular Congress Party, an ally of Bashirs, injuring 32 of them. When the participants in the meeting took a break, they came under attack from a group of people who threw rocks, said Suheir Salah, partys deputy undersecretary. The PCP, founded by late Islamist leader Hassan Turabi, had two ministers of state in Bashirs cabinet, including Salah, and seven lawmakers in parliament. Sudanese protesters Sunday welcomed a breakthrough in talks with army rulers who agreed to form a joint civilian-military council, paving the way for the civilian administration demanded by demonstrators. Saturdays agreement would replace the existing 10-member military council that took power after the army ousted veteran leader Omar al-Bashir on April 11 amid massive protests. What happened yesterday is a step to have a civilian authority, said Mohamed Amin, one of thousands of demonstrators who have been camped for weeks outside the army headquarters. We are happy about the progress in the talks, but we are still waiting for the composition of the council and the civilian government. The joint civilian-military council will be the overall ruling body, while a new transitional civilian government is expected to be formed to run the day-to-day affairs of the country, a key demand of protesters. That civilian government will work towards having the first post-Bashir elections. When we have a civilian government, then we can say our country is on the right track, said Amin. The demonstrators said they will pursue their sit-in until a civilian administration is set up. Last nights agreement is a step forward in the stability of our country. But I dont think we will leave the sit-in until we achieve our demand of a civilian government, said protester Sawsan Bashir. Protest leader Ahmed al-Rabia confirmed to AFP the decision to form a joint council. We are now in consultation about what percentage of the council should be represented by civilians and how much by the military, said Rabia, who is involved in talks. On Sunday, protest leaders from the Alliance for Freedom and Change met to discuss the progress of talks with the military council. Later, the joint committee bringing together the military and protest leaders was expected to resume talks. Lengthy talks Activists say the new council could be a 15-member body, with eight civilians and seven army generals. The decision to have a joint council came after hours of talks on Saturday, the first by a joint committee representing the current ruling military leadership and protesters. Bashir was ousted by the army after months of protests against his three-decade rule. Thousands of demonstrators, braving volleys of tear gas fired by security forces, reached the sprawling military headquarters on April 6, demanding that the army support those opposing Bashir. Five days later, the army toppled Bashir and took power through the transitional military council. Protest leaders had previously held several rounds of inconclusive talks with the council after Bashir was ousted. The military council has so far insisted that it has assumed power for a two-year transitional period. Western governments have expressed support for protesters demands, but Sudans key Gulf Arab lenders have backed the military council, while African states have called for more time for the army to hand over to civilians. Buses bringing protesters kept arriving Saturday at the protest site, with hundreds of demonstrators coming from the eastern province of Kassala, an AFP photographer said. Call to join ICC As the joint committee met on Saturday, top opposition leader and former premier Sadiq al-Mahdi told reporters Sudan should immediately join the International Criminal Court. Bashir is wanted by The Hague-based tribunal for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for his alleged role in the conflict in Darfur, but the 75-year-old has repeatedly denied the charges against him. The war in Darfur erupted in 2003 when ethnic minority rebels took up arms against Khartoums Arab-dominated government, accusing it of social and political marginalisation. The United Nations says about 300,000 people have died in the conflict, with another 2.5 million displaced, many of them still living in miserable camps across the western region of the country. Protest group spokesman Amjad Farid told reporters that Bashir and other regime figures could be tried in Sudan. We are not seeking retaliatory measures against them, but we want to rebuild our justice system to hold them accountable for their crimes, he said. Mahdi, who was forced from office by Bashir in a 1989 coup, said the armys ouster of the veteran leader was not a military coup. But he warned that Bashir cronies were still clinging on to power despite the upheaval. The toppled regime might still try to do a coup, he said without elaborating. KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. -- According to the Klamath Falls Police Department's Facebook page, a single car crashed into a live power pole in front of Denny's Saturday. The crash happened around 6:30 p.m. near 2947 South 6th Street. Police said the car was occupied by one female driver, who was taken to Sky Lakes Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. The crash will cause traffic to be diverted for several hours. The incident is still under investigation. As of 8:25 p.m., Pacific Power's website said 52 customers in Klamath Falls are without power. The website says an estimated time of restoration is before 4:00 a.m. Sunday. Around 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Pacific Power tweeted: "We are aware of the outage in Klamath Falls, OR affecting approximately 1973 customers. The cause of the outage is under investigation. The estimated time of restoration is 9:00 pm." This is a developing story and will be updated with the latest information as it becomes available. MEDFORD, Ore. -- U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley sat down with Newswatch 12 Saturday morning to talk about wildfires, the 2020 presidential election, the shootings in San Diego and his town halls in Jackson and Josephine County. Newswatch 12 reporter Leah Thompson says, "I'm sitting here with U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley. He had a couple of town halls today. Tell me about some of the key points you were looking to talk about." U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley says, "Absolutely, I had one in Phoenix for Jackson County and one in Grants Pass with Josephine County. I really wanted to lay out some of the big issues we are facing across the country. Including the corruption of our Constitution process by gerrymandering, dark money and voter suppression and the real failure to invest in the foundation for families. Health care, housing, education and living wage jobs. No government program substitutes a good paying job and finally the issue of carbon pollution and climate chaos and of course the fires we are having here that are doing so much damage." Thompson says, "Right even this week we already had a wildfire in Lake County. The Flynn fire and it was 100% contained today. Is that worrisome to congress about fires already starting in April." Senator Merkley says, "Absolutely. We are seeing fire season that is a couple months longer then it was just decades ago. The forests are drier. There are more lightening strikes. The combination is a huge problem not just for forests but for the smoke damage to our urban areas and the threat to our towns and cities from fires that could sweep in as they did in California last year." Thompson says, "right should people be starting that now or what is your message going to be to be tonight about that then." Senator Merkley says, "Continuously all the time we have to be working on thinning these forests and producing jobs and making them more fire resistant. It's a continuous effort. I am hoping that in this coming year some of the funds that will be come available cause we are going to go to a new system that provides essentially a FEMA style response to very large fires. Opens up some several million dollars in the budget I hope we can get those funds to proceed to come to the front end for fire prevention." Thompson says, "so I want to go more nationally now. We are seeing more and more candidates running for 2020 presidential election. Are you endorsing any candidates yet?" Senator Merkley says, "No I am not. No and I don't anticipate doing so for a very long time. I am encouraging all of them to address the three big issues democracy crisis, the crisis for investment in the foundations for families and the climate crisis." Thompson says, "Now the one question a lot of people have with the number of Democrats running is that going to effect a Democrat winning a presidential election because it's going to be so split up." Senator Merkley says, "Well I don't think so. Of course the last time around we had many many republicans running they settled on their candidate and their candidate won. I hope the same thing is going to happen this time around. Only perhaps on the other side of the aisle." Thompson says, "So something else I also wanted to bring up which I'm sure you are aware of is the synagogue shootings in San Diego. Obviously this is something that has been happening all over the world and the countries. Here in Oregon have you talked to other Senators and Representatives about this at all." Senator Merkley says, "I did put up a message yesterday following this shooting. Very Very disturbing. Time and time again we are seeing that a lot of obligatory, a lot of hatred is pouring into violence and I think we have to have a real conversation in our country about respecting our religious differences. Our ethnic differences our racial differences because that's what America is about. That's what we say in the Pledge of Allegiance. One nation under god, indivisible and why do we say that. Well we say it because it's about all of us coming together from many different parts of the world to create this America and working together to make it stronger, more successful, more beautiful and we need to stand with any group that is attacked. We need to stand shoulder to shoulder with them and say no." Thompson says, "I just want to circle back around to the town halls. I know you try to go to every county every year. How are you seeing that turnout at your town halls. Has it been very helpful for you as a Senator." Senator Merkley says, "We've had significant citizen engagement and turn out so that is tremendous. There is not many Senators in the country that do this but at the end of this year I'll have close to 400 town halls. Senator Wyden set the example. He's gone probably closer to a 1,000 town halls. But it's am average of every 10 days since I took office and the continuous feed back on the issues people are facing is terrific. It's also very helpful to bring people together who have real differences and have a peaceful and respectful dialogue about those differences. We need more of that in America." Thompson says, "Well thank you so much for taking the time to sit down with us. I know you are very busy today with the two town halls you have going on." LINCOLN State senators from rural and urban areas found a compromise for broadening legal protections for farm and livestock producers from nuisance lawsuits while still preserving neighbors rights to file claims. The proposed expansion to Nebraskas Right to Farm Act from Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango grants farmers legal protections to change the size of their operation or adopt new technology, as long as they take reasonable steps to mitigate potential nuisances like odor and dust. The bill (LB227) overcame a first-round filibuster led by Omaha Sen. Steve Lathrop, who said it effectively closed the door to neighbors who had a legitimate nuisance complaint by offering immunity to farm and ranch operations. Before the bill returned for the second round of consideration on Thursday, Hughes and Lathrop worked on an amendment that provides neighbors a statute of limitations to file a claim if a nuisance situation arises. When it gets to that point, it starts a two-year clock and you, the aggrieved party, have two years to bring that lawsuit, Lathrop explained. If you dont bring that lawsuit, the door is closed to you. While the lawsuits plaintiffs are mainly feeder operations, Bullard said it has an impact that filters down to the even the smallest cow/calf rancher. The most important prices discovery market for the entire cattle industry is the fed cattle market, Bullard said. The price for all other younger cattle is based on the expected future value of that animal when its ready to be sold to the packers. Our focus on the fed cattle market is a focus on the critical market for the entire industry, he said. The class action lawsuit seeks to recover the losses suffered by two classes believed harmed by the packing companies alleged conduct. The first class includes cattle producers who sold fed cattle to any one of the firms from January 2015 to the present. The second class consists of traders who transacted live cattle futures or options contracts on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) from January 2015 to the present. The complaint, which plaintiffs claim is supported by witness accounts, including a former employee of one of the packers, trade records, and economic evidence, alleges that the big four packers conspired to artificially depress fed cattle prices through various means, including: Peterson has always been willing to share her experience and expertise with college students, interns, other producers, and others, such as Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition, Nebraska Extension, Chadron State College, and at numerous professional conferences. The Petersons are committed to improving productivity on their acreage by enhancing the quality and diversity of their ecosystems on pastures and cropland. Douglas Olsen is a cattle producer, farmer and community leader in Banner County, where he manages a large commercial and purebred Hereford herd, with his father, Art, wife, Pam, children, and several employees. Doug, a graduate of UNL Animal Science Department, is an early adopter of new and research-proven technology, using the information and also sharing it with others through personal contact and hosts numerous field days or tours. Olsen is Chairman of the Board of the Panhandle Cooperative, and also is active in the Nebraska Coop Council, Nebraska Cattlemens Association, American Hereford Association, and National Cattlemens Beef Association. The Olsens are involved in programs designed to improve Hereford genetics and to grow the market for Hereford beef. Doug is a frequent speaker and panel member at cattlemens meetings and is involved in numerous local church and community activities. WASHINGTON Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is moving forward with plans to relocate two influential scientific agencies out of downtown, a cost-saving initiative that critics fear could provoke mass resignations among employees who fund critical agricultural research and produce statistics that shape farm policy. In a meeting last week, Chris Hartley, acting administrator of the USDAs Economics Research Service, told researchers at that agency to expect reassignment letters in mid-May, according to two ERS employees who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Though the new location has yet to be announced, Hartley told researchers that they would have about 120 days to uproot their families and report for duty. Of 68 towns and cities in contention to host the agency, College Park and Montgomery County, Maryland, are within a few dozen miles of its current offices. Many candidates, such as Denver, Des Moines and Kansas City, are hundreds or more than a thousand miles away. Staff at the National Institute for Food and Agriculture, which Perdue also selected for relocation, have not yet received a date for the move, said a NIFA employee who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the move. In 1995, Vogel became an elected member for the prestigious International Statistical Institute. In 2001, he received the Presidential Rank Award in recognition of his leadership and management of the NASS Statistics program and his leadership and management of the NASS statistics program and his efforts to improve agriculture statistics around the world. Vogel retired from NASS in 2002 to become the Global Manger of the International Comparison Program (ICP), a new international statistical initiative under the auspices of the World Bank and the United Nations Statistical Commission. Under his leadership the ICP became the worlds largest and most complex statistics initiative, making it possible to compare the size and price levels of economies around the world. In that position, and later a co-chair of the World Bank Technical Advisory Group, he continued to be a leading voice for building statistical capacity. He was the principal author of the Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural Statistics, which was unanimously endorsed by the United Nations Statistical Commission and is being implemented worldwide as a statistical capacity bulding initiative. He concluded his career when he retired from the World Bank in 2016. MOUNT PLEASANT Foxconn Technology Group announced last week it will host an advanced manufacturing interview event May 7-8. The company is seeking to fill approximately 30 additional Gen6-related openings ranging from entry level to senior positions across a number of job categories including manufacturing engineers, equipment technicians, manufacturing associates, industrial engineers, and environmental health and safety specialists. New employees will travel to Foxconn facilities in Japan and Taiwan for a six-month training period, during which they will learn about Gen6 advanced manufacturing technologies in-depth. Upon completion of the training program, employees will return to Wisconsin where they will mentor future employees on Gen6 processes at the companys Wisconsin manufacturing facilities. Individuals with strong engineering or technical skills, experience and qualifications are encouraged to apply. Registration will be limited to the first 300 applicants, and interviews will be granted from among the pool of registrants. Registration is required, and interview times will be assigned and emailed in advance of the event. No walk-ins on the day will be permitted. The interview event will be at 13315 Globe Drive, Mount Pleasant, May 7-8. More information on the event and how to register are at: https://www.fewidev.com/events/#/mtpleasant-05-07_08-2019 Love 0 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 With a much-needed dredging project about to get underway at the mouth of Kenoshas harbor, its good to note the man who built the first crane dredge on Lake Michigan was Kenoshan Jason Lothrop in the 1840-50s. Over the years Ive seen the name Jason Lothrop crop up in many local history pioneer references. So who was this Jason Lothrop guy? To answer that, youd first have to answer the question: Which one? There were three generations of Jason Lothrop who lived in Kenosha at some point in their lives. They were a father, son and grandson, and each have pretty interesting stories to tell. The first Jason Lothrop Rev. Jason Lothrop was born in Vermont in 1794. His first career was that of a schoolteacher, but after some years, he became a Baptist minister. When a group of investors and friends in Hannibal, N.Y., formed the Western Emigration Co. to explore land options in the new West (now the Midwest) in 1834, Lothrop was there. He helped to produce the constitution and bylaws of the new company. The first party of Western Emigration settlers arrived at what we now call the HarborPark area in June 1835. About a month later, Lothrop, his wife Susan, and children Susan and Lucien, boarded a schooner on Lake Ontario and began their four-week voyage from Oswego, N.Y. across the Great Lakes of Ontario, Erie, Huron and Michigan. They arrived here on Aug. 15, 1835. At that time there were but three log huts in the vicinity. The Lothrop family, along with the David Crossit family, lived in a boarding house log cabin during the first winter of 1835. In 1836, Lothrop staked off a claim and built a cabin for his family where the old Frank Wells Co. stood on Fifth Avenue and 59th Street. Being a minister, people began to turn to Lothrop for spiritual care. One account says he did not preach until November 1835. Other accounts credit him with the first sermon given that summer. Lothrop brought a small printing press with him, and he was able to print handbills to announce community events, an important use of communication technology at that time. Surveying a family trade Jason Jr., born in 1820, was just 15 when the members of his immediate family moved to the Pike Creek settlement. Junior stayed behind, going to night school, where he learned civil engineering. He came here to Southport in 1843, and saw his fathers handiwork: Elder Lothrop had built one of the very first frame houses in the city. Father and son shared a trade: They were both proficient in land surveying. Elder Lothrop filled the office of county surveyor in the early years of Racine County, of which we were a part, and Jason Jr. was elected Kenosha County surveyor soon after he arrived here and held that office almost continuously for 50 years. The Kenosha History Center has the younger Lothrops field books in its collection. Jason Lothrop Jr., had an impact on Wisconsin equal to his father. In addition to Kenoshas dredge, he built the first side-wheel dredge on the Wisconsin River, and was in charge of building the first lock on the Fox River at Lake Winnebago. He also surveyed the first lots in Muskegon, Mich. Jason Jr. continued to call Kenosha his home, marrying Jane Burnside in 1842 and subsequently had six children: Donna, James, Jason, Ida, Charles and Susie. The city mourned when the Rev. Jason Lothrop died Sept. 1, 1870, and again in 1878 when Jason Jr.s youngest child Susie, 19, died. She had been a Kenosha school teacher for two years. In 1907 her father had a pipe organ placed in the Henry M. Simmons Memorial Church as a memorial to Susie. The third Jason Jason Jr. lived to the ripe old age of 92, long enough to be struck by one last family tragedy. On June 5, 1895, his son, Capt. Jason Lothrop III, an experienced marine explosives handler, was involved in a freakish accident as he was working on a waterworks extension project in Buffalo, N.Y. Lothrop had charge of a Hingston and Woods steam drill, drilling and blasting a channel for a water intake pipe. About 2 p.m. that day, he had put down one dynamite cartridge and his assistant Charles Harrity had another 25-pound cartridge in his hand. The men were working back to back. As Harrity attached the wires to the cartridge, Lothrop, unknowing Harritys actions, turned the current on. The explosion rocked the waterfront. Harrity died instantly. It blew his mangled body parts out into the lake. Lothrop was thrown through the side of the boat, mangling his legs. Four other workers, who were within 10 feet of the point of ignition, were also thrown into the boat; their injuries were painful, but not serious. Luckily, 400 pounds of dynamite in a boat about 10 feet from Harrity did not explode. Lothrop died of his injures about 24 hours later, never gaining consciousness. He was survived by his wife Ada (Parsons). Capt. Lothrop was buried in Forrest Home Cemetery in Buffalo. Jason Lothrop II joined his father and son in the hereafter on Jan. 17, 1912. He was living with his son Charles in Spooner, Wis., and was brought home to Kenosha. Funeral services were held at the Henry M. Simmons Memorial Church. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 136 Shares Share Two prestigious medical journals published studies involving Alzheimer disease (AD) and amyloid beta in successive weeks; both were paired with guest expert commentaries (editorials). One editorial, about a drug study, also reviewed several other failures in anti-amyloid therapy and stated: To be blunt, A-beta [amyloid] lowering seems like an ineffective approach. The other editorial had an encouraging attitude toward amyloid PET imaging as part of the diagnostic process for dementia, but it left me with questions about conclusions. The NEJM reports a newer trial of verubecestat, a drug that improved target amyloid imaging and biomarkers, but seemed to make subjects worse, had side effects, and essentially failed to improve endpoints. This trial is interesting because it recruited subjects earlier in their disease process than seen in most other studies, i.e. it tested those labeled as prodromal, rather than the mild-to-moderate subjects previously reported. Last years FDA guidance to Pharma, for those seeking accelerated approval for dementia drugs, discussed recruiting early patient cohorts. It addressed the notion that numerous AD therapeutic failures were due to the patients selected, perhaps too advanced to be salvaged, even ones clinically designated as mild. With early subjects, however, there is a risk of damaging relatively healthy people and affecting their quality of life even when their dementia prognosis might be uncertain. The NEJM guest editorialist, Dr. D. Knopman from Mayo, discusses the study but also provides context with a concise review of the amyloidogenic pathway so strongly associated with AD. There is an instructive illustration. He reviews multiple possible points of attack on amyloid, and the target points in recent therapeutic failures. His full concluding statement is: To be blunt, lowering A-beta [amyloid] seems to be an ineffective approach, and it is time to focus on other targets to move therapeutics for Alzheimers disease forward. The JAMA reports a study of dementia specialists clinical actions after they were provided a report on their patients amyloid PET imaging. The patients already had a diagnosis of progressive Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia of uncertain etiology. The authors state that amyloid PET scans (even with various agents) are specific to a very high degree, but can be positive in other neurodegenerative conditions and even in cognitively normal older folks; scans were scored here as either positive or negative. The study shows that dementia specialists clinical management will change for about 2/3 of their patients (60 to 64 percent) after a scan. The authors do not provide any patient outcome data in this report [expected later], but AD drug prescriptions increased overall. The drugs prescribed are not considered disease-modifying or anti-amyloid. Strictly speaking, using an old definition, AD is diagnosed with brain tissue under the microscope. The authors state that the presence of amyloid is required, but not sufficient, for neuropathology diagnosis. Since brain biopsies are evidently not routine, amyloid PET can act as a surrogate for tissue examination. Negative scans might be particularly helpful, to avoid giving AD drugs (whose only FDA indication is for dementia of the Alzheimer type) to those who probably dont have AD. Yet AD drugs were continued in those with negative scans, and new ones were even given to some patients with negative scans. Amyloid PET scans were evidently under reimbursement review by Medicare when the JAMA study was initiated. For context, FDG-PET scans for cancer had to go through a multi-year process before limited indication approval for payment. National organizations like the ABIM and ASCO discuss the rational use of expensive scans through their Choosing Wisely guidelines. The JAMA guest commentators, Drs. C. Jack and R. Peterson, are coincidentally from Mayo. Dr. Jack is the first author of a significant research framework position paper last year, proposing that neuroimaging including PET scans for amyloid beta and tau be the foundation of AD and dementia research going forward, even re-defining Alzheimers Disease itself based on their AT(N) paradigm. Even though unresolved questions, including pathophysiology, evidently prompted the research framework paper, the following comments concluded their editorial: Given the evidence provided by the IDEAS [JAMA] study that more specific knowledge provided by biomarkers about etiology of impairment was associated with changes in short-term clinical management, a path forward seems apparent. More detailed etiologic characterization by deeper biomarker-based phenotyping will result in more precise, patient-specific management decision making. Ultimately, the hope is that management will include access to pathophysiologically appropriate, disease-modifying interventions. My oncologist (non-neurologist) questions about the JAMA study: 1) The authors of the study recognize several limitations and mention this: when an enrollment criterion requires that participants agree that knowledge of amyloid PET status was expected to alter diagnosis and management, doesnt this create a foregone conclusion? 2) What are the pressures on prescribing physicians to do something when they are given results of an imaging test, given the pent-up clinical demand cited by the editorial? How many prescriptions would there be without access to scans? 3) Is the word etiology, implying certain knowledge of the primary cause in AD, the right word for the protocol and editorialists to use? Could amyloid deposition be akin to scar tissue? The JAMA study also reminded me of The Will Rogers Phenomenon, a type of lead time bias, seen in cancer studies when new imaging techniques are introduced, and how that might influence survival statistics. Will that kind of phenomenon influence the eventual report and interpretation of patient outcomes from this cohort? Ron Louie is a pediatric oncologist. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 5K Shares Share There are a lot of unhappy physicians in a lot of bad situations. I know because I write for them, and they write to me. The thing is, we deal with patient satisfaction all day long. Why not work harder on physician satisfaction? I want my colleagues to have a higher physician satisfaction score. So first off, what makes us dissatisfied? What lowers that score for the hard-working physicians of America, and indeed much of the world? Poorly designed electronic medical records, customer satisfaction pressures (along with Joint Commission, CMS, Press-Ganey scores, etc.) The misery of the pain scale (which in part brought us the wonders of the opioid epidemic). Endless new regulations, enacted by committees who have next to no idea what we do in clinical medicine, or what we need, but always feel good about one more rule or requirement enacted over a lunch meeting. (As the emergency department or clinic or OR was stressed to the breaking point.) How about lack of backup? We cant get more staff, we cant afford more specialists, we cant pay for more beds. We may not even have a secretary, much less more physicians or nurses! How about the increasing complexity of care? Its not what medicine was 25 years ago, I can tell you. Here are some more. What about those who try to tell us we cant have food or drinks at our work stations? (A thing that has been shown to be simply unnecessary and not required by Joint Commission.) Not only no food or drinks, but no time for breaks! And constant time entering orders and documenting on computers. All of these steadily, daily, weekly and yearly lower our physician satisfaction scores. What about the fact that our lives are driven by metrics? The day after a shift in the ER or clinic, nobody really cares how hard it was or what a good job we did. They want us to know that our EMR inbox is full and that we have unsigned charts and orders. (If they arent signed, how can the billing folks collect?) Exhaustion is a factor, right? Medicine is hard. Medicine is tiring. Medicine happens 24/7. Those who do it seldom have time to really, truly rest. Days in clinic or the OR. Nights on call. Early mornings and late nights. Not a prescription for a healthy life. But its more than that, isnt it? Part of our dissatisfaction is that physicians often cant leave medicine, cant change jobs, because their debt level is so high. The average student now graduates medical school with around $200,000 in loans. This robs young physicians of options. It affects specialty choices so that primary care is harder to justify. It affects practice location, as young physicians after residency have to find the highest paying job to make their payments. Especially if they have any hope of having a home, a family or any free time. And in practice? The indentured servitude of debt leaves physicians trapped. Unable to cut back, change or quit if they find themselves dissatisfied or frankly miserable. Or depressed. Or suicidal. Other things make us dissatisfied. For instance, the specter of lawsuits always lurks behind every chart, in every encounter, every procedure. In every transfer, every left without being seen, every angry, violent patient who has to be treated with kid gloves. Lawsuits that keep us up at night, and make us shudder when we come to work and a co-worker takes us aside and says, Remember that lady you sent home with chest pain? It appears that exploding corporatization across medicine also leaves physicians dissatisfied. It leaves us frustrated because it was our individual drive and initiative that allowed us to succeed in medicine, but that drive, those skills are suddenly owned and co-opted by others, by a collective. And by people who have no idea how we think, what we do or what we endure except to the extent that it affects the financial bottom line. This leaves us out of control. Practices purchased, hospitals purchased, physicians essentially purchased. Physicians, commoditized, who exist to produce the product, the bottom line that is demanded by shareholders and by administrations. Physicians, who along with nurses, techs and others engage in the only thing that produces money for a hospital. Patient care. Its this top-down, paternalistic control, coupled with the burden of debt, that leaves physicians unable to resist constant new time stamps, new algorithms, new nursing rules, new billing, and coding requirements. Unable to say no to one more person saying that they cant have a break, or so much as a drink at their desk. It leaves them unable to speak their minds, or even speak the truth of the science they were hired to practice. Unable to say no to wearing RFID badges that track them like animals being studied on the tundra. All of this helps explain the 300 physician suicides every year in America. And the rising sense of burnout, whatever that is. It helps explain the exodus from medicine, the early retirements, the desperate scramble to do something non-clinical, or less clinical. Look around! The signs are everywhere. Of course, much has been written about this. Wellness initiatives are all around. Corporations, some of them at least, are looking at ways to make physicians more satisfied. And it makes sense. Happier physicians are more productive and make happier patients. That is, customers. Hey, if that gets things to change, then its better than nothing! I am no medical economist. And certainly no MBA. I have no idea how to undo corporatism. I cant program an EMR. I hope that over time we can push back, steadily, against bad ideas. We seem to be winning a small battle over drinks at our desks. Thats good. We have successfully lobbied to decrease the demands of board certification. Thats also good. We even seem to have made our point that giving opioids just because its a ten is and always was a bad, dangerous idea. The political and economic restructuring will have to be left to someone smarter than I am. However, there are things we can do. There are ways to improve our physician satisfaction scores. The first I have tried to do. To simply state them. To call them out into the light so that physicians arent bullied into thinking that theyre alone, or that theyre complainers. So that hard-working, frustrated physicians can say, Yeah, I feel that way too! Shine the light on the demons, and they scatter. And look smaller than we thought when we stand together. But there are other things we can do. And these are important. Whether one is a director or a partner, or just a lonely locums physician wandering the world like a wild west gunslinger, we can make things better for one another. The best part is, these things do not require committees or the movement of large corporations. They require that we care for ourselves and for others. Here goes: Remember, always, that medicine cannot be the sum total of our identities. When it is, we set ourselves up for inevitable failure. Every mistake strikes at the core of our being. Every bit of frustration or disappointment, every time we think wed like to quit, we lose who we are if physician is all we are. This has to start in college, and go on in medical school, residency and beyond. We are human beings. We are complex and varied. We are children and parents. We are spouses and lovers. We are artists and business people. We are scientists and humanists and children of God. We are physicians, but so much more. What else? When we are part of groups of physicians, we can pay attention to the personal needs and wounds around us. Our co-workers may rise to every occasion and never call in sick. But there may be pain in their eyes. Maybe from a mistake. Maybe from litigation. Maybe from a hard, heart-wrenching case. Perhaps theyre weary of arguing with other physicians or administrators. Maybe they owe money. (We should remind our young physicians to be wise and spend less than they think they should.) Maybe their marriage is in trouble. Sometimes their family members are sick. Or their children are wayward and prodigal. Or simply normal teenagers, which is hard enough. We need to talk with them. Take them to dinner. Fill in when theyre stressed. Avoid criticizing their metrics during these times, and remember they are more than physicians. They are people suffering like the patients we care for each and every day. Be there to fill in for weddings, funerals, and sickness; for kids plays and graduations. Connection with family is critical, and when it is lost, isolation can be toxic. We have to help our partners maintain this. It can be helpful to have group family dinners! Or for directors to meet with spouses now and then! They will speak the truth because they know the story and want their partner to be whole again. Remember that a physician represents a family. Not just a person. And family is the anchor everyone needs to weather the storms. Family is paramount and when it is displaced by the idolatry of medicine, everyone suffers. Furthermore, time is the most precious currency of all, and we must spend it on the ones we love. Every shift worked, every procedure performed, no matter how much money its worth, has an equal or higher value in time away from those we love. It must be calculated. Next? Whether director or not, we need to stick together and go to bat against ridiculous rules and regulations. We need to advocate for one another in an era of death by clipboard. Too many people walk around making too many rules for us. And its past time to push back against those who add work to already overwhelmed physicians. This isnt easy, but I know of a group of physicians in a major trauma center who flatly refused to use the EMR the hospital purchased. In the end? They got a new one. They leveraged their value, their skills, and dedication. They won. We need more of that. We need less genuflection before patient satisfaction scores. My former director (may he rest in peace) said, If you dont make someone mad once a day youre not doing your job right. Thats not a popular opinion. But its true. Another thing: What is burnout? Were told to watch for it. Maybe its like they used to say about pornography. You cant define it, but you know it when you see it. I have a theory that much of burnout in medicine is just being tired of seeing pain, suffering, and sadness. Its a kind of low-grade PTSD. And sometimes not so low grade. When a 20-year-old soldier comes back from Iraq and says, I think I have PTSD, we believe him. It doesnt matter if he was combat infantry or a mechanic. When a physician says it, the world says, Well sure, but youre helping people, and you make a lot of money. And back to work she goes. Sad, anxious, stressed and ghost-haunted by years of giving bad news and seeing bad things. We need to have mercy on one another to improve our physician satisfaction scores. The thing is, we dont seek help. We dont go to counselors. We dont admit our deep wounds, and we suppress our all-too-human mistakes for fear of litigation. And by the way, what if we are sued? Errors are not sins. Theyre the result of being human; that thing we often forget we are and replace with the word doctor. In the end, we must remind ourselves and our friends that litigation is a financial transaction and is sadly sometimes part of the cost of being a physician. However, we will help vastly more people over our careers than we ever, ever harm. Thats worth remembering. For every angry patient, for every mistake, there are hundreds, or thousands, who benefited from our care. And who are grateful. From what I see every day, from the complexity, the rules, the charting, the limitations of human memory and cognition, the endless interruptions, its a true miracle that more mistakes dont happen. The funny thing is, physicians cant even admit when they do well. I asked a bunch of young doctors in residency if they had ever saved a life in three years of training. They wouldnt raise their hands. If I had asked about mistakes, every hand would have gone up. How harshly we view ourselves! That has to stop. Its important, for our satisfaction, not only to spend time with precious loved ones but to spend time alone and with hobbies outside of medicine. (Reading journal article doesnt count as a hobby.) I used to blacksmith, and the contrast between emergency medicine and hitting hot iron was beautiful and soul-cleansing. Sometimes I shoot a bow in the back yard. Or throw an atlatl. Hobbies are good. Solitude is good too, at times. Now this is extremely vital. To be happier and healthier, we also need ways to process what we see. I believe we all need a philosophy or theology to help us cope with the suffering and pain around us and with the deep emotions we feel inside of us. To help us process evil and loss and grief, and offer us hope whether in this life or another. Its so easy to say, Im a scientist, I dont need all that hocus-pocus. And yet, that hocus pocus, those things that we call the humanities have sustained humanity for ages and ages beyond what we measure or recall. We need insights into what it means to be human and what it means to hope in something beyond our trouble. Art can help here. Music, paintings, sculpture, theater, film, all of these address the human condition and can offer us ways to process it all. Finally, medicine is hard. I give you permission to quit if its just too much or youve just done it too long. But physicians have enormous inertia and have difficulty leaving a job once theyve started. The very dedication that gets us into medicine is a trap which causes us to stay in jobs and locations where we are unhappy. When its time to leave, leave. And when its time to quit, remember all the good youve done and move on down the road. How should we treat other physicians, and patients? My daughter and son have an interest in medicine. So Id like this to be the way we handle others: Do unto others as you would have others do unto your children. That should go a long way toward improving everyones physician satisfaction score. Be well. Edwin Leap is an emergency physician who blogs at edwinleap.com and is the author of the Practice Test and Life in Emergistan. Image credit: Shutterstock.com Any time one of my fathers colleagues passed from this world, he would always put pen to paper and write a kind few words about the good auld days, he was a good drinking buddy or The Continent strikes again he would write or recall other happy memories from years gone by and submit the article to the Kilkenny People. It is with a heavy heart, and tear-filled eyes, that I write a few words about the best-known plumber in Kilkenny city and county - Patrick Pakie OKeeffe who passed on April 7, 2019. Pakie was religious, hardworking, proud of his family and always game for a laugh, or as he called it The Gallery. You would always leave Pakies company with a smile on your face. A man of contradictions, he adored Matt Talbot and Charles J Haughey at the same time. Suffering Ducks and James Street was his version of an expletive. He soldiered with Dinny Brennan, the Kirwans and Patsy Griffin to name but a few, and in recent years appointed Don Sheehan his minister for transport. He had good friends in the gardai especially John Touhy and Harry Lenihan. He loved the plumbing trade and worked until but a few days before he left this mortal realm. I know he loved and was immensely proud of my brother Tom and I, even though like most proud fathers he never said so directly to our faces. He missed his wife Mary and son Dave immensely. I do not think there was a single day since they passed that he didnt call out their names out loud. At my fathers removal the stories, one-liners and strokes he pulled had everyone laughing and in tears at the same time. He is sorely missed by all of his family, sons Tom and Allan, bother Damien, sisters Maureen and Ann and all his extended family. As a tribute to my father, I am compiling all the stories and one liners he was famous for into a book, or an Anthology of Pakie OKeeffe if you will. So I ask you, his family, friends, clients and colleagues to write down any story you may have about Pakie OKeeffe, the plumber of 38 Wolfe Tone Street, and forward them (stories, sayings, photos) onto me by emailing them to allanmokeeffe@gmail.com or put pen to paper and send your piece to The OKeeffe Family, 38 Wolfe Tone Street, Kilkenny. Ar dheas De go raibh a anam. Commodity price improvements, increased mine production, more capital spending, and general market improvements have all given the mining sector a positive first quarter, said EY, which released its Canadian Mining Eye study last week. Both precious and base metal prices were up. The consultancy pointed to gold prices increasing 1% quarter-over-quarter in Q1 2019 following an 8% quarterly gain in Q4 2018. The improvement in prices was due, in part, to the possibility of fewer US Federal Reserve rate hikes in 2019, wrote EY. Nickel prices saw a more significant increase of 22% in Q1 2019 compared with a 15% decline in Q4 2018. Copper prices also increased by 9%, and zinc prices gained 19% in Q1 2019. Mining indexes were all up. The S&P/TSX Composite Metals and Mining index gained 12% in Q1. The S&P/ASX 300 Metals & Mining was up sharply in the same quarter, rising 16%. EY expects 2019 to stay positive. Gold mine production in Canada is estimated to grow 6%. Major projects that are expected to begin production in 2019 include GoldCorps Borden project in Ontario, Agnico Eagle Mines Meliadine project in Nunavut and Barricks Hemlo mine in Ontario. EY said the outlook for M&A activity in the sector remains strong as companies continue to consolidate and divest non-core assets. This year will represent the fourth year of consecutive growth in deal value for the sector. Regarding the outlook for commodity prices, EY is bullish: By Mehmet Fatih Oztarsu The Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) announced that a memorandum of understanding was signed on March 11 with the Namangan regional government of Uzbekistan for developments of its free economic zone. This initiative signals a new emergence in bilateral relations in which Korea and Uzbekistan show a good partnership model to the world. Along with the recent step, both sides have signed four memorandum of understanding from the last year. According to this, new investments and projects are awaiting to be completed in the near future. On the other side, Uzbekistan announced that Korea is ready to help the country's accession to the World Trade Organization after a meeting between Paik Ji-ah, ambassador of the Korean Mission in Geneva and First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Ilkhom Nematov on March 12. Korea and Uzbekistan have a dynamic and productive relationship which covers mostly the economy, energy and cultural spheres. The countries have a totally different historical background and political past but they found a proper way for a strong partnership which implements large regional and international projects. When we compare other cooperation attempts among countries, Korea-Uzbekistan relations include a very specific example. The countries established the diplomatic ties in 1992. As a former Soviet country, Uzbekistan didn't have any experience in cooperation with a country that had a close relationship with the U.S. On the other side, Korea was a good model with its unique development history. Between 1992 and 2017, 16 high-level meetings were held. At this point, it is important to add other middle-level meetings took place to understand the general scope of the relations. Uzbekistan became home to the largest Korean diaspora which is called "Goryeo-in," or "Goryeo-saram," around 200,000 people. These Koreans were deported to Central Asia from the Korean peninsula during the Stalin period. In the following decades, all Koreans successfully adapted to the local culture and kept important positions in society. Therefore, Uzbekistan has a special place in Korean foreign policy. Mehmet Fatih Oztarsu (oztarsu@gmail.com) is a Turkish analyst in Seoul. It is basically over 6-12 months In another year or years It was never a real pandemic Vote View Results If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here. Submit Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that extensive consensus was reached on promoting "high-quality cooperation" under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) at the closing of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing Saturday. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets the press after the leaders' roundtable meeting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the Yanqi Lake International Convention Center in Beijing, April 27, 2019. [Photo: Xinhua/Pang Xinglei] "We spoke positively of the progress and significance of the cooperation under the BRI. We shared the view that cooperation under the BRI has opened a gateway to opportunities for common prosperity," Xi said, when briefing the press about the outcomes of Saturday's roundtable meeting attended by leaders from 40 countries and international organizations. Proposed by Xi in 2013, the BRI has extended from Asia and Europe to Africa, Americas and Oceania, opening up new space for world economy with better-than-expected results. More than 150 countries and international organizations have signed BRI cooperation documents with China. At the roundtable meeting, the leaders enriched the concept of BRI cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to a high-quality development path, while clarifying the priorities for the future cooperation and deciding to strengthen overall cooperation in all areas, according to Xi. "We all supported the idea of developing a global partnership for connectivity and agreed to strengthen cooperation mechanisms," he said. "We all supported more pragmatic cooperation to achieve more concrete outcomes." A total of 283 items of practical outcomes were achieved in the preparatory process and during the forum, and cooperation agreements worth more than 64 billion U.S. dollars were signed at a CEO conference during the forum, according to Xi. Chinese President Xi Jinping chairs and addresses the leaders' roundtable meeting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the Yanqi Lake International Convention Center in Beijing, April 27, 2019. [Photo: Xinhua/Li Xueren] About 5,000 participants from more than 150 countries and 90 international organizations attended the forum. In a keynote speech at the forum's opening ceremony Friday, President Xi announced a package of proposals to advance high-quality development of the BRI, calling on the international community to join hands to work out a "meticulous painting" of the BRI. The principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits should be upheld, said Xi, stressing open, green and clean approaches, as well as goals of high-standard, livelihood-improving and sustainable development. Strong support was expressed by leaders and business people from outside China. Addressing the opening ceremony of the forum, Nursultan Nazarbayev, first president of Kazakhstan, said the BRI has "transcended the challenges of geography and unequal development," and China "has proven itself as a reliable, responsible partner in the international arena." Chairman of China-Italy Chamber of Commerce Davide Cucino said that nobody should doubt how positive the BRI idea is, and there is a heated discussion in Europe about how to join the BRI. "Sooner or later, all countries will embrace the initiative." The BRI's five pillars -- policy coordination, facilities connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and people-to-people exchanges -- serve as "conceptual pillars that can be translated into real-life progress for all people," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the opening ceremony. From 2013 to 2018, the trade volume between China and other B&R countries surpassed 6 trillion U.S. dollars, and China's investment in B&R countries exceeds 90 billion dollars. Thanks to the BRI, eastern Africa has its own expressway, the Maldives has its first inter-island bridge, Belarus can produce sedans and the number of freight trains between China and Europe is on the rise. The once rusted Greek port of Piraeus has become one of the world's fastest-growing container terminals. Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, attended the first BRF in 2017. Recalling the first forum, he described the BRI then as "still a child growing up." "Now the BRI has become an adult, which means that it has become an important factor in the global economy. It has grown up," he told Xinhua at the second BRF. The primary driving forces of multiculturalism tend to be physical, those that dont require language. Food probably comes first, with music not far behind. So when Yo-Yo Ma proposed the idea of the Silkroad Ensemble two decades ago and the metaphor was the common cause of commerce the ancient trade route between East and West the real commonality was musical culture. Musicians are a sharing species, and the great dean of California multi-culti composers, Lou Harrison, always insisted that music history is ultimately the study of hybridization. Naturally, the Silkroad Ensemble worked musically and, for that matter commercially, with many best-selling and award-winning and culture-changing recordings. But at its 20th anniversary, the ensemble is at a crossroads. Musically, at least, the Silkroad has become mainstream. It works almost too well. With the new program Heroes Take Their Stands, which had its premiere Friday night at the Granada Theatre (one of the commissioners being the UC Santa Barbara Arts & Lectures series), cultural diversity seems less notable than ever. What creates wonder in Silkroad now is a kind of virtuosic assimilation. The ensemble has become as much its own hybrid entity as, say, a pluot. Advertisement That is not to imply a lack of decisive cultural identity to the five multimedia works created for the program, which Silkroad is taking on tour. It stopped at the Soraya in Northridge on Saturday and will come to Segerstrom Hall on Tuesday night. But what distinguishes each work is the natural way of using instruments and musical techniques from one culture to express something about another one. The idea behind the program was the notion of heroism as selfless action toward a social good. That made it an intriguing look at the philosophical notion of authenticity, the many motivations philosophers and religious figures have proposed for selflessness. In so doing, Heroes stands for a musical practice profoundly outside our own political, economic and social media celebrations of self-interest. (Heroes reaches the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on May 5.) For Silkroad, a hero is a hero, which means historic, literary or mythic figures included. Heroism need not require narrative. Cultural viewpoints are neither explained nor propounded onstage (there are program notes for that), but rather made effectively accessible simply by being acted upon. The evening began with Peruvian composer Pauchi Sasaki (she of the loudspeaker dresses bewitchingly employed at a Los Angeles Philharmonic Green Umbrella concert last year) electrifying dueling taiko drums in Elektra, with visual artist Nomi Sasakis Chinese black-ink animated lightning bolts projected on a screen behind the musicians. After several interactions between unalike but not incompatible instruments (possibly representing dual aspects of Elektras inner conflict over whether justice requires parenticide), the evening ended with the screen turning to snowy peaks dwarfed by indecipherable looming (Greek?) statuary. Japanese percussionist and shinobue flutist Kaoru Watanabe joined pipa star Wu Man for June Snow, here combining aspects of kabuki theater with Chinese opera. The subject came from a Yuan dynasty classic about a child bride, Dou E, who was framed for murder and who at her execution took supernatural revenge over injustice by producing snow in June. During the excited interactions between the two musicians, the backdrop on the rear screen was a snowstorm of calligraphy. OPERA: Want the West Coasts best talent? You have to go to Europe In Arjunas Revelation, with music by Silkroad violinist Colin Jacobsen, Sandeep Das assertive tabla playing animated the Indian dancer Aparna Ramaswamy. Her provocatively expressive dance was meant to be redolent of the warrior king Arjunas awakening to duty in the sacred text of the Bhagavad Gita, with the tabla standing for the animating god Krishna. (That was my take, anyway, with nothing much to go on.) Meanwhile the fuller ensemble added a warm grandeur to the dance. Jason Morans Moderato 400 suggested a certain musical contradiction in invoking the famous 1955 warning by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at Holt Street Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala., of the danger of white moderates miscalculating the horrors of racism. The jazz pianists gripping and inspirational score is built around a rhythmically arresting call and response between the pipa and taiko drum that leads, somewhat incongruously, to what seems a spiritually moderating climax for an ensemble of strings. No matter, its a great piece, with some blurred historic video imagery by Lucy Raven in the background. The last of the heroes is Siavosh from Ferdowsis Persian epic, Book of Kings. The victorious warrior sacrifices himself with the refusal to kill prisoners of war. In The Prince of Sorrow for the full ensemble and pre-recorded electronics, Iranian kamancheh star Kayhan Kalhor, one of Silkroads best known members, underscored a vividly drawn and colored animation by Hamid Rahmanian. This came closest to narrative. But at the same time, it didnt get close enough for those of us who hadnt read the ancient epic to follow, thus creating more mystery, not less. Kalhor, who understands Silkroad as well as anyone (Ma no longer regularly plays with the ensemble but was in the audience), made the ensemble sound utterly, aurally logical. Musical mission accomplished. Now the next job for Silkroad, which is also at an administrative crossroads, may be to get the world to listen, to really listen, to what a productive cultural crossroads sounds like. ===== Silkroad Ensemble Where: Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa When: 8 p.m. Tuesday Tickets: $68-$168 Info: (949) 553-2422 or philharmonic society.org In late March, an arsonist set fire to an Escondido mosque and left a note referencing a shooting rampage at two New Zealand mosques in which dozens were killed. On Saturday, a gunman opened fire at a Poway synagogue, killing one and injuring three others. Authorities now are investigating whether both acts of hate were committed by the same man: John T. Earnest. The 19-year-old was arrested Saturday after the synagogue shooting. The manifesto Earnest allegedly wrote speaks at length of anti-Semitism. I scorched a mosque in Escondido, the manifesto says. Authorities say they are now probing the manifesto as part of the larger investigation. Advertisement Who is the Poway shooting suspect? Earnest, a Rancho Penasquitos resident, is enrolled at Cal State San Marcos. President Karen Haynes confirmed his attendance and said in a statement that the school was cooperating with authorities. RELATED: Poways Jewish community so completely fed up after synagogue shooting Earnest previously attended Mt. Carmel High School, where his father taught. San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said there was no record that Earnest had prior interaction with law enforcement. What did the manifesto say? Earnest appears to have left behind a nine-page manifesto filled with racist rants and details of his personal life, including that he is a Rancho Penasquitos resident and nursing student from the depths of California. In the document, titled an open letter, the writer said he was inspired by Brenton Tarrant, the Australian white nationalist who killed 50 people in attacks on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15. It was the worst mass shooting in the countrys modern history. That shooting, the manifesto goes on, led to a decision four weeks ago to attack the Chabad of Poway: How long did it take you to plan the attack? Four weeks. Four weeks ago, I decided I was doing this. Four weeks later, I did it. RELATED: Poway synagogue shooting suspect linked to anti-Semitic internet manifesto The anti-Semitic letter reveals disgust for Jews and a desire to kill them. The writer said he was willing to sacrifice his future for the sake of my people. Earnest is white. The manifesto, which contains profanity and racial slurs, says of the Escondido fire: I scorched a mosque in Escondido with gasoline a week after Brenton Tarrants sacrifice and they never found ... on me (I didnt realize were sleeping inside though they woke up and put out the fire pretty much immediately after I drove away which was unfortunate. The writer also said he would stream the shooting live on Facebook, although a spokesperson for the social media company said the company had found no evidence of any video related to the incident. The company disabled the Facebook account linked to from the letter because it was deemed to be a fake account, the person said. RELATED: Rabbi gives sermon of strength after being shot at Poway synagogue Part of the manifesto is directed at Earnests family and friends, giving reasons for the attack. It says the ideology expressed is not inherited from family members. What do we know about Earnests family? The tenor of the online posting contrasts with Ramona resident Joyce Dauberts encounters with the Earnest family. Daubert is a retired schoolteacher. She taught alongside Earnests father at Mt. Carmel. The suspects father has a long history of serving as a lifeguard in La Jolla. He was a physics and science teacher at Mt. Carmel until he retired in 2016, according to information he posted on Facebook. Daubert said she was stupefied and heartbroken by the sons suspected involvement. I dont have enough words to say how lovely the family is, she said in a phone interview Saturday afternoon. Daubert only met the younger Earnest at faculty gatherings but described him as charming, really impressive, and so sweet and nice. The Los Angeles Police Department said Saturday that it has increased its presence around area synagogues and other places of worship after a deadly shooting in a San Diego county synagogue. At this time theres no nexus to Los Angeles, the LAPD tweeted Saturday afternoon. But in an abundance of caution, we will conduct high visibility patrols around synagogues and other houses of worship. Police said they were closely monitoring the shooting in Poway and communicating with our local, state and federal partners. On Saturday, LAPD patrol cars sat outside the Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Koreatown and Yavneh Hebrew Academy in Hancock Park, on guard. Advertisement Authorities said a gunman walked into a suburban San Diego County synagogue around 11:20 a.m armed with a semiautomatic rifle. He opened fire on the congregation, killing one person and injuring three others in an attack that authorities believe was motivated by hate. The suspect, who is white, was identified as 19-year-old John T. Earnest, a Rancho Penasquitos resident. He was arrested and is being questioned by homicide detectives. San Diego police were keeping watch on other local synagogues as a precaution. No known threats, Chief David Nisleit said on Twitter, however in an abundance of caution, we will be providing extra patrol at places of worship. Siamak Kordestani, assistant director of the Los Angeles office of the American Jewish Committee, urged elected officials to work together with communities and law enforcement to combat the trend of violence against houses of worship. We cannot let racists, xenophobes, and domestic terrorists destroy our social fabric, Kordestani said. In a prepared statement, the director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., said she was shocked and alarmed at the second armed attack on a synagogue in the United States in six months, this time on the last day of Passover. Now our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones, museum Director Sara J. Bloomfield said. But moving forward this must serve as yet another wake-up call that antisemitism is a growing and deadly menace. For more California breaking news, follow @AngelJennings. She can also be reached at angel.jennings@latimes.com. Loren Lieb and Donna Finkelstein were on their way to Lancaster on Saturday to campaign against a congressional candidate who opposes strict gun control laws when the two women received a call with news about a mass shooting in a Pittsburgh synagogue. Eleven people were killed and six injured, in what is believed to be the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in U.S. history. The two longtime friends were stunned. When is something going to change? Lieb wondered. The women bonded nearly 20 years ago after another tragic incident in which a self-professed white supremacist walked into the North Valley Jewish Community Center armed with a semiautomatic weapon and began shooting. Liebs 6-year-old son and Finkelsteins 16-year-old daughter were among the five people wounded. Advertisement Since then, Lieb and Finkelstein have become involved with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and are board members of Women Against Gun Violence. We have a special bond, Finkelstein said. We both took this tragic shooting and we became activists. We know that we do whatever we can to prevent future gun violence. The mothers had never met before the Aug. 10, 1999, shooting at the community center. Finkelsteins daughter, Mindy, was a counselor and Liebs son, Josh Stepakoff, was attending summer day camp. That morning, Josh had just finished a game of capture the flag and was walking down the main corridor of the community center when he came face-to-face with a person he thought was a construction worker. The man turned out to be the shooter, Buford Furrow Jr. Of the five people wounded that day, three were children ages 5 and 6. After the rampage, Furrow left the center and fatally shot a mail carrier in Chatsworth. Furrow is currently serving a life sentence. Although Josh was shot in the leg and the hip, he remembers only running. Mindy was with another camper when she was shot twice and managed to escape with the child. On Saturday morning, Mindy Finkelstein was in bed with her 7-month-old daughter and her husband in the Bay Area when she received texts from family members asking if shed heard about the Pittsburgh shooting. As she watched the news, she felt an overwhelming sense of survivors guilt. I also had a deeper sense of sadness that not much has changed in almost 20 years and actually, now more than ever, gun violence and hate are more prevalent than they were when I was shot, she said. Now 35, Mindy criticized the easy accessibility to guns, as well as the sheer power of the weapons available. Saturdays shooting unfolded over 20 minutes at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburghs Squirrel Hill neighborhood, known locally for being the historical hub of the citys Jewish community. The gunman, identified as Robert Bowers, 46, of Pittsburgh, was armed with an assault rifle and three handguns, officials said. During negotiations for Bowers surrender, an officer at the scene radioed that Bowers was saying that all these Jews need to die. He was charged late Saturday on 29 counts, including 11 counts of murder with a firearm, and several hate crime charges such as obstructing the exercise of religious beliefs resulting in death. The Anti-Defamation League reported earlier this year that anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. rose 57% in 2017 the largest single-year increase on record and the second-highest number reported since ADL started tracking such data in 1979. Mindys daughter is growing up Jewish and she said she wants her to be proud of that. I dont want her to shy away from it or hide it and I dont want to hide it. I want to be proud of my heritage, Mindy said. The leaders of this country have a responsibility to make it known that this hate that is being spewed out everywhere is wrong and its actually killing people. President Trump, in his first comment to reporters on the shooting, called for armed guards at synagogues and implied that lax security by the synagogue was at least partially to blame for the high death toll. If they had protection inside, the results would have been far better, he said. If there was an armed guard inside the temple, they would have been able to stop him, maybe there would have been nobody killed, except for him, frankly. After the North Valley Jewish Community Center shooting, the center installed gates, a guard shack and an armed security guard who worked around the clock, all of which came at a huge financial cost to the organization, according to Nina Lieberman, who oversaw the community center at the time. A Los Angeles police officer kept watch at the site for weeks. Liebermans 6-year-old son was enrolled in the summer camp and witnessed the shooting. The community center saw a small dip in enrollment after the shooting, said Lieberman, who was associate executive director of the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Los Angeles at the time. It was a precursor to a bigger blow just a few years later when parents pulled their kids out of preschools and summer camps in large numbers after the 9/11 terrorist attacks out of fear of sending their children to Jewish centers. The drop in revenue played a significant role in causing a financial crisis for the organization, Lieberman said. The Granada Hills site was shuttered in the early 2000s and the land was sold. Members of the community later joined other groups and formed the Valley Jewish Community Center in Woodland Hills. Still, the tragedy in 1999 brought the greater community together, with preschool held the very next day at an Episcopal church next door, Lieberman said. We made a very conscious decision to act like a community center and provide a sense of belonging, she said. We took it as an opportunity to create a sense of togetherness, to say, We are not going to fall because of your behavior. After Donna Finkelsteins husband called her Saturday with the news, she spent most of the day weeping. So did Lieb. The women would spend several hours together canvassing neighborhoods in Lancaster. As they knocked on each door, Finkelstein was fearful about what could happen. Because you dont know who has a gun, Finkelstein said. brittny.mejia@latimes.com Twitter: @Brittny_Mejia maya.lau@latimes.com Twitter: @mayalau A deadly shooting Saturday at a synagogue has left the San Diego County suburb of Poway reeling. This is not Poway, Mayor Steve Vaus said at a news conference. We always walk with our arms around each other, and we will walk through this tragedy with our arms around each other. The mayor expressed appreciation for the quick law enforcement response and for those who showed courage during the violence. RELATED: Rabbi gives sermon of strength after being shot at Poway synagogue Advertisement Poway, a city of about 50,000 people north of San Diego known for its rural charms, describes itself as the City in the Country. In 2015, it was named the 26th-safest city out of the 478 incorporated communities in California. One person was killed and three others injured Saturday when a 19-year-old man armed with a rifle opened fire during Passover services at Chabad of Poway. Authorities identified the suspect as John T. Earnest, a resident of nearby Rancho Penasquitos. Earnest appears to have written a letter posted on the internet filled with anti-Semitic screeds. In the letter, he also talked about planning the attack. Cantor Caitlin Bromberg of the Ner Tamid synagogue in Poway said: Were feeling fear. It could have just as easily been our service. It hits close to home. RELATED: Deadly attack at San Diego-area synagogue underscores rise in anti-Jewish hate The shooting came on the last day of Passover, one of the most sacred holidays in the Jewish faith. The eight-day festival commemorates the freedom of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt and is typically observed with a number of rituals, including Seder meals, the removal of leavened products from the home and the sharing of the exodus story. Targeting them seems pretty intentional to me, Bromberg said. I dont know what were going to learn about the shooter, but it seems [he] knew something about Judaism. Poway High School has been set up as a family assistance center for anyone seeking information about loved ones. Trauma counselors were being sent to the synagogue, where about 100 people were awaiting interviews with homicide detectives. The mayor said he expects Poway to come together amid the violence. We will get through this, he told reporters. Poway will stay strong. We will always be a community that cares for each other. Davis and Jones write for the San Diego Union-Tribune. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, wounded in Saturdays deadly attack at his California synagogue, has vowed that the violence will not intimidate or deter him. This has to stop. This has to stop, he said Sunday in an interview with CNN. Terror will not win. As Americans, we cant and wont cower in the face of senseless hate of whats called anti-Semitism. The attack at the Chabad of Poway on Saturday morning killed one woman and injured Goldstein and two others. RELATED: Poway synagogue shooting suspect linked to anti-Semitic internet manifesto Advertisement The rabbi was celebrating the last day of Passover with his congregants when a gunman wearing a green military-style vest and armed with a semiautomatic weapon burst in and began shooting. Hide yourself! Shooting! Shooting! congregants yelled as they dropped to the floor. One man threw his body over his 2-year-old grandson; another was wounded as he ushered children to safety. Congregant Lori Kaye, 60, was killed when she jumped in front of the rabbi, whose hands were hit by gunfire. An 8-year-old girl was hit with shrapnel in the face and leg. The attack was described by some of the 100 worshipers who were inside the synagogue celebrating one of the most sacred holidays in Judaism. Authorities arrested the suspected shooter, John T. Earnest, who they believe was motivated by hate and, a month ago, may have tried to burn down an Escondido mosque. Investigators were checking the authenticity of an anti-Semitic screed the 19-year-old Rancho Penasquitos resident allegedly posted online before the 11:20 a.m. shooting. The letter states a willingness to sacrifice for the sake of my people. The manifesto talks of planning the shooting, saying it was inspired by gunmen who killed scores of people at a Pittsburgh synagogue and two New Zealand mosques. Rabbi Goldstein linked the attack to the larger Jewish experience. He told CNN Jews were still recovering from the Holocaust yet we are being mowed down like animals. The violence came exactly six months after a gunman killed 11 people and wounded seven others during Saturday morning Shabbat services at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and underscored concerns about rising incidents of anti-Jewish hate. Anti-Semitic incidents around the nation have been increasing since 2013, with the biggest all-time annual jump coming in 2017, when the tally climbed 57% to 1,986, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The majority of those incidents were harassment, which rose 41% to 1,015 incidents, including 163 bomb threats against Jewish community centers and synagogues. Vandalism rose 86% to 952 cases. The number of physical assaults fell from 36 to 19. RELATED: This is not Poway: San Diego suburb reels from synagogue shooting Goldstein said he felt there was much to be learned from the violence. He said he had time to consider this question as he recovered from surgery. I was centimeters away from being shot point blank, he said. He said the hand wound he suffered in the shooting would always remind him how vulnerable we can be yet how heroic each one of us can be. For the family of a girl hurt Saturday in the Poway synagogue shooting, the violence was not their first brush with anti-Semitism since moving to the United States from Israel in search of a safer life. The girl, identified as Noya Dahan, 8, of Mira Mesa, was hit with shrapnel in the face and leg when a gunman opened fire on worshipers at the synagogue, Chabad of Poway. Noya and two other people were hurt in the shooting, and a woman Lori Gilbert-Kaye, 60, of Poway was killed. Noyas uncle was among those injured in the attack. The suspected shooter, a 19-year-old man authorities identified as John T. Earnest of Rancho Penasquitos, was arrested Saturday after allegedly fleeing the synagogue in a hail of bullets fired by a U.S. Border Patrol agent working there as a security guard. Saturdays shooting was not the first anti-Semitic crime against the Dahan family since moving to the U.S. from Israel in 2014. Their home in Mira Mesa was vandalized during the Passover holiday in April 2015, according to news reports at the time. Advertisement Giant red swastikas were painted on the familys garage door and the hood of their pickup around 11 p.m. April 5, 2015, according to the news reports. Noyas father, Israel Dahan, told Fox 5 San Diego at the time that his family had moved from Israel to find a safer life, and that the vandalism had left them fearful. Recalling the vandalism and the shooting Sunday in an interview with an Israeli radio station, Israel Dahan said the crimes had not caused the family to regret its decision to move to the U.S., according to the New York Times. We love America. ... It can happen anywhere in any mall, and in any hospital and in any family gathering and in any place, Dahan told the station, according to the article. We are strong. We were born to be strong. Noyas injuries were not life-threatening, authorities said Sunday. 1 / 15 Children light candles during the vigil to remember the death of Poway resident Lori Gilbert-Kaye. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 15 Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, center, meets with members of the congregation of Chabad of Poway the day after a deadly shooting at the synagogue. Goldstein was shot and lost a finger on his right hand. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 15 A woman leaves flowers at small memorial near Chabad of Poway. (Hayne Palmour IV / TNS) 4 / 15 Mourners attend a vigil at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in Poway. (Sandy Huffaker / AFP/Getty Images) 5 / 15 People mourn at a vigil at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in Poway. (David McNew / Getty Images) 6 / 15 People attend a vigil at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in Poway. (David McNew / Getty Images) 7 / 15 Police evacuate a cul de sac in San Diegos community of Rancho Penasquitos and surround a house related to the investigation of the synagogue shooting in Poway. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 15 Chabad of Poway members gather outside their synagogue after a man shot multiple people on Saturday, killing one. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 15 Police surround a house related to the investigation of the synagogue shooting in Poway. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 15 San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore, center, discusses Saturdays synagogue shooting. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) 11 / 15 Members of the media and the surrounding community gather near the Altman Family Chabad Community Center in Poway after Saturdays shooting at Chabad of Poway synagogue. (Hayne Palmour IV / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 15 President Trump speaks to the media about Saturdays deadly shooting in the San Diego area. (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press) 13 / 15 A sheriffs deputy walks in front of the Altman Family Chabad Community Center in Poway. (Hayne Palmour IV / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 15 An FBI agent gives information to the media outside Chabad of Poway on Saturday. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) 15 / 15 Jessica Parks, right, hugs Tina White outside Chabad of Poway synagogue. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) Morgan Cook writes for the San Diego Union Tribune. For weeks, John T. Earnest allegedly planned his attack on the Poway synagogue, inspired by the horrific acts that preceded him mass shootings at a synagogue in Pittsburgh and at two mosques in New Zealand. On Saturday, the last day of Passover, police said the 19-year-old stepped into the Chabad of Poway armed with a semi-automatic rifle and opened fire. Authorities say Earnest is suspected of killing one person and injuring three others in the synagogue, which was founded in 1986 in the suburban community about 20 miles north of San Diego. The shooting came during one of the most sacred holidays in the Jewish faith. The eight-day festival of Passover commemorates the freedom of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt and is typically observed with a number of rituals, including Seder meals and the sharing of the Exodus story. Advertisement Poway Mayor Steve Vaus called the violence a hate crime, based on statements the shooter was heard making as he entered the temple. RELATED: Deadly attack at San Diego-area synagogue underscores rise in anti-Jewish hate Earnest appears to have left behind a nine-page manifesto filled with racist rants and details of his personal life. The Rancho Penasquitos resident wrote that he is a nursing student from the depths of California. In the document, titled an open letter, Earnest said he was inspired by Brenton Tarrant, the Australian white nationalist who killed 50 people in attacks on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15. It was the worst mass shooting in the countrys modern history. That shooting, Earnest wrote, led to his decision four weeks ago to attack the Chabad. How long did it take you to plan the attack? Four weeks. Four weeks ago, I decided I was doing this. Four weeks later, I did it, he wrote. His anti-Semitic letter revealed his disgust for Jews and a desire to kill them. The writer, who is white, said he was willing to sacrifice his future for the sake of my people. 1 / 15 Children light candles during the vigil to remember the death of Poway resident Lori Gilbert-Kaye. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 15 Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, center, meets with members of the congregation of Chabad of Poway the day after a deadly shooting at the synagogue. Goldstein was shot and lost a finger on his right hand. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 15 A woman leaves flowers at small memorial near Chabad of Poway. (Hayne Palmour IV / TNS) 4 / 15 Mourners attend a vigil at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in Poway. (Sandy Huffaker / AFP/Getty Images) 5 / 15 People mourn at a vigil at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in Poway. (David McNew / Getty Images) 6 / 15 People attend a vigil at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in Poway. (David McNew / Getty Images) 7 / 15 Police evacuate a cul de sac in San Diegos community of Rancho Penasquitos and surround a house related to the investigation of the synagogue shooting in Poway. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 15 Chabad of Poway members gather outside their synagogue after a man shot multiple people on Saturday, killing one. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 15 Police surround a house related to the investigation of the synagogue shooting in Poway. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 15 San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore, center, discusses Saturdays synagogue shooting. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) 11 / 15 Members of the media and the surrounding community gather near the Altman Family Chabad Community Center in Poway after Saturdays shooting at Chabad of Poway synagogue. (Hayne Palmour IV / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 15 President Trump speaks to the media about Saturdays deadly shooting in the San Diego area. (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press) 13 / 15 A sheriffs deputy walks in front of the Altman Family Chabad Community Center in Poway. (Hayne Palmour IV / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 15 An FBI agent gives information to the media outside Chabad of Poway on Saturday. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) 15 / 15 Jessica Parks, right, hugs Tina White outside Chabad of Poway synagogue. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) The suspect also championed Robert Bowers who killed 11 people and wounded six more in the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh six months ago as well as Adolf Hitler. The writer identifies himself as a man of European descent. He does not claim any political labels, but asserts that Jews seek to doom the white race. His screed, which is filled with quotes from the Bible, also appears to take credit for arson at an Escondido mosque the week after the New Zealand shootings. Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State San Bernardino, said that since 1992 there have only been four years in which hate crimes against a religion exceeded 20% of all hate crimes. Three of those four years were recent: 2015, 2016 and 2017, he said. Until recently, Levin said, such large-scale attacks were passed on through propaganda of the deed an act in which the violence itself serves as a siren call for more violence. Now we are seeing a propaganda of the deed 2.0, where violent assailants want to commit acts, but also publicize it themselves, he said, referring to the act of streaming shooting such as the New Zealand terrorist attack. Its a chain, almost like fan club of like-minded violent people. RELATED: Poways Jewish community so completely fed up after synagogue shooting In a Q-and-A style section of his letter, Earnest eschews a single political ideology, asserting that he does not support President Trump because of his support for Israel. President Trump offered condolences to the Poway victims and their families from the White House lawn Saturday. At this moment it looks like a hate crime, he said. My deepest sympathies to all of those affected. And well get to the bottom of it. Part of the manifesto was directed at Earnests family and friends, to whom he explains his reasons for the attack. He later notes that his ideology was not inherited from his family. I willingly sacrifice my future...for the sake of my people, he wrote. Earnest said he did not consider himself a terrorist he claims he is a normal dude who wants to have a family, help heal people and play the piano and wrote that he felt no remorse for his actions. He noted that if he was not killed in the attack, he expected to be freed from prison and continue the fight. For Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, the attack represents the strain of anti-Semitism coming from the extreme right, through so-called white supremacists. Saturdays violence, like the attack in Pittsburgh before it, is a particularly deadly strain of this virus, he said. This wasnt just an attack on a Chabad congregation, this really was a crime committed against Jewish communities around the world, he said. The ADL has tracked anti-Semitic incidents since 1979, drawing on reports from victims, police and news publications. The biggest all-time annual jump came in 2017, when the tally climbed 57% to 1,986 incidents. Anti-Semitism isnt new, Greenblatt said. Its often called the oldest hatred. San Diego Union-Tribune reporters Kristina Davis, J. Harry Jones and John Wilkens contributed to this report. The rabbi was celebrating the last day of Passover with his congregants at Chabad of Poway when a gunman in a green army-style vest, armed with a semiautomatic weapon, burst in and began shooting. Voices screeched, Hide yourself! Shooting! Shooting! Congregants dropped to the floor. One man threw his body over his 2-year-old grandson; another was wounded ushering children to safety. A 60-year-old woman was killed when she jumped in front of the rabbi, whose hands were pierced by gunfire. An 8-year-old girl was hit with shrapnel in the face and leg. The attack was described by some of the 100 worshipers who were inside the synagogue celebrating one of the most sacred holidays in Judaism. As police across the state boosted patrols around synagogues, the small city of Poways tightknit Jewish community was reeling. Advertisement Why? The question is, why? said Minoo Anvari, whose husband was inside the synagogue during the attack. People are praying. RELATED: Poway synagogue shooting suspect linked to anti-Semitic internet manifesto Authorities arrested the suspected shooter, John T. Earnest, who they believe was motivated by hate and, a month ago, may have tried to burn down an Escondido mosque. Investigators were checking the authenticity of an anti-Semitic screed the 19-year-old Rancho Penasquitos resident allegedly posted online before the 11:20 a.m. shooting. Earnest, who is white, reportedly wrote in the letter that he was willing to sacrifice his future for the sake of my people. He also talked about planning the attack, noting that he drew inspiration from gunmen who killed scores of people at a Pittsburgh synagogue and two New Zealand mosques. How long did it take you to plan the attack? Four weeks. Four weeks ago, I decided I was doing this. Four weeks later, I did it, he wrote, describing himself as a nursing student who plays the piano. The violence came exactly six months after a gunman killed 11 people and wounded seven others during Saturday morning Shabbat services at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and underscores concerns about rising incidents of anti-Jewish hate. Anti-Semitic incidents around the nation have been increasing since 2013, with the biggest all-time annual jump coming in 2017, when the tally climbed 57% to 1,986, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The majority of those incidents were harassment, which rose 41% to 1,015 incidents, including 163 bomb threats against Jewish community centers and synagogues. Vandalism rose 86% to 952 cases. The number of physical assaults fell from 36 to 19. 1 / 15 Children light candles during the vigil to remember the death of Poway resident Lori Gilbert-Kaye. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 15 Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, center, meets with members of the congregation of Chabad of Poway the day after a deadly shooting at the synagogue. Goldstein was shot and lost a finger on his right hand. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 15 A woman leaves flowers at small memorial near Chabad of Poway. (Hayne Palmour IV / TNS) 4 / 15 Mourners attend a vigil at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in Poway. (Sandy Huffaker / AFP/Getty Images) 5 / 15 People mourn at a vigil at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in Poway. (David McNew / Getty Images) 6 / 15 People attend a vigil at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in Poway. (David McNew / Getty Images) 7 / 15 Police evacuate a cul de sac in San Diegos community of Rancho Penasquitos and surround a house related to the investigation of the synagogue shooting in Poway. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 15 Chabad of Poway members gather outside their synagogue after a man shot multiple people on Saturday, killing one. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 15 Police surround a house related to the investigation of the synagogue shooting in Poway. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 15 San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore, center, discusses Saturdays synagogue shooting. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) 11 / 15 Members of the media and the surrounding community gather near the Altman Family Chabad Community Center in Poway after Saturdays shooting at Chabad of Poway synagogue. (Hayne Palmour IV / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 15 President Trump speaks to the media about Saturdays deadly shooting in the San Diego area. (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press) 13 / 15 A sheriffs deputy walks in front of the Altman Family Chabad Community Center in Poway. (Hayne Palmour IV / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 15 An FBI agent gives information to the media outside Chabad of Poway on Saturday. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) 15 / 15 Jessica Parks, right, hugs Tina White outside Chabad of Poway synagogue. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) President Trump offered condolences to the Poway victims and their families from the White House lawn Saturday. My deepest sympathies go to the people that were affected, he told reporters. At this moment, it looks like a hate crime. Founded in 1984 by Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Chabad of Poway is affiliated with Lubavitch, a branch within Orthodox Judaisms Hasidic movement. It bills itself as a place where traditional Jewish values are brought to life in a joyous, non-judgmental atmosphere. It grew quickly, attracting families to a congregation modeled on the bustling Jewish enclaves that existed in New York City and Eastern Europe. Dozens moved within walking distance so they could follow the requirement not to operate machinery on the Sabbath. The campus underwent a $1.7-million expansion project in the mid-1990s, building a 13,000-square-foot facility with a sanctuary, a meeting hall and offices. RELATED: Rabbi gives sermon of strength after being shot at Poway synagogue Like many synagogues around the country, Chabad of Poway responded to earlier mass shootings by increasing its security through grants from the federal Department of Homeland Security $81,000 in 2006 and $75,000 in 2010. One message from all of us in our congregation is that we are standing together. We are getting stronger, said Anvari, the synagogue member. Never again. You cant break us. We are strong. As faith leaders, civil-rights activists and politicians across the globe condemned the shooting, those inside told their stories of heroism and survival. Danny Almog had just arrived at the synagogue with his family when he heard six loud shots noise he thought might be a chandelier falling or chairs crashing. He saw the gunman carrying what looked like an M-16. He didnt say nothing, said Almog, 40. Just came in and started shooting. Almog said he dropped to the floor and started crawling to find his kids. He saw that his father-in-law had thrown his body over Almogs 2-year-old son to protect him. He saw the older man get up, and Almog ran to grab his 4-year-old daughter, Yuli, who had been in a childrens playroom with about a dozen other kids. He screamed, Yuli! Yuli! Where are you? A friend, Almog Peretz, 34, said he had her. The friend had scooped up several kids and ushered them to safety. As he did so, Peretz was struck in the leg by bullet shrapnel. Several neighbors reported hearing the gunshots, with some briefly evacuated from their homes. Authorities said the suspects gun may have jammed during the shooting. As Earnest fled, an off-duty Border Patrol agent who was working as a security guard at the synagogue fired several shots, hitting the suspects car. The suspect called 911 shortly after and told a California Highway Patrol dispatcher that he was involved in the shooting. Around the same time, a San Diego police K-9 officer was racing to the scene after hearing about the shooting on the police radio. The officer was monitoring the CHP radio as well and stopped where the suspect had pulled over, at Rancho Bernardo Road and Interstate 15. He jumped out of the car with his hands up, San Diego police Chief David Nisleit said, and was taken into custody without incident. A rifle was found on the passenger seat. Sheriff Bill Gore said an AR-15-type assault weapon was used in the shooting. Friends identified the woman killed as Lori Kaye, 60, of Poway. Some gathered at her home to grieve Saturday afternoon, as stories emerged about her heroic act inside the synagogue. Roneet Lev, a member of the congregation, related an account from Rabbi Goldstein of how Kaye threw herself in front of him, possibly saving his life. Kayes husband, a physician, was in the synagogue when the gunshots started. Worshipers called him over to help victims, and he began to do CPR on one until he realized it was his wife, Lev said. He then fainted. Kaye had gone to the synagogue to say Kaddish, a Jewish prayer for the dead, for her mother, who had recently passed away, according to Lev. The irony is, people will be saying it for her now, Lev said. By the afternoon, police were swarming Earnests north San Diego neighborhood, blocking off streets and telling residents to shelter in place, as they prepared to search his home on Freeport Court. Cantor Caitlin Bromberg of Ner Tamid Synagogue, which is down the street from Chabad of Poway, said her congregation learned of the shooting at the end of their Passover services. Bromberg said her congregants were en route to Chabad of Poway to show support and help in any way they could. We are horrified and upset, and we want them to know we are thinking of them, she told The Times. The message of the final day of Passover is to be looking forward to the time when all the world will be at peace. The eight-day festival commemorates the freedom of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt and is typically observed with a number of rituals, including Seder meals, the removal of leavened products from the home, and the sharing of the Exodus story. Were feeling fear, Bromberg said. It could have just as easily been our service. It hits close to home. For Rabbi David Castiglione, Saturdays shooting left a sense of tremendous, devastating sadness and unspeakable outrage. I am so completely fed up with the state of the world at this point, said Castiglione. I am completely mystified. The rabbi, who leads Temple Adat Shalom, about two miles from Chabad of Poway, said the congregation was in the middle of its own services when he was pulled aside and told what was happening. I havent been able to be put in touch with Chabad, and nobody uses their electronics until the Sabbath is over, so unfortunately we have no way of reaching them until later tonight, he said. We are trying to be as supportive as we can. The rabbi said there were only about 700 Jews in his North County area of San Diego. This is a town where everybody knows everybody, he said. It is a town of love. When the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue happened last October, Castigliones temple held a vigil, and people of all faiths attended. Some dropped flowers at his congregation in a show of support. Its the six-month anniversary of the Tree of Life today, on Shabbat, and this week commemorates Holocaust memorial it makes it that much more painful. Chabad, he said, is neighbored by two churches a sign of the acceptance that normally permeates the community. As he was building his congregation, he said, the church took them in. Its a town where we give, he said. On Saturday evening, people left bouquets of flowers on the sidewalk across the street from the synagogue. Nami Rajaei, a high school senior who lives nearby, brought a large peach-colored flower for the impromptu memorial. Two of Rajaeis classmates at Rancho Bernardo High School placed candles amid the flowers at the memorial. The three teenagers said their quiet suburban neighborhood, where children are taught to value diversity at school and at their houses of worship, was the last place they expected this to happen. I would like to think that our community is very tolerant, Rajaei, 18, said. Tanya Werby, a member of the Chabad of Poway congregation, said she was planning to take her 4-year-old son to the Saturday morning service but ended up staying home. She told her son, who attends preschool at the synagogue, that Rabbi Goldstein was hurt. But the boy is too young to understand much more. Werby, 42, said Goldstein was well known in the area because he often worked with leaders of other congregations. She said she was not surprised by reports that he did his best to defend his congregation after the shooter entered. Im sure he kept his cool. Hes very strong, Werby said. He built this community since the 1980s. Everybody knows him. Hes a big part of this community. Werby described the woman who was killed as a very generous person who was a constant presence at the synagogue. As the owner of a print shop, the woman donated shirts for a friendship walk and gave money as well, Werby said. Werbys friend Jackie Zucker drove from Carlsbad to join her after hearing the news. People came here in the morning just wanting a lovely Saturday to finish the holiday, said Zucker, 78. Instead, this happened. We need to stop this. Later Saturday, hundreds of people filled the pews at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church for an interfaith service and candlelight vigil. Everyone joined hands and swayed as Lori Frank, cantor of Temple Adat Shalom in Poway, led a Hebrew prayer for peace, Oseh Shalom. Outside, as daylight faded, the mourners stood in a circle holding candles, singing We Shall Overcome. Tiara Miller, 19, who is Muslim and a member of the Islamic Center of San Diego, came to the vigil with her parents and two younger brothers. She said the bloodshed at the synagogue felt like a personal attack on me like attacking my sibling. We know what it feels like to be attacked because of the beliefs we have, she said. All of us are brothers and sisters of faith, even those who dont believe in God. We should all stand together. Davis and Jones write for the San Diego Union-Tribune. Times staff writers Melissa Etehad, Angel Jennings and Jaweed Kaleem, and Union-Tribune staff writers John Wilkens, Pauline Repard, Teri Figueroa and Wendy Fry contributed to this report. Rabbi Yonah Bookstein of Los Angeles Pico Shul was at home Saturday afternoon, observing the Sabbath, when someone on the synagogues security team alerted him about the deadly shooting at the Chabad of Poway. The synagogue was prepared. After a gunman killed 11 people and wounded seven others at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh last year one in a string of attacks on houses of worship in the U.S. and abroad Pico Shul developed extra security measures as a precaution and out of concern about rising incidents of anti-Jewish hate. On Saturday, officials were ready to implement those measures. People on our security committee carry cellphones on Sabbath, Bookstein said. We have security protocols so that when something happens, we put it into play. The attack at the Poway synagogue in San Diego County on Saturday morning killed one woman and injured three others, including the rabbi who was celebrating the last day of Passover with his congregants when a gunman wearing a green military-style vest and armed with a semiautomatic weapon burst in and began shooting. The suspect was later arrested. Advertisement Many members of Booksteins congregation still hadnt heard about the shooting until after Shabbat ended, but the synagogues additional security measures were already in place when members gathered for prayer. Bookstein said he wasnt allowed to go into details about what those measures entail. On Saturday evening, when Bookstein led prayers for the more than 100 congregants who gathered at his shul in West Los Angeles, he was faced with a choice: Tell his congregants that a shooting had happened in San Diego or refrain from that conversation. He decided not to bring it up with his congregants. Every rabbi had to decide whether to announce it, and we decided not to announce it publicly, he said. We wanted people to find out organically. Rabbi Diane Rose of Cool Shul, an LGBTQ and interfaith-friendly shul in a secure office building in Culver City, said the shooting on Saturday reinforced a decision last year not to move her 50-member congregation into a separate building. Rose said she and her congregants had been thinking of moving the synagogue but decided against it after the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue. Theres no marking that says Jews are here, Rose said of the present location. In some ways you want to be welcoming, but after the Pittsburgh shooting we decided we didnt have what it takes to have more security or be able to have armed guards standing at the door. Anti-Semitic incidents around the nation have been increasing since 2013, with the biggest all-time annual jump coming in 2017, when the tally climbed 57% to 1,986, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The majority of those incidents were harassment, which rose 41% to 1,015 incidents, including 163 bomb threats against Jewish community centers and synagogues. Vandalism rose 86% to 952 cases. The number of physical assaults fell from 36 to 19. Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the New York-based Union for Reform Judaism, the largest branch of Judaism with 900 congregations serving 1.5 million people, said that his congregation has been reviewing security procedures since the Tree of Life shooting six months ago. We have been doing everything possible to keep our congregation safe and to be able to welcome people at the same time, he said. We also work closely with law enforcement. Jacobs said that in addition to training professionals and volunteers at houses of worship, congregants have also been practicing active shooter drills. These are not things that people intuitively know how to do, he said. melissa.etehad@latimes.com This article was originally published Oct. 30, 2018, after the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. It was updated after Saturdays Chabad of Poway shooting. Anti-Semitism has always been present in American society, but in the last two years it has been especially visible. The shooting near San Diego at the Chabad of Poway synagogue Saturday happened exactly six months after 11 worshipers were killed at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Police arrested a suspect in the shooting in Poway that left one person dead and three injured, and the mayor of the city said he believes the crime was spurred by anti-Jewish hatred. Advertisement The shooting in Pittsburgh last year was the deadliest attack on Jewish people in U.S. history, and the man charged in the attack made clear that he wanted to eradicate Jews. Jewish community centers around the country received dozens of bomb threats in 2017. The 2016 presidential campaign included anti-Jewish imagery. White supremacists have marched through the streets of Charlottesville, Va., with torches chanting, Jews will not replace us! (Los Angeles Times) Data indicate the problem is getting worse. The number of anti-Semitic incidents and crimes has been rising rapidly after years of decline, though the most recent annual tallies are still below the peaks of the last two decades. The Anti-Defamation League has tracked anti-Semitic incidents since 1979, drawing on reports from victims, police and news publications. The worst year was 1994, with 2,066 incidents. By 2013, the total fell to 751. It has been rising ever since, with the biggest all-time annual jump coming in 2017, when the tally climbed 57% to 1,986. (Data for 2018 have not yet been released.) The majority of those incidents were harassment, which rose 41% to 1,015 incidents, including 163 bomb threats against Jewish community centers and synagogues. Vandalism rose 86% to 952 cases. The number of physical assaults, however, fell 47% from 36 to 19. Were not necessarily seeing a historic rise in anti-Semitism when you zoom out, said Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State San Bernardino. But the anti-Semites and white supremacists are more emboldened. The FBI began monitoring hate crimes, including anti-Semitism, in 1992. It defines a hate crime as a criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offenders bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity. Hate crimes targeting Jews peaked at 1,013 in 2008 and declined to a low of 609 in 2014. The total increased the next year to 664 and again in 2016 to 684. The FBIs latest report on hate crimes was released last year and found 938 crimes against Jewish people in 2017, a 37% increase. Numbers for 2018 are expected to be released this fall. (Los Angeles Times) Most anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. do not happen at large events or through deadly violence. Last year, the Anti-Defamation League reported that 4.2 million anti-Semitic tweets were shared or re-shared in English on Twitter over a yearlong period ending in January 2018. A lot of anti-Semitism has now gone from public spaces to virtual spaces, Levin said. We have a fragmentation of hate groups. We now have loners, autonomous actors and small local groups filling the gap where the largest groups had previously exerted some kind of prominence. Not anymore. The Anti-Defamation League and other civil rights groups have pointed out that the steep rise in anti-Semitic incidents corresponds to President Trumps rise to power, and they blame him for fueling anti-Jewish sentiment. The groups said the presidents anti-immigrant and anti-refugee pronouncements have emboldened white supremacist groups, which have embraced him. The president has also tweeted anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim memes from known extremists, including a campaign tweet that featured a symbol similar to the Star of David, images of cash and the phrase most corrupt candidate ever to describe Hillary Clinton. In late 2017, Trump tweeted anti-Muslim videos from the far-right group Britain First, drawing condemnation from Prime Minister Theresa May. Activists said Trumps vilification of liberal philanthropist George Soros, whom he has accused of hiring people to protest conservative causes, has played into conspiracy theories about wealthy Jews. Trumps supporters deny that he has stoked hate, saying that hate crimes were already rising before he took office and that he has denounced anti-Semitism. They have also emphasized that he has a Jewish son-in-law and his daughter converted to Judaism. Trump adores Jewish Americans as part of his own family, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said last fall after the Pittsburgh shooting. Its unclear whether the violence and anti-Semitic incidents carried out by a small number of extremists and hatemongers represent more widespread feelings against Jews. One study suggested that such sentiments are limited and on the decline. A Pew Research Center survey of Americans in 2017 found that of all major religious groups, Jewish people had the highest favorability rating. In the survey, respondents rated Jewish people compared with Catholics, mainline Protestants, evangelical Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Mormons, atheists and Muslims. In the survey, which asked a representative group of 4,248 U.S. adults to evaluate religious groups on a feelings thermometer, in which warmer ratings corresponded to more positive views, Jews received a rating of 67 out of 100. That was an improvement over the last such poll. Jews and Catholics continue to be among the groups that receive the warmest ratings even warmer than in 2014, the report noted. More national headlines The Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Sunday that President Trump did nothing wrong to warrant impeachment and removal from office, pushing back at Democrats who want the House to consider proceedings. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a stalwart Trump defender, had strongly advocated for impeachment of President Clinton in 1998 in the wake of an independent counsel report. The House approved articles of impeachment but the Senate did not convict. Graham argued on CBS Face the Nation that unlike Clinton, Trump had fully cooperated with the special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation into Russian interference into the 2016 presidential election. What President Trump did here was completely cooperate in an investigation, a million documents, let everybody that the special counsel wanted to talk to be interviewed, he said, although Trump refused to be interviewed by Mueller. Advertisement I believe the president did nothing wrong, Graham added. According to the special counsel report, Trump twice directed Donald McGahn, then the White House counsel, to fire Mueller but McGahn ignored the instructions. Trump has disputed McGahns account. Graham appeared to lay out a different Republican strategy for questions about McGahn, essentially saying that Trumps efforts to fire Mueller did not amount to obstruction of justice because the special counsel kept his job. I dont care what happened between Trump and McGahn, Graham said. Heres what I care about. Did Mueller - was Mueller allowed to do his job? And the answer is yes. Crimes often are prosecuted based on intent and behavior, not on whether they ultimately succeed. A growing chorus of congressional Democrats say Muellers report documents obstruction of justice by the president, even if few are ready to call for impeaching him. To me it looks like obstruction, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a former prosecutor and presidential hopeful who sits on the Judiciary Committee, said on NBCs Meet the Press. But the Minnesota Democrat said there are many ways to hold Trump accountable, including congressional investigations already in progress. Klobuchar said the president is already stonewalling by saying he would fight subpoenas issued by the Democratic-controlled House in connection with several investigations. The White House offered fresh indications it might seek to block McGahns testimony to lawmakers. Senior counselor Kellyanne Conway, interviewed on CNNs State of the Union, said executive privilege is always an option. Legal experts have said invoking executive privilege to stop McGahn from speaking to Congress was undercut when the White House permitted McGahn to speak to Mueller for 30 hours under oath. Conway argued the opposite that McGahns testimony, as recounted in the report, should be sufficient without him repeating it publicly. This is just presidential harassment, she said. Former acting attorney general Sally Yates, who was fired by Trump early in his tenure, said she has personally prosecuted obstruction cases on far, far less evidence than Mueller has collected. Speaking on Meet the Press, Yates said that if Trump were not president, he would likely be indicted on obstruction. In his report, Mueller indicated that he had adhered to a Justice Department opinion that sitting presidents cannot be indicted. laura.king@latimes.com Twitter: @laurakingLAT An officer in rural Tennessee shot the suspect in the investigation into the discovery of five bodies in two homes, capping an hours-long manhunt Saturday that ended with his capture. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokesman Josh DeVine said Michael Cummins, 25, was taken into custody Saturday night about a mile from one of the Sumner County crime scenes. Cummins, who was shot after he emerged from the woods, produced multiple weapons and the situation escalated, DeVine said. Cummins is being treated at a local hospital, DeVine said. None of the responding officers was injured. Advertisement The bureaus airplane was able to help authorities spot Cummins on the ground in a creek bed, DeVine said. Michael Cummins in an undated booking photo. (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation) A number of law enforcement agencies had been searching for Cummins, saying he could be armed and dangerous. The community should hopefully be able to rest a little bit easier tonight, knowing that [Cummins] is in custody tonight, DeVine said. Four of the bodies were found in one home, and the fifth victim was found in another home. DeVine said its possible that there is a sixth victim hospitalized. The Bureau of Investigation believes the two scenes are related. Authorities have not released any details about the victims. They also have not said what kind of weapon was used. The bureau is investigating the deaths and the officer-involved shooting, DeVine said. Sumner County is northeast of Nashville and borders Kentucky. The slayings were near the town of Westmoreland. The timing, of course, was part of the intent. A gunman with a semiautomatic rifle walked into the Chabad of Poway synagogue during services Saturday morning and opened fire. It was the last day of Passover. At least one person was killed and three were wounded, while uncounted others have again been seared with mortal fear, all in the name of hate. This is the second deadly synagogue attack in the United States in six months, following the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh in October. That was the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history, leaving 11 people dead. How can this be happening? What kind of shocking step backward is this? For a while it was possible to look at anti-Semitic incidents the swastikas painted on walls, the vile anti-Jewish rhetoric found on social media, the street attacks as aberrational, as strange anachronistic bumps on the generally straight path forward for Jews in society. Advertisement But it is becoming clear that anti-Semitism is on the rise, both here and in Europe. France reported a 74% increase in anti-Jewish offenses in 2018, and in Germany, violent anti-Semitic attacks surged by more than 60%. In the U.S., the Anti-Defamation League has documented an alarming rise in hate incidents against Jews. According to the organization, anti-Semitic incidents jumped 57% in 2017 over the previous year. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned in January that we must rise up against rising anti-Semitism. We still have more to learn about the Poway attack, but a 19-year-old suspect has been arrested, and local officials are calling this a hate crime. Of course such vicious, violent attacks as this one are not just perpetrated against Jews. Last weekend, it was mostly Christian churches in Sri Lanka that were targeted by bombs, purportedly in retaliation for the slaughter of at least 50 Muslims attending services in Christchurch, New Zealand last month. Hatred and intolerance link all of these attacks, and others too numerous to list. White nationalism and white supremacy propel some of this, but so does anti-Christian sentiment and anti-Muslim animus. If theres a faith, it seems, there are streams of violent intolerance directed at it. That is one of the most perturbing aspects of the incidents. The shootings in Poway and Christchurch are linked to the bombings in Sri Lanka through the acts themselves. They are spasms of violence acts of terror committed against people who are innocently professing their faith and enjoying the company of their fellow believers. Instead they find themselves ducking for cover, beseeching God for protection and running for their lives. Those who do the shooting or the bombing or the fighting theyre propelled not by faith, but by prejudice and fear. Its not the religions that contain hatred, but human hearts. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook Ten years ago, we asked a hotel clerk in Frankfurt, Germany how to walk to the local synagogue. Easy, she said, smiling, go to the second light, make a right and walk until you reach the armored half-track. European Jews, to try to protect themselves from Palestinians in the 1970s and today from returning Islamic State fighters, have long accepted that the only way to pray in peace is to prepare for war. Synagogue goers in Paris, Rome, Copenhagen, and in Istanbul, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have paid with their lives for praying to God in a minyan. Here at home, Jewish institutions large and small have had perimeter security for decades. Still, we all wanted to believe major attacks wouldnt happen here. Now they have happened here again and again. Six months to the day of the Tree of Life Synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh, when a white supremacist neo-Nazi mass-murdered 11 Jews, another Jewish woman, Laurie Gilbert Kaye, is dead, struck down here in California as she tried to shield her rabbi, who was injured along with two others, including an 8-year-old girl. They were allegedly gunned down by a 19-year-old white supremacist, who in word and deed copied the shooters in Pittsburgh and in a New Zealand mosque attack. Something precious and uniquely American is being stripped away from us before our very eyes. Until recently, Americans of all faiths felt secure leaving our homes to go our churches, synagogues or mosques to pray, socialize with our faith communities and return home in peace. No more. Terrorists, foreign and increasingly domestic, specifically seek to murder and maim the faithful. They are killing more than people; these terrorists are steadily destroying a key pillar of American society. Advertisement Is turning our houses of worship into armed camps the best we can offer our children? We can and should increase training and deploy technological tripwires to harden houses of worship. But that cannot stop the hate. We should also demand that all social media platforms remove live streaming capabilities that broadcast these onslaughts in real time. We should demand that Twitter, YouTube, Google, Facebook and others stop providing the anti-Semites and racists a platform. But that would also not stop the hate. Instead of showing some moral leadership and bipartisan resolve, our politicians have chosen to weaponize anti-Semitism and racism. The recent hearing on white supremacist hate crimes in the House Judiciary Committee was a farce with both Democrats and Republicans more interested in pandering to their bases than forging a unified action plan to counter the kind of attacks that took place in Pittsburgh and San Diego. They are shirking their responsibilities to fight the hate. The media have too often failed in their responsibilities. Hate is hate. But frankly, media outlets dont always present a level playing field. They dont seem to trust that Americans are mature enough to know that all Muslims arent responsible if an Islamist commits a hate attack, just as all of Christendom is not culpable when a white nationalist invokes Scripture to justify murder. We American Jews live with the fact that we are the No. 1 target of religious-based hatred. In 2019, we are more worried than ever, not only because of the unprecedented level of deadly violent attacks but because anti-Semitism is now accepted in the mainstream of society. We are incensed and worried that Americas anti-Semite in chief, Louis Farrakhan, is rarely called out for decades of violent hatred of Jews and Judaism. We watch in horror as freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) has injected anti-Semitism into the mainstream of American political culture. Her hatred is excused or winked at by the top leadership of her party. Heres what we need from our Democratic and Republican leaders: Spare us the morning-after news releases and work together to stop the hate all hate from the far right to the far left. If we truly want to defeat hate and take back our nations venerated freedoms, we all have to earn it by being strong and by acknowledging our differences while working together to rebuild the playing field that once housed the American dream. Rabbi Marvin Hier is founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. Rabbi Abraham Cooper is associate dean and director of global social action at the center. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute When I was growing up in England in the 1960s, my friends and I turned our gaze constantly toward California. Not just because of its sunlight (set against the low gray skies outside our windows) or its long horizons and air of freedom, but because of the optimism that seemed to halo the states very name. The Wests Far West America squared appeared to exist in the optative, if only mood that Emerson extolled. In the world capital of dreams, you could be anything you wanted. Then, to my joy, my parents were invited to teach in Santa Barbara, and suddenly I had a foot in not just the Promised Land, but the epicenter of unending promise. When my friends visited from England, wed pile into my fathers red-and-black Plymouth Duster and drive up to Berkeley or the Haight, stopping off to gaze at the sunlit lawns and great expanse of Pacific Ocean behind the guardhouse at the Esalen Institute. Human potential was a phrase we hadnt heard much in the Old World; reality was the watchword there, even as we sang hymns in Latin and wore tail-coats to class because that was what students had done since the 15th century. By the time I started spending more time in the Far West, in my late 20s, however, I began to notice something unsettling: In the Land of Dreams people seemed to find the love of their lives or their very purpose just last week. Yet all of it could be replaced by a new purpose, a superseding passion, a few days later. Foundations are not easily laid down in a place rooted in the future tense, where every notion is rebooted like a script in permanent turnaround. Im ever more inclined to think that dreams are only as strong as the realities they contain. Advertisement Of course, for far too many, the California Dream can come very close to a nightmare: a third of the nations homeless live in our state. And yet the California Dream, like the American Dream of which it is a golden distillation, really does get refreshed every day by determined newcomers who so believe it to be true that they arrive in San Ysidro or Cupertino and make it so. Still, I had to wonder: Could perpetual becoming ever get me anywhere? In 1987 I moved to Japan and was startled to notice neighbors who seemed infinitely more cautious, more circumscribed in expectation, than the friends I had in Santa Barbara. They confined their dreams to Sundays and holidays and didnt rely on happy endings. In the 1990s, famously, the U.S. won 20 times more Nobel Prizes per capita than Japan, while Japan led the world in individual patents. People there fashioned small things perfectly in corners, rather than trying to remake the whole world, or their whole lives. For my friends around Kyoto, potential seemed to lie less in the constant pursuit of happiness than in the Buddhist notion of the reality of suffering. After the 2011 tsunami that swept more than 18,000 Japanese to sudden deaths, I encountered more anxiety in Santa Barbara than among my uncomplaining and resilient neighbors around Kyoto. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute As I shuttled back and forth between the opposite Pacific coasts and between the values I projected onto each I came to feel that a grounding in the truths of real life might be a surer basis for durable happiness than never-ending hopefulness. Few things are more dangerous than lofty expectations, and endless summer leaves little space for fall. I now love the autumn; uninterrupted sunshine offers us scant practice in dealing with sudden storms. When wildfire, earthquake or grim diagnosis overturns life in a second, blue sky thinking can leave us in the dark. I never forget that Japan suffers from social pressures so asphyxiating that Im hourly grateful Im not Japanese. As many as 1 million people there are shut-ins, preferring life in their heads to interactions with others; in recent years there has been a suicide in Japan every 15 minutes. The economy has been stagnant for more than 20 years. But Im ever more inclined to think that dreams are only as strong as the realities they contain. Ill always be invigorated by the wide-open spaces and sunlit possibilities that California represents. But in times of need, its Japans sense of limits that gives me solace. Its difficulties that define us more than ease, and the fact that things dont last that makes us cherish them the more. Pico Iyers latest books are the just-published Autumn Light and, coming in September, A Beginners Guide to Japan. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook And so, once again, shots rang out in a synagogue, worshipers were dispersed in horror, death was in the air where, moments earlier, blessings and chants had filled a sanctuary. The sad truth is that in our age the word sanctuary has lost its meaning. And the sad truth in the wake of this latest shooting is that the phrase Chabad of Poway will have an entirely new meaning, just as the phrase Tree of Life no longer denotes a place of worship at the corner of Wilkins and Shady avenues in Pittsburgh, three blocks from my house, but a shooting rampage exactly six months ago that killed 11 congregants and horrified the world. Chabad of Poway. Tree of Life. Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C. The Islamic Cultural Center of Quebec City. The names of these sacred places and too many others have taken on tragic meaning because they are the sites of tragedies. Today my Pittsburgh neighborhood remains scarred, with signs on every other lawn bellowing No Place for Hate. People walk past the kosher Dunkin Donuts in shirts with the famous Steelers logo altered to include a gold Star of David and the legend Stronger than Hate. The synagogue itself is boarded up, with no one quite sure whether it will be leveled, reopened or converted into housing for the elderly. Advertisement Right now Tree of Life, so massive a structure that it was home to three congregations, sits empty, a monument and memorial that, like all of us who pass by it on the way to the gym or the grocery store, remains a symbol of all the questions we have asked but have been unable to answer. In these last six months, there have been vigils, multi-faith sessions, rallies, forums, examinations of the roots of hate, and, this being the age for such things, political recriminations. None of it not the services, not the essays, not the memories, not even the declaration of community unity across faiths, always with a rabbi, a priest, a minister and an imam present stopped the shooter in Poway. There was standing room only in the massive Soldiers and Sailors Memorial and Museum in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh shortly after the synagogue shooting. The outpouring of sympathy, sadness and support gave some succor to a grieving community, to be sure. But it did not stop the Poway shooter. For days Pittsburghers of all faiths, and then Americans of all regions, and finally people of all nations, strolled in silence along the sidewalks outside Tree of Life. One woman played the violin, its plaintive notes wafting across the street to the tents where television reporters recorded the quiet expressions of sadness and shame. The grassy partition in front of Tree of Life was choked with flowers, and then all of Wilkins Avenue was full of handmade memorials, some by children, some by adults, whose labors came with tears. But that did not stop the Poway shooter. And throughout it all, the Heinz History Center, a few miles away, began collecting poems, tributes, news articles, sermons, photographs and drawings, all part of an effort to create an archive to ensure Tree of Life would not fade from memory. But all that curating and collecting did not stop the Poway shooter. No communities are alike just as no mass shootings are alike but it is almost certain that men and women across faiths, across creeds, across California and across the nation will gather in the next several days the way we did in Pittsburgh. It wasnt only a pilgrimage of Jews to the pews of synagogues that following Friday, filling row upon row. It was everybody, black and white and Latino and Arab and Asian. In the Jewish faith the phrase never again has special meaning, linked as it is to the Holocaust and the death of 6 million. The leitmotif of those Pittsburgh gatherings was, quite plainly, never again, the phrase revived for a new era of disbelief. And yet it has happened again. Shortly after the assassination of President Kennedy, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, not yet a senator from New York, tried to comfort Mary McGrory, not yet a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist. Both were devoted to the martyred president and overwhelmed with grief that they carried to their graves. At that moment she said to him that they would never laugh again. He said to her that they would laugh again, but that they would never be young again. It is that kind of moment again, because the view from Pittsburgh, and soon from Poway, is that we are growing old with grief. David Shribman, executive editor emeritus of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, led the papers coverage of the Tree of Life shooting that this month was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute As a black woman, I seek out inclusive spaces because I lack them in my everyday life. I dont think Ive ever unintentionally entered a space and immediately felt like I was a part of the majority. I remember when I joined my first womens group. I went to one club meeting, and never returned. I felt like every issue these women were struggling with affected me more intensely because of my race. It wasnt empowering, just depressing. No one looked like me. I didnt expect to be in a room filled with black women, but I also didnt think Id be the only one. And while the others went on about empowerment, sisterhood and freedom, I was met with, yet again, a feeling I knew only I could understand. In a room full of women discussing ways to be heard among men, ironically, I was grappling with how to do just that in the room we were in. I should have known better when I saw the group advertised as women of color-friendly. The terms women of color and people of color are meant to be inclusive. But, from my perspective, they only help to leave black people behind specifically black women. While every minority group faces its own challenges in America, a one size fits all mentality toward diversity erases the specific needs of the most vulnerable communities. Advertisement Any effort that sees the struggles of all minorities as a single movement is actually harmful. Just look at the fashion industry. According to the Fashion Spots annual Diversity Report, one out of every three models in 2018 fashion ads were women of color. That certainly sounds like progress. But editorials and magazine covers lean heavily toward non-black women of color, and the terms non-white and women of color are used repeatedly to bolster the analysis. To see for myself, I picked up a random high-end fashion magazine. Out of hundreds of models it had a total of 12 black women in it, admittedly better than the one or two I was expecting. Looking closer, however, I noticed that these women were either all extremely light-skinned, very dark-skinned or highly established in their careers, like Lupita Nyongo. This was highly conditional inclusivity. Your everyday black girl was missing. While thats perhaps not surprising for an industry thats never been particularly hospitable to everyday anyone, uncritical boasts about more women of color in fashion are allowing an exclusionary industry to rehabilitate its image without actually doing the work at black womens expense. The industry gets to decide and control what type of black woman it deems fit and more importantly, tolerable. Nonwhite does not mean black. Women of color does not mean black either. Too often, when a person or brand uses these descriptors, it papers over an absence of black people. Bella and Gigi Hadid are among the nonwhite models contributing to Fashion Spots misleading statistic. Though half-Palestinian and half-white, both women racially pass as white. The reality is that not all people of color suffer equally from the effects of institutional racism. Black women are least likely to be promoted and supported by their managers in the workplace. Police kill unarmed black people at higher rates than other races, especially black women. According to the Sentencing Project, black women represent roughly 14% of the female population of the United States, but 30% of all females incarcerated. Black children are also almost 9 times more likely than white children to have a parent in prison while Hispanic children are three times more likely. Research also suggests that black women are more likely to be publicly objectified, harassed and dehumanized. Meanwhile, in 2016, Asians were the highest-earning racial and ethnic group in the U.S. The median annual income for Asian adults was $51,288, compared with $47,958 for whites and $31,082 for blacks. Of course, Asians arent a homogeneous block, and not all of them are thriving. For example, in Los Angeles County, elderly Korean and Cambodians are more likely to live in poverty and without access to healthcare than any other racial or ethnic group. This further emphasizes the limitations of blanket terminology and racial generalities, which can hamper the ability to identity the specific problems facing specific communities. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute None of this is to say that the interracial and ethnic solidarity implied by the earnest use of people of color isnt important. Of course, they are. Our struggles share commonalities. But even more important is doing the hard work of understanding and fighting to overcome the distinct layers of injustice that face people of different identities and different layers within those identities. A black person has different challenges than someone who is both Muslim and black, and a black, Muslim woman has different challenges still. Parsing the implications of these differences, instead of flattening them, is what it means to be intersectional, an important but widely misunderstood concept even by the liberals who use it most. Intersectionality is not about building the biggest interracial team possible. Its about catering to the individual needs of different communities to make sure no one is left behind. The idea of different groups of minorities working together to fight racism of all sorts is fantastic, but any effort that sees the struggles of all minorities as a single movement is actually harmful. Black women, for example, are a minority within a minority and were being left behind. Rectifying that means the work of inclusivity has to go beyond being friendly to women of color. Perhaps the best place to start is to retire that term altogether. Nadra Widatalla is a writer and producer living in Los Angeles. Follow her on Twitter: @nadrawidatalla To the editor: Chasing the ghost of slavery to gain reparations for atrocities, Jim Crow, inequality and countless other crimes committed against blacks in the dark history of this nation, has lofty moral implications, but in truth is unattainable and unrealistic. (Reparations are an opportunity to turn a corner on race relations, Opinion, April 23) I am a black man who has always thought reparations for African Americans was like looking for a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Still, there is a practical solution to solving our national dilemma. The U.S. government should fully fund historically black colleges; it should provide full scholarships to all students in those schools and to eligible incarcerated black inmates; and it should provide training in the trades for black youth whose aptitude indicates a certain skill set. The history of slavery in this country should not be forgotten. Lets make sure its never repeated. Advertisement Donald Peppars, Pomona .. To the editor: Democrats have no shame. We are now hearing calls for black reparations. Is that not the most cynical attempt to turn out black voters? That is just the beginning. In some places there are calls for 16-year-olds to vote. Theres a movement to give felons the right to vote. To top it all off, why dont we get rid of the electoral college and just totally disempower smaller states? It has been a long time since President John F. Kennedy famously said, Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. Nathan Post, Santa Barbara .. To the editor: How about including Native Americans, Chinese railroad workers, early Filipino farmworkers and other groups into consideration by a commission on reparations? Our national atrocities are numerous. We built this country by taking advantage of others. Tom Steers, Rancho Palos Verdes Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: George Skeltons consternation over the impact of Gov. Gavin Newsoms death penalty moratorium on the fate of the alleged Golden State Killer is misguided. The death penalty is not ultimately subject to the will of the people, but to the Constitution. Given the constraints of the 8th and 14th Amendments, I cannot imagine a scenario in which a 73-year-old defendant would ever be executed if convicted, regardless of the governors moratorium. The four district attorneys who voted to seek the death penalty know that this defendant will never be executed. They also should know that it is a prosecutors duty to seek sentences that can actually be carried out. A death sentence does not satisfy the communitys legitimate demand for justice, but it does make a flashy political point for a campaign advertisement. By seeking an absurd and impossible death sentence, these district attorneys seek to use the victims justifiable grief and sorrow as a means to serve their own political ends. Advertisement The governor has nothing to do with it. Charles Kohorst, Glendora .. To the editor: Skelton hit the nail on the head regarding Newsoms death penalty moratorium. As the father of a murder victim whose killer is currently on death row, I find it appalling that the governor effectively overruled the juries, the judges, the appellate courts, the California Supreme Court and the voters just to appease his conscience. The governors decision restarted nightmares for many victims families. Shame on you, Gov. Newsom, and thank you, Mr. Skelton. Steve Herr, Anaheim Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Partway through an 88-minute speech to Republicans at a black-tie fundraising dinner this month, President Trump spent six minutes wondering aloud about the theme for his reelection campaign. Do I go with Make America Great Again? Or do I go with Keep America Great? he said, twice asking the crowd to clap for the slogan they preferred. (Results were inconclusive.) Its hard. Its the greatest theme in the history of American politics, he said, referring to his 2016 slogan. How do you give that up for a new one? The still unsettled question Trump hinted we may try and do both underscores not only Trumps fixation with branding but also the tension in his quest for four more years: Advertisement This unconventional president, who depends on grievance to animate the electorate, needs to keep his core supporters riled up by emphasizing crises, real and contrived, while convincing swing voters that hes made their lives better and kept his promises to fix things. In 2016, Donald Trump won the Oval Office because he was the candidate of change, Karl Rove, President George W. Bushs campaign strategist, said during an interview in his Austin, Texas, office. Given that a majority of people today think the country is off on the wrong track, it will be difficult for him to win reelection if the message is just, Look, I put us all in the right place. He has to both describe his next chapter of changes for the country while disqualifying his opponent as the wrong kind of change. Trump has time to fine-tune his pitch, with more than 14 months until Democrats nominate his opponent. And unlike four years ago, when he had to pay passersby outside Trump Tower to watch him descend an escalator and announce his campaign while insisting big donors were corrupting his opponents, he is set to run a second time with all the advantages befitting an incumbent: vast financial resources, no serious primary rivals and a larger, more professional campaign. Operating out of a 14th-floor office building across the Potomac River from Washington in space last occupied by a hedge fund, Trumps 2020 campaign team is building a more sophisticated operation than the president relied on four years earlier. Shiny new flat-screen TVs hang from the walls in a war room area. Down the hall, workers are building a television studio where officials and surrogates will be able to conduct live interviews without leaving the office. Outside the windows of a massive conference room, the nations capital unfolds below with only one significant landmark out of view: the White House. It is not the campaign apparatus of an underdog or outsider. But it exists to amplify the message from a president who, campaign advisors said, maintains an insurgent mentality. In 2016, his was the campaign of insurgency he was the outside businessman who would go to Washington and disrupt things, said Tim Murtaugh, the campaigns communications director. And I think everyone has to agree he has been a disruptor. The Washington establishment still doesnt know what to make of him. And so I think hes the same candidate today that he was in 2015. Marc Lotter, a former spokesman for Vice President Mike Pence who is now working as a communications advisor for the campaign, was part of Trumps 2016 campaign, which he likened to a guerrilla operation. The difference here is there is going to be a juggernaut behind him, he said, referring to the cash infusion from traditional Republican donors. In some cases, what Trumps team touts as highly sophisticated campaign science is simply standard practice in professional politics. In 2016, the presidents political operation wasnt capturing voter information from people who attended his rallies and cross-referencing it with voter files; now it is, intent on building an army of volunteers to contact the 23 million voters the campaign believes will swing the election. Four years ago, Trump spoke openly about his suspicions that the party apparatus, especially early in the primary season, was working against him. Once he was crowned the GOP nominee, the Republican National Committee had to scramble to provide data and a get-out-the-vote operation that Trumps bare-bones outfit didnt have. Now, theres little doubt that its Trumps party and there is a more seamless integration of staff in Washington and on the ground in key states. The difference this time is that we have a lot of professionals, a lot more resources, Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and advisor, said during an appearance this week at the Time 100 symposium in New York. Kushner argues that voters will focus on the big picture of economic growth and no new wars. As long as the president is able to keep delivering on his promises of keeping the economy strong and keeping us safe, I think theres a lot of people in this country who are very appreciative of the sacrifices hes making to do the job he does and are very pleased, Kushner said. But Trump is unlikely to motivate his supporters, some of whom are lower-propensity voters, solely with a positive message. The challenge for Trump will be striking a balance among touting his accomplishments, dismissing Democrats as socialists and maintaining the banner of change. That challenge is compounded by the record, which includes policies unpopular beyond his core supporters such as building a border wall and separating asylum-seeking parents from their children. Its usually a mix that makes the difference, and that is whether a president has delivered on some of his promises and is seen among his supporters as fighting for the rest, said David Gergen, who has advised four U.S. presidents dating to the Nixon administration. There is a sense among his base that he has tried hard to deliver on what he said, and they have a friend in the White House, which counts for a lot, he said. But that comes at great expense to his relationship with independents, who in many cases see those same fights as Trump acting in excess. Trump is rare among American presidents in having eschewed a broader, more unifying approach to the office, said Tim Naftali, a presidential historian at New York University. He has remained as sectarian as he was in his inaugural address, which was a jeremiad for his base, not a message that hes president of the entire country, Naftali said. Hes going to have to engage in some verbal gymnastics to be reelected on a message promising to make the country as great as it was before he was elected president, Naftali continued. But, he said, if you inhabit his special reality, you do not see the dissonance or inconsistencies. Democrats, currently staring at a field of 20 presidential contenders, could focus on the presidents conflicting message and divisive rhetoric, but some party strategists believe theyll be more successful reminding swing voters that the president hasnt materially helped the blue-collar workers across the Midwest who helped elect him four years ago. Its a huge challenge for Trump in that he ran as a populist and governed as a corporatist, said Dan Pfeiffer, a former Obama strategist who now hosts a popular political podcast. Democrats, he said, will need to pierce that image of him as a working-class champion and someone who has kept his promises by pointing to the massive corporate tax cut paid for by jacking health premiums and trying to cut Medicare. There is an ample body of evidence to make a case against Trump, he said. We just have to do it. The latest from Washington More stories from Eli Stokols It was a music venue immortalized in song, with artists such as Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Janis Joplin performing at the Golden Bear nightclub, which stood for six decades in downtown Huntington Beach. For much of that time, the Bear which opened in the 1920s as a roadside restaurant off Main Street and then moved to Pacific Coast Highway hosted the likes of B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Buffett, ensuring its place in music-industry lore. But the celebrated music hall, which rose to prominence as one of the countrys best-sounding rooms, closed and was demolished in 1986 due to building instability and redevelopment pressures. This weekend, some 90 years after the Bear opened, its former owners will join longtime residents and music enthusiasts in commemorating the club during a reunion show at Don the Beachcomber in Huntington Beach. Country rock band Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen and rockabilly guitarist Bill Kirchen will fly in from the East Coast for the special concert Saturday night. The reunion, planned by Don the Beachcomber promoter B&Bs Musical Thrills, will host former Golden Bear general manager Kevin Kirby and his wife and former co-owner, Carole Babiracki-Kirby, former sound man El Roy and Orange County music historian Jim Washburn. The Golden Bear, pictured in 1983, was a celebrated music venue on Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach that once hosted the likes of B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Buffett. It closed and was demolished in 1986 because of building instability and pressure to redevelop the area. (File photo) Along with the concert, the Kirbys, who owned the Golden Bear from 1974 to 1986, will share books and memorabilia they collected over the years, including candid pictures of John Denver, Tom Waits and Peter Frampton, all of whom played inside the nightclubs brick walls. Another Golden Bear reunion show in 2009 featured Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek, Chris Hillman, a founding member of the Byrds, and songwriter Jack Tempchin, who co-wrote the Eagles hit Already Gone and wrote Peaceful Easy Feeling. Don the Beachcomber, with the chains 80-year history, vintage cocktails, fine dining and varied musical lineup, is a natural fit as todays go-to Orange County venue to hear folk, blues, swing, rockabilly and country and scout touring and local musicians, the Kirbys said. Concert posters show some of the acts that played at the Golden Bear during the nightclubs heyday. (File photo | Daily Pilot) This is going to be the new Golden Bear, Kevin Kirby said as he stood in the restaurants Polynesian-themed dining room. I can see that theres a family here, and thats what gives a place a soul. The restaurant brings the musical community together at a tiki lounge known for its special cocktails and Polynesian and Cantonese-influenced dishes, said B&Bs Musical Thrills promoter Christopher Burkhardt. The staff of 13 waitresses and 12 cooks contributes to the hangouts hospitality, he added. This whole place is so close to what we had, said Babiracki-Kirby, who noted that Don the Beachcomber, like the Golden Bear, seats 300 people. Its so cool to see that music is alive here. The music business, she said, was about musicians who wanted to take their sound to the people and preferred playing at small venues because they could earn cash up and down the coast. One advertisement could sell out a concert, she said. Just 30 minutes after placing Peter Gabriels name on the Bears marquee, the concert sold out. There are other memories the Kirbys enjoy sharing with fans and former employees. Like the time Cher showed up unannounced and watched the Average White Band perform. Or when Don McLean sang American Pie. Or when poet Charles Bukowski read vulgar poetry and hurled cold beers at the audience. But most vivid is the day of the Golden Bears closure 30 years ago, when it rained inside the bar. It was almost like the Bear was crying during an emotional goodbye, Babiracki-Kirby said. We had the golden years, Kirby said, looking at his wife. Now this place is its future. * IF YOU GO What: Golden Bear Reunion When: 7 p.m. Saturday Where: Don the Beachcomber, 16278 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach Cost: Tickets start at $20 Information: (562) 592-1321 or donthebeachcomber.com kathleen.luppi@latimes.com Twitter: @KathleenLuppi When Loan Nguyen and her brother, Minh, decided to open their own business, she looked to Asia for inspiration. She stumbled upon churros. There was a trend in Asia with churros, said Nguyen. But what they had in Asia was just the churro, and not much. It wasnt much fun it was just a plain churro. So the 33-year-old Fountain Valley resident tried something new. I thought about it, and theres many creative doughnuts around [Orange County], but never a churro. So I felt like there was a market out there, its just How could we put a twist on it, to make it more American? Last year Loan and Minh Nguyen, along with Jed Cartojano, opened The Loop Handcrafted Churros in Westminster, which serves the deep-fried pastry with an assortment of toppings such as dulce de leche, Nutella, matcha, Fruity Pebbles, Oreos and cookie butter. While Nguyens is the only churro shop of its kind in Orange County, as an Asian American female business owner shes far from alone. According to a new report from the marketing research firm Nielsen, Asian American women are now at the forefront of trendsetting, taste-making and entrepreneurship. Thirty-nine percent of Asian American women are entrepreneurs, and the number of Asian American female-owned businesses is increasing at a faster pace than any other group of women in the United States, Nielsens study, Asian American women: digitally fluent with an intercultural mindset found. The report also showed that Asian American women tend to be intercultural meaning they absorb different cultures into their own lives are savvy in social media and are avid international travelers. Asian American women seem to be adventurous. ... Theyre going to places like the Middle East and Latin America. Mariko Carpenter, vice president of strategic community alliances for Nielsen Asian American women seem to be adventurous, said Mariko Carpenter, vice president of strategic community alliances for Nielsen. They always seem to know the newest restaurants and the hippest thing thats happening. Theyre going to places like the Middle East and Latin America. Theyre open, theyre curious. There is this mindset of they can take the best of all the worlds and create something thats even better. As the number of Asian American female-owned businesses has expanded, so too has Asian American buying power. Estimated at $891 billion last year, this buying power has grown 222% since 2000, vastly outpacing the rest of the country. In Orange County, home to the nations third largest Asian and Pacific Islander population, which includes Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Cambodian, Lao and Hmong communities, similar trends emerge. If you look in Orange County, we have the third largest number of Asian American-owned businesses in the United States, said Mary Anne Foo, executive director of the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance. These businesses probably bring in $20 billion in revenue to the county. So in terms of consumers, in terms of businesses, were really important. According to the Nielsen report, Asian American womens business and digital prowess the group uses social networking sites more than the average adult have helped bring Asian American trends and tastes into the mainstream. Nielsens Carpenter cited the examples of YouTube star Michelle Phan, the first woman on the video sharing website to reach 1 billion views. She has since became a spokeswoman for the cosmetics line Lancome, and Korean beauty products, which, after being promoted on social media by Asian American consumers are now available at stores like Wal-Mart, Target and Sephora. If youre a brand whos introducing a new product, you want people like the Asian American women group thats very digitally connected and are able to really champion their products because thats the power and influence that they have, said Carpenter. The Nielsen survey also found that Asian American women are the most educated and the highest-earning group of women in the United States, and are more likely than white women to say that their goal is to reach the top of their profession. But OCAPICAs Foo warned against over-generalizing the findings, saying that surveys can mask the challenges certain segments of the community face. Theres so much diversity among Asian and Pacific Islanders overall were coming from 50 different groups and we speak 100 different languages, she said, pointing out that surveys conducted in English like Nielsens often dont capture the experiences of those born outside of the United States or those with limited English proficiency. Surveys like this, we have to be really careful because we start to generalize and say, All Asians are so educated, which isnt true, said Foo. For example, Cambodian and Hmong women, if you look at college going, its been harder because you dont have multiple generations of a community thats been here. People who are coming from East Asia might have had more opportunities to go on to higher education versus communities that came originally as refugees. But for Carpenter, the report is evidence of the importance of Asian American women. For Asian American communities, this tells us that we are an economic power and we are contributing to the economy of this country, she said. And Asian American women are a big contributor of that. CAITLIN YOSHIKO KANDIL is a contributor to Times Community News. ALSO Asians and Asian Americans swarm to thriving Diamond Jamboree, Irvines cultural hot spot For refugees coming to Southern California, this Welcome Guidebook is a link to a new life Beach fills in remembrance of Newport lifeguard Ben Carlson, who died saving a swimmer Its that time of year again, when Christian believers attend Easter services and hear the story of Jesus resurrection. People of other faiths have their own ways of speaking about the nexus between life and death, many of which provide opportunities for respectful and mutually helpful interfaith conversation. And then there are those who suspect that words like resurrection, afterlife or immortality are vestiges of ancient mythology that provide ways to escape the reality of death. The truth be told, there are many people attending religious services who harbor plenty of doubt about the literal, metaphysical resurrection as well. If you are one of those for whom the whole idea of resurrection is suspect, I commiserate with you. The usual course of resurrection-speak lessens the value of life by arguing that, since there is life after death, death itself is simply a passageway from a lower form of being to a higher one. That, in turn, diminishes the meaning and value of life-as-we-know-it into nothing more than a necessary step toward that passageway. In the end, such an approach to resurrection leaves us with no reason to care about the environment, or health, or justice, or anything beyond doing what it takes to get through the door to resurrection. There is a better way of understanding resurrection, and it is grounded in an obscure argument that Jesus had with some of his folk who believed the Scriptures but not in the resurrection (Mark 12:18-27). It takes a while to unpack the nuances of this conversation, but the upshot is this: Jesus treats resurrection less as a doctrine from reading the Scriptures and more as a lens through which one can read the Scriptures. I would suggest that resurrection is not only a lens for reading the Scriptures, but can also be a lens for viewing the world. Lets mark out in broad strokes what the Scriptures can mean when interpreted through the lens of resurrection. Creation stories show death to be part of a larger story of the fertility of life the seed must fall to the ground and die to produce abundance. The stories of the covenant that God made with Abram and Sarai shows how two persons, whose own capacities for fertility were dead, bring life through which all nations will be blessed. The law becomes a dying and rising reality, not a dead letter etched in stone. The rise and fall of kingdoms, the suffering and return of exiles, the despair of the suffering servant, the hope of the one coming in clouds, the expectation of Elijahs return are all stories of how inasmuch as God lives, so do Gods promises. Resurrection makes all the difference between seeing the Scriptures as accounts of things that happened but are not happening anymore, and as accounts of how God continuously brings new life where no life is expected. And lets wonder in broad strokes what the world can mean when interpreted through the lens of resurrection. In a time when the ecosystems, species, and the sustainability of life-as-we-know-it itself are imperiled, resurrection does not say, Its OK, once this world passes well all be in heaven. Instead, resurrection gives us the courage that this world itself can be the dead stump that sprouts new life, so we can live with hope for renewing the earth. In a time when we are tempted to write off homeless persons as hopeless persons, resurrection invites us to see the redemptive possibilities of their lives and to treat them as neighbors. In a time when our only solution to gun violence is to arm more of us and ramp up the violence into a localized version of mutually assured destruction, resurrection enables us to see that living with constant vigilant fear is not really living. Just as the early Christians found resurrection to be a power that disarmed the Roman Empires culture of death, resurrection today can redefine the powers that threaten to undo us, which diminish the nature and value of life itself. Our celebration of Easter this weekend need not be all about providing an escape route from lifes troubles or from a world that is headed toward disaster. It is about believing that even in our deepest despair God brings new life. MARK DAVIS is the pastor of St. Mark Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach. Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter, as we look at few of the Kentucky Derby horses. Lets check in with whats happening with a few of the horses in the Kentucky Derby. These facts and quotes are courtesy of the Churchill Downs notes team. Omaha Beach: The Richard Mandella colt worked five furlongs in 59 seconds, second best at this distance to older horse McKinzie. He was accompanied on the work by Cowboy Karma, who was supposed to be just ahead of Omaha Beach but instead sprinted out to a four-length advantage. Jockey Julien Leparoux kept a light hold on Omaha Beach, who inched up to even at the top of the stretch. By the time Omaha Beach crossed the finish line he was five lengths in front. I just wanted him to have one more good work; thats all he needed, Mandella said. He got it today. They were supposed to go off together, but it all worked out fine. He went and got him. I really liked that he settled right down after the work. He acts like a professional racehorse. I dont think this work took much out of him at all. It couldnt have gone better. Its all working out just right. Advertisement Im glad to have [the work] done. You need to get past all the obstacles. This is one of the big ones. Im glad its over. Ive never had a 3-year-old doing this well this early. Hes just special. Since the Rebel (win on March 16) hes filled out and just gotten better. Hes pure class. And hes a kind horse. A horse thats easy to be around. Mandella plans to walk the colt on Sunday and then gallop him up to Saturdays Derby. Improbable: This Bob Baffert-trained colt had an easy gallop in advance of his final work Sunday. His stablemates Game Winner and Roadster arrived later Saturday afternoon. [Assistant trainer] Jimmy (Barnes) has been really happy with him, Baffert said of Improbable. He really likes this track. Theyre coming from Santa Anita, where it has been pretty deep, theyve made it really, really deep. Hell work [Sunday] but hes really coming into this race pretty well. Improbable has almost the same ownership connection as Justify, last years Triple Crown winner. I do know that Bob feels like you do have to get out of the gate well, feels like you need to get into a rhythm, said Elliott Walden, the president and chief executive of WinStar Farm. And, you know, Improbables strength is his stride, so I think he does want him to get in a nice rhythm and not have too many obstacles in his path. Its possible that he would show a little more speed, but hes not a horse thats going to drag you to the front end or youre going to have to worry about slowing down. I see him somewhere in that first tier, probably four, five, six lengths off it. Gray Magician: This overlooked colt, qualifying with a second in the UAE Derby, worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 at San Luis Rey Downs. Drayden Van Dyke drove south to work the horse for Peter Miller. He worked super and came home really well, Miller said. I couldnt be happier with how he did it. He came home [in his final quarter-mile] in 23 1/5 and that was very good. He galloped out another eighth [to get six furlongs] in 1:12 2/5. This is a fast race track here, but it was the way he did it. Drayden came and worked him and the horse really did it on his own. He just shook the reins at him once and he opened up on his workmate. He started out about three lengths behind him and finished about 12 lengths ahead. Drayden got along well with the horse and in all likelihood, unless the owners think otherwise, he would ride him [in the Derby]. As long as he comes out of the work well tomorrow, he will ship on Monday. War Of Will: This colt for Mark Casse had a four-furlong breeze in 47.60 seconds. War On Will won the LeComte and Risen Star. What you got to see this morning, if you werent impressed with him this morning, I dont know what were supposed to do, Casse said. But Ive been seeing this for a long time. I had him up in Saratoga last summer and anybody that came by I took him out and showed him. And I remember talking to Jim Lawson, who is [the CEO] of Woodbine, and telling him, Im sending up a very, very special horse and he reminded me of that recently. The [workmate] was only there for about an eighth of a mile. I dont know how you could ask for a horse to work any better than he just did. Country House/Tacitus: Bill Motts Wood Memorial Winner (Tacitus) and Arkansas Derby third-place finisher (Country House) prepped for their final works Sunday. They both jogged [Saturday] and will work, perhaps, tomorrow, Mott said. Theyre both doing well, look well and are eating well. We just have to get through this last work [Sunday]. Sometimes you like to do it a day earlier just to get it over with. Code Of Honor: Shug McGaugheys colt jogged five furlongs and then galloped 1 miles. He is scheduled to work Sunday under exercise rider Brian Duggan. John Velazquez gets the Derby day mount. I am glad I brought him up early because its quiet and gives him time to settle in, McGaughey said. It also gives me time to settle in. Santa Anita review The big featured stakes race was a testament to the talent of Paradise Woods, who won the Grade 2 $200,000 Santa Margarita Stakes for older fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles, by 10 lengths. It really wasnt much of a contest as jockey Mike Smith never asked Paradise Woods and she just used natural talent to smoke the field. She paid $3.20, $2.20 and $2.10. La Force was second and Exuberance was third. Sometimes the first ones are the best ones, Id like to take some credit but honestly it was [trainer] John Shirreff and his crew, man they did a lot of work on this mare and they finally got her to a point where she will listen to you a little bit, Smith said. I left the gate and had a great post, I stayed as still as I could and just kind of let her get that big beautiful stride of hers going. Once she did that she had the race under control. I wanted to engage her against Just A Smidge, but when you engage horses they are taught to fight. They will get after each other so the pace would have been quicker, I might be losing a little bit of ground, but I got her to do it relaxed. If I can get them to relax, Id rather do that. Once I came into the far turn and engaged her, you saw what she did, she took off and she might have done that earlier. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesnt. In the lesser of the two stakes, The Hunted won the $100,000 Crystal Water Stakes for Cal-breds going a mile on the turf. The gelding was about three lengths off entering the far turn and by the top of the stretch had closed the gap. Thats when he stretched out and was able to win by one length. He paid $7.80, $4.80 and $3.00 for trainer Richard Baltas and jockey Tiago Pereira. Tule Fog was second, followed by favorite Brandothebartender in third. The horse has been training good, Baltas said. He was a little unlucky, he was too far back last time. This is stakes company, against Cal-breds. It was a good race and a great ride by [Tiago Pereira]. Im very happy for all the connections. He was nice and relaxed down the backside. I think the rider did a really good job on him. Santa Anita preview Sundays nine-race card has some short fields (two fives and three sixes). There is one stakes races and four allowance/optional claimers. There are three Cal-bred races and three turf races. The stakes is the $100,000 Singletary Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going a mile on the turf. There were high hopes for the 3-1 as King Of Speed ran in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf, but finished 12th. Hes also coming off a disappointing 10th in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields. He is two of nine lifetime for trainer Jeff Bonde and jockey Victor Espinoza. His biggest win has been in the Zuma Beach Stakes at Santa Anita. Rijeka is the 7-2 second choice for Baltas and Kent Desormeaux. He is two of eight lifetime and won an allowance last out. He was third in the Zuma Beach. Post is around 3 p.m. Here are the field sizes, in order: 6, 5, 6, 5, 7, 6, 8, 7, 9 (1 also eligible). Big Races review A look at graded stakes or races worth $100,000 or more Saturday. Parx (7): $100,000 Lyman Handicap, Penn-breds 3 and up, 7 furlongs. Winner: Midnightcharly ($4.80) Parx (8): $100,000 Foxy J.G. Stakes, Penn-bred fillies and mares 3 and up, 7 furlongs. Winner: Zippers Hero ($19.60) Woodbine (8): $100,000 Woodstock Stakes, 3-year-olds, 6 furlongs. Winner: Souper Success ($34.80) Belmont (9): $125,000 Elusive Quality Stakes, 4 and up, 7 furlongs on turf. Winner: Therapist ($7.70) Santa Anita (5): $100,000 Crystal Water Stakes, Cal-breds 3 and up, 1 mile on turf. Winner: The Hunted ($7.00) Oaklawn (9): $150,000 Bachelor Stakes, 3-year-olds, 6 furlongs. Winner: Nitrous ($12.60) Golden Gate (9): $100,000 California Derby, 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles. Winner: Kingly ($5.40) Santa Anita (8): Grade 2 $200,000 Santa Margarita Stakes, fillies and mares 4 and up, 1 1/18 miles. Winner: Paradise Woods ($3.20) Golden Gate (10): Grade 3 $250,000 San Francisco Mile, 3 and up, 1 mile. Winner: Blitzkrieg ($8.00) Churchill Downs (6): Allowance optional claiming, 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles. Winner: Firey Speech ($19.80) Churchill (8): $100,000 William Walker Stakes, 3-year-olds, 5 furlongs on turf. Winner: Jo Jo Air ($30.40) Big races preview A look at graded stakes or races worth $100,000 or more Sunday. All times PDT: 1:22 Woodbine (7): $100,000 Wando Stakes, 3-year-olds 1 1/16 miles. Favorite: Skywire (8-5) 2:40 Lone Star (7): Grade 3 $300,000 Steve Sexton Mile Stakes, 3 and up, 1 mile. Favorite: Title Ready (5-2) 2:51 Belmont (9): $125,000 License Fee Stakes, fillies and mares 4 and up, 6 furlongs. Favorite: Fire Key (8-5) 3:03 Santa Anita (5); $100,000 Singletary Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 mile on turf. Favorite: King Of Speed (3-1) 4:48 Golden Gate (9): $100,000 Campanile Stakes, Cal-bred fillies 3-years-old, 1 mile on turf. Favorite: Lakerball (9-5) 5:18 Golden Gate (10): $100,000 Silky Sullivan Stakes, Cal-bred 3-year-olds, 1 mile on turf. Favorite: Listing (5-2) Ciaran Thorntons SA pick of the day RACE EIGHT: No. 6 Lord Guinness (10-1) Lord Guinness, and no I am not using this horse because I like Guinness (well, maybe). First start since January for trainer Tim Yakteen, who is a solid 24% (7 of 29) off a layoff like Sunday. We have a sharp work last week that adds to the appeal. On paper there looks to be a lot of early speed in this race, speed that tends to fade late, setting the race up for a closer like this horse. Ran second at this distance last year. If he runs to last years ability, we have a big chance at high odds. Also note this horse is not risked for a claim today, another sign of confidence off the three-month layoff. Horses are not cheap to stable, so there are bills to pay, and Sunday may be paycheck day. This is a wide-open race in a tough late pick 4 so I am looking for a price. My selections in here for exotic bets are 2,6,7,3. Saturdays result: Jockey Joe Talamo got half of our daily double home with Rocky Policy winning in the third race but Ciao Luna in the second race, who went off as the 6-5 favorite, choked as we have seen so many other favorites do of late. Rocky Policy actually went off at 7-2 beating the 6-5 favorite in that race. Looking for value versus betting on bad favorite continues to be the best approach for the current Santa Anita cards. Ciaran Thornton is the handicapper for Californiapick4.com, which offers daily full card picks, longshots of the day, best bets of the day. Ed Burgarts Los Alamitos pick of the day SEVENTH RACE: No. 6 Genuine Version (4-1) This 5-year-old gelding has fired fresh before and has the early gate quickness that suits this 100-yard dash. He broke super when winning the California Derby Challenge on this oval in 2017 and was well in hand after a quick start in sharp 12.2 solo gate drill at 220 yards for return. He must beat Jess Bet Me, who has captured three of his last five. I suggest a win bet and a 5-6 exacta box Final thoughts Always looking to add more subscribers to this newsletter. Cant beat the price. If you like it, tell someone. If you dont like it, then youre probably not reading this. Either way, send to a friend and just have them click here and sign up. Remember, its free, and all we need is your email, nothing more. Any thoughts, you can reach me at johnacherwa@gmail.com. You can also feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa And now the stars of the show, Saturdays results and Sundays entries. During afternoon tea at the Grand Hyatt in Hong Kong, I told a friend that I had arrived by way of Chongqing. Ah. Chongqings time has come, he said. It was a flattering comment, considering CQ, as its also called, isnt as well known to Westerners as Chengdu, the seat of Sichuan province and Chongqings rival city. Chengdu in recent years has cemented itself as an international destination for pandas and food. It prides itself as the civilized counterpart, with an updated metro system and English-friendly signage, to Chongqings brash intensity. (Lou Spirito For The Times) Advertisement The real point of cultural contention between the two cities is food, of course, which reigns supreme in Sichuan. Chengdu is more accessible to foreigners, and its citizens emigration to far-flung locales has exported its modern cuisine around the globe. But travelers would be remiss to ignore Chongqing. Mexico City has climbed the food ranks and become known for its relatively affordable Michelin restaurants; Copenhagen has staked out a space for innovative cuisine; and Tokyo has long been on everyones food map. When it comes to Chinese food, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Hong Kong have been, for Westerners, the most culinarily prominent cities. Chongqing is the best food city you dont know about. It lies at the junction of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, a sprawling mountain city connected by a congested network of bridges. Its population dwarfs the size of Los Angeles, New York City and Chicago combined. I have a Popo and Gong Gong (affectionate Chinese terms for grandmother and grandfather, respectively) who have lived in Chongqing for more than seven decades. My trips to CQ, including my most recent visit in June, revolve almost entirely around meals. My mother and her Californian sensibilities have outgrown her old home, and shes baffled by Popos obsession with food. Its as if you only live to eat, she chided Popo, who has nothing to say in defense. Because its true: As a 73-year-old CQ native, Popo lives to eat. I cant help siding with her. How could you not, when you live in a city like this, where spice and smells ring the smog, where frying oil clings to porous shirts, where plastic stools outside tiny noodle shops are the loudest siren song. Chongqings huo guo bubbles up in preparation for a large family meal. (Lynn Yu) Immediately upon landing, Popo, Gong Gong and my mother whisked me to Jiefangbei, CQs downtown center. We had our first meal, huo guo, the classic CQ feast, within one of Jiefangbeis mega shopping malls. Huo guo, or hot pot, is a giant vat of spices and oil strewn with generous handfuls of Sichuan peppercorns. Echang (goose intestines) are popular huo guo items, along with tripe, white cabbage and wood ear mushrooms. The blander the item, the better it lends itself to capturing the full flavors of the pot. Huo guo is Chongqings emblematic dish. Like the city itself, it is fiery, delicious, communal and unapologetic in its boldness. Hows the spice level? I asked Gong Gong. Its OK, he said. Average. Just average. Meanwhile, I was sweating, blowing my nose and on the verge of tears. The effect of numbing spice leaves me in a state of delirium every time. After a nights sleep in Popos apartment, we hit the streets in search of xiao mian and suan la fen, two iconic CQ noodle dishes that can be found on any corner. Xiao mian, which means little noodle, is simple in its perfection: a large bowl of wheat noodles, bright leaves of bok choy and a broth of distinctive Sichuan spices and chile oils. Xiao mian can be eaten any time of day, and its a frequent breakfast for morning commuters. The best part? It costs only 6 yuan, or 86 cents. A street cart vendor located underneath a bridge assembles a breakfast tofu. (Lynn Yu) Suan la fen is a sour and spicy bowl of sweet potato noodles, topped with fried peanuts and zhacai (pickled vegetables) and sprinkled with coriander. Suan la fen is not as ma (numbing) as xiao mian, and it features a tangy, sippable broth. The xiao mian dians, or shops, are the heartbeat of CQ, the nodes that everyday people will flock to for a comforting bowl of noodles even in 100-degree heat. Food accosted us at every turn every block, underground tunnel and bridge was lined with fruit sellers and vegetable hawkers. The cart vendor, with more than a dozen tubs of spices, oils and amenities, is a common feature of the CQ street. Depending on what you order pig ears, duck intestines or any variety of meat and tofu cuts they expertly dress your selection with a combination of sauces. Street vendors in Chongqing dont accept cash a WeChat Wallet on your phone is enough to pay your way around town. But CQ is difficult to navigate for foreigners. English is minimal, Google Maps doesnt work, and local citizens can be aggressive and blunt. At a train station, my mother and I stopped to ask whether we were to enter through the East or West entrance. Whatever you want, screamed the employee. On the flip side, the denizens of Chongqing are also incredibly generous and warm, and they love showing visitors the gems of their city. Xiao mian, a signature Chongqing noodle dish, can be found on any street corner for about $1. (Lynn Yu) So what makes CQ the best food city youve never heard of? For a city its size, it has somehow avoided the effects of globalization. It remains one of the most insulated food cultures for a major megalopolis. In Hong Kong, its possible to find good Mexican and Peruvian cuisine; in Japan, the Italian food is some of the best in the world; and in Los Angeles, the Vietnamese pho is unparalleled. In Chongqing, fried chicken has made slight incursions, and for the better off, other types of cuisine are accessible. But for the everyday person, the Popos and Gong Gongs of CQ, they eat only Chongqing-style flavors. On my most recent trip, a family friend complained how it wasnt possible to get anything but Chongqing food, how she was dying for something American. It boggled me. In a city like this, with a food culture this vibrant and proud and decadent, why would you want anything else? If you go THE BEST WAY TO CHONGQING, CHINA From LAX, Hainan offers nonstop service to Chongqing. Restricted round-trip airfare from $1,140, including taxes and fees. WHERE TO STAY Hilton Chongqing, 139 Zhongshan 3rd Road, Yuzhong Qu, Chongqing; 011-86-23-8903-9999. Doubles from $61 a night. Westin Chongqing Liberation Square, 222 Xinhua Road, Jiefangbei ShangQuan, Yuzhong Qu, Chongqing; 011-86-23-6380-6666. Doubles from $125 a night. Harbour Plaza Chongqing, Wuyi Road JieFangBei ShangQuan, Yuzhong Qu, Chongqing; 011-86-23-6370-0888. Doubles from $44 a night. WHERE TO EAT Chongqing Lao Huo Guo, Guo Tai Plaza. Wusi Road, Jiefangbei ShangQuan, Yuzhong Qu, Chongqing. On the bottom floor of the Guo Tai mall; English service limited. A huo guo meal for four adults costs $25-$30. If you eat $40 worth of huo guo, youll need to be rolled home. Wen Chuang Yuan, E Ling Zheng Jie, Chongqing. A hipster, English-friendly arts district. Plenty of young CQers model for WeiXin photos (the Chinese equivalent of Instagram). A meal of modern CQ cuisine costs about $7-$9. Street food. A bowl of xiao mian is $1. If you pay $2, youre being robbed. travel@latimes.com @latimestravel I loved the article (The Fallout Over Carry-ons, On the Spot, by Catharine Hamm, April 14) and letters (April 21) about carry-on baggage. I just flew home to LAX from Portland, Ore. I cant tell you how many people needed help with overheads bags. My two cents on the subject as a middle-aged woman: If you cant lift it, dont carry it on. I dont offer to help people with their bags, as I dont want to risk injury. Airlines should under no circumstance drop the checked baggage fee for senior citizens; my fees would go up to compensate for the change for seniors. My suggestion: Pack less, everyone. Advertisement Stephanie Arnold Camarillo Your older letter writer can fly 10 times a year but cant afford $50 to check her bag? She should stay home or reduce her trips if she chooses not to carry on a bag she alone can handle. Period. It is inconsiderate to expect other travelers to be her bag handler. Flight attendants are flight attendants. If they wanted to handle baggage, they would have applied to that department. From another senior citizen. Marcy Boswell Menifee, Calif. Real ID Thank you for bringing up the topic of Real ID and discussing it in some detail (Questions About Real ID? See Below, On the Spot, by Catharine Hamm, March 17). Before reading Hamms articles on this, I knew nothing about the topic. However, my wife and I recently had to renew our drivers licenses, so we both jumped through the necessary hoops and got our Real ID drivers licenses. It wasnt too bad a process for us, because we made appointments, and we both have lots of identifying documents. Im not sure I would have bothered getting the Real ID if Hamm had not educated me on the topic, but I am glad I did. If I had not gotten the Real ID, I am pretty sure I would have showed up at the airport some day for a domestic flight, and forget about the need to bring my passport, and be denied entry to the plane. So thank you for writing about an important topic. Steve Bolz West Covina travel@latimes.com @latimestravel Spains governing Socialist Workers Party claimed victory Sunday in the countrys third general election in four years but failed to achieve a majority in parliament. The results are likely to pave the way for weeks, if not months, of negotiations with left-wing and nationalist parties to form a coalition government staving off a right-wing surge. The Socialists won 123 seats, short of the 176 needed to govern the 350-member parliament. We made it happen, said incumbent Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at a rally in Madrid late Sunday night. The Socialist party won. And with that, the future has won, and the past has lost. Sundays vote also saw the first far-right party, Vox, enter Spains parliament since the countrys transition to democracy 40 years ago, following the death of dictator Francisco Franco. The party earned 24 seats. Advertisement Citizens, a conservative party known for its hard-line stance against Catalan independence, gained 25 seats. Voter turnout was 75.5%, nearly 9 percentage points higher than the 2016 general elections, according to the Interior Ministry, and the highest turnout since 2004. The Socialists will likely negotiate a coalition with the anti-austerity, left-wing party Podemos and separatist Catalan and Basque parties cementing the end to two-party politics in Spain. The Socialists could also negotiate a government with the conservative Citizens party. If the Socialists dont form a government within several months, the country would have to vote again in a fresh set of general elections a repetition of 2015, when inconclusive elections led to months of failed negotiations and repeat elections in 2016. Spains two-party system was broken up in 2015 with the success of Podemos and Citizens, two new parties in parliament. With the addition of Vox this year, the Spanish political system which since 1977 had reliably been governed by the Popular Party or the Socialist Workers Party faces its highest-ever levels of political fragmentation. The election came less than a year after Spains previous prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, was ousted in a vote of no confidence stemming from corruption in his Popular Party. Sanchez formed a minority government with the support of Catalan separatists, leading his critics to accuse him of being too friendly with the independentistas. But Sanchez could not hold his fragile grip on power. In February, he called for snap general elections after failing to pass a national budget. The same Catalan separatists who had backed him last year did not support his budget, citing the impasse over Catalan independence. Questions of identity and national unity shaped the election, with leaders on the right building their campaigns on messages of Spanish pride and a sharp repudiation of Catalan separatism. The Catalan independence conflict came to a head in October 2017 when separatists held an unconstitutional independence referendum, which drew 40% of eligible voters but saw a 90% vote to secede. Three weeks later, Carles Puigdemont, the regions president at the time, declared independence leading to Spains deepest constitutional crisis since its return to democracy. As a result, the Spanish government, then led by the Popular Party, fired the Catalan parliament, wrested control of the region, began arresting the movements leaders and called for fresh regional elections in December. While separatists criticized the government for cracking down, some on the right argued the Popular Party was too soft on the independentistas. In response, some Popular Party voters turned to Vox, which seeks to suppress regional autonomy in Catalonia. The xenophobic party echoes Francos nationalist rhetoric and follows the populist playbook seen in recent years across Europe, stoking fear of immigrants and demonizing feminists. In the posh, leafy Barcelona neighborhood of Sarria, Rosa Zorrilla, 58, headed to a coffee shop to relax after voting. She cast her ballot for the Socialists, she said, because she believed they could help find a solution for a divided Catalonia, half of whose population supports independence while the other half does not. Im not a nationalist, but something must be done so that this evolves. I think the country is paralyzed, Zorrilla said. The Socialists have the most possibilities of dialogue with the nationalists. Sarria, nestled in the western hills of Barcelona, epitomized the division within Catalonia over independence. One voting center drew a mix of conservative, upper-class unionist voters and independentistas including Laura Borras, congressional candidate for former Catalan president Puigdemonts party, Together for Catalonia. Spanish flags and Esteladas, the Catalan separatist flag, hung on the balconies of adjacent buildings. While waiting in line to vote, some residents spoke in Spanish, others in Catalan. Magdalena Lucan Peralta, 57, waited in a long line at her polling station and prepared to cast her vote for Vox. She had always voted for the Popular Party, she said, but chose not to this year because it had begun negotiating with the separatists. The most important thing for us is removing Sanchez and all of those who negotiate with the independentistas, with the ETA supporters, with Podemos supporters, Lucan Peralta said, referring to the disbanded Basque terrorist group ETA and the leftist Spanish political party. For me, this is the worst. In the neighborhood of LEixample, Adria Cruz, 32, said he voted for the separatist party Republican Left because it was the Catalan party most capable of defending progressive policies and the autonomy of Catalonia. The rise of Vox is worrisome, said Cruz as he held his 2-year-old son Toni. But when one pole grows, another one grows. I understand that because of Catalan nationalism, more Spanish nationalism is generated. The election featured a handful of unusual candidates. Three Catalan separatists former regional vice president Oriol Junqueras, activist Jordi Sanchez and former Catalan sustainability minister Josep Rull campaigned from jail while on trial for rebellion for organizing the independence referendum. The Popular Party, meanwhile, enlisted two bullfighters to run for parliament. Some voters were tired of so many elections. Its just one more, said Javier Miranda, 31, after he cast his ballot for the Republican Left at a school in LEixample early in the day. Weve voted so much that now its just ... He sighed, then shrugged. Bernhard is a Times special correspondent. - Minister of defense, Mansur Dan-Ali, on behalf of the federal govt, is seeking Russias cooperation to eliminate Boko Haram insurgents - Dan-Ali said Russias experience in counter terrorism operations is required to bring the scourge of terrorism to an end - The minister noted that such non-state actors like Boko Haram tend to undermine the monopoly of the state over the use of coercive instruments of power - Dan-Ali promised that Nigeria would create the legal and environmental conditions to accelerate Russian investment in the country The federal government has solicited the cooperation of Russia to eliminate the Boko Haram insurgents from Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin countries. The minister of defence, Mansur Dan-Ali made the appeal on Wednesday, April 24 at the 8th Moscow Conference on International Security, NAN reports. READ ALSO: Group lambastes ASUU for speaking against proposed Muhammadu Buhari University Legit.ng gathers that Dan-Ali also sought Russias cooperation in securing the maritime domain of the Gulf of Guinea. A copy of the ministers speech was made available to newsmen in Abuja. Dan-Ali said Russias experience in counter terrorism operations is required to bring the scourge of terrorism (Boko Haram) to an end. Military and technical assistance in this respect will be highly appreciated, he said, adding that its cooperation in critical infrastructural development, especially the modernisation of Nigerias military arsenal is needed. He said: It is the intention of Nigeria to leverage on Russias support to attain technological emancipation of our Military Industrial Complex and training of Nigerians especially in medicine, science and technology. Dan-Ali expressed concern over the rise in terrorism and insurgency in the continent with specific reference to Boko Haram in Lake Chad Basin countries, Al-Shabaab in Somalia/Kenya, and Islamic State in Mali. He said those non-state actors tend to undermine the monopoly of the state over the use of coercive instruments of power as a result of widespread proliferation of small arms and light weapons. He continued: "Since 2009, my country Nigeria has been combating terrorism engendered by an Islamic Sect called Boko Haram. Members of the Boko Haram sect have carried out series of bombings of public places and killed many innocent citizens. The group has over the years been receiving inspiration, training as well as mutual support from other transnational terror groups within and outside Africa. Nonetheless, owing to the sustained counter insurgency operations by Nigeria and other countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission which include Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroon, the Boko Haram terror network has been overwhelmed and the leadership structure is presently decimated." The minister expressed gratitude to the Russian government for its numerous training and scholarship which have been of immense benefit to Nigerians over the years, as well as recent military hardware procurement initiative. On the Gulf of Guinea, the minister said Russias assistance is needed to curb the incidences of sea robbery, piracy on the seas, hijacking of ships and other ocean-going vessels. He said adequate policing of the waterways of the gulf would combat large scale pollution, impair incidence of illegal dumping of toxic or radioactive wastes. Dan-Ali said the pervasive security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea include piracy and armed robbery against ships in the region. The region remains increasingly dangerous for seafarers. From the International Maritime Bureau Report of 2019, the Gulf of Guinea accounts for all six hijackings worldwide; 13 of the 18 ships fired upon, 130 of the 141 hostages taken globally and 78 of the 83 seafarers kidnapped for ransom in 2018. These figures depict the inherent danger to commercial shipping activities in the region, he said. He promised that Nigeria would create the legal and environmental conditions to accelerate Russian investment in the country, expand trade and achieve better balance in the trade relationship. According to him, at the moment, both countries trade ties are lopsided in favour of Russia. Russia is the biggest market in Europe, while Nigeria is the biggest market in Africa. The trade relations have been below expectation leaving gap for many unexploited potentials. Nigeria will also be interested in Russia helping to build nuclear power plants, petroleum pipelines, railways and other infrastructural development investments in oil and gas sector, he said. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Recall that Legit.ng previously reported that the federal government signed a treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters with the Russian government to tackle terrorism and other criminal activities in both countries. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, George Edokpa, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja. The treaty, according to him, was negotiated in 2009 to enhance collaboration and cooperation between the two countries in the administration of criminal justice. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service! Can Nigerian soldiers really not deal with Boko Haram fighters? - on Legit TV: Source: Legit The special adviser to the president on Niger Delta and coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Professor Charles Dokubo has escaped a plot to blackmail him. Series of allegations aimed at slandering the image of Professor Dokubo have been conceived by unscrupulous elements in a bid to profit through illegal and corrupt means from the agency. The plot, which is already in its advanced stage, is being orchestrated by a director in the agency who has failed in his bid to misinform the general public about the amnesty effort of the federal government. In a bid to cover his tracks of collecting money from contractors before and after mobilizations, an activity he is reported to engage in, in connivance with another official, the director is said to have has resorted to using misinformation to distract the general public and other relevant stakeholders. READ ALSO: Wole Soyinka scores Buhari high on anti-corruption war In one of the campaigns of calumny, they reported fictitious contracts to the tune of N1.8 billion being awarded by the office of the coordinator for the Presidential Amnesty Programme to a company. Since March 2018, when Professor Dokunbo was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari, he has initiated diverse reforms which have continued to irk exploitative elements who have long benefited from clientelism and socioeconomic unrest that has bedeviled the Niger Delta region. It was gathered that Prof. Dokubo has severally turned down overtures by those behind the plot, and now to get at him, they have resorted to blackmailing him. Professor Dokunbos managerial ability coupled with his good knowledge of the problems of Niger Delta people and how to solve them so as to create an enduring peaceful coexistence in the region for business to thrive has not only repositioned the agency but has brought life, peace, succor and economic development to Niger Delta region. Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has remained unyielding to the subtle pressure to get him personally endorse a particular candidate for the Senate presidency and Speakership of the 9th National Assembly. READ ALSO: Nigerians arrested in US for multi-million dollar fraud, to face 20 years in prison (full list) The revelation is coming amid pressure by some leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to secure the buy-in of the president to the plot to impose their preferred candidates as presiding officers in both Senate and House of Representatives. Presidency sources say the presidents well-known position of non-interference remained unchanged, contrary to a report portraying him as meddling in the election of the leadership of National Assembly. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. We are retrogressing in Nigeria 83-year-old man says after voting| Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - Bukola Saraki has been nominated as as an ambassador-at-large of the IHRC - The organisation praised Saraki for his leadership qualities and political maturity - Saraki is expected to lead the diplomatic team of the IHRC in various diplomatic missions across the world The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has nominated outgoing Nigeria's Senate president, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, as an ambassador-at-large. In a letter dated March 16, 2019, Ambassador Friday Sani, the Diplomatic Head of the Commission to Nigeria and other African Countries, stated that Dr. Saraki has been appointed as one of the revered Ambassadors-at-Large of the multinational body, Medium.com reports. The Senate president who has accepted the nomination is expected to lead the diplomatic team of the IHRC in various diplomatic missions across the world. READ ALSO: I have no regrets joining APC - Akpabio insists While our role as a regional body is to promote and encourage institutions and persons to uphold human dignity across the world, we must not fail to mention the commendation of our Nigerian team over your resolute efforts in the stability of your country and your firm leadership of the Nigerian Senate which is adjudged to be among the most proactive parliaments across the world. Besides, the Commission is not unmindful of the maturity that you recently displayed in the face of an obvious provocation in your constituency during the last Presidential and National Assembly elections, Ambassador Sani reportedly said in the letter. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, former governor of Abia state and senator-elect, has promised to reconcile the rift between Senate president, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. The former governor disclosed this in South Africa while fielding questions from journalists in Johannesburg during the endorsement of the African National Congress (ANC). READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Nigerians set 2nd term agenda for President Buhari | Legit TV: Source: Legit The 26-year old driver of a Ford pickup truck is being charged for allegedly not having a required ignition interlock on his vehicle, following a crash on Friday. An ignition Interlock system is a device installed on motor vehicles to prohibit an individual under the influence of alcohol from operating the vehicle. Pennsylvania law makes the Ignition Interlock requirement mandatory for first-time DUI offenders with high blood alcohol levels, repeat DUI offenders, individuals who refuse chemical testing, and for illegally operating a motor vehicle not equipped with an Ignition Interlock system. Colonial Regional Police said the accident happened at 1:23 p.m. this past Friday at Jandy Boulevard and Route 248 in Lower Nazareth Township. Dalton Garr of Bangor was traveling north on Jandy Boulevard and waiting to turn left onto Route 248 when he decided to back up to get into the right turn lane, police said. Garr then backed into a Chevy Sonic stopped in traffic behind the Ford, telling officers he did not see the Chevy, according to police. Garrs drivers license requires the lock which makes drivers blow into a mouthpiece on the device before starting or continuing to operate a car to be on any vehicle he drives. There were no reported injuries in the accident. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A Stroudsburg man, charged in separate cases involving the rape and other sexual offenses of two juveniles, was sentenced last week to 44 to 168 years in state prison. Valnn Dayne Spears, 59, was found guilty of all criminal charges following a three-day jury trial that ended on Dec. 7, 2018. He was convicted of all 17 criminal charges, including two counts of rape of a child and two counts of Involuntary sexual deviate Intercourse with a child, as well as other sex related offenses. Det. John Bohrman, of the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department, filed the charges after one of the minor victims made a report about the abuse to police. Bohrman, in his investigation, brought the two alleged victims to the Monroe County Childrens Advocacy Center, a facility specially designed to interview and examine minor children who were victims of abuse. According to prosecutors, Spears sexually abused the juveniles over an extended period of time, between 2008 to 2015, in Tobyhanna, Monroe County, Pa. He relocated to Pennsylvania from New York, where he had been employed as a teacher, authorities said. Spears also ran workshops for the Regenesis Institute, which involved breathing and new age meditation techniques. Prior to that, he resided in California, where he had a prior conviction for possession of forged prescriptions. Spears prior to last weeks sentencing was evaluated by the Pennsylvania Sexual Offenders Assessment Board, who found he met the criteria to be designated as a sexually violent predator. The board also found Spears engaged in predatory behavior and met the criteria for pedophillic disorder. However, the court did not hold a hearing to determine if Spears would be designated as a sexually violent predator because the states Superior Court ruled that statute was unconstitutional. That issue is currently on appeal with the states Supreme Court. Spears was represented attorney Eric Closs of the Monroe County Public Defenders Office. The case was prosecuted by Monroe County Assistant District Attorney Michael Rakaczewski, under E. David Christine, Jr., the countys district attorney. Spears will be transferred from the Monroe County jail to a state prison to begin serving his sentence. He also will be required to register as sex offender for the rest of his life. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Dear Annie: My wife and I have a perpetual disagreement with each other about cleaning. I tend to be neat and organized. My wife tends to be messy and disorganized. Im constantly extolling the virtues of organization to her, and shell agree and understand, but never implement. I try to not let her messiness bother me, but it always does. When I arrive home from work, its frustrating to walk into a house with dishes piled up in the kitchen, food left out on the countertops, clothes all around the house, etc. I spend my time at home cleaning up after my family. Please help me understand how I can deal with this domestic dispute. I would like to simply accept this is her disposition, but it continues to frustrate and anger me. -- Domestic Dispute Dear Domestic Dispute: You can teach old dogs new tricks -- if you use treats to reward them. The same is true with humans; we all like to be encouraged and rewarded. Sit down with your wife and let her know how frustrated you are by her messiness. Share how the mess impacts you, and come up with a reward system together to encourage her to be more neat and organized. You and your wife should do the same, as a team, with your children. Create a reward system, using dessert or allowance, to incentive your children to clean up after themselves. This may also help your wife by encouraging her to model positive behavior. Dear Annie: Please remind your readers of the importance of turning off a phone after ending a conversation. Recently, I gave an interview over the phone to a small local paper. Clearly, the phone was on speaker as I heard a second person, the editor, whom I have met and whose voice I recognized, interjecting and giving suggestions for questions to ask me. I was polite and helpful and told the interviewer I had forwarded additional information by email to help him with the article. We ended our conversation after a few more questions. As I went to hang up, I heard the editor snickering and making derogatory comments about me and another woman who works in the office. I hung up quickly because I was not interested in hearing negative comments about myself or the other woman, who is a friend. In retrospect, I wish I had calmly said, Your phone is still on. Please remind readers of the importance of kind words and professional behavior in the office. Careless comments can be hurtful. -- Ears Are Still Burning Dear Ears Still Burning: Thank you for your great reminder about turning off phones. But what was even better about your letter was the reminder that careless comments can be hurtful. Words might not have wings, but they can travel thousands of miles. So, lets please be mindful of how we speak about each other. Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people. -- Henry Thomas Buckle Ask Me Anything: A Year of Advice From Dear Annie is out now! Annie Lanes debut book -- featuring favorite columns on love, friendship, family and etiquette -- is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. Annie Lane grew up in California and headed east to graduate with honors from New York University, where she majored in English literature and specialized in psychology. She earned her Juris Doctor from New York Law School. Since July 2016, Annie has offered common-sense solutions to everyday problems in her column, Dear Annie. Her advice is unusually perceptive. She is firm, funny and sympathetic, echoing the style of her biggest inspiration, Ann Landers. Annie lives outside Manhattan with her husband, two kids and two dogs. When not writing, she devotes her time to play dates and Play-Doh. COPYRIGHT 2019 CREATORS.COM He rose to fame as the lawyer who extracted major settlements and pushed for reforms at the Easton and Bethlehem police departments. Then he came crashing down after a guilty plea to filing false tax returns and a conviction at trial for mail fraud and money laundering. On Wednesday, May 1, John P. Karoly Jr. can put his crimes behind him. Thats the day his federal supervision ends. The disbarred lawyer from Allentown continues to inch toward earning the roughly $1.5 million he was ordered to pay back to the Internal Revenue Service and the $500,000 he was ordered to reimburse the charity he defrauded, the Lehigh Valley Community Fund. Karoly was convicted at trial of using the charity to obtain a tax deduction so he could keep his $500,000. He admitted he filed false tax returns in 2002, 2004 and 2005. Before he went to prison in July 2010 he paid almost all of the money back to the Lehigh Valley Community Fund and about $500,000 in back taxes, court records say. He was released from prison in 2015 and started on federal probation May 2, 2016. Hes paid back about $18,000 in restitution since his release from prison. The court set his monthly restitution payment at $292 in 2017. Court records say he sold five properties and turned over his retirement account to help pay off his restitution. He works as a legal assistant to attorney Robert Goldman, records say. Mr. Karoly has made a great adjustment to supervision, his probation officer Cassie Musselman says in court records. Its unclear what became of his share of the $7.9 million settlement he won for the widow of John Hirko, who was killed by Bethlehem police during a raid. Or the $5 million he negotiated for the widow of Jesse Sollman, who was killed in Easton police headquarters. Both cases led to internal police department reforms. Karoly declined a request to be interviewed for this story. He told lehighvalleylive.com in 2017 he wants to become a lawyer again. U.S. District Court Judge Edward G. Smith signed off on Karolys May 1 release from supervision. Even though his probation will end, Karoly is still on the hook for his restitution, court records say. The U.S. Attorneys office will monitor and collect this debt beyond the period of supervision, taking collection action as deemed necessary, supervising probation officer Jonathan J. Henshaw wrote in court records. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. Dekota Baptiste is accused of killing a man in a dispute over Baptistes girlfriend. When he allegedly fired six shots at Terrance R. Lex Ferguson, Baptiste put his then-girlfriend, Theresa Duarte, in grave risk of losing her life. For those reasons Baptiste, 26, of Easton, faces the death penalty. Jury selection in his murder trial starts Monday. Because each potential juror must be questioned individually in a death penalty trial, the jury selection process could take two to three days, according to Northampton County Assistant District Attorney Abraham Kassis. Baptiste allegedly shot and killed Ferguson, 36, of Bangor, during a confrontation Feb. 23, 2017, in the parking lot of the AutoZone store on 25th Street in Palmer Township. Ferguson was behind the wheel of a car, police said. Durante was in the front passenger seat, police said. Police said they captured Baptiste in the 1400 block of Lehigh Street in Easton after the shooting. His discarded gun was found in Wilson Borough, police said. Kassis speculates the trial could last about a week and a half. If Baptiste is convicted of first-degree murder, a second phase of the trial starts. During the second phase, the jury will decide whether to sentence Baptiste to death or to life without the possibility of parole. Defense attorney Brian Monahan has witnesses and records lined up to paint a picture of the life Baptiste led up to the crime. According to the online court docket Monahan has hired: Psychologist Frank Dattilio to ascertain whether the defendant was able to appreciate the criminality of his conduct, at any point in time; to determine whether he is able to assist in his defense; and whether the defendant is amenable to treatment, supervision, or rehabilitation, the docket says. Cynthia L. Hallock , a mitigation expert. She provides psychological assessments of death penalty defendants and prepares witnesses for trial, her LinkedIn profile says. Private investigator Dan Monek. Stephen Schmidt, an accident reconstruction expert. Mazell Truss . Its not clear why she is being called as a witness. The Easton woman was sentenced to serve a minimum of six years and two months in state prison for the meth-fueled crash that killed 64-year-old Elizabeth Audrey Rafferty in June 2017. Monahan got permission from Judge Samuel Murray to collect these medical records: Baptistes records and those of his mother, Lillie Baptiste, from Brooklyn Hospital Center in Brooklyn, New York, for the month after Baptiste was born. Mental health, drug and alcohol treatment records from Easton Counseling Center. Other medical records from the Lyndon B. Johnson Health Complex in Brooklyn, New York, and from Pyramid Healthcare of Quakertown. He subpoenaed psychological evaluations, report cards, disciplinary records, teacher reviews and comments from: PS 25 Eubie Blake School, Brooklyn, New York The Easton Area School District The McCann School of Business in Allentown Northampton Community College ANOTHER TRAGEDY, ANOTHER TRIAL Also next week will be the involuntary manslaughter trial for Michelle Wallace. Wallace, 35, of Pen Argyl, is accused of allowing her disabled 2-year-old child to drown in a bathtub on Nov. 1, 2017. Police allegedly found a needle and a spoon in Wallaces purse in her apartment where the boy died. Jury selection will start Tuesday, according to Northampton County Assistant District Attorney Tatum Wilson. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. The child of a Pennsylvania Turnpike employee died in a crash Thursday in Westmoreland County while spending the day with his father for Take Your Child to Work Day. 11-year-old Hayden Field was killed in a collision when his father, Harvey Denny Field, rear-ended a tractor trailer, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Jerry Lucia, fire chief of Mount Pleasants volunteer fire department, told the news agency Hayden had to be extricated from his fathers pickup truck. He was then pronounced dead at the scene. Harvey Field was ejected through the front windshield and was transported to UPMC Presbyterian. He had surgery for a head injury on Thursday night, but his condition is not currently known, Lucia told the news agency. A person in the tractor trailer had to be a flown to a Pittsburgh hospital, but Turnpike Commission spokeswoman Renee Colburn didnt know the extent of that persons injuries. A 15-year-old Lopatcong Township boy has been missing for more than a week, township police say. Police seek the publics help to locate Ashton Wassell. He was last seen at his home on Belvidere Road in Lopatcong Township around 10 p.m. on April 18, police said. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a black hooded sweatshirt and sneakers, police said. Officials believe that Wassell might be in the area of Phillipsburg, Alpha, Stewartsville or Bloomsbury Township. Anyone with information about Wassell can call the Lopatcong Police Department at 908-859-2211 or 908-859-1212. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter@RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. By Peter Schweyer There is so much to the business side of health care insurance and the governments role, for example that greatly impact patients health and their quality of life. It is part of the health care debate that gets lost in the noise and name-calling of modern day politics. I served as an administrator at Sacred Heart Hospital in center city Allentown. We were very much aware of our image as an inner-city hospital, treating people living near the poverty line. Though Sacred Heart had excellent doctors, it had inferior facilities. As a true safety-net hospital, Sacred Heart primarily took care of the most underserved people in our community. The view from the inside was quite telling as there were daily, concrete examples of the gross inequities in health care. Our financial statements told the ugly story of how the entire system was rigged against those less fortunate. Sacred Hearts patients often had substandard health insurance or no insurance at all. Thus, their care often went unpaid. It made running the hospital extremely difficult and left little cash to invest in the facility or newer technology. This is a major part of the cycle of health care inequality: underinsured patients tend to live in disadvantaged communities, the local hospital provides care without adequate compensation and therefore cannot invest in itself. Those patients ultimately rely on hospitals that cannot afford the newest and best equipment. That was in June 2012, in the days before the Affordable Care Act (aka ACA or Obamacare) was surprisingly upheld by a conservative Supreme Court. And after that decision, things began to change. The ACA gave more people access to health insurance, which was obviously good for their well-being, but it also aided health care networks, particularly struggling ones. The debate surrounding our nations health care system is one of peoples frustrations with the current system vs. the fear of what could be next. But instead of talking honestly, the debate has devolved into name-calling and scare tactics. We must take a step back and focus on what matters. Every health care plan should have four basic tenets: 1) the ability to see a professional health care worker when one is sick, 2) the ability to manage ones own health (chronic illnesses and general wellness alike), 3) an expectation of privacy, as neither the government nor private businesses should interfere with health care decisions, and 4) affordability. While far from perfect, the ACA successfully focuses on those four ideas. It also includes a vital provision that protects patients with pre-existing conditions. People no longer face the risk of losing their health insurance (or having costs skyrocket to the point of making it unaffordable) due to ailments like diabetes, breast cancer or high blood pressure. (Fun fact: pregnancy is a pre-existing condition, too.) In March, the Trump administration once again declared that the Affordable Care Act needs to be thrown out in its entirety, including protections for those with pre-existing conditions. I have written legislation that, if enacted, would protect Pennsylvanians with pre-existing conditions. This is part of a package of bills designed to protect and increase access to health care that you can see at www.plan4pa.com. We should not accept the dismantling of the ACA. Well never achieve a better health care system one that focuses on those four basic tenets by destroying our current system and only wishing for a better one. If we first stop the fear-mongering, name-calling and the noise and build upon what was started with the ACA, we can create a better health care system for all Americans. We can help those with pre-existing conditions while breaking that cycle of health care inequality. Ultimately, we must make sure all Americans have access to good doctors without fear of bankruptcy. Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh, represents the 22nd district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He lives in Allentown. Two Kildare towns are going poster free for the upcoming local elections Kildare town and Leixlip. While the idea behind the initiative is admirable, Im not sure how I feel about a poster free campaign. Just over two months ago, PosterFree.ie was launched. It is a joint campaign by Seamus Maguire (Independent Donegal councillor) and David Weitbrecht from ZeroWaste.ie. The aim was to encourage all candidates to go poster free, and the national campaign has successfully secured over 150 poster free areas. This number equates to over 15% of 2018 Tidy Town entrants. PosterFree.ie is now calling for a national voluntary ban, marking the beginning of the end for plastic election posters. Tidy Town committees and local development groups have rallied behind the campaign and have been the driving force behind this environmental campaign. These groups work year round keep our villages, towns and country clean ensuring tourists keep returning to Ireland, said the people behind the campaign. They said in a recent Claire Byrne Live/ Amarach Research poll, 77% of respondents said that they thought the use of posters during election campaigns should be banned. Seven days from now, as the election campaigns kick off, it will be legal to erect election posters. Despite that, we are calling on all current and future representatives to take action on behalf of the striking school children, the Tidy Towns, the voters and our planet. This campaign marks the beginning of the end of plastic election posters and paves the way for a complete ban in the future, they said. While I totally agree with the arguments behind the campaign, I think there has to be a middle ground to be found on this issue. Elections are always an exciting time for the politicians themselves, and their teams, political anoraks and journalists. I love a good election. I love the buzz of the count centre. I love watching democracy in action. For me posters are part of the whole build-up to the event. For some more seasoned politicians, they may get away without putting up posters. They are well-known and will naturally acrue votes. However, for new faces to the political fray, people who may not be well known, they need to increase their profile to have a chance to get elected. While I dont agree with plastering posters on every telegraph pole in the county, there should be a dedicated space in each town where all the candidates can put a limited number of posters. If there was a way to make them from recycled card rather than plastic, that would also be beneficial for the environment. If every candidate agreed to cut back on the number of posters erected (although that would be very hard to police), that would also ensure a fairer playing field while also helping the environment. The posters are only allowed up for a limited time and fines are issued if they are not taken down promptly. The villages and towns are returned to normal after the election. So, I think if every town or village had a dedicated area for a limited number of posters to keep members of the public informed, that could be a compromise, rather than a complete ban. Over time, posters will probably become obsolete with the next generation focused on online campaigning. This detached bungalow is set on 18 acres in a quiet rural setting within 8km of Newbridge and Naas. The property is presented in good condition throughout containing 1,680 sq. ft. (156 sq. m.) of accommodation with four bedrooms. Outside, there is a large workshop extending to 285 sq.m. (3,068 sq.ft) with a concrete yard and separate entrance to the house. The majority of the land is all in timber apart from a paddock to the rear and side of the yard. The property benefits from good road and rail infrastructure with the M7 Motorway at Junction 10 within a short drive and the commuter rail service available at both Newbridge and Sallins. The property is up for public auction on Tuesday May 21 at 4pm in the Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge (unless previously sold). Jordans are quoting 325,000 for the entire property and additional information is available from Clive Kavanagh or Mark Neylon of the selling agents by phoning 045 433550. This type of driving is appalling and is what kills people, said Judge Kevin P Kilrane prior to adjourning matters against Cole Gunning, Abbeytown, Boyle in order to allow time for the defendant to complete the pro-social road safety initiative. Giving summary evidence Insp Frank Finn said an off-duty member was driving at 9.30pm on what he described as a good stretch of road at Warren or Drum, Boyle on February 16, 2018 when she was undertaken by the defendant. The off-duty garda also noticed the defendant undertake a vehicle further ahead. The defendant was subsequently observed, by the same member, driving dangerously through roundabouts in Boyle. Having heard the evidence against Mr Gunning, Judge Kilrane spoke about the pro-social programme, a road safety initiative which was set up in 2012 in Donegal. The programme seeks to improve both the awareness and the driving behaviour of those drivers referred to the service. Judge Kilrane commented: It is an alternative to just dealing harshly with a man like this who may well deserve to be dealt harshly with. This type of driving is appalling and is what kills people. Matters were adjourned in order to allow defending solicitor John McNulty make enquiries about the course which is run in Leterkenny and Cavan among other places. Adjourning the case Judge Kilrane said: If he comes out of that smelling of roses he may keep his licence but it will hurt him in the pocket. 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 contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 24) President Rodrigo Duterte called on Saturday the leaders of over 30 states to promote the peaceful and sustainable use of oceans and seas in line with international laws. As channels of transportation and communication, and a vital source of sustenance and livelihood, our oceans and seas connect and sustain us. It is thus our collective duty to promote their sustainable and peaceful use in accordance with international law, Duterte said at the Leaders' Roundtable of the 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. The roundtable discussion was chaired by Chinese President Xi Jinping. Duterte did not mention the West Philippine Sea the subject of a long-standing maritime dispute between Manila and Beijing during the discussion. However, he said the Philippines will help in the protection of marine resources. As an archipelagic state, the Philippines seeks to improve our collective capacity to manage and protect marine resources, Duterte explained. The Presidents statements come amid rising tensions with China over the presence of Chinese vessels believed to be part of a militia near Pag-asa Island in the contested Spratly Island Group, and Chinese fishermen harvesting giant clams in Scarborough Shoal. In the same speaking engagement, Duterte said the Philippines aims to enhance cooperation with other countries in green technology, to transition to low-carbon output development. We will also ensure our infrastructure systems should be clean and green. We will strengthen our policy framework for green financing in order to attract investments in renewable energy, he said. RIVERFEST, one of Ireland's biggest and most popular festivals is back this May and its going to be bigger and better than ever! Kicking off on the May Bank Holiday weekend, Riverfest is among the most energetic and fun filled festivals of the year in Ireland. It has really staked a claim nationally in terms of being the place to be for the Bank Holiday weekend. We at the Holman Lee Agency are delighted to be part of Riverfest for the past decade in the form of Fashion Friday which kicks off on May 3 in Arthur's Quay shopping centre. Some of the top boutiques, designers and accessory stores in the city will be showcasing great summer looks. Refreshments will be served on the day thanks to Bowes Ryan and the shows kick off at 11.30am and 3.30pm. I hope you will all come and support us, as it promises to be a great day of fashion and fun with some surprises on the day! Midwest Empowerment and Equality Conference I WAS delighted to hear from Dr Mary Ryan, consultant endocrinologist at Bon Secours, regarding The Midwest Empowerment and Equality Conference which will be held at the University Concert Hall on Wednesday, May 1 from 9.30am to 3.30pm. I attended this conference last year and I thought it was brilliant. It addressed social issues affecting both women and men. Mary Harney, chancellor of UL, will open the conference which will include some of the most influential speakers in their field. This is a conference not to be missed. Tickets at www.UCH.ie. KNOCKLONG will be celebrating the centenary of the rescue of Sean Hogan in the coming weeks. In 1919, Hogan, an IRA volunteer, was being transported from Cork to Thurles for court martial and likely execution, before comrades intercepted his train at Knocklong station, setting him free. To celebrate the centenary of this seminal event of the War of Independence, Knocklong History Group and County Limerick Youth Theatre have planned a number of exciting events. There will be a festival feel around the village from May 12-18 with plenty of events for all the family to enjoy. Highlights include: John Connors presenting his book, Sean Hogan A Troubled Journey on Monday, May 13 at 8pm; The Rescue a detailed account by Oliver Doyle on the events of the day of the rescue as well as a history of the station itself. There are also four plays on over the course of the week in different areas of the village, including The Dance: an interactive performance at Knocklong Community Centre onSunday May 12 7pm; The Plan: a site specific play starting in Galbally Community centre moving to different locations around the village on Tuesday May 14 at 7pm. The events all culminate in the grand finale of the Army Band Open Air Concert which is followed by Fireworks for all the family on the Saturday night, Its sure to be a great week with many free and very reasonably priced events for ages on a momentous occasion. BISHOP Brendan Leahy has called on the Church and society in general to always work to give hope to those affected by social marginalisation of one aspect or another. Speaking after Easter celebrations - including a Good Friday ecumenical procession through the streets of Limerick that took in sites synonymous with social issues - Bishop Leahy said that Easter reminds us of the need to be with the distressed among us, accompanying them at they get their lives back on track Easter is a special time, a family time, a time of peace, a time of reflection but also a time of looking ahead, a time of hope. Its important to connect with and support those who are down, who have fallen, he said. He spoke of the close links the Church has with Cuan Mhuire addiction centre in Bruree. A particularly moving moment for me each Easter since Ive come to Limerick has been the Holy Thursday ceremony with the community of the Cuan Mhuire addiction centre in Bruree. The prayerful engagement of the 130 women and men there as we celebrate Jesus example of the washing of the feet is always amazing to witness. Bishop Leahy, along with some other members of the Church community, carried a cross through the city to celebrate Easter. The purpose of our Way of the Cross procession in Limerick city this year was to connect in some way with those people among us in society in Limerick today. We wanted them to know we recognise where they are, that we are with them and preach the message of hope to them, said the Bishop. The procession was a powerfully symbolic event. In our own way we wanted to say its not the falling that matters but the ability to get up and go on again, he added. Significantly also, we saw people of different ethnicities and nationalities sharing the cross. People of different skin colour, social background, which was a strong message in its own right, he said. Bishop Leahy said the procession was also a strong acknowledgement of the ways the Church is reaching out in mission today. We know we are called increasingly to become a Church that prioritises social justice, going out to the peripheries as Pope Francis constantly reminds us, speaking out for those on the margins, he continued. That means we are a Church out in community, taking the message of hope and offer of support to the people. We know we cannot be a Church expecting the people to always come to us. And being out in the community is not just for priests, its for all who are part of this church. We must work as community for community, concluded Bishop Leahy. A 70-year-old pensioner was verbally abused and assaulted in a road rage incident involving a sulky. Martin McDonagh, aged 64, of Riverview Estate, Kilmallock pleaded guilty to Section 3 assault in the local court. A second charge of dangerous driving against McDonagh was withdrawn by the State. Judge Marian OLeary asked for a brief outline of the case investigated by Garda John Curtin to see if she would accept jurisdiction in the district court. Sergeant Michelle Leahy said the assault occurred at 6.15pm on September 14, 2018. The injured party, aged 70, was driving on the R515 at Riversfield, Kilmallock. He was alone at the time. The defendant was driving his car in the opposite direction. His son was riding a sulky behind him, said Sgt Leahy. The road is very narrow at the location in question. The court heard that McDonagh had his warning lights on and was aggrieved that the injured party didnt slow down. An altercation occurred. The defendant verbally abused and assaulted the injured party causing a non-displaced fracture of the nasal bone and blood in the sinuses, said Sgt Leahy. Ted McCarthy, solicitor, represented McDonagh during the brief case. He said his client has very minor previous convictions for road traffic offences. Judge OLeary accepted jurisdiction. She adjourned the case for a victim impact statement, full facts and mitigation. McDonagh was remanded on continuing bail. The Gombe State Government has imposed curfew on Gombe, the state capital, after an incident involving Christian youth and some youth in the metropolis on Saturday morning. According to a statement issued by the Acting Secretary to the State Government, James Pisagih, Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo had approved the imposition of the curfew in Gombe metro with immediate effect to douse tension. The curfew will start from 3pm Saturday to 6am on Sunday (tomorrow), however the situation will be review after the restoration of normalcy, the statement said. Adding that only security agencies and other workers on essential services are allowed any form of movement during the duration of the curfew. The curfew was imposed following a clash between Christian youth and some thugs on Saturday morning. The state government and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) had organised a mass burial for the eight children killed by a security agent last Sunday. The mourners closed all the roads leading to the Gombe Specialists Hospital where the remains of the victims were kept and the CAN centre, venue of the church service for the deceased. According to witnesses, the closure of the roads led to heavy traffic jam in the areas which made residents to open the roads to traffic, however the action was perceived by the Christian youths as threat to the burial ceremony. The members of the Boys Brigade, not satisfied by the action, blocked the roads leading to the state from Kano and Yobe States, brandishing weapons and threatening to deal with anybody who attempted to open the roads. However, security agencies were mobilized to the affected areas and they have prevented any breakdown of law and order. But the Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Obed Mary Malum said a curfew was advised to be imposed on Gombe metropolis, after a security meeting, to arrest the situation and prevent further breakdown of law and order. The Nigerian Air Force confirms that the British Military Assistant Training Team has assisted the Service in the training of Regiment personnel as well as over 2,000 Special Forces to enhance Force Protection capabilities of the Nigerian Air Force. Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, made this known during the NAF Day 2019 Lecture on Saturday in Abuja. The Lecture is one of the activities lined up by the NAF to celebrate its 55th anniversary. The air chief noted that the Service has grown in size, spread, and equipment holding in a bid to fulfill its statutory obligations of protecting and defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria from the air. In the area of force protection, the British Military Assistant Training Team has assisted the Nigerian Air Force in the training of Regiment personnel as well as over 2,000 Special Forces to enhance Force Protection capabilities of the Nigerian Air Force, he said Abubakar noted that the service was also doing so much in further developing and improving her capacity for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions. This era also had the Nigerian Air Force expanding its reach through establishment of units in many of the troubled areas such as Zurmi Local Government of Zamfara, Nguroje in Taraba, Agatu in Benue among others. Albeit, these efforts may not yield expected results if proper integration with sister Services; which form the Land and Sea components of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, is not achieved. The air chief said that the choice theme is apt, relevant and timely in view of contemporary challenges the nation is facing. Our gathering at an intellectual forum like this will go a long way in eliciting cogent resolutions that will pave way for a seamless integration of our operations. He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his continued show of uncommon commitment to meeting the needs of the Nigerian Air Force. In his remarks, the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, represented by Mr Peter Ashibe, the Director Air Force, in the ministry of Defence, said the NAF had transformed over the years. Dan-Ali said Appraising NAF activities in retrospect while keeping current realities in mind, it gives me great joy to note the speedy rate at which the NAF has metamorphosed into an efficient arm of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. A cat lover and space fan is about to make history by launching the remains of a cat named Pikachu into orbit around the Earth. A cat lover and space fan is about to make history by launching the remains of a cat named Pikachu into orbit around the Earth. "Pikachu will have a final send-off like no cat has ever had before," Steve Munt, Pikachu's owner, wrote on a GoFundMe page dedicated to raising funds for Pikachu's space memorial. Thanks to a company called Celestis which also offers memorial spaceflights for humans the orange tabby's cremated remains will hitch a ride to space as a small secondary payload on a satellite launch sometime in the next 18 months, Munt told Space.com. Munt launched Pikachu's fundraising campaign about two months ago, and as of today (April 25), he has raised $1,535 of the $5,000 goal. That's how much Celestis charges for its "Earth orbit pet launch service," one of four different options the company offers as pet memorial spaceflights. A description of the service on celestispets.com states that the container of the pet's ashes will be "placed in Earth orbit where it remains until it reenters the atmosphere, harmlessly vaporizing like a shooting star in final tribute." Related: Cosmic Menagerie: A History of Animals in Space (Infographic) Although Munt's GoFundMe has not yet raised enough money to match the price on Pikachu's proposed space memorial, Munt said that he has gone ahead and purchased the cat's ticket to space using his own savings. "I have already signed the contract and just recently paid in full for the service," he said. "While I continue to accept donations for those who wish to be a part of this tribute, fundraising is not a primary goal for me. My dream is coming true, regardless of any additional donations, and I am currently awaiting an assigned slot on a future launch." Pikachu won't be the first cat to go space, but he will be the first cremated cat to do so. The first cat in space was a French stray named Felicette, who launched on a Veronique AG1 rocket in 1963 and returned to Earth alive after her suborbital flight. If Pikachu's ashes successfully make it to orbit, he will be the first cat to orbit the Earth (even though he won't be alive to enjoy the view). Celestis has already launched the remains of two dogs, named Apollo and Laika, but the company has not yet lofted any cremated cats since it began offering the service 2014. "I wanted Pikachu to be the first, continue his legacy as an explorer and show the world that a cat is just as worthy as a dog of a special tribute," Munt said. While most grieving pet owners keep their furry friends' remains at home in an urn or buried in the yard, Munt wanted to do something extraordinary for Pikachu, who passed away after a long battle with feline diabetes. "Pikachu is a hero, and I am honoring him as such," Munt said. "Space resonated with me as I was a child of the Space Age. Explorer 1 was launched on my first birthday. The first chimp in space was launched on my fourth birthday. I was glued in front of the TV for every space launch I could watch, [and] I will be able to attend Pikachu's launch." The way Pikachu joined Munt's family also played a role in Munt's decision to turn his deceased friend into a space pioneer. "Pikachu was an explorer and found us through his neighborhood explorations," Munt said. When the cat showed up at his house, Munt and his kids thought the animal was a stray, so they adopted him and gave him a collar. "The next day, I got a phone call from someone wanting to know why their cat came home with a collar. Long story, but Pikachu chose to live with us, and his previous owner accepted that choice" after the cat spent two years in limbo between two owners, Munt said. See more The fame that Pikachu will posthumously receive could help save the life of a pal that Pikachu left behind: Zee, another cat in the Munt household, who has already racked up more than $60,000 in medical bills while being treated for kidney disease and may require a $20,000 kidney transplant, Munt said. That cat has more than 12,000 Twitter followers and claims online to be a scientist. "Zee has been personified on Twitter [as] a quantum physicist, and there is often a science theme to Zee's tweets," Munt said. "Space would allow a tribute that could be shared with Zee's followers, since they will all be able to track Pikachu's location in space." Munt has a separate GoFundMe campaign for Zee's medical bills, and Zee's social media followers have raised more than $10,000 for the cat's care. See more Other pet memorial services For grieving pet lovers who want to send their furry friends on one last out-of-this-world adventure, Celestis offers a few different services in a range of price tiers. The more you're willing to spend, the farther your pet can go. The most affordable option is what Celestis calls an "Earth rise" service, in which the container with a pet's remains returns to Earth after launching into space and entering microgravity. With this option, which costs $2,495, Celestis will retrieve the capsule of ashes and return it to the pet's owner as a keepsake. For about another $10,000, pet owners can send their pet's ashes to the moon or even deep space. Although Celestis has yet to launch any pets to the moon, the company did send the ashes of the astronomer Eugene Shoemaker to the moon aboard NASA's Lunar Prospector mission in 1998. Through the company's Voyager service, you can even send your pet's ashes on a one-way trip into deep space. Named after NASA's Voyagers, the spacecraft that have traveled the farthest of any human vessel, this service will launch your pet "on a permanent celestial journey" through the cosmos, traveling where no pet (alive or deceased) has ever gone before. If you think your furry friend would like to spend eternity in space or on the moon and if you're prepared to spend thousands of dollars to get them there visit celestispets.com to learn more. Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; color: #255a7e; -webkit-text-stroke: #255a7e} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 12.0px} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 17.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 24.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p8 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} li.li6 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.5px Arial; color: #255a7e; -webkit-text-stroke: #255a7e} li.li7 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 24.0px 0.0px; font: 11.5px Arial; color: #255a7e; -webkit-text-stroke: #255a7e} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #255a7e; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #255a7e} span.s3 {font-kerning: none; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s4 {color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s5 {font: 11.5px Arial; text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #255a7e; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #255a7e} span.s6 {font-kerning: none; color: #255a7e; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #255a7e} ul.ul1 {list-style-type: disc} The distant object Ultima Thule, as seen by NASA's New Horizon's spacecraft on Jan. 1, 2019. Mysterious mound-like features on the body's larger lobe are clearly visible in this view. Ultima Thule is lumpy, and scientists aren't sure why. Just after midnight on Jan. 1, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft zoomed past Ultima Thule, a small, frigid object that lies about 1 billion miles (1.6 billion kilometers) beyond the orbit of Pluto. The photos New Horizons captured during that epic encounter revealed a world unlike any other ever seen up close. The 21-mile-wide (33 km) Ultima Thule is bilobed and therefore resembles a reddish snowman if that snowman had been flattened like a pancake. Related: New Horizons' Ultima Thule Flyby in Pictures "These are not spherical lobes at all," New Horizons principal investigator Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, said April 23 during a presentation at the Outer Planets Assessment Group meeting at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. "That caught us by surprise," Stern added. "I think it caught everybody by surprise." New Horizons imagery also revealed a number of abutting mound-like features on the larger of the two lobes, which mission team members call Ultima. (The smaller lobe, naturally, is Thule.) "They seem to be raised, but exactly what causes them we're not sure," Stern said. "It's still early days." An early hypothesis held that the mounds resulted from convection of low-temperature ice, which was driven by the heat generated by the radioactive decay of aluminum-26. But further work suggests that this is an unlikely scenario, Stern said. The team now thinks the mounds may be the retained outlines of the small planetesimals that came together to form the Ultima lobe long ago. "But there could be other processes as well," Stern said. "So, this is an active topic of debate." Ultima Thule coalesced from a cloud of rocky, icy material far from the sun. These smaller chunks first formed two larger objects, which then apparently orbited a common center of mass as a binary pair, Stern said. These two bodies then slowly merged to form Ultima Thule (which is officially known as 2014 MU69). The mission team has been able to put some "speed limits" on that merger, thanks to computer simulations. For example, if the two lobes had come together at about 22 mph (35 km/h), they likely wouldn't have merged at all; the collision would have been a glancing one, and Ultima and Thule would have gone their separate ways, Stern said. A collision at 11 mph (18 km/h) would lead to a merger, but not one generating an object with two relatively intact lobes like Ultima and Thule; there would be considerable distortion, Stern said. So, the New Horizons team thinks the collision occurred at even slower speeds perhaps around 5.5 mph (8.9 km/h). Indeed, the result of simulations with a 5.5-mph merging speed "is strikingly like what we actually observe," Stern said. Mission scientists have seen no evidence of any type of atmosphere on Ultima Thule, nor have they spotted any signs of satellites or ring systems, he added during Tuesday's talk. But the team isn't done looking on these fronts; it will take another 16 months or so for New Horizons to finish beaming all of its encounter data home to Earth. The Ultima Thule flyby was the second such encounter for New Horizons, which famously cruised past Pluto in July 2015, providing the first good looks at that complex and surprisingly active world. And we may get further close-ups from New Horizons in the future. The spacecraft is in good health and has enough fuel to zoom past a third object, if NASA approves another mission extension, Stern has said. Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), is out now. Follow him on Twitter@michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook. The second-largest colony of emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) in the world appears to be collapsing, after rough seas drowned all of its babies three winters in a row. The Halley Bay colony once accounted for 5 to 9% of the global emperor penguin population, according to the British Antarctic Survey (BAC), which reported the catastrophe. That amounted to about 15,000 to 24,000 adult breeding pairs. But in 2016, the sea-ice platform on which the colony was raising its babies collapsed during rough weather, throwing infant penguins unable to swim into the frigid water. In 2017 and 2018, the rough weather pattern repeated itself. "For the last 60 years, the sea-ice conditions in the Halley Bay site have been stable and reliable," the BAC said in a statement. "But in 2016, after a period of abnormally stormy weather, the sea ice broke up in October, well before any emperor chicks would have fledged. This pattern was repeated in 2017 and again in 2018 and led to the death of almost all the chicks at the site each season." [In Photos: The Emperor Penguin's Beautiful and Extreme Breeding Season] The birds arrive at the site from their summer sea jaunts each April to breed; for the resulting chicks to survive, the site has to remain stable throughout the Southern Hemispheres winter, which lasts until December. These findings, based on satellite images and published April 25 in the journal Antarctic Science, were verified when researchers visited the region. By 2018, a handful of adults a "few hundred," or about 2 percent of the original population turned up at the Halley Bay site, the researchers reported. The remaining colony appeared in disarray, with adults moving closer to the ice edge than is typical, and was difficult to count scattered among the roughened chunks of ice. "Whether the adult birds here were failed breeders or non-breeders is difficult to assess from imagery alone," the researchers wrote. The good news is that at least some of the colony appears to have moved, rather than died out. The Dawson-Lambton Glacier colony 34 miles (55 kilometers) to the south has significantly swelled in numbers since the devastation of Halley Bay, the BAC reported. That colony, which had hit a low of just 1,280 pairs in the 2015 season, swelled in each succeeding year. In 2016, it reached 5,315 pairs. In 2017, there were 11,117 pairs. And by 2018, a full 14,612 pairs set up camp at the site. Those numbers are still lower than the original Halley Bay total, but suggest that a significant number of penguins have figured out that it's better to move than return to the especially dangerous site. Long-term, the researchers noted, there's reason to suspect bad winter weather might be a new climate-rated threat to penguin populations. While the data is incomplete, September 2016 included the lowest atmospheric pressure in the region for that month in 30 years, a driver of storm activity. At the same time, the average wind speed was the highest it had been in that time frame. This research, they wrote, will help them further understand how penguins will react to the world has it keeps warming and changing. Originally published on Live Science. The South Texas Food Bank celebrated the grand opening of their new, state-of-the-art facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house on Friday morning. The food bank relocated from a 34,000 square foot warehouse to a 93,000 square foot space that includes two large warehouses, an industrial-grade kitchen and renovated office space in January of this year. The move came about as a result of rising demand for the food bank's services. After approximately 221 days in custody, the attorneys for the Border Patrol agent accused of killing four women and assaulting another in September mentioned Thursday they will be filing a motion for a bond reduction hearing. Juan David Ortiz was indicted in December on one count of capital murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful restraint and evading arrest. The assault and unlawful restraint charges stem from Ortiz allegedly pointing a gun at a woman in his pickup truck. The woman, Erika Pena, escaped from the vehicle and notified a nearby Texas trooper, law enforcement said. READ MORE: 21 motions heard in capital murder case involving BP agent Following his arrest Sept. 15, Ortiz confessed to killing Melissa Ramirez, 29, Claudine Luera, 42, Guiselda Alicia Hernandez, 35, and Nikki Enriquez, 28, over a 12-day period, according to an affidavit filed by law enforcement. Ortiz remains behind bars, held on a $2.5 million bond. 406th District Court Judge Oscar J. Hale Jr. said that Thursday's hearing served as a meeting to make sure the discovery process was moving along. Joel Perez, attorney for Ortiz, told Hale that he received an external hard drive from prosecutors containing evidence. He said he intended to file standard defense motions on Monday concerning suppression issues. In addition, Perez said he would be filing a writ of habeas corpus as part of motions he was trying to file electronically with the Webb County District Clerk's office. "Once we get it officially filed, we can work on scheduling a date for that hearing," Hale said. Webb County District Attorney Isidro Alaniz told the court that the prosecution will be maintaining a no bond or deciding on no bond reduction for Ortiz. He said the prosecution has been providing evidence to Perez and his co-counsel, Raymond E. Fuchs, as they've been receiving it. READ MORE: Slayings of women in Webb County put the spotlight once again on gender-based violence "They're advising the court of the discovery process," he said. "They also advised us they'll be filing motions to reduce bond. October 3rd we will be prepared to contest the motion to reduce bond or ourselves, the state of Texas, move forward on a no bond. Either way, we'll be ready to present evidence to contest whatever evidence they bring in order to reduce his bond." Prosecutors are not in agreement with any bond reductions, Alaniz said. "Although this case may go into late 2020 or early 2021, it is our position that Mr. Ortiz is a danger to the community, is a flight risk and that he should be held in custody while his case is pending," he said. Alaniz said his office still has not received the ballistic reports, but evidence gathered at the crime scenes suggests that a service weapon was used. As far as Ortiz's bond hearing, Alaniz said he wants the families of the victims and the community to maintain trust and confidence that the District Attorney's Office will do everything they can to continue to protect them. "We believe that as long as he is in custody, they are not in danger in any way," he said. READ MORE: BP agent arrested on intoxication assault charge released on bond He said based on the circumstances of the case, the nature of the crimes and the amount of murders his office is dealing with, their position is that Oritz is a danger to the community. "We cannot take that risk on behalf of the state that he would be out and there are no conditions, we believe, that would secure the safety of the community or ensure that he'll be coming back to court. For us, the best place for him to wait is in jail," he said. Perez did not return LMT's request for comment. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Oct. 3 in the 406th District Court. Maria Salas may be reached at msalas@lmtonline.com The woman arrested for disposing of her daughter's remains was sentenced to maximum punishment after violating the conditions of her probation. Monica Yvonne Dominguez, the woman accused of tampering with her daughter's corpse, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after violating the conditions of her probation on a 2016 injury to a child case. READ MORE: BP agent accused of serial murders makes appearance in Laredo court In September 2015, Dominguez's 9-month-old son sustained six fractures, two to his right arm and two to each leg. Laredo police determined he had been physically abused. Dominguez, 37, and her husband, Gerardo Zavala Loredo, 32, denied hurting the child. Police later arrested and charged Dominguez with two counts of injury to a child. She pleaded guilty to the charges in December 2016 before 406th District Court Judge Oscar J. Hale Jr. She was sentenced to 10 years probation. The conditions of Dominguez's probation included not committing any crimes, abstaining from illegal use of controlled substances, paying probation and court fees and completing 500 hours of community service. Also, in December 2017, she was arrested on a DWI charge. One year later, she pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor in Webb County Court at Law II. It's unclear what, if any, impact the arrest and conviction had on her probation. On Feb. 14, 2019, while on probation, Dominguez was charged with fabricating or tampering with physical evidence, namely a human corpse, a second-degree felony, abuse of a corpse without legal authority, a state jail felony and abandoning or endangering a child by criminal negligence, a state jail felony, according to the Webb County District Attorney's Office. If convicted, Dominguez faces 10 years in prison for the tampering with physical evidence charge and two years each for the abuse of a corpse charge and abandoning or endangering a child by criminal negligence charge. It is alleged that Dominguez endangered her daughter, Rebecka Dominguez, and Zavala-Loredo placed Rebecka's body into a bucket, filled it with acid and sealed it with tape in an attempt to dissolve her remains. During her motion to revoke hearing, prosecutors presented evidence of Dominguez' continuous neglect and abuse to her children. Dominguez was sentenced to 10 years to serve before the 406th District Court Judge Oscar J. Hale Jr. READ MORE: Laredo BP announces hire of new chief patrol agent According to the public defender's office, because Dominguez has a pending charges, they are not allowed to comment on Dominguez's case. Webb County District Attorney Isidro Alaniz did not want to comment on the case. The investigation into the remains of Rebecka's corpse is still ongoing. Maria Salas may be reached at msalas@lmtonline.com For two decades, coal has been pulled from a Bent Mountain mine in eastern Kentucky. But in a startling move in the heart of coal country, a rival -- solar -- is preparing to move on to the land. From Appalachia in the U.S. to Queensland in Australia and Chernobyl in Ukraine, solar and wind farms are being developed or built in places not normally associated with clean energy, and in some regions long resistant to it. Slapping solar panels atop so-called brownfield sites, land that housed mines, emissions-belching power plants or were tarnished by nuclear disaster, can be cheaper than decontaminating the ground and turning it into parkland. At the same time, there's the prospect of turning environmental foes into friends. "We're essentially turning these drains on a community into an asset," said Chad Farrell, chief executive officer of Encore Renewable Energy, a Vermont-based developer that's contemplating installing solar arrays at coal-ash ponds across Appalachia. "You're not going to get a large revenue-generating asset on a former landfill." Solar is already established within the nuclear zone of Chernobyl, at a massive former coal-fired power plant in Canada, and at landfills and other brownfield sites throughout New England, where renewables are popular but land is at a premium. Meanwhile, BHP Group, the world's biggest mining company, is working on permits and engineering plans to turn legacy sites in Arizona and New Mexico into solar and storage facilities. "It's emblematic of the transition from old forms of energy to new," said Jacob Susman, a vice president at developer EDF. Regions long dependent on traditional energy sources for jobs and tax revenue are increasingly turning to solar and wind power, cementing their push into the mainstream at a time when the coal industry is ailing. U.S. power produced from burning coal shrank by 6.3 percent in 2018, as almost 13 gigawatts of coal plants were closed, according to BloombergNEF. That's second only to 2015 when 15 gigawatts of coal-fired plants were shuttered. "It's land no one else wants." said Jenny Chase, a Zurich-based analyst at BloombergNEF. In Queensland, Genex Power is already producing enough energy for almost 26,500 homes from a 50-megawatt solar farm at the disused Kidston gold mine, where metal was discovered in the early 1900s and operations finally shuttered in 2001. Genex, which acquired the site from Barrick Gold Corp., plans to add a second, 270-megawatt solar array, a 250-megawatt pumped-hydro facility and a 150-megawatt wind operation. The pumped-hydro plant will utilize two existing mine pits, using off-peak solar or grid power to move water from a lower reservoir to a second, higher storage pool, and then release it during periods of peak demand to cascade over two turbines to produce power. During periods of generation, the site will provide enough power for about 280,000 homes, Genex executive director Simon Kidston said. The Queensland transformation, meanwhile, could be modeled at other historic mining sites, according to Australia's Clean Energy Finance Corp., which provided debt funding to the project's initial stage. At Australia's former Drayton coal mine, about 150 miles (241 kilometers) north of Sydney, Malabar Coal Ltd. is planning to develop a 25-megawatt solar farm. In eastern Kentucky, active mining at the Bent Mountain site is slated to conclude in late summer, said Ian Krygowski, a development director at EDF Renewables, which is developing a 100-megawatt solar farm there. The site, tucked among wooded mountains, will undergo reclamation work to make it a series of plateaus hospitable for solar. Next year, a modest 3.5-megawatt solar farm in southwest Virginia is slated to replace a mine that closed in 1957. Developer Sun Tribe Solar is collaborating on the project with several groups including regional environmental group Appalachian Voices on the project in Wise County. "The land is so scarred from the extractive industries that have been the primary economic driver," said Chelsea Barnes, a new economy program manager at Appalachian Voices. "It's an important visual to show the region that it can still be energy-producing but in a way that doesn't degrade the land and pollute the air." For the solar industry, building at sites of former power plants and some legacy mines is an opportunity to tap into existing grid infrastructure. But it's also an acknowledgment of land limitations. Some places have limits on how much solar can be built in agricultural areas, said Chase of BNEF. "The narrative has been that those green jobs are going someplace else," Krygowski said. "It doesn't have to be that way. We can bring good renewable-energy jobs across the country." - - - Bloomberg's David Stringer contributed. From the time he could walk, some of Martin Marrs earliest memories are of walking or riding the fields with his father. Now, hes working with his own sons to tend to the 3,600 acres of land he was born and raised on in New Berlin, as well as the land spread throughout Morgan and Sangamon counties they use to farm corn and soybeans and raise livestock. Marr was recently named a Master Farmer by Prairie Farmer, a magazine that specializes in agriculture issues. He was recognized by the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce during its agriculture business banquet. He attributes both recognitions to the lessons hes learned growing up on the farm and the support of his family. I remember watching my dad and mother working throughout the year, Marr said. They work hard their entire lives. They all lived through the depression, watched as history unfolded and saw a lot of changes in agriculture. They worked through it all. As a third generation farmer, Marr said he learned early the importance of working hard. Currently, he works on his land with his wife Sheila, sons Martin Jr. and Evan, and brother David. His other children Matthew of Fort Worth, Texas and Ashley of Auburn, work in other careers outside of the family business. Marr and his family have been tenants on their farm just outside New Berlin since 1951, and have expanded MDM Farms by leasing and purchasing land in both Sangamon and Morgan counties. Growing up on a farm, it feels like you are farming full-time your whole life, even with school and sports, Marr said. I always looked forward to coming home and getting out in the field with my dad. Being around his parents and grandparents taught him the importance of family and being a good person. Working with his parents and grandparents while growing up, he said he was held accountable to his action and responsibilities. My parents and grandparents played a big role in who I am now, Marr said. I was taught by one of the greatest generations. They taught me about ethics and integrity. I was blessed to be shown the way to be accountable and respectable. Now he tries to pass those same traits on to his four children and seven grandchildren. Evan Marr said his father always taught them about patience and perseverance. You have to have patience when working with family, Evan Marr said. You have to respect each others thoughts and ideas. Thats what makes a good family and a greater team. Evan Marr said his father is a very honest and honorable man and a great role model for him growing up. Now, he said hes trying to learn as much from him before he steps down, although that is several years off. Itll be some big boots to fill when he does retire, Evan Marr said. I hope we can carry on the legacy my dad has helped build here. Martin Marr said he and his family have been finding ways to work to each others strengths to maintain and grow the familys business and teach the next generations. Ive taken my grandchildren out in the tractor, like my dad use to do with me, Martin Marr said. It got to take my grandson to the FFA Banquet. Both of my parents are gone and now we get to teach our own children and grandchildren. As a part of his work,Martin Marr also volunteers on several community boards and tries to play a role in different organizations. The Master Farmer Award Program has been held since 1925 and recognizes farmers for their agricultural production skills and their work to improve excellence in their families, community, schools and industry. Candidates are nominated by family or friends for their commitment to agriculture and the community. Martin Marr is a District 10 director for the Illinois Corn Growers and a member of the Illinois Farm Bureau since 1975. He is also a member of the Morgan County Fair Board. I grew up reading that magazine, Martin Marr said. Being named a Master Farmer is a humbling award for me personally. They recognize someone active in the community, those giving back. Its a way to recognize by our peers in a farming career. Its something I shared with my family. Evan Marr said his entire family is proud of their fathers achievements. Hes worked hard all of his life, Evan Marr said. Hes very involved and this is something that he has earned. It takes a lot of years of hard work to earn those achievements. Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1233, or on Twitter @JCNews_samantha. Indianapolis Oliver North announced Saturday that he would not serve a second term as the National Rifle Association's president, deciding to step down as the organization grappled with a bitter dispute over its future and its worst leadership crisis in decades. He made the announcement as the NRA faced a challenge from New York Attorney General Letitia James, who had opened an investigation into the gun group's tax-exempt status. On Friday, James' office sent letters instructing the NRA and affiliated entities, including its charitable foundation, to preserve relevant financial records. Some of the NRA's related businesses also received subpoenas, according to people with knowledge of the inquiry. A lawyer for the NRA confirmed the investigation. The move by James came amid a stunning internal power struggle that took a major turn Saturday when North, in a letter that was read on his behalf at the NRA's convention, said he would not be renominated. He and insurgents in the NRA this past week had been trying to oust Wayne LaPierre, the group's longtime chief executive. "It was a great privilege to serve as your president this past year," North said in the letter. He added that the NRA had "a clear crisis" that it needed to deal with "immediately and responsibly," and that he had recently created a committee to investigate financial improprieties. His move appeared to end the struggle against LaPierre, though it was likely that their dispute would be fully resolved at a board meeting Monday. Supporters of North spoke up during a contentious gathering after his statement, but LaPierre appeared to hold substantial support in the room. Their standoff began Wednesday, when North urged LaPierre to resign. On Thursday, LaPierre sent a letter to the board in which he accused North of threatening to release damaging information about him and other executives if he refused to step down. The shadow cast by James' looming action had in some ways spurred the confrontation unfolding at the NRA's annual convention. Even before her election in 2018, James had promised to investigate the organization's tax status, and had told Ebony magazine that the NRA held itself "out as a charitable organization" but was actually "a terrorist organization." She has special jurisdiction over the group because it was chartered in New York. Her office has broad authority to investigate nonprofits and can seek a number of potential remedies against them in court; a previous inquiry by James' predecessors led to the shuttering of President Donald Trump's charitable foundation, a far smaller enterprise. "The NRA will fully cooperate with any inquiry into its finances," said William Brewer, the NRA's outside counsel, in a statement Saturday. "The NRA is prepared for this, and has full confidence in its accounting practices and commitment to good governance." James' office declined to comment. Brewer has assailed James in the past for threatening to investigate the NRA before she was elected, saying she was embarking on "a taxpayer-funded fishing expedition." But such warnings were taken seriously, and in August the NRA embarked on a review of its relationships with all of its contractors. NRA officials, including LaPierre, have said that its most prominent contractor, the Oklahoma ad firm Ackerman McQueen, did not comply with its requests to turn over financial records, a contention that Ackerman has contested. The dispute led the NRA to sue Ackerman this month, and the lawsuit is at the heart of the organization's infighting. North is an employee of Ackerman and is paid "millions of dollars annually" by the company, LaPierre told the board Thursday night. North had sided with Ackerman in the legal battle, alarming some board members. The legal fight has crippled a longstanding relationship between the NRA and Ackerman, two organizations that are tightly intertwined. Ackerman came up with memorable lines such as Charlton Heston's proclamation that his gun would have to be pried "from my cold, dead hands." Ackerman also developed NRATV, a controversial online streaming network that had aroused concerns among some board members for straying too far from gun rights. The network's personalities warned of race wars and portrayed the talking trains in the children's show "Thomas & Friends" in Ku Klux Klan hoods. There are a number of potential issues that could arise in James' inquiry. Earlier this year, The New York Times reported that the NRA's affiliated charity, the NRA Foundation, had transferred more than $100 million since 2012 to the NRA, and that it also lent the NRA $5 million in 2017. Donations to the NRA Foundation are tax-deductible, while those to the NRA are not, and the transfers concerned some tax experts. The Times also reported that the NRA had paid $18 million since 2010 to a company that produces "Under Wild Skies," a hunting show on NRATV. Tyler Schropp, the NRA's advancement director, had a stake in the production company until at least 2017; nonprofit rules require a cautious approach for transactions that benefit key executives. North cited reporting by all three organizations as the impetus for actions he had recently taken, saying "these allegations of financial improprieties could threaten our nonprofit status." The Wall Street Journal has reported on multiple transactions benefiting firms with ties to NRA officials, while The New Yorker further scrutinized internal conflicts within the organization. The latest developments come amid a variety of challenges for the NRA, including lagging contributions and an increasingly well-financed gun control movement, motivated by a string of mass shootings. And the attorney general's inquiry is not the only threat the gun group faces in New York. The NRA is already in a legal battle with the administration of Gov. Andrew Cuomo over insurance it offers to gun owners. Speaking at the convention Saturday, LaPierre lashed out at Cuomo, saying he "hates the NRA and he hates our freedom." He also asked how James' description of the NRA as a "terrorist organization" made its members feel. The crowd answered with a cascade of boos. Going back to the late 1970s, the NRA has had upheavals every couple of decades that have altered the organization's trajectory. Board members see their meeting Monday as the latest such defining battle. North, who was recently installed as president, was the central figure in the Reagan-era Iran-Contra affair and remains a hero to many on the right. His announcement caught high-ranking members of the organization off guard. One member approached a reporter Saturday outside a ballroom where the group was meeting, and asked, "Can you tell me what's going on?" Washington Since George Washington's time, presidents have used executive privilege to resist congressional inquiries in the name of protecting the confidentiality of their decision-making. President Donald Trump threatened this past week to broadly assert executive privilege to block a number of current and former aides from testifying, including some who have cooperated with special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. It's a strategy that could lead to a messy, protracted legal fight, but even if the White House is eventually defeated in court, the president could have the chance to run out the clock to the 2020 election. "This is all about delaying things. The strategy of every administration is to drag it out," said the University of Virginia's Saikrishna Prakash, an expert on presidential power. Trump has complained about House Democrats stepping up their investigations in the aftermath of the special counsel's probe, which ended without concluding the president colluded with Russia or obstructed justice. "With all of this transparency, we finished 'no collusion, no obstruction,'" Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday. "Then I get out, the first day they're saying, 'Let's do it again.' And I said, 'That's enough.'" "So, if I'm guilty of anything, it's that I've been a great president and the Democrats don't like it, which is a shame," he said. Executive privilege is the president's power to keep information from the courts, Congress and the public to protect the confidentiality of the Oval Office decision-making process. The privilege to withhold documents and prohibit aides from testifying rests on the proposition that the president has an almost unparalleled need to protect the confidentiality of candid advice that goes into presidential judgments. There is no reference to executive privilege in the Constitution, but the Supreme Court has held it derives from the president's ability to carry out the duties the commander in chief holds under the Constitution. It has become a flashpoint after Trump's administration signaled it was considering invoking the privilege to block Congress' attempt to subpoena former White House counsel Don McGahn to appear and provide documents. That reflects a shift in legal tactics for Trump's lawyers. At first, they cooperated with Mueller's 22-month investigation, encouraging officials to testify and turning over more than a million documents. But last spring, the White House publicly questioned the investigation's integrity and resisted some requests. Advisers to the president, trying to depict the Democrats as guilty of partisan-fueled overreach, want to snarl the congressional investigations. They believe a drawn-out court fight could tire voters' patience and shift public opinion their way. While they are hopeful that the courts support them, a legal battle that ends in defeat could stretch close to the 2020 election and make it easier for Republicans to claim the other party was predominantly interested in playing politics. The haste with which House Democrats have issued subpoenas and promise more is itself a reflection that time is on Trump's side, Prakash said. "The speed with which we've come to an impasse is different" from past fights over documents and testimony that involved at least a semblance of negotiations, he said. Courts have not had much to say about executive privilege. But in the 1974 case over President Richard Nixon's refusal to release Oval Office recordings as part of the Watergate investigation, the Supreme Court held the privilege is not absolute. In other words, the case for turning over documents or allowing testimony may be more compelling than arguments for withholding them. When it came to the Watergate tapes, the Supreme Court said it had the final word, and lower courts have occasionally weighed in to resolve other disputes. But courts also have made clear they prefer the White House and Congress resolve their disagreements without judicial intervention. Court fights over documents and testimony can take years to resolve. One potential roadblock for the White House: Trump allowed McGahn to talk to Mueller's team, and Attorney General William Barr said the president did not invoke executive privilege to prevent release of any part of Mueller's report. "In view of that, the White House has waived a good portion of any privilege it might claim," said Steven Schwinn, a constitutional law professor at the John Marshall Law School in Chicago. Trump seems to be arguing that the risk that McGahn might reveal the substance of high-level conversations he had with the president or other advisers is sufficiently high to keep him out of the witness chair in a House hearing, Schwinn said. "But that's not the way privileges work," he said. "You raise a privilege in response to a question." Recent presidents have leaned on the approach. President George W. Bush used it to shield some sensitive information from Congress after the Sept. 11 attacks. The Clinton administration used it to try to keep private Hillary Clinton's answers during the Monica Lewinsky investigation. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally who is chair of the Judiciary Committee, backs the president's efforts not to engage in "a complete partisan thing now." Graham said he told the president earlier in the week that he wouldn't have let "half these people" testify earlier. Now, with Muller's work complete, the South Carolina senator said Democrats are acting like filmmaker Oliver Stone trying to get to the bottom of the Kennedy assassination. Stone's controversial 1991 film "JFK" dramatized allegations that several people conspired to kill the president. Over just the past few days, the Trump White House has thrown up a series of hurdles for congressional investigators: The Trump Organization sued the chair of the House Oversight and Reform Committee to stop his efforts to obtain the company's financial records. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin blew past Tuesday's House deadline to turn over the president's tax returns, saying he will decide next month. The administration instructed its former personnel security director, Carl Kline, not to testify before Congress over how some West Wing aides, including Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, obtained security clearances. One potential problem Schwinn identified is a lack of clarity in the White House's claims that Trump aides should not cooperate with Congress. "In a regular administration, we expect the White House to make aggressive constitutional arguments," Schwinn said. "But what President Trump is doing is something different. He's making these assertions that are both overly broad, even ridiculously broad, and in a slippery way so that we can't get our arms around what he is asserting." Half a world from the White House, another big-talking billionaire wants to make his country great again. Clive Palmer, who made his fortune in mining, is running for the Senate on his right-of-center United Australia Party ticket. Billboards of his smiling face and raised thumbs are spread across the country in advance of next month's election. The 65-year-old, whose last foray into politics saw his party implode amid infighting and acrimony, has spent more than $30 million -- a significant sum in a country with a population less than 25 million -- attempting to win influence with an agenda that includes slashing taxes and doing more to tap Australia's mineral wealth. While he's nowhere near as popular as Donald Trump -- polls show he's unlikely to win any lower house seats -- Palmer has enough support to influence the crucial swing state of Queensland. The Australian Financial Review reported Thursday that he struck an alliance with Prime Minister Scott Morrison to work together under Australia's preferential voting system, a move that could hurt the opposition Labor party's chances of taking power if the race tightens over the coming three weeks. Palmer rejects comparisons with the U.S. president, boasting of the large swing that catapulted him into federal parliament in 2013. "Donald Trump didn't start to do anything for three or four years later," he said from Brisbane on Australia's northeast coast. Like other populist politicians, Palmer is tapping into a deep vein of disaffection with the mainstream parties in Australia, where many voters feel left behind despite almost 28 years of uninterrupted economic growth. As a senator, Palmer would join a group of minor parties and independents likely to hold the balance of power in the upper house and wield an outsized influence on the legislative agenda. Palmer turned to politics after collecting assets across Australia and his advertising blitz threatens to eclipse the government and Labor. Hundreds of yellow "Make Australia Great" billboards have popped up across the country, while advertisements have flooded television screens. He wants to run candidates in all 151 lower house seats. In a country where vocal ambition doesn't always earn praise, Palmer's brashness and bold talk make him a target for criticism. Rival populist Pauline Hanson has said the billionaire was only in it for himself, while Anthony Albanese, a Labor member of Parliament, called Palmer's previous political stint a "debacle." He served just one term as the Palmer United Party's sole lawmaker in the lower house. Two of his three senators in the upper house defected and the party was de-registered in 2017 -- only to be revived as the United Australia Party last year. "I've never had any pressure on me," Palmer said. "It's perceived pressure." Palmer's political ambitions are bankrolled by a fortune that the Bloomberg Billionaires Index values at more than $1 billion. His biggest payday came in 2006 when Chinese company CITIC Pacific gave him $415 million for the right to mine his patch of the Australian outback. Palmer, who initially made money in real estate, held the resources rights since the 1980s. An Australian court awarded him a further $150 million last year following a long-running fight over royalties from the CITIC iron ore mine. Future payments will vary based on production and commodity prices, but annual checks of about $200 million, stretching to as much as $500 million in five years, are expected. Untapped coal and cobalt assets could add to his net worth. Then there's his Gold Coast housing development plans and an island resort in the Pacific. "You create wealth by being different to other people," Palmer said of his investing philosophy. "But I've lost a bit of the motivation. At my age there doesn't seem much need to make much more money." Doubt remains about whether some of his plans will happen, including a full-scale working replica of the Titanic. Palmer said it's disappointing that the Titanic II has taken so long to build. The ship's maiden voyage has been pushed back to around 2022 from its original date of 2016. "It's something you wouldn't want to do if you realized how detailed it was," he said. "But I'm confident we'll go ahead with it. As long as I keep getting plenty of money, we can do it." When a man opened fire at the Chabad of Poway, near San Diego, on Saturday, it was the last day of a major Jewish holiday and the six-month anniversary of the mass shooting at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue. The 19-year-old suspect - accused in the killing of one and injuring of three, all of whom were Jewish - is reported to have espoused white-supremacist and anti-Semitic dogma. Political and religious leaders around the nation were quick to condemn the attack and voice their support of the Jewish community. "We forcefully condemn the evil of anti-Semitism and hate," Poway Mayor Steve Vaus said during an interview with MSNBC. "I can tell you that it was a hate crime, and that will not stand." President Donald Trump also expressed his "deepest sympathies" for the victims of the shooting, which he said "looks like a hate crime." The president condemned anti-Semitism and hate crimes at a political rally in Wisconsin on Saturday night. But the colloquial "hate crime" differs from the criminal conduct that bears the same name - and they are not always interchangeable under the law. - - - What is a hate crime? The definition of a hate crime varies from state to state. Most states recognize that a crime should carry a heavier sentence if the victim was singled out because of his or her gender, nationality, race, religion or sexual orientation. Many states, including California, also have a stand-alone hate crime in their penal code. "One difference between states is whether the list of protected categories align," said Robert Weisberg, co-director of Stanford University law school's Criminal Justice Center. Some states do not include "sexual orientation" or are ambiguous about whether transgender people are legally included under "gender," he said. The federal government also has its own hate-crime laws, which include religion among the protected statuses. The Hate Crimes Prevention Act, passed in 2009, added gender, sexual orientation and disability to the list of protected characteristics. The act allowed the federal statute to be more in sync with many state statutes. The biggest discrepancy across state and federal jurisdictions is the possible punishment for a hate crime, particularly when sentencing is discretionary for the prosecutor. - - - How does California define 'hate crime'? In California, a hate crime can be defined two ways. There is a stand-alone, hate-crime statute for interfering with someone's civil rights because of his or her protected status, including religion. A hate crime can also be used as a factor to increase the penalty of an underlying crime. Under state law, a hate crime is motivated, in whole or in part, by a protected characteristic of the victim; California's definition includes disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation. "If you commit a crime against someone because they're Jewish, that's a hate crime under California law, and it can elevate the penalty," said David Sklansky, co-director of the Criminal Justice Center. If someone is convicted of first-degree murder and prosecutors prove it was a hate crime - that the killing was committed in whole or in part because of the victims' religion - that person faces life without the possibility of parole. "If there's evidence that the (Poway) shooter targeted his victims because they were Jewish, that's a hate crime in California. That's all the prosecutors would need to show to make it a hate crime," Sklansky said Sunday. "The shooter doesn't need to have targeted them exclusively because they were Jewish." The mental health crisis in Ireland and Longford is hitting many people hard. To combat this crisis, local Longford native, Martin McManus is offering a series of four fortnightly talks focusing on science, common sense and the catholic faith. Martin said, I offer these talks as a local Longford man who is seeing the chaos and sadness around him. While living away from Longford, I gained many qualifications in therapy and psychology and I have over 10 years experience working in the mental health and addiction fields. I now wish to impart what I have seen and learnt to the local community. Martin says many families and communities are left devastated by the current mental health crisis and criticised the current approaches being used. Martin will seek to explain why these approaches are not effective and he will provide a critique of current approaches in a talk called, Assessing the Fruits: Examining the Current Mental Health Crisis. This talk will take place on Monday, April 29, from 8pm. The second talk, 'You will know the truth...': Catholic and Scientific Understandings About Psychological Distress, takes place on Monday, May 13, from 8pm and will seek to uncover and understand the truth about psychological distress. The third talk of the series is entitled 'And the truth will make you free': The Spirit of Liberty and the Cultivation of One's Unique Personality and takes place on Monday, May 27. This talk will focus on the truths of psychological distress and how to free oneself from the despair it is causing. Maintaining and nourishing our mental health requires an ongoing effort and in Martins final talk, he will provide tips and advice on how to do so. The talk, The Narrow Way: Tips and Advice for Staying the Course, will kick off from 8pm on Monday, June 10. The talks will take place at the Family Centre beside St Mel's cathedral in Longford town. Music, Movies & Entertainment, Arts & Culture, Travel & Local Attractions, Hot Spots & Night Life, Press Releases By Meg Parisi Published: April 27 2019 This four day music festival is celebrating it's 10th year. Check out who will be attending this year In its 10th year, were taking the festival to another level. The Montauk Music Festival has become a major, popular supporter of original music; a one of a kind festival with great success. This year we are moving the main event to the Montauk Lighthouse. The new venue will enhance and expand the music experience; the larger space will allow us to expand our industry workshops & exhibitions while the concert is in play. To the Western side of the Lighthouse, there is a natural amphitheater with a new stage at the base of the hill. This site offers spectators a 150-degree stage view, with the Long Island Sound as a backdrop. MMF is a four-day musical celebration featuring talented up-and-coming independent artists, set in one of the most amazing beach communities on the east coast Montauk, NY. More than 100 acts boasting a wide variety of musical styles (from alternative, rock, folk, pop, Americana, reggae, blues, jazz, bluegrass, flamenco, hip-hop, to country, and more), will be performing for free in the spirit of sharing original music, through showcases, with audiences and fellow musicians. So, make plans to grab your blanket and beach chairs, bring your family and friends, and escape to Montauk for the weekend of May 16-19th. Enjoy a music-filled opening party Thursday night, followed by three additional days of talented Artist Showcases at over 35 Montauk venues. Saturday and Sunday open-air concerts & Festival at the Montauk Lighthouse 11am-6pm. Rudys Custom & Vintage Guitars will do a pop-up store at the Lighthouse. Murphys Music may join us this year too! We will also do workshops & music methods/styles exhibitions in the Ocean Institute at the foot of the lighthouse. There will also be many other interesting venders, as well as the Friends of Erin BBQ. Soft drinks, Beer & Wine will be available. The concert is free but you will have to pay the museum admission. Special festival pricing to admit for all 3 days: Adults $11, Seniors $8 & Children $5, of which 100% will go to the Lighthouse. So while youre there you can climb to the top of the 200 year old Lighthouse, enjoy the panoramic views and tour the museum. The Montauk Historical Society has an ongoing dedication to the protection, preservation and educational development of this national historic site. They work endlessly to achieve these goals through programs, exhibits, publications and special events like the Lighting of the Lighthouse for the holidays. The admission from this and future concerts at the Lighthouse will go towards the Historical Societys commitment for maintenance on the structure. The Montauk Music Festival is a grassroots live original music event designed to celebrate, support, and promote the thriving Montauk music scene while showcasing and stimulating the artists, commercial businesses, and pedestrian activity in Montauk. The festival would not be possible without the generous support of multiple businesses and individuals, who, like the festival organizers, are dedicated to nurturing this vital component of the areas culture. For more info on the festival, visit here. Local News, Crime, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: April 27 2019 Suffolk County Police Department to Enhance Enforcement to Improve Compliance, Ensure Officer Safety. Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced a multi-pronged awareness and enforcement campaign designed to crack down on Move Over law violators and increase roadway safety for law enforcement personnel, emergency vehicles and road workers. The County Executive also unveiled a public service announcement that will be aired throughout the summer. Move Over is enforced for a reason to ensure the safety of law enforcement, first responders, and highway personnel, said Suffolk County Executive Bellone. This public awareness effort is intended to protect our roads while protecting those whose job it is to enforce the rules of the road. The County Executive was joined by Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart, Suffolk County Police Department Highway Division personnel, along with representatives from the New York State Department of Transportation, New York State Police and Altice USA. Under New York State law, drivers traveling in the same direction must exercise due care, including moving from a lane immediately adjacent, and reducing speed, to avoid colliding with a vehicle parked, stopped, or standing on the shoulder or any portion of the highway when the vehicle is an authorized emergency response, tow truck, or maintenance vehicle with its lights flashing. The original legislation, which was signed into law in 2011 by Governor David Paterson, was intended to protect law enforcement and emergency services personnel. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo expanded enforcement in 2012 to include maintenance and tow truck workers, and again in 2017 to include volunteer firefighters and volunteer EMTs. Drivers who violate these laws are subject to a fine of up to $150 for a first offense, $300 for a second offense within 18 months and $450 for a third offense within 18 months. On November 19, 2018 at approximately 11:50 PM, Suffolk County Highway Patrol Officer Robert Mudzinski, who attended the press conference, responded to a two-car crash on the eastbound Long Island Expressway near Exit 51 in Dix Hills. Officer Mudzinski and members of the Dix Hills Fire Department were tending to the scene of the accident when an 18-wheel tractor trailer struck the rear end of the fire truck, which was occupied by several firefighters. After striking the fire truck, the tractor-trailer then jackknifed and struck Officer Mudzinskis Highway Patrol car. Officer Mudzinski and one of the responding firefighters were transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The truck driver was issued a summons for Failure to Move Over for Stopped Emergency Vehicles. The public service announcements, which were created in-house at the Suffolk County Police Academy, are designed to educate residents on the importance of the Move Over law and how it helps protect the safety of police officers, emergency services personnel, and roadway workers. The PSAs will vary in length, with a 30-second version aired on television in partnership with Altice, and a one-minute version that will be promoted via social media. Increasing public awareness of this critical law is key to helping increase compliance. In addition to the PSA, the Suffolk County Police Department will use both unmarked cars and marked cruisers to crack down on Move Over Law violators starting on April 25. Non-compliance with the law, as well as other traffic violations such as distracted driving and speeding in a work zone, will be heavily enforced in addition to normal year-round enforcement. Earlier this year, the Suffolk County Police Department partnered with REKOR Recognition Systems to conduct a two week study of Move Over Law compliance in Suffolk County. The study, which used Highway Patrol vehicles, showed that a violation occurred nearly four times every minute during a traffic stop. A Highway Patrol vehicle patrolling on Sunrise Highway made eight stops that averaged 8.3 minutes per stop. Taking into account the number of cars that could move over, along with the threshold of remaining at or above the speed limit, there were 151 violations for an average of 2.3 violations per minute. If the speed threshold was lowered to between the speed limit and 10mph below the speed limit, the number jumped to 248 violations or 3.8 violations per minute. A second Highway Patrol vehicle on the Long Island Expressway had similar data with 35 stops that saw 1,086 violations at an average of 2.4 violations per minute at or above the speed limit. Similar to the first vehicle, lowering the speed threshold to between the speed limit and 10mph below the speed limit, the number increased to 1,649 violations for an average of 3.7 violations per minute. According to the Suffolk County Police Department, the numbers of citations for Move Over law violations has steadily increased over the last five years with nearly 800 summonses issued in 2018 alone. Since 2013 the Suffolk County Police Department has issued more than 2,600 summonses for Move Over Law violations. Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said: This is a common sense law aimed at protecting a wide range of people from police officers to department of transportation employees who work on our roadways. We are urging residents to familiarize themselves with the Move Over law to ensure no more officers or highway workers are injured or killed. Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services Commissioner John Jordan said: Suffolk County FRES is committed to working with County Executive Bellone, our law enforcement partners and community leaders to ensure that Long Islanders are fully aware of the Move Over Law. By educating and reminding motorists of this important initiative, we can prevent avoidable tragedies and allow our first responders to continue to provide immediate assistance to those on-site of an incident in a safe manner. State Police Troop L Commander Major David C. Candelaria said: "State Troopers and our law enforcement partners have witnessed first-hand the tragedies that result when motorists do not obey the Move Over Law. Highways are a dangerous work environment for police and others who respond to emergencies and maintain our roadways. We will be vigilant in enforcing the Move Over Law and violators will be ticketed. We urge all drivers to to do their part by paying attention to the roadways, slowing down, and moving over when they see an emergency vehicle or work crew on the shoulder of a road. Joseph Brown, Regional Director of New York State Department of Transportation, said: Safety is our top priority and we need motorists help to keep highway workers and emergency responders safe. When you see orange construction signs or flashing amber lights, please slow down and move over so that we can all go home to our families at the end of the day. Lee Schroeder, Executive Vice President for Government & Community Affairs at Altice USA, said: Altice USA is committed to making a meaningful impact in the communities we serve, and we are happy to partner with Suffolk County to help raise awareness of this important issue. Dix Hills Fire District Commissioner Larry Feld said: The members of this department work day and night to protect our community from harm and keep our residents safe. I applaud County Executive Bellone for his advocacy and his efforts to educate the public on the necessity of the Move Over law, which is critical to protecting the safety and wellbeing of our firefighters and EMT workers. Local News, Crime, Health & Wellness By Long Island News & PR Published: April 27 2019 SCDHS, in collaboration with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), is investigating the case. The Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS) has been notified of a laboratory confirmed case of measles in an adult who arrived recently from outside of the United States. At this time, the case does not appear to be related to any current measles cases in New York State. SCDHS, in collaboration with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), is investigating the case, and will take appropriate action based on the findings. Anyone who visited the BNB bank located at 48 East Montauk Highway, Hampton Bays, New York, on Saturday April 20, 2019, from 12:15 p.m. until the bank closed at 1:00 p.m. may have been exposed to measles. If you were in the bank at that time, please contact the Suffolk County Department of Health Services Public Health staff at 631-854-0333 during business hours. After hours and on the weekend, call 631-852-4820. Individuals are considered protected or immune to measles if they were born before 1957, have received two doses of measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, have had measles disease, or have a lab test confirming immunity. Individuals who are not immune to measles and were exposed are at risk for developing measles. Preventive treatment for measles is recommended for those without evidence of immunity as follows: MMR vaccine can be given to eligible exposed individuals within 72 hours of exposure OR immune globulin can be administered within 6 days of exposure. To prevent the spread of illness, the health department is advising individuals who may have been exposed and who have symptoms consistent with measles to contact their health care provider, a local clinic, or a local emergency department before going for care. This will help to prevent others at these facilities from being exposed to the illness. Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus that is spread by direct contact with nasal or throat secretions of infected people. People first develop a fever, then may have a cough, runny nose and watery eyes, followed by appearance of a rash. People are considered infectious from four days before to four days after the appearance of the rash. Symptoms usually appear 10-12 days after exposure but may appear as early as 7 days and as late as 21 days after exposure. The single best way to prevent measles is to be vaccinated. Individuals should receive two doses of MMR vaccine to be fully protected. If a person is unsure if they are immune they should contact their healthcare provider. Typically, the first dose of MMR vaccine should be given at 12-15 months of age and the second dose should be given at four to six years of age (age of school entry), although individuals may also be vaccinated later in life. In New York State, measles immunization is required of children enrolled in schools, daycare, and pre-kindergarten. Since August 1990, college students have also been required to demonstrate immunity against measles. For families traveling overseas, a baby between the ages of 6 through 11 months old should receive one dose of MMR vaccine before leaving. If a child is 12 months of age or older, he or she will need two doses of MMR vaccine separated by at least 28 days before departure. How does your recent work relate to the previous one, Disordered World? I would say there is a continuity between the three books, In the Name of Identity, Disordered World, and Le Naufrage des Civilisations (The Wreck of Civilizations). Every ten years or so, I publish an essay, in which I pursue the same train of thought. I grew up in the shadow of my father who was a journalist. I have been observing the world ever since my childhood, and in my latest book, I review the events of the last few decades, trying to understand the situation we are in today, a situation which I find extremely worrisome. I was born safe and sound in the arms of a dying civilization. The beginning of your essay refers to the mix of identities you grew up with: Levantine parents from Lebanon and Egypt. Until now, why havent you written more about your family background? My paternal family comes from the Lebanese mountains. My maternal grandparents are both originally from Lebanon, but like many families at the end of the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth, they immigrated to Egypt, where they got married and spent their lives. My mother was born in Tanta, and spent her childhood in Heliopolis, of which she has great memories, which she transmitted to me. When I speak about my childhood, I have to speak about these two Levantine countries, equally endearing to me, but very different from one another. Does the relationship between your essay and overall genre of the memoir seem pertinent, in the way it makes us relive the important moments of history, ones that you have witnessed? There is a part of the book that is similar to a memoir: when I talk about my childhood, about what I have observed, and also when I mention the period when I was a journalist, and the countries I traveled to in order to cover various events. But I would say that this is only one aspect of my book. I only refer to the observations of important events I have been a direct witness to. There are writers who talk about the world around them only so that they may talk about themselves. I am a little on the opposite side of this spectrum: when I talk about myself, it is mostly a pretext to talk about the world around me. In my book, the storytelling of intimate and personal history is at the service of global history. In your analysis of the facts, you present historical feedback, and sometimes also projections of how events might have unfolded. How do you envision the role of imagination in your approach? I wouldnt speak of imagination per se, but rather of a reflection on different possibilities. The story unfolds in a certain way, but we can assume other developments, other sequences of events. There are always historical crossroads, or decisions that were taken, which have changed the course of events. For example, how could Egypt and the Arab world have evolved, if Nasser had avoided the 1967 war, and if he hadnt died at the age of 52? Certainly our world would have been different. According to you, Lebanon has paid the price of having been incapable of building a nation. How would you justify this failure? I believe that my native country had a lot of assets that could have allowed it to play a leading role in its region, and even on a worldwide scale. The country has high quality people, a high level of education and skills, and a unique experience in coexistence between people from different backgrounds and beliefs. Because of these factors, the nature of Lebanon could have brought together all these communities within one nation, modern and democratic, and led the wider region on the path to real progress. But instead, it allowed itself to become weakened by factionalism. We must always hope that it will overcome this dark phase of its history, but the past few decades will always appear to me as missed opportunities. Regarding your assessment of the Lebanese situation, you speak of a sadness from which I can no longer heal. How would you recommend stopping religious sectarianism? No decree can eradicate sectarianism. Overcoming such an issue requires lucid, courageous and voluntary actions, taking place over several decades. It would have been necessary to insure that belonging to the same national community transcended denominational affiliations in peoples minds. Unfortunately, apart from a few years of work in this direction, we have not fully committed to see it through. Today, sectarianism is more ferocious than it was at the time of independence. I do not feel that my country of origin is currently able to be the master of its own destiny. It is too often the victim of everything that is happening around it. Your geopolitical analysis of the twentieth century highlights links to older civilizations that have disappeared. Would you suggest a cross-sectional reflection on the theme of decadence? I am not sure that I talk about decadence in my book. It is not a word that spontaneously comes to me when I write, especially because it is a process that is a part of the evolution of all civilizations. What I essentially meant in this book, is that all civilizations are affected with what I call sinking, and I try to understand and explain how the world -all civilizations included- got to this point. Does your book have the aim to serve as a warning signal, a call for an awakening? Indeed, it is a warning signal. I believe that our planet is drifting towards major crises that could harm all societies. We can still avoid the worst, but the time we have to do so is not unlimited. Everyone needs to be aware of the existing risks. This is the books ambition. My role as a writer is to try to understand and to explain the workings of the world. When you mention certain key political figures, you speak of a pantheon of Janus. Can you explain this allegory? How is it significant to your approach? Indeed, this vision corresponds to my way of thinking about events. What I refer to as the pantheon of Janus, is this idea that there are figures who have played a very important role in history, a significant role for their people as well as for the rest of the world. But, at the same time, they also had a less glorious facet. I quote for example Winston Churchill, whose commitment was crucial during the Second World War, but who then played a damaging role in Iran, where he conspired to overturn the legitimate and respectable regime of Mossadegh. In the same way, Nasser was the bearer of immense hope, and I think that he was a profoundly honest man. But he had a devastating vision for the political and economic governance of his country, and he was unable to stand against the pressures that led him to a war with Israel in June 1967, when he fully understood that he wasnt ready for such a confrontation. He gave way to the escalation, which ended up being a disaster for him, as well as for all the Arabs. To what extent is the current theme of the myth of homogeneity one of the foundations of contemporary vice and evil? I believe that throughout history, every time a country tried to expel minorities in order to become more homogeneous, it paid a high price. The historical example which I first mention, is that of the France of Louis XIV who, after having tolerated the presence of Protestants in his kingdom, decided one day, due to his bigotry, to expel them by revoking the Edict of Nantes. It was a disaster for the country, and it benefited the big European capitals such as Berlin, London, and Amsterdam, where the Huguenots of the kingdom of France took refuge. There are several examples of countries who wanted to drive out those who seemed foreign to their concept of the nation, thinking that by getting rid of their non-native members, they would become stronger. But, history shows us that by seeking this illusory and false homogeneity, we not only get weaker, but we also end up losing our soul. In regard to the European project, which you admire, and for which you had a lot of hope, you describe it as mired in bureaucratic procedures. What would it need to give it a certain dynamism, a role you would have wished for it? I think that the European Union is going through a very serious crisis, which threatens everything that has been done so far. It is possible that the people and the leaders will become aware of it, and that they will attempt to change the institutions. Many actions could be taken, but it is difficult, because in Europe, the belief is that everything must be decided unanimously by the member countries, which is a problem, especially when it comes to making daring decisions. The process of crisis resolution will be complex, and very lengthy. You seem to disapprove of the loss of universal ideas. Is this linked to the failure of communism? Communism promised a lot of changes. It has attracted a lot of very capable people in every society, but it has not been able to keep its promises. And today, we can see that capitalism is also doing the same. What I am personally sorry about, is that the intellectual debate, which was prevalent during a good part of the twentieth century, has disappeared today, only to be replaced by exacerbated, and often fierce, identity-based claims. Its an unfortunate evolution which is fragmenting all human societies, and which in my view represents a moral and an intellectual deterioration. For you, visionary and pragmatic leaders who espouse ideas that go beyond personal interests are very rare. For you, which political figure most embodies this idea? If I were to name someone, who has appeared to me as a visionary, and who had the qualities I find to be indispensable in the leader of a nation, it would be Nelson Mandela. He fought with great courage, persistence, and stubbornness when he had to liberate his country from racial segregation. And when he won, he showed tremendous generosity, reaching out to his opponents, and forgetting all the harm they did to him over the decades. He is a remarkable person, worthy of being an example for other regions of the world. In your book, some passages convey a certain nostalgia, even sadness. What fuels your emotions as you reflect? It is true that I quite often speak about sadness, especially when I am observing the evolution of the countries to which I am attached; when I see them drifting, when they previously carried so much potential... I think that sometimes, you have to report the feelings that you are experiencing. But we also have to rise above our own sentiments, so we can calmly analyze events without being blindsided by nostalgia and sadness. What are you currently reading? I read a variety of books: texts sent to me by writers, friends, books that are nominated for the literary prizes given by the French Academy. Often, my readings are about the research I am doing for my own books. I am more interested in themes rather than particular authors. For some time, I have had a preference for historical works, essays, biographies... Which specific work of art moves you? There are many! I like Dalis Le Crucifie, I think its beautiful. I dont have a particular fondness for the painters personality, but I find his talent to be extraordinary. Can you tell us about your relationship with writing? I write every day, it is the core of my daily life... I wake up, go to my office, and I start working, which doesnt necessarily consist of writing in the literal sense of the term. Sometimes I read, I do research, or I correct a text written the day before... The job of writing is an everyday activity. I dont have any other. How do you deal living the life of a renowned writer? I am honestly not concerned about it at all. I live to the rhythm of the books that I write. When I am done with one, I publish it, and talk about it a little in order to give it some visibility. And immediately after, I isolate myself in my office to start on another one. The public side of my work is really secondary... (This interview was originaly published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour on the 24th of April) Two Canadian men accused of stealing money from ATMs were caught in a Methuen hotel room Saturday with a bag full of cash in a rental car, authorities said. Methuen Mayor James P. Jajuga and Police Chief Joseph Solomon said the two men were involved in the theft of money from ATMs in New Hampshire recently. Authorities in New Hampshire learned the men were most likely running their operation out of a Days Inn on Pelham Street in Methuen. On Saturday, Methuen police received a search warrant to check the hotel and headed there around 7 a.m. Two men were found inside the room. The men were identified as Tharushan Nirmalachandran, 30, of Quebec and Ajitharan Raveendran, 28, of Ontario. The two men were charged with possession of burglarious tools and receiving stolen property over $1,200. Authorities discovered the two men had a rental car. Police received another search warrant to check the vehicle. During the search, police said they found cash stuffed inside a bag along with gift cards, debit card, a printing device and an electronic device determined to be used to activate and utilize bank cards. Both men are being held at $250,000 bail, each, pending a court appearance on Monday. This is a great example of a successful collaboration between two departments, in two states, Solomon said. Great work to the Hudson, New Hampshire Police Department, and to the Methuen officers who swiftly and effectively executed this search warrant and investigated today. A college student was flown to a Boston hospital Saturday after falling from a window at the Merrimack College campus in North Andover, according to the Eagle-Tribune. The male student fell about 40 feet. A college spokesman told the newspaper the student fell Saturday evening. A medical helicopter was called to the area and the student was taken to a Boston hospital with serious injuries, NECN reports. Authorities have not released the students name or age. A new gang popped into Massachusetts two years ago. Investigators in Massachusetts were watching. They were called Primeiro Comando da Massachusetts. The crew had ties to the violent gangs in Brazil. Over the past seven months, state, local and federal investigators followed the activities of the gang and their leader. They have committed robberies and kidnappings during their drug and gun-running enterprise, federal investigators announced after busting several members and associates in a recent sweep. The U.S. Attorneys Office in Massachusetts announced the arrests last week. In some cases, it wasnt hard to find the gang members. One gang member was shot either by himself or by a fellow gang member accidentally during a robbery. In another case, police swept in as gang members allegedly held a girl hostage in order to target a rival gang member. It was a firearms trafficking case north of Boston that started the investigation. When the arrest of 14 members took place recently, authorities discovered gang members were either committing crimes or living in Boston, Malden, Everett, Somerville, Framingham, Peabody, Revere, Marlborough, Weymouth, Framingham, Maynard, Lowell, Chelsea and Abington, authorities said. The gang is accused of selling cocaine, heroin and marijuana, but also being involved in robberies and gun trafficking, authorities said. Investigators seized 31 firearms, including 27 handguns, two sawed-off shotguns, one shotgun, one rifle and several hundred rounds of ammunition during the sting. Here are some of the crimes PCM is accused of committing, according to federal records filed in court: Everett robbery of delivery driver on Dec. 9, 2018 A pizza delivery driver is robbed at gunpoint by two men. The robbers stole $800 in cash and the drivers cell phone. The driver tracked his phone to a yard in Everett. Police found the phone in a flower bed. A fingerprint recovered on the phone revealed a fingerprint of one of the gang members. Everett robbery of two men Jan. 10, 2019 Two men were robbed at gunpoint outside a business in Everett. The men were forced into a car by four people. The victims identified two PCM gang members as the robbers. The men had their jewelry and cash stolen. Framingham robbery at business on Jan. 14, 2019 Two employees of Annies One Stop Laundry were robbed at gunpoint. A gang member posing as a customer asked the business to stay open to pick up a cell phone. The business sells and fixes phones. The gang member met the employees in the parking lot and forced them into a car, a white Nissan, while three other men were waiting. Two gang members pointed guns at the victims and demanded their valuables. The car used in this robbery was connected to other PCM robberies. A revolver used in the case was also connected to a PCM kidnapping. Stoughton robbery inside apartment on Jan. 16, 2019 Three men returned to their apartment when they discovered gang members inside. Two of the victims were targeted on Jan. 10, 2019 in Everett already. A white Nissan pulled up to the home on Jan. 16, 2019. As the three victims opened the door to the apartment, they were surprised by three men standing inside the apartment, authorities wrote in federal records. One suspect had a revolver. Another suspect made the victims lift their shirts to show they were unarmed. The victims were ordered to pay the gang members $100. The men paid the cash and the three suspects left. Weymouth robbery at gas station on Jan. 17, 2019 Three men rushed into a Mobil Gas station and robbed it at gunpoint. Cash, cigarettes and other items were taken. The gas station attendant was struck with a revolver. After the robbery, as the assailants made their escape, one of the robbers shot himself, or was shot by his co-conspirator as the victim heard a gunshot, and responding officers recovered a bloody sandal, authorities said. Weymouth police were then told by Boston police that a juvenile arrived at a Boston hospital seeking treatment for a gunshot wound. The accused leader of the gang brought the teen to the hospital. Marlborough robbery on Jan. 23, 2019 A victim and his girlfriend arranged to meet up with one of the gang members at a restaurant parking lot to discuss a car they bought from the gang member. Four gang members arrived in a Nissan and blocked the man and his girlfriend from driving away. The victims were ordered out of their car at gunpoint, although the gun later appeared to be a pellet gun. The gang members stole the car. Kidnapping of teen girl in order to target rival gang member on Feb. 7, 2019 Gang members lured a young girl out of a Peabody residence, took her to Revere and then to Maynard. She was held there at gunpoint as gang members tried to use her to target a rival gang member. Authorities learned about the kidnapping. Maynard police set up surveillance and grabbed a suspect leaving the location. The suspect had a gun. A police tactical team then got into the second-floor apartment and found the girl in a bedroom. Gun transactions from November 2018 to April 2019 Gang members were caught on surveillance selling guns to people in Somerville, Malden, Lowell and Chelsea. Some of the deals took place in a supermarket parking lot and the other at a public swimming pool parking lot. During one gun sale, a gang member said another member is wanted for murder in Brazil. The gang members talked about a Connecticut robbery where they robbed a drug dealer. The drug dealers daughter was home. A gun was held to her head. The people arrested in the sting: Marcio Costa, aka Marcino and Marcinn, 28, of Malden, is the alleged leader of PCM and was arrested and charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license Joao Pedro Marques Guimares Gama, aka Bahianinho, 21, a Brazilian national illegally residing in Malden, was arrested and charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to commit robbery, engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, and being an alien in possession of a firearm Breno Henrique DaSilva, 20, a Brazilian national illegally residing in Somerville, was arrested and charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to commit robbery, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances Alvaro Dos Santos Melo, 22, a Brazilian national illegally residing in Everett, was arrested and charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to commit robbery, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances Edson DaSilva, 19, previously resided in Whitman and is currently in state custody on kidnapping and firearms charges, and was federally charged with RICO conspiracy and robbery Igor Costa, 20, previously resided in Framingham and is currently in state custody, and was federally charged with RICO conspiracy and robbery Vinicius Goncalves de Assis, previously resided in Revere and is currently in state custody, and was federally charged with RICO conspiracy Rodrigo Tevares, 19, a Brazilian nation illegally residing in Stoughton, was arrested and charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm and engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license Rony DaFreitas, 21, of Lowell, was arrested and charged with engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license Elwood Cortes-Navedo, 23, of Lowell, was arrested and charged with engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license Fernando DeOliveira, 24, a Brazilian nation illegally residing in Brighton, was arrested and charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm and engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license Mouad Nessassi, 21, of Boston, was arrested and charged with engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base, and possession of an unregistered firearm Fadwa Chimal, 19, was arrested and charged with engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license Jennifer Romero, 26, of Chelsea, was charged with engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base In addition to the 14 charged criminally, four individuals were arrested administratively by ICE Thursday. SPRINGFIELD The Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Chorus, and soloists Margaret Lattimore and Amy Burton raised the roof of Symphony Hall on Saturday evening with an earth-shaking performance of Mahlers Resurrection Symphony. There are a handful of pieces in the symphonic repertoire that constitute something larger than a concert, and Mahler 2 is one of them. It is an artistic creation to be experienced live through, as it were. Maestro Rhodes got it exactly right in his introductory remarks to the concert when he invited the 1,385 fortunate concertgoers to inhabit a space larger than, more far-reaching than Symphony Hall and prepare for a happening. Rhodes also expressed heartfelt gratitude to concert co-sponsors Stewart and Carol Creelman, and James McEathron, who sponsored in memory of his wife Ardie McEathron. Like a mouse walking in front of a lion, Mozarts motet Ave Verum Corpus, K. 618, opened the evenings music-making. Then the lion roared. With slashing gestures, Rhodes initiated the spell that would hold his audience in thrall for the next 75 minutes, eliciting strident unison cries from the strings, and setting in motion the genetic material of the world that is Mahler 2. In so many ways, the act of performing and experiencing a Mahler symphony is a matter of trust. The 200 musicians on stage trusted Rhodes to shepherd them into, through, and beyond the parallel universe of the Resurrection Symphony. Rhode trusted each of them to deliver their personal strand of musical DNA to the whole in perfect synchrony with their colleagues. The audience trusted the partnership of Maestro and musicians to give them a clear portal through which to enter the symphonic universe, wherever it led, and to help them to make the journey from darkness to light from uncertainty to hope from death to resurrection. The performance was exquisite, from the tiniest details, like the pacing of the final two pizzicato notes of the second movement, to the long view, over which a sense of something momentous was allowed to build and blossom. The expressions on the choristers faces as they lived through the first four movements of the mammoth symphony attested to their engagement and commitment. The physical involvement of every single instrumentalist, from tuba and contrabassoon to piccolo and triangle was palpable. Rhodes manipulated tension and release, gauging tempos, accelerations, sudden shifts in character and color, abrupt interrupted gestures, all as if he was inside Mahlers head, and setting the notes on paper for the first time. He had clearly interpreted and internalized every lengthy German expressive marking (Mahlers scores are infested with them) and guided the massive ship of orchestra and chorus through the calm seas, storms, depths, shallows, rocks and reefs to a glorious safe harbor in E-major, deepened and broadened even further by the floor-shaking bass of an electronic organ. Mezzo-soprano soloist Margaret Lattimore offered up the Urlicht with heavenly, rich, dark tone and compelling intensity, and Soprano Amy Burton delivered similarly in the fifth movement. The choral forces, an amalgamation of the Springfield Symphony Chorus, directed by Nikki Stoia, and the UMass Chamber Choir and Illuminati Vocal Arts Ensemble, both directed by Tony Thornton, captured their listeners instantly with their sotto voce Auferstehn, ja auferstehn and held them enraptured through the end of the sweeping finale. It was a tired but content conductor that finally turned from his colleagues to the audience to receive the standing ovation they had all so thoroughly earned. Preparing and executing such a performance is a crowning achievement for an orchestra the size of the SSO. The transcendant results are a testament to the excellence of the musicians, Rhodess superb artistic leadership, and the visionary leadership demonstrated by the sponsorship of Creelman and McEathron. That the hall was only half full for such a singular event was hard to believe. GREAT BARRINGTON A 44-year-old Pittsfield man was shot and killed while participating in a youth turkey hunt Saturday. The shooting occurred at about noon in a wooded area off Monument Valley Road. The victim was the only one injured, Police Chief William Walsh said. The man had sustained a fatal gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene, Walsh said. The victim is Christopher Puntin, 44, of Pittsfield, said Dennis Yusko, spokesman for the Berkshire District Attorneys Office. Great Barrington Police Officers Jonathan Finnerty and Kristopher Balestro and Great Barrington Fire and EMTs all responded to the scene. The shooting is being investigated by the Massachusetts Environmental Police, Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Berkshire District Attorneys Office and Great Barrington Police, Walsh said. "An initial police investigation suggested the incident was an accident, Walsh said. The details of how Puntin was shot were not released but Yusko said the victim was handling a shotgun when the accident occurred. The victim had been participating in the youth turkey hunt with two other adults and a juvenile, Walsh said. According to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, the mentored youth turkey hunt is a program for people 12 to 17 who are interested in learning how to hunt. Students first graduated from a basic hunting course and attended a youth turkey seminar before they participated in the hunt with an adult hunter on Saturday. The program is offered jointly by MassWildlife, the Massachusetts State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation and shortsmens clubs. An autopsy is scheduled for Sunday, Yusko said. . LUDLOW Anyone who thinks the Sgt. Joshua D. Desforges Walk/Run Challenge is just another road race probably also thinks the Grand Canyon is just a hole in the ground. For the wet, muddied, scratched and nicked participants, the annual race Saturday at Ludlow High School to honor one of Ludlows fallen heroes, came as advertised: It was a challenge. Its a trail run with obstacles built into it and some exercise stations built into it, said Arlene Desforges. Its crazy. A total of 119 people pre-registered for the ninth annual event - and it didnt appear there were many no-shows despite the rain and unseasonably cool temperatures. Desforges has been organizing the race for the past several years in honor of her son, Joshua who died May 12, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Marjeh, Afghanistan. He was a six-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. There is a memorial on the school grounds, just steps away from the start of the challenge race. The race raised $94,000 in scholarship funds in its first eight years. We will go over $100,000 this year, Joshs mom said. The top finisher was Nick Gregoire, a Ludlow High School senior and now a three-time winner. He said the race was a whole lot of fun. So how was it? Muddy and wet, he said. Honestly, thats about it: muddy and wet. Other than that, there were a few other obstacles that I wasnt expecting, like the Army crawl right off the bat at the start of the race. Gregoire won with a time of 27:08. Other top finishers were David Lipson of Ludlow at 28:22; Lou Tulik of Ludlow at 29:07; Matt Freeman at 29:50; Caiden Boscher of Belchertown at 30:18; Michael Lambert of Arlington at 31:55; Jim Stanczak of Belchertown at 32:02, Nathan Lozada of Springfield at 32:08; Freddie Ruiz of Chicopee at 32:09 and Aidan Leary of Ludlow at 32:41. Times were recorded by Accu-specracing. For complete results, go to coolrunning.com. k by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, April 25, 2019 Last year, California lawmakers passed the toughest privacy law in the country. Now, legislators might be preparing to weaken the measure. The California Consumer Privacy Act, slated to take effect next year, gives consumers the right to learn what information has been collected about them by companies, have that information deleted, and prevent the sale of that data. The measure also has a provision that prohibits companies from charging higher prices to consumers who opt out of data collection and selling. Passage of the law so rattled the ad industry that it reversed a longstanding position against privacy legislation: Last year, in a stunning reversal, the Interactive Advertising Bureau asked Congress to pass a national privacy law that would override California's measure. advertisement advertisement Now, however, lawmakers in California's state house appear to be rethinking the measure. This week, the state Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee advanced several proposed revisions that could make the law more marketer-friendly. One of those proposals would explicitly allow companies to offer loyalty programs that give consumers discounts in exchange for their data. But that amendment (AB 846) is so broadly worded that it could significantly undercut the landmark law by paving the way for pay-for-privacy schemes, privacy advocates warn. The 'loyalty club' exception contains virtually no limitations on when a business may charge a higher price or provide a lower quality because consumers exercise their privacy rights, the ACLU, Center for Digital Democracy, Electronic Frontier Foundation and others wrote to lawmakers earlier this month. This bill would allow a company to discriminate against a consumer, by charging a higher price, if the consumer opted out of the sale of their personal information to another business. In other words, the amendment could go well beyond allowing individual retailers to give discounts to their best customers. Instead, it could allow businesses to impose higher fees on people who don't want their data used for ad targeting. Despite the opposition from advocates, the vote in the committee was a landslide: Nine members voted in favor of the law, while two abstained. Whether the full legislature approves the amendment remains to be seen. Could hypnosis relieve pain? The largest meta-analysis to date concludes that it could be a viable, safe, cost-effective option. Share on Pinterest Hypnosis might provide an innovative way to treat pain. Researchers estimate that chronic pain affects more than 1.5 billion individuals globally. Doctors often prescribe opioid medications to treat this type of pain. However, these drugs are expensive and, of course, highly addictive. As the opioid crisis unfolds, scientists are increasingly focused on finding alternative ways to tackle pain. Recently, researchers from the University of Greenwich in London, United Kingdom, assessed whether hypnosis might be useful against certain types of pain. To do this, they collated and analyzed 85 existing studies. Hypnosis is side-effect free and, if individuals use pre-recorded audio to produce hypnosis, it can be incredibly cost-effective. The researchers published their meta-analysis in the journal Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews . Hypnosis and pain revisited Over the years, several studies and reviews have assessed hypnosis as an analgesic sometimes, researchers refer to this as hypnoanalgesia. For instance, a review published in 2016 looked at pain during childbirth. The authors concluded that Hypnosis may reduce the overall use of analgesia during labor, but not epidural use. The authors also explain that [f]urther research is needed in the form of large, welldesigned randomized controlled trials. Another review, published in 2000, looked at pain more generally. The researchers combined data from 18 studies. The authors concluded that there was a moderate to large hypnoanalgesic effect. Although intriguing, according to the authors of the current review, these findings had several important limitations, not least a lack of studies to include in their analysis. Since 2000, interest in hypnoanalgesia has grown, and the number of new studies has grown in line. In total, the latest analysis includes 85 studies. All of the studies used experimental pain models, such as extreme cold, shocks, pressure, exercise, and lasers. Also, all of the studies compared the benefits of hypnosis with no treatment (rather than testing them against a placebo or drug), and they all recruited healthy adults. The researchers only collected studies that used a quantitive assessment of pain, for instance, the use of a 10-point scale. Overall, the analysis included 3,632 participants. Sensitivity to hypnosis Because not everyone succumbs to hypnosis to the same extent, the review also took into account each participants level of susceptibility. There are a number of ways that researchers can assess how susceptible someone is to hypnosis. For instance, following a suggestion that the participants arm is heavy, they might lower their hand. If they drop it by 6 inches or more, the practitioner might consider them to be more suggestible than someone whose arm moved only 1 inch. Once the analysis was complete, the results came out in favor of hypnosis as a potentially useful analgesic. Lead author Trevor Thompson, Ph.D., says: This is by far the largest review of its kind, examining the effects of hypnosis in over 3,500 people, and presents very compelling evidence. About 15% of the population are highly receptive to hypnosis, and those people saw just over a 40% drop in pain. It was not just the people who were most susceptible to hypnosis who saw the benefits. Most people are moderately suggestible, and they experienced a 29% reduction in pain. The authors also note that evidence indicates that it is possible to increase hypnotic suggestibility in a variety of ways, including training and practice, non-invasive brain stimulation, and by pharmacological agents, such as nitrous oxide. Based on these findings, most people would experience around a 30% drop in pain or more, which is generally considered to be clinically meaningful pain relief. Lead author Trevor Thompson, Ph.D. Interestingly, the analysis also revealed that the effect size was similar whether the person underwent hypnosis in person or via an audio recording. If hypnosis truly can reach these levels of analgesia, it could be a game-changer. In the United States, around 47,000 people died from opioid overdosing in 2017, and around a quarter of people prescribed the drugs for pain misuse them, explains Thompson. He continues, Our findings suggest hypnosis could be a safe and effective alternative. It can be administered quickly, cheaply and easily at home with a 20-minute audio recording. The researchers plan to continue their dive into hypnoanalgesia, specifically looking at chronic complaints, such as lower back pain. Currently, however, there are not enough data available to reach definite conclusions. Advertisement Co-author David Watson, also a DPhil student at the OII, explained: "Never before in history has such a vast archive of human behaviour and culture been assembled in one place. Controlling this archive will, in a sense, be to control our history. It is therefore important that we ensure that access to these historical data is not limited to a single for-profit firm. It is also important to make sure that future generations can use our digital heritage to understand their history."The analysis sets up two potential extreme scenarios, arguing that the future trend will fall somewhere in between:The first scenario assumes that no new users join as of 2018. Under these conditions, Asia's share of dead users increases rapidly to account for nearly 44% of the total by the end of the century. Nearly half of those profiles come from India and Indonesia, which together account for just under 279 million Facebook mortalities by 2100.The second scenario assumes that Facebook continues to grow by its current rate of 13% globally, every year, until each market reaches saturation. Under these conditions, Africa will make up a growing share of dead users. Nigeria, in particular, becomes a major hub in this scenario, accounting for over 6% of the total. By contrast, Western users will account for only a minority of users, with only the US making the top 10."The results should be interpreted not as a prediction of the future, but as a commentary on the current development, and an opportunity to shape what future we are headed towards," explains Ohman. "But this has no bearing on our larger point that critical discussion of online death and its macroscopic implications is urgently needed. Facebook is merely an example of what awaits any platform with similar connectivity and global reach."Watson added: "Facebook should invite historians, archivists, archaeologists and ethicists to participate in the process of curating the vast volume of accumulated data that we leave behind as we pass away. This is not just about finding solutions that will be sustainable for the next couple of years, but possibly for many decades ahead."The predictions are based on data from the United Nations, which provide the expected number of mortalities and total populations for every country in the world distributed by age, and Facebook data scraped from the company's Audience Insights feature. While the study notes that this self-reported dataset has several limitations, this provides the most comprehensive publicly available estimate of the network's size and distributionSource: Eurekalert White Walkers are absolutely terrifying creatures on 'Game Of Thrones'. Their extent of powers is not known yet and they're capable of waking the dead to fight for them. However, each time they successfully achieve a conquest on the show, they leave behind a visible dent in the shape of the storm. So far, there has been more than one instance of this mark being left. In the first episode of season 8, Tormund, Beric, and Edd saw it firsthand, and there exists a tonne of Reddit theories about the Night King's symbol on Game of Thrones. This particular mark was made by nailing Lord Umber (now a wight) to a wall of House Umber with limbs of the other slain Northerners around him to make a spiral symbol. The dead have been used multiple times to make this spiral. So what does the spiral exactly mean? Why align the dead in this particular way? It is interesting to note at this point that it's also present in the cave drawings at the Dragonstone. This is an important marker of identity for the Whites. Some of the suggestions analysing what it could mean include: 1. Kill All The Men HBO The Children of the Forest created the White Walkers to kill the First Men. Remus88Romulus's theory suggests that the symbol is a kind of rune or spell that the White Walkers follow that instructs them to kill people. So once the army of the dead has followed their orders, they create the symbol again to show they've accomplished their mission. 2. A Ritualistic Symbol From The Children Of The Forest HBO Helmer1134, another Redditor, suggests that the Night King could be extorting power from the roots by using a symbol used in the rituals by the Children of the Forest. This very symbol was present when the Children of the Forest were creating the Night King by shoving a dragonglass in his heart. 3. A Possible Sign That The Night King Wants To Be Human Again HBO The Night King's life was taken away from him by the Children of the Forest, maybe he's still not over how unfair it all was. That's what Moeez_Malik considers with the theory that the Night King is using the symbol to mark his way home where he might be able to become a man again. 4. The Night King's Sigil HBO All the houses within the Seven Kingdoms have sigils that represent their identity and honour. His name is "King" after all, the Night King might've created this sigil long ago to represent his presence as Crowd_Chatter guessed. Although this theory from Mtolivepickle suggests that the Night King's sigil is a raven's skull with an eye in the center is equally plausible. 5. The Night King Was A Targaryen HBO The sigil for House Targaryen is a three-headed dragon and for some reason, it looks strikingly similar to the White Walker symbol. Also, because resurrecting a dragon came naturally to him and the dragon happens to like him too. A couple of Redditors think that this could only mean that the Night King is a Targaryen. 6. King's Landing & Where The Mad King Stored Wildfire HBO UCJAgent discusses how the symbol could signal where the "caches of wildfire" are in King's Landing. Jaime told Brienne back in Season 3 (and Cersei utilized in Season 6), the Mad King Aerys II Targaryen had stored wildfire "all over the city beneath the Sept of Baelor and the slums of Flea Bottom. Under houses, stables, taverns. Even beneath the Red Keep itself." UCJAgent theorized that the Mad King purposefully placed the wildfire in a way to match the Targaryen sigil and that this wildfire will be what eventually destroys the Night King. He carries the hints of his destruction with him and yet no one has figured that out. 7. The White Walkers' Blood Magic HBO Blood magic and fantasy are intertwined. And just like Mirri Maz Duur, Melisandre, and Maggy the Frog, maybe the White Walkers have their own type of blood magic or Wight magic. As Aixelsydguy theorized, the symbol could be part of a White Walker ritual that allows the White Walkers to revive corpses and use them to their favour. 8. It's The White Walkers' Final Destination HBO The spiral could possibly also represent the weirwood trees. Reddit user bro8619 in nuanced theory noted how the symbols are actually representing the Isle of Faces in the Gods Eye Lake. Lame_of_Thrones thinks that the Night King and his army are headed to the Isle of Faces, which is an important location for the Children of the Forest and the First Men and is supposedly filled with weirwoods. Maybe that's their ultimate destination. Which theory do you think is more plausible? It's 2019, and gaming on a budget is actually not that hard in today's day and age. Pick your parts wisely, know exactly where to cut corners, and you'll end up with a budget gaming PC build that will do justice to many of the latest games. If you still think it's easier said than done, then continue reading to find out how you can build a great gaming PC under Rs 50,000: 1. Processor: Ryzen 5 2600 - Rs. 12,999 YouTube For this particular build, we'll be using the Ryzen 2600 to give us the necessary computing power. There's no specific reason behind choosing AMD's Ryzen over Intel's Core processor. It's just that the Ryzen 2600 CPU is a very capable CPU, and it's also a really good option for people who are willing to overclock. The Ryzen 2600 is an ideal mid-range gaming CPU that offers six-cores that can operate at a peak clock speed of 3.9GHz. You can learn more about the CPU here, but in short, it's a great option for gamers and creators alike. BTW, it also comes with a CPU cooler, so you don't have to shell out more money on it. 2. GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 - Rs. 12,499 Nvidia If it wasn't for Nvidia's great timing, then we'd have probably suggested fitting a GTX 1050Ti in this build. But luckily, the company just launched the new GeForce GTX 1650 GPU, and it's simply great for gamers on a budget. The GPU is capable of running almost all modern titles like 'Apex Legends', 'Fortnite', 'PUBG', etc. at 100 fps, which is really not that bad for a budget build. 3. Motherboard: ASRock B450 PRO4 - Rs. 8,450 ASRock Picking the right motherboard is very crucial for the build. You need to make sure that the board is compatible and can handle the components that you're planning using. We went with the Asrock B450 PRO4 mainly because we're using a CPU for our build. The board has an AMD A4 socket, which is exactly what we need. The board also has 2 PCIe 3.0 x16, 4 PCIe 2.0 x1, and an of SATA3, M.2, and USB ports. It's a very capable board and perfect for our build. In case you're interested, you can learn more about it here. 4. RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB DDR4 3000Mhz - Rs. 3,750 Corsair The ASRock board, which we are using for this particular build, has 4 x DDR4 DIMM Slots. The maximum capacity of system memory supported by this board 64GB, and that's plenty for a build like this. 5. HDD: Western Digital WD10EZEX 1TB Internal Hard Drive - Rs. 2,975 WD It's really hard to push an SSD for this build under the budget we're working with, so we just went with a WD Blue 1TB HDD. It's the go-to drive of choice that should get you started. You can always add an SSD in the future when you see fit. 6. Cabinet - Corsair Carbide Series 100R CC-9011075 - Rs. 3,099 Corsair For case, the Corsair Carbide series 100R CC ATX should do the trick. As you can see, it looks simple and elegant, and it comes with all the bells and whistles that you'd need to keep your components up and running. It comes with five fan mounts to keep your PC cool, plus a 120mm fan is included inside the case itself. The case is fitted with Thumbscrew side panels, so you won't need any tools to handle it too. Also, the case has a flush-mounted side panel window, through which you can showcase all your PC components. Yes, we're not using any RGB lighting, but the case will certainly look pretty should you decide to upgrade the lighting later. 7. Power Supply: Corsair CX450 - Rs. 3,440 Corsair Last, but not the least, we recommend the CX450 450W 80 Plus Power Supply. It can handle up to 450 watts, which is plenty of power for our configuration. Don't worry, we've also made sure that all our components are compatible with each other, so you won't end up blowing up something. Well, if you're keeping tabs on the cost, this PC with the aforementioned components will cost you just above Rs. 47,000. Of course, we haven't included other peripherals for the PC, but you can use that money to splurge on, say, a mouse or a nice pair of earphones. Lastly, we'd like to point out that the prices of these components keep fluctuating. So it's best to keep tabs on Amazon India or your local offline retailers to get the best prices. It was five years ago that I was in Varanasi for Narendra Modis roadshow before he filed his nomination for his first Lok Sabha election. It was a spectacular show that very hot April morning, perhaps as exhilarating as the grand assertion of popularity last Thursday afternoon. The pedants can undertake the usual number crunching exercises over which roadshow attracted greater numbers, but that is academic. The point remains that on both occasions, Modi demonstrated his connect with the residents of Varanasi and eastern Uttar Pradesh. However there was a crucial difference between the flag waving and slogan shouting of April 2014 and the one that was so generously covered by TV last week. In 2014, the commentariat was still sceptical over Modis debut in Uttar Pradesh. Yes, they conceded, he was popular as a Hindu icon in this most Hindu centre of India, but would he be able to overcome the challenges of caste? More significant, there was the looming presence of the Aam Aadmi Partys Arvind Kejriwal, the hero of the secular brigade and the NGOs. How would the Modi machine fare against the raw and passionate dedication of AAPs earnest and dedicated volunteer army that was so visible in every street corner of Varanasi? In 2014, the Modi magic was still under exacting scrutiny. The mood was very different last week. The presence of a Prime Minister invariably adds an extra zing to the proceedings, as does the elaborate security bandobast. Moreover, the huge popularity of the candidate, including his ability to swing elections as he did in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly poll of 2017 was no longer in doubt. In 2014, there were still those who imagined that the surging crowds in Varanasi had been bussed in from neighbouring areas. Five years later, the reality of Modis popularity was not contested. Yet, in political terms, the Varanasi show of 2019 may be more significant in the context of the 2019 general election. Modis roadshow last Thursday coincided with the Congress announcement of its candidate to take on Modi. And it wasnt the party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. There are many many good and sensible reasons why the Congress president decided against fielding his sister against the Prime Minister in a symbolic contest. We need not go over them to decide which consideration finally swung the decision. It is the impact of the Congress decision that is far more significant. More than proclaiming that it wasnt worth fighting Modi in Varanasi, the Congress decision was interpreted by its supporters and backers as a formal admission that the the 2019 general election was as good as lost. For the past fortnight, reports had been pouring in from all over India and not least eastern India that crowds in Modis meetings continued to be stupendous and full of energy. In a made-in-media age when public meetings all over the country are shown live, there is a natural tendency for attendance in the actual venue to diminish not least because of the hot weather. In the case of Modis meetings, however, the attendance never looked like falling. For very long, a section of the commentariat firmly attached to the Modi Hattao project had lived in denial over the Prime Ministers continuing status as a super hero. There were unending observations of 2019 being a waveless election where the dynamics of local politics could end up queering the pitch for the BJP. It was said that that at the end of the day, caste solidarity would prevail and make life impossible for the BJP. It was also said that the voters were looking for the smallest of opportunities to punish Modi for demonetisation and the apparent failure to put Rs 15 lakh into their bank accounts. Last Thursdays announcement by the Congress was as good an admission that the 2019 election belonged to Modi. Yes, there was carping comparisons made by Yashwant Sinha that the adulatory crowds were reminiscent of Hitlers rallies and there were angry outbursts directed at Rahul Gandhi for having lost the plot. In the end, they amounted to the same expression of disgust at the leading Opposition party having conceded defeat. This is not to say that the 2019 vote war is as good as over. The Congress may have been exposed for lacking the will to fight but the regional opponents of the BJP have not surrendered. Both the Biju Janata Dal in Odisha and the Trinamool in West Bengal have been exposed to a sustained BJP offensive, and they are fighting to preserve every inch of their turf. They have ensured that in the event the NDA and Modi retain power on May 23, they will constitute the real opposition. In other words, the very nature of national politics will change unrecognisably. True, as of now, there are many more rounds of voting left and no one should take the electorate for granted. If there is genuine anti-Modi sentiment, that will be expressed in the vote, regardless of whether or not there is any party to provide leadership. All that can be said after three rounds of voting is that the Congress has given up the battle. Now it is Modi versus the regional parties. The lack of affordable housing remains a problem in Connecticut and Doug Werner of Tiny House Co. in Bridgeport sees tiny homes as a solution. It works for everybody, and everybody wins, he said. Werner and his team have been campaigning for years to secure a parcel of land in Park City where they can build a community of tiny houses which he hopes will kickstart interest in city and state officials looking to deal with need-based housing demands. Since 2011, the state and private sector have invested billions of dollars in developing and funding thousands of units of housing available to those whose income is at or below the area median, which as of April 5 was $89,773, according to USA Today. The gap in supply and demand remains, despite the investment. Last year, there were 140,531 Connecticut households deemed extremely low income, but only 51,050 affordable rental units available in the state. Werner said he thinks tiny homes could be a viable way to increase the affordable housing stock. Reuse and reclaimed There are several blighted and non-conforming parcels that go undeveloped because of zoning red tape in urban areas such as Bridgeport, officials have said. Thats where Werner sees most of the opportunity. What this could do for a city like Bridgeport is change the infrastructure of what public housing is, he said. Its a battle, but we are not giving up on it by any means. A tiny home traditionally ranges between 400 and 800 square feet and can be built cheaper and quicker than full-sized homes. A single-wide mobile home ranges from 600 to 1,330 square feet. A double-wide generally ranges from 1,056 to 2,072 square feet. A 420-square-foot tiny home costs between $50,000 and $65,000 and takes 90 days to complete, according to Werner, whose team builds pre-fabricated units. Mobile homes listed for sale on Zillow go for between $20,000 and $120,000 depending on whether single or double wide, where the home is located and what it features. The median house in the state was listed by Zillow as $244,500. In Fairfield County, according to an April 5 USA Today article, the median home value was $435,477. Tiny houses also offer a level of flexibility in where they can be built. We can design to taste, Werner said, adding that units are built with rough plumbing and electric hook-ups that can also tie into local sewage and power grids. A developer can purchase a parcel of land particularly a nonconforming lot, which is unsuitable for most housing and build multiple units on it, creating a small community, he said. Werner envisions building a city within a city, with roughly 150 units on a few acres of land, both housing and miniature business spaces. Bridgeport has more than 300 nonconforming lots. Exclusionary zoning Werners vision may be harder to accomplish in Connecticut, which hasnt caught on to the growing trend of tiny homes like California and Washington state. The biggest problem in Connecticut is that the exclusionary zoning that we have engaged in in many towns over the last (several) years with big lots and big houses has caused us to not consider alternative means of housing, said valley land use attorney Dominick Thomas. In Stamford, for example, the citys health code has certain minimum standards regarding square footage per person. There the required lot size is 10,000 square feet per unit. Tiny home communities in areas like Greenwich are also unlikely because land is very expensive, according to area housing experts. To address need-based housing with tiny house lots, there must be a commitment from town and city officials to rezone areas to open the market, according to Bridgeport land use attorney Charles Willinger. To accomplish that really, the impetus has to be on the town and the town zoning officials to carve into the regulations, language and appropriate zones ... to address these tiny homes, he said. One way or another, you are going to have to have a buy-in by the municipality. Forward looking The stage may be set in Bridgeport in the recently adopted 10-year master plan, which calls for zoning changes and thousands of new units of housing, including affordable units. We need to provide housing at all price points in the city, said Lynn Haig, director of Bridgeports planning and zoning commission. She said the citys housing stock in general has been outpaced by growing demand, especially in market rate and affordable units. As a result, people who can afford market rate units are moving into the more affordable lower rate units, throwing the market out of balance for need-based residents. Goals in the master plan include building more than 400 units of affordable housing in the next decade and easing zoning regulations so vacant and nonconforming lots can be redeveloped. While Haig didnt comment on whether tiny house development would be part of Bridgeports future, state officials did. I think Tiny Homes is an innovative concept that could potentially be a viable option for affordable housing, said Shante Hanks, Deputy Commissioner for the state Department of Housing. Providing quality housing is the cornerstone of the Department of Housing, and we know that homeownership has historically been an intrinsic feature of American society. Hanks told Hearst Connecticut Media she would willing to bring the discussion to the Commissioner and Gov. Ned Lamont. Jordan.grice@hearstmediact.com MONROE Ed and Lorraine Warren werent the first people interested in or aware of supernatural events such as hauntings and possessions. But the Monroe couple were among the first people to speak openly about these occurrences, said Roxie Zwicker, owner and founder New England Curiosities, a Portsmouth, N.H.-based business that offers ghost tours, and other haunted events. For a long time, people wouldnt talk about ghosts and the paranormal in an open way, for fear of being doubted or laughed at, said Zwicker, an author and radio host. (But the Warrens) were willing to talk about it, and talk to the media about it, and work with the police on cases with a supernatural bent. In other words, the Warrens, for lack of a better phrase, helped bring paranormal activity out of the closet and into the mainstream. In the days following the April 19 death of Lorraine Warren at age 92, other enthusiasts for the supernatural said this will be a huge part of her legacy. People are much more open-minded about the paranormal now, said paranormal investigator Nick Grossman, of the Norwalk-based Ghost Storm. Creepy beginnings The Warrens established the New England Society for Psychic Research in 1952, a time when open-mindedness was not at its zenith, Grossman said. Back then, people would think you were crazy if you said you had spirits in your house, he said. According to the societys website, the couples work was inspired by Ed Warrens childhood living in a Connecticut home he believed to be haunted. He reported waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of a closet door opening, and would look inside to see the image of a face slowly forming in a ball of light. The Warrens met when they were both 16 and Ed (who died in 2006) worked as an usher at the now-closed Colonial Theatre in Bridgeport. Lorraine used to come to the theater with her mother. When they started the Society for Psychic Research, it was originally with the intent of simply investigating hauntings. But, eventually, they wanted to help both the people being haunted and the spirits doing the haunting. They enlisted clergy, scientists and others in their research, according to their site. Along the way, they encountered skeptics who said the Warrens were only out for money or publicity. But for true believers like Zwicker, their work was trailblazing and valuable. Whether people choose to believe in these experiences or not is immaterial, she said. The fact is, there are so many people who have these experiences. Famous cases Like many people, Zwicker learned of the Warrens through their work investigating the Amityville Horror. In 1975, the Warrens were called to a home in Amityville, N.Y., that had been the site of a gruesome murder in which six members of the DeFeo family were murdered. The surviving member, Ronald DeFeo, was arrested and convicted of the crime, though he claimed he wasnt home at the time of the murders. The Warrens were summoned to the house by a news reporter, and both Ed and Lorraine reported the presence of spirits, and ended up linking the creepy happenings to events deep in the propertys history. The story was the inspiration for The Amityville Horror series of films. Other key cases researched by the Warrens include experiences by the Perron family, who reported spooky happenings at their Rhode Island farmhouse. That case was the inspiration for the movie The Conjuring, starring Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as the Warrens. That movie spawned a sequel, with another one in the works. It also inspired spinoffs, including the Annabelle series of films, about a haunted doll. The movies are something of a double-edged sword, said Barry Pirro, of ConnecticutGhostHunter.com, who has been studying and investigating the paranormal for more than a decade. On the one hand, (The Conjuring and the other films) make people realize that real, ordinary people actually seek the help of paranormal investigators when they have no one else to turn to, Pirro said in an email. On the other hand, the Conjuring movies are way over the top. Nothing that dramatic ever happens during real paranormal investigations. And even if these things did happen while the Warrens were there, Im sure that movies special effects have helped to hype the scare factor quite a bit. For many decades, the Warrens ran The Occult Museum out of their Monroe home. According to the Society for Psychic Research web site, the museum housed items used in extremely dangerous occult activities and diabolical practices around the world. To touch one of these items would be the opposite of touching something holy, something blessed. The alleged cursed items included the original Annabelle doll, an organ that played by itself, a shrunken head and other frightening artifacts. The museum recently closed due to zoning issues, but a new home was being sought. Whats next? Now that both Warrens have died, other paranormal experts said their legacy of being open about the occult will continue. Because Connecticut is so old, Grossman said its the site of multiple paranormal presences. Even Stepney Cemetery, where the Warrens are buried, has allegedly been visited by spirits. Connecticut is probably one of the most haunted places there is, he said. Its generally a pretty boring place, but if you like the paranormal, its an amusement park. Zwicker, meanwhile, wondered whether this is the last well hear of the Warrens. What people are going to wonder is, are there going to be messages from Lorraine from beyond the grave? she said. Colin Farrell is heading for space in a new sci-fi film, "Voyagers". Tye Sheridan, Lily-Rose Depp and Fionn Whitehead are also among confirmed cast, reported Deadline. Directed by "Limitless" helmer Neil Burger, the thriller follows about 30 children who are sent on a multi-generational mission to populate a new planet. After the captain of the mission is killed in mysterious circumstances, the young crew descends into chaos, aligning themselves into tribes as they surrender to their most feral impulses. Burger has also written the script. Advanced discussions are underway with Kelvin Harrison, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Chante Adams and Madison Hu. AGC Studios and Thunder Road developing the project. Production is due to get underway in Romania early June. Isaak Olson was two months from graduating in 2014 when he disclosed that his fiancee had given birth several months earlier... The commander of the joint task force that operates the detention camps at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has been fired, U.S. Southern Command announced Sunday. Rear Adm. John Ring, commander of Joint Task Force-Guantanamo, was relieved Saturday by SOUTHCOM commander Adm. Craig Faller due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command, officials said in a release. Army Brig. Gen. John Hussey, deputy commander of JTF-GTMO, is now serving as acting commander. Related: Gitmo Task Force Commander's Firing Comes After Criticism of Detainee Treatment "This change in leadership will not interrupt the safe, humane, legal care and custody provided to the detainee population at GTMO," officials said in a statement. A spokesman for SOUTHCOM told Military.com that Ring has been temporarily assigned duties at the command's Miami headquarters pending forthcoming permanent reassignment. He would not comment on the reasons for Ring's relief or any additional actions that might be taken. Ring took command of JTF-GTMO in April 2018. A naval flight officer, he was commissioned in 1988 and previously served as the executive assistant to the Navy's director of air warfare. He has also completed command tours with the carrier Nimitz, the dock landing ship Comstock, and Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 113. According to his command biography, Ring's awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal and Meritorious Service Medal, and he is a past recipient of Hawkeye NFO of the Year and the Navy and Marine Association peer selected leadership award. JTF-GTMO has had 17 commanders since its creation in 2002. Guantanamo Bay currently houses 40 detainees. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 28) Opposition senatorial bet Samira Gutoc on Sunday called on Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Commission of Elections (Comelec) to intervene should local government units refuse to host senatorial bets for campaign rallies in their areas of jurisdiction. Wed like the DILG and the Comelec to advise LGUs to help pag silay ina-ask [if they are being asked] to host. To host all voters education activities dapat, Gutoc told CNN Philippines Sunday. On Saturday, during the heated CNN Philippines Senatorial Debate, Gutoc said there is an overstretch of the Presidents power. There is an overstretch of power when local governments are afraid to host the Otso Diretso in their locations, she earlier said. Gutoc claimed some local governments in northern Mindanao refused to host their sorties. She refused to disclose these areas, but said these areas did not speak in order to get disbursement for government projects. Very important yung era ngayon sa election. Yung kanilang funding, yung mga LGU, so very critical (The election era now is very important. Their fundings, those local government units, so very critical), Gutoc told CNN Philippines. If you host the meeting on an opposition, you might be seen as supportive, she said. Gutoc is running under the Liberal Partys Otso Diretso slate, which is critical of the Duterte administration. Megan Fox and husband Brian Austin Green are officially back together, as the actor has reportedly filed to dismiss her divorce case. The 32-year-old "Transformers" star filed the papers at a Los Angeles court on Thursday, reported People magazine. Fox originally filed for divorce in 2015 after five years of marriage to Green, citing irreconcilable differences. Then the two announced they were having a third child together, and reconciled the following year. The couple share three children: Noah Shannon, six, Bodhi Ransom, five, and Journey River, two. Earlier this month, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Fox and Green, 45, will be co-starring in their first feature film together, "Dakota". The U.S. military has quietly ended a once-touted bombing campaign against drug labs in Afghanistan aimed at cutting off Taliban funding, according to John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. "They're no longer doing it, which may indicate how effective it was," Sopko told defense reporters at a breakfast Wednesday. He said the Operation Iron Tempest bombing campaign, begun in late 2017, "didn't have the intended effect of hitting the Taliban's purse and was probably a waste of resources." U.S. Central Command referred questions on the bombing campaign to U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, which did not respond directly to whether the operation had been called off. "United States Forces-Afghanistan's efforts are aimed at setting conditions for a political settlement and safeguarding our national interests," a spokesman said in an email. "The grand majority of our strikes are lethal strikes against the Taliban or ISIS." Sopko said the only factors that appeared to impact the poppy and heroin trade are erosion and drought, not the bombing campaign. Last November, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that the total area under opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan remained "at very high levels" despite a 20 percent decrease from 2017. However, the decrease was attributed to the severe drought that hit northern and western regions of Afghanistan in 2018, UNODC said. "Despite the decreases, the overall area under opium poppy cultivation is the second highest ever recorded," UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov said in the report. "This is a clear challenge to security and safety for the region and beyond." Operation Iron Tempest was one of the first initiatives that resulted from President Donald Trump's national address In August 2017, in which he announced a new "conditions-based" strategy for Afghanistan that called for more troops and airstrikes. The bombing campaign against the drug labs began with high expectations. The most advanced fighter in the U.S. inventory, the F-22 Raptor, was deployed and the military distributed videos of strikes in southwestern Helmand province, the center of the drug trade, and other areas. On Nov. 20, 2017, Army Gen. John Nicholson, then-commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, announced that the first "significant" action under the new strategy for Afghanistan had been taken in the bombing of several Taliban drug centers, using an F-22 and a B-52 Stratofortress bomber, among other aircraft. "Last night, we conducted strikes in northern Helmand to hit the Taliban where it hurts, in their narcotics financing," Nicholson said. "The new authorities allow me to go after the revenue streams of the enemy." However, Sopko said the revenue streams proved to be resilient. He said officials of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and the State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs warned from the start that the bombing campaign was poorly planned. "Experts there told us that this was not going to succeed, because the labs that were destroyed were extremely small and mobile," Sopko said. "They cost about $500 to build and operate." The lack of a definitive answer from the military on the status of Operation Iron Tempest reflected the administration's current habit of classifying information that previously would have been routinely included in periodic reports, such as the casualty rate of Afghan forces, Sopko said. "Almost every indicia, metric for success or failure is now classified or nonexistent," he said. "Embarrassing things tend to be classified in this town [Washington, D.C.]. Government does not classify good news." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. How to use the mindat.org media viewer Click/touch this help panel to close it. Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image) Controls - all media types Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device. Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen. < and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys. < and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. Keyboard shortcuts: use the left and right arrow keys. > in the bottom center, raises the information box giving details and further options for the media, < at the top of this box then hides it. Keyboard shortcuts: use the up and down arrow keys. ? opens this help window. Keyboard shortcuts: use the H key or the ? key. Other keyboard shortcuts: 1 Fit image to screen 2 Fill screen with image 5 Display at full resolution < Make background darker > Make background lighter space Hide/dim titles and buttons Scalebar If the field of view (FOV) is specified for the photo, the scalebar appears in the left bottom corner of the viewer. The scalebar is draggable and resizeable. Drag the right edge to resize it. Double click will reset the scalebar to it's default size and position. If the scalebar is in default position, double click will make it circular. Controls - Video Video files have a standard set of video controls: - Reset to start, - Skip back, - Play, - Pause, - Skip forwards. Keyboard shortcuts: You can stop/start video play with the P key. Controls - Animation (Spin Rotation) Animation (usually 360 degree spin rotations) have their own controls: - enable spin mode. Note that while images are loading this option will not be available but will be automatically activated when the animation has loaded. Once active you can spin the image/change the animation by moving your mouse or finger on the image left/right or by pressing the [ or ] keys. The button switches to move mode so that you can use your mouse/fingers to move the image around the screen as with other media types. The button, or the P key will start playing the animation directly, you can interrupt this by using the mouse or finger on the image to regain manual movement control. Controls - 3D Stereoscopic images If a stereoscopic 3D image is opened in the viewer, the 3D button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "3D settings" menu. The 3D images can be viewed in several ways: - without any special equipment using cross-eyed or parallel-eyed method - with stereoscope - with anaglyph glasses. - on a suitable 3D TV or monitor (passive 3D system) For details about 3D refer to: Mindat manuals: Mindat Media Viewer: 3D To enable/disable 3D stereo display of a compatible stereo pair image press the 3 key. If the left/right images are reversed on your display (this often happens in full-screen mode) press the 4 key to reverse them. Controls - photo comparison mode If a photo with activated comparison mode is opened in the viewer, the button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "Comparison mode settings" menu. Several layouts are supported: slider and side by-side comparison with up to 6 photos shown synchronously on the screen. On each of the compared photos a view selector is placed, e.g.: Longwave UV . It shows the name of currently selected view and allows to select a view for each placeholder. Summary of all keyboard shortcuts The Blue Jays have signed outfielder Ben Revere to a minor league contract, per Scott Mitchell of TSN. Revere will report to extended spring training by the end of the month. This is the second stint in the Toronto organization for Revere, who first joined them in a trade with the Phillies in July 2015. At that point, Revere was a roughly league-average hitter who was among the majors top stolen base threats. Reveres career has gone downhill since then, though, evidenced by his horrific .217/.260/.300 line with 14 steals in 375 plate appearances dating back to 2016. Now 30, Revere hasnt appeared in the majors since he was with the Angels in 2017, when he totaled 308 PA and slashed .275/.308/.344 with 21 steals. Reveres a lifetime .284/.319/.343 hitter with 211 steals in 262 attempts since he debuted with the Twins in 2010. He was last with the Rangers, who signed him to a minors pact Feb. 17 but released him just over a month later. The Dodgers have activated catcher Russell Martin from the 10-day injured list and optioned fellow backstop Rocky Gale to Triple-A Oklahoma City, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times tweets. Martins return should be a welcome one for Los Angeles, whose primary catcher, Austin Barnes, has seen his numbers decline significantly over the past couple weeks. Barnes sported an otherworldly 1.110 OPS when Martin hit the IL with lower back inflammation on April 10, but hes now down to .729 in that category. Martin, meanwhile, slashed an outstanding .333/.500/.600 with five walks against three strikeouts in 22 plate appearances prior to going on the IL. The well-respected 36-year-old is in his second stint with the Dodgers, with whom he stood out from 2006-10 before rejoining the team in an offseason trade with the Blue Jays. Gale, on the other hand, has done anything but thrive as a Dodger. The 31-year-old posted a matching and equally woeful .143/.143/.143 line in 14 trips to the plate after the Dodgers promoted him to replace Martin. Gale, who debuted with the Padres in 2015, owns an ugly .111/.111/.194 line in 36 major league PA. Reds lefty Alex Wood, whos dealt with back spasms since he arrived for Spring Training in late February, didnt respond well after his latest bullpen session, reports manager David Bell (via MLB.coms Mark Sheldon). Wood, who was acquired in an offseason trade that also sent Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp from Los Angeles to Cincinnati, will likely seek a second opinion on the creaky back, placing his eventual Reds debut in even further doubt. Thanks to stellar early-season performances from Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray, and Tyler Mahle, among others, Cincys starting five leads the NL in nearly every rotation category, doubly impressive when given the puny dimensions of Great American Ballpark. Still, its a unit that should both anticipate heavy regression and yearn for the return of Wood, whose recent-year track record stands apart from each of his potential rotation mates. The latest on a few other NL franchises HILLSDALE, MI - Longtime Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak is spinning his way up the ladder at Hillsdale College, and has landed in the chairmans seat. The small liberal arts college about 60 miles southeast of Battle Creek announced the well-known television game show host will lead the governing board. Sajak has been vice chairman of the board there for 15 years, according to the schools campus newspaper, The Collegian. Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn described Sajak has having a wicked wit, and displaying calm and steady judgment," according to the Associated Press. Sajak, who is not a Hillsdale graduate, said he has been spending more time on campus in the last year, talking to students and staff, according to the AP. He told The Collegian that hes been preparing for months to succeed the boards past chairman, William Brodbeck. Sajaks new role wont interfere with his TV hosting schedule. WEBSTER TOWNSHIP, MI - Molly Stewart was half joking when she suggested to her husband Jeremy Stewart that they live in a barn. Preparing to move back to Washtenaw County from North Carolina, the couple was struggling to find a house with enough space for them and their five children in the Dexter Community Schools district, where they wanted their children to attend school. One day, they came across a listing for Cottonwood Barn in Webster Township and thought the former wedding barn that had been at the center of a zoning dispute and legal battle could be their next home. After months of work by Forward Design Build Remodel of Ann Arbor, the Stewarts dream is becoming reality as they prepare to move into their new home within a couple of months. We couldnt have done it without really the village that is Forward Design, Molly Stewart said. They are just an incredible group of people to work with. The public will have a chance to see the completed renovation from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 11. The event is free and advance online registration is requested. Converting a barn into a single-family home is a rare project, said Jef Forward, president and creative director of Forward Design Build Remodel, and the Stewarts home was even more unique because they wanted to preserve so many of the barns rustic features. What Im enjoying the most is seeing how the original character of the barn has been maintained, Forward said Thursday, April 25, as workers installed a custom range hood in the kitchen and stained trim in the master suite. It was important to the Stewarts the barn rafters still be visible, which meant Forward Design Build Remodel had to add insulation on the exterior of the roof rather than the interior. Once we decided we were going to do it, our big thing was we didnt want to have a barn and then just make a frame inside. We wanted it to feel like we lived in a barn, Jeremy Stewart said. He insisted on reclaimed barn wood on the gables in the houses main living space, rather than the drywall that was initially planned. It turned out so well. We couldnt be happier, Molly Stewart said. The ceiling on the houses lower level and a tray ceiling in the master bedroom also feature reclaimed barn wood, and other elements from the wedding venue were reused -- like a piece of copper that now tops a bar looking into the kitchen. Ashley Howard, architectural design lead on the project, was tasked with dividing the 44-foot-tall, 8,000-square-foot barn into inviting living spaces that would serve the familys needs. The great room - which includes a massive chandelier left from the wedding venue, a kitchen, dining area and large stone fireplace - was naturally split into sections by the barns support brackets, she said. Theres not really a standard for what a barn design needs to be or should be, Howard said. The scale of the project being so large allowed us to do a lot of fun features in different places. Ann-Marie Clark, the interior design lead, incorporated elements inspired by the Stewarts travels in the house, like the colorful Spanish-inspired tile backsplash in the kitchen and a Moroccan-themed tile and turquoise chandelier in the master suite. A large island in the kitchen with storage and seating for seven is Mollys favorite color: orange. In addition to the great room and master suite -- complete with a sauna and walk-in shower -- the main floor also includes a guest suite, a loft that will be used as a rec room for the Stewarts kids and a reading nook with a built-in bench and shelves under the sloping roof. The lower level features four bedrooms for the children, a family room and two bathrooms maintained from the wedding venue. The bathrooms still have multiple stalls, and the handicap-accessible stalls were converted into large walk-in showers. The front door opens at the bottom of a turning staircase up to the main floor, and a side door near the familys garage opens into a mudroom with built-in cubbies and a dog shower. The Stewarts said their kids -- ages 5 to 13 -- are most excited about having their own rooms in the new house, especially since the family of seven has been living in a 1,200-square-foot house on the property while the renovations take place. GRAND RAPIDS, MI The suspect wanted in connection with an April 21 shooting in downtown Grand Rapids has turned himself into police. Terrell Nigel Tate, 32, turned himself in on the morning of Sunday, April 28, according to a news release issued by Grand Rapids Police. Tate is currently being lodged at the Kent County Correctional Facility and is expected to be arraigned this week, the release reads. Police were searching for Tate on an attempted murder warrant. Police said the victim is a 35-year-old man and the injuries were not life-threatening. The shooting happened about 7:20 p.m. Sunday, April 21, at South Division Avenue and Cherry Street. Prosecutors also had issued warrants against Tate for felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon and felony firearm. Police said Tate had connections to both Grand Rapids and Flint was considered dangerous. The Easter Sunday shooting was the first of two shootings in successive days. On Monday, April 22, a shooting happened a short distance away at Commerce Avenue SW and Williams Street. In that case, a man was shot in the shoulder. Grand Rapids has experienced a recent uptick in shootings. KENTWOOD, MI A woman was hospitalized early Sunday morning after she was rescued from an apartment complex fire in Kentwood. The fire happened around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, April 28, at an apartment complex in the 4000 block of Nature Trails Drive, said Kentwood Fire Chief Brent Looman. The woman was taken to a local hospital for treatment, but her condition remains unknown, Looman told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. Looman added that he and his department believe the fire started in a kitchen but gave no other details on the root cause. The fire remains under investigation. Kentwood firefighters responded at around 2:30 a.m. Sunday to an apartment complex on Nature Trails Drive on a report of smoke coming from the building, Looman said. Upon arrival, crews located the fire in a kitchen but were told by neighbors that a woman may still be inside. Firefighters located and rescued the woman who was taken to a local hospital to seek treatment for unknown injuries. Looman said he did not have an update on the womans condition. The fire was quickly contained and did not spread to the rest of the building, Looman added. SUMMIT TWP., MI Complete with deviled eggs and decorative cupcakes, dozens of neighbors in Summit Township came together for a party on Saturday, April 27. One of the only attendees from outside the neighborhood was the honoree: Barb Thayer, their mail carrier. About 40 neighbors planned to show up, many bringing cards or a dish to pass to thank Thayer. She's delivered mail to the neighborhood for more than eight years, but worked as a carrier in Jackson for 33 years. Thayer, 62, retired at the end of March. "She rocks," Dawn Bengel said. "We miss her already." Through countless conversations, Thayer knew the personal preferences of her customers. For some, shed leave their packages in the garage, others preferred them left with neighbors. Every 30-minute lunch break for Thayer was spent with a woman on her route who is in her 90s and lives alone. Since retiring, Thayer who lives near Rives and Tompkins townships has gone back just to visit. I just felt better myself checking on her every day, Thayer said. Since she got real sick, instead of leaving the mail outside in the box, I would just take it in to her so I didnt have to worry about her falling going out to the mailbox in the winter. Neighbors swapped stories on Saturday of letters miraculously arriving at their house thanks to Thayer, even though every aspect of the address was wrong besides their name. Her dedication to the people on her route hasnt gone unnoticed. While the Christmas season is rough shed sometimes have a few hundred packages to deliver in a day Thayer would find gift cards, homemade cookies, cakes and candy addressed to her. "She always engaged," Chriss Esser said. "She would hand you your mail and say, 'Have a great day!'" Thayers first 25 years were spent on a walking route. And yes, she has a dog bite story in which a dog bit her hand and nicked an artery, forcing her to spend Christmas Eve in the emergency room. Victoria Lambright, also a mail carrier, hosted the party. She lives on Thayer's route. "She takes care of each and every person's needs," Lambright said. "She goes above and beyond. I can't say enough good about Barb Thayer." Thayer will miss the people. But not navigating the winters or delivering the heavy packages people ship everything from car parts to dog food to furniture these days, she said. But as the neighbors noted, Thayer always did it with a genuine smile. Im just humbled and thankful and grateful, Thayer said. It means a lot to me. It means I did a good job. Simmering anger against the killing of BJP and RSS leaders by terrorists spilled on to the streets of Kishtwar on Saturday as thousands of locals, accompanied by women, marched through the deserted streets to give vent to their ire against the delay in punishing the culprits. Slogan shouting residents ransacked the office of Deputy Commissioner and smashed windowpanes of a few vehicles parked in the office complex. Outside the office premises, angry residents burnt down the effigy of Governor Satya Pal Malik. Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Angrez Singh Rana was not present in the office when it was vandalised. While agitating against the unjustified delay in any action against the targeted killings, the locals demanded immediate transfer of the Deputy Commissioner and the Kishtwar SSP. Several protesters claimed the district authorities have failed to deliver justice to the members of the aggrieved families. A senior RSS functionary Chandrakant Sharma along with his PSO was shot dead inside district hospital, Kishtwar on April 9, 2019. This apart, BJP leader Anil Parihar along with his elder brother, Ajeet Parihar, was killed from point blank range on November 1, 2018 while they were returning home from the nearby market. NIA was handed over the probe in the matter in the third week of November 2018. Till date the probe agencies, investigating the matter, remained clueless about the identity of the killers and mastermind behind the political killings in the volatile district of Jammu region. The massive protest demonstration coincided with the obituary ceremony organised by the family of Anil Parihar to mark six months of their killing. Local representatives of Sanatam Dharam Sabha had separately given a day-long bandh call to show their resentment against the failure of the district and police authorities to identify the killers till date. To prevent any law and order situation, additional police force along with CRPF and ITBP was deployed in the area to handle the situation. The district administration had earlier imposed restrictions under the Section 144 of the CrPC in the area three days ago to contain the situation. MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI A Muskegon man is accused of raping a young teen after taking her to a drive-in movie and giving her booze. Patrick Michael McReynolds, 40, has been charged with third degree criminal sexual conduct involving a child between the ages of 13 and 15. The alleged rape occurred nearly two years ago. The criminal charge arose from a Child Protective Services complaint that was sent to police, said Muskegon County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Timothy Maat. The alleged victim is a friend of the family, Maat said. Its alleged that McReynolds took the victim to a drive-in move then returned with her to his home, gave her alcohol and sexually penetrated her, Maat said. The date of the alleged offense is July 1, 2016, according to court records. The charge is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. McReynolds has no prior criminal history, Maat said. Arraignment occurred on April 9 when bail was set at $50,000 cash or surety, which McReynolds has posted, court records show. The preliminary examination is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. April 29 before Muskegon County District Judge Raymond Kostrzewa. FRANKENMUTH TWP, MI A 53-year-old Vassar man died after the truck he was driving hit a piece of farm equipment in Saginaw Countys Frankenmuth Township, police said. Officers with the Frankenmuth Police Department were dispatched by Saginaw County 911 around 10:45 a.m. Saturday, April 27 to the area of Townline and Dehmel roads for a traffic accident. An initial investigation has revealed the Vassar man was driving a 2018 Ford F-150 and heading east on Townline Road where he disregarded a stop sign at the intersection, police said. Thats when the pickup truck hit a piece of farm equipment being driven by a 20-year-old Fairgrove man heading south on Dehmel Road. Officers arrived on scene and attempted to administer aid to the victims. The Vassar man was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. No condition on the Fairgrove man was provided by police. Neither drivers name has been released. The intersection was closed for an extended amount of time to allow for the investigation. Young Environmental Services and the Department of Environmental Quality responded to the scene to help clean up fluids that had seeped into the ditch where the farm equipment came to a stop. Michigan State Police, deputies with the Saginaw County Sheriffs Office, Mobile Medical Response, the Saginaw County Crash Investigation Team, and Frankenmuth and Birch Run fire departments assisted Frankenmuth police with the fatal crash. SAGINAW, MI Dow employees showed students at Saginaw High School what it was like to walk in the shoes of scientists and engineers during Dows Day of Service on Friday, April 26. Students worked together in the schools media center to complete group projects while Dow employees taught them about Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, or STEM careers. Principal Eric Gordon said he appreciates what he calls STEM Day at his school because it shows students that they can find great paying careers doing things they already have fun doing. We want to expose students to careers in STEM fields, Gordon said. Ayo Akindona, of Dow, said that about 70 percent of people who work for Dow are engineers and the activities were a way to highlight the jobs of different employees. One activity involved students working together to build and test a bridge. Theyre learning teamwork, collaboration, communication skills, and all of that to meet a desired goal, Akindona said. The program is a part of the Dow Promise Grants, an initiative to positively impact African-American communities near Dow locations, where economic and educational challenges may be barriers to success, according to Dows website. The initiative also promises to give something back to kids and their communities. Gordon said what Dow has been doing in his school for the past 8 years is a much needed component for the success of students. Usually they dont know about these fields, Gordon said. These are things they do everyday and now they learn they can get paid for them. If you are reading this in your Facebook app, use this link to view the entire gallery of photos. JACKSON, MI -- Vandercook Lake High School attended 2019 prom at the Michigan Theatre in Jackson. Masquerade Ball was the theme for this years prom, and the theaters glamorous decor was perfect as the backdrop, said Joan Hofer, whos a junior class adviser along with Lyman Robertson. We just want to make it a really elegant, glamorous evening, Hofer said. It will be really fun to watch our seniors have a great time. The prom, attended by 121 students and guests, featured a photo booth, DJ, snacks and drinks and a special mirror photo booth. The Jayhawks won the Jackson Prom of the Week. Washingtons push for intellectual property rights in the pharma industry is an attack on Indias generic drug trade, New Delhi says as a US government report accuses India of distributing counterfeit drugs worldwide. Authorities in New Delhi were appalled as the Special 301 report published by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on Saturday pinpointed India alongside China as the leading global sources of counterfeit medicines. The document, which reviews the state of intellectual property protection around the world, also alleges that up to 20 percent of drugs sold on the Indian market are fake and represent a danger to public health and safety. Meanwhile, the Indian health care official slammed the findings of the report asserting that the accusations are meant to put pressure on affordable generic drugs. We strongly disagree with the observations made by USTR. We do not know the genesis and methodology of their findings. Instead, we view this as opposition to low-cost generics and the thriving Indian drug manufacturing industry, health secretary Preeti Sudan told local media. Also on rt.com Price-hiking pharma co. paid $1.2 mn to Trumps lawyer for doing nothing The official argued that generic drugs are low-cost but quality products and assured that only certified medicines are exported from India. The USTR report, however, puts India on a priority watch list for violating the rights of the US patent holders, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry. The sentiment that India has been treated unfairly by the US government was in the meantime shared by MSF (Medecins sans frontieres) or Doctors Without Borders. In a press release issued on Saturday, the medical NGO stated that the report findings are in line with the demands from the big pharma players to tighten intellectual property standards. These calls, however, may eventually deprive many people worldwide of affordable health care, MSF warns. "At a time when medicine prices are soaring, the report undermines the efforts seeking to make medicines more affordable domestically. USTRs push for more protection and enforcement of IP policies would keep medicine prices high globally and place lifesaving treatments out of reach for longer in developing countries. Also on rt.com 'It's still cheaper': Utah insurance provider will pay for trips to Mexico for its 'Pharma-Tourists India is the largest producer of generic drugs in the world with its exports covering 40 percent of generic demand in the US and 25 percent of all medicine market in the UK. Its pharma market was valued at $33 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $55 billion by 2020. If you like this story, share it with a friend! The elder brother of two suicide bombers believed to have participated in the deadly Sri Lanka Easter bombings has been detained outside the countrys capital with two swords, local media have reported. News portal Ada Derana said that the brother, identified as Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Ifran Ahmed, was in possession of two swords when he was arrested in a suburb outside Colombo. His younger brother is suspected of carrying out a suicide bomb attack at Colombos five-star Shangri-La hotel. Another brother is said to have attacked a restaurant at the luxury Cinnamon Grand hotel. Their father, a wealthy spice trader, was taken into custody after the deadly attacks, which killed at least 253 people and injured hundreds more. Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIL/ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the bombings. Also on rt.com Two main suspects detained over Sri Lanka bombings reports Two other men, also said to be brothers, were detained by authorities earlier on Sunday in connection to the incident. Sri Lankan security forces have been searching the country for other suspects linked to the attack, with over 70 individuals detained so far. Authorities discovered 15 bodies, including six children, after a shootout on Friday night between military police and suspected militants. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Russiagate guru Rachel Maddow has caught wind of the latest Kremlin-linked outrage: YouTube recommended an RT video about the Mueller report! And now social media users have lined up to laugh at her. The MSNBC host ascended her Twitter pulpit to share a shocking Washington Post article detailing how YouTube allegedly recommended an RT video hundreds of thousands of times to users seeking information about the recently released report by special counsel Robert Mueller. Death by algorithm, a despondent Maddow commented. The video in question an episode of On Contact, which is hosted by Pulitzer prize-winning American journalist Chris Hedges features an interview with Canadian journalist Aaron Mate. A fierce critic of the Trump-Russia collusion theory promoted by mainstream media, Mate recently received an Izzy Award for his contrarian reporting on Russiagate. While Maddow was apparently horrified by the thought of impressionable Americans watching a video of two acclaimed journalists discussing current events, others were more perturbed by the MSNBC hosts melodramatic tweeting. This YouTube [video] is so much better than the war mongering conspiracy lunacy that comes from you. You should be ashamed to smear good people & good content in such a base & McCarthyite way, replied one disappointed Twitter user. Others took issue with Maddows bizarre suggestion that YouTubes algorithm could somehow bring about death. Death? No ones lives were threatened by a conversation between two award winning journalists about the massive disinformation campaign youre waged on the minds of suggestible Democrats. But they are endangered by the Cold War youve helped to stir up, Max Blumenthal, editor of the Grayzone Project, noted. Mate himself joined the chorus of criticism directed at Maddow. I was interviewed on RT by the Pulitzer-winning journalist Chris Hedges about Russiagate. YouTube recommended it. How fitting then that the leading Russiagate conspiracy theorist calls this death by algorithm to a propagandist, dissent from orthodoxy is death indeed, he wrote. Actually, the entire premise of Maddows outrage is highly suspect. The Washington Post report quietly notes that the RT video in question has accumulated only about 55,000 views, and that the interview was by far from the most recommended Mueller-related video. The Late Show With Stephen Colbert was recommended more than five million times, WaPo reported, while other channels, such as Fox and PBS NewsHour, received hundreds of thousands of recommendations for their Russiagate videos. To make matters even less scary, YouTube disputed the articles core claims, which were originally made by media watchdog group AlgoTransparency. YouTube said it could not reproduce the groups data allegedly showing that the RT video had been recommended hundreds of thousands of times by the sites algorithm. In fact, the Washington Post story was so shaky that it had to issue a clickbait-deflating correction: An earlier version of their report had erroneously claimed that YouTube had recommended RTs take on the Mueller report more often than other networks programming. As Blumenthal observed, the WaPo story appears to be yet another tired attempt to shame anyone who doesnt regurgitate narratives promoted by US corporate media. If you like this story, share it with a friend! The New York Times has apologized for printing a cartoon depicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a guide dog leading an apparently blind Donald Trump. Israeli media and Twitter observers were outraged. The cartoon, which ran in the international print edition of Thursdays paper featured Netanyahu depicted as a guide dog wearing a Star of David on his collar, leading President Trump, wearing the dark glasses and skullcap of a Jewish retiree. The cartoon was printed on its own with no caption, and was not linked to any of the articles on the same page. Twitter erupted in a wave of indignation. President Trumps son, Donald Jr., ripped the newspaper for flagrant anti-Semitism, while the US ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, called the cartoon despicable. The New York Times issued a hasty apology, admitting that the image was offensive, and it was an error of judgment to publish it, an excuse that the Jerusalem Post called pathetic. The Nazis also depicted us as animals. They also put Stars of David on us. Antisemites have compared us to dogs, pigs and monkeys before, wrote the Jerusalem Posts Seth Frantzman. But now we see how mainstream it has become to blame the Jews and Israel for the worlds problems. Also on rt.com 1 killed, 3 injured as gunman opens fire at California synagogue Of course, the argument that President Trump favors Israel has been made countless times before, in less and more graphic manner. Since taking office, Trump has enacted a number of pro-Israel policies, like moving the US Israeli embassy to Jerusalem, withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, and recognizing Israels sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights region. Some of Trumps opponents have been blasted for pointing out the extent of the influence Israel has on the American leadership. Freshman Congresswoman Ilhan Omar was twice accused of anti-Semitism in the last two months, after she suggested the US support for Israel was all about the Benjamins, and accused Jewish Americans of harboring a dual loyalty to Israel. If you like this story, share it with a friend! Senior members of the New Irish Republican Army say that Britains decision to leave the European Union is driving young people to join the paramilitary republican organization. The dissident group say that the possible return of a hard border has brought the partition of Ireland into sharp focus and allowed them to recruit young supporters. In an interview with the Sunday Times, representatives of the group said young people are being radicalized because they dont feel represented by Northern Irelands nationalist parties. Also on rt.com Is Brexit to blame for the uptick in Northern Ireland violence, and what is the New IRA? There are no left-wing political parties any more. Sinn Fein dont represent republicans. They are a centrist party now, one of the paramilitaries said. Brexit has forced the IRA to refocus and has underlined how Ireland remains partitioned. It would be remiss of us not to capitalize on the opportunity, another added. The interview took place in the aftermath of the murder of journalist Lyra McKee in Derry earlier this month. The killing has sparked widespread anger against the organization, which has admitted responsibility for McKees death. The paramilitaries said McKees shooting, which happened during a riot, was unintentional, shocking, and something that did nothing to further any cause. The organization was established as recently as 2012 when members of the Real IRA and several other dissident republican groups came together. Its members include many younger people as well older hardliners who were involved in the Provisional IRA before it announced a ceasefire in 1994. Speaking to the newspaper, members of the New IRAs army council acknowledged that there was no public support for a campaign of violence in Northern Ireland but it would continue to carry out attacks to keep their struggle in the headlines. Also on rt.com Police release CCTV footage of suspects in journalist Lyra McKee murder case (VIDEO) Our armed actions serve one purpose. They are symbolic. They are propaganda. They let the world know there is an ongoing conflict in Northern Ireland, said one of the dissident leaders. Condemning the IRA is nothing new. We are not interested in being popular. Republicanism has always been a small core of people. The dissident group justified its use of violence with the claim that the 1998 Good Friday agreement did not achieve what the IRA or republicans wanted. We still have all the issues that existed before the Good Friday agreement. There is talk of a border poll but its at the discretion of a British secretary of state. Britain still has a veto over Irish sovereignty, one of the group said. Security forces in Northern Ireland regard the New IRA as a significant threat. It has carried out several gun and bomb attacks and has murdered two prison officers. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Ecuador traded Julian Assange for a loan from the International Monetary Fund, which can only be handed out with the approval of Washington, John Shipton, the WikiLeaks co-founders father, has said. Ecuador doesnt have its own currency. It uses the US dollar, Shipton told 60 Minutes Australia. You cant get an IMF loan unless the United States approves it upon agreement to remove Julian from the Embassy. In late February, Ecuador has reached a $4.2 billion staff-level financing deal with the IMF to keep its struggling economy afloat. Such staff-level agreements can only happen if they are greenlighted by the Washington-based lenders executive board. Less than two months later, Ecuadors president Lenin Moreno revoked Assanges political asylum. The publisher and journalist was detained by the UK police, which dragged him out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London. He had been holed up there for almost seven years fearing extradition to the US for publishing evidence of its war crimes and shady policies on his whistleblowing project WikiLeaks. RTs Ruptly video agency was the only outlet present to capture the arrest on video. Shipton commented on the footage describing the terrible effect that the pressure has had on his son. Im 74, he looks as old as me. Hes 47. Assanges father said his main fear now was that Britain will deport the whistleblower to the US. Formally, the Americans want to prosecute the publisher for an alleged cyber-conspiracy with former US Army soldier Chelsea Manning, who passed thousands of classified US military documents to WikiLeaks in 2010. But many believe the number of charges will pile up once the US gets hold of Assange. The US was determined to ruin his life, for whatever reason. They want to demonstrate that publishers and whistleblowers will be destroyed, Shipton said. He also laughed at the claims that his son was working with the Kremlin, which were first voiced by the Hillary Clinton camp. Oh for gods sake, Russian asset, spare me, the father said. Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential vote in the US not because the WikiLeaks published the emails of the Democratic National Committee, but because Clinton as Secretary of State destroyed Libya and giggled like a madwoman seeing a bayonet thats stuffed up Gaddafis a**hole, he argued. Shipton parted ways with Assanges mother Christine Ann Hawkins when she was pregnant with Julian, but he kept in touch with his son and reportedly last visited him in the Ecuadorian embassy on Christmas. Also on rt.com He respected us: Ex-consul debunks MSM claims Assange had issues with Ecuadors embassy staff Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Six children and three women were among 15 people killed when terrorists linked to the Easter Sunday bombings opened fire and blew themselves up during a fierce gun battle with security forces in Sri Lankas Eastern province, police said on Saturday. The shootout occurred as the security forces continued their hunt for members of the National Thowheeth Jamaath, the local terror outfit behind the April 21 coordinated blasts in which 253 people were killed and over 500 injured. The Special Task Force and Army troops, following a tip-off, raided a house in Kalmunai, about 360 kms from Colombo, on Friday night, leading to the heavy exchange of fire with the armed group. As the heavily-armed men opened fire on troops, a civilian was killed in the crossfire. As the clashes intensified, three men are believed to have set off explosives. A total of 15 bodies recovered, six men, three women and six children. At least four suspected suicide bombers are dead and three others who were injured are in hospital, a police spokesperson said. When the police was doing a joint search operation in Sainthamuruthu, gunfire was directed at them, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera told the media. A suicide blast took place and the body of a terrorist with a T56 assault rifle was also found at the site. Turn to Page 4 15 killed in Lankan bombers hideout raid A huge cache of explosives was also recovered from the spot. Officials have recovered detonators, suicide kits, army uniforms and ISIS flags, an army officer said. Meanwhile, the police said that curfew imposed in the Muslim-majority areas of Kalmunai, Chavalakade and Sammanthurai would continue until further notice. At least 76 people have been arrested by the police in connection with the attack so far. Twenty were arrested in the last 24 hours. Officials also seized one kg of explosives near a railway station at Wellawatta, a popular south Colombo suburb. The curfew was lifted for other areas at 4 am on Saturday. At the security council meeting held last night, it was decided that search operations to crackdown on extremist terrorism must continue until the threat is completely eliminated. Security has been improved at hotels, schools and public places. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday, killing 253 people. The Islamic State claimed the attacks, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group NTJ for the attacks. President Maithripala Sirisena said Friday that over 130 suspects linked to the Islamic State terror group have been operating in the country. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said Sri Lanka needs new laws to deal with threats posed by local terror outfits linked to ISIS. Sri Lanka has a population of 21 million which is a patchwork of ethnicities and religions, dominated by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. Muslims account for 10 per cent of the population and are the second-largest minority after Hindus. Around seven per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians. Former Vice President Joe Biden pulled in a cool $6.3 million in donations after announcing his bid for the presidency in 2020. But how does Bidens haul compare to the loot brought in by his Democratic rivals? Also on rt.com Pete Buttigieg returns lobbyists' donations, says values are more important The cash haul a presidential candidate can pull in the first 24 hours of their campaign is usually a good indicator of their momentum heading into election season, and contains a few tells about the crowds they appeal to. With a crowded field of 20 candidates hustling for the Democratic dollar, three heavy hitters have emerged. Joe Biden Bidens one-day haul of $6.3 million dollars puts him in first place. According to his campaign team, 96,926 donations made up the tally, giving an average donation size of $65. However, within hours of announcing his campaign, Biden was en route to Philadelphia, where he spoke at a fundraising event in the home of Comcast executive David L. Cohen and attended by bigwigs from the health insurance industry and powerhouse law firms. READ MORE: Creepy Uncle Joe memes not going anywhere as 2nd woman accuses Biden of crossing line of decency Guests at the fundraiser were asked to cough up $2,800 to Bidens campaign, the maximum individual contribution allowed, and the 100 or so guests who showed up obliged, giving Biden an estimated $750,000 for a 14-minute speech, the Philadelphia Enquirer reported. Still, Bidens candidacy seems to resonate with ordinary Americans too. The former Vice President is currently polling higher than any other Democratic candidate, and according to a recent Politico poll, eight points higher than President Trump. Beto ORourke Although ORourkes time in the limelight looks to be waning, the progressive Texan opened strongly last month, pulling in $6.1 million dollars in the first 24 hours. However, the sources of ORourkes donations are as ambiguous as his policies, and his campaign team would only say that they came from all 50 states and territories. READ MORE: Beto strolls into 2020 Democratic primary, gets upstaged by his own dog ORourke, who smashed fundraising records in his failed bid to unseat Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R) last year, is currently polling fourth, behind Biden and Senators Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris, in the same Politico poll. Bernie Sanders The progressive godfather, the grassroots granddaddy, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders (Independent, but running as a Democrat) managed to pull in $5.9 million in his campaigns first 24 hours back in February. Thanks to a network of grassroots donors cultivated during his 2016 primary campaign, Sanders first-day fundraising was unmatched until ORourke and then Biden entered the race. Also on rt.com Bernie Sanders raises $6mn on first day of campaign...and former Clinton staffer blames Russia True to form for the self-described socialist, the majority of Sanders donations were small ones. Some 223,000 donors kicked in an average of $27 each, less than half of the average donation to Biden. Sanders too greeted the news of Bidens closed-doors fundraiser with disdain. "It's a big day in the Democratic primary and we're hoping to end it strong. Not with a fundraiser in the home of a corporate lobbyist, but with an overwhelming number of individual donations in response to today's news, read a campaign email from his team. Sanders is currently polling second among Democrats, trailing Biden by nine points. Whos left? After Sanders, there is a steep drop off in first day donations. Sen. Kamala Harris, currently polling in third, took in $1.5 million in the day after she announced her candidacy in January. The remaining 15 candidates have all had to contend with a first day purse of less than a million dollars. Evaluating the continued fundraising efforts of the top-name candidates can give some clues as to where their legislative priorities would lie if elected. A candidate taking donations from Silicon Valley can hardly be counted on to regulate tech monopolies for instance. Likewise, a candidate taking money from arms manufacturers is unlikely to advocate for an end to foreign conflict. Although Biden opened strong, the former Vice President still has a lot of catching up to do. Sanders has managed to put together a war chest of $18.2 million in the first quarter of this year, putting him in the overall fundraising lead. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! German ultra-nationalists believe a civil war and an eventual demise of the state will come about, and are preparing for it by training to use firearms and explosives, a local security service has warned. Germanys domestic intelligence agency, the BfV, sounded the alarm over the rise of the underground far-right, according to Die Welt. An intelligence report seen by the paper calls for increased surveillance of so-called preppers a loose network of ultra-nationalists who prepare for apocalyptic scenarios. Those people are collecting firearms and other supplies in preparation for a civil war or a feared collapse of public order in Germany, the BfV revealed. The preppers movement, which first emerged in the US, has long been rooted in survivalism which sees far-right militias making stockpiles of food, ammunition and medicine that they would use in the event of a doomsday scenario. Also on rt.com German police bust far-right terror cell plotting attacks on migrants & political enemies Separately, there is an alarming number of extremists who could plot attacks involving improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and small arms. Notably, many of those on the far-right were indoctrinated a few months or years ago, but were not known to the agency before joining extremist groups. German ultra-nationalists usually radicalize through social media and right-wing chats, where the perceived spread of Islam and inflow of immigrants dominate most discussions, the BfV report said. However, far-right terrorist acts involving IEDs, knives or arson attacks remain poorly organized, as there are blatant gaps between planning and reality. Nevertheless, some politicians say the far-right scene is a growing threat to public safety. Right-wing extremist structures today are as dangerous for our democracy as they have ever been since 1945, a Green Party MP told Die Welt. READ MORE: Far Reich: Terrorist cell aiming to bring back German Empire raided by cops This is not the first time that German authorities have voiced concern over far-right extremism. Last year, police made arrests of suspected ultra-nationalists who were plotting high-profile attacks on immigrants and people of different political views. And in 2017, it was reported that police had carried out extensive raids in several German states on premises linked to the far-right, finding a list containing names, addresses and photos of over 5,000 politicians, mostly belonging to left-wing or liberal parties. The group that was targeted in the search included both an active-duty police officer and a lawyer who has denied that the document was a kill list. Like this story? Share it with a friend! An Iranian UAV has reportedly brazenly approached a US aircraft carrier group in the Persian Gulf to film the ships close-up in HD. The images were shared by Tehran's semi-official news agency. The undated clip, which was released by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, showed a homemade Ababail-3 drone taking off from an Iranian airfield to a rather epic tune. Also on rt.com Irans Revolutionary Guards top commander warns US carrier not to pass near its speed boats media Its audacious mission proved successful, according to Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, which reported on the close-up shots of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier apparently taken by the UAV. The footage was made from such a small distance that the numbers on the wings of E-2C reconnaissance planes and F-18 fighter jets on deck are easily distinguishable. The Iranian graphic designers even captioned some of the aircraft in the video. Tasnim hinted that the drone flyby was a response to the US designating the Revolutionary Guard a "terrorist organization" earlier in April. It was the first time that a whole foreign military was put on the blacklist by Washington. Also on rt.com 'Now we're switching it up': US carrier enters Persian Gulf for 1st time since Iran deal withdrawal USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is the flagship of the Carrier Strike Group 10, which also includes guided-missile cruisers USS Monterey, USS San Jacinto and USS Vella Gulf. The air wing of the 333-meter-long aircraft carrier consists of around 90 planes and helicopters. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Italys Deputy PM Matteo Salvini was lured into a selfie trap by a pair of female students, who kissed in front of him and started a meme avalanche. But the supposedly anti-LGBT Salvini shot back by posting the viral photo. Appearing at a rally in Sicily in support of fellow Northern League politician Oscar Aiello, Salvini posed for a selfie with two students who appeared to be fans. Instead of smiling and waving, the two women launched into a passionate kiss that caught Salvini off guard. Hello friend, read the caption on the photo. Apparently, the couple kissed in front of Salvini to protest against his attendance at the World Congress of Families in Verona in March. The congress, which seeks to promote traditional family values, was picketed by LGBT and feminist groups. The pair were then apparently separated by a security guard, who slipped a hand in between the kissing duo. The Italian media pounced, and LGBT outlets praised the two girls for standing up to Salvinis anti-LGBT views. The kiss also became meme-fodder, with classical paintings and the famous socialist fraternal kiss between Soviet premier Leonid Brezhnev and East German leader Erich Honecker swapped in place of the lesbian lovers. With left-wing Italians cheering the womens brave stunt, Salvini himself tweeted the photo, wishing the sisters his greetings, peace and wellness. Some observers were less impressed with the girls protest. You brave girls who kissed in front of Salvini, one wrote. Why dont they do it during an Islamic prayer? Like this story? Share it with a friend! Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the shooting at a California synagogue, and announced that he will host a summit to discuss the increasing number of anti-Semitic attacks around the world. In a statement released on Sunday, the Israeli leader said that the international community must step up the struggle against anti-Semitism. Netanyahu also stated that he would convene a special meeting to discuss issues surrounding the upsurge in anti-Semitic attacks around the world. The comments come in the wake of a shooting at a synagogue in Poway, near San Diego, California, which killed one worshipper and left three others injured. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin also weighed in, describing the recent shooting as a painful reminder that anti-Semitism and hatred of Jews is still with us, everywhere. He added: "No country and no society are immune (to anti-Semitism). Only through education for Holocaust remembrance and tolerance can we deal with this plague." Germany and France have raised alarm over an uptick in anti-Semitic violence and vandalism, while the United States has experienced another deadly synagogue shooting in just the last six months. Also on rt.com California synagogue gunman possible suspect in mosque arson, linked to Christchurch-style manifesto A shooting that occurred in October at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania killed 11 people and injured seven, making it the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the United States. In December, the FBI arrested an admirer of Islamic State who was allegedly plotting to carry out a copycat attack in Toledo, Ohio. Like this story? Share it with a friend! John T. Earnest has been named in media reports as the gunman who opened fire on worshippers inside the Chabad of Poway synagogue, killing one woman. He reportedly cited the New Zealand mosque attack as his inspiration. The man behind the deadly rampage on Saturday afternoon that left one person dead and three injured has been tentatively identified as John T. Earnest., a 19-year-old white male from San Diego, NBC reported, citing "multiple law enforcement sources." Also on rt.com 1 killed, 3 injured as gunman opens fire at California synagogue Police have so far has not disclosed the suspect's identity, nor have they speculated about his motive for what both President Donald Trump and Poway Mayor Steve Vaus denounced as an apparent hate crime. A manifesto which some believe was penned by the attacker and published shortly before he went on a shooting spree inside the temple on Saturday, has been circulated on social media. San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore acknowledged that police have been combing through the suspect's social media posts and an "open letter" he allegedly wrote in the run-up to the attack, but said the officers have yet to prove authenticity of the purported evidence. "We have copies of his social media posts and his 'open letter' and will be reviewing those to determine the legitimacy of it and exactly how it plays into the investigation," he said. The 8-page document, which has since been reviewed by several media outlets, bears striking similarities to the manifesto attributed to the Christchurch mosque attacker and cites him as an inspiration. The manifesto is written in the form of a questionnaire with the author answering his own questions about ideology, his attitude to religion and terrorism. Filled with anti-Semitic slurs and racist rants, the manifesto blames "Jewry" for "sealing the doom" of the European race. The author, who introduces himself as a "man of European ancestry" and "a descendent of one of the original colonists," says that although he as an "individual" may kill only a small number of Jews, he hopes that his grim act would inspire others "to take a stand." In the manifesto Earnest reportedly admits to setting a nearby mosque on fire a month before. The mosque was defaced with spray-painted graffiti with a reference to the New Zealand attack. Police told NBC they are now working to confirm if Earnest might have been behind the arson, which did not lead to any casualties and caused minor damage. Erneast allegedly wrote on Reddit that he was planning to stream his shooting live on Facebook, but the plans were reportedly fell apart after Facebook froze his account. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! The worlds largest diamond miner by volume, Russias Alrosa, has revealed a huge light yellow rough diamond weighing almost 118.91 carats at its deposit in the northeastern region of Yakutia. The precious stone, unearthed earlier this month, is the biggest discovery among the gemstone-quality diamonds at the companys International mine over the past two years. A similar 109.61 carat gem was extracted at the same deposit in the summer of 2017. The latest discovery is nearly a perfect example of a light yellow rough diamond, which has salient edges, one of them with cleavage, and small inclusions in the central zone, according to Alrosas press-release. This crystal is unique as it has a large clean area despite the inclusions in the center this makes it a gem-quality diamond, Evgeny Agureev, member of the management board and director of the United Selling Organization at Alrosa, said. According to the top-executive, the International diamond deposit is well-known for diamonds of hallmark shape and purity. The mine regularly brings octahedron shaped diamonds with smooth edges. Alrosa may name the newly-mined gem Zarya (Dawn) as the crystal was extracted on the eve of launching a new diamond field carrying the same name at the companys Aykhal Mining and Processing Plant. Opened in 1969, the International deposit is currently the world leader in high-quality diamond content. The average content in different periods of mining reached 12 carats per ton. This is reportedly the world's largest carat content per ton of ore. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section Former Indiana Senator and nuclear disarmament champion Richard Lugar has died, aged 87. Lugar was honored by the Russian embassy in Washington for legislation that helped Russia dispose of thousands of Cold War-era weapons. Lugar passed away on Sunday, from complications related to chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, or CIPD, a rare neurological disorder, the Lugar Center in Washington said in a statement. In his 36 years in the Senate, Lugar is chiefly remembered for traits now sadly lacking in American politics: A willingness to work with his Democratic colleagues, a desire to limit the spread of deadly weapons worldwide, and the conviction to work alongside Russia to make this happen. It may seem improbable today, but there were times Russia and the US closely cooperated on issues of security, and Lugar was at the forefront of this effort. The Russian embassy in Washington honored the late Senator on Sunday, highlighting his work in fostering cooperation between the two nuclear powers. Lugars most lasting achievement was a piece of legislation authored with Democratic Senator Sam Nunn in 1991. With the Cold War over and the Soviet Union dissolved, the worlds attention turned to the stockpile of nuclear weapons that had built up over decades of frozen conflict with the USA. The Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program passed in the face of disinterest from Congress and without the support of the George HW Bush administration. Beginning in 1992, the program provided funding to help Russia and other former USSR countries to dismantle over 7,000 nuclear warheads, 2,300 missiles, and 194 nuclear test tunnels. The program also improved security at nuclear and chemical weapons sites, and paid for 58,000 former weapons scientists to transition into peaceful employment. Russia has since switched one Nunn-Lugar site into an environmentally friendly missile decommissioning site, and opened another facility to dismantle its chemical weapons reserves. Lugar visited Russia several times over the years, including in 2005 with the then-Illinois Senator Barack Obama. A statesman of a bygone era, Lugar launched a failed bid for the presidency in 1996, under the slogan nuclear security and fiscal sanity. Security and sanity didnt translate into votes, however, and Lugar failed to build rapport with the public and wrapped up his campaign after failing to secure a single delegate at his partys convention. Lugars re-election campaign in 2012 also saw the longtime foreign-policy buff lose out to a new breed of Republican. His Tea Party-backed opponent Richard Mourdock slated Lugar for supporting Obamas bailout programs and raising the debt ceiling. Lugar has clearly lost his way, Mourdock proclaimed at the time. Vice President Mike Pence paid tribute to Lugar on Sunday, calling the deceased Senator a friend and mentor. We will miss his kindness, example, and wisdom, Pence said. Indiana and America will never forget the leadership and service of Senator Richard Lugar. Obama also sent his condolences. He understood the intricacies of Americas power and the way words uttered in Washington echo around the globe, he wrote. But perhaps most importantly, he exhibited the truth that common courtesy can speak across cultures. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez socialist party PSOE is set to come out on top in Sundays elections, but itll have to form a coalition in the fragmented parliament. Meanwhile, right-wing party Vox enters with over 20 seats. With the Spanish political landscape increasingly fragmented, voters went to the polls on Sunday to take part in the countrys third general election in four years. Turnout was a high 75 percent, and all 350 seats in Spains Congress of Deputies were up for grabs. With 84 percent of votes counted by Sunday evening, Sanchez decision to call a snap election in February looks to have paid off. His socialist PSOE party looks set to take 123 seats, or 29 percent of the vote. Previously, Sanchez led a minority government of 85 deputies, with the support of a handful of independence-favoring Catalonian parties. Spains center-right Peoples Party (PP) looks to have been eviscerated at the polls, netting only 65 seats, or 16 percent of the vote. The PP won 137 seats in the 2016 election, but were ousted from power following a no-confidence motion from Sanchez last year. Populist centrist party Ciudadanos which represents Catalonians who oppose the regions independence movement looks set to take 57 seats, or 15 percent of the vote. The party scored 32 seats in 2016. Left-wing anti-austerity party Podemos lost out on Sunday, taking 35 seats, or 12 percent of the vote. The party, which sought to attract left-wing voters dissatisfied with the PSOE, has been rocked by infighting since it won 45 seats in 2016. Also on rt.com Catalan indies, Steve Bannon proteges: Spanish centrist parties pick allies in fragmented elections The rise of right-wing contenders Vox has been watched closely by the worlds media. Strongly opposed to regional independence movements and proudly against the liberalism of Sanchezs PSOE, Vox was supported by former Donald Trump strategist Steve Bannon. The hardline conservatives are on track to pick up 24 seats, or 10 percent of the vote. Although some media outlets hungry to depict the rise of the far right predicted a higher score, 10 percent is a significant jump from 2016, when the party won only 0.2 percent of the vote. With the count continuing, these numbers could fluctuate. However, it is highly likely that the PSOE will look to form a coalition government as soon as possible. The most probable possibility is the socialist party supported by minority and regional parties, Marc Sanjaume-Calvet, political science researcher at Universitat Pompeu Fabra told RT. Podemos could also lend their support to a left-wing coalition, as could the centrists of Ciudadanos. Hopes for a right-wing coalition have been all but dashed. The PP, Ciudadanos, and Vox could band together, but would still come up more than 30 seats short of a majority, and could not dream of securing the support of any of the regional independence parties. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Pakistan, which has been Indias arch-nemesis for decades, will never be treated as a friend in New Delhi, and it will be the biggest weakness to consider Islamabad as a friendly neighbor, its deputy foreign minister has said. Vijay Kumar Singh, Indias Minister of State for External Affairs, made the stern remark while in Jaipur, according to local media. He said he was aware of some opposition politicians calling to mend ties with Pakistan, but doubted that this will ever come true. A country which has been triggering proxy wars against India besides being a terrorist hub can never be treated as a friend, Singh said, reiterating a long-standing Indian claim that Pakistan is aiding and abetting militants in the contested Kashmir. Treating Pakistan as a friend will be the biggest weakness of India. Tensions between the two nuclear-armed rivals mounted on the back of a cross-border standoff earlier this year, when India responded with airstrikes to a high-profile terror attack it blamed on Pakistan-based Islamist group. Pakistan didnt sit idle as well, engaging Indian jets and shooting down a pilot who was later returned home. Also on rt.com Nuclear-armed India & Pakistan vowed missile strikes during Kashmir standoff report India and Pakistan have been at odds since the violent partition of British India back in 1947. The conflict is being fueled by deep sectarian tensions and territorial claims, most notably in Kashmir. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! The seven-fold increase in Capt Amarinder Singhs income after becoming Chief Minister was attributable directly to his salary and perquisites, as well as sale of certain properties, for which there was no provision to mention in the form 26 affidavit submitted by his wife, Preneet Kaur, with her nomination papers as Congress candidate from Patiala. A spokesperson on Saturday said that while Capt Amarinders individual income in 2016-17 was Rs. 12.14 lakhs, his HUF income was nil. At the end of fiscal 2017-18, the chief minister had earned Rs. 81.43 lakhs as monthly salary and perquisites resulting from his position, which included yearly salary of Rs 72 lakhs and interest from banks and other financial institutions shown in his income tax returns. The spokesman said he had earned Rs. 9.72 lakhs as Karta of Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) during 2017-18, on account of difference of capital gain by sale of property. As far as increase in value of assets was concerned, the same had gone up from Rs. 48.29 crores to Rs. 58.40 crores in the last two years, said the spokesperson, adding that the increase was the result of sale of certain properties. The details of these sales were Rs. 4 crores as advance received against sale of land in Himachal Pradesh, Rs 5 crores from sale of HUF land in village Bahadurgarh Patiala, Rs 1 crore against sale of land in village Marzi and Rs. 1.25 crore from sale of Dubai flat. Out of the sale proceeds, Rs 3.71 had gone into purchase of land in village Siswan, with another Rs. 4.71 crore incurred on construction of a house on this land. The spokesman said that while all these details had been furnished in the previous IT returns filed for year ended March 2018, these could not be provided in the affidavit submitted by Preneet as Form 26 affidavit regarding Moveable and Immoveable properties of the spouse requires only declaration of total assets, with no column to depict the sale of properties and assets. In a move that many have interpreted as a shot across the bow of US President Donald Trump, Pope Francis has donated $500,000 to help Central American migrants stranded in Mexico as they try to reach America. The aid is specifically intended to assist 75,000 people who arrived in Mexico last year as part of six migrant caravans. The donation will be taken from the Catholic Churchs Peters Pence fund, from church collections around the world. Peters Pence said in a statement that aid to migrants by governments and private individuals has dropped as global media coverage of the crisis decreased. All these people were stranded, unable to enter the United States, without a home or livelihood, Peters Pence said. The Catholic Church hosts thousands of them in hotels within the dioceses or religious congregations, providing basic necessities, from housing to clothing. Also on rt.com Trump cuts all aid to Guatemala, Honduras & El Salvador The US has heaped pressure on Mexico to stop the flow of migrants from Central America moving towards the US border. Last month, Trump cut all aid to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, accusing the Central American countries of not doing a thing for us. Many have interpreted the Popes donation as a rebuke of Trumps policies towards migrants and some are even saying that the US president is being trolled by the pontiff. However, not everyone is happy that this is how the Pope chose to use the funds. Pope Francis recently spoke out against governments that build walls to keep out migrants, saying: Those who build walls will become prisoners of the walls they put up. Many of the migrants attempting to reach the US say they are escaping violence, persecution and poverty in their home countries. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Two main suspects connected to the recent Sri Lanka terror attacks have been detained by police, according to a local news portal citing police. Two brothers believed to be the main suspects behind the series of bombings that targeted several churches and luxury hotels have been arrested and handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Sri Lankan Police, Ada Derana reported. Last weeks terror attacks killed at least 253 people and injured hundreds more. Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIL/ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the bombings. Also on rt.com Sri Lankan military finds 15 bodies, including 6 kids, after shootout at suspected militant hideout Nearly 10,000 soldiers are searching the country for suspects linked to the attack, with over 70 individuals detained so far. Fifteen bodies, including six children, were found at the site of a shootout that broke out Friday night between military police and suspected militants. to RT newsletter to get stories the mainstream media wont tell you. He always knew a thing or two about magic tricks, a tongue-in-cheek ad of Russians NTV channel said as it announced its new show will be hosted by none other than comedian-turned-Ukrainian president-elect, Volodymyr Zelensky. The Russian TVs promo was in itself a trick: the show was actually filmed back in 2011 for another channel, which apparently didnt find it good enough and shelved it. But NTV decided to dig it out after Zelensky crushed incumbent president, Petro Poroshenko, in the second round of the Ukrainian election in April and became the talk of the town not only at home, but in Russia too. The first episode of the program called Magiya (magic) is to be broadcast late on Friday. Its a competition for illusionists and prestidigitators, whose skills are judged by a panel of celebrities. The channel didnt hesitate to seemingly mock its own soon-to-be host. In the teaser, Zelensky is heard saying: Is it a problem? Its not a problem. Money talks, which may very well refer to claims that his sudden rise to power is due to the financial backing of Ukrainian oligarch Igor Kolomoysky. In another fragment, the president-elect tears a $100 note into tiny pieces in a failed hocus-pocus. Also on rt.com Is this man the puppet master of Ukraines new president or an overhyped bogeyman? But the Russian internet didnt find airing the program such a good idea, with many people vowing to unfollow the channel on Twitter and stop watching it from now on. A new show from eight years ago. Why not find something in 1995? one of the users wrote. The others wondered if it was all a joke and pointed out that using Zelensky for PR was crazy on NTV's part. Another commentator, either joking or oblivious, suggested that the president-elect found work on Russian television as he needs money to repay Ukraines debt to the IMF. There was also an opinion that the comedian only won the Ukrainian presidential election to be able to return to the Russian screens. Also on rt.com Putin jokes Ukrainian president is not Lord God & doesnt have to appear before him Zelensky is a controversial figure in Russia where he used to be quite popular, starring in movies and working as a TV host. But he changed his ways drastically after Russias reunification with Crimea and the breakout of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. He returned to Kiev and began actively bashing the Kremlin in his comedy performances. Following the successful presidential race where he used his actor talent to the max in campaign videos, and set outrageous debate terms to meet his opponent Petro Poroshenko at an actual stadium, Zelensky has claimed in a Facebook post that he was ready to discuss new conditions of coexistence of Ukraine and Russia. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! While Madhya Pradesh would go for polling in six constituencies on April 29, Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) has found that there are millionaire candidates besides several who have criminal cases against them and couple of them are also illiterate. The ADR, which has studied the details of 104 candidates had deduced that the contest in first phase has crorepati, tainted and illiterate candidates as well. The poll arena is packed with crorepati candidates and top three of them belong to Congress. Nakul, son of Chief Minister Kamal Nath and a candidate from Chhindwara, owns a fortune of Rs 660 crore while eminent lawyer and the Rajya Sabha member Vivek Tankha who is contesting from Jabalpur has assets worth Rs 66 crore while former Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh has belongings worth Rs 37 crore. BJP state president Rakesh Singh has assets worth over Rs 4 crore. Tankha tops the chart in terms of annual income as his latest ITR has put his income at Rs 11 crore and surprisingly the billionaire Nakul Nath has reported an annual income of Rs two crore. Among these millionaires, there are some candidates who come from a very humble background and one of them, Lallan Kumar from Sidhi has belongings of Rs 1,823, and is the poorest of them all in the fray for the first phase of polling in Madhya Pradesh. Another candidate Ram Sahay from Sidhi has assets worth Rs 6,134 and Rs 10,300 is the value of assets owned by Dhanuk, a candidate from Jabalpur. Out of the 104 candidates analysed by the ADR, 14 per cent have reported criminal cases while 8 per cent have admitted that there are cases of serious offences registered against them. A total of 17 per cent Congress candidates have declared criminal cases against them while none of the BJP candidates in the fray in first phase has any criminal case lodged against them. Among these former MLA Kankar Munjare who is contesting this time on BSP ticket at Balaghat carries various criminal charges against him including case of attempt to murder, wrongful confinement and rioting. Congress leader Ajay Singh also has cases including rioting, defamation and others against him. BJP State head Rakesh Singh also has several cases against him which mostly deal with rioting and unlawful assembly. Hitting out at opposition leaders, Bharatiya Janata Party national president Amit Shah said the Narendra Modi government would throw out intruders even though many political parties were shedding crocodile tears in the name of human rights. Addressing a series of election meetings in Barabanki and Mohanlalganj on Sunday, Shah said that when the government introduced the citizenship bill, leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee and Chandrababu Naidu opposed it in the name of human rights. BJP is going to form the next government and Narendra Modi will be the prime minister once again. We will throw out any intruder because we do not want outsiders to enjoy the fruits of hard work of our people, Shah said. The Vijay Sankalp rally in Barabanki was held in Nindura village where Shah asked people to vote for Upendra Rawat. We have a Prime Minister who thinks about people and formulates the policies which talk about development. This is reflected in our election manifesto which talks about national security. We are committed to ensuring that no infiltration takes place in the country any more, he said. The BJP president said that during the last five years, Modiji had made it clear that no one could take India for granted any more. What happened in Balakot is now history. When Indian Air Force carried out an air strike, gloom descended on two places one in Pakistan and two in the offices of the Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party. I do not know why they looked sad? Was it because their relatives were killed in that air strike? he said and added that the opposition could play coy to terrorists but Modi had made it clear that if Pakistan fired a bullet India would fire a bomb. Shah said that there were some leaders who wanted a separate prime minister for Kashmir. They belong to that party whose leaders have chanted Pakistan zindabad. Congress is silent on these leaders. Not even Bua and Bhatija are talking about it. This clearly shows that these leaders have pro-Pakistan leaning, the BJP president said. Shah said Modi had not taken a leave in the last five years while Rahul Gandhi goes for vacation to foreign country every year. This is the commitment of Modi towards his work and I do not know what will you say about Rahul Gandhi, he said. Shah in all his speeches talked about achievements of the Modi government and how people stood benefited by them. The response of the people made it clear that people again wanted to see Modi as the next prime minister of the country. The National Aviator's Guild (NAG), which represents pilots of the grounded carrier Jet Airways, Saturday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "direct" the airline's lender State Bank of India (SBI) to release one month's salary of all the employees. In a late evening e-mail to the prime minister, the guild also sought government's directive to "stop de-registration" of the airline's aircraft, which are now being leased by other domestic carriers. "We urge you to direct SBI to release a month's salary to all employees on an urgent and humane basis. We don't want to see a repeat of the human tragedy which unfolded post the Kingfisher Airlines demise," said NAG president Karan Chopra in the e-mail. Thousands of employees of Kingfisher lost over eight months' salary after the airline went bust in October 2012. The guild also sought to expedite the binding bid date for the Jet Airways stake to "preserve" enterprise value of the airline. It also urged the government to ascertain if there was a "premeditated conspiracy" to delay bid declaration or any other "illegal move" was afoot to allow those who have bid as individual entities to team up as a consortium now. On Friday, Jet Airways chief executive Vinay Dube had said there was no commitment on the part of stakeholders on paying salaries. The airline has not paid March salaries to its over 20,000 employees. Jet ceased operations on April 17. The airline suspended operations after the SBI-led consortium of lenders rejected its demand of a Rs 983-crore lifeline to help carry out operations and pay salaries. Jodhpurthe second largest district in Rajasthan and one of the 13 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state going for polls on April 29is grabbing eyeballs thanks to a contest between Vaibhav Gehlot, Congress candidate and son of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Gajendra Singh, BJP candidate and Minister of State, Agriculture in the Union Government. The importance of the seat can be understood from the fact that out of Ashok Gehlot 136 meetings in Rajasthan till now, 93 have been conducted in Jodhpur alone. Speaking with Moneycontrol, Gajendra Singh questioned, "I just want to ask Ashok Gehlot that how many meeting he held at the time when Badri Jakhar, son of a farmer was contesting from Jodhpur or Chandresh Kumari fought election from Jodhpur. This time Gehlot is going home to home for seeking vote for his son." Singh further alleged the Chief Minister has been misusing the government machinery in this election which is not acceptable. Singh also accused Gehlot of failing to send a list of eligible farmers to the Centre for PM's recently-launched Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. "BJP government is giving Rs 6,000 per year to farmers. However, the Rajasthan government has not sent the list of farmers to the ministry, just for avoiding political benefit to BJP. Moreover, they have not waived off the farm loans, a promise that Rahul Gandhi made during assembly election" Interestingly, Jodhpur is the only seat in Rajasthan where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shahboth came to campaign. However, Singh downplayed it saying it was just a coincidence that both visited the constituency from where he is contesting. Gajendra Singh thinks a local leader Hanuman Beniwal's political outfit, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party's (RLP) inclusion in the NDA will aid his cause. "We welcome his party in the NDA. Surely, we will get more jat votes because of Beniwal. RLP is the only party that in 19 days of formation won three assembly seats." Alleging that the Model Code of Conduct has become "Modi code of conduct", the Congress on April 27 questioned the EC's "silence" over poll code "violations" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, and said it may approach courts to seek action against the duo. The two leaders have "cheated" on the issue of level playing field for all parties during elections and questioned the "silence of mega policeman" Election Commission (EC), Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi alleged at a press conference. "We have a right to approach the courts seeking action over model code violations... we can exercise that option... the mega policeman has turned a blind eye," Singhvi said, adding that silence can be construed as approval. Taking a jibe at the poll panel, he said the Congress is saddened to say that it seems that from the second word of Election Commission, 'C' has been dropped, and it has become "Election Omission" for the Modi-Shah duo. Singhvi wondered whether Modi and Shah are outside the ambit of the Model Code of Conduct, which he dubbed as "Modi code of conduct". He claimed that the two leaders have violated the poll code broadly under three categories: polarisation of votes, invoking armed forces in campaigns and taking out rallies on election days. "The EC has taken action against several leaders for violating the poll code based on our complaints. We appreciate that. Since the precedent has been set, why not take action against Modi and Shah," he said. "We are sad to say that the Modi-Shah duo has become a kind of an arch of immunity as far as the Election Commission's jurisdiction goes, as far as the Model Code of Conduct goes," Singhvi said. Never has there been a more "audacious set of individuals" who for petty electoral gains have turned a blind eye to the existence of the EC, poll code and the Constitution, he alleged. "I can understand the selfish petty motives of the party in power, but, what we cannot understand is how the mega policemen, the Election Commission, for this 50-day window of elections turned a blind eye to such egregious, wanton, unashamed conduct day in and day out," Singhvi said. "I salute them (EC) for acting on our complaint, where I have personally appeared and argued for the same issues I gave three categories hate speech, armed forces and doing campaigning while voting," the Congress leader said. On two of these issues, the EC had passed orders prohibiting or curtailing campaigning activities, he said, citing the case of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The chief minister was barred by the EC from campaigning for 72 hours. Singhvi said in the past 25 days, he has personally led at least 15 delegations to the commission. He urged the poll panel to follow its own orders and precedents while looking into the complaints against Modi and Shah. The Congress leader said are there "two laws in this country for the prime minister and for Amit Shah on the one hand and for others on the other". "Is there a discriminatory application by their tomb like silence on these two persons? Is the EC not directly, not tacitly, directly accepting endorsing and supporting such conduct?" he asked. "Therefore, we are now complaining through you (EC) only when the water has risen above our head. The people of India demand an explanation for this inaction, for this silence and although we are doing everything in our power, including, if necessary, moving court. The point is why is the Election Commission not doing anything," Singhvi said. By not doing anything, the poll panel is in fact deciding by default, he alleged. Responding to questions on reported remarks by Congress leaders P C Chacko and Shatrughan Sinha on Yasin Malik and Mohammed Ali Jinnah respectively, he said while Sinha has clarified his comments, it would be better if Chacko was approached directly on the issue. National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on April 27 said Prime Minister Narendra Modi "failed" to carry forward the legacy of A B Vajpayee during his stint in power. "Modi has failed to carry forward the legacy of Vajpayee. The people of J-K did not see him (Modi) put into practice the catch words of 'Jamhooriyat, Insaniyat and Kashmiriyat', Abdullah said addressing a public meet at Damhal Hanjipura in Kulgam district of south Kashmir. The NC president said the people of the state have not seen Modi deliver on his promises. "His (Modi's) words have been confined to rhetoric only. Had he the sincerity of thought to implement it, he would have done so since 2014, however, no concrete step was taken by the incumbent BJP government led by PM Modi to realize it on ground. "Today we see him tout 'Vajpayee formula', why didn't he implement it on ground for past five years. We didn't see him do justice either with the people of our state. On the contrary the people of our state have never in history suffered so immensely as they did during PM Modi-led BJP government," Abdullah said. Underscoring the need of dialogue between India and Pakistan, Abdullah said the NC has always maintained that dialogue was the only way to resolve the Kashmir issue. "Our party deems Indo- Pak camaraderie essential for peace and prosperity to return to our state, which always comes in the line of fire between the two. There is no substitute to dialogue, he said. The former Union minister said there has been "an exponential increase in miseries" faced by the people of the state since BJP-PDP embraced each other in 2015. He said the parliamentary polls were significant as the people of the state were voting for the identity and the integrity of the state. "Our state is facing a grim situation. The need of the hour demands us to forge unity. The situation is no different from the British era. The British prolonged their rule in India with their divide and rule policy. "We aren't still independent in true sense, today our people continue to fall prey to the shenanigans of those forces who for their petty electoral gains are dividing the people on caste, creed and sectarian considerations, he said. He asked people to remain vigilant of such forces as their sole agenda was to "destroy" the pluralistic visage, unique identity and special constitutional status of the state. "We have to speak in one voice, if we want to protect our identity. Today, our sole agenda is to secure the state's unique identity, however, we cannot think of taking on our enemies if we fall prey to their divisive agenda, he said. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday said BJP had ensured jobs to unemployed youths on merit basis without doing injustice with anyone as was the past practice. Addressing the Vijay Sankalp Rally in the Ahirwal belt of Southern Haryana, the Chief Minister said it was wrong to say that the BJP had given jobs to anyone as it were the youth who on the basis of their qualifications got the jobs they deserved. Khattar said the previous governments made the families of youths, who were given jobs, their slaves. The jobs were given on recommendation slip and corruption was rampant, he said, adding that the BJP brought in a system of recruitment which had total transparency. The CM said all citizens must contribute to make India a super power in the world. To achieve this it had to be ensured that Narendra Modi returned as Prime Minister for the second term, he added. He charged the Congress with having worked only for their own welfare and that of their relatives. They carried out development in selective areas and ignored larger parts of the state, he said, adding that due to alleged corrupt practices many Congress leaders were out on bail. Khattar said BJP had chalked out schemes to ensure that in coming five years there will be no family left whose annual income would not be Rs one lakh. He gave details of various development schemes including Ayushman Bhart Yojna, Ujjawala Yojna and Crop Insurance Scheme launched by the BJP for the welfare of various sections. Referring to the water crisis in Southern Haryana, he said during their over 40 years rule, the previous governments only made plans but did nothing concrete at the ground level to resolve the water crisis. Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said poverty cannot be removed through slogans as was being done by the Congress since past many decades. He said that it was the BJP government which initiated steps to eradicate poverty in the country. Speaking on the occasion Cabinet Minister Rao Narbir Singh said that the country today needed a powerful leadership which could work for the welfare of all sections of the society. Deputy Speaker of Haryana Assembly Santosh Yadav, who is also the MLA from Ateli, said that the Modi government was completing five years at the Centre and Manohar Lal was to later this year complete five years in office, but there was not a single allegation of corruption against the two governments. BJP nominee from Bhiwani Mahendargarh Lok Sabha constituency Dharambir Singh said that to ensure further acceleration of the development works and to complete the unfinished works it was necessary for the country to have a BJP government for the second term. Among others present include District BJP Chief Shiv Kumar Mehta, Chairman of Haryana Agro Industries Corporation Gobind Bhardwaj, Chairman of Cooperative Bank Kanwar Singh Yadav and MLAs Om Parkash Yadav and Abhay Singh Yadav. After the BJP accused the Trinamool Congress of inviting Bangladeshi actors in its campaign in the state, it is the TMC's turn to move the EC alleging that "American" wrestler "The Great Khali" had taken part in the electioneering of a saffron party nominee here. The TMC has lodged a complaint with the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer that BJP's candidate for Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency, Anupam Hazra, had taken the wrestler along while campaigning on April 26. Dalip Singh Rana aka "The Great Khali" holds US citizenship and the BJP was trying to influence Indian voters by using his "celebrity status", the complaint said. "A foreigner should not be allowed to influence the minds of the Indian electors as he has little or no knowledge as to who should be an appropriate MP in India," the complaint lodged by the TMC said. In an interview to the media, Khali had said, "Whenever he (Hazra) calls me, wherever I am called, I will make it. I have specially come from America to support my younger brother. I want to request everyone to cast their votes for him. Do not waste your votes. Anupam is a learned man, he knows your troubles and will be able to serve you better than anyone else." The TMC urged the EC to take "strictest possible steps against Khali as well as the candidate". BJP leader Mukul Roy, however, said Khali holds the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card and can work and live in India. The OCI is an immigration status permitting a foreigner of Indian origin to live and work in India indefinitely. "Khali is an Indian citizen and therefore he has done no crime accompanying Anupam (Hazra) while filing nomination for the general elections," Roy, convener of BJP election management committee in West Bengal, told PTI. The TMC had courted controversy after two Bangladeshi actors Ferdous Ahmed and Gazi Noor were seen participating at rallies of the TMC candidates. Ferdous was seen at rallies of TMC's Raiganj nominee Kanhaiya Lal Agarwal in Hemtabad and Karandighi near the Indo-Bangladesh border while Noor was found on an open jeep at a road show for TMC's Dumdum candidate Sougata Roy. The central government had expelled Ferdous and asked Noor, who had overstayed in the country, to leave India immediately following complaints lodged by the BJP. San Francisco is reportedly planning to charge a corporate tax that will capture the surge in the valuations of employee stock options, especially when cashed after an IPO. According to a San Francisco Chronicle report, the city's District 4 Supervisor Gordon Mar is planning to propose a 1.12 percent surcharge on stock-based compensation. The companies would be subject to the tax when their employees cash out their stock options, which means companies like Lyft and Pinterest that have gone public recently could be impacted by the measure. This is an important moment for us as a city to really reflect on what has played out in the last decade with the tech boom, Mar told the daily. And how that has played such a direct and indirect role in so many of the challenges that we are having to grapple with in the city, whether thats affordability or traffic congestion, he added. The move may restore the payroll tax rate that existed before 2011 when the Californian city changed its business tax laws to support pre-IPO tech startups so they do not move to other parts of San Francisco Bay Area. The decision played out well for the city as many companies including Square, Twitter and Zendesk decided to monitor operation from San Francisco. However, with a sudden surge in tech startups going public emerging in San Francisco, Mar opined that these companies should pay more to help offset negative impacts of their growth, like traffic congestion and housing affordability. Reports suggest that the proposed tax could be rolled out as early as May, although support of least six members of the Board of Supervisors is needed for it to be applicable. If San Francisco implements the tax, about $100-$200 million could be collected in just the first two years, the report added. Chinese President Xi Jinping met Prime Minister Imran Khan on April 28 and expressed hope that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway to improve their strained relations following the Pulwama terror attack by a JeM suicide bomber. Both leaders also exchanged views on the situations in South Asia, an official Chinese statement said about the meeting between Xi and Khan. The India-Pakistan relations reportedly figured prominently in the meeting. Xi expressed hope that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway and promote the stabilisation and improvement of India-Pakistan relations, it said. Khan arrived in China on April 25 and attended China's 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF) held on April 26-27. The BRF meeting was held to highlight the achievement of the trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) started by Xi in 2013 in which $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an important component. India skipped the meeting for the second time, protesting over the CPEC which is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The April 28 meeting between Xi and Khan was regarded significant as it was held in the backdrop of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the February 14 Pulwama terror attack carried out by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) which killed 40 Indian CRPF soldiers. China had sent its Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou to visit Pakistan in March as part of its efforts to ease the tensions. Khan's meeting with Xi took place when China is under pressure at the United Nations over its repeated attempts to block efforts to declare Pakistan-based JeM leader Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. Last month, China put a technical hold on a resolution put forth by the US, the UK and France at the UN's 1267 counter terrorism committee to declare Azhar as a global terrorist. The US later took the issue to the UN Security Council (UNSC) in a bid to pressure China to take a public stance on Azhar's issue instead of just putting up blocks at the 1267 committee. China had expressed its firm opposition to the issue being taken to the UNSC, saying that the matter headed for settlement and blamed the US for scuttling it. While there is no word here whether the Azhar issue figured in Xi's talks with Khan, officials say there is a sense of wariness on the part of Beijing to block India, the US and other countries' efforts to blacklist him at the UN on behalf of Pakistan. Officials hoped that the issue could be resolved in the coming weeks following Khan's visit to China. Prior to his meeting with Xi, Khan called on Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during which the two countries signed a number of agreements. Earlier, he met Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan. During Sunday's meeting, Xi expressed China's firm support to Pakistan to further the bilateral ties between the all-weather allies. "Pakistan is China's all-weather strategic cooperative partner. China and Pakistan are 'iron friends' and have always firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests." Xi said. China takes Pakistan as a priority in its diplomacy, he said. "No matter how international and regional situations change, China firmly supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and national dignity, choosing its own development path suited to its national conditions, combating terrorist and extremist forces, striving for a sound external security environment, and playing a constructive role in international and regional affairs," Xi said. He said major progress had been made in bilateral cooperation in the construction of the CPEC, especially in areas such as finance, trade and other aspects, the statement said. "In the next stage, China and Pakistan should make more efforts to advance the all-weather strategic cooperation," Xi said. He called on both sides to deepen high-level contacts and mutual support, strengthen strategic communication and promote high-quality cooperation in production capacity, infrastructure construction, people's livelihood and trade within the framework of the BRI. Khan said the CPEC had played an important role in Pakistan's economic development and the improvement of people's lives. He said he believed more and more countries will support and participate in the cooperation under the BRI. Pakistan is willing to consolidate its traditional friendship with China, deepen pragmatic cooperation and enhance communication and coordination with China in multilateral affairs, Khan was quoted as saying in the statement. During his meeting, Khan spoke a few times about India-Pakistan relations and the prospects of peace between the two countries. Addressing Pakistan and China Investment Forum in Beijing on Sunday, he expressed hope that the relations between the two neighbours will improve after the Indian general elections. "We want to build a civilized relationship with our Eastern neighbour and there is a possibility that if we can resolve the Kashmir issue through dialogue, things can improve," he was quoted by state-run Radio Pakistan as saying. April 28, 2019 New York Times Cartoons Influenced San Diego Synagogue Shooter? Yesterday John Earnest, a 19 year old white supremacist, entered a synagogue in San Diego with an AR-15 style weapon. Inside the synagogue, filled with Sabbath worshipers, he open fire and killed one person and wounded three. He fled but later surrendered to police officers. Before the attack Earnest uploaded "an open letter" with lots of anti-Semitic and homophobic tropes. He published the link to the letter on the radical right wing site 8ch.net. The open letter is in the question and answer style of an interview: How does killing Jews help the European race? The European race is doomed? What are you talking about? These Jews were innocent! Every Jew is responsible for the meticulously planned genocide of the European race. They act as a unit, and every Jew plays his part to enslave the other races around himwhether consciously or subconsciously. Their crimes are endless. For lying and deceiving the public through their exorbitant role in news media; ... The author claims that he set fire on nearby mosque last month and says that he drew inspiration from the terrorist who in March killed some 50 people at two mosques in New Zealand. Earnest calls himself a Christian and quotes (evangelical) scripture. There are also a few Q&As about Trump and 'Conservatives' (emphasis added): Are you a Trump supporter? You mean that Zionist, Jew-loving, anti-White, traitorous cocksucker? Dont make me laugh. Are you affiliated with any political ideology? Yes. Its called not wanting to go extinct. Are you a conservative? I am not a useless, spineless coward so noI am not a conservative. Conservative is a misnomer. They conserve nothing. Theyll complain all they want but they wont take up arms and threaten their government with death (the only thing that works). Ever heard about the Battle of Athens (1946)? Find your balls again you insufferable faggots. If you do not defend your rights you deserve none. Where did John Earnest get these antisemitic and homophobic ideas from? It may well be that Earnest read the New York Times. The caricature below appeared in Thursday's international print edition of the New York Times. The sentiment is easy to understand. Trump is blind about the political reality in the Middle East and is 'guided' by Netanyahoo who thereby gets everything he asks for. But why is Trump depicted with a kippah or yarmulke? Trump is a Presbyterian with an Evangelical leaning, not an orthodox Jew. Was a more realistic depiction, Netanyahoo leading the goyim donkey Trump by the nose, too strong? During the 1930s the Nazi weekly Der Sturmer published similar tropes. The "Hofjuden" were those Jews who were said to influence or secretly lead the royal courts. After some uproar the Times apologized: "The image was offensive, and it was an error of judgment to publish it." The homophobic 'cock-sucker' and 'faggots' slurs John Earnest uses may also originate from reading the Times. In mid 2018 the NYT published and promoted an animation that depicted Trump and the Russian president Vladimir Putin as homosexual lovers. The 'paper of the record' is supposedly liberal and zionist. It is owned and led by a Jewish family. Despite that it publishes cartoons that are based on anti-semitic tropes and homophobic slurs. The New York Times is openly hostile towards Trump as well as to Russia. Its hatred seems sufficient to permit the use of cliches it otherwise rejects. It is no wonder then that such sentiments gain in prominence in the wider society. Lunatics like John Earnest pick up on these and use them to justify their terrorism. Posted by b on April 28, 2019 at 12:36 UTC | Permalink Comments Daveste Vineyards has continuously grown over the past 15 years since Dave and Este DeFehr bought the property in 2004. It has no plans of slowing down. The DeFehrs think of their small staff as a family as they all work fairly close together to make the vineyard a success. A big part of the vineyard is not only the wine but the way the wine is expressed through artwork. Daveste Vineyards has an art studio where nine artists gather every Tuesday; the artwork is later used as a label and can be seen around the tasting room. The artists that gather have a bond - a kinship of family. We have been together many, many years, Este said about the Daveste artists. The Daveste artists sometimes even bring in dishes to share, a move that has branched into the idea of a cookbook, Este said. It will feature a recipe pairing with wine and art, Este said. Many of the customers of the vineyard collect the labels and now the book will have them in between recipes. This will be Davestes first cookbook and it is set to come out later this year. The recipes will have something for everybody, including healthier options. Just after 7 a.m. workers found something in the pedestal of the Lee statue that looked like nothing they had seen before. Senior Congress politician and Chhattisgarhs Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey suffered a mild cardiac arrest on Saturday morning in Lucknow and was rushed to hospital that created panic in political circle in his home State. The 60-year-old politician fainted at a hotel in Lucknow around 9 am and was taken to Sahara Hospital. Later he was shifted to Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGI), Lucknow where he was kept in an Intensive Care Unit. Choubey was camping in Uttar Pradesh capital to campaign for party mainly in Amethi and Rae Bareli Lok Sabha parliamentary constituencies. He (Choubey) did not take any water or liquid on Friday night and had stomach upset issue too and at around 9 in morning on Saturday he fainted at hotel and was rushed to hospital, Praveen Shukla, OSD to the Minister, told The Pioneer over phone. He said that doctors attending on him stated that the minister had suffered a mild heart attack. He is doing well now and is completely out of danger, Shukla said while quoting doctors. He informed that the minister would all likely to be discharged within 24-48 hours. As the news of the ministers heart attack broke out, politicians cutting across party line besides well-wishers, his family members and relatives reacted in shock. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel who too was in Lucknow, visited to hospital immediately and ensured the best available medical facilities to the minister who represents Saja assembly seat under Bemetara district. Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh today said that the Congress will form government in Centre after the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 and after the three phase of polling it has been clear that the people of the country are going to reject Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing press meet on Saturday in the State Capital Ramesh, said that the Modi governments countdown has begun as till now polling is over on 302 seats and till the day after tomorrow polling on 400 seats will be completed and one can easily notice it by body language of Modi that they are going to lose the election. Since formation of the government in the Centre, the BJP government has weakened the Forest Rights Act, 2006. A total of 18 lakhs of forest land lease have been given to all states in last 12 years. But Jharkhand distributed a total of 58,000 of forest land lease where Odisha distributed five lakhs and Chhattisgarh has distributed four lakhs of forest land lease. Around 30 per cent of total area of Jharkhand comes under forest area. There are around 15 lakhs of such kinds of family could not get lease of forest land, said Ramesh. Speaking on the inappropriate use of land acquisition law Ramesh said that the UPA government had brought historical Land Acquisition Act, 2013. All the political parties had supported the Act at that time and leader of BJP, Rajnath Singh and Sushma Swaraj had also supported the Act. But in last five years the Centre and the State government has only weakened the Act. The governments have not given proper compensation of a large number of cases of land acquisition in last five years. The State government had tried to weaken years old CNT SPT Act to provide benefit to capitalists, he added. Criticising the Central government on job policy, Ramesh said that according to the data collected by various reputed agencies around one crore people become jobless in 2018 due to wrong policies of the government including demonetization and implementation of goods and services act in haste. Modi is first of its kind of Prime Minister who is not job creator but job destroyer, he added. Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, Bhupesh Baghel also visited the State to canvass vote for the party candidate from Ranchi parliamentary constituency, Subodhkant Sahay on Saturday. Baghel Said that the people of the Country and the State has decided that they to get rid of BJP governments in the Centre and the State. After formation of the State most of the time BJP ruled the State but there is still starvation death, he added. Baghel addressed three public in support of Sahay including Silly, Nimdih and Ormanjhi. For the past several years, the trend in Illinois farming has been to grow both corn and soybeans as major crops, and now those two crops account for the majority of agricultural product and an almost equal amount of acreage. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Illinois devoted nearly the same amount of farmland to corn and soy last year, about 10.8 million acres. David Wessel, a fourth-generation farmer in west-central Illinois, grows corn and soybeans in about equal proportions, and he is typical, he said. Corn, he says, has a much higher yield than soybeans, so in terms of sheer volume, it would be the major crop. But, he says, it is more expensive to grow. Soybeans yield less volume, but are equally profitable because they involve fewer startup costs. Corn is more of a higher-cost crop to put in, so you can save $100 to $150 an acre planting soybeans, he said. Of course your return isnt as much, but when youre not putting in as much out front, you dont need to have as much coming in on the back side, either. While the market for soybeans is at a record high in the United States, Wessel said, most of those grown in Illinois, as well as most of the corn, is exported out of the country, and used to feed livestock, mostly poultry and pork. Worldwide theres a record demand for soy meal and soy products, he said. Theyve got to be sourced from somewhere, whether theyre coming from the United States or coming from South America. Theres still pull for our product. Ratibad police along with Bhopal STF have busted a gang involved in producing counterfeit currency notes and recovered fake currency notes Rs 5,51,670 from three miscreants; two gang members are residents of Jalgaon Maharashtra. Fake currency worth Rs 5.5 lakh was recovered from a Barkhedi Khurd by Ratibad police after monitoring his movements for ten days. The nabbed accused was identified as Waseem Khan of Barkhedi Khurd and recovered fake currency notes of Rs 45570 and a mobile phone from his possession. It was found that the accused was on his way to Ratibad to deliver the fake currency notes in an envelope and was nabbed before he could deliver the consignment. During the further investigation Waseem revealed that fake currency notes are provided by Saddam and based on the information police team was dispatched which nabbed Saddam and recovered fake currency notes of Rs 1.4 lakh. Police quizzed Saddam after which he revealed that Bhupendra Patil alias Bhau has facilitated fake currency notes. Acting swiftly Bhau was nabbed and from his possession Rs 900 were recovered and he his office JK Finance was searched where police team found fake currency notes of Rs 3,65,200 and printer used to produce fake currency notes. Police have registered a case under section 489 A, B, C and D and 34 of the IPC and started search for other members of the nexus. The regions were the gang members used to circulate fake currency notes would be investigated. The period for which the gang members were active is yet to be found. While once scores marked the route of the Ozark Trail highway system, only seven of the 21-foot tall concrete obelisks remain, and three are within easy driving distance of Plainview. Erected nine decades ago when most highways were little more than meandering sets of ruts between widely-scattered communities, the markers were designed to help travelers find their way long before states and federal governments took over the job of maintaining and numbering public roadways. According to the Drive The Old Spanish Trail Web site (www.drivetheost.com), various trail associations were formed early in the 20th century to encourage local communities to improve and maintain roadways and to aid travelers in finding their way. One of those groups was the Ozark Trail Association which employed a green-and-white paint scheme to mark its path. Rather than a single roadway, the Ozark Trail had several principal branches and generally followed a line from St. Louis, Mo., to Santa Fe., N.M. The central Ozark route with key portions eventually becoming Route 66 passed across Oklahoma through Wellington. A second southern route was built through the communities of Childress, Estelline, Tampico, Turkey, Quitaque, Silverton, Tulia, Nazareth and Dimmitt. J.E. Swepston of Tulia was elected Ozark Trail Association president in 1920 and was instrumental in having the markers placed in this area. At first the group simply painted a green OT between two green stripes against a white background on telephone poles, boulders, barns and just about anything that could hold paint. However, in 1913, organization founder and Arkansas resort owner William Hope Coin Harvey suggested erecting white pillars bearing the inscription Ozark Trails. At the groups 1918 convention, Harvey galvanized his proposal by suggesting that concrete obelisks four-cornered slender shafts topped by pyramids be erected at junctions where the Ozark Trails branched and at intersections with major roadways. He initially envisioned a string of 12 large pyramids from Springfield, Mo., to Romeroville, N.M. (near Las Vegas, N.M.) where a 50-foot shaft would mark its junction with the historic Santa Fe Trail. In 1919 the group agreed on a standard design a tall, tapered concrete shaft resting on a square base and illuminated by five lights. Along two or more sides were painted names and distances of towns along the Ozark Trail. While there is no record of the actual number of markers constructed, according to DTOST and other online sources, today only seven obelisks are known to survive. Texas has four of those markers. Two in Dimmitt and Wellington were moved from their original spots in the middle of major intersections to more traffic-friendly curbside locations. Wellingtons marker also was reconstructed to a shorter height. The pyramids in Tampico (a ghost town between Turkey and Quitaque) and Tulia are in their original locations. Castro Countys marker, originally in the intersection of U.S. 385 and Texas 86, was built in the early 1920s for $600. It was reportedly moved to its present location on the courthouse square by pioneer settler Edwin Goose Ramey. It lists distances in miles from Dimmitt to Amarillo, 63; Lubbock, 80; Albuquerque, 275; Oklahoma City, 325; Fort Worth, 396; Dallas, 438; Denver, 463; and Austin, 476. Tulias marker is in the intersection of Maxwell and Broadway. The west side lists mileage to towns going east: Silverton, 32; Quitaque, 53; Turkey, 65; Estelline, 100; Memphis, 107; Wellington, 132; Hollis, Okla., 145; Chandler, Okla., 378; Stroud, Okla., 392; Tulsa, Okla., 450; Monte Ne, Ark., 534; Joplin, Mo., 588; Springfield, Mo., 609; Kansas City, Mo., 720; St. Louis, Mo., 928; Pittsburg, Kan., 595. Swisher County Museum Director Alan Glasscock explained that the marker was originally placed in the middle of the intersection of the Amarillo highway and the Silverton highway. The marker has never moved, but over time the highways did, he said. While Tulias marker survived numerous attempts over the years to have it removed as either traffic hazard or eyesore, those in most other communities did not. Glasscock said Quitaques marker fell victim to progress during a road building project years ago. They dug a pit behind it, strapped a chain around it, pulled it over, and then buried it. Silvertons marker is thought to have had a similar fate, with it likely being used to fill a roadside ditch during a road expansion and paving project sometime around World War II. The Tampico marker is northeast of Texas 86 near FM 657 and has its own Texas Historical Marker nearby. It once was part of a thriving oil community that quickly faded in the late 1920s. Its last recorded census was in 1960 when the now-abandoned Hall County community had a population of 12. Two markers survive in Oklahoma. The shaft in Stroud is listed in the National Register despite having been moved and covered with graffiti. Another, at Langston, sits at its original location. The final surviving marker is at Lake Arthur, N.M. Built in 1921 at a cost of $250, it was one of eight on the Pecos Valley branch of the Ozark Trail. While it remains in its original spot, the course of the highway shifted over time and it is now located far from the beaten track but is still listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Artesia, N.M., removed its marker in the late 1920s because it had become a road hazard. A marker in Clovis, N.M., also was demolished years ago. Miami, Okla., on the other hand, earlier this month approved plans to build a replica 21-foot Ozark Trail Milepost Marker to replace the long-gone original that stood in the intersection of Route 66 and Central Street. Harvey, who once ran for president on a Free Silver platform, planned to build a huge Ozark Trail-style obelisk at his Monte Ne resort with a time capsule for future generations to see what society had been at its peak. However, his health and finances deteriorated after the 1929 stock market crash and the monument was never completed. Upon the enactment of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1925, many regional road systems such as the Ozark Trail and coast-to-coast roadways as the Lincoln Highway and Old Spanish Trail were absorbed into the national road system. Hereford has its own concrete obelisk in the middle of Dameron Park. However, the design of its eroded highway shield indicated that the shaft likely once marked the Abo Pass Highway later U.S. 60 which connected Hereford to Amarillo and Clovis. Plainview was located on a branch of the Mackenzie Trail, which eventually became U.S. 70. A marble monument noting that fact was erected on the Hale County Courthouse square in honor of the Texas Centennial in 1936. (Contact Doug McDonough at dmcdonough@hearstnp.com or 806-296-1350. Become his friend on Facebook.) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 28) Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday questioned where the funds raised for the rehabilitation of Marawi City would go if businessmen take over the restoration of the war-torn city. "So siguro ang unang tanong, anong mangyayari doon sa pondo? Anong mangyayari doon sa pledges saka sa mga donasyon?," Robredo, who recently visited Marawi, said in her weekly radio show BISErbisyong LENI. [Translation: Maybe the first question is, what will happen to the funds? What will happen to the pledges and donations?] President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday floated the idea of letting affluent residents and business owners in Marawi spend for the rehabilitation, as he said he is not ready to rebuild the city to its state before the 2017 siege. READ: Duterte hints at leaving full Marawi restoration to affluent residents, businessmen "I don't think that I should be spending for their building," Duterte said during a situation briefing in Pampanga on the magnitude 6.1 earthquake that jolted parts of Luzon. "Hindi ako maggagasta ng ano. Maraming pera ang mga tao diyan. Every Maranao there is a businessman. Kasali na 'yung shabu, may pera sila," the President added. [Translation: I will not spend for anything, the people there have the money. Every Maranao there is a businessman. Count the shabu trade, they have the money.] Robredo said the Palace should clarify this statement. "So tingin ko ang magka-clarify nito iyong mga taga-Malacanang, o iyong magka-clarify nito, iyong Task Force Bangon Marawi, kung ano ba iyong gustong sabihin ni Pangulo na, parang, hindi gagawin iyong rehabilitasyon ng pamahalaan kundi iwan na ito sa mga mayayaman na negosyante doon," she said. [Translation: I think Malacanang or the Task Force Bangon Marawi should clarify what the President meant by saying that the government will not do the rehabilitation and instead leave it to the rich businessmen there.] Robredo also asked if the programs for Marawi's rehabilitation will continue following Duterte's announcement. "Kung matatandaan natin last year, noong nag-celebrate ng one-year anniversary after the siege, parang October yata iyon, may mga... parang may mga groundbreaking, may mga ni-launch na mga bagong programa. So siguro iyong tanong, ibig bang sabihin hindi na iyon itutuloy? O itutuloy pa din iyon pero may limitasyon? So hindi natin alam, kasi walang clarification iyong statement na ginawa," she asked. [Translation: If we can remember, last year when we celebrated the first anniversary of the siege, around October I think, there were groundbreaking and programs launched. Maybe the question should be, does this mean those will not continue? Or they will but with limitations? We don't know because there was no clarification on the statement.] More than 900 terrorists, 47 civilians and 165 government troops were killed during the May 2017 siege. Some 300,000 residents were displaced, while houses and buildings were turned to rubble. READ: Remembering the Marawi crisis The government has set aside 67.99 billion for the city's comprehensive rehabilitation. As of February, the Finance Department said over 40 billion has been raised through concessional loans as well as international grants. Task Force Bangon Marawi earlier said authorities hope to complete the rehabilitation by December 2021. The vice president said the residents who were displaced by the five-month-long war cannot "get on with their lives" as they await the government's next steps. "Anong gustong sabihin, ano iyong expense ng pag-hands-off ng pamahalaan doon sa rehabilitation? Kasi talagang iyon iyong hinihintay doon," Robredo said. [Translation: What is the expense of the government taking its hands off the rehabilitation? Because that's really what people are waiting for there.] "Iyong hinihintay nila, magkaroon na sana ng, parang, panimula ng trabaho sa ground zero, kasi iyong hanapbuhay talaga ng karamihan sa mga tao nandoon," she added. [Translation: People are waiting to start having livelihood again in the ground zero because the jobs of the people are mostly there.] Former Union minister Matang Singh today said that PM Narendra Modi, while seeking votes in the name of Pulwama martyrs in Varanasi on Saturday, has ignored the norms of the Election Commission of India (ECI). Singh, talking to the Pioneer on Saturday said that it was strange that due to lacuna in security common man and security personnel are losing their lives, but the PM, rather than providing security to the nation is patting his back. He said that before this many BJP leaders had sought votes in the name of Balakot air strike and soldiers of the army and this is why the ECI had banned use of name of armed forces. Either Narendra Modi does not now about the ECI ban or he has ignored the decision of the ECI, said the senior Congress leader. I do not understand. Has the ECI closed its shop? asked Singh. The former Union Minister also said that the ECI has misled the Supreme Court on EVMs. The Opposition parties have over the last few years consistently expressed fears of the manipulation of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and petitioned both the Election Commission and the Supreme Court. These parties have moved the apex court for a review of its last order on the VVPAT (voter-verifiable paper audit trail) slips that mandate the counting of five machines in each Assembly segment, he said. Singh feels the responses of the government, the ECI and the Supreme Court so far have been disappointing and that these suggest that the convenience of declaring the results on the counting day itself is more important for them than the assurance that the result is not tainted. Singh gave his reactions in the backdrop of allegations that a large number of EVMs had malfunctioned in the first three phases of the general election and that voters were reluctant to file complaints because of a clause that says the complainants can be jailed if their claim fails a test vote. Even someone as closely associated with the law-enforcement process as a former DGP Assam HK Deka has said his vote went to an unintended candidate but he did not formally complain because of this clause, he informed. A homeowner leaving for work late Saturday interrupted an attempted burglary and in the ensuing scuffle his brother was stabbed, according to San Antonio police. Officers say the man noticed someone in the backseat of his vehicle about 11:25 p.m. on the 9600 block of Hillsboro Drive, on the Northeast Side. The homeowner confronted the person and the two began to struggle. The person police say they suspect broke into the vehicle then pulled a gun and fired one shot at the homeowner, missing him. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox The younger brother of the homeowner heard the shot and came to his brother's aid, police at the scene said. At that point police say the suspect pulls a knife, resulting in the younger brother being stabbed in the leg. The homeowner was able to subdue the suspect, who police arrested when they arrived. The younger brother was taken to North East Baptist hospital in stable condition, according to officers. The suspect is facing at least two counts of aggravated assault, as well as other charges, police said. No other injuries were reported. Whether as president and CEO of my investment company, a guitarist with The Juantanamos or chairman of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, I am committed to a culture of excellence. That is why I am so proud that the Alamo Colleges District has been affirmed with the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award the first community college district to receive this nations only presidential award for performance excellence. Only five recipients from hundreds of organizations that applied received this distinction last November. The award, managed by an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, educates organizations in performance excellence management. That matters because our economy sorely needs an educated and skilled workforce and the Alamo Colleges record of strong achievement led to this recognition. Over the past 12 years, enrollment increased 21%, and degrees and certificates earned rose 244%. Their success is also the result of focus on areas, such as: Commitment to community: The Alamo Colleges District works closely with San Antonio and surrounding counties to implement education programs that promote a better life. This includes being partners of the Hispanic Chamber and our CORE4 STEM program that stimulates middle school-aged students interest in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and the arts, as well as being an advocate for our Raising & Inspiring Successful Entrepreneurs curriculum. Distributed leadership model: It has created a model that balances alignment among its five colleges, allowing each college to serve the needs of its community to achieve student success. Student satisfaction: Alamo Colleges students have said satisfaction with the overall educational experience is 88.4%, more than 2% higher than the national norm. Even with this award, the Alamo Colleges District hasnt slowed down. Its new leader and one of my board advisers, Chancellor Mike Flores, has outlined his vision for the district: partnering to end poverty through education, which perfectly supports the Hispanic Chambers goals for San Antonio. Just this month, Palo Alto College, one of the five colleges in the district, received the Rising Star Award from the Aspen Institute, which recognizes community college excellence. From a pool of 1,000 community colleges nationwide, Palo Altos achievement highlights the value of community colleges in San Antonio and, ultimately, to our global economy. A recent study found Alamo Colleges students who receive an associate degree earn an additional $7 for every $1 invested in their education. The district is a conduit to a better life for all San Antonians. Flores exploration of removing obstacles toward this pursuit led to AlamoPROMISE. Through this initiative, the district is seeking funding to provide no-cost tuition for the first two years to Bexar County high school graduates. The Hispanic Chamber has provided letters of support to the Alamo Colleges to secure funding. While winning the Baldrige National Quality Award is cause for celebration, more important are the benefits of the journey. The Alamo Colleges District has also received valuable feedback from Baldrige to aid in continuing to improve. San Antonio benefits from organizations that remain critical of themselves and constantly strive for better. The Alamo Colleges District plans to share the lessons from the Baldrige journey through a series of workshops. I encourage leaders to take advantage of the opportunity to study these best practices and strive for the award themselves as a strategy to improve their organizations. As its chairman, Ive committed to advancing the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerces mission as the leading resource, advocate, and access point for Hispanic businesses, Hispanics in business, and the Hispanic market. With San Antonios population at more than 63% Hispanic, we see education as a crucial factor in furthering success for San Antonians. Lets all congratulate the students, staff, faculty and administration of Alamo Colleges on their achievement and acknowledge how the district benefits us all. John Agather is president/CEO of investment firm AIC, a guitarist for The Juantanamos and 2019 chairman of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In a move expected to save taxpayers money and embraces best practices, Bexar County commissioners unanimously opted to have city judges take over bail hearings. And the response from the countys district court judges? They threatened to sue. They shouldnt. This is a short-term contract that will run from Wednesday through the end of the year. Eight months is just enough time to see how city judges handle bail hearings, and district judges, who appointed the county magistrates, can continue to make their case to commissioners they can do it better. Instead of a lawsuit, everyone should be focused on whats best for the community. The sky is not falling. The plan commissioners approved has many merits. Its estimated to save taxpayers more than $400,000 a year. It also calls for a much-needed city-county oversight board to monitor bail practices and paves the way for future city-county partnership at Bexars new Justice Intake and Assessment Center. At present, the city of San Antonio and Bexar County are at an impasse about the new building because of design concerns. That impasse has meant the two entities have been conducting their own bail hearings in separate locations. Do the district court judges really want to sue over a plan that saves taxpayers money, improves city-county relations, embraces best practices and strips away redundancy? It would be far more productive if the felony district court judges, and their colleagues who oversee misdemeanor cases at the county courts, instead reflected on meaningful criminal justice reforms, and reevaluated some of their resistance to change. Judges have resisted expanding the Public Defenders Office, even though such expansion is warranted and needed. The district court judges initially resisted allowing the public defender to represent all defendants at bail hearings, and even when they finally embraced this practice last year, they limited that representation to defendants who do not have an existing bond or do not already have representation. This sounds benign, but what it has meant is public defenders jump through all kinds of hoops to determine if someone is eligible for representation at bail hearings. In some cases, by the time that determination was made, county magistrates had already set bonds. Thats exactly what happened in the case of Jack Michael Ule, a homeless man who was booked in the Bexar County Adult Detention Center on a $500 bond for criminal trespass. He died in jail two weeks later. He should have been represented at his bail hearing by a public defender, who likely would have raised concerns about Ules mental health. Instead, Ule was booked at 2:42 a.m. and magistrated at 3:30 a.m., according to Bexar County Chief Public Defender Michael Young. We didnt get to talk to him at all, Young said. He was the perfect candidate for us. His $500 bond for a nonviolent Class B misdemeanor brings up another point of resistance from the local judiciary. Bexar Countys judges have refused to embrace bail reform for nonviolent misdemeanors. Just how did anyone benefit from putting Ule in jail? Its been a different story with the city judges. Presiding Judge John Bull has welcomed public defender representation for all at bail hearings. Weve witnessed these hearings, and they are exactly what one would hope for in the legal system. Before the hearing, a public defender meets with each defendant so he or she understands the legal process. A prosecutor then makes one argument, raising concerns about past criminal history and public safety. A defense attorney makes another argument, recasting that criminal history, as well as mentioning family or mental health concerns. A judge takes it in and sets a bond. Its fair. Thats reason enough for the county to embrace city judges to oversee bail hearings. But the efficiency, cost savings and potential to improve city-county relations are all extra benefits. This is an eight-month contract. If things dont go as planned, magistration could easily revert to county judges at the end of this term. And if it works, the community is for the better. Instead of suing, Bexar Countys judges should embrace the city-county oversight board and continue to propose policies and reforms that bring greater fairness and equity to our justice system. Dont react to this moment with a lawsuit. Seize it as an opportunity to cultivate meaningful change. Centre for Environment and Energy development (CEED) on Saturday organized a dialogue on Cities role in addressing Air pollution and Public Health here to discuss the issue of increasing air pollution in the state of Jharkhand. Experts from different fields were present who discussed in detail about its hazardous effects and steps that need to be taken towards better air management. Nitish Priyadarshi of Ranchi University started with how the air forms a very small part of the environment. He said, It is difficult to understand nature as it keeps changing. Air pollution has been a reason for deaths for quite some time now has become a major issue. It is important to take action before it leads to death of the entire human race CEEDs senior Program officer Ankita Jyoti, talked about how this issue is ignored in the State and stressed on making air pollution a priority. She said, It is high time and we should start focusing on air pollution as many cities of Jharkhand including Ranchi are facing alarming levels of air pollution and requires immediate action. She urged the government to take action by introducing the Clean Air Action Plan. The plan has been particularly formulated to work towards reducing air pollution based on emission source, recognized regulations and management sources. Air pollution is the third leading risk factor and has caused nearly 13 per cent of deaths. Increase in Urbanization is leading to tremendous increase in Air pollution and no sustainable development. This situation can only be improved when proper measures like increase in air quality monitoring systems and Grade response Action Plan is taken, added Jyoti Neeraj Agarwal, Head-Community and Family Medcine, AIIMS, Patna, said, The study published by British Journal Lancet Commission stated that almost 100 deaths per 1 lakh population in Jharkhand happens due to air Pollution One of the first indicative factors that lead to addressing the issue was lack of Air quality monitoring system in Jharkhand. Reports on health data is lacking and a proper report or a profile regarding the level of air pollution will be of great help in fighting the issue as it would not only help the experts in knowing exactly what they are dealing with but also indicate seriousness of the problem added Agarwal. Dr. Atri Gangopadhyay of Medica hospital also expressed his concerns on the subject of the deteriorating health of the people. He elaborated on various effects of air pollution and how it gives birth to serious diseases like Cancer. We should create more awareness among the people and educate them regarding how one can curb air pollution People and activists from different cities who were also present at the conference expressed their problems and the need to take collective action to bring a positive change. BRIGHTON Elliot Moyo might be buried in an unceremonious grave in Dandanda Village, Lupane, but the story of his death, resurrection and death again continues to grab headlines, as it has emerged that those that worked in conjunction with him to create that miracle are also Zimbabweans. The man, who it eventually emerged was actually Thabiso Proud Mlanje, was allegedly resurrected from the dead by South African Pastor Alph Lukau in February at Alleluia Ministries Headquarters in Sandton, South Africa. The events of that particular February afternoon, captured on camera, have sent shockwaves across both sides of the Limpopo, and set off a chain of events that continue to bring out more twists as authorities unravel a web of deceit allegedly woven by Prophet Lukau and those close to him at Alleluia Ministries. For those involved in the events that led to that resurrection and, eventually, the very real death of Mlanje, their lives seem to have taken a turn for the worst. However, Prophet Lukau has denied raising the man from the dead, saying he was already back to life when he came to his church, albeit inside a coffin and hearse. Among those that have come under the crosshairs in South Africa are two Zimbabweans, who were recently nabbed for their roles in the hoax. Nkululeko Dlamini (35) and Silungisani Grace Sibanda (40), appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrates Court recently where they face fraud charges in connection with the resurrection video. The two are believed to have been the brains behind the operation to bring Elliot back to life, as they are alleged to have been in contact with a mortuary for the dead man to be delivered in a coffin to the pastor to resurrect. Kings and Queens Funeral Services, the funeral service provider who the two are alleged to have hoodwinked, have already come out and said that they were enlisted by the two Zimbabweans and another suspect that is yet to be named, under false pretences. The company also instituted legal proceedings against Alleluia Ministries. We were approached by alleged family members of the deceased who informed us they had encountered a dispute with a different funeral service provider and would like to use our transport services which we offered them. We did not supply the coffin, neither did we store the deceased at our mortuary and no paperwork was processed by Kings and Queens Funerals. As a Funeral Services Provider we do not offer services without documentation, neither do we repatriate bodies without any paperwork, Kings and Queens said. The prosecution of the two Zimbabweans at the Johannesburg Magistrates Court took a new twist however, as it emerged that Dlamini, like the now deceased Elliot also had two names. Prosecutor Mzamo Mathe told the court that the details contained in Dlaminis Zimbabwean passport and his SA identity document were not the same. The facts on the accuseds ID are inconsistent with his SA ID. He said the documents contained different names. We are trying to make sense of the documents. We are asking for a postponement to understand what we are dealing with because we have someone who is in possession of two names, a court official said. The two Zimbabweans will appear again in court on 16 May. Elliot and Dlaminis case seems common for Zimbabweans in South Africa that want to earn living in that country without the requisite documents. For between R10 000 and R15 000 one can earn themselves a South African identity. We work with people from Home Affairs in South Africa. You just get a South African birth certificate and as the person at Home Affairs would already have been paid, you go through and get processed like a normal person looking for an ID. They take your fingerprints and everything and its a process that doesnt even take five minutes. Your ID comes out two or three weeks later, an anonymous source told Sunday Life. SABC investigative programme Cutting Edge revealed how immigrants were easy targets for churches like Prophet Lukaus Alleluia Ministries. Poverty stricken and in search of any work that might pay, Zimbabweans are now finding themselves prey to prophets that are desperate to sell a miracle to anyone willing to believe it. I really wanted to go and have the pastor pray for me and maybe Id get a job, said Samantha Revesai, a Zimbabwean mother of one who also came to the bright lights of Johannesburg in search of a better living. A member of the church said you want money, right? I said yes, I really want money because things are not fine with me so I really want money. Then they said, we want you to come next week. For the first time they didnt tell me what to do. They gave me a paper. They were two of them (papers). The first one was written that I was positive (HIV). They already knew my name and surname so they went, I dont know to which doctor, and the paper said I was positive. The second one said I was now negative (HIV). I was not positive. I have never been positive. They wanted me to act as if I was positive and then pastor prays for me and I would be healed and more people would come to the church. They promised me money. They said they would give me R1 500 every month. SundayNews Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News What the Scientists Who Photographed the Black Hole Like to Read The Paris Review. Much more here than the headline; well worth a read. Word of the day: Occhiolistic. Is This a Market Melt-Up? Here Are Some Ways to Tell Bloomberg How Goldman could get or escape a criminal record FT Searching for Stimulus Capital Ebbs and Flows Whats the deal with the Green New Deal? Monthly Review New York Archdiocese releases names of 120 clergy accused of sex abuse CNN REVEALED: California student shooter, 19, wrote an anti-Semitic manifesto and claimed he was inspired by the Christchurch mosque massacre before he opened fire at a Passover service, killed one woman and injured three others Daily Mail How Californias faltering high-speed rail project was captured by costly consultants Los Angeles Times China? 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With a list of zip codes so you can check if you are in a high-risk zone. This is from a useful AP page, Destined to Burn, that aggregates California wildfire stories from a number of newsrooms working in collaboration. Dutch tulip growers beg selfie-taking millennials to stop trampling their flowers CNN How to reduce digital distractions: advice from medieval monks Aeon Finders keepers? Police say no way after $30K spills on road AP. No way? Way! Antidote du Jour (via): See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here 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. When President Trump appointed Betsy DeVos to be U.S. Secretary of Education and made charter schools, vouchers, and other forms of school choice practically the sole emphasis for his K-12 education policyother than slashing funding and programs for public schoolshe brought national attention to a decades-long battle over privatizing public education that was already raging in communities across the nation. The community thats been on the frontline of the fight for the longest has been Milwaukee, where the citys public schools have been undermined by a nearly 30-year-old voucher programthe nations oldestand an invasion of charter schools going back to 1993, when the state passed its first charter school law just a year after the very first charter school law in the nation passed in Minnesota. Despite the decades-long effort to privatize Milwaukees local school, recent events in that community have revealed how public school advocates can successfully fight back against the forces of privatization. In Milwaukees recent school board election, a slate of five candidates swept into office under a banner of turning back years of efforts to privatize the districts schools. The win for public schools was noteworthy not only because it took place in a long-standing bastion of school choice, but also because the winning candidates were backed by an emerging coalition that adopted a bold, new politics that demands candidates take up a full-throated opposition to school privatization rather than cater to the middle. Unsurprisingly, the coalition includes the local teachers union, whove long been skeptical of charters, vouchers, and other privatization ideas, but joining the teachers in their win are progressive activists, including the Wisconsin chapter of the Working Families Party, and local civil rights advocacy groups, including Black Leaders Organizing for Communities and Voces de la Frontera. Unifying this diverse coalition was an uncompromising political argument about what makes public schools truly public and why that distinction matters. Our toughest challenge has been to educate voters on what is truly a public school, Amy Mizialko, president of the Milwaukee teachers union, tells me in a phone conversation. Weve had to draw an extremely hard line between public versus private, she says. We intended to make sure voters would clearly have a choice between candidates who truly supported public schools versus candidates who do not, echoes Wisconsin Working Families Party State Director Marina Dimitrijevic in a separate phone call. Were clear were not going to compromise on this. Theres no gray area. This progressive coalition took this bold stance in Milwaukee not because they had polling data and focus group results showing popular opinion would flock to their side or because they had high-paid consultants who advised them it would be the safe road to take. They made the decision to be unabashedly pro-public education because in Milwaukee the stakes are extraordinarily high. Privatization is going to kill this city and take our students and the teaching profession with it, says Mizialko. Instead of just fighting back, we have to take back, says Dimitrijevic. The Milwaukee win for public schools and how it was accomplished are reflective of a wider debate, all the way up to the national level, driven by anger progressive voters feel, their growing reluctance to compromise, and their desires for candidates to take bold stands on issues that matter most to families, workers, and communities. Why Milwaukee Matters The school choice landscape in Milwaukee is perhaps more thoroughly entrenched and more maddeningly complicated than anywhere else, and its indicative of how the politics of choice and privatization have been intentionally deceptive and purposefully opaque. When Wisconsin started its first school voucher program, it was limited to only low-income families in urban communities. That placed a big target on the back of Milwaukee, the city with the states largest school system, the highest concentration of households living in poverty (primarily African-American), and some of the most visible economic inequity and racial segregation. Over time, voucher proponents have been very successful at artfully expanding the program to include more students and schools. As Erin Richards explains in a deep dive for the American Prospect, When the Milwaukee voucher program went into effect, it initially allowed just over 300 children to attend seven private schools with vouchers worth about $2,500 annually. The schools could not be religious and were not allowed to have more than 49 percent of their students on vouchers. State leaders gradually expanded participation in the program by increasing student enrollment caps and adjusting household income eligibility restrictions to allow more families. Then, a big jump in program expansion occurred in 1995 when religious schools were allowed to participate. Another big lift came in 2011 when Republican Governor Scott Walker and GOP leaders raised the income threshold for participation to 300 percent of the federal poverty level, eliminated the enrollment cap altogether, and expanded the program to the city of Racine. The program would eventually become a springboard for taking vouchers statewide in 2013 and generating whats now become a juggernaut industry diverting ever-increasing hundreds of millions of the states education dollars to private schools. In the current school year, there are 129 private schools participating in the Milwaukee voucher program, with a total enrollment of 28,917 students. For each student in the program, between $7,754 and $8,400 is transferred from public school funding to a private school. The program is estimated to cost nearly $222 million. Charter School Slippery Slope Wisconsins history with charter schools has resembled a similar slippery slope. When Wisconsin first passed its law allowing charter schools, the state limited charters to 10 local school districts, and only local school districts would be allowed to authorize charters, which would operate strictly in the district boundaries. The intention was to make sure locally elected school boards retained governance responsibilities for the schools and that local school districts would still employ charter school staffs, which would retain union representation. These schools became known as instrumentality charters, an unhelpfully wonky term if there ever was one. Then in 1997, the state also created independent charter schools, called non-instrumentality charters, that operate completely independent from the district. These schools have appointed boards operating totally separate from district governance, school staff do not belong to the union, and school operations can be contracted out to management groups and other private vendors, including for-profit firms. School districts retained the power to authorize non-instrumentality charters, but authorization was expanded to the City of Milwaukee and to public universities and technical colleges in the state. Non-instrumentality charter schools that are not authorized by local school boards are sometimes referred to as 2r or 2x charter schools after the subsection of the statute that created them, another bit of jargon adding to the confusion. Nearly all non-instrumentality charters in Wisconsin are located in Milwaukee. In the 201718 school year, the most recent data available, Milwaukee had 42 charter schools. Half of these charters are overseen by the school board, but only five of the 21 are instrumentality charter schools, and 16 are non-instrumentality charters. Thirteen of the remaining schools are independent charters authorized through a local university, and eight are City of Milwaukee charter schools. The jumbled education landscape in Milwaukee reflects the persistent calls for more school options, coming from not only the Trump administration and DeVos but also from many state governors. Using Milwaukee as a guidepost, proponents of privatization have spread school voucher programs to 15 states, and nearly all states now allow charter schools, often with multiple authorizers that, with greater frequency, tend not to be local school districts. Which Schools Are Truly Public? Advocates for public schools in Milwaukee maintain this confusing landscape of schools is intentional. Its manufactured confusion, says Mizialko, and its especially tough for parents who are already struggling to wade into the confusion. Its also a deliberate effort to make the argument for what is a truly public school more difficult. Are private voucher schools funded mostly by taxpayer money public? Which charter schools are public schools? Only those governed directly by an elected board? What about charters that are board-authorized but independent? Or are all charter schools, even those completely disconnected from local control, public schools, as most charter school advocates insist? These are not nitpicking questions. Private schools that draw public funding are still free to have enrollment policies and programs that exclude specific populations of students, including students with disabilities, students with behavior problems, and students whose lifestyles or families do not embrace a heterosexual preference. Charter schools have argued in courts of law that they are not subject to federal and state statutory requirements that apply to public entities. Charter operators often retain private ownership of real estate, buildings and school supplies that have been purchased with public money, even if the schools close. And charter schools and their management groups, many which operate for-profit, frequently arent forthcoming with information about owner and employee compensation, budget expenditures, and business dealings with outside service providers. The confusion over public versus private made it doubly tough for the Milwaukee coalition backing candidates in the school board race to limit their support for pro-public contestants only. The argument that charter schools are public schools is meant to be confusing, says Mizialko, so candidates the coalition would support had to make clear in their campaigns that only schools governed by locally elected boards, in this case the instrumentality charter schools, were truly public schools. Candidates also had to pledge to fight off threats to Milwaukee schools coming from outside the district or from groups in Milwaukee working with outside groups to undermine public schools. And candidates also had to agree their campaigns would be multiracial and engage and involve parents. These clear distinctions are especially difficult in left-leaning politics, Dimitrijevic explains, where Democrats can be diverse and strong on an array of issues but often have the school privatization problem wrong. For all our candidates, she says, we insisted they draw a bright line between public schools and privately operated schools They had to agree to no public money for privately operated schools as a principle they would not waver from. Diversity Makes a Difference The commitment to diversity was also a key to the campaigns success. The effort to embrace diversity started some time ago, Mizialko explains, with the formation of the local grassroots group Schools and Communities United in 2009. Former teachers union president Bob Peterson, who won the at-large school board position in this years school board race, was instrumental to helping form the group as a response to an effort by the state to strip the elected school board of much of its authority and give the citys mayor sole control of the schools. In helping to form the group, Petersons motto was, If there isnt disagreement among members of the group, then the table isnt big enough. But participants had to agree to support public schools. This uncompromising stand for diversity and public schools in opposition to outsiders and big money was an easy fit for the Working Families Party. WFP came to Wisconsin in 2015 and began partnering with labor unions and community organizers to help deliver recent victories for progressives in electoral contests across the state, including Tony Evers remarkable upset of Scott Walker in the 2018 governors race. We see ourselves as a party that is fundamentally multiracial, multicultural, and gender diverse, says Dimitrijevic. Thats how we show up. WFP also has a history of backing pro-public school candidates. In 2013, the local chapter of WFP in Bridgeport, Connecticut, successfully backed a slate of candidates who upset incumbent school board members after the board hired Paul Vallas, a free-market education reform advocate behind school privatization efforts in Philadelphia, Chicago, and New Orleans. More recently, in 2018, WFP helped propel Cynthia Nixons upstart campaign taking on incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo in New York, using support for public education as a defining wedge issue. Nixons campaign was unsuccessful, but other candidates WFP endorsed in state races threw out Democratic incumbents who backed charter schools and flipped the state legislature in favor of public schools. Democrats who feel theyve been disenfranchised from their party because of its willingness to compromise on school privatization, now feel they have a home in the WFP, says Dimitrijevic. Combining those voters with the strength of the teachers unions and local civil rights organizers resulted in a formidable factor in the race. We won with candidates who are real people in our community and representative of its racial and cultural diversity, says Mizialko, but also who have a track record of solid support for public education and understanding of its vital role in democracy and building strong community. Making Defectors Pay Making support for public schools a nonnegotiable in the race meant pushing the Democratic Party into an internal conflict that makes establishment-leaning members uncomfortable. The fact past and current members of the Milwaukee board, mostly Democrats, approved non-instrumentality charters, by better than a four-to-one ratio, over charters governed by the board is perplexing. Why would school board members approve so many charters it would have no ability to govern? The fact previous school boards approved non-instrumentality charter schools reflects the ability of those pushing privatization to convince public officials to authorize these schools, Mizialko argues. Weve had people on the board and city council who have openly colluded with privatizers. Their ethics and values are aligned with the privatizers. Mizialko also points to a pervasive fear and resignation among Democrats where many have said that charters are inevitable and theres no way to stop them. They fear that should the school board deny new independent charters, they would get approved anyway by the city or a university, so the district might as well authorize them and get its cut (charter authorizers in the state, including school districts, are funded in part by how many charters they provide services to). But the winning slate was adamantly opposed to what previous boards had approved and was willing to make that a wedge issue in the race, despite whatever discomfort it caused. It may have helped that four of five victorious contestants were first-time candidates. Among the first-timers was Erika Siemsen who unseated incumbent Wendell Harris, whom the teachers union had backed in the last election but who flipped in his position on privatization. Harris, who had been elected on a platform of opposing expansion of non-instrumentality charter schools, went back on that promise and voted in favor of allowing one of these charters to take over part of the campus of a Milwaukee public high school. Due to his change of heart, WFP and the teachers specifically targeted him and had in Siemsen an ideal candidate who was not only a retired teacher but also would unequivocally take on Harris over his sell-out to the charter industry. The whole element of fear and compromise [among current and recent board members] is something I cant stand, says Mizialko. Apparently, a majority of Milwaukee voters couldnt either. Siemsens margin of victory was 60 percent to 40 percent. A Thin Case for Privatization Proponents of privatization will no doubt respond to their defeat by hauling out old arguments about how voucher programs and charter schools are what works and whats best for kids. These arguments have become remarkably thin. As Chalkbeat recently reports, New research on a closely watched school voucher program [in Louisiana] finds that it hurts students math test scoresand that those scores dont bounce back, even years later. The findings are consistent with previous research from Indiana, Ohio, and Washington, D.C., showing that giving parents vouchers to transfer their students to private schools generally results in negative effects, particularly in math achievement, the subject regarded as least dependent on family background and most indicative of instructional quality. Regarding evidence for the superiority of Milwaukee charter schools, studies showing a charter advantage are often more indicative of student demographics than pure school performance. While some Milwaukee independent charters appear to be successful, many have turned out to be a complete bust. A much-ballyhooed study from 2015 found urban charter schools, including those in Milwaukee, have more success with African-American and Latino students. But education researcher and university professor Julian Vasquez Heilig notes, The performance impact is .008 and .05 for Latinos and African Americans in charter schools, respectively. These numbers are larger than zero, but you need a magnifying glass to see them. In the meantime, school privatization has done absolutely nothing good for Milwaukee children as a whole. After nearly 30 years of vouchers and charters, Milwaukee students are consistently behind their peers in other urban communities and arent catching up, according to results on the Nation Assessment of Education Performance, considered the gold standard in assessment. According to the most recent NAEP, among the 27 urban districts included in the exams, fourth-graders in Milwaukee had the second-lowest scores in the nation for math and reading, behind Detroit. Milwaukee eighth-graders also bested only Detroit in math and scored above only Detroit and Cleveland in reading. Going Forward Going forward, Mizialko says her union and other members of the winning coalition feel very confident in the new board members because they have very clear convictions. Theyve personally witnessed the collateral damage committed by privatization. And theyre taking cues from our children and families to push for whats good for our district. Dimitrijevic credits the continued success of pro-public school progressives in the state to momentum created by the 2018 win for Evers in toppling Walker. Noting the slim majority Trump won in Wisconsin in 2016only 0.8 percentage pointsshe suggests that to a great degree what happens in the Badger State could determine what transpires in the 2020 presidential election. As Wisconsin goes, maybe so goes the nation. If shes right and Wisconsin swings back to the progressive side, unequivocal support for public schools may have something to do with it. Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke paid a visit to San Francisco on Sunday. O'Rourke spoke during a town hall at the United Irish Cultural Center located at 2700 45th Ave. "I am traveling to towns and cities across America to introduce myself and hear from people like you about the ways we can move this country forward," a statement on O'Rourke's campaign website reads. The 2020 presidential race features a field loaded with about two dozen Democrats. Whos Running for President in 2020? The race for the 2020 presidential election is underway, and the field of Democratic candidates is packed. Those who have announced presidential bids include a vice president, senators, House members and three mayors. As for the GOP, a single Republican has announced his bid to challenge President Donald Trump for the party nomination: former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, who ran for vice president (and lost) in 2016 on the Libertarian party ticket. Click the photos to learn more In view of rising mercury, schools in the city have decided to change their timings from April 29 ( Monday). The education department had issued an advisory asking government, government aided and all private schools to start their school at 6:25 am with dispersal time at 11:30 am due to the rising heat every day. The maximum temperature in Jamshedpur hovered over 40 degrees today. So far private schools started their day at 7:30 and get over between 1:30 and 1:50 pm. " With April about to end summers are getting hotter. The mercury is rising and it is humid which increases the risk of dehydration and heat stroke especially for younger children. Therefore, we have sent the directives to all aided and private schools. Government schools have been following their summer timing from early this month," said an official. Staff of schools said they had never come across a situation where lesson times had to be changed because of the temperature. The month of April this year is warmer than usual from the beginning, and suddenly from the middle of the month the temperature shot up to almost 41 degrees Celsius, which is difficult, said a senior teacher. Met officials of Jamshedpur, have also predicted hotter days ahead with no sign of rain. He said that when the storms disrupt sea breeze and delay the onset. This results in the temperature soaring above normal. The dry westerly and northwesterly winds from Bay of Bengal are making the temperature rise. Meanwhile city-based senior doctor, Dr. U K Srivastava said that people should take extra care during such sweltering weather conditions.I am of the opinion that special arrangements should be made in all government hospitals and community health centres across the city to treat those suffering from sunstroke. There should be arrangement of air-conditioners or air-coolers for the treatment of such patients, he noted. Suisun Fire Protection District firefighters battled a three-alarm blaze late Saturday night at a restaurant near the Suisun City Marina in the old downtown area, Solano County Fire reported on Twitter. The fire is at the popular Athenian Grill Greek restaurant, at 750 Kellogg St. A Suisun City police dispatcher said the fire, reported shortly after 9 p.m. Saturday, was knocked down by about 10:15 p.m. The restaurant opened in 1996. There was no immediate word on whether anyone was injured, or what started the fire. A 49-year-old former San Francisco man was sentenced Friday to five years in prison for possession of child pornography, having pleaded guilty in November to possessing approximately 20 videos and 300 still images depicting children, the United States Attorney's office said. Roland Aujero also used messenger services to engage in online chats with kids as young as 8 years old, according to U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson. Aujero was indicted in June by a federal grand jury on one count of possession of child pornography. He has been in custody since his November plea. He also faces five years of supervised release after finishing his prison term. He had worked as a substitute teacher in San Francisco, South San Francisco, Mill Valley, San Rafael and San Diego, Anderson said. Not for a lack of chances, the San Jose Sharks on Sunday were unable to hold their early lead and lost to the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 in Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal matchup at SAP Center. The Sharks certainly came out guns blazing. But the visiting Colorado contingent was able to swing the momentum in their favor thanks to their surging top line, evening the series up at a game apiece. Sharks Highlights From the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs Here are three takeaways from Game 2: Power play continues to have an impact: For better or for worse, really. San Jose had two opportunities on the power play after jumping out to a 1-0 lead, but couldnt convert to add to their score. The Sharks sure could have used a power-play marker as a cushion when Colorados top line took over and scored two goals in the second period. Just like it was a key in the first round, San Joses success on the power play could be a difference-maker against Colorado. Even though theyre missing Joe Pavelski on that top unit, the Sharks still should have enough fire power to convert on more chances against Colorados penalty kill. Colorados top line came to play: The Sharks were able to contain the Avalanches explosive top line in Game 1, but were not as successful in Game 2. Avs head coach Jared Bednar reunited Mikko Rantanen with Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog and the combo instantly had an impact on the game. They teamed up with defenseman Tyson Barrie to register both of Colorados second-period goals, making both look easy. Moving forward, the Sharks have to be better at taking the ice away from MacKinnon. San Jose already knows how fast he is, so taking space away from him is their best bet at keeping him and his linemates from getting on the scoreboard. Energy management will be a factor moving forward: While San Jose got off to a much quicker start in Game 2 than they did in Game 1, they sat back on their heels and gave Colorado the opportunity to swing things in their favor. Even with some nice push in the third frame and two late goals from Brent Burns, San Joses dip in the middle of the game cost them. Keeping the energy level up can also go a long way toward helping Martin Jones out. No. 31 had another solid performance in net for the Sharks, and helped keep Colorado from running away with the game. But with Philipp Grubauer also playing well at his end of the ice, the Sharks will have to tighten up in front of Jones if theyre going to take back control of the series. A model participating in Sao Paulo's Fashion Week has died after getting sick and falling on the catwalk. A statement from organizers said Tales Soares took ill Saturday while in a parade of fashion brand Ocksa. A medical team attended to him on the catwalk and Soares was later taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The statement did not provide more details. Daily Folha de S. Paulo reported that Soares tripped on his shoelace and fell. According to the paper, people in the crowd initially thought his fall was part of a performance. A photo in the newspaper showed the model lying face down on the catwalk while paramedics attended to him. The paper reported Soares was 26 years old. Eighteen mosques across Massachusetts are taking part in the third annual "Open Mosque Day.'' Supporters of the Sunday event say it's meant to give members of the public a chance to meet their Muslim neighbors. CAIR-Massachusetts and the Islamic Council of New England say visitors will have a chance to tour a mosque, hear a brief introduction to Islam, and observe a Muslim prayer service. Martin Bentz, the event's organizer, says inviting neighbors in to see what a mosque looks like helps to break down walls between groups. The open mosque events will generally take place between 3 and 6 p.m. Participating mosques are located across the state, including in Boston, Cambridge, Worcester, Framingham, Chelmsford, Lynn, Hadley, Quincy, Sharon, Dartmouth, Wayland, Medford, Chelsea, Haverhill, West Springfield, and Malden. Politicians from both sides of the aisle came together Sunday to praise former Indiana Senator Richard Lugar, who passed away this weekend at the age of 87. Lugar, who served six terms in the Senate, was renowned for his willingness to work with members of both parties, and thats how many of his colleagues chose to remember him. Former President Barack Obama, who served in the Senate with Lugar for four years, travelled overseas with the statesman early in his term, and praised the former senators dedication to the truth and to decency. For 36 years, Richard Lugar proved that pragmatism and decency work not only in Washington but all over the world, Obama said in a statement. We held different political beliefs, but traveling overseas together, he took me under his wing as we toured munitions storage facilities and talked over meals of borscht. Dick always stuck to the facts, he exhibited the truth that common courtesy can speak across cultures. His passing is a reminder of the constant and pressing need to expand international non-proliferation agreements. And its a call to remember what a public servant can be, he added. Indiana Senator Todd Young, who was elected to the Senate in 2016, praised Lugar as a dignified statesman who used his civility and bipartisanship to succeed in Washington. As a boss, a mentor, and a person, Richard Lugar was the gold standard, he said. He leaves a legacy as an exemplar of wisdom, civility, and bipartisanship. He set the bar for public leaders. Im not sure we will ever see another Richard Lugar, but I pray that we do. South Bend Mayor, and current presidential candidate, Pete Buttigieg issued a statement thanking Lugar for his willingness to take young politicians under his wing. A great mayor, senator, and mentor, he made the world safer, stood up for better foreign policy, and knew how to work across the aisle, he said. He was never too important to make time for a young Hoosier public servant of either party. Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb ordered that flags in the state be lowered to half-staff, and called Lugar a faithful servant who adhered to the highest of standards. The world weeps alongside Indiana after just learning we lost one of our best, ever, he said. As an always faithful servant to the highest ideals in every walk of his incredible life, Richard Lugar ran the family farm, charted a new innovative course for Indianas capital city, and devoted a record six terms as a U.S. Senator to making the world a more prosperous and peaceful place. Funeral arrangements for Lugar are pending. Twelve people were wounded, six fatally, in shootings across Chicago Friday. A 19-year-old man was shot and killed in Scottsdale on the Southwest Side. He was in the 8000 block of South Scottsdale Avenue when someone opened fire about 5:44 p.m., Chicago police said. He was struck in the back and was pronounced dead at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. Less than an hour later, a 36-year-old woman died after being hit in the head by gunfire a few miles away in Chicago Lawn. She was in a cellphone store in the 5900 block of South Kedzie Avenue about 6:28 p.m. when someone fired shots, police said. The woman was taken to Christ Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. An ambulance responding to the scene was also hit. Earlier, a man was killed in the Loop. The 22-year-old was shot in the head after rear-ending a 41-year-old mans 2015 BMW about 3:15 a.m. in the first block of Ida B. Wells Drive, police said. The older man stepped out of the BMW to check the damage and went back to get his phone when the 22-year-old approached him with a gun. He demanded the older mans keys and pushed him into the car, police said. The 41-year-old, who had a concealed-carry permit, pulled out a gun and shot the younger man. He was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital. On the West Side, a 32-year-old man and 31-year-old woman were both struck and killed by gunfire in Austin. They were found near a vehicle after police responded to shots fired in the 5200 block of West Quincy Street about 2:05 a.m., police said. The man was pronounced dead on the scene and the woman was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital. A 36-year-old woman was fatally wounded and a 26 year-old man was hurt in Roseland. About 12:38 a.m., the pair was in a parked vehicle in the 10900 block of South State Street when someone fired shots, police said. The woman was hit in the head, torso and leg; she was taken to Christ Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. The man was hit in the back and suffered a graze wound to his hand, police said. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center. In non-fatal shootings, two people were wounded, including a 16-year-old boy in Humboldt Park. Two people with guns approached the teen and a 21-year-old man about 10:02 p.m. in the 3800 block of West Division Street, police said. The boy was hit in the buttocks, and the man was struck in the upper left arm, police said. Both were taken to Stroger Hospital for treatment. Neither were cooperating with investigators. The days other non-fatal shootings included: Police have arrested a man who is accused of leaving decapitated chickens outside a home in Westport, Connecticut. On Friday at approximately 11:30 p.m., a homeowner reported an illegal dumping complaint on Franklin Street to police. Officers said the homeowner's property had recently been the site of several illegal dumping incidents over the past year where someone had left boxes containing decapitated chickens. The homeowner told police that a suspect, later identified as 48-year-old Ajamu Obataiye, of New York City, just dropped a bag on his property and was running south on Franklin Street towards the Saugatuck Railroad Station. According to officers, the bag contained two decapitated chickens and one white pigeon. Police located Obataiye at the train station. The homeowner's home surveillance footage confirmed Obataiye was the suspect and he was taken into custody, police said. There's no known connection between Obataiye and the homeowner. Obataiye is facing charges including cruelty to animals, illegal dumping and breach of peace. He was released after posting a $7,500 bond and is due in court on April 23. The case wasn't listed in online court records and it's unclear if he has a lawyer. A woman has died and a rabbi was injured after shots were fired inside a Poway, California synagogue filled with people celebrating the last day of Passover. A suspect was taken into custody approximately two miles away from the synagogue while three patients were rushed to a nearby hospital. The victim was identified Saturday as 60-year-old Lori Gilbert-Kaye. A man with an assault-style rifle entered Chabad of Poway on Rancho Bernardo Road, west of Interstate 15 at 11:23 a.m. and opened fire on the people inside, law enforcement officials said. "We didnt hear him screaming or saying anything. He was just focused to kill. You saw the hate and the murder in his eyes," Danny Almong, a witness, told NBC 7. "He had a vest and he had clips in the vest. He was ready. He was ready. He came in to kill." The suspect was identified as John T. Earnest, 19, a graduate of Mount Carmel High School and student at Cal State San Marcos. Earnest does not have a criminal history and has no apparent connection with white supremacist groups, according to San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore. Read more about Earnest here. [[509177712,C]] As the suspect fled the scene, an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent who was in the synagogue at the time of the shooting opened fire on the suspect, missing the man but striking his vehicle, Gore said. Near the freeway, a San Diego police officer was en route to the scene while monitoring the sheriff's dispatch when he saw the suspect vehicle. The suspect pulled over, jumped out of his car with his hands up and was taken into custody, SDPD Chief David Nisleit said. "As the officer was placing this 19-year-old male into custody, he clearly saw a rifle sitting on the front passenger seat of the suspect vehicle," Nisleit added. The sheriff's department said there are indications that the gun may have malfunctioned after some rounds were fired, though it was still being investigated. More than half a dozen police cars were seen along Rancho Bernardo Road outside Phils BBQ -- roughly two miles away from the temple -- where the suspect was apprehended. Officials have not released a possible motive for the shooting. The Federal Bureau of Investigations was also investigating. The sheriff's department was preparing search warrants Saturday for the Earnest residence, his vehicle and for the synagogue in Poway. They were also collecting digital evidence and were aware of his manifesto, Gore said. Gilbert-Kaye, 60, died from injuries suffered in the shooting. An eight-year-old girl and two adult men, including a rabbi, were injured and rushed to nearby hospitals, officials confirmed. What we have learned about the four victims of the synagogue shooting in Poway. The woman who died in the shooting and three others- including a child who was injured. NBC 7's Bridget Naso has more. The three injured people are 57-year-old Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, 34-year-old Almog Peretz, and 8-year-old Noya Dahan. Read more about the victims here. The 57-year-old rabbi suffered injuries to index fingers, which trauma surgeon Michael Katz, M.D. said was "the largest injury" of the three surviving victims. The rabbi was taken into surgery, where he "most likely" will lose his right index finger but may keep his left index finger. "The rabbi is appropriately upset," Katz said. Peretz and the girl sustained shrapnel injuries. Katz said the three should "make good recoveries." Hate has no place in ANY community... least of all Poway. We will put our arms around each other and walk through this tragedy as the family we have always been and always will be. #PowayStrong Steve Vaus (@SteveVaus) April 27, 2019 "While mass shootings are rare, gunshot wound victims, for us, are not," Katz said. "At the time of such a tragic event, its important to be a supportive mechanism for everyone involved." Chabad of Poway is located at 16934 Chabad Way. The temple was filled as members marked the last day of Passover. "Its a very important celebration for us. Theres lots of people inside, theyre praying," Minoo Anvari, a member of the congregation, told NBC 7. "Everybody was crying and screaming." [SD] Aftermath of the Poway Synagogue Shooting Anvari said her husband was inside during the shooting and told her someone came in and started cursing and shooting. Residents Drew Foncerrada and Avery Foncerrada were walking their dog in the area when they saw cop cars racing. "People choose this neighborhood for their kids because its totally safe," Drew Foncerrada said. "Nothing happens like this over here," Avery Foncerrada added. Two other places of worship, St. John of Damascus Orthodox and Incarnation Lutheran Church, are located immediately next to the synagogue. "I want you to know, this is not Poway," said Mayor Steve Vaus. "We always walk with our arms around each other." The Mayor during interviews with cable news channels described the shooting as a hate crime, though law enforcement officials were still investigating the motive. "We are grateful to those in the congregation there that engaged the shooter and prevented this from being a much more horrific incident," Vaus told MSNBC. Those injured were transported to Palomar Medical Center Poway, according to deputies. The sheriff said the girl was then transferred to Rady Children's Hospital. Initially, two children were reported missing during the incident, but deputies confirmed they were reunited with their parents shortly after. "As you can imagine, it was an extremely chaotic scene with people running everywhere when we got here," San Diego County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Aaron Meleen said. The Family Assistance Center will be at Poway High School 15500 Espola Road to help relatives looking for loved ones from the synagogue. U.S. Rep. Scott Peters, D-52, who represents Poway, posted on social media, saying Saturdays shooting marks six months to the day of the Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Tragic news that a gunman has attacked Chabad of Poway synagogue, on this, the last day of Passover, a day that is supposed to be a celebration of faith and freedom. I am thinking of, and praying for, those hurt and affected. Rep. Scott Peters (@RepScottPeters) April 27, 2019 Other leaders sent condolences including President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "My deepest sympathies go to the people that were affected, the families, their loved ones, by the obviously looks right now based on my last conversations, looks like a hate crime, hard to believe," President Trump said from the south lawn of the White House. "We're doing some very heavy research we'll see what happens, what comes up, at this moment it looks like a hate crime, but my deepest sympathies to all of those affected and we'll get to the bottom of it." "I condemn the abhorrent attack on a synagogue in California; this is an attack on the heart of the Jewish people," Prime Minister Netanyahu said in a statement. "We send condolences to the family of Lori Gilbert-Kaye and our best wishes for a quick recovery to the wounded. The international community must step up the struggle against antisemitism." A GoFundMe page was created Saturday night to raise money to help pay for "any necessary medical operations for the victims, funeral services, synagogue reparations or anything else the synagogue would need assistance with." The San Diego County Sheriff's Department said the following roads were closed until Sunday morning: Eastbound Espola Road at Summerfield Lane Westbound Espola Road at Avenida Florencia [[509171701,C]] [[509162811,C]] Editor's Note: A previous version of this story identified the suspect as a graduate of Mount Miguel High School. This has been fixed and we regret the error. It's not just Democratic-leaning states at risk of losing federal money and clout in Congress if the Supreme Court says the upcoming census can include a citizenship question. Fast-growing Arizona, Florida and Texas all have large groups of immigrants, especially Hispanics, who might choose to sit out the census, but are led by Republicans who seem unconcerned about the potential for an undercount and the resulting loss of representation in Congress. The divide between blue and red states with large immigrant populations is stark as both prepare for a census that could ask about citizenship for the first time in 70 years. Republican lawmakers in several states with large immigrant populations praised the Trump administration for fighting to include the question and wondered whether immigrants should even be included in the count. Florida state Sen. Joe Gruters, who also is chairman of the state Republican Party, said he wasn't worried about the potential consequences of an undercount. "I don't care," he said. "It's the right decision, and I fully support the president and what he's trying to do." He expects Florida will still pick up at least one seat because of rapid growth. The U.S. Supreme Court will decide soon whether to uphold the Trump administration's plan to ask about citizenship on census forms. There appeared to be a clear divide between the court's liberal and conservative justices in arguments in the case this past week, with conservatives holding a 5-4 majority. Federal law requires people to complete the census accurately and fully. But Ceridwen Cherry, a lawyer on the American Civil Liberties Union's voting rights project, said including a citizenship question could contaminate the form for many people and result in an undercount. "If a citizenship question is added, immigrants and those who live in households that contain noncitizens are going to be more likely to not respond to the census at all," she said, "or respond and leave off noncitizens from the form." The concern among certain immigrant groups particularly Hispanics and Muslims is driven by the Trump administration's oftentimes harsh rhetoric about immigration and fears that it will share the census data with immigration authorities. When an advisory committee asked the U.S. Census Bureau about that worry last year, officials responded by saying that breaking census confidentiality is a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison. Opponents of the citizenship question point to a study by George Washington University political scientist Chris Warshaw, who found that two or three states are likely to end up with fewer congressional seats than they otherwise would have because of a citizenship question. The most likely in that category are Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, New York and Texas. On the other side, he said a citizenship question would make it more likely for Idaho or Montana to gain a seat and Minnesota or Ohio to avoid losing one. Nine states would have lost population since the last census if not for international immigration, according to an Associated Press analysis of a Census Bureau population estimate. In Michigan, a political swing state, the concern is that it could discourage participation among the large Arab American community. Hassan Jaber, a former census advisory board member, is critical of the administration's citizenship question and of a decision against adding a Middle East-North Africa classification to the 2020 census. He said including the citizenship question could affect federal funding for programs and services related to food, health and education. But he's more troubled by the message it sends to Arab Americans and others. "The Trump administration's effort to suppress this recognition of this community sends signals of being unwelcome and to politicize the census ... and turn it against minority groups," said Jaber, CEO of ACCESS, a Detroit-area social services organization. "It's really something that becomes much bigger than just the data on Arab Americans." Matt Barreto, a UCLA professor who submitted testimony in court cases about the citizenship question, did polling that showed 7.1% to 9.7% of the population might skip the census if it's added. He also found that nearly half of Californians don't trust the Trump administration to keep the citizenship information out of the hands of other government agencies. "The administration wanted a citizenship question to hurt California. In the end, they're going to end up hurting conservative states and counties," said Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum. Conservatives generally support adding the citizenship question, even if it might suppress the total population count in their state. "If we would be entitled to another congressional seat, the question is, should we be entitled to it because we have more non-citizens living here that are not voters, or shouldn't be voters?" said Arizona Senate President Karen Fann. Arizona Republican lawmaker John Fillmore said he's not concerned about the fallout. He said he believes the state's explosive growth will ensure it doesn't lose clout. "I do not believe Arizona's going to lose a House seat in any way shape or form," he said. In Texas, Republican state Rep. Phil King said there is bipartisan agreement that everyone should be counted. He said the state is likely to pick up seats in Congress because of its rapid population growth, but it will be a close call to determine how many. "What we've got to do as a state is just make sure that we have programs in place that strongly encourage everybody to respond to the census and to know that it's safe and OK to do that," said King, who is chairman of the House redistricting committee. Texas Civil Rights Project spokesman Zenen Jaimes Perez said the organization has not had any coordination with the state on making sure Hispanic communities are counted. Perez said the group has worked with city officials in Austin, Houston and San Antonio to host community forums about the census and the importance of filling it out. Census data is used to divide the 435 U.S. House seats between 50 states and determine their clout in the Electoral College. It's also used to draw state legislative district maps and divvy up federal funding to states, cities and counties. About half the states have created "complete count" commissions to coordinate grassroots efforts designed to convince people to complete their census forms, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Republican Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona, who supports the citizenship question on the census, this month created a complete count committee to work on outreach. He said the state stands to lose an estimated $887 in federal funding each year for every person who skips the count. Ducey said the group will include people with expertise in reaching out to rural areas, tribes, universities, apartment dwellers, faith organizations, veterans and community organizations. Lawmakers are considering spending $5 million on the effort, a proposal that cleared the Senate nearly unanimously. Ducey told Capitol Media Services earlier this month that asking about citizenship is "a fair question" to "get a handle of who's here, who's a citizen and who's not." His spokesman, Patrick Ptak, declined to comment on the prospect of not gaining a House seat but said the census is a priority for the governor's office. Persuading people to respond to the Census requires explaining how it's linked to funding for schools, hospitals and other services and making them know it would be illegal for the census to share individual information, said Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. "An army of lawyers will be ready in the worst-case scenario that there is some kind of nefarious action taken around census confidentiality," Gupta said. Associated Press writers Brendan Farrington, Jeff Karoub and Clarice Silber contributed to this report. The Jharkhand Mukti Morchas (JMM) manifesto, which the party released on Saturday, focused on addressing unemployment, glitches in rehabilitation of displaced families, and preservation of tribal rights and forests. Releasing the Nischay Patra at his residence in Ranchi, JMMs Executive President Hemant Soren said, We have drafted our manifesto keeping the condition of backwards, tribals, dalits and women in mind. Our manifesto targets at generating employment, eradicating poverty and ensuring a respectful life for every person of the country and the state irrespective of his community and creed. The party, through its manifesto for the 17th General Elections, promises to repeal the changes brought by the incumbent NDA government to land acquisition laws and tighten the noose around mine excavation companies involved in rampant deforestation in Jharkhand. JMM will give priority to tourism over mining if voted to power. This will also provide employment to youths by giving them an opportunity to showcase the tribal culture, the manifesto said. The party promised to constitute a rehabilitation commission to address the problems of families that are displaced during different development projects. Jharkhand has had a history of issues related to rehabilitation of displaced slum dwellers, forest dwellers and the ones encroaching government lands. The problem continues to haunt policy makers even today. Employment agendas got the lions share in the partys manifesto. JMM promised to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in government jobs, free application of States candidates in government jobs and also free of cost travel for candidates appearing in different examinations. The party plans to introduce reservation in private jobs and ensure jobs for Jharkhands unemployed youths in private companies under Corporate Social Responsibility. The current state of unemployment in the country is the worst since independence. Our party wishes to change this situation by introducing effective employment policies, Soren said. Not only did the party support its ally, Congress partys promise of providing a minimum annual income of Rs.72,000 to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, but also promised to pay an additional Rs.50,000 per annum to the women of BPL families in Jharkhand for self-employment. Under MGNREGA, JMM will ensure 150 days guaranteed income to labourers, the manifesto said. The party also plans to recommend changes to income tax exemption slab and revise it to Rs.8 lakh for men and Rs.10 lakh for women. The manifesto said that if voted to power, JMM will bring petroleum goods under the ambit of Goods and Services Tax (GST) to cut down their price. One of the key agendas of the party, the manifesto said, was to address malnutrition, which is a major concern in Jharkhand. The incumbent government has faced flak in the past for making Aadhaar mandatory for beneficiaries to avail benefits of National Food Security Act. The JMMs manifesto said that the party will ensure that Aadhaar is not mandatory in the Public Distribution System here. The JMM, in the introduction to its manifesto, slammed the incumbent government of encouraging intolerance, restricting the freedom of press and equating anti-government statements with anti-national statements. It claimed that around 10,000 farmers committed suicide in the past five years in India and ministers only made tall promises of investments to the tunes of several hundred crores. In a largely symbolic gesture to a group that helped him win the White House, President Donald Trump said Friday he is pulling the U.S. back from an international agreement on the arms trade, telling the National Rifle Association the treaty is "badly misguided." Trump made the announcement at the NRA's annual convention, where he vowed to fight for gun rights and implored members of the nation's largest pro-gun group struggling to maintain its influence to rally behind his re-election bid. "It's under assault," he said of the constitutional right to bear arms. "But not while we're here." With pro-gun legislation largely stalled in Congress and few deliverables during Trump's term so far, the president told the group that he would be revoking the United States' status as a signatory of the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty, which regulates the multibillion-dollar global arms trade in conventional weapons, from small arms to battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships. President Barack Obama signed the pact, which has long been opposed by the NRA, in 2013. But it has never been ratified by U.S. lawmakers. "Under my administration, we will never surrender American sovereignty to anyone," Trump said, before signing a document on stage directing the Senate to halt the ratification process. "We will never allow foreign diplomats to trample on your Second Amendment freedom." "I hope you're happy," he told the group, then appeared surprised by the cheers. "I'm impressed," he said. "I didn't think too many of you would really know what it is." His move against the treaty came as Trump sought to excite an organization that was pivotal to his victory in 2016 but, three years later, is limping toward the next election divided and diminished. And it represents just the latest in a series of withdrawals from international pacts and organizations joined by previous administrations, like the Paris climate accord and the Iran nuclear deal. Gun activists had denounced the treaty when it was under negotiation as an infringement of civilian firearm ownership, despite the well-enshrined legal principle that says no treaty can override the Constitution or U.S. laws. The treaty is aimed at cracking down on illicit trading in small arms, thereby curbing violence in some of the most troubled corners of the world. It was the first legally binding treaty to regulate the international trade in conventional arms and was overwhelmingly approved by the 193-member U.N. General Assembly in April 2013. It has been ratified by 101 countries but key arms exporters including Russia and China and major importers such as India and Egypt have given no indication that they will sign it. Advocates of tighter gun restrictions and those who had helped negotiate the treaty denounced Trump's decision Friday. Kris Brown, president of the Brady organization, said will "only embolden terrorists and other dangerous actors around the world." And Rachel Stohl, managing director of the Stimson Center and a consultant to the treaty negotiations, said: "By turning its back on multilateral diplomacy yet again, the United States is disregarding global norms and allowing nefarious actors to trade weapons with impunity." Yet Trump's showy rejection of the agreement from the stage has limited effect because it has been unlikely all along that he would send the treaty to the Senate for ratification. At the United Nations, spokesman Stephane Dujarric called the treaty "a landmark achievement in the efforts to ensure responsibility in international arms transfers" and particularly important at a time of renewed interest in expanding weapons arsenals. Trump's speech came at a troubled time for the gun rights organization, a one-time Republican kingmaker, which has been grappling with infighting, bleeding money and facing a series of investigations into its operating practices, including allegations that covert Russian agents seeking to influence the 2016 election courted its officials and funneled money through the group. As Trump landed in Indianapolis, a judge imposed an 18-month prison term on gun rights activist Maria Butina, an admitted Russian agent who, according to her plea agreement, worked with a former Russian lawmaker to use their contacts in the NRA to pursue back channels to American conservatives during the 2016 presidential campaign. While the group had high hopes for easing gun regulations after pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into 2016 campaigns, much of the legislation the group championed has stalled, due, in part, to a series of mass shootings, including the massacre at a Parkland, Florida, high school that left 17 dead. Adam Winkler, a UCLA law professor and expert on gun policy, allowed that the group had scored some victories under Trump, including the appointment of two Supreme Court justices who may be open to striking down gun laws. But overall, he said, "On the legislative front, the NRA has been frustrated," with priorities like national reciprocity for conceal carry laws and a repeal of the ban on silencers stalled. Instead, Trump introduced a new federal regulation: a ban on bump stocks after a man using the device opened fire on a crowd of concertgoers on the Las Vegas strip, killing 58 people and wounding hundreds. That bothered some members attending the convention, even as many donned "Make America Great Again" hats and cheered Trump loudly. Mike Cook, who works at a shipyard in Alabama, said he's been disappointed that gun rights haven't seen much movement under Trump. The bump stock ban, in particular, upset him because it was done administratively by Trump officials. He's uncertain if the millions spent on Trump's campaign in 2016 were worth it. But, he said, Trump is "better than the alternatives." Associated Press writers Deb Riechmann,Laurie Kellman and Edith Lederer contributed to this report. The Connecticut Supreme Court is set to hear the appeal of former death row inmate Lazale Ashby, who says he was wrongly convicted of murder and sexual assault in the 2002 slaying of a single mother in Hartford. Arguments are scheduled for Monday. Ashby was convicted in 2008 in the rape and strangulation of Elizabeth Garcia inside her apartment as her 2-year-old daughter watched television in another room. He was sentenced to death, but the sentence was changed to life in prison after the state abolished capital punishment in 2015. Ashby says he had consensual sex with Garcia the night of the killing and another man's DNA was found on her body. He says police did not adequately investigate and state officials failed to disclose evidence in his favor. 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. Police Shoot Teen An 18-year-old died Monday, days after he was shot by a Wethersfield police officer. Police say an officer tried to pull Vega Cruz over and their vehicles collided. As the officer got out of his cruiser, police say Vega Cruz drove at the officer and that is when the officer opened fire. Family and friends of Vega Cruz have demanded answers from police. See more on the incident here. An 18-year-old was shot in Wethersfield Saturday, after the teen allegedly tried to hit an officer with his vehicle. On Monday, Connecticut State Police confirmed that the teen, Anthony Jose Vega Cruz, died of his injuries. Connecticut Man Charged in Death on Caribbean Island A financial adviser from Darien is facing manslaughter charges in connection with the death of a hotel worker on the island of Anguilla. Gavin Hapgood, 44, was released on bond and is back in the U.S. He was on vacation in Anguilla with his family. An attorney for Hapgood said Thursday that the hotel worker showed up to Hapgood's hotel room unannounced and demanded money before attacking the family and that Hapgood acted in self defense. For more on the incident, click here. Police Search For Young Father's Killer A 16-year-old from Windsor was shot and killed in his car in Hartford early Wednesday morning. Police said Felipe Lopez was targeted, but they said they were still gathering evidence about the shooting. Lopez was the father of a 9-month-old child. See more on the shooting here. A 16-year-old from Windsor was shot and killed while in a car in Hartford early Wednesday morning. Biden Announces Presidential Run Former vice president Joe Biden made it official on Thursday, announcing he is running for president in 2020. Biden said he is running to take back the country from President Trump. He joins an already crowded Democratic field. For more on Biden's announcement, click here. Bunny Brawl A viral video this week showed the Easter Bunny hopping to the defense of a woman outside a Florida nightclub on Sunday night. The bunny jumped into the middle of a brawl and began pummeling a man with his paws. See more on the bunny brawl here. It's now up to Connecticut lawmakers to present their tax and spending proposals for the next two years. The General Assembly's Appropriations Committee will meet Tuesday to vote on a spending bill. The Finance Revenue and Bonding Committee is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a revenue package. The proposals come more than two months after Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont presented his two-year, $43.1 billion budget. Ultimately, Lamont and the Democratic-controlled legislature must reach a budget compromise that covers a projected two-year $3.7 billion deficit before the legislative session adjourns June 5. There's already disagreement between Lamont and some legislative Democrats over tax policy. The Progressive Caucus wants higher taxes on wealthy taxpayers, including a surcharge on capital gains income. But Lamont says he's "not inclined to do that at all." A Connecticut nursing home is being sued over the strangling death of a 76-year-old patient who police say was killed by her 81-year-old boyfriend in November. The Connecticut Law Tribune reports the lawsuit filed Monday by the estate of Patricia Ann Way says Autumn Lake Healthcare at Bucks Hill in Waterbury should have known about her boyfriend's violent history and failed to protect her. The estate's lawyer says the lawsuit seeks "at least seven figures" in damages. Nursing home officials did not respond to messages from the Law Tribune. Way's boyfriend, John Jensen, is charged with murder. He has been declared incompetent to stand trial, but another competency hearing is scheduled for June 25. Authorities say Jensen told a nursing home employee Way was evil and had to die. A Connecticut nursing home is being sued over the strangling death of a 76-year-old patient who police say was killed by her 81-year-old boyfriend in November. The Connecticut Law Tribune reports the lawsuit filed Monday by the estate of Patricia Ann Way says Autumn Lake Healthcare at Bucks Hill in Waterbury should have known about her boyfriend's violent history and failed to protect her. The estate's lawyer says the lawsuit seeks "at least seven figures" in damages. Nursing home officials did not respond to messages from the Law Tribune. Way's boyfriend, John Jensen, is charged with murder. He has been declared incompetent to stand trial, but another competency hearing is scheduled for June 25. Authorities say Jensen told a nursing home employee Way was evil and had to die. Thousands of people marched at Rentschler Field in East Hartford on Sunday to raise money for little fighters in Neonatal Intensive Care Units across the state as part of the March of Dimes' annual March for Babies. NBC Connecticut's Heidi Voight emceed the event and Snow Monster was there, too. "There they go, cheer them on, they're superheroes," Voight said. Superheroes since birth, though they may be small, they've conquered big challenges as NICU graduates. "This is the day that I prayed for in the 45 days that we were in the NICU at UConn Health and now we're all here as a family, with all of you" Voight said. Voight's daughters Polly and Violet were preemies, just like little Levi. "We're just happy to be able to give back now and try to help other families that were in similar situations that we were in," Hartford March for Babies Ambassador Stefanie Gaidos said. Levi's mom, Stefanie, was 30 weeks pregnant when she got very sick. Doctors told her she had to deliver Levi early to save her own life. She ended up in the Intensive Care Unit and Levi spent nearly 60 days in the NICU. "But, we made it! And he's so happy right now!" Gaidos added. Mission Mom and March of Dimes Senior Development Manager Amy Eldridge said stories like Levi's are what March of Dimes is all about. "Today is about a celebration, but it also is about remembering those who have lost a baby," Eldridge said. Marc Spencer from Avon lost his son, Evan, in 2005. "After 85 days in the NICU, he ultimately passed, but we realized that wasn't the end," Spencer said. He and his wife found support in the March of Dimes community. This is Spencer's 13th year participating in the 5k Run for Babies. "He would've been a 14-year-old now, but we still celebrate this as part of his birthday," Spencer added. UConn Health's Dr. Chris Morosky works with families like Spencer's every day. He said he gets to see firsthand how the funds collected at March of Dimes events positively impact their experience. "We appropriate funds through that to different projects across the state that are focused on preventing premature births and healthy pregnancies. We hope that every woman and every family can have a healthy pregnancy that goes to full term, have a healthy baby that comes home with them and grows up to be a healthy child," Dr. Morosky, the Board Chair of March of Dimes, said. He hopes they grow up to be healthy like Tracy Scraba's kids. "I have two identical twin boys who are going to be turning 7 in October, very high risk pregnancy but a very good outcome. Its important to me that everyone have the same opportunity for a healthy outcome," Scraba, of Tolland said. In total, the March of Dimes raised over $600,000 on Saturday. The rabbi injured in the deadly shooting inside a Poway, California, synagogue, on the last day of Passover said the gunman's weapon "miraculously" jammed, preventing more people from dying. We are here together standing on sacred property -- a synagogue -- a house of prayer where 24 hours ago, we saw terrorism in the worst of way, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein told a crowd outside Chabad of Poway Sunday afternoon, recalling the devastating events of the attack one day earlier that killed a 60-year-old woman and wounded three others, including Goldstein. Goldstein said two people helped chase the attacker from the synagogue, and that, despite being shot, he spoke to his congregation as they sheltered in place in the immediate aftermath. We are a Jewish nation that will stand tall," he recalled telling his faithful. "We will not let anyone or anything take us down. The 57-year-old rabbi earlier Sunday described on NBC's TODAY show the attack. He said he heard a large bang as he walked into the banquet hall before services at the synagogue. I turned around and Im face to face with this murderer -- terrorist -- who was holding a rifle and looking straight at me, and then as soon as he saw me, he started to shoot toward me, and thats when I put my hands up and then my fingers got blown away, Goldstein told TODAY. The rabbi suffered gunshot wounds to his index fingers, which trauma surgeon Michael Katz said was the largest injury of the three surviving victims. Goldstein lost his right index finger. I turned around and I saw a group of children in the banquet hall, including my granddaughter, and I just ran -- not even knowing that my fingers were blown off -- and hurled all the kids together and got them outside, Goldstein told TODAY. As he was rushing children out, he wrapped his fingers in a prayer shawl, he said. My granddaughter -- 4 and a half years old -- sees her grandpa with a bleeding hand and she sees me screaming and shouting, Get out! Get out! She didnt deserve to see her grandfather like this, Goldstein said. The suspected shooter was later identified as 19-year-old John T. Earnest from San Diego. An anti-Semitic open letter was posted by a user identifying himself as John Earnest on the far-right message board 8chan hours before the attack, NBC News reported. A young man standing with a rifle, staring right at me, he had sunglasses on -- I couldnt see his eyes, I couldnt see his soul, Goldstein said of the gunman. How does a 19-year-old, a teenager, have the audacity, the sickness, the hatred? he said. How does he come to our house of worship and do what he did? I cannot erase that face in my mind. I cannot erase that moment. Its going to be embedded there forever. You know, with the loss of my index finger, its going to be a scar for the rest of my life ... to remind us of literally how vulnerable we are, but also how brave we need to be. Everyone needs to be a hero. Everyone needs to step up and do something in the face of terror, Goldstein said in the interview. Goldstein said the attack could have been much worse but miraculously the gun jammed. Authorities have said Earnest used an assault-type rifle in the attack. After the gun jammed, the rabbi said Oscar Stewart, an Army veteran inside the synagogue at the time, jumped into action and tried to tackle the gunman, but the suspect fled. The rabbi said it was fortunate that there was an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent, later identified as Jonathan Morales, at Saturdays services who went in pursuit of the shooting suspect. The off-duty agent opened fire on the suspect outside, missing the man but striking his vehicle, deputies said. Goldstein said Morales is from El Centro and recently discovered his Jewish roots. Terror will not win. As Americans, we cant cower in the senseless hate that is in anti-Semitism. You know, beneath the surface of every terrible experience, there lies an opportunity to grow and increase in goodness, Goldstein told TODAY. Our government needs to continue to step up and help prioritize in securing our houses of worship. Outside of the sanctuary, which is the part of the synagogue where prayer services are performed, the congregation was sheltering in place and waiting for authorities to arrive. Here, the rabbi continued to deliver his sermon, he told TODAY's Willie Geist. I got up there, and I just spoke from my heart and giving everyone the courage to know -- you know, it was just 70 years ago during the Holocaust, we were gunned down like this. And I just want to let our fellow Americans know, were not going to let this happen here -- not here in San Diego, not here in Poway, not here in the United States of America, Goldstein said. President Donald Trump personally called Goldstein, the rabbi said at the news conference Sunday. They spoke for 10 to 15 minutes. He shared with me condolences on behalf of the United States of America, Goldstein said. He was just so comforting that Im really grateful for our president for really taking the time. Trump tweeted about Goldstein on Monday, calling him "a great guy" who, despite his injuries, only wanted to help others. Goldstein co-established Chabad of Poway in 1986 when he was in his early 20s. Lori Gilbert-Kaye, a member of the congregation, was killed in the shooting. Goldstein said she was a steadfast supporter and helped secure a construction loan to build the synagogue. She is such a dear friend. Ive known her for 33 years. And Im just so heartbroken and saddened by this senseless killing, Goldstein said. Goldstein said Gilbert-Kaye came to the synagogue Saturday because her mother recently died. After this terrorist left, I turn around to assess the situation, and I turn to see Lori laying on the ground unconscious, and her dear husband, Dr. Howard Kaye -- who is like a brother to me -- is trying to resuscitate her, Goldstein said. In my own interpretation, Lori took the bullet for all of us. She died to protect all of us. She didnt deserve to die. Shes such a kind, sweet-hearted -- just a good human being. She didnt deserve to die right in front of my eyes. I was the last one to see her and to be with her, but I do know that this is Lori, this is her legacy. And her legacy will continue, Goldstein said. The other two victims in the attack were 34-year-old Almog Peretz and 8-year-old Noya Dahan. The girl was released from the hospital Saturday night and Peretz was released Sunday. Both are recovering. Chabad of Poway is located at 16934 Chabad Way, next door to two other places of worship, St. John of Damascus Orthodox and Incarnation Lutheran Church. I ask that we all do something -- something -- to add more light to combat this evil darkness thats out there. And that can happen through acts of compassion, love, and kindness, Goldstein said. The suspect was taken into custody on a roadway after fleeing and calling 911 to report the shooting, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said. Earnest may be charged with a hate crime in addition to homicide charges when he's arraigned later this week. Police said he was also being investigated in connection with an arson attack on a mosque in nearby Escondido, California, on March 24. The Justice Department has informed the House Judiciary Committee that Attorney General William Barr may skip a Thursday hearing on special counsel Robert Mueller's report if committee lawyers seek to question him. The Democratic-run committee plans to allow counsels from both sides to ask Barr about the Russia probe after the traditional round of questioning by lawmakers. Department officials also told the committee that they opposed a plan to go into a closed session if members wanted to discuss redacted portions of Mueller's report, according to a senior Democratic aide on the committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the confidential communications with the department. Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said given that Barr had agreed to testify, lawmakers "should be the ones doing the questioning. He remains happy to engage with members on their questions regarding the Mueller report." Barr is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday and the House panel on Thursday. The GOP-led Senate committee is expected to have normal rounds of member questioning. It is unusual for committee counsels to question a witness. But committees can generally make their own rules, and other panels have made similar exceptions. In a confirmation hearing for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh last year, for example, Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee hired an outside prosecutor to question a witness who had accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault. The dispute comes as tensions have escalated sharply between House Democrats and the Trump administration over full access Mueller's report and government witnesses who have defied congressional subpoenas to testify. Democrats have been eagerly anticipating the hearing with Barr as they try to build on Mueller's findings with their own investigations into the president. House Democrats have subpoenaed the Justice Department for the unredacted version of the Mueller report and underlying material gathered from the investigation. In response, the Justice Department has said they will make the full report, minus grand jury material, available to a limited group of members an offer that Democrats have so far refused. The dispute could eventually end up in court. A spokeswoman for the top Republican on the committee, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, noted that Barr's testimony is voluntary and criticized the Democrats for not reading the full report. "Democrats have yet to prove their demands are anything but abusive and illogical in light of the transparency and good faith the attorney general has shown our committee," Jessica Andrews said. Democrats have criticized Barr for drawing his own conclusion that Trump did not obstruct justice after Mueller found he couldn't exonerate the president on that point. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said Barr is involved in a "staggering public effort" by the Trump administration to put a positive face on Mueller's findings. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., has also invited Mueller to testify and subpoenaed former White House counsel Don McGahn. McGahn was a vital witness for Mueller in the report, which recounted the president's outrage over the Mueller investigation and his efforts to curtail it. The White House has asserted it will fight the McGahn subpoena. Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report. What to Know John Singleton has been in a Los Angeles hospital since an April 17 stroke. Singleton's daughter Cleopatra claims that doctors are still determining her father's condition. Shonda Rhimes, the Rev. Al Sharpton and fellow director Ava DuVernay offered their prayers on Twitter. The daughter of "Boyz N the Hood" director John Singleton disputed his mothers account that hes in a coma in a court filing Friday, saying that hes recovering from an April 17 stroke. Cleopatra Singleton, 19, said in the declaration filed in Los Angeles Superior Court that doctors are still determining the condition of her 51-year-old father, who has been in a Los Angeles hospital since an April 17 stroke. "My father is not in a coma," Cleopatra Singleton writes in the document. She adds that although doctors "do not have a concrete diagnosis, my dad is progressing every day ... My father is breathing on his own. He is only medically sedated to keep his blood pressure low and allow the vessels in his brain to heal." Cleopatra Singleton said her fathers mother, Shelia Ward, is misrepresenting his condition as she seeks to become his conservator and make medical and financial decisions for him. A form from a doctor at Singletons hospital filed with the court by Wards lawyer Thursday says John Singleton is incapacitated and cant make his own decisions, but it doesnt address whether hes in a coma. Cleopatra Singleton opposes her grandmother becoming conservator, and she suggests another family member, possibly his father or eldest son, assume the role. An email to Wards attorney seeking comment Friday was not immediately answered. The filing suggests a rift between Singletons mother and children that precedes his stroke. Cleopatra Singleton, who is a college sophomore at Xavier University of Louisiana, writes that her grandmother has acted as her sons personal and business manager since the beginning of his film career, and she has mismanaged his affairs. "She has abused this position particularly pertaining to the support of his children," the court filing says. "Sadly my fathers allowed his mother to stay in that position out of fear and obligation to her." Shelia Ward had asked in the court Thursday to immediately appoint her as conservator, saying essential financial moves must be made by the end of the month or her son will suffer significant losses. The daughters opposition makes an immediate decision from a judge unlikely and could point to a longer court fight. Johm Singleton was nominated for an Oscar for 1991s "Boyz N the Hood." His other films include "Poetic Justice," starring Janet Jackson, and his recent projects include the TV series "Snowfall." His friends, colleagues and admirers were wishing him well as word of his poor health spread. Shonda Rhimes, the Rev. Al Sharpton and fellow director Ava DuVernay were among those offering prayers on Twitter. "Lifting my highest thoughts + prayers of intercession for John Singleton," DuVernay said in a tweet that included photos of the two directors together. "His films helped form me. His kindness lifted me up. I remember him coming to the premiere of my indie years ago. Showing love/support for a fellow black director from LA. He is a lovely man. Pray with me." A Dallas church paid tribute to those who helped advance civil rights. Friendship West Baptist inducted two people into its "Social Justice Walk of Fame." The 2019 honorees were Claudette Colvin, who refused to give up her Alabama bus seat before Rosa Parks, and Zan Wesley Holmes Jr., a pastor, lawmaker and activist who pushed for desegregation of Dallas schools. All of them are people of faith, who took their faith by their feet into the streets to make a difference in this nation, pursuing justice, pursuing equity, said Frederick Haynes, Friendship West Baptist Church senior pastor. This was the second-annual Walk of Fame dedication. Police department has decided to withdraw the government vehicle facility provided to suspended IPS officer Mukesh Gupta, officials said here on Saturday. In another decision Chhattisgarh Director General of Police (DGP), DM Awasthi has ordered the Superintendent of Police (SP) Raipur to assess his (Mukesh Gupta) security cover. In the letter written to SP Raipur, the DGP said Rs Rs your (SP Raipur) are being directed to assess the security needs of Mukesh Gupta, Special DG (suspended) and provide him only with required force and immediately withdraw the additional force. In a separate order, the DGP has ordered to withdraw the government vehicle Maruti Ciaz CG-03/6494 provided to the suspended IPS officer with immediate effect. Notably, Mukesh Gupta was suspended for allegedly taping the phone calls illegally while heading the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) during BJP rule. However, on Friday he appeared before the EOW and claimed that all the phone call interceptions done during his tenure were certified by a committee headed by the then Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand. A speeding semitrailer whose driver appeared to one witness to be "wide eyed" and "terrified" passed a truck ramp before plowing into other vehicles Thursday on a crowded highway near Denver, killing four people and injuring at least six others, according to court documents released Saturday. The truck driver, 23-year-old Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos, of Houston, made his first court appearance Saturday after being arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide. State District Judge Chris Zenisek set $400,000 bond. Aguilera-Mederos, who suffered minor injuries in the crash, didn't speak during the hearing. He was represented by Denver attorney Robert Corry, who couldn't be reached for comment afterward. Deputy District Attorney Kate Knowles had recommended a $500,000 bond, citing Aguilera-Mederos' status as a green card holder from Cuba with no ties to Colorado and the seriousness of the wreck. His next court hearing is set for May 3, when prosecutors are expected to file charges against Aguilera-Mederos, who remains in the Jefferson County jail. The fiery crash happened Thursday on Interstate 70 where the highway descends from the Rocky Mountains and involved 28 vehicles. According to the arrest affidavit in the case, Aguilera-Mederos told investigators that his brakes had failed on his truck that was hauling lumber and he noticed his truck was traveling 85 mph before the crash. However, other motorists told police that the truck seemed to be traveling faster, with one witness estimating as much as 100 mph. In addition, two witnesses in another truck said they saw fluid coming from the rear of the trailer on the truck driven by Aguilera-Mederos. According to the affidavit, Aguilera-Mederos' truck passed a sign advising drivers of a runaway ramp, which enables vehicles that are having braking problems to safely stop, 2,000 feet ahead and had a "free and unobstructed path" onto the ramp but instead swerved away from the ramp, which is located off the side of the highway. A speed limit sign on that stretch of road limited commercial vehicles to 45 mph. Aguilera-Mederos told police that he tried to activate emergency brakes without success and that just before his truck hit other stopped vehicles he thought he was going to die so he "closed his eyes," the affidavit says. One driver whose vehicle was passed by the speeding truck said he saw that "the driver of the semi was `wide eyed' with a terrified look on his face." After the collision, he crawled from the truck as fire began to engulf the crash scene, triggering explosions and a fire so intense that it melted the roadway and metal off cars. The interstate was closed for nearly 24 hours before completely reopening Friday night. Monsignor James Bridges retired two years ago after 21 years as pastor of St. Stephen's Catholic Church in Midland, but the 89-year-old Lamesa native still pursues an ambitious ministry to 70 indigent inmates at a dozen Texas prisons. The Odessa American reports citing Matthew 25:40, Bridges recently said, "The King will answer, "In truth I tell you, insofar as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me." Bridges sends the prisoners an average of $700 a month of his own money and donations. "They have no money and have not had a letter in years," he said. "We send them enough to live with human dignity. They ask about spiritual things and some say my care has caused them to go to church. They feel like someone loves them. The women write about their children a lot. I have some resources and I have friends who give me money." During his tenure as pastor of the Diocese of San Angelo's biggest parish, Bridges became well-known for his initiatives to help start West Texas Food Bank in Odessa and the Helping Hands financial assistance and emergency housing organization in Midland. He was a pastor for 55 years, also serving as the founding priest of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Odessa and at churches in Fort Stockton, Wall, Clyde and Rowena. He still says occasional Masses at various churches. With his 13-year-old Boston terrier Queenie barking in the background, Bridges said in a phone interview that he has also helped paroled inmates get jobs and housing. His longtime secretary Kathy Wells, who retired six months after he did, handles his correspondence and sends money to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's Inmate Trust Fund with his credit card. Wells said they help support inmates at the Lynaugh Unit at Fort Stockton, Jordan Unit at Pampa, Stiles Unit at Beaumont, Clemens Unit at Brazoria, Michael Unit at Tennessee Colony, Lockhart Unit at Lockhart, McConnell Unit at Beeville, Connally Unit at Kenedy, Allred Unit at Iowa Park, Luther Unit at Navasota, Cleveland Unit at Cleveland and the Hobby and Mountain View prisons for women at Marlin and Gatesville. "Sometimes we send more if they need shoes or personal hygiene items," Wells said. "Monsignor reads every single letter and usually writes a little note at the bottom. It's awesome. I do these things for him because that's how much respect and love I have for him as a priest. "I want him to keep going for as long as possible because he loves helping people. It's who he is." Bridges said the Rev. David Herrera at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Midland helps them keep books. "I wish all churches had a prison ministry," he said. A North Texas police chief is free on bond after being arrested for failing to appear in court and testify in a criminal case. The Corsicana Daily Sun reports Kerens Police Chief Wesley Bryan Miers was taken into custody after not testifying in the case of Ronnie Raindle, accused of evading arrest. Miers was charged with two counts of failure to appear and jailed on a $20,000 bond Thursday. He was later released after posting bond. Miers did not immediately reply on Saturday to an email seeking comment. Raindle's attorney, Joseph Aguilar, said Miers ignored a subpoena to testify. After Miers' arrest, a judge approved a motion by the Navarro County District Attorney's Office to dismiss the charge against Raindle. Kerens is located about 70 miles southeast of Dallas. Consider the lowly paperback, have you ever wondered where they came from? The Abilene Reporter-News reports they aren't that lowly to a soldier, however. They were a tonic for those desperate for something in their field pack that didn't go boom, but still took the mind elsewhere. In World War II, that was the idea behind the Armed Services Editions. There have been softcover books wrapped with paper since the 15th century, and in the 19th century penny dreadfuls -- so named for their low price and even lower standards -- became all the rage with the London masses. Even in the United States, dime novels popularized the western frontier during the Civil War and in the years after. Many of the legends of the Old West got their start in mass-market publications whose editions were churned out nearly as quick as someone could write them, thanks to mechanized printing presses. But according to an article in the Library of Congress blog by Erin Allen, a U.S. Army librarian named Ray Trautman and Army graphic arts specialist H. Stanley Thompson in 1942 had an idea to supply overseas troops with inexpensive paperback book reprints. People in the trade viewed books in this time as "weapons in the war of ideas," an especially potent response to prominent newsreel footage of Nazis setting fire to towers of books. Partnering with a nonprofit group of publishers, booksellers and librarians called the Council on Books in Wartime, they turned Trautman and Thompson's idea brought more than 1,300 unabridged titles to American troops during the war. According to Caitlin Newman at HistoryNet.com, publishers printed 123 million books during this time. They split the difference when it came to selected titles. Sometimes it was "The Adventures of Superman," sometimes it was "Moby Dick." The books were printed on flimsy paper with a slightly tougher cover, all cut to the same dimension to fit in fatigue pants pockets or be stuffed under a helmet. The books were meant to passed around, to help fill the hours of interminable boredom that bookended the moments of sheer terror familiar to combat. But their ephemeral nature has also meant that few have survived. So when Fred Schwake saw some at an estate sale a couple years ago, he immediately realized the rarity of what he had found. "I love books, and World War II history," he said. "I had heard of these books somewhere, but I had never seen them on the secondary market. I bought them because I don't know if I'll ever see them again." Schwake owns the eclectic One of a Kind Unique Antiques. He's got lots of signs, pictures, secondhand furniture, a groovy Beatles' Yellow Submarine lava lamp and a zillion other things. "From what I've read, they were really, really popular," Schwake said. "People swapped them, traded them, passed them around. "I think through that fashion, a lot of them got worn-out. They probably got so flimsy they couldn't use them anymore, it's probably why hardly any have survived." But the collection of 18 or so paperbacks, almost all dating between 1943 and 1947, is a bit of history that he doesn't feel like giving up. "People today don't realize, when the veterans came back at the end of World War II, they had become accustomed to these books," he said. Indeed, part of the motivation for creating the program, at least on the side of the publishers, was to get books into the hands of men who otherwise never would pick up the reading habit. It was a gamble that paid off, in fact launching an entire industry thanks to that paperback format. "It's popular the world over because I have a friend who I go visit in France every year," Schwake said. "She has over 2,000 books, and probably half of those are paperbacks. So, I guess it's a worldwide medium." One book was called "Cartridge Carnival," a western by William Cold MacDonald dated 1945, another was "Marta of Muscovny" by Phil Stong, also from 1945. But online you can see copies of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" or John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath." Allen wrote in her essay how one G.I. told a reporter from the Saturday Evening Post that the books were as popular as pinup girls. Leo Rosten's "The Education of Hyman Kaplan," was the first title in the series. A collection of funny stories, Rosten once received a letter from an appreciative soldier. I want to thank you profoundly, for myself and more important, for the men here in this godforsaken part of the globe. . Last week we received your book on Mr. Kaplan. . As an experiment, I read it one night at the campfire. The men howled. Now they demand I only read one Kaplan story a night: A ration on pleasure." Newman described how a colonel, thinking his men had finally gone off the deep end during a German bombardment somewhere in Belgium heard his men belly-laughing during the shelling. He found them in a fox hole, guffawing as one of them read aloud between blasts from "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn". "Reading takes the mind away from the experiences we have that are so different from the environment we left and keeps you from concentrating on all the discomforts we have, always looking for things that annoy you, and becoming a slave to self-pity," wrote one corporal in a thank you to the Council on Books in Wartime. That they occupied such a place in the hearts of so many is what Schwake finds so valuable about these books. "They're important to me, and they are an important part of our history," he said. "They helped change how books are published after the war. Six Democratic presidential candidates are promoting their solidarity with workers and focusing on wages and other issues of importance to labor as they hope to win support from one of the country's major unions. A forum Saturday organized by the liberal Center for American Progress Action Fund and the Service Employees International Union comes as union leaders and their backers worry that 2020 field of at least 20 Democratic contenders is not spending enough time on bread-and-butter concerns. For example, several candidates this past week debated whether criminals in prison should have the chance to win back their right to vote. It's the type of issue that some labor leaders worry has nothing to do with the economic issues that typically motivate working-class voters. That concern is helping propel former Vice President Joe Biden's newly launched campaign. Biden's first public event is Monday at a union hall in Pittsburgh where he is expected to pick up the endorsement of the International Association of Fire Fighters. Labor is a pillar of the Democratic Party, but many white working-class voters and union members in swing states backed Republican Donald Trump in 2016. Democrats are working to win back those voters in the next presidential election, but party leaders and union members are telling candidates that they need to talk about issues that matter to working families. "I don't think you can ever have enough" discussion of those issues, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters Thursday. He said that despite record-low unemployment, "we have so many people unemployed or underemployed." He hoped candidate at Saturday's event focused on ways to deal with automation and a skills gap between what employers want and what job candidates know. Much of the Democratic conversation has centered on liberal idea such as "Medicare for All" and the Green New Deal climate change plan. But some of the White House contenders speaking in Las Vegas have made concerted union appeals. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar told airline and rail workers at a union convention in Las Vegas this month that she would enforce prevailing wage laws. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren joined striking Stop & Shop workers on a picket line in New Hampshire this month. California Sen. Kamala Harris hired a top SEIU official for her campaign. Others scheduled to speak at the forum are former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke, former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and former Obama housing chief Julian Castro. The SEIU, one of the country's largest unions, has about 2 million members. The union said it would consider endorsing a candidate who commits to making it easier for workers to join a union, supports a $15 minimum wage and goes beyond walking a picket line with workers by shadowing them at work. The union's president, Mary Kay Henry, said the union has no timeline for an endorsement but does not expect one soon. Henry said the candidates have discussed fragments of the issues faced by working people, such as affordable child care or health care, but generally have not focused on "a comprehensive set of actions that we think the next president can take that would commit to ending poverty wage work in this nation." Henry said that includes discussions about "unrigging the rules" of the economy, holding corporations accountable and strengthening unions. "You can't really make progress or have the power to improve kitchen-table issues like wages, affordable health care, affordable child care and a secure retirement unless we figure out a way for millions more people to get a seat at the table and be able to bargain," she said. Oliver North announced Saturday that he would not serve a second term as National Rifle Association president, making it clear he had been forced out by the gun lobby's leadership after his own failed attempt to remove the NRA's longtime CEO in a burgeoning divide over the group's finances and media operations. "Please know I hoped to be with you today as NRA president endorsed for reelection. I'm now informed that will not happen," North said in a statement that was read by Richard Childress, the NRA's first vice president, to members at the group's annual convention. North, whose one-year term ends Monday, did not show up for the meeting, and his spot on the stage was left empty, his nameplate still in its place. His statement was largely met with silence. Wayne LaPierre, whom North had tried to push out, later received two standing ovations. It was a stunning conclusion to a battle between two conservative and Second Amendment titans North, the retired Marine lieutenant colonel with a ramrod demeanor who was at the center of the Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s, and LaPierre, who has been battle-tested in the decades since he took up the mantle of gun rights. He has fought back challenges that have arisen over the decades, seemingly emerging unscathed each time. In this latest effort, he pushed back against North, telling members of the NRA's board of directors that North had threatened to release "damaging" information about him to them and saying it amounted to an "extortion" attempt. Hundreds of the NRA's estimated 5 million members packed into the convention center in Indianapolis where the group's annual meetings were being held. Near the end of the two-hour meeting, some members challenged efforts to adjourn and pushed to question the board about controversies involving its financial management, the relationship with its longtime public relations firm and details of what North sought to raise about alleged misspending, sexual harassment and other mismanagement. But those cries were drowned out as some board members urged such conversations not to be held at such a large public forum, even if the media were eventually discharged from the room. "We don't want to give the other side any more information than they already have," said Tom King, a board member from New York for more than a decade. Offered Marion Hammer, a former NRA president and longtime lobbyist from Florida: "The life's blood of this organization is on the line. We are under fire from without. We do not need to be under attack from within." The internal dispute first spilled out in public after the NRA in recent weeks filed a lawsuit against Ackerman McQueen, the Oklahoma-based public relations firm that has earned tens of millions of dollars in the decades since it began shaping the gun lobby's fierce talking points. The NRA's lawsuit accuses Ackerman McQueen of refusing to hand over financial records to account for its billings. North has a $1 million contract with Ackerman McQueen, raising alarm bells among some in the NRA about conflicts of interest. He has a show called "American Heroes" on NRATV, the online TV station created and operated by Ackerman McQueen. NRATV and Ackerman McQueen's billings are at the center of the turmoil, with some members and board members questioning whether they were getting any value for the money devoted to that part of the operation. In 2017 alone, the NRA paid the firm $40 million. NRATV's programming is provocative, often taking on topics far afield from gun rights, leading some members to wonder if it was damaging its efforts to further gun rights and bring in new members. The NRA also has faced some financial and regulator struggles in recent years, and there remain concerns that New York authorities in particular the state where the NRA created its charter are looking to strip it of its nonprofit status. An outside lawyer for the NRA, William A. Brewer, said Saturday that New York's attorney general has opened an investigation into the organization. In his statement, North said a committee should be set up to review the NRA's finances and operations. "There is a clear crisis and it needs to be dealt with" if the NRA is to survive, he said. Childress, who read North's statement, said he only found out the night before that he would be asked to read it. A message left with the Freedom Alliance, a nonprofit group founded by North in the 1990s, seeking to contact North, was not immediately returned. In his speech later Saturday, LaPierre stuck to standard NRA talking points, going after the mainstream media and lawmakers who seek to restrict gun rights. He told the crowd that efforts to strip away gun rights will fail. "We won't accept it. We will resist it. We won't give an inch," he said. North, 75, was a military aide to the National Security Council during the Reagan administration in the 1980s when he entered the spotlight for his role in arranging the secret sale of weapons to Iran and the diversion of the proceeds to the anti-communist Contra rebels in Nicaragua. He was convicted in 1989 of obstructing Congress during its investigation, destroying government documents and accepting an illegal gratuity. Those convictions were overturned in 1991. Embraced by many on the right, he went on to run for office, write several books and serve as a commentator on Fox News. Associated Press writer Denise Lavoie contributed to this report. Politicians were among those who condemned the deadly attack at a synagogue near San Diego Saturday, on the last day of Passover. A 19-year-old gunman is suspected of killing one woman and injuring three others at Chabad of Poway in what the city's mayor has said was a hate crime. "Coming just six months after the horrific mass shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, we are confronted with what appears to be another anti-Semitic attack," Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., wrote. "We all stand with the Jewish community against this act of hate." The San Diego-based shooter, identified by authorities as John Earnest, entered the synagogue in Poway, California, at 11:23 a.m. on Saturday, killing one woman and injuring a girl and two men. The suspect has since been detained by law enforcement. "The Jewish community again is devastated," tweeted Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League. "We stand w/@Chabad. Its heartbreaking to see yet another tragedy on Shabbat, on Passover, exactly 6 months after the Tree of Life #synagogueshooting." The attack comes as anti-Semitic hate crimes are on the rise, increasing roughly 37% in 2017, according to FBI data. A man in his mid-40s is charged with killing 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh last October, in what is believed to be the deadliest attack targeting the Jewish community in the United States. In a statement, the Tree of Life synagogue responded to the Poway attack, saying, "THIS MUST STOP." "My deepest sympathies go to the people that were affected the families, the loved ones," President Donald Trump said Saturday on the White House South Lawn. He called the Poway attack "hard to believe" and said "we'll get to the bottom of it." First lady Melania Trump tweeted that she was "heartbroken to hear of another senseless shooting in a place of worship," and Vice President Mike Pence wrote that "antisemitism isnt just wrong - its evil." California Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted, "Hate continues to fuel horrific and cowardly acts of violence across our state, country, and world. It must be called out." Rep. Juan Vargas, D-Calif., said in a statement that our houses of worship are sacred, and no person should fear for their life while inside them." Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., said he was thinking of and praying for the victims. "Enough," Peters tweeted. "Enough hate. Enough gun violence. I stand with all Jewish Americans today." Democrats will "never" see President Donald Trump's tax returns, said White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney on Sunday, as a new front opened in the confrontation between the administration and Congress. Mulvaney accused Democrats of engaging in a "political stunt" and wanting "attention" after the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Richard Neal, asked the IRS to provide six years of Trump's personal tax returns and the returns for some of his businesses. "That is not going to happen and they know it," Mulvaney told "Fox News Sunday." Asked whether he believe Democrats would ever view the president's returns, Mulvaney replied: "Oh no, never. Nor should they." Last week, Massachusetts Democrat Neal, one of only three congressional officials authorized to request tax returns, requested Trump's personal and business returns in a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig. He asked for returns covering 2013 through 2018. He also asked for the documents in seven days, setting an April 10 deadline. An obscure 1924 statute includes no exceptions to Neal's authority to ask the Treasury Department for returns and says the department "shall furnish" them when requested. It does require that the review of an individual's return be conducted by members of Congress in "closed executive session" if the returns are provided without the taxpayer's consent. Still, Mulvaney claimed the law provides for lawmakers to review individual tax returns but "political hit job is not one of those reasons." His comments echoed those made by Trump's lawyers who argued the Democratic request "would set a dangerous precedent" if granted. Trump broke with precedent when he chose not to release any tax returns as a presidential candidate. Mulvaney tried to cast the issue of the president's taxes as old news, saying it was "already litigated during the election" and the American people "elected him anyway." Trump has said he won't release the information because he is under audit, something he reiterated again Friday while visiting the U.S-Mexico border. "I'm under audit. When you're under audit you don't do it," Trump said. IRS officials have said taxpayers under audit are free to release their returns. Trump claimed at a news conference following his election in November 2018 that the filings are too complex for people to understand. William Consovoy, whose firm was retained by Trump to represent him on the matter, said in a letter Friday to the Department of Treasury's general counsel that the tax code zealously guards taxpayer privacy. He said requests for tax returns "must have a legitimate legislative purpose." Neal has said he made the request to review the IRS policy of auditing the tax returns of all sitting presidents and vice presidents, saying, "little is known about the effectiveness of this program." "On behalf of the American people, the Ways and Means Committee must determine if that policy is being followed, and if so, whether these audits are conducted fully and appropriately," Neal said when unveiling his request for Trump's returns. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, the GOP's 2012 presidential nominee who has been an occasional critic of Trump's, called Democrats' actions "moronic." He told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he believes Trump should release his tax returns, but by demanding them, "I think the Democrats are just playing along his handbook." Live video from the NBC 5 Weather Center will appear in the player above. S Band Radar & Maps | Forecast | Weather Alerts Traffic | Send Us a Photo/Video | Live Cams NBC 5 Chief Meteorologist Rick Mitchell says rain chances Friday evening are not super high, but not zero either. Most outdoor events should be fine, but take an umbrella just in case, added Mitchell. The latest video forecast from NBC DFW team of Weather Experts will appear in the player above. Keep up with the latest changes to the weather by downloading the NBC DFW smartphone App for iOS and Android! A Flash Flood Watch has been extended until 7 a.m. Saturday for the following North Texas counties: Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, Henderson, Hopkins, Hunt, Jack, Johnson, Kaufman, Lamar, Montague, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rains, Rockwall, Stephens, Tarrant, Van Zandt, Wise and Young. See specific details here. Weather Outlook Flash flooding may occur in urban and poor drainage areas. Heavy rainfall may also cause rapid flooding of creeks, streams and rivers, the National Weather Service warned. Remember, do not attempt to drive through flooded roadways and be sure to stay weather aware throughout the day. The atmosphere will be ripe for more rain and storms today. While severe weather is not anticipated, heavy downpours and lightning will be likely. The highest chance will be late in the day and this evening. #NBCDFWWeather https://t.co/pQGQV7lqGS pic.twitter.com/TIGNcVXnUo Grant Johnston (@GrantJNBC5) May 3, 2019 Drier weather returns over the weekend with increasing sunshine. The dry break will be short lived though as more wet weather returns next week. Much of the region is under a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms today. Heavy rain, gusty winds and perhaps some small hail will be possible. Be sure to keep the umbrella handy and stay weather aware today. #NBCDFWWeather pic.twitter.com/GUcoErnODZ Keisha Burns (@KeishaBurnsNBC5) May 3, 2019 A total of 6.74 inches of rain fell at D/FW Airport in April that's still well short of rainfall amounts currently in the record books. This year was the 12th wettest April on record. Since May 1, 1.15 inches of rain have fallen at D/FW -- the normal for the first three days of the month are .3 inches. So far this year, 12.78 inches of rain has been recorded at the airport. Latest Video Forecast Numerous showers and thunderstorms will move across North Texas by Thursday morning. Heavy rain is likely, along with the potential for occasional strong wind gusts. The rain will move east of the Dallas-Fort Worth before the morning drive ramps up. More storms are expected Thursday and Friday, and some areas could see heavy rain. Much of North Texas may see 2 to 3 inches of rain, and a Flash Flood Watch is in effect. Read the latest forecast information from NBC 5's team of Weather Experts here. Before the Storm Stay Connected. Download the NBC DFW App Set your push alert preferences. Charge your phones and tablets so that if you lose power you can still watch live weather coverage in the App. Weather Safety Former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke called for multiple gun control measures and steps to combat climate change in his first California appearance as a candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Introduced Saturday by Los Angeles City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, who had campaigned for him in Texas in his unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate in 2018, O'Rourke took the stage at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College near downtown Los Angeles accompanied by a recording of the 1977 Queen song "We Will Rock You." Following his introductory remarks, O'Rourke addressed Saturday's fatal shooting at a Poway synagogue, sending "our thoughts and our prayers and our wishes" to the victims of that and other shootings, "but I hope that I speak for everyone in saying I hope we will back that up with our actions to make sure that in this country, that sees more than 30,000 gun deaths every year, a rate not seen anywhere else in the world, that we will insist on universal background checks for everyone without loopholes or exceptions." "We will also insist and ensure that weapons that were designed and sold to (the) United States military for the express purpose of killing people, as efficiently, as effectively and in as great a number as possible are kept on the battlefields and are no longer sold into our communities and they will end up in our synagogues, in our churches, in our mosques, in our public places," O'Rourke said to applause from the crowd. Before his speech, O'Rourke tweeted that he was "heartbroken by the gun violence at Chabad of Poway synagogue on the last day of Passover. I stand with our Jewish neighbors and their freedom to practice their faith without fear. We must act now to end this hatred and gun violence. May the memories of those lost be a blessing." The suspect in the Poway synagogue shooting used an AR-type assault rifle, authorities said. Its possession in California is limited to active members of the military permanently stationed in the state who have express permission from their base commander for use in military sanctioned activities only. There is no indication the 19-year-old suspect was a member of the military. According to figures released in December by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 39,773 gun deaths in the nation in 2017 -- 23,854 ruled as suicides and 14,542 as homicides. The others were the result of "legal intervention/operations of war" (553); unintentional (486) or undetermined (338). The 46-year-old O'Rourke called climate change "the mother of all challenges." Scientists "say there are still 10 years left to us, to free ourselves from a dependence on fossil fuels, to transition to renewable energy,... to do everything we can to set the example for the world and once again take our rightful role as the indispensable country, convening the other powers on this planet, together to do what otherwise is impossible, to keep us warming from another two or three degrees and ending life as we know it in some many parts of this country and of this world," O'Rourke said. Many Republican officials believe the threat is exaggerated and proposals from Democrats offered as solutions would wreck the economy. In an approximately 18-minute speech, including portions in Spanish, O'Rourke also called for "freeing every 'Dreamer' from any fear of deportation by making them U.S. citizens," referring to the young immigrants in the country illegally who were brought here as children. The term is based on never-passed proposals in Congress called the DREAM Act. Opponents say the law rewards people for breaking the law, encourages illegal immigration and hurts American workers. O'Rourke arrived in California Saturday after speaking earlier in the day in Las Vegas at the National Forum on Wages and Working People sponsored by organized labor. He also campaigned in the early voting state of Nevada on Thursday and Friday. O'Rourke is set to speak in San Francisco today, in Modesto on Monday and in San Diego on Tuesday. O'Rourke was a three-term congressman from the El Paso area who gained nationwide prominence for his unsuccessful challenge of Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2018, receiving more votes than any Democrat in Texas. "Beto O'Rourke's biggest accomplishment is naming a courthouse," said Christiana Purves, a regional communications director with the Republican National Committee. "Add that to California Democrats' current struggle with overseeing basic tasks like providing Californians with identification and securing their voter information, and you have a glimpse of the train wreck an O'Rourke presidency would entail." Born Robert Francis O'Rourke on Sept. 26, 1972, in El Paso, O'Rourke's Irish American family gave him the nickname "Beto" while he was an infant, initially to distinguish him from his grandfather, Robert V. Williams. Beto is a common Spanish nickname for first names ending in "berto." O'Rourke receivled a bachelor's degree from Columbia University in 1995, majoring in English literature. O'Rourke began his political career in 2005, when he defeated a two-term incumbent to win a seat on the El Paso City Council. He served on the council through 2011. O'Rourke defeated eight-term incumbent Rep. Silvestre Reyes in a primary in 2012 and won the general election race in the predominantly Democratic district by more than 30 percentage points. If elected, O'Rourke would be the first president born in the 1970s and the second Roman Catholic, after John F. Kennedy. With the Lok Sabha elections just around the corner, political temperature in Dhanbad and Bokaro districts is set to soar as campaigning has picked up pace. On Friday, election symbols have been allotted to all qualified contestants to contest the poll for Giridih and Dhanbad Lok Sabha seats by their respective returning officers. A total of 20 candidates are in fray for Dhanbad and 18 for Giridih LS seat. Both constituencies will go to poll on May 12. Campaigning is gradually picking up pace in both constituencies as parties have started reaching out to voters. In Dhanbad constituency, the BJP seems to be ahead in the campaign as its vehicles already hit the roads a couple of days ago. Congress candidate Kriti Azad recently visited the house of former ministers, MLAs and their family members. Azad also held a meeting with Congress workers at his office and directed the workers to start mobilising people in the city. PN Singh, Jagarnath Mahato, Chandra Prakash Choudhary along with other candidates are electioneering in the rural as well as urban areas. They are on extensive touring in their constituencies; holding corner meetings in the township areas too. Urban areas were equally important as the rural belt, said Jagarnath Mahto. It was not just the rural voters but the urban voters could also swing votes in favour of a candidate and ignoring them is not advisable for anyone contesting the election, he said. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Congress President Rahul Gandhi are likely to hold a rally in Bokaro and Dhanbad in support of their constants, party spokesperson said. Both constituencies will see a bipolar (two-cornered) contest between the NDA and Grand Alliance candidates. Giridih will witness a contest between Chandra Prakash Choudhary the AJSU candidate (as an ally of BJP under their alliance deal) and Jagarnath Mahato the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidate contesting under the Mahagathbandhan pact. For Dhanbad Lok Sabha seat PN Singh the sitting MP of BJP and Kriti Azad fighting on the Congress ticket. Police in Northern Ireland arrested two teenagers Saturday in connection with the fatal shooting of a young journalist during rioting in the city of Londonderry. The men, aged 18 and 19, were detained under anti-terrorism legislation and taken to Belfast for questioning, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said. The men have not been identified or charged. Police had said earlier that one gunman had pulled the trigger during the rioting but was backed by an "organization," and said they were searching for multiple suspects. Lyra McKee, 29, a rising star of investigative journalism, was shot and killed, police say probably by a stray bullet aimed at police, during rioting Thursday night. Police said the New IRA dissident group was most likely responsible and called it a "terrorist act." The use of a firearm apparently aimed at police marks a dangerous escalation in sporadic violence that continues to plague Northern Ireland 21 years after the Good Friday peace agreement was signed. The New IRA rejects the peace agreement. Chief detective Jason Murphy warned Saturday that the situation has become more dangerous, even though community attitudes have changed since the peace agreement and the use of violence is viewed as abhorrent by the vast majority. "What we are seeing is a new breed of terrorist coming through the ranks and that for me is a very worrying situation," he said. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said earlier that a gunman fired a number of shots at police during the unrest that began Thursday. Police on Friday night released closed-circuit TV footage showing the man suspected of firing the shots that killed McKee and appealed for help from the public in identifying the suspect. The footage shows police facing a barrage of gasoline bombs before the shots were fired by someone wearing a balaclava. The rioting started after police moved into the Creggan housing complex to search for weapons. The killing was condemned by all the major political parties as well as the prime ministers of Britain and Ireland. The European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said the killing was "a reminder of how fragile peace still is in Northern Ireland" and called for work to preserve the Good Friday peace agreement. Some politicians believe uncertainty over Britain's impending departure from the EU and the possible re-introduction of a "hard border" between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are stoking tensions in the region. The victim was mourned by friends and the wider community. She rose to prominence in 2014 with a moving blog post "Letter to my 14 year old self" describing the struggle of growing up gay in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. In it, she described the shame she felt at 14 as she kept the "secret" of being gay from her family and friends, and the love she eventually received when she was finally able to reveal it. She also had recently signed a contract to write two books. Hours before her death, McKee tweeted a photo of the rioting with the words: "Derry tonight. Absolute madness." Her partner, Sara Canning, told a vigil Friday that McKee's amazing potential had been snuffed out. Canning said the senseless murder "has left me without the love of my life, the woman I was planning to grow old with." Catholic priest Joseph Gormley, who administered the last rites to McKee, told the BBC that the rioting was "clearly orchestrated" by a "small group of people who want to play political games with our lives." He said he and other community leaders had tried to talk to the dissidents without success. The New IRA is a small group that rejects the 1998 Good Friday agreement that marked the Irish Republican Army's embrace of a political solution to the long-running violence known as "The Troubles" that claimed more than 3,700 lives. The group is also blamed for a Londonderry car bombing in January and has been linked to several other killings in the past decade. Since George Washington's time, presidents have used executive privilege to resist congressional inquiries in the name of protecting the confidentiality of their decision-making. President Donald Trump threatened this past week to broadly assert executive privilege to block a number of current and former aides from testifying, including some who have cooperated with special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. It's a strategy that could lead to a messy, protracted legal fight, but even if the White House is eventually defeated in court, the president and his allies could have the chance to run out the clock to the 2020 election. "This is all about delaying things. The strategy of every administration is to drag it out," said the University of Virginia's Saikrishna Prakash, an expert on presidential power. Trump in recent days has complained about House Democrats stepping up their investigations in the aftermath of the special counsel's probe, which ended last month without concluding the president colluded with Russia or obstructed justice. "With all of this transparency, we finished 'no collusion, no obstruction,'" Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday. "Then I get out, the first the day they're saying, 'Let's do it again.' And I said, 'That's enough.'" "So, if I'm guilty of anything, it's that I've been a great president and the Democrats don't like it, which is a shame," he said. Executive privilege is the president's power to keep information from the courts, Congress and the public to protect the confidentiality of the Oval Office decision-making process. The privilege to withhold documents and prohibit aides from testifying rests on the proposition that the president has an almost unparalleled need to protect the confidentiality of candid advice that goes into presidential judgments. There is no reference to executive privilege in the Constitution, but the Supreme Court has held that it derives from the president's ability to carry out the duties the commander in chief holds under the Constitution. It has become a flashpoint after Trump's administration signaled it was considering invoking the privilege to block Congress' attempt to subpoena former White House counsel Don McGahn, an important figure in the Mueller investigation, to appear and provide documents. That reflects a shift in legal tactics for Trump's lawyers. At first, they cooperated with Mueller's 22-month investigation, encouraging officials to testify and turning over more than a million documents. But starting last spring, the White House took a far more adversarial approach, publicly questioning the investigation's integrity and resisting some requests. Advisers to the president, trying to depict the Democrats as guilty of partisan-fueled overreach, want to snarl the congressional investigations. They believe a drawn-out court fight could tire voters' patience and shift public opinion their way. While they are hopeful that the courts support them, a legal battle that ends in defeat could stretch close to the 2020 election and make it easier for Republicans to claim the other party was predominantly interested in playing politics. The haste with which House Democrats have issued subpoenas and promise more is itself a reflection that time is on Trump's side, not Congress', Prakash said. "The speed with which we've come to an impasse is different" from past fights over documents and testimony that involved at least a semblance of negotiations, he said. Courts have not had much to say about executive privilege. But in the 1974 case over President Richard Nixon's refusal to release Oval Office recordings as part of the Watergate investigation, the Supreme Court held that the privilege is not absolute. In other words, the case for turning over documents or allowing testimony may be more compelling than arguments for withholding them. In that context, the court ruled 8-0 that Nixon had to turn over the tapes. When it came to the Watergate tapes, the Supreme Court said it had the final word, and lower courts have occasionally weighed in to resolve other disputes. But courts also have made clear they prefer that the White House and Congress resolve their disagreements without judicial intervention, when possible. Court fights over documents and testimony can take years to resolve. One potential roadblock for the White House: Trump already allowed McGahn to talk to Mueller's team, and Attorney General William Barr has said the president did not invoke executive privilege to prevent release of any part of Mueller's report. "In view of that, the White House has waived a good portion of any privilege it might claim," said Steven Schwinn, a constitutional law professor at the John Marshall Law School in Chicago. Trump seems to be arguing that the risk that McGahn might reveal the substance of high-level conversations he had with the president or other high-level advisers is sufficiently high to keep him out of the witness chair in a House hearing, Schwinn said. "But that's not the way privileges work," he said. "You don't prevent someone from testifying entirely just because you think one of their answers may raise executive communications. You raise a privilege in response to a question." Recent presidents have leaned on the approach. President George W. Bush used it to shield some sensitive information from Congress after the Sept. 11 attacks. The Clinton administration used it to try to keep private Hillary Clinton's answers during the Monica Lewinsky investigation. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally who is chairman of the Judiciary Committee, backs the president's efforts not to engage in what the senator called "a complete partisan thing now." Graham said he told the president when the two spoke earlier in the week that he wouldn't have let "half these people" testify earlier. Now, with Muller's work complete, the South Carolina senator said Democrats are acting like filmmaker Oliver Stone trying to get to the bottom of the Kennedy assassination. Stone's controversial 1991 film "JFK" dramatized allegations that several people conspired to kill the president. "I think Congress is going crazy here," Graham told The Associated Press. Over just the past few days, the Trump White House has thrown up a series of hurdles for congressional investigators: The Trump Organization sued the chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee to stop his efforts to obtain the company's financial records. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin blew past Tuesday's House deadline to turn over the president's tax returns, saying he will decide next month. The administration instructed its former personnel security director, Carl Kline, not to testify before Congress over how some West Wing aides, including Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, obtained security clearances. That led the House to hold Kline in contempt. One potential problem Schwinn identified is a lack of clarity in the White House's claims that Trump aides, including Stephen Miller, Trump's top immigration policy adviser, should not cooperate with Congress. "In a regular administration, we expect the White House to make aggressive constitutional arguments," Schwinn said. "But what President Trump is doing is something different. He's making these assertions that are both overly broad, even ridiculously broad, and in a slippery way so that we can't get our arms around what he is asserting." Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. 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. What to Know Sen. Rick Scott voiced his opinion on a law that would ban "sanctuary cities" in the state of Florida during a stop in Doral on Saturday. The concept of sanctuary city makes no sense, Scott said. Sen. Rick Scott voiced his opinion on a law that would ban "sanctuary cities" in the state of Florida during a stop in Doral on Saturday. The South Florida visit came after Scott traveled to the border between Colombia and Venezuela. The concept of sanctuary city makes no sense, Scott said. We are a country of laws. This is a country where we all have to comply with the law, no city has a chance to not comply with the law, you dont have a chance to not comply with the law, he said. Scott continued to say that we shouldnt have to pass laws like this, but we need to enforce all the laws in this country. The bill passed on a 22-18 vote Friday would ban sanctuary policies in the state. Democrats called the legislation mean-spirited, while Republican Sen. Joe Gruters said it only targets "the worst of the worst" and would only affect immigrants who've been arrested and are the subject of a federal detainer. The vote comes the day after the House passed a similar bill. Several differences need to be worked before the legislation can go to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis supports a sanctuary policy ban. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Here are some of the top stories of the past week from the NBC 6 Weekend Digest: A Wound That Still Hurts: Rally Held for Teen at Center of BSO Take-Down Video Dozens of demonstrators gathered at Hampton Park Saturday afternoon to demand justice for Delucca Rolle, a teenager who was head slammed to the ground, punched and tackled by two Broward Sheriffs deputies in a cellphone video that has since gone viral. "It takes so much in me to come in front of you. Its a wound, a wound that still hurts," said Clintina Rolle, Delucca's mother. The protest, which began at 3 p.m., took place at 7800 Hampton Blvd. in North Lauderdale, close to where the April 18 encounter occurred. The video shows 15-year-old Delucca Rolle being pepper-sprayed, thrown on the ground, punched and his head slammed onto the pavement in the parking lot of a McDonald's restaurant in Tamarac. Click here for the full story. Family of Woman Killed in Boat Crash Arrive in South Florida The family of a woman who was killed in a tragic boating accident last weekend have arrived in South Florida, following several obstacles in terms of getting emergency visas to the United States. The brothers of Jessica Munoz had been planning a first-time trip to the U.S. for Jennifer's birthday in May. But the trip was made abruptly sooner than scheduled when the 28-year-old woman died in the boating accident near Government Cut. The three brothers arrived from Bogota, Colombia to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Saturday. They were met with a hug from their father, who arrived earlier in the week, and their brother-in-law, now a widower. Click here for the full story. Florida Man Who Tossed Daughter Off Bridge Asks for New Trial A Florida man found guilty of first-degree murder for dropping his 5-year-old daughter off a bridge four years ago is asking for a new trial. John Jonchuck was sentenced to life in prison earlier this month, despite arguments from his attorneys that he was legally insane. No one disputed the 29-year-old Jonchuck dropped his daughter Phoebe 62 feet into Tampa Bay in January 2015, and that he had a long history of mental problems. Prosecutors argued that Jonchuck was driven by vengeance and planned to kill his daughter to keep her away from her mother and grandmother. Click here for the full story. Owner of Vacant Home Hit with $4,400 Water Bill In 2016, Odilio Moreira boarded up a house he bought in Goulds and shut down water service at the property. So you can imagine his surprise when he received a bill for thousands of dollars. Flipped out, flipped out, he said. The place has been closed for almost three years. According to Odilio, the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department initially told him there had been a leak on the property and that even though the account had been closed, he was still on the hook for the usage. Click here for the full story. Buffalo Bill's LeSean McCoy Tweets Out Massive Avengers Spoilers With No Warning If you haven't done it already, and you're on social media, mute LeSean McCoy's account. The Buffalo Bills running back proved to be a one-man spoiler in tweeting out a significant occurrence in the newly released movie, "Avengers: End Game," shortly after it premiered. The tweets didn't go unnoticed, especially among Bills fans. Rather than eagerly trying to search out any possible news on who the Bills might select with their two draft picks in the second and third rounds on Friday, they instead learned a key plot twist. Click here for the full story. Man Went on South Florida Shopping Spree With Phony $100 Bills, Cops Say A man accused of going on a South Florida shopping spree with phony $100 bills is facing charges. Oscar Pulido, 59, was booked into jail Wednesday on four counts of uttering forged bills, according to arrest reports. The reports said Pulido passed off the fake $100 bills at least four times. The first happened in October 2018, when he used one to pay for $30 worth of face cream at a Massage Envy in Coral Gables, the reports said. Click here for the full story. Thousands fleeing conflict or poverty in Nigeria, Cameroon, Bangladesh, Haiti and Cuba have traveled across oceans, through the jungles and mountains of South America, up through Central America, on a route that so far ends here: the steamy, crumbling Mexican city of Tapachula, near the Guatemala border. Over 1,500 of them while away the weeks or months in a park dotted by giant ceiba trees and vines, awaiting exit visas that never seem to come, like a Mexican version of the movie "Casablanca." Some say they've given up hope of reaching the United States and just want papers that will allow them to work in Mexico but northern Mexico, where wages are higher. The government is not prepared to grant that, so it keeps them here, waiting. Perhaps for an asylum ruling, perhaps residency status. Their lives are a daily round of boredom, a lack of answers from authorities, dirty, overcrowded bathrooms and insufficient food. Those who still have money sometimes sneak out of the compound by jumping a wall and buying their own groceries to cook over open fires. The international melange of migrants seems to share a taste for rice and lentils, not the tortillas, beans and eggs provided by Mexican authorities. Maureen Meyer, director for Mexico and migrant rights at the Washington Office on Latin America, said that word quickly spread through international smuggling networks that Mexico had become more permissive for migrants. Attention drawn to the large caravans meandering north to the U.S. last year, combined with Mexico's fast-track for thousands of humanitarian visas in January, appeared like welcome mats on the global stage. At the same time, it became more difficult for migrants in Asia or Africa to reach Europe. Now the Mexican government is trying to get a better handle on the flows -- and perhaps even limit transit visas -- amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to clamp down on migration to the U.S. "They didn't fully assess the messaging of being a more open country," said Meyer. "It's obviously a very difficult situation" for Mexico. The backlog on Mexico's southern border also appears, in part, to be a function of budget cuts, as well as the country's limited capacity to handle large numbers of migrants, especially those from distant countries, some of which lack the infrastructure to handle repatriations. Trump has repeatedly threatened to close the U.S. border with Mexico if the heavy flow of migrants to the U.S. continues. "The Mexican government's decision to detain as many migrants as possible, after President Trump put pressure on them to do so, has made it clear just how many third-country nationals from outside Central America are actually in the country," said Andrew Selee, president of the Washington-based Migration Policy Institute. Many of the migrants waylaid in southern Mexico take the interminable wait for visas in stride; they have been through much worse on their long torturous journeys. "The thief took my backpack, with my telephone, my documents, my passport. He took everything," recounted Paul Eneceron, a 21 year-old economy student from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, who set out on Jan. 13 from Chile where he worked packing fish and baking cakes for 2 1/2 years hoping to reach Mexico, where he has relatives among the thousands of Haitians who have settled in Tijuana. He crossed through Peru, Ecuador and Colombia, but like most, he found the border between Panama and Colombia to be the most dangerous. It is patrolled by bandits toting guns and machetes who call themselves "Los Indios" ("The Indians") even though they have no links to Panama's indigenous population. It was there that the bandits sprang out of the jungle. "He (the robber) pointed the pistol at me and said: 'Hand over everything.' And I gave him my backpack." One of the longest routes was that traveled by Musa Kolo, a welder from Nigeria. He said he fled violence from the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram in Nigeria's Borno State several months ago and made his way to the Ivory Coast, where he stowed away on a freighter. Once he was discovered, the crew took pity on him and left him off in Brazil, and he made his way up through Colombia and on to Panama. From there the route now well-worn leads through Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and finally Mexico. Like Eneceron, Kolo struggled in the roadless Colombia-Panama border area known as the Darien Gap. In previous months, some migrants had been lucky enough to pay to make the passage on small boats that avoided much of the jungle, and the robbers. But in February one of the boats sank, killing about 19 migrants, and the service was shut down. So migrants like Kolo were left to hike. "I spent nine days in the jungle, walking in the jungle. We had no water, our food finished after about three days because we didn't bring a lot of food. We just kept on walking." "Now, I just spend my time praying they will give me my papers," said Kolo, who said he would consider staying to work in Mexico. The large numbers of transcontinental migrants traversing that dangerous route speaks to the desperation of their situations at home, said Meyer, of the Washington Office on Latin America Charles Lwanga, a 38-year-old teacher, said he fled Cameroon two months ago to escape violence against the English-speaking population by the Francophone majority-government there. Lwanga travelled to Ecuador and then headed north, hoping to seek asylum in the United States. At the Panama-Colombia border, Lwanga was lucky. "My group wasn't robbed," though others were, and he said, "Some people just died out of exhaustion ... We saw bodies, fresh bodies, and skeletons of people who died some time before." Now, like so many others, after covering so many miles, his trail seems to have ended in Tapachula, where he said immigration authorities endlessly put off any response. "These are the most arrogant immigration authorities I have seen on this journey," Lwanga said. "Every minute they threaten you, to take you to another camp which is worse than this." Sometimes migrants travel a staggeringly long way to go just a short distance. Cuba is 90 miles from Florida, but Alain Romero, a baker and desert chef from Havana, has travelled nine months and thousands of miles only to be stalled in southern Mexico. Romero, who hopes to get a job in the United States and send money back to his wife and two daughters, flew from Cuba to French Guayana, then made his way through Brazil and Colombia to follow the Panama route north, suffering the same brushes with bandits the others did. Now he's been waiting 27 days at another of the camps that Mexico has set up to house and, seemingly delay with endless paperwork another group of hundreds of migrants in the town of Mapastepec, to the west of Tapachula. Though the days grind by with no answer as to when his papers will come, Romero is willing to wait. "Things are worse in Cuba," he said. "We are willing to keep waiting. There are people who got here ahead of us; we have to wait our turn." In the past, Mexico swiftly issued exit visas to Cuban nationals so that they could move through the country and toward the U.S. But Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's promises of a new, more humane approach to migration seem to be melting under U.S. pressure into the old, deportation-oriented policies of his predecessor, Enrique Pena Nieto. Mexico has deported tens of thousands of migrants in recent months and officials are now being more selective about who gets humanitarian visas. For some migrants, the wait in southern Mexico is likely to be so long their immigration status will change by itself, through the work of nature. Marc Louis Rosetanie, 26, nine months pregnant, and her husband Marc Roselin, 29, from Cap Haitien, Haiti, arrived just a few days ago in Mexico over the same torturous Central American route. Roselin stood with his wife outside an immigration detention center in Tapachula, wondering who he should ask about applying for a humanitarian visa or obstetrical care for his wife. "Soon, we will have a Mexican child," Roselin said. "That may change things." Associated Press writer Amy Guthrie contributed to this report. Russias efforts to influence American public opinion are not confined only to periods around elections but are a 365-days-a-year threat, FBI Director Christopher Wray said Friday. The FBI chief said Russias campaign consists of constant use of social media, with "fake news, propaganda, false personas, et cetera, to spin us up, pit us against each other, sow divisiveness and discord, and undermine Americans' faith in democracy, NBC News reported. In an appearance before the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, Wray said social media companies "have made enormous strides" in identifying and shutting down Russia's social media efforts. Some Democratic contenders for president aren't saying whether they would re-open investigations into President Donald Trump if they were to oust him from the White House in 2020. Their reluctance comes as some liberals, including fellow 2020 challenger Sen. Elizabeth Warren, have increased the pressure on Democratic leaders to pursue impeachment following the release of a redacted version of the Mueller report. During recent stops in early-voting states, two U.S. senators in the race and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg wouldn't say whether they'd press the Justice Department to reopen investigations into Trump. "Well, let's see because when I'm elected president that will still be about two years from now, so ask me that question then," Sen. Kamala Harris of California said Saturday while campaigning in South Carolina. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Buttigieg focused on existing investigations of the president. Campaigning in Nevada on Friday, Booker said it's premature to say whether he would instruct his attorney general to reopen the Trump investigations if he's elected president. "You are talking about January 2021," Booker told reporters in Reno. "We have a lot of investigations that are going on right now." Buttigieg echoed that sentiment Friday as he prepared to campaign in New Hampshire this weekend, saying that "it depends what the basis for it is." "It's certainly the case that there are various unanswered questions," he said. "I don't know that that has to happen from a president directing an attorney general to do something, though, because a lot of this just works through the legal system." A voter attending a house party for Warren in New Hampshire on Saturday thanked her for calling for impeachment. However, some Democratic voters are wary of how impeachment could embolden Trump supporters. Associated Press writer Juana Summers and Scott Sonner contributed to this report. The people of the country have resolved to make Narendra Modi Prime Minister again. But Modi cannot ensure Odishas development, for which a strong leadership is required. There should be a Chief Minister who can speak the local language, said BJP national president Amit Shah addressing a public meeting at Morada in Mayurbhanj district on Saturday. Shah urged the people to dethrone the BJD Government for the States speedy development. A BJP Government would send all those involved in the illegal mining and chit fund scams to jail within 90 days of coming to power in Odisha, he said. He said if the BJP comes to power in the State, small farmers would be provided loans without interest and pension of Rs 3,000 per month. From kindergarten to PG levels, free education would be provided. Besides, within two years, all the vacancies in Government posts would be filled up. Youths would be provided loans of Rs 3 lakh at 1-per cent interest, said Shah. Michael Brown's mother was defeated Tuesday in her bid for a seat on the City Council in Ferguson, Missouri, where her son died in a police shooting that helped give rise to the national Black Lives Matter movement. Lesley McSpadden finished third in a three-way race in Ferguson's 3rd Ward. Unofficial St. Louis County election results show the winner was Fran Griffin. The race also featured Keith Kallstrom, who was the incumbent. "I congratulate Fran on her victory. I feel proud of the positive race we ran, and I loved talking to the Ferguson community," McSpadden said late Tuesday night in an emailed statement. "Tomorrow, the work continues and I intend to be a part of it no matter my position. I'm not going anywhere." Brown, a black 18-year-old, was fatally shot by white Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9, 2014, touching off months of protests and violence. Wilson claimed he was forced to shoot when the unarmed Brown came at him menacingly after attacking the officer during a street confrontation. A St. Louis County grand jury's November 2014 decision not to indict Wilson sparked renewed unrest in the St. Louis suburb, where two-thirds of the 21,000 residents are black. "I wanted to go back and do something right in a place that did something so very wrong to my son, and I think that's what my son would want as well," McSpadden, 39, said in an interview with The Associated Press prior to the election. She had pledged to make police accountability one of her top priorities. McSpadden, who spelled her first name "Lezley" for an autobiography but said she otherwise goes by Lesley, was new at being a candidate but has been at the edge of politics since her son's death. She's been front and center in the national Black Lives Matter movement. She endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in early 2016, at a time when Clinton was fending off a primary challenge from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. She was among seven "Mothers of the Movement" who appeared on stage at the Democratic National Convention in 2016. Those mothers lost children in police shootings, in police custody or from gun violence. Also in 2016, McSpadden testified in favor of a Missouri Senate bill aimed at increasing use of police body cameras. In the aftermath of Brown's death, Ferguson's criminal justice system drew heavy criticism for its treatment of poor and minority residents. Police were accused of singling out blacks for unnecessary traffic stops and harassing them on the street. The municipal court was accused of heaping on fines for minor offenses. While the U.S. Department of Justice also found no grounds to prosecute Wilson, the agency's blistering report of the police and municipal court practices led to a consent agreement requiring reforms that are still being implemented. McSpadden's campaign drew skepticism from some in Ferguson. LaTasha Brown, president of the Southeast Ferguson Neighborhood Association, said she was concerned that McSpadden mostly campaigned from afar rather than getting in touch with the community. "The 3rd Ward needs somebody who's going to mingle with the people," Brown said. "You can't make change from a distance. If you don't know what your constituents are going through, if you're not there to hear what they're saying, how can you lead these people and make decisions for these people?" Griffin did not immediately return a phone call for comment Tuesday night. Both she and Kallstrom have long been active in Ferguson. Griffin has served on several boards and commissions, including serving on the city's Parks and Recreation Board. Kallstrom was a councilman for 10 years, took seven years off, then won three-year terms in 2013 and 2016. McSpadden said she moved to Ferguson a year ago from a neighboring community specifically to run for the council. "I wanted to come back to a place that caused me so much pain and did me so wrong, and to do something right," McSpadden told the AP. First they cooperated. Then they stonewalled. Their television interviews were scattershot and ridiculed, their client mercurial and unreliable. But President Donald Trump's legal team, through a combination of bluster, legal precedent and shifting tactics, managed to protect their client from a potentially perilous in-person interview during special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. His lawyers are taking a victory lap after a redacted version of Mueller's findings revealed politically damaging conduct by the president but drew no conclusions of criminal behavior. "Our strategy came to be that when we weren't talking, we were losing," Rudy Giuliani, one of Trump's lawyers, told The Associated Press in a recent interview. Given that Mueller could not indict a sitting president, Giuliani said, the team kept its focus on Mueller's "capacity to report, so we had to play in the media as well as legally." The aftershocks from the Mueller report released Thursday will help shape the next two years of Trump's administration. But while the report may cause some Democrats to take a renewed look at impeachment despite long odds of success in Congress, the legal threat to Trump that seemed so dangerous upon Mueller's appointment in May 2017 has waned. At the outset, that appointment led Trump to predict "the end of my presidency." The White House struggled to recruit top Washington attorneys, many of whom were reluctant to work for a temperamental, scandal-prone president who repeatedly claimed he would be his own best legal mind. The initial strategy of the Trump legal team, including White House attorney Ty Cobb and personal defense lawyer John Dowd, was to be as cooperative as possible with Mueller's prosecutors and ensure that investigators got access to the documents they requested and the witnesses they wanted to interview. The Trump lawyers hoped to bring about a quick conclusion to the investigation. Believing he could exonerate himself, Trump initially expressed a willingness to sit for an interview with Mueller's team. A date was set for that to take place at Camp David. But then the president's lawyers moved away from the plan, in part by arguing that the special counsel already had gotten answers to his questions. "It became the most transparent investigation in history," Jay Sekulow, one of the president's personal lawyers, said in an interview. Still, there was internal tumult along the way, including the March 2018 departure of Dowd, a veteran and experienced criminal defense attorney, and the additions of Giuliani and the husband-wife team of Martin and Jane Raskin. Even as the legal team professed cooperation with Mueller's prosecutors, the lawyers expressed impatience, frustration and skepticism in a series of private letters that challenged the credibility of the government's witnesses and the demands to interview the president. In a November 2018 correspondence, one of a series of letters obtained by news outlets, the president's legal team attacked the questions Mueller wanted to ask the president as "burdensome if submitted to a routine witness, let alone presented to the president of the United States, more than two years after the events at issue while he continued to navigate numerous, serious matters of state, national security and domestic emergency." Those private complaints were dwarfed by louder public protests. Trump spent months engaging in daily, sometimes hourly, attacks on Mueller's team, declaring the investigation a "Witch Hunt" and questioning the integrity of the investigators. Giuliani, in many ways more of a television spokesman than conventional lawyer, amplified those attacks. He went so far as to accuse the investigators of misconduct and to portray Mueller, who as a Marine officer had led a rifle platoon in Vietnam, as unpatriotic. The former New York City mayor became a human smoke screen, making accusations and offering theories often meant to distract and obfuscate. He was a punch line on cable news channels, and his interviews were mocked as blunder-filled performances. But there was a method to Giuliani's shtick, at least at times. More than once he let slip revelations that initially were perceived as gaffes but later were recognized as efforts to get out ahead of potentially damaging news stories. Two examples include payments to Stormy Daniels, a porn actress who claimed an affair with Trump, and a letter of intent to build a Trump Tower Moscow. There were missteps, too. The interviews granted by White House staffers filled the pages of the Mueller report with stories of West Wing chaos. At least one interaction caught Mueller's attention as a possible effort to discourage a witness from cooperating against the president. Trump's lawyers communicated regularly with attorneys for other people under scrutiny in the investigation as part of a joint-defense agreement that enabled them to swap information. But the report reveals that after former national security adviser Michael Flynn withdrew from the agreement and began cooperating with the government, an unidentified Trump lawyer left a message with Flynn's attorneys reminding them that the president still had warm feelings for Flynn and asking for a "heads-up" if Flynn knew damaging information about the president. While Giuliani, with an eye toward the members of Congress who might eventually decide the president's fate, focused on the public relations battle, the legal team also worked behind the scenes to argue that Mueller could not use a subpoena to compel Trump to give an in-person interview, which carried potentially grave risks for a president prone to making false statements. "I think they were right to think that it would hurt him to speak to Mueller's team, and as it turns out, they were right to think that he could get away with refusing to speak with Mueller's team," said Stanford law school professor David Alan Sklansky. Mueller's team, which spent about a year negotiating with Trump's lawyers over a potential interview, ultimately agreed to accept written answers on Russia-related questions but never spoke with the president in person. Making the move to block an interview was "defense lawyering 101" because defense lawyers as a matter of course don't like to let clients in legal jeopardy speak to investigators, said Duke law professor Samuel Buell. Mueller never acted to subpoena Trump. The special counsel did not conclude that Trump's campaign colluded with Russians. With an eye on following a Justice Department legal opinion that prohibits indicting a sitting president, Mueller did not rule on whether Trump obstructed justice. Attorney General William Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein declared that Trump did not. "We're very, very happy. I mean, it's a clear victory. I think any lawyer would say when you get a declination, you just won," Giuliani told Fox News after the report came out. Buell said it is hard to know how much credit belonged to Trump's lawyers. "I think that's where the real lawyering in a situation like this goes on, is the client management piece," he said. "Trump doesn't like to be managed, clearly ... but the Mueller report won't tell you what went on with the president's private lawyers and the president." Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed to this report. A driver reversed down a street and ditched his or her car after running over and killing a passenger who was trying to flee a shooting in West Philadelphia Sunday morning. First responders arrived near the intersection of Aspen and 49th streets around 6:30 a.m. after someone reported that the woman had been hit, the Philadelphia Police Department said. Abbra Johnson was taken to Penn Presbyterian Hospital, where doctors pronounced the 36-year-old dead. Initially, Philadelphia police called the incident a hit-and-run but after reviewing surveillance video, they believe the driver of the white Infiniti sedan starting reversing down Aspen Street after two people approached the car and at least one began to shoot. Johnson had jumped out of the passenger side of a car to escape the gunfire, Philadelphia police said. The driver then apparently reversed down Aspen street and struck about five other vehicles and then hit the woman as she tried to get of the car, police said. The driver then left the car behind and ran away from the scene. The driver remained at large Monday. "She got caught up in the front as she tried to get out of the vehicle," police Capt. Frank Milillo said Monday. The sedan was left perpendicular to the roadway and appeared to have damage to the front passenger side. Milillo said that it appeared that the sedan was targeted. Investigators hope the driver can shed light on what happened. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Philadelphia Police Department. Divers are in the waters of Biscayne National Park and trying to solve a mystery almost two centuries old. The underwater archaeologists with the National Park Service are out to make rare find. They are on a hunt for a ship called the Guerrero that was carrying slaves to the Americas. "The possibility of finding a ship like the Guerrero is highly significant," said Dr. Fritz Hanselmann with the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. "There have only been two identified slave ship wrecks in the archeological record to date which makes the Guerrero of extreme importance." On the day we went into the water with Hanselmann and National Park Service archeologist Joshua Marano, they were diving in a location about 15 miles southeast of Homestead. Marano had his writing tablet clutched in his arms when he heads underwater. He doesn't want to miss documenting the slightest detail. After all, he's looking for something no one has been able to find for 200 years. "It's a significant story in South Florida that hasn't really been told," Marano said. "It was a pirate slave ship that was carrying 561 enslaved Africans across from Africa in 1827." Here's the history of what happened, according to the Park Service. It's a story that's been made into a documentary funded by the National Park Service. In the 1820's, slavery was still legal in the US. Pirates took over the slave trade across the Atlantic because both the US and Great Britain had outlawed transporting them. A British warship named the Nimble was out on a mission to stop pirates and the crew spotted the Guerrero off the South Florida coastline and started to attack. A naval gun battle ensued and while trying to escape the Nimble, the Guerrero ran aground and eventually sank. The British ship did too. The Nimble's logs were used to provide some information, but no one has been able to determine exactly where the ships went under. "If you read the log of the Nimble, which has been preserved, it says it gave chase to a suspicious looking brig sighted off of its bow," Marano said. "They ended up chasing each other and had a running gun battle with one another until they didn't exactly know where they were." Of those enslaved on the Guerrero when it sank, 41 died. The pirates manning the ship hijacked two other ships that had come to help the Guerrero. The pirates took the 500 remaining slaves to Cuba. Some, Marano says, ultimately were sent to Florida. The National Park Service divers and the other researchers started out with about a thousand linear miles to search. They've done about half of that and now they have about 500 what they call 'anomalies' to take a closer look at to see if it leads them to the Guerrero. They use an underwater metal detector pulled behind a boat that alerts them where to look. They'll sometimes use a device that looks like a large blow dryer to clear the sand on the ocean floor. NBC 6 Photojournalist John Lang captured video of the divers scanning the bottom when they came across what may have been a rib making up the hull of a vessel. These locations are marked and items are placed in plastic bags to bring on land to investigate. "One of the sites that we've found was an actual dump of cannon balls and other heavy objects," Marano said. "We've recovered some of those objects and conserve them to hopefully see if there was any kind of mark or marking or anything like that may tell us whether or not this came from a British warship." The search is made more difficult with the passage of time and nature's impact on what's on the ocean's floor. "The problem is as ship wrecks sit underwater they tend to work to become one with their environment and reach equilibrium. And so corals grow over them, they kind of degrade," Marano told us. "They become very difficult to differentiate and identify individual features." While items may look the same to the untrained eye, the quest to know more motivates these researchers. "The ones that we are looking for provide us with a physical connection to our past and allow us to actually interact with those who preceded us and learn more about them," Hanselmann said. The hope is the searches can produce results like some of the well documented wrecks in the National Park not far away that have been preserved. For Marano and the other researchers, there's a lot of work to do. "The Gulf Stream just off shore of the Florida Keys, I always like to refer to it as the maritime equivalent of I-95 or maybe the Turnpike." Marano said. "Everything that ever traveled through the Florida Keys, particularly during the age of sail, had to pass ridiculously close to the Florida Keys." And he says that would include the still missing Guerrero. The rabbi injured in the deadly shooting inside a Poway, California, synagogue, on the last day of Passover said the gunman's weapon "miraculously" jammed, preventing more people from dying. We are here together standing on sacred property -- a synagogue -- a house of prayer where 24 hours ago, we saw terrorism in the worst of way, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein told a crowd outside Chabad of Poway Sunday afternoon, recalling the devastating events of the attack one day earlier that killed a 60-year-old woman and wounded three others, including Goldstein. Goldstein said two people helped chase the attacker from the synagogue, and that, despite being shot, he spoke to his congregation as they sheltered in place in the immediate aftermath. We are a Jewish nation that will stand tall," he recalled telling his faithful. "We will not let anyone or anything take us down. The 57-year-old rabbi earlier Sunday described on NBC's TODAY show the attack. He said he heard a large bang as he walked into the banquet hall before services at the synagogue. I turned around and Im face to face with this murderer -- terrorist -- who was holding a rifle and looking straight at me, and then as soon as he saw me, he started to shoot toward me, and thats when I put my hands up and then my fingers got blown away, Goldstein told TODAY. The rabbi suffered gunshot wounds to his index fingers, which trauma surgeon Michael Katz said was the largest injury of the three surviving victims. Goldstein lost his right index finger. I turned around and I saw a group of children in the banquet hall, including my granddaughter, and I just ran -- not even knowing that my fingers were blown off -- and hurled all the kids together and got them outside, Goldstein told TODAY. As he was rushing children out, he wrapped his fingers in a prayer shawl, he said. My granddaughter -- 4 and a half years old -- sees her grandpa with a bleeding hand and she sees me screaming and shouting, Get out! Get out! She didnt deserve to see her grandfather like this, Goldstein said. .medium .leadMediaRegion.city_module iframe {height:421px;} The suspected shooter was later identified as 19-year-old John T. Earnest from San Diego. An anti-Semitic open letter was posted by a user identifying himself as John Earnest on the far-right message board 8chan hours before the attack, NBC News reported. A young man standing with a rifle, staring right at me, he had sunglasses on -- I couldnt see his eyes, I couldnt see his soul, Goldstein said of the gunman. I spoke at length yesterday to Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Chabad of Poway, where I extended my warmest condolences to him and all affected by the shooting in California. What a great guy. He had a least one finger blown off, and all he wanted to do is help others. Very special! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 29, 2019 How does a 19-year-old, a teenager, have the audacity, the sickness, the hatred? he said. How does he come to our house of worship and do what he did? I cannot erase that face in my mind. I cannot erase that moment. Its going to be embedded there forever. You know, with the loss of my index finger, its going to be a scar for the rest of my life ... to remind us of literally how vulnerable we are, but also how brave we need to be. Everyone needs to be a hero. Everyone needs to step up and do something in the face of terror, Goldstein said in the interview. Goldstein said the attack could have been much worse but miraculously the gun jammed. Authorities have said Earnest used an assault-type rifle in the attack. After the gun jammed, the rabbi said Oscar Stewart, an Army veteran inside the synagogue at the time, jumped into action and tried to tackle the gunman, but the suspect fled. The rabbi said it was fortunate that there was an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent, later identified as Jonathan Morales, at Saturdays services who went in pursuit of the shooting suspect. The off-duty agent opened fire on the suspect outside, missing the man but striking his vehicle, deputies said. Goldstein said Morales is from El Centro and recently discovered his Jewish roots. Terror will not win. As Americans, we cant cower in the senseless hate that is in anti-Semitism. You know, beneath the surface of every terrible experience, there lies an opportunity to grow and increase in goodness, Goldstein told TODAY. Our government needs to continue to step up and help prioritize in securing our houses of worship. Outside of the sanctuary, which is the part of the synagogue where prayer services are performed, the congregation was sheltering in place and waiting for authorities to arrive. Here, the rabbi continued to deliver his sermon, he told TODAY's Willie Geist. I got up there, and I just spoke from my heart and giving everyone the courage to know -- you know, it was just 70 years ago during the Holocaust, we were gunned down like this. And I just want to let our fellow Americans know, were not going to let this happen here -- not here in San Diego, not here in Poway, not here in the United States of America, Goldstein said. President Donald Trump personally called Goldstein, the rabbi said at the news conference Sunday. They spoke for 10 to 15 minutes. He shared with me condolences on behalf of the United States of America, Goldstein said. He was just so comforting that Im really grateful for our president for really taking the time. Trump tweeted about Goldstein on Monday, calling him "a great guy" who, despite his injuries, only wanted to help others. Goldstein co-established Chabad of Poway in 1986 when he was in his early 20s. Lori Gilbert-Kaye, a member of the congregation, was killed in the shooting. Goldstein said she was a steadfast supporter and helped secure a construction loan to build the synagogue. She is such a dear friend. Ive known her for 33 years. And Im just so heartbroken and saddened by this senseless killing, Goldstein said. Goldstein said Gilbert-Kaye came to the synagogue Saturday because her mother recently died. After this terrorist left, I turn around to assess the situation, and I turn to see Lori laying on the ground unconscious, and her dear husband, Dr. Howard Kaye -- who is like a brother to me -- is trying to resuscitate her, Goldstein said. In my own interpretation, Lori took the bullet for all of us. She died to protect all of us. She didnt deserve to die. Shes such a kind, sweet-hearted -- just a good human being. She didnt deserve to die right in front of my eyes. I was the last one to see her and to be with her, but I do know that this is Lori, this is her legacy. And her legacy will continue, Goldstein said. The other two victims in the attack were 34-year-old Almog Peretz and 8-year-old Noya Dahan. The girl was released from the hospital Saturday night and Peretz was released Sunday. Both are recovering. Chabad of Poway is located at 16934 Chabad Way, next door to two other places of worship, St. John of Damascus Orthodox and Incarnation Lutheran Church. I ask that we all do something -- something -- to add more light to combat this evil darkness thats out there. And that can happen through acts of compassion, love, and kindness, Goldstein said. The suspect was taken into custody on a roadway after fleeing and calling 911 to report the shooting, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said. Earnest may be charged with a hate crime in addition to homicide charges when he's arraigned later this week. Police said he was also being investigated in connection with an arson attack on a mosque in nearby Escondido, California, on March 24. President Donald Trump and his team love to deride unfavorable stories as "fake news," but it's clear from Robert Mueller's report that the special counsel isn't buying it. While there are a few exceptions, Mueller's investigation repeatedly supports news reporting that was done on the Russia probe over the last two years and details several instances where the president and his team sought to mislead the public. "The media looks a lot stronger today than it did before the release of this report," Kyle Pope, editor of the Columbia Journalism Review, said Friday. Trump's supporters believe that Mueller's determination that there was not enough evidence to show that the president or his team worked with the Russians to influence the 2016 election delegitimizes the attention given to the story. Fox News Channel's Laura Ingraham message to the news media: "You owe us an apology." But the news stories were, for the great part, accurate. For instance, Mueller's report shows The New York Times and The Washington Post were correct when they reported in January 2018 that Trump ordered White House counsel Don McGahn to make sure Mueller was fired, and that McGahn decided to resign rather than carry that out. When the Times first reported the story, Trump described it as "fake news, folks, fake news." The Mueller report also showed that Trump directed a series of aides to ask McGahn to publicly deny the story, and ultimately asked himself, too. McGahn refused, saying the story was accurate, the report found. In a July 2017 story, the Times reported that the president personally wrote a statement in which he falsely said that an election year meeting between some Russians and his son, Donald Jr., was about the adoption of Russian children, rather than about obtaining potentially damaging information on Hillary Clinton's campaign. Trump's counsel repeatedly responded that the president had no role in writing the statement, yet months later testified under oath to investigators that Trump had dictated it. Mueller's report also backed up the newspaper's stories, which the administration denied at the time, that Trump demanded loyalty from then-FBI Director James Comey at a private dinner, and that Trump had asked Comey to end an investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn. "The Mueller report confirmed again and again that stories in The New York Times for the past two years were the opposite of 'fake news,'" said Elisabeth Bumiller, the paper's Washington bureau chief. "They were meticulously reported, carefully sourced and accurate stories that told readers what was really going on at the White House." Washington Post columnist David Ignatius reported before Trump's inauguration that Flynn had talked to Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak about sanctions placed on Russia by the outgoing Obama administration. Mueller said that Trump put out word that he wanted Flynn to kill the story, and that Flynn ordered aide K.T. McFarland to deny it to the Post, "although she knew she was providing false information." Others in the administration, including Vice President Mike Pence, also denied it. Flynn resigned when the truth became evident. Trump repeatedly said during the 2016 campaign that he had no business dealings in Russia when, even as he uttered the words, his company was seeking to build a Trump Towers office building in Moscow. When Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, privately pointed out that the denial was untrue, the future president said "why mention it if it is not a deal?" the report said. Mueller also determined that a statement by White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders that Comey had been unpopular with rank-and-file members of his agency "was not founded on anything." Sanders said on ABC Friday that her statement was "a slip of the tongue." Mueller, however, did shoot down a BuzzFeed News report that Trump had directed Cohen to lie to Congress about the timing of the Moscow project. Mueller said that while it appeared Trump knew Cohen was lying to Congress, "the evidence available to us does not establish that the president directed or aided Cohen's false testimony." BuzzFeed News editor-in-chief Ben Smith said the organization's sources, who were federal law enforcement officials, "interpreted the evidence Cohen presented as meaning that the president 'directed' Cohen to lie. We now know that Mueller did not." Smith said BuzzFeed will continue to pursue the story through Freedom of Information requests and in court. Mueller also contradicted a McClatchy news service story alleging that Cohen had traveled to Prague, in the Czech Republic, in summer 2016 to meet with Russians involved in the effort to influence the election. Mueller's report said that Cohen had not gone to Prague. McClatchy attached an editor's note to its story reporting Mueller's conclusion but adding that his report "is silent on whether the investigators received evidence that Mr. Cohen's phone pinged in an area near Prague, as McClatchy reported." CJR's Pope said so many of the stories surrounding Trump had been made foggy by denials and "fake news" claims over the past two years. He said he was surprised so much of Mueller's report backed up journalists, although it's too soon to tell whether the findings will influence two very divided political camps. "I think it casts the coverage of him in a much different light," he said. Facebook is extending its ban on hate speech to prohibit the promotion and support of white nationalism and white separatism. The company previously allowed such material even though it has long banned white supremacists. The social network said Wednesday that it didn't apply the ban previously to expressions of white nationalism because it linked such expressions with broader concepts of nationalism and separatism such as American pride or Basque separatism (which are still allowed). But civil rights groups and academics called this view "misguided" and have long pressured the company to change its stance. Facebook said it concluded after months of "conversations" with them that white nationalism and separatism cannot be meaningfully separated from white supremacy and organized hate groups. Critics have "raised these issues to the highest levels at Facebook (and held) a number of working meetings with their staff as we've tried to get them to the right place," said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a Washington, D.C.-based legal advocacy group. "This is long overdue as the country continues to deal with the grip of hate and the increase in violent white supremacy," she said. "We need the tech sector to do its part to combat these efforts." Though Facebook Inc. said it has been working on the change for three months, it comes less than two weeks after Facebook received widespread criticism after the suspect in shootings at two New Zealand mosques that killed 50 people was able to broadcast the massacre on live video on Facebook. Also on Wednesday, a man convicted on state murder charges in a deadly car attack at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, pleaded guilty to federal hate crime charges. The bloodshed in 2017 prompted tech companies to take a firmer stand against accounts used to promote hate and violence. But apparently not enough. Now, Facebook is trying to do more. As part of Wednesday's change, people who search for terms associated with white supremacy on Facebook will be directed to a group called Life After Hate, which was founded by former extremists who want to help people leave the violent far-right. Clarke called the idea that white supremacism is different than white nationalism or white separatism a misguided "distinction without a difference." She said the New Zealand attack was a "powerful reminder about why we need the tech sector to do more to stamp out the conduct and activity of violent white supremacists." Rashad Robinson, the president of Color of Change, says the racial justice group warned Facebook to the growing dangers of white nationalists on its platform years ago and that he was glad to see Wednesday's announcement. "Facebook's update should move Twitter, YouTube, and Amazon to act urgently to stem the growth of white nationalist ideologies, which find space on platforms to spread the violent ideas and rhetoric that inspired the tragic attacks witnessed in Charlottesville, Pittsburgh, and now Christchurch," he said. Twitter does not currently ban white nationalists or white separatists, though its hateful conduct policy forbids the promotion of violence or threats against people on the basis of race, gender, religion and other protected categories. It also bans the use of "hateful images or symbols" in profile or header images. YouTube also bans hate speech and says it removes content promoting violence or hatred on the basis of these categories. Amazon has an "offensive products" policy that does not allow the promotion or glorification of hatred, racial violence or sexual or religious intolerance. The three companies did not immediately respond to messages for comment on Wednesday. Madihha Ahussain, a special counsel for anti-Muslim bigotry at the nonprofit Muslim Advocates, said what's needed now is more information on how Facebook will define white nationalist content and how it will enforce its new rules. "Now, the question is: how will Facebook interpret and enforce this new policy to prevent another tragedy like the Christchurch mosque attacks?" she said. A 46-year-old man from Massachusetts is accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman aboard a flight from Tokyo to Dulles International Airport last year, court documents show. According to court filings obtained by News4, the teenager was a stranger to the man, who was seated next to her aboard a United Airlines flight on July 27, 2018. The documents allege that the man, who was seated in the window seat, lifted the armrest between him and the teenager in the middle seat and placed a blanket over the victim's leg before sexually assaulting her. An FBI affidavit describes in graphic detail how the man touched the victim, who was "quietly crying, with tears streaming down her face" before she pushed the man's hands away. The documents also describe how the victim told three flight attendants that she "froze and did not know what to do," as well as other details of the assault. The flight attendants, who observed that the victim was "visibly shaken," then moved the victim to another seat because "she was afraid to return to her seat." United Arlines said in a statement that the "safety and well-being" of their customers is a top priority. "Our customer was immediately moved to a different seat when the flight attendant was made aware of the issue and we requested law enforcement meet the aircraft on arrival," United Airlines said. "The perpetrator has been banned from flying United. Sexual harassment , inappropriate behavior, intimidation or predation have absolutely no place anywhere in our society - including in our industry and on our aircraft." The News4 I-Team has found a series of recent sexual assaults on international flights, which mirrors a trend nationwide and at D.C. area airports. This Massachusetts man is the second man to be charged this week with inappropriately touching a woman on a flight into Dulles. Hospitals/nursing homes having below 10 beds in the district will have to compulsorily install sewage treatment plant by December 31st 2019. Also, all the clinics where injections are administered will have to get a certificate from the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB). It was, informed during a meeting of hospital, nursing home, path lab and dental clinic service providers held here. The meeting was called on the directives of district Collector Jaiprakash Maurya on Saturday. Notably a state level meeting of committee formed on the directives of National Green Tribunal (NGT), was held in Raipur on April 25 wherein safe disposal of bio-medical waste was discussed. Regional officer CECB, SK Diwan informed that hospitals and clinics are required to take registration from CECB. Those who had not obtained the registration must do it at the earliest, he said. According to the officials, bio-medical waste is very dangerous and it should be handled properly. Paramedical staffs must be administrated tetanus and hepatitis-B vaccines once in a year along with health check-up. District administration officials asked the hospital/nursing home/clinic operators to provide personal protection kits to the sanitation workers. It was also directed to train paramedical staff for effective disposing of bio-medical wastes. Clinic, nursing homes located more than 75 km from Raipur will have to compulsorily get deep pit and shark pit constructed. They will also have to keep the record of weight of bio-medical waste generated every day. This report will be submitted to CECB by June 30 every year, officials said during the meeting. Federal prosecutors say an MS-13 gang member in Maryland has been sentenced to 35 years in prison. Twenty-six year-old Oscar Ernesto Delgado-Perez of Gaithersburg was sentenced Friday for conspiring to participate in racketeering. According to his plea agreement, Delgado-Perez conspired with other MS-13 members and associates to participate in extortion, murder and other crimes. Prosecutors say Delgado-Perez distributed illegal drugs for the gang and conspired with other members in June 2016 to murder a man they believed was in a rival gang. The victim, 18-year-old Cristian Antonio Villagran-Morales, was lured to a park by a female MS-13 gang member and stabbed more than 150 times. A group of protesters describing themselves as nationalists interrupted an author's book talk with chants of "This land is our land" at the popular Politics and Prose bookstore in Northwest Washington on Saturday. The incident at Politics and Prose, an independent bookstore and local staple in the Chevy Chase neighborhood of D.C. happened Saturday afternoon according to the author, Jonathan M. Metzl, and filmmaker Catherine Wigginton, who was present during the interruption. The men walked in and chanted "This land is our land" as Metzl, the director of the Center for Medicine, Health and Society at Vanderbilt University, was speaking about his new book, "Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment is Killing America's Heartland." "The crowd didn't really know what to make of it. Everybody thought it was a joke at first," Metzl told News4. Video posted on Twitter shows the group of about 10 men led by one person holding a loudspeaker while talking about white, working-class people, and identified themselves as "nationalists" and "identitarians." Metzl said he had just recognized a man in the audience who had helped his father and grandparents escape Nazi Austria by offering to be their host family. "Not five minutes before, I had acknowledged him and said this is how great America can be when it is bold and generous," Metzl said. Then, he saw the group come into the bookstore. "All of a sudden I saw these guys very boldly walking, almost in formation," Metzl said. So this bullshit just went down today at Politics & Prose. White nationalists disrupting @JonathanMetzl talk on his book Dying of Whiteness. Point made. @PM_Learn pic.twitter.com/nucKlrJ8X2 Catherine Wigginton (@cewigginton) April 27, 2019 The man with a megaphone leading the group then began shouting as the crowd booed him. You would have the white working class trade their homeland for handouts," the man said. "But we, as nationalists, and identitarians, can offer the workers of this country, a homeland, our birthright, in addition to health care, good jobs and so forth." The group chanted "this land is our land," before leaving the building. The whole interaction did not last for more than five minutes said filmmaker Catherine Wigginton, who said she stepped into the store after seeing the men approaching from along Connecticut Avenue. "As I was standing outside I saw them march up," Wigginton told News4. "The whole thing was very fast." She had been in the area as part of the same conference that brought Metzl to Politics and Prose, the Antiracist Book Festival at American University, where she was promoting her film "I'm not Racist...Am I?" Wigginton and Metzl both said they were struck by the boldness of this demonstration on the same day as a shooting at a synagogue in Southern California. "The scary part is these [people] are very emboldened right now. It was the intensity of it," Metzl said. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser condemned the incident in a series of tweets that also condemned the shooting at Chabad of Poway synagogue in the town of Poway, California. "Between the horrific act of hate and antisemitism at Chabad of Poway and the ignorance and hate from the white nationalists who interrupted a book talk today in DC, my heart is broken," Bowser said. After the group exited, Metzl said he paused before asking the audience to reflect and process the moment. "This was amazing," Wigginton said. "He led and opened the space up for conversation afterwards." A shooting at a Chabad synagogue near San Diego on Saturday, the last day of Passover, marks the latest tragedy in an increasingly dangerous trend of attacks on houses of worship during services where congregations are at their most vulnerable, NBC News reports. The attack on Chabad of Poway is the third of its kind in the last six weeks and the fourth mass attack on a house of worship in the last year. In October, 11 people died at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh when a gunman opened fire during Sabbath services. Then, 50 worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, were gunned down last month during a Friday afternoon service, which is typically practiced as a congregation. On Easter Sunday, at least 359 people, including about 45 children, were killed during a series of suicide bombings in Sri Lanka that targeted churches and hotels. One Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., called the attacks an epidemic in a tweet that demanded an end to such violent incidents. "Something is fundamentally broken in our society when any house of worship is made unsafe by gun violence and hate again and again and again," Gillibrand said. A Brattleboro, Vermont man was charged Saturday with two counts of domestic assault and three counts of animal cruelty, according to local police. Police arrested Wayne Griffis for allegedly pepper spraying inside a Western Avenue residence and assaulting a female, her son, and their dog, authorities say. An investigation revealed that Griffis also pepper sprayed the female's dog on two other occasions. Griffis was released on conditions, according to police, and will appear in Windham County Superior Court in June. It is unclear whether he has an attorney. Five people have been displaced after a house fire in Lynn, Massachusetts. According to the fire department, the two-alarm fire at 27 North Federal Street broke out overnight Friday night, producing heavy fire and smoke. Firefighters used ladders to rescue residents from the third floor of the home. Residents of the first floor evacuated the home when smoke detectors went off. Officials say the alarms most likely saved their lives. Five residents have been displaced. It is unclear if anyone was injured in the fire. Three men have been arrested and charged for stealing almost $65,000 from ATMs in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. According to police, Tharushan Nirmalachandran, 30, of Quebec, Canada; Ajitharan Reveendran, 28, of Ontario; and Syed Hoque, 23, of Brooklyn, New York, were arrested on Saturday on suspicion of stealing money from ATM machines. The beginning of the end for a group of suspected thieves was Friday night in Hudson, New Hampshire, when a tipster called police about a suspicious man spending too much time at the Digital Federal Credit Union ATM. We always say, in law enforcement, see something, say something, said Capt. Kristopher McCarthy during a Sunday morning press conference in Methuen, Massachusetts. Hudson Police arrested Hoque after finding thousands of dollars in cash and debit cards inside the car he was driving. That investigation led authorities to the Days Hotel in Methuen where police say Hoque and the two other suspects were operating an elaborate theft ring. These gentlemen flew in from Toronto to Atlanta, rented three vehicles, one each, and traveled up the East Coast, ending up in Methuen, McCarthy said. McCarthy says the three men were using an illegal scanner device to load fake money onto stolen prepaid debit cards, and then using the cards to withdraw real money. Investigators dont know exactly how many ATMs have been ripped off, but theyre confident its more than just one. I dont think youre going to end up in Methuen from Georgia, I think there were several stops along the way, McCarthy said. Investigators found the trashed cards in the dumpster behind the Days Hotel. In total, police recovered about $64,000 in cash from the suspects vehicles. Whats worse is that McCarthy thinks this is just the beginning. We assume once the banks open for business tomorrow, that we will see our investigation get larger, he said. The three suspects will be arraigned on felony theft charges on Monday. It is unclear whether they have attorneys. A Merrimack College student is with family and recovering in the hospital after falling out of a window Saturday evening. The fall was originally reported by The Eagle-Tribune. The student was reportedly conscious and alert after falling out of the window on the third floor of the Monican Centre in North Andover, Massachusetts. According to the college, the student was seriously injured from the fall and had to be medflighted. College spokesman James Chiavelli said the student is aware of the incident and the helicopter landing. The student was taken to Boston Medical Center for treatment. The student's name and age have not been released. It is unclear how the student fell from the window. "Merrimack College is proud of this communitys response, and for everyones prayers and good wishes," Merrimack College President Christopher Hopey said in a statement. "We are especially grateful to Merrimack College police and other first responders." The college says students who feel the need to talk should reach out to their Resident Assistant or Resident Director. Authorities are investigating the incident. A new president is taking over the natural gas utility connected to the September gas explosions in the Merrimack Valley. Columbia Gas of Massachusetts says Mark Kempic will officially succeed retiring president Steve Bryant on May 1. The transition was announced in February. The company says Kempic will also continue to serve as chief operating officer of the company, a title he's held since January. He's been with the company 40 years and previously served as president of Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania and Columbia Gas of Maryland. The Sept. 13 disaster was triggered by over pressurization in a natural gas pipeline during a routine replacement project. One person died, dozens more injured, hundreds of structures damaged and thousands left without natural gas service for months in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover. Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday said the appointment of a wanted Khalistani terrorist to spearhead the Rs Khalistan Referendum 2020 campaign has further exposed the true motive and intent behind the separatist movement. He urged the central government to press the global community to join India in cracking down on this grave threat to its peace and security. Reacting to media reports to the roping in by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was on the list of wanted persons he had shared with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during their meeting in Amritsar in February 2018, Capt Amarinder expressed concern over the Canadian governments covert and overt support to the hardliners operating from its soil to create disturbance in India. Even as he urged Trudeau not to play with fire by allowing such elements to use Canadian territory to disrupt Indias peace and stability, the Chief Minister called upon the Indian government to take a more proactive stand in dealing with these forces trying to unleash trouble in the country, particularly Punjab, from other parts of the world. The Chief Minister also expressed concern over Canadas failure to rein in such hardline elements seeking to disturb Indias peace and security, and posing a grave threat in particular to Punjab. It was in the interest of any administration in Canada to check the spread of such forces on its soil, he added, warning that allowing the perpetuation of such elements would be detrimental to Canadas own safety and security in the long run. The CM pointed out that Nijjar was accused by India of running a terror camp in British Columbia, also accused of target killings in India and conducting weapons training for anti-India terrorists in the west. Said to be close to the legal advisor of secessionist organization Sikhs For Justice, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Nijjars taking over of the Khalistan Referendum 2020 campaign was a clear sign of the movement assuming even more diabolical proportions, he added. The Referendum 2020 had never been the peaceful movement it claimed to be, but by roping in Nijjar, it was clear that SFJ had given up all pretensions of steering a non-violent campaign, said the Chief Minister. Given that the movement was openly supported and backed by Pakistans ISI, which had been pushing terror into India directly and indirectly for decades now, it was blatantly clear that the so-called Referendum campaign was nothing but a front for the agency to boost its anti-India agenda, he added. He further said that Referendum 2020 was nothing but a front for the ISI and its Agents of Interest (AOI), such as Pannun & Nijjar, to promote & execute terrorist acts in Punjab and India. By bringing Nijjar into the mainstream of the movement, SFJ and ISI had well and truly shown their hand, and their intention of creating trouble for Punjab in any which way, said Captain Amarinder. With the Sikhs in India rejecting outright the divisive propaganda of SFJ and Islamabad, Nijjar was clearly a last-ditch resort to breathe some life into the campaign, but, like all their previous efforts, this will also fail, he added. Refuting the ruling AAP's demand for full statehood to Delhi, Union minister and BJP's Chandni Chowk candidate Harsh Vardhan wondered whether statehood could be given to a chief minister like Arvind Kejriwal with "dubious and questionable character". In an interview to PTI, Vardhan, who is contesting for the second time from Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat, asserted that the national capital was suffering due to the AAP government's "negative mentality". He said the Kejriwal-led government has done nothing for the people, except "wasting time in abusing the Prime Minister". "Delhi is suffering because of the negative mentality of its government and the chief minister in particular. They have hardly done anything in the last four years. You can see their 70 promises and find there is hardly any promise that has been delivered," the minister said. "They have not done anything except wasting their time and abusing the Prime Minister day in and day out. What has Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal done? Nothing. This is the same chief minister who felt proud in calling himself an 'anarchist' ahead of the Republic Day parade a couple of years ago. "Now he (Kejriwal) is shouting about statehood. Do you think statehood can be given to a chief minister who is dubious and is of questionable character?" he said. The AAP supremo had during a protest on January 20, 2014 in the city called himself an "anarchist". He had raised the demand of bringing Delhi police under the city government. Vardhan, who holds the portfolios of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Science and Technology and Earth Sciences ministries, also blamed the AAP government for not cooperating in several developmental projects, including the Shahjahanabad redevelopment project. "I initiated the Shahjahanabad redevelopment project a few months after taking over. The project was also started. Unfortunately, the chief minister (Kejriwal) refused support to the project. I am sure if we have the government in Delhi along with the central government, which we will get next month, we will be able to complete it," he asserted. The project aims at creation of pedestrian-oriented space in Chandni Chowk, seen as a catalyst for revitalising economic, infrastructure and tourism potential of Shahjahanabad. Highlighting his achievements in Chandni Chowk in the last five years, Vardhan said he gave people Rani Jhansi flyover which was lying incomplete for 10 years. "Look at the Rani Jhansi flyover, it was lingering on for almost 10 years. I took up this project and every 15 days, I used to have a meeting and visit the project site. When there was some difficulty, I got Rs 86 crore sanctioned from the government to ensure that the municipal corporation does not run out of money," he said. "I also delivered the road at Kishanganj. So many schools have been constructed in my constituency and community centres have been built. Over 200 gyms and 700 play apparatuses have been constructed. Several projects were also sanctioned by Union Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari," he added. The four-time MLA from east Delhi's Krishna Nagar assembly constituency also lambasted the AAP for not providing support to municipal corporations of the city. "Despite the fact that we do not have a government in Delhi, our road and surface transport minister (Nitin Gadkari) got Rs 46,000 crore worth schemes sanctioned for Delhi," Vardhan said. "Whether it is east and west corridor, or eastern and western peripheral expressway, we have given new metro lines and for every scheme, the government of Delhi is being supported. "On the contrary, despite the massive support the Delhi government receives from the Centre, it does not pass on the same kind of support to the municipal corporations of Delhi (MCDs)," he said. The senior BJP leader also hit out at the ruling AAP for its handling of 'safai karmachaaris' of the municipal corporations. "You saw how badly people suffered when there was a strike by the safai karmacharis due to non-payment of salaries. They could not get the pay because money was not given by the government of Delhi. Unfortunately, the rules are such that the Centre cannot directly give money to the corporations and it has to be routed through the state government," he said. Vardhan exuded confidence of a clean sweep, like the 2014 Lok Sabha poll verdict, in the national capital. "I am pretty sure that like last time, we will win all seven seats in Delhi and with better margins," he said. The incumbent MP from Chandni Chowk will be facing AAP's Pankaj Gupta and Congress candidate J P Agarwal. Delhi will vote on May 12 and the results will be announced on May 23. BEDFORD On July 17, 1944, Elizabeth Teass came to work at Greens Drug Store, cut on the Western Union teletype machine and started receiving the casualty reports from D-Day invasion on June 6 almost five weeks after 19 of the 35 Bedford men sent to fight in World War II were killed on the beaches of Normandy. Throughout that day, 14-year-old Carl Overstreet who did deliveries for Greens Drug Store was sent out on his bicycle to deliver some of the telegrams informing Bedford families of their losses. Almost 75 years later, Overstreets widow stood in almost the exact spot where her husband received the telegrams he rode out to deliver that day. I cant even imagine, Elizabeth Overstreet said Saturday during the dedication of the Company A Bedford Boys Tribute Center at the corner of North Bridge and Main streets in Bedford. This is overwhelming. As I walk through and see the pictures I can only imagine what a traumatic event this would have been for this town. My husband talked about that day the telegrams kept pouring in, but I cant imagine what it would have been like. The site of the former Greens Drug Store was dedicated Saturday to the memories of the Bedford men who served during World War II and the families they left behind. More than 200 people came out for the dedication ceremony and their first glimpse of the renovated building This is the pride and spirit of Bedford, said Kenneth Parker who created the tribute center with his wife, Linda. Even though 75 years have passed, the spirit still remains in this town. The Parkers, now residents of Bedford, became involved with the legacy of the Bedford Boys last year. We were planning a trip to Normandy for the 75th D-Day Anniversary and we were doing some research and came across a book about the Bedford Boys, Linda Parker said. We reached out to the people in Bedford through the churches in town to ask if any of them wanted us to take something to France to place on the graves of their loved ones. People started reaching out to us and we decided to come to Bedford and meet them. After visiting relatives of the Bedford Boys and hearing the stories of the people in town, the couple decided to begin research for a book about the men who served and the families they left behind. They rented the former Greens Drug Store and used the space to conduct interviews, later deciding to turn the site into a tribute center to the men and women from Bedford County who served during World War II. The couple started renovating the space at 104 N. Bridge St. in March to get it opened before the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings on June 6. This will be the last great opportunity to honor the Bedford Boys, all World War II veterans, Parker said. We wanted to get this ready before all eyes are turned to Bedford in June. Hundreds of people came out to the dedication Saturday to get their first look at the former Greens Drug Store for its reopening. What they have done here is amazing, Bedford Mayor Steve Rush said Saturday. I cant believe what they have done in that space. The part of the building that most recently held a coffee shop has been renovated to serve once again as a coffee shop that serves coffee, tea, soda and local-made pastries. The space beside the coffee shop now is dedicated to the Bedford Boys and their families, with one wall dedicated to the Bedford Boys who were killed in action and the opposite wall dedicated to the 16 Bedford Boys who came home. We can never forget the sacrifice these boys made for our freedom, Parker said, And we shouldnt forget their families or the boys who came home from the war. Keeping their memory alive is why we are here today. Bedford County native Tharon Meador, 88, said she remembered shopping at Greens Drug Store when she was about 10 years old, about the time the Bedford Boys would have visited the store and when the telegrams came in 1944 informing families of their deaths. It was a wonderful place and had the best little lunch counter, Meador said. I can remember coming in here when I was a little girl. Im so pleased to see that it has been turned into a tribute to those young men that died during the war. Roslyn Reynolds whose mother went to high school with many of the Bedford Boys agreed. Its an honor to walk through here, said Reynolds, who has lived in Bedford for the past 50 years. These were small-town boys that didnt know what was going to happen to them. But because of them, we live in a country that is free. I think that it is wonderful what the Parkers have done here. The tribute center now is home to a number of historical artifacts including a replica of the Western Union teletype station when Teass received the telegrams in 1944. However, it was a replica telephone from the 1940s that drew the attention of 5-year-old Corbin Amburgey on Saturday. How do you even make a call on this? Corbin asked his grandmother Saturday afternoon. I just dont get it. POWAY, Calif. (AP) A 19-year-old gunman opened fire inside a synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of a major Jewish holiday, killing a woman and wounding the rabbi and two others Saturday, authorities said. President Donald Trump and other elected officials decried what they called an anti-Semitic attack exactly six months since 11 people were killed at a Pittsburgh synagogue in the deadliest assault on Jews in U.S. history. An off-duty Border Patrol agent working as a security guard at the Chabad of Poway fired at the shooter as he fled, missing him but striking his getaway vehicle, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said. The gunman, identified as John Earnest, used an AR-type assault weapon, Gore said. There were indications that the gun might have malfunctioned after firing numerous rounds inside the synagogue, the sheriff said. Shortly after fleeing, Earnest called 911 to report the shooting, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said. When an officer reached the man on a roadway, "the suspect pulled over, jumped out of his car with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody," Nisleit said. A girl and two men were wounded as the Jewish congregation gathered for Passover, a weeklong commemoration of the deliverance of the ancient Hebrews from slavery in Egypt. The three were in stable condition, authorities said. Earnest has no criminal record, but investigators were looking into a claim he made in an online manifesto about setting a fire at a mosque in nearby Escondido last month, Gore said. There was damage but no injuries. Gore said authorities were reviewing copies of his social media posts and were investigating the attack as a possible hate crime. A person identifying themselves as John Earnest posted an anti-Jewish screed online about an hour before the attack that contained some elements not to be believed, like an allegation a YouTube star helped plan and fund the shooting. The post says he was in nursing school and cited the suspects accused of carrying out deadly attacks on mosques in New Zealand last month and at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue Oct. 27. There was no known threat after Earnest was arrested, but authorities boosted patrols at places of worship as a precaution, police said. Minoo Anvari, a member of the synagogue, told media outlets that her husband was inside during the shooting. She said he called to tell her the shooter was shouting and cursing. She called the shooting "unbelievable" in a peaceful and tight-knit community. "We are strong; you can't break us," Anvari said. Donny Phonea, who lives across the street from the synagogue, turned off his power drill and heard someone shout, "Police!" Then he heard three or four shots. The 38-year-old bank auditor looked over his backyard fence facing the synagogue and saw people hiding behind an electrical box in the parking lot of a neighboring church. At that point, he knew something was "very, very wrong," went inside and closed his doors and garage. "I'm a little taken aback," said Phonea, who moved to Poway two weeks ago. "I moved here because safety was a factor. Poway is very safe." Trump offered his sympathies Saturday, saying the shooting "looked like a hate crime" and calling it "hard to believe." The mayor of Poway, who tweeted that he got a call from the president offering help, also denounced what he called a hate crime. "I want you know to you this is not Poway," Mayor Steve Vaus said. "We always walk with our arms around each other and we will walk through this tragedy with our arms around each other." Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said he joins the community in grief. "No one should have to fear going to their place of worship, and no one should be targeted for practicing the tenets of their faith," he said. (Newser) Judges have a lot of discretion when it comes to handing out sentences to criminal defendants, but some experts say a recent Idaho case where a woman was ordered to wear a charm bracelet is particularly unusual. Jennifer Fanopoulos was sentenced in Boise's US District Court earlier this month for using fraud to obtain illegal drugs from the hospital where she worked, the AP reports. US District Judge Edward Lodge sentenced her to three years' probation and added an extra requirement: He ordered her to wear a charm bracelet bearing pictures of her children to deter her from using drugs or alcohol. Neither the judge nor Fanopoulos' defense attorney responded to requests for comment. story continues below University of Idaho College of Law Professor Shaakirrah Sanders said judges have to abide by a few rules when going outside the box on sentencing terms, including making sure that the requirement is proportionate to the crime and that it doesn't amount to cruel or unusual punishment. Ideally it should also somehow relate to the crime itself and be likely to help the defendant and society, Sanders said. "I'd be very curious about the basis of why the court thinks that would be helpful," Sanders said. Enforcing unusual probation requirements can be tough, but they typically aren't challenged, said Jacqueline Lee of Boise State University. "People don't often appeal probation conditions in the same way they would a prison sentence," she said. (Read more unusual sentence stories.) (CNN) Ten civilians -- including six children -- are dead along with six suspected terrorists after a shootout between police and alleged militants late Friday in eastern Sri Lanka, authorities said. At least two suspected terrorists are on the run following an explosion that witnesses told CNN turned a house in Sainthamaruthu "into fire." At daybreak, a gruesome scene was revealed at the raided house in the town on the country's eastern coast -- charred bodies and a roof blown off during three explosions. Among the dead was a woman who was passing in a rickshaw at the time of the raid. Police are investigating the civilians' possible relationship to the suspected terrorists. Earlier Friday, authorities had seized a large cache of explosives, 100,000 ball bearings and ISIS uniforms and flags from a garage a few miles from the shootout. The raids come on the back of a major hunt for the perpetrators of the coordinated Easter Sunday attacks that killed 253 people, including worshippers attending Easter Mass. National Tawheed Jamath, a local extremist group, has been blamed for those bombings but has not claimed the attacks. ISIS claimed responsibility, but a link between the attackers and the terror group has not been proven. In Friday's shootout, one wounded suspect fled on a motorbike, and another suspected terrorist could be on the run as well, Maj. Gen. Aruna Jayasekera said. One of the six suspected terrorists found dead has been identified as Mohamed Niyas, known to the authorities as a prominent member of the National Tawheed Jamath. Earlier in a statement from the army, Niyas was identified as the brother-in-law of the alleged ringleader of the Easter Sunday attacks, Zahran Hashim. Hashim's driver was arrested Friday in Kattankudy, a town about an hour's drive north from Sainthamaruthu, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara told CNN. Police wouldn't say whether the driver was directly involved in the Easter bombings. According to Aliyar Mohamed, who lives opposite the alleged bomb-making garage, the building was rented to people from Kattankudy. "The owners ... realized there was suspicious stuff going on here, then police came here. The place was rented out two to three weeks ago," he told CNN. "They (the tenants) came here claiming to start a slipper factory, and the owners saw the materials but didn't understand what they were. But after the Colombo bombings, and with the people being from Kattankudy, they then reported them to police." The eastern cities of Kalmunai, Chavalakade and Sammanthurai remain under extended curfew until further notice, according to police. The curfew was imposed after the shootout. Over the last 24 hours, police have raided four safe houses in Addailachchenai, Sammanthurai, Nintavur and Sainthamaruthu -- all in the eastern area, said Gunasekara, the police spokesman. The raids came as the Sri Lankan army revealed new evidence Saturday about one of the suspected Easter Sunday bombers -- Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohamed, who killed himself while detonating a bomb at the Tropical Inn Guesthouse on the outskirts of Colombo. In a document used to brief President Maithripala Sirisena on Friday and seen by CNN, the army says Mohamed traveled to Turkey with a friend "in the hope of entering Syria." While the friend later joined ISIS in Syria, Mohamed returned to Sri Lanka. Hundreds of evacuees describe night of horror Amid an ongoing police operation at the shootout site, around 600 nearby households -- mainly Muslim -- have been evacuated to a local school under guard by security forces. One of the evacuees, Mohamed Feleel, told CNN that he heard the first bomb blast at around 7:15 p.m. Friday. The father of 10 said the explosions and gunfire continued for more than four hours until the village was evacuated at 6 a.m. Saturday. "I was afraid, I stayed inside as there were people firing, people getting killed," Feleel said. "Now at night I won't be sleeping, I'm too afraid." Another witness, Kalandrsah Abdul Nasser, told CNN he was just 100 meters from the shootout and said the community was "devastated" by what happened. He said the raided house was initially rented by two people on April 18 and they went away for a short period, and later returned with eight others, raising suspicions in the tight-knit community. "It was the people of this village that went to the police about this group," Nasser said. During the raid, Nasser said he "saw a big explosion and the house turned into fire." Imprisonment for spreading fake news The raid followed the Sri Lankan government's announcement Friday that anyone found guilty of spreading false information may be imprisoned for up to three to five years. It said a number of public disturbances have been reported in the country due to false information in the wake of the Easter Sunday bombings. A ban on social media following the attacks will remain in place due to "a lot of wrong information shared," Sirisena said Friday. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan authorities have been attempting to root out "sleeper" cells that could initiate another round of attacks, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told CNN on Thursday. "Every household in the country will be checked," Sirisena told a news conference, according to a statement. "The lists of permanent residents of every house will be established to ensure no unknown persons could live anywhere." Sri Lankans remain on edge a week after the Easter bombings. Catholic Sunday Masses have been suspended "until further notice," the Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, announced Friday. He said the move will ensure the safety of worshippers, and the church "will try to introduce some services" once better security was in place. The government urged Muslims to stay home for Friday prayers, and many mosques were closed. However, some mosques defied the call, opening for midday prayers. Both Christianity and Islam are minority religions in Sri Lanka, with each accounting for under 10% of the population. The vast majority of Sri Lankans identify as Buddhist. This story was first published on CNN.com, "10 civilians and 6 suspected terrorists killed in police raid in Sri Lanka." Coming down heavily on the Congress for its promises to amend AFSPA and quash the sedition law, if voted to power, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Sunday said the "hand symbol of the grand old party denotes that it was hand-in-glove with traitors". Addressing a rally in Sheohar Lok Sabha constituency near here, Adityanath claimed that "no nationalist or dignified person" would support the Congress or its allies having gone through its Lok Sabha poll manifesto. "I was shocked to see the Congress manifesto. It said that the party will do away with the sedition law and amend Afspa, the law which gives special power to the army in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast states. It seems 'Congress ka hath hai deshdrohiyon ke sath' (Cong has extended its hand to the traitors of this country)," he insisted. Referring to IAF air strike in Balakot, Adityanath said that the Indian Army always had the courage and valour to carry out such attacks, but the "erstwhile governments lacked resolve and willpower to make powerful decisions". "The Narendra Modi government showed its determination to eliminate terrorists and allowed forces to carry out air strikes inside Pakistan. Terrorists are now fleeing their hideouts," he said, adding that "both terrorism and naxalism would be completely wiped out from the country after Modi becomes the PM for another term." When it comes to the prime minister's post, the BJP and its allies have unanimously chosen Modi as their leader, while the Congress, RJD and its allies are still struggling with their choice for the top post, their policies and intentions, the senior saffron party leader said. "It seems they (opposition parties) just want to create political instability in the country and hamper the momentum of growth generated by the Modi government," the Uttar Pradesh CM, who had recently stirred a controversy by referring to Indian Army as 'Modiji ka sena', said. Enumerating the welfare schemes introduced by the NDA government, he asserted that Modi has lived up to the BJP's age-old slogan of 'development of all, appeasement to none' by doling out benefits without discrimination. Claiming that the Congress policies were biased and prejudiced, Adityanath noted, "Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who headed the UPA government from 2004 to 2014, had said that Muslims have the first right on nation's resources. The fact remains that all 130 crore people in the country have equal rights on the resources." The senior BJP leader also praised NDA candidate and sitting MP Rama Devi for her "initiatives to usher in development" in the constituency and appealed to the people to associate themselves with "Fir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar" slogan. Maintaining that Bihar and Uttar Pradesh share a special bond, he said, "We started work on the four-lane Ram-Janki Marg, connecting Ayodhya with Sitamarhi. Once the project is complete, people of Sitamarhi will be able reach Ayodhya in three to three-and-half hours." The Uttar Pradesh CM, who was barred from campaigning for 72 hours earlier this month for his provocative remarks, addressed three more election rallies in Bihar Sunday - at West Champaran, Madhubani and Maharjganj constituencies. (Newser) Police in Michigan are appealing to people to surrender their instant riches after a box with $30,000 fell off the back of a truck, the AP reports. Authorities in Grand Haven say drivers stopped Thursday to pick up cash for themselves. Officers closed the US 31 but only $2,500 was immediately recovered and returned to the owner, who had forgotten that a cash box was on the truck's bumper, per the Detroit Free Press. Traffic was backed after money hit the ground. But by Saturday, more money was trickling in. The Department of Public Safety says two teenagers turned in $630, and a woman gave up nearly $3,900. The department says on Facebook : "We commend you for your honesty!!" story continues below (Read more money stories.) (Newser) Police are digging into the background of the 19-year-old man being held in the California synagogue shooting that killed one and injured three on Saturday, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune. John T. Earnest apparently penned a lengthy anti-Semitic manifesto detailing his "disgust" for Jewish people and expressing admiration for the gunmen who killed 50 in New Zealand mosques and 11 at a Pittsburgh synagogue; the attack Saturday came exactly six months after the Pittsburgh shooting. Earnest is also being investigated for an attempted arson at a mosque in Escondido last month. The "open letter" attributed to him on social media take credit for that attempt, in which a letter referencing the New Zealand attacks was left, and says "I am a testament to the fact that literally anyone can do this." story continues below Police say the shooting fell well short of the plans posted on social media, however: Witnesses say the gunman's AR-15-style weapon quickly jammed, preventing further tragedy. And the manifesto author planned to livestream the shooting, which didn't happen. CNN reports that Earnest is a student at California State University San Marcos. The woman killed in the shooting has been identified as 60-year-old Lori Kaye, who witnesses said jumped in front of the rabbi. An 8-year-old girl was among the injured. (Read more synagogue shooting stories.) (Newser) Corey Feldman is still waging a war against what he calls widespread Hollywood pedophiliawhich has earned him online enemies and led him to see an old friend in a new light, Rolling Stone reports. "It caused me to have concerns," he says of Finding Neverland, the HBO doc in which two men claim Michael Jackson abused them as children. "It's the standard grooming process that they describe. Everything was similar [to what I experienced] up until the sexual part. Everything. He bought me gifts, a Watchman TV, a gold watch from Disneyland. So was he grooming me and I just never ended up being his pick? Or was that just who he was?" Now married with a child and living in Woodland Hills, Calif., the 47-year-old former child star is also producing a documentary. story continues below Truth: The Rape of Two Coreys is about a Hollywood A-lister who allegedly raped his best friend, late actor Corey Haim, and two industry men who allegedly molested Feldman. But Feldman's list of people willing to divulge Haim's version of events is dwindling. And Haim's mother, Judy, is in an online group dubbed the Wolfpack that produces YouTube videos claiming Feldman concocted the rape story about her son out of jealousy. Yet Feldman swears Haim begged him to tell the truth if Haim died first. "Nobody knows what it feels like to constantly console somebody whose life has been ruined by rape," says Feldman, "unless you've been there, holding them when they cry, bringing them back to life over and over, stopping them from walking around with a knife." Click for the full interview. (Or read more stories about Corey Feldman.) (Newser) This year's White House Correspondents Association dinner, once an evening of sharp-edged political humor and celebrities, took place Saturday without a comedian, without the president or anyone from the White House, and without the tension of past events. George Washington and every president since has felt mistreated by the press, historian Ron Chernow said as he addressed the crowd, per CNN, but Washington "never generalized that into a vendetta against the institution." President Trump's characterization of the news media as "an enemy of the people" was a theme; the journalists at the dinner, Chernow said, are on "Team USA, not members of enemy camps." He urged journalists to focus on facts, even when under attack. On a night of speeches: story continues below Trump spoke at a rally in Green Bay, Wis., that he scheduled for the same time as the dinner, telling the crowd that's where he wanted to be. "Is there any place that's more fun than a Trump rally?" he asked, per WITI. Sarah Sanders, White House press secretary, joined the president's counter-programming for the first time. He had told administration aides to skip the dinner as well this year. She was roasted at the last dinner by comedian Michelle Wolfe in a bit that brought backlash. "Last year this night I was at a slightly different event, not the best welcome," she told the crowd, per the Hill. "So this is an amazing honor." Olivier Knox, president of the correspondents association, said this dinner was a reset. He called on Americans to support local news media and emphasized First Amendment values and journalism, per CNN. The event isn't the president's dinner, he said, per NPR: "It is ours. And it should stay ours." (Read more White House Correspondents Dinner stories.) (Newser) The British government has been urged to outlaw the importing of captive lion trophies, after a private investigation of lion farming in South Africa. "The captive-bred lion industry shames South Africaindeed it shames us all," Michael Ashcroft wrote in the Daily Mail as he announced his lobbying effort. Ashcroft is a billionaire who once was deputy chairman of the Conservative Party; he stepped down from the House of Lords in 2015, per Forbes. He says his year-long investigation found lions are being bred on a large scale in South Africa, then killed and used in "medicine" or as trinkets in the Far East, Sky News reports. Trophy hunters pay to shoot the captive animals so they can be photographed with them and take the skin, Ashcroft says. story continues below Ashcroft's investigation followed someone who paid nearly $4,000 for a lion named Simba to be released into a compound, intending to shoot it and be photographed with it. Ashcroft says his team instead rescued the lion and released it into the wild, per Sky News. He said his investigation also found lions and tigers being cross-bred to create bigger animals that bring more from hunters. In addition to lobbying his own country for change, Ashcroft said he will send his findings to the South African government. The "barbaric practice," he wrote, "is harming the reputation of a country that treasures its position on the international stage in the aftermath of apartheid." (Read more lions stories.) (Newser) Note to burglars: Try to avoid butt-dialing 911 during your getaway. But that's apparently what three crooks did Sunday after hitting a Best Buy near Houston, ABC News reports. Officers were en route to the Sugar Land store when dispatch received a 911 call that transmitted only background noise. So officials pinged the phone and police followed, leading to a chase that authorities say hit 120mph. When suspects abandoned their truck in Houston, police say they nabbed two of them with K-9 officers and a helicopter, per Click2Houston. The third remains at large. Laptops and other electronic devices were recovered from the vehicle. (Read more butt dialing stories.) (Newser) A raid on a factory in China last week discovered $30 million of fake Legos, the BBC reports, and more than 630,000 finished products were seized. Police, who posted photos of building blocks that looked a lot like Legos, said the toys had been copied from Lego blueprints. At the invitation of the government and police, Lepin said its Shenzhen factory is suspending production on its 10 assembly lines, per NPR. Four people were arrested in the raid, and police said they're still investigating. story continues below Lepin calls most of its sets "compatible with Lego" and sells them for much less than the real thing. The company's website, for example, had its Star Wars Millennium Falcon kit priced at $313.30; the genuine Lego kit runs $799.99. China has been working to strengthen intellectual property rights, per the BBC. A Lego China official told the official Xinhua news agency that the safety of the products could also be of concern. (Read more Lego stories.) (Newser) When Harper Lee tried her hand at true-crime writing, she picked a doozeybut that didn't guarantee success, CBS News reports. The To Kill a Mockingbird author hadn't published in 17 years when she grew interested in Willie Maxwell, a Baptist minister in Alexander City, Alabama. Maxwell's wife had been found strangled and bludgeoned in what looked like a staged car accident on a country road in 1970, but he got off when a witness altered her testimony. Maxwell later tied the knot with that witness, who turned up dead by a road along with her brother and a nephew. Authorities investigated but couldn't tie Maxwell to the deaths. And when insurance companies got suspicious about the policies Maxwell had on all four victims, he found a good local lawyer and won the case. story continues below In June 1977, the adopted daughter of Maxwell's third wife was also found by a road. That's when local resident Robert Burns lost his patience and gunned down Maxwell at the daughter's funeral. Enter Lee, who attended Burns' trial to try some true-crime writing of her own after helping Truman Capote with In Cold Blood. Burns got off on temporary insanity, but Lee, who interviewed locals and spent years on the book, never published a word. Alcoholism and depression didn't help, and she complained that her agent only wanted "pure gore & autopsies." Writer Casey Cep, whose book Furious Hours chronicles all this, says she found a sample titled "The Reverend" but has no idea whether more exists in Lee's sealed papers. "Mysteries on mysteries," says Cep. "God bless Harper Lee. They didn't end when she died." (Read more murder stories.) (Newser) Former senator Richard Lugar, a Republican who worked to alert Americans about the threat of terrorism years before 9/11, died Sunday at age 87 at a hospital in Virginia. He was being treated for a rare neurological disorder called chronic inflammatory demylinating polyneuropathy, the AP reports. Indiana's longest-serving senator helped start a program that destroyed thousands of former Soviet nuclear and chemical weapons after the Cold War endedthen warned during a short-lived 1996 run for president about the danger of such devices falling into the hands of terrorists. "Every stockpile represents a theft opportunity for terrorists and a temptation for security personnel who might seek to profit by selling weapons on the black market," Lugar said in 2005. "We do not want the question posed the day after an attack on an American military base." story continues below The soft-spoken and thoughtful former Rhodes Scholar was a leading Republican voice on foreign policy matters during his 36 years in the Senate, but whose reputation of working with Democrats ultimately cost him the office in 2012. He served for decades on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, twice as chairman, where he helped steer arms reduction pacts for the presidential administrations of George HW Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, supported an expansion of NATO and favored aid to Nicaragua's Contra rebels. Gov. Eric Holcomb directed flags across the state to be flown at half-staff to honor Lugar until his funeral, which had not yet been announced. He called Lugar "an always faithful servant to the highest ideals in every walk of his incredible life." (Read more obituary stories.) (Newser) A man in northern Mexico had to be rescued after he accidentally trapped himself in a hole that he dug so he could spy on his former girlfriend in violation of a court order to stay away from her, authorities said Sunday, the AP reports. The Sonora state attorney general's office said the 50-year-old man had spent days digging the hole in Puerto Penasco, a town on the Gulf of California, only to become trapped and require assistance to get out. The man had been ordered to stay away from his former girlfriend due to domestic violence charges and he is now in jail, authorities said. The newspaper El Universal said the man dug a tunnel under the woman's house. story continues below It said the woman told police that over the course of a week, she had heard scratching noises but assumed the noise was cats. But when the sound grew louder, she investigated and found her former partner of 14 years trapped below, the report said. She said she ended the relationship because her partner was very jealous. Police said the man appeared intoxicated and severely dehydrated once they got him out of the tunnel. Gender violence is in Mexico's spotlight this week after a woman was hit by a car and then stabbed to death by her husband outside the governor's residence in the western state of Jalisco. That incident was captured on video. (A more mysterious hole seemed to baffle everyone who saw it.) Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani feels Rahul Gandhi's image is now worse than what it was in 2014, and says he pities the Congress president when he sees him getting trolled on social media over his "immature" behaviour. In an interview to PTI, Rupani also says that after the 'Modi wave' in 2014, the country will for the first time this year witness the "Modi tsunami". "I feel pity for Rahul Gandhi seeing him being trolled excessively on social media over his immature behaviour. His image is of a non-serious politician...With his winks in Parliament, antics like hugging Modiji. All this shows his immaturity. His image is now worse than it was in 2014," he says. Rupani was in the city to campaign for BJP's Mumbai-North East candidate Manoj Kotak, to seek support of the city's Gujarat community for the party candidate. "In 2014, there was a Modi wave, this time around, the country will witness a Modi tsunami because in the last polls, the sentiment was that Modiji should be made the prime minister and now, after he became the PM, people believe he is the right choice," he says. Modi has ensured that every sector sees growth, unlike the previous governments, he claims. Rupani says the country has witnessed a "trustworthy and transparent" governance after several years. "After Pulwama (terror attack), he (Modi) is known as a decisive prime minister heading a strong and stable government. People will vote only in the name of Modi," he says. Asked if Priyanka Gandhi's formal entry into politics will hurt the BJP, specially in Uttar Pradesh which sends the maximum number of MPs to Parliament, Rupani says the Congress may think she is the party's 'trump card', but "she is limited to UP and not seen anywhere outside". "The Congress has asked her to campaign for it to save its own existence there. (SP leader) Akhilesh (Yadav), (BSP supremo) Mayawati did not even accept the Congress. The party is nowhere in the picture in UP. They will barely be able to win one-two seats," the chief minister claims. To another query, he says the Congress created an "anti-majority" and "anti-Hindu" feeling among the majority population by coining terms like "Hindu terror" and its refusal to abolish Article 370 of the Constitution, which provides special status to Jammu and Kashmir. "Due to all this, the absolute negativity towards the Congress in the minds of people is evident. The majority Hindu population is upset with the Congress and will not vote for it," he says. Asked if fielding Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur for the Lok Sabha polls was the BJP's mistake, he says, "The Congress has tried to malign the image of Hindus with terms like 'Hindu terror'. Sadhviji was fielded as an answer." On Thakur's comments against slain Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare, Rupani said she should not have said it. Thakur, who is contesting the Lok Sabha poll from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, recently claimed that Karkare died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she had "cursed" him for "torturing" her. To another query, Rupani says the surgical strikes and the recent air strike on terror camps in Pakistan were a victory of the armed forces, dubbing the actions as a reply to the neighbouring country over its "misadventures". "Modiji gave the Army a free hand at the right time, while the Congress talks about taking back the armed forces. While the current government believes in zero tolerance (towards terrorism), the Congress believes in appeasement. People are seeing this difference and appreciating Modi," he says. Asked how the BJP will fare in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Rupani says the environment is much better than in 2014 and that the party will win the polls with a majority. "It is difficult to predict the exact figures, but the BJP and NDA will fare better than last time," he says. On the opposition's criticism over the BJP not giving tickets to veteran leaders L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, Rupani says his party believes in "graceful retirement" after 75 years of age. "Advaniji is 92 years old now and even in his blog, he has only expressed his apprehensions for the country. He is a large-hearted man who has strengthened and made the party what it is today. He cannot be unhappy for not getting a ticket," he says. Advani in his blog earlier this month said the essence of Indian democracy is respect for diversity and freedom of expression. "Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our 'enemies', but only as our adversaries," he wrote in the blog. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping said the cooperation agreements worth more than USD 64 billion were signed at a CEO conference during the 2nd Belt and Road Forum which concluded here on Saturday. A total of 283 items of practical outcomes were achieved during the preparatory process and the holding of the forum, Xi said in a statement before the media on Saturday after his roundtable meeting with 37 heads of state and governments who took part in the meeting. Earlier in the day, Xi called for joint efforts of all parties to promote high-quality development of the Belt and Road (BRI) initiative at the leaders roundtable meeting of the forum. In his address at the roundtable meet, Xi said his trillion-dollar BRI initiative should benefit all around the world and deliver common development by following established international rules and norms. He again stressed that the BRI would focus on common development of all the participating countries and their people. We must implement the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits to see that all voices are heard, all reached their full potential and all stand to benefit, the Chinese President said. The BRI must be open, clean and green and follow high standards, people centred sustainable approach, he said, adding that it should be aligned to the United Nations sustainable development agenda. Align our cooperation with universally accepted rules, standards and best practices and pursue social and economic progress and environmental protection in a balanced way. The BRI should be beneficial to all and deliver common development, Xi said. Those who attended the BRF meeting included Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and heads of several Asian, African and Latin American countries besides heads of the UN and the IMF. India and the US skipped the meeting. India, which boycotted the first BRF meeting held in 2017 over its objections to the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) being laid through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, skipped its second edition for the same reasons. The CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Pakistans Balochistan with Chinas Xinjiang province, is the flagship project of the BRI. India has also been airing its concerns over the BRI financing, saying that connectivity initiatives must follow principles of financial responsibility to avoid projects that would create unsustainable debt burden for communities. This time the US has emerged as a fierce critic of the BRI, asserting that its predatory financing is leaving the smaller countries in heavy debt. The concerns grew louder after China acquired Sri Lankas Hambantota port for a 99-year lease as a debt swap. The heavy Chinese financing of the CPEC also raised concerns over Pakistans ability to pay back. China has clarified that less than 20 per cent of the CPEC projects are based on loans provided by it and the rest of the 80 per cent ventures are either directly invested by Beijing or used Chinese grants. The BRI was launched by President Xi when he came to power in 2013. It aims to link southeast Asia, central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea routes. China is doling out huge sums of money for infrastructure projects in countries from Asia to Africa and Europe, enhancing its global influence. In his speech at the opening ceremony of the 2nd BRF on Friday, Xi allayed fears that China is using the BRI as a geopolitical tool to attain superpower status. He said the BRI was not an exclusive club. Everything should be done in a transparent way and we should have zero tolerance for corruption, he said. Xi said China will not engage in beggar-thy-neighbour currency devaluation. China will continue to improve the exchange rate formation mechanism of its currency and keep the exchange rate generally stable on a reasonable and balanced level, he said. Xi said the joint building of the Belt and Road has opened up new space for the worlds economic growth and it has also created a new platform to boost international trade and investment, expanded new practices to optimise global economic governance, and made new contributions to improving peoples well-being in all countries. Besides Putin and Khan, Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Myanmar state councillor Aung San Suu Kyi are among the top leaders taking part in the event. France, Germany, the UK, Spain, Japan, South Korea and the EU sent high-level representatives to the forum. China said representatives from 150 countries and international organisations were taking part in it. Commenting on the BRF meeting, Li Xiangyang - director of Chinas National Institute of International Strategy - said the BRI has helped China expand its global friendship network which shows that China is playing an increasingly pivotal role in promoting regional development and safeguarding multilateralism. The initiative, which focuses on utilising market and economic resources to explore new diplomatic relations with other countries, also drives the countrys transition to economic diplomacy, Li told Global Times on Saturday. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Actress Disha Patani has rekindled Bollywood's romance with the yellow sari through the "Slow motion" song from Salman Khan's "Bharat". But it has left many asking "Where's the sari?" In the video of the peppy number by Vishal and Shekhar featuring Nakash Aziz and Shreya Ghoshal, Disha is seen Matching her dance moves along with Salman. But it is her sensual yellow sari with a 'pallu' twisted like a rope and thrown over her shoulder, that has caught attention. The song garnered over 24 million views on YouTube in just 24 hours. Award-winning textile designer Gaurang Shah feels the essence of the sari has got completely diluted. "Well, everyone one has a choice to reinvent, but that doesn't mean you do away with fundamental essence that made sari a beautiful attire for generations. It is a celebration of our cultural legacy and heritage. A sari is a sari. You must drape it in a manner that retains its magnificent character," Shah told IANS. Designer Varija Bajaj called it a poor rendition in the name of reinventing ways to drape the six-yard wonder. "Designers all across are working of reinventing the classic saris into sari gowns, lehenga saris, saris with jeans and some of them are extremely beautiful inventions," Bajaj told IANS. "There is a very thin line between a beautiful innovation and a tragic disaster when it comes to designers reinventing a sari. A poor rendition not only looks distasteful, but also kills the very essence of feminism in a sari, and I guess that forms the majority chunk of such reinventions," she added. Ace designer Ritu Kumar feels the stylist hasn't broken "any norm" with the look. "A sari is an unstitched garment and it is worn in different ways in different parts of the country. A sari can come in nine yards to three yards. There is no standardisation of a sari and there never has been," said Kumar, adding that there is no "traditional way or a hard and fast rule to wear a sari". "It happens to be the most provocative and versatile garment in the world. It is somebody's choice on how you want to wear it," she added. Textile revivalist Madhu Jain feels there should be room for innovation, but the traditional way is here to stay. "Saris have been reinvented for years now. However, while trends come and go, the traditional drapes will remain forever. And even there, each state has its own drape. Think of Gujarat's seedha pallu sari, Maharashtra's Nauvari drape, Bengal's Athpourey style, Andhra Pradesh's Kappulu drape, and so on," Jain told IANS. For many, Disha's avatar turned out to be a nostalgic trip to Raveena Tandon's iconic look from 1990's song "Tip tip barsa paani" or Madhuri Dixit's "Dhak dhak" look. And for some, it became a joke with memes about the look going viral. One user tweeted: "Look at that sari ka pallu covering Disha, (it) is (like) the syllabus I covered during the whole year." Another posted: "This is the only sari which has naadaa instead of pallu." There were memes showing Disha in the sari. One read: "If you ever feel useless, think of Disha's pallu in this song." In one image, a blurb pointing at Disha's pallu reads: "Am I a joke to you?". New Delhi: A former Indian Air Force (IAF) wing commander's wife was found dead at her house in Delhis Dwarka, police said. The deceased, identified as 52-year-old Meenu Jain, was a resident of Air Force Naval Officers' Enclave in Dwarka Sector-7. According to a senior police officer, Meenu's father HP Garg, a retired IIT Delhi professor and currently working on a research project at the institute, said that his son Darpan informed him on Thursday evening that Meenu was not keeping well. He left his office for Meenu's residence at around 7.45 pm. On the way, as he called his daughter, she said she was fine, the officer said. The deceased also told her father that she had eaten cashew nuts, which had led to some reaction. Garg still went to her daughter's house on Thursday. He called her again at around 7 am on Friday but her phone was not reachable following which, he, along with her brother, went to Meenus house. The main door to the house was open while another wooden door was closed. They knocked on the door. When there was no response, Darpan entered the house from the neighbour's balcony, the police said. He broke the glass and entered the house to see Meenu lying unconscious in her room. Jain's maid, who had a pair of keys to the house, came there at around 8.30 am. She tried to open the door but it was jammed. Subsequently, the door was broken open, the police said. Meenu was rushed to a nearby hospital in Dwarka Sector-10, where she was declared brought dead, officials added. The police were informed about the incident at around 9 am and a case under sections 302 (murder) and 392 (robbery) of the Indian Penal Code was registered. The police suspect that the accused entered the house with the intention of robbing her as the family members claimed that two mobile phones, the jewellery she was wearing, Rs 5 lakh in Indian currency and Rs 2 lakh in foreign currency were missing from the house. The police seized three pillows and a towel with blood stains from the room. Three vessels and five cups, used for making and drinking tea, were also seized from the kitchen. The post-mortem of the body had been conducted and the exact cause of death would be known once the report came, the police said. The husband of the deceased, VK Jain, a retired Indian Air Force (IAF) wing commander and currently working as a commercial pilot with IndiGo, was informed about the incident. Jain, who was on duty at the time of the incident, reached the house on Friday night, the police said. With PTI Inputs For all the Latest Crime News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: TN SSLC 10th Result 2019: The TNDGE or Tamil Nadu Directorate of Government Examinations has announced the TN SSLC (Class 10) 2019 results. The students can visit the official website tnresults.nic.in to check and download their TN SSLC Result 2019. The candidates are advised to keep all the important documents ready for the fast and easy access to the SSLC results. As per the official website of TNDGE, the result is expected to be declared around 9:30 am.TN 10th Result was declared on May 23. This year the SSLC Results are releasing sooner than usual. Tamil Nadu Board has already released Class 12th results. TN plus one results would release on May 8. This year, TN SSLC exams were held from 14th March to 29th March. The results will seal the fate of 10 lakh students. The students who have appeared for the examinations can visit this page to get all the latest updates. In this article, we have provided all the information related to the Tamil Nadu Board Class 10 examination. CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE DETAILS HERE How to Check Tamil Nadu 10th Result 2019? For the convenience of the students, we have mentioned the steps through which they can check their SSLC Result 2019: Step 1: Visit the official website of TN Board i.e. tnresults.nic.in. Step 2: Enter your admit card number and other important information. Step 3: Click on the submit button. Step 4: Your Tamil Nadu 10th Result 2019 will be displayed on the computer screen. Step 5: Check your TN SSC Result 2019 carefully. Step 6: Download the result or take a printout for a future reference. Last year a total of 10, 01,140 students had appeared for the SSLC Class 10 exam, out of which 4, 74,340 were males and 4, 76,340 females. The overall pass percentage was 94.50 percent, which is expected to increase this year. What is the pass percentage? Students need to score a minimum of 30 marks out of 150 in theory examination and 40 marks out of 50 in practical exams, as per the rules to clear the TN SSLC exam. New Delhi: Over 20 students in Telangana have reportedly committed suicide in the last 10 days owing to the alleged goof up in the declaration of results of intermediate examinations. The exams were conducted during February and March this year and the results were declared on April 18. Claiming that students have committed suicide reportedly after they either failed in exam or got poor marks, a Congress-led opposition delegation demanded Governor ESL Narasimhan to order a judicial probe into the fiasco. Meanwhile, Telangana BJP chief K Laxman would observe an indefinite fast in Hyderabad from Monday, demanding a judicial probe into the alleged goof up. BJP feels the entire process has to be corrected. So far, 23 students have committed suicide. BJP wants to take it to the logical conclusion and hence state BJP president K Laxman will observe an indefinite fast from Monday at the party office here, demanding a probe by a sitting High Court judge to fix responsibility, partys national general secretary P Muralidhar Rao said. On the three-member committee of technical experts, appointed by the Telangana government following the furore over Intermediate examination results, the senior BJP leader alleged that there was an effort to shield the guilty. Hundreds of students and parents took to streets last week to protest the discrepancies in the evaluation process as over 3 lakh students failed in the exams. They have alleged that the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) and Globearena Technologies Pvt Ltd, a firm hired by the board to handle the examination process, have committed blunders in the result declaration. Some students claimed that they either failed or got poor marks though they had done well in exams and obtained high marks in Intermediate first year. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who held a meeting with officials on the issue a few days ago, had directed them not to charge any fee for re-verfication and re-counting from failed students. The government has also announced that failed students need not apply for re-counting and re-verification. Thousands of students, who passed the examination, have also applied for re-verification. A probe committee formed by the Telangana government has admitted to errors in the process. However, the committee pointed out that only a minor percentage of students were affected due to the errors. Of the nine lakh students who had appeared for the Intermediate-level exams, over 3 lakh failed this year, dipping the pass percentage by two per cent compared to 2018. According to a News18 report, Gajja Navya, a student of Karimalla Junior College, was declared fail with zero marks in second year Telugu exam, while she had secured 98 in the same subject in the first year. After re-verification, it was found that the student actually received 99 marks but was entered wrong as zeroes in the final sheet. New Delhi: The Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) is all set to announce the VITEEE Results 2019 on 29 April, 2019 at 5 pm. "VITEEE result will be released on April 29 at 5 pm," reads the latest update on the official portal of Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT). "Counselling will start from 9th May 2019 onwards. Counselling schedule / Counselling procedure / payment of fee details will be updated in due course," adds the official update. The candidates who have appeared for the examination should keep all the details ready for the fast and easy access to the result. Soon after the declaration of results, students can visit the official website of the institute i.e. vit.ac.in to check their VITEEE Result 2019. Steps to check and download VITEEE 2019 Result: Step 1: Visit the official website of VITEEE 2019 Step 2: Click on the result link Step 3: Login Using Application Number and date of birth Step 4: Your result will be displayed on the screen Step 5: Ensure that all your particulars mentioned in the scorecard are correct Step 6: Download and print a copy of your result for future reference Candidates who qualify the VITEEE 2019 will be called for counselling. The counselling of the examination will be held offline. The counselling venue and dates shall be announced in due course of time. VITEE exam is held for offering UG engineering admission in VIT University, Vellore and its campuses at Chennai, Bhopal and Amaravathi. The exam was conducted from April 10 to 21 in online mode across various test centres in India. New Delhi: At least 30 motorbikes were gutted in fire that broke in the parking area outside EVM distribution on Sunday in Hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh. The incident reportedly took place around 10:15 pm. As per latest reports, the situation is under control and fire has been doused. The fire led to a panic among people parties who were getting ready to leave for their respective booths. They were staying in tents close to the place where fire broke out. Hardoi: 30 parked motorbikes torched in fire outside EVM distribution centre in Hardoi; Fire under control now pic.twitter.com/YMR9acz1e2 a ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 28, 2019 Several fire engines were rushed to the spot that managed to brought the fire under control. The exact reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained.A Reports suggest that the process of dispatching polling parties were delayed because of the fire. The polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, for which campaigning ended on Saturday,A will take place tomorrow i.e. on April 29.A The 13 seats are Kannauj, Shahjahanpur, Lakhimpur, Hardoi, Misrikh, Unnao, Farukkhabad, Etawah, Kanpur, Akbarpur, Jalaun, Jhansi, and Hamirpur. Five of them - Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Misrikh, Etawah and Jalaun - are reserved seats. A total of 23,888,367 voters in this phase will head to 27,513 polling booths to decide the fate of the 152 candidates in the fray. New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday filed complaints with the Election Commission (EC) against Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal for misleading voters through FM radio advertisement and distorting party chief Amit Shah's statement on illegal infiltrators. In a complaint letter to the Election Commission, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor objected the content of the AAP's FM radio advertisement. "In the radio advertisement, the Delhi Chief Minister can be heard provoking people of Delhi that the central government collects thousands of crores rupees in revenue from Delhi but gives back around partly Rs 325 crore to Delhi, he said in his complaint. The BJP spokesperson also requested the EC to review the contents of the AAP advertisement and block it as it was "misleading" for the voters. Praveen Shankar Kapoor also said, The central government which maintains Delhi Police spends Rs 7,881 crore annually on it for maintaining law and order in the city and spends around Rs 40,000 crore annually on Delhi Metro, road infrastructure, Yamuna cleaning, hospitals, Delhi University among others which directly benefits the people of Delhi. In another complaint filed by BJP's national secretary R P Singh and Delhi BJP legal cell in-charge Neeraj, the party accused Kejriwal of "distorting" Amit Shah's statement on illegal infiltrators in the country. The complaint accused Kejriwal of trying to gain Muslims votes by "misleading" them and "instigating" their religious sentiments. "Citing BJP's election manifesto, Shah had on April 10 said that with the help of National Register of Citizens (NRC), the party would drive out infiltrators from India and protect the Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhs. But the Delhi CM is not only trying to defame Shah by distorting his statement but instigating religious sentiments in violation of the Model Code of Conduct, R P Singh said. Earlier, on Friday, Congress filed a complaint with the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly making a communal and provocative statement and demanded that he be barred from campaigning for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. In the meantime, AAPs star candidate Atishi, who is contesting Lok Sabha election from East Delhi, filed a criminal complaint in Tis Hazari Court against her rival and BJP candidate Gautam Gambhir claiming he has two voter cards in two separate neighbourhoods in the city. The Lok Sabha Elections 2019 are being held in seven phases, starting from April 11. The first, second and third phase has been concluded. The fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh phase of polls will undergo on April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19 respectively. Delhi will vote on May 12 in sixth phase. The results will be declared on May 23. With inputs from PTI New Delhi: Sacked Border Security Force (BSF) constable Tej Bahadur Yadav is likely to replace Shalini Yadav as joint candidate of the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal from Varanasi to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha elections 2019, sources said. The BSF constable, who was dismissed in 2017 after he posted a video online complaining about the food served to the troops, has already said he will would against Modi in his Varanasi constituency in Uttar Pradesh. I will contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi constituency as an independent candidate, Tej Bahadur Yadav told reporters in Rewari, Haryana, recently. Yadav had uploaded a video on social media in 2017, complaining that poor quality food was being served to the troops in icy, mountainous region along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. He was later dismissed on the charge of indiscipline. On April 22, the Samajwadi Party fielded Shalini Yadav from Varanasi parliamentary constituency. Yadav is the daughter-in-law of former Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson Shyam Lal Yadav. She had unsuccessfully run for the Mayoral poll of Varanasi Municipal Corporation in 2017 from the Congress. Her father-in-law was a senior Congress leader and had represented Varanasi in the Parliament. Varanasi and Chandauli will go to polls on May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Sunday came out in support of CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who is contesting from Bihars Begusarai in the Lok Sabha elections, and said Tejashwi Yadav-led RJD has made a big mistake by not giving a seat to the CPI. He also announced that Kanhaiya Kumar will come to Bhopal on May 8 and 9 to campaign for the 72-year-old senior Congress leader, who is contesting from Bhopal in the Lok Sabha polls. "I am a supporter of Kanhaiya Kumar. I have told my party that RJD has made a huge mistake by fielding its candidate against him. I have tried to tell them to give the (Begusarai) seat to CPI," said the senior Congress leader, contesting Lok Sabha polls from Bhopal."I am glad that he (Kanhaiya Kumar) will be coming to Bhopal on May 8 and 9 to campaign for me," he said.Kumar will take on BJPs Giriraj Singh and RJDs Tanweer Hassan. Begusarai, once known as "Leningrad of Bihar" due to the strong presence of Left parties, converted into "Lalugrad" after the 90s, the RJD leader, who lost to BJP's Bhola Singh from the seat in 2014, said Hassan."The Communist Party (of India) had contested elections in 2014 as well and it had finished third in Begusarai. Kanhaiya is just a new chap and it's not that the party's vote share will double just with his name," Hassan said.In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, CPI's Rajendra Singh stood a distant third after the BJP and the RJD with nearly 1.92 lakh votes.Kumar shot to fame after his arrest three years ago in a sedition case for allegedly raising anti-national slogans at an event in the JNU campus to commemorate the anniversary of the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. The RJD candidate admitted that Singh could pose a challenge to him. The BJP has fielded Singh, the sitting MP from Nawada, from Begusarai this year as the former constituency went to the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) as part of the NDA's seat sharing arrangement in Bihar. The firebrand leader was initially unwilling to contest from Begusarai. He agreed only after sulking for days and meeting BJP president Amit Shah. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: Union Minister and BJP leader Uma Bharti on Saturday said that Pragya Singh Thakur is incomparable. She was replying to a question on whether Pragya Singh Thakur will take her place in Madhya Pradesh politics. She is a great saint, don't compare me with her, I am just an ordinary and foolish creature, news agency ANI quoted Uma Bharti as saying. The Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded her from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. Thakur, an accused in the Malegaon blast case, had recently claimed that Karkare died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she had cursed him for torturing her. Former chief minister and Congress candidate from Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency, Digvijaya Singh, took a dig at Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur on Sunday over her remarks against late ATS chief Hemant Karkare saying why she is not cursing terrorist Masood Azhar. "Thakur says she had cursed ATS chief Hemant Karkare, who had given supreme sacrifice for the country and is considered a martyr. There would have been no need of surgical strikes if she had cursed Pakistan based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar," Singh was quoted as saying by ANI. The security cover of Thakur was strengthened on Wednesday. The decision was taken after a man holding a black flag approached Thakur while she was filing her nomination papers on Tuesday. Her supporters later thrashed the man. Besides heightening the security at her residence, the number of security personnel around her has also been increased. According to people privy to the development, Thakur may be provided Z-category security. Bhopal: Former chief minister and Congress candidate from Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency, Digvijaya Singh, took a dig at his opponent and BJP leader Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur on Sunday over her remarks against late ATS chief Hemant Karkare saying why she is not cursing terrorist Masood Azhar. "Thakur says she had cursed ATS chief Hemant Karkare, who had given supreme sacrifice for the country and is considered a martyr. There would have been no need of surgical strikes if she had cursed Pakistan based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar," Singh was quoted as saying by ANI. Thakur, an accused in the Malegaon blast case, had recently claimed that Karkare died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she had cursed him for torturing her. The Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded her from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. Meanwhile, the security cover of Thakur was strengthened on Wednesday. The decision was taken after a man holding a black flag approached Thakur while she was filing her nomination papers on Tuesday. Her supporters later thrashed the man. Besides heightening the security at her residence, the number of security personnel around her has also been increased. According to people privy to the development, Thakur may be provided Z-category security. Xiaomi and Samsung are the arch rivals in the India smartphone market but it doesn't mean they do not have anything to learn from each other. Ask Xiaomi's India Managing Director Manu Kumar Jain and you have the answer. In his first-ever humble admission, Jain says the company is learning from other brands, including the offline giant Samsung, in its push for retail sales in the country. Xiaomi, largely known as an online brand, started its offline journey in India just two years ago and claims that it has already captured 20 per cent share of the offline smartphone business in the country. "It was a tough beginning. We were hardly able to sell any smartphone offline in the first six months," Jain told a select group of journalists here. "We are learning from other other brands such as Samsung and Vivo in expanding our offline presence in the country," Jain added. According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, aggressive offline expansion helped Xiaomi retain its top position in the India smartphone market in the first quarter of 2019 with a 29 per cent share, though its shipments declined by two per cent year-over-year. Samsung, which recently launched the online-only "M" smartphone series, followed the Chinese smartphone maker with 23 per cent share, a drop of three per cent from 26 per cent share in the same quarter last year. Xiaomi has now set a target of opening 10,000 retail stores in the country and aims to have 50 per cent of its smartphone sales in India from offline channels by the end of this year. Jain explained that the company's scope of growth in India's online market share became limited after it captured over 50 per cent share in that market. This is one of the main reasons why the company is pushing its offline expansion aggressively. But offline expansion also brings with it additional cost and Jain had no hesitation in admitting that. Responding to a question by IANS on whether the aggressive offline push could hurt its profitability, especially because Xiaomi has a policy of not keeping more than five per cent profit margin from its hardware, Jain said: "It is true that the cost of doing business in offliine is higher than online. "I can say confidently that our cost of running offline business would be the lowest among all the brands. Other brands generally tend to have three-four layers of distributors - national, state, city and sometimes, even micros distributors - before the product reaches the retailers and consumers. But we have only one level of distribution," he explained. "The biggest hit on profitability does not come from offline. It comes from dollar fluctuations. If dollar goes up, our cost goes up. This is because even though we are manufacturing components in India, most of the components are still purchased in dollar." Even though its operational expenses in selling smartphones goes up, that should not be the company's biggest worry in the future as its aim is to earn most of the mullah from its Internet services. "We want to make money from Internet service like Mi Video (a pre-installed video app which provides integrated video streaming across platforms)," Jain said. New Delhi: Opposition parties on Saturday complained to the Election Commission against the Bhartiya Janata Party's name appearing under its symbol on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). According to the opposition leaders, BJP was written under the lotus symbol on EVMs during a mock poll in West Bengal's Barrackpore constituency. However, the poll panel said that the same insignia has been under use since 2013. The delegation, comprising of senior Congress leaders Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Ahmed Patel and Trinamool Congress' Dinesh Trivedi and Derek O'Brien, asked Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora to remove all such EVMs from the remaining phases of elections or add names of other parties too. The EVMs display the party symbols, name of the candidates and their photographs. "On EVMs, letters 'BJP' are visible under the party's symbol. No other party's name is there. Either remove all machines which mention BJP clearly or all other parties' name should be added in all such machines. Till then the use of these machines has to be totally stopped in the elections," Singhvi told the reporters after meeting the CEC. Former railway minister Dinesh Trivedi, who is also a sitting MP from Barrackpore, said this was a "clear fraud on the people" and an attempt to "hack the EVMs". He also showed purported photographs of the EVM where the party symbol of Lotus included the words BJP. "Yesterday the commissioning of EVMs was going on in my constituency. We saw the name of BJP clearly written under its Lotus symbol. My party people pointed this out and we requested the returning officer to stop the commissioning. We approached the state election body also. But the CEO could not take a decision saying elections are already going on," he said. "To our utter surprise, before the EC could hear our part of the argument, they had already given the judgment that we are carrying on with the process and there is nothing wrong," Trivedi said. Meanwhile, the Election Commission, in a letter to Trinamool Congress general secretary Subrata Bakshi, said, "The symbol of BJP was last modified in 2013 and subsequent to that in all elections, including the general elections to the Lok Sabha in 2014, the same design has been used." The commission said there has been no deviation in the symbol since then. New Delhi: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of including his caste in the list of Other Backward Class (OBC) communities for political gains. " In this election PM Modi tried his best to get votes in the name of backward classes. PM always belonged to upper caste but during his tenure in Gujarat he included his community in the OBC category for political gains," the BSP chief said while addressing a press conference in Lucknow. Mayawati, BSP: In this election PM Modi tried his best to get votes in the name of backward classes. PM always belonged to upper caste but during his tenure in Gujarat he included his community in the OBC category for political gains. pic.twitter.com/Nscp9otNNV a ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 27, 2019 "Today, at Kannauj, he (Modi) said Behenji and Akhilesh think of him as a lowly (neech) person as he hails from a backward caste. Their (BJP's) scheduled caste-backward card is not working anymore," she said and added that the prime minister has done this to kill the rights of the backward castes. Terming prime ministeras allegation as amischievousa, Mayawati said she never considered the Modi a lowly person and always treated him with all due respect as a member of an upper caste. "Then, how does the issue of calling him 'neech' arise? This makes me feel that he considers the upper-caste society as lowly," she said. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief alleged that PM Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) considered the scheduled casteA as lowly. Her remarks come hours after the prime minister, while addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Kannauj, said that aI am the most backwarda. "Mayawatiji, I am the most backward...I request with folded hands not to drag me into caste politics, 130 crore people are my family. This country did not know my caste till my detractors abused me...I am thankful to Mayawatiji, Akhileshji, the Congress people and the 'mahamilavatis' that they are discussing my caste...I believe that taking birth in a backward caste is an opportunity to serve the country," he said. PM Modi also slammed the SP-BSP-RLD grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, saying the tie-up of "opportunists" wanted a helpless government at the Centre as its mantra was "jaat-paat japna, janta ka maal apna" (looting public money by playing caste cards). New Delhi: National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to carry forward the legacy of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Modi has failed to carry forward the legacy of Vajpayee. The people of J-K did not see him (Modi) put into practice the catch words of Jamhooriyat, Insaniyat and Kashmiriyat, Abdullah said addressing a public meet at Damhal Hanjipura in Kulgam district of south Kashmir. The NC president said the people of the state have not seen Modi deliver on his promises. His words have been confined to rhetoric only. Had he the sincerity of thought to implement it, he would have done so since 2014, however, no concrete step was taken by the incumbent BJP government led by PM Modi to realize it on ground. Today we see him tout Vajpayee formula, why didnt he implement it on ground for past five years. We didnt see him do justice either with the people of our state. On the contrary the people of our state have never in history suffered so immensely as they did during PM Modi-led BJP government, Abdullah said. Earlier, Farooq Abdullah had stirred controversy after praising Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yasin Malik. Yasin Malik despite being severely ill is languishing in jail because he is advocating a dialogue with India but is not willing to sell self-respect of Kashmiris. He has preferred death over surrender. I congratulate him for that, Abdullah said. He said this addressing an election rally in Devsar area of Jammu and Kashmirs Kulgam district. Hitting out at separatists Abdullah said, the election boycott will not serve any purpose. The separatists have only led Kashmir towards death and destruction and today the NIA is after them, he said. Mumbai: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani feels Rahul Gandhi's image is now worse than what it was in 2014, and says he pities the Congress president when he sees him getting trolled on social media over his "immature" behaviour. In an interview to PTI, Rupani also says that after the 'Modi wave' in 2014, the country will for the first time this year witness the "Modi tsunami". "I feel pity for Rahul Gandhi seeing him being trolled excessively on social media over his immature behaviour. His image is of a non-serious politician...with his winks in Parliament, antics like hugging Modiji. All this shows his immaturity. His image is now worse than it was in 2014," he says. Rupani was in the city to campaign for BJP's Mumbai-North East candidate Manoj Kotak, to seek support of the city's Gujarat community for the party candidate. "In 2014, there was a Modi wave, this time around, the country will witness a Modi tsunami because in the last polls, the sentiment was that Modiji should be made the prime minister and now, after he became the PM, people believe he is the right choice," he says. Modi has ensured that every sector sees growth, unlike the previous governments, he claims. Rupani says the country has witnessed a "trustworthy and transparent" governance after several years. "After Pulwama (terror attack), he (Modi) is known as a decisive prime minister heading a strong and stable government. People will vote only in the name of Modi," he says. Asked if Priyanka Gandhi's formal entry into politics will hurt the BJP, specially in Uttar Pradesh which sends the maximum number of MPs to Parliament, Rupani says the Congress may think she is the party's 'trump card', but "she is limited to UP and not seen anywhere outside". "The Congress has asked her to campaign for it to save its own existence there. (SP leader) Akhilesh (Yadav), (BSP supremo) Mayawati did not even accept the Congress. The party is nowhere in the picture in UP. They will barely be able to win one-two seats," the chief minister claims. To another query, he says the Congress created an "anti-majority" and "anti-Hindu" feeling among the majority population by coining terms like "Hindu terror" and its refusal to abolish Article 370 of the Constitution, which provides special status to Jammu and Kashmir. "Due to all this, the absolute negativity towards the Congress in the minds of people is evident. The majority Hindu population is upset with the Congress and will not vote for it," he says. Asked if fielding Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur for the Lok Sabha polls was the BJP's mistake, he says, "The Congress has tried to malign the image of Hindus with terms like 'Hindu terror'. Sadhviji was fielded as an answer." On Thakur's comments against slain Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare, Rupani said she should not have said it. Thakur, who is contesting the Lok Sabha poll from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, recently claimed that Karkare died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she had "cursed" him for "torturing" her. To another query, Rupani says the surgical strikes and the recent air strike on terror camps in Pakistan were a victory of the armed forces, dubbing the actions as a reply to the neighbouring country over its "misadventures". "Modiji gave the Army a free hand at the right time, while the Congress talks about taking back the armed forces. While the current government believes in zero tolerance (towards terrorism), the Congress believes in appeasement. People are seeing this difference and appreciating Modi," he says. Asked how the BJP will fare in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Rupani says the environment is much better than in 2014 and that the party will win the polls with a majority. "It is difficult to predict the exact figures, but the BJP and NDA will fare better than last time," he says. On the opposition's criticism over the BJP not giving tickets to veteran leaders L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, Rupani says his party believes in "graceful retirement" after 75 years of age. "Advaniji is 92 years old now and even in his blog, he has only expressed his apprehensions for the country. He is a large-hearted man who has strengthened and made the party what it is today. He cannot be unhappy for not getting a ticket," he said. Advani in his blog earlier this month said the essence of Indian democracy is respect for diversity and freedom of expression. "Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our 'enemies', but only as our adversaries," he wrote in the blog. New Delhi: After the BJP accused the Trinamool Congress of inviting Bangladeshi actors in its campaign in the state, the TMC on Sunday moved the Election Commission alleging that wrestler Khali also known by his real name Dalip Singh Rana should not be allowed to campaign for the saffron party as he is a US citizen. The wrestler, better known as "The Great Khali", had on Friday joined the campaign of Anupam Hazra, the BJP candidate from Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency. The TMC on Saturday lodged a complaint with the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer that BJP's candidate for Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency, Anupam Hazra, had taken the wrestler along while campaigning on April 26. Dalip Singh Rana holds US citizenship and the BJP was trying to influence Indian voters by using his "celebrity status", the complaint said. "A foreigner should not be allowed to influence the minds of the Indian electors as he has little or no knowledge as to who should be an appropriate MP in India," the complaint lodged by the TMC said. Asked about the complaint, Additional Chief Electoral Officer of the state, Sanjay Basu, said: "We have received the complaint and have sent it for an enquiry." Regarding the commission's rules in place regarding the participation of a person in poll campaign who was born in India but held a foreign citizenship, Basu said: "This is an explanatory matter and it will be clarified after the enquiry." In an interview to the media, Khali had said, "Whenever he (Hazra) calls me, wherever I am called, I will make it. I have specially come from America to support my younger brother. I want to request everyone to cast their votes for him. Do not waste your votes. Anupam is a learned man, he knows your troubles and will be able to serve you better than anyone else." The TMC urged the EC to take "strictest possible steps against Khali as well as the candidate". BJP leader Mukul Roy, however, said Khali holds the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card and can work and live in India. The OCI is an immigration status permitting a foreigner of Indian origin to live and work in India indefinitely. "Khali is an Indian citizen and therefore he has done no crime accompanying Anupam (Hazra) while filing nomination for the general elections," Roy, convener of BJP election management committee in West Bengal, told PTI. The TMC had courted controversy after two Bangladeshi actors Ferdous Ahmed and Gazi Noor were seen participating at rallies of the TMC candidates. Ferdous was seen at rallies of TMC's Raiganj nominee Kanhaiya Lal Agarwal in Hemtabad and Karandighi near the Indo-Bangladesh border while Noor was found on an open jeep at a road show for TMC's Dumdum candidate Sougata Roy. The central government had expelled Ferdous and asked Noor, who had overstayed in the country, to leave India immediately following complaints lodged by the BJP. (With PTI inputs) Los Angeles: The second season of Netflixs hit German series Dark is set to premiere on June 21. The show, created by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese, follows four families in the fictional German town Winden, as they investigate the disappearance of several children and a mystery that tied back to the same town in 1986, as well as a local nuclear power plant. The official Twitter handle of the streaming giant, See Whats Next, shared the news, while also posting the first look from the shows sophomore run. Season 2 of the mind-bending and totally addictive Dark premieres June 21, read the tweet. The first season of the show, consisting ten episodes, debuted on Netflix in December 2017 and was instantly praised by the critics. However, some people found plot similarities between Dark and the streaming services another popular show, Stranger Things. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Hollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday arrested two terrorists who carried out an attack on a police post in Srinagars Chanapora. Terrorists have been arrested from Wathora area of Budgam district. Earlier on Friday, policeman sustained injuries after terrorists attacked police post in Srinagar's Chanapora. Later, the police cordoned off the area and launched a search operation in the area. Police on Friday late evening issued the following statement regarding the attack on Chanapora Police station. A police spokesperson in a statement said that militants in the evening fired on Police Post Chanapora. The fire was retaliated by the cops. In the brief exchange of fire, one policeman Ct Feroz Ahmad sustained injuries. He has been evacuated to hospital and is undergoing treatment for his injuries, said the police spokesman. Police has registered a case in the instant matter. Search in the area is going on, said police spokesman in a statement. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A day after reports suggest that a pro-Islamic State Telegram channel released a poster in Bengali saying aShighroi Aschhea (coming soon), senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya blamed West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for the same and said the Trinamool Congress is not removed from power soon, the state would "become like Jammu and Kashmir".A The Telegram channel indicated that the Salafi terrorist group is planning a major attack in either Bangladesh or West Bengal. The poster which was released on Thursday night reads "Shighroi Aschhe, Inshallah..." and features the logo of Al Mursalat.Vijayvargiya hit out at Mamata Banerjee, saying her "appeasement politics" is the reason why terrorists have been able to establish their base in the state. "The threat of ISIS coming to Bengal has taken us by surprise, all of this is happening because of Mamata''s appeasement politics. If Mamata Banerjee is not removed from Bengal then the state will become like Jammu and Kashmir, it is due to her that the terrorists have got a stronghold in the border areas," Vijayvargiya was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Kailash Vijayvargiya, BJP: If Mamata ji stays, Islamic State (ISIS) can enter West Bengal anytime. It'll become like J&K. It is because of her appeasement politics that people related to terror activities have made their base in the border-states & ISIS threat is a proof of that. pic.twitter.com/j2znRhYWyU a ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 A probe is underway, as per sources in the intelligence agency.A The investigation into the existence and circulation of the Bengali poster is being taken seriously after the bombings in Sri Lanka that killed more than 250 people and injured 400 others.A Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday, killing 253 people. The ISIS has claimed the attacks, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) for the attacks. President Maithripala Sirisena said on Friday that over 130 suspects linked to the ISISA have been operating in the country.The NTJ had close links with the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India unit. Sri Lankan state minister of defence Ruwan Wijewardene had earlier said the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen India (JMI), a unit of the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh or JMB, may have had a role in Sunday's bombings.However, there is very little information on JMI's activities in India. But, there have been several reports that indicate its presence in India.A For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A presiding officer, identified as Purna Chandra Panda, died at a polling station in Balasore district on Saturday. Confirming the same, the officials said, Panda died after reaching his designated polling station in Ajodhya village under Nilagiri assembly segment in Balasore district. In a statement, balasore district assistant collector Rakesh Panda said, "Purna Chandra Panda was deputed as presiding officer at polling station no 28. He suddenly became ill and rushed to Balasore district headquarters hospital where doctor declared him dead." However, the exact reason of Pandas death was not yet ascertained. Panda and other personnel of the polling team had reached the booth to conduct voting in Nilagiri assembly segment and Balasore Lok Sabha seat on April 29. On 18th April, the Election Commissions nodal officer named Arnab Roy was gone missing from his office in West Bengals Krishnagar. He was an in-charge of EVMs and VVPATs for the Ranaghat parliamentary constituency. His vehicle was found parked outside the college. Both of his mobile phones were switched off and the police traced their last location near Shantipur, around 18 km from Krishnagar. Rumours were rife that he had an altercation with the district magistrate a few days ago. Fortunately, the West Bengal CID on 25th April rescued Arnab Roy from Howrah. We have found Mr Roy from a house in Howrah this morning. He is fine, the CID officer told PTI. The CID officer also said that Roy was looking tired. Asked whether Roy was abducted or he was hiding on his own, the officer said, We will talk to him to find out what actually happened. The Lok Sabha Elections 2019 are being held in seven phases, starting from April 11. The first, second and third phase has been concluded. The fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh phase of polls will undergo on April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19 respectively. The results will be declared on May 23. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Memphis: An arsenal of new technology is being put to the test fighting floods this year as rivers inundate towns and farm fields across the central United States. Drones, supercomputers and sonar that scans deep under water are helping to maintain flood control projects and predict just where rivers will roar out of their banks. Together, these tools are putting detailed information to use in real time, enabling emergency managers and people at risk to make decisions that can save lives and property, said Kristie Franz, associate professor of geological and atmospheric sciences at Iowa State University. The cost of this technology is coming down even as disaster recovery becomes more expensive, so anything we can do to reduce the costs of these floods and natural hazards is worth it, she said. Of course, loss of life, which you cant put a dollar amount on, is certainly worth that as well. US scientists said in their spring weather outlook that 13 million people are at risk of major inundation, with more than 200 river gauges this week showing some level of flooding in the Mississippi River basin, which drains the vast middle of the United States. Major flooding continues in places from the Red River in North Dakota to near the mouth of the Mississippi in Louisiana, a map from the National Weather Service shows. There are over 200 million people that are under some elevated threat risk, said Ed Clark, director of the National Water Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, a flood forecasting hub. Much of the technology, such as the National Water Model, didnt exist until recently. Fuelled by supercomputers in Virginia and Florida, it came online about three years ago and expanded streamflow data by 700-fold, assembling data from 5 million river miles (8 million kilometers) of rivers and streams nationwide, including many smaller ones in remote areas. Our models simulate exactly what happens when the rain falls on the Earth and whether it runs off or infiltrates, Clark said. And so the current conditions, whether that be snow pack or the soil moisture in the snow pack, well thats something we can measure and monitor and know. Emergency managers and dam safety officials can see simulations of the consequences of flood waters washing away a levee or crashing through a dam using technology developed at the University of Mississippi a web-based system known as DSS-WISE . The software went online in 2017 and quickly provided simulations that informed the response to heavy rains that damaged spillways at the nations tallest dam in northern California. The program also helped forecast the flooding after Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana that year. Engineers monitoring levees along the Mississippi River have been collecting and checking data using a geographic information system produced by Esri, said Nick Bidlack, levee safety program manager for the Memphis district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The company produces mapping tools such as an interactive site showing the nations largest rivers and their average monthly flow. On the Mississippi River, flood inspectors use smartphones or tablets in the field to input data into map-driven forms for water levels and the locations of inoperable flood gates, seepages, sand boils or levee slides, which are cracks or ditches in the slopes of an earthen levee. Photos, videos and other data are sent to an emergency flood operation center in real time, allowing Corps officials to visualize any problems and their exact location, instantly informing the response, Bidlack said. If people in the field have concerns about something, they can let us know to go out there and look at it, Bidlack said. Theres a picture associated with it, a description of it, and it helps us take care of it. Corps engineers are increasingly flying drones to get their own aerial photography and video of flooded areas they cant otherwise get to because of high water or rough terrain, said Edward Dean, a Corps engineer. We can reach areas that are unreachable, Dean said. The Corps also now uses high-definition sonar in its daily operations to survey the riverbed, pinpointing where maintenance work needs to be done, said Corps engineer Andy Simmerman. The Memphis district uses a 26-foot survey boat called the Tiger Shark, with a sonar head that looks like an old-fashioned vacuum cleaner and collects millions of points per square inch of data, Simmerman said. The technology has helped them find cars and trucks that have been dumped into the river, along with weak spots in the levees. These areas are 20 to 80 feet underwater, wed never get to see them without sonar, Simmerman said. The water never gets low enough for us to see a lot of these failures. During recent flooding near Cairo, Illinois, a culvert that should have been closed was sending water onto the dry side of a levee. The sonar pointed engineers to the precise location of a log that was stuck 20 feet deep in murky water, keeping the culvert open. Plastic sheathing and sandbags were brought in to stop the flow and save the land below. The sonar definitely made a difference, said Simmerman. A big success. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Chinese President Xi Jinping met Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday and expressed hope that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway to improve their strained relations following the Pulwama terror attack by a JeM suicide bomber. Both leaders also exchanged views on the situations in South Asia, an official Chinese statement here said about the meeting between Xi and Khan. The India-Pakistan relations reportedly figured prominently in the meeting. Xi expressed hope that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway and promote the stabilisation and improvement of India-Pakistan relations, it said. Khan arrived in China on April 25 and attended Chinas 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF) held on April 26-27. The BRF meeting was held to highlight the achievement of the trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) started by Xi in 2013 in which USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an important component. India skipped the meeting for the second time, protesting over the CPEC which is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). San Francisco: Facebook filed a lawsuit in US federal court to bar a New Zealand company from selling fake likes, views and followers to Instagram users. The company and three people targeted in the lawsuit operated a service to raise the profile of Instagram accounts by bolstering them with bogus followers, views and likes, Facebook director of platform enforcement and litigation Jessica Romero said in a blog post. By filing the lawsuit, we are sending a message that this kind of fraudulent activity is not tolerated on our services, and we will act to protect the integrity of our platform, Romero said. Romero did not identify the company or the individuals names in the legal complaint, which accused them of using fake businesses and websites to sell engagement services to Instagram users looking to buy status. Such activity violates terms of service at Facebook-owned Instagram. We previously suspended accounts associated with the defendants and formally warned them in writing that they were in violation of our Terms of Use, however their activity persisted, Romero said. She described the lawsuit as part of an ongoing effort to prevent fraudulent activity at its family of services, which includes photo and video sharing social network Instagram. Facebook and other online social platforms have been under pressure to prevent deception and misinformation. New Delhi: At least three security personnel were killed in IED blast at a check post in Pakistan's restive northwest district of North Waziristan on Saturday late night. According to a report published in Xinhua, the explosion hit a check-post located in Raghzai area of Tehsil Shewa in North Waziristan, a district of the countrys northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan. Three security personnel came under the attack on Saturday when they reached the post to perform their duties. Another paramilitary soldier was wounded in an unfortunate incident. Soon after the blast, security forces cordoned off the whole area and launched a massive search operation in the surrounding areas to arrest the perpetrators. Pakistans local media quoted officials saying that an improvised explosives device was planted near the check-post and it was detonated with a remote-control device. So far none of the terrorist group has claimed responsibility. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister K P K Mehmud Khan strongly condemned the blast. He said that the resolve of the government against terrorism cannot be suppressed through such acts of cowardice. Notably, North Waziristan was a long-time stronghold for the Taliban, al-Qaida and other terrorist groups. Pakistan government claims to have driven out the terrorists in a series of military operations in recent years, however, the region still witness occasional attacks. In the year 2017, the Pakistan government merged North Waziristan with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province with an aim to give equal rights to the 5 million residents of the rugged, tribal region. It is worth mentioning here that on April 12, sixteen people were killed and dozens injured in a blast at Quetta's Hazarganji sabzi mandi. The blast, which ripped through the Hazarganji sabzi mandi, was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) that had been hidden in the market. Some of the buildings in the vicinity were also damaged in the blast. Quetta is the provincial capital of Balochistan. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The European Union on Saturday warned that US President Donald Trump's rejection of a UN treaty would hamper the global fight against illicit weapons trafficking. "A decision by the US to revoke its signature would not contribute to the ongoing efforts to encourage transparency in the international arms trade, to prevent illicit trafficking and to combat the diversion of conventional arms," said the EU's chief diplomat, Federica Mogherini. "The EU will continue to call on all states, and in particular the major arms exporters and importers, to join the Arms Trade Treaty without delay," she said. The treaty, which entered into effect in December 2014, requires member countries to keep records of international transfers of weapons and to prohibit cross-border shipments that could be used in human rights violations or attacks on civilians. On Friday, President Donald Trump announced that the United States would not abide by a UN treaty aimed at regulating the global arms trade, calling it misguided and an encroachment on US sovereignty. Trump said the US Senate had never ratified the 2013 Arms Trade Treaty despite his predecessor Barack Obama having endorsed it, and said he would never ratify it. We will never surrender American sovereignty to anyone, Trump said in a speech to the National Rifle Association in Indianapolis. We will never allow foreign bureaucrats to trample on your Second Amendment freedom, he said, referring to the constitutional right to bear arms. And that is why my administration will never ratify the UN arms trade treaty. I am officially announcing today that the United States will be revoking the effect of Americas signature from this badly misguided treatment (sic). Were taking our signature back. It also claimed that some groups are trying to use the treaty to overturn sovereign national decisions on arms exportspointing to one effort to block the British governments sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia. The ATT is simply not needed for the United States to engage in responsible arms trade, the White House said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The father and two brothers of the suspected mastermind of Sri Lankaas Easter Sunday bombings were killed two days ago, police sources and a relative of the suicide bombers told Reuters on Sunday. According to the report, Rilwan Hashim, Zainee Hashim, and their father Mohamed Hashim were among 15 killed in a fierce gun battle with the military on the east coast on Friday. They were seen in a video circulating on social media calling for all-out war against nonbelievers. Reuters: Father, two brothers of #SriLanka suicide bombings mastermind killed during gun battle on east coast on Friday - relative, police sources a ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 15 people were killed when militants linked to the Easter Sunday attacks opened fire and blew themselves up during a fierce gun battle with security forces in Sri Lanka's Eastern province. The shootout occurred as the security forces continued their hunt for members of the National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ), the local terror outfit behind the April 21 coordinated blasts in which 253 people were killed and over 500 injured. Meanwhile, the police said that curfew imposed in the Muslim-majority areas of Kalmunai, Chavalakade and Sammanthurai would continue until further notice. At least 76 people have been arrested by the police in connection with the attack so far. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday, killing 253 people. The Islamic State claimed the attacks, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group NTJ for the attacks. President Maithripala Sirisena said on Friday that over 130 suspects linked to the Islamic State terror group have been operating in the country. With PTI Inputs For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: One dead and three others injured after a gunman opened fire at a synagogue in California on Saturday. The horrific incident took place during a religious service on the last day of Passover, a holiday that celebrates Jewish freedom. It is to be noted that the shooting in California's Poway came exactly six months after a white supremacist shot dead 11 people at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue - the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the history of the United States.A A A A A In a press conference, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said, "During the shooting, four individuals were wounded and transported to Palimar hospital. One succumbed to their wounds. The other three are in stable condition." He further added that the injured were a female juvenile and two adult men, while an older woman died from her injuries. The official also said that a 19-year-old from the city of San Diego had been detained over the shooting. He said police were called shortly before 11:30 am after the man entered the synagogue and opened fire with an "AR-15 type" weapon. Gore went on to say that the investigators were reviewing his social media activity and establishing the legitimacy of an open letter published online. Notably, AR-15 assault rifles have been used in many mass shootings in the United States. In the meantime, US President Donald Trump offered his "deepest sympathies." "At this moment it looks like a hate crime, but my deepest sympathies to all those affected and we'll get to the bottom of it," he said at the White House. aThoughts and prayers to all of those affected by the shooting at the Synagogue in Poway, California. God bless you all. Suspect apprehended. Law enforcement did outstanding job. Thank you!,a President Trump tweeted. Thoughts and prayers to all of those affected by the shooting at the Synagogue in Poway, California. God bless you all. Suspect apprehended. Law enforcement did outstanding job. Thank you! a Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 27, 2019 A Recently, ten elementary school children in the southern US state of Georgia were hit by pellet or BB gun after an unknown assailant in a wooded area started shooting at their playground. The worst shootings to date were those at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut in 2012 and at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida last year. The horrific incidents claimed life of 26 and 17 respectively. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Sri Lankas former president Mahinda Rajapaksa on Sunday thanked India for the help in exposing the plot behind the deadly Easter Sunday attacks but said that he does not want any foreign forces, like the National Security Guard, on its soil. India has been helpful. But there is no need for the NSG to come in. We don't need foreign soldiers. Our forces are capable enough (We) just need to give them powers and freedom, Rajapaksa was quoted by News18 as saying. Earlier, it was reported that the New Delhi has kept NSG commandoes on standby if the island nation needs any help. Rajapaksa also held President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe responsible for the serial blasts on hotels and churches which left over 250 dead. The remarks come at a time when elections are due between October and December to elect a new president. Indian intelligence agencies had warned their Sri Lankan counterparts about a possible terror attack hours before the terror attack, claimed by Islamic State, ripped through the island nation. Indian intelligence officers contacted their Sri Lanka counterparts two hours before the first attack to warn of a specific threat on churches. The inputs were sent through diplomatic channels to Sri Lanka after a thorough investigation pertaining to the ISIS case in Coimbatore was carried out by the NIA, which has filed a charge sheet against seven people. During investigation, the probe team had stumbled upon videos of NTJ leader Zahran Hashim, which was indicative of a terror attack on the Indian High Commission in Colombo. After further investigation which included cyber trailing of some of the accounts associated with the ISIS, the central security agencies shared an input with their Lankan counterparts about the churches being the likely target of the ISIS module, the officials said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. An expatriate has claimed to have fallen victim to a One Time Password (OTP) theft to fraudsters in Pakistan. A Manama resident claimed cybercriminals stole his OTP, which was then used to transfer money from his account. A total of BD10 was taken from my prepaid Sim card account by fraudsters, said Indian national Reghu. Money, he said, was transferred from his account to a phone number in Pakistan on multiple occasions. According to him, the fraudsters initiated the transaction and subsequently stole the OTP to authorise the money transfer. This happened a few days ago, he said adding: At first, they took BD 2 and later another couple of dinars and repeated until it reached BD10. This is strange because the money was transferred to an account in Pakistan, where I have no business. He said the telecommunication company was informed of the situation. I contacted the telecommunication company and informed them of the situation. They send me an email yesterday stating that they are investigating the issue. I hope that they will be able to reach the bottom of this very soon. I am extremely worried at the moment as the phone number is also tied to my bank account here. If they use any sort of OTP fraud in my bank account, I will be in huge trouble. I will be going to the bank now to alert them about the situation and ask them not to transfer any money without my authorisation. I dont know how they are able to access my OTP, Reghu said without hiding his concern. My phone, I had never given it to anyone, he said. OTP theft can happen in two ways According to experts, OTP theft can happen in two ways. The first method involves fraudsters posing as bank employees and convincing the victims to give away the OTP. The second method involves infecting the victims phone with a malware which is then used to forward the OTP to the perpetrators. Tens of thousands of protesters converged from all directions on Sudans army headquarters yesterday after calls for a million-strong demonstration to demand the ruling military council cede power. The day after three council members resigned following talks with protest organisers, demonstrators flocked towards the central Khartoum site yesterday evening, beating drums and singing revolutionary songs, said a journalist at the scene. We want the military council out. We want a civilian government, said protester Adam Ahmed, a medical student. The rally came after Sudans new military rulers and protest leaders agreed to set up a joint committee, to chart the way forward two weeks after the ouster of veteran president Omar al-Bashir. The Alliance for Freedom and Change, an umbrella group leading the protests, had called for a million-strong march to continue to protect our revolution and to ensure that all our demands are achieved. Many of those rallying chanted Blood for blood! We will not accept compensation!, demanding punishment for officials responsible for killings during Bashirs iron-fisted, three-decade rule. All those responsible for the conflicts in Sudan should be tried and brought to justice, said protester Ismail Jadallah. Also at the protest were dozens of judges, dressed in their robes, who had marched from the constitutional court, an AFP photographer said. We are here to give a message that the judiciary should be independent without any political intervention, a judge told journalists. A photographer in downtown Khartoum said crowds of protesters had gathered earlier outside Egypts embassy and consulate. Several people held banners calling on Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi not to interfere in our affairs, after Cairo hosted a summit of African leaders who said more time was needed for a transition to civilian rule in Sudan. Across the city, demonstrators arrived at the army headquarters from the states of Jazeera, White Nile and also from Bashirs hometown Shendi, boosting the ranks of those already camped at the site, many of them for the past several weeks. The giant rally followed a late-night meeting between the military council and leaders of the protest movement. US border patrol agents found a crying three-year-old boy in a Texas cornfield on Tuesday with his name and a phone number written on his shoes, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency said Wednesday. The boy was abandoned by a group of suspected illegal immigrants who had crossed into the United States from Mexico near Brownsville, Texas, the CBP said. As agents attempted to intercept the group, the suspected illegal aliens scattered in the overgrown field, the CBP said in a statement. The boy, who was alone and crying, was discovered during a search of the field and taken to a local hospital, where he was found to be in good condition, it said. Efforts to locate his family have so far been unsuccessful. He is being taken care of at a centralized processing center and will be turned over to the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services, the CBP said. According to the CBP, border patrol agents apprehended 92,607 people along the southwest border in March, up from 66,884 in February. Among those apprehended in March were 8,975 unaccompanied children. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States would send armed soldiers to the southern border after Mexican soldiers recently pulled guns on US troops, escalating his war of words with Mexico on immigration. Trump also said on Twitter that a very big Caravan of over 20,000 people is making its way through Mexico toward the United States. RIDGEFIELD Residents gathered Saturday morning to protest proposals to implement tolls in the state. The rally, organized by No Tolls CT, was held in front of Copps Hill Plaza on Danbury Road. No Tolls CT is a grassroots organization that opposes plans for tolls to help raise revenue for the state. The group has held rallies across the state in recent weeks and started a petition that has garnered more than 96,000 signatures against tolls. ROBERT E. KLEIN / AP DANBURY The Danbury Community Orchestra will perform at Star Wars themed concert, May the Fourth be with you, for its final show of the year this week. The concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4 at the Visual and Performing Arts Center on the Westside Campus of Western Connecticut State University. An agreement has been reached that will allow people who use wheelchairs to enjoy happy hour specials at a Brookfield restaurant. John H. Durham, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut, said his office will issue a Letter of Resolution to Hacienda Don Manuel Restaurant on Federal Road to resolve allegations the restaurant was not operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. An ADA complaint was filed by a person with mobility disabilities alleging that the restaurants bar counter was not accessible to individuals in wheelchairs and that Hacienda Don Manuel would not provide happy hour services to individuals in wheelchairs sitting at tables in the restaurant, Durham said in a release. To resolve the complaint, Hacienda Don Manuel will design and construct a fully accessible bar counter with a low section for individuals who use wheelchairs. Edgar Romero, the restaurants owner, said the new 75-seat bar is expected to open next week. Weve been working on it (handicap-accessibility) already, he said. Additionally, the Federal Road restaurant will institute a written policy regarding the provision of happy hour specials to individuals with disabilities, who may need to sit at tables within the restaurant. Finally, Hacienda Don Manuel will train managers, bartenders and staff on the new policy and on the provision of services to individuals with disabilities. Hacienda Don Manuel will perform these obligations within six months. Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of public accommodation, including restaurants, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability. The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and undertake periodic reviews of compliance of covered entities. The Justice Department is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages and civil penalties. Durham noted the commitment of the owner of Hacienda Don Manuel to work collaboratively with the U.S. Attorneys Office to address the ADA issues and to increase the restaurants accessibility without litigation. We appreciate that Hacienda Don Manuels ownership and management cooperated during our investigation and we commend their prompt action to ensure the restaurants compliance with the ADA, Durham said. Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorneys Office at (203) 821-3700. Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Departments toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY). More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica H. Soufer of the District of Connecticut in coordination with the Disability Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. Staff writer Julia Perkins contributed to this report. States and cities should not be punished by the federal government for operating with compassion. But once again, the federal Justice Department is threatening to withhold public safety grants to states that do not routinely hold undocumented immigrants, who havent committed felonies, for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. The renewed Justice Department action comes despite several federal judges issuing injunctions last year over the grant conditions. For Connecticut, this means about $1.7 million a year, and another $1 million for cities in the state that apply for these grants separately. The money, distributed by the state to local municipalities, is used for narcotics enforcement, substance abuse treatment and opioid intervention projects. Every year since 1988 when Congress created the Byrne Formula Grant program, authorized by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, the grants have supplemented local public safety efforts. But in 2017 the Trump Justice Department tried to put strings on the grants. Applicants had to certify they allow immigration agents to access prisons, they give advance notice when prisoners wanted on an ICE detainer are being released, and they comply with a federal law that says states and municipalities cant stop officials from communicating with immigration authorities about citizenship status. Connecticut rightly joined a lawsuit brought by New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Virginia and Washington, arguing the restrictions violate federal law and put municipalities at risk. Separately, six cities in the state, including Bridgeport, Stamford and Norwalk, joined a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the city of Evanston, Ill. The legal argument is that the Trump Justice Department conditions are unconstitutional because Congress had authorized the grants without limitations. We would argue that the restrictions are pure retaliation for states and cities that dare treat undocumented immigrants with the fairness afforded others. With the Trust Act adopted in 2013, Connecticut allows law enforcement officials to refrain from holding undocumented people for immigration officials if they have not committed a serious felony. Also, police are not to question the immigration status of people not involved in serious criminal activity. Though some might see this state law as flouting federal directives, we see it as a practical and tolerant policy that lends stability to community life. The threat of getting turned over to an ICE agent for simply showing up in court on a minor charge, for example, could deter someone without documentation from cooperating and others from reporting. Undocumented residents are here and shouldnt be pushed out of the system and into the shadows. Their fear is not unfounded. Too many times recently ICE has deported longtime residents and broken up families over minor immigration offenses. Lest anyone think the Justice Department restrictions on law enforcement grants are not political, consider that this month President Donald Trump threatened to bus people, who are trying to enter the United States illegally from Mexico, to sanctuary cities. We appreciate New Haven Mayor Toni Harps response: New Haven will continue its open arms tradition for those fleeing oppression in other countries and for those who seek a better life here. When I read Gulamhusein Abbas op-ed in The News-Times April 11 (Putting Trumps Golan Heights decision in context), I was taken back in time to the Six Day War of 1967 that terrifying moment in Israels history almost 52 years ago when its fate hung in the balance as its Arab neighbors Egypt, Syria and Jordan ominously massed troops on its borders with the obvious intention of attacking and fulfilling their stated goal of pushing Israel into the sea. I feared for Israel (barely 20 years in existence) and for my relatives who had immigrated there after defying death in the Holocaust. Israel, though greatly outnumbered in manpower and weaponry, was miraculously victorious. / As I stood outside the polls on Election Day, there was one question that kept coming up as voters raced into the voting booth. On that rainy Tuesday in November, dozens of voters asked why Connecticut restricts elections to a single day. Last week, the House of Representatives considered a bill that would begin to fix this. Specifically, it would amend the state Constitution to allow early voting, adding Connecticut to a list of 39 states that already provide their citizens with greater opportunity to vote. The bill passed with an overwhelming 125-24 bipartisan vote. With the bill now headed to the Senate, I want to publicly plead with all of my colleagues to support a reform that will strengthen democracy for all. Lets not retreat into the comfortable confines of our caucus room, allowing politics to get in the way of common sense. Lets pass this bill. by Deron Dalton Al Pacino is now 79 years old, and while the screen legend has starred in many movies, two roles are arguably his most iconicMichael Corleone from the Godfather trilogy and Tony Montana from Scarface. Michael, the youngest son and heir of mafia king Don Vito Corleone, is considered one of cinemas greatest villains and tragic heroes. Tony Montana, a Cuban drug lord, is Pacinos showiest role and one of the most-quoted movie characters of all time. Which is Pacinos greatest movie role? Pacino was just getting started as Michael Corleone in "The Godfather," for which he received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination in 1973. Although he had lots of screen time in the first film, the sequel is where Pacino really got to lead as the heir to Don Vito. Below is the synopsis of The Godfather: Part II, per IMDb: The early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York is portrayed while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate. Michael Corleone is regarded as both a villain and tragic hero. Although Pacino was passed over many times by the Academy until he won for "Scent of a Woman," Michael Corleone is arguably his most acclaimed role ever. If history has taught us anything, its that you can kill anyone. Watch this legendary clip from The Godfather: Part II below. Pacino definitely had a lot to work with when he played Cuban drug lord Tony Montana. The character is a super-showy role that will forever be considered one of cinema's most over-the-top villains. In fact, Tony Montana is a cultural icon who is extremely quotable. Below is the synopsis of Scarface, per IMDb: In Miami in 1980, a determined Cuban immigrant takes over a drug cartel and succumbs to greed. Pacino was nominated many times before he won his first Oscar, but many moviegoers argue he was snubbed for playing Tony in this movie classic. So many classic quotes: Say hello to my little friend! may be the most memorable movie line ever. Watch the clip below. The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, wed love to hear what you have to say. BRANFORD When architects for the new Statue of Liberty Museum about to open alongside that most iconic of American monuments began sourcing materials, they didnt have to look too far or think too hard to determine what stone to use. All they had to do was walk across Liberty Island, out there in New York Harbor, and look at the beautiful, shimmering, variegated pink granite pedestal upon which the Statue of Liberty has stood for 132-plus years. You know it everybody knows it: its the pedestal on which the plaque bearing Emma Lazarus famous words (from the poem The New Colossus) is mounted: Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free ... Then they had to head 90 miles up the road to the Stony Creek Quarry, where they ultimately ended up picking up 5,000 cubic feet about 450 tons of the stuff. Well, it was a little more complicated than that. But the end result is, Stony Creek granite, quarried by local workers in Branford near the Guilford line, will surround the throngs that attend the $70-plus million, 26,000-square-foot museums May 16 opening as well as the more than 5 million visitors expected to visit Liberty Island each year. Its probably the most important, significant work that weve done ... since the pedestal at the turn of the century, said Darrell Petit, who has worked at the Stony Creek Quarry since 1989 and is its seniormost worker. Two other quarrymen, quarry supervisor Rick Atkinson and Tom Hixon, have been there even longer. Petit works hard to get Stony Creek granites name out there, and has worked with the National Parks Service, which owns Liberty Island, to help improve the way it refers to the granite. At one time, it was described simply as pink granite from Connecticut, he said. But make no mistake: its quarried in the Stony Creek Quarry in Stony Creek by employees of the Stony Creek Quarry Corp. Stony Creek granite is what people will walk on as they head up the granite walkways and granite steps, and even what theyll sit on if they happen to use a nearby pink Stony Creek granite bench. If its not entirely clear when you visit, just keep this basic, thumbnail description from the principal architect, Nicholas Garrison of New Yorks FXCollaborative, in mind: At the new museum, If you can stand on it, walk on it or sit on it, its Stony Creek granite, said Garrison, whose great-grandmother came in from France via Ellis Island. There isnt a horizontal surface that weve used that isnt Stony Creek granite. Its just very beautiful, clean, Garrison said of the Stony Creek granite, which contains flecks of quartz and feldspar that shimmer and twinkle in sunlight. It was really the first and only choice. In designing the museum, Garrison never lost sight of what then-superintendent of the Statue of Liberty National Monument David Luchsinger first told him: You know, people still come to the island and they get down on their knees and they kiss the ground, he recalled Lucinger saying. Its that important. We set out, the firm, to really honor that comment from the superintendent, he said. The new museum, accessible and free to all who make the trip to Liberty Island, aims to create a more full experience for a greater number of people. Since Sept. 11, 2001, as a result of both security and capacity issues, 80 percent of Liberty Islands visitors dont actually go up in the statue, which was dedicated on Oct. 28, 1886, or get in to see the museum in its base, Garrison said. The general idea driving the design is, The building is a very welcoming structure, said Garrison, pointing out that you dont need a sign to tell you where the front door is. The Stony Creek granite, in addition to matching the statue pedestal, fits right into that, he said. I can tell you, its a great choice, Garrison said. It really takes on different colors depending on how its cut. Among other features, the museum provides a new home to showcase the original, 3,600-pound Statue of Liberty torch, which was replaced in 1984 and previously was hidden away in the base of the statue in a spot that many of the visitors to the island never got to. The torch had to be cut into two pieces in order to move it, he said. The museum will put the torch in daylight for the first time in 30 years, Garrison said. The museum also will feature an immersive theater that will tell the statues story, an engagement gallery and an inspiration gallery, which is where the torch will be. The Statue of Liberty and its new museum are by no means Stony Creek granites only claim to fame. It also adorns New Yorks Battery Park where people catch the boat to Liberty Island various buildings at Columbia University; the Smithsonians National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.; the Smithsonians Cooper Hewitt National Museum of Design in New York; Grand Central Terminal; the Boston Public Library and Bostons South Station; Yale Universitys West Campus; St. Marys Church and the Ecuadorian Consulate in New Haven; the Willoughby Wallace Memorial Library in Stony Creek; the Bulkeley Bridge and Travelers Plaza in Hartford; several buildings at Quinnipiac University; Queens Hospital in New York; Childrens Hospital in Philadelphia; and the Cleveland Clinic, among others. Stony Creek granite also is beneath the life-sized Torosaurus dinosaur sculpture outside the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale. The 7,350-pound sculpture sits on a 13-foot, 70-ton base of Stony Creek granite. Stony Creek granite, first quarried in 1858, is part of a Mesozoic era deposit formed between 225 million and 650 million years ago. For the museum project, the Stony Creek Quarry worked in partnership with the North Carolina Granite Corporation. Stony Creek cut the raw block typically 25 tons each and North Carolina Granite then cut the block into the architectural cut-to-size product used for the actual cladding and paving. Out in Stony Creek, the guys who quarried that granite, some of whom have been there for decades and one of whom comes from a multigenerational quarryman family are justly proud. Oh, and fittingly, several of the quarry workers are immigrants and one of those quarrymen is a woman. Its pretty cool projects that you do that have a heritage and history to them, said Atkinson, who lives in Stony Creek and has worked at the quarry since 1981. He comes from a family that has had other quarry workers, as well. I think its really fitting that our material is there, he said. Both Petit and Atkinson are aware that there were discussions at one point during the projects planning process about using other, cheaper granite and Petit said he was glad that things worked out in Stony Creeks favor. But architect Garrison said Stony Creek granite was what they specified from the start. Its what both FXCollaborative and The Statute of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, the customer driving the project, wanted and thats ultimately what won out. Thats important to Atkinson. You can get cheaper materials elsewhere, he said. But were an American classic for a reason. Its a disappoinment and a bit of a sore point to Petit that Stony Creek granite isnt used for more projects in New Haven. He pointed out that the city specified Canadian granite for the upcoming Downtown Crossing project to redevelop the Route 34 connector and reconnect downtown to the Hill section and Union Station. He wishes it was Stony Creek granite. Given what the Statue of Liberty stands for, it is worth noting that at least four of the people who quarried the granite for project are immigrants. Quarrymen Guido Lopez, Rodrigo Vega and Manuel Pugo all came to the United States from Ecuador and one other worker, who was not there last week when the New Haven Register came by to visit, is from Mexico, coworkers said. Quarry worker Stacy Bandecchi, who has worked at the quarry since 2004, said the magnitude of the Statue of Liberty Museum project is beyond anything shes done previously and its a point of pride to think that it came from here, this small, little corner. While working on the project, youre doing your job, she said. But I think in the back of your mind, you know ... where its going. Tom Cleveland, the quarrys new director of sustainability, said he has Brazilian relatives and he took them out to the Statue of Liberty which has remained open throughout the construction last Monday. Its special, Cleveland said of the museum project. It reiterates the national significance of this quarry. Since being brought in to discuss the project with the architect and the foundation in 2017, We worked collaboratively with the architect to make sure that they know that it is available, and that the Stony Creek Quarry is actively quarrying, said Petit. If a classic, historic American quarry has closed, then it certainly is not available, as was the case with Stony Creek for a short period of time in the early 2000s, he said. Its in our best interest to always have open lines of communication. For the museum project, one of the people on the other end of the line, FXCollaborative Project Manager Dan Piselli, grew up not too far away from the quarry in Milford, Woodbridge and Orange. Piselli, who also is the firms sustainability director, said his interest in architecture first was inspired by some of the buildings on the Yale campus including the David S. Ingalls Rink, aka The Whale, designed by architect Eero Saarinen. His mother still lives in Seymour. The whole idea that a building can elicit emotion began for Piselli at The Whale, he said. Piselli, like everyone involved in the Statue of Liberty museum project, is very aware of how iconic the site is, and how many visitors will see it. Being such a high profile project kind of raises the stakes from the ... high design perspective, in terms of making sure its a beautiful building thats going to resonate with people, Piselli said. We designed the museum to be an extension of the land, he said. The museum has a living green roof. While people will not be able to walk on the roof, it is flanked by a terrace, or series of steps that you can walk out to get a panoramic view. Stony Creek granite is used on the stairs and terraces, Piselli said. The central experience of the museum is going to be of the stone, he said. The new museum, which is designed and built to be in harmony with the natural topography of Liberty Island, will replace a much smaller, more cramped and less accessible museum in the Statue of Libertys base, and will give people another way to experience the statute, Piselli said. Because of security and access concerns, The museum that exists now only is available to 20 percent of the people who visit, he said. Piselli said the Stony Creek granite fits in with the overall design and said it is significant that the Stony Creek granite being used for the museum is the same granite used for the Statue of Libertys pedestal. While there are other granites out there that could have been used, were happy that we were able to use the Stony Creek granite because it is on the original statue base. If you have the ... original of something, its more meaningful than something that simply bears a resemblance to it, he said. As sustainability director, its also important to Piselli that all that Stony Creek granite came from fewer than 100 miles away, as opposed to much longer distances for some other possible choices, even if they were a little cheaper. In working on the museum project, the building is meant to have its own presence on the island, but its also trying to defer to the statue, Piselli said. The statue is supposed to be the main event. ... So using that stone was just trying to fit in, and making sure we werent trying to compete with the statue. In designing a new museum on an island, it was important to design with the future in mind and in the fairly recent past, This part of the island was flooded during Hurricane Sandy, Piselli said. Preparing for the future, with climate change in mind, we raised the building off the ground significantly Undernearth, its designed for floodwater to flow freely under the building, if it comes to that, he said. The building has been raised about 10 feet putting it 19 feet above the water mark that we were using, he said. The Statue of Liberty Museum also was designed to be a bird-safe building, with a pattern in its window glass to discourage birds from flying into it, Piselli said. Editors note: An earlier version of this story misspelled the last name of the retired former superintendent of Statue of Liberty National Monument. He is David Luchsinger. mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com When I was a mixed-up kid trying to find my worth as a boy in the neighborhood, I tried to turn to those I considered to be the cool guys. I didnt know much about the guys who hung out on street corners except kids were supposed to stay away from them because they were troublemakers involved in behavior that would bring on the cops. But I did not care. Like all young boys, I wanted to be cool. I wanted to walk and talk just like them and be accepted into the circle. But the one time I attempted to join in the conversation, those same guys chased me off with a bunch of curse words, telling me, Get out of here. you dont know nothing about this. I remember feeling humiliated as I walked away trying to puff up a no-care attitude by putting more cut in my strut but wondering at the same time what was wrong with me that the cool guys wanted nothing to do with me at all. It may sound like they did a good thing and indeed time proved it was but at the time, for a boy mired in an abusive situation and suddenly pronounced the man of the house after my fathers departure, it was a major disappointment that left me fantasizing about what I could do to belong and prove my worth. I managed to get through those teen years mostly unscathed by the judicial system. But it does have me thinking about the many juveniles who now face judges. I wonder why some of the guys on their corners did not send them packing like I was and if that is why so many kids are trapped in a criminal cycle. It is no secret that states across the country are revamping their judicial systems to be more rehabilitative and less punitive. But to me, the proposed revamping of the juvenile judicial system seems to be a hodgepodge of maneuvers designed around a scientific study that says the brain is not developed until a person hits his or her mid-20s. The revamped system in Connecticut proposes to raise the age at which juveniles are tried as adults to 21 by allowing 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds to have their cases heard within the juvenile justice system as opposed to adult court. This designation also would mean their cases would be sealed from public view; their names kept out of the news media; be subjected to no more than four years of imprisonment and have their records erased four years after their convictions as long as they complete their sentences. It is hard to argue with that kind of common sense legislation when we see so many of our confused youth behind bars. And regardless of their reckless actions, they are still kids. But I have always been a little queasy about this proposed new law because at age 16 and 17, I knew right from wrong and knew there would be consequences for my actions. But then again, I remember when I so desperately wanted to be cool and hang with those guys, to belong, and the consequences of what could happen was not part of my thinking. Juveniles on the wrong side of the law is a massive problem. We are not only dealing with juveniles but, in many cases, the juvenile parental minds that raised them. A child cant help where he or she comes from, and it is hard to break patterns of taught or ignored behavior. According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, teens can be smart as a whip, but good judgment is not something they display because the rational side of the brain does not develop until at least age 25 and it gives a clear explanation behind the science: Adults think with the prefrontal cortex, the brains rational part. This is the part of the brain that responds to situations with good judgment and an awareness of long-term consequences. Teens process information with the amygdala. This is the emotional part. In teens brains, the connections between the emotional part of the brain and the decision-making center are still developing and not always at the same rate. Thats why when teens have overwhelming emotional input, they cant explain later what they were thinking. They werent thinking as much as they were feeling. I am not sure why I never got involved in the criminal system as a youth; I certainly had all the makeup: I was poor and angry at the world, hungry most of the time, I didnt have a sense I belonged anywhere and I didnt think anyone cared. Doesnt that sound like a lot of the kids in the judicial system? I doubt if many of these kids feel they ever have had justice because justice is about being fair and equal. And for many of them, there has been nothing fair or equal about their lives. That is not on us. There is only so much society can do to combat the circumstances these kids are born into or the lures that lead them astray. But there are things we can do. The judicial branch is seeking secure, community-based facilities to house teens leaving juvenile detention who once resided at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School in Middletown, which has been closed. The project is stalled as the state seeks contractors. Connecticut must beef up its efforts to make this happen, because these type of facilities are needed. These young offenders need a real chance to get out from under the cold fluorescent lights of the criminal system. Maybe they, too, simply wanted to belong but could not fight the voices sending them down the wrong path. Because when you are a troubled youth, those voices are hard to ignore and so are the consequences. Crime? Is juvenile justice really justice? James Walker is the New Haven Registers senior editor and a statewide columnist for Hearst Connecticut newspapers. He can be reached at 203-680-9389 or james.walker@hearstmediact.com. @thelieonroars on Twitter Donald Trump Jr. really loves his guns. The president's oldest son almost passed on a luxurious vacation mansion in the Hamptons because it was missing a dedicated room to store his voluminous collection of firearms, according to the New York Post. But Trump, 41, and his girlfriend, former Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle, 50, decided to take the $4.5 million home in Bridgehampton, NY, anyway. The National Rifle Association supporter plans to add a custom gun room to the seven-bedroom home in the ritzy enclave outside of New York City. The house is now under contract, according to the Post. He went turkey hunting before joining his father at the NRA's annual meeting on Friday in Indianapolis, according to USA Today. The 9,200-square-foot home in a gated community sits on 3.9 acres boasting a heated pool with a waterfall and access to a 25-acre kettle pond. The couple and their respective kids can walk to the beach or to the nearby restaurants and shops. The mansion is big enough to accommodate Trump's five children and Guilfoyle's son. Trump, executive vice president at his father's real estate company the Trump Organization, and his wife of 12 years, Vanessa Trump, divorced last year. Guilfoyle was married twice, including to former Democratic Mayor of San Francisco Gavin Newsom. The president's son made real estate news last spring when he and his brother Eric Trump reportedly bought their aunt Maryanne Trump Barry's $18.5 million Palm Beach, FL, mansion. They then turned around and rented it out for $100,000 a month. The waterfront property, initially listed for $23.9 million, is across the street from their father's favorite getaway, Mar-a-Lago. The brothers are linked to the 1125 South Ocean LLC, which purchased the mansion. Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle are reportedly under contract to purchase this Hamptons home. realtor.com The post Donald Trump Jr. Almost Didn't Buy This Mansion Because It Didn't Have a Gun Room appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. The Jewish Federation of Cumberland, Gloucester & Salem Counties has scheduled a pair of community programs to commemorate Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). Both commemorations are free and open to the public. A ceremony of memorial prayers, psalms, and readings will take place Thursday, May 1, at 5:30 p.m., at the Wall of Remembrance at Alliance Cemetery, 970 Gershal Ave., Norma. The commemoration will continue with a Zachor Service of Remembrance on Sunday, May 5, at 5 p.m., at Beth Israel Congregation, 1015 E. Park Ave., Vineland. Included in this program will be the annual presentation of the Miles Lerman Holocaust Education Award. This years recipients will be Phyllis Dunkelman and Murray Ressler. Holocaust survivors currently living in Vineland, they have spoken about the Holocaust in many public forums. The service will include special musical selections relating to Holocaust remembrance and students from Vineland High School teacher Terry Kuhnreichs Search for Conscience class will read essays on the Holocaust. Both parts of the commemoration will include participation by area Jewish clergy. This annual commemoration is a moving way to memorialize those who perished in the greatest tragedy to befall the Jewish people -- not only those from our area who perished but all the millions who were murdered at the hands of the Nazis in the Holocaust, said M. Jay Einstein, president of Jewish Federation of Cumberland, Gloucester & Salem Counties. Through the years, it has also been a valuable learning experience for our school students who have been studying the Holocaust -- especially in this time of increased anti-Semitism, Holocaust denial, and racial intolerance." Yom HaShoah, which takes place on the 27th of Nissan in the Jewish calendar, was established as a national holiday by the Israeli Knesset on Aug. 19, 1953, when its observance was signed into law by Israeli President David Ben-Gurion and Israeli President Yitzhak Ben-Zvi. The holiday honors the 6 million Jews, including 1 million children, who died in the European Holocaust during World War II. For more information, call the federation office at 856-696-4445. Two separate shootings in Newark claimed the lives of two men this weekend, the Essex County Prosecutor said Sunday. Police responding to Saturdays shooting near South Ninth Street and South Orange Avenue around 11 p.m on Saturday found 39-year-old Rahman Branch unresponsive after being shot, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly said. Branch, a Newark resident, was taken to University Hospital and pronounced dead around 11:31 p.m. The second shooting came just a few hours after Branch was shot, around 2:30 am Sunday in the 400 block of Seventh Avenue. A man was found unresponsive inside a car, also suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim, identified as 32-year-old Newark resident Nathaniel Mickens, was pronounced dead at the scene around 3:37 a.m., Fennelly said. There is no suspected connection between the two shootings or any known motives, the prosecutors office said. Both shootings are still under investigation, and no arrests have been made yet. Anyone with information is asked to call the Essex County Prosecutors Tips Line at (877) 847-7432. 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. They knew at the time it would be a gamble and the clock was ticking. A blue-collar community in New Jersey put $100,000 on the table in 2005 and hoped it would be the springboard that would send elevators full of payloads, and eventually people to space. And theyd be at the epicenter of it all. LiftPort a Washington-based company, with an ambitious goal of sending the first lift" off Earth by April 12, 2018 announced plans nearly 15 years ago to open a factory in Millville that would produce part of the technology needed to make it happen. It never did. While CEO Michael Laine is still part of the space race to pursue an elevator concept he said hed likely do it, and talk about it later rather than announce plans ahead of time the city, a Cumberland County agency, and later, nearly 3,500 people who invested in Laines second elevator attempt, wonder where wed be today if the project took off. Getting off the ground LiftPort was founded in 2003 and a year later, the company began running a number of tests toward the goal of making an Earth elevator, including launching a 1,000-foot balloon with a tether that had a robot climb up it. But to stretch to space and be able to carry any significant weight, they needed the right material for a tether. One of the major components that LiftPort planned to use were carbon nanotubes, a composite material that is lighter than fiberglass, but could be up to 100 times stronger than steel, the company said. But where would they produce them? Liftport signed an agreement in 2005 to open a nanotube manufacturing factory at this location in Millville. In April 2005, LiftPort announced plans to open a facility in Millville that would also serve as the companys regional headquarters. The Cumberland County city was chosen due to its manufacturing history and central location on the East Coast. The facility, which would have been named LiftPort Nanotech, would create carbon nanotubes that initially would be sold to other companies and used in their products to make them stronger like, plastic, metal and glass, which Millville is well-known for. By selling the nanotubes, LiftPort would raise capital to continue funding research and development. Don Ayers, who served as the director of economic development in Millville from 2001 to 2011, said he met with Laine and professors at the New Jersey Institute of Technology to see the machine that would help develop the nanotubes. Everyone was optimistic, he said. We had a downturn in some of our businesses (in Millville) but we were moving back up at the time, Ayers said. We thought getting into a new material such as carbon nanotubes would be a move that was worthwhile, even though we knew how much of a risk it was because of how new it was. The idea was well liked by the Cumberland County Empowerment Zone and the city of Millville so much that in 2005, each entity offered $50,000 in seed money. LiftPort planned to lease space at 22 Airwork Street, close to the Millville Airport. We always knew it was going to be risky, Ayers said. But, given the prospects for the future and having spent a full day talking to the people at NJIT about the prospects for it, we figured it was worth it. However, the plant never moved forward. We couldnt mass produce the nanotubes, Laine said in a recent interview with NJ Advance Media. A Boston-based company that it contracted to build nanotube furnaces ran behind schedule and defaulted on their agreement with LiftPort, Laine explained in a newsletter in 2007. Then, the economy crashed, Laine lost his Washington state property and LiftPort went out of business. We didnt quit, Laine said. We were forced to stop which is a big difference in perspective. LiftPort 2.0 That wasnt the last time New Jersey or the science community would hear from Laine. Five years later, LiftPort 2.0 surfaced. After conducting some research and finding that a lunar elevator could be created with materials and technology available to make it more feasible to do than in 2005, Laine restarted LiftPort. He created a Kickstarter campaign detailing the companys current and future goals with a fundraising goal of $8,000. The first step was to build a robot that would climb 2 kilometers into the sky, to a platform of high-altitude balloons tethered to the ground. Ultimately, 3,468 people backed the project and contributed $110,353, more than 13 times more than what was the company looking to raise. One of the people who backed the Kickstarter was New Jersey native Nicholas Hillman. A long time space enthusiast, Hillman said he would visit the observatory at Washingtons Crossing with his father and attend monthly meetings at the Amateur Astronomers Association of Princeton to listen to NASA employees and other science community members talk about their work. It was at a 2005 meeting where he heard Laine speak about the space elevator. I met him in person once, and It felt reputable backing it because I knew him from his in-person appearance, and he spoke to a whole bunch of other astronomers, Hillman said. The idea of a space elevator is wonderful, and I remember everybody liked it back then. I was 15, so I didnt know as much as I do now, but it just seemed cool at that time. Hillman began following the LiftPort Facebook page and joined a group looking to bring awareness of the project. But he started to get worried when the updates on the Kickstarter did not come as often and eventually stopped. A lot of people were frustrated, Laine said of the Kickstarter initiative. I didnt have the team. We did build the robot, but unfortunately, it didnt work. It was a frustrating experience. The future Laine still goes out every once in a while and does lectures on space elevators, as well as some consulting. He still believes there is a chance there could be a lunar elevator. I think its real, he said. That is my primary focus. I think there is something there. Im not doing it in the same way as I did the Earth elevator. Im going to do it, and talk about it later. I think there is something there and I am still pursuing it. Once thought to be a far-fetched idea, space elevators are becoming a reality. Last fall, a Japanese construction firm and Shizuoka University sent a smaller scale elevator to the International Space Station, where a small box climbed along a 30 foot cable between two satellites. The experiment will fulfill a necessary engineering test along the way to space-elevator operations, even this early in the mega project called the Space Elevator, said Pete Swan, president of the International Space Elevator Consortium. And do not rule out Millville for future production and manufacturing sites. The people in Millville were great, the LiftPort co-founder stated. From city council to economic development, it was good. I would still set something up in Millville if I had an operation to set up. This article is part of Unknown New Jersey, an ongoing series that highlights interesting and little-known stories about our past, present, and future -- all the unusual things that make our great state what is it. Got a story to pitch? Email it to local@njadvancemedia.com. 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 The statistics remain horrifying. More than 30 million adults in the United States cannot read, write or compute above a third grade level. Not surprisingly, children with barely literate parents are usually at the lowest reading levels. Eventually this leads to truancy and dropping out. I am not saying poor reading skills inevitably lead to prison, but theres compelling evidence to link them. I knew this in my bones, but looked up some stats to explain why Jeff Kinney is a superhero. Kinneys magnificent superpower is that he creates readers. He has sold more than 200 million books in 61 languages. If you have ever tried to tempt a reluctant reader, you know how difficult it can be. When children have told me they dont like to read, I take it as a personal challenge. Among the best weapons in my arsenal is Jeff Kinney. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series has spawned 13 books and two movies. In his 17th book, Diary of an Awesomely Friendly Kid, Kinneys hero, Rowley, is an honorable, sweet kid. And this may be the best lesson of all. Rowleys been around for a while, but this is his first time as the books star, and hes a wonderful, ethical character. As Kinney set out on a book tour, the father of two teenage sons talked with New Jersey Authors. What follows is an edited version of that conversation. Do you receive a conquering heros welcome everywhere? Its really fun, and it depends where I am. I just went to Dubai and South Africa and the kids were so primed for the event that stepping out onto stage I felt like a rock star. Do you encounter people who became readers because of your books? I meet a lot of kids who seem to only read The Diary of A Wimpy Kid books, and I meet kids in their 20s who tell me that. We are trying to put books in their hands that feed their interest and once they close the cover they have a feeling of accomplishment and hopefully they got the message that reading is pleasurable and will ask for another. Naturally youre telling a story, but what is your goal with the books? My mission as a writer is a little different. What I am doing for kids is writing for their lives and they see themselves in these situations and that is what I like to do. Its a very similar job to stand-up comedians, who lay themselves bare on stage and gets laughs because audiences recognize themselves. Besides recognition, why are readers drawn to Greg? My books would not be very funny if Greg was a noble character. He needs to be as flawed as the readers are. A lot of writers writing for kids set out to instruct kids and moralize to them and I am trying to help kids see themselves in the world. Jeff Kinney's latest stars Rowley Jefferson, a very sweet boy.Courtesy image Why did you decide to tell this one from Rowleys perspective? I wish I were Rowley but I am Greg. The series has been very developmental for me in so many ways and one of the things I have learned along the way is the audience is always rooting for Rowley. Greg is more flawed and Rowley is more pure. After years of writing from Gregs point of view, I thought it would be difficult but it was refreshing. I never quite buy it when a writer talks about the writing speaking to them. It always seems to be a little pretentious to me. In this case I felt Rowley was separate from me and on a good day I could channel his point of view. Greg is easy to write. How long does it take you to write a book? The first took me eight years. Now it takes me about six or seven months of concentrated work. How do you describe Greg, your main guy? Greg is a slight, middle school boy, and a weakling. But I dont often mention his physical prowess that is driven by the cover image. But really wimpy is meant to be more, not so much a physical designation as a status of powerlessness. Greg is powerless in his world. His thinking is sophisticated enough that hes self-aware. I think he is a flawed human being. He is truly in the middle. And his best pal? Rowley is a kid who likes being a kid. He is a pure kid and young for his age and a very loyal friend to Greg. Is Rowley the hero we need now? Rowley is. If we had a little bit more Rowley, if all of us emulated Rowley, we would all feel a little happier. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series has turned non-readers into readers.Courtesy Your original career goal was to be a newspaper cartoonist? True. I grew up with The Washington Post when we had Calvin and Hobbes, Peanuts, The Far Side and Bloom County. Once I got to college I saw my path. I wanted to be in that community of cartoonists. What happened? Lack of talent. It was not by my choice. I tried hard for years. I couldnt break in and I spent about three years doing it and to move forward I had to give up the most important thing about being a newspaper cartoonist, which was the newspaper. And now I was a cartoonist with no medium and I got the idea to put my cartoons into books. I think of books as long-form cartoons. Whats your process, do you write or draw first? Systematic inventive thinking. Its a creativity technique taught by a group in Israel that helps to systemize creativity instead of waiting for divine intervention. You are always working. I can pick any topic and I will come up with a collection of jokes out of that toolbox. What are some of the other jobs you had before you could support yourself as an author? I have been an online game developer. I created Poptropica.com and worked on it for nine years. I stopped last year. I was a medical software engineer and before that I was a newspaper graphic designer and layout editor. Where did you get your first library card? We had a good library in Fort Washington, Maryland, and I promptly checked out a book how to make sock puppets and promptly lost it in the back of my closet and when I found it realized I owed hundreds of dollars and buried it again. I guess I cant ever go to that library again. Who are some of your favorite authors? J.K. Rowling is the best storyteller of our time. Carl Barks who write Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge adventures in the 40s and 50s; I saw the whole world through the lens of his writing. He wrote about world travel and culture and religion. I like Malcolm Gladwell and Bill Bryson. What advice do you give to kids who want to become writers? I dont want the competition so I try to discourage them as much as possible. I tell them that they need to read as much as possible and that you cant become a good writer without becoming a good reader. JERSEY CITY Gun shots rang out, blood was spilled and people, thinking they were going to die, cowered in fear. The scene has tragically played out across the country, including Saturday at a California synagogue. Just hours later, the Jersey City Police Department trained to deal that situation if it happens here. Jersey City first responders and a few dozen participants, including students, faced an active shooter situation inside Saint Peters Prep Saturday afternoon. Public Safety Director James Shea said its important to invest in this type of training, especially after the Newport mall shooting earlier this year. Participants and first responders were briefed about the exercise by Tomahawk Strategic Solutions who provide training to prepare people for threats and emergency situations who also conducted a training at Newport mall in 2017. You see the news around the country, we see events happening and we know from studying those events that theres no end to the importance of getting together before, God forbid, something happens, Shea said. The participants included Saint Peters Prep students, parents and faculty who were put in places such as the cafeteria and first floor of the school. Mike Biller, president of Tomahawk Strategic Solutions, said that the volunteers had no script they were forced to treat it as a real-life situation that reflected their personal decisions. Without warning, the shooter who was dressed in a black sweater and black hat fired four shots in the cafeteria. Many were shocked and froze in fear. Some slid under the table while others fled to one of the three exits. Police officers came in moments later to secure the area as they called for backup and emergency medical services. The officers treated those who were injured and found that others were killed by the gunman. Meanwhile, upstairs, a group of the volunteers barricaded themselves in a room. When police arrived, the group asked for identification and the officer ripped off his patch and slid it under the door. The drill lasted 30 minutes and afterward everyone was debriefed in the cafeteria to learn from their decisions. Lorie Macanka, a volunteer whose son attends Prep, said she feels more confident that she and her son are more aware of what to do and will bring it back to All Saints Catholic Academy in Bayonne and All Saints Episcopal Day School in Hoboken. As soon as I heard the gun shot I got under the table, Macanka said. Its pretty real life They didnt cue you in because they wanted to see what your real-life reaction was. By Gregory D. Milano While morning headlines continue to expose years of college bribery schemes and admission scandals in American higher education, we are losing sight of a critical issue for which the exposure of this scandal serves as catalyst for change: the inherit need for higher education institutions to recognize that the production of thought and knowledge that comes from practices of inclusivity. In my journey as a young professor, I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to teach at institutions that truly embody diversity, not only in theory but also in practice. After finishing my Ph.D. at the University of Chicago, the first position I landed was in my home state of New Jersey, teaching at Union County College. With roughly 80 percent minority student enrollment, its campus community is an amalgamation of students, including many recent immigrants and asylees determined to obtain their degrees. One morning at Union County College, minutes before my 9 a.m. Western Civilization class was set to begin, an African-American woman in a one-piece navy-blue uniform approached me. Hi Professor. Im so sorry for missing class on Tuesday, she explained. I work the overnight shift at a warehouse and come here directly from the plant. On Tuesday, my daycare fell through so I was home with my baby. A bureaucratized approach to this student may have included a terse statement about the stated attendance policy on the syllabus. I took quite the opposite approach: I empathized rather than bureaucratized. After all, how hypocritical would it be if I as a teacher was not also a model of the same understanding that I seek to develop in my students, including on the plane of cultural competency? I thanked her and invited her to consider strategies to fulfill the curriculum while being cognizant of her conditions. This student was literally antithetical to the type of college student stereotyped in a variety of popular mediums, such as the one who is averting inevitable confrontation with the real world. For my student, college education was a matter of survival for her and her child; it was the key to a better world. In order to embody the value of her real-world experience in the study of history, it was essential to share my classroom with these same teachings of the real world my student experienced. Over the coming weeks, I witnessed the same student bringing examples of her work experience into lectures on Adam Smith and the division of labor. Other students drew from her uniquely inspiring empirical analyses, and soon my teachings on fascist ideology between the world wars were supplemented with students sharing first-hand experiences of former lives spent under dictatorships in war-torn nations. My experience at Union helped me build a practical toolkit for mentoring based on service with empathy. By demonstrating empathy, I was able to empower this student through difficulty. I made myself available as a mentor while conveying my genuine belief in her ability to master the subject. Against the odds, the student in the blue uniform completed the class with success. As an educator, I reflect back on my own undergraduate years, taking the train from campus to visit my grandmother, who lived in the housing projects in Queens. She had made the choice to live there as the widow of my grandfather, a World War II combat veteran of Normandy. My desire to study the period between the two world wars stemmed in part from learning about my grandfathers experience on the many visits to my grandmothers, a passion that later cultivated into a profession as a historian. It is my own unique experience, and the acknowledgement of how it has shaped my passion and profession, that I bring to the classroom each day where I invite my students to bring their own experiences and stories. Just as the bribery scheme was breaking and an elite American high school had accepted only 7 black students in a freshman class with 895 seats , New Jersey teenager Dylan Chidick became famous for being admitted into nearly 20 universities after having been homeless. He will be going to college alongside students from different socioeconomic, ethno-racial, and ideological backgrounds. For three hours each week, these students will share one room, challenging one anothers perceptions, ideally in a space in which the most inclusive and collective learning can take place. Rather than accepting payments to reserve seats for the wealthy, institutions should have a unique and commendable history of doing the polar opposite: to ensure that every segment of society, and in fact the world, no matter how stigmatized, ostracized, or impoverished, is represented within the walls of its college classrooms. And as a professor, it is this recipe for diversity within education which leads to a profit much larger than one of monetary value: it results in a wealth and production of knowledge, discourse and intellectual thought that parallels what I see as building bridges by breaking down barriers, and in the process, producing brilliance. Gregory D. Milano, Ph.D., a Jersey City resident, is a historian and social scientist currently teaching at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. Submit letters to the editor and guest columns at jjletters@jjournal.com A Bruce Springsteen concert was on the Asbury Park Music & Film Festivals schedule, but an appearance from the Boss wasnt. Springsteen surprised guests at the Paramount Theater Saturday afternoon when he joined the crowd for a showing of rare E Street Band footage. Springsteen joined director and archivist Thom Zimny for a Q&A moderator by Backstreets Magazine editor Chris Phillips. Ive lived many lives, he said during the Q&A, according to Variety. I never saw any of that myself." The footage is so rare, in part, because the band was a little superstitious about being filmed. Springsteen said he worried back then that watching the performances might mess with the magic. While the footage was a first, an impromptu appearance from Springsteen was not. Hes showed up at the festival in the past, and many fans were hopeful the rocker might make another unscheduled appearance. Many took to social media after he made their wishes come true. What a wonderful afternoon in Asbury Park, not just experiencing amazing lost Bruce Springsteen concert footage from the vault... but then having the Boss discuss it live and in person. Hooray #APMFF! https://t.co/4GYv1BFvuS Steve Feitl (@SteveFeitl) April 27, 2019 I cant believe I just saw Bruce Springsteen in Asbury Park my life is officially complete Rachel (@rachelharms_) April 27, 2019 The stop in Jersey comes just days after Springsteen announced hell release a new album, Western Stars in June. The first single, Hello Sunshine, came out this week. Editors note: A previous version of this story referenced a documentary that featured Springsteen playing Saturday, but that documentary aired Sunday. 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. We feel the pain of those school districts that are losing state aid next year and face the grim prospect of laying off teachers and other staff. Their recent protests underscore the need to find ways to help them adapt, to limit the damage. But they are dead wrong to try to reverse the sensible agreement struck by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Gov. Phil Murphy. Their plan increases total state aid to schools, and brings greater fairness and rationality. Those districts that will lose money were getting more than their fair share, thanks to political meddling. The overall boost amounts to more than $206 million, a big win after state funding was frozen for years under former Gov. Chris Christie. Murphy and Sweeney are putting us on the path to full funding by about 2025, which will help both students and property tax payers. Their plan gradually returns us to the original funding formula approved by the State Supreme Court in 2008, which had bipartisan support. This takes into account factors like the number of poor, more costly-to-educate kids in a district, its local tax wealth and enrollment. It also removes the add-ons from a meddling Legislature that meant certain political winners didnt lose state money even when their student enrollment plummeted, like Toms River, or when their tax revenue exploded in a surge of new development, like Jersey City. Now, Murphy is phasing out that undeserved extra aid and redistributing it to the losers, like Woodbridge, that were shortchanged for years as their student populations boomed. Of course this is unwelcome news to districts that were long sheltered from cuts. Those that will see the biggest reductions have assembled a coalition called Support Our Students, that includes the teachers union, School Boards Association and Education Law Center, to urge Murphy to reconsider. He shouldnt. Districts that were underfunded for at least a decade sorely deserve this increase in aid, and the state has a finite amount of money. The justice of it is undeniable. * * * * * * * * Thats not to say we dont sympathize with the plight of these protesting districts. For years, the state gave them undeserved money and encouraged them to build up their budgets as they were negotiating teachers contracts. They will need time and help to adjust. This plan phases in the cuts over seven years, a good start. And the Senate budget committee plans to explore other solutions in a hearing this week. One enticing idea is merging the school employees health insurance plan into the state health benefits plan. Overall, this would save both teachers and taxpayers substantial money. Other unions have jumped at that kind of opportunity. Lawmakers should also consider allowing districts to raise money on their own, through a payroll tax, hotel tax or local sales tax, or by lifting the cap on property taxes. Local voters could also do it themselves in a referendum. And the state could find ways to pick up more of the tab for special education. It currently assumes about 14 percent of kids in each district need special ed under its formula. It doesnt distribute this aid based on the actual number of kids who do, for fear it would incentivize districts to enroll too many students in special education programs. As a result, districts that were getting too much state aid based on their declining enrollment are still getting shortchanged in this category. Keansburg, for instance, has a special ed population of as much as 30 percent. We dont want districts with reputable programs that attract more expensive-to-educate kids to be penalized for doing a good job, so the state needs to chip in more. The governor and Legislature must do everything they can to help districts cope and catch up. But the fact remains that to support all our students, we need to redistribute aid in a more equitable way. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. In the wake of another mass shooting fueled by anti-Semitism, police in New Jersey are stepping up security at places of worship, while elected officials reacted to the news of the San Diego, California shooting. One woman was killed and three others were injured after a 19-year-old man entered the Chabad of Poway Synagogue with an assault-style rifle and opened fire, officials said. John T. Earnest, 19, surrendered to police after bursting into the synagogue, north of San Diego on Saturday and opening fire with about 100 people inside, killing Lori Kaye, 60, and injuring Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Noya Dahan, 8, and Almog Peretz, 34, authorities said. Earnest, who had no previous contact with law enforcement, may be charged with a hate crime in addition to homicide, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said. Earnest is also being investigated in connection with an arson attack on a mosque in nearby Escondido, California, on March 24. Authorities in New Jersey stepped up security in many places following the attack. They said while its always a priority to patrol synagogues and houses of worship, security is heightened following targeted hate crimes. Anytime something like this happens, we usually react with extra patrol for an undetermined amount of time until we feel its calmed down, West Orange Sgt. David Naimaister said. Theres been extra security at the synagogues in the area since Saturdays shooting, including police stationed outside, he noted. The state has seen a rise in anti-Semitic incidents since 2017, according to a recent Anti-Defamation League report. There have been several instances of swastikas found on schools and other public places. The Attorney Generals Office also recently called for Facebook to investigate an Ocean County Facebook group with anti-Semitic roots. Across New Jersey, state leaders were condemning the hate-fueled events. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker said in a statement on Twitter he was praying for comfort and healing in the wake of yet another mass shooting fueled by anti-Semitism. Praying for comfort and healing for the Chabad of Poway congregation today, as we deal with yet another mass shooting at a house of worship, fueled by anti-Semitism. Gun safety reform needs to happennow. Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) April 28, 2019 Gun safety reform needs to happen now, the Democratic presidential hopeful said. Gov. Phil Murphy noted the significance of the date the final day of Passover and the six-month anniversary of the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. He also called for gun reform in his two tweets. We cannot remain the only nation in the world where these events spark momentary outrage but then a collective shrug that nothing can be done. We must defeat hate in all forms. We must come to terms that we are awash in too-easily attained guns. We need a national reckoning. Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) April 27, 2019 Camden County Freeholder Jeffrey Nash, board member of Jewish Family and Community Services and a former member of the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey, said he disavows the hate and bigoted actions of the deranged individual. The attack during the Passover services yesterday at the Chabad of Poway temple is a sickening event that continues a disconcerting trend in our nation and the world, he said. "Individuals who gathered in the name of peace and community became targets of a madman who quickly turned the serene ceremony into a horrific tragedy. " Officials said law enforcement will also be heightened around houses of worship in Camden County. " In Camden County, we must come together in a united voice to eliminate hate, bigotry and prejudice and focus on ensuring that we remain a place of love, tolerance and hold on to our best trait- diversity," he said. Other officials also expressed their sorrow and condemned the actions of the white supremacist. On the final day of Passover, my heart breaks for the families who wanted to do nothing but celebrate peace and love. My thoughts are with the families and those of Jewish faith. https://t.co/Z65Zzkadh3 Speaker Craig Coughlin (@SpeakerCoughlin) April 27, 2019 That weve found ourselves, once again, in the wake of an attack by an individual determined to highlight our differences is sad, but I take pride and comfort in the fact that once again our communities have responded with solidarity and strength in the face of hate. https://t.co/3Z9WoKEFUZ Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (@RepBonnie) April 28, 2019 White supremacists have always existed. But now there are leaders in America emboldening them, by echoing their crackpot conspiracy theories, hatred of immigrants, and mistrust of institutions. Now that we're facing repeated acts of terrorism, it's time we stop tolerating that. https://t.co/1hei4VkAwF Tom Malinowski (@Malinowski) April 28, 2019 I am devastated and I am sickened by this tragedy. On the last day of Passover, while Jewish worshippers were at services. Antisemitism is a cancer on humanity. America cries out for commonsense gun reform. https://t.co/hcqHW42wnt Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) April 27, 2019 The Associated Press contributed to this report. Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A Hudson County man with a bag full of weapons tried to strike a fellow New York Subway passenger with a hatchet, but was thwarted by two good Samaritans, New York police said Sunday. Reinaldo Reyes, of Jersey City, was riding an uptown 1 train around 10:40 p.m. on Saturday when he got into a verbal dispute with another passenger as the train approached 66th Street-Lincoln Center stop, a detective from the New York Police Department (NYPD) said Sunday. But the altercation became physical, and Reyes attempted to slice the other passenger with a hatchet. Two passengers tackled Reyes and held him down until police arrived at the scene, the NYPD said. Police found an ax, a knife, two metal pipes, and mace in Reyes bag when they took him into custody. Reyes was arrested and taken to an area hospital for treatment. Reyes has been charged with assault, reckless endangerment, criminal possession of a weapon, menacing, unlawful possession of noxious material, and disorderly conduct. He is awaiting an arraignment in Bronx Criminal Court. 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. By Michael Reagan For the third time in his political life, Old Joe Biden has started down the road to the White House. On Thursday he used a misleading and Trump-bashing video to announce hes running because he wants to save the country from four more years of Donald Trump. The 76-year-old immediately became the front-runner in the Democrat Partys over-crowded presidential primary, thanks to his name ID and his long, gaffe-filled career as a liberal senator from Delaware and loyal Obama VP. Biden is the Democrats strongest candidate for many political reasons, but my big question is whether he still has that feeling in his gut that all presidential candidates must have to succeed. His first and probably hardest feat will be to win the nomination of his own crazy party. Its not that he is too old, too male, too white, too establishment or too creepy-feely for the new Democrat Party, which has suddenly lurched hard left, splintered into factions and become leaderless. Its not that he supposedly treated Anita Hill unfairly as a senator three decades ago at the Clarence Thomas hearings. Or that he held some embarrassing, now very politically incorrect, not-very progressive positions on race, crime, civil rights and forced school busing in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. It's that Old Joe is too darn moderate for the Democrats. Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg and the other increasingly radical presidential wannabes he has to defeat in the primary have spent the last several months promising theyll give everyone in America free healthcare, free college tuition and free whatever else they want or need from government. They all are trying to be more radical than Sanders, the lifelong socialist whos even older than Biden and not the least bit ashamed to admit hes a millionaire with three homes. Meanwhile, Bidens campaign pitch to voters apparently is going to be a plate of boring liberal leftovers from the last century. Its likely to include raising taxes on the rich, rewriting tax laws to help the middle class, jacking up the federal minimum wage and spending a trillion or so on fixing the infrastructure. Bidens candidacy is not going to please or energize the young radicals in the noisy Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wing of his party. Yet, hes probably the only Democrat presidential wannabe with a realistic chance to defeat President Trump in 2020, mainly because his moderate platform could win back the voters in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin that Hillary lost in 2016. Still, its hard to deny that Old Joe is four years past his elect-by date. His best chance to be president - his only real chance - was to run in 2016, before everything in national politics was turned upside down by Trumps victory. Going into that election lots of Republican voters hated Trump so much that they were looking for an exit ramp. But they wouldnt take the Hillary Off-ramp and vote for her because they despised her even more. If Biden had been running in 2016 instead of Hillary, many Republicans might have seen him as the lesser of two evils, and he might have defeated Trump. Thats old history, though. In the last two-and-a-half years President Trump has made most Republicans extremely happy, so very few GOP and independent voters in those key Rust Belt states will be looking for someone else to vote for in 2020. Now that hes in, Biden will be running up a steep hill from now until next fall. Hell be beaten black and blue by his own party and Republicans. He thinks he can raise hundreds of millions of dollars, withstand the leftward pull of his party, figure out how to win the Democrat primary without having to become a member of the Communist Party and then rush back to the political center to capture enough Rust Belt voters to defeat Trump in the general election. Good luck with that plan, Old Joe. You're going to need a lot of it if you aim to save the soul of America. Michael Reagan is the son of President Ronald Reagan, a political consultant, and the author of Lessons My Father Taught Me: The Strength, Integrity, and Faith of Ronald Reagan. Send comments to Reagan@caglecartoons.com. Traveling to Manhattan is an adventure, especially for those who enjoy spotting stars on the street. Time 100s summit, two days after Easter, was celebrity heaven. Hillary Clinton. Nancy Pelosi. Martha Stewart. Tyra Banks. Jane Goodall. And when I took my second-row-center seat at Center415 on Fifth Avenue, I noticed Oscar nominee and Time 100 honoree Glenn Close six seats down and waved. She waved back. For 16 years, Time magazine has selected 100 leaders annually to spotlight, but this was its first summit. The purpose, according to the magazines website, was to spotlight the outstanding progress these individuals are making and encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration toward a better world. Listening to all the speakers and the journalists interviewing them, I got a sense that the honorees in some way do indeed create a better world. Women entrepreneurs give women, normally excluded, a platform. LGBT writers, directors and producers break down stereotypes and reveal lives lived. Reflecting her deep Catholic faith and a theme of fellow Time 100 honoree Pope Francis, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi mentioned several times that God created the Earth. Finally, feeding disaster victims quicker saves lives. The most passionate presenter was a not so well-known chef and restaurateur, Jose Andres, who runs 30 restaurants and has gotten into serving food to people caught in disasters, starting with the 2010 Haitian earthquake. He founded World Central Kitchen to respond rapidly to Puerto Rico and recently Mozambique after the cyclone. No one should go hungry one hour after a natural disaster, the Spanish immigrant said. Forget about Excel spreadsheets, he said. Stop planning and start cooking. In Puerto Rico, he served 3.6 million meals in a few weeks. Asked how he does it, he replied: A restaurant kitchen is like chaos, so he could bring that experience to the worlds disasters. Legendary primatologist Jane Goodall received the only standing ovation. She described going to Africa in 1960 when I wanted to be a naturalist. She waited for the chimpanzees to accept her and said that anyone who owns an animal dog, cat knows how they are like us. She now advocates for environmental protection and suggested that those who deny climate change should go to Antarctica and be dumped in the middle of sea ice, which is melting rapidly. The most instructive speaker was Apple CEO Tim Cook (or Tim Apple, according to Trump), who said that business should take public stands on matters that affect them. He noted that 300 of his employees are Dreamers and there is a backlog of green cards. Get the immigration system working, he urged. He does not believe in political action committees, he said, and never donates to any. He also said children should learn coding in grammar school and that he never imagined Apple would one day be a health company. Yet, its Series 4 watches can now do EKGs and, through it, the company undertook a massive heart study with over 400,000 participants at Stanford University. I love Gayle King and watch her every morning on CBSs Morning Show. She is as uplifting in person as on the air. Even when supporting women who have revealed sexual harassment, she is concerned that all accusations are being painted with the same brushstrokes. She dispenses common sense daily. Other highlights: CNNs Van Jones interviewed Lee Daniels, who produced and directed Empire. Kai-Fu Lee, CEO and chairman of Sinovation Ventures, led us through the pros and cons of artificial intelligence, which cant create, show compassion and mimic human to human connection, he said. Oscar Munoz, CEO of United Airlines, wants his 90,000 employees in 60 countries, to learn caring. And Ryan Murphy of Glee, Versace and Pose fame said he was popular and picked on as a boy because of his homosexuality. Today, he has 10 projects in the works with his new Netflix contract. Seeing Hillary in person, I could understand why she is disliked; she does not really connect with her audience. Contrast her with Pelosi, who has people in the palm of her hands. (Coincidentally, Clinton wrote Pelosis TIME 100 citation.) I had my hand up first to ask Hillary a question until, I believe, the Time editor spotted my Roman collar and looked for the next hand to pop up. My question would have provoked. Jared Kushner got the least applause. But I admire him for coming into the lions den. To his credit, he is a good speaker but he parrots Trumpisms, only articulately. He pooh-poohed the Mueller investigation, naturally. He appears as if hes a mannequin and could almost be an AI prototype. Andres dispensed the best advice: If you want to change the world, be loud and crazy. This column covers the loud part. I only need to find a responsible way to be crazy. The Rev. Alexander Santora is the pastor of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph, 400 Willow Ave., Hoboken, 07030, FAX: 201-659-5833; Email: padrealex@yahoo.com; Twitter: @padrehoboken. DOVER New Hampshire Democrats are looking for help from their partys presidential candidates in overturning a law they claim will make it harder for some college students to vote. At campaign events across the state, White House hopefuls are being pressed to speak out against the 2018 law. It subjects college students who come from other states to residency requirements such as getting a New Hampshire driver's license if they study and vote in the state. The law doesnt take effect until July. But Democratic activists and voters are arguing this is a moment for presidential candidates to take a stand against GOP moves to weaken access to the ballot box in New Hampshire and elsewhere. President Donald Trump has popularized false claims about widespread voter fraud. During a stop in Dover, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey called on the Justice Department to actually do voter rights investigations. Weve got to not only have the right laws, but weve got to have a Justice Department thats actively willing to fight to make sure that those laws are being upheld, Booker said. The issue needs to be talked about more, including on the 2020 debate stage, said Garrett Muscatel, a Dartmouth College student who won a state House seat in New Hampshire last fall. "People often don't think of New Hampshire as a place where voter suppression is occurring, but it is very real," Muscatel said. Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen recently sent the declared 2020 presidential candidates a letter urging them to sign "a petition publicly denouncing this voter suppression law." So far, 16 of the 2020 contenders, including all six senators running for president, have signed on. Republicans have strongly defended the law. GOP state Sen. Regina Birdsell said in a statement that she is "disappointed that Jeanne Shaheen is using her time to push the false narrative that voter suppression is taking place in New Hampshire." She defended the legislation as "an attempt to make our elections cleaner and fairer." Efforts to tighten voting laws have become a hyper-partisan issue sweeping through statehouses in recent years and Democrats bidding for the White House seem eager to push back. The 2020 candidates have offered a range of solutions that span from the difficult, and unlikely, path of amending the Constitution to reviving voting rights measures filed and left for dead in Congress. During a rally in Exeter in March, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts noted her support for a constitutional amendment to "protect the right to vote for every American citizen and make sure their votes get counted." She pledged to "roll back every damn one of these voter suppression laws." Even the easiest path for changing the Constitution is strenuous, with any measure needing two-thirds support in both the House and Senate before it can make it to states for another hurdle where it would need to be approved by 38 of the 50 states. Democrats in the presidential race have offered ideas such as same-day voter registration, restoring the voting rights of people who have been incarcerated and making Election Day a holiday. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota proposes universal registration for eligible voters when they turn 18. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York echoed many of those ideas during a recent visit to Concord. We need to take on these legislatures across the country that are trying to undermine peoples rights to vote, she said. I hope we can have a national campaign about how to strengthen voting rights in this country and really push back. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. SAN FRANCISCO Against the odds, the Yankees look like theyre going to get their starting third baseman back soon. Miguel Andujar, small tear in his right labrum, has been rehabbing in Tampa, and if nothing changes in the next few days, hell probably be off the injured list and starting against the Minnesota Twins on Friday night at Yankee Stadium. This great news for the Yankees -- unfortunately and unfairly -- will take one of their hottest hitters and probably best April defender out of the lineup and perhaps even off the 25-man roster. Im not thinking about that right now, fill-in third baseman Gio Urshela said Saturday after going 3-for-5 with two doubles and an awesome catch of a foul pop in the Yankees 6-4 win over the Giants. A lot can happen between now and Friday, however, as manager Aaron Boone said. The way this season has gone, three more Yanks could be hurt by then. One things for sure: Urshela deserves to stay because hes been a two-way terror since he was called up on April 6 by the Yanks, who were summoning in a replacement for one of the 15 players theyd have on the IL already this season. Playing 19 games and starting 14 at third, Urshela has lived up to his reputation of being a sensational defender. Meantime, hes a career .236 hitter in the bigs who made offseason adjustments to his swing. Hes now hitting .327 with a homer and six RBI in 55 at-bats. So what happens when Andujar returns? Chances seem good Urshela survives this return and rookie infielder Thairo Estrada is optioned back to Triple-A. But shortstop Troy Tulowitzki isnt much more than a week away from coming off the IL, too, and this return could lead to Urshela being designated for assignment. Why? The Yanks want to keep 13 pitchers and a three-man bench, and theyd already have a second third baseman in DJ LeMahieu, who will return to a utility infielder role with Tulowitzki starting at short and Gleyber Torres moving back from short to second. This will be a tough decision for the Yankees because theres no assurance that Andujar will be able to keep throwing all season with that tear in his labrum, and a setback could lead to season-ending Tommy John surgery. That would leave LeMahieu starting at third and Urshela no longer an insurance policy. Urshela is out of minor league options, so the Yanks would need him to clear waivers to get him to Triple-A, and the way hes playing, a team will claim him. Regardless how this saga plays out, the Yankees are loving what theyre getting from Urshela, a 27-year-old from Colombia who joined the organization last August when the Blue Jays traded him for cash. We were really excited when we got him last year, Boone said. My first time getting to see him on a regular basis was this spring. Right away, the defense especially as an ex-third baseman leaps off the screen. Hes special over there. You just watch him take ground balls and you realize it right away. What got me personally excited was seeing something with him swinging the bat. I know he has made some adjustments to his swing over the last year. Thats what got me excited, the offensive upside. The tweaks that Urshela made to his stance are working. You can see the results, he said. Its helped me a lot. I have more confidence. I feel like Im driving the ball to the gaps more than I used to. The Yanks are getting the payoff now, but that could change soon if Urshela moves on to another club. But like he said, his thoughts are preoccupied now on enjoying this time being a Yankee. Im just playing my game right now, he said. Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Truth is, theres not just one New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival each day. There are, like, 1,000 Jazz Fests, depending on the shows you pick. If you have already selected your personal faves from the list, feel free to merrily scroll along. But if you need some Jazz Fest advice from an experienced fester, here are my choices for the first Sunday (April 28). The Daiquiri Queens, Fais Do Do Stage, 11:20 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. Im checking out the female-fronted Cajun dance band on the strength of the name alone, plus a few toe-tappin Youtube videos. Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles, Jazz and Heritage Stage, 3 p.m. to 3:55 p.m. Jazz Fest producer Quint Davis told me that one of the most thrilling moments of his long career was watching the Wild Magnolia Mardi Gras Indians, including the young Monk Boudreaux, march through the French Quarter to Jazz Fest in 1970. Before then, the Indians had never performed in a concert context, Davis said. Name another art form that includes unique visual art, unique parading customs and unique music in one package. Bonnie Raitt, Acura stage, 3:35 p.m. to 4:50 p.m. Lets welcome Raitt back to Jazz Fest. After her performance last year, a health scare and subsequent surgery caused her to cancel gigs with James Taylor. But happily, shes already back behind the six-string. As Ive written before, for decades the 69-year-old roots rocker has been telling us that she cant make us love her. But its just not true; she makes us love her every single time. Ellis Marsalis Family Tribute with Wynton, Branford, Deleayo, Jason, and, of course, Ellis, WWOZ Jazz Tent, 5:40 p.m. to 6:55 p.m. Ellis, 84, is the grand old man of New Orleans trad jazz, whos tutored generations of emerging musicians, including his world-famous sons who are joining him for an exquisitely rare family jam. How Wynton Marsalis helped resurrect the musical voice of Buddy Bolden If youre getting hungry, read: New Orleans Jazz Fest food: Where to find the best of the fest For some historical perspective, read: Was Jazz Fest ever really a jazz festival? Is it less jazzy now? As Yogi Berra might have said, the Jazz Fest aint over when its over. Read: Phil Lesh and the other 10 best after-Jazz Fest concerts. The Jazz Fest cubes are here: Get your hour-by-hour 2019 schedule Doug MacCash has the best job in the world, covering art, music and culture in New Orleans. Contact him via email at dmaccash@nola.com. Follow him on Instagram at dougmaccash, on Twitter at Doug MacCash and on Facebook at Douglas James MacCash. As always, please add your point of view to the comment stream. Hong Kong: Junior Police Call open day held Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung today officiated at the launching ceremony of the Junior Police Call 45th Anniversary Open Day at JPC@Pat Heung, which drew more than 4,000 visitors. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Cheung praised the Junior Police Call as a key player in mobilising youth development and its initiatives echoed the Governments youth policy. He added that since its opening in 2017, JPC@Pat Heung has provided leadership and personal growth training to over 40,000 local and ethnic minority youths. Part of the Hong Kong Police Force 175th Anniversary celebrations, the open day treated visitors to a joint counter terrorism exercise, Police Band and Police Dog Unit performances, a display of special Police vehicles and uniforms from different eras, exhibitions and game booths. Visitors also took part in activities such as ziplining, a rope course, mini-Police uniform photographing, laser gun shooting and horse riding to experience the services and facilities of JPC@Pat Heung. Additionally, the JPC History Museum officially opened today, presenting the development of JPC with a 13-metre interactive wall. This story has been published on: 2019-04-28. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless serial number 22899 - Gun is an early Type I with 4" barrel, plunge milled serrations, separate barrel bushing, factory gold inlaid "B to B, April 25, 1905", blue finish with fire blue small parts and Type I hard rubber stocks. Pistol was shipped in a deluxe leather covered Colt casing with place for cleaning rod, spare magazine and sealed box of period Union Metallic Cartridge Company .32 ACP cartridges (ca. 1905) Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless serial number 22899 - Gun is an early Type I with 4" barrel, plunge milled serrations, separate barrel bushing, factory gold inlaid "B to B, April 25, 1905", blue finish with fire blue small parts and Type I hard rubber stocks. Pistol was shipped in a deluxe leather covered Colt casing with place for cleaning rod, spare magazine and sealed box of period Union Metallic Cartridge Company .32 ACP cartridges (ca. 1905) Factory gold inlay is the rarest of all available special order features for pre-WWII Colt pistols. Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP serial number 22899 (ca. 1905), the third of less than 10 factory gold inlaid examples of this model, bears a gold inlaid inscription as a gift to commemorate the marriage of Austin Jenkins Bruff to Alice Hastings Birdsall on April 25, 1905. The couple were married at The Meadows, the Birdsalls summer home in Long Island, New York in a private ceremony for family and close personal friends. Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless serial number 22899 - right side. Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless serial number 22899 - right side pictured on top of deluxe leather factory case. This pistol is a Colt factory special order piece with an extremely rare deluxe factory casing. The order for this Colt is listed in the Colt Special Order Ledger with a description of the special gold inlay and the order date of April 18, 1905. The Colt Historical Letter confirms shipment to Matthew S. Browning on April 22, 1905. The significance of this special gift cannot be underestimated given the close relationship John M. Browning and Matthew S. Browning enjoyed with the Union Metallic Cartridge Company specifically related to UMCs development of the cartridges that all of Brownings semi-automatic inventions relied upon. Works of the Union Metallic Cartridge Company, Bridgeport Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless serial number 22899 -Colt factory letter indicates that Colt 1903 serial number 22899, .32/c, 4" barrel was factory engraved "B to B April 25, 1905" inlaid on the side of the frame. Shipped to M.S. Browning, Ogden, Utah For: Austin J. Bruff, Shipped April 22, 1905 in a 1 gun shipment. John M. Browning and his brother, Matthew S. Browning Austin Jenkins Bruff was born on July 29, 1881 in Brooklyn, New York, the second son of Mr. & Mrs. William Jenkins Bruff. William J. Bruff was the president of the Union Metallic Cartridge Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut starting in 1902. Draft Card for Austin Jenkins Bruff (ca. 1942) Young Austin attended the best schools, graduating from Phillips Andover Academy at Andover, Massachusetts in 1899 and from Yale University in 1902. Following his graduation, he accepted a position for a short time as a clerk at Colts Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company in Hartford, Connecticut. In 1904, he moved to Bridgeport and accepted a position as a clerk at the Union Metallic Cartridge Company. Following the entry of the US into WWI, Bruff answered his nations call and enlisted in the U.S. Army where he attained the rank of Colonel serving in France as an Aid to General John J. Pershing. He received the Distinguished Service Medal prior to his separation from the Army and following his service, returned to New York where he became a successful investment banker working with some prestigious Manhattan firms. During WWII, Colonel Bruff was reactivated and put in charge of the Army Air Force Contract Renegotiation Service in Los Angeles, California where he received a citation by the War Department for that work. Following WWII, Colonel Bruff settled in Vista, California as a banker. He died there on July 19, 1958, leaving a widow, two daughters Madelyn M. Bruff, Nancy Bruff and a son, William Jenkins Bruff II, born January 11, 1906, who was named for Colonel Bruffs father. William Jenkins Bruff, II lived in Denver, Colorado where he died on December 18, 1973. Col. Austin J. Bruff, Aide to Pershing, Dies - Investment Banker Won Army Distinction in Two World Wars; Held Top Award Los Angeles Times, July 20, 1958 Col. Austin J. Bruff, 77, who served on Gen. Pershings staff in France during World War I, died Friday at his Vista residence. A resident of the Los Angeles area nearly 30 years, he was a holder of the Distinguished Service Medal. Col. Bruff was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., was a graduated from Phillips Academy at Andover, Mass., and Yale University, Class of 1902, and was a member of the Berzelius Society. After his military service the native New Yorker was associated with White, Weld & Co., investment bankers, New York, and later with Reed & Co. of Los Angeles. During World War II Col. Bruff was in charge of the Army Air Force contract renegotiation service in Los Angeles. For saving the government an estimated $500,000,000 he was one of five men here awarded decorations by the War Department. Newspapers of the day attributed Col. Bruffs citation of exceptional service to his work in solving unprecedented and complex problems concerning the renegotiation of War Department contracts and adjustment of material prices. Col. Bruff leaves his widow Roemilo of Vista; two daughters, Mrs. John A. Clarke and Mrs. E. Thurston Clarke of Darien, Ct.; a son, William J. Bruff of Littleton, Colo.; also a stepson, Carter Hunt of Peoria, Ill., and two sisters, Mrs. Frederick G. Achelis of Greenwich, Ct., and Mrs. Frank B. Hendrickson of Kilmarnock, Va. Funeral services will be private and burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn, N.Y. Austin Jenkins Bruff BIRTH 29 Jun 1881 Brooklyn, Kings County (Brooklyn), New York, USA DEATH 18 Jul 1958 (aged 77) Vista, San Diego County, California, USA BURIAL Green-Wood Cemetery Brooklyn, Kings County (Brooklyn), New York, USA PLOT Lot 11673, Section 102 Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/181673180/austin-jenkins-bruff/photo After Sophie B. Wright Charter School doled out five-day suspensions to approximately 30 students who participated in a senior prank and banned those students from prom and commencement exercises, a roomful of people turned out for the schools regularly scheduled April 9 board meeting. They were presumably there to express their anger at the severity of the punishment, but those folks didnt get to officially address the board because the board didnt muster a quorum. The following week, the students and their parents were summoned to what were supposed to be appeal hearings. Our Voice/Nuestra Voz, an organization that helps parents organize and demand access to quality education for their children, complained that Sophie B. Wright didnt follow open meetings law rules when they belatedly notified parents of the hearings. And attorney Tracie Washington, who represents the school, said that on the night before the appeal hearings were scheduled, the administration learned that the Southern Poverty Law Center would be representing students and contesting the validity of the hearings. So instead of proceeding with the hearings, Sophie B. Wright passed out letters to families announcing that it had rescinded the suspensions. Suspensions the students had already served. Frankly, the level of discord has only escalated in this matter, Washington said. There are senior students whose final days of school are being disrupted due to this matter continuing. So, while the decision to revoke remaining graduating senior privileges stands, the administration decided to simply rescind the suspensions of those students who participated in the April 5, 2019 incident. For all intents and purposes, theyve prevailed in their appeal hearing. But it may not feel like a victory for the students. Before the suspensions were rescinded, Sophie B. Wright senior Jaheim Evans said that if the school had just suspended him and his classmates, hed have quietly accepted it. It was the schools decision to keep them off the graduation stage that really hurt, he said. Students, parents demand answers about Sophie B. Wright suspensions after prank What if Sophie B. Wright had actually held an appeal hearing? Or, for that matter, held an official board meeting? What if theyd actually heard the students out? What if theyd given them choices: You can a) miss graduation and prom, b) accept an out-of-school suspension or c) perform a certain amount of community service hours? Maybe some other combination of actions would have been more appropriate. The point is what if the school had worked with parents and the students to find a mutually agreed upon way to hold the students accountable? What if school officials had taken the initiative and made the dispensation of punishment unnecessary? What if, rather than imposing a harsh ban on senior pranks, administrators had granted the students permission to have a little fun? What if theyd established rules that set limits on how wild the students could get and punished those who went too far instead of telling them they couldnt get wild at all? The school seems to have missed several opportunities to prevent this issue from blowing up because its leaders seem to be far more interested in demonstrating their toughness. But for such tough folks, they sure are afraid to take questions. James Watson, the chair of the schools board, never returned an email I sent asking him about the schools response to the seniors prank. The phone number listed for him rang the school, and after I was kept on hold, I was disconnected. Wilborn Nobles, who covers education for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, got an initial response from Wrights principal, Sharon Clark, but neither she nor Watson has responded to subsequent requests for comment. Only the schools attorney has. Taylor Castillo, program director for Our Voices/ Nuestra Voz, said in an email Thursday that as the organization continues to receive information from parents about their experience with SBW and Sharon Clark, SBW continues to be completely silent and unresponsive on these practices and parents issues. No one has been able to get in touch with (Clark) or the board either. A number of emails parents have sent to board members have bounced back. Castillo said his organizations executive director, Mary Moran, reached out to Clark who responded by having her lawyer contact us. Sophie B. Wright is a public school whose leaders act as if they have no obligation to communicate to the public. At the April 9 meeting that wasnt, Washington said there was no quorum because a single board member was absent. Who decided that the minimum number of board members needed to conduct official business is everybody? That makes no sense. One wonders if the quorum was deliberately denied to hold off and frustrate families demanding answers. The board has no more regularly scheduled meetings this school year. Does that mean that parents will never get to officially address the board about this issue? The students were punished for not knowing how to act in school. Whos going to punish the schools officials for acting like they dont know how to run one? 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. Ann Schumacher is president of CHI Health Mercy in Council Bluffs and Immanuel Hospital in Omaha. Ann started working at Mercy in 1991 and returned most recently to become the president of Mercy. Ann decided to go into healthcare because she loves the idea of truly being able to make a difference in the lives of others. She loves the mix of science and caring that makes up good healthcare. The most rewarding thing about working at Mercy is our faith-based mission makes us different and is very special to me. I believe in caring for the body, mind and spirit and see our team each and every day go above and beyond to improve the health of those we serve and our community. I love serving with the Mercy team. My favorite medical acronym is not necessarily a medical one, but I love the acronym ASAP! I tend to be urgent and love to see progress on important goals and initiatives, she added. Ann was a farm girl from southwest Minnesota and grew up in a large family. Her husband, Mark, and she have four grown daughters and one grandson, Charlie, who is the love of their lives! Ann is passionate about her volunteer work and serves on many local boards. She is an avid reader and loves just about any activity while spending time with her family. Whispers of finally getting out of the metro were heard as several people boarded a shuttle bus for the Trail Capital of Iowa Tour Tuesday. But the group wasnt headed very far just a few miles east to its first stop in Macedonia home of The Back 40, The Painted Camel and Grist Mill McCready Theatre on Main Street. Erica Carley of Oakland, executive director of the Western Iowa Development Association, shared introductory words with Lance Brisbois, project coordinator for the Golden Hills Resource Conservation and Development, as the group passed Lake Manawa State Park, the Iowa School for the Deaf and the Wabash Trail. Brisbois mentioned the thousands of Mormons who camped in the area before finding their home in the west. Carley pointed out the Palace Event Center, a 1930s refurbished barn that serves as a wedding and event venue in Treynor, as the group made its way to Macedonia. The people of Macedonia are known for their personalities. They are known for coming out to all the events, they know how to live big, Carley said as the bus made its way into the town. On the tour, Brisbois and Carley shared that 14 communities in Pottawattamie County have at least two commonalities; The first includes a brass eagle part of the Eagles of Honor project sculpted by Neola artist Russell Christensen that honors veterans. The other is something that contributes to the county being dubbed the Trail Capital of Iowa. These trails or virtual connections as Carley said in Pottawattamie County draw tourists and residents alike. They include: B & B Trail: Watta Way to Enjoy Burgers and Beer a trail to find the best burger and brew California Trail a trail to trace the emigrant trail that crossed Iowa Freedom, Faith and Fellowship: Historic County Churches Trail a trail that illustrates the faith of farming forefathers Lewis and Clark Trail a trail that follows Lewis and Clarks journey west Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway a trail that commemorates the first trans-continental highway Mormon Trail a trail that explores the route traveled by 70,0000 Mormons from 1846 to 1869 National Loess Hills Scenic Byway a trail along the Loess Hills Scenic Byway, rated among the best in the nation Pioneer Trail a trail to experience more westward advancement Railroad Highway Multi-Use Trail a trail that links smaller communities across Pottawattamie County Stars and Bronze Tribute Trail a trail that follows the Eagles of Honor project, Freedom Rock and other projects that honor veterans and public figures Wabash Trace Nature Trail a nature trail through southwest Iowa, home of the Taco Ride West Nishnabotna River Water Trail a 27-mile long river trail for canoes, kayaks and tubes What in the World? Trail for Stranger Things a trail that follows strange locations including the angel of death, Squirrel Cage Jail and goat yoga Wine Your Way Through The Hills Trail a trail that showcases Iowas wine producing heritage Encompassing these trails, the tour proved that Pottawattamie County is a destination that has a lot to offer. Going further into the tour, the group passed through Carson, Oakland and Hancock, as Brisbois and Carley shared more details of the Carson rodeo, Dreamland Theatre and how students are bused to school from each community. Four thousand vehicles travel from Oakland to Hancock a day, Carley said. Sometimes the Bucksnort does drive-through fundraisers for different groups. The group traveled into Hancock for lunch at The Station, a former gas station renovated into a bar and grill. Lower gas prices are still pictured on the wall that brings back memories for its visitors. I remember my dad coming here for gas when I was little, Carley said. After lunch, the group headed toward Neola, visiting Pennys Visions Art Gallery owned by Christensen and his wife Penny. The couple specializes in bronze work and photography, painting, poems and teaching. They have created art in their Neola studio for 37 years. This is the first time we are announcing Pottawattamie County as Trail Capital of Iowa,' which includes great tourists spots in rural areas, Carley said. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Benjamin Tweedt, Council Bluffs native and University of Iowa alum, won the Grand Bohemian Prize at the fifth annual American Jazz Pianist Competition on April 16 at Yamaha Artist Services in Manhattan, New York. This competition had seven pianists performing, from ages 18 to 25, and it showcased both solo and trio formats. I try to play music that everyone can enjoy if they let themselves open up to it. I like to play music that is challenging to a listener and opening at the same time, Tweedt said. Brian Gatchell, president of the American Jazz Pianist Competition, explained that musicians who performed made it through preliminaries before the competition. This involved contestants mailing or e-mailing a solo piece and trio piece they perform, which was numbered and made anonymous. Judges would choose the top 10 performers and narrow it down to seven for the April 16 performance. Our goal is to give young pianists a platform to establish themselves to make a living playing the piano, Gatchell said. Through outreach that we do we want to encourage the listening of jazz to the young people of the world. According to Gatchell, Bosendorfer pianos were provided by Yamaha this year for the pianists to use, and they are one of the top brands with only around 250 to 300 produced each year. To prepare, Tweedt said he practiced a lot. Depending on the day, he would typically try to practice for several hours each day. Practice continued for Tweedt until he flew up to New York two days before the competition. He had a couple of extra days to see the sights in New York and reach out to friends in the area. Then, on Monday, the competition started early around 8:45 a.m. The day began with rehearsals, followed by a short lunch, and solos later in the day. Around 2 p.m. the piano solos were held with a maximum of 12 minutes to play. Trio finals were later in the evening. Jim McNeely, Jeremy Siskind and Elio Villafranca comprised the panel of luminary judges at the competition. Bassist Mike Richmond and drummer Adam Nussbaum both performed with the pianists for the trio section. After the last person performed the judges left for around 45 minutes, and afterwords announced performers in ascending order, so there was the most tension when I was called, Tweedt said. Winning the competition, Tweedt received prize money totaling more than $8,000. This included a check for $6,000, a $1,200 check for three performances at Kessler Hotels (that is still being arranged) and a $300 travel allowance. On top of the winnings, Tweedt was happy to visit New York for the first time and meet new musicians through the experience. It was fun to go to New York and get to meet a lot of musicians that are around my age and sound really good, Tweedt said. I had never met any of the other pianists before I came there, and there were a couple I became friends with. It was fun to meet some new friends that way. Tweedt said he believed in what Bela Bartok had said: Competitions are for horses, not artists. He explained that the atmosphere at Yamaha Artist Services in Manhattan never felt like a competition, but more like a performance closely scrutinized. Tweedt is working on musical endeavors and opportunities in Cincinnati, Ohio, but still visits Council Bluffs. Each one of the contestants is so incredibly talented and I look forward to watching them as they embark on their musical journey, said Bonnie Barrett, director, Yamaha Artist Services, Inc. Its been an honor to provide these performers with a platform to showcase their incredible skill. As details emerge about the death of a 5-year-old boy whose disappearance captured the attention of the nation, there is escalating scrutiny of an Illinois agency already being reviewed because of recent deaths of two other children. The Associated Press reported that court documents allege Andrew AJ Freunds parents killed him by beating him and subjecting him to long, cold showers. An autopsy determined the boy died from blunt force trauma to his head. He had been struck multiple times. The boys plastic-wrapped body was found last Wednesday in a shallow grave a few miles from the familys home in Crystal Lake, Illinois. The childs parents, 36-yer-old Joann Cunningham and 60-year-old Andrew Freund Sr., appeared in court Thursday on first-degree murder and other charges. A judge ordered both held on $5 million bonds. Child welfare workers had been called repeatedly to the dilapidated and filthy house that reportedly stunk of dog feces. In court Thursday, prosecutors read charging documents that alleged the boy was killed three days before his parents reported him missing. The details raised in those charging documents fueled concern about how many other children could face the same kind of danger that AJ did. How many AJs are out there right now that we dont know about? asked Rep. Kelly Cassidy, a Chicago Democrat and member of the House Adoption and Child Welfare Committee chaired by state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, also a Chicago Democrat. Referring to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Feigenholtz said, This agency, there is no direction, no mission and it certainly has not been protecting children. Feigenholtz said birth tests revealed the boy had opiates in his blood stream, a finding that should have been a red flag for an agency whose job it is to protect children. Referring to media reports that DCFS visited the house repeatedly in 2018 to investigation allegation of neglect which they determined to be unfounded, Feigenholtz said, There were so many calls made, so many signs of trouble and still nothing was done. There are questions about whether it is too difficult for child welfare workers in Illinois to remove children from their homes and too easy for parents to have their children returned to them. Two recent Illinois cases, both involving the deaths of 2-year-olds, prompted Gov. J.B. Pritzker to order an independent review of the DCFS, which has had 13 directors since 2003. Illinois, according to a University of Chicago study, has the lowest foster care entry rate in the nation. Feigenholtz said lawmakers have to answer the question of whether the threshold for child removal is too high or whether the workers are not aware of (the regulation) or are poorly trained. It has to be fixed, she said. It would be difficult to find anyone who disagrees. At least one of the four expected variants of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 10 phablets will come with a 4500 mAh battery, according to an image of a battery found on a consumer website for South Korean KC certification. At almost the same time, it has been reported that the same device will also support fast 25 W charging. 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 , Leaks / Rumors , Linux / Unix , Lucienne (Zen 2) , MacBook , Mini PC , Monitor , MSI , OnePlus , Opinion , Phablet , Radeon , Renoir , Review Snippet , Rocket Lake , 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 A photograph of a battery on a South Korean website has led to speculation that at least one of the four Samsung Galaxy Note 10 phablet models will have a 4500 mAh battery, which is a nice little bump up from the Galaxy Note 9 that offered 4000 mAh. It would also be larger than the 4100 mAh battery sported by the Galaxy S10+ smartphone. The battery is clearly labeled as a Samsung product and with a bit of zooming its possible to make out the capacity. The model name for the battery is EB-BN975ABU; as one of the Galaxy Note 10 phablets has the model number SM-N975 it becomes clear how the two have been linked. In this case, the SM-N975 is expected to be the non-5G Pro variant. The model numbers seem to correspond with the phablets as follows: SM-N970 regular/4G; SM-N971 regular/5G; SM-N975 Pro/4G; SM-N976 Pro/5G. Its possible the regular device may end up being called the Samsung Galaxy Note 10e. Tipster Ice universe has also associated the SM-N975 model with 25 W charging capability. This would be another good upgrade over the predecessor, which supported 15 W fast charging. Apr 28, 2019 KRR Actor Atharvaa Muralis upcoming film is ready to hit the screens. The film will reach theatres on May 3. For the first time in his career, Atharvaa will be playing a police officer in the movie, which is written and directed by Sam Anton. Hansika Motwani plays the female lead in the film, which also features Yogi Babu, Radha Ravi, Gopi Bose, and Remya Krishnan et al. It is produced by Kaviya Venugopal. Sam C.S composes music and Krishnan Vasant cranks the camera. Ruben has been roped in for editing. Click the Movie button below for more info: 100 Jessica Power, North Platte was among those students honored. In order to qualify for the scholarship, students must have a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average and be a member of PTK. Two-hundred scholarships are given out each year from the honor society. Bryan College of Health Sciences LINCOLN Bryan College of Health Sciences has announced its graduating class for May 2019. Four will be graduating with a Doctor of Education, eighteen with a Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice, sixty-four with a Bachelor of Science in nursing, eight with a Bachelor of Science in health professions, and four with a Bachelor of Science in biomedical sciences. Area students: Hailey Gibson, Gothenburg, Bachelor of Science in nursing, Spanish for healthcare; Shelby Loostrom, Bachelor of Science in nursing, social sciences; Zackery Strecker, McCook, Bachelor of Science in nursing; Rawnie Barnes, Bachelor of Science in nursing, RN/BSN; Randi Munson, Sutherland, Bachelor of Science in nursing, RN/BSN; Calli Tuenge, North Platte, Bachelor of Science in nursing; Alexia Morales, Cozad, Bachelor of Science in biomedical sciences; Heather Yancy, Gothenburg, Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice. Flatlander car show is Saturday, Sunday The Flatlander Car Club of North Platte will present its annual Car Show at the Platte River Mall on Saturday and Sunday, May 4-5. Numerous antique, classic and unusual vehicles will be on display during regular mall hours. The public is invited to attend and vote for the Peoples Choice vehicle. Vehicles will be driven in the main Mall entrance at 8 p.m. on Friday. Living in Chile is next library noon program Jerry and Ingrid King will present Living in Chile at the next free noon program at the North Platte Public Library on Friday. The Kings and their family moved to Santiago, Chile, to live and help construct a Bahai temple, the Temple of Light. They will talk about homeschooling and the local public schools, the challenges and blessings of living in Chile, and traveling to locations such as Machu Picchu, Patagonia and the Atacama Desert. The library appreciates people calling 308-535-8036, Ext. 3310 to reserve a seat. Class of 69 to host planning meeting Soon, those with living memories of North Plattes World War II Canteen will be gone. For now, a few remain in Nebraska and far beyond. Some watched family members volunteer at the Canteen, then grew up to join them. Others were among the 6 million visitors who carried the taste of homemade food, their servers free smiles and the name of North Platte across three continents. The Telegraph is honored to share three more of their stories today, a week before we re-present our archival real-time Canteen coverage in our new book Canteen: As It Happened. These three reached out to us over the last year. Even after 75 years, something reminded them of North Platte and what they experienced in our towns long-gone Union Pacific Depot. And, like so many since Christmas Day 1941, they felt compelled to share. Clayton Sparks, 96 For many decades, Canteen customers would tell in letters or return visits how overseas service members would brighten up at the mention of North Platte and the Canteen. It still happens. Clayton Sparks witnessed it. They raised three sons and a daughter. Rosalie has nine grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren, with two more greats on the way. Dick died in 2009. And I felt so alone and so useless that I had to have something to do, Rosalie said. She stepped up her practice of telling people across Nebraska about the Canteen, something she first did for author Bob Greene in his 2002 book Once Upon a Town: The Miracle of the North Platte Canteen. Rosalie says shes given her presentation about 70 times. She probably has a couple more talks left in her, she adds. I realize what happiness we brought to the faces and the tummies of so many men. Peggy (Parent) Lutz, 97 And so many women, too. Born and raised in Oregon, Margaret Peggy Parent was a college junior in December 1941. Many male classmates at Linfield College in McMinnville enlisted ahead of Pearl Harbor and were among U.S. forces overwhelmed when Japan attacked simultaneously from Hawaii to southeast Asia. What now? What cannot happen is a rerun of recent history in which everyone stands their ground and partisans wring another year of political profits out of it all. That wont comfort farmers and ranchers who reach the end of their fiscal ropes because property taxes helped put them there. Some Nebraskans apparently think that kind of talk is pure bluster. We have no reason to doubt our rural neighbors sincerity, though. We wont try to prescribe a precise mixture of revenue sources to make this plan work. But rural Nebraskans might as well forget about property tax relief if they dont unite behind the final product which, again, needs two-thirds of the 49 senators to overcome a floor filibuster and a governors veto. What we do know is that just as urban and rural Nebraskans alike face legitimate challenges, we all must share the burden of relieving them. And that most likely requires revenue tools one group or another doesnt like. Measles disease has become a nationwide issue over the past few months with more than 626 cases in 22 states as of April 19, according to a press release from the Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department. Several of the surrounding states have reported measles cases. These states include Colorado, Missouri and Iowa. With upcoming graduations, summer travel plans and kids headed off to camps, Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department encourages all residents to check their immunization status. Measles is one of the most highly contagious vaccine-preventable diseases. Measles can remain in the air for up to two hours after someone that is contagious has visited. People who are unvaccinated or are not immune and are exposed to measles have a 90% chance of getting this disease, said Melissa Propp, RN, Public Health Nurse and Disease Surveillance Coordinator. The measles virus is spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Persons with measles can spread the disease up to four days before the onset of the rash and up to four days after the rash begins, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bill and Ilmi Paul will be celebrating their anniversary on April 30. They were married in 1944 in East Chicago while Bill was on leave from the Navy during WWII. They have lived in Gary and Merrillville where Bill was an insurance agent for Metropolitan Ins. and Ilmi worked retail at Lytton's, Goldblatt's, and other stores in Gary. They will celebrate with their daughters, Patti LeMasters and Almi Oppman, of Winfield. Their son Ralph lives in Idaho. They have four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. They enjoy the senior lunches with their friends at Emmanuel Lutheran Church. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Oil prices shot to a six-month high this week amidst ongoing concerns about global supply shortages. The United States has imposed economic sanctions against Iran and Venezuela due to political concerns in both nations, curtailing supply from the worlds fifth- and 11th-largest oil producers. Meanwhile, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has been maintaining a self-imposed production cut to limit supply and boost prices, which was overwhelmingly successful. Since the agreement last December, oil prices have exploded from $43 per barrel to over $66.60 this week. However, prices took a sharp drop on Friday, falling as low as $62.28 after President Trump said that he called OPEC and told them to lower prices. OPEC made its production cut last December in spite of President Trumps requests, but the deal expires in June, which could lead to renewed political wrangling over the worlds most valuable commodity. Cattle dive lower Cattle prices plunged this week to a five-month low to trade Friday near $1.15 per pound. "I never charged them. It was an accident," she said. "But people will tell me they felt so bad that they broke this or broke that." The process of closing has taken some time because Butterfield has been sorting through the inventory to divide up what to donate, what to throw away and what to sell on eBay. The store will remain open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays for at least another 45 to 60 days, and any interested customers can pop into the Butterfield law office next door if they need to have it opened. Longtime customers have been coming in to say how sorry they are that it's closing. "I'll miss the people most of all," she said. "I told my employees there are a lot of gift shops and they're all fine places, but I wanted to be known as the one where the nice people work." Closing The Sears Appliance and Hardware Store at 6169 U.S. 6 in Portage announced it was closing with a liquidation sale starting at 30% off. A store employee said it was slated to close on June 21. The state legislature also increased the penalty for a knowing workplace safety violation that results in a fatality from $70,000 to more than $130,000, which arose from an accident at Fort Wayne Plastics. "A 23-year-old woman, only three days on the job, was placed on a killing machine," she said. "The safeguards had been removed, and the floor of the machine was removed. The woman had to get inside the machine in order to operate it. This machine normally took three weeks of training before operating it. A co-worker, unaware that this woman was inside the machine, pressed the button to operate the machine. She was killed instantly." The company was fined only $6,300 for her death. "It is not surprising that Fort Wayne Plastics dissolved and no longer exists," Beck said. "We believe the machinery is in a factory in St. Louis. We have asked that the US OSHA look into whether this machinery is still in use in the same condition." United Steelworkers District 7 Director Mike Millsap requested stiffer penalties to deter companies from putting their workers into unsafe conditions. "We have requested a summer study session to look into the current IOSHA penalties," Beck said. "We will continue to work to enact legislation that helps keep employees safe. We must not allow companies to put profit over people. We will work to ensure that no new names appear on the memorial wall." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 4 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Always a doodler, stand-up comedian Mo Welch, whod just broken up with her boyfriend, was eating a blueberry Pop Tart in her moms kitchen when she began sketching a dozen cartoons about a female character she named Blair think a more sarcastic, less sunny but equally funny version of Cathy, the popular cartoon character created by Cathy Guisewite, one of Welchs favorite cartoonists. My mom always makes Pop Tarts, says Welch, who grew up in Oak Park, Illinois. I was at a crossroad in my life, depressed and trying to decide what to do, and thinking too how depressing and hilarious I probably looked. So, I got out my Sharpie and started drawing. But first she had to finish eating her Pop Tart, a food group, according to Welch, that also figures large not only in her own life but also in the life of Blair. A simply drawn cartoon, Blair is a 30-something single woman whose outlook on life is fairly dark. Shes definitely the cup is always half-empty type, lamenting in one cartoon panel how My best friend just bought a house, and Im eating a Pop Tart for dinner. NEW YORK Fresh off his Broadway run, New Jersey's Bruce Springsteen looked West for inspiration on a new album he's planning to release on June 14. The 13-song disc is his first new studio album in five years. Titled "Western Stars," Springsteen said Thursday the album draws some inspiration from southern California pop records of the late 1960s and early 1970s. He's releasing a song and video called "Hello Sunshine" after midnight on Thursday. Springsteen wrapped up a 236-show Broadway run last December. Springsteen recorded it primarily at home in New Jersey, with additional work in California and New York. Ron Aniello produced and plays on the album, which also has contributions from Springsteen's wife Patti Scialfa, Jon Brion, David Sancious, Charlie Giordano and Soozie Tyrell. "This record is a return to my solo recordings featuring character-driven songs and sweeping, cinematic orchestral arrangements," he said. "It's a jewel box of a record." Among the song titles are "Hitch Hikin'," ''Sleepy Joe's Cafe," ''Chasin' Wild Horses" and "There Goes My Miracle." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 While the drive for a national park died after the start of WWI, Buell and others stoked the fires again beginning in the 1950s, from kitchen tables and coffee klatches. Buell was the first president of the Save the Dunes Council, which advocated creating the national park. Swift said there were others Ruth Osan, Charlotte Reed, Sylvia Troy, Drucilla Carr, Marjory Barker, Shirley Heinz each with her own story to tell. Mae Watts was a naturalist who studied under Henry Cowles at the University of Chicago, taking field trips to Indiana's dunes country. Watts went on to do nature writing including guidebooks. In her "Reading the Landscape of America," she wrote two essays on the dunes, which opened up the eyes of the country and the world to the treasure, Swift said. The book was published in 1957, about the time Buell was working to galvanize the effort to create the national park. Lee Botts, founder of the Lake Michigan Federation and Dunes Learning Center, is a not only an environmentalist, but also a film producer. Botts most recently was a producer on the documentary film, "Shifting Sands on the Path to Sustainability," which tells the story of the dunes. Curiel is a member of La Raza Lawyers of California, a Hispanic attorneys group affiliated with the National Hispanic Bar Association. He has no known ties to NCLR, which has renamed itself Unidos US. Its his history, not his heritage, that raises questions. La Raza is little different from the Klan, Sedia appears to have written above The Times story. Anyone associated with such groups, especially a federal judge, should have his integrity questioned. How did this guy get confirmed? Another apparent post links to a blog piece on GalliaWatch, a nationalist website highly critical of Muslim immigration to France. In the post, Sedia highlights a quote attributed to right-wing French politician Marion Le Pen: Either we kill Islamism or it will kill us again and again. You are with us and against Islamism, or you are against us and for Islamism. Those who choose the status quo become complicit with our enemies. Other apparent posts include shared memes that Allen-McCloud described as insensitive and inappropriate. One meme, originally posted to a Facebook page called The Comical Conservative, depicts a 1950s-era American family on a road trip to Mexico. "Senator Lugar never failed in his capacity to encourage thoughtfulness and respect for all people as he worked tirelessly to improve the economic lives of the people he represented and to secure a less violent and more peaceful world for every person on our planet," Visclosky said. "His work on nuclear non-proliferation is without peer and we are all safer because Dick Lugar walked among us. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time." Lugar also teamed up in 2015 with former U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., to advocate for greater civility in politics, with government action based on respect within and between political parties that's focused on problem-solving over point-scoring. "There are moments in the history of our country...in which it is very important to have respect, to have courtesy, to understand that somebody else may have a different point of view," Lugar said. "It may, as a matter of fact, save your life and the lives of your family and your country. 'Cannot bomb our way to security' Carter loves the place she is in now, which may have happened differently had she moved after her home was destroyed by the Munster flood in 2008. Luckily it happened before we had kids, but we did lose everything we owned. I don't think we'll ever forget evacuating as the National Guard came to our front door in a boat, she said. It wasn't an easy chapter, but the timing of how everything went for us seems like fate now. We planned to sell and move to Michigan, but one month after the house was finished being rehabbed we got pregnant and eventually we decided to stay. Carter lives in a 1950s home that inspired some of her decorating, though she said shes shifted a bit from her 1950s I-Love-Lucy-vibe to more mid-century bohemian. Her advice to those trying to find direction for going into business for themselves: Absolutely take something you're passionate about and work hard to turn it into a business. Build a network. Find local creatives and small business owners who want to grow together, will support you, and hold you accountable, she said. Find a tribe and don't chase your dreams alone. A semi tanker carrying thousands of pounds of nitrogen rolled over Saturday night, closing several lanes of Interstate 80/94 near Ripley Street, the Lake Station fire chief confirmed. More than two hours of the accident, Lake Station Fire Chief Chuck Fazekas said at 11 p.m. he expected all lanes should be reopened within two hours and that some lanes already had reopened. Emergency crews from multiple fire departments were responding to the accident in the westbound lanes of the interstate near mile marker 15, Lake Station Fire Chief Chuck Fazekas said. Several other vehicles also were involved in the accident, and multiple people were being transported to Region hospitals with non-life threatening injuries, Fazekas said. While leaking nitrogen from the tanker posed no immediate danger to anyone Saturday, it was creating thick, steam-like white clouds that affected visibility as the chemical interacted with the air, Fazekas said. As of 11 p.m., one westbound lane and some eastbound lanes had reopened, the chief said. A Lake County hazardous materials response team also was on scene, the chief said. GRIFFITH, IN - Judith A. Bartnicki, age 74, of Griffith passed away on Wednesday April 24, 2019. She is survived by her husband of 44 years; Ronald Bartnicki; children Daniel (Anna) Bartnicki and Karyn (Phil) Gross; Grandchildren; Aiden, Leah, Kevin, and Addison, brother Jerome Gasvoda, half-brother Michael Gordon and many nieces and nephews. Memorial Services will be held on Monday April 29, 2019 at 11:00 AM at St. Mary's Catholic Church located at 525 N. Broad St. Griffith with Fr. Theodore Mens celebrating. Friends may meet with the family on Monday April 29, 2019 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Judy was a 1962 Graduate of Morton High School. After graduation she achieved a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and a Masters Degree from Purdue University Northwest in Elementary Education. She was employed with the School City of Hammond at Harding Elementary, Gavit Junior High School and Caldwell Elementary School unit her retirement twelve years ago. Jules grew up in a home that often didn't have electricity, water or heat. During her teen years, her family couldn't afford tampons, so she recalls using toilet paper she took from school. She said her mom would eat any meat or dairy products in their house in Chesterton, saying she needed them for her ulcers. The kids would get pinto beans and rice for dinner. Jules remembered having holes in her shoes, which made winters particularly rough. "My feet hurt so bad. I was crying so hard and I couldn't walk," she recalled. "The bus driver would crank up the heater for me on the way to school." As the oldest in the home, Jules would take care of her younger brothers and sister, as well as her mom's boyfriend's kids, because the adults were barely around. She said the children had so many chores to do they couldn't do their homework. Now 49, Jules suffers from depression and anxiety as a result of the childhood neglect and accompanying abuse, she said. Many of her siblings have dealt with addiction. Still, Jules is glad she never ended up in foster care. "If you knew anything in this world, you knew you had your brothers and sisters, and you're dealing with that hell together," said the Valparaiso secretary, who asked to only go by her nickname because she said there's a stigma associated with being a victim of child abuse and neglect. "I'd like to think we would have been better off ... but we would have been split up. In my heart, I couldn't see that happening." As a child, welfare officials gave Jules' house a cursory look a few times, she said, and her mom would clean up before they got there. But Jules believes that if this happened today, instead of the 1980s, there's a good chance she and her siblings would have been removed from the home, as the state's child protective services agency has moved to the opposite extreme. In 2017, Indiana had the third-highest rate of investigations for child abuse and neglect in the country, with at least one investigation for every 10 kids, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' 2019 Child Maltreatment report. The state also had the second-highest rate of victims of abuse and neglect, 18.6 out of every 1,000 kids, behind only Kentucky. But do Indiana parents now really mistreat their kids more than their counterparts just about everywhere else? Many experts say no. "I don't think Indiana is any different than any other state in terms of how much parents abuse or neglect their children," said Michael Moore, assistant executive director for the Indiana Public Defender Council. "Indiana usually is more punitive than other states when it comes to just about everything." In Indiana, courts are involved in 75.4% of child abuse and neglect cases, which is more than twice the U.S. average of 29% and the most of the 41 states that reported that data for 2017. The state also removes kids at twice the national rate, with 12 children per 1,000 in foster care in 2016, the fourth most of states, according to data reported to the federal government. "West Virginia, Montana, Indiana, Arizona there are too many places in this country where the rate of removal vastly exceeds the national average, and one thing these states don't have is a disproportionate number of citizens who abuse their children," said Martin Guggenheim, a professor of family law at New York University. "What they have is a trigger-happy child welfare system." Despite this aggressive approach, the number of deaths from abuse and neglect in Indiana grew from 34 in 2008 to 78 in 2017, when the state had the third-highest reported rate of child fatalities, the federal data shows. Is poverty neglect? The vast majority of child welfare cases in Indiana nearly 90%, according to the HHS data are for neglect. While instances of physical and sexual abuse have declined steadily in Indiana over the years, instances of neglect have exploded, a Times analysis of state child welfare data shows. However, the rate at which the Indiana Department of Child Services substantiated neglect actually decreased from 2008 to 2017, The Times review found. But the number of neglect investigations more than doubled in that time span. But why? The only risk factor for child abuse and neglect where Indiana was higher than the national rate in 2017 was the caregiver having a "financial problem," according to HHS. Indiana was below the U.S. average for domestic violence, drug abuse and alcohol abuse as risk factors. Indiana is one of the few states that has had poverty in its definition of child neglect: "the inability ... to supply the child with necessary food, clothing, shelter, medical care, education or supervision. "That's an outlier, that being poor in and of itself is considered neglect," said Kerri Raissian, an assistant professor of public policy at the University of Connecticut. Quote "Parents in poor communities can't even get high the way their wealthy counterparts do without being charged with child neglect." Martin Guggenheim, a family law professor at New York University. She recently co-authored a paper on the link between neglect and poverty. It cited research showing that increases in families' income whether through hikes in the minimum wage or higher child support payments reduced child abuse and neglect. "We're now seeing evidence that poverty is not only correlated with neglect or child maltreatment, but poverty may be causally related to child maltreatment and neglect," Raissian said. Guggenheim, the NYU professor, said there's no evidence that poor people are worse parents. Instead, he said it comes down to Americans' tendency to "pathologize poverty." "I am a white guy who came of age in the 1960s," said Guggenheim, who co-directs NYU's Family Defense Clinic. "I've been around people who used drugs of all kinds throughout their adult life, who drink to excess, who waste a considerable sum of their income on prescription, recreational drugs and/or alcohol. And I've never seen one investigated by child welfare for it, and certainly none who lost their children because of it. "I see that every single day in poor communities. Parents in poor communities can't even get high the way their wealthy counterparts do without being charged with child neglect." African-American children are over-represented in Indiana's child welfare system, the HHS data shows. Quote "The whole system is kind of like a setup. If you don't have money and can't hire a lawyer to fight back, then you lose." Rachel Fowler, a 29-year-old Hammond woman who had the parental rights terminated for her daughters, who are now 6 and 8. "I think they're punishing poverty," a former DCS subcontractor said of the state. The subcontractor, who provided in-home counseling services for families with DCS cases in Lake County, would only speak to The Times on condition of anonymity, fearing it could jeopardize future employment opportunities. She said it goes beyond whether DCS investigates a family for being poor. A family's outcome with the system largely depends on whether they can afford a private attorney, she said. "Once they get their hooks in you, that's when it really matters if you have the financial resources to defend yourself or not," the subcontractor said. She gave as an example a family "wealthier than most in this area" accused of a physical abuse that had a child removed. She said the child begged not to be returned to the mother and father. But the parents hired "two very well-known attorneys" and regained custody of the child. The child was later removed again from the home for physical and sexual abuse, the subcontractor said. She said she knew other parents usually single moms, some who were on drugs but who worked hard to get clean who had to wait months, and in some cases years, to get their children back because they didn't have the financial means to contest the cases in court. "The whole system is kind of like a setup. If you don't have money and can't hire a lawyer to fight back, then you lose," said Rachel Fowler, a 29-year-old Hammond woman who had parental rights terminated for her two daughters, who are now 6 and 8. DCS removed Fowler's children because her home was in disrepair, and her partner was violent toward her, court records show. Fowler said she left the abusive relationship, found an apartment and a full-time job. She was appointed a public defender but not until DCS moved to terminate her parental rights. The judge ultimately agreed with DCS, ruling that she hadn't provided them with a safe-enough living environment. She finally hired a private attorney for the appeals process. That effort failed. She hasn't seen her kids since November 2017. "It's hard," she said. "I dream about them and wake up and freak out." A DCS spokeswoman said the agency cannot comment on individual cases. Bills could change things Legislation on the way to the governor's desk would exclude poverty from Indiana's definition of neglect, but some are arguing the revision won't make a difference. "In the time I've been on the bench, in 14 years, I've only encountered one case that came to the court where poverty was the sole issue, one time where I recall that ever happening," Judge Faith Graham, a juvenile court judge in Tippecanoe County, testified at a recent House committee meeting. She said poverty is "more often the symptom of the family dynamics rather than the source of the neglect or abuse." Graham said she believes the change would lead to more litigation and "further congest already congested court dockets." The judge didn't respond to requests from The Times for further comment beyond her House committee testimony. But even if the law changes, that doesn't help Hoosier parents already caught up in the child welfare system because of the previous definition of neglect. "Once DCS is involved, it's really hard to get them untangled," said Moore, the public defender. Moore said he once represented a man whose estranged wife gave birth to a baby who was born dependent on drugs. DCS also removed the man's older child, who he been taking care of. "My client was working poor and didnt have the means to challenge DCS on their actions and wanted to get his son returned to him as quickly as possible," Moore said. So the man agreed that the child was being neglected, even though he wasn't, Moore said. The man had to sign up for a social worker to visit his home as well as counseling that Moore contends the man didn't need so he could get his son back from foster care. Moore said most of the cases he encountered were related to poverty and drug use and that the kids often were not in immediate danger. Instead, he said, "How DCS responds is a hammer approach in a lot of these cases." "You feel like you're targeted because you're poor," said a single mother, 30, from Munster. Her 7-year-old son's school reported her for neglect after he showed up to school dirty. The mother would only talk to The Times on condition of anonymity because she said she feared retaliation from the state. "They would make assumptions," she said of DCS. "They had to check your house. It was just kind of the looks they gave: 'This could be better, and this could be better.' We're trying our best. "They criticized the size of his room, the size of all the rooms in the house, how small the bathroom was. You could only do so much with what you have." She ultimately retained custody of her son, who has autism, after taking parenting classes and enrolling the boy in therapy. Drugs, reporting rules contribute Other experts contend poverty is not the only or even a driving factor in Indiana's overwhelming number of child welfare cases. A DCS spokeswoman pointed to Indiana being a mandatory reporting state. Unlike the majority of states, everyone in Indiana who suspects child abuse or neglect is required to report it. The other states approximately 30 limit that requirement to professionals who work with children, such as teachers, doctors and school counselors. "Every year, awareness of our child abuse and neglect hotline which allows anonymous reporting grows," said Noelle Russell, the DCS spokeswoman. "This understandably results in more calls that can necessitate assessments by DCS caseworkers." In 2017, Indiana had the fifth-highest rate of allegations of child abuse and neglect of the 45 states that reported that data (107.4 per 1,000 kids). Another common explanation is the opioid epidemic. In 2017, Indiana had the nation's 14th-highest drug overdose rate, which more than doubled from a decade earlier, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation review of federal data. In 2017, parents used drugs in more than half the cases (55.6%) in which kids were removed from the home, up from 39.1% three years earlier, according to a recent evaluation of DCS by an outside consulting group. "Some issues really overwhelm a (child welfare) system, and substance abuse is one of those issues," said Deborah Daro, a child-abuse expert and senior research fellow at the University of Chicago's Chapin Hall. Daro noted that several of the other states that top the drug overdose rankings also investigate families for child abuse and neglect at high rates. She also points to DCS' practice of prioritizing cases involving young children. In July 2016, DCS began automatically investigating every allegation involving kids younger than 3. (The agency stopped doing so in January 2018, a spokeswoman said.) In 2017, Indiana had the second-highest rate of substantiated abuse and neglect victims who are infants, 1- 2- and 3-year-olds, according to HHS. Effects of drugs But while the national rate of drug deaths grew by 82.3% from 2008 to 2017, the U.S. neglect rate actually decreased in that time, according to the Crimes against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. Indiana's neglect rate exploded during that 10-year period. The top two recommendations in the recent DCS evaluation were for the state to increase substance abuse and mental health treatment. In fiscal year 2017, the report noted, DCS spent more than five times as much money on drug testing ($24.9 million) as it did on drug treatment ($4.5 million). State Sen. Erin Houchin, a Republican from Milltown, believes changes to Indiana's criminal code in 2014, when penalties were reduced for nonviolent drug offenders, have driven the rise in child abuse and neglect cases. "We are seeing disastrous effects on communities across Indiana, and it is affecting our most vulnerable at increasing rates as offenders enter the revolving door of our criminal justice system," she said. Houchin also noted DCS has added more caseworkers. The total number of caseworkers increased from 1,309 in December 2012 to 2,172 six years later, according to DCS, a 65.9% increase. Substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect rose 69.8% in that time. "This has certainly helped reduce caseload weights, but it also results in more eyes on these issues," she said. "There are a high number of cases, but we cannot neglect to investigate any credible reports." She said she doesn't believe changing the definition of neglect will reduce the number of kids in the child welfare court system in Indiana. Experts say it's not always fair to compare states because they have different definitions of abuse and neglect. "It's not apples to apples," said Sharon Pierce, president and CEO of The Villages, a statewide nonprofit that provides foster care, adoption services and other resources for families in the child welfare system. She said that unlike Indiana, some states don't include cases in which babies are born with drugs in their system in the child abuse and neglect totals. Some states have categories for psychological abuse and medical neglect. Others use more lax definitions overall. Utah, for instance, has a so-called "free-range parenting law," in which children can walk or play alone, or wait in the car without an adult. About the series After discovering that Indiana investigates families for child abuse and neglect at a higher rate than almost any other state, Times reporter Giles Bruce set out to discover why. Over the past six months, Bruce dug into state and national child welfare data, interviewed experts on child abuse and neglect, and traveled around the state and country to find out why so many families are caught up in Indiana's child protective services system, and to learn how to better support them so they raise healthy children. Bruce produced this project with the help of a data journalism fellowship from the USC Center for Health Journalism. The fellowship provided mentoring on how to find, process and visualize data, as well as financial support. Coming next in the series: The Times reports from the Indiana county with the highest rate of child neglect investigations to learn more about what drives the state's busy child welfare system. "Something I've heard, for example, is that there may be certain states that pretty much categorically don't remove kids if the case is, let's say, the parents smoking marijuana," said Julie Whitman, executive director of Indiana's Commission on Improving the Status of Children. "In some states, it's even legal. Whereas here we at least investigate. Those kinds of things can make a difference." The DCS evaluation noted that DCS seemed to treat marijuana use more harshly than alcohol abuse. "We've got problems in our own state I think we need to handle," said Katherine Meger Kelsey, director of the Children's Law Center for Kids' Voice of Indiana, an advocacy organization. "Comparing ourselves to other states while it's good to be aware it's not going to solve the problem. We need to figure out what works and move on with it." 'It's love that raises a family' But some Indiana parents wonder if they'd have their children right now if they weren't poor. Adria Trader lives in a three-bedroom bungalow in one of the most poverty-stricken cities in America: Gary, Indiana. The potholes in the street in front of her house might be better described as craters. "This is my daughter's room," Trader said on a recent day, motioning toward a room that contained nothing but a twin bed. "It's pretty empty. I'm waiting for her stuff to come here." She also showed her son's room. There were a few toys strewn on the floor. Trader's 13-year-old son, who has autism, visits from his group home on the weekends; her 15-year-old daughter, who stays with a relative, was only there on Thanksgiving. Trader doesn't see any reason her children shouldn't reside with her full time. She grew up poor, she said, but wouldn't have changed her childhood. "It's not material things that raise a family," the 39-year-old said. "It's love that raises a family." Trader was living with her in-laws in January 2017 when DCS removed all the children in the home because her husband was under investigation for sexual abuse, she said. He killed himself the next day (she claims he was innocent). Trader got kicked out of the house. She was homeless for a while she is on disability because of congestive heart failure until landing a good deal for the place in Gary. But she's still fighting to get her kids back. "I just want them home. I miss them," she said, tearfully. Her house was sparsely furnished and decorated; a TV rested on a chair, hand-drawn pictures hung on a wall. "If there was one thing I was good at, it's being a mom." This series was produced as a project for the USC Center for Health Journalism's Data Fellowship. Love 2 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 5 Angry 3 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Crossing the line separating Indiana and Illinois sometimes means dealing with different laws and customs. Readers are asked to share ideas for this weekly feature. This week: Smoking taxes. The Indiana General Assembly last week adjourned for the year without increasing taxes on tobacco or vaping products, despite pleas to do so by numerous public health organizations as a way of reducing one of the nation's highest state smoking rates. Proposals for a $1 or $2 cigarette tax hike died early in the four-month legislative session. But Hoosier lawmakers continued debating a proposed vaping liquid tax, ranging between 5% and 20%, until giving up on the final day with no agreement. Meanwhile, the Illinois General Assembly is evaluating Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker's request to hike the state's cigarette tax by 32 cents to $2.30 per pack, and to impose a new 36% tax on vaping liquids to help reduce the state's budget deficit. Chicago cigarette purchasers already pay the highest state-local cigarette tax in the country at $6.16 per pack ($1.98 state, $3 Cook County and $1.18 city). In comparison, Indiana's cigarette tax is just $0.995 per pack. Thank you! You've reported this item as a violation of our terms of use. Error! There was a problem with reporting this article. This content was contributed by a user of the site. If you believe this content may be in violation of the terms of use, you may report it. Report Abuse Log In to report Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Some people joke about the name, but the university shows the importance of education to the McDonalds brand, Sam said. We want to offer the proper training to those who want to work at our establishments, he added. Over the years, the Lubeznik family has made lasting friendships with workers who went on to become lawyers, doctors and accountants. Sam said that many of them stop in and say hello from time to time. Many of them have fond memories of their time here. Some of them actually send their kids to see me for their first job, which I think is a testament to how we approach mentoring, he said. Sam explains that McDonalds teaches the new employees the required hard skills needed to cook, clean, serve and cashier customers. He said that the hard skills are actually the easy part. Its the lack of soft skills that are challenging, especially in this customer service-based business, Sam indicated. By Daily Wire, April 26, 2019 The Obama White House brought in Ukrainian authorities to help jumpstart the Russian collusion narrative and to help then-Vice President Joe Bidens son out of a jam. John Solomon, an opinion contributor to The Hill, lays out the results of a meeting between Obama White House officials and the Ukrainian authorities. Solomon spoke to multiple participants in the meeting and viewed memos from the time to bring us the story. For national security reasons, every U.S. citizen is required to obtain a REAL ID prior to year 2020. In my first attempt at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles' Valparaiso office, I took with me my Social Security card, pay stubs, insurance card, of course my driver's license, other documents and a copy of my birth certificate. The BMW would not issue me a REAL ID because I did not have my original birth certificate. The BMV asked me where I was born, and since the answer is Chicago, I was given the number for the Illinois Department of Health. I sent a check and a request for the birth certificate March 4 to the Illinois Dept of Health. On April 1, the check was cashed. As of April 17, I still had not received the certificate from the Illinois Board of Health. Since my license was to expire April 19, I took this information back to the BMW to plead my case. The Valpo BMW said that is too bad, and I had to settle for getting a regular driver's license. If my birth certificate ever shows up, I will have to go back to Valpo BMW a third time and pay again for the new REAL ID Otherwise, after 2020 I will not be able to fly on airplanes or enter federal buildings. This is just a head's up for those waiting until the last minute to get the REAL ID. It is a real pain. Michael Croarkin, Valparaiso Love 3 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Marc Chase Editor Marc Chase is a veteran investigative reporter, columnist and editor of more than two decades. He currently leads The Times news staff as local news editor. He can be reached at 219-933-3327. Follow Marc Chase 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. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today SEATTLE Four people were killed after a construction crane fell from the top of a building in Seattle and crushed six vehicles on the street below, the authorities said. The Seattle fire chief, Harold Scoggins, said in a news conference that two of the four people killed were crane operators and that the other two had been in separate vehicles. Four other people had non-life-threatening injuries, the Fire Department said. A piece of the yellow crane was slashed across a seven-lane road on Saturday afternoon, with crime scene tape cordoning off an area about five blocks long. At least one car was still crushed beneath the wreckage, a jarring contrast to the boxy glass and precise corners of the tech and research buildings common in the surrounding South Lake Union neighborhood. Sean Escobar had been waiting for the moment for more than a quarter-century. Over the course of an hour in September, Mr. Escobar sat at a dining room table with Sterling Van Wagenen, a founder of the Sundance Film Festival and a respected figure in the Mormon community, and asked him about a moment that had bothered Mr. Escobar since he was 13. Why, he asked, had Mr. Van Wagenen touched his genitals? Mr. Van Wagenen apologized and said that he had been going through difficulties in his career and his marriage, that he struggles with depression. He sounded sincere and penitent. He pledged, again and again, that he had never done anything like that before or since. Mr. Escobar thanked him and showed him out. Then he walked over to a potted plant, retrieved the iPhone he had hidden there, and tapped the red button to stop the recording. It is rare for a sex abuse victim to have the chance to directly confront an abuser, even in a court of law. But Mr. Escobars remarkable confrontation did not quiet his nagging questions: Had the abuse, which was reported at the time to a local church official and the sheriffs office, been appropriately dealt with? Mr. Van Wagenen admitted to a detective that he had touched the boy inappropriately, according to sheriffs records, but he was not charged. A new CBS series follows the fallout of a fictional officer-involved shooting. And J.T. Leroy, with Kristen Stewart and Laura Dern, is available to rent online. Whats on TV THE RED LINE 8 p.m. on CBS. The lives of three families converge after an officer-involved shooting in this new series, which was created by the playwright Caitlin Parrish and counts Ava Duvernay among its executive producers. The death of Harrison Brennan (Corey Reynolds), a doctor who is black and who gets mistaken for someone robbing a convenience store, leads to grief and anger from Brennans husband (Noah Wyle) and their adopted daughter, Jira (Aliyah Royale). It also leads Jira to reconnect with her biological mother (Emayatzy Corinealdi), a rising politician on the opposite side of the city, as Paul Evans (Noel Fisher), the white police officer who was involved with the shooting, grapples with his role in Brennans death. THE REDEMPTION PROJECT WITH VAN JONES 9 p.m. on CNN. This new documentary series follows victims or family members of victims of serious crimes who meet with the crimes perpetrators as part of restorative justice processes. Van Jones hosts. Also on CNN Sunday night, Season 4 of UNITED SHADES OF AMERICA WITH W. KAMAU BELL debuts at 10 p.m., with Bell visiting megachurches. Kelsey Hope Keith and Eli Michael Rosenberg were married April 26 at the Manhattan Marriage Bureau. Joey Tai, a staff member of the City Clerks Office, officiated. Ms. Keith, 34, is the editor in chief of Curbed, a digital publication about cities, homes, and architecture, based in New York. She graduated summa cum laude from the College of Charleston in Charleston, S.C., and attended the Paris-Sorbonne University, where she studied art history. The bride is the daughter of Jamie E. Keith and Kenneth D. Keith Jr. of Knoxville, Tenn. The brides father is a senior director in the engineering department at Consolidated Nuclear Security, where he oversees the integration of engineering activities at plants in Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Amarillo, Tex. Her mother, who is retired, was a manager of supply chain policy for the Tennessee Valley Authority in Knoxville. She is a poet and the author of Past the Edge of Blue (Iris Press, 2017). Mr. Rosenberg, also 34, is a national news reporter at The Washington Post. He graduated from U.C.L.A. Most of Juuls state lobbyists work for well-connected firms run by ex-governors, former state lawmakers and big political donors, public records show. Some are in-house, based in the growing number of offices the company is opening around the country. The companys latest star hire is Martha Coakley, the former attorney general of Massachusetts. (The states current attorney general, Maura Healey, is investigating whether Juul intentionally targeted its vaping products to minors.) In a series of interviews, Lindsay Andrews, a spokeswoman for Juul, said the lobbyists were primarily focused on raising the minimum age for buying e-cigarette and traditional tobacco products to 21 from 18, or in a few states, 19. More than 400 local governments and 14 states have already done so, eight of the states this year. But in numerous states, the proposals that Juul publicly supports, known as Tobacco 21, or T21, contain measures that public health experts consider poison pills. Juul says it prefers that T21 legislation does not have added provisions. But it worked to help pass a T21 law in the Arkansas Legislature, for example, that would also block local governments from enacting new rules regarding the manufacture, sale, storage or distribution of tobacco and vaping products including restrictions on flavored products. For related reasons, public health advocates have opposed Juul-backed T21 bills in Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia. The tobacco industry supported the T21 bills. In some states Juuls advocacy is public, and in others the company is barely visible, working only through the Vapor Technology Association, or by relying on Altria, the tobacco company that late last year paid Juul $12.8 billion for a 35 percent stake. Lim emphasized that his organization does much more than that. Perhaps best known for the New York Film Festival and the New Directors/New Films series, it is also a year-round home for mini-festivals like the documentary-focused Art of the Real, as well as a magazine (Film Comment) and talks with cinematic luminaries. Last year, the organization recorded the highest attendance in its history for both the New York Film Festival and its year-round screens. So the need to present itself as a more welcoming venue raises questions about its audience. What type of moviegoers does the society attract and who is it trying to reach? Richard Pena, a film studies professor at Columbia University who was the organizations programming director from 1988 to 2012, said many suggested he drop the word society during his term. But he didnt have any trouble with it. To me, the phrase film society has a very long and honored tradition in the history of alternative film practice, he said. If the organization has seemed forbidding to some, he said, it has more to do with the fact that its tied to Lincoln Center, one of the citys most prestigious cultural hubs. When he was in charge, he recalled, a teacher contacted him because she wanted to bring her students to a Latin American series he had organized. After going over ticket prices, she asked, Do the boys have to wear ties? By the time the Kirov was due to move on to London, officialdom had had quite enough. At the airport he was told he would be flying to Moscow. Knowing that this meant disgrace and probable exile, he took six steps exactly, as he wrote in his autobiography, toward two French airport policemen. (They had been alerted to a potential problem by Clara Saint, one of Nureyevs new friends in Paris. She had rushed to the airport after receiving a call explaining the situation.) I would like to stay in your country, he said. That scene (with Nureyev played by the 26-year old Oleg Ivenko, a principal dancer with the Tatar State Ballet in Kazan, Russia) provides a tense climax to the film. I felt it was almost like a thriller, Fiennes said. That heightened moment of self-realization, the context of the Cold War, the way chance determined almost everything. I think it was happenstance, he was caught by surprise, and events that unfolded second by second. Nureyevs defection made headlines around the world. While it brought opprobrium upon his friends and family in Russia, it also gave an extra fillip to the sensation caused by his dancing, his long hair, fierce expression and sexual allure like a predator let loose in a drawing room, one British critic wrote of his performance. The choreographer Frederick Ashton described him as a mixture of faun and lost urchin. Nureyev went on to form a legendary partnership with the British ballerina Margot Fonteyn and joined the Royal Ballet in London, performed and staged ballets all over the world, and became director of the Paris Opera Ballet in the 1980s, developing a new generation of choreographers and star dancers. Nureyevs glamour and celebrity he was a regular at Studio 54, where he hobnobbed with the likes of Liza Minnelli and Truman Capote gave ballet a new allure, which wasnt hampered by his reputation for perfectionism, arrogance and tantrums. (In 1973, the ballerina Natalia Makarova accused him of deliberately dropping her onstage, and there are innumerable stories of abusive behavior toward fellow dancers.) His influence is still felt today in male ballet technique and style. Even in his Kirov years, Nureyev brought an unusual feminine grace to his dancing, rising higher on the ball of the foot than was standard, and constantly working on what is known in ballet as line: the elongation of the limbs into a harmonious, full-bodied alignment. At the same time, the masculine power and unapologetic sensuality of his pantherine, explosive performances charged male dancing with new drama and intensity. Damon Keith, a federal judge in the Midwest whose rulings championed equality and civil rights, notably in a landmark Supreme Court decision striking down Nixon administration wiretapping in domestic security cases without a court order, died on Sunday in Detroit. He was 96. His death was confirmed by his daughter, Debbie Keith. In one of the federal judiciarys longest and most prolific careers, Judge Keith, a Democrat, was a fountainhead of regional rulings with national implications. He attacked racial segregation in education, housing and employment; conservative efforts to limit African-American voting; and, after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, secret hearings to deport hundreds of immigrants deemed suspicious. Judge Keiths tenure spanned more than a half-century, first as President Lyndon B. Johnsons choice for a district court judgeship in Detroit, with jurisdiction in Eastern Michigan (1967-1977), then as President Jimmy Carters selection for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, presiding in Cincinnati over cases arising in Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan and Tennessee. In a blistering 2016 dissent in an Ohio case that restricted early and absentee voting, Judge Keith accused two Circuit Court colleagues of scorning African-American voters and the memory of black people slain in the struggle for voting rights. In a frankly emotional rebuke, he incorporated into his opinion photographs and biographies of 36 such victims, including the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In 2005, Mr. Lugar took a young senator, Barack Obama of Illinois, on his first trip as a new member of the Foreign Relations Committee to Russia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan, to examine dismantled weapons and sites. Mr. Obama later credited that trip with fueling a commitment to further reduce the size of the American arsenal after he was elected president three years later. But while Mr. Lugar sometimes compared his efforts to those of George Marshall, the creator of the Marshall Plan that rebuilt Europe, he watched the fruits of his efforts begin to wilt in his last years. Under President Vladimir V. Putin, the Russians began to resent the American funding of the disarmament effort, and some Russians saw in it a Washington plot to further weaken their country. Mr. Putin set the country on the course of nuclear modernization, and Mr. Lugar, over a dinner several years ago, lamented that Mr. Obama had not been more aggressive in dismantling parts of the American arsenal that Mr. Lugar considered no longer necessary. Roots in the Indiana Soil Richard Green Lugar was born in Indianapolis on April 4, 1932, to a farming family with generations of roots in Indiana. His early life and career were marked by the most traditional signposts of American success. He was an Eagle Scout and president of his Denison University senior class. He got along so well with his classs co-president, Charlene Smeltzer, who was known as Char, that they married. She survives him. He became a Rhodes scholar after graduating, and during his studies at Oxford, he visited the American embassy in London in 1956 to enlist in the Navy. After his return to the United States, Mr. Lugar was commissioned an ensign and became a briefer for Admiral Arleigh Burke, the chief of naval operations, who had been a hero of World War II and was renowned as a guileful player in Washington politics. Friends said that this was Mr. Lugars most significant exposure to geopolitical thinking, and probably the single greatest source of his fascination with foreign policy. After a few years back in Indiana running a machine business, Mr. Lugar was elected to the Indianapolis school board. His old high school was by then 90 percent African-American, and he pushed through a plan to make it one of the nations first integrated magnet schools for the college-bound. Shortridge High soon became evenly divided between black and white students. To the Editor: Re C.I.A. Chief Uses Spy Skills to Connect With Trump. Results Are Mixed (news article, April 17): The editorial conceit that Gina Haspel, the director of central intelligence, relies on 007-relational jujitsu to make sure her voice is heard at the White House minimizes her efforts to create an effective relationship with the president. This is not spycraft; its professionalism. Ms. Haspel has done a masterful job of building a relationship with a mercurial customer with a consistent record of disdain toward senior women and an apparent skepticism regarding the C.I.A.s intelligence. The skills of a spy are those of any successful executive. These are not mystical or held by the Clandestine Officers Guild and passed on at the Farm. They are the tools of a director who must create an effective relationship with the president so that the C.I.A.s intelligence contributes to national security decisions. Her style, strength without overconfidence, gracious demeanor and years of experience in the intelligence trenches give her credibility unmatched by recent directors. To the Editor: Re Silicon Valley Came to Kansas. It Didnt Go Well (front page, April 21): My experience with Summit Learning as a teacher couldnt be more different than the experiences highlighted in your article. The Central Valley of California suffers from extreme poverty. At Aspen Valley Prep, we adopted the Summit Learning approach because of its focus on project-based learning, mentoring and the self-directed learning skills students need in todays world. We are in our third year of using Summit Learning, and it has revolutionized my teaching. I am teaching more effectively than ever before. I have been a middle-school teacher for 12 years, and while Id attempted to personalize learning for my students, I lacked an efficient way to manage it. The Summit Learning Platform has been an incredible tool, helping me know what to teach and to whom. Additionally, our state test scores have greatly increased since we adopted Summit Learning. Even better, students dont have to wait for me, and as a result, Ive seen them take ownership of their learning. Im no longer the only keeper of knowledge; they know they have the power to access it themselves. I cant think of a better way of sending students into the adult world than with a passion for lifelong learning. Hours before the shooting on Saturday at the Chabad of Poway synagogue outside San Diego, an 8chan user identifying himself by the same name as the suspect in the attack posted a link to a white nationalist manifesto on that far-right message board. What Ive learned here is priceless, the user wrote, adding, "a livestream will begin shortly." Saturdays message is strikingly similar to the 8chan post left by the man accused of shooting up mosques in New Zealand before he killed 50 worshipers in March. Both included detailed manifestoes and links to Facebook pages. As in New Zealand, the suspected Poway shooter appeared eager to win approval for his act of violence. In his post, the synagogue shooter cites the 8chan message board for indoctrinating him, urging others to take similar action. His manifesto not only refers to the online postings of the New Zealand shooting and of the man who killed 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue in October, but seems almost cribbed from past white nationalist rants. The pattern is eerie: it starts with a crude genealogy of the shooters ethnic roots, then a self-aggrandizing Q. and A. with himself, followed by a litany of toxic in-jokes meant to confuse the media and those less savvy in far-right online culture. (Like the New Zealand shooter, the Poway shooter facetiously mentioned the YouTube star PewDiePie as an influence.) As it goes into its roadshow, Uber faces two main issues. One is that it needs to tell Wall Street a growth story something to convince investors that its best and most lucrative days are still ahead of it. For years as a private company, that growth came easily as it expanded its service into more and more places across the world. But nearly a decade later, that growth has slowed. In an amended offering prospectus on Friday, Uber said revenue growth in the first quarter was roughly 20 percent, less than half of what it was a year ago. As ride-hailing has evolved from a luxury business to a mass-market service, competitors have multiplied and the number of people using the service may be starting to max out as Uber finds fewer new locations to expand into. Ubers other issue is its lack of profit. The company lost $1.8 billion last year excluding onetime gains; it lost $1 billion or so in the first quarter of this year alone. Because ride-hailing is expensive to operate Uber continually needs to spend to lure riders and bring on new drivers some critics have wondered if it will ever be able to make money. All of this explains why citing Amazon is so useful. The Seattle-based retailer has always cared more about customers than Wall Street, which meant it was willing to spend aggressively to get ahead of competitors and create new businesses even if investors carped. Then just as Wall Street patience wore thin, Amazon produced profits that underlined the innovation machine that Jeff Bezos, its chief executive, had built over many years. His allies say his deal-making skills lie in an ability to force battling factions to the table and then make them feel collectively responsible for a solution. He can also be an incrementalist, they say, demanding that adversaries move but not too far or too fast. As a candidate, Mr. Hickenlooper is pushing middle-of-the-road policies: Universal health care, but not a single-payer system. Swift action on climate change, but not the Green New Deal. He says he is likely to put a Republican in his cabinet and would choose a woman as his running mate. He is also banking on his ability to charm. He often speaks about growing up as a skinny, dyslexic kid who learned to neutralize bullies with humor; as an adult, hes turned into his states gregarious geek-in-chief. His stump speeches are packed with self-effacing jokes, and friends say his deepest desire is to be liked to connect with his audience. This freewheeling personality has won him many a political and business deal. It has also caused him to fumble in ways that might be problematic if he were to get to the White House. He once introduced his lieutenant governor as a rising sex star, flubbing a joke in an audience of grade-schoolers, only to make a similar mistake a few days later. (Its unclear what Mr. Hickenlooper was trying to say, though in the past he had called his deputy both a rising star and a sex symbol.) Reporters have called these Hickenbloopers. Aides have called it his foot-in-mouth problem. His skeptics have accused him of hiding behind compromise and using it to avoid taking firm stances on pressing issues. That criticism is sometimes lobbed at him when it comes to the environment. As governor, Mr. Hickenlooper developed some of the countrys strictest oil and gas regulations, passed a first-in-the-nation methane capture rule and helped to make Colorado one of just 10 states to receive more than 20 percent of its electricity from renewables. On the campaign trail, he speaks often about the economic and moral incentive to move fast on climate change. Maine has replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day, joining an increasing number of states and localities that have made the change. There is power in a name and in who we choose to honor, Gov. Janet T. Mills of Maine said in a statement about the bill, which she signed into law on Friday. At least six states and 130 cities and towns have now renamed the holiday. Columbus Day, the second Monday of October, has been a federal holiday since 1934. New Mexicos governor signed a similar bill this month, and Vermonts legislature also passed a law, which is now awaiting the governors signature. North Carolina joined Alaska, South Dakota, Oregon and Minnesota the first states to make the shift in reorienting the holiday last year. Jeffrey Cooper, 51, who was waiting for a bus at the Olney Transportation Center in North Philadelphia, suggested that the best nominee to close that gap would be Mr. Biden. Joe Biden has a connection with the African-American people, said Mr. Cooper, a computer programmer. If Joe Biden comes here personally walks among the people if he does that a few times, hell get the votes of the people. The competition for votes is early, of course: Ms. Harris and Mr. Booker have yet to start aggressively campaigning in the state or courting black voters, and Mr. Booker may benefit in Philadelphia by pointing to his work in neighboring New Jersey. But for now, Representative Dwight Evans, whose district in Philadelphia is majority African-American, said of Mr. Biden, I think of all the candidates nothing against any of those other candidates he is in the best position, and has the best skill set necessary to become the next president. Mr. Biden is targeting a swath of voters including older, less educated and less liberal Democrats who are often ignored by other candidates chasing younger voters more in keeping with the leftward energy in the party. [Check out our tracker of the 2020 Democratic candidate field.] And to many Democrats, the worst-case scenario in a field of historic diversity would be the nomination of a septuagenarian white male moderate. If activists coalesce behind alternatives to Mr. Biden once primary voting gets underway next spring, the landscape could look much different than today. Still, a Morning Call/Muhlenberg College poll of Pennsylvania this month showed that 45 percent of Democrats identified as moderate or conservative, and they strongly favored Mr. Biden over his closest rival, Mr. Sanders. Voters older than 50, a majority of registered Democrats, prefer Mr. Biden to Mr. Sanders by blowout margins. Over all, Mr. Biden led Mr. Sanders in the statewide poll of registered Democrats, 28 percent to 16 percent. This article was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba The commander of the prison at Guantanamo Bay has been fired seven weeks before he was to leave the job. Adm. Craig S. Faller relieved Rear Adm. John C. Ring for a loss of confidence in his ability to lead, the United States Southern Command said on Sunday in a brief statement. Admiral Rings deputy, Brig. Gen. John F. Hussey, is now the acting commander. Col. Amanda Azubuike, a spokeswoman for the Southern Command, which oversees the prison, said the decision to remove Admiral Ring had nothing to do with a recent news media visit he hosted there. She said only that he was let go after a monthlong investigation that was opened in March. Admiral Faller, the leader of the Southern Command, and Admiral Ring met on Saturday at the commands headquarters in Doral, Fla., where Admiral Faller personally informed Admiral Ring that he was being fired. Admiral Ring will be temporarily assigned duties elsewhere in the Southern Command, Colonel Azubuike said. A Washington Post-ABC News poll released on Friday appeared to underscore Democrats dilemma. It found that roughly six in 10 Democrats supported beginning impeachment proceedings against Mr. Trump, most of them strongly. But almost nine in 10 Republicans and six in 10 independents, whom Democrats need to defeat Mr. Trump, opposed the idea. Democratic leaders in the House have pledged a series of hearings intended to ferret out the details of Mr. Muellers investigation and air the testimony of key witnesses. Rather than jump to conclusions and there are some liberal lawmakers arguing in favor of prompt impeachment party leaders say they want to build a case on live television before the public and see where that leads. We are going to do our work, but were not going to do it haphazardly, Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the No. 3 Democrat in the House, said Sunday on the ABC program This Week. He added, Timing is everything in this business, and its one thing to run out a route, down a route toward impeachment; its something else to lay a foundation, gather the facts, educate the American people so that we can see exactly what needs to be done and when we should do it. For now, at least, the lack of pressure in districts that helped deliver Democrats their majority and united Republican support for Mr. Trump could help shape the road forward. Impeachment, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said last week at a Time magazine event, is one of the most divisive paths we could go down in our country, but if the path of fact-finding takes us there, we have no choice. It is not that Democratic voters are counseling kindness. In Flavas in Miami, the iconic restaurants owner, Wilbur Bell, agonized to Ms. Mucarsel-Powell that House Democrats were standing idly by while the president disrespects their summons and subpoenas. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein was walking into the banquet hall at Chabad of Poway on Saturday when he heard a loud noise. He thought a table had toppled or that one of his congregants had fallen. I did not know what that was, he said. But when he turned around, he immediately found out. I was face to face with this murder terrorist who was holding the rifle and looking straight at me, he said. The gunman did not say anything. As soon as he saw me, he started to shoot toward me and that is when I put my hands up, Rabbi Goldstein said. In an interview on the Today show on Sunday, Rabbi Goldstein recounted the harrowing moments when the gunman entered the synagogue in Poway, Calif., about 25 miles north of San Diego, and opened fire with an A.R. 15-style gun. JOHANNESBURG Cyclone Kenneth dumped heavy rains in northern Mozambique on Sunday, flooding parts of a provincial capital, prompting evacuations and complicating efforts by rescuers to reach remote areas. The storm has killed at least five people so far, the government said. Many roads were washed out, and aid officials said they had been able to reach some badly affected areas only by helicopter. Rains were heaviest in Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado Province, which lost power. Rescue teams were evacuating residents, and 4,500 people have sought shelter in refuge centers. KATTANKUDY, Sri Lanka When the Wahhabis came, with their austere ideology and abundant coffers, the town of Kattankudy yielded fertile ground. In this part of Sri Lanka, faith was often the sole sustaining force during the civil war that raged for nearly three decades. Wahhabism a hard-line strain of Islam blamed for breeding militancy proposed a direct path to God, albeit one that aimed to return the religion to the time of the Prophet Muhammad. It was here in Kattankudys warren of homes decorated with delicate swirls of Arabic calligraphy that Zaharan Hashim, the man accused of masterminding the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka, grew up. And it was here that he preached his ideology, calling for the killing of nonbelievers in Islam and even other Muslims. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka The Shrine of St. Anthony, one of the most famous landmarks in Colombo, is revered as a place of miracles, and not just for Catholics. Thousands of Sri Lankans every day among them Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims from far corners of the diverse nation find their way to the shrine in a corner of the church, seeking relief from disease, financial troubles or even relationship stress. But for Sagaya Devi Edison who stood outside the closed shrine on Sunday morning waiting for a prayer session and vigil, hands clasped and tears running down her cheeks the miracle was personal. Ms. Edison and her 23-year-old daughter survived the Easter Sunday attack at the church because, while they were seated all the way in the front, the bomber entered through the rear and detonated his explosives there. The shrine, she reasoned, must have been looking after them. VIENNA They are fixtures at the antigovernment protests every Thursday night in the Austrian capital, older women wearing hand-knit hats in purples, reds and blues. They like to march between the shouting students and the masked anti-fascists, waving to onlookers and hoping to catch someones eye long enough to exchange a smile. Its the Grannies, shouted a voice from a third-story window as the demonstration wound its way through Viennas Fifth District last month. Look! The Grannies! They are the Grannies Against the Right, dozens of women from a generation that watched their mothers suffer the fallout of World War II and helped create democracy in Austria. Now, freed from the burdens of raising their families and working to support them, they are galvanizing protests against Austrias shift to the right under the conservative-nationalist government of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. After taking office in June, Mr. Sanchez sought to renew the political dialogue with the governing pro-independence politicians in Catalonia, after their botched attempt to secede in 2017, a move that was unconstitutional. But Mr. Sanchez got nowhere and has instead been accused of treason by opposition politicians for trying to negotiate with Quim Torra, the separatist leader of Catalonia, as well as for allying himself with some Basque nationalist lawmakers. The question is whether we want a government in the hands of those who want to destroy Spain, Albert Rivera, the leader of Ciudadanos, said last week. I want a government without separatists. Mr. Sanchez recently said that he would not allow an independence referendum in Catalonia, but he has avoided the issue of whether he may eventually use his executive powers to pardon former separatist leaders who are on trial in the Supreme Court, should they be convicted of rebellion and other crimes over the 2017 secession attempt. In addition, one of Mr. Sanchezs first pledges upon taking office was to exhume the remains of the dictator Franco, who died in 1975 and was buried in an underground basilica. That exhumation project has run into problems, delaying Francos reburial at least until June. Mr. Sanchez has instead focused on the emergence of Vox to warn voters that a right-wing coalition could risk returning Spain to the ultranationalism of the Franco era. The prime minister recently accused the Popular Party and Ciudadanos of embracing without a blush the arguments of this extreme right that has always existed in our country. BEIRUT, Lebanon At a campaign rally in Green Bay, Wis., on Saturday, President Trump tore into Saudi Arabia, an important Middle Eastern ally, as yet another country giving the United States a bad deal. He said that although the kingdom had spent $450 billion in the United States, Washington was still subsidizing the Saudi military. Mr. Trump said during the rally that he had complained about that to the Saudi monarch, King Salman, in a phone call. King! Mr. Trump said he told the monarch. Using an expletive, he said, he griped that the United States was losing its shirt defending Saudi Arabia, and you have a lot of money. It is highly unlikely that the call took place as Mr. Trump described, but in any case, the president appears to have mischaracterized the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia. Kebingungan dan kesulitan mencari dan bingung ketika memilih situs judi slot online gacor di tahun 2021? 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Cavett, who grew up in Lincoln, had a television career covering five decades but is best known as the host of The Dick Cavett Show. Cavett, 82, was ill and unable to attend Thursday nights event at the National Press Club but sent a statement that was read to those who showed up. Its just killing me not to be with you this evening, Cavett said in the statement. I hope I can see you all soon in person, somehow. Cavett said he was honored to count himself as a Nebraskan along with the likes of Johnny Carson, Fred Astaire, Marlon Brando and Henry Fonda. He described Nebraska as the perfect launching pad for his life. Its headquarters and visitor center are about 30 miles southeast of Alliance as the hawks fly. However, driving there requires visitors to go south onto Road 181 (also called 296th Trail) about a mile east of the town of Lakeside on Nebraska Highway 2. The refuge can be approached from Antioch and Oshkosh, but Road 181 is the only one thats paved, which is a generous way to describe this 28-mile single-track road up, down, over and around the Sand Hills. Along the way, it traverses cattle gates to pass in and out of open-range pastures where horses and cattle sometimes graze. Although the uninitiated might think of the Sand Hills as being an arid grassland, here, thats not so. Twenty-one lakes are named in the refuge. Many more are not and, sometimes after a rain, even more appear. Thats all because the lakes and wetlands are fed by the Ogallala Aquifer, one of the worlds largest aquifers. With all these lakes, ponds and wetlands, its easy to see why the 45,181-acre refuge is a prime place for watching birds. According to the refuge, its the long-term home and migrating stop of 31 types of waterfowl, 15 types of marsh birds and 32 types of shorebirds plus 200 other species of birds including owls, sharp-tailed grouse and various raptors. During the fall migration, up to 200,000 birds representing 275 species visit here as do about 20 bald eagles. BJP national president Amit Shah on Saturday said that the BJP will withdraw Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, if the party is voted back to power. Addressing a rally in Daltonganjs Shivaji Maidan for party candidate and former DGP, VD Ram, he said, The people of this country have not forgotten, how our soldiers were killed and beheaded by Pakistani army during the UPA tenure 2004 to 2014. The Government at that time used to send only dossiers to Pakistan. Shah was refereeing to January 2013 incident when Pakistani rangers had killed and beheaded an army man. In January, 2013 Lance Naik Hemraj of 13 Rajputana Rifles, was killed and later he was beheaded by Paksitani rangers in Poonch sector of Jammu & Kashmir. The BJP, then in Opposition, and its prime ministerial candidate had picked the issue targeting Congress for having a soft approach of terrorism. The BJP national president, who has been carrying out rallies across the country, was holding the first rally in State. Shah was soliciting support for BJP candidate VD Ram who is pitted against RJDs Ghuran Ram. Slamming National Conference (NC) leader and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah for his remark seeking separate Prime Minister for Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Shah said that Kashmir is inseparable part of country. He said, For India Kashmir is like a crown and nobody can snatch the crown from countrys head. He said, As long as BJP exists, Jammu and Kashmir will remain integral part of India. The problem in Kashmir lies with Article 370, through which the State has got some special rights. Once the Article 370 is removed the entire problem in Kashmir will go. Shah, who is known for reading the mood of public in the rally, questioned, should there be two prime ministers for one country? The question evoked a deafening no from the crowd. The BJP national president also mentioned about the Pulwama terrorist attack and later surgical strike carried out by Indian Air Force in Balakot. He said, When the entire nation was rejoicing with distributing sweets following February 26, Balakot air strike a pall of groom descended on the Congress and Pakistan. Shah also attacked the Congress and Mahagathbandhan leaders alleging them that whenever they are in power they had indulged in massive corruption and even made an Independent MLA (Madhu Koda) chief minister of Jharkhand in 2006. Shah also questioned Congress and Mahagathbandhan partners about their PM candidate mocking that on every day there different Prime Minister as Congress and Mahagathbandhan leaders will chose the PM on rotation basis with Sunday being holiday. According to BJP sources as electioneering in Jharkhand progress after April 29, Shahs will regularly visit State. Shahs next rally is on May 3 at Harmu Maidan in Ranchi. Mamata Banerjee upset after not being allowed to speak during PMs meet 440 volt: This is Mamatas definition of the BJP India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Kolkata, Apr 28: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee came down heavily on BJP saying the party was the greatest danger for the country akin to 440 volt. People should reject BJP and should refrain from casting any vote in favour of the party. "I assure that if Trinamool Congress is voted to power, then there will be no damage to the country," she told a poll rally at Pandua in Hoogly district held in support of Hooghly Lok Sabha Trinamool Congress candidate Ratna De Nag. "Both BJP and Narendra Modi will destroy the country if voted to power for the second time .... BJP is the greatest danger for the country, like 440 volt," she said adding that the ongoing election is to remove the BJP government. Also Read | Kurtas and Bengali mithai: Is Modi trying to reach out to Mamata Banerjee? Many farmers have committed suicide and thousands are left unemployed. Prices of gas, diesel and petrol are rising and people are not getting money from the banks during the BJP regime , she said and blamed the CPI(M) for helping it. "Now CPIM's harmad' (goons) have become ustads (strongmen) of the BJP", Banerjee said and questioned how a party (BJP) which is inclined towards dividing the country in the name of religion can aspire to return to power. "How can BJP claim that the party belongs to the Hindus? BJP does not have any respect for Hindu religion. The party under Modi is for creating disturbances like riots in the country", she said. Banerjee claimed that her TMC has done a lot of developmental work in places of religious worship like Tarakeswar, Gangasagar, Dakshineswar, Tarapith and Kankalitala. Continuing her attack, the TMC supremo said "BJP will destroy the country. The prime minister has a penchant for lying all the time. Now he is saying people in West Bengal are not sure of returning home and seek assurance from their mothers before leaving. "Is it true?" she asked the gathering who replied with a resounding "No". 'Might send rosogollas, gifts, but won't give votes': Mamata Banerjee's reply to Modi It is a common practice among Bengalis to seek their elders' permission before leaving home. Alleging that the saffron party is distributing money among the people for garnering votes, she said "BJP is a party of illiterates. What can you expect from it ?" Banerjee claimed that the saffron party will not be able to garner even 80 seats in the Lok Sabha polls and in states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Kerala, West Bengal and Odisha it will not get even a single one. "In some states like Gujarat, Rajashthan votes will be split", she said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, April 28, 2019, 9:59 [IST] Can BJP defend 45 of 71 seats that poll in 4th phase of LS polls India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Apr 28: Campaigning has ended for the 71 seats that would go to polls in the fourth phase. There are several crucial seats up for grabs, which includes 13 from Uttar Pradesh, considered to be strongholds of the BJP. Some of the key contestants in this phase are Samajwadi chief, Akhilesh Yadav, former JNU student leader, Kanhaiya Kumar, Bollywood actress Urmila Matondkar among others. Polling will be held across nine states on Monday. The states to poll in this phase are Uttar Pradesh (13) , Madhya Pradesh (5) , Bihar, Rajasthan (13) and Jharkhand (3). Polling will also be held in 17 seats in Maharashtra, 8 in West Bengal and 6 in Odisha. Why BJP holds the edge in these 13 UP seats, which poll on Monday In the 2014 elections, the BJP had won 45 of these 71 seats. The party had won 12 out of 13 in UP, all 13 in Rajasthan, 6 in MP, 3 in Bihar, 3 in Jharkhand, 8 in Maharashtra and one in West Bengal. Can BJP defend UP: On Monday, 13 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will go to polls. The seats that would poll on May Apr 29 are Etawah, Farrukhabad, Hamripur, Akbarpur, Jhansi, Jalaun, Kanpur, Kannauj, Kheri, Unnao, Misrikh and Shahjahanpur. In 2014, the BJP won 12 out of the 13 seats. The seat at Kannauj was won by Dimple Yadav. That year the BJP's seat share was at 45 per cent while the SP and BSP managed 22 and 20 per cent respectively. There are 67 assembly segments which fall under the 13 Lok Sabha constituencies which is polling on April 29. In the 2017 assembly elections, the BJP bagged 60 of these 67 seats, which also included 4 of the 5 in Kannauj. Gadkari faints at a rally near Shirdi Going by the numbers, the BJP appears to have an edge on these 13 seats. Since 1996, the BJP has had an average vote share of 30 per cent when compared to the 24.5 for the SP. Barring 1999 and 2009, the BJP has fared exceptionally well in these 13 seats. In 1999 and 2009, it did not win a single seat, where as in 2004, it managed just one. In the 1991 elections, the BJP won 7 and in 1996 elections, the party ended up with 10. In the 1998 elections, the BJP had won 8 of the 13 seats. The Muslims population in these seats is relatively lower, when compared to the rest of Uttar Pradesh. The Muslims are at around 15 per cent of the population. The Upper Castes are higher in number. In Unnao, Hardoi, Etawah, Kannauj, Kanpur, Akbarpur and Hamripur, the Brahmins are sizeable in number, which favours the BJP. The SP-BSP combine would look to capitalise on the Dalit votes, who are sizeable in number. The SCs alone account for 23 per cent of the population in these 13 seats. The fight would be clearly between the BJP and the SP-BSP combine as the Congress is a marginal player in this region. The Congress since 1996 has only had a 14 per cent vote share here. However the party had fared well in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections when it won six seats with a vote share of 27 per cent. The Congress would hope to do well in Kanpur after it lost the seat to the BJP in 2014. The party had held on to the seat since 1999. In the 2014 elections, the Congress had vote shares in double digits only in Kanpur, Kheri and Unnao- 30, 17 and 16 per cent. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, April 28, 2019, 9:18 [IST] 'Dont know which rule I violated, says IAS officer suspended for checking PMs chopper India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 28: An IAS officer, with 22 years service and not a show case notice against him, has been running from pillar to post ever since the Election Commission of India (ECI) suspended him for allegedly inspecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's helicopter in Odisha's Sambhalpur, where he was on election duty. The IAS officer Mohammed Mohsin, who was suspended claimed that the Election Commission did not seek his version before taking action against him. Suspended IAS officer said that he had not violated any rules and was unaware of the charges against him. EC cancels suspension of IAS officer who checked PM Modi's chopper in Odisha Mohsin, said, "I acted strictly as per the letter and spirit of the ECI guidelines. I have not violated any rules and I have not done anything wrong. This is why I asked for a copy of the report against me, but they have so far not shared this. I am fighting this case in the dark," quoted Asian Age. Stating that till date he doesn't know under which section or law he was punished, he reportedly alleged the poll body of turning a deaf ear to his appeal. "We are supposed to be the eyes and ears of the Election Commission...Yet, the EC acted on the district administration's inputs, and did not seek my views," Mohammad Mohsin told ThePrint. "I have no friends or enemies in any political party... I only go by rules, so I should at least be told which rule I have violated," he added while asserting that the order no where bears the section or rule under which he was suspended. The Election Commission had on April 17 suspenden Mohsin for checking Modi's helicopter when he was in Odisha to address an election rally. 3-4 days after the suspension, the Election Commission had also transferred him back to Karnataka. Should Modi address real issues rather than giving light hearted interviews to Akshay Kumar? The Election Commission said he violated the norms. The 1996 batch Karnataka cadre IAS officer, Mohammed Mohsin, has not acted in conformity with the Election Commission's instructions concerning Special Protection Group or SPG protectees, an order issued by the commission. However on Thursday, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) stayed his suspension. Next hearing in the case has been scheduled for June 3. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, April 28, 2019, 9:55 [IST] TMC delegation to meet Election Commission in Delhi today; To request for early bypolls in Bengal EC has failed the country says Chidambaram India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Mumbai, Apr 28: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram Saturday accused the Election Commission (EC) of "failing" the people of the country, alleging that it was partisan and reluctant to take action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for poll code violations. Addressing a press conference here, he also said that as much as Rs 10 crore is spent on every rally of the prime minister. "Unprecedented expenses for the PM's rallies. About Rs 10 crore is spent on each rally. The EC is failing the people of the country," Chidambaram alleged. 'Who kept India safe during three wars in 1947, 1965, 1971?', asks Chidambaram Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan, who was also present at the press conference, demanded that the EC probe Friday's incident in Dhule where a box was brought out of an aircraft ferrying Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu. "The box surely didn't contain mangoes. It was something more. The EC should take cognisance of the matter and should investigate it," Chavan said. Earlier on Friday, while speaking to reporters in Shirdi, Prabhu had dismissed a video clip which claimed that a mysterious box was taken out of a plane carrying him when it landed at Dhule in Maharashtra. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, April 28, 2019, 12:22 [IST] If you truly respect the force, withdraw Pragyas ticket: Milind Deora India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Mumbai, Apr 28: Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora has said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi truly respects the Maharashtra Police, he should withdraw the candidature of Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur, who is contesting as a BJP nominee from Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency. Deora also said that Modi's focus on emotive issues, rather than the real ones, during his speech in Mumbai on Friday is a clear indicator of the "failure" of his government in delivering on key issues, like employment. Modi addressed a rally at BKC ground here on Friday, ahead of April 29 polling for six seats in Mumbai and 11 seats in Maharashtra. While targeting Sadhvi Pragya, P C Chacko hails Yasin Malik's 'courage' During his speech, he alleged that the Congress governments neglected the police force and turned it into a "punching bag". He added that had it not been for the alertness of Mumbai Police, who paid a heavy price including martyrdom, the city would have paid a greater price due to terror activities. Modi's praise for police came over a week after Pragya Singh Thakur's controversial statement about slain IPS officer Hemant Karkare. In a statement, Deora said Mumbaikars should ask why the prime minister is encouraging those who insult the armed forces and brave police. "If the prime minister truly respects the Maharashtra Police, he should withdraw Pragya Thakur's ticket immediately. That's the least he can do to honour martyr Hemant Karkare," Deora said. Surprisingly,the Shiv Sena has remained silent on the insult of a Maharashtra police martyr, the Congress leader added. "Mumbaikars will not forgive the BJP and the Shiv Sena for playing politics over some of our city's darkest memories," he said. Pragya campaign being monitored daily from Delhi "The prime minister did not mention the Shiv Sena in his speech. Don't the BJP's allegations of 'milavati' (adulterated) alliances fall flat when compared to the BJP-Sena's 'banavati' (fake) alliance? The Shiv Sena, which praises the prime minister before elections, goes on to abuse him after the polls," he said. "This only proves that their 'mahayuti' (grand alliance) will break in six months, with the upcoming Assembly elections (in Maharashtra)," Deora charged. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, April 28, 2019, 11:42 [IST] Curfew in Ahmedabad extended till 6am on May 21; Night curfew to continue in 36 cities for another 3 days In a first, Ahmedabad man fined for spitting pan masala India oi-Deepika S Ahmedabad, Apr 28: In what it claims to be the first case of its kind in India, a man in Ahmedabad was fined for spitting pan masala at a public place. One Mahesh Kumar from Naroda area in the city was found doing so on the Sardar Patel Statue road. He was sent E-memo on the basis of CCTV footage for violation of Public Health By-laws. He has submitted the fine or Rs 100 at a civic center. In an official statement issued by the AMC, it was reportedly said that with the view to keep the city, which was selected as the top city in the national cleanliness survey, clean the civic body has made a provision of issuing E-memo to those found spitting pan Masala at a public place or roads. It is first such case of fine for spitting pan Masala anywhere in India, the release claimed. Spitting in public is often seen as a breakdown of civic and social etiquette, however, it may soon turn into something far more sinister if steps are not taken to curb this menace. Civic bodies in some parts of the country have initiated drives against spitting in public places. Mahajan vs Dutt, Smriti to take on Rahul: High profile contests in the offing In Priya vs Poonam battle, swing in Marathi, Muslim vote would be crucial India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Mumbai, Apr 28: A swing in Marathi and Muslim votes could prove decisive in the Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha constituency, where sitting MP Poonam Mahajan of BJP is squaring off against Congress's Priya Dutt, who had lost in the 2014 election. While Mahajan, the daughter of BJP leader late Pramod Mahajan, is banking on the work carried out by her in the past five years, Dutt, the daughter of the late Sunil Dutt, says her fight is for "saving" democracy. As per voter demographics, the constituency is dominated by Marathi-speaking residents, followed by Muslims, north Indians, Gujaratis and Marwaris, Christians and south Indians. 440 volt: This is Mamata's definition of the BJP In the 2014 general election, Mahajan had defeated Dutt, the then sitting MP, by a margin of 1.86 lakh votes. Mahajan had polled 4,78,535 votes while Dutt was restricted to 2,91,764 votes. "It remains to be seen if votes of Dalits, Muslims and the middle class, which got divided during the Modi wave in 2014, will be transferred back to the Congress," a Congress leader said. The constituency with around 18 lakh voters comprises assembly segments of Vile Parle, Chandivali, Kurla, Kalina, Bandra East and Bandra West. According to political observers, a common complaint against Dutt is that she withdrew from the constituency after her 2014 defeat, as a result of which she is missing the connect with voters and Congress workers. But observers also feel that Dutt can upset Mahajan if she gets the voter arithmetic right in the constituency, which used to be a Congress stronghold. "The Congress is weak in Vile Parle and Bandra (East) segments. In 2014, Mahajan had got a massive lead of over 70,000 votes in the Vile Parle segment. In Bandra (East), Congress lacks a strong local level leader," an observer said. Of the total six assembly segments in this constituency, the BJP has five MLAs while the Congress only one in former minister Naseem Khan, who represents Chandivali constituency. The number of BJP corporators from the area in the civic body stands at 25. Rehabilitation of slum-dwellers and redevelopment of dilapidated buildings are major issues being discussed during the campaigning. Can BJP defend 45 of 71 seats that poll in 4th phase of LS polls If a Mumbai Congress leader is to be believed, Dutt seems a reluctant contestant who has not yet opened a central election office for campaigning even though the voting day, April 29, is drawing close. He was referring to the announcement made by Dutt in January that she would not contest election due to her growing responsibilities towards her family members. She later made a U-turn and decided to enter the poll fray. Mahajan told PTI that the BJP has made deep inroads into the constituency, which was once considered a Congress citadel. Referring to the Mumbai civic body polls held in 2017, Mahajan claimed the BJP's vote share from 2014 has increased, leaving the Congress far behind. Mahajan said she had spent her MPLAD fund on resolving housing issues of local residents and for construction of toilets. "A total of 1,428 toilets have been constructed in areas like Bandra, Kurla and Chandivali," the MP said, adding that she had worked for redevelopment of 20,000 MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) colonies having houses measuring 580 square feet. "Similarly, 80,000 families will be rehabilitated from the Mumbai airport land," she said. Mahajan said slum-dwellers occupying the airport land in Kurla and Kalina areas will be relocated elsewhere while those living in Vakola and Vile Parle will be rehabilitated on 65 acres of redeveloped land. Mahajan also said redevelopment of dilapidated buildings located on suburban district collector's land can be done. Dutt, who had won the 2005 Lok Sabha bypoll from Mumbai North West after her father's death and 2009 elections from Mumbai North Central, said her fight is for those who believe in secularism and democracy. "Everyone who is secular and believes in democracy has a responsibility to step forward and play an active role in saving it. I stand for the future of all children, including mine," she said. Gadkari faints at a rally near Shirdi Asked to respond to the allegation that she snapped contact with voters and party workers after her 2014 defeat, Dutt said that's not true. "I have been working for people through Nargis Dutt Foundation," she said. Asked about her poll strategy, Dutt said she fights an election as a challenge and goes with the flow. "I will soon share my manifesto with the people," Dutt said, adding that she communicates her stand to the people and leaves the electoral outcome to their discretion. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, April 28, 2019, 10:10 [IST] Mamata Banerjee upset after not being allowed to speak during PMs meet Income tax refunds: Records show Modi got at least five, Rahul six India pti-PTI New Delhi, Apr 28: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has got income tax refunds at least five times in the last 18 years, while Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has received six refunds during the same period. Besides, the refunds for assessment years 2015-16 and 2012-13 got "adjusted against outstanding demand" in case of PM Modi, while it was the case for Rahul Gandhi in assessment year 2011-12. This is based on the online ''refund status'' service provided by the Tax Information Network of the Income Tax Department, managed by NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited. The refund status since the assessment year 2001-02 can be checked online on this platform with an individual's PAN (Permanent Account Number), which has been sourced from the election affidavits filed by the political leaders for the Lok Sabha polls 2019. Rahul Gandhi's mother and senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has also got at least five refunds since the assessment year 2001-02, but there is no adjustment against any outstanding demand for her in this time period. On the other hand, BJP chief Amit Shah's income tax refund got "adjusted against outstanding demand" for the assessment year 2015-16. The TIN-NSDL records do not show any other refund for him in the last 18 years. While the portal does not disclose the amount of the refund, it mentions the date of the refund or adjustment, the challan sequence number and the mode of payment (cheque or direct credit), among other details. As per the ''refund status'' records, PM Modi got his refund for the assessment year 2018-19 through ''direct credit'' to his account on September 26, 2018. The refund for the same year took place on October 6, 2018 for Sonia Gandhi and on March 26, 2019 for Rahul Gandhi. PM Modi got the refund for assessment year 2016-17 on August 16, 2016 through direct credit and through ''refund cheque'' for 2013-14 on January 7, 2015, for 2010-11 on January 9, 2015 and for 2006-07 on October 11, 2007. For assessment years 2015-16 and 2012-13, his refund got "adjusted against outstanding demand". Modi became Prime Minister in May 2014. In case of Rahul Gandhi, his refund for assessment year 2011-12 got "adjusted against outstanding demand" on February 1, 2012, while he also got a refund cheque for the same year a few days later on February 13, 2012. His other refunds relate to assessment years 2017-18, 2016-17, 2012-13 and 2007-08. Sonia Gandhi's refunds relate to assessment years 2016-17, 2012-13, 2008-09 and 2007-08, besides 2018-19. Interestingly, both Rahul and Sonia Gandhi have disclosed in their election affidavits filed for the Lok Sabha 2019 elections that the Income Tax Department has initiated reassessment proceedings against them for the assessment year 2011-12 and has passed reassessment order, dated December 31, 2018, raising demand. The two leaders, however, added in their affidavits that the said proceedings are under challenge before the Supreme Court. In his affidavit, Rahul Gandhi has declared total income (as shown in income tax returns) of over Rs. 1.11 crore for financial year 2017-18 (up from Rs. 1.03 crore in 2013-14), while it is Rs. 9.6 lakh for Sonia Gandhi (down from Rs. 17.6 lakh in 2013-14). In his affidavit, PM Modi had declared total income of Rs. 19.92 lakh for the financial year 2017-18, up from Rs. 9.69 lakh in 2013-14. There are no "income tax dues" pending against him, as per PM Modi's election affidavit filed for Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency. Listing his assets in the affidavit, PM Modi under the sub-head ''value of claims/interest'' mentioned Rs. 85,145 as tax deducted at source (TDS) for financial year 2018-19. NIA charges 3 for hurling bomb at BJP MLAs residence in Bengal Killing of Shaurya Chakra awardee an international conspiracy by Khalistan Liberation Force ISIS Kasargod case: NIA questioning 3 suspects, Zakir Naik speeches seized India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Apr 28: The National Investigation Agency has carried out searches in three places in connection with the Kasargod Islamic State case. These persons are suspected to have links with some of the accused persons in the said case who had exited India to join the proscribed terrorist organisation ISIS/ Daish. During searches, a number of digital devices including mobile phones, SIM cards, memory cards, pen drives, diaries with handwritten notes in Arabic and Malayalam, DVDs of Dr. Zakir Naik besides untitled DVDs, CDs with religious speeches, books of Dr Zakir Naik and Syed Kutheb have been seized from their residences. India's Interpol move part of a larger witch hunt: Zakir Naik Digital devices will be forensically examined and analysed. The three suspects are being questioned by NIA. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, April 28, 2019, 16:07 [IST] Pakistan: Cops find woman in deep sleep next to body parts of 70 year old man Chopper crash: One arrested for linking PM with the tragedy J&K: 3 JeM terrorists involved in Chanapora attack arrested in Budgam India oi-Madhuri Adnal Jammu, Apr 28: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday arrested three Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists who carried out a recent attack on a police post in Srinagar's Chanpora. Terrorists have been arrested from Wathora area of Budgam district. Speaking in details about the incident, Dr Haseeb Mughal, SSP Srinagar said,''J&K Police has arrested 3 JeM terrorists from Wathora, Budgam. They carried out an attack on a police post in Chanpora, Srinagar last Friday. One Chinese pistol, 2 magazine, 6 live rounds recovered. Further investigation underway.'' J&K: LeT militant arrested in Baramulla The attack took place on April 26 (Friday) in which a cop had suffered injuries in the firefight. He was shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. Policeman sustained injuries after terrorists attacked police post in Srinagar's Chanapora. Later, the police cordoned off the area and launched a search operation in the area. The state police officials had confirmed that there had been an exchange of firing. "There was a standoff firing on Police Post Chanapora falling under the jurisdiction of Police station Saddar. One policeman sustained injuries," a police spokesman had said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, April 28, 2019, 16:18 [IST] Kanhaiya never raised anti-India slogans, says Digvijaya Singh India pti-PTI Bhopal, Apr 28: CPI contestant from Begusarai in Bihar, Kanhaiya Kumar would be campaigning for Congress' Bhopal nominee Digvijaya Singh, who is pitted against Hindutva leader Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur of the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh. Addressing a gathering at the CPI office here, Singh called himself an "admirer" of the former JNUSU president, and said that he was happy that Kumar would campaign for him on May 8-9. Singh also sought to dispel perception that Kumar's arrival might rake up "Tukde-Tukde" controversy in the poll season, as Thakur is viewed as a polarising figure. He blamed the BJP and the RSS for "defaming" Kumar in the 2016 Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) sloganeering controversy. BJP felicitates youth who lauded Modi at Digvijay's rally "I am an admirer and a supporter of Kanhaiya Kumar. He has become an ideologue. I openly support him. I told my party that the RJD has made a big mistake (by fielding its candidate in Begusarai). This seat (Begusarai) should have been allotted to the CPI," Singh said. Kumar is contesting his maiden election against Union minister Giriraj Singh of the BJP in Begusarai. "I challenge if anybody comes out saying that they (Kanhaiya and his associates) had raised the 'Tukde-Tukde' slogan (on the JNU campus in 2016). It was the work of the BJP and the RSS to defame Kumar and others who are fighting against fundamentalism," he alleged. Singh claimed that "separation" of the Congress and Left parties was responsible for his party's defeat in 2014 general elections. "I believe that we (Congress) won again after UPA-I era because the Left was with us, but we got separated on a petty issue. The control over social and economic policies that existed during the UPA-I government (because of Left allies) was missing during the tenure of the UPA-II government, which was the reason for the Congress' defeat (in 2014)," he said. Singh also took a dig at his political detractors in Madhya Pradesh Congress. "After the Congress' defeat in the 2003 (assembly polls), it was said that my presence in the state would slash the party's vote share. However, I witnessed that the BJP was winning and the RSS becoming powerful over years whereas the Congress remaining a silent spectator. This is the reason I decided to become active again," the former chief minister said. He hailed the "help" extended by CPI leaders in defeating the BJP in the assembly elections held last year. The contest for Bhopal, a BJP bastion since 1989, has become high profile since the saffron party fielded Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case. Bhopal goes to polls on May 12 in the sixth phase of ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Voting for all the 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh would be held in four phases from April 29 to May 19. PTI Nearly 42 per cent ministers declared criminal cases against them: ADR 7 ministers in Gujarat government have declared pending criminal cases against them LS polls phase 4: The rich, poor and those with criminal cases India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Apr 28: There are 210 candidates with pending criminal cases who are contesting the 4th phase of the Lok Sabha elections. A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms states that 210(23%) out of 928 candidates analysed have declared criminal cases against themselves. 158(17%) out of 928 candidates analysed have declared serious criminal cases against themselves. In 4th phase of LS polls, BJP fields 25 with criminal cases, Congress, 11 12 candidates have declared convicted cases against themselves. 5 candidates have declared cases related to murder (IPC Section -302) against themselves. 24 candidates have declared cases related to attempt to murder (IPC Section 307) against themselves. 4 candidates have declared cases related to kidnapping such kidnapping for ransom, etc. (IPC Section-364A), kidnapping (IPC Section-363), Kidnapping or abducting with an intent secretly and wrongfully confine person (IPC Section-365) etc, against themselves. 21 candidates have declared cases related to crime against women such as assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty (IPC Section-354), husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty (IPC Section-498A) etc., against themselves. 16 candidates have declared cases related to hate speech against themselves. Among the major parties, 25(44%) out of 57 candidates from BJP, 18(32%) out of 57 candidates from INC, 11(20%) out of 54 candidates from BSP, 12(57%) out of 21 candidates analysed from SHS, and 60(17%) out of 345 independent candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. Among the major parties, 20(35%) out of 57 candidates from BJP, 9(16%) out of 57 candidates from INC, 10(19%) out of 54 candidates from BSP, 9(43%) out of 21 candidates analysed from SHS, and 45(13%) out of 345 independent candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves. 37 out of 71 constituencies are red alert constituencies. Red alert constituencies are those constituencies where 3 or more contesting candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. Financial: There are 306(33%) candidates who have assets worth Rs. 1 crore and more who are contesting the 4th Phase of the Lok Sabha elections. In all the affidavits of 928 candidates have been analysed. Among the major parties 50(88%) out of 57 candidates from INC, 50(88%) out of 57 candidates from BJP, 20(37%) out of 54 candidates from BSP, 13(62%) out of 21 candidates from SHS and 8(80%) out of 10 candidates from SP have declared assets worth more than Rs. 1 crore. A rich man's election: In Odisha average asset of candidate is Rs 2.2 crore The average asset per candidate contesting in the Lok Sabha Phase 4 election is Rs. 4.53 crores. Among major parties, the average assets per candidate for 57 BJP candidates is Rs. 13.63 crores, 57 INC candidates is Rs 29.03 crores, 54 BSP candidates have average assets of Rs 2.69 crores, and 21 SHS candidates have average assets of Rs 17.85 crores. Age: There are 287 candidates contesting the 4th Phase of the Lok Sabha elections, who are in the age group of 25 to 40 years. 96 women are in the fray for this phase of the elections. 287(31%) candidates have declared their age to be between 25 to 40 years while 489 (53%) candidates have declared their age to be between 41 to 60 years. There are 148(16%) candidates who have declared their age to be between 61 to 80 years. 1 candidate has declared his age to be above 80 years. 3 candidates have not given their age. 96(10%) female candidates are contesting in the Lok Sabha Phase 4 elections. Meanwhile there are 210 candidates with pounding criminal cases who are contesting the 4th phase of the elections. There are also 301 crorepatis in the fray, the ADR report also states. Richest: Valued at Rs 660 crore, Nakul Nath, son of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Kamal Nath is the richest candidate contesting the 4th phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The report states that Nakul Nath contesting from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh on a Congress ticket is worth Rs 6,60,19,46,757. His movable assets are worth Rs 6,18,41,72,757, while the immovable assets are valued at Rs 41,77,74,000. Average assets of candidates contesting Odisha assembly polls is Rs 1.93 crore Second on the list is Sanjay Sushil Bhosale contesting from Mumbai South Central on a Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi ticket is worth Rs 125 crore. His movable assets are valued at Rs 4,37,62,003. His immovable assets are valued at Rs 1,20,68,62,305, while the total assets are worth Rs 1,25,06,24,308. Other details: There are 306(33%) candidates who have assets worth Rs. 1 crore. Among the major parties 50(88%) out of 57 candidates from INC, 50(88%) out of 57 candidates from BJP, 20(37%) out of 54 candidates from BSP, 13(62%) out of 21 candidates from SHS and 8(80%) out of 10 candidates from SP have declared assets worth more than Rs. 1 crore. The average asset per candidate contesting in the Lok Sabha Phase 4 election is Rs. 4.53 crores. Among major parties, the average assets per candidate for 57 BJP candidates is Rs. 13.63 crores, 57 INC candidates is Rs 29.03 crores, 54 BSP candidates have average assets of Rs 2.69 crores, and 21 SHS candidates have average assets of Rs 17.85 crores. Zero assets: There are three candidates with zero assets contesting the 4th phase of the Lok Sabha elections. All three candidates are contesting as independents. Priyanka Ram Rao Shirole and Vitthal Natha Chavan contesting from the Nashik and Thane constituencies in Maharashtra have zero assets. Prem Lata Banshiwal from Tonk Sawai Madhopur too has declared zero assets. All three candidates have submitted their Pan card details. Lowest assets: Prince Kumar an independent candidate fighting the 4th phase of the Lok Sabha elections has assets worth Rs 500. Contesting from Jhalawar Bhavan in Rajasthan, he has movable assets worth Rs 500 and no immovable assets. 423 crorepatis, 10 with rape charges will contest 2nd phase of Lok Sabha elections 2019 Second on this list is Shamshudin contesting as an independent from Chittorgarh in Rajasthan. He is worth Rs 786. He has movable assets worth Rs 786 and no immovable assets. Bapan Sopan Thoke is third on this list with assets worth Rs 1,100. He is contesting as an independent from the Mumbai North Central seat in Maharashtra has movable assets worth Rs 1,100 and no immovable assets. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, April 28, 2019, 11:32 [IST] We want Mahatma Gandhi's India, people of Kashmir cannot live with Godse's India: Mehbooba Mufti Mehbooba links Kashmirs relationship with India on basis of Article 370 India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Srinagar, Apr 28: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks that Article 370 and Article 35A have caused "maximum damage" to the state, saying it was the basis of its relationship with the country. "Article 370 is the basis of our relationship with the country and accession, and if the prime minister thinks Kashmir is in loss because of it, then they should leave Kashmir," Mufti told reporters in Kulgam district when asked about Modi's remarks. Article 370 grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir and limits Parliament's power to make laws concerning the state. Article 35A empowers the state assembly to define 'permanent residents' for bestowing special rights and privileges on them. Mehbooba Mufti seeks release of Yasin Malik, revocation of Jamaat-e-Islami ban In an interview to a private TV channel in Varanasi on Friday, the day he filed his nomination papers, PM Modi said Articles 370 and 35A have done "maximum damage" to Kashmir. "We set up AIIMS and IIM in Kashmir but top professors are not ready to go there because they can't buy property there. The rents there are very high. There is no investment in J&K because investors feel they won't get land there," he had said. The PM had also said the youth in Kashmir were not getting jobs. "Kashmir is staring at bankruptcy. Terrorists have finished tourism in the state. There is no investment because of Articles 370 and 35A. Now, people in Kashmir feel there is a need for change," he had said. Mehbooba also lashed out at the Congress and the National Conference for "not thinking of the state's special status when they were in power". "When (Ghulam Nabi) Azad was the chief minister of the state, he allotted thousands of kanals of land to the (Amarnath) Shrine Board. (Why) did not he think of Article 370 at that time? He tore apart (Article) 370. "Similarly, (NC founder) Sheikh (Mohammad Abdullah) accepted the chief minister's seat after signing the 1975 accord with the then prime minister Indira Gandhi," she said. Why Yasin Malik deserves no sympathy: His crimes since decades listed here Mufti said that she fought with the Modi government for two years to protect the special status of the state when the PDP-BJP coalition was in power. "I told Modi in Delhi that if you tinker with (Article) 35A, then PDP will leave the government," the former chief minister said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, April 28, 2019, 10:52 [IST] NDA gaining momentum in every phase, set to repeat its 2014 win: Paswan India pti-PTI Patna, Apr 28: BJP ally and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan asserted on Sunday that the ruling NDA is on track to retain power at the Centre, helped by the "Modi factor" and the appeal of the issue of nationalism, while the Opposition has become a picture of "disunity" in a key state like Bihar. The Lok Janshakti Party leader said the 2019 general election stands out from many elections he has seen in his over five-decade long career for the centrality of the issue of nationalism in this poll with people supporting the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for development as well as national security. In an interview to PTI, the Dalit leader said the momentum in the NDA's favour is increasing in every phase of polling and that the "wave has now become a tsunami". Three phases of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections have been held so far, with the Hindi-heartland states being the key battleground in the remaining phases. Paswan claimed there has been no contest so far in Bihar, seen as a key state to the NDA's fortunes. Giving seat-wise figures to support his claim, Paswan said opposition parties like the Congress and the RJD have been working at cross-purposes while "united" NDA partners -- BJP, JD(U) and LJP -- have got better of them in most seats. "Our vote is increasing in every phase. The Modi factor was recently at work in the prime minister's massive road shows in Varanasi and Jharkhand. More people are joining us. On the other hand, opposition parties have not been able to unite either in Delhi or here in Bihar. People wonder what is the point of even voting for them as they don't know what these parties will do," he said. The NDA may win over 35 seats of the total 40 in Bihar, he said. It had won 31 in 2014. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and RJD's Tejashwai Yadav have often avoided campaigning for candidates of the other party, Paswan said and added that they held their first joint rally in Samastipur only on April 26. "I am confident that the NDA will repeat the scale of victory it had achieved the last time. It will form the government under Modi's leadership," he said. The NDA had won 336 seats in 543-member Lok Sabha in 2014, with the BJP getting its maiden majority by winning 282 seats on its own. Paswan said issues like terrorism and nationalism may have emerged as central issues in the poll but Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has also received people's support on the plank of development. From subsidised food to LPG cylinders, toilets, homes and health insurance, the government is working to provide the masses all essentials of life, he said, adding that people have been backing the NDA for these measures as well. But it is the emotive issue of nationalism and action against Pakistan-based terrorists that has been a central theme of the NDA's campaign, something that the opposition has criticised, accusing the ruling dispensation of using them to divert people's attention from issues like jobs and economy. The LJP leader dismissed the opposition criticism, saying "all is fair in love and war". He also hit back at the opposition parties and alleged a "sinister campaign" over the issue among Muslims. "The big issue here is that we target terrorists, we say terrorism should be finished, but they (Opposition) whisper in Muslims' ears that we want to finish them. As if, Muslims are terrorists," he said. Paswan referred to the response from people when NDA leaders in their campaign speeches invoke the issue of nationalism, saying all such references have received wide support from the masses. The Modi factor and the nationalism issue have helped the NDA cover up localised factors like choice of candidates among others, he said. Paswan claimed that a section of even Yadavs, seen as a solid vote bank of Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), have supported NDA nominees in seats where opposition candidates enjoyed little connect with them. Yadavs have long been part of "power politics" and they are in no mood to give votes to candidates of parties Vikassheel Insaan Party or Hindustani Awam Morcha as they have little resonance on the ground, he said. Both these parties are also part of the opposition alliance. The 72-year-old leader is not fighting the poll this time with his younger brother Pashupati Kumar Paras contesting from Hajipur, a seat Paswan has traditionally represented in Lok Sabha. The senior leader's son Chirag and another brother Ramchandra Paswan, both MPs, are also in the fray. The LJP had won six seats in 2014. PTI Mamata Banerjee upset after not being allowed to speak during PMs meet PM Modi doesnt respect his mother, how will he respect India: Mamata Banerjee India oi-Deepika S Kolkata, Apr 28: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday launched a no-holds barred attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 'not respecting his mother and wife'. Taking her diatribe against the prime minister to his homefront, she claimed that "all throughout his life, Modi never respected his mother or his wife". "You shy away from giving your wife her due respect, what respect will you give to the people?" the CM said. Maintaining that she has seen Modi's affidavit in his nomination papers, Banerjee said, "The PM has written that he does not know about his wife's movable and immovable assets. I don't like making such comments, but the level he has stooped to forced me to speak out," the TMC boss said. This is not the first time that Banerjee has resorted to personal attacks on Modi, but she never accused the Prime Minister of disrespecting his family. ISIS would enter West Bengal if Mamata Banerjee comes back to power: Kailash Vijayvargiya "Did you ever look after your family? Leave alone others, did you look after your wife? How can you know how mothers, daughters and sisters live? You have none," the Bengal chief minister had said while addressing a rally in Cooch Behar district on April 8. Accusing the BJP of doling out money to buy votes in the general election, Mamata said her party will request the poll panel to seek an account of expenditure at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rallies. Banerjee also demanded that Modi's candidature from Varanasi be cancelled, claiming that he has written "does not know" on many counts in his affidavit. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, April 28, 2019, 20:34 [IST] How do naxals procure sophisticated weapons: It was the LTTE which aided them Abducted CoBRA jawan Rakeshwar Singh Manhas released by Naxals after six days of captivity AK-47s stolen from COD Jabalpur supplied to naxals, criminals says NIA in chargesheet Naxals from Telangana were in the process of making grenade launchers, IEDs: NIA Two police personnel martyred by naxals India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Raipur, Apr 28: Two police personnel were killed and a villager was injured on Saturday evening when Naxals opened fire on them in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police said. The incident took place when the two policemen and the villager were going to Tippapuram village, under Pamed police station area on a motorbike. A 'small action team' (typically comprising four-five rebels) of Naxals opened fire on them, leaving constable Arvind Minj and assistant constable Sukku Habka dead on the spot and the villager injured, said deputy inspector general (anti-Naxal operations) Sundarraj P. Justice done: 2 naxals who killed BJP MLA gunned down Locals took the injured villager to Cherla in neighbouring Telangana for treatment, he said, adding that security forces have been rushed to the spot. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, April 28, 2019, 11:48 [IST] India abstains during vote on resolution at UNHRC, urges Colombo to fulfill its commitments A week after Easter Bombings, Churches fall silent, Sri Lankans hear mass on TV International oi-Madhuri Adnal Colombo, Apr 28: A week after eight serial suicide attacks rocked three cites of Sri Lanka, including its capital Colombo, Christians in Sri Lanka are observing Mass in their homes since all churches are shut in the country. According to a report, the Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, delivered a homily mass after cancelling all public services amid fears of a repeat of the bombings that killed 253 people. A heavily-guarded vigil was held outside St Anthony's Shrine in Colombo at 8.45am, the moment the bomber struck the church last week, killing dozens of worshippers. Pakistan drug money, a port at Koddikarai and the link to the Sri Lanka bombings In a rare show of unity, President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa attended the Mass. Police, meanwhile, announced the arrests of two of five people wanted in connection with the attacks after their pictures were distributed publicly. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said the two, Mohamed Ivuhayim Shahid Abdul Haq and Mohamed Ivuhayim Sadiq Abdul Haq, were arrested in Nawalapitiya, 125 kilometers (77 miles) east of Colombo. The three women remain at large. Police did not elaborate on what roles they may have played. The Islamic State group, which claimed responsibility for the Easter bombings, said the three men who blew themselves up at Kalmunai were also members of the militant group. I feel betrayed by intelligence failures says Sri Lankan Catholic leader Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday apologized to the nation for the failure to protect victims from Sunday's explosions which killed 253 people and injured over 500. Sri Lanka is majority Buddhist but has significant Hindu and Muslim populations. About 7% are Christian, and most are Roman Catholic. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, April 28, 2019, 13:21 [IST] Leopard vs cat in Nashik well: See who wins the battle in viral video Dead cat named Pikachu to be launched into space will be forever among stars International oi-Madhuri Adnal Washington, Apr 28: Pikachu, a well-loved housecat who died in January from complications following a battle with diabetes, will be soon launched in to the space. Space geek Steve Munt wants his cat Pikachu, who recently lost his battle with diabetes, to be among those stars. So, to execute the mission, Munt agreed to pay $5,000 for a company called Celestis to load a few grams of his cat's remains onto a rocket (whose primary mission is to launch a satellite into orbit) and release them once in space. SpaceX's new crew capsule aces space station docking Munt has now started a GoFundMe page for the mission, which has so far raised about $1,600 of its goal. If this goes as planned, Pikachu will become the second cat to enter space. The first, a French stray named Felicette, launched in 1963 aboard the Veronique AG1 rocket, and later safely parachuted back to Earth. The space cat received international media attention, and was even featured on stamp collections. Munt wants to aims to give Pikachu a similarly adventurous send-off. Celestis Pets has already launched the cremated remains of two dogs into orbit, where the company says the ashes will remain until they are vaporized upon re-entering the atmosphere. The company offers a variety of space-flight memorial services for animals and humans, including one that sends "a symbolic portion of cremated remains or a DNA sample into deep space, leaving the Earth-Moon system on an infinite journey," according to the company's website. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, April 28, 2019, 16:03 [IST] Sri Lanka won't be allowed to be used for 'any activity' against India: President Rajapaksa Sri Lankan human trafficking case: Victims were lured with promise of jobs in Canada Sri Lanka bans National Tawheed Jamath International oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Colombo, Apr 28: Sri Lanka has banned local Islamist extremist outfit NTJ and a splinter group, which are linked to the ISIS that has claimed the responsibility for the Easter bombings that left 253 people dead and several hundreds injured. National Thawheed Jammath (NTJ) leader Zahran Hashim, the mastermind behind the attacks, was killed inside the Shangri La hotel were he detonated himself. President Maithripala Sirisena used emergency powers to ban the NTJ and a splinter group identified as Jamathei Millathu Ibraheem (JMI), a statement said. I feel betrayed by intelligence failures says Sri Lankan Catholic leader "All movable and immovable property of these two organisations will be confiscated," the statement said. The move to ban the outfits came after the Sri Lankan Parliament adopted a newly-enforced emergency regulation on Wednesday following a series of eight coordinated blasts, which ripped through three churches and three high-end hotels frequented by tourists on April 19 in the country's deadliest violence since the devastating civil war ended in 2009. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the Easter terror attacks on three Catholic churches and three luxury hotels but the government has blamed a local Islamist extremist group, National Tawheed Jamath (NTJ), for the bombings. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, April 28, 2019, 12:47 [IST] Speaking from Beijing, the Prime Minister said he respected the decisions made by each individual Member of Parliament. On Friday 26th April 2019, five members of the ruling PNC Party resigned.The five MPs to resign from PNC include Governors Sir Peter Ipatas (Enga), Philip Undialu (Hela), William Powi (Southern Highlands), and Open MPs Davis Steven (Esaala) and Manasseh Makiba (Komo-Margarima).Sir Ipatas and Steven both return to join the Peoples Party, which he said follows an understanding with ONeill made after the 2012 National Election. Undialu, Powi and Makiba resigned due to legacy issues of the PNG LNG Project, policy differences and the Papua LNG Project. In response to the announcement, the Prime Minister said he respected their decision.However as a leader of the Party and a leader of the Government, I can assure our people that our party has a large number in Parliament, and that within a large group like that there are always movements in the party, said ONeill.In respect to the other members and governors who have resigned, it is their decision and they have to explain that to their own people. They were elected into Parliament under the mandate of PNC. PNC has supported them in more ways than one so that they can retain their positions and their role as Members of Parliament.We look forward to working closely with them over the next two years, and we will allow the people to make up their own decision when the elections come.The Prime Minister said he understood the difficulties in some of the decisions the Government has taken, and of course of the policy of Government which they disagree with.However, he said he is yet to see a policy proposal in writing or otherwise made to Government in the past eight years.I want to assure the people of Papua New Guinea that despite a little bit of movement on the floor of Parliament and in the Party, I can assure you that our Government is very stable in the sense that weve got quite a large number and Im also aware that the opposition will make a big noise out of this.It is given that the Government will always lose numbers, and the opposition will always gain because of the differences a large grouping can make. And it is only fitting that we continue to deliver on the good key policies that we have, the PM said.Our Government in the history of our country has delivered very visible projects and policies, both in infrastructure, both in health and education, both in developing the districts and provinces, and making sure that this builds a very solid economy, an economy that is going to create opportunities for our people well into the future. ONeill added:Our country has got a bright future, but only selfish and self-indulgent politics will continue to destroy and derail the development agenda that our country truly deserves.But all in all we are happy to work with these Members, despite our differences we will work for our people, and look forward to working with them over the next few years, before we face our people in 2022. Electric Vehicle Telematic Market 2019 | Worldwide Market Outlook 2025 | Major Manufacturers Agero, Airbiquity, Continental, TomTom International, Etc. 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The report contains 91 pages which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Click to view the full report TOC, figure and tables:This report mainly covers the Commercial Vehicle Ancillaries Products and Commercial Vehicle Ancillaries Products contain general commercial products, cleaning & protection products, maintenance & rust prevention products and skin care Products.Global Commercial Vehicle Ancillaries Products market size will increase to xx Million US$ by 2025, from xx Million US$ in 2018, at a CAGR of xx% during the forecast period. In this study, 2018 has been considered as the base year and 2019 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Commercial Vehicle Ancillaries Products.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversPetrobrasChevronIpiranga (Ultrapar)CosanShellCastrolYPFTotal3MBASFTurtleSonaxInove PackVX45SOFT99Armored AutoGroupMarket Segment by Type, coversGeneral CommercialCleaning & ProtectionMaintenance & Rust PreventionSkin Care ProductsMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoLCVTruckBusFor More Information On This Report, Please Visit @Related Information:North America Commercial Vehicle AncillariesProducts Market Growth 2019-2024United States Commercial Vehicle AncillariesProducts Market Growth 2019-2024Asia-Pacific Commercial Vehicle AncillariesProducts Market Growth 2019-2024Europe Commercial Vehicle AncillariesProducts Market Growth 2019-2024EMEA Commercial Vehicle AncillariesProducts Market Growth 2019-2024Global Commercial Vehicle AncillariesProducts Market Growth 2019-2024China Commercial Vehicle AncillariesProducts Market Growth 2019-2024Customization Service of the Report :Market Research Report Store provides customization of reports as per your need. 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As a specialized platform, MRRS upholds the supremacy of customers and aims to provide customers with better service and richer select.Contact USMarket Research Report StoreE-mail: info@marketresearchreportstore.comTel: +86-15521064060 00852-58197708(HK)Add: 17890 Castleton Street Suite 218 City of Industry CA 91748 United StatesWebsite: Content warning: This post contains some racist imagery. On Monday, Cleveland High School Principal Ayesha Freeman emailed parents and students to tell them a teacher found string tied like a noose hanging from one of the buildings entryways. Four days later, she had another note for the school community, this time about an event that was hurtful to our staff and students of color. That event, it appears, was the discovery of a cake Thursday that some students and parents say is a display of blackface. It started as a plain chocolate cake, Cleveland High senior Brody Kreiter said in a Twitter thread. Students in the culinary arts class then decorated it to feature two blue eyes and exaggerated lips. a bunch of white girls at my school made a blackface chocolate and we're all pissed about it: a thread (PLEASE SHARE THIS SO SOMETHING CAN ACTUALLY BE DONE) tw: racism, sexual assault pic.twitter.com/eh6EXTLpbB brody hehe (@brodyurbro) April 26, 2019 The image was sent to several students through Snapchat. Thats where Kreiter saw it. He decided to take a screenshot and post on Twitter because, Kreiter said, he wanted something to be done about it even though hes not a person of color. I just believe that certain communities within Cleveland get treated unfairly and I'm sick of it, Kreiter told The Oregonian/OregonLive through direct message on Twitter. And it's our job as members of those communities to come together and take action. A majority of students at the Southeast Portland high school, about 69 percent, are white, according to district figures. Three percent of Cleveland students are black. Freeman, the school principal, said in a note to parents that Cleveland would begin working towards a restorative process in the wake of the incident. The district is also investigating. We are still gathering facts to determine what happened, Portland Public Schools spokesman Harry Esteve said in a statement. We want and expect our schools to be places where students feel safe, welcome, included and respected by staff and classmates. Any act of racism, racial insensitivity or discrimination of any sort is completely unacceptable at our schools. The incidents come six months after Cleveland High officials found swastikas and hateful words written on fliers for the Jewish Student Union. The clubs members produced a panel discussion for 90 faculty and staff in the days after the fliers were discovered. And a vice principal organized an all-school anti-hate assembly. POWAY, Calif. A man is being held for questioning in connection with the deadly shooting Saturday at the Chabad of Poway synagogue. A gunman armed with a semiautomatic rifle walked into a suburban San Diego County synagogue and opened fire on the congregation Saturday, killing one person and injuring three in an attack that authorities believe was motivated by hate. A 19-year-old was arrested in connection with the shooting, authorities said. The gunman, who is white, entered Chabad of Poway about 11:20 a.m. local time and started firing. He was identified as John T. Earnest, a Rancho Penasquitos resident. He was arrested and is being questioned by homicide detectives. Earnest appears to have written a letter posted on the internet filled anti-Semitic screeds. In the letter, he also talked about the planning the attack. How long did it take you to plan the attack? Four weeks. Four weeks ago, I decided I was doing this. Four weeks later, I did it. He wrote he was willing to sacrifice his future for the sake of my people. Poway Mayor Steve Vaus called it a hate crime, based on statements the shooter was heard making as he entered the synagogue. A large group of congregants had gathered behind the temple after the shooting, sheriffs Sgt. Aaron Meleen said. It was not immediately clear how many people were attending services. Some children were initially reported missing, he said, but they have been found. As you can imagine, it was an extremely chaotic scene with people running everywhere when we got here, he said. Those wounded in the shooting were taken to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, Calif., the Sheriffs Department said. As the attacker was fleeing the scene, an off-duty Border Patrol agent shot at his vehicle, but he got away, authorities said. He was captured a short time later. Adam Pringle, 32, said he was sitting at a 76 gas station parking lot when a swarm of San Diego police, county sheriff and California Highway Patrol cars descended on the scene less than 50 feet away. Pringle watched as police officers pulled over the man he believed to be the shooting suspect. Hands up or Ill shoot you! Pringle heard the officer yell. The driver quickly put his hands up, and the officer walked over with his gun drawn, Pringle said. The officer quickly arrested the man, Pringle said. Witnesses said a rabbi is among the injured, reportedly shot in the hand. He apparently continued with his sermon after being wounded, telling people to stay strong. The rabbi and two other people were injured, said synagogue member Minoo Anvari, whose husband was inside when the shooting broke out. One guy was shooting at everybody and cursing. One message from all of us in our congregation is that we are standing together. We are getting stronger, Anvari said. Never again. You cant break us. We are strong. Why? The question is, why? People are praying. President Trump offered condolences from the White House lawn Saturday. At this moment it looks like a hate crime, he said. My deepest sympathies to all of those affected. And well get to the bottom of it. Authorities have cordoned off the area, about two miles from Chabad of Poway, he said. Several neighbors reported hearing the gunshots, and some were evacuated from nearby homes to the school temporarily as a precaution. Cantor Caitlin Bromberg of Ner Tamid Synagogue, which is down the street from Chabad of Poway, said her congregation learned of the shooting at the end of their Passover services. Saturday marked the final day of Passover, a holiday that marks the Jewish peoples exodus from Egypt and freedom from slavery. Bromberg said her congregants were en route to Chabad of Poway to show support and help in any way they can. We are horrified and upset, and we want them to know we are thinking of them, she told The Times. The message of the final day of Passover is to be looking forward to the time when all the world will be at peace. Bromberg said someone from the congregation had received a text that there was a shooting at a synagogue in Poway. The person who sent the text did not know which temple was targeted and wanted to make sure the congregant was OK. The cantor said she has not heard from Chabad of Poway leadership because they would not normally use the phone during the Sabbath. They would only do that on emergency basis, if they do it at all, she said. In a statement, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum said it was shocked and alarmed at the second armed attack on a synagogue in the United States in six months, this time on the on the last day of Passover. Now our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones, Museum Director Sara J. Bloomfield said. But moving forward this must serve as yet another wake-up call that antisemitism is a growing and deadly menace. The Holocaust is a reminder of the dangers of unchecked antisemitism and the way hate can infect a society. All Americans must unequivocally condemn it and confront it in wherever it appears. San Diego police were keeping watch on other local synagogues as a precaution. No known threats, Chief David Nisleit said on Twitter, however in an abundance of caution, we will be providing extra patrol at places of worship. In Los Angeles, police said they were closely monitoring the synagogue shooting in Poway and communicating with our local, state and federal partners. At this time, theres no nexus to Los Angeles, but in an abundance of caution, we will conduct high visibility patrols around synagogues and other houses of worship, the department tweeted. Passover is one of the most sacred holidays in the Jewish faith. The eight-day festival is typically observed with a number of rituals, including Seder meals, the removal of leavened products from the home and the sharing of the exodus story. The attack comes six months after a man with a history of posting anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant social media messages opened fire at a temple in Pittsburgh, killing 11 people and wounding six more. The Anti-Defamation League called that incident the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the history of the United States and it underscored growing hate against Jews. -- Los Angeles Times Students from Portlands Roosevelt High School and Rosemary Anderson High Schools New Columbia campus held their senior prom together Saturday night at the Elysian Ballroom in Southwest Portland. 92 2019 Roosevelt High School Prom Rosemary Andersons New Columbia principal, David Shephard, said the nonprofit alternative high school didnt have the funds for a prom this year. We had to be resourceful to provide an opportunity for our students, he said. Seventeen students from the school attended the event, which featured two prom courts, one representing each school. Were joining our kingdoms, said Filip Hristic, principal of Roosevelt High School. The United Kingdom of the North, Shephard chimed in. Check out previous Roosevelt High School proms here and here. -- Beth Nakamura Twitter: @bethnakamura Instagram: @bethnakamura Tough-on-crime measures have found lots of support among voters, as Oregonians broad approval for Measure 11 back in 1994 showed. Stories of violent crimes, often with horrific details, stoke peoples anger on behalf of victims and trigger the fear of something similar happening again. So when a seemingly easy solution comes along to lock criminals up and throw away the key or at least hide it for many years people have often given their approval. But increasingly, Oregonians are finding that laws imposing harsh penalties are not the solution our communities thought they would be, particularly when it comes to how the state treats juvenile offenders. Measure 11 dictates that defendants as young as 15 who are charged with any of several felonies, including murder, robbery, arson and assault, automatically be tried as adults. Just like adults, they face possible mandatory minimum sentences if convicted. And just like adults, theres no getting out early for good behavior. Yet studies completed in the 25 years since Measure 11 only reaffirm what many already know: Teens arent just like adults. Research shows that the decision-making part of teens brains responsible for corralling emotions and layering judgment over impulse is the last to develop. Treating adolescents as adults in the justice system assumes a level of mental development, maturity and intentionality that research shows just isnt there. Other research shows a higher rate of reoffending by teens who are transferred to adult courts compared to those who remain in the juvenile network. And instead of imposing sentences that help rehabilitate juvenile offenders so they return to their communities with the skills, judgment and motivation to contribute, the system instead broadcasts to 15, 16 and 17-year-olds that theyve blown their chance at a future and their fate is set, no matter their willingness to make amends. How discouraging that Oregons communities would believe themselves to be so fragile. Senate Bill 1008, passed by the full Senate and now in the House Judiciary Committee, aims to change that narrative by updating how the state handles Oregonians between 15 and 17 years old who are charged with Measure 11 crimes. One key provision: instead of automatically passing those cases on to adult courts, a prosecutor would have to request a hearing in front of a judge who would decide whether the teen should remain in the juvenile jurisdiction or be tried as an adult. Both the defense and prosecution could appeal the judges ruling. The proposed change is both modest and monumental. Modest in that juveniles still can be tried as adults and the process itself is not new. Prior to Measure 11, judges made the call. But its monumental in that it shifts the balance of power away from prosecutors, who drive the decision on whether a teen is charged with a Measure 11 offense in the first place. The threat of a mandatory minimum sentence gives a prosecutor the upper hand in negotiating a plea deal with a teen who might choose to plead guilty to a lesser crime without a mandatory sentence than take a chance in going to trial. Even those adamantly in favor of tough-on-crime measures should consider how such one-sided negotiating power can short-circuit basic protections in the criminal justice system that require the government not the defendant to carry the burden of proving its case. The bill includes other common-sense measures, such as granting juvenile offenders a second look once they are halfway into their sentence with the possibility that they could serve out their term under community supervision if they show they have been rehabilitated and are not a threat to safety. It eliminates the sentence of life without the possibility of parole for juveniles, following court rulings about the unconstitutionality of such a sentence. And it calls for those sentenced as juveniles to receive a review by the parole board after serving 15 years of a sentence. There is no question that some teens may need to be tried as adults in order to protect public safety or hold accountable repeat offenders. This bill wont stop that. While opponents fear judges will rarely grant prosecutors requests for transferring juveniles to adult court, thats only greater reason to question how prosecutors have been using the power granted by Measure 11. Its worth noting that despite the mandatory minimums for Measure 11 crimes, legislators granted judges the authority to issue lighter sentences for some of the less serious crimes, depending on a number of factors. Its explicit acknowledgement that justice demands evaluating defendants on a case by case basis, rather than blindly imposing penalties. The most difficult part of the bill is that victims may feel cheated by a system that treats offenders with far more humanity than they showed their victims. For victims or families of victims, giving the offender a long prison sentence with no chance of early release may feel like the only way to counterbalance their unfathomable pain and loss. But as unsatisfying as this may be, the criminal justice system is ill-suited to the goal of making victims or their families whole. Rather, the system should aim to hold offenders accountable, protect public safety and encourage the rehabilitation of offenders so that once they return to the community, they are no longer a threat. Unfortunately, in the quest for longer sentences, tougher standards and zero tolerance, the system is mistaking revenge for justice. It instills hopelessness instead of accountability, encourages criminal mentorship over community integration and values punishment over rehabilitation. None of this makes our communities safer. Its time to recognize the fallacies built into our tough-on-crime system. SB 1008 provides a reasonable start to do so. -The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board Editorial Agenda 2019 Transform education for students benefit Keep Oregon solvent Work toward more evenhanded justice in Oregon Put Portland on the right track ________________________ Read more about the editorial board's priorities for 2019. By Sara Ashmore Ashmore is an adolescent permanency caseworker for the Oregon Department of Human Services. She lives in Gresham. As a child welfare worker and an Oregonian, news of the lawsuit filed on behalf of children in our foster system was heartbreaking (Horrific failures of Oregon foster care system called out in new federal lawsuit, April 16). Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up in a safe, stable, loving environment. Tragically, our state has chosen to underfund the programs necessary to meet those basic needs for our most vulnerable children for decades. Resorting to temporarily lodging children in detention centers and sending them to facilities out of state is the direct result of Oregon choosing not to adequately fund our foster system. Oregons foster system is in crisis. Weve lost a third of institutional beds for high-needs children, 55% of career foster homes, and 15% of foster care providers, according to an audit by the Oregon Secretary of States office. Eight out of ten foster providers in Oregon are family, relatives and friends who have been certified on an emergency basis. We lack sufficient workers to certify the robust foster network needed to adequately care for our children. And because most individual foster providers are family members, they dont provide for children from other families. It isnt just foster care. We are failing our children at every level of the child welfare system. Child welfare caseloads are two to three times the Department of Human Services recommended levels. Each case represents a family and children who rely on caseworkers to provide services, resources, and time to assure child safety. Weve seen too many headlines illustrating what happens to youth with our lack of protective services enforcement. This situation is also extremely difficult for workers who dont have the time or resources to properly ensure the safety of the children on their caseloads. Child welfare workers do what we do because we care about children and families. Working for a system that lacks basic capacity and results in cases like those cited in the lawsuit is traumatic, demoralizing, and drives good workers out of a system in desperate need of them. The child welfare division has one of the highest turnover rates in the state due to workload and stress. We experience everyday what was portrayed in the lawsuit. Workers are not responsible for the systemic failures of the agency or the lack of funding causing them, but we constantly witness the impact on the children we serve. For years, caseworkers have raised similar concerns as those alleged in the lawsuit. Child welfare workers are outraged, and we want to be part of the solution. The steps we need to take to make the system better are no secret. In 2018, the Oregon Secretary of States audit of the system called for hiring more than 700 caseworkers to address understaffing and investing in foster parent recruitment and retention to ensure that we have placement options available when kids come into the system. It shouldnt take a lawsuit for our state to do the right thing. To serve our children with the care they deserve, Oregon must partner with us and invest in the entire child welfare system. Its time for the Legislature to fully fund child welfare. By Norm Frink Frink is a former chief deputy district attorney for Multnomah County. Oregonians are on the verge of having one of the most successful state government programs of the last 25 years dismantled by misleading and deceptive tactics. In 1994, Oregon was the 25th most violent state in the country with several criminal cases at the time demonstrating the inadequacy of our justice system. A young man was attacked by three juveniles while walking with his girlfriend at the Lloyd Center and brain damaged for life. A judge refused to try two of the offenders in adult court and they served inconsequential sentences. A juvenile offender who mowed down and killed a young girl in Lake Oswego was serving a sentence of less than three years for the crime. A juvenile offender who had killed a rival gang member a few years earlier while on probation for forcible rape was already out of custody thanks to a judge who refused to let his case be prosecuted in adult court. And a juvenile offender who served little time for killing two small children years earlier was back in the headlines for soliciting a person to murder her fiances former girlfriend. Oregon voters responded by passing Measure 11 by 66 percent of the vote. As refined by the Legislature, it allows certain violent juvenile offenders to be tried in adult court and imposes minimum sentences on them. It should be understood that for many cases other than the most serious Measure 11 crimes, judges have the discretion not to sentence the offenders to the minimum sentence. And offenders serve their time--unless it extends beyond their 25th birthday--in a youth facility where significant sums of money are spent on treatment and rehabilitation. In 2000 Oregon voters overwhelming rejected repealing this policy by almost 75% of the vote. The result: by 2012 Oregon's violent crime rate had been cut by over 50 percent one of the largest declines in the nation. Only 11 states had a lower violent crime rate. And juvenile violent crime was cut even more: the FBI juvenile arrest records for violent crime were reduced by 62% and juvenile arrests for homicides went from 35 in 1994 to 4 in 2012--a reduction of 89%. And that juvenile who killed the rival gang member while he was on probation for forcible rape -- what happened to him? Because the judge had refused to remand him, he was out in society. In December 1994, he and some other criminals participated in a home invasion robbery where a man was killed in front of his Christmas tree as his children looked on. Measure 11 has made sure that type of thing has never happened again in the last 25 years. Now, however, a group of people including lobbyists for the Koch brothers want to change all that. Masquerading as friends of "kids" they have passed a bill in the state Senate last week Senate Bill 1008 they claim will "reform" Measure 11. In reality it will gut Measure 11 as to juveniles and will lead to almost immediate parole hearings and possible release for serious criminals who are now adults like Kip Kinkel. Thats right, under my reading of the bill, now adult criminals like Kinkel will receive parole hearings under new criteria that do not consider just punishment for their crimes or, directly, the protection of society. And, if the criminal meets the offender friendly criteria the bill sets, it requires the Parole Board to order release. The people behind this bill say it doesn't apply to past criminals. The clear language of the bill says otherwise. And, ask yourself this, even if the bill is amended to exclude criminals of the past, if the thought of applying it to Kip Kinkel and others serving those kind of sentences now is so horrifying, why isn't it horrifying to apply it to future criminals of that nature as the bill also clearly does? All this is being done behind the back of Oregon voters with no opportunity for them to have their say on a policy they implemented by a two-thirds margin and reaffirmed by an almost three-quarters margin. One career politician had the gall to say this was about kids like he once was who made a mistake by being in a fight. What it is really about is releasing a small but dangerous group of predators now and in the future on an unsuspecting society. Sure, there are possible reforms of Measure 11 that could be considered. This is not reform. This will be a public safety debacle. Portland Commissioner Chloe Eudaly is researching ways to raise an additional $50 million for city programs, and doing so would require raising taxes, city documents obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive show. To that end, the citys top revenue official provided Eudaly with an analysis of seven possible tax increases, including a personal income tax on Portlands top earners, a soda tax and higher property taxes. Some options, if implemented, could collect tens of millions of dollars each year. The documents call Eudalys $50 million ask the revenue target. Eudalys chief of staff, Marshall Runkel, said Friday the commissioner is in no way committed to enacting any of the tax increases outlined in the report by Revenue Division Director Thomas Lannom. Runkel stressed the analysis was done as part of an information gathering effort directed by Eudaly and has not resulted in policy proposals. Asked what Eudaly may want to direct additional funds to, Runkel said, Anyone who looks around the city can figure out we need additional resources for homelessness. The option that would raise the most revenue is a tax on prepared foods and beverages, similar to a tax in use in Ashland since 1990. Such a tax could raise $77 million a year in Portland, and a tax of $0.015 per ounce on just sugary sodas could rake in $19 million. An upside to those taxes from the point of view of taxpayers is that they can be avoided by choice, the report says. It also states a food and beverage tax may disproportionately affect low-income people or face very high opposition given food culture in Portland. A personal income tax of 1 to 2 percent on the richest 5 percent of Portlanders about 21,000 people could raise as much as $75 million a year, according to Lannoms report. Such a tax directly addresses equity and income inequality, he wrote, but could affect whether additional people and companies move to Portland. Those already here are unlikely to move, the report states. A property tax levy of $1 per $1,000 of assessed value could raise $55 million and would be easy for the city to collect, the report says. Voters may have property tax fatigue, however, and some could perceive a new levy as making Oregons unique property tax system more unfair. Several other options would raise much less money: an increase to a tax on CEO compensation ($2.5 million), a targeted business tax ($2.7 million) and an 0.25 percent increase in Portlands clean energy tax ($17 million). Eudalys office has also explored an empty dwelling fee to incentivize landlords to keep their units full in Portlands stressed housing market. Under that tax, landlords would be charged $5,000 per empty unit for every 120 days of vacancy, with exceptions for vacancies caused by renovations, sale of the units, the death of the owner and for low-income property owners. -- Gordon R. Friedman GFriedman@Oregonian.com Portland police announced late Saturday that officers will conduct extra patrols near Jewish synagogues in the aftermath of a deadly shooting in California. Police say they have no specific information about threats in Portland but are increasing patrols as a proactive measure. The declaration, released late Saturday night, came about 12 hours after a gunman opened fire at a synagogue in the San Diego suburb of Poway. Todays events in Poway are horrific, and their impact is felt around the world as well as here in Portland, Portlands police chief, Danielle Outlaw, said in a statement. Our officers will offer an extra presence that we hope will be reassuring to the greater Jewish community. No one should ever be afraid to practice their faith or gather at houses of worship. In California, the gunman sprayed bullets inside a synagogue with a semiautomatic rifle; a 19-year-old was arrested later in connection with the shooting. A 60-year-old woman was killed and three others injured three others in the attack, which authorities described as a hate crime. Portland officials reiterated that all threats of violence or suspicious activity should be reported to police for investigation. -- Brad Schmidt bschmidt@oregonian.com 503-294-7628 @_brad_schmidt Paducah, KY (42003) Today Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High 58F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Overcast. Low near 50F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan national oil company (NOC) Saturday accused gunmen of having "stormed an airstrip belonging to it and confiscating it, as well as the use by some warships of oil ports", a statement issued here Sunday and copied to PANA said Known for their bright, beautiful coloration and elaborate fin displays, betta fish, more accurately called Siamese fighting fish, are a common household pet. However, these little beauties require specific care to ensure that they stay happy and healthy. Dr. Krista Keller, a veterinarian at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana who is a board-certified specialist in zoological medicine, offers insights for owners of these pet fish. Housing The first thing to consider for a betta fish is its environment. Betta fish are often seen living in bowls that are too small to allow for normal swimming and hiding behavior, Keller says. They should not live in bowls. Instead, they should ideally be in a 5-gallon glass or plastic tank or larger. Having an environment of this size allows the betta fish to exhibit normal activity and have less buildup of toxins in their environment. It can be fun to decorate a fish tank there are so many different shapes, sizes, and colors of decorations found in pet stores and online. However, it is important to keep the betta fish in mind when choosing decorations. Decorations for a tank should never take up too much of the tank, pushing the fish to the periphery, Keller says. Betta fish love to swim around and explore their entire tank. Many decorations also have sharp edges that can easily tear the delicate fins. Avoid these to keep the bettas fins beautiful. Water quality, temperature Water quality is vital to the health of a fish. Toxins can build up over time from urine, feces, and break down of uneaten food in the water. A filtration system that is low flow is preferred in their tank to keep the environment clean of toxins. A low-flow filter is vital to ensure that the fishs delicate fins are not injured by the suction of a filter. Most people dont realize that betta are tropical fish, Keller explains. Their tank needs to be kept within a distinct range of 76 to 81 degrees. Owners should measure the tank temperature with a thermometer. Because most homes are kept at a lower temperature, an in-tank water heater will be needed to maintain the temperature. The type of water used in the tank matters too. Tap water contains harmful chemicals, such as chlorine and chloramine and sometimes heavy metals. These chemicals can cause immunosuppression or make the fish very sick. If tap water is used in the tank, it is recommended to use a dechlorinating product and test for heavy metals, Keller explains. An alternative to tap water is bottled water, which is free of these harmful chemicals. However, distilled water should not be used as it lacks vital minerals that are important for fish health. Time to eat! Many resources may falsely claim that bettas can live off nibbling the roots of several plants, Keller says. This is not true! Plants can provide enrichment for the fish to hide and explore, but plants are not a food source. Betta fish are carnivores that eat insects and insect larvae. They should be fed a balanced pelleted or flaked food daily. Just like cats and dogs, betta fish can be overfed, leading to obesity and other health issues. Keller suggests that every day a betta fish should be given the amount of food it can eat within 3 to 5 minutes, without any food left over. Left-over food will sink to the bottom of the tank and lead to poor water quality. Betta fish can be given treats, too! They should be high-protein items such as bloodworms or brine shrimp fed live or freeze dried, and like all treats they should be given in moderation, Keller explains. Do they get lonely? Betta fish are naturally territorial and should not be housed with any other betta fish because they will fight and injure each other, often resulting in death. They are unlikely to get lonely in their tank; however, if they are in a small tank, they may get bored. There are a variety of other species of tank mates that can be safely added to a bettas tank, such as snails, ghost shrimp, certain species of fish, and African dwarf frogs, Keller says. In order to add these friends, however, the size of the tank and filtration system must increase to keep everyone healthy and clean. Betta resources There is a plethora of information available online about betta fish. Unfortunately, a lot of it is incomplete or inaccurate. Keller recommends the website Bettafish.org as a great resource for any betta fish questions. There are many types of family members. They dont all have to be furry or fuzzy, Keller says. All family members deserve the same high level of care and treatment, so next time someone says, Its just a fish, you can reply, this is MY fish! If you have further questions about betta fish, visit Bettafish.org or contact a veterinarian who treats zoological companion animals. This column is provided by the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 They come from all walks of lives, from small towns and larger cities. They are members of our families, the sons and daughters of relatives and friends. Joining the military is a commitment like no other because the future of our nation, and our freedom, is at stake. Their stories why they joined the military, their experiences in times of war or peace, their return to their families and lives back home are stories we want to tell. They are stories that demand our respect and gratitude. And they are a way to say "Thank you." One way to do that is through a new Pantagraph program we are calling Stories of Honor. "The brave men and women who join the service dont do it for money or fame, and often their service goes unnoticed," said Pantagraph President and Publisher Michelle Pazar. "Stories of Honor allows our readers the opportunity to recognize our local military personnel and gives The Pantagraph the privilege of sharing their stories." We are asking our readers to nominate Twin City-area veterans who have served, or service members who are currently serving, at home or overseas. The program is accepting nominations of these local veterans and active-duty military personnel from all branches of the armed forces through June 16. Select stories will then be featured every Sunday in The Pantagraph and on pantagraph.com, starting on May 26 and continuing through July 28. At the end of the program, each honoree and his or her family will be recognized at an event hosted by the newspaper. "Like many Central Illinois residents, members of my family proudly served their country," said Pazar. "My grandfather served in the Navy and their core values of honor, courage and commitment speak to the traits that all servicemen and servicewomen embody. I am looking forward to reading our Stories of Honor and recognizing the sacrifice and dedication of our servicemen and servicewomen." To make a nomination, go to pantagraph.com/storiesofhonor to fill out a nomination form. Forms also can be dropped off at the McLean County Museum of History, 200 N. Main St., Bloomington, during normal business hours. Theres a feeling that every night billions of Chinese whisper, May the Americans live in interesting times. As the Russians prepare to make nice with the North Koreans and the Chinese make moves everywhere our influence is waning (a lot of places), we are left with one inescapable fact: Currently, the two leading candidates to preside over our government at this crucial time are septuagenarian white men who cant stand each other and have wildly differing views of the world. Donald Trump clearly will be the GOP standard bearer (although neither standard nor standards are words that should apply in a conversation about him). And with Joe Bidens entry in the 2020 race, he is the leading Democratic contender, although that may well change in a spectacularly large field. Not even the $1 million-plus Jeopardy! winner could correctly name all the Democratic challengers on any given day. So, lets compare and contrast the two men. Trump is the outsider candidate of the rich the 1 percent, who love his expensive tax cuts that the next 17 generations will have to pay for and have bizarrely embraced his bizarre ideas of spending federal dollars however he feels like it. Oddly, Trump is also the candidate of Americans angry they have been forgotten, who think Trump is personally despicable but is doing great things for America even though they dont own stocks. They will vote for him no matter how awful they admit he is, even when he makes 50 nonsensical tweets in a 24-hour period. Biden is the low-key former vice president who has been in Washington since 1973 when he became a 30-year-old senator from Delaware. He is the self-proclaimed candidate of the workers, a man who is at home in any union hall. Biden is the candidate who was twice rejected by Democratic primary voters but whom Democrats now wish had run in 2016. He was immobilized by grief for his son, who died of cancer. Now many Democrats are worried Bidens time may have passed even though the third time is supposed to be a charm. (Politics, thankfully for politicians, is replete with cliches.) Both men have so much baggage they need freight trains to carry it all. Some historians already regard Trump, a remarkably self-absorbed individual even among politicians, as the worst president of modern times, olden times and even ancient times. Some historians regard Biden as a man with a tin ear who has a lot of apologies to make. Many women still shake their heads in disapproval of the demeaning way he treated Anita Hill when he was chairman of the committee in charge of putting Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court. Many Democrats think he is just not progressive enough, if hes even progressive at all. Trump has faced allegations by nearly two dozen women that he sexually harassed them and paid off a Playboy bunny and a porn star so voters wouldnt find out they said he had sex with them. He once boasted that he liked to grab women and kiss them because he could. Biden likes to hug women, and everyone else he meets, and now worries he has to be less touchy-feely in public. He has taken to noting that when he hugs a Boy Scout or a woman about to introduce him before a speech that he asked permission first. But the true importance of the differences between Trump and Biden are profound. Trump is riding a global wave of right-wing nationalism, of discrimination and even hatred of immigrants, of fear of the future, a mentality that rejects the unknown and embraces the past as a glorious epoch to be lived again. Bidens world view is traditional; he believes fully in diplomacy and kindness and live-and-let-live but he sees the Russians, the North Koreans and the Chinese as adversaries who must be dealt with warily. Trump has relished his two fruitless summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un; Biden would never have met with him at all. Trump sees Russian leader Vladimir Putin as a kindred spirit; Biden seems him as a foe. It is more than plausible that neither man will be elected in 2020, which is a long, long time away, in political terms. But it is true that we live in interesting, even highly frustrating times. The next year and a half will tell us a lot about how we Americans are changing and who we have become. Are we more like Trump or more like Biden? Or neither? Contact McFeatters at amcfeatters@nationalpress.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 President Trump has called the Mueller investigation a "witch hunt" nearly two hundred times on social media alone. Well, the special counsel concluded he was not a witch. After carefully scrutinizing any links between the Russian government and the Trump campaign, Robert Mueller definitively declared "the investigation did not establish that the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities." He didn't do it. Still, several leading Democrats have called for Trump's impeachment on obstruction-of-justice charges. This is absurd. The lesson of Watergate, we are told, is that the coverup is always worse than the crime. But in Watergate, there was a crime to cover up. We now know that Trump committed no crime. There was nothing to cover up. As Mueller put it, "unlike cases in which a subject engages in obstruction of justice to cover up a crime, the evidence we obtained did not establish that the President was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference." This lack of an "underlying crime" is the source of Trump's justified outrage over the Mueller investigation. Imagine that you were accused of a crime you knew you did not commit, and a special counsel was appointed who spent nearly two years and more than $25 million investigating you. You'd be angry and frustrated. You'd want someone to stand up for you, defend your interests and stop the insanity. For two years, Trump watched as the investigation dragged on, weighing down his presidency. He had to endure being accused of "treason" and crimes of "a size and scope probably beyond Watergate." He listened as members of the House and Senate intelligence committees, and former intelligence officials, led Americans to believe that they had seen secret evidence showing he had colluded with Russia evidence he knew did not exist. Of course, he wanted the investigation to end. But he didn't end it. He didn't obstruct justice because nothing was obstructed. Mueller was allowed to finish his work. The White House cooperated, sharing millions of pages of documents and giving Mueller access to dozens of senior officials. The fact that Trump railed against Mueller to aides and told White House counsel Donald McGahn to fire Mueller (which McGahn did not do and Trump did not press the matter) is not evidence of obstruction; it is evidence of exasperation. The president has a right to vent in private to his staff. Remember, the only reason Mueller knew about his private exchanges with McGahn is because Trump put no restrictions on McGahn's cooperation. The president could have asserted privilege, but declined to do so. He let McGahn spend some 30 hours with Mueller, sharing details, according to The New York Times, "that investigators would not have learned of otherwise." This is evidence of Trump's cooperation, not obstruction. As a result of this cooperation, the special counsel's report contains some embarrassing moments for the president. But it also proves that Trump was telling the truth when it came to the central question of the investigation: He did not conspire with Russia. If Democrats want to purse impeachment nonetheless, then to quote Ronald Reagan quoting Clint Eastwood: "Go ahead, make my day." Impeachment over anything other than a conspiracy with Russia will backfire with the American people and help ensure Trump's reelection. While Democrats debate pursuing impeachment, they are also abusing their powers to get Trump's tax returns in the hope they will provide what the Mueller investigation did not: evidence of something incriminating. Does anyone really believe that the House Ways and Means Committee wants Trump's returns to assess how "the IRS audits and enforces the Federal tax laws against a president"? Please. There is no legitimate legislative purpose for this request. Both the Democrats' attempt to misuse a 1920s law to violate Trump's privacy and their partisan response to the Mueller report make clear that they are seeking any pretext to oust Trump. But the only thing they will succeed in doing is eliciting sympathy for an otherwise unsympathetic president. Follow Marc A. Thiessen on Twitter, @marcthiessen Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 There are Americans cashing their first Social Security checks this year who had better make backup plans. By the time they hit their early 80s, the U.S. government might cut their retirement pay by 25 percent. As for Medicare, get ready to pay a larger share of the bills, retirees, because that crisis is coming on, too, and soon unless the country wakes up to this financial calamity hiding in plain sight. Its amazing what happens to runaway government spending programs that are too popular to change. They become unaffordable and ultimately unsustainable. Thats the situation for Social Security and Medicare, which are on paths to insolvency. Next year, Social Security will need to start dipping into its $3 trillion reserve fund to continue making full payments to retirees, according to an annual government report. That fund would be depleted in 2035, at which time by the current trajectory retirees will get about three-quarters of their benefits. Medicares also in trouble. Its big hospital insurance fund is expected to run out by 2026. If that happens, hospitals and nursing homes wouldnt get their full compensation. Again, if Congress doesnt reform the entitlement programs in some way patients might have to pay out of pocket or see cuts in services. Again, unless the country takes action. There arent any surprises in these premonitions. Social Security and Medicare have been in shaky condition for years, but fixing them will require that members of Congress take up the politically unpopular subject of changing and reducing benefits, or substantially increasing payroll taxes. Recent presidents, including Donald Trump, havent led the charge either. Its much easier for politicians to declare entitlement programs to be too important to touch. The opposite is true, of course: Social Security and Medicare are too important to be left as they are shuffling toward insolvency. Some positive news under the Trump administration is that the economy continues to grow, with unemployment low and wages rising. Because more people now are working and collecting bigger paychecks tax revenue is rising. That puts more money in the entitlement funds. Generally speaking, Americans are feeling better about their financial prospects for retirement, according to a new poll by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. Faster GDP growth alone cant preserve the solvency of these programs, however. Admitting more immigrants, which would expand the number of people making payroll tax contributions, might help. But there is no way to square the circle without curtailing the growth of benefits. There are ways to do so without hurting vulnerable people. One possibility is to curb the growth of benefits to wealthy Americans. Another is to collect more payroll tax from high earners. There are other ideas. They need to be part of the discussion as the 2020 election ramps up. Candidates may prefer to change the subject. Voters, dont let them. This is your future on the line, and your childrens future. Social Security and Medicare are basic protections for millions of Americans. All of us should support gutsy politicians wholl deliver reforms that would keep the programs solvent. The sooner that happens, the less draconian those reforms will be. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 While many reviews are now pointing to the new Huawei P30 Pro camera as being the king of the hill, the Pixel 3 was king just months ago (01, 02, 03 & 04) and it did by using a single lens camera versus their competitors using a dual lens camera, like the iPhone XS Max. The magic behind Pixel 3's camera is Machine Learning. Earlier this month a Google Patent application was published by the European Patent Office that dove into the technology behind Google's camera. Google notes that most competitors use a stereo camera (like the iPhone Xs Max) that is made up of two or more image capture components (cameras) to simultaneously capture multiple images that can be combined in some fashion to create or simulate a 3D stereoscopic image. Although the stereo camera can determine 3D information about the scene, the use of multiple image capture components (cameras) increases the overall cost and complexity involved with producing the stereo camera. Google's patent application, discovered in Europe recently by Patently Mobile, covers the Pixel smartphone camera that uses a depth estimation technique that can be used to estimate the depth of elements in a scene captured as an image by a single camera. Google's patent Figure 5 below depicts a simplified representation of an image capture component (camera) capturing an image of an object; Figure 6 depicts determining the distance between an object and a camera; Figure I0 is a flow chart that shows that the Pixel smartphone uses machine learning to perform the task of creating depth instead of using dual cameras. It's in Block 1002 of Google's patent FIG. 10 that brings machine learning into focus. Google notes that block 1002 may involve performing machine learning-based foreground-background segmentation. Particularly, foreground-background segmentation can be used to determine which pixels of the image belong to the foreground (e.g., a person that is subject of focus) and which pixels belong to the background. In some examples, a neural network is used to perform foreground background segmentation on a captured image. The neural network may analyze the image in order to estimate which pixels represent a primary focus in the foreground and which pixels do not. In further instances, the neural network can be trained to detect pixels that correspond to an object positioned in the foreground of the image. Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) In some implementations, the neural network can be a convolutional neural network (CNN) with skip connections. The term "convolutional" can represent that the learned components of the network are in the form of filters (a weighted sum of the neighbor pixels around each pixel). As such, the CNN may filter the image and then further filter the filtered image. This filtering process using the CNN may be repeated in an iterative manner. In addition, the skip connections associated with the CNN may allow information to easily flow from the early stages in the CNN process where the CNN reasons about low-level features (e.g., colors and edges) up to later stages of the CNN where the CNN reasons about high-level features (e.g., faces and body parts). Combining stages of processing using the CNN can identify and focus upon the desired subject of the image (e.g., focus upon the person), including identifying which pixels correspond to the desired object (e.g., which pixels correspond to the person). Block 1004 may also involve estimating a depth map using the image. Particularly, to enhance a final rendered image that blurs portions of the original image, depth at each point in the scene may be determined and used. In some examples, computing depth may involve using a stereo process. As discussed above, the camera may include pixels that can be divided into subpixels. Google's patent application is titled "Estimating Depth using a Single Camera." To dig further into Google's invention, you could review Google's European patent application under number WO2019070299. It was originally filed in in November 2017 and published by the European Patent Office on April 11, 2019. Note to readers: caution, don't confuse the use of Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) with Fake News CNN. A few of the Key Inventors listed on Google's Patent Yael Pritch Knaan: worked in Google X and in Google AI/Perception developing computational photography / machine learning technologies for the Google Pixel cameras and other Google products. She has more than 50 published papers and patents in her field. Yael Pritch Knaan received her PhD degree in Computer Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and her Post doc in Disney Research Zurich. Her research is in the area of computational photography for video and still images. Rahul Garg: Senior Research Scientist at Google; Computational Photography team in Google Research. Improving the image quality on Google Pixel camera and building magical features. He previously worked on Daydream (VR) team. Marc Levoy: Machine Perception; At Stanford he taught computer graphics, digital photography, and the science of art. At Google he launched Street View, co-designed the library book scanner, and currently leads a team whose projects include HDR+ mode, Portrait mode, and Night Sight mode on Pixel cameras, and the Jump light field camera. One More Thing While the single camera on the Pixel 3 XL takes amazing photos, that doesn't instantly mean that its superior to the dual camera set-up on the iPhone XS Max. While MacRumors favored the iPhone XS Max ever so slightly over the Pixel 3 XL, the reviewer in their video did eventually say that it was a toss up, which would give the Pixel 3 camera the win based on accomplishing their photos with with a single camera and best-use of Machine Learning. Technical aspects aside, iPhone fans love their iPhone photos and hopefully the new 2019 iPhones will be able to challenge the Huawei P30 that offers an awesome new zoom camera that I only wish I had on my iPhone XR. It crushes any smartphone camera in respect to zoom. With Huawei going out of its way to mock the iPhone's camera at every turn during their late March Keynote, I'm hoping that Apple will be able to land a few punches of their own against Huawei later this year. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus. Patna: In yet another road accident in Patna, one person died when his motorcycle was hit from behind by a Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) bus near the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) on Bailey Road on Saturday afternoon. The victim was identified as 27-year old medical representative Om Prakash, a native of Aurangabad who lived with his wife of three years and a one-year old daughter in the Vinayak Enclave Apartments in Raja Bazaar. According to the police report, Om Prakash was going to his office on his motorcycle when a BSRTC bus hit him from behind. As the victim fell on the ground, he was ran over by the same bus that killed him instantly. The victim was wearing a helmet when the tragedy occurred. The passengers of the bus forced the driver to stop the vehicle after which he was overpowered and handed over to the police when it arrived. The driver was identified as Ara native Jitendra Kumar Singh. The body of the victim was sent to the IGIMS for an autopsy. Incidentally, both his wife and his daughter, who celebrated her first birthday on Friday, had gone to Aurangabad a few days ago. Om Prakash could not go to the village due to his work schedule, his younger brother Prakash said. HARRISBURG Jenna Rappaport does not want the story of her grandfather, Jacob Weinstock, to be forgotten. He was born in Poland in 1919 and worked as a tailor until he, like so many others, was ripped from his family and held prisoner in a camp, on the verge of starvation, in constant fear. He survived, but his parents and his siblings did not. He came to Harrisburg in 1949, started a family, and today, his granddaughter shared his story of survival. And survivors guilt. Today is Yom Hashoah, a day to commemorate and remember the Holocaust, and about 50 people gathered at the Harrisburg Jewish Community Center as they do each year after Passover. But today, they had yet another tragedy to mourn. One person was killed and three were injured in a shooting yesterday at the Chabad of Poway synagogue outside of San Diego. The timing would have been, in California, they would have just concluded the memorial prayers, or would have been about to say the memorial prayers, when the murder took place, said Rabbi Eric Cytryn of the Beth El Temple in Harrisburg. Its especially poignant for us to think about our brothers and sisters in faith who were in California. People are really shocked. This is just six months after the tragic events in Pittsburgh, said Jennifer Ross, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg. But with today being Yom Hashoah, and with a program already scheduled, she added that it is also an opportunity to come together to reflect and seek solace as a community. Both shootings mark the worst cases of anti-Semitism, she said, adding, People are really scared and troubled. Todays event featured several speakers, including Carlisle student Luka Joy, whose essay was the winner of the Schwab Holocaust Essay Contest, as well as Rappaport, a local Holocaust educator, who shared what her family knows about the experiences of her grandfather. Both left those attending with similar reminders these stories must be told so that we do not forget. For todays youth, the Holocaust is often a short lesson in our history classes, and sometimes, its not even taught at all, Luka said. If any information is recalled, its often the staggering fact that 6 million people were killed. But the victims, survivors and their stories are often forgotten. Rappaport is doing what she can to make sure that does not happen to her grandfathers story. Some survivors, she said, considered sharing their stories a sacred mission. Other survivors, like my grandfather, had different experiences, she said. Their trauma left them speechless. He lost everything. His parents. His siblings. A fiancee whose name the family never learned. And he came to Harrisburg penniless in 1949 to start over. The family had put together some bits and pieces over the years. Stories about how, as a tailor, he would mend Nazi officers uniforms and be rewarded with a slice of bread or a potato, which often meant survival in his horrific conditions. And stories about how he only survived the final massacre at his camp by hiding in the mud until the Allies arrived as the Nazis attempted to leave no witnesses. Todays event, though, started with another story -- a response to the Chabad of Poway shooting, and a call to come together to end violence. We are devastated by the death of Lori Gilbert-Kaye, who is being remembered as a kind and giving woman, who died the way she lived, putting others before herself, Rabbi Ron Muroff said today. She was killed protecting the rabbi during the shooting. Together, we stand in solidarity. Together, we work to build a community of genuine respect and appreciation. Together, we recognize that an attack on any of us is an attack on all of us, Muroff said. Enough is enough. PITTSBURGH (AP) The Pittsburgh synagogue that six months ago was the site of the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history held a vigil and offered its sympathy after another deadly shooting Saturday at a synagogue near San Diego, saying such violence must end. "It was only six months ago to the day that we became members of that tragic club of community-based shootings to which no one wants to belong," read the statement from Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue. "We know first-hand the fear, anguish and healing process such an atrocity causes, and our hearts are with the afflicted San Diego families and their congregation. We will not give in to H(asterisk)," the statement read. "These senseless acts of violence and prejudice must end," it continued. "Enough is enough!" Dozens of Pittsburgh residents gathered Saturday evening for a vigil of song and prayer on a corner outside the synagogue, joined by Mayor Bill Peduto and Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, who himself survived the October attack on Tree of Life. Audrey Glickman, left, and Dan Leger both of Squirrel Hill, right, embrace during the six-month anniversary of the Tree of Life mass shooting, Saturday, April 27, 2019, in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh synagogue that six months ago was the site of the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history offered its sympathy after another deadly shooting Saturday at a synagogue near San Diego, saying such violence must end. (Michael M. Santiago/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP)AP Peduto tweeted a picture of the vigil, accompanied by text that read: "We gather. Again. Always. Until we drive hate speech & acts of hate out of our city, our state, our nation, our world." Meanwhile, Pittsburgh's Public Safety Department said it was monitoring the situation and would increase security as necessary. It urged members of the public to remain vigilant and alert emergency officials if they saw anything suspicious. "We understand this heartache all too well," Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said in a news release. "Our thoughts are with those in the San Diego area, and our actions locally are and will continue to be focused on keeping everyone safe." Authorities say John Earnest, 19, opened fire inside the Chabad of Poway synagogue Saturday as worshippers celebrated the last day of Passover, killing a woman and wounding the rabbi and two other people. A person identifying himself as John Earnest posted an anti-Jewish screed online about an hour before the attack and cited the suspects accused of carrying out deadly attacks on mosques in New Zealand last month and at Tree of Life. Eleven people died and seven were wounded in the shooting at Tree of Life on Oct. 27. Truck driver Robert Bowers, 46, of Baldwin, Pennsylvania, pleaded not guilty to carrying out the attack, during which authorities say he expressed hatred of Jews. For the past three months I have made bi-monthly trips to Harrisburg to talk with our state legislators about democracy. Its not easy to sit down for long conversations with legislators - many of whom are trained to distract and deflect. However, I made the trip because I believe that democracy is broken in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is one of only nine states with no limitations on what kinds of gifts lobbyists can give our legislators. We are the fifth most corrupt state in the country according to the Electoral Integrity Project. I learned that over the past 10 years: The gas industry has spent $69.6 million to lobby our state representatives Big Pharma has spent $880 million nationwide and employs 82 lobbyists in our Capitol. Our team of non-partisan, citizen lobbyists spoke about five pieces of nonpartisan democracy reform: Bills that would ban bribery by placing common sense limitations on what lobbyists can gift our legislators, end gerrymandering by creating an Independent Redistricting Commission, and make voting more accessible by allowing for same day voter registration, semi-open primaries and no-excuse absentee ballots. We know our legislators do not want to give up their perks, so we will be marching from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, and when we arrive May 6 we have a planned civil action to demand a vote on our bills. Visit our website www.mohpa.org to learn more and join us. Especially when it is not easy, our democracy is worth fighting for. Carol Stowell, Paradise Township, York County The Harrisburg School District has come to some of its senses and will comply with the states request for its financial records. The decision came shortly after the state Department of Education suspended $10.9 million in federal grants in response to the districts refusal to provide direct access to its electronic databases. The Harrisburg School District Board held a special meeting to vote on hiring in-house solicitor James Ellison, Monday, April 22, 2019. Harrisburg residents speak during the meeting. Vicki Vellios Briner | Special to PennLiveVicki Vellios Briner | Special to PennLive And it comes after the leaders of unions representing teachers, principals and other district employees gave their consent to cooperating with the states request. That effectively removed the administrations pretense of acting to protect employee records from outside scrutiny. The Department of Education wants the records as part of an audit launched last fall after a series of district scandals, including: A transportation supervisor accused of embezzling $180,000. The administrations over-hiring of 37 teachers for un-budgeted positions. Continued health care coverage for 54 employees who had recently resigned. While the districts reluctance to release the records has fueled suspicions the auditors will find yet more problems, the release of the electronic records is a welcome development. But its too little too late. State Education Secretary Pedro Rivera responds to lawmakers' questions at Monday's budget hearing before the House Appropriations Committee about Gov. Tom Wolf's proposal to raise the state's minimum teacher salary. We urge the state to take control of the Harrisburg School District. The impasse was only the latest sign of the consistently poor judgment school directors and administrators have shown in managing the school system - all in full view of voters and taxpayers. Poor judgment was on full display again last Monday, when a majority of the board ignored public concerns and voted to rehire James Ellison as in-house solicitor. Ellison has been a lightning rod for controversy here and, more recently, in Coatesville where he was accused of over-billing and questionable legal judgment at that district. Years of poor judgment and mismanagement has resulted in continually dismal student achievement rates, skyrocketing teacher turnover, and loss of public trust in the administration and the board of directors. An estimated 90 percent of Harrisburg students failed to meet proficient standards in algebra, biology and literature in the latest testing. They can do better. But they wont do better if they dont have committed teachers who feel supported by administrators and school directors. Harrisburg teachers are planning to rally at the district's school board meeting Tuesday to send a message to the district: adequately pay veteran teachers. Last fall, PennLive reported that 15 percent of first-year teachers left the district in 2017, the highest number ever. Downey Elementary had a complete turnover in third grade teachers and a 67-percent turnover in fourth grade teachers. The chronic failures of the school system will require a comprehensive solution, including new, responsible leadership that can restore the publics trust. We have tolerated the chaos and dysfunction in Harrisburg schools for too long. It is beyond time to act, for the sake of Harrisburgs children. Special Counsel Robert Mueller claims correctly that a traditional prosecution or declination decision is a binary choice to prosecute or not to prosecute. Mueller was able to make a decision regarding collusion, so why couldnt he make one regarding obstruction? He claims he couldnt because the Office of Legal Counsel had previously opined that a sitting president cannot be indicted; he also claims it would be unfair to accuse the president of committing a crime without indicting him and thus denying him the right to defend himself in court to clear his name. Then why did Mueller spend millions of taxpayer dollars investigating the President for obstruction when he wouldnt indict him for it anyway? Mueller claims he was creating and preserving a record for the future, perhaps when Trump is no longer President and thus can be indicted. But he also wrote that he was concerned that indicting Trump would, preempt constitutional processes for addressing presidential misconduct. What does he mean? Read his footnote; he means impeachment. So, Mueller didnt charge obstruction because he didnt want to preempt the Democrats impeachment plans. Instead of performing his duty as a prosecutor, Mueller was creating a roadmap to impeachment. Mueller made a political decision, not a legal one. He was appointed to investigate any coordination between the Trump campaign and the Russian government to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. He was authorized to prosecute any federal crimes arising from his investigation. He admitted there was no evidence of collusion, conspiracy or even the made-up crime called, coordination. Yet on corruption, instead of reaching the obvious and same conclusion, he deferred to Congress. But Mueller is a prosecutor, not a member of Congress. His job is to enforce the criminal code, not to facilitate impeachment. Where Mueller played the politician, Attorney General William Barr played the prosecutor. Barr determined the evidence established by Mueller was insufficient to establish an obstruction of justice charge. In reaching that decision, Barr based his conclusion on the evidence, which is what prosecutors are supposed to do. Barr even examined the evidence using Muellers unconventional legal theory that a person can be charged with obstruction for carrying out his lawful duties, and still found none. Mueller, on the other hand, laid out the factual issues that he believes could support an obstruction charge: public attacks on the investigation, non-public efforts to control it, and efforts in both public and private to encourage witnesses not to cooperate with the investigation. First, public criticism cannot constitute obstruction; the President like any American has the 1st Amendment right to criticize the government, including the agents who prosecute him. Even if one disregards the constitution, the facts reveal that although the President criticized the investigation, he did nothing to hinder it. Second, the President has the constitutional duty to take care that the laws are faithfully executed; that duty includes efforts to control any federal investigation. And whether he acknowledges it or not, the Special Counsel ultimately works under the President. Again, if one disregards the constitution and examines just the facts one reaches that same conclusion; there was no evidence that the President actually controlled the investigation. The evidence reveals the opposite. Mueller reports that Trump wanted him removed for a conflict of interest. Well, he wasnt; he wasnt even asked. Mueller reports that Trump wanted then Attorney General Jeff Sessions to un-recuse himself. Well, he didnt. And, the Presidents response, Im not going to do anything or direct you to do anything. I just want to be treated fairly. The third factual issue is the only one that could possibly be in the realm of obstruction of justice. But, upon examination of the facts, not Muellers characterization of them, there is no there, there. Mueller claims Trump made, efforts in both public and private to encourage witnesses not to cooperate with the investigation. Muellers best proof? Michael Cohen claiming that the Presidents personal counsel told him to stay on message and not contradict the President. Yet, Michael Cohen had plead guilty to lying to Congress and was trying to save himself from a long prison sentence. He lacks any credibility. In the end, Special Counsel Bob Mueller has done significant damage to the Trump presidency. Because he refused to do what he was appointed to do, he has fueled the fires of impeachment. So, now well spend the next year and half with Democrats beating the drums of impeachment even though the Special Counsel exonerated the President of committing the crime for which the Special Counsel was appointed, and the Attorney General cleared the president of obstruction of justice. Mueller reports that Trump complained the appointment of the Special Counsel will end his presidency. Lets hope the American people see this for what it is a political prosecution, not a legal one. As a practicing physician and president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society, I applaud the announcement April 11 that Rite Aid will stop carrying e-cigarettes and vaping products in its 2,400 stores. Rite Aid, one of our countrys largest pharmacy chains based in Camp Hill, Pa., sent a clear message about the dangers of e-cigarettes that I hope others will follow. While some feel e-cigarettes help people trying to quit tobacco products, its important to note that e-cigarettes are not FDA-approved for medical use and contain nicotine an addictive chemical also found in tobacco. Most concerning is its use among teens. Teenage tobacco use had been declining until recently, but last year e-cigarette use fueled a 38 percent increase among high school students and a 29 percent surge among middle school students, according data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bryan Everett, Rite Aids chief operating officer, cited the alarming statistics regarding the use of e-cigarettes and vaping products by children and teens for the reason his company decided to stop selling the product. Under federal law, it is illegal for stores to sell vaping products to minors. However, while Pennsylvania state law allows police to charge minors for buying tobacco products or bringing them to school, it doesnt cover vaping products. That could change soon, as our lawmakers in Harrisburg are considering a bill that would restrict those 18 and under from purchasing e-cigarettes or other nicotine products. House Bill (HB) 97, introduced by Rep. Kathy Rapp, unanimously passed the House in late March and now awaits consideration in the state Senate. The Pennsylvania Medical Society supports HB 97 and believes e-cigarette laws should be equivalent to Pennsylvania tobacco cigarette laws, including its taxation and ban to minors. We also think its vitally important to educate teenagers on the potential dangers of e-cigarettes the same way we do for tobacco use. Rite Aids announcement was an important first step to protect our youth from this dangerous product. I hope youll hear similar news from our lawmakers in the coming weeks. Danae Powers, MD, is president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society. She is a practicing anesthesiologist who resides in State College, Pa. The Pennsylvania Medical Society represents 21,000 physicians, medical students, and medical practice managers throughout the state. Last Sunday, Ukrainians went to the pollsinstead of the streetsto vote for their next President in an historic election. Ukraines long history is full of ups and downs. The past 28 years alone have included the imprisonment of a Prime Minister by a sitting President, countless corruption scandals, and two life-changing revolutions. As the national anthem says, Ukraines glory and freedom are not dead yet. Sunday proved that once again. There are many commentaries on the newly elected Volodymyr Zelenskya 41-year old celebrity comedian and political neophyte, who spent the last decade on Ukrainian television, has an Instagram following that even the Kardashians would respect, and promised to get rid of old politicians. This may be reminiscent of the President of the United States and our recent electionsand it is. But why should Pennsylvanians care? Ukraines 2019 Presidential election reinforced what those of us who lived firsthand the 2016 U.S. election knowa TV star who has been in your home makes voters comfortable with him/her, social media is now one of the most important ways to reach voters, citizens expect information communicated to them in engaging and fast-paced ways, and everyone is fed up with the status quo, especially with politicians who enrich themselves and seemingly do little for citizens. The Ukrainian 2019 Presidential election also reinforced that Putin is looking to create disruptions to and foment distrust in democratic systems wherever he canthrough disinformation campaigns on its own channels and on ours, by leveraging social media inside a country to affect outcomes of elections, and, as we learned through the Mueller Report last week, to coordinate with a campaign and provide them information that would support their preferred candidate. In the Ukrainian election, Russias preferred candidate was anyone but the current president. In a sense, Putin got his way and did so without pushing very hard. Ukrainians were rejecting corruption and the status quo by choosing Zelensky, and this choice happens to coincide with Putins anti-Poroshenko preference. Still, Russia repeatedly tried to attack election-related technology infrastructure, as the National Democratic Institutes international observation mission reported. I observed the election in Kharkiv, where Russian-aligned sources made bomb threats throughout election day. The safety of the citizens of Kharkiv and its visitors, thankfully, was not compromised. However, they proved successful in drawing attention away from the proud, hardworking men and (mostly!) women, many of them young people, at the well-run polling stations, and unnecessarily wasted the time and resources of security services. Russian physical and virtual attacks on Ukraine will continue, especially as the country ramps up for its parliamentary elections, slated for the fall. The results of Russias virtual attacks to the United States 2016 election still linger and, in fact, their efforts to affect our 2020 election have already begun. Because of its geographic placement, the United States has not been susceptible to physical Russian attacks. Ukraine, however, is a beacon of democracy trapped between Putins Russia, Andrzej Dudas Poland, and Victor Orbans Hungary--three presidents who insist on curtailing the rights of their citizens and prescribing day-to-day life by intimidation and their rules, not the rule of law. Pennsylvanias Ukrainian roots run deepfrom the barber shops of northeast Philadelphia, to the annual varenyky (Ukrainian version of pierogi) sale at the Ukrainian church in Reading, to the halupki (stuffed cabbage) at the summer food festival in Berwick. But our immigrant heritage isnt the only reason we should care about what happens in Ukraine. What happens in Ukraine and how its elections are influenced by outside forces, especially Russia, is an early warning system for what will happen in the United States. It is in Americas national security interest to continue to support Ukraine and its ambitions to be a member of NATO and the European Union. And, it is in our own best interest and the health of Americas democracy to watch closely how the Putin regime attempts to manipulate Ukrainian elections in order to understand how they are undermining ours. Together, we can ensure that, throughout the world, citizens voices--in their most honest and truthful form--are heard loud and clear. Christina M. Hartman is a global democracy advocate, who served as an international election observer for the National Democratic Institute during the 2019 Ukrainian Presidential elections. She ran for Congress in Pennsylvanias 16th district in 2016. Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski filed his report on Richard Nixon with the federal courts in March, 1974. It remained sealed for 44 years. Now public, it shows a clear effort to apply the letter of the law and, more than anything, to give Congress a road map to help it decide whether to impeach the President. Similarly, the Mueller Report did not grandstand or make final conclusions about guilt or innocence. It uncovered scurrilous behavior including numerous times where the President actually gave orders to obstruct justice. The report also details interactions with Russian operatives before, during, and after the 2016 campaign. In one negotiation that continued through the summer of 2016 - when Trump was the GOP Nominee for the President of the United States - Trump and his cohorts pursued a billion dollar deal for the Moscow Trump tower. Redacted portions of the report will come to light in other investigations. These involve hush money payments to a porn star that may have violated campaign laws, misappropriation of Trump Foundation funds, Trump Inauguration finances, and a dozen other ongoing proceedings. When Special Prosecutor Ken Starr investigated the Clintons, he spent three years looking under every rock possible and leaked slanted and questionable information on a regular basis. Starr finally focused in on a single charge of perjury - the President lied to cover up an affair with a White House intern. That was enough for one U.S. House Judiciary Committee member to pronounce: You dont even have to be convicted of a crime to lose your job (as president) in this Constitutional Republic, if this body determines your conduct as a public official is clearly out of bounds in your role. Impeachment is not about punishment. Impeachment is about cleansing the office. Impeachment is about restoring honor and integrity to the office. That Representative - now Senator Lindsey Graham - had it right then and it still applies. The Mueller Report is a jaw dropping document that depicts a President and staff totally unconcerned about the rule of law. The President attempts to fire the Special Prosecutor. He belittles his own Attorney General until he is forced out of his position. President Trump (he of the big brain and best memory) answers thirty seven times that he couldnt recall meetings or conversations about Russian meddling. Sarah Sanders said countless FBI agents had contacted her to express their lack of confidence in FBI Director Comey. Under oath she called that statement a slip of the tongue. No, Sarah. You lied. As did President Trump thousands of times during his first 2-1/2 years in office. So the essential question for the legislative branch of government is: Impeach or do not impeach. Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post makes this case: Robert Mueller delivered a searing indictment of a President who has no idea what honor and integrity even mean (and) and who tried his best to impede a lawful Justice Department investigation. With the Mueller road map Robinson sees impeachment as the Constitutional duty of the U.S. House. Further, President Trumps own behavior after the release of the report provides more reason for the House to act. After a 22 month investigation and the array of indiscretions brought forth, is the President chastened at all? Hardly. He remains on a victory lap weaponizing his own ludicrous spinning of the report. Despite his rallying cries and the rubber stamp of approval that he got from his hand-picked AG, William Barr, the President is nowhere near exoneration. Especially on the issue of obstruction of justice, the House Judiciary Committee would be justified in considering articles of impeachment immediately. And this does not include the evidence that may be included in sealed grand jury information and Trumps financial and tax records. The remaining considerations are political. The conventional wisdom is that the Republicans damaged their brand by impeaching President Clinton on flimsy grounds. There is no question that the rationale for impeachment of our current President is much more compelling than either Clinton or Nixon but the Democrats are right to proceed thoughtfully. Carry on, Rep. Nadler and Rep. Schiff. Please do ask the necessary follow-up questions and hold hearings that are fair but insightful. Speaker Pelosi, please do continue to focus on health care, workforce development, criminal justice, and the host of issues that are finally getting the legislative attention they deserve. But, armed with the Mueller road map, and if the case is bolstered by further investigations, do not fail to do your Constitutional duty. Impeach. Mark S. Singel served as the 27th lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania from 1987 to 1995, alongside Gov. Bob Casey. He was acting governor from June 14 to Dec. 13, 1993, when Casey got sick. This column serves as the liberal counterpart to Charlie Gerow as part of the Donkey & Elephants series of contrasting opinions, although Gerow was unable to write this week. South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg announces that he will seek the Democratic presidential nomination. AP Photo/Darron Cummings In recent weeks, Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg has captured wide media attention. One reason is that Buttigieg is the first openly gay presidential candidate. Another is that he has been unguarded in speaking about his religious beliefs, arguing that his faith shapes his politics. In a recent interview, Buttigieg said that Christian faith can lead one in a progressive direction. He has also argued that Christianity teaches skepticism of the wealthy and the powerful and the established while elsewhere expressing concern that in the U.S. concentrated wealth has begun to turn into concentrated power. These arguments are all the more striking since Buttigieg is from Indiana. According to a 2014 Pew survey, twice as many of the states voters identify as conservative than as liberal. Moreover, self-identified conservatives significantly outnumber liberals among Indiana Christians. It might seem that Buttigiegs convictions are at odds with the beliefs of many people in his state. A century ago, however, views such as Buttigiegs flourished in the Midwest. A progressive religious movement As a historian of U.S. religion, I have studied the vibrant period for religious liberalism in the early 1900s. Indiana and nearby Midwestern states were at the center of a movement the Social Gospel movement that linked Christianity with progressive politics. The movement gained wide popularity in American Protestantism at the beginning of the 20th century. Its proponents proclaimed the need to improve the world rather than focusing on being saved in the next life, which was the common message espoused in most U.S. churches. One exemplar of the Midwestern roots of the Social Gospel was the Methodist clergyman Francis J. McConnell, who became known as an advocate for progressive policies. McConnell grew up in a small-town in Ohio before attending Ohio Wesleyan University. From 1909 to 1912, he served as president of DePauw University in central Indiana. While there, he published a book that made arguments similar to Buttigiegs belief that faith should inspire social action. McConnell insisted, The moral impulse calls for the betterment of all the conditions of human living. Historian Susan Curtis writes that McConnell participated in the promotion of an evolving welfare state. There were other prominent Social Gospel proponents who lived and worked across the Midwest at the time. From his Columbus, Ohio, church, Washington Gladden became famous for urging greater protection for workers and the poor. Further west, in Kansas, the minister Charles Sheldon published the book, In His Steps, in 1896. It urged Christians to improve the lives of those around them. A religious challenge to big business It wasnt just the presence of these leaders in the region more important was the resonance of the message of the Social Gospel there. Small cities and towns in the Midwest were the heartland of the Social Gospel. The Social Gospels critique of big business resonated in communities throughout the Midwest. The movement emerged in response to the development of massive national corporations in the late 19th century. These companies consolidated wealth and power in large cities, often quite distant from Midwestern communities. Demands for a social safety net for workers were rising in places like Columbus and Indianapolis as much as in larger metropolises like New York or Philadelphia. These leaders urged the creation of a social safety net to provide a living wage for all workers. They also advocated increased government oversight of corporations, which they believed had grown too large. At a time when many churches supported big business, this was a counter-cultural position. Lecturing back in his home state of Ohio in 1912, McConnell likened modern corporate kings to the absolute monarchs of previous centuries. Similar to rulers of earlier times, corporate titans exerted great power at a distance and could inflict harm. McConnell believed organized Christianity could inspire people to challenge big business. Corporations thrive best morally when they enjoy the full light of publicity, he wrote. Like Buttigieg, who argues that his Christian belief makes him skeptical of the effects of concentrated wealth, these Midwesterners saw Christianity as the antidote to distant corporate power. New life for an old message Over the last few years, observers have noted the resurgence of a religious left inspired by the ideals of the Social Gospel. With Pete Buttigieg, the religious left has its most prominent political leader to date and from the part of the country that was historically important for its emergence. David Mislin, Assistant Professor of Intellectual Heritage, Temple University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. One year later, more than 129,000 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in region As of December 18, the Health Department of Northwest Michigan has given 61,424 of COVID-19 doses across its service area of Antrim, Charlevoix, Emmet and Otsego counties. . - -300, -400 -500 - . ... AVONDALE, La. -- Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer shared the lead with Scott Stallings and Trey Mullinax as the Zurich Classic of New Orleans finally got back on schedule. Rahm and Palmer played 30 holes Saturday in the event delayed by rain for more than seven hours Thursday, finishing off a 7-under 65 in the alternate-shot second round and shooting 64 in best-ball play in the third. "It's been 4:30 four nights in a row," Palmer said. "Dinners at 9 and back up at 4:30. Took its toll on me. Just feeding me sugar and food trying to keep my energy up. Tomorrow we'll be on a lot of rest. If we're on tomorrow in alternate shot, we're going to be hard to beat." Rahm carried the team in the third round, with the Spaniard making eight birdies. "He's just fun to be around," Palmer said. "He's actually a great guy. I've enjoyed every second with him. When you're up close and personal and watching it and see the shots he can hit around the green, you know, his short game is phenomenal. You can learn something from that, too, so I learned a lot. Honor to be a part of it." Palmer saved bogey with an 8-footer on the par-3 17th after both players hit into the water, and Rahm made a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th to match Stallings and Mullinax at 23-under 193. "That putt Ryan made was probably the most important shot we made so far in the tournament," Rahm said. "Felt like a birdie, and then to keep tied for the lead, very important." Stallings and Mullinax played 27 holes, shooting 70-62. "We play a lot of practice rounds together," Stallings said. "We've known each other for a few years. Just kind of we played so much together it just kind of made sense. We know each other's games pretty well." Mullinax looked ahead to the final round. "I really enjoy alternate shot," Mullinax said. "Scott hits the ball great. Hitting it nice. We're both putting well. I don't feel like there is much pressure on us. Just go out and do our thing." Brandan Grace and Justin Harding were a stroke back. The South Africans played 32 holes, shooting 68-61. "I think we played 50 odd holes," Harding joked. "We certainly moved up the board. It's just a matter of continuing the momentum throughout the rounds." Peter Malnati and Billy Hurley III were 20 under. They shot 66 after finishing the second round Friday. Sergio Garcia and Tommy Fleetwood were another stroke back with the teams of Joel Dahmen-Brandon Harkins, Austin Cook-Andrew Landry, Hank Lebioda-Curtis Luck, Russell Henley-Ryan Blaum and Russell Knox-Brian Stuard. Brothers Brooks and Chase Koepka topped the group at 18 under along with Henrik Stenson and Graeme McDowell. AVONDALE, La. (AP) -- Ryan Palmer and Jon Rahm shot a 3-under 69 in the alternate-shot final round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans on Sunday to win the PGA TOUR's only team event by three strokes over Sergio Garcia and Tommy Fleetwood. The victory was the fourth on TOUR for the 42-year-old Palmer, but first in nearly a decade. Having last won in 2010 at the Sony Open in Hawaii, Palmer waved and gave a thumbs-up to TV cameras as he walked up the 18th fairway with a throng of fans applauding his and Rahm's impending triumph. The 24-year-old Rahm won his third TOUR title -- one each in three straight seasons. He finished in the top 10 for the seventh time this year. Palmer-Rahm finished with a 26-under 262 total at the TPC Louisiana, which had dried out considerably since heavy rain delayed the first round by more than seven hours and forced many players to play more than 18 holes on Friday and Saturday to get the event back on schedule. Opening the final round tied atop the leaderboard with Scott Stallings and Trey Mullinax, Palmer-Rahm surged to a two-stroke lead in just two holes after Stallings-Mullinax bogeyed the first hole and Rahm nearly holed out from the fringe to set up Palmer's 1-foot birdie putt on the par-5 second. Palmer-Rahm never lost the lead after that, making birdies on 13 and 14 at virtually the same time Garcia-Fleetwood were making birdie on 17 and 18. From there, they just had to avoid mistakes -- and did. The teams of Kyoung-Hoon Lee-Matt Every and Brian Gay-Rory Sabbatini tied for third, five shots behind. Four teams tied for fifth at 20 under, four more tied for ninth at 19 under and defending champions Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy were among five teams tied for 13th at 18 under. The winners each earned 400 FedExCup points and took home $1.05 million, moving Rahm up to nearly $3.1 million this season and Palmer to about $2.3 million. Three days of sunshine made the greens increasingly faster, and a number of players struggled to adjust on Sunday, regularly rolling putts several feet past the hole. Palmer and Rahm, however, thrived on the greens. Palmer made two putts from around 6 feet one from 7, one from 8 and one from 11. Rahm made a 13-foot birdie putt on 10 and dropped in a putt from nearly 24 feet to save par on 15. The Zurich format was best-ball in the first and third rounds, allowing players to be more aggressive. But bad shots held the potential to derail alternate shot rounds because players had to deal with the lies their teammates left them. Palmer and Rahm didn't misfire often in the final round, but when one of them did, the other responded well. Rahm slammed his driver into the turf after pulling his tee shot through trees and into the waste bunker on 12. But Palmer responded with a 195-yard shot that landed just short of the green, and sank a 6-foot putt two shots later to save par. One hole later, Rahm's psyche appeared fully restored as bounced a 71-yard chip off the flag on 13 to set up Palmer's short birdie putt. By contrast, Stallings-Mullinax faded on the back nine, where they bogeyed the 11th and 13th and double-bogeyed the 16th after Mullinax's tee shot went into the water left of the fairway. They finished the round with a 5-over par 77 and tied for 13th overall. Bubba Watson, arguably the most popular player on the course, playing a three-hours' drive from his native Bagdad, Florida, appeared primed to make a run with partner J.B. Holmes after they'd birdied the fourth, seventh and eighth holes to move to 20 under. But after Holmes narrowly missed a birdie putt on 9, Watson left an approach shot on 10, which the tandem bogeyed. Holmes narrowly missed another birdie putt on 11, and then pulled his drive on 12, forcing Watson to chip back to the fairway while leaning against a tree. They bogeyed that hole and then squandered Watson's booming drive on 13 by three-putting for bogey. After a double bogey on 15 and another bogey on 16, they wound up tied for 34th, 13 shots back. AVONDALE, La. Branden Grace wanted to make something very clear hes actually younger than Justin Harding, his partner this week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Evidently, theres a perception that Grace, who turns 31 next month, is the grizzled veteran compared to the boyish-looking Harding, who turned 33 in February. I just want to state that, Grace said. A lot of people are asking me. He seems too young. And so is their partnership thats in prime contention entering Sundays final round of Foursomes at TPC Louisiana. A third-round 61 in Four-balls (the low score of the round) moved them to 22 under, just one shot off the lead shared by Jon Rahm/Ryan Palmer and Scott Stallings/Trey Mullinax. Although the two South Africans have known each other for many years, having played against each other as juniors, this week is the first time theyve competed with each other. Grace, of course, has teamed with Louis Oosthuizen as one of the International Teams most productive duos at the Presidents Cup. Harding, meanwhile, has never made a Presidents Cup team, and is making his first start at the Zurich Classic, as he plays mostly on the European Tour. This might be the first time weve actually played together as a team or as a partnership, Harding said. We tend to play against each other more. Grace and Ooosthuizen were partners at TPC Louisiana in 2017, finishing T-24. They were supposed to play together last year, but Grace withdrew to be his wife as she delivered their first child. U.S. Army Colonel Lynn Ray, center, receives the Eagle Rank pins during her promotion ceremony to Colonel from her brother Yvon Dessus, left, and Lieutenant General Todd T. Semonite, right, the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Read more Second Lt. Lynn Ray looked across the cluttered field in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and wondered how she was going to build a school on an overgrown junkyard in an area so impoverished that children went without clothing, and sheets substituted as window glass in the small, unstable homes. You think you know poverty, said Ray, a North Philadelphia native. You dont know poverty until you go to some of these countries. It was 1998, and the Philadelphia High School for Girls graduate was the officer in charge of 54 soldiers with the U.S. Armys 27th Engineer Battalion, who worked as carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and stone masons for the Airborne unit. Under Rays direction, the group cleared weeds, discarded trash, drew up blueprints, and hired local citizens to help with 24-hour construction. They hung ceiling fans and chalkboards, then sanded and stained handmade desks and chairs for the one story, two-room elementary school all in just four months. It felt so good to be able to do something, she said. It was a turning point in my life." It was just one of the many times over her 31-year military career that Ray showed the mettle and leadership that would capture the attention of her commanders and earn the respect of her subordinates. On April 4, Ray, who had become a lieutenant colonel assigned to the Pentagon, was promoted to full colonel. She joined a select group of soldiers who have risen to the rank in the regular active-duty Army, where women make up only 11 percent of all colonels, and African American women just 2 percent. Ray never planned on being in the military, much less an officer. The culture at Girls High, a 171-year-old college-prep school, was one in which students were expected to be strong, forward-thinking, and make good grades, she said. So her sights were set on college. They made sure you understood you could do anything, said Ray, who, at Girls, grew accustomed to seeing women in strong leadership roles. One of nine siblings, Ray had an adventurous spirit and enough self-confidence to ride city buses to and from grade school by herself, said her sister Christia Lee, 65, a neonatal nurse at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. She always had a book, said Lee. She loved going to school. She didnt want to miss a day. Rays love of learning began at an early age when she would spend time pronouncing words from local newspapers. She quickly moved on to books on theory to learn about how things worked. By high school, her choice of reading material leaned toward the classics. These days, history books are on her nightstand. After graduation from Girls High, Ray attended Tuskegee Institute now Tuskegee University in Alabama. But when the student loans piled up, she left school to enlist in the U.S. Army, with plans to take advantage of the GI Bill. She soon found herself jumping out of planes. I loved it, she said. It hit all the things that made me feel good about being in this country. While enlisted, Ray returned to college, earning her bachelor of science degree at Campbell University in North Carolina, and a masters degree in public administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. During her three-decade tenure, she has been assigned to bases in North Carolina, Georgia, Kansas, the United States Military Academy at West Point, and the Pentagon. She has also served in Panama, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Iraq. After her time in Afghanistan, Ray was selected to be an Army legislative liaison officer for the U.S. Senate, planning trips abroad for congressional members. In 2013, Ray accompanied U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) to a refugee camp along the border of Turkey that held about 17,000 who had fled the civil war in Syria. While there, she bonded with a 10-year-old girl who followed the entourage as they toured the camp. The two posed for a photo. A month later, Ray was back at the childs camp. The first person I see is her, said Ray. The girl broke from a group and took Ray to the camp hair salon. There on the wall hung a photo of the two of them. Ray was struck that the girl even remembered her. It was a humbling experience for me, said Ray, who now displays in her Virginia home her own photo of herself and the girl. Brig. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral met Ray in 2015 when they were stationed in Fort Hood, Texas. Lynn is definitely a collaborative leader, said Admiral. She wants to ensure everyone feels a part of the team and has buy-in. If the person with the right answer was the most junior person on the team, then thats who Ray would listen to, Admiral said. This lesson spread across her formation and greatly improved the morale and effectiveness of Rays unit. Ray brings a bit of Philly attitude to the job, said Admiral. Her nickname among her fellow commanders? Union boss, he said. I knew whenever Lynn told me shed been talking with the other commanders and needed to bring something to my attention, it was going to be a long afternoon, said Admiral. Ray lights up when she talks about her hometown where, at Girls, she witnessed leadership in action. I am Philly, all through and through, said Ray, whose cellphone has a Supergirl cartoon for wallpaper. She misses Penns Landing in the summer, strolling South Street, and being around the mix of different cultures that embody her hometown. Im proud to call myself a daughter of the City of Brotherly Love, absolutely, said Ray, whose new role as Chief of Readiness with the European Command in Stuttgart, Germany, will soon take her far from the home she carries in her heart. I wouldnt change a thing. A front view of the Benjamin Cooper house in Camden. This portion of the structure was built in 1734 on Block 1, Lot 1 of Erie Street, in the first area in what is now Camden where Europeans settled in the late 17th century. Efforts are underway to preserve the building. Read more A long-vacant North Camden house that embodies more than three centuries of history may be reborn as the South Jersey Museum of the American Revolution in time for the nations 250th birthday in 2026. The Camden County Historical Society is energetically exploring this idea as a way to preserve, restore, and re-purpose the building on the privately owned, 17-acre property at 75 Erie St. A subterranean portion of the house may date to the late 17th century, when Europeans first settled in what became known as Coopers Point. But whatever comes of the societys ambitious and admirable effort, the house built in 1734, named for Benjamin Cooper, the grandson of Camdens founders, and commandeered by British troops during the Revolutionary War must be preserved. Losing this tangible, largely intact connection to the history of the city, the region, and the country would be a crime. There is no other place and no other building in Camden that has a more interesting historical story," said society treasurer Robert Shinn. This site was the center of ferry operations to Philadelphia, and all roads led there," he said. It was the headquarters of the British army and was the nexus of a lot of war activities, including a skirmish involving major figures like Gen. Casimir Pulaski. The New Jersey affiliate of the national nonprofit Crossroads of the American Revolution is excited about sites like [the Cooper house] that are looking to preserve their history and tell their story, executive director Janice Selinger told me. As part of its preparations for 2026, Crossroads also will assess where to locate a visitor center, or centers, in the state, she said. As a museum, visitor center, or both, the Benjamin Cooper House could be a showcase for the substantial, if relatively little known, role that individuals and communities in what is now Camden County played in the Revolutionary War, such as the 1777 Battle of Gloucester. Such a facility also could promote sites of significant Revolutionary battles or events elsewhere in South Jersey, including Red Bank in Gloucester County and Salem Countys Hancocks Bridge. No wonder Shinn and other society officials are determined to make sure the Benjamin Cooper House does not wind up like Bellmawrs Hugg-Harrison House, a Colonial-era structure that also figured in the Revolutionary War but was pulverized to dust just before dawn on March 3, 2017, as part of the Direct Connection realignment of I-295 and Route 42. A lawsuit the society filed against state and federal transportation agencies, seeking mitigation for the loss of Hugg-Harrison, is before U.S. District Court Judge Renee Bumb. The Benjamin Cooper House is listed on the state register of historic places and was deemed eligible for inclusion on the national register nearly 40 years ago. The society is asking the city to include it on the municipal registry as well. The society also has been granted permission by Flow Development & Technology, the Philadelphia company that owns the Cooper house, to seek state funding for a feasibility study of re-using the building as a museum. We reached out and have had discussions with the owners, and theyve been very amenable and cooperative, said society president Chris Perks. Chadwick Smith, who is not an owner of the property but is a member of the current development team, said the house is very important to the overall development" plan for the site. Its a focal point and a way to bring the community in, he said, adding that the museum idea seems like a good one. I left voice and email messages for other principals of Flow or its predecessor company and was unable to reach them. But the owners or their representatives have met with some neighborhood organizations, including the Camden Lutheran Housing Corp. They told us they recognized the house is historic, and said there were no plans to tear it down. They made that very clear, Camden Lutheran executive director Betsy Clifford said. It is the neighborhoods intention that it be preserved. On Thursday, Clifford, a company representative, society officials, and architects took a tour of the interior of the house. My takeaway was that the building is in incredibly good shape, considering what its been through, said Margaret Westfield, a preservation architect in Haddon Heights. A suspicious fire on Thanksgiving Day 2012 destroyed the roof (it has since been replaced) but did remarkably little damage to the lower portions of the building. There is what looks like an original, Georgian-style balustrade on the stairway leading to the attic," said Westfield. "Its amazing that it survived. The Benjamin Cooper House later was used as a tavern called the Old Stone Jug, and as offices for a shipbuilding company that employed 3,000 workers. A succession of owners used the property until 2010. Longtime historian Ed Fox said he saw what looked to him like evidence of an earlier basement beneath one part of the basement of the 1734 house. What were hoping to do is not just preserve the building, but to make it a resource everybody in the community can learn from, Perks, the society president, said. People need to have access to the history, and the heritage. They need to know the story. FILE - In a March 13, 2019 file photo, an American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 sits at a boarding gate at LaGuardia Airport in New York. American Airlines expects to take a $1 billion hit from two things it didn't expect when 2019 started: That its newest Boeing jet would be grounded for months after two deadly crashes, and that oil prices would rise. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File) Read more (Bloomberg) U.S. aviation and congressional officials are investigating allegations by about a dozen whistleblowers that there are safety issues with Boeing Co.s 737 Max aircraft, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing unidentified government employees familiar with the matter. Some of the claims relate to the design of a suspect flight-control feature or operation of specific sensors that are key to fatal crashes of two 737 Max jets, according to the report. The allegations were made by Federal Aviation Administration staff and current and former Boeing employees, whose identities are confidential, the officials told the Journal. No details of the allegations have been made public, the Journal said. Two phone calls to Boeing media relations team from Bloomberg outside the regular business hours went unanswered. To contact the reporter on this story: Jim Jia in Sydney at jjia1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Shamim Adam at sadam2@bloomberg.net, Stanley James, John McCluskey 2019 Bloomberg L.P. Stock photo of a Maltese puppy. Philadelphia Police Officer Angel Lopez will be suspended with intent to dismiss after being charged with the robbery of a similar dog in Brooklyn on April 25, 2019. Read more A Philadelphia police officer was charged with robbery and other offenses in New York City on Saturday following a domestic incident earlier this week in Brooklyn. Officer Angel Lopez, 30, will be suspended for 30 days with intent to dismiss, said Richard Ross, Philadelphia Police Commissioner. Its so very unfortunate that someone will give up a good job for something thats so ridiculous, Ross said. While in full uniform, Lopez allegedly traveled to a Brooklyn apartment complex with his girlfriend on Thursday to demand that the girlfriends brother hand over a disputed small dog, a Maltese. Armed with his pistol, carrying handcuffs, and displaying his badge, Lopez entered the mans apartment and began to yell Where is the dog? I want the dog! according to court documents. Lopez allegedly pushed and choked the man when he didnt surrender the animal. Meanwhile, his girlfriend grabbed the Maltese and fled, according to a New York City Police Department spokesperson. Lopez followed. It appears to be a domestic [dispute] gone wrong, said the spokesperson. Lopez was arrested at 8:45 p.m. on Friday. It was unclear where, or if, he was taken into custody. Todd A. Spodek, attorney representing Lopez said that his firms investigation has found that the complainant has a history of domestic violence, and fabricating stories against his client. We have two eye witness who diametrically contradict his account and can confirm that Mr. Lopez acted appropriately at all times, Spodek said. I anticipate Mr. Lopez being permitted to return to the force shortly. On Saturday afternoon, the Brooklyn District Attorney for Kings County charged Lopez with several counts of robbery, along with grand larceny, assault, menacing, and other assorted counts. Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez faces State Rep. Angel Cruz in the May 21 primary to represent North Philadelphia in Council. Read more State Rep. Angel Cruz and Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez have shared constituents for more than a decade. He represents a part of North Philadelphia in Harrisburg, she advocates for it in City Council. But the two legislators hardly ever speak. They dont pose for pictures at ribbon-cutting ceremonies. When they do interact, its almost always ugly. Shes a bully, said Cruz, 53. And then when we go after her its, Boo hoo, feel sorry for me. Im a woman.' Dont use that woman stuff. Take care of your constituents. Hes been in Harrisburg 20 years. What has he done? Quinones-Sanchez, 50, said last week. Hes put out these resolutions to nowhere and now he wants a promotion? ... Hes such a hater. Hes so miserable you cant even be logical with him. It doesnt end there. Cruz says Quinones-Sanchez is out of touch, arrogant, and unable to work with ward leaders whose support, he argues, could make progress in struggling neighborhoods easier. Quinones-Sanchez says Cruz is part of a political machine known, particularly in North Philadelphia, for a history of corruption. Shes accused him of orchestrating voter fraud in the 2015 election. Its the most volatile that Ive seen it in a long time, said former Congressman Bob Brady, who chairs the citys Democratic Party. Its just negative, been like that for the longest time. If it was me and I was the elected official, Id try to reach out and continue to reach out to people and see what their needs are. It could also be one of the citys closest Council elections in the May 21 primary. Voter turnout is extremely low in the 7th, which is also the citys poorest district, with the highest rates of violent crime. Four years ago, Quinones-Sanchez won by fewer than 1,000 votes (out of 12,000 cast) against a far more controversial opponent. This time, Cruz, himself a ward leader, has the backing of eight of 12 ward organizations, which wield power in the district. Had the DMK leader Muthuvel Karunanidhi been more broadminded, GK Moopanar, the founder of the Tamil Maanila Congress, would have been the Prime Minister of India in 1996, with the latter being the clear choice of all major Opposition parties, writes Kumar Chellappan. The Tamils are known for their passion towards everything that is Dravidian, a term inculcated in them by the British, the colonial masters of modern India. Much has been written about Dravidian nationalism and politics by historians, especially Indologists. The concept of Tamil as a different and distinct entity was brought into the subcontinent by Robert Caldwell, an Irish evangelist who came to India in 1838 as a missionary. Caldwell was intelligent enough to understand that he could proselytise the Hindus only through Tamil, the native language. He learnt the local language and propagated the message that Tamil was not a part of the Indian system of languages that included Hindi and Sanskrit. A missionary proposing a thesis, which was given instant approval by the then British Government, facilitated in convincing the gullible population that they were Dravidians, who were driven away from the fertile Gangetic plain by the Aryan invaders from the West. Though it was proved by genetic scientists, molecular biologists, and literary figures through scientific research that the Aryan-Dravidian division was bunkum and there was no scientific basis for the Aryan invasion theory, the Dravidian fanatics refused to see the writing on the wall and still go by their belief that they are Dravidians and do not have anything to do with the great Indian culture. They described the scientific investigation carried out by the international team of researchers drawn out from the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, and the Estonian Biocentre in Tartu, Estonia, as a handiwork of the Sangh Parivar! This intransigent attitude among the Dravidian politicians has cost the Tamils big. The selfishness of a Dravidian politician from the State cost Tamil Nadu a Prime Minister. Had the DMK leader Muthuvel Karunanidhi been more broadminded, GK Moopanar the founder of the Tamil Maanila Congress (a breakaway faction of the Congress) would have been the Prime Minister of India in 1996. Moopanar, a landlord from Thanjavur, was a close confidante of late K Kamaraj, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu as well as the president of the Indian National Congress. Like his mentor, Moopanar preferred to be a kingmaker than a king. The 1996 General Elections ended in a split verdict with no political formation getting absolute majority. The Tamil Maanila Congress-DMK-CPI alliance had swept the 39 seats in the State, obliterating the AIADMK. Interestingly, the Tamil Maanila Congress was formed by Moopanar by revolting against the then Congress president PV Narasimha Rao over the latters decision to forge an alliance with the AIADMK for the 1996 elections. Voters in Tamil Nadu were upset over the influence wielded by the Mannargudi mafia led by VK Sasikala, Jayalalithaas aide, at Veda Nilayam in Chennai. The Sasikala family, which included her nephew TTV Dhinakaran, had become a law unto themselves and the level of corruption reached sky high. Despite Moopanars word of caution, Narasimha Rao chose to go with Jayalalithaas AIADMK in the General Elections and thus the rebellion in the Congress. The people of Tamil Nadu had been disenchanted as well as fed up with Karunanidhi because of the massive corrupt practices under his regime, and hence voted for MG Ramachandran in 1977. When MGR died in 1987, Karunanidhi was elected because there was no other option before the electorate. But the DMK Government led by Karunanidhi was dismissed by the Centre in 1991 because of the free run enjoyed by the LTTE in the State. When Moopanar formed the Tamil Maanila Congress, Karunanidhi did not waste a second and forged an alliance with the new political outfit. People in Tamil Nadu had respect for Moopanar despite his image as a benevolent landlord and a man who enjoyed all good things in life. It was Moopanars public image and the push given by film actor Rajinikanth that led to the obliteration of the AIADMK in the 1996 Assembly Elections. The AIADMK could win just four seats, with Jayalalithaa getting defeated from the Bargur constituency. Sources close to Moopanar said Cho Ramaswamy, Tamil Nadus greatest political commentator and thinker, had suggested the former not to align with Karunanidhi and asked him to contest independently in the next elections. But Moopanar, who was bowled over by Karunanidhi, joined the DMK camp. While the DMK romped home with 173 seats, the Tamil Maanila Congress won nine of the 41 it had contested. In the Lok Sabha Elections, that were held simultaneously, the DMK-led front won all 39 seats from the State. The Tamil Maanila Congress walked away with the 20 seats it had contested, while the DMK won all 17 from where it had fielded the party candidates. Moopanar was the real hero of that election, reminiscences S Rameshan, the then Chennai bureau chief of the United News of India. With no party getting absolute majority at the Centre, efforts were on to find a suitable candidate for the Prime Ministers post. The first name that cropped up was that of Jyoti Basu, the then Chief Minister of West Bengal. Though Basus name was accepted by all major political outfits in the Opposition as well as the Congress, his own partymen, particularly Prakash Karat, got the proposal spiked. Basu said later that the decision of the CPI(M) not to accept the proposal was a Himalayan blunder. Later events proved that the veteran Marxist was on the dot. Harkishan Singh Surjeet the then CPI(M) boss, who was behind the Basu for Prime Minister campaign was disappointed and suggested Moopanars name for the top job. Moopanars name was acceptable to all major parties in the Opposition, except to Karunanidhi. Even 10, Janpath Road, had expressed happiness over his name because of his close ties with the Nehru-Gandhi clan. But Karunanidhi remained non-committal as well as incommunicado throughout the time when Moopanars name was under consideration, said N Kalyanasundaram, chronicler of Tamil Nadu politics. Rameshan said there was anticipation in Tamil Nadus political circles about the possibility of Moopanar becoming the first Tamil to get the top chair in the country. We do not know what happened in Delhi, the centre of all political drama. When I spoke to him over the phone, Moopanar assured me that he would call me first to tell me the news. But the phone call did not materialise. When I asked him later about it, he just smiled and changed the topic, said Rameshan. A close aide of Moopanar, who was a prominent Congress leader, also substantiated what Kalyanasundaram said. The latter was seen in Tamil Nadu as the conscience keeper of Moopanar. Another Congress heavyweight, who is contesting this election as a party candidate, also said it was Karunanidhis indifference that cost Moopanar the top job. The Congress leader told The Pioneer that while Moopanars name was being discussed, Karunanidhi was lobbying with Chandrababu Naidu for pushing HD Deve Gowda (who did not figure in the discussion) as the Prime Minister. Even P Chidambaram changed tact and started lobbying for Gowdas name, he said. Moopanars name was proposed again after the fall of Deve Gowda. At that time also, Karunanidhi played a strange game of indifference and this resulted in Moopanar losing it to make it to the then 7, Race Course Road residence of the Indian Prime Minister. Interestingly, IK Gujral, who succeeded Gowda as the Prime Minister on April 21, 1997, wrote in his autobiography, Matters of Discretion, about a meeting he had with Chidambaram on April 17. I asked him (Chidambaram) if Moopanar was an aspirant for the Prime Ministers office. Here I suspect that Chidambaram was not so candid. He told me that he had talked to Moopanar, but being a cautious person, he did not really make any clear statement. Gujral also wrote that in spite of losing the vote of confidence in Parliament on April 11, 1997, Gowda tried in vain to regain the prime ministership by ensuring discord among high-profile individuals such as Ram Vilas Paswan, SR Bommai, and Sharad Yadav. He also wrote about how Karunanidhi, with the help of his nephew Murasoli Maran, the then Industries Minister, persuaded Lalu Prasad Yadav to back him (Gujral) for the office of the PM. This proves that Karunanidhi had played spoilsport on both the occasions (prior to the election of Gowda as well as after his fall) to derail Moopanars dreams, said the senior Congress leader. Moopanars friendship with Karunanidhi did not last long afterwards. He was disappointed but did not show it in the open. Though the DMK-Tamil Maanila Congress alliance continued in the 1998 election, the fire in Moopanar was missing. Since then, he kept away from Karunanidhi and the DMK, said Moopanars aide. Gujral said the relationship between Chidambaram and Moopanar was no longer close or intimate. The growing rift between the two leaders had been brought to my notice the previous day by Jayanthi Natarajan, a former Congresswoman, who too had joined the TMC, wrote Gujral. Gujral listed a lot of details in his memoir, which substantiate the charges made by MGR and Jayalalithaa that the grand old man of Tamil Nadu was cunningly corrupt. We had appointed M Kalaivananm, an IAS officer, as the Chairman of the Chennai Port Trust purely on the basis of merit. On November 7, Karunanidhi sent his Law Minister Aladi Aruna to meet me, ostensibly to ensure the enforcement of the Supreme Court award regarding the Kaveri river water dispute (basically between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka). But the real motive was to seek a change in appointment of the Chennai Port Trust Chairman. I explained to Aruna that it would be highly embarrassing for the Government to revise such an order within a matter of days... Karunanidhi, to my surprise, then approached Chandrababu Naidu to persuade me to change my decision, Gujral wrote in his book. The same day saw Karunanidhi issuing a press statement threatening that the DMK would withdraw its ministers from the United Front Government. The reasons given pertained to the Central Governments handling of the Kaveri river dispute and a vague charge that the Centre is unhelpful. Jayanthi Natarajan (Minister of State for Civil Aviation) felt that the Chennai Port Trust had a lot of patronage, both financial and political, and Karunanidhi wanted to keep it under his control, Gujral further stated. Tamil Nadu is agog with news of the shipping and logistics companies owned by one of the many wives of Karunanidhi. There was nothing surprising in his fight with the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2004 for the Ministry of Shipping and Surface Transport, which was initially allocated to K Chandrasekhar Rao. Maybe because Rao had no ships of his own, the Telangana strongman was willing to settle for the Labour Ministry and did not utter a single word against the move to shift the Shipping Ministry to TR Baalu, a Karunanidhi supporter. The DMK wants the Centre to bestow the nations top civilian award, Bharat Ratna, to Karunanidhi. The powers that be may just glance across Matters of Discretion before taking a decision. What happened later was interesting. Moopanar joined hands with Jayalalithaa for the 2001 Assembly Elections while Chidambaram floated the Congress Jananayaga Peravai and fought as part of the NDA! The AIADMK-Tamil Maanila Congress alliance swept the election. Moopanar, too, had his own problems. His name was dragged into the Indian Bank scam in which one of his confidantes played a major role. The man is reported to have swindled the bank to thousands of crores of rupees because he was holding the portfolio of finance, which upset the patron of arts from Thanjavur. Moopanar, whose health deteriorated since he was cold-shouldered by Karunanidhi in 1996, did not live for long. He breathed his last on August 31, 2001, at the age of 70, as the unsung hero of Tamil Nadu politics. The maps opened the door for a rising Los Angeles County Democratic political star amid a generational shift among the region's elected leaders. They also put a dent in the chances for a Republican favorite in one of the nation's most hotly contested races. The sit-in at Swarthmore College continued Sunday with students calling for the departure of the Phi Psi fraternity and saying they are prepared to be arrested. Read more Swarthmore College has hired an external investigator to look into the details revealed in a trove of internal fraternity documents describing members derogatory comments about women, minorities, LGBTQ people, and sexual assault. In a Saturday letter to the college community, President Valerie Smith said she would suspend all fraternity activities on campus pending the outcome of the investigation. The documents, leaked about two weeks ago, were written on internet bulletin boards between 2012 and 2016. The investigation puts a question mark on the future of fraternity groups at Swarthmore, which had suspended one of the two campus fraternities in 2016 for violating the schools drug and alcohol policy. The investigation comes at a time when the college administration is facing pressure to disband frat clubs, which enable predatory behavior, according to advocates for survivors of sexual violence. More than 100 students protested frat actions on Saturday with a sit-in at Phi Psi, one of the schools two fraternities and the house at the center of the controversy. The demonstration continued Sunday with local police and campus security present. By midday Sunday, a variety of people had posted almost identical expressions of support for the protesters on social media in what appeared to be a coordinated campaign. Those weighing in included students from other colleges and universities throughout the country. Fraternities at Swarthmore serve as small club houses. Unlike those at bigger schools, they dont serve as group residences. Only one student lives in a small loft in the Phi Psi building, a stone structure with a slate roof and leaded windows. During the sit-in Saturday, the college asked Swarthmore Borough Police to provide support and ensure a calm resolution. We are grateful for their presence, Smith wrote. On Friday, a task force on Greek life at the college held its last meeting and will make recommendations to the president next week. In a column in the Phoenix, Swarthmores independent college newspaper, a former Phi Psi member Callen Rain demanded that the fraternities be disbanded. Rain condemned his former brothers behavior which primarily took the form of sexual violence, and homophobic and misogynistic language. Rain wrote that members of leadership were responsible in that they were either perpetrators of the behavior or had social relationships with those implicated. The college president said a review of the unredacted fraternity documents is ongoing and that all students would be held accountable to community standards. We respect the rights of students at Swarthmore to express their views and beliefs, Smith said. At Swarthmore, civility and dissent must coexist. Swarthmore, with a student body of about 1,600 students, is one of the most selective and highly ranked liberal arts colleges in America. Staff writer Diane Mastrull contributed to this article. The sit-in at Phi Psi fraternity at Swarthmore College continued Sunday with students calling for the school to terminate the fraternity's lease. Read more A sit-in at a Swarthmore College fraternity continued Monday morning, marking the start of a third day of action at the house by campus activists demanding the school permanently ban two Greek organizations. The protests at Phi Psi, which organizers said swelled to more than 100 participants over the weekend, came a week after two campus publications released a trove of redacted, internal fraternity documents from 2012 to 2016 that they say were anonymously leaked. The X-rated meeting minutes described members derogatory comments about women, minorities, and LGBTQ people, and included crude jokes about parties, illegal drugs, and sexual assault. On Saturday after the start of the protest, Swarthmore College president Valerie Smith said in a letter to students that fraternity activities were suspended pending the outcome of an investigation, a decision made after consultation with an external investigator whom the school didnt identify. Officials wouldnt answer further questions about the probe. While the school requested support from Swarthmore Borough Police, no arrests had been made as of Sunday night, the police department said. Morgin Goldberg, a Swarthmore senior and member of student advocacy group Organizing for Survivors (O4S), said Sunday activists had no plans to end the sit-in. She said that although the group is glad fraternity activities were suspended, it wants Swarthmore to terminate the leases of both Phi Psi and the campus one other fraternity, Delta Upsilon, and reallocate the space to an organization for women or minority groups. The leaked paper asserted that Delta Upsilons house has a rape attic. Well be peaceful, she said, but we will stay put. Goldberg, who reported to administrators that she was raped by a Phi Psi member in 2015, said students are sitting and sleeping both inside the house in the very room where parties were typically held and in tents on the front lawn. They hung banners on the building reading: This house is ours and Nothing has changed. Admin knew all along. No arrest has been made in the attack; Goldberg did not report it police, but says the college disciplined her attacker. Swarthmore College, a highly selective liberal arts school in Delaware County, has about 1,600 students. Phi Psi, which is not affiliated with a national organization, reopened to parties a year ago after it was suspended in 2016 for violating the schools drug and alcohol policy. The building serves as more of a clubhouse than a residence, as just one student lives there. Student protesters said they agreed Saturday night to briefly stay in the basement and allow him to retrieve belongings. After publication of the documents, which The Inquirer was not able to independently verify, current Phi Psi members apologized, saying in a statement the language in them is not representative of who we are today. A former Phi Psi member wrote in a column in the Phoenix, the schools independent student newspaper, that the fraternities on campus should be disbanded. The man, Callen Rain, wrote that the fraternity didnt punish members for bad behavior, which primarily took the form of sexual violence, and homophobic and misogynistic language. On Friday, a task force convened to examine Greek life at the school held its final meeting and will make recommendations to Smith next week. In 2013, Phi Psi was condemned by school administrators for circulating a recruitment flier with photos of naked women. That year, the student body voted in a referendum to uphold the fraternity presence on campus after highly publicized Title IX complaints alleging the school mishandled reports of sexual misconduct. Last year, O4S staged a nine-day sit-in at Swarthmores administration building, demanding new sexual-assault reporting procedures. The group ended the protest after meeting with school leaders and, a week later, the dean of students announced her resignation. Six memorial candles were lit in honor of the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust during the annual commemoration at Congregation Rodeph Shalom on Sunday. Read more The annual Holocaust memorial ceremony on Sunday in Philadelphia was especially poignant, coming a day after the deadly shooting at a California synagogue by a gunman using an assault rifle and screaming anti-Semitic slurs. We mourn the recent tragic losses yesterday at Congregation Chabad, Susanna Lachs Adler, board chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, said as she stepped to the microphone at Congregation Rodeph Shalom on North Broad Street, addressing the fresh heartache of the nearly 400 in attendance. Saturdays attack in Poway, a community north of San Diego, left a 60-year-old woman dead. Lori Kaye was trying to shield the rabbi, who nonetheless was shot in the hand but survived, CNN reported. A 34-year-old man and a young girl were also wounded with shrapnel, according to news reports. Authorities called the attack a hate crime, and were investigating whether the gunman, John Earnest, 19, of San Diego, had posted an anti-Semitic manifesto before the shooting on the online message board 8chan. They were also investigating his connection to arson at a mosque in a nearby town last month. He was taken into custody shortly after Saturdays shooting. The timing of the attack seemed calculated for maximum horror, Naomi Adler, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation in Philadelphia, said in an interview before the remembrance service began Sunday. Saturday was the last day of Passover, a holiday that celebrates Jewish liberation, and it was exactly six months after the shooting that claimed 11 lives at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. We have a lot to balance today, she said. We cant let [the latest shooting] overshadow the remembrance of more than six million Jews who died in the Holocaust. But we need an extra moment for everyone to take a breath and mourn what happened in California." The California atrocity is part of a worldwide tide of religious violence. On Easter, suicide bombers killed at least 250 people at Catholic churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, where Catholic churches suspended services out of fear of more attacks. Last month, a massacre at a mosque in New Zealand left 50 dead. The escalating violence poses a growing dilemma for houses of worship around the world. We are targets of hate," Adler said. "How do we ensure security without pushing people away? Lori Felt of Dresher echoed that sentiment as she sat in a pew in the ornate, domed synagogue. If you cant feel safe in the place where you pray," she asked, "where can you be safe? The ceremony the 55th annual gathering to remember the World War II genocide and recognize those who survived was originally planned for the Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, but was relocated because the forecast called for rain. Some of the hymns, prayers, and readings felt not only inspiring, but also prescient. The youth choir, for example, sang a Yiddish childrens hymn with a translation in the program: We remember all our tyrants. We remember all our friends. And we pledge that in the future, our past and present blend. Given what is going on in the world today," Lachs Adler said, "this day of collective public remembrance becomes all the more important. We will not succumb to fear and hatred. History has taught us we cant be bystanders. A woman leaves flowers at a small memorial near Chabad of Poway, where a man with a gun shot multiple people inside the synagogue, killing one, on Saturday in Poway, Calif. Read more Violent white nationalism had a horrible, horrible moment in America on Saturday. That was punctuated on a sun-soaked morning in Southern California when the pop-pop-pop of an AR-15 semiautomatic in the hands of a 19-year-old, barely a man shattered the peace of a Passover service at a synagogue in Poway, Calif., near San Diego. A 60-year-old woman named Lori Gilbert Kaye was killed by the gunfire as she jumped in front of her congregations rabbi, whod already had a couple fingers blown off by a bullet. Two others were wounded all in service of the gunmans insane rants that the Jewish people have been scheming to boost immigration to replace whites in America. It was the exact same white-supremacist baloney that caused another man with an AR-15 to slaughter 11 Jews in a Pittsburgh synagogue exactly six months earlier to the day. And there were more storm clouds on the horizon. In a popular Washington bookstore, at virtually the same time as the latest synagogue shooting occurred, a crowd of so-called white identitarians with a bullhorn showed up to disrupt the author of a book on racial resentment called Dying of Whiteness, chanting this land is our land. It would be hard to imagine a worse time to take a man whod just been arrested two months ago with a giant cache of weapons and ammunition, whom authorities call a self-proclaimed white nationalist with an alleged hit list that included Supreme Court justices, Democratic politicians and TV journalists and grant him freedom, even temporarily. But Christopher Hasson, a 50-year-old Maryland man who was a high-ranking U.S. Coast Guard officer with a security clearance, may walk out of jail in a few days, maybe less. A federal judge said he cant justify Hassons continued imprisonment because despite his seeming terroristic threats the U.S. Justice Department has only seen fit to charge him with low-level drug and weapons charges. This after the government had refused to even publicize Hassons arrest, which instead was stumbled upon by an enterprising journalist. Experts say, to some extent, prosecutors are hamstrung by a criminal code that despite a so-called war on terror created no statutes to specifically address the specific terror threat posed by Hasson motivated by white supremacy and stockpiling the kind of conventional weapons blessed by the National Rifle Association. That may be true, but lets be honest: The failure of AG Bill Barrs Justice Department to move heaven and earth to keep Hasson in custody or even issue a press release alerting the public is symbolic of a giant blind spot in our nations capital when it comes to the deadly threat posed by white supremacy. And that giant buck stops at the desk of President Trump. Although U.S. policy on white homegrown terror has been abysmal since the turn of this century, this president with his vainglorious refusal to admit that an immoral strain of white nationalism helped elect him in 2016 and his administration are making the problem much, much worse. Trump has repeatedly made clear his opinion that violent white extremism is not a problem in his America. When an Australian man poisoned by the same kind of internet extremism thats fueled the U.S. synagogue shootings murdered 50 worshipers in a New Zealand mosque, with words of praise for Trump in his manifesto, reporters asked the president about the wider threat. I dont think its a problem, insisted the man who also still stands by his claim that 2017s violence-sparking, white-supremacist march in Charlottesville had very fine people on both sides." Trump added: " I think its a small group of people that have very, very serious problems." Except that terror attacks by far-right extremists more than quadrupled in the year that Trump became president, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. That dramatized the fact that after spending billions on a vast infrastructure that primarily targeted Islamic extremism, the much greater threat in this country has a white face. Some of 71 percent of murders by political extremists in America from 2008 through 2017 were by right-wingers, according to the Anti-Defamation League (and 26 percent by Islamists) and that imbalance seems to be increasing. Trumps see-no-evilism about white violence would be worrisome if just for the moral symbolism but the blind spot has spread to actual policy. Some of this predates the current president a 2009 government report calling for stepped-up measures on right-wing terror was famously shelved after howls from talk radio and other conservatives but under Trump, the government has gone much further to avoid the problem. George Selim, a former Homeland Security and National Security Council staffer under both Democratic and Republican presidents, said the government office most directly targeting domestic terrorism has seen its budget decimated under Trump, down from $21 million to just $3 million, and its staff reduced by more than half. Earlier this month, the Daily Beast reported that an entire unit of DHS intelligence analysts who tracked would-be domestic terrorists, which used to often issue warnings to local police, was quietly disbanded. Critics note the government isnt even keeping stats on the right-wing attacks, leaving that task for outside groups. It seems that Team Trump has zero interest in either poking a stick in the eye of the presidents most despicable yet also most enthusiastic supporters, nor would the 45th presidents ego ever allow the acknowledgement that it was a terroristic, hateful fringe that played an important and possibly decisive role in his razor-thin 2016 election. The truly abominable thing is that white-nationalist terror isnt the only area where Trump and his government is looking the other way part because of our narcissistic presidents over-the-top vanity and in part because things that threaten American democracy often seem to be good news for the current occupant of the Oval Office. Consider the Russian election interference that according to the Mueller report played a critical role in 2016 and seems to remain a threat for next years presidential contest. When she was Homeland Security secretary, Kirstjen Nielsen reportedly concluded that facing down new and different kinds of Russian election threats in 2020 was a major challenge that needed much greater government attention. But, according to the New York Times, Nielsen was ordered to keep that information away from Trump and his fury over any suggestion his 2016 win was less than legitimate. Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney reportedly told her it wasnt a great subject and should be kept below his [Trumps] level. Seriously? Its hard to imagine a greater threat to American democracy and freedom than foreign election interference and computer crimes until you start pondering the growing white-nationalist movement in this country, and the diminished ability of people to buy a book or get on their knees and pray without fear of harassment or deadly violence. A true democratic government would be working overtime right now to protect our synagogues, churches and mosques, our bookstores, and our ballot boxes from these insidious threats. Indeed, the grown-ups in Congress should try to pass legislation that will restore funding to the agencies that track domestic terror, require real-time reporting on the threat, and improve our terror laws so an imminent danger like Christopher Hasson can be taken off the streets. But doing what needs to done will be very, very hard when an egomaniacal autocrat sits behind the Resolute Desk with his tiny hands clasped firmly over his ears determined to muffle any ideas that might tarnish his legacy, let alone jeopardize the second term he needs to cement his authoritarian legacy ... and maybe keep him out of jail. America wakes up on a grim Sunday morning to the realization that were fighting a war against hate with a yawning black hole at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue where its commander is supposed to be. The longevity of Earths continents in the face of destructive tectonic activity is an essential geologic backdrop for the emergence of life on our planet. This stability depends on the underlying mantle attached to the landmasses. New research by a group of geoscientists from Carnegie, the Gemological Institute of America, and the University of Alberta demonstrates that diamonds can be used to reveal how a buoyant section of mantle beneath some of the continents became thick enough to provide long-term stability. Weve found a way to use traces of sulfur from ancient volcanoes that made its way into the mantle and eventually into diamonds to provide evidence for one particular process of continent building, explained Karen Smit of the Gemological Institute of America, lead author on the groups paper, which appears this week in Science. Our technique shows that the geologic activity that formed the West African continent was due to plate tectonic movement of ocean crust sinking into the mantle. Diamonds may be beloved by jewelry collectors, but they are truly a geologists best friend. Because they originate deep inside the Earth, tiny mineral grains trapped inside of a diamond, often considered undesirable in the gem trade, can reveal details about the conditions under which it formed. In this way, diamonds act as mineralogical emissaries from the Earths depths, explained Carnegie co-author Steve Shirey. About 150 to 200 kilometers, 93 to 124 miles, beneath the surface, geologic formations called mantle keels act as stabilizers for the continental crust. The material that comprises them must thicken, stabilize, and cool under the continent to form a strong, buoyant, keel that is fundamental for preserving the surface landmass against the relentless destructive forces of Earths tectonic activity. But how this is accomplished has been a matter of debate in the scientific community. Solving this mystery is key to understanding how the continents came to exist in their current incarnations and how they survive on an active planet, Shirey explained. Since this is the only tectonically active, rocky planet that we know, understanding the geology of how our continents formed is a crucial part of discerning what makes Earth habitable. Some scientists think mantle keels form by a process called subduction, by which oceanic plates sink from the Earths surface into its depths when one tectonic plate slides beneath another. Others think keels are created by a vertical process in which plumes of hot magma rise from much deeper in the Earth. A geochemical tool that can detect whether the source of a mantle keels makeup originated from surface plates or from upwelling of deeper mantle material was needed to help resolve this debate. Luckily, mantle keels have the ideal conditions for diamond formation. This means scientists can reveal a mantle keels origin by studying inclusions from diamonds that formed in it. The research groups analysis of sulfur-rich minerals, called sulfides, in diamonds mined in Sierra Leone indicate that the region experienced two subduction events during its history. They were able to make this determination because the chemistry of the sulfide mineral grains is only seen in samples from Earths surface more than 2.5 billion years ago before oxygen became so abundant in our planets atmosphere. This means that the sulfur in these mineral inclusions must have once existed on the Earths surface and was then drawn down into the mantle by subduction. The teams comparison to diamonds from Botswana showed similar evidence of keel-creation through subduction. But comparison to diamonds mined from northern Canada does not show the same sulfur chemistry, meaning that the mantle keel in this region originated in some way that did not incorporate surface material. The groups findings suggest that thickening and stabilization of the mantle keel beneath the West African continent happened when this section of mantle was squeezed by collision with the sinking ocean floor material. This method of keel thickening and continent stabilization is not responsible for forming the keel under a portion of northern Canada. The sulfide minerals inside Canadian diamonds do not tell the researchers how this keel formed, only how it didnt. Our work shows that sulfide inclusions in diamonds are a powerful tool to investigate continent construction processes, Smit concluded. This work was supported by the GIA, the University of Alberta, the NSF, and Carnegie. It is a contribution to the Deep Carbon Observatory. Reference: Karen V. Smit, Steven B. Shirey, Erik H. Hauri, Richard A. Stern. Sulfur isotopes in diamonds reveal differences in continent construction. Science, 2019 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw9548 Note: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Carnegie Institution for Science. Wiktor Malinowski Leads After Day 1 of EPT Monte Carlo 100,000 Super High Roller April 27, 2019 Will Shillibier A total of 48 players entered the 100,000 Super High Roller at the PokerStars and Monte-CarloCasino European Poker Tour. Eight levels were played on Day 1, and with late registration open until the start of Day 2 the number of entrants could grow from the 28 that advanced to Day 2. Leading the way, and the only player with a stack in excess of seven figures is a new face to the European Poker Tour High Roller scene in Wiktor Malinowski. Top 10 Day 1 Chip Counts Place Player Count 1 Wiktor Malinowski 1,042,000 2 Ahadpur Khangah 985,000 3 Isaac Haxton 953,000 4 Sergio Aido 880,000 5 Michael Soyza 813,000 6 Luc Greenwood 758,000 7 David Peters 530,000 8 Jean-Noel Thorel 480,000 9 Steve O'Dwyer 480,000 10 Sam Greenwood 473,000 The Polish player scored a bunch of eliminations early on, including Ahadpur Khangah and Sam Greenwood, before sending Charlie Carrel to the rail late on to breach the one-million chip mark for the first time. "It just happened to be good with my schedule," said Malinowski. "But today's been good. I've had quite a lot of volume playing high-stakes tournaments online and I'm ready for tomorrow." Malinowski has plenty of High Roller experience online as well as in Macau but says the only major difference at the tables in Monaco is the amount of staring, although he did spend the latter part of today with Christoph Vogelsang at his table. "There's a little bit more staring than usual, but I feel very comfortable. I don't think it's changed that much in comparison to other games that I play. But it's always nice to play, and I love tournaments." PCA and EPT Prague Super High Roller Champion Sam Greenwood. Other big stacks at the end of Day 1 include Ahadpur Khangah (985,000), Isaac Haxton (953,000) and Sergio Aido (880,000), with defending champion and PCA Super High Roller champion Sam Greenwood (473,000), GPI World #1 Alex Foxen (162,000) and the highest-ranked Asian player in the GPI Michael Soyza (813,000) also in the field and advancing to Day 2. EPT Prague Super High Roller champion Matthias Eibinger busted late but is expected to return to re-enter at the start of Day 2. Play resumes at 12:30 pm on Sunday, which is when registration for this event will close. Be sure to follow the PokerNews live reporting team for all of the updates throughout all of the PokerStars and Monte-CarloCasino EPT events. The Stars Group owns a majority shareholding in iBus Media. Twelve months ago Sam Greenwood took down the PokerStars and Monte-CarloCasino European Poker Tour 100,000 Super High Roller for 1,520,000, beating Christoph Vogelsang heads-up for the title. Since then he's added over $4.5m to his lifetime earnings, thanks to two seven-figure scores in Korea, and another $100,000 Super High Roller title at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. Now Greenwood is well-placed at the start of Day 2 of this 100,000 Super High Roller tournament, and is looking to defend his title here in Monaco. However, he will be hard-pushed by a whole host of names, including the aforementioned Vogelsang. Sam's brother Luc sits sixth in chips, behind Day 1 chip leader Wiktor Malinowski (1,042,000), 2018 EPT Barcelona Super High Roller runner-up Ahadpur Khangah (985,000), Isaac Haxton (953,000), Sergio Aido (880,000) and Michael Soyza (813,000). 29 players made it through Day 1, but with late registration open until the start of Day 2 - and players including Matthias Eibinger already hinting at jumping back in - expect that number to rise further still. Stay tuned to PokerNews for continued coverage of the European Poker Tour's biggest buy-in event. 1.3k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard (Reuters) Retired U.S. Marine Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North will step down as president of the National Rifle Association, North said on Saturday, adding he was being forced out due to his allegations that NRA leaders engaged in financial improprieties. In a letter to the organizations annual meeting in Indianapolis read by an NRA board member, North, a conservative commentator best known for his central role in the 1980s Iran-Contra affair, said he had hoped to stand for re-election when his term ends on Monday. I am now informed that will not happen, North said in the letter. His departure came after NRA Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre accused North of trying to oust him by threatening to release damaging information about him, according to a letter from LaPierre to NRA board members that was published by the Wall Street Journal on Friday. NRA officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. North, 75, who was named by the NRA as its president in May 2018, was a pivotal figure in the Iran-Contra affair involving secret sales of arms to Iran by Republican President Ronald Reagans administration and the unlawful diversion of the proceeds to Nicaraguan rebels. When he was appointed, LaPierre hailed him as a legendary warrior for American freedom, a gifted communicator and skilled leader. North, long a hero to some on the political right, was convicted in 1989 of three felonies related to the Iran-Contra affair, but his convictions were overturned on appeal in 1990. He later became a conservative radio talk show host and frequent commentator on conservative television networks. On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the NRAs annual meeting and vowed to revoke the United States status as a signatory of the Arms Trade Treaty. (Reporting by Barbara Goldberg and Daniel Wallis in New York; Editing by Matthew Lewis) 1.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard This was going to be a column on what looks to me like softening Republican support for Donald Trump. Instead its going to be about an aspect of one of the reasons Trump should be impeached. I will write that other column, but not today. Trump stokes hatred toward most Americans. He has transformed hate crimes to domestic acts of terrorism and therefore is derelict in his duties. That is impeachable. Many of us, me included, have focused on the Trump campaigns willingness to take help from a hostile foreign power to cheat its way to the White House. This past week, there was reporting that former Secretary of Homeland security was ordered not to mention Russias cyber-attack on our democracy because that reality would hurt Donald Trumps fragile ego. And if were going to talk about snowflakes, lets talk about the privileged white male in the White House who equates constructive criticism, questions or simple difference of opinion with hate of him. For the record, I dont hate you, as a human being. I hate the ideas you defend. There is a volume of difference between hating the act and hating the person, as Im certain any preacher of any religion will explain to you. No, Mr. Trump hate is when you grab your gun, go to a place of worship and kill people in prayer. Hate is when you weaponize a car to strike silent a women because she had the courage to condemn the ideas that caused a World War. Hate is what makes it possible to back a serial adulterer while telling the monagomous gay man to repent. Hate is what makes it possible to throw rolls of paper towels at survivors of natural disaster in one part of the country, while assuring survivors of natural disaster in a maga part of the country theyll get all the help and support they need. You are the personification of hate and you have used it as a weapon against Americans, with help from the one person you consistently praise: Vladimir Putin. The fact that, finally, after the many hate crimes inspired by your rhetoric, even you recognize that the Poway Synagogue shooting was a hate crime, doesnt absolve you from the role you had in making that crime possible. Guess what. I dont give a damn if Trumps ego is too fragile to handle the deadly reality that his presidency is pandering to white supremacists, neo-Nazis and anti-Semites. Mr. Trump, you whine about how people are out to get you! Bullsh*t! Jews know what living under siege is really like because we are the first to be scapegoated by demagogues like you. Were the targets in 50% of all the hate crimes inspired by the ideas you defend. The Palestinian people who are treated by Israels Netanyahu similarly to the way you treat: Americans who are black, brown, Muslim, opponents of hate, members of the free press, Democrats, women who think and dont need to make themselves look Aryan to feel good about themselves and pretty much anyone who disagrees with you. Mr. Trump, you chose to use the presidency to defend, to DEFEND, the ideas people that make mass shootings at Synagogues more frequent. This is the second one this year! Hate crimes have soared since you started your moronic maga campaign and Jews were the targets in 50% of those hate crimes. And no, its not going to be normalized! Not while Im breathing! No, the answer is NOT more guns! It is re-funding the organizations that monitor hate, and who help people who hate return to sanity. Its about recognizing that a president who promotes hatred is a threat to our national security and especially a threat to innocents who are routinely targeted by those very fine people Mr. Trump actively, passionately, and frequently defends. This is why 2020 is a national identity election. Those who celebrate the latest mass shooting at a Synagogue will undoubtedly vote for Mr. Trump. Most of us will be looking for someone who embraces the idea that a president must be president to everyone in America. 379 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard By Bridget Clerkin POWAY, Calif. (Reuters) A gunman opened fire in a San Diego-area synagogue with an assault-style weapon on Saturday, killing one woman inside and wounding three other worshippers in a hate crime carried out on the last day of Passover, authorities said. The suspect, a 19-year-old white male whose identity was not immediately made public, fled the scene by car and was arrested a short time later when he pulled over and surrendered to police, authorities said at a news conference. The gun violence at the Congregation Chabad synagogue in the town of Poway, California, about 23 miles (37 km) north of downtown San Diego, unfolded six months to the day after 11 worshippers were killed and six others were wounded by a gunman who stormed a synagogue in Pittsburgh yelling, All Jews must die. The assailant in that incident was arrested. Poway Mayor Steve Vaus, speaking from a police command center, characterized Saturdays shooting as a hate crime, saying his assessment was based on statements uttered by the gunman when he entered the synagogue. Speaking with reporters at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump said, My deepest sympathies go to the people that were affected. He added that it looks like a hate crime and that authorities will get to the bottom of it. San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore told reporters that four people were struck by gunfire and taken to Palomar Medical Center, where one of the victims, an older woman, died. The three other patients two adult males and a female juvenile were listed in stable condition, Gore said. The bloodshed unfolded shortly before 11:30 a.m. in Poway, a suburb of about 50,000 residents, when the suspect walked into the synagogue and started shooting, Gore said. Local television channel KGTV 10News said the synagogue was hosting a holiday celebration beginning at 11 a.m. and due to culminate in a final Passover meal at 7 p.m. Authorities said about 100 people were inside the temple at the time. San Diego television station KGTV reported a woman whose husband was still inside the synagogue as saying the victims included the rabbi. Minoo Anvari, an Iranian refugee whose husband was attending services inside when gunshots rang out, told KUSI-TV the wounded included a female friend and the rabbi, who was shot in the hand. We are united. You cant break us. We are in the U.S., Anvari told KUSI. A man who lives nearby, Christopher Folts, said on CNN he heard six to seven gunshots, then a man yelling, followed by six to seven more shots. Cantor Caitlin Bromberg of Ner Tamid Synagogue, down the street from the shooting scene, said her congregation learned of the shooting at the end of their Passover services and that they were heading to Chabad of Poway to show support and help. We are horrified and upset, and we want them to know we are thinking of them, Bromberg told The Los Angeles Times, adding that she has not heard from Chabad of Poway leadership because they would not normally use the phone during the Sabbath. They would only do that on emergency basis, if they do it at all, Bromberg told the newspaper. (Reporting by Barbara Goldberg and Daniel Wallis in New York, and Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Matthew Lewis) 3.9k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Trump claimed in Green Bay that former President Obama had been disloyal to America, as congressional investigators are digging into his relationship with Russia. Trump attacks Obamas loyalty Trump said, Now, you finally have a president who is loyal to you. Every day between now and November 2020, we are going to keep on working. We are going to keep on fighting, and we are going to keep on winning, winning, winning. Remember I used to tell you about winning. Were winning. We are respected again, and I have to say every leader without fail that comes to see me in the Oval Office, they all say without fail. Congratulations, its incredible whats happened to the United States. I dont think those leaders all mean what they said to Trump as a compliment, but President Ill sue you if you release my grades isnt bright enough to catch on. Video: President Birther suggests Obama was disloyal to America: "You have always been loyal to this nation. Now you finally have a president who is loyal to you." pic.twitter.com/97T7AvMDYa Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 28, 2019 Trump goes back to Obama birtherism Trumps claim that Obama was disloyal to America is a dog whistle birther claim. The reality is that Barack Obamas loyalty to his country was never in question. Obama never refused to release his tax returns because of his relationship with a hostile foreign power. Obama never had to hide his communications with Putin. Obama isnt the president whose loyalty is in question. This was some classic Trump projection. He is sinking like a rock after the Mueller report, so of course, he tries to blame Obama. Trumps insecurity about Obama is epic. He will never be taken seriously or highly regarded like Obama, and it eats Trump up, which is why he projects his traits on to the former president. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 5.6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Instead of denouncing gun violence after the Poway synagogue shooting, Trump warned that Democrats are coming to take everyones guns. Trump said, The new agenda of the Democrat Party, its not the Democratic Party, they ought to change their name, it sounds better, but why should I make their name sound good, right? The Democrat Party, radical left, they should change that too, call it officially, the radical left Democrat Party would drive our nation into economic and financial ruin very quickly, and they will take your guns away. Video: Hours after a gunman opened fire with an AR-15-style weapon at a synagogue, Trump fear-mongers about Democrats wanting "to take your guns away." pic.twitter.com/HgPFS6llXi Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 28, 2019 On the day of a hate crime mass shooting, Trump fearmongered about guns being taken away Earlier in the rally, Trump did his usual song and dance about thoughts and prayers while praising law enforcement, Tonight Americas heart is with the victims of the horrific synagogue shooting in Poway, California. Just happened. Our entire nation mourns the loss of life, prays for the wounded, and stands in solidarity with the Jewish community. We forcefully condemn the evil of anti-Semitism and hate, which must be defeated. Just happened. Must be defeated. And we are grateful to the law-enforcement personnel for their courageous response. Incredible response today by law enforcement. And I especially want to recognize a certain off-duty border patrol agent who bravely returned fire and helped disrupt the attack and saved so many lives. Border patrol! On a day when 4 people were shot while worshipping with an AR-15, Trump tried to spread fear about guns being taken away. Trumps comments were revolting and the most obvious example of his strategy to use any incident to spread fear among his base. Trump is worried about the victims of the shooting. He is concerned that another bigot wont be able to buy an assault weapon and shoot more Jews. Never has a president been such a consistent source of disgrace the way that Donald Trump is every single day. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 26.4k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Trump attacked the FBI and DOJ officials who investigated him and labeled them scum at a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Trump calls FBI and DOJ Leaders Scum Trump said, If you look at whats happened with the scum thats leaving the very top of government. People that others used to say these were dirty cops. These were dirty players. Theres twenty-one already, and Im not doing any. Theyre just leaving because they got caught like nobody ever got caught. Video: Wow Trump refers to the FBI and DOJ leaders he's purged from government as "scum" pic.twitter.com/mkjiWZ68cp Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 28, 2019 Trump is attacking the FBI and DOJ as a cover for obstruction of justice The important part of what Trump said wasnt necessarily the smear, although there is nothing more un-American than a president who has taken a sworn oath to uphold the law calling the top federal law enforcement officials in the country scum. The real key was that half sentence where Trump claimed that he didnt do anything to force these leaders out. The presidents statement is a proven lie. He forced out the people at the FBI and DOJ who were investigating him. Trump himself admitted as much during his interview with Lester Holt. The president is trying to give himself a cover story for obstruction of justice. Donald Trump believes that he is above the law, and he is unleashing his institutionally destructive venom on anyone or anything that tries to hold him accountable. The corrupt president plunged himself to a new low in Green Bay, Wisconsin. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 1.7k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard (Reuters) President Donald Trump is flatly refusing to cooperate in numerous U.S. congressional probes of himself and his administration, taking a defiant stance that could trigger protracted court fights with House of Representatives Democrats. In an unprecedented step, the Trump administration has filed a lawsuit to try to block one congressional subpoena; some Trump advisers have been told to ignore other subpoenas; and a request for Trumps tax returns has not been fulfilled. In most instances, Trump risks trouble with Congress over subpoenas, contempt of Congress citations and civil enforcement actions in court. Trumps stonewalling has hardened since the release last week of a redacted report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller on the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Trump viewed the report as an exoneration because the special counsel did not charge him with conspiring with Russia or with obstruction of justice. However, the report detailed the Trump campaigns welcoming of help from the Russians and his later efforts to thwart Muellers inquiry. Like other senior Democrats who are treating the Mueller report as a road map for further investigations by Congress, House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings accused the Trump administration on Wednesday of a massive, unprecedented, and growing pattern of obstruction. The following are ways Trump has defied Congress in recent days: MCGAHN Don McGahn, former White House counsel, was a key witness in the Mueller probe and House Democrats want to hear from him. But the White House plans to assert executive privilege to prevent McGahn and other current and former administration officials from testifying to Congress, the Washington Post has reported. UNREDACTED MUELLER REPORT Parts of the Mueller report were redacted, leaving some questions unanswered. Democrats have issued a subpoena in an attempt to obtain the full report without redactions and evidence Mueller relied on. Attorney General William Barr must decide by May 1 whether to comply. Barr has said he has a legal obligation to keep secret information obtained from grand jury proceedings, and that other redactions were necessary to protect U.S. intelligence sources and avoid harm to ongoing law enforcement matters. TAX RETURNS Unlike past presidents in recent decades, Trump has refused to make public his tax returns, raising questions about what is in them. Democrats are probing Trumps past business dealings and possible conflicts of interest posed by his continued ownership of extensive business interests. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin failed to meet a congressional deadline on Tuesday for turning over Trumps tax returns to the House tax committee, setting the stage for a possible court battle between Congress and the administration. Mnuchin said he planned to make a final decision on whether to provide Trumps tax records by May 6. Legal experts said House Democrats could vote to hold Mnuchin or IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig in contempt of Congress if they ignore a subpoena, as a step toward suing in federal court to obtain the returns. MAZARS Trump on Monday filed a lawsuit attempting to keep U.S. lawmakers from obtaining his financial records. The unprecedented suit seeks to block a subpoena issued by Cummings, whose panel is looking into Trumps financial record. The subpoena sought eight years of documents from Mazars USA, an accounting firm long used by Trump to prepare financial statements. Cummings issued the subpoena after Michael Cohen, formerly Trumps personal lawyer, testified to Congress in February that Trump had misrepresented his net worth. SECURITY CLEARANCES Cummings said on Tuesday that his panel will soon vote on whether to cite a former White House official with contempt for failing to appear for questioning on allegations that the Trump administration inappropriately granted security clearances to some of the presidents advisers. The White House told the Oversight Committee that it had directed Carl Kline, who was White House personnel security chief for the first two years of Trumps presidency, to ignore the committees subpoena to appear. CENSUS AND CITIZENSHIP On Wednesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) rebuffed the Oversight Committees request for an interview with John Gore, an official who was involved in the administrations decision to include a citizenship question in the 2020 census. The Justice Department said Gore, a lawyer in its Civil Rights Division, would not participate in a deposition set for Thursday if he could not have a department lawyer at his side. The committee had offered to let a lawyer sit in a different room. A DOJ official said the committee had provided no legitimate or constitutional basis for excluding a DOJ lawyer from assisting at the deposition. IMPEACHMENT Trump on Wednesday vowed to fight any effort by congressional Democrats to launch impeachment proceedings against him, promising to go to the Supreme Court, even though it plays no role in the constitutional impeachment process. FBI ABOUT-FACE Congressional Democrats said in March that a U.S. government agency was responding too slowly to their requests for documents about the Trump administrations abandonment of a plan to move the FBI. Before he became president in January 2017, Trump supported moving the Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters to the suburbs of Washington, Democrats looking into the matter said. They said that after Trump was elected and disqualified from bidding to acquire the site for commercial development, he switched his position. Democrats have subsequently raised questions about a possible Trump conflict of interest. Trumps about-face would block potential competitors from developing the existing property on Pennsylvania Avenue across the street from the Trump Hotel, the Democrats said. IMMIGRATION AIDE The White House refused a request for Trumps top immigration aide Stephen Miller to testify to Congress in a letter on Wednesday to the House Oversight Committee. Miller, a former Senate aide, has helped shape some of Trumps most controversial immigration policies, from the first Muslim travel ban shortly after he took office in 2017 to the child separation policy for migrants who illegally crossed the U.S.- Mexico border, both of which were rejected by courts. (Compiled by Caroline Stauffer; editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Leslie Adler) Mysterious Large-Magnitude Eruption that Covered the Mediterranean in Ash 29,000 Years Ago is Now Known to Have Occurred at Campi Flegrei Caldera (Naples, Italy) The caldera-forming eruption of Campi Flegrei (Italy) 40,000 years ago is the largest known eruption in Europe during the last 200,000 years, but little is known about other large eruptions at the volcano prior to a more recent caldera-forming event 15,000 years ago. A new Geology article by Paul Albert and colleagues discusses a 29,000-year-old eruption, here verified as coming from Campi Flegrei, that spread a volcanic ash layer more than 150,000 square kilometers of the Mediterranean. Knowledge of large explosive eruptions is mostly established from geological investigations of the exposed deposits found around the source volcano, with the deposits of large eruptions forming thick sequences. However, since the late 1970s, a widespread volcanic ash layer, dated at about 29,000 years ago, was commonly identified in marine and lake sediment cores from across the Mediterranean, documenting the occurrence of a large-magnitude eruption. Despite this widespread distribution and relatively young age, no clear evidence of such an event was identified at any of the main active volcanoes in the region. In this study, the teams detailed chemical analysis (volcanic glass) of an eruption deposit found five kilometers northeast of Campi Flegrei caldera in Naples, Italy, are entirely consistent with the distinctive composition of this ash layer. This, combined with new dating of the near-source eruption deposit, verifies that Campi Flegrei was responsible for this widespread ash layer. Constraints on the size of the eruption were determined by the team using a computational ash dispersal model which integrated the thicknesses of the near-source eruption deposits, named here the Masseria del Monte Tuff, with those of the related ash fall across the Mediterranean. The results indicate that this eruption at Campi Flegrei caldera was similar in scale to the younger of two known large-magnitude, caldera-forming eruptions at the volcano, the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (about 15,000 years ago). The Masseria del Monte Tuff eruption was smaller than the older caldera-forming eruption, the enormous Campanian Ignimbrite (about 40,000 years old), which dispersed ash as far as Russia (more than 2,500 km from the volcano). The 29,000 year old Masseria del Monte Tuff eruption positioned between known caldera-forming events significantly reduces the recurrence interval of large magnitude events in the eruptive history of Campi Flegrei caldera. In contrast to other large magnitude events at Campi Flegrei, the lack of thick, traceable, deposits for this eruption appear to be the result of the eruption dynamics and their destruction and burial by more recent activities. This research highlights the benefits of investigating explosive eruption records preserved as ash fall in sedimentary records when attempting to accurately reconstruct the tempo and magnitude of past activity at highly productive volcanoes such as Campi Flegrei. Reference: P.G. Albert, B. Giaccio, R. Isaia, A. Costa, E.M. Niespolo, S. Nomade, A. Pereira, P.R. Renne, A. Hinchliffe, D.F. Mark, R.J. Brown, V.C. Smith. Evidence for a large-magnitude eruption from Campi Flegrei caldera (Italy) at 29 ka. Geology, 2019; DOI: 10.1130/G45805.1 Note: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Geological Society of America. 5.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler threatened Attorney General William Barr and told him exactly how the hearing will go down. Barr is threatening not to show up if he has to answer questions from a lawyer CNN reported: House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler told CNN on Sunday morning that Barr would not dictate the format of the Judiciary Committee. The witness is not going to tell the committee how to conduct its hearing, period, Nadler, a New York Democrat, said. Asked what he would do if Barr doesnt comply, Nadler said: Then we will have to subpoena him, and we will have to use whatever means we can to enforce the subpoena. Nadler wants to allow all members of his panel at Thursdays hearing to have one round of questioning of five minutes each, according to the source. He also wants to allow for a subsequent round of questioning of 30 minutes for each side, allowing both parties committee counsels to also engage in questioning during their respective turns which has turned into a key sticking point for the Justice Department. Jerry Nadler Is Done With Barrs Games Rep. Nadler is done playing with Barr. If the attorney general doesnt show up and answer questions on Thursday, he is going to be subpoenaed and Nadler seems willing to do whatever is necessary to enforce that subpoena. The attorney general should not be afraid to answer questions from the House Judiciary Committee counsel unless he was concerned about criminal and legal liability for his actions. It is the height of arrogance for William Barr to think that he gets to set the conditions of his testimony. Barr has a constitutional duty to appear before Congress when he is summoned to testify. Democrats are finished with the administrations nonsense and stall tactics. If Barr wants to fight this in court, Democrats will take him to court, and they will win, but under no circumstances will any member of the Trump administration get to set the terms of how Congress conducts oversight. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 349 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard By James Oliphant MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (Reuters) Four years ago, Donald Trump campaigned in small towns like Marshalltown, Iowa, vowing to restore economic prosperity to the U.S. heartland. In his bid to replace Trump in the White House, Pete Buttigieg is taking a similar tack. The difference, he says, is that he can point to a model of success: South Bend, Indiana, the revitalized city where he has been mayor since 2012. The Democratic presidential contender has vaulted to the congested fields top tier in recent weeks, drawing media and donor attention for his youth, history-making status as the first openly gay major presidential candidate and a resume that includes military service in Afghanistan. But Buttigiegs main argument for his candidacy is that he is a turnaround artist in the mold of Trump, although the Democrat does not expressly invoke the comparison with the Republican president. Im not going around saying weve fixed every problem weve got, Buttigieg, 37, said after a house party with voters in Marshalltown. But Im proud of what we have done together, and I think its a very powerful story. Critics argue improving the fortunes of a Midwestern city of 100,000 people does not qualify Buttigieg, who has never held national office, for the presidency of a country of 330 million. Others say South Bend still has pockets of despair and that minorities, in particular, have failed to benefit from its growth. Buttigieg has told crowds in Iowa and elsewhere that his experience in reviving a struggling Rust Belt community allows him to make a case to voters that other Democratic candidates cannot. That may give him the means to win back some of the disaffected Democratic voters who turned their backs on Hillary Clinton in 2016 to vote for Trump. Watching Buttigieg at a union hall in Des Moines last week, Rick Ryan, 45, a member of the United Steelworkers, lamented how many of his fellow union workers voted for Trump. The president turned in the best performance by a Republican among union households since Ronald Reagan in 1984. Ryan said he hoped someone like Buttigieg could return them to the Democratic fold. Hes aware of the decline in the labor force in America, not just in Indiana or Des Moines or anywhere else, Ryan said. Jobs are going overseas. We need a find to way to bring that back. Randy Tucker, 56, of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, said Trump appealed to union members desperate for somebody to reach out to them, to help them, to listen to their voice. Buttigieg could do the same, he said. In my heart right now, hes No. 1. PAST VS. FUTURE Buttigieg stresses a key difference in his and Trumps approaches. Trump, he tells crowds, is mired in the past, promising to rebuild the 20th century industrial economy. Buttigieg argues the pledge is misleading and unrealistic. Buttigieg says his focus is on the future, and he often talks about what the country might look like decades from now. The only way that we can cultivate what makes America great is to look to the future and not be afraid of it, Buttigieg said in Marshalltown. Buttigieg knows his sexual preference may be a barrier to winning some blue-collar voters. But he notes that after he came out as gay in 2015, he won a second term as mayor with 80 percent of the vote in conservative Indiana. Earlier this month, he announced his presidential bid at the hulking plant in South Bend that stopped making Studebaker autos more than 50 years ago. After lying dormant for decades, the building is being transformed into a high-tech hub after Buttigieg and other city leaders realized it would never again attract a large-scale industrial company. That building sat as a powerful reminder. We hoped we would get back that major employer that would fix our economy, said Jeff Rea, president of the regional Chamber of Commerce. Buttigieg is praised locally for spurring more than $100 million in downtown investment. During his two terms, unemployment has fallen to 4.1 percent from 11.8 percent. But a study released in 2017 by the nonprofit group Prosperity Now said not all of the citys residents had shared in its rebound. The median income for African-Americans remained half that of whites, while the unemployment rate for blacks was double. Regina Williams-Preston, a city councilor running to replace Buttigieg as mayor, credits him for the revitalized downtown. But she said he had a blind spot when it came to focusing on troubled neighborhoods like the one she represents and only grew more engaged after community pressure. He understands it now, she said. The next step is figuring out how to open the doors of opportunity for everyone. ONE OF US Trump touts the fact that the United States added almost 300,000 manufacturing jobs last year as evidence he made good on his promise to restore the industrial sector. But that growth still left the country with fewer manufacturing jobs than in 2008. The robust U.S. economy is likely the presidents greatest asset in his re-election bid, particularly in states he carried in 2016 such as Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. He won Buttigiegs home state by 19 points over Clinton in 2016. Sean Bagniewski, chairman of the Democratic Party in Polk County, Iowa, said Buttigieg would be well positioned to compete with Trump in the Midwest. People love the fact that hes a mayor, said Bagniewski, who has not endorsed a candidate in the nominating contest. If you can talk about a positive future, and if you actually have experience that can do it, thats a compelling vision in Iowa. Nan Whaley, the mayor of Dayton, Ohio, which faces many of the same challenges as South Bend, agreed. Hes one of us, Whaley said. That helps. (Reporting by James Oliphant; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Peter Cooney) 2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Former acting attorney general Sally Yates said that she had prosecuted obstruction of justice cases that had less evidence than the federal government has on Trump. Yates said on NBCs Meet The Press, Ive been a prosecutor for nearly thirty years, and I can tell you that I have personally prosecuted obstruction cases on far, far less evidence than this, and yes, I believe that if he were not the President Of The United States, he would likely be indicted on obstruction. Video: EXCLUSIVE: Former U.S. Dep Attorney Gen Sally Yates says, "I've personally prosecuted obstruction (of justice) cases on far, far less evidence than this"@SallyQYates: "If he were not the president of the united states, he would likely be indicted on obstruction" pic.twitter.com/h4EMNKe2dc Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) April 28, 2019 The presidency is the only thing that is keeping Trump out of prison There is a growing consensus that if he werent president, Trump would already have been indicted and that the only thing keeping Trump out of prison is the fact that he is currently the president. Trump is going to fight tooth and nail to win a second term because the statute of limitations on many of his recent crimes will expire if he is reelected. Voters need to prepare for more attacks from Russia, and the nastiest election that they have ever seen, because there is no low that Trump wont sink to in his effort to avoid prison. Should Trump lose, an indictment is in his future, which means that the stakes for a presidential will never have been higher than are for 2020. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 175 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard JERUSALEM (Reuters) For one family caught up in the California synagogue shooting, a move from Israel to the United States in search of a safer life has been a journey from fire to fire. Israel Dahan and three of his five children were at Sabbath services at Congregation Chabad in Poway, near San Diego, on Saturday when a gunman opened fire, killing a woman and wounding three others in what local authorities deemed a hate crime. Dahan, speaking on Israel Radio on Sunday, said his family was no stranger to violence, having lived in Israel in Sderot, a town on the Gaza border that has been a frequent target of Palestinian rocket attacks. We came from fire to fire, he said. We left Sderot because of the shelling. My house was hit several times. My mothers house, my mother-in-laws house were hit several times. I was also wounded several times we wanted to move far away. Dahans eight-year-old daughter, Noya, was wounded in the synagogue shooting, on the last day of Passover, as was his brother-in-law. I began to shout that people should flee, Dahan said about the initial moments of the attack. Thank God his gun jammed. Authorities identified the alleged gunman as a 19-year-old San Diego resident and said his weapon apparently malfunctioned after the first rounds he fired. Dahan said his family had been living in Poway for the past three years and that it was not the first time they had been the victim of a hate crime. In 2015, the Dahans were residing in Mira Mesa, about 10 miles (16 km) from Poway, when swastikas were daubed on their house and vehicle during the Passover holiday. A local news report at the time said the family moved to the United States in 2014 seeking a safer environment for their children. But thats life, Dahan said, recalling the swastika incident and how he had briefly locked eyes with the synagogue assailant. Asked whether he regretted their move from Israel, he said: No. We love America It can happen anywhere in any mall, and in any hospital and in any family gathering and in any place. We are strong. We were born to be strong. (Writing by Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Dale Hudson) 1.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Trump is facing a dangerous situation on obstruction of justice as former White House counsel Don McGahn is viewed as a credible witness by Democrats and Republicans. CNBCs John Harwood said on MSBNC, I wanted to say the danger to the president is underscored by what Sally Yates said. Those elements that she pointed to the instances she pointed to include the testimony of a highly credible witness to Republicans as well as Democrats. Thatmore began. Hes don Mcghan. Hes a conservative lawyer but respected in Washington. The fact that he, in 30 hours of testimony to the special counsel outlined these events and would be in a position to affirm his account in public testimony, that is very dangerous for the president because the presidents own credibility is very weak, as weve seen for quite a long time. Video: Trump is obstruction of justice peril As Sally Yates said on Meet The Press, Ive been a prosecutor for nearly thirty years, and I can tell you that I have personally prosecuted obstruction cases on far, far less evidence than this, and yes, I believe that if he were not the President Of The United States, he would likely be indicted on obstruction. Don McGahn is a very credible witness because he didnt work for Trump. McGahns job as White House counsel was to offer legal advice to the president on policy and other issues, but McGahn didnt represent Trump or the presidents interests. McGahn is dangerous for Trump because he witnessed all of the instances of obstruction of justice and testified to Robert Mueller about them. Obstruction of justice is at the center of the congressional investigations, and McGahan has the testimony that could send Trump straight down the road to impeachment. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook The head of the Russian republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, recently expressed outrage via Telegram over the increased number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan, which he blamed on the U.S. military and Afghan government security forces enlisted by them. Kadyrov added: Speaking about the production of drugs, this indicator has increased many times since the arrival of the American armed forces. The Afghan people are being abused. And there is no clear end to it. The Pentagon maintains approximately 14,000 personnel in Afghanistan for Operation Freedoms Sentinel, tasked with helping the Afghan government to support and sustain its forces. Kadyrov cited the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UANAMA) Quarterly Report on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict: January 1 to March 31, which was released on April 24. The report does not provide data on drug trafficking in Afghanistan. As Kadyrov noted, the UN data shows significant increases in civilian casualties from aerial and search operations, which drove an overall increase in civilian casualties by pro-government forces. Between 1 January and 31 March 2019, UNAMA attributed 608 civilian casualties (305 deaths and 303 injured) to Pro-Government Forces, representing a 39 percent increase from the same period last year. UNAMA notes with concern that Pro-Government Forces were responsible for more civilian deaths than Anti-Government Elements during the first quarter of 2019, the report states. The breakdown of the data demonstrates that UNAMA attributed 17% of civilian casualties to the Afghan national security forces, 13% to international military forces, two percent to pro-government armed groups, and two per cent to multiple pro-government forces. However, the UN report does not confirm Kadyrovs claim that around 400 civilians have died through the fault of the U.S. troops and the forces of official Kabul enlisted by them. In fact, a total of 305 civilians were killed as a result of actions by international forces, Afghan government forces and pro-government forces taken together. International forces alone were responsible for 146 deaths. The U.S. currently accounts for some 14,000 of the roughly 17,000 troops from 39 countries on the ground in Afghanistan as part of the NATOs mission Resolute Support. So, Kadyrov is right in pointing that anti-government forces in Afghanistan account for fewer civilian deaths than the pro-government side. However, Kadyrovs overstatement of the numbers and his tendency to overly attribute the numbers to the U.S. earns our verdict of misleading. 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. David Slade is a senior Post and Courier reporter. His work has been honored nationally by Society of Professional Journalists, American Society of Newspaper Editors, Scripps foundation and others. Reach him at 843-937-5552 or dslade@postandcourier.com You are the owner of this article. It was Jerry C. Lee's first year serving on a school board in the South Carolina Upstate when the teachers started talking about a strike. The year was 1979. Every day after school, teachers picketed in front of the Oconee County School District office demanding a substantial pay hike after two years without a raise. The mere threat of a strike may have been enough: According to Lee, the county council caved to pressure and gave them a raise in the next year's budget. Rarely a hotbed of union organizing or labor demonstrations, the state of South Carolina nevertheless has a rich history of activism by its public school teachers. With or without a union, teachers have led charges to raise education funding, expand access to kindergarten, cap classroom sizes and occasionally topple their political enemies. Now, 40 years after teachers started threatening to strike in the mountain enclave of Oconee County, a statewide coalition of teachers plans to march on the Statehouse Wednesday. Organized largely on social media under the hashtag #AllOutMay1, the one-day protest has the potential to become one of the largest statewide teacher movements in South Carolina history. Their demands are not much different than the ones their forebears fought for: Better pay, smaller classroom sizes, duty-free break time and full funding of the state's promises to students. While the demands are familiar, the tactics which have so far caused two school districts and a charter school to shut their doors on Wednesday are new to South Carolina, at least in the last half-decade. Recent teacher walkouts and strikes from West Virginia to Los Angeles have served as inspiration for parallel May Day protests in North and South Carolina, with encouragement from the National Education Association teachers' union. Kathy Maness, executive director of the non-union Palmetto State Teachers Association, said that in her 26 years of advocacy for South Carolina teachers, she has never seen a walkout or a protest that threatened to disrupt school. Her group has not endorsed the protest but has said it supports the teachers' right to make their voices heard. "I think for many years teachers have been a sleeping giant, and we have just not stood up for ourselves," Maness said. "The sleeping giant is waking up." Teacher power Activists, teachers and labor historians interviewed by The Post and Courier could not recall any examples of a statewide teacher demonstration that disrupted South Carolina schools on the scale of this year's May Day event, which was organized by the teacher advocacy group SC for Ed. Instead, activism tended to take root at the local level through county education associations, which proliferated across the state until the 1980s. Hannah Timmons taught for 30 years in Columbia area schools and was active in the Richland County Education Association until her retirement in 1985. The group, which collected dues but did not have collective bargaining power, sued the local school district over equal pay for women and transparency issues on the school board. "We sued, but we couldn't strike," Timmons said. "There was certainly no way in Richland County to pull off a strike." +6 'Minimally adequate': SCs persistent failures in education leave students unprepared The project, Minimally Adequate, is the result of an eight-month investigation into South Carolina's troubled education system, which ranks among the nation's worst. The 1970s saw a wave of teacher strikes across the country, but not in South Carolina. But the S.C. Education Association, a non-union group affiliated with the National Education Association, did a bit of saber-rattling in 1979. "Strikes can occur, with or without a (collective bargaining) law. The SCEA's position is that a strike is a legitimate weapon, if all else fails," SCEA Executive Director Michael Fleming said in a January 1979 News and Courier article about a state school budget package. Some of the SCEA's demands in that budget season will sound familiar to the teachers who are preparing to march in Columbia: Duty-free lunch periods. Unencumbered planning periods. More counselors for elementary schools. Better pay. Timmons, 85, says she has been watching the news about this year's SC for Ed event, a far milder protest than other states' teacher strikes and walkouts of 2018. She said she doubts teachers here will ever pull off a true strike. "I dont think a strike is going to be effective in this state, not in my lifetime," Timmons said. "They have an anti-labor attitude, which is what you find in a feudalistic society, which is what we still have. The old plantation bit, we still have a lot of that attitude." No unions here "I don't like unions," teacher Rose Cashin told The Associated Press in a March 26, 1979, story. "I've had bred in me that strikes were just not done." In spite of all that, Cashin, a 23-year teaching veteran at the time, said she had decided to walk out with her fellow teachers in Oconee County if a majority voted to do so. Lee, who had just been elected to the school board in 1978, said a major issue was that the county council controlled the school district's budget and was not friendly to public education. He remembers seeing big crowds of teachers at every board and council meeting in 1979, usually with a throng of TV news crews in tow. "We had no problems as far as violence or ugly comments. They were just very upset, and rightly so," said Lee, who now serves as school board chair. He added that the district's relationship with county council has improved in the intervening 40 years, allowing the district to pay its teachers better than the state average. The membership and influence of American labor unions have been in decline since the mid-20th century, taking a series of legal blows over the years including President Ronald Reagan's breakup of an air traffic controller strike in 1981 and the Janus v. AFSCME Supreme Court decision of 2018. +6 Meet the South Carolina teachers working 2nd and 3rd jobs to pay the bills South Carolina teachers do not make enough money to pay rent, pay off student debt, buy a house, or raise a family. Here are the stories of five teachers working second jobs (and in some cases third jobs) just to make ends meet. South Carolina ranks 50th in the nation for union membership, with just 3.6 percent of its employed residents represented by a union, according to a 2018 report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. State law prohibits workplaces from requiring employees to pay union dues, a so-called "right to work" law that has crippled labor unions in many states. South Carolina law prohibits collective bargaining by state employees, but it does not specifically prohibit strikes. 1979 saw a backlash from state and local leaders against the power of the county education associations, which still held considerable power in school district politics. Some endorsed school board candidates; many advocated for higher pay during budget meetings. An attorney general's opinion dated May 21 of that year stated that school districts "may not deduct dues from employees' compensation for the purpose of paying dues to organizations to which the employees belong." The S.C. Education Association reported that 58 school districts authorized payroll deductions for professional dues in 1979. Some education associations had grown in membership like Charleston County's, which represented 60 percent of the district's teachers. Today, many county-level education associations have ceased to exist, and few wield the power they once did. The comeback Even with their local organizations decimated, teachers have continued to shape policy. The 1994 state teacher of the year, Dodie Rodgers, led kindergarten teachers across the state in a crusade that eventually led the state to fund full-day kindergarten for all students in 1998. Among other tactics, the teachers published a children's book about the benefits of kindergarten and invited lawmakers to come read it to their students for photo opportunities. In 2013, then-State Superintendent Mick Zais invoked the wrath of teachers when he proposed that the state eliminate nearly all caps on classroom size in the name of "flexibility." The State Board of Education, which had passed a first reading of Zais' proposal in a near-unanimous vote, turned on the idea with near-unanimous opposition after a sustained barrage of phone calls and emails from teachers across the state. A month later, Zais announced he would not seek reelection. In 2019, the color red is a familiar sight to lawmakers. Following a trend in other states encouraged by the NEA's "Red for Ed" campaign, teachers have been decked out in red shirts, dresses and accessories at nearly every legislative hearing on a proposed education overhaul this year. While SC for Ed has adopted the aesthetic flourishes of a nationwide movement backed by a labor union, its leaders have been careful to distance themselves from the unions. The S.C. Education Association has also denied that the May 1 rally is an official SCEA event. Labor historian Kerry Taylor, an associate professor at The Citadel, said South Carolina's teacher movement mirrors some protests that spread across non-union states like Oklahoma last year. "A lot of the organizing is taking place outside of the formal union structures," Taylor said. "In a lot of ways the unions are playing catch-up to the teachers who are coming together I think pretty organically, organizing on social media." SC for Ed has said at least 2,000 people are expected at the Wednesday rally, which begins at 9:45 a.m. with a march on the Statehouse grounds. Writings on the Wall Following the end of World War II, there were a lot of positive moves to politically develop Guam. The Guam Congress was able to accomplish se Read more I wrote here about how the federal government is probing the Montgomery County School system to determine whether it is discriminating against Asian-American students by limiting their admission into two highly sought-after magnet school programs. Between 2016 and 2017, the number of Asian-American students admitted into the two programs dropped by 23 percent. The next year, it dropped again, this time by 20 percent. One reason for the sharp decline is that the County began disfavoring high-performing students for the programs if they have have a peer group of 20 or more similarly gifted classmates with whom they can come together for advanced classes at their neighborhood school. The rationale is that such students dont need a magnet program as much as students who lack a critical mass of gifted peers. Assuming that this selection criterion operates to curb the number of Asian-American students in magnet programs, can it nonetheless be defended as a neutral rule that provides a non-discriminatory explanation for the exclusion of Asian-American students who, under the old selection system, would have been admitted to a magnet school? I think the answer depends on whether the peer group criterion was adopted for a racially discriminatory purpose. A school system can use magnet programs in any way it sees fit, as long as it doesnt use them for a race-based purpose. If Montgomery County wants its magnet programs primarily to serve students from weaker schools, on the theory that these students need magnet schools the most, that should be its prerogative, I believe. But its not Montgomery Countys prerogative to assign students to its magnet schools, or keep them out, because of their race. If the County adopts a selection device for the purpose of manipulating the racial mix at its magnet schools, thats problematic. Unfortunately, there is strong evidence that Montgomery County adopted the peer group criterion for the purpose of increasing the admissions of Black and Latino students to its magnet programs. In 2016, just before the admission of Asian-American students plummeted, the Metis Report, commissioned by the Montgomery County Board of Education a year earlier, was issued. From its first pages, the Metis Report focuses on diversity, including racial diversity. One of the reports key findings is that there are significant racial and socioeconomic disparities in the enrollment and acceptance rates to academically selective programs, which suggest a need to revise the criteria and process used to select students for these programs to eliminate barriers to access for highly able students of all backgrounds. (Emphasis added). In other words, the report sees a need to change the selection process to achieve outcomes more favorable to members of certain racial and/or ethnic groups. To achieve this, the report recommends the following: Implement modifications to the selection process used for academically competitive programs in MCPS, comprising elementary centers for highly gifted students and secondary magnet programs, to focus these programs on selecting equitably from among those applicants that demonstrate a capacity to thrive in the program, that include use of noncognitive criteria, group-specific norms that benchmark student performance against school peers with comparable backgrounds, and/or a process that offers automatic admissions to the programs for students in the top 5-10% of sending elementary or middle schools in the district. (Emphasis added) In effect, the report is calling for something akin to race-norming. Under race-norming, the performance of applicants for positions is measured not against all applicants, but rather only against applicants from the same racial or ethnic group. Thus, Black applicants, for example, dont have to outperform most White and Asian-American applicants on a test. They need only outperform most Black applicants. Montgomery County adopted a variation of the Metis Reports recommendations. It didnt offer automatic admission to students in the top 5-10 percent of students in elementary of middle schools. It didnt, as far as I know, engage in out-and-out race-norming. However, it did implement a selection device the peer group concept that reduced the number of successful applicants from schools with lots of White and Asian-American students and increased the number from schools with lots of Blacks and Latinos. It also effectively decreased the extent to which Black students must compete with Asian-American students for admission to magnet schools. It is fair to infer that the County did this to address the significant racial and socioeconomic disparities in the enrollment and acceptance rates to academically selective programs identified by the Metis Report. It is fair to infer that, indeed, the Metis Report was commissioned to help the County come up with ways to address racial disparities. I dont believe any other inference is plausible. Thus, because Montgomery County adopted the peer group criterion in order to favor certain sets of individuals based on their race and ethnicity, I believe the County is engaging in unlawful discrimination in its selection of students for the magnet programs in question. The federal government has appealed to farmers to prepare for the purchase of 40 per cent shares of the newly privitised Bank of Agriculture (BoA), to join in the ownership of the bank. Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday. Mr Ogbeh said that move would help to create a viable and virile farmers bank like their counterpart in the Netherlands and China. The minister explained that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Ministry of Finance would own 20 per cent capital each while the private sector and investors would have 20 per cent shares. According to him, farmers will have 40 per cent shares. We want to call on all farmers, old and new, male or female everywhere in Nigeria to prepare to buy shares in the Bank of Agriculture (BoA) when the sale opens. It is time to join in owning the farmers bank. Our administration, upon assumption of office, decided to take steps to stabilise, commercialise and partially privatise the Bank of Agriculture so it ceases to be wholly government bank constantly losing money. I decided that we needed to restructure the BoA to make it run more efficiently and like similar Banks in Holland and China. We proposed this to the National Economic Committee, headed by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. Thereafter, the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) took over and after several months, concluded the work. The bank is expected to have a capital structure of N250 billion. CBN will own 20 per cent, Ministry of Finance- 20 per cent, private sector/corporate groups, including investors, will have 20 per cent and farmers will have 40 per cent shares. Our desire is to create a viable and virile farmers Bank like it exists in China and Holland, the minister said. The Director-General of BPE, Alex Okoh, had said that the privitisation process would be finalised in 90 days. (NAN) Nobody plans to travel to New York city without relishing the thoughts of having a peek on the stately Statue of Liberty on the harbour. Thats quite how fixated I was about travelling to Owerri, the Imo State capital a city that has come to be known for imposing statues, drawing both critics and admirers. I was in the state to cover the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for February 16 but which was later shifted to 23. Election upshot in the state had appeared unpredictable due to the political bigwigs on several fronts. Albeit, the outlandish theatrics observed during and after Imo elections even offset any anticipation. I arrived Imo via Sam Mbakwe local Airport 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, February 14. From there, I picked a cab that took me to Owerri. I was warmly received by a friend and nice Imo indigene, Nonye Chukwuemeka, who became my unofficial tour guide throughout my stay. Mr Chukwuemeka took me to Felivin Hotel which became my home for those memorable two weeks in the state. Statue of President Muhammadu Buhari currently being molded at the Hero Square. Kelvin Hotel is not top notch, but it is situated at a strategic spot which was perfect for my assignment in the state. The three-star hotel is by the street of the famous World bank road, near the old Secretariat layout. It is at trekkable distance to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters at Port Harcourt road. There are several other landmarks within that horizon, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Immaculate Hotels. I was supposed to spend only a week in the state but the postponement of the polls by a week by INEC extended my stay. An extra week to crisscross the City of Statues, I believed. The city of statues Concorde Boulevard a serene double-lane road, housing the Heroes Square (Ojukwu Centre) had become a cynosure of attraction. Statue of Jacob Zuma, former South African President at Hero Square in Owerri, Imo State capital. Statue of Ellien Johnson Sirleaf, immediate past Liberian President. Though the centre was embellished with humongous artworks, it was the gigantic statues of renowned African leaders erected by the state government that drew tourist attraction the most. The centre was in the eye of the storm after the statue of Jacob Zuma, the erstwhile President of South Africa, surfaced in late 2017. The unveiling of the Zuma statue sparked widespread reactions, especially on social media and other news platforms. The outgoing governor, Rochas Okorocha, was severely criticised for honouring the South African president who was also admitted into the Imo Hall of Fame and conferred with the state merit award before a street was named after him. Critics questioned the governors yardstick for conferring such honour to a man who was then facing corruption charges relating to arms deals back home in South Africa. Mr Zuma had also faced accusations of rape. Mr Zumas statue, which was alleged to cost a whooping N520 million, was also condemned because while it stood tall in Owerri, many Nigerians were killed in South Africa under the watch of the president. Cross-section of statues at the Hero Square in Owerri. Akpuola gi?, (meaning have you been moulded?) became a common jargon used by many critics to satirise the trend. Following Mr Zumas resignation February last year, amid the fraud allegations, many Nigerians asked the state government to destroy the statue. But the governor who offered no apologies remained unmoved. He rather fired back at critics, saying the statue was erected when Mr Zuma was in power and the president resigned honourably. The governor argued that erection of statues was part of his governments bid to attract meaningful investors that will contribute to the growth of the state. When INEC announced the postponement of the elections by a week that Saturday, I hollered with excitement knowing the opportunity for me to make a stop at Hero Square and see for myself these much talked about statues had presented itself. Man with the torch over a giant blue baloon. Two days after the announcement, I visited the square, and indeed my expectation was met. It was indeed a tourist centre. My only disappointment was that the place appeared unkept. The ticket man told me in Igbo, give me anything from your mind after your tour of the place and I kept to that agreement when I was leaving. Awe-struck As a lover of artworks, I must say I was awe-struck upon seeing the 35 metres tall statues of various African leaders standing tall next to each other. They were coated with bronze. From the left stood high, statues of Akanu Ibiam, the first governor of the eastern region during Nigerias First Republic; Sam Mbakwe, a former governor of the state; Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, the Biafran warlord; Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nigerias former head of state. Also, in the stand were Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, immediate past Liberian president; Nana Akufor-Addo, a former Ghanian President and of course Jacob Zuma among others. They are 15 in number. Buhari enters circle My attention was quickly drawn to the far end of the stand. The sculptors are working on a new statue. Who could that be? I thought as I recalled Mr Okorochas description of Hero Square, the future of tourist attraction in Nigeria. With that, the governor had promised to build more statues at the centre. In the making was a statue of a tall man. I must say the body physique looked familiar, but it was not easy to identify as the head was covered. The sculptor urged me to look deeper. President Buhari (Muhammadu)? I exclaimed, and he chuckled affirmatively. The sculptor said President Buhari is the next statue to be unveiled in the state. All the statue here was done by us, and it takes months to complete just one. We use a certain bronze chemical to coat the statues, the sculptor said. He was reluctant in giving out his name or the cost of one of the statue. Dotted with statues Apart from Hero Square, I also observed that Owerri city is adorned with artworks, sculptures, and statues at almost every roundabout. To be sure, I visited the Freedom Square located at the heart of the town where a giant statue of a man wielding a torch under a gigantic blue balloon was erected. I also observed that all the major roads in the city have a signature structure. There are always two pillars of about twelve feet high, facing each other and crossed with iron longbows. They, at every short interval, form a kind of canopy over the roads. Misplaced Priorities? My brief interaction with many residents exposed their repulsion of the governments tourist initiative. He is building statues and pillars all over the roads when almost all the streetlights and traffic lights in Owerri are not working, Emma Osondu, a taxi driver, said. Canopy-like pillars all over Owerri Roads. Look at most of the roads he (Okorocha) built in Owerri, they keep spoiling, and they dont have good gutters. Once rain falls, everywhere will look so dirty, said John Ifeneme, a student of the Federal University of Technology Owerri. Experience Well, as a lover of arts, I would have argued otherwise, but I had an experience that made me decide I can never live in this city! Once it starts raining in Owerri, the city takes a different form. I was caught up in such a situation on a particular Wednesday evening at Douglas road. I noticed an unusual rush once the downpour started. I waited for the rain to subside before I continued my journey, but that was a wrong move. As I stepped out of the eatery where I took shelter, the beautiful city of Owerri had turned into a swamp. Most parts of the roads were filled with muddy water from the rain. The gutters are too tiny, and apparently, the water channels are blocked. It was as if everything stood still. There were major gridlocks at every corner and junction. Many residents had trooped out, desperately looking for a means of transportation which had become very scarce at the time. I had to hold my trousers so I could step into the muddy water. It was of no use. Besides, for you to find a means of transportation, you had to join the queue of people fighting for a spot in the commercial cars. I had no option than to trek halfway to my hotel room before I got a cab. Traumatic Election Coverage I was woken by a call from my cabman at about 5:35 a.m. on Saturday, February 23, the day of the election. We left the hotel at about 6:20 a.m. I was feeling a bit nervous not just because it was my first time covering a presidential and national assembly election, but also due to incidents of violence that trailed the state in the past. My direction to the cabman was instructive. Take me straight to the governors polling unit in Ogboko village; we can observe other centres on our way. I had a key interest in observing how events will unfold in the governors strongholds. Mr Okorocha appeared to be facing a tough battle from all sides. His run-ins with his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) over his choice of successor birthed the divide in the state chapter of the party. The governor would contest for a Senate seat of Imo West zone that election day in what was considered the first test of his political foray. Apart from struggling to save his head, Mr Okorocha was hoping to deliver his district for President Buhari. All these made Mr Okorochas Imo West, an interesting zone any observer would want to monitor. We arrived at Mr Okorochas polling unit at Ogboko village, Ideato local government of Imo West at about around 8:30 a.m. But no personnel nor materials were present as was the case in many other centres visited earlier. We then went to a nearby RAC centre only to discover that materials were still being moved to the polling units at 9:10 a.m. We came back to the centre at 9:20 a.m. and officials had arrived but still setting up their tables. One of the presiding officers said the delay was caused by the sorting of materials and accreditation of party agents. I must say I was too busy to notice an unusual arrangement here until I was accosted by two men who were not wearing uniforms or election tags. Who are you, people? What are you doing here? Just come out of the vehicle, the huge dark guy said from the drivers window. The other man was on my side of the vehicle. Before I could say Jack, I was asked to hand over my working materials. At that point, it dawned on me that I had walked into a danger zone. Before I knew what was happening, about 15 to 20 more thugs surrounded me. They demanded I identify myself. Even after showing them my accredited election monitoring tag and Press I.D card, they kept on harassing and interrogating my driver and I. It was as if everything happening there was stage-managed. All the INEC officials whom I introduced myself to initially were busy with their works as I was waylaid by these men. Call who sent you here. Anybody can print this your tag, one of the thugs said. You dont know you are in Rochas Okorochas polling booth and you say you want to observe elections? There were only two female police officers stationed at the centre. They had no guns. Both of them watched as the thugs kept harassing me. They did not intervene. I would later approach one of the policewomen and officially introduce myself, but she also demanded I place a call to the person that sent you. The ensuing drama came to its peak when my driver was slapped and kicked by the thugs when he tried to complain. Eventually, all my gadgets were returned by the thugs with a stern warning that I should never return to the centre. I never did. Sri Lanka has banned all kinds of clothing that cover the face and prevent identification, such as niqabs and burqas, officials said on Sunday, a week after the Easter bombings that left over 250 people dead. The ban does not directly refer to Muslim female garb, burqa and niqab, but was seen as a clear reference to the type of dress. A statement from the office of the president said the ban was being introduced from Monday under new regulations brought under a state of emergency in response to the Easter bombings in the capital, Colombo. Sri Lankas Justice Ministry had already been considering introducing laws preventing wearing of Burqa and Niqab, but has expedited the ban. On Sunday, a group of Muslim leaders had called on community members to refrain from wearing clothing in a manner that obstructs identification of persons. Most of those killed in the Easter Sunday attacks were Sri Lankans. The dead also included 40 foreigners, including British, U.S., Australian, Turkish, Indian, Chinese, Danish, Dutch and Portuguese nationals. More than 100 people, including foreigners from Syria and Egypt, have been detained for questioning over the Easter attacks. The Sri Lankan military said at least 15 people were killed during a fierce gun battle with militants on the east coast on Friday, including six children. Sri Lankas 22 million population is majority Buddhist and includes minority Christians, Muslims and Hindus. (dpa/NAN) The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused the labour minister, Chris Ngige, of falsehood in his narration of what transpired on the day the governing board of a government agency, was to be inaugurated. Mr Ngige, in a statement by a spokesperson of the labour ministry, had accused the NLC of importing thugs to the inauguration of the board of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). PREMIUM TIMES reported how the labour minister refused to inaugurate the board of the NSITF for about two years since the board was named by then acting President Yemi Osinbajo. Mr Osinbajo had approved the board members, including retired labour leader, Frank Kokori, as the board chairman. But when the labour minister earlier in April finally announced the planned inauguration of the board, it left out Mr Kokoris name. This angered labour leaders who mobilised themselves to the venue of the inauguration. They accused Mr Ngige of plotting to replace Mr Kokori, a former leader of the oil workers union, NUPENG. The labour leaders said they would not allow Mr Ngige to inaugurate anyone else as chairman of the board. As at then, neither Mr Ngige nor the labour ministry had announced that Mr Kokori was to be replaced. However, the planned inauguration, witnessed by PREMIUM TIMES and other journalists, could not proceed as Mr Ngige did not show up. At the event, Mr Kokori, who was jailed by the military dictatorship of Sani Abacha for leading a workers protest, wept. He accused Mr Ngige of humiliating him despite his past sacrifices for Nigeria. It was later on that day that the labour ministry released its controversial statement accusing the labour leaders of importing violent thugs. It also said Mr Kokori had been replaced as board chairman-nominee of the NSITF. Government, therefore, takes serious exception to the dishonourable actions of the NLC leadership and Mr Frank Kokori as well as his cohorts, the labour ministry said. In its reaction on Sunday afternoon, the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, expressed his anger at the labour ministrys statement. Ngiges outburst and resort to gutter language is certainly an expression of his desperation to turn the NSITF into his personal estate, Mr Wabba said. The labour insisted that Mr Ngige should inaugurate the board of the NSITF with Mr Kokori as its chairman. Going forward, the dropping of the name of Mr President notwithstanding, we expect Minister Ngige to inaugurate the Board of NSITF under the chairmanship of Chief Frank Ovie Kokori before the 2019 May Day, he wrote. Read the full statement of the NLC president below. NGIGE AND THE TRUTH ABOUT NSITF BOARD INAUGURATION The attention of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has been drawn to a Press Statement signed by Rhoda Iliya, Assistant Director, Press, on behalf of Dr. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, in which the President of the Congress was alleged to have imported violent thugs, to disrupt the inauguration of the board of NSITF, which was to have taken place on April 18, 2019. The statement, which was filled with many unbelievable barefaced lies and uncouth language, alleged, among other things, that the inauguration had to be postponed to avoid the degeneration of the situation where thugs were already manhandling some officers of the ministry and policemen attached to the office of the minister. Continuing, the Ministers statement asserted that the violent gate crashing and the illegal forceful seizure of the conference room of the Honourable Minister by thugs numbering hundreds and persons who clearly had no business with the inauguration of the board is totally unacceptable. Government therefore take [sic] serious exceptions to the dishonourable actions of the NLC leadership and Chief Frank Kokori as well as his cohorts and warn that the Ministry will not tolerate a repeat of hooliganism clearly unknown to ethos of civilised unionism. We are left dumbfounded at the depth Minister Ngige is prepared to go in lying to the nation and the world to cover his doomed plan to hoodwink Nigerians on his elaborate intrigue spanning three years to prevent the inauguration of the Board of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). The antics of Minister Ngige and his propensity for unabated obfuscation will not distract us from doing our duty in defending and protecting the rights and interests of our members, as these remain the basic raison detre for our existence as a Labour Movement. To set the record straight, on 18th April, 2019, the Congress President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, alongside Comrade William Akporeha, President of NUPENG, led other leaders of the Labour Movement to the venue of the inauguration ceremony and waited patiently for well over two hours for the commencement of the event. There were dozens of journalists from various national media houses in the hall to cover the event. The DSS also had its operatives on the ground as well as the police. The fact that there was not even a single reported incident of breakdown of law and order, or the arrest of any person for unruly behaviour is a categorical attestation to the peaceful and calm manner in which all those who came for the occasion conducted themselves. Advertisements Secondly, the fact that the NLC have statutorily two members in the NSITF Board, which, by law, it is obligated to nominate means that the NLC President and all the other workers who turned up for the long overdue inauguration had every business to be there. We are therefore shocked with the deployment of derogatory and confrontational words by Minister Ngige. As social partners, we naturally expect the Ministry of Labour and Employment, and any of its ministers or staff, to relate with organised labour guided by utmost dignity. Any Minister of Labour who thinks organised labour is subordinate to him or her or the Ministry is clearly living in an illusion. Frank Kokori Ngiges outburst and resort to gutter language is certainly an expression of his desperation to turn the NSITF into his personal estate; an effort which he sees the NLC or organised labour truncating. This drama has been on since the constitution of the Board of the NSITF under the Chairmanship of Chief Frank Ovie Kokori. Background of the Current Crisis of Non-inauguration of NSITF Upon his appointment, one of the first actions that Dr Ngige took as Minister of Labour and Employment was to direct the NSITF to submit four nominees of the NSITF to serve on the Board of Trustfund Pensions, which the agency had 40% stake. The four nominees included the then Acting Managing Director, a senior management staff of NSITF and two aides to the Minister from the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Following this, the National Pension Commission (PENCOM), whose statutory responsibility it is to approve nominees to serve on the Board of all Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), in its wisdom and discretion, approved only two of the four nominees. The approved nominees were those from NSITF, while it turned down the Ministers aides from the Ministry of Labour and Employment. When the Federal Government eventually appointed the substantive Managing Director along with three Executive Directors of NSITF, the new Executive Management of the agency wrote to PENCOM to withdraw the two earlier management staff that PENCOM had approved to serve on the board of the PFA to pave the way to replace them with themselves. Because the NLC has substantial stake in both the Trustfund Pensions and NSITF, on December, 15, 2017, we wrote to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), entitled; Non-Swearing in of Board of NSITF and other Matters. The Congress letter drew attention of the SGF to the continuous non-inauguration of the NSITF Board three months after the Federal Government had appointed the Chairman of the Board. The letter, which was signed by the Congress President went on to among other things state that: the law establishing the NSITF stipulates that the President (and Commander-in-Chief) will appoint the executive management of the fund in consultative with the NLC and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA). When the current administration appointed the Managing Director and the three Executive Directors for the NSITF, without consultation with the social partners NLC and NECA as stipulated in the law, we protested. This is more so because the funds of the NSITF are workers contributions and marching contributions by employers in the private sector. The NLCs letter expressed dismay on the delay of the inauguration of the Board after its constitution by the Federal Government. This, he said is preventing NLC and NECA from participating in the governance processes in the place, as well as creating problems in the operations of the Trustfund Pensions, a PFA, which NLC and NECA along with NSITF have shares in. Our letter concluded by urging the SGF to intervene by directing the immediate inauguration of the NSITF. It also urged the SGF to halt the move by the NSITF establishment (directed by Ngige) to force through the process of appointment of new directors of NSITF to Trustfund Pensions until a fully constituted Board is effectively in place. We thought the issues in the NSITF would be laid to rest when the Secretary to the Government of the Federation directed MDAs and the supervising ministers to inaugurate all boards latest by March 9th 2018. The Minister of Labour and Employment disregarded this directive with respect to NSITF Board, claiming that he wanted to clean up corruption in the place. However, we saw through this as nothing but a plot to perpetuate his sole administratorship as supervising minister of the agency. This is because the EFCC had conducted investigations and already began persecution of alleged culprits in the mismanagement of the funds of the agency. Chris Ngige. [PHOTO CREDIT: Sahara Reporters] In order to further consolidate his grip on the NSITF, Ngige constituted a 9-member administrative panel of enquiry into NSITF finances, and forced the organisation to release N18 million to do a probe that the EFCC had already done, to the point he took over as minister. Disillusioned by the ministers intrigue and designs to prolong his stranglehold on the NSITF, we again wrote; this time directly to Mr President on 20th March 2018, and asserted that the decision of the Honourable Minister a couple of weeks back to constitute an administrative panel to investigate the period (2015-to-date), which he has been the sole approving authority is for us just a trick to delay the inauguration of the Kokori-led Board. We also do not have any faith in an-house administrative panel chaired by the Director of Finance of the Labour Ministry, as in the absence of a Board, the Minister had maintained sole oversight and approving authority over the agency. Perhaps, unknown to the Presidency, the Minister had within this period that he was the sole manager of NSITF, recruited hundreds of people, majority of whom are from his community. He has also been in the habit of forcing the approval of hundreds of millions of Naira for dubious induction trainings, procurement and monetisation of jeeps for himself and the Minister of State in the Ministry, among other spurious expenditure. To further illustrate Minister Ngiges intrigues to sustain his sole administration of NSITF, he continues to manufacture every imaginable excuse on why the Board is not inaugurated, despite the above background we have illustrated dating back to 2017. For instance, in a letter dated March 15, 2019 to the NLC President, he asserted thus: Please be informed that the screening by the DSS of your members who are nominees to the Board is the only matter hindering the inauguration of the Board to date. And yet when we forwarded the replacement for one of our nominees to the DSS for screening, the same Minister directed the ministrys Acting Permanent Secretary, Mr Ajibola Ibrahim, to ask us to withdraw the nomination from DSS and route it through his office, obviously to further delay the process. This correspondence was dated 22nd March 2019, when the Minister knows that his tenure as Minister of Labour and Employment will effectively end on May 29, 2019. Recently, Dr Ngige again lied on Channel Television Live Programme that we made a recommendation for someone to be chairman of the Board. This is falsehood of the highest order! Chief Frank Kokori got his nomination to Chair the Board of NSITF as a chieftain of the ruling party in Delta State and on his own right as a distinguished and forthright elder statesman. Understandably, we believe that Minister Ngige is against Kokori as Chairman of NSITF Board because of his well-known trademark personality as a transparent, fearless but virtuous person. Conclusion As can be seen from the reference above, and as a responsible working-class organisation that values the tenets of social dialogue and tripartism, we had pursued this issue tenaciously for the last three years with relevant authorities without externalising it, despite all our frustrations. Our experience as an organisation has shown that it pays to maintain cordiality and good rapport with other social partners, especially the Ministry of Labour which by the nature of our institution, we have to necessarily relate with on a day-to-day basis. The Minister had obviously misread this as weakness. Calling the top most hierarchy of NLC thugs and hooligans is to say the least most irresponsible. It is worst (and most disrespectful) calling one of our most revered veterans a thug and hooligan. Without the painstaking sacrifice of our movement, led by the Kokoris of the world, there would be no democracy under which an Ngige would aspire to be a governor of a state, a senator of the Federal Republic, or the minister that he is. Going forward, the dropping of the name of Mr President notwithstanding, we expect Minister Ngige to inaugurate the Board of NSITF under the chairmanship of Chief Frank Ovie Kokori before the 2019 May Day. For the past three weeks, this writer and 19 other journalists from around the world have been in the United States, touring the vast country. We are participating in the Edward Murrow Program, an aspect of the US government-funded International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP). This springs Murrow fellowship is focusing on Research and Investigative Journalism. True to its theme, the programme has a coterie of journalists making waves in investigative and out of the usual journalism in their respective countries. Aside from sharing information among ourselves, we have had meetings with dozens of Americans journalists, scholars, researchers and other enthusiasts in what was designed to expose the participants to this brand of journalism as practised here. The experience so far is revealing common trends and challenges around the world, from the testimonies of the participants to the interactions we have had with American practitioners since our arrival. As the world is pretty universalising, journalism practice is showing the same pattern with little peculiarities from one country to another. The role of journalists and journalism in the society, the adversarial lines, the changing patterns in news consumption and the challenges, if not threats, to the practice of the trade, are showing uniformity. The Newseum in Washington DC curates history of the media from earliest times. This shirt worn by Nigerian journalist Babafemi Ojudu while in prison is one of the items on display. Free press and its discontents There is the endless hide and seek between journalists as agents of progress and probity, and those on the other side governments, crooked businesses and criminal gangs around the world. Journalists continue to battle the odds in service to truth and the good of society, from America to Palestine. This much is revealed by the annual ranking of press freedom released by the Reporters Without Borders last week. America is famed for freedoms. The U.S. media is adequately protected and press freedom entrenched both by extant laws and long-settled tradition. However, journalists in the U.S. still complain about continuous efforts to undermine those provisions. The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution enshrined press freedom, among other fundamental rights, and moved on to bar even the Congress from tampering with that right. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances, part of that important amendment reads. However, almost every journalist I have met in these past days touring the U.S. have expressed apprehension about the threat to that culture now, like never before. It is obvious, from the most passive outside observer, that President Donald Trump and most of the American media are in a war of attrition. And none of them pretends about it. The Washington Post, for example, has recruited tens of journalists since Mr Trump emerged president. Researchers at Duke University are working on cutting-edge fact-checking tools to burst fake news and misleading claims with Trump worst hit. Joseph Pulitzer founded the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism in 1912 raise future journalists. What is dubbed as the sunshine laws laws guaranteeing rights around access to information and a general transparency in government business are in effect at the federal and the states. In places like New Mexico, there are additional provisions for open meetings. This means that it is illegal to have a council meeting behind closed doors. Such a meeting has to be publicly announced with the full agenda ahead of time and the outcome must also be made public. But government being government everywhere, there are concerns around the U.S. of officials trying to avoid responding to Freedom of Information (FoI) requests in some instances. It is for this that nonprofits like New Mexico Foundation for Open Government are fighting back through lawsuits to ensure respect for such laws. Through donations by public-spirited individuals and pro bono services offered by a small team of lawyers, the association routinely institutes suits to challenge the denial of information. Nonprofits like New Mexico FOG come together under the National Coalition for Freedom of Information to push for the same cause. Another worry around threats to free speech is what an expert called resurgence in libel suits being experienced in the past few years. For this, the North Carolina Press Foundation devotes a fortune in supporting its members involved in such lawsuits. To prepare for such days, publications like the nonprofit North Carolina Policy Watch, which is a strong new voice of investigative journalism, has enrolled in libel insurance. Economic crisis hitting hard From the experiences shared and briefings, one gets the feeling of journalism as an endangered profession. No. The business of news sourcing and dissemination is not being phased out. But journalism as traditionally known is undergoing grave challenges which are as grim in the US as they are in Nigeria. The impact is most felt by the print media. Newspapers are fast laying off and print run is shrinking. The best story that illustrates this is that of the bustling city of Philadelphia. Of about 10 major papers in the city, eight are gone and the two from the original ten are now under one roof. The Inquirer, a once coveted high-end morning paper, has gone through a series of upheavals since the beginning of its decline in the 1990s from its glorious era of serial Pulitzer winning. At present, its staff are murmuring over the stagnation of salary for the last 10 years. The more robust papers publishing out of New York are not in anywhere insulated. Most American media organisations have folded up their bureaus, with attendant consequences of reduced content on places outside of their operational bases. This grim situation did not just occur. It has enablers in the Internet invasion which affected media in two waysnews is now on the go, uncensored as it may be, and consumers have grown impatient of waiting for the editors. There is also the information glut, with so many things competing for attention making only the most attractive and the important win. The second issue is the revenue crisis which is hastened by the subversion of the middleman the media has played for hundreds of years, between advertisers and the public. Through opportunities provided by the Internet, advertisers can now reach their audience directly, making owners of interactive Internet platforms, rather than the media, richer. At the end of a panel discussion facilitated by American veteran journalist Dave Marash At least two persons we met with have lamented what they see as a predatory incursion of big tech companies, notably Google and Facebook, into the media space. These platforms serve as conveyors of news sharing, or even aggregators, yet they do not credit the media financially with gains they make from media contents. The Internet has killed us. Internet is also stealing from us, a top editor in a North Carolina paper told us while explaining the unease. Civic consequences The decline of formal journalism has consequences beyond the job cuts and bankruptcy that afflicted papers like The Inquirer. Aside from the financial crisis caused by the Internet revolution, another major concern consequent from this is the heightened phenomenon of fake news. Rumours and lies are as old as the human race, but the internet has given the banalest of such stuff wings to fly. With a click, fake news goes out and makes it difficult for consumers to know the truth even when it eventually comes. It is, therefore, a constant race between journalists, whose job it is to correctly inform, and purveyors of fake information through blogs and social media platforms. There are a number of academic researchers and nonprofit organisations working to stem the tide in the U.S. But there are also concerns that technology may still make this task harder with advancements in artificial intelligence. In addition, there are concerns expressed by experts here of the risk of having a dumber citizens. If sources of information increasingly become social media pages and unprofessional blogs and quasi-news sites, it then means that informed decisions by citizens are affected in the negative. Investigation as the new oxygen All that has happened is largely out there. The next available person with a smartphone has already twitted about it. As we have seen with the mass shooting at the New Zealand mosque, the newsmaker could have actually streamed it. What then is there to report to your audience? This is where the challenge lies especially for the newspapering happening in Nigeria today. News organisations have to, therefore, change the approach to news if the trade is to survive. No one is going to buy a morning paper with information that was all over the internet the previous afternoon. Advertisements American media organisations have shifted to that. Stories are, therefore, treated beyond the surface, with follow-ups on breaking news to get to what is not publicly known. Investigations are not necessarily long term high-costing projects. It starts from the simple questions of why and how, into the big stories using datasets and travels. Luckily, there are now available tools and support for journalists to pursue this line. They range from how-to resources to actual data and even synthesising tools. The trend is also collaborative investigation, which was most wonderfully exemplified by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). The success of ICIJs Panama Papers investigation, which PREMIUM TIMES was part of, is now taught at Ivy league journalism schools like Columbia, as an example of the impact collaborative journalism can have. Locals are loyal Localisation is another rising journalism trend in the U.S. Despite the difficult times, it appears papers with narrow focus find it easier than the bigger ones. This is perhaps in tandem with the longstanding journalistic quality of proximity. People like to read about what affects them, or what is happening in the communities next to them. It is largely for this focus, that the Santa Fe New Mexican is still standing. The paper is focused and circulated only in parts of the southwestern state. Elsewhere, other local media outlets are also not doing badly. Outlets like the WUNC Radio in Durham and the creative four-member online platform, the Billy Penn, are focused on their immediate communities. We have your back The beauty of American journalism is the security it has for its journalists. Free speech is absolutely guaranteed and there are a thousand and one organisations who literally tell you; we have your back. There is a preponderance of organisations working to make the environment even better and ensure journalists are not harassed or targeted for what they do. Training and training opportunities also abound, with a very good synergy between scholars and practitioners. The schooling received by students often makes them ready-made for the industry, as they are taught by a faculty of teachers who are themselves journalists. At Columbia, for example, about 90 per cent of the academic staff are former or active journalists, and students learn by doing. It is similar at the University of Pennsylvania where award-winning journalists train future reporters. Organisations and researchers are also working hard to figure out financial models for journalism at a time like this. It was the focus of a 2018 book by Magda Koniecza entitled Journalism Without Profit. Prof Koniecza, who has herself worked in a German newspaper which has closed shop, explored the expanding world of nonprofit newsrooms to see if that would be journalisms next option. Other aspects of the trade, like digital security for journalists, in the age of server attacks, are receiving adequate attention. In sum, the industry and lovers of a free society are in a very concerted war to save journalism as an essential ingredient of free and democratic societies. The thoughts of a decline in journalism and its audience are giving many sleepless nights, and they are doing something about it. About two weeks after police officers arrested 30 women at different night clubs in Abuja, another 70 women have been arrested. The latest arrests were done on Saturday night and the victims were taken to and detained at a police station, a witness said. Martin Obono, a lawyer and activist, said he witnessed when the women were brought to a police station in Utako, Abuja on Saturday night. He said some of the women were accused of prostitution. He also suggested some had been sexually abused by the security officials. Mr Obono shared his experience with PREMIUM TIMES after first posting them on Twitter. As I type, 70 girls were arrested and brought to Utako Police station last night. This is in addition to the ones who were arrested on Friday night. Their offence; clubbing and in some instance, prostitution. Some have been assaulted with injuries in their vaginas. One of the ladies arrested has a 2-month old baby. She wasnt allowed to breastfeed her baby by CRO in charge on duty despite continuous plea amidst tears. It took the intervention of a female police officer who called the DPO to overrule the decision of the inspector at the time. The joint task force that arrested some of these girls have been allegedly molesting and assaulting them. Some even showed the bruises and bleeding in their vaginas, Mr Obono wrote on his Twitter handle. Although prostitution is illegal in the Nigerian capital, law enforcement officials have used it as an excuse to assault and harass women who go out at night in the city. When the officials raid the night clubs, they hardly arrest any men, but arrest women they believe are scantily dressed and accuse them of prostitution. Despite repeated reports that these women are sometimes sexually abused by the security officials, no investigation has been done by the authorities. None of the culpable officials has also been brought to justice. An Unclear Culture Although night clubs are allowed in Abuja, many of them are constantly raided by the police and other agencies. About two weeks ago, Premium Times reported how some officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), raided a popular night club, Caramelo, and arrested 34 female nude dancers. This has led many residents of the city to question what is legal or illegal in the Nigerian capital. A capital city like Abuja needs to define its rules if it wants to be conservative or liberal, Mr Obono wrote. Fate of victims Uncertain When a PREMIUM TIMES reporter visited the Utako Police station on Sunday afternoon to gather more information on the arrest, she was denied access into the building. The police officers on duty said nobody would be allowed access to the women except with a letter from the police headquarters. This reporter then put a call through to the Abuja police spokesperson, Danjuma Tanimu. Mr Danjuma said he was not aware of the development. I am just hearing this story now, but I will confirm and get back to you tomorrow, he said. PREMIUM TIMES learnt that many of the women were still at the police station on Sunday night. As is often the case, many of them would either have to bribe their way to freedom or allow themselves to be sexually abused by the male police officers. Those who decline to do either could be charged to court on Monday. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State urging him to use his good offices as trustee of the states resources, and consistent with your constitutional oath of office, to reject the proposed life pension bill by the leader of the House of Assembly Peter Akpe, and to prevail upon the House to immediately withdraw the self-serving bill. The House had last week passed a bill that would grant life pensions to speakers, deputy speakers and other members. Under the bill, ex-speakers will go home with N500,000 monthly, while ex-deputy speakers will receive N200,000. Twenty-four other ex-lawmakers will each get N100,000. The House is seeking life pensions for members similar to those applicable to former presidents, vice-presidents, governors and deputy governors across the country. But reacting, SERAP said: Public officials have a legal commitment to discharge a public duty truthfully and faithfully. Should you assent to the bill as proposed, SERAP will institute legal proceedings to challenge the legality of the legislation and ensure full compliance with constitutional provisions and Nigerias international anti-corruption obligations. In the letter dated April 26, 2019, and signed by SERAP deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: The bill amounts to an incorrect and improper performance of public functions. Its clearly an abuse of legislative functions by the lawmakers. Rather than sponsoring bills that would improve access of children in Bayelsa to quality education, the lawmakers are taking advantage of their entrusted public positions to propose a bill to collect large severance benefits. According to the organisation: The lawmakers are clearly the major beneficiaries under the proposed legislation. Therefore, by passing the life pension bill, the lawmakers of Bayelsa State House of Assembly have violated the constitutional and international prohibitions on conflicts of interest. The letter read in part: The people of Bayelsa would expect you, as their governor, to use your entrusted public office to act in the public interest, including by rejecting the life pension bill and prevailing upon the House of Assembly to immediately drop the bill. Conflicts of interest, as well as perceptions of such conflicts, would undermine public confidence in the integrity and honesty of not only the Bayelsa State House of Assembly but also your government if urgent action is not taken to prevail upon the House to drop the outrageous bill. SERAP notes that Bayelsa State has in recent years received trillions of Naira from the federation account. Yet, according to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), over 265,000 Nigerian children lack access to basic education in the State. The public funds that would be spent to pay life pensions to the lawmakers could be well used to address the problem of (the) growing rate of out-of-school children in the state. It is forbidden for any public official including lawmakers to engage in self-dealing, and place him/herself in a position of conflicting interests and to hold incompatible functions or illicitly engage in providing to him/herself emoluments deemed unacceptable, unconstitutional and illegal. In the Seventh Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended), you commit to strive to preserve the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy contained in the Constitution, [and not to] allow my personal interest to influence my official conduct or my official decisions. You also commit to: protect and defend the constitution, and to do right to all manner of people according to law [and to] devote myself to the service and well-being of the people of Nigeria. Constitutional oath of office requires public officials including lawmakers to abstain from all improper acts, including passing the life pension bill, that are inconsistent with the entrusted positions and the overall objectives of the Constitution. We believe that a false oath lacks truth and justice. The oath statements require the oath takers to commit to uphold and defend the Constitution. Under the bill, former lawmakers, including persons of Bayelsa origin who served in the old Rivers State, would enjoy life pensions for their services in the state as applicable to former presidents, vice-presidents, governors and deputy governors across the country. It is estimated that hundreds of lawmakers will benefit from the life pension proposed legislation, which will invariably cost Bayelsa State at least N20 million taxpayers money monthly. This amount will increase in subsequent years. SERAP believes that the action by the lawmakers is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the object and purpose of the UN Convention against Corruption, to which Nigeria is a state party and which implicitly prohibits large severance benefits for public officials such as members of Bayelsa State House of Assembly. The convention, which is binding on all states of the federation, specifically in paragraph 1 of article 8 requires the lawmakers to promote integrity, honesty and responsibility in the management of public resources. Nigeria on Saturday received 4,000 vials of Anti-Snake Venom (ASV), ending months of acute shortage of the drug and bringing relief to victims of snakebites across the country. The paucity of the drug, which hit the country at the peak of snake-bites usually between January and April when the scorching heat forces snakes out of their holes to cool their bodies had resulted in several deaths. According to Nandul Durfa, Managing Director, Echitab Study Group, the outfit handling the distribution of ASV in Nigeria, many snake-bite treatment centres recorded many deaths during that period as the medics were helpless. The period of acute shortage was agonising, but we are happy that it is now over. The ASV is now available. We have received a total of 4,000 vials of the drug. We have received 2,000 polyvalent ASV produced at the Instituto Clodomiro Picado (ICP), University of Costa Rica, which treats bites from all venomous snakes in Nigeria. We have also received 2,000 monovalent ASV produced by Micropharm Ltd, United Kingdom, solely for carpet vipers, the commonest snakes in Nigeria, Durfa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday in Jos. He regretted the delay in the supply of the facility that left snakebite victims helpless, and blamed that on the tedious process involved in producing and importing the ASV. The process is usually tedious and lasts more than three months. Normally, we take the live snakes to Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine where they are killed and their venom extracted and sent to the manufacturing sites in Wales and Costa Rica There is a specific period allocated for the production of the ASV for Nigeria. It means we must wait for that period no matter how pressed we are, he explained. While urging snake-bite treatment centres to procure the facility, he commended the Presidential Committee on North-East Initiative (PCNI), for procuring and distributing the drug free, to victims at the General Hospital, Gombe. He urged governments at all levels, as well as individuals and organisations, to procure the drug and distribute to treatment centres in Gombe, Plateau, Benue, Taraba and other states usually hit by the menace. Mr Durfa said that the cost of producing and transporting the ASV was high, but thanked the manufacturers ICP University in Costa Rica and Micropharm Ltd in the UK for making it available and affordable for Nigerians. NAN reports that the shortage of the drug had led to several deaths in some snake-treatment centres, especially General Hospital, Kaltungo and Zamko Comprehensive Centre in Langtang, Plateau State. Records from some treatment centres indicated that an average of 16 cases were received at the peak period, with some snakebite victims forced to patronise quacks and herbal homes which, in most cases, merely worsened their plight. Mr Durfa, however, said that the shortage of ASV would persist unless the country starts producing the drug locally. The only time we can have enough ASV to meet our rising demand is when we produce it locally. That is the only time we can determine our fate. That is the only time we can determine our destiny. The partners are ready and willing to transfer the technology for the production of the ASV, but Nigeria has not been forthcoming, he told NAN. (NAN) Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai; and some former governors in the USA are expected to speak Monday and Tuesday at an induction programme for newly elected governors in Nigeria. An elaborate three-day event organised by the secretariat of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), also has a dinner for all the governors on Sunday. A separate programme for the wives of the new governors on etiquette and protocol will also hold on Wednesday. While Mr Osinbajo will be speaking on the topic the journey so far on Tuesday, the Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, is expected to alongside chairman of First Bank, Ibukun Awosika, and Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah, speak on Monday on the topic, Task of Nation Building. However, a source at the NGF secretariat informed PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Kagame may not attend the event physically. You know he is the chairman of AU and our event unfortunately coincided with an AU event requiring his presence, the source said. Also, a former governor of New Mexico state in the USA, Bill Richardson, is the lead presenter under the topic Art of Governance and Experiencing Sharing. The session, billed for Monday, will be chaired by former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu. Another former governor of Maryland State, USA, Martin OMarlley, will during the second session be the lead presenter under the topic setting priorities, managing programmes and performance expectations. The session will be chaired by Senate President Bukola Saraki, who is a former Kwara State governor. The last session on Monday which will discuss the role of development partners in sub-national development will be chaired by Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State. On Tuesday, after Mr Osinbajos presentation, Mr OMalley will speak again on Managing the Process of Governance. The session will be chaired by a former Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko. Also on Tuesday, and under the topic Economic Management, the Managing Director of Financial Derivatives , Bismarck Rewane, will be the lead presenter. The session will be chaired by the Jigawa State Governor, Badaru Abubakar. Another session on Development Financing will have the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, speaking. The session will be chaired by the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki. There will also be a session on Strategic Communications and Press/Public Relations with Cross River Governor, Ben Ayade, as lead speaker. The session will be chaired by a former Ogun State governor, Olusegun Osoba. A session on Managing Security in the States will have the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mohammed Monguno, as the lead presenter. The NGF chairman and Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, will be the chairman. The last session on Tuesday, the final day of induction of the new governors, will be under the topic Imperative of fighting corruption /terrorist financing in Nigeria. The acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, will be the lead presenter and the session will have pioneer chairman of EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, as the guest of honour. Two video clips have emerged showing how former Nigerian Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, reacted when his government was overthrown in 1975. In one of the short clips, Mr Gowon was seen maintaining a calm mien even as he moved to be briefed about details of the military intervention back home. In the second video, he addressed a press conference calling for calm in the interest of peace and unity among Nigerians. From all indications, he said, a new government has been established in Nigeria. I wish to state that I on my part have also accepted the change and pledge my full loyalty to my nation, to my country, and the new government. He appealed to all concerned stakeholders to co-operate with the new government in the interest of peace and stability. He also thanked Nigerians for the support given him during his tenure, calling on them to give the new government same support. The government Mr Gowon headed was toppled on July 29, 1975. He was succeeded by another senior military officer, Murtala Mohammed. Mr Gowon was away in Uganda attending an Organisation of African Unity conference in Kampala when he was overthrown. Although checks revealed that the video clips had been on Youtube for some time, they went viral some days ago after some social media users shared them online. Mr Gowon was Nigerias head of state during the Nigerian civil war between 1967 and 1970. Since he left government, he has dedicated his public life to promoting peace, national unity and inter-religious harmony among Nigerians. In 1996, he founded Nigeria Prays, a group dedicated to prayers in its desire to put an end to the various problems plaguing Nigeria. The wife of a former governor of Yobe State, Khadija Bukar-Abba, says her ambition to become the speaker of the House of Representatives in the ninth assembly has died a natural death. Mrs Bukar-Abba is returning to the House for the fourth time as the representative of Damaturu, Tarmuwa, Gujba, Gulani Federal Constituency. She said her constituents have been urging her to run for the position. According to her, she has now opted to contest for the position of Majority Leader of the House. She urged her colleagues to support her. She made her position known while speaking with journalists at a news briefing in Kaduna on Saturday. According to the lawmaker, she has, however, decided to opt out of the race because her party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has endorsed Femi Gbajabiamila as the next Speaker of the House. She said she accepted the decision of the party despite believing that she has all it takes to hold the position. We had a dinner with the president and the Chairman of APC pronounced where the party is heading too. So, we as obedient party followers had decided to go with the party. Mrs Bukar-Abba is from the same state as Ahmed Lawan who is the APCs choice for Senate President. My party, the APC, has advocated that they wanted Ahmed Lawan from Yobe State to contest the Senate President position and also Femi Gbajabiamila from Lagos to contest the speakership position. As an obedient party member, if my party needed a favour from me there is no way I will refuse by going against what the party says, because the party has supremacy over any selfish interest. That is why my quest for the speakership of the House of Representatives died a natural death, she said. She added that the partys choice is well qualified to be the next speaker. I think Femi Gbajabiamila should be the next Speaker because he is the most cognisant out of all the contenders at the moment. He has the records of holding senior positions of leadership within the house since he entered as a member. So, I think the cap fits him very well,. The wife of a former governor of Yobe State, Khadija Bukar-Abba. [PHOTO CREDIT: On whether the APC would allow the opposition to take part on who becomes the next leader of the National Assembly, she said the beauty of democracy is to have a vibrant opposition to checkmate the ruling party. All we want to see is (for) our country to unite and progress. So PDP is welcome to negotiate with APC to form a parliament that will see that the country moves forward, he said. On the challenges Nigerian women face in politics, she named finance as the biggest. Women find it difficult to get funding to sponsor their campaigns against men. But I think since we tried the men and they failed us, it is about time to believe in the capability of women. So far, I will say the men have scored very low compared to what they should ideally score. They should give women a chance and also support them to fund their campaigns. She also urged parents to allow their daughters to acquire western education. She called on the House of Representatives to pass all the bills before it on girl child education. The Lamido of Adamawa, Muhammadu Mustapha, has explained why he was detained by the military administration of Muhammadu Buhari after it toppled the civilian administration led by President Shehu Shagari in 1983. Mr Mustapha gave the explanation on Saturday while receiving the Programme Manager of Wadata Communication Limited, Zubair Idris, who paid him a courtesy visit after an event in Yola. The traditional ruler said he was detained because he was a commissioner in the civilian government of the then Gongola State. He recalled that the new military regime ordered the detention of all the politicians in government at the time for investigation for alleged corruption. I was investigated and found to be clean and subsequently released, Mr Mustapha said. The traditional ruler declared his full support for the fight against corruption and lauded the Buhari administration for its commitment to check corruption. He said some people had expected him to distance himself from Mr Buhari because of that incident in 1983. He said he made them realise that nothing was wrong with his experience. Mr Idris was in Yola to organise a town hall meeting on the anti-corruption campaign with support from US-based MacArthur Foundation. The traditional ruler lauded the foundation for its commitment to fighting corruption. He said the support of the US-based foundation demonstrated the love of Americans to see a better Nigeria. Earlier, Mr Idris informed the monarch of the town hall meeting, which attracted traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, educationists, media practitioners and other stakeholders. Mr Idris commended Mr Mustapha for establishing Pulaku FM that has been partnering with the firm in the fight against corruption, using the local languages. He said the firm had trained 36 journalists/producers on investigative journalism to expose corruption and promote good governance. He said the gesture has been yielding results, citing how a programme by Pulaku FM stopped extortion by some police officers along the Yola-Fufore-Gurin road. Two Chinese kidnapped on Wednesday in Ebonyi State have regained their freedom. The police spokesperson in the state, Loveth Odah, told journalists in Abakaliki on Sunday that they were rescued by the police unhurt. According to her, their abductors were forced to abandon them in a forest near the location where they were kidnapped, following pressure mounted on them by the police who were closing in on their location. They were rescued on Saturday by 11 a.m. The pressure was so much on the kidnappers that they had to abandon them and flee. They were rescued in a thick forest around the area unhurt. They were not physically tortured but they may be psychologically tortured, Ms Odah said. She called on foreigners in the state to always partner with the police and other security agencies so that they can be adequately protected. The police in the state have invited the foreign nationals to a meeting to sensitise them on the need to liaise with the police to always provide them with adequate security. The two Chinese, Sun Zhixin and Wang Quing Hu, were kidnapped while working on a road project in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State by masked armed gunmen. They are workers of Tongyi construction company. It was gathered that the Chinese nationals were at a place called Ivo river when the gunmen invaded the place with arms, forced the workers out of the pit they were in and took the two Chinese to an unknown destination. The company is constructing the road which links the Ohaozara community called Ogwu with Ivo local government and Okpanku community in Enugu. Two expatriates have been kidnapped in Nigeria. Colleagues and residents said the expatriates are a Scot and a Canadian, but officials did not confirm their nationality. The two men were kidnapped from an oil rig in Abua community in Rivers State, Southern Nigeria. The Joint Task Force (JTF) deployed to protect oil installations in the Niger Delta confirmed the kidnap on Sunday. The expatriates were working at an onshore oilfield said to be operated by Niger Delta Petroleum Resourses. Th oil field is located at Abua-Odua Local Government Area of Rivers State. Ibrahim Abdullahi, an army major and spokesman of the JTF in the Niger Delta, confirmed the development on Sunday. He said that the joint military force was working to free the oil workers. Mr Abdullahi said that the force, christened Operation Delta Safe, received a report of the incident on Saturday and immediately deployed men and resources to the area. He said soldiers were on the trail of the kidnappers. Mr Abdullahi further advised oil firms operating in the Niger Delta region to ensure adequate security cover for their personnel at oilfields. The report of the incident got to us on April 27. Some gunmen visited the rig belonging to Niger Delta Petroleum Resources and carried out the attack and kidnapped two expatriates. Their nationals were not given. We mobilised to comb the swamp but to no avail; we couldnt arrest the perpetrators. Efforts have been intensified to rescue and arrest culprits, but we have also advised the management to provide adequate security to their operations, Mr Abdullahi said. The Bauchi State branch of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) has called on security agents to check the activities of a group, known as Yan Ba Belli that had allegedly been killing its members across the state. Sadiq Ahmed, Secretry of the association in the state, made the call in Bauchi on Sunday at the funeral of two members allegedly killed by the group. He warned that unless the activities of the group was checked, the situation might get out of control and pose threat to peace and security in the state. If they are attacking people in the rural areas and they are not stopped, they may start attacking people in urban areas, he warned. He said that so far, about 10 members of their association had been killed in various locations within the state in the last two weeks. Mr Ahmed disclosed that the latest victims were the former chairman of Bauchi Local Government Area of the association, Jafaru Shanka, and Musa Mokawu, both of them residents of Yolan Bayara, a community few kilometres from Bauchi metropolis. The secretary said the two people were abducted and their corpses recovered later in the bush, with gunshot wounds and machete cuts. Mr Ahmed said members of the group operated on no fewer than 100 motorcycles, invading communities, abducting and killing people in broad daylight. He expressed the desire of MACBAN to cooperate with government and security agencies to maintain peace. When contacted, the Bauchi police spokesperson, Kamal Datti, said he was not aware of the incidents referred to by MACBAN. He, however, said there were reported cases of the activities of the group and the police had been making arrests and charging them to court. (NAN) The Jigawa State Hisbah Board said it has annulled no fewer than 312 underaged and forced marriages in the last four years. The board, which is also referred to as the Sharia police, also said it has successfully reunited 25 street children, known as almajiri, with their parents. Ibrahim Dahiru, the head of of the states Hisbah Board, told PREMIUM TIMES his organisation discovered that the parents of the street children were capable of taking care of the children but chose to allow them to roam the streets, begging for food and alms. Mr Dahiru added that the underaged marriages were annulled and the street children united with their parents amicably without recourse to a court. In any reported case of forced marriage, the board do invite the parents/guardians of the victim because the children are underage, thus cannot comprehend the message, Mr Dahiru said. A victim of force marriage at office We parley with both the parents and the victims of the child marriage, we preach to them and inform them about the right of the girl child, as well as the right of parents on their children. We reconcile them. We succeeded by preventing the parent from conducting the forced marriage, and urged the parents to take them to school, he added. According to a United Nations survey, 43 per cent of Nigerian girls are married before they are 18. The problem of early marriage is particularly endemic in the North East and North West regions. With more than 80 per cent of girls being married off before their 18thbirthday, Jigawa State has one of the highest prevalence of child marriages in the country. Under the Child Rights Act 2003, the minimum legal age of marriage is 18 years. However as of May 2017 there were still 12 Nigerian states yet to include the Childs Rights Act in their internal legislation. Jigawa State domesticated the Child Rights Act in 2012 but later repealed the law the same year. The deputy speaker of the state legislature, Ahmad Garba, told PREMIUM TIMES last October that the law was repealed because it did not follow due process before it was enacted. Hisbah officials ready for recounliation Also speaking about the prevalence of underage marriages, Aminu Waziri, the Chief Iman of of Takur-Adua Mosque, said educating the girl child instead of marrying them off was imperative. According to Mr Waziri, forced marriages are alien to Islam. He said parents must seek the consent of their daughters before giving them out to marriage. He added that parents who give their children good education and upbringing would be rewarded with paradise in the hereafter. Islam teaches parents to seek the consent of their daughters before giving them out to marriage. And the husband must be a responsible adult that will value the lady. Marriage must not be a reason to truncate the girl childs education. So also, education must not be a reason for parents not to give out their daughters in marriage once theyre matured for that. Some parents are ignorant of Islam by giving out their daughters in marriage at a tender age, saying that its the teaching of Islam. Its not. Theres no specifications on age when it comes to marriage, parents should marry their daughters off in marriage when theyre matured for that. Its unfortunate that some parents see their girl child as a burden on them. They hurriedly give them out in marriage because they want to ease up themselves from the girls responsibilities, which at the end, the girl child ends up being a victim, the cleric said. The danger of almajiri Mr Dahiru said his organisation, apart from reuniting street children with their parents, also takes time to educate the parents about the dangers of allowing underage kids to roam the streets begging for food and alms. He said many of such children will end up being nuisances to the society. He added that there is no Islamic law that gives parents the right to do so. He said children at a particular stage of their life need the protection and guidance of an adult. They need care and love, which will later manifest in their later life, if we dont care about their right and well-being. Similarly, the Head of Department of Sociology at the Federal University, Dutse, Ali Siro, said the rampant cases of child abuse in the North West was as a result of poor governance, corruption and non-existence of laws to protect the childrens welfare. Underage children roaming begging for food in Dutse, Jigawa State. Mr Siro said children roaming the streets begging for food are supposed to be with their families for proper upbringing. He said children need parental guidance, love and caring, with these they will grow to be a responsible adult. The government needs to establish more schools that will cater for the growing population. If the government is committed to the well-being of the children, they should hold erring parents responsible for the cases of child abuse. If proactive measures are not taken, those children will grow heartless to become hardened criminals. They will see any member of the society as an enemy because they lack the proper parental upbringing, he added. Advertisements SEATTLE, April 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IOActive, Inc. , the worldwide leader in research-fueled security services, today announced that its chief operating officer, Matt Rahman, will keynote the Middle East Security Awards (MESA) 2019 in Dubai on Tuesday, April 30. 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Our mission is to make the connected world a safer and more secure place. As the Middle East continues to embrace digital ecosystems, organizations need to address the heightened cybersecurity risks they face, said Jennifer Steffens, chief executive officer at IOActive. Whether infiltrating software, hardware, networks or human resources, our consultants combine the latest security research with time-tested techniques to improve our clients security posture and operational resiliency. About IOActive IOActive is a trusted partner for Global 1000 enterprises, providing research-fueled security services across all industries. Our cutting-edge security teams provide highly specialized technical and programmatic services including full stack penetration testing, program efficacy assessments, and hardware hacking. IOActive brings a unique attackers perspective to every client engagement to maximize security investments and improve clients overall security posture and business resiliency. Founded in 1998, IOActive is headquartered in Seattle with global operations. For more information, visit ioactive.com . Contact: The Americas Michelle Schafer, Merritt Group for IOActive US: +1.703.403.6377 schafer@merrittgrp.com The police have arrested Abubakar Ibrahim, 37, the suspected killer of Maiwada Galadima, the traditional ruler of Adara chiefdom, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Mr Galadima was abducted and murdered by his abductors in October 2018, after being held captive for days. Other suspects arrested are Johnson Okafor, 44; Shaibu Iliyasu, 20; Ishaik Dabo,38; Mohammed Nasiru, 25; Aminu Haruna, 25; Shafiu Gudau, 25; Auwalu Hamisu, 24; Ado Yau, 35; Ibrahim Yusuf, 30; Ibrahim Audu, 22; Salisu Ajah, 50; Magaji Abubakar, 27; Salisu Ali, 18, among others. A statement by the police spokesperson, Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, on Sunday in Abuja said Mr Ibrahim was arrested on April 15 at Rigachikun in Igabi Local Government of Kaduna State. He said the suspect confessed to the kidnapping and murder of the traditional ruler of Adara and other kidnappings and murders. Mr Mba said the arrest of other suspects followed the arrest of the Spiritual Father of kidnappers and armed bandits operating in the Northern part of the country, Salisu Abubakar. He said items recovered from the suspects were 22 AK 47 rifles, five locally fabricated pistols and a cache of live ammunition. He said the combined team of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and Tactical Intelligence Unit (TIU) of the police arrested the suspects at different locations and times in Kaduna, Katsina, Niger and Kogi states. He said the suspects have been into some of the most heinous crimes committed in Kaduna State and its environs in recent times. The spokesman said the arrested gang members were also linked to kidnapping and murder of Mallam Yakubu Usman, 40, of Jere Local Government Area of Kaduna State and many other crimes. He said the suspects were currently in custody, assisting the ongoing investigations. Mr Mba said that the suspects belong to different criminal gangs but their operations were centrally coordinated by their spiritual godfather, Abubakar. He said efforts were currently being intensified to arrest other gang members still at large and recover all weapons in the gangs armoury. Mr Mba quoted the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, as re-assuring that the police would not rest on its oars until kidnapping and other crimes were subdued. Mr Adamu on April 5 inaugurated Operation Puff Adder to fight insecurity along the Abuja -Kaduna highway. (NAN) The traditional ruler of Ilogbo Ekiti, Edward Ajayi, who abandoned the throne six months ago after he was chased away by angry subjects over certain offences, has returned. The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the obas return was facilitated by the state government which intervened in his plight to enable him to reclaim the throne. The Special Assistant to the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Odunayo Ogunmola, said in a statement in Ado Ekiti on Sunday that the deputy governor, Bisi Egbeyemi, mediated in the six-month-old crisis on behalf of Governor Kayode Fayemi. He said the government has fully resolved the crisis rocking Ilogbo Ekiti, in Ido/Osi Local Government Area, where the indigenes were locked in a dispute with their monarch. He said the deputy governor called on the stakeholders in the town to allow peace to reign and bury the hatchet. According to him, Mr Egbeyemi made the appeal shortly after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to end the crisis, at the Conference Hall of the Office of the Deputy Governor in Ado Ekiti. He said the resolution of the conflict followed the signing of the MoU by parties to the crisis and critical stakeholders in the town. The monarch had been prevented from entering the town and occupying the palace for the past six months With the signing of the peace accord, the Deputy Governor said Oba Ajayi is now free to come back to the throne and resume his royal duties after six months in exile expressing confidence that the resolution of the crisis will usher in (a) new era of development Egbeyemi, who noted that it was not easy for the traditional ruler to leave his throne for six months, urged all parties to fulfil the terms of the peace accord and work together to lift their community to greater heights, the statement said. It added that Governor Fayemi was interested in peace and development of all communities in Ekiti State and would not want to be distracted via one crisis or the other in his desire to better the lots of the people. Quoting the deputy governor, the statement said, Our government is a government of peace; we dont want crisis or breakdown of law and order in any part of the state. Kabiyesi, you can now go back to your domain anytime you wish. Let us all agree that the crisis is over because we have all signed the MoU and that you will all allow peace to reign and everybody will go about his business. Meanwhile, Mr Ajayi has commended the state government for the intervention and successful resolution of the crisis. The monarch who hailed the deputy governor for bringing his wealth of experience to bear in reconciling the various interest groups in Ilogbo expressed joy that peace had finally returned. NAN reports that apart from Mr Ajayi, other signatories to the peace deal included the Alayetoro of Ayetoro Ekiti representing Ido/Osi LG traditional rulers, Olufisan Ajayi. It included the Coordinating Director, Ido/Osi Local Government, Akinola Adebayo; and a prominent Ilogbo indigene and former Ekiti State House of Assembly Deputy Speaker, Adetunji Orisalade. Others were a chieftain of Egbe Ilosiwaju Ilogbo, Gabriel Fasuyi, and officials of the Ministry of Justice and Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs. NAN recalls that Mr Ajayi was evicted from the palace and chased away from the town on October 21, 2018, during a violent protest which claimed one life and property worth millions of Naira. The monarch was accused by his subjects of alleged highhandedness, autocratic tendencies and withholding of monthly allowances of his chiefs. He was also accused of failing to control his children whom they alleged were involved in cultism and bringing suspected cultists to their town to unleash terror. (NAN) Five persons were on Sunday confirmed dead in an accident on AbeokutaSagamu Expressway. The accident involved a Primera car and a Volvo truck. It occurred around Olorunsogo village, Kobape -Siun axis of the expressway. Babatunde Akinbiyi, the spokesperson of theTraffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), confirmed the incident. Mr Akinbiyi explained that the accident occurred around 1:37 p.m. He said it was caused by excessive speeding and loss of control on the part of the Primera car. The accident involved five persons, three of them were male and two female. All the five casualties involved in the accident were in the car when the accident happened, he said. Mr Akinbiyi noted that the corpses had been deposited at the morgue of General Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta. He appealed to motorists to desist from excessive speeding and reckless driving. (NAN) PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. South Jersey is one of the less populated areas of the state and a tiny portion of America. Yet in just the past couple of years, it has seen major charges of criminal exploitation of government entitlement and benefits programs. Local leaders, including Democrat Rep. Jeff Van Drew and Republican Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson, recently warned Medicare recipients of a common new threat to them and the health coverage program for older Americans. Scammers call seniors offering free medical equipment such as leg and back braces at Medicares expense, and at the same time solicit personal information to also rip off the seniors. There is no reliable accounting of entitlement and benefits fraud, but the known amount is vast. A Toms River doctor was charged this month in a $13 million conspiracy to defraud Medicare with unneeded prescriptions for medical equipment. That was part of federal charges against 24 people, seven from New Jersey, who worked with companies and doctors to cheat Medicare out of $1.2 billion. This is the kind of thing that should be rare, but its shockingly common. The Prince William Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike. We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve. A "dummy" by Mercedes could have cost Sebastian Vettel pole in Azerbaijan. Ferrari was faster all weekend on the Baku street circuit, but in qualifying Vettel had no car to slipstream on the ultra-long, 2km straight. "The slipstream effect here is huge," said Mercedes' Toto Wolff. "Let's just say that usually it's 1 to 3 tenths, but in Baku it's about six tenths." Indeed, a Mercedes engineer admitted: "With the draft, Vettel would have beaten us." The Mercedes drivers managed to isolate Vettel without a slipstream by pretending to do practice starts in the pitlane at the beginning of Q3. Vettel later called them "fake starts", and that was confirmed by the radio transcript of Mercedes' qualifying session. An engineer is heard to tell the drivers: "We're going for the dummy". But both pole sitter Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton told reporters that what they had done was "clutch calibration". (GMM) 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. During the summit, HUAWEI CLOUD signed individual agreements with Thai carrier CAT, Kingsoft Office, mobile advertising and analysis service platform provider Mobvista, enterprise data management service provider Veritas, AI-driven data technology company ADVANCE.AI, and 2D Fire (an informatization solution provider for the retail F&B industry) to adapt to the fast business development demands in the Asia Pacific market. HUAWEI CLOUD and Veritas are cooperating in data protection. Gary Sievers, Senior Director, Channels & Alliances, Asia Pacific and Japan, Veritas Technologies, said that HUAWEI CLOUD provides their customers with agility and security while reducing costs. Zhang Qiang, General Manager of ADVANCE.AI Guardian, commented: "We are looking forward to the strategic cooperation with HUAWEI CLOUD. The two sides will complement each other in terms of technology, industry resources, and brand market." Leveraging powerful resource advantages and service capabilities of Huawei, ADVANCE.AI provides intelligent solutions for organizations of all types so customers can quickly graft intelligence into their digital profiles. Roben Wang, President of HUAWEI CLOUD Asia Pacific, said: "The organizations signing with us today are all leaders and pioneers in their respective industries. HUAWEI CLOUD will continue to work with them to build solutions oriented to the Asia Pacific market, catering to vertical industries. With about 20 years of development in Asia Pacific, Huawei has excellent local service teams and ecosystem, which give HUAWEI CLOUD the advantage in technical support and SLA assurance. Huawei's cloud, AI, and 5G networking capabilities combine to help Singapore and other Asia-Pacific countries implement their smart country and digital strategies, building bridges between local and overseas enterprises, and safeguarding their business globalization." Collaboration with Partners to Display Latest Cloud and AI Solutions HUAWEI is showcasing the latest products and solutions. The cloud arm is presenting joint solutions and case practices in Smart City, Internet, pan-finance, campus management, logistics, and retail industries with such leading partners as 9F Group, Yonyou, Esri, YITU, F5, Veritas, Cloud Pick, Deepcam, and Zuolin. Together with partners, HUAWEI CLOUD provides industry-leading cloud computing and AI services. At the summit, Huawei showcased a full range of cutting-edge products, including chips, intelligent acceleration components, intelligent servers, ARM servers, AI computing platforms, and mobile data center (MDC). It also provided an onsite experience of its high-precision facial recognition system, intelligent server management software, and AI development platform. Showcased products include the full liquid cooling cabinet, FusionServer Pro intelligent servers, TaiShan ARM servers, Atlas AI computing platform (200/300/500), intelligent acceleration components (SSDs and iNICs), Huawei-developed high-performance AI chip Ascend 310, and high-performance ARM chip Kunpeng 920. HUAWEI CLOUD unveiled two leading OCR services at the venue. HUAWEI CLOUD Batch OCR service automatically scans files in batches, greatly improving the business efficiency in such scenarios as financial reimbursement and file data entry. The OCR service supports identification of certificates such as ID cards, driving licenses, and passports in multiple Southeast Asia languages. With a recognition accuracy of over 99% for Thai and Burmese characters, personal are able to save tremendous amounts of time, making the tooling a welcomed addition to the business profile. In the pan-finance field, HUAWEI CLOUD, together with 9F Group, Insurgrab, and F5 showcased such services as financial data products, risk control engines, and Internet insurance utilities. These innovations provide multi-dimensional solutions and leverage cloud computing and AI technologies to deliver the needed upgrades in the finance industry, redefining financial services with AI utility. In the retail field, HUAWEI CLOUD and Deepcam, ZBJ, and Cloud Pick showcased retail-specific AI solutions. HUAWEI CLOUD and Cloud Pick demonstrated such solutions as unmanned store, cashier-less solution, and mobile payment. With the capabilities from AI and cloud technologies, retail enterprises can quickly build their consumer-experience-centric smart retail solutions while reducing costs and improving efficiency. The solutions also provide diversified choices and a smarter shopping experience for consumers. In the campus domain, HUAWEI CLOUD and YITU demonstrated the smart campus employee and visitor management solution. Huawei, together with Zuolin and Closeli showcased a home video surveillance solution. In the Internet field, HUAWEI CLOUD worked with Bamboo System Tech and ULearning Technology International to demonstrate the online blended learning, teaching & training cloud platform. In the field of urban management, HUAWEI CLOUD demonstrated its Traffic Intelligent Twins. At the Hands-on Lab area, developers experienced how quickly they can preprocess, label, train, build, and deploy data models on the HUAWEI CLOUD ModelArts one-stop AI development platform. Developers were blown away with how fast they can innovate with the impressive platforming. A self-driving vehicle trained by students from Shanghai Jiaotong University using the ModelArts platform is also demonstrated. After the adoption, the car was able to identify such things in the environment as traffic lights, obstacles, and lanes, and was able to follow specific targets. Developers can even use HUAWEI CLOUD to set up a cloud database application in a little as one minute. During the event, breakout sessions centering on Smart Finance, Internet innovations, and AI developments were held to facilitate sharing amongst Huawei, customers, and partners in the latest applications and project practices. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/878417/MoU.jpg SOURCE HUAWEI CLOUD NEW YORK, April 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- American Jewish Committee (AJC), the leading global Jewish advocacy group, is calling for urgent action at all levels of government to intensify the fight against anti-Semitism. The call comes following the violent attack on Chabad of Poway, a synagogue near San Diego, California, that left one worshiper dead and several wounded. Law enforcement authorities have arrested a 19-year-old and charged him with murder and committing a hate crime. His "manifesto" makes chilling reading about race, about Israel, and his larger world view. "When will this open-hunting season on Jews end?" said AJC CEO David Harris, adding that "the need for beefed-up efforts to combat anti-Semitism in the United States should be abundantly clear." "Once again, American Jews are compelled to ask what more can be done to protect houses of worship, indeed all Jewish institutions, even as we extend our deep condolences to the family and friends of Lori Gilbert Kaye, and full recovery of those wounded, including a child, in this heinous attack during a Shabbat service on the last day of Passover," said Harris. The weekend attack comes only six months after the killing of 11 worshipers at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, the most lethal anti-Semitic attack in American history. "Without in any way minimizing the incredibly dedicated efforts of officials to date, heightened action is required, or else we sadly could one day be reacting to yet another attack on a synagogue, or for that matter, on a church or a mosque, or another house of worship," said Harris. Noting that Jews, according to the FBI, remain the primary target of religiously-motivated hate crimes, and estimated incidents in the U.S. rose nearly 60 percent in 2018, Harris called on Congress to take two actions immediately. AJC is urging all Members of Congress join the Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism. The Taskforce, created in 2015 with AJC input, plays a critical role in coordinating congressional efforts, such as legislation and interparliamentary engagement, to combat anti-Semitism. While its initial focus was largely anti-Semitism abroad, it's evident that much of the attention now needs to be focused domestically. "Any Member of Congress who has not yet joined the Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism should please consider doing so now. Full membership will send a powerful message of bipartisan unity that the specific anti-Semitism cancer must be confronted head-on and whatever its source," said Harris. As a second urgent step, AJC is calling on Congress to hold hearings on violence motivated by white supremacist ideologies. The individuals who carried out the deadly attacks at the synagogues in Pittsburgh and Poway were adherents of such ideologies. Earlier, AJC called on the U.S. government to make the examination of white supremacists a national priority. SOURCE American Jewish Committee Related Links http://www.ajc.org WASHINGTON, April 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Below is a statement by United States Conference of Mayors President, Columbia (SC) Mayor Steve Benjamin on the shooting at Chabad of Poway synagogue: "Once again anti-Semitic hate has reared its ugly head in our country, this time just before a Passover service in Poway, California in which worshipers were killed and wounded. America's Mayors condemn these and all acts of hate and stand in solidarity with Poway Mayor Steve Vaus and the residents of his city. We send our condolences to the victims and all members of Chabad of Poway. "Exactly six months after the horrific shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Jews were targeted while worshiping in their synagogue. We know that the incidence of hate crimes in general and anti-Semitic ones in particular are increasing. This hate and these crimes have no place in America. Through the U.S. Conference of Mayors, we will continue to speak out against these acts of hate whenever they occur, build inclusive and compassionate cities and work to enact sensible gun safety legislation." About The United States Conference of Mayors -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are nearly 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors. SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors Los Angeles, April 28 : A woman was killed and three people were injured after an armed man opened fire at a synagogue in California city of Poway on Saturday, media reported. The shooting happened at around 11:30 am (local time) when the synagogue was hosting the last day of Passover, a religious service celebrating Jewish freedom. The assailant entered the synagogue and opened fire with an "AR style" weapon at the Chabad of synagogue in Poway, north of the city of San Diego, The New York Times reported. An older female died in the shooting while three others -- a young woman and two men -- sustained injuries and were in stable condition at a local hospital, the report said. The suspect, identified as John Earnest, a 19-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the synagogue shooting. Following the attack, US President Donald Trump, while addressing reporters outside the White House, called the attack a "hate crime" and offered his "deepest sympathies" to the people affected by the deadly shooting, BBC reported. "At this moment it looks like a hate crime, but my deepest sympathies to all those affected and we'll get to the bottom of it," BBC quoted Trump as saying. The California synagogue shooting is the latest in a series of recent attacks at the houses of worship, including the church bombings in Sri Lanka on Easter last week and the mosque shootings in New Zealand last month. Infographics: India Tracker 2019 : There are many problems that our country is facing today. Which one according to you is the most important problem? (IANS Infographics) Image Source: IANS News Infographics: India Tracker 2019 : There are many problems that our country is facing today. Which one according to you is the most important problem? (IANS Infographics) Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, April 28 : Unemployment remains the leading concern for the people as they are far more worried about economic issues than security, according to the CVOTER-IANS tracker. In a survey carried out on April 26, 28.42 per cent of respondents identified unemployment as their main concern. In a sample of 11,672, 57.04 per cent felt economic issues as one of the major problems in the country and 11.74 per cent expressed security concerns as the main worry. Unemployment has remained as the top issue even before the poll process began. But in mid-March, the concerns about security issues came almost at par with economic problems. The poll tracker in the first week of March had shown that terror attacks had overtaken unemployment as the top issue for the voters. On March, 26.12 per cent of respondents had identified terror attacks as main concern while 21.74 per cent had said unemployment. The concerns about security has gradually come down as unemployment poses challenge. On April 27, there was a difference of 45.3 percentage points between economic and security issues with balance tilting heavily in favour of the former. Even among states, the voters in Punjab are most worried about jobs as 49.21 per cent of respondents said unemployment was top most concern. Among the states where unemployment was voted most include Jammu and Kashmir (44.63 per cent in a sample of 698), Uttarakhand (43.10 per cent in a sample of 562), Jharkhand (39.72 per cent in a sample of 403), Delhi (37.11 per cent in a sample of 316) and Madhya Pradesh (33.95 per cent in a sample of 413). Azerbaijan GP promoter Arif Rahimov says Williams will be compensated for damage to George Russell's chassis. Russell's car was destroyed in Friday practice, when he ran over a loose manhole cover on the high speed street circuit. Claire Williams said the British team would talk to the FIA about compensation. "As a street track, there are more than 300 of these covers and we checked all of them several days before the weekend," race promoter Rahimov was quoted by Ria Novosti news agency. Rahimov said the manhole that came loose was rusted from underneath and therefore was "impossible to notice visually". "These things happen, as they did also in Monaco and China and Malaysia, so it even happens on normal circuits," he said. "We have apologised several times to the Williams team. The damage will be reimbursed by insurance. We don't yet know what amount we are talking about, but it will definitely be covered," Rahimov added. (GMM) New Delhi, April 28 : Four out of every five women from metros as well as smaller towns in India are eager to start their own businesses and become entrepreneurs, but lack of networks and accessible technological infrastructure are holding them back in their tracks, a top Facebook official has stressed. Facebook in 2017 introduced a programme for women-founded companies -- SheLeads Tech -- to support them with access to community, tools, mentorship and resources to succeed in building a business in technology. The programme has now expanded to 87 cities in the country with 596 women led tech start-ups across agritech, edutech, gaming and other verticals in just two years since its launch. "If we go back three years, the number of women founded startups in the ecosystem were about nine per cent and today it has grown to 14 per cent. "Even the money that was raised by women entrepreneurs and their start-ups has increased from 3.5 per cent to 5.4 per cent now," Satyajeet Singh, Head of Platform Partnerships, South Asia, Facebook told IANS. India is the third largest start-up market globally and with its start-up initiatives like SheLeads Tech, Code for the Next Billion, India Innovation Hub and more, Facebook has come to discover that the start-up phenomenon is rapidly expanding to smaller cities. "We have start-ups coming from Dehradun, Hubli, Nasik and other smaller cities. The widespread start-ups phenomenon is very much present in tier two and three towns," Singh said. Supported by 30 women mentors, Facebook's SheLeads Tech initiative aims to provide a platform to women entrepreneurs across all tech-related sectors like agritech, healthtech, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), gaming, beauty, sanitation, water harvesting and more. The education technology sector has especially seen a massive inclination from Indian women entrepreneurs, according to Facebook. "Facebook's SheLeads Tech is a very close community that has helped me stay connected with what all is happening in the start-up world across the country," said Sai Gole, Co-founder of Pune-based start-up, LeanAgri, that designs tech solutions for unorganised sectors and underserved communities like farmers in India. "Facebook's training and mentoring sessions have helped us understand consumer psychology and ways to target campaigns in the market." The social networking giant believes that for start-ups to flourish in India, entrepreneurs in smaller towns must get access to metro-level infrastructure and learning from established people and companies, who are willing to mentor and give back to the community. Encouraged by the positive response that the social networking giant has received through its start-up boosting initiatives in India, the company now plans to double its efforts in helping students in technology related fields to escalate the country's businesses and economy. "We not only have to invest in start-ups today, we also have to start investing in start-ups for tomorrow, like tech students. We have to make sure that we are inspiring them to start up and create more jobs rather than looking for one," Singh added. (Radhika Parashar can be contacted at radhika.p@ians.in) Colombo, April 28 : The Islamic State (IS) terror group has claimed responsibility for an "ambush" carried out by three jihadis in Sri Lanka, saying that it caused 17 deaths after authorities in the island nation confirmed 16 dead in an operation in Kalmunai city. An Arabic language statement on the group's official al-Amaq news agency on Saturday said that 17 police officers were killed in the ambush in Kalmunai, the same place where the security operation took place, reports Efe news. Amaq also issued an image of two alleged terrorists involved in the action. Sri Lankan security forces continued to carry out a series of raids on Saturday and confirmed the death of 16 people in the incident. The Sri Lankan Army reported the death of six children, three women, a civilian and six terrorists during the operation that began following a tip-off. The majority of the deaths occurred when, according to the authorities, six suicide bombers blew themselves up killing their own families. One hundred people have been arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday bombings in which 253 people died and more than 500 were wounded. San Francisco, April 28 : A 19-year-old suspect was held after a shooting at a synagogue in the US state of California left at least one person dead and injured three others, authorities said. The shooting occurred on Saturday at Congregation Chabad in the city of Poway, north of San Diego, Mayor Steve Vaus said, adding that it was a possible hate crime "because of statements that were made when the shooter entered", reports CNN. The Mayor said the congregation was targeted by "someone with hate in their heart... towards our Jewish community and that just will not stand". The congregation "took security very seriously", he said. The Palomar Medical Centre Poway received four patients from the shooting, according to a staff doctor. One patient, a 60-year-old woman, died at the hospital, Michael Katz said. "The other three victims are doing well with their injuries," he told the media. A 57-year-old rabbi who was shot suffered what looked like defensive wounds to both of his index fingers. He will likely lose his right index finger, the doctor said. A 34-year-old man and a girl had shrapnel injuries. The girl, whose age was not given, was wounded in one leg and in the face. She was transferred to a children's hospital and will be monitored overnight. San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore later identified the suspect as John Earnest. Authorities are investigating to see whether Earnest is connected to arson at a mosque in nearby Escondido from last month, CNN reported. Gore said Earnest was armed with an "AR-type assault weapon". In response to the incident, President Donald Trump, speaking outside the White House on Saturday, said: "At this moment it looks like a hate crime, but my deepest sympathies to all of those affected and we'll get to the bottom of it." New Delhi, April 28 : Just when the industry through innovation in the smartphone business had hit stagnation, Samsung wowed us with its first foldable device "Galaxy Fold," worth a whopping $2,000. A super-premium phone that took almost a decade in the making and opens like a book when unfolded, shouted everything next-generation. However, the expectations took a beating when reports of the Galaxy Fold issues surfaced. The units given to international tech reviewers encountered display distortion and screen flickering issues, forcing the South Korean giant to postpone its launch in Hong Kong and Shanghai on April 23 and 24 respectively, and issue a recall of review units. The big question lingers: Will the "Foldgate" make a dent in Samsung's image like the Galaxy Note 7 with exploding batteries did in 2016? According to CyberMedia Research (CMR), the smartphone major has been mature and pragmatic enough by postponing its launch and sorting out all the issues before its general availiability. "All said, for Samsung, there is no race for first past the post with its foldable smartphone. It is more imperative for the company to focus on not delivering a flawed product, but rather ensuring highest consumer experience when the device goes on sales," Prabhu Ram, Head, Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CMR, told IANS. Defending its devices just days before its roll-out, a Samsung spokesperson assured that the firm would "thoroughly inspect" the units. According to market research firm Gartner, foldable phones would make up 5 per cent of high-end phones sales by 2023 with around 30 million units. According to Faisal Kawoosa, Founder and Principal Analyst of market research firm techARC, from a technology-rich company like Samsung, "one would expect things out only after reliability of desired levels are achieved". The Galaxy Fold is expected to be priced around Rs 1,40,790 in India. "Nevertheless, the lab and real-world conditions play differently. I don't see it as a big issue as the product has not exchanged hands with consumers yet. They have time to correct this aberration," Kawoosa told IANS. Some units of the Galaxy Fold, which became the first phone with a foldable OLED display, is encountering two primary issues: the foldable screen seems to have a layer of protective layer that is similar to a cheap screen film. Several units reportedly failed after the layer was taken off. Few other screens failed because the hinge exposed areas which allowed debris to get inside of the display, thus, damaging the unit. "We expect that users will use a foldable phone as they do their regular smartphone, picking it up hundreds of times a day, unfolding it sporadically and typing on its plastic screen, which may scratch quickly depending on the way it folds," Roberta Cozza, Research Director at Gartner had earlier said. However, according to market research firm techARC, this is primarily a material issue than a design. "I think till the time it's a plastic-based screen, the chances of such mishaps remain high. I would certainly like to see a glass display, that too from credible makers like Corning, to have a reliable foldable screen," stressed Kawoosa. Moreover, there's no denying that the second-generation of foldable devices would be better that the experimental and ambitious first generation iterations. "The first generation of an innovation is always experimental, and which over successive iterations achieves perfection. Let's'face it. The Galaxy Fold was just a mistake in timing. It does not take away anything from its manufacturing capabilities," Ram noted. (Krishna SinhaChaudhury can be contacted at krishna.s@ians.in) Vatican City, April 28 : Pope Francis donated $500,000 to aid Central American migrants in Mexico, the Vatican has announced. The money will be used for housing, food and necessities for the Cmigrants. The funds will be split among 27 projects in 16 Mexican dioceses and religious congregations, CNN quoted a Vatican statement as saying on Saturday. "Men and women, often with young children, flee poverty and violence, hoping for a better future in the US. However, the US border remains closed to them," Peter's Pence, the Pope's charity, said in a statement. The near 75,000 migrants from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala that arrived in Mexico in caravans have been "stranded, unable to enter the US, without a home or livelihood", it said. The Catholic Church said it hosts thousands of these migrants in hotels within dioceses or congregations. "Media coverage of this emergency has been decreasing and as a result, aid to migrants by the government and private individuals has also decreased," the Vatican said. Thirteen projects have already been approved for aid, including in Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana and Nogales, which border the US. The remaining 14 projects are still undergoing the approval process, according to the release. The ISIS, or the Islamic State, has eventually claimed responsibility for the multiple terror bombings in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday targeting churches and hotels, killing 359 and injuring about 600 people. The sites hit in the attacks were all frequented by tourists, and at least 42 foreign nationals died in the explosions. The official ISIS claim went up after the Sri Lankan Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardena announced that these terrorist acts were in response to the Christchurch massacre of March 15, 2019. This is logical, because Sri Lanka was a softer target than New Zealand or Australia. Sri Lanka had earlier announced that it was the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) which was responsible for the attack. However, NTJ is too small an outfit to have executed the simultaneous bombings at multiple locations in such coordinated manner.A In fact, the NTJ as a radical Muslim group in Sri Lanka came to notice only last year when it was linked to the vandalizing of Buddhist statues. There was speculation that since there was no immediate claim by ISIS, the bombings were not their handiwork, but this was misplaced. While Sri Lanka was blaming NTJ, ISIS was releasing photographs of the suicide bombers who carried out the Sri Lanka attacks. These were similar to the Surabaya bombings of three churches in Indonesia on May 13, 2018, that were undertaken by ISIS. Meanwhile, a radical Sri Lanka-based imam had been releasing threatening messages for Sri Lanka. lham Ibrahim and Inshaf, sons of a wealthy Sri Lankan spice trader, Mohammed Yusuf Ibrahim, were part of the bombings. Both were well-educated and in their late twenties. When police went to search their home, one brother's wife set off a bomb, killing herself, her two children and three policemen. According to Sri Lankan intelligence, they were at the heart of radical Islamist circles in Sri Lanka and had sent at least 36 recruits to join ISIS in Syria. ISIS has released a video of the suicide attacks. Ten days before the attacks, Sri Lanka's police chief, Pujuth Jayasundara, had issued a nationwide alert, warning top officers that suicide bombers planned to target "prominent churches. "A foreign intelligence agency has reported that the NTJ is planning to carry out suicide attacks targeting prominent churches as well as the Indian high commission in Colombo," said the alert, which was sent to senior police officials. India's external intelligence agency, R&AW, also warned Colombo, perhaps after monitoring the larger network of Tawhid Jamaat, headquartered in Tamil Nadu, India. Not acting on these inputs was gross failure on behalf of Sri Lankan authorities. But then Indian authorities had hard intelligence two months before the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai but failed to act. Sri Lankan authorities at least have apologized to the nation, which India authorities failed to do. Just about six per cent population of mainly Buddhist Sri Lanka is Catholic, but the religion is seen as a unifying force because it includes people from both the Tamil and majority Sinhala ethnic groups. ISIS honed in on Sri Lanka as a soft target because of the relative peace post the conflict with LTTE, using the NTJ, which had not yet earned notoriety for major violence and marked it for possible terror attacks of this nature. Surprisingly, there is no mention of the role of Pakistan as coordinator between the NTJ and ISIS, which is perhaps by design or default. Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and ISIS' links are well established. When the Indian Peace-Keeping Force (IPKF) returned from Sri Lanka in 1990, Pakistan posted a colonel from ISI as deputy high commissioner in its mission at Colombo. He organized the aOsama Brigade', comprising Muslim Tamils of northern Sri Lanka, to provide a base for terrorist acts in southern India. But Pakistani mischief did not end there.A Amir Zubair Siddiqi, posted at Pakistan's High Commission in Colombo was booked by Tamil Nadu Police in 2012 after they picked up a suspected ISI man to whom Siddiqi had sent money from Colombo. Embarrassed, Pakistan recalled Siddiqi in October 2012, but quietly posted him back to Colombo after one year. Siddiqi's name came up again after a tip off from Malaysian intelligence enabled the Intelligence Bureau to foil an ISI attempt to attack two foreign consulates in south India. It was Siddiqi who trained Tamil Muslim Zakir Hussain and sent him to India to recruit individuals for terror activities in south India. Zakir Hussain was arrested in 2014 by Tamil Nadu police but later released, and has since fled to Malaysia.A Pakistan gained the confidence of Sri Lanka by advising and arming Colombo to subjugate the LTTE. In February 2012, a Sri Lankan delegation visited Islamabad on Pakistan's invitation, to hold secret talks; Pakistan requested expertise to combat Baloch freedom fighters the same way Colombo combated the LTTE.A With the Sri Lanka-China-Pakistan camaraderie, India should expect ISI activities against India to continue from Pakistan's high commission in Colombo. How Colombo will handle Pakistan-ISIS links detrimental to Sri Lanka will be a complex issue, given Pakistan's propensity in running with the hares and hunting with the hounds. So far, Al Qaeda or Al Qaeda in South Asia (AQIS) has been more active in this region. Post the Christchurch terror attacks, Al Qaeda issued a statement saying they would not attack religious places. But ISIS and Pakistan-based terror organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba and others have no such inhibitions. The Easter Sunday attacks are the first major ISIS terror strikes in the island nation. It may not be the last. The tourism industry of Sri Lanka will be affected, which in turn will hit the Sri Lankan economy struggling with a balance of payments crisis with China. As for India, the need to keep its guard up was never more.A (The author is Distinguished Fellow, United Service Institution of India. The article is in special arrangement with South Asia Monitor) Colombo, April 28 : Two suspects, wanted over the April 21 Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka, were arrested on Sunday, police said. The two men were identified as Mohammad Iwuhaim Saadiq Abdul Haq and Mohammad Iwuhaim Shahid Abdul Haq, reports the Daily Mirror. According to the police, the suspects were arrested in Nawalapitiya town, Central Province. They will be handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Meanwhile, curfew which was imposed on the Kalmunei, Samanthurei, and Chavalakada were lifted at 10 am. A police spokesperson added that the curfew will be reimposed in these areas from 5 p.m. The deadly bombings that targeted churches and hotels, most of them in Colombo, claimed the lives of 253 people and injured over 500 others, in the bloodiest attacks in Sri Lanka since the civil war ended a decade ago. Shimla, April 28 : It's an ex-serviceman versus an ex-serviceman from Himachal Pradesh's Shimla (reserved) seat. Both are aiming guns loaded with political salvoes and firing at each other. One is a retired Colonel of the Indian Army, while another is former Senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the Indian Air Force. The former, Dhani Ram Shandil, 78, is a Congress candidate, while the latter is Suresh Kashyap, 48, from the Bharatiya Janata Party. Both belong to the Koli community covered under the Scheduled Castes category. Shandil is a two-time MP from Shimla, while Kashyap is trying his luck in the parliamentary polls for the first time. Both are sitting legislators and are not facing any criminal case. Interestingly, both Kashyap and Shandil rarely trade personal barbs and harp more on infrastructure and tourism development and country's security agenda, a political observer said. "I am a fauji (soldier) and he's also a fauji. But there is difference of opinion among both of us. He belongs to a party that questions India's surgical strikes and air strikes," Kashyap told IANS on Sunday. He said the Congress had also questioned the evidence of the strikes and was compromising with the security of the country. Undeterred, a well-mannered Shandil said: "It is not the Congress but the BJP which is politicising the air strike and trying to get a political mileage out of it." "I am seeking re-election on the basis of my past performance as a two-time MP vis-a-vis BJP MP's last two stints from this seat," Shandil, who is more a statesman than a politician, told IANS. He is banking on the national sentiments for having fought in the 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars. Firing pot-shots, Kashyap, who did post-graduation in English, Public Administration and Tourism Management, said being an ex-serviceman Shandil has to make his stand clear on abolition of Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) and the Sedition Act as mentioned in the Congress manifesto. Shandil, who was a Cabinet Minister in the previous Virbhadra Singh-led state government and did doctorate in Political Science, took to politics when he joined the Himachal Vikas Congress, an outfit floated by ex-Telecom Minister Sukh Ram, who is again back in the Congress. Shandil won two Lok Sabha elections from Shimla, once as a Himachal Vikas Congress candidate in 1999 and later in 2004 as a Congress nominee. BJP's outgoing incumbent Virender Kashyap, 68, who got elected to Parliament for the first time in 2009 by defying the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance sweep in the northern states, was denied the party ticket this time. The state's ruling BJP has dropped its two-time MP Virender Kashyap as there was anger among the 2.50 lakh-odd voters belonging to the Hatti community who are settled largely in the trans-Giri area of Sirmaur over his failure to come out with a detailed action plan on granting them tribal status, a demand pending for five decades. It found mention in the BJP's election manifestos for the Assembly polls in 2009 and the Lok Sabha polls in 2014, but failed to be implemented. The main contest on this seat that covers Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur districts is between the BJP and the Congress. BJP candidate Kashyap said demand for special status was raised by the BJP alone, both during the UPA and the NDA tenure. "We will address this issue on priority once re-elected," he said. Promising speedy implementation, Congress candidate Shandil said: "Once voted to power, I will take their case to its logical conclusion." In the Lok Sabha polls, Himachal Pradesh has traditionally favoured the party at the helm in the state, except for 2014, when the BJP won all the four seats. In 2009, the BJP, which was then in power in the state, won three of the four Lok Sabha seats. Himachal Pradesh's four Lok Sabha seats -- Shimla, Kangra, Hamirpur and Mandi -- will vote on May 19. (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) New Delhi, April 28 : The great Indian election season has hit midway - with three phases of voting now over and four more to go - but social media platforms are still scrambling to control the spread of election-related misinformation. Social media "warriors" are busy propagating "reworked" and "reoriented" content related to political news, government scams, historical myths, patriotism and nationalism on Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter. "Apart from the fake news and doctored contents, chatbots are sending bulk WhatsApp messages on active mobile numbers, not only on WhatsApp but on Facebook Messenger as well," nation's leading social media expert Anoop Mishra told IANS. There are several cases where people who joined Facebook renamed their Pages, Groups and accounts later, only to use it for spreading their political agenda in the election season. Despite Facebook's efforts, such misinformation is thriving and has reached mammoth levels, say experts. "Over 90,000 groups on WhatsApp and more than 200 fake Facebook Pages and accounts are currently influencing the group members and followers with biased political content," said Mishra. The content involves fake statistics of the government's policies to news prompting regional violence, from manipulated political news, government scams, historical myths, propaganda to patriotism and Hindu nationalism. Two main political parties are leaving no stone unturned in reaching out to voters via various social media platforms. Social media platforms, however, say they are proactively disabling bots and fake accounts being used for political interference in India. Facebook said recently it is removing or blocking about one million abusive accounts a day with the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) tools. The social media giant has also removed nearly 700 Pages, Groups and accounts in India for violating its policies on what it calls "coordinated inauthentic behaviour" and spam. It now has Ad Library, a searchable database, in place in India. Indians spent around Rs 7 crore for running political ads on Facebook and Instagram in the first 20 days of April, while the amount spent on these platforms in February-March was about Rs 10 crore. On the other hand, Twitter has announced a new tool within the platform to make it easier for users to report attempts to interfere in the general elections in India through spread of misleading information about voting. It earlier launched an Ads Transparency Centre that allows anyone to view details on political campaigning ads and billing information in India. WhatsApp has also launched a research project in India where over 200 million users in the country can tip off fake news, misinformation and rumours related to elections. Launched by PROTO, a media skilling start-up, the tipline will help create a database of rumours to study misinformation during elections for Checkpoint -- a research project commissioned by WhatsApp. Are these measures sufficient to curb the fake news in the world's biggest election? "The social media giants began their work towards safeguarding the India elections a bit late and some of the measures were announced near to the poll dates. It is difficult to tell if these measures will bear fruits and tame the fake news factories or not," lamented Mishra. New Delhi, April 28 : Xiaomi and Samsung are the arch rivals in the India smartphone market but it doesn't mean they do not have anything to learn from each other. Ask Xiaomi's India Managing Director Manu Kumar Jain and you have the answer. In his first-ever humble admission, Jain says the company is learning from other brands, including the offline giant Samsung, in its push for retail sales in the country. Xiaomi, largely known as an online brand, started its offline journey in India just two years ago and claims that it has already captured 20 per cent share of the offline smartphone business in the country. "It was a tough beginning. We were hardly able to sell any smartphone offline in the first six months," Jain told a select group of journalists here. "We are learning from other other brands such as Samsung and Vivo in expanding our offline presence in the country," Jain added. According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, aggressive offline expansion helped Xiaomi retain its top position in the India smartphone market in the first quarter of 2019 with a 29 per cent share, though its shipments declined by two per cent year-over-year. Samsung, which recently launched the online-only "M" smartphone series, followed the Chinese smartphone maker with 23 per cent share, a drop of three per cent from 26 per cent share in the same quarter last year. Xiaomi has now set a target of opening 10,000 retail stores in the country and aims to have 50 per cent of its smartphone sales in India from offline channels by the end of this year. Jain explained that the company's scope of growth in India's online market share became limited after it captured over 50 per cent share in that market. This is one of the main reasons why the company is pushing its offline expansion aggressively. But offline expansion also brings with it additional cost and Jain had no hesitation in admitting that. Responding to a question by IANS on whether the aggressive offline push could hurt its profitability, especially because Xiaomi has a policy of not keeping more than five per cent profit margin from its hardware, Jain said: "It is true that the cost of doing business in offliine is higher than online. "I can say confidently that our cost of running offline business would be the lowest among all the brands. Other brands generally tend to have three-four layers of distributors - national, state, city and sometimes, even micros distributors - before the product reaches the retailers and consumers. But we have only one level of distribution," he explained. "The biggest hit on profitability does not come from offline. It comes from dollar fluctuations. If dollar goes up, our cost goes up. This is because even though we are manufacturing components in India, most of the components are still purchased in dollar." Even though its operational expenses in selling smartphones goes up, that should not be the company's biggest worry in the future as its aim is to earn most of the mullah from its Internet services. "We want to make money from Internet service like Mi Video (a pre-installed video app which provides integrated video streaming across platforms)," Jain said. (Gokul Bhagabati can be contacted at gokul.b@ians.in) Bernie Ecclestone has described Mick Schumacher's famous surname as a "problem" as he progresses towards the F1 grid. In Baku for his second Formula 2 race, the son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher spun. "Of course I'm following him," former F1 supremo Ecclestone told Blick newspaper in Baku. "The biggest problem for him is his name. If Mick doesn't deliver good results, the media will not treat him gently at the end of the year," he added. Schumacher got his first taste of 2019-spec F1 cars recently with tests in the Ferrari and Alfa Romeo cars. "He came to us last winter and quickly settled in," Laurent Mekies, the Ferrari sporting director, told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "He was the best in Formula 3 and that's why we wanted him. "In recent years, the best in Formula 2 went into F1, but we're in no hurry. We are satisfied with his progress," Mekies added. "His first test with us in Bahrain went very well." (GMM) Islamabad, April 28 : Following an announcement that former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf will appear before a special court on May 2, it was learnt that he might not return to the country because of his medical boards recommendation and family pressure not to do so. "Gen Musharraf is eager to come to Pakistan and wants to appear before the court. He has been suffering from severe backbone pain and the medical board has advised him not to travel. Moreover, he has been facing pressure from his family that he should not travel at the cost of his health. However, as everyone knows that Gen Musharraf is a man of his words so still there are 50 per cent chances of his return," advocate and member of the All Pakistan Muslim League Ali Nawab Chitrali, told Dawn news on Saturday night. Earlier Saturday, Musharraf's lawyer Salman Safdar claimed that the former president, who has been facing a high treason case, would reach Pakistan on May 1 and will appear before the special court the next day. The special court, which is hearing a treason case against the former army chief, had ordered him to appear before it on May 2. Chitrali, who claimed that he had contacted a close associate of Musharraf, said that it was very difficult for the ailing former leader to travel, but he was eager to come to Pakistan. "Although both the medical board and Musharraf family have asked him not to travel there are strong chances that the former president would return to Pakistan to appear before the court," he told Dawn. Musharraf had announced in the past a number of times that he would return to Pakistan, but failed to do so on medical grounds. Hyderabad, April 28 : With a record number of two lakh pilgrims from India set to perform Haj this year, efforts are on to organize the required manpower for the biggest man management exercise undertaken by India outside its border, officials said. The Ministry of Minority Affairs will depute 638 officials to the Consulate General of India in Jeddah while the Consulate General will engage an equal number of personnel temporarily. With Saudi Arabia increasing India's Haj quota by 25,000, the highest ever number of Indians will perform Haj this year. This number will be next only to Indonesia's 2.31 lakh including an increase of 10,000 this year. It was in February during the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to India that an increase in India's Haj quota was announced. This was the third hike in as many years. Saudi Arabia on April 18 issued formal orders after which the Minority Affairs Ministry began arranging necessary manpower. The Ministry has decided that out of the additional 25,000 quota, 15,000 will be allotted to Haj Committee of India (HCOI) and 10,000 to Private Tour Operators (PTOs). Thus, 1.40 lakh pilgrims are expected to come through HCOI and 60,000 through PTOs, India's newly appointed Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ausaf Sayeed told IANS. The number of deputationists include coordinators (7), doctors (168), Assistant Haj Officers (62), paramedics (185) and Haj Assistants (216). The Ministry's Haj Division is conducting the selection/interview process to select the officials working in the central government, state governments, union territory administrations, central and state public sector undertakings and autonomous bodies. The period of deputation is normally 2-3 months to render administrative and medical assistance to Indian Haj pilgrims. During Haj 2018, a total of 597 deputationists were sent to Council General of India, Jeddah. In addition, the Consulate also engages about 600 personnel temporarily during Haj under Haj Man Month (HMM), Sayeed said. Haj 2019 season will be from July 4 to September 14, 2019. The core Haj period will be from August 8 to 14 when millions of Muslims from around the world perform Haj rituals in Mecca and nearby holy sites. "This is the biggest number which we will be sending any time in the history. This is a man management challenge. This is the biggest man management exercise undertaken by India outside the Indian border," said Ambassador. "Within India we have huge gatherings like Kumbh Mela but we can still manage because our resources will be within our own hands. This is on foreign soil. We have to coordinate with different multiple agencies within Saudi Arabia and also agencies back home. It is a challenging task." Sayeed, who served as Consul (Haj) in Jeddah in 1995-96, pointed out that the manpower had never been an issue as the Indian government takes care of this through deputationists. "The government always caters to required number of deputationists. Senior officers from different state governments and central departments come there. They include doctors and paramedics. Medicines are also sent in huge numbers," said Sayeed, who was also Consul General in Jeddah from 2004 to 2008. Officials in Haj Committee said that with the increase in Haj quota this year, all the applicants from states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab and Tripura will go on Haj. For Haj 2018, the Haj Committee had received over 3.55 lakh applications from across the country and 1.75 lakh were selected. Haj applications this year are estimated to be in the same range. Mirzapur : , April 28 (IANS) Congress' Lalitesh Pati Tripathi, pitted against Union Minister and Apna Dal leader Anupriya Patel for the Mirzapur Lok Sabha seat, is confident of winning as promises of bringing industrial development in the district have not been fulfilled. Lalitesh Tripathi is the great-grandson of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Union Minister Kamalapati Tripathi. Speaking to IANS, he said: "Anupriya Patel has not worked in the district and neglected it despite being the Union Minister." He said that people in Mirzapur have got the impression that despite being in power for five years she has not done any work on the ground be it in education, health or in any other field. Lamenting about Patel, who is the Union Minister of State for Health, the Congress leader said: "The promises which the BJP government at the Centre and the state made to the people that industrial development will take place has not happened." "Instead of that, the carpet industry, brassware and stone industries are shutting down because of the policies of the government," he said. Mirzapur is known for its carpets and brassware industries, while Chunar, a small town in the district, is noted for stone manufacturing. Mirzapur city is surrounded by several hills and is also famous for the highly revered holy shrine in nearby Vindhyachal. Hitting out at Prime MInister Narendra Modi, Tripathi said: "In 2014, when Modi ji came here, he said that he will ensure that the industries of Mirzapur start functioning..but can he tell how many industyries have started here?" "Injustice has been done to Mirzapur despite the BJP governments at the Centre and the state," he said. Asked why people would vote for him in the ongoing elections, Tripathi said Patel was unable to connect with the people. "She was available only among some selected people. And only the work suggested by those select people were done in the district. Due to such behaviour, even her party workers are also not happy," he said. To a question whether Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's visit to Mirzapur has changed the narrative in the elections, he replied: "In the beginning of the election campaign she gave a strong message from Mirzapur." He was referring to Priyanka Gandhi's three-day 140-km long Ganga river boat ride programme from Prayagraj to Varanasi via Mirzapur. "She has visited a number of villages on the banks of river Ganga and has made people aware of the anti-people policy of this government," he said, adding that she galvanised the party workers here. Tripathi said that Priyanka Gandhi had also shown that the fight will be tough this time, while one cannot any more ignore the people of the constituency and had to come to the ground among the voters. The Congress leader also said that the former Samajwadi Party Lok Sabha MP Bal Kunwar Patel's (who belongs to the Kurmi community) joining the party has boosted its chances in the elections. The elections in Mirzapur are scheduled for the seventh phase on May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. (Anand Singh can be reached at anand.s@ians.in) Asansol, West Bengal : Veteran actress Moon Moon Sen says she is in politics to win people's love and feels donning a politician's hat has been easier for her as there is far less amount of mudslinging compared to the film industry. The 64-year-old Oxford alumnus, who is fighting the 2019 polls from West Bengal's Asansol parliamentary constituency on a Trinamool Congress ticket, says she would be "delighted" if West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee becomes the next Prime Minister. Sitting in the lobby of a plush hotel on National Highway 2 on the outskirts of Asansol city, Sen, draped in an elegant white saree and a flower bouquet in her hand, talked to IANS after two-and-half hours of a gruelling evening campaign, where she was accompanied by her daughters Raima and Riya. Asansol, a hub of coal mining and railway activity, will go to the polls on April 29 where Sen is pitted against BJP's sitting MP and Union Minister Babul Supriyo besides candidates from both the Left and the Congress. "I am not a full-fledged politician. But I can say there cannot be more mudslinging than there is in the film industry. There it is cut-throat, it is soul destroying. This is easy compared to all that,a said Sen, the daughter of Bengali screen legend Suchitra Sen. Sen, a former school teacher, said she would focus on environmental issues to control Asansol's pollution and work on improving health care if the people elected her. "I am here to win some votes and do my work which, let's say, is away from politics. I am in politics to win peopleaAs love. If I become an MP again, I would like to work on improving the environment and providing better medical care. There is a shortage of doctors and nurses all over the world," she said. Talking at length on pollution issues in the area, she said children and women were choking due to the coal mines and black furnaces all around. "Their lungs are being affected. It is taking a toll on people in general and is life threatening for pregnant women. The district magistrate said the local administration has started planting trees,a she said. Sen, who had pulled off a surprise victory five years ago in Bengal's Bankura where he handed out a shock defeat to nine time CPI-M MP Basudev Acharia, has been shifted to this coal belt constituency bordering Jharkhand this time. But she is not bothered by the opposition's allegations that she is an outsider unaware of the core-problems in Asansol. "I am not concerned about what the opposition says. I do not plan to justify myself to them either. There is no room for negativity in my life. "At the moment I am involved in planning to win an election. I know I will figure out things slowly on my own. I will do what I can, within my capacity but there are certain issues, things which would be tackled by the state government and the centre. So there is no point in boasting and saying I am going to fix everything," said Sen, conceding that people had told her before she came to the constituency that she could lose as it was a BJP bastion. "I have never lost in politics. I have people's support with me. I know that once I am committed, I have to do my duty. If I win, I win. If I don't win I have still done my best. That's what I am focusing on. If I win here, I will be delighted," she said adding she is much better prepared this time compared to the 2014 polls. Sen, who has acted in numerous Bengali, Hindi and South Indian films in her career spanning over three decades also welcomed the entry of two more Bengali actresses, Mimi Chakraborty and Nusrat Jahan, into politics and said the parties should look to bring in more young and energetic faces with "bright new ideas". "I do not see why the parties should not now bring in more young and glamorous people from other spheres. Most of them are intelligent enough to let them be guided and do the work they're supposed to do," Sen said. Expressing her love and admiration for Banerjee, she said the Trinamool Congress supremo inspired her to join politics through her "work ethics and tremendous devotion towards people". "IaAll be delighted if she becomes the Prime Minister. We know who all are in contention. This lady has been a long time MP, a central minister and now a chief minister for eight years. Also she is quick to point out a crisis and take steps to solve it. She is the one who first talked about the Mahagatbandhan (grand alliance). People across the country are recognizing her potential today. "You can't take West Bengal away from her (Banerjee). I know nothing about the politics in Delhi and what might happen if the opposition alliance wins but I know that people across the country are suffering due to demonetisation and GST. Many have had to close down their businesses," she said. When asked whether she is still in touch with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan who used to be her classmate in Oxford, Sen said though she has not spoken to him since he took over the hot seat, she assumes their friendship is still intact. "I haven't talked to him since he became Prime Minister. I haven't met him recently either. But I assume we are still friends. Imran is often quoted as saying he has a number of friends in Kolkata," she signed off. Mumbai, April 28 : Stretching from the imposing skyrises of Colaba and Malabar Hill to the fishermen's colonies in Worli, the prestigious VVIP Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency is the richest in the country making it a high-stakes affair for the two main contestants - Shiv Sena sitting MP Arvind G. Sawant and rival Milind M. Deora of the Congress. Despite being wealthy, the constituency is barely 'generous' in exercising its franchise - it was way back in 1967, when George Fernandes won on a single point agenda of providing sufficient water supply to all, that 67.42 per cent electorate voted. Again in 1991, the voting percentage plummeted to an abysmal 38.65, giving credence to the belief that people in high-rises remain indifferent to the political process. But in 2014 the percentage went up to a modest 52.48. The population of Mumbai South is approximately 20 lakh and the voter strength is 14,85,846 including 15 per cent of some of the country's richest, a large 70 per cent dollop of middle-class and a sprinkling of 15 per cent eking out an existence in slums in what is one of the few fully urbanized constituencies of India. Unconcerned by the turnout figures, Shiv Sena's Sawant exudes is optimistic of winning again. "I am the voice of the masses and the classes. I have been present whenever and wherever I was needed in the past five years," Sawant told IANS. On his rival Deora, he shot back: "Where was he for the past four years and nine months? This is what commoners and business community ask me. It is my work for all sections and my contacts with the masses that will decide the election." Though incommunicado despite repeated attempts by IANS, the former Union Minister Deora has remained unflustered by the opposition barbs. After all, in a political-corporate coup of sorts, last fortnight, he secured the open support of key players from India Inc, sending panic waves in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Sena combine. Ranked as one of the most cosmopolitan constituencies, Mumbai South is beset with many problems that have remained unresolved over the years. "There are hundreds of old buildings, ancient sewage lines, house gullies, traffic congestion and slum pockets in Darukhana, BPT, Colaba and Worli which are of great concern," Waris Pathan, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen's sole Mumbai MLA, told IANS. Though there is the ambitious Coastal Road project coming up, Patyan says "a lot will depend on its implementation, or it will be disastrous for the entire city". Besides, there is the gnawing problem of security in the region which has witnessed two of the worst terror strikes in the country - the 1993 serial bomb blasts and the 2008 terror strikes. Not surprising, since this constituency is home to the country's most affluent business districts which contribute hugely to the national exchequer, some of the poshest residential complexes, Indian and foreign banks, and national and international firms are headquartered here. There are also offices of global corporates, airlines, embassies, luxury hotels, swanky restaurants and pubs, global tourist attractions, open shopping plazas, malls and multiplexes, reputed schools, colleges, an array of heritage buildings, the official residences of Maharashtra Governor, Chief Minister, the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court and other judges, the Legislature and the Mantralaya. Visakhapatnam, April 28 : Cyclone Fani, currently over the southeast Bay of Bengal and the adjoining East Equatorial Indian Ocean, is likely to intensify into a "very severe cyclonic storm" on Monday, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday. Fani is centred about 750 km east-southeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 1,080 km southeast of Chennai and 1,260 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh). "It is very likely to intensify into a 'Severe Cyclonic Storm' during the next 12 hours and into a 'Very Severe Cyclonic Storm' during the subsequent 24 hours. It is very likely to move north-westwards till April 30 and thereafter recurve north-eastwards gradually," the IMD said in a bulletin. The Met officials said the cyclone may come 200 to 300 km close to the Andhra coast before changing its course to head towards the coasts of Odisha and Bangladesh. Under the impact of the cyclone, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are likely to receive heavy rains on April 30 and May 1. The Met office has forecast thunderstorm with heavy rain and gusty winds with the speed of 40-50 kmph at isolated places in all coastal Andhra districts. Authorities has issued warnings at the Visakhapatnam, Machilipatnam, Krishnapatnam and Nizampatnam ports. -- With inputs from IANS New Delhi, April 28 : A total of 332 candidates contesting in the Odisha Assembly polls have criminal cases, with 257 serious and seven convicted, according to the National Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). Nine candidates have declared cases related to murder, 63 attempt to murder, 17 kidnapping, 63 crime against women, 17 cases related to kidnapping and two have declared cases related to rape. The ADR has analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 1,121 out of 1,137 candidates contesting in the four-phased Odisha Assembly elections across 147 constituencies. "There are 16 candidates who have not been analysed due to unavailability of properly scanned and complete affidavits at the time of making this report," the ADR said in a statement on Sunday. "A total of 257 out of 1,121 candidates analysed have declared serious criminal cases and seven candidates have declared convicted cases." In terms of parties, 40 out of 146 candidates from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), 67 out of 145 candidates from the BJP, 48 out of 139 candidates from Congres, 11 out of 55 candidates from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), 55 out of 298 candidates Independent candidates have declared criminal cases. The report also said that 59 constituencies have three or more candidates with declared criminal cases. Lucknow, April 28 : Midway though the Lok Sabha elections, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh is caught in a bind. The party has failed to create a plan to reach out to youth voters who now form a sizeable segment of its vote bank. The BSP has failed to effectively establish its presence on the social media and does not encourage individual leaders to do the same. "All other political parties are going full steam on the social media but the BSP does not go beyond official statements for which Mayawati has her own Twitter handle. Party leaders are not allowed to promote the party on the social media and our meetings are not streamed live," said a party functionary. BSP leaders are apparently worried that they may lose out on youth support due to faulty political strategy. The BSP has been on the downslide in this decade. After losing power in the 2012 Assembly elections, the party drew a complete blank in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and then managed to win only 19 seats in a house of 403 in the 2017 Assembly polls. "The social media is now an important part of campaigning, especially among youth, but the BSP does not believe so. This is going to be a major disadvantage for us." confessed the party functionary. What is adding to the BSP's worries is the fact that the Bhim Army is marching ahead, creating footprints' among Dalit youth. After being initially soft towards the BSP, Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar has now launched a full blown war against Mayawati after she accused him of being a 'BJP agent'. Chandra Shekhar has accused the BSP of giving 42 per cent of seats to upper caste candidates who form barely 16 per cent of the population. He said that the upper caste should have been given seats in proportion to their population. "Till now 16 of the 38 seats announced by the BSP have been given to the upper caste which comes to almost 42 per cent," he pointed out. He also asked: "Now where will the OBC, Dalits and Muslims go? The BSP is now a party of moneybags with huge bank balances." He said the only reason why he and others like him were silent was that they wanted to save the Bahujan movement and considered Mayawati to have been a pioneer. "But she is wavering from the basic ideology of the party." Chandra Shekhar's allegations are flooding the social media and there has been no effort to counter the same from the BSP. A BSP candidate from eastern UP admitted that the party faced a major disadvantage because of its failure to connect with the youth. "Today I feel that I have already lost the elections because my party does not address issues related to youth or even connect with them. The BJP, which is very active on the social media, is making things worse," he said. Colombo, April 28 : The elder brother of two suicide bombers who blew themselves up at two hotels in the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka was arrested during a raid in Dematagoda on Sunday, police said. Sources said that Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Ifran Ahmed was arrested in a house at the Mahawila Scheme, reports the Daily Mirror. The police Special Task Force also recovered a German-manufactured air gun and two swords from Ahmed's possession. Following the bombings, the police took spice trader Mohamed Ibrahim into custody after his two sons were found to have been among those who carried out the attacks that killed 253 people. The two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel and the Shangri-La Hotel. Two more of Ibrahim's sons were also arrested while another one is on the run. Ibrahim has a total of nine children. Beijing, April 28 : Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan met Chinese President Xi Jinping here on Sunday for bilateral talks, with the latter saying Beijing considers Islamabad a priority in its diplomacy. "Pakistan is China's all-weather strategic cooperative partner. China and Pakistan are 'iron friends' and have always firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests," Xi said after meeting Khan at the Great Hall of the People. Major progress has been made in bilateral cooperation in construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), finance, trade and other aspects, Xinhua news agency quoted the President as saying. "In the next stage, China and Pakistan should make more efforts to advance the all-weather strategic cooperation," Xi said, calling on both sides to deepen high-level contacts and mutual support within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In response to Xi's remarks, Khan said the CPEC had played an important role in his country's economic development and improvement of people's lives. Pakistan was ready to consolidate its friendship with China, deepen pragmatic cooperation and enhance communication and coordination in multilateral affairs, he added. They also exchanged views on South Asia situation. Xi expressed the hope that Pakistan and India would meet each other halfway and promote stabilisation and improvement of relations. After meeting Xi, Khan held talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang and attended the signing ceremony of bilateral agreements. On Saturday, Khan held talks with Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan. Khan is on a four-day visit to China during which he attended the second BRI Forum. He will leave for Pakistan on Sunday night. Members of the Vanuatu Mobile Force performing the flag raising at the ANZAC Dawn Service On Saturday, a gunman opened fire at a synagogue in California killing one woman and wounding three other people, police said. A 19-year-old man named as John Earnest was arrested after the attack, in Poway, north of the city of San Diego. The synagogue had been hosting a Passover celebration when the gunman burst in, reports said. The San Diego Sheriff's Department said it assigned deputies to religious centers throughout the weekend. While security has been heightened, authorities said it is not indicative of a greater threat. President Donald Trump, speaking outside the White House Saturday, told reporters, "At this moment it looks like a hate crime, but my deepest sympathies to all of those affected and we'll get to the bottom of it." Christian leaders have also responded to this tragedy. David Jeremiah, New York Times bestselling author and nationally syndicated TV and radio host: "Today we mourn with those directly impacted by today's tragic synagogue shooting at the Chabad of Poway. Poway is a community close to Turning Point and Shadow Mountain Community Church. Our prayers are with the victims and their families and for all the Jewish people throughout this city, this country, and the world. The Christian community stands firmly and compassionately behind our Jewish brothers and sisters, and we condemn hatred against anyone, especially those with their heads bowed in prayer, as those in Poway were, celebrating the last day of Passover. May God be close to those who have suffered this terrible tragedy. Jentezen Franklin, Senior Pastor of Free Chapel: "It seems a week doesn't go by before we hear of yet another attack against those peacefully exercising their right to worship. I'm grieving for the people of Poway, California tonight and the Jewish community around the world after such a senseless synagogue shooting. I so desperately want the world to know that the God who made us and loves us does not call us to act in violence towards anyone. In a time of increasing hostility towards nearly every faith, I pray we all take a moment to remind our children that a bullet, a bomb or a clenched fist is never the answer to our troubles. Loving your neighbor-no matter their race, religion, or creed-is always the better choice. Beth Moore, Best Selling Christian Author and Speaker: "'This present darkness has never in my lifetime felt more present over this land. It feels horrifically, hauntingly determined. The people of God must, if we're to withstand it at all, become exceedingly determined in taking the shades off our lamps and wiping away the soot." Joseph D'Souza, President of All India Christian Council: "There is no worse form of terrorist extremism than an attack on a place of worship - whether it be arson at churches in Louisiana, mass shootings at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, or this weekend's attack on a synagogue in Poway, California. This evil must be confronted by all of us, especially faith leaders who at times have to overcome threats from within their own community to speak up against extremism. We cannot be bystanders in this war against the right of any community to worship in peace. Enough is enough" Tags : John Earnest donald trump synagogue shooting in poway ca jentzen franklin david jeremiah beth moore Joseph D'Souza Mumbai, April 28 : A staggering 3,11,92,823 voters, including 1,418 transgenders, are expected to exercise their franchise on Monday in 17 Maharashtra constituencies for the fourth and final phase in the state of the 2019 general elections, an Election Commission (EC) official said here on Sunday. The constituencies going to elections are: Mumbai North, Mumbai North-West, Mumbai North-East, Mumbai North-Central, Mumbai South-Central, Mumbai South, Nandurbar, Dhule, Dindori, Nashik, Palghar, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Thane, Maval, Shirur and Shirdi. Dismissing reports on this count appearing on social media, the EC official said that there is no need to press the voting button on the electronic voting machine (EVM) for 7 seconds to view the voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) slip, as it will roll out instantly. Of these 17 constituencies, the highest number of voters - 23,70,276 - are registered in Thane and lowest - 14,40,142 - are registered in Mumbai South-Central constituency. The EC has set up a total 33,314 polling stations in these constituencies, deployed 68,018 balloting units, 39,977 control units and 43,309 VVPAT-EVMs. Voting will be conducted in all the 17 Lok Sabha seats from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. under stringent security measures, according to the EC official. A Mumbai Police spokesperson said that a total of 10,073 booths have been set up at 1,492 polling stations in the city's six seats, spread across areas ranging from some of the poshest locations of south Mumbai to the sprawling slums of Dharavi, the tribal hamlets of Sanjay Gandhi National Park and the fishing villages dotting the city coast. Of these polling stations, 325 have been declared as "critical", and more than 40,000 security personnel will be deployed in the city, including Mumbai Police and other agencies. As part of their pre-poll precautions, the police have externed 204 criminals from Mumbai, taken bonds of security from 8,117 from history sheeters and others with questionable credentials, served notices to 5,771 others, including six under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1981. Since the election Model Code of Conduct came into effect on March 10, the city police have so far seized 391 illegal weapons, 2,648 litres of illegal liquor worth over a million rupees, and around 210 kgs of narcotic drugs worth nearly Rs 40 crore, the spokesperson said. The police and the Income Tax Department have also effected seizures of Rs 10.51 crore in illegal cash in 35 instances, registered 18 electoral offences by various parties and individuals and another 17 violations of the Model Code of Conduct. Srinagar, April 28 : All three militants involved in the attack on a police post in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar district on Friday have been arrested, police said on Sunday. Srinagar's Senior Superintendent of Police Haseeb Mughal told a media conference that all three militants who attacked Chanapora police post were arrested within 30 hours of the incident. "We immediately strengthened our intelligence grid and based on the intelligence gathered, we have succeeded in arresting all the three militants involved in the unsuccessful weapon-snatching attempt at Chanapora police post," he said. Narrating the sequence of events, Mughal said that the three militants, identified as Junaid, Mushtaq and Lateef, came to the police post on a motorcycle on Friday evening, but parked the vehicle some distance away. "Junaid went into the police post on the pretext of finding out the status of his passport verification. He came back and told his accomplices that the constable on guard duty did not seem to have any back up. "After this, Mushtaq entered the police post and fired with his pistol at the constable who was injured but retaliated. The weapon snatching attempt did not succeed because the service rifle of the injured constable was tied to his belt through a chain. "Other policemen inside the post also fired forcing the militants to flee." The SSP said the weapon-snatching attempt had been masterminded by Waseem, an active militant in Pulwama district. He said a Chinese pistol, two magazines and six live rounds of ammunition were recovered from the arrested persons in addition to the motorcycle they used. Based on the disclosures made by the arrested militants, further arrests are likely in this incident, he said. Constable Feroze Ahmed, who was injured in the attack, is undergoing treatment in a local hospital here. Chennai, April 28 : As "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" completed two years of its release on Sunday, actor Rana Daggubati who played Bhallaldev in the film expressed happiness on being part of the epic saga that changed his life forever. "Two years this day changed my life and Indian cinema forever! 'Baahubali'," Rana tweeted along with the poster of the film. Celebrating the second anniversary of S.S. Rajamouli's directorial, makers on the official Twitter handle of "Baahubali" franchise thanked fans for their love. "It's been two years for the epic saga that not only set unbeatable records but also the supreme standards in Indian cinema. Thank you everyone for supporting us, trusting us and enabling us to make something so big. We are obliged. Keep loving us," the post read. Released in 2017, "Baahubali: The Conclusion" is the second part of "Baahubali" franchise. "Baahubali: The Beginning" and "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" stars Prabhas and Rana. The film's story is about the battle for the ownership of an ancient kingdom between two brothers. "Baahubali: The Conclusion" is one of India's highest grossing films. Jaipur, April 28 : Caught between the cacophony of nationalism and regional vision -- on issues of farm distress, unemployment, water crisis and poor connectivity -- the voters in Rajasthan seem to be dwindling towards the former. "It's Modi versus all (issues and candidates) in Rajasthan. (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi has made his image larger than life. And in the post-Pulwama political scenario, Rajasthan seems highly taken in by the Indian Air Force (IAF) strikes in Balakot in Pakistan," says political analyst Narayan Bareth. "This is because many families in the state have their sons in the armed forces guarding the borders, and they seem to be the most impressed by the Prime Minister's tough stance on national security. Nothing except nationalism seems to be influencing them at this point. "The state's ruling Congress looks confused as to how to fight this debate between nationalism and regional vision. It may get around 5-7 seats, while the BJP can win 18-20 seats," adds Bareth. For decades, the Rajasthan Assembly has been alternating between the Congress and the BJP every five years. Following the same trend, the Congress dethroned the BJP in 2018. The state is also known to give the party winning the Assembly elections the most number of Lok Sabha seats. Banking on this trend, the Congress is hoping to take its tally up from zero in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, even as the BJP attempts to repeat its success of winning all the 25 parliamentary seats in the state. As both parties claim to achieve "Mission 25" in 2019, IANS takes an overview of the key issues and seats in the state: Of the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in Rajasthan, 13 will vote in the fourth phase on Monday while the remaining 12 will go to the polls in the fifth phase on May 6. At present, the BJP represents all the 25 seats. The total number of electorate in the state stands at 4.84 crore. Out of the 200 Assembly constituencies in the state, the Congress had won 100 in the 2018 state elections. The BJP had won 73, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) six, Independents 13 while the remaining eight seats went to the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (3), Communist Party of India-Marxist (2), Bharatiya Tribal Party (2) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (1). Key issues Farm distress: The desert state, which once reeled under long spells of drought, now makes news for flash floods every now and then. The changing weather pattern has wrecked havoc on farming. The Congress had promised farm loan waiver of Rs 2 lakh within 10 days of coming to power in the state. While Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot kept the promise, the BJP alleges that the farmers are yet receive the 'no objection certificate' (NOC) for the closure of their loan accounts. Says Shambhu Singh from Shahpura, "We voted out our two-time BJP MLA because the Congress had promised farm loan waiver. But four months on, there is still no clarity on how and when our loans will be waived." Unemployment: Keeping its Assembly poll promise, the Gehlot government from March 1 introduced an allowance of Rs 3,000 per month to educated unemployed boys and Rs 3,500 per month to girls as monthly unemployment allowance. However, the youth are yet to get the allowance as the model code of conduct came into force on March 10. Says Abhimanyu, a university student: "We all expected to benefit from this allowance, but there are many riders in the scheme. One needs to be a resident of Rajasthan and a graduate from a university in the state with a family income of up to Rs 2 lakh to avail the allowance. Hence the promise looks fake." Caste: Caste is the biggest factor at play in Rajasthan where the equations between communities like Rajputs and Jats and Meenas and Gujjars have been exploited to the hilt to garner votes. The BJP has been trying newer forms of social engineering to gain support from the Gujjars and the Jats. This time the saffron party has allied with the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) convenor Hanuman Beniwal, who is contesting as an NDA candidate from Nagaur. The BJP agreed to leave the seat for him expecting Jat votes in Barmer, Nagaur, Jodhpur, Pali and parts of Sikar. However, Beniwal's prospects may be dented by the loyalists of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje -- with whom he has had differences in the past -- to benefit Congress' Jyoti Mirdha, says Bareth. Crucial seats Jodhpur: The state's most crucial seat will witness tough fight between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav Gehlot and Union Minister of State and sitting MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Bareth calls it a "direct fight between Modi and Gehlot". While the Chief Minister has pushed the entire state machinery, including many Cabinet Ministers, into campaigning for his son, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held a rally for Shekhawat. BJP President Amit Shah also held a roadshow in support of his party candidate. L.S. Rathore, former Chancellor of Jai Narayan Vyas University, says: "Vaibhav Gehlot has fewer chances of benefiting from his father's political might, while Shekhawat looks far more mature." Jay Singh, a local resident, says: "Although there are issues of water and employment in the rural areas, people here want Modi to become the Prime Minister again and are banking on his appeal." Barmer: Bordering Pakistan, the Barmer town is faced with severe water crisis and rising unemployment. However, nationalism seems to overshadowing all such issues. Veteran BJP leader Jaswant Singh's son Manvendra Singh is contesting from Barmer on a Congress ticket against BJP's Kailash Chaudhary. Manvendra Singh, who claims to be fighting for the lost honour of his father who was denied a ticket by the BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, may get the votes of the Rajput community. Rajsamand: The Mewar town has Jaipur princess Diya Kumari in the fray on a BJP ticket against Congress candidate Devakinandan Gujjar. Though the locals earlier protested Diya Kumari's candidature, calling her an "outsider", she is likely to get the benefit of her Rajput tag over her opponent. Divisions Shekhawati: Shekhawati comprising Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Churu and Bikaner has a large number of families with sons in the armed forces -- the reason why the BJP is hoping its "nationalism" chorus to reap rich dividends here. The area's farmers, awaiting loan waivers, are already unhappy with the Congress. Alwar and Bharatpur: The region, now infamous for a series of lynchings over alleged cow smuggling, is witnessing an interesting fight in Alwar between Congress candidate Jitendra Bhanwar Singh and BJP's Baba Balaknath. Dhundhar: Dhundhar comprising Jaipur, Ajmer, Tonk, Sawai Madhopur, Dausa and Karauli towns may bring the Congress some good news. The clash in Jaipur (Rural) between two former Olympians -- BJP leader and Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore and Congress MLA Krishna Poonia -- is being keenly watched. Mewar: Mewar comprises Udaipur, Bhilwara, Rajsamand, Dungarpur-Banswara and Chittorgarh districts and it is said that "whoever wins Mewar, takes Rajasthan". However, new entrant Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) may eat into the Congress' long-existing tribal vote bank here, after it won two seats in the Assembly elections. Marwar: The border region comprising Barmer, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Jalor, Pali and Nagaur seems particularly taken up by the BJP's slogan of "nationalism". Hadoti: Hadoti comprising Kota-Bundi, Jhalawar-Patan and Baran has been a BJP stronghold for years. But the region is also in the grip of severe farm distress. The Gehlot government made a dent here in the Assembly elections with its loan waiver promise. Mumbai, April 28 : Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has completed shooting for "Raat Akeli Hai", which will mark Honey Trehan's directorial debut. "It's a wrap for 'Raat Akeli Hai', a beautiful experience working with the talented Honey Trehan on his directorial debut. Amazing team and outstanding process," Nawazuddin tweeted on Sunday. "Raat Akeli Hai", a crime thriller, also features Radhika Apte and Shweta Tripathi Sharma. "Acting alongside Nawaz bhai is a learning. He is a master of the craft and makes you look good by just being in the same frame," Shweta had said in a statement. The actress and Nawazuddin had also collaborated for a film titled "Haraamkhor", released in 2017. "I take it as an honour and opportunity to be working with him again in 'Raat Akeli Hai'. Incidentally, 'Haraamkhor' was my debut film as it had been shot before 'Masaan'," she said. "However, it released later. I feel fortunate to have made my debut alongside Nawaz bhai," she said. Lucknow, April 28 : Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Sunday mounted a blistering attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of distributing "money, shoes and saris" to the voters in the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency which goes to the polls in the fifth phase on May 6. "I have been coming to Amethi and Raebareli since I was 12 years old and I know that the people here have a lot of pride and self-respect. They have never begged for anything. But the BJP is distributing money, saris and shoes in front of the media to gain publicity," Priyanka told reporters, adding that the saffron party was trying to belittle her brother and Congress President Rahul Gandhi who is seeking re-election from Amethi. Priyanka also said the issues in Amethi were employment, education and health. Her remarks came a week after Union Minister and BJP candidate from Amethi, Smriti Irani, distributed shoes in Hariharpur village in the constituency. After the shoes were doled out, the local villagers said they wanted to return them to Irani because they were not beggars. The Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance has not fielded any candidate from Amethi. Bhubaneswar, April 28 : The stage is set for free and fair poll in six Lok Sabha and 41 Assembly constituencies in Odisha in the fourth and final phase on Monday. Adequate security arrangements have been done, said Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Surendra Kumar, here on Sunday. The polling will be held in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha constituencies and 41 Assembly segments under them. The Election Commission (EC) has deployed the central security forces in the critical and sensitive booths. "In the Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency, we have deployed additional forces. There are specific plans for the constituency," said Kumar. Over 95.14 lakh voters are eligible to vote at 10,792 booths and decide the fate of 388 candidates, which include prominent names like BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda (Kendrapara) and Pratap Sarangi (Balasore). In the case of Assembly, voters will be deciding the fate of several ministers of the Naveen Patnaik government and state Congress chief Niranjan Patnaik contesting the Bhandaripokhari seat against BJD Minister Prafulla Samal. Of total voters, 49.08 lakh are male, 46.05 lakh female and 615 belong to the other category. While 52 candidates are in the fray for the six Lok Sabha seats, 336 people, including 34 female and one belonging to the third gender category, are contesting Assembly seats, the official said. This will be the final phase of polling in the state, except for the Patkura Assembly constituency, where voting is scheduled on May 19. The voting was delayed due to death of BJD candidate Bed Prakash Agarwalla. A total of 3,092 polling stations have been identified as critical. The central forces have been deployed at 411 polling stations, CCTVs have been installed at 554 booths and webcasting facilities at 1,126 booths. To conduct the voting, 72,363 polling personnel, including 8,206 female staff, will be deployed. Prominent candidates contesting in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls are BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda (Kendrapara), Pratap Sarangi (Balasore), actor-turned Rajya Sabha MP Anubhav Mohanty and sitting BJD MP Rabindra Jena (Balasore). In Assembly segments, several ministers, including Prafulla Samal (Bhandaripokhari), Anant Das (Bhograi), Shashi Bhusan Behera (Kendrapara) and Pratap Jena (Mahanga) are in the race. Odisha Congress president Niranjan Patnaik is fighting from the Bhandaripokhari seat against Prafulla Samal, a Minister in Patnaik government . Odisha, undergoing simultaneous elections, accounts for 21 Lok Sabha seats and has 147-member Assembly. New Delhi, April 28 : A total of 72 Lok Sabha constituencies spread over nine states, mostly in Hindi heartland, will go to polls in the fourth phase of the elections on Monday. An estimated 12.79 crore electorate will be eligible to exercise their franchise in 13 seats each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, five in Bihar, eight in West Bengal, three in Jharkhand, six in Madhya Pradesh, 17 in Maharashtra and six in Odisha. Polling will also be held in the second of the three phases in Jammu and Kashmir's troubled Anantnag constituency. In the fourth phase, the BJP will be defending 45 of the seats it won in the 2014 Lok Sabha battle -- 13 in Rajasthan, 12 in Uttar Pradesh, five in Madhya Pradesh, three in Bihar, three in Jharkhand, eight in Maharashtra and one in West Bengal. In Maharashtra, all the remaining nine were won by the Shiv Sena while in Bihar, the remaining two seats were bagged by BJP's ally Lok Janshakti Party. The Congress got only two -- one in Madhya Pradesh and one in West Bengal. Among other parties, the Biju Janata Dal won all six in Odisha, the Trinamool Congress six in West Bengal and the Samawadi Party one in Uttar Pradesh. With the end of the fourth round of polling, over 61 crore of the electorate would have taken part in the democratic exercise, the largest in the world. The fourth round will also mark an end to staggered voting in Odisha and Maharashtra. Odisha is also electing its state Assembly. In Madhya Pradesh, the VIP Chhindwara Assembly constituency will go the polls, with Chief Minister Kamal Nath in the race to become a member of the legislature. Campaigning for Monday's polling ended on Saturday evening amid allegations and counter-allegations bordering on personal affairs, making it one of the most bitterly fought elections in the country. The BJP and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi are determined to secure a second term while a divided opposition is aiming to end his five years in power. Prominent candidates on Monday include three Union Ministers: Babul Supriyo (West Bengal), Giriraj Singh (Bihar) and S.S. Ahluwalia (also West Bengal). Giriraj Singh, for whom Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar campaigned, is pitted against former JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar of the CPI in Begusarai. Kanhaiya Kumar's candidature has virtually overshadowed the RJD contestant in the seat. Moon Moon Sen of the Trinamool Congress has taken on Supriyo, Urmila Matondkar is contesting from Mumbai North and Baijyant Panda of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Kendrapara in Odisha are among the key candidates on Monday. The next three rounds of the Lok Sabha battle will conclude on May 19 and the vote count across the country will be taken up on May 23. Hyderabad, April 28 : The Telangana Board of Intermediate Education (BIE) has postponed Advanced Supplementary Exams from May 16 to May 25, it was announced on Sunday. While the Intermediate First Year (Class 11) exam will be held during morning session, Second Year (Class 12) will be held in the afternoon. The exams will continue till June 1. According to the schedule earlier announced by the BIE, the exams were to begin on May 16. As the re-verification of answer sheets of all failed students and other applicants is likely to take more time, the BIE has postponed the Advanced Supplementary Exams. A total of 9.74 lakh students appeared in Intermediate First and Second year exams held in February-March. The Board on April 18 announced the exam results. However, a goof-up by the BIE in declaring the results sparked a huge row and led to suicide by 20 students during last 10 days. Following an uproar by the students and parents and protest by student bodies and opposition parties, the state government announced free re-verification of answer sheets of 3.28 lakh students who failed to secure pass marks. Many students who passed the exams but not satisfied with the marks obtained also applied for re-verification of answer sheets. A three-member committee, formed by the government to probe the goof-up, found that the BIE and Globarena Technologies, the IT firm whose services were hired by the BIE, committed grave mistakes in preparing the results. Meanwhile, the opposition parties have decided to intensify the protest over the issue from Monday. The Congress, the TDP, the CPI and the TJS have called for 'chalo Intermediate Board' to press the demand for judicial probe into goof-up and compensation to families of the students who committed suicide. BJP's state unit has demanded judicial probe by a sitting judge of the high court. BJP National General Secretary Muralidhar Rao announced on Sunday that state BJP chief K. Laxman will launch indefinite fast. Beijing, April 28 : Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday appealed to Pakistan and India to mend their ties, ruptured after the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama by a Pakistan-based terror outfit early this year. Meeting visiting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and exchanging views on the situation in South Asia, Xi expressed the hope that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway and promote stabilization and improvement in their relations, according to a Chinese government official. Imran Khan also attended the three-day Belt and Road forum that concluded on Saturday, while India gave the summit a miss for the second time in protest against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor planned through the part of Kashmir held by Islamabad. The meet between Xi and Khan comes at a time when the already-strained India and Pakistan's ties have fallen to a new low after Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) carried out a deadly suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 40 Indian security personnel in February. The issue has also caused tension between India and China as Beijing has blocked resolutions to designate JeM chief Masood Azhar a 'global terrorist' at the UN. China has put a "technical hold" on resolutions each time they have been moved by India, the US and other countries at the UN 1267 committee. However, officials in Beijing say the solution to the issue is in sight. At his meeting with Imran Khan, Xi also said China will stand by Pakistan in all times. "Pakistan is China's all-weather strategic cooperative partner. China and Pakistan are 'iron friends' and have always firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests," he said. China takes Pakistan as a priority in its diplomacy, he said. "No matter how international and regional situations change, China firmly supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and national dignity, choosing its own development path suited to its national conditions, combating terrorist and extremist forces, striving for a sound external security environment, and playing a constructive role in international and regional affairs," Xi said. He said major progress had been made in bilateral cooperation in the construction of the CPEC, especially in areas such as finance, trade and other aspects, a statement said. Madrid, April 28 : Voters in Spain on Sunday headed to the polls for the third time in four years. The ruling Spanish Socialist Workers party (PSOE) expected to win the general elections but fall short of a majority. The election is marked by rise of the far-right movement Vox, which opposes multiculturalism and has threatened to end self-rule for regions like Catalonia. Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has presented himself as a bulwark against the advance of the hard right. Polls suggest Sanchez's party will lead the vote, but no single group will win an overall majority, the BBC reported. The opinion poll in El Pais newspaper put the PSOE at about 30 per cent, the conservative People's Party (PP) at around 20 per cent, the centre-right Ciudadanos and left-leaning Podemos both near 14 per cent and the far right Vox party at about 11 per cent. However, it also showed up to four in 10 voters were yet to make up their mind. Voting began at 9 a.m. and will end at 8 p.m. on the mainland. Speaking after casting vote at a polling station near Madrid, Sanchez said he hoped for stability. "After many years of instability and uncertainty, it's important that today we send a clear, defined message about the Spain we want. And from there a broad parliamentary majority must be built that can support a stable government," he said. An exit poll will be published after the end of voting, but in the previous two elections it failed to give an accurate picture of the outcome. Almost all votes are expected to be counted by midnight. The highly polarised campaign was dominated by issues like, national identity, gender equality and the future of Catalonia. The semi-autonomous region of Catalonia held an independence referendum in October 2017 and declared its independence from Spain weeks later. A dozen of its leaders have since gone on trial in Madrid, facing charges, including rebellion and sedition. Analysts say support for Vox has been boosted by widespread anger at the independence drive. The party opposes any concessions to secessionists. Women's rights have also been a key poll topic. Gender-based violence has provoked debate and street protests across Spain for years and more politicians than ever are courting women's votes. Vox, however, has spoken out against what it calls "radical feminism" that it claims "criminalises" men. With polls suggesting no clear mandate, observers say the vote could plunge Spain into a prolonged period of political uncertainty. This also means chances of a repeat election are high. Particularly notable within the split vote is the rise in support for Vox who are set to become the first far-right party to sit in Parliament since 1982. New Delhi, April 28 : The Opposition leaders on Sunday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for raking up his caste during an election rally in Uttar Pradesh. Addressing a public meeting in Kannauj on Saturday, the Prime Minister had drawn focus on his backward caste identity. "Behenji (Mayawati) is distributing my caste certificate. And now that she has started it, I must tell you that I come from the most backward caste in Gujarat. "I was not aware of my caste till Behenji, Akhilesh Yadav and the Congress began mentioning it. I am grateful to them, though I am not into caste politics. I ask them not to drag me into caste politics," Modi had said. At a press conference in Lucknow on Saturday, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati had said: "He (Modi) was an upper caste when he was Gujarat Chief Minister. Later he got his caste included in the OBC (other backward class) category." Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Sunday said that she did not have any knowledge about the Prime Minister's caste, and that the opposition never focused on it as an issue. "I am still not aware of the caste that Modi belongs to. And the opposition and the Congress have never raised the issue of his caste," she told the media in Busiyave village in Amethi. Gandhi also emphasised that the Congress was focusing only on development challenges and raising issues such as health services, employment, education, women's safety and farm distress. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram tweeted: "Mr Narendra Modi is the first person who became PM later who campaigned wearing his caste on his sleeve (2014): 'I am an OBC.' Now, he says he has no caste!" Chidambaram further said: "In 2014 and thereafter, he said repeatedly that he is proud that the people elected a 'chaiwala' as PM. Now he says, he never mentioned his origins as a chaiwala! What does the PM take us for? A bunch of idiots who have large memory losses?" The leader of Opposition in Bihar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav also jumped on the bandwagon. "I had on April 20 (2019) said that PM, after portraying himself as fake OBC, will call himself a person belonging to an extremely backward caste. He did so yesterday (in a rally in Kannauj)," he tweeted. New Delhi, April 28 : Former Union Minister and Congress leader Ajay Maken who is contesting from the New Delhi Lok Sabha seat on Sunday held meetings with government employees, traders and civic body employees as part of his voter outreach programme. Interacting with the government employees in Aram Bagh area of the constituency, Maken, who is contesting against BJP's Meenakshi Lekhi and AAP's Brijesh Goyal, asked them if they wanted a BJP MP who does not raise their issues in the Parliament or a person like who always raised their voice in Parliament and outside it. He said he was instrumental in appointment and implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission which was beyond doubt most beneficial for them. Interacting with the New Delhi Municipal Council employees in Sarojini Nagar, Maken accused the Narendra Modi government of being against government employees, borne out by the fact that even after five years, the Seventh Pay Commission has not been implemented for NDMC employees. He pointed out that NDMC was among the richest municipal bodies in India and it was shameful indeed that it did not look after its employees. Maken said they have choice between the BJP MP who did not have the interest in understanding their issues or a person like him who has always stood by them through thick and thin. He assured the NDMC employees that if they give him another chance, he would continue to fight for justice for them. Interacting with the traders community in Karol Bagh, he promised to stop the sealing within one month of the Congress coming to power. He also reminded the traders when the MCD, on the Supreme Court's orders, came to execute sealing in the Karol Bagh, the Congress government took immediate steps in stopping the sealing and promised to do it again. Maken claimed that sealing reflected the "anti-business" and "anti-trader" mindset of the Modi government. "They have killed opportunities of employment by their faulty anti-trader and anti-business policies. The unemployment rate is the highest in 45 years. They have destroyed businesses through ill-thought-out GST and demonetisation policy," he added. Polling for all the seven seats in the national capital is scheduled in the sixth phase of polling on May 12. The BJP, which won all seven seats in 2014, is faced with triangular contests in the city after talks failed on an alliance between Congress and the AAP. New Delhi, April 28 : Indian naval ships Kolkata and Shakti on Sunday arrived at South Korea's Busan to participate in the ADMM-Plus Maritime Security Field Training Exercise (FTX) as part of deployment of the Eastern Fleet to the South China Sea, said an official statement. The ships were welcomed into the harbour by officials from Republic of Korea Navy on arrival, it said, adding the exercise demonstrated India's 'Act East' policy and Indian Navy's increasing footprint and operational reach. "During the visit, the Indian ships will have professional interaction with ADMM-Plus Navies towards further enhancing co-operation between the navies," the statement said. "In addition, calls on senior government and military authorities, sporting and cultural interactions are also planned with ROK Navy." A deck reception for the delegates of ADMM-Plus (the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus) and dignitaries of the ROK Navy is also planned onboard INS Kolkata on Tuesday. The Indian ships have arrived at Busan on successful completion of International Fleet review at China's Qingdao. On departing Busan on Wednesday, the Indian ships are scheduled to undertake Maritime Security Exercise with the participating navies and, later, to sail to Singapore to participate in the International Maritime Defence Expo IMDEX-19 and the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise, SIMBEX-19. The ADMM-Plus is a platform for ASEAN and its eight dialogue partners to strengthen security and defence cooperation for peace, stability and development in the region. The ADMM-Plus countries include ten ASEAN Member States and eight other countries, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States. New Delhi, April 28 : A case was filed against Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Gopal Rai for violating the Model Code of Conduct by distributing pamphlets without permission from the election authorities, a police officer said on Sunday. "A case has been registered against Gopal Rai at Connaught Place Police Station based on complaint received from a flying squad of the Election Commission," Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, Madhur Verma told IANS. Rai was seen distributing the pamphlet without required clearance from the poll panel. New Delhi, April 29 : Two persons were killed while a woman suffered critical injuries after a speeding truck rammed into a car in South Extension area in south Delhi, the police said on Sunday. "The deceased, identified as Daleep Dutt and his driver Ravi, died on the spot, while Dutt's wife, Seema Dutt, is undergoing treatment at a city hospital," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Vijay Kumar. "The accident occurred at around 11.45 p.m. on Saturday near a flyover in South Extension when a speeding truck coming from the Lajpat Nagar side jumped the divider and hit a car head on from the wrong side of the road," Kumar said. "A passerby, Avinash Jindal, informed the police about the accident. The accused truck driver managed to escape. A hunt is on to nab him," the DCP added. Daleep Dutt, a relative of former Councilor Subhash Malhotra, worked as a property dealer. He was a resident of Lajpat Nagar. Malhotra said Daleep Dutt was returning to his home after attending a marriage ceremony in Mayapuri when the accident happened. The deceased was preparing for his younger daughter's marriage scheduled for August this year. Hyderabad, April 29 : Telangana Board of Intermediate, which is at the centre of a row over goof-up in declaring results of Intermediate examination, suspended a teacher and imposed fine on another for giving a student '0' marks instead of '99' on Sunday. A day after three-member committee submitted its report to the government, Board of Intermediate Education (BIE) began action against those found guilty of dereliction of duty. BIE announced late Sunday that it has imposed Rs. 5,000 fine against Uma Devi, a teacher of a private school who evaluated Telugu paper of Navya, a 12th standard student but instead of giving '99' marks gave her '0' marks. Uma Devi has also been sacked by her school management. BIE also suspended Vijay Kumar, a teacher of a tribal welfare school, who had served as scrutiniser but failed to notice the blunder. The goof-up by the Board has triggered a spate of suicide by students and protests by parents, student bodies and opposition parties. They are demanding action against the higher-ups in the Board and the Globarena Technologies, an IT company, which was allegedly found guilty of the massive bungling. Suicide by 20 students and massive protests forced the government to announce free re-verification of answer sheets of over 3 lakh students, who were declared failed in the examination. Washington, April 29 : Stephen Moore, who was picked by US President Donald Trump to serve on the Federal Reserve Board, said he is facing a "smear campaign", but showed confidence that he will make it through the process and be formally nominated. Moore told ABC's "This Week" on Sunday that he was "apologetic" for the content of some of the humour columns he wrote years ago that have recently sparked controversy, but argued that the focus for the Fed board nomination should be on his economic qualifications, Xinhua reported. CNN, among others, has reported about Moore's past writings disparaging women. In a 2000 column, Moore criticised female athletes advocating for pay equality, saying that they wanted "equal pay for inferior work." "What's happened is there's five or six full-time reporters investigating every area of my life," Moore told ABC, adding that the so-called "smear campaign" against him began two or three weeks ago. Moore said the discussion should be centred on his economic expertise. "I'll debate anybody on economics... Let's make this about the economy," he said. In March, Trump offered a Fed board seat to his former campaign adviser Moore, who has criticised the Fed's tight-money policy, calling it a threat to US economic growth, which echoed the view of the US President. Moore, a visiting fellow for Project for Economic Growth at The Heritage Foundation, and the founder of the conservative Club for Growth, is also the author of the book "Trumponomics: Inside the America First Plan to Revive our Economy." Some are concerned that the nomination of Moore, who holds similar views with the US President, might undermine the Fed's independence. Moore has also faced mounting criticism after court documents filed in 2018 surfaced in late March showed that he owed USD 75,000 in unpaid federal taxes, interest and penalties. Larry Kudlow, the director of the White House National Economic Council, has said that the administration still supports Moore for the Fed seat. "He's in the process, being vetted by the FBI and so forth, and if he gets through that we will nominate formally," Kudlow said Wednesday. There are currently two vacancies on the seven-member Fed board, and nominations have to be approved by the Senate. Personal injury law firm Cameron County Our goal as a team of personal injury lawyers is to get the best outcome for our clients to the fullest extent of the law. The Villarreal Law Firm, a leading personal injury law firm in Cameron County, Texas, at https://www.jvlawfirm.net is proud to announce an important victory in a recent motor vehicle case. On March 20, 2019, a jury in the 107th District Court (Cause No. 2017-DCL-01938) issued a unanimous verdict of $256,109.00 in favor of a man injured in a motor vehicle collision in 2015. "Our goal as a team of personal injury lawyers is to get the best outcome for our clients to the fullest extent of the law," explained attorney Javier Villarreal, managing partner at the Villarreal law firm. "This case was a significant victory for justice and fairness in South Texas." The case outcome is a matter of public record and can be viewed at http://www.co.cameron.tx.us/ as Cause No. 2017-DCL-01938. Scott S. Williams, a client of the Law Offices of Javier Villarreal, was injured in a rear-end collision on November 16, 2015. The driver at fault for the collision was insured by Allstate; however, the insurer refused to pay the full amount of Mr. Williams medical expenses. After rejecting Allstates final settlement offer in the amount of $18,000.00, the case proceeded to trial on March 18, 2019. After a brief trial, the jury unanimously awarded Mr. Williams the full amount of his medical expenses incurred as a result of the collision, as well as compensation for his future medical expenses, past pain and mental anguish, future pain and mental anguish, and past physical impairment. A LAW FIRM THAT FIGHTS AGGRESSIVELY FOR ITS CLIENTS Here is the background for this release. The roads of Cameron County are increasingly crowded with cars, trucks, and other forms of vehicles. With increased traffic, unfortunately, comes an increase in accidents, and with an increase in accidents comes a need for aggressive legal representation. Many insurance companies fight tooth and nail against paying out claims, and it is often only with aggressive legal representation that the "little guy" can get his just compensation. This recent litigation was a case in point. Any person who may have been in an accident is urged to reach out for legal counsel, as only a trained lawyer can compare the facts of the case with the law and determine the best course of action. Persons seeking an overview to personal injury lawyer services can visit https://www.jvlawfirm.net/practice-areas/personal-injury/. There, they can click on the red "contact us" button and reach out for a zero cost, private consultation with an attorney. ABOUT THE VILLARREAL LAW FIRM The law firm of Javier Villarreal offers a team of attorneys, considered among the best personal injury attorneys near Harlingen, Texas, and surrounding cities in Cameron County. Whether a person is looking for an auto or car accident attorney, a lawyer with broad experience in trucking accidents and litigation (including 18 wheelers), or a lawyer for injuries that resulted from motorcycles, boating, or other forms of accidents (including slip and fall), the Villarreal team of attorneys can help. The attorneys fight for client rights throughout Cameron County - and are known as the top personal injury lawyers in Brownsville and Harlingen, from Los Fresnos to San Benito, and in all of South Padre Island. Web. https://www.jvlawfirm.net/ Tel. 956-544-4444 Chiropractic isn't just for back and neck pain anymore. Project: Patient is the latest Chiropractic documentary by film making team, Jim Chester and Luke Millett and is celebrating its world premiere at The Avalon Theater in downtown Grand Junction, Colorado on May 11th at 6:30pm MST. This film sheds light on how consistent chiropractic care can battle many traumas of the human body and mind such as brain injuries, depression, PTSD, addiction, anxiety, paralysis, and pregnancies. This film also features retired Staff Sargent Shilo Harris, who was fatally wounded in battle during the Iraq War. Chiropractic care being his saving grace after multiple surgeries and forming addictions to his pain medications. This film making duo is on a journey to set the record straight and to put Chiropractic in it's rightful position in the health care industry. Jim and Luke understand that there is a huge confusion of what "health care" really means and why it matters. Their first film, "Chiropractic: The Documentary" released in 2015, shines a spotlight on the history of the profession all the way through the misconceptions and the possible future. It further highlights the importance of every human being getting adjusted for the health of their nervous system. Chiropractic isn't just for back and neck pain anymore, and this film is here to show you how. With all of the current news of opioid addictions, mandated vaccinations, and pharmaceutical failures enduring court battles, there has never been a more important time for the Chiropractic profession to rise through the ranks and take their proper place in the health care model of America. This film premiere will not only be for educational purposes but also aims to schedule patients directly from their seats in the theater. For more information on the film and to see their first film, Chiropractic: The Documentary for free, head over to https://www.projectpatientthemovie.com. Jim and Luke also urge you to please contact them to bring Project: Patient to your home town. Great Barrington Police Respond to Fatal Hunting Incident Update at 6:30 p.m. with identification and quote: GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. A 44-year-old Pittsfield man was killed on Saturday during what police say was a hunting accident. Christopher Puntin had been participating in a youth turkey hunt with two other adults and a juvenile. According to Chief William Walsh, Police Officers Jonathan Finnerty and Kristopher Balestro, firefighter and EMTs responded about noon to a report of a hunting incident in a wooded area on Monument Valley Road and located the victim. Puntin sustained a fatal gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. No one else was injured. An initial police investigation suggests the incident was an accident. "This is a tragic situation for all involved," Chief William Walsh said. "I'd like to commend the efforts of all responders under the command of Sgt. Adam Carlotto and Sgt. Paul Storti on a very difficult call." Walsh also praised the assistance police received Saturday from the Fire Department and the Southern Berkshire Ambulance Squad Saturday. This incident remains under investigation by the Massachusetts Environmental Police and State Police detectives assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney's Office and Great Barrington Police. WatrHub Inc. announces today its acquisition of SplashLink, in a move to strategically advance its vision of becoming the Bloomberg for Water. This acquisition strengthens WatrHubs position as the de facto source of strategic market data for Water Industry Leaders. SplashLink, founded in 2011 by Ebie Holst, was the only online market intelligence platform that specifically aggregated water industry projects, RFPs (Request for Proposals), and funding sources to better track market demand. WatrHub specializes in early intelligence into utility pain points and needs, typically one to five years before a utilitys RFP is released. WatrHubs services are primarily used by Water Industry Leaders to gain a competitive advantage when pursuing potential municipal water infrastructure projects. SplashLinks valuable RFP datasets are a natural extension of WatrHubs early intelligence datasets. This acquisition will accelerate WatrHubs ability to deliver a more complete water intelligence offering to their clients. WatrHub CEO Ahmed Badruddin commented, This is an exciting milestone for the industry to have a single platform for all their intelligence needs. Were very impressed with what the SplashLink team has achieved so far. We believe that by delivering high quality, predictive intelligence to water industry leaders, we ultimately enable better outcomes for water infrastructure and water resources across the US and beyond. WatrHub is in the process of merging SplashLink datasets into its Data Warehouse and will soon begin rolling these datasets out to WatrHub clients. According to SplashLink founder Holst, Were looking forward to working with WatrHub based on our aligned vision of the water industry. Its a great next step in SplashLinks journey. For any questions regarding WatrHubs acquisition of SplashLink, please direct all inquiries to Ahmed Badruddin at (647) 696-8580 or visit http://www.watrhub.com. About WatrHub Inc. Water Industry Leaders rely on WatrHub Inc. for unique data & actionable insights that power their competitive advantage. Working with executives, strategy teams, marketers and sales managers at the largest companies in the Water Industry, WatrHub is uncovering unique insights and powering key decisions for their market strategy, competitive differentiation, and sales outreach beyond what their internal datasets and boots-on-the-ground intelligence is capable of today. WatrHub scours the Water Industry's largest data warehouse of 500M municipal documents and web-pages for predictive indicators that give Water Industry Leaders the first-mover's advantage on their most promising opportunities in U.S. water and wastewater utilities market. 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 In February, the University of Georgia boasted that its economic impact on the state reached $6.3 billion in the 2018 fiscal year. With the passage and signing of Georgia House Bill 324, a new product could soon be cultivated and studied at UGA medical marijuana. For some of us, the spring is dreary at times, especially with finals on the way. Luckily, f The fate of 961 candidates, including Union ministers Giriraj Singh, Subhash Bhamre, S S Ahluwalia and Babul Supriyo of the BJP and former Union ministers Salman Khurshid and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of the Congress, will be decided by about 12.79 core voters in the fourth phase. Polling will be held on Monday for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha election in 72 parliamentary constituencies spread across nine states. The stakes are high for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies as it had swept 56 of these seats in 2014, leaving just two for the Congress and the rest for other opposition parties such as the Trinamool Congress (six) and the Biju Janata Dal (six). Voting will take place in 17 seats in Maharashtra, 13 each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, eight in West Bengal, six each in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, five in Bihar, three in Jharkhand and a part of the Anantnag constituency in Jammu and Kashmir. Election in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP had cornered all but two of the total 54 seats in 2014, will begin in this phase. The Congress appeared to make a comeback, forming the governments in the states after last year's assembly polls. In the first three phases, voting has been held in 302 Lok Sabha constituencies, and 168 more seats will go to polls in the last three phases. The fate of 961 candidates, including Union ministers Giriraj Singh, Subhash Bhamre, S S Ahluwalia and Babul Supriyo of the BJP and former Union ministers Salman Khurshid and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of the Congress, will be decided by about 12.79 core voters in the fourth phase. Among other key contestants in the fray are Kanhaiya Kumar (CPI), Baijayant Panda (BJP), Urmila Matondkar (Congress), Dimple Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Satabdi Roy (TMC) and Milind Deora (Congress). The Election Commission has set up 1.40 lakh polling booths/stations and has made elaborate security arrangements. In Maharashtra, where election will come to end with this phase, the opposition Congress is facing a tough task of reclaiming its lost base in north Maharashtra and Mumbai, while the Nationalist Congress Party is trying to get a foothold in Thane district and western Maharashtra. The BJP and its ally Shiv Sena had won all 17 seats in 2014. IMAGE: EVM machines are transferred to Naxalite areas of Jharkhand in the Indian Airforce helicopter of M.I -17 in Gumla district. Photograph: PTI Photo Union minister Subhash Bhamre, and Congress leaders Milind Deora and Urmila Matondkar are among the 323 candidates in the fray in this phase. Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot's son, a member of erstwhile Jaipur royal family and two Union ministers are among 115 candidates whose fate will be decided on Monday. Jodhpur became one of the most talked about seats in the Congress-ruled state where Gehlot did massive campaigning for his son Vaibhav, pitted against sitting MP and Union minister of state Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. In Rajasthan, where the BJP had won all the seats in 2014, the Congress appeared to make a comeback, forming the government in the state with a narrow majority after last year's Assembly polls. In Uttar Pradesh, most of these 13 seats are seeing a direct fight between the BJP and SP-BSP alliance with Kannauj being a matter of prestige for the SP. In 2014, the BJP won 12 of these 13 seats in the state. Only Kannauj, won by the Samajwadi Party, defied the Modi wave that year among them. Former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple is seeking re-election from Kannauj. The Congress has a good presence in at least three of the constituencies -- Unnao (Annu Tandon), Farrukhabad (Salman Khurshid) and Kanpur (Sriprakash Jaiswal). In West Bengal, all the eight seats, which are spread across four districts, will see a four-cornered contest between Trinamool Congress, BJP, Congress and the Left Front. IMAGE: School buses parked as polling officials carry EVMs ahead of the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections, in Palamu, Ranchi. Photograph: PTI Photo In Odisha, where the state's ruling BJD won all six seats, the BJP is making concerted efforts to bag a few seats. Prominent among the hopefuls include BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda (Kendrapara), who quit the BJD to join the party recently. Polling will also be held in 41 assembly seats in Odisha in this phase. In Bihar, the BJP and its allies are looking to retain all the five seats in the face of a spirited fight put up by the RJD-Congress alliance. The cynosure of all eyes in this phase, however, is the Begusarai seat which will witness an electrifying contest between the political Left and the Right with CPI debutant Kanhaiya Kumar taking on firebrand BJP leader Giriraj Singh. In all the six seats in Madhya Pradesh, a direct fight between the Congress and the BJP is on the cards. The state's new power centre is witnessing a unique father-son electoral show with Chief Minister Kamal Nath and his son Nakul in the fray, hoping to boost not just the Congress but also strike roots as deep as the tree from where this region takes its name. While the chief minister, a nine-time MP from the area, is contesting an assembly bypoll, Nakul Nath is hoping to get elected to the Lok Sabha from Chhindwara, named after the wild date palm tree known as Chhind. Over 45.26 lakh voters will decide the fate of 59 candidates in the first phase of polls for three Lok Sabha constituencies in Jharkhand. Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Sudarshan Bhagat is seeking re-election from the Lohardaga(ST) seat. Polling will also be held in Kulgam district, which is part of Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency. Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency is spread over four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama with 16 assembly segments. The Lok Sabha polls to this constituency are being held in three phases due to security reasons. Election to 542 Lok Sabha seats is being conducted in seven phases between April 11 and May 19. Election in Vellore constituency in Tamil Nadu has been cancelled following excess use of money power. Results will be declared on May 23. 'What happened last Sunday is a great tragedy, an insult to humanity' IMAGE: People light candles during a vigil in memory of the victims of a string of suicide bomb attacks across the island on Easter Sunday, in Colombo. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters Barring three areas, Sri Lanka on Sunday lifted the nationwide night curfew which was imposed after the island nation was rocked with eight blasts targeting churches and hotels that killed 253 people, including Indians. Police also said they have arrested one more person suspected to be involved in the Easter blasts. "No island-wide curfew tonight. Curfew only imposed in Kalmunai, Sammanthurai and Chavalakade areas from 5 pm today," police spokesmen Ruwan Gunasekera said. Ibrahim Mohamed Ifran Ahmed, the elder brother of two suicide bombers at the Shangri-La and Cinnamon Hotels, was arrested in Dematagoda area for possessing swords and an air rifle, he added. Gunasekera said a mother-child duo rescued by police from a terrorist safe house at Sainthamarudu in Eastern Sri Lanka during a raid have been identified as the wife and four-year-old daughter of Mohamad Zahran Hashim, the suicide bomber-cum-mastermind of the serial bombings. "Abdul Cader Fathima Sadia and Mohamad Zahran Rusaina, 4, rescued from the blasts and taken to Ampara hospital have been identified by Zahran's sister as his wife and daughter," he said. The Special Task Force and Army troops, following a tip-off, raided a house in Kalmunai city at at Sainthamarudu on Friday night, leading to a heavy exchange of fire with armed militants. As many as 15 people, including six children and three women, were killed in the shootout. Sri Lanka's Roman Catholic leaderon said God is the reflection of love and kindness and wondered how someone can kill in the name of God as he referred to the Islamist militants who claimed the massive Easter Sunday bombings were on behalf of the Almighty. As the country marked a week since the coordinated blasts hit three churches and three luxury hotels, killing 253 people and inuring over 500 others, Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, conducted the special private mass. Attended by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe along with other leaders, the mass was shown live on television after Sri Lanka's Catholic churches on Thursday suspended all public services until the security situation improves. The Archbishop, who started his mass with an appeal for peace and unity, said: "It is our faith which has been challenged". "God is the reflection of love and kindness, so how can someone kill in the name of God?" Cardinal Ranjith asked in a reference to the militants who claimed that the attacks were on behalf of the almighty. "What happened last Sunday is a great tragedy, an insult to humanity," he said, adding that nothing is more precious than the human lives. The Islamic State terror group has claimed the April 21 coordinated blasts, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group National Thowheeth Jamaath for the attack. In a statement issued through its propaganda 'Amaq' news agency, the Islamic State claimed that "the executors of the attack that targeted citizens of coalition states and Christians in Sri Lanka two days ago were with the group," according to the Site Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist activities. It listed the names of the suicide bombers, who were also shown in a video swearing allegiance to the terror group. The Islamic State statement, which was disseminated on the group's chat rooms on the app Telegram, said that the bombings had been intended to target Christians, as well as citizens of countries belonging to the coalition fighting the Islamic State. The group referred to Easter as an "infidel holiday". Sri Lanka has said that the NTJ was behind the attack and it was investigating whether they had international support. A total of 106 suspects, including a Tamil medium teacher and a school principal, have been arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday blasts, the police said. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday, killing 253 people. Sri Lanka on Saturday banned the NTJ and a splinter group linked to the Islamic State. According to Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry, the number of foreign nationals who have been identified as killed remained at 40, including 11 from India. Sri Lanka has a population of 21 million which is a patchwork of ethnicities and religions, dominated by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. Muslims account for 10 per cent of the population and are the second-largest minority after Hindus. Around seven per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians. Refugees, asylum seekers harassed in Sri Lanka after Easter Sunday blasts Nearly 1,600 refugees from about 15 countries, mostly from Pakistan, from various religious beliefs are facing threats and have been attacked in Sri Lanka following the Easter Sunday bombings, an official said Sunday. They had arrived here to avoid persecution in their own countries. A majority of them are Pakistani Christians, a welfare official working with the refugees said. A majority of them were living in the western coastal town of Negombo where one of the Churches, St Sebastian's, came under attack by an ISIS-linked suicide bomber. "They have come under attack and threats, some of them have been subject to physical violence. Their landlords have been pressed to evict them," the official said. The moves to shift them elsewhere have been met with resistance by respective local politicians. "At least 4 times they had been taken in buses out of Negombo only to be brought back due to protests," the official said. He said the state protection for them and collaboration with the UN refugee agency were important. "The government's public commitment is needed to explain the temporary nature of their stay and why we need to support and protect them," the official said. Sporadic cases of anti-Muslim violence have been reported since the blasts. Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of including his caste in the list of backwards during his tenure as the Gujarat chief minister, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Saturday said the PM had done this for electoral profits and to kill the rights of the backward castes. IMAGE: Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati addresses a press conference in Lucknow. Photograph: and Kumar/PTI Photo Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Mayawati said, "In order to derive political profits during elections, he (Modi) got his upper caste included in the list of backward castes. Like (Samajwadi Party patriarch) Mulayam Singh Yadav and (SP chief) Akhilesh Yadav, Modi was not born in a backward caste." "Today, at Kannauj, he (Modi) said Behenji and Akhilesh think of him as a lowly (neech) person as he hails from a backward caste. Their (BJP's) Dalit-backward card is not working anymore," she added. Terming Modi's allegation as 'mischievous', the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said she never considered the prime minister a lowly person and always treated him with all due respect as a member of an upper caste. "Then, how does the issue of calling him 'neech' arise? This makes me feel that he considers the upper-caste society as lowly," she said. The BSP chief alleged that Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party considered the Dalits as lowly. Asserting that this attitude of the saffron party was evident in the case of Dalit research scholar Rohit Vemula's death and the 2016 incident in Gujarat's Una in which the members of a Dalit family were flogged in public, she said, "Hence, in this election, the BJP and the Congress are not going to get any political mileage by playing the Dalit and backward castes card." "And after this press conference, I think Prime Minister Modi may himself stop the politics of playing the backward card," she added. Mayawati's comments came hours after the prime minister slammed the SP-BSP-Rashtriya Lok Dal alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, saying the tie-up of 'opportunists' wanted a helpless government at the Centre as its mantra was 'jaat-paat japna, janta ka maal apna' (looting public money by playing caste cards). Modi addressed election rallies at Kannauj, a SP stronghold, Hardoi and Sitapur on Saturday. At Kannauj, dubbing the opposition alliance as 'mahamilavati (highly adulterated) opportunists', the prime minister said he did not believe in caste politics. "Mayawatiji, I am the most backward...I request with folded hands not to drag me into caste politics, 130 crore people are my family. "This country did not know my caste till my detractors abused me... I am thankful to Mayawatiji, Akhileshji, the Congress people and the 'mahamilavatis' that they are discussing my caste...I believe that taking birth in a backward caste is an opportunity to serve the country," he said. At her press conference, Mayawati also claimed that not even one-fourth of the promises the BJP had made in the run-up to the 2014 parliamentary polls were honoured by the saffron party. At least one woman was killed and several others suffered injuries when a man opened fire at a synagogue in the Californian city of Poway on Saturday. IMAGE: A San Diego Sheriff's Deputy walks near the scene of a shooting incident at the Congregation Chabad synagogue in Poway, north of San Diego, California, on Saturday. Photograph: John Gastaldo/Reuters CNN quoted Poway Mayor Steve Vaus, who described the shooting as a possible hate crime that occurred at Congregation Chabad on the last day of Passover, one of the holiest Jewish celebrations of the year. San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore told reporters that the suspect in the accident has been identified as 19-year-old John Earnest. Gore was quoted as saying that the law enforcement authorities are aware of a 'manifesto' that Earnest wrote and posted on Twitter shortly before the attack, and are currently reviewing the document. The Jerusalem Post reported that the manifesto included several far-right catchphrases, including descriptions of an 'international Jewry' which is responsible for countless age-old blood libels, including the murder of Christ and alleged control over the media and the economy. Within the post, he wrote, 'Every Jew young and old has contributed to these. For these crimes they deserve nothing but hell. I will send them there.' He also said that he hoped to inspire others to commit similar crimes to his and that he expected to be freed from prison and 'continue the fight'. The manifesto was full of religious imagery. Earnest repeated throughout it that he was carrying out the attack to be a good Christian, saying 'my god understands why I did what I did' and quoted multiple verses from the New Testament as 'proof'. Derryl Acosta, a spokesman at Palomar Medical Center, was quoted as saying that the hospital received four patients from the shooting. Vaus said the three people injured, including two men and a female juvenile, have non-life-threatening injuries, Fox News reported. He said he considered the incident, which around 11.30 am (local time), to be a hate crime 'because of statements that were made when the shooter entered'. The mayor further noted that the congregation was targeted by 'someone with hate in their heart ... towards our Jewish community and that just will not stand'. The congregation 'took security very seriously', he said. "I also understand from folks on the scene that this shooter was engaged by people in the congregation and those brave people certainly prevented this from being a much worse tragedy," Vaus told CNN. Witnesses of the event were quoted as saying that Earnest was screaming and cursing when he opened fire, which was followed by six or seven gunshots. 'No known threats however in an abundance of caution, we will be providing extra patrol at places of worship,' San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said. President Donald Trump also sent his deepest sympathies to the victims of San Diego shootings. 'Thoughts and prayers to all of those affected by the shooting at the Synagogue in Poway, California. God bless you all. Suspect apprehended. Law enforcement did outstanding job,' the President tweeted. The President urged for the defeat of hatred and anti-semitic sentiments. Speaking on the shootings, while addressing a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, CNN quoted the President as saying, "Tonight, Americas heart is with the victims of the horrific synagogue shooting." He added that the entire nation stands in solidarity with the Jewish community. The incident comes six months after the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh happened on the same day. Last year on October 27, Robert Bowers stormed the synagogue, killing 11 people in what the Anti-Defamation League said was the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in the history of the United States. A total of 106 suspects, including a Tamil medium teacher and a school principal, have been arrested in Sri Lanka in connection with the Easter Sunday blasts, police said Sunday, even as the Islamic State claimed the three militants who blew themselves up during a raid in the Eastern province were its members. IMAGE: A police officer inspects the site of a gun battle between troops and suspected Islamist militants, on the east coast of Sri Lanka, in Kalmunai. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters As the country marked a week since the coordinated blasts hit three churches and three luxury hotels, killing 253 people and inuring over 500 others, police and security forces continued their hunt for members of the National Thowheeth Jamaath, the local terror outfit behind the attack. The Criminal Investigations Department is carrying out the interrogation of the 106 suspects, Colombo Page reported. The arrested people include a 40-year-old Tamil medium school teacher who was found in possession of 50 SIM cards and other incriminating items, the report said. He was held following a joint operation conducted by the Kalpitiya Police and the Navy. In a special joint operation conducted by the army and police in Vavuniya town, 10 suspects were arrested. On a tip-off, main roads were blocked and search operations carried out for nearly three hours. Security has also been stepped-up in the area. Meanwhile, two suspects were arrested in Damgedara area in Galle during a search conducted on information received of a school managed by the NTJ. One of the suspects is the principal of the school and the other is a doctor who has served as an instructor. The Galle police are conducting further investigations. Sri Lanka on Saturday banned the NTJ and a splinter group linked to the ISIS. On Friday, six children and three women were among 15 people killed when militants linked to the Easter Sunday bombings opened fire and blew themselves up during a fierce gun battle with security forces in Eastern province. A huge cache of explosives was also recovered from the spot. The Islamic State terror group, in a statement published early Sunday through the its propaganda 'Amaq' news agency, claimed that the three militants who blew themselves up during the fierce gun battle were its members. IMAGE: Security personnel seen at the site of an overnight gun battle, between troops and suspected Islamist militants, on the east coast of Sri Lanka, in Kalmunai. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters At the security council meeting on Friday, it was decided that search operations to crackdown on extremist terrorism must continue until the threat is completely eliminated. Security has been improved at hotels, schools and public places. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday, killing 253 people. The Islamic State claimed the attacks, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group NTJ for the attacks. President Maithripala Sirisena said Friday that over 130 suspects linked to the Islamic State terror group have been operating in the country. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said Sri Lanka needs new laws to deal with threats posed by local terror outfits linked to ISIS. According to Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry, the number of foreign nationals who have been identified as killed remained at 40, including 11 from India. Sri Lanka has a population of 21 million which is a patchwork of ethnicities and religions, dominated by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. Muslims account for 10 per cent of the population and are the second-largest minority after Hindus. Around seven per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians. Chinese President Xi Jinping met Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday and expressed hope that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway to improve their strained relations following the Pulwama terror attack by a Jaish-e-Muhammad suicide bomber. Both leaders also exchanged views on the situations in South Asia, an official Chinese statement said about the meeting between Xi and Khan. The India-Pakistan relations reportedly figured prominently in the meeting. Xi expressed hope that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway and promote the stabilisation and improvement of India-Pakistan relations, it said. Khan arrived in China on April 25 and attended China's 2nd Belt and Road Forum held on April 26-27. The BRF meeting was held to highlight the achievement of the trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative started by Xi in 2013 in which USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is an important component. India skipped the meeting for the second time, protesting over the CPEC which is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The Sunday's meeting between Xi and Khan was regarded significant as it was held in the backdrop of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the February 14 Pulwama terror attack carried out by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Muhammad which killed 40 Indian CRPF soldiers. China had sent its Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou to visit Pakistan in March as part of its efforts to ease the tensions. Khan's meeting with Xi took place when China is under pressure at the United Nations over its repeated attempts to block efforts to declare Pakistan-based JeM leader Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. Last month, China put a technical hold on a resolution put forth by the US, the UK and France at the UN's 1267 counter terrorism committee to declare Azhar as a global terrorist. The US later took the issue to the UN Security Council in a bid to pressure China to take a public stance on Azhar's issue instead of just putting up blocks at the 1267 committee. China had expressed its firm opposition to the issue being taken to the UNSC, saying that the matter headed for settlement and blamed the US for scuttling it. While there is no word here whether the Azhar issue figured in Xi's talks with Khan, officials say there is a sense of wariness on the part of Beijing to block India, the US and other countries' efforts to blacklist him at the UN on behalf of Pakistan. Officials hoped that the issue could be resolved in the coming weeks following Khan's visit to China. Prior to his meeting with Xi, Khan called on Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during which the two countries signed a number of agreements. Earlier, he met Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan. During Sunday's meeting, Xi expressed China's firm support to Pakistan to further the bilateral ties between the all-weather allies. "Pakistan is China's all-weather strategic cooperative partner. China and Pakistan are 'iron friends' and have always firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests." Xi said. China takes Pakistan as a priority in its diplomacy, he said. "No matter how international and regional situations change, China firmly supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and national dignity, choosing its own development path suited to its national conditions, combating terrorist and extremist forces, striving for a sound external security environment, and playing a constructive role in international and regional affairs," Xi said. He said major progress had been made in bilateral cooperation in the construction of the CPEC, especially in areas such as finance, trade and other aspects, the statement said. "In the next stage, China and Pakistan should make more efforts to advance the all-weather strategic cooperation," Xi said. He called on both sides to deepen high-level contacts and mutual support, strengthen strategic communication and promote high-quality cooperation in production capacity, infrastructure construction, people's livelihood and trade within the framework of the BRI. Khan said the CPEC had played an important role in Pakistan's economic development and the improvement of people's lives. He said he believed more and more countries will support and participate in the cooperation under the BRI. Pakistan is willing to consolidate its traditional friendship with China, deepen pragmatic cooperation and enhance communication and coordination with China in multilateral affairs, Khan was quoted as saying in the statement. During his meeting, Khan spoke a few times about India-Pakistan relations and the prospects of peace between the two countries. Addressing Pakistan and China Investment Forum in Beijing on Sunday, he expressed hope that the relations between the two neighbours will improve after the Indian general elections. "We want to build a civilized relationship with our Eastern neighbour and there is a possibility that if we can resolve the Kashmir issue through dialogue, things can improve," he was quoted by state-run Radio Pakistan as saying. TORRINGTON Strategic, collaborative and engaged are the goals for the next generation of the Northwest Connecticut Arts Councils projects. The councils new Executive Director Rufus de Rham is five months in to his position he is only the second person to lead the nonprofit organization since its founding in 2003. He succeeded Amy Wynn, who is now the executive director of the American Mural Project in Winsted. Were such a small organization, so we want to focus on what were doing well, de Rham said. The councils staff is indeed small, he is the only full-time employee. We believe in sharing. An engaged community is a way to form alliances, he said. One of de Rhams first additions to the councils outreach is the establishment of an Arts Night Out, a free event for networking and socializing. Artists talk to each other. People can break the idea of only seeing art in a three-town radius, he said. The next Arts Night Out event will be held at the Connecticut Academy for the Arts, 100 Prospect St. on May 16. The gatherings are held every other month on the second Thursday of the month. The first nights out event was held in January at Brewery Legitimus in New Hartford and in April, the event was hosted by Gallery 25 in New Milford. Were excited about this, said Teresa Sullivan, co-founding executive director of the arts academy. We want to introduce artists to other artists, she said, through a BYOA, (Bring Your Own Artist) invitation. The most recent study of how arts supports the economy shows that spending at ticketed events in one year by arts and cultural audiences in Northwest Connecticut totaled $12.9 million. There is so much possibility here, de Rham said. He hopes to plan a forum for the arts to include representatives from the the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce and the Northwest Hills Council of Governments. The region is coalescing, he said. The post-industrial areas are doing well that are focused on arts and culture, de Rham noted. He believes that Torrington and the area can become part of a regional destination that could include: Dia:Beacon, a vast arts gallery located in a former Nabisco box printing factory on the banks of the Hudson River in Beacon, N.Y., and MASS MoCA, located in the former Sprague Electric Company building in North Adams, Mass. With a background in film and programming, de Rham is well versed in cultural destinations. Before moving back to Kent, where he grew up, to begin his job at the arts council, de Rham was the programming operations manager at Film Society of Lincoln Center in New York City. He also worked for the New York Asian Film Festival and Subway Cinema. Arts can impact directly to small businesses, de Rham said. He noted that state and regional organizations can provide tools and resources to grow the reach of art and culture in Torrington. The art community is wide-ranging, Sullivan said. The Arts Night Out event can help artists learn about opportunities, she said. Artists may meet another artist that live a block away that they never knew. With community outreach a key goal of the council, de Rham has joined the boards of the Connecticut Arts Alliance and the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy organization. A recent success story for the alliance is a new name for the states legislative Tourism Caucus. It is now the Arts, Culture and Tourism Caucus. This was a significant achievement for our industry. The name change recognizes the important impact that arts and culture, along with tourism, have on our state, the alliance wrote on their website. TORRINGTON Downtown is the heart, soul and mover of a citys economic growth. To adapt to a new economy, development experts note that the states legacy cities, which includes Torrington, need to make their downtown more inviting. Connecticut has an aging population, said Patrick McMahon, CEO and president of Connecticut Main Street, a nonprofit planning organization that works to revitalize downtowns. The group sponsored a recent development forum at the Warner Theatre that attracted more than 100 attendees. A target demographic for growth in the city are millennials and Generation Z, residents. They love downtowns, McMahon said. A proposal to renovate buildings in the downtown area to create new apartments is the cornerstone of future growth, said city consultant Val Ferro, of Good Earth Advisors. For instance, she told the forum audience that demand exceeds supply, for downtown housing. We will try to capture 5 percent of millennials and empty-nesters, within a 10-mile drive, Ferro said. The goal is an ambitious one. We want to offer 288 (housing) units to start, she said. Strong interest City Planner Marty Connor said There is a pent up demand. There have been no new apartments in the 20 years Ive been here, he said. But Connor said the city did a market study that shows a strong interest exists for a walkable downtown. An historic building at 105 Summer St. is being considered for a mixed use retail-residential development, Connor said. It is within easy walking distance of downtown. The two-story structure at the former Stone Container property, is considered a crown jewel of the sprawling, multi-building site, consultants have said. It has an open-floor and a double deck structure that has remained intact, according to the consultants. To be in walking distance of the art scene and restaurants are major amenities, Connor noted. Location, location, location Other properties that offer redevelopment opportunities for residential space are located on Field Street and at the corner of Franklin Street and Franklin Drive. The former block-long factory building at 59 Field St. housed the Torrington Company. It was constructed in 1866 and later became known as the Excelsior building. Its a whole block long, Connor said. The owners could create loft apartments and mixed-use retail. I would love to see the upper stories developed, he added. The building, which houses the Register Citizen in a first floor corner location, is empty on the second and third floors. With 310,063 square feet of space, the building could be a big draw for residents who are looking for on-site perks. Amenities that are popular, such as fitness centers and free, on-site social events, are add-ons that developers are expected to offer potential renters, Ferro said. There is a gym area, on Field Street. Connor said. A membership to the gym could be included a part of the lease agreement, he added. The gym, called Energy Fitness Factory, opened on Field Street about 18 months ago. General Manager Dina Calabrese said on Wednesday that she has heard there is a possibility the building would be redeveloped for residential use. Asked if she would work with potential developers to offer a special gym membership package to new tenants, Calabrese didnt hesitate to answer. I would consider it in a heartbeat, she said. I think it would be great. The third potential new residential building would be a new structure on property owned by the city, Connor said. The nine-acre property wraps around Franklin Street to Franklin Drive, he noted. The location is the site of the former Torrington Manufacturing Co., which was one of the citys largest employers. The company produced six machines during its manufacturing time. The company opened in 1885 along the East branch of the Naugatuck River. In the early 1980s the company was purchased by the Japan-based NIDEC company. The factory closed in 1990, when more than 100 people lost their jobs, and the building was demolished in 2010. A request for proposals for the the property was issued in March by the city, which is seeking developers who have the expertise and intentions with regard to redevelopment of the site. The bid opening of the proposals on Friday, was not open to the public, the request notes. A short list of finalists... will be invited to respond to a subsequent Request for Proposals, the document states. We hope we get developers who come forward with a plan for redevelopment of the NIDEC site, Connor said. The three properties which are at the top of the citys list for redevelopment are eligible for a number of cost-saving programs. Connor said financial opportunities could include tax deferments from the city or a write off of capital gains, through a federal program. Thats a big carrot for investors, Connor added. People have been coming in. There is no plan on the table, but the demand is there now. As plans for new apartments move forward, the possibility of economic growth is expected to follow. Monthly rent for a downtown area apartment would be from $1,000 to $2,000 a month, Ferro noted. Imagine how much money that would bring into the city, she added, if hundreds of apartments are rented. The U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, says the Taliban must change its ways and agree to a cease-fire if peace is to come to the country that has been locked in a civil war for 17 years. Khalizad, the head of U.S. efforts to force a peace deal with the Taliban, made his comments during a visit to Kabul on April 28. "If the Taliban insist on going back to the system they used to have, in my personal opinion it means the continuation of war not peace," Khalilzad, who was born in Afghanistan, told the private television station Tolo News. He added: "Our focus is on terrorism. No agreement will be done if we don't see a permanent cease-fire and a commitment to end the war. We are seeking peace and [a] political settlement.... We want peace to give [U.S.-led forces] the possibility to withdraw." The United States has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of Resolute Support, a NATO-led mission that provides training and assistance to security forces in Afghanistan as they battle Taliban fighters and other extremist groups, including Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda. "Intra-Afghan Talks" Khalilzad's comments came one day before the holding of a nationwide Loya Jirga, a traditional gathering of elders, religious scholars, and prominent Afghans -- with more than 2,000 people from across the country having been invited to discuss U.S.-led peace efforts. President Ashraf Ghanis Special Envoy Omar Daudzai said on April 28 that the Loya Jirga will provide the ground for "intra-Afghan talks" with the Taliban. Several high-ranking officials, including Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, have refused to participate in the four-day gathering. Abdullah boycotted the Loya Jirga on the grounds that his team had not been consulted prior to the decision to hold the assembly. Daudzai said negotiations are under way to convince Abdullah and others to attend the Loya Jirga, which would lay out the government's negotiating position for future talks with the Taliban. On April 27, Ghani held a meeting with Khalilzad, who is trying to find a peaceful resolution to the 17-year war. "Both sides once again emphasized an intra-Afghan dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban, led by the Afghan government," Ghanis office said in a statement. 'Inclusive' Peace Process The comments came a day after the United States, Russia, and China said in a joint statement that they have agreed on the goal of withdrawing foreign forces from Afghanistan and to seek an "inclusive Afghan-led" peace process. Khalilzad has been engaged in a series of talks with the Taliban in Qatar as he looks to bring the extremist group into peace negotiations with the government in Kabul. Taliban negotiators have so far refused to negotiate with the government, calling it a puppet of the West, and have insisted on the withdrawal of foreign forces before talks with Kabul can begin. Khalilzad is on a multination tour of the region and is scheduled to visit Qatar -- the usual site for negotiations with representatives of the Taliban militants. The U.S. envoy said Washington wants "to put an end to their expenses in Afghanistan and the dangers the forces face but also Washington has a responsibility and wants to end this war responsibly and leave a good legacy," Khalilzad said. With reporting by tolonews.com, AFP, AP, and Reuters Ukrainian President-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy has told Moscow "not to waste time trying to lure Ukrainian citizens with Russian passports," after Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow could ease the process of granting Russian citizenship to Ukrainians. Ukrainians understand that Russian citizenship means "the right to be arrested for peaceful protests," and "the right not to have free and competitive elections," Zelenskiy wrote in a Facebook post on April 27. "It's the right to basically forget all rights and freedoms," he wrote. "Ukraine's difference, in particular, is in the fact that we, Ukrainians, have freedom of speech in our country, free media and Internet," Zelenskiy wrote. Zelenskiy went on to say that "Ukrainians are free people in a free country" and that they "should not be talked to in the language of threats and military and economic pressure." Zelenskiy, however, pointed out that he was ready for negotiations with Russia. He said that "the real normalization will only take place after de-occupation of both Donbas and Crimea." Moscow seized control of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and fomented unrest in the Donbas. The conflict in eastern Ukraine has killed some 13,000 people and continues despite a cease-fire and peace deal known as the Minsk accords. Russia denies involvement in the conflict despite what Kyiv and Western governments say is incontrovertible evidence that it has provided weapons, troops, and other support to the separatists in the region. Putin on April 24 signed a decree simplifying the procedure for people living in parts of eastern Ukraine held by Russia-backed separatists to obtain Russian citizenship. Despite strong criticism by Kyiv and the West, Putin went further on April 27, saying that his administration was considering a plan to ease the process of granting Russian citizenship to all Ukrainians, not only to those in eastern Ukraine. "In general, we are thinking of giving our citizenship, in a simplified manner, to the citizens of Ukraine," Putin said at a summit in Beijing. Putin has not congratulated Zelenskiy on his victory following his landslide win in the April 21 vote. Shortly after Putin's decree was published on the Kremlin website on April 24, Ukraine's foreign minister called it "aggression and interference" in Kyiv's affairs. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv posted on Twitter that the decree was "absurd and destabilizing" and reaffirmed "our strong support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity." Zelenskiy issued a statement on April 24 condemning Russia as an "occupying state" and an "aggressor country that is waging war against Ukraine." He called for "increased diplomatic and sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation." The Iranian army's chief of staff says Tehran could close the vital Strait of Hormuz if "hostilities reach a level where this cannot be avoided." Major General Mohammad Baqeri said in Tehran on April 28 that Iran does not "intend" to shut down the vital international oil route, but said "if our oil does not pass, the oil of others shall not pass the Strait of Hormuz either." Currently, all vessels and navy ships must answer questions from the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' Navy," said Baqeri. "U.S. warships also have responded to questions and we have not had a problem." Most of the shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, which goes through the Persian Gulf, are within Oman's territorial waters. Baqeri's comments come one day after U.S. Central Command chief General Kenneth McKenzie says the United States has the resources necessary to deter Iran from taking any dangerous actions in the Persian Gulf region. McKenzie told Sky News Arabia during an official visit to the region on April 27 that Washington would work with allies in the Gulf to present a united front against Tehran. "We're going to continue to reach out to our partners and friends in the region to ensure that we make common cause against the threat of Iran," McKenzie was quoted by Sky News Arabia as saying, according to a transcript released by the Abu Dhabi-based channel. "I believe we'll have the resources necessary to deter Iran from taking actions that will be dangerous. We will be able to respond effectively," he added. Washington has been stepping up the political and economic pressure on Tehran since President Donald Trump took office in January 2017. Trump in May 2018 announced Washington's withdrawal from the landmark 2015 nuclear pact and reimposed sanctions on Tehran that had been eased as terms of the accord. Trump asserted that Iran had not lived up to the spirit of the pact by continuing to development nuclear weapons and financing extremist violence in the region. Tehran has denied the allegations. Trump has also demanded nations stop purchasing Iranian oil or face sanctions as he attempts to force Tehrans crude exports to zero, further hitting the countrys economy and currency. In early April, the United States designated IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). Washington will continue to increase financial pressure and raise the costs on Iran "for its support of terrorist activity," Trump said in a statement on April 8. With reporting by Reuters, Mizan news agency, and Sky News Arabia Iranian state media says Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is planning to visit North Korea. "The date of this trip will be set and announced soon," Iran's official IRNA news agency on April 28 quoted Zarif as saying. The news agency gave no further details. Washington has ramped up sanctions on Iran since U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from its 2015 nuclear accord with world powers last year. On April 21, the White House announced that it has decided not to renew exemptions from U.S. sanctions to buyers of Iranian oil, in an effort to cut Iran's vital oil exports to zero. The United States has tightened sanctions on North Korea to try to persuade it to give up its nuclear weapons. A summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un broke down in February without a deal, after cash-strapped Pyongyang demanded immediate relief from sanctions but the two sides disagreed over what the North was prepared to give up in return. North Korea's top diplomat Ri Yong Ho visited Iran in August and an Iranian parliamentary delegation visited North Korea in December. Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP Jailed Iranian human rights defender Narges Mohammadi is in urgent need of surgery, her attorney said on April 28. Mahmoud Behzadi Rad told the official IRNA news agency that doctors concluded after a hospital visit on April 27 that she needs an operation for a serious gynecological problem. Mohammadi was returned to the notorious Evin prison after her hospital visit. Rad said it is not clear if prosecutors will allow Mohammadi to undergo surgery. Mohammadi is the former head of Iran's Defenders of Human Rights Center, which was founded by Nobel Peace prize winner Shirin Ebadi in 2001. She has been imprisoned several times but is currently serving a 16-year sentence primarily for "forming and managing an illegal group," related to a campaign urging the abolition of the death penalty. Amnesty International has said the criminal case against Mohammadi was in reprisal for a 2014 meeting she had with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. Mohammadi has been awarded several prestigious prizes, including the Amercian Physical Society's Andrei Sakharov Prize in 2018 for outstanding leadership in upholding human rights. According to Irans criminal code, prisoners suffering from acute illnesses are eligible for five days of leave if approved by the prosecutor. Mohammadi and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a dual British-Iranian citizen imprisoned since 2016, complained in March that they were being denied appropriate medical care. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. The U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether federal anti-discrimination laws prevent employers from firing workers because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. The court announced last week that it accepted three cases involving gay, lesbian and transgender employees for the term that will begin in October. A decision is expected next year. The central issue focuses on Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and whether the term on the basis of sex bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The court is being asked to parse words and intentions of a law that is decades old. The issue has split circuit courts on whether the federal anti-discrimination laws prevent employers from firing workers because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. What has frustrated many of those in the employment law community has been the failure of Congress to act on legislation that would have guaranteed rights to gay and transgender individuals. That same day, 10 messages containing nude photos were sent from her Twitter account to various friends associated with the account, according to the affidavit. The FBI said available records indicated that at least some of the messages originated from the area of Thummas apartment. Law enforcement officials used other authorized means that indicated some of the communications were originating from someone who had access to Thummas apartment or internet connection. At 2:55 a.m. on March 27, the woman and her mother were sent text messages that contained a photograph of Thumma appearing to be in a hospital bed wearing a patient gown with red marks that appeared to be blood. The FBI agent believe the messages were a threat to cause harm to the woman and her mother. The agent reported that five hours before those messages were sent, at 9:30 p.m. on March 26, officers with the Virginia Commonwealth University Police Department responded to the scene of an accident in the 900 block of West Cary Street. Thumma was in the drivers seat of a 2013 Nissan Sentra. Under state law, the county cannot change the name itself but must petition the CTB. Only since 2012 has the board had that authority before then, the name change would have required approval of the Virginia Legislature. The road, which also carries the designation of U.S. 1, is already called Richmond Highway in Fairfax County and Alexandria. The county estimates that it will have to spend $17,000 to pay for new street signs if the board approves the change. Three former inmates sue Va. jail over sexual assaults NEWPORT NEWS Three former Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail inmates are suing the jail, its former administrator and a former guard convicted of sexually assaulting two of the inmates. The Daily Press reported that the lawsuits were filed between December and April 16. In November, 55-year-old Henry Thomas Rhim was sentenced to prison for the assaults. A third inmate has since come forward and said she also was assaulted. A new co-working space with some extra perks has launched in Roanoke County. Beacon Partners Consulting has formed Room 2 Bloom, a collection of business spaces designed to help small business grow and network. The model is similar in some ways to co-working spaces like The Hive and the Co-Lab on Grandin Road, but Beacon is also providing direct business consulting to its tenants. Beacon, which has about a dozen employees, recently relocated to a 2,500-square-foot office at 4370 Starkey Road in the Tanglewood area. Beacon will take up part of the office for its business consulting practice and lease out the other spaces to small businesses looking to grow. It will have five fully furnished spaces from 100 to 120 square feet, each with automated answering services, a lock, shared break room space, 24/7 access and weekly business consulting. They will rent for about $600 per month on a six- to 12-month lease. Beacon managing partner Will Hall said the company has been in the Roanoke Valley for about two years, and this was something he saw a need for in the business community. It is different from other shared work spaces because of the personalized consulting Beacon can provide, especially for the early stages of a business. "Our process produces results," Hall said. "It's not just a place to set your computer and work." Managing partner Brandon Muse said as they were navigating the local business community, he saw a lot of business owners who needed just a small boost to get them to the next level of where they wanted to be. He and Hall hope Room 2 Bloom can provide that service and help with the incubation period. The businesses at Room 2 Bloom can be startups or small businesses looking to grow. Some cosmetic work is being done to the spaces, but Beacon has already begun to show off some of the offices. For information, visit room2bloomroanoke.com. Every once in a blue moon, its fun to gaze beyond the Roanoke Valley and look at appalling high jinks elsewhere in Virginia. The last time I did that, it was with Bristol, about three hours southwest. A lengthy scandal surrounding that citys utility company, BVU, is now long in the rear-view mirror. And it may be chickenfeed compared to recent goings on in Front Royal, three hours to our northeast. The small and unassuming town near the intersection of Interstates 81 and 66 is the northern gateway to Shenandoah National Park. It has roughly twice the population of Vinton (pop. 8,100), and is an inland port, whatever that means. Recently, Front Royal has been the newsiest locality in all of the Old Dominion. Juicy stories rocking the community involve an allegation of millions in public money thats missing, plus gambling, sex, land deals, death threats, a special grand jury, Virginia State Police and the FBI. It looks like Front Royal could be renamed Corruptionville. Residents are enraged. The public is ready to clean house, said Mike McCool, publisher of the Royal Examiner, a community news website established in 2016 that has two full-time reporters. Anyone tied to existing authorities is gone. Meanwhile, unique visitors to the Royal Examiners website have soared to 59,000 in the past 28 days. A year ago, the number was about 35,000, McCool said. Lets unpack some of the lowlights in this mess. Keep in mind that nobodys been convicted of anything. So far, hardly anyone has been charged. One of the key figures is the longtime (now former) executive director of the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority, Jennifer McDonald. She abruptly resigned her $115,000 job in December, about four months into a state police investigation of the authoritys finances. An eye-popping story Wednesday in The Northern Virginia Daily reported more details, from recently unsealed court documents detailing the state police investigation. According to those, McDonalds net losses at a casino in Charles Town, West Virginia, totaled $753,207 between 2014 and 2018. In February 2018, McDonald told a different story about her casino exploits to the Royal Examiner. In that article, she said she had developed a system for playing slot machines that in recent years had yielded more than $1.8 million in winnings. To document the bounty, she showed us [casino] receipts, a tax return, McCool said. Thats what triggered the [state police] investigation. Those winnings, McDonald explained in the February 2018 story, were the source of cash she had used to buy investment properties in the Front Royal area. Heres one of her quotes from that article: I have taken the money that Ive won and I have paid for the educations of my stepdaughter, two of my nieces and my stepson. I bought myself a truck; and the remaining I decided last year that I was going to start investing the money, rather than just letting it sit. So, I started to acquire investment properties and Ive been able to make significant deposits on them. On March 26, the authority sued McDonald, Warren County Sheriff Daniel McEathron and seven other defendants for $17.6 million, alleging they engaged in a variety of schemes and artifices to unlawfully enrich themselves at the expense of the Warren EDA. The allegations involved at least five different projects, the lawsuit said. The lawsuit also claimed that McEathron was McDonalds partner in her real estate investment purchases. On March 27, McEathron issued a press release denying any wrongdoing. That same day, a Warren County Circuit Court judge impaneled a special grand jury and ordered it to probe potential malfeasance, embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds among the economic development authority, Front Royal, Warren County, the Warren County school system and the Warren County Sheriffs Office. (McDonalds phone was busy each of the five times I called her Friday; her lawyer, Reston attorney Lee Berlik, did not return my call. I also left a message for McEathron, but he didnt return the call, either.) April 16 was the date the FBI and state police swarmed the offices of the economic development authority. Though both agencies confirmed their presence there, neither would comment beyond that. News reports said agents carried away cardboard boxes. McCool told me that the entire mess dates to June 2015, and questions that have swirled ever since an announcement by then U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte of a $40 million business venture that was supposed to bring 600 high-paying jobs to a former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site in Front Royal. At the urging of a Front Royal Town Council member, local activist and watchdog Matthew Berdyck in 2017 published a report on his website, superfundresearch.org, raising questions about the $40 million project. Berdyck subsequently wrote another article saying he fled the Front Royal area because of death threats that followed his original report. Meanwhile, none of the 600 jobs has materialized. The economic development authoritys lawsuit alleges McDonald admitted in an email around the time she resigned that she was liable for $2.7 million in economic development authority losses. All the above barely scratches the surface of lawsuits, investigations and public accusations swirling around the economic development authority. The Royal Examiner, McCool said, has published 175 stories on the $40 million project. It was phony baloney to begin with, McCool told me. For two years weve been trying to get council and the [Warren County] board of supervisors to take a look at things. And what about the sex? So far we havent gotten to that part. It appears unrelated to all of the above, though news about it coincidentally broke in the middle of the rest of the maelstrom. Earlier this month, Front Royal Mayor Hollis Tharpe was charged with soliciting prostitution stemming from two visits he made to a massage parlor in 2018. Since then, Tharpe has resigned his position, effective May 2. He told The Warren Sentinel that the charges are both embarrassing and baseless. But, I dont want the council to have any unnecessary distractions, he told The Northern Virginia Daily. Given all thats going on, it seems like a wise move. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WISE A new research center in far Southwest Virginia is hoping to become the graphene hub of the country. Graphene is a version of carbon that is the strongest material known to exist. Dubbed a wonder material, its been hyped as a substance that could transform the electronics industry and be put to creative uses. But production obstacles like making it at a low cost and developing uses that are also affordable have hindered graphenes commercial growth. Those are issues the Carbon Research and Development Co. is hoping to resolve at its Graphene Research Center in Wise County. The world has been waiting for graphene to be affordable, said Steve Hooper, CEO. Still in its early phases, the research center moved into a 24,000-square-foot building in the Lonesome Pine Regional Business and Technology Park near of the town of Wise six months ago. It received a loan of up to $1.5 million from the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority for laboratory equipment and other improvements to test graphene uses. Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine took a tour of the building on Thursday, and said it looked promising. He envisioned the materials value in the defense and energy sectors, and in the data center market as well, which is huge in Virginia. Hooper told Kaine that NASA has been cooperative. This is very early. Its a technology that has huge promise, but thus far its something from a price standpoint that has been out of reach, Kaine said. The person who builds the better mouse trap to figure out a way to do the graphene production and applications in a cost-effective way is going to be a rock star. Scientists discovered graphene more than a decade ago, and in 2010 two physicists at the University of Manchester in England received the Nobel Prize for their experiments with the material. Graphene is 200 times stronger than steel. Its so thin that a million sheets of it would be only as thick as saran wrap, or a single gram of it could cover a little more than an acre of land. It can conduct electricity and heat better than any other material, and its also the most pliable. It could be used to make long-lasting batteries or incredibly durable smartphones that are as thin as paper. Graphene in certain materials makes kevlar look like wet paper, Hooper said. Kevlar is a strong woven fiber used in bulletproof vests and other sturdy applications. To start off, the research center is focused on basic uses of graphene that would be appealing to, for example, the manufacturing industry, rather than coming up with a new generation smartphone that could be rolled up to fit in a pants pocket. The Graphene Research Center already has interested companies lined up: a Kentucky bourbon distiller that wants to use graphene for its filtration system and a European glass company looking at its application for glass coatings. Hooper said a filtration system would turn whiskey clear. Coating glass with graphene would mitigate damage. Its an outstanding opportunity, Hooper said. Graphene is going to be it. The research center is working with Virginia Tech, which is studying the market potential for coal-derived graphene and Southwest Virginias potential to garner part of that market. GO Virginia approved $25,000 in funding for that study. The research center is also collaborating with other universities across the country. Hoopers background is in coal. Hes owned and operated mines and mining-related companies since 1970. He said that while coal is an abundant and inexpensive source of graphene, not enough coal is used in graphene production to save the struggling industry. I wish it would, but it wont, Hooper said. But at least we can do something with coal. If the team at the research center is successful in developing affordable commercial use of graphene, Hooper said itll be like getting the Holy Grail. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The diamond business has many dark pages in its history, but the use of the convict labour in the diamond mining industry for many years gives the most painful impression. This practice was applied in the South Africa and the Soviet Union only. Undoubtedly, De Beers surpassed in this this company had started to employ the prisoners in diamond mining since 1885.1 K. C. Goyer states in his monography Prison Privatisation in South Africa: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities that the employment of prisoners in mining in the South Africa continued till 1952 and was a large scale one up to 10,000 prisoners worked at the mines controlled by De Beers.2 In the overwhelming majority of cases, those were the black people hit the bricks for the violation of racial segregation laws. As De Beers was not a state-owned company, a special agreement was required between the government of the South Africa and the diamond mining giant that stipulated the construction of private prisons, among other things. Such a public-private partnership was beneficial to both contracting parties: the government practically assumed no responsibility for the prisoner welfare and De Beers obtained thousands slaves who could be employed to do the most difficult work free of charge and without any control. It appears that in the USSR such practice was of real interest almost immediately after the discovery of the first alluvial deposits in the Ural area. In 1940, the secretary of the Economic Council under the Council of People's Commissars Mikhail Pomaznev supervising the diamond geology at that time applied to the Head of the GULAG Vasiliy Chernyshev requesting to provide several hundreds prisoners to staff the diamond mining parties and got a positive answer.3 From that year on, the time of the most shameful affair in the Soviet diamond industry history began. Before 1946, the labour of prisoners and of the categories close to them who were disqualified (exiled people, special settlers) was employed in the diamond industry from time to time, the number of prisoners was several hundreds. However, after the Regulation of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 1978-832ss dated 07.09.1946 was adopted, the situation has changed radically. Now, the special contingent (i. e., prisoners) should have become the basis of the Soviet diamond mining industry. Interestingly, that the Regulation itself was highly classified, but the fact of the employment of the prisoners in the diamond mining was considered by its authors as a top secret with the classification code sensitive information and it was put away in para. 1, the Special Folder.4 The discussion between the Minister of Internal Affairs Sergey Kruglov and the supervisor of the diamond industry Anastas Mikoyan who was a Member of the Political Bureau, preceded the decision-making on the slavery labour of the Soviet citizens. It may seem a paradoxical situation but Kruglov was unalterably opposed to the employment of the prisoners in the diamond mining and tried to obstruct this decision under the slightest specious excuse.5 In fact, the minister knew very well the level of theft of precious metals in the places where they were mined by the GULAG and was afraid that the rough diamonds would suffer the same fate. But Mikoyan showed inflexible determination and owing to this most liberal Stalins supporter, thousands prisoners were sent to the Ural diamond mines. On November 14, 1946, the Directorate (group) Uralalmaz was established under the Order from the Minister of Internal Affairs of the USSR No. 001006. Under the same Order, the Kusinsky correctional labour camp (Kusinlag) was set up that housed the prisoners working at the Uralalmaz. At first, the positions of the Head of the Directorate Uralalmaz and the Head of the Kusinlag were combined. N. Guzov, engineer-major of the MIA, was appointed the Head of the Uralalmaz, and M. Shestopalov, engineer-captain of the MIA, became the Chief Engineer. The key top positions of the Directorate were also taken by the MIA officers. A kind of a special ideological education preceded the establishment of the Kusinlag. In 1946, simultaneously with the adoption of the Regulation On the development of the national diamond industry, a mass edition of the novel by Nikolai Asanov A fairy stone was put out devoted to the Ural diamond mining. In several months, the novel was filmed and the movie Diamonds was screened. Today, both the book and the film are forgotten, but in vain, as these works - although they are of no art value are bright (and successful) example of the industry legendizing. The quintessence of the Asanov's novel is in the words of a certain General Bushuyev representing the Defence Committee. But Bushuyev said shooting him a glance: The debates on buying or prospecting rough diamonds are useless. Probably, we have to spend more than one million on further exploration. The matter is that the situation with this raw material is much worse that you think. The Defence Committee had to address this issue specifically because the English and the American owners of diamond mines refused to supply in spite of the military agreements I emphasize, this strategic raw material to us against the Treaty of mutual assistance or under Lend-Lease, and only agree to sell rough diamonds - at the price for the precious stones only, even though we asked them to supply the cheapest grades, so called bort diamonds and diamond powder. Can you imagine what it means to us in such a time? The Americans supply over 50 mn carats diamonds per year to their industry, but they took us by the throat and demand gold! He said this in a level voice and only pauses and accent on some words showed that he bottled up his wrath recollecting this ultimatum. A hush came over the room. Only the Chief geologist asked being somewhat puzzled: But they are our allies in the common war?... The war is common, but the aims are different dont you understand this? answered Bushuyev angrily and added after a while We need our own rough diamonds! I have witnessed with my own two eyes how at the armament manufacturing factories, the hard alloys are machined with polished diamonds removed from the jewellery pieces given by our people to the Victory fund. He went silent, falling into a muse and looking in front of him as if he saw precious stones pouring that were removed from the ring settings, earrings, broaches and pendants and turned into cutters to be used for the precise operations in the military equipment production. The funny thing is that the revelations of this fictional character having nothing to do with the reality and representing the concentrated industry legend determined the paradigm of the historical research in the diamond sphere to the present days. Who was the ordering customer and the consultant of this masterpiece? Practically, there are no doubts, because later on, the author became somewhat famous thank to his novels based on documents about the adventures of the Soviet intelligence officers in the very midst of the British intelligence in London. And Asanov himself, although he did not wield a pen, had a very good sense of humour! He prefixed an epigraph to the key chapter of the novel However, the fairy tale was ready and just in time H. C. Andersen. At first sight, the epigraph has nothing to do with the book, the casual reader would miss it. Those privy to the matter would understand it. Really, both the book, and the film (and many reviews in press) could not have come at a better time. It was impossible to keep the slavery labour at the diamond mines in secret in spite of the information security designations thousands prisoners went through the KUSINLAG and it was impossible to avoid the leakage of information. However, it was impossible to recognize that the Soviet slaves mined the diamonds that were turned into polished diamonds for the western elite such a blow on the ideological principles of the USSR was inadmissible. Both the slaves and their supervisors should have been sure that their work was required to strengthen the defence of the country, it was an honorable sacrifice on the altar of the state, the diamonds were required for military precision operations. The film Diamonds was a success in the cinemas all over the country, it was probably on in the Kuse-Aleksandrovsky settlement, and no doubt, the book A fairy stone was in the KUSINLAGs library. So, neither the special contingent, nor other Soviet citizens had any cognitive dissonance the thought that they were working for the benefit of the Western jewellery brands never crossed their minds. Nevertheless, a specific filter was used to ensure the higher stability of legendizing in choosing the special contingent for the KUSINLAG: the prisoners who knew foreign languages, had higher education and political prisoners were seldom among this prison population, their number was below several percent. It was not allowed to send the prisoners to the KUSINLAG who were former employees of the foreign trade organizations, diplomats, international intelligence officers and those having close relatives abroad. The majority of the prisoners were regular criminals and luckless men who suffered from the rigid Stalins Decree of 1947 that strengthened the responsibility for petty stealing of the socialist property. Not a single case of diamond theft was recorded during the KUSINLAG lifetime (1946 to 1953). The Kruglovs concerns did not prove true, rough diamonds were of no value to the criminals of the Stalins USSR they could not sell them, as distinct from the situation with gold, the shadow market did not exist in the country, and setting up an independent export channel was too stiff to handle for the then criminal world. The Soviet leaders had not the slightest doubts as for the economic efficiency of the diamond slavery. After the alluvial fields were discovered in Yakutia, 5,000 prisoners - according to the project worked out by the MIA - should have been sent there to develop the deposits, at the first stage only. This was scheduled for 1952. But as is known, this project was frozen and the diamond GULAG was not set up in Yakutia. It should be reckoned that it was merely a coincidence that the same year, the employment of the prisoners ceased in the South Africas mining. Sergey Goryainov, Rough&Polished 1A history of prison labour in South Africa. https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/history-prison-labour-south-africa 2K. C. GOYER. Prison Privatisation in South Africa: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities. https://www.africaportal.org/publications/prison-privatisation-in-south-africa-issues-challenges-and... 3 State Archives of the Russian Federation. . 5446. . 25. . 8352. . 12. 4 State Archives of the Russian Federation. . 5446. . 48. . 825. . 107. 5 State Archives of the Russian Federation. . 5446. . 48. . 825. . 34. We continue to publish the collection of archive documents on diamonds: 1. 1940. State Archives of the Russian Federation. . 5446. . 25. . 8352. . 12. The letter of the Head of GULAG V. Chernyshev on the employment of the prisoners in the diamond geology. 2. 1946. State Archives of the Russian Federation. . 5446. . 48. . 825. . 107. The first sheet of the Regulation On the development of the national diamond industry. The decision on the employment of the prisoners is hidden in the Special folder. 3. 1947. State Archive of the Perm Krai. . -1244. . 1. . 107. . 148. The first report on the employment of the prisoners in the diamond industry. 4. 1952. Russian State Archives, Economy. . 8153. . 5. . 1488. . 118. The material for the nomination of the work The creation of the diamond industry in the USSR for the Stalin Prize. Vijay Kumar Saathi rejoined the party Chandigarh, April 28: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday welcomed former Congress MLA Vijay Kumar Saathi back into the party fold, pointing out that the influx into the Punjab Congress was a sign of the growing disenchantment within other parties active in the states political arena. Vijay Saathi, who had unsuccessfully contested for the Congress from Moga in 1997, had quit the primary membership of the party in January 2015, along with several others in support of former MP Jagmeet Singh Brar. Brars unilateral decisions to join TMC and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), without consulting his supporters, had disillusioned him completely, said Saathi, expressing himself to be relieved at being back `home. Advertisement Saathi promised to work hard for the success of the Congress Saathi, a former Janata Dal MLA from Bagha Purana, promised to work hard for the success of the Congress in these parliamentary polls, and thereafter. Captain Amarinder said he was happy to have Saathi back in Punjab Congress just days ahead of the Lok Sabha poll in the state, and was confident the party would benefit from his experience. Ridiculing allegations by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of the Congress loosening its purse strings to get MLAs, the Chief Minister asked: Why would Congress need more MLAs in Punjab? We already have a majority in the Assembly.Citing the video released by Bhagwant Mann, which showed the AAP leader literally begging his MLAs to stay back, Captain Amarinder termed it a clear sign of his desperation. Advertisement It is a case of sheer frustration over AAPs complete failure to mop up support and keep the party intact in Punjab. AAP had lost its narrative totally in Punjab and was reduced to indulging in all kinds of gimmickry and fabrications in a desperate bid to retain some semblance of being a serious party, he added. AAP just does not exist in Punjab any more, and the sooner they accept this fact the better it would be for them, said the Chief Minister, adding that hurling false accusations at the Congress was not going to help them regain lost ground. The rabbi wounded in the shooting at a Poway synagogue Saturday said the bloodshed could have been much worse had the gunmans weapon not jammed. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, speaking in an emotionally charged news conference Sunday in front of Chabad of Poway, described the attack, which left one woman dead and he and two other people wounded. He said the gunman opened fire, fatally wounding longtime congregant Lori Kaye, 60, and blowing off one of the rabbis fingers. Both of his hands were in bandages Sunday. Goldstein said he feared the gunman, armed with a semiautomatic rifle, would enter another room where a large group was gathered for a memorial service or go out to where a group of children were playing. Advertisement But miraculously, the gun jammed, he said. At that point, an off-duty Border Patrol agent gave chase and fired on the gunman as he sped away in his car. It could have been a blood bath, Goldstein said. I dont want to think of it. The rabbi said he had previously asked the Border Patrol agent to come to the temple armed, hoping that would provide an extra measure of protection. Authorities arrested the suspected shooter, John T. Earnest, who they believe was motivated by hate and, a month ago, may have tried to burn down a mosque in nearby Escondido. Investigators were checking the authenticity of an anti-Semitic screed the 19-year-old Rancho Penasquitos resident allegedly posted online before the 11:20 a.m. shooting. The letter states a willingness to sacrifice for the sake of my people. The manifesto talks of planning the shooting, saying it was inspired by the gunmen who killed scores of people at a Pittsburgh synagogue and two New Zealand mosques. How does a 19-year-old teenager have the audacity, the sickness, the hatred to publicize such anti-Semitism in his manifesto? How does he come here to a house of worship? the rabbi said. During the news conference, Goldstein said Kaye was a close family friend who had recently attended his daughters wedding. Kaye was a former banker who helped Chabad of Poway finance construction of its campus. Kaye had unconditional love for all, he said. When the gunman fled, Goldstein said he saw Kaye lying on the floor, her husband trying to provide aid. In my own interpretation, Lori took the bullet for all of us, Goldstein said. Goldstein called the gunman a terrorist and said that he could not succeed. The best we can do to combat this is to grow, build, and be stronger, stronger, and stronger, he said. We need to battle darkness with light. He also said he was grateful for the huge outpouring of local support and thanked President Trump, who he said called and spent 10 or 15 minutes speaking with him on the phone. Goldstein said Trump shared condolences with him and brought him great comfort. The violence came exactly six months after a gunman killed 11 people and wounded seven during Saturday morning Shabbat services at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh and underscored concerns about rising incidents of anti-Jewish hate. Anti-Semitic incidents around the nation have been increasing since 2013, with the biggest all-time annual jump coming in 2017, when the tally climbed 57% to 1,986, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The majority of those incidents were harassment, which rose by 41% to 1,015 incidents, including 163 bomb threats against Jewish community centers and synagogues. Vandalism rose by 86% to 952 cases. The number of physical assaults fell from 36 to 19. RELATED: This is not Poway: San Diego suburb reels from synagogue shooting Goldstein called on people to send a message. Go to your synagogue. We need to fill up those rooms. We need to show them that terrorism will not prevail, Goldstein said, urging even the Jews who havent been to synagogue in a long while to show up next weekend in solidarity. Sudanese protest leaders held talks with the ruling military council on Sunday after the military condemned an attack on an Islamist party close to President Omar al-Bashir, who was removed from power and jailed earlier this month. Dozens of protesters on Saturday surrounded a building where the Popular Congress Party was holding a meeting, chanting: No place for Islamists. The state-run SUNA news agency quoted party leader Idriss Suliman as saying that protesters attacked the party members as they left the building, wounding at least 64 people. The party was established in the late 1990s by Hassan al-Turabi, the Sudanese Islamist who played a key role in the 1989 coup that brought al-Bashir to power. It is a symbol of the lingering power of al-Bashirs regime, which was built on a close alliance between the military and Islamists. Advertisement The deputy head of the military council, Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo commonly known by his nickname Hemedti accused the demonstrators of trying to set the building on fire. Security forces intervened to separate the two groups, he added, to avoid a disaster. The Sudanese Professionals Association, which spearheaded four months of overwhelmingly peaceful protests, condemned the violence. Protest leaders demanding a speedy transition to civilian rule are now locked in a standoff with the military, which removed al-Bashir from office April 11 under pressure from the popular uprising. A military council has said it will rule the country for up to two years until elections can be organized. The Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, a coalition of opposition groups led by the SPA, is pushing for a transitional council that would include only limited army representation. The protesters fear that the military will cling to power or cut a deal with other parties to leave much of al-Bashirs regime intact. The military has said it is open to proportional civilian representation in its council and the granting of executive powers to civilians. It has said it is consulting with all political factions except for al-Bashirs National Congress Party on the way forward. Amjad Fareed, an SPA spokesman, said late Saturday the talks have focused on the nature of the council, whether it is going to be a civilian council with some military representation or just military like the military council insists on. And how long is the transition process. Two activists within the SPA said both sides have reached an initial deal to share power in the transitional council. They said Sundays talks would focus on apportioning representation between the two sides. Both activists spoke on condition of anonymity as the talks are ongoing. After Saturdays meeting, sources said that an agreement was reached in principle to form a joint civilian-military council, but not on the division of seats in the new body, with the military apparently insisting on a majority of seats. The protesters suspended talks with the military a week ago but resumed the negotiations on Wednesday as three officials seen as too close to al-Bashir resigned from the military council. Speaking late Sunday at a news conference, Ali al-Haj Mohammed, the head of the formerly pro-Bashir Popular Congress Party, urged the military council not to yield to pressure. He said his party would oppose any bilateral deal, apparently referring to the talks between military and protest leaders. 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. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Scientists are constantly finding ways to create affordable and efficient devices to convert energy. One of the methods is through the use of proteins in the photosynthetic process, such as the vigorous proteins in photosystem I. The stability of semi-artificial electrodes integrated with isolated protein complexes is short-lived; thus, this shortcoming limits the use of this technology in biodevices. Ruhr-Universitat Bochum scientists described their findings in the Journal of the Americal Chemical Society regarding how to achieve high stability without oxygen in their photosystem-based bioelectrode. The researchers were composed of Dr. Fangyuan Zhao, Dr. Adrian Ruff, Dr. Felipe Conzuelo, and Professor Wolfgang Schuhmann from the Chair of Analytical Chemistry and Center for Electrochemical Sciences, together with Professor Matthias Rogner from the Bochum Chair of Plant Biochemistry. It is a challenge for scientists to find new methods of producing energy efficiently. It is crucial that the hindrances that limit the lifetime of technologies for green and renewable energy conversion should be conquered. Among various techniques available, "the use of protein complexes involved in the photosynthetic process for the fabrication of semi-artificial devices is of particular interest due to their high efficiency and large natural availability," according to Journal of the American Chemical Society. Previous studies by the researchers show that biodevices have a limited lifespan due to the reactive molecules formed that destroy photosystem I under the operation of the bioelectrode. Oxygen acts as the final electron acceptor and is associated with these reactive species. Thus, the scientists recommended that bioelectrodes should not work in an environment with oxygen. The results of the research showed that the lifetime of the device is effectively increased without oxygen when operating the bioelectrode. LAKE CITY, S.C. Julie Mixon is an ArtFields veteran, but the thrill of being a part of the annual festival has not waned, she said. The 2019 ArtFields marks Mixons third time exhibiting at the festival and competition. Her piece, Here I Am, is on display at Lynches Lake Historical Society. Here I Am is of an art style called diptych, in which two pieces or panels are presented as one. Rather than displaying the images independently, I enjoy the narrative that can develop for the viewer when presented as one, Mixon said. Mixons Christian faith is an inspiration for much of her work, including Here I Am. The use of symbolism, specifically biblical symbolism, in photo-based media has been a source of inspiration in my work over and over again, Mixon said in her artist statement for the piece. Mixon said she began working with biblical symbols while earning her master of fine arts in photography at East Carolina University. "I don't believe in safety through ignorance," he said, scolding the intelligence community for its lack of "curiosity and courage" and "failure to react" to a strong pattern of sightings. In some cases, pilots - many of whom are engineers and academy graduates - say they observed small spherical objects flying in formation. Others say they've seen white, Tic-Tac-shaped vehicles. Aside from drones, all engines rely on burning fuel to generate power, but these vehicles all had no air intake, no wind and no exhaust. "It's very mysterious, and they still seem to exceed our aircraft in speed," he said, calling it a "truly radical technology." According to Mellon, awestruck and baffled pilots, concerned that reporting unidentified flying aircraft would adversely affect their careers, tended not to speak up. And when they did, he said there was little interest in investigating their reports. The FBI has opened a federal hate crime investigation against an Army veteran who careened his car into a crowd of people in Sunnyvale because he reportedly thought some of them were Muslim, authorities said Saturday. Isaiah Joel Peoples, 34, is being held without bail at the Santa Clara County Main Jail, according to jail records. The FBI San Francisco Field Office has opened a federal hate crime investigation into the incident that occurred in Sunnyvale on April 23, 2019, the agency said Saturday. As this is an ongoing investigation, we are not able to comment further at this time. The Muslim community commended the FBIs decision to open the hate crime probe and called for a robust investigation. It sends a strong message from the perspective of the federal government that they are going to take a stand against violence that is potentially motivated by bias, said Madihha Ahussain, the special counsel for anti-Muslim bigotry for Muslim Advocates. We hope that they will pursue a robust investigation ... and we hope that they will see it through the end. Ahussains sentiments were echoed by Zahra Billoo, the executive director of the Bay Area Council on American-Islamic Relations. We appreciate that both local and federal law enforcement are investigating the violent attack in Sunnyvale as a hate crime and await news of further developments, Billoo said. Billoo referenced Saturdays shooting at a San Diego synagogue, where at least one person was killed and three others were injured, and said these incidents are not isolated and that minority communities are facing increasing hate violence. Her office was called by the Santa Clara County district attorneys office Friday to offer support, Billoo said. County prosecutors have not charged Peoples with a hate crime. The district attorneys office did not respond to a request for comment Saturday. On Friday, Peoples was charged with eight counts of attempted murder after steering his black 2010 Toyota Corolla into the pedestrians at the intersection of El Camino Real and Sunnyvale Saratoga Road on Tuesday evening. Four of the attempted murder charges have enhancements for causing great bodily injury. Based on our investigation, new evidence shows that the defendant intentionally targeted the victims based on their race and his belief that they were of the Muslim faith, Sunnyvale Police Chief Phan Ngo said outside the courthouse. The crash occurred after Peoples picked up food and was heading to Bible study, police said. Witnesses said Peoples got out of his car and said, Thank you, Jesus, before police arrested him. Seven pedestrians and cyclists were struck. A father managed to push his 9-year-old son out of the way so that he was not hit by the car. Officials said Peoples meant to hit him, which accounts for the eighth attempted-murder count. The boy and a 45-year-old man were treated at a hospital and released with minor injuries. 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. A 13-year-old girl remains in critical condition in a coma with swelling to her brain and has a broken pelvis, police officials wrote in court papers. The left side of her skull was removed to relieve pressure. The other victims are a 32-year-old woman, 33-year-old man and 52-year-old man who were in stable condition with major injuries; and a 15-year-old boy and 24-year-old man who were treated by paramedics at the scene, police said. A witness said Peoples reached speeds up to 60 mph before hitting the victims. Police found a disassembled, inoperative shotgun in the Toyota, they said. Peoples served in the Army from 2004 to 2006 and worked as a civil affairs specialist who reached the rank of sergeant. He was deployed to Iraq from June 2005 to May 2006, officials said. He was honorably discharged before joining the Army Reserve in 2008. His brother, Joshua Peoples, told The Chronicle that Peoples struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder after returning from the Middle East and was on medication. He spent nearly a year in a mental institution in 2015. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle Mayor London Breeds call to open a controversial homeless shelter on San Franciscos waterfront shot through the ports notoriously lengthy approval process in a mere six weeks. Opponents are hoping the quick approval will play in their favor as they start a court challenge to the 200-bed Navigation Center on the Embarcadero south of the Bay Bridge. In their haste to get this through, and under pressure from the mayor, they have not crossed all the ts and dotted all of the necessary is, said land use attorney Andrew Zacks, who represents residents opposed to the center. Mike Lawson will never forget how he ended up in the hospital 12 years ago when he had to decide between making a $300 car payment or buying insulin. I made a stupid choice, said Lawson, an Oakland resident who has Type 1 diabetes. That month I chose to pay for my car payment and to ration insulin. These days, the price of insulin skyrocketing, and he is stockpiling the drug. Through Twitter, Lawson recently connected with a stranger who said she had four leftover bottles after switching brands. The two exchanged messages and met near her San Francisco office. Letting insulin go to waste is almost like tossing gold, Lawson said. The price of three commonly used insulin products has increased substantially in recent years. From 2013 to 2019, the cost of NovoLog nearly doubled, going from $289 to $540 per carton, according to according to letters sent in February to drug manufacturers by the Senate Finance Committee, which is investigating insulin prices. Another common drug, Lantus, rose in price from $244 to $431, the committee said. (The drugs maker, Sanofi, says the numbers rose from $228 to $425 over that time period, but the amount paid to the company actually fell 25% after Sanofi paid rebates to insurers and pharmacy benefit managers.) A vial of Humalog, a third popular insulin drug, cost $35 in 2001 and by 2015 had risen to $234, according to the Senate committee. And so, worried about cost, diabetics such as Lawson are increasingly seeking new ways to get, give away or exchange insulin cheaply or for free. Some are using unofficial channels on the internet. Others are traveling to Mexico, where pharmacies sell some popular types of insulin for a fraction of their cost in the United States. Lawson, who now is able to get insulin for a moderate price through insurance even though he still seeks out extra, has also given away some of his insulin to local strangers in need, who find him through Twitter by searching hashtags like #T1D (Type 1 diabetes) and #insulin4all. For the roughly 1.5 million Americans with Type 1 diabetes, the amount of money patients spent on insulin nearly doubled from 2012 to 2016, from $240 to $475 a month, according to a January report from the Health Care Cost Institute, a nonprofit that analyzes health care data. And spending in 2017 continued to rise, experts said. The risk isnt only that people are being trapped in debt, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Fremont, tweeted last weekend. Americans have actually died from diabetic ketoacidosis because they had to ration or skip their doses. We need to rein in Big Pharma greed to save lives. Many stories have emerged nationwide about people who, like Lawson, rationed or delayed buying insulin because they could not afford it, often leading to deadly and dangerous results. About 1 in 4 diabetes patients uses less insulin than prescribed because of costs, according to a 2018 Yale University study. Its not just anecdotal, this is relatively widespread, said the study co-author Dr. Kasia Lipska, an endocrinologist at Yale School of Medicine. There are lots of patients having difficulty affording their insulin. But why is insulin, which is naturally produced by the pancreas and first discovered for medical use nearly a century ago, so expensive? The scientists who invented it in 1923 sold the patent for $1 to the University of Toronto for the purpose of making it accessible. But the way the drug is produced and delivered to the body has changed significantly since then. Insulin was initially isolated from animal pancreases, but today it is made by inserting the human insulin gene into bacteria, producing the insulin protein, and then purifying it. Insulin is derived from live organisms and put through a complex process to become a medicine so its hard for a competing drug company to make a generic version of it. A handful of drug manufacturers have essentially patented the processes for creating modern-day insulin products just enough to keep exclusive patents under their name, experts said. Only three drug companies sell insulin in the United States: Eli Lilly, Sanofi and Novo Nordisk. Some of the insulins have dozens of patents on them even though the active ingredient patent has expired, said Jeannie Biniek, a health economist who co-wrote the Health Care Cost Institute report. Theres a question of whether these additional patents are providing a justified return on the investment or, if at some point, they are just providing the company the opportunity to maintain a monopoly on the market. And, as is the case with many prescription drugs, its not clear how the list price of insulin what a patient would have to pay out of pocket for it, if they do not have insurance is determined because negotiations between drug companies, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers about who pays what are considered proprietary. Drug companies say lowering the list price wouldnt necessarily lead to lower costs for consumers because part of the list price gets paid to pharmacy benefit managers. In recent weeks, amid growing pressure from Congress, the drug companies and some insurers have announced plans to make insulin more affordable. But they fall short of many consumers expectations. Eli Lilly, which makes Humalog, announced in March it will offer a half-price version of the popular fast-acting insulin for $137 per vial, but has not said when it will be available. A Lilly spokesman said the company also offers a free hotline that consumers can call for information about out-of-pocket reductions at the pharmacy and clinics where donated insulin is available. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes In April, hours before Sanofi executives were set to testify before a congressional committee on rising insulin prices, the company announced it will sell its insulin products for a fixed price of $99 a month, for up to 10 vials or boxes of insulin pens, to patients paying with cash. Patients who have commercial health insurance are eligible for co-pay cards that may lower their out-of-pocket expenses, a Sanofi spokesman said. Last year, 246,000 people used the co-pay cards and paid nothing or $10 a month for their Sanofi insulin, he said. Sanofi also provides free insulin for low-income uninsured patients who make about $30,000 a year or less. Novo Nordisk has provided free insulin to tens of thousands of uninsured people with diabetes since 2003 and spends $200 million each year on co-pay assistance to patients with commercial health plans. We know how challenging it is for a growing number of Americans with diabetes to afford their medicines, including the ones we make, a Novo Nordisk spokesman said. As a company focused on improving the lives of people with diabetes, this is not acceptable. Cigna and Express Scripts, which recently merged, announced that they would cap out-of-pocket spending on insulin at $25 a month for patients whose pharmacy plans are managed by Express Scripts. Up to 700,000 people who are on employer-sponsored plans are eligible to receive this benefit if their employer decides to opt in. Im glad to see the mounting pressure and public outcry are having an impact in Lilly releasing this generic and Cigna capping spending, but thats not enough, said Lipska, of Yale. Those are Band-Aid solutions that dont resolve the underlying issue of very high prices for these insulins. Indeed, the discount and savings programs arent reaching everyone. Sabella Larkin of San Diego said she has had to buy insulin in Mexico three times once in Tijuana and twice in Rosarito. The first time was several years ago, when she was a college student in Texas, while working full time at a tanning salon and struggling to pay her bills. Her insurance at the time wouldnt cover an insulin refill until a certain date, and she couldnt wait. One of her customers at the salon lent her $200 to buy an insulin pen. Two weeks later when I got paid, I tried to reimburse her and she said no, said Larkin, 28. Being in that situation, thats when I went to Mexico and happened to see the insulin I take. It was only $20. I literally cried. Larkin said she has purchased both NovoLog and Lantus in Mexico for $20 to $25, for the same amount of insulin that would have cost her hundreds of dollars at U.S. pharmacies. It was life changing, she said. It was this added security across the border. Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho The difficult case of Igor Perlov began last year when, authorities said, he called the FBI in San Francisco to say he thought there was a chip under his skin and was being programmed to carry out a mass shooting. When police learned he had guns including a legally possessed rifle with a scope they found next to a window overlooking a school officers acted swiftly, placing the 31-year-old man on an involuntary psychiatric hold. Now eight months later, hes out of the hospital and in jail. Hes awaiting trial on one charge of unlawful possession of ammunition in a case that highlights a challenge for San Francisco and other cities: How to deal with a person authorities believe presented a risk of hurting others, but who hasnt committed a serious crime. For his part, Perlov denies having mental illness and says hes no danger. He said he had guns and ammunition because he is an enthusiast, and planned to start a business selling firearms and accessories. The case, he said, has been blown out of proportion over some stupid stuff that I said while high on methamphetamine. When cops ask stupid questions, sometimes you just try to be a smart-ass, and thats what got me in trouble my foolishness, Perlov said in a recent interview at San Francisco County Jail in San Bruno. Its funny. People will believe anything you tell them and take everything so seriously. Theres no question the FBI took Perlovs Aug. 17 message and four subsequent calls over the next month seriously. The communications raised enough concern with federal agents that they contacted San Francisco police. Evan Sernoffsky / The Chronicle When members of the Police Departments crisis intervention team went to Perlovs home in the Richmond District in September, they said they found more cause for alarm. Not only did he say he was still hearing voices, police said, he had five guns all of them legally possessed. Officers seized four handguns stowed in the trunk of his car, officials said, before a search of his second-story apartment turned up a .308-caliber bolt-action rifle with a scope leaning next to a window overlooking Katherine Delmar Burke School, a private K-8 all-girls school. Police said they did not find evidence that Perlov was planning an attack, and no threat was made against any specific location or person. I looked at the totality of what we were dealing with someone saying theyre being told to commit a mass shooting, that they have a chip implanted, and that they had several firearms, Officer Carlos Manfredi testified at a recent hearing in San Francisco Superior Court. There was a growing concern for safety because I didnt know what I was dealing with. Manfredi contacted the city Department of Public Health, which placed Perlov on an involuntary psychiatric hold, commonly known by the state legal code 5150, at UCSF Medical Center. Under California law, people can be involuntarily hospitalized up to 72 hours if theyre deemed dangerous to themselves or others. Perlov was considered a danger to others. If a person continues to be a risk, he or she can be held longer. Perlov said he was held for two weeks. He faced no criminal charges, so he was sent home, where he lives with his mother and stepfather. He was banned from possessing guns or ammunition under a California law designed to keep firearms away from people deemed a danger to themselves or others as a result of a mental health disorder. But in December, San Francisco police got a call from law enforcement in Quartzsite, Ariz., saying they pulled Perlov over and found 500 rounds of ammunition in his car. Perlov told The Chronicle he was in Arizona visiting a monastery where he was getting clean. He said he hasnt used methamphetamine since. After he returned home, San Francisco police visited him and said they found more than 700 rounds of ammunition in his car and apartment. Officers arrested him, and hes now being held in lieu of $100,000 bail awaiting trial on the ammunition possession charge. If he is convicted, he faces a sentence of 16 months to three years in prison. Perlov does not have a criminal record and is earning double credits for time served as he awaits trial. The Chronicle learned of Perlovs case in the course of covering court hearings at the Hall of Justice. Police officials did not reveal it publicly, nor did they tell administrators at Katherine Delmar Burke School, who did not know about the case until contacted by the newspaper. We have been in touch with SFPD about this matter, and they have advised us that the individual involved has been in custody for several months, and that law enforcement and mental health professionals did not contact the school because they did not believe that our school was a point of interest for this individual, Michele Williams, the head of school at Katherine Delmar Burke, wrote in an email to The Chronicle. She added that police are committed to notifying the school before he is released and working with us on a safety plan. Nevertheless, we are concerned that an individual with mental health problems living in the schools neighborhood was able to acquire weapons. Perlov sits at a tricky intersection of the citys criminal justice and behavioral health systems. Under state law, he cant be forced into long-term psychiatric treatment unless hes found to be so mentally ill that he cant function on his own. Psychiatrists previously diagnosed him with having an unspecific schizophrenia spectrum disorder or other psychotic spectrum disorder, according to recent court testimony by Dr. Courtney Thomas, who works in crisis services with the Department of Public Health. The way that mental health law is set up, you cant compel someone to take medication long term on the basis of them being dangerous, said Dr. Paul Linde, a San Francisco psychiatrist who worked in the psychiatric emergency room at San Francisco General Hospital for 24 years. Linde, who is not involved in Perlovs case, said mental health conservatorship laws are designed for people with grave disabilities who are not able to care for themselves not for people deemed potentially at risk of hurting someone. A conservatorship gives a person the legal authority to make certain decisions for another person, including compelling mental health treatment. There are encouraging aspects of Perlovs case, said his attorney, Deputy Public Defender Mark Iverson. He has cooperated with police in the past. He will be prohibited from owning a gun. And police didnt find evidence he was planning an attack. Whats more, Perlov said this is the first time hes ever been in jail. But the facts leading to his arrest have left San Francisco authorities uneasy. Iverson asked a judge to release Perlov on electronic monitoring before trial, a common practice for defendants facing similar or even more serious charges. The ammunition police found in December, Iverson said, had been in Perlovs car and home before his guns were seized. Judge Kay Tsenin, though, denied the request, saying she was uncomfortable with anything less than keeping him in custody in lieu of bail. Iverson said the prosecution and judges are frozen in their decision-making on the case, even though the charges dont warrant a significant long-term punishment. Any person who can lawfully have a gun can have it at their window whether theyre across from a school or not, he said. Thats the world we live in. Another concern for Iverson is Perlovs housing in County Jail, where around 15% of the population has serious mental health issues, according to a 2016 report by the citys Budget and Legislative Analysts Office. The lawyer said his client isnt getting the help he needs while behind bars. My client should be getting mental health treatment, but hes in jail, Iverson said. A lot of people have nobody. He has a family. He has resources, which normally is a good sign for future behavior. 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. The city does have the ability to try to steer jail inmates toward managing their mental health. Prosecutors and judges can use several tools, including Behavioral Health Court, which connects defendants with serious mental illness to treatment services as a way to resolve their charges. Similarly, the states new mental health diversion law authorizes a court to grant pretrial diversion for a defendant who has a mental disorder and prefers treatment to going in front of a jury. But even in those cases, the defendant must be willing to participate, and attorneys and judges must agree that the program is a good fit. Perlov is not currently in any of these programs. Officials with the district attorneys office said they could not comment on the case. In every case, we strive to obtain the best outcome for all parties involved given the circumstances, said Alex Bastian, a spokesman for the district attorneys office. A judge also can mandate that a person get services and take medication under the terms of their probation when they are released, or risk going back to jail. For some individuals, having pending criminal charges helps support them to accept those services, said Angelica Almeida, director of Forensic and Justice Involved Behavioral Health Services with the city health department. Having a host of options can be really beneficial. Perlov doesnt believe he needs medication. He told The Chronicle he had heard voices, but said they would come amid days-long meth benders in which he wasnt sleeping and was a little paranoid. He couldnt say why officials held him for two weeks on the involuntary hold last year. He is currently housed among the general population in jail and said he has stopped taking psychiatric medication, which he said made him drowsy. I dont like how theyre trying to label me as gravely disabled and a danger to others, he said. That is just a false accusation, you know? This is just not me, and I dont want to be labeled as that. Thats why Im trying to fight this case. Iverson said his clients calls to the FBI were an effort to get help and an indication that he would be willing to accept it when released. After the first call to the FBI in August, Perlov said his follow-up messages were to find out how he could dispose of parts for automatic weapons he bought at a gun show at the Cow Palace. California has safeguards preventing some people deemed to present risk from having firearms. Existing law bars anyone who has been found to be a danger to themselves or others from possessing a gun for five years. Under a new law that takes effect next year, anyone found to present such a danger twice in one year is banned for life. Upon release, Perlov may return to his home across from the Katherine Delmar Burke School. He said he will go back to the carpentry and concrete work he was doing before he was arrested. Perlov insisted he never had any plans to commit violence and said the case against him is bogus. When released, he said he will stay away from guns and drugs. I was never a dangerous person, he said. I despise violence myself. This is the stuff that actually bothers me. Thats why I called the FBI, because this bothers me. Im worried about it. His stepfather, George, who did not give his last name, said he hopes Perlov will return to the familys home when released, but said, We cant push him to do it. Hes an adult, and he has a legal right to make any decision. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. This year, its roaring back to life. An alarming 695 cases have been recorded in the U.S. this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention. Its the highest number since 2000, and there have been outbreaks detected in 22 states. The high number of cases is primarily from several large outbreaks in Washington and New York states, but California hasnt been immune. In California, 38 cases have been recorded. On Wednesday and Thursday, hundreds of students and faculty members at two large Southern California universities were placed under quarantine after health officials warned they might have been exposed. Measles is no laughing matter. Most people were fortunate enough to survive the illness unscathed back when the disease was a regular childhood experience, but its highly contagious and potentially life-threatening. Even with todays medical care, about 1 in 1,000 victims dies from the disease. Whats terrifying about this years outbreaks, according to the Centers for Disease Control, is the fact that the longer it continues, the greater the chance measles will again re-establish itself in this country. One of the biggest reasons for the diseases grim comeback was on display in Sacramento last week, when hundreds of anti-vaccination demonstrators crammed into the state Capitol to protest a vaccination bill by state Sen. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento. Pans bill, SB276, would require the state health department to review and vet all medical exemptions to Californias current school immunization requirements. Its a serious bill for a serious problem. The number of California students entering kindergarten with medical exemptions for vaccinations has tripled since the state tightened its vaccination requirements in 2016. At Wednesdays hearing, Pan said hed witnessed doctors advertising medical exemptions in exchange for cash online and parents posting that theyd successfully shopped for doctors who would grant them exemptions. The stories suggest the strength of what both Pan and the country are fighting medical misinformation, made viral by the internet, and a small group of unscrupulous people who are eager to profit off of parents fears. These are powerful forces that cant and shouldnt be left unchecked. Measles vaccinations are among the most extensively studied medical products we have in use. The vaccinations are safe, they are effective, and, as the past few months have taught us, they are necessary to prevent the resurgence of a potentially deadly disease that we once eradicated. The alternative is a future of deadly outbreaks, useless suffering and disruptive quarantines. Despite the protests, SB276 passed the state Senate Health Committee. For the publics health, the state Legislature must stand up to the bills stiff opposition and make sure Gov. Gavin Newsom has the chance to sign it. 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. One of the most popular restaurants in Suisun was damaged in a fire Saturday night. The Suisun City Fire Department arrived at the Athenian Grill at 9 p.m. after reports of heavy smoke and flames coming from the building's roof. Once on scene, firefighters were informed the building's owner thought their dog was upstairs on the second floor; the dog was found and brought to safety. SEATTLE Four people died and three were injured when a construction crane at the new Google Seattle campus collapsed Saturday, pinning six cars underneath. One female and three males were dead by the time firefighters got to the scene, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said. He said two of the dead were crane operators and the other two were people who had been in cars. WASHINGTON Attorney General William Barr and congressional Democrats clashed Sunday over the terms of Barrs scheduled testimony before the House Judiciary Committee this week, with Barr threatening to skip the session and the panels chairman threatening to subpoena him. The dispute, which spilled out into the public with dueling comments from each camp, revolves around Barrs objections to the Democrats proposed format for questioning him about the special counsels report. And it throws Thursdays hearing into doubt. The witness is not going to tell the committee how to conduct its hearing, period, the committee chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., told CNN. If Barr does not show up, Nadler added, then we will have to subpoena him, and we will have to use whatever means we can to enforce the subpoena. The fight is only the latest in the Trump administrations escalating battle with Democrats in Congress over documents and testimony a battle that could lead to constitutional battles in the courts. White House lawyers already have indicated that they planned to tell Donald McGahn, the former White House counsel, and other former officials not to comply with subpoenas. The White House also blocked a former official from answering questions about security clearances to officials including Jared Kushner, the presidents son-in-law and senior adviser. And last week, the Treasury Department refused to turn over President Trumps tax returns before a deadline set by House Democrats. This is part of this massive resistance by the Trump administration, said Norman Ornstein, an expert on Congress at the American Enterprise Institute. Its basically a middle finger to Congress and its powers, and were going to see what Congress does about it. In addition to allowing each member of the committee to question Barr for five minutes, Nadler has proposed a second round of questioning for Democrats and Republicans. However, he has also proposed that staff lawyers for both sides be included in that round, which Barr opposes. A senior Justice Department official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Sunday that the attorney general had agreed to appear before Congress, not its staff, and therefore should be questioned only by members of Congress. Nadlers plan also calls for the committee to go into closed session to discuss the redacted sections of the special counsels report. But Barr and the Justice Department object to questioning behind closed doors. It would be a shame if Barr refused to show, Nadlers spokesman, Daniel Schwarz, said, but it is important that there be a chance to ask follow-up questions, and members should not be prohibited from asking about redacted sections, which means we would need to go into executive session in order for Barr to be able to answer in a secure setting. Although allowing staff members to question witnesses is unusual, the committee has permitted it on several occasions in the past, under both Democratic and Republican majorities, according to Schwarz. Sheryl Gay Stolberg is a New York Times writer. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein was walking into the banquet hall at Chabad of Poway when he heard a loud noise Saturday. He thought a table had toppled or that one of his congregants had fallen. I did not know what that was, he said. But when he turned around, he immediately found out. I was face to face with this murder terrorist who was holding the rifle and looking straight at me, he said. The gunman did not say anything. As soon as he saw me, he started to shoot toward me and that is when I put my hands up, Goldstein said. In an interview on NBCs Today show Sunday, Goldstein recounted the harrowing moments when the gunman entered the synagogue in Poway (San Diego County) and opened fire with an AR-15-style gun. My fingers got blown away, Goldstein said. I cannot erase that face from my mind. The shooting at Chabad of Poway was the most recent in a string of deadly attacks at houses of worship, including a mass shooting at a mosque in New Zealand in March and fatal bombings at churches in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday that killed more than 300 people. The attack at Chabad of Poway happened six months to the day after one of the deadliest attacks against the American Jewish community killed 11 in a Pittsburgh synagogue. The attack Saturday left 60-year-old congregant Lori Kaye dead, the rabbi wounded, and a 34-year-old man and a young girl with shrapnel wounds. A friend of Kayes, Roneet Lev, told the Los Angeles Times that Kayes physician husband was called to tend to a wounded worshiper and fainted when he realized it was his wife. The shooting occurred while there were as many as 60 people at the synagogue and on Saturday, which was the Sabbath and also the last day of Passover, a holiday that celebrates Jewish freedom. Goldstein and those injured are expected to recover, but he said he will be scarred for life. I cannot erase the moment, and it is going to be embedded there forever, he said. The gunman, identified as John Earnest, 19, may face a hate crime charge in addition to homicide when hes arraigned this week, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Sandra E. Garcia is a New York Times writer. COSTA MESA, Calif. In the forests of Northern California, raids by law enforcement officials continue to uncover illicit marijuana farms. In Southern California, hundreds of illegal delivery services and pot dispensaries, some of them registered as churches, serve a steady stream of customers. And in Mendocino County, north of San Francisco, the sheriffs office recently raided an illegal cannabis production facility that was processing 500 pounds of marijuana a day. Its been a little more than a year since California legalized marijuana the largest such experiment in the United States but law enforcement officials say the unlicensed, illegal market is still thriving and in some areas has even expanded. Theres a lot of money to be made in the black market, said Mendocino County Sheriff Thomas Allman, whose deputies seized cannabis oil worth more than $5 million in early April. Legalization, Allman said, certainly didnt put cops out of work. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared that illegal grows in Northern California are getting worse, not better and two months ago redeployed a contingent of National Guard troops stationed on the border with Mexico to go after illegal cannabis farms instead. Stepped-up enforcement comes with a certain measure of irony legalization was meant to open a new chapter for the state, free from the legacy of heavy policing and incarceration for minor infractions. Instead, there are new calls for a crackdown on illegal selling. Conscious of the consequences that the war on drugs had on black and Latino communities, cities like Los Angeles say they are wary of using criminal enforcement measures to police the illegal market and are unsure how to navigate this uncharted era. The struggles of the licensed pot market in California are distinct from the experience of other states that have legalized cannabis in recent years. Sales in Colorado, Oregon and Washington grew well above 50 percent for each of the first three years of legalization, although Oregon now also has a large glut of pot. But no other state has an illegal market on the scale of Californias, and those illicit sales are cannibalizing the revenue of licensed businesses and, in some cases, experts say, forcing them out of business. Entrepreneurs in the industry, which spent decades evading the law, are now turning to the law to demand the prosecution of unlicensed pot businesses. We are the taxpayers no one else should be operating, said Robert Taft, whose licensed cannabis business in Orange County, south of Los Angeles, has seen sales drop in recent months. This is starting to get ridiculous, he said of the illegal pot shops, including nearby businesses that list themselves as churches and advertise marijuana as a kind of sacrament. Its almost like the state is setting itself up to lose. California gives cities wide latitude to regulate cannabis, resulting in a confusing patchwork of regulations. Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and San Diego have laws allowing cannabis businesses, but most smaller cities and towns in the state do not 80% of Californias nearly 500 municipalities do not allow retail marijuana businesses. The ballot measure legalizing recreational marijuana passed in 2016 with 57% approval, but that relatively broad support has not translated to the local level. Cities like Compton or Laguna Beach decisively rejected allowing pot shops. Regulators cite this tepid embrace by California municipalities as one of many reasons for the states persistent and pervasive illegal market. Only 620 cannabis shops have been licensed in California so far. Colorado, with a population one-sixth the size of California, has 562 licensed recreational marijuana stores. But the more fundamental reason for the strength of the black market in California and what sets the state apart from others is the huge surplus of pot. Since medical marijuana was made legal in California more than two decades ago, the cannabis industry flourished with minimal oversight. Now many cannabis businesses are reluctant to go through the cumbersome and costly process to obtain the licenses that became mandatory last year. Of the roughly 14 million pounds of marijuana grown in California annually, only a fraction less than 20% according to state estimates and a private research firm is consumed in California. The rest seeps out across the country illicitly, through the mail, express delivery services, private vehicles and small aircraft that ply trafficking routes that have existed for decades. This illicit trade has been strengthened by the increasing popularity of vaping, cannabis-infused candies, tinctures and other derivative products. Vape cartridges are much easier to carry and conceal than bags of raw cannabis. And the monetary incentives of trafficking also remain powerful: The price of cannabis products in places like Illinois, New York or Connecticut are typically many times higher than in California. The states illicit cannabis exports appear to be increasing even now, well into Californias second year of legalization. New Frontier Data, a data research company that specializes in cannabis, calculates that high demand and more advanced growing techniques will contribute to approximately half a million pounds more illicit cannabis this year compared with 2018. The federal government still considers marijuana illegal, and the Drug Enforcement Administration says it still investigates marijuana-related crimes. But a spokesman, Rusty Payne, said the agency has a bigger crisis to attend to. Weve got our hands full with the opioid epidemic to be honest, Payne said. In wildland areas, seizures of illicit pot by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife more than doubled in 2018, the first year that recreational cannabis was legal. The department destroyed 1.6 million marijuana plants in 2018, up from 700,000 in 2017 and 800,000 the year before all of them illegally grown. Theres a subset of people who are just refusing to get into the process, said Nathaniel Arnold, the departments deputy chief of enforcement. The Bureau of Cannabis Control, the agency charged with regulating marijuana in the state, has received about 7,500 complaints, most of them about illegal operations, and has sent out more than 3,000 letters ordering illegal businesses to shut down. Its only a matter of time before we start making a dent in the illegal market, said Alex Traverso, a spokesman for the agency, who acknowledged there were probably more illegal shops in Los Angeles alone than licensed shops in the entire state. Cat Packer, executive director of the Department of Cannabis Regulation in Los Angeles, said that even when illicit businesses were shut down, they often soon reappeared. Its been a game of whack-a-mole in the city of Los Angeles, she said. But Packer also said the city was mindful that criminal enforcement in the past had disproportionately targeted people of color. The city is seeking to find an effective enforcement policy that does not mimic the criminal interdiction policies of the past, Packer said. One strategy is to turn off water and power services to noncompliant businesses. We cant do Drug War 2.0, she said. Taft, the cannabis entrepreneur, has sent 450 complaints to the Bureau of Cannabis Control and is unapologetic about his calls for an aggressive approach to illegal shops, which he says is the only way that Californias giant experiment will work. His dispensary pays a cumulative state and local tax rate of 32.25%. Unlicensed shops pay no tax. One of Tafts biggest complaints is about Weedmaps, a phone app that allows users to locate marijuana businesses nearby, both licensed and illegal. In February 2018, the Bureau of Cannabis Control sent a letter to Weedmaps saying the company was aiding and abetting illicit businesses and ordering it to immediately cease all activity that violates state cannabis laws. Weedmaps replied that it was a technology company and not under the jurisdiction of the bureau. More than a year later, the company still lists hundreds of unlicensed shops. Earlier this year, Taft resigned as a board member of the Santa Ana Cannabis Association because half the members, he said, were selling illegally and using legalization as a shield. They are playing both sides of the market, he said. On a recent weekday morning, Taft called the Bureau of Cannabis Control to lodge a complaint against his neighbor, a cannabis business that he said did not appear on the list of licensed businesses. We are being pillaged by these people, he said. My lawyers are ready to launch rockets! This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Greaves Pakistan Private Limited Jobs 2019 Latest Greaves Pakistan Pvt Limited Sales Posts Karachi 2021 Experienced and technical personnel for the posts of Elevators Sales Manager, Elevators Service Manager, Solar Sales Manager, Sales Engineer & Application Engineer required for Greaves Pakistan Private Limited in Karachi, Lahore & Islamabad. How to Apply on Greaves Pakistan Pvt Limited 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. Trojans Pakistan Jobs 2019 in Islamabad Latest Trojans Pakistan Management Posts Islamabad 2021 Qualified and technical personnel for the positions of IT Manager & Mechatronics Engineer required urgently for a leading and well known Trojans Pakistan in Islamabad Pakistan 2019. How to Apply on Trojans Pakistan 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. Justice never tasted so good. A Connecticut judge's decision has resolved a legal quandary that stupefied some and left others flat-out hungry: could a police officer mistake a McDonald's hash brown for a cellphone? In Jason Stiber's case, the answer is "yes." He was found not guilty Friday after successfully contesting the $300 distracted driving citation he received last year. "It was the case of the century," Stiber's attorney, John Thygerson, said with a laugh. "He was quite pleased. Obviously, he was quite pleased." Stiber's victory comes nearly 13 months after he was pulled over by a Westport police officer who claimed to have seen the 45-year-old using his cellphone on the morning of April 11, 2018. Stiber, representing himself in court, lost his case last year but refused to give up - telling The Washington Post Friday he doled out a "significant" amount of money to hire Thygerson to prove he wasn't talking on his phone at all. His willingness to take on the legal fees - which exceeded the cost of the ticket - was a matter of principle, he added. "Distracted driving violations go on your record and they never come off," Stiber said in an interview. "Plus, a lot of people don't realize your insurance rates go up." In February, Westport Police Cpl. Shawn Wong Won testified that he "clearly" saw Stiber speaking into a black cellphone while driving that morning, the Hour reported at the time. Wong Won said in court that he saw Stiber holding an illuminated object the size of a cellphone up to his face while moving his lips. Thygerson rebutted that claim, explaining that Stiber's lip movement was "consistent with chewing" the hash brown he'd ordered at McDonald's moments earlier. Phone records show that Stiber was not having a conversation at the time he was pulled over, Thygerson said. His client's car also has Bluetooth capabilities that allow him to talk without holding his phone. To bolster his defense, Stiber said he made a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain records showing Wong Won was on the 15th hour of a 16-hour double shift when he pulled Stiber over; offering another reason why the officer may have confused the fried potato for a cellphone. Ultimately, the judge concluded Friday that the state was unable to meet its burden of proof, citing a lack of evidence that shows Stiber was actually on his phone at the time he was pulled over. The Post reviewed a copy of the decision, in which the judge cited an appellate court case involving another Connecticut driver who was found not guilty in 2016 after being pulled over for using his phone. "It just is proof that police officers - there's nothing nefarious here - but that police officers are human and make mistakes, that's all," Thygerson said. Westport Police did not immediately return a request for comment Friday evening. Stiber is relieved about the verdict, but said the lengths he went to defend himself illustrate a greater problem in the justice system. He had to sit through two trials, miss four days of work and pay a lawyer to get the right outcome - painstaking steps he says others shouldn't be forced to take. "That's why I did it, because I wouldn't want anyone else to go through this," he said. "Other people don't have the means to defend themselves in the same way." It remains to be seen if Stiber's case will establish new precedent in future cases. He acknowledged, though, that his tribulations have made him think twice about eating hash browns. "I definitely haven't eaten as many as I have previously, but I still go to McDonald's for other things," he said. "It's been a long ordeal, but I'd rather avoid trouble in the future." What Trump Said The baby is born. The mother meets with the doctor. They take care of the baby. They wrap the baby beautifully. And then the doctor and the mother determine whether or not they will execute the baby. President Donald Trump revived Saturday night what is fast becoming a standard, and inaccurate, refrain about doctors executing babies. During a more than hourlong speech at a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Trump admonished the Democratic governor, Tony Evers, for vetoing a Republican bill that could send doctors to prison for life if they fail to give medical care to children born alive after a failed abortion attempt. The comments are the latest in a long string of incendiary statements from the president on abortion. He wrote in January on Twitter that Democrats had become the Party of late term abortion when efforts to expand abortion rights in Virginia and New York gained national attention. About a week later, in his State of the Union address, he falsely said New Yorks law would allow a baby to be ripped from the mothers womb moments before birth. And in February he responded to the blocking of a federal measure similar to the Wisconsin bill by tweeting that Democrats dont mind executing babies AFTER birth. The New York Times has previously fact-checked these claims, finding that late-term abortions are rare. In Wisconsin, only 1% of all abortions in 2017 occurred after 20 weeks of pregnancy, according to the most recent annual report from the states Department of Health Services. The numbers are similarly low at the national level. In another fact check, The Times found that infants are rarely born alive after abortion procedures: It hardly ever happens, according to Dr. Daniel Grossman, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of California, San Francisco. He performs abortions and is a spokesman for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, where he leads a committee on health care for underserved women. Infants are hardly ever born alive after attempted abortions, though there are rare cases where an infant survives a premature birth but cannot survive without extreme attempts at resuscitation. Moreover, The Times reported, doctors do not kill the infants who survive, although families may choose not to take extreme measures to resuscitate them: Grossman said there were painful situations in which the fetus might be at the edge of viability and labor must be induced to save the mothers life. For instance, a condition called pre-eclampsia, involving high blood pressure and other problems, can kill both mother and fetus, and in most cases the only treatment is to deliver the baby. If it seems unlikely that the baby will survive, the family may choose to provide just comfort care wrapping and cuddling the baby and allow the child to die naturally without extreme attempts at resuscitation. Bills like the one in Wisconsin and the one that Democrats blocked in Congress in February would force doctors to resuscitate the infant, even against the familys wishes. The Times reported in February: The bill would force doctors to resuscitate such an infant, even if the parents did not want those measures, said Dr. Jennifer Conti, an obstetrician gynecologist who is a fellow of Physicians for Reproductive Health, an advocacy group. Doctors who violated the law would be subject to criminal penalties, as would anyone who saw the violation and failed to report it, she said. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. ANTI-FUR PROTEST PALO ALTO (BCN) Animal rights activists say they are planning a "Bloody Fashion Show" protest against fur at 2:30 p.m. Sunday outside the Neiman Marcus at the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto. Organizers say more than 80 protesters affiliated with the groups Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) and In Defense of Animals are expected to take part in the action that will include a commentator, models, cages, fake blood, and even a red carpet. Sales of furs are banned in West Hollywood, San Francisco Berkeley, and Los Angeles, and AB44, a bill now being discussed in the state assembly, "would make it unlawful to sell, offer for sale, display for sale, trade, give, donate, or otherwise distribute a fur product." 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. VALLEJO (BCN) Vallejo City Manager Greg Nyhoff has formally invited the U.S. Department of Justice's Community Relations Service to help the city "improve community and police relations." "Having strength is knowing when to ask for help, and that time is now," Vallejo Mayor Bob Sampayan said in a statement. "I welcome the wisdom and insights of the DOJ Community Relations Service to improve our police department and assist with elevating the level of community engagement with our residents." The call for federal intervention comes after the Feb. 9 shooting of 20-year-old Vallejo rapper Willie McCoy, killed by police after falling asleep in his car outside a Taco Bell restaurant. McCoy's death was the 16th involving Vallejo police officers since 2011. This isn't the first time Vallejo has reached out for federal help in this way. The city in 2013 called in federal Community Relations Service mediators after a man with a pellet gun in his car was shot and killed by police, stoking tensions between police and the community. Improving relations between police and the community -- a city of 118,000 people with significant white, black, Hispanic and Asian populations -- is a City Council initiative, and will be developed and implemented "over time," with regular updates and reports, city officials said. 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. Fire officials are crediting firefighting efforts during a three-alarm blaze at a well-known Greek restaurant in Suisun City on Saturday night for saving the structure from being a complete loss, despite causing heavy damage to a second-floor residential dwelling and attic/roof area. The upper areas of the two-story Athenian Grill restaurant at 350 Kellogg Street took the brunt of the damage, as the roof was destroyed in the fire first reported at 9 p.m. Saturday, Fire Chief Justin Vincent said. The kitchen and dining areas suffered minor damage in a fire that took nearly three hours to extinguish. "This in my book was a win. This business will be back and will be up and running in the future," Vincent said. Fire crews arrived to heavy smoke and flames from the roof after the fire started in the kitchen area and went upwards towards the top of the structure. It took a little more than an hour for fire crews to knock down the blaze at 10:17 p.m., and they were able to fully extinguish it at 11:35 p.m. One firefighter suffered a minor injury to his foot after a filing cabinet fell on it and self-transported themselves to a hospital. The residential occupants - who own the restaurant - all evacuated safely, Vincent said. Fire crews did enter the structure to save a dog, which was rescued safely. "This was a great save," Vincent said. A Nevada sheriff's deputy suffered a gunshot wound Friday while helping apprehend the suspect in three fatal Friday Bay Area shootings, police said Saturday. Stefon Jefferson, 43, is a suspect in a homicide at People's Park in Berkeley Friday, as well as a shooting Friday morning in Oakland and another Friday afternoon in San Francisco's Bayview District. A fourth shooting took place when Jefferson was arrested, wounding a deputy, San Francisco police said. Jefferson is being detained in Douglas County on suspicion of crimes including attempted murder of a police officer, according to police. The People's Park shooting took place around 2:40 p.m. Friday, University of California police said. Officers said the People's Park shooting victim was shot by a male suspect who left the scene in a car. The victim died at the hospital, police said. Jefferson was arrested Friday evening in connection with a shooting Friday morning in Oakland and another Friday afternoon in San Francisco's Bayview District. University police now say Jefferson is a suspect in the People's Park shooting, as well. At a news conference Saturday in Minden, Douglas County District Attorney Mark Jackson said that county has first shot at Jefferson's prosecution as he is in custody there. Jackson also said he will confer with the victims' families and the district attorneys in Alameda County and San Francisco before any legal decisions are confirmed. A 21-year-old man was detained Saturday night after he allegedly struck a 17-year-old girl on a BART train as it arrived at the Union City station, a BART spokesman said. The man and girl were aboard a Richmond-bound BART train at about 8 p.m. Saturday when the man allegedly struck the woman, said BART spokesman Chris Filippi. The man then fled the train. BART police were called, and they, in turn, notified Union City police, whose officers found the suspect near the Union City station and detained him. The victim turned down medical attention. It wasn't immediately know what prompted the attack, or if the suspect has been arrested. BART was suffering through systemwide delays of 20 minutes or more late Saturday afternoon, caused by an earlier equipment problem on the track at the 16th Street Mission station in San Francisco and by track work between Concord and Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre on the Antioch line in Contra Costa County, BART officials said. The equipment problem was first reported after 3 p.m. Saturday. The specific failure was a blown insulator that helps confine electricity to the third rail that powers BART's trains. Trains were single tracked between the Montgomery and 24th Street Mission stations Saturday afternoon. The Contra Costa County track replacement work had been scheduled, and will last throughout this weekend. Free buses provided by the County Connection agency will take riders between the two stations while the tracks are closed for work. The work will continue Sunday, as well as May 11-12, the three-day Memorial Day weekend on May 25-27 and June 8-9. A 63-year-old man was killed early Saturday morning when he was hit by a car as he walked along a highway between Salinas and Castroville in rural Monterey County, the California Highway Patrol said. The man, a Castroville resident whose name was not released Saturday afternoon, was walking along State Route 183 (Castroville Road) north of the Cooper Road intersection about 12:30 a.m. Saturday when he was struck by a silver Lexus heading north of 183, the CHP said. Officer believes the man was trying to cross the road when the Lexus came by and struck him. The man died at the scene. The driver of the Lexus, a 19-year-old woman from Castroville, was neither injured nor arrested, the CHP said. Neither drugs nor alcohol appear to be factors in this accident. A man was placed under arrest after allegedly striking a pedestrian while driving under the influence in San Anselmo on Saturday night, according to the Central Marin Police Authority. The collision occurred in the 300 block of Butterfield Road, Sgt. Alberto Duenas said. The suspect - only described as a man in his 30s - has been arrested and the victim was taken to a hospital with major injuries. Butterfield Road is currently closed, with no estimated time of reopening. A 49-year-old former San Francisco man was sentenced Friday to five years in prison for possession of child pornography, having pleaded guilty in November to possessing approximately 20 videos and 300 still images depicting children, the United States Attorney's office said. Roland Aujero also used messenger services to engage in online chats with kids as young as 8 years old, according to U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson. Aujero was indicted in June by a federal grand jury on one count of possession of child pornography. He has been in custody since his November plea. He also faces five years of supervised release after finishing his prison term. He had worked as a substitute teacher in San Francisco, South San Francisco, Mill Valley, San Rafael and San Diego, Anderson said. Sunday will be partly cloudy. Highs will be in the 50s to mid 60s. Southwest winds will be 10 to 20 mph. Sunday night will be mostly clear. Lows will be in the lower 50s. Southwest winds will be 10 to 20 mph, before becoming 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Monday will be partly cloudy in the morning, then becoming sunny. Highs will be in the 50s to mid 60s. Southwest winds will be 5 to 10 mph, before becoming west winds at 10 to 20 mph in the afternoon. 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. BERKELEY (BCN) A suspect who was arrested Friday in Nevada in connection with two fatal Bay Area shootings the same day is also a suspect in a third deadly Friday shooting, this one in Berkeley, police said Saturday. Stefon Jefferson, 43, is also considered a suspect in a homicide that occurred at People's Park at 2556 Haste St. in Berkeley around 2:40 p.m. Friday, University of California police said in a release. Officers said the People's Park shooting victim was shot by a male suspect who left the scene in a car. The victim died at the hospital, police said. Jefferson was arrested Friday evening in connection with a shooting Friday morning in Oakland and another Friday afternoon in San Francisco's Bayview District. University police now say Jefferson is a suspect in the People's Park shooting, as well. University of California police did not immediately respond to a request for further comment. Neither Oakland police nor San Francisco police responded immediately to a request for comment Saturday afternoon. Jefferson was taken into custody near South Lake Tahoe Friday evening by members of the Douglas County Sheriff's Department in Nevada, according to the San Francisco Police Department. Jefferson reportedly led deputies on a high-speed chase and engaged in a shootout, which left one Douglas County sheriff's deputy injured in the left hand. The deputy underwent surgery for his hand at a local area hospital and was expected to be released by Saturday afternoon. Jefferson crashed his vehicle after police used their car to push him off the road. He surrendered without further incident. Oakland police said Jefferson was wanted in connection with a shooting in the 4100 block of Market Street in Oakland. Officers responded to the scene at 10:14 a.m. and located a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The man died at the scene. At 1:27 p.m., officers with the San Francisco Police Department responded to the 1100 block of Donner Avenue in San Francisco on a report of a shooting and located a man suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was transported to the hospital and later died. Investigators determined Jefferson was a suspect in that homicide as well. 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. SUISUN CITY (BCN) Fire officials are crediting firefighting efforts during a three-alarm blaze at a well-known Greek restaurant in Suisun City on Saturday night for saving the structure from being a complete loss, despite causing heavy damage to a second-floor residential dwelling and attic/roof area. The upper areas of the two-story Athenian Grill restaurant at 350 Kellogg Street took the brunt of the damage, as the roof was destroyed in the fire first reported at 9 p.m. Saturday, Fire Chief Justin Vincent said. The kitchen and dining areas suffered minor damage in a fire that took nearly three hours to extinguish. "This in my book was a win. This business will be back and will be up and running in the future," Vincent said. Fire crews arrived to heavy smoke and flames from the roof after the fire started in the kitchen area and went upwards towards the top of the structure. It took a little more than an hour for fire crews to knock down the blaze at 10:17 p.m., and they were able to fully extinguish it at 11:35 p.m. One firefighter suffered a minor injury to his foot after a filing cabinet fell on it and self-transported themselves to a hospital. The residential occupants - who own the restaurant - all evacuated safely, Vincent said. Fire crews did enter the structure to save a dog, which was rescued safely. "This was a great save," Vincent said. Crews had mostly cleared from the scene at 12:45 a.m., Vincent said. Fire officials will return on Sunday and Monday during daylight hours to determine a total damage amount and continue their investigation into what Vincent said likely started as a grease fire. Arson is not suspected. Vincent said crews from Fairfield, Vacaville, Vallejo, the Montezuma Fire Protection District and the Correctional Medical Facility assisted the Suisun City Fire Department. 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. BERKELEY (BCN) A Nevada sheriff's deputy suffered a gunshot wound Friday while helping apprehend the suspect in three fatal Friday Bay Area shootings, police said Saturday. Stefon Jefferson, 43, is a suspect in a homicide at People's Park in Berkeley Friday, as well as a shooting Friday morning in Oakland and another Friday afternoon in San Francisco's Bayview District. A fourth shooting took place when Jefferson was arrested, wounding a deputy, San Francisco police said. Jefferson is being detained in Douglas County on suspicion of crimes including attempted murder of a police officer, according to police. The People's Park shooting took place around 2:40 p.m. Friday, University of California police said. Officers said the People's Park shooting victim was shot by a male suspect who left the scene in a car. The victim died at the hospital, police said. Jefferson was arrested Friday evening in connection with a shooting Friday morning in Oakland and another Friday afternoon in San Francisco's Bayview District. University police now say Jefferson is a suspect in the People's Park shooting, as well. University of California police Sgt. Sabrina Reich said late Saturday afternoon that all four law enforcement agencies involved in cases in which Jefferson is a suspect are working with one another on the investigation. When asked what Jefferson's connection could be with anyone at People's Park could be, Reich said she didn't want to comment on that while that investigation is ongoing. Jefferson was taken into custody near South Lake Tahoe Friday evening by members of the Douglas County Sheriff's Department in Nevada, according to the San Francisco Police Department. It wasn't certain why he was in the South Lake Tahoe area, police said. Jefferson was booked into the Douglas County Main Jail in Minden, Nev. on charges of Attempted murder, Assault with a deadly weapon, Ex-felon in possession of a firearm, Battery on an officer, Eluding a Peace Officer along with numerous additional traffic related offenses. Oakland police said Jefferson was wanted in connection with a shooting in the 4100 block of Market Street in Oakland. Officers responded to the scene at 10:14 a.m. and located a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The man died at the scene. At 1:27 p.m., officers with the San Francisco Police Department responded to the 1100 block of Donner Avenue in San Francisco on a report of a shooting and located a man suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was transported to the hospital and later died. Investigators determined Jefferson was a suspect in that homicide as well. At a news conference Saturday in Minden, Douglas County District Attorney Mark Jackson said that county has first shot at Jefferson's prosecution as he is in custody there. Jackson also said he will confer with the victims' families and the district attorneys in Alameda County and San Francisco before any legal decisions are confirmed. 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. Metro Video Services A 24-year-old man is accused of running over his father during a fight at the YMCA parking lot in northwest Harris County and then fleeing, according to authorities. Devon Amos, 24, and his father Cedrick Amos, 42, were brawling outside the fitness center along the Tomball Parkway around 10:40 a.m. when the son got into a car and repeatedly hit his father with the vehicle, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said. The price on a vast expanse of bucolic California coastline, only 40 miles south of San Francisco, has been cut by $6 million. The 414-acre Bolsa Point Ranch was originally listed for $25 million in August 2018; the new price is $19 million. "The property sits in a rare location and is very special," says realtor John Ward of California Outdoor Properties, who is co-listing the property with Cornerstore Realty. "That given, we believe the original listing price was still a bit high, as this could potentially be a second home for someone, so we think the asking price needs to be under $20 million." Adjacent to the Pigeon Point Lighthouse in Pescadero, the ranch offers the opportunity for an Instagram-worthy California lifestyle. While the land is protected, a five-acre parcel can be developed into a personal estate with up to 5,000 square feet, and six small farm houses could be refurbished. There's also a 12,000-square-foot packing facility and several out buildings. "Silicon Valley is right over the hill," says Ward. "If you want your own elbow room and want to have that space, it's pretty amazing. If you want the farm-to-table lifestyle, that whole farming vibe is already there." ALSO: An entire California wine appellation is on the market for $3.3 million Muzzi Family Farms has grown Brussels sprouts, fava beans, leeks and peas on the land for more than 60 years. The Salinas company is looking to sell as their family grows and focuses on farming in Sacramento. The land is protected by the Peninsula Open Space Trust land conservation agreement that guarantees the preservation of open space and states the property can never be sold to a housing developer. "It's unspoiled oceanfront land," says Ward. "It's at the intersection where the land meets the sea, where verdant hills meet the big sky. It's a one-of-a-kind property." The property was originally listed for $35 million in 2017 by Sotheby's and never sold, but Ward says little was done to market it. Humboldt County is known internationally for the local marijuana industry, and pretty much everyone who lives there knows someone in the cannabis business. But if scoring an eighth is all that's on your itinerary, then you are doing Humboldt wrong. The 4,000-square-mile county hosts a population just a bit larger than the city of Vallejo, yet somehow manages to pump out popular brands of cheese, beer, seafood, cookies and other treats that are distributed about as widely as the locally grown cannabis. Pairing those flavors with some breathtaking local scenery can make the five-hour drive from the Bay Area worth it. But before we dive in, let's get something straight: The drive from the Bay Area is just too long to make it worth the trip for a two-day weekend. You're going to want to extend your visit a day or two to really explore what's beyond the "redwood curtain." I've been making the drive north from the Bay Area for nearly 20 years since meeting my wife. There are plenty of things worth visiting that didn't make my list, but here's what I would do as a first-time visitor trying to experience the best of Humboldt in just three days. DAY 1 THE DRIVE As you creep up 101, the suburbs give way to Wine Country, then a long stretch of old railroad and lumber towns before the redwoods swallow you up. My advice is to put down about 100 miles before stopping for a bite to eat somewhere in the Hopland or Willits area. Remember to fill up your tank before you leave. Gas is even more expensive up there. ALSO: Beloved Arcata glassware company abruptly shuts down Once you cross into Humboldt County, the historic Benbow Inn which bills itself as a former getaway of 1920s Hollywood stars is a popular stop for a beverage and bathroom break. It's also a good place to send that last text before plunging deep into the redwoods. If the road does not have you worn out at this point, consider the Avenue of the Giants, a roadway that runs alongside the swifter 101. In my experience, you can get your redwood fix by simply exiting the freeway south of Weott and visiting the Humboldt Redwoods State Park Visitor's Center, where you can stroll the redwoods and check out the charming exhibits. From there, finish off the last 70-minute push to Eureka, where you'll set up camp for the night. Try to mentally block out the industrial and commercial sprawl you pass as you enter town, I promise it gets more charming once you near Old Town and the waterfront. If you are able to splurge, the Carter House Inn lets you experience Old Town's Queen Anne architectural charm and features a restaurant that's impressive even by Bay Area standards. From there, you can't miss the exquisite 1885 Carson Mansion down the street. It's the clearest sign of the wealth that the local lumber industry once generated for the region. If you are looking for more affordable housing options, you have your pick of motel chains, but I would split the difference and take a look at the 1886 Inn at 2nd & C, which has been largely restored and features a unique wooden interior. The central Humboldt area is blessed with a number of quality dining options; it's actually impressive for a county of its size. An ideal place to start exploring and eating is Humboldt Bay Provisions, a relatively new corner bar serving locally harvested oysters, beers and other sources of Humboldt pride. They even offer iPads set up to provide you with an overview of the local tourism highlights. From there, just walk to your sit-down dinner. The Lost Coast Brewery is a favorite of visitors, and (as you can guess from the name) the Sea Grill prepares a variety of tasty seafood dishes. Buyenlarge/Getty Images DAY 2 EUREKA AND ARCATA Wake up and drive across the bridge to Samoa. Warning: I'm about to send you to a bit of a tourist trap, but you'll still enjoy it. The Samoa Cookhouse is is a communal table-style food hall that dates back to the 1890s and features a small museum, which provides a glimpse at what life was like for the lumber crews that put Humboldt on the map. The friendly staff serves all three meals here, but I'm a fan of completely loading up on breakfast before a day of exploration. Drive along 255 for about 15 minutes through the sand dunes and into the pastures leading to Arcata. Make your way to Arcata's center, The Plaza, which recently lost its centerpiece in a political battle that is just so very Humboldt. Here you're likely to find a drum circle and and potentially a farmer's market (Saturdays). If you enjoy shopping, spend some time browsing the independent boutiques and cafes that sprawl out for a block or two around the plaza. If not, consider a stroll around the redwood-lined Humboldt State Campus nearby. For lunch check out options in and around the Gold Rush-era Jacoby's Storehouse, which rises above the southwest corner of The Plaza. In the afternoon, consider heading back to Eureka for a tour of either the Dick Taylor Chocolate factory or the new brewery facility for Lost Coast (each requires advanced reservation). If neither are your speed, perhaps you want to visit the first permitted recreational cannabis store in Humboldt County. FROM THE CHRONICLE: Scientists unlock mysteries of world's tallest trees Be sure to wrap up by 5:30, because that's when your cocktail cruise of the bay leaves from the Eureka waterfront. Your ship, "the Madaket," bills itself as the smallest operating bar in the state, and offers a remarkable overview of the geography and activity of the bay (note that the rides are seasonal opening in May). After that, stroll back along the waterfront and find a place for dinner. Several options are available near the town center known as "The Gazebo." Courtesy Madaket Cruises DAY 3 DRIVING AGAIN You'll be back in the car today, so let's eat well at the Waterfront Cafe. This spot on the historic register is popular for both breakfast and lunch, and the historic Queen Anne once housed a brothel that lured in visiting sailors. From here point the car north again, we're going to venture all the way to Redwood National and State Park an hour away. On the way you'll drive along the stunning Clam Beach and through a series of oceanfront lagoons that will remind you how beautiful California is. Stop in to the beachfront visitor's center of the park and ask for a hike recommendation that suits your energy level. After the hike, start heading back south and pull off in the town of Trinidad. This is where you'll take the Instagram photos to really make your friends jealous. Of course, by this this point you are hungry, and we have you covered. The Seascape Grill is a favorite for chowder fans and offers great views of the ocean and the local crabbing trade along the pier. You can also walk the nearby Trinidad Head from the same parking lot to get even more sweeping views of this craggy point on the California coast. Next, you should explore one of the crowd-free beaches in the area, or head south to Moonstone, where you'll be treating yourself to a sunset meal at the Moonstone Grill. The nearby Lost Whale Inn is an intimate B&B that hangs over the ocean. It's a lovely place to stay if you don't feel like spending another night in Eureka. The next morning, grab some food for the road at one of the local Los Bagels locations and start heading south. If you have another day to play with, consider exploring the county's famed Lost Coast on the way home. HERAT, Afghanistan Women are demanding a seat at the table in negotiations over the nations future, determined to prevent the gains they have made since the 2001 fall of the Taliban from being bargained away. But already, they are meeting resistance to having a strong voice in the talks. Womens rights activists are not just concerned about the Taliban, who were notorious for their repression of women during their rule. They are just as worried that religious conservatives, warlords and strongmen who dominate Afghanistans U.S.-backed leadership and whose attitudes toward women often differ little from the Taliban will trade away their rights to reach a deal. Pressure is on for a peace accord as the United States seeks to end its long military presence in Afghanistan. For women, the stakes are high. The advances they have made are important for example, women are now members of parliament, and their rights are enshrined in the constitution, including the right to education. But the gains are fragile and limited, and nearly 18 years after the U.S.-led coalition ousted the Taliban, Afghan women still live under a crushing weight of discrimination. What laws that exist are rarely enforced, activists say, giving male relatives and tribal councils almost complete say over womens and girls lives. That leaves them vulnerable to violence, early marriage and exclusion from work and education. The 2018 Women, Peace and Security Index rated Afghanistan as the second worst place in the world to be a woman, after Syria. Strong participation in talks is not a gift, it is our right, said Suraya Pakzad, an activist. We, the women of Afghanistan, are suffering, fighting to bring peace in Afghanistan, to change Afghanistan. Activists are pressing for at least a third of participants in any negotiations to be women. But so far, the door has been largely closed to them. President Ashraf Ghani appointed only five women to a 37-member council created to shepherd negotiations. Dozens of women were also taken off the list of planned participants at the first round of all-Afghan talks between the government and Taliban, meant to have been held recently in Qatar. The gathering was canceled at the last minute because of a separate dispute. Only 16 percent of the workforce is women, one of the lowest rates in the world, and half of Afghanistans women have had four years or less of education, according to data compiled by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security and the Peace Research Institute of Oslo. Only around half of school-aged girls go to school, and only 19 percent of girls under 15 are literate, according to The U.N. childrens agency. Kathy Gannon is an Associated Press writer. PEMBA, Mozambique A second disaster unfolded Sunday in northern Mozambique in the wake of Cyclone Kenneth as raging floodwaters killed one person and began to cut off the regions main city from the outside world. About 160,000 people were at risk, with more torrential rain forecast for the days ahead. Help us, we are losing everything! residents in Pemba city shouted at passing cars as the rushing waters poured into doorways. Some houses collapsed, the United Nations said. Its an awful sense of deja vu, said Nicholas Finney, response team leader with the aid group Save the Children. Kenneth arrived just six weeks after Cyclone Idai ripped into central Mozambique and killed more than 600 people with flooding. This is the first time in recorded history that the southern African nation has been hit by two devastating cyclones in one season. The new storms remnants could dump twice as much rain as Idai, the U.N. World Program has said. I have never seen such rains in my life, said Pemba resident Michael Fernando, 35. Residents mourned one death in the Nitate neighborhood after a brick wall fell and crushed a woman, said community leader Estenacio Pilale. Authorities earlier said at least five people died after Kenneth roared in Thursday evening with the force of a Category 4 hurricane. The government said more than 160,000 people have been affected in the largely rural region, many now exposed and hungry. More than 35,000 homes in parts of Mozambiques northernmost Cabo Delgado were partially or fully destroyed by the storm. Aid workers trying to reach hard-hit communities outside Pemba on Sunday were forced to turn back by rivers that burst their banks, with floodwaters reaching the roofs of houses. It was not clear when aid to thousands of people outside the city could be delivered. Helicopters cannot fly, a number of flights were canceled, so humanitarian workers cannot arrive and additional cargo cannot arrive by air, Finney said. He described total devastation affecting a 37-mile stretch of coastline and nearby islands. Farai Mutsaka is an Associated Press writer. AMPARA, Sri Lanka Sri Lankas Catholics celebrated Mass in their homes via a televised broadcast Sunday as churches across the island nation shut over fears of militant attacks, a week after the Islamic State-claimed Easter suicide bombings killed more than 250 people. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the archbishop of Colombo, delivered a homily before members of the clergy and the countrys leaders in a small chapel at his Colombo residence an extraordinary measure underlining the fear still gripping the nation of 21 million people. This is a time our hearts are tested by the great destruction that took place last Sunday, Ranjith said. This is a time questions such as, does God truly love us, does he have compassion toward us, can arise in human hearts. In a rare show of unity, President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa attended the Mass. Their political rivalry and government dysfunction are blamed for a failure to act upon information received from foreign intelligence agencies that preceded the bombings, which targeted three churches and three luxury hotels. Police, meanwhile, closed and locked the main mosque of National Towheed Jamaat on Sunday afternoon, just a day after authorities declared it a terror group over the bombings. Authorities banned the group over its ties to Mohammed Zahran, the alleged mastermind of the Easter attacks. Police also announced the arrests of two of five people wanted in connection with the attacks after their pictures were distributed publicly. In the eastern district of Ampara, where a gunfight and explosions left 15 people dead following a police raid on Friday, soldiers guarded St. Mary Magdalens Church. A sign on the gate said the church and the school would be closed until May 6. A nearby mosque also had soldiers stationed outside. Jon Gambrell and Krishan Francis are Associated Press writers. Page Content A company's use of its fictitious, or "doing business as," name on its wage statements rather than its legal name as shown on its California registration did not violate state law, a California appellate court ruled. Similarly, the company's failure to include in its address the final four digits of its nine-digit ZIP code did not violate the law, the court said. The plaintiff filed a complaint against his employer, YRC Inc., alleging that the company failed to provide the correct employer name and address on its wage statements. He alleged that the wage statements did not "accurately show the name of the legal entity that is the employer" and failed "to completely and accurately show the employer's address," in violation of California law. Specifically, the wage statements listed the employer name as YRC Freight, while the entity registered with the California Secretary of State was YRC Inc. The wage statements listed the employer address as 10990 Roe Avenue, Overland Park, KS 66211, even though "its complete address" also included a Mail Stop Code and a ZIP+4 Code, as follows: 10990 Roe Ave. MS A515, Overland Park, KS 66211 1213. The trial court dismissed the lawsuit, and the plaintiff appealed. Wage Statement Requirements Section 226 of the California Labor Code requires an employer to provide employees with "an accurate itemized statement," including: Gross wages earned. Total hours worked (with the exception of exempt salaried employees). The number of piece-rate units earned and any applicable piece rates if the employee is paid on a piece-rate basis. All deductions. Net wages earned. The inclusive dates of the pay period. The employee name and either the last four digits of his or her Social Security number or an employee identification number. The name and address of the legal entity that is the employer. All hourly rates in effect during the pay period and the corresponding number of hours worked at each hourly rate. An employee who suffers an injury as a result of an employer's knowing and intentional failure to comply with the statute is entitled to recover damages. [SHRM members-only toolkit: Complying with California Wage Payment and Hours of Work Laws] With respect to the plaintiff's challenge to the employer's name as it appeared on the wage statements, the court first noted that YRC Freight was YRC's actual, recorded fictitious name in California at the time it issued the wage statements in question. YRC had a valid fictitious business name statement and renewal recorded in two California counties, and YRC Freight was the company name it used to transact all regular business in California. Because YRC properly listed its "name" on its wage statements, there was no violation of the law, the appellate court said. The court rejected the plaintiff's claim that the use of a fictitious business name on wage statements was improper. The use of a fictitious business name does not create a separate legal entity, the court said, and there is no distinction between the legal corporation and its fictitious business name. The court further concluded that YRC complied with the requirement of providing the employer address on its wage statements. The wage statement law simply requires the employer to provide its "address," which YRC did by listing its proper mailing address10990 Roe Avenue, Overland Park, KS 66211. The court noted that the plaintiff did not dispute that this was the correct mailing address and that the plaintiff cited no authority to support his position that the entire nine-digit ZIP code was required. The court concluded that YRC fully complied with California law by providing its "name and address" in its wage statements. It affirmed the trial court's dismissal of the complaint. Savea v. YRC Inc., Calif. Ct. App., No. A152379 (April 10, 2019). Professional Pointer: Sometimes technical mistakes on wage statements can be costly for businesses. Employers should review their pay stubs to make sure the statements contain all of the information required by Labor Code Section 226. Joanne Deschenaux, J.D., is a freelance writer in Annapolis, Md. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police arrested a New Jersey man carrying a bag full of weapons who swung a hatchet at a subway rider Saturday night in Midtown Manhattan, according to a New York Daily News. Two Samaritans disarmed and took down the assailant before he could injure his intended target, according to the report. Reinaldo Reyes, 46, faces charges that include assault, reckless endangerment, weapons possession, menacing, unlawful possession of a noxious matter and two counts of disorderly conduct, the report said. Investigators found a cache of weapons on the suspect that included an ax with what appeared to be dried blood on it, mace, two pipes, mace and a knife, the report said. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- More than 1,000 cyclists rode through some of Staten Islands most scenic places for the Tour de Staten Island on Sunday. Riders were able to choose between two routes -- 35 or 50 miles -- which covered most of the borough. The routes took riders through Fresh Kills Park, Great Kills Park, Historic Richmond Town and Fort Wadsworth -- offering views of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and New York Harbor. The ride-at-your-own-pace, non-competitive bike tour kicked off across the street from URBY in Stapleton. Riders returned to the lot for a finish festival, that included food trucks and beer from Flagship Brewery. Ayo Akinwande and Abimbola Adeosun, former Staten Island residents, traveled from Maryland to ride the 35-mile tour for the first time on Sunday. We traveled all the way from Maryland, said Akinwande. It was hard getting up this morning. It was cold and windy. We were supposed to do 50 miles, but did 35. Jules Mauro of New Jersey wanted to cycle through Staten Island after previously riding the 5 Boro Bike Tour. I didnt know there was a beach, she said. The Freshkills loop -- it was so beautiful. I was thinking, Am I really in a landfill? The route was woodsy, and I was surprised to see such beautiful neighborhoods. Matthew Reich of Westchester traveled to the borough to ride his third Tour de Staten Island. Reich and cyclist Jim Dunne of Stapleton, said their favorite places to see were Fort Wadsworth and Lighthouse Hill. Its a really hidden unknown borough, said Reich. I was riding with a local native so he pointed out the sights. The event was produced by Transportation Alternatives, a group that works to make the streets of New York City a safer place to live. FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. Were highlighting some of the activities Staten Island students are engaged in -- both inside and outside the classroom. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island students were recently acknowledged by PetSmart Charities for their hard work and dedication in the schools animal rescue clubs. The PAWS and PURRS Club at PS 69, New Springville, were acknowledged by PetSmart Charities and sent more than 600 stuffed animals to students in pre-K through third grade. The mission of the two clubs is to give rescue pets a second chance while empowering students to create change in their community. The two clubs work in conjunction with For Blakes Sake Rescue Inc. to ensure every animal they help to foster is well cared for and placed in a loving home. Students socialize and care for the animals, write animal biographies on adoption websites, create and maintain Amazon wish lists and make suggestions to how they can help further. The Parent Teacher Association (PTA), students in the fourth and fifth grades, and the schools yearbook team distributed the stuffed animals and documented the celebration of the clubs efforts. Our kids are learning first-hand that knowledge is a powerful tool that they can use to affect change, and it has been beyond rewarding for our kids to see the difference they are making in our community as well as a great source of pride for us, as volunteers, mentors and faculty, said Kim Capasso, media specialist at PS 69. PetSmart Charities sent more than 600 stuffed animals to PS 69, New Springville, to recognize the efforts of the school's PAWS and PURRS Club, which work to foster animals in hopes of placing them in a loving home. (Courtesy of Kim Capasso) You can view the photos above to see scenes from the school when students received the stuffed animals. HISTORY COMPETITION Students from the Michael J. Petrides High School participated in an educational competition in recognition of New York City History Day at the Museum of the City of New York last month. Ninth- and 11th-grade students from the Sunnyside school competed alongside 400 students from schools across the five boroughs at the competition that had the theme, Triumph and Tragedy in History. Year after year, we are impressed and inspired by the commitment and enthusiasm from the students, educators and judges who participate in the New York City History Day competition, said Whitney Donhauser, president and Ronay Menschel director of the Museum of the City of New York. This is a special day across New York City and we are honored to host as a museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating all things New York City. During the school year, students across the city chose topics related to the competitions theme, and conducted extensive research at libraries, archives, museums and through interviews. Petrides students competed in the exhibit category, and the topic they chose was the Atomic Bomb. Students from the Michael J. Petrides High School competed in the New York City History Day competition. They are shown here with Deputy Borough President Ed Burke, who was a judge at the competition. (Courtesy of Ed Burke) CELEBRATING DIVERSITY To celebrate diversity and cultural heritage, more than 100 members of the Staten Island Academy community gathered together earlier this year at the sixth annual International Family Fun Night. Families gathered on January 22 to celebrate their heritage and traditions during the event. More than 30 countries were represented, with food, dance, music, fashion and demonstrations. Students walked in a fashion show, dressed as famous people from the country that they represented. Eighth grade students told a well-known story from China in Mandarin, while other students performed musical numbers. Staten Island Academy celebrated diversity and cultural heritage at an annual event. (Courtesy of Teresa Pelosi) Do you have a story idea for the In Class education column? Email education reporter Annalise Knudson at aknudson@siadvance.com. FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. 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! A tech company founded in Australia with aspirations for a $500 million valuation has closed its main office in Singapore after being unable to pay staff, including its chief executive officer, due to being blackballed by local banks. Yuuzoo Network Group Corporation (YNG), previously known as Yuuzoo Corporation, told the Singapore exchange director Mohandas had resigned from the board. Mohandas' departure followed his resignation from his executive role a month earlier. Other staff have also been stood down due to payment issues, the company said. Yuuzoo Networks Group Corporation co-founder Thomas Zilliacus. YNG also said a major investigation by the Singapore police force's commercial affairs department into the company had forced it to close its Singapore offices as local banks refused to do business with the group. Yuuzoo was founded by now bankrupt X Studio entrepreneur Ron Creevey, Creevey's long time business associate Mark Cramer-Roberts and former Nokia executive and founder of Miss Supertalent of the World, Thomas Zilliacus. Property giant GPT has joined the exclusive club of Melbourne landlords earning millions of dollars in income from heritage building sites that have a nominal value of $1. ASX-listed GPT has successfully disputed the City of Melbournes most recent valuation for the site of its 34-storey building at 100 Queen Street. The site is home to the ANZ World Headquarters as well as a clutch of Collins Street's most important historic buildings. The heritage building at 100 Queen Street. Credit:Erin Jonasson As a result, the landmark National Trust-listed property, which earns GPT an estimated annual income around $14 million, is worth a mere $2 - $1 for each of the two property titles that cover the block. GPT would not comment when contacted by The Age and Herald. A wages scandal engulfing international beverage powerhouse Chatime has widened to its franchise network, with an internal audit exposing widespread underpayment of workers. An audit of more than 20 stores in the franchise network last year found 86 per cent were underpaying workers. Other audits in late 2016 flagged potential systemic underpayment issues through the franchise network. An investigation by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age into the bubble tea operator found that head office had underpaid workers in its corporate stores as far back as 2009 by as much as $6 million. It revealed the Fair Work Ombudsman investigated the organisation and requested it repay $175,000 to underpaid workers. It said the investigation was ongoing. Chatime is embroiled in underpayment issues. Credit:Simon Schluter The wages rip-off within the franchise network, which makes up more than 90 of the 111 stores operating under the Chatime banner, brings the total owed to workers to more than $10 million. "Steve is a climate change denier," Short chimes in from Los Angeles. "I was just trying to tell him there are facts." "We were discussing the complexities of changing our scripts for different towns because we have different performers," Martin says on the phone from New York. And as two old friends who enjoy having fun at each other's expense, the two comic-actors-with-other-talents can't even agree on what they're arguing about. After meeting while making the Hollywood movie The Three Amigos more than three decades ago, the two Hollywood veterans - Martin is 73, Short is 69 - have become such firm friends that they have been performing comedy and music together for eight years on and off. "The first time we ever did it, we interviewed each other for the Just For Laughs comedy festival in 2011," Short says. "We enjoyed it and started to say, 'what if we did more of these?' Then we evolved it into a show." Their first version was filmed for the Netflix special An Evening You Will Forget For The Rest Of Your Life; the second, Now You See Them, Soon You Won't, is heading for Australia. Martin says the title - with its slightly worrying sense of mortality - was inspired by Carl Reiner, who directed him in such movies as The Jerk, The Man With Two Brains and All Of Me. "We just think of it as 'oh, soon we'll be dead'," Martin says. "Carl Reiner [said] 'always say what's on the audience's mind immediately', meaning 'now you see them, soon you won't'. Just get that out of the way." In the case of the people versus James Bond there is no more damaging testimony than a 1995 exchange, from the film Goldeneye, between the womanising spy with a licence to kill and his boss, who has run out of patience with him. The charge: "You're a sexist, misogynist dinosaur; a relic of the Cold War." James Bond (Sean Connery) and Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman) in Goldfinger. The scene is significant because it is the first time in the history of the Bond franchise that 007's boss M was played by a woman, actress Judi Dench, but also the first time Bond's more unsavoury character notes were so sharply censured. In the 2019 post-#MeToo world, Bond should be a man out of time but in the disruptive era of a Donald Trump presidency that may not be the case according to Drucilla Cornell, a professor of women's and gender studies and comparative literature at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Actor Joel Edgerton will star in a new Amazon drama. Credit:James Brickwood Joel Edgerton has joined the cast of the new Amazon drama The Underground Railroad, from producer/director Barry Jenkins. The series, based on the Colson Whitehead book, follows the journey to freedom of a young slave, Cora (Thuso Mbedu) who flees America's south using the "underground railroad", a network of escape routes used by escaping slaves. Edgerton will play a slavecatcher named Ridgeway. Jenkins is producing and directing the series for Amazon with Brad Pitt's company Plan B Entertainment, the same partnership that produced the Oscar-winning film Moonlight. Amazon has commissioned 11 one-hour episodes. So random, Netflix From the things you didn't even know you needed files comes a plan from Netflix to introduce a "random episode" button that will deliver a randomly selected program from the streaming platform's inventory. Like you don't have enough TV series queued on the to-be-watched list that you're going to go apple bobbing in the Halloween of streaming TV? Netflix has confirmed it is testing the function, presently only on some mobile devices, but if popular could roll it out across the platform. "We are testing the ability for members to play a random episode from different TV series," a spokesman said. "These tests typically vary in length of time and by region and may not become permanent." Rare photos of the mating habits of one of Australia's most unique looking spiders, the golden huntsman, have been snapped at Taronga Zoo. "Spiders are rather secretive and don't normally mate out in the open - but sometimes, usually at night, you might see some doing it on a wall or in the middle of a web," Taronga Zoo's spider keeper Lachlan Manning said. Golden huntsman spiders mating at Taronga Zoo as part of their breeding program. Credit:Steven Siewert "You'd only really see that once a year. It only really happens in the warmer parts of the year, when more mature spiders are around." But how does the mating process work? One of Labor's key Senate candidates has called for Parliament to adopt targets for ethnic representation, saying Chinese Australians have been muzzled by allegations of foreign political interference out of fear of being labelled "a stooge for the Communist party". Jason Yat-sen Li, who will be third on Labor's senate ticket in NSW and could be the key to the party's Senate fortunes, also says Australia should consider investing in China's Belt and Road initiative. Labor Senate candidate and former Australian republican movement leader Jason Yat-Sen Li. Credit: Jessica Hromas Mr Li has criticised Parliament's lack of ethnic diversity, arguing it does not reflect the population and was shutting out Australia's growing migrant communities. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 3 per cent of Australians had a parent born in China and the same amount from India, but not a single child of the more than 1.5 million members of the Chinese and Indian diaspora holds a seat in Parliament. Labor will help cover the dental bills of three million pensioners as it kicks off the final stretch of the election campaign by targeting families and older voters. In twin announcements on Sunday, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten pledged $2.4 billion for a new pensioner dental plan that will cover $1000 worth of dental care every two years, as well as a $4 billion increase to childcare subsidies. Mr Shorten also revealed plans to raise the wages of early childhood educators by 20 per cent over the next eight years in a dramatic intervention into the sector. Labor leader Bill Shorten in Melbourne on Sunday. Credit:AAP The Labor leader said the average total wages of early childhood educators would grow by about $11,300 over the eight-year period. The Morrison government will scale up the cyber security teams that defend Australias communications networks in a $156 million election pledge that includes new scholarships and recruitment programs. On alert for attacks from foreign agencies and criminals, the government wants to expand its online security workforce across several departments while using public funds to encourage more young Australians to study computer science. Scott Morrison speaks at a Liberal Party rally at Sydney Olympic Park on Sunday. Credit:Brook Mitchell Prime Minister Scott Morrison will announce the spending on Monday with a warning about the risk to Australians from security gaps and an emphasis on the older population who may be more exposed than others. While the Commonwealth has expanded its online security teams over many years and under both major parties, the funding is a sign of concern at the increasing intensity of cyber attacks. In 2017 Patrick Herning founded 11 Honore, the first retailer to offer luxury and designer ready-to-wear from sizes 10 to 24. The site offers resources to brands such as fit models and technologies that might not have been available to the brand's patternmakers to allow the brands to expand their size offerings. Loading The brand now stocks around 70 labels including Phillip Lim, Marc Jacobs, Tome (designed by Australian-born, New York based Ryan Lobo and Ramon Martin) and Theory. Closer to home Melinda Andaloro founded her brand Saroka after years spent working in-house at various clothing brands and finding the lack of size inclusiveness frustrating. Saroka, which is made in Melbourne, has a size range of 6 to 16 with each piece hand-made to measure with fabrics sourced from Australian suppliers. Andaloro says the lack of diversity in luxury clothing is what inspired her to start her brand. A Saroka campaign image. "I feel as though whats been presented on the runway has trickled down the entire brand, from the type of models brands select for their campaigns, to the staff they choose to hire in store, (Ive noted that sales staff often look like models too) and of course, most designers have a very limited size offering, most commonly stopping at a 12, with very few size 12s even produced. "I think designers and buyers have had this perception that women of a broader size may not be interested in luxury/designer clothing, or they dont women of a broader size to be seen in their brand, which is a shocking truth," she says. "I think Australia is very slow to recognise that this change needs to happen today. I think size diversity/inclusion is a responsibility that every designer needs to be made accountable for, the statistics of Australian women show that the average size of women isnt a size 6, so why are brands only using size 6 models and stopping at size 12?" Andaloro says she pays particular attention to designing pieces which will flatter women's bodies. I think size diversity/inclusion is a responsibility that every designer needs to be made accountable for. Saroka's Melinda Andaloro "Our designs certainly are carefully considered, when I design a piece I really think about how women would feel wearing it Is it comfortable? Will it make women feel body conscious? Will it make women feel confident?" Andaloro says that while she pays attention to things like a-line cuts that skim over the hips and sleeves, there are plans to introduce a wider selection of products to suit a range of body shapes. Meanwhile, online retailer Hearusroar sells more than 30 premium Australian brands specialising in sizes plus 12. Founder and CEO Blaise McCann says the best-selling size on the site is an 18 to 20. Cultural touch point Project Runway has been revamped, with the likes of fashion designer and former stylist to Lady Gaga, Brandon Maxwell and fashion designer Christian Siriano as judges (plus ex Teen Vogue editor Elaine Welteroth). Both have been leading the way when it comes to actually inclusive, actually beautiful and interesting, designs. Maxwell, a finalist in this year's International Woolmark Prize, has been celebrated for his diverse runways. He told Bustle that he has designed up to a size 24 since day one. He also understands the challenges around creating more size diversity, including the cost of creating different samples, extra fabric and fit models. A look from Brandon Maxwell's show at New York Fashion Week earlier this year. Credit:aap But opting out because it's hard isn't good enough. "At its core, our job is to service women," he says. "Doesnt matter where they come from, what their job is, what they look like, how they act our job is to make them feel good. If you have a problem doing that, with any type of woman, then you should not be doing this job." Doesnt matter where they come from, what their job is, what they look like, how they act our job is to make them feel good. Designer Brandon Maxwell Part of the problem with plus-size fashion particularly in the luxury sphere is, bluntly, snobbery. As Shawn Grain Carter, professor of fashion business management at The Fashion Institute of Technology, told Retail Dive Sir Robert told the House the Government had no desire to have Australian forces in Vietnam any longer than necessary to ensure the security of South Vietnam. "There can be no doubt of the gravity of the situation in South Vietnam," Sir Robert said. "There is ample evidence to show that, with the support of the North Vietnamese regime and other Communist Powers, the Vietcong has been preparing, on a more substantial scale than before, insurgency action designed to destroy South Vietnamese Government control. "A Direct Threat" Prime Minister Robert Menzies heckled by protesters at Sydney Town Hall on 5 April 1965. Credit:Bob Rice Sir Robert said a takeover of South Vietnam would be a direct military threat to Australia and all countries of South and South-East Asia. The Government had decided in principle some weeks ago that it would be willing to send the troops if it received the necessary request from the South Vietnamese Government and the necessary collaboration from the United States. This was "not something that has suddenly arisen from more recent events," he said. It was Australia's judgement that the decision to commit a battalion was the most useful additional contribution Australia could make to the defence of the region. Sir Robert read to the House a message from President Johnson, saying that he was delighted at the Australian Government's decision. "This action simply underscores the full cooperation and understanding that has existed between our two Governments, and between both and the Government of South Vietnam," the President said. President Johnson said it proved again "the deep ties between our two countries in the cause of world peace and security." Outside Parliament, Senator Paltridge declined to comment on the timing and exact place of deployment of the battalion." Locals watch as troops and vehicles of the 1st Battalion land on the beach at Vung Tau, Vietnam on June 8, 1965. Credit:Stuart MacGladrie He said the First Battalion had been stationed at Holsworthy since its return from Malaya in 1961, and was one of the most highly trained elements of the Australian Army field force. "It had undertaken rigorous training and preparation for operations in a South-East Asian theatre in unit exercises and major training exercises. A number of the officers and N.C.O.s at present serving in the battalion had served in World War II, in Korea and in the Malayan emergency. Colon Brumfield had served in both Korea and Malaya. Sir Robert made his statement immediately after the House resumed at 8pm. Public Galleries Crowded This is the time the Government traditionally announces vital issues to Parliament. The public galleries were crowded, but about 40 members were missing. Both the Leader of the Opposition, Mr A.A. Calwell, and his deputy, Mr E.G. Whitlam, were absent, having arranged to leave Canberra before it was confirmed that Sir Robert would speak. Apart from one interjection, Sir Robert was heard in silence. When Sir Robert sat down he turned to the Ministerial benches ad surveyed the row of grim-faced Ministers. He singled out the Attorney-General, mr B.M. Snedden, and said: "Cheer up, Bill." A French pensioner facing life imprisonment for importing cocaine told police that he agreed to bring the drugs into Australia after people he met on a beach in Mexico asked him to deliver them to Fremantle. Juan Pedro Carpentier, 64, was one of four European nationals arrested in November 2017 when a luxury cruise ship from Britain pulled into Sydney's White Bay with 30 kilograms of cocaine allegedly hidden on board. Bags of cocaine allegedly found on the cruise ship Astor. Credit:Australian Federal Police Having been alerted by their international counterparts, Australian Border Force officials and the Australian Federal Police were waiting. Mr Carpentiers girlfriend, Belgian national Fatiha Kallouch, 41, was also arrested, as was French cakemaker and mother-of-one Anais Deirolle and cruise ship chef Bruno Pieton-Larroque. A former high ranking police officer is being investigated for potentially accepting bribes - in the form of a pinball machine and a five-star hotel stay - from fraudsters allegedly perpetrating a ghost security guard scam at the University of Sydney. Dennis Smith was a decorated police officer who had spent 26 years on the beat when he took over as the universitys security operations manager in 2009. Former Redfern-based policeman Dennis Smith in 2004. Credit:Robert Pearce Mr Smith had been the superintendent in charge of Redfern Local Area Command while the suburb was in the grip of a heroin epidemic and race riots over the death of Aboriginal teenager Thomas TJ Hickey in 2004. But the veteran officer has insisted he was in the dark as much as anyone as ghost security guards were allegedly used to defraud the university of hundreds of thousands of dollars. While I share Hartchers concerns about the economic implications of stagnant wages, labours falling share of income from GDP has not been altogether a bad thing. Since the 1970s the percentage of our population in retirement also has grown and, while it is not known exactly how much, an increasing proportion of retiree income is funded from capital sources. Superannuation as well as investment income come out of capitals share of GDP. Were this not growing, the funding of retirement through age pensions would fall even more disproportionately on taxes paid out of labour income than it does now. Workers do need their wages to grow with the economy but, with more than 15 per cent of our population now over 65, and rising, so do retirees need their incomes to be maintained for the health of the economy. Personal income from capital sources is significant in this. - Ian Bowie, Bowral Higher taxation and uncosted spending are hardly the way to go to save capitalism. Workers share of national income has fallen marginally since the 1970s, largely due to companies increasing expenditure on technology. Thanks to the flexibility of our capitalist market, workers made redundant have found other jobs in the increasing services industries, resulting in a significant reduction in unemployment. It is fashionable these days for younger people to take the anti-capitalist views of their capitalist, taxpayer-funded teachers and universities, without considering the alternatives very deeply. - Geoff Dunsford, Lindfield Could Shorten be capitalisms saviour? The answer is a definitive no, which will soon be demonstrated when Labors socialist policies start adversely affecting Australias economy. - Riley Brown, Bondi Beach Palmers Morrisons next-best PM Its now official. Scott Morrison considers Clive Palmer the next-best option to lead the country (Palmer vote agreement provokes Liberal fury, April 27-28). - Charles Hargrave, Elizabeth Bay There is much discussion about the enormous amount of money Palmer is spending on his campaign. I am more concerned by the relentless anti-Coalition campaign being run by the ABC with its more than $1 billion of taxpayers funds, in blatant contravention of its charter. - Peter Smith, Double Bay Senate votes vital It is almost certain Labor will become the next government by default. Hence, it is vital every elector should vote to ensure the Senate has a surfeit of members with the power to control the excesses of Labor policy. Over the past two decades, extreme right-wing members of the Liberal Party have usurped control by depriving local electorate members of their original right to select endorsed candidates without any vote, by the way. This has resulted in a decimation of moderate party members. There is little doubt we must vote to clean out the present Coalition rats nest. We need to regenerate a group of politicians who will represent us and remove the politicians who regard the Parliament as their personal fiefdom. But we need to retain perspective and ensure we dont create a greater danger by allowing free rein of Labor excesses in the process. - David Corbett, Albury It is with mixed feelings that I await the election. I worry because I cant see an end to deliberate misinformation being peddled in political campaigns. I worry because I see people prepared to base their vote on local and state issues, those that either cannot or should not be the province of the federal government. I worry short-term personal gains will triumph over long-term opportunities. Yet, I also have hope. We voters are becoming more savvy. We are starting to question both the short-term and long-term ramifications of electing a particular Parliament. We are becoming more aware of the factions within parties and appear to be considering the merits of voting for or against particular candidates. We appear to be looking more to the future than we have for many, many years. Ideally, Id like a Parliament that, when necessary, ignores party lines; for MPs to remember their constituents and senators to remember their specific states. For parliamentarians to consider crossing the floor to vote for good, or against bad, legislation. Do I dream too much? - Peter Butler, Wyongah Back-burning outdated I have sympathy (and my eyes are teary) for asthma sufferers on this sunny but smoke-filled Sunday due to hazard-reduction burning being carried out at the Royal National Park. Why do we still do this in this day and age? Do we realise how much greenhouse gas it produces? There must be a better way to manage fire hazard. Vote one for the No Back Burning Party, if there is one! - Paul Lau, Blakehurst Student exploitation The item examining why students are spending less time on hanging out and non-curriculum activities (Changing nature of life on campus, April 27-28) omitted a key reason: many students are obliged to help support themselves via part-time employment. In doing so a significant number will have been exploited by the wage-thieving franchisees so admirably exposed by Adele Ferguson (Bubble bursts for tea giant after workers underpaid April 27-28). - Geoffrey Briot, Stanmore Lots of common ground I am a member of the Adani convoy. The media reports show the confrontations and the politicians. What they dont show is an unexpected feature: the large number of personal conversations occurring between people from both sides around the margins of these events. Once you get past the stereotypes and ironies (yes, we travelled here using fossil fuels) there is a lot of common ground concerns about future prosperity and sustainability and there are differences, mainly the facts of climate change and the time scale of transition to a low-carbon future. Clermont was an exception; cheerleader-led, angry mobs do not allow the type of dialogue that needs to happen right around Australia. - Euan Tovey, Petersham Stop Adani convoy driving through Clermont on Saturday were shouted at by locals and unions. Credit:Pauline Hollywood Heartbreaking racism Even as I pen this letter, I am still badly shaken and totally grieved from an experience I just encountered at a supermarket. I was choosing orchid pots when someone tapped me on the shoulder and said: You have to pay for this. What? Of course I replied. Then came the devastating statement, All Chinese steal! Is that what I get for trying to be an exemplary citizen for 40 years in this country I call home? Lady, your statement hurts like a punch in the heart! - Helen Ho, Milsons Point Fair go, Ms Farrelly Elizabeth Farrellys criticisms of the West Sydney Stadium might be justified on architectural and monetary grounds but much of the articles other issues are presented unfairly, myopically and pretentiously (Two cathedrals one lost to fire, one to greed, April, 27-28). Im a 75-year-old physically active pensioner who loves watching a Friday night footy match and then tuning in on a Sunday for more. I resent being referred to as a Sunday afternoon tinnie drinker who sits watching sport on the telly in an alcoholic stupor. - Allan Johnson, Maroubra Depth of discussion On the contrary, Elizabeth Jones (Letters, April 27-28). An ethics teacher asks do you think lying equals bad? And the next question is why? Ethics classes are about asking a child to think for themselves. That sounds like depth of discussion to me. - Melissa Franks, Bowral Terrorism all the same John Christie (Letters, April 27-28) states: Last century, freedom fighters, employing terrorist tactics, were successful in lifting colonial yokes. As one who lived through first the Mau Mau Rebellion in Kenya and then the war of liberation in Rhodesia, I strongly disagree there is any difference between terrorist groups today and former terrorists, except in their ideology and methodology imposed by differences of terrain and demography. As this is a family paper I will not itemise the atrocities I know were carried out during these ugly wars its enough to say that human ingenuity is never short of inventing ways to terrorise. - Laura Hakkinen, Lyons (ACT) Round of politicking I never cease to be amazed by some correspondents capacity for lateral thinking. Geoff Hardings suggestion about circular ballot papers (Letters, April 27-28) takes the prize for this year, if not the decade. - David Davies, Callala Beach We dont need an idea as complicated and as difficult to count as a circular ballot paper. A rectangular ballot paper with the names rotated so each candidate gets an equal share of top position is all thats needed. Tasmanian and ACT elections have been conducted this way for years. Its called the Robson Rotation. - Stephen Lesslie, South Bowenfels The cost of removing and disposing asbestos being uncovered on Sydney road projects is surging well above $100 million, blowing out budgets and forcing the state government to raid other projects to cover funding shortfalls. On one road initiative the M4 Smart Motorway between Mays Hill and Lapstone the amount of asbestos uncovered has added more than $70 million to the estimated cost of a project that had been budgeted at $470 million. The increasing discovery of asbestos on road projects has also triggered mixed messages from the government about the best way to treat or remove the hazardous material and about how to communicate those options to the community. An example of asbestos encapsulated under Bringelly Road. Credit:RMS briefing note to former roads minister One option is to remove the asbestos to a licensed waste facility. A cheaper option is to bury, or encapsulate the asbestos under the road corridor and protective layers of material. A man has been charged after he allegedly rode a horse through a central Queensland showground and knocked a gate into an anti-Adani protester, seriously injuring the woman. The local Indigenous council has condemned the horseman's actions and taken the intrusion personally, saying it was an attack on their culture. A protester's video of a man riding a horse in Clermont showground before a woman was hit. Police have laid charges. Credit:Glenn Conroy Police charged a 41-year-old local man overnight with a string of offences, including dangerously operating a horse causing grievous bodily harm, while the victim remains in Mackay Hospital. A man rode a horse through Clermont Showground, where Bob Brown's anti-Adani convoy was staying, about 3.30pm on Sunday. A man has been tasered, arrested and charged with multiple offences after allegedly threatening police at knife point and causing a crash during a high-speed chase in south-east Queensland. The crash led to three people being taken to hospital. Police said the 29-year-old man allegedly stole a grey BMW car from Coopers Plain, which had been missing since April 23, and drove it from Goodna to Surfers Paradise on Saturday night. A police spokesman said the car was seen by police just before 9pm at a BP service station on Brisbane Road at Goodna where police tried to arrest the driver. Stop Adani protesters have reported being threatened by pro-mining residents as the convoy's final stand begins in Queensland, with hundreds of anti-coal campers preparing for day-long event at the Clermont showgrounds in the state's central highlands. On Saturday, the Bob Brown-led convoy of 250 cars, campervans and trailers drove into the small mining and agricultural town to boos, shouts and jeers as the locals made it clear they were not wanted and not welcome. Protestors move to line the main streets of Clermont as the Stop Adani convoy arrives on Saturday afternoon. Credit:Lucy Stone. Mr Brown claimed a restaurant in the town that had previously accepted a booking for 40 people from the Stop Adani convoy abruptly cancelled after receiving threats. Other pubs and hotels made it clear no protester was welcome. Wild deer are plaguing one of Victorias best-loved wine regions, costing vineyards hundreds of thousands of dollars and destroying native plant species. The deer invasion is expected to get worse with estimations that Victorias deer population of about 1 million is growing by up to 30 per cent annually. Franco D'Anna, winemaker at Hoddles Creek Estate where deer have caused extensive damage. Credit:Penny Stephens The plague has prompted calls for the state government to introduce a more-targeted pest control program to deal with the introduced species, including the recruitment of professional hunters. Wine Yarra Valley president Franco DAnna said wild deer were pushing into parts of the region where they had not been observed before. Detective Inspector Steve Wilson said there were some "disturbing escalations" in the Nunawading assault. This time the men asked the victim her name, where she lived and threatened to murder her. At about 9.30pm on the night of March 26, 1986, 19-year-old Debbie* was walking along the footpath on Ashwood Drive. She was heading to the house of the parents of her then-boyfriend. He had a car and the plan was he would drive Debbie home later that evening. "I didnt even think that it would be an issue," Debbie said of her decision to walk a quiet suburban street at night. "I quite like I used to quite like walking anyway, so it wasnt something that I even worried about it. And I was just excited to be going to see him." But Debbie said that she remained "terrified" by the memory of what happened next, a heinous assault which would have a profound impact on the rest of her life. A vehicle, described as being possibly a white or silver Holden sedan, pulled up alongside her and she was pulled into the car with four men. The victim was threatened with a knife, blindfolded and gagged. She was driven a short distance to an unknown property and then sexually assaulted over a number of hours by at least three men whilst still blindfolded. The woman was then dumped under a parked vehicle on Mariana Avenue in Ringwood East sometime around midnight. Despite giving the men a false name, Debbie moved interstate after the attack. "I built a whole identity under a different name, just to make sure that I wouldn't be found," she said. "I wouldn't even talk to people for months and months." Despite being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, Debbie held down a highly paid, professional job which saw her travelling across Australia. But it was a position which required her to be called out to work at night. One evening this occurred at about the same time she had been assaulted years earlier on Ashwood Drive. "Every time I would go to work after that I remembered that I could be in danger at any moment," she said. "I couldn't do my work anymore ... I ended up giving it away." The trauma of the assault also derailed her personal life. Debbie's boyfriend at the time of the attack became her husband and "went to great lengths" to help her recover. But despite her "respecting him forever for that" he was a "constant reminder". Debbie said she "get the guilt" over the breakdown of that relationship. Debbie said she still gets flashbacks and has trouble forming relationships and trusting people. "It impacts on everything," she said of the attack. But Debbie hopes going public will be a positive move for her and other victims. We didnt flee war for our children to be killed like chicken on the street ... us Sudanese mothers dont know what to do. Mourners at Sunday's vigil. Credit:Paul Rovere Ms Aleu said Ms Angoks mother was killed in the Sudanese civil war and her younger siblings had been relying on her for support. Addressing the crowd, she raised her hands and cried out: Why, Australia? Why do you do this to us? Why, Australia?" As she began to weep, other women from Ms Angoks family gathered to comfort her. Loading University student Alice Brewer, 20, organised the vigil, hoping to ensure Ms Angok, an African woman, was mourned in the same way as other, white, women. "I just wanted to show the media and the world that Natalina was just as special and important as the other women weve lost this year and that her death shouldnt be erased," she said. Many in the crowd were furious that another young womans life had been lost on the streets of Melbourne. Its too many f---ing women, said vigil attendee Grace Clearly. When I heard I felt defeated, disappointed, angry ... its just way too many. On Thursday, Ms Angok's sister Helena told The Age Mr Bell had been in a relationship with Ms Angok for more than a year before her body was discovered on Celestial Avenue in Chinatown about 6.30am on Wednesday. "She was a loving and caring sister, and a down-to-earth person, not a troublemaker. She loved everybody, even if someone did something bad to her, she would just talk and laugh with them." Ms Angok was an aspiring dental nurse, and had been studying dental hygiene at RMIT. The vigil ended after paramedics had to be called after several women collapsed on to the concrete in Celestial Avenue, overcome with grief. One women had to be stretchered out of the alleyway into a waiting ambulance, while paramedics treated another woman over concerns about her pregnancy. A mourner lights a candle in Celestial Avenue in Chinatown, following the vigil at Federation Square. Credit:Matilda Boseley This is the second vigil on the street of Melbourne held for Ms Angok. More than 50 people attended a vigil on the steps of parliament on Friday evening, the same day Melbourne Magistrates Court held a brief filing hearing for Mr Bell. Both vigils were organised by Melbourne women who were disturbed by the killings of other young women in the city and determined their lives would not be forgotten. The organiser of Friday's vigil, Jess Gleeson, also helped arrange vigils for slain international student Aiia Maasarwe in January and aspiring comedian Eurydice Dixon last year. She said Fridays gathering was one of about a dozen she had organised since February. We believe that every womans life is important, and we refuse to accept that these womens deaths are inevitable, she said. These efforts come as Ms Angok's family try to raise money to fly her body to South Sudan for a "final tribute by her father and relatives who have not seen her in years". On Sunday morning, the fundraising efforts had raised about $16,000 of the $40,000 target. A man has faced a Perth court charged over an alleged sex attack on an elderly lady in Mandurah. A man gained entry into the woman's Greenfields home in the early hours of Sunday. Police allege the woman in her 80s was home alone in her Greenfields home in the early hours of Sunday when a man gained entry, startling the elderly pensioner. A police spokesman said it will be alleged the man grabbed the woman and attempted to sexually assault her before leaving. As a result of the assault, the elderly woman received bruising and abrasions to her face and swelling to her hand, he said. A motorcycle rider has died after crashing into a black Mercedes coupe in Perths north. The motorcycle and Mercedes coupe collided on Hutton Street in Osborne Park. Credit:Fairfax Media. The rider of the red Triumph motorcycle was travelling west on Hutton Street in Osborne Park and the Mercedes was travelling north from the Mitchell Freeway off-ramp when they collided on Sunday morning. A police spokesman said the rider was taken to Royal Perth Hospital where he later died from his injuries. The rider is the 57th road user to die on WA roads this year. The man who opened fire at a California synagogue leaving one person dead tried to livestream his attack and posted a hate-filled manifesto online which included references to last month's Christchurch massacres. Facebook apparently removed the vision of the attack before it could be watched and police believe the 19-year-old shooter's assault rifle jammed, preventing a more deadly outcome. Worshipers console one another outside of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue. Credit:AP The gunman, identified by San Diego County Sheriff's office as John T. Earnest, fired at worshippers inside the Chabad of Poway synagogue in the San Diego suburb of Poway on Saturday morning. One of his victims, a woman, "succumbed to her wounds," Poway Mayor Steve Vaus said. Three others a girl and two men remain in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. What would we do if we knew an asteroid would hit Earth in 2027? That's what NASA personnel will explore during a simulation taking place next week. The project will play out as a tabletop exercise held during the 2019 Planetary Defense Conference in College Park, Maryland. NASA asteroid experts have prepared a fictional scenario in which scientists identify an asteroid that seems poised to crash into Earth in 2027. They'll talk through how to determine what regions face what risks and how to respond all in the hopes that if they ever face a similar situation in real life, they'll be ready for it. "These exercises have really helped us in the planetary defense community to understand what our colleagues on the disaster management side need to know," Lindley Johnson, NASA's Planetary Defense Officer, said in a statement . "This exercise will help us develop more effective communications with each other and with our governments." You'll be able to watch the Planetary Defense Conference live here, beginning Monday, April 29, at 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT), courtesy of NASA. You can watch directly from NASA and its partners here. Related: How a 2017 Asteroid Is Helping NASA Defend Earth The exercise is part of a larger program designed to meet the specifications of the National Near-Earth Object Preparedness Strategy and Action Plan, a guidance document created by the White House . During the conference, the gathered asteroid experts, emergency management personnel and others will receive more and more detailed information about the hypothetical risk over the course of the week. The initial information the team will be working with is already available : first spotted on March 26, asteroid 2019 PDC appears to have an orbit that passes within 0.05 astronomical units (the average distance from the Earth to the sun) of Earth. And when NASA and European Space Agency systems work on that orbit, both agencies suggest that the space rock could theoretically cross paths with Earth on April 29, 2027 eight years to the day from the beginning of the conference. The preparatory documents end with all the hypothetical data gathered by April 29, 2019, at which point our odds are looking worse. Calculations currently give the fictional rock a 1% chance of hitting our planet. And from there well, we'll have to wait and see what happens next. Space.com will be attending the conference, so stay tuned to hear how humanity confronts this fictional existential threat. According to "Alien" lore, in space no one can hear you scream. But you can definitely hear the New Jersey teens behind "Alien: The Play" scream during a surprise visit by actor Sigourney Weaver to their encore performance Friday (April 26). Weaver, who starred as Ellen Ripley in Ridley Scott's original "Alien" film, dropped in on the cast of "Alien: The Play" at North Bergen High School. She embraced one teen (who portrayed Ripley in the play) as the rest of the cast screamed in exhilaration. "I am so excited to be here," Weaver told the students according to one video. "I am representing all the Alien fans all over the universe who think what you're doing is so cool, and so important." The "Alien" film franchise celebrated its 40th anniversary on Friday. Sigourney Weaver visiting the NBHS cast and crew at their encore performance of Alien after national media recognition was unbelievable!! #alien #Alien40th pic.twitter.com/2UXL0v1H3XApril 27, 2019 See more "I love you!" a different teen screamed in another video. "You're my childhood hero! I can't believe you're here right now!" Look who stopped by North Bergen High to visit the spectacular cast of Alien: The Play. Thank you, Sigourney Weaver! And thank you, North Bergen High! #AlienDay #Alien40th pic.twitter.com/ObMZh4m4t3April 27, 2019 See more The student production of "Alien" at North Bergen High School garnered wide attention after images and video of the teens' initial performances in March went viral on social media. Working on a shoestring budget, the teens crafted eye-popping sets, spacesuits and a wild alien xenomorph costume from recycled materials. So it wasn't surprising that the public demanded an encore, though the high school's drama teacher Perfecto Cuervo said at the time that there was likely no budget for another performance. But apparently Ridley Scott himself donated $5,000 to help stage the encore on Friday, according to BuzzFeed. The performance was a fitting way to marked the 40th anniversary of "Alien." (Fan's call it "Alien Day.") And the rest is "Alien" history, with the high school cast winning not only the hearts of science fiction fans everywhere, but also scholarships to New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts and a truly EPIC "Alien"-themed cake from the "Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro of Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey. Check out the "Alien" awesomeness below! Congratulations to the cast and crew of North Bergen High Schools @alienanthology on their encore (SOLD OUT!) performance last night. Hard work and ingenuity will always result in something sweet! pic.twitter.com/9V7mKNdp22April 28, 2019 See more I would like to take a moment to send my sincere thanks and gratitude to the The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. They presented each student of the cast and crew with a $1k scholarship to their summer program as well as each Senior with a $10k scholarship to the college pic.twitter.com/Vu2gRuqT45April 27, 2019 See more Very impressive set pieces from last nights encore presentation of #AlienThePlay on #AlienDay! #NorthBergenHighSchool pic.twitter.com/ppXmheHGrdApril 27, 2019 See more The xenomorph almost got me last night in the #AlienPlay. At the end of the video, he hisses at @SigourneyWRuss, but I dont think she was intimidated! What a great #AlienDay! pic.twitter.com/cLyeyjknhyApril 27, 2019 See more This scene has never looked so delicious... congrats to North Bergen High for an amazing evening and thanks for this INCREDIBLE cake,@CarlosBakery! #AlienDay #Alien40th pic.twitter.com/MZErr1srpOApril 27, 2019 See more Wow! How terrifying is this Xeno costume from the North Bergen Alien play?! pic.twitter.com/VhcmnRAH2lApril 27, 2019 See more From everyone at #NorthBergenHigh and beyond, we hope you had a happy #AlienDay yesterday! #AlienThePlay pic.twitter.com/JfETsZh9X8April 27, 2019 See more Ellen Ripley, our queen, has a special message for you this #AlienDay... #Alien40th pic.twitter.com/OGyzeQeMeHApril 27, 2019 See more SpaceX has pushed back the launch of a Dragon cargo mission for NASA this week by 24 hours, with liftoff now targeted for Wednesday (May 1). The uncrewed Dragon resupply ship will now launch to the International Space Station Wednesday at 3:59 a.m. EDT (0759 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, according to SpaceX and NASA. SpaceX test-fired the Falcon 9 rocket that will launch the mission on Saturday (April 27). "Static fire test of Falcon 9 complete targeting May 1 launch from Pad 40 in Florida for Dragon's seventeenth mission to the @Space_Station," SpaceX representatives said in a Twitter update on the mission. Related: How SpaceX's Dragon Space Capsule Works (Infographic) The one-day launch slip follows a four-day delay of the mission (it was initially scheduled to launch April 26) by NASA and SpaceX "due to station and orbital mechanics constraints," NASA officials said at the time. SpaceX representatives said the company would use those four extra days for launch vehicle checks and the Falcon 9 static fire test, which fired the booster's first stage engines briefly. Static fire tests are a standard SpaceX activity before every launch. The upcoming Dragon cargo mission will be SpaceX's 17th delivery flight for NASA. The spacecraft will deliver more than 5,500 lbs. (2,495 kilograms) of fresh supplies, experiment hardware and other gear to the Expedition 59 astronauts currently on the space station. SpaceX also has a contract to fly astronauts to the station for NASA using the company's new Crew Dragon spacecraft, which made its first uncrewed test flight in March. An in-flight abort system test for Crew Dragon is expected later this year, followed by a crewed test flight by NASA astronauts. But before SpaceX can proceed with the in-flight abort test, the company must complete its investigation into an April 20 anomaly during a Crew Dragon abort system test. That anomaly occurred as SpaceX was testing the Crew Dragon's eight SuperDraco abort engines on a test stand at Landing Zone 1, one of the company's two rocket landing pads at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Meanwhile, SpaceX is also gearing up for another big mission: the next launch of its massive Falcon Heavy megarocket. Last week, SpaceX successfully test fired the center core stage of the Falcon Heavy that will be used to launch the Space Test Program-2 mission for the U.S. Air Force. That mission will include a host of different payloads for the U.S. Air Force, NASA, Planetary Society and other customers. El-Aaiun (Occupied Territories), April 27, 2019 (SPS) - Various formations of Moroccan forces on Thursday used excessive force against peaceful Sahrawi demonstrators in the occupied capital of Western Sahara, El-Aaiun. The Moroccan occupation forces accelerated siege of the streets and alleys leading to the neighborhood of Maatullah since the early hours of Thursday morning, before Smara Street was closed to passers-by and cars, a measure that was parallelized with violent intervention against Sahrawi demonstrators in the center of the occupied city in which excessive force was used, resulting in many casualties. The occupation forces then arrested political activist student Abidine Bounaaj, after he was forcibly intercepted at Smara Street, where he was taken to an unknown destination. In the same context, the Moroccan police arrested militant and human rights activist Sultana Khaya, 40 km south of El-Aaiun, and she was prevented from completing her journey towards the occupied the city, where she planned to take part in the event called for by Coordination of Human Rights activists in Western Sahara, to demand enabling the Sahrawi people to the right of self-determination. (SPS) 062/SPS/TRA STAMFORD The growing list of defendants in the torrent of litigation against OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma extends beyond the firms owners. While the eight members of the Sackler family figure most prominently among the accused, Connecticuts expanded lawsuit filed this week and a similar complaint from Massachusetts highlight the crucial role of four current and former executives in carrying out the alleged fraudulent marketing of the firms opioids. So far, the litigation has not weakened the Sacklers control of Purdues top positions, but a prospective bankruptcy could inject an unprecedented level of outside influence into the company. Connecticuts lawsuit echoes societys sentiments that somebody has to pay for this significant public-health crisis were facing, said Angela Mattie, a professor in the schools of business and medicine at Quinnipiac University. Not only are they having the corporation be responsible, but theyre also having the corporate officers be responsible. Its a way of looking for justice. Purdue has denied Connecticuts and Massachusetts allegations, as well as those in the lawsuits filed by more than 1,000 other states and cities. Executive scrutiny In the lawsuits, the eight Sacklers are depicted as Purdues undisputed leaders. Purdue CEO and President Craig Landau said the companys board which had included those Sacklers functioned as the de facto CEO, according to Massachusetts complaint, whose own expanded version was filed in January. The Sacklers relied, however, on a number of executives including Landau to implement their efforts to get patients to take more opioids, at higher doses, for longer periods, the litigation said. In an earlier role as the firms chief medical officer, Landau allegedly helped to develop the companys sales strategy and materials. Since becoming CEO in June 2017, he has overseen more than 5,000 visits by Purdue sales representatives to prescribers in the state, according to the lawsuit. Among other allegations, Massachusetts said Landau drafted goals in 2011 that included supporting the approval of OxyContin for children. Landau is not a defendant in Connecticuts lawsuit. Connecticuts and Massachusetts complaints also focus on former CEOs Mark Timney and John Stewart. Timney, the chief executive from 2014 to 2017, allegedly directed sales reps to promote OxyContins abuse-deterrent properties without disclosing that he knew that those traits did not address oral overconsumption of the drug. Similar accusations are leveled against Stewart, Purdues chief executive from 2007 to 2013. At his direction, Purdues sales reps visited Massachusetts prescribers more than 70,000 times, Massachusetts said. Former vice president of sales and marketing Russell Gasdia also contributed to the misleading marketing campaigns, according to Connecticut and Massachusetts. He was added as a defendant in the amended Connecticut complaint and is also one in the Massachusetts litigation. Gasdia allegedly figured among the staff who told the Sacklers that Purdue was pushing opioid savings cards, which were intended to keep patients longer on Purdue pain drugs, to tens of thousands of prescribers. Five former board members, who are not Sackler family members, are also named as defendants by Connecticut and Massachusetts, facing similar allegations of supporting fraudulent marketing. Accountability The lawsuits represent the most-sustained pressure on the companys leadership but not the first time Purdue officials have been prosecuted. Purdue, as a company, and three former and then-executives pleaded guilty in 2007 to federal criminal charges of them misbranding OxyContin. In total, they incurred about $635 million in penalties. While the case imposed the most severe sanctions of Purdue, the punishment did not noticeably loosen the Sacklers grip on the company. Since then, the owners have overseen several CEO changes. When Landau was appointed chief executive two years ago, the company faced a fraction of the lawsuits that it does today. The trouble for Purdue is, if they get rid of executives now, it would be tantamount to an admission of guilt, said Richard Ausness, a law professor at the University of Kentucky. I think they would probably stick with them for a little while. So far, Purdues settlements including its $270 million agreement reached last month with Oklahoma have not involved any executive shakeups. The plaintiffs have focused on funding for programming to tackle the opioid crisis. But a Purdue bankruptcy a course of action that Landau has acknowledged is an option could precipitate significant outside involvement in the company. Bankruptcies often entail executive changes to secure creditors support for restructuring plans. After going bankrupt last year, Stamford printing-and-mailing company Cenveos CEO stepped down and was replaced by one of his sons. It all depends on whether creditors have confidence in management or not, said Jeff Hellman, a New Haven-based attorney, whose practice concentrates on commercial litigation and bankruptcy. If you file for Chapter 11, your companys life is an open book, and your creditors can pretty much find out most of what youre doing. A lot of private companies dont like that kind of scrutiny. Ongoing overhaul Purdues owners have already shaken up their companys leadership. None of the eight Sackler defendants Mortimer D.A. Sackler, Kathe Sackler, Ilene Sackler Lefcourt, Theresa Sackler, Jonathan Sackler, David Sackler, Beverly Sackler and Richard Sackler serve today on the Purdue board. They have quit the panel during the past year and a half, with the last of them leaving at the beginning of the year. In the same period, the Sacklers have overseen a number of other sweeping changes. Last year, Purdue stopped marketing its opioids to prescribers and disbanded its sales force. The sales teams demise resulted in hundreds of layoffs. Now, the company is increasingly focusing on non-opioids. A new Purdue subsidiary gained U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval last month for a drug called Adhansia XR, to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, known as ADHD. In the past three months, another new Purdue subsidiary has secured the FDAs orphan drug designation for expedited reviews of drugs to, respectively, treat rare bile-duct cancer and an extremely rare type of leukemia. Also last month, Purdue announced an FDA fast-track designation for a nalmefene hydrochloride injection that would treat known or suspected opioid overdoses. The company said it would not profit from the latter medication. There have to be a multitude of approaches in responding to the opioid crisis, said Quinnipiacs Mattie. pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschott April is Financial Literacy Month. The U.S. Senate in 2004 passed Senate Resolution 316 having the federal government recognize it as such. I think it is interesting that federal income taxes also are due in April. The summary of the resolution reads, The Senate designates April 2004 as Financial Literacy Month to raise public awareness about the importance of financial education in the United States and the serious consequences that may be associated with a lack of understanding about personal finances. The topics associated with financial literacy begin with personal finance information including basic jargon. I would suggest that additional topics might include budgeting on personal, organizational, state and federal levels. Retirement options and planning strategies would be helpful. Stock market and other financial topics would allow for a more informed population. During this month, there are numerous online sources and educational programs across the community with programs to assist furthering financial literacy. Of course the online resources are still available if you or someone you know could use a touch-up on financial terms beyond the end of this month. As with most life behaviors, gaining information is the first step. After we gather information on any given subject, the next challenge is to apply that information to our daily lives. Based upon my casual observations, there still is work to be done for the majority of the population regarding financial literacy. The improvement of financial literacy across the county could have numerous benefits. Retirement planning and the hopeful associated increases in nest eggs might have benefits across various sectors to include real estate, the travel industry and others. Historically, the United States has lagged other industrial nations in the average savings rates per person. Additional knowledge of the financial markets and the potential benefits of investing could encourage additional participation in the various financial markets. The list goes on, but I believe it is safe to say that regardless of income level, there is usually a more informed decision one could make about finances. With more awareness of budgets and the impact of budgets, there could be more engagement and appreciation of the local, state and federal budgets. Better understanding of financial principles by the electorate might improve the decision making by elected officials. For example, the impact of debt and unfulfilled obligations being delayed from one administration to the next might not be as accepted if the true financial impact of the delays were broadly understood. Although April is coming to an end, there is no closure on the financial literacy information available. Unless your organization is a financial institution, odds are that additional financial literacy on some level would be of benefit to your team members. Additionally, the potential of your team members to bring new financial learning into their homes and communities might get the country closer the intention of the Senate resolution. Cornell Wright is an author, trainer, consultant and an Executive Coach at The Parker Wright Group Inc. in Stratford. The firm assists clients to increase their market share by improved customer service. He can be reached at 203-377-4226 or cornell@parkerwrightgroup.com. The prospect of college means a clean slate in more ways than one. With these new beginnings comes the opportunity to meet new people and broaden your social horizons. The majority of adults who recall their college experience often allude to it being the time of their lives and a place where they met their lifelong best friends. Having said that, incoming freshmen can develop high expectations when it comes to how friendships are to form in college. So, as technological advancements rapidly change what is deemed socially acceptable, there is seemingly an additional pressure for incoming freshmen to form these friendships across social media platforms, as if connecting in person is not challenging enough. With every college acceptance these days comes the task of introducing yourself in your college Facebook group in order to appear approachable to other incoming freshmen. Although finding a roommate was based more off random selection in generations prior, Facebook group usage amongst colleges has taken away the desirability of leaving it to fate and replaced it with another arguably anxiety-ridden interaction online. When asked how posting in her college of choice Facebook group for the first time made her feel, senior Samantha McClafferty said, It gave me a lot of anxiety because youre posting in a group with random people and theres this pressure to say stuff you know they will like. As if reaching out over social media before attending your chosen college is not hard enough, there is also a pressure to maintain pages across various social media platforms that your incoming peers can relate to and be impressed by as well. When asked on whether getting into colleges had impacted the way she wanted to present herself across social media in order to establish online friendships, senior Lauren Ferrajina said, I try to appear better than I am in person, presenting myself as someone who is always happy and always doing something interesting and jealousy inducing. In reality, I would be intimidated by my own persona across social media. Pressure towards establishing friendships and fitting in through the use of technology seems to be a growing problem for the silent majority of incoming freshmen alike. The good news? There are ways to combat these anxieties you could be facing. When posting in a college Facebook group, senior Dylan Friese says, Be honest and try to go into the process open and free of judgement. When reaching out to find a roommate online, senior Katie Mcdonough says, Have someone youre already close with review your Facebook group posts and inform you if they truly sound like you so potential roommates can actually bond with you over your real likes and dislikes. And when asked how to stay approachable, but also true to yourself on social media platforms, senior Sam Diamond says, Try to introduce yourself with the same confidence you would have in person when youre online, but dont change who you are just to gain the approval of others. Hopefully these tips can reduce even a few college-related social stresses, but if all else fails remember to take this annoyingly predictable, yet applicable piece of advice: just be yourself. Ivy Zingone is a senior at Stamford High School. This piece first appeared in The Round Table, a publication of Stamford High School. STAMFORD For more than 20 years the highest-paid employees on the annual list of city salaries have been police. The 2018 list was no exception. Last years payroll records, released this month, show a first for municipal salaries two people, both police captains, broke the $400,000 mark. They did it with the help of the extra-duty program, which is unique in the city to the Police Department. The program exists through a memorandum of understanding attached to the citys contract with the police union. It says all jobs controlling traffic at road work sites and providing security at public gatherings shall first be offered to police officers. The program has been under scrutiny since the Police Department announced April 12 that four officers were relieved of duty pending an investigation into whether they manipulated extra-duty rules regarding late project cancellations. The rules say officers who sign up for extra duty get four hours pay if a job is canceled after 10 p.m. the previous day. The officers who are under investigation, unnamed so far, worked in the Central Hiring Office, which parcels out extra-duty jobs. It is alleged that they finessed records to get themselves four hours pay for many canceled jobs they were not due to work, in an amount that could total $100,000 to $200,000, police sources have said. The extra-duty program, which started about 50 years ago, is complex, Mayor David Martin said. Who pays? The city processes extra-duty earnings and collects a 16 percent administrative fee, but does not pay the officers to work the jobs. They are paid by utility companies, contractors, corporations, the mall, charitable organizations, neighborhood groups, even citizens anyone who needs traffic control or security. It is an office in the Police Department that determines which construction jobs or events require police officers, and how many. Police officials have long said that residents benefit from the program because it places officers in the streets and at events where they may be needed at no cost to taxpayers. But sometimes municipal departments, such as highways, engineering, recreation and the school district, hire extra-duty officers. In those cases, taxpayers do cover the cost of the officers. The same is true when the city hires private contractors to pave roads, repair catch basins and do other work. The contractors pay the officers, but the city pays the contractors, so taxpayers cover those costs, too. Utility companies that hire officers pass the cost on to ratepayers, so residents also pay that. There are issues The system is meant to give the public access to police officers when needed. This system makes it mutually beneficial for the city and police to provide security and enforcement during events held at parks or other locations around town, Martin said. The extra-duty program likely began in the late 1960s, he said, but the city has been involved only about half that time. The current formalized system was implemented 25 years ago, partly to ensure appropriate withholdings were made, Martin said. There was a concern about whether taxes were being deducted from the earnings officers received from private entities. Martin said extra duty serves an honest purpose, and I generally support the system. However, there are issues. These issues are difficult to resolve, as many of the practices within the system are the result of union agreements. His administration has successfully negotiated positive change in extra duty which benefited city taxpayers, Martin said, but more significant change is very difficult because of State of Connecticut municipal labor laws. Wage booster Beyond that, police have come to expect the opportunity to enhance their earnings through the extra-duty program, which pays officers $68 an hour. Supervisors earn $79 an hour. The union contract mandates that a supervisor be hired for any job that requires three or more officers. The program is run by the Police Departments Central Hiring Office, which fills shifts for on-duty work as well as extra duty. It is staffed by a sergeant, three police officers and a clerical person. The program can be lucrative. Payroll records show that officers earned a total of $10.6 million in extra-duty pay last year. Ten officers earned extra-duty pay in the six figures. Those officers, who comprised about 3 percent of the police force last year, took home 10 percent of the total extra-duty earnings. The program is particularly good for officers who rank lower on the pay scale. Because their base pay is less, they dont earn as much working overtime hours on-shift. They earn more per hour doing extra-duty work. In fact, a review of the payroll shows that 27 police earned more in extra-duty pay than base pay last year. One was a sergeant and 26 were officers. Not all officers take part in the program. Payroll data shows that 46 officers had no extra-duty earnings last year, and 49 earned less than $10,000. The two groups comprised about a third of the police force. The program has its devotees. According to the payroll, 81 officers, about 27 percent of the police force last year, earned nearly two-thirds of all the extra-duty pay. Details needed Not all information about the program is readily available, Public Safety Director Ted Jankowski said. Records show the number of extra-duty jobs worked on a given day, and whether they were hired by a private entity, the city or the school district, but it doesnt give specifics as to location of the jobs, Jankowski said. The department could find out the locations, but they would have to go back into the archives and look at the forms and the paperwork related to the jobs. A random sampling indicates that 94 percent of extra-duty work comes from private entities, 5 percent from the city, and 1 percent from the Board of Education, Jankowski said. Private contractors who hire extra-duty officers to do city work are counted in the city category, he said. Martin said the Highway Departments budget shows that roughly 15 percent of the cost of city road maintenance work goes to extra-duty pay. According to the operating budget, projected expenditures for the extra-duty program for fiscal 2018-19 are $13.4 million, and the projected revenue is $13.9 million. Jankowski said the program benefits citizens. Extra-duty officers are a police force multiplier, providing an additional police presence on city streets, which is a crime deterrent and also improves our community policing efforts, he said. Extra-duty officers also intervene in responding to criminal acts, Jankowski said. An example occurred during a shooting homicide incident last year. The extra-duty officer intervened and was key in the apprehension of the people who perpetrated the crime. acarella@stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2296. I dont know what type of Easter or Passover gathering you attended last weekend, but I attended one where, at a certain point, somebody announced that we would go around the table declaring our current preference for Democratic presidential nominee in 2020. I tried to miss my turn by getting up to fetch a piece of cheese, but that was noticed. Im backing Andrew Chang, I said. Sign up to get Colins newsletter delivered to your inbox, for free. I subsequently wished I had said Mike Gravel because (a) it would have shut down any further attempts to talk to me about this and (b) it was quickly pointed out to me that the candidate I was thinking of is named Andrew Yang. Well, that creates a touchy situation, because I sent $3,500 in campaign contributions to Andrew Chang, I said glumly. The thing is, nobody can really criticize your choice of presidential nominee right now (provided you get the name right) because there are at least 20 certified and possibly certifiable seekers of the nomination, and the whole process has turned into a test you cant possibly study for. Do you know who Eric Swalwell is? Wayne Messam? Tulsi Gabbard? Syrio Forel? Jay Inslee? Seth Moulton? No? Well they are all mayors or congresspersons or governors, and all of them are seeking the nomination. Except for Syrio Forel who is a minor Game of Thrones character. And when I say there are 20 declared candidates, that does not include the aforementioned Mike Gravel, a former senator from Alaska who has actually filed papers with the Federal Election Commission, egged on by a coalition of high school students, people on Reddit, and fans of the annoying socialist comedy podcast Chapo Trap House. Gravel was part of the 2008 presidential field and made a commercial in which he stared, expressionless, at the camera for a minute, then turned, walked along a shoreline, picked up a large rock, heaved it into the water, and walked away. It was simultaneously the greatest political commercial in American history and an indication that he was losing his mind. This latter trend has continued. Gravel, in his youth a prominent anti-war voice who often teamed up with Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn or Daniel Ellsburg, has recently appeared in the company of 9/11 truthers, Holocaust deniers and all-purpose looney tunes such as the late Lyndon Larouche. Gravel would turn 90 during the campaign. Call me ageist, but you really can be too old to be president; and its usually around the time you start promising to replace The Star-Spangled Banner with the theme from Murder, She Wrote. The list of 20 does, however, include Marianne Williamson, who as president would not need a spiritual adviser because she is a spiritual adviser, including to Oprah for the last 20-plus years. Williamson has written many successful books, all of them based on A Course in Miracles, a 1,333-page gospel dictated so the story goes by Jesus to a psychologist named Helen Schucman. I know that sounds a little wacky, but many of the people who think its wacky belong to a religion where they eat Jesus on a regular basis. So, live and let live, you know? I could see myself dropping Yang for Williamson. In her new book, A Politics of Love A Handbook for a New American Revolution, Williamson writes that When politics is used for loveless purposes, love and love alone can override it. She goes on to aver that love abolished slavery, gave women suffrage and established civil rights. This might seem too unmoored from reality for a presidential contender. On the other hand, the office is currently held by Donald Trump. Also, before you snort at Williamson, consider that this week Elizabeth Warren published a detailed essay about the kinship she feels with Game of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen, aka The Khaleesi, who, Warren writes, as much as (she) wants to take on her familys enemies and take back the Iron Throne ... knows that she must first fight the army of the dead that threatens all mankind. This is a revolutionary idea, in Westeros or anywhere else. A queen who declares that she doesnt serve the interests of the rich and powerful? ... Its no wonder that the people she meets in Westeros are skeptical. She stopped just short of announcing Syrio Forel as her running mate. Some of you are wondering why I have not mentioned Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind. I was briefly entranced by Mayor Pete, but now I am convinced he is trying to run for president without ever taking any actual positions. His campaign website has no policy section. Do you know how many policy positions Andrew Yang has on his campaign website? One hundred and five, including Reduce Harm to Children Caused by Smartphones, Nuclear Launch Decisions, and something called the American Mall Act. I havent clicked on any of these links so far, but I feel good knowing they exist. Colin McEnroes column appears every Sunday, his newsletter comes out every Thursday and you can hear his radio show every weekday on WNPR 90.5. Email him at colin@ctpublic.org. Sign up for his newsletter at http://bit.ly/colinmcenroe. WASHINGTON - Congress returns Monday with House Democrats split over impeaching President Donald Trump while lawmakers of both parties scramble to deliver disaster relief and confront the possibility that Washington might finally get serious about infrastructure. Special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election will drive internal Democratic politics as lawmakers wrestle with whether to investigate or launch impeachment proceedings after Mueller found 10 instances of potential obstruction of justice by the president. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who has argued against impeachment, faces the tough task of preventing the loud calls to impeach from turning into a groundswell that Democratic leaders fear will overwhelm their agenda ahead of the 2020 election. Pelosi, in a letter to colleagues Friday, made no mention of the Mueller report, focusing instead on legislation slated for upcoming House votes - on protecting young undocumented immigrants from deportation, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, addressing climate change and barring gender discrimination. She contrasted the legislative lineup in her chamber with the Senate, which has spent much of the first part of the year on judges and other nominees, and where Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has vowed to stop the Democratic-crafted legislation. "Leader McConnell has declared himself the 'grim reaper' of these House bills to make progress for working families," Pelosi said. "We will show him that these bills are alive and well with the American people. The middle class and America don't want the Senate to be a legislative graveyard for so many of these important issues - they want action." A new Washington Post-ABC News poll found that most Americans oppose starting impeachment proceedings, though Democrats are in favor by a 2-to-1 margin. But many Democratic lawmakers said Mueller's findings were hardly a top topic at dozens of town halls during the two-week congressional recess, with voters instead focused on climate change, health care and other issues. Still, the report will be front and center on Capitol Hill this week as Attorney General William Barr faces questions about his interpretation of the report - and its contradictions with Mueller's findings - when he testifies before the Judiciary committees in the Senate and House midweek. Even before his slated Thursday appearance in the House, tensions between Barr and Judiciary Democrats were reaching a boiling point. Justice Department officials threatened Friday that Barr may ditch the hearing entirely because he disapproved of the hearing format. Judiciary Committee aides said Barr should be prepared for a private session after his public testimony, to discuss redacted portions of the Mueller report. Democratic aides also want their lawyers to have a chance to question Barr. Justice Department officials, however, balked at those demands. Meanwhile, Democrats continued to grapple with questions of whether they should initiate impeachment proceedings. Speaking on CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday, Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., a member of the judiciary panel, said he would support such a move - though he deferred to leadership to make the final call. "I think (impeachment is) the best way to get all of the facts out," Richmond said, arguing that he wants Trump put under oath to answer questions. "But, look, my sole focus right now is to make sure that he's not the president next term." House Democrats will be otherwise confronted with a contradiction this week as Trump, on one hand, refuses to cooperate with their probes into his administration - leaving them to consider next steps, such as potential contempt citations - while he, on the other hand, invites Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., for an Oval Office meeting Tuesday to discuss infrastructure. All three leaders must determine quickly in the coming weeks whether there is any potential in the highly polarized climate for bipartisan legislating, whether on infrastructure or on reducing prescription drug prices, before the pressures of the 2020 elections make any compromise impossible. A major piece of unfinished business for Congress is a disaster aid bill that would send more than $13 billion across the country for expenses related to natural disasters, including wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The legislation has been pending in one form or another since last year but has gotten hung up in a fight between Trump and Democrats over how much aid to send to Puerto Rico, with Trump resisting Democrats' efforts to provide large new infusions as the island continues a slow recovery from Hurricane Maria in 2017. Negotiations to resolve the impasse have been fitful, and the outlook is uncertain. There is a strong desire among lawmakers of both major parties to reach a deal, but also increasingly bitter acrimony on both sides about how the dispute has played out. House Democrats plan to move forward next week with their own $17.2 billion disaster aid bill, which includes additional money for flood-ravaged parts of the Midwest, but House passage of that legislation is unlikely to unlock the impasse in the Senate. However, Trump met with key Republican senators just before the congressional recess began and indicated a desire to find a path forward, creating some basis for hope for a resolution. The dispute over the disaster bill has also led to fretting on Capitol Hill over whether Congress and the administration will be able to reach agreement on the much more significant fiscal fights that loom in coming months, including whether to raise the debt ceiling and whether to pass new spending bills before current government funding runs out Sept. 30. The administration has recently signaled a desire for quick action on the debt ceiling, which must be lifted by September or October to allow the country to continue to meet its obligations. At the same time, McConnell announced that bipartisan, bicameral negotiations toward reaching a budget deal would begin. But those talks are taking place on the staff level and are off to a slow start. House Democrats plan to start moving forward in coming days with the first of the 12 annual spending bills that fund the government, beginning with the massive Labor-Health and Human Services-Education bill, which is certain to spark partisan friction because of policy provisions related to guns and abortion. But House Democrats are contending with divisions in their own ranks between liberals, who want more domestic and less military spending, and fiscal hawks concerned about higher spending levels generally, which forced leaders to cancel a planned vote earlier this month on a two-year spending deal. Continuing with a string of measures that rebuke the Trump administration, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., announced plans for a vote this week on a measure that would reverse Trump's decision to withdraw from the United Nations climate accord known as the Paris agreement. It stops short, however, of the ambitious Green New Deal provisions favored by many Democrats. Besides Barr's appearances before the House and Senate Judiciary panels, other high-profile hearings are on tap for the week. Homeland Security official Kevin McAleenan is set to make his first appearance as acting secretary Tuesday before a House Appropriations subcommittee - one that could detour away from budgetary matters and toward the Trump administration's border policy. Acting defense secretary Patrick Shanahan will also face a House budget hearing Wednesday. On Tuesday, the House Rules Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on Medicare-for-all legislation - marking the first time Democrats have used their majority to highlight an issue dear to their liberal base. Also on Tuesday, a House Judiciary subcommittee will hold a hearing on the Equal Rights Amendment, focusing on how to restart a ratification process that stalled in the late 1970s. Actress Patricia Arquette is among those set to testify. The Senate, meanwhile, is set to continue confirming Trump nominees, including five district judges. Also on tap for confirmation is Gordon Hartogensis, nominee for director of Pension Benefit Guaranty and brother-in-law to McConnell. Senators also will attempt - and most likely fail - to override Trump's veto of a resolution to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen's civil war. Fifty-four senators, seven of them Republicans, backed the effort to pass the resolution - a far cry from the two-thirds needed to challenge Trump's veto. But the bigger question is about what comes next. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch, R-Idaho, has signaled that he is open to doing something to address the October killing of Saudi journalist and Washington Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi, which the CIA determined was ordered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. But Risch has yet to endorse any effort currently on offer. - - - The Washington Post's Karoun Demirjian and Rachael Bade contributed to this report. This appeared in Sunday's Washington Post. - - - The United States has a clear interest in punishing and deterring Iranian aggression across the Middle East, much of which is aimed at Israel and other U.S. allies. The Trump administration also wants to force Tehran to accept far more stringent controls on its nuclear activity than those negotiated by the Obama administration. Economic sanctions offer a nonmilitary means to those ends, and past experience shows they can work, up to a point. The danger is that they will provoke actions by Iran, such as the resumption of large-scale uranium enrichment or attacks on Americans, that would demand a U.S. military response - and perhaps escalate into another of the Middle East wars President Donald Trump has vowed to avoid. Trump tested that balance last year when he reimposed oil sanctions on Iran, while exempting some of its largest customers. The result, according to the administration, was to shave $10 billion off the Islamic Republic's prior $50 billion in oil revenues, which in turn led to funding cuts for the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon. Despite threats, Tehran did not respond to the losses by crossing U.S. red lines. Perhaps encouraged by this passivity, the administration is doubling down, seeking to eliminate Iran's remaining oil exports by threatening buyers, including China, India, Turkey, South Korea and Japan, with sanctions if they do not comply. China, which buys half the remaining oil, may defy U.S. pressure. But if the initiative succeeds, the already-struggling Iranian economy would be devastated. Trump is essentially betting that the regime will again swallow the punishment rather than test his resolve. It's possible that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will choose that course; the strong opposition of European governments and U.S. Democrats to Trump's policy may encourage the regime to wait out the next 18 months in the hope he will not be reelected. But if Iran responds aggressively, Trump could be forced to choose between tolerating offenses that the Obama administration's 2015 nuclear deal stopped or sliding toward a war that few Americans wish for. One reason confrontation is possible is that the administration has left Tehran with scant options. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday reiterated the administration's nominal openness to negotiations, but he has set out a list of a dozen conditions the regime would have to meet, representing a complete reversal of its current foreign policy. Those steps, ranging from a stop to the development of nuclear-capable missiles to an end to hostility toward Israel, are desirable but unrealistic in the absence of a broader settlement with Iran's regional rivals, including Saudi Arabia. Maybe the administration's real objective is to force the regime's collapse. Pompeo said his demands "are similar to what we hear from the Iranian people themselves," adding "we will not appease their oppressors." That, too, could be a welcome outcome, were U.S. sanctions capable of delivering it. History doesn't offer much encouragement, however, which raises the question of whether Trump has carefully considered the difficult corners into which his policy may lead. We're guessing he has not. The following editorial appeared in Sunday's Japan News-Yomiuri: - - - Japan and the United States must strive for the stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region, while maintaining a firm relationship. It is greatly significant that the leaders of the two countries affirmed the importance of close cooperation. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met President Donald Trump for summit talks, and they agreed to accelerate new bilateral trade negotiations. The United States has strained relations with China and Europe mainly due to prolonged trade friction. If a rift also occurs in the Japan-U.S. relationship, the global economy's uncertainty about the future could increase further. The fact that the two leaders did not bring to the surface conflicts over trade issues, among other matters, can be said to be appropriate. Abe stressed at the talks that Japan and the United States should proceed with negotiations that would be win-win for them both. His remarks show his willingness to establish rules that will contribute to the growth of both countries. Japan and the United States account for about 30 percent of the global gross domestic product. It is hoped that the two countries will strengthen the framework of free trade. It is important to hold a vigorous series of ministerial-level talks to work toward realizing an early conclusion of a bilateral trade pact. How the negotiations will unfold remains unpredictable, because there are still distinct differences in opinion between Tokyo and Washington. At the summit talks, Trump said, "Maybe by the time I'm over there (in Japan in late May)," referring to when the trade negotiations could be concluded. He probably intends to produce results at an early date with an eye on the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Meanwhile, Japan hopes to reach an agreement after the House of Councillors election this summer. This is because depending on the content of the deal, there are fears it may invite a backlash from those engaged in the agricultural sector. It is necessary to pay attention so that gaps in their motives will not have an adverse impact on future negotiations. Trump showed strong dissatisfaction with the trade of U.S. agricultural and livestock products, saying, "Japan puts very massive tariffs on agriculture." As a result of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement coming into effect, among other reasons, U.S. products are at a disadvantage in terms of exports to Japan. There may therefore be demands on Japan to open up its markets beyond TPP levels as the negotiations develop. The TPP is a framework that was formed after participating countries went through complex negotiations to coordinate their interests. For this reason, the United States, which withdrew from the TPP, should not be allowed to gain more favorable terms than the TPP member states. If Washington demands the early conclusion of a trade pact, it should compromise to the same degree as the TPP member states did in the negotiations. Abe explained that Japanese automakers' investment in the United States has contributed to economic growth and the expansion of job opportunities in the United States, citing specific figures. The automotive field accounts for most of the U.S. trade deficit with Japan. During the latest talks, Trump is said to have shown that he is obstinate about seeking reductions in the trade deficit. Concern cannot be dispelled about how properly he understood the prime minister's explanations. It is vital to remain wary about the possibility that Trump will call for punitive tariffs and quantitative restrictions on Japanese car exports. If he advances proposals that could distort free trade and violate international rules, it is crucial to resolutely reject them. In June, the prime minister is scheduled to chair a summit meeting of the Group of 20 major economies in Osaka. In the latest talks, he reached an agreement with Trump to cooperate in forming a consensus in the upcoming G20 meeting. The Trump administration has continued to make light of multilateral talks and disrupt concerted efforts among major nations. The G20 summit talks, held at the end of last year, failed to include the words "fight protectionism" in its declaration due to objections from the United States, a development that left an even greater schism among these countries. The G20 is a forum for major nations to tackle global challenges. Japan should play a leading role in restoring unity among the G20 members. Trump must be actively engaged in discussions at the G20 meeting, thereby trying to rebuild a framework of cooperation among them. The prime minister should continue urging him to do so. At the latest talks, both leaders confirmed that Japan, the United States and South Korea will continue to cooperate in the effort to completely denuclearize North Korea. After a second U.S.-North Korea summit meeting failed to arrive at an agreement, Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, has continued to take actions as a check against the United States, using China and Russia as supporters. In consideration of this situation, it is of no small significance that the Japanese and U.S. leaders adjusted their opinions regarding a line of policy toward negotiations with the North. What is important is maintaining pressure on North Korea until preliminary arrangements have been made for that nation's denuclearization. It is necessary to urge other nations to implement the resolutions adopted by the U.N. Security Council to impose sanctions on Pyongyang. The prime minister conveyed his gratitude to Trump for his action of raising the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals at the U.S.-North Korea summit meeting. The prime minister has shown an eagerness to hold direct dialogue with Kim. The issues of abductions by North Korea, and its nuclear and missile programs, must be resolved first and foremost, a task vital for paving the way toward diplomatic normalization between Japan and North Korea. That will also make it possible for Japan to extend economic assistance to the North. The prime minister must tell Pyongyang that such a process must be adopted, while also tenaciously urging North Korea to make concessions. Abe and Trump also agreed to further increase the deterrent power of the Japan-U.S. alliance. Efforts should be made to promote bilateral defense cooperation in such new fields as space and cyber-security. HARTFORD After a car accident in 2005, Sarah Howroyd visited Dr. Ellen Malsky for treatment of her minor neck and back pain. At her office in Stoneham, Mass., Malsky prescribed Howroyd 120 milligrams of the powerful opioid painkiller Oxycontin. Born in Manchester, Howroyd was a college graduate in her mid-20s. For the next 10 years, she would also be an opioid addict. What Howroyd didnt know in 2005 was her doctor was a high-value target of Purdue Pharma, the Stamford-based opioid maker, fighting thousands of state and local lawsuits for its alleged role in fueling the opioid crisis. For up-to-date information on public policy issues, sign up for the CT Politics newsletter. Indeed, according to an amended complaint filed by the Connecticut Attorney Generals office Monday, Purdue Pharma maintained a secret list of doctors who were suspected of overprescribing opioids. Purdue Pharma has denied all allegations in the lawsuits. Purdue sales representatives made numerous calls to this list of doctors to ensure they kept up the high volume of prescriptions, the complaint alleges. They were central to Purdues multibillion-dollar profit strategy. They were responsible for nearly 10 percent of sales. Purdue Pharma even gave this list of doctors a code name, Region Zero. Malsky was on the list. So too were several Connecticut prescribers, according to Connecticuts amended complaint. At the moment, the Attorney Generals office will not name the Connecticut prescribers, nor reveal how many there were. But the state may take action against them. The Attorney Generals office has no powers to bring criminal charges, so it has sent the Region Zero list to the state Department of Consumer Protection, which investigates prescribing complaints, said Kim Massicotte, special counsel for opioids in the Attorney Generals office. Rest assured that we have shared that list in Connecticut, said Massicotte. The Department of Consumer Protection is aware of those doctors and I am certain they will be paying close attention and doing whatever is necessary if there is anything that can be done at this point. Massicotte decline to say whether the list had been shared with the state Department of Public Health, which oversees licensing for health care providers, but said the list was given to all appropriate authorities. A DCP investigation into a doctors prescribing habits could result in a move by DPH to revoke his or her license, said Lora Rae Anderson, spokeswoman for DCP. The Attorney Generals office got the Region Zero list as a part of a trove of documents available to states suing Purdue Pharma, Massicotte said. But the list must be kept confidential due to an order from a federal court in Ohio that is handling multidistrict litigation from multiple towns and counties suing the company. If the state conducts its own investigations into Region Zero doctors in Connecticut resulting in criminal proceedings or license revocations, the doctors identities and other information may become public. It is possible the state was already aware of the Connecticut-based Region Zero doctors through DCPs prescription monitoring program. Controlled substances are entered into the program when they are dispensed by a pharmacist, Anderson said. Its a way for doctors, pharmacists and regulators to keep eyes on a patients medication intake and flag dangerous or illegal prescribing. The Attorney Generals office did not confirm whether the Connecticut Region Zero doctors have ever been subject to a DCP investigation or had their licenses revoked before filing its amended complaint, said Elizabeth Benton, spokeswoman for the Attorney General. By contrast, when Massachusetts filed a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma last July, it included the names of many Region Zero doctors in its complaint and details on how they were targeted by Purdue Pharma. The doctors Massachusetts named had been convicted of crimes or had their licenses revoked. The Massachusetts documents shows how Purdue Pharma went after doctors who engaged in inappropriate prescribing and pressured them to keep pushing opioids. The same tactics may have been used with Connecticut doctors. Connecticuts complaint shows between 2007 and 2016, Connecticut prescribers increased prescriptions of Purdues opioids by 67 percent. Purdue Pharma promoted opioids to Malsky, who gave Howroyd her Oxycontin prescription, from at least 2006 to April 2011, the Massachusetts lawsuit states. My doctors office had office space for the drug reps, Howroyd said at the Connecticut Attorney Generals office Tuesday. I asked her point-blank if these drugs were addictive. She said no. Purdues records show that red flags about Malskys prescribing habits were apparent at least as early as March 2006, about a year after Howroyds visit. Purdues sales representative recorded a note that Malsky has issues with legal use of prescribing, and again, in May 2007, when Malsky raised concerns about attracting too much attention to her prescribing, the Massachusetts lawsuit says in part. In December 2009, one of Malskys patients died from an overdose, a Purdue sales representative noted. Purdue recorded when Malsky lost her affiliation with Blue Cross Blue Shield for prescribing too many opioids. The representative specified that 75 percent of those [Blue Cross] patients switched to other plans in order to stay in her practice. Purdue kept asking Malsky to prescribe more of its drugs, the complaint states. Purdue did not stop pushing Malsky to prescribe until a sales representative went to her office in 2011 to find it closed, according to the complaint. On April 22, 2011, Purdue finally told its sales representatives to stop promoting opioids to Malsky because she had surrendered her medical license, the lawsuit says. Malsky committed suicide 13 days later. Howroyd, who now lives in West Hartford, wants Purdue Pharma held accountable for its role in pushing doctors to prescribe addictive painkillers. Purdue Pharma took away over a decade of my life, she said. They took away my innocence. They took away my dignity. Theres one more thing Howroyd lost to opioids. Her fiance, whom she declined to name, was in the same car accident Howroyd was. He also saw Malsky. He also became addicted to opioids. In February 2016, Howroyds fiance died from an overdose. It was a long road, Howroyd said, but she is now sober and working on durg addiction prevention in Connecticut. Most people dont come back from the darkness that I came back from, she said. emunson@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson P olice have released CCTV images of a suspected believed to be connected to the abduction and rape of two women in north London. The force said they had on Sunday arrested a 33-year-old man on suspicion of conspiracy to rape, adding that the hunt for the rapist continues. The two women were abducted from Chingford and Edgware on April 25. They were taken to a hotel where a man attempted to book a room but left when there was none available, police said. CCTV images were taken of the man while he was at the hotel. Police said the suspect has a tattoo of the name "bobbie" on his stomach. / Met Police The pair managed to escape by smashing a glass bottle over his head, according to reports. Police said they are hunting a white man of muscular build, aged in his late 20s or early 30s, with a bald head or shaved blonde hair and a light-coloured short beard. He is described as having a distinctive tattoo of the name bobbie on his stomach. The car he was driving is believed to be a silver or grey-coloured Ford S-Max people carrier, with false registration plates. The car that was driven by the suspect in the abduction and rape of two women on Thursday / PA Detective Chief Inspector Katherine Goodwin, who is leading the investigation, called for anyone with information to come forward. Our investigation into these appalling crimes is making good process and my team continue to work extremely hard but we urgently need the help of the public to identify and trace this man. We believe he travelled around north London and Hertfordshire in his car from the early hours of Thursday and he may have come into contact with other members of the public. Equally he may have abandoned his car somewhere - if an unfamiliar car of this description is now parked on your street, call police straight away. She added: The women, both in their 20s, have been left traumatised and are receiving support from specialist officers. A teenage boy was rushed to hospital after being stabbed repeatedly on a bus in north-west London. The 17-year-old was knifed in broad daylight while on a bus in Cricklewood on Saturday evening. Photos on social media show a police van and car and two ambulances at the scene. A police cordon was put in place while forensics officers carried out an investigation. Police and paramedics were called at about 5.30pm to Cricklewood Lane, near the junction with Cricklewood Broadway. The victim was taken to a central London hospital. A Met Police spokesman confirmed on Sunday morning that his injuries were not life threatening. A man has been charged with murder after a woman was found dead in east London. The 35-year-old victim was discovered at a flat in Crowder Street, Whitechapel, on Friday afternoon. Police attended after receiving a call concerning the welfare of a female resident. Although she has yet to be formally identified, the victim has been named by police as Amy Parsons. Roderick Deakin-White, 37, had been arrested on suspicion of murder on the same day and was charged on Sunday. He is due to appear at Thames Magistrates' Court on Monday. Ms Parsons and the defendant are believed to have known one another and investigators are not looking for anyone else in connection with the killing. A huge plume of smoke could be seen for miles as firefighters tackled a huge blaze near Heathrow Airport. Thick, black smoke could be seen billowing into the west London sky on Sunday afternoon, while witnesses claimed to hear a number of explosions. Trains through West Drayton were reportedly delayed as firefighters tackled the blaze. People living in the area were told to keep their doors and windows closed. The London Fire Brigade said 10 fire engines and around 70 firefighters were called to an old coal depot in Tavistock Road. A container, an industrial conveyor belt, 15 vans and three articulated lorries were alight, a spokeswoman said. More than 70 firefighters battled the blaze at an old coal depot / London Fire Brigade Station Manager Jon Holt, who was at the scene, said: "The fire is very visible and is producing a lot of smoke. Residents and businesses in the area should keep their windows and doors shut and drivers should avoid the area if possible." The LFB said 999 control officers took 55 calls to the blaze. Around 15 people left the yard before the Brigade arrived and there were no reports of any injuries. A desperate bid has been launched to track down devices which were a lifeline for British soldiers during the D-Day landings. Manufacturers from ACME Whistles are trying to trace the lost clickers of the Normandy Landings, a life-saving tool, to mark the 75th anniversary. The small metal device was used by troops abroad to try and determine if they were around friends or foes in pitch black conditions. Every paratrooper was issued a clicker and after being dropped into darkness on the eve of D-Day, were told to use it if they suspected they were near someone. They were told to click once and if they heard two clicks in reply, that meant friend. No response meant something else, Simon Topman explains. On D-Day - June 6, 1944 - World War Two Allied forces launched a combined naval, air and land assault on Nazi-occupied France which was codenamed Operation 'Overlord'. It marked the beginning of a long campaign to liberate north-west Europe from German occupation. By the end of the day, the Allies had established a foothold on the Normandy beaches and could begin advancing into France. The Managing Director at ACME Whistles said the quiet noise created by the clickers was the original sound of D-Day and was a hugely important tool for soldiers to find allies in unfamiliar conditions. Mr Topman said the ACME Whistles Birmingham based factory was given the top secret task of making 7,000 clickers, six months before D-Day. Paperwork and instructions about the task were given, but these plans were swiftly rushed away to London afterward. Because of this, the factory could not even be left with one clicker and have not seen one since they were dispatched to soldiers. Mr Topman called the clickers vital for soldiers safety. He said: No one knew about clickers and no German soldiers had them. They were only to be used in the first 24 hours of landing and that was to stop Germans from making their own or trying to mimic them. It was only later we found out what they were used for. The importance of the devices was also highlighted when the factory creating them was targeted, Mr Topman added. He said: During World War II ACME played a vital role in the war effort. There was no commercial trade as production was given over entirely to making whistles for the war effort, and of course, Clickers. The factory itself was bombed when incendiary bombs were dropped and one found its way down the lift shaft, exploding in the cellar. Whistles were sent raining out into the streets of Birmingham, a third of the factory was demolished, but so essential were its products that it was rebuilt in just four days. Supported by The Royal British Legion and intended to meaningfully mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, ACME Whistles is now appealing to people to try and trace the historical tools. Mr Topman said: It would be absolutely lovely to be able to put one in our showroom maybe, even for a few weeks, and be able to say its here. Its the original sound of D-Day and the sound of history. We would love to find as many of the original Clickers as possible. Perhaps your great Grandad was a D-Day veteran, maybe he has a box of war medals where it could lie unknown? Maybe an elderly neighbour is a widow of a D-Day veteran who doesnt realise the significance of the unassuming Clicker? We ask that people start seeking them out, to see if they can unearth a lost piece of sound history. E ight years on, social media users are celebrating Ed Balls Day, marking the occasion when the former Labour politician tweeted his own name. It stems from April 28 2011, when Balls, then the shadow chancellor, accidentally posted a tweet which simply read "Ed Balls". He had been intending to search the site for an article about him, but inputted his name in the wrong box and instead tweeted it. It was retweeted by thousands of people and has never been deleted by Balls, who has embraced the joke in subsequent years, even going so far as to bake a cake depicting the tweet one year. For many the day seems as exciting as it ever did. Ed Balls himself celebrated the day, tweeting just his name and a photo of him wearing a Norwich City jersey with "Balls" written across the back. It was enough to inspire poetry in some. To many Balls is now as well known for his exploits on Strictly Come Dancing as for his political career, and many people referenced the show as they marked the day. Others meanwhile found ways to mark the day in their own way. Some queried when the day would become a bank holiday. The National Trust tweeted a photo of a park trail thanking people for exploring their places on the "historic day". RAF Lossiemouth tweeted a picture of their jets in formation spelling out "Ed" in the sky. A woman has died, with three others injured, after a gunman opened fire inside a synagogue near San Diego. The shooting, in which 60-year-old Lori Kaye died, came as worshippers celebrated the last day of Passover. US president Donald Trump and other leaders condemned what they called an anti-Semitic attack which happened exactly six months since 11 people were killed at a Pittsburgh synagogue: the deadliest assault on Jewish people in US history. There were indications an assault weapon might have malfunctioned after the suspect, identified as 19-year-old John Earnest, fired numerous rounds inside the Chabad of Poway: a city 20 miles from San Diego. Flowers are left at the police cordon / David Maung/EPA An off-duty Border Patrol agent working as a security guard fired at the shooter as he ran away, missing him but striking his getaway vehicle. Shortly after he fled, the suspect called 911 to report the shooting. When an officer reached him on a highway, police said the suspect pulled over, jumped out of his car with his hands up and was taken into custody. Trump: Synagogue shooting looks like a hate crime San Diego county sheriff William Gore said a girl and two men, including the rabbi, were wounded in the shooting. Rabbi Yonah Fradkin, executive director of Chabad of San Diego County, said: In the face of senseless hate we commit to live proudly as Jews in this glorious country. People attend a prayer and candlelight vigil following the shooting / David McNew/Getty Images "We strongly believe that love is exponentially more powerful than hate. We are deeply shaken by the loss of a true woman of valor, Lori Kaye, who lost her life solely for living as a Jew." Earnest has no criminal record, but investigators were investigating a claim he made in an online manifesto about starting a fire at a mosque in nearby Escondido last month. There was damage but no injuries. A person identifying themselves as John Earnest posted an anti-Jewish rant online about an hour before the attack. The poster described himself as a nursing school student and praised the suspect accused of carrying out deadly attacks on mosques in New Zealand last month and at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue in October last year. There was no known threat after Earnest was arrested, but authorities boosted patrols at places of worship as a precaution. Heavily armed San Diego police officers approach a house thought to be the home of 19 year-old suspect John Earnest / John Gibbins/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP Mr Trump offered his sympathies on Saturday, saying the shooting "looked like a hate crime." "Our entire nation mourns the loss of life, prays for the wounded and stands in solidary with the Jewish community," he said at a rally in Wisconsin. "We forcefully condemn the evils of anti-Semitism and hate, which must be defeated." He praised law enforcement's "incredible response" and singled out the off-duty agent who "bravely returned fire and helped disrupt the attack and saved so many lives. Mayor of Poway Steve Vaus, who tweeted that he got a call from Mr Trump offering help, also denounced what he called a hate crime. People hug next to police tape across the street from the Chabad of Poway synagogue after the shooting / AFP/Getty Images "I want you know this is not Poway," he said. "We always walk with our arms around each other and we will walk through this tragedy with our arms around each other." Democratic governor Gavin Newsom said he joined the community in grief. He said: "No one should have to fear going to their place of worship, and no one should be targeted for practicing the tenets of their faith. Biden will face another obstaclehis age. If nominated, he would be 78 when he took office, the oldest president in our countrys history. If he served two terms, he would leave office at the age of 86. With millennials becoming a vital part of the Democratic Party, I dont know if Biden can get the younger vote. Twenty-somethings may want to go with a younger candidate. Women, still stinging from Clintons loss, may want to throw their support to a female candidate such as Elizabeth Warren or Kirsten Gillibrand. Bidens real problem, however, is that he is a moderate, which in todays heated political climate really makes him a dinosaur. At this point in time, there is only far right and far left and most Democrats are way out there on that left limb. Can a candidate who doesnt live in a dream world appeal to this group? We may find out. The convention is a long way off and some dark horse might yet rear his or her head from among the herd of candidates. The two men I would like to see in the race are not there yet, although one is apparently considering a run. Earlier this legislative session, state lawmakers passed legislation allowing the state to collect sales tax for online purchases from Nebraska residents. Still to be determined is whether physical products, which are shipped through the mail, and digital products, which are delivered online, will be treated differently. This is brand new legislation so I dont know how this will affect us, Cooley said. We havent received any word on how to handle those transactions and how the reporting will be done. Were starting to prepare the new city budget and Im not expecting any income from those sales, at least for this year. Gering currently doesnt have a lodging tax on hotel and motel stays, but the city plans to implement one in the next few months. It not a tax that locals would be paying and everyone expects it to be part of the bill, Cooley said. It could generate from $50,000 to $60,000 a year for the city. Accounting Clerk Coordinator Amanda Uhrich said the sales tax figures have been pretty consistent when plugging them into the overall city budget. We look at what weve received over the past few years and do an average of what the current figure will be, Uhrich said. It might be a bit more or less, but its always in the area of $1.4 million. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Gering and Scottsbluff firefighters battled a blaze at a home early Sunday morning. Gering Fire Chief Nathan Flowers said that firefighters had a "good knockdown" on the fire, which is suspected to have been caused by a cigarette. Firefighters responded to the blaze shortly before 2 a.m. after receiving a report of smoke coming out of a home. When firefighters arrived, they observed flames coming out of a bedroom window. A 56-year-old occupant was transported to Regional West Medical Center, due to medical conditions she suffers. The Firefighter Ministry has responded to assist the home occupant. The American Red Cross was also contacted. Flowers said about 18 Gering firefighters responded with five firefighters from Scottsbluff providing mutual aid. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Minzey said the club started in 1973, and hosted its first expo in 1976 43 years ago. There was a time period where there wasnt a facility that would accommodate us for what we needed to do, Minzey said of the nine-year hiatus the club took from hosting the expo. The April expo in Mitchell makes up one of the three shows the club does a year. Id imagine its the only indoor show in between Rapid City and Cheyenne, and Im not sure how far east, Minzey said. The club has had a long history of collaborating with other motorheads in the area. Back when Bridgeport still had a drive-in movie theater, Minzey said they would invite a club from Sidney and another club from Sterling, Colorado, to join them at the theater for a showing of American Graffiti, The club also travels to Hot August nights in Deadwood, South Dakota, to cruise around and enjoy the community. We try to get involved in whatever is fun with cars, he said. Its a family club, so when you join your whole family is welcome. 10:57 a.m. Police and Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services case workers investigated a report of child abuse/neglect. The report was determined to be unfounded. 3:15 p.m. An officer responded to a residence in the 00 block of Nancy Court in reference to a vehicle that was stuck in the snow. Upon further investigation, Justin Zambrowski, 42, was cited and released on charges of no valid registration and driving under suspension. Gering Police Department March 16 12:10 a.m. Krista Meyer was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence in the 1100 block of Tenth Street. 6:42 p.m. In the 2800 block of Langley Avenue, police investigated a report of theft. 7:13 p.m. Police investigated a report of a verbal domestic case in the 1400 block of Seventh Street. 9:50 p.m. Thomas Riley was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence and speeding in the 2200 block of M Street. March 17 Organ Donation People of all ages and medical histories should consider themselves potential donors. Your medical condition at the time of death will determine what organs and tissues can be donated. All major religions in the United States support organ, eye and tissue donation and see it as the final act of compassion and generosity. There is no cost to the donors family or estate for donation. The donor family pays only for medical expenses before death and costs associated with funeral arrangements. If you are sick or injured and admitted to the hospital, the number one priority is to save your life. Organ, eye, and tissue donation can only be considered after you are deceased. To ensure your decision to become a donor is carried out, sign up online with Live On Nebraska donor registry: https://liveonnebraska.org/register/. Indicate your wishes on your drivers license or state ID when you apply for or renew it. Nebraska does not require family consent to carry out your decision to be an organ, eye, or tissue donor. However, keeping everyone informed will help avoid any confusion or delays. ALLIANCE - Students from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College (UNMC) of Dentistry will be heading west to be a part of Dental Day on May 31 and June 1. This is an opportunity for children whose family has no insurance or very little insurance to receive dental care for no cost. This year UNCM of Dentistry are offering the free dental services to kids ages 3 to 21. Prescreening appointments are currently taking place until May 4 and the dentists participating in pre-screenings include: Alliance - Drs. Maxwell, Cannon, Collis, Giles, and Christensen Bridgeport - Dr. Iske Hemingford - Dr. Jacoby Oshkosh - Dr. Jensen Sidney - Drs. Dornbier and Neal Dental students studying dentistry and dental hygiene at UNMC, accompanied by dental residents, and faculty members, will be participating in the annual Panhandle-wide event. Children will be seen at Gordon Memorial Hospital; Horizon West Dental Clinic (Dr. Collis) in Alliance; and Life Smiles in Sidney (Dr. Dornbier). Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form By Lee Gyu-lee Actor Ji Chang-wook has returned to the free world after completing 20 months' mandatory military service on Saturday. He proudly in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, with a bright smile on Saturday morning, bowing to fans and reporters. "I feel like it's surreal that I was discharged," Ji said. "I thank all my colleagues for making my time in uniform special and meaningful." While his release has set off a race of TV and movie directors to cast him, the actor said he would enjoy free time for a while. Ji debuted in 2008 in a supporting role in the TV drama "You stole my heart" (2008) and has featured in several hit dramas and films, including "Suspicious Partner" (2017) and "Fabricated City" (2017). 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LOUIS COUNTY A day after an attack on a synagogue in California that left a woman dead and three others wounded, Yosef Landa, a St. Louis-area rabbi, asked a gathering Sunday in support of the Jewish community to have faith. Landa, with Chabad of Greater St. Louis, told the gathering of more than 150 people at the Jewish Federation of St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Complex in west St. Louis County of the spiritual teaching of bitachon, a powerful faith and confidence in the inherent faith and goodness in Gods world. Even where there is grief, even where there is pain, there ought not to be despair, Landa said. As painful as the moment is, we need to respond only with hope for the future, and the resolve to make that future a better one. A 19-year-old gunman opened fire Saturday inside the Chabad of Poway synagogue near San Diego, killing a woman and wounding the rabbi and two others. The attack came on the Sabbath, the holy day for Jews, and as worshippers celebrated the last day of Passover, a major Jewish holiday. A scene from "1001 Nights: The Last Chapter," portraying Prince Amin's adventure, staged at Al Majaz Amphitheatre in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates / Courtesy of Al Majaz Amphitheatre By Kwon Mee-yoo SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates The untold stories of Scheherazade, the tantalizing storyteller from the Middle Eastern folk tale "1001 Nights," were unraveled through a mesmerizing new theatrical production "1001 Nights: The Last Chapter" at the Al Majaz Amphitheatre in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates from Tuesday through Saturday. The show acted as an opener for Sharjah's yearlong journey as the World Book Capital (WBC) 2019, designated by UNESCO. Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, chairman of Sharjah Media Council and head of the inauguration ceremony committee of the Sharjah WBC, said the idea for the production started a year ago when the city knew Sharjah was designated as WBC 2019. "We wanted to make a show that incorporates books and internationality. '1001 Nights' is a book every culture knows something about and we thought we could communicate with everyone through music in this show, without a language barrier," Al Qasimi said. WBC is a title given to a city to promote books and reading and Sharjah became the first city in the Gulf Region and third city in the Arab world to be designated as the WBC. Al Qasimi emphasized that Sharjah has been working on earning the title for over nine years. "It took nine years of hard work and competition with big names in book culture. It wasn't easy for Sharjah (to receive the title), but we deserve it with our initiatives such as the Sharjah Book Fair, which is the world's third largest event of the kind, and the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival." he said. "We want to put our opinion through this show and prove that we can do such a big show in Sharjah." Cast of "1001 Nights: The Last Chapter" / Courtesy of Al Majaz Amphitheatre The show, complete with a riveting plot, stunning aerial stunts, synchronized dance movements and dramatic music, captivated audiences from the emirates as well as abroad. Philippe Skaff of the Multiple International was at the helm of the creation of the project and Sebastien Soldevila, an ex-Cirque du Soleil actor, directed this epic production. A multicultural team of over 500 artists and creative experts from 25 nations joined hands to bring the show to life. Just like the original Arab world's legendary anthology of folk tales that provided inspiration for this live show, "The Last Chapter" consists of three subplots led by each of Scheherazade's children Fayrouz, Kader and Amin. A scene from "1001 Nights: The Last Chapter" / Courtesy of Al Majaz Amphitheatre Princess Fayrouz is sent to visit a king of another kingdom who is cursed by a black spell and whose lover is split into two trees. The princess helps the king to open his heart to those who struggling around him to break the darkness as the curse will persist as long as he is in sadness. As he lifts the curse and reunites with his lover, two aerial dancers fly off the stage to portray the lovers' joy and she is gifted with a fruit of the tree. Prince Kader embarks on a journey in a stormy sea to reach a silent island and liberate the prisoners. His battle against the forces of evil are portrayed through a breakdance routine to Arabian-inspired music. The prince gets a feather of a phoenix as a return. Prince Amin heads to the valley of the South and faces questions about knowledge and life, accompanied by an impeccable trampoline act, reflecting humans reaching the pinnacle of knowledge through books. A scene from "1001 Nights: The Last Chapter" / Courtesy of Al Majaz Amphitheatre As the three children bring treasures found on their quests to Scheherazade, the queen illuminates the use of them precious fruit as ink, a feather for pen and book for paper to write on. The pages are blank, the book is yet to be written. "It is your turn to write what you learned from your adventures. The story will last through you," Scheherazade says, delivering a message that knowledge is the best of all treasures and the quest for it is as exciting a journey as can ever be. The show also uses state-of-the-art technological elements by projecting computer graphic backgrounds changing from a palace to forest and from a cave to a library in a flash. The theatrical delight was accompanied with live music by a 51-piece orchestra led by the renowned Harout Fazlian, principal conductor of the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra. The show ran for five days in Sharjah, but it hopes to expand. "We are betting on the Sharjah show first and will then take the show to the world. We have already spoken to a few different places," Al Qasimi said. And that's significant in Australia, an island nation that was cut off from the rest of the world for thousands of years. For cats, native species are easy prey. Cats are believed to kill more than 1 million native birds, and 1.7 million reptiles across Australia every day, a spokesperson for Australia's Department of the Environment and Energy told CNN, citing scientific research. "We are not culling cats for the sake of it, we are not doing so because we hate cats," said Andrews. "We have got to make choices to save animals that we love, and who define us as a nation." In New Zealand there have been calls to put a stop to domestic cats altogether. The remote island nation, which was one of the last places on earth to be reached by humans, has already announced a bold goal of becoming completely predator free by 2050. New Zealand has no native land mammals besides bats, meaning a large variety of birds including the country's flightless Kiwi were able to thrive in a land without predators. CNN has reached out to Morgan for comment. On April 16, the State Board of Education accepted a recommendation from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, or DESE, to dissolve the Transitional School District of St. Louis, effective July 1. The vote means that governance of St. Louis Public Schools will return to the elected school board. The district has operated under the leadership of a Special Administrative Board since 2007. I have been asked many times about my thoughts regarding the possible, and now pending, transition. Put simply, I am very optimistic about the future of the district. Id like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Rick Sullivan, Richard K. Gaines, Darnetta Clinkscale and her predecessor, Melanie Adams, who served from 2007 to 2016, for their tremendous dedication of time and talent to the work that was put before them. When the original three signed on 12 years ago, they didnt know where the appointment would go or how long they would be called to serve. For a superintendent to serve with the same board for 10 years is unprecedented, and we are benefiting from the stability that comes from this type of collaboration. Their accomplishments are many, but some of the most notable include: regaining full accreditation, improving academic success and establishing fiscal health for the district. Missouri is the third-most coal-dependent state in the nation and has a coal ash problem. Utilities must protect Missourians with proper removal of ash in sited landfills to prevent coal ash from leaking and polluting groundwater. Ameren owes us this responsibility. Missouri regulators are allowing utilities to leave toxic coal ash sites sitting in and polluting groundwater. American troops who served as trainers and advisors in Iraq and Syria since 2015 noted that the enemy was making greater use of tunnels, and began work on better ways to deal with this. When some of these troops eventually ended up in South Korea (where American infantry have been serving continuously since 1950) they found that North Korea had increased their efforts to build tunnels under the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone the serves as the border between the two Koreas) and even within North Korean territory along the border and in some other key areas. The officers and NCOs arriving from Iraq and Syria noted that the tunnel problems faced in South Korea were similar to what they had just been exposed to in the Middle East. The recent experience also included working with troops they were advising to come up with a more effective way to fight and win inside those tunnels. Actually, the 2nd Infantry Division (the primary army unit in South Korea) had first requested something like this in 2012 but the recent experience in Iraq and Syria got more troops exposed to the problem up close and personal and that, as usually happens in combat, got more people thinking about possible solutions. This led to a REF (Rapid Equipping Force) type effort to create a solution. REF has been around for over fifteen years and makes it easier to quickly implement new ideas. The main problem tunnels, especially the extensive underground complexes that ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) had used in Syria and Iraq and the ones North Korea had built, is communication. The defenders (who built the tunnel) have an advantage as they can install communications wire and use that with portable telephones that can be plugged into the wire as the defenders move about. The wire is torn down or destroyed by combat as the defenders fight and retreat. It was also noted that such systems can be used in large above ground structures that have a lot of interior rooms and passages that create tunnel-like conditions when the power is out and there is no light except what you bring with you. At the point where the two forces meet in a tunnel or darkened building, the defender uses the darkness as part of their defenses. It is up to the attacker to bring their own light and communications with them. Having the attackers unspool commo wire behind them was found to be impractical in most situations. Thats because attackers are moving as fast as possible to give the defender less opportunity to put up an effective resistance. But that speed and the success of the attack depends on communication. Like most REF situations the troops had to use available equipment and as few new items as possible to develop a solution. New items had to be stuff that already existed in the military inventory or, more often, the commercial marketplace. Amazon delivers to the combat zone and troops can search for items and order via the Internet (also available in the combat zone). The most promising solution to the tunnel comms has been the MPU5 Mobile Ad Hock Networking. This uses a small puck sized battery powered device that contains a wi-fi repeater that acts as a radio relay. Taped to the puck is a small battery powered LED light that shows troops where it is. The wi-fi puck solves the problem of conventional radios not working well in tunnels because these radios depend on line-of-sight between radios and no large structures between radios that degrade the signal. The puck works with the Warlock personal tracker troops wear on one of their boots to provide location data for other troops. Warlock does not work well underground or inside buildings with lots of walls that get in the way and degrades or block wireless communications. The MPU5 pucks act as a mesh network where the pucks extend the Warlock signal back to commanders above ground who can track where their troops are underground. To solve the visibility problem troops can use night vision goggles using infrared (invisible to the eye) light that illuminates what is in front of the soldier without alerting the enemy. The infrared goggles also enable the troops to search for landmines or other explosive devices placed in their way by the retreating defender. Troops have already successfully tested the MPU5/infrared goggles system in simulated underground rescue exercises. While most American infantry units were withdrawn from combat between 2011 (Iraq) and 2014 (Afghanistan) many infantry and SOCOM (Special Operations Command) troops were still involved training, advising and generally assisting friendly forces in many parts of the world. These American troops encountered some new (for them) situations and got the troops thinking about solutions. Fortunately, there was a way to quickly implement new ideas troops might develop for new combat situations. The troops knew they could develop new tech and get it into service because since 2002 there was the Rapid Equipping Force program (REF) that monitored troop needs and quickly found and shipped out needed weapons and equipment. In addition, there was the Rapid Fielding Initiative (RFI) which gave unit commanders (division and below) cash and authority to buy non-standard items the troops needed fast. RFI was used to come up with a solution to the tunnel combat problem. There has long been a need for speeding up the process of identifying and procuring weapons and equipment the combat troops need. After 2001 this led to RFI (the Rapid Fielding Initiative). Created in 2002 by the U.S. Army as a mechanism for quickly getting what the troops needed, this proved a lot more successful and popular than expected. The Internet made REF and RFI possible, for the troops grew up with cell phones and the Internet and know how to quickly connect with each other and sort out what they all had experienced and determine what was needed to operate more effectively. With most of the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan over, there was budget pressure to eliminate both of these programs. The troops and their commanders agreed that would be a big mistake. So REF and RFI remained and continued to develop new equipment and techniques based not just on actual combat situations, but ones most American troops had not confronted yet. In Iraq and Afghanistan the military, especially the army, was quick to take advice from the troops actually doing the fighting. That was recognized even before Iraq and contributed to the acceptance of RFI, which recognized that the American army did not always have the best weapons and equipment available and that the troops and low-level commanders had a better idea of what was needed than the senior generals and politicians. RFI was intended to do something about that and do it quickly. Since 2002 the army approved the purchase of over 500 items immediately, which is what RFI was all about. In 2011 the army began deciding which of these RFI items to make standard equipment (about a quarter of them) and which to discard (the rest, although many were obsolete and improved replacements were being sought). The marines went through the same process and found that most of their RFI items were worth keeping. This is due to the marines having a tradition of doing more with less (since they have much less money to spend per person than the army). Not everyone was a fan of RFI. Traditional (government and contractor) weapons and equipment developers did not like RFI. Procurement bureaucrats like to take their time, even when there's a war going on. This is mainly to cover everyone's ass and try to placate all the big shots and constituencies demanding certain features. In wartime, this process is sped up somewhat but it is always slower than it has to be. And then there is the fact that the troops are willing to accept a partial solution. Engineers often point out that they can deliver much more quickly if they are allowed to use the old "70 percent solution" rule. This bit of engineering wisdom is based on the fact that some capabilities of a weapon or other item are not essential but take an inordinate amount of effort and expense to create. Thus a "good enough" item can be produced very quickly if you are willing to sacrifice 30 percent of the capabilities you thought you needed (but probably don't). Despite official opposition, the 70 percent solution has become all the rage since 2003 because the troops have found that this is frequently good enough and a real lifesaver in combat situations they are facing daily. Since RFI this often meant adopting civilian gear (radios, hunting accessories, electronics, clothing, tents) that was not militarized (made much more expensive and not arriving for a long time.) The age of change began with the troops who, thanks to the Internet and a flood of new civilian technology, got into the habit of just buying new stuff with their own money and using it in combat. If the army had developed a lot of this gear it would have had more features, probably been more rugged, and taken a lot longer to arrive, if it ever did at all. But for the troops, the off-the-shelf gear filled important needs, even if it was a 70 percent solution. Troops have been finding and buying non-standard gear for decades but it had been growing more frequent since the 1990s. The army became tolerant of it, largely because this unofficial civilian gear (sleeping bags, boots, rifle cleaning kits, etc.) often was better and even officers used the stuff. As the number of these items increased tremendously after 2003, and more officers came back from commanding combat units with personal experience of this sort of thing, a growing number of senior commanders began demanding that the army procurement bureaucracy get rid of the traditional 10-15 years it takes to find, develop, and approve new technology for the troops. The troops have long understood this but now four star generals agreed and often did so from personal experience. The generals did create the REF in 2001, which was successful as long as it paid constant attention to what the troops were thinking and doing. In hindsight, you could see RFI coming. There were three existing trends pushing it. First, there was a lot more new technology coming on the market that troops could use. Some of it came from the companies that created equipment for the hiking and camping market (boots, rucksacks, all manner of outdoor clothing). Other items came from hunting and police suppliers (new gun sights and other accessories). There was a flood of new electronic gear, like lighter and more reliable GPS receivers and computer gear, plus new kinds of flashlights and, eventually, smartphones. The second trend was that the troops were all on the Internet and, like never before, were in touch with each other via military related message boards, listservs, Facebook pages, and chat rooms. Troops have always been coming up with new ideas about how to use civilian gear for military purposes. But before the Internet, each soldier's discovery spread slowly. Now, information about new discoveries gets spread army-wide, and worldwide, within hours. Among other benefits, this was a morale boost as well. Finally, there was SOCOM, which had long possessed its own REF/ RFI-like powers and budget to go with it. SOCOM could buy neat new weapons, as well as equipment. SOCOM could also afford to buy expensive stuff (the first night vision gear and satellite phones). The useful new tech was often very expensive. By 2001, thousands of soldiers were speculating, via the Internet, how much more effective they could be if they had SOCOM's freedom to quickly get new stuff that allowed them to do their job better. When American troops went into Afghanistan in October, 2001, it was several hundred SOCOM Special Forces operators that did most of the work. Once the media got to the Special Forces guys, stories started coming out about the non-standard gear they were using. American infantrymen being sent to Afghanistan saw those stories, as did people in the Pentagon. Connections started to get made. Among other things, someone in the Pentagon realized that the army would not look too good if too many journalists interviewed too many troops who had bought civilian equipment with their own money, while the Special Forces was getting it paid for by the government. This was especially embarrassing if the new equipment from a civilian supplier was obviously superior to the stuff the government was handing out. With this kind of incentive the Rapid Fielding Initiative was quickly set up and became a big success. Some generals consider the official procurement bureaucracy beyond help. It is encumbered with generations of laws and rules, which are supposed to curb fraud, enhance efficiency, or whatever and have mainly contributed to the many delays that make everything take far longer than it should. You can't mess with the laws, at least not too often and especially not in peacetime, without getting brought up short by Congress, defense industry lobbyists, and the courts. For the politicians, the defense budget is a principal tool for getting re-elected. That procurement money means jobs for American voters and the politicians representing those voters know it. Congress will not relinquish too much control over this pot of gold. Over a decade of war has changed a lot of things in the U.S. military but none more troublesome, to the military bureaucracy, than the new attitude of "we want it now." Senior commanders took on the military procurement bureaucracy in order to get new technology to the troops sooner. It's not a new fight but having so many generals involved in trying to speed things up, now that is new. And often the generals were asking for some very expensive stuff. But these officers had done their homework and it was hard to say no to officers who are under fire every day. In peacetime, development programs go on far longer and cost much more than they do in wartime. These projects seek to achieve as much as possible with a new weapon or item of equipment. But the troops know that a no-frills (less than 100 percent approach) gets the job done a lot faster and cheaper. This 70 percent solution became a legitimate tool on the battlefield. The procurement bureaucracy wanted to go back to the bad old (but safer) days of taking your time and covering your ass. This not only applies to hardware but also to shortcomings in leadership and training. Fortunately, there were a lot of senior commanders who had personal experience with how well REF and RFI worked and both, so far, have survived. In part this was because after Iraq and Afghanistan there was more awareness of the difficulties ground combat troops face and the importance of providing more support (equipment, training and so on) to the small number of troops (four percent of Department of Defense personnel) who suffer 90 percent of the casualties and without which there can be no battlefield success. Everyone else in the military basically provides support for the four percent. Military analysts and historians know that without effective infantry you cannot win a war. In addition better trained, equipped and led infantry suffer fewer casualties and get the job done a lot faster. Yet even in the West, the infantry tends to be at the end of the line when it comes to resources. That attitude has changed and now the Department of Defense devotes more resources to providing the key combat forces (the infantry) with better gear. After 2014 only about two percent of modernization spending went to the infantry. That is changing with the continued success of REF/RFI. Winners of Samsung Life Insurance's art contest pose after painting murals on the exterior walls of Bulgwang Elementary School in northwestern Seoul, Saturday. This was part of the insurer's corporate social responsibility program to encourage teenagers to donate their talent and share their dreams with younger students. / Courtesy of Samsung Life Insurance PHARMAC has refused funding for Kadcyla, an important drug that has recently had a high media and public profile. This is a huge blow for women with advanced HER2 positive breast cancer who took a petition to Parliament in October 2018 calling for PHARMAC to fund this medicine, Breast Cancer Aotearoa Chair Libby Burgess says. Kadcyla has been refused for funding despite being recommended by PHARMACs own clinical experts on its Cancer Treatments Committee. It has been funded in Australia since 2015, showing yet again how poorly New Zealand women with breast cancer are treated in New Zealand when it comes to medicines funding, Libby says. International advanced breast cancer expert Dr Fatima Cardoso urged NZ to prioritise funding for anti-HER2 medicines such as Kadcyla given the shockingly low survival of only 13 - 16 months for women with this type of breast cancer in New Zealand, compared to 5 years or more in other developed countries. The European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) publishes consensus guidelines for treating advanced breast cancer developed by expert oncologists. The guidelines describe nine different treatments for the HER2 positive sub-type that are not funded in NZ, Libby says. In total the ESMO guidelines outline 24 treatments for the different sub-types and stages of advanced breast cancer that remain unfunded in NZ. These include six drugs that are not funded at all in NZ and others that are funded for very restricted uses, preventing oncologists from using them in the most effective ways for their patients. BCAC is now petitioning the Government to adopt the ESMO guidelines to treat NZ women with the accepted global standard of care. Its appalling that our politicians are standing back and leaving women to die when there are effective medicines available to treat them. This has created a two-tier health system if you can afford to pay for the latest medicines youll live a longer, better life. This is creating deep inequities and is hurting many women and their families. The Government must realise that capping our medicines budget at only 0.34% of GDP compared to the OECD average of 1.4% means New Zealanders with many diseases are suffering and dying early. NZ spends only $199 per person on medicines each year, while the OECD average is $954. This mean-spirited approach to providing medicines is rooted in the PHARMAC model that was established 25 years ago. Review of that out-dated system is long overdue. Even doubling the medicines budget wouldnt bring us up to the level of care provided as a matter of course in other countries, but it would be a good place to start. We need a person-centred approach that delivers better health for New Zealanders, not a harsh system that refuses to fund medicines such as Kadcyla that are globally recognised as the standard of care. Even with early detection, 20 to 30% of New Zealanders diagnosed with breast cancer will go on to develop advanced disease. You can help them to receive the care they deserve by signing BCACs petition Police are still working to locate a vehicle believed to have left the Maungatapu Bridge, State Highway 29A near Tauranga, yesterday evening, April 27. The Police Dive Squad have now arrived at the bridge. The serious crash unit is still investigating the scene, where a section of the railing is missing from the Welcome Bay side of the bridge. A crane and tow truck have also arrived at the bridge. Police have yet to confirm whether a vehicle has gone off the bridge into the water. The road between Maungatapu and the Baypark roundabout remains closed, and will likely remain closed for a number of hours. Diversions are in place and motorists are advised to avoid the area. Police closed the bridge on Saturday night after being alerted about 8pm that a railing along a section of the bridge was missing. Police reviewed CCTV footage and confirmed that a vehicle collided with the bridge. Police would like to hear from anyone who has information about this collision and urge them to contact Tauranga Police on 07 577 4300. Low tide was at 7.58am this morning. High tide is at 2.07pm and low tide again this evening at 8.14pm. Low tide at 7.58am Police investigating the bridge on Saturday night IRB's used in the search on Saturday night There have been previous accidents at Maungatapu Bridge in the past including the tragic death of Greg Woledge, who died after his van crashed off the Maungatapu Bridge on August 12 2013. His vehicle had been hit by a car. Maungatapu Bridge was the scene of a seven-vehicle crash on November 20 2018. Opotiki District Council has released an information document on the 2019-20 Annual Plan Your assets, your community, your future our plan in action. The document shows what rates are expected to be and tells how the Council plan to progress their major projects for the 2019-20 year. Opotiki Deputy Mayor Lyn Riesterer says the 2018-28 Long Term Plan (LTP) was consulted on extensively and Council is happy with the strong foundation that has been built with the plan. Council intends to stick with the programme of work and levels of service set for year two of the plan with only a few minor differences. This is good news as it means we dont need to run a formal consultation process or produce a draft Annual Plan. This provides cost savings for our ratepayers. Deputy Mayor Riesterer is keen to point out that even though Council is not holding a formal hearing and submission process for the 2019-20 Annual Plan, they are still keen to receive feedback which can then be put forward and considered when making decisions on future plans. We would like to grow a culture of year-round consultation in Opotiki, where the community feel they can share their views and provide feedback at any time and on any aspect of Council business. Once people have read the information document we encourage them to put forward concerns or positive endorsements through the available channels. The Consultation page on our website lists a range of ways our community can have a voice in the Council decision making process. A copy of the information document and a link to an online feedback form can be found at www.odc.govt.nz/draftannualplan. Hard copies are available from Councils office at 108 St John Street, Opotiki, the Opotiki District Library and the Opotiki i-SITE and can be posted out on request by emailing info@odc.govt.nz. The 2019-20 Annual Plan will be adopted by 30 June 2019 and become operative from 1 July 2019. The Opotiki District Council 2019-20 Annual Plan numbers: $24.7 million - Debt A decrease of $4 million for LTP forecast $14.2 million Operating Funding similar to 14.7 million as forecast in LTP $31.2 million Capital expenditure as budgeted in the LTP $15.9 million Operating expenditure minor change from $15.3 million as forecast in LTP gettyimagesbank By Park Hyong-ki Almost all financial companies are looking to find a business breakthrough through technology amid the economic slowdown and tougher regulations on their conventional services, according to industry sources. Not only banks, credit card companies and brokerages are seeking to create easy-to-use digital services, but also they are hoping they can export or introduce them abroad as part of their overseas expansion. KB Kookmin Bank has recently showcased its new biometric authentication system, enabling all customers to deposit, withdraw and wire money by just using the palm of their hand. Those without a KB account can open one both inside bank branches and via its smart ATMs, using only their palm without showing identification cards such as a driver's license, or signing their names on documents. KB Kookmin Bank will introduce this digital service nationwide in August. It is offered in Seoul and other major cities in provincial areas. However, there are concerns over the system's security. "Nothing is 100 percent foolproof digitally. Companies or developers have to constantly pursue incremental innovation, or upgrades, even after they introduce something new to the market," said a fintech industry source. This is why the market will see a continuous lineup of mobile phone and virus protection software, he added. Hyundai Card is carrying out a "global digital strategy" to export the IT system it developed for card transactions for new growth in the face of a slowdown and stricter regulations at home. The company has exported the Hyundai-Advanced Library Card Information System (H-ALIS) to IBM Japan's EXA Systems, which will use it to launch its next-generation digital transaction system, it said. Hyundai Card has sought to enter the Japanese financial market where it is trying to develop into a coinless society ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2025 Osaka Expo. Currently, Japan's cash use rate stands at 90 percent. "We have been closely monitoring the changes there, while comparing our system with that of Japanese card companies. Then, we developed the H-ALIS for the Japanese market," said a Hyundai Card spokesman. Also, it has been studying the Japanese lifestyle and culture, given that finance reflects the characteristics of people, he added. NH Investment & Securities, a brokerage of NongHyup Financial Group, has launched a mobile application called "Namu," enabling customers to open accounts and invest in stocks. The platform has been connected with K bank and Kakao Pay. NH Investment is one of K bank's shareholders. The financial regulator recently suspended its review to allow KT to increase its stake in K bank as the antitrust regulator has filed a complaint with the prosecution against the mobile carrier over business irregularities. "Despite difficulties at home, it is, at least, positive to see that the authorities are encouraging digital transformation and a startup ecosystem in finance," said another industry source. Rain and cold didnt stop a large crowd from turning out for the dedication of the POW\MIA memorial at Cedar Bluff Overlook Park April 26. The memorial features flags from all branches of the military, as well as the state and the POW flag. Representatives of the Iron Titans and other organizations raised the flags to the sounds of patriotic music. Jim Boyd, who served as guest speaker for the ceremony told the group that many soldiers come home from the battle field alive and well while many others are wounded or come home in flag draped coffins. Boyd said many soldiers have been imprisoned and recalled James Stockdale being held prisoner in Vietnam for more than seven years. Stockdale was the senior naval officer held prisoner and was Ross Perots running mate in the 1992 presidential race. Boyd told the gathering Stockdales wife and other wives of prisoners of war worked together to make the public aware of the pows and the importance of bringing them home. Boyd asked the group to pray for service men and women that they all be brought home safely. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- As Bak Bak looked into the 50 or so faces in front of him Saturday, he gave those mourning Alek Kuethpings death his best explanation of how they came to be at her vigil. On April 21, about 10 people hung out at an apartment at 216 Westcott St. Bak, Kuethping and Victor Bahati, the man accused of shooting Kuethping, were there, Bak said. No one knew Bahati had a gun. Bak and Kuethping took a video in the bathroom for Snapchat and headed to the living room. She was sitting in her chair, Bak later said. I looked away for a couple minutes and looked back and she was gone. Then the group heard a gunshot. They scattered. Two immediately ran to the bathroom and several others found their way there as well. The two tried to prevent the others from seeing the scene. But Bak and the others pushed through. He says he saw Kuethping on the floor and Bahati in the tub. When Bak looked at Bahati, he saw the guilt on his face, he said. My eyes turned red, Bak said. I was screaming and crying. Alek was 18. She attended and lived at Tompkins Cortland Community College. She considered joining the military after graduating from Henninger High School in May. She redirected her aim to be a police officer instead. Bahati, 21, was a friend. He knew Aleks family, including her 20-year-old brother Kosfing Kuethping. The Kuethpings were refugees from South Sudan, and Bahati was friends with people in their community. Bahati shot Alek at 216 Westcott St. on Easter Sunday, police say. While Bak and others have found an answer for how, the why is murkier. She had so much to live for, Kosfing said of his sister. She had dreams that just shattered. They just shattered. But, you know, her dreams are going to live with me. Im going to take care of her. Alek was just three years old when her family came to Syracuse. Theyd traveled from South Sudan to Egypt to escape South Sudans civil war. The family arrived in the winter of 2004, Kosfing said. They saw the snow falling and jumped in snow piles and puddles. They had never seen snow before. The family settled on Lodi Street, a few houses down from Dominicks Market, which sits at Gertrude and Lodi streets. Alek was one of seven children and was the third oldest. Kosfing took his role as her older brother seriously as he learned, she learned. Kosfing taught her about choosing her friends. He made friends with the popular kids at school early in the familys time in America. Eventually, he says, a few of his own friends jumped him. He cut them out of his life. Show me your friends, Ill show you your future, Kosfing reminded his sister. At 15, Kosfing went to the hospital for three months as he battled depression, he said. Alek reciprocated his care, visited him each day and told him he would get better. As Kosfing grew up, he saw Syracuse as a bubble. In Syracuse he saw the abandoned houses, the violence, the drinking and the smoking. Syracuse made him feel caged, he said. Growing up like that you feel like youre nothing, Kosfing said. He tried to use school to free himself and pushed Alek to do the same. You see how we live right now? You need to get an education, he remembers telling Alek. She worked hard through her high school years. I was so proud of her. After graduating from Henninger, she contemplated going into the military. She decided to live at Tompkins Cortland Community College and wanted to become a police officer. A weekend ago, she returned home to visit friends. On April 20, Alek, Kosfing, Bak and Bahati, who had grown up with the Kuethpings, happened to all attend the same party the night before the shooting. Bak theorized on why Bahati came to 216 Westcott St. April 21 as he talked to the mourners Saturday. Bak said partygoers, including himself, saw Bahati fight with a man at the party April 20 and that Bahati was looking for the man the next day. When Bahati showed up on Westcott Street, he had bruises on his face from the fight, Bak said. After the shooting, Bak said, friends persuaded Bahati to stay in the apartment. Someone in the house called police and the others sat with Bahati until police arrived, Bak said. Kosfing found out at work his sister had been shot, and his family rushed to the hospital. . For two days, Kosfing said, they refused to tell Aleks youngest siblings 7 and 10 years old exactly what happened to their older sister. To avoid the conversation, the family used their native language, Dinka, which the kids dont speak. On Saturday, Aleks vigil lasted for two hours. Family and friends memorialized Alek, but also tried to comfort their own community. The shooting shook a group of mostly refugees and immigrants, several from South Sudan. They discussed mental health and how to move on. The friends with Alek when she was shot grew up with the Kuethpings. Bahati had grown up with them, too. Alek was gregarious and well-liked. As they all grieved Saturday, the question, Why? hung over the gathering. Its what led Bak to speak. As he described what happened, some adults tried to step in. Others wanted to hear, hoping his words would explain. As Bak spoke, he began to cry. His friends comforted him and he kept going. Several people approached him after he spoke. They asked him if he was OK. They told him he did the right thing by speaking about what he saw. They thanked him, too, for helping them grasp something they still couldnt fully understand. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Nearly three in four new Syracuse residents in 2017 were millennials, according to a study of the moving patterns of young people produced by the National Association of Realtors. Syracuse has the third-highest percentage of new residents born between 1980 and 1998 of the 100 biggest metropolitan areas in the country. The top two are New Haven-Milford, Conn., and Madison, Wisc. The study looked at median millennial income for both current residents and newcomers, in addition to housing affordability and employment growth. In Syracuse, 73 percent of recent movers are millennials and have a median income of $29,300. Theyre moving to a city where the median income for current millennial residents is $51,300, according to the study. Millennials can also afford to buy 48 percent of homes on the market here, and new millennials can buy 23 percent, according to the study. Millennials make up 24 percent of current residents, according to the study, which examined at Census data for those aged 19 to 37 in the countrys largest cities. The study does not describe why so many young people are moving to Syracuse, though it highlights Madisons high median income for millennials and housing affordability for why that city might be attractive to the up-and-coming generation. Syracuse had a much lower median income for new, young residents than the national average of $52,765. After months of indecision, former vice president and longtime senator Joe Biden entered the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. Biden, 76, was instantly the front-runner, dividing the party between its younger, progressive wing and the older moderates who just want a candidate who can beat President Donald Trump. Bidens campaign was instantly beset by criticism -- of its appropriation of the death of a counter-protester at the Charlottesville white supremacist rally in his announcement video; of his non-apology to Anita Hill over the way he handled her sexual harassment testimony at the confirmation hearing of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas; of his handsy approach to women, an issue that blew up a few weeks ago. Trump, meanwhile, continued to urge the country to move on from the Mueller investigation (No collusion, no obstruction). Democrats in Congress subpoenaed the presidents former White House counsel. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi cautioned patience to members of her party agitating for an impeachment hearing, while Republicans remained largely silent on the presidents conduct. Other topics in the cartoons include the high-flying Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, the millennial mayor of South Bend, Indiana; sanctuary cities welcoming asylum-seekers with open arms; and the precarious state of Social Security. Cartoons were drawn by Bill Bramhall, Chan Lowe, Dan Wasserman, Dana Summers, Drew Sheneman, Scott Stantis, Walt Handelsman, David Horsey, Phil Hands and Joel Pett of Tribune Content Agency; Tim Campbell, Mike Lester, Signe Wilkinson and Jeff Danziger of the Washington Post Writers Group; and Tom Toles of Andrews McMeel Syndication. View more editorial cartoon galleries. Its old news that the city of Syracuse is financially strapped. Half of the property in the city is exempt from property taxes, placing the burden of paying for city services on the other half. In his latest budget, Mayor Ben Walsh proposed raising property taxes on them by 3.5 percent. So we have to wonder why City Hall bent over backward to forgo property taxes on luxury student housing recently built on University Hill. As staff writer Tim Knauss recently reported, the city granted tax breaks worth a total of $42 million over the next 12 years to Theory Syracuse, the Marshall and The 505 on Walnut. Apartment developers claimed the 485-a exemption, named for a section of state law. This lucrative tax break aims to inject life into cities by encouraging developers to convert existing commercial buildings into a mix of residential and commercial uses. Existing buildings on the sites where the student apartments were built were not converted they were demolished. The city granted the 485-a tax break anyway. It was the same story last year when Knauss reported on apartment developments claiming vending machines in the lobby, a bike shop in a closet or gym rentals qualified as commercial uses under 485-a. The city bought those flimsy excuses, too. With that history, we cant fault the student apartment developers for trying. We do fault the city for granting 485-a tax exemptions to projects that clearly violated both the spirit and the letter of the law. We also fault state lawmakers who wrote a vague law and wont lift a finger to fix it. Its said that nothing gets built in this town without a tax break. There are all kinds of ways for government to subsidize a project grants, sales tax and mortgage tax exemptions, payment-in-lieu-of-tax agreements and usually all of the above. The 485-a exemption is the most generous of all, taking 12 years to bring a property to full assessed value. City officials need to exercise better judgment when weighing the value of a project to the city vs. its cost to the city. They should test the notion that highly monied projects from out of town could do without the help from overburdened Syracuse taxpayers. They neednt be such pushovers. Other cities in Upstate New York state have said no to 485-a applicants, and projects were built anyway because the market was there for them. Tax breaks arent free. When they are granted, the burden of paying for city services falls on even fewer property owners. For their sake, City Hall needs to drive a harder bargain when its in a position to do so. About Syracuse.com editorials Editorials represent the collective opinion of the Advance Media New York editorial board. Our opinions are independent of news coverage. Read our mission statement. Members of the editorial board are Tim Kennedy, Trish LaMonte, Jason Murray and Marie Morelli. To respond to this editorial: Post a comment below, or submit a letter or commentary to letters@syracuse.com. Read our submission guidelines. If you have questions about the Opinions & Editorials section, contact Marie Morelli, editorial/opinion leader, at mmorelli@syracuse.com Jordan-Elbridge Central High School students attended their junior prom Saturday, April 27, 2019. The event had a Starry Night theme was held at the Fireside Inn in Baldwinsville. Our gallery of photos can be found above. Want to buy a photo? As youre browsing the gallery, look for the BUY IMAGE link to order high-quality reprints and other products. More prom photos See all photo galleries from proms, senior balls, and other formals around Central New York. Solvay High School students attended their junior prom Saturday, April 27, 2019. The event was held at Traditions at the Links in East Syracuse. Our gallery of photos can be found above. Want to buy a photo? As youre browsing the gallery, look for the BUY IMAGE link to order high-quality reprints and other products. More prom photos See all photo galleries from proms, senior balls, and other formals around Central New York. West Genesee High School students attended their junior prom Saturday evening, April 27, 2019. The theme was A Starry Night in Paris. The event was held at the Carnegie Conference Center at Drivers Village in Cicero. Our gallery of photos can be found above. Want to buy a photo? As youre browsing the gallery, look for the BUY IMAGE link to order high-quality reprints and other products. More prom photos See all photo galleries from proms, senior balls, and other formals around Central New York. American cellist Lynn Harrell plays a tune at the southern side of Panmunjeom, during a ceremony, Saturday, for the first anniversary of the summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. / Yonhap By Yi Whan-woo The government celebrated the first anniversary of the summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean Kim Jong-un in a low key manner, Saturday. According to experts the following day, the celebration apparently showed Moon's woes over the stalled denuclearization talks between the North and the U.S., which poses a challenge to his mediation role. Moon did not come to the celebration co-hosted by the Ministry of Unification, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Gyeonggi Province Government on the southern side of Panmunejom, where the summit took place April 27, 2018. Instead it featured a 3-minute, 16 seconds-long video message from Moon, who said, "We often need to catch our breath and find a way together when we run into hurdles." The remainder of the ceremony mainly consisted of cultural performances. "The President was apparently referring to the stalemate in the Pyongyang-Washington dialogue and its negative impact on the inter-Korean reconciliatory efforts," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University. He argued the ceremony was "the best scenario" that the Moon government could come up with, considering the North gave no response to the South's offer for a joint celebration. "It would have been nonsense if Moon showed up at the ceremony," he added, pointing out the Panmunjeom Declaration was jointly announced by Moon and Kim during their first summit and it would have been appropriate for the two leaders to be present in any relevant celebrations. Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, echoed a similar view. "The security situation on the Korean Peninsula is in turmoil again, as it was before the summit. President Moon made the right choice by remaining low key on the first anniversary of the April 27 summit," Yang said. Meanwhile, Moon expressed optimism in his video message that the two Koreas will achieve "irreversible peace" and co-prosperity on the basis of the 2018 summit. "The Panmunjeom Declaration is being implemented one by one," he said, referring to the two Koreas' closure of sentry posts in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and excavation of war remains. He also noted tensions have eased in fishing zones near the Yellow Sea border and a joint liaison office is in operation in North Korea's border city of Gaeseong. Pope Francis, to whom Moon lobbied to visit Pyongyang when they met in the Vatican in October 2018, sent a video message to the leaders of the two Koreas, Saturday. The Pope expressed his hope for a future of peace and unity for the peninsula on the anniversary of the inter-Korean summit. "I pray that this anniversary of the Panmunjeom Declaration may bring about a new era of peace for all Koreans," he said. "May this celebration offer hope to all that a future based on unity, dialogue and fraternal solidarity is indeed possible." Over the weekend, Pyongyang called on Seoul to ignore Washington and move ahead with inter-Korean cooperation, criticized the South and the U.S. over their combined military exercise, and redoubled calls for "self-reliance." In a lengthy statement Saturday, the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country enumerated accomplishments from the 2018 summit and warned that "a grave security condition" was being created as in the past. It urged the South to explore "more active measures" to realize the sustainable development of inter-Korean ties and peaceful unification. On Sunday, the North's Uriminzokkiri propaganda website called the Seoul-Washington military exercise "a vicious challenge to our nation and the international community and a violent violation of inter-Korean declarations." "This is a flame that could escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula and drive the North-South relations into a catastrophe," it said. In an editorial the same day, the Rodong Sinmun called on North Koreans to follow the party leadership to construct a "self-sustaining economy" at a time of continued sanctions pressure. "Thoroughly establishing the party leadership system is a significant demand to hold up high the banner of independence and self-reliance and press ahead with the construction of socialist economy," the newspaper said. "Especially, the trend in today's political situation -- where hostile forces' instigation of sanctions has become more explicit -- calls for raising the banner of independence and self-reliance," it added. It seems that the 3DS is nearing its end, if Nintendo's most recent briefing is anything to go by. Put simply, the handheld console was left out of the discussion, and needless to say, that means there aren't any games for it in the pipeline. RIP 3DS? As Kotaku reports, Nintendo held an investor's briefing in 2018 where it said that the "3DS business" would continue and that there were "new software for release in 2019 and beyond." Not to mention that former Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime also said during that year that it was going to "continue to have some new games." On top of that, the company also announced a slew of games, such as remakes of the original Luigi's Mansion and Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and WarioWare Gold, to name a few. Well, this time around, the case is different. In its briefing, Nintendo didn't mention the 3DS, and it certainly didn't announce any new games, meaning there aren't any first-party titles to look forward to. "We have nothing new to announce regarding first-party software for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems," Nintendo told Kotaku. However, there are a few third-party titles coming, only one of which is landing on the United States. The other two are rolling out only in Japan. "We can confirm that new software is coming from third-party publishers," Nintendo continued. If this really were the end of the 3DS, then the last first-party title would be Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn, which was announced alongside Yoshi's Crafted World for the Switch. Moving Forward: New Switch Model Of course, the 3DS isn't going to disappear just like that. Nintendo still aims to sell 1 million units of the handheld console for 2019, after all, banking on the classic titles released for it. Still, without any new games on the horizon, it's almost as good as dead. At that, the company might be looking to replace it with a new Switch model that's rumored to be smaller and cheaper. Referred to as the "Switch Mini," the console could be revealed at E3 2019 in June. That's despite Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa saying otherwise. As Kotaku points out, Nintendo also denied rumors of the XL version of the 3DS, saying they were just "speculation," but then it unveiled the device soon after E3 2012. At any rate, once a Switch Mini or something like it goes official, it would be the perfect replacement for the 3DS. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Google promptly banished a developer that had racked up over half a billion app installs after it found that it committed ad fraud. DO Global, a popular Chinese developer, is now largely off the Play Store after Google discovered that its apps were abusing user permissions. The Baidu-owned developer was found to be generating fake ad clicks to gain revenue, among other illegal practices. "We take our responsibility to protect users and advertisers seriously, and invest in tools and resources to fight fraud and abuse globally," Google said in a statement to The Verge. "We actively investigate malicious behavior, and when we find violations, we take action, including the removal of a developer's ability to monetize their app with AdMob or publish on Play." DO Global Banned From Google Play Store Google didn't confirm that it's banning DO Global outright, but according to a report from BuzzFeed, that's exactly what the company is doing. Research firm Check Point found at least six apps that contain code for fake ad-clicking that ran in the background even when a user closed the app. DO Global had 100 apps in the Play Store, many of them listed under various developer handles including "Pic Tools Group" and "Photo Artist Studio." These apps did not disclose that they were owned by DO Global, which is a violation of Play Store's policies on app ownership and transparency. Since most of these DO Global-owned apps are listed under different developer names, it's difficult for users to immediately ascertain their original author. As of this writing, 46 of the apps in violation are now unavailable to download. In addition, DO Global apps no longer offer ad inventory for purchase via Google's AdMob network, suggesting they're also banned from Google's other ad-centric products. Ad Revenue Free-to-download apps earn revenue primarily through ads. Check Point notes in its research that it's not surprising malicious actors are committing fraudulent activities against ad agencies, especially in a landscape where ad revenue can generate high income. DO Global's ban marks one of the biggest banishments Google has ever executed against an app developer. DO Global has yet to comment on Google's action, and more importantly, on the discovery that its apps were part of a larger effort to commit ad fraud. More than 250 million people use DO Global apps each month, and DO Global claims it reaches 800 million users through ads. Aside from apps committing ad fraud, Google has also previously banished apps that spread malware or collect data without consent. Have you been using an app you suspect was owned by DO Global? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments section below! 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A 400-year-old Bible that was stolen from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh was found and returned to the United States recently. The centuries-old Bible was in the possession of Jeremy Dupertuis Bangs, director of the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum in the Netherlands. Bangs said he thought he bought the book from a "reputable dealer in antiquarian books." The Federal Bureau of Investigation Pittsburgh has returned the rare Geneva Bible to the district attorney's office on April 25. Rare Bible The Bible that dates back to 1615 is also known as the "Breeches Bible." Breeches refer to the printing edition in the story of Adam and Eve that refers to them as wearing breeches. The book was commonly carried by pilgrims who sailed aboard the Mayflower. The book was sent to the United States neatly wrapped in a bubble wrap and placed inside a metal box. The pages of the Bible are colored and brittle due to its antiquity. After confirming that the Bible was indeed stolen, authorities from the museum, the FBI in Pittsburgh and in Netherlands, and the DA's office coordinated for the return of the Bible. Pittsburgh paid $12,000 to recover the Bible from the Leiden Museum. Book Theft At The Carnegie Library The Bible was among the 321 rare items and books allegedly stolen from the library by former Carnegie archivist Gregory Priore, and rare books dealer John Schulman. Authorities said the Carnegie book theft that included rare books, atlases, maps, and other items, occurred over a period of over two decades. The two were charged with theft, conspiracy, and other cases. "This Bible is more than a piece of evidence in a case. It is a priceless artifact of religious significance to people of many faiths," said Stephen Zappala, Allegheny County's District Attorney. Since the investigation and recovery of the stolen Carnegie books were initiated, a total of 18 rare books and nearly 300 maps, plates, and pamphlets have been recovered from different locations in the United States, London, and now the Netherlands. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. What do stars sound like? While sound does not travel in space because it is a vacuum, stars like the Sun still produce sounds that manifest as complex vibrations. A team of astronomers from University of Wisconsin-Madison successfully developed a software called GYRE that can simulate the complex vibrations that stars produce. Anyone can access and edit GYRE as an open-source program, and it plugs into another program called MESA, which facilitates the simulation of stars. What Stars Sound Like Telescopes can spot the complex vibrations produced by stars as fluctuations in brightness or temperature on the star's surface. What produces these subtle sounds are the nuclear furnaces inside the star, and it stirs up those complex vibrations. When stars fuse hydrogen into heavier elements in their cores, hot plasma gas vibrates, and the star flickers. The flickering and fluctuation can help astronomers understand the structure of a star and how it changes as the star ages. Lead researcher Jacqueline Goldstein, a graduate student at University of Wisconsin-Madison, explained that the vibration of stars depends on their structure and size. "A cello sounds like a cello because of its size and shape," Goldstein said. To hear the sound of stars, the stellar vibrations must be sped up by a thousand to a million times. The frequencies repeat on the order of minutes to days. Goldstein explained that the complex vibrations produced by stars are actually called starquakes, which are quite similar to earthquakes. The field that studies these starquakes is known as astroseismology. Software Simulates Sound Of Stars In her research, Goldstein studied stars that are bigger than the sun. She explained that these are the stars that explode and make black holes and neutron stars, and these stars also form planets and new life. Goldstein said she wanted to understand how these stars work and how they affect the evolution of the universe. To do that, she studied the connection between the structure of stars and their vibrations. Along with professors Ellen Zweibel and Rich Townsend, Goldstein developed the GYRE program linked to MESA to simulate diverse stars and their frequencies. The team of researchers led by Goldstein constructed models of various types of stars to see how their vibrations would appear, and then they would check if the simulation resembled the reality. As Goldstein compares the simulation to reality, she is able to refine her model and improve the process of how scientists can study the surface of stars to survey the subtle sounds they produce. Goldstein explained that if the predicted vibration patterns and the observed vibration patterns are the same, it provides insight into the inside of the star. However, if the predicted vibration patterns and the observed vibration patterns do not match, it gives scientists information that they must improve the simulations and check again. The Search For Exoplanets The research accomplished by Goldstein and the professors who helped her is supported by the data collected by planet hunters. In fact, with the help of NASA's exoplanet hunter telescope called TESS, scientists are able to see whether all the stars in the neighborhood are pulsating or not. If the stars are pulsating, Goldstein and her colleagues will be able to study what's happening beneath the surface. With that, Goldstein is now developing a new version of GYRE that uses data collected by the TESS telescope. She will be able to simulate an entire stellar orchestra using this powerful tool. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. President Donald Trump has urged Americans to get vaccinated to protect themselves against measles. Cases of the highly contagious but preventable disease have reached an all-time high since 2000. Measles Cases Hit An All-Time High Federal health officials have confirmed that there have been roughly 700 cases of measles in the past week alone. The resurgence of measles has concentrated in a few states, including Washington, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, and California. All in all, however, 22 states have been affected by the measles outbreak. As of writing, no deaths caused by measles have been reported in the United States. Measles had once been eradicated in the country, so its emergence has shocked the nation. "The United States is seeing a resurgence of measles, a disease that had once been effectively eliminated from our country," said Alex Azar, secretary of the Health and Human Services. President Trump Urges Americans To Get Measles Vaccine On April 26, Friday, President Trump talked to reporters before departing and traveling from the White House to Indianapolis, Indiana. "The vaccinations are so important. This is really going around now. They have to get their shots," Trump said. Public health officials have blamed the nationwide outbreak, which has emerged amid a rise in measles cases worldwide, on the misinformation about vaccine safety. Americans have set aside getting the measles vaccine because of doubts about modern medicine, religious beliefs, and lingering impacts from a false claim that vaccine causes autism, which has already been debunked. In fact, there is no link between autism spectrum disorders and the measles vaccine. Why Children Should Get Measles Vaccine Measles is a highly infectious virus that lives in the mucus of the nose and the throat, and it spreads through the air and by coming into direct contact with a person who has it. It can cause pneumonia, the brain swelling condition known as encephalitis, and severe ear infections that lead to deafness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said measles can also cause premature birth in women, and in some cases, it can damage the central nervous system. Some of the symptoms of measles include runny nose, red eyes, high fever, sore throat, rash, and tiny white bumps in the mouth. According to WebMD, the fever usually begins 10 to 12 days after being exposed to the virus, and it lasts 4 to 7 days. Most people survive measles, but this highly contagious disease is also deadly. About one in every 10,000 measles cases usually end up in panencephalitis, which is usually fatal. The best way to prevent measles is to get the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, which is 97 percent effective after two doses. Children should get the vaccine between 12 and 15 months old, and then the second dose between 4 and 6 years old. New Bill Seeks To Limit Measles Vaccine Exemptions The growing measles outbreak across the country has pushed multiple public health efforts that seek to limit exposure to measles. Quarantines have been set at two universities in California, namely at California State University, Los Angeles and at the University of California, Los Angeles. In New York, officials have declared a public health emergency after an outbreak in Brooklyn. Unvaccinated people in the neighborhood have been ordered to get vaccinated. Recently, lawmakers in Washington have voted to limit the exemption of measles vaccination as a response to the growing outbreak. The new bill will require every child to get their vaccination so that they could be allowed in schools and child care centers. Parents have to provide proof that their children have already acquired the vaccine. Photo: The White House | Flickr 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Ball pits promise fun and games for little kids, but a new study revealed that these fun zones are actually contaminated with germs that can make kids sick. Physical therapy clinics have ball pits in them to provide stimulation to kids whose sight or motor skills are impaired. A team of researchers from the University of North Georgia examined six ball pits found in several inpatient and outpatient physical therapy clinics in Georgia and selected 9 to 15 balls for random samples. What the researchers found was that there were considerable microbial colonization in the ball pits, including eight kinds of bacteria and one yeast that could cause disease among children. Ball Pits Are Contaminated With Germs Researchers of the study, which has been released in the American Journal of Infection Control, explained that the contamination of bacteria for each ball examined was as high as thousands of cells per ball. This clearly demonstrated that there is a higher risk for possible transmission of these bacterial organisms to patients, as well as a higher risk for infection among kids, the researchers said. The study found a total of 31 different bacterial specimens and one yeast species in the ball pits in Georgia. Moreover, scientists found traces of Staphylococcus hominis, Enterococcus faecalis, Acinetobacter lwofii, and Streptococcus oralis in all the ball pits. These organisms are "human-associated bacteria" that cause nasty infections. For instance, Staphylococcus hominis can cause bloodstream infections and has been found to cause sepsis in some cases. Secondly, the bacteria Enterococcus faecalis can cause urinary tract infection, septicemia, meningitis, and endocarditis. Thirdly, Acinetobacter lwofii has been found to cause pneumonia, meningitis, urinary tract infections, skin infections, and septicemia. Lastly, Streptococcus oralis can cause the adult respiratory syndrome, streptococcal shock, and endocarditis. What Must Be Done To Protect Kids? Karen Hoffmann, president of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control, said that the findings of the study are quite important. "This research shows that ball pits may pose an infection hazard," Hoffmann said. The results suggest that one issue is that the ball pits are not being cleaned as often as they should be. In fact, physical therapy clinics may even go on days or weeks before cleaning, which may allow time for bacteria and yeast to accumulate and grow to levels capable of transmission and infection. Mary Ellen Oesterle, EdD, PT, lead author of the study, explained that clinics use different protocols for maintenance and cleaning, and this represents a need to clarify and establish standards that can reduce the risk of bacterial transmission. Meanwhile, Hoffmann added that facilities should establish a program for regular cleaning to protect healthcare workers and patients from risks of potential infection. The findings of the study come on the heels of reports which reveal that most hospital equipment such as privacy curtains contain antibiotic-resistant superbugs. There is also previous research which revealed that patients' hands and nostrils had traces of antibiotic-resistant superbug. All these studies point to a growing need for a more established practice when it comes to cleaning and maintaining equipment, whether it's a ball pit inside a clinic or the privacy curtains in a hospital room. Photo: Tasha Frey | Flickr 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Once Upon a Time A 25th Anniversary Picnic A celebration of the 25th anniversary of the restoration of the Old State Capitol WHEN: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 5 WHERE: Louisiana's Old State Capitol, 100 North Blvd. ADMISSION: Free INFORMATION: (225) 342-0500 or louisianaoldstatecapitol.org By Yi Whan-woo Twelve countries will join a naval exercise off Busan from Monday to Thursday to counter maritime crimes, the Navy said Sunday. It said the four-day exercise was the first of a two-part exercise involving 18 members of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), a defense dialogue involving ASEAN and other Asia-Pacific countries. The second part of the exercise will take place from May 9 to 13 off Singapore. The 12 countries participating this week are South Korea, the United States, China, Japan, Australia, India, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. They will send a combined 16 warships and six aircraft. The remaining six ADMM-Plus members Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, New Zealand and Russia will join as observers. For this week's exercise, South Korea will operate the 4,400-ton destroyer Wang Geon, the 2,500-ton frigate Jeonbuk, the 4,900-ton landing ship Cheonjabong, two UH-60 helicopters and one Lynx helicopter. The Wang Geon will also take part in the second part of the drills. Led by the South Korean Navy, the first part of the exercise will focus on rescuing ships hijacked by armed groups. The Singaporean Navy will lead the second part of the exercise aimed at stopping and searching ships suspected of carrying banned items. Some military sources speculated that the Singapore drill was mainly targeting North Korea amid suspicions that it has been engaged in ship-to-ship transfers of crude oil and other items banned by the United Nations. From 2017 to 2020, South Korea and Singapore are serving as co-chairs of the maritime security expert working group of the ADMM-Plus. The ADMM-Plus was launched in 2010. It had meetings in 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018. The governors have come and gone over the years. The legislative leaders have come and gone. The budget crises have come and gone. But in the Louisiana State Capitol, economist Jim Richardson has been the one constant on state budget and tax issues. Over the past 32 years, the LSU economics professor has served as an independent, professionally unimpeachable authority on one of the most powerful government panels in the state. But the self-effacing Richardson, not one to draw attention to himself, will step down during the next two months from his appointed position on the Revenue Estimating Conference, a four-member government panel that determines how much money is available for lawmakers to spend each year. The panel was created to prevent elected leaders from inflating revenue estimates out of thin air to, voila!, have more money to spend. And since the decisions of the panel must be unanimous, Richardson, an unelected professor, has had an implicit veto on the political whims of governors and legislative leaders since he was appointed as a founding member of the REC in 1987. David Sjoquist, an economics professor at Georgia State University, said he knows of no other state where a single economist wields as much influence in setting the revenue estimate as in Louisiana. Richardson is revered inside the State Capitol. He has had a Cal Ripken-like record of not missing any of the 160 REC meetings since 1987, although he did have to attend one in 2012, at the request of then-Gov. Bobby Jindal, while convalescing at home only a month after heart bypass surgery. Over those 32 years, he has served with six governors, seven Senate presidents, eight speakers of the House and 10 commissioners of administration. Hes always been a solid rock, said Senate President John Alario, R-Westwego, who has served with Richardson on the REC for 16 of the past 32 years. Weve always relied on Jim. He has been the non-political guy on the REC. I hate to see him leave. Richardson, 75, said it was a practical decision. I thought it was time to make a move given my age, he said while eating his usual weekday breakfast at Christinas in downtown Baton Rouge: a poached egg, a pancake doused in syrup and a cup of coffee. The REC meets at least four times a year to estimate how much money the state is collecting from taxes and other sources of revenue. The four members choose either the estimate offered by the chief economist for the governors office or that from the chief economist for the Legislature. In addition to Richardson, the other members are the speaker of the House, the Senate president and the commissioner of administration, who represents the governor. Gridlock broken: Louisiana budget process to proceed after major dispute settled After months of blocking state revenue forecasts, Louisiana House Speaker Taylor Barras finally agreed Wednesday to recognize additional dolla Gov. John Bel Edwards is also sorry to see Richardson step down. He obviously has a heart for public service, the governor said in an interview. I dont think Ive ever heard anyone criticize him or his work. Since the mid-1980s, Richardson also has repeatedly played a leading role in offering fixes for budget problems and chairing blue-ribbon commissions that recommend changes to the states tax system that would eliminate tax breaks to allow for lower tax rates changes that state lawmakers say they favor but typically cant bring themselves to support. Richardson remains undeterred. I try to tell all my (academic) colleagues that we can make recommendations about tax policy without any penalty to us in terms of how other people react, he said. A legislator and governor have to be concerned about how their constituents will react. Thats why any tax change will be difficult. Some people will gain from it. Others will lose from it. Progress comes in small steps, not giant steps, usually. You have to keep working at it. Richardson, a San Antonio native who arrived at LSU in 1970, said he is not ready to retire from his university post. As the lone economist on the REC, Richardson carries outsized weight with the other three, although House Speaker Taylor Barras, R-New Iberia, broke with tradition in recent months by refusing four times to agree to the revenue estimate accepted by the other three, in this case Richardson, Alario and Jay Dardenne, the governors commissioner of administration. Despite Richardsons important role, he has received little public attention except for a single instance in 1995 when he made headlines statewide. Harrahs had made a single payment of $125 million that year to the state in return for being allowed to open the only land casino in New Orleans. Then-Gov. Edwin Edwards said he wanted to use that money to raise salaries by 5 percent across the board for all state employees, university faculty (including Richardson), public school teachers and school support personnel. Alario, then the House speaker, and Sammy Nunez, then the Senate president, agreed with Edwards to count the money as a recurring source of revenue to make the pay raises possible. Richardson balked, saying it was a one-time payment that had to go for retiring the state debt, as required under the state Constitution. The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Edwards criticized him publicly; so did state legislators and the head of the teachers union. Teachers called him at home and called LSUs chancellor to complain. Richardson wouldnt budge. Edwards, Alario and Nunez confected a plan to go around Richardsons veto by having the Legislature vote to allow the REC to recognize the $125 million payment as recurring revenue in this one instance with only three votes. Their plan worked. Loren Scott, then a colleague at LSU, said that while Richardson lost that fight, he laid down an important standard for him and the REC. Some people thought it would be costly to him when you go against the speaker of the House, the head of the Senate and the governor and the school teachers, Scott said recently. But it established his creds and brand as someone who would not bow to political pressure. He knew what was the right thing to do fiscally, and he stuck with it. Many people agreed with him. LSUs university faculty gave Richardson a unanimous vote of confidence. Good government groups such as the Council for a Better Louisiana and the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana praised him, as did The Advocates editorial page. Richardson stood up for an important principle, the newspaper wrote. For doing so with courage and integrity, he deserves our admiration. Edwin Edwards, though, still believes he was right. I had a higher responsibility, he said recently. We had to pay the teachers. The former governor had nothing bad to say about Richardson, though. Hes a very intelligent man, very trustworthy, Edwards said. I had a lot of respect for him. The REC was created in 1987 after the state ran budget deficits during five of the preceding six years, said Dennis Stine, then a state representative from Lake Charles who served on the panel for three years as commissioner of administration under Gov. Buddy Roemer. The governor would just move up the (anticipated) price of oil, Stine recalled. That was an easy denominator to move. Every dollar increase would create $21 million of revenue, so a $10 increase in the price per barrel of oil generated $200 million more in money to spend. Then-state Sen. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, sponsored the legislation that created the REC, and then-Gov. Edwin Edwards agreed. I thought it was important to have an economist on the board, the former governor said. At the same time, I wanted political figures on the board because were the ones responsible for government. Its worked very well. Except for the disagreement in 1995, the four board members always agreed unanimously to either economists estimate until Barras refused to approve either one beginning in November. After tense meeting over possible rosier Louisiana financials, no update to revenue forecast Just when it seemed fights over Louisiana's state budget had become a thing of the past, tempers flared again at the State Capitol on Tuesday Because both the administration's and the Legislature's economists were forecasting that the state would collect more than $100 million more than previously projected, Barras move meant that the Legislature could not plan to spend the extra money and give teachers a pay raise in the upcoming year, as Gov. John Bel Edwards was proposing. Barras said it was too early to know for sure whether the money would actually appear as the economists were forecasting. Richardson is a low-key man who has succeeded for so long in part by keeping his nose out of politics. Asked about Barras move, he would not criticize the speaker but did say that the panel in March or April could have corrected any erroneous estimates from November and that the speakers failure to approve a revenue estimate then kept the governor from presenting his executive budget in February. +4 Gov. John Bel Edwards' administration presents $31 billion proposed budget outline In Gov. John Bel Edwards view, the state will have enough money in the coming year to fully-fund the popular Taylor Opportunity Program for S Obviously, there is politics involved, Richardson said. If you start using the REC to try to make government smaller, that is a bad precedent. That is truly a function of the Legislature. Hopefully, its a one-time event. In an interview, Barras said he was trying to guard against the REC overestimating revenue, as has happened in the past, thereby forcing the House, which writes the initial version of next years budget, to make cuts. I much would prefer making sure we have a real number, Barras said. Three economists are vying to replace Richardson on the REC, with the decision in the hands of the other three members. The three are Stephen Barnes, the director of the LSU Economics & Policy Research Group; Greg Upton, who analyzes economic policy issues in the energy industry at the LSU Center for Energy Studies; and Gary Wagner, who analyzes regional economies and state and local public finance issues at the University Louisiana-Lafayette. It will be hard to replace him, I suspect, Gov. John Bel Edwards said. People never questioned whether he had some partisan or philosophical motive. He always understood his job on REC was to estimate revenue, and that it was a political decision left largely to the Legislature about how that money would be ultimately spent or whether it would be spent. Advocate librarian Judy Jumonville contributed research to this article. Chairwoman Karen Carter Peterson, D-New Orleans, who is the only woman on the nine-person Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee, said that the resolution was a chance for Louisiana to make a positive change for women in the state and across the country. Its all conservative all the time, with Gov. John Bel Edwards himself joining in the avid discussion of work requirements for Medicaid recipi Last week, students at Mildred Osborne Charter School on Curran Boulevard in New Orleans East were playing in the school yard like they normally do on a typical day. They were laughing, running, jumping as kids tend to do. What they didn't realize is something was about to happen that they would remember the rest of their lives. Suddenly, the sounds of gunfire filled the air, sending students screaming and running in all directions. The bullets were flying everywhere. Three people near the school were hit. Fortunately, none of the bullets struck any of the kids. Wanda Ard told WWL-TV she was standing with her niece in front of her house, which sits across from the school, when she heard what she described as a hail of gunshots. A first round rang out, and then a second round of gunshots came through, said Ard. She says students at the K-8 school heard the gunfire, too. Kids started screaming and running everywhere. Ard credited school staff for acting quickly once the shooting began. They did get the kids in the school and shut the school down, so that was a good thing, but its just ridiculous, Ard said. It was right by the school. Ard says after the shooting, she saw a car speeding away. I assume that was probably either a car getting out of the way or the car that was doing the shooting, Ard said. I mean, its like, are you serious? You are shooting, there are kids in the yard, playing and any one of them could have been accidentally hit." These type of shootings happen all too often in New Orleans especially in New Orleans East. But they don't often happen in front of kids innocently playing at school. Kids aren't equipped to handle this kind of stuff. Such raw violence. How could the gunman or gunmen open fire in front of so many children? How corrupt does one's conscience have to be to do such a thing? The bigger tragedy is the shooter or shooters will most likely get away with it. Most shootings in New Orleans are never solved. Ard holds out hope. They are going to catch y'all, she said. Its going to be a matter of time, but they are going to catch you all because guess what? You are going to be stopped, you have to be stopped, and you will be stopped." But according to a recent study by The Washington Post, New Orleans has 14 neighborhoods with an arrest rate of under 37 percent when it comes to homicides. New Orleans East is one of those neighborhoods. Yes, they are literally getting away with murder in New Orleans. Getting away with opening fire and spraying bullets without fear of arrest is not lost on those pulling the trigger. The shooters may be callous, hard-hearted and uncaring, but they're also fully aware of what they can and cannot get away with. Part of the problem police and prosecutors often face in solving gun violence is the lack of cooperation from witnesses living in dangerous neighborhoods. Speaking out can be life-threatening. Anyone willing to open fire on a crowd would certainly be willing to kill a witness. After police pick up the shell casings and remove their yellow tape and leave the crime scene, locals are left to live in their neighborhood with the dangerous still among them. Dan Fagan: Why not teach the Bible in Denham Springs High literature class? Common sense would dictate locking up violent criminals for longer periods once convicted would help. It's a small percentage of the population willing to engage in such violence. The fewer on the streets, the safer the neighborhood. But the focus in some circles these days is toward lowering bail for criminals, shortening sentences, emptying our jails, and rehabilitation. But some are so broken, disturbed and violent that they must be locked up and for a very long time. It would be nice if they could be rehabilitated, and one day, that may happen. But public safety has to be the first concern. If we're to err, we should do so on the side of protecting the innocent, not the violent. We owe it to the decent and law-abiding people living in crime-ridden neighborhoods. Email Dan Fagan at faganshow@gmail.com. Twitter: @DanFaganShow. It has been a wild party for investors in Afterpay rival, Splitit, which rocketed 800 per cent in the six weeks following its ASX debut in late January. But the release of the companys annual report last month offered a sobering warning from its auditors. The Auditors Report included an emphasis of matter noting the New York-based company incurred a $US4.6 million ($6.53 million) loss for the year ending December 31, 2018 and has now generated cumulative losses totalling $US15.7 million since inception. Splitit Chairman Spiro Pappas (left) and chief executive Gil Don. Credit:Eamon Gallagher The company is still in the commercialisation stage and its continued operations are subject to the continuing receipt of funding from the companys shareholders and other investors, as well as successful implementation of its business plan, said the report. It was a stark reminder that the market was valuing Splitit on the basis it could be the next Afterpay, not on the basis of any fundamentals. The small business ombudsman has branded the tax office's use of debt recovery actions against small business "excessive" and said it is sending small businesses to the wall. A report released today by the ombudsman examines the Australian Taxation Office's practice of utilising garnishee orders against small businesses. Garnishee notices are debt-collecting tools that allow the tax office to order a bank to hand over money from a taxpayers account, without consulting the taxpayer. Small business ombudsman Kate Carnell has warned the ATO's use of garnishee orders is excessive. Credit:Louie Douvis Their use was exposed in a joint investigation by The Age and Sydney Morning Herald and Four Corners into the alleged unfair treatment and heavy-handed tactics of the ATO in respect of small business taxpayers. Commuters will soon find South Bank Station covered in blue with artwork created by anonymous street artist Blu Art Xinja after a deal was struck with Queensland Rail. The agreement to bring colour to blank spaces near the station's entrance comes after the much-loved Smoke piece was removed from the chimney of Central Station's heritage-listed building. The feature that had stood tall for almost two years will not return to the station despite Queensland Rail last year promising to keep it after its Central Station refurbishment. Smoke, by guerrilla street artist Blue Art Xinja, has been at Central Station since 2012. Credit:Tammy Law In February, Queensland Rail chief executive Nick Easy told Brisbane Times that time and weather has taken its toll on Smoke. Colombo/Kattankudy: Sri Lankan police have raided the headquarters of a hardline Islamist group founded by the suspected ringleader behind the Easter suicide bombings of churches and hotels. The moment a bomb planted inside a van in Colombo was detonated, has been caught on camera. Credit:ninevms It came as Sunday mass was cancelled across the island because of fears of further attacks. Armed police in the town of Kattankudy searched the headquarters of the National Thowheeth Jamaath and detained one man at the premises, a Reuters reporter at the scene said. Police did not comment. On Saturday, the government banned the NTJ under new emergency laws. The authorities believe Zahran Hashim, the founder of NTJ, masterminded and was one of the nine suicide bombers in the attacks on Easter Sunday that killed 253 people. Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Digest - April 21-27, 2019 Ford 1Q Results $34 Million Loss But Optimistic, Mid-engine Corvette Second Shift, Japan Ghosn Saga Continues, Lexus Makes Smiles In Canada, Tesla Follies, Ford Makes EV Startup Rivian HAP-PY!, Hyundai Hires EX Nissan Exec As COO, Mazda Diesel Finally, Grid Shortcoming Coming, Airbag Concerns Hits 12.3 Million Vehicles, Waymo Motor Citys, BMW Recall, Tire Chalking Illegal, Indycar New Safety Device, RIP NASCAR MOM and Wife AUTO CENTRAL CHICAGO - April 28, 2019; Every Sunday Larry Nutson, Executive Producer and Chicago Car Guy along with senior editor Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, give you The Auto Channel's "take" on this past week's automotive news, in easy to "catch up" with news nuggets. LEARN MORE: Links to millions of the past 25 year's automotive news, articles, reviews and archived stories residing in The Auto Channel Automotive News Library. Want more automotive content than our million plus pages?, TV viewers can watch The Auto Channel, TACH-TV Network On Amazon TV, Google TV, HULU, ROKU, and Old Fashioned "Free and Clear" OTA (Over the air) TV in Boston and South Florida as well as local cable systems. Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Digest - "Don't Miss" Car and Truck News Made April 21-27, 2019 * Ford revealed its first quarter 2019 financial results this week showing a substantial gain in earnings before interest and taxes but a reduction in net earnings. The company has been restructuring many of its international operations resulting in losses that affect the net earnings. Performance in North America was strong bringing the EBIT to $2.4 billion. Outside the U.S. EBIT showed a $196 million loss. Overall, Fords financial position strong, they insist. * Expecting an enthusiastic reception for the next-generation mid-engine Corvette, :GM is adding a second shift - about 400 jobs - to the Bowling Green, Kentucky plant. The official launch of the car will be in mid July. The plant has gotten more than $900 million in upgrades to make the new car. Enthusiasts have been teased with rumors of a mid engine Vette for decades, and we can say with confidence theyll finally get it. The final C7 Corvette will be auctioned off in June to benefit the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. It's a 2019 Z06 painted black, and will be the last of the front-engined Corvettes. * And the beat goes on! Japanese prosecutors have again formally charged Carlos Ghosn, the former head of the Nissan-Renault auto alliance. This time its breach of trust, piling a new count of financial impropriety onto his existing charges in a move that adds pressure on him. Mr. Ghosn, who continues to maintain his innocence, has been in a detention center on the outskirts of Tokyo since April 4, when prosecutors swarmed into his apartment in an early morning raid. Late word is that Ghosn has again been released on $4.5 million bail. * After many rounds of bad news for their auto manufacturing sector Canada finally got some good news this week: Lexus will be building their NX small crossover and the three row version of the popular RX midsize crossover at the Cambridge, Ontario plant beginning in 2022, according to reporting by Bloomberg. Within the last year GM and FCA have cut production and idled plants in Canada. The company is investing C$1.4 billion to prepare for the upgrades needed for those two vehicles and the new RAV4. * We'll believe it when we see it. Tesla's Elon Musk has been blowing his horn a lot for what usally turns out to be false. Now, Musk said the company was on the verge of building cars that can drive themselves safely on any road. He also said the company would begin operating a fleet of driverless robo taxis by the end of next year. Most auto executives and analysts think Musk is being wildly optimistic. Cars that can drive themselves at all times under all conditions are at least several years away...perhaps ten years. * Ford is partnering with other automakers as it develops electric vehicles investing $500 million in startup EV company Rivian to use their skateboard platform to develop a new EV. What kind of vehicle it will be has not been announced. Ford is also in discussions with VW about sharing their EV technology. Companies around the world are putting R&D resources in the development of EVs even though demand for them is still a tiny part of the total market. * Meanwhile, this. Tesla said it immediately sent a team to investigate an apparent explosion of one of its cars that occurred in Shanghai. There are no known casualties at this time, the electric car company said in a Chinese-language post on Weibo, Chinas version of Twitter. Tesla also said it is in active communication and cooperation with relevant departments about the situation. * Former Nissan executive Jose Munoz, a Carlos Ghosn lieutenant who left Nissan as scandal engulfed his former boss, has been hired as COO and head of Americas operations at South Korean automaker Hyundai. Auto industry analysts view this move as a clear sign of change to come. * Coming back to the recent 2019 New York International Auto Show, at long last we saw the arrival of Mazda's Diesel engine. The 2019 Mazda CX-5 Signature AWD features the 168 horsepower Skyactiv-D 2.2-liter diesel engine with 290 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 rpm. EPA estimated fuel economy ratings are 27 city mpg, 30 highway mpg with 28 mpg combined. Compared to gasoline engines offered on the CX-5 the ratings are 3 to 5 mpg better in the city, depending on the engine. With an MSRP of $41,000 pre-sales are beginning immediately. * Joe White for Reuters reports, electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles account for roughly 1 percent of U.S. vehicle sales today, but consulting group BCG forecasts they will rise to 20 to 30 percent of new vehicle sales by 2030, requiring that electric utilities beef up the grid to handle the recharging load. U.S. EV and plug-in sales have been growing at a rapid rate, but from a very low base. The big test of all EV/PHEV sales forecasts is coming over the next five years. * David Shepardson writing for Reuters reported that NHTSA said that it is expanding a probe into potentially defective air bags to 12.3 million vehicles. The agency said the air bags were installed in some vehicles from model year 2010 through 2019 sold by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, Honda Motor Co, Hyundai Motor Co, Kia Motors Corp, Mitsubishi and Toyota Motor Corp. They were equipped with an air bag control unit initially produced by TRW Automotive Holdings Corp now owned by ZF Friedrichshafen. The agency said they could fail during a crash event. * Waymo will lease an American Axle factory in Detroit to build Level 4 self-driving vehicles. Waymo will modify Chrysler Pacifica and Jaguar I-Pace vehicles and retrofit them with autonomous car technology. Level 4 is high automation, one step below full automation. That means the vehicles can't do everything and must operate under prescribed circumstances. The driver may have the option to control the vehicle. * Automotive News reports that the Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into Ford Motor Co.s emissions certification process, the automaker disclosed two months after fessing up to an issue with its testing. Ford is fully cooperating with all government agencies, the automaker said in a regulatory filing. The company said that because the matter is still at a preliminary stage, it cant predict the outcome or assure investors it wont have a material impact on the company. Ford revealed in February that it had been taking a flawed approach to using road-load specifications to simulate how aerodynamic drag and tire friction can affect fuel economy outside testing labs. It hired an outside firm earlier this year to help conduct an investigation that could stretch into the summer. * BMW is adding nearly 185,000 vehicles in the U.S. to a 2017 recall for possible engine fires. Two years ago the company recommended the vehicles be parked outdoors until problems are fixed. The expansion brings the total number of vehicles recalled for the problem to about 925,000. The recall expansion covers a dozen 3 Series, 5 Series and Z4 models from the 2006 model year. * A Saginaw, Michigan motorist beat a parking ticket with a claim of unwarranted trespass. A three-judge U.S. Court of Appeals panel found that the practice of chalking tires violates the Fourth Amendments prohibition on unreasonable search and seizure. The young woman bringing the suit is described as a frequent recipient of parking tickets. The decision constitutes precedent throughout the 6th U.S. Circuit - Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. * IndyCar drivers will be using a new safety device starting at next month's Indianapolis 500. Seies officials announced that each car will be fitted with a 3/4-inch wide titanium debris deflector, which is intended to protect the driver's head in the open cockpit. * Brenda Jackson, the mother of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller, has died at the age of 65. JR Motorsports announced the news Monday afternoon, saying that Jackson had been battling cancer. Prior to her marriage to seven-time NASCAR premier series champion Dale Earnhardt Sr. in 1972, she was known by her maiden name, Brenda Gee. Her father was well-known NASCAR fabricator Robert Gee, who built cars for several stars of his era, including Earnhardt. A new specialty coffeehouse opening today in Niverville will give customers a chance to sip the finest brews from Ethiopia, the worlds original coffee culture. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/4/2019 (969 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A new specialty coffeehouse opening today in Niverville will give customers a chance to sip the finest brews from Ethiopia, the worlds original coffee culture. "For us, coffee is not like a drink. It is in our lifestyle," Negash Coffee owner Henok Gebre explained Monday as he sipped espresso from a traditional handleless porcelain cup. For the past year, Negash Coffee has operated as an online store and door-to-door subscription service, delivering freshly roasted beans to homes, restaurants, and offices within an hours drive of Niverville. Gebre said hes excited to throw open the doors of his new permanent space and move his roasting operation from Winnipeg to Niverville. Hes a coffee connoisseur who takes pride in offering a premium product. "Ive had too many shots already today," he joked as he finished off his espresso. His mother, who resides in Calgary, formulated the five-bean blend herself. The decor in the 1,500-sq-ft. coffeehouse, located along Drovers Run on the towns west end, leans modern, with white marbled tiles, a sleek electric fireplace, and a live-edge walnut counter. Atop it sits the cafes centrepiece: a gleaming Elektra espresso machine. But you wont find a flat-screen television on the wall. "We want people to come and have a conversation," Gebre, 33, explained. "Coffee is actually a communication starter." The menu features the usual styles of premium coffee, like lattes and Americanos, plus tea and baked goods. Gebre sources organic green coffee beans directly from Ethiopian farmers, with the help of his cousin, who works as an exporter in the East African country. "Coffee is not just a source of income. People care about what they sell," he said. Ethiopia has long been one of the globes coffee-producing powerhouses. The Arabica coffee plant originated there, and Ethiopians lead the continent in both production and consumption. The highlands of the Sidamo province produce the best coffee, as the plants grow more slowly. Gebre himself favours lighter roasts, to preserve the beans complexity. Bitterness can overwhelm in some dark roasts, he explained. Just as important is the way the coffee is served. The countrys traditional coffee ceremony typically occurs three times a day. "It is the heart of the country," Gebre said. Green beans are roasted in a pan then ground by hand and boiled in a traditional long-necked clay vessel called a gebena. Negash Coffee customers will be able to glimpse the ritual firsthand. Gebres wife, Faisa, plans to perform it one Sunday a month at the coffee shop. Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Gebre said he doesnt mind if the shop isnt very profitablethe other side of the business is doing well, and he envisions the new space as a thank-you to the community he calls home. He arrived in Canada in April 2003. He and Fasia, who have three young children, settled in Niverville in September 2015. Before that, the family lived in Winnipeg, where Gebre said he felt "disconnected" from his neighbours. He now relaxes when he passes the Perimeter Highway after his last delivery of the day. Negash Coffee isnt his first foray into entrepreneurship. Gebre also ran a promotions business, couriered parcels for Greyhound, was a partner in a lounge, and still operates a cleaning business. He studied engineering at the University of Calgary and University of Manitoba, but left before graduating to start a family. On Monday, as he put the finishing touches on the cafes interior, Gebre said locals seem keen to check out the new business. Hardly a day goes by without a curious passerby knocking on the door. Customers will get their chance tiday, when Negash Coffee holds its grand opening. Free coffee will be served all day. Regular hours will see the cafe open seven days a week. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their summit in Russia's Far Eastern city of Vladivostok, April 25. / Yonhap President Moon's plans to play role as mediator in jeopardy By Yi Whan-woo Regional powers on the Korean Peninsula appear to be seeking a stronger role in denuclearizing North Korea. Until now, these powers have mainly left the United States and the two Koreas to deal with the issue. The Hanoi summit breakdown led to stalemate in U.S.-North Korea denuclearization talks, with the U.S. insisting on "big deals" and asking for complete and full denuclearization. The U.S. demand is opposed to North Korean-style "small deals" that seek phased steps on denuclearization and the easing of sanctions on the Kim Jong-un regime. The U.S. remains unchanged in its "all-or-nothing" strategy, forcing North Korea to seek support from Russia and China and enhancing the alliance among the three Cold War allies. Against the backdrop, Russia appeared to be stepping up as the "mediator," which President Moon Jae-in has underscored as his role on North Korea, when Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim met for the first time in Russia's Far Eastern city of Vladivostok, April 25. Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin smile during the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, April 27. / AFP-Yonhap U.S. President Donald Trump, right, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands during their summit at the White House in Washington, D.C., April 26. / AFP-Yonhap The leaders of Russia and China held their respective summit in Beijing, April 28. Political experts see the meeting as a message that the two, after having the U.S. take initiatives on denuclearization, will step in and play a role accordingly. For Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., April 26 and discussed sanctions on North Korea. Abe also sought Trump's cooperation on holding a summit with Kim to resolve issues on Japanese people abducted by North Korea. Abe's step came after speculation that Japan may be left out among the stake holders on the Peninsula, with the U.S. and the two Korea engaging in denuclearization talks. The Atlantic magazine assessed that Putin and Abe were trying to "muscle their way" into the Kim-Trump dialogue. It said their involvement pointed to "a new (and yet old) dynamic" in the negotiations, adding that this would only further complicate a stalled diplomatic process. The magazine noted that Abe had sought to advance his nation's interests by nurturing a personal friendship with Trump, whom it called "America's volatile, nationalist, and thoroughly transactional president." Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University, said President Moon would need to show "his presence as the mediator" on denuclearization issues. Kim snubbed at Moon after the Hanoi summit breakdown, complaining about Moon's role as "mediator" and "facilitator" and claimed that the South should act as a "directly involved party" on denuclearization. Meanwhile, Putin underscored a peaceful resolution of the North's nuclear quandary during his summit with Kim. The much-anticipated summit was seen as a key test of Kim's diplomatic outreach aimed at breaking the logjam in the parley with the U.S., easing sanctions pressure and catalyzing his lackluster drive for economic development. According to Pyongyang's state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim strongly criticized Washington for taking a "unilateral attitude in bad faith" that caused the diplomatic standstill following the meeting with Trump in Hanoi. He also told Putin that the situation on the Peninsula had reached a "critical point" and whether tensions resumed would "entirely depend on the U.S. future attitude." Putin said Russia would continue to try to reduce tensions on the peninsula, while stressing the need for an "international" security guarantee for the North. His remarks, according to diplomatic experts, hint at Russia's desire to carve out a role in ongoing efforts for a lasting peace on the peninsula, where Moscow has only rarely been substantively involved. Putin called for three-way economic cooperation between the two Koreas and also Russia. Regarding about 10,000 North Korean workers who face repatriation at the end of this year under U.N. sanctions, Putin called the North Koreans "good, hard-working, orderly" workers, saying there were "calm and non-confrontational" solutions. Putin did not elaborate, but Professor Park speculated that Kim may have asked Putin a way to extend the workers' stay. The workers are a source of foreign cash for the impoverished Kim regime. Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, said, "Kim appears to have made a breakthrough at the Vladivostok summit" for the stalled negotiation with the U.S. Professor Park agreed. "There was no public statement on the part of Russia in support of the North's denuclearization policy," he said. "Russia appears to have taken the U.S. stance much into consideration, while pushing for multilateral dialogue for the denuclearization process." The Trump-Abe summit involved talks on North Korea, in addition to trade and Trump's planned visit to Japan. Trump, despite the Hanoi summit breakdown, said he and Kim had an excellent relationship. "I think we're doing very well with North Korea," Trump said. "A lot of progress is being made. I appreciated President Putin's statement yesterday. He wants to see it done, also. I think there's a lot of excitement toward getting a deal done with North Korea." He thanked Russia and China, saying "China is helping us because I think they want to they don' need nuclear weapons right next to their country." "But I also think they're helping us because the U.S. and China are engaged in trade talks." President Moon has sought talks with Pyongyang after the collapse of the Hanoi summit, sending a special envoy. But the North has not shown any official response, fueling speculation it may have refused Moon's offer. This was somewhat different from the summits last year, because Cheong Wa Dae at the time unveiled plans to send special envoys to the North before announcing that Moon would hold a summit with Kim.The two Koreas held three summits last year, and the first and the third ones took place after the South sent special delegations to the North. San Diego sheriffs deputies look over the Chabad of Poway synagogue after the shooting on Saturday. Photo: Sandy Huffaker/AFP/Getty Images A woman has been killed and a rabbi and two other people injured after a domestic terrorist attacked a synagogue north of San Diego, California, on Saturday morning. The gunman, who expressed white-supremacist and anti-Semitic views in a manifesto published before the attack, fled but was quickly apprehended. The attack happened approximately six months to the day after 11 people were killed in an attack on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. Below is everything we know so far. The Attack Just before 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, a 19-year-old gunman armed with an AR-15 style assault rifle walked into the Chabad of Poway synagogue in Poway, California, and began firing on those inside. About 100 people had assembled at the synagogue for a celebration of the last day of Passover. The shooter, dressed in a green military vest, fatally wounded 60-year-old Lori Kaye, who jumped between him and Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, 57, who was delivering the sermon at the time of the attack and was subsequently injured in the hands. An eight-year-old girl, Noya Dahan, was struck in the face and leg with shrapnel, and 34-year-old Almog Peretz also took shrapnel in the leg while trying to shield and evacuate children from danger. Some witnesses say the lone gunman shouted obscenities as he fired. His rifle apparently jammed, which appears to have limited the carnage. He then fled. An off-duty Border Patrol agent who was working as a security guard at the synagogue fired on the shooter several times as he drove way, but only struck his car. Shortly after, about two miles from the scene, the gunman pulled over and called 911, telling the dispatcher that he was involved in the attack and providing his location. A San Diego police officer responding to the shooting then apprehended the suspect, who surrendered without incident. His assault rifle was sitting on the passenger seat of his car. The shooter, later identified as John T. Earnest, reportedly posted a hate-filled open letter on social media beforehand in which he expressed white supremacist views and claimed responsibility for an attempted arson at a mosque in nearby Escondido last month. (No one was injured in that attack, as the fire was quickly discovered and put out, and a message referencing last months Christchurch mosque attacks were left behind by the arsonist.) All four victims were taken to nearby Palomar Media Center, where Ms. Kaye ultimately died. The injuries to the other three victims were not life-threatening, and they were later listed in stable condition. Sheriffs crime scene tape placed in front of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue after the shooting. Photo: Sandy Huffaker/AFP/Getty Images Poway mayor Steve Vaus quickly called the attack a hate crime, citing witnesses accounts of what the shooter said while firing on his victims. Vaus also indicated in an MSNBC interview that he believed the congregants response prevented more bloodshed, insisting that, We are grateful to those in the congregation there that engaged the shooter and prevented this from being a much more horrific incident. Hate has no place in ANY community... least of all Poway. We will put our arms around each other and walk through this tragedy as the family we have always been and always will be. #PowayStrong Steve Vaus (@SteveVaus) April 27, 2019 Sadly, were seeing these things happen all over the country, and now even in our backyard, San Diego County sheriff Bill Gore said on Saturday. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who founded the Chabad of Poway and was injured in the attack, apparently continued his sermon after the shooter fled. A member of the congregation told CNN that he did not leave his congregation until he was finished speaking to them calming their fears and pledging resilience. The investigation into the attack and gunman was quickly underway, including a search of the shooters home in a neighboring town. Authorities believe the attacker acted alone, but police in San Diego and Los Angeles nonetheless announced on Saturday that they were expanding their patrols at local synagogues just in case. The Chabad of Poway is part of the Chabad-Lubavitch Orthodox Jewish Hasidic movement, which is one of the worlds largest Hasidic movements, and is focused on outreach and education for other Jews. The synagogue was founded 33 years ago in Poway, a middle-class suburb of roughly 50,000 residents that is about 25 miles northeast of San Diego. Since the attack happened during the Sabbath, some Jewish congregations in the region did not fully become aware of the attack until much later in the day. The Gunman John T. Earnest is a 19-year-old white man who lives in Rancho Penasquitos, which is just west of Poway. He has no criminal history and no known links to white-supremacist groups, Sheriff Gore said on Saturday. In an anti-Semitic manifesto attributed to Earnest and published to the white-nationalist-frequented message board 8chan just over an hour before the attack, the gunman described himself a man of European ancestry, quoted the Bible, and wrote of his hatred and disgust for Jews. He said he had been inspired by the deadly attacks on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh last October and a pair of mosques in New Zealand last month both of which were perpetrated by white supremacists. Saturdays shooting also happened approximately six months, to the day, after the Pittsburgh attack, which was the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history. Earnest was attending college at Cal State University, and had gone to Mt. Carmel High School before that, where his father was a science teacher until retiring in 2016. The author claimed that he was a nursing student and had been planning the assault for less than four weeks, insisting the ease and speed in which he conceived and carried out the attack was a testament to the fact that literally anyone can do this. He also took credit for last months early morning arson attack at the Islamic Center of Escondido, which is only nine miles from the synagogue in Poway. That claim has not yet been confirmed by police. In his purported 8chan post, the gunman included a link to his Facebook page and said a livestream of the attack will begin shortly. The Facebook page, which was deactivated several hours after the attack, reportedly contained no livestream link. NBC News noted on Saturday that the 8chan post is nearly identical, in tone and (Q&A) format, to the one left by the Australian gunman who killed 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15. Will we? (An impromptu memorial made by community members across the street from the synagogue on Saturday.) Photo: Sandy Huffaker/AFP/Getty Images The Victims Neighbors describe Lori Kaye as a wonderful mother, and wife who loved to garden. Sunflowers were her absolute favorite. pic.twitter.com/oY5tFZsYyG Jeff McAdam (@JeffMcAdamTV) April 28, 2019 Lori Kaye, 60, was killed in the attack after apparently throwing herself between the gunman and the rabbi in order to protect him. Her husband, a physician, was also in the synagogue during the attack and the San Diego Tribune passes along the harrowing story of how he discovered that she had been shot: Worshippers called him over to help victims, and he began to do CPR on one until he realized it was his wife, [Dr. Roneet Lev] said. He then fainted. Kaye had gone to the synagogue to say Kaddish, a Jewish prayer for the dead, for her mother, who had recently passed away, according to Lev. The irony is people will be saying it for her now, Lev said. Kaye had a 22-year-old daughter, and was instrumental in helping found and support the congregation over its more than three-decade history. This is Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, the Rabbi of #Poway Chabad #SanDiego Synagogue. Even after being shot, he continued his sermon & stood before his congregants, saying we are strong, we are united, they cant break us! THIS is the Jewish spirit. This is #AmYisraelChai! pic.twitter.com/oy3yIVCasL Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) April 28, 2019 Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, 57, had both of his index fingers blown off after he instinctively raised his hands when the gunman fired at him. Goldstein, who founded the Chabad of Poway in 1986, has also served as a Jewish chaplain for the San Diego Sheriffs Department. Congregants said he delivered a sermon after the gunman fled, despite his injuries, telling the survivors, they cant break us. Speaking with NBC on Sunday morning from the hospital, he called for resolve in confronting anti-Semitism and remembered Ms. Kaye, who he said was a dear friend and a pioneering family member of our congregation. He also had a message for the country: I am just so heartbroken by the senseless killing. The Constitution of the United States guarantees freedom of religion for all faiths. And you know, we are so grateful to live here in this country that protects our rights to live openly and proudly as Jews. One thing [you can be sure of] we will not be intimidated or deterred by this terrorist. Terrorists will not win. As Americans, we cant cower in the face of this senseless hate that is in anti-Semitism. You know beneath the surface of every terrible experience, there lies an opportunity to grow and increase in goodness. This horrific event must raise alarm and concern for the safety of all places of worship, and our government needs to continue to step up and [help prioritize] securing our houses of worship. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, just out of surgery for a gunshot wound, continues to speak about the synagogue shooting. As soon as (the gunman) saw me, he started to shoot towards me and I just sort of put my hands up and my fingers got blown away. #ChabadofPoway #SundayTODAY pic.twitter.com/ZTXkcK4VRa TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 28, 2019 He also spoke up in response to the Christchurch massacre last month: Wow. Heres how Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue responded to the Christchurch masjid attacks in N.Z. The world should take notes from the Rabbi. Humanity would be better for it. And no doubt Christchurch stands w/ Poway. Picture courtesy: @shannonrwatts. pic.twitter.com/GSkO69smI9 Dr. Craig Considine (@CraigCons) April 27, 2019 Goldstein has a deep connection to Brooklyn, where he lived before heading west in his early twenties. The Daily News reported on Saturday that his father Yossi helped build the Chabad sect in Crown Heights and was a key lieutenant of much-revered Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson. This man is being called a hero. A friend says 34-year-old Almog Peretz saved children during today's synagogue shooting in Poway. Hear the story tonight on @fox5sandiego pic.twitter.com/FKBIc9tcCL Kristen Shanahan (@k_shan7) April 28, 2019 Almog Peretz, a 34-year-old Israeli immigrant, was injured with shrapnel in the leg while trying to rush children to safety during the attack. Heres what he told the Times of Israel: A person with a big rifle, like an M16, entered the synagogue and started shooting everywhere. At first we thought the ceiling had collapsed, but then I turned around and saw he was aiming his weapon at me. There were many small kids next to me. I took a little girl who was our neighbor and three nieces of mine and ran. I opened the back door and we ran with all the children to a building in the back. I hid them in that building. As I picked up the girl, the terrorist aimed his weapon at me. I was injured in the leg. Noya Dahan is 8 years old and is in the hospital after being shot. #PowaySynagogueShooting #AntiSemitism #Jewish pic.twitter.com/SSUPUjbhsW Brian Appel (@BriApp) April 28, 2019 Noya Dahan, an eight-year-old girl and Israeli immigrant, was struck in the face and leg with shrapnel during the attack. She was attending the Passover celebration with her family. They had left Sderot, Israel for California after several close calls during rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, according to Dahans father, who added that his home in the U.S. had been spray painted with swastikas several years ago as well. We came from fire to fire, he said after the synagogue shooting. This post has been updated throughout to reflect new information as it became available. Chilean President Sebastian Pinera will make a state visit to Seoul on Sunday for a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in the following day, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said. It will be his first visit to South Korea after his previous trip here in March 2012. He will be the first Latin American head of state to visit South Korea since the Moon administration was launched in May 2017. On Monday, Moon and Pinera's summit will focus on economic cooperation and other issues, including factors related to their respective regions, Yoon Do-han, Moon's senior secretary for public relations, told reporters earlier this month. Moon is expected to call for Chile's support for South Korea's efforts for denuclearization and a lasting peace on the divided peninsula. Following the summit, the leaders will have dinner together. They held a summit on the sidelines on the U.N. General Assembly in New York last September. (Yonhap) 1 EVENT TO MARK ON YOUR CALENDARS Volunteers are invited to the Bryan City Cemetery Clean-Up Day on May 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come help spruce up the cemetery. Please bring your own hand tools. For more information, visit www.bryantx.gov. SUNDAY EVENTS SuperCooper 5K, 7 to 10 a.m. Clayton Williams Building. The 5K runs through the heart of Texas A&M University and raises money for student scholarships. Race registration is $25. runsignup.com/Race/TX/CollegeStation/SuperCooper5K?rsus=100-200-79d71be2-8550-44ac-a6ef-3d008375fb8e. The Calvary Fellowship Big 70th Birthday party with a Steel Magnolias Concert, 10 a.m. 2009 Cavitt Ave., Bryan. The public is invited to hear The Steel Magnolias celebration concert during the morning worship service. The concert is free and open to the public. 11 Ounces-Born Baby Came out Swinging and Defies Odds One of the worlds smallest babies, born in Connecticut, finally came home after nine months in the hospital. Jaimie Florio, the mother of the baby, said, The surgeon told us he came out swinging He said he was the tiniest baby hes delivered in 40 years and the feistiest. The father, John Florio, said that My wedding band fit easily over his hand and foot, according to NBC Washington. Baby Connor, who weighed just 11 ounces at birth, went home this week in what doctors called a triumph of medicine and the human spirit. Now his parents, Jamie and John Florio, look forward to watching their feisty little boy reach new milestones. https://t.co/3xRaWNg5dU Florida Times-Union (@jaxdotcom) April 14, 2019 Doctors noticed that the Florios baby was falling behind in terms of growth after only 19 weeks of pregnancy, due to IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction). Jaimie Florio was transferred to Westchester Medical Center in New York at 25 weeks. One week later, the babys life was at risk, and doctors had to deliver immediately or they would face the danger of stillbirth. Dr. Dennis Davidson, unit chief of the infant floor at the Blythedale Childrens Hospital in New York, says that babies born at 500 grams have about 10 percent chance of surviving. Connor weighed only 310 grams. Dr. Davidson explained: A 26-week baby born at normal weight would probably have an 80 to 90 percent chance of survival today, however, Connor was less than half of the appropriate weight for a 26-week baby. Babies who are that small barely have a chance for survival. The parents went through a 9-month ordeal at the hospital, full of frightening complications such as a bleeding brain, a hole in his heart, and a potentially fatal infection. Connor also needed intensive respiratory support and feeding tubes as he strove to gain weight. This Sunday, thousands will take to the streets for the #MarchforBabies to raise money to end infant prematurity and death. Our @MDiamond8 has the story Connor Florio, who is believed to be the smallest baby in the U.S. ever to survive outside the womb. https://t.co/rptRvCWUox WCBS Newsradio 880 (@wcbs880) April 25, 2019 I remember telling [Jaimie] that if something bad does happen, you need to enjoy the time that we did have with him, said John. Youve got to smile and find the joy in everything that you do, because those moments are going to disappear, and if you dont find the joy in them, youre not going to want to remember them. After 9 challenging months in the hospital, the family is now united at home to Danbury, Connecticut. He continues to use a feeding tube, oxygen, and a monitor, taking medication eight times per day. But altogether hes healthy and doctors expect him to be well. He cracks us up because hes such a goofball. He likes to stick his tongue out. He smiles all the time. Hes got a smirk-y smile, talks, John said, Even if its one in 500, why cant you be the one? 20 Indian Students Commit Suicide After Failing Exams: Reports Parents believe failing exam results were caused by a computer glitch Twenty students in India reportedly committed suicide in the past week after a state agency announced their exam scores. Some parents believe the bevy of failed exams is due to an electronic glitch. In the latest incident, a 19-year-old woman, Akrapu Mithi, hanged herself at Naginenipally village in Telangana state, according to the Gulf News. She went to a private college in nearby Bibinagar town and was apparently depressed after the results were announced on April 18. About 1 million students took the exams in February and March. About 350,000 failed their exams, causing protests from parents, students, and political parties, Fox News reported. 'Failing in test was not the end of life' Posted by Khaleej Times on Sunday, April 28, 2019 In one extreme case, a student called Sirisha set herself on fire in Narayanpet district, also in Telangana state, over the weekend, reported the Khaleej Times. Nearly 25 students are reported to have committed suicide due to the faulty results published by the TSBIE. Now, who should be made responsible for the deaths of 30 odd students? And who will compensate the agony caused to thousands of parents? a letter from Indias Congress said, as reported by Latestly.com. The dangers of test-taking culture taken way too far. We need more creativity in education. https://t.co/NiMwOkhfgh Hadi Partovi (@hadip) April 28, 2019 On April 25, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao said recounting and reverification would be done on students who failed their exams, according to the Times. He urged them not to kill themselves, saying that failing the test isnt the end of life Parents have claimed that failing exam results were caused by an error on the part of a software company, Globarena Technologies Private Limited, which developed software to process the tests, FirstPost reported. 19 Telangana students commit suicide in a week after goof-ups in intermediate exam results; parents blame software firm. Did u hear in outrage from the Lutyens gang against KCR & co? https://t.co/yYEM6ZPxyq prafulla ketkar (@prafullaketkar) April 26, 2019 The report noted that there were instances of students who passed but were absent during the exams. A student identified as Naveena, who topped in her first-year exam, failed in Telugu in the final year. After re-verification, she got 93 percent in the particular subject, said S Ramesh, who is a student leader. In 2016, about 230,300 Indians died of suicide, which is about a 40 percent increase from the levels in 1990, NPR reported. Typically, in India, the suicide death focus has only been on Indian farmers, said Rakhi Dandona, a public health expert at the Public Health Foundation of India and the University of Washington, according to the report. We found that 15 out of every 100,000 Indian women died because of suicide in 2016 and this rate was double the world average for women. Twenty-one out of every 100,000 Indian men died because of suicide, too, and the rate is higher than that of the women. And while it is true that more Indian men die from suicide every year, one has to keep in mind the more women attempt suicide than men. Men adopt more lethal measures. India accounted for 37 percent of all suicides reported globally for women and 26 percent for men in 2016. Posted by NPR on Wednesday, September 26, 2018 Suicide Hotlines If you are in an emergency in India, call Befrienders India National Association at +91 33 2474 4704. In Australia, the suicide prevention telephone hotline at Lifeline is 13 11 14. You can also visit the Lifeline website at lifeline.org.au. Youth can contact the Kids Helpline by phoning 1800 551 800 or visiting headspace.org.au/yarn-safe If you are in an emergency in the U.S. or Canada, please call 911. You can phone the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1 800 273 8255. Youth can call the Kids Help Phone on 1800 668 6868. U.S. actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger holds his autobiography titled "Total Recall" after a press conference, on Oct. 12, 2012, in Paris. (Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty Images) Arnold Schwarzenegger Announces That Youngest Son Joseph Baena Graduates From College Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that his youngest child, Joseph Baena, has graduated from college. The Terminator actor and former governor of California posted a photo of himself and Baena, 21, after he graduated from Californias Pepperdine University. Congratulations Joseph!, Schwarzenegger wrote on Twitter. Congratulations Joseph! Four years of hard work studying business at Pepperdine and today is your big day! You have earned all of the celebration and Im so proud of you. I love you! pic.twitter.com/aRuJzGzAWi Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) April 27, 2019 The Predator star added: Four years of hard work studying business at Pepperdine and today is your big day! You have earned all of the celebration and Im so proud of you. I love you! Baena also posted a picture with his father on Instagram, saying, Some of the best times of my life are because of this school and the people in these pictures. Im so incredibly greatful (sic) to have the privilege to study at and graduate from such a beautiful and high caliber school. I now have my degree in business administration and with that, I believe this is only the beginning of a new road. Lets see where it takes us! he continued. Some people praised the actor for treating Baena as a normal parent would. Baena is the son of Schwarzenegger and his former housekeeper, Mildred Baena. Props to you Mr. Schwarzenegger for stepping up and publicly acknowledging Joseph as your son, one Twitter user wrote to him. He told 60 Minutes in 2012 that [he] inflicted tremendous pain on Maria and unbelievable pain on their children. He was referring to his wife, Maria Shriver. Baena, earlier this year, received attention after he posted photos that recreated some of his fathers bodybuilding poses. A number of people noticed an uncanny resemblance. Schwarzenegger served as the Republican governor of California from 2003 to 2011. Schwarzeneggers four other children are Katherine, 29; and Christina, 27; Patrick, 25; and Christopher, 21. Katherine is engaged to Avengers star Chris Pratt. Meanwhile, Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger are reportedly planning a traditional wedding in the summer of 2019. Theyre going to want a religious wedding, an insider source told People. I know that Chris does, and I assume that she does, too. God is going to be a part of this marriage. Pratt also loves that Schwarzenegger doesnt shy away from discussing her beliefs openly, the source added. Hes constantly around other people who have no faith or are apologetic about it, but not her, the source said. She is willing to talk about it to anyone who will listen. Another insider source close to Schwarzenegger added the pair wont be waiting too long before getting married. They are one of those rare couples that you root for from the beginning, the source told the publication. It wont be a long engagementKatherine has already talked about having a summer 2019 wedding. Epoch Times reporter Tiffany Meier contributed to this report. Eden Rein saw Shen Yun at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, on April 27, 2019. (Linda Jiang/The Epoch Times) COSTA MESA, Calif.Author Eden Rein did her research before attending Shen Yun Performing Arts for the first time, reading testimonials and reviews to gauge what to expect from the production. [The performance] lived up to everything that I heard about, Rein said. I am so glad that I came. I love it. I loved the colors, the movement, the energy, the story, she said. The author watched the performance at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, on April 27. New York-based Shen Yun is the leading classical Chinese dance company, founded with a vision to transmit authentic Chinese culture through the performing arts. Through a two-hour-long program, the company aims to take the audience on a journey through Chinas sprawling history via dance vignettes, musical soloists, and stories told through dance. Rein is an artist, author, meditation teacher, and founder of a mens healing group in Orange County, California. Her book, A Hero Within: A Journey Into the Light, recounts her own experiences overcoming adversity to find inner peace and love. The author struggled to single out one piece of the performance that she liked the most, as she liked every item in the program. However, the message in the closing piece titled The Final Moment struck a chord. It ended very ethically and the hope and the message at the end is very uplifting, Rein said. [Its] really whats needed in this world today. The message spoke to the power of belief in divine, and its relevance in modern society. Rein likened the piece to the divine sprinkling and blessing on the earth, its brighter and happier, there is peace and love. I would say its divine, its spectacular, phenomenal, indescribable, she added. The lyrics of the song performed by the tenor also resonated with the Rein, revealing a message that inspired the author in her craft. His message [was] about how we are all divine beings inside; we have to look inside our heart, I feel, instead of thinking with our mind, she said. Yes, we can create from our minds, but it doesnt always lead to whats good for the planet and for humans. So we need to tap into our heart and look inside to give and create whats best for all of us. Through the songs and stories presented on stage, Shen Yun shares Chinas deeply-rooted belief system with modern audiences. For thousands of years, Chinese people have believed in the divine, as expressed through the teachings of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. The values and ideas stemming from such beliefs underpinned Chinese peoples conduct and thinking from generation to generation, up until it was systematically denounced and eliminated by the Chinese communist regime in its various campaigns in the 20th century. Deeply touched by the hopeful theme of the performance, Rein was eager to recommend Shen Yun to anyone. They have to see it! They just have to see it, she said. I dont care what background, where theyre from, what state, everyone needs to see and feel this message. With reporting by Linda Jiang. 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. "Boyz N the Hood" actor Jessie Lawrence Ferguson was found dead in his home, according to reports. Boyz N the Hood Actor Jessie Ferguson Dead Aged 77 Actor Jessie Lawrence Ferguson, whose film credits include a memorable role as a dirty cop in the 1991 blockbuster Boyz N the Hood, has died at age 77, according to reports. Ferguson died unexpectedly at his home in Palmdale, California, on Friday, April 26, TMZ reported. His son told the publication he discovered his father in bed with the TV on, adding that he had been healthy in the days leading up to his death. Police are not treating the death as suspicious. No cause of death has been revealed. Actor Jessie Lawrence Ferguson found dead at home https://t.co/yD23h1oacL pic.twitter.com/qN1tkAezlu The Sun (@TheSun) April 28, 2019 I Could Blow Your Head Off Right Now Fergusons other film credits include The Chosen One (1995), Darkman (1990), Prince of Darkness (1987), and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai (1984), according to IMDb. He had a trademark extremely deep voice, as when in his iconic Boyz N the Hood role as a corrupt policeman he pressed a gun into the throat of the character played by Cuba Gooding Jr. and intoned menacingly: You think youre tough? I could blow your head off right now. Thats why I took this job. Ferguson was born on June 8, 1941, in The Bronx, New York, according to his bio on IMDb. News of his tragic death comes days after Boyz n the Hood director John Singleton was rushed to hospital after suffering a stroke. Boyz N the Hood Director in Coma Singleton remains in a coma in intensive care in L.A. after suffering the stroke on Wednesday, April 17, while at the medical facility, according to a statement by the family, cited by the Guardian. His family has asked for privacy and expressed thanks for messages of support. On Wednesday, April 17th, our beloved son/father, John Singleton, suffered a stroke while at the hospital. John is currently in the ICU and under great medical care. We ask that privacy be given to him and our family at this time and appreciate all of the prayers that have been pouring in from his fans, friends, and colleagues. Boyz N the Hood was called by film critic Roger Ebert one of the best American films of recent years and a human drama of rare powerAcademy Award material. Singleton received two Oscar nominationsbest director and best original screenplayfor Boyz N the Hood. From the inception of mass vaccination, childhood vaccines have produced a raft of unintended consequences. One of the biggest problemsgaining steam over the past several decadesinvolves the vaccine-induced creation of brand-new risks and vulnerabilities that can be more serious than the condition a given vaccine might be intended to address. The varicella (chickenpox) vaccine represents a case in point. Chickenpox, usually mild when experienced in childhood, was once a routine rite of passage. After the rollout of universal varicella vaccination, the incidence of chickenpox declined but observers began noticing a perverse boom in shingles (also called herpes zoster). Chickenpox and shingles infections both stem from varicella zoster virusand before the advent of the varicella vaccine, children infected with chickenpox helped boost adults immunity to shingles by inhibiting the latent viruss reactivation. Chickenpox vaccination disrupted this intergenerational protective mechanism, not only eliminating regular boosting for adults but shifting downward the average age at which shingles occurs. In addition, because varicella vaccine-induced immunity decreases by 8 percent with each year since vaccination, previously vaccinated young adults are at increased risk for varicella outbreaks and potential complications later in life. In short, while the reduced circulation of wild chickenpox virus may spare some healthy children a benign case of chickenpox, children now face the more serious risk of developing shingles at young ages and chickenpox at older ages. the incidence of shingles in the U.S. rose by 63 percent among 10- to 19-year-olds as of the mid-2000s. Predictions and Case Reports When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added first one and then two doses of chickenpox vaccine to the U.S. vaccine schedule (in 1996 and 2006, respectively), numerous scientists predictedaccurately as things have turned outthat there would be a chickenpox-shingles tradeoff. In fact, the United Kingdom does not include the varicella vaccine in its childhood schedule to this day precisely because researchers there recognized the potential for routine chickenpox vaccination to drive up the age at which those who are non-immune get the illness and increase the incidence of shingles in all age groups. Confirming the initial predictions, the incidence of shingles in the U.S. rose by 63 percent among 10- to 19-year-olds as of the mid-2000s. Ordinarily, clinicians do not expect to encounter shingles in children unless the children are seriously immunocompromised. Perhaps this is whyin one case report after another describing shingles in otherwise healthy vaccinated childrenresearchers characterize the situation as rare or unique. Even so, young shingles patients often dramatic clinical symptoms have forced researchers to acknowledge that shingles is definitely possible in children vaccinated against varicella, and when they use appropriate molecular analyses, they find that the vaccine-strain virus is the causative agent. Across studies, the average age of shingles infection in children was 5.3 years, and the infection surfaced, on average, about three years after chickenpox vaccination. In 2017, clinicians encountered shingles in a healthy 19-month-old who had received a chickenpox vaccine six months previously, and they decided to put their findings in context by searching the English-language literature for similar cases. They identified roughly two dozen published cases of vaccine-strain shingles in immunocompetent children and adolescents who had received a chickenpox vaccine but otherwise had no history of varicella or exposure to varicella during gestation. A number of the studies reported shingles in very young childrensuch as a 15-month-old vaccinated three months previously, a 2-year-old vaccinated for varicella at 17 months, another vaccinated 2-year-old, and a 3.5-year-old girl who had received the chickenpox vaccine around age 2. Across studies, the average age of shingles infection in children was 5.3 years, and the infection surfaced, on average, about three years after chickenpox vaccination. Adverse Events and Complications Young shingles patients experience a wide range of rare but important adverse events. Case reports have described: Lesions on the forehead, nasal bridge and upper and lower eyelids of a previously healthy 6-year-old boy who received the chickenpox vaccine at 1 year of age. Persistent shingles-related eye complications in a 6-year-old girl with no medical history who had been given two doses of chickenpox vaccine (at age 1 and again one year prior to the onset of symptoms). Headache, eye pain, eyelid rash and other symptoms in a 7-year-old boy who was otherwise healthy and had received all of his scheduled vaccinations. Ocular herpes zoster lesions and nerve palsy in an 8-year-old boy with up-to-date immunizations and an unremarkable medical history. Unfortunately, shingles carries the risk of even more serious complications, including the vision-threatening eye condition called herpes zoster ophthalmicusexperienced by up to one in four persons with shingles. In a case series reporting shingles in seven immunized healthy children without underlying immunodeficiency, researchers described severe lesions as well as upper respiratory symptoms and joint pain. Other major complications that may occur either in tandem with rash or on their own include central nervous system problems such as encephalitis and meningitis. A 19-year-old female college student who had received two prior doses of varicella vaccine developed shingles-related encephalitis that landed her in intensive care and resulted in lengthy hospitalization. The strong antiviral drugs used to treat these conditions can cause kidney dysfunction. Mayo Clinic researchers report that asthma and atopic dermatitis both are associated with a higher risk of shingles. At the same time, because the varicella vaccine is a live virus vaccine, people who get chickenpox vaccines can spread the vaccine-strain varicella-zoster-virus to others, a troublesome fact quietly acknowledged on the CDCs website. The Cost of Success? Researchers at the University of British Columbia have suggested that vaccine-associated shingles complications are just one of the costs of the success achieved with universal chickenpox vaccination. However, given that one in five children who receive the varicella vaccine develops a breakthrough chickenpox infection anyway, just what kind of success are we talking about? In fact, in communities with high vaccination coverage, varicella cases mostly occur in vaccinated individuals. At the same time, because the varicella vaccine is a live virus vaccine, [p]eople who get chickenpox vaccines can spread the vaccine-strain varicella-zoster-virus to others, a troublesome fact quietly acknowledged on the CDCs website. When those others are young adults or older, the cases not infrequently result in serious complications. Finally, it should be noted that, as is the case with nearly all vaccines on the market, the FDA approved varicella vaccines without any long-term safety testingthe vaccines received a scant 42 days at most of monitoring after a single dose of vaccine. In 2010, CDC researchers identified yet another concern when they reported that their laboratory had observedin about 11 percent of the adverse events resulting from varicella vaccinationrecombination between vaccine and wild-type [varicella zoster virus] strains. Moreover, the recombinants demonstrated a selective preference for reactivation, enhanced replication, and/or an enhanced ability to traverse the nerve. The World Health Organization and other bodies have acknowledged that this type of vaccine-plus-wild-virus recombination raises unique safety issues. The CDC researchers noted that the shingles vaccines it now recommends for older adults (formulated at a virus concentration more than 14-fold higher than that of childhood varicella vaccine) are likely to substantially increase the occurrence of vaccine-wild-type recombination. It is time to bring unintended consequences out into the open and make sure they factor into all assessments of vaccine safety and efficacy. Chickenpox vaccines are far from the only type of vaccine to give rise to unintended consequences. In a recent commentary, a leading pertussis expert admitted, for instance, that pertussis vaccination actually increases vaccinated individuals lifetime susceptibility to pertussis. Mercks highly flawed measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine (which relied on faked data to achieve Food and Drug Administration approval) has likewise backfired, prompting rampant fertility-threatening mumps outbreaks in young adults. It is time to bring unintended consequences out into the open and make sure they factor into all assessments of vaccine safety and efficacy. Sign up for free news and updates from Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and the Childrens Health Defense. CHD is planning many strategies, including legal, in an effort to defend the health of our children and obtain justice for those already injured. Your support is essential to CHDs successful mission. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Workers take down a Belt and Road forum panel outside the venue in Beijing on April 27, 2019. (Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images) Chinas Belt and Road Forum Concludes Amid Notable Absences, Citizen Suppression For two days ending on April 27, Beijing rolled out the red carpet for world leaders and representatives attending the Belt and Road Forum. But there were some noticeable absences amid the fanfare: countries that didnt send their top leaders, and protesting citizens who tried to gather at the Chinese capital but were turned away. Beijing launched the One Belt, One Road initiative (OBOR, also known as Belt and Road) in 2013, its flagship foreign-policy agenda to build up geopolitical influence via investments across Southeast Asia, African, Europe, and Latin America. This year marked the second time that Beijing has hosted such a forum to facilitate the signing of deals, with the first one held in 2017. Leaders from 37 countries attended the forum, according to Chinas official Belt and Road online portal. The number represents a small group, considering that Beijing has signed cooperation agreements with 125 countries and 29 international organizations, as of the end of March. Chinese leader Xi Jinping announced on April 27 that more than $64 billion worth of deals were signed at the forum. He also sought to address the growing global criticism of OBOR by promising to deliver sustainable growth through the projects. Some partner nations have complained about the high cost of OBOR projects, while some Western governments, such as the United States, view it as a means to spread Chinese influence abroad, leaving poor countries with unsustainable debt. In a separate statement, China said it signed memorandums of understanding with various countries, including Italy, Peru, Barbados, Luxembourg, Peru, and Jamaica. Top leaders from EU economic powerhouses such as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom didnt attend. Prime ministers from Asian economic powerhouses such as Japan, South Korea, and India also didnt attend. Neither did Canadian or U.S. high-level officials. David Malpass, the newly named president of the World Bank, and formerly the undersecretary for international affairs at the U.S. Treasury, also skipped the forum. His predecessor, Jim Yong Kim, attended the forum two years ago. Protests Meanwhile, many local Chinese tried to make it to the Chinese capital in hopes that the central government would listen to and resolve their grievancesbut they were arrested before they got there. Gu Guoping, a resident of Shanghai and a former university instructor, has been trying to petition the Chinese authorities since 2001 to seek compensation for his private property that was forcibly demolished by the local government. In an April 25 phone interview with the Chinese-language Epoch Times, Gu explained that he and a group of about 80 petitioners from Shanghai had traveled to the capital. But they were all arrested by police when they arrived via high-speed rail on April 21. Gu estimated that more than several hundred petitioners from Shanghai had come to Beijing and were shortly after arrested. After their arrests, petitioners were sent to the Shanghai administrative office in Beijing and ordered to return to Shanghai. The Chinese authorities treat petitioners like us as enemy forces, as unstable factors [in society]. They throw us into black jails, put us in detention, or sentence us to prison terms, Gu said. In the days leading up to the Belt and Road forum, authorities in the Chinese capital also took measures to silence local activists and independent journalists. Radio Free Asia (RFA) recently reported that activist Li Wei has been placed under police surveillance since April 22 and he would be monitored until the end of the month. Meanwhile, economic experts note that while the Chinese regime has continued to campaign for OBOR, Beijing could be running out of capital to sustain the projects. Frank Tian Xie, a business professor at the University of South CarolinaAiken, explained in a recent interview with Voice of America that Chinas recent economic downturn, coupled with reduced Chinese exports to the United States due to the ongoing trade war, has drained Chinas foreign exchange surpluses. Think tanks and media have previously reported that OBOR construction and investments are by and large financed by Chinas foreign exchange reserves. But owing to the trade war, now China wont be able to build up its foreign reserves at the same pace as beforewhich could take another hit if there are trade disputes with Europe in the future, Xie predicted. As a result, Beijing is going to find it difficult to financially push forward OBOR, Xie said. Chinese citizens also feel OBOR is not a financially sustainable project. Pan Lu, a former high school teacher at Suzhou, a city in coastal Jiangsu Province, told RFA in a recent interview that he believed OBOR would not bring Chinese people any real benefits. On the contrary, Pan said that it would exacerbate Chinas current economic troubles. Reuters contributed to this report. Chinas Big Brother Social Control Goes to Australia News Analysis Australia is preparing to debut its version of the Chinese regimes high-tech system for monitoring and controlling its citizens. The launch, to take place in the northern city of Darwin, will include systems to monitor peoples activity via their cell phones. The new system is based on monitoring programs in Shenzhen, China, where the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is testing its Social Credit System. Officials on the Darwin council traveled to Shenzhen, according to NT News, to have a chance to see exactly how their Smart Technology works prior to being fully rolled out. In Darwin, theyve already constructed poles, fitted with speakers, cameras and Wi-Fi, according to NT News, to monitor people, their movements around the city, the websites they visit, and what apps they use. The monitoring will be done mainly by artificial intelligence, but will alert authorities based on set triggers. Just as in China, the surveillance system is being branded as a smart city program, and while Australian officials claim its operations are benign, theyve announced it functions to monitor cell phone activity and virtual fences that will trigger alerts if people cross them. Well be getting sent an alarm saying, Theres a person in this area that youve put a virtual fence around. Boom, an alert goes out to whatever authority, whether its us or police to say look at camera five, said Josh Sattler, the Darwin councils general manager for innovation, growth, and development services, according to NT News. The nature of the virtual fences and what type of activity will sound an alarm still isnt being made clear. The system is being promoted as mostly benign. Sattler said it will tell the government where people are using Wi-Fi, what theyre using Wi-Fi for, are they watching YouTube, etc. All these bits of information we can share with businesses. We can let businesses know, Hey, 80 percent of people actually use Instagram within this area of the city, between these hours. The CCPs smart city Social Credit System is able to monitor each person in the society, tracking every element of their livesincluding their friends, online purchases, daily behavior, and other informationand assigns each person a citizen score that determines their level of freedom in society. The tool is a core piece of the CCPs programs to monitor and persecute dissidents, including religious believers and people who oppose the ruling communist system. Chinese human rights lawyer Teng Biao, a visiting scholar at New York University, described the Social Credit System as a new form of tyranny, meant to reactivate the CCPs totalitarian hold on society. In the past, there was the Nazi totalitarianism and Mao Zedongs totalitarian system, but a totalitarian system powered by the internet and contemporary technology has not existed before, Teng said in a recent interview with The Epoch Times. The CCP is now taking the first step to build such a high-tech totalitarian system, by using credit ratings and monitoring and recording every detail in peoples daily life, which is very frightening. The regime also isnt interested in keeping the technology within its own borders. Its exporting the system, and its China model of totalitarian government, as a service of its One Belt, One Road program. When the CCP builds its infrastructure abroad, its surveillance and social control programs are part of the package. In Darwin, there has been a push to jump aboard the CCPs program. The local officials made a friendship deal with Yuexiu District, in Guangzhou, China, in 2018. According to John Garrick, a senior lecturer at Charles Darwin University, the deal was branded by Chinese media as part of President Xi Jinpings signature Belt and Road Initiative. That followed a previous deal between Darwin and the CCP, in which the city signed a 99-year lease of the Port of Darwin to a Chinese company and the CCP. The Chinese owner, Ye Cheng, had referred to the deal as being part of One Belt, One Road. The deals also should raise concern for U.S. Marines stationed in Darwin, under the Obama-era pivot to the Pacific, about whether the CCP is able to monitor data collected on cell phones from its systems in the area. Under a 2011 deal between the United States and Australia, the U.S. troops will be there until 2040. And of similar concern, the decision of Australia to begin implementing the CCPs programs for totalitarian social control represents a major development in the CCPs China model push. As The Epoch Times has reported, the CCP views Australia as a testing ground for programs it wants to spread to the West. After Australia comes Canada, then the United Statesin an apparent imitation of Mao Zedongs strategy to surround the cities with the countryside. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Hazara refugee Ali cooks kebabs in his "Afghan Friendship Restaurant" on Sept. 28, 2018, in Griffith, a tribute to the warm welcome he says he received after moving to the town five years ago. The 44-year-old father of three is among a growing number of refugees and migrants to Australia who have opted to live in the bush rather than among the bright lights, hustle-bustle and astronomical prices of Sydney or Melbourne. (PETER PARKS/AFP/Getty Images) Coalition to Hold Australias Refugee Intake at Current Rate Scott Morrison is promising to freeze the annual refugee migrant intake at its current rate of 18,750 a year for the next three years if he wins the election. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the cap on Sunday as part of proposed adjustments to Australias immigration system. It is a direct challenge to Labor leader Bill Shorten, who plans to gradually lift the humanitarian intake to 32,000 a year. Labor is planing to increase Australias humanitarian intake from 18,750 to 32,000 by 2025-26, with 27,000 government-sponsored places and 5,000 community-sponsored ones. Shorten describe the move as strong, compassionate, and sustainable. But Morrison has challenged Labors policy, asking Shorten to explain how he would pay for the planned increase and to say who he would be allowing to come into the country. Its time for Bill Shorten and Labor to front up and tell Australians about their $6 billion plan to massively increase immigration and where theyre going to house thousands of extra people, he said. Weve been upfront with Australia, were reducing the cap on our migration intake and capping the numbers of people we let in under our humanitarian program thats one of the most generous in the world, he said. Were telling people where well be taking migrants from, who they will be, the skills we want them to have and working with regions to settle people in towns that want and need more workers, skills and students. Labor says the coalition has actually budgeted for an extra 155,000 migrants, students, and temporary workers to arrive on top of original forecasts. After budgeting for a migration decline in 2018, Labor says the 2019 budget predicts an extra 155,000 migrants will arrive on top of what the coalition originally expected. The Coalition pledged last month to slash the nations immigration levels from 190,000 a year to 160,000 a year to ease the pressure on the big capitals. Were freezing the immigration levels at the level weve reduced them to, Morrison told ABC radio on Sunday. Thats because weve got to keep population growth under control in our big cities. Its putting a lot of pressure on people, particularly in the outer suburbs and we need to invest in the infrastructure and let the population growth get under control so we can catch up a bit. The capped refugee intake will include an offshore component target of 60 per cent for women, up from 50.8 per cent in 2017/18. The Women at Risk Program will be increased as a proportion of the offshore component from 14 per cent to 20 per cent. Morrison says a coalition government will aim to get 40 per cent of refugee arrivals to go to regional areasbut they wont be forced to go to places that cant support or accommodate them. Along with the refugee intake cap, Morrison will announce $167 million worth of road and car parking upgrades in Western Sydney. This is about taking Western Sydney from being just about growth, to an even better place to live and get around, Morrison says. Weve got our borders and the budget under control. We make decisions about who comes here based on whats in Australias interests. Our plan for Australias future population is about busting congestion, ensuring our economy has skilled employees and helping those towns and regions crying out for workers, skills and students. Australia isnt just about growing our population, its about quality of life. By Angus Livingston. With additional reporting by Epoch Times staff. The Committee on the Present Danger: China hosted a conference called "The CCP's Unrestricted Economic Warfare Against America Conference" and condemned China's human rights abuses in New York City on April 25, 2019. (Shenghua Sung/NTD) Committee Condemns Chinas Human Rights Abuses and Promotes Ethics in Finance NEW YORKExperts warned of human rights abuses in China and risks in dealing with its companies at a conference on April 25. Roger W. Robinson, former director of International Economic Affairs for the National Security Council under Ronald Reagan, spoke at The Chinese Communist Partys Unrestricted Economic Warfare Against America. Robinson said two new major material risk categories should be focused on: national security-related risk; and human rights-related risk and abuses. Its often the case that human rights abusers are often national security abusers, and the reverse is likewise true, said Robinson. Robinson pointed out that beyond the ethical values at stake, there is also the market perspective concerning terms and conditions. Chinese companies guilty of human rights abuses being publicly traded and hidden inside investment portfolios represent a large risk to share values and corporate reputations. I dont think any of us want to wake up in the morning and realize that our money is invested in what could be called concentration camps by human rights activists, said Robinson. Full Disclosure Robinson asserted that Chinese companies present a real problem and should be properly disclosed and exposed to prospective investors. We dont really have a way to know in todays world, as to what is in our retirement accounts, and our mutual funds, no ones really doing a forensic check of where their money is being invested and how its being used, said Robinson. Robinson suggested the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other regulators need to ensure these risks are properly disclosed. We need to know where our money is going and how its being used, said Robinson. Moral Issues Former White House chief strategist and former senior counselor to President Trump, Stephen K. Bannon, and one of the founding members of the Committee on the Present Danger: China, shared his insight into the human rights violations still happening in China. Beyond an economic issue here, theres obviously a huge moral issue, and that moral issue is about the freedom of religion, and the freedom of expression in China, said Bannon. Bannon said that given the enslavement of the Chinese people by the Chinese communist regime, corporate America has got to stop financing and supporting it. History is going to judge us, we are going to be weighed and measured by what happened, said Bannon. Right now we have a global financial system, a global economic system that allows this radical cadre in this totalitarian dictatorship in China to enslave their own people, said Bannon. Whether its the Uyghurs, whether its the Tibetan Buddhists, whether its the Roman Catholic church, whether its the evangelicals or Falun Gong, he said. Wherever there are people that have spiritual aspirations, the Chinese Communist Party cant allow that to happen. So youre seeing overall the greatest suppression of religion across the board, whatever your faith is. Basic Freedoms Bannon expressed that change would have to come from within, from the Chinese people, and that the CCP needs to stop oppressing its own people. Its the Westphalian system that works, said Bannon. Its freedom that works. What better example do you need than Hong Kong, and Taiwan, and what the Chinese-Americans have done in the United States of America. You give them Freedom, you give them freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of religion. They can accomplish anything. But if you finance a gulag, youre going to get a gulag on a global scale, and trust me, the radical cadre, the CCP, that is their plan. Bannon said China has some of the worlds hardest working people and they deserve to be free from the oppression of the Chinese communist regime. I believe every day that the Chinese people are looking at the rest of [the] world and say, Hey, why dont we have the basic freedoms? We work hard, we produce, why dont we have the basic freedoms that people in the west have, we deserve it. And I think thats when you gonna see massive change in China. Gordon Chang, China expert and author of The Coming Collapse of China said the Chinese regime is waging a relentless war on faith. Its all faiths, its not just Falun Gong, its not just Islam, its not just Christianity, said Chang. Theyre even going after Buddhists, which is something which is almost unprecedented. The United States should talk about this, and we should not be trading, we should not have cordial relations with a country thats committing crimes against humanity, said Chang. From NTD News A man drives a red car past a parking lot where large numbers of newly manufactured cars are parked at Dayaowan port of Dalian, Liaoning Province on June 10, 2012. (Reuters) Court Rules Chalking Parked Car Tires Violates Fourth Amendment A federal court ruled that marking tires to enforce parking rules is like entering property without a warrant. The practice is now unconstitutional in four states. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the purpose of marking tires is to raise revenue and has nothing to do with a potential safety risk, Fox News reported. Alison Taylor said she received more than 12 $15 tickets for going over the two-hour parking limit in Saginaw, Michigan. The city uses the practice of marking tires to keep track of how long a car is parked at the post. Police officers mark the tires of cars to keep track of how long you've been parked in time limited spot. That's been deemed unconstitutional. Posted by The New York Times on Thursday, April 25, 2019 Taylors lawyer, according to Fox News, argued that the city violated the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution over unreasonable searches. The appeals court agreed with the claim. The city does not demonstrate, in law or logic, that the need to deter drivers from exceeding the time permitted for parkingbefore they have even done sois sufficient to justify a warrantless search under the community caretaker rationale, the court stated. The court ruling applies to Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, which are covered by the 6th Circuit. Physically marking a tire without a warrant is a violation of the Fourth Amendment the amendment that protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures a federal appeals court ruled. Posted by NPR on Tuesday, April 23, 2019 Trespassing upon a privately-owned vehicle parked on a public street to place a chalk mark to begin gathering information to ultimately impose a government sanction is unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment, Taylors lawyer, Philip Ellison, said in a court filing, as reported by NPR. He argued that marking tires was similar to police secretly putting a GPS device on a vehicle without a proper warrant, which was the subject of a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Fascinating CA6 opinion today holding that chalking a tire for parking enforcement to see if the car had been there a while in violation of parking rules violates the 4th Amendment. Not sure where I come out on it, but fun issue. Heres a thread. https://t.co/2MtCtAb9e6 #N pic.twitter.com/GOGjL0RUGk Orin Kerr (@OrinKerr) April 22, 2019 We dont think everyone deserves free parking, Ellison told The Associated Press. But the process Saginaw selected is unconstitutional. Im very glad the three judges who got this case took it seriously. It affects so many people. Taylor, on her Facebook page, said that law students would get to read about her case. Thats definitely the most exciting part! she wrote, according to NPR. Ive helped change the law. The case will return to another federal court, as Ellison wants to certify the lawsuit as a class-action. That means it will make way for refunding people who got tickets, Fox reported. He said Saginaw collects about $200,000 per year by issuing tickets via tire-chalking. The Associated Press contributed to this report. San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore, left, walks past the Chabad of Poway Synagogue in Poway, Calif., on April 27, 2019. (Denis Poroy/Photo via AP) Deadly Synagogue Shooting Suspect in California Linked to Mosque Arson POWAY, Calif.A 19-year-old man who authorities said gave himself up to police shortly after carrying out a deadly shooting in a Southern California synagogue filled with Sabbath worshippers is also under investigation in connection with an unsolved mosque arson. The gunman walked into the suburban San Diego synagogue late morning on April 27, the last day of the week-long Jewish holiday of Passover, and opened fire with an assault-style rifle, killing one woman inside and wounding three others, including the rabbi, authorities said. He then sped away in a car, escaping an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent who shot at the getaway vehicle but missed the suspect, but the suspect pulled over and surrendered to police officers a short time later. The suspect was later identified as John Earnest, 19, of San Diego, the apparent author of a manifesto who claimed to have set a nearby mosque on fire last month and professed drawing inspiration from the gunman who killed nearly 50 people at two mosques in New Zealand. In the manifesto primarily comprised of racist rants and quotes from the Bible, John Earnest praises the New Zealand mosque killer, Brenton Tarrant, and the Pittsburgh synagogue murderer, Robert Bowers, and claims that they were his inspiration, and complains about Jewed-media pic.twitter.com/P4yFYIN2Cx Adam Milstein (@AdamMilstein) April 28, 2019 San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said police and FBI were investigating Earnests possible involvement in the March 24 pre-dawn arson fire at the Islamic Center of Escondido, a town about 15 miles (24 km) north of Poway. No one was hurt at the mosque fire. Gore said Earnest has no prior criminal record. Saturdays gun violence at the Congregation Chabad temple in the town of Poway, California, about 23 miles (37 km) north of downtown San Diego, unfolded six months to the day after 11 worshippers were killed and six others wounded by a gunman who stormed the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh yelling, All Jews must die. The assailant in that massacre, said to be the deadliest attack ever against Jews on U.S. soil, was also arrested. San Diego County Sheriffs Department officials issued a statement saying the gunman in Saturdays attack was believed to have acted alone and that there are no known threats to religious gatherings. But the Passover violence came amid an upsurge in reports of anti-Semitism nationwide and abroad and followed a recent spate of deadly attacks on places of worship around the world. Suicide bombings during Easter Sunday services at several churches in Sri Lanka killed more than 250 people. A gunman who opened fire at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15 left 49 people dead and more than 40 wounded, some as they knelt in prayer. Poway Mayor Steve Vaus characterized Saturdays shooting as a hate crime, saying his assessment was based on statements uttered by the gunman when he entered the synagogue. At a news conference later, Gore told reporters: Clearly its being investigated as a homicide, but were also looking at the hate crime possible violation as well as federal civil rights violations. A rambling, violently anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim screed written by an individual calling himself John Earnest was found posted to the online text-storage site Pastebin.com and the file-storage site Mediafire.com. Links to the content on both sources were posted on the Internet message board 8chan. In that letter, the author also claimed credit for the Escondido mosque arson, which was put out by congregants inside who were alerted by the smell of smoke. Local media at the time reported that a message scrawled on the driveway of the mosque mentioned the New Zealand massacre. The synagogue on Saturday was hosting a holiday celebration due to culminate in a final Passover meal that evening. Authorities said about 100 people were inside the temple, where Saturday services marking the Jewish Sabbath would have been under way or have just concluded. Eyewitnesses reported hearing about a dozen gunshots, punctuated by the sound of a man yelling inside the temple. Gore told reporters that four people were struck by gunfire and taken to a nearby hospital, where one victim, an older woman, died. Authorities said the rabbi underwent surgery for treatment of wounds to his hands. The sheriffs office said the two other victims, a 34-year-old man and a girl, were each struck by shrapnel but were doing well. By Bridget Clerkin Gender Ideology and Australias Federal Election Peter Abetz The May 18 Federal Election could change the very character of Australian society. While there is much debate in the media about economic issues, there has been very little comment about the social agenda contained in the Australian Labor Partys 302 page long policy document. The ALP policy document is freely available from the ALP website, but given its size, few voters will take the time to read it. A quick reading reveals that the ALP has fully embraced the radical LGBTQI political agenda. The term sexual orientation appears 19 times. There are 55 mentions of intersex. The term LGBTI is used 44 times. The term Queer occurs 16 times and transgender 35 times. The terms lesbian, bisexual, gay occur 29, 30 and 28 times respectively. Transphobia and biphobia get mentioned twice. Surprisingly, homophobia only occurs 3 times. Gender occurs 100 times, including 21 mentions of gender identity. The ALP has taken a big risk in embracing the LGBTQI agenda so wholeheartedly, as it will alienate many of their supporters in the ethnic communities. Historically, Labor supporters in ethnic communities have been socially conservative. But it seems that the ALP no longer wants to accommodate the wishes of conservative voters. Among the policies that will disturb socially conservative voters is Labors commitment to embracing the Yogyakarta Principles, which include removing gender from government documents, such as birth certificates, drivers licences etc. Labor is also committing to funding a variety of gender ideology promotion programs in schools, which teach among other things, that gender is fluid, and that no one can tell a child whether they are a boy or a girl; that is up to the child to decide what gender they want to embrace. The Safe Schools program that caused so much controversy and which the Liberal Government defunded, will be re-instituted under a Labor Government. It seems Labor is determined to indoctrinate children with this ideology. The problem that parents face is that unless they can afford private schooling for their children, they can not prevent their children being exposed to this ideology, which results in many children suffering from gender confusion. Labor has also committed to requiring LGBTQI content in all sex education courses in schools. In seeking to win the LGBTQI vote, Labor has committed to fully funding sex change operations and hormone therapies that a person needs to live their life as a gender different to their biological sex. One of the hallmarks of the LGBTQI movement is that it will not tolerate anyone who disagrees with their view of the world. Activists have repeatedly taken people to anti-discrimination tribunals, simply for expressing a view that is different to theirs. Archbishop Porteous in Hobart found himself hauled before the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination commission, simply for issuing a booklet to parents that outlined the Catholic Churchs teaching on marriage. Jason Tey, a photographer in Perth, found himself before the Equal Opportunity Commission for simply telling a person inquiring about his services, that he did not agree with same sex relationships. Currently the federal Sex Discrimination Act exempts religious bodies, including religious schools from its provisions. The Greens for a long time, and now Labor, are determined to remove these exemptions, which will make it virtually impossible for religious schools to maintain their religious ethos, as they would not be able to require teachers to model the faith that is taught and embodied by the school community. The removal of these exemptions even creates the question whether they could continue to teach the traditional understanding of human sexuality. Christian, Muslim and other faiths consider same sex acts to be morally wrong, but whether this could then continue to be taught is under question. The Labor policy states that religious belief should not be the basis for discrimination. These aspects of Labor policy should be of grave concern to people of faith. If Labor wins the Federal election, it will be seek to implement these radical social policies with the help of the Greens, who have long advocated for such changes. It is pleasing to see that the Australian Christians, the Australian Conservatives and the Liberal Party do not support these society changing policies. The choice that voters make at this Federal election will have far reaching consequences for generations to come. Peter Abetz is the state director of the Australian Christian Lobby in Western Australia. He was a Member of Parliament in Western Australian from 2008 to 2017. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. He just ran towards the baby: Man Dies Saving 2-Year-Old From Gunfire at Crowded Picnic A Kansas City father died while trying to save a friends two-year-old great-grandson from gunfire. The shots came from several men walking down the street who aimed fire at a picnic crowd that was gathered next door. Lamar Montez Sharp, 31, was shot twice in the head, three times total. He just ran towards the baby, and thats when he was shot, Sharps mother Charlotte Barner told Fox4KC. He died a day later in hospital, according to Kansas City Police Department spokesman Capt. Tim Hernandez, as reported by The Kansas City Star. Kansas City father dies after saving 2-year-old when gunfire rings out at picnic | FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV https://t.co/x6uDB7JAtK pic.twitter.com/DvbBb6cNIV NewsClads (@NewsClads) April 27, 2019 Three other people were also shot but their injuries were not life-threatening. Earlier that day, Sharp had stopped by his childhood babysitters home near 53rd and Michigan in Kansas City. She is an elderly woman and he visited her every week. Thats no surprise to me. Thats just who he was, Sharps aunt, Lisa Barner said. A huge picnic crowd had gathered next door and it suddenly started raining bullets. Police dont know why this group of men suddenly came and fired at the picnic crowd. Everyone ran inside to save their lives but Sharp ran outside to protect the baby. Just trying to save a baby and that was his instincts. When it comes to kids, hes always been a protector, his mother, Charlotte Barner said. The baby was saved but Sharp succumbed to the bullets, which took his life just five days before his 32nd birthday. Its just sad and unbelievable. Its been very devastating. I havent been able to go back to work. I mean I cant work a full day. I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and to get that phone callits just so hard on me, his mother said. Sharp was an entrepreneur and had been restoring homes the past six years. He bought a couple of properties and rehabbed a couple that people are living in right now and he was able to assist on Section 8 and all, his mother said. Lamar also had a couple more properties that he was starting to rehab. He always wanted to start his own business. He was just a great, all around person who helped everybody. Victim in quadruple shooting dies from injuries, KCPD investigates homicide https://t.co/YHS4AGSpXK The Kansas City Star (@KCStar) April 10, 2019 Sharps mom described him as an admirable human being. He was a wonderful son, a wonderful brother and a wonderful father. He was just all that in one. He loved his family, she said. Sharps 13-year-old daughter survives him. He loved his daughter to the point of no end. She was the jewel of his life, his mom said. You can call AdHoc or The TIPs hotline if you know anything about who killed Lamar Sharp. Posted by Corey's Network, Inc. on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 An obituary for Sharp on Meaningful Funerals describes him as an unselfish person devoted to his family and friends. He enjoyed barbequing, traveling, and working on cars. He loved showering his family with jewelry from Kays and gifts, the obituary said. In another case of heroism, a California widow and mother of five died while trying to save her children and her pastor after a fire broke out inside her house on Feb. 7, according to officials. The fire started just before midnight and quickly engulfed the two-story house in Bakersfield. Kristina Stratton, 38, was outside the house but ran inside to try to save her children. The four children in the house were able to escape by jumping from the second-story window, but Stratton perished inside. The children were injured but survived. Pastor Angelo Frazier told ABC 23 that Stratton ran in to try to save her children but couldnt get out. According to a GoFundMe fundraiser started by a community member, Stratton was a widow. She had home-schooled three of her children who are 8, 9, and 10 years old respectively. Strattons sister, Sarah Parks, has been given legal guardianship of the children and the proceeds of the fundraiser will go to her. She said the money is going to cover the service/burial and to take care of the kids, wrote Courtney McCorkle, the person who started the account. They are planning on adding bedrooms to their house to make more rooms for the kids. She also talked about setting up savings accounts for the 5 children to start saving for college. She is overwhelmed and very grateful for all the support. Epoch Times reporter Zack Stieber contributed to this report. Central American migrants, moving in a caravan through Juchitan, Oaxaca are pictured atop a train known as "The Beast" while continuing their journey toward the United States, in Mexico on April 26, 2019. (Jose Cortes/Reuters) Hundreds of Migrants in Southern Mexico Board The Beast Heading North IXTEPEC, MexicoHundreds of migrants hoping to reach the United States boarded a freight train in southern Mexico late on Thursday, frustrated by efforts to slow their progress by the Mexican government, which is under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump. The risky move to board the train, known as La Bestia (The Beast), followed a mass breakout of migrants from a holding center in the southern border city of Tapachula on Thursday night. The government estimated some 1,300 people escaped but said a majority later returned to the center. Men, women and children from various countries boarded the slow train as it pulled out of the town of Arriaga in the southern state of Chiapas, Mexican media reported. Migration authorities said at least 395 people had boarded the train. The large group descended from the train on Friday after it reached the town of Ixtepec to the northwest of Arriaga. We had to keep moving forwards, said Michael Hernandez, a Honduran, after disembarking. They wont let us walk, so we climbed on the train. Its our only option. Erick Morazan, 28, a Honduran migrant in Zapata, a few towns north of Ixtepec, said he knew several people on the train, adding that he had wanted to jump aboard himself. I know its very dangerous, but this is the life of a migrant, he told Reuters by telephone. Trump has threatened to close the U.S.-Mexico border if the administration of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador does not put a stop to illegal immigrants reaching the U.S. frontier. Migrants are paying little heed so far. The breakout from the Tapachula holding center was one of the biggest in recent years, and came after Mexico stepped up efforts to round up and send home migrants. Mexicos migration institute said on Friday that of the roughly 645 people who had fled, 35 people had since returned. It added in a statement that the group consisted largely of Cubans, who have been coming to Mexico in growing numbers. The Tapachula facility is holding 980 Cubans out of a total of 1,745 people. Migrant advocacy groups have said the space is designed for about half of that number. Cubans, and migrants from other regions outside Central America, have added to the pressure on Mexicos already overwhelmed shelters and detention centers. Costa Ricas migration office said on Friday that, for the past week, more than 100 Cubans and Africans have crossed into Costa Rica on average every day from Panama, headed north. Video footage of the escape from the Siglo XXI facility posted on social media showed people sprinting from the gates of the holding center, the biggest of its kind in Mexico. Families of migrants held at the center say conditions inside are difficult. Detainees, they say, sleep on the hard floor, eat poorly and lack medical attention. Mexicos National Migration Institute did not reply to requests for comment on conditions at the facility. By Jose Cortes A local court has ruled it was appropriate for an army officer to be suspended of duty for sexually harassing a female subordinate. / Korea Times file By Kim Rahn A local court has ruled it was proper for the Army to take a disciplinary measure against an officer who sexually harassed a female subordinate after he decided her saying she "respected" meant she "liked" him. The Chuncheon District Court recently dismissed the officer's request to nullify his one-month suspension from duty. The officer, a married man, touched the hands of a female first lieutenant at a karaoke room in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, in the evening in July 2017. About a week later, he touched her thigh and hands while talking with her in her car at a parking lot in Sokcho. As she resisted, he then put his arm around her shoulder, according to the court. After being suspended from duty due to the incident, the officer filed an administrative lawsuit. He claimed the woman first expressed affection by saying she respected him, so he grabbed her hands at the karaoke as she implied consent. He insisted she gave false testimony about sexual harassment after she was given multiple warnings for her poor performance. But the first lieutenant who had moved to the unit about a month before, claimed she was not close to him when he grabbed her hands. "The defendant's claim that her saying 'I respect you' was an expression of affection and that they liked each other, is unacceptable" the court said. "The Army suspended him for only one month because the victim said she did not want him punished if he offered a sincere apology. So the disciplinary action was proper." John Anthony enjoyed Shen Yun at the Eventim Apollo in London on April 28, 2019. (Mary Mann/The Epoch Times) LONDONFor a retired international judge, the beauty of Shen Yun Performing Arts was overwhelming. John Anthony saw the matinee performance at the Eventim Apollo in London on April 28 and said the show was very impressive. The energy, the precision, the beauty, Im just overwhelmed, its so beautiful, he said. The classical Chinese dance company is the midst of its 2019 world touring, with six companies performing in over 130 cities across four continents. Besides dance-based stories, the New York-based company also performs classical Chinese dance vignettes and musical solos. Anthony said he was also very impressed with the digital backdrop incorporated in the performance, a patented visual effect in which dancers can seem to move seamlessly between the stage and the backdrop. Im overwhelmed with the beauty of the panoramas that they produce, its so clever the way theyve integrated film and actual living actors at the same time, wonderful, Anthony said. Belief in the Higher Spiritual World Through songs and stories, Shen Yun reveals Chinas deeply-rooted belief system for modern audiences. For thousands of years, Chinese people believed in the divine, as expressed through the teachings of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. The values and ideas from such beliefs underpinned Chinese peoples thinking through generations, until they were denounced and removed by the Chinese communist regime in the 20th century. Its very interesting to see how the belief in the higher spiritual world has been maintained throughout all those years of communism, Anthony said. I would be delighted to see it develop because the Chinese people have such a wonderful history and its such a pity it was suppressed so severely during the communist years, he added. When I was growing up, China was very much a closed society, it was very much communism and communists dont believe in god or heaven. So to find that that spark of spirituality was never crushed by communism and is now blossoming Shen Yun also includes stories set in the modern day that depict people obsessed with technology, distracted by their phones. Following the performance, Anthony reflected on our current time, saying that the world is in a very strange space at the moment. Its so sad we concentrate on trivial things, things that dont matter, and the things which have great value and great meaning, somehow we tend to ignore, he said. With reporting by Mary Mann and John Smithies. 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. Heavily armed San Diego police officers approach a house thought to be the home of 19 year-old John T. Earnest, who is a suspect in the shooting of several people in a Poway synagogue in San Diego, Calif., on April 27, 2019. (John Gibbins/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP) Leaders Struggle to Make Sense of Fatal Attack on Synagogue POWAY, CaliforniaThe rabbi who led a service on the last day of Passover suffered a gunshot wound to his hands and two others endured shrapnel wounds as political, civic and religious leaders across the country struggled to make sense of another fatal attack on a house of worship six months after a mass shooting in a Pittsburgh synagogue. John T. Earnest, 19, surrendered to the police after bursting into Chabad of Poway, north of San Diego on Saturday, April 27, and opening fire with about 100 people inside, killing Lori Kayne, 60, and injuring Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Noya Dahan, 8, and Almog Peretz, 34, authorities said. Earnest, who had no previous contact with law enforcement, may be charged with a hate crime in addition to homicide, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said. Earnest is also being investigated in connection with an arson attack on a mosque in nearby Escondido, California, on March 24. Any time somebody goes into a house of worship and shoots the congregants, in my book, thats a hate crime, Poway Mayor Steve Vaus said. There were indications an AR-type assault weapon might have malfunctioned after the gunman fired numerous rounds inside, Gore said. An off-duty Border Patrol agent working as a security guard fired at the shooter as he fled, missing him but striking his getaway vehicle, Gore said. Shortly after fleeing, Earnest called 911 to report the shooting, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said. When an officer reached him on a roadway, the suspect pulled over, jumped out of his car with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody, Nisleit said. Audrey Jacobs, a friend of the slain woman, said on Facebook that Kane was taking bullets for the rabbi to save his life and the rabbi continued to give his sermon after being shot. Gore said authorities were reviewing copies of Earnests social media posts, including what he described as a manifesto. A person identifying themselves as John Earnest posted an anti-Jewish screed online about an hour before the attack. The poster described himself as a nursing school student and praised the suspects accused of carrying out deadly attacks on mosques in New Zealand last month and at Pittsburghs Tree of Life synagogue Oct. 27. California State University, San Marcos, confirmed Earnest was a student on the deans list and said the school was dismayed and disheartened that he was suspected in this despicable act. There was no known threat after Earnest was arrested, but authorities boosted patrols at places of worship as a precaution, police said. Minoo Anvari, a member of the synagogue, said her husband was inside during the shooting. She said he called to tell her the shooter was shouting and cursing. She called the shooting unbelievable in a peaceful and tight-knit community. We are strong; you cant break us, Anvari said. Rabbi Yonah Fradkin, executive director of Chabad of San Diego County, said that in the face of senseless hate we commit to live proudly as Jews in this glorious country. We strongly believe that love is exponentially more powerful than hate. We are deeply shaken by the loss of a true woman of valor, Lori Kaye, who lost her life solely for living as a Jew. Donny Phonea, who lives across the street from the synagogue, turned off his power drill and heard someone shout, Police! Then he heard three or four shots. The 38-year-old bank auditor looked over his backyard fence facing the synagogue and saw people hiding behind an electrical box in the parking lot of a neighboring church. At that point, he knew something was very, very wrong, went inside and closed his doors and garage. Im a little taken aback, said Phonea, who moved to Poway two weeks ago. I moved here because safety was a factor. Poway is very safe. President Donald Trump offered his sympathies on April 27, saying the shooting looked like a hate crime. Our entire nation mourns the loss of life, prays for the wounded and stands in solidary with the Jewish community, Trump said later at a rally in Wisconsin. We forcefully condemn the evils of anti-Semitism and hate, which must be defeated. Beautiful #TrumpRally tonight in Green Bay, Wisconsin with a massive crowd. Thank you for joining me, I love you! #MAGAhttps://t.co/JRyhOXH7EE Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 28, 2019 Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said he joins the community in grief. No one should have to fear going to their place of worship, and no one should be targeted for practicing the tenets of their faith, he said. By Elliot Spagat and Daisy Nguyen Australias former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaks to the media during a news conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Aug. 15, 2018. (AAP/Lukas Coch/via Reuters) Malcolm Turnbull Pleased Trump Is Making 5G Technology a Top Priority Australias former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has said he is pleased that the United States will be giving urgent priority to developing its own 5G network to safeguard communication channels against cyberattacks. In a speech to commemorate Anzac Day in New York on April 25, Turnbull highlighted that the United States and its allies have to date been out-competed in the field of 5G technology, and that there is now great urgency to prioritize its development for defending national security in the cyber sphere. Ferocious competition from the Chinese vendors on price and an absence of mind in Washington and other Five Eyes capitals has got us to the position where, when network security is more important than ever, there is not one 5G vendor from the United States or its Five Eyes allies, Turnbull said. It is, frankly absurd, that in this arguably the most important enabling technology of our time, the United States and its closest allies like Australia are not leading players, the 64-year-old said. Attending ANZAC Day services here in NY, spoke about 5G and cybersecurity at a lunch in support of scholarships for Australian and US veterans. https://t.co/pFIN7r2Wpy Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) April 25, 2019 Turnbull said that when he was prime minister, he had encouraged U.S. President Donald Trump to take the lead and ensure that the United States or its Five Eyes partners has at least one viable and secure 5G vendor as an alternative to those currently offered by market leaders such as Chinas Huawei. Thats why I was so pleased to see President Trump announced earlier this month that 5G is now a priority for his government to ensure U.S. companies got up to speed, Turnbull said. President Trump appears to be making 5G a priority and in practical terms that will require a response form and cooperation with the telecommunications and technology sectors. It should be the highest and most urgent priority to retake American and Five Eyes leadership in this critical field. As prime minister, Turnbull banned tech giants Huawei and ZTE from Australias 5G networks on national security grounds before he was ousted by his party in August 2018 during a leadership crisis. His decision on Huawei and ZTE had been welcomed by the White House. At the time, Turnbull said that his government did not want the countrys 5G networks to be built out by companies that have an obligation to their own country to assist the intelligence services of those countries. We have to, in an uncertain world, hedge against contingencies where people who we have friendly relations with, we may not necessarily be friends with in the future, Turnbull explained. Australia will not back down on its policy of banning Huawei from involvement in its domestic 5G mobile network, despite the UK govts decision to allow the Chinese telco to build parts of its network https://t.co/uSTD6hBked by @SupratimA + @primroseriordan #ausbiz #Huawei #5G Business Review (@aus_business) April 25, 2019 Turnbulls decision made Australia the first western nation to outlaw Huawei from its 5G networks, The Australian reported. Discussions are currently underway in the White House about how best to encourage U.S. industry to take a leading role in 5G and effectively shut out China in the process. Lawmakers have long considered issuing an executive order that would ban Huawei or other Chinese equipment from developing the networks with American telecoms companies. But while the Trump administration has charged Huawei with violating sanctions against Iran and stealing trade secrets, and banned federally-funded bodies from purchasing telecom and surveillance equipment from blacklisted Chinese companies, it is yet to announce a blanket ban on Huawei and ZTE. This month, Trump moved to make the process of developing and rolling out the networks mostly private-sector driven and private-sector led, which gives way for U.S. telco giants such as AT&T and Verizon to take the lead. Today, #5G is a success storyan American success story. But its also early. We still need to do more. And we will. My op-ed in @KCStar on the steps were taking to promote U.S. leadership in 5G and connect all Americans with digital opportunity: https://t.co/ns3NTsKp8W Ajit Pai (@AjitPaiFCC) April 26, 2019 Secure 5G networks will absolutely be a vital link to Americas prosperity and national security in the 21st century, Trump said on April 12. Trump added that 5G networks must be guarded from the enemyand we do have enemies out there. Man Who Stabbed Wife, 6-Month-Old Son to Death, Receives Life in Prison A man who fatally stabbed his wife and 6-month-old son in their apartment in Southern California nearly four years ago has been sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole. Kwame Carpenter, 27, was convicted of two felony counts of murder with special circumstances in February and was subsequently sentenced on April 26. Carpenter, a former Marine, stabbed his wife, Moureen Gathua-Carpenter, 24, and son, Kyan, with a butcher knife in June 2015 after his wife discovered he had been texting another woman and told him to leave. Moureen died at the scene, while his son died at the hospital. They were both found with multiple stab wounds. Orange County Superior Court Judge Richard M. King described the case as horrific during the sentencing hearing, reported The OCR. Anaheim man gets life in prison for killing his wife and 6-month-old son https://t.co/TGmSgMGgHS O.C. Register (@ocregister) April 26, 2019 The image that is in everyones mind is the child crawling with a knife in his back, he added. When detailing what happened on the day of the murder, prosecutors told jurors that Carpenter became violent after Moureen tried to lock him out after discovering his infidelity, but failed to do so when he broke the door down, reported the news website. Moureen then tried to flee the apartment but was pulled back inside. While holding her baby close, she begged Carpenter not to hurt her, prosecutors said. While holding a butcher knife, Carpenter threw his wife on the floor and stomped on her head, knocking her out. He then stabbed her over and over again, the prosecutor told the jurors. In the violent act, his son was injured. Prosecutors said Carpenter then fled the scene and was found sleeping in a car in a hospital parking lot. Carpenter was arrested after leading police on a car chase that ended with him jumping into a lake in Santa Ana. Intimate Partner Violence According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), intimate partner violence affects millions of people in the United States each year. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is defined as violence or aggression that occurs in a close relationship, usually perpetrated by current and former spouses and dating partners. IPV can vary in frequency and severity and occurs on a continuum, ranging from one episode that might or might not have lasting impact, to chronic and severe episodes over a period of years, the agency said. The behavior can fall into four categories, which are physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, and psychological aggression. According to data from CDCs National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, nearly 1 in 4 adult women and approximately 1 in 7 adult men reported having experienced severe physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime. The agency said it considers IPV a significant public health issue that has considerable societal costs. The Associated Press contributed to this report. NY Bus Driver Who Raped 14-Year-Old Gets No Prison Time: Reports A former New York school bus driver who admitted to sexually assaulting a 14-year-old who rode on his bus route received his sentence on April 25, according to local reports. Shane Piche, 25, was sentenced to 10 years of probation, reported WWNY-TV. He wont do any prison time in the case. Piche will also have to register as a Level 1 sex offender, it was reported. According to the Watertown Daily Times, a Level 1 offender is someone who is considered to be low risk and isnt included in online sex offender databases. According to a local paper, the judge noted the bus driver had no prior arrests and said there was only one victim. Posted by Fox 8 News on Sunday, April 28, 2019 Three orders of protection were issued for him, and he was ordered not to be alone with anyone under the age of 17, it was reported. In February, he pleaded guilty to third-degree rape. Hell be a felon for the rest of his life. Hes on the sex offender registry for a long time. Maybe not the rest of his life because of the level but this isnt something that didnt cause him pain and this isnt something that didnt have consequences, said Eric Swartz, who served as Piches defense attorney. The mother of the unnamed victim issued a statement, saying that she wishes Piche would have received time in jail for the harm he caused to my child. He took something from my daughter she will never get back and has caused her to struggle with depression and anxiety, he continued. The Watertown Daily Times reported that Judge James P. McClusky noted that he had no prior arrests. He said there was also only one victim. A former school bus driver who pleaded guilty to raping a 14 year old student is sentenced to probation and must Posted by 7 News/Fox 28 on Thursday, April 25, 2019 Police said he met the 14-year-old through his job as a bus driver. The incident took place at his residence in Ridge Road. Piche also was charged with endangering the welfare of a child by providing her with alcohol, according to the Daily Times. Swartz added that Piche, who had to pay $375 in fees and surcharges, no longer works at the bus company, the Daily Times reported, adding that he had to pay a $1,000 special sex offender registration fee. Facts About Crime in the United States Violent crime in the United States has fallen sharply over the past 25 years, according to both the FBIs Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). The rate of violent crimes fell by 49 percent between 1993 and 2017, according to the FBIs UCR, which only reflects crimes reported to the police. The violent crime rate dropped by 74 percent between 1993 and 2017, according to the BJSs NCVS, which takes into account both crimes that have been reported to the police and those that have not. From 1993 to 2017, the rate of violent victimization declined 74 percent, from 79.8 to 20.6 victimizations per 1,000 persons age 12 or older, the U.S. Department of Justice stated. Both studies are based on data up to and including 2017, the most recent year for which complete figures are available. The FBI recently released preliminary data for 2018. According to the Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report, January to June 2018, violent crime rates in the United States dropped by 4.3 percent compared to the same six-month period in 2017. Outstanding 18-Year-Old Navy Recruit Collapses and Dies at Boot Camp An 18-year-old Navy recruit collapsed and died at the boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois, on April 23. Seaman Recruit Kelsey Nobles suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed during her final physical fitness assessment, according to Recruit Training Command spokesman Lt. Joseph Pfaff, reported the Navy Times. She was taken to a nearby hospital where she was declared brought dead. The Navy and Recruit Training Command take the welfare of our recruits and sailors very seriously and are investigating the cause of this tragic loss, Pfaff told the Navy Times in an email. Kelsey Nobles, an 18-year-old Navy seaman recruit from Alabama collapsed and died Tuesday at a Navy boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois. https://t.co/BWNHJgsN30 WNCT (@wnct9) April 26, 2019 Our thoughts are with Seaman recruit Nobless family and friends during this tragic time, he said. The young recruit was a Mobile native and a Baker High School graduate, her father, Harold Nobles told WKRG. Nobles described his daughter as a big-hearted person. She would give anyone anything, her last her dollar, he said. She was the sweetest soul. Thats the best way I can describe her. The Navy has promised a thorough investigation into Nobless death. This is not the first case of death at a boot camp. Just a week before her graduation, Seaman Recruit Kierra Evans, 20, collapsed and died during her own physical assessment. Kelsey Nobles, Navy recruit from Alabama, collapses and dies during boot camp at Navy Recruit Training Center CBS News https://t.co/In7cvPOn4P pic.twitter.com/sWAEtOl8Tu TheUrbanNewz (@TheUrbanNewz) April 27, 2019 An investigation into her death is still ongoing, according to Lake County, Illinois, coroner Howard Cooper. Evanss death has raised many questions for Harold Nobles. For me, Im just likewhats wrong? These young people are so excited about serving their country and going into the military. Are they doing enough to check them? Does physical testing need to be more in-depth? Harold told WKRG. Pfaff said after Nobless demise that the command reviewed the implementation of its physical fitness assessment. The training, safety, medical processes, and overall procedures regarding the implementation of the (physical fitness assessment) and found no discrepancies in its execution. If information is discovered during the course of the investigation revealing deficiencies in our processes or procedures, that could improve safety in training, it would be acted on, Pfaff said. Seaman Recruit Kelsey Nobles died after suffering cardiac arrest while conducting her final physical assessment before the end of recruit training, a Navy spokesman said https://t.co/TMaOH5pt7T Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) April 27, 2019 The death of two female recruits happened after the death of another seaman recruit Joshua F. Edge, 24, of Toledo, Ohio. He was found unresponsive in his bunk in the early morning on Oct. 8, 2018, according to Daily Mail. There were drugs in his system, but we dont know if there were any other health issues, Lake County Coroner Dr. Howard Cooper told Daily Mail. At the time of Edges death, Capt. Mark Meskimen, 54, was removed from his role due to loss of confidence in his ability to command, a representative from the Naval Education and Training Command said. While the investigations are still ongoing, Harold Nobles said the family is grieving and focusing to get her home. Seaman Recruit Kierra Evans, 20, died during her final fitness test at boot camp, one week before she was to graduate, according to the Navys Recruit Training Command. https://t.co/DCGZMvjNd8 Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) March 5, 2019 Tribute by Baker High School The young recruit had graduated from Baker High School last year. A young lady of outstanding character, Kelsey was hardworking, responsible, and humble. She always possessed a positive attitude and sweet, mild spirit, said a statement by her school. Friendly and outgoing, Kelsey was highly respected and admired by her classmates, teachers, and peers. The school said Kelsey was academically excellent and earned an Advanced Diploma with Honors Endorsement along with numerous collegiate scholarship offers. Pope Francis waves to pilgrims upon his arrival on stage at St. Peter's Square in The Vatican on April 24, 2019, during his weekly general audience. (VINCENZO PINTO/AFP/Getty Images) Pope Francis Sends $500,000 in Funds to Assist Migrants at MexicoUS Border Amid Surge Pope Francis has sent half a million dollars in funds from the Peters Pence collections to 27 Mexico-based projects to assist migrant communities, the Vatican said on April 27. It comes as President Donald Trump warned days ago of a new migrant caravan attempting to get on U.S. soil. The funds are to be sent to 16 Mexican dioceses and religious congregations that requested assistance in basic aid for the migrants stranded at the border. The Vatican noted that more than 75,000 migrants arrived in Mexico last year in six different migrant caravans. The migrants mainly come from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. The Catholic Church hosts thousands of them in hotels within the dioceses or religious congregations, providing basic necessities, from housing to clothing, the Vatican said. Trump has urged Mexico to stop the influx of migrants attempting to enter the United States illegally. The president has repeatedly floated the idea of closing certain parts of the southern border in order to stem what he described previously as an attempted invasion of illegals. U.S. officials said they arrested or denied entry to more than 103,000 people along the border with Mexico in March, more than twice as many as the same period in 2018. A very big Caravan of over 20,000 people started up through Mexico, Trump said in an April 24 Twitter post. It has been reduced in size by Mexico but is still coming. Mexico must apprehend the remainder or we will be forced to close that section of the Border & call up the Military. The Coyotes & Cartels have weapons! Peters Pence, which are donations or payments made directly to the Holy See, must be evaluated for transparency, the Vatican said. In a statement, the church insisted that a regulated and transparent use of the resources, which must be accounted for, is required before the aid is assigned. It also noted that 13 projects of the 27 have already been approved, with another 14 currently being evaluated. The Pentagon said on April 26 that it expects to send about 300 additional troops to the U.S.Mexico border. The move is a sign of a growing military support role, as the Trump administration seeks to add assistance to an overwhelmed Border Patrol dealing with what Customs and Border Protection chief Kevin McAleenan has called unprecedented humanitarian and border security crisis all along our Southwest border. Trump, who has made tackling illegal immigration a signature issue of his presidency, praised the Border Patrol for their recent efforts and noted the record numbers of illegals apprehended. Can anyone comprehend what a GREAT job Border Patrol and Law Enforcement is doing on our Southern Border. So far this year they have APPREHENDED 418,000 plus illegal immigrants, way up from last year, he said April 24 on Twitter. Mexico is doing very little for us. DEMS IN CONGRESS MUST ACT NOW! Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein speaks at a news conference at the Chabad of Poway synagogue in Poway, Calif., on April 28, 2019. (Denis Poroy/AP Photo) Rabbi Recalls Moment Synagogue Shooter Opened Fire A rabbi recalled the moment when he came face-to-face with the 19-year-old man who authorities said walked into a San Diego synagogue and opened fire, killing one woman and wounding three others, including the rabbi, on April 27. The suspect, identified as San Diego resident John Earnest, gave himself up to police shortly after the shooting at the Chabad of Poway synagogue that was filled with Sabbath worshippers at the time. Earnest is also under investigation for mosque arson. In an interview on April 28 with NBCs Today program, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein described the attack, which took place on the last day of the week-long Jewish holiday of Passover. About 100 people were inside the synagogue. I was face-to-face with this murderer, terrorist, who was holding a rifle and looking straight at me, Goldstein said. As soon as he saw me, he started to shoot towards me My fingers got blown away. Then he continued on and he just killed more right there on the spot. I turned around and I saw a group of children including my granddaughter and I just ran, not even knowing that my fingers were blown off and hurled all the kids together and got them outside. Fortunately, there was an off-duty patrol officer who came in pursuit of this terrorist, he added. According to witnesses, Goldstein continued to help other members of the community despite his wound. After the shooting, the suspect fled in a car, escaping the off-duty Border Patrol agent who fired at the getaway vehicle, missing the suspect. Earnest pulled over and surrendered to police officers a short time later. San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said the case is being investigated as a homicide, and may lead to hate crime charges and federal civil rights violations. Earnest appears to have posted a letter on the internet filled with anti-Semitic language. Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) told The Epoch Times the shooting was an affront to American values. It is un-American. We stand with the Jewish community, with the people of Poway, he said. If we see something we say something. The First Amendment contains the freedom of religion. People should feel safe to worship without fear of violence. We will start the work to help to heal. We cant stop all the bad actors, he added, but we can certainly establish the norm that this is wrong. I think this is important. President Donald Trump offered his deepest sympathies to the families of those affected from the South Lawn of the White House, before flying to a rally in Wisconsin. Lin and Stan Wilson, from Wisconsin, were visiting relatives at a nearby neighborhood. Lin Wilson said she was saddened upon hearing the news. I dont think its going to be fixed. I feel a little afraid of even being in church. It can happen anywhere, she told The Epoch Times. It doesnt even have to be a church. Earnest was a 2017 graduate of Mt. Carmel High School and was a student at California State University, according to reports. He attended the north San Diego County campus and made the deans list. In a statement, the universitys president said the school is dismayed and disheartened to learn Earnest was a student; the university is working with the sheriffs department. Its sad the shooter is only 19. I wonder where he got these ideas from, Lin Wilson said. Gore said police and the FBI were investigating Earnests possible involvement in the March 24 pre-dawn arson fire at the Islamic Center of Escondido, a town about 15 miles north of Poway. No one was hurt at the mosque fire. Gore said Earnest has no prior criminal record. Epoch Times reporter Jane Yang, Sophia Fang, and Reuters contributed to this report Heavily armed San Diego police officers approach a house in this file photo taken in San Diego, Calif., on April 27, 2019. (John Gibbins/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP) San Diego Synagogue Shooting Suspect Posted Open Letter Online A 19-year-old California man suspected of being the gunman behind a mass shooting at a San Diego area synagogue claimed in an open letter published online he was motivated by last months Christchurch massacre. The letter, containing racist and anti-Semitic language, was posted on the 8chan message board hours before the deadly shooting on Saturday, April 27, according to the Guardian, citing police sources. The gunman, identified by police as John T. Earnest, is accused of opening fire inside the synagogue in Poway, wounding three people and killing one. San Diego police cited by NBC said the letter had been posted in the name of the suspect, who was taken into custody after the shooting. The letter contained anti-Semitic and racist language, the Guardian reported and its author claimed to be motivated by both last months New Zealand mosque shootings and the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue massacre. The gunman struck the Chabad of Poway synagogue exactly six months after the Pittsburgh shooting that killed 11 people. The letter is said by authorities cited by NBC to be similar in tone and format to the one written by the gunman in the Christchurch attacks, which left 50 people dead. Both the Pittsburgh gunman Robert Bowers and the Christchurch shooter Brenton Tarrant are listed in the letter as a direct inspiration for the shooting. The Shooting Police said the deadly shooting took place during Passover services at Chabad of Poway, about 20 miles north of San Diego, when a gunman entered the synagogue and opened fire with an assault-type rifle. San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said in a media briefing that police were called to the Poway synagogue just before 11:30 a.m. in response to a shooting. He said an off-duty Border Patrol agent at the synagogue fired a weapon in the gunmans direction but missed. The suspect escaped, fleeing the scene by vehicle, which was struck by a bullet. Gore identified the suspect as 19-year-old John T. Earnest of San Diego (DOB 6/8/99). He said deputies later arrested Earnest without incident. The sheriff said in the press briefing that detectives are also looking into the authenticity of online claims he wrote a manifesto. The Victims Gore said that four peopleincluding a childwere wounded in the shooting and were all rushed to a hospital. Gore said one woman later died from her injuries. He cited doctors as saying that the remaining victims are doing well. A rabbi underwent surgery after suffering gunshot wounds to his hands, Gore said, adding, A 34-year-old man and a child were hit by shrapnel from bullets. He said an autopsy would be performed on the deceased victim to determine the exact cause of death. The Sheriffs Department expresses its sincerest condolences to those affected by todays incident, Gore wrote. Our hearts go out to those going through this difficult time. A Palomar Medical Center Poway representative told CNN earlier that they were receiving one trauma patient from a shooting at a synagogue. The representative added that they were expecting as many as four patients, reported the news broadcaster. The nature of their injuries is not immediately known. Gore also confirmed on Twitter that the wounded have been taken to the medical center. Those wounded in the Chabad of Poway synagogue shooting were taken to Palomar Medical Center PalomarHealth. Please respect the medical privacy of victims & their families during this difficult time, the sheriff wrote. President Donald Trump expressed his condolences in a message on Twitter. Thoughts and prayers to all of those affected by the shooting at the Synagogue in Poway, California, Trump wrote. God bless you all. Suspect apprehended. Law enforcement did outstanding job. Thank you! Thoughts and prayers to all of those affected by the shooting at the Synagogue in Poway, California. God bless you all. Suspect apprehended. Law enforcement did outstanding job. Thank you! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 27, 2019 Gore said extra patrols were being provided at places of worship over the weekend. He called on people to report suspicious activity and said, we encourage the public to remain vigilant. Activists participate in a rally urging the expansion of Social Security benefits in front of the White House in Washington on July 13, 2015. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) Social Security Increasingly Insecure, Experts Say WASHINGTONThe latest Social Security Trustees report finds that the program faces large shortfalls and is only a few years from insolvency, a group of experts agreed at a Capitol Hill event April 26. Overall, according to Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), the takeaway from the latest report is that, We are running out of time to fix Social Security. Every year that we ignore the Trustees warnings, every year that we wait and punt on making the necessary changes to the program, she said, it increases the cost of fixing the system. Every year, the trustees say Social Security is unsustainable, MacGuineas said. According to the report, she said, The combined trust funds would only be able to pay full benefits up until 2035, at which point there will be an abrupt, across-the-board benefit cut for everybody of 20 percent if the problem is not addressed. The Trustees report reinforces that the imbalances that cause the problem are large and rising every single year, given Social Securitys demographics and structure, she said. Better Economy On the other hand, MacGuiness suggested, there is some good news this year: the disability portion of the Social Security system has significantly longer until those trust funds fall short than reported in the past. The change took place in part because more people are staying in the work force with the improved economy, she said. Jason Fichtner, former acting deputy commissioner of Social Security, agreed, saying, in general, this is a better report than weve had in previous years. Fichtner said it is important to remember that trust fund insolvency is not the same as going bankrupt. Millenials, Fichtner pointed out, tend to believe the program will not be there for them. Social Security is actually highly likely to exist in some form when Millenials reach retirement, he said. Yet once its trust funds are depleted, Fichtner emphasized, Social Security will only be able to pay out in benefits what it takes in in payroll tax revenue, which is basically enough to cover 80 percent of benefits as they are currently structured. In addition, Fichtner said, the total cost of the program in 2018 grew to a towering $1 trillion, or one thousand billion dollars, as the report describes it. Thats real money, he said, and it has a real impact on seniors and the economy, so we cannot afford to ignore it. Fichtner also agreed with MacGuineas that the longer policymakers wait to heal the programs ailments, the harder it will be to heal them, and the more painful the impact will be when they finally do. Finally, Fichtner argued, though the disability insurance trust fund showed a startling 20-year improvement in its projected insolvency from the prior year, we dont have three decades to fix it. Its position improved because the economy improved, he said, but as soon as the United States has another recession, that programs going to face severe financial trouble. Accordingly, he recommended, policymakers should use the bandwidth provided by the economys improvement to address the underlying problems within the disability program. Retirement Security When addressing those underlying problems in the Social Security program more generally, Marc Goldwein, vice-president of CFRB, suggested, policymakers should focus on improving Americans retirement security, not just fiscal balance for the program. For instance, he pointed out, many wealthy retirees receiving benefits are well into the spectrum of financial security, while many lower income retirees are off that spectrum, not getting the benefits they need. Moreover, Goldwein argued, policymakers should remember to factor in economic growth to their Social Security reforms. One reason, he said, is that improvements in the programs health this year are due in part to healthy rates of economic growth, over 3 percent in the most recent economic news, while an aging population suggests that America is more likely to grow at about 2 percent over time. Thus, said Goldwein, to the extent Social Security can send workers signals that grow the economy, it will in turn improve the programs health. For instance, raising the retirement age slowly over time and with adequate notice not only saves resources in Social Security, but encourages workers to remain in the workforce, which in turn improves their longevity and wellbeing and economic growth as well, thereby strengthening the program indirectly. Likewise, Goldwein flagged idiosyncrasies in the Social Security program that discouraged work. For instance, he said, in the last few years of work, workers accumulate little additional Social Security benefits for their retirement, while in the first few years of work, the benefits accumulate very rapidly. According to Goldwein, policymakers need to flip that around to reward working longer when it is challenging to do so, not at the beginning of a career when virtually no workers consider retirement. Finally, legislation and regulation to address the disability programs problems, Goldwein underscored, also played a role in the insurance programs improvement, including reallocation of funds within the program and getting under control the worst-acting Administrative Law Judges (ALJs), who were approving dramatically more applications than others, including higher numbers allegedly driven by fraud. The Trustees best guess, Goldwein said, was that though the strong economy had led to more and more of those qualifying for disability staying in the work force, some of the improvement in the programs outlook was structural. The bad news, said Goldwein, was that if in fact more of the improvement was economic than Trustees believed, the disability insurance program would deteriorate more quickly than expected were the economy to slow. Ben Ritz of the Progressive Policy Institute said policymakers had not actually made significant financial improvements to the program. When it is time to make such improvements, Ritz recommended keeping in mind that when we raise taxesthose are tax dollars we could be using for other programs. Likewise, Ritz asserted that to the extent benefit cuts take beneficiaries below the poverty line, we have other areas of the federal budget that are going to have to pick up that slack. Asked by The Epoch Times about the potential for means testing Social Security, Fichtner said Social Security already includes a back door means test. He noted, When people hear means testing they think were going to reduce your benefits because you make income. Instead, he pointed out, for certain people who have over a particular level of gross income, we tax your Social Security benefits up to 85 percent. One of the proposals to increase revenue, Fichtner noted, would be to make 100 percent of benefits taxable for higher-income filers. Should we increase that level, Fichtner asked? Probably, because those most able to afford changes in the Social Security program are precisely those making additional income in any given year. The event, Unpacking the Social Security Trustees Report, was sponsored by CRFB. By Lee Min-hyung A Korean man has been arrested for allegedly abducting another Korean national in the Philippines and demanding a ransom from his family, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Saturday. The suspect, identified by his surname Lee, reportedly kidnapped the victim in Makati, Manila, sometime in March. The 34-year-old suspect then contacted the father of the victim and demanded $5 million (5.8 billion won) ransom. Philippines police are investigating the case after arresting the suspect, April 22. When the suspect abducted the 26-year-old Korean national is as yet unknown. The Philippines police began investigating the case after his family filed a missing persons report with the Korean Embassy, March 23. "Upon receiving the report, we immediately contacted the local policy and called for a thorough investigation of the case," a Korean foreign ministry official said. The suspect faces charges of pocketing the initial ransom money of $17,000 through Bitcoin, according to local reports from the Philippines. "The Philippine authorities are conducting an investigation into the victim and suspect, so it is hard for us to reveal details on the case at the moment," the ministry official said. The foreign ministry will continue to monitor the investigation and comply with any requests from the local authorities, the official said. Texas Burglary Suspects Arrested After Accidentally Butt-Dialing 911 on Themselves Police said two suspects are behind bars in Texas after robbing a Sugar Land Best Buy and accidentally butt-dialing 911 on themselves. Sugar Land Police Department officials told KTRK that the two men allegedly pulled off a heist at a Best Buy in Sugar Land, a city southwest of Houston, at around 3 a.m. on April 27. Officers responding to an alarm at the electronics store were notified that a 911 call had been made from an open line that dispatchers realized was coming from one of the suspects phones. [He] somehow butt-dialed 911, they put it all together, officers were already en route to the alarm call when they got the other 911 call, a communications officer for the Houston Police Department told KTRK. Burglars butt-dial 911 while breaking into Best Buy, police say https://t.co/eBv7FX72Mx #KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/QrN83GGis4 KPRC 2 Houston (@KPRC2) April 27, 2019 Officials told the station they then set off in pursuit of the suspected burglars, who were fleeing in a truck. According to the report, the pursuit reached speeds of up to 120 miles per hour. According to KPRC 2 Houston, the chase ended after about 40 minutes, with the suspects pulling the truck over and fleeing on foot. Police used a helicopter and K-9 unit to pursue the fleeing suspects. Two were caught, one remains at large, according to the report. Stolen items from Best Buy including laptops and computer terminals were recovered from the getaway vehicle, police said, according to KPRC. The same Best Buy was burgled several weeks back, police said, and the suspects were never apprehended. They had suspects run from them in a car chase as well. They did not catch those suspects, a police officer told KPRC. Crime in the United States Violent crime in the United States has fallen sharply over the past 25 years, according to both the FBIs Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). The rate of violent crimes fell by 49 percent between 1993 and 2017, according to the FBIs UCR, which only reflects crimes reported to the police. The violent crime rate dropped by 74 percent between 1993 and 2017, according to the BJSs NCVS, which takes into account both crimes that have been reported to the police and those that have not. From 1993 to 2017, the rate of violent victimization declined 74 percent, from 79.8 to 20.6 victimizations per 1,000 persons age 12 or older, the U.S. Department of Justice stated. Both studies are based on data up to and including 2017, the most recent year for which complete figures are available. The FBI recently released preliminary data for 2018. According to the Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report, from January to June 2018, violent crime rates in the United States dropped by 4.3 percent compared to the same six-month period in 2017. While the overall rate of violent crime has seen a steady downward drop since its peak in the 1990s, there have been several upticks that bucked the trend. Between 2014 and 2016, the murder rate increased by more than 20 percent, to 5.4 per 100,000 residents, from 4.4, according to an Epoch Times analysis of FBI data. The last two-year period that the rate soared so quickly was between 1966 and 1968. Property Crime The property crime rate fell by 50 percent between 1993 and 2017, according to the FBI, and by 69 percent according to BJS. According to the FBIs preliminary figures for the first half of 2018, property crime rates in the United States dropped by 7.2 percent compared to the same six-month period in 2017. As with violent crime, the FBI survey only takes into account crime reported to the police, while the BJS figures include reported and nonreported crime. Public Perception About Crime Despite falling long-term trends in both violent crime and property crime, opinion surveys repeatedly show Americans believe that crime is up. The vast majority of Gallup polls taken since 1993 show that over 60 percent of Americans believe there is more crime in the United States on a national scale compared to the previous year. Pew Research surveys show similar findings. A survey in late 2016 revealed that 57 percent of registered voters said crime in the nation as a whole increased since 2008, despite both FBI and BJS data showing double-digit drops in violent and property crimes. Perceptions differed on a national versus local level. Surveys of perceptions of crime levels on a local scale showed that fewer than 50 percent of respondents in every single Gallup survey done since 1996 believed that crime in their area had risen compared to the previous year. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Texas Man Hits 4-Year-Old Son With Belt and Force-Feeds Him Hot Sauce for Swearing A Texas man was arrested by Leander police after he hit his 4-year-son with a belt and force-fed him with hot sauce for saying a curse word on April 21. San Antonio resident Demitro Revillas, 24 poured hot sauce into his sons mouth for about four minutes while the child kept pleading with him to stop, reported KXAN. He is charged with injury to a child, a third-degree felony, and could face up to 10 years in prison, according to The Statesman. Leander police have arrested a man accused of hitting his four-year-old son and feeding him hot sauce for swearing. https://t.co/qFTl4PmEhu News 4, WIVB-TV (@news4buffalo) April 25, 2019 The police warrant said that Revillas and his wife were staying with their cousin when the incident happened and are involved with a Child Protective Services safety plan concerning their other children. The police got a call from the cousin on Sunday night. The cousin told the police that Revillas hit the child on the face and knocked him down when he swore. Since the child refused to admit to cursing, the father walked the child to the kitchen and poured hot sauce in his mouth. Leander police: Man forced hot sauce down 4-year-old sons throat as punishmenthttps://t.co/y8oflXELpc Political Hot Sauce (@PoliticalHS) April 25, 2019 The cousin could hear the child choking while Revillas force-fed him. The child continued to refuse to admit cursing and the father then locked him in the bathroom. The child later told the police that he was hit in his face with a belt and bruises were visible. The father was in Williamson County Jail with bail set for $40,000. In another case of violent parenting, a 5-year-old was allegedly beaten to death by her New Mexico father on April 5 for refusing to do homework, according to the Albuquerque Police. Sarah Dubois-Gilbeau, who was beaten with a water shoe, had moved from to Albuquerque from California five years ago to live with her 37-year-old father, Brandon Reynolds. The Albuquerque Fire Rescue paramedics were called to an apartment on the 1400 block of Amherst, near Gibson and Carlisle about 1 a.m. on Friday, regarding a child possibly in cardiac arrest. RIP: 5-year-old Sarah Dubois-Gilbeau was allegedly beaten to death by her father, according to police. https://bit.ly/2Vp3ddV Posted by KOAT on Friday, April 5, 2019 Reynolds told paramedics that Sarah was suffering from heart problems. The paramedics administered treatment to Sarah and called the police. They then transported her to the University of New Mexico Hospital where she died. There were many inconsistencies in what Reynold told police and they could see that the child was brutally beaten up. The injuries were not consistent with what they were told, said Officer Simon Drobik of the Albuquerque Police Department, according to My Sun Coast. It appears that this father brutally beat this child, said Drobik. There were multiple bruises on the child including on her back and on the left side of her body. The bruising pattern on her right abdomen matched that of a shoe, reported NBC. Neighbors told police that Reynold was a strict dad but they never saw him spanking her in public. Initially, the father told police that the child stopped breathing just before she went to bed. However, neighbors told law enforcement that the father was allegedly overheard saying get up! This commotion was followed by the sound of something being stuck. Father accused of beating 5-year-old girl to death for not wanting to do homework https://t.co/tGOryveAjt KSEE24 News (@KSEE24) April 6, 2019 She heard him yelling at her, then she came outside to take a breath and then thats when she saw the ambulance, a neighbor told ABC. In an interview later, Reynolds told police that he got triggered after Sarah said she didnt want to do homework and thats when the discipline set in. The father also told police that he later realized Sarah was lethargic and took her to the living room to ice her wounds, according to NBC. The spanking got so bad she wasnt mobile, Reynolds told police. He then realized that he had beaten her on the back, legs, arms, and chest. After putting her to bed, he saw that she was not breathing well and that her heartbeat was faint. Reynolds, who has no criminal record in New Mexico, then brought her to the living room and tried to give her first aid and called for help. Residents use a boat to make their way through flood waters after a dike broke causing widespread flooding and focing hundreds of people to evacuate in Ste-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Que., on April 27, 2019. (The Canadian Press/Ryan Remiorz) Tough Times Ahead in Flood-Stricken Quebec, Premier Warns MONTREALQuebecs premier warned Saturday of tough times ahead in parts of the floodstricken province even as waters began to recede in some regions. The water levels in the corridor along the St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers between Montreal and the boundary with Ontario arent expected to peak before Monday or Tuesday, Francois Legault told reporters after being briefed by officials with the provinces hydro utility. What I would tell flood victims is have courage, Legault said. We have another few days that will be difficult. Another few days and well get there. By Saturday afternoon, 3,085 homes across the province were flooded, 2,783 houses were surrounded by water and 2,003 people had been forced from their homes, according to Quebec officials. Legault said the swollen rivers south of Quebec City that flooded the Beauce region in midApril are receding. Montreal, Ottawa and many smaller communities across the expansive flood zone have declared states of emergency, prompting the federal government to deploy hundreds of soldiers to help with sandbagging and other relief operations. There were roughly 1,000 soldiers in Quebec on Saturday. Legault said he spoke with about seven mayors of hardhit areas who told him, for now we have enough arms. Quebecs Public Security Minister Genevieve Guilbault said Saturday about 50 landslides have been reported across the province. Rising river levels around the Montreal area prompted authorities to indefinitely close the busy Galipeault Bridge linking the citys western tip with IlePerrot. Heavy rain also forced the closure of two smaller bridges in the Montreal region. Across the river off Montreals north shore is IleBizard, where city authorities parked three snowblowers by the waters edge. Instead of grinding snow and ice, the machines are sucking in water thats leaked through the sandbagged wall and are blowing it back into the river. Gerald Chouinard, whose house is located a few feet from the river, said the city has been doing a great job this year. They put up a wall of sandbags that stretches almost a kilometre, he said, pointing down the road. Chouinard boarded up his basement windows and stacked sandbags around the doors to the home. The river has nearly reached 2017 levels, he said, when more than 100 centimetres of water surrounded the house. Chouinard said he expects the water to rise more Saturday night and continue rising over the weekend. We are preparing for the worst, he said. Worse than the worst. A close eye is also being kept on a hydroelectric dam on a tributary of the Ottawa River between Ottawa and Montreal thats at risk of failing. Water at the ChuteBell dam has reached levels expected to occur every 1,000 years, but HydroQuebec said its confident the structure is solid. Legault said the situation at the dam is critical but added that HydroQuebec believes the structure will hold. As well, water levels around the capital are expected to rise halfametre higher than they did during a 2017 flood that was thought to have been a onceinacentury event. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau picked up a shovel Saturday to lend a hand with sandbagging efforts, as he and his two sons visited a westend Ottawa community hit hard by rising floodwaters. Trudeau was briefed by officials in charge of the fight against the flood at a community centre before filling sandbags and thanking those who came to the aid of local residents. Officials in Ottawa, where the military has stationed several hundred troops, were calling Saturday for more volunteers to help in flood zones, and warned that dealing with the waters damage would soon become a longterm project. We need people to sustain our efforts for multiple weeks, said city manager Steve Kanellakos. It just doesnt end when the water peaks. A morning report from the board that monitors levels in the Ottawa River said that near Constance Bay, water levels were just shy of their 2017 peak and are forecast to rise another 47 centimetres. At a measuring spot near Parliament Hill later in the afternoon, where paths and parking lots along the river were already underwater, the waters inched above their levels in 2017 with the board forecasting a rise of another 75 centimetres before water levels peak on May 1. On Saturday, after being flooded out in 2017, Don Haines and friends were sandbagging his small home beside the Ottawa River again, and emptying its contents in anticipation of further flooding. Haines said regardless of whether he is flooded out again this year he will likely rebuild the home where he has lived for 20 years. My longterm plan is probably going to be to knock it flat and rebuild higher, he said. Meanwhile, the mayor of a small town in central Ontarios cottage country said the lateseason snow is a welcome sight as it acts as a sponge for rising floodwaters that now mark a historical event. Mayor Graydon Smith said in a news conference Saturday that water levels in several areas of Bracebridge were up slightly due to rain Friday, but snow may help slow the flow into lakes, rivers and streams. In southern New Brunswick, a bit of relief is in sight for floodweary residents, with the latest forecast calling for waters to slowly recede in most areas over the next five days. Geoffrey Downey, a spokesman for New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization, said while it rained across much of the province Saturday, officials arent expecting a lot of precipitation. He said the fiveday flood forecast is for the Saint John River to be below flood stage in Fredericton, and down to flood stage in Maugerville, Oak Point and Saint John, by Thursday. Tourists Warned About Taking Selfies Near Dangerous Spot in Australia Instagram models, tourists, and others have been warned by officials not to get to close to a scenic ledge. An Instagram model popularized Diamond Bay, Australia, after she took a photo near the cliffs edge. But it has prompted an official, Stephen Leahy of Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopters, to issue a warning to a local news outlet. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Elle Ferguson (@elle_ferguson) on Mar 11, 2019 at 3:57pm PDT Its really easy just to take that one step too far for the perfect picture and youre in dire straits, he told Australias Nine News. A wind or a stumble or anything [and] thats the end of them because its sheer cliff down, resident Rona Kahn added to Nine News about the perils of the ledge. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @shirleyddrr on Apr 28, 2019 at 6:19am PDT We do see a lot of tourists that come past, I believe theres a tour bus that drops off a bunch of people and it makes sense, its super beautiful down here, resident Laura Dewit added to the outlet. Other Cliff Warnings Several months ago, U.K. police issued a warning to tourists who dangle their legs over a cliffs edge. We were having a lovely day at Beachy Head yesterday until we saw this!! PLEASE dont sit on the edge of the cliff top it is incredibly dangerous. You dont know what you are sitting over. These people were in a fenced off section of cliff top!!! #NPAS999 ^JA pic.twitter.com/KaMC4Gv84g NPAS Redhill (@NPASRedhill) February 18, 2019 Tourists try to take photos of themselves with their legs hanging over the 500-foot Beachy Head cliff along the Sussex Coast. They have to go over a fence that is intended to keep people away from the area. We were having a lovely day at Beachy Head yesterday until we saw this!! PLEASE dont sit on the edge of the cliff top it is incredibly dangerous. You dont know what you are sitting over, wrote the National Police Air Service (NPAS) in mid-February. Beachy Head, England pic.twitter.com/rXRlVMa10M Melissa B. White (@MelissaBWhite2) December 5, 2018 They added that people were in a fenced-off section of the cliff top. Officials with the NPAS were apparently flying over the cliff when they took the photo. Selfie Deaths The Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care said that about 259 people have died since 2011 while taking selfies. Most of the victims are under the age of 30 and about 72 percent were male, the organization said. It noted that men were more likely to take riskier photos. Selfie deaths have become an emerging problem and we performed this study to assess the epidemiology of selfie-related deaths across the globe, said an abstract published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Elaborating further, The highest number of incidents and selfie-deaths has been reported in India followed by Russia, United States, and Pakistan, according to the U.S. agency. Drowning, transport, and fall form the topmost reasons for deaths caused by selfies. We also classified reasons for deaths due to selfie as risky behavior or non-risky behavior. Risky behavior caused more deaths and incidents due to selfies than non-risky behavior. The number of deaths in females is less due to risky behavior than non-risky behavior while it is approximately three times in males, it said. Top left to right: Leader of the Australian Greens Richard Di Natale, leader of the United Australia Party Clive Palmer, leader of One Nation Pauline Hanson, and bottom left to right: Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party Scott Morrison, leader of the National Party of Australia Michael McCormack, leader of the Australian Labor Party Bill Shorten. (Getty Images/AAP/Reuters) Upcoming Election to Set Australias Political Landscape for a Generation We have reached a pivotal moment in history Graeme Wishart The forthcoming Australian Federal Government election on 18th May 2019 represents a pivotal moment in the nations cultural and political history. The outcome will establish the political landscape for a generation or more and may turn out to be a reflection of the Whitlam 1972 Labor election which began a chain of political events whose fruits we are still suffering today. Both major political parties have failed their constituencies, Liberals have neglected what Liberal Party founder, Robert Menzies called The Forgotten People, while Labor continues to ignore its traditional working class base. In the words of the late Kim Beazley Snr, Labor has gone from leadership by the cream of the working class to leadership by the dregs of the middle class. Liberals have sold their soul to the international globalists, bankers, financiers and the anti-western United Nations organisation. Australia, the Great South Land, continues being led by inept politicians. A country blessed by an abundance of natural resources is beset by hinderances to development of its own making. Compared to other nations Australia with its natural advantages should be the regions shining star, indeed Australia has previously been a world leader in wealth creation and political stability. The Council for the National Interest has actively participated as a lobby group and policy development promoter since its establishment in 1985 by B.A. Bob Santamaria, a man of intellect and a key player in the defeat of communist union influence in post-World War II decades. The CNI has pressed for principled political leadership and promoted policies in nation-forming areas of immigration, defence, foreign affairs, industrial development and finance. Australia now stands at a crossroad since the coming election has the potential to set us back by further boosting the central governments tax take. Backing of both major parties has been dwindling because of the rise of a range of minor parties. Liberals in coalition with the Nationals have ignored their traditional conservative supporters while Labor has opted to become a servant of the left-oriented Green Party as well as a George Soros ginger group called GetUp that has mobilised activists to work in marginal coalition seats. It is the minor parties that collectively attract the votes of about one third of the national electorate who will determine the final outcome. The major conservative-oriented minors, One Nation, the United Australia Party, the Australian Conservative Party and the Australian Christians are yet to indicate how theyll direct their supporters to vote. Do these parties have the capacity to use this election as a watershed moment to reset the cultural and political horizon which each so desires? With a political elite and a biased, compromised mainstream media driving a change to a Labor/Green government in waiting, it is almost inevitable the nation will decline in political stability and cultural identity. Globalist foreign forces are also at play with funding of organisations working to undermine avenues of support for a return to Australian values and maintenance of our cultural identity. Will the electorate arise from its stupor for a momentary pause, evaluate the handouts, then vote blindly on feel-good benefits before returning to the daily grind of survival? Australia is a nation built upon its Christian-based common law heritage without which the nation will never continue to become the Great South Land. It is instead experiencing a downward spiral as the nation adopts morally bankrupt policies that undermine Australian longstanding culture and its values. Australia for more than two centuries has boasted an Anglo-Celtic European culture with a political dynamic of immigration based upon culturally compatible people backed by a policy of integration and assimilation. Today the country is being assailed by globalist driven multiculturalism with the inevitable tribalistic division becoming increasingly more evident over the past quarter century. Integration and assimilation are now considered to be concepts of division and are opposed by non-compatible cultures and supporters of borderless nations. The election will determine how fractured the nation will continue becoming with an immigration policy either of division, or of cultural restoration. Powerful international globalist forces are working against Australians to prevent the growth of a sovereign nation with secure borders and the preservation of a distinctly Australian heritage. Families are the cornerstone of Australias western civilised society who have been neglected in the headlong rush to accommodate ardent feminism and the growing impact of cultural Marxist campaigns. Instead, power elites blindly ignore the lessons of history, as recent as the Soviet Union of 1917-91, by adopting policies that serve to undermine the family. Encouraging married mothers into the workforce, high divorce rates, rising rates of male suicide, violence, drug and alcohol abuse, state-funded child care that lean against stay-at-home mothers, biased child care subsidies favouring working mothers, biased taxation rates and concessions over single income families are all symptomatic of a dis-functional society. An additional contribution to family disfunction is the seemingly lawless Family Court system under which easy divorce prevails, but is itself immune to overhaul and review. Also disconcerting is the growing impact of endless claims that the worlds climate is warming due to production of carbon dioxide, a free plant nutrient, emanating from coal fired electricity generation. The cost of electricity has consequently risen dramatically with an adverse impact upon business and industry production costs. Massive public outlays are now directed from state and national budgets to subside costly and unreliable solar and wind generated electricity. Australia has thus moved from a low cost stable energy economy to one that now has high cost unstable electricity supplies due largely to pressure from Labors leadership and the Greens. Climate science, once based upon facts, has been supplanted by reliance on suspect climate modelling that predicts Armageddon. Neither of the major political parties dare to speak out against the deteriorating investment environment caused by the headlong rush into solar and wind generated unreliable electricity. Moves to drought proof the nations agricultural sectors have been thwarted due to fake claims of global Armageddon. Dam construction has become a thing of the past. Neither of the major parties possible leaderships seem to want to stimulate activity in new technological industries, new manufacturing opportunities, improved agricultural production, or improved means of transport and communications. An example of political manipulation of the major parties is seen in the outcome of last years Royal Commission into the banking sector. Its terms of reference were determined by the banks and they excluded the regulatory authority, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), from the investigations and restricted recommendations that could be made by the Commissioner. Manipulation of the political process by the financial industry is not healthy for our long-term prosperity. Australia continues to lack a national Development Bank. The Great South Land needs strong, visionary leadership which will provide opportunities for all Australians to create wealth, health and security for their families. Will the electorate rise to the occasion and judge the parties on their policies for wealth creation and prosperity growth? Graeme Wishart is the chairman of the Council for the National Interest Western Australia Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Lori Kaye in an undated photo. (Courtesy of Audrey Jacobs via CNN) Woman Killed While Protecting Rabbi in Synagogue Shooting POWAY, Calif.A rabbi identified the victims of a shooting at a synagogue in a suburb of San Diego on April 27. Rabbi Yonah Fradkin, executive director of Chabad of San Diego County, said in a statement that Lori Kaye, 60, of Poway was killed. He said those injured in the shooting Saturday were Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Noya Dahan, 8, Almog Peretz, 34. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that witnesses said Kaye jumped between the shooter and the synagogues founding rabbi, Yisroel Goldstein, who was wounded in the index fingers on both hands. The Union-Tribune also said that Dahan was hit with shrapnel in the face and leg, and Peretz was shot in the leg as he ushered children into a playroom to safety. In the face of senseless hate we commit to live proudly as Jews in this glorious country, Fradkin said. We strongly believe that love is exponentially more powerful than hate. We are deeply shaken by the loss of a true woman of valor, Lori Kaye, who lost her life solely for living as a Jew. President Donald Trump praised law enforcements incredible response to the attack. Trump, who was speaking at a Saturday rally in Wisconsin, singled out an off-duty Border Patrol agent who returned fire. San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said the Border Patrol agent was working as a security guard and fired as the gunman was fleeing, hitting the getaway car. Gore said there were indications that the attackers gun might have malfunctioned after firing inside the synagogue. Authorities have identified the suspect as John Earnest, 19, of San Diego, and said hes also being investigated in a fire at a mosque in a nearby city last month. Authorities said they are serving search warrants on his house and are aware of an anti-Jewish online screed that someone identifying themselves as Earnest wrote about an hour before the attack. Gore said theyre investigating the attack as a possible hate crime. The attack came exactly six months after 11 people were killed in the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, the site of the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history. The Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh said in a statement, We are heartbrokenand appalled and outraged. This must stop. The statement said the Pittsburgh congregation knows the fear, anguish and healing process such an atrocity causes. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and California Gov. Gavin Newsom also offered their condolences to the Jewish community. Newsom said, No one should have to fear going to their place of worship. Pelosi said on Twitter that she stands with the Jewish community against this act of hate. Gov. Ned Lamonts push for highway tolls has entered a new and critical phase: The administration rebooted its lobbying team two weeks ago, and they are talking to legislators about a series of tweaks intended to increase the consumer and political appeal of the governors top priority and biggest challenge. With less than six weeks until the Legislatures constitutional adjournment deadline, the administration and lawmakers are trying to settle on a legislative draft specific enough to assure them of what they are buying, but flexible enough to enable Lamont to negotiate a final tolls plan with the Federal Highway Administration. A small reduction in the gasoline tax, cheaper inner-city bus fares, ways to provide discounts for drivers who lack the credit or checking accounts necessary for an E-ZPass, a list of specific transportation improvements, and limits on pricing and the number of tolling gantries are among the items sources say are under discussion. This opportunity to truly transform the transportation system and therefore Connecticuts economy for decades to come doesnt come along every year, and we dont intend to waste that opportunity, said Colleen Flanagan Johnson, the governors senior adviser who is now overseeing a staff of a half-dozen aides working on the tolls campaign. House and Senate Democratic legislative leaders say they welcome a new lobbying effort that includes two administration officials: Marc Bradley, who ran the governors winning campaign in 2018 and now oversees external and constituent services; and former state Sen. Jonathan Harris, an undersecretary at the Office of Policy and Management. I think theyre bringing in people who have a good relationship with the Legislature, said Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven. Jonathan, having served in the Senate, is very well regarded in this chamber, and Marc Bradley is someone enormously well-respected for the role he played in the campaign. Legislators generally panned the administrations rollout of the tolls proposal in February, complaining it lacked details about how it would work or a strategy for passage. The administrations pitch has been the state needs tolling revenue to maintain and modernize infrastructure, while offering few specific ideas that would spark the imagination about faster commutes worth the price of tolls. Looney and House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, were among a small group of Democratic lawmakers to meet Wednesday with Lamont and his transportation commissioner, Joseph J.Giulietti, about the still-evolving tolling legislation and what it could mean for Connecticut commuters. As long as were having this open dialogue, I think we can get there, Aresimowicz said of getting tolls to a vote. I cant say if its going to be three weeks from now or if its going to be on the last night. But Im feeling more confident we can get to a deal that allows us to fund our infrastructure. Two weeks ago, Lamont and the Democratic co-chairs of the Legislatures Transportation Committee tried to reframe the issue in terms of specific rush-hour commutes, assuming 4.4 cents a mile with discounts for state drivers: from New Haven to Hartford on Interstate 91, $1.72; from Stamford to New Haven on I-95, $1.80; from Danbury to Waterbury on I-84, $1.28. Lamont said last week he saw no need for more details about his plan: He already had spelled out there would be no more than 50 tolling gantries on the states four most-congested highways, Route 15 and interstates 84, 91 and 95. But his staff already was at work with lawmakers to add details to a tolls bill. Flanagan Johnson declined to confirm whether a gas-tax reduction would be an element of a tolls deal, but she acknowledged an emphasis on trying to mitigate the impact of tolls on lower-income commuters. The administration was looking at discounts for those who most need them, as well as the mechanics of how to provide EZ passes to drivers without credit or bank accounts. The discounts are a major issue for my caucus, Aresimowicz said. An issue that has proven harder to resolve are the limits a bill would place on pricing. How much flexibility would the legislature entrust the state Department of Transportation? Connecticut is being permitted to devise a tolling system without losing federal highway revenue under a specific program that calls for peak and off-peak prices to discourage driving at peak times. A challenge for state officials is the lack of guidance from the Federal Highway Administration on the pricing differential desired for peak and off-peak trips. There is no hard and fast number, said Thomas J. Maziarz, the state DOTs chief of policy and planning. The state will try to make the case that data shows even a modest difference in pricing will result in less traffic, and that revenue from the tolls will permit projects that could make significant improvements, especially on the often gridlocked stretch of I-95 in Fairfield County. One potential project would be expanding the exit lanes from I-95 onto Route 8 in Bridgeport, a major bottleneck in the afternoon commute north from Stamford, he said. The administration is working on a vote count, a task complicated by the lack of a finished piece of legislation. Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, said he is a strong supporter of tolls in concept, but needs more details. What are you asking us to do? said Rep. Jeffrey A. Currey, D-East Hartford. Flanagan Johnson said her staff knows the questions, and the bill must provide answers. What do the rates look like? What kind of certainty can we give, not only to residents but to legislators who are taking this vote? There will be some more structure around that. What we want to make sure we do is provide information to legislators who are taking the vote to help them fully understand the opportunity they have to make a true difference in Connecticuts economy. The give-and-take with legislators is constructive, she said, with lawmakers learning more about the process and the administration seeing the issues that must be resolved before commitments are made. That process takes time. People want to know what the bill is before they say hard yes, hard no. And thats more than fair, Flanagan Johnson said. So were working through that. On the other end, we dont want to rush it to simply get a bill. We want to get the right bill. In separate interviews, Looney and Aresimowicz said the first vote by the House or Senate on tolls must come no later than June 3. The session ends two days later. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham on Sunday pushed back against White House senior adviser Jared Kushner's recent downplaying of Russian interference in the 2016 election, calling Moscow's meddling a "big deal" deserving of new sanctions immediately. Still, the South Carolina Republican insisted that President Donald Trump had done nothing wrong, citing special counsel Robert Mueller III's refusal to charge Trump with either conspiracy or obstruction of justice in the Russia probe. "I think the idea that this president obstructed justice is absurd," Graham, a fierce Trump ally, said on CBS News's "Face the Nation." "I can't think of one thing that President Trump did to stop Mueller from doing his job ... I've heard all I need to really know." During the interview, however, Graham challenged the assertion by Trump's son-in-lawin a Time magazine interview on Tuesday that Russia's bid to sway the 2016 election in Trump's favor amounted to a "couple of Facebook ads" - and that Mueller's investigation was more damaging to the country than the Russian effort. "You look at what Russia did, you know, buying some Facebook ads to try to sow dissent ... and it's a terrible thing," Mr. Kushner said last week. "But I think the investigations, and all of the speculation that's happened for the last two years, has had a much harsher impact on our democracy than a couple of Facebook ads." Graham said Sunday that although "I like Jared a lot," he's "leaving out a big detail" - namely that the Russians hacked emails of the Democratic presidential nominee's campaign manager and the Democratic National Committee. "Can you imagine what we would be saying if the Russians or the Iranians hacked into the presidential team of the Republican Party?" Graham asked. "So, no - this is a big deal. It's not just a few Facebook ads. They were very successful in pitting one American against the other during the 2016 campaign." Graham also argued that "an attack on one party should be an attack on all" and said he has spoken to Trump about imposing more sanctions on Moscow. "They're coming at us again, and I'd like to stop them, and one way to stop them is to make them pay a price," Graham said, later adding: "The Russians are up to it again ... Everything we've done with the Russians is not working. We need more sanctions, not less." Trump, however, demonstrates a continued unwillingness to accept that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, even questioning his own intelligence community's findings about Russian hacking. Multiple news outlets have reported that Trump believes such an assertion undercuts his victory. Graham's words, however, are unlikely to satisfy Democrats, given his insistence that there is nothing to re-litigate following Mueller's report at a time when House Democrats say they will use the document as a road map for their own investigations. One of 10 instances of possible obstruction cited in the Mueller report, which is more than 400 pages long, involved Trump allegedly calling then-White House counsel Donald McGahn and telling him to fire Mueller. House Democrats have subpoenaed McGahn, but Graham said he has no plans to do the same in the Senate. "I don't care what he said to Don McGahn; it's what he did. And the president never obstructed," Graham said. "If you're going to look at every president who pops off at a staffer and, you know, asks them to do something that's maybe crazy, you wouldn't have any presidents." Notably, however, Mueller argued in his report that he did not feel he had the authority to determine whether Trump had obstructed justice. The special counsel seemed to defer to Congress on the matter, citing Justice Department guidelines barring a president from being charged with a crime. NORWALK The Board of Education has a new name, new schedule and new program theme for Ponus Ridge School. The schools name will be altered only slightly, in respect to the neighborhood, to the Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy, with additional context to honor not just the geographical landmark, but the native American sachem for whom it was named. The board also approved a new STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) program theme for the school. Construction to expand Ponus to a K through 8 school began earlier this year. It represents an effort by the district to be ahead of the curb and to have the latest and the longest lasting, enduring model as we begin the new magnet school, Superintendent of Schools Steven J.Adamowski said at a meeting last week. With that program theme, the board also approved an adjusted schedule, on a pilot basis, to allow for an hour of science instruction per school day in keeping with Next Generation Science Standards and better access to the arts, whereas past schedules emphasized math and reading instruction. The program theme would be rolled out in 2020-2021 for the upper school grades sixth through eighth and in the 2021-2022 school year for the lower school, according to Board of Education Chairman Mike Barbis. What were proposing here, on a pilot basis, is a schedule for Ponus Ridge Middle School that we feel would be more appropriate, or most appropriate, to implement the STEAM model, Adamowski said. The roughly $43 million Ponus construction project will be completed in four phases and is expected to take a year and a half. The result will be more courtyard and parking space, a new math lab, a new technology lab and additional classrooms for lower grades, as well as nearly 40,000 additional square feet. The first phase of the project began earlier this year and will see the expansion of Ponus Ridge Middle School into a K-8 STEAM magnet school. Adamowski said that participation in the arts in Ponus has historically been low. The ability to play instruments, for example, is limited at the school because many are involved in interventions. The new curricular program would hopefully limit the frequency of interventions and increase arts access, Adamowski said, a concept that several board members embraced at the Tuesday meeting. I would not downplay the role of music and the arts in general, in relation to academic achievement. I think school becomes a much more interesting place, a much more fun place, a less stressful place and I think that will have a ripple effect right into academic subjects, Board member Bruce Kimmel said. Theres documented correlations, not only that it does make school less stressful and more interesting, but also it gives you a cognitive boost, across the board, Vice Chair Sarah Lemieux added. The schedule change was approved on a pilot basis to ensure that performance in reading and math does not slip as a result of the renewed emphasis on science, art and writing-intensive social studies instruction, the last of which Adamowski said would hopefully maintain students English and language arts skills. If its positive, if achievement does not go down in reading and math and it goes up in science and arts access, this might be something that would be proposed by a future administration for more middle schools, Adamowski said. justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586 Ruling Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Rep. Hong Young-pyo holds a press conference at the National Assembly, Sunday, denouncing the main opposition Liberty Korea Party's attempt to block reform bills. Yonhap By Lee Min-hyung The confrontation between the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and four other parties deepened Sunday after the LKP vowed to use all possible means to block the latters' move to fast-track reform bills. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) filed complaints with the police against 18 LKP members, including its floor leader Rep. Na Kyung-won, for using violence to block related National Assembly committees from holding meetings where they were supposed to vote on whether to push the bills forward. In response, the LKP reported 17 DPK members, including floor leader Rep. Hong Young-pyo, to the police, claiming they assaulted the LKP members. The partisan conflict escalated into a battle for public opinion over the weekend, with the rival parties appealing for public support through street rallies or press conferences, following their recent violent clash in the Assembly. Since Thursday, the LKP has carried out a sit-in protest inside the Assembly building, to show its opposition to the move to fast-track bills on judicial and political reform. The DPK is pushing ahead with its plan to fast-track the bills on electoral reform and the establishment of a special unit to investigate high-ranking government officials suspected of corruption. The LKP is protesting the move, particularly the electoral reform bill, saying this would allow "leftist coalition forces" to take up more than half the seats in the National Assembly. Liberty Korea Party floor leader Rep. Na Kyung-won holds a press conference at the Assembly, the same day, to criticize the ruling Democratic Party of Korea over its move to fast-track reform bills. Yonhap NORWALK For the first time in decades, parking at the beach will be a little bit different this year. Gone are the paper resident passes and in their place a new electronic system to help the department collect daily parking fees from non-residents. The one thing thats staying the same is residents will park for free, according to Ken Hughes, superintendent of parks and public property for the city. Weve been trying to say nothing ever changed for residents its still a free resident pass, Hughes said. However, for the last almost 30 years, residents had to drive to City Hall and get a paper pass before going to the beach. This year, beginning May 15, that system will move online. Residents can now, as long as their taxes are up to date and their car is registered in the city, just drive on to Calf Pasture Beach, Shady Beach, Taylor Farm, Veterans Park and Cranbury Park, park for free and avoid the line at the gatehouse. They dont need the paper pass anymore they just come to the parks and park, Hughes said. The Recreation and Parks department moved the gatehouse at Calf Pasture Beach this offseason to allow residents to just keep driving straight into the lot. For nonresidents, they can drive and park in the lot and then pay the daily rate by their phone through the ParkMobile app, instead of stopping at the gatehouse and paying cash. Theyll be funneled through the entrance near the new location of the gatehouse, so they can ask questions of the beach ambassador onsite if they have any. The whole premise for this was to get out of cash, Hughes said. The beach is becoming so popular, so the amount that were now bringing in, were over $400,000 in cash. The two reasons were to no longer accept cash and make it easier for residents. The city entered into a $180,000 contract with Port Chester-based LAZ Parking, who also helps administer the Parking Authority run sites, to provide the license plate recognition system for the parks and beaches. The company utilizes a license-plate recognition system, so the plates will be scanned at random to make sure nonresidents are paying and only residents get access to the area for free, Hughes said. We will have a vehicle thats already equipped with the license plate readers, so theyll be on constant patrol, Hughes said. Anybody that comes in and parks now and doesnt have a valid plate, theyre going to get a $60 ticket. Itll also help them patrol nonresidents taking the resident-only spots closest to the beach, he said. Historically, spots along the water (at Calf Pasture) are resident-only, as well as Shady Beach, Hughes said. Thats always been resident-only the problem was it was never really enforced. We never had a way to patrol that. Now with this new system, well have a way to patrol whos parking by the water. While the new system will officially go into effect on May 15, the department will be testing its system beginning May 1 to make sure its ready to go. Hughes emphasized that the department is not looking to charge residents, but just collect money from nonresidents in a new way. Its a big change for the past 30+ years the city has done parking the same way so this is a big change for residents and non-residents and for us, he said. Residents can visit https://www.norwalkct.org/1311/Resident-Beach-Boat-Passes to make sure their cars are registered with the city or for more information about the new system. kelly.kultys@hearstmediact.com Connie Osterman presented the program, themed Happy Birthday. Altrusa International of Grand Island was granted its charter in 1951. Active members were recognized Bartlett has been active for 41 years and the most current member, Pat Durbin, one year. Members recalled past big projects for Altrusa including: purchasing a new emergency unit for the Grand Island Fire Department, a donation to the Jaws of Life, funding a special lift for the YMCA pool to allow handicap access to the swimming pool, sponsoring the Travel and Adventure films, started and funded the Lifeline project through St. Francis hospital, organizing and hosting the Jerry Lewis Telethon for a weekend at the Holiday Inn, sponsoring a literacy program, and in celebration of Veterans Day making, door decorations for each veterans room at the VAMC. Through the years the Altrusa group has spent many hours on other community projects and plan to continue this kind of service to the Grand Island community. OConnor said Sedgwick was actively looking for a local business partner to serve Grand Island area residents better when they connected with Emerald Roofing. Many in our industry view insurance companies as the villain in storm restoration situations, he said. We believe the true villain is the storm. Our philosophy is that if we stay intensely focused on consistently delivering on the fundamentals exceptional service at a fair price the rest takes care of itself. OConnor said most projects handled by the Grand Island office will come from outside the Sedgwick program, but Sedgwicks recruitment of Emerald Roofing was the final push he needed to make the decision to open the location. OConnor said it was easy to say yes to extending his brand to Grand Island given he already had a trusted team member living here. Lindsay Blackwell, the Grand Island regional manager, has worked with and for OConnor for years, and has built a reputation of genuinely caring about her clients. He said the decision to appoint Blackwell as the client lead was automatic. EDWARDSVILLE Students enrolled in academic courses as part of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Successful Communities Collaborative completed a year of real-life community development projects in partnership with the City of Alton. The yearlong partnership brought together students from seven different disciplines with the goal of advancing local resilience and sustainability based on community-identified environmental, social and economic issues and needs. Projects in Alton were focused on small business development, accessibility and livability. The City of Alton is truly grateful for the collaboration with SIUE, and we look forward to maintaining this relationship beyond the current academic school year, said Alton Mayor Brant Walker. Engaging students and faculty to look at our community, and identify ways to make Alton a better place to live and work has been a great learning experience for us. Connie Frey Spurlock, SSCC faculty director and associate professor in the Department of Sociology, noted the level of expertise that SIUE students and faculty brought to the projects. SSCC is about bringing what the University has an abundance oftalented, creative students and faculty to the community, said Frey Spurlock. It was good to have our students provide new ideas, energy and momentum, so the community can better achieve its own goals. Highlights of SSCCs accomplishments this first program year included: Sociology students in the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities program (spring 2019) identified existing and perceived barriers to business development, which will be shared with the City of Alton to aid new business growth. These students also took part in a pop-up event where they painted the street green to demonstrate plans for new bicycle lanes along two blocks of East Broadway and provided Alton residents an opportunity to provide feedback on the plan. Students in Civil Engineering 493 (spring 2019), in consultation with engineers at Sheppard, Morgan & Schwaab, created plans to improve Altons State Street. These plans include alternative intersections and ADA-accessible curb ramps. Students also developed a storm water management plan for the city. Computer Management and Information Systems 470 students (fall 2018) compiled data and provided the foundation to develop a mobile app with the purpose of promoting Altons small businesses and retail centers. Students in Computer Science CS 425 (spring 2019) began the coding groundwork for the app, while students enrolled in CS 499 will make final additions and changes in fall 2019. There is no substitute for real-world experience, and our SIUE Successful Communities Collaborative project provided just that, said Parker Littlejohn, a School of Business senior who took the CMIS 470 class. Gaining this tangible experience with the guidance of Dr. Laurie Giddens and other SIUE faculty was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The community partner for the 2019-20 school year will be announced soon, according to Frey Spurlock. Short-term contract workers, who work fewer than 15 hours a week, have increased over the past 13 years. About 70 percent are women. Korea Times file By Bahk Eun-ji The number of part-time contract workers has more than tripled in Korea over the last 13 years, with about 70 percent being women, a study showed Sunday. More companies are using such workers to reduce labor costs most of the workers are not entitled to severance pay, bonuses, leave and other benefits, resulting in polarization among workers. According to a Korea Labor Institute (KLI) study based on 2017 data from Statistics Korea, about 679,300 people were part-time contract workers, employed for fewer than 15 hours a week. They made up 3.4 percent of 20 million of paid workers. Their number also rose nearly 3.4 times from 198,900 in 2004. About 71 percent of the part-time workers were women, of whom 45 percent were 65 or older. "Companies seem to have increased employment of such part-time contract workers to reduce labor costs," said Hur Jai-joon, a KLI researcher who led the study. Under the law, companies do not have to provide national health insurance, national pension, employment insurance and workers' compensation insurance to these employees, nor severance pay and leave, according to Hur. Only 9 percent of these workers were part of the national pension program, and 2.3 percent were covered by the state employment insurance. A mere 2.1 percent had a contract to receive severance pay, 6.9 percent for bonuses, 4.3 percent for overtime pay, and 1.6 percent to paid leave. Their average pay was a little over 10,000 won an hour, and they usually held the job for a year. Some experts have said the increase in part-time contract workers was a result of women's increasing participation in the labor market and switching from full-time jobs to more varied part-time ones. However, more than 43 percent of the workers were engaged in jobs that require simple tasks such as cleaning and security work, and 22.7 percent were in the service industry. "This can worsen polarization in the labor market," Hur said in the study. "Part-time contract workers consist of different types of workers, so the government needs to support them with more customized policies." Another study by the Korea Institute of Public Finance also stressed various government policies to meet the more varied job types. "The current labor safety net offers limited support to short-time contract workers, so it needs to be more linked to welfare policies," the report said. "The government has to come up with support measures for those who are underemployed." EDWARDSVILLE Prepare for high flying fun for a statewide initiative at the annual Flying 4 Kids Kite Fly Saturday at Joe Glik Park. How many people we get depends on the weather, said Assistant Director for City of Edwardsville Parks Department Katie Grable. It averages between 50 and 80 kids. However last year we had 128 kids because of the beautiful weather. The event runs from 9 a.m. to noon and the first 50 kids that arrive get a goodie bag, courtesy of Cassens Transport Company. Every kid gets to decorate their own kite to fly. Edwardsville Parks & Recreation Department is hosting the annual kite fly to raise awareness for the Park District Youth License Plate. The event is a part of the Illinois Association of Parks Districts (IAPD) statewide kite fly, Flying 4 Kids, which generally takes place in April or May in communities throughout Illinois. [In total] $25 from each park district youth plate sale and subsequent renewal goes to the PowerPlay! Grant Program, explained Public Relations Director of IAPD Bobby Jo Hill. The PowerPlay! Grant Program funds youth programs in agencies across Illinois, such as Edwardsvilles parks department, with programs that are designed to show youth the benefits of fitness, health and nutrition. Since its inception, PowerPlay! has awarded hundreds of thousands of grants to parks departments, recreation areas and more in Illinois. The PowerPlay! Grant Program program has several aims in helping Illinois children. The childhood obesity rate is at epidemic levels. We are seeing more cases of childhood diabetes and other health issues, Hill said. It is our goal to get kids outside and learn about fitness, health and nutrition. It also aims to provide more after-school programs to kids. According to the PowerPlay! website, there are 1,714,000 youth ages 5 to 14 in Illinois, many of whom are often left unsupervised after school. Youth that are involved in after-school programming are two times less likely to use drugs, have better performance in school and develop better lifestyle choices regarding health and fitness. To be awarded a grant, agencies either come up with a new program that utilizes core guidelines from IADP or enhance existing programs to incorporate a healthy lifestyle curriculum. We think parks are a great place for these programs, as they already have a focus on outdoors and recreation, Hill explained. As far as the event today, the Gateway Kite Club will show some of the best kites they have in their inventory. We have kites that are as big as school blackboards, said Mitch Cordover of the Gateway Kite Club, who will be showcasing kites at the event. And when you have a good wind, you can put blow-up decorations on the line like cows and pigs and things like that. Cordover has been involved in kite flying for decades, something he loves to share with others. I was an emergency doctor and there is no better way to de-stress and reach a place of calm then to put a kite into the blue sky, Cordover said. The sensation you get when you fly a kite is almost as if you are up there flying yourself. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, April 28, 2019 09:01 970 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa87352a9e7 1 Environment selfie,gorilla,wildlife,ranger,national-park Free A picture of two mountain gorillas posing with an anti-poaching unit ranger has gone viral. Carer Mathieu Shamavu posted it on Facebook with the caption: Another day in the office." The gorillas are living in an orphanage in Virunga National Park, DR Congo. Rangers rescued them as babies of two and four months when their mothers were killed in July 2007. By growing up with the rangers in Senkwekwe Sanctuary in Virunga, the animals now seem to perceive them as their new parents and try to imitate human behavior and postures, such as by standing upright on two legs. Read also: Indonesia's selfie-snapping monkey named 'Person of the Year' I was very surprised to see it, said Innocent Mburanumwe, deputy director of Virunga in an interview with BBC News. "So its very funny. Its very curious to see how a gorilla can imitate a human and stand up." Yvonne Ndege, a former BBC journalist now working for the United Nations in Kenya, commented on the extraordinary photograph by saying, Selfie of the year no question! A team of 600 rangers takes care of the endangered animals as the region is not only impacted by war, but also attracts poachers. Shamavu and his colleagues job is dangerous, since more than 130 park rangers have been killed in Virunga since 1996. Five of them died last year during an ambush by rebels. (sop/kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Sun, April 28, 2019 16:06 969 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8735351cf 2 Food Coca-Cola,coffee,beverage,food,#food Free You could call it a different kind of energy drink. By the end of 2019, Coca-Cola will be releasing Coke Coffee in 25 markets around the world to get a foothold in the industry. The beverage is just as it sounds: Coca-Cola blended with coffee. With more caffeine than a can of soda, but less than a cup of coffee, the product will be pitched as an energy drink for that mid-afternoon slump, reports CNBC. It's not the first time the beverage giant has tried to launch coffee-flavored Coke. Read also: Japan just released Coca-Cola Coffee The brand first introduced Coca-Cola Blak in 2006 but discontinued it two years later, CNBC notes. Coca-Cola Australia also launched Coca-Cola Plus Coffee in 2017. Last year, Coca-Cola announced plans to acquire UK-based coffee chain Costa for US$5.1 billion, in an attempt to get in on the hot beverage market. The deal closed in January. By John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS Despite the terrible fire which collapsed the roof and destroyed large parts of the fabled Gothic Cathedral, despite the collapse of its iconic spire in the midst of the inferno, and despite the near apocalyptic pyre which engulfed the medieval church, Notre Dame de Paris still stands as a stunningly beautiful testament to civilization, culture and to Christianity. The world watched and wept as the media covered the conflagration as almost surrealistic images of the beloved medieval cathedral poured forth with billows of smoke and flame. Can this happen? Is it true? Memories of September 11th darted through the embers to the melancholic soundtrack of fire brigade sirens as the dry wooden roof exploded into the dusk. This writer was stunned and saddened to see this tragedy unfold on TV; only later did the depth of the event really process. Yes, it happened. This was real. Notre Dame de Paris was the first European cathedral I visited as a child; this grand Gothic structure on its island surrounded by the Seine River and standing as a beautiful and enduring symbol of Paris and France. The pole star of Paris, the beating heart of France, the sanctuary of the Spirit. The great French author Victor Hugo called it a "vast symphony in stone." I've visited many of the great cathedrals of France; Rheims, Chartres, Bourges, but Notre Dame stands in Paris and none stand above her. Over the years I have been privileged to see and visit this landmark many times. French President Emmanuel Macron pledged, "We will rebuild this cathedral together." He stated, "Our history, our literature, our imaginationWe will rebuild it because it is what the French people expect, because it is what our history demands. Because it is our profound destiny." Bravo! Notre Dame Cathedral is viewed as the premier example of French Gothic architecture; construction of the church began in 1163 and continued for over a century. For over 850 years Notre Dame as a product of the medieval imagination, piety and genius, has witnessed the tides of history as the Seine flows round her. Magnificent stained glass windows, with their refinements of light, color and parables to the saints, have largely been saved. Henry Adams, the notable 19th century American author and chronicler of French cathedrals wrote, "Like all great churches, that are not mere store-houses of theology." He spoke of the architectural flying buttresses supporting the structure, the stained glass windows, the grotesque gargoyles leering over the sides and of course the sacred interiors. Notre Dame remains a sacred symbol in a profoundly secular France. It represents cultural and historic patrimony as much as being a sacred structure. UNESCO director Audrey Azoulay stated, "Notre Dame represents a historically, architecturally, and spiritually, outstanding universal heritage. It is also a monument of literary heritage, a place that is unique in our collective imagination. Heritage of the French but also of humanity as a whole." Bishop Matthieu Rouge of Nanterre outside of Paris conceded, "I think France may be one of the least religious countries in the world." Notre Dame is more than a church, but a symbol. Its bells signaled the history of Paris and indeed of France. During the French Revolution after 1789, the cathedral was desecrated and defaced; Victor Hugo wrote his iconic 1831 novel "Hunchback of Notre Dame" to help revive interest in the deteriorating cathedral, General Charles de Gaulle visited Notre Dame on the liberation of Paris from the Nazis in 1944, its iconic bells tolling freedom's rebirth. During the recent inferno, Notre Dame's flames were extinguished by the tears of the Parisians and the bravery of the Paris Fire Brigade. Rev. Jean-Marc Fournier, Brigade Chaplin, ran into the burning cathedral to save priceless relics, such as the Crown of Thorns, believed to have been worn by Jesus at the Crucifixion, as well as tunic of St. Louis, the French Crusader king. The main altar with the Pieta and Cross survived too amid the collapsed roof. Massive donations from the French business community and throughout the world have been pledged to rebuild; President Macron wants to see the job completed in five years but this task appears optimistic given the challenge of rebuilding the steep vaulted roof and reinforcing the long crumbling structure. Macron's call for artistically creative reconstruction? No thanks! The original was just fine. Notre Dame has suffered and has been damaged, but after 850 years, the masterpiece of architecture and hope endures. France mourns, the world weeps, but Notre Dame still stands! John J. Metzler (jjmcolumn@earthlink.net) is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He is the author of "Divided Dynamism: The Diplomacy of Separated Nations: Germany, Korea, China." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Rome Sun, April 28, 2019 19:05 969 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa873537cf8 2 Lifestyle Gucci,Kering,fine,fashion,#fashion,tax-evasion Free The owner of Italian fashion giant Gucci is set to pay a record fine of nearly 1.5 billion euros ($1.7 billion) in a tax evasion case, according to media reports Friday. "Lawyers are still negotiating with the tax authorities over a few hundred million euros, but the fine that the (French luxury) Kering group is about to pay is the highest (in Italy)," the La Stampa newspaper said. "It's a cheque for nearly 1.5 billion euros," it added. Read also: Kering's Gucci aims to steal luxury crown from Louis Vuitton It follows a probe by Milan's public prosecutor into the fashion house on suspicion of declaring several years worth of Italian sales in Switzerland, thereby saving around 1.3 billion euros in domestic tax. Kering is expected to sign an agreement on the amount due on May 2, according to the financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore. "At this stage, no agreement has been reached on any specific amount," the French group told AFP. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, April 28, 2019 17:09 969 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8735365ad 1 Lifestyle prosthetic-limb,prosthetic,skydiving Free Recently, a lumberyard worker in California spotted something surprising lying on the ground: A single prosthetic leg wearing a blue Nike shoe, but no trace of any other body parts, artificial or otherwise. Deputies of the Sonoma County sheriffs office searched for the owner of the prosthetic and eventually found him, according to CNN. The owner, Dion Calloway, said he lost the prosthetic at an altitude of 3,048 meters while skydiving and could not find it after landing. Read also: 'Ugly' prosthetics get French design treatment Ive jumped with the prosthetic before, but a rush of air got inside this time and it just flew off, Calloway explained as quoted by The State. Dion has done more than 500 skydiving jumps and he told police he regarded losing his prosthetic leg with humor as he lost his original one, the leg he was born with, in 2017 in similar circumstances. Great guy, full of humor who said he lost his first leg in a freak skydiving accident two years ago but that hasnt held him back. He jokingly quipped that this was his second leg lost while skydiving, the police office posted on Facebook. (sop/kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Josa Lukman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, April 28, 2019 Muslims make up around 3 percent of the total population in Australia, yet their presence is a part of the countrys vibrant community. Through a series of photos and a documentary, Boundless Plains: The Australian Muslim Connection at the Jakarta History Museum invites Indonesian visitors to learn about Australian Muslims and the history of Islam in Australia, including the role of Makassar merchants in introducing the religion to the land Down Under. The photo exhibition, running until Tuesday, reveals that the Makassar merchants were trading with the Aborigine population in the 18th century until the post-World War II migration boom from Europe. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Sun, April 28, 2019 23:09 969 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa87353d91d 2 Books A-Clockwork-Orange,Anthony-Burgess,manuscript,Book,#book,writer,The-Clockwork-Condition Free The unfinished manuscript was reportedly found among the writer's archives by his biographer and director of the Burgess Foundation, Professor Andrew Biswell. Titled "The Clockwork Condition," the nonfiction work comprises around 200 typewritten pages and features several handwritten notes. It had been left for decades in the author's house in the Italian town of Bracciano. When Burgess died in 1993, it was moved to the Burgess Foundation in Manchester, along with other works and possessions. The manuscript explores the controversy that followed the release of Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film adaptation of "A Clockwork Orange." The film was accused of inspiring violent copycat crimes, prompting the director to withdraw it from circulation. It was only at Kubrick's death in 1999 that it was made available for home viewing. Read also: Legendary director Kubrick honoured with London show Burgess' 1962 novel is set in a dystopian Britain, where teenager Alex and his gang of delinquents engage in random acts of extreme violence. "The Clockwork Condition" further develops the themes explored in the original book, including the dangers of technology. "Part philosophical reflection and part autobiography, 'The Clockwork Condition' provides a context for Burgess's most famous work, and amplifies his views on crime, punishment and the possible corrupting effects of visual culture. It also casts fresh light on Burgess's complicated relationship with his own 'Clockwork Orange' novel, a work that he went on revisiting until the end of his life," said Biswell in a statement. Biswell told the Guardian that it would be possible "in theory" to create a publishable version of the sequel. "There is enough material present in the drafts and outlines to give a reasonably clear impression of what this lost Burgess book might have been," he explained, adding that he had already been contacted by several publishers. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, April 28, 2019 09:23 970 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa87352ab7a 1 National wildlife,human-elephant-conflict,WWF-Indonesia,protected-animals,Sumatran-elephant Free Over the past few years, the conflict between humans and elephants on the island of Sumatra has become inevitable as they both try to defend the land they claim as their own, making it urgent to find a way to keep the giant mammals away from humans. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Indonesia said massive land conversions across the island since the 1980s have turned forested areas, which are the natural habitat of the Sumatran elephant, into plantations and residential areas. The elephants, that lost their homes then, at times entered the transformed areas seeking food. Humans, who were irritated by their presence, did everything they could to get rid of the animals from their properties. Last year, two farmers died in two separate incidents after trying to drive away a herd of elephants from their plantations in Lampung. The first incident occurred in Talang Marno forest in July, when a herd attacked a 70-year-old man near his hut. The second one took place in August in Pemerihan forest, in which a 60-year-old woman was the victim. But more elephants have died than humans, according to WWF Indonesia. At least three of the giant mammals were reportedly killed in Aceh, Jambi and Lampung last year in conflicts with humans. Seven were killed in 2017 and 13 in 2016. Residents try to get rid of the elephants in a very, very brutal way, Chik Rini, a communication officer of WWF Indonesia, said on Friday. She added that some farmers and villagers even killed the critically endangered animals with poison or snares. This cruel behavior needs to be stopped immediately by [among other things] inventing effective and innovative tools to drive away elephants from plantations and villages to avoid people becoming victims, Rini said. WWF Indonesia, therefore, has initiated a competition to design these tools with prize money of Rp 10 million (US$705) for the winner, or a group of winners. The top three candidates will each get Rp 10 million as well as the opportunity to visit Aceh and live in an area inhabited by elephants to test their proposed tool. Rini said entries should be submitted to WWF Indonesia on April 30 at the latest, through http://bit.ly/FormProposalPandaInnovation2019. Hopefully, this competition can help us to save the elephants as well as human beings. Sumatran elephants dwell in the lowland forests of Sumatra, Aceh, North Sumatra, Bengkulu, Jambi and Lampung, with most of them foraging in unprotected areas. Their status has been listed as endangered to being critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List in 2012 due to significant habitat degradation and poaching. The human-wildlife conflict mitigation manager at WWF Indonesia, Dede Hendra Setiawan, said the Sumatran elephant population had fallen around 35 percent in the past two decades from about 2,652 individuals to 1,724. The majority of the existing elephants, around 85 percent, live outside conservation areas, which increases the probability of conflict with humans. Because of elephants nature of exploring vast areas, humans need tools to secure their properties from the animals, but the tools should be safe for both humans and elephants, Dede said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, April 28, 2019 16:06 969 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa87353585d 1 National post-partum-depression,suicide,Cilacap Free Authorities and relatives of a 32-year-old mother, identified as SP, who reportedly took her own life by jumping off a bridge with her toddler son above the Serayu River in Cilacap regency, Central Java, have said postpartum depression may have been the reason behind the suicide. On Saturday afternoon, personnel from the Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) found the body of the woman who reportedly jumped from a bridge. The agency previously received reports from locals about the alleged suicide. The body bears a resemblance to the woman who reportedly jumped off the bridge with her son, an officer with the Cilacap chapter of Basarnas, Fajar Adi Nugroho, said on Saturday, as quoted by kompas.com. As of Saturday, authorities had yet to find the body of the toddler. Fajar added that the search and rescue personnel had continued the operation to locate and recover the childs body. Kesugihan Police chief Adj. Comr. Gunung Krido Wahono said SP had allegedly committed suicide due to postpartum depression, according to a statement from a doctor from the Maos community health center. SPs parent, Kustiono, 60, echoed the polices statement, saying the woman had suffered from postpartum depression after giving birth to her second child and having difficulty breastfeeding her child. She had received treatment. In the last two or three months, she could breastfeed her child. Previously, she was reluctant to be near her child, he said. Kustiono account was echoed by Ikhsan Juwadi, the head of the neighborhood unit where SP lived. After giving birth to her second child, she rarely left her home and met with other residents. She looked confused whenever others spoke to her. The number of diagnosed cases of postnatal depression remains the tip of an iceberg in Indonesia, as it is often not considered a serious mental health condition. Many believe that childbirth brings only joy, overlooking that mothers who have recently given birth can also suffer from fear and depression triggered by the experience. (kuk) There are several consultation services that can help people overcome their depression. For more information, contact the following foundations: Into The Light Facebook: IntoTheLightID Twitter: @IntoTheLightID Email: intothelight.email@gmail.com Web: intothelightid.wordpress.com Save Yourselves Facebook: Save Yourselves Instagram: @saveyourselves.id Line: @vol7047h Web: saveyourselves.org Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung, West Java Sun, April 28, 2019 10:03 970 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa87352b264 1 Business WHO,unicef,Bio-Farma,cooperation Free The World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nation Childrens Fund (UNICEF) have asked state-owned pharmaceutical company PT Bio Farma to produce and store monovalent oral polio vaccine type 2 (mOPV-2) as part of their effort to have a global stockpile of the vaccine. Bio Farma director Sri Harsi Teteki explained that the company had also received an official letter from the WHO through the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) about their request for 500 million doses of the mOPV-2 global stockpile. We responded positively to the request of the GPEI-WHO, Sri said in Bandung, West Java, on Friday. Recently, UNICEFs supply division from Copenhagen visited a Bio Farma factory in Bandung to discuss cooperation on the procurement of the mOPV-2 global stockpile, she added. Sri said Bio Farma, as the largest vaccine producer in Southeast Asia, supported the global move to eradicate polio, adding that a polio outbreak recently hit several countries, including Nigeria, Congo, Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia. She said representatives of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and PATH also visited Bio Farma in Bandung to discuss cooperation in research and development to develop new vaccines. Since 2012, Bio Farma has cooperated with the BMGF, including the transfer of technology, in trying to produce new vaccines like novel OPV, said Bio Farma president director M. Rahman Roestan. Novel OPV (nOPV) is a new generation polio vaccine, which is being developed in line with the global goal to eradicate polio by 2020. The research into nOPV includes the development of vaccine technology, three-phase clinical trials and the production process. We are trusted because we have the capability to take part in ongoing research, which has taken place for five years now, Rahman added. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Josa Lukman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, April 29 2019 In prayer: The Boundless Plains exhibition highlights the history of Islam in Australia. A photo exhibition shows the lesser-known connection between Aboriginal people and merchants from Makassar, South Sulawesi, which played a role in bringing Islam to Australia. Muslims make up around 3 percent of the total population in Australia, yet their presence is a part of the countrys vibrant community. 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 News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, April 28, 2019 15:05 969 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8735344f9 4 News mountaineer,mountaineering,MountainHiking,merbabu,hiking,Mount-Merbabu Free Hikers are required to register online before scaling Mount Merbabu in Central Java, according to the head of Mount Merbabu National Park, Johan Setiawan. Johan said the regulation is being trialed to enforce better hiker management on Mount Merbabu. The move aims to control hikers' quota and data, he said on Thursday as quoted by kompas.com. Hikers can book their slots via www.tngunungmerbabu.org. The park's management is also preparing a booking app that will be trialed soon. Therefore we [the management] do not have to take notes [manually] anymore; [hikers] only have to show their registration number, he said. He said this method could help monitor and manage the number of hikers entering and exiting the hiking track in order to avoid overtourism. Read also: Planning to hike Mount Ijen? You can now buy tickets online The new method is also expected to help the management collect complete data of the hikers and their group, which will allow for easier rescue if an accident occurs. When they book online, they have to input the data of their hiking group members; how many people, their hiking schedule, their ID number and emergency contact number. If they input the data at home [before they arrive at the hiking post], they will have a lot of time [to fill in the data], he said. The online booking method is being applied on the Selo Lama track. If the trial is successful, a similar policy will be implemented on other tracks on Mount Merbabu. (gis/kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Colombo, Sri Lanka Sun, April 28, 2019 10:03 970 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa87352b381 2 News Sri-Lanka,tourism,travel,destination Free Sri Lanka fears its lucrative tourism industry could see arrivals drop up to 30 percent, with losses of $1.5 billion this year, after deadly Easter attacks, the finance minister said Friday. "Tourism will be the worst affected," Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera told reporters. "We expect a 30 percent drop in arrivals and that means a loss of about $1.5 billion in foreign exchange." Samaraweera said the country could take up to two years to fully recover from Sunday's attacks, which devastated three luxury hotels and three Christian churches and killed 253 people killed, among them many foreigners. The government has blamed local Islamist extremists for the coordinated suicide bombings that shocked a nation recovering from a 37-year ethnic war that ended a decade ago. The Islamic State group said it carried out the attack and the government says it believes local extremists were at least inspired by IS militants. "Typically, countries that suffer isolated IS-style attacks see tourism recovering within one-to-two years, as long as root causes are addressed and security measures taken are well communicated," the minister said. Read also: Sri Lanka halts low season visa-free plan after bombings He pointed to Belgium, France, Spain and Tunisia as countries which recovered their tourism markets within a short time. Samaraweera said tourism was emerging as Sri Lanka's success story when Sunday's blast shattered hopes of reaching a revenue of $5.0 billion, up from last year's $4.4 billion. Official figures show that tourist arrivals in the first quarter of this year jumped 4.6 percent to 740,600 from a year earlier. India, Britain, and China were the biggest tourism generating markets for the island, which is known for its tropical beaches and picturesque tea-growing mountains. The industry was recovering from a severe battering during the 37-year Tamil separatist war that claimed 100,000 lives, but there had been no violence affecting tourists in the past decade. Samaraweera said he was hoping to unveil a package of concessions to help the tourism sector weather the impact of the suicide bombings. Most of the deluxe hotels in Colombo have stepped up security and curtailed bookings amid fears of more attacks. By Trudy Rubin "Our country is full." That claim by President Trump as he visited the southern border was directed at migrants seeking asylum. It was both false and foolish. False because America is not full (although Trump capitalizes FULL in his tweets). False because Trump's message was clearly a trial balloon for his 2020 election campaign that had nothing to do with solving immigration problems. And foolish because Trump's demonization of legal, as well as illegal, immigration sets the country for big economic problems in the future. It also undermines the values on which America was built. Let's start with some facts. First, America is not full, nor can it thrive without new immigrants, as demographer William H. Frey points out. Population growth has hit its lowest level since 1937, and would be declining even more quickly were it not for immigration. "By 2035, there will be more seniors than children for the first time in the nation's history," writes Frey, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. What gives America an advantage over graying nations in Europe, Japan, and even China, is the population boost from immigrants. That youthful infusion is essential to provide workers whose taxes will support the aging U.S. citizenry. Even now, the U.S. economy is experiencing a serious shortage of both skilled and unskilled workers. As for where the immigrants should go, a sane immigration policy could direct some of them to where they were most needed, including the revival of smaller cities that are suffering from depopulation. Instead, Trump has reportedly handed the reins on immigration policy over to aide Stephen Miller, the godfather of the Muslim ban who wants to revive the family separation policy at the border. Miller has made no secret of his desire to slash legal immigration. "This viewpoint is anti-American, without focusing on the central role immigration has played in the creation of this country," says Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) whose father immigrated to America at 19 and worked as a janitor to support his family. "When Trump and Miller talk about immigration in such a hateful way, it shows a tremendous ignorance of American history." Moreover, the White House attack on legal immigration displays a shameful level of immorality. Nothing illustrates this better than my recent conversation with former Army Reserve Sgt. Peter Farley about an immigration injustice I've followed for some time. Farley has been trying for eight years to help obtain visas for the family of two Iraqi brothers, both translators he worked with in Iraq. The Al-Baidhani brothers risked their lives to work with the U.S. Army (one was later shot by an anti-American militia) and entered the U.S. on special visas for translators; they are now working, paying taxes, and well settled. Their immediate family members, under death threat in Baghdad, are also entitled by U.S. law to visas. But the family is stuck due to the administration's attack on legal immigration, including visas for Iraqis and Afghans who helped Americans, as well as refugees, asylum seekers, and others. The Iraqi program has a backlog of more than 100,000 people, and, according to the State Department, only 48 were admitted in a ten-month period in fiscal year 2018. The Baidhani case illustrates the bizarre, bureaucratic maze that the Trump administration has established to block legal immigration. After five years of security vetting, under the Obama administration, the family were granted visas nearly three years ago, only to be told the day before they left for America that they needed to undergo another security check. By then, they had sold all their possessions. The family appealed, and in an almost unheard of reversal, immigration officials granted them conditional entry in June 2017. But by then, the Trump administration had tried to ban all Muslim immigrants, and made slashing immigration its signature issue. Despite backing by multiple congressional members and 135,000 signatures on a change.org petition, the Baidhanis have still heard nothing. Meantime, constant rule changes and the massive turnover at the Department of Homeland Security, whose top officials Trump has just forced out, plus the decimation of State Department staff dealing with refugees, makes obtaining visas nearly impossible. Just as a supportive congressman was set to send yet another letter to DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, she was fired. "We didn't even know who to send it to," Farley told me. "This is not what our country was supposed to be like. Where are we living?" We are living in a country where Trump's constant labeling of immigrants as rapists and murderers makes it impossible to craft a rational immigration policy. Where Miller's slashing the number of refugees (who get legal visas) puts America to shame. The Senate passed a bipartisan immigration reform bill in 2013 but that will never be repeated so long as Trump plays the immigration card for political reasons. Nor will Peter Farley succeed in helping the Baidhanis get their visas so long as this obscene game goes on. Trudy Rubin (trubin@phillynews.com) is a columnist and editorial-board member for the Philadelphia. Her commentary was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara Sun, April 28, 2019 20:46 969 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa87353a011 1 News Island-Tourism-Forum,Australia,travel,tourism,Lombok,West-Nusa-Tenggara Free In a bid to strengthen the tourist industry in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, the Australian government through its Bali consulate general office is set to host the Island Tourism Forum in Mataram on Monday. The forum aims to bring together government, academics, businesses, NGOs and communities to share experiences, encourage partnerships and explore investment and commercial possibilities related to the province. At least 150 tourism stakeholders from Indonesia and Australia are scheduled to attend the two-day event, which is said to bring Australias island tourism experience to Indonesia. Read also: Lombok dubbed Indonesia's best 'halal' destination Tasmanias tourism success, for instance, is set to be highlighted as a special feature. Tasmanias international tourism growth was by far Australias strongest this year, underlining Tasmania as one of the countrys most sought after holiday destinations. In 2018, Tasmania entered Australias National Tourism Hall of Fame after winning gold in ecotourism three years in a row. The forum will also feature some keynote speaker presentations, panel discussions, workshops, site visits, as well as networking opportunities. An exhibition will also be held, featuring some programs of local communities and NGOs, as well as some initiatives funded by the direct assistance program of the Australian Consulate General. As one of Indonesias new priority tourism destinations and the gateway to the Nusa Tenggara islands, Lombok is the perfect location to engage in an island-based tourism discussion, Australian Consul General Helena Studdert said in a statement. Studdert added that the initiative was inspired by the growing interest by Australians and Australian businesses in the tourism sector in Lombok. (kes) Of all the scenic tourist destinations across the archipelago, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) stands out for its seemingly endless wealth of natural beauty. Although world-famous destinations such as Komodo National Park have rightfully put NTT on the global tourism map, its the secluded beaches and caves scattered across Sikka regency that have made it a must-visit among vacationers. Among these beaches is Koka Beach in Wolowiro village, approximately 35 kilometers from Maumere, the capital of the regency. Koka Beach, popular among tourists as a slice of heaven on earth, is not to be mistaken as the average panoramic destination, as it boasts a host of little-known natural attractions waiting to be discovered by curious travelers. Rodja and Ndate Sare hills, which bookend the western and eastern wings of the beach, make for a particularly memorable view. The hills make the beach seem even more like a miraculous pocket of paradise. At the foot of Rodja hill, thrill-seekers may wish to visit a natural cave, dubbed Lia Wio, during low tide. The cave, which goes on for about 500 meters, is filled with icicle-shaped mineral formations called stalactites. Neighboring Ndate hill is also home to unique locales. Locals have regarded the hill as a sacred place, which only grants entry to a select few. According to locals, there is a derelict Japanese military bunker from World War II at the foot of the hill. The beach itself is a sight to behold. Astute vacationers will notice that the curves of the shoreline encircling the beach resemble the number three. The pearl-white sands, coupled with the turquoise-blue waters, make for an unforgettable panorama. Adventurous souls may be intrigued to venture forth, crossing the beach, to visit a small island dubbed Nusa Koka. The island is said to be chock-full of mythical striped snakes. According to local folklore, the snakes are crew members of a ship that got stranded on the beach decades ago. Therefore, locals never hurt the snakes since they are said to be vessels of human souls. Read also: Jakarta to host exhibition, auction of Sikka 'tenun ikat' Sikka Tourism Agency head Kensius Didimus said that in addition to Koka, the regency boasted several other exotic beaches such as Kajuwulu, Waiara and Pangabatan. The beaches around here are still largely untouched [by tourists]; they exude natural beauty, Kensius told The Jakarta Post. He went on to say that the regency had recorded a steady increase in tourist arrivals, both domestic and international, over the years, thanks to the allure of the beaches. (rfa/mut) Apr 28 2019 1:56 pm For the past several years the placement of Confederate symbols and flags in Southern states has stirred controversy, particularly after a shooting carried out by a white supremacist in a Charleston, South Carolina church which killed. In 2017, a rally held by white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia ended in the death of a young woman protesting the racist gathering. This past Friday, Governor Phil Murphy ordered the removal of the Mississippi state flag, which has the Confederate symbol on it, from Liberty State Park, which overlooks Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. In a statement Murphy said The Confederate symbol displayed on the Mississippi state flag is reprehensible and does not reflect our values of inclusivity and equality. Governor Murphy is right. Although there is room to argue that some symbols and monuments relating to the Civil War are merely a testament to the history of the South, it is also true that those very symbols are ones that racists rally around. White nationalists often use symbols of the Confederacy in their own propaganda and meetings the idea of a nation that is built upon racism and a subservient minority class is part and parcel of their evil intentions. Therefore, such symbols should be banished from all public places. Governor Murphy ordered the removal of the Mississippi flag before the shooting at a Chabad near San Diego which left one worshipper dead. But the attack, carried out by a white supremacist, reinforces my point. Holding on to remnants of a racist past only encourages those that still carry bigoted attitudes to carry out evil acts. White nationalists see these symbols as proof that the United States remains a racist country at heart, one that has been forced to conform to modern society whilst retaining their hatred of minorities. As such, any symbol or monument that reminds of that past should be kept in a museum, not hanging on a state flag. To put this in perspective, imagine if Germany kept the Nazi swastika in the corner of their flag as a reminder of their history. You would be furious, wouldnt you? And surely you wouldnt want that swastika being flown in any area, public or private. The Mississippi state flag is no different, and Governor Murphy was wise and correct in his determination that it should no longer be a part of Liberty State Park. By Jason Lim The day after the Easter Sunday terrorists bombing that killed over 250 people, the Sri Lankan government shut down popular social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube for fear of fake news and conspiracy theories that could incite further violence. This was largely met with support and even relief from the international community. Writing in the New York Times, Kara Swished said, "So when the Sri Lankan government temporarily shut down access to American social media services like Facebook and Google's YouTube after the bombings there on Easter morning, my first thought was 'good.' Good, because it could save lives. Good, because the companies that run these platforms seem incapable of controlling the powerful global tools they have built. Good, because the toxic digital waste of misinformation that floods these platforms has overwhelmed what was once so very good about them. And indeed, by Sunday morning so many false reports about the carnage were already circulating online that the Sri Lankan government worried more violence would follow." What a difference a few years make. Remember the Iranian Green Movement during which and in subsequent protests since in Iran social media was heralded to be the organizing platform upon which the everyday Iranian people would finally compel the mullahs to cater to their needs? How about the Jasmine revolution when social media platforms were heralded as the most powerful tool to empower the people and drive a democratization of governance across the world? It was David's stone against the Goliaths despots and dictators that would finally give voice to the powerless. We all know what happened to the early promise of those revolutions. It met the reality of how humans actually behave (not how we hope humans should behave) and dissolved into mostly limbo states that are not exactly better than the circumstances that they had risen up against. In a way, this tracks the reputational paths of Facebook and other social media platforms of the world. Once the darlings of the world for enabling easy "connections" among the various peoples of the world, social media is now tarred as the amplifying platform for extremist views and conspiracy theories that divide us in dangerous ways rather than connect us in common humanity. This path hit its nadir after the 2016 U.S. presidential elections in which social media platforms, particularly Facebook, was accused of being the primary means of Russian attempts to hack the election process. In a way, South Korea previewed both the light and dark side of social media way back in early 2008 during the first months of President Lee Myung-bak's administration. After announcing the FTA with the U.S., Lee faced a de-facto popular rebellion that caused the incoming president's popularity to drop from 52 percent to 17 percent within the first 100 days of his term. His popular nickname, Bulldozer, turned into a term of derision from one of admiration just a few months prior. This rebellion was primarily driven by alarming information that South Koreans would be forced to eat American beef from cows infected with "mad cow" disease. The misinformation campaign quickly took on a life of its own on the "Agora" service of Daum, the second most popular portal site through which a majority of South Koreans get their news. Fake news about the potential dangers of mad cow disease and conspiracy theories accusing the Lee government of sacrificing the welfare of Korean citizens to cater to U.S. demands and the bottom-lines of fat-cat corporations proliferated the Agora platform, as well as exhortation to organize and demonstrate at particular places and times. In other words, both the organizing power and misinformation danger of social media were on full display. Needless to say, black and white judgment over the efficacy of social media is too blunt. After all, social media is only a lens through which human behavior is magnified and amplified. We have always behaved tribally, believed in dark conspiracies against "the others," and organized to express our hatred and anger toward one another. What social media changed was the velocity of this behavior and, thereby, greatly reduced opportunities for cooler heads to intervene and/or restore some balance to public discourse. It's as if the critical point of a complex system is reached so quickly that there is no chance for the system to maintain equilibrium. If velocity is the problem, then perhaps Sri Lanka provided us with a perfect strategy to tap the breaks to control the speed. Eliminating social media won't work. It's just not realistic. Social media serves a very useful and increasingly critical function in our modern society. But perhaps reducing the velocity of social media by forcing it to go dark for a while after an event that can be used to incite further violence gives society enough breathing space to regain its footing. The trick is to find the right balance between censorship and the legitimate need to control the messaging this balance will be different for each country. Jason Lim (jasonlim@msn.com) is a Washington, D.C.-based expert on innovation, leadership and organizational culture. Courtesy of David Tizzard By David Tizzard David Tizzard One normally pictures British skies as being dreary, overcast, and rain-soaked. So it seemed rather fitting that the weather up near Dongduchon on Friday was exactly that, because a group of British veterans from the Korean War had come to participate in a memorial service. The event was held to commemorate the 29th Brigade's Actions at the Imjin River otherwise known as the Battle of Solma-ri or the Battle of Gloster Hill. Three British and one Belgian infantry battalion held their position determinedly against all odds and despite the inevitably of the onrushing Chinese offensive. The eventual and tragic yet noble fate of the 1st Battalion comprised of The Gloucestershire Regiment has become part of the broader British military history and created a bond with the people of South Korea with whom they fought so valiantly. That particular fidelity marked its 68th year anniversary this week. From its early treaties to its current high trade levels and frequent cultural exchanges, Britain and the Korean people have established a commitment that has been nurtured and built over the years. The relationship remains a strong one, cemented in blood, and carried forward through bilateral agreements and a joint adherence to international norms and laws. Historically, Britain's interest in Korea can be dated to the early 17th century. Through Portuguese sailors and explorers, news of a land known as "Corea" arrived. With it came promises of potential wealth and treasures to be obtained through trade and commerce particularly ginseng. Orders were thus given for Vice Admiral George Willis, commander-in-chief of the neighboring China station, to sign a treaty with Korea. This year, it was British Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Simon Smith who honored the commitment between the two countries as he read a speech sent by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: "For those veterans gathered here today at Solma-ri to commemorate the Battle of the Imjin, Her Majesty retains fond memories of her own meetings over the years with veterans of the Korean War and their family members. And she joins you all on this occasion in remembering all British servicemen who fell during the Korean War, whether at sea, on land, or in the air." Ambassador Smith was joined by Irish Ambassador Julian Claire, Belgian Deputy Ambassador Tine Jacobs, and representatives from the Korean and UN forces. They laid wreaths in front of the memorial and paid their respects to those that fought so valiantly for that which we are grateful today. And to mark the gratitude and continued friendship between Britain and Korea as well as all those countries that served alongside them a more moving sight could not be imagined than seeing Korean high school children embracing and thanking the British veterans. Courtesy of David Tizzard KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu speaks at a workshop with the firm's executives at the firm's office in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Friday. Speaking about a fire that caused a network blackout in Seoul, November 2018, Hwang urged employees to stick to the basics to restore customers' trust. / Courtesy of KT Phuket Opinion: Reflections PHUKET: The protest in front of Phuket Provincial Hall this week by residents from the Ua Arthorn (Mercy for others) housing estate in Baan Kuku in Rassada shone a bright light on the true state of Phukets water shortage. By The Phuket News Sunday 28 April 2019, 09:00AM Bang Wad reservoir as pictured last weekend. Photo: Richard Market The residents had every right to be angry. They had been without mains water supply for a month. They had spent what money they have on buying water, while emergency funds to provide water sit idle. The residents are members of one of the poorest urban communities on the island, with some 1,500 people living in tower block units built by the National Housing Authority specifically for people living on low incomes. Appreciate that point; even the national government recognises these people as poor. Now we know why Rassada was the first and only area that the Phuket office of the Provincial Waterworks Authority (PWA) started providing emergency water supply to in late March. The community was the first to have their water supply reduced so much it was effectively shut off entirely. Try shutting off water supply which is literally a medieval siege tactic to any other part of the island for a month and see what reaction you get. Moves this week to start having Royal Thai Army water trucks and water trucks from other municipalities in Phuket dedicated to serving the Ua Arthorn estate and other communities across the island left without mains water supply finally came but only after the protest by residents made news, to the public shame of the leading officials involved. Speaking of which, the Phuket Governor this week, in making his announcement that Phuket is not suffering a drought crisis, also expressed his concern for the image of the ongoing water shortages being presented in the media. If media presents information that is beyond the facts, then that can lead to our tourism image being affected, he said. The way it has been going lately, the media doesnt have to. Local officials are on a roll. First it was the ludicrous inclusion of the death penalty for taking selfies on the beach at the end of the runway at Phuket International Airport (now finally addressed), then it was and is the death penalty charge over the seastead fiasco, and now its our months-long water shortage situation that is apparently not a drought. The Phuket News cant wait to see what incredible news Phuket officialdom will bring us next week. Phuket Property Guide: Your shelter is not a tax shelter We touched on this in our first instalment, but weve since had a lot of questions about why a company-owned property should create an income tax liability for you. Today we expand on this and we hope that existing owners dont find it too frightening. propertyland By Thai Residential Sunday 28 April 2019, 02:30PM Having a Thai company set up either your own company or using that of your employer to legally own accommodation in Phuket invokes income tax obligation on both you and the company. Photo: Roberto Nickson It is an inconvenient truth that foreigners may not legally own land in Thailand. There are limited exceptions, related to investment in the Thai economy, which we will cover at a later date. But since these apply to only a small fraction of potential buyers, it is safe to say that freehold landed property is off limits to foreign buyers. One workaround which has been common for years is to set up a Thai limited company, and buy the land/house/villa in the name of the company. Doing so makes the owner a Thai entity, not a foreigner. It is, however, illegal for a foreigner to establish a company purely with the intent to purchase property. It is also illegal to use nominee (sham) shareholders to set up the company in the first place. (This topic will receive greater attention in a later segment.) Thai companies conducting legitimate business, producing audited accounts and filing taxes are perfectly allowed to own property. But if one such business whether your own or your employers company owns the house, villa or condo you live in, that is benefit in kind to you. And that makes it taxable. If your employer owns the property where you live, and you do not pay rent, the fair market value of the rental on that property is considered income to you. Likewise, if the company pays your rent as part of your employment package, the actual amount of rent paid is also a benefit. Most employers are aware of this, and if you work for a multinational company, it is likely they handle your local income taxes for you. But most people are not aware that setting up a Thai limited company to buy a bungalow or villa in which to live creates an income tax liability. Aside from the potential legal ramifications of setting up the company, if you are the director of a Thai company which owns the property in which you live, that is technically a directors perk. And the fair market rent which your property would command is treated as taxable income to you. On top of that, the rental income which your Thai company should be collecting is assessed as income to the company, which is obligated to deduct withholding tax, as discussed in a previous article in this series. That withholding tax is essentially a pre-payment of income tax, which the company must file every year. So, by living in company-provided accommodation in Phuket, there is an income tax obligation on both you and the company. But if you are a director of the company, and you set it up specifically to own the property, then its triple the fun: the legal status of the company, the tax status of the company, and your personal income tax liability. This article is from the 2018/2019 Thai Residential Phuket Property Guide. To download the 2019/2020 Guide visit ThaiResidential.com. Email: phuket@thairesidential.com. +66 9484 11918 City council grants Need-a-Ride taxi license during special meeting After receiving a letter from the Institute of Justice stating ordinance was unconstitutional, the council approved the taxi license for Need-A-Ride. Theres a not-so-secret handshake making its way around Upper Dublin that carries with it a clear message. If you see someone make a peace sign, then shake hands, congratulate them: theyre likely a member of Peace and Shake, a local nonprofit that has been named Upper Dublins Outstanding Nonprofit Organization Medal winner for 2019. When we were young, my dad taught us this handshake: Peace and shake. He would put two fingers out, to make a peace sign, and we would put up two fingers to make a peace sign, and then you would tap your peace signs together, said organizer Moira Murphy. That was his way of wishing us peace and happiness in our lives. The next part of the handshake was the shake: when you met someone, or you were saying hello, you would always look that person in the eye and give them a firm handshake, she said. Murphy said she and her three siblings all learned the handshake from their father Bob Boyle while growing up, and have not only passed it on to their kids, but also now to the group that carries the Peace and Shake name. About six years ago now, Murphy said, she and fellow Jarrettown Elementary School parents Heather Abebe, Jen Cullen, Lauren Foster, Mary Sirianni and Kim Verzicco started a volunteer group to help meet whatever needs they saw in the community. We provide meals, home visits, we provide furniture, school supplies, glasses for kids, Halloween costumes, clothing, winter coats we have a coat closet at Jarrettown Elementary with winter hats and gloves, ready for the kids if they need them, she said. We do Christmas trees, we help with rides and transportation when its needed, we help kids with summer camp now that summer is getting closer, and a long list of other efforts. Members of Peace and Shake have held organize food drives for Thanksgiving, service projects for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, even helped find jobs for those in need, and has continued to grow since securing formal nonprofit status in 2014. Murphy said Upper Dublin School District administrators have helped expand the groups efforts from the elementary to the high school, where the needs are different but the demand is always there. Weve been able to help some of the high school students with college application fees, prom tickets, senior dues, AP test fees, things like that, she said. Its pretty cool as the years go by, weve been able to really expand the support we give, she said. Any family in the Upper Dublin area that has a need, or would like to help meet one, can contact Peaceandshake@gmail.com or search for the Peace and Shake group on Facebook. Organizers will then meet in person with whoever can help, or whoever needs it, and so far every story has had a good ending. So far, we have never not bee able to help support a need, Murphy said. Peace and Shake has been chosen by the Upper Dublin Medals Planning Committee as a medal recipient for 2019, and all winner will be recognized at a medals reception and ceremony held by the Fort Washington Business Alliance on May 15. Murphy said, while the organizers helped get the group off the ground, several others deserve special recognition: principal Meg Place and guidance counselor Deborah Bonk from Jarrettown Elementary who helped get the group off the ground, and Upper Dublin High School Principal Robert Schultz and guidance counselor Donna Ward, who helped expand it there. Were truly thankful for every family that invites into their lives and their stories. We value that trust, and those relationships, so so much, Murphy said. The Upper Dublin community is a very special part of Peace and Shake, because Peace and Shake would not be possible without the support of so many incredibly generous people, and families, organizations and businesses, she said. Anonymous donors deserve thanks too, she said, including anyone who has sent in a monetary donation to the nonprofit, or dropped off a bag of clothes or food for those in need. Its just this amazing, powerful, quiet kindness. No one really wants a big shout-out of Thank you. Its just a beautiful way of kids and families coming together, everybody doing something kind, and everybody taking part, she said. OTTAWAJapanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes whirlwind visit to Ottawa this weekend offered the Liberal government a rare chance to trumpet a strong international alliance in the face of unyielding strain with its two top trading partners. But a gaffe by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau referring twice to strong ties between Canada and China, not Japan affixed a jarring asterisk to an otherwise warm and upbeat meeting between two allies facing the same common threats and challenges. Trudeau kicked off a Sunday morning photo-op in his Parliament Hill office noting 90 years of diplomatic relations between Canada and China, but immediately corrected himself to Japan. Later, in his opening remarks at a joint press conference, Trudeau said: I am very, very glad that you were able to make such time for the tremendous friendship that we celebrate every day between Canada and China. Thank you, Shinzo. Abes visit comes as Canada finds itself between a rock and a hard place with the United States and China. The Trump administration is holding firm on punitive metal tariffs, while the Peoples Republics ongoing imprisonment of two Canadian men following the arrest of Huaweis chief financial officer in Vancouver has thwarted the Trudeau governments Asian trade ambitions. Abe and Trudeau celebrated their successful launch late last year of the rebooted Trans-Pacific Partnership the 11-country Pacific Rim trade alliance that was rescued after President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from it in January 2017, nearly killing it. Trudeau said the new deal stands in stark contrast with the United States withdrawal from that agreement, and has given Canadian farmers an advantage over their American counterparts. I can certainly say that there are many Canadian ranchers, among others, who are significantly benefiting from the tremendous increase in beef and pork exports to Japan over the past months, while the Americans do not have that kind of access. Abe said the entry into force of the new Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership the CPTPP has enabled Japanese consumers to enjoy high-quality Canadian products in Japan. He said he had high hopes for further expansion of the export of Japanese high-quality products to the Canadian market. As such we are very happy to see the development of our bilateral relationship as well as partnership in various areas, including our economic co-operation (and) security co-operation. The two countries are also charter members of a new international club that doesnt include the U.S.: the Alliance for Multilateralism, a French-German initiative aimed at supporting the post-Second World War architecture the United Nations, NATO, the World Trade Organization, and other groups to which Trump has taken a wrecking ball. Abe is to host the G20 summit in June and will join Trudeau at the G7 leaders gathering in France in late August, and while Trumps seat at those two multilateral tables is guaranteed, continuing U.S. participation is no longer a given with its mercurial president. Abe noted Trudeaus leadership of the G7 last year in Quebec memorable for Trump hurling personal insults at Trudeau over Twitter from Air Force One after leaving and said he looked forward to the prime ministers help when he welcomes the G20 leaders to Osaka. The veteran Japanese leader made it clear that differences with China and the U.S. are significant, but he advocated a constructive path to bridge those divides. Japan and Canada share freedom, human rights, rules of law and other universal values, Abe said. Based on this foundation, the global community must unite and try to encourage China to play a constructive role. Canada and Japan also share the same vision when it comes to reaching out to the U.S., he said. We should co-operate together so that the United States will be encouraged to be the leader of the liberal free world. Abe arrived in Ottawa on Saturday, hours after playing a round of golf with Trump at his Virginia course on a visit that demonstrated personal bonhomie but bore no fruit towards advancing a U.S.-Japan trade deal to replace the TPP that Trump abandoned. Abe had warm words at his Saturday night dinner at the Prime Ministers Meech Lake retreat in West Quebec. It was a tremendous honour for me, Abe said through a translator. My wife, Akie, and I had a very special time with you and Sophie. On Friday, the Abes dined at the White House to celebrate the 49th birthday of Trumps wife, Melania. Abes apparent personal bond with Trump has blossomed even though Japan, like Canada, is suffering under the presidents punitive tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, and facing the threat of more tariffs on its automobiles. Trudeau and his cabinet have branded those tariffs illegal and insulting. HALIFAXFammy Uwantege wasnt born during the Rwandan genocide that began 25 years ago, but it has shaped her life and fuelled her passion for promoting peace. I grew up hearing it, hearing stories of what happened. I would say from my earliest memories, it was what I knew, the 22-year-old Halifax university student said in an interview. Her parents both survived the genocide, which began in April of 1994 when the Hutu-majority government orchestrated the massacre of minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The estimated number of people slaughtered in just 100 days ranges from 500,000 to one million. I feel like the devil came to our country. I feel like he was there, because theres no way someone, a normal person, would kill another person and be able to do things like go ahead and kill babies, Uwantege said. She is one of the organizers of a commemorative event marking 25 years since the start of the Rwandan genocide in April 1994. The remembrance ceremony will take place at St. Marys Universitys Burke Building from 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Her parents didnt shield her from the countrys dark past, but they were resilient in the horrors aftermath and focused on the future. They dont share many stories. Read more: They are gone, and gone forever: Rwandans now living in Ontario reflect on 25 years since the genocide Gov. Gen. Julie Payette visits Rwanda to mark 25th anniversary of genocide 25 years after genocide, Rwandas president praises healing Uwantege does know both of them witnessed people being slaughtered. Her father lost five of his eight siblings. Her mothers aunt was attacked, and survived for three agonizing days before dying from her wounds. My dad is not the type of person who shows his emotions, but I can see in his eyes usually during these days in April how he looks sad and down, she said. I feel like my heart aches from it, like the unseen uncles I could have, the aunties. You know, I never got to know them. And the worst thing is I dont even have their pictures, because their houses were burned. Uwantege avoids talking about the genocide and the people they loved and lost. The last time she asked her father about losing a beloved brother with whom he was exceptionally close, tears sprang to his eyes. I kind of tried to move past that question because its really hard, she said. Its like today you are with someone and then just after 100 days you are no longer with them, and youre seeing dead people on the streets. The idea is too horrible. Uwantege said no Rwandan was untouched as everyone lost loved ones or knows someone who did. Babies that would cry, they would just hit them on the wall until their brains came out, she said. I know about one woman who was telling the killers that she was hungry, and they cut her cousins fingers and they told her to eat them. If you say that youre thirsty, they gave you blood. I mean, it was beyond your imagination and mind. Her decision to come to Canada in 2015 to study at Mount Saint Vincent University was due in part to retired Canadian Lt.-Gen Romeo Dallaire. He was head of the 1993-94 UN peacekeeping mission in Rwanda. The humanitarian is revered by many Rwandans for his decision to go against orders of the United Nations, opting to stay and help those being slaughtered. Canadas Veterans Affairs website notes how Dallaire tried to get help from the UN to try to prevent the genocide he feared was coming, adding that in the torrent of murder that occurred, Dallaire evacuated many foreigners from the country and saved the lives of thousands of Rwandans. Rwanda will never ever leave me. Its in the pores of my body. My soul is in those hills, my spirit is with the spirits of all those people who were slaughtered and killed Fifty to sixty thousand people walking in the rain and the mud to escape being killed, and seeing a person there beside the road dying, Dallaire said in the fall of 2003 during a poignant PBS Frontline interview for the documentary Ghosts of Rwanda. We saw lots of them dying. And lots of those eyes still haunt me, angry eyes or innocent eyes, no laughing eyes. But the worst eyes that haunt me are the eyes of those people who were totally bewildered. Theyre looking at me with my blue beret and theyre saying, What in the hell happened? The central African nation of Rwanda has an area of about 26,000 square km, about half the size of Nova Scotia. Its projected 2019 population is more than 12.3 million. Uwantege said her family lived in the area protected by Dallaire during the genocide. Without him, she believes she probably would never have been born because one or both of her parents would most likely have been killed. Thats why she was overwhelmed when one of her professors got tickets for her to attend a Halifax event to hear Dallaire speak last November. She was so emotional when she first walked up to shake his hand that she could only utter a quick hello and goodbye. Her professor encouraged her to try again. Then I told him that maybe of the peoples lives that he saved, maybe one of my parents was there. Maybe it was my dad or my mom, and if it was not for him, maybe I would not have been born, she recalled. And I told him if it was not for him, maybe I would not have my aunties, or some of my uncles. I have a big family and maybe one of them was there. Just meeting someone that saved their lives and also likely saved mine because I was still unborn is magical. Uwantege was so overwhelmed she couldnt stop crying. She said Dallaire held her hand tightly, smiled and reassured her by repeating, youll be fine. For her, that 2018 meeting was a highlight of her life. Hes a hero for our country, and my country is me. On behalf of all the residents that never got a chance to tell him how grateful they were for their lives, I was able to say that I am grateful for him, she said. Its always a pleasure to meet someone that cares, someone that has the same values as me, because I think I would have done the same thing. And in this cruel world, this harsh world, where someone helps you only if they have something to gain in return, he really cared. She hopes the remembrance ceremony attracts people from outside the Rwandan community, because theyre the ones who most need to hear and learn from their stories. I cannot emphasize this enough, how important it is for anyone that is not from Rwanda to come ... because for us, we know what happened, she said. If you do not hear what causes it, if you do not know what genocide is, you cannot even tell when its coming. Yvette dEntremont is a Halifax-based reporter focusing on health. Follow her on Twitter: @ydentremont Read more about: Park Jung-ho, left, CEO of SK Telecom, poses with Yoon Do-heum, president & CEO of Yonsei University Health System, at the former's headquarters in central Seoul, Friday, after agreeing to operate the country's first 5G medical services in the latter's hospital in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. The new hospital is scheduled to be open in 2020. / Courtesy of SK Telecom By Baek Byung-yeul SK Telecom and Yonsei University have agreed to join hands to launch the nation's first digital hospital powered by a fifth-generation (5G) network, the mobile carrier said, Sunday. The telecom firm said it signed an agreement with the Yonsei University Health System, Friday to equip the hospital being built in Yongin, on the outskirts of Seoul, with a 5G-enabled network. The Yonsei University Health System has four hospitals across the country that treat 4 million outpatients and 1.15 million inpatients annually. The Yongin hospital is scheduled to open in 2020. SK telecom firm said patient rooms will be equipped with the artificial intelligence (AI) smart speaker NUGU so that patients with physical difficulties can operate their beds, lighting and TV, and call for assistance using voice control. Using a mobile augmented reality (AR) app, patients and their "caregivers" can easily find locations in the hospital. The firm will also develop a hologram program for patients in isolation wards, so that they can "virtually" meet with visitors. SK Telecom is considering applying its quantum cryptography technology to ensure the security of medical information at every Yonsei hospital. The quantum cryptography technology encrypts transmitted data using quantum keys to prevent attacks from hackers. A facial recognition system will also be used for doctors and other medical staff to enter key facilities of the hospital. The telecom firm said the system allows "contactless" entry for staff which will also help decrease the risk of infection. CEO Park Jung-ho said, "SK Telecom will help Yonsei build the world's most innovative hospital by utilizing our technologies and services such as quantum cryptography and security services." Yoon Do-heum, president & CEO of Yonsei University Health System, said digital transformation is a must for the healthcare industry because "we are living in a high-tech digital world." "As a hospital equipped with cutting-edge innovative technologies, the Yongin Severance Hospital will serve a pivotal role in the Yonsei University Health System," he said. HAMILTONSomeone wants Pasquale (Pat) Musitano dead that much is clear. But why was the 51-year-old Hamilton mob boss, who remains in hospital with life-threatening injuries, shot outside his Mississauga lawyers office early Thursday morning? The targeted shooting comes amid a string of Mafia hits, so perhaps the biggest question is: why now? Wiretap conversations recorded as part of the prosecution against Domenico (Dom) and Giuseppe (Joe) Violi revealing the plan to target the Musitano boss stretch back at least to the fall of 2017, months after the May 2 shooting death of Pats younger brother, Angelo (Ang) Musitano, in Waterdown. Pat Musitanos own St. Clair Blvd. home was sprayed with bullets that June. In a Sept. 26, 2017, wiretap conversation summarized in court documents obtained by the Spectator, a paid police agent who secretly recorded his induction into the New York City-based Bonanno crime family asks Dom Violi about Pat Musitano. The (police agent) stated that (he) would have thought that they would have gotten rid of (Pat Musitano) before his brother (Angelo Musitano). D Violi stated that they wanted to show him (Pat Musitano); that it was a message D Violi thought. So, if killing Ang Musitano was meant to send a message to his big brother, what next? They had told D Violi that before Christmas (Pat Musitano) would be gone; that that would be one headache out of the way. Its not clear exactly who they are, or what may have delayed plans for the hit on Pat Musitano. But less than two months after that secretly recorded conversation, the Violi brothers were charged in a massive drug bust dubbed Project OTremens. Their arrests, and particularly the news that they allowed a turncoat to infiltrate and record high-level ceremonies, sent shock waves. Did it delay some plans to target Pat Musitano? If there was any heat or impending move on Pat, then the takedown could have possibly bought Pat additional time, says Stephen Metelsky, a criminology professor at Mohawk College who spent 21 years with Halton police, including specializing in organized crime. He was involved in the early days of Project OTremens, but retired before its conclusion. He writes about organized crime on underworldstories.com. Metelsky questions whether the heat from the Violis arrests would have turned everyones attention temporarily away from the Musitanos. The Violi brothers, part of the Luppino-Violi family of Hamilton, remain in prison after being sentenced to 13 and 16 years for drug trafficking. The Luppino-Violis and the Musitanos are two of the original traditional organized crime families in Hamilton. The third was the Papalia family, who faded after the murder of mob boss Johnny (Pops) Papalia in 1997. Pat and Ang Musitano were accused in the murder, but struck a deal. They pleaded to conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Niagara crime boss Carmen Barillaro, Papalias lieutenant, who was gunned down at his home. The brothers were quiet after their release in October 2006, with Angelo marrying, moving to Waterdown and having three sons. He was said to have found God before his death. In the September 2017 recorded conversation, Dom Violi says the Musitanos were supporting the Cuntreras, who at times are referred to as the coffee guys. The Cuntrera-Caruana Mafia family is known in the Woodbridge and Toronto areas. The home of Giuseppe Cuntrera, referred to in the court documents as Big Joe, was targeted with gunshots and fire in the summer of 2017. Pat and Ang Musitano are referred to in an earlier recorded conversation with the police agent, which is also included in the court file, from Jan. 6, 2016 more than a year before Angelos murder. In that conversation, Joe Violi talks about a plan hed heard about from a hit man to target two people, one in Hamilton and one in Toronto. Violi tells the police agent he thought the Musitanos and the Cuntreras were behind those plans. But it appears those murders, if there was ever any truth to the plans, never happened. In the months after the Violi brothers were arrested, the Mafia violence only continued, but this time targeting their own. On Sept. 13, 2018, Albert (Al) Iavarone was gunned down at the entrance to his Ancaster home. On Jan. 20, 2019, the Violi brothers cousin, Cece Luppino, was similarly gunned down on the Hamilton Mountain brow. Hamilton police Det. Sgt. Peter Thom, the case manager for all of the local Mafia murders, says its an investigative theory that these murders were retaliation and that they were perhaps to send a message to more powerful family members. Iavarones older brother, Tony, is mentioned throughout the wiretap conversations and is said by police sources to be the more powerful member of that family. Cece Luppino had reportedly rejected becoming a made member of his familys business. Peel Regional Police continue to investigate the Mississauga shooting and have not released any suspect description. As of Friday afternoon, Musitano was still in hospital with life-threatening injuries. Anyone with information, including video surveillance or dash cam footage, is asked to contact 12 Division criminal investigation bureau at 905-453-2121, ext. 1233. To remain anonymous, contact Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or peelcrimestoppers.ca. Vials and patches of fentanyl were reported missing from Canadian hospitals at a rate of about twice a week over a 15-month period ending on Jan. 1, 2018, according to federal records obtained by the Star. In total, the records reveal 138 incidents of lost fentanyl, including cases involving the even stronger derivatives remifentanil and sufentanil in patch and liquid forms. Its not clear how many of the highly dangerous opioids reported missing from hospital shelves were stolen or thrown out, as the causes for the disappearance are not be captured in the figures. In many hospital drug theft cases, the missing drugs are stolen for personal use by staff, according to experts. Seventy-six of the 138 incidents occurred in Ontario, while Alberta had the second-highest reported rate of missing fentanyl with 21 incidents, followed by Quebec with 20 and British Columbia with 11, according to the data, obtained under the Access to Information Act. Nunavut had only one incident but it was significant: 20 packages of fentanyl missing from a break-and-enter at a nurses station in May 2017. The total amount reported missing included more than 600 millilitres worth of injectable fentanyl and more than 50 packages of the drug. (The size of each package is not revealed in the data, making it impossible to estimate the full quantity of missing fentanyl.) The drug is used in hospitals as a powerful anesthetic for surgery and is also prescribed to alleviate severe pain associated with terminal illnesses such as cancer. It can be given in the form of tablets, skin patches or injections. It is especially dangerous because it is 100 times more powerful than oral morphine and 20 to 40 times more potent than heroin, making the risk of overdose much higher, according to Health Canada. An amount the size of a few grains of salt can be enough to kill an adult, according to Health Canada. Remifentanil is about twice as strong as fentanyl; sufentenil is five to 10 times as potent. Much of the missing fentanyl detailed in the federal records may simply be wastage for example, a container is discarded without being empty. But theft is a reality hospitals must confront, said Debra Merrill, president of the Ontario Branch of the Canadian Association of Hospital Pharmacists. She added shes not aware of any studies that would put the statistics obtained by the Star in context. American expert Thomas A. Smith said its tough to put the Canadian numbers in context. In the U.S., theft of hospital drugs is common but rarely discussed openly, he said. Most of that theft is by staff members with substance problems, he said. Estimates are that 10 to 15 per cent of health care workers misuse alcohol or drugs at some point in their careers, which is similar to the general population, said Smith, president of Heathcare Security Consultants Inc. and who has testified as an expert witness in U.S. court cases involving hospital security. The worst form of that misuse, he said, is diversion by substitution, in which a staff worker steals a drug meant for a patient, then gives that patient something else. This is a dangerous criminal situation requiring swift action and should result in criminal charges. According to the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists guidelines for preventing diversion, most thefts of drugs in hospitals are for the personal use of staff. Although it may be true that increased contamination of street drugs has increased the demand for safer pharmaceutical-grade opioids diverted from the health system, most health professionals who divert are not doing so for purposes of trafficking, the guidelines say. Rather, in most cases, the diverter is suffering from substance use disorder. Merrill, whos also director of the pharmacy program at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre in Barrie, noted that her hospital alone uses 1,000 millilitres of fentanyl a day. Were just one small hospital, she said, adding that hospitals have systems to closely track the drug. Those systems monitor employees use of the drug, she said. Read More: Its just too easy for doctors to steal. Thats why opioids are vanishing by the fistful in B.C.s Lower Mainland Health Canada introduced a more precise system for reporting missing fentanyl in January 2019, said Samantha Yau, president-elect of the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Ontario branch. This should result in fewer cases of unexplained loss, she said. Some fentanyl enters the Canadian drug market through theft of pharmaceutical fentanyl products, according to Health Canada. The drug also reaches the street via illegal importation from other countries and illegal production inside Canada. The Public Health Agency of Canada recently reported that more than 10,300 Canadians lost their lives to opioids like fentanyl between January 2016 and September 2018. The highest concentration of deaths was in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, according to the government agency. Ninety-three per cent of those cases between January 2018 and September 2018 were accidental overdoses. Asked what should be done to prevent medications going missing, U.S. expert Smith suggested strong auditing, security practices and awareness programs. Merrill said hospitals are working to reduce theft, including installing sophisticated vaults for storing drugs, with live camera feeds in the storage room and in hallways to ensure the drugs are held in restricted areas inaccessible to the public, Merrill said. Alarm systems are mandatory, Merrill said. Narcotics counts are conducted multiple times a day and at least two people must sign off on all transactions. There are also advances in software to detect missing narcotics, she said. All discrepancies are to be resolved before the individuals involved in the discrepancies can leave their shift, Merrill said. That said, Merrill said there is potential for theft through things like shortchanging medication to patients, a crime that wouldnt even end up on the missing fentanyl statistics. Is there potential? she asked. Yes. There is always a potential. Who are they going to call now? That is the question that keeps Irwin Elman awake at night. As Ontarios first independent child and youth advocate, Elman urged the provincial government to post his office number in every group home, youth corrections facility and childrens mental health treatment centre. The phone never stopped ringing. During Elmans decade on the job, an average of 3,000 kids a year reached out to his office for help. But with the Ford governments decision last fall to shutter the $13 million office on April 30, tens of thousands of Ontarios most vulnerable children and youth will lose the sympathetic ear and advocacy of several dozen staff dedicated to their well-being. These kids include First Nations children and youth, those seeking or receiving services from childrens aid societies, childrens mental health and youth criminal justice systems and those with disabilities or attending provincial schools for the deaf, blind and developmentally disabled. When Bill Daviss Progressive Conservative government created the Office of Child and Family Service Advocacy in 1978 as part of the community and social services ministry, it was a first for Canada and the world. Other provinces followed suit, with many establishing offices independent of government. Ontarios child and youth advocate became an independent officer of the legislature in 2007. The offices independence meant it could speak freely and release reports critical of government without fear of reprisal. Elman, 61, also fought for and won the right to be informed when a child or youth dies or is seriously injured while in the care of childrens aid or within 12 months of CAS involvement. That battle, launched in 2008 as part of his first annual report, was won in 2016 along with new powers to formally investigate any matter involving kids in the care of childrens aid societies, including deaths and critical injuries. The advocates investigative powers will become the responsibility of the provincial ombudsmans office on April 30. But Ombudsman Paul Dube wont have the right to investigate or even be notified of child deaths or critical injuries. Nor is he mandated to provide rights education to children and youth seeking or receiving services, or act as their advocate. Who is standing with those young people? Who is giving them a voice, even in death? Elman asks. Although his second five-year mandate ended last November, Elman remained in the office until April 1 to help with the transition. But he acknowledges it has been difficult. He condemns the loss of a provincial ministry dedicated solely to vulnerable kids and $1 billion in spending cuts to the ministry of children, community and social services, announced in this months provincial budget. It would seemingly be a recipe to increase the number of child deaths, he says. Both the advocates Thunder Bay and Toronto offices are closing and the phone number is being transferred to the ombudsman. Just 30 of Elmans 84 staff are moving to the ombudsmans office to become part of a new child and youth unit that will handle investigations. Ten staff will be designated as early resolution officers to deal with complaints or problems that dont merit a full-blown investigation. But they are not advocates for children. As Dube said in a February news release: It must be understood that an ombudsman is not an interest advocate; an ombudsman is an impartial investigator who advocates for fairness and good governance, but not for individuals. Lisa MacLeod, minister for children, community and social services, has said she will be responsible for advocacy through new youth roundtables that will report directly to her. But it is unclear how that will work. In a wide-ranging interview about his decade as advocate, Elman spoke to the Star about his achievements and his offices sudden demise. Here is an edited version of that conversation. Who are you worried about? Im thinking about a First Nations youth in Kenora. She got kicked out of a hospital emergency ward and she was seeking help. Somehow she got our number. She told us nobody was listening to her and that she needed help. We were able to talk to the hospital. Whos she going to call now? Its not the ombudsman. Its certainly not going to be the minister. I think of Chazz (Petrella). I think of his parents who called me too late. The day before he died (by suicide), his mom phoned us. She was having trouble getting appropriate mental health services for him. Nine (different) services were involved. We called for a service resolution to find out what was going on. That was the day before Chazz died. Who are parents going to call now? Im thinking about the kids in group homes who dont need someone telling them about other complaint mechanisms when they are calling to say they are far from home and want to call their parents but are being told they cant because they didnt eat their vegetables or something. All that child wants is, first, somebody to listen and understand, and then help. Whos going to do that? Theres nobody now. This is harmful to kids. I am hoping something will grow within (Dubes office.) Its good that investigations will still be independent. Id even be satisfied if (advocacy) went back inside government ... so it doesnt wipe out 40 years of something thats necessary. What else is being lost? My first report (in 2009) was called 90 Deaths: Ninety Voices Silenced. (The report asked why so many children and youth in care were dying every year, and why the government was not sharing information about these deaths with the advocates office.) People went ballistic. The coroners office, the Ontario Association of Childrens Aid Societies (OACAS) and others in the system were writing MPPs to shut me down. The premier (Dalton McGuinty) called me and he said: Keep going Irwin. One death is too many. The minister called me and said what are you doing? You just threw a bomb into the system. Ten years later, our office was building a new child death review process with the coroner and the ministry ... The pilot was the (2018) group home review (of 12 youth who died in residential care between January 2014 and July 2017.) I like inquests more than the coroner. They are expensive, I get that. But I need transparency and citizen participation. The coroner built that into the review. There was youth participation, families, front-line staff ... along with an independent instigator to make sure no stone got left unturned. The coroners own report calls for an overhaul of the childrens services system, which is what we called for in our 90 Deaths report. And stakeholders, OACAS, Childrens Mental Health, Ontario Residential Care Association, the unions were all on board. By putting young people and their stories at the centre, we brought everybody around ... it showed everyone we have to do better. I always felt child deaths were symptoms of other problems. The tip of the iceberg. But where are we now? In the coroners latest report (covering 2016 and 2017) there were 121 and 126 deaths (respectively), of children and youth involved with CAS in the previous 12 months the highest yet. The reporting is different and includes older kids (who have left foster care and group homes and are being supported in the community.) But thats a death every three days. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, a child dies ... And what is the governments response? They close the ministry of children and youth services (and amalgamate it with the ministry of community and social services.) They close our office. And they cut $1 billion from the budget. This is in response to a child dying every three days and to the coroners report calling for a complete overhaul of the childrens services system? It would seemingly be a recipe to increase the number of child deaths. What is your legacy? Katelynn (Sampson) guided me. (The 7-year-old Toronto girl was killed by her legal guardians in 2008, shortly after Elmans mandate began.) I know she wasnt invisible to the people she might have been close to. But she was invisible to her community and had no voice. We now have legislation (introduced in December 2016) that puts children and youth at the centre of decisions that affect their lives. (Katelynns Principle, is enshrined in the Child, Youth and Family Services Act.) Feathers of Hope (a 2013 First Nations youth initiative sparked by the office) has just been incorporated as a non-profit organization and will continue to reach out to First Nations youth. Hair Story (a 2012 project for Black youth in care) has become a youth-led non-profit advocacy organization. The Ontario Youth Advocacy Coalition (of former youth amplifiers and others connected to Elmans office) continues to meet and advocate. This is the legacy of Our Voice Our Turn (Ontarios first youth-led legislative hearings on the provinces child protection system in 2011.) My hopeful spot is that young people have changed the culture of the systems enough not completely but enough that those systems will ... get together, include young people and talk about what needs to happen even without government. Those people who are now very supportive of our office who originally werent they need to step up and support them. Young peoples legacy cannot be undone by this government. Weve been here before. Governments are not permanent. Government decisions and I am living proof of that are not permanent. But when children are speaking up in agencies, when the minister is calling for roundtables, when pieces of legislation include their voices, when youth in First Nations are talking about creating an advocacy office of their own, this is the influence of young people that cannot be undone by any decision of this government. What is next for you? Nothing employment-related. Im tired. I am spending time with my family. (Elman has two special-needs sons, ages 11 and 14.) I am going to Japan in December to help a group that wants to create a child advocates office. Ive asked people to step up. I guess Ill have to step up too. Ive joined the ranks of the thousands of informal advocates who are trying to make sense of the world and our province (under the Ford government). To protect children and to protect their rights. So Ill be there. Correction April 28, 2019: This article has been updated from a previous version that misstated the offices closing date. OTTAWAJapanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes whirlwind visit to Ottawa this weekend offered the Liberal government a rare chance to trumpet a strong international alliance in the face of unyielding strain with its two top trading partners. But a gaffe by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau referring twice to strong ties between Canada and China, not Japan affixed a jarring asterisk to an otherwise warm and upbeat meeting between two allies facing the same common threats and challenges. Trudeau kicked off a Sunday morning photo-op in his Parliament Hill office noting 90 years of diplomatic relations between Canada and China, but immediately corrected himself to Japan. Later, in his opening remarks at a joint press conference, Trudeau said: I am very, very glad that you were able to make such time for the tremendous friendship that we celebrate every day between Canada and China. Thank you, Shinzo. Abes visit comes as Canada finds itself between a rock and a hard place with the United States and China. The Trump administration is holding firm on punitive metal tariffs, while the Peoples Republics ongoing imprisonment of two Canadian men following the arrest of Huaweis chief financial officer in Vancouver has thwarted the Trudeau governments Asian trade ambitions. Abe and Trudeau celebrated their successful launch late last year of the rebooted Trans-Pacific Partnership the 11-country Pacific Rim trade alliance that was rescued after President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from it in January 2017, nearly killing it. Trudeau said the new deal stands in stark contrast with the United States withdrawal from that agreement, and has given Canadian farmers an advantage over their American counterparts. I can certainly say that there are many Canadian ranchers, among others, who are significantly benefiting from the tremendous increase in beef and pork exports to Japan over the past months, while the Americans do not have that kind of access. Abe said the entry into force of the new Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership the CPTPP has enabled Japanese consumers to enjoy high-quality Canadian products in Japan. He said he had high hopes for further expansion of the export of Japanese high-quality products to the Canadian market. As such we are very happy to see the development of our bilateral relationship as well as partnership in various areas, including our economic co-operation (and) security co-operation. The two countries are also charter members of a new international club that doesnt include the U.S.: the Alliance for Multilateralism, a French-German initiative aimed at supporting the post-Second World War architecture the United Nations, NATO, the World Trade Organization, and other groups to which Trump has taken a wrecking ball. Abe is to host the G20 summit in June and will join Trudeau at the G7 leaders gathering in France in late August, and while Trumps seat at those two multilateral tables is guaranteed, continuing U.S. participation is no longer a given with its mercurial president. Abe noted Trudeaus leadership of the G7 last year in Quebec memorable for Trump hurling personal insults at Trudeau over Twitter from Air Force One after leaving and said he looked forward to the prime ministers help when he welcomes the G20 leaders to Osaka. The veteran Japanese leader made it clear that differences with China and the U.S. are significant, but he advocated a constructive path to bridge those divides. Japan and Canada share freedom, human rights, rules of law and other universal values, Abe said. Based on this foundation, the global community must unite and try to encourage China to play a constructive role. Canada and Japan also share the same vision when it comes to reaching out to the U.S., he said. We should co-operate together so that the United States will be encouraged to be the leader of the liberal free world. Abe arrived in Ottawa on Saturday, hours after playing a round of golf with Trump at his Virginia course on a visit that demonstrated personal bonhomie but bore no fruit towards advancing a U.S.-Japan trade deal to replace the TPP that Trump abandoned. Abe had warm words at his Saturday night dinner at the Prime Ministers Meech Lake retreat in West Quebec. It was a tremendous honour for me, Abe said through a translator. My wife, Akie, and I had a very special time with you and Sophie. On Friday, the Abes dined at the White House to celebrate the 49th birthday of Trumps wife, Melania. Abes apparent personal bond with Trump has blossomed even though Japan, like Canada, is suffering under the presidents punitive tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, and facing the threat of more tariffs on its automobiles. Trudeau and his cabinet have branded those tariffs illegal and insulting. Read more about: KHARTOUM, Sudan - Sudanese protest leaders held talks with the ruling military council on Sunday after the military condemned an attack on an Islamist party close to President Omar al-Bashir, who was removed from power and jailed earlier this month. Dozens of protesters on Saturday surrounded a building where the Popular Congress Party was holding a meeting, chanting: No place for Islamists. The state-run SUNA news agency quoted party leader Idriss Suliman as saying that protesters attacked the party members as they left the building, wounding at least 64 people. The party was established in the late 1990s by Hassan al-Turabi, the Sudanese Islamist who played a key role in the 1989 coup that brought al-Bashir to power. It is a symbol of the lingering power of al-Bashirs regime, which was built on a close alliance between the military and Islamists. The deputy head of the military council, Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo commonly known by his nickname Hemedti accused the demonstrators of trying to set the building on fire. Security forces intervened to separate the two groups, he added, to avoid a disaster. The Sudanese Professionals Association, which spearheaded four months of overwhelmingly peaceful protests, condemned the violence. Protest leaders demanding a speedy transition to civilian rule are now locked in a standoff with the military, which removed al-Bashir from office April 11 under pressure from the popular uprising. A military council has said it will rule the country for up to two years until elections can be organized. The Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, a coalition of opposition groups led by the SPA, is pushing for a transitional council that would include only limited army representation. The protesters fear that the military will cling to power or cut a deal with other parties to leave much of al-Bashirs regime intact. The military has said it is open to proportional civilian representation in its council and the granting of executive powers to civilians. It has said it is consulting with all political factions except for al-Bashirs National Congress Party on the way forward. Amjad Fareed, an SPA spokesman, said late Saturday the talks have focused on the nature of the council, whether it is going to be a civilian council with some military representation or just military like the military council insists on. And how long is the transition process. Two activists within the SPA said both sides have reached an initial deal to share power in the transitional council. They said Sundays talks would focus on apportioning representation between the two sides. Both activists spoke on condition of anonymity as the talks are ongoing. After Saturdays meeting, sources said that an agreement was reached in principle to form a joint civilian-military council, but not on the division of seats in the new body, with the military apparently insisting on a majority of seats. The protesters suspended talks with the military a week ago but resumed the negotiations on Wednesday as three officials seen as too close to al-Bashir resigned from the military council. Speaking late Sunday at a news conference, Ali al-Haj Mohammed, the head of the formerly pro-Bashir Popular Congress Party, urged the military council not to yield to pressure. He said his party would oppose any bilateral deal, apparently referring to the talks between military and protest leaders. TAPACHULA, Mexico - Thousands fleeing conflict or poverty in Nigeria, Cameroon, Bangladesh, Haiti and Cuba have travelled across oceans, through the jungles and mountains of South America, up through Central America, on a route that so far ends here: the steamy, crumbling Mexican city of Tapachula, near the Guatemala border. Over 1,500 of them while away the weeks or months in a park dotted by giant ceiba trees and vines, awaiting exit visas that never seem to come, like a Mexican version of the movie Casablanca. Some say theyve given up hope of reaching the United States and just want papers that will allow them to work in Mexico but northern Mexico, where wages are higher. The government is not prepared to grant that, so it keeps them here, waiting. Perhaps for an asylum ruling, perhaps residency status. Their lives are a daily round of boredom, a lack of answers from authorities, dirty, overcrowded bathrooms and insufficient food. Those who still have money sometimes sneak out of the compound by jumping a wall and buying their own groceries to cook over open fires. The international melange of migrants seems to share a taste for rice and lentils, not the tortillas, beans and eggs provided by Mexican authorities. Maureen Meyer, director for Mexico and migrant rights at the Washington Office on Latin America, said that word quickly spread through international smuggling networks that Mexico had become more permissive for migrants. Attention drawn to the large caravans meandering north to the U.S. last year, combined with Mexicos fast-track for thousands of humanitarian visas in January, appeared like welcome mats on the global stage. At the same time, it became more difficult for migrants in Asia or Africa to reach Europe. Now the Mexican government is trying to get a better handle on the flows -- and perhaps even limit transit visas -- amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to clamp down on migration to the U.S. They didnt fully assess the messaging of being a more open country, said Meyer. Its obviously a very difficult situation for Mexico. The backlog on Mexicos southern border also appears, in part, to be a function of budget cuts, as well as the countrys limited capacity to handle large numbers of migrants, especially those from distant countries, some of which lack the infrastructure to handle repatriations. Trump has repeatedly threatened to close the U.S. border with Mexico if the heavy flow of migrants to the U.S. continues. The Mexican governments decision to detain as many migrants as possible, after President Trump put pressure on them to do so, has made it clear just how many third-country nationals from outside Central America are actually in the country, said Andrew Selee, president of the Washington-based Migration Policy Institute. Many of the migrants waylaid in southern Mexico take the interminable wait for visas in stride; they have been through much worse on their long torturous journeys. The thief took my backpack, with my telephone, my documents, my passport. He took everything, recounted Paul Eneceron, a 21 year-old economy student from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, who set out on Jan. 13 from Chile where he worked packing fish and baking cakes for 2 1/2 years hoping to reach Mexico, where he has relatives among the thousands of Haitians who have settled in Tijuana. He crossed through Peru, Ecuador and Colombia, but like most, he found the border between Panama and Colombia to be the most dangerous. It is patrolled by bandits toting guns and machetes who call themselves Los Indios (The Indians) even though they have no links to Panamas indigenous population. It was there that the bandits sprang out of the jungle. He (the robber) pointed the pistol at me and said: Hand over everything. And I gave him my backpack. One of the longest routes was that travelled by Musa Kolo, a welder from Nigeria. He said he fled violence from the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram in Nigerias Borno State several months ago and made his way to the Ivory Coast, where he stowed away on a freighter. Once he was discovered, the crew took pity on him and left him off in Brazil, and he made his way up through Colombia and on to Panama. From there the route now well-worn leads through Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and finally Mexico. Like Eneceron, Kolo struggled in the roadless Colombia-Panama border area known as the Darien Gap. In previous months, some migrants had been lucky enough to pay to make the passage on small boats that avoided much of the jungle, and the robbers. But in February one of the boats sank, killing about 19 migrants, and the service was shut down. So migrants like Kolo were left to hike. I spent nine days in the jungle, walking in the jungle. We had no water, our food finished after about three days because we didnt bring a lot of food. We just kept on walking. Now, I just spend my time praying they will give me my papers, said Kolo, who said he would consider staying to work in Mexico. The large numbers of transcontinental migrants traversing that dangerous route speaks to the desperation of their situations at home, said Meyer, of the Washington Office on Latin America Charles Lwanga, a 38-year-old teacher, said he fled Cameroon two months ago to escape violence against the English-speaking population by the Francophone majority-government there. Lwanga travelled to Ecuador and then headed north, hoping to seek asylum in the United States. At the Panama-Colombia border, Lwanga was lucky. My group wasnt robbed, though others were, and he said, Some people just died out of exhaustion ... We saw bodies, fresh bodies, and skeletons of people who died some time before. Now, like so many others, after covering so many miles, his trail seems to have ended in Tapachula, where he said immigration authorities endlessly put off any response. These are the most arrogant immigration authorities I have seen on this journey, Lwanga said. Every minute they threaten you, to take you to another camp which is worse than this. Sometimes migrants travel a staggeringly long way to go just a short distance. Cuba is 90 miles from Florida, but Alain Romero, a baker and desert chef from Havana, has travelled nine months and thousands of miles only to be stalled in southern Mexico. Romero, who hopes to get a job in the United States and send money back to his wife and two daughters, flew from Cuba to French Guayana, then made his way through Brazil and Colombia to follow the Panama route north, suffering the same brushes with bandits the others did. Now hes been waiting 27 days at another of the camps that Mexico has set up to house and, seemingly delay with endless paperwork another group of hundreds of migrants in the town of Mapastepec, to the west of Tapachula. Though the days grind by with no answer as to when his papers will come, Romero is willing to wait. Things are worse in Cuba, he said. We are willing to keep waiting. There are people who got here ahead of us; we have to wait our turn. In the past, Mexico swiftly issued exit visas to Cuban nationals so that they could move through the country and toward the U.S. But Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors promises of a new, more humane approach to migration seem to be melting under U.S. pressure into the old, deportation-oriented policies of his predecessor, Enrique Pena Nieto. Mexico has deported tens of thousands of migrants in recent months and officials are now being more selective about who gets humanitarian visas. For some migrants, the wait in southern Mexico is likely to be so long their immigration status will change by itself, through the work of nature. Marc Louis Rosetanie, 26, nine months pregnant, and her husband Marc Roselin, 29, from Cap Haitien, Haiti, arrived just a few days ago in Mexico over the same torturous Central American route. Roselin stood with his wife outside an immigration detention centre in Tapachula, wondering who he should ask about applying for a humanitarian visa or obstetrical care for his wife. Soon, we will have a Mexican child, Roselin said. That may change things. ___ Associated Press writer Amy Guthrie in Mexico City contributed to this report. PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - A Cambodian court on Sunday charged three Chinese nationals with money laundering after the men were allegedly caught carrying more than $3.5 million without proper provenance for the money. The three men were arrested this past week at Phnom Penh International Airport after they arrived from Hong Kong. They were allegedly carrying $3.52 million in $100 bank notes in their bags. Ly Sophana, a spokesman at Phnom Penh Municipal Court, told reporters that the three men were officially charged with money laundering under Cambodias Law on Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting Financing of Terrorism. If convicted, the men could face 10 to 20 years in prison. According to the National Police website, the three men told police that some of the money was won gambling in Macau, and some was borrowed from relatives. They said the money was brought to Cambodia to invest in real estate. The men were arrested, however, and the money was confiscated due to not having the proper provenance, the website said. AMPARA, Sri Lanka - The Latest on the Easter bombings in Sri Lanka (all times local): 11:05 p.m. The leader of the Islamic State group has praised the attack in Sri Lanka and called it revenge for the fall of Baghouz, Syria, the last territory the extremist group held there or in Iraq. The U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group said the acknowledgement of the Sri Lanka attack by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi came during his first propaganda video in nearly five years. The 18-minute video released Monday by Islamic States al-Furqan media arm suggests al-Baghdadi filmed the video prior to the Sri Lanka attack. It is his first video appearance since he delivered a sermon at the al-Nuri mosque in the Iraqi city of Mosul in 2014, declaring himself the caliph of the territory IS held. The Easter bombings in Sri Lanka killed over 250 people. ___ 11 p.m. Muslim women in Sri Lanka will no longer be able to veil their faces under an emergency law ordered by President Maithripala Sirisena that bans all kinds of face coverings that may conceal peoples identities. The law takes effect Monday, eight days after the Easter bombings of churches and hotels that killed more the 250 people in Sri Lanka. Dozens of suspects have been arrested but local officials and the U.S. Embassy in Colombo have warned that more militants remained on the loose with explosives. Life on the South Asian island nation has been tense for people of all faiths. The decision came after the Cabinet had proposed laws on face veils at a recent meeting. It had deferred the matter until talks with Islamic clerics could be held, on the advice of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. ___ 9:05 p.m. Sri Lankan police say a woman and a 4-year-old child found wounded after a deadly gunbattle between police and militants have been identified as the wife and daughter of the alleged mastermind of the Easter bombings. Sri Lankas military says the gunfight Friday night in Ampara District in the countrys east left 15 dead, including six children. The Islamic State group has claimed three of the militants killed in the shootout. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said the two wounded were identified as the wife and daughter of Mohammed Zahran. Police also said Sunday that 48 suspects were arrested over the past 24 hours in connection with the Easter bombings that killed over 250 people. ___ 3:45 p.m. Sri Lankan police have entered the main mosque of National Towheed Jamaat, just a day after authorities declared it and another organization terror groups over the Easter suicide bombings. Police entered the mosque, located in Kattankudy in eastern Sri Lanka, on Sunday afternoon and stopped an interview with foreign journalists and officials at the mosque. Later, a senior police officer dispersed journalists waiting outside, saying authorities were conducting a cordon and search operation. Police then left, locking up the mosque just before afternoon prayers were to start. Authorities banned National Towheed Jamaat over its ties to Mohammed Zahran, the alleged mastermind of the attacks that killed over 250 people a week ago. ___ 6:20 a.m. The Islamic State group has claimed three of the militants killed in a shootout with police in eastern Sri Lanka. In a statement published early Sunday by the extremists Aamaq news agency, IS gave their noms du guerre as Abu Hammad, Abu Sufyan and Abu al-Qaqa. It says they opened fire with automatic weapons and after exhausting their ammunition, detonated on them their explosive belts. IS falsely claimed their militants killed 17 disbelievers in the attack. The militants often exaggerate their claims. The claim carried a photograph of two men before an IS flag, one carrying a Chinese variant of the Kalashnikov rifle like the one found at the scene, another smiling. Sri Lankas military says the gunfight Friday night in Ampara District left 15 dead, including six children. Berlin police say a 13-year-old girl and her 18-year-old friend have faked the girls kidnapping to blackmail a ransom from her father, a move that led to a massive manhunt involving 280 officers in the German capital. Police spokeswoman Patricia Braemer said Sunday that police first heard Thursday night about the alleged kidnapping. The girl and her male friend were eventually apprehended on a Berlin street on Friday night. The girl was taken to the citys youth welfare office because she refused to return home. The 18-year-old was detained by police. Braemer said the girl and her friend are both Syrian citizens. She would not comment on how much money the two demanded from her father, but local paper B.Z. reported they asked for 40,000 euros ($44,650). MADRID - The latest on the Spanish national election (all times local): 12:40 a.m. The leader of Spains conservatives is acknowledging that Sundays election results for his Popular Party are very bad its worst showing ever in a national vote. Pablo Casado also told his Popular Party members Sunday night that we have been losing our electoral support for several elections. According to provisional results, the Popular Party will see its number of seats in Parliament shrink to 66 from the 137 it won in the 2016 elections. Casado blames the debacle on the splitting of voters on the right, with many being lured away by the centre-right Citizens party and the new far-fight Vox party. The Socialist Party of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez replaced the Popular Party as the biggest vote getter and is poised to stay in power. ___ 11:45 p.m. The leader of the United We Can anti-austerity party in Spain says that it has already offered the incumbent prime minister Pedro Sanchez his desire to form a left-wing coalition government. Pablo Iglesias spoke with provisional results in the countrys third election in four years gave the victory to the ruling Socialist Party but short of a parliamentary majority. He said we would have liked a better result, but its been enough to stop the right-wing and build a left-wing coalition government. United we Can, whose name in Spanish is Unidas Podemos, won 35 seats, 10 less than in the previous national election, in 2016. Iglesias blamed the result on the partys internal leadership fights. He said the negotiations for possible pacts will last a long time. ___ 11:35 p.m. Vox leader Santiago Abascal has euphorically celebrated his new far-right partys results in Spains general election. Abascal has told supporters in central Madrid that he blames the once-dominant conservative Popular Party for not being able to garner enough votes for the right-wing to oust incumbent Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Abascal gave a thumbs-up sign to celebrate his partys showing as confetti in the partys green and white colours showered down. He said we told you that we were going to begin a reconquering of Spain and thats what we have done. That is a reference to the 15th-century campaign by Spanish Catholic Kings to end Muslim rule on the Iberian Peninsula. The 43-year-old Abascal said that the 24 lawmakers from Vox that will sit in Spains lower house of parliament will be enough for the party to set the political agenda. He said that the lawmakers will ask those things that preoccupy Spaniards. Vox, which was formed five years ago, has promised to defend Spain from its enemies, citing feminists, liberal elites and Muslims among others. ___ 11:15 p.m. Spains government spokeswoman says the Socialist party has won the countrys general election with nearly all votes counted. The result means that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will be able to enter negotiations for a governing alliance with the far-left United We Can Party, whose leader has offered to share a coalition Cabinet. Both parties still need the votes of around 15 more lawmakers for Sanchez to be able to stay in office. Government spokeswoman Isabel Celaa said that the incumbent party of Sanchez received nearly 7 million votes, which results in 122 seats in the lower house of parliament. ___ 11 p.m. Vox general secretary Javier Ortega Smith has told supporters that today is historic after the new far-right party won its first seats in the Spains parliament. Provisional results give 24 seats to Vox in the lower chamber after Sundays election, with the Socialists taking the most votes. Ortega Smith says that this is an ephemeral victory since the left knows that with Vox their party is over. Ortega Smith adds: the resistance is now in the Congress, and starting tomorrow millions of Spaniards that have been silenced with have a voice in Congress. ___ 10:40 p.m. Spains once-dominant conservative Popular Party is on track to lose more than half of its parliamentary seats amid far-right gains in the general election. The conservative Popular Party, or PP, was once the leading force in parliament but will likely win only 65 seats less than get half of its 2016 haul of 137 seats, according to partial results with about 90 per cent of votes counted. The PPs influence has been diluted by the far-right Vox party, which looks set to make a strong entrance into parliaments lower house with 24 lawmakers, according to the partial results. PP also lost votes to the centre-right Citizens party, which will increase its number of seats from 32 to 57. The Socialists are poised to become the most voted party since 2008, but will need to make pacts with other parties to remain in office. ___ 10 p.m. Partial results in Spains election show the incumbent Socialists winning the most votes in the general election but falling well short of a majority. The far-right, meanwhile, has made strong gains. The provisional results, with 50% of the ballots counted, show that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchezs party has won 126 seats and the far-left United We Can got 35. That is still 15 seats short of the 176 majority in the 350-member lower house. If the results stand, that would mean Sanchez would also need to rely on smaller parties and separatists to stay in office. The right-wing bloc would be short of a majority, according to the partial results. With 67 seats, the once-dominant Popular Party has lost almost half of its presence in the Congress of Deputies, losing votes to the centre-right Citizens party, which grabbed 53 seats and far-right party Vox won 23. Spains Interior Ministry says that turnout was over 75%, well above the average in the previous 12 elections since Spain returned to democratic rule. ___ 8 p.m. Polls have closed in most of Spain in an election with one of the highest turnout levels in recent years amid division over the role that the far-right could play in influencing the countrys politics. Participation in Sundays election was more than 9% higher than during the 2016 vote, especially in the northeastern region of Catalonia, two hours polls closed. Spanish media showed long lines still in many of the polling stations at 1800 GMT (2 p.m. EDT), when all voting is supposed to end everywhere but the Canary Islands, where voting finishes one hour later. ___ 6:30 p.m. Voter turnout in Spains general election is over 9% higher than during the 2016 vote, especially in the northeastern region of Catalonia. Two hours before the polls close Sunday, Spains Interior Ministry says nearly 60.8% of all eligible voters have already cast their ballots, up from 51.2% at the same time in the 2016 election. In Catalonia, turnout is up to 64.2% from nearly 46.4% in 2016. This is the first national election since the regions failed secession attempt in 2017. In southern Andalusia, Spains most populous region, turnout has risen to nearly 57.3% from nearly 50.3%. Right-wing parties won Andalusias regional election in December, ending the ruling Socialists long-time hold on the region. A highly polarized campaign that included rising support for the far-right nationalist Vox party and an uncertain result Sunday appear to have motivated voters. ___ 4:10 p.m. Turnout is soaring in restive Catalonia as voters go to polling stations in much higher numbers for Spains first national election since the northeastern regions failed secession attempt in 2017. The Spanish Interior Ministry says that by 2 p.m. (1200 GMT), voter turnout in Catalonia is more than 11% higher than in 2016 elections, up from 32.31% to 43.52%. Sundays election comes during the ongoing trial of 12 leaders of Catalonias secession bid who are facing charges including rebellion. Five of those defendants are running in the election from inside a jail cell. Imma Margalef, a 60-year-old administrative assistant, says in Barcelona that she has voted for the pro-secession Republican Left for the first time because I think it is unfair that they have put these people in jail. Pilar Olivar, a 62-year-old marine biologist, is against Catalonia seceding and says she has voted for the ruling Socialists to keep the right-wing parties from returning to power. ___ 3 p.m. Spains Interior Ministry says turnout for Sundays national election so far is 4% higher than the previous ballot. The ministry says, as of 2 p.m. (1200 GMT), 41.5% of all eligible voters have already cast their ballots Sunday, up from 36.9% at the same time in the 2016 election. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchezs Socialist party is favoured to get the most votes, but it is expected to fall far short of a majority. The right-wing in Spain, long dominated by the conservative Popular Party, has now split into three groups, including the Citizens party and the far-right nationalist Vox party. The uncertain outcome includes the likelihood that a far-right party could enter Parliament for the first time since the 1980s. Polls close at 8 p.m. (1800GMT) for the nearly 37 million Spaniards allowed to vote. ___ 12:35 p.m. The leader of Spains conservative opposition says that Sundays general election is perhaps the countrys most decisive in recent years. Minutes after casting his vote in a polling station at a Madrid school, Popular Party leader Pablo Casado told reporters that he wishes for a stable government to emerge from the ballot. Santiago Abascal, the leader of the first far-right party likely to grab a significant number of parliamentary seats since the 1980s, also voted in a public school in the Spanish capital. Millions of Spaniards are going to vote with hope. They are going to do it without fear for anything or anybody, he told cameras. Vox, which has revived Spanish nationalism in response to separatist and liberal-minded movements, posted a tweet with a picture adapted from a battle in HBOs Game of Thrones series. A sword-wielding Vox warrior faces a wall of enemies carrying the symbols of Voxs political opponents: media organizations seen by the party as unfavourable and feminist and gay rights logos. Let the battle start, #ForSpain the tweet said. ___ 12:25 p.m. Alicia Sanchez, 38, and her mother cast their ballots in Spains general election at the Palacio Valdes public school in central Madrid in order to stop the racist extreme right from making a significant power grab. Ive always come to vote, but this time it feels special. Im worried about how they can influence policies on women and other issues. They are clearly homophobic. Reading their program is like something from 50 years ago. Im scared, Sanchez said Sunday. Minutes later, Amelia Gomez and Antonio Roman, she 86 and he 90, emerged from the crowd flocking to the polling station. Having voted in all elections since Spain returned to democratic rule four decades ago, following the dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco, the couple they didnt have much trust in politicians. All I want is for whoever wins to take care of the old people, Gomez said, complaining that the two of them together receive less than 1,000 euros (1,100 euros) a month in state pensions. They need to watch for the poor, thats their job, Roman added. ___ 10:30 a.m. The five top candidates to become Spains next prime minister are casting their ballots and encouraging people to take advantage of the sunny spring day to come out and ensure a high turnout in Sundays general election. All are voting in the Spanish capital except for the centre-right Citizens party leader, Albert Rivera, who cast his ballot in a town near Barcelona. Rivera, who has focused his campaign on unseating the incumbent Socialist prime minister, told reporters that a high turnout is needed for a government change and to usher in a new era. Pablo Iglesias, the leader of the left-wing United We Can party, also stressed the importance of voting on Sunday. My feeling is that in Spain there is an ample progressive majority, and when there is high participation that becomes very clear, Iglesias told reporters at a public school in the residential suburb near Madrid where he lives. ___ 9:45 a.m. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says he wants Sundays highly contested general election to yield a parliamentary majority that can undertake social and political reforms in the country. Surrounded by cameras and accompanied by his wife, the 47-year old incumbent Socialist leader cast his ballot early on Sunday at a cultural centre in an affluent suburban neighbourhood of the Spanish capital. He was the first of the five top candidates to vote in the general election marked by the rise of a far-right party and the high number of undecided voters. All polls forecast that Sanchezs Socialists will overtake the conservative Popular Party to garner the most votes, but Sanchez will be nowhere near a majority in the parliaments Lower House. Up for grabs are the 350 members of the Congress of Deputies, who then choose a government, and also 208 senators for the Upper House. ___ 9:05 a.m. A divided Spain is voting in its third general election in four years, with all eyes on whether the rise of conservative nationalism will allow the right wing to unseat the incumbent prime minister. Pedro Sanchez is set to win the most votes, but his Socialists seem far from scoring a majority in parliament to form a government on their own. The fragmentation of the political landscape is the result of austerity that followed the economic recession, disenchantment with bipartisan politics and the recent rise of far-right populism. Sanchez called Sundays ballot after a national budget proposal was rejected in the Lower Chamber by the centre-right-conservative opposition and Catalan separatists pressing for self-determination in their northeastern region. Voting stations opened at 9 a.m. (0700GMT) Sunday and will close at 8 p.m. (1800GMT), with results expected a few hours later. Hyundai Motor's Palisade / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor By Nam Hyun-woo The brisk sales of Hyundai Motor's Palisade and Kia Motors' Telluride large SUVs is paving the way for the two auto brands to bounce back from their earnings slump. According to reports from the two brands, Hyundai Motor saw an 824.9 billion won ($710.5 million) operating profit in the first quarter, up 21.1 percent from a year earlier. Sales also grew 6.9 percent to 23.99 trillion won. Its affiliate Kia Motors posted an operating profit of 594.1 billion won, up a whopping 94.4 percent year-on-year, though sales backpedaled slightly by 0.9 percent to 12.44 trillion won. Hyundai Motor's improvement is largely attributable to the domestic sales of the Palisade. More than 18,000 Palisades, which made its Korean debut in December, were sold in the first quarter. Initially, Hyundai Motor sought to sell 25,000 domestically this year, but said in a conference call that it will boost production and add an additional 15,000 vehicles. Following an agreement between its management and union, Hyundai Motor increased the monthly volume of the Palisade by 40 percent from 6,240 to 8,640 this month. The increase will help expedite the car's global sales, with the company planning to roll out the Palisade in the U.S. in the third quarter. "Hyundai Motor's recovery was largely attributable to brisk sales of the new SUV and improvements in its financial status," Hana Financial Investment analyst Song Sun-jae said. "Given the company's plan to release the new Sonata and Genesis brand's the G80 and the GV80 globally, the firm will likely show a sharper recovery in the second half." Kia Motors' Telluride / Courtesy of Kia Motors BAGHDAD - Turkeys foreign minister is in Iraq to discuss trade, border security and water resources. The two-day visit beginning Sunday will include stops in the autonomous Kurdish region and Basra, Iraqs main oil hub. Turkey is expected to rebalance its oil supplies after the U.S. announced it would end the waivers that have allowed Turkey to import from Iran despite sanctions. Iraq is one of Turkeys leading suppliers of crude oil. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met with his Iraqi counterpart, Mohamed Alhakim, in Baghdad on Sunday. He said Turkey would send a special representative to Iraq to discuss water resources after an exceptionally wet winter filled reservoirs and caused flooding in both countries. Alhakim said Iraq would facilitate trade with Turkey and called on Turkish firms to invest in Iraq. New York states attorney general, who promised during her campaign to investigating the National Rifle Associations non-profit status, has begun an investigation into the finances of the gun owners group, her spokeswoman said Saturday. The Office of New York State Attorney General Letitia James has launched an investigation related to the National Rifle Association (NRA), spokeswoman Kelly Donnelly said in an email. As part of this investigation, the Attorney General has issued subpoenas. William A. Brewer, the NRAs outside lawyer, says the organization will fully co-operate with any inquiry into its finances. He added, The NRA is prepared for this, and has full confidence in its accounting practices and commitment to good governance. James, a Democrat, had vowed during her campaign last year to investigate the NRAs not-for-profit status if elected. I will use the constitutional power as an attorney general to regulate charities, that includes the NRA, to investigate their legitimacy, she said at a July 12 rally. News of the investigation came as a struggle for leadership of the NRA erupted at the gun lobbys annual convention in Indianapolis. Iran-Contra figure Oliver North announced Saturday that he would not serve a second term as the NRAs president. The move followed Norths failed attempt to remove longtime NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre. The factional rift within the NRA was fueled in part by the threatened New York investigation. The group began a review of all its contractors last summer after James promised to investigate. The review led the NRA to sue its longtime public relations firm, Oklahoma-based Ackerman McQueen, which some NRA officials complained was refusing to turn over financial records. North had taken the firms side in the legal battle. The NRA has clashed repeatedly with New York elected officials aiming to curb the organizations influence. The group filed a lawsuit last year against Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo and other state officials after New York fined insurance broker Lockton Cos. LLC $7 million for underwriting an NRA-branded insurance program called Carry Guard. PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh synagogue that six months ago was the site of the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history held a vigil and offered its sympathy after another deadly shooting Saturday at a synagogue near San Diego, saying such violence must end. It was only six months ago to the day that we became members of that tragic club of community-based shootings to which no one wants to belong, read the statement from Pittsburghs Tree of Life synagogue. We know first-hand the fear, anguish and healing process such an atrocity causes, and our hearts are with the afflicted San Diego families and their congregation. We will not give in to H(asterisk), the statement read. These senseless acts of violence and prejudice must end, it continued. Enough is enough! Dozens of Pittsburgh residents gathered Saturday evening for a vigil of song and prayer on a corner outside the synagogue, joined by Mayor Bill Peduto and Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, who himself survived the October attack on Tree of Life. Peduto tweeted a picture of the vigil, accompanied by text that read: We gather. Again. Always. Until we drive hate speech & acts of hate out of our city, our state, our nation, our world. Meanwhile, Pittsburghs Public Safety Department said it was monitoring the situation and would increase security as necessary. It urged members of the public to remain vigilant and alert emergency officials if they saw anything suspicious. We understand this heartache all too well, Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said in a news release. Our thoughts are with those in the San Diego area, and our actions locally are and will continue to be focused on keeping everyone safe. Authorities say John Earnest, 19, opened fire inside the Chabad of Poway synagogue Saturday as worshippers celebrated the last day of Passover, killing a woman and wounding the rabbi and two other people. A person identifying himself as John Earnest posted an anti-Jewish screed online about an hour before the attack and cited the suspects accused of carrying out deadly attacks on mosques in New Zealand last month and at Tree of Life. Eleven people died and seven were wounded in the shooting at Tree of Life on Oct. 27. Truck driver Robert Bowers, 46, of Baldwin, Pennsylvania, pleaded not guilty to carrying out the attack, during which authorities say he expressed hatred of Jews. WESTMORELAND, Tenn. - The Latest on five bodies found in rural homes in Tennessee (all times local): 1:13 a.m. Authorities say the man arrested in connection with five rural Tennessee slayings suffered non-life-threatening injuries after being shot while being capture by police. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation officials said in a statement early Sunday that 25-year-old Michael Cummins was transported to a local hospital Saturday night. Investigators had been searching for Cummins after discovering five bodies in two homes in Sumner County. Police said officers responding to a 911 call from a family member led to the original discovery of four bodies and an injured person at the first home. The injured victim was transported to the hospital with unspecified injuries. The fifth body was found in another home. The TBI believes the two scenes are related. ___ 10:55 p.m. Authorities say the suspect wanted in connection with five rural Tennessee slayings produced multiple weapons, prompting an officer to shoot him. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokesman Josh DeVine says 25-year-old Michael Cummins was transported to a local hospital Saturday night. Investigators had been searching for Cummins after discovering five bodies in two homes in Sumner County. DeVine says TBIs airplane helped find Cummins on the ground in a creek bed about a mile (1.6 kilometres) from one of the crime scenes. The responding officers were not hurt. DeVine says TBI will investigate the homicides and the officer-involved shooting. Four of the bodies were found in one home, while the fifth victim was found in another home. The TBI believes the two scenes are related. Authorities have not released any details about the victims. ____ 10:30 p.m. Authorities say a suspect is in custody in the investigation into five bodies found in two rural Tennessee homes. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation tweeted Saturday night that 25-year-old Michael Cummins was in custody. A number of law enforcement agencies were searching for Cummins, saying he could be armed and dangerous. Four of the bodies were found in one home, while the fifth victim was found in another home. The TBI believes the two scenes are related. Authorities have not released any details about the victims. Sumner County is northeast of Nashville and borders Kentucky. The scenes are near the town of Westmoreland. ____ 9:20 p.m. Authorities say they have found five bodies in two rural Tennessee homes and are searching for a possibly armed suspect. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation tweeted Saturday night that investigators are looking for Michael Cummins in connection with the slayings in Sumner County. Four of the bodies were found in one home, while the fifth victim was found in another home. The TBI believes the two scenes are related. Investigators say Cummins may be in the woods nearby. Authorities have not released any details about the victims. Sumner County is northeast of Nashville and borders Kentucky. The scenes are near the town of Westmoreland. ANCHORAGE, Alaska - An Alaska pastor has launched a campaign to help an impoverished Aleut village create a new economy with the plentiful supply of reindeer that roam its isolated island home. John Honan sees great potential for establishing a small commercial reindeer processing plant in Saint George, home to 60 people and an estimated 350 reindeer. Honan, a Protestant pastor who runs an emergency housing ministry on another island, has started a donation drive for equipment, contacting local businesses to get involved, and has set up a relief fund for Saint George. Donations so far include a portable band saw, a table saw, two sets of butchering knives and $730 to go toward a refrigerated shipping container he envisions serving as the processing plant building. Saint George is a neighbouring island, and we love our neighbours, Honan said. Honan got involved when Saint George Mayor Pat Pletnikoff reached out to tribal leaders in Unalaska for help after an Alaska airline began offering regular flights between the two communities last year. Pletnikoff says at least half of Saint George residents are on welfare, and other than a small halibut fishery, the few jobs available come from the local and tribal government. He envisions a reindeer plant creating three or four jobs, which would be a big deal in the village, he says. The tribal leaders introduced Pletnikoff to the pastor, who was eager to help after the two brainstormed ideas and arrived at the concept involving the non-native reindeer. The U.S. government initially introduced 15 reindeer on the Bering Sea island in 1911 to provide a stable source of meat. In 1980, long after the animals had died off, the village Native corporation, Tanaq, transported another group of reindeer from Umnak Island, about 230 miles (370 kilometres) south in Alaskas Aleutians. Honan delivered the equipment gathered so far during trips to the village 220 miles (354 kilometres) from Unalaska Island. Pletnikoff said the village is waiting for all the equipment to come through before contacting state officials about the required next steps. Its just the genesis of an idea, of what can we do to develop an economy on the island, he said. Saint George, on an island by the same name, has long struggled to fill the economic vacuum left by the federal governments termination decades ago of the villages once-lucrative fur seal trade. Residents still hunt the seals for subsistence purposes, and the reindeer add to the local diet. Local leaders say the harbour is inadequate to accommodate large fishing vessels, with only a handful of residents involved in a small-boat halibut fishery. Pletnikoff said the village is working with the Army Corps of Engineers for construction of a new harbour that could allow a robust commercial fishing industry. In the meantime, Pletnikoff said, we need to take care of our people. Dozens of similar small operations have failed over the years because they lacked a realistic business plan, said Greg Finstad, manager of the University of Alaska Fairbanks reindeer research program. And the state has strict regulations for meat processors. It requires a state inspector paid by plant operators be on hand when reindeer are slaughtered at a permitted facility. An inspector is not required when reindeer are killed in the field, but that is allowed only under specific conditions in freezing temperatures, when there is snow on the ground and when the carcasses are immediately frozen. Finstad said acceptable field slaughters could be a challenge for communities like Saint George that are farther south and may be feeling the effects of a warming climate. Finstads program works with communities seeking guidance for developing a reindeer enterprise. We dont need any more failures, he said. We want to go and either create a happy story or give them the bad news that, You know what? This just isnt going to work. ___ Follow Rachel DOro at https://twitter.com/rdoro HUGO, Okla. - A man arrested on a robbery warrant after police opened fire on the truck he was in, injuring three young children, was in custody in an Oklahoma jail Sunday. Choctaw County Jail records indicate that William Devaughn Smith was being held on an aggravated robbery complaint. He had been in custody in Lamar County, Texas, after being released from a hospital there. The records dont indicate whether Smith has an attorney who could speak on his behalf. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said four children and their mother were with Smith when two officers approached him and gunfire broke out on Friday in Hugo, Oklahoma, near the Texas state line. Smiths relationship to the woman and children is not clear. Smith was treated for injuries at a hospital in Paris, Texas. The bureau said that three children, ages 5, 4 and 1, received injuries that are not life-threatening. Authorities said the children were taken to an Oklahoma hospital, but havent released their conditions or names. Olivia Hill told Sherman, Texas, news station KXII-TV that she is the mother of the children. She said the 4-year-old was shot in the head, the 5-year-old suffered a skull fracture and the 1-year-old suffered gunshot wounds on her face. She said the fourth child, a 2-year-old, wasnt touched with any bullets. Investigators have not determined what led to the shooting. A spokeswoman for the State Bureau of Investigation has said that authorities were still trying to learn the details of the interaction between Smith and police. Its also not clear whether the officers who opened fire could see the children inside the truck. Smith is suspected in an April 11 armed robbery at a Pizza Hut in Hugo. A post on the Hugo, Oklahoma, police Facebook page said a man entered the back entrance of the restaurant, pressed an object to an employees back and demanded money. Police said the worker handed over money and the robber left. INDIANAPOLIS - The Latest on the death of former Sen. Richard Lugar (all times local): 3 p.m. Vice-President Mike Pence says Indiana and America will never forget the leadership and service of former longtime Sen. Richard Lugar. Lugar died Sunday at age 87. He was a foreign policy expert known for leading efforts to help the former Soviet states dismantle and secure much of their nuclear arsenal. Pence issued a statement saying, Lugar was a leader not only in the Senate but also on the world stage, where he worked tirelessly to bring pressure to end apartheid in South Africa and enforce treaties that destroyed Soviet weapons of mass destruction. Pence says that as the longest serving member of Congress from Indiana, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Lugar leaves behind a legacy of public service that will inspire Hoosiers for generations. ___ 2:10 p.m. Indiana Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb has directed flags across the state to be flown at half-staff to honour former longtime Sen. Richard Lugar. Lugar, a foreign policy expert, died Sunday at age 87. Holcomb says flags will be at half-staff until Lugars funeral, which hasnt yet been announced. Lugar was a generally loyal conservative but lost his bid for a seventh Senate term in the 2012 GOP primary after attacks over his reputation for co-operation with Democrats and friendliness with President Barack Obama. Lugar gained little traction with a 1996 run for president, but he focused on the threat of terrorism years ahead of the Sept. 11 attacks. Purdue University President Mitch Daniels spent more than a decade as chief of staff to Lugar. He says, The world is safer from nuclear danger because of him. ___ 11:50 a.m. Former longtime U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, a foreign policy expert, has died. He was 87. Lugar was a Rhodes Scholar who was first elected to the Senate in 1976, after eight years as Indianapolis mayor. He was a generally loyal conservative but lost his bid for a seventh Senate term in the 2012 GOP primary after attacks over his reputation for co-operation with Democrats and friendliness with President Barack Obama. Lugar gained little traction with a 1996 run for president, but he focused on the threat of terrorism years ahead of the Sept. 11 attacks. POWAY, Calif. - The Latest on the shooting at a California synagogue (all times local): 8:20 p.m. Hundreds of people gathered Sunday night at a park for a vigil to honour the victims of an attack on a synagogue the day before. People at the community park near Chabad synagogue in Poway held candles and listened to prayer in Hebrew. Leaders asked community members to do acts of kindness to remember Lori Kaye, 60, a longtime member of the synagogue who was killed in Saturdays attack. Mayor Steve Vaus said he would stand with the community, and Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was shot in the attack, said seeing the crowd come together provided consolation. What happened to us, happened to all of us, Goldstein said. ___ 3:51 p.m. A Southern California rabbi who was shot during a deadly attack on his synagogue says he has received a call from President Donald Trump. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein on Sunday told reporters Trump called him to share his condolences on behalf of the American people. Goldstein says Trump was comforting and spoke about his love of peace, Judaism and Israel. Authorities say a 19-year-old man opened fire on the synagogue in Poway, California, during a service on Saturday, killing a woman and wounding three people, including Goldstein. ___ 2:30 p.m. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein says the gunman fled after the weapon used in the attack at a San Diego-area synagogue jammed. Goldstein spoke in front of Chabad of Poway on Sunday, one day after an attack killed a woman and injured three others -- including the rabbi. He says he looked up on Saturday and saw a young man wearing sunglasses standing in front of him with a rifle. Goldstein says he lifted his hands and was shot. He says he lost his index finger. And then, Goldstein says, miraculously the gun jammed. A 19-year-old arrested after the attack is expected to be arraigned this week on charges including murder and attempted murder. Goldstein said terrorism like this will not take us down. ___ 1:30 p.m. An 8-year-old girl hit by shrapnel during a shooting at a San Diego-area synagogue says she had just finished praying and was getting ready to go play with other kids when gunshots rang out. Noya Dahan says Sunday that her uncle rushed her and the other children outside as the gunman fired repeatedly inside Chabad of Poway. A worshipper, 60-year-old Lori Kaye, was killed in Saturdays attack. Noya says her leg was bleeding but doctors at the hospital told her she wouldnt need surgery. Her uncle, 34-year-old Almog Peretz, was also struck by shrapnel and has been released from a hospital. Noya says she was very scared. Her father, 32-year-old Israel Dahan, says he flipped over a folding table as soon as he saw the man enter carrying a long rifle. A suspect has been arrested. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was also wounded, plans an afternoon press conference outside the synagogue. ___ 12:30 p.m. Officials say the three people wounded in a shooting at a Southern California synagogue have been released from hospitals. The attack during a Passover service Saturday at Chabad of Poway killed one congregant, 60-year-old Lori Kaye. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein was shot in the hand. Two worshippers 34-year-old Almog Peretz and 8-year-old Noya Dahan suffered shrapnel wounds. Hospital officials say Sunday that all three have been discharged. Goldstein tells CNN that his scarred hand will serve as a reminder how vulnerable we all are to acts of terror. Police are searching the home of the 19-year-old alleged shooter who was arrested shortly after the attack. Hes expected to be arraigned this week on charges including murder and attempted murder. ___ 10:30 a.m. Shimon Abitbul says when gunfire erupted inside a San Diego-area synagogue, he immediately placed his 2-year-old grandson on the floor. Abitbul says Sunday that he was attending a service at Chabad of Poway a day earlier with his son-in-law and grandson when the shooting started. Abitbul he grabbed the toddler and sprinted away when there was a break in the gunfire. He later returned to try to help a woman he described as having a hole in her chest. He later found out 60-year-old Lori Kaye died of her wounds. He says the congregations rabbi was shot in the hand and had wrapped his wounded fingers in a prayer shawl. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein and two other people who were injured are expected to recover. Abitbul says hes still coming to terms with the carnage. ___ 10:15 a.m. A friend of the woman killed in the Southern California synagogue shooting says the victims physician husband was called to tend to a wounded worshipper and fainted when he realized it was his wife. Sixty-year-old Lori Kaye died after being shot Saturday at Chabad of Poway near San Diego. Three others were hurt. Congregation member Roneet Lev related an account from Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein of how Kaye threw herself in front of him, possibly saving his life. Goldstein is recovering from a gunshot wound to the hand. Lev tells the Los Angeles Times that Kayes husband began to do CPR on an injured person and was overcome when he realized it was his wife. Lev says Kaye had gone to the synagogue to say the Kaddish Jewish prayer for the dead for her mother, who had recently died. Lev says now the irony is people will be saying the prayer for her now. ___ 10 a.m. A shrine of flowers to honour those shot at a San Diego-area synagogue is growing on the sidewalk near the location where a gunman killed a congregant and injured three others. Next door to the Chabod of Poway synagogue, Father Alexander Federoff said Sunday that he is praying for the recovery of Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the hand after Saturdays shooting. Federoff says his Orthodox Christian congregation was in the middle of a prayer service when the gunshots rang out and that his church welcomed Jewish congregants and tried to offer them comfort. One worshipper, 60-year-old Lori Kaye, was killed. Goldstein tells CNN that two other victims have been released from hospitals. Investigators are searching the San Diego home of the 19-year-old shooter, who surrendered to police. Poway Mayor Steve Vaus has been meeting with residents, offering hugs, and vowing solidarity. ___ 6:20 a.m. The rabbi of a California synagogue that was the scene of a mass shooting recalls the moment the suspected shooter pointed a gun at him. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein says he was in the middle of his Saturday sermon at the Chabad of Poway when he heard loud noises. Goldstein says during a phone interview Sunday on Today he was face-to-face with this murderer, this terrorist when he turned around. He says he put his hands up to protect himself and lost one of his fingers in the shooting. One person, 60-year-old Lori Kaye, was killed in the shooting. The rabbi remembered her as a pioneering, founding member of the congregation and says he is heartbroken by her death. At least three others, including Goldstein, were injured. FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Officials say two men forced a school bus taking Alaska elementary students home to stop in the middle of the road during an apparent road rage encounter last week. The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports Alaska State Troopers are investigating after the car abruptly stopped in front of the bus in the North Pole area, and the men got out to yell at the bus driver last Tuesday. Ticasuk Brown Elementary School interim principal Alicia Lewis said in an email to parents that the bus slowly started moving forward, but the car followed it to the next stop. Lewis said the bus driver held students on the bus until parents arrived. Troopers also were called. Lewis said a monitor was placed on the bus the next day as a precautionary measure. ___ Information from: Fairbanks (Alaska) Daily News-Miner, http://www.newsminer.com WASHINGTON - The U.S. has little interest in joining other countries in a multi-nation effort to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, President Donald Trumps national security adviser said Sunday. The United States is not trying to exclude other nations from nuclear talks with Pyongyang, John Bolton told Fox News Sunday, but I think its not what our preference is. I think Kim Jong Un, at least up until now, has wanted the one-on-one contact with the United States, which is what he has gotten, Bolton said, adding that Trump is open to possibility of a third summit with Kim. Following their talks in Russia on Thursday, President Vladimir Putin suggested the revival of a multilateral approach to the denuclearization negotiations, which have failed in the past. Putin said Kim is willing to give up nuclear weapons, but only if he gets ironclad security guarantees supported by a multinational agreement. The U.S., North Korea, China, South Korea, Russia and Japan began so-called six-party negotiations in August 2003. North Korea accepted a deal in September 2005 to end its nuclear weapons program in exchange for security, economic and energy benefits. But disagreements between Washington and Pyongyang over financial sanctions imposed on the North temporarily derailed the six-nation talks before North Korea conducted its first nuclear test in October 2006. The disarmament talks resumed a few weeks later and the six governments reached a deal in February 2007 where North Korea would receive an aid package worth about $400 million in return for disabling its nuclear facilities and allowing international inspectors to verify the process. A final attempt to complete an agreement to fully dismantle North Koreas nuclear program fell through in December 2008 when the North refused to accept U.S.-proposed verification methods. Trumps two high-profile meetings with Kim first in Singapore and then in late February in Hanoi have yielded no denuclearization roadmap. In Russia, Kim strongly criticized Washington for taking a unilateral attitude in bad faith in Hanoi that he said caused the diplomatic standstill, North Koreas state-run Korean Central News Agency said Friday. Bolton said Trump is still looking at the possibility of a third summit with Kim. He feels pretty strongly about it, Bolton said. Hes said repeatedly he thinks he has a good relationship with Kim Jong Un and the six-party approach failed in the past. Bolton also said Trump also does not favour Kims desire for a step-by-step approach to denuclearization where North Korea would get some sanctions relief in exchange for taking steps toward denuclearization. I think if you look at the past policies, the answer to that is no, Bolton said. The past policies that have tried a step-by-step approach have all failed. Kim or his father have gotten economic relief and then somehow have never gotten around to that commitment to denuclearize. Sun Kwang Vice President Shim Choung-shik / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk WATERLOO, Iowa - Authorities are investigating the death of a woman who was shot while driving in northeast Iowa. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that the shooting happened on Highway 218 on the outskirts of Waterloo around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. Waterloo police say a bullet struck a woman in the neck as she was driving. The bullet continued on to strike one of the womans two male passengers and injure him. Paramedics were called after the woman pulled over along the highway. She died at the scene. The identities of the woman and her injured passenger were not immediately released on Sunday. The highway has reopened since the shooting, but police were searching the area for evidence. ___ Information from: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, http://www.wcfcourier.com U.S. electoral politics have traditionally been somewhat bland, with candidates from both major parties representing a safe and always unrepresentative proportion of the countrys actually diverse population. Thats changing just a little, and especially so with 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, who proudly describes himself as a gay Christian. He is far from perfect on many policies, but this multilingual graduate of Harvard and Oxford, who served in Afghanistan as a naval intelligence officer, and as mayor of South Bend, Ind., is deeply impressive and refreshing. But not to Franklin Graham, son of the famous and far less extreme Billy. Franklin is president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the charity Samaritans Purse. For the latter position he is paid $1 million a year. He enjoys enormous support in the conservative Christian world, with more than 5 million Facebook followers, and has many supporters in Canada. He has tweeted in response to Buttigiegs declaration of his Christianity that, God does have commandments, laws and standards He gives us to live by. God doesnt change. His Word is the same yesterday, today & forever As a Christian I believe the Bible which defines homosexuality as sin, something to be repentant of, not something to be flaunted, praised or politicized. He continued, The Bible says marriage is between a man and a woman not two men, not two women, and the core of the Christian faith is believing and following Jesus Christ, who God sent to be the Savior of the world to save us from sin, to save us from hell, to save us from eternal damnation. None of this comes as very much of a surprise of course, in that Graham has argued that Muslims should be banned from the United States because Islam is very evil and wicked, and that LGBTQ people be barred from churches because Satan wants to devour our homes. He also roared that the election of Donald Trump was due to the hand of God, has lauded Vladimir Putin for protecting Russian young people against homosexual propaganda, and condemned Planned Parenthood as being Hitleristic. Its the mans homophobia, however, that really has to be exposed and demolished. Remember, homosexuality is still illegal in 70 nations and seven of them punish same-sex relationships with a death sentence. In many parts of the world the situation is getting worse rather than better. So Grahams words matter. And even putting aside his obsession and malice, he is simply wrong. Theologically, historically, ethically, and most of all with his hideous absence of love and empathy, crucial to anybody who claims to follow the authentic Jesus. Ive spent the past five years of my life studying the issue of homosexuality and the Bible, returning to original texts and languages, and reading and interviewing many of the worlds finest scholars in this area. Its deeply complex but what we can say with confidence is that scripture must never be used selectively and without context, to prove a political point. It has to be understood with an open and clear mind free of bias and anachronism. It must be interpreted with a deep grasp of history, intent, and meaning. Homosexuality is hardly mentioned in this enormous library of texts that we know as the Bible. Jesus never refers to the subject, the Old Testament doesnt mention lesbianism, and when St. Paul speaks of the matter he is if you read him in full and with learning describing pagan cults where same-sex intimacy was forced on people as a means of initiation and worship. He never condemns a loving, committed partnership between two people of the same gender. He has little to say about the contemporary conversation. I try to live by biblical teachings but also know that scripture is a breathing document to be met with dialogue and questioning. It was never supposed to be anything other than that. Literalism and fundamentalism obscure the truth, promoting perversion of what was intended, and empowering people such as Franklin Graham to cause untold agony. The quintessence of the Gospels is love and forgiveness. I will try to love and forgive you sir thats not easy but, as a Christian, I have no choice. It should be easy to know where the United States stands on freedom of the press. After all, its protected and enshrined in the First Amendment to that countrys Constitution. But since the election of President Donald Trump it has become increasingly difficult to know how committed the U.S. is to upholding its own Constitution, never mind protecting press freedoms at home and abroad. Take last Tuesday, when within mere hours polar opposite positions on the issue were taken by the Trump and the American embassy in Burma. In Burma (also known as Myanmar) the embassy sprang to the defence of a free press after the countrys top court rejected the final appeal of two Reuters journalists, Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone. They had been sentenced last September to seven years in jail for reporting on the militarys brutal crackdown on its minority Rohingya Muslim population. Journalism, satire, peaceful protest, and other forms of legitimate expression should not be crimes in a democratic society, declared the embassy. Mere hours later, Trump sent out a tweet calling for the New York Times to get down on their knees & beg for forgiveness they are truly the Enemy of the People! As the Times publisher, A.G. Sulzberger, replied: The phrase enemy of the people is not just false, its dangerous. It has an ugly history of being wielded by dictators and tyrants who sought to control public information. Sadly, now, those dictators and tyrants appear to have an enthusiastic cheerleader in Trump. And that has terrible consequences for the news media. The latest annual index of press freedom in 180 countries published by Reporters Without Borders, for example, shows that an intense climate of fear has been triggered in many countries, making it more dangerous for journalists to do their jobs. Indeed, last year, 63 journalists were killed simply for doing their jobs. The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that another 251 were imprisoned. Its not as if Trump is unaware of the impact of his tweets. Sulzberger says he told the president face to face that there are mounting signs that this incendiary rhetoric is encouraging threats and violence against journalists at home and abroad. In fact, it could be argued that Saudi Arabian operatives would not have murdered Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi last year if that countrys rulers werent confident that Trump would turn a blind eye which he did. And who knows how Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo would have been treated by Burmas courts if Trump wasnt inciting contempt and even hatred for a free press? The fact is the Pulitzer Prize-winning story the reporters uncovered was vitally important to documenting the ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya that the UN says was led by Burmas generals. Under their reign of terror at least 10,000 Rohingya have been killed, while another 725,000 have fled the country. UN investigators have called for the generals to be tried for genocide for their actions. Instead, they are free and the journalists who exposed their crimes are in jail on trumped-up charges of illegally possessing official documents. Those charges were upheld despite the brave testimony of a police official who told the court they were victims of a setup. This is dangerous not just for journalists, but for everyone in every country whose rights can easily be undermined when the media is vilified, threatened and otherwise prevented from doing its job. American presidents from Jefferson to Kennedy and Obama have recognized the importance of a free press, however inconvenient it is for those who hold power. Trump betrays that proud legacy each time he indulges in his rants against the media. Read more about: Have we created a new nursery rhyme character complete with a story and moral? The story of a young man, the Sign Makers son, who grew up in a life of unchallenged privilege. He dreamt of one day becoming a king who would ride the subway anywhere in his kingdom and his people stood and applauded him each time he opened his mouth to speak. He would shower them in beer and they would truly love him. The boy grew to inherit the sign-makers business and sold it for a chance to be king. The people rejoiced at his coronation and sung his praise as cheap beer was now made available throughout the kingdom at every shop at every corner at every hour. Once crowned, he decided the kingdoms treasury of health care, education and environmental protection was of little value and traded them for more cheap beer, subways and vanity plates for all in the kingdom to enjoy. With time, the subways became too expensive to maintain and fell into disrepair, the cheap beer lost its flavour and caused many to become sick and weak and the vanity plates no longer drew attention from anyone. People became sick and the kingdom was devastated by storms and famine. Without education the people didnt know how to change things back to the way they were before. The kingdom fell to ruins. The king became disappointed with his sick and weak-minded people and eventually abandoned them to return to his sign-making business. The moral of the story you get what you vote for. Maurice Sacco, Toronto Read more about: Each new provincial election brings more evidence that the wave of conservative victories across the country is turning into a tsunami. And with that, the inescapable conclusion that the Liberal brand is, if not in crisis, certainly not what it was on Election Day in October, 2015. Last Tuesday, Prince Edward Islanders not only elected a PC minority government but were sooner ready to consider the Green Party than re-elect Wade MacLauchlans governing Liberals. For those keeping count of such things, thats five straight conservative victories. In four of them, the Liberal vote share dropped to the lowest levels seen, wait for it, since Confederation. And so, it should come as no surprise that outgoing Premier MacLauchlans Liberal campaign opted not to reach out to their cousins in Ottawa for assistance. Trudeau, who as recently as August, was greeted on the Island as a rock star has now become a political liability. What a change of circumstances for the prime minister and his party. Trouble for the Liberals all started with Brian Pallister in Manitoba, then Doug Ford, here, in Ontario, Francois Legault in Quebec, Blaine Higgs in New Brunswick, Jason Kenney in Alberta and now Dennis King in PEI. Today, 82 per cent of Canadians are governed by conservative parties. By any measure, it is a startling rebuke that, six months out from the federal election, is no doubt weighing heavily on Liberals everywhere. That said, while it is always best to be careful in making assumptions as to federal voting intentions based on provincial outcomes, it is beginning to look like Andrew Scheers optimism is warranted. The Liberal ship is floundering. Its cause matters not. The handling of laffaire SNC-Lavalin. The internecine squabbling. The accumulation of seemingly minor missteps. Or the global rise of populist right-of-centre ideology, the Liberal message is not resonating as it once did. The three years since the blue tide began have seen the federal Liberal approval rating fall by over 15 per cent. Two-thirds of Canadians now say that Trudeau does not deserve to be re-elected. Whats more, the Liberals majority has, through resignations and scandal, become seven members thin. Add certain losses in some traditional Liberal strongholds and Octobers election becomes a daunting prospect. No doubt some Liberals will console themselves with the old political rule of thumb that when we vote one way provincially, we vote the other way federally. Consider the record in Ontario. Harper won with McGuinty at Queens Park; Chretien with Harris; Mulroney while Ontarians elected both Raes NDP and the Peterson Liberals. And, of course, Bill Davis won while Trudeau Sr. was prime minister. But the past may well not, any longer, be prologue. As of today, one poll found that the Conservatives were 20 points ahead in the 905 region. Although its worth noting the Ontario race, provincewide, is closer. Yes, the election remains six months away. Much can and will change. Trudeau, as we know, is a capable retail politician, and, after all, campaigns actually matter. So, Scheers Conservatives would do well not to start measuring the drapes, just yet. Though Liberal voters seem to be abandoning the party, polls also caution us that it is no longer simply a two party race. We have now seen provincial voters flirt with both new and insurgent parties, from the Peoples Alliance in New Brunswick to the CAQ in Quebec to the Greens in PEI. Whether this wandering eye extends to Jagmeet Singhs NDP or even Maxime Berniers Peoples Party remains to be seen. What is clear is that Trudeau will not be fighting the election he was envisioning a matter of months ago. Gone are two of his most well-respected cabinet ministers, as well as Gerry Butts, his trusted adviser. His claim to a better politics of openness and integrity has been eroded by a year of scandal and melodrama, and he has lost his ideological allies in legislatures from Alberta to New Brunswick. Its pretty clear that the lay of the chess board has shifted, and yet much of the Liberal team still appear to be playing checkers. Jaime Watt is the executive chairman of Navigator Ltd. and a Conservative strategist. Read more about: OTTAWAEuropean companies have been fast out of the gate to take advantage of the free trade deal between the European Union and Canada, prompting questions about what more can be done to spur Canadian firms to diversify their foreign trade. European exports of merchandise and goods and services have seen double digit increases, outpacing Canadas exports to Europe in the months after the trade pact with 28 nations of the European Union known as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement took effect on Sept. 21, 2017. In addition to eliminating most tariffs, the pact also liberalized trade in services such as financial services, telecommunications, energy and transport, and give companies access to bid on government procurement projects. We saw during the first year that European enterprises and European companies were more active in Canadian market, said Peteris Ustubs, the European Union ambassador to Canada. Ustubs speculated that European companies were more ready to come to Canada, they were waiting for CETA to take place. And he believes that the prolonged trade drama with the United States during negotiations for a new North American Free Trade Agreement known as United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the ongoing dispute over tariffs has preoccupied governments and the corporate sector. Last year was a very demanding year for Canadians and Canadian enterprises as NAFTA as negotiated. I think a lot of Canadian businesses were preoccupied with the outcomes, with the considerations, what NAFTA negotiations will bring and what kind of result it is going to have, Ustubs said during a recent discussions with reporters. Im sure (having) NAFTA negotiations completed will liberate the energy of Canadian businesses to look elsewhere, he said. But on the Canadian side, there are complaints that European barriers to trade, especially in the areas of agriculture, have impeded Canadas ability to take advantage of the new markets. Exports of Canadian beef, pork, grain and oil seeds are facing significant nontariff trade barriers, said Claire Citeau, executive director of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance. Its making it very difficult for a lot of these exporters to send products to Europe, she said. Since the agreement is implemented, teams are working on this but not a lot has been really concretely changed to make trade flow better, she said in an interview. Citeau said that Canadian producers welcome the free trade agreement with an important and large trading partner but added that ongoing barriers need to get resolved in a timely manner. Her concerns were driven home by a new report from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce that warned that the Canadas crop sector has seen only mixed results from CETA because of barriers that include restrictions on pesticides, disputes over biotechnology and food safety rules that are not based in science. For example, country of origin rules implemented by Italy in 2017 have meant a sharp drop-off in the exports of Canadian durum wheat to that country. We need to aggressively work to tackle the nontariff barriers that restrict Canadian market access, the report concluded. Gary Stordy, director of government and corporate affairs for the Canadian Pork Council, said that while there are some issues with the European market theyd like to see resolved, the focus is on the Asia market where demand is running high for pork products. One of the objectives of the industry is ensuring that we have the flexibility to maximize the value for the product . . . and right now that demand is not in the EU, he said. The Liberal government has touted new trade deals with Europe as well as Pacific Rim nations as success stories in efforts to diversify Canadas trade away from U.S. markets at a time when that trading relationship is strained by rhetoric and tariffs. On its website, Global Affairs proclaims that the European deal has been a success. In just one year since taking effect, CETA has generated significant benefits, with increases in trade between Canada and the EU, the department says. But trade data from the months after the new agreement took effect in 2017 shows a discrepancy in how companies in each market are capitalizing on the opportunities. Canada exported $36.1 billion worth of merchandise to the European Union in the period October 2017 to July 2018, up 3.3 per cent over the same period before agreement, according to data highlighted by Global Affairs. Yet, EU merchandise exports to Canada were up 12.9 per cent to $60.5 billion during that same time. The EU also came out on top in goods and services, showing a 10.3 per cent increase to $63.8 billion. Canadas exports of goods and services barely moved, rising only 0.7 per cent to $46.8 billion. More recent data confirms that EU companies have enjoyed a bigger increase in trade. Experts are quick to warn against drawing any conclusions from just a few months of trade data, noting that it takes time to develop new markets and that trade hinges on many variables, such as worldwide demand, currency fluctuations and the economic climate. Jason Langrish, executive director of the Canada Europe Roundtable for Business, stressed that it was still early days of the agreement but conceded that European companies have moved quicker. The two biggest reasons the Europeans have been faster out of the gate is because theyre more aggressive . . . and two, because Canadian firms, theyre in a bit of a defensive crouch over USMCA, Langrish said, referring to the tensions over the trade deal with the U.S. and Mexico. But Langrish said that he too has heard concerns from Canadian companies, in this case about problems with EU officials accepting Canadian products without demanding further testing or certification. There are complaints from the Canadian side that the Europeans arent committing enough resources to that. As you can imagine, you have to go to all the different customs terminals all around the EU that are accepting imports and make them aware of these changes, Langrish said. Theres a sense the Europeans havent been doing that, he said. Brian Kingston, vice-president of international and fiscal for the Business Council of Canada, said there are early signs the agreement is working to the benefit of Canadian companies. But like others, he too acknowledged that the experience so far with the EU trade deal underscores the need to help the small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) that comprise the bulk of Canadas economy tap overseas opportunities. Its both a blessing and a curse that we sit beside the worlds largest economy. So it takes a little more time to recognize the opportunity through a new trade agreement, said Kingston. The major exporters are large corporations because they have the resources and the know-how to enter difficult, challenging, complex foreign markets, he said. If we really want to move the dial on diversification, its not about going out and convincing large companies. What you have to do is help SMEs recognize the opportunity and then give them the tools to go there, Kingston said. Read more about: Ontario is cutting a music grant program by more than half as it looks to modernize it. The day after the Progressive Conservative government tabled its first budget earlier this month, officials told the Canadian Independent Music Association that the Ontario Music Fund would be reduced from $15 million to $7 million. The associations president said he had expected the fund would receive less money, given the governments aim of tackling the deficit. I wasnt surprised that the fund was going to receive a cut, said Stuart Johnston. I was surprised by the depth of the cut. I think that took everybody by surprise. The Tories said in the budget that they will be reviewing the program. The government will work with Ontario Creates to modernize the Ontario Music Fund to focus on activities that bring the biggest return to the province, and refocus its investments into emerging talent to create opportunities to achieve success, a spokesman for Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Michael Tibollo, said in a statement. We will continue to work closely with our stakeholders in the culture sector, so we can continue to deliver on our promise to respect taxpayer dollars, and ensure that we are providing value for money in Ontarios culture sector. The government noted that several large acts and companies have received money through the fund. Sony Music, Universal Music and Warner Music shared $1.75 million in 2017-18. Johnston, who represents the independent music community, said the investments the fund makes in small business are sound. (The funds) are leveraged by the music industry to create the intellectual property, music, that is then commercialized both here in Canada and around the world, he said. So there is a large return on investment based on those investments from the Ontario Music Fund. NDP culture critic Jill Andrew said the cuts to the fund will make it harder for homegrown talent to flourish. (Premier) Doug Ford has hit another bad note on the culture file, this time ripping away opportunities from everyone from aspiring artists to the domestic music companies that nurture their budding talent, she said in a statement. This showcases just how out of touch the Ford Conservatives are with how important it is to support the local cultural sectors that contribute so much to our economy. Jazz singer Matt Dusk said the funding has allowed him to expand his work and it helps create jobs. It enables us to not only hire Ontario employees, but also enables us to go to places within the province and the country where we get to go perform in certain halls or to create local events that then spin off into festivals, he said. Its a real, kind of, trickle-down effect. Read more about: Prices of gasoline at the pump in South Korea continued to rise for the 10th consecutive week last week, hitting their highest level in almost five months, data showed Sunday. Gasoline prices at gas stations across the country averaged 1,441.02 won ($1.24) per liter last week, the highest since the second week of December, when the corresponding figure was 1,451.73 won, according to the data provided by the Korea National Oil Corp. (KNOC). This marked the 10th straight week that gasoline prices have logged on-week gains. Diesel prices averaged at 1,328.99 won per liter last week, also touching their highest point since the second week of December, raising concerns that higher fuel costs could put an additional burden on motorists. Retail fuel prices will further build up next month as a temporary fuel tax cut is scheduled to be phased out. In April, the government said it would extend a tax cut on fuel products until the end of August in a move to ease the burden of small businesses and ordinary people. In November, the government lowered fuel taxes by 15 percent for six months. The temporary measure had been scheduled to end May 6. Also, scrapped sanctions waivers on Iranian oil are expected to put upward pressure on oil prices here, analysts said. (Yonhap) EQUALITY (AP) In the absence of a state plan for the property, an important piece of Illinois history is in jeopardy. The Crenshaw House, built in 1837, is one of Southern Illinois oldest remaining structures. Many regionally know it as the Old Slave House, which is how it was marketed to tourists for decades by its private owners until 1996. The state bought it in 2001. Some repairs have been made to the 182-year-old home, but other structural repair needs have been neglected and are accumulating, according to people familiar with the historic rural site. Under state ownership, it has never been open to the public. The state has now owned it for nearly two decades, spanning five governors: George Ryan, Rod Blagojevich, Pat Quinn, Bruce Rauner and current Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Thus far, Pritzker has been about as noncommittal about the sites future as his predecessors. Asked about the states plan for the property, Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh told The Southern via email: The administration looks forward to talking with local authorities about the future of Crenshaw House to figure out what best serves the public in a cost effective way. Historians are calling on state officials to take action to preserve it before it is too late. This is the epitome of overlooked history thats in danger of being lost, said Daniel Pogorzelski, who is vice president of the Northwest Chicago Historical Society and a lover of Illinois history. Hes also a writer and editor of the blog, ForgottenChicago.com. Pogorzelski said that, year after year, officials put off coming up with a plan to preserve sites like this, and eventually they deteriorate beyond the point of return and are forever lost to neglect. Thats often how this happens, Pogorzelski said. The Crenshaw House is one of the few remaining structures that could effectively tell the somber story of Illinois complicated role in slavery, including that it did exist here in various forms before and after statehood, historians say. The site has been identified as a historic station on the Reverse Underground Railroad by the National Parks Service. Crenshaw is believed to have kidnapped free black people in Illinois and then illegally sold them across state lines. Records indicate that Crenshaw kept black people in his home as indentured servants. Indentured servitude, in which a person entered into a contract to work for someone else in exchange for food and shelter, was legal in Illinois. Typical contracts were to last seven years, and the process offered a way for orphans to get on their feet in some narrow cases. But more often, the contracts were used to enslave black people under a loophole in the law under contracts that stretched for decades, often the entire life of a black person. These contracts were taxed as property, and could be gifted or auctioned off to a highest bidder. But the contracts could only be transferred within state lines. Historians have unearthed records indicating that Crenshaw, in the spring of 1842, sold the contract for Maria Adams, an indentured servant living in his home as a cook, to slave runners, who transferred Adams and her children to the Territory of Texas. He was charged and tried for kidnapping in the case, but was acquitted by a Gallatin County Grand Jury, historian Ron Nelson previously told The Southern. It is not known what became of Adams and her family. Though slaves did not live on the site that Crenshaw called Hickory Hill, Crenshaw likely was a slave owner before he built the home given his involvement in running salt mines in Gallatin County. Illinois entered the Union as a free state 200 years ago, but slavery was legal in the state for another seven years in the Southern Illinois salt mines, as well as the lead mines in Galena. The Crenshaw House should be used to tell the story of slavery in Illinois, said Mark Wagner, director of the Center for Archaeological Investigations at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and an associate professor in anthropology. He noted that it is also believed that an indentured servant living in the home was related to some of the black families living at Miller Grove in rural Pope County, which was settled by freed slaves from Tennessee and then became an important station on the Underground Railroad. Id like to see it preserved, Wagner said. Beginning in 2010, Wagner led field work at the site with SIU students in an effort to determine its history. Though the private owners of the property for years led tours through the home, much of what was portrayed there wasnt reality. For instance, the infamous attic with torture devices and tiny rooms enclosed by bars that tourists were told is where Crenshaw kept slaves was not portrayed accurately, Wagner said. It was more likely a hotel of sorts for traveling workers. But the home is still a hugely significant piece of history and linked to slavery. Saving it, he said, would likely take a hard push by area lawmakers to earmark funding specifically for the site into the budget of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. While no one has offered a hard figure on what it would take to open the site to the public as an interpretive museum, Wagner pegged it in the millions. The home itself would require a significant amount of work to make it safe for the public. Further, the road leading to the home regularly washes away and a new road would have to be built to the site. A parking lot and restrooms would have to be added. Nobody in southern Illinois has the money to do that sort of thing, Wagner said. If this site were in Chicago, it would be preserved, he added. Theres money and interest in history there. But were at the opposite end of the state as far away as you can get from Chicago. Pogorzelski, of Chicago, said that lawmakers and the governor should view it as a property of statewide and nationwide interest, not just of importance to Southern Illinois history. The American project has always been about improving our country and you cant improve it without understanding the historic injustices that have been part and parcel of our historic legacy, he said. Wagner said the property faces increasing risks as time goes by. Youve seen what happened with Notre Dame, he said of the fire that ravaged the historic cathedral in Paris this week. This house has nearly 200-year-old timbers in that attic. A similar situation could occur because the wood is so dry. If it catches on fire, it would do what Notre Dame just did and wed lose it. A lighting strike or electrical failure could bring it down, he said. But despite the call to action, its not clear what will come to be of the Crenshaw House. Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis, whose district includes Gallatin County, said that he would be supportive of the state preserving and reopening the site, but only if the funds can be found by making cuts somewhere else so as not to add to Illinois debt or force a tax increase. As a state, our budget is in a difficult position. We have a large budget deficit, he said. But its important to me that we preserve our history. Local officials say that, short of an unexpected donation from a wealthy person, its unlikely that local historical societies and governmental entities have the means to save it without the states help. The United Methodist Churchs judicial council upheld on Friday major portions of a new plan that strengthens bans on same-sex marriage and ordination of LGBT pastors. Conservatives welcomed the decision and said key elements of the policy, called the Traditional Plan, could begin taking effect in January. Among liberal and centrist opponents of the plan, there was dismay; one group, Reconciling Ministries Network, called for an upsurge of resistance. The Traditional Plan was adopted in February on a 438-384 vote by delegates at a special UMC conference in St. Louis. Most U.S.-based delegates opposed that plan and preferred LGBT-inclusive options, but they were outvoted by U.S. conservatives who teamed with most of the delegates from Methodist strongholds in Africa and the Philippines. The nine-member judicial council, at the close of a four-day meeting in Evanston, ruled that some aspects of the Traditional Plan mostly related to enforcement of its rules were unconstitutional under church law. But the council upheld the bulk of the plan, clearing the way for its implementation in January. The Rev. Tom Lambrecht, general manager of the conservative Methodist magazine Good News, hailed the councils ruling as a strong affirmation of the Traditional Plans core elements. He suggested that Methodists opposed to the plan should start negotiating to leave the UMC and form a new denomination that would allow them to adopt LGBT-inclusive policies. Opponents of the Traditional Plan will have a chance to overturn it at the UMCs next general conference in May 2020. But Lambrecht said he agreed with other analysts who predict the UMCs conservative bloc will be even stronger then. An alliance of Traditional Plan opponents, calling themselves UMC-Next, has been holding meetings to discuss the best path forward for those who share their views. Its leaders say one option would be for centrists and liberals to leave en masse to form a new denomination. Lambrecht dismissed that possibility. Were not leaving, he said. Under another option, opponents of the Traditional Plan would stay in the UMC and resist from within, eventually convincing conservatives that they should be the faction that departs. Formed in a merger in 1968, the United Methodist Church claims about 12.6 million members worldwide, including nearly 7 million in the United States. It is the largest mainline Protestant denomination in the U.S. While other mainline denominations have embraced gay-friendly practices, the UMC still bans them, though acts of defiance by pro-LGBT clergy members have multiplied. Many have officiated same-sex weddings; others have come out from the pulpit. Enforcement of the bans has been inconsistent; the Traditional Plan aspires to beef up discipline against those engaged in defiance. Under rules upheld by the judicial council, bishops are prohibited from ordaining self-avowed homosexuals, while clerics who perform same-sex weddings could be suspended without pay for a first offense and ousted from the ministry for a second offense. Under the ruling, individual churches could disaffiliate with the UMC if two-thirds of the church community agrees, and if the church meets certain financial requirements. The Reconciling Ministries Network, which supports LGBT inclusion, called its supporters to repeatedly state your dissent, to support the work of resistance by United Methodist seminaries, to continue to write open letters and visibly be in solidarity with those on the margins. We call upon the Church to repent of the sin of homophobia, it said. Now is the time to rise and resist. Many Traditional Plan opponents already are expressing their dissatisfaction. Some churches have raised rainbow flags in a show of LGBT solidarity; some are withholding dues payments to the UMC administration in protest. The Human Rights Campaign, a national LGBTQ-rights group, said the judicial councils ruling is deeply disappointing for countless LGBTQ Methodists, including young people and their families, who are yearning for a welcoming church family. Job Title: Field Assistant Organisation: Association for Aid and Relief (AAR Japan) Duty Station: Uganda Salary Range (Gross): UGX 825,000 1,150,000 per month (depending on the experience and skill of a candidate) About US: Association for Aid and Relief (AAR Japan) was founded in 1979 by Yukika SOHMA, our first chairperson, with a mission to help refugees from Indochina, and as a civil organization without any political, religious, or ideological affiliations. It has since then grown into an international organization approved and registered by the United Nations. AAR Japan has five main pillars of activities; 1) emergency assistance, 2) assistance to persons with disabilities, 3) landmine and unexploded ordnance (UXO) action, 4) action against infectious diseases and 5) public awareness raising about global issues in Japan. Since the beginning, AAR Japan has operated in over 60 countries. Currently we are active in 15 countries and areas, including 4 African countries namely Kenya, Zambia, Sudan and Uganda. Job Summary: The Field Assistant will manage and accomplish assigned project activities from planning, procurement, mobilization, budget and asset control, implementation and reporting, and other assignments relevant to our project in education and protection area. The person will be based in Yumbe, but may have frequent business trips to Kampala, Arua, and Moyo District. Key Duties and Responsibilities: Support Field Officers to coordinate with schools, local authorities, donors, communities and other stakeholders and partner organizations in regard to AAR Japans projects; Assist Field Officers in school management including but not limited to management of teachers, school facilities, enrolment and attendance, exams and community involvement, follow-ups, maintenance of school facilities by performing data collection, communication, mobilization and drafting reports; Assist Field Officers to coordinate distribution of scholastic, school and administrative materials to pupils and teachers in the settlement and host community; Assist Field Officers to identify children with disabilities and provide adequate supports to strengthen their access to education; Assist in data analytics and data management and compile it as a report and presentation to assess the objective situation and trends in the settlement; Assist in organizing trainings for teachers and local communities, class management trainings, career guidance, counseling sessions, orientations, and any necessary trainings and activities; Assist in organizing club activities for primary and secondary school pupils both from refugee settlement and host community; Accompany when Field Officers attend and/or participate in meetings, monitoring, and other events as a representative of AAR Japan; Perform administrative, logistic, financial or any other duties if requested by supervisors Qualifications, Skills and Experience: The applicant must hold a Diploma or Bachelors Degree in Development Studies, Education, Gender, Social Work, Project Management, Community Based Development, Social Sciences, Data Analytics, and Statistics. A minimum of two years of experience working in project planning and management or related field in a reputable firm, public body or NGO. Experience in community identification, mobilization, and sensitization approaches preferably in education, child protection, gender interventions. Good knowledge of English and preferably of a language commonly used in South Sudan. Good Computer Skills, especially in Word and Excel and knowledge of other databases, preferred. Knowledge and experience in the identification of children with disabilities and the promotion of girls education are preferred. Experience in data collection, analytics, and management with a proven capacity of strategical, logical and lateral thinking. Ugandan citizen, residing in Uganda and able to station in Yumbe. Able to travel to Arua district, Moyo district (Field Offices), or Kampala, or other districts at supervisors instructions High integrity, self-driven, able to work under challenging circumstances, and able to complete assignments with tight deadlines under minimal supervision. How to Apply: All suitably qualified and interested individuals should submit their application to aar.uganda.hr@gmail.com or hand deliver their application to AAR Japan Yumbe Office (*Incomplete application shall not be considered.) The Subject Name for the email shall be: Field Assistant _Name Cover Letter (Shall not exceed one A4 page) Curriculum Vitae (CV) Copy of academic and work certificates Deadline: 30th April 2019 For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline MARGARET WEEDEN, Chariho, Girls Track, Senior; Weeden won two events for the Chargers in the first meet of the season. Weeden was first in the high jump (5-0) and the long jump 15-1. ANNE DRAGO, Stonington, Girls Basketball, Senior; Drago scored 39 points in three games as Stonington started the season 1-2. Drago had 16 in a loss to Fitch, 12 in a win against Griswold and 11 in a defeat to Ledyard. SYDNEY HAIK, Westerly, Girls Basketball, Sophomore; Haik scored 14 points as the Bulldogs opened the season with a victory over Cumberland. Haik had three 3-pointers, five assists and five steals. ZANE BREWER, Wheeler, Boys Basketball, Freshman; Brewer scored 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the Lions season-opening win over Grasso Tech. Brewer followed that with 18 points and five rebounds in a loss to Hale-Ray. Vote View Results BT bosses in London embroiled in a 500million accounting fraud scandal failed to challenge the accounts, an internal probe found. There was a serious breakdown of accounting processes and controls at the companys Italian arm and a loss of balance sheet integrity, the review seen by the Mail found. It raises serious questions about how thoroughly bosses in London scrutinised figures from BT Italia before the fraud was uncovered. UK authorities needed to launch fresh investigations into the scandal, according to an expert Last night an accounting expert said the UK authorities needed to launch fresh investigations into the scandal. It comes just days after police in Italy released an explosive report suggesting bosses in London urged staff in Italy to use aggressive, anomalous and knowingly wrong accounting practices. The company has consistently maintained that the accounting scandal was a local matter despite the internal report being published in January 2017. The 2017 annual report, published four months later, said the fraud was not identified by our monitoring controls and went undetected for a number of years. Prem Sikka, a professor of accounting who has advised the Labour Party, said: BTs Italian subsidiary was submitting numbers to someone in London that whole time. The review raises questions which now need to be investigated by UK authorities. BTs internal review of the Italian fraud scandal was produced by KPMG in January 2017 but was never published. The findings resulted in a 530million write-down and a share slump that wiped 8billion off the companys market value. The report said staff at BT Italia sought to artificially inflate the subsidiarys earnings with a complex web of fraudulent transactions. Italian staff made misrepresentations to BT Group and its auditors at the time, PwC, it added. But it also revealed executives at BT global services did not sufficiently challenge numbers submitted by Italian staff. Initial inquiries from London were ignored or met by responses that were not satisfactory or lacking in detail, it said, but global services staff often failed to follow through to get answers. Prosecutors in Italy have brought charges against 23 individuals but reportedly will not bring charges of market manipulation against BT because it comes under UK jurisdiction. No British criminal probe has taken place. A BT spokesman said: Based on KPMGs recommendations, and our own observations, we have taken steps to improve our controls both within Italy, and at group level. China has urged the UK to ignore intense political pressure over the decision to involve Huawei in building 5G. In the countrys first official comments on the row, Beijings ambassador to London, Liu Xiaoming, said Britain must make the right decision independently. A leak inquiry was launched after details emerged from a National Security Council meeting during which Huaweis limited role supplying the 5G system was reportedly approved. Leak: Huaweis limited role supplying the 5G system was reportedly approved In a newspaper column Liu urged the UK to resist protectionism. Aurora Cannabis Inc. produces and distributes medical cannabis products worldwide. It is vertically integrated and horizontally diversified across various segments of the cannabis value chain, including facility engineering and design, cannabis breeding, genetics research, production, derivatives, high value-add product development, home cultivation, wholesale, and retail distribution. The company produces various strains of dried cannabis, cannabis oil and capsules, and topical kits for medical patients. It also sells vaporizers; consumable vaporizer accessories, including valves, screens, etc.; and herb mills for using CanniMed herbal cannabis products, as well as grinders and vaporizer lockable containers. In addition, the company engages in the development of medical cannabis products at various stages of development, including oral, topical, edible, and inhalable products; and operation of CanvasRX, a network of cannabis counseling and outreach centers. Further, it provides patient counselling services; design and construction services; and cannabis analytical product testing services. The company's brand portfolio includes Aurora, Aurora Drift, San Rafael '71, Daily Special, AltaVie, MedReleaf, CanniMed, Whistler, Woodstock, and ROAR Sports. Aurora Cannabis Inc. is headquartered in Edmonton, Canada. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 211 E. Russell Road LLC, Air-Relief, Belliss & Morcom Brasil, Belliss and Morcom, Boardwalk Enterprises, Charm Merger Sub Inc., CompAir, CompAir (Hankook) Korea Co. Ltd., CompAir Acquisition (No. 2) Ltd., CompAir Acquisition Ltd., CompAir BroomWade Ltd., CompAir Canada, CompAir Finance Ltd., CompAir GmbH, CompAir Holdings Limited, CompAir Holman Ltd, CompAir International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CompAir Korea Ltd, CompAir South Africa (SA) (Pty) Ltd., CompAir UK Ltd, CompAir USA, Consolidated Distribution Holdings Ltd., DV Systems Inc., Emco Wheaton, Emco Wheaton GmbH Branch, Emco Wheaton Gmbh, Emco Wheaton UK, Emco Wheaton USA Inc, Enza Air Propriety Limited (South Africa), GD Aria Holdings #2 Limited, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Investments Limited, GD First UK Ltd, GD German Holdings GmbH, GD German Holdings I Gmbh, GD German Holdings II GmbH, GD German Investments GmbH, GD Global Holdings, GD Global Holdings II, GD Global Holdings UK II Ltd., GD Global Ventures I B.V., GD Global Ventures II B.V., GD Global Ventures III B.V., GD Industrial Products Malaysia SDN. BHD., GD Investment KY, GD UK Finance Ltd., Gardner Denver (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Austria GmbH, Gardner Denver Bad Neustadt Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Belgium NV, Gardner Denver Brasil Industria E Comercio de Maquinas Ltda., Gardner Denver CZ + SK sro, Gardner Denver Canada Corp, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Engineered Products India Private Limited, Gardner Denver FZE, Gardner Denver Finance II LLC, Gardner Denver Finance Inc & Co KG, Gardner Denver France SA, Gardner Denver France SAS, Gardner Denver Group Services Ltd, Gardner Denver Group Svcs Ltd, Gardner Denver Hoffman, Gardner Denver Holdings, Gardner Denver Holdings Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Ltd, Gardner Denver Iberica, Gardner Denver Industries Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd. Branch, Gardner Denver International, Gardner Denver International Ltd., Gardner Denver Intl Ltd Middle East Regional Rep Office, Gardner Denver Investments, Gardner Denver Italy Holdings S.r.L., Gardner Denver Japan, Gardner Denver Kirchhain Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Korea, Gardner Denver Korea Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd South Africa, Gardner Denver Ltd., Gardner Denver Ltd. Branch (Ireland), Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co, Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Gardner Denver Nash Brasil Industria E Comercio De Bombas Ltda, Gardner Denver Nash Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd., Gardner Denver Nederland BV, Gardner Denver Nederland Investments B.V., Gardner Denver Oberdorfer Pumps, Gardner Denver Oy, Gardner Denver Petroleum Pumps, Gardner Denver Polska Sp z.o.o., Gardner Denver Pte Ltd., Gardner Denver S.r.l., Gardner Denver Schopfheim GmbH, Gardner Denver Schopfheim Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Schweiz AG, Gardner Denver Slovakia, Gardner Denver SudAmerica S.r.l., Gardner Denver Sweden AB, Gardner Denver Taiwan Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas, Gardner Denver Thomas GmbH, Gardner Denver Thomas Pneumatic Systems (Wuxi) Co., Gardner Denver Thomas Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver UK, Gardner Denver Water Jetting Systems, Garo Dott. Ing. 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. The following companies are subsidiares of TransDigm Group: 1711 Waterview Pkwy LLC, ARA Deutschland GmbH, ARA Holding GmbH, Acme Aerospace, Adams Rite Aerospace GmbH, Adams Rite Aerospace Inc., Advanced Inflatable Products Limited, Aero-Instruments, AeroControlex Group Inc., Aerosonic, Aerosonic LLC, Air-Sea Survival Equipment Trustee Limited, Airborne Acquisition Inc., Airborne Global Inc., Airborne Holdings Inc., Airborne Systems, Airborne Systems Canada Ltd., Airborne Systems Group Limited, Airborne Systems Holdings Limited, Airborne Systems Limited, Airborne Systems NA Inc., Airborne Systems North America Inc., Airborne Systems North America of CA Inc., Airborne Systems North America of NJ Inc., Airborne Systems Pension Trust Limited, Airborne UK Acquisition Limited, Airborne UK Parent Limited, Aircraft Materials Limited, AmSafe, AmSafe Aviation (Chongqing) Ltd., AmSafe Bridport (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., AmSafe Bridport (Private) Ltd., AmSafe Bridport Ltd., AmSafe Global Holdings Inc., AmSafe Global Services (Private) Limited, AmSafe Inc., Angus Electronics Co., Arkwin Industries, Arkwin Industries Inc., Auxitrol SAS, Auxitrol Weston Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Auxitrol Weston Singapore Pte. Ltd., Auxitrol Weston USA Inc., Aviation Technologies, Aviation Technologies Inc., Avionic Instruments LLC, Avionics Instruments, Avionics Specialties Inc., AvtechTyee Inc., Beta Transformer Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Beta Transformer Technology Corporation, Beta Transformer Technology LLC, Breeze-Eastern Corporation, Breeze-Eastern LLC, Bridport Erie Aviation Inc., Bridport Holdings Inc., Bridport Ltd., Bridport-Air Carrier Inc., Bruce Aerospace Inc., Bruce Industries, CDA InterCorp LLC, CEF Industries LLC, CMC Electronics Inc., CMC Electronics ME Inc., Champion Aerospace LLC, Cobham, DDC Electronics K.K., DDC Electronics Ltd., DDC Electronics Private Limited, DDC Electronique S.A.R.L., DDC Elektronik GmbH, Darchem Engineering Limited, Darchem Holdings Limited, Data Device Corp., Data Device Corporation, Dukes Aerospace Inc., EST Defence Company UK Limited, Edlaw Limited, Electromech Technologies LLC, Elektro-Metall Export GmbH, Elektro-Metall Paks KFT, Esterline, Esterline Acquisition Ltd, Esterline Europe Company LLC, Esterline Foreign Sales Corporation, Esterline International Company, Esterline Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Esterline Services China Ltd., Esterline Technologies Acquisition Ltd, Esterline Technologies Corporation, Esterline Technologies Europe Limited, Esterline Technologies France Holding SAS, Esterline Technologies French Acquisition Limited, Esterline Technologies Global Limited, Esterline Technologies Holdings Limited, Esterline Technologies Management France SAS, Esterline Technologies SGIP LLC, Esterline Technologies Unlimited, Esterline do Brasil Assessoria e Intermediacao Ltda, Extant Components Group Holdings Inc., Extant Components Group Intermediate Inc., GQ Parachutes Limited, Guizhou Leach-Tianyi Aviation Electrical Company Ltd, Harco, HarcoSemco LLC, Hartwell Corporation, ILC Holdings Inc., Irvin Aerospace Limited, IrvinGQ France SAS, IrvinGQ Limited, Janco Corporation, Johnson Liverpool LLC, Jupiter SAS, Kirkhill Elastomers, Kirkhill Inc., Kunshan Shield Restraint Systems Ltd., Leach Holding Corporation, Leach International Asia-Pacific Ltd, Leach International Europe S.A.S., Leach International Mexico S. de R. L. de C. V., Leach International UK Ltd, Leach Technology Group Inc., MarathonNorco Aerospace Inc., McKechnie Aerospace, McKechnie Aerospace (Europe) Ltd., McKechnie Aerospace DE Inc., McKechnie Aerospace DE LP, McKechnie Aerospace Holdings Inc., McKechnie Aerospace US LLC, Mecanismos de Matamoros S.A. de C.V., Militair Aviation Ltd., Norco, Nordisk Asia Pacific Limited, Nordisk Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Nordisk Aviation Products (Kunshan) Ltd., Nordisk Aviation Products AS, North Hills Signal Processing Corp., North Hills Signal Processing Overseas Corp., Norwich Aero Products Inc., Pascall Electronics Limited, Pexco Aerospace, Pexco Aerospace Inc., PneuDraulics, PneuDraulics Inc., Pressure Systems International Ltd, Racal Acoustics Inc., Racal Acoustics Limited, Rancho TransTechnology Corporation, Retainers Inc., SSP Industries, Schneller, Schneller Asia Pte. Ltd., Schneller LLC, Schneller S.A.R.L., Schroth Safety Products, ScioTeq LLC, ScioTeq Ltd., ScioTeq Pte. Ltd., ScioTeq SAS, ScioTeq bvba, Semco Instruments, Semco Instruments Inc., Shield Restraint Systems Inc., Shield Restraint Systems Ltd., Signal Processing Matamoros S.A. de C.V., Skandia, Skandia Inc., Skurka Aerospace, Skurka Aerospace Inc., Symetrics Industries, Symetrics Industries LLC, Symetrics Technology Group LLC, TA Mfg Limited, TDG ESL Holdings Inc., TDG France Ultimate Parent SAS, TDG Germany GmbH, TEAC Aerospace Holdings Inc., TEAC Aerospace Technologies Inc., TREALITY SVS LLC, TTERUSA Inc., Tactair Fluid Controls Inc., Takata Protection Systems, Technical Airborne Components Industries SPRL, Telair International, Telair International AB, Telair International GmbH, Telair International LLC, Telair International Services PTE Ltd, Telair US LLC, Texas Rotronics Inc., TransDigm (Barbados) SRL, TransDigm Canada ULC, TransDigm European Holdings Limited, TransDigm Ireland Ltd., TransDigm Receivables LLC, TransDigm UK Holdings plc, Transicoil (Malaysia) Sendirian Berhad, Transicoil LLC, Wallop Industries Limited, Weston Aerospace Ltd, Whippany Actuation Systems, Whippany Actuation Systems LLC, XCEL Power Systems Ltd., Young & Franklin, and Young & Franklin Inc.. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, a diversified financial institution, provides various financial products and services to personal, business, public sector, and institutional clients in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through four strategic business units: Canadian Personal and Business Banking; Canadian Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; U.S. Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; and Capital Markets. The company offers chequing, savings, and business accounts; mortgages; loans, lines of credit, student lines of credit, and business and agriculture loans; investment and insurance services; and credit cards, as well as overdraft protection services. It also provides day-to-day banking, borrowing and credit, investing and wealth, specialty, and international services; correspondent banking and online foreign exchange services; and cash management services. The company serves its customers through its banking centers, as well as direct, mobile, and remote channels. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was founded in 1867 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More iShares MSCI Germany ETF's stock was trading at $23.17 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EWG shares have increased by 40.8% and is now trading at $32.63. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Editors Note: The following story was published in April 2019. In honor of Veterans Day, and as a tribute to all veterans, The Times Herald is rerunning this article on Plymouth resident Nicholas DiDomenico. PLYMOUTH Oceanic whitetip sharks, as termed by mariners through the 16th century, were sea dogs for their behavior around food sources. They tend to travel near the surface of tropical and warm seas and are known to be aggressive, much more so than the Great White Shark of Jaws yore, and known to survivors of shipwrecks and air crashes. In the Pacific, during World War II, the Japanese attacked American ships and let the sea dogs take care of the survivors. In the spring of 1944, Nicholas Nick DiDomenico found himself avoiding this ominous fate, as other ships in the same area were shot down and left for the sea dogs. His ship was not attacked. I heard noise, I heard a lot of noise, he said. I didnt know what the (expletive) was going on. Two ships down. Im a survivor. I was lucky. I was on the third ship in the back. They were hit torpedoed. Four thousand boys. The fish ate them up, the sharks and all. None of them survived. Now, closing in on his 100th birthday in August, the father of two and grandfather of nine considers this scenario among so many others as a miracle that he made it back home to his wife and kids from the Pacific Theatre after leaving them for this unknown world of heat, hunger, disease and locusts from the Norristown train station. I left home with two kids and a loving wife for Uncle Sam on the day after Christmas, 1943, said DiDomenico, whose next stop was Camp Wheeler in Macon, Georgia for 17 weeks of basic training. He came home to Norristown for 30 days to see family and left again for New Cumberland to pick up his uniform. Not too many of us (World War II veterans) around. And few can recollect their chain of events with as much detail, bitter and sweet, as he can. I was thousands of miles away from home, he recalled. I wasnt thinking about dying, though. I never thought about dying. A Handy Skill from Home Born on Aug. 9 1919 in North Philadelphia in the shadow of old Shibe Park (it was not named Connie Mack Stadium for another two decades) DiDomenicos family moved out of the city when was around three years old, first settling in Worcester Township. We moved around to a lot of different places all around the Norristown area, said DiDomenico, whose highest level of formal schooling was at Stewart Junior High. He thought that equated to seeing the world, but surviving the South Pacific was like being on another planet. The odyssey kicked into high gear for good when he caught the train at Broad and Lehigh, near where he was born, and went on to Tuscon, Arizona to pick up more soldiers before spending time in Oakland for more training before being assigned to serve on a ship called the USS Admiral C.F. Hughes. We went under the Golden Gate Bridge and could see Alcatraz, he recalled, before all signs of dry land faded from view. DiDomenico was among 40 soldiers, all standing at attention on the deck of the ship, when the sergeant asked if anyone could cook. He was the only one to raise his hand. He says, OK, DiDomenico, report downstairs. Youre no longer with me. From here on in, youll be downstairs cooking,' he recalled. They gave me a white card, and I went in there whenever I wanted, 24 hours a day. The kitchen experience dated back to when he left school during the tail end of the Depression. When I was 18 years old, I had a job at Gilberts Diner (in Jeffersonville), he said. I became a short-order cook. I also peeled potatoes. I washed dishes. I helped out the chef. I made coffee. I helped the chef in the back. Cooked pork and beans. I did stuff like that. To me, cooking was nothing. Upon reflection, DiDomenico realizes this skill he brought from home may have helped save his life, but he was also somewhat isolated. I was no longer in my platoon, he said. I reported to the mess sergeant. I cooked for 2,000 boys. After a few days, his ship pulled into Pearl Harbor and was joined by two more ships. All together, we were 6,000 boys (in the three ships), he said, adding the three ships went southwest along the equator, to avoid detection, and picked up more troops in the Marshall Islands. We were halfway across the world, he said. We were told we were going to Chinese Burma or India and then to Samoa, above Japan. Well, we never got there, as bad things happened. With three ships going past the Philippines and Iwo Jima to the north, we headed straight to Okinawa. I was in great danger, and almost never came home. We were the last ship in the back, and the two ships in front of us were torpedoed and sank, with 4,000 soldiers who never came home. There were sharks all over. Our ship was just a few miles away from the other two. Into the Jungle After the attack on the two lead ships, there was a change in plans, and daily life became even more harsh. Gen. (Douglas) McArthur sent word for our ship to return to the Philippines and get on another ship to go to Mindanao (in the southern Philippines) with the 31st Division 155th Infantry Company M, said DiDomenico. We went through the jungles in heavy rain, and we were wet all the time. We were in two-man tents, and nobody slept. All my clothes were wet. DiDomenico soon found himself in the heart of the danger zone. We were all taken by weapons carriers to the highest mountain foxholes all around us, he said. They had me cooking most of the time, but also on guard duty. We slept in the foxholes. And the Japanese were not the only threat. They faced plagues that almost seemed biblical in nature. One week, while we were there, we had a locust storm, he said. They left us alone, but they ate up all our supplies and food. We had no food except K-ration in cans. It lasted one week, and they were as big as grasshoppers. It was all dark, no sun, the whole time. Trillions and trillions and trillions of them. But, they never bothered with us. They just ate up everything else. While he stayed in a tent near the other soldiers, he went for a walk one day while off-duty. I was alone in a field, about half mile away, and I saw a wild boar and I ran as fast I could to a bank nearby, recalled DiDomenico, who recalled the creature having big fangs. I went down the bank and, when I looked up, he was at the top of the bank. Boy, was I lucky. Two miles below, he came face-to-face with the human enemy, although not in battle. There was a prison camp with a couple hundred Japanese, he said. They were all skin and bones. None of them ate for weeks, living with a handful of raw rice (before being captured). None of them wanted to fight. He was on guard duty at the prison when he received what was perhaps his riskiest mission. We had a stockade, with about 400-500 Japanese, said DiDomenico. I had to go in there and fix the stove. They could have killed me. If anybody was crazy, they could have killed me. This is where he spent about nine months of his three-year tour. I was very lucky to be cooking, as they always needed me, he recalled. I was on a mountain, at top of the hill after I got done cooking and I could see the Japanese down below. They didnt want to fight anymore. They were running away. The Way Home The war ended after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Aug. 6 and 9 of 1945 and Gen. McArthur signed a peace treaty, punching his ticket home. If they hadnt signed the peace treaty, we were told to fall out with our rifles, belts, bayonets and ponchos in our field packs, said DiDomenico. I came home after President Truman sent word to Gen. McArthur to drop the atomic bombs. I was lucky there was peace. I would have never have come home. I would have been dead. I was still there when they dropped the (expletive) bombs. I was wishing it was all over, so I could come home. I had to put my time in there. As it was, he was able to came home with the required high points. He had more than 80, which punched him a ticket home from hell. I was the only one in our outfit with high points, so I flew by plane to the airport and stayed one week until my ship, the SS Santa Cruz, came in, and I sailed straight into San Francisco again, he said of the return journey. I was T5 (Army rank for technical corporal) and they gave me two bronze stars, one World War II medal, one liberation of the Philippines medal and one Asia Pacific campaign medal. On his way home, there were several stops to be checked out and train changeovers. They had me in a big military hospital in Kansas to check me out, but I was fine, he said. I just wanted to get out of there and go home. And he got his wish. DiDomenico returned home and was received by his family in a 1935 Plymouth and went on to establish himself in the trucking business. He realizes that he was a lucky man to have made it home whole and alive. Now a widower for about 30 years, DiDomenico lives with his son. And, up until recently, he could be seen at the Greater Plymouth Community Center working out and swimming (he used to swim in the Pacific). Come August, a celebration is planned for his 100th birthday. It has been a long life, especially for someone who was unsure if each day was going to be his last so many decades ago. Im a survivor, he said. Im lucky. Im lucky in a lot of ways. I was lucky to come home. British actor Idris Elba has married model Sabrina Dhowre in Morocco. Images featured by British Vogue on Instagram showed the star of "Luther" sharing an embrace with Dhowre, a former Miss Vancouver. The magazine says the couple exchanged vows Friday at the Ksar Char Bagh hotel in Marrakesh. The bride wore custom gowns by Vera Wang. For the ceremony, she wore a classic white off shoulder gown and later changed into an embroidered dress with pearls and gemstones. Elba wore a bespoke suit by Ozwald Boateng. The celebrations were spread over three days, with guests attending a "colors of the Souk" dinner the evening before. Associated Press Lucille Ball's notes, photos go digital Handwritten notes and family photos belonging to Lucille Ball will be digitally preserved as part of a new project being undertaken by the National Comedy Center in the late actress's hometown. The center in Jamestown announced plans Friday to digitize the archives of the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum in marking the 30th anniversary of the "I Love Lucy" star's death. Much of the material, which also includes behind-the-scenes production papers and telegrams, has never been exhibited. Museum officials say it will be made available in the coming years. The interactive National Comedy Center opened last summer near the existing Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum. Associated Press Weaver, Ridley see "Alien," teen version Sigourney Weaver helped make a New Jersey high school's encore stage production of "Alien" a special event. "Alien: The Play" had drawn widespread praise after videos and images of the performances at North Bergen High School were posted online. Among those applauding the show was Weaver, who played the character Ellen Ripley in the 1979 movie that spawned a franchise, and the film's director, Ridley Scott, who applauded the students' creativity and the show's sets and special effects. Weaver had taped a YouTube video this year in which she called the production "incredible." But she was at the school Friday to watch the encore performance herself, telling the crowd before the curtain rose that "this is the night I've been waiting for." Associated Press Doherty to join 90210 reunion show Another member of the original "Beverly Hills, 90210" is joining an upcoming reunion series. Shannen Doherty, who played Brenda Walsh on the popular 1990s show, will take part in an upcoming six-episode special event with many of her co-stars. The new show titled "BH90210" centers on a cast reunion in which the stars play "heightened versions of themselves" as they try to make a fictional reboot of their show. The series was initially announced in February with Jason Priestley, Tori Spelling, Jenni Garth, Ian Ziering, Brian Austin Green and Gabrielle Carteris all signed on to take part. Another star of the series, Luke Perry, died in March after suffering a stroke. "Beverly Hills, 90210" aired from 1990 to 2000. It followed a group of friends in Beverly Hills, Calif., through their experiences in high school, college and beyond. The reunion series will air on Fox this summer. Doherty, 48, was part of the show's main cast for each of its first four seasons. Tribune News Cops find new home for lost pygmy goat "There's a new GOAT in town, and it's not @TomBrady..." That's what the New York Police Department tweeted after rescuing a crying pygmy goat that had mysteriously wandered into a Queens backyard. Officers named it Josh and delivered it to a city animal shelter. Josh will soon go to the Skylands animal sanctuary in New Jersey, where Jon Stewart and wife, Tracey, sent a bull headed to a slaughterhouse that escaped on a Queens street three years ago. In a video police released Friday, an officer is seen cradling the goat in her arms, saying, "It's OK. ... He's so cute." And no, it's not Brady, whose nickname, GOAT, stands for the "greatest of all time." Associated Press A parrot was taken into custody Monday after nearly spoiling a raid while playing lookout for two crack-dealing suspects by repeatedly yelling, "Mamae, policia!" according to Brazilian police in the state of Piaui. The phrase means, "Mama, police!" Police encountered the unnamed parrot at the home of the two alleged crack cocaine dealers, perched inside a small brick one-story home with a windowless facade, Brazil's R7 news channel reported. As police searched for the suspects, it seemed the lime-green bird knew exactly what to do. "He must have been trained for this," one officer involved in the operation said of the parrot's attempt to interfere with law enforcement, the Guardian reported. "As soon as the police got close he started shouting." The bird's efforts were not successful, however. Footage of the raid's aftermath aired by R7 shows police cataloguing small bags of crack while the parrot sits obediently on a countertop next to a racecar helmet and a glass bottle. Its apparent owners, a man and teenage girl, were arrested, local newspaper Meio Norte reported. WARNING: Blood sucking 'kissing bugs' are on the march through the U.S. An officer then carried the papagaio do trafico - or "trafficking parrot," as news outlets referred to the bird - out of the house on his hand before placing it in a cage and taking him into the Teresina Police Department. The parrot did not say a word, remaining in total silence even as law enforcement sought to loosen it up. This caused the couple's defense attorney, Salma Barros, to cast some doubt on police's version of events. She questioned in an interview with Meio Norte how a bird accused of loudly tipping off law enforcement for drug dealers could remain totally quiet in the police station. Others were concerned that the bird was in police custody at all. An environmentalist named Jaqueline Lustosa told Meio Norte that she had gone to the police department in attempt to free the bird. As of Wednesday, GloboNews, one of Brazil's largest cable news outlets, reported that the parrot had been taken to a local zoo, where zookeepers would train it how to fly. The pet's stubborn silence continued even there, a veterinarian said. "Lots of police officers have come by," veterinarian Alexandre Clark said Wednesday, according to the Guardian, "and he's said nothing." This is not the first time a parrot has been accused of aiding drug-trafficking suspects. In Colombia in 2010, a parrot named Lorenzo made international headlines after police recorded it warning his owners "Run! Run!" in Spanish at the sight of police officers approaching. It was found guarding a cache of guns and pot. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "You could say he was some sort of lookout," a Colombian police officer said, according to the Associated Press. AT THE BORDER: They fear being deported, but they meet with ICE agents anyway Colombian officials claimed then that Lorenzo was one of 1,700 birds authorities had recently seized, believing they had all been trained to alert their owners if police approached, the AP reported. Exotic animals have long been used by drug cartels as symbols of power or as unwitting accomplices in drug trafficking. For example, Reuters reported in 2009 that traffickers have tucked drugs into hidden compartments in crates containing venomous snakes marked "Don't open!" so that customs workers would be too afraid to look inside. In 2011, Al Jazeera reported that Mexican authorities were seizing so many exotic animals from "narco zoos" belonging to Mexican drug cartel leaders that they did not know what to do with all of them. In some cases, the news outlet reported, the animals served as both symbols of power and as a warning to rival gangs: Members of the Zetas gang were rumored to have fed their enemies to the backyard tigers. In Brazil, police claimed such gang warfare was a reality. In 2008, authorities reported they had confiscated two alligators from drug traffickers who had allegedly fed the reptiles corpses of rival gang members, according to GloboNews. NEW YORK The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York has identified 115 priests and five deacons who have been accused of sexually abusing a child in what is one of the largest disclosures that has been made by the church. The list of clergy members joins a flood of names that have poured from dioceses and religious orders across the country in recent months as the church grapples with a scandal over its handling of abuse. The Archdiocese list, released on Friday, also comes after New York made the Child Victims Act law in February. The law allows any past victim, who is now age 55 or younger, to seek civil penalties against their abusers. There is also a one-year window during which victims of any age or past date of alleged abuse can report their cases or bring civil litigation. Victims' advocates had previously noted a conspicuous absence as the New York archdiocese, a center of gravity in the American church, held off while dozens of other bishops published the names of accused priests. The Archdiocese of New York includes the boroughs of Manhattan, Bronx, Staten Island, as well as the downstate counties of Orange, Putnam, Sullivan, Rockland and Westchester. The mid-Hudson Valley is also represented in the Archdiocese, including the counties of Ulster and Dutchess. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany first released a list of clergy credibly accused of abuse in November 2015. The Albany list, which now has the names of 46 former priests and one deacon, was most recently updated in January with the name Ferdinand Ermlich after internal diocese research found there were credible accusations against Ermlich before he resigned from the Albany diocese in 1970. Ermlich died in 1999. There are no names from Albany's list that also appeared on the Archdiocese of New York list. Also, it appears none of the priests or deacons on the New York list ever worked in the Albany diocese, said Albany diocese spokeswoman Mary DeTurris Poust. Poust said typically a priest stays for the entirety of their career in the diocese they were ordained in. Albany Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger, who was ordained bishop in 2014 after previously serving as judicial vicar for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, wanted to release the names because of his meetings with survivors, Poust said. "In light of their continued pain and need for healing and in the interest of transparency and openness, I have reviewed the criteria we use for releasing names to the public and have decided to make available on our diocesan website the most up-to-date information possible," Scharfenberger wrote in The Evangelist in November 2015 when the Albany diocese names were released. These disclosures from diocese around the nation have aided in illuminating the scope of an epidemic of sex abuse in the Catholic Church that has spurred investigations by law enforcement officials and inflamed a crisis of confidence among many of its followers. The lists have been a major part of a broader campaign by bishops to apologize for the church's failures as they seek to placate Catholics outraged by the scandal and brace for the findings of law enforcement investigations. The attorneys general in New York and New Jersey are among those who have initiated inquiries into clergy sex abuse. Like other bishops, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, the archbishop, has sought to strike a conciliatory tone, acknowledging the "shame that has come upon our church." "I write to ask forgiveness again," Dolan said in a letter accompanying the list Friday, "for the failings of those clergy and bishops who should have provided for the safety of our young people but instead betrayed the trust placed in them by God and by the faithful." The archdiocese in New York is one of the largest Catholic communities in the United States. It includes an estimated 2.8 million Catholics, with nearly 300 parishes and more than 200 schools. Victims' advocates had urged Dolan to name suspected abusers like bishops across the United States had done in response to an explosive grand jury report in Pennsylvania that detailed decades of allegations and intensified the tensions surrounding sex abuse that had gripped the church. The New York archdiocese's counterparts in Newark, New Jersey; Hartford, Connecticut; and Brooklyn made their own disclosures this year. The Brooklyn diocese, which also includes Queens, named more than 100 accused priests in February. The Jesuit province that includes New York also identified accused priests, including many who had served in the order's schools within the archdiocese's territory. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Some abuse survivors have welcomed the disclosures as validation, believing that the church was starting to acknowledge, after years of silence, what they endured. But a recurring criticism has been the limits of the church's transparency, as bishops have operated at their own discretion and shared less information than many advocates had wanted. "What I will say is that we are grateful that the archdiocese is finally taking this step, belated though it may be," said Zach Hiner, executive director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP. The New York archdiocese listed 53 priests and deacons who were credibly accused of abuse, admitted to it, were convicted of a crime related to it or were involved in a civil settlement. Most of them were either defrocked or have died. Included on that list was Theodore E. McCarrick, the former cardinal who was one of the highest-profile leaders in the church to be accused of abuse and was recently expelled from the priesthood. Nearly 60 other clergy members named had died or left the ministry before being accused in cases that led to financial settlements from the archdiocese's Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program. The list also includes eight priests who have been removed from ministry and are awaiting final canonical or archdiocesan disposition of allegations against them. Most of the alleged abuse took place between the 1950s and the 1990s, according to a graph provided by the archdiocese. The archdiocese also said that since the 2002 overhaul of the church's practices surrounding abuse claims, two cases had been found credible. "Please be assured," Dolan said, "there is not a single priest or deacon of the Archdiocese of New York against whom there has been a credible and substantiated claim of abuse against a minor currently in ministry." Still, critics pointed out that, unlike other dioceses, the archdiocese did not include details about the priests' work histories, nor did it include clergy from outside orders who worked in the archdiocese. Advocates also encouraged the archdiocese to share when the allegations were reported to the church and its response. (The archdiocese disclosed the clergy members' name, year of ordination and status.) "Only by knowing what went wrong to enable abusers in the past," Hiner said, "can we best know how to prevent similar situations in the future." Times Union staff writer Lauren Stanforth contributed to this report For the third year, New Yorkers who have never camped before can apply to be part of a first-time camper program. The state will provide all the gear necessary for a weekend adventure, including a family tent, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, camp chairs, lantern, and firewood. In 2017, the 40 slots over eight summer weekends were scooped up within 25 minutes. Now, the program is offered lottery-style. Interested New York residents can apply to participate in the First-Time Camper program by using an online sign-up form which enters them into an online lottery. The application period for the lottery selection process runs from May 10 to 12. Eligible participants who apply for the lottery during that period will be randomly selected to fill first-time camper slots. Established in 2017 with eight parks, the program expanded last year and now, for its third season, will include 11 campgrounds over nine weekends from late June until after Labor Day. Locations include the Catskills and Hudson Valley, Adirondacks, and Western New York. Long-time campers know the enjoyment and rewards of sleeping out in nature, but for those who have never slept in a tent before, spending the night outdoors can be an unfamiliar adventure. New York's First-Time Camper program provides more of a turnkey camping experience for families, especially those from underserved communities that have never camped before, the state DEC said in a press release. A camping ambassador will meet families at the campsite and help them get camp set up with a camping 101 lesson. Bathrooms and hot showers are a short walk from the campsites. To make the weekend getaway even more enjoyable, campers will have an opportunity to learn from experts how to fish, hike, bird watch, or paddle. Campgrounds are available throughout the state to give all New Yorkers an opportunity to enter and participate if selected. Details about the program and how to apply can be found on DEC's website. Participating locations and dates include: DEC Campgrounds: 6/21-6/23 Luzerne Campground 7/19-7/21 Nicks Lake Campground 8/2-8/4 Ausable Point Campground Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. 8/16-8/18 North South Lake Campground and Kenneth L Wilson Campground 9/6-9/8 Frontier Town Campground State Parks Campgrounds: 7/12-7/14 Moreau Lake State Park 7/26-7/28 Taconic State Park - Copake Falls 8/9-8/11 Golden Hill State Park and Evangola State Park 8/23-8/25 Four Mile Creek State Park Poway, Calif. A woman was killed and three others were injured in an attack Saturday at a synagogue here, San Diego County authorities said. A 19-year-old man was arrested in connection with the shooting at Chabad of Poway, officials said. The gunman entered the synagogue about 11:20 a.m. local time and opened fire on the congregation, sheriff's officials said. The gunman, whose name was not released, used an AR-type assault weapon to shoot worshippers, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said. As the shooter fled, an off-duty Border Patrol agent who was inside the synagogue fired, missing him but striking his getaway vehicle in the city of Poway, just over 20 miles north of San Diego, Gore said. The gunman called 911 shortly afterward to report the shooting, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said. When an officer reached the man on a roadway, "the suspect pulled over, jumped out of his car with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody," Nisleit said. Gore said he couldn't provide a motive while investigators interrogate the shooter. Authorities were reviewing copies of his social media posts. There was no known threat after the man was arrested, but authorities boosted patrols at places of worship as a precaution, police said. Meanwhile, a girl and two men who were wounded were in stable condition, according to authorities, who did not release their names. A large group of congregants had gathered behind the temple following the shooting, said sheriff's Sgt. Aaron Meleen. It was not immediately clear how many people were attending services. Some children were initially reported missing, but they were found. "As you can imagine, it was an extremely chaotic scene with people running everywhere when we got here," he said. Those wounded in the shooting were taken to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, Calif., according to the Sheriff's Department. Poway Mayor Steve Vaus, who was at the sheriff's command center at nearby Chaparral Elementary School, told CNN that the shooting was being investigated as a hate crime. "I understand that this was someone with hate in their heart, hate for the Jewish community," he said of the shooter. The mayor, who lives near the site, sought to reassure the community there was no further threat. "The scene is safe," he said. "The subject is in custody. We will be in prayer for those injured. There is no ongoing threat to community." Adam Pringle, 32, said he was sitting at a 76 gas station parking lot when a swarm of San Diego police, county sheriff and California Highway Patrol cars descended on the scene less than 50 feet away. Pringle watched as police officers pulled over the man he believed to be the shooting suspect. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "Hands up or I'll shoot you!" Pringle heard the officer yell. The driver immediately put his hands up and the officer walked over with his gun drawn, Pringle said. That's when the officer quickly arrested the suspect, Pringle said. Authorities have cordoned off the area about two miles from the Chabad of Poway, he said. Several neighbors reported hearing the gunshots, and some were evacuated from nearby homes to the school temporarily as a precaution. Cantor Caitlin Bromberg of Ner Tamid Synagogue, which is down the street from Chabad of Poway, said her congregation learned of the shooting at the end of their Passover services. Saturday marked the eighth and final day of Passover, a holiday that marks the Jewish people's exodus from Egypt and freedom from slavery. Bromberg said her congregants were en route to Chabad of Poway to show support and help in any way that they can. "We are horrified and upset and we want them to know we are thinking of them," she told The Times. "The message of the final day of Passover is to be looking forward to the time when all the world will be at peace." Bromberg said someone from the congregation had received a text that there was a shooting at a synagogue in Poway. The person who sent the text did not know which temple was targeted and wanted to make sure the congregant was OK. Bromberg said she has not heard from the leadership of the Chabad of Poway because they would not normally use the phone during the Sabbath. "They would only do that on emergency basis, if they do it at all," she said. President Donald Trump and other elected officials decried what they called an anti-Semitic attack exactly six months since 11 people were killed at a Pittsburgh synagogue in the deadliest assault on Jews in U.S. history. ALBANY - Zia Ameeri laid out a dozen of her midwifery certificates on the floor of her Central Avenue apartment - from USAID in her native Afghanistan, to a Pakistani government hospital, to a Bangladeshi non-profit organization. Ameeri speaks five languages. She studied medical technology for two years and midwifery for three. She worked in city hospitals and village clinics delivering babies, educating communities and training midwives. In the U.S., she is an aide in a nursing home because, she said, "All my degrees are not working here." In order to work as a midwife in Albany, Ameeri would have to go back to school for eight years to get a master's degree or higher in midwifery, pass an exam and pay nearly $400 for a license. She says she's willing to go back to school, but for now is working full time as a single mom supporting her two children, two younger brothers and mother. Her family received a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) because of her work with the U.S. government and moved to Albany in 2016. Like so many other highly-educated, skilled and experienced newcomers to the U.S., Ameeri faces an uphill battle to work in her profession here. More than 4,000 refugees, including SIV recipients, have been resettled by U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) in Albany since 2005. Numbers dropped dramatically after President Donald Trump lowered the cap for refugee admissions, but more than 100 have still arrived since October. Most are from Afghanistan, Burma and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Refugees and SIV recipients are automatically given work authorization, but many first face the challenge of learning conversational, and then technical, English. Even when newcomers become proficient in language, professional certification - which differs between states as well as countries - can be arduous and expensive. Tom Monahan, a certification expert who retired from the New York state Education Department Office of the Professions, volunteers at Refugee and Immigration Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE) in Albany to help Ameeri and others get re-certified in their professions. Monahan first sits down with individuals - whether a radiologist from Sudan, a teacher from Albania, or a chemist from Syria - to understand what education and experience they have from their country of origin and how that compares to American certification requirements. "There are two problems that these people encounter," he said. "One is having documentation from their country of origin, some don't have any, some only have some. The other is English proficiency. Once we look at education and proficiency, how do you equate whatever they've got academically or professional license wise?" Monahan most often works with doctors, teachers, engineers and nurses - technical professions with basic licensing standards in New York. To become a doctor requires documentation of previous medical education, taking three exams, doing residency for three years, then passing the United States Medical Licensing Exam in three parts. Nurses must have a relevant degree and then pass an exam. Teachers have to file an application for certification with the New York State Education Department. Engineers need to pass an exam. But the problem for immigrants, Monahan said, is that education and experience for the same profession differs between countries. In the U.S., sometimes certifying agencies will accept international education, sometimes they won't. Sometimes universities will accept credits for newcomers who need to go back to school, giving them advanced standing. Sometimes they don't. "It's just archaic sometimes. I have trouble understanding it. I don't know how foreign nationals understand," Monahan said. Monahan said he sometimes refers people to businesses that specialize in certification - even though they charge a fee, which he doesn't as a volunteer - for complicated situations. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. In Afghanistan, Ameeri was proud of her work in rural communities where women were reticent or even forbidden from going to hospitals to give birth. "In my country a lot of women died. At that time I wanted to give advice," Ameeri said. "Every day I talked with people about how women have rights and can go to clinics." "I am very happy because I can help a lot of women," she said. Ameeri said she was resettled by the U.S. government because of ongoing conflict and Taliban violence that makes it unsafe for women. She said she wanted to come here for the future of her now 8-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son. "I want my kids to get a good education and good personality and help people," Ameeri said. Ameeri's hope is to study again and get experience so that she can return home and start an organization to help women and the poor. For now, she said she is happy in Albany and loves the U.S. "I want to be here," she said, "because it's a good situation with rights for everyone, women and kids." Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday he has directed state police to increase security around synagogues and other houses of worship across New York after a shooting at a synagogue in California Saturday. It is the second straight Sunday the governor has directed increased police presence. Last Sunday it was done in response to the coordinated terrorism bombings of churches and hotels in Sri Lanka. Police have said a 19-year-old entered the Chabad of Poway Saturday near San Diego and killed one person, and wounded two others - including the congregation's rabbi - during a Passover service. Cuomo's office noted it was also six months ago to the day that the Jewish community experienced its deadliest attack on American soil when a gunman killed 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. "Six months to the day after the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in our nation's history, and on the final day of Passover, we are confronted with another devastating attack in a synagogue, a holy place of worship. New York stands shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish community and people of all faiths. "We must come together during this troubling time to root out hate in all its forms and show the nation we will never be divided by these despicable acts of violence," Cuomo's office said in a written statement. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. In Niskayuna, Town Supervisor Yasmine Syed said she directed police to increase patrols and closely monitor places of worship including the Schenectady Jewish Community Center. "Niskayuna is home to diverse places of worship, the safety and security of which are all of the utmost importance. My prayers go out the families of the victims of this senseless tragedy in California," Syed said in a written statement. Albany City firefighters quickly extinguished a car fire that started at approximately 8 p.m. Friday on Washington Avenue across from Albany High School. No injuries were reported and the cause remained unknown as of Saturday, according to police. [April 28, 2019] Kalos and VUCA Health Partner to Provide Digital Patient Education to Pharmacies in Universities LAKE MARY, Fla., April 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- VUCA Health announced today that Kalos, a provider of software solutions to retail pharmacies and universities, will integrate VUCA Health's digital patient education solution, MedsOnCue, with their ProPharmOne software. VUCA's paperless option provides an eco-friendly and economical solution to the outdated practice of stapling paper to prescription bags. Kalos will now include a specific prompt that enables patients to elect to receive electronic medication information. With MedsOnCue, pharmacies that utilize ProPharmOne will also give patients the option to access enhanced educational resources for their prescriptions. These added features include on-demand informational videos, streamlined access to their pharmacy team, and detailed medication photos of their prescription to ensure safety when taking medication. "As a leading pharmacy system for universities across the nation, we support a very tech-savvy and diverse patient population as well as pharmacies that have to be very cost conscious," says Davis Holden, Project Manager at Kalos. "Being able o provide a video-based, multilingual experience to patients, while also saving the pharmacy on printing costs, makes partnering with VUCA Health a win-win for our customers." VUCA aims to address low health literacy and has been working directly with Executive Directors and State Boards of Pharmacies to advocate for a digital alternative to traditional methods of providing prescription information. Just last month, VUCA added Montana to the list of 44 other states where pharmacies can allow their patients to opt-in to receive their medication information through a digital platform in lieu of paper. Learn more at vucahealth.com/gopaperless About Kalos Kalos provides complete pharmacy management solutions with software programs, business forms and labels, customer support, hardware systems, and setup. Their proven software platforms are used nationwide in a variety of settings from retail pharmacies, universities, and correctional facilities. About VUCA Health Based in Lake Mary, FL, VUCA Health works with leading pharmacy management systems to provide a gateway to patient engagement that serves as an on-demand extension of pharmacists and other healthcare providers. The company's MedsOnCue solution leverages advanced mobile, web, and on-demand video and communication technologies to deliver trusted patient information. It offers a convenient and cost-effective way for providers to offer patient medication information and strengthen customer connections with video briefings, web messaging, reminders, and a host of other customizable services that extend and enhance the patient relationship. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kalos-and-vuca-health-partner-to-provide-digital-patient-education-to-pharmacies-in-universities-300839450.html SOURCE VUCA Health [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Reset your password Please enter the email address for your account. A verification code will be sent to you. Once you have received the verification code, you will be able to choose a new password for your account. After thousands of euros' worth of damage, the tourism board is begging young people to be more respectful. First it was the Californian poppies, now it's the Dutch tulips. The quest for the perfect selfie with a floral background has turned into a damaging stampede that has angered tulip farmers in the Netherlands. Simon Pennings is one grower who owns more than forty fields outside Amsterdam. He described the selfie-takers' antics to CNN: "They cross all over the fields and they damage the [tulips]. Last year I had one field and there were 200 people in the field. We have to keep them clear... We have fields nearby the road and all the time, from 10 o'clock in the morning to nine in the evening, they take pictures." People are failing to respect the field's boundaries and stepping right into the tulip beds, which results in crushed flowers and damaged bulbs. Pennings estimates that thousands of people walk into his fields each day and "once caused 10,000 euros' worth of damage to his plants." He told CNN, "For me, that was the point where I said, 'This has to be changed.'" The Dutch tourism board is now urging visitors to be more considerate. It has released online suggestions, including urging people to imagine how it would feel to have someone march into their own backyard without permission. Whereas tulip tourists used to be older people in their 50s or more, the trend has shifted to millennials and Gen Z'ers in the past two years. Instagram is blamed for fuelling this rise, which suggests that young people are heading to the tulip fields in hordes not so much for the tulips as for the proof that they were there. It is hard to deny the photographic allure of a brilliant field of tulips (although Pennings says the selfie-takers prefer pink hues), but it's a worrisome trend when natural sights are being harmed in the process. It shows a selfish disregard for the very things that are most attractive, not to mention an unfortunate focus on getting that perfect Insta shot, rather than simply enjoying the scenery. If you're inclined to selfie-taking, take note of this. Be aware of how you do it and call out Instagrammers who don't appear to be respecting reasonable boundaries. Whether you're on private land or public, it's crucial always to leave no trace. MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP, Pa. Talk about a special bond. Sesame Place became an exclusive park for special needs children and their families on Saturday, accommodating youngsters like Connor Evans of South Jersey. I always say my kid is your regular kid, Carla Evans said of her son, but he comes with a lot more accessories. Connor, 15, is diagnosed with cerebral palsy and controlled epilepsy. He uses adaptive sign language to supplement his multimodal communications, but all signs pointed to a day of fun and happiness for him and his loved ones in the land of Elmo and Big Bird. This is a really great experience because you can see its the opening day of Sesame Place, said Evans, 46, who came to the famous park with her husband and three children. Its not open to the general public, so its a lot more subdued for the kids with disabilities. Thousands of special needs families attended Saturdays private access event at Sesame Place thanks to the parks longstanding partnership with Variety the Childrens Charity. For parents who have children with special needs, It can be challenging, said Eric Perry, development officer of Varietys Philadelphia chapter. For this day, we made sure they had tickets at no charge. The tickets were available through the generosity of Sesame Place. Founded in Pittsburgh in the 1920s, Variety opened a Philadelphia chapter in 1935, which serves the Delaware Valley region. It seeks to enrich the lives of children and young adults with disabilities through social, educational and vocational programs that nurture independence, self-confidence and prepare them for life. This is the 32nd year we have been partnered with Variety, Sesame Place spokeswoman Dana Ryan said Saturday, which is amazing. Under the partnership, Sesame Place opens its gates exclusively to special needs families about once or twice a year, according to Ryan. She said the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards designated Sesame Place as a Certified Autism Center last year. The park needed to complete staff-wide autism sensitivity and awareness training to receive that designation. We are really proud to be the first theme park in the world to be designated a Certified Autism Center, Ryan said. All of our staff was trained to know what to look for, what signs, and how to adapt and really be educated about any guest on the spectrum who comes. Variety is a tremendous asset in this area, because they increase the number of things a child can be exposed to, said Evans, who hails from Pitman, New Jersey. They do more than just this one activity. In addition to the Sesame Place partnership, Variety also offers day and overnight camps as well as vocational work opportunities for children with special needs. The camp programs focus on improving social skills by exposing the children to arts and crafts, physical fitness and other activities. The charity has benefited the Evans family since Connors infancy. Located in Middletown Township with a Langhorne mailing address, Sesame Place is the nations only theme park based entirely on Sesame Street, the educational childrens television series known for Elmo, Big Bird and Cookie Monster. Sesame Place is also a venue that Connor Evans is very familiar with, having been there multiple times courtesy of Variety and its supporters. Big shout out and thank you to Variety in all that they do and their partners, his mother said. They are really just awesome. Call it Cahills Theorem. It goes something like this: No matter how much of an advantage the Republican Party seems to enjoy, Republicans will always find a way to screw things up for themselves. It was a Republican governor of New Jersey, 1970-74, named Bill Cahill who propounded the theorem now bearing his name. His own GOP overthrew the moderate Cahill after a single term and nominated a folksy right-winger, Charlie Sandman, in his place. Sandman then proceeded to lose to the Democrat, Brendan Byrne, by a colossal, landslide margin. Leading to the promulgation of Cahills Theorem. No matter what kind of advantage Republicans have, he ruefully observed, fear not, Democrats: Republicans will find some way to screw things up for themselves. Always. Every time. According to the Cahill Theorem, Republicans can be holding a royal flush and still manage not to win the hand. Is the Cahill Theorem now about to be played out on the national stage? Donald Trump saved the GOP from the morass its own suffocating sanctimony with his brash, up-yours populism. He did so by substituting his own bombast for the partys Babbitt baloney. He scoffed at the long, tiresome list of party pieties, including: Unregulated borders. Free trade. And U.S. military meddling abroad. When he entered the cage of presidential politics, the red-ass baboons of both parties flew into hysterics from which theyve never managed to recover. But what if Old Uncle Bernie Sanders stole or borrowed some of Trumps thunder? What Old Uncle Bernie returned the Democratic Party to its working-stiff roots on the issue of immigration? (Intrepid controversialist, or crazy lady, Ann Coulter, recently wondered out loud about this.) After all, the old socialist coot himself used to point out that unrestrained immigration tamps down the pay of the economys most marginal workers, that mainly it assures (Republican) employers a steady infusion of cheap labor and bundles of profits. Democratic elites today ignore the warnings that civil rights and labor leaders once voiced about turning America into one big illegal-alien sanctuary city, sea to shining sea. Wouldnt it be a shrewd political move for Old Uncle Bernie to return to the Democratic Partys roots on this issue? Trump would no longer have the issue all to himself. And by returning to his old stomping ground on immigration, Old Uncle Bernie would have an issue to separate himself from the rest of the clamoring, Democratic baboon troop. He might also use the issue to make the case for himself that hes a man who possesses a smidgen of common sense after all that hes not just a fringe Jacobin peddling a ragbag of revolutionary pipe dreams for derailing a stable and functioning economy. He could at last venture down out of his attic bedroom exile when visitors arrive. Swamp Republicans had their opportunity to take full title to the immigration issue, but in line with Cahills Theorem they blew it. They fretted more about the bottom-line, cheap-labor concerns of the Chamber of Commerce and the Koch Bros. industrial empire than about the difficulties of under-employed, under-paid schleppers struggling to make a living on the margins of the automated/Uberized economy. Will the Republican Party demonstrate again the truth of Cahills Theorem by thwarting Trumps populism? Will the GOP slip back into its traditional position of being the party of employers, the party of the workplace bosses? Employ-ers lean toward being Republican, employ-ees toward being Democrats. The problem for Republicans with this arrangement is, from a strictly vote-counting perspective, that employ-ees vastly outnumber employ-ers. Worse yet for the GOP from a strictly politics standpoint, Republican-leaning employers are often distant owners/bosses, who view employees as data points on a spreadsheet. Workers in turn tend to regard the bosses with a wary, distrusting eye, if not to actively resent them. From employees point of view, employers seem always to be demanding fools errands of them more productivity with a reduced workforce, stripped-down wages and benefits and dismantled resources. The most vocal political apologists for cheap-labor illegal immigration are Democrats, even though illegal immigration undermines the interests of those at the bottom of the income pyramid. (African Americans, for example.) Republicans, in contrast, are more sneaky and evasive on the issue. They are the economic apologists for unrestrained immigration. Plutocratic think tanks of conservative or libertarian bent keep up a steady output of white-paper propaganda in defense of let-er-rip immigration. The Wall Street Journal editorial page, hardly a labor rag, once openly advocated a constitutional amendment worded thusly: The United States shall have open borders. Now those words adorn banners fluttering above masked mobs of leftist hooligan street protesters. The bipartisan arrangement on immigration generates votes for Democrats and dollars for Republicans. It also explains why Washington for decades has gone tsk-tsk-tsk over out-of-control immigration but done nothing beyond that. Both sides of the Swamp right and left see benefits in the status quo. Trump put himself squarely on the populist side of the immigration issue, to the great consternation of both parties. When it comes to immigration, there are Demoplicans and Republicrats. Theres far more bipartisanship in the Swamp than weve been led to believe. Turning to the second key issue, will the corporate boardroom/CEO component of the GOP maneuver Trump back into the partys long-standing position of being the voice of free trade? Will the partys corporate board/CEO component succeed in stifling the suspicion, prevalent among those who work for modest wages or run small businesses, that free trade is no less a fairytale than the free lunch Republicans are constantly sermonizing us doesnt really exist? To what extent does free trade really mean free to trade U.S. jobs for lower-paid ones in Dhaka or Dharmapuri? With her line of stylish merchandise manufactured abroad, is Ivanka Trump Kushner whispering the answer in Daddys ear? Is there any chance that Old Uncle Bernie or any of the others might be shrewd enough to move in on Trumps populist free-trade turf here? Isnt it, after all, turf the Democratic Party once occupied, before the party became the consort of multibillionaire swains like Jeff Bezos, Tom Stayer and George Soros? When it comes to free trade, Grandpa Joe Biden might even update his old Obama-era campaign mantra Osama bin Laden is dead and GM is alive by adding the footnote that bailed-out GM is alive, indeed, and providing thousands of jobs in China. Beyond this, is there any possibility the Democratic Party, might be able, on foreign affairs, to set aside its Zonker Harris bong and regain some of the partys old level-headedness? Or has the party already taken one too hits on that bong free college, free medical care, free electricity extracted from wind and sunbeams, free this and free that? It looks like the Mueller report has put an end to loony conspiracy theories of a Trump-Putin cabal. Still, might there be an outside chance of maneuvering Trump back to the old GOP neoconservative position of seeking out foreign squabbles in which to entangle ourselves? Trump ran as an anti-interventionist. He mocked Republicans for believing that with enough American troops and foreign aid, they could turn Afghani goatherds and Iraqi warlords into acolytes of James Madison and Alexander Hamilton. Now Trump, to the puzzlement of his anti-Swamp supporters, has installed John Bolton as National Security Advisor. Bolton, the mustachioed Capt. Kangaroo lookalike, has long been one of the GOPs loudest warpath whoopers. His war cry has long been, Onward ever deeper into the quagmire! And Trump, anti-interventionist candidate though he was, has now vetoed a resolution reasserting Congress constitutional authority on deploying, or not not deploying, military forces in distant places where America has only a marginal national interest if that. Are Bolton and the veto the ransom Trump has to pay to keep neoconservative Republican mossbacks from holding the GOP hostage? The vetoed resolution championed by such Republicans as libertarian Sen. Rand Paul sought to end Americas meddling in Yemens brutal Islamic civil war. That hellhole war pits forces supported by Saudi Arabias backward monarchy/Sunni Muslims against those supported by Irans backward theocracy/Shiite Muslims. American munitions and tax dollars on the side of Saudi Arabia keep the casualties and refugees mounting in that internecine Muslim family feud. The prospects of a widening conflagration seem greater than the prospects of one side ever gaining the upper hand and imposing peace on its terms. Yet Yemen is but one of many far-flung places where America pokes hornets nests or encamps next to them. The United States maintains 105 military bases and training sites around the globe, according to a survey by the Brown University War Project and Smithsonian magazine. Noble intentions may underlie much of this sprawling commitment, Roman Empire-like commitment. Still, can hostile locals be blamed if theyre inclined to view us as interlopers offering them the banditos alternative of plata o plombo silver or lead, bribes or bullets? Old Uncle Bernie champions the resolution Trump vetoed the resolution calling for Congress to reassert its constitutional responsibility and curb executive branch military adventurism such as sucked America chin deep into the muck of Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Pat Buchanan, the old Nixon White House hand who saw politics from the inside and now observes it from the outside, says Old Uncle Bernie and other Democrats are now in a position to snatch the valuable anti-interventionist issue away from Trump and make it their own election winner. If they do, the wisdom of Bill Cahills Theorem will have been demonstrated yet again. pardeepdhull@gmail.com New Delhi, April 28 Air India has suffered losses of around Rs 300 crore since late February as its long haul flights from New Delhi are taking longer to reach destinations in Europe, the Gulf and the US because of the closure of Pakistans airspace. The Pakistani airspace has remained shut for traffic to and from India ever since hostilities broke out between the two countries after the Pulwama suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14. With its aircraft operating from New Delhi spending longer time in air, Air India is incurring daily loss of Rs 6 crore on extra fuel burn, cabin staff expenses and reduced flights. The national carrier has approached the Civil Aviation Ministry to ensure it is compensated for the loss given that the airline cannot pull out these flights due to various obligations. Air India has communicated to us about this. It is being taken up with all concerned, a Ministry official said. The Air India flights to the US from Delhi now take 2-3 hours extra one way due to the restrictions over Pakistani airspace. Flights to Europe are taking almost two hours more, resulting in financial loss. The airspace closure following an air strike by the Indian Air Force on the Jaish-e-Mohamnad (JeM) terror camp in Pakistans Balakot on February 27 has affected most airlines from Europe and the US that operate flights to and from New Delhi. Almost the entire air traffic from South East Asia to Europe has also been impacted as they would pass through north India into Pakistan and onwards. American carrier United has temporarily suspended its Delhi-Newark flight and is monitoring the situation. German flag carrier Lufthansa had said earlier that connections to Bangkok and Singapore would also be hit besides operations to India. We are already preparing adjusted routes and will increase the amount of additional fuel in the event of delays. Some traffic rights for the new routing must also be secured, the airline had said on closure of Pakistani airspace. An Air India official said that the airline has significant operations to Europe and North America and the diversion of flights due to closure of Pakistani airspace had so far caused a total loss of about Rs 300 crore. The losses on account of payload restriction and cancellation alone is about Rs 2.75 crore per day. The longer flying time has affected the duty hours of cabin staff and pilots, he said. The other airlines have an option to pull out services in such situations but as the national carrier we cannot do so, the official added. IANS editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Mohali, April 27 High drama was witnessed at Sohana village here today when some locals thrashed a youth and cops who came to arrest him in a case of rape. Sarabjit Singh, alias Saba, who is son of an ASI in the Punjab Vigilance and younger brother of national level kabaddi player, was arrested after a case was registered under Sections 376 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)at the Sohana police station. The police also booked Sohana residents Shingara Singh, Balkar Singh, Nannu, Gurpreet and around 20 unidentified persons under Sections 307, 323, 341, 148, 149, 186 and 353 of the IPC. According to the police, Saba had entered the room of a girl living at a PG accommodation being run by Shingara Singh on Friday night. The girl rang up the police helpline 181, following which a police team came here. Meanwhile, Shingara Singh, who was agitated over Sabas act, went to the suspects house in the same locality along with some of his friends and started thrashing him. As the police team tried to intervene, Shingara Singh and his friends manhandled the cops, said an eyewitness. Sources said some of those who attacked the cops were armed with sharp weapons. Residents of the village informed that Saba was already facing a case under Section 326 of the IPC at the same police station. Currently, he was out on bail, they said. Saba was also booked for outraging the modesty of a girl and later the FIR was quashed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Parwinder Singh, a local resident, claimed. gspannu7@gmail.com Chandigarh, April 28 Cautioning all universities in the country to shun politics and controversies, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday urged them to strive to emerge as centres of excellence to make India vishvaguru again. The vice president also urged youths to adhere to the countrys tradition of tolerance and respect and protect its pluralistic culture, while empowering themselves the right skills and attitude. If you look at the history, you had Aryabhata, Bhaskaracharya and so many great people who were there because India was a knowledge centre and knowledge giver. Now we must aim to become once again vishwaguru that is the centre of excellence, said Vice President Naidu on Sunday in his 68th convocation address to Panjab University. That is possible if universities focus more on academic enhancement. Not on other issues. Not on politics. Not on controversies, added Naidu, who is also the chancellor of the university. Universities should not get into controversies at all. The only aim of university is to work hard, aim high and take the country forward. That is the first purpose of the university, said Naidu. Noting that building an institution is not an easy task and it requires vision, passion and commitment, the vice president said nothing should be done which could sully the image of university. Naidu also called upon youths to shoulder greater social responsibility. There is a need to exercise judgement in looking at social issues and be part of the traditions of tolerance and respect that are characteristics of our pluralistic culture, he said. Lauding the contribution of Panjab University in the field of education, the vice president said, Panjab University has a glorious past and is one of the oldest universities in India, set in a land which has witnessed centuries of dedication to spreading knowledge in ancient centres of learning like Takshila. In his 45-minute address, the vice president spoke of Panjab Universitys quest for academic excellence and the rapid progress it has made in providing quality education to its 15,000 students enrolled in about 200 affiliated colleges, three regional centres, six constituent colleges and one rural centre. Naidu also emphasised that educational institutions should identify the talent of youth and then upgrade their skills. Some talent is there in everybody. What is required is to understand that talent and you have to identify the talent and upgrade skills. That is the purpose of the universities, IITs, IIMs and all other technical universities. Upgrading the skills which are already there, he noted. All of you are partners in the progress of this institution and everybody should focus on that. Not on other issues. Senate and syndicate (of PU) should focus more on academic activity not on other things, he said. On the occasion, Indian Space Research Organisation chairman, Dr K Sivan, was given Vigyan Rattan award. Naidu stated that Indias future would be powered by the dreams and ambitions, the character and competence of young people. If we can empower our youth with the right skills and attitudes, we will be able to fully realise the vast demographic dividend in the years to come. That is indeed a big challenge before the country today, he said. He further said youth must be fully equipped to face the challenges of the 21st century with confidence and contribute to the shaping of a new world. Observing that access to higher education has been improved considerably in our country, Naidu said, We have to focus upon raising the quality of education and ensure that we offer the best possible education to our young people. On this occasion, Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore and PU Vice Chancellor Raj Kumar were also present. PTI editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Panchkula, April 27 The charred body of an unidentified young woman was found at Mansa Devi Complex here in the wee hours of Saturday. The incident came to light around 6 am when some women residing in huts nearby noticed the body and called up the police. A police team from Chandigarh reached the site immediately, but since the area fell in Panchkula, cops informed the MDC police station. Later, a team led by Vijay, SHO, MDC police station, reached there. The police said the accused had possibly left immediately after setting the body afire. The body was totally burnt with smoke coming out of it. The woman appeared to be in the age group of 22-25 years, the police said, adding that the possibility of rape could not be ruled out. DCP Kamal Deep Goyal and ACP Nupur Bishnoi also visited the spot, about 500 yards from the MDC police station. Cops said a forensic team took fingerprints from some objects lying near the body. Though beer bottles were found there, cops suspect these could have been thrown by someone else as there was a liquor vend nearby. The SHO said the woman was strangled and the body dumped near Indira Colonybefore setting it afire. He said the body could have been brought in a jute bag as half-burnt shreds of a bag were found near the cadaver. He said they had registered a murder case and trying to get the footage of CCTVs installed at a gurdwara and other buildings in the area. vermaajay1968@gmail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 27 The Supreme Court has paved the way for promotion of 44 Haryana state civil servants to IAS by dismissing a petition challenging a Punjab and Haryana High Court verdict that had cleared their seniority for promotion. In an order dated December 19, 2018, the HC had upheld seniority list dated December 12, 2006, and dismissed petitions challenging it. It had also quashed seniority list dated April 16, 2010, which had placed Sandeep Singh and others of his batch above Virender Singh Hooda who was appointed before them. Advocate Jasbir Malik, who represented Hooda and his batchmates, said, This is perhaps the largest group of Haryana Civil Service officers getting promoted to IAS. The state government had also told the court that it was facing shortage of IAS officers in the state. The HC verdict was challenged in a special leave petition by Surender Kumar Setia before the Supreme Court that dismissed it on April 22. The special leave petition is dismissed, said a Bench of Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice KM Joseph in a one-line order. Setia had contended that the HC miserably failed to consider that the state of Haryana was bound to uniformly apply the statutory provisions contained in Rule 20 of the 1930 rules for fixation of inter se seniority among the members of Haryana Civil Service (Executive Branch). editorial@tribune.com Sunit Dhawan Tribune News Service Rohtak, April 27 The local electoral authorities have initiated an inquiry into the matter pertaining to BSP-LSP alliance candidate from the Rohtak Lok Sabha seat Kishan Lal Panchal reportedly seeking votes from Muslims. The issue was reported in the columns of The Tribune. Rohtak Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Electoral Officer Yash Garg today said that the matter was being probed. Jai Singh, general observer appointed for the constituency by the Election Commission, said that he would get the matter examined and appropriate action would be taken. A press note issued on behalf of Panchals media in-charge Friday evening stated that Panchal had toured all mosques of the town and appealed to Muslim voters to vote for him by selecting his elephant election symbol. The Muslim community is feeling neglected and anguished as no government had addressed their concerns. If we win the elections, we will give due regard to all sections of society, Panchal has been quoted as saying in the press note. It stated that the Muslims had assured Panchal of full support. However, Panchal had denied having issued any such press note, though he admitted having toured local mosques. On the other hand, Panchals media in-charge Sunil had admitted that he got the press note mailed to journalists through a local PR agency. What candidate said editorial@tribune.com Ravinder Saini Tribune News Service Rohtak, April 27 Local leaders and office-bearers of various political parties in the Rohtak parliamentary constituency have been shifting their loyalty. At least 15 office-bearers of the BJP, JJP and INLD, along with their supporters, have joined the Congress in the past 10 days. The INLD suffered a setback on Friday when its youth wing state secretary Pradeep Dangi and district vice-president Ram Chander Lamba quit the party and joined the Congress in the presence of sitting MP and Congress nominee Deepender Singh Hooda. Virender Singh Hooda, district chief and member of the national executive of BJPs disaster management wing, shifted his loyalty to the Congress. He announced that he would carry out canvassing in favour of Congress candidates in Rohtak and Sonepat parliamentary constituencies. He had been associated with the BJP for the past 16 years. He had served as state co-coordinator of the BJP Mazdoor Morcha from 2009 to 2011 and district secretary from 2003 to 2005. He had led a campaign against toll booths, which received good support from the public. Khol Panchayat Samiti member Rekha Yadav, INLD former district president Umesh Devi, BJP SC Morcha state secretary Suresh Pradhan, JJP leader Rajnish Deswal, JJP women wing vice-president Santosh Devi, Kiloi youth wing president Krishan Chamaria, BJP Kalanaur leader Ashok Vasan and INLD Bahadurgarh Urban former chief Birju Sharma have expressed faith in the Congress, said Deepender. He claimed that office-bearers of opposition parties had been joining the Congress almost everyday across the state, which was a clear indication that the party would put up an impressive show in the Lok Sabha elections. editorial@tribune.com Mukesh Tandon Tribune News Service Panipat, April 27 Wheat crop spread over nearly 400 acres and stubble over nearly 800 acres in the Madlauda and Sanoli blocks of the district was destroyed in a fire on Saturday. As many as 15 fire incidents were reported across the district, leading to shortage of fire tenders and equipment. The district administration sought support from the adjoining Karnal district and Sonepat, but to no avail. Fire tenders in other districts were also busy. Sources said a fire broke out at Kavi village around 12.30 pm. It soon spread and damaged fields in adjoining villages, including Madlauda, Thirana, Untla, Atawla, Shera, Waiser, Khandra and Bhandari. It also destroyed huts of labourers in Shera village, forcing them to leave the place. The fire reached a hatchery at Thirana village but was controlled on time. Some tractors were also gutted. Witnesses said the fire spread due to high-velocity winds and destroyed the entire crop. Scores of residents of villages tried to prevent the fire from spreading, but to no avail. Farmers informed the police control room and fire services about the incident. Bijender Singh, DSP, along with Inspector Mohan Lal, Madlauda SHO, reached the spot. Over 10 fire tenders of the Panipat Municipal Corporation, IOCL refinery and National Fertilizers Limited managed to control the fire in around four and a half hours. State Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar also visited the affected villages and met farmers. He said farmers had suffered huge losses. He said girdawari of the standing crop would be conducted and compensation of Rs 12,000 per acre would be granted to the affected farmers. Another fire incident was reported near the Shani temple on NH-44 near ITI. As many as 13 jhuggis and vehicles were gutted and five animals were burnt alive. Satish Kumar, DSP (Headquarters) and Satish Gautam, DSP (City), along with a police team reached the spot. People said a fire had broken out in a factory adjoining their jhuggis on Friday night. Island village struggles for help Panipat: A massive fire broke out at Rahimpur Kheri village of the Sanoli block on Saturday, damaging the standing crop of 35 farmers spread over 200 acres and stubble over 50 acres. It is the last village of the district, which is located on an island in the middle of the Yamuna. In the absence of proper connectivity, help could not reach the village on time. A fire tender from Panipat and three from Shamli district of UP reached the spot after two hours and controlled the blaze. Sumedha Kataria, DC, said over 15 fire incidents were reported in a day. We sought support from adjoining districts but couldnt get help as their fire tenders were busy, she said. The loss has not been ascertained yet and officials have been directed to take stock of the situation, she said. Crop, stubble reduced to ashes in Karnal Karnal: In a massive fire, wheat crop spread over hundreds of acres along with stubble and straw were reduced to ashes in a few hours in the Nissing area. of the district The authorities are yet to assess the losses, but farmers claim that wheat crop over 200 acres and straw and stubble over 500 acres were gutted. Five farmers also received injuries while controlling the fire. Farmers said the fire started from the fields in Kaithal district and soon spread to fields in Karnal district. After wreaking havoc in fields of Ruksana, Chorkarsa, Nissing and others, it reached Dachar village. More than six fire tenders were pressed into service. Karam Singh, a farmer, said the government should compensate the farmers for the losses. Anurag Dhalia, Assandh SDM, said the assessment was yet to be done. Patwaris have been asked to assess the losses, he said. TNS editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Shimla, April 27 The Congress today demanded a ban on campaigning by state BJP president till polling on May 19 in view of the persistent use of derogatory language by Satpal Singh Satti. Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president Kuldeep Rathore said the Congress had filed another complaint against Satti for calling Congress leaders as chandal chowkri (group of rogues). Talking to mediapersons here today, Rathore said the BJP had pushed the level of political debate to its lowest. Never before was such derogatory and abusive language used in Himachal politics as we never treated our opponents as enemies. It is just not our culture, he remarked. It is in view of his persistent use of such abusive language that we urge the EC to impose a ban on campaigning by Satti till May 19, the day of polling, he said. Rathore said the Congress would also complain to the EC regarding a retired ITBP official joining the BJP in the presence of the Chief Minister in uniform. Satti has been issued three notices by the EC for violating the code of conduct. A 48-hour ban was imposed on him and with regard to the second notice later, he was let off with a warning. He replied to the third notice today. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Shimla, April 27 Former BJP president and three-time MP Suresh Chandel today said he was forced to leave the saffron party as there was politics of manipulation from top to bottom, leaving little scope for dialogue. Addressing a press conference here, Chandel said there was a growing feeling that there was a deliberate attempt to undermine the spirit of democracy under the present regime. I have held serious posts in the BJP, including president, and at that time there was a lot of internal democracy, but now the party culture has changed as there is more autocracy, he remarked. Congress president Kuldeep Rathore was also present. Chandel, who last week joined the Congress, said for the last over one year, he had raised questions in the BJP about his role and responsibility. The moment I realised that there was a virtual conspiracy to sideline me, I started exploring options and finally chose to join the Congress, he said. While terming the cash-for-query scam, in which his name figured, a conspiracy, he said it would be inappropriate for him to comment any further as the matter was sub judice. Chandel said there visible disenchantment among the electorate against the BJP. People have begun realising that there is more talk and less action and a planned attempt to avoid any debate or accountability on issues and promises made earlier. The NDA regime has failed to find solution to the problem of unemployment which is at its peak in the last 45 years, he remarked. He added the situation with regard to agriculture distress was not better. He said the BJP in Himachal too had failed to impress. The CM has yet to prove his mettle and one year is enough time for anyone to show his caliber, he said. editorial@tribune.com Pratibha Chauhan Tribune News Service Shimla, April 27 Accusing the Congress of lying and spreading hatred and enmity, BJP president Satpal Satti has urged the Election Commission (EC) to drop the charges against him as he has not violated the election code. In his reply filed today to the EC, Satti said it was the Congress workers who had circulated his speech in social and print media to tarnish his image. The EC should stop the Congress from moving such complaints as they are spreading hatred and making derogatory remarks against its political opponents, he urged. The DC, Mandi, issued a notice to Satti on April 25 and was given 24 hours to file his reply. This was the third notice that had been served on Satti in the last fortnight for his derogatory utterances against Congress leaders. The third notice pertained to his remarks of chopping off arms of anybody who pointed fingers at the PM and senior leaders in a rally after the filing of nomination papers by party candidate Ram Swaroop in Mandi. Satti said he had no vendetta against his political opponents. I have never made any false, derogatory or inciting remarks as alleged in the notice, he clarified. He added that the wording of his speech was taken otherwise by press correspondents covering the election rally at Seri Manch in Mandi whereas he had not done anything wrong. editorial@tribune.com Bhanu P Lohumi Tribune News Service Shimla, April 27 Former minister and six-time Congress MLA from the Rampur (Reserved) constituency Singhi Ram joined the BJP along with his supporters in the presence of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur at Rampur in Shimla district today. The Rampur seats falls in the Mandi Lok Sabha segment and BJP candidate from Mandi Ram Swaroop Sharma and party MLA from Anni Kishori Lal were also present on the occasion. Once a loyalist of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, the veteran Dalit leader was elected to the Assembly for the first time in 1982 and retained the seat in 1985,1990,1993,1998 and 2003. He was denied ticket in 2007 and Nand Lal, who was given ticket, won the elections and retained the seat in 2012 and 2017. Singhi revolted against the party and unsuccessfully contested the Assembly poll in 2017 but lost and was expelled from the party (Congress). He was inducted as Horticulture and Food and Civil Supplies Minister in 2004. Singhi Ram (65), a law graduate, had resigned from government service in 1982 to join politics and also remained general secretary and vice-president of the State Youth Congress. He was arrested in April 2008 for allegedly procuring a fake certificate from the HP Board of School Education for his daughter. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Srinagar, April 27 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday dubbed the Congress and the BJP as the two sides of the same coin. She said both parties had launched unthinkable assaults against Article 370 and Article 35A from time to time. Mehbooba, who is the PDP candidate from the Anantnag parliamentary constituency, where the elections are scheduled in three phases, addressed rallies in Kulgam district, which will go to the polls on Monday. She criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remark that Article 370 and Article 35A had done damage to the state. If such is the situation, then it is high time for the Government of India to snap ties with Jammu and Kashmir and leave the state alone, she said. Mehbooba, whose party has run a coalition government with both BJP and Congress, said the parties were the two sides of the same coin. It was (Ghulam Nabi) Azad who as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir scandalously transferred thousands of kanals to the shrine board, undermining Article 370 and ignoring the states core interests sans any remorse, she said. She said the BJP was playing with fire by tinkering with the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. As the Chief Minister, (I) had cautioned Prime Minister Modi that if any harm is done to the unique position of Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP will break ties with the BJP without a second thought, she said. She said the foundation of the agenda of alliance between her party and the BJP was laid for the protection of Articles 35A and 370 and it was taken in writing from the BJP that it will not fiddle with the special position of Jammu and Kashmir in any way. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Srinagar, April 27 National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said he would have told Prime Minister Narendra Modi to go to hell if he would have been rebuked me at a rally like former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Farooq cited the 2015 incident in Srinagar when Mufti Sayeed, the then Chief Minister in the PDP-BJP coalition government, had offered an advice to the Prime Minister to offer friendship and dialogue to Pakistan. The Prime Minister had immediately snubbed Sayeed at the rally and said he did not need advice or analysis from anyone regarding Kashmir. When he (Sayeed) said it is important to talk to Pakistan, he (Modi) told him I dont need anyones advice. If I would have been the Chief Minister, I would have told him you go to hell and I would have left, Farooq said at a rally in Kulgam district on Saturday. Kulgam, which is part of the Anantnag parliamentary constituency, will go to the polls on Monday. The former Chief Minister also criticised PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and said legislative powers of the state were encroached upon during her tenure. National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah, who addressed another rally in Kulgam, said if anyone questioned the validity of Article 370 that guarantees the states special status it would also open the question of accession. When the state became part of the country, certain conditions were set. If that decision of Article 370 is wrong, then the decision of accession is also wrong, he said. Omar also said the gravest danger faced by the state was not from the militants or Pakistan but from those who were seeking to undo the states special status. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Shah Rukh Khan has reportedly become extremely selective while choosing films with the unsuccessful run of his last venture Zero. The superstar has been going through scripts has not decided anything. King Khan has reportedly even backed out from some of his previously decided projects as he was not satisfied with the scripts. Now, if reports are to be believed, SRK recently attended the Beijing International Film Festival in China where he met filmmaker Majid Majidi of Beyond the Clouds fame and the actor might just be planning on doing a movie with the Iranian director. Majidi is known for giving some spectacular films such as Beyond the Clouds, Baran, Father, Children of Heaven and few others. The filmmaker has been applauded a lot for his movie Beyond the Clouds which marked the debut of Ishaan Khatter. vermaajay1968@gmail.com Colombo, April 27 Six children and three women were among 15 persons killed when militants linked to the Easter Sunday bombings opened fire and blew themselves up during a fierce gun battle with security forces in Sri Lankas Eastern province, the police said on Saturday. The shootout occurred as the security forces continued their hunt for members of the National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ), the local terror outfit behind the April 21 coordinated blasts in which 253 persons were killed and over 500 injured. The Special Task Force and army troops, following a tip-off, raided a house in Kalmunai city, about 360 km from Colombo, on Friday night, leading to heavy exchange of fire with the armed group. As the heavily-armed men opened fire on the troops, a civilian caught in the middle got killed. As the clashes intensified, three men are believed to have set off explosives. A total of 15 bodies recovered six men, three women and six children. At least four suspected suicide bombers are dead and three others who were injured are in hospital, a police spokesperson said. When the police was doing a joint search operation in Sainthamuruthu, gunfire was directed at them, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said. A suicide blast took place and the body of a terrorist with a T56 assault rifle was also found at the site. A huge cache of explosives was also seized from the spot. Officials have recovered detonators, suicide kits, army uniforms and ISIS flags, an army officer said. Meanwhile, the police said that curfew imposed in the Muslim-majority areas of Kalmunai, Chavalakade and Sammanthurai would continue until further notice. At least 76 people have been arrested by the police in connection with the attack so far. Twenty were arrested in the last 24 hours. Officials also seized 1 kg of explosives near a railway station at Wellawatta, a popular south Colombo suburb. Sri Lanka has a population of 21 million which is a patchwork of ethnicities and religions, dominated by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. Muslims account for 10 per cent of the population and are the second-largest minority after Hindus. Around seven per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians. PTI vermaajay1968@gmail.com New Delhi, April 27 Thousands of Air India passengers had a harrowing time at airports across the world today as its 155 flights were delayed due to the shutdown of its check-in software for more than five hours because of a technical snag. The national carriers Chairman and Managing Director (CMD), Ashwani Lohani, said the passenger service system (PSS) software, which looks after check-in, baggage and reservation, did not work from 3.30 am to 8.45 am on Saturday. During this time period, thousands of AI passengers were stranded at airports globally as the airline staff was unable to issue a boarding pass to them. Lohani said till 10 am, 85 flights were delayed because of the PSS shutdown. Because of the 85 flights that have been delayed, a ripple effect will take place throughout the day, he said, adding that a few flights will also be cancelled because of this delay. Later in the day, the airlines spokesperson clarified that 155 flights would be delayed for an average duration of two hours till 8.30 pm. It is mostly the domestic flights that have been affected the most due to the software shutdown, Lohani clarified. International departures will not face much problems... There will be delay in one or two international flights. One Delhi-Shanghai flight is getting delayed by about 1.5 hours. The flights departing for Europe are largely running on time, he said. About affected passengers, the CMD said the airline is trying its best to inform them through social media and its call centre. The magnitude is so big that our call centre is not able to handle the volume, he said. The passengers missing their flights would be given hotel accommodation or they would be rescheduled in a different flight, he added. PTI monicakchauhan@gmail.com Lucknow, April 28 Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of including his caste in the list of backwards during his tenure as the Gujarat chief minister, BSP supremo Mayawati on Saturday said the PM had done this for electoral profits and to kill the rights of the backward castes. Addressing a press conference here, Mayawati said, In order to derive political profits during elections, he (Modi) got his upper caste included in the list of backward castes. Like (SP patriarch) Mulayam Singh Yadav and (SP chief) Akhilesh Yadav, Modi was not born in a backward caste. Today, at Kannauj, he (Modi) said Behenji and Akhilesh think of him as a lowly (neech) person as he hails from a backward caste. Their (BJP's) Dalit-backward card is not working anymore, she added. Terming Modis allegation as mischievous, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said she never considered the prime minister a lowly person and always treated him with all due respect as a member of an upper caste. Then, how does the issue of calling him 'neech' arise? This makes me feel that he considers the upper-caste society as lowly, she said. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief alleged that Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) considered the Dalits as lowly. Asserting that this attitude of the saffron party was evident in the case of Dalit research scholar Rohit Vemula's death and the 2016 incident in Gujarat's Una in which the members of a Dalit family were flogged in public, she said, "Hence, in this election, the BJP and the Congress are not going to get any political mileage by playing the Dalit and backward castes card." And after this press conference, I think Prime Minister Modi may himself stop the politics of playing the backward card, she added. Mayawati's comments came hours after the prime minister slammed the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, saying the tie-up of "opportunists" wanted a helpless government at the Centre as its mantra was "jaat-paat japna, janta ka maal apna" (looting public money by playing caste cards). Modi addressed election rallies at Kannauj, a Samajwadi Party (SP) stronghold, Hardoi and Sitapur on Saturday. At Kannauj, dubbing the opposition alliance as "mahamilavati (highly adulterated) opportunists", the prime minister said he did not believe in caste politics. "Mayawatiji, I am the most backward...I request with folded hands not to drag me into caste politics, 130 crore people are my family. This country did not know my caste till my detractors abused me...I am thankful to Mayawatiji, Akhileshji, the Congress people and the mahamilavatis that they are discussing my caste...I believe that taking birth in a backward caste is an opportunity to serve the country," he said. At her press conference, Mayawati also claimed that not even one-fourth of the promises the BJP had made in the run-up to the 2014 parliamentary polls were honoured by the saffron party. PTI vinaymishra188@gmail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 27 Characterising the policy pursued by the Centre during the past five years in Jammu and Kashmir as dreadful, a group of authors on the Kashmir issue today unanimously sought resumption of the peace process in the troubled state through dialogue and the democratic process. Participating in a discussion organised on Kashmir: The way forward, the six authors came up with a range of ideas on issues like the peace process, shades of democracy, aspirations of Kashmiris, radicalisation, governance and state of affairs on the Line of Control (LoC) in the state. Organised at the India International Centre (IIC), the event was presided over by former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir NN Vohra, currently the President of IIC. Professor Radha Kumar, who was once one of the Centres interlocutors, was critical of the Operation All-Out policy of the present NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She said, The Centres current policy in the state is dreadful and talk of abrogation of Article 370 and 35A is dangerous. If the two are taken away, the whole issue of the instrument of accession will open up and unleash more militancy and Army action. Noting that you make peace only with the enemy and not with friends, Prof Kumar asked for immediate initiation of the political peace process and conduct of Assembly elections in the state. Professor Rekha Chowdhary, formerly with the University of Jammu, claimed that in J&K, the conflict is very complicated. It has three dimensions external involving Pakistan, internal (Centre-state relations) and inter-regional (Jammu with Kashmir and Ladakh with Kashmir). She argued that any serious effort to deal with the vexed problem requires participants to simultaneously deal with all the three dimensions. She, however, said the armed forces should be allowed to deal with militancy. Former J&K Police chief AM Watali talked about the aspirations of Kashmiris and held the view that the erroneous policy of the Centre at different times had led our youth in the state to pick up arms. Blaming it on the blindness of the state apparatus in J&K, author David Devidas noted that unfortunately for the past four years, it is difficult to figure out if there is any policy with regard to Kashmir. To address the issue of radicalisation, he said the state needs to revive the system of primary education that became a victim of the conflict of the 1990s. Professor Aijaz Ashraf Wani suggested a mix of measures which should include what ought to be done and what ought not to be done. He said, Jingoism is horrifying to us and the rest of India should stop punishing the entire Kashmiri population. Otherwise, things would be pushed back to an armed struggle. Professor Happymon Jacob advocated formalising the 2003 ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan and reduction in the calibre of weapons used at the border. gspannu7@gmail.com Barabanki/Lucknow, April 28 BJP chief Amit Shah on Sunday said while criminals roamed freely when the SP and the BSP ruled Uttar Pradesh, they are seen moving around with a patta (placard) reading arrest us but dont do encounter since Yogi Adityanath became chief minister. The Yogi Adityanath government had come in for criticism last year after the UP Police launched a massive crackdown across the state, killing dozens of criminals. Reports had suggested that many people facing criminal cases wanted to be in jail rather than getting killed in encounters. Addressing a rally here, Shah said, Till the time the SP and the BSP ruled the state, criminals would roam freely. But, after Yogi Adityanath assumed office, criminals are seen moving with a patta (placard) reading arrest us but dont do encounter. Shah also claimed that a pall of gloom had descended on Pakistan and the offices of SP, BSP and the Congress on the day of surgical strikes. He also asked Buaa-Bhatija (Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav) and Rahul Gandhi to make their stand clear on having a separate prime minister for Jammu and Kashmir and asserted that no one can take it away from India till his party exists. The BJP has been aggressively attacking opposition parties for keeping mum on National Conference leader Omar Abdullahs suggestion that there should be a separate prime minister for the state, which enjoys special status through Article 370. During his election campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked several opposition leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, N Chandrababu Naidu and Sharad Pawar, whether they support Abdullahs comment. While presenting a report card on the completion of two years of his government Adityanath had told a presser earlier this month: There is zero tolerance for crime and criminals and 73 criminals have been killed in police encounters. Shah also said at present, only small and middle-scale farmers are benefitting from PM-KISAN scheme, but in the future every farmer will gain from it. Addressing another public meeting in Lucknows Mohanlalganj area, Shah said, Today, land mafia doesnt have the courage to grab land of the poor. The BJP president also alleged that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh kept mum when terrorists from Pakistan beheaded Indian soldiers. Hemraj bhai was beheaded, but mauni (silent) baba did not say anything or did anything. But, this is not the case now. Befitting reply is being given to Pakistan, Shah said. PTI pardeepdhull@gmail.com New Delhi/Chennai, April 28 Cyclone Fani is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 12 hours and further soar into a very severe cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours, the Cyclone Warning Division of the MeT Department said on Sunday. In its 1 pm bulletin, the Cyclone Warning Division said Fani currently lays over 745 kilometres east-southeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 1,050 kilometres southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and 1,230 kilometres south-southeast of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh). It is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during next 12 hours and into a very severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours, the IMD said. Heavy falls at isolated places are very likely over Kerala on April 29 and 30. The system will not make landfall in Tamil Nadu, but may bring light rain in some northern parts, it said. Earlier, it was expected to cause heavy rain in northern Tamil Nadu, including Chennai. The Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai said cyclone threat to Tamil Nadu has abated. There is no chance of Fani crossing the Tamil Nadu coast, Director of Area Cyclone Warning Centre S Balachandran told reporters in Chennai. Light to moderate rainfall is very likely at a few places over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and south coastal Odisha on May 2. It is likely to increase in intensity with heavy rainfall over coastal Odisha from May 3. Strong winds with speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph are likely to commence along and off the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast, Comorin area and Gulf of Mannar from Sunday. It will intensify a day later, the bulletin said. It is very likely to become squally with wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph and gusting to 70 kmph from morning of April 30 along north Tamilnadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts. Strong wind with speed reaching 30-40 kmph and gusting to 50 kmph are likely to commence along and off Kerala coast from evening of April 28, it said. Sea conditions are expected to be rough to very rough along and off Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts from April 29 to May 1. The sea conditions will be very rough along and off the north Andhra Pradesh coast from May 1-3 and along off Odisha coast from May 2 onwards. The IMD has also advised fishermen along the coasts of Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry not to venture into the sea. Those in the deep sea were advised to return to the coast, the IMD added. PTI pardeepdhull@gmail.com New Delhi, April 28 Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday accused the Election Commission of being silent spectator to the excesses of the BJP and to the utterances of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the poll body has largely failed the people of India. The former Union Finance and Union Home Minister also said the plank of nationalism, propagated by the BJP, is a ploy to hide failures of the NDA government. According to me, the Election Commission has largely failed the people of India. It has been a silent spectator to the excesses of the BJP, Mr Modis utterances and the enormous amount of money that has been spent by the BJP, he told PTI in an interview. Recently, the Opposition has complained to the EC alleging that the PM had brazenly violated the poll code by invoking armed forces repeatedly during his poll rallies and demanded that a campaign ban be imposed on him for some time. The Congress has said it has given 37 representations to the EC of which 10 can be categorised under hate speeches, virulent, divisive, polarising by Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. In the interview, Chidambaram answered questions ranging from the possibility of UPA-III coming to power after the Lok Sabha polls, recent searches by the Income Tax Department, CBI and Enforcement Directorate on some Opposition leaders, besides other issues. Chidambaram claimed that the EC has been asking accounts of every Opposition candidate and even on their small spendings like on a flag. They (EC) are adding what it is called notional expenditure, to the expenditure account of the candidates. If you apply the same standard, every BJP candidate will be disqualified, he said. Asked about the BJP raising the issue of nationalism during the campaigning, the Congress leader asked whether Indians were anti-nationals before the BJP came to power. Nationalism is a slogan to hide their failure. Every Indian is a patriot. No patriot can be called anti-national. The BJP has manipulated the media to sell this idea of nationalism which has no meaning. The only relevant question is (whether) every Indian is happier than what he was five years ago. I am saying No. Every Indian is living in fear. Women, Dalits, Scheduled Tribes, journalists, academicians, all of them are living in fear, he claimed. Asked about the prospects of the formation of the UPA-III government by the Opposition after the General Election, the Congress leader said he was absolutely confident that the BJP will not be able to retain power. The government will be a non-BJP government. Obviously, that is Congress plus pre-election allies which will play a big part. If there are more post-election allies, then I think the UPA-III has a very good chance, he said. Chidambaram said there is a reality that all non-BJP parties like the SP, BSP and Trinamool Congress will join hands with the Congress to form a stable government. I am very confident that the SP, BSP and the TMC, which are now contesting separately, will join hands with the Congress and other UPA parties, he said. Chidambaram said after the Lok Sabha elections, the reality will be set up and the reality is that all non-BJP parties, particularly all secular progressive parties, will have to come together to form a stable government. The Congress leader said never before in India, certainly not in election period, has the Income Tax Department, the CBI, and the Enforcement Directorate were so blatantly misused. There are 545 constituencies in India. Is unaccounted money found only with Opposition candidates contesting some constituencies? No BJP candidate has got unaccounted money? They said tip-offed. Tip-offs (come) only about Opposition candidates? There is no tip-offs about the BJP candidates? What about the huge amount spent in every PM rally? Every (PM) rally must be costing about Rs 10 crore. Where is this money coming from? Who is paying for the rallies? Where is that accounted for? he asked. PTI vinaymishra188@gmail.com Kannauj/Sitapur, April 27 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday slammed the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh, saying the tie-up of opportunists wants a helpless government because its mantra is Jaat, paat japna; janata ka maal apna. Modi addressed election rallies in Kannauj, a SP stronghold, Hardoi and Sitapur, a day after filing his nomination from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat for a second term. Dubbing the alliance as mahamilavati (highly adulterated) opportunists, Modi said in Kannauj that he doesnt believe in politics of caste. Later in Hardoi, he slammed the Congress, blaming it for showing scant regard for Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and pointed out that his government has dedicated cashless payments app BHIM in his name. In Sitapur, Modi appealed to voters to support the BJP and said, Your every single vote will directly come into the account of Modi. Mayawatiji (BSP chief), I am most backward...I request with folded hands not to drag me into caste politics, 130 crore people are my family, he said in his first rally of the day in Kannauj. This country didnt know my caste till my detractors abused me...I am thankful to Mayawatiji, Akhileshji (SP chief), Congress people and the mahamilavatis that they are discussing my caste...I believe that taking birth in a backward caste is an opportunity to serve the country, the PM said. He hit out at the opposition for attacking chowkidars (watchmen) and Ram bhakts. They (opposition) want a government at the Centre which is majboor (helpless) not majboot (strong) as it used to do before 2014, he said. Modi alleged that when opposition parties are on the verge of defeat they hit new lows in using abusive language. He ridiculed opposition leaders for their dream of becoming PM and poked fun at Mayawati for seeking support of the SP only for the sake of power. Modi said people were aware of the opportunism of SP and BSP and alleged Mayawati was asking for votes for SP which had disrespected Babasaheb. PTI monicakchauhan@gmail.com New Delhi, April 28 The great Indian election season has hit midway - with three phases of voting now over and four more to go - but social media platforms are still scrambling to control the spread of election-related misinformation. Social media "warriors" are busy propagating "reworked" and "reoriented" content related to political news, government scams, historical myths, patriotism and nationalism on Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter. "Apart from the fake news and doctored contents, chatbots are sending bulk WhatsApp messages on active mobile numbers, not only on WhatsApp but on Facebook Messenger as well," nation's leading social media expert Anoop Mishra told IANS. There are several cases where people who joined Facebook renamed their Pages, Groups and accounts later, only to use it for spreading their political agenda in the election season. Despite Facebook's efforts, such misinformation is thriving and has reached mammoth levels, say experts. "Over 90,000 groups on WhatsApp and more than 200 fake Facebook Pages and accounts are currently influencing the group members and followers with biased political content," said Mishra. The content involves fake statistics of the government's policies to news prompting regional violence, from manipulated political news, government scams, historical myths, propaganda to patriotism and Hindu nationalism. Two main political parties are leaving no stone unturned in reaching out to voters via various social media platforms. Social media platforms, however, say they are proactively disabling bots and fake accounts being used for political interference in India. Facebook said recently it is removing or blocking about one million abusive accounts a day with the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) tools. The social media giant has also removed nearly 700 Pages, Groups and accounts in India for violating its policies on what it calls "coordinated inauthentic behaviour" and spam. It now has Ad Library, a searchable database, in place in India. Indians spent around Rs 7 crore for running political ads on Facebook and Instagram in the first 20 days of April, while the amount spent on these platforms in February-March was about Rs 10 crore. On the other hand, Twitter has announced a new tool within the platform to make it easier for users to report attempts to interfere in the general elections in India through spread of misleading information about voting. It earlier launched an Ads Transparency Centre that allows anyone to view details on political campaigning ads and billing information in India. WhatsApp has also launched a research project in India where over 200 million users in the country can tip off fake news, misinformation and rumours related to elections. Launched by PROTO, a media skilling start-up, the tipline will help create a database of rumours to study misinformation during elections for Checkpoint -- a research project commissioned by WhatsApp. Are these measures sufficient to curb the fake news in the world's biggest election? "The social media giants began their work towards safeguarding the India elections a bit late and some of the measures were announced near to the poll dates. It is difficult to tell if these measures will bear fruits and tame the fake news factories or not," lamented Mishra. IANS pardeepdhull@gmail.com Bahraich/Amethi (UP), April 28 Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday dubbed the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) an apmaan(insult) to farmers. Priyanka also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the issue of nationalism, saying it can be best served by listening to the problems of the people and solving it. Addressing a rally in Uttar Pradeshs Bahraich district, Priyanka said: The BJP is, in fact, insulting the farmers in the name of the Kisan Samman Yojana, which the prime minister discusses very much, as it will give only Rs 3.50 per day to the beneficiary. This is Kisan Apmaan Yojana (a scheme to insult the farmers). Under the PM-KISAN scheme, Rs 6,000 per year will be given in three instalments to 12 crore small and marginal farmers holding cultivable land up to two hectares. Comparing the PM-KISAN to the Congress minimum income guarantee scheme, Nyay, Priyanka said: On the other hand, the Congress has announced that it will give Rs 6,000 per month to the poor households (if voted to power). The Congress general secretary in-charge of east Uttar Pradesh said the crop insurance scheme, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, had not helped the farmers during the times of crisis, alleging that it had instead benefited some industrialists of crores. Priyanka also pointed out to the Congress manifesto promise of a separate budget for agriculture. Every district will have a mini food park. This will help the farmer to link himself to the countrywide market, she said. Seeking votes for the partys Bahraich candidate, Savitribai Phule, Priyanka attacked the BJP over the alleged atrocities on Dalits and minorities during its rule. I had met a few Dalit youngsters who had told me that they were beaten up and tortured since they had demanded their rights, the Congress leader said. An effort is being made by the BJP to damage the Constitution, and institutions and democracy are being weakened, she said. Priyanka said while the BJP leaders rake up the issue of Pakistan and nationalism, there are leaders who speak about redressing the peoples grievances. I feel that the biggest nationalism is listening to the voice of the people and resolving their problems, she said. Earlier, speaking to reporters in Amethi constituency, represented by party president and her brother, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka asked: What type of nationalism is there in main hoon Modi (I am Modi)? What is the meaning of nationalism? It means patriotism and love for the country. Who is the country? Its people and their love. If you have affinity only towards yourself, then what type of nationalism is this? she added. Priyanka accused Modi of not visiting even a single village in his Varanasi constituency and not asking anyone about their problems. Arranging a crowd using the power of money and addressing them or sending a message to them is very easy, she said. But, the real thing is to resolve the problems of the people. The ground reality is absolutely different. When you speak to the people, a different message emanates and I have never seen the prime minister or the BJP leaders accepting that message, Priyanka said. She described the policies of the BJP as anti-people, anti-youth and anti-farmers. The menace of stray animals is very much here and the farmers are forced to keep a watch on their crops during night. There are still some places where electricity supply is absent, Priyanka added. PTI vinaymishra188@gmail.com Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 27 Already targeted for being a global peculiarity, the collegium system of appointing judges to the higher judiciary today came under attack once again with a former Chief Justice of India saying those unfit for appointment as civil judges were elevated as high court judges. A former HC Chief Justice also asserted that quotas, too, played their role in the elevation of judges. Former CJI RC Lahoti said the greatest shortcoming in the justice delivery system was that those deserving to be appointed were not appointed at all; and several judges were appointed who should not have been elevated at all. He said, I am saying it with a sense of shame and hesitation that for the majority of the people, HC is the last court...In the SC I have seen that when several High Court verdicts come up in appeal, we feel there is no need to intervene. But the appeal has to be admitted and notice issued because the honourable HC Judge, who has penned the verdict, has done gross injustice to the litigant. In case of quality appointment of Judges in the HC, the SC would not be required to admit any appeal. The HC verdict will be final if the parameters adopted for the appointment of SC Judges are applied for the elevation of HC Judges as well. He was addressing a national conference on Public Accountability of Judicial System organised by the Association of Retired Judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts of India at Chandigarh Judicial Academy. Former Chief Justice of the Allahabad HC, Justice SS Sodhi, advocated the appointment of more Judges for dealing with mounting pendency, but on merit. Talking about hitherto untouched parts of the justice delivery mechanism that work but not without friction, Chief Justice Sodhi referred to the untalked-of role of caste, religion and political affiliations in the appointment of HC Judges. Honoured Guest at the conference, Chief Justice Sodhi asserted there were quotas for Punjab and Haryana in the HC of the two states. And then, there were quotas for service judges and lawyers. Also, there was a quota for reserved categories. Besides all this, there are also women to be considered for appointment. SC Judge, Justice Hemant Gupta, asserted the thin line between criticising the judgments and the judges was fast diminishing. The Judges, unlike politicians, are not into pleasing people. They, too, are human beings. While it was fine to criticise the judgments to bring out the best, the Judges should not be criticised, he said. Another SC Judge, Justice Ashok Bhushan, said independence and judicial accountability were sides of the same coin and complemented each other. Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana HC, Justice Krishna Murari, stressed the need for introspection and self-correction, if necessary. The other speakers included Justice Ashok Kumar Srivastava, Justice DK Trivedi and Justice VS Dave. vermaajay1968@gmail.com Washington, April 27 The US has imposed sanctions on Pakistan after Islamabad refused to take back its citizen deportees and visa overstayers from America, warning that it may withhold visas of Pakistanis beginning from its senior officials. The state department on Friday said consular operations in Pakistan remain unchanged as of now, but as a result of such a sanction mentioned in a Federal Register notification dated April 22, the US may withhold visas of Pakistanis beginning with its senior officials. Pakistan is the latest to join the list of 10 nations that have been imposed with sanctions under a US law according to which countries refusing to take back deportees and visa overstayers will be denied American visas. Notably, eight of these countries have been slapped with such visa sanctions under the Donald Trump administration. Two of them Ghana and Pakistan have been included in the list this year. The other countries include Guyana in 2001, the Gambia in 2016, Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea and Sierra Leone in 2017 and Burma and Laos in 2018. Under Section 243 (D) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Secretary of State is required to discontinue granting immigration or non-immigrant visas to a nation upon receiving notice from the Homeland Security Secretary that the country has denied or is unreasonably delaying accepting a citizen, subject, national or resident of that country. The state department tried to downplay the impact of sanctions on Pakistan. Consular operations in Pakistan remain unchanged, a State Department spokesperson said when asked about the federal register notification. PTI editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh/Bathinda, April 27 The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today appealed to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to lodge an FIR against Bathinda Congress candidate Amrinder Singh Raja Warring for trying to forcibly bribe voters. The party wants his immediate arrest and cancellation of his nomination. A SAD delegation, led by party senior vice president Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, submitted a formal representation to the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, Dr S Karuna Raju, in this regard along with video as evidence. They alleged that Warring had not only violated the model code of conduct, but also indulged in corrupt practices under Section 123 of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1950, and Representation of Peoples Act, 1951. It said in light of this fact, he should be arrested immediately after registration of a case against him. Meanwhile, Punjab Ekta Party (PEP) president and PDA candidate from Bathinda Sukhpal Singh Khaira too lodged a complaint against Warring with the Election Commission of India (ECI). Khaira alleged that AAP worker Tinku Madaan of Budladha in Mansa was forced by Warring in the presence of a large number of Congress workers to accept Rs 50,000 to shift his loyalties to the Congress. He claimed that he had a video of the incident. Reacting to this, Warring has uploaded a video on Facebook in which he has stated that he dont know Tinku Madaan. Congress leader Manju Bala took him to Tinkus house stating that he was joining the Congress. He said, As we reached there, Tinku started raising allegations that I have offered him money. The SAD delegation alleged that as per Tinkus statement Congress leader Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti handed over the money to him following which Manju Bansal told him that it was a gift from the Chief Minister, while Warring told him, Rakh la rakh la. Ghar aayi Lakshmi nahi morde. Charge baseless I dont know the person who has levelled false allegation. A party leader took me to his house, stating that he wants to join the Congress. As we reached there, he started levelling allegations that I have offered him money Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, MLA vermaajay1968@gmail.com Vijay C Roy Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 27 When traders, workers in the informal sector and those employed with Punjabs micro and small units cast their vote, two factors will weigh on their mind demonetisation and GST both of which has dealt a debilitating blow to the states economy. Nearly two-and-a-half years later, tremors caused by these steps continue to be felt on the ground, with micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the backbone of Punjabs economy, still tottering. Jobs lost and several units shut, workers employed across industrial cities such as Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar have been forced to return home, while the MSMEs are reeling under the impact of GST. Be it auto parts, cycle or sports, every industry in the state has been hit. Ludhiana industrialist Ranjodh Singh says: We lost two years of high-impetus growth that would have aided rural and semi-urban growth. More than two years later, demonetisation has not helped curb black economy, the main reason for its sudden implementation. Singh, who is all praise for GST, points out that the move was initiated by former PM Dr Manmohan Singh, but was delayed owing to political compulsions. But Ajit Lakra, president, Ludhiana Knitters Association, claims the note ban and GST will not have any negative impact on the elections. Niranjan, who runs a fast food shop in Ludhiana, admits to have faced difficulty for a few months. But we must see the larger benefit fake currency has vanished from the country. Darvjet Thakur, president, Sarafa Association, Bathinda, claims Punjab traders are angry with the Modi government owing to the liquidity crunch that has also hit real estate and the gold market. Commission agent Ankush Aggarwal says demonetisation did not affect the big fish, only the middle class and weaker sections, who will now deliver their verdict. Amritsar-based Raman Gupta, proprietor of Hindustan Pharmaceuticals, says cash liquidity crunch has been catastrophic, both in terms of growth and equity. Trade with Pakistan via Wagah has been halted post Pulwama. FACT FILE vermaajay1968@gmail.com New Delhi, April 27 With tears in her eyes on the second death anniversary of actor and four-time MP from Gurdaspur Vinod Khanna, his wife Kavita Vinod Khanna said the party (BJP) had let her down. She said the people of Gurdaspur were upset with the BJPs decision to field actor Sunny Deol from Gurdaspur in the Lok Sabha poll. There is no denying that I was extremely hurt and upset with the decision. It is the second time that the party is letting me down. The first time, days after my husbands passing away, I was told to support Swaran Salaria, a candidate who caused the party a huge loss in the byelection last year. This time as well, I only got to know of the partys decision from the media, she said. She was under pressure to file nomination as an Independent, but after days of thought, she decided against it. Instead, she will continue to serve the nation by fully supporting Narendra Modi whom she believes is the only leader who could lead the nation. TNS monicakchauhan@gmail.com Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 28 A three-year-old boy who was missing since Saturday afternoon was found murdered here on Sunday. His body was found dumped at a vacant residential quarter a few metres away from Pandori Waraich village. It is being suspected that the victim was killed either after some superstitious act or following unnatural sex. The details would be out after a post-mortem. The police have arrested an accused who was reportedly fleeing towards Jammu side, it is learnt. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 27 Struggling with rumors of defection of three more MLAs, the Aam Aadmi Party today called a meeting of its legislators here and put up a show of strength. The meeting, chaired by Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, was attended by 11 MLAs. Baljinder Kaur, Talwandi Saboo MLA, who is contesting from Bathinda Lok Sabha seat, couldnt attend the meeting as she is busy with campaigning. On Thursday, AAPs rebel MLA Nazar Singh Manshahia, who was with the Khaira group, joined the Congress. Following this, there were reports that three more party MLAs were in touch with the Congress and might join anytime soon. Cheema alleged that the Capt Amarinder Singh government has failed on all fronts and now pressuring MLAs of other parties to join the Congress. Sunam MLA Aman Arora said it seemed that the Congress party was not satisfied with its 78 MLAs and depending on deserters. He alleged that the Congress was following in the footsteps of the Modi government and wanted to finish AAP at any cost. He claimed that all MLAs of the party were united. Significantly, after seven MLAs went with Khaira, only 12 were left in AAP. singhking99@yahoo.com Subhash Rajta Sandeep Kumar Sharma joined Government Senior Secondary School, Cheog, about 30 km from Shimla, as principal six months back. The responsibilities were new but the main building of the school was not. It wasnt long before he came to know that the building had been declared unsafe and the demolition orders, too, had been issued by the authorities concerned. As is generally the case with government processes, it was going to take a while before the building was demolished and the new one was built. Sharma found himself in a catch-22 situation he didnt want his students to continue sitting in the old building but didnt have enough space elsewhere to accommodate them. However, it didnt take him long to figure a way out of the predicament. He decided to build a few rooms himself to move students out of the unsafe building at the earliest, and ensure their studies were not interrupted once the building was demolished. But where would the money come from? Well, it came from his GPF account! The principal took out Rs 10 lakh, and started the construction on a war footing. We will soon have seven rooms ready, and our problem will be solved, says Sharma. But isnt Rs 10 lakh too big an amount to donate for a salaried person? More so for a father of three kids, two of whom are still pursuing their studies? Whatever I am today, its because of this school, says Sharma. I studied here, started my career here, and today I am the principal of this school. I have practically lived all my life here, so donating some money is no big deal, he adds, attempting to play down the gesture that left everyone in and around his place gobsmacked, and many wondering about how much money he has! But was it no big deal for the family as well? Oh yes, they all supported me and are very proud. Anyway, I still have eight years of service left, so I can earn enough for my family, he chuckles. Besides, I am a Brahmin. We keep telling others to donate. I thought why not do it myself for a change, he adds, laughing. Teaching by example Apart from his generous donation, his decision to withdraw his son from a private school in a nearby town and get him enrolled in his school has also become a talking point. When all parents, even those with limited means, want to send their children to private schools, why would he get his son enrolled in a government school? The school has good facilities for science stream, but still the students enrol in private schools. If we really want people to start respecting and trusting government schools, we need to set an example by enrolling our own kids in government schools, explained Sharma. And his bold initiative seems to have made the desired impact. I am glad to tell you that kids pursuing science stream after matriculation have started coming to us. Lady with a big heart Just like Sharma, the love for her alma mater encouraged Chandigarhs Kulwant Gill to donate Rs 55 lakh to PU Law Department. Gill earned her degree at the institution, started her career as a teacher there and went on to become the first woman chairperson of the department. And when Gill, 72, received Rs 55 lakh as her share from the sale of the property of her deceased brother, Manjit Singh Gill, she didnt think twice before putting it in the kitty of her former department. A mere hint that perhaps the absence of an immediate family she is unmarried, her brother, too, was single made it a little easier for her to donate such a huge amount makes her a little edgy. Why, I could have spent the money on myself had I wanted to, she says. I could have employed a few more domestic helps, or maybe I could have bought a new car, she adds, revealing that she has been driving the same car, a Maruti 800, since 1986! Of course, she could have done all this, and much more. She just chose not to. I dont think I could have spent this money in any other way. It had to go for some noble cause, for my brother (an advocate) was a very simple and pious man, says Gill. He never bought himself a car, always rode a bicycle. So I thought it was best to give the money to the Law Department; they are going to build three lecture theatres in his memory with that money. Do you see your gesture inspiring others into philanthropy? I really dont know, these days everyone is after money, smiles Gill, without making any attempts to sound politically correct. Anyway, I did what I wanted to, they will do what they want to. Incidentally, she herself may have been subconsciously inspired into philanthropy by one of her teachers, Dr Kumar, at the Law Department. He received some but donated all of it, Gill recalls fondly. Agent of change The acts of generosity do not go unnoticed and create a ripple effect, as was witnessed by Sartaj Singh Rathore, an alumnus and now principal of the Government Senior Secondary School, Dhundan, 15 km from Arki in Himachals Solan district. In the winters of 2017, Rathore, with some help from his staff, dipped into his GPF and donated Rs 2lakh to provide blazers to his students. That gesture worked like magic. People were touched, and were no longer indifferent. Now, we have people from 10-12 panchayats offering all sorts of help for the school, smiles Rathore. Another upshot of his heart-warming gesture is that the strength of the school is increasing consistently. Government schools are losing students to private schools elsewhere, but here its the reverse. When I joined in 2016, the total strength of the school was 398, now its 532, adds an exuberant Rathore. This energetic principal believes that once you manage to convince people that you mean well and want to work sincerely, they dont hesitate to lend a helping hand. Recently, we organised an alumni meet of the school with the help of the locals. We sent out about 6,300 invitations to those who had passed out from the school 1950 onwards, and would you believe around 3,300 alumni showed up for the meet! he adds. Apart from giving his students an environment for all-round development, Rathore wants to change the perception about government schools and teachers though such initiatives. Reputation of government schools and teachers has suffered enormous damage over the last many decades. Its up to us to restore the lost respect and trust, he says. Hopefully, our small efforts will inspire others as well. Fingers crossed. Worlds best teacher: Peter Tabichi spends 80 per cent of his salary on his students A Kenyan teacher who gives away most of his salary to help the poorest students won a $1m prize and the title of world's best in his profession a month back. Peter Tabichi, who works at a high school in a semi-arid, rural village badly affected by famine and drought, has won the Varkey Foundations 2019 Global Teacher Prize. The foundation said the science and maths teacher was chosen for his dedication, hard work and passionate belief in his students at Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School in Pwani village, in a remote part of Kenyas Rift Valley. "I feel great. I can't believe it. I feel so happy to be among the best teachers in the world, being the best in the world," he says. Ninety-five per cent of his students live in poverty and nearly a third are either orphans or from single-parent families. Drug abuse, teenage pregnancies and early marriage means the school has high drop-out rates. Even affording breakfast is hard. Theyre not able to concentrate, because they havent had enough meals at home, adds Tachibi, who gives 80 per cent of his income to local community projects. Whats more, he plans to use his $1m to feed the poor and improve his school, which has no library or laboratory, just one computer and limited internet access. Despite the obstacles they face, his pupils have emerged victorious after taking on the countrys best schools in national science competitions. "At times, whenever I reflect on the challenges they face, I shed tears," he says of his students, adding that his award will help give them confidence. Tabichi was one of 10,000 applicants from around the globe. The Independent Rahul Singh Rahul Singh Yes, we are proud of our democracy, the largest in the world, but it is a seriously flawed one. Winston Churchill once said, Democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time. Its quite true for us. Democracy has kept us united, no doubt about that. Military rule broke up Pakistan. Authoritarian rule split up the Soviet Union. Had they both been democratic, they might still be one nation. Perhaps in Pakistans case, a country West and East Pakistan separated by a huge mass of Indian territory, united only by religion, it was not a feasible proposition from the start. But the breakaway of the eastern wing and the creation of an independent Bangladesh was not the handiwork of Indian manipulation, however much many Pakistanis believe that to be the case. It was mainly the fault of the Pakistan military regime, aided and abetted by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. A democratic election had just taken place in Pakistan and East Pakistan leader Sheikh Mujibur Rehmans party had got a majority. Sheikh Mujibur should have been asked to form the government. Instead, Bhutto was able to persuade Pakistans army commander, the unlamented General Yahya Khan, to crack down on East Pakistan. The rest is history. Indira Gandhi may have used the opportunity to help in the creation of Bangladesh, but it was Pakistans failure to carry through the democratic process that really led to the break-up of the country. However, most Pakistanis, especially the military, have never forgiven India for this. In contrast to this is what happened in India, specifically in Tamil Nadu (earlier Madras). In the 1960s, a separatist Dravidian movement had been set in motion in the state, mainly due to the Centres ham-handed attempt to force Hindi language down the throats of Tamilians. Many of them felt their Dravidian culture was in danger and there was even a serious talk of breaking away from the Indian union and forming a separate homeland. Democracy came to the rescue, as it had not done in Pakistan. A Dravidian party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) came to power in the state in 1967 and the separatist demand melted away. Democracy always has a moderating, healing effect, while authoritarianism polarises and hardens attitudes. There is also a misconception that a dictatorship, or one-party rule, is better for economic development than a democratic set-up which retards growth. What a notion! Compare North Korea and South Korea, the first is as authoritarian as you can get and the second a full-fledged democracy. They are the same people, one crushed and backward, the other free and at present among the most developed and prosperous societies in the world. The same comparison can be made between East and West Germany, before they united. Spain and Portugal languished under dictators Franco and Salazar, yet accelerated forward economically and socially once democracy arrived. Ditto for most of Latin American countries, once mostly ruled by military dictators but now have democratic governments. There are exceptions, of course. Tiny Singapore and China, both of whom have made phenomenal progress under authoritarian, one-party rule. Let us now turn to the limitations of democracy and how it is still such a flawed process in India. To illustrate that, a true anecdote. In the 1970s, when I was editing the Indian editions Readers Digest, we had a conference of the Digest editors from all over the world. One of the invitees was Melvin Laird, who as Secretary of Defence had held probably the second-most important position in the US administration, after the President. When I met him, he had accepted the position of senior counsellor for national and international affairs for the US Readers Digest. To me, this seemed a terrible, humiliating come-down, unfitting for a man who had once been such a key political figure. I had the temerity to tell him this, over a dinner. Young man, he replied, In your country, I believe people enter politics mainly to make money. In my country, many of us sacrifice a lot by going into politics. His reprimand, which is what it truly was, has remained with me to this day. Yes, in India, politics has increasingly become a money-making profession, not a public duty for which you sacrifice a great deal. Let me end with another anecdote about somebody who was in college with me in England, Martin Bell. He became a famous TV BBC broadcaster. In 1997, an MP, Neil Hamilton, was standing for re-election from the Conservative Party. There were strong allegations of sleaze and wrongdoing against Hamilton. Three weeks before the General Election, Bell decided to leave the BBC and stand against Hamilton, saying that if he was elected, he would serve for only one term. He won by a landslide and the defeat marked the end of Hamiltons political career. That is true democracy at work, cleaning up the system. Sadly, it does not happen in India. Which is why I am looking closely at the fate of Sadhvi Pragya Thakur. If she wins, it will be a very sad day for Indian democracy, making it even more flawed than it already is. The writer is a veteran journalist Monica Sharma Monica Sharma Australia proudly boasts of multiculturalism and inclusivity. However, the immigrants are yet to make their mark in the mainstream politics. One in four Australians is born overseas but the countrys political structure does not reflect the same. Indian-origin immigrants are yet to mark their presence in the House of Representatives, even though Indian-origin contestants have been trying their luck for over a decade. Unlike Canada, where Indian-origin candidates have made it to the mainstream politics, Australia is yet to see Indian candidates leaving their mark in the federal elections. With the federal elections in May for 151 seats, Indian-origin immigrants, across Australia, are trying their luck to make it to the House of Representatives and the Senate. In the upcoming elections on May 18, Indian-origin contestants have not only been fielded by the mainstream parties, including the Labor and the Liberal, but also other parties. Some candidates are also in the fray as Independents. In a first, the Liberal and the Labor decided they would not allow the immigrants holding Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards to contest. The candidates had to relinquish their cards. Even Fraser Annings far-right party, Conservative National Party, has fielded an Indian immigrant, Rajan Vaid, from South Australias Hindmarsh. Dedicated to preserving the ethno-cultural identity, the party believes Australia to be an English-speaking predominantly European Christian society. All laws made by Parliament are a must to be passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. After that these are signed by the Governor General. Political analysts believe the major parties need to widen the horizon and involve immigrants in their respective political affairs. As of now, the parties largely prefer having candidates who have English as their first language. Hailing from Varanasi, Sunny Chandra, an IIT graduate who is contesting as an Independent for Victorias Senate, says, We need to have a vision, passion, and articulation to enter the Australian politics. The young Australian immigrants should come forward and participate in democracy to bring about a change in the mindsets. He says, No political party or leader talks about the international students who are neglected even though they contribute in a big way to the Australian economy. They are exploited by unscrupulous agents in Australia, besides harsh and unreal policies of the government. Chandra adds, To have a say in the policies we need to stand up, participate and question the government. Until and unless we come forward, the immigrant-related problems will remain neglected, as the government can never relate to the issues. Hemant Dave, fielded by Liberal Party from Makin in South Australia, says, I have always wanted to serve the community, and by representing the people, we can highlight the issues that concern us. Prakul Chhabra, who works as an adviser with an Australian bank, and Sahil Chawla, a real estate agent, have been fielded by mining magnate Clive Palmers United Australia Party. Amrik Singh Thandi, who recently contested for the Legislative Council of South Australia, says: The reason immigrants are not able to enter the mainstream is division within the community. We are divided on religious lines and otherwise. If we all come together we will become a formidable force which the powers that be cannot ignore. The contribution of immigrants cant be ignored, be it economically, culturally or socially. The candidates are announcing policies to attract immigrant votes such as long stay parent visa with easy conditions and speeding up citizenship applications. Shireen Morris, Labors candidate for Deakin, was born in Australia and has a Fijian-Indian lineage. Morris, through her videos on social media, has been sending the message that she will focus on quality educaton, better healthcare, action on climate change to bring down power prices. A constitutional lawyer advocating for the rights of indigenous Australians, Morris feels the political leaders should stand up for immigrants of diverse backgrounds. Morriss father is Gujarati and mothers family was originally from South India. She is a strong supporter of multiculturalism. She says her party has decided to focus on providing funds for community language schools to keep traditional languages and culture strong. The party will try to curb delays in the processing of citizenship applications, she adds. Chawla, living in Australia for more than a decade, has taken up issues pertaining to the community and has been helping the new immigrants in settling. He feels its important to be active on a social or political platform to support the community. Even though the voters in Australia along with the different political parties are divided over the percentage of intake of immigrants in Australia, the number of immigrants has risen incredibly in the last one decade and Indians are among the top. The federal elections in Australia always bring to the fore the issue of immigration and how it has been adding to population growth and pressure on the civic infrastructure besides transportation. There are some political parties who are not all out for immigration, citing the reason that immigrants are overburden on resources. The Liberal government has announced a massive cut on immigration for the next four years. The recent announcement of a cut in immigration was also termed as anti-immigration populism. pardeepdhull@gmail.com Seattle (US), April 28 A construction crane fell from a building on Googles new Seattle campus during a storm that brought wind gusts, crashing down onto one of the citys busiest streets and killing four people. One female and three males had died by the time firefighters had arrived Saturday afternoon, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said. Two of the dead were ironworkers who had been inside the crane while the other two were people who were inside cars, Fire Department spokesman Lance Garland said. A 25-year-old mother and her 4-month-old daughter were in a car that was smashed by the crane on its passenger side, and both managed to escape with only minor injuries, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said, calling it a miracle. They and a 28-year-old man were taken to Harborview Medical Center. A fourth person also was injured and treated at the scene. The crane collapsed near the often-congested intersection of Mercer and Fairview Avenue just north of downtown in the South Lake Union neighborhood shortly before 3:30 pm, Scoggins said. The deadly collapse is sure to bring scrutiny about the safety of the dozens of cranes that dot the citys skyscape. With Amazon, Google and other tech companies increasing their hiring in Seattle, the city has more cranes building office towers and apartment buildings than any other in the United States. As of January, there were about 60 construction cranes in Seattle. Durkan said the city had a good track record with crane safety but that officials would conduct a review. Its a horrible day in Seattle when something like this happens. But its a time when we come together because Seattle is a city that rallies around each other, she said. Officials do not yet know the cause of the collapse. Police and the state Department of Labor and Industries were investigating, which Durkan said could take months. Daren Konopaski, the business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302, which represents heavy-equipment operators, told The Seattle Times he understood the crane was being dismantled when high winds moved through the area. We dont know, but thats what seems to have happened here, he said. We are in the process of trying to get information. Durkan confirmed that people were actively working on top of the building Saturday, but she didnt say whether the crane was being dismantled. A line of showers moved over Seattle just about the time the crane fell, the National Weather Service said. An observation station on nearby Lake Union showed winds kicked up with gusts of up to 23 mph at 3:28 p.m., just about the time the crane fell. It was terrifying, witness Esther Nelson, a biotech researcher who was working in a building nearby, told the Times. The wind was blowing really strong, she said, and added that the crane appeared to break in half. Half of it was flying down sideways on the building, she said. The other half fell down on the street, crossing both lanes of traffic. The office building the crane fell from was badly damaged, with several of its windows smashed. A Google spokesperson said in a statement that the company was saddened to learn of the accident and that they were in communication with Vulcan, the real estate firm that is managing the site and working with authorities. Harborview spokeswoman Susan Gregg said Saturday night that the mother and baby had been discharged, while the man injured was in satisfactory condition. The King County Medical Examiners Office said it would not release names of people who died until Monday. A crane collapsed in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue in 2006, damaging three neighbouring buildings and killing a Microsoft attorney who was sitting in his living room. The state Department of Labor and Industries cited two companies for workplace-safety violations after an investigation that found a flawed design for the cranes base. Trudi and I join all Washingtonians in extending our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the four people who died in this afternoons tragic accident, Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee said in a statement. Inslee also said he hoped for a speedy and full recovery for those injured, thanked first responders and urged people to stay clear of the accident scene. AP pardeepdhull@gmail.com Beijing, April 28 China and Pakistan firmed up their cooperation under the USD 60 billion CPEC by signing a host of agreements on Sunday, including upgradation of a Karachi-Peshawar railway line, launching of second phase of the Free Trade Agreement and establishment of a dry port. The agreements were stated to be part of the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan who came here to attend Chinas second Belt and Road Forum (BRF) on April 25 met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Sunday during which they signed an agreement to build a double railway track from Karachi and Peshawar, Pakistans state-run Radio Pakistan reported. The railway agreement is titled Declaration for Completion of Preliminary Design of Phase-I for Upgradation of ML-1. The BRF was held here from April 26-27 to highlight Chinas trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in which the CPEC, connecting Chinas Xinjiang with Pakistans Gwadar port and covering about 3,000 kilometres, is a flagship project. India protested to China over the CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). As per the previous reports, to build the Karachi-Peshwar railway line covering a distance of over 1,680 kilometres, China would provide USD 8.4 billion funding for it as part of the CPEC projects. Soon after he came to power in August last year, prime minister Khans government expressed concern over the huge amount and Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid said it would be slashed by USD two billion to reduce the debt burden. During Khans first visit here in November, China agreed to extend the CPEC projects towards western regions of Pakistan, following criticism that most of the projects were garnered by the dominant Punjab province. China said about USD 19 billion have been spent so far under the CPEC projects mainly relating to energy and power generation. Recently, Chinese Foreign Ministry while dispelling concerns over debt burden of the CPEC projects said only less than 20 per cent were based on loans provided by China and rest of the 80 per cent ventures are either directly invested by Beijing or use Chinese grants. Pakistan is going through an acute balance of payments crisis and Khan on Saturday met IMF Chief Christine Legarde to discuss the bailout package. The cash-strapped country has already received several billions of dollars in funding from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and China to meet the present economic crisis. No monetary details of the agreement to build the railway line were disclosed. Rashid is part of Khans delegation visiting China. Rashid was quoted in a Pakistan magazine that it would be an 1,800-kilometer-long double track with fencing and bridges and a game-changing initiative for Pakistans economy. Rashid said Main Line-1 (ML-I) from Peshawar to Karachi via Lahore would be upgraded under the CPEC which includes upgradation of the entire railway line and would be completed in next five years. A report in Pakistan daily Dawn quoted Rashid as saying that the speed of trains on the new track will be around 160 kmph. China and Pakistan also singed an agreement to launch the second phase of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) under which China will open up 90 per cent of its market for Pakistani goods in an effort to address trade deficit which stood at USD 9.7 billion last year. While China exported goods worth USD 11.45 billion, Pakistans exports to China were valued at USD 1.744 billion last year. It is estimated that the new FTA would increase Pakistani exports by USD 500 million. The agreement is being concluded after protracted negotiations spanning over nearly seven years, said the media reports in Pakistan. The two sides also signed an agreement to establish a dry port at Havelian city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It is located in the Karakoram highway connecting China and Pakistan. The other agreements signed on Sunday included an MoU on cooperation in the field of marine sciences between the China Geological Survey (CGS), Ministry of Natural Resources of China, the Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Science and Technology. Also an MoU between China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) and Ministry of Planning, Development and Reform on implementation of the projects under the joint working group of the CPEC on socioeconomic development. China-Pakistan Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement for Rashakai special economic zone joint venture. Later in the day while addressing the Pak-China Trade Investment Forum, Khan said the BRI had become much more than the Chinese leadership had imagined. About his talks with President Xi Jingping he said, I am happy we talked about getting help from China in science and technology. We want to establish an elite university for eight subjects where china has excelled. PTI monicakchauhan@gmail.com Beijing, April 28 Chinese President Xi Jinping met Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday and expressed hope that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway to improve their strained relations following the Pulwama terror attack by a JeM suicide bomber. Both leaders also exchanged views on the situations in South Asia, an official Chinese statement here said about the meeting between Xi and Khan. The India-Pakistan relations reportedly figured prominently in the meeting. Xi expressed hope that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway and promote the stabilisation and improvement of India-Pakistan relations, it said. Khan arrived in China on April 25 and attended Chinas 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF) held on April 26-27. The BRF meeting was held to highlight the achievement of the trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) started by Xi in 2013 in which USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an important component. India skipped the meeting for the second time, protesting over the CPEC which is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Sundays meeting between Xi and Khan was regarded significant as it was held in the backdrop of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the February 14 Pulwama terror attack carried out by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) which killed 40 Indian CRPF soldiers. China had sent its Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou to visit Pakistan in March as part of its efforts to ease the tensions. Khans meeting with Xi took place when China is under pressure at the United Nations over its repeated attempts to block efforts to declare Pakistan-based JeM leader Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. Last month, China put a technical hold on a resolution put forth by the US, the UK and France at the UNs 1267 counter terrorism committee to declare Azhar as a global terrorist. The US later took the issue to the UN Security Council (UNSC) in a bid to pressure China to take a public stance on Azhars issue instead of just putting up blocks at the 1267 committee. China had expressed its firm opposition to the issue being taken to the UNSC, saying that the matter headed for settlement and blamed the US for scuttling it. While there is no word here whether the Azhar issue figured in Xis talks with Khan, officials say there is a sense of wariness on the part of Beijing to block India, the US and other countries efforts to blacklist him at the UN on behalf of Pakistan. Officials hoped that the issue could be resolved in the coming weeks following Khans visit to China. Prior to his meeting with Xi, Khan called on Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during which the two countries signed a number of agreements. Earlier, he met Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan. During Sundays meeting, Xi expressed Chinas firm support to Pakistan to further the bilateral ties between the all-weather allies. Pakistan is Chinas all-weather strategic cooperative partner. China and Pakistan are iron friends and have always firmly supported each other on issues concerning each others core interests. Xi said. China takes Pakistan as a priority in its diplomacy, he said. No matter how international and regional situations change, China firmly supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and national dignity, choosing its own development path suited to its national conditions, combating terrorist and extremist forces, striving for a sound external security environment, and playing a constructive role in international and regional affairs, Xi said. He said major progress had been made in bilateral cooperation in the construction of the CPEC, especially in areas such as finance, trade and other aspects, the statement said. In the next stage, China and Pakistan should make more efforts to advance the all-weather strategic cooperation, Xi said. He called on both sides to deepen high-level contacts and mutual support, strengthen strategic communication and promote high-quality cooperation in production capacity, infrastructure construction, peoples livelihood and trade within the framework of the BRI. Khan said the CPEC had played an important role in Pakistans economic development and the improvement of peoples lives. He said he believed more and more countries will support and participate in the cooperation under the BRI. Pakistan is willing to consolidate its traditional friendship with China, deepen pragmatic cooperation and enhance communication and coordination with China in multilateral affairs, Khan was quoted as saying in the statement. During his meeting, Khan spoke a few times about India-Pakistan relations and the prospects of peace between the two countries. Addressing Pakistan and China Investment Forum in Beijing on Sunday, he expressed hope that the relations between the two neighbours will improve after the Indian general elections. We want to build a civilised relationship with our Eastern neighbour and there is a possibility that if we can resolve the Kashmir issue through dialogue, things can improve, he was quoted by state-run Radio Pakistan as saying. PTI monicakchauhan@gmail.com Colombo/Kalmunai, April 28 The father and two brothers of the suspected mastermind of Sri Lankas Easter Sunday bombings were killed when security forces stormed their safe house two days ago, police sources and a relative of the suicide bombers told Reuters on Sunday. Zainee Hashim, Rilwan Hashim and their father Mohamed Hashim, who were seen in a video circulating on social media calling for an all-out war against non believers, were among 15 killed in a fierce gun battle with the military on the east coast on Friday, four police sources said. Niyaz Sharif, the brother-in-law of Zahran Hashim, the suspected ringleader of the wave of Easter Sunday bombings that killed over 250 people in churches and hotels across the island nation, told Reuters the video showed Zahrans two brothers and father. Three of the people killed in Fridays gun battle were the same people who were seen in the undated video on social media, in which they discus martyrdom and urge their followers to kill all non-believers, police sources said. Sri Lanka has been on high alert since the attacks on Easter Sunday, with nearly 10,000 soldiers deployed across the island to carry out searches and hunt down members of two local Islamist groups believed to have carried out the attack. Authorities have detained more than 100 people, including foreigners from Syria and Egypt, since the April 21 bombings. In the video, Rilwan Hashim is seen calling for all out jihad, or holy war, while children cry in the background. We will destroy these non-believers to protect this land and therefore we need to do Jihad, Rilwan says in the video, sitting beside his brother and father. We need to teach a proper lesson for these non-believers who have been destroying Muslims. Authorities suspect there may be more suicide bombers on the loose. Defence authorities have so far focused their investigations on international links to two domestic groups they believe carried out the attacks, the National Thawheedh Jamaath and Jammiyathul Millathu Ibrahim. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Easter bombings, and on Sunday the group said three of its members clashed with Sri Lankan police for several hours in Fridays gun battle on the east coast before detonating their explosive vests, the militant groups news agency Amaq said. The group said 17 policemen were killed or injured in the attack, but the Sri Lankan military has denied this. A police source told Reuters two policemen were slightly injured in the battle. The police have said six children were among the other 12 people who died in the gun battle, but have not released further details. Reuters pardeepdhull@gmail.com Islamabad, April 28 Pakistans former military dictator Pervez Musharraf, who is facing a high-profile treason case for suspending the Constitution, is unlikely to return to the country due to his family pressure and medical boards recommendations, a media report said on Sunday. The development came a day after his lawyer Salman Safdar told reporters that the 75-year-old former president, despite his deteriorating medical condition, is determined to appear before the court that had summoned him for the hearing scheduled for May 2. However, Dawn news reported that General (retd) Musharraf might not return to Pakistan because of his medical boards recommendation and family pressure. Gen Musharraf has been facing pressure from his family that he should not travel at the cost of his health. However, as everyone knows that Gen Musharraf is a man of his words so still there are 50 per cent chances of his return, a member of the All Pakistan Muslim League Ali Nawab Chitrali said. He is eager to come to Pakistan and wants to appear before the court. He has been suffering from severe backbone pain and the medical board has advised him not to travel, he was quoted as saying in the report. A special court indicted Musharraf for high treason in March 2014. Musharraf left for Dubai in 2016 to seek medical treatment and has not returned since. Last month, he was admitted to a hospital in Dubai after suffering a reaction from a rare disease for which he is already under treatment. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had filed the treason case against Musharraf over the presidents imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007. The Supreme Court, while hearing a plea filed by a lawyer who pointed out that proceedings of the treason case had come to a halt as former president Musharraf had not returned since 2016, on April 1 directed him to appear before the special court on May 2. The three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa also warned him that if he fails to turn up then he will lose his right to record a statement under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedures. The special court declared Musharraf a proclaimed offender and ordered the confiscation of his property owing to his no-show. Later, on orders of the Supreme Court, Musharrafs passport and national identity card were also cancelled. Musharraf ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008. A conviction for high treason carries the death penalty or life imprisonment. PTI gspannu7@gmail.com Jakarta, April 28 Ten days after Indonesia held the worlds biggest single-day elections, more than 270 election staff have died, mostly of fatigue-related illnesses caused by long hours of work counting millions of ballot papers by hand, an official said on Sunday. The April 17 elections were the first time the country of 260 million people combined the presidential vote with national and regional parliamentary ones, with an aim to cut costs. Voting was largely peaceful and was estimated to have drawn 80 per cent of the total 193 million voters, who each had to punch up to five ballot papers in over 800,000 polling stations. But conducting the eight-hour vote in a country that stretches more than 5,000 km (3,000 miles) from its western to eastern tips proven to be both a Herculean logistical feat and deadly for officials, who had to count ballot papers by hand. As of Saturday night, 272 election officials had died, mostly from overwork-related illnesses, while 1,878 others had fallen ill, said Arief Priyo Susanto, spokesman of the General Elections Commission (KPU). The Health Ministry issued a circular letter on April 23 urging health facilities to give utmost care for sick election staff, while the Finance Ministry is working on compensation for families of the deceased, Susanto added. The KPU has come under fire due to the rising death toll. The KPU is not prudent in managing the workload of staff, said Ahmad Muzani, deputy chairman of the campaign of opposition presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, reported by news website Kumparan.com. Prabowo, who independent pollsters said was the loser of the 2019 polls based on quick counts, had alleged widespread cheating and his campaign claimed some officials punched ballots in favour of incumbent President Joko Widodo. Widodos security minister said the allegations were baseless. Both candidates have declared victory, though quick counts suggested Widodo won the election by around 9-10 percentage points. The KPU will conclude vote counting and announce winners of the presidential and parliamentary elections on May 22. Reuters Zari Hassan has hinted sleeping around with wealthy men contributed to her current financial status. The mother of five, during a rant, said the men who have walked into her life have catered to her every need over the years. READ ALSO: Willis Raburu's wife claims high honeymoon bed denied them sweet moment READ ALSO: Sexiest man alive Idris Elba weds love of his life in grand 3-days ceremony The beauty was involved in an online scuffle with Tanzanian activist Mange Kimambi after the latter accused Zari of being a social climber. Mange claimed the Ugandan beauty is obsessed with the idea of marriage and every time she finds a mate, she tries to rope in the man into walking down the aisle. READ ALSO: Ikulu yadai ziara ya Rais Uhuru Kenyata, Raila Odinga nchini Uchina ilikuwa yenye mafanikio Zari in retaliation said she had no regrets because her men always develop the urge to take care for her. Her ex-husband Ivan left Zari an empire and a couple of houses. Diamond Platnumz who recently accused the beauty of cheating also bought her a luxurious house in South Africa and Zari swore she is not going yo give it up without a fight. The mother of five then said her current lover always surprises her with money and flowers and also sleeps with her in the house that Diamond purchased. "My man meets me in this house. He brings me flowers and money. What have your private parts gotten you so far?" Zari teased. The mother of five then said her bae gifts her with designer robes which he then takes off whenever the pair is about to get down in the bedroom. Social media users however felt like Zari's rant was uncalled for and completely uncouth for a mother and a role model Apparently, this time round, her desperation drove her off the cliff. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Kenya's First Lesbian Pastor Source: Tuko Celebrated Nigerian actress Regina Daniels has finally confirmed she is in a relationship with aging billionaire Ned Nwoko. The dynamic duo made their first public appearance as a couple and social media cannot keep calm. READ ALSO: Zari Hassan suggests sleeping around with wealthy men made her rich READ ALSO: Trendy preacher Robert Burale says he never wanted to be a pastor As per a few Instagram photos shared on Saturday, April 27, the pair showed up to a function together just weeks after rumour had it they had walked down the aisle. The actress sat pretty like an obedient wife as she confidently supported her husband. READ ALSO: Mwigizaji Idris Elba anayeshikilia taji la mwanamme mwenye maumbile bora duniani apata jiko Regina who is reportedly still a teen previously declined to divulge details of their supposed wedding. This time round, the beauty confidently walked by the side of her 59-year-old lover and fearlessly posed for photos with the tycoon. For a while, people had only speculated a love affair brewing between the two after the actress started flaunting expensive gifts. From rolex watches, expensive trips, mansions and luxurious cars, Regina seemed to have it all and it turns out the man behind the goodies is none other than Ned. Do you have an inspirational story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Kenya's First Lesbian Pastor Source: Tuko.co.ke In past sessions, many criminal justice reform proposals have lost momentum by April, when the last major bill deadline hits. But this year, a broad coalition of groups have gotten behind a package of reform bills. Weve had some real movement on criminal justice reform here at the Capitol, and we continue on that path, and well continue in the conference committee process to push that issue, Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, said Thursday. Here are five questions surrounding the surviving bills. Have lawmakers made State Question 780 retroactive? Theyre working on it. House Bill 1269 has broad support but is still a work in progress because there are several complicating factors, including a time limit on inmate resentencing, which could increase dockets in the short term. Others include the availability of the indigent defense system to handle those resentencing cases. It passed the Senate by a vote of 37-5 on Thursday and goes to a conference committee to work out changes between the House and Senate versions of the bill. Foxman was given a non-Jewish name and baptized a Catholic. Miraculously, he said, his parents survived the war. When he was nearly 6 years old, they came looking for him. By then, he said, the nanny loved him as her own child and was unwilling to give him up. The nanny said I belonged to her and to the Catholic Church. For a period of time, he straddled two worlds, attending the Jewish synagogue with his father on Saturdays and the Catholic Church on Sundays. I was raised in faith, and as long as I knew I was praying to the Almighty, to God, I was happy, he said. Eventually, his parents won the custody battle. It was a bittersweet time, he said, but he believes he owes his life to the courage of his nanny. The family of three lived together for about four years in a displaced persons camp in Austria before getting approval to immigrate to the United States. Foxman was 10 years old when they arrived in New York City. He still lives in that area. The Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma want Gov. Kevin Stitt to veto a bill that passed the House and Senate without a dissenting vote. Such a veto would be unusual, if not unique. Senate Bill 841, by Sen. Greg McCortney, R-Ada, would set service requirements for prescription benefit networks and includes an any willing provider clause, meaning networks would have to accept any pharmacy agreeing to the networks terms and conditions. The bill passed the Senate 46-0 on March 5 and the House 99-0 last Wednesday. Its now on Stitts desk. The Chamber and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma say Stitt should veto the bill because it will negatively affect the prescription benefit managers that administer the networks, resulting in higher prescription costs. In a letter to Stitt, Chamber President Fred Morgan said two sections of the bill are particularly problematic the any willing provider clause and the inclusion of self-funded medical plans. All were rated F-4 or F-5 tornadoes, according to the weather service. Its not a question of if, because itll happen again. Its just a matter of where, when, Smith said. Bill Bunting, chief of forecast operations for the Storm Prediction Center who also worked in National Weather Service forecast offices for decades, said many of the deadliest tornadoes in history came at a time when forecasters were not even allowed to use the word. Its amazing when I learned about the history going back to the early part of the 20th century, the number of killer tornado events that occurred, yet there was still a prohibition against using the word tornado in a public forecast, he said. It was felt the panic the fear that it would cause wouldnt be better than the potential benefits of taking action. The 1999 outbreak, he said, has played an important role in advancing the science and improving our understanding to the point where we can expect the next generation of these higher-resolution (computer) convection models ... to really anticipate the development of that type of storm. Michael Dekker 918-581-8469 michael.dekker@tulsaworld.com Twitter: @michaeldekkerTW Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. At some point in the never-ending debate over whether pineapple belongs on pizza, the haters, maybe with tongues pressed against cheek, invoked Godwin's Law. Yep, they compared those who like the tropical fruit on pies to Hitler. One said they were worse than Hitler. The comparison would become a common insult, occasionally even flung back at the snobs who turn their nose up at a pineapple-topped pizza. Many foods have taken their lumps over the years. Avocado toast, cake pops and kale Caesar salads come to mind. But nothing has sustained the hate like Hawaiian pizza, the most recognizable pie that features chunks of the divisive fruit. According to recent data from YouGov Omnibus, nearly a quarter of Americans say pineapple is one of their least favorite pizza toppings. Those who live in the Northeast or are older than 55 hate pineapple toppings even more. The pizza delivery app Slice conducted a survey in 2017 - the year the Hawaiian pizza debate came to a head with a spat between two heads of state - and 54 percent of the respondents said pineapple had no place on a pizza. Celebrities, politicians, chefs and even minimum-wage pizzamakers count themselves as members of this pineapple hate group. Gordon Ramsay, a chef never at a loss for words, once opined, "You don't put . . . pineapple on pizza." He used a colorful adjective before "pineapple," to emphasize his disdain. The president of Iceland said he would outlaw pineapple on pizza if he could, a statement that made him an instant hero in some circles. A couple of years ago, a University of Arizona undergraduate tried to add pineapple to her barbecue chicken pizza, but the pie arrived sans fruit, with a note from the campus restaurant: "Couldn't bring myself to put pineapple on it. Thats gross. Sorry." A $5 bill was taped to the pizza box. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what's behind the animosity toward pineapple on pizza. Pineapple itself was No. 10 on a list of the most-popular fruits purchased in America last year, behind bananas and oranges but ahead of pears, cherries and avocados (!!). It probably goes without saying that none of the top 20 fruits in America is a common pizza topping, though some, such as pears and apples, make an occasional cameo. Jonathan Allen, co-owner of the superb Pizza CS in Rockville, Maryland, told me that he ate Hawaiian pizza as an undiscriminating kid but now frowns on pineapple on any kind of pie, especially on the Neapolitan rounds served at his restaurant. He doesn't like the texture. A sign over the counter at Pizza CS reinforces Allen's stance: "No slices. No pineapple. No ranch." "I guess my judgments became more refined," Allen said via phone, as he vacationed in Mexico. Allen's take argues that the more you study pizza, the more you understand pineapple has no place in this Neapolitan-influenced world, with its many prickly rules. This may well be true, but in a story last year for the Wall Street Journal, chef-turned-food-writer Arun Gupta noted that the disdain for Hawaiian pizza is just another form of cultural elitism. No surprise, the article noted, Gupta is a fan of Hawaiian pizza. It's tempting to argue that Gupta is among a semi-silent majority of Hawaiian pizza fans. There is growing, if flawed, evidence to support this. A Time magazine online poll in 2017 found that nearly 63 percent of respondents favored pineapple on pies. A Change.org petition last year to ban pineapple on pizza drew only seven supporters. My own 24-hour Twitter poll found that nearly 60 percent of respondents said they were fine with pineapple on pizza. There are celebrity endorsements, too: The Rock digs Hawaiian pizza; he says, "pineapple on pizza is MY JAM." For what it's worth, Justin Bieber loves it, too. The late Sotirios "Sam" Panopoulos was a Greek immigrant widely credited for inventing the Hawaiian pizza in southern Ontario, Canada. According to lore, in 1962, he spread ham and pineapples onto a standard cheese pizza at his restaurant, the Satellite Diner, and then named the pie for the brand of canned fruit that he used. The Hawaiian pizza was born, followed closely by the controversy it continues to generate. Panopoulos reportedly died not comprehending why his famous creation was so loathed. I sympathize with him. Pork and pineapple can be as graceful together as Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev. No one bats an eye over tacos al pastor, that Lebanese-influenced combination of spit-roasted pork and chunks of pineapple, even though Mexican tacos have a tradition every bit as rich as that of Italian pizza. Recently, I invited a group of friends and Washington Post employees to join me at We the Pizza on Capitol Hill for a tasting of Hawaiian pizza. I sought a mix of palates: Those who love Hawaiian pizza, those who don't and those, like me, who are basically neutral on the combination. For the tasting, I asked chef Spike Mendelsohn and his team if they would prepare a classic Hawaiian pie, minus the ginger, lemongrass and honey that they usually put on their interpretation. Mendelsohn agreed without hesitation. Before we dug into the pies, we batted around theories as to why Hawaiian pizza generates so much hostility. A couple of tasters said it boils down to a basic truth: Fruit doesn't belong on pizza (and, yes, they know tomato is classified as a fruit, though not one nearly as sweet as others). "Culturally, I object to it being called Hawaiian, because the only thing Hawaiian on it would be the pineapple," said Gene Park, an audience editor for The Post who lived in Hawaii for eight years. Others just don't like the taste of ham and pineapple together. Martine Powers, host of the Post Reports podcast, compared Hawaiian pizza to an unfortunate incident from her childhood: The pie, she said, tastes like freshly vomited Orange Julius. "Maybe this is not a nice thing to say," added my friend Lou Cantolupo, "but I actually kind of find it trashy." But others thought hating on Hawaiian pizza was just a safe way to hate, period, maybe even a method to transfer your loathing of another group onto an inanimate foodstuff. Hate as a sign of your tribe. "I think there's a culture now where we are so disconnected that we are now grouping together by hating things," said Teddy Amenabar, editor on The Post's audience engagement team. "I think it's just a way to hate on other people." After all that discussion, a funny thing happened during our tasting. No one actually hated the Hawaiian at We the Pizza, even the self-described haters. "This isn't as bad as I remember it being," said Powers, who told me via email that "I HATE Hawaiian pizza." Tasters pointed out that Mendelsohn's approach was the difference: The pineapple was sliced thin and roasted, so that you don't get a major squirt of sweet and acidic juice. The tomato sauce also wasn't sweet, which can contribute to the sickly, saccharine flavor profile of some Hawaiian pies. Mendelsohn's pizza, in short, had an almost cosmic balance between salty, sweet and savory elements. "I was afraid this was going to happen," said Cantolupo, "but it's not that bad. I didn't want that to happen. I wanted to be a real [jerk] about it. Now I can't." With that, everyone erupted in laughter. So then I pointed out the obvious: It's not the combination that some of you hate - the pineapple and ham on pizza - but the execution of it. Too many people, it seems, have been burned by poor versions of the Hawaiian, in which thick chunks of syrupy pineapple are merely dumped onto a cheese pie with similarly thick-cut ham. There was general agreement on this statement. "I'm worried that I'm going to get lulled into a false sense of comfort with pineapple pizza," Powers said. 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. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is neither whistleblower nor journalist. He is an Australian citizen charged by the Justice Department with conspiring to hack into a U.S. government computer. The redacted report by special counsel Robert Mueller released last week amply documents that Assange, with the support of Russian intelligence, played a critical role in the 2016 presidential election. He is a potential missing link in the chain of understanding the extent to which foreign intervention affected the American electoral process. This is not a partisan issue. Democrats certainly would have agreed with Mike Pompeo, speaking in 2017 as CIA director before becoming secretary of state last year, when he said, It is time to call out WikiLeaks for what it really is: a nonstate hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia. The special counsels investigation had long ago established that WikiLeaks distributed materials obtained from Russian military intelligences hack of the computer networks of Democratic organizations and the private email account of Hillary Clintons campaign chairman, John Podesta. Now the Mueller report has refocused attention on the degree of contact during the campaign between WikiLeaks and Trump associates. He was black, so no Medal of Honor for him. So as our nation reluctantly even violently reckons with the way we remember our past, knocking some men off their pedestals is as important as elevating the ones who should have been there all along. One of Marylands senators, Chris Van Hollen, wants America to finally honor Butler. The Democrat introduced the World War I Valor Medals Review Act this week, legislation that would require the Defense Department to look at forgotten black war heroes like Butler. Congress did this for World War II and forward, but now they want to look even further back. The fact that the heroism of African American soldiers was ignored, that it was overlooked is obviously jarring, Van Hollen said. If this bill passes, and its one of the few things on Capitol Hill that has bipartisan support and will likely breeze through, more men like Butler will finally be honored. But all of them, like Butler who hung himself in his Washington, D.C., home in 1947 and is now buried in Arlington National Cemetery (with a typo on his tombstone) are dead. And will a posthumous award mean anything at this point? To question his proposal is not to resist change, like some outmoded dinosaur ripe for disruption and extinction. Nor is it primarily an emotional response though I, like so many others at TU, have dealt with anxiety, stress and lower productivity this month. (One of my graduate students called the proposal a mental health bomb and mused on the fact that President Clancy is a psychiatrist by training.) To question President Clancys proposal is, instead, to recognize something of the sheer complexity of TUs identity its unique size and location, its history, its fiscal strengths and weaknesses, its constitution as a human community with deep roots in programs from the arts and humanities to natural sciences and engineering and to call for a process of embracing and enacting change that does justice to this complexity and humanity. Identity crisis UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi meets with Rohingya children taking part in a mental health programme at Kutupalong refugee camp in Bangladesh. UNHCR/Will Swanson COXS BAZAR, Bangladesh The camps have the size and complexity of a city, a city of refugees. It is a city of 720,000 with problems and challenges peculiar to itself. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi sat watching a circle of 18 children, aged from 12 to 17, as they went through a choreographed structure of question-and-response, interspersed with dancing and exercises. The children are Rohingya refugees, most forced to flee with their families from appalling violence and atrocities committed against their community in Myanmar. Rohingya crisis: Through the eyes of a refugee child (Michelle Hoffman, producer; Alex St-Denis, camera-editor) The children are the spearhead of an innovative mental health project designed to help them talk about their worries and sadnesses in this giant camp. It started with just two groups here and now there are 40. A key innovation is that the discussion leaders are children themselves Myshara, a girl of 13, and Abdul Sukker, who is 16. Energetically they take the others through the key points mental illness is not a choice, recovery is; theres no shame in seeking help; and four other points, complete with stories and illustrations. Men and boys here are used to hiding their feelings. It was something like a weakness to ask for help. Men and boys here are used to hiding their feelings, Abdul said in an interview. It was something like a weakness to ask for help. But now were not reluctant. The idea is not to dwell on past horrors and traumas, but to come to terms with daily frustrations and sadness. Still, the past cannot be avoided. Nine months ago, Abduls father died. Thanks to these discussions, he says, he can talk about his sense of loss. At night I feel him. In my subconscious I feel my Dad is there. He approaches and wants to wake me to make sure I go to school. Abdul Sukker, 16, a Rohingya refugee from Myanmar, poses for a portrait at a community centre in Kutupalong camp in Bangladesh. "Men and boys here are used to hiding their feelings," says Abdul, who is helping children there learn to talk about their fears and sadnesses. UNHCR/Will Swanson Both have developed leadership qualities. Myshara spoke of her new confidence. Its a great happiness for me to help others, she said. This was something new for us and we were a bit afraid, but now were happy and spreading the same teaching to the camp. All of this helps us to get out of our dark experience. "All of this helps us to get out of our dark experience. If these discussion groups bring happiness, there is also frustration, particularly for talented older children. Grandi accompanied Myshara to her home and then to a learning centre. At home he heard her father talk of his determination to see his four daughters educated. At the school Grandi saw the limits of the educational programs here. Formal education is not allowed and the schools that exist provide no more than first or second grade studies. There is no indication that a system of secondary schools or diplomas will be set up. Myshara, 13, a Rohingya refugee from Myanmar, leads a group of other children who are learning to talk about their worries as part of a mental health programme at Kutupalong camp in Bangladesh. UNHCR/Will Swanson Both Myshara and Abdul complained quietly that the classes dont challenge them or teach them. And Grandi, recognizing the frustration, made a plea on behalf of children of promise in exile here. Shes a real leader, he said, referring to Myshara. This refugee girl proves that even in the most deprived, discouraging and distressed situation, if you give someone an opportunity, they can share what they have learned, and prosper and achieve much. But the doors of education remain closed for almost all. One UNHCR mental health officer said the danger is that these children will grow into a lost generation. The refugee city has other unusual concerns. Grandi met with Rohingya volunteers working to protect, as much as possible, the residents from the expected devastating effects of the approaching monsoon season. There is also a danger of cyclones. In Camp 21, 50 refugee volunteers go door-to-door in pairs, one man and one woman, to warn residents living in hillside shelters. One pair, Abdullah and Samuda, work in a sector where 20 makeshift houses were swept down the slope and destroyed last year. The volunteers work is frustrating. People have rebuilt on the same spot and dont want to leave. Almost no one agrees, Samuda said. They only move when the mud hits them. On cue, Rehena Begum, a young mother with two children in one endangered dwelling, told them about the floods that washed her place down the slope, I was sad when I saw it, but I dont want to move. Rohingya volunteers are working to protect residents from the coming monsoon season, and the danger of cyclones. In the valley, work is more successful. Teams of Rohingya refugees are building brick and mortar walls in canals designed to take the runoff from the deluge away from the camp. The men are paid a small daily stipend for the work. There are nine coordinators and one of them is a woman, Gulbahar, responsible for 40 workers. Usually, she said, there are 20 working under her supervision each day. Gulbahar looks upon the coming monsoon with mixed feelings. There is some danger but, I enjoy this work, and, at the end of the day, it brings in money for my family. On the surface this immense city of refugees is organized and preparing for coming emergencies. But it is a city in a curious limbo, most of its residents unable to work, most of its children unable to study. And it needs the generosity of donors and the industriousness of the refugees to function. The semblance of stability creates its own problems, Grandi said. Rohingya refugees should not be forgotten. We know that other crises take over and the world can forget. It is in all of our interests to give them the opportunity to learn and shape the future for their community. That will take international investment in the refugees along with the surrounding communities that welcomed them. Ukraine to lose gas supplies if transit contract not extended Putin 21:00, 28.04.19 8699 The Russian president says the price of gas Ukraine is receiving is "twice as high" as it could have been. He also expressed hope that "in Russia, they are more inclined to speak than to shoot." Ukraine's president-elect Volodymyr Zelensky says no one should speak with Ukraine and Ukrainians in the language of threats, military and economic pressure. In his opinion, this is not the best way toward ceasing fire and unblocking the Minsk process. At the same time, he stressed he was ready for negotiations. "I hope that at the next meeting in the Normandy format, Russia will demonstrate readiness for de-escalation. oncrete confirmation of this readiness should be the mutual exchange of our citizens in the 'all-for-all' format. Without exceptions. For our part, we are ready to discuss the new conditions for the coexistence of Ukraine and Russia. With the understanding that real normalization will take place only after a complete de-occupation. Of both Donbas and Crimea. Ukraine doesn't give up! In all senses," reads Zelensky's statement published on his team's Telegram channel. Read alsoZelenskys election proves Ukraine is a healthy democracy. Putin hates that: The Guardian Zelensky also expressed hope that "in Russia, they are more inclined to speak than to shoot." As UNIAN reported earlier, Putin had declared his readiness to negotiate with Zelensky to end the war in Donbas. According to Putin, people in Ukraine are waiting for a solution to the conflict as they are "weary of it." Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared his readiness to negotiate with Ukrainian presidential election winner Volodymyr Zelensky to end the conflict in Donbas, an UNIAN correspondent in Russia reported. "If one day we have a meeting, if some negotiations begin, which I don't rule out, we will first of all have to speak of how the conflict in the southeast of Ukraine could be ceased. And here, in my opinion, there is only one path the implementation of the Minsk agreements," said Putin. Read alsoPutin says Russia may simplify granting Russian citizenship to all Ukrainians He noted that, during the election campaign, Zelensky stated that he was not going to sign a decree on amnesty for militants in Donbas and that would not agree to the special status of the now-occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which Putin says is a key part of the Minsk Agreement to settle the issue of "LPR "DPR". "I would be pleased to ask him these questions and debate on this topic," said Putin. According to the Russian president, people in Ukraine are waiting for a solution to the conflict as they are "weary of it" and expecting that the new leadership would address the issue. Deputies also suggest dissolving the self-styled governments created in territories held by Russian proxy forces. Deputies of the Free Democratic Party of Germany (FDP) made a proposal to send an additional UN civilian police force to eastern Ukraine. German parliamentarians adopted a document called Peace in Ukraine needs a new impulse, which describes the new strategy on Donbas, LIGA.net reported referring to Bild. In particular, the FDP proposes that the German Parliament develop an additional action plan concerning the Minsk agreements, with mandatory deadlines and consequences in the event of non-compliance. Read alsoNo one should speak with Ukraine in language of threats: Zelensky confirms readiness for Normandy Four talks It is proposed, among other things, to deploy in Ukraine an additional contingent of civilian police under the auspices of the UN. Deputies are also proposing to dissolve the so-called "governments" created by Donbas terrorists, and hand over the management of the region to the civil interim administration under the UN leadership. The document consists of 12 points. In the near future it will be submitted to the Bundestag for consideration. Gerashchenko stressed that Ukraine should firmly hold on to its position on the implementation of Minsk agreements, hostage swap, the release of Kremlin prisoners, and the refusal to negotiate with terrorist leaders. First Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraines representative in the humanitarian subgroup of the Tripartite Contact Group on Donbas settlement Iryna Gerashchenko says recent statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin show an unfavorable background is being created for his first dialogue with the new president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. Putin is making boorish statements on Russian passportization of all Ukrainians. His traditional KGB tactic is to raise stakes and escalate the situation, creating crises before important meetings," Gerashchenko wrote on Facebook. "He is preparing an unfavorable background for the first dialogue with the president-elect. Nothing new or unexpected here," she noted. According to Gerashchenko, all countries and organizations are awaiting a "reset" of Ukraine-Russia talks after the new president takes office. Read alsoMinsk talks: Ukraine calls on Russia to unblock hostage release "The EU, the U.S., the OSCE. and other international organizations have great expectations as if new opportunities are opening up. Also, nothing unexpected here. Everyone understands that Poroshenko would continue to pursue his line in negotiations with Putin and with the rest of the world. And they expect that the Ukrainian neophyte could change tactics, and, perhaps, manage to achieve at least some progress on Donbas. Everyone is waiting for a reset. This is expected and not bad. But there is one thing here... they expect a reset at Ukraine's expense and as a result of compromises made exclusively by the Ukrainian side. The danger of such an approach was appreciably voiced during the special debates at the UN Security Council, where most were too shy to recall Russia and Putin," wrote Gerashchenko. At the same time, according to Gerashchenko, Ukraine's response should be clear and unambiguous. "First. The priority is the implementation of the Minsk Security Accords. Only a comprehensive ceasefire and withdrawal of foreign weapons and equipment form the necessary prerequisites for the implementation of other items. 'Foreign' means Russian, there are no other types there," she noted. She also stressed the need to implement the humanitarian set of the Minsk agreements. "But in no case should the key set of security issues be replaced with more important, humanitarian ones. Because this rhetoric and the substitution of priorities was very obvious at the UN Security Council," she added. In addition, according to Gerashchenko, Ukraine should insist on an exchange in the all-for-all" format both of hostages held in the occupied territories and political prisoners of the Kremlin. Read alsoRussia wants to make Ukrainians its"new oil": Zelensky on Putin's "passport plan" "And there is one more danger Russia and its Donbas puppets don't confirm to us the holding of dozens of military and civilians, they hide information about them, demanding from us instead to hand over hundreds of convicted separatists, Russian nationals (who are included in swap lists cdrawn by militants), and confirming just a couple dozen hostages for the exchange. These traps are also very dangerous," Ukraine's envoy said. "The missing ones are our special pain," Gerashchenko wrote. "Throughout these four years, the Russians have been categorically refusing to create a tripartite mechanism with the ICRC. They've been pushing us toward creating a group with pseudo-republics only. But this would legitimize the separation of Donbas," said Gerashchenko. At the same time, the official stressed that Ukraine had fulfilled its obligations under the political bloc of the Minsk Agreements. "The political bloc that Putin always focuses on. In fact, Ukraine has fulfilled it. We adopted an amnesty law (which, incidentally, does not cover terrorists and murderers, but does those who are 'lost'), and on peculiarities of local government. But these laws didn't come into force because of the Russian Federation and the Kremlin, who held illegal elections in the occupied territories in 2014 and 2018. Therefore, to implement the political bloc, Putin must cancel his decrees on the recognition of the so-called IDs of the occupied parts of Donbas and the so-called results of the so-called elections. Putin must repeal his own decrees on the illegal passportization of Ukrainians, while all pseudo-bodies of pseudo-authority in the occupied Donbas must be immediately disbanded. And any regional elections in Donbas shall be held only after demilitarization and in line with Ukrainian laws," she noted. Read alsoNo one should speak with Ukraine in language of threats: Zelensky confirms readiness for Normandy Four talks According to Gerashchenko, the main thing is that Ukraine should firmly stand on the position: no direct negotiations with the puppet regimes created by the Russian Federation, no legitimization of pseudo-republics. She also noted that during the latest meeting in Minsk, the Ukrainian delegation stressed that, despite the change of power, Ukraines strategy will remain unchanged complete de-occupation and the restoration of Ukraines territorial integrity and sovereignty. As UNIAN reported earlier, on April 24, the President of the Russian Federation signed a decree on the simplified procedure for issuing Russian passports to residents of the temporarily occupied Donbas. On April 27, Putin declared that Russia could simplify the procedure for easing naturalization procedure for all Ukrainians, not just those living in the occupied territories of Donbas. Also, the Russian president declared his readiness to negotiate with Zelensky to end the war in eastern Ukraine. She was transporting 10 children to the Russian-occupied Abkhazia. Georgian law enforcers have detained a Ukrainian woman on suspicion of human trafficking, First Deputy Head of Ukraine's National Police, Chief of the Criminal Police Vyacheslav Abroskin wrote on Facebook Saturday. On April 19, a 37-year-old Ukrainian woman who intended to travel with 10 children (born in 2008, 2014, 2017, and 2018) through Georgia to the occupied Abkhazia. During an interview with enforcement officials, the woman explained that the four children were her own, while the rest were born in Ukraine with the help of reproductive medicine. Abroskin noted that the Ukrainian woman was detained on suspicion of human trafficking. Read alsoUNICEF: Children in Eastern Ukraine suffering as conflict affects critical water infrastructure "We have already established that this woman left the territory of our country with all the necessary documents in April 2018. She took seven children, then another three. But we appealed to Georgia with a request to establish the whereabouts of a toddler boy named Sava, born in 2017, who wasn't with the woman at the time of her arrest in Georgia. The latter reported that the boy had drowned in the bathroom while bathing. According to her, this happened in Russia in 2018. She failed to provide any documents to confirm her claim," he wrote. According to Abroskin, Ukrainian law enforcers, together with their Georgian colleagues, are verifying information about the involvement of the Ukrainian citizen in human trafficking, as well as verifying data on her parental rights to children born through reproductive medicine. Joint Forces HQ says there are wounded. Over the past day, April 27, the armed forces of the Russian Federation violated ceasefire 13 times. A Ukrainian soldier was wounded in one of the attacks on Saturday, and another one was injured in a shelling on Easter, April 28, the press service of the Joint Forces Headquarters reported Sunday morning. On April 27, the enemy once employed 82mm mortars forbidden by the Minsk agreements. Militants also shelled the Ukrainian positions using anti-aircraft guns, grenade launchers of various types, large-caliber machine guns, and small arms. Read alsoKlimkin: No dual citizenship with aggressor state Russia possible No enemy shellings were left without an adequate response on the part of Joint Forces. According to intelligence data, on April 27, three invaders were killed in action and another six injured. From the beginning of the current day, the enemy opened fire from grenade launchers of various types near Krymske, in the area of responsibility of the Pivnich [North] tactical grouping. Joint Forces returned fire. The reports on enemy losses are being verified. As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukrainian troops in eastern Ukraine had been put on full combat readiness to repel possible provocations and prevent escalation during Easter holidays. Hong Kong: Students lauded for creative writing The award ceremony for a creative writing competition was held today at the Hong Kong Central Library to mark World Book Day. The winning entries of the 4.23 World Book Day Creative Competition have been put online, and will be displayed at the library from tomorrow to May 13, followed by a roving exhibition at 20 public libraries and the Hong Kong Book Fair. Speaking at the ceremony, Director of Leisure & Cultural Services Michelle Li said this years competition, with the theme of "Let's Share the Joy of Reading", expected that participants could make a habit of reading through the joy of reading and writing, thus enriching their lives. The competition received more than 1,500 entries from more than 240 schools. It is part of the ongoing Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau library collaboration and exchange programme. Shenzhen Library, Shenzhen Childrens Library, the Sun Yat-Sen Library of Guangdong Province and Macao Public Library have also organised competitions under the same theme and will display the winning entries in their libraries respectively. Additionally, the launching ceremony of the Fun Reading at Hong Kong Public Transportation activity was held at the Whitty Street Tram Depot in Sai Wan today. The programme aims to take participants beyond libraries to read picture books and learn more about the city. The first session followed the launching ceremony, where parents and children boarded a tram to begin their fun reading journey on the citys iconic form of transport. Details of the reading promotion activities are available on the HKPL's website and its newly launched "Reading is Joyful" Facebook page and Instagram page. This story has been published on: 2019-04-28. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. (@ChaudhryMAli88) MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th April, 2019) Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak has established, upon the request of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, with his decree an interministerial commission that will be tasked with carrying out investigation into contamination of Russian oil coming through Druzhba pipeline, the Russian Energy Ministry said on Saturday. Medvedev ordered earlier on Saturday to verify facts of quality violation of Russian oil transported by pipeline company Transneft to Belarus and Eastern Europe. He also asked to submit the results of the inspection to the Prosecutor General's Office. "Upon the request of the chairman of the Russian government, Dmitry Medvedev, an interministerial commission for verifying facts of quality violation of oil transported through oil pipeline Druzhba has been created by decree of Energy Minister Alexander Novak," the ministry told reporters. The commission will include heads and deputy heads of federal governmental bodies, including the Energy Ministry; the Industry and Trade Ministry; the Federal Antimonopoly Service; Rostekhnadzor, the governmental environmental watchdog; Rosnedr, the federal agency for resources use; and Transneft. The problem with the quality of oil coming from Russia to Belarus and Eastern Europe through Druzhba arose last week. The operators of the Russian, Belarusian, Polish and Ukrainian sections of Druzhba met in the Belarusian capital of Minsk on Friday. The meeting focused on the mechanism to clean the pipeline system from contaminated oil. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak said on Thursday that those responsible for contaminated Russian oil getting into the Druzhba pipeline would be brought to justice since Transneft and Russian oil refineries had suffered serious losses due to the incident. (@ChaudhryMAli88) BEIJING, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Apr, 2019 ) :Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan on Sunday met with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in Beijing. China and Tajikistan have common interests in upholding national independence, defending national dignity, promoting economic growth and maintaining social stability, Wang said, adding that the two countries have reached broad consensus in jointly building the Belt and Road. China stands ready to work with Tajikistan to implement consensus reached by the two heads of state and continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning respective core interests, Wang said. Rahmon said Tajikistan and China are sincere and reliable partners, and Tajikistan will work to continuously elevate the Tajikistan-China comprehensive strategic partnership to a new stage. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th April, 2019) The upcoming meeting between Serbian and Kosovar leadership in the German capital of Berlin is unlikely to promote any progress in the long-existing crisis in the Serbian-Kosovar relations, Branka Stamenkovic, the president of the opposition Serbian Enough is Enough (DJB) political movement, suggested in her comment to Sputnik. On Monday, the leader of the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, and Kosovar Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj will hold a meeting in Berlin with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic. The meeting was initiated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron. Both Vucic and Thaci have already said that they expect no specific results to be reached at the meeting. "Brussels agreement [on normalizing Serbian-Kosovar relations] was signed six years ago. Setting aside the question of whether this agreement should have been signed at all, the fact is that Belgrade did fulfill all of its obligations from this agreement, while Pristina did not fulfill any of its obligations. Therefore, this agreement is null and void, and this should be clearly stated in Berlin. It is astonishing that Merkel and Macron do not see that, and that Serbian government does not take a stronger position on this issue," Stamenkovic said. Vucic said on April 10 that Belgrade would be ready to engage in negotiations with Pristina only when its 100 percent tariffs on Serbian goods, introduced in November 2018 as a response to Belgrade's blocking of Kosovo becoming a member of Interpol, were abolished. When asked if she believed that the meeting could result in sanctions removal, Stamenkovic was skeptical. "This import tariff is contrary to all of the signed regional agreements, as well as contrary to common sense. Serbia did not respond to this with similar measures. If Merkel and Macron really want illegal tariffs to be lifted, they would already be lifted. It is obvious they are playing a game with them," Stamenkovic said. The DJB leader added that if Pristina did not lift the tariffs, Serbia should "respond with strong measures." According to Stamenkovic, Serbia should put forward five conditions for resumption of EU-mediated peace talks with Kosovo. These conditions should include the establishment of the Association of Serbian Municipalities in Kosovo and Metohija, which was initiated by the European Union and Pristina in 2013, but still was not achieved; the lifting of import tariff and compensation for damages; the return of the Trepa Mines industrial complex to its Serbian shareholders; the annulment of law about transformation of the Kosovo Security Force into a full-fledged army; and resolving the case of murder of Serbian politician Oliver Ivanovic in January 2018 in Kosovo. "In parallel with all this, Serbia should adopt a Law on Kosovo and Metohija. Serbian's constitution mandated this law be adopted 13 years ago. All Serbian governments are in violation of the constitution since then. Enough is Enough proposed a law ... modeled after Denmark's law on Faroe Islands, [which] would resolve all the practical issues, giving Pristina the widest possible autonomy," Stamenkovic stated further. Kosovo unilaterally proclaimed independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008. The self-proclaimed republic is recognized by over 100 UN member states. Serbia, as well as Russia, China, Israel, Iran, Spain, Greece and a number of other countries have not recognized Kosovar independence. In 2011, Serbia, under the pressure of Brussels, started negotiations on the normalization of relations with Kosovar Albanians with the mediation of the European Union. The dialogue is currently suspended. Flowers and crosses placed on the debris after the house of a school carer was destroyed by a mudslide killing 8 people south of Durban in South Africa (AFP or licensors) Pope Francis asks the faithful to join him in praying for the victims of floods in South Africa. By Linda Bordoni Pope Francis has asked for prayers for those who have lost their lives or suffered serious damage as a result of the recent floods in South Africa. He was addressing the pilgrims gathered in St. Peters Square for the Sunday Regina Coeli prayer. May these brothers and sisters of ours not lack our solidarity as well as the concrete support of the international community he said. The most deadly floods ever in the area Seventy people reportedly died in floods that ravaged parts of the coastal province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa's southeast. The flooding began on Monday after heavy rain caused mudslides in several towns in Durban, the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal. Authorities warned that there could be more rains in the coming days. Makeshift shelters and food are being provided for those displaced from their homes in the aftermath of the flooding. State-owned broadcaster SABC puts the number of those displaced at over 1000. African migrants who fled battle zones in Libia gather at a detention center in Zawiya, west of Tripoli (AFP or licensors) The United Nations has expressed concern over the plight of thousands of migrants and refugees caught in the crossfire in Libya. This comes as Pope Francis' appeals for the evacuation of refugees and migrants from detention centers and for their safe passage through humanitarian corridors. By Nathan Morley General Khalifa Haftar and his rival government launched an offensive at the beginning of April to take control of the capital Tripoli. The rebel-General is trying to snatch the city from the internationally backed government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. Since his offensive began, Haftar has been accused of commanding forces which are responsible for killing and displacing civilians, wrecking property, utilising children for military duty, and using missiles to target urban populations. The effects of this latest instability have been devastating on the war-weary population. The UN says that more than 35,000 people have been forced to flee their homes. On top of that, the World Health Organization has estimated that over 270 people have been killed and more than 1,000 wounded in the clashes. As well as for the obvious disruption to local life, the conflict has proved a terrifying ordeal for migrants and refugees at detention camps on the outskirts of Tripoli, which are near the front lines. So far, 675 refugees have been moved from Qasr Ben Ghasheer detention centre to the Azzawia facility, but several thousand more remain exposed to danger. Separately, air raids were carried out just before midnight on Saturday on Tripoli its thought the raids may have been conducted by unmanned drones, controlled by Haftars forces. Residents heard drones passing near the airport as well as several explosions. Rebuilding Together Southern Nevada (RTSNV), the local affiliate of the national nonprofit organization Rebuilding Together, celebrated National Rebuilding Day. In just one day, 33 teams consisting of more than 1,000 RTSNV volunteers revitalized 21 homes in Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and Clark County. Work done on the homes included: exterior painting, xeriscaping, property clean up, debris removal and other minor repairs. Those who made repairs to the 21 homes included 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; Vetera ns 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. At the inauguration ceremony of the Trung Nam complex (Source: VNA) This is the largest cluster of solar power plants in Southeast Asia so far. The construction of the cluster started in January 2018, and a power purchase contract was signed with the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) in late 2018. Built with a total investment of 7 trillion VND (301.3 million USD), with over 1 million solar panels were installed, the cluster is expected to produce about 600 million kWh of electricity and serve about 200,000 households per year, and contribute to reducing about 300,000 tonnes of CO2 discharged into the environment per year. The same day, the first phase of the Trung Nam complex of solar and wind renewable power plants in Thuan Bac district also became operational. With a total investment of 10 trillion VND, the complexs first phase has a total capacity of 409.95 MW. It is expected to generate 423kWh of wind power and 577 million kWh of solar power per year. The complex is directly connected to the national grid through the 220kV Thap Cham transformer. This is the first and largest solar and wind renewable power complex in Vietnam so far. Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam praised efforts made by investors for completing the cluster and the complex. He hoped investors would continue to research, invest and develop more renewable energy projects in Ninh Thuan, the locality boasts great potential in this field, towards turning it into a renewable energy centre of the country. The national flag will be flown at at half-staff during national mourning for former President General Le Duc Anh on May 3 and 4. Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Dispatch No.1632/CD-BVHTTDL, which is sent to ministries, sectors, peoples committees of cities and provinces nationwide, also instructs the cancellation of all celebrations, art performances, sport events and recreational activities during the two days. Former Politburo member and former President General Le Duc Anh passed away at 20:10 on April 22 in Hanoi. The respect-paying ceremony for the former President will start at 7 am on May 3 at the National Funeral Hall on No.5 Tran Thanh Tong Street, Hanoi. At the same time, respect-paying and memorial ceremonies for the former leader will also be held at Thong Nhat Hall in Ho Chi Minh City, and the Hall of the Peoples Committee of Thua Thien Hue province. Carlos Ghosn, currently on bail, is preparing for his trial on four charges of financial misconduct AFP/Behrouz MEHRI The 65-year-old tycoon, currently on bail, is preparing for his trial on four charges of financial misconduct ranging from concealing part of his salary from shareholders to syphoning off Nissan funds for his personal use. The Tokyo District Court had proposed to start his trial in September during its pre-trial meetings with his defence lawyers and prosecutors, news reports said, quoting unnamed sources. But the court told the lawyers and prosecutors on Friday that it had retracted the plan without proposing a new time frame, Kyodo News said, adding that the move could mean the trial will not start this year. The court also decided not to separate the trial for Ghosn, his close aide Greg Kelly and Nissan - all indicted on the charge of violating the financial instruments law by underreporting Ghosn's compensation, according to Kyodo. His lawyers have so far demanded he be tried separately from Nissan and have voiced fears he will not receive a fair trial. The Sankei Shimbun also said prosecutors gave up filing an appeal to the Supreme Court against his bail, a move to erasing a chance of his return to jail unless he is arrested again on fresh charges. Immediate confirmation of the news reports was not available. On Thursday, Ghosn exited his Tokyo detention centre after accepting bail of US$4.5 million under strict conditions, including restrictions on seeing his wife. His case has captivated Japan and the business community with its multiple twists and turns, as well as shone a spotlight on the Japanese justice system which critics say is overly harsh. Ghosn denies all the charges, with a spokesperson for the executive saying on Monday he would "vigorously defend himself against these baseless accusations and fully expects to be vindicated". In a statement hours after his release, Ghosn said: "No person should ever be indefinitely held in solitary confinement for the purpose of being forced into making a confession." The dramatic case has thrown international attention onto the Japanese justice system, derided by critics as "hostage justice" as it allows prolonged detention and relies heavily on suspects' confessions. Anti-EU firebrand Nigel Farage addresses the first public rally of his new Brexit Party. (Photo: AFP/Daniel Leal-Olivas) Political parties old and new are gearing up for what has been described as a "zombie" election that was never meant to be held until Britain delayed its scheduled departure from the European Union. The vote could now become a poll on Brexit - three years on from a referendum in which 52 per cent voted to leave the bloc. "I see it as a soft referendum," said Isis Queresma-Cabral, 44, a French citizen in Britain for 19 years and a pro-EU election activist. "(It's) an opportunity for us European citizens who felt hurt by the first referendum to voice that," she said. Brexiteers are similarly minded, with social worker Richard Harris, 37, joining anti-EU firebrand Nigel Farage's new Brexit Party. At its Apr 12 campaign launch, he predicted "the biggest slap in the face for the party political system that we've had in generations." "INTRIGUING CONTEST" The May 23 vote looms with Britain in a deep political crisis over its stalled departure from the European Union after nearly half a century of membership. Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to ask EU leaders for a second delay this month that could run until Oct 31 amid continued opposition from MPs to her divorce deal. She had previously said it would be "unacceptable" to ask Britons to participate in the poll but has been left with little choice. The government continues to claim hope it could be scrapped if talks with the main opposition Labour Party break the Brexit deadlock. But few are expecting that in the coming weeks, leaving a febrile atmosphere for European elections that have recently favoured anti-establishment forces in Britain. "We have ourselves a phenomenally intriguing contest," wrote Patrick English, a lecturer at the University of Exeter. "New parties have arrived and are eating into the vote share of the old guard, who are struggling to retain much of their support." Pollsters say the rise of new parties makes the result hard to predict. "A VERY BAD IDEA" Change UK, a new anti-Brexit party formed by breakaway MPs from Britain's two main parties, could get votes from EU supporters. But Farage's Brexit Party is topping the polls, picking up endorsements from Brexit supporters disgruntled at both the ruling Conservative and the main opposition Labour Party for their stances on Brexit. Farage previously led the UK Independence Party (UKIP) to victory at the last European elections in 2014 - one of the factors that prompted then prime minister David Cameron to call a referendum on EU membership. Neither of Britain's two main parties, which have been riven with internal divisions over Brexit, held campaign launch events, opting to release candidate lists quietly online this week. Some Conservative activists have vowed not to campaign in protest at May's current failure to deliver Brexit - or even to switch allegiance to Farage. Ashley Fox MEP, the party's leader in Brussels, has called holding the election "a very bad idea" and campaigners have reported hostility - and even violence - while out canvassing. "NO POINT VOTING" As a result, activists are waging much of the battle online. "I'm spending 18 hours a day campaigning, eight hours roughly on social media," pro-European Magdalena Williams told AFP. The self-described "hard Remainer" who moved to Britain from Hungary in 1970 said she manages 11 pro-EU Facebook groups. She has committed to the Liberal Democrats for this election. "It's a good opportunity to show that we are actually a majority," Williams said, referring to the pro-EU side. However, some angry eurosceptics plan to boycott the poll over Brexit's "betrayal". "There's no point voting," said 35-year-old London construction worker Charlie Smith. Wielding his mobile phone displaying the result of the 2016 referendum, he added: "We voted for Brexit and they're not delivering it. "That's why I won't be voting for any of them." The U.S. signed a document agreeing to pay North Korea $2 million for the medical care of American Otto Warmbier who had been detained by Pyongyang, U.S. national security adviser John Bolton said Sunday, but then ignored the bill and never paid it. "It is very clear to me from my looking into it in the past few days that nobody was paid," Bolton told Fox News Sunday. "That is clear." Bolton was confirming news accounts in recent days that North Korea demanded the money when it released Warmbier, a comatose college student, to U.S. authorities nearly two years ago so he could be returned to the United States. He died days later. Warmbier was a University of Virginia student visiting North Korea when he was jailed in January 2016, sentenced to 15 years for trying to steal a propaganda banner from his hotel. The mainland China travel company that arranged Warmbier's trip, Young Pioneer Tours, specializes in destinations your mother would rather you stay away from, according to its website. It describes itself as safe and fun. Photos from the companys website and Facebook page show selfies of happy, smiling, young Westerners in Pyongyang. North Korean officials said Warmbier fell into a coma the night he was sentenced in March 2016, The Washington Post reported. Doctors have not identified the cause of his brain damage, and say they did not see evidence of him being beaten. At their last meeting in Hanoi in February, President Donald Trump said he accepted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's claim not to have known what had happened to Warmbier in prison, despite the case being extraordinarily sensitive. "I will take him at his word," Trump said. Following Warmbier's sentencing, the North Koreans did not tell U.S. officials until June 2017 that he had been unconscious for 15 months. The Washington Post said news of Warmbier's condition sparked a frantic effort to get him home. The effort was led by the State Departments point man on North Korea at the time, Joseph Yun, who signed the agreement to pay the money. Trump has sought to get Kim to agree to end North Korea's nuclear weapons development program, but talks between the two leaders collapsed in Hanoi after Kim agreed at a summit in Singapore a year ago to move toward denuclearization. Bolton said Trump is willing to meet a third time with Kim. British Prime Minister Theresa May is being urged by members of her own party and senior intelligence officials to reverse a provisional decision to allow the Chinese technology giant Huawei a role in building parts of Britain's 5G mobile network. They fear giving Huawei even a limited role in developing the country's fifth-generation wireless network risks imperiling Britain's participation in the "Five Eyes" intelligence-sharing arrangement, the U.S.-led Anglophone intelligence pact linking Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Britain. The lobbying for a reversal of the decision is likely to intensify following the publication this week of a report co-authored by a Conservative lawmaker and a former British security adviser that argues, despite Beijing denials, that Huawei is ultimately owned by an entity answerable to the "Chinese party-state apparatus." The report by the London-based Henry Jackson Society says allowing the company access to Britain's next-generation mobile-phone network would compromise security. According to the report, Huawei is 99 percent owned by the Huawei Investment and Holding Trade Union Committee, part of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, a state body. Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have urged all Western allies to shun Huawei on security grounds, fearing the Chinese telecoms giant will act as a Trojan horse for China's espionage agencies, allowing them to sweep up data and gather intelligence. In February, Pompeo warned, "If a country adopts this [Huawei] and puts it in some of their critical information systems, we won't be able to share information with them, we won't be able to work alongside them." A U.S. State Department has been sent from Washington to brief British ministers Monday in more detail about American security concerns. Last week, it emerged from leaks that Prime Minister May had decided during a meeting of the country's National Security Council to allow Huawei to build some so-called "non-core" parts of Britain's 5G data network. Her decision came despite the disapproval of some intelligence chiefs and the country's defense and foreign secretaries, Gavin Williamson and Jeremy Hunt, who both fear serious impact on Anglo-American relations. U.S. warnings The U.S. National Security Agency has warned that approving Huawei's involvement risks handing China a "loaded gun." A White House official told VOA the issue will likely be raised during U.S. President Donald Trump's state visit to Britain in June. Australia and New Zealand have decided to block or heavily restrict Huawei's involvement in the development of their 5G networks. Huawei denies being controlled by the Chinese government and says its equipment can't be used for espionage purposes. And the Chinese ambassador to Britain, Liu Xiaoming, said Sunday the company has a "good track record" on security. He argued in an article written for Britain's Sunday Telegraph that any blocking of Huawei would be discriminatory and protectionist. "The last thing China expects from a truly open and fair 'global Britain' is a playing field that is not level," he wrote. The envoy urged Britain to ignore U.S. warnings. May's decision has been dubbed naive by some senior members of her ruling Conservative party. Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the British parliament's foreign affairs panel, has warned that allowing Huawei to build some of the 5G infrastructure will "cause allies to doubt our ability to keep data secure" and erode the trust underpinning "Five Eyes." British government officials say under the provisional plan Huawei's participation would be restricted to building transmission equipment, including rooftop aerials and base stations, and wouldn't involve anything to do with core infrastructure, where billing and customer details are stored. Some British cyber-security officials say this would be sufficient to mitigate any security risks; others say the distinction is meaningless. The dispute over Huawei is playing out during a visit to China by Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, who's hoping to expand economic ties with China ready for when Britain leaves the European Union. In Beijing Friday, Hammond praised the "truly epic ambition" of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a massive trillion-dollar trade, investment and infrastructure program launched in 2015 to spur trade along land and sea routes linking Asia, Africa and Europe. Some observers suggest Theresa May's Huawei decision should be seen in the light of Britain's search for post-Brexit deals to replace the expected losses resulting from the country's departure from the European Union. British government officials say there's no connection. VOA's Indonesian service contributed to this report, which originated in VOA's Korean service. Indonesia has released seized North Korean coal in apparent violation of U.N. sanctions, posing a challenge to U.S.-led international efforts to crack down on Pyongyang's sanctions evasion, according to U.N.monitors and court documents. The North Korean vessel Wise Honest, owned by Korea Songi Shipping Co. of Pyongyang, set sail toward Indonesia after loading about $3 million worth of coal from North Korean Nampo Port in March 2018. Indonesia detained the ship the next month when it entered the country's territorial waters without turning on its identification transponder or obtaining clearance from its port of destination, a U.N. Security Council report said in March. The vessel was sailing under Sierra Leonean and North Korean flags, with registrations from both countries. The ship captain, Kim Chung Son of North Korea, was charged with using a false flag. U.N. sanctions monitors "informed Indonesia [and Indonesian brokers who were involved in the transshipment of the coal] that the 26,500 tons of coal [on the Wise Honest] should be seized according to the [U.N.] resolutions and that the brokers may not see the coal," the U.N. report said. In 2017, the Security Council passed resolutions banning North Korea from exporting coal, one of its most valuable export commodities, and conducting ship-to-ship transfers of goods. Permission to sell coal According to court documents that VOA Korean service obtained, the Indonesian Balikpapan District Court, the district where the vessel was ordered to remain anchored, last November allowed Indonesian broker Eko Setyamoko to sell the coal as he requested. The documents showed that the coal was initially confiscated temporarily as evidence until a judge ruled on its status. When considering the release of the coal to be sold, the court cited the Certification of Origin issued by Russia, which stated the coal as Russian and Setyamoko as its owner. But according to the U.N., the coal was loaded from a North Korean port. The court dismissed charges against the ship's captain and returned to coal to Setyamoko in February 2019. Afterward, coal was transferred to another ship, the Dong Thanh, owned by a Vietnamese company and sailing under a Panamanian flag. The Dong Thanh left Indonesia in April, but Malaysian authorities later interdicted it, ordering it not to leave Malaysian territorial waters while investigations were underway. Before the ship reached Malaysian waters, Malaysian authorities said there were "clear instructions from our government regarding matters involving [North Korea]. As for the vessel, she will be directed to anchor upon arrival" while investigations proceeded. 'Active investigation' Hugh Griffith, coordinator of the U.N. Panel of Experts on North Korea, which monitors sanctions, told VOA's Korean service last week that "the panel is pursuing an active investigation on the Wise Honest coal shipment and all companies, individuals and other actors involved, whether witting or unwitting, in the illegal activities and any subsequent sanctions evasion." Joshua Stanton, a Washington attorney who helped draft the North Korean Sanctions Enforcement Act in 2016, thinks Indonesia should have seized the coal. "If the ship is involved in smuggling, the coal has to be seized," said Stanton. "That's an obligation. They should not release the coal. The coal should have been seized and not returned." He added, "And by [returning the coal], they violated the resolutions." Matthew Ha, a research associate at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a national security and foreign policy research group in Washington, also pointed out that the U.N. member states are letting North Korea slip away and use deceptive and illicit shipping practices to continue evade sanctions. North Korea is known to use false flags or "flags of convenience" to disguise the identity of its vessels, and the registration services of governments that provide North Korea with false flags "are doing a poor job of investigating whose ships they are registering," said Stanton. Ha said, "The manipulation or disablement of a vessel's automatic identification system (AIS) is another consistent challenge for cracking down on Pyongyang's ship-to-ship transfer schemes." AIS is an internationally accepted maritime safety and navigation system that uses a ship's transponder to identify its position, speed and charted course. Authority to punish Stanton said, "The United States has legal authority to punish the ports" that do not fully comply with their obligations to inspect the cargo of a ship that floats from port to port with its transponders switched off. North Korea also often registers its ships through shell companies and front companies operating in Hong Kong, and "the Hong Kong authorities have been completely lax in any kind of due diligence to verify that the companies they're registering have legitimate business purposes," said Stanton. Ha said these practices show "a clear example of the lack of political will from some nations." A U.S. official told VOA's Korean service that the U.S. is "aware of this case" involving the Wise Honest. The U.S. issued an advisory on addressing North Korea's illicit shipping practices in March, stating, "The U.S. government recommends that all parties involved in the shipping industry and related commercial entities be aware of the practices set out in this advisory in order to implement appropriate controls to identify North Korea's illicit shipping practices." U.S. Central Command chief Gen. Kenneth McKenzie said Saturday that the United States would deploy the necessary resources to counter any dangerous actions by Iran, Sky News Arabia reported. "We're going to continue to reach out to our partners and friends in the region to ensure that we make common cause against the threat of Iran," McKenzie, on an official visit to the Gulf region, was quoted as saying. "I believe we'll have the resources necessary to deter Iran from taking actions that will be dangerous," he said, according to a transcript released by the Abu Dhabi-based channel. "We will be able to respond effectively." Tensions between Tehran and Washington have risen since the Trump administration last year withdrew from an international nuclear deal with Iran and began ratcheting up sanctions. Earlier this month, the United States blacklisted Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards. Sanctions for oil purchases Washington on Monday demanded buyers of Iranian oil stop purchases by May or face sanctions, ending six months of waivers that allowed Iran's eight biggest buyers, most of them in Asia, to continue importing limited volumes. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and some senior military commanders have threatened to disrupt oil shipments from Gulf countries if Washington tries to strangle Tehran oil exports. McKenzie also said a reduction of U.S. troops in Syria would be done cautiously. "On the long term, we're going to reduce our forces in Syria. We recognize that; that's the guidance in which we are operating. That will be something that we will look at very carefully as we go forward," the general said. President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of U.S. troops Syria in December after he said they had defeated Islamic State militants there. In February, a senior administration official said the United States would leave about 400 U.S. troops split between two different regions of Syria. McKenzie also said he was confident that the U.S. is going to have "a long-term presence in Iraq, focused on the counterterror mission." Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is accusing the United States of trying to "bring Iran to its knees" and overthrow its government by seeking to thwart its international oil trade. Zarif, in an interview broadcast on the U.S. cable show Fox News Sunday, said a "B team" of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. national security adviser John Bolton, and leaders in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates is trying to push U.S. President Donald Trump "into a confrontation he doesn't want." "They have tried to bring the U.S. into a war," Zarif said, with the goal, "at least," of Iranian regime change. Bolton, appearing on the same Fox News program, said the U.S. goal is not regime change, but a change in behavior, specifically an end to Iran's nuclear weapons program and ballistic missile testing. "The Iranian people deserve a better government," Bolton said. He called Zarif's accusations "completely ridiculous, an effort to sow disinformation." The United States recently declared Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps a terrorist organization and says on Thursday it will end waivers of sanctions for all countries buying Iranian crude oil, including China, India, Japan, Turkey and South Korea, which had continued to buy from Tehran since last year when new U.S. sanctions against Iran were imposed. The United States says it wants to deprive Iran of $50 billion in annual oil revenues to pressure it to end its nuclear and missile programs. The White House says it is working with top oil exporters Saudi Arabia and the UAE to ensure an adequate world oil supply. But it is uncertain how effective the U.S. end of waivers to the sanctions on countries trading with Iran will prove to be. Turkey and China have attacked the U.S. action, but it is not clear whether they will continue to buy Iranian oil. Zarif said the goal of the sanctions is to "put as much pressure on the Iranian people as possible so they will take action" against the Iranian government. Zarif said U.S. officials are "wrong, their hope and delusion." He said the fact that Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 international agreement to curtail Iran's nuclear program "would not put the U.S. in the good list of law-abiding nations." Iran state media reported that Zarif told Iranian reporters in New York that Tehran's withdrawal from the pact is one of "many options" it is considering in the wake of the U.S. end to the waivers on sanctions for countries buying oil from Iran. Zarif said the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear pact shows the Iranian people that "engagement does not have dividends. They should not trust the signature of the president of the United States," referring to former President Barack Obama, whose push for the international pact was overturned by Trump. Iran's top leader called on Sunday for a crackdown on illegal weapons after the rare shooting of a cleric, and said easy access to guns in the United States served only a "mafia of gun manufacturers," his website reported. "In some countries, such as the United States, weapons are freely sold in the interest of the mafia of gun manufacturers and this causes problems for the people," Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted by his website as saying. "But in our country there is no such problem and the sale of weapons is banned," he told senior police officials, adding that people must be prevented from obtaining firearms illegally. Police said on Sunday that the suspect in the killing of a 46-year-old cleric in the western city of Hamedan had died in a shootout with police. The suspect's motive was unknown, Iranian media said. "The killer ... of the cleric in Hamedan released images with four types of weapon on his Instagram page. It is the duty of police to fight such cases," Khamenei said, calling for controls on social media. "Cyberspace has expanded a lot ... and represents both opportunities and dangers." Guns are strictly regulated in Iran but are available in some tribal and remote regions. Poaching also occurs in protected areas. Israel will release two prisoners in the wake of the recovery by Russian special forces in Syria of the remains of an Israeli soldier missing since 1982, Israeli and Syrian officials said Saturday. Russia, a key Damascus ally, this month handed over the remains and personal effects of Zachary Baumel, who was 21 when he was declared missing in action along with two other soldiers in the Battle of Sultan Yacoub during Israel's invasion of Lebanon. A Syrian government source told Reuters that two or more Syrians would be freed from Israeli prisons after Russian mediation. The source said authorities had pressured Moscow to secure the prisoners' release after it was reported that the Israeli soldier's remains were being handed over. Both sides appeared to step away from any suggestion that the release was part of a negotiated swap between Israel and Syria. "Israel decided in the past few days to release two prisoners as a goodwill gesture, only after the return of Zachary Baumel's remains," the Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Saturday. There was no immediate comment from Russian authorities. Israel's Prison Service identified the two prisoners as Ahmed Khamis and Zidan Taweel. It said Khamis, from Yarmouk, a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, was a member of the Palestinian Fatah group and was jailed in 2005 after he tried to infiltrate an Israeli military base in order to carry out an attack against soldiers. Taweel, from the Syrian Druze village of Hader, was jailed in 2008 for drug smuggling, the Prisons Service said. A spokesman for the service said it was not clear when they would be released. As Kim Jong Un returns from a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, questions linger as to the diplomatic support Kim garnered from Putin, and what will happen next in negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington. Meanwhile, a long-time observer of politics on the Korean Peninsula urges Washington and Seoul to re-examine the assumption underlying their strategy toward North Korea. In interviews with U.S. lawmakers, one thing is clear: U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have some bipartisan support in their dealings with Pyongyang. Ami Bera, a Democrat who represents Californias 7th congressional district and sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, says he supports Trumps decision to walk away from his second meeting with Kim held in Vietnam, as well as his willingness to engage in direct dialogue with Pyongyang. Let America decide whos on our team I dont think well be telling Chairman Kim who he should send. I think its appropriate for President Trump to decide whos going to negotiate on our side, Bera said about North Koreas wish that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo not lead future negotiations. Mike Kelly, a Republican from Pennsylvania who sits on the House Ways and Means Committee, said Pompeo knows what hes doing, knows what his mission is, and is 100% supportive of Trumps strategy, adding this is a guy who graduated No. 1 in his class at West Point, instead of someone who just walked in without any background or knowledge about how things work. Bera and Kelly, along with four other members of Congress, recently visited South Korea as co-chairs of the Congressional Study Group on Korea. No distance between Washington and Seoul Both told VOA they believe there is no distance between Seoul and Washington in dealing with North Korea, and they were reassured, after speaking with South Koreas defense minister and U.S. commanders, that troop preparedness was at the high level theyve always been at. Kelly said he saw overwhelming support of Trump in South Korea, both in how he has dealt with Pyongyang and in his administrations approach to the Asia Pacific region that is alarmed by Chinas rise and long-term ambitions. It is a region the U.S. cant afford to walk away and become a secondary player, he said. A North Korea economic miracle? Kelly and Bera said their trip reminded them of the success the country has achieved in just a few decades through the hard work of the Korean people, with help from the United States. Can you replicate that in the North? Bera asked. While acknowledging North Korea may be starting from a more difficult point, he thinks its certainly possible. The Korean Peninsulas natural resources reside mostly in the north, which affords North Korea potential advantages in trade and commerce. However, in order to capitalize on these resources and harness the opportunity presented, authorities in Pyongyang will have to take a different approach for it to work, Kelly said. As for talks between Washington and Pyongyang, Bera thinks a lot needs to happen at the staff level. He said there needs to be a lot of preparation before a third summit between Trump and Kim, including making sure there is a mutually agreed upon goal of denuclearization and a framework that supports the goal. Kim will never give up nuclear weapons Such a framework doesnt exist yet because the North Korean leader harbors no serious intent to give up nuclear weapons, said David Maxwell, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies who specializes on national security. If he was serious (about denuclearization), he would have allowed working level negotiations to take place, he would have allowed development of a framework, process, and timeline for denuclearization, Maxwell told VOA. Maxwell thinks the basic premise that guides U.S. and South Koreas current strategy toward Pyongyang is the assumption that Kim can be co-opted or coerced into denuclearizing and that the North Korean leader will prioritize economic development over the retention of nuclear weapons. Maxwell questions the validity of this assumption. While acknowledging none of us can know for sure what Kim Jong Un really intends and what he will do, based on historical record and Kims demonstrated action (or in this case non-action), Maxwell thinks Pyongyangs intent is to split the alliance between Washington and Seoul and get U.S. forces off the peninsula as he believes the presence of U.S. forces provides (South Korea) access to U.S. nuclear weapons, even if there have not been any nuclear weapons in South Korea since 1991. Maxwell believes the U.S. should be preparing for a Plan B that is based on Kim failing to denuclearize. Team America One of the things I really and most enjoy about being on the Foreign Affairs Committee is generally we have a bipartisan relationship, Congressman Bera said. Often we have differences on domestic issues and sometimes behind closed doors well have vibrant dialogues on issues, but in general, those differences stop at the waters edge when we approach the outside world. If we dont look at ourselves as Team America, as opposed to a Red Team or a Blue Team, it sends the worst message to potential adversaries, Kelly said. Kelly added that he and Bera dont agree on everything. I think Im more over the top for President Trump than Ami is, he said. I get that; Im sure when President Obama was in office, I think he was a bigger fan than I was. The fact that lawmakers can have different opinions and still come together and do the right things for the right reasons, Kelly said, is the beauty of it. The world has a love-hate relationship with plastic: Its as convenient as it is problematic. Because it degrades incredibly slowly, plastic waste pollutes the oceans and endangers wildlife. But for sturdy, cheap and sterile packaging, we simply lack good alternatives. A London startup wants to change that, with some help from lobsters. Markus Meyer-Gehlen reports. Support for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom has risen to its highest point in the past four years, largely driven by voters who want to remain in the European Union, according to a poll published Saturday. As the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) meets for its two-day spring conference, the YouGov poll showed support for secession had risen to 49 percent from 45 percent in the last YouGov poll carried out for The Times in June 2018. The SNP is preparing a new independence push after it was defeated in a 2014 referendum by concerns about the economy. The party's proposal for an independent Scotland to continue using the pound in a currency union with Britain was perceived as a particular weakness. On Saturday, the SNP leadership proposed that if the country voted for independence, it should use Britain's pound until a Scottish currency meeting six economic tests could be introduced. Delegates rejected that in favor of a more pressing time frame and formulation urging preparations to introduce a new currency "as soon as practicable after Independence Day," preserving the six economic tests. Scots rejected independence, 55 percent to 45 percent, in a 2014 referendum. Then the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in a 2016 referendum, but among its four nations, Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay, feeding political tension. Britain is mired in political chaos and it is still unclear when or even whether it will leave the EU. YouGov also found that 53 percent of Scots thought there should not be another referendum on independence within the next five years. Scotland's first minister, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, is pushing for one before 2021, when the current Scottish parliamentary term ends. YouGov polled 1,029 adults in Scotland following a new guideline on independence set out by Sturgeon on Wednesday. The poll also showed voters moving away from both the Conservatives and the Labour Party north of the English border. The Scottish Conservatives, part of Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party, are set to lose their only representative in the European Parliament in next month's election as 40 percent of those who backed them two years ago switched to Nigel Farage's Brexit Party. "These patterns represent a clear warning to the Unionist camp that the pursuit of Brexit might yet produce a majority for independence," professor John Curtice, Britain's leading polling expert, wrote in a column for The Times. Spain's ruling Socialist party appears poised to win the country's third election in four years. The Socialists, the party of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, were projected to win 123 of 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies, with more than 70 percent of the vote counted. According to Spain's Interior Ministry, roughly 75% of all eligible voters cast their ballots Sunday. Spain saw high voter turnout in elections that were believed to be wide open. The race pits Socialists against four other main parties, including the new far-right Vox Party that is aligned with other far-right movements that have emerged across Europe. With no one party expected to win a majority Sunday, speculation has centered on which of Spain's top five parties will join together after the vote to create a governing coalition. A close election could result in weeks of political bargaining that could include smaller parties favoring Catalan independence a hugely polarizing topic in Spain. Analysts warn of the possibility of a deadlocked parliament and a second election. Friday, Prime Minister Sanchez, who is up for re-election, said he is open to the possibility of a coalition with the left-wing United We Can Party, raising the possibility for a center-left governing deal. On the political right, the conservative Popular Party has splintered into three main groups, with the new Vox Party making inroads with the electorate. The third right-leaning group, Citizens, says it will only join a governing coalition with the Popular Party. The Popular Party has alternated in office with the Socialist Party since Spain's return to democracy in the 1970s. Leaders on both the left and the center-right have urged voters to keep the far-right at bay. Four people died and three were injured when a construction crane on the new Google Seattle campus collapsed Saturday, pinning six cars underneath. One female and three males were dead by the time firefighters arrived at the scene, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said. He said two of the dead were crane operators and the other two were people who had been in cars. A 25-year-old mother and her 4-month-old daughter as well as a 28-year-old man were taken to Harborview Medical Center, according to Seattle Fire spokesman Lance Garland. A fourth person also was injured and treated at the scene. Harborview spokeswoman Susan Gregg said Saturday evening that the mother and baby would be discharged, while the man injured was in satisfactory condition. The King County Medical Examiners Office said it would not release names of people who died until Monday. My thoughts and prayers are with those killed and injured, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said on Twitter. The crane collapsed near the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue near Interstate 5 shortly before 3:30 p.m., Scoggins said. With Amazon and other tech companies increasing their hiring in Seattle, the city has dozens of construction cranes building office towers and apartment buildings. As of January, there were about 60 construction cranes in Seattle, more than any other American city. Scoggins said officials do not yet know the cause of the collapse. Daren Konopaski, the business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302, which represents heavy-equipment operators, told The Seattle Times he understood the crane was being dismantled when heavy winds moved through the area. We dont know, but thats what seems to have happened here, he said. We are in the process of trying to get information. The National Weather Service in Seattle said a line of showers moved over Seattle just about the time the crane fell. An observation station on nearby Lake Union showed winds kicked up with gusts of up to 23 mph at 3:28 p.m., just about the time officials said the crane fell. It was terrifying, witness Esther Nelson, a biotech researcher who was working in a building nearby, told the newspaper. The wind was blowing really strong, she said, and added that the crane appeared to break in half. Half of it was flying down sideways on the building, she said. The other half fell down on the street, crossing both lanes of traffic. The office building the crane fell from was badly damaged, with several of its windows smashed. Trudi and I join all Washingtonians in extending our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the four people who died in this afternoons tragic accident, Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee said in a statement. Inslee also said he hoped for a speedy and full recovery for those injured, thanked first responders and urged people to stay clear of the accident scene. Sudans military rulers and opposition agreed in principle Saturday to the formation of a joint body to lead a transition from 30 years of autocratic rule by Omar al-Bashir, but not on the new councils makeup, two sources said. The two sides were holding their first formal discussions as opposition groups and protesters push for a rapid handover to civilian rule following Bashirs fall earlier this month. Sudans Transitional Military Council (TMC), which ousted and arrested Bashir after months of protests, has said it will rule for up to two years ahead of elections. Anti-Bashir opposition groups and protesters who have kept up a sit-in outside the Defense Ministry want a civilian-led transitional council with military representation. They continued their thousands-strong demonstration Saturday evening. I came to support the sit-in for a civilian government because the army ruled Sudan since 52 years ago and the result is nothing, said Nour el-Dayem Gaafar, a 23-year-old student from South Darfur state who had traveled by bus to the capital. Opposition groups and activists are represented by an umbrella group called the Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces, which held two meetings with the TMC Saturday. Both sides expressed optimism after an initial session around the middle of the day. After a second, evening session, the sources said there was agreement over the formation of a joint council, but not over how many seats either side should have. The TMC has arrested some former officials, announced anti-corruption measures and promised to give executive authority to a civilian government. But it has signaled that ultimate authority would remain in its hands, leaving protesters frustrated. Half a revolution Half a revolution is the perishing of a nation, said Osman Abadi, a 26-year-old sit-in security supervisor draped in a Sudanese flag, who said he was staying even if negotiations between TMC and the opposition failed. Bashir was overthrown after 16 weeks of protests triggered by a deepening economic crisis. He is being held along with other former officials at Khartoums Kobar prison. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has indicted Bashir for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in the western Sudanese region of Darfur, charges he denies. On Saturday Sadiq al-Mahdi, the veteran leader of Sudans opposition Umma Party, which is part of the Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces, said he thought Sudan should join the court. Now I have no objection to responding to its demands, and its necessary immediately to join (the ICC), but this position has to be coordinated with the military council, Mahdi told reporters. The military council has previously suggested that Bashir would be tried in Sudan, where the public prosecutor has begun investigating him, according to a judicial source. Raid condemned Separately, the Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces condemned a reported raid on a meeting of the Popular Congress Party, which was allied to Bashir before turning against him. The alliance said in a statement that though the party bore responsibility for what had happened over the past 30 years, there was no place for the exclusion of rights by force in the nation that our fearless revolutionaries are working to promote. State TV reported that more than 140 people were evacuated from the hall where the meeting took place and more than 60 had suffered minor injuries. Sri Lankan police entered the headquarters Sunday of the terrorist group believed to be behind the deadly Easter Sunday explosions at churches and luxury hotels that killed more than 250 people. A day after Colombo declared National Towheed Jamaath (NTJ) a terror group, armed police in the town of Kattankudy in eastern Sri Lanka entered the organization's main mosque. On Saturday, President Maithripala Sirisena formally outlawed two Islamist extremist groups suspected of carrying out the Easter attacks. Sirisena used his emergency powers to ban NTJ and another group, Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim (JMI). Security officials said the NTJ was believed to have been the main group behind the Easter attacks. Officials said they were prohibited by law from banning the little known groups earlier due to the lack of firm evidence against them. Catholic churches in Sri Lanka were shuttered Sunday in the aftermath of the attack. The faithful, however, were able to watch a televised broadcast of a Mass. "This is a time questions such as, does God truly love us, does He have compassion towards us," Ranjith said in the Mass on television. President Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe attended the Mass in a small chapel at the cardinal's residence. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the Easter Sunday explosions. The terrorist group also says it was their men who blew themselves up in a clash with Sri Lankan security forces Saturday that killed fifteen people, including six children. An IS statement said that "after exhausting their ammunition," the men "detonated on them their explosive belts." In another development, Sri Lankan police say they arrested two "most wanted" suspects in connection with the Easter Sunday blasts. Police say the men were arrested in the central region of Nawaapitiya. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said officers found a cache of 150 gelignite sticks, an Islamic State uniform, steel pellets, a drone, a laptop computer, as well as a van thought to be used during the Easter attacks. On Friday, thousands of Sri Lankan security personnel were deployed across the country to places of worship, as Muslims answered the call to prayer. Security forces combed the country, tracking down what they say are dozens of local militants with links to the Islamic State terror group. Sri Lanka's police chief Pujith Jayasundara resigned Friday because of the security failures around the attacks. A day earlier, Defense Secretary Hemasriri Fernando quit in the wake of the bombings, heeding calls from Sri Lanka's president for his resignation. Sirisena had called on Fernando and Jayasundara to step down after he promised in a televised address to take stern action against officials who did not share with him the intelligence alerts that came from India days prior to the bombing of churches and luxury hotels. As the government faces an outpouring of public anger over the failure to heed the warnings, senior officials admit it has been a "major lapse." Fernando said that there had been no failure on his own part, but he resigned to take responsibility for the failures of some institutions he headed, Reuters reported. Reports say Indian intelligence agencies sent out several warnings to Sri Lanka, and that Indian security agencies had gathered details about the Islamic militant group suspected of carrying out the attacks. Adhe Jengker marched among 4,000 others at the Womens March in Jakarta Saturday. A tall trans woman in her late 20s, Jengker carried a poster that said The Future is Non-Binary. She came with five other women from the trans community, hoping to raise more awareness about trans women in an increasingly conservative Indonesia. I went down to the street and participate in Womens March because I realize, as a transgender, our rights have not yet been fulfilled by the government. Our space is becoming more limited, she told VOA. Jengker, a professional makeup artist, is also concerned because trans women often face discrimination and persecution, especially those who are sex workers. Like Jengker, Vanessa Chaniago is worried. She sees increasing incidents of violence against the trans community, especially during this political year. Indonesia has just concluded its presidential and legislative elections. Im here for other trans women who are discriminated against. I want that violence against us will eventually decrease, and I hope there will be justice for the women in trans community and my friends in the LGBTIQ community, Chaniago said. Dena Rachman, a former child artist and renowned trans activist, participated so that trans women can have more visibility in the public space. She said that they have very limited space to be able to express themselves as a human being. She also lamented the fact that so many people in the trans community are denied access to their basic rights of education and health care. What we experience as transgender here is a systematic discrimination. Because of the system we are excluded from the society, thats our main concern, she said. Violence against the trans community Khanza Vina, an activist from Young Trans Women Studio (SWARA), an NGO that focuses on empowering trans women, said there are more than 700 recorded cases of violence against people in the LGBTIQ community since 2016. These cases including discrimination, violence, eviction from their own homes, she told VOA. In one case involving trans women last year, 12 who worked at different hair salons in Aceh, Indonesias most conservative province, were arrested by the police. Their heads were shaved and they were beaten and paraded around the neighborhood and forced to denounce their female identity. In May last year, four trans women in Cianjur, West Java, were detained by people from a hardline Islamic organization, they were interrogated and forced to take off their clothes. The video later became viral on social media. Meanwhile in Bekasi, West Java, last November, two trans women were beaten and harassed. Politicization of the LGBTIQ community Vina believes one of the reasons trans women and people from the LGBTIQ community are increasingly persecuted is because of the identity politics used by politicians to win the hearts of conservative voters. This identity politics ends up covering up or justifying cases of violence against trans women. None of the two presidential candidates dared to say stop discriminating against minority groups, she said adding that minority groups are becoming less and less visible. During the Indonesian presidential election, supporters of opposition candidate Prabowo Subianto spread a rumor that incumbent President Joko Jokowi Widodo would legalize gay marriage if re-elected. Before that, the speaker of Peoples Consultative Assembly, Zulkifly Hasan, openly stated that he is against the LGBTIQ community. Im not against the people but the behavior of LGBT. Its a depraved activity and will negatively impact the society, he said in January. According to Julia Suryakusuma, an author and feminist activist, since the beginning of 2016, there has been a moral panic directed at the LGBT community in Indonesia. This moral panic is not dissipating and it is clearly connected with the rise of conservative Islam in the Indonesian political arena, she wrote. Attempts at criminalization Last year, some factions in the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR), who were trying to gain conservative votes ahead of the Indonesian election, proposed to impose restrictions on same-sex relationships and consensual premarital sex in the revision of the Criminal Code. In 2017, the Family Love Alliance (AILA), a conservative group, filed a petition to the Constitutional Court to criminalize the LGBT community in the Indonesian law. The petition was rejected with a dissenting opinion, 5 out of 9 judges ruled against the petition. With the attempts to criminalize people based on their sexual preference or gender identity, Vina mentioned a growing reluctance to use the term of LGBTIQ even within the civil societys movements. People are afraid to use the terminology of LGBTIQ, for example in an event because they dont want the conservative groups to disband the event, she said. But I dont want fear to divide us. And I hope people will stop using our identity as political commodity. Look at what hatred can do to the people in the trans community, were also human beings, Vina added. Tripoli was hit by airstrikes Saturday night, as forces loyal to Gen. Khalifa Haftar and his rival government in the east continued their assault on Libya's capital. VOA's Heather Murdock reported from Tripoli that the attack appeared to focus on targets near the city's airport. She said drones could be heard in the area as well as four to six explosions. There were unconfirmed reports that at least one person was killed in the attack. Several people posted video to social media that they said showed some of the drone strikes. Haftar's Libyan National Army is trying to take Tripoli from the internationally backed government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. Since the offensive began in early April, Tripoli has been targeted by several airstrikes believed to have originated from unmanned aircraft. Fighting between the rival governments in Libya has made living in and near the capital extremely hazardous. U.S. President Donald Trump urged Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to have Japanese automakers produce more vehicles in the United States, according to a readout of their recent meeting provided Saturday by the U.S. ambassador to Japan. The two discussed recent public announcements by Japanese automakers, including Toyota Motor Corp.'s decision to invest more in U.S. plants. "We talked about the need to see more movement in that direction, but I think the president feels very positive that we will see such movement because all the economics support that," said Ambassador William Hagerty. Trump has prodded Japanese automakers to add more jobs in the United States as the White House threatens to impose tariffs of up to 25 percent on imported vehicles, on the ground of national security. Trump said Friday that it was possible that the United States and Japan could reach a new bilateral trade deal by the time he visits Tokyo in May, but he and Abe cited areas where they differ on trade. "We want to ensure that the U.S. has trading terms with Japan that are no less favorable than any other nation," Hagerty said in a phone call with reporters. He added that Trump is planning to attend the summit of the Group of 20 industrialized nations set to take place in Osaka, Japan, in June. Separately, Trump was optimistic trade talks with China would be successful, the ambassador said. Two Israelis were among those wounded in an attack that left one person dead at a synagogue north of San Diego, California. During the service for the last day of the Passover holiday, 19-year-old John Earnest burst into the Chabad synagogue and opened fire with an assault rifle. Witnesses said 60-year old Lori Gilbert Kaye jumped in front of Rabbi Yisrael Goldstein and was killed. The rabbi was wounded, losing two fingers. Two other worshipers, both Israelis, were wounded. Eight year old Noya Dahan was wounded by shrapnel and her uncle Almog Peretz was shot in the leg. Peretz grabbed several children and took them to safety as soon as the shooting started. He went back into the synagogue to rescue his niece, when he was shot. The Dahan family had moved to the San Diego area from the Israeli town of Sderot, near the border with the Gaza Strip, to escape frequent Palestinian missile attacks. Gil Pasternak was in the synagogue during the San Diego attack. He said the gunman pointed a gun at him and told him to run. He jumped under a table, and the gunman did not pursue him. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his sympathies to the victims. "At this moment it looks like a hate crime, but my deepest sympathies to all of those affected," he said. The gunman fled the site, and turned himself in to police. The shooting came just six months after a similar attack at a Pittsburgh synagogue that killed 11 worshipers. A 19-year-old college student has been arrested in the synagogue shooting in Poway, California, accused of killing one person and injuring three more. Authorities said John Earnest, an honor roll student at California State University, San Marcos, fled the synagogue Saturday, the last day of Passover, after the shooting, but called the 911 emergency number to report the shooting and his whereabouts. He surrendered minutes later without incident. A person identifying himself as John Earnest posted an anti-Jewish diatribe online about an hour before the shooting unfolded at the Chabad of Poway synagogue. The person described himself as a nursing student and praised the suspects accused of the deadly attacks on Muslims at mosques in New Zealand last month and Jews at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue last October. San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said hate crime charges are being considered against Earnest. "Any time somebody goes into a house of worship and shoots the congregants, in my book, that's a hate crime," Poway Mayor Steve Vaus said. A 60-year-old woman, Lori Kayne, was killed in the attack, with Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, and two Israelis, an eight-year-old girl, Noya Dahan, and her uncle, Almog Peretz, 31, sustaining wounds. "I was with my back to the shooter," Peretz told the Israeli YNet news site. "I heard a shot or two and then turned around to face him and that's when he fired at me. I ran quickly, picking up a small girl in my hands. He hit me once in the leg and I kept running. I didn't feel it much since there were so many bullets flying by. I heard them and I saw them right next to me." Sheriff Gore said a white male entered the synagogue shortly before 11:30 a.m. PDT and opened fire with an AR-type assault weapon that may have malfunctioned after the first several rounds. Gore said an off-duty border patrol agent working as a security guard who saw the man fleeing the scene fired on the suspect. The suspect was not hit but his car was struck. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, said, "My deepest sympathies go to the families who were affected." He added that the attack "looks like a hate crime." Trump also said on Twitter, "Sincerest THANK YOU to our great Border Patrol Agent who stopped the shooter at the Synagogue in Poway, California. He may have been off duty but his talents for Law Enforcement werent!" Kevin McAleenan, the chief of the U.S. Homeland Security agency, said his agency will take every appropriate action to assist the investigation and ensure that those affected by this tragedy receive the closure and justice they deserve. The government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Saturday staged a rally to celebrate its split with a key regional forum, the Organization of American States. Supporters of Maduro attended the demonstration in the Venezuelan capital to denounce the 35-member OAS, whose council voted this month to recognize an envoy selected by opposition leader Juan Guaido. A minority of countries voted against the resolution. In 2017, Maduro started a two-year process to abandon the OAS, but Guaido this year asked the group to ignore the socialist leader and instead designate Gustavo Tarre as his own envoy. The U.S. and most other OAS member states recognize Guaido as Venezuela's interim president, saying Maduro wasn't legitimately re-elected last year. Maduro says the OAS is violating Venezuela's sovereignty. Also Saturday, ambassadors appointed by Guaido to represent him in the region gathered in Colombia to discuss ways to increase diplomatic pressure on Maduro, who retains the support of Venezuela's military leadership and counts Russia and China among his allies. One of Guaido's envoys, Julio Borges, said they planned to hold a similar event for opposition envoys in Europe in May. The Venezuelan opposition is preparing for nationwide marches May 1 that it hopes will weaken Maduro's hold on power in a country whose economy has been shrinking for years. The opposition blames Venezuela's problems on corruption and mismanagement under Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chavez; supporters of Maduro say U.S. sanctions and other measures to isolate them are driving the crisis. Sri Lankas Catholics awoke Sunday to celebrate Mass in their homes by a televised broadcast as churches across the island nation shut over fears of militant attacks, a week after the Islamic State-claimed Easter suicide bombings killed more than 250 people. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the archbishop of Colombo, delivered a homily before members of the clergy and the countrys leaders in a small chapel at his Colombo residence, an extraordinary measure underlining the fear still gripping this nation of 21 million people. This is a time our hearts are tested by the great destruction that took place last Sunday, Ranjith said. This is a time questions such as, does God truly love us, does He have compassion towards us, can arise in human hearts. Show of unity, strength In a rare show of unity, President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa attended the Mass. Their political rivalry and government dysfunction are blamed for a failure to act upon near-specific information received from foreign intelligence agencies that preceded the bombings that targeted three churches and three luxury hotels. All Sri Lankan churches were asked to ring bells Sunday while the lamp lighting takes place. The U.S. Embassy in Colombo has warned against attending any service at a place of worship this weekend. In the eastern district of Ampara on Sunday, where a gunfight and explosions left 15 people dead the previous day, soldiers guarded St. Mary Magdalens Church, where a sign on the gate said the church and the school would be closed until May 6. A nearby mosque also had soldiers stationed outside. At the YMCA, a group of young girls held Sunday school near a portrait of Christ. Sajith Liyanage, a 51-year-old Catholic, said he remained worried and would watch Mass on TV. We cant understand what the situation is right now, Liyanage said. Country remains on edge At Amparas weekly Sunday market, police officers walked explosive-sniffing dogs past ripe-yellow bananas, pineapples and coconuts. Officers also searched womens bags and pushed aside brown fallen leaves, checking the grounds for any bombs. N.M. Saman Bandarah, a pineapple seller, stood back as the police dog passed. He said he was glad to see the officers but said everyone remained nervous. There are no people coming to buy, he said. Islamic State claims The Islamic State group, meanwhile, claimed three of the militants who blew themselves up during a police raid in Ampara that was linked to the Easter bombings. In a statement carried by the extremists Aamaq news agency, IS identified the bombers by their noms du guerre as Abu Hammad, Abu Sufyan and Abu al-Qaqa. It said they opened fire with automatic weapons and after exhausting their ammunition, detonated ... their explosive belts. Sri Lankas military said the gunfight Friday night near the town of Sammanthurai left 15 dead, including six children, when militants opened fire and set off explosives in suicide bombings as security forces closed in on their safe house. Bombs made more lethal At the main police station in Ampara, an outdoor stage now holds what police recovered after the firefight. The IS-aligned militants had created a bombmaking factory at the home, complete with laboratory-style beakers and thick rubber gloves. Bags of fertilizer, gunpowder and small ball bearings filled boxes. Police found tens of liters (gallons) of acids, used to make the fire of the blast more lethal. A police investigator, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as he wasnt authorized to publicly comment, said the mix of acids worsened the wounds suffered by those who didnt immediately die in the blast. At the hospital a lot more people died. Thats why, he said, nodding toward the acids. It made the wounds incurable. The bombers likely carried two rectangular detonators in their pockets similar to the ones recovered, the investigator said. A red switch armed the explosives, while a light teal button detonated the bombs hidden inside of their large backpacks. Along with the acids, the bombs contained a mixture of fertilizer, gunpowder, ball bearings and explosives typically used by quarries to blast loose rocks, the investigator said. Those explosives made the bombs powerful enough to blow the roof off of St. Sebastians Church in Negombo, he said, referring to one of the churches near Colombo targeted over Easter. The Sri Lankan navy controls the sale of the mining explosives and investigators already had begun tracing the serial numbers off of the plastic sticks, he said. A notebook contained bombmaking instructions that had apparently been explained to the writer. The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) on Sunday exhumed remains of two people who were killed by the Fifth Brigade in 1983 at Cross Level Railway Siding, Gwayi, Matabeleland North province. The remains of Thembi Ngwenya Tshuma, who was butchered by members of the brigade while she was a few months pregnant and her husband Justin, were removed from the shallow grave by a team of experts from Kuthula Trust. Justin Tshuma was shot dead before his wifes throat was slit by Gukurahundi soldiers. The exhumation of such remains is part of a state-sanctioned program to settle Fifth Brigade atrocities of the 1980s perpetrated by the North Korean-trained Gukurahundi, a militia that was aligned to the ruling party then led by President Robert Mugabe. Justin Tshumas brother, Amon Joseph Tshuma, said, "Im happy that this has been done and I believe that these two needed to be laid to rest in a proper way instead of what happened to them after they were killed by the notorious brigade. Both the NRP and Kuthula Trust are expected to conduct similar exhumations in Matabeleland and the Midlands provinces where the Fifth Brigade was deployed to suppress an insurrection led by some disgruntled former ZIPRA combatants. Gukurahundi killed an estimated 20,000 people in the two regions. President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has been accused of taking part in the killings, has urged Zimbabweans to talk openly about Gukurahundi and rebury remains of their loved ones dumped in shallow mass graves. The McLennan Community College Foundation will accept applications for 2019-20 academic year scholarships from May 1 to midnight May 15 through mclennan.edu/foundation/scholarships. The MCC Foundation manages more than 300 scholarship funds and makes awards based on merit, need, academic major, high school, employer and many more criteria. Students who have already received an MCC Foundation scholarship for 2019-20 are not eligible for additional funds, but those who were not selected may reapply. For more information, contact scholarship coordinator Shelley Cotten at 299-8818 or scotten@mclennan.edu. Blood drive McLennan Community College will have a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday at 1400 College Drive in the parking lot on a Carter BloodCare bus. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Nikki Popko at 299-8685. TSTC Families Day Texas State Technical College will have Families Day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Waco campus. I am running as a very conservative and watch out for the tax dollars for the citizen of Hewitt, he said. We are $65 million in debt for a small little community that has the second biggest debt in McLennan County, so we need to get that under control. Orton, a retired city secretary, said she is no stranger to city council meetings, and she has lived in Hewitt for more than 40 years. She said she became concerned with the issues the city council has encountered and believes serving as an elected official will help bridge the gaps between council members and the public. I am wanting to have the council to connect with each other since there has been such a division with the council this last year, Orton said. I am hoping we can work together and not be on one side or the other, because we can all have our ideas, but still be respectful of everyone, including the residents. Miles, who was city manager for 10 years, said he decided to run for public office not only to see the city grow, but to ensure the next 10 years will keep positive momentum moving forward. George Edward Hill July 13, 1955 - April 17, 2019 George Edward Hill, age 63, passed away April 17, 2019. A funeral Mass will be Celebrated at 10 a.m., April 29, at St. Laurence Catholic Church in Sugar Land, TX. Interment to follow in Waco at a later date. He was born In Banbury, Oxfordshire, England where his father was stationed in the military. He and his family lived in various places in the United States during his father's military service, but central Texas was always home. George's high school years were spent in Waco, which is where he met his wife, Janet. They lived in Sugar Land, TX and enjoyed the friendship of many wonderful friends. After attending Texas State Technical College in Waco, he was hired by Shell Oil Company and worked there for 33 years as a Research Engineer. He took great pride in his work there and made lasting relationships with many of the people there. He was passionate about many things family being first. But close behind that was his love for music. He learned to play guitar as a teenager and continued to play, record and enjoy music all his life. He shared his love for music with so many, including both his sons. One purpose of the law is to discourage misbehavior and prescribe appropriate punishment for the guilty. And now nearly four years have passed. And everyone involved in this deadly dustup who isnt dead has just been declared, so far as society is concerned, not guilty by reason of . . . what? What reason? Is the passage of time a legitimate reason to excuse the death and violence that spring day? Are we just glad its all over? Forgive and forget? Move on? After saying his election goal was serving up justice, new District Attorney Barry Johnson announced on April 2 that, in a difficult decision based on existing facts and evidence in accordance with the laws of this state and in the interest of justice, all remaining Twin Peaks cases (two dozen) were being dropped. In other words, no one was guilty under the law. Yes, the DA quite rationally explained there is not enough actual evidence from all the chaos and bloodshed to go to trial. And, yes, we saw how quickly the prosecution under Johnsons predecessor unraveled during the one and only Twin Peaks trial in 2017. But are nine dead with at least several killed by means other than police gunfire insufficient evidence to press cases in these morally unstable times? The Texas economy is coming off a very strong 2018, and the state is attracting more major corporate locations and expansions than any other by a wide margin. At the same time, Texas most significant export industry, oil and gas, is growing at a phenomenal pace and the entire state economy is benefiting. Texas has the potential to continue to win in the highly competitive market for quality industrial growth, with a favorable combination of resources and a business-friendly mindset. It is imperative to keep pressing forward, however, as past success is not necessarily predictive. Investing in infrastructure and education to ensure future competitiveness is essential. With multipliers among the highest in the economy, when the energy sector is surging as it is now, it generates a high level of other business activity for companies across the spectrum. Oil and gas jobs generally pay well and royalties are substantial, resulting in high consumer-oriented impacts. Moreover, petroleum products are top export categories. The combination of technological change, rising global energy demand, major new discoveries in the Permian Basin region, continued development of other fields across the state, dramatic cost reductions and expectations of a favorable market environment and infrastructure development has created a new paradigm in which sustained drilling and extraction programs are beginning to replace the boom and bust pattern that has persisted for at least the past century. Have you lost hay or fences due to the blizzards or flooding? Dawes County Fairgrounds have been designated a drop-off and pick-up point for supplies to help Northern Panhandle farmers and ranchers who have been impacted by recent blizzards and flooding. If you are in need of hay or fencing supplies, call Jack Arterburn at 308-249-3717 or the Dawes County Extension Office at 308-432-3373 to make a request. If you would like to donate, call to arrange an appointment. Monetary donations to help Northern Panhandle farmers and ranchers can be made electronically at chadronfoundation.org or by mail to Chadron Community Foundation, POB 1351, Chadron, NE 69337. Nebraska Extension, Chadron FFA, and Chadron FFA Alumni would like to thank Butler Ag Equipment, Dawes County Agriculture Society, and First National Bank of Chadron for supporting these efforts. Saturdays program began with a fascinating lecture by Trippett, touching on the musical and linguistic complexities of preparing the score for performance. After intermission came a performance of the first act of the opera, ably directed by Trippett from the piano. Joshua Blues expressive tenor was a perfect match for the complexity of Sardanapalos character. Bass-baritone Timothy Bruno brought a blend of authority and agility to the role of Beleso, the high priest and royal adviser. In the role of the Greek slave Mirra, soprano Alexandria Shiner was poised and confident, though her uniformly stentorian delivery robbed the character of much of its vulnerability. Twelve women from the Washington Master Chorale, superbly prepared by Thomas Colohan, sang the extended luminous opening chorus with commitment and grace. What if, during the third presidential debate, moderator Chris Wallace had emphasized the source of the emails he was bringing up in a question about Clintons supposed desire for open borders perhaps like this: My next question is based on stolen Democratic materials, whose accuracy we have been unable to verify, gotten by Russian hackers through cybertheft? When it hatched, according to the zoo, the chick weighed less than an ounce, but it is expected to grow with the aid of frequent feedings of such items as thawed mice, served for digestibility. Without feathers at first, it is expected in time to grow bright blue, orange and white plumage. But District students who follow the H.D. Woodson High School senior wont have to work quite so hard to get that information. The school system is unveiling a guide that will let high school students in its traditional public schools track the courses they have passed and the credits they need if they want to walk across the graduation stage on time. Attendance records, grade-point averages and community services hours are also included. The incident occurred about 1:30 a.m. in the 15500 block of Old Columbia Pike, said Capt. Tom Jordan, a police spokesman. He said the victims wounds were not thought to be life-threatening. Many of the [Legislative Black] Caucus feel bullied into voting for a black candidate, said one African American lawmaker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to be candid about the intraparty tensions. Its gotten so nasty that people are beating up on you. In the quick and dirty way of describing this Why wouldnt you support the black candidate? I just dont want to deal with it. Its been very, very divisive, and I dont want to be the target of it. Its bullying. But Mr. Lugars civility and grasp of substantive issues drew widespread respect. He was kind of the E.F. Hutton of the Senate. When he spoke, people listened, because they knew that he had independently thought through his position and weighed it on the merits, Michael J. Glennon, an international law professor at Tufts University and former legal counsel to the Senate committee, said in an interview, referring to well-known brokerage commercials from the 1970s and 80s. For example, only 16 percent of cases reviewed by juvenile services staff during what is known as the intake stage were diverted. Most cases at that stage many involving misdemeanors instead were referred to prosecutors for charges. But in the rest of the state, far more cases 42 percent were resolved at intake, and less than half were sent to the states attorneys office for formal processing. Militants violate truce, attack Syrian troops: Al-Qaeda-linked militants launched attacks on government positions in northern Syria, killing and wounding dozens in the latest violation of a seven-month truce in the last major rebel stronghold in the country. The al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahir al-Sham, or HTS, said the attacks occurred at dawn in the northern province of Aleppo. The area of the attack is part of a seven-month truce that was reached between Turkey and Russia but that has recently been repeatedly violated. The HTS-linked Ibaa news agency said the attacks killed more than 20 soldiers. It added that the attacks were in retaliation for the bombardment by the Syrian and Russian militaries of rebel-held areas in recent days. Nearly a year later, Trump has done less bargaining with the Islamic republic than any president in the past 40 years. Not only is his administration not known to be talking with the regime about its nuclear program or its aggressions in the Middle East; it also has taken only minimal action to free the several U.S. citizens that Iran has unjustly imprisoned. As useful an educational tool as this system might be, the Bards greatest admirers may be unable to resist raising an eyebrow. Do readers really need an algorithm to tell them that Romeo is eye-rollingly mopey, or that things go more or less right for Macbeth until they start going very wrong? Isnt part of the point of studying Shakespeare today that its overwhelming and foreign until, suddenly, its familiar? These objections might all be secondary to a more powerful fear: The thought that a computer can read Shakespeare just as well as we can seems to take the human out of the humanities. Still, getting the United States to a place where it is neither over- nor under-punishing crime will take more work. Cutting the number of nonviolent offenders in prison, on which reformers have mostly focused so far, is the easy part. The Justice Department reports that 55 percent of inmates now serving more than a year in state prison are violent offenders. Further moves toward de-incarceration will have to grapple with the question of whether penalties were too harsh for some of them, too. Its horrifying that rape is used as a weapon of war and millions of women are victims. Just look at the humanitarian crisis in Bangladesh, where more than 1 million Rohingya refugees have fled rape, torture and abuse in their home country of Myanmar, also known as Burma. The Trump administration doesnt think Rohingya women, or any others, should be able to access reproductive health services, including safe abortion. Women all around the world will bear the burden of these policies, politics and actions. Democratic candidates have played to big and enthusiastic audiences in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. But the high and persistent level of uncertainty suggests that many Democratic voters are cons idering multiple options or have yet to pay much attention nine months before the Iowa caucuses. It also indicates that support for most candidates is more tenuous than suggested by surveys that ask respondents to choose among the lengthy list of Democratic contenders. A major piece of unfinished business for Congress is a disaster aid bill that would distribute more than $13 billion for natural disasters across the country, including wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The legislation has been pending in one form or another since last year but has gotten hung up in a fight between Trump and Democrats over how much aid to send to Puerto Rico, with Trump resisting Democrats efforts to provide large new infusions as the island continues a slow recovery from Hurricane Maria in 2017. Theyre coming at us again, and Id like to stop them, and one way to stop them is to make them pay a price, Graham said, later adding: The Russians are up to it again. . . . Everything weve done with the Russians is not working. We need more sanctions, not less. When they used to separate children, which was done during the Obama administration, with Bush, with us, with everybody, far fewer people would come, Trump said. And weve been on a humane basis, it was pretty bad we go out and we stop the separations. The problem is you have ten times as many people coming up with their families. Its like Disneyland now. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said Sunday a woman who was rescued from the safe house that was at the center of the gun battle and bomb blasts on Friday was Abdul Cader Fathima Kadiyar, the wife of Zahran Hashim, a fanatical Islamist preacher who was identified as the organizer of the attacks and who was killed in one bombing. Police said Hashims young daughter also survived. Both women are hospitalized and under police guard. Police said both were identified by Hashims driver, who was arrested. The Socialist Party won, and we are now going to build the Spain we want, Sanchez said at a victory rally after the votes were tallied. The win was seen as a strong endorsement of Sanchezs unapologetic left-wing policies, which have included a pension overhaul and raising the minimum wage by 22 percent in 2019. Daniel Schwarz, a spokesman for Nadler, said Sunday, It would be a shame if Barr refused to show up for the hearing, but it is important that there be a chance to ask follow-up questions as has been done in the past, and members should not be prohibited from asking about redacted sections of the Mueller report, which means we would need to go into executive session in order for Barr to be able to answer in a secure setting. But the reality is that not many police officers or prosecutors here wear Jewish skullcaps or turbans. The ban would likely fall most heavily on the provinces hijab-wearing teachers of which there are believed to be hundreds. Which means that the latest battle in Quebecs long-running culture wars is being fought in front of children. Parents are increasingly involving themselves in their adult children's university education. Credit:Paul Jones She suspects the commercialisation of university, and the high price of degrees, has fuelled the behaviour. Parents are spending more money on their childrens education and children are clocking up big HECS debt, she said. That puts a lot of pressure on kids to do well. If kids aren't passing then that can lead to parents getting involved. Universities have responded by publishing special guides for parents and inviting them to connect with counselling services on campus. At the University of Melbourne, an online resource guides parents through the process of letting go. Schools provide many opportunities for parents to be involved and work in partnership in educating their children, it reads. Many of you will miss this close connection now that they are uni students. So much is unknown to you about their daily environment. You dont know the staff, you dont know if anyone is monitoring their progress and watching out for them. At Monash University, student ambassadors are trained to tackle questions from parents in the lead-up to open day. Staff have noticed an increase in parents attending open days and asking questions. Parents are coming in mobs and the numbers have increased, Monash University education lecturer Sarika Kewalramani said. La Trobe University's pro vice-chancellor Professor Jessica Vanderlelie said parents were showing an increased interest in where and what students chose to study. "This is multi-faceted and closely linked to the changing nature of work and labour market trends, she said. Families, carers and friends play a vital role in ensuring students transition well to university, are able to manage their studies and to navigate any bumps along the way. Parental involvement at universities is even more pronounced overseas. Every year at Tianjin University in China, more than 1000 parents camp in tents on campus and look out for their children as they settle into college. And in the US, a popular app provides the parents of college students with access to their child's academic and financial data. The recent college admissions scandal in the US, which involved wealthy parents bribing officials at top universities to secure admission for their children, has been described as one of the most "egregious" examples of "parental helicoptering in recent memory". Loading Queensland University of Technology parenting expert Professor Marilyn Campbell said parents were having a greater influence on their adult children than ever before. She said this was because children were living at home for longer due to the steep cost of university. Parents are still advocating for their child while they are at university, Dr Campbell said. The influence of the parent is probably more now than it has ever been. But she warned that this sort of involvement could come at a cost. She said over-protective parents were not preparing children for adulthood and lifes ups and downs. One Victorian university employee, who works in student support, said she was shocked by the lack of resilience she was seeing in young people. To make it happen, Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss needed the very specific talents of director Miguel Sapochnik, who'd previously directed the show's most action-oriented episodes, season five's Hardhome and season six's Battle of the Bastards. Sneak peek: Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) in battle. Credit:Helen Sloan/HBO The battle sequence in Hardhome, in which an army of undead wights defeated the city of Hardhome, forcing Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and others to flee, took a month to film at the Magheramorne quarry in Northern Ireland. Like Hardhome, Battle of the Bastards is also considered one of the series' best episodes, in which Jon Snow and Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon) face off in a battle for control of Winterfell, a clash which nearly goes to Bolton until the arrival of Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), Petyr Baelish (Aidan Gillen) and the knights of the Vale. The Battle of Winterfell, by all accounts, will best both episodes. In film production it would be usual to split such a long sequence into "units" with first, second and sometimes third units filming material concurrently. But in a break with that custom, Sapochnik put a case to Benioff and Weiss to film the entire battle in a single, three-month shoot. Loading "We built this massive new part of Winterfell and originally thought, 'We'll film this part here and this part there,' and basically broke it down into so many pieces it would be shot like a Marvel movie, with never any flow or improvisation," Sapochnik says. Instead, he wanted to commit the production to 11 weeks of brutal night filming. "I said, 'If we don't, we're going to lose what makes Game of Thrones cool and that is that it feels real,'" Sapochnik says. The resulting shoot was nicknamed "The Long Night" by the show's cast and production crew. "When you have rapid cutting you can tell it was all assembled in post-production," Benioff says. "That's not the show's style and it's not Miguel's style." Harington, who featured centrally in both Hardhome and Battle of the Bastards, will by all accounts play a central part of the coming Battle of Winterfell. Kit Harington as Jon Snow, front, in a scene from Game of Thrones. Credit:HBO "Dan Weiss has admitted to me that writing the battle sequences, to [he and Benioff], is the hardest thing," Harington says. "They love writing scenes between characters, but the battle sequences, they have to hand it over with a lot of trust to the director and the actors and the crew. "I think that's where Miguel's been brilliant [because] on paper those battle sequences can be quite difficult to read," Harington says. "It is in the doing of them that you figure things out, and David and Dan were great to give us license. I think thats what made them great in the end." THE WEAPONS OF WAR Longclaw, wielded by Jon Snow on Game of Thrones. Credit:Helen Sloan/HBO Almost every aspect of the making of Game of Thrones will survive in the form of a permanent exhibition of costumes and props, but few props on the show are as revered by fans as the iconic weapons wielded by the show's key characters. They include Longclaw, the sword wielded by Jon Snow which was a gift from Lord Commander Mormont, Heartsbane, the family heirloom sword gifted by Samwell Tarly to Jorah Mormont and Widow's Wail and Oathkeeper, the two swords forged from ice and made with Valyrian steel, the first wielded by Jaime Lannister and the second by Brienne of Tarth. While many shows source props from external agencies, Game of Thrones has the singular distinction of an on-set foundry which is part of the vast behind-the-scenes operation run by the show's Australian armourer Natalia Lee. For each weapon, a full version is made, in addition to a rubber version and a safety version, depending on the type of scene. The safety versions are typically worn, unless close combat requires the rubber version (for the actor's safety) or, for close-up detail, the real version. "We have some that would be blunted but we still have to be very safety-conscious about them for close-ups," Lee says. "And for action sequences we'll have all different situations ... for instance, we might have an axe that hits a stuntman's head 20 times in a day so we'll have a different grade of softness to help." However, the softer weapons do lack the heft required to look believable in some scenes, Lee says. "Sometimes the director will say, that actually looks like it's very light, and we might have to go and get a heavy version." Every key weapon on the show is handmade and then Lee and the show's stunt coordinators train the actors in their use. The foundry tackles every scale of order, whether it is a weapon for a single wielder, as many of the iconic weapons of Westeros are, or indeed when weapons and armour need to be mass-produced for large-scale battle sequences. The same rhetoric was used to belittle the children and teenagers in the school student strike for climate - even the 17-year-olds who were nearly of voting age were dismissed as pawns. Last week, Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg, the girl who started the worldwide school strike movement, addressed the British Parliament. Predictably, people who don't want to hear her message choose to attack her instead - they mock her appearance and stern manner, her Asperger's, claim she is paid to protest, and dismiss her on the basis that she has only just turned 16. If you would prefer to listen to an adult who has studied the issue then by all means do so - they will tell you the same as Thunberg. The difference is that Thunberg's youth gives her message about the future a certain moral clout. Climate change is a tough issue for teachers and not just because they are hamstrung by policy. A relative who teaches primary school recently confided in me about the emotional cost of teaching Gen Z, when he is increasingly pessimistic about their future given the devastation of our natural world. Loading Lets not pretend that children and teenagers cant understand whats going on. Young people are young people and they are smarter than we give them credit for. Dont take my word for it. Heres Professor Tonia Gray, a specialist in pedagogy and learning at the University of Western Sydney: We underestimate the capabilities and the skills of the modern child. Dont sell them short and dont dumb it down. Associate Professor Penny Van Bergen, an education expert at Macquarie University, says a child aged nine is old enough to learn complex concepts such as climate change and even the principles of the Paris agreement. UNICEF recently released its 2019 Young Ambassador Report based on consultations with 1517 Australian children and teenagers and an additional survey of 1007 young people aged 14 to 17. The report found young Australians are extremely worried about what they see as the ongoing failures of governments, businesses and communities to act as effective stewards for a clean and livable environment. Students as young as Year 5 start to clearly express these opinions. Even preschoolers brought up the fact that litter could harm wildlife. Among the surveyed teenagers, the vast majority (86 per cent) view climate change as a threat to their safety, with 73 per cent saying it affects the world a lot now and 84 per cent saying it will affect the world a lot in the future. Loading Three out of four want Australia to be taking action on climate change, to lead by example and play our part in stopping its worsening effects. Only 8 per cent believe we shouldnt take action because of negative effects on the economy and only 5 per cent that we are too small a nation to make a difference. Only 4 per cent do not believe climate change is both real and caused by human activity. Other environmental concerns such as plastic pollution, extinction of animals, deforestation and coral bleaching also rate highly. (If any readers want to argue about climate change, dont bother - instead please focus your attention on any of the myriad of environmental problems you do acknowledge). It suits adults to underestimate children because it means we dont have to take them or their concerns seriously. Its a form of ad hominem argument, where you seek to discredit the person rather than engage with their substantive argument. No one wins hearts and minds by demonising a child, so theyll portray them as brainwashed innocents instead. Young people and all future generations are the ones who will inherit a vastly depleted natural world. The only way to counter that moral authority is to call them pawns in a debate they couldnt possibly understand. Or we could hear the message and act. As Thunberg says, we need to act like the house is on fire - because it is. Bill Shorten has made the boldest move of the election campaign so far by making himself a very big target. This is a moment designed to get Australian voters to sit up and take notice of the policy gulf between the two major parties on tax and the services it pays for. Scott Morrison wants this fight as well, and prepared for it with his claim about Labors $387 billion tax burden, but history suggests he goes into the decisive stage of the campaign at a disadvantage. Labor has never been a small target, given the scale and sweep of its policy platform, but one of the surprises of the past fortnight was its leaders cautious campaigning style. Morrison was more confident and aggressive. Labor leader Bill Shorten has launched a major cash splash to woo families and seniors during the final weeks of the federal election campaign, including a dramatic intervention into the childcare industry through taxpayer-funded wage hikes worth an extraordinary $10 billion. As pre-polling begins and Mr Shorten faces Prime Minister Scott Morrison in a key debate tonight, Labor will spend the next week pledging cheaper healthcare and childcare for millions of Australians by dipping into the $200 billion in extra revenue generated by winding back tax breaks on investments, housing and superannuation. "We are closing the loopholes, were ending the unsustainable tax giveaways not just to make the system fairer or more efficient, but because government is about choices, and we choose to fund the investments which will make our economy stronger, make our country better," Mr Shorten said. The Opposition Leader outlined $230 million worth of promises a minute in an address to supporters on Sunday, including $2.4 billion to cover $1000 worth of dental care for three million seniors and $4 billion to improve childcare subsidies. Coalition MP George Christensen is not someone who apologises for taking a hard-line stance. Whether it be same-sex marriage or the banking royal commission, he is accustomed to being at odds with his electorate or his party. So perhaps it is not surprising the maverick three-term conservative sees no reason to say sorry to the voters of Dawson for spending more time in the Philippines than Parliament over a four-year period - a scandal that has made headlines around the country. George Christensen at a pro-coal rally in Mackay, Queensland. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Mr Christensen has kept a lower profile since the controversy, and his adviser initially told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age he would not be available for an interview. But following a pro-coal rally in Mackay's central square, the man himself was happy to talk. He dismissed the furore over his 294 days in the Philippines as "press gallery stuff" - not the concern of locals. Millions of dollars from a federal government program for capital projects at under-resourced schools have been directed to facilities at elite private institutions, prompting claims from the public school teachers union about unfair funding levels in the education system. The Australian Education Union criticised the newly revealed grants for the construction of drama, art and sport facilities at a series of schools that are well-funded and serve relatively well-off communities. The union used the examples to hit out at a 2017 decision by the Coalition government to exclude public schools from federal funding for capital works. So-called "elite" schools have benefited from millions of dollars in capital grants. Credit:Arsineh Houspian Under the capital grants program, $3.6 million went to construction of art, music and drama facilities and further refurbishments at St Scholasticas College in Sydneys Glebe. The school enjoys educational advantage significantly above average with a majority of students in the top cohort. The capital grant is in addition to the schools annual income of $19.6 million. Just over $800,000 went to the refurbishment of a library and education centre at Alphington Grammar School in Melbourne. The school ranks highly on educational advantage, with 53 per cent of students in the top cohort. The capital funding is on top of $11.7 million in recurrent income, or $22,000 per student. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Another days heartless sun is sinking to the horizon, not a cloud in the sky, and Mick Clarks nuggety body is throwing a long shadow over his parched land north of Deniliquin. The feedlot that not so long ago held 1000 fat lambs is empty. There is no crop planted on the property that has been in his familys hands for three generations. Ive parked all the farm equipment up in the sheds and Ive gone and got myself a job driving a tractor for a bloke, he says. Mick Clark has made a vow. So far as Im concerned, the supermarket shelves in the city can go empty, he says. Im not going to spend $600 a megalitre of water to keep farming just to go broke. Clark is among an army of farmers across what has long been called Australias food bowl who say they can no longer afford to grow food. It is not as simple as a lack of rain, though this country is in its second dry year. Advertisement Farmers in the Riverina know about dry periods. They will almost forgive the sky when it withholds its mercy. But when regulators tell them they cant gain access to water that is flowing past their land, and when the authorities charge them for the right to that water they cant use, and then charge them more for delivery of the water that isnt delivered, they get very angry indeed. "Ive gone and got myself a job driving a tractor for a bloke": Mick Clark. Credit:Jason South And then, when their last desperate option is to buy water on the open market and the equation is 11 megalitres to grow a singe hectare of corn, or 13 to 15 megs per hectare for rice, and water is $600 a meg ... why, they get mad. Dairy farmers in the region who havent folded are spending huge money they dont have to maintain their herds, Im told, knowing that if there is no spring rain this year, theyll be lucky to drive away in an old ute. Up and down the dry irrigation country people are declaring themselves angry enough to turn their backs on the National and Liberal parties that have always held political sway in this slice of the country. Ive been a Liberal and Nationals voter for 18 years, says Clark. I wont vote for either of them again. The only way Id go back is if they said theyd stop sending fresh water out to sea. Advertisement His conviction is proving infectious. The electorate of Farrer, which runs the length of the Murray to the South Australian border, has been held easily by the Liberals Sussan Ley since 2001. Before that it was Tim Fischers kingdom. The online bookies just six weeks ago had Ley at short odds of $1.25 to hold the seat against the outsider, Albury mayor and independent candidate Kevin Mack, at $8. This week, Mack became the favourite: $1.55 to Ley on $2.10. Farmers Andrew Crossley and Mick Clark. Credit:Jason South One of Clarks neighbouring farmers, Andrew Crossley, whose family normally farms 2000 irrigated acres, says the entire Murray-Darling Basin Plan should be paused, reviewed and re-set. Were just sick of whats been happening, he says. It cant go on. Advertisement Water politics and regulations in Australias irrigation districts, which are supposed to balance the competing needs of farmers, towns and the environment, have become so dizzying they might have been a creation of Franz Kafka, the master of socio-bureaucratic absurdity. Loading Clark, Crossley and all their fellow farmers on the northern, NSW side, of the Murray River are on what is called zero allocation of irrigation water. Yet they can look 100 metres across the strong-flowing river to Victoria, where farmers are on 60 per cent of their entitled allocation. And they know, with furious envy, that if they were downstream in South Australia, they would be enjoying 100 per cent of their allocations. My motorcycle has taken me more than 1000 kilometres through the flatlands of Victorias north-west and the featureless plains of southern NSW over the last few days, grain silos cutting horizons like church spires. At every stop, the sound that replaces the thump of the motor is that of country people expressing disbelief at what they see is a political system that has delivered many of them a weariness that is approaching despair. The closer I ride towards the Murray, the lifeblood of Australias most important food-growing region, the despair - and in some cases, utter disconnection - becomes more apparent. Advertisement Bill McDonald, the publican of the Grand Hotel at the tiny town of Nyah West, in the far north of Victorias Mallee, is perfectly blunt. Dont ask me about politics, he says when I tell him Im seeking views about the coming federal election. If politics comes on the TV on the wall there, everyone calls for it to be turned off straight away. Theyve just had a gut full. And yet the electorate of Mallee shapes as one of the more interesting of the contests in rural Australia. Held by the Nationals (formerly the Country Party) since its creation in 1949, its future was thrown into confusion when the sitting member, Andrew Broad, sensationally blew away his political career last year by an indiscretion with a so-called sugar babe in Hong Kong. No less than 13 candidates - more than ever before - have nominated for election. Every one of those candidates lists water as high on their lists of concerns. Advertisement Who says you cant teach an old dog new tricks? When mining lobbyist Mick Crowe asks the 250 pro-coal protesters gathered in Mackay's central square whether this is their first ever rally, almost every hand shoots up. This regional city of almost 80,000, about 1000 kilometres north of Brisbane, doesn't really do demonstrations. Neither did Mr Crowe, until Saturday. "I went into the bookshop and looked for 'Rallies for Dummies' - I couldn't find anything," he tells his giggling audience. "You know why we're an easy target? Because we haven't done this before." Mick Crowe urges the crowd of pro-coal protesters to win over opponents using logic rather than facts. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer As director of the Resource Industry Network, an industry-funded lobby group, Mr Crowe's newest job is to lead and amplify a groundswell of support in favour of coal mining. In his telling, this silent local majority has been overshadowed and out-campaigned by loud and powerful blow-ins from down south - the environmentalists determined to stop the Adani Carmichael coal mine. "I think overall we're getting smashed," he says at Saturday's rally. Australians who cancel plans to visit Sri Lanka because of the bombings on Easter Sunday that killed about 250 people will generally be out of pocket because travel insurance won't cover it. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) changed its travel warning on the day after the bombings to "reconsider your need to travel" the third highest of the four threat levels. However, most travel insurance most policies contain exclusions, so that if travellers decide not to go they are not covered to receive a refund. The DFAT advice is that: "Terrorists are likely to carry out further attacks in Sri Lanka. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners." A handful of policies include cover for financial loss due to cancellation, but only if the official travel advice is changed to the highest threat level of "do not travel". Whos looking forward to heading back to a full week of work? If youre one of the lucky people who enjoy their job, you could be champing at the bit to clear your inbox and download the thoughts youve had over the break about the things youre working on with your team. Good for you. Being happy at work isnt as uncommon as you might think. And given an average Australian man can expect to spend half of his waking life at a paying job and an average Australian woman about 40 per cent, its an important thing in many people's lives. Is the boss monitoring your emails? Credit:Tamara Voninski A recent HILDA report (thats Household, Income, Labour Dynamics in Australia for the uninitiated) says were doing OK. Overall, 82 per cent of us are satisfied or very satisfied with work. The thing were most happy about is job security with 78 per cent of us satisfied or very satisfied with that. But reading The Australian Financial Review this week, I was reminded of one of the factors that made my jump from stable employment in the corporate world to take a chance on starting my own business a whole lot easier. Elizabeth Hetherington sounds remarkably calm for someone who says her property has dropped an estimated $700,000 in value because of a heritage order placed on it by Ku-ring-gai Council. I feel like Ive been put in prison here in my own property, and theyve almost taken it away from me, she said. Elizabeth Hetherington said the value of her property had been dramatically reduced after Ku-ring-gai Council listed it as a heritage item. Credit:Louie Douvis Ms Hetherington and her family say the heritage listing of her Pymble home is questionable and has devalued the property. The value of an individual property is determined by a multitude of factors and council is not in a position to comment on these, a spokeswoman said. A Perth woman has failed in her bid to sue a Margaret River bed and breakfast after she slipped on wet floor in the bathroom and hurt her shoulder. Goran and Amanda Nikolich visited Aquatic Visions studio apartments over Valentine's Day weekend in February, 2014. The woman slipped on the wet bathroom floor following a spa bath. (file picture) On their first night, the pair lit tea candles and had a spa bath in the apartment's bathroom, staying in the tub for around one-and-a-half hours. During the evening, the smoke alarm outside the bathroom went off three times, causing Mr Nikolich to get out of the bath and turn it off, dripping water onto the floor each time as he did. Perth-based womens fashion brands are taking matters into their own hands to curb the amount of plastic waste polluting our planet. Elysian Swim and Ela & Jackson are two local labels of countless designers now using 100 per cent recycled fibres to create their wares in an effort to help clean up the global plastic pollution crisis. Elysian Swim founder Jessica Jane. Credit:Elysian Simw / Instagram Each label uses fabric made from rescued waste such as fishing nets cleaned up from the worlds oceans that would otherwise trap or kill marine life to make eco-friendly womens apparel, that can also be recycled. About eight tons of toxic plastic pollution enters our oceans each year on top of the 150 million tons currently circulating our marine environments, according to Ocean Conservatory. Poway, California: One woman has died and three other people are injured after a shooting at a synagogue in San Diego County, authorities said. A 19-year-old man is in custody, US police said. Multiple people were wounded at the Chabad of Poway Synagogue, near San Diego. Credit:AP County Sheriff William Gore said a man opened fire on worshippers at Chabad of Poway with an AR-type assault weapon just before 11.30am local time on Saturday. San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said the suspect called police to report the shooting, and was subsequently arrested by a California Highway Patrol officer. Nisleit said the suspect got out of his car with his hands up and was taken into custody without incident. Seattle: Four people were killed when a construction crane fell from the top of a building that was to be Google's Seattle campus and crushed six vehicles on the street below. Seattle fire chief Harold Scoggins said two of the four people killed were crane operators and that the other two had been in separate vehicles. Four other people had non-life-threatening injuries, the Fire Department said. Police investigate the scene of a construction crane collapse in Seattle that left four dead. Credit:AP A piece of the yellow crane was slashed across a seven-lane road on Saturday afternoon. At least one crushed car was still beneath the wreckage. Ceara Nicosia, who works for a biotechnology company with offices across the street, heard a rumble that she thought was an earthquake, and then a crash. She looked out a window to see a giant cloud of dust. Indianapolis: Oliver North says he will not serve a second term as the National Rifle Association's president, deciding to step down as the organisation grappled with a bitter dispute over its future and its worst leadership crisis in decades. He made the announcement on Saturday, local time, as the NRA faced a challenge from New York Attorney-General Letitia James, who had opened an investigation into the US gun group's tax-exempt status. President of the National Rifle Association Oliver North says he will not serve a second term in the job. Credit:Bloomberg The NRA, with more than 5 million members, is by far the most powerful and well-connected gun lobby in the United States. On Friday, Ms James' office sent letters instructing the NRA and affiliated entities, including its charitable foundation, to preserve relevant financial records. Some of the NRA's related businesses also received subpoenas, according to people with knowledge of the inquiry. A lawyer for the NRA confirmed the investigation. MONTREAL - Residents of a flood-ravaged suburb west of Montreal tried in vain to get access to their trapped pets, medication and personal effects on Sunday after thousands were forced to flee their homes with little more than the clothes on their backs. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/4/2019 (969 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Ten-year-old Xavier Poitras, who has cerebral palsy, helps his mother Caroline Bouchard, right, fill sandbags in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., on Sunday, April 28, 2019 THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter McCabe MONTREAL - Residents of a flood-ravaged suburb west of Montreal tried in vain to get access to their trapped pets, medication and personal effects on Sunday after thousands were forced to flee their homes with little more than the clothes on their backs. Emergency workers urged another 1,500 residents of Ste-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Que., to leave their homes Sunday, one day after the Lake of Two Mountains broke through a natural dike northwest of the city and forced some 5,000 others to flee without notice. Sylvain Lauzon said water began shooting out of his sink and floor drain at about 7 p.m. on Saturday. "It was like a war," he said Sunday. "Police and firemen coming to your door, telling you to get out fast." Lauzon said he delayed evacuating just long enough to help his neighbours, and to gather his two dogs and one of his two cats. Within an hour, he said, water had rushed down the street and had reached the floorboards of his truck. On Sunday, cars sat entirely submerged in water as the residents whose streets weren't blocked off used boats to try to retrieve belongings. Others gathered behind police tape, clutching empty animal crates and begging officials to be allowed home to grab pets, medication and legal documents. Robert Pepin, 70, said the clay dike has never been breached since it was built to hold back the lake several decades ago. "My house is finished. There's water up to here on the street," he said, gesturing to his armpits. "There's two feet of water inside and I have nothing, nothing, nothing." Two shelters have been set up for evacuees in neighbouring Deux-Montagnes and some 2,500 homes were impacted. Premier Francois Legault, who visited the scene Sunday afternoon, announced the government was immediately giving $1 million to the Red Cross to ensure the evacuees' immediate needs are met. He said it was "almost a miracle" that everyone was safe. "People in wheelchairs were evacuated by pickup truck, and there was nobody hurt," he said. The dike breach in Ste-Marthe-sur-le-Lac brought to 5,584 the total number of flooded homes in the province, with some 7,566 forced to evacuate. Mayor Sonia Paulus said 100,000 tonnes of gravel were being trucked in to build two smaller dikes perpendicular to the water in a bid to keep the flooding from spreading further into the side streets. The mayor, who had to evacuate her own home, said the water level could continue to rise for another day or two, and that nobody would be allowed home until the situation stabilized. Flooding also caused the closure of the Chaudiere Bridge between Ottawa to Gatineau, Que., which will remain off-limits to pedestrians and vehicles. Traffic was being redirected to the nearby Portage Bridge. In Ottawa, hundreds of military members joined more than 2,000 volunteers to get sandbags ready for properties facing the threat of flooding along the Ottawa River. In Constance Bay, on the western edge of the city, a line of trucks, flatbeds and SUVs wove their way through the parking lot of the community centre to have sandbags piled up. The bags were whisked to nearby properties where they were piled up almost a metre high in places as residents hoped to protect their homes from waters set to peak by Tuesday or Wednesday. Pumps pushed water out of flooded basements and onto roads. Chris Brown was putting bags along his property on Sunday afternoon after watching the water rise higher than it did in 2017. His property in Constance Bay is actually considered to be out of the 100-year floodplain, which means he has overland flood insurance should the sandbags fail and the water gets into his home. "That's us. Virtually everybody down the road there, many of these people, they're not covered. And for many of them, this is their lives here and for them it's very significant, he said. Municipal officials are coordinating evacuations for residents whose safety or property is being threatened by the rising waters. At an afternoon briefing, city officials said 18 homes had been voluntarily evacuated, and the city was encouraging more homeowners to consider leaving over concerns that rising waters may soon make some roads impassable. Transport Minister Marc Garneau has issued a ban on marine navigation in several areas, including a stretch of the Ottawa River between Ottawa-Gatineau and the Carillon generating station, as well as on Lake of Two Mountains, Riviere-des-Mille-Iles and Riviere-des-Prairies. West of Ottawa, Renfrew County joined the growing list of regions that have declared states of emergency, with Warden Jennifer Murphy calling on residents to remain diligent as water levels continue to rise. Meanwhile, in central Ontario's cottage country, members of the Canadian Armed Forces were called into the town of Bracebridge to help with sandbagging and other relief efforts. Nearby Muskoka Lakes on Sunday became the latest community in the region to declare a state of emergency, after Bracebridge, Huntsville and Minden Hills made the declarations earlier this week. The best news came from southern New Brunswick, where the forecast is for floodwaters to slowly recede in most areas over the next five days. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The cleanup could take even longer than the flood itself. On Sunday, Prime Minister Trudeau didn't close the door on federal dollars helping provinces that, like Quebec, may want to buy out affected homeowners. "Once we secure the situation, through this spring flooding season, we will have to have significant reflections and conversations on how we move forward," Trudeau said at a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Abe also took time to address those affected by the flooding. "I'd like to express my sympathy for the tremendous damage that the people are suffering from due to the most recent flood," Abe said. "On behalf of the entire people of Japan Id like to convey my sincere feelings to you." with files by Jordan Press in Ottawa and Armina Ligaya in Toronto. OTTAWA - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's whirlwind visit to Ottawa this weekend offered the Liberal government a rare chance to trumpet a strong international alliance in the face of unyielding strain with its two top trading partners. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/4/2019 (969 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau take part in bilateral meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Sunday, April 28, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle OTTAWA - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's whirlwind visit to Ottawa this weekend offered the Liberal government a rare chance to trumpet a strong international alliance in the face of unyielding strain with its two top trading partners. But a gaffe by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau referring twice to strong ties between Canada and China, not Japan affixed a jarring asterisk to an otherwise warm and upbeat meeting between two allies facing the same common threats and challenges. Trudeau kicked off a Sunday morning photo-op in his Parliament Hill office noting 90 years of diplomatic relations between "Canada and China," but immediately corrected himself to Japan. Later, in his opening remarks at a joint press conference, Trudeau said: "I am very, very glad that you were able to make such time for the tremendous friendship that we celebrate every day between Canada and China. Thank you, Shinzo." Abe's visit comes as Canada finds itself between a rock and a hard place with the United States and China. The Trump administration is holding firm on punitive metal tariffs, while the People's Republic's ongoing imprisonment of two Canadian men following the arrest of Huawei's chief financial officer in Vancouver has thwarted the Trudeau government's Asian trade ambitions. Abe and Trudeau celebrated their successful launch late last year of the rebooted Trans-Pacific Partnership the 11-country Pacific Rim trade alliance that was rescued after President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from it in January 2017, nearly killing it. Trudeau said the new deal "stands in stark contrast with the United States withdrawal from that agreement," and has given Canadian farmers an advantage over their American counterparts. "I can certainly say that there are many Canadian ranchers, among others, who are significantly benefiting from the tremendous increase in beef and pork exports to Japan over the past months, while the Americans do not have that kind of access." Abe said the entry into force of the new Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership the CPTPP has enabled Japanese consumers to enjoy "high-quality Canadian products in Japan." He said he had "high hopes for further expansion of the export of Japanese high-quality products to the Canadian market." "As such we are very happy to see the development of our bilateral relationship as well as partnership in various areas, including our economic co-operation (and) security co-operation." The two countries are also charter members of a new international club that doesn't include the U.S.: the Alliance for Multilateralism, a French-German initiative aimed at supporting the post-Second World War architecture the United Nations, NATO, the World Trade Organization, and other groups to which Trump has taken a wrecking ball. Abe is to host the G20 summit in June and will join Trudeau at the G7 leaders' gathering in France in late August, and while Trump's seat at those two multilateral tables is guaranteed, continuing U.S. participation is no longer a given with its mercurial president. Abe noted Trudeau's leadership of the G7 last year in Quebec memorable for Trump hurling personal insults at Trudeau over Twitter from Air Force One after leaving and said he looked forward to the prime minister's help when he welcomes the G20 leaders to Osaka. The veteran Japanese leader made it clear that differences with China and the U.S. are significant, but he advocated a constructive path to bridge those divides. "Japan and Canada share freedom, human rights, rules of law and other universal values," Abe said. "Based on this foundation, the global community must unite and try to encourage China to play a constructive role." Canada and Japan also share the same vision when it comes to reaching out to the U.S., he 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. "We should co-operate together so that the United States will be encouraged to be the leader of the liberal free world." Abe arrived in Ottawa on Saturday, hours after playing a round of golf with Trump at his Virginia course on a visit that demonstrated personal bonhomie but bore no fruit towards advancing a U.S.-Japan trade deal to replace the TPP that Trump abandoned. Abe had warm words at his Saturday night dinner at the Prime Minister's Meech Lake retreat in West Quebec. "It was a tremendous honour for me," Abe said through a translator. "My wife, Akie, and I had a very special time with you and Sophie." On Friday, the Abes dined at the White House to celebrate the 49th birthday of Trump's wife, Melania. Abe's apparent personal bond with Trump has blossomed even though Japan, like Canada, is suffering under the president's punitive tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, and facing the threat of more tariffs on its automobiles. Trudeau and his cabinet have branded those tariffs illegal and insulting. MADRID - Spain's governing centre-left Socialists won the country's election Sunday but must seek backing from smaller parties to maintain power, while a far-right party rode an unprecedented surge of support to enter the lower house of parliament for the first time in four decades. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/4/2019 (969 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A nun casts her vote during Spain's general election in a polling station in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 28, 2019. A divided Spain is voting in its third general election in four years, with all eyes on whether a far-right party will enter Parliament for the first time in decades and potentially help unseat the Socialist government. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) MADRID - Spain's governing centre-left Socialists won the country's election Sunday but must seek backing from smaller parties to maintain power, while a far-right party rode an unprecedented surge of support to enter the lower house of parliament for the first time in four decades. With 99% of ballots counted, the Socialists led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez won 29% of the vote, capturing 123 seats in the 350-seat Congress of Deputies. The new far-right Vox party made its national breakthrough by capturing 10% of the vote, which would give it 24 seats. Sanchez announced that he would soon open talks with other political parties, telling crowds gathered at the gates of his party headquarters in central Madrid that "the future has won and the past has lost." He hinted at a preference for a left-wing governing alliance but also sent a warning to Catalan separatists whose support he may need that any post-electoral pact must respect the country's 1978 constitution, which bans regions from seceding. "The only condition is to respect the constitution, move toward social justice, coexistence and political cleanliness," Sanchez said of his criteria for working with other parties. Ciudadanos party leader Albert Rivera casts his vote for the general election in Hospitalet deA Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 28, 2019. Galvanized by the Catalan crisis, Spain's far right is set to enter Parliament for the first time in decades while the Socialist government tries to cling on to power in Spain's third election in four years. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort) Vox's success came at the expense of the once-dominant conservative Popular Party, which fell to 66 seats, losing more than half of its representation since the last election in 2016. The conservatives lost votes both to Vox and to the centre-right Citizens party, which will increase its number of seats from 32 to 57. Voters in Spain had become disillusioned as the country struggled with a recession, austerity cuts, corruption scandals, divisive demands for independence from the restive Catalonia region and a rise in far-right nationalism not seen since Spain's dictatorship ended in the 1970s. "We told you that we were going to begin a reconquering of Spain and that's what we have done," Vox leader Santiago Abascal said, referring to the 15th century campaign by Spanish Catholic kingdoms to end Muslim rule in the Iberian Peninsula. Santiago Abascal, leader of far right party Vox, sits in a van leaving a polling station after voting in Spain's general election in Madrid, Sunday, April 28, 2019. Galvanized by the Catalan crisis, Spain's far right is set to enter Parliament for the first time in decades while the Socialist government tries to cling on to power in Spain's third election in four years. (AP Photo/Andrea Comas) Vox, which was formed five years ago, has promised to defend Spain from its "enemies," citing feminists, liberal elites and Muslims among others. Its emergence on the national stage gives Spain five political parties, furthering political fragmentation in a country that was alternately ruled for decades by the Socialists and the Popular Party. To stay in office, the Socialists and Sanchez must form a governing alliance with smaller parties, including the far-left United We Can led by Pablo Iglesias. Iglesias said after the vote the he "would have liked a better result, but it's been enough to stop the right-wing and build a left-wing coalition government," adding that he's already offered support to Sanchez. A woman casts her vote during Spain's general election in a polling station in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, April 28, 2019. A divided Spain is voting in its third general election in four years, with all eyes on whether a far-right party will enter Parliament for the first time in decades and potentially help unseat the Socialist government. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) But Sanchez will still need support from 11 more seats to produce a 176-seat majority in the lower house of parliament, meaning he may be forced to make pacts with Catalan and other separatist parties moves that would anger many Spaniards on the left and the right. Pablo Casado, who had steered the Popular Party further to the right to try to stop it from losing votes to Vox, called his party's worst ballot result ever "very bad," saying that "we've been losing our electoral support for several elections." The once-dominant conservative party also took a big blow in the Senate, losing the absolute majority to the Socialists. Socialist Party supporters wave flags outside the party headquarters while waiting for results of the general election in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 28, 2019. A divided Spain voted Sunday in its third general election in four years, with all eyes on whether a far-right party will enter Parliament for the first time in decades and potentially help unseat the Socialist government. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) Turnout was nearly 76%, up more than 8 points since the previous election in 2016. The vote surge included a huge boost in the northeastern Catalonia region, which has been embroiled in a political quagmire since its failed secession bid in 2017 put separatist leaders in jail while they are tried. The arrival of Vox in Madrid's national parliament marks a big shift for Spain, where the far right has not played a significant role since the country's transition to democracy following the death of dictator Gen. Francisco Franco in 1975. The Popular Party and the Citizens party had focused their campaigns on unseating Sanchez, hinting they could create a conservative coalition government with the backing of Vox like a regional one that recently ousted the Socialists from southern Andalusia. Spain's Prime Minister and Socialist Party leader Pedro Sanchez addresses supporters outside the party headquarters following the general election in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 28, 2019. A divided Spain voted Sunday in its third general election in four years, with all eyes on whether a far-right party will enter Parliament for the first time in decades and potentially help unseat the Socialist government. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) Political pundits have predicted a long road to forming a government, with parties likely to put the brakes on negotiations in order not to hurt their chances in elections to the European Parliament at the end of May, which in Spain coincide with regional and township ballots. The political scenario will be further complicated because regionalist parties and separatists also surged as a response to fear of a possible crackdown from a Vox-influenced right-wing government, said Cristina Ares, a senior politics lecturer at the University of Santiago de Compostela. "This means that there is a significant sentiment against centralization and in favour of regionalization," she said, pointing at that as one of the challenges that the new prime minister will face. Spain's Prime Minister and Socialist Party leader Pedro Sanchez gestures to supporters outside the party headquarters following the general election in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 28, 2019. A divided Spain voted Sunday in its third general election in four years, with all eyes on whether a far-right party will enter Parliament for the first time in decades and potentially help unseat the Socialist government. At left is Sanchez wife Maria Begona Gomez.(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) Speaking Sunday after voting, Sanchez said he wanted a mandate to undertake key social and political reforms. The prime minister said he wanted "a stable government that with calmness, serenity and resolution looks to the future and achieves the progress that our country needs in social justice, national harmony" and in fighting corruption. At the Palacio Valdes school in Madrid, voter Alicia Sanchez, a 38-year-old administrator, worried about the influence of Vox. Spanish Prime Minister and Socialist Party candidate Pedro Sanchez gestures to supporters gathered at the party headquarters waiting for results of the general election in Madrid, Sunday, April 28, 2019. Spain's governing Socialists won the country's national election Sunday but will need the backing of smaller parties to stay in power, while a far-right party rode a groundswell of support to enter the lower house of parliament for the first time in four decades, provisional results showed. (AP Photo/Andrea Comas) "I've always come to vote, but this time it feels special. I'm worried about how Vox can influence policies on women and other issues. They are clearly homophobic. Reading their program is like something from 50 years ago," she 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. Having voted in all elections since Spain returned to democratic rule four decades ago, Amelia Gomez, 86, and Antonio Roman, 90, said they had little faith in any of the candidates. "All I want is for whoever wins to take care of the old people," Gomez said, complaining that together the two of them receive less than 1,000 euros ($1,100) a month in state pensions. ___ Associated Press writer Aritz Parra reported this story in Madrid and AP writer Joseph Wilson reported from Barcelona. ___ This story has been corrected to show that a pact between the Socialists and the United We Can party would need 11 more seats, not 15, to reach a 176-seat majority in the lower house of parliament. TORONTO - Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week:RBI respite? Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/4/2019 (969 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO - Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week:RBI respite? Restaurant Brands International Inc. releases its first quarter financial results on Monday. An Ontario Superior Court judge is expected to approve in the coming days a proposed settlement that will close two cases between RBI and a restive group of Tim Hortons franchisees. Loblaw earnings Loblaw Companies Ltd. releases its first-quarter financial results on Wednesday. Canada's largest grocer reported sluggish same-store sales in its food business during the previous quarter, but touted growth in its online offerings after the company spent the past year prioritizing its digital business. 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. Suncor reports Suncor Energy Inc. releases first quarter results on Wednesday. As the go to name for non-Canadian investors, according to an analyst, an April 23 jump in Suncors stock price on back of higher crude oil prices may be an indication that foreign money is returning to Canadas energy index. Latest from SNC-Lavalin SNC-Lavalin will host a conference call regarding Q1 results on Thursday. The Montreal-based construction and engineering firm at the heart of a political controversy recently secured a contract valued at more than $1 billion to decommission three nuclear reactors at a power plant in New York. TransCanada AGM TransCanada Corp. will hold its annual general meeting on Friday. Higher volumes from its growing stable of oil and gas pipelines in the United States and Canada drove improvements in fourth-quarter earnings and allowed the company to raise its quarterly dividend to 75 cents from 69 cents per share, representing its 19th consecutive annual increase. CALGARY - Six months after Greyhound Canada shut down most of its service in Western Canada and northern Ontario, the companies that stepped in to take its place say they still face a rough road full of unexpected turns. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/4/2019 (969 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Sunny Balwaria, president of Cold Shot bus services, is pictured on one of his buses in Edmonton on Tuesday, April 23, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson CALGARY - Six months after Greyhound Canada shut down most of its service in Western Canada and northern Ontario, the companies that stepped in to take its place say they still face a rough road full of unexpected turns. And they concede that the level of service they are providing doesn't come close to matching what Greyhound had offered before it decided to abandon what it says was a money-losing business. Bus operators report strong competition on profitable routes with good ridership, while remote routes with lower numbers usually aren't served at all or get less frequent or less reliable service, often on smaller vehicles or ones that don't accommodate disabled passengers. "If you're travelling the major markets, you definitely have options and there are good carriers that are reputable," said John Stepovy, director of business development for Calgary-based Pacific Western Transportation, which operates Red Arrow and Ebus services in Alberta and B.C. "Once you start going into smaller markets or travelling interprovincially, the marketplace is a lot more scattered and the travelling public is forced to create their own journeys. Previously, you just needed one ticket through Greyhound." About a year ago, Pacific Western was hired by the province of British Columbia to operate its BC Bus North service after Greyhound cancelled routes to communities including Prince Rupert and Dawson Creek. Since the larger Greyhound shutdown last Oct. 31, it has added more than a dozen buses as it rolled out intercity services in B.C. through its own brands for the first time and expanded service in Alberta as well, including taking on Edmonton-Camrose and Medicine Hat-Lethbridge routes aided by Alberta government grants. The loss of Greyhound means it can be difficult or impossible for passengers to find connecting bus routes, said Joe Jansen, executive vice-president of Wilson's Transportation of Victoria, which moves passengers via bus and ferry between downtown Victoria and Vancouver. It had an interline agreement with Greyhound that allowed it to sell tickets in Victoria to almost anywhere in Canada but that ended with Greyhound's withdrawal. "Greyhound was the one carrier in Western Canada that tied everything from Winnipeg to Victoria together. We don't have that anymore and that can't possibly be positive," said Jansen, adding it's difficult to quantify the setback after one winter of results. Wilson's has steadied its revenue by buying Tofino Bus Lines last fall to become the major operator of bus routes on Vancouver Island. It applied for and was granted B.C. licences for former Greyhound routes Vancouver-Kelowna and Vancouver-Kamloops, but was then dismayed to learn that licences had also been given to rival Pacific Western the company is now reassessing the viability of continuing to offer those services, Jansen said. Meanwhile, in Edmonton, president Sunny Balwaria of Cold Shot bus services says his business is growing slowly, but he's not in a position to meet passenger requests for expansion. "I don't have deep pockets like (some competitors) and there's no support from government anywhere, so maybe next year I expand, after I steady out what I have in my hand," he said. Cold Shot had partnered with Greyhound to operate four routes in northern Alberta. When Greyhound left, it decided to expand into more empty Greyhound routes with a lower cost option using smaller 20-passenger buses. Competition, however, is fierce, says Balwaria. For instance, there are now three companies offering the Edmonton-Grande Prairie route previously served only by Greyhound. Cold Shot decided to drop its Edmonton-Camrose service last year when Pacific Western was chosen to supply the subsidized service. But it expanded to start its first service in B.C. to the northeastern community of Fort St. John. Regina-based Rider Express, a company that was using a handful of 15-passenger minibuses to provide short-haul services in Saskatchewan, had high hopes last fall to replace some of Greyhound's long-haul routes by adding six full-sized buses. It hasn't worked out as expected, said owner Firat Uray. Rider started with daily Vancouver-Calgary service, dropped it to once-a-week, then went back to three days a week in early April and is now considering restoring daily service as warmer temperatures bring out more travellers. It also started a Calgary-Winnipeg service last fall but cancelled it within weeks because it was only selling a few tickets and sometimes none on each run. He said he's identified potentially profitable short routes in B.C. but has been frustrated with the length of time it takes to win licences there. In the meantime, he's planning to add an Edmonton-Calgary service later this spring. "Where people have more time than money, bus services thrive," said Barry Prentice, a professor of transportation economics at the University of Manitoba's Asper School of Business. 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 said he's not surprised that longer routes in the southern parts of the West are challenged because they must compete with low-cost air transport and an abundance of passenger vehicles. In Manitoba, Indigenous-owned Mahihkan Bus Lines is going head-to-head with Maple Bus Lines and Thompson Bus and Freight on service between Winnipeg and the northern community of Thompson. Mahihkan CEO Suzanne Barbeau-Bracegirdle says the bus system isn't meeting the needs of Indigenous people in Manitoba and she isn't happy about that, but her company must follow a conservative business plan to survive. "We want to provide that service where they can go to Winnipeg to get their medical services," she said. "But we have our timelines and we're following out timelines to a tee." Follow @HealingSlowly on Twitter. Dougald Lamont says opportunity is knocking for the Liberal party, if Premier Brian Pallister calls a snap election this year. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/4/2019 (970 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Dougald Lamont says opportunity is knocking for the Liberal party, if Premier Brian Pallister calls a snap election this year. Speaking to the party's annual general meeting at a downtown hotel Saturday, the provincial Liberal leader encouraged the rank and file to set high goals. "Pallister is beatable," he told members, and "there's no safe seat for the NDP." About 180 Liberals registered for the AGM, which was held in conjunction with a gathering of the Manitoba wing of the federal party. It was Lamont's first AGM since winning the St. Boniface by-election last July, a victory that vaulted the Liberals to official party status (four seats) in the Manitoba legislature. He told members that for far too long voters have felt they only had two choices when casting a ballot in a provincial election the NDP and the Progressive Conservatives. Manitobans now have "a progressive and practical option" in the Liberals, he said. "The electorate is extremely volatile," he said in an interview. "If we can present ourselves as a creditable option, I think we have the opportunity to pick up many seats." He noted that across the province, more than 4,000 Manitobans spoiled their ballots in the 2016 election. "They cared enough about democracy to go and vote, but they had nothing to vote for." It appears that Pallister is intent on calling an election this year even though one isn't scheduled until October 2020. Lamont says that could backfire on the premier. Governments that call "an opportunistic election" often see the strategy backfire and "lose a ton of seats," he said. Pallister's austerity measures will wind up shrinking the economy, he predicted. "Good health care and good education and good infrastructure aren't just costs to be cut. They are the foundation of a modern economy," Lamont said. "They're what makes an economy competitive." An early election would put the party at a financial disadvantage to the other main parties, especially the Conservatives, who finished 2018 with more than $1 million in the bank. The Liberals, meanwhile, had just over $53,000 in cash on hand while the NDP had $194,000. But Lamont said his party would be ready for an election when it is called. Candidate vetting is well under way, and a number of nomination meetings will be held in the coming month. "We should have a full slate of candidates and a fully funded campaign," he said. "That's our goal." Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Meanwhile, the federal wing of the party is also focusing on election readiness, with a national vote slated for October. In a session on the economy and the environment, International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr said Liberals have a lot to toot their horns about as the federal vote draws near. He said 900,000 jobs have been created in Canada since the Liberals were elected in 2015. The Canada Child Benefit, introduced by the Trudeau government, has lifted 875,000 Canadians out of poverty, including 300,000 children, he said. A total of 282,000 Manitoba children have benefited from the program, he added. Meanwhile, the World Bank has ranked Canada as the easiest country out of all G-20 nations in which to start a business, Carr said. "Lets be bold as Liberals and ask Canadians: Are you better off today than you were when the Harper government was defeated in 2015?" he said. larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/4/2019 (971 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion Sensational Serena has the potential to make many Winnipeggers uncomfortable. Billboard space she purchased at the intersection of Portage Avenue and Aubrey Street advertises her services as "Winnipegs professional companion" and offers her phone number. Its thought to be the first time an escort or sex worker in this city has advertised so prominently. The billboard was uncomfortable for a co-worker who spotted it while driving past with his family. He and his wife raised their eyebrows at each other and were grateful the kids in the back seat apparently didnt see the billboard and ask what is so sensational about Serena. In a larger context, the brassy advertisement also has the potential to raise uncomfortable questions about what currently passes for a correct view of sex workers. Weve been sensitized in recent years to regard sex workers as exploited. The politically correct attitude is that its not their fault. Legally and socially, were been refocused to regard sex workers as victims of larger forces. But then comes Serena, who is nobodys victim. Unabashed, she told the Free Press shes a businesswoman and licensed professional. Her in-your-face advertisement highlights Canadas flawed laws regarding commercial sex services, which are nothing short of bizarre. Its legal for Serena to advertise her services and its legal to sell sex, but its illegal for customers to buy sex. I cant think of any other transaction where its legal to sell but illegal to buy. Our modern tendency to assume all sex workers are exploited victims is not an accident. It was the strategic direction of changes to the Criminal Code in 2014, under the government of Stephen Harper, that purposely turned a blind eye to people who rent their bodies for sex, and criminalized those who buy the sexual services. In Winnipeg, it means police have street-level crackdowns about twice a year and criminallly charge dozens of men, often seizing their vehicles as well. They dont charge the women who sell sex. A telling indication of the police attitude toward sex workers is that the arresting officers are called the Counter Exploitation Unit. Its quite a change since the heyday of Winnipegs red light district from 1909 to 1912, when police, at the suggestion of politicians, looked the other way as brothels did booming business in areas including Annabella and McFarlane Streets in Point Douglas, and the street now called Minto. Todays manner of legal enforcement coincides with a shift in public attitudes that, commendably, encourage people to regard sex workers in the context of larger factors. Are they being controlled by pimps? Are they driven to the streets to feed addictions? Did they have dysfunctional upbringings because of colonialism? The jarring imposition of Sensational Serena an entrepreneur running her own legal business is that she doesnt want our sympathy or understanding. She just wants more customers. Its been surprising to some of us that, until now, no one has legally challenged the current laws premise that sex work is inherently exploitative. None of the dozens of men charged with prostitution offences in Winnipeg has fought their charges in court, as far as the Free Press knows. Perhaps they were embarrassed by the nature of their arrest and didnt want to draw more attention to themselves with a public trial. But finally, the premise of the law is being disputed. In a trial underway this week in Kitchener, Ont., the first test case of its kind, lawyers are challenging the constitutionality of Canadas prostitution laws. The accused are being co-represented by prominent Toronto defence lawyer James Lockyer, who is familiar to Manitobans because of his high-profile defence of wrongfully convicted men such as James Driskell and David Milgaard. Lockyer is now representing owners of an escort service. He argues that escort services often provide a safer environment for sex workers by protecting them from violence, screening clients, taking credit-card numbers, discussing expectations and prices, having a regular clientele and "planning an escape route." 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. "Working indoors is generally safer than working on the streets," he told the court in closing arguments on Tuesday. He said the laws make it impossible for "people engaged in a risky but legal activity... from taking steps to prevent themselves from risks," which he said violates Section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees the right to personal security of all Canadians. The legal community is attentively awaiting the verdict in Lockyers challenge, sensing it has the potential to go to the Supreme Court. Sensational Serena is not part of Lockyers argument, but in their own ways, both want to get sex work off the streets, and both are reminders that the public can be too quick to assume a stereotype. Not all sex workers fit the template of victimization. carl.degurse@freepress.mb.ca Carl DeGurse is a member of the Free Press editorial board. POWAY, Calif. - In the minutes after the gunman fled the scene of a shooting that killed a woman inside a Southern California synagogue, a wounded Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein wrapped his bloodied hand in a prayer shawl, stood on a chair and addressed the panicked congregation, vowing to stay strong in the face of the deadly attack targeting his community. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/4/2019 (970 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Synagogue members stand outside of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue Saturday, April 27, 2019, in Poway, Calif. Several people were injured in a shooting at the synagogue. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) POWAY, Calif. - In the minutes after the gunman fled the scene of a shooting that killed a woman inside a Southern California synagogue, a wounded Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein wrapped his bloodied hand in a prayer shawl, stood on a chair and addressed the panicked congregation, vowing to stay strong in the face of the deadly attack targeting his community. "We are a Jewish nation that will stand tall. We will not let anyone take us down. Terrorism like this will not take us down," Goldstein recalled telling his congregants after the gunfire erupted Saturday at Chabad of Poway. Congregant Lori Kaye, 60, was killed in the shooting, which injured Goldstein, 8-year-old Noya Dahan and her 34-year-old uncle, Almog Peretz, authorities said. Hours after the three wounded were released from hospitals, Goldstein described the onslaught at a news conference Sunday outside the synagogue north of San Diego. Goldstein said he was preparing for a service on the last day of Passover, a holiday celebrating freedom, and heard a loud sound. He turned around, and a saw a young man wearing sunglasses standing in front of him with a rifle. "I couldn't see his eyes. I couldn't see his soul," Goldstein said. He raised his hands and lost one of his fingers in the shooting. Two people hug as another talks to a San Diego County Sheriff's deputy outside of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue Saturday, April 27, 2019, in Poway, Calif. Several people have been shot and injured at a synagogue in San Diego, California, on Saturday, said San Diego County authorities. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) And then, Goldstein said, "miraculously the gun jammed." The attack Saturday came exactly six months after a mass shooting in a Pittsburgh synagogue. John T. Earnest, 19, surrendered to police after bursting into the synagogue and opening fire as about 100 people were worshipping inside. Jessica Parks, right, hugs Poway Mayor Steve Vaus outside of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue Saturday, April 27, 2019, in Poway, Calif. Several people were injured in a shooting at the synagogue. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) Earnest, who had no previous contact with law enforcement, may face a hate crime charge in addition to homicide charges when he's arraigned later this week, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said. He was being held without bail, and it was unclear if he had an attorney. Police searched Earnest's house and said he was also being investigated in connection with an arson attack on a mosque in nearby Escondido, California, on March 24. The 8-year-old victim said she had just finished praying and was getting ready to go play with other children when gunshots rang out. Her uncle rushed her and the other children outside, the girl said. Her leg was bleeding but doctors told her she didn't need surgery, she said. An exterior view of the Altman Family Chabad Community Center at the Chabad of Poway Synagogue Saturday, April 27, 2019, in Poway, Calif. Several people were injured in a shooting at the synagogue. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) "I was scared, really, really scared," she said. "I didn't see my dad. I thought he was dead." Her father, 32-year-old Israel Dahan, said he flipped over a folding table as soon as he saw the man enter carrying a long rifle and told people to run. He went to look for his children and found two had been ushered out and his 5-year-old was hiding in the bathroom, he said. There were indications an AR-type assault weapon might have malfunctioned after the gunman fired numerous rounds inside, Gore said. An off-duty Border Patrol agent fired at the shooter as he fled, missing him but striking his getaway vehicle, the sheriff said. San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore speaks at a news conference held outside of the Chabad of Poway Synagogue Saturday, April 27, 2019, in Poway, Calif. Several people were injured in a shooting at the synagogue. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) Shortly after fleeing, Earnest called 911 to report the shooting, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said. When an officer reached him on a roadway, "the suspect pulled over, jumped out of his car with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody," he said. Friends described Kaye as giving, warm and attentive to community members on their birthdays and when they were sick. A wife and mother, she loved gardening and made delicious challah for her family and friends, said Roneet Lev, 55. Goldstein described her as a pioneering founding member of the congregation and said he was heartbroken by her death. He said the attack could have harmed many more people had the shooter turned toward the sanctuary where so many were praying. A San Diego Police officer keeps aim on the house thought to be the home of 19 year-old John T. Earnest, who is a suspect in the shooting of several people in a Poway synagogue, on Saturday, April 27, 2019, in San Diego, Calif. The gunman used an AR-type assault weapon to shoot worshippers at Chabad of Poway, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said. (John Gibbins/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP)/ "Lori took the bullet for all of us," the rabbi said, his hands wrapped in bandages. "She didn't deserve to die." He said that Kaye's physician husband was called to tend to a wounded worshipper and fainted when he realized it was his wife. When the gunfire erupted, another worshipper, Shimon Abitbul, said he immediately placed his 2-year-old grandson on the floor and waited for a break in the shooting to grab the boy and sprint away. Leslie Gollub, left, and Gretchen Gordon hug at a vigil held to support the victims of Saturday's shooting at Chabad of Poway synagogue, Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Poway, Calif. A man opened fire Saturday inside the synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of a major Jewish holiday. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) Then Abitbul ran back to the shooting scene to try to help a woman he described as having a hole in her chest and who later died, he said Sunday. Abitbul, who was visiting from Israel and staying with his daughter and her family in Southern California, said he was still coming to grips with the carnage. "All of us are human beings," he said. "It doesn't matter if you are Jews or Christians or Muslims." Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, right, is hugged by Stephen Lee as he arrives for a news conference at the Chabad of Poway synagogue, Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Poway, Calif. A man opened fire Saturday inside the synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of a major Jewish holiday. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) Peretz, who was wounded in the leg, said he turned around after hearing gunfire and saw the shooter standing by the door. He grabbed his niece by the hand and carried out another child. He then saw a group of children and got them running, "I tell them, 'go this way, go this way," said Peretz, who is visiting from Israel. Gore said authorities were reviewing Earnest's social media posts, including what he described as a "manifesto." There was no known threat after Earnest was arrested, but authorities boosted patrols at places of worship Saturday and again on Sunday as a precaution, police said. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, right, is hugged as he leaves a news conference at the Chabad of Poway synagogue, Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Poway, Calif. A man opened fire Saturday inside the synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of a major Jewish holiday. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) A person identifying himself as John Earnest posted an anti-Jewish screed online about an hour before the attack. The poster described himself as a nursing school student and praised the suspects accused of carrying out deadly attacks on mosques in New Zealand last month that killed 50 and at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue on Oct. 27, in which 11 people were killed. "It was a hate crime, no doubt about it," national security adviser John Bolton said on "Fox News Sunday." He said investigators have not seen any connection between the suspect and other extremist groups. California State University, San Marcos, confirmed that Earnest was a student who was on the dean's list and said the school was "dismayed and disheartened" that he was suspected in "this despicable act."" Heavily armed San Diego police officers approach a house thought to be the home of 19 year-old John T. Earnest, who is a suspect in the shooting of several people in a Poway synagogue, on Saturday, April 27, 2019, in San Diego, Calif. A gunman used an AR-type assault weapon to shoot worshippers at Chabad of Poway, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said. (John Gibbins/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP) Goldstein said President Donald Trump called him to share condolences on behalf of the American people. The White House acknowledged the call. "The President expressed his love for the Jewish people and the entire community of Poway," Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere said in a statement. Several dozen people, many wearing black, gathered on a street corner in Poway Sunday to show their support for the victims and congregation and to call for an end to hate and violence. They carried signs reading "no more killing" and "Shalom." A young boy sat with a cardboard sign reading "we must do better". Deb Lira, 71, of San Diego, said she was angry and sickened by the attack in what has long been a peaceful 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. "I'm here because I'm Jewish and this is my message," she said, pointing to a sign that read "never again" and "never forget." "I will not be silent," she said. ___ Weber reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Elliot Spagat in Poway and Daisy Nguyen in San Francisco contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to show the victim's name is Lori Kaye, not Kayne. SEATTLE - A college freshman was among the four people killed when a construction crane fell from a building and crashed onto one of Seattle's busiest streets, the university said Sunday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 28/4/2019 (969 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Investigators work at the scene of a collapsed construction crane on a building near the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue on Saturday April 27, 2019, in Seattle. Several people died and others were injured when the crane on the new Google Seattle campus collapsed Saturday, pinning cars underneath. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times via AP) SEATTLE - A college freshman was among the four people killed when a construction crane fell from a building and crashed onto one of Seattle's busiest streets, the university said Sunday. Sarah Wong, who intended to major in nursing, was in a car when the crane fell from a building under construction on Google's new Seattle campus onto Mercer Street Saturday afternoon, according to a statement released by Seattle Pacific University. All four had died by the time firefighters had arrived Saturday afternoon, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said. Two were ironworkers who had been inside the crane while the other two were inside a car, Fire Department spokesman Lance Garland said. The names of those who died are expected to be released Monday. "While we grieve the sudden and tragic loss of our precious student, we draw comfort from each other," SPU's statement said. "We ask that the community join us in praying for Sarah's family and friends during this difficult time." With a portion of the broken crane on the roof behind, a worker suspended in a basket clears debris from a building damaged when the crane atop it collapsed a day earlier, Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Seattle. The construction crane fell from a building on Google's new campus during a storm that brought wind gusts, crashing down onto one of the city's busiest streets and killing multiple people. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) The crane struck six cars and also injured four people. Frank Kuin, a Montreal-based journalist, was in a Seattle hotel lobby when he heard a "big bang" and felt the floor shake. He said he initially thought there had been an earthquake. Then he saw motorists leaving their cars on a nearby offramp and running toward something. Kuin followed them around a corner and saw a chunk of the crane lying on top of cars, including three that were crushed. "To imagine what happened to those people who just happened to be driving by was quite shocking," said Kuin, who later took photographs of the scene from his fifth floor hotel room. Officials do not yet know the cause of the collapse. Washington state labour investigators were at the scene of the collapse Sunday, trying to piece together what happened, according to Tim Church, a spokesman for the Washington Department of Labor & Industries. Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins says the crane fell Saturday afternoon, crushing six cars. He says two crane operators and two people in separate cars had died by the time Seattle firefighters arrived.; "It's a very detailed process," he said. "It will actually be months before we have anything regarding the cause." Church said the agency has formally opened an investigation into four companies general contractor GLY, Northwest Tower Crane Service Inc., Omega Rigging and Machinery Moving Inc. and Morrow Equipment Co. LLC. Church said he didn't know where the companies are based. The tower crane was being disassembled when it fell from the building, according to Church. A stretch of Mercer Street remained closed Sunday. Of the injured, a 28-year-old man remained hospitalized in satisfactory condition Sunday at Harborview Medical Center. A mother and her infant were released from the hospital Saturday. The fourth person was treated at the scene and released. The deadly collapse is sure to bring scrutiny about the safety of the dozens of cranes that dot the city's skyscape. With Amazon, Google and other tech companies increasing their hiring in Seattle, the city has more cranes building office towers and apartment buildings than any other in the United States. As of January, there were about 60 construction cranes in Seattle. On Saturday, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said the city had a good track record with crane safety but that officials would conduct a review. 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. A line of showers moved over Seattle just about the time the crane fell, the National Weather Service said. An observation station on nearby Lake Union showed winds kicked up with gusts of up to 23 mph at 3:28 p.m., just about the time the crane fell. The office building the crane fell from was badly damaged, with several of its windows smashed. A Google spokesperson said in a statement Saturday that the company was saddened to learn of the accident and that they were in communication with Vulcan, the real estate firm that is managing the site and working with authorities. A crane collapsed in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue in 2006, damaging three neighbouring buildings and killing a Microsoft attorney who was sitting in his living room. The state Department of Labor and Industries cited two companies for workplace-safety violations after an investigation that found a flawed design for the crane's base. ___ Rachel D'Oro reported from Anchorage, Alaska. Helen Davison Vieiralves, born Sept. 29, 1924, slipped away quietly Saturday, April 6, 2019, to join our father, Gilson, the love of her life. A small-town girl from New Franklin, Mo., she met our father while working at St Josephs Hospital in Kansas City, where he was doing his medical residency. Despite a disastrous beginning, where he failed to show up for their first date, when he got lost because English was not his first language. A small misunderstanding forgotten during their 63 years together until his death in 2016. Our fathers wanderlust caused us to drift for many years, moving from state to state and back and forth from Brazil, until settling in Winona. Helen learned to pack light and be ready for the next big change. Despite our somewhat nomadic existence, she made a home wherever we landed. Her presence was the one constant in our lives, our safe haven. A woman of quiet grace, her strength never more visible than when she took care of our father until the end of his life, despite both being in their nineties. She loved murder mysteries, pizza, margaritas and water color painting. Chocolate was one of the essential food groups. We never knew the depths of her sentimentality until we cleaned out her apartment and found cards and letters dating back decades from us, as well as nieces and nephews, with whom she was close to. No small feat given the number of moves in her lifetime. She is survived by her three daughters, Deborah, Barbara (Michael Boehme) and Cynthia/Cynch (David Wiltgen). Five grandchildren: Emily (Ben Wyss), Katie and Dylan Boehme, Anika and Tess Wiltgen; and great-grandson, Kai Boehme. Also beloved nephew and niece, Joaquim and Rita Lopes. We would also like to thank the care suite staff at the Glenn-Minnetonka, Mary, Amber, Jeremy, Samuel, Agnes and the many others who cared for mom at the end of her life. Deacon Michael, whose endless supplies of Kleenex we used up on the days when the pain was just too great. A special thanks to the Fairview Hospice team for all of their care. Melissa, our mothers hospice nurse, for graciously listening to my unsolicited suggestions, knowing that I needed to feel I could control the uncontrollable and for keeping us informed every step of the way. Janae, whose humor helped during the dark times and who had the innate ability to coax mom into getting out of bed despite her protest to the contrary. Lastly, Kathy Fritz, who helped care for both of our parents at the end of their lives, allowing them to live independently for as long as they did. We could not have managed without you and you have our eternal thanks. A celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date. A per our parents wishes, their ashes will be co-mingled so that they will be entwined in death as they were in life. Internment will be in Manaus, Brazil, our fathers birthplace and where their love story began. www.Washburn-McReavy.com. Eden Prairie Chapel, 952-975-0400. Visit Winona is preparing a free community celebration to honor the citys tourism all-stars May 7 at the Winona County History Center. At the event, Visit Winona will name the Peoples Choice, Tourism Rock Star and Hidden Gem award winners based on popular vote, and community members have the chance to be heard on who and what they believe deserves the honors. Community members are invited to cast their votes before May 1 and then join Visit Winona and the finalists at the award celebration, which will feature hors doeuvres, a cash bar and swag bags for the first 100 RSVPs. Attendance is free but RSVPs are requested. Voting and event registration are accessible via the homepage of visitwinona.com. Tourism Rock Star 2019 Award Behind every amazing encounter a visitor has here is an architect of sorts who made that happen. Whether it is the entrepreneur or the activist or the front-line face behind a positive experience, they are the bedrock of a thriving community and they deserve to be recognized. Five finalists emerged from the nomination process, including Bob Kierlin. But Kierlin stepped aside and asked that someone else who was making an impact receive the recognition. So here, then, are the four finalists for Tourism Rock Star: Eric Barnard: Instructor in the Outdoor Recreation Studies Department at Winona State University and outdoor recreation enthusiast who moved here nine years ago from Idaho. We chose Winona because of the untapped outdoor recreation potential, Barnard said. We wanted to live in a community that we could invest in and maybe in some way we could be a positive addition to. Barnard says that tourism, specifically outdoor recreation tourism, is an area for new sustainable economic growth in the area. It benefits community members in terms of offering multiple healthy activities and the benefits associated with active lifestyles but it also benefits businesses and educational institutions in terms of recruitment and retention of high level employees and young families. Winona has all of the raw materials to become one of the best outdoor recreation destinations in the entire Midwest; all we have to do is create it. Neil McColl: Bartender at the Green Mill and a musician. He grew up in Buffalo County and moved to Winona as a college sophomore in 2011. He taught English abroad and lived in Las Vegas before returning to Winona. My girlfriend and I chose to return to Winona because of the close-knit community of friends, musicians and artists, and because we love the river, he said. McColl says events like Live at the Levee give visitors and locals a great arts experience right on the river. It is a rare night in Winona that several local bars, coffee shops and venues are not hosting some great live music. Ed Hoffman: Founder of Eds No Name Bar and co-owner of The Boat House. He was born and went to school in Winona, then moved away twice and moved back twice. I couldnt get the bluff trails, trout streams, river and wonderful community of people out of my head. I knew I wanted to make this place my home base. Hoffman said its encouraging to see the growth of tourism over the past decade. As it grows, I think we need to make sure we retain our unique authenticity that got us noticed in the first place, celebrating all the dedicated folks here who have put in the hard work doing what they do. Richard Grabow: Owner of Alexander Mansion Bed & Breakfast. He owned and managed properties in Florida and California before seeking a change. I loved being here, and loved my visits here, he said. Grabow says that welcoming people is what he loves most about hospitality. I think it brings out the best in us. Making newcomers feel at home, whether in your house or your community, is a chance to share and connect and its something people have done since the beginning of time. I love bringing people into my home and sharing time and thoughts and a meal. ... Each one that comes, they bring new ideas and fresh thoughts into my life. Theres always something special that they leave me with. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, an opportunity we have each year to educate our communities about the realities of sexual assault and about strategies to prevent this crime. Across the United States, 1 in 3 women is a survivor of sexual violence, and 1 in 5 women will be raped at some point in her life. Eighty-one percent of these survivors experience short- or long-term effects, including PTSD. It is clear that violence against women is a pressing issue that would demand clear action. How appropriate, then, that the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) came to a vote on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month, on April 4. And how appropriate that the bill passed with a large majority of votes. Now it must be re-authorized by the Senate, but thats for another day. Its a good thing so many congressmen and congresswomen voted to renew VAWA, because our very own representative from Minnesotas 1st Congressional District, Jim Hagedorn, voted against. Happy Sexual Assault Awareness Month to you, Rep. Hagedorn! What could our representative find objectionable in a piece of legislation, that has been in place since 1994, and that seeks to protect women from violence and to prosecute perpetrators? For starters, this years renewal bars ex-husbands, boyfriends, family members convicted of abuse and stalking from owning firearms. This should be a no-brainer since the presence of guns in an abusive relationship increases the risk of homicide by 500%. Except that our representative, whose campaign receives money from the National Rifle Association, seems to think that protecting his NRA support is more important that actually protecting his constituents. Unfortunately, protecting said constituents especially when they are women and victims of sexual assault is not something we can expect from someone who once described a woman who accused a Republican congressman of assaulting her as white trash. One might be tempted to shrug this off as an ill-conceived comment dating from a time before he sought public office, except that, for 10 years, the man who represents us in Congress ran a blog where he routinely spewed hate born out of sexism, racism, antisemitism and homophobia. How can we expect a man who used anti-gay slurs to refer to former Wisconsin senator Herb Kohl and mocks Native reservations as casino parlors to show much respect for anyone who is not a straight white gun-totin he-man? Sure he issued some half-hearted apology for those words, but his vote against women earlier this month suggests that little has changed in his view of the world. And if it has, how would we know since he has yet to hold a single town-hall meeting with constituents? What does he fear hearing from folks in Winona? What does he want to hide from the people he was elected to represent in Congress? On the other hand, his vote against renewing VAWA is entirely to be expected from a member of the party led by the groper-in-chief. You know who I mean, the guy in the White House who misses no opportunity to degrade women, whether theyre journalists asking questions he does not want to answer or lawmakers who challenge his policy positions. And while were on the topic of sexual assault, lets remember that the 45th president nominated to the Supreme Court and continued to praise another guy against whom several women made highly credible accusations of sexual assault. While Jim Hagedorn cannot be held responsible for Trumps behavior, he can certainly be held accountable for his complicity, for his continued support of this president and his agenda of hate. And Hagedorn can be held accountable for voting for the NRA and against the women of his district. If he thinks he can hide from his constituents and hide from his voting record, he will be surprised. The next election is only 18 months away. Colette A. Hyman teaches U.S. history at Winona State University. Love 6 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 While its not a regular occurrence in southeast Minnesota, there are times when livestock expansion plans become so out of character for a farming community, and begin to threaten the air, water and livelihoods of neighboring farmers that farmers and local neighbors feel the need to stand up and say No, its time to draw a line here. This expansion is too extreme. Thats been the case several times recently in southeast Minnesota. Despite little help from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, citizens have used the democratic process to challenge these facilities. In Winona County, where the Land Stewardship Project has been active since 1982, and where we have more than 400 members, weve been deeply involved in opposing large-scale livestock expansion. The public is concerned about air and water quality, the economic survival of the small to mid-sized farm, fair treatment of farmworkers, and rural community vitality. Since our county feedlot ordinance was established in 1998, there have been 75 proposals for livestock expansions greater than 300 animal units. In seven of those cases, our organization has opposed these proposals because of the concerns that neighbors, including farmers, have had. Last year, in Fillmore County, a massive 5,000 sow operation was proposed in a high-risk karst limestone area. It would have had an 8.9 million-gallon liquid manure pit. There were nearby sinkholes and disappearing springs. Neighbors organized to stop it at the township level. In Wabasha County, neighbors opposed the massive expansion of a dairy farm to 1,985 dairy cows with a 26.27 million gallons of manure storage. Unfortunately, the MPCA denied the request from neighbors for an in-depth environmental review and the project was permitted. In Winona County, the MPCA similarly refused to order an Environmental Impact Statement on a proposal for a 4,000 cow dairy and a 35 million gallon manure storage lagoon in Utica township, a township that, according to the MN Dept of Agriculture, had 46% of rural wells over the safe drinking water standard in 2016. If approved by county officials (it wasnt), this facility would have exceeded the countys animal unit cap by a multiplier of four. While some may see these mega-expansions of livestock facilities as inevitable, at the Land Stewardship Project we see them as a threat to rural, farming communities. Countless studies over the last 40 years show the negative effects of large-scale agricultural consolidation and industrialization on rural community life (for a more in-depth look, review the summary of this research by Linda Lobao of Ohio State University and Curtis Stofferahn of the University of North Dakota). At the Land Stewardship Project, we believe in the importance of livestock agriculture. Well-managed livestock are a tremendous asset in building soil health and improving water quality, and adding diverse income streams to the farm. But small and mid-sized livestock farms are being threatened by the corporate industrial and political forces pushing for livestock consolidation. Increased profits for shareholders of corporate meatpackers and dairy processors appear to drive decisions and priorities. In the case of dairy farming, the latest livestock sector to undergo rapid consolidation, the very farmer cooperatives that were originally set up to protect farmers have now succumbed to corporate forces that are driving farmers out of business. While livestock farmers have been struggling, lets take a look at the corporate profits the last couple years for companies like Land OLakes, Hormel, and AMPI (Associated Milk Producers, Inc). Last March, Land OLakes posted record net earnings of $364 million, even as many dairy farmers went out of business. Hormel reported record profit and sales in May of 2018 last year. What about hog farmers? On average, they lost $11 per pig in 2018. And last year, at their annual meeting, as dairy farmers were going out of business, AMPI said record cheese production led to $15.1 million in profits. Sometimes, it may make sense for a farm family to expand their livestock herd, with a modest expansion being able to be both financially sound for the family, environmentally sound for the community, and not impose an economic threat on other farmers. And sometimes an expansion proposal defies common sense. Its at these moments that farmers and rural people are standing up and saying No. Sometimes weve just got to draw the line. Doug Nopar is a program director at the Land Stewardship Projects southeast Minnesota office in Lewiston. Love 8 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Strunz said watching past Fairests of the Fair work the fairgrounds each July inspired her to go after the Junior Fairest tiara and sash. Ive always wanted to have that role and be a role model for girls, she said. All five contestants have showed animals at the fair, and several have extensive 4-H experience. Zick grew up on her grandparents dairy farm with her parents, Roland and Cori Zick. She works at Maplewood Nursing Home as a nursing assistant as well as on the farm. Zick attends Edgewood College with the hope of becoming a child life specialist. She succeeds Jenna Engel of Reedsburg as Fairest of the Fair. Strunz is the daughter of Jerry and Elizabeth Strunz. She is a freshman at Sauk Prairie High School, where she serves as class treasurer and is part of the gymnastics team, Future Business Leaders of America and student council. A member of the Active Strivers 4-H Club, she shows dairy calves and pigs at the fair, as well as projects in sewing, child development, recycled art and woodworking. Strunz plans to attend college at Harvard, Northwestern or the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and hopes to pursue a degree in neurology or oncology. She also aspires to start her own clothing line, publish a novel and stay involved in the Sauk County 4-H program. Follow Ben Bromley on Twitter @ben_bromley or call him at 745-3507. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Scarlett Johansson has praised the "diverse" Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The 'Avengers: Endgame' actress - who portrays Natalia Romanova aka Black Widow - is proud of the way the franchise has evolved over the years and thinks the world created across all the movies has been "really impactful". She said: "I look around today at the universe and how diverse it is and the fact that the audience and the fans drove the studios in general, not just Marvel, to represent what was going on in the zeitgeist. "And that they wanted to look up on the screen and see stories and fully developed characters that represented how they felt and what they wanted to aspire to. It's really impactful." And Scarlett thinks her own character has been on a "transformative" journey since her first appearance in 2010's 'Iron Man 2'. She told USA Today newspaper: "It's been a very transformative decade. When my character started in 'Iron Man 2,' she was like a souped-up secretary with a skill set on the side." The 34-year-old star's five-year-old daughter Rose - who she has with ex-husband Romain Dauriac - is a big fan of Disney princesses and while Scarlett loves the modern "empowered" fairytales, she admitted she is also "battling" against some of the more classic stories because of the male/female "dynamic" depicted within the films. She said: "My daughter loves fairytale things. "She loves girl things, princess stuff. And I love it, too! I love all the Disney princesses from back in the day. Now they're much more empowered than some of the older, classic ones. But you're sort of battling that a little bit, and you start to see how the dynamic of those classic fairy-tale stories affect the way that your children think about the male/female roles in society. It's very black and white." Education Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu. Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu. Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events: International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu. EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu. Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets June Homecoming: Participant $18 per person; Sustainer $25 per person; Benefactor $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events: SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available for information call 610-275-1960 Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above) SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m. Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. 4 p.m. computers are available during those hours. Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m. Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863. Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376. Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com. The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes: Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020. CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313. The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events: Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m. Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m. Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30. Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301. For Kids & Families The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443. Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950. Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required. The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950. Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus. Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage. Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun. Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train. Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world! Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class. Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org. Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583. Community Events at the Ambler Y: -YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register. Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org. Health Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot. The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information. Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245. Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net. Spring Aquatic Programs UDHS Pool: -Summer is just around the corner Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required. Shallow Water Aerobics Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR. Adult Swim Instructions Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR -Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21. -Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m. -Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons. -Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates. Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994. SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com. Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org. Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs: FITNESS CLASSES Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month. Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30 9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly. SUPPORT GROUPS Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000. Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30 7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047. New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. 12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30 4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931. Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325. Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes. Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com. Librarytalk Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744 www.upperdublinlibrary.org APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS: Storytimes: Please register in the library. o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m. o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m. o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6. APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS: North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS: NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org. One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register contact info above. Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744. o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register. Meetings: Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m. Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m. Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org. For children and teens at Blue Bell: * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m. * May 14 Despicable Me * June 11 Alpha and Omega * Special Events * April watch for date of spring/Easter events * April 14 at 4:30 p.m. Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children. * April 14 at 7 p.m. Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided. * April 16 at 1 p.m. Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King. * April 16 at 1:30 p.m. Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes? * April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button. * April 30 through May 3 Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults. * May sign up for Science in the Summer * June sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children * June sign up for Summer Reading, all ages For adults at Blue Bell: * Daytime Book Discussion Group fourth Tuesday, Jan April at 1:30 p.m. * April 26 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Night-time Book Discussion Group third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. o April 19 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked? *Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs * Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class. * Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class. * Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m. * Giant Book Sale, April 29 May 3 o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults! o Held during library hours. o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m. o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join. * Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series o May 11 at 1 p.m. Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society * Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room. * Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read. * Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome. * Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome. *Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older. * Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours * Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours * Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday! Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library. * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * For adults: * Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn. * Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net * Special Events: * April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian. * April 19 at 7 p.m. Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m. * April 21 at 7 p.m. Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades. *May 2 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. *May 10 Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *May 12 at 1:30p.m. Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. *May 17 Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *June 13 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. Meetings and Lectures The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833. The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313. Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200. The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/. LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings. Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org. Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org) -Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them. The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter. For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps. Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin. Special Events The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County. The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065. Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members. Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex. The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com. The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348. The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org. Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163. The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu. The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com. The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net. Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages. 13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries. Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family. The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler. JPRN Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike. Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies. Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately. Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways. Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table. Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374 Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall: -Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store. Music and Theater The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html. Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free. The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org Religious News The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276. Reunions St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net. Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572. Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779. Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411. Support New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149. PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931. The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296. Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656. Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group every other Wednesday, 7 8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information. CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7 8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich, Ameriprise Financial, Inc. operates as a holding company. The firm provides financial planning, asset management and insurance services to individuals, businesses and institutions. It operates through the following business segments: Advice & Wealth Management, Asset Management, Retirement & Protection Solutions, and Corporate & Other. The Advice & Wealth Management segment provides financial planning and advice, as well as full service brokerage and banking services, primarily to retail clients through the company's financial advisors. The Asset Management segment provides investment advice and investment products to retail and institutional clients. It also provides products and services on a global scale through two complementary asset management businesses: Columbia Management and Threadneedle. The Columbia Management business primarily provides U.S. domestic products and services and Threadneedle primarily provides international investment products and services. Its international retail products are primarily provided through third-party financial institutions. The segments retail products include mutual funds and variable product funds underlying insurance and annuity separat Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Valero Energy: AIR BP-PBF DEL PERU SAC, BELFAST STORAGE LTD, CANADIAN ULTRAMAR COMPANY, COLONNADE TEXAS INSURANCE COMPANY LLC, COLONNADE VERMONT INSURANCE COMPANY, DIAMOND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY LLC, DIAMOND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OF CANADA INC., DIAMOND GREEN DIESEL HOLDINGS LLC, DIAMOND GREEN DIESEL LLC, DIAMOND K RANCH LLC, DIAMOND OMEGA COMPANY L.L.C., DIAMOND SHAMROCK REFINING COMPANY L.P., DIAMOND UNIT INVESTMENTS L.L.C., DSRM NATIONAL BANK, ENTERPRISE CLAIMS MANAGEMENT INC., GCP LOGISTICS COMPANY LLC, GOLDEN EAGLE ASSURANCE LIMITED, HAMMOND MAINLINE PIPELINE LLC, HUNTWAY REFINING COMPANY, MAINLINE PIPELINES LIMITED, MAPLE ETHANOL LTD., MICHIGAN REDEVELOPMENT GP LLC, MICHIGAN REDEVELOPMENT L.P., MRP PROPERTIES COMPANY LLC, NECHES RIVER HOLDING CORP., NORCO METHANOL LLC, OCEANIC TANKERS AGENCY LIMITED, PARKWAY PIPELINE LLC, PENTA TANKS TERMINALS S.A., PI DOCK FACILITIES LLC, PICKARD PLACE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, PORT ARTHUR COKER COMPANY L.P., PREMCOR USA INC., PROPERTY RESTORATION L.P., PURE BIOFUELS DEL PERU S.A.C., PURE BIOFUELS HOLDINGS L.P., Parkway Pipeline, Premcor, Pure Biofuels Del Peru, SABINE RIVER HOLDING CORP., SABINE RIVER LLC, SAINT BERNARD PROPERTIES COMPANY LLC, SUNBELT REFINING COMPANY L.P., THE PREMCOR PIPELINE CO., THE PREMCOR REFINING GROUP INC., THE SHAMROCK PIPE LINE CORPORATION, TRANSPORT MARITIME ST. LAURENT INC., ULTRAMAR ACCEPTANCE INC., ULTRAMAR ENERGY INC., ULTRAMAR INC., Ultramar Diamond Shamrock, V-TEX LOGISTICS LLC, VALERO (BARBADOS) SRL, VALERO (PERU) HOLDINGS GP LLC, VALERO (PERU) HOLDINGS LIMITED, VALERO ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO ARUBA ACQUISITION COMPANY I LTD., VALERO ARUBA FINANCE INTERNATIONAL LTD., VALERO ARUBA HOLDING COMPANY N.V., VALERO ARUBA HOLDINGS INTERNATIONAL LTD., VALERO ARUBA MAINTENANCE/OPERATIONS COMPANY N.V., VALERO BROWNSVILLE TERMINAL LLC, VALERO CANADA FINANCE INC., VALERO CANADA L.P., VALERO CAPITAL CORPORATION, VALERO CARIBBEAN SERVICES COMPANY, VALERO COKER CORPORATION ARUBA N.V., VALERO CUSTOMS & TRADE SERVICES INC., VALERO EAST BAY LLC, VALERO ENERGY (IRELAND) LIMITED, VALERO ENERGY ARUBA II COMPANY, VALERO ENERGY INC., VALERO ENERGY LTD, VALERO ENERGY PARTNERS GP LLC, VALERO ENERGY PARTNERS LP, VALERO ENERGY UK LTD, VALERO ENTERPRISES INC., VALERO EQUITY SERVICES LTD, VALERO FINANCE L.P. I, VALERO FINANCE L.P. II, VALERO FINANCE L.P. III, VALERO FOREST CONTRIBUTION LLC, VALERO GRAIN MARKETING LLC, VALERO H2 PIPELINE COMPANY LLC, VALERO HOLDCO UK LTD, VALERO HOLDINGS INC., VALERO INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS INC., VALERO LIVE OAK LLC, VALERO LOGISTICS UK LTD, VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY (PANAMA) LLC, VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY COMPANY, VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPY INTERNATIONAL LTD., VALERO MARKETING IRELAND LIMITED, VALERO MKS LOGISTICS L.L.C., VALERO NEDERLAND COOPERATIEF U.A., VALERO NEDERLAND COOPERATIEF U.A., VALERO NEW AMSTERDAM B.V., VALERO OMEGA COMPANY L.L.C., VALERO OPERATIONAL SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO OPERATIONAL SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO OPERATIONS SUPPORT LTD, VALERO PARTNERS CCTS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS CORPUS EAST LLC, VALERO PARTNERS CORPUS WEST LLC, VALERO PARTNERS EP LLC, VALERO PARTNERS HOUSTON LLC, VALERO PARTNERS LOUISIANA LLC, VALERO PARTNERS LUCAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS MCKEE LLC, VALERO PARTNERS MEMPHIS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS MERAUX LLC, VALERO PARTNERS NORTH TEXAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS OPERATING CO. LLC, VALERO PARTNERS PAPS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS PORT ARTHUR LLC, VALERO PARTNERS SOUTH TEXAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS TEXAS CITY LLC, VALERO PARTNERS THREE RIVERS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS WEST MEMPHIS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS WEST TEXAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS WYNNEWOOD LLC, VALERO PAYMENT SERVICES COMPANY, VALERO PEMBROKESHIRE LLC, VALERO PEMBROKESHIRE OIL TERMINAL LTD, VALERO PLAINS COMPANY LLC, VALERO POWER MARKETING LLC, VALERO RAIL OPERATIONS DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO RAIL OPERATIONS DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO RAIL PARTNERS LLC, VALERO REFINING AND MARKETING COMPANY, VALERO REFINING COMPANY-ARUBA N.V., VALERO REFINING COMPANY-CALIFORNIA, VALERO REFINING COMPANY-OKLAHOMA, VALERO REFINING COMPANY-TENNESSEE L.L.C., VALERO REFINING-MERAUX LLC, VALERO REFINING-NEW ORLEANS L.L.C., VALERO REFINING-TEXAS L.P., VALERO RENEWABLE FUELS COMPANY LLC, VALERO SECURITY SYSTEMS INC., VALERO SERVICES INC., VALERO SKELLYTOWN PIPELINE LLC, VALERO TEJAS COMPANY LLC, VALERO TERMINAL HOLDCO LTD, VALERO TERMINALING AND DISTRIBUTION COMPANY, VALERO TERMINALING AND DISTRIBUTION DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO TEXAS POWER MARKETING INC., VALERO ULTRAMAR HOLDINGS INC., VALERO UNIT INVESTMENTS L.L.C., VALERO WEST WALES LLC, VRG PROPERTIES COMPANY, VTD PROPERTIES COMPANY, WARSHALL COMPANY LLC, and ZELIG COMMERCIAL INC.. The Hershey Co. engages in the manufacture and market of chocolate and sugar confectionery products. The firm operates through the following geographical segments: North America; and International and Other. The North America segment is responsible for the traditional chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery market position of the company, as well as its grocery and snacks market positions, in the United States and Canada. The International and Other segment is the combination of all other operating segments which are not individually material, including those geographic regions where the company operates outside of North America. Its brands include Hershey's, Reese's, and Kisses. The company was founded by Milton S. Hershey in 1894 and is headquartered in Hershey, PA. Read More iShares S&P 400 MidCap ETF's stock was trading at $158.41 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, IJH shares have increased by 74.5% and is now trading at $276.43. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. The following companies are subsidiares of Sysco: 2234829 Alberta ULC, 2234842 Alberta ULC, A. M. Briggs Inc., A.M. Briggs, Almacen Fiscal Frionet Caldera S.A., Almacen Fiscal Frionet Limon S.A., Appert's Foodservice, Arnotts (Fruit) Limited, Asian Foods, Bahamas Food Holdings Limited, Bahamas Food Services Limited, Brake Bros, Brake Bros Foodservice Ireland Limited, Brake Bros. Foodservice Limited, Brake Bros. Holding I Limited, Brake Bros. Ltd., Brakes Foodservice NI Limited, Buchy Food Service, Buckhead Beef Co., Buckhead Meat & Seafood of Houston Inc., Buckhead Meat Company, Buckhead Meat Midwest Inc., Buckhead Meat of Dallas Inc., Buckhead Meat of Denver Inc., Buckhead Meat of San Antonio LP, Buzztable Inc., CAKE Corporation, Central Seafood Co., Christys Wine & Spirits Limited, Clafra Aktiebolag, Colorado Boxed Beef Co - Specialty meat-cutting division, Corporacion Frionet Sociedad Anonima, Crossgar Foodservice, Crossgar Foodservice Limited, Crown I Enterprises Inc., Cucina Acquisitions (UK) Limited, Cucina Finance (UK) Limited, Cucina French Holdings Limited, Cucina Fresh Finance Limited, Cucina Fresh Investments Limited, Cucina Lux Investments Limited, Curleys Quality Foods Limited (Third Party), Davigel Belgilux S.A., Davigel Espana S.A., Desert Meats & Provisions, Distagro, Doerle Food Service, Doughtie's Foods Inc., Dust Bowl City LLC, Eko Fagel Fisk o mittemellan AB, Enclave Insurance Company, Enclave Parkway Association Inc., Enclave Properties LLC, European Imports, European Imports Inc., Figg Inc., Freedman Meats, Freedman Meats Inc., Freedman-KB Inc., Fresh Direct (UK) Limited, Fresh Direct Group Limited, Fresh Direct Limited, Fresh Holdings Limited, FreshPoint, FreshPoint Arizona Inc., FreshPoint Atlanta Inc., FreshPoint California Inc., FreshPoint Central California Inc., FreshPoint Central Florida Inc., FreshPoint Connecticut LLC, FreshPoint Dallas Inc., FreshPoint Denver Inc., FreshPoint Hawaii LLC, FreshPoint Inc., FreshPoint Las Vegas Inc., FreshPoint North Carolina Inc., FreshPoint North Florida Inc., FreshPoint Oklahoma City LLC, FreshPoint Pompano Real Estate LLC, FreshPoint Puerto Rico LLC, FreshPoint San Francisco Inc., FreshPoint South Florida Inc., FreshPoint South Texas Inc., FreshPoint Southern California Inc., FreshPoint Tomato LLC, FreshPoint Vancouver Ltd., Freshfayre Limited, Fruktservice i Helsingborg AB, GHS Classic Drinks Limited, Gilchrist & Soames Inc., Gilchrist & Soames UK Limited, Guest Packaging LLC, Guest Supply, Guest Supply Asia Limited, Guest Supply Singapore Pte. Ltd., International Food Group, Isakssons Frukt & Gront AB, J & M Wholesale Meats, J. Kings Food Service Professionals, J. Kings Food Service Professionals Inc., Kent Frozen Foods, Les Ateliers Du Gout, Liquid Assets Limited, M&J Seafood Holdings Limited, M&J Seafood Limited, Manchester Mills LLC, Mayca Autoservicio S.A., Mayca Distribuidores S.A., Menigo Foodservice AB, Mitshim Etatu Supply LP, Newport Meat Company, Newport Meat Northern California Inc., Newport Meat Pacific Northwest Inc., Newport Meat Southern California Inc., Newport Meat of Nevada Inc., North Star Holding Corporation, North Star Seafood, North Star Seafood Acquisition Corporation, North Star Seafood LLC, PFS de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Palisades Ranch Inc., Pallas Foods, Pallas Foods Farm Fresh Unlimited Company, Pallas Foods Unlimited Company, Pauleys Produce Limited, Promotora del Servicios S.A. de C.V., Restaurangakdemien AB, Restaurant of Tomorrow Inc., Rohan Viandes Elaboration SAS, SMS Bermuda Holdings, SMS GPC International Limited, SMS GPC International Resources Limited, SMS Global Holdings S.a.r.l., SMS International Resources Ireland Unlimited Company, SMS Lux Holdings LLC, SOTF LLC, SYY Netherlands C.V., SYY Panama S. de R.L., Serca Foodservice, Servicestyckarna I Johannes AB, Servicios Ameriserve S.A. de C.V., Shenzhen Guest Supply Trading Co. Limited, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Bianchi Montegut, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Boiseau, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Garcelles, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) J.D. Lanjouan, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Le Dauphin, Specialty Meat Holdings LLC, Stockflag Limited, Stockholms Fiskauktion AB, Supplies on the Fly, Sysco Albany LLC, Sysco Asian Foods Inc., Sysco Atlanta LLC, Sysco Autoservicio S.A., Sysco Baltimore LLC, Sysco Baraboo LLC, Sysco Bermuda Partners L.P., Sysco Boston LLC, Sysco Canada Holdings S.a.r.l., Sysco Canada Inc., Sysco Central Alabama LLC, Sysco Central California Inc., Sysco Central Florida Inc., Sysco Central Illinois Inc., Sysco Central Pennsylvania LLC, Sysco Charlotte LLC, Sysco Chicago Inc., Sysco Cincinnati LLC, Sysco Cleveland Inc., Sysco Columbia LLC, Sysco Connecticut LLC, Sysco Corporation, Sysco Corporation Director's Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Employee's 401(k) Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Executive Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Good Government Committee Inc., Sysco Corporation Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Unemployment Benefits Plan Trust, Sysco Detroit LLC, Sysco Disaster Relief Foundation Inc., Sysco EI VI S. s.r.l., Sysco EU II S.a.r.l., Sysco EU III S.a.r.l., Sysco EU IV Capital Unlimited Company, Sysco EU IV S. s.r.l.., Sysco EU V S. s.r.l., Sysco Eastern Maryland LLC, Sysco Eastern Wisconsin LLC, Sysco Foundation Inc., Sysco France Holding SAS, Sysco France SAS, Sysco George Town II LLC, Sysco George Town Limited S. s.r.l.., Sysco Global Finance LLC, Sysco Global Finance LLP, Sysco Global Holdings B.V., Sysco Global Resources LLC, Sysco Global Services LLC, Sysco Grand Cayman Company, Sysco Grand Cayman II Company, Sysco Grand Cayman III Company, Sysco Grand Rapids LLC, Sysco Guernsey Limited, Sysco Guest Supply Canada Inc., Sysco Guest Supply Europe Goods Wholesalers LLC, Sysco Guest Supply Europe Limited, Sysco Guest Supply LLC, Sysco Gulf Coast LLC, Sysco Hampton Roads Inc., Sysco Hawaii Inc., Sysco Holdings II LLC, Sysco Holdings LLC, Sysco Indianapolis LLC, Sysco International Food Group Inc., Sysco International Inc., Sysco Iowa Inc., Sysco Jackson LLC, Sysco Jacksonville Inc., Sysco Kansas City Inc., Sysco Knoxville LLC, Sysco Labs Europe Limited, Sysco Labs Pvt. Ltd., Sysco Leasing LLC, Sysco Lincoln Inc., Sysco Lincoln Transportation Company Inc., Sysco Long Island LLC, Sysco Los Angeles Inc., Sysco Louisville Inc., Sysco Memphis LLC, Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Canada Inc., Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Inc., Sysco Metro New York LLC, Sysco Minnesota Inc., Sysco Montana Inc., Sysco Nashville LLC, Sysco Netherlands Partners LLC, Sysco North Central Florida Inc., Sysco North Dakota Inc., Sysco Northern New England Inc., Sysco Philadelphia LLC, Sysco Pittsburgh LLC, Sysco Portland Inc., Sysco Raleigh LLC, Sysco Resources Services LLC, Sysco Riverside Inc., Sysco Sacramento Inc., Sysco San Diego Inc., Sysco San Francisco Inc., Sysco Seattle Inc., Sysco South Florida Inc., Sysco Southeast Florida LLC, Sysco Spain Holdings SLU, Sysco Spokane Inc., Sysco St. Louis LLC, Sysco Syracuse LLC, Sysco Technologies Cayman Ltd., Sysco Technologies LLC, Sysco UK Holdings Limited, Sysco UK Limited, Sysco UK Partners LLP, Sysco USA I Inc., Sysco USA II LLC, Sysco USA III LLC, Sysco Ventura Inc., Sysco Ventures Inc., Sysco Virginia LLC, Sysco West Coast Florida Inc., Sysco Western Minnesota Inc., The SYGMA Network Inc., Upsys, Victua SAS, Walker Foods Inc., Waugh Foods, and Wild Harvest Limited. 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 The following companies are subsidiares of PPG Industries: AIPCF V Texstars Blocker Inc., AkzoNobel, Alermac Inversiones S.A. de C.V., Alpha Coating Technologies LLC, Alpha Coatings Inc., Broad Range Development Limited, Brown Brothers Distribution Limited, CG Holdings Manufacturing Co., Centro de Investigacion en Polimeros S.A. de C.V., Chemfil Canada Limited, Chorlton Trade Paints Limited, Comercial Mexicana de Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Comex, Comex Industrial Coatings S.A. de C.V., Consorcio Comex S.A. de C.V., Cristacol S.A., Cuming Microwave Corporation, Deutek SA, Dexmet Corporation, Dexmet Holding Corporation, Distribuidora Kroma S.A. de C.V., EPIC Insurance Co. Ltd., Eberle Design Inc., Empresa Aga S.A. de C.V., Ennis Canadian Holding Company, Ennis Flint Soluciones Seguras Para Trafico, Ennis Highway Traffic Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Ennis Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, Ennis Paint Australia Holding Pty Ltd, Ennis Paint Boya Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Ennis Paint Canada ULC, Ennis Paint Germany GmbH, Ennis Paint Netherlands Holdings LLC, Ennis Paint U.K. Holding Company Limited, Ennis Traffic Safety Solutions Pty Ltd, Ennis Flint Mexico, Ennis Flint New Zealand, Ennis Flint New Zealand Holding Pty Ltd, Ennis-Flint, Ennis-Flint Africa (Pty) Ltd, Ennis-Flint Inc., Foshan Bairun Chemicals Co. Ltd., Fpu Industrial S.A. de C.V., Grupo Comex S.A. de C.V., Hemmelrath Automotive Coatings (Jilin) Co. Ltd., Hodij Coatings B.V., Homax Products, Industria Chimica Reggiana I.C.R. SPA, Johnstones Paints Limited, Kalon Investment Company Limited, Kalon South Africa Proprietary Limited, Manchester Thermoplastics LLC, Masterwork Paint, MetoKote Canada Limited, MetoKote Corporation, MetoKote Mexico Holding Inc., MetoKote UK Limited, MetoKote de Mexico S. de RL de CV, PPG AC - France SA, PPG ALESCO Automotive Finishes Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., PPG AP Resinas S.A. de C.V., PPG Aerospace Materials (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PPG Architectural Coatings (Puerto Rico) Inc., PPG Architectural Coatings Canada Inc., PPG Architectural Coatings Ireland Limited, PPG Architectural Coatings Italy S.r.l., PPG Architectural Coatings UK Limited, PPG Architectural Finishes Inc., PPG Asian Paints Private Ltd., PPG COATINGS SINGAPORE PTE. LTD., PPG Canada Inc., PPG Cieszyn S.A., PPG Coatings (Hong Kong) Co. Limited, PPG Coatings (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., PPG Coatings (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Thailand) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings (Wuhu) Company Ltd., PPG Coatings (Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd., PPG Coatings B.V., PPG Coatings Belgium BV, PPG Coatings Danmark A/S, PPG Coatings Deutschland GmbH, PPG Coatings Europe B.V., PPG Coatings Manufacturing SARL, PPG Coatings Nederland BV, PPG Coatings S.A., PPG Coatings South Africa (Pty) Ltd., PPG DYRUP S.A., PPG Deco Czech a.s., PPG Deco Polska sp. z.o.o., PPG Deco Slovakia s.r.o., PPG Deutschland Business Support GmbH, PPG Deutschland Sales & Services GmbH, PPG Distribution S.A.S., PPG Europe B.V., PPG Finance B.V., PPG France Business Support S.A.S., PPG France Manufacturing S.A.S., PPG Guadeloupe SAS, PPG Hellas S.A., PPG Hemmelrath Coatings Inc., PPG Hemmelrath Lackfabrik GmbH, PPG Holdco SAS, PPG Holdings (U.K.) Limited, PPG Holdings Argentina USA LLC, PPG Holdings Latin America USA LLC, PPG Iberica S.A., PPG Iberica Sales & Services S.L., PPG Industrial Coatings B.V., PPG Industrial do Brasil - Tintas E. Vernizes - Ltda., PPG Industries (Korea) Ltd., PPG Industries (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., PPG Industries (UK) Ltd, PPG Industries Argentina S.R.L., PPG Industries Australia PTY Limited A.C.N. 055 500 939, PPG Industries Colombia Ltda., PPG Industries Czech Republic s.r.o., PPG Industries Delfzijl B.V., PPG Industries Europe Sarl, PPG Industries France S.A.S., PPG Industries International Inc., PPG Industries Italia S.r.l., PPG Industries Kimya a Sanayi VE Ticaret AS, PPG Industries LLC, PPG Industries Lipetsk LLC, PPG Industries Middle East FZE, PPG Industries Netherlands B.V., PPG Industries New Zealand Limited, PPG Industries Ohio Inc., PPG Industries Poland Sp. Z.o.o., PPG Industries Securities LLC, PPG Industries de Mexico S.A. de C.V., PPG Italia Business Support S.r.l., PPG Italia Sales & Services S.r.l., PPG Japan Ltd., PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes Canada LP, PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes U.K. LLP, PPG Kansai Automotive Finishes U.S. LLC, PPG Luxembourg Finance S.aR.L., PPG Luxembourg Holdings S.aR.L., PPG Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Mexico S.A. de C.V., PPG Packaging Coatings (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PPG Paints Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PPG Performance Coatings (Hong Kong) Limited, PPG Powder Coatings (Shanghai) Limited, PPG Romania S.A., PPG SSC Co. Ltd., PPG Switzerland GmbH, PPG Trilak Kft., PPG Vietnam Co. Ltd., PRC-DeSoto Australia Pty Ltd., PRC-DeSoto International Inc., PT. PPG Coatings Indonesia, Painter's Supply, Paintzen, Peintures de Paris SAS, Plasticos Envolventes S.A. de C.V., Polymeric Systems Inc., Prismo Road Markings Limited, ProCoatings B.V., ProCoatings BV, Protec Pty Ltd. A.C.N. 007 857 392, Reno A&E LLC, Revocoat France SAS, Revocoat Holding SAS, Revocoat Iberica SLU, Revocoat S.A.S, Road Infrastructure Investment Holdings Inc., SEM Products Inc., Sealants Europe SAS, Sierracin Corporation, Sierracin/Sylmar Corporation, Sigma Marine & Protective Coatings Holding B.V., SigmaKalon (BC) UK Limited, SigmaKalon Group, SigmaKalon Middle East B.V., Sikar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Spraylat International Ltd, Texstars LLC, The Crown Group Co., The Crown Group Inc, The Homax Group, Tikkurila Group, Traffic Safety Intermediate LLC, Traffic Safety Parent LLC, United International Business NV, Vanex Inc., Vernisol S.p.A., Versaflex, Viasa S.A. de C.V., Whitford, Whitford B.V., Whitford Corporation, Whitford Jiangmen Ltd., Whitford Ltd. (HK), Whitford Ltd. (UK), Whitford Pte. Ltd., Whitford S.r.l., Whitford Worldwide Company LLC, Worwag Coatings, and Zaganite Industries Pty Ltd. State gives grant for Farmstead Park restoration in Upper Moreland Township The following companies are subsidiares of Sonoco Products: 2103393 Ontario Inc., AMGH, APEI UK Limited, APEI Unlimited IOM, Associated Packaging Technologies Inc., Beteiligungen Sonoco Deutschland Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft mbh, CP Acquisition LLC, Can Packaging, Can Packaging SAS, Cap Liners Limited, Capseals Limited, Capseals Liners Limited, Cascades Sonoco Inc. (fka Cascades Conversion Inc), Clear Lam Flexible Films (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., Clear Lam Packaging Inc., Clear Pack Co., Clear Pack Company, Colombiana P.M. LLC, Conitex Sonoco (BVI) Ltd., Conitex Sonoco (Mexico) S. de R.L. de C.V., Conitex Sonoco Hellas S.A., Conitex Sonoco Holding B.V., Conitex Sonoco Inc., Conitex Sonoco India Pvt. Ltd., Conitex Sonoco N.V., Conitex Sonoco Shanghai Ltd., Conitex Sonoco Suzhou Co. Ltd., Conitex Sonoco Taiwan Ltd., Conitex Sonoco USA Inc., Convex Mold Inc., Corenso Holdings America Inc., Corenso North America, Corenso Richmond LLC, Corepak Limited, CorrFlex Graphics LLC, Demolli Industria Cartaria S.p.A., Engraph Inc., Engraph Puerto Rico Inc., Fair Lawn Packaging Services LLC, Friarsgate Studio Limited, Graffo Paranaense De Embalagens S.A., Graffo Paranaense de Embalagens S/A, Grove Mill Paper Company Limited, Gunther of America Inc., Hartsville Corrugating LLC, Hayes Manufacturing Group, Heathfield Reels Limited, Highland Packaging Solutions, Highland Packaging Solutions LLC, Industrial Machine Co. Inc., Inversiones Sonoco Limitada, Italtubetti SpA, Laminar Medica, Laminar Medica (CE) s.r.o., Laminar Medica Limited, Manufacturas Sonoco S.A. de C.V., Matrix Packaging Inc., Nathaniel Lloyd & Company Limited, OOO Sonoco Alcore (fka ZAO Sonoco Alcore), PT Conitex Sonoco, PT Papcor Asia Pacific, PT Papertech Indonesia, PT Sonoco Indonesia, Packaging Holdings Inc., Papcor (Dezhou) Packaging Material Co. Ltd., Papertech Dezhou Co. Ltd., Papertech SL, PenPack LLC, Peninsula Packaging Company, Peninsula Packaging LLC, Penpack S. de R.L. de C.V., Phoenix Packaging Corp., Plastique Holdings LTD, SAS Du Lagon, SCI Lagon Quest, SMB GmbH, SPC Capital Management Inc., SPC Liquidation LLC, SPC Management LLC, SPC Resources Inc., SR Holdings of the Carolinas LLC, Sebro Plastics Inc., Sonoco (Shanghai) Co., Sonoco (Taicang) Packaging Co., Sonoco (Weifang) Packaging Company Ltd., Sonoco Absorbent Technologies LLC, Sonoco Absorbent Technologies Limited, Sonoco Alcore - Demolli S.r.l., Sonoco Alcore AB, Sonoco Alcore GmbH, Sonoco Alcore N.V., Sonoco Alcore Nederland B.V., Sonoco Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Sonoco Asia Holding S.a.r.l., Sonoco Asia L.L.C., Sonoco Asia Management Company L.L.C., Sonoco Australia Pty Ltd, Sonoco Board Mills Limited, Sonoco Bonmati S.A.U., Sonoco Canada Corporation, Sonoco Capseals Liners Limited, Sonoco Comercial S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco Consumer Products Dordrecht B.V. (fka Dorpak B.V.), Sonoco Consumer Products Europe GmbH (fka Weidenhammer Packaging Group GmbH), Sonoco Consumer Products Hellas S.A. (fka Weidenhammer Hellas S.A.), Sonoco Consumer Products Limited, Sonoco Consumer Products Mechelen BVBA (fka Weidenhammer Belgium BVBA), Sonoco Consumer Products Montanay SAS (fka Neuvibox SAS), Sonoco Consumer Products Poland Sp. Z.O.O., Sonoco Consumer Products SAS, Sonoco Consumer Products South Africa (PTY) Ltd., Sonoco Consumer Products Zwenkau GmbH (fka fka Weidenhammer Plastice Packaging GmbH), Sonoco Cores and Paper Limited, Sonoco D & P LLC, Sonoco D and P York LLC, Sonoco Deutschland GmbH, Sonoco Deutschland Holdings GmbH, Sonoco Development Inc., Sonoco Display and Packaging LLC, Sonoco Elk Grove Inc., Sonoco Embalagens Ltda. (fka Sonoco Embalagens S.A.), Sonoco Europe Limited, Sonoco Flexible Packaging Canada Corporation, Sonoco Flexible Packaging Co. Inc., Sonoco Graphics India Private Limited, Sonoco Hickory Inc., Sonoco Holdings Inc., Sonoco Holdings UK Limited, Sonoco Hutchinson LLC, Sonoco IPD France SAS, Sonoco Iberia S.L.U., Sonoco International Holdings GmbH, Sonoco JV GmbH & Co. KG, Sonoco Kaiping Packaging Co. Ltd., Sonoco Limited, Sonoco Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Sonoco Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sonoco Milnrow, Sonoco Netherlands Holding II BV, Sonoco Netherlands Holding III BV, Sonoco New Zealand Limited, Sonoco Operadora S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco Packaging Limited, Sonoco Packaging Tapes Limited, Sonoco Paper Mill & IPD Hellas SA, Sonoco Paperboard Group LLC, Sonoco Partitions Inc., Sonoco Phoenix LLC, Sonoco Pina S.A.U., Sonoco Plastics B.V., Sonoco Plastics Canada ULC, Sonoco Plastics Germany GmbH, Sonoco Plastics Inc., Sonoco Poland Holdings B.V., Sonoco Polysack A/S Inc., Sonoco Polysack Limited, Sonoco Products Company UK, Sonoco Products Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Sonoco Protective Solutions Inc., Sonoco Recycling - International Trade Group LLC (fka Reparco USA Inc.), Sonoco Recycling LLC, Sonoco Reels Limited, Sonoco Retail Packaging S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco S.A. de C.V., Sonoco SAS, Sonoco Saudi Limited Company, Sonoco Services LLC, Sonoco Singapore Pte. Ltd., Sonoco TEQ Holdings Ltd, Sonoco TEQ LLC, Sonoco TEQ Ltd, Sonoco TEQ Sp. Z.o.o, Sonoco Taiwan Ltd, Sonoco Thailand Ltd, Sonoco UK Leasing Limited, Sonoco Venezolana C.A., Sonoco Venture International Holdings GmbH, Sonoco Ventures UK Limited, Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Core Plant LLC, Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Inc., Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Paper Mill LLC, Sonoco Yatai Pinghu Packaging Co Ltd, Sonoco de Colombia Ltda, Sonoco do Brasil Participacoes Ltda, Sonoco do Brazil Ltda, Sonoco of Puerto Rico Inc., Sonoco-Alcore AS, Sonoco-Alcore Ou, Sonoco-Alcore Oy, Sonoco-Alcore S.a.r.l., Sonoco-Alcore Sp. Z.O.O., Sonoco-Engraph Puerto Rico Inc., TPT Board Mills Limited, TPT Limited, Tegrant Alloyd Brands Inc., Tegrant Corporation, Tegrant International Inc., Tegrant Property Holdings LLC, Tegrant de Mexico S.A. de C.V., ThermoSafe Brands Asia PTE LTD., ThermoSafe Brands Europe Ltd., Thermoform Engineered Quality LLC, Trident Graphics Canada Corporation, Trident Graphics NA LLC, U.S. Paper Mills Corp., Unit Reels & Drums Limited, Weidenhammer Chile Ltda., Weidenhammer Packaging Group, Weidenhammer UK Ltd., and Wisenberg U.S. Inc.. The following companies are subsidiares of Eastman Chemical: BP - Aviation Turbine Oil Business, CP Films Vertriebs GmbH, Commonwealth Laminating & Coating (Hong Kong) Limited, Commonwealth Laminating & Coating Inc, Crown Operations International LLC, Dynaloy, Eastman Administracion S.A. de C.V., Eastman Chemical (Barbados) SRL, Eastman Chemical (China) Co. Ltd., Eastman Chemical (China) Co. Ltd. - Guangzhou Branch, Eastman Chemical (China) Co. Ltd. - JingAn Branch, Eastman Chemical (Gibraltar) Limited, Eastman Chemical (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Eastman Chemical (PPU) Pte. Ltd., Eastman Chemical AMI GmbH, Eastman Chemical AMI LLC, Eastman Chemical AP Holdings B.V., Eastman Chemical Adhesives (Hong Kong) Limited, Eastman Chemical Advanced Materials B.V., Eastman Chemical Argentina S.R.L., Eastman Chemical Asia Pacific Pte Ltd-Indonesia Rep Office, Eastman Chemical Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Eastman Chemical Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. - Vietnam Representative Office, Eastman Chemical Australia Pty LTD - New Zealand Branch, Eastman Chemical Australia Pty. Ltd., Eastman Chemical B.V., Eastman Chemical B.V. - Czech Republic Representative Office, Eastman Chemical B.V. - Denmark Branch, Eastman Chemical B.V. - Filiale Italiana, Eastman Chemical B.V. - France Branch, Eastman Chemical B.V. - Hungarian Commercial Representative Office, Eastman Chemical B.V. - Poland Representative Office, Eastman Chemical B.V. - South Africa Representative Office, Eastman Chemical B.V. Taiwan Branch, Eastman Chemical B.V. The Hague Zug Branch, Eastman Chemical Canada Inc., Eastman Chemical Company Investments Inc., Eastman Chemical EMEA B.V., Eastman Chemical Europe Middle East and Africa LLC, Eastman Chemical Europe S.a.r.l., Eastman Chemical Fibers IP GmbH, Eastman Chemical Fibers IP LLC, Eastman Chemical Finance B.V., Eastman Chemical Finance CN S.a.r.l., Eastman Chemical Finance EUR S.a.r.l., Eastman Chemical Finance GBP S.a.r.l., Eastman Chemical Finance SGD S.a.r.l., Eastman Chemical Finance USD S.a.r.l., Eastman Chemical Financial Corporation, Eastman Chemical GDL S.a.r.l., Eastman Chemical Germany Holdings GmbH & Co. KG, Eastman Chemical Germany Management GmbH & Co. KG, Eastman Chemical Germany Verwaltungs-GmbH, Eastman Chemical Global Holdings LLC, Eastman Chemical Global Holdings S.a.r.l., Eastman Chemical GmbH, Eastman Chemical HK Limited, Eastman Chemical Holdings do Brasil Ltda., Eastman Chemical Hong Kong B.V., Eastman Chemical Iberica S.L., Eastman Chemical India Private Limited, Eastman Chemical Intermediates (Hong Kong) Limited, Eastman Chemical International GmbH, Eastman Chemical International Holdings B.V., Eastman Chemical International LP LLC, Eastman Chemical Japan Ltd., Eastman Chemical Korea B.V., Eastman Chemical Korea Ltd., Eastman Chemical Latin America Inc., Eastman Chemical Ltd., Eastman Chemical Ltd. - Australia Branch, Eastman Chemical Ltd. - Singapore Branch, Eastman Chemical Ltd. - Taiwan Branch, Eastman Chemical Luxembourg Finance S.a.r.l., Eastman Chemical Luxembourg Holdings 1 LLC, Eastman Chemical Luxembourg Holdings 1 S.a.r.l., Eastman Chemical Luxembourg Holdings 2 S.a.r.l., Eastman Chemical Luxembourg Holdings LLC, Eastman Chemical Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., Eastman Chemical Malaysia B.V., Eastman Chemical Middelburg B.V., Eastman Chemical Netherlands Limited, Eastman Chemical Products Singapore Pte. Ltd., Eastman Chemical Regional UK, Eastman Chemical Resins Inc., Eastman Chemical S.C.S., Eastman Chemical Singapore Pte. Ltd., Eastman Chemical Switzerland GmbH, Eastman Chemical Technology BVBA, Eastman Chemical Texas City Inc., Eastman Chemical US Finance LLC, Eastman Chemical Uruapan S.A. de C.V., Eastman Chemical Workington Limited, Eastman Chemical do Brasil Ltda., Eastman Cogen Management L.L.C., Eastman Cogeneration L.P., Eastman Company UK Limited, Eastman Fibers Korea Limited, Eastman Fibers Singapore Pte. Ltd., Eastman Foundation, Eastman Global Holdings Inc., Eastman International Holdings LLC, Eastman International Management Company, Eastman Italia S.r.l., Eastman Kimya Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Eastman LAR Distribucion S. de R.L. de C.V., Eastman Mazzucchelli Hong Kong Limited, Eastman Mazzucchelli Plastics (Shenzhen) Company Limited, Eastman Servicios Corporativos S.A. de C.V., Eastman Spain L.L.C., Eastman Specialties Corporation, Eastman Specialties Holdings Corporation, Eastman Specialties OU, Eastman Specialties S.a.r.l., Eastman Specialties Wuhan Youji Chemical Co. Ltd, Eastman de Argentina SRL, Ecuataminco S.A., Flexsys America L.P., Flexsys America LLC, Flexsys Chemicals (M) Sdn Bhd, Flexsys K.K., Flexsys Rubber Chemicals Limited, Flexsys Verkauf GmbH, Flexsys Verkauf GmbH - France Branch, Flexsys Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Genovique Specialties Corporation, HDK Industries Inc., Holston Defense Corporation, Huper Optik (GP) L.L.C., Huper Optik International Pte. Ltd., Huper Optik U.S.A. L.P., Industriepark Nienburg GmbH, Kingsport Hotel L.L.C., Knowlton Technologies LLC, Monchem International LLC, Mustang Pipeline Company, Nanjing Yangzi Eastman Chemical Ltd, Novomatrix Inc., Novomatrix International Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Qilu Eastman Specialty Chemicals Ltd, S E Investment LLC, Sakra Hyco Pte. Ltd., Sakra Island Carbon Dioxide Pte Ltd, Scandiflex do Brasil Ltda., Solchem LLC, Solchem Netherlands C.V., Solutia (Thailand) Ltd., Solutia Brasil Ltda., Solutia Canada Inc., Solutia Chemicals France S.a.r.l., Solutia Chemicals India Private Limited, Solutia Chemicals India Private Limited - Branch, Solutia Deutschland GmbH, Solutia Europe BVBA - Portugal Representative Office, Solutia Europe BVBA - Russia Representative Office, Solutia Europe SPRL/BVBA, Solutia Greater China LLC, Solutia Hong Kong Limited, Solutia Inc., Solutia International Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Solutia Italia S.r.l., Solutia Japan Limited, Solutia Performance Products (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Solutia Performance Products Solutions Ltd., Solutia Singapore Pte. Ltd., Solutia Solar GmbH, Solutia Therminol Co. Ltd. Suzhou, Solutia Tlaxcala S.A. de C.V., Solutia UK Holdings Limited, Solutia UK Investments Limited, Solutia UK Limited, Solutia Venezuela S.R.L., Southwall Europe GmbH, Southwall Insulating Glass LLC, Southwall Technologies Inc., St. Gabriel CC Company LLC, Sterling Chemicals Inc, SunTek Australia Pty. Ltd., SunTek Films Canada Inc., SunTek UK Limited, TX Energy LLC, Taminco Argentina S.A., Taminco BVBA, Taminco BVBA - France Rep Office, Taminco BVBA - Hungarian Commercial Representative Office, Taminco BVBA - Oficina de Representacion en Espana, Taminco BVBA - The Philippines, Taminco Chile S.p.A, Taminco Choline Chloride (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Taminco Corporation, Taminco Finland Oy, Taminco Germany GmbH, Taminco Global Chemical LLC, Taminco Group BVBA, Taminco Group Holdings S.a.r.l., Taminco Holding Netherlands B.V., Taminco Intermediate LLC, Taminco Italia S.r.l., Taminco Limitada, Taminco Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Taminco US LLC, Taminco Uruguay S.A., Taminco de Guatemala S.A., Taminco de Honduras S.A. de C.V., Taminco do Brasil Comercio e Industria de Aminas Ltda., Taminco do Brasil Produtos Quimicos Ltda., Te An Ling Tian (Nanjing) Fine Chemical Co. Ltd., TetraVitae Bioscience, V-Kool International Pte. Ltd., and Yixing Taminco Feed Additives Co. Ltd.. First BanCorp (Puerto Rico) is a holding company, which engages in the provision of personal, commercial, and corporate banking services through its subsidiaries. It operates through the following segments: Commercial and Corporate Banking, Consumer (Retail) Banking, Mortgage Banking, Treasury and Investments, United States Operations, and Virgin Islands Operations. The Commercial and Corporate Banking segment consists of the company's lending and other services for large customers represented by specialized and middle-market clients and the public sector. The Consumer (Retail) Banking segment includes consumer lending and deposit-taking activities conducted mainly through FirstBank's branch network in Puerto Rico. The Mortgage Banking segment focuses on the origination, sale, and servicing of a variety of residential mortgage loan products and related hedging activities. The Treasury and Investments segment deals with treasury and investment management functions. The United States Operations segment represents all banking activities conducted by FirstBank on the United States mainland. The Virgin Islands Operations segment includes all banking activities conducted by FirstBank in Read More The following companies are subsidiares of PerkinElmer: Analytica of Branford, Applied Biosystems, Arnel Inc., ArtusLabs, Beijing Huaan Magnech Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., Beijing Longrun Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., Beijing Meizheng Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., Beijing Meizheng Testing Lab Co. Ltd., Beijing OUMENG Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Bio Evolution SAS, Bioo Scientific Corporation, Biosense Picolabs Inc., Biosense Technologies Pvt Ltd., Caliper Life Sciences, Caliper Life Sciences Inc., Cambridge Research & Instrumentation Inc., CambridgeSoft, Ceiba Solutions, Chengdu PerkinElmer Medical Laboratory Co. Ltd., Chromo G.A. SAS, CisBio US Inc., Cisbio Asia Pacific Ltd, Cisbio Bioassays SAS, Cisbio China Ltd., Cisbio Group SAS, Cisbio KK, Cisbio.com, DNA Laboratories Sdn. Bhd., Dani Analitica S.r.l., Dexela, EUROIMMUN (Hangzhou) Medical Laboratory Diagnostics Co. Ltd., EUROIMMUN (South East Asia) Pte Ltd., EUROIMMUN (Tianjin) Medical Diagnostic Technology Co. Ltd., EUROIMMUN AG, EUROIMMUN Brasil Medicina Diagnostica Ltda., EUROIMMUN Diagnostics Espana S.L.U., EUROIMMUN France SAS, EUROIMMUN Italia Diagnostica Medica S.r.l., EUROIMMUN Japan Co. Ltd., EUROIMMUN Medical Diagnostics (China) Co. Ltd., EUROIMMUN Medical Diagnostics Canada Inc., EUROIMMUN Medical Laboratory Diagnostics South Africa (Pty) Ltd., EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG, EUROIMMUN Polska Spolka z o.o., EUROIMMUN Portugal Unipessoal Lda., EUROIMMUN Schweiz AG, EUROIMMUN Turkey Tibbi Laboratuar Teshisleri A.S., EUROIMMUN UK Ltd., EUROIMMUN US Inc., EUROIMMUN US Real Estate LLC, Geospiza, Guangzhou EUROIMMUN Medical Diagnostic Products Co. Ltd., Hangzhou EUROIMMUN Medical Diagnostic Products Co. Ltd., Horizon Discovery, Immunodiagnostic Systems, Integromics S.L., Jiangsu Meizheng Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., LabMetrix Technologies, Labtronics, ManCell SAS, Nexcelom Bioscience, NovaScreen Biosciences Corporation, Opto Technology, Orchid Biomedical Systems Pvt Ltd., Oxford Immunotec, Pediatrix Medical Group - Newborn Metabolic Screening Business, Perkin Elmer Chile Ltda., Perkin Elmer Italia SpA, Perkin Elmer Sdn. Bhd., Perkin Elmer Yuhan Hoesa, Perkin Elmer de Mexico S.A., Perkin-Elmer Argentina S.R.L., Perkin-Elmer Instruments (Philippines) Corporation, PerkinElmer (Hong Kong) Ltd., PerkinElmer (India) Pvt Ltd., PerkinElmer (Ireland) Ltd., PerkinElmer (Schweiz) AG, PerkinElmer (Shanghai) Equity Investment Fund L.P., PerkinElmer (Shanghai) Equity Investment Fund Management Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer (UK) Holdings Ltd., PerkinElmer Analytical Solutions B.V., PerkinElmer Automotive Research Inc., PerkinElmer BVBA, PerkinElmer CV Holdings LLC, PerkinElmer Cellular Technologies Germany GmbH, PerkinElmer Danmark A/S, PerkinElmer Diagnostics Global Holdings S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Diagnostics Holdings Inc., PerkinElmer Espana S.L., PerkinElmer Finance Luxembourg S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Finland Oy, PerkinElmer Genetics Inc., PerkinElmer Germany Diagnostics GmbH, PerkinElmer Global Diagnostics S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Global Financing S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Global Holdings S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Health Sciences (Australia) Pty. Ltd., PerkinElmer Health Sciences B.V., PerkinElmer Health Sciences Canada Inc., PerkinElmer Health Sciences FZ-LLC, PerkinElmer Health Sciences Inc., PerkinElmer Health Sciences Pvt Ltd., PerkinElmer Healthcare Diagnostics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer Holding Luxembourg S.a r.l., PerkinElmer Holdings Inc., PerkinElmer Holdings Pty. Ltd., PerkinElmer IVD Pte Ltd., PerkinElmer Inc., PerkinElmer Informatics Inc., PerkinElmer Instruments (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer International C.V., PerkinElmer Investments Ky, PerkinElmer Israel Ltd., PerkinElmer Japan Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer LAS (Germany) GmbH, PerkinElmer LAS (UK) Ltd., PerkinElmer Life Sciences International Holdings, PerkinElmer Limited, PerkinElmer Ltd., PerkinElmer Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer Nederland B.V., PerkinElmer Norge AS, PerkinElmer Oy, PerkinElmer Polska Sp z o.o., PerkinElmer Pty. Ltd., PerkinElmer SAS, PerkinElmer Saglk ve Cevre Bilimleri Ltd., PerkinElmer Shared Services Sp z o.o., PerkinElmer Singapore Pte Ltd., PerkinElmer South Africa (Pty) Ltd., PerkinElmer Sverige AB, PerkinElmer Sweden Health Sciences Holdings AB, PerkinElmer Taiwan Corporation, PerkinElmer VertriebsgmbH, PerkinElmer chemagen Technologie GmbH, PerkinElmer do Brasil Ltda., Perten Instruments, Perten Instruments (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Perten Instruments AB, Perten Instruments France SASU, Perten Instruments GmbH, Perten Instruments Italia S.r.l., Perten Instruments of Australia Pty Ltd., RHS Ltd, RayAl Ltd., Shandong Meizheng Bio-Tech Co. Ltd., Shanghai Haoyuan Biotech Co. Ltd., Shanghai Spectrum Instruments Co. Ltd., Shanghai Spectrum Instruments Co. Ltd., Signature Genomic Laboratories, Solus Scientific Solutions Inc., Solus Scientific Solutions Ltd., Surendra Genetic Labs, Suzhou PerkinElmer Medical Laboratory Co. Ltd., Suzhou Sym-Bio LifeScience, Suzhou Sym-Bio Lifescience Co. Ltd., Tulip Diagnostics, Tulip Diagnostics Pvt Ltd., Vanadis Diagnostics, Vanadis Diagnostics AB, ViaCell, ViaCord LLC, VisEn Medical, VisEn Medical Inc., Wallac Oy, Wellesley B.V., Xenogen Corporation, ZeLab SAS, and chemagen Biopolymer-Technologie AG. Royal Bank of Canada operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. The company's Personal & Commercial Banking segment offers checking and savings accounts, home equity financing, personal lending, private banking, indirect lending, mutual funds and self-directed brokerage accounts, guaranteed investment certificates, credit cards, and payment products and solutions; and lending, leasing, deposit, investment, foreign exchange, cash management, auto dealer financing, trade products, and services to small and medium-sized commercial businesses. This segment offers financial products and services through branches, automated teller machines, and mobile sales network. Its Wealth Management segment provides a suite of advice-based solutions and strategies to high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals, and institutional clients. The company's Insurance segment offers life, health, home, auto, travel, wealth, annuities, and reinsurance advice and solutions; and creditor and business insurance services to individual, business, and group clients through its field sales force, advice centers, and online, as well as through independent insurance advisors and affinity relationships. Its Investor & Treasury Services segment provides asset, cash management, transaction banking, and treasury services to institutional clients; correspondent banking and trade finance services for financial institutions; and short-term funding and liquidity management services. The company's Capital Markets segment offers corporate and investment banking, as well as equity and debt origination, distribution, sale, and trading services for corporations, institutional investors, asset managers, governments, and central banks. Royal Bank of Canada has a strategic partnership with Royal College Of Physicians & Surgeons Of Canada to support the needs of Canada's medical specialists. The company was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More UTICA- A local college students puts together bags to help victims of sexual assault. April is sexual assault awareness month, and SUNY Poly student, Brianda Gagnon collected items that are meant to help make victims of sexual assault feel as though they're not alone. Gagnon is calling this "Bags of Hope." She stuffed them with items like journals, coloring books, and blankets because she says they're supposed to help with stress. She told NEWSchannel 2 she was a victim of childhood sexual assault, and she knows how it feels to live with something like that. "In my experience, a lot of survivors will get resources right after the event, and then nothing will happen, "said Gagnon. "Then something will happen and they'll end up in therapy, so I wanted to give them something to comfort them, something for them to hold on to, something for them to feel not so alone during that in between time when they're not getting therapy, when they're not getting support." She said she got the idea from a retreat she attended. UTICA- Officials with Utica College are investigating an incident that happened Friday night during a school sponsored event. The college said a disturbing photo involving three Utica College students, has been circulating on social media. The image shows a student with a rope around the neck. College officials say, the event took place in the Strebel Student Center lounge where there were several stations set up. One of the stations had an activity where students could throw lassoes around the head of a fake steer. The college confirmed the rope pictured around the students neck is from one of those lassoes. The three students have been removed from campus and will remain off campus until the investigation is complete. The college has asked NEWSChannel 2 to blur out the students face to protect the student's identity. Here is the full response from President Laura Casamento: Dear Members of the College Community: I know many people have questions about what transpired last evening and what happened to the students who were involved in the posting of a disturbing image on social media. Federal privacy laws prevent us from disclosing certain specific information that people are seeking. However, here's what I can share with you: The incident that led to the posting took place during a student-sponsored event in the Strebel Student Center lounge. The event featured a number of activities, one of which was a station at which students threw lassoes around the head of a fake steer. The rope pictured in the image was fashioned from one of those lassoes. As a preliminary action, the three students involved have been removed from campus and will remain off campus pending the outcome of an investigation and the College's conduct process. We have also provided facts surrounding the incident to law enforcement. Subsequent postings to social media have threatened the student in the image. These, too, will be investigated as possible violations of College policies and will be provided to law enforcement. The image, no matter what the intent, is offensive, threatening, hurtful, and potentially unlawful. As I've stated repeatedly, this College has zero tolerance for such behavior, and the actions that we take will be swift and resolute. In addition, while I understand that incidents such as this one provoke emotional reactions, I am troubled by the subsequent social media postings. As appalling as the original image is, the subsequent postings threatening violence against a member of the College community are also appalling. I strongly encourage those who are responsible for posting threatening language to remove the postings immediately, as the actions that we will take against them will also be swift and resolute. I will be meeting with the leaders of several student organizations and enlisting their support as we discuss the steps that we need to take to address what has happened. In the meantime, in keeping with the College's due process obligations, the students involved in the incident will have an opportunity to tell their side of the story. However, regardless of intent, I will not lose sight of the fact that the image carried not only very real, very strong connotations of racism and intimidation but also implications for those who have faced mental health challenges, and this has had a profoundly painful and damaging impact on our College community. Such incidents undermine our principles and the hard work that we do, day in and day out, to uphold those principles. Laura Casamento President The murder of Lori Kaye, a 60-year-old woman attending synagogue on Saturday, was the work of a domestic terrorist who killed her because she was Jewish. The shooter also wounded three others at the synagogue, who were celebrating the last day of Passover. Terrorism is generally defined as an act of violence against civilians for political purposes by an individual or group. Saturday's assault at the San Diego-area synagogue by suspect John Earnest certainly fits that definition. If this attack seems sickeningly familiar to many Americans, that's because it is. Like school shooters, terrorists learn from and emulate other terrorists. According to what is believed to be the shooter's online manifesto, similar hate-filled terrorist attacks inspired his heinous act -- including the October shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, in which a man, armed with an assault rifle, killed 11 worshippers. The shooter in that attack blamed Jews for the migrant caravan that was then moving through Mexico, according to his postings on social media. In this manifesto, the shooter also references the man who killed 50 worshipers at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, last month. According to local authorities, the California shooter was a "lone actor" terrorist who operated without the support of any group. He was also allegedly armed with an "AR-type assault weapon," which is designed to kill human beings at a rapid pace and is often the weapon of choice for mass murderers in the United States. Jihadist terrorists, using semi-automatic rifles, have also carried out massacres in the United States in recent years. In 2016, armed with an assault rifle, Omar Mateen killed 49 people at a nightclub in Orlando. He was inspired by ISIS -- but had no direction or training from the terrorist organization. A year earlier, armed with assault rifles, Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, killed 14 at an office in San Bernardino, California. They, too, were inspired by ISIS, but had no direct connections to the group. What to do? There are three kinds of issues that need to be addressed to respond to these cases of domestic terrorism. The easy availability of assault rifles in the United States helps enable those intent on mass murder, yet the Second Amendment absolutism of the National Rifle Association (NRA) has prevented common sense measures to curtail the sale of such weapons, which are designed to kill as many human beings as possible. Such measures do not amount to "taking" peoples' guns away. My in-laws in Louisiana do not go deer hunting with assault rifles. However, the mood in the United States seems to be shifting -- with the increasing frequency of mass murders enabled by semiautomatic weapons, contributions to the NRA are "lagging," according to the New York Times. And, according to Gallup polling released in October, six in ten Americans now support stricter gun laws. Last month, the New Zealand government banned the sale of assault rifles shortly after the massacre at the mosque. Could the US Congress ever enact such a sensible measure? The question, of course, is unfortunately almost entirely rhetorical, as long as politicians remain obedient to the NRA. Another issue to address is the legal status of domestic terrorism, which is not a federal crime, according to Mary McCord, who ran the National Security Division at the Department of Justice until 2017, where she oversaw all terrorism investigations in the United States. The time has come to consider how such a statute might work. Of course, there are First Amendment issues that make this complicated, but the case of Coast Guard Lt. Christopher Paul Hasson of Silver Spring, Maryland, underlines why such a statute could be useful. Hasson was arrested in February. Prosecutors said he had a hit list of Democratic politicians and anchors at CNN and MSNBC -- and that he had assembled 15 firearms and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition. Yet a federal judge said Thursday that Hasson will be released, while he is awaiting trial on weapons and drugs charges to which he has pleaded not guilty. If Hasson had been an ISIS sympathizer, it likely would have been much easier to keep him in detention because any form of "material support" to ISIS, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization is a federal crime that allows prosecutors to keep suspects in jail while they await trial. In addition, President Donald Trump needs to be clear about calling out extremism of all kinds. To his credit, at a rally on Saturday in Wisconsin, Trump said, "We forcefully condemn the evil of anti-Semitism and hate. It must be defeated." Trump, however, should stop defending his remarks about the "fine people" on both sides of the violent white nationalist rally in Charlottesville in 2017, as he did on Friday. At the Charlottesville rally, hoards of neo-Nazis marched and chanted "Jews will not replace us." This is the same anti-Semitism that inspired the California shooter to carry out his attack at the synagogue on Saturday, as outlined in the manifesto. Snow continues to fall in northern Illinois & southern Wisconsin to southern Michigan. This is a webcam from Chicago just west of O'Hare Airport. Temperatures are 40-51 over our viewing area now after highs today 42-57. One main round of rainfall has passed with some isolated thunder. Rainfall totals range from a trace to 0.30" as of 6:30 p.m. Warm front is laid up southwest of our area, re-enforced southwestward by rain-cooled air in our area. Clouds are eroding south of the warm front. Also note the building cumulus towers then along the cold front west of here as some t'storms try to develop. Between the warm front & cold front near the surface low, temperatures are as high as the lower 80s in eastern Missouri & 75-80 in western Illinois. It is even 75 in far northeastern Missouri. The 60s are now moving into parts of central Illinois. Center of storm system will pass near our area with warm front potentially getting to I-74 this evening. Temperatures may rise in our southern areas ahead of the showers & a few isolated t'storms (see below). Temperatures will then fall once the cold front moves through. Another wave of showers & even a few isolated t'storms should form to our west & move eastward, passing as round #2 of rainfall the evening-tonight. Any MARGINAL RISK of severe weather looks to stay southwest of our area, however. Rain may end as brief flakes north of US 24 tonight, followed by clearing & lows 31-37 (36 Greater Lafayette). It will turn windy tonight with those cold temperatures. North winds may gust to 38 mph at times, dropping wind chills to 22-29 late. Sunday will turn brighter, but it will be breezy & cool with highs 55-60 (57 Greater Lafayette). Warm front will move back northward Sunday night with a couple rounds of showers & a few t'storms along & north of it Monday morning. Rainfall should taper Monday afternoon. At this point, it looks like any severe risk will stay west & southwest of our area. The warm front will split the area in half in the afternoon with 70s south, mid 60s Greater Lafayette & 50s north. Even Monday night-Tuesday morning lows will range from 41 in the far north to 62 in the south & around 54 in Greater Lafayette. Showers & some t'storms will develop late Monday night & last into Tuesday morning. Some additional development will occur Tuesday afternoon-evening. The best rainfall coverage looks to set up over the northern half of the viewing area. A couple severe storms are possible near the warm front. It looks like a situation of 50s in the north with up to 80 in the south with mid 60s at Greater Lafayette. However, it may end up being like 64 at Battle Ground & 72 along Veteran's Memorial & 76 at Stockwell. It is a very tough, tedious call, but certainly our southern counties have a much higher probability of getting quite warm & humid, while the north is cool & quite rainy. Warm front may move completely north of the area Tuesday night to Wednesday morning. Temperatures may run 65-72 Tuesday night with a strong southerly wind. Showers & storms are possible, along with some severe risk. After highs 68-77 Wednesday, it appears that front will drop southward with a round of showers & t'storms & perhaps some severe weather risk. Area may be split by front Thursday with 59 northwest & 80 southeast. Showers & t'storms are possible Thursday. An isolated severe t'storm is possible. Including today, 2-4" of rainfall is likely by Thursday night for the viewing area. Front will then sink south of the area & we should dry out Friday. Front will begin to migrate back northward again next weekend. Winds will be strong from the south Sunday-Monday after being light from the northeast, east, then southeast Saturday. Showers & t'storms should return late Monday after highs of 77-81. By Online Desk DELHI: Crisis-hit helicopter service Pawan Hans Limited has issued a circular to its employees stating that the company is not in a position to disburse employees' salaries for the month of April due to "uncomfortable financial position in Pawan Hans." Pawan Hans is a 51:49 joint venture between the central government and state-owned oil explorer ONGC. The company's management in its circular dated 25 April said, "The industry's future is uncertain as many of our established businesses and our associated challenges are threatening future deployments. In terms of financial performance, the revenue has sharply declined in the financial year 2018-19 and the company has incurred a net loss to the tune going to Rs 89 crore during this financial year." The circular also stated, "Search trends were financially downturn as there was a serious mismatch that had been built up between the revenue income depending on the present business volume and the expenses, particularly on the staff cost. The situation has further turned critical as the outstanding amount lying with various customers has risen to alarming levels of over Rs 230 crores. Therefore, there is a need for complete transformation by adopting corrective measures in various areas of management." READ HERE | Jet Airways employees seek President's intervention for salary dues, emergency funds to airline The company has decided to defer April salaries of all employees except those who are contributing to the production until a target of 60 per cent recovery of outstanding dues (by bringing the receivable below Rs 100 crore) was met. Meanwhile, the Pawan Hans Employees Union denounced the decision, arguing that, "It is inhuman to stop the salaries of workers who all are due for wage revision. It is for your kind information that we are wearing a black ribbon as a mark of protest against the inhuman act of the management." The union members have threatened to approach the CAG and the CBI over Pawan Hans' financial issues if the management did not pay heed to their grievances. Last year, the central government had decided to call off a fresh bid for 100 per cent stake sale in Pawan Hans. As of now, the firm has a fleet of around 46 choppers. (With inputs from ANI) By Express News Service BENGALURU: A day that was meant to be fun turned into a heart-wrenching tragedy for this family. On seeing their 14-year-old younger brother slip and fall into a pond, three siblings dived into it one after the other trying to save him but all four drowned. The incident happened at Siddara Betta in Dobbspet near Tumakuru on Saturday afternoon. Munir Khan (49), an auto driver, also drowned trying to save the four siblings. He was their neighbour in Thanisandra, Bengaluru. The 14-year-old who fell into the pond first is Usman Khan (14). His siblings Reshma (22), Yaarab Khan (21) and Mubbin Taj (21), all residents of Hegdenagar near Thanisandra, drowned when they jumped into the pond one after the other to save Usman. Dobbspet police said the four siblings and two of their neighbours had gone to visit a dargah at Siddara Betta. After offering prayers, they went near the pond in the same locality and were having food when Usman accidentally slipped and fell into the pond. The siblings were four out of seven children of Shakila, who was in no condition to speak.The incident occurred at 12.30pm. Munir Khans brother screamed for help but they could not be rescued as there were no people around. Later, villagers got to know about the incident and alerted the police. The rescue team of fire and emergency service was called in and all the five bodies were fished out with the help of local divers. The bodies were handed over to their families after post mortem, police said. All the four were working in various shops. Usman Khan was working at a hardware shop, a police source added. Dobbspet police have registered a case. Siddara Betta, also called Nijagal Betta, is a rocky hill near the Bengaluru-Pune National Highway (NH4). It is known for its ruins of ancient temples and fort built by King Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar and is known for rock formations. The place is also known for ponds inside the fort formed by water trapped between the gaps or deep depressions in the rocks one of which claimed the five lives on Saturday afternoon. Former vice president Joe Bidens campaign brought in $6.3 million in the first 24 hours after its Thursday launch, trouncing the Day One numbers of all his rivals in the crowded race for the Democratic presidential nomination. Bidens campaign reported that a total of 96,926 donors gave it money in its first. The average online donation was $41 and 97 percent of online contributions were under $200. Bidens haul broke the marks set by former Texas representative Beto ORourke, who raised $6.1 million during the day of his campaign, and Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, who pulled in $5.9 million on his first day. California senator Kamala Harris, at $1.5 million, raised the next-most money on her first day of campaigning. The former vice presidents strong showing allayed concerns that his relatively late entry into the race could deflate voters enthusiasm for him. We are incredibly heartened by the energy and enthusiasm displayed throughout the country for Joe Biden, read a statement from Kate Bedingfield, Bidens deputy campaign manager and communications director. It is crystal clear from the last 24 hours that Americans are ready for dignified leadership, someone who can restore the soul of the nation, rebuild the middle class so everyone gets a fair shot and unite the country behind the core values we all believe in. That person is Joe Biden, and todays announcement demonstrates Americans agree. Bidens willingness to court high-dollar donors, as demonstrated by a fundraising event he held Thursday night in Philadelphia, may however pose problems for him with the progressive base. The former vice president announced Thursday that, like those of ORourke and Senator Elizabeth Warren, his campaign would not take money from corporate PACs or registered lobbyists. But his fundraising event attracted major corporate and Republican donors, which could play into the perception that he is too centrist for grassroots Democrats looking for a more liberal standard-bearer. More from National Review Its undoubtedly unfair to compare any and all quirky, darkly comic crime stories to past Coen brothers films, but sometimes its inescapable. So yes, directors Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudys Blow the Man Down has a blend you might as well call Coen-esque: dark deeds and black humor in a scenic but quietly sinister locale, with some bloody and seriously twisted stuff thrown in for good measure. But Blow the Man Down also has enough freshness to survive the comparison. Partly, thats because this is a female-centric tale of nefarious dealings and violence, with men peripheral to the machinations of the wives, mothers and daughters who run the show in a remote coastal Maine town while their men are out fishing. Partly, its because the likes of Margo Martindale, June Squibb and Annette OToole get juicy roles and know what to do with them. And partly, its because Cole and Krudy let us know right off the bat that they have a different take on this genre: The first few minutes of the film are devoted to a group of hearty fishermen singing the sea shanty that gives the film its title and they sing it lustily and in its entirety. Also Read: 'Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice' Review: Rock Doc Starts and Ends With the Music Other shanties return at various points in the movie, with the robust tones of bearded men in flannel shirts providing a kind of Greek chorus to the noir tale as it unfolds. And heres the thing: You might think of the sea shanty as a cliched, easily mocked piece of music all that yo-ho, yo-ho stuff, you know but in the right hands and the right setting, these are beautiful, richly evocative songs that provide far more emotional resonance than youd expect. What goes on between the songs, meanwhile, is dark but subtle; there are moments of violence pushed to the point of humor, but for the most part, Blow the Man Down ratchets up the tension slowly and gets darker and weirder a little bit at a time. Story continues It centers on two sisters, played by Morgan Saylor and Sophie Lowe, who realize after the death of their mother that shes left them with a failing business and no way to pay the overdue rent. Lowe plays the good girl, Priscilla, who wants to stick around and save the family home; Saylor is the restless one, Mary Beth, whod rather cut bait and get out of town. Also Read: 'The Apollo' Launches Tribeca Film Festival With a Look at a Theater, a Community - and Politics One night, things go wrong for Mary Beth and as in any good noir, missteps have a way of escalating. A trio of their mothers friends, played by Squibb, OToole and Harceline Hugot, try to help out, while the tensions rise between those three and the town madame, played by Martindale with scary relish. Everybody has secrets, nobody is innocent and the fun lies in watching it all play out in a subtle noir where the dames run the show and theres nary a hard-boiled Bogart-type to be found. From Body Heat to Fargo, women have driven the action in noir films before but the way this one plays out, with AARP-age women holding all the cards in a setting we usually associate with rugged men, feels like a genuinely fresh take on a time-honored genre. And the ending, all cagey glances and serene indifference hiding some seriously twisted stuff, is downright delicious. Still, the men are good for something in Blow the Man Down because, after all, youve gotta have somebody singing those sea shanties. Read original story Blow the Man Down Review: Film Noir Gets a Female Spin With Margo Martindale, June Squibb At TheWrap If you were looking for evidence of Chinese designs on building a modern-day empire, you would have to look no further than Africa: a vast continent whose natural resources and government borrowing sprees have helped fuel the engine of Chinas economic growth. So goes the conventional logic, at least; yet the reality of Chinese investment and influence on the continent is more complex, as evidenced by South African director Nicole Schafers Buddha in Africa, a years-long study of one teenager growing up in a Chinese Buddhist orphanage in Malawi. Schafers documentary, which world premiered at Hot Docs, is a sensitive portrayal of a young man torn between the kung-fu dreams and Confucian doctrine of his Buddhist upbringing, and a Malawian culture whose powerful roots might ultimately be holding him back. Through the lens of one teenagers journey, Buddha in Africa paints a complicated portrait of whats been described as the latest chapter in Africas long struggle against colonization. Related stories Kino Lorber Takes North America on 'Disappearance of My Mother' (EXCLUSIVE) Gravitas Acquires U.S. Rights for 'Inside Lehman Brothers' (EXCLUSIVE) Schafer spoke to Variety about Chinese soft power in Africa, the convergence of two drastically different cultures, and how her South African ancestry offers a distinctive lens on the 21st-century scramble for Africa. You first came across the story of a Buddhist orphanage in Malawi when you were working there as a journalist. What did you expect to find at the Amitofo Care Center (ACC) before you saw it with your own eyes? I was working on a story for Reuters magazine program Africa Journal about orphans in Malawi at the time that Madonna was adopting her second child, Mercy, in 2009. I was actually quite surprised during this period of research that there were quite a number of different orphanages or institutions promoting different cultural practices, from Dutch Reformed Christian institutions, to Islamic Turkish ones. Madonna subsequently set up her Kabbalist institution, too. Story continues With this Chinese Buddhist orphanage, it also happened to be the time when Malawi and other parts of Africa were entering into official diplomatic relations with the Peoples Republic of China, and there was all this debate about Chinas supposed colonization of Africa. I felt this orphanage was an interesting way of engaging in these debates. For the first time, one was seeing the impact of Chinese cultural influence on the lives of these African children. It played into many of the Western fears about Chinas supposed colonization of not only the continents resources, but this idea of China colonizing African culture, and African children, which is essentially the future of the African continent. I was really captivated. Chinas growing influence in Africa is almost always depicted within the framework of economic policies, trade, foreign resource extraction. Did you think the use of soft power on display at the orphanage offered an important counter-balance to that narrative? Its very unusual to find a place where one can so vividly see the convergence of these two very different cultures coming together under one roof. Despite the extensive numbers of Chinese nationals that have come into Africa in recent years, African and Chinese communities still live very separate livesI think primarily because of the cultural barriers. The language makes the Chinese culture certainly very inaccessible to Western, African people. In that respect, this orphanage is very unique. I felt it was a very interesting way to look at the cultural differences, some of the tensions that exist between these two cultures, but at the same time, the very real relationships that are being forged interculturally through personal story. How did you find Enock, and how long did it take to follow his growth and his journey over the course of this film? When I first went to the Amitofo Care Center, I was just doing a little video feature. I went in there for half a day to film the story, and the organization actually put me in touch with Enock. I asked if they could identify one or two kids who were fluent in Mandarin, and good at kung-fu, who would be able to talk to me. Enock has always been one of the organizations model students. He was always one of the favorites. The organization do these international tours for fund raising, and he was always one of the star performers. It took many years to capture his story and to build access. When I first started filming, he was very used to doing all the promotional inserts for the organization, so he would say all the right things. He was very rehearsed in front of the camera. So it took quite awhile for me to break through that, and to get through to the real Enock. At the same time, he was also growing up, so I had all these other challenges. It was quite a challenge to try to capture his full story. It took a good four years of filming. Master Hui Li, the Buddhist monk from Taiwan who established the ACC, seems to have genuine warmth for the orphans in his care, but hes also condescending and often blames Malawians themselves for the fact that their country is poor. What did that attitude reveal to you about Master Li, his intentions, and the orphanages hes establishing across Africa? There are many scenes in the film that show this kind of tension between the Chinese characters being caring and supportive, but at the same time harsh and patronizing. While the monk and other characters have good intentions and mean well, I think there is a lack of awareness around the historical context between Chinese and African communities. This idea that the poverty of Africa is the fault of Africans rather than the centuries of Western colonialism, and then the stifling loans and structural adjustment programs that came after independence, is a view that is very much echoed by the West in relation to Africa. As a white South African my ancestry represents the legacy of colonialism on the continent. So from this perspective I feel scenes like this are very much a mirror of my own context. The monk is able to provide Enock and his friends with a remarkable opportunity and the possibility of a future that would have been very different had they remained in their villages. But the question is to what extent the monk will be able to save Africa without perpetuating the cycles of the past. Towards the end of the film, as Enock prepares to make the difficult decision to either stay in Malawi or continue his studies in Taiwan, he wrestles with the personal sacrifices hell have to make leaving his country, his family and friends in pursuit of a better life. How do you think that dynamic plays out at the national level, and the prospects for development that China is offering Malawi and other African nations? I see Enocks dilemma very much represents the greater development affecting the questions around the future development of the African continent, especially within a globalized context. Its not only about China and Africa, its also about Africans relations with other foreign nations, including the former colonizers. I suppose its just this idea that the key to the future of the continents development is always held by outsiders, and that in order to succeed, we always have to adapt to foreign value systems and policies. I think Enocks story challenges this idea in very refreshing ways. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Photo credit: SAUL LOEB - Getty Images From Esquire Photo credit: SAUL LOEB - Getty Images GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN -- I just listen to Donald Trump. Erika, a 31-year-old from Green Bay, told me this outside the arena where the president was scheduled to speak-her distrust and disinterest in the press breathtaking. The news media stinks, she spat, insisting she gets all of her information from the president. He sees it. He walks it. He knows. Trump goes there-he goes to the Texas border and speaks to the people who are working down there. And theyre telling him whats going on, whats going wrong, what needs to be fixed. Thats a true president. I wouldnt listen to nobody else but him. For the third year running, the president skipped the White House Correspondents Dinner, opting to spend Saturday evening feeding red meat to his base inside the Resch Center, a 10,000-seat arena in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in the shadow of hallowed Lambeau Field. Trump's sway over many of his most ardent supporters has spawned some of the most vile behavior this country has seen in decades-from encouraging hatred towards immigrants and Muslims to flouting the rule of law-but the timing of this rally also prompts the question of how his constant assault on the press has cascaded down to those making the pilgrimage on Saturday night. Photo credit: Paul Morigi - Getty Images Among the thousands who came to hear Trump speak there was nary a moderate opinion about the Fourth Estate to be found. Sentiments about the press seemed to fall mostly in the narrow range between democracys necessary evil (at best) and enemy of the people (at worst). But almost everyone was happy, even eager to share their views on the press. It appears Trump has spawned a new generation of media critic/cynic. Some uttered truly astounding things: I dont subscribe to newspapers because I dont know who these writers are. In answer to a question about who in the media is trustworthy: I dont think [Sean] Hannity has been shown to be dishonest. Also, this lament: Fox News is moving left. Story continues Around 7 p.m. local time, Trump sauntered onto the stage to a mighty ovation from an audience awash in red hats and Trump-Pence 2020 signs. He offered condolences to the victims of the synagogue shooting that day in Southern California, talked about trade with China, and the strength of the U.S. economy. But on this night, he seemed preoccupied with the First Amendment-particularly his own abiding notion that the very correspondents whose dinner party invitation he had rebuffed are partisans abusing their press freedoms to falsely and unfairly attack him and his administration. Photo credit: SAUL LOEB - Getty Images On the way over, they were telling me about bad weather, by the way: We may have to cancel tonight. I said, Are you crazy? Boos and jeers rose up from the gallery. They thought you were going to have a big snow storm. A big, big snow storm. (Other areas of Wisconsin did, in fact, see snowfall.) The people that get it wrong the most are the weather forecasters and the political analysts, said Trump, pointing toward the back of the arena, in the direction of the press area. The throng took aim with its jeers. Later, Trump touted the countrys low rates of unemployment among people of color. Then, feigning nervousness, he said: If I make any misstatement, if Im off by just a little tiny bit, those people back there will be-headlines! Boos erupted. Fake news! Trump responded. Theyre fake! They are fake. They are fakers. That provoked a resounding chant of CNN sucks! Trump smirked. You know what sucks? he asked. Their ratings! Big laughs. Photo credit: SAUL LOEB - Getty Images Trumps verbal attacks on the media have been one of the most enduring themes of his presidency. And its easy to see why: The cry of Fake news! is an all-purpose way to swat aside any story that may put him or his administration in an unfavorable light. The refrain stands to be a cornerstone of Trumps 2020 reelection campaign. It is also one of the crucial ties that bind his most fervent supporters. I dont follow any mainstream media. Never turn on CNN or ABC or NBC. Dont subscribe to newspapers, said Jason Hak, 44, a union forklift operator from Bloomington, Minnesota. Cant do it. I wont support any of the media outlets. I wont even look. If I see a video from CNN on social media, I wont click on it. If I was to click on a mainstream media link, it would only be from Fox News. Even then, Im pretty leery of it. His go-to news source is a Facebook page called American Warrior Revolution that purports to provide quality information on world and national news, survival training, [pro-Second Amendment] news, firearms safety, first aid, disaster preparedness, gear reviews and instructional videos. The page boasts more than 500,000 likes. Its news of the people, by the people-citizen journalists, Hak said. Id trust that page over the New York Times any day, all day, 100 percent. The media is bad. They spouted this thing-Russia, Russia, Russia-for two years straight, said Randal Thom, a 59-year-old from Minnesota, who loves Trump so much that the tagline to his deck-repair company is Making Your Home and Decks Great Again. The media is no longer Walter Cronkite, he continued. When he spoke, you knew he was speaking the truth. He would never put his personal spin on it. He gave you the news. Nowadays, you watch the news, its all twisted up because they have such anger and hate for our president. Photo credit: SAUL LOEB - Getty Images Thom, who said the Green Bay rally was his 49th Trump event, leads a group of devoted rally attendees called Trumps Front Row Joes. One member is retiree Libby Earle, who has traveled from her home in New Haven, Connecticut, to 45 Trump events. Canadian by birth, she was so inspired by Trump that she hurried to complete the U.S. citizenship process a month ago so that she will be able to cast her vote for him next November. Some try to say that Fox News is a government channel and only influenced by Trump and is propaganda, Earle said. Thats bullshit! Fox is the only network that can talk about Trump at all without putting him down! I dont think the media is into representing whats really going on. Theyre into what sells. And if you are willing to take a shot at Trump, youre going to get eyeballs, said Mike Kraemer, 49, from Manhattan, Kansas. What gets short shrift, Kraemer and others said, is the nitty-gritty of the presidents actions, the things that keep them staunchly in his corner: economic growth, trade deals, border security, deregulation of various industries, etc. Photo credit: SAUL LOEB - Getty Images Madeline Miner, a 17-year-old from Green Bay, who took part in a small anti-Trump rally in a free-speech zone on the outskirts of the main rally area, said its difficult to stomach a Trumpie lecturing anyone about the media. Trump supporters are just in an entirely different world, she said. They listen to what they want to hear and they write everything else off as fake. That includes refusing to acknowledge as legitimate the innumerable necessary-and necessarily hard-hitting-public-interest stories regarding Russian election interference, the Stormy Daniels affair, the Trump familys murky finances, the fraudulent Trump University, and so on. Out on vendors row, thoughts about the press and politics were a bit more fluid. MAGA apparel saleswoman Audrina Falcone, a 27-year-old from Los Angeles, admitted, when customers were out of earshot, that her employer donates 20 percent of each sale to the campaign of Bernie Sanders, the candidate she voted for in the 2016 Democratic primary. Another vendor selling Trump merch, an African-American man named Jay, said for him its not about politics-its about money. Im a capitalist, man! A businessman. If I worked at a hotel, would I ask everyone who came through the door who they voted for? No. Id ask, Cash or credit? If you sell cars, you dont ask, Are you a Republican or a Democrat? You say, Do you want a two-door or a four-door? Otherwise you go broke. A balmy 40 degrees in Green Bay, Wisconsin President Trumps rally isnt until 7pm here but folks are lined up outside the Resch Center (in the shadow of Lambeau Field) pic.twitter.com/ZorvL724kl - Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) April 27, 2019 I dont know if theres a place to get the unvarnished truth. I can wake up and watch Fox News and tell how theyre spinning a story one way, and I can turn to CNN and see theyre spinning it the other way, said Shane Henderson, a metal artist from Manitowoc, Wisconsin. He was peddling his creations-everything from a polished stainless steel Trump head to a sheet metal Jesus in a MAGA hat. The political drama of the Trump presidency is better than any soap opera-and I profit off of it. Like, when he was fighting with Nancy Pelosi, I created a piece featuring Trump pissing on Pelosis head and sold 50 of them. As Trump neared the end of his 90-minute speech, he started to come off as a tired legacy music act, dutifully pleasing the crowd with his greatest hits. Build the wall is his Hotel California, drain the swamp his Stairway to Heaven, fake news his Free Bird. Once he had run through the entire set list, he went into full stump-speech mode to bring it in for a landing: Every day between now and November 2020 . . . we are going to keep on winning, winning, winning. We are going to win. Remember, I used to tell you about winning? We are winning. Photo credit: SAUL LOEB - Getty Images Long after Trump had left the stage and most all his supporters had exited the building, the reporters who remained in the media pen were seated in front of laptops as they readied their final drafts. No one seemed to notice, then, as a goateed man in a red MAGA hat leaned against the fence, cupped his mouth, and yelled, Liberal media sucks! His words, full of fury, floated high into the now-empty arena, echoed weakly, and quickly died out. The journalists kept on typing. The man turned on his heels and stalked away. ('You Might Also Like',) Historian Ron Chernow offered a robust defense of the news media and the First Amendment at the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday evening, and called out what he said was a relentless campaign against the press.The thing that worries me most is the sustained assault on truth, the Hamilton author said towards the end of a lengthy monologue at the black-tie event at the Washington Hilton. What is happening today is even more insidious, a relentless campaign against the very credibility of the news media.You combat the mistrust of a significant portion of the American electorate, he said at another point. A rising ride of misinformation masquerading as news threatens to make a mockery of the First Amendment. There are so many journalistic fakes and forgeries out there.Also Read: Ron Chernow to Speak at 2019 White House Correspondents' DinnerThe monologue was mostly tame and well-received as it rambled through historic press relations between presidents and journalists of different eras. He mentioned Theodore Roosevelts fondness for taking questions while having a shave and Eleanor Roosevelts decision to hold her own press briefings just for female reporters.Chernow also warned that attacks on the press can often have dire consequences, citing John Adams attempt to quell media critics with the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798.Because of his anti-press record, John Adams not only lost his race in 1800, but his Jeffersonian opponents reigned for the next quarter century, Chernow said.Though he declined to take any open broadsides at President Trump who boycotted the dinner for the third year in a row and frequently refers to journalists as enemies of the people Chernow did offer many cutting if oblique observations on the current climate.He called Alexander Hamilton, his most recent subject, an immigrant who arrived thank God before the country was full.Also Read: CNN's Jim Acosta To Receive 'Truth to Power' Award From NY Press ClubI dont know why they let the guy in. Clearly someone slipped up at the southern border, he added, to audience laughter.Chernow was selected to host the White House dinner after an eruption of outcry over the performance of comedian Michelle Wolf at the 2018 gathering. Some critics said her monologue was unfunny and mean-spirited.I really thought the pain of the people on stage when Sarah Huckabee Sanders was being made fun of. Everybody felt pain for her. She felt pain and it really bothered me, Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski said after the 2018 event. She looked pained. She was being humiliated for a prolonged amount of time on stage. Do we really want to be laughing at that? Its not funny.Though he was a safer choice than Wolf, Chernow is also no fan of Trump and made his own views clear in a July 2016 video begging Americans to vote against the billionaire.I have been deeply disturbed by the Trump campaign more deeply disturbed than by any other presidential campaign in our history. Weve all been horrified by the many shocking statements this man has made, but no less frightening have been the omissions, he said.Read original story Hamilton Author Ron Chernow Calls Out Relentless Campaign Against Media at White House Correspondents Dinner At TheWrap Historian Ron Chernow offered a robust defense of the news media and the First Amendment at the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday evening, and called out what he said was a relentless campaign against the press. The thing that worries me most is the sustained assault on truth, the Hamilton author said towards the end of a lengthy monologue at the black-tie event at the Washington Hilton. What is happening today is even more insidious, a relentless campaign against the very credibility of the news media. You combat the mistrust of a significant portion of the American electorate, he said at another point. A rising ride of misinformation masquerading as news threatens to make a mockery of the First Amendment. There are so many journalistic fakes and forgeries out there. Also Read: Ron Chernow to Speak at 2019 White House Correspondents' Dinner The monologue was mostly tame and well-received as it rambled through historic press relations between presidents and journalists of different eras. He mentioned Theodore Roosevelts fondness for taking questions while having a shave and Eleanor Roosevelts decision to hold her own press briefings just for female reporters. Chernow also warned that attacks on the press can often have dire consequences, citing John Adams attempt to quell media critics with the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. Because of his anti-press record, John Adams not only lost his race in 1800, but his Jeffersonian opponents reigned for the next quarter century, Chernow said. Though he declined to take any open broadsides at President Trump who boycotted the dinner for the third year in a row and frequently refers to journalists as enemies of the people Chernow did offer many cutting if oblique observations on the current climate. He called Alexander Hamilton, his most recent subject, an immigrant who arrived thank God before the country was full. Also Read: CNN's Jim Acosta To Receive 'Truth to Power' Award From NY Press Club Story continues I dont know why they let the guy in. Clearly someone slipped up at the southern border, he added, to audience laughter. Chernow was selected to host the White House dinner after an eruption of outcry over the performance of comedian Michelle Wolf at the 2018 gathering. Some critics said her monologue was unfunny and mean-spirited. I really thought the pain of the people on stage when Sarah Huckabee Sanders was being made fun of. Everybody felt pain for her. She felt pain and it really bothered me, Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski said after the 2018 event. She looked pained. She was being humiliated for a prolonged amount of time on stage. Do we really want to be laughing at that? Its not funny. Though he was a safer choice than Wolf, Chernow is also no fan of Trump and made his own views clear in a July 2016 video begging Americans to vote against the billionaire. I have been deeply disturbed by the Trump campaign more deeply disturbed than by any other presidential campaign in our history. Weve all been horrified by the many shocking statements this man has made, but no less frightening have been the omissions, he said. Read original story Hamilton Author Ron Chernow Calls Out Relentless Campaign Against Media at White House Correspondents Dinner At TheWrap Every show night at Broadways Shubert Theatre, Gbenga Akinnagbe resurrects Tom Robinson, bringing to life that most anguished of all the mockingbirds in Harper Lees To Kill A Mockingbird. But anguished doesnt fully encompass this version of the doomed, falsely accused black field hand on trial for raping the white Mayella Ewell. The Tom Robinson of Aaron Sorkins adaptation, so persuasively drawn by Akinnagbe, is, like this production as a whole, an uncanny mix of old and new, yesterday and today. A few miles to the south, at the Tribeca Film Festival, Akinnagbe (full name pronounced BENG-g -KEEN--bay) is appearing in two films: He plays ex-convict Marcus in Henry Hayes short film Rogers and Tilden (named after a street intersection in Flatbush), and the title characters father in Sam de Jongs feature Goldie. As a director, Akinnagbe is repped in the festival by the pilot episode of DC Noir, running in the festivals TV section. Hes also a juror for the International Narrative Feature Competition. Related stories 'Sing Street' Musical From 'Once' Team Set For Off Broadway World Premiere Deadine spoke to Akinnagbe (known to TV audiences for The Wire, The Good Wife and his stand-out performance as Larry, the emotionally, well, complicated pimp in HBOs The Deuce) about this most recent burst of New York visibility, his new characters, what drew him to them, and what they say of our times. The following conversation has been edited and condensed for length and clarity. Deadline: Lets start with Rogers and Tilden. Tell me about your character. Gbenga Akinnagbe: I am the lead character, whos been away in prison for a number of years and everythings changed, Ive been away long enough to be uncomfortable with the current technology like cell phones so get an opportunity to be back in society, getting a job, getting a stable place, a lot of it depends on having an ID, a drivers license, and if some important papers like your birth certificate and other things have been moved around and destroyed because you havent had a stable house or youve been away for a long time, or your family is dispersed or dead, this actually happens quite a lot. So, my character has come back and for him to get the job that he needs to stay out of trouble, he needs an ID and so, this film is all about him getting this small but crucial bit of ID to start his life again. Story continues How did you get involved in this project? Akinnagbe: The really cool casting director reached out to me and my reps, her names Kate and I think shes cool because she has a really good eye as far as cool projects. I spoke to the director and the co-writer. The two writers wanted to tell this small but important story and the way they wanted to do it was, I thought, honoring the characters involved, the neighborhood involved, it wasnt exploitive and it was well written. I was like, all right, lets do this. Lets tell this story. And Goldie? Akinnagbe: I had a great time doing that with a young lady named Slick [Woods], she plays the lead role of Goldie and actually, now that I think about it, this is also somebody whos literally trying to get a stable home for her and her sister and keep her family together. Her familys falling apart and separated and her sister put into the system so Goldie is trying to keep things together as best as she can, with the limitations that she has. I play Goldies father. When Goldie was younger, she and her father were really close and then when the parents split they, which oftentimes unfortunately happens, the child is used as a pawn and so distance grows between the father and the daughter. He hasnt seen her or talked to her in a long time and shes angry, rightfully so, and resentful and now that hes remarried and has a new kid and going to start again, Goldie has come back because she has nowhere else to go. He wants to help, wants to take her back but you know, the new family dynamics make it very difficult, so she has to continue this kind of journey to save her and her sisters life, but the best way she can. And as I describe that it reminds me of The Sun Is Also A Star, which is a film Im in coming out in May, and it deals with immigrants [facing deportation] and its funny, as Im talking to you, Im starting to see the connections Perfect, because thats just where I was heading. Everyone knows, or thinks they know, Tom Robinson, the character you play in To Kill A Mockingbird, so can you draw comparisons to these other characters you are playing now? Or how are they different? Akinnagbe: I think what [Marcus] and Tom have in common is that they are men whove been subject to the system for their entire lives, the power of the state has dictated a lot of the opportunities that they had or didnt have. With Tom, whos an innocent, the tragedy is compounded even more so because he ends up losing his life to the injustice of the system, the racism of the system and a lie. With Rogers and Tilden, [Marcus] committed a crime years ago and paid his debt to society and is now out. So in these two stories, theres one in which someone is a complete innocent and has been railroaded and another where someone has committed a crime, though obviously you have to take how and why into consideration but anyway hes paid his debt, so do we continue to punish him? Do we continue to disenfranchise him? Once theyve done what society says this is what you need to do to make it right, do we make them whole again when they come back? The timing for this film is uncanny. Bernie Sanders is getting roasted right now for asking that. Of course he stepped in hot water with the Boston bomber question Akinnagbe: Yeah. Hes talking about people that a lot of people consider havent paid their debts, and theyre in prison paying their debts. I do get his point, like there are some things that we as a society should not be able to take away because there are birthrights in a democracy, and once you start taking them away thats actually how you start to disenfranchise, and you dismantle your democracy without knowing that youre doing it. So I get his point, but I also see the other side of the argument that, yes, once youve paid your debt you should be fully reinstated as a citizen but people who have not paid their debts still owe society, so they should not be reinstated fully as full citizens with all the rights and privileges. I think its really good that were having this discussion right now because were in the midst of redefining a failing democracy, or at least identifying it in a most honest way, our failing democracy. This discussion is pertinent. You and I spoke briefly before Mockingbird opened and, without putting your own words in your mouth, you spoke about what you wanted for this Tom Akinnagbe: Yes, an acknowledgement that Tom has some agency in his own life that maybe he didnt have, lets say, in the film or the novel. That was attractive to me as an actor, as an artist and I think it tells a more interesting and more complicated story. Obviously that starts with good writing and how it was conceived with the creative team, and the actors and the year of workshops that we did. It was the same with LaTanyas character, Calpurnia [LaTanya Richardson Jackson plays the Finch family housekeeper]. Shes the only adult in the play whos not only on Atticuss side but who contradicts him, who forces him to see a more complicated view of the world. She speaks oftentimes for the audience, for what people are thinking, and that was enabled by giving her character, her black character, like Toms black character, more agency in the world weve created. What was your relationship To Kill a Mockingbird before you got involved with the stage production? Im always surprised that there are people who havent seen the movie or read the book. What was your history with it? Akinnagbe: Ive read excerpts of the book once or twice in school, but I never read the entire book. I knew that it was this big important thing that was kind of a right of passage, and I was in and out of special ed all through adolescence and elementary so I had a kind of different path than a lot of people. There were a lot of books that I didnt read or things that people normally do in public school that I didnt do. So it was this kind of thing I was aware of, and knew that it was a movie. Ive seen the movie, or excerpts of it when I was younger. So funny enough, getting to the workshop of this play with Aaron and Bart, I came to it with not with as much nostalgia and ownership that most people have of it, about how it touched them and affected them in particular at special times in their lives growing up. I didnt have that. This was a whole new piece to me, a whole new project, something that wed get to create and dissect. We dug a lot into the historical aspects of the time, the place, the politics, race, read books about Harper Lees father and his role in that town. So we had to dissect it in a ways outside of just the book. In a way, you were lucky, no baggage. I would imagine Aaron and everyone involved wanted the audience to see this Mockingbird as something entirely new, not a movie on stage. Akinnagbe: Exactly. There was this weight, especially in the beginning when people would show up basically daring us to screw up their favorite novel. There was this weight in the audience that you could feel, and then the play like just opened and said, all right, come on, this is the Atticus of the novel you love but were doing something different and come with us. And people have come with us. When I was sitting in the audience it felt to me that after about 10 minutes or so there was a sort of collective breath, like, were going to be okay here, theyre not destroying anything. I think its when the audience first laughs with the kids Scout, Jem and Dill who are played by adult actors. Thats when everyone gives themselves permission to go with it. Akinnagbe: Youre right on, and weve spoken about that as a cast. Its when you laugh with the kids. Because people do come in apprehensive, one, because its their favorite novel or movie, and two, because adults are playing kids. When audiences get permission to laugh, especially in a play about a subject thats so serious, theyre instantly into it and theyll go with you. And how long will that be, by the way? How long will you be with the show? Akinnagbe: A long time. Im loving it and Ill be there as of now until November. So, it will have been a year. Thats a good long run. And then? Akinnagbe: Good question. I have some projects that are in the ether, but nothing confirmed yet. As an actor things get more concrete, like, a couple months out if youre lucky. Sometimes a couple weeks out. But theres some things Im looking to do, awesome projects in a producorial vein if they line up right, time-wise, that maybe Ill be able to start doing when Mockingbird ends. There are a couple of films [already shot and set for release] and I can feel that part of me itching again. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. During a service on the last day of Passover, a woman was killed in the synagogue she called her second home. Lori Kaye was killed Saturday at Chabad of Poway near San Diego, California, after a suspected 19-year-old gunman opened fire on the nearly 100 people inside, according to authorities. Kaye, 60, is survived by her husband and 22-year-old daughter. Three others a girl and two men remain in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. Lori was my best friend and second mother to all my children. She was a pillar of our Jewish community, grew up in San Diego and touched many lives, Dr. Roneet Lev, Kayes best friend, tells PEOPLE. She gave her life to save our rabbis life, thats the kind of person she is, Lev says. RELATED: 1 Dead, At Least 3 Injured After Shooting at Synagogue Near San Diego on Last Day of Passover Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, 57, was shot in the hand when Kaye stepped between him and the gunman. The rabbi suffered what appears to be defensive wounds to both of his index fingers, a doctor at the Palomar Medical Center told CNN. (Those who were injured were taken to Palomar Medical Center, according to police.) Lori is holy now because she died on the Sabbath, on the holiday in the synagogue saving our rabbi, Lev says. My Jewish community believes God is good. The tremendous pain and agony we are suffering, only good can come out of her death. Describing Kaye as a selfless friend, who often provided to others, Lev says, Anyone who would have known her, knows her for her giving. She goes out of her way. If she could bring kindness to the world, she did through her actions. 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. Goldstein also remembered Kaye as a loving person and a friend of nearly 30 years. Story continues She is a steadfast member, supporter, philanthropist just a kind soul, he told host Willie Geist on NBCs Sunday Today, also sharing how he was able to start the congregation 35 years ago with Kayes help. Passover is about celebration, about unity and freedom and for this to occur on the last day of Passover was just so heart wrenching and heartbreaking, Goldstein said. Calling the Chabad tragedy a senseless killing of his close friend, Goldstein said Kayes death will not go in vain. I pray for healing in this time of pain and grief and I ask that we all do something to add more light to combat this evil darkness thats out there, he said. That can happen through acts of compassion and loving kindness. A law enforcement source told ABC News on Saturday that it appeared that the suspect, who is a San Diego resident, fired more than 10 rounds. [We were] outside in front of our house and heard about six gunshots, a pause, some yelling and then another six or seven gunshots, neighbor Chris Folts told ABC News. Folts then called 911. Authorities said an off-duty Border Patrol agent fired at the gunman as he was fleeing the scene. The Border Patrol agent did not hit the suspect. A new low, in a week of lows! On Friday, President Trump stood on the White House lawn and lauded Civil War General Robert E. Lee, who headed an army hell-bent on destroying the United States and preserving the institution of slavery. At the crack of dawn on Wednesday, the president, apparently waking up in a rage, tweeted, The Mueller Report, despite being written by Angry Democrats and Trump Haters, and with unlimited money behind it ($35,000,000), didnt lay a glove on me. I DID NOTHING WRONG. If the partisan Dems ever tried to Impeach, I would first head to the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition to his erroneous belief that the Supreme Court plays a role in impeachment proceedingsthey do notdoesnt it strike you that didnt lay a glove on me hardly sounds like the words of an innocent man? The day before, the president hyperventilated: I wonder if the New York Times will apologize to me a second time, as they did after the 2016 Election. But this one will have to be a far bigger & better apology. On this one they will have to get down on their knees & beg for forgivenessthey are truly the Enemy of the People! On Wednesday, this enemy of the people ran a piece with the headline Trump Vows Stonewall of All House Subpoenas, Setting Up Fight Over Powers, which sadly was not referencing the Greenwich Village bar that is considered the birthplace of the gay liberation movement. Instead, the article catalogued all the ways the president intends to thwart congresss attempts to oversee his administration. Were fighting all the subpoenas, he announced. These arent, like, impartial people. In other news, on Friday The Washington Post reported that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, apparently in a panic over the prospect of losing his job after the Times reported that the AG had suggested wearing a wire surreptitiously to record the president, saved his skin by convincing Trump that, I give the [Mueller] investigation credibility I can land the plane. (Note to the Deputy AG: You are not supposed to be landing aircraft for the president! You work for the American people, not one person!) On Wednesday, Jared Kushner, in a rare public appearance at the TIME 100 Summit, argued that the Mueller probe was worse for the country than foreign election meddling. You look at what Russia didyou know, buying some Facebook ads and try to sow dissent and do it, and its a terrible thing, he intoned, but I think the investigations and all the speculation that has happened for the last two years has had a much harsher impact on democracy than a couple Facebook ads.... Story continues And further to the next election, on Thursday Joe Biden finally announced his candidacy. (Is the third time the charm? He also ran in 1998 and 2008.) He launched his campaign with a video that directly attacked the president for his comments after the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville in 2017, prompting Trumps musings on the traitorous Robert E. Lee. (Trump now claims that his notorious very fine people on both sides, Charlottesville remarks were in support of people trying to preserve a Lee statue, but a glance at the videotape confirms that this is a bald-faced lie.) Lastly, Saturday night, after yet another tragic day in America, with a murderous shooting in a California synagogue, the president once again vilified the fourth estate. At a Green Bay, Wisconsin rally he called in lieu of attending the White House Correspondents Association dinnervirtually none of his henchmen and women were at that annual event, which celebrates the first amendmenthe whipped up the crowd by pointing to the journalists in the arena and shouting, Fake news. Theyre fake. They are fake. They are fakers. But even as Trump indulged in his noxious name-calling, WHCA president Olivier Knox reminded his audience, It shouldnt need to be said in a room full of people who understand the power of words, that 'fake news' and 'enemies of the people' are not pet names, punchlines, or presidential. And the keynote speaker, presidential historian Ron Chernowquite a switcheroo from last year's controversial comedian Michelle Wolfnevertheless injected a bit of humor in his remarks, ending by paraphrasing a quote from Mark Twain: Politicians and diapers must be changed oftenand for the same reason. By Express News Service CHENNAI: After having approached several hospitals for treatment and being turned away due to lack of proper medical facilities, retired Army Major General Dr Sathyapalan had all but lost hope. The 82-year-old suffered from aortic stenosis due to surgical valve failure. His age and the severity of the surgery meant that the army man had slim picking to choose from. Retired Army Major General Dr Sathyapalan with Dr Sai Sathish of the Apollo Hospital | Express However, when the former Major General contacted Dr Sai Sathish, a senior interventional cardiologist at Apollo Hospitals and saw the quality of their equipment, the septuagenarian was convinced of the surgerys success. And, just a few days after his open heart surgery, he was able to cast his vote in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. This was an extremely challenging case as the vessels in his leg were severely calcified and narrowed, and no valve could be moved across them for replacement. His age and physical health stood as a high risk making the procedure very demanding, said Dr Sathish. Upon obtaining his medical degree from Stanley Medical College in 1955, Dr Sathyapalan began his service in the Indian Army. Throughout his 35-year career, he has seen the Liberation of Goa, the Kargil War, the Indo-Chinese War, and assisted medical operations in Jaffna during the Sri Lankan Civil War. His efforts in the Army earned him the Yudh Seva Medal in 1991 from the late former President R Venkataraman. The Major General (Rtd), while thanking Apollo Hospitals, said, These procedures must be accessible, available, and affordable to the common man, else there is no use having diamonds in the air. There should be a proper system of healthcare or insurance because diseases of the heart affect the rich and the poor without discrimination. He also stressed the importance of making healthcare accessible in rural India. In November, administrators at Kaj Baker's private all-women's dorm, Scottish Rite Dormitory at the University of Texas at Austin, told the freshman people weren't "comfortable" with her girlfriend coming over. Now, Baker says she has reached a settlement with the dorm with the help of pro bono legal representation from Lenore Shefman of the Shefman Law Group. "I had my father, my partner, community allies, and the media standing by my side through this trying and emotional time," Baker told Refinery29. "The good news is that Scottish Rite Dormitory and I came to a peaceful resolution and have settled this matter. The specifics of the settlement are confidential, but I and my family and friends feel like it was a just outcome and look forward to a better future." She says she is grateful to everyone who's helped her secure a new place to live, including those who donated to her GoFundMe after the incident. Shefman said that, as a member of the queer community in Austin, she wanted to take on the case in order to help Baker feel less alone on a huge campus, in a state that has a lot of room to grow when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights. She says hers is one of the few law firms in Texas that focuses specifically on helping LGBTQ+ people. "She was really distraught, and I told her I was there for her," Shefman told Refinery29. "To see a member of the community crying out for support, and to be able to provide that and to remedy the situation [was important to me]. She's super-young and she's in a tender space in a big environment, and we were able to make a difference." The attorney, who describes herself as a "bulldog" when it comes to fighting cases, explained that the matter did not come to a lawsuit; it amounted to a discussion with the lawyer representing the dorm in which Shefman laid out several requirements on behalf of Baker. While she could not specify the details of the requirements, she said "increased education and awareness were a big component." Story continues Reached by phone, dorm administrators declined to provide comment for this story. On November 14, SRD director Mary Mazurek and SRD registrar Meshelle Bourne called Baker into their office to talk and said some people at the dorm aren't comfortable with her girlfriend Carlee staying over. They admitted, however, that Baker hadn't broken any rules: According to the private, all-women's dorm's contract, men are only allowed at certain times if they're escorted, but female guests are allowed anytime and can stay overnight. "We're trying to make sure that everybody all 315 residents feels more comfortable," Mazurek said in the meeting with Baker, according to the video by Texas News Channel below. "And sometimes that takes compromise on both sides to do that." Baker says she and Carlee were targeted for being in a same-sex relationship, and that it came to the point where she wasn't comfortable staying in the dorm anymore. "They told me that from this point forward, I was not allowed to have any guests over," Baker told Refinery29 back in November. "When I asked them why, they told me that my girlfriend and I make people uncomfortable, and that people are not comfortable with my sexual orientation at the dorm. ... I hope that in the future, SRD staff does not use a resident's sexual orientation to justify a guest ban." She says she is much happier at school now that this is all behind her. "I am really lucky to be at this school because so many people are supportive and accepting of the LGBTQ+ community," Baker said. "I wouldn't change anything about the experiences I've had in my life as a lesbian because it's made me who I am today and introduced me to the group of people I can be myself with." Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here? Trump Told Another Lie About Abortion At His Wisconsin Rally Last Night The Victims Of The Poway Synagogue Shooting: A Woman Who Protected The Rabbi & An 8-Year-Old Girl Here's How To Help The Survivors Of The Poway Synagogue Shooting Berlin (AFP) - A European elections campaign poster by Germany's AfD featuring a 19th-century painting called "The Slave Market" has raised hackles, with a US art museum demanding that the far-right party withdraw the advert. The Berlin chapter of Germany's anti-immigration party has featured in its campaign poster the 1866 painting of turban-wearing and bearded men scrutinising a naked woman, along with the slogans "Europeans vote AfD", "so that Europe doesn't become 'Eurabic'". But the Massachusetts-based Clark Art Institute, which owns the painting by French artist Jean-Leon Gerome, has protested against the use of the work after seeing the AfD poster on Twitter. "We strongly condemn the use of the painting to advance AfD's political stance and have written to them insisting that they cease and desist in using this painting," said Olivier Meslay, the institute's director. "The Clark Art Institute owns the painting and we are strongly opposed to the use of this work to advance any political agenda. We did not supply this image to the AfD Berlin," he added. However, Meslay conceded that as the painting is in the public domain, "there are no copyrights or permissions that allow us to exert control over how it is used other than to appeal to civility on the part of the AfD Berlin". The AfD was not immediately available for comment. The poster has also sparked a storm on social media. Writing on Twitter, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party, Serap Guler, said: "No, true Europeans don't elect racists. "True Europeans do not defend Europe with fear and hate. "Above all, they don't elect parties that want to dissolve the EU and do not care for what Europe stands for." The AfD is no stranger to controversial advertising. During the 2017 general election campaign, it plastered provocative posters across Germany, declaring "Burkas? We prefer bikinis" and "New Germans? Let's make them ourselves", featuring a pregnant white woman. It has become the biggest opposition party by railing against Merkel and her 2015 decision to allow a mass influx of asylum seekers. In an effort to preempt the criticism he was sure to face after announcing his presidential bid, Joe Biden reached out to Anita Hill earlier this month to express his regret for how she was treated during the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings, but failed to win ameliorate Hills concerns about his commitment to gender equality. I cannot be satisfied by simply saying, Im sorry for what happened to you, Hill, now a professor at Brandeis University told the New York Times in a Wednesday interview. I will be satisfied when I know there is real change and real accountability and real purpose. Biden, as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, presided over the hearings in which Hill accused Thomas of sexually assaulting her. The former Delaware lawmaker has since been heavily criticized for refusing to call witnesses who say they could corroborate Hills story and for allowing lawmakers to speak derisively to the witness. As Hill sees it, Biden must now prioritize addressing gender violence if he is to atone for his role in the 1991 hearing, which, she argued, created a precedent that allowed for Justice Brett Kavanaugh to be confirmed to the Supreme Court despite allegations of sexual assault. The focus on apology, to me, is one thing, Hill said. But he needs to give an apology to the other women and to the American public because we know now how deeply disappointed Americans around the country were about what they saw. And not just women. There are women and men now who have just really lost confidence in our government to respond to the problem of gender violence. Bidens campaign has refused to comment on the specifics of his call with Hill, but he has recently expressed regret that she was not treated fairly during the hearing. She paid a terrible price, he said at an event in New York City last month. She was abused through the hearing. She was taken advantage of. . . . I wish I could have done something. The hearing she deserved was a hearing where she was respected. More from National Review WASHINGTON (AP) Russia keeps reverberating even with special counsel Robert Mueller's report now part of history. As much as President Donald Trump says he wants the United States to move on, he's found it hard to turn away himself, as seen in a torrent of tweets and remarks railing against Democrats, trashing Mueller and painting his own actions in a saintly light. There is little truth to be found in these statements. A review of a week of Russia-heavy rhetoric from Trump and his team, also touching on the census and the economy: RUSSIA TRUMP: "No Collusion, No Obstruction - there has NEVER been a President who has been more transparent. Millions of pages of documents were given to the Mueller Angry Dems, plus I allowed everyone to testify, including W.H. counsel." tweet Wednesday. ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM BARR: "The White House fully cooperated with the special counsel's investigation, providing unfettered access to campaign and White House documents, directing senior aides to testify freely, and asserting no privilege claims." remarks at the Justice Department on April 18. THE FACTS: It's a huge stretch for them to cast the White House as being "fully" cooperative and open in the investigation into Moscow's interference in the 2016 U.S. election and the Trump campaign's relationship with Russian figures. Trump declined to sit for an interview with Mueller's team, gave written answers that investigators described as "inadequate" and "incomplete," said more than 30 times that he could not remember something he was asked about in writing, and according to the report tried to get aides to fire Mueller or otherwise shut or limit the inquiry. In the end, the Mueller report found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia but left open the question of whether Trump obstructed justice. Also on the matter of transparency, Trump is an outlier among presidents in refusing to release his tax returns . Providing tax information as a candidate in 2016 and as president is something party nominees have traditionally done for half a century. Story continues ___ TRUMP: "In the 'old days' if you were President and you had a good economy, you were basically immune from criticism. Remember, 'It's the economy stupid.' Today I have, as President, perhaps the greatest economy in history." tweet Tuesday. THE FACTS: You can assume many previous presidents would beg to disagree that a good economy shielded them from criticism. Under President Bill Clinton, whose top campaign staffer James Carville coined the phrase "the economy, stupid" to underscore what the campaign should be about, the unemployment rate fell to 3.8% and the nation's economy grew 4% or more for four straight years. Yet Clinton was under independent counsel investigation for all but one year of his presidency, 1993. The House impeached him in December 1998, at the height of the Monica Lewinsky scandal, though the Senate acquitted him in February 1999. In January 1998, Hillary Clinton alleged a "vast right-wing conspiracy" to take down her husband, a widely mocked complaint about the relentless criticism the Clintons faced from the right (which extended to ridicule over the title of Hillary Clinton's 1996 book, "It Takes a Village.") Under President Ronald Reagan, the economy expanded 3.5% or more for six years in a row, with growth rocketing to 7.2% in 1984. Yet Reagan was dogged in his second term by the Iran-Contra investigation, which focused on covert arm sales to Iran that financed aid to Nicaraguan rebels. Both presidents saw much faster growth than Trump has presided over, despite Trump's faulty claim to have "perhaps the greatest economy in history." Growth reached 2.9% last year, the best in four years, but far below the levels achieved under Clinton or Reagan. The unemployment rate touched 3.7% last September and November, the lowest in five decades, but just one-tenth of a percentage point below the 3.8% in April 2000 under Clinton. ___ TRUMP: "Mueller was NOT fired and was respectfully allowed to finish his work on what I, and many others, say was an illegal investigation (there was no crime), headed by a Trump hater who was highly conflicted." tweet Thursday. THE FACTS: Trump is wrong to suggest that the FBI acted illegally by investigating him. The FBI does not need to know if or have evidence that a crime occurred before it begins an investigation. Many investigations that are properly conducted ultimately don't find evidence of any crime. The FBI is empowered to open an investigation if there's information it has received or uncovered that leads the bureau to think it might encounter a crime. Apart from that, the investigation into the Trump campaign was initially a counterintelligence investigation rather than a strictly criminal one, as agents sought to understand whether and why Russia was meddling in the 2016 election. Trump also makes a baseless charge that Mueller was "highly conflicted." Mueller, a longtime Republican, was cleared by the Justice Department's ethics experts to lead the Russia investigation. Nothing in the public record makes him a "Trump hater." According to the special counsel's report, when Trump previously complained privately to aides that Mueller would not be objective, the advisers, including then-White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, then-White House counsel Don McGahn and Reince Priebus, chief of staff at the time, rejected those complaints as not representing "true conflicts." Bannon also called the claims "ridiculous." ___ TRUMP: "I DID NOTHING WRONG. If the partisan Dems ever tried to Impeach, I would first head to the U.S. Supreme Court." tweet Wednesday. THE FACTS: He'd have a tough hearing at the Supreme Court. Justices ruled 9-0 in 1993 that the Constitution grants sole power of impeachment to the House and Senate, not the judiciary. Under the principle of separation of powers, Congress is a co-equal branch of government to the executive branch and judiciary. The House is afforded power to impeach a president by bringing formal charges and the Senate convenes the trial, with two-thirds of senators needed to convict and remove a president from office. The Constitution does not provide a role for the judiciary in the impeachment process, other than the chief justice of the United States presiding over the Senate trial. In its 1993 ruling, the Supreme Court said framers of the Constitution didn't intend for the court to have the power to review impeachment proceedings because they involve political questions that shouldn't be resolved in the courts. ___ KELLYANNE CONWAY, White House counselor, saying there's no need for Congress to continue investigating with the Mueller probe concluded: "We all know if Director Mueller and his investigators wanted to or felt that it was right to indict they would have done that. He had every opportunity to indict and declined to indict. Investigators investigate and they decide to indict, they refer indictment or they decline indictment. That's the way the process works." remarks Wednesday to reporters. THE FACTS: That's not how Mueller's process worked. According to the report, Mueller's team declined to "make a traditional prosecutorial judgment" on whether to indict that is, do what prosecutors typically do, as Conway describes it because of a Justice Department legal opinion that said sitting presidents shouldn't be indicted. "Fairness concerns counseled against potentially reaching that judgment when no charges can be brought," the report states. As a result, the report factually laid out instances in which Trump might have obstructed justice, leaving it open for Congress to take up the matter or for prosecutors to do so once Trump leaves office. Mueller's team wrote that its investigation was conducted "in order to preserve the evidence when memories were fresh" and documentary material available. "Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him," the report states. ___ HOGAN GIDLEY, White House deputy press secretary: "He's already denounced, multiple times, Russian involvement." remarks Tuesday to reporters. THE FACTS: Trump has had it both ways, at times criticizing that involvement but more often equivocating, and long after U.S. intelligence agencies and other parts of his administration became convinced of Russian meddling. "Every time he sees me, he says, 'I didn't do that,'" Trump said of Putin in November 2017. "I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it." In February 2018, he tweeted: "I never said Russia did not meddle in the election, I said 'it may be Russia, or China or another country or group, or it may be a 400 pound genius sitting in bed and playing with his computer.'" Now he's assailed the report by Mueller, whose investigation fleshed out the audacious Russian effort to shape the election in favor of Trump and resulted in indictments against 25 Russians accused either of hacking Democratic email accounts or sowing discord in America through social media, as well as Trump associates. ___ TRUMP: "Isn't it amazing that the people who were closest to me, by far, and knew the Campaign better than anyone, were never even called to testify before Mueller. The reason is that the 18 Angry Democrats knew they would all say 'NO COLLUSION' and only very good things!" tweet Monday. THE FACTS: Trump's wrong to suggest that the people "closest" to him weren't called to testify before Mueller's team. Plenty of people close to him, including in his own family, interviewed with the special counsel's investigators or were at least asked to appear. And of those who did, some said not very good things about their interactions with the president. Among the advisers and aides who spoke with Mueller was McGahn, who extensively detailed Trump's outrage at the investigation and his efforts to curtail it. McGahn told Mueller's team how Trump called him at home and urged him to press the Justice Department to fire the special counsel, then told him to deny that the entire episode had taken place once it became public. Mueller also interviewed Priebus, Bannon, former White House chief of staff John Kelly, former White House communications director Hope Hicks and White House press secretary Sarah Sanders. Michael Cohen, Trump's former personal lawyer who once said he was so close to the president that he'd "take a bullet" for him, also cooperated with Mueller and delivered unflattering details. Mueller certainly wanted to hear from Trump's family too, even if not all relatives were eager to cooperate. His eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., declined to be voluntarily interviewed by investigators, according to Mueller's report. Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, spoke multiple times to Mueller's team. One of the president's daughters, Ivanka Trump, provided information through an attorney. ___ GIDLEY: "It was Barack Obama who leaned over to Dmitry Medvedev in the Oval Office and said, 'Listen, we'll have more flexibility when the election's over.'" remarks Tuesday. THE FACTS: First, the conversation was in South Korea, not the Oval Office. Gidley accurately recounted the gist of what Obama was heard telling the Russian president on a microphone they didn't know was on. But Gidley did not explain the context of the remark. Obama was suggesting he would have more flexibility postelection to address Russia's concerns about a NATO missile defense system in Europe. The conversation with Medvedev, who was soon succeeded by Vladimir Putin, had nothing to do with Russian meddling that would be exposed in the U.S. election four years away. ___ CENSUS TRUMP: "The American people deserve to know who is in this Country. Yesterday, the Supreme Court took up the Census Citizenship question, a really big deal." tweet Wednesday. GIDLEY, when asked whether Trump believes an accurate census count isn't necessary: "He wants to know who's in this country. I think as a sovereign nation we have that right. It's been a question that's been on the census for decades." remarks Tuesday. THE FACTS: Not since 1950 has the census collected citizenship data from the whole population. Moreover, Trump's position that asking a citizenship question in the census is needed to "know who is in this country" ignores the judgment of the Census Bureau's own researchers, who say that it would not result in the most accurate possible count of the U.S. population. The question is already asked in other government surveys. According to January 2018 calculations by the Census Bureau, adding the question to the once-a-decade survey form would cause lower response rates among Hispanics and noncitizens. The government would have to spend at least $27.5 million for additional phone calls, home visits and other follow-up efforts to reach them. Federal judges in California, Maryland and New York have blocked the administration from going forward with a citizenship question after crediting the analysis of agency experts. The experts said millions would go uncounted because Hispanics and immigrants might be reluctant to say if they or others in their households are not citizens. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has argued that a citizenship question is needed to help the government better comply with the Voting Rights Act. But the Justice Department has been enforcing the 1965 law, which was passed to help protect minority groups' political rights, with citizenship data already available from other government surveys. The count goes to the heart of the U.S. political system, determining the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House and how the electoral votes that decide presidential elections are distributed. It also shapes how 300 federal programs distribute more than $800 billion a year to local communities. ___ ECONOMY TRUMP retweet of RONNA MCDANIEL, Republican National Committee chairwoman: "If Joe Biden wants to keep score: In 8 years, Biden & Obama had a net loss of 193,000 manufacturing jobs. In just over 2 years, @realDonaldTrump has created 453,000 manufacturing jobs." tweet Thursday. THE FACTS: McDaniel is right but presents a misleading portrait of economic growth during Barack Obama's presidency, with Biden serving as vice president. Obama's eight years in office began with the final five months of the 17-month Great Recession, which began under his predecessor and included some of the worst stretches of job loss since World War II. Manufacturing jobs bottomed out in February 2010, then grew steadily for the next six years before declining during Obama's last year in office. Still, during that stretch the economy added 915,000 manufacturing jobs. ___ Associated Press writers Christopher Rugaber, Eric Tucker and Darlene Superville contributed to this report. ___ Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck EDITOR'S NOTE _ A look at the veracity of claims by political figures Washington (AFP) - The president of the Central African Republic voiced optimism Tuesday that the latest peace accord would succeed in the conflict-torn country after he moved to form an inclusive government. On a visit to Washington, President Faustin-Archange Touadera said that the agreement -- the eighth peace attempt in six years -- addressed the crucial issues of power-sharing and accounting for human rights abuses. "It's not inevitable, but we think that this could be the final agreement if we all work resolutely in putting it into place," he said at the US Institute of Peace. "This agreement has something more than the other ones as all the stakeholders had time to discuss all its key points," he said. The resource-rich country has been torn by violence and displacement since 2013 when a mainly Muslim rebel group known as the Seleka overthrew president Francois Bozize, a Christian, triggering the rise of a predominantly Christian militia. Fearing a Rwandan-style genocide, former colonial ruler France intervened militarily under a UN mandate. Touadera's elected government in February signed an accord in Sudan with 14 armed groups -- which control most of the country -- and a month later all sides reached a deal on forming an inclusive government. But the accord has since faced setbacks with rebel groups squabbling over how much power they will have in the government. But Touadera said the agreement had settled the larger questions, including some fighters' insistence that they not face prosecution for violence. "It's true that there were difficult moments in the negotiations, notably on the question of impunity -- giving an amnesty -- and on power-sharing," he said. "But I think that in respecting the parameters, all sides have realized that we cannot have peace while setting aside the issue of justice," he said. Touadera is set to meet in Washington with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and hopes to encourage US investment in the impoverished country. Story continues Western powers, notably France, have been looking with alarm at the growing influence in the country of Russia which has sent military trainers with murky ties to mining companies. Touadera defended the Russian involvement, saying it was carried out openly with the UN Security Council granting an exemption from its arms embargo on the country. "There's room for everyone in the Central African Republic," he said. House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn sharply rebuked President Trumps praise of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, who the president praised as a great general, but the Democrat called a loser. The fact of the matter is, Robert E. Lee was a great tactician, was not a great person, said Clyburn, of South Carolina, on ABCs This Week on Sunday. Robert E. Lee was a slave owner and a brutal slave master. Thankfully, he lost that war and I find it kind of interesting the president is now glorifying a loser. He always said that he hated losers. Robert E. Lee was a loser. And even if you could get beyond that at the end of the Civil War, he continued, Robert E. Lee asked all of his comrades to lay down their guns and to furl those Confederate flags, and if my memory serves and put them in your attics, so if the president is going to glorify Robert E. Lee, let's at least be consistent about it. UNITED STATES - APRIL 10: House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., speaks at the House Democrats' 2019 Issues Conference opening press conference at the Landsdowne Resort and Spa in Leesburg, Va., on Wednesday, April 10, 2019. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) After former Vice President Joe Biden announced his presidential bid Thursday with a video directly lambasting the presidents response to the white nationalists rally in Charlottesville, Va., Trump defended his there were very fine people on both sides comment. I was talking about people that went because they felt very strongly about the monument to Robert E. Lee, a great general, whether you like it or not, he was one of the great generals, he said. People were there protesting the taking down of the monument of Robert E. Lee, Trump also said. Everybody knows that. But Biden sharply criticized Trumps comments about the violence that ensued at the white nationalist rally, which left one young woman, a counterprotester, dead. "With those words, the president of the United States assigned a moral equivalence between those spreading hate and those with the courage to stand against it," Biden said in his video. "And in that moment, I knew the threat to this nation was unlike any I'd ever seen in my lifetime." He also declared the 2020 election a "battle for the soul of this nation." Story continues Clyburn, who represents Charleston, S.C., where nine were killed in a church shooting, said Biden is the frontrunner to challenge Trump in 2020. "I have talked to people here in South Carolina and I believe that at this point in time, Joe Biden is probably the leader, he said. The question is whether or not he can maintain his lead. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Athens (AFP) - Greece's celebration of the Orthodox Easter on Sunday, hailed by the government as a moment of hope for the post-bailout resurrection of the country, was marred by the death of a cameraman hit by a flare during a show. According to the police, the 54-year-old man was filming in a parking area in the Peloponnesian town of Kalamata when he was hit in the head. He pronounced dead in hospital, authorities told AFP. Easter is the biggest religious festival in Greece, where some 90 percent of the population is Orthodox and is celebrated with some spectacular but also dangerous customs. Millions of worshippers crammed into churches late Saturday as priests declared that "Christ is risen", sharing candle light from the "holy fire" in Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The flame arrived in Athens on board a government aircraft and was welcomed by an honour guard and band. - Hope-fuelled havoc - Greeks after mass set off firecrackers, a custom that dates from the 19th century and which is now illegal without an official permit owing to frequent accidents. The ban is flouted with homemade explosives, which are often more powerful, and in the central Athens district of Neos Kosmos, locals even threw petrol bombs to mark Christ's resurrection. On the Ionian island of Corfu, residents observed a noisy ritual at noon on Saturday, throwing huge clay pots filled with red ribbons from balconies that were also decked in red. The ruckus symbolises "the triumph of life over death" and "the hope and joy of enslaved Christians for the resurrection of their nation," folklore studies professor Dimitrios Loukatos told Athens News Agency. Elsewhere, others celebrated Easter with a more subdued but still spectacular custom. In the Peloponnese seaside town of Leonidio, hundreds of colourful paper lanterns rose into the night sky Saturday, floating like hot-air balloons with the heat from burning bits of petrol-soaked cloth. Story continues On Sunday, effigies of Judas, the disciple said to have betrayed Jesus Christ, are burned across the country. - The 'end of Greece's Calvary'- This Easter bears a special significance for the country according to the government. "We can finally be optimistic after all those difficult years. The Calvary of bailout programs is behind us," Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in his Easter message. Calvary is the hill outside Jerusalem on which Christians believe Jesus Christ was crucified. In August, Greece exited its third and final international bailout, a milestone as it tackles a crushing nine-year debt crisis. The economy is back on track and Athens is now set to borrow on financial markets without the strict conditions imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and eurozone creditors. The increase in consumer confidence reported by officials last month led Greeks to travel more. City centres were deserted as residents flocked to home villages and islands, with many expected to enjoy an extended Easter owing to this year's proximity to the May 1 Labour Day holiday. Planes, ships and trains were filled from Good Friday as the exodus reached a peak. The Greek federation of travel agents said bookings were 15 percent higher than last year, owing also to an increase in consumer confidence. NASHUA, N.H. (AP) New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is shrugging off her state's governor's endorsement of former Vice President Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign over her own. Speaking to reporters after an event Friday at a bar in Nashua, New Hampshire, Gillibrand said, "Our governor can endorse whoever he likes, but I am the best candidate to defeat President Trump, and I will." Fellow Democrat and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said he's supporting Biden, who formally launched his White House bid Thursday. Gillibrand said, "The truth is, this presidential election will not be won on the endorsements of powerful people." She later briefly played beer pong, successfully tossing a pingpong ball across a table and into a plastic glass of water, making her opponents take long swigs of beer. Sesa sen By Express News Service Indias public sector oil companies are likely to face pressure on their margins in the wake of the United States decision not to extend sanction waivers to any country, including India, on oil imports from Iran. With analysts expecting an increase in crude oil prices once Iranian supply gets cut off and possible constraints in increasing retail fuel prices due to the ongoing election season, Indian oil PSUs are set to take a hit to their profitability. For starters, India was one of the eight countries that had received a six-month waiver from the US sanctions on oil imports from Iran. With the six-month period set to end on May 2, 2019, the US on Monday ended speculation on whether waiver extensions were in the offing by declaring that it will end all Iran-sanction waivers once the deadline runs out. This decision comes at a time when the price of the Indian crude basket - an average of the Dubai, Oman and Brent crude benchmarks - has been rising, and the country is in the middle of Lok Sabha elections. On Tuesday, brent crude touched a near six-month high of $74.46 a barrel. This means that refiners will not only have to scramble to find replacements for Iranian crude, but will also need to deal with the resulting volatility in international crude prices, which will in turn directly influence domestic cooking gas and auto fuel prices. While the Indian government has said that a robust plan is already in place to ensure there is adequate supply of crude to oil refineries from May, the discontinuation of crude oil imports from Iran may have economic consequences for refiners. The big concern is that other crude oil suppliers like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Nigeria and the US do not offer as attractive price options as Iran, which includes a 60-day credit line, and free insurance and shipping. The domestic refineries benefit from the higher credit period of 60 days offered on Iranian oil compared to 30-day credit period typically offered by other suppliers, pointed out Abhishek Dafria, vice-president and co-head at ICRA. The discontinuation of Iranian oil imports might negatively affect the annual operating profits of these refiners by over `2,500 crore, he added. Officials at oil companies, too, agree that Iranian crude was about 50-60 cents cheaper than available alternatives and the challenge now is to secure other suppliers at competitive terms in an already tightening global market. In FY19, excluding March, India imported 24 million tonne (MT) of crude from Iran, making the West Asian nation our third-largest supplier of crude oil during the period under review. Analysts at Kotak also expect global oil markets to tighten further in the near term due to the full curtailment of Irans oil exports and the possibility of disruptions in crude supplies from Libya given escalating unrest in the country. Global oil markets have also been tightening in recent months due to a voluntary reduction in supplies by the OPEC+ cartel and Canada, combined with restraints on Venezuelan crude exports. The tightening of sanctions by the US has also lead to anxiety in the stock markets. We believe it is safer to avoid downstream PSUs (BPCL, HPCL and IOCL) in the near term, as current valuations ignore potential risks from any spike in crude that may put pressure on refining as well as marketing margins and bleak refining outlook, Kotak Institutional Equities said. However, it reiterated its buy call on GAIL and ONGC, both being beneficiaries of elevated crude prices, which Kotak said could act as good hedge against any spike in crude oil prices. We note that ONGC stock is pessimistically discounting net crude realization around $45 per barrel, it said Iran among top suppliers of crude to India in FY19 Data shows that the first eleven months of fiscal year 2018-19 saw Irans share in Indias crude oil imports at 9 per cent. Tightening global markets a concern Over the past few months, global oil supply has been tightening due to disruptions in crude supplies from Libya, a voluntary reduction in supplies by the OPEC+ cartel and Canada, combined with restraints on Venezuelan exports By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In an unusual bid to defuse tensions between congressional Democrats and the Trump administration, a top U.S. House Republican is urging the White House to let a former staffer talk with committee investigators about security clearances. Representative Jim Jordan, a leader of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus better known for stoking than soothing partisan frictions, on Friday urged the White House to let Carl Kline appear for a voluntary interview on April 30 or May 1, according to two sources who saw a letter from Jordan. Kline was formerly White House personnel security director. The House of Representatives Oversight Committee is probing allegations that the administration inappropriately granted security clearances to some Trump advisers. The approach by Jordan was the first signal since the release last week of the Mueller report that House Republicans, up until now supportive of Trump's stonewalling of investigations led by Democrats, might be willing to cooperate with Democrats on probes into national security issues. Among recipients of the security clearances at issue, said congressional sources who asked not to be named, were Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner. Both allegedly got high-level clearances, despite recommendations from career security officials against it. The oversight committee has subpoenaed Kline, seeking his testimony. In a dispute over the terms of his appearance before the committee, the White House advised Kline to ignore the subpoena. The committee has responded by moving to hold Kline in contempt of Congress, possibly followed by legal action. Jordan is the top Republican on the oversight committee. Two congressional sources told Reuters that Jordan in a letter to White House Counsel Pat Cipollone on Friday encouraged the White House to let Kline appear next week for a voluntary interview before the committee. The panel is chaired by Democratic Representative Elijah Cummings. Jordan urged the White House "to avoid unnecessary conflict between Congress and the Executive Branch and to deescalate Chairman Cummings's orchestrated inter-branch confrontation." Jordan warned that Cummings might proceed with contempt of Congress proceedings against Kline as early as next week. Cummings, a Democrat, launched the investigation after Tricia Newbold, a career security official at the White House, disclosed that the administration overruled experts to give questionable security clearances to more than two dozen people. White House and Oversight Committee Democrats had no immediate comment. A Republican congressional source said that neither the White House nor Cummings had replied to Jordan's suggestion. (Reporting by Mark Hosenball; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh) (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Friday he had assured China's Huawei Technologies that it would not face discrimination in the rollout of Italy's 5G telecoms network. Conte was speaking on a visit to China where he said he met Huawei's chief executive, Ren Zhengfei. The prime minister's comments were carried in Italy by TV broadcaster Sky Italia. "I told him that we have adopted some precautions, some measures to protect our interests that demand very high levels of security ... not only from Huawei but any company entering into the 5G arena," he said. Huawei, the world's biggest producer of telecoms equipment, is under intense scrutiny after the United States told allies not to use its technology because of fears it could be a vehicle for Chinese spying. Huawei has categorically denied this. (Writing by by Mark Bendeich; Editing by Angelo Amante) TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas' highest court declared for the first time Friday that the state constitution protects abortion rights, a sweeping ruling that blocks a ban on a common second trimester method for ending pregnancies and endangers other restrictions as well. The state Supreme Court's decision immediately roiled Kansas politics. Abortion opponents called for amending the state constitution but might wait to push for a change until next year, when all state lawmakers face voters. The court's decision was a big victory for abortion rights supporters in a state with a Republican-controlled Legislature long hostile to their cause. It also comes with other, GOP-controlled states moving to ban most abortions in direct challenges to the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortions across the nation. "I'm beyond elated," said Julie Burkart, CEO and founder of the Trust Women Foundation, which operates a clinic providing abortions in Wichita. "This is what we were hoping for." The decision prevents the state from enforcing what was a first-in-the-nation 2015 law that could have greatly limited second trimester abortions. But even worse for abortion opponents, the ruling clears the way for legal challenges to a string of abortion restrictions approved by state lawmakers under Republican governors before last year's election of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, an abortion rights supporter. "It's very extreme," said Mary Kay Culp, executive director of Kansans for Life, the state's most influential anti-abortion group. "It's as bad as we could have imagined it and has potential to overturn pro-life laws." The court's majority said vague language protecting "equal and inalienable rights" in the first section of the Kansas Constitution's Bill of Rights grants a "natural right of personal autonomy" that includes the right to "control one's own body" and to decide whether to continue a pregnancy. Story continues The 6-1 majority rejected the state's arguments that there is no protection for abortion rights because most abortions were illegal in Kansas Territory when the state constitution was written in 1859. The majority said at the time, women faced a "paternalistic attitude" and a lack of recognition that they had the same rights as men. "True equality of opportunity in the full range of human endeavor is a Kansas constitutional value, and it cannot be met if the ability to seize and maximize opportunity is tethered to prejudices from two centuries ago," the unsigned majority opinion said. The court also declared that restrictions on abortion will face strict scrutiny, so the state must show that a law is narrowly drawn to deal with a "compelling" interest. That's higher than the U.S. Supreme Court's standard that under the federal constitution, restrictions must avoid placing an undue burden on a woman's access to abortion. The Kansas court's dissenter was Justice Caleb Stegall, the only appointee of a conservative Republican governor. The court's two most senior justices were appointed by a moderate Republican, and four by a Democrat. Conservative Republicans have long complained that the court is too liberal and Kansans for Life tried in 2016 to oust four of the justices in Friday's majority when voters ultimately decided that they should stay on the bench for another six years. Stegall declared that "an important right of self-government has been stolen away" from Kansans residents and derided the majority for suggesting that "luminaries of the western legal tradition" would support "nearly unfettered abortion access." "In this imagined world, the Liberty Bell rings every time a baby in utero loses an arm," Stegall wrote. Top Republican legislators also quickly condemned the decision, saying it was out of step with the state's values. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican, even suggested the ruling had "breathtaking" implications beyond abortion and signaled "an ever-expanding role" for courts in setting policy. Legislators could pursue a constitutional amendment after they reconvene Wednesday following an annual spring break. However, GOP leaders had wanted to wrap up business within a week, and Culp said Kansans for Life wants to make sure it is "as organized and strategic and successful" as possible for a push to amend the constitution. The decision Friday came two years after the Kansas court heard arguments from attorneys, an unusually long delay for a ruling. Iowa's Supreme Court issued a similar decision in 2018. Kelly said she is pleased that the court has recognized a woman's right to "make her own medical decisions." Burkhart said Trust Women will be considering what other restrictions can be challenged. In previous cases, Kansas' highest court avoided the question of whether the state constitution protects abortion rights, allowing U.S. Supreme Court decisions to determine what restrictions would be allowed. But when two providers sued over the 2015 law, a state district court judge blocked its enforcement and declared that the Kansas Constitution protects abortion rights. The Supreme Court sent the case back to the lower court for a trial on the lawsuit but kept the judge's injunction in place, saying the providers are likely to succeed in invalidating the law. The law would bar physicians from using forceps or similar instruments on a live fetus to remove it from the womb in pieces, using the non-medical term "dismemberment abortion" to describe the procedure. Such instruments are commonly used in dilation and evacuation procedure, which the Center for Reproductive Rights has described as the safest and most common abortion procedure in the U.S. in the second trimester. The Kansas law was model legislation drafted by the National Right to Life Committee. The group says similar bans have been enacted in 10 other states Oklahoma, West Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Kentucky, Ohio and North Dakota. Abortion providers reported performing 484 dilation and evacuation procedures in Kansas in 2018, according to state health department statistics. That was 6.9% of the state's total abortions; most pregnancies were terminated during the first trimester. ___ Associated Press Writer Roxana Hegeman in Wichita also contributed. ___ Follow John Hanna on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apjdhanna AMPARA, Sri Lanka (AP) The Latest on the Easter bombings in Sri Lanka (all times local): 11:05 p.m. The leader of the Islamic State group has praised the attack in Sri Lanka and called it revenge for the fall of Baghouz, Syria, the last territory the extremist group held there or in Iraq. The U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group said the acknowledgement of the Sri Lanka attack by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi came during his first propaganda video in nearly five years. The 18-minute video released Monday by Islamic State's al-Furqan media arm suggests al-Baghdadi filmed the video prior to the Sri Lanka attack. It is his first video appearance since he delivered a sermon at the al-Nuri mosque in the Iraqi city of Mosul in 2014, declaring himself the "caliph" of the territory IS held. The Easter bombings in Sri Lanka killed over 250 people. ___ 11 p.m. Muslim women in Sri Lanka will no longer be able to veil their faces under an emergency law ordered by President Maithripala Sirisena that bans all kinds of face coverings that may conceal people's identities. The law takes effect Monday, eight days after the Easter bombings of churches and hotels that killed more the 250 people in Sri Lanka. Dozens of suspects have been arrested but local officials and the U.S. Embassy in Colombo have warned that more militants remained on the loose with explosives. Life on the South Asian island nation has been tense for people of all faiths. The decision came after the Cabinet had proposed laws on face veils at a recent meeting. It had deferred the matter until talks with Islamic clerics could be held, on the advice of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. ___ 9:05 p.m. Sri Lankan police say a woman and a 4-year-old child found wounded after a deadly gunbattle between police and militants have been identified as the wife and daughter of the alleged mastermind of the Easter bombings. Sri Lanka's military says the gunfight Friday night in Ampara District in the country's east left 15 dead, including six children. Story continues The Islamic State group has claimed three of the militants killed in the shootout. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said the two wounded were identified as the wife and daughter of Mohammed Zahran. Police also said Sunday that 48 suspects were arrested over the past 24 hours in connection with the Easter bombings that killed over 250 people. ___ 3:45 p.m. Sri Lankan police have entered the main mosque of National Towheed Jamaat, just a day after authorities declared it and another organization terror groups over the Easter suicide bombings. Police entered the mosque, located in Kattankudy in eastern Sri Lanka, on Sunday afternoon and stopped an interview with foreign journalists and officials at the mosque. Later, a senior police officer dispersed journalists waiting outside, saying authorities were conducting a "cordon and search operation." Police then left, locking up the mosque just before afternoon prayers were to start. Authorities banned National Towheed Jamaat over its ties to Mohammed Zahran, the alleged mastermind of the attacks that killed over 250 people a week ago. ___ 6:20 a.m. The Islamic State group has claimed three of the militants killed in a shootout with police in eastern Sri Lanka. In a statement published early Sunday by the extremists' Aamaq news agency, IS gave their noms du guerre as Abu Hammad, Abu Sufyan and Abu al-Qa'qa. It says they opened fire with automatic weapons and "after exhausting their ammunition, detonated on them their explosive belts." IS falsely claimed their militants killed 17 "disbelievers" in the attack. The militants often exaggerate their claims. The claim carried a photograph of two men before an IS flag, one carrying a Chinese variant of the Kalashnikov rifle like the one found at the scene, another smiling. Sri Lanka's military says the gunfight Friday night in Ampara District left 15 dead, including six children. DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran said on Sunday it could quit a treaty against the spread of nuclear weapons after the United States tightens sanctions, while an Iranian general said the U.S. Navy was interacting as before with an elite military unit blacklisted by Washington. Tensions between Tehran and Washington have risen since the Trump administration withdrew last year from a 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran and began ratcheting up sanctions. Earlier this month, the United States blacklisted Irans elite Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and demanded buyers of Iranian oil stop purchases by May or face sanctions. "The Islamic Republic's choices are numerous, and the country's authorities are considering them ... and leaving NPT (nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) is one of them," state broadcaster IRIB's website quoted Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying. Iran has threatened in the past to leave the NPT, as U.S. President Donald Trump moved to scrap the 2015 deal with world powers - the United States, Russia, China, Germany, Britain and France. Separately, Iran's armed forces chief of staff said the IRGC - which ensures security in Gulf waters and the Strait of Hormuz for Iran - had not observed any change in the U.S. military's behavior towards the elite force after the blacklisting. "U.S. warships are obliged to respond to the IRGC on the passage of the Strait of Hormuz ... and until yesterday they have been answering IRGC questions, and we have not seen change in their procedures," Major General Mohammad Baqeri was quoted as saying on Sunday by the semi-official Fars news agency. Lieutenant Chloe Morgan, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command spokeswoman, said on Sunday: "The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway. Threats to close the strait impact the international community and undermine the free flow of commerce. "The U.S., along with our allies and partners, is committed to freedom of navigation and remains well positioned and postured to preserve the free flow of commerce, and we are prepared to respond to any acts of aggression," Morgan said in an emailed statement, without referring to interaction with IRGC forces. On Wednesday, Zarif called the IRGC blacklisting "absurd", but suggested Iran did not plan to respond militarily unless the United States changed the rules of engagement guiding how it interacts with Iran's forces. The U.S. military has not suggested it would alter its behavior after the blacklisting. "We don't intend to close the Strait of Hormuz, unless hostilities reach a level where this cannot be avoided," Fars quoted Baqeri as saying. "If our oil does not pass, the oil of others shall not pass the Strait of Hormuz either." President Hassan Rouhani and some senior military commanders have threatened to disrupt oil shipments from Gulf countries if Washington tries to strangle Tehran's oil exports. Carrying one third of the world's seaborne oil every day, the Strait of Hormuz links Middle East crude producers to markets in Asia Pacific, Europe, North America and beyond. Iran has also threatened to pull out of the 2015 deal unless European powers enable it to receive economic benefits. The Europeans have said they would help companies do business with Iran as long as it abides by the deal, but Tehran has criticized what it sees as the slow pace of progress on a promised payment mechanism for Iran-Europe trade. "The Europeans have had a year but unfortunately they have not taken any practical measures," Zarif told IRIB. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Toby Chopra, Dale Hudson and Raissa Kasolowsy) A gunman opened fire at a synagogue Saturday near San Diego, California, leaving one person dead and three others injured. The shooting occurred at the Chabad of Poway in the 16000 block of Chabad Way just before 11:30 a.m. PT. According to The Associated Press, the deceased victim was a woman. A rabbi and two others were wounded after they gathered to worship on the last day of Passover. Related stories CNN Reporter Expresses Frustration Over "Yet Another" Shooting At A Place Of Worship An off-duty Border Patrol agent was inside the synagogue at the time of the shooting and opened fire, according to local media reports. The agent missed, but the gunman fled. The agents actions possibly prevented more carnage. The San Diego County Sheriffs Office later announced on Twitter that a 19-year-old man was arrested in connection with the shooting. The suspect had reportedly been armed with an assault-style weapon. In an interview on CNN, Poway Mayor Steve Vaus said the synagogue takes its security very seriously. Vaus added that the shooter had hate in his heart. Witnesses reported hearing dozens of shots as families gathered inside the house of worship. A female parishioner, whose husband was in the building at the time, was interviewed and said in defiance they cant break us. President Trump expressed his condolences on Twitter, writing: Thoughts and prayers to all of those affected by the shooting at the Synagogue in Poway, California. God bless you all. Suspect apprehended. Law enforcement did outstanding job. Thank you! California Gov. Gavin Newsom also reacted to the shooting. No one should have to fear going to their place of worship, and no one should be targeted for practicing the tenets of their faith, Newsom said. The shooting comes six months to the day after a gunman opened fire at a temple in Pittsburgh, killing 11 people and wounding half a dozen others. Story continues The violence at the Tree of Life on Oct. 27, 2018, is considered the deadliest attack ever on the Jewish community in the U.S. It recent months, houses of worship have been increasingly targeted. Earlier this month, three historically black churches were set on fire in Louisiana. Officials said they found suspicious elements in all three cases. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. By Timothy Gardner and Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two Trump administration officials said on Friday that neither a wind-down period nor a short-term waiver on China's oil purchases from Iran are being contemplated after Washington surprised Irans customers on Monday by demanding they halt the purchases by May 1 or face sanctions. The administration has been clear to China, Iran's top oil consumer, about no additional waivers to the sanctions after the ones granted last November, one of the senior officials said. They've known about it, so to my knowledge thats not being contemplated, said the official, adding that ultimately questions about any wind-down period are for the State Department. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Under U.S. sanctions law, importers of Iranian oil including China, India and Turkey, could be allowed a wind-down period before getting to zero oil purchases, including a short-term waiver. Any wind-down measures would be different than the 180 day exceptions the Trump administration granted in November to China and seven other importers for significantly reducing oil purchases from Iran, measures set to end in May. [nL1N22410R] China has alternative oil suppliers including the United States and Saudi Arabia said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "We understand they dont like this," the official said about China's aversion to sanctions on Iran from the United States alone. "But at same time they tend to act pragmatically and they are going to take what the best most reliable deal is." President Donald Trump left the Iran nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers last May. Trump is now reapplying the oil sanctions, without exceptions, for reducing oil purchases, a step the Obama administration never took when it slapped sanctions on Iran. Trump's sanctions on Iran are intended to curb its nuclear and ballistic missile programme and reduce its influence in Syria, Yemen and other countries in the Middle East. Obama's sanctions targeted only Iran's nuclear programme. Story continues After the Trump administration announced on Monday its intent to sink Iran's oil exports to zero, Iran's Revolutionary Guards repeated a threat to block the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route linking Middle East oil producers to markets in Asia, Europe and North America. One of the Trump officials said such a move would hurt both Iran and its allies. "Any attempt to disrupt freedom of navigation would be debilitating to Iran first and foremost ... and then to the range of the international community ... working hard to advocate on their side," the official said. If China does not cut Iran oil purchases to zero, the Trump administration may have to make a decision on blocking Chinese banks from the U.S. financial system. That could have unintended consequences for finance and business between the world's two biggest economies, already in negotiations over trade disagreements. "It could," one official conceded about the potential for unintended consequences, "but that's why China's decision is easy, it's not a difficult decision for them mathematically. They do business with the U.S. which is critical, they do business with Iran which is not critical." (Reporting by Timothy Gardner and Humeyra Pamuk in Washington; Editing by James Dalgleish and David Gregorio) By Joyce Lee and Jeff Mason SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un told Russian President Vladimir Putin that peace and security on the Korean peninsula depended on the United States, warning that a state of hostility could easily return, North Korean media said on Friday. Kim's remarks during talks with Putin on Thursday appeared aimed at pushing Washington to be more flexible on North Korean demands for an easing of international sanctions. U.S. President Donald Trump, who ended a second summit with Kim in February without a deal for North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, seemed unperturbed, saying a lot of progress was being made toward an agreement and welcoming Putin's support. Putin said after holding his first face-to-face talks with Kim in the Russian Pacific port of Vladivostok on Thursday that U.S. security guarantees would probably not be enough to persuade Pyongyang to give up its nuclear program. He said he believed any U.S. guarantees might need to be supported by the other nations involved in previous six-way talks on the nuclear issue, which included Russia, China, Japan and South Korea as well as the United States and North Korea. "I think we're doing very well with North Korea. A lot of progress is being made," Trump told reporters at the White House. "I appreciated President Putin's statement yesterday. He wants to see it done also. I think there's a lot of excitement for getting a deal done with North Korea." The Trump-Kim summit in Hanoi in February collapsed without progress on a U.S. demand that North Korea give up its nuclear weapons and North Korean demands for easing of sanctions. Kim has said he would wait until the end of the year for the United States to be more flexible. "The situation on the Korean peninsula and the region is now at a standstill and has reached a critical point where it may return to its original state as the U.S. took a unilateral attitude in bad faith at the recent second DPRK-U.S. summit talks," North Korea's official KCNA news agency quoted Kim as saying. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is North Korea's official name. "The DPRK will gird itself for every possible situation." KCNA quoted Kim as saying. William Hagerty, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, told a Washington think-tank on Thursday that Kims contacts with both Russia and China were part of an effort to seek relief from sanctions and it was important the international community continue to enforce these. "The fact you see Kim Jong Un meeting with Vladimir Putin underscores the fact that the sanctions are working and the sanctions are putting extreme economic pressure on the North Korean regime," Hagerty said. "What we see is an outreach to try to find a way to deal with it. There is a much simpler way to deal with it and that is to denuclearize," he said. SECURITY GUARANTEES The first face-to-face talks between Putin and Kim, held on an island off the Russian Pacific city, did not appear to yield any major breakthrough. The two discussed ways to promote strategic communication and tactical collaboration in the course of ensuring peace and security on the Korean peninsula and beyond, KCNA said. Putin said a deal on North Korea's nuclear program was possible by moving step by step to build trust. Russia was for years a participant in the six-party talks, which have not been held since 2009. "They only need guarantees about their security. That's it. All of us together need to think about this," Putin told reporters after talks with Kim. Such guarantees would have to be international, legally binding, and vouch for North Korea's sovereignty, Putin said. Russia and North Korea agreed to increase cooperation and Putin accepted an invitation by Kim to visit North Korea, KCNA said. No date was announced. "North Korea seems to be trying to expand its negotiating position with the U.S.," said South Korea's ambassador to the United States, Cho Yoon-je, according to the Yonhap news agency. "The U.S. continues to send a message to North Korea through channels at every level that it is open to dialogue ... The expectation seems to be that the North may respond once Chairman Kim Jong Un's diplomatic schedule is completed." (Reporting by Joyce Lee; Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom and Jeff Mason in WASHINGTON, Hyonhee Shin in SEOUL and Maria Vasilyeva in VLADIVOSTOK; Editing by Jack Kim, Robert Birsel and James Dalgleish) Poway (United States) (AFP) - A teenage gunman who wrote a hate-filled manifesto opened fire at a synagogue in California on Saturday, killing one person and injuring three others including the rabbi as worshippers marked the final day of Passover, authorities said. The shooting in the town of Poway, north of San Diego, came exactly six months after a white supremacist killed 11 people at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue -- the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in US history. San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said those wounded included the rabbi -- who had injuries to both index fingers -- as well as a female minor and 34-year-old man who were injured by shrapnel. A 60-year-old woman died from her wounds. Gore identified the suspect, who was arrested after fleeing the scene, as 19-year-old John Earnest and said he had no prior arrest record. He said Earnest burst into the Chabad of Poway synagogue -- where there were around 100 people -- shortly after 11:20 am local time and opened fire with an assault weapon that appears to have malfunctioned, preventing him from inflicting more harm. Gore said an off-duty border patrol agent who was at the synagogue at the time of the shooting opened fire on the gunman as he was fleeing, striking his car but missing the suspect. The man was eventually apprehended by a San Diego police officer who had been monitoring dispatch radio and raced to the scene, San Diego police chief David Nisleit said. "He clearly saw the suspect's vehicle, the suspect jumped out with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody by the San Diego police department," Nisleit said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the "atrocious" incident, calling it "an attack at the heart of the Jewish people". Two Israelis -- an eight-year-old girl and her 31-year-old uncle -- were wounded in the attack, an Israeli foreign ministry spokesman said, adding that their condition was "good". Story continues - Hate-filled manifesto - Gore said authorities were examining Earnest's social media activity and establishing the authenticity of an anti-Semitic open letter he apparently published on a far-right message board hours before the attack. "We have copies of his social media posts and his open letter and we'll be reviewing those to determine the legitimacy of it and how it plays into the investigation," he said. The manifesto, seen by AFP, is similar to one posted on the same message board by Brenton Tarrant, a white supremacist who was behind the March 15 mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, that left 50 people dead. The hate-filled letter lauds Tarrant's actions and that of the Pittsburgh shooter and claims responsibility for a fire at a mosque in California a week after the Christchurch shootings. Following the attack, a vigil was set to take place Saturday evening at the Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in San Diego. Meanwhile, Los Angeles officials said that they were boosting patrols around synagogues and other places of worship in light of the attack. Speaking at a rally in Wisconsin, President Donald Trump denounced the shooting as a "hate crime" and offered his support to the victims. "Tonight, America's heart is with the victims of the horrific synagogue shooting in California," he said. "Our entire nation mourns the loss of life, prays for the wounded and stands in solidarity with the Jewish community. We forcefully condemn the evil of anti-Semitism and hate which must be defeated." California's Governor Gavin Newsom also denounced the tragedy. "While we continue to learn more about what transpired, we can't ignore the circumstances around this horrific incident," he said. "No one should have to fear going to their place of worship, and no one should be targeted for practicing the tenets of their faith." And German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also expressed solidarity with the victims: "On the last day of the Passover celebration, another violent anti-Semitic act shocks us. The attack on the Chabad of Poway Synagogue in San Diego impacts us all." - 'Flames of hatred' - Minoo Anvari told the local CNN affiliate that her husband was inside the synagogue during the shooting. "Just one message from all of us from our congregation that we are standing together," she said. "We are strong. You can't break us. We are all together." The Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles said in a statement that the shooting was "a horrific reminder that the flames of hatred still burn strong among some." "An attack, on any house of worship, from churches in Sri Lanka and France to synagogues in Jerusalem or Pittsburgh to mosques in Christchurch, are an assault on human dignity and our rights as people of faith to pray to God," it added. Saturday's shooting comes amid a rise in hate crimes in the United States, the majority targeting those of Jewish faith. Last year, the Anti-Defamation League, which combats anti-Semitism and discrimination, reported a 57 percent leap in the number of anti-Semitic incidents in 2017, the sharpest yearly spike since the 1970s. jz-ia-ska-qan/gle By IANS MUMBAI: Stretching from the imposing skyrises of Colaba and Malabar Hill to the fishermen's colonies in Worli, the prestigious VVIP Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency is the richest in the country making it a high-stakes affair for the two main contestants - Shiv Sena sitting MP Arvind G Sawant and rival Milind M Deora of the Congress. Despite being wealthy, the constituency is barely 'generous' in exercising its franchise - it was way back in 1967, when George Fernandes won on a single point agenda of providing sufficient water supply to all, that 67.42 per cent electorate voted. Again in 1991, the voting percentage plummeted to an abysmal 38.65, giving credence to the belief that people in high-rises remain indifferent to the political process. But in 2014 the percentage went up to a modest 52.48. The population of Mumbai South is approximately 20 lakh and the voter strength is 14,85,846 including 15 per cent of some of the country's richest, a large 70 per cent dollop of middle-class and a sprinkling of 15 per cent eking out an existence in slums in what is one of the few fully urbanized constituencies of India. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Unconcerned by the turnout figures, Shiv Sena's Sawant exudes is optimistic of winning again. "I am the voice of the masses and the classes. I have been present whenever and wherever I was needed in the past five years," Sawant told IANS. On his rival Deora, he shot back: "Where was he for the past four years and nine months? This is what commoners and business community ask me. It is my work for all sections and my contacts with the masses that will decide the election." Though incommunicado despite repeated attempts by IANS, the former Union Minister Deora has remained unflustered by the opposition barbs. After all, in a political-corporate coup of sorts, last fortnight, he secured the open support of key players from India Inc, sending panic waves in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Sena combine. Ranked as one of the most cosmopolitan constituencies, Mumbai South is beset with many problems that have remained unresolved over the years. "There are hundreds of old buildings, ancient sewage lines, house gullies, traffic congestion and slum pockets in Darukhana, BPT, Colaba and Worli which are of great concern," Waris Pathan, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen's sole Mumbai MLA, told IANS. Though there is the ambitious Coastal Road project coming up, Patyan says "a lot will depend on its implementation, or it will be disastrous for the entire city". Besides, there is the gnawing problem of security in the region which has witnessed two of the worst terror strikes in the country - the 1993 serial bomb blasts and the 2008 terror strikes. Not surprising, since this constituency is home to the country's most affluent business districts which contribute hugely to the national exchequer, some of the poshest residential complexes, Indian and foreign banks, and national and international firms are headquartered here. There are also offices of global corporates, airlines, embassies, luxury hotels, swanky restaurants and pubs, global tourist attractions, open shopping plazas, malls and multiplexes, reputed schools, colleges, an array of heritage buildings, the official residences of Maharashtra Governor, Chief Minister, the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court and other judges, the Legislature and the Mantralaya. By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - It was only when his children began to starve that Abdullah al-Amour decided time had come to leave the sanctuary of Rukban camp with his family to face an uncertain fate back under Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The cattle trader from Palmyra fled to Rukban on the Syrian border with Jordan and Iraq more than three years ago after his home was destroyed in Russian air strikes targeting areas that were held at the time by Islamic State. Conditions at Rukban are tough, but it offers one big advantage to the 36,000 people sheltering there: protection from Russian air strikes and pro-Assad forces thanks to its location near a U.S. base. But in recent weeks life in the camp has gone from bad to near impossible. Food shortages have got a lot worse as a result of a siege by government and Russian forces that want to see Rukban dismantled and U.S. forces out of Syria, according to people living in the camp and diplomats. "Today you eat. Tomorrow there is nothing to eat," said Amour, 46, speaking to Reuters by phone from the camp. Amour says his son Hamza, three, has become frail from being fed sugared water instead of powdered milk. Gravel and dirt are being added to dough to make flour supplies go further. "No one is leaving out of their own will. I can no longer sleep with my children hungry," he said. Local sources say Russian and Syrian government forces have choked off supplies to Rukban since mid-February, blocking access for smugglers who used to bribe their way through army checkpoints, and firing on some vehicles. On Thursday, Washington urged Damascus and Moscow to allow international aid deliveries to Rukban and stop blocking commercial routes into the camp to "avert further suffering". As shortages have hit, a steady stream of people have crossed out of Rukban into government territory. OCHA, the U.N. humanitarian agency, said around 7,000 had left in the last month or so. Some were in shelters in Homs city where some of the men were settling their status with the authorities, and others had gone to their areas of origin in Homs governorate. Relatives say the Homs city shelters amount to internment centers for many of the men. GRAPHIC: Rukban camp - https://tmsnrt.rs/2W6Vp0J POWER STRUGGLE Rukban camp is at the heart of a struggle between Russia and the United States for control of southeastern Syria and with it a land route to Iraq and Assad's major regional ally, Iran. Russia, whose military has helped Assad claw back control of much of Syria, views Rukban as a U.S. pretext for maintaining its "illegal occupation in the south" and as a last pocket of anti-Assad rebels in southern Syria who must be wiped out. The camp's evacuation seems unlikely to lead the United States to abandon its nearby garrison at Tanf and the surrounding "deconfliction zone" that envelops Rukban: Tanf is seen as useful to U.S. aims of countering Iran. But Russia is still determined to see Rukban gone. This would represent a gain for Moscow in Syria as its military advances have ground to a halt in other parts of the country, and would assert its influence over a U.S.-controlled area. Moscow and Damascus have accused Washington of holding the people of Rukban hostage and Russia has even compared its conditions to the concentration camps of the second world war. The United States has said it is not preventing anyone from leaving Rukban, while calling for a process of "safe, voluntary and dignified departures" from the camp. The Russian defense ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. With routes to the camp controlled by Damascus, Rukban has rarely received U.N. aid deliveries. Following a delivery in November, the United States said it recognized Russia had played a role in persuading Damascus to authorize it. The last time a U.N. aid convoy reached Rukban was early February. Many at Rukban fear returning to Assad's Syria, saying they could be detained or forced to join the army. This concern is widely held among refugees, who are unconvinced by Russian assurances they face no threat. Over the years, the camp has taken on some features of permanence including houses built of mud bricks, schools and markets. Ibrahim al-Nasser ran a grocery at Rukban until he was forced to close it for lack of goods. Speaking to Reuters as he was about to leave Rukban, he said he no longer cared about his own fate and only wanted to save his children from starving. "People are gripped with fear of being arrested," said Nasser. "But I am forced to leave even if I might face death or prison so that my children live," he said. GREEN BUSES Abu Ahmad al Dirbas Khalidi, the head of an opposition-run civil council in the camp, said dwindling food supplies gave people at Rukban no choice but to leave. "The regime and the Russians have succeeded in their siege, and with hunger and poverty people are leaving," he said. The camp's only bakery stopped production this month. A bag of flour - if available - now costs 40,000 Syrian pounds ($70) - eight times its price in government territory. Reports in Syrian state-run media have shown people leaving Rukban on green buses like those used to evacuate civilians and rebel fighters from other parts of Syria recaptured from insurgents, such as eastern Aleppo and eastern Ghouta. In an interview with the state news agency SANA, one man leaving Rukban accused militant groups "led by America of putting us under pressure, denying us food and water, just so that we join them". But sources in Rukban said men leaving had been detained for weeks at internment camps in Homs before being jailed, released or drafted into the army. Mahmoud al-Humeili, a camp official, said he had received reports that two dozen men had been arrested. Shukri Shihab, a relief worker in the camp, said: "Death in the camp is better than dying behind prison bars." (Editing by Tom Perry and Giles Elgood) BEIJING (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday he hoped Iranian oil exports would continue despite Washington's efforts to stop them. Washington has demanded that buyers of Iranian crude halt purchases by May 1 or face sanctions, a move to choke off Tehrans oil revenues. The United States expects Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies to boost output in order to offset the cut in Iranian supplies. But Putin, in Beijing to attend an investment conference, said he was unaware of any Saudi intention to increase production. Asked about Saudi Arabia's position on offsetting the Iranian volumes taken off the world market, he told reporters: "I hope this does not happen in the end - but theoretically speaking, we have agreements under OPEC+." He was referring to a global output cut plan signed by both OPEC and Russia which is in effect until the end of June. "We have not received any information from our Saudi partners or anyone else, any OPEC members, indicating they are ready to quit the agreements," Putin said. He added that he had "no idea how the world energy market is going to react" to the toughening of sanctions against Iran. Washington has said it was working with top oil exporters Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to ensure the market was "adequately supplied". But analysts fear the U.S. move - along with sanctions on Venezuela - will leave the world with insufficient capacity. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Clelia Oziel) Paris (AFP) - The son of an elderly French woman abducted in Mali has accused Paris of refusing to talk to her abductors, in comments published Sunday that were disputed by French authorities. Armed jihadists abducted Sophie Petronin on December 24, 2016, in Gao, northern Mali, where she ran a charity helping orphans. Her son, Sebastien Chadaud-Petronin, told the Sunday newspaper Journal Du Dimanche that French officials had rejected an offer from the abductors, which he had received when he visited Mali in December. He said the French foreign ministry had sidelined him and taken the decision in his place: "The decision to sacrifice my mother." Responding to the criticism, a source close to the foreign ministry told AFP that France would continue to do everything to get Petronin freed -- but her son's comments were not helping. "The son of Madame Petronin has received unprecedented support from the French authorities" who had paid for his eight trips to the Sahel region, the source added. But having made contact with an intermediary of the abductors, Chadaud-Petronin had refused to reveal his identity to the French services -- and that meant they had been unable to check his credibility. "We don't doubt his sincerity, but he is being manipulated by the abductors and their numerous intermediaries," said the source. In June last year, Petronin's abductors sent a video of her in which she appeared weak and emaciated, appealing to French President Emmanuel Macron to help her. In another video in November, which only showed a photo of her, they said her health had deteriorated. Speaking to AFP on Sunday, Chadaud-Petronin said that he remained hopeful that his mother was still alive, even if he had no definite information. No group claimed responsibility for her abduction until July 2017, when Al-Qaeda's Mali branch released a video showing her. Mali has been struggling to return to stability after Islamist extremists took control of the north in early 2012, prompting a military intervention by France. YENAGOA, Nigeria (Reuters) - Gunman kidnapped three oil workers from Canada, Scotland and Nigeria at a rig in Nigeria's Delta region on Saturday, officials said - the second abduction in the area in less than a week. The attackers raided the rig owned by Niger Delta Petroleum Resources in Ogbele, Rivers State at around 8 a.m. (0700 GMT), the spokesman for the area's military operations, Major Ibrahim Abubakar, said. Troops were searching surrounding swamps, he added. State police said they had stepped up security on an east-west road where armed men had attacked civilians in recent weeks. The Niger Delta produces the bulk of Nigeria's crude. It has been plagued by criminal gangs and by armed groups demanding a greater share of oil revenues for the region. On Thursday, two Royal Dutch Shell oil workers were kidnapped and their police escorts killed in Rivers State while returning from a trip. (Reporting by Tife Owolabi in Yenagoa; Additional reporting by Anamesere Igboeroteonwu in Onitsha and Alexis Akwagyiram in Lagos; Writing by Libby George; Editing by Andrew Heavens) YENAGOA, Nigeria, April 26 (Reuters) - Two Royal Dutch Shell oil workers were kidnapped, and their police escorts killed, in Nigeria's restive Delta region, a police spokesman said on Friday. The workers were in Rivers State, returning from an official trip to Bayelsa state, when they were attacked. "The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) regrets to confirm the attack on its staff and government security escort at Rumuji, Rivers State, on the East/West road on Thursday, April 25, 2019 around 16:00 hours," an SPDC spokesman said. "We are supporting the police in their investigation of the incident. We cannot make further comments at this time." A Rivers state police spokesman said that efforts were underway to rescue the workers. (Reporting By Tife Owolabi in Yenagoa; additional reporting and writing by Libby George in London; editing by Chris Reese) Poway (United States) (AFP) - A rabbi who carried on preaching despite being wounded in the latest deadly shooting at a US synagogue said Sunday that Jews would not be intimidated by the "senseless hate" of anti-semitism. A 60-year-old woman, Lori Kaye, was killed and three people were wounded when a gunman burst into the synagogue in the southern Californian town of Poway on Saturday and opened fire on the final day of Passover. Police identified the shooter as John Earnest, 19, who had posted angry anti-Jewish remarks online just before the shooting and claimed he was behind the arson of another mosque in the area weeks earlier. According to San Diego County Sheriff's Department records, Earnest faces one charge of murder and three of attempted murder, and will appear before a judge to be formally indicted on May 1. Coming six months to the day after a white supremacist shot dead 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue, it raised new questions about a nationwide rise in anti-Semitism and in hate crimes generally -- and about President Donald Trump's often controversial response to them. Ahead of the funeral for Kaye, the synagogue's rabbi said authorities had to do more to protect places of worship. "Terror will not win. As Americans we cannot cower in the face of the senseless hate that is in anti-Semitism," Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein said in an interview to NBC television from his hospital bed. - 'Indescribable' - Later, he recounted the attack to reporters, saying he was finalizing his sermon when he heard a loud bang and stopped in his tracks. "I turn around and I see a sight that I -- indescribable. Here is a young man standing with a rifle, pointing right at me," he said. "And I look at him. He had sunglasses on, I couldn't see his eyes, I couldn't see his soul. I froze." Before he could reach Kaye, "more shots came" and he raised his hands -- eventually losing his right index finger to a bullet despite a four-hour operation to try to save it. Story continues The rabbi saw children were still playing in the banquet hall and rushed to get them out -- including his own four-year-old granddaughter. He was joined in this effort by Almog Peretz, who Goldstein said was a Israeli "war veteran." Peretz "ran into the banquet hall, gathered more children, he got a bullet in his leg, risking himself to save the children." It was then that the shooter's assault weapon jammed, creating an opening for others to jump in, said Goldstein. Two others attempted to stop Earnest from fleeing: US army veteran Oscar Stewart, who tried to tackle him, and off-duty Border Patrol officer Jonathan Morales, who Goldstein said shot at the shooter's car. "I've been told that I may have saved some lives -- I never thought about that I think...I just did what I did," Stewart told reporters. "I'm not a hero or anything, I just did it." After the shooter had fled, Goldstein returned to the lobby to find Kaye unconscious. He led his congregation outside and continued preaching until the emergency services arrived. "I got up there and just spoke from my heart, giving everyone the courage," he told NBC. Flowers and notes of condolence and solidarity were left at a makeshift memorial across the road from the synagogue on Sunday, when mourners also held a candlelight vigil for a second night. - 'Evil of anti-Semitism' - Goldstein also said he received a 15 minute call from US President Donald Trump, with the White House later confirming Trump called to "offer his comfort and condolences." On Saturday, the president told a rally that the "evil of anti-Semitism and hate" must be overcome. The shooting came only days after former US vice president Joe Biden highlighted Trump's 2017 remarks about the neo-Nazi march in Charlottesville, Virginia that left a counter-protester dead. Trump at the time said that "there were very fine people on both sides" of the protest which was against the removal of a Confederate-era statue. After Biden on Thursday brought up the comment when announcing his presidential bid, Trump doubled down, saying he had phrased his 2017 remarks "perfectly." Human rights groups say recent years have seen the biggest rise in anti-Semitic incidents in decades while some critics say Trump's rhetoric has played a part. Trump has forged an exceptionally close relationship to Israel and its current prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu while his daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner are Jewish. But critics blame him for stoking racial hatred with comments about Muslims and Latino immigrants. Peretz and his eight-year-old niece Noya Dahan were two Israelis injured in the shooting -- originally from Sderot, a town bordering the Gaza Strip that it is a frequent target of rocket attacks by Palestinian militants. Both have been discharged from the hospital. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu condemned the shooting as "atrocious," adding that "the international community must step up the struggle against anti-Semitism." Astria Health over the years October 2015: After several years of growth, Sunnyside Community Hospital & Clinics reveals plans to build a new facility on 50 acres it purchased two miles away from its current location at 1016 Tacoma Ave. The planned building, with 58 beds, would more than double the hospitals capacity. December 2016: Sunnyside Community Hospital & Clinics secure agreement from then-owner Community Health systems to purchase Yakima Regional Medical Center and Toppenish Community Hospital for $45 million. July 11, 2017: The Washington Department of Health holds public hearings in Yakima and Toppenish about the purchase. August 2017: Regional Health announces plans to pursue an affiliate relationship with Snoqualmie Valley Hospital. August 22, 2017: The Department of Health recommends approval of Regional Health's purchase of Yakima Regional Medical Center and Toppenish Community Hospital. End of August 2017: Regional Health completes its purchase of Yakima Regional Medical and Cardiac Center and Toppenish Community Hospital. The total purchase price is $47 million, which includes $10 million working capital for the hospitals accounts receivable, inventory and accounts payable. October 2017: Regional Health rebrands itself as Astria Health. The branding change applies to all hospitals and clinics. Yakima Regional Medical and Cardiac Center and Toppenish Community Hospital are renamed Astria Regional Medical Center and Astria Toppenish Hospital, respectively. March 8, 2018: Snoqualmie Valley Hospital District votes unanimously to end affiliation talks with Astria Health. The hospital district cites an inability to agree on a number of deal points and said that it felt Astria Health did not meet the organizations goal to affiliate with a well-established, recognized brand. A hospital report from later in the month stated that Astria also agreed the deal was not in its best interest. May 11, 2018 Astria Health CEO John Gallagher files a statement in the Kennewick Public Hospital District bankruptcy case, indicating Astrias interest in Trios Health, the health care system the district ran. Trios is later acquired by another health care company. December 2018: Astria Regional Medical Center closes its inpatient rehabilitation unit, citing significant financial losses. Officials say they plan to reopen when they find a way to operate it profitably. February 2019: After several months of talks, Astria Regional Medical Center decides to pull its funding for the Central Washington Family Medicine residency program. April 2, 2019: Astria Health issues a news release announcing a revamping of its critical care unit. April 2019: The Washington State Nurses Association and SEIU 1199NW, ratify contracts for workers at Astria Regional and Astria Toppenish. April 24, 2019: House Bill 1534, which would increase reimbursement for patients treated at the new psychiatric ward at Toppenish Community Hospital, is signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee. Abhijit Mulye By Express News Service MUMBAI: The Lok Sabha contests in the city are likely to be very tough this time due to a spirited offence the city unit of the Congress has mounted. While the saffron alliance running the city for over 25 years is banking on a surge in urban transport infrastructure and a host of Union and state government schemes for the urban population, the principal Opposition is taking a lead pointing out lacunae in the development narrative of the ruling coalition. The city has also seen a division of voters along linguistic or regional lines. But the development narrative appears to dominate the poll discourse. Development is visible and most importantly, its pace can be easily sensed. This is the most favourable factor for the BJP-Shiv Sena across the MMR [Mumbai Metropolitan Region], said Pankaj Salve, a first generation entrepreneur in his forties from Kurla in the Mumbai South Central constituency where Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shevale is contesting former Congress MP Eknath Gaikwad. I had been trying to develop an app for railway commuters. The response I received from railway officials post the change of government in 2014 was phenomenal. Though the app is yet to come, Im convinced of their commitment and efforts, he said while underlining the difference between the two regimes, which he says forms the key factor for his voting decision. On the other hand, there are young professionals like Ramen DSouza, Mahesh Patil, Varun Garg and others who have taken a break from their respective jobs and businesses to help the city Congress. Why arent they ashamed? is the tagline of several graphics, videos, and advertisement material developed by their team that highlights the shortcomings of the saffron rule. The top line and the downtrodden in the society sense the change immediately and change accordingly. This is the reason Ambani supported Murli Deora, while the deprived class of the society too has returned to us. The middle class resists it. We are trying to convince and convert this class with our appeal, said Abhijit Sapkal, who heads the Congress social media front. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE The city voters shouldnt forget days of deluge and bridge collapse. They shouldnt forget traffic jams and delayed trains while voting, he said. The Mumbai South Central constituency spreads from Anishakti Nagar, that houses the countrys powerhouse of nuclear research the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in the east to Mahim in the west. Six assembly segments make up this constituency of which, two Dharavi and Wadala are held by Congress. In neighbouring Mumbai North East constituency, local BJP leader Hemant Bhaskar in Mankhurd area too repeats Sapkal, but in a different context. Im handling the Mankhurd assembly segment. We have strived hard to get piped cooking gas, provide good drinking water and sanitation facilities over the last five years. Our campaign now is just to remind people, he said while speaking in the slum surrounding the biggest abattoir and the biggest dumping ground of the city in Deonar. The constituency has a tendency to alternate between the Congress and the BJP. Stalwarts like Subramanian Swamy, Jayawantiben Mehta and Pramod Mahajan have represented it in the past. The BJP this time chose its BMC house leader Manoj Kotak, instead of sitting MP Kirit Somaiya. Gujarati votes in suburbs like Ghatkopar and Mulund help the BJP win this seat easily. This time, the Shiv Senas opposition to Somaiya had created a Gujrati-Marathi divide. Whether NCPs Sanjay Dina Patil, who had represented this constituency in 2009, can benefit out of this linguistic divide, is yet to be seen. Ramakant Yadav is in his early fifties and drives an auto rickshaw for a living. He stays at slums near Kurla court in Mumbai North Central constituency from where BJP MP Poonam Mahajan is pitted against Congresss Priya Dutt-Roncon. Yadav had voted for Mahajan in 2014 but is not ready to reveal his choice this time. He brands the Modi government as pro-rich while citing the ongoing work on several Metro lines in the city and asks what the government has done for the poor. The constituency comprises of western Mumbai suburbs like Vile-Parle. It always elected the Opposition candidate since the emergency, till 2004, when the Congress Eknath Gaikwad represented the seat in Parliament. Priya Dutt did so in 2009. However, the seat went to Poonam Mahajan in 2014 and now she feels confident of retaining it. Five out of six Assembly segments are with the BJP-Sena alliance in the area that houses the residence of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as well as city BJP chief Ashish Shelar. Former Congress minister Kripashankar Singh, who is developing closeness with the BJP, is a cause of worry for the party. A 19-year-old gunman opened fire inside a synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of a major Jewish holiday, killing a woman and wounding the rabbi and two others Saturday, authorities said. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter President Donald Trump and other elected officials decried what they called an anti-Semitic attack exactly six months since 11 people were killed at a Pittsburgh synagogue in the deadliest assault on Jews in U.S. history. Synagogue shooting victim Lori Gilbert There were indications an AR-type assault weapon might have malfunctioned after the gunman, identified as John Earnest, fired numerous rounds inside the Chabad of Poway, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said. An off-duty Border Patrol agent working as a security guard fired at the shooter as he ran away, missing him but striking his getaway vehicle, San Diego County Sheriff William Gore said. Shortly after fleeing, Earnest called 911 to report the shooting, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said. When an officer reached him on a roadway, "the suspect pulled over, jumped out of his car with his hands up and was immediately taken into custody," Nisleit said. The scene of the synagogue shooting in San Diego (Photo: AP) Friends told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the woman killed in the shooting was Lori Kaye, 60, of Poway. Witnesses said she jumped in front of the synagogue's founding rabbi, Yisroel Goldstein, who was wounded in the index fingers on both hands, the newspaper reported. Noya Dahan, 8, was wounded in the attack Others injured were Noya Dahan, 8, hit with shrapnel in the face and leg, and Almong Peretz, 34, who was shot in the leg as he ushered children in a playroom to safety, the Union-Tribune reported. Earnest has no criminal record, but investigators were looking into a claim he made in an online manifesto about setting a fire at a mosque in nearby Escondido last month, Gore said. There was damage but no injuries. Gore said authorities were reviewing copies of his social media posts and were investigating the attack as a possible hate crime in the city of Poway, just over 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of San Diego. A person identifying themselves as John Earnest posted an anti-Jewish screed online about an hour before the attack. The poster described himself as a nursing school student and praised the suspects accused of carrying out deadly attacks on mosques in New Zealand last month and at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue Oct. 27. Suspected synagogue gunman John Earnest (Photo: Facebook) California State University, San Marcos, confirmed Earnest was a student on the dean's list and said the school was "dismayed and disheartened" that he was suspected in "this despicable act." There was no known threat after Earnest was arrested, but authorities boosted patrols at places of worship as a precaution, police said. Minoo Anvari, a member of the synagogue, told media outlets that her husband was inside during the shooting. She said he called to tell her the shooter was shouting and cursing. She called the shooting "unbelievable" in a peaceful and tight-knit community. "We are strong; you can't break us," Anvari said. The scene of the synagogue shooting in San Diego (Photo: AP) Donny Phonea, who lives across the street from the synagogue, turned off his power drill and heard someone shout, "Police!" Then he heard three or four shots. The 38-year-old bank auditor looked over his backyard fence facing the synagogue and saw people hiding behind an electrical box in the parking lot of a neighboring church. At that point, he knew something was "very, very wrong," went inside and closed his doors and garage. "I'm a little taken aback," said Phonea, who moved to Poway two weeks ago. "I moved here because safety was a factor. Poway is very safe." Trump offered his sympathies Saturday, saying the shooting "looked like a hate crime." Police at the scene of the synagogue shooting (Photo: Reuters) He praised law enforcement's "incredible response" and singled out the off-duty Border Patrol agent who "bravely returned fire and helped disrupt the attack and saved so many lives." The sheriff said the gun possibly malfunctioned. A candlelight vigil at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church for victims of the synagogue shooting (Photo: AFP) "I want you know this is not Poway," Mayor Steve Vaus said. "We always walk with our arms around each other and we will walk through this tragedy with our arms around each other." Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said he joins the community in grief. "No one should have to fear going to their place of worship, and no one should be targeted for practicing the tenets of their faith," he said. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is planning to visit North Korea, Iran's state television reported on Sunday, without giving the date of the visit. "The date of this trip will be set and announced soon," the television quoted Zarif as saying. It gave no further details. Eli Hazan, foreign affairs director of Likud removed his tweet in support of the right wing Vox party, standing to gain seats in the upcoming Spanish elections. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The tweet was removed after outraged reactions from the Spanish Jewish community claiming some Vox members are anti Semites and Holocaust deniers. Eli Hazan, Likud (Photo: Haredim 10) Hazan tweeted his support for Vox claiming it is a supporter of Israel in the EU. Anyone who supports Israel has my support back said Hazan Anti Vox demonstration (Photo: Getty Images) Spain returns to the polls on Sunday for uncertain snap elections marked by a resurgence of the far-right after more than four decades on the outer margins of politics. Opinion polls give outgoing socialist premier Pedro Sanchez a win but without the necessary majority to govern alone, meaning he will have to seek alliances in a political environment that has soured since Catalonia's failed secession bid. Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez By far the novelty of these elections is the emergence of far-right party Vox, which burst onto the scene in December regional polls in southern Andalusia and looks set to make its first-ever entrance into the national parliament. Polls predict it could take more than 10 percent of the votes in a country that had no far-right party to speak of since the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975, in what is likely to cause further concern in Europe. Sanchez was forced to call Sunday's early elections after Catalan pro-independence lawmakers in the national parliament, angered at the trial of their leaders in Madrid, refused to give him the support he needed for his 2019 budget. Right-wing parties have for their part lambasted Sanchez, at the head of a minority government, for his attempts to negotiate with Catalan separatists who still govern the region, accusing him of being a traitor. With no party expected to get anywhere near an absolute majority in what will be the third elections in three-and-a-half years, Spain's fragmented political landscape looks set to continue. The prime minister condemned on Sunday the anti-Semitic attack in a California synagogue, which left a 60-year-old woman dead and three others wounded, calling it a blow to the Jewish nations heart," while Israeli president said the attack is a reminder hatred that of Jews is alive and well all around the world. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter On Saturday, a 19-year-old gunman opened fire inside the synagogue near San Diego as worshippers celebrated the last day of Passover, a major Jewish holiday, killing the 60-year-old Lori Kaye. The synagogue's founding rabbi, Yisroel Goldstein, was wounded in the attack and lost two of his index fingers. Two other people - 8-year-old Noya Dahan and 34-year-old Almog Peretz - were also hurt. We send our condolences to Lori Gilbert Kayes family and wish a speedy recovery to those left wounded, Netanyahu said. The international community must step up its fight against anti-Semitism." Victim Lori Kaye and wounded Noya Dahan The Prime Minister's Office said in light of the upsurge in anti-Semitic attacks around the world, Prime Minister Netanyahu will convene a special meeting with the officials tasked with fighting anti-Jewish prejudices on the international arena. President Reuven Rivlin said the attack is a painful reminder that anti-Semitism and hatred of Jews is still with us, everywhere." "We were shocked and grieved to hear of the shooting at Chabad of Poway, California during Pesach, our holiday of freedom, and just before Holocaust Memorial day," the president said. "No country and no society are immune (to anti-Semitism). Only through education for Holocaust remembrance and tolerance can we deal with this plague." Our hearts are with the Gilbert Kaye family, who have lost their dear Lori, with the families of the wounded and with the whole community. We are with you in these difficult times, he said. The Jewish people will never allow anti-Semitism and hatred to triumph. We are strong and we are proud of our heritage and our identity of love for each other and our fellow humans, he added. Witnesses said Kaye jumped in front of Rabbi Goldstein, who after being wounded still tried to stop the shooter and tend to other victims. Education and Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett called Kaye a hero, who will be remembered in Jewish history," he said. "She sacrificed her own life, throwing herself in the path of the murderer's bullets to save the life of the rabbi." The condition of two other wounded was described by the medical staff as good. Peretz, an Israeli citizen, was wounded as he ushered the children to a nearby playroom. A fellow Israeli, Shimon Abutbul from Kiryat Shmona, was in the synagogue at the time of the shooting. 'We were in the middle of a prayer when I went outside because my grandchildren ran to the playroom, thats when we heard a shot being fired, he said. Just one shot initially and then three in a row. We laid down quickly on the ground. 34-year-old Almog Peretz "Later on, I went to see whether someone had been hurt. I saw the rabbis hands were badly hurt, and a woman was also shot. We tried to perform CPR on her, but unfortunately it didn't help, he added. The gunman, identified as John Earnest (Photo: Facebook) President Donald Trump and other elected US officials decried what they called an anti-Semitic attack exactly six months since 11 people were killed at a Pittsburgh synagogue in the deadliest assault on Jews in US history. The gunman, identified as John Earnest, posted an anti-Semitic manifesto on social media shortly before the attack. The poster described himself as a nursing school student and praised the suspects accused of carrying out deadly attacks on mosques in New Zealand last month and at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue October 27. K Krishnachand By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major boost to skill set training, the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the state will soon be revamped by improving infrastructure and introducing new courses. As a first step, the Labour Department has begun efforts to make 10 ITIs on par with international standards. As per the plans, courses with low admission rates would be scrapped and new ones will be introduced. Smart classrooms, world-class workshops and libraries would be launched. Examinations scheduled for June will be conducted online for the first time. P K Madhavan, Additional Director of Training and Secretary of State Council for Vocational Training, told Express the KIIFB has already granted Rs 82.5 crore for the upgradation of ITIs and the work has begun to improve infrastructure. The Kerala Academy of Skills Excellence (KASE) has been designated as a Special Purpose Vehicle to implement the project. The ITIs in the state will be revamped. Traditional classrooms will be converted into smart classrooms and workshops will be on par with international standards. Besides, new courses will be introduced along with the existing curriculum set by the Union government. Another major highlight is that a total of 100 students would be sent to Singapore this year to attend a training programme at the ITE-Singapore, said Madhavan. At present, there are 107 government ITIs over 350 private ITIs in the state. In all, 132 trade are taught in these institutes. Already, major electronic and mechanical companies have joined hands with some ITIs to create an infrastructure of world-class workshops. At the Kalamassery ITI, Samsung and Toyota have been training students for the past few years and they recruit talented and skilled students directly off the campus. As part of the upgradation, Entrepreneur Clubs have also been launched at various institutes to promote entrepreneurship. Israel released on Sunday two prisoners - a Fatah terrorist and a drug smuggler - sending them back to Syria in what Damascus described as Russian-mediated reciprocation for the repatriation of the body of a long-missing Israeli soldier. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Russia, a key Damascus ally, this month handed Israel the remains and personal effects of Zachary Baumel, who was declared missing in action along with two other Israeli soldiers following a 1982 tank battle with Syrian forces in Lebanon. Zidan Taweel, drug smuggler, after his release A Syrian government source said Damascus then pressured Moscow to secure a prisoner release by Israel. There was no immediate comment on Sunday from Russia. The Israeli military said in a statement that two prisoners were transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross at Quneitra crossing on the armistice line with the Syrian Golan Heights. Hamis Ahmed and Zeidan Tawil (Photo: Amit Magal) The Israeli military statement described the two men as Syrians. Israel's Prisons Service identified them as Ahmed Khamis, from a Palestinian refugee camp near Damascus, and Zidan Taweel, from the Syrian Druze village of Hader. Khamis was a member of the Fatah faction who was jailed in 2005 after trying to attack an Israeli army base, and Taweel was jailed in 2008 for drug smuggling, the Prisons Service said. Funeral of Baumel (Photo: EPA) Israel's minister for regional cooperation, Tzachi Hanegbi, said the prisoner release did not constitute a swap with Syria, an enemy state. But he voiced hope that it might help with the recovery of other Israelis lost to the Syrians in past wars. "If with a gesture like this we leave the Syrians with less of a sour taste, then that is a positive thing," he told Israel's Army Radio. One of the most influential newspapers in the world, the Jewish-owned New York Times decided to present the Jews with a gift in honor of the last day of Passover - a major Jewish holiday - an antisemitic caricature. The controversial cartoon shows US President Donald Trump as a blind man with a skullcap on his head, being led by a dog that looks like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And to make sure the reader knows it is indeed the Israeli premier, the dog has a Star of David dangling from its collar. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter That caricature is worth a thousand words. The rhetoric of the likes of Ku Klux Klan and far-right anti-Semites is beautifully conveyed by the caricature published in one of the worlds most liberal newspapers. That caricature erased the differences not only between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism but between the philosophies of the extreme right-wing and extreme left-wing as well. Over the past year, the paper has consistently supported the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement that denies Israel's right to exist and has members who openly express their anti-Semitic views. Although the papers content usually has human rights discourse pepperd in, it cant not hide the ugliness of racism. Caricature in the New York Times Australian-Iranian Imam Mohamad Tawhidi on Saturday wrote that Islamist ideology considers Jews as offsprings of monkeys, pigs and dogs. Now, claims Tawhidi, the New York Times serves to advance the global jihad agenda. The paper seems to have gotten the message, seeing as it removed the cartoon from its digital edition shortly after, admitting the caricature had anti-Semitic undertones and its publication was an error of judgement. The newspaper could have been forgiven if the cartoon was their only error of judgement. Given the papers continued support for Congresswoman Ilhan Omar - who on multiple occasions made anti-Israel and anti-Semitic remarks - its hard to take the apology of the New York Times seriously. Every newspaper makes mistakes, the problem here is that it all seems to be part of an anti-Israel agenda. In addition, on the eve of the Passover Seder, the papers Jewish readers had been treated to an article which speculated that Jesus Christ was a Palestinian. I dont believe that the newspaper's editors are so ignorant that they dont know Jesuss origins, they are probably just trying to prove Trumps notion that media does indeed publish fake news. Omar, for her part, was enthusiastic about the article describing Jesus as a Palestinian, and didnt hesitate to tweet her support for this theory. The New York Times for their part once again issued an apology in this instance as well, once again citing an error of judgement. Well, at least Omar and this newspaper - which is owned by Jews but insists on being anti-Jewish - have fallen deeply in love with each other. The New York Times has excellent writers who dont hesitate to criticize the papers anti-Israeli obsession. There is, however, something incredibly sad about the fact that a world-famous newspaper, on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Days, publishes a caricature that reminds us of something that could have been seen in Der Sturmer (German tabloid during the Nazi regime). This whole situation provides us with an answer to the question whether Jews can be anti-Semitic? That caricature proves that yes! There is indeed such thing as Jewish anti-Semitism. For one family caught up in the California synagogue shooting, a move from Israel to the United States in search of a safer life has been a journey "from fire to fire". Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Israel Dahan and three of his five children were at Sabbath services at Congregation Chabad in Poway, near San Diego, on Saturday when a gunman opened fire, killing a woman and wounding three others in what local authorities deemed a hate crime. Noya Dahan (R); murder victim Lori Kaye "We came from fire to fire," he said. "We left Sderot because of the shelling. My house was hit several times. My mother's house, my mother-in-law's house were hit several times. I was also wounded several times ... we wanted to move far away." Dahan's eight-year-old daughter, Noya, was wounded in the synagogue shooting, on the last day of Passover, as was his brother-in-law. "I began to shout that people should flee," Dahan said about the initial moments of the attack. "Thank God his gun jammed." Makeshift memorial Dahan said his family had been living in Poway for the past three years - and that it was not the first time they had been the victim of a hate crime. In 2015, the Dahans were residing in Mira Mesa, about 10 miles (16 km) from Poway, when swastikas were daubed on their house and vehicle during the Passover holiday. A local news report at the time said the family moved to the United States in 2014 seeking a safer environment for their children. "But that's life," Dahan said, recalling the swastika incident and how he had briefly locked eyes with the synagogue assailant. Asked whether he regretted their move from Israel, he said: "No. We love America ... It can happen anywhere - in any mall, and in any hospital and in any family gathering and in any place. We are strong. We were born to be strong." Despite wanting to be released to Hebron where his fiance Nida Abu Sneina resides, Hamis Ahmed, the Syrian-Palestinian terrorist who attempted to carry out a terror attack at a Golan Heights IDF base in 2005, was expelled to Syria upon his release Sunday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Ahmed was released four years early, together with drug smuggler Zidan Taweel, as a goodwill gesture following the return of the remains of Zachary Baumel who was missing since 1982, with the assistance of the Russians, staunch allies of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Hamis Ahmed Taweel with relatives following release Ahmed's fiance Abu Sneina told Ynet that her family was under the impression that Ahmed would be released to Hebron and only on Sunday did she hear that he had already been transferred to Syria. "The reason that he requested to be sent to Hebron is because we are engaged and I live here," Abui Sneina explained. "He is a Palestinian and he has no family in Syria; both his parents died and he is an only child." Transfer of prisoners at Syrian border Anticipating his arrival, her family in Hebron had already prepared a welcome celebration for Ahmed. "On the one hand I am glad that he is out of prison, but I am disappointed that he is there (Syria) and not here," Abu Sneina said. "I am now waiting for him to contact me from there." She added that she plans to travel to Syria after Ramadan to marry him there. Ahmed, 35, is a Fatah operative who lived in the Yarmuk Refugee Camp in Syria. He was trained in terror tactics there and was apprehended in 2005 while attempting to attack an IDF base in the Golan. Ahmed during his arrest in 2005 Ahmed had spent time observing the Israeli border vicinity before infiltrating via a hole he had dug, armed with a weapon, a face mask and a sweater with the Palestinian flag on it. Upon entering the base, he attempted to disarm an officer and take his weapon, but the latter was able to overpower him. Ahmed was initially sentenced to 18 years in prison and has been exiled to Syria via the Quneitra Crossing. CAIRO - U.S. Central Command chief General Kenneth McKenzie said on Saturday the United States would deploy the necessary resources to counter any dangerous actions by Iran, Sky News Arabia reported. "We're going to continue to reach out to our partners and friends in the region to ensure that we make common cause against the threat of Iran," McKenzie, on an official visit to the Gulf region, was quoted as saying by Sky News Arabia. "I believe we'll have the resources necessary to deter Iran from taking actions that will be dangerous," he said, according to a transcript released by the Abu Dhabi-based channel. "We will be able to respond effectively." Muslim women in Sri Lanka will no longer be able to veil their faces under an emergency law ordered by President Maithripala Sirisena that bans all kinds of face coverings that may conceal people's identities. The law takes effect Monday, eight days after the Easter bombings of churches and hotels that killed more the 250 people in Sri Lanka. Dozens of suspects have been arrested but local officials and the U.S. Embassy in Colombo have warned that more militants remained on the loose with explosives. Life on the South Asian island nation has been tense for people of all faiths. The decision came after the Cabinet had proposed laws on face veils at a recent meeting. It had deferred the matter until talks with Islamic clerics could be held, on the advice of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. A friend of the woman killed in the Southern California synagogue shooting says the victim's physician husband was called to tend to a wounded worshipper and fainted when he realized it was his wife. Sixty-year-old Lori Kaye died after being shot Saturday at Chabad of Poway near San Diego. Three others were hurt. Congregation member Roneet Lev related an account from Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein of how Kaye threw herself in front of him, possibly saving his life. Goldstein is recovering from a gunshot wound to the hand. Lev tells the Los Angeles Times that Kaye's husband began to do CPR on an injured person and was overcome when he realized it was his wife. Lev says Kaye had gone to the synagogue to say the Kaddish Jewish prayer for the dead for her mother, who had recently died. Lev says now the irony is people will be saying the prayer for her now. A week and a half before Israel's 71st Independence Day celebrations and the traditional Torch-lighting Ceremony, State Comptroller Yosef Shapiro released a report Sunday exposing a series of irregularities with regards to how the Culture Ministry handled last year's event. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The report found that the process of selecting the honorees to kindle a torch was problematic. In addition, 11% of the invitations to the event were given to workers at the Culture Ministry; workers at the Prime Minister's Office and Likud activists also received hundreds of the much sought-after invitations. Torch-lighting Ceremony, Jerusalem The Torch-lighting Ceremony was started in 1950 and has been held every year at Jerusalem's Mt. Herzl. Every year honorees are selected to light 12 torches, corresponding to the 12 Tribes of Israel. The ceremony marks the end of Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism and the start of the Independence Day festivities. The event celebrates the accomplishments of the State of Israel and its citizens as well as the unity of the nation. Last year's event, marking Israel's 70th birthday, was especially grand. Miri Regev at the event in 2018 The VIP A-list invited to the event was found to contain irregularities and members were not restricted to a set amount of the highly sought-after tickets. Some received multiple tickets based on their association with different entities or departments, without anyone verifying whether it was the same person. Members of the Prime Minister's Office were initially allotted 467 tickets to the ceremony but another 242 were added later. The military secretary to the prime minister was allotted 26 and the prime minister's residence, 26. Four staff members received 23 tickets. PM Netanyahu lights a torch (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky) Likud operative received 80 tickets to the event while no representatives of other parties received any such allotment. The Culture Ministry, including Minister Regev's staff and the chairman of the ministry, received no less than 709 tickets, 11% of the total tickets distributed; a further 270 were granted for the general rehearsal. The comptroller wrote that such wholesale distribution of tickets within the ministry itself, while the general public desperately sought to obtain them, is at odds with the behavior expected of public servants, unreasonable and defies aspirations for equality and transparency. The ministry failed to treat the tickets as public property that it is merely charged with their distribution. Regev and Sara Netanyahu (Photo: Herzliya Studios) Expanded event In September 2016, the ministerial committee in charge of ceremonies, headed by Culture Minister Miri Regev, decided that the event was to be held in an expanded format. The parade grounds at Mt. Herzl has a capacity for 6,680 people. The total amount of people viewing the ceremony live, including two general rehearsals, was 20,000, up from 8,800 in previous years; the production cost was NIS 22 million. The comptroller's report found that the process in which honorees were selected to light the torches was not conducted according to the applicable guidelines and the names were not duly vetted and voted upon by the relevant committee. One candidate was added despite being rejected earlier by the committee, and others were written off despite having received full approval. Comptroller Shapiro (Photo: Gil Yohanan) The Culture Ministry said that 16 of the 20 candidates submitted to the minister were approved and that time constraints did not allow for the committee to conduct a vote on all the names that were added at a later point. The report states that four of the 13 candidates approved by the committee were added without involving all the committee members. The process in which some candidates were selected was also found lacking. Among the criteria for selecting candidates is that they come from a variety of geographical locations in Israel and are of a plurality of ages, ethnic backgrounds and vocations. The list must also include a representative of each: the IDF, Israel's minorities population and the youth. The report says that the above criteria was not listed in the public notice soliciting names of candidates. Muafiq Tarif representing Israel's Druze community (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky) Regarding a candidate from the Diaspora, the report found that the guidelines for selecting such a candidate were vague and need to be clarified. Last year's Diaspora candidate was unable to travel to Israel and was disqualified without replacement. Despite some 20,000 available slots to view the ceremony (including rehearsals), only about one third of them were made available to the general public. Despite adding 2,460 seats to the event itself, the general public only received an additional allotment of 370 seats compared to previous years. The comptroller wrote that the procedure for obtaining tickets to the event, for the general public, was not properly publicized and many citizens who wished to attend had no idea how to go about it. Furthermore, although recipients are allowed two tickets to the event, the Culture Ministry's website shows that 1,751 recipients were given 4,138 tickets. The public was not given a real and equal opportunity to participate in the Independence Day and Memorial Day events, the report states. Most attendees were in fact political operatives and well-connected individuals benefiting from nepotism. The report also states that documentation was not properly kept making it difficult to fully understand the decision-making process. The response of the Culture Ministry states that they welcome the report saying some of the comptroller's recommendations were already being implemented and that steps were being taken to alleviate irregularities relating to the distribution of tickets to all official events. S Viswanath By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu, who spent busy time during elections and also kept himself occupied after polls with the task of fighting against Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and also campaigning in other States in support of the non-BJP parties, took a break and left for Himachal Pradesh on Friday, along with his family members. Sources in the TDP said that Naidu at one point of time decided to cancel his tour and remain in the capital city so as to monitor the cyclonic storm, which is expected to have an impact on the South Coastal districts of the State. With the Election Commission restricting him from holding reviews citing the Model Code of Conduct, he left for Himachal Pradesh as per the suggestion of the party leaders. However, Naidu hinted at returning to the State at any time in case of any cyclone damage, sources added. Opposition Leader and YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy who already went to Switzerland for vacation on April 22, will return to AP on Saturday. CM to stage dharna in Delhi Naidu, who already visited Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra supporting the non-NDA parties and also highlighting failure of EVMs in the elections in AP, is planning to stage a protest in Delhi demanding transparency in conduct of polls, after returning from HP. TDP spokesperson Lanka Dinakar said that the protest is likely to be organised in Delhi in the first week of May. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: The BJP has urged the State government to make public the details of the enquiry report submitted by Special Chief Secretary Manmohan Singh on the controversy surrounding Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). The saffron party leaders also urged the government to disclose how it spent Rs 8,000 crore borrowed from the RBI in the first week of April. BJP State Secretary and former TTD board member G Bhanu Prakash Reddy, in a press meet on Saturday, questioned as to why no action has been initiated against the TTD Executive Officer and the Punjab National Bank (PNB)officials. He also shot off a letter to the Ministry of Finance requesting that a probe be conducted into the alleged lapses in transportation of 1,381 kg of TTD gold. Later in the day, party State vice-president S Vishnu Vardhan Reddy sought details of how the TDP government already sent the money borrowed from RBI in April. Earlier this month, the State borrowed `8,255 crore from RBI. Just 27 days of the month have elapsed and the government spent it completely. Varsha Torgalkar By The namastes are the best. All along the Annapurna Circuit trekan unpredictable passage of opposites you will pass through little hamlets and stops, be greeted by local children, watch baby yaks and mountain goats as you move along. The landscape is starkly breathtaking, sometimes interrupted by dusty roads bustling with jeeps. The climate along the road, which dips and rises on the way, is eccentricone day it is tropically hot while other times it dips to temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius during the day and below seven degrees Celsius at night. The sights are worth the trouble as one traverses through the Nepalese hills and plains benevolently presided over by the Annapurna massif. There are versatile surprises along the way, such as snow-capped peaks, colourful forests and gigantic riversthese make the hardship easy. With snow-filled passes, high-altitude deserts, dry river beds, undulating rock formations and masses of rhododendron flowersits travel candy offered in its best form. Thorang La Pass Mount Annapurna is one of the highest peaks in the Himalayan ranges in Nepal at over 8,000 metres with Thorang Pass La being its apex point at 5,416 metres. Adventure is just a breath away on this routelike passing a huge valley on suspension bridges. At Marpha (2,670 mt), one can see Nyingma monastery where there is a 400-year-old monastery along with a newly build one. In the old building, there is Buddhist text written in gold ink that dates back to at least 600 years. One can see many other monasteries as well, and interactions with monks and devotees will enlighten one with interesting facets of the religion. After arriving at Kathmandu, Nepal, travel to Khudi (800 metres),in a vehicle to begin the trek. A trekking permit is required from Nepal Tourism for the journey ahead. Its important to keep the passport and a few photographs handy. A determined hiker can trek for five to eight hours, ascending anywhere between 300 and 500 metres. The journey needs fitness and patience. Night halts are at small local hotels, which charge a nominal price provided you have dinner and breakfast there. For food adventurers, try the dalbhata local lentil-rice dish, though avatars of western dishes are available since many foreigners take the circuit. The tea houses have common areas where warm chimneys provide warmth to huddle around. Modernity makes its presence felt with warm water and wi-fi at all hotels. Before you start the trek, it is important to boost your cardio stamina by walking up to 10-40 km a day. Apparel required for the trek includes thermals, T-shirts, jeans, fleece and insulated winter jackets. Be prepared for unpredictable rains and windy days with rain coats and umbrellas. These can be bought from Kathmandu or Pokhra. Trek neophytes beware: buy only reputed brands. A trekker bought a sleeping bag which only had polythene bags as stuffing: a disconcerting discovery at 3,000 metres. Read up on Acute Mountain Sickness (AMC). This is caused by a drop of pressure at high altitudes and the fittest climber can get it. The only solution is to make your way down if there is trouble with breathing, headache and other symptoms. Pranayama helps. Ironically, a regular smoker said taking in air and keeping it in the lungs for long prevented AMC from affecting him. Altitude medication is easily available at any pharmacy once you climb 1,500 meters and higher. Acclimatisation is cruciala recommended stop is Manang (3,519 mt). While you are at it, take one of the side treks through spectacular mountain scenery. Now comes the rough part. To reach Thorung Pass La, the peak, from Thorung Phedi (4,600 mt), requires trudging bravely through knee deep snow. The weather keeps changing from extreme cold to snowfall, heavy winds or rain. The wise come prepared. Fill the thermos with tea or soup. Though dawdling at the top can be pretty risky, descend from Thorung La Pass to Muktinath (3,800 mt) the same day, and spiritually rejuvenate at the Hindu temple or Buddhist monastery there. The mortal remains of Indian Navy officer Lieutenant Commander DS Chauhan, who lost his life while trying to douse a fire on board aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, reached his hometown in Madhya Pradesh, according to news agency ANI on Sunday. The mortal remains were brought to his home in Ratlam on Saturday. The officer is survived by his mother and sister. On Friday morning, the fire broke out when the ship was entering the harbour in Karwar, Karnataka. Lt Cdr DS Chauhan bravely led the firefighting efforts in the affected compartment. "It is with profound grief and regrets that we report the sad and untimely demise of Lieutenant Commander DS Chauhan, a young colleague and a brave brother-in-arms, onboard INS Vikramaditya," the Indian Navy had tweeted on behalf of Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba. Live TV "His daring effort prevented the fire spreading & causing major damage to the combat capability of the Carrier," read the next tweet. The Indian Navy said the sacrifice of Lt Cdr DS Chauhan will not go in vain and has promised to stand by his family. "We salute his courage and sense of duty and will make every effort to ensure that his supreme sacrifice does not go in vain. We shall be with his family forever and at all times," the tweet also read. Madhya Pradesh: Mortal remains of Indian Navy's Lieutenant Commander DS Chouhan who lost his life during fire fighting operations on-board aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya in Karwar, Karnataka, yesterday, brought to his home in Ratlam. pic.twitter.com/evAUJRkxZZ ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 INS Vikramaditya was scheduled to take part in the Varuna naval exercise from May 1 with the French Navy which is sending its aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle for the same. It is India's only operational aircraft carrier at present. New Delhi: The apex child rights body has asked all states to stop the sale of Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo after its sample was found to be of substandard quality in a lab test. In a letter to chief secretaries of all states, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) ordered stoppage of sale of Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo and also removing the product from stock of shops after Drug Testing Laboratory, Jaipur declared it of substandard quality as the presence of formaldehyde was confirmed in it. Live TV The apex child rights body had sought sample test reports of Johnson's baby shampoo and talcum powder from authorities of five states -- Andhra Pradesh (south), Jharkhand (east), Rajasthan (west), Madhya Pradesh (central) and Assam (northeast) -- after reports of presence of asbestos and carcinogenic substance in them emerged. The order to stop sale was issued after test reports of the baby shampoo sample from Rajasthan came in. It is yet to receive the test reports from the other four states. It has asked the Drug Control Officer of Rajasthan to send the test report of the talcum powder at the earliest. The two terrorists, who carried out a recent attack on a police post in Srinagar's Chanpora, have been arrested, Jammu and Kashmir police said on Sunday. The duo was arrested in Wathora village, Budgam district further informed the police. However, their identities are yet to be ascertained. The attack took place on April 26 (Friday) in which a cop had suffered injuries in the firefight. He was shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. Live TV Multiple rounds of fire exchange took place between security personnel and the terrorists. The area was cordoned off and a search operation launched to nab the terrorists. The state police officials had confirmed that there had been an exchange of firing. "There was a standoff firing on Police Post Chanapora falling under the jurisdiction of Police station Saddar. One policeman sustained injuries," a police spokesman had said. A man posing as a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constable was nabbed at Chandni Chowk metro station in the national capital, officials said on Sunday. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) caught the man, dressed in a CRPF uniform, on Saturday at about 8.22 pm, after a tip-off. Live TV Later, on searching him, two Aadhar Cards with different dates of birth, fathers name and addresses along with a mobile phone were recovered from his possession. At first, he was taken to the security room of CISF for enquiry but he did not give any satisfactory reply. The man wasn't carrying any Force identity card or any proof of being a force member. He revealed his identity as Nadeem Khan a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Shamli and further revealed that he was a CRPF trainee. He said that presently he was being trained from CRPF RTC Mohan Nagar at Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. He also revealed that he came from RTC on leave to attend his mothers funeral at Shamli. But it was found that no such trainee of the said name was present in that RTC. Subsequently, UP Police was also contacted and it was found that his parents are fine. Khan, along with all the recovered items, was handed over to Delhi Metro Rail Police Station (DMRP) Kashmere gate, for further legal action in the matter. The nation and family of braveheart Indian Navy officer Lieutenant Commander DS Chauhan on Sunday bade farewell as his final rites were performed at his hometown in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam town. The Navy officer lost his life while trying to douse a fire on board aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. Live TV The rites were performed at the Triveni Muktidham in the town. A huge crowd had gathered to pay tribute. Several ministers including BJP leaders Guman Singh Damor and Chetan Kashyap and Congress leaders Kantilal Bhuria and Kantilal Bhuria also paid tribute to the braveheart. With tears in her eyes, Karuna Singh--the wife of the martyred officer--said that he saved the lives several hundred and people should learn from him how to save lives. The mortal remains of the officer reached his hometown on Saturday. The officer is survived by his mother, wife and sister. On Friday morning, the fire broke out when the ship was entering the harbour in Karwar, Karnataka. Lt Cdr DS Chauhan bravely led the firefighting efforts in the affected compartment. "It is with profound grief and regrets that we report the sad and untimely demise of Lieutenant Commander DS Chauhan, a young colleague and a brave brother-in-arms, onboard INS Vikramaditya," the Indian Navy had tweeted on behalf of Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba. "His daring effort prevented the fire spreading & causing major damage to the combat capability of the Carrier," read the next tweet. The Indian Navy said the sacrifice of Lt Cdr DS Chauhan will not go in vain and has promised to stand by his family. "We salute his courage and sense of duty and will make every effort to ensure that his supreme sacrifice does not go in vain. We shall be with his family forever and at all times," the tweet also read. INS Vikramaditya was scheduled to take part in the Varuna naval exercise from May 1 with the French Navy which is sending its aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle for the same. It is India's only operational aircraft carrier at present. National Investigating Agency (NIA) on Sundau carried out searches at the houses of three suspects s part of investigation in ISIS Kasaragod module case. The NIA searched two houses in Kasaragod and one in Palakkad to gather more information about the ISIS Kasargod module. According to NIA, the three persons whose houses were searched are suspected to have links with some of the accused persons in the said case who had left India join the banned terrorist organisation. During searches, the NIA has seized a number of digital devices including mobile phones, SIM cards, memory cards, pen drives, diaries with handwritten notes in Arabic and Malayalam, DVDs of Dr. Zakir Naik besides untitled DVDs, CDs with religious speeches, books of Dr Zakir Naik and Syed Kutheb from the houses of the accused. The NIA will now examine and analyse the digital evidences forensically to know more about the modus operandi of the IS Kasargod module. Live TV The NIA is also questioning the three suspects. On Tuesday, the NIA had arrested an ISIS sympathizer from Delhi. The IS sympathizer identified as Mohammad Faiz was arretsed for allegedly conspiring to carry out blasts in Delhi, National Capital Region (NCR) and Uttar Pradesh. Faiz was a key member of Harkat-Ul-Harb-E-Islam, which is a pro-Islamic State module. According to NIA, he was allegedly involved in founding the group and bringing other members in its fold. "The case pertains to the Harkat-Ul-Harb-E-Islam group of terrorists who formed a gang which was engaged in acts preparatory to commission of terror attacks with a view to wage war against the government of India," the NIA had said in a statement. In September last year, the NIA had arrested Nashidul Hamzafar, an accused in the ISIS Kasargod case after he was deported from Kabul to New delhi. Hamzafar belongs to Kerala's Kalpetta. He was arrested in Afghanistan for illegally entering the country to join his associates in the ISIS. Hamzafar's arrest was related to the conspiracy hatched by some ISIS sympathizers from Kasaragod district of Kerala and their associates in 2015 to propagate the ideology of ISIS. Head of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Maj. Gen. Hoang Kim Phung at the event (Photo: VNA) It is the first time Vietnam has undertaken the role since joining the UN peacekeeping activities in 2014 and being an APPTC member. The Vietnamese delegation to the event was led by the head of the Vietnam Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Maj. Gen. Hoang Kim Phung. The April 23rd -26th event took the theme Stepping Up to the Challenge: The Asia-Pacific Actions and Response to Increasing Effective Performance in United Nations Peace Operations, attracting 21 delegations from member states such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Bangladesh and ASEAN member countries, except Laos. It aimed to strengthen ties among Asia-Pacific peacekeeping centres with discussions on improving operation capacity, peace and security, and citizen protection, thus suggesting common plans to deal with new challenges. Participants looked into restructuring the UN agencies in charge of peace and security, citizen protection via enhancing womens role in peacekeeping activities, as well as training results. Speaking at the event, Phung highlighted Vietnams efforts and achievements over the past five years, affirming that Vietnam always supports the UNs criteria for improving womens role in peacekeeping activities, evidenced by its sending of the first female officer to the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) while the rate of women at Vietnams level-2 field hospital on duty at UNMISS reached 16 percent, higher than the UNs suggested level of 10-15 percent. The Vietnamese side also reaffirmed that if Vietnam could replace the UK engineer corps at the UNMISS, it will send at least 10 percent of female staff in its corps to the mission. The Vietnamese head delegate also offered ideas to improve the efficiency of training for peacekeeping staff before their departure for the mission./. Medha Dutta Yadav By With celebrities going gaga over the benefits of hyaluronic acid and micellar water, it was only a matter of time before the new regime made an appearance in almost every makeup box. While one promises skin as supple and soft as a babys bottom, the other vouches that it will clear all the makeup and pollution debris that has piled up on your skin with a magical swipe. Both are pitched as the one-stop solution in skincare. To the less beauty savvy, the name hyaluronic acid may sound like something best left to chemistry classes and definitely not something one would want to put anywhere near the face. To gross one out further, hyaluronic acid, also known as hyaluronan, is a clear, gooey substance that is naturally produced by the body. While we turn up our pretty little noses at the very thought of applying this on to our faces, the fact is that this magical chemical is the key to smooth, flawless and hydrated skin. Following a skincare routine is not just beneficial for your skin but it can also be a stress-buster in todays trying times. And, no one wants an atlas when they look into a mirror. Hyaluronic acid holds the key to smooth and flawless skin. As we get older, our bodies slowly stop producing it. This acid is also responsible for plumping and moisturising the skin. Its a great idea to incorporate hyaluronic acid in our anti-ageing regime to maintain a youthful glow. It has incredible abilities to hydrate which makes it a must, says Vidur Kapur, director, O3plus. Cut to micellar water. Peek inside the makeup bags of models, celebrities, and makeup artists (or, almost anyone with flawless skin), and chances are that there would be a nice little bottle of micellar cleansing water sitting snugly among all the zillions of lotions and creams. Long popular in France, this skin-care product that looks and feels just like regular water is the next best thing to remove makeup, cleanse, and tone with just a few light swipes. The upside is that it contains no alcohol, and comprises only dirt-loving micelle molecules that break down dirt on the skin. And all you have to do is, wipe a cotton ball soaked with the cleanser along your face and get rid of all unpleasantness. Nirupama Parwanda, dermatologist and founder of Zolie Skin Clinic, says, Micellar water has been in use for many years. It is a creation of the French and looks like normal water with bubbles. To be precise, it is a cleanser which has the properties of oil. The small micellar particles basically extract all the dust and impurities out from your skin and hydrate it at the same time. While both hyaluronic acid and micellar water may seem like boasting magical properties, picking the right product is tricky. If the amount used in the product is on the higher side, then it becomes too heavy on the skin and does not penetrate enough to hydrate properly. But they have a major upside, too: both are highly recommended for all skin types. Hyderabad: The Intermediate Public Advanced Supplementary Examinations (IPASE) would be held from May 25 to June 1, the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) said Sunday. The tentative time table for the revised supplementary exam schedule, which was earlier scheduled from May 16 was released by the TSBIE after students and parents alleged "goof up" in the declaration of results of Intermediate examinations and there were demands that they be postponed. While the Intermediate first year (class 11) exams would be held in forenoon session, the second year (class 12) exams would be held in the afternoon session, an official release said. Live TV The intermediate exams were conducted during February and March this year and the results were announced on April 18. Following allegations of bungling in the announcement of the results, protests by students, parents, students' organisations and political parties were held across the state. A three-member committee was constituted by the Telangana government to look into the discrepancies in the Intermediate examination results. The three-member committee of technical experts, appointed by the Telangana government following the furore over Intermediate examination results, pointed out certain lapses and suggested various measures for improvement, officials said Saturday. In its report, submitted to the government on Saturday, the committee pointed out mistakes (in publication of results) like not displaying practical exam marks in the memos of certain geography students, education secretary B Janardhan Reddy had said. Opposition Congress, TDP, BJP and other parties complained to Governor ESL Narasimhan and sought a judicial probe into the alleged goof-up. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who held a meeting with officials on the issue a few days ago, had directed them not to charge any fee for re-verification and re-counting from failed students. The government has also announced that failed students need not apply for re-counting and re-verification. Thousands of students, who passed the examination, have also applied for re-verification. SSP Srinagar Dr Haseeb Mughal on Sunday said that Jammu and Kashmir police have arrested three Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists and one overground worker (OWG) of the banned terror group from Wathora, Budgam. Addressing a press conference, SSP Mughal said that the trio was involved in carrying out an attack on a police post in Chanpora, Srinagar on Friday. The police have recovered one Chinese pistol, 2 magazine and 6 live rounds from the arrested JeM terrorists. "J&K Police has arrested 3 JeM terrorists from Wathora, Budgam. They carried out an attack on a police post in Chanpora, Srinagar last Friday. One Chinese pistol, 2 magazine, 6 live rounds recovered., further investigation underway," Dr Haseeb Mughal, SSP Srinagar, said. Dr Haseeb Mughal, SSP Srinagar: J&K Police has arrested 3 JeM terrorists from Wathora, Budgam. They carried out an attack on a police post in Chanpora, Srinagar last Friday. One Chinese pistol, 2 magazine, 6 live rounds recovered., further investigation underway. pic.twitter.com/re4bDP7aGk ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 The arrested terrorists were identified as Sameer Ahmad Dar, Mushtaq Ahmad Gojri and Junaid Shafi Dar. The overground worker has been identified as Lateef Ahmed Dar. The terrorists had attacked the police post on Friday and Constable Firoz Ahmed had got injured in the firefight. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by a terror group named Al-Umar Mujahideen. The attack took place just two days after Jammu and Kashmir police had arrested a Pakistani terrorist who had been operating in Srinagar for more than a year. The terrorist named Abdul Qayoom was planning to revive terrorism in Baramulla district of the state. Live TV Senior Superintendent of Police Baramulla, Abdul Qayoom had siad that Waqar, a resident of Mohalla Miana, Mianwali, Punjab, Pakistan, had entered India in July 2017 by crossing the border and was operating in Srinagar for over a year. According to SSP Qayoom, Waqar was a member of Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba and he decided to join LeT after he was told that the Indian government does not allow Muslims to offer Namaz in Kashmir. He was also brainwashed into believing that Muslims are being persecuted in Kashmir. Meanwhile, DGP Jammu and Kashmir, Dilbag Singh on Wednesday said at a press conference that recruitment of local youth for terror activities have gone down in the last one year. He said that a total of 272 terrorists were killed in state during 2018 and many were arrested. At the same press conference, Lt Gen KJS Dhillon of GOC 15 Corps said that the security forces will continue their operations against the terrorists and will wipeout the whole terror network from Jammu and Kashmir. He had also said that 69 terrorists have been killed this year so far and 41 terrorists have been killed after the cowardly Pulwama attack on February 14. According to Lt Gen Dhillon, 25 of the killed terrorists belonged to Jaish-e-Mohammed and 13 of them were Pakistanis. Many have been gunning for a halt to Pragya Thakur's political run in the Lok Sabha election 2019 but their prayers were only partially answered recently. While Pragya Thakur did withdraw from the high-octane clash in Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency, it was not the controversial BJP candidate but an Independent who too had filed nomination from here. The Independent had reportedly sought to fight the battle on her own merit and had filed nomination before BJP had announced its candidate from the Bhopal seat. Once the sadhvi was named as the party's face from here, it was felt that the other Pragya Thakur could end up getting votes meant for BJP here as voters could get confused seeing the same names. This resulted in BJP's Pragya Thakur inviting the Independent candidate to her residence. She appealed to her to not contest and eventually managed to convince her to withdraw from the election battle. After their meeting, the BJP candidate met reporters along with the Independent and said that the two Pragya Thakurs could not have contested against one another. She also said that the Independent has assured her of her support. Instances of candidates with similar names confusing voters has been seen in past elections as well. Most notably, there were 10 Chandu Lal Sahus in Chhattisgarh's Mahasamund constituency in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. And then there was BJP's Chandu Lal Sahu and his main rival in former state CM Ajit Jogi. At the time, it was suspected that it was Jogi who had propped up the 10 other Sahus - all of whom were contesting as Independents - to confuse voters away from the BJP candidate. (Reporting by Dushyant Mishra/Zee Media Bureau) Bhojpuri film star Ravi Kishan is BJP's candidate from Gorakhpur Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh and the seat is very important for the saffron party because it is the home constituency of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The seat is dominated by Nishad community and SP-BSP-RLD alliance has fielded Ram Bhuval Nishad from this seat to take on Ravi Kishan. The Congress has given ticket to Gorakhpur Bar Association president Madhusudan Tiwari. Since Tiwari is a Brahmin, the grand old party is hopeful that he will get support from Brahmin and other upper caste voters, which are traditionally believed to favour the BJP. For his part, Ravi Kishan is campaigning vigorously and is trying to woo the voters using his stardom as well as the good works done by Yogi Adityanath while he was the MP from this seat. It is to be noted that Yogi Adityanath had been the Member of Parliament from this seat for five consecutive terms since 1998. Live TV In an exclusive interview to Zee Media, Ravi Kishan said that he is appealing the voters to return the Gorakhpur seat and temple to Yogi Adityanath. In order to highlight that he is not focused on only winning the votes from Hindus, Ravi Kishan on Sunday visited a Gurudwara too and attended the 'Ardas'. Talking to Zee Media, Ravi Kishan said that he wants to send the message of communal harmony to all the voters in Gorakhpur. The fight for Gorakhpur is not going to be easy for the Bhojpuri film star because many voters are claiming that he is an 'outsider'. Ravi Kishan, however, rejected this claim and stressed that the opposition is trying to give air to this claim because they are scared of his growing popularity. Ravi Kishan also told Zee Media that if he will win from Gorakhpur then he will work for the development of the constituency together with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. In 2014 Lok Sabha poll, Ravi Kishan had contested from Jaunpur Lok Sabha seat on Congress' ticket and had lost miserably. When asked that why he decided to leave Congress and Jaunpur and came to Gorakhpur to contest as a BJP candidate, Ravi Kishan said that he had committed a mistake in 2014 and has learnt his lesson now. Ravi Kishan stressed that he will now remain in BJP and will never leave Gorakhpur. When Zee Media reporter asked Ravi Kishan why the party has given ticket to him and not to any local leader, Ravi Kishan candidly admitted that some local leaders were interested in contesting from this seat but they were pacified by Yogi Adityanath. He added all BJP leaders are now supporting his candidature and all of us are 'chawkidaar' and 'chawkidaar' always follow the command of their leaders. (Reporting by Shadab Siddiqui/Zee Media Bureau) Varanasi: Ateeq Ahmad, the jailed ex-MP from Uttar Pradesh's Phulphur, will contest Lok Sabha election from Varanasi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his wife Shaista Parveen announced on Sunday at a press meeting. Ahmad will fight as an Independent and his papers will be filed on the last date of nominations, April 29. His lawyer and close aides have left for Varanasi to file the nomination on his behalf. Live TV Ahmad has sought support for himself from political parties like the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Congress. Ahmad, a five-time MLA and one-time MP, has been in jail since February 2017. He was earlier associated with political parties including the SP and Apna Dal. He has appealed to the court to grant him parole for three weeks to campaign for the election. However, if the parole is not granted, Ahmad will reconsider his decision to fight the election. Earlier this week, the Supreme Court directed shifting Ahmad to a high security jail in Gujarat for kidnapping and assaulting a businessman in Deoria jail in Uttar Pradesh. Taking a strong note of the incident, the top court ordered a CBI probe into the case. New Delhi: India has almost reached the half-way mark in Lok Sabha election 2019 with voting in three of seven phases over and the fourth phase scheduled for Monday (April 29). In the searing and sweltering heat of the Indian summers, politicians continue to go the extra distance to reach out to voters who will get to decide their fate in the crucial election. Verbal duels continue to be as scathing as the summer sun itself with political rivals digging heels and firing accusations left, right and centre. On Sunday, Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah was in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to address rallies while UP CM Yogi Adityanath addressed a number of rallies in Bihar. Congress' Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was in UP too to address two rallies here while former UP CM and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati was in Rajasthan. Live TV Thank you for joining us. Do come back again on Monday (April 29) for all updates on Lok Sabha election 2019, when India will vote in the fourth phase. Meanwhile, here are updates from Sunday (April 28): * Sunny Deol to file nomination from Gurdaspur, Punjab, as BJP Lok Sabha candidate tomorrow. Kavita Khanna, wife of former Gurdaspur MP late Vinod Khanna, and Union Minister Jitendra Singh to be present. #LokSabhaElection2019 . (File pic) pic.twitter.com/hs2F9Z4u2s * Voting for 71 parliamentary constituencies in eight states is scheduled to take place in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha election on Monday. * Rahul Gandhi will campaign in Rajasthan on April 29. Here's his full schedule. 10:45 hrs: Public Meeting at Saipau P.M. Ground, District Dholpur 14:00 hrs: Public Meeting at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Sardarsahar, District Churu 16:00 hrs: Public Meeting at Govt. LBS College Ground, Kotputli, District Jaipur * Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Congress leader Shri Jitin Prasada held a roadshow in Dhaurehra, Uttar Pradesh today. * Rs 32.63 crore cash, liquor, narcotics seized in Rajasthan after MCC came into force. * Did you know? There are 13.82 lakh young voters out of 4.88 crore voters in Rajasthan. * Manoj Tiwari, who is re-contesting from the North East Delhi Lok Sabha seat held a 10 km-long roadshow in his constituency for the second consecutive day on Sunday and appealed to voters to strengthen the hands of the BJP government. * BJP releases list of candidates for bye-elections to 2 legislative assembly constituencies of Karnataka & 1 of Goa; Sidharth Kuncalienker to contest from Panaji, Avinash Yadav from Chincholi & SI Chikkanagowdar from Kundgol pic.twitter.com/6sIIpAltYL * Jailed ex-MP Ateeq Ahmad to fight against PM Modi in Varanasi. * Still don't know his caste: Priyanka Gandhi after Narendra Modi alleged Opposition is making personal attacks on him * Poll officers across the country get set for fourth phase: West Bengal: Polling parties gather at EVM distribution centre in Bolpur, in Birbhum district; 8 Lok Sabha constituencies to go to polls tomorrow. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/BhDpwCjpb3 ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 #Rajasthan: Visuals from EVM and VVPAT distribution centre in JhalawarBaran Lok Sabha constituency. 13 parliamentary constituencies to vote in the fourth phase of #LokSabhaElections2019, tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/DxFknFhaz8 ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 Mumbai: Visuals from VVPAT and EVM distribution centre at Malabar Hill; 17 parliamentary constituencies in the state will go to polls in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/WAMMPjAPxV ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 * Amit Shah addresses rally in Sitamarhi (Bihar): - PM Modi has never taken a break from work but Rahul baba has a habit of disappearing frequently. Even his own mother wonders at times where Rahul baba has gone. - PM Modi has a special place in his heart for the poor in the country. He has relentlessly worked to ensure that their welfare is taken care of. * Priyanka Gandhi speaks to reporters in Amethi, accuses political rivals of trying to bribe voters. "The way they contest polls by distributing money, sarees and shoes in front of media is wrong. People of Amethi have never begged in front of anyone." * It is getting hot in Delhi. And that's not a reference to the weather. Click here for the latest in Gambhir vs AAP. * Heard of the burger vendor in Ludhiana who is contesting Lok Sabha election? Punjab: RP Singh, a burger vendor is contesting as an independent from the Ludhiana LS seat. He says, "If I'm elected I'll take on the education mafia & ensure good education for poor people. I'm unable to put up big posters, I'm only campaigning on my scooter but I'm confident." pic.twitter.com/x8l6qJl4JS ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2019 * Uma Bharti is against comparisons with Sadhvi Pragya. Click here to know why * Bollywood action hero Sunny Deol, who recently joined BJP, will begin his campaigning in Gurdaspur. He is scheduled to file nomination from here on April 29. * Mayawati will be in Rajasthan to address a rally in Alwar while AIMIM's Asauddin Owaisi will address a rally in UP's Behraich. * BJP is stepping up its campaigning in Uttar Pradesh with Amit Shah scheduled to address rallies in Barabanki and Mohanlalganj. He will also address rallies in Bihar. Meanwhile, UP CM Yogi Adityanath has a packed Sunday lined up and will address four rallies in Bihar. * Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be in Bahraich and will address two rallies here through the course of the day. * High-decibel campaigning from almost every political party for the fourth phase of voting ended on Saturday. Polling for the same will be held on Monday, April 29 under the watchful eyes of the Election Commission of India. Over 12 crore 79 lakh voters will cast their votes to decide the fate of 961candidates at over 1 lakh 40 thousand polling booths across nine states on April 29. (Read full report here) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Majeed Memon defended Congress Patna Sahib candidate Shatrughan Sinha's comment on Muhammad Ali Jinnah and trained his guns at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), according to news agency ANI on Sunday morning. Speaking to ANI, Memon, claimed that Jinnah made a big contribution to the freedom struggle, adding that the BJP has taken offence as Jinnah was a Muslim. He cited this as the reason that Sinha was called an anti-national by the saffron party. Live TV The Rajya Sabha MP took a jibe at the BJP saying that until recently Sinha was with the party and if he made an 'anti-national' comment, then it is the teaching of the saffron party. "Amit Shah should note that till yesterday he (Shatrughan Sinha) was with them if he said something anti-national then it is their teaching. He (Jinnah) made a big contribution to the freedom struggle, just because he was a Muslim you are offended and are calling Shatrughan Sinha anti-national," said Memon. On Friday night at a rally in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara, the actor-politician described the Congress as a party of, among other stalwarts, Pakistan's founder Jinnah. Telling the audience why he joined the Congress after quitting the BJP, he said, "This Congress Parivar (family) was the party of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira, Rajiv Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Their role in the nation's development, progress and in achieving independence was vital. That is why I have come here (joined the Congress)." He added that he will not leave the party. However, later after facing flak from the BJP, he said it was a slip of the tongue. Sinha said he wished to speak about Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad but ended up saying Jinnah. A second-term MP from Patna Sahib, Sinha is now in a straight contest with Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad who has been fielded by the BJP. New Delhi: Opposition parties on Saturday approached the Election Commission (EC) alleging display of party name only under the BJP symbol on EVMs during a mock poll in West Bengal's Barrackpore constituency, but the poll panel said the same insignia has been under use since 2013. Live TV A delegation of opposition parties comprising senior Congress leaders Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Ahmed Patel and Trinamool Congress' Dinesh Trivedi and Derek O'Brien met Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora over the issue and demanded that either all such EVMs be removed from the remaining phases of elections or names of other parties be added too. The EVMs display the party symbols, name of the candidates and their photographs. "On EVMs, letters 'BJP' are visible under the party's symbol. No other party's name is there. Either remove all machines which mention BJP clearly or all other parties' name should be added in all such machines. Till then the use of these machines has to be totally stopped in the elections," Singhvi told the reporters after meeting the CEC. Former railway minister Dinesh Trivedi, who is also a sitting MP from Barrackpore, said this was a "clear fraud on the people" and an attempt to "hack the EVMs". He also showed purported photographs of the EVM where the party symbol of Lotus included the words BJP. "Yesterday the commissioning of EVMs was going on in my constituency. We saw the name of BJP clearly written under its Lotus symbol. My party people pointed this out and we requested the returning officer to stop the commissioning. "We approached the state election body also. But the CEO could not take a decision saying elections are already going on," he said. "To our utter surprise, before the EC could hear our part of the argument, they had already given the judgement that we are carrying on with the process and there is nothing wrong," Trivedi said. Meanwhile, the Election Commission, in a letter to Trinamool Congress general secretary Subrata Bakshi, said, "The symbol of BJP was last modified in 2013 and subsequent to that in all elections, including the general elections to the Lok Sabha in 2014, the same design has been used." The commission said there has been no deviation in the symbol since then. BJP's Arjun Singh is contesting from the Barrackpore constituency, while Trivedi is the candidate for Trinamool Congress. Uma Bharti has been a key political figure for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state of Madhya Pradesh over the years. All eyes currently, however, are on another saffron-wearing woman - Sadhvi Pragya - who is the party candidate from Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency. And Bharti appears only too gracious to let the new entrant in politics have the spotlight. 49-year-old Sadhvi Pragya joined BJP earlier this month and was named its candidate from Bhopal for the ongoing Lok Sabha election 2019 shortly after. She faces veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and has courted controversies galore since her official entry into politics. Bharti, who has been associated with the BJP for decades, too has been a controversial figure and won Lok Sabha election from Bhopal back in 1999. For now though, she is all praise for Sadhvi Pragya. "She is a great saint. Don't compare me with her. I'm just an ordinary and foolish creature," she told reporters on Saturday when asked if Sadhvi Pragya had taken her place in Madhya Pradesh politics. While it is not clear if her comment shows her humble side or if it had a sarcastic undertone, 59-year-old Bharti - minister of drinking water and sanitation in the Narendra Modi cabinet - appeared keen on letting Sadhvi Pragya take the fight to Congress. And Sadhvi Pragya intent on doing just that, with Bharti's blessings. "Uma didi is elder to me and she respects me a lot. She has a very simple heart," she said of her senior party leader. All eyes are now on Sadhvi Pragya, an accused in the Malegaon Blast case, whose entry into politics and in the election field has been slammed by political rivals of BJP. Many even said the Election Commission ought to stop her from contesting in the election but the BJP candidate filed her nomination last Monday. Since making her debut in politics, Sadhvi Pragya has made a number of controversial remarks ranging from her role in Babri Masjid demolition to a 'curse' which led to 26/11 hero Hemant Karkare's death in the Mumbai attacks. She has also tried to gain sympathy by alleging she was tortured by Maharashtra Police and ATS when she was in their custody in the aftermath of the Malegaon blast. Sadhvi Pragya is now tasked with leading BJP's charge in Bhopal, a seat that the party has not lost since 1984. Congress too is keen to snatch a win and named Digvijaya despite rumours that the leader was not too keen on contesting from here. Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency will vote on May 12. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met actor-turned-politician Sunny Deol and said that what struck him about the Bollywood star is his humility and deep passion for a better India. PM Modi expressed happiness after meeting Sunny Deol and said that the BJP is rooting for his victory from Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency. The prime minister also said that both he and Sunny Deol agree that 'Hindustan Zindabad Tha, Hai aur Zindabad rahega.' "What struck me about @iamsunnydeol is his humility and deep passion for a better India. Happy to have met him today. We are all rooting for his victory in Gurdaspur! We both agree- , , !," tweeted PM Modi. What struck me about @iamsunnydeol is his humility and deep passion for a better India. Happy to have met him today. We are all rooting for his victory in Gurdaspur! We both agree- , , ! pic.twitter.com/o4tcvITy2e Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 28, 2019 Sunny Deol formally joined the BJP on Tuesday and is contesting from Gurdaspur, Punjab, on BJP's ticket. Sunny Deol had joined the saffron party in the presence of senior BJP leaders Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goel, Captain Abhimanyu and others. Talking to media after joining the BJP, Sunny Deol had hailed PM Modi and said that he decided to join the BJP as he wanted to work for the welfare of the country with PM Modi. "I am here today to work with and support Modi ji. My work will do the talking," Sunny had said. Live TV It is interesting to note that Sunny Deol's father and veteran actor Dharmendra had contested and won from Bikaner in Rajasthan on BJP ticket. Dharmendra's wife Hema Malini is a sitting BJP MP from Mathura and she had contested from the same seat this time too. Sunny Deol is a very popular actor and he has acted in several patriotic movies which proved to box-office hits. Some of his notable movies which are based on the theme of patriotism are Indian, Gadar, The Hero: Love Story Of A Spy, Border, Heroes, Ma Tujhe Salaam, Farz etc. The polling for all 13 seats of Punjab are scheduled to take place in the last phase on May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. Sameer Karale By Some nightmares have calm beginnings. April 21, Sunday. The third day of our Sri Lankan holiday. From our beach resort in Bentota, our bus started for Colombo at around 9 am, resounding with songs, clapping and laughter. We didnt know then that around 10.20 am, our guide would get a phone call. His expression grew tense as he spoke to the caller at the other end. Picking up the mike, he said plans had changed. Due to unavoidable developments, we would not be proceeding to Colombo and were returning to Bentota. What!!! Why??? Surprise and annoyance alternated among the passengers, but all he said was, We are returning to Bentota.Our anger evaporated at his next words. There have been two-three bomb blasts in churches in Colombo and many people have been killed. Many more have been injured. The situation in the city is not good and security has been intensified. Our bus may not even enter Colombo City, forget about our Colombo resort, he said. After the guides announcement, a funereal silence descended on the bus as reports of blasts started pouring in. The death toll was increasing every 10-15 minutes. All of a sudden, the mood changed. The priority was the safety of the group and safe evacuation from Sri Lanka. Our main concern was to reschedule our flight back to India. The mobile network was jammed and wi-fi at the resort was pretty poor. The death toll had by then gone up to over 200. We learned of eight blasts, including in some hotels in Colombo and churches of Negombo and Batticaloa. Then came a setback. Curfew was announced. But it was lifted by 6 am the next day. By then we had learned that it was terror attacks on the Christian community on Easter Sunday. We were concerned. Around 100-120 foreigners, mostly Western and possibly Christians, were at the resort that night. We hoped and prayed that the resort security was good and we would see each other in the morning. All of a sudden Good night held a special meaning for me. But I was concerned about an emergency declared in this small country. Have the airports been sealed? Nobody had any answers. Around 6.30am the next day, we departed from Bentota straight to the airport. On the way, we took a bypass evading Colombo city and headed to the airport around 32 km away, situated near Negombo town. This small town was the most affected by the brutal bombings. Since security was on high alert, the bus was diverted many times. We drove through Negombo town but were not allowed to get out of the bus. The deserted streets looked haunted. In this small Christian-dominated town, we passed numerous empty churches that seemed to be mourning the victims silently. The only human presence was of grim-faced, uniformed soldiers and policemen with guns. The way to the airport led past towards the District General Hospital, Negombo. The atmosphere was horrible. Cries of anguish filled the air. Ambulances with their sirens blaring carrying the injured and the dead were rushing towards the hospital. Hospital staff could be seen running towards the ambulances with stretchers. The doctors, nurses and orderlies were working at a furious pace. The wailing of relatives of the injured or the dead outside the hospital gates rent the air. It was heart-rending to see that security guards and hospital staff stopped them from entering the premises. I grieved that some of the injured would have lost their battle with death by now. As our bus inched forward, the hospital slowly disappeared from view but the glimpses of chaos and panic we witnessed were enough to gauge the magnitude of the loss. The remarkable contrast between the Sri Lankan media and ours struck me. There was not a single OB van of any TV channel making the rounds, or shrill reporters scurrying for Breaking News inside and outside the hospital. No Apko kaisa lag raha hai? Three to four km from the airport, we could feel the heat of security checks. It took around half an hour to cover 500 metres. At the first barrier, all vehicles were thoroughly screened and suspicious-looking baggage was removed, opened and cleared after intense checking. The security personnel were from the Army, Air Force and the Navy. As the bus approached the departure gates, we were asked to disembark and walk the last 500 metres carrying our baggage. Here again, the volunteer spirit in the middle of the tragedy was high. Luggage trolleys and wheelchairs for senior citizens were being arranged, even though everyone had to go through security screening, disability or none. The moment we queued up to enter the airport, a security man approached me and asked, Are you from India? I nodded. He signalled me to go to the next gate, which was meant for the airport staff. The formalities were quickly completed and our flight took off. As I watched Colombo fade away beneath me, I could swear what had passed was just a nightmare. But the sights I witnessed in Negombo were only too real and will give me nightmares for days to come. (The writer, Pune-based regional head (marketing) of an engineering MNC, was in Sri Lanka for vacation) CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday rejected AAP's allegations that the Congress was offering money and plum posts to opposition MLAs in order to lure them to the Congress, saying that Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP had lost the support of the people in state and are trying to mislead people by resorting to falsehood. Singh said that Congress does not need to buy opposition MLAs because the party already has a comfortable majority in the state assembly. "It's a case of sheer frustration over AAP's complete failure to mop up support and keep the party intact in Punjab," he said. The Punjab CM said that the AP has failed to grab the attention of voters in the state and this is the main reason why the party is indulging in these kinds of gimmickry. He advised the AAP to stop fabricating lies and try to focus on doing things which can help the image of the party. Singh stressed that the AAP cannot earn the trust of the voters by hurling false accusations at the Congress, PTI reported. It may be recalled that the state unit president of AAP and Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann had said few days ago that the Congress had been offering Rs 10 crore and plum posts to AAP MLAs if they are ready to leave the AAP and join the Congress. Meanwhile, former AAP MLA Vijay Kumar Sathi on Thursday joined the Congress. Sathi was welcomed into the Congress by Amarinder Singh himself who said that many AAP leaders are quitting the party and joining Congress because they are disappointed with the policies of AAP as well as other parties in Punjab. It may be recalled that Sathi had quit the primary membership of the AAP in January 2015. Talking to media after joining the Congress, Sathi had said that he would work hard to ensure that Congress win all seats from Punjab in upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The polling for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will be held on May 19 in the seventh and final phase. The counting is scheduled to take place on May 23. Jaipur: A total of Rs 32.63 crore cash, liquor, narcotics and jewellery have been seized so far after the Model Code of Conduct came into effect, Rajasthan Chief Electoral Officer Anand Kumar said. After implementation of the model code of conduct, Rs 3.34 crore in cash, liquor with estimated value of Rs 5.60 crore, drugs and narcotics of Rs 13.04 crore, gold and silver valuable items of Rs 7.38 crore and vehicles having estimated value of Rs 3.28 crore were seized in the state, Kumar told reporters on Sunday. He said penalty of Rs 12.57 crore was imposed on owners during vehicle checking. 2,361 illegal weapons, 1,577 cartridges and 2,760 kg of explosive material were also seized during the period. Live TV A total of 1.72 lakh weapon licenses have been issued in the state and so far 1,58,230 licenses have been deposited. Under the inhibitory provisions of the CRPF, 22,858 people have been bound in 1,13,024 cases, he said. Kumar said 5,377 vulnerable villages in the state have been identified where 3,401 people were identified as trouble mongers and a total of 1,00,702 people have been bound in these villages. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Sunday asserted that the "Congress has never made any personal remarks against the Prime Minister" after Narendra Modi claimed that the opposition is doing politics over his caste. "Even today, I do not know his (PM Modi's) caste. The Opposition and the Congress leaders are only raising issues related to development. We have never made any personal remarks against him," Priyanka said in Bahraich. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress in Amethi: The way they contest polls by distributing money, sarees & shoes in front of media is wrong....People of Amethi have never begged in front of anyone. I've been coming here since I was 12, people of Amethi & Raebareli have a lot of pride. pic.twitter.com/RfyhAAQnjJ ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 28, 2019 PM Modi while addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Kannauj on Saturday had said that the Opposition thinks of him as a "neech" (lowly) person. "Mayawatiji, I am most backward... I request with folded hands not to drag me into caste politics, 130 crore people are my family," the Prime Minister said. Live TV "This country didn't know my caste till my detractors abused me... I am thankful to Mayawatiji, Akhileshji (SP chief), the Congress people and the 'mahamilavatis' that they are discussing my caste... I believe that taking birth in a backward caste is an opportunity to serve the country," he added. He also dubbed the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh as 'mahamilavati (highly adulterated) opportunists' and said that he doesn't believe in politics of caste. However, Mayawati strongly reacted to PM Modi's statements and clarified that they never called him"neech" and added that his accusations are "baseless". "With due respect, we had always considered him someone belonging to the upper caste," Mayawati but claimed that claiming that PM Modi "converted to OBC for political gains." "In this election, PM Modi tried his best to get votes in the name of backward classes. PM always belonged to upper caste but during his tenure in Gujarat he included his community in the OBC category for political gains," she said. Sitamarhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Sunday hit out at the Opposition over surgical strike and said that after India carried out the strike, there was sadness at two places, one in Pakistan and the other at the Congress office and at Lalu Prasad Yadav-Rabri Devi's residence. He was addressing an election rally in Bihar's Sitamarhi, where he also said that the parties thought that the 2016 surgical strike will become a "poll issue." On Saturday too, Shah, taking a dig at Congress president Rahul Gandhi, alleged that "after the Balakot airstrikes, Rahul and his company appeared so sad as if they had lost their cousins.'' He also claimed that the "biggest work" Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done is to secure the country. Live TV "The biggest work that PM Modi has done is to secure this country. The Prime Minister ordered our Air Force and they bombed terrorists in Balakot," Shah said in Odisha. Meanwhile, at the rally in Bihar, he also said that the Narendra Modi government has worked towards the development of the state and also praised Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi for their work. "It is the BJP which has given 50 crore people the right to free healthcare through Ayushman Bharat scheme. Now, 24 lakh people have been operated upon free of cost," Shah said. "In Sitamarhi under the Ujjwala Yojana, 2,60,000 houses got LPG connections. UPA had given Rs 1,93,000 crore to Bihar, whereas the Narendra Modi government has given more than Rs 6,00,6000 crore in the past five years to the state," he added. Bihar is voting in all the seven phases of the Lok Sabha election, which began on April 11 and will end on May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. Kolkata: Several of its own candidates may have brought in Bangladeshi actors to join their respective election campaigns but that has not stopped Trinamool Congress from registering a complaint against wrestler Khali - also known by his real name Dalip Singh Rana - being part of BJP candidate Anupam Hazra's campaign in Kolkata's Jadavpur. In a letter to the Election Commission, TMC has alleged that Khali campaigned for Hazra despite being an American citizen. "Mr Rana is not an Indian citizen and holds citizenship under the United States of America. Therefore, a foreigner should not be allowed to influence the minds of the Indian electors as he has little or no knowledge as to who should be an appropriate MP in India," the letter to the EC reads. "The BJP is using Mr Rana's celebrity status to misguide Indian voters." The allegation in the letter makes no mention of how foreign nationals were a part of campaigning of TMC's own candidates. Bangladeshi actor Ferdous Ahmed had joined Kanaia Lal Agarwal's rally in Raiganj while Ghazi Abdul Noor had been part of Saugata Roy's campaign in Dumdum. And while Khali was born and raised in India, and was also employed with Punjab Police before he gave professional wrestling a shot, the two Bangladeshi actors were found in violation of their visa provisions. While BJP had blasted TMC for using Bangladeshi actors for their campaigning, the TMC's complaint against Anupam Hazra's campaign is being seen as a tit-for-tat move despite Khali's Indian origins. The two political parties are in a bitter tussle for power in the ongoing Lok Sabha election 2019. There have been sporadic incidents of violence in the state of West Bengal in the first three of seven phases of voting with both BJP and TMC pointing the accusatory finger at each other. (Reporting by Kamalika Sengupta/Zee Media Bureau) A nail-biting viral video on the internet shows how a lone buffalo fought off lions and a crocodile at South Africa's Kruger National Park. The video appears to be posted by a tour guide, who has also described the incident on YouTube. At the beginning of the video, the buffalo, seen near a water edge, is being chased by a pride of lions. In its first attempt to escape, the buffalo jumps into the water but soon finds a crocodile there. Hence, he returns to the land, where the lions chase him again. However, the buffalo is finally helped by its herd, who in turn chase the lions away. Watch the video here: "As soon as the buffalo hit the surface, he makes a run for it, with the lions following close on its tail. When buffaloes are under threat, they will call for help. Luckily, for this buffalo, his calls were answered," the tour guide wrote while describing the video. "A massive herd of buffalo that was on its way to the dam saw the commotion and chased the lions away, saving the life of fellow buffalo, unbeknown to us if it is from the same herd," he added. The video was posted a couple of weeks ago and have been re-shared massively on other social media platforms too. On YouTube alone, it has garnered over 4 million views and counting. KABUL: Any peace agreement with the Afghan Taliban would depend on the declaration of a permanent ceasefire and a commitment to end the country`s long war, the U.S. special envoy for peace in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said on Sunday. In an interview with Afghanistan`s largest private television station, Tolo News, Khalilzad said the Taliban`s demands were focused on the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country. "Our focus is on terrorism. No agreement will be done if we don`t see a permanent ceasefire and a commitment to end the war," said Khalilzad. "We are seeking peace and (a) political settlement ... We want peace to give us the possibility to withdraw." The Afghan-born U.S. diplomat arrived in Kabul on Saturday to meet President Ashraf Ghani, part of a multi-country tour ahead of his next meeting with the Taliban in Qatar. The United States has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of a NATO-led mission, known as Resolute Support, that is training and assisting the Afghan government`s security forces in their battle against Taliban fighters and extremist groups such as Islamic State and Al-Qaeda. U.S. President Donald Trump wants to reach an agreement to end his country`s longest-ever war, which dislodged the Taliban from power in Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. Intense fighting is still going on all over the country, and while the Taliban are negotiating, they now control and influence more territory than at any point since 2001. A plan to cut the number of staff at the U.S. embassy in Kabul by up to half starting late next month has alarmed some who fear such a move could undermine the fragile peace process. Before Khalilzad embarked on his tour, the State Department said he will "press forward on negotiations with the Taliban to reach a consensus on core national security issues, and urge their participation in an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue." After several rounds of talks, Khalilzad has reported some progress toward an accord on withdrawing U.S. troops and on how the Taliban would prevent extremists from using Afghanistan to launch attacks as al Qaeda did in 2001. But the Taliban still refuse to negotiate with Ghani`s government, which they call a puppet regime controlled by the United States. Khalilzad told Tolo news that he had tried in recent weeks to foster such a dialogue, adding there had been some progress "but not as much as I wanted". Hopes for a breakthrough were dashed earlier this month when planned talks in the Qatari capital Doha between the Taliban and 250 Afghan representatives collapsed. Hoping to renew the push for direct talks with the Taliban, Ghani has convened a grand consultative assembly on Monday. The Loya Jirga, a traditional gathering of elders, religious scholars, and prominent Afghans, will see more than 3,000 people gather amid tight security for four days of discussion under a large tent in Kabul. It was a festive Sunday on the morning of April 21 with Sri Lanka's Christian community celebrating Easter in churches around the country. It ended as being one of the deadliest days in the island nation's history after a series of explosions ripped through the capital city of Colombo and other areas, leaving over 253 dead. Sri Lanka will take time to heal from the horrendous explosions which took place in churches and luxury hotels exactly a week ago in what rattled the peace that the country had enjoyed since the end of the ethnic violence here. A total of eight explosions took place through the day which left hundreds wounded and an entire world in absolute shock. The explosions primarily targeted a number of churches in Colombo and its suburbs on the occasion of Easter. Sri Lanka only has a six per cent Catholic population and thousands had come out to celebrate on a sunny Sunday which would soon be covered by the proverbial dark clouds. Broken chairs, shattered windows and bloodied carpets were all that was left in the churches that were targeted. Explosions in three churches were followed by blasts in the Shangri La Hotel, Cinnamon Grand and Kingsbury Hotel, followed by two more explosions in the Colombo suburbs by afternoon. The injured were rushed to hospitals for medical aid while the military was pressed into action for both rescue and relief, and to maintain order. A national curfew was put into place, most social media websites blocked and the international airport in Colombo put under layers and layers of security. While the country's government admitted it had reports that a possible attack could take place, it had been unable to act on the inputs. In the week since, the country and its security agencies have worked overtime to hit back on those involved in the dastardly attacks. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks - even releasing photos of the suicide bombers - on Tuesday after a Sri Lankan minister said that the explosions could have been carried out in retaliation to the shooting inside a mosque in Christchurch in New Zealand. As many as 23 persons were arrested on suspicion of having links to the blasts in the first few days even as Sri Lankan authorities tried to ensure that communal tensions did not flare up. The world showed its support with the Burj Khalifa in Dubai lit up in colours of Sri Lanka's national flag while the Eiffel Tower going dark to pay tribute to the victims. India too expressed its sympathies and also, reportedly, increased patrolling in the Palk Strait to ensure that the accused were unable to escape from Sri Lanka and into India. Through the course of the week, Sri Lanka has continued to take affirmative action against those suspected to have aided the suicide bombers in any way. On Friday, police and a Special Task Force (STF) launched an operation which left four gunmen dead. The country, on Saturday, banned terror groups NTJ and JMI who are believed to have been behind the explosions. For now, there is an uneasy calm in the country even as security measures remain watertight. A number of countries have also issued advisories against travel to Sri Lanka under the prevailing conditions. Pervez Musharraf, the former military ruler of Pakistan who has been in self-imposed exile in Dubai, could return to his home country on May 1. Musharraf's legal counsel Salman Safdar reportedly said that the retired general's family has said he is keen to come back to Pakistan despite his poor health. Just last month, he was admitted to a hospital in Dubai after a reaction from amyloidosis, a rare disease he has been suffering from. Musharraf had left Pakistan in March of 2016 to get medical treatment in Dubai and while he had assured he would return, never did. He has been indicted on charges of treason by the Pakistan Supreme Court for suspending the Constitution in 2007. A conviction of high treason usually carries death penalty or life imprisonment. Musharraf had previously said he would only return to the country if he is given a fair trial and is assured that he can leave the country for medical treatment at any given time. CHICAGO: American Airlines pilots have warned that Boeing Co`s draft training proposals for the troubled 737 MAX do not go far enough to address their concerns, according to written comments submitted to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and seen by Reuters. The comments were made by the Allied Pilots Association (APA), which represents pilots at American Airlines Group Inc, the world`s largest airline and one of the biggest 737 MAX operators in the United States. Their support is important because Boeing has said pilots` confidence in the 737 MAX will play a critical role in convincing the public that the aircraft is safe to fly again. Boeing`s fast-selling 737 MAX was grounded worldwide in March following a fatal Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed all 157 on board just five months after a similar crash on a Lion Air flight that killed all 189 passengers and crew. Now it is readying for regulatory approval a final software update and training package to address an anti-stall system known as MCAS that played a role in both nose-down crashes. A draft report by an FAA-appointed board of pilots, engineers and other experts concluded that pilots only need additional computer-based training to understand MCAS, rather than simulator time. The public has until April 30 to make comments. Protesters are expected outside Boeing`s annual meeting in Chicago on Monday, where shareholders will also question the company over its safety record. APA is arguing that mere computer explanation "will not provide a level of confidence for pilots to feel not only comfortable flying the aircraft but also relaying that confidence to the traveling public." It said the MAX computer training, which originally involved a one-hour iPad course, should include videos of simulator sessions showing how MCAS works along with demonstrations of other cockpit emergencies such as runaway stabilizer, a loss of control that occurred on both doomed flights. APA also called for recurring training on simulators that includes scenarios like those experienced by the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines pilots, in addition to computer training. "When pilots visually experience the failure modes and then apply them, the lesson is cemented in their minds," APA wrote. American Airlines has said it is looking at the potential for additional training opportunities in coordination with the FAA and its pilots union. Canada, Europe and South Korea are all weighing the need for simulator training, going above the recommendations in the draft FAA report, sources have said. Required simulator training could delay the MAX`s return to service because it takes time to schedule hundreds or thousands of pilots on simulators. Hourly rates for simulators range between $500 and $1000, excluding travel expenses. American Airlines Chief Executive Doug Parker said on Friday that even if other countries delay the ungrounding of the MAX, once the FAA approves it, American will start flying its 24 aircraft. Union pilots for Southwest Airlines Co, the world`s largest operator of the MAX with 34 jets and dozens more on order, have said they were satisfied with the FAA draft report but would decide on additional training once they see Boeing`s final proposals. Kaushani Banerjee By On a long weekend, city dwellers simply want to break the monotony and experience a new locale. For those looking for a quick break with a multitude of experiences - history, culture, food and nature - Amritsar in Punjab hits the sweet spot. It is a six to seven hour drive from Delhi. One can take a train, flight or a bus or simply drive to this bustling hub. Regardless of the mode of transport, one is greeted by green fields, long stretches of wheat and pine trees lined on the highway. On reaching the city, try not to get lost in the old lanes, instead stick to the Heritage Street. The main attractions in Amritsar are located next to each other making it a delight for travellers. Jallianwala Bagh, the Partition Museum, the Golden Temple are lined one after the other. A palki sahib ceremony in the temple takes place twice a day, where the holy book Guru Granth Sahib is carried to a room for night stay. To witness it, visit the temple at 4 am. On the same street several hundred joints serving Amritsari kulche, chole, lassi and other Punjabi delicacies can also be found. Shops selling famous phulkari work items and Punjabi morajis are also in the same lane. A day can be spent sightseeing but set time aside for visiting Wagah Border which is an hour away from Amritsar. Budget travellers can take a shared auto or a cab for the retreating ceremony before sunset at 5 pm, where BSF and the Indian Army showcase patriotism in a never-seen-before avatar. One has to reach by 3 pm to get seats at the arena which remains jam-packed through out the year. The seats allow the audience a view of the Pakistani side as well, who also display a similar show of nationalistic fervour. The atmosphere remains charged as army recruits march past to the border line and wave the Indian flag. With a panoramic view of Pakistan and roadside milestones saying - Lahore, 22 km, one can only come back with memories. STOCKHOLM/OSLO: Scandinavian airline SAS cancelled hundreds of flights scheduled for Sunday as a pilot strike entered its second day, disrupting the travel plans of tens of thousands of passengers. SAS pilots went on strike on Friday as wage talks broke down, grounding around 70 per cent of the airline`s flights and hitting some 170,000 people over the weekend alone. "We deeply regret that our customers are affected by the ongoing pilot strike," SAS said in a statement on Saturday outlining its flight cancellations for the rest of the weekend. Live TV "Due to the strike another estimated 64,000 passengers will be affected (on Sunday) when 587 flights are cancelled across Scandinavia." The stand-off showed little sign of nearing a resolution on Saturday. "We believe the unions have to face reality and resume talks," Torbjoern Lothe at the Norwegian Confederation of Enterprise, an employers` association involved in the negotiations with the unions last week, told Reuters. Norsk Pilotforbund, one of two SAS pilot unions in Norway, said it had had no contact with the airline, as did Rawaz Nermany, chairman of the Swedish Airline Pilots Association. "We are waiting for SAS to get in touch and show a real will to discuss the issues that are important to us," he said. "So far, they have not wanted to do that." A spokesman for the Swedish National Mediation Office, whose proposed deal the pilots rejected late on Thursday, said there were "no immediate plans" for contacts between the parties in Sweden. SAS has taken steps such as offering free food to passengers waiting to find alternative flights at airports across Scandinavia, but several travellers complained on social media that they were unable to reach the airline`s customer services. "Hey SAS I`ve been trying to contact you for a day now," one wrote on Twitter, to which SAS responded: "Our customer service is answering the phone as fast as they can. Try again". The flag carrier, which is part-owned by the Swedish and Danish governments, has said it is prepared to resume negotiations but warned that meeting pilots` demands would have dire consequences for the company. The aviation industry`s employer body in Sweden has said pilots demanded a 13 per cent wage hike, despite what it called already high average wages of 93,000 Swedish crowns a month. The SAS Pilot Group, a union body representing 95 per cent of the airline`s pilots in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, says that the dispute concerns more than simply wages, pointing to demands for more predictable and transparent working hours. Analysts at Sydbank have estimated that the strike is costing SAS 60-80 million Swedish crowns ($6.3 million to $8.41 million) per day, which would effectively wipe out the airline`s expected net profit for the year was it to last two weeks. The strike at SAS does not affect flights operated by its partners, which make up roughly 30 per cent of all departures. The airline said it was offering passengers booked on flights through May 1 to reschedule free of charge. COLOMBO/KATTANKUDY: Sri Lankan police raided the headquarters of a hardline Islamist group founded by the suspected ringleader behind the Easter suicide bombings of churches and hotels, a Reuters witness said, as Sunday mass was cancelled due to fears of further attacks. Armed police in the town of Kattankudy searched the headquarters of the National Thawheedh Jamaath (NTJ) and detained one man at the premises, a Reuters reporter at the scene said. Police did not comment. On Saturday the government banned the NTJ under new emergency laws. The authorities believe Zahran Hashim, the founder of NTJ, masterminded and was one of the nine suicide bombers in the attacks on Easter Sunday which killed 253 people. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks. Police suspect the bombings were carried out by two local Islamist groups, including the one established by Zahran. Around 10,000 soldiers have been deployed around the island as the authorities hunt for more suspects. Police sources told Reuters on Sunday that Zahran`s father and two brothers had been killed two days earlier in a gun battle with security forces. A relative identified the three men in a video circulating on social media calling for war against non-Muslims. The Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Ranjith, who had asked churches to suspend Sunday mass due to security fears, delivered a televised special sermon from a chapel at his home. The service was attended by President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. The archbishop said earlier this week that he had seen an internal security document warning of further attacks on churches. "We cannot kill someone in the name of God ... It is a great tragedy that happened," the archbishop said in his sermon. "We extend our hand of friendship and fraternity to all our brothers and sisters of whatever class, society or religion that differentiates us." The archbishop and political leaders then lit candles to commemorate the victims. Most of those killed in the Easter Sunday attacks were Sri Lankans. The dead also included 40 foreigners, including British, U.S., Australian, Turkish, Indian, Chinese, Danish, Dutch and Portuguese nationals. Police believe that radical Muslim preacher Zahran led the NTJ - or a splinter faction - to mount the attacks in Colombo as well as on a church in Batticaloa in the east. The authorities have named the other group suspected of involvement as Jammiyathul Millathu Ibrahim. Neither group were well known before the attacks but the government has come under heavy criticism for not heeding intelligence warnings of the bombings, including one from India`s spy service hours before the attacks. On Friday, Sirisena said the government led by premier Wickremesinghe should take responsibility for the attacks and that prior information warning of attacks was not shared with him. GUN BATTLE More than 100 people, including foreigners from Syria and Egypt, have been detained for questioning for questioning over the Easter attacks. The Sri Lankan military said at least 15 people were killed during a fierce gun battle with Islamist militants on the east coast on Friday, including six children. In an apparent reference to the three men, Islamic State said on Sunday that three of its members had clashed with Sri Lankan police for several hours on Friday before detonating their explosive vests. It did not name them. The group`s news agency Amaq said 17 policemen were killed or injured in that battle. It did not give any evidence. Sri Lanka`s 22 million population is majority Buddhist and includes minority Christians, Muslims and Hindus. At the Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo where one of the bombs went off last Sunday, Buddhist monks, some as young as 10 and senior clergy, performed rituals in a tribute to the victims. In the latest update, two wanted suspects related to the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka were arrested from Kandy district's Nawalapitiya. The two arrested suspects have been identified as--Mohammed Sadiq Abdul Haq and Mohammed Shaheed Abdul Haq, a Sri Lanka local media reported quoting the police. Live TV The duo has been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigations. Another 106 suspects have been arrested, including a Tamil medium teacher and a school principal, in connection with the blasts, news agency PTI reported quoting the police. The Islamic State terror group, in a statement published early Sunday, claimed the three terrorists who blew themselves up in the Eastern province were its members. Security has been improved at hotels, schools and public places. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday, killing 253 people. The Islamic State claimed the attacks, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group NTJ for the attacks. Sri Lanka on Saturday banned the NTJ and a splinter group linked to the ISIS. According to Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry, the number of foreign nationals who have been identified as killed remained at 40, including 11 from India. Sri Lanka has a population of 21 million which is a patchwork of ethnicities and religions, dominated by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. Muslims account for 10 per cent of the population and are the second-largest minority after Hindus. Around seven per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians. Ravi Shankar By The Sri Lanka massacre proves without doubt that the civilised world and Islam are at war. The hate preachers call it a moral war, fought by martyrs for whom virgins wait in paradise ready with wine and orgasms. The engine of this war is Pakistans military and ISI. The private lives of these moral monsters are anything but moral. Osama bin Laden was watching porn when he was killed. The 9/11 hijackers covered posters of naked women in their motel rooms to stop lustful thoughts though they watched porn films, gambled, drank and enjoyed lap dances in strip clubs. Mohammed Atta was a regular client of a Hamburg prostitute whom he beat after sex. Terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was a pimp, hoodlum, alcoholic and a drug addict with 37 criminal cases against him. Islamic State (IS) convert Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel who killed 86 people using a truck in Nice loved pork, booze, drugs and was promiscuously bisexual. Suicide bomber Salman Ramadan Abedi, who killed 23 people in Manchester Arena loved parties, vodka and pot. An account by a thwarted suicide bomber in an Israeli jail relates jihadi handlers forcing female suicide bombers to have sex before a mission. IS ran slave markets, brothels and drugs. The holy warrior as a moral force is singularly untrue of these poster boys of barbarity. They are a distortion of Saladins armies in the Crusades, which the Christians lost. The current war between Islam and the world is a spillover from the West-East conflicts of the 12th century. Then Islamic empires had sophisticated and enlightened cultures. Arabic traveller and writer Ibrahim ibn Yaqub, who visited Europe in the 10th century, was horrified that Westerners do not bathe except once or twice a year, with cold water. They never wash their clothes, which they put on once for good until they fall into tatters. Tragically, the civilisation that bred Yaqub fell into tatters after the West military technology conquered Muslim lands in Arabia, Asia and Africa. The only rulers who kept jihadis in check were despots like Saddam Hussein, Hosni Mubarak and Bashar al-Assad. Pakistan is an Islamic military dictatorship masquerading as a democracy and the worlds biggest terror factory. It relies on Islam to define its national character since acknowledging its place in Indias syncretic past threatens its cultural identity. By fusing the fury of rootlessness with the primitive cruelty of radical Islam, it aims to be the restorer of past Islamic empires, sans the culture and science. Every nation seeks a place in history. A glorious future written with the blood of innocents will only create a republic of monsters, which will receive neither historys approval, nor its forgiveness. An effect of Pulwama, Balakot and the general elections has been the dwindling focus of national security from other issues, primarily Sino-Indian relations. A good reminder is given by Chinas Global Times, the organ that played the role of being the instrument of Chinas psychological operations during the Doklam crisis. In a not too tersely worded article titled US military ties could be a trap for India, Global Times writes, Given its desire for strategic autonomy in international affairs, Indias foreign policy can be characterised as non-aligned. However, in recent years, its deepening politico-military ties with the US have somewhat altered its foreign policy. The hiatus due to the Wuhan spirit post the Doklam crisis led to prudent hands off. It kept the strategic atmosphere free of rancour. However, its a truism that China never feels comfortable when India appears to be pursuing partnerships that could enhance its strategic stakes and give it a greater say in international affairs, particularly anything to do with the Indo-Pacific region which it considers its backyard. For China, Indias strategic autonomy translates into minimum role play in international affairs beyond the regional neighbourhood; in the latter too, it wants India to play a subsidiary role. Global Times intent was obviously to convey a message at the time the Indian Foreign Secretary was on a visit to Beijing. China precedes such important visits by conveying to the visitor what its concerns are. The article hints at the main concern being the growing scope of defence cooperation through the Indo-US Strategic Partnership. China wishes to caution India about the US interest-based relationships of the past but does not keep in mind the limitations that India has in terms of the development of its military power and the real threats that it perceives, including that from China. Wuhan no doubt has been a great success for both sides when viewed from the angle of the distance to which it has taken both India and China from the imminent showdown at Doklam. The economic relationship has grown with reduction of trade deficit for India and the northern border of India has remained relatively quiet. For China, it has been of greater value in allowing it to develop unimpeded infrastructure at Doklam and the theatre in general while continuing to impose a psychological caution upon India. Free from its imminent threat to the northern border and a shade reticent about the developments on the other side of Doklam, India has been able to pursue its policy of engagement with the US and even conduct the biggest set of Malabar exercises with the US and Japan. Yet, when it came to the Quadrilateral of Nations (Quad), it temporarily held back after Wuhan. Since then representatives of the four countries have met twice more in 2018 but the differences on the concept and aim remain, and therefore the Quad has achieved very little so far. If anything the participation of all four navies in the 2018 Malabar Exercise would have messaged a difference. However, Australia continued to remain excluded with the exercise ending up as a trilateral similar to 2007. This is the domain of strategic autonomy that has evidenced a Wuhan stranglehold and China appears to be attempting to rub it in. No doubt, during the Indian Foreign Secretarys visit to Beijing other important issues would have emerged, beyond just Indo-US relations, the larger strategic connotations of South West Asia where much is happening. Chinas strategic partner Pakistan is concerned both about the internal happenings in Balochistan and its relationship with Iran, given the fact that its chief supporter Saudi Arabia is in cahoots with the US on the declaration of Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps a terror entity. Indias concern about Masood Azhar was raised but inputs do indicate that China may no longer be able to block his designation as an international terrorist; a moral victory of sorts for India which is bound to cause some consternation in Pakistan as Prime Minister Imran Khan is on his visit to the Belt & Road Initiative conference. China could, in turn, seek from India a lowering of visible Indo-US strategic cooperation especially with emphasis to the Indo-Pacific. The restiveness in Afghanistan and the potential breakdown of negotiations with the Taliban continues to threaten further instability in the region. Given all this India too would play to its interests and not be swayed by short-term gains. Among the major interests would remain a strong Indo-US relationship undiluted by any Chinese rhetoric. Majority of Indias diplomatic, technological, economic and military interests lie in the pursuit of that with full knowledge that it will yet take much to convert it to a transformational relationship. The US too would be aware of Chinas efforts to use the Wuhan spirit to force India to go slow in its emerging relationship with the US. For India to play midway may not be in its fullest interest. It has drawn some significant concessions from the US in the context of its relationship with Iran and Russia, and cannot risk these at the altar of Chinese goodwill. As a major swing power in international strategic equations, it must know exactly where it stands. Pursuing the spirit of Wuhan is essential but retaining Indias strategic autonomy to pursue its other interests is also essential. Learning to resist Chinas inevitable mind games is the key to the predicament.atahasnain@gmail.com Ravi Shankar By Very few people, even in Sri Lanka, would have heard of Captain Millar. His photograph was once enshrined in the Kantharuban Arivuchcholai orphanage situated in the Sri Lankan jungles until the building was demolished some years ago. On its grounds stood a mini-museum to death, named after suicide bomber Kantharuban, who blew himself up in 1991. However, it is Captain Millar who holds the macabre title of the first suicide bomber of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who rammed an explosive-laden truck into a Sri Lankan army camp in July 1987, killing himself and 40 soldiers. He was one of the Black Tigers, the suicide unit of the Tamil rebels, who were fighting for a Tamil homeland until the Sri Lankan Army wiped them out in 2009. The Sri Lankan conflict also claimed the lives of over 1,200 Indian soldiers of the ill-advised intervention of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF). Along with Millars were kept photos of 12 other LTTE fighters who committed suicide by swallowing cyanide capsules after they were captured by IPKF in 1987. However, in a country where suicide bombing was the norm rather than the exception until a decade ago, the terrible bombings on April 21 brought the nightmare back. Nine Islamic suicide bombers, including a married coupleaccording to Sri Lankan authoritieskilled 359 people in the explosions at churches, luxury hotels and a house that targeted Christian churchgoers and foreigners. Some of the bodies were so mangled that family members couldnt identify them. In some heart-wrenching scenes, parents tried to identify their children from the tiny shoes strewn around the site of the explosion. A woman runs for safety with her infant in Colombo A day after the authorities recognised the Islamic States (IS) trademark style in the bombings, the terror organisation released an online video showing the Sri Lankan suicide bombers led by Mohammed Zaharan standing in a circle against a black IS flag, holding hands. They raise their hands together as if pointing at paradise after swearing their loyalty to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-styled, now unseen IS caliph who Western forces believe has been killed in a bombing in Syria. But there is no confirmation. Rita Katz, chief of private international espionage agency Search International Terrorist Entities (SITE) Intelligence Group, said IS media channels were posting rampantly about the explosions, praying may Allah accept the attackers and had put up infographics on the death toll. CONFUSING FACE OF TERROR Global Islamic terror has arrived in Sri Lanka, which has woken up to the nightmare of a well-financed, highly trained jihadi network targeting its population, especially after a large number of Sri Lankan youth went off to Iraq and Syria to become IS fighters. There is no information on how many have returned after the terror outfit was destroyed by NATO and Russian forces. Though eight terrorists are seen in the video, IS claimed the blessed attack against the blasphemous holiday was carried out by seven menAbu Obeidah, Abu Baraa, Abu Moukhtar (who bombed the hotels), Abu Hamza, Abu Khalil and Abu Mohammad (who blew up the churches) and Abu Abdallah, who killed three police officers. A relative of a blast victim grieves outside a morgue in Colombo; The psycho-profile of Islamic radicalism in Sri Lanka shows an eerie similarity with many Muslim terrorists in the West. Two of the Easter Sunday slaughterers were brothers who belonged to a wealthy family of spice traders. Reports said the family itself was radicalised. When the Special Task Force reached their home, one of the brothers wives detonated a bomb, killing herself and her two children along with three police commandos. It was a single terror cell operated by one family, the investigators said. They had the cash and the motivation. They operated the cell and it is believed they influenced their extended family. Many members of this family have been picked up by the police. The heart of evil has a confusing face: CCTV footage showed one of the suicide bombers patting a little girl on the head moments before blowing himself up and killing her, along with hundreds of churchgoers. KILLER OUTFIT The Sri Lanka bombers belonged to National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ), a radical Salafist Islamic group from Kattankudya Muslim majority town in Batticaloa districtand models itself on IS. Very little is known about NTJs founder secretary Abdul Razik except that he is from Kattankudy town in eastern Sri Lanka and that the police had arrested him several times for inciting religious unrest. Razik is an advocate of extreme sharia and was condemned even by Muslims for saying that parents of underage Muslim girls should marry them off without their consent. Indian agencies have identified the leader of NTJ as Mohammed Zaharan, a frustrated online hate-monger aged between the late 30s and early 40s who gave kill-all-the-infidels sermons at mosques both in India and Sri Lanka without gaining the reputation he craved as a leading radical cleric. He had many aliases, including Mohammed Cassim, Mohamed Zaharan, Zaharan Hashmi and Zahran Hashim. He was active on YouTube to recruit members for IS; in one of the videos he is standing before an image of the burning World Trade Center towers, exhorting Muslims to kill nonbelievers. The advisory from Priyalal Dassanayake, DIG, Special Security Range, to all concerned security heads read: INFORMATION OF AN ALLEGED PLAN ATTACK.1. This refers to the letter from the Ministry of Defense to the Inspector General of Police and further refers to the memo dated 2019.04.09 by the IGP with reference number STAFF05/IGP/PS/OUT/2860/19.2. You are hereby instructed to pay particular attention to the reference made in Page 2-4 of the above under title National Thawhith Jamaan concerning a possible suicide attack being planned in this country by Mohammed Zaharan, leader of the National Thawhith Jamaan.3. You should instruct all personnel to pay strict heed to this report and be extra vigilant and cautious of the top officials and residences coming under your purview. FATAL POLITICAL FAILURE On April 4, Indian and American intelligence had tipped off the Sri Lankan government of multiple suicide attacks planned on its soil by jihadis against Christian and Catholic churches, tourist destinations and hotels. Lankas defence ministry promptly informed the police chief (described above) even naming NTJ. On April 11, the police warned the heads of security of the judiciary and diplomatic security division, but no action was taken, resulting in the worst carnage in the islands history since the 26-year civil war ended. The note from DIG, Special Security Range, cautioned the government that Mohammed Zaharan, leader of NTJ, was planning the bombings. It read, Foreign intelligence has informed that Mohammed Cassim Mohamed Zaharan alias Zaharan Hashmi the leader of the National Thowheeth Jamaath and his followers are planning suicide attacks in this country. The reports noted that these attacks could target Catholic churches and the Indian High Commission in Colombo. (Information received is at Appendix A) Initial investigations into these reports have revealed that the following several people are involved in this regard. Three years ago, Hilmy Ahamed, vice president of the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka, had alerted about NTJs radical profile. I personally have gone and handed over all the documents three years ago, giving names and details of all these people. They have sat on it. Thats the tragedy, Ahamed told Bloomberg. The bitter political feud between Sri Lankas President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had prevented the premier from attending intelligence briefings. Mahinda Rajapaksa, who had been named the PM by Sirisena, had resigned last year. Western analysts point out that the insecurity generated by the bombings would bring Rajapaksha, a nationalist strongman, back to power once elections are declared. THE PAKISTAN STAMP Security experts concluded that such a small organisation could not have carried out such coordinated multiple attacks using sophisticated explosives and logistics without outside help. The IS cadres who have been forced out of Iraq and Syria have now dispersed across the world. Given the relatively laid-back security precautions in Sri Lanka, while other Christian countries across the world are on high alert, Colombo and Batticaloa were chosen for the attack, as retribution for killings on Muslims in New Zealand, says G Parthasarathy, former diplomat.The longstanding military, political and diplomatic relationship between Sri Lanka and Pakistan is likely to be strained after the Easter Sunday bombings. Zaharan Hashmi was trained in Pakistan in 2018. Hashmis speeches, available on YouTube (now taken down), use IS vocabulary inciting Sri Lankan Muslims to attack Buddhists, Hindus and Christians. Analysts point out that the attacks bore the signature of al-Qaeda and IS, both of which received extensive support and training from Pakistan Army and ISI. Moreover, NTJs social media presence is limited. Its hate-spewing YouTube channel gets very few views and its Twitter account has had no posts since March 2018. Sri Lankas Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne on April 22, noted that there was an international network without which these attacks could not have succeeded. Significantly, geopolitical pressures and an erratic Sri Lanka have been playing the balancing game with its powerful northern neighbour, India. In the 1940s, Sri Lankan Muslims had supported the formation of Pakistan. John Kotelawala, who was the Sri Lankan Prime Minister in the 1940s, visited Islamabad to signal his countrys proximity with Pakistan. During the 1971 war, Sri Lanka allowed Pakistan International Airlines to refuel in Colombo after India had closed its airspace. Pakistani civilian and military aircraft made landings at the Katunayake international airport, Colombo, when the war was at its peak even though ironically the Indian Army was guarding vital Sri Lankan installations against communist guerillas. In 2008, the Pakistani military and ISI worked together with Sri Lankas Generals against the LTTE, even posting Pak military advisors in Colombo and Pakistan Air Force aircraft striking LTTE positions. New Zealand-based defence and foreign affairs analyst Rakesh Krishnan noted that Pakistan sold Sri Lanka $100 million worth of arms. In September 2003, General Mohammed Aziz Khan of the Pakistan Army made a secret trip to Colombo, upsetting India. The Tamil Guardian noted that Khan had co-ordinated Pakistans proxy war against India through various jihadi terrorist organisations and played an active role in the clandestine occupation of Indian territory in Kargil. The Dawn reported that Asif Ali Zardari offered training to Sri Lankan police and intelligence agencies in 2011 when he was the President. COMPLEX MOSAIC The bombers strategy to attack Christian churches instead of Buddhist shrines and statues have not paid off as a move to insulate the Muslim community from mob vengeance. In spite of the ban on social media, reports of anti-Muslim violence began to trickle in, of mosques being pelted with stones and Muslim-owned shops vandalised. Hundreds of Muslim families have fled religiously composite areas in towns and villages. In 2018, Buddhist mobs urged by monks went on the rampage after a road rage incident in Kandy. Though Islam is over 1,000-year-old in Sri Lanka, Muslims comprise only 9.7 per cent of the population. Most of them are Sunni and Tamil-speaking, which made them government targets during the Civil War. The beginnings of the strife lie in the religious composition of the country, where after gaining independence in 1948, Sri Lanka's constitution made the government responsible to protect and foster Buddhism. Nearly the entire military and security forces are Sinhala Buddhists. Alan Keenan, the International Crisis Groups Sri Lanka specialist, predicted that the Easter Muslim bombings will ignite anti-Muslim violence. The religious composition in Sri Lanka holds the key to the islands ravaged past of three decades: The Sinhalese, majority of whom are Buddhists, comprise 74.9 per cent of Sri Lankas population, according to 2012 census. Hindus, mainly Tamils, are currently 12.60 per cent and 7.4 per cent Christians. Buddhism is the state religion of Sri Lanka. During the civil war between LTTE and the government, Hindu and Christian sympathies lay with the Tamils. But the Muslim Tamil-speaking community has no affinity with ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka, which led to violent confrontations between LTTE and Muslim paramilitaries. In 1990, the Tamil Tigers expelled around 100,000 Muslims from the Northern Province. The suicide attack in the church in Batticaloa, a Tamil-majority town, will be seen as revenge for anti-Tamil violence by Muslims opposed to LTTE. The St. Anthony church in Colombo has a large Tamil congregation. FEARSOME FUTURE Of late, Buddhist monks have been fanning anti-Muslim sentiments in the country. Though Buddhists have attacked Christian churches in the past, Sri Lankan Christians now feel even more insecure since they fear targeted by two communities though they were in solidarity with Sri Lankas Muslims. The Easter bombings will empower the Buddhist groups and majority Sinhalese of the real danger of radical Islam in the country. Militant Buddhist monks have encouraged anti-Muslim sentiments in the country in recent years, according to Keenan. He told the press, This will be seen as evidence that the fears and warnings of Muslim extremism, that these groups have been saying which previously had no evidence to back them up, are in fact true. Muslims and Christians in Sri Lanka have been moderate communities. The beginning of Islamic fundamentalism in the island began with the arrival of dawa (missionary) from Muslim countries which introduced extreme concepts of political Islam. They imposed Islamic dress codes that even led to inter-faith clashes. In 2006, radicals attacked a Sufi Mosque. Sri Lankan and international media have reported that over 300 incidents of religious-related violence happened in six years across the country in places such as Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Maligawatta, Aluthgama, Kooragala, Gintota, Ampara, Digana, Kandy and Puttalam mainly between Sinhalese and Muslims that resulted in many deaths. The grisly truth emerging from the charred ruins of churches and buildings is that the decade of peace was just an interregnum. A global enemy has pitched its tent in the verdant island which was once the battlefield of good and evil in the Hindu Puranas. In the new mythology of terror, it will be difficult to tell them apart. By Express News Service PATNA: A case of trafficking in children from interiors of North Bihar was busted Sunday at Narkatiyaganj railway station of East Central Railway, headquartered at Hajipur. Following an intelligence input, a joint team of both railway protection force (RPF), government railway police (GRP), the SSB personnel and the volunteers of local child helpline raided in a bogey of Amritsar bound 15211 JanNayak Express and rescued 26 minor children from clutches of human traffickers. Inspector General of RPF, East Central Railway, Ravindra Verma said, all the children were aged between 11 and 14 and being taken to Punjab. "Children were lured in the name of engaging in lucrative private jobs in Punjab and Haryana from remote villages of Darbhanga and other Indo-Nepal bordering areas by a racket of four local traffickers", Verma said. When raided, three of them, however, managed to escape from train while one was caught and identified as Santosh Kumar of Darbhanga. Verma said: "A case of human trafficking has been lodged with the Narkatoyagnj GRP under sections 28,04,19(U),370 and 18c/79 of JJ Act named against the arrested one". After completing legal formalities, all the 26 children were handed over to the director of local child line unit at Narkatiyaganj for further actions as per the juvenile acts. Rajesh Asnani By Express News Service BARMER-JAISALMER: The Rajasthan of the silver screen sand dunes in blazing yellow, dotted with dark silhouettes of women carrying empty pitchers to fetch water offers little more than a nuanced impression of the actual situation on the ground. The images, though vivid in their cinematic appeal, dont tell us much about blistered feet or the miles one has to trek in the hot sand to bring home a pitcher-full of water. Yet, that is the image that is hard to miss as the poll bandwagon rolls into the Thar. The backdrop to the battle for the Barmer-Jaisalmer Lok Sabha seat is not an ideal one, as the mercury, in this part of the world, could even touch 50 degrees Celsius, at this time of the year. Just as the Kejhdi plant stands as a symbol of life in the middle of nowhere, so do elections raise visions of change in the dreary deserts of Barmer-Jaisalmer. It is in these sands that the second-most important political battle in Rajasthan will be fought. The run-up to the 2014 general elections saw the BJP pushing one of its stalwarts, former external affairs minister Jaswant Singh, to the electoral sidelines. Denied a ticket to contest the seat, Singh, a prominent Rajput leader, entered the fray as an Independent, albeit losing to the BJPs Col. Sona Ram by 87,000 votes. This time, Jaswants son Manavendra, who ditched saffron to join the Congress, is on Mission Vengeance. With a Congress ticket safely tucked into his pocket, he says he is fighting for pride after parting ways with the BJP. Surprisingly, the poll discourse, this time centres on the recent discovery of crude oil in the sandy expanse. It has emerged as a critical handle for political one-upmanship, with both the Congress and the BJP crediting the discovery to themselves. Pachpadra, which has been earmarked as a site for the petroleum refinery, is still dotted by shanties. The question hogging the poll debate this time is which party is more likely to set up the refinery and open the town to ancillary business. Kanhaiya Lal Dalora, a local cable businessman, is amused. They endlessly debate and fight while people talk of real life problems. None of them, neither candidates nor the people, can change the voting pattern here. Here, its caste that decides the outcome of political battles. After Pachpada, they are also looking for crude oil in Tilwara, Mehwa Nagar, Jasol and elsewhere. However, walls alone dont make refineries, he said. Samdari and Siwana, nearby, are influential hamlets where the issue that concerns residents is where to find plain drinking water, not oil. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE At the somewhat quaintly named bustee R B Ka Gafan some 80 kms away from Barmer in Meghwal village, women walk the desert stretch braving soaring temperatures at noon to fetch water. People here have been waiting for canal waters, as was promised, to arrive for decades. Yet, there is nothing about water in either campaign speeches or poll banners. One part of the village has been taken over by Hindu migrants from Pakistan, with another 35,000 still awaiting Indian citizenship. PM Modi recently spread some cheer among them, as he raised the migration issue and even promised a law that would help them settle here. But not everyone is hopeful. They did nothing in the last five years and are now saying they will bring a law. We have been settled here since 1974 but are still not considered citizens. They make big promises for votes and disappear, said Shankar Meghwal, a government teacher in Pakistan who migrated from Sakhar district of Sindh in 2001. Shankar got Indian citizenship after a long wait, but his larger family continues to live across the border. However, he can draw solace from the fact that this year, he will be voting for the first time in his adopted country. Locals say Manvendra has a chance if supporters of his father and the Congress unite. If that happens, they would far outstrip any support that the BJP can muster, they said. By Express News Service In a free-wheeling conversation, former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje tells Rajesh Asnani that to say that the BJP is milking the air strikes post-Pulwama for votes would be downright disrespectful to our martyrs and voters. The two-time chief minister, in an exclusive interview, claims that the Congress government, over the last four months, has undone all the good work in the state on her watch. Excerpts; How do you see the BJPs prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan given the partys loss in the recent assembly elections? It has been seen over the last 20 years that the party which does well in assembly elections, fares well in Lok Sabha elections as well. The last five years for the state and the country have been phenomenal to say the least. Weve seen unprecedented growth and progress across sectors. While the results of the Assembly elections did not go in our favour, people continue to reap the rewards of our initiatives even today. For 60 years Congress stunted Indias growth but over the last 5 years, weve seen the Bhartiya Janta Party deliver in diverse fields. Be it infrastructure, socio-economic reforms or welfare programmes, I am confident our success will reflect in the election results. You have been criticising the 100 days of the Congress government in your election rallies. What is your assessment of the Gehlot governments performance and how much do you think it will matter in the coming polls? I have always maintained that politics and service are two separate paradigms of governance. Once chosen to serve, it is imperative that a leader works for the good of people, putting aside political differences. Unfortunately, we have seen the Congress do the exact opposite over the last 4 months. At the end of my last tenure, Rajasthan was a Digital leader, progressing towards becoming self-reliant in terms of water and was the only state with a healthcare scheme Bhamashah Swasthya Bima Yojna providing an insurance cover of up to Rs 3 lakh to poor families. Our Abhay Command Centres at all district headquarters led to a significant drop in the crime rate. However, in less than 6 months, the state has seen a complete failure in areas where our targeted welfare initiatives had met with success. Be it crime, healthcare, welfare, security, this (Congress) government seems to be grappling with a policy paralysis. The voters would want to know what this government plans in terms of bolstering infrastructure, promoting investment, creating jobs. The opposition claims that the BJP is using the air strikes after Pulwama terror attack to whip up nationalism and cover up its failure over the last 5 years. Whats your reaction to this charge? Brig. K Kuldip Singh, in his book Kurukshetra to Kargil, writes, The essence of nationalism is the nations security, which presupposes its unity. A nation is secure to the extent to which it is not in danger of having to sacrifice its core values. Therefore, for anyone to call the unfortunate Pulwama attack a clickbait for votes is downright disrespectful to our martyrs and voters. Previous Congress governments failed to take concrete retaliatory steps whenever a threat to national security arose. India is no stranger to terrorism or its aftermath. Weve mourned our martyrs before, weve felt frustrated and angry before. But the only difference this time around is that we have a government that considers it a duty to avenge our martyred bravehearts and calls the nation to unite in our war against terror. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Congress claims that the loan waiver for farmers in Rajasthan will be a trump card for them. Do you think they could mine major electoral benefits out of it in Lok Sabha elections? For the loan waiver to be a trump card, the Congress would first have to deliver on its promise. The loan waiver has been nothing but a hollow announcement. During elections, the Congress promised to waive off loans of all farmers across Rajasthan within 10 days of coming to power. They have now gone back on this promise, as many farmers are yet to receive any help. As many as 18 farmers have committed suicide since December 2018. Urea shortage, water shortage, power cuts and hefty electricity bills are already a cause of great distress to farmers. Not sure about political benefits, but there definitely seems to be an agrarian crisis on the horizon for the Congress. What impact do you think the Congress NYAY scheme, giving Rs 72,000 to poor people annually, will have on voters? Many say it could be a game changer this election. The Indira Gandhi led Congress in 1971 promised to eradicate poverty, raising the slogan Garibi Hatao. However, it remained a pipe dream. This NYAY scheme of theirs would meet a similar fate. Congress is known for making promises they cannot keep. So far, in Rajasthan, they have failed to deliver R3,500 in unemployment benefit to every registered jobless youth and a complete loan waiver for farmers. They have betrayed the trust of voters, who feel cheated. Their discontent is bound to be reflected in the polls. A major section of your party wanted you to contest the Lok Sabha elections. Why did you refuse? Are you not keen to leave Rajasthan? I have always worked in close coordination with the Centre, even when I was heading Rajasthan. I have tirelessly worked to implement central schemes and programmes in the state and ensure that the benefits reach the last person. I am still at work. Now, the most important task before me is to deliver all 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan to the BJP. Do you see a role in the central government should the BJP return to power in Delhi? Or will you continue to be the Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan till the next Assembly elections that are due in 2023? Vasundhara Raje is the daughter of Rajasthan. This is my karm bhoomi. The people here are family to me. I have dedicated myself to serving the people of Rajasthan and will continue to do so till my very last breath. I have had the privilege of serving as a chief minister twice and cherish the strong bond I have with the people here. No matter what role or duty is entrusted to me by the party, in my heart, I shall always remain a true-blue Rajasthani. Richa Sharma By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Looking to capitalise on the traction that Congress general secretary of East Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra manages to create, the party is planning to include her in campaigns in other states for the upcoming phases of the Lok Sabha elections, functionaries familiar with strategy discussions said on Saturday. Her campaign so far has been limited to Uttar Pradesh with a few exceptions. She held a public meeting in Wayanad, Kerala in support of her brother and party president Rahul Gandhi and another one in Silchar, Assam from where the partys women cell chief Sushmita Dev contested. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE A top party functionary said that a decision regarding the matter is expected to be taken soon by Rahul. Based on requests pouring from several state units, the senior party leadership discussed it and a go-ahead now has to come from the Congress president, said the functionary. Another functionary said the matter is under consideration keeping in mind Priyankas busy campaign schedule in UP. She is also scheduled to hold road shows in Delhi. She may hold some public meetings in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan but state units are awaiting a go ahead, he said. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam attended a ceremony marking the fifth anniversary of the first flight of budget carrier Vietjet Air to China in Beijing, China on April 25th (Photo: VNA) Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of Vietjet Air Nguyen Thanh Hung said that the airline launched its first service on the Vietnam-China air route in 2014, bringing passengers to Kunming airport in the south western province of Yunnan. Since then, Vietjet Air has worked to expand its network to other cities of China such as Chengdu, Chongqing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Haerbin, and more. Vietjet Air had transported five million passengers between Vietnam and China in more than 23,000 roundtrip flights, contributing to the bilateral trade and tourism development, he said. Hung added that the airline operates over 400 flights per day, with 113 routes covering destinations across Vietnam and Asian destinations such as Thailand, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Cambodia. The carrier has to date carried approximately 20 million passengers in its international routes. At the event, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The said that Vietnams aviation sector has recorded rapid and constant development over the time, including Vietjet Air, the first private carrier of Vietnam. After the launch of the Vietnam-China route, Vietjet Airs network has been expanded to 50 cities in China. He voiced his hope that in the coming time, Vietjet Air will open flights to all 88 Chinas international airports, thereby bolstering cooperation, exchanges and trade towards the development of the bilateral friendship. Vietjet Air is the first airline in Vietnam to operate as a new-age airline offering flexible, cost-saving ticket fares and diversified services to meet customers demands. It provides not only transport services but also uses the latest e-commerce technologies to offer various products and services for consumers. Vietjet Air is a fully-fledged member of International Air Transport Association (IATA) with the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate./. By PTI SRINAGAR: National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi "failed" to carry forward the legacy of A B Vajpayee during his stint in power. "Modi has failed to carry forward the legacy of Vajpayee. The people of J-K did not see him (Modi) put into practice the catchwords of 'Jamhooriyat, Insaniyat and Kashmiriyat'," Abdullah said addressing a public meet at Damhal Hanjipura in Kulgam district of south Kashmir. The NC president said the people of the state have not seen Modi deliver on his promises. "His (Modi's) words have been confined to rhetoric only. Had he the sincerity of thought to implement it, he would have done so since 2014, however, no concrete step was taken by the incumbent BJP government led by PM Modi to realize it on the ground." "Today we see him tout 'Vajpayee formula', why didn't he implement it on the ground for past five years. We didn't see him do justice either with the people of our state. On the contrary, the people of our state have never in history suffered so immensely as they did during PM Modi-led BJP government," Abdullah said. Underscoring the need of dialogue between India and Pakistan, Abdullah said the NC has always maintained that dialogue was the only way to resolve the Kashmir issue. "Our party deems Indo- Pak camaraderie essential for peace and prosperity to return to our state, which always comes in the line of fire between the two. There is no substitute to dialogue," he said. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE The former Union minister said there has been "an exponential increase in miseries" faced by the people of the state since BJP-PDP embraced each other in 2015. He said the parliamentary polls were significant as the people of the state were voting for the identity and the integrity of the state. "Our state is facing a grim situation. The need of the hour demands us to forge unity. The situation is no different from the British era. The British prolonged their rule in India with their divide and rule policy." "We aren't still independent in true sense, today our people continue to fall prey to the shenanigans of those forces who for their petty electoral gains are dividing the people on caste, creed and sectarian considerations," he said. He asked people to remain vigilant of such forces as their sole agenda was to "destroy" the pluralistic visage, unique identity and special constitutional status of the state. "We have to speak in one voice, if we want to protect our identity. Today, our sole agenda is to secure the state's unique identity, however, we cannot think of taking on our enemies if we fall prey to their divisive agenda," he said. Express News Service By PATNA: Bharatiya Janata Party national president Amit Shah on Sunday said the new India led by PM Narendra Modi will never compromise with Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and would continue to hit terror camps hard whenever required. Addressing poll rallies in Bihars Sitamarhi and Saran districts, Shah said: There will be no dialogue with Pakistan until and unless terrorism directed against India from its soil is stopped. Shah said PM Modi has shown he is a man with a 56-inch chest by destroying terrorist hideouts in Pakistan.He added all anti-national elements will end up behind bars once the Modi government returns to power, as he hit out at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for what he described as his temerity to promise scrapping of the sedition law. If Congress president Rahul Gandhi has a soft corner for Pakistan-backed terrorism he should say I love you to terrorists. The Narendra Modi-led government will continue avenging the terror acts and will have no dialogue till terror is tamed. The safety of the nation is above everything for the BJP and its allies, he said. Criticising the 10 years of UPA government at the Centre, Shah said Bihar was never given its due share of development. The NDA sanctioned `6,06,000 crore for development work in Bihar, which was used well by the Nitish Kumarled government, he said. Taking a swipe at the Congress, he said when it was in power, the poor did not have money for healthcare, but the Ayushman Bharat scheme has provided free health care to more than 24 lakh poor people. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE And those, who have sought proof time and again on anti-terror strikes, carried out by Indian armed security forces, crossing the border will get a befitting electoral reply by the people of India, he said. Attacking the 10 years of the UPA government at Centre, Shah said Bihar was never given its due share for development. But when the NDA came into governance, around Rs 6,06,000 crores for the development works were allotted to the state, which has now been brought on the track of development by Nitish Kumar led state NDA government, he said. He said Modi hai to vikas hai and the NDA will continue on its agenda of sab ke sath, sab ka vikas. Taking a swipe at Congress, he said when the Congress was in power, poor people did not have money for healthcare but the Ayushman Bharat scheme has provided free health cares to over 24 lakh poor people under the NDA government. Showing genuine concern to the causes of backward people, he said it is the NDA government that has formed the backward commission with Bhagwan Lal Sahni its first president. And for the poor people of upper castes also, we gave 10% reservation, he said. Calling upon the people to vote for the NDA candidates, he said each vote will help the NDA to continue on its sab ke sath sab ka vikas agenda in country. Sunil Kumar Pintu of JD (U) is contesting from Sitamarhi as NDA candidate while Rajiv Pratap Rudy of BJP is in the fray from Chhapra Lok Sabha seat. By IANS NEW DELHI: The Opposition leaders on Sunday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for raking up his caste during an election rally in Uttar Pradesh. Addressing a public meeting in Kannauj on Saturday, the Prime Minister had drawn focus on his backward caste identity. "Behenji (Mayawati) is distributing my caste certificate. And now that she has started it, I must tell you that I come from the most backward caste in Gujarat. I was not aware of my caste till Behenji, Akhilesh Yadav and the Congress began mentioning it. I am grateful to them, though I am not into caste politics. I ask them not to drag me into caste politics," Modi had said. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE At a press conference in Lucknow on Saturday, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati had said: "He (Modi) was an upper caste when he was Gujarat Chief Minister. Later he got his caste included in the OBC (other backward class) category." Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Sunday said that she did not have any knowledge about the Prime Minister's caste, and that the opposition never focused on it as an issue. "I am still not aware of the caste that Modi belongs to. And the opposition and the Congress have never raised the issue of his caste," she told the media in Busiyave village in Amethi. READ HERE | Don't know Narendra Modi's caste, only raised issues: Priyanka Gandhi Gandhi also emphasised that the Congress was focusing only on development challenges and raising issues such as health services, employment, education, women's safety and farm distress. In 2014 and thereafter, he said repeatedly that he is proud that the people elected a chaiwala as PM. Now he says, he never mentioned his origins as a chaiwala! What does the PM take us for? A bunch of idiots who have large memory losses? P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 28, 2019 Meanwhile, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram tweeted: "Mr Narendra Modi is the first person who became PM later who campaigned wearing his caste on his sleeve (2014): 'I am an OBC.' Now, he says he has no caste!" 20 OBC @narendramodi - ? https://t.co/MkPxvCGTXT Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) April 28, 2019 Chidambaram further said: "In 2014 and thereafter, he said repeatedly that he is proud that the people elected a 'chaiwala' as PM. Now he says, he never mentioned his origins as a chaiwala! What does the PM take us for? A bunch of idiots who have large memory losses?" The leader of Opposition in Bihar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav also jumped on the bandwagon. "I had on April 20 (2019) said that PM, after portraying himself as fake OBC, will call himself a person belonging to an extremely backward caste. He did so yesterday (in a rally in Kannauj)," he tweeted. By PTI BAHRAICH/AMETHI: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday dubbed the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) an "apmaan"(insult) to farmers. Vadra also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the issue of nationalism, saying it can be best served by listening to the problems of the people and solving it. Addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district, Vadra said: "The BJP is, in fact, insulting the farmers in the name of the Kisan Samman Yojana, which the prime minister discusses very much, as it will give only Rs 3.50 per day to the beneficiary. This is 'Kisan Apmaan Yojana' (a scheme to insult the farmers)." FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Under the PM-KISAN scheme, Rs 6,000 per year will be given in three instalments to 12 crore small and marginal farmers holding cultivable land up to two hectares. Comparing the PM-KISAN to the Congress' minimum income guarantee scheme, Nyay, Vadra said: "On the other hand, the Congress has announced that it will give Rs 6,000 per month to the poor households (if voted to power)." The Congress general secretary in charge of east Uttar Pradesh said the crop insurance scheme, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, had not helped the farmers during the times of crisis, alleging that it had instead benefited some industrialists of crores. Vadra also pointed out to the Congress' manifesto promise of a separate budget for agriculture. "Every district will have a mini food park. This will help the farmers to link himself to the countrywide market," she said. Seeking votes for the party's Bahraich candidate, Savitribai Phule, Vadra attacked the BJP over the alleged atrocities on Dalits and minorities during its rule. "I had met a few Dalit youngsters who had told me that they were beaten up and tortured since they had demanded their rights," the Congress leader said. "An effort is being made by the BJP to damage the Constitution, and institutions and democracy are being weakened," she said. Vadra said while the BJP leaders rake up the issue of Pakistan and nationalism, there are leaders who speak about redressing the people's grievances. "I feel that the biggest nationalism is listening to the voice of the people and resolving their problems," she said. Earlier, speaking to reporters in Amethi constituency, represented by party president and her brother, Rahul Gandhi, Vadra asked: "What type of nationalism is there in 'main hoon Modi' (I am Modi)? What is the meaning of nationalism? It means patriotism and love for the country. Who is the country? Its people and their love." "If you have affinity only towards yourself, then what type of nationalism is this?" she added. Vadra accused Modi of not visiting even a single village in his Varanasi constituency and not asking anyone about their problems. "Arranging a crowd using the power of money and addressing them or sending a message to them is very easy," she said. "But, the real thing is to resolve the problems of the people." "The ground reality is absolutely different. When you speak to the people, a different message emanates and I have never seen the prime minister or the BJP leaders accepting that message," Vadra said. She described the policies of the BJP as "anti-people", "anti-youth" and "anti-farmers". "The menace of stray animals is very much here and the farmers are forced to keep a watch on their crops during night. There are still some places where electricity supply is absent," Vadra added. Arunkumar Huralimath By Express News Service KARWAR: A blast in a steam pipe in the engine room of aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya is believed to have led to the fire that claimed the life of a naval officer on Friday at INS Kadamba naval base here. Nine others were injured in the accident. The blast damaged the fuel pipe causing the fire in the engine room. Lieutenant Commander Dharmendra Singh Chauhan (30), who died dousing the flames, was hit by a jet of hot steam when he went into the smoke-filled room to fight the fire, which left him unconscious, sources said. As soon as the fire was noticed in the fuel pipe, the fire-fighting crew immediately cut fuel supply, preventing any further damage. The sprinklers in the engine room were also automatically activated and the fire was brought under control. There were 1,300 men on board the carrier when the incident occurred, the sources added. ALSO READ | INS Vikramaditya fire: Navy says aircraft carrier will participate in Varuna exercise, Karwar base contradicts The fire broke out on Deck 3 of the vessel and damaged two compartments. The vessel has 21 decks and a thorough check has been ordered to prevent such incidents. The Board of Inquiry team from New Delhi was expected to arrive in Karwarlate on Saturday night. The probe will begin from Sunday and the team will also declare whether the vessel is ready for the joint naval exercise with the French Navy, scheduled off Karwar and Goa coast from May 1. Doctors who conducted the postmortem on Lt Commander Chauhan at Karwar district hospital said he had been badly hit by steam and he had sustained severe burns on his upper body. He was declared dead when he was brought to the naval hospital. After the autopsy, his body was handed over to his wife Karuna Singh. The mortal remains were flown to in a special aircraft from Goa to Indore. A guard of honour was given to the deceased officer earlier. Dharmendra got married to Karuna, a professor, only on March 10. The mortal remains of Lt Cdr D S Chauhan will be laid to rest in his hometown Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, said Navy officials. Six of the nine injured Navy personnel who are being treated at Naval hospital in Karwar are said to be recovering. Iain Marlow By Bloomberg Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a rare national address on live television last month to boast that India had destroyed a satellite in low orbit, establishing itself as a space power alongside the U.S., Russia and China. For a leader who lambasted his predecessor for failing to counter long-term geopolitical foe China, the missile test was a moment of utmost pride. Yet China conducted a similar test more than a decade ago in 2007, prompting critics to note that Indias show of strength was merely highlighting the wide strategic gap between the worlds two most populous countries. Modis ruling party is making his record on national security a key part of its campaign in an election that will conclude on May 23, with boasts of airstrikes against Pakistan and more than 80 trips abroad to cement Indias reputation as a rising economic power. His government refused to attend Chinese President Xi Jinpings Belt and Road infrastructure forum that kicked off Friday. Yet for all that, India has only fallen further behind China over the past five years. Beijing has continued to outspend India on defense, implemented sweeping reforms in its military and diplomatic structures, and built strategic infrastructure in Indias backyard -- not to mention providing arch-rival Pakistan with defense technology. China continued to pull ahead of India in defense spending since Modi took office. ALSO READ | Decoding Mission Shakti: A peek into the technology that made India a space power India Falling Behind Its impossible to keep pace with China, said Vishnu Prakash, a former Indian ambassador to South Korea and consul general in Shanghai. We cannot get into checkbook diplomacy with China. We dont have that kind of economic muscle. Whether Modi returns to power or not, Indias next government will still be saddled with aging equipment like Soviet-era MiG warplanes, a bureaucracy that hinders military upgrades and an undersized diplomatic corps. To fend off China, its likely to continue shifting toward the U.S. and other like-minded countries in Asia while seeking to protect its periphery. A major long-run test for India is to ensure that China does not turn Indias own geography against it by encircling it with a string of military bases in the Indian Ocean, said Rory Medcalf, who heads the National Security College at the Australian National University. Delhi will play a long game. As Indias economy grows, this will still eventually translate into the worlds third-largest defense budget. READ HERE | India's Mission Shakti: Pakistan says it's against militarisation of outer space; China urges for peace Falling Further Indias economy has expanded to $2.6 trillion, eclipsing France, while its largest trading partner is China. Under Modi, the country has skillfully handled its relationship with China, increased defense spending and granted the armed forces greater autonomy, said G.V.L. Narasimha Rao, an Indian lawmaker and spokesman for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. "Admittedly, China has a much larger economy and defense budget in line with its own needs and plans," Rao said. "India is not in any arms race with any country and has a defense budget that is adequate as per its needs. Streamlining the armed forces and reforms has been an ongoing process." Still, India continues to lag China on every geopolitical metric, according to the Lowy Institutes Asia power index, which ranks countries according to economic resources, military capabilities and diplomatic influence. Modis injection of personal enthusiasm into Indian foreign policy hasnt led to more resources at the severely short-staffed Ministry of External Affairs, said Happymon Jacob, associate professor at New Delhis Jawaharlal Nehru Universitys School of International Studies. India only has roughly 940 diplomats compared to Chinas estimated 7,500. That lopsided situation is echoed in the armed forces. Xi has overseen Chinas most sweeping military reforms since the 1950s, cutting back non-combat personnel and modernizing its military technology with space and cyber operations. Meanwhile, India maintains a sprawling 1.4-million strong army and spends the bulk of its defense money on salaries and pensions, rather than new equipment. READ HERE | Xi Jinping defends China's Belt and Road project at BRF meet skipped by India, US The three arms of the Indian military continue to believe theyll fight a war separately, Jacob said. Even Modis announcement of the anti-satellite missile test will be mostly useless against China, according to Vipin Narang, an MIT associate political science professor. Not only does China have more satellites that India would likely have to kill, but China may have an advantage in killing Indian satellites, Narang said. Diplomatic Clout One of Modis major shifts has been greater alignment with countries seeking a counterweight against a rising China, in addition to dealing with a range of nations like France, Israel and Russia that want to sell it weapons. The U.S. in particular has sought to engage India, renaming its Asia-facing military operations to the Indo-Pacific Command last year and seeking to enlist it in a group known as The Quad along with Japan and Australia. China sees real risk in Indias strengthening security ties with a formidable array of Indo-Pacific partners including America, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, France and Vietnam, ANUs Medcalf said. The U.S. and others do not need India as a formal ally or as a full rival with China. They simply need India to be itself -- a capable and growing power in the Indian Ocean, whose navy can complicate life for China and whose diplomacy proves every day that China does not speak for Asia. China and India have managed to keep a lid on tensions. After a tense stand-off high in the Himalayas when Chinese and Indian troops faced off at a border area with Bhutan, a subsequent one-on-one summit between Modi and Xi defused tensions. Competition is everywhere, including between India and China, but the key point here is the essence of the competition, said Wang Peng, an associate research fellow of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at the Renmin University of China. India and China have the potential for benign competition. Still, Chinas infrastructure investments are shifting the long-term strategic picture. Beijing has poured more than $60 billion into China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects, as well as ports from Myanmar to Sri Lanka. Indias competing infrastructure investments have been "lackluster," according to a recent Henry Jackson Society report on infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Beijing has also kept India out of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, which controls the export of nuclear materials, and recently blocked Indian and Western efforts at the United Nations to list as a designated terrorist the leader of a group that claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed 40 Indian paramilitaries. In some ways, India is better off strategically than it was five years back, said Alyssa Ayres, a former U.S. diplomat and senior fellow for South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. But you could, of course, also argue that India is falling further behind China instead of slowly closing the gap. With assistance by Peter Martin Rajesh Kumar Thakur By Express News Service BEGUSARAI: Former president of JNU's Students Union Kanhaiya Kumar-the CPI candidate from Begusarai LS constituency-has emerged as a mascot and injected a new life into the party, CPI national secretary-cum-election in charge of Bihar K Narayan claims. Terming his rise as the rejuvenation of the Left, Narayan said the victory of Kumar was imminent and will pave the way for new politics in Bihar. "PM Narendra Modi has ruined the country and sowed chaos. Speaking truth or talking about the rights of downtrodden people is treated today as an act of anti-nationalism. This is the situation that has to be changed," he said, adding, Kanhaiyas campaign tagline, Neta nahin, beta, emphasizing his connect and humility, is winning all hearts. He admitted that at a time when the party is facing innumerable challenges on account of an unprecedented rise in the influence of capitalism, Kanhaiya will take the party's ideologies forward as the most-heard and respected CPI leader of the new generation. It is his convincing oratory and deeper knowledge of common people's concerns and national needs that has placed him in the league of party's top most ideologues in the country, Narayan said. "It wouldn't be hyperbole if we say he is not only the most media focussed candidate but also the highest crowd puller in the current year parliamentary elections, he said. What does the party see in him? Narayan said, He is the future of the party and the face of the Left to the new generation in which service to humanity is considered service to the nation. With the rise of Kanhaiya-dedicated to the Left, the party will attract more and more youths into alternative politics in order to make a new India where equality, opportunity, unity, dignity and diversity is preserved, he said, claiming, the victory of Kumar will set a record in the country. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE To the question as to what is the quality in Kumar that he has been pitch forked to party leadership, Narayan said, It is the innate ability of Kanhaiya to see and experience the needs of the poor and articulate it before people in a country which is fast sinking into the marsh of capitalism. "He comes from a poor family with a rural background. Still, he rises from a village school to JNU-a globally recognised institution. That in itself is an inspiring story. To add, he is a born leader, motivator and convincing in his arguments on what the nation needs and what it does not, Narayan said. On being asked, what will be the first priority of the party if Kanhaiya Kumar is elected; Narayan said, Working on the much-needed land reforms in Bihar. The party will pursue the agenda with whichever government is formed at the Centre to address such issues. Kanhaiyas voice will prove weightier than all others in the opposition combined on matters of national and public issues," Narayan said. He hoped that Begusarai, also known as the Leningrad of Bihar and its people will lend strength to Kanhaiya to realize their own dreams. Shankkar Aiyar By The sense of ennui is jostling for space with the sense of deja vu. And it is just the halfway mark for Elections 2019over 240 seats are yet to poll. Rhetoric is ricocheting off the campaign trail. Meanwhile, issues and events of import that haunt ordinary lives are lost in the din and dust of the polls. Home buyers across Delhi, Mumbai and other cities increasingly find themselves left with no option but to rescue themselves and their costs cause, get into the nitty-gritty of construction to complete that home they long dreamt of. Another set of buyers, knocking on the doors of courts, hope and pray as they await decisionson completion and refunds. Yes. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act 2016 established RERA and the fear of law to curb malfeasance and malpractices by builders and developers. But what about those who are not covered by RERA? By one estimate, of Anarock Consultants, over 5.75 lakh unitsthat would be a million plus votesworth around Rs 4.6 lakh crore are stuck in various stages of non-completion. This week, the Reserve Bank of India asked banks to declare the details of their exposure to the bankrupt IL&FSnine months after its sordid bankruptcy was outed by a series of defaults and downgrades. The controversial shadow bank, it is estimated, owes Rs 94,216 crore to creditorsand commentary from the new board suggests over 90 per cent of this will need to be written off. The exposure of banks, and ergo savers and depositors, is around Rs 50,000 croreof this Rs 35,382 crore is in public sector banks already bleeding red. Scientists may have figured out a way to define what a black hole looks like. Indias bankers struggle to identify black holes. The Supreme Court, on April 2, quashed the February 12/2018 circular of the RBI on NPA classification. The result is that an estimated Rs 3.2 lakh crore of public monies extended as loans is now in no-definition-landneither good nor bad. Why is this issue? Indias banks hold over Rs 125 lakh crore of public monies in their accounts. Yes, deposits are covered by insurance, but here is the critical factoidit covers only Rs 1 lakh, the value of insured accounts is Rs 32,75,300 and the money in its kitty of the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee corporation as of March 31, 2018 is Rs 81,430 crore. Yes, there is the implicit government guarantee, but it is critical for regulators to have their say so that systemic safety is not subjugated by whims of expediency. Consider this: Jet Airways, grounded last week, has been in the red for over 18 months and owes creditors over Rs 12,000 crore. Public sector banks who own the bulk of the bad loans are yet to call it a bad loan as they await Godot! It is not just banks. For some weeks now mutual funds have been informing unit holders about a possible dent in their investmentsparticularly in fixed maturity plans, a favourite of middle-class savers. The crux of the issue is a structural fault line in Indias financial systemuse of short-term funds for long-term lending. When banks, cramped by regulatory action, could not lend, borrowers were served by non-bank-finance companies, who again borrowed from banks, depositors and mutual funds. The question that faces mutual funds and thus savers is whether the monies will come back. In January this year, rating agency ICRA placed six mutual funds under ratings watch for their exposure to the SPV of IL&FS facing uncertaintythe exposure of mutual funds to IL&FS paper is around Rs 7,000 crore, and the liability of IL&FS would include promised returns. Earlier this month, CRISIL downgraded DHFL, citing continued low visibility in raising funds. The investment of mutual funds in debt issued by NBFCs, in their debt and hybrid funds, is around Rs 3.2 lakh crore. A Credit Suisse report this week reveals, of this over Rs 1.3 lakh crore falls due in the next three months. Rating actions, redemption pressures and poor liquidity have rendered public savings vulnerable. Seven of Indias statesKarnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Jharkhandhave declared drought in over 90 districts in their states. Experts monitoring and studying weather and hydrology conditions to assess drought conditions estimate that around 40 per cent of India is reeling under drought. Scientists at IIT Gandhinagar managing Indias real-time drought prediction system believe nearly 47 per cent of India is facing drought. The campaign caravans walked past world water day. Yes, farmer distress is mentioned, but neither the redressal of immediate pain nor possible long-term solutions find space on the slogan-ridden walls on the campaign trail. The length of the campaign period is also an issue impacting lives. The Election Commission has been justifiably praised across the world for managing scale and complexity. Equally, it must bear the cross for designing a schedule that brings governance across the country to a halt for 73 days. Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim voted on April 11 but will not get a government for over 42 days, until after May 23. Must it be this way? To paraphrase Henry Adams, must the campaign air be full of speeches and the speeches full of air? Shankkar Aiyar Author of Aadhaar: A Biometric History of Indias 12 Digit Revolution, and Accidental India shankkar.aiyar@gmail.com T J S George By The most traumatic part of Indias elections is the post-vote waitinga whole month this time. BP levels go up even for those not involved in politics because the results are going to affect everyones life. Tensions are especially high in the present case because there will be lots of surprises. The campaign itself had surprises. Looking at some of them will help us cope with the stress of waiting. Multiple surprises took place in Kerala, beginning with a turnout of 77.68 per cent, the highest in three decades. In several booths, voting went on till 10 in the night because of malfunctioning voting machines on the one hand and long queues on the other. Across the state, 13 people waiting in line fell down exhausted and died. In a VVPAT machine in Kannur, there was a snake, its party affiliation uncertain. An unpleasant surprise was the high number of faulty machines. There were several complaints of the vote going to the BJP no matter which button was pressed. Officials refuted the charge. But machines having a mind of their own was the big surprise of this election. Although many complaints were raised in Kerala, the most worrying case appeared at the other end of the country. In Assam, former Police Chief Harekrishna Deka himself complained that the VVPAT slip showed a name different from what he had voted for. He then found that if he wanted to challenge the discrepancy, he had to pay Rs 2. If the subsequent inquiry did not prove the validity of his complaint, he would face six months imprisonment. He didnt proceed because, clearly, the system was configured to give the voter no reasonable remedy if something went wrong with the machine. This kind of arbitrariness can only help a party that is in power. In UP, the surprise this time was the BJP proclaiming publicly that it would disregard caste as a factor in ticket allocationand doing exactly the opposite. Tickets were given carefully distinguishing Yadavs from Jatavs and preparing a pecking order of Kshatriyas, Jats, Gurjars, Vaishyas, Bumihars as well as Dalits and Backward Classes and Brahmins. Every sitting MP who was dropped was replaced by a nominee of the same caste. Surprising, too, was the openness with which the BJP gave up its 2014 slogan: Development. The plank this time, with no pretensions, was communalism. The shift was clear in the vocabulary itself. In the relatively accommodative culture of the south, Karnatakas BJP leader Eashwarappa declared that his party would not give tickets to Muslims. More bluntly, Amit Shah described refugees from unacceptable religions as termites. Yogi Adityanath described them as green virus. In Barabanki in UP, BJP leader Ranjit Srivastava went really crude. In the past five years, he said, Prime Minister Modi has made attempts to break the morale of the Muslims. Vote for PM Modi if you want to destroy the breed of Muslims. He went on to make further statements too shameful to be quoted here. Primitive minds running riot with immunity is a danger signal. From the Congress side, Sheila Dikshit came up with a surprise. She is 81, has a heart problem, and is scheduled to go to France for surgery. She has enjoyed chief ministership of Delhi for 15 years. Despite all this, she still wants positions of power and got a ticket. She muscled her Congress Party into ostracising the Aam Aadmi Party when a joint effort would have been the best way to check the BJP. Age is no bar to personal ambitions rising above a partys and countrys interests. Compared to Sheila Dikshit, Deve Gowda contesting the election at age 85 is not a surprise. With him, nothing is a surprise. He is grooming one grandson for chief ministership of Karnataka and another for prime ministership of India. The only problem with Deve Gowda is that he has no one in the family to groom for the United Nations Secretary-Generals post. Perhaps the biggest surprise of this election season is the immunity with which Shri Narendra Modi has been breaking the Model Code of Conduct. Using the armys name for election-related work is barred. But the PM has been repeatedly exploiting Pulwama and the release of fighter pilot Varthaman by Pakistan. After casting his vote, he went on a roadshow and gave a speech, both violative of the rules. But this is India. The Prime Minister is the Prime Minister. Ruminating on this unsurprising surprise, we can wait for the big surprises of May 23. By PTI BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Sunday said he was 'boycotting' the media, apparently upset over the coverage of the Mandya Lok Sabha polls, where his son Nikhil Gowda is in the fray. "I'm boycotting you," an upset Kumaraswamy told reporters who sought his comments after his meeting with Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal here. "You do whatever you want for your story. Go do it. Go enjoy," he said. Though the reason for his outburst was not exactly clear, sources said he was upset over the media coverage of the Mandya Lok Sabha polls, where his son Nikhil from JD(S) was pitted against multi-lingual actress Sumalatha Ambareesh, an independent candidate, in what is perceived to be a cliffhanger contest. In the run-up to the election to the seat, Kumaraswamy had repeatedly hit out at the media, accusing them of supporting Sumalatha. This is not the first time the chief minister has spoken about boycotting the media. In November last year, Kumaraswamy said he would not address the press "for any reason". He had also said that he would "limit the media to what I speak from the stage." Kumaraswamy recently alleged that the media showed only Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he gets the "makeup" done to get a glow on his face before appearing in front of the camera. The BIM Group started construction on the project in June 2018 and signed a power purchase agreement from the complex with Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) at the end of the year. The complex features three plants, with respective capacities of 30MWp, 250MWp and 50MWp, and will be connected to national electric network this month. Under the VND 7 trillion (US$301.3 million) project, more than 1 million solar panels were installed at the plants, together with other advanced technologies, expecting to contribute 600 million kWh to the national grid and benefit 200,000 households yearly. Also, this morning, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam attended the inauguration ceremony for the first phase of the countrys largest renewable energy project in Bac Phong commune, Thuan Thanh district. Invested in by Trung Nam Group, the VND10 trillion (US$430.5) project includes solar and wind power plants with total design capacity of nearly 410 MW. Speaking at the inauguration ceremonies, Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam applauded the efforts made by BIM Group and Trung Nam Group to compete the project on time, as scheduled in their commitments to the Ninh Thuan provincial authorities. He called on the investors to work out more renewable energy projects in Ninh Thuan in order to turn the locality into a renewable energy centre of Vietnam. By Express News Service GADAG: Though manual scavenging in all forms has been banned in India, the practice continues. A man was found cleaning a toilet pit in Betageri town recently. The incident was reported on the evening of April 26 and he was found working in the pit of a Sulabh public toilet complex near Betageri railway underbridge. The Manual Scavenging Act, 2013 has banned manual scavenging and many social activists have been creating awareness about it in Gadag district. People who found the man engaging in manual scavenging took photographs of it and asked him to stop the activity. The man, who was removing excreta by hand, disappeared when he saw people with cameras. Ramesh Kolur, a social activist, has now lodged a complaint with the State Safai Karmachari Development Corporation in Bengaluru. Kolur told TNIE that such incidents are happening in Gadag, but local authorities are not talking about it. Last week too, I have seen a worker entering a septic tank without any equipment. But the administration is not taking strict action, he said. An official from the Gadag-Betageri Municipal Council (GBMC) denied any involvement of the administration in the incident. If we found that the person who was cleaning the pit is a GBMC employee, we will initiate action, he said. By Express News Service KASARGOD (KERALA): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday has taken a youth into custody after raids conducted at his house in connection with the coordinated Easter blasts of Sri Lanka. Riyaz Aboobacker, 28, of Kollengode, Palakkad, who was taken into custody, has reportedly been moved to Ernakulam for further questioning. READ: Tamil medium teacher, principal among 106 suspects held NIA personnel are said to have conducted the search at Riyaz's house for three hours and gone through the books being read and sites visited on the internet by him. They have informed the Kollengode police about taking Riyaz Aboobacker into custody. Riyaz is said to be a trader in skull caps used by Muslims, spray perfumes and other foreign goods. He is also said to be active on social media, said sources. The residences of two persons, Ahamed Arafat of Kaliyangad and Aboobacker Siddique of Nainmarmoola, were also raided by an NIA Kochi team. The two persons -- said to be in their late 30s -- are suspected to be following Islamic State (IS) operatives, including Zaharan Hashim, the alleged mastermind of Sri Lanka blasts, on social media, said officials. The raids started at 6 am and went on till noon, said an officer. During searches, a number of digital devices including mobile phones, SIM cards, memory cards, pen drives, diaries with handwritten notes in Arabic and Malayalam, DVDs of preacher Dr Zakir Naik besides untitled DVDs, CDs with religious speeches, books of Dr Naik and Syed Kutheb have been seized from their houses, said a statement from the NIA. "Digital devices will be forensically examined and analysed,-" it said. After the raid, both were asked to be present at NIA office in Kochi on Monday. According to the NIA, the names of Aboobacker and Arafat cropped up while interrogating Shaibu Nihar of Koduvally, accused of being an IS sympathiser. He was arrested from Qatar with the help of the Interpol. "Aboobacker and Ahamed will be interrogated on the basis of information provided by Shaibu. We suspect they maintained ties with the online handlers of the IS," said an NIA official. According to a report by The New Indian Express, around 60 Malayalees were under the scanner after terror group IS released a video in Malayalam and Tamil claiming responsibility for the terror attacks that left more than 200 persons dead and at least 500 wounded. The Malayalees from Vandiperiyar, Perumbavoor, Thrissur and Palakkad allegedly attended meetings organised by Towheeth Jamaath in 2016 at Madurai and Namakkal, said the report. After the blasts, Sri Lanka banned Towheeth Jamaath. The videos on teaching by Zaharan were widely circulated among the youth through social media platforms in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, but were taken off after they came under scanner after the blast, NIA officials said. An investigation into IS cases registered in south India revealed that radical teachings of Zaharan Hashim were followed by IS sympathisers, they said. "Whether they had any direct connection with Zaharan has to be probed," an officer said. In an official statement, the NIA said these persons were suspected to have links with some of the accused persons who exited India to join the IS in 2016. By Express News Service KASARGOD/KOCHI: Days after the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the Easter Sunday serial blasts in Sri Lanka, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided the houses of three persons in Kasargod and Palakkad districts on Sunday for their alleged links with IS sympathisers, taking one of them into custody. The raids followed reports that 60 Malayalees are under scanner after they allegedly attended meetings organised by Towheeth Jamaath, which the island nation had named as the outfit behind the massacre that reportedly killed more than 350 people and left over 500 injured. The raids at the residences of Riyaz Aboobacker, Chemmanampathy in Kollengode (Palakkad district) and Ahamed Arafat of Kaliyangad and Aboobacker Siddique of Nainmarmoola (both Kasargod district) lasted for hours.Both Ahamed and Aboobacker are suspected social media followers of IS operatives, including Zahran Hashim, the alleged mastermind of the Lankan blasts, NIA officers said. While Riyaz was taken into custody and brought to the NIA office in Kochi on Sunday for further interrogation, Ahamed and Aboobacker have been asked to be present at the office on Monday. The raids came after the agencys interrogation of Koduvally native Shaibu Nihar, who was recently intercepted from Qatar in an IS case with the help of Interpol and brought to Kerala. The raids started at 6 am and concluded before noon. Weve received digital evidence linking these three persons with IS sympathisers who had left for Syria and Afghanistan. We would decide on recording their arrest only after interrogation, sources said. NIA said in a statement the raids were part of the IS Kasargod case in which 16 from various parts of Kasargod and Wayanad had left for Afghanistan in 2016 and 2017. During the raid, digital devices including mobile phones, SIM cards, memory cards, pen drives, DVDs of Zakir Naik besides untitled DVDs, CDs with religious speeches, books of Naik and Syed Kutheb as well as diaries with handwritten notes in Arabic and Malayalam were seized. The devices will be forensically examined and analysed, NIA said. The agency is also verifying links of Zahran Hashim with IS sympathisers from Kerala. Even though no direct link has been established yet, the NIA suspects that IS sympathisers were following Zahran through social media networks. By Express News Service KASARGOD/KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided the houses of two people in Kasargod and one in Palakkad on Sunday over suspected links to the Islamic State (IS).The raids in the houses of Ahamed Arafat of Kaliyangad and Aboobacker Siddique of Nainmarmoola started at 6 am and lasted till noon, said an officer. The two said to be in their late 30s are suspected to have followed (IS) operatives including Zaharan Hashim, the alleged mastermind of Sri Lanka blasts, on social media, the officers said. During the search, a number of digital devices including mobile phones, SIM cards, memory cards, pen drives, DVDs of preacher Zakir Naik besides untitled DVDs, CDs with religious speeches, books of Naik and Syed Kutheb as well as diaries with handwritten notes in Arabic and Malayalam were seized, said an NIA statement.Digital devices will be forensically examined and analysed, it said. After the raid, both were asked to be present at the NIA office in Kochi on Monday. According to the NIA, the names of Aboobacker and Arafat cropped up while interrogating Shaibu Nihar of Koduvally, accused of being an IS sympathiser. He was arrested from Qatar with the help of the Interpol.Aboobacker and Ahamed will be interrogated on the basis of information provided by Shaibu. We suspect they maintained ties with the online handlers of the IS, said an NIA officer. Express had reported that nearly 60 Keralites were under scanner after the IS released a video in Malayalam and Tamil claiming responsibility for the terror attacks that killed 350 persons and left at least 500 wounded. The Malayalees from Vandiperiyar, Perumbavoor, Thrissur and Palakkad allegedly attended the meetings organised by Towheeth Jamaath in 2016 at Madurai and Namakkal, said the report. After the blasts, Sri Lanka banned Towheeth Jamaath. The videos on teaching by Zaharan were widely circulated among the youth through social media platforms in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, but were taken off after the blast, NIA officers said.Investigation into IS cases registered in south India revealed that radical teachings of Zaharan were followed by IS sympathisers. Whether they had any direct connection with Zaharan has to be probed, an officer said.In an official statement, the NIA said these persons were suspected to have links with some of the accused persons who had left India in 2016 to join the IS. By Express News Service VELLORE: The police have stepped up security in and around the Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai where a large number of devotees throng to offer prayer. Two-tier security has been put in place with cops belonging to bomb detection and disposal squad (BDDS) frisking the visitors at the major entry points at the gopurams. The police are using hand-held metal detector to scan the visitors and their baggage before allowing them to walk into the temple. Two-tier security has been provided to the temple. All the visitors are being frisked at the entry and exit points around the three gopurams, Superintendent of Police (SP) MR Sibi Chakravarthy told Express on Saturday. He added that a contingent of forty policemen have been pressed into service to guard the temple which is one of the major pilgrimage centres in northern Tamil Nadu. A considerable number of foreigners are also camping in the temple town. The premises of the temple is also brought under the surveillance of the police. Sibi Chakravarthy informed that a baggage scanner is being established at Kili gopuram and it will be ready in two or three days. Since then, the baggage of visitors to the temple would thoroughly be scanned before moving them inside the temple. Express News Service By NEW DELHI: The BJP in Delhi on Saturday filed two complaints with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) over a misleading radio advertisement of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the Centres allocation of funds to the national capital, and his instigating religious sentiments. In the first complaint, Delhi BJP spokesperson Parveen Shakar Kapoor said the facts presented by Kejriwal were incorrect and provoking. In the radio advertisement, the CM can be heard electorally provoking the people of Delhi that the Central government collects thousands of crores of rupees in revenue from Delhi but gives back around partly Rs 325 crore, reads the complaint letter. It claimed that the Centre allocates around Rs 40,000- Rs 50,000 crore for the service, welfare, and betterment of Delhiites every year. It is the Central government which maintains the Delhi Police, spending Rs 7,881 crore annually on it for maintaining law and order of the city, and spends around Rs 40,000 crore annually on Delhi Metro, road infrastructure, Yamuna cleaning, hospitals, Delhi University etc., which directly benefits the people of Delhi. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE The BJP has requested the election commissioner to review the contents of the advertisement and block it, if the objection is found valid. In another complaint, BJPs national secretary RP Singh and advocate Neeraj said Kejriwal, by referring to BJP chief Amit Shahs statement on driving out infiltrators, was trying to win Muslim votes by misleading them and appealing to their religious sentiments. Citing the BJPs elections manifesto, Shah had on April 10 said that with the help of the National Register of Citizens, the party would drive out infiltrators from India and protect the Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists. But the Delhi CM is not only trying to defame Shah by distorting this statement, but also instigating religious sentiments in violation the Model Code of Conduct, Singh said. The AAP leaders could not be reached for their comment. Express News Service By Jihadists suspected to have links to the Easter attacks opened fire and finally blew themselves up late Friday night during a raid by Sri Lankan security forces in Kalmunai in the countrys east, leading to the death of 15 people. Three men set off explosives killing themselves, three women and six children in a house serving as a terrorist hideout. Three other men, also believed to be suicide bombers, were found dead outside. The raid in the predominantly Muslim town is part of a continuing hunt for the accomplices of the Easter suicide bombers, in which around 100 suspects have so far been arrested. Meanwhile, Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena used his emergency powers to ban local Islamist outfits National Thowheed Jamath and a splinter group, Jamathei Millathu Ibraheem, for their role in last Sundays attack. READ HERE | Sri Lanka serial blasts: Island nation's pain fuels ugly debate in India A girl and a woman, who survived the massive explosion after the hour-long gun battle in Kalmunai, are critical and being treated at a hospital, police said. According to Reuters, they are the wife and daughter of jihadist Zahran Hashim, the suspected mastermind of the April 21 Lanka terror attacks in which over 250 died after churches and high-end hotels were targeted by suicide bombers. ALSO READ | Had prior intelligence warnings about terror attacks in country: Sri Lanka PM on deadly bombings In a video circulated on pro-Islamic State social media groups, three alleged suicide bombers at the Kalmunai raid site are seen proclaiming allegiance to the terror group. Kuffar (infidel) dogs have neared us, one of them says and adds, We will teach Christians and non-believers a lesson and spill their blood all over Lanka. Children can be seen in the video, with a kid crying in the background. ALSO READ | Sri Lanka releases pictures of six suspects, including three women, as police intensify search ops India had given specific alerts to Lanka about the possibility of suicide attacks, weeks before the Easter massacre. The warnings were based on videos and other Islamic State-influenced material that were seized during raids in Tamil Nadu. India warns against trips to SL As security forces hunt suspects linked to the Easter attacks, India and the US warned their citizens Saturday not to undertake non-essential travel to Sri Lanka. Those undertaking emergency travel can contact Indian missions in Colombo, Kandy and Jaffna for assistance, the MEA said. The UK, Australia and Israel had issued travel warnings earlier. NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party has filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court challenging the South Delhi Returning Officers (RO) decision of accepting the nomination papers of BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri. AAPs candidate Raghav Chadha, who earlier raised objections with the EC on Bidhuris nomination, asserted that the BJP leader had hidden information about an FIR registered against him while filing his affidavit. Incidentally, Bidhuri had accepted the objection and filed an application mentioning the FIR. It is only a matter of 30 days, I would say, till the High Court cancels his candidature. I urge the people of South Delhi not to waste their vote on a candidate who will be disqualified anyway. He has lied to the people, to the EC, but will soon be answerable to the law, said Chadha. Have moved Delhi High Court today seeking disqualification of @rameshbidhuri as a candidate. He has concealed FIR pending against him. Concealment of a criminal case is serious offence & am sure his nomination will be rejected as soon as Court looks into the matter. Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) April 27, 2019 The petition filed in the Delhi High Court demands the cancellation of nomination of the BJP leader. Chadha claimed that the Returning Officer overlooked glaring discrepancies in Bidhuris nomination. The respondent No. 2 (Bidhuri) had wilfully and intentionally concealed the factum of registration of an FIR against him in Police Station... Muzaffarpur, Bihar, it states. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE The plea sought a direction to call for the records and quash the returning officers April 24 order. It also sought an order to the RO to scrutinise Bidhuris nomination in accordance with various directions of the Supreme Court. The ROs decision is arbitrary, illegal, unsustainable and ought to be quashed, the AAPs South Delhi candidate said. Backing Chadhas claims, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the charges against Bidhuri were serious. He is sure to be disqualified. South Delhi voters should not waste their vote on him, Kejriwal tweeted. But, Bidhuri claimed he had earlier contested and won Assembly and Lok Sabha elections and nothing wrong was ever found in my nominations. The AAP is running a propaganda against me. All the facts and papers submitted in my nomination are true. The AAP leaders are conspiring against me because they are losing the Lok Sabha elections, he said in his defence. Namita Bajpai By HIBHAULI (ETAWAH): Nearly, 15 years after Nirbhay Gujjar the last of the big brigands was killed, the ravines of Chambal in Etawah district, where the likes of Maan Singh, Malkhan Singh, Phakkad, Lala Ram, Vikram Mallah and Phoolan Devi spread their empire, are still replete with their memories and romanticism with terror. Till a decade and a half ago, guns would be the way of life and farmaans (edict) of baghis (rebels), as the dacoits are commonly called in local parlance, the rule for the people of Udi, Chakarpur and Dibhauli Ghat areas of Etawah district which used to be the fiefdom of brigands. At the time of elections, when the air is loaded with poll rhetoric, the tales of their hold in the region come back to haunt people. On the extent of their political engagement and participation in the polls, people of the region say that they would sway the voters mood in favour of the candidate suitable to them. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Unka ek farmaan hi kafi hota thha. Woh kahelwa dete thhe ki kiska samarthhan karna hai, aur logon ki himmat nahi hoti thhi ki unki mukhalafat kar dein (Their one edict used to be the final word for the people and nobody used to have the courage to flout it), says Tribhuwan Singh Chauhan, the 72-year-old former Block Pramukh of Dibhauli Ghat in the middle of silent, secluded ravines. Politician-dacoit nexus in the ravines was common. It flourished till the last gang leader Nirbhay Gujjar was killed in an encounter in 2004. They influenced the victory and defeat of candidates in a big way. While on one hand, the politicians would approach them to get the farmaans released in their support, on the other these dacoits impressed upon political parties to field candidates of their choice, at least, in the pockets where they were active. It used to be give and take ties. Dacoits used to earn votes for politicians who, in turn, would favour them in government contracts, says a senior local leader with allegiance to Samajwadis. The terror of baghis would have a sway across villages and decide the political flavour of central UP and also stretches of Bundelkhand. Usually, they would support the candidate of their own caste. It all depended on the caste of the gang leader. Once Nirbhay Gujjar did not let a single person to contest the local body polls in favour of his candidate who belonged to his caste, says a Satendra Yadav, a village leader. In fact, the direct interference of brigands in elections commenced in 1984 when Shiv Kumar Patel alias Dadua used this terror in villages of Chitrakoot and Banda to boycott polls. The era dominated by these brigands has zillions of stories of their benevolence. Even the political masters used them only as vote bank and the rigid caste system and exploitation added to their plight. Disillusioned with the system, the desperate lot of society was forced to retreat to the gullies of barren ravines. However, later, penury remained the only factor behind rebellion transcending the barriers of caste. Caste wars Gradually, backwards, Brahmins and Thakurs, all made their own respective gangs sometimes resulting in intense inter-caste violence. Behmai massacre of 21 members of Thakur community in 1981 by the then bandit queen Phoolan Devi is an example of inter-caste rivalry. Phoolan, a mallah, took to arms only to avenge her gang rape by the Thakurs. However, Dibhauli has some fond memories of outlaws also. Gajendra Singh maintains that the outlaws were better than the policemen. They were messiah to poor extending big help during weddings, treatment of poor. Moreover, they would help release the land of small farmers from the clutches of zamindars, he says. With the passage of time, as the town limits expanded, the gangs in this part of Chambal Valley stopped raiding the villages. The typical guerrilla warfare, over a period of time, metamorphosed into loot bids for survival and ultimately a culture of highway banditry evolved. Moreover, kidnapping for ransom too came handy to earn easy money. With as many as 205 criminal cases registered against him, Nirbhay was among the dacoits who were most feared. As per the Chakarnagar residents, he ran a parallel government in 40 villages of the area and carried a bounty of Rs 2.5 lakh on his head. At the fag end of Nirbhay Gujjars domination in ravines, we, as elders, tried to persuade him to surrender but he did not budge as he wanted to go for surrender in a chopper, says Chauhan, adding that he was killed in a police encounter before he could live his dream of flying in a helicopter. Flamboyance used to drive them. Probably, Nirbhay was driven by the way Phoolan surrendered. Her subsequent rise as a Member of Parliament might have made him kindle the hope for a decent life post-surrender, says the leader. Now with all the big names wiped out, the ravines of Chambal stand mainly cleansed of the infamous background but the fear persists with a few splinter groups, devoid of leadership, are still active committing petty crimes. The dacoit leaders have been killed. The gangs are now dismantled and the members left are no longer organised, says Dr Rajiv Chauhan, an Etawah native and an erstwhile forest official. Majority of them have taken to different ways of life. Some are into farming, some have moved to the town in search of livelihood, while those left behind commit small time robbery or extortion, he adds. Former President General Le Duc Anh, who served as President of Vietnam from September 1992 to 1997, passed away on April 22 at the age of 99. In his message addressed to General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee and President of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping expressed deep sympathy on behalf of the CPC, the Government and people of China. He emphasised that the late President Le Duc Anh had made important contributions to Vietnams national construction and defence, and unceasing efforts to promote the development of the China-Vietnam relationship. With his death, the Vietnamese people lost an outstanding leader and the Chinese people lost a dear friend, Xi wrote, while expressing his belief that the Party, Government and people of Vietnam will turn sorrow into strength and continue to reap new achievements in the cause of socialist building. The Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, the Lao National Assembly, the Lao Government and the Lao Front for National Construction have sent letters of condolence to their respective Vietnamese counterparts. In the letter, Laos expressed deep sorrow at the death of the former President and offered deepest sympathy to the CPV Central Committee, the National Assembly, the Government, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Vietnamese people as well as the family and relatives of the late President. The Lao side praised the deceaseds great contributions to Vietnams past struggle for national liberation and its nation building and safeguarding cause over the past more than 80 years. Comrade Le Duc Anh made important contributions to strengthening and developing the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam over the past times, the letter wrote. The Lao side said that with the passing away of comrade Le Duc Anh, not only have the Vietnamese Party, State and people lost a beloved leader, but the Lao party, State and people also lost a close friend. President of the Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen sent a letter of sympathy to the General Secretary of CPV Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong. He expressed deep sorrow at hearing the news about the death of the late Vietnamese President, who he described as a leader with great contributions to Vietnams national construction and development. President of the Council of State and Council of Ministers of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez sent a message of sympathy to CPV leader and President Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Raul Castro Ruz also extended his condolences to CPV leader and President Nguyen Phu Trong. Osama jalali By Regional food in India is quite interesting and I have noticed that in last couple of years it has become quite popular. Another thing to be noticed is the influence of weather and the use of seasonal produce in these lesser known regional cuisines. One ingredient which dominates the summer season is mango. The king of fruits is not restrained to just being eaten as a fruit but is the core ingredient for many dishes. Every region uses it in a different way, making dishes specifically for the hot weather. Right from the sherbets to chutneys, main courses to desserts, mango is present in some way or the other on the dining table. Mughal emperor Jehangir was so fond of mangoes that he had commanded his cooks to prepare a dish comprising magoes and meat for him. It was a task for the khansamas as they were not used to cook the fruit with the meat but with their experience and talent nothing seemed to be impossible once the king had made a request. After a lot of trials, they came up with a dish called Qaliya Amba a preparation wherein the raw mangoes were cooked in sugar syrup, dry fruits and a bit of saffron and added to braised lamb or chicken with coriander and raw onion-based gravy. The dish had a sweet and tangy flavour and the king was much impressed with it. Even today when loo (warm winds) starts blowing in north many grandmothers prepare Aam Panna to counter the heat. Made with raw mango, Aam Panna is a popular Indian sherbet which keeps the body temperature in control. I remember my grandmother forcing me to have a glass of Aam Panna as soon as I returned from school. In Rajasthani, Marwari, Marathi and Gujrati homes, Amras is made using ripped or raw mangoes. The UP Amras has got raw mangoes and sooji as well while the many other regions make it as a curry to be enjoyed with puris and rotis. In desserts nothing beats the mango Kheer or Phirni made with the juicy Alphanso or the Dussheri variants of the fruit. Siddhanta Mishra By One of the better known candidates of the AAP, Atishi is up against former Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely and BJPs Gautam Gambhir in East Delhi parliamentary constituency. The 37-year-old social worker spoke to Siddhanta Mishra on various issues being raised during the elections. Excerpts: When your candidature was announced, there was a lot of talk about your last name Marlena. You dropped it from your social media accounts, but your affidavit still mentions your full name as Atishi Marlena. Why did you take that decision? Was it fear of being attacked by the opposition? My full name is Atishi Marlena Singh. I had dropped the last name Singh many years ago because I feel there is too much discussion on names in this country. Because the people start talking about your caste, ethnicity, and the focus is shifted from work. We as a country need to move beyond that politics. The people should vote on real issues. The media should also focus on the main issues. What is the main issue in your constituency? The main issue in East Delhi is of safety and security of the people, cutting across classes, living in unauthorised colonies, resettlement colonies, apartment complexes, and slums. All of them feel that it is not safe enough to step out of houses after dark. The Delhi Police is the most ineffective agency in the city. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Why do you think statehood is the solution to all the problems? Whatever problems Delhi faces, be it lack of safety and security, college admission, employment of youth, all of these are related to statehood. No population of 20 million has such a poor governance structure like Delhi does. We have a bigger population than many countries, and yet you have one agency, MCD, which is responsible for cleanliness. And it is answerable to the Central government. Due to the DDA and the Delhi Police not being under our control, Delhiites face so many crises on a daily basis. The DDA was formed to provide affordable housing, but it has become a real estate mafia. None from lower-middle and middle-class families can afford to buy a house. The BJP accuses the AAP government of not implementing Central government health welfare schemes like Ayushman Bharat for political reasons. Why is that? Ayushman Bharat is probably one of the most poorly conceived insurance policies across the world. The Delhi government runs a far more effective scheme called Delhi Arogya Kosh. It is a cashless transaction and they (patients) do not have to pay for their treatment up to Rs 10 lakh.* The Congress accuses the AAP of not sticking to the terms of alliance and contends why should it only think about Opposition unity The AAP took several steps back for an alliance with the Congress. We wanted an alliance in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi. The Congress said no alliance in Punjab, so we proposed Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh. We will win all the seven seats in Delhi. Arvind Singh Lovely is going to forfeit his account. The fight is between AAP and BJP. *Delhi Arogya Kosh provides financial assistance to the extent of Rs 5 lakh to the needy eligible patients for treatment of any illness /disease in a govt hospital. Siddhanta Mishra By NEW DELHI: In East Delhis Pandav Nagar, the narrow lanes speak of official apathy and a lack of will among political parties, due to vote bank politics, to take action against unauthorised construction. Pandav Nagar, in a microcosm, represents the national capitals ugly face - encroachment on government land and unauthorised colonies standing on them. The erstwhile Congress government led by Sheila Dikshit distributed provisional certificates to around 800 colonies in a stopgap arrangement, but these areas still await a permanent solution. The AAP, which now holds the reins of governance in Delhi, promised to regularise these areas, but blames the Narendra Modi dispensation of hindering it. It is not that the BJP is unaware of the heft of the votes from these crammed but thickly populated colonies. In one of its last Cabinet meetings, the Modi government approved the formation of a panel under Lt-Governor Anil Baijal to suggest a process for conferring transfer rights to residents of nearly 1,800 unauthorised colonies. According to the AAP government, it has either spent or is spending around Rs 2,500 crore for the construction of roads and drains at about 650 unauthorised colonies in the last four years. As much as the government is to blame, the people should be no less held responsible for the haphazard way that construction is taking place Political will is lacking in every party, as the residents are voters and disturbing lakhs of voters means a disaster, said a government official. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE According to official estimates, only 1.45 lakh units of the nearly 44 lakh dwelling units in Delhi have layout plans approved by the four municipal bodies. In such a scenario, experts question the implementation of rules laid down under the Master Plan Delhi 2021. Land being a Central subject, a bulk of the responsibilities related to the unauthorised colonies lies with the Central government. The last survey of unauthorised colonies was done in 2003. If any regularisation of encroachment has to be done, a fresh survey is required, first by the Ministry of Urban Development. The problem also lies with the people. They think if they are paying property taxes, then they own the properties which they have built over government land, said Jagdeesh Mamgain, former Works Committee Chairman, North MCD. INTERVIEW| People should vote on real issues: AAP East Delhi candidate Atishi Marlena Of the nearly 1,800 colonies, 500 are on gram panchayat land, 900 colonies stand on individual agricultural land, and around 300 fall in the Ridge area. The remaining are on DDA, railways and MCD land. Construction on forest land is strictly prohibited. The revenue department identifies illegal constructions, which are demolished by the forest department. When it comes to agricultural land, land use norms have to be changed first before residential properties are allowed, even if the plots are owned by individuals. Whatever the AAP government tries to do, DDA and the urban development ministry sit on the files to score political points, said Kuldeep Kumar, AAP councilor in East MCD. Back in Pandav Nagar, the people long for wide roads, parking lots and playgrounds for children. The councilor opened an open air gym, which is a good step, but the park is so small that there is no space left for outdoor sports. Children now play in streets, said Suraj Tiwari, a shopowner, summing up life in these colonies. Just a paper plan According to official estimates, only 1.45 lakh units of the nearly 44 lakh dwelling units in Delhi have layout plans approved by the four municipal bodies. So experts question the implementation of rules in the Master Plan Delhi 2021. Namita Bajpai By LUCKNOW: In 1994, when the then chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav withdrew all cases against bandit queen Phoolan Devi - accused of Behmai massacre - and was released from jail after 11 years without trial, it was a well thought out plan. Two years later, Phoolan was fielded as the SP candidate from Mirzapur Lok Sabha seat. It was SP founders way of social justice and she emerged victorious to become the first dacoit to enter parliament. The graduation of Phoolan Devi, who had emerged as an icon for the Nishad community (mallah or boatmen), from a dacoit of Chambal to an MP, gave wings to the electoral ambition of many of her ilk. Before her, dacoits were known more for issuing diktats during both Lok Sabha and assembly elections. Long before Phoolan Devi entered Parliament in 1996, the BJP had fielded dacoit Tehsildar Singh to reform a wayward person against outgoing chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav in Jaswantnagar in Etawah district in 1991 elections. ALSO READ| Chambal Valley: Tears, terror and tottering guns Shiv Kumar Patel aka Dadua, killed in October 2007, was probably the last of the big ones to run his diktats in elections. The dacoit with influence across 12 districts, prepared a template for his fraternity to rule without contesting polls. Congress has also fielded Ummed Singh Nishad, husband of Phoolan Devi, from Ambedkar Nagar constituency. However, his nomination papers were rejected for being incomplete. Dreaded dacoit Malkhan Singh had earlier campaigned for the BJP in the Chambal region during 2017. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Assembly elections. A terror in 1970s, Malkhan had 189 cases registered against him in 1982 at the time of his surrender. After Pulwama attack, Malkhan Singh had offered the Government of India to send 700 of his men to the border to teach Pakistan a lesson. At present, three dacoits Babuli Kol, Gauri Yadav and Sadhna Patel are active in the terrains and forests of Chitrakoot. No different from the predecessors, they influence the voters in over 100 villages along the UP-MP border. In the 2017 assembly elections, Babuli Kol had assaulted a gram pradhan Genda Lal in Markundi in full public view, breaking his limbs because he was campaigning for a candidate against Kols wishes. Social justice for dacoit Phoolan Devi After the Behmai massacre, Phoolan, then a synonym of terror in both UP and MP, surrendered under amnesty scheme and jailed in 1983. She spent 11 years in Gwalior Central Jail and was released without any trial in 1994. She reached Parliament in 1996 as SP MP from Mirzapur. By Associated Press BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sought to allay the debt diplomacy concerns raised by India and the US over his trillion dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), promising transparency, sustainability and zero tolerance to corruption in the costly infrastructure projects being funded by Beijing, specially to smaller countries. The BRI is President Xi's signature global infrastructure policy. First announced in 2013, the project promises to build ports, roads and railways to revive the ancient Silk Road and create new trade corridors linking China to Asia, Africa and Europe. Addressing to the 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF) attended by 37 heads of state and governments including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan besides officials from 150 countries and international organisations, Xi said China wants to build the BRI projects based on "open, green and clean cooperation". India, like the first BRF meet in 2017 has skipped the Friday meeting as protest over the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) being laid through Pakistan- occupied Kashmir. The CPEC, which connects the strategic Gwadar Port in Pakistan's Balochistan with China's Xinjiang province, is the flagship project of the BRI. This time, the US also joined India in skipping the BRF. The Trump administration has been extremely critical of the BRI and is of the view that China's "predatory financing" is leaving smaller counties under huge debt and endangering their sovereignty. Notwithstanding the global concerns, China has mobilised by far larger gathering of heads of state and government this time compared to the first BRF meeting held in 2017 during which 29 heads of state attended. This time the gathering included its BRI critics of the past Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who renegotiated an over USD 19 billion rail project to be built with Chinese funding and brought the costs by USD 10.7 billion by reducing the length of the 648 km rail line by 40 kms. ALSO READ | China's Belt and Road Initiative wins fans despite criticism The project was signed by his previous government headed by Nazib Razak who is on trial for corruption. Prime Minister Khan himself was critical some of the CPEC projects and wanted to cut the size of the USD 8 billion Karachi-Peshawar rail line, the biggest project under the CPEC, by USD 2 billion. In his speech, Xi, also General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China, allayed fears that China was using the BRI as a geopolitical tool to attain superpower status. He said the BRI is "not an exclusive club". "Everything should be done in a transparent way and we should have zero tolerance for corruption," Xi said. Xi said China will not engage in beggar-thy-neighbour currency devaluation. China will continue to improve the exchange rate formation mechanism of its currency, the renminbi, and keep the exchange rate generally stable on a reasonable and balanced level, he said. Xi said the joint building of the Belt and Road projects has opened up new space for the world's economic growth and it has also created a new platform to boost international trade and investment, expanded new practices to optimise global economic governance, and made new contributions to improving people's well-being in all countries. ALSO READ | China trying to create its own globally decisive naval force through BRI: Pentagon China on Thursday signalled that it is seeking to address the concerns of debt financing with a promise of "sustainable financing" for smaller countries to ease debt burden. Concerns over BRI financing became vocal after China acquired Sri Lanka's strategic Hambantota port on a 99-year lease as a debt swap in 2017. China is doling out huge sums of money for infrastructure projects in countries from Asia to Africa and Europe, enhancing its global influence. Unlike his 2017 speech to the first BRF during which he announced about USD 124 billion additional financing for the BRI projects, Xi's address this year did not contain any monetary announcements pledging fresh capital for the projects. His speech highlighted on 'co-development' focussing more on deflecting criticism and doubts about the multibillion-dollar initiative. Xi delivered his speech just hours after an announcement by President Trump that the Chinese president would visit the White House "soon". Some of the measures announced in Xi's speech have been under lengthy discussions during the trade talks with the US, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. READ HERE | China's construction binge spreads to Americas, rattles US In his address, Xi vowed to abolish subsidies to firms that impede fair competition -- addressing a major bone of contention in US trade talks. He promised to prohibit forced technology transfer and said China will be protecting legitimate rights and interests of foreign owners of intellectual property rights. China will allow foreign investors to operate businesses in more sectors with controlling or full stake. China will also negotiate and sign high-standard free trade agreements with more countries, Xi added. China will work with other parties to promote a coalition of sustainable cities and an international coalition for green development under the BRI, he said. He said China will increase imports of goods and services on a larger scale. China will further lower its tariff rates and continuously open up its market and welcome quality products from around the world. He also called on all countries to create a sound investment environment and treat Chinese enterprises, students and scholars abroad as equals, he said. By IANS BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday appealed to Pakistan and India to mend their ties, ruptured after the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama by a Pakistan-based terror outfit early this year. Meeting visiting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and exchanging views on the situation in South Asia, Xi expressed the hope that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway and promote stabilization and improvement in their relations, according to a Chinese government official. Imran Khan also attended the three-day Belt and Road forum that concluded on Saturday, while India gave the summit a miss for the second time in protest against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor planned through the part of Kashmir held by Islamabad. The meet between Xi and Khan comes at a time when the already-strained India and Pakistan's ties have fallen to a new low after Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) carried out a deadly suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 40 Indian security personnel in February. The issue has also caused tension between India and China as Beijing has blocked resolutions to designate JeM chief Masood Azhar a 'global terrorist' at the UN. China has put a "technical hold" on resolutions each time they have been moved by India, the US and other countries at the UN 1267 committee. However, officials in Beijing say the solution to the issue is in sight. At his meeting with Imran Khan, Xi also said China will stand by Pakistan in all times. "Pakistan is China's all-weather strategic cooperative partner. China and Pakistan are 'iron friends' and have always firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests," he said. China takes Pakistan as a priority in its diplomacy, he said. "No matter how international and regional situations change, China firmly supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and national dignity, choosing its own development path suited to its national conditions, combating terrorist and extremist forces, striving for a sound external security environment, and playing a constructive role in international and regional affairs," Xi said. He said major progress had been made in bilateral cooperation in the construction of the CPEC, especially in areas such as finance, trade and other aspects, a statement said. By UNI BAGHDAD: Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Sunday said that it has summoned the charge d'affaires of the US embassy in Baghdad over comments on social media considered offensive to the diplomatic norms. Iraqi Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed al-Sahaf told Xinhua that the ministry summoned the US. charge d'affaires on what was considered "a violation of diplomatic norms and international rules governing the operation of missions in host states". The summon of the US diplomat came amid anger among Iraq Shiite parties against the United States after the US embassy in Baghdad accused Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of corruption while his people are living in poverty. "The publishing by a diplomatic mission in Iraq against one of Iraq's neighbors and its religious or political symbols is contrary to the principles of the Iraqi constitution and Iraqi foreign policy," al-Sahaf said. Iraqi Foreign Ministry issued a statement late Saturday, demanding the US embassy to "delete the offensive publication, and refrain from issuing such publications in the future". Al-Sahaf also expected that the Iraqi ministry to summon the Bahraini Ambassador in Iraq over a tweet posted by Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, in which he commented offensively against the Iraqi prominent Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. Al-Sadr issued a statement on Saturday and called for the "rulers of Yemen, Bahrain and Syria to step down immediately and to let the United Nations to hold elections away from interventions". Al-Sadr's statement was originally issued to call on stopping dragging Iraq into US-Iran conflict and suggest to close the US embassy in Baghdad. He warned that the US embassy will be under fire of the resistance fighters again, referring to the attacks carried out by militias previously on the Green Zone where the US embassy is located. Al-Sadr's statement also came a few days after the US President Donald Trump decided not to reissue the sanction waivers allowing major importers to continue buying Iran's oil when they expire in early May. Following the exit from the Iran nuclear deal in May last year, the Trump's administration has kept piling up pressure on Iran through a series of sanctions and designations, which have been strongly opposed and criticized by Tehran. By PTI COLOMBO: The Islamic State has claimed the three militants who blew themselves up during a fierce gun battle with security forces in Sri Lanka's Eastern province, a media report said on Sunday. The shootout occurred on Friday night as the security forces continued their hunt for members of the National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ), the local terror outfit behind the April 21 coordinated blasts that killed 253 people and injured over 500 others. ALSO READ| Sri Lanka's pain post Easter blasts fuels ugly debate in India The Special Task Force and Army troops, following a tip-off, raided a house in Kalmunai city, about 360 kms from Colombo leading to the heavy exchange of fire with the armed group. As the heavily-armed men opened fire on troops, a civilian caught in the middle got killed.As the clashes intensified, three men are believed to have set off explosives. ALSO READ| Sri Lanka arrested 20 bombing suspects over past 24 hours: Reports In a statement published early Sunday through the its propaganda 'Amaq' news agency, the ISIS said that it gave their noms du guerre as Abu Hammad, Abu Sufyan and Abu al-Qa'qa, the Colombo Gazette reported. It said they opened fire with automatic weapons and "after exhausting their ammunition, detonated on them their explosive belts." ALSO READ| Political rivalry seen as factor in Sri Lanka Easter blasts Six children and three women were among 15 people killed when the militants opened fire and blew themselves up during the gun battle with security forces. A police spokesman said that three suspected suicide bombers were among the 15 dead. A huge cache of explosives was also recovered from the spot. Officials have recovered detonators, suicide kits, army uniforms and ISIS flags. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday, killing 253 people. The ISIS claimed the attacks, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group NTJ for the attacks. President Maithripala Sirisena said Friday that over 130 suspects linked to the ISIS have been operating in the country. By PTI COLOMBO: Nearly 1,600 refugees from about 15 countries, mostly from Pakistan, are facing threats and have been attacked in Sri Lanka following the Easter Sunday bombings which killed over 250 people, an official said Sunday. Sri Lanka Sunday marked a week since the coordinated blasts hit three churches and three luxury hotels, killing 253 people and injuring over 500 others. The Islamic State (ISIS) terror group has claimed the April 21 coordinated blasts, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ) for the attack. READ| Sri Lanka hotel bombers' brother arrested There are about 1,600 of them from about 15 countries and from various religious beliefs. They had arrived here to avoid persecution in their own countries. A majority of them are Pakistani Christians, a welfare official working with the refugees said. A majority of them were living in the western coastal town of Negombo where one of the Churches, St Sebastian's, came under attack by an ISIS-linked suicide bomber. "They have come under attack and threats, some of them have been subject to physical violence. Their landlords have been pressed to evict them," the official said. The moves to shift them elsewhere have been met with resistance by respective local politicians. "At least 4 times they had been taken in buses out of Negombo only to be brought back due to protests," the official said. He said the state protection for them and collaboration with the UN refugee agency were important. "The government's public commitment is needed to explain the temporary nature of their stay and why we need to support and protect them," the official said. Sporadic cases of anti-Muslim violence have been reported since the blasts. A large number of Christian devotees from the Negombo area were killed in the St Sebastian's Church attack. READ| With churches shut after Easter bomb blasts, Sri Lankans hear mass on TV A timely intervention by the head of Catholic Church Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith calmed the situation. All Sunday masses were canceled due to the volatile security situation, resulting in one main mass by Cardinal Ranjitht, the first Sunday since the attacks. A total of 106 suspects, including a Tamil medium teacher and a school principal, have been arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday blasts, the police said. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three churches and three luxury hotels on the Easter Sunday. Sri Lanka on Saturday banned the NTJ and a splinter group linked to the ISIS. According to Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry, the number of foreign nationals who have been identified as killed remained at 40, including 11 from India. Sri Lanka has a population of 21 million which is a patchwork of ethnicities and religions, dominated by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. Muslims account for 10 per cent of the population and are the second-largest minority after Hindus. Around seven per cent of Sri Lankans are Christians. PM Phuc returned to Hanoi after attending the second BRF International Cooperation (BRF) on April 27 evening. In an interview granted to the media on the PMs trip, Deputy FM Le Hoai Trung said the trip produced important results on both bilateral and multilateral aspects. Vietnam had made careful preparations and actively and proactively joined in the forums activities and the building of the round-table meetings joint statement. In his address to the forum, PM Phuc shared Vietnams reform experience over the past three decades, noting that making good use of advantages and potential along with promoting international integration are the foundation for successful cooperation. He affirmed that Vietnam is pushing ahead with both socio-economic development and global integration, including cooperating with the Belt and Road initiative, and striving to realise the UN sustainable development goals. Deputy FM Trung said many leaders expressed support for the PMs speech and Vietnams stance. On bilateral activities, PM Phuc met Chinese Party chief and President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang, and permanent Politburo member and Secretary of the Party Central Committees Secretariat Wang Huning. It is noteworthy that the two sides signed five economic agreements, including two deals that opened the Chinese market for Vietnams exports of milk and mangosteen. PM Phuc also met with executives of many leading Chinese companies, during which he vowed all possible support for them to do business in Vietnam while having a straight talk on several ineffective and delayed projects by Chinese contractors. The PM and his entourage, including Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh and many ministers, also met leaders and officials of many countries and international organisations. During those meetings, PM Phuc asked the countries to support Vietnams run for a seat in the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure and work closely with Vietnam during its ASEAN Chairmanships term in 2020 to maintain peace, stability, maritime security, safety and freedom in the East Sea. He also discussed ways to create stronger progress in economic-trade-investment ties and deal with issues related to the border and overseas Vietnamese with related countries. According to Deputy FM Trung, the countries had expressed support for Vietnams candidacy for the UN Security Council in the 2020-2021 term, and their wish to coordinate closely with Vietnam as Chair of the ASEAN as well as in the UNs activities. Talking about the main outcomes of the 2nd BRF, the Deputy FM said under the theme Belt and Road Cooperation: Shaping a Brighter Shared Future, the forum attracted nearly 5,000 delegates from 150 countries, over 90 international organisations and 800 businesses, particularly heads of States and governments from 37 nations, including 10 ASEAN member states. The most important event of the forum was a round-table meeting of leaders to discuss promoting connectivity, strengthening policy resonance, fostering green and sustainable development. Trung said the forum achieved three major results, including issuing a joint statement that reaffirmed commitment to stepping up economic connectivity, trade liberalisation and respect for multilateralism, with a focus on infrastructure, economy, science-technology, socio-culture and people-to-people exchange. Secondly, participating leaders shared constructive views, contributing to new adjustments in Belt and Road cooperation in the direction of more balanced benefits for participating countries with an emphasis on the principles of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit. Thirdly, the high-level round-table meeting and 12 thematic session afforded participants chances to discuss cooperation opportunities and joint work across infrastructure connectivity, policy resonance, trade, finance, innovation and creativity, digital economy and green development. By PTI COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Saturday banned local Islamist extremist outfit NTJ and a splinter group, which are linked to the ISIS that has claimed the responsibility for the Easter bombings that left 253 people dead and several hundreds injured. ALSO READ| Political rivalry seen as factor in Sri Lanka Easter blasts National Thawheed Jammath (NTJ) leader Zahran Hashim, the mastermind behind the attacks, was killed inside the Shangri La hotel were he detonated himself. President Maithripala Sirisena used emergency powers to ban the NTJ and a splinter group identified as Jamathei Millathu Ibraheem (JMI), a statement said. "All movable and immovable property of these two organisations will be confiscated," the statement said. ALSO READ| Sri Lanka arrested 20 bombing suspects over past 24 hours: Reports The move to ban the outfits came after the Lankan Parliament adopted a newly-enforced emergency regulation on Wednesday following a series of eight coordinated blasts, which ripped through three churches and three high-end hotels frequented by tourists on April 19 in the country's deadliest violence since the devastating civil war ended in 2009. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday said the country needs new laws to deal with threats posed by local terror outfits linked to ISIS. "The definition on aiding terrorism is very narrow. Therefore, the laws are not strong to deal with a situation like this. We have to widen the scope of these laws to counter global terrorism. Not only they (the terrorists) should be arrested, their assets also need to be confiscated," he said in a televised address. ALSO READ| Sri Lanka's pain post Easter blasts fuels ugly debate in India The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the Easter terror attacks on three Catholic churches and three luxury hotels but the government has blamed a local Islamist extremist group, National Tawheed Jamath (NTJ), for the bombings. By PTI LONDON: Britain's security forces are on the hunt for so-called "crocodile cells or sleeper cells" of Islamic State (ISIS) operatives plotting terrorist attacks in the UK and Europe, according to a UK media report. The country's police chiefs are urging churches and mosques in Britain to have counter-terrorism training because of fears of further attacks in the wake of the Sri Lanka terrorist strikes, which claimed hundreds of lives over Easter. "Now that ISIS has been defeated in Syria and Iraq, it will become more violent outside (this area). As its core weakens, its peripheries will become more dangerous," Charlie Winter, of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King's College London, told 'The Sunday Times'. "It's a grim outlook, but we are likely to see more attempts at attacks, more regularly, for the foreseeable future. Sri Lanka was not a one-off. If anything, it was a test run," he said. READ| Sri Lanka Easter blasts: NIA finds 'suspicious' documents from two houses in Kasargod The UK's intelligence services continue to investigate links between one of the Sri Lankan suicide bombers, Abdul Lathief Jameel Mohamed, and the UK-based extremists since it emerged he had studied in Britain. Mohamed is considered by Western intelligence agencies to be one of the plot's ringleaders. He is believed to have secretly travelled to Syria to prepare for the attack. Once there, he was reportedly "mentored" by a group of notorious British ISIS fighters and recruiters, including the killer known as Jihadi John. "Mohamed appears to have been sent back to Sri Lanka after receiving his terrorist training under an ISIS strategy utilising 'crocodile cells' or sleepers waiting to pounce," The Sunday Times reported. "We've seen intelligence which connects him (Mohamed) to a number of British terrorists who were in Syria, as well as to Jihadi John and Junaid Hussain, around the time that ISIS set up its caliphate," an intelligence source told the newspaper. "The British jihadists seemed to be mentoring him through communication online and also when he travelled to Syria," the source added. Mohamed is likely to have spent only a matter of months in the Syrian war zone, and it remains unclear when he returned to Sri Lanka to become part of an ISIS sleeper cell. Another theory is that Mohamed may have fallen under the influence of terror outfit Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HuT) while living in London and studying at Kingston University in the mid-2000s. The group, which calls for the foundation of an Islamic caliphate, had a strong presence on the Kingston campus at the time Lathief was in the UK to study aeronautical engineering, according to 'The Sunday Telegraph'. However, a spokesperson for HuT Britain said the group had no record of Lathief Mohamed being a member. "To be absolutely clear, we abhor the senseless killing of citizens in any country by any person, group or military. The Islamic Shari'ah does not give justification for such acts as in Sri Lanka last week," the spokesperson said. HuT is banned in more than a dozen countries, but not the UK. Former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and David Cameron both tried unsuccessfully to ban it. A military official told Xinhua that terrorists opened fire when Sri Lankan troops were attempting to raid a safe house used by terrorists affiliated to Islamic terrorist organization. Some suicide bombers later blew themselves up inside the safe house. The military official said that following a clearing operation, troops recovered 13 more bodies along with the bodies of the two gunmen, which included three females, six children and four males, from inside the safe house. The official said some of those killed maybe civilians. Search operations are ongoing to see if more suspected terrorists are hiding in the surrounding areas and the entire area remains cordoned off. A curfew is still in place in Kalmunai city and its surrounding areas after it was imposed last night. Earlier on April 26 evening, the military said security forces also had recovered flags belonging to the Islamic State, literature and some other objects from a house in the Ampara Distinct, also in the east, which is said to be the terrorist organization's place for oath-taking. One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 The Medical Association proposed an option to standardise the period of required internship to be exempted in various public health authorities during the Food & Health Bureau's meeting yesterday with the major stakeholders of medical groups. Issuing a statement today, the Government noted that at the meeting, the association's representative proposed exempting non-locally trained doctors, who work either in the Hospital Authority, the Department of Health or the Faculty of Medicine of the two universities, from internship if they have engaged in clinical work for 18 months upon passing the Licensing Examination. The attendees welcomed the option to standardise the period of required internship to be exempted in various public health authorities. However, some attendees had reservations over the definition of 'clinical work' which excludes services other than clinical work in public hospitals, such as services in the Department of Health as well as teaching and scientific research work in the Faculty of Medicine of the two universities. The attendees also held different views on the method of calculating the duration of clinical work. Some also indicated that they need to better understand the details of the option for further discussion and consideration. Consensus on the relevant details had not been reached at the meeting. The Government hopes the medical sector will continue to discuss different options in a rational way and that the Medical Council will come up with a positive decision with no discrimination for relaxation of internship requirements at its meeting to be held next month. Representatives from the Medical Council, the Academy of Medicine, the Medical Association, the Faculty of Medicine of the two universities, the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority attended the meeting yesterday. Mrs Lam (right) takes a picture with World Bank Chief Executive Officer Kristalina Georgieva (left) and International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde (centre) at the second Belt & Road Forum for International Cooperation . Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks at a sharing session organised by the All-China Womens Federation in Beijing. Chief Executive Carrie Lam today delivered a speech at an exchange session organised by the All-China Womens Federation and met the Palace Museums new Director Wang Xudong in Beijing. Continuing her visit to the capital, Mrs Lam gave a speech at the exchange session in the morning, and answered questions from the 300 participants. She told leaders and staff of the federation, female university students and grassroots womens representatives, the vision and actions of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. The Chief Executive also introduced the HKSARs unique advantage under one country, two systems and its strengths. Mrs Lam pointed out that the city will actively participate in the Belt & Road Initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. She shared her experience in participating in the second Belt & Road Forum for International Cooperation in the last two days and spoke about promoting the Greater Bay Area in Japan with Guangdong and Macau leaders in early April. The Chief Executive also briefed the participants on womens education, employment and public office appointments in Hong Kong, as well as the support and family-friendly measures implemented by the current-term HKSAR Government. Mrs Lam met the federations President Shen Yueyue after the exchange session and attended a lunch hosted by Ms Shen. During her meeting with the Palace Museums new Director Wang Xudong in the afternoon, Mrs Lam said she looked forward to the museums continuous support for the establishment of the Hong Kong Palace Museum. She also hoped the Palace Museum will continue collaborating with the Leisure & Cultural Services Department to launch more projects on heritage conservation, research, exhibitions and education. Mrs Lam invited Mr Wang to visit Hong Kong to learn about the citys latest development in arts and culture. She also met the museums retired Director Shan Jixiang earlier to thank him for his support for Hong Kong during his seven-year tenure. Accompanied by Hong Kong delegates, the Chief Executive attended the opening ceremony and the high-level meetings of the forum yesterday. She also went to a welcome dinner hosted by President Xi Jinping and his wife for state leaders and senior officials with Financial Secretary Paul Chan and Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Edward Yau. In the last two days, Mrs Lam met a number of participating leaders of the central ministries, regional governments and international organisations. A GANG of masked and armed robbers on Tuesday besieged a Salvation Army Church in Mbizo, Kwekwe where they got away with cash, property, groceries, laptops and the church vehicle. The gang of four broke into the house where they tortured the church pastor and his family before looting cash amounting to US$400 and $700 and household property. They then used the church vehicle as a gateway car. The car was later recovered at Halfway where the robbers dumped it. Although acting Midlands provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mkwende professed ignorance over the matter saying she was yet to get information, the churchs public relations officer, Captain Victor Mafukidze, confirmed the robbery saying it was the latest in a spate of robberies targeting their church lately. Captain Mafukidze said their church has of late witnessed four robberies in a space of a month. Yes, I can confirm the robbery in Kwekwe which has become the latest in a number of robberies targeting our church. We are living in fear as we are now a target of armed robbers. I dont know who told them that we keep money but the truth is that people are now using plastic money and we also bank all the cash that we receive, he said. Captain Mafukidze said another pastor who had come from Uganda, where he is based, to attend a funeral, was pounced on in Harare a week ago and the robbers took away cellphones and cash. The churchs second in command was also a victim at OK Mart Harare where they took away cash and cellphones while another one took place in Kadoma where the robbers left the house empty after they got away with household property. Captain Mafukidze said plans were underway to enhance security at their churches including keeping vicious dogs and installing cameras. A Sunday News crew also visited the church premises in Mbizo and listened to the horrendous tale of what pastor Major Martin Chitsikos family went through during the robbery. Mrs Chitsiko said the robbers, four in number, scaled the pre-cast wall before removing burglar bars using a crow bar and gained entry into the house. It was around 1am and our two daughters were sleeping in the spare bedroom when one of them saw a torch on the window. But since we stay near Mbizo Polyclinic, she just thought maybe it was one of the ambulances that usually ferry patients to the institution, little did she know they were robbers, she said. After gaining entry into the house through the window, the robbers headed straight to the main bedroom where they tied the couples hands and legs. The other robbers went to the girls room where they again tied the girls hands and legs using their body tops. They started beating us up with a hoe handle demanding cash. We gave them all we had and they kept demanding more saying they wanted the church money but we kept telling them that we bank all the church funds, she said, fighting back tears. Mrs Chitsiko said the robbers ransacked the bedroom searching everywhere but could not find any more money. After being convinced there was indeed no more cash, the robbers took property and loaded it into a Toyota Gaia car which was parked outside and drove off, leaving the doors locked and the family still tied and traumatised. They took away all our cellphones, blankets, groceries, a brand new two-plate gas stove and its tank as well as two laptops and drove off. Our eldest daughter, however, managed to untie herself and came to our rescue. We then notified parishioners who stay nearby who helped make a police report, she said. UNITED States-based Zimbabwean music legend Lovemore Majaivana has reportedly grown tired of the behaviour of his son Derick Sipho Majaivana, who he has denounced for soiling his image and reputation. According to a close relative that has Majaivanas ear, the musician has made stunning allegations that Derick is not his biological offspring, and his behaviour in his absence has hardened his heart towards the man who has struggled to keep the flame of Majaivanas torch burning since the famous musician turned his back on the country of his birth at the turn of the century. Ever since he emerged on the music scene as the heir apparent to the Majaivana throne, no one has disputed Dericks status, and has largely been welcomed into the family of young musicians carrying on with the legacies of their fathers. Unlike others like Peter Moyo and Sulumani Chimbetu however, Derick has the unique distinction of carrying the legacy of a man who is still alive, as the now 66-year-old Majaivana is still alive and kicking in Dallas, Texas in America. Little is known of Majaivanas life since he left the country of his birth. Born Lovemore Tshuma in Lower Gwelo, and having grown up in Bulawayo, the erstwhile musician has effectively shed the Majaivana tag and is reportedly keen to live a very private life. The musician, who had his swansong with the much acclaimed Isono Sami, has so far rebuffed all efforts to get him back on stage. Various campaigns have been waged on social media platforms to get Majees legendary nimble feet dancing again, while veteran broadcaster and promoter Ezra Tshisa Sibandas efforts to bring him for one last show in the City of Kings seem to have fallen flat. The musician has also declined to listen to similar overtures from other legendary musicians like Thomas Mapfumo and also turned down the offer of a collaboration from the late Oliver Mtukudzi. He doesnt want people contacting him, especially on issues to do with music. He wants to live a very private life and he does not want to share his life with the public, said the relative. The musician is still married to Jane, the woman that he was with when he left Zimbabwe in 2001 for the United States. His other children, Samantha, Nyasha seem to be also living in the North American country. In Zimbabwe, Derick has not been the only one to take up the Majaivana mettle. Randal, Majees son from his relationship with Jenny Robinson, a woman of Indian descent who he sang about so passionately in the song Ikula Lami, also seemed keen to get into the music industry at some point. The Kwekwe-based Randal, who released his first album in 2004 despite discouragement from his father, made a brief attempt to walk in his fathers shoes in 2014 but seems to have abandoned any aspirations of becoming a notable musician himself. There are things that I cannot say that only Majee knows. He will have to speak for himself. This is the person who is supposed to be his first born child isnt it? So even when he was growing up at home he was known as Majaivanas son. But apparently that is not the case, at least according to new claims, said the relative. the mother of a child knows his true father, the popular Ndebele adage goes and according to the relative. Onlythe mother of a child knows his true father, the popular Ndebele adage goes and according to the relative. I think the boys mother is still alive. I think she might still be living in Entumbane. Its either she lives there or thats where she used to stay, the relative said. Since the emergence of Derick at the beginning of the decade, Majee has seemingly kept both his silence and distance, not interfering or endorsing the man who claimed to be his sons forays into music. Some have questioned why this was so, as just a single word of endorsement from the serial hit-maker could have sent his stock soaring through the roof. According to the relative, Majaivana had allegedly grown increasingly frustrated at Dericks alleged wayward behaviour. He says that the boy is not his son and he would like him to stop using his name. He is not happy with how he behaves at times, said the relative. When contacted for comment by Sunday Life Derick, who is in South Africa, refused to talk about the issue: Well, may that relative finish your interesting story, thanks. When pressed for further comment, he asked this reporter to make a direct inquiry to the media shy Majaivana himself. He then said he had no time for media interviews or enquiries. Xinhua/ via Getty Images(SAN DIEGO) -- A woman was fatally shot and three others were injured in a shooting during a Passover celebration at a San Diego synagogue Saturday, officials said. The shooting happened about 11:30 a.m. local time at the Chabad of Poway synagogue. The suspect, identified as 19-year-old John Earnest of San Diego, appeared to fire more than 10 rounds before leaving the synagogue, a law enforcement source told ABC News, noting that it all happened very quickly. "[We were] outside in front of our house and heard about six gunshots, a pause, some yelling and then another six or seven gunshots," neighbor Chris Folts said, adding that he went inside to call 911. During a news conference, San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore said that he had an AR-15 style assault weapon. The four victims were transported to Palomar Medical Center, where one of them, a 60-year-old woman, died. She was identified by the synagogue as Lori Gilbert Kaye. The three others, including a 1-year-old girl, are in stable condition, said Dr. Michael Katz, a trauma doctor where the victims were taken. The sheriff said some digital evidence possibly ties Earnest to last month's mosque arson in Escondido, California, but would not elaborate. While authorities are reviewing writings Earnest allegedly posted online, they have confirmed he has no known connection to white supremacist groups. Minoo Anvari, whose husband was inside the synagogue, said that she was with a customer when he called her. Anvari said that he told her, "One of my friends ... is down. They took her to [the] hospital. The rabbi lost two fingers. But in spite of bleeding, he was trying to finish his speech. He was telling all the people who know him, 'Be strong. ... God helps us, God helps [our] country.'" Katz said the rabbi and the deceased woman were hit by "shrapnel from bullets." An off-duty border patrol agent was inside the synagogue during the shooting. The agent chased Earnest outside as he attempted to flee and fired at the alleged gunman, striking his vehicle, Gore said. Earnest was taken into custody after a K-9 officer saw him on the freeway, after which he jumped out of his car and put his hands up, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said during the conference. Officers saw a rifle in the front seat of the Earnest's vehicle, he added. The mayor of Poway tweeted Saturday afternoon, saying "hate has no place in ANY community...least of all Poway." Hate has no place in ANY community... least of all Poway. We will put our arms around each other and walk through this tragedy as the family we have always been and always will be. #PowayStrong Steve Vaus (@SteveVaus) April 27, 2019 "The Poway I know comes together as we did just a few weeks ago... We always walk with our arms around each other and we will walk through this tragedy with our arms around each other," Mayor Pete Vaus said during the news conference. "We will get through this." President Donald Trump also tweeted about the incident, praising law enforcement for their "outstanding job." Thoughts and prayers to all of those affected by the shooting at the Synagogue in Poway, California. God bless you all. Suspect apprehended. Law enforcement did outstanding job. Thank you! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 27, 2019 Relatives looking for their loved ones and synagogue-goers who were separated from the shooting were advised to go to Poway High School at 15500 Espola Road. The shooting comes six months to the day that 11 people were killed in a shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. It also occurred on the last day of Passover in a synagogue whose members are part of one of the largest and most widely known Orthodox Jewish communities in the world. With the Chabad movement based in Brooklyn, New York, the New York Police Department said it was "closely monitoring" the situation and increasing patrols and presence at houses of worship out of an abundance of caution. We are closely monitoring the reports of a shooting at a synagogue in Poway, California pic.twitter.com/ikst8rxwEQ NYPDCounterterrorism (@NYPDCT) April 27, 2019 Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Participants to the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) agreed the BRF is an important platform for multilateral cooperation, and should be held on a regular basis, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced when meeting the press at the closing of the forum in Beijing on Saturday. Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Snow this evening will taper off to light snow late. Low -2F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 80%. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches.. Tonight Snow this evening will taper off to light snow late. Low -2F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 80%. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches. 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. An unprecedented 10-day Golden Week holiday started Saturday in Japan ahead of the imperial succession, with bullet train stations, airports and expressways crowded with travelers heading to their hometowns, major cities and overseas destinations. From the morning, there were long lines at check-in and luggage drop counters at Tokyo's Haneda airport as the rush of travelers leaving the capital during the holiday peaked, while the occupancy rate of nonreserved cars of many bullet trains topped 100 percent. With Emperor Akihito's abdication set on April 30 and the ascent of Crown Prince Naruhito the following day, areas around the Imperial Palace, where related ceremonies will be held -- and other popular spots in Japan -- attracted a wave of tourists. "This will be a good memory as I wanted to come here before the imperial era changes (from Heisei to Reiwa)," said Junko Suzuki, 48, a housewife from the country's northeastern prefecture of Akita. Iichi Shimada, 61, a company employee who was on a one-day bus tour from Yokohama near Tokyo said, "I hope Reiwa will be an era without wars or natural disasters, as the Heisei era saw many disasters." Visitors crowded other tourist spots as well. At the iconic Tokyo Skytree tower, Taishin Kanno, a physiotherapist from the city of Fukushima, said, "Since I started working, I didn't think I can rest for so long like this." "It is the first day of the 10-day vacation, and speaking of Tokyo, I thought a visit to Skytree would be a start," said the 23-year-old, who was visiting the 634-meter tower with a friend. The number of holidaymakers from Japan traveling domestically and overseas is expected to reach a record high during the extended Golden Week vacation, according to a major travel agency. Golden Week -- running through May 6 -- has been lengthened to 10 days for the first time this year to celebrate the imperial succession. Japanese travel agency JTB Corp said 24.67 million people are set to travel between April 25 and May 5, up 1.2 percent from the same period last year, with 24.01 million on domestic trips and 662,000 going overseas, both record highs. Japan's first museum of folklore monsters opened Friday in Hiroshima Prefecture, allowing visitors to get immersed in a strange world of yokai through historical artifacts and interactive digital installations. The Miyoshi Mononoke Museum, or formally Yumoto Koichi Memorial Japan Yokai Museum, opened in the city of Miyoshi after Koichi Yumoto, a 68-year-old ethnologist and yokai researcher in Tokyo, donated some 5,000 items from his collection in 2016. The western Japan city is known as the setting for "Ino Mononoke Roku," a famous folk tale from the Edo Period (1603-1868). The story tells of a 16-year-old boy's 30 days of confronting yokai monsters. The museum displays about 160 items from Yumoto's collection, which includes a scroll painting of the famous folk tale and crafts. One dead, three injured in California synagogue shooting LOS ANGELES, April 27 (Xinhua) -- One person died and three were injured at a synagogue shooting in San Diego, California, on Saturday, San Diego County authorities confirmed. A man has been detained for questioning in connection with the shooting at the Chabad of Poway synagogue, said San Diego County Sheriff's Department. Deputies from the Poway station were called to Chabad Way, where the synagogue is located, just before 11:30 a.m. Multiple law enforcement sources told local media that four people were shot. Poway Mayor Steve Vaus told media that the facility was targeted because it was a place for the Jewish community to gather. "I understand that this was someone with hate in their heart, hate for the Jewish community," he said of the shooter. Those wounded were taken to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido. Their conditions have not been disclosed so far. A spokesperson for Palomar Medical Center confirmed they received four patients, declining to give any more details. The synagogue was hosting a Passover holiday celebration at 11 a.m. on Saturday, according to a post on its Facebook page. A large group of congregants had gathered behind the temple following the shooting, said Sgt. Aaron Meleen of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. It was unclear so far how many people were attending services. Some children were initially reported missing, he said, but they have been found. "As you can imagine, it was an extremely chaotic scene with people running everywhere when we got here," he told reporters. The Sheriff's Department asked the public to remain clear of the areas as the investigation will take several hours. "Please respect the medical privacy of victims and their families during this difficult time," it tweeted. It also asked the public not to spread misinformation that could cause concern or panic. In Los Angeles, police said they were closely monitoring the synagogue shooting in Poway and "communicating with our local, state and federal partners." "At this time, there's no nexus to Los Angeles, but in an abundance of caution, we will conduct high visibility patrols around synagogues and other houses of worship," the Los Angeles Police Department tweeted. The Immigration Services Agency plans to strengthen its eligibility standards for Japanese-language schools, it was learned Saturday. The move comes as Japanese-language schools have been under fire for accepting many foreign students whose purpose is to work in Japan. The number of Japanese-language schools recognized by the government grew 1.6 times over the past five years to 749 as of April 2. The government late last year outlined plans to improve the quality of Japanese-language schools as part of efforts to bring in more foreign workers to the country. Under the agencyas plan, the requirement for the average student attendance rate would be revised from the current 50 percent or more in a month to 70 percent or more in a period of seven months. Schools failing to meet the requirement would not be allowed to accept foreign students. In addition, 70 percent or more of students who complete courses would have to proceed to universities or to certify through outside tests that their Japanese-language ability is above daily conversation levels. Schools failing to meet the threshold for three consecutive years would not be able to accept foreign students. Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, April 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday met with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who attended the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. China highly commends Italy's signing of a memorandum of understanding with China on jointly building the Belt and Road, taking the lead among major Western countries, according to Xi. The country is ready to work with Italy in advancing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and make the bilateral relations a model of Belt and Road cooperation between China and European countries, Xi said. Xi called on both sides to firmly grasp the strategic significance of the bilateral ties, step up coordination and collaboration in improving global governance system and safeguarding free trade and multilateralism, and forge a new form of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation. Conte said the speeches delivered by Xi at the forum helped the international community understand the significant benefits of the BRI for the world. Italy is firmly committed to participating in the BRI, he said, adding that the initiative is a good opportunity for the world and more countries will join. Italy welcomes Chinese companies to invest in the country, and will not adopt discriminatory policies against them, Conte said, calling on the two countries to reinforce solidarity and cooperation, and safeguard multilateralism. Chinese President Xi Jinping chairs and addresses the leaders' roundtable meeting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the Yanqi Lake International Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, April 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday called for joint efforts of all parties to promote high-quality development of the Belt and Road. Xi made the remarks at the leaders' roundtable meeting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing. Under the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, participants of the Belt and Road Initiative have provided new impetus for global economic growth and opened new space for global development since the first BRF in 2017, according to Xi. Xi called on all parties to jointly push forward intensive and meticulous implementation, advance the joint building of the Belt and Road, and deliver greater benefits to the people of all countries. He highlighted joint work of all parties to identify cooperation priorities and focus on enhancing all-round connectivity. Xi also stressed joint efforts to strengthen cooperation mechanisms and forge partnership on connectivity, calling for encouraging the full participation of more countries and businesses in expanding common interests. Leaders from 40 countries and international organizations attended the roundtable meeting, had an extensive and in-depth exchange of views, and reached important consensus on a wide range of topics, including promoting connectivity, strengthening policy alignment, forging closer partnerships, promoting green and sustainable development, and implementing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. During the discussion, foreign participants said advancing the joint building of the Belt and Road is one of the greatest initiatives for economic cooperation in today's world, and expressed willingness to align their respective countries' development strategies with the initiative. A joint communique was adopted at the closing session of the roundtable, and a list of deliverables of the forum was also published after the meeting. During the day, Xi took a group photo with foreign leaders and heads of international organizations. Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng also attended the roundtable meeting. The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission ( LASIEC ) has declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ), Mr. Ka... Area of Lagos State. The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission ( LASIEC ) has declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ), Mr. Kazeem Bello, as the winner of the councillorship by-election, held on Saturday at Ward A ( Obele/Oniwala ) in Surulere Local GovernmentArea of Lagos State. While announcing the result of the by-election, Mr. Olusola Ibikunle, the Returning Officer, declared Mr. Kazeem Bello, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) as the winner, having scored 793 votes while his only opponent, Mr. Abdulateef Bolaji Sanni, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, scored 195 votes. There are 11,095 registered voters in the ward. Speaking to newsmen after monitoring the by-election, Hon. Olusegun Ayedun, an Electoral Commissioner of the Commission in charge of the zone where the by-election was conducted, expressed disappointment at the low voters turn-out, noting, however, that the development was a nation-wide problem which needed to be tackled. He, therefore, enjoined leaders of political parties to redouble their efforts in encouraging eligible registered members of the public to participate in the electoral process by casting their votes during elections, stressing that the Commission was also working hard in this regard. Ayedun commended security personnel on election duty for doing a good job, adding that the conduct of the by-election was peaceful. Also addressing newsmen on the by-election, Mr. Sesan Ogundeko, the Permanent Secretary of the Commission, stated that the Commission adequately prepared for the by-election in terms of the training of the election personnel, their deployment as well as in terms of the deployment of materials required for the exercise. Ogundeko had expressed the hope that with the level of preparation of the Commission for the by-election, there would be at least 50 percent voters turn-out by the end of the period of the by-election. It would be recalled that following the death of the Councillor representing the area, Mr. Razak Bello, the Commission had, in compliance with the provisions of the law issued a Notice of Bye-Election and Election Guidelines during an interactive forum held with stakeholders on April 10. The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev Supo Ayokunle on Saturday warned men of God against man-made miracles, sayin... The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev Supo Ayokunle on Saturday warned men of God against man-made miracles, saying they would incur the wrath of God if they refused to desist from such acts. The CAN president who spoke at a press conference heralding the convention of the Nigerian Baptist Convention in Ogbomoso, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to put all machinery in motion to address insecurity in Nigeria. Ayokunle said, On a serious note if any servant of God is organising man-made miracles, saying God has done what he has not done, that person will go to hell. He is not of church of Christ. These are people whose bellies are their gods. They are not mindful of the things of the scriptures. I will admonish those who allowed themselves to be used for man-made miracles to behave better. And if you see any so-called minister of the gospel who is fond of organising man-made miracles, dont patronise their churches again. Let their churches be empty so that they can go and look for a better job. Speaking on the annual convention, which started on Saturday, the CAN president said missionaries from countries outside Nigeria and sister conventions from all over Africa would also attend the gathering. He said Nigeria had not reached where it was supposed to be, but added that through ceaseless prayers, Nigeria would soon witness unprecedented glory and positive transformation that was desired by all. Ahead of the November 2nd governorship election, the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, at the weekend, inaugurated committees to... Ahead of the November 2nd governorship election, the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, at the weekend, inaugurated committees to investigate the activities of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders and his appointed aides at the just-concluded general elections in the state. It was gathered that the party leaders, commissioners and other aides were apprehensive following the insistence of Dickson that they must render accounts of their actions in the last elections. But the governor while inaugurating the panels christened Stock Taking Committees at the Government House, Yenagoa, said they were not designed to enforce discipline in the party adding that issues of sanctions remained the exclusive preserve of the PDP leadership. Dickson, who was represented by his Deputy and Central Chairman of the committees, Rear Admiral John Jonah, said: These committees are to evaluate the performances and roles played by party leaders and government appointees in the last election in the state and ensure the enforcement of operation delivers your units. The assignment given to the committees is not aimed at enforcing discipline in the party. Issues of discipline are exclusive preserve of the party leadership. All party members, appointees of restoration government are directed to cooperate fully with the committees, the results of various units will be submitted to the party chairman by the Secretary to PDP. The governor charged the committees to be fair to all members and to avoid looking at their assignments as opportunities to settle old scores. He gave them seven days to submit their reports and urged them to get all required materials from the party leadership. Addressing the committees, he said: You are working for the interest of the party. So, if you make mistakes in some places we will correct you. Go with open mind and your report will be submitted in the central working committee within seven days or one working week and we expect you to get everything needed for your work through the party. The committees were inaugurated in each local government the area with Brass, Kolokuma-Opokuma, Ogbia, Ekeremor and Sagbama having six members each. While committee in Nembe Local Government Area comprised eight members, those of Southern Ijaw and Yenagoa have seven members each. In his response, the Chairman of Brass Committee, Sam Ateke, described the assignment as very important saying it was aimed at repositioning the party ahead of the election. He said: The committee at the central level chaired by the deputy governor himself indeed shows the importance that is attached to the job expected to be done. In that case we that are appointed as chairmen and members thank the governor for finding us worthy to be appointed to serve at these levels. I want to on behalf of my colleagues say that we understand the intentions of the party and we know the importance attached to it. PDP at state level wants to do everything possible to see that we have gone through one election by the grace of God and we have done well. We are going to face another election and we need to reposition the party Nigeria on Saturday received 4,000 vials of Anti-Snake Venom (ASV), ending months of acute shortage of the drug and bringing relief to... Nigeria on Saturday received 4,000 vials of Anti-Snake Venom (ASV), ending months of acute shortage of the drug and bringing relief to victims of snakebites across the country. The paucity of the drug, which hit the country at the peak of snake-bites usually between January and April when the scorching heat forces snakes out of their holes to cool their bodies had resulted in several deaths. According to Dr Nandul Durfa, Managing Director, Echitab Study Group, the outfit handling the distribution of ASV in Nigeria, many snake-bite treatment centres recorded many deaths during that period as the medics were helpless. The period of acute shortage was agonising, but we are happy that it is now over. The ASV is now available. We have received a total of 4,000 vials of the drug. We have received 2,000 polyvalent ASV produced at the Instituto Clodomiro Picado (ICP), University of Costa Rica, which treats bites from all venomous snakes in Nigeria. We have also received 2,000 monovalent ASV produced by Micropharm Ltd, United Kingdom, solely for carpet vipers, the commonest snakes in Nigeria, Durfa told the newsmen, on Sunday in Jos. He regretted the delay in the supply of the facility that left snakebite victims helpless, and blamed that on the tedious process involved in producing and importing the ASV. The process is usually tedious and lasts more than three months. Normally, we take the live snakes to Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine where they are killed and their venom extracted and sent to the manufacturing sites in Wales and Costa Rica There is a specific period allocated for the production of the ASV for Nigeria. It means we must wait for that period no matter how pressed we are, he explained. There is a specific period allocated for the production of the ASV for Nigeria. It means we must wait for that period no matter how pressed we are, he explained. While urging snake-bite treatment centres to procure the facility, he commended the Presidential Committee on North-East Initiative (PCNI), for procuring and distributing the drug free, to victims at the General Hospital, Gombe. He urged governments at all levels, as well as individuals and organisations, to procure the drug and distribute to treatment centres in Gombe, Plateau, Benue, Taraba and other states usually hit by the menace. Durfa said that the cost of producing and transporting the ASV was high, but thanked the manufacturers ICP University in Costa Rica and Micropharm Ltd in the UK for making it available and affordable for Nigerians. The shortage of the drug had led to several deaths in some snake-treatment centres, especially General Hospital, Kaltungo and Zamko Comprehensive Centre in Langtang, Plateau State. Records from some treatment centres indicated that an average of 16 cases were received at the peak period, with some snakebite victims forced to patronise quacks and herbal homes which, in most cases, merely worsened their plight. Durfa, however, says that the shortage of ASV would persist unless the country starts producing the drug locally. The only time we can have enough ASV to meet our rising demand is when we produce it locally. That is the only time we can determine our fate. That is the only time we can determine our destiny. The partners are ready and willing to transfer the technology for the production of the ASV, but Nigeria has not been forthcoming, he said. ( NAN) Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 600th club goal of his career as Serie A champions Juventus drew with Inter Milan. Ronaldos low st... Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 600th club goal of his career as Serie A champions Juventus drew with Inter Milan. Ronaldos low strike, following a back-heel from team-mate Miralem Pjanic, brought Juventus level at the San Siro. Radja Nainggolan had given the hosts the lead with a spectacular 25-yard volley after Matteo Politanos flick. Ronaldo has now scored 27 goals for Juventus after five for Sporting Lisbon, 118 at Manchester United and 450 for Real Madrid. His 600th career club goal came on the same day as Lionel Messi scored his 598th Barcelona goal, during their match against Levante. Juventus may well have already won Italys Serie A title but that did not stop Inter fans from mocking their rivals. Lord James Meyer Sassoon, Chairman of the China-Britain Business Council (Photo/People's Daily Online) The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) kicks off this week, bringing the conversation of the mammoth Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to the global stage once more. Since the BRI was first proposed in 2013, countless bilateral agreements have been signed and celebrated, alongside a number of push backs and concerns over the initiative. Whether voices from the west approve or not, the Belt and Road, with 126 countries and 29 international organisations already signed up by April 19, isnt going anywhere. But how will the initiative affect the UK, especially in light of our very own trade concerns as Brexit is delayed by a further six months? As British Prime Minister Theresa May emphasised during her official visit to China last year, after leaving the EU "we - the United Kingdom - will be free to strike our own trade deals, which may be one reason behind the fact that the friendship between the UK and China has ramped up in recent years. Since the Cameron-Osborne government first became very focused on China, the UK has looked east more frequently for manufacturing and engineering services, while China has focused on the UK for financial services. In an interview with Peoples Daily Online, Lord James Meyer Sassoon, Chairman of the China-Britain Business Council, said that China and the UK are perfect partners. China is second to nobody when it comes to the big global construction companies; the engineering skills. The UK is second to no country in having the complete suite of professional services from the design and management of projects from complex engineering solutions through to the legal contracting, risk management through to insurance markets, financing and so on, so the match is really perfect, he said. The China-Britain Business Council was established 65 years ago, just five years after the birth of the Peoples Republic of China. Since then, it has promoted business links between Britain and China. In the early years, Sassoon explains, it mainly brought British companies to China. Now, they are also helping Chinese companies enter the UK business market. According to the Telegraph, in 2013, when the Belt and Road was initially proposed, data released by the Office for National Statistics showed that British companies exported 11.2bn worth of goods and services to China in the first 11 months of the year, and imported 30.3bn. In six short years, the UK has overtaken many European countries to become one of Europe's biggest exporters to China, with the major exception of Germany. According to a UK government report, British exports to China had almost doubled to 22.3 billion by 2017, while imports from China increased to 45.2 billion. I think perhaps the biggest measure of how UK companies are now taking China very seriously is that only eight years ago, China was the UKs eighth largest export market. In the 2018 numbers, China was the UKs third largest export market after only the US and Germany, so its become very very important to UK business in the past six or eight years, said Sassoon. Whereas traditionally, UK-China business rested on import and export, Lord Sassoon notes that British companies are today working with Chinese partners in third-party markets, with CBBC helping to manage risk-assessment and sustainability in developing countries where BRI projects are currently being implemented. Chinas involvement in third-party markets and countries has faced some criticism, with some western sources declaring the BRI a debt trap. However, Sassoon, although admitting that there were obstacles when the BRI first came to be, explains that China has learnt, and quickly, noting I dont believe that China is going around trying to bankrupt companies or have projects that are not financeable. Due to the growing noise circling the sustainability of BRI, sustainable debt is a phrase expected to be brought up by leaders during this weeks Forum. Sassoon explains that theres a realisation that as Belt and Road gets much larger, the broader infrastructure needs of Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Africa are so huge they cannot possibly be funded other than most of it through market-based financing, which he says will make it more sustainable. If you go with the market-based financing solution, then, of course, its got to be sustainable in the eyes of the lead banks - the likes of HSBC and Standard Chartered, who understand these projects and these countries. I think the trick to it is that the receiving countries need to have the confidence to get on board the necessary expertise to assess these projects. He continued that China now recognises that sustainable projects are necessary, using a combination of the British banks, the legal structure - often under English law, and laying off the risk through the insurance markets, led by London. All of this comes together to create a sustainable finance package, he said. As Chinese partners rely more heavily on British companies to build this package, Sassoon reminds us that Brexit isn't the be all and end all of this relationship. Britain presents China, he explains, an opportunity to invest in sensitive areas such as nuclear power, potentially high-speed rail, partnerships in telecommunications and many other areas of green technology, medicine and so on. The UK has also been more open than many western countries in regards to Chinese investment or partnerships, particularly in the sciences. Not to mention that around 100,000 British student visas were issued to Chinese citizens last year alone. Although the UK hasnt officially signed a Belt and Road agreement, these exchanges are creating an opportunity for both countries to benefit. Just last year, when May visited China, she oversaw talks regarding the establishment of joint China-UK financial technology hub in Xiongan New Area near Beijing and an industrial park in East Chinas Qingdao. In 2015, the UK became a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which supports economic growth by investing in sustainable infrastructure and other productive sectors in Asia and beyond. I think what the UKs leadership on the AIIB shows is that the UK is very interested and always has been in developing solutions for infrastructure to the highest standard across the world, said Sassoon. The UK is going to take every opportunity to influence the development of Belt and Road, and there are sure to be further bilateral meetings at the highest level this year in London as well as in Beijing, which will take practical cooperation between the two countries forward, no matter the outcome of Brexit. As Lord Sassoon notes, Brexit is important but not so critical to the China-UK relationship as it may be for other countries that have bigger manufacturing plants in the UK. On the other side, I think it has focused the mind of British businesses on where the future opportunities are, and China is that largest opportunity for Britain in a post-Brexit world. President Xi Jinping presides over the Leaders' Roundtable at the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, April 27, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua] The international community has hailed President Xi Jinping's call on Friday to ease market access for foreign capital and increase imports so that opening-up reaches a higher level. Xi said in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing that the purpose of building the Belt and Road is to achieve win-win cooperation and common development. China will increase its imports of goods and services and will further lower its tariff rates, Xi said. Francis Chua, chairman emeritus of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, noted Xi's emphasis on quality imports and state-of-the-art products. "China will keep its commitments," said Chua, who was attending the forum as a member of the Philippine business delegation. Chris Rowley, a visiting professor from Oxford University's Kellogg College in England, called opening to more foreign investment a very important development. "Of course this will expose both inward investors and indigenous organizations to some stark differences in management and doing business between them, which in turn requires more globally effective leaders who are less ethnocentric and more culturally aware," he said. Sikhumbuzo Zondi, a research assistant at the Institute for Global Dialogue associated with the University of South Africa, said another important aspect of Xi's opening address was the desire to invest more resources in scientific innovation and technology. The aim is to develop technologies and business models that will foster new growth and development. To do this, China is committed to spearheading the Belt and Road Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Action Plan to advance information and communications technology infrastructure development with the aim of improving internet connectivity and security, Zondi said. Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, noted Xi's emphasis on high-quality development, free trade and people-to-people bonds, "all of which are sorely needed around the world". "The shift toward high-quality development is a natural extension of what China has been doing for the past few years. Now that the BRI is five years old, it's about time to upgrade quality joint development," he said. "China is trying to address the concerns that have been raised since the last Belt and Road Forum two years ago. One of these concerns is the need for infrastructure projects to be more responsive to the local circumstances of BRI member countries." Duncan Freeman, a research fellow at the EU-China Research Centre at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, said infrastructure is important for economic growth, so building infrastructure and building connectivity and efficient infrastructure are important. Jon Taylor, a professor of political science at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, in the United States, said Xi wants to convey a specific message: that China sees the BRI as a method by which it can make a substantial and permanent contribution to lasting peace, common security and global prosperity. "While some Westerners may scoff at the impact they think the BRI may have on these issues, Xi genuinely sees the BRI as a global development project and will continue to wholeheartedly put China's money, resources and energies into this project," he said. Naval vessels take part in a joint naval exercise on the sea off Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, on April 26, 2019. China conducted a joint naval exercise with Southeast Asian countries in Qingdao, with focus on jointly handling maritime emergency rescues. Photo: China News Service/Li Chun A helicopter takes off from a Chinese naval vessel during a joint naval exercise on the sea off Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, April 26, 2019. China conducted a joint naval exercise with Southeast Asian countries in Qingdao, with focus on jointly handling maritime emergency rescues. Photo: China News Service/Li Chun Chinese officers participate in a joint naval exercise on the sea off Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, on April 26, 2019. China conducted a joint naval exercise with Southeast Asian countries in Qingdao, with focus on jointly handling maritime emergency rescues. Photo: China News Service/Li Chun A Thailand naval vessel participates in a joint naval exercise on the sea off Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, April 26, 2019. China conducted a joint naval exercise with Southeast Asian countries in Qingdao, with focus on jointly handling maritime emergency rescues. Photo: China News Service/Li Chun A helicopter takes off from a Chinese naval vessel during a joint naval exercise on the sea off Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, on April 26, 2019. China conducted a joint naval exercise with Southeast Asian countries in Qingdao, with focus on jointly handling maritime emergency rescues. Photo: China News Service/Li Chun A Vietnam naval vessel participates in a joint naval exercise on the sea off Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, April 26, 2019. China conducted a joint naval exercise with Southeast Asian countries in Qingdao, with focus on jointly handling maritime emergency rescues. Photo: China News Service/Li Chun Foreign naval vessels participate in a joint naval exercise on the sea off Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, April 26, 2019. China conducted a joint naval exercise with Southeast Asian countries in Qingdao, with focus on jointly handling maritime emergency rescues. Photo: China News Service/Li Chun Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, invites spouses of foreign leaders attending the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to watch Chinese Kunqu Opera and Peking Opera at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, April 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, on Saturday invited spouses of foreign leaders attending the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing to watch Chinese Kunqu Opera and Peking Opera. Peng said that countries jointly building the Belt and Road all have distinctive cultures, and China is willing to strengthen civilization exchanges and mutual learning with other countries. The performances won high praise and warm applause from the guests. They also took a group photo with the performers. Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng (L), also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Beijing, capital of China, April 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng on Saturday met with United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who attended the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing. Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that the second BRF had achieved important outcomes, and expressed gratitude to Guterres for his contributions to the forum. China firmly upholds multilateralism and the international system with the UN at its core, Han said, adding that the country is willing to constantly deepen cooperation with the UN across the board. China supports the UN in holding the climate change summit, Han said. Guterres extended congratulations on the success of the second BRF, and said that the UN endorses and supports the Belt and Road Initiative. The UN looks forward to working with China to support the developing countries in addressing climate change and achieving the sustainable development goals. BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The Belt and Road is "a great positive initiative" in the 21st century, said Evandro de Carvalho, a law professor at Brazil's largest think-tank, the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV), and coordinator of the Brazil-China Study Center. "The Belt and Road offers a new development opportunity for other regions including Latin America," Carvalho told Xinhua in an interview while attending the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation that concluded Saturday. The three-day forum has drawn about 5,000 participants from more than 150 countries and 90 international organizations, including nearly 40 heads of state and government. China is already the first or second largest trading partner of many Latin American countries, a fact that has closely linked the region with the BRI. Data from the Institute of Latin American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences showed that trade volume between China and Brazil totaled 111.18 billion U.S. dollars in 2018. Between 2003 and 2018, Chinese investment in Brazil reached about 69.2 billion dollars, according to official statistics from Brazil. "The greatest economic challenges in the world today include poverty eradication, reducing income inequality, and promoting sustainable and sustained growth," said Jorge Arbache, vice president of the private sector of the Latin American Development Bank (CAF), in his speech at the forum. "These challenges require concerted and coordinated efforts among countries, which, of course, is not a trivial task. The Belt and Road can be seen as an important initiative in this direction," said Arbache. He said the BRI creates new opportunities for many countries in the areas of infrastructure investment and foreign trade, and thus contributes to poverty alleviation. "The Chinese initiative focuses on infrastructure and financial integration through construction at sea and on land, like railways, roads and telecommunication infrastructure," Arbache said. Hsia Hua Sheng, a professor at FGV EAESP, told Xinhua that many infrastructure projects planned by the Brazilian government are geared toward the export of agricultural products, which align well with the BRI. "The investment in infrastructure will help the export of Brazilian agricultural products and promote local economic growth. At the same time, the improvement in infrastructure will also reduce transaction cost for Brazil's foreign trade, which will certainly be favorable to both Brazil and China in the long run," Hsia said. According to Hsia, the BRI will not only benefit Latin America but also facilitate exchanges and development around the world. "But if the initiative is to last longer, other countries need to increase investment instead of relying on Chinese funds." "The Belt and Road initiative should count on the collaboration of all participating countries to promote related projects in a sustainable way," he added. The Ghana Railway Workers Union is calling on the management to review the salary structure of its members. The call comes ahead of workers day celebrations on 1st May. The workers tell Citi Business News their constant calls have not yielded positive result as management has not been responsive to their plea. Among other things, the railway union wants management to come to terms with them in increasing their salaries. General Secretary of the Union, Godwill Ntarmah says workers are demanding this as their salary has not been reviewed since July 2018. We had a collective agreement that expires in July 2018. From that day we have tried several times to negotiate for upward review of the salary but we have been unsuccessful. So we are calling on management of the company to ensure that this long delay is avoided, he stressed. Also, Mr. Ntarmah says government must do well to complete award of contract for the revamping of western railway line. He explained that revamping it will create employment for the youth, reduce the carnage on roads caused by bigger trucks and life span of roads in the western region. What is going to sustain us more is the revamping of the Western Railway line. That line is where we have the bauxite, Manganese, Cocoa among others. We believe that as part of the revamping of this line if it is not revamped totally then we might not be able to sustain this railway company, he warned. This years May Day Celebration, also known as workers day is on the theme Sustainable pension; the role of social partners. Source: citi Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A powerful cyclone has "entirely wiped out" villages in Mozambique, according to a UN official. Gemma Connell, the head of the Regional Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said it looked from the air like areas had been "run over by a bulldozer". Cyclone Kenneth struck on Thursday with winds of 220km/h (140mph). It came barely a month after Cyclone Idai killed more than 900 people across three countries. In a video posted on Twitter after flying over the affected area, Ms Connell pledged to work with local authorities "to get people the supplies they need". "The weather is still bad, it is still raining," she said. "But thankfully the winds have died down." The BBC's Pumza Fihlani reports that damage to power lines in parts of northern Mozambique is making communication difficult. Almost 20,000 people have taken shelter in makeshift displacement centres, including schools and churches, our correspondent adds. A UN spokesman said a total of five people have now died, quoting Mozambique's government, according to reports. One person was earlier reported to have been killed when Cyclone Kenneth struck after being crushed by a falling tree. The storm also killed three people on the island nation of Comoros. Is this unusual for the region? UN weather experts say it is unprecedented for two cyclones of such intensity to hit Mozambique in the same season. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) also said that no previous records show a cyclone striking the region as far north as Kenneth. It said a fact-finding mission would examine the "impact of climate change and sea-level rise on Mozambique's resilience" to extreme weather. Amnesty International's secretary general Kumi Naidoo said the two storms were "exactly what climate scientists warned would happen if we continue to warm our planet beyond its limits". "There is one inescapable and burning injustice we cannot stress enough," he said, adding: "The people of Mozambique are paying the price for dangerous climate change when they have done next to nothing to cause this crisis." What was Kenneth's impact? Kenneth made landfall on the northern province of Cabo Delgado on Thursday evening, with wind speeds equivalent to a category four hurricane. Winds eased on Friday, but France's meteorological agency said up to 800mm of rain was expected to land on Mozambique over the coming days - nearly double the 10-day accumulated rainfall that flooded the port city of Beira during Cyclone Idai. The UN's World Food Programme said it was working on an "emergency preparedness plan" with the Mozambican government and other humanitarian groups. "The most difficult thing is transportation - we don't have helicopters yet," Capt Kleber Castro from a Brazilian rescue team said. "We need a lot of support." Mozambique's National Institute of Disaster Management (INGC) said 30,000 people had been evacuated from affected areas. What is the affected area like? Cabo Delgado province is not as densely populated as the area hit by Cyclone Idai, and there is apparently more high ground there. But reports said many thousands of homes had been flattened by the winds, and the area has been hit by militant Islamist violence in recent months, which could complicate humanitarian operations. Thousands of people had already fled their homes to seek shelter from violence in camps for displaced people. 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 Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Senior Minister, has urged Ghanaians to rekindle the spirit of volunteerism to achieve the Ghana Beyond Aid dream. Volunteerism and working with others to address the challenges of our communities is essential to our development as a people, he noted. Mr Osafo-Maafo was addressing the 6th District Conference of Rotary International District 9102, made up of Rotarians from Ghana, Togo, Benin, Niger and Kenya, in Accra. The Conference would assess and share experiences on how to improve upon their humanitarian services in their various communities. He explained that Ghana Beyond Aid did not mean Ghana was not in need and would not need help but to get its resources managed properly. As a country, we are looking forward to become a prosperous and self-reliant nation by better managing our resources instead of having a mentality to depend on aid and benevolence of others, he said. It also meant that Ghanaians should accelerate own development, desist from importation as well as add value to the raw materials available. The Senior Minister said Ghana had no business being where it was and should be providing aid to other developing countries, and that, the judicious use of the resources available was essential. Mr Osafo-Maafo said, if Ghana had 50 percent of the citizenry with Rotarian hearts and minds, the country would change for the better. Rotary, he said, existed to mobilise resources for the purpose of empowering the poor and addressing national concerns, saying that, lives had been transformed by the benevolence of its members. He cited that Rotary had improved cleanliness in the city of Accra by proving litter bins to complement governments effort to rid the city of filth, which had become a challenge. The Senior Minister commended the club for its services such as peace and conflict prevention and resolution, disease prevention and treatment, improving water and sanitation, providing maternal and child health, basic education and literacy as well as economic and community development which he said were all aligned with governments programmes. He, therefore, encouraged Ghanaians to emulate their example to achieve the Ghana Beyond Aid dream as Ghana would not continue to depend on foreign support. Mr Osafo-Maafo was happy that Ghana had not recorded a Polio case for the past ten years and expressed the hope that the gains would be sustained and Africa would be declared Polio free. He called on the club to expedite action on getting the Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Training Centre confirmed as the Rotary Peace Centre, which if finally done, would be the seventh of such peace centres in the world and the first in Africa. 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 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the First Lady, Rebecca, displayed graceful dancing prowess, as they hosted the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at a special state banquet in Kumasi, to mark the 20th anniversary of his enthronement. The exhilarating event was to honour the Asantehene, the 16th occupant of the Golden Stool on the memorable occasion. The high profile event had in attendance former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings, traditional rulers, Members of Parliament, technocrats and professionals, as well as some members of the Diplomatic corps. Ghanaian hi-life legends, Kwadwo Antwi and Abrantie Amakye Dede, as well as ace Gospel musician, Diana Asamoah, with support from the Police band, were on hand and treated the august gathering to a repertoire of scintillating music. Excitement filled the air when the Asantehene, the main celebrant and the toast of the night-time event, dressed in a smart black dinner suit, took to the dancing floor as he was joined by the President and First Lady, to the admiration of the gathering. They danced to some old hi-life rendition composed by Amakye Dede, including "Odo kasa", "Brebre", "Krokro me" and "Asem to me a ka bi ma me". President Akufo-Addo lauded Otumfuo Osei Tutu for working hard in making the chieftaincy institution become more relevant for accelerated development and growth. He wished him a long life, assuring that the government would continue to liaise with the Manhyia Palace in the implementation of programmes meant to enhance the welfare of the people. 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 Anglogold Ashanti Ghana Limited Obuasi Mine through its Malaria Control Unit on Thursday, April 25, 2019, commemorated World Malaria Day for the first time in Obuasi with the aim of building a strong partnership with all stakeholders to permanently eliminate malaria from the District. The occasion saw the presence of the Municipality Chief Executive of Obuasi Hon. Elijah Adansi- Bonah, Representative of Obuasi East DCE, Head of Operations, Anglogold Ashanti, Mr. Brett Thompson, AGA Sustainability Manager Nana Ampofo Bekoe, Nananom, Officials of various Security Agencies, Assembly Members, Teachers and Students as well as the general public. Hon. Elijah Adansi- Bonah, Municipal Chief Executive of Obuasi in an address congratulated Anglogold Ashanti for introducing the Malaria Control Programme which has been very fruitful over the years since its introduction in 2006. He said the exercise has contributed massively to the reduction in malaria infection and it is one of the best Cooperate Social Responsibility tasks set out by any mining company in the world. He lauded Nananom as well as Assembly Members for their supportive role in encouraging community members to accept the indoor residual spraying exercise which was initially opposed by some residents in the Municipality. Hon. Elijah Adansi- Bonah further encouraged citizens to exhibit a high level of Commitment in the fight against malaria thereby partaking in all form of clean-up exercises. He also requested for annual malaria test and treatment to be conducted among all final year Junior High School Students in Obuasi. The programs Director of Anglogold Ashanti Malaria Control (AGAMAL) said AGA in response to the alarming rate of Malaria cases reported in the Communities, set up (AGAMAL) in 2006 to help curb the situation which contributed to many deaths in Obuasi. He said the initial target was to reduce malaria reported cases by 50% in the first two years which was exceedingly met at a reduction of 74% in two years since its introduction. He said the AGA Malaria Control Unit is currently conducting spraying exercises in 16 District in Ghana and have already sprayed the entire Upper West region, 3 Districts in the Upper East region and 2 Districts in Ashanti region which are Obuasi Municipal and Obuasi East District with support from the Global Fund, Inking IRS and Anglogold Ashanti. He also indicated that the spraying exercise was extended to prison centers in 2018 and spraying will soon begin in all prisons across the country in order to offer protection to inmates and prison officers. He again revealed that Obuasi now stands at an overwhelming reduction point of 16% and aiming at a zero mark in the next few years. He also encouraged the general public to adopt the three (3) Ts procedure which is Test, Treat and Tract to fight the disease as well as keeping their environments clean. Mr. Brett Thompson, Head of Operations at Anglogold Ashanti said the Theme for the occasion Zero malaria starts with me underscores the call to action for concrete steps to be taken individually and collectively towards ending the disease to safeguard citizens physical, economic and social existence. He called on cooperate bodies to solicit for support to generate enough resources to initiate adequate policies that will enable us to defeat malaria in Obuasi. Mr. Thompson said malaria remains a major public health problem in Africa and Ghana in particular which constitute a major barrier to socio and economic development. This he said over 90% of Ghanaian populace is at risk and children and pregnant women are seen to be more vulnerable to the disease. He also indicated that aside the massive reduction in malaria cases as reported by various health facilities in Obuasi, the malaria control program has provided thousands of job opportunities to the teeming youths of Obuasi within the mining environments and outside. One key message for this year is that, through reducing and eliminating malaria, we become healthier and prosperous society and promote a broadly inclusive multi-sectorial response to collectively free Obuasi and Ghana from the burden of malaria he noted. 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 Former UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair says his institution is partnering the Government of Ghana to improve its flagship agricultural programmes. The Tony Blair Institute of Global Change wants to help government boost its policies of Planting for Food and Jobs as well as the recently launched Planting for Export and Rural Development. Speaking at a meeting with Ghanas Agric Minister, Dr. Akoto Afriyie, Mr. Tony Blair said his outfit had identified governments agric policies as the best. We have witnessed the progress that Ghana has been making in the field of agriculture and improving yields and food to the people. We have a partnership with governmentWe are trying to help the government with its programme for development in the country and its economic progress. And we have just been discussing how we can do that. The President recently launched the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) which he says will play a key role in stabilizing the economy. The programme aims to promote rural economic growth and improve household incomes of rural farmers. Under the program, farmers will receive certified improved seedlings, extension services, business support and regulatory mechanisms. Speaking at the launch at the Nursing and Midwifery Training College Park at DunkwaOnOffin in the Central Region, the President said the program will not only stabilize the cedi but also create jobs. By design, this is expected to be a game changer giving its focus on the development of tree crops and the consequential benefit to be accrued from the programe. Key among them is the programmes protection to address the critical issue on foreign exchange earning capacity of the economy. I raised this issue in the context of the stability of the local currency a matter that has generated considerable heat in recent times especially, on the political landscape. The obvious cause of the instability in the exchange rate is the imbalance between the supply of and demand for exchange rate. Source: citi 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 mortal remains of the late Major General Francis Vib-Sanziri, the Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), has arrived in the country from Israel. The body after a short prayer by the clergy was received by the Military High Command of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) led by Lieutenant General Obed Boamah Akwa - the Chief of the Defence Staff. Officials present were Major General William Azure Ayamdo - Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral Seth Amoama - Chief of the Naval Staff, Air Vice-Marshal Frank Hanson - Chief of Air Staff and Major General Thomas Oppong-Peprah-Chief of Staff at General Headquarters. Government officials including; Dominic Nitiwul - Minister for Defence, Ambrose Dery - Minister for the Interior, and Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey - Minister for Foreign Affairs were also present at the ceremony. Director- General Welfare, Ghana Police Service and the widow COP Beatrice Vib-Sanziri was also present with some family members to welcome the body. The mood at the occasion was solemn when the body was taken away to the 37 military morgue. The burial and final funeral arrangements is expected to be announced soon by the GAF after consultation with the deceased family. Major General Vib-Sanziri was appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres in October 2017 to head the Multi-National Force. He was the former Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) from 2015 to 2017. Major General Vib-Sanziri, aged 62 passed away suddenly on Friday, April 19, 2019 at Eilat, Israel. 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 Little drops of water they say, make a mighty ocean; in this case, little drops of money makes project 100 a reality. Project 100; a campaign under the auspices of Kokrokoo Charities Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation, has made yet another donation to six hospitals in the Northern regions. The Kokrokoo Charities team embarked on a journey to the three regions of Ghana: Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions to distribute 10 incubators to help reduce neo-natal deaths among babies born pre-term at the facilities. Handing over the incubators, Mr Sefa Kayi said the initiative was a way of giving back to society by bringing smiles and joy to mothers of pre-term babies. The Chief Executive Officer of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Dr. David Kolbilla thanked the donors for the gesture. Other hospitals which received a similar gesture from the foundation are the Nadowli District Hospital, St. Joseph's Hospital at Jirapa in Upper West Region, Bolgatanga Government Hospital and the Bongo District Hospital. Below is a breakdown of how the hospitals benefitted: Tamale Teaching Hospital - 2 Nadowli District Hospital - 2 St Joseph's Hospital in Jirapa (U/W Region) - 2 War Memorial Hospital Navrongo - 1 Upper East Regional Hospital (Bolgatanga) - 2 Bongo District Hospital - 1 Tamale Teaching Hospital now has three incubators all donated by Kokrokoo Charities; the 1st one was donated in 2016. Project 100 This campaign launched in 2015, was birthed by Chairman General, Kwami Sefa Kayi, renowned journalist and host of Peace FM morning show 'Kokrokoo'. The aim is to raise 100 incubators to distribute to various needy hospitals to help improve health care delivery and save pre-term babies. So far, 31 incubators have been donated to various hospitals across the country. Dont be left out, you can also give out your widows mite. To contribute, dial 3322 on any MTN network and follow the instructions. Kokrokoo Charities Donates 10 Incubators Kokrokoo Charities Donates 10 Incubators Kokrokoo Charities Donates 10 Incubators Kokrokoo Charities Donates 10 Incubators Kokrokoo Charities Donates 10 Incubators Kokrokoo Charities Donates 10 Incubators Kokrokoo Charities Donates 10 Incubators Kokrokoo Charities Donates 10 Incubators Kokrokoo Charities Donates 10 Incubators Kokrokoo Charities Donates 10 Incubators Kokrokoo Charities Donates 10 Incubators Kokrokoo Charities Donates 10 Incubators Kokrokoo Charities Donates 10 Incubators Kokrokoo Charities Donates 10 Incubators Kokrokoo Charities Donates 10 Incubators 0 Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A Farewell Mass has been held for the immediate past Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, the Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle. The solemn Mass at the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Adabraka, attracted a large number of Catholics and members of the public. Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle, who served the Accra Archdiocese for 13 years, was made the Archbishop of the Cape Coast Archdiocese, the oldest Catholic Archdiocese in Ghana in May 2018, following the resignation (retirement) of Archbishop Mathias Nketsiah of Cape Coast. The Accra Archdiocese presented a 2015 Nissan Sentra model, an undisclosed amount and some items to Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle for his dedication to the work of God. Homily Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle lauded the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharabutu, for his role in ensuring peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians in Ghana. According to him, the Chief Imams visit to the Christ the King Catholic Church in Accra ahead of his 100th birthday celebration was an indication of the existing harmony between Muslims and Christians in the country. The visit was a reciprocal gesture to deepen religious tolerance following similar visits to the Chief Imam by Archbishop Palmer-Buckle and Pastor Mensa Otabil. Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle further stated that maintaining the prevailing peace and tranquility between the two religious bodies needed the concerted effort of all, and called on followers to work towards safeguarding the peace in the country. On the youth, he urged the Church to invest in their development for the accelerated growth of the country. Commendation The Metropolitan Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, commended his counterpart for his exemplary leadership skills and hard work over the years. He assured his predecessor that he would continue with his good works. Profile Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle was born on June 15, 1950, in Axim, Western Region. He was educated at the Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary in Koforidua and at the Pontifical Urban University where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Philosophy and Sacred Theology. Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle also holds a doctorate degree in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome. He served as a chaplain and teacher at the Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary and at Achimota School. Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle, 67, was ordained a priest on December 12, 1976, in Accra, appointed as Bishop of Koforidua on July 6, 1992, consecrated on January 6, 1993, and appointed as an Archbishop of Accra on May 28, 2005, the second Ghanaian to be elevated to that position. From 1994 to 2004, he served as the Bishop-Chairman for the Department of Socio-Economic Development of the Catholic Bishops Conference in Ghana, and from 1995 to 2003 was President of Caritas Africa Region, becoming the First Vice-President of Caritas International, a federation of 198-member organisations in 154 countries all over the world with its headquarters in the Vatican City. Most Rev.Palmer-Buckle was also a member of the nine-member National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) from May 2002 to October 2004. He has remained vocal in the political scene of Ghana and Africa on issues, including political violence and homosexuality. Source: Graphic.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Xinhua/ via Getty Images(SAN DIEGO) -- The news of a deadly shooting in Poway, California, on Saturday brought back memories of several recent attacks on houses of worship, including last weekend in Sri Lanka, last month in Christchurch, New Zealand, and exactly six months prior at a Pittsburgh synagogue. President Donald Trump reacted both before leaving for a rally in Wisconsin and on Twitter, saying on the White House's South Lawn, "My deepest sympathies go to the people that were affected, the families, their loved ones. By the, obviously, looks right now based on my last conversations, looks like a hate crime. We'll get to the bottom of it." Trump's comments have drawn some derision for a level of hypocrisy, as he spoke one day prior at a conference for the National Rifle Association. The suspect in the shooting, 19-year-old John Earnest, said he was not a fan of Trump in online writings. The nearly 20 Democratic candidates on the campaign trail over the weekend were quick to respond to the shooting, as well. California Rep. Eric Swalwell was the only one to directly mention Trump, saying in a response to Trump's tweet, "Spare us your thoughts and prayers. Its an alibi for inaction. You told the NRA yesterday youd keep dangerous guns in the hands of dangerous people. We will take it from here with action." Joe Biden, Cory Booker, John Hickenlooper, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O'Rourke and Bernie Sanders did not mention Trump, but did call for better gun control. The rest of the candidates focused on protecting peoples' rights to practice religion in safety, regardless of the denomination. Former Vice President Joe Biden "Jill and I are devastated to hear about todays shooting at the Chabad Poway synagogue. No one should have to worship in fear. As a country, we must speak out against bigotry and gun violence. Were in the battle for the soul of this nationand its on all of us to act." Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. "Praying for comfort and healing for the Chabad of Poway congregation today, as we deal with yet another mass shooting at a house of worship, fueled by anti-Semitism. Gun safety reform needs to happennow." South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg "This Shabbat brings another deadly attack on Jews, at worship, on American soil. Whenever anyone comes to harm because of their faith, we are all diminished. We cannot rest until hate has no home." Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro "My deepest condolences are with the community of Chabad of Poway as they mourn this despicable attack on their community. On this last day of Passover, we know without a doubt that hate and anti-semitism are on the rise and our tears today are bitter." Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii "6 months since the synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh & on last day of Passover, a gunman opened fire at Chabad of Poway synagogue. We must stand united & condemn this anti-semitism & all religious bigotry. An attack against one of us for our religion is an attack against all of us" Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. "Something is fundamentally broken in our society when any house of worship is made unsafe by gun violence and hateagain and again and again. Im keeping Poway and the entire Jewish community in my prayers. More than that, I dont accept this. We must end this epidemic." Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif. "Yet again a place of worship is the target of senseless gun violence and hate. Anti-Semitism is real in this country and we must not be silent - enough is enough. My heart aches for the Chabad of Poway synagogue and the Jewish community." Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper "The news out of Poway, CA is devastating and all too familiar. Another place of worship, another peaceful sanctuary, shattered by gun violence and hate. We cannot continue this cycle. We must stand up to hate and take real action on gun violence. Chabad of Poway, we are with you." Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. "Today should have been a celebration for the Chabad of Poway synagogue. Instead, they are mourning shattered lives I mourn with them. We must reject anti-Semitism and the do-nothing attitude about gun violence legislation in Congress." Former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke "Heartbroken by the gun violence at Chabad of Poway synagogue on the last day of Passover. I stand with our Jewish neighbors and their freedom to practice their faith without fear. We must act now to end this hatred and gun violence. May the memories of those lost be a blessing." Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio "Andrea and I are deeply saddened about another hate crime in America. We are keeping all the members of the Chabad of Poway synagogue and the entire American Jewish community in our prayers." Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. "Another horrific shooting at a place of worship, today at the Poway Synagogue in San Diego County. We must work every day to eradicate all forms of hatred and bigotry, and take serious action to protect Americans from gun violence." Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif. "Houses of worship are supposed to be safe havens in our communities. However, with unrestricted weaponry in America, they are no longer. Mourning those lost today in Poway, CA and praying for those who have been injured. We will honor them with action." Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. "I'm heartsick for the victims of today's horrific attack at the Chabad of Poway and their families. No one should ever have to face hatred and violence in a place of worship. It's on all of us to stand up to the rising threat of anti-semitism, racism, and hate." Marianne Williamson "Horrified by the synagogue shooting in San Diego. May all hearts be comforted. Violence against anyone due to their religion is an undermining of everything this country stands for. As Americans, and as children of God, let us rise." Andrew Yang "Our hearts go out to the families affected by the synagogue attack in San Diego. Attacks on Americans worshipping in peace are particularly hateful and devastating. There is no place in America for this sort of hate. #HumanityFirst" Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, His Excellency Hu Zhangliang and President Julius Maada Bio cut the tape to mark the official opening of a newly constructed bridge in Freetown. China Railway Seventh Group Limited (CRSG) prides itself as a major player in facilitating the construction of major roads and bridges in Sierra Leone, the latest being the recently commissioned Second Juba Bridge, which has been named after a great Sierra Leonean hero, Sendgbe Pieh. The Sengbe Pieh Memorial Bridge is regarded as an achievement of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation between China and Sierra Leone. At the request of the Sierra Leone government, the Chinese government made special arrangements and provided urgent assistance to co-fund the construction of the bridge under the Lumley Market Second Juba Bridge project. The Chinese company CRSG worked closely with Sierra Leone Government authorities to finish the project quickly while ensuring quality, completing the project in just five months. The bridge, which is located at the traffic fortress in the western part of Freetown, is said to be another symbol of Sino-Sierra Leone friendship. The bridge is a simply supported structure and measures 81.8 meters in length. After the completion of the new bridge, the existing two-way lane road will be widened to a four-lane, which will greatly alleviate traffic congestion and effectively improve the travel of residents. The bridge has been constructed in line with international standards, with solar lights and a pedestrian walkway. Dr. John E. Tambi, Chairman Presidential Infrastructure Initiative and Economic and Commercial Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone, Zhang Xueqian, sign an agreement. The bridge can be seen as a special gift for the Sierra Leonean people on the eve of Sierra Leones 58th Independence Anniversary, says the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Hu Zhangliang. He added that the construction of the bridge is an important decision made by the Sierra Leone government, especially President Maada Bio, to break the traffic bottleneck in Freetown and improve peoples quality of life. Ambassador Hu continued that it demonstrates the commendable leadership style of President Bio and the Sierra Leone government, who are focusing on peoples livelihood, facing problems head-on, working hard and being resolute. Although the bridge is not a huge project, it carries the profound friendship between China and Sierra Leone. Therefore, it is a bridge of friendship, a bridge of happiness and a bridge of big hope, says the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone. CRSGs project manager Wang Bo described the bridge as a key project for the company. He thanked his co-workers for a job well done and assured people that the company is committed to embarking on major projects in the country, providing more jobs for local people and training them to become experts. Wang reiterated that the bridge serves as a symbol of unity between the two people and noted that his company is committed to building Sierra Leones infrastructure as it has been doing for the past ten years. Sierra Leones President, Julius Maada Bio, acknowledged with great gratitude the generosity of China over the past fifty years, which has brought about quality services to various sectors such as health, education, infrastructure and agriculture. The bridge will unlock economic potential in tourism, trade, and fishing, President Bio said. The newly constructed Sengbe Pieh Memorial Bridge in Freetown, Sierra Leones capital. Other speakers including the Sierra Leone Minister of Works, Raymond DeSouza George, Director General of Sierra Leone Roads Authority, Amara Kallon and Community Authorities, also thanked the Peoples Republic of China for its support. They commended CRSG for completing the project within the stipulated period. CRSG is registered in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, and is a large state-owned enterprise which is a subsidiary of the construction conglomerate, China Railway Group Limited (China Railway Engineering Corporation). CRSG has been keen to support national development in Sierra Leone since it went into operation some ten years ago, embarking on its corporate social responsibilities in several communities across the country. Over the years, the company has completed the construction of major roads in Sierra Leone including the Makeni-Matotoka highway which is about thirty-five kilometers in distance, the Bo-Kenema Highway which is about sixty-five kilometers, Port Loko-Lungi axis with a length of sixty-two kilometers and major roads in the city including Wilkinson Road and the Spur Road projects. It appears government does not subscribe to the comments put out by the Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Maafo, a few weeks ago on why the notorious "Chinese Galamsey Queen' Aisha Huang, was left off the hook by state prosecutors despite overwhelming evidence that she had flouted Ghana's laws. NPP Member of Parliament for the Ledzokuku Constituency, Dr. Bernard Oko-Boye says Mr Yaw Osafo Maafos comment does not represent the thoughts of the ruling administration. He was of the view that the Senior Minister spoke for himself and not for government. The Senior Minister addressing a town hall meeting in the United States recently was asked by the participants why Ghana deported 'Chinese galamsey queen' Aisha Huang without prosecuting her. In his response he said: said: Putting that lady [Aisha Huang the Chinese galamsey queen] in jail in Ghana is not going to solve your economic problems. It is not going to make you or me happy, thats not important. He further indicated: today, the main company that is helping develop the infrastructure system in Ghana is Sinohydro, it is a Chinese company. It is the one that is going to help process our bauxite and provide about $2 billion to us. His reaction has however created a lot of controversies with many questioning the ruling governments commitment in fighting illegal mining; popularly known as galamsey in the country. Dr Okoe Boye commenting on this said some of the issues raised by the Senior Minister during the town hall meeting were pleasing to the ears. However, this (galamsey queen comment) is not pleasing to the ears adding, government as an entity will not treat people based on their respective country's donor support Dr Okoe Boye who was contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show Kokrokoo, further indicated that Mr Osafo Maafo speaks for himself and that his comment does not represent the ideas of President Akufo-Addo. He speaks for himselfhe did not speak on behalf of government, he stated. Watch video below Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Senior Minister Osafo Maafo's silence over his galamsey queen comment will create 'integrity challenges for him', according to the Managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Kweku Baako. The senior Minister courted controversy when he said: " Putting that lady [Aisha Huang the Chinese galamsey queen] in jail in Ghana is not going to solve your economic problems. It is not going to make you or me happy, thats not important. This was after he was asked why Ghana deported 'Chinese galamsey queen' Aisha Huang without prosecuting her. He further indicated: today, the main company that is helping develop the infrastructure system in Ghana is Sinohydro, it is a Chinese company. It is the one that is going to help process our bauxite and provide about $2 billion to us Many are those who have called for the head of Osafo Maafo. While some are saying he should apologise, others are asking him to resign. His comment has also been described as an affront to the fight against illegal mining. It may be recalled that Kweku Baako while speaking to this for the first time had urged the Senior Minister to retract and apologise. However, no one has heard from Osafo Maafo days after making those comments. Discussing these issues further on Saturday's Joy Newsfile programme, Kweku Baako said "Mr Osafo Maafos continuous silence is what is worrying me". According to him, "he would have helped himself if had done some clarification that will involve retraction and apology (because) government is now walking a tight rope, very difficultIf he had spokenwe would have moved on". "The delay is creating more integrity challenges for him; it's unfortunate" he added. Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mrs Pearl Asomaning Kemajou, former Student Representative Council (SRC) Secretary of the University of Ghana has promised to lobby former President John Dramani Mahama to abolish luxury tax within the first six months of the NDCs tenure in 2021. The reason is simple; this is the most confusing tax ever. It also has the potential to deprive port cities like Tema, the needed revenue since the heavy taxing of the luxurious cars naturally deter people from buying such cars and therefore lead to a reduction in revenue for the port cities like my own Tema,. In a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency on Friday, Mrs Asomaning, who is also a Social Activist said should the former President win the 2020 polls, that would be her main focus for the first six months. Her comment comes in the wake of the NDC Flagbearers announcement that he would scrap the luxury car tax if he was elected President in 2020. Speaking to drivers and traders alike during a tour of bus terminals in Accra, the former President pointed out that the tax was ambiguous and ineffective. According to him, in spite of the burdensomeness of the tax, the government had succeeded in raising just a little revenue from it. Not too long ago, the government introduced the luxury vehicle tax. This tax was not well thought through before it was rolled out. They should have exempted all commercial vehicles. There are commercial vehicles without the yellow plates, but rather white plates yet they carry commercial goods. Once they exceed three litres, they are charged this luxury tax. This has brought untold hardship on some of the drivers especially those who work for the companies and others. Just recently, I heard that government has only been able to raise GHC 25million from the luxury tax if that is the case, then they should abolish it. If they dont, we the NDC government will abolish it when we come into power, Mr. Mahama said. Mrs Kemajou said she perfectly agreed with the former President that the law needed to be abolished. The tax affects all vehicles including; commercial vehicles, farm tractors, pick up vehicles among others. The government has collected GH21.3 million in taxes from the use of vehicles with engine capacities of 2.9 litres and between August and December last year, provisional fiscal data on public finances for last year has shown. The amount is GH82.7 million or 79.52 percent below the GH104million that was projected to be collected within the period in the 2018 mid-year budget review. 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 A police officer stands beside a protester broadcasting video to the internet as farmer Ray Binnendyk, not seen, gives a tour at Excelsior Hog Farm in Abbotsford, B.C., on Sunday April 28, 2019. Approximately 50 people occupied a barn and another 135 individuals protested on the rural road outside the farm after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals released a video last week that it says shows dead piglets as well as fully grown pigs with growths and lacerations. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck "...we are told that, although the arguments for planetary exploration are widely understood in government, they are not supported by the people. We are told that spending money on planetary explorationon the discovery of where we are, who we are, what our history and fate may beis unpopular, that it is a political liability to support such ventures. And yet there is evidence of enormous support and enthusiasm for the exploration of the planets... In puzzling over this apparent paradox, it became clear to me and a number of my colleagues that the solution would be a non-profit, tax-exempt, public membership organization devoted to the exploration of the planets and related themes... If such an organization had a substantial membership, its mere existence would counter the argument that planetary exploration is unpopular." Carl Sagan, co-founder of The Planetary Society The Adventure of the Planets, The Planetary Report, 1980 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 From April 25 to 27, the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was held in Beijing. The official Wechat account of People's Daily Overseas Edition, Xiakedao, and documentary studio Interpreting China jointly planned and launched a promotional video for the forum. The film is short in length but full of interesting perceptions. It focuses on the overseas entrepreneurs and scholars who came to attend this meeting, shedding light on their evaluation of the BRI. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan addresses the reception in his honor, April 26, 2019. (Photo: Long Ren) A reception in honor of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was held in Beijing on April 26, on the sidelines of the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF), Haiwainet.cn reported on April 26. The activity was co-sponsored by China International Culture Communication Center (CICCC) and the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing, with the participation of the Pakistani delegation, CICCC leaders, and officials from the Pakistani Embassy as well as representatives from all walks of life. Prime Minister Khan expressed thanks to the kind hospitality of CICCC and China-Pakistan Friendship Association (CPFA), saying that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the Peoples Republic of China, and also Pakistans 72nd anniversary of independence. He said that Pakistan and China are good friends, and Pakistan is proud of and happy to see Chinas progress. Cooperation between the two countries has expanded in all fields. Pakistan hopes to introduce more advanced agricultural technologies from China and have closer cooperation in poverty alleviation, Khan noted. The Prime Minister wished more Chinese enterprises could show interest in the special economic zones that are a part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Wu Changde, the CICCCs First Vice Chairman, presents a Silk Road-themed gift to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. (Photo: Long Ren) Long Yuxiang, CICCCs Executive Chairman, addresses the reception on April 26, 2019. (Photo: Long Ren) CICCC Executive Chairman Long Yuxiang addressed the reception, saying that the center has paid high attention to the exchanges and cooperation with the Pakistani side in regards to culture, economy, trade, education and sports, successfully holding the China-Pakistan Year of Friendly Exchanges 2015 and a reception in honor of Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Qingdao Summit. Moreover, the CICCC also sent several delegations to Pakistan. Sha Zukang, President of China-Pakistan Friendship Association, addresses the reception on April 26, 2019. (Photo: Long Ren) Sha Zukang, President of the CPFA, said that Pakistani diplomats provided assistance and support for him throughout his 45-year career as a Chinese diplomat. Founded in 1956, the CPFA has witnessed many achievements in cooperation with the Pakistani side in various fields. It is expected that China-Pakistan friendship will achieve more with the support of Prime Minister Khan and the Pakistani government, Sha said. Pakistani Ambassador to China Masood Khalid speaks at the reception. (Photo: Long Ren) Peoples from both countries share a traditional friendship based on mutual support, noted Pakistani Ambassador to China Masood Khalid in his address. The Pakistan-China relationship has been moving forward steadily for decades, and Pakistan hopes to enhance the friendship further, said the ambassador. During the reception, Long Yuxiang was honored with the highest civilian honor of Pakistan. The famous Chinese dance Thousand Hands Guan Yin was also performed at the reception. Long Yuxiang, CICCCs Executive Chairman presents Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan with a gift. (Photo: Long Ren) Sha Zukang presents Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan with a Chinese painting created by artist Zhou Zhihui. (Photo: Long Ren) Group photo. (Photo: Long Ren) Beijings first high-definition video call via 5G network was dialed yesterday in the media center of the 2019 International Horticultural Exhibition, or Beijing Expo 2019, Beijing Daily reported on April 28. Journalists gather around at the media center of Beijing Expo 2019, where a live video call is projected on a large-screen television via 5G, April 27, 2019. (Photo: Pan Zhiwang/Beijing Daily) The video call, lasting 7 minutes, was made using a Huawei Mate 20 X, a foldable 5G smartphone, and was witnessed by domestic and foreign journalists. The projected video on a large-screen television features high definition and low delay. With high bandwidth and low latency, the 5G network will guarantee wireless 4K/8K live video streaming thus elevating media to a new level, noted Xiang Huangmei, vice president of China Telecom in Beijing, who dialed the first 5G video call. China Telecom in Beijing will continue to promote the application of 5G technology in more scenarios such as automated driving and distance medical care, Xiang said. President, FM discuss diplomatic efforts to communicate with abroad [28/April/2019] SANAA, April 28 (Saba) - President, Mahdi al-Mashat, met on Sunday in the capital Sanaa with Foreign Minister Hisham Sharaf. During the meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs briefed the President on the diplomatic efforts of the leadership of the ministry in communicating with the external parties to present Yemen's position and adherence to the just peace, stopping the aggression and lifting the blockade, as well as the tangible successes achieved by changing many international attitudes towards the aggression on Yemen. The President praised efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in this regard. He stressed the need to continue in this direction to reveal the reality of aggression and its objectives and presenting the grievance of the Yemeni people and the terrible crimes, whether through raids or all-out blockade imposed by the US-Saudi aggression coalition, to the world. AA Saba Actor-turned-politician Sunny Deol, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for the Gurdaspur parliamentary seat, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Sunday. After his meeting with Deol, Modi shared a photograph of him with Deol and tweeted: "What struck me about Sunny Deol is his humility and deep passion for a better India. Happy to have met him today. We are all rooting for his victory in Gurdaspur." The Prime Minister also wrote a dialogue from Deol's superhit movie "Gadar", hailing the country: "We both agree -- Hindustan zindabad hai, tha aur rahega." Deol, son of legendary actor Dharmendra, will take on Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar from Gurdaspur, which was in the past represented by late Vinod Khanna of the BJP. Punjab will go to polls on May 19. The Italian erotic comic book artist Milo Manara and Ulysse Nardin have teamed up to create a series of ten watches. Born in northern Italy, Manara has been a graphic illustrator for over fifty years. He was classically trained as a painter, studying the works of Rubens, Caravaggio and de Chirico before defining his own style. Milo Manara Ulysse Nardin For this series of enchanting erotic watches, Manara chose a universal theme erotic love and created characters that exist in their own time frame. I had to think of a theme that brings all these ten images together and yet leaves each one its autono-my, so that it works on its own without the need for the others, Manara explained from his studio in Val-policella, Italy. This is not a linear story but there is a common thread based on two characters; one is a timeless girl and the other, a mermaid. These ten watches are a palindrome, each one a unique, timeless moment that exists independently from the others. Milo Manara's studio Ulysse Nardin Milo Manaras erotic watches take you on a voyage into the depths of a mythical sea of desire where Ulyssa, a mermaid, and Nadia, a woman, meet, discover and love each other in a time-less, nautical reverie. Like the sirens in Homers classic tale of Ulysses, Manaras mermaid enchants the young woman, taking her into a sensual embrace. Each scene is a moment where time disappears, and love propels them as they rock gently in the ocean waves. It is clear that these women represent an ideal. If we look at Greek classicism and the Renaissance, one can see that the morphology of the physical model has changed over the centuries. I see my work as a continuous reinterpretation of the ideal model. Classico Manara Ulysse Nardin The Sapphic story between an earthly woman and an otherworldly mermaid unfolds under the waves, in a place where time has no bearing. The clock lends itself particularly precisely to this theme because in eroticism there is eternity Milo Manara precised. Miniature painting Ulysse Nardin Using micro painting over 150 years of watchmaking knowledge and experience, Ulysse Nardin has transferred Manaras story onto ten Classico watch faces. High in the swiss mountains, artisans at the Ulysse Nardin Headquarters in Le Locle have been working during approximately 50 hours around the clock to miniaturize each of Manaras drawings on the dials, a surface which is roughly ten times smaller than the original water color paintings. Ulysse Nardin The art of miniature painting shows that perfection is indeed in the details. There is an explosion of colours in the sensual details. From the deep blue of the sea to the coral reef barrier, to the little waves details on the surface of the water and the color of the mermaids lips and jewels, it has all been painted by hand using a brush the width of a single eyelash. To enhance Manaras erotic scenes, a lacquer has been applied as a topcoat on the acrylic painting, reflecting the light and nobility of Manaras art work. Ulysse Nardin Powered by the UN-320 self-winding manufacture movement and beating at the rhythm of silicium technology - which the brand has mastered for decades - only the hours and minutes are displayed in order to leave a maximum amount of space on the watch faces for the drawings. The hands are discreet, leaving the drawings to star on the face of each watch. These Classico Manara will be set on dark blue alligator straps to align with the color tonality dictated by Manara. Drawing by Milo Manara Ulysse Nardin Made of polished stainless steel, these Milo Manara special editions in 40 mm - unveiled for the first time at the SIHH in Geneva in January 2019 - will also be manufactured in 5N rose gold. Ten pieces per drawing will be produced in stainless steel and ten pieces in rose gold, making the series limited to a mere 200 pieces in total. As a special gift from Ulysse Nardin, each watch purchase will be accompanied by an original numbered Milo Manara print, signed by the artist himself. 'The resurrection is the implanting of the life of love in the hearts of humans for the purpose of serving one another; serving every human, and this is the love that people need very much today,' the Pope said Egypts Coptic Pope Tawadros II presided over the Coptic Easter mass on Saturday evening, where he prayed for Egypts stability and countrys martyrs. Pope Tawadros II headed the Coptic Easter mass at Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in the capital Cairo. The cathedral was adorned with flowers, church scouts guiding prayers for hundreds of worshippers. Easter, which was celebrated by churches in the west on 21 April, was celebrated by the Coptic Church today according to the Gregorian Calendar. The occasion is a public holiday in Egypt where Christians make up 10-15 percent of the 100 million population. The mass was attended by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Omar Marawan, as a representative of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, Minister of Public Enterprise Hisham Tawfik, as a representative of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, and Minister of Immigration and Expatriate Affairs Nabila Makram, Minister of Health Hala Zayed, Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhi, and Cairo Governor Khaled Abdel-Aal. The event was also attended by a number of representatives from the interior and defence ministries, foreign ambassadors, and a number of Al-Azhar officials. "The resurrection is the implanting of the life of love in the hearts of humans for the purpose of serving one another; serving every human, and this is the love that people need very much today. And if the world has sins and aggression and crime and terrorism, then the remedy can only come through the love that is able to satisfy the heart of a human," the Pope said. Pope Tawadros II added: "We pray for our beloved country that she may always be growing and progressing." "We pray for the martyrs everywhere, we pray for their families and for their spouses and for their nations, and we also pray for the wounded, that God would grant them healing and protect them, and may He keep us all in His love," he said. The Coptic Orthodox Pope thanked the Egyptian president and officials for their felicitations on the Easter occasion. We pray for our countrys martyrs and our wounded to be blessed by God and for the whole world to enjoy safety and stability, the Pope said during the mass. Search Keywords: Short link: Building consent authorities are estimated to have stumped up about $1 billion during the past decade in compensation for defective buildings, including leaky homes. Of that, about a third of the bill was to cover the tab of failed builders and developers who more often than not dodged their liability, with the council-backed agencies usually the last entity standing. Sapere Research Group estimates there were about 8,800 building defect disputes between 2008 and 2018 - spanning the height of leaky homes litigation - involving $3.8 billion of damages for residential properties. And while building consent authorities carried the can in part for other failed parties, homeowners are thought to have been left out of pocket by about $458 million. Including commercial property, the estimated damages rise to $4.7 billion for the 10-year period. A 2009 PwC report estimated it would cost about $11.3 billion to fix 22,000 to 89,000 leaky homes between 2002 and 2020. That estimate underpinned a government initiative under which it and local councils would each stump up a quarter of repair costs, leaving the homeowner to cover half the bill. At the time, the government expected to spend $1 billion over five years, but homeowners tended to instead go to court, where they could pursue full cost recovery, meaning the programme didn't attract the expected uptake. Building and Construction Minister Jenny Salesa this month unveiled plans for a major reform of building law to deliver safer and more durable buildings, a high-performing building sector, and a more efficient regulatory system. The low-key announcement accompanied a 190-page discussion document and supporting reports, including the Sapere research. Sapere's research drew on 138 disputes, mostly in the Weathertight Homes Tribunal and some in the High Court, through the 10-year period with a total value claimed of $145 million. The consultancy then extrapolated that out, using the assumption that about 95 percent of disputes were settled before a hearing and that settlements would typically lead to a smaller payout. Sapere said builders were typically ordered to pay about a third of awarded damages, as were developers. However, the research suggested builders avoided their responsibilities about 48 percent of the time because they couldn't be found or were no longer operating. Avoidance among developers was even higher at 68 percent. That's an area that's plagued successive governments for years, with two bites at insolvency law reform over the past 20 years to clamp down on phoenix companies - where assets are transferred to a near-identical entity to dodge liabilities - which were seen as a major problem in the building sector. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment commissioned the Sapere research for the planned reform, which focuses on building products and methods, occupational regulation, risk and liability, the building levy and penalties. The ministry specifically wanted an up-to-date picture of the risks faced by consenting agencies. "Concern is often raised about building consent authorities being the only party left to compensate homeowners when building defects arise. This can mean that the total amount paid by BCAs is disproportionate to the role they played in contributing to that defect," MBIE said in a discussion document on the proposed reforms. MBIE proposes the risk and liability settings for consenting agencies be left as they are, but that any payout is capped. Officials said more work needs to be done to figure out the costs and benefits of a cap and how it would interact with guarantees and insurance products. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. 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Related News: Goodman Property Trust (NZX: GMT) GMT to develop North Shore facility for NZ Post 23rd December 2021 Morning Report SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited (NZX: SKC) EXPANDS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH GIG Spark New Zealand Limited (NZX: SPK) Spark to take full ownership of Connect 8 22nd December 2021 Morning Report Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited (NZX: PCT) Wynyard Quarter Stage 3 Commenced AMP Limited (NZX: AMP) Announces Delisting from the NZX Main Board 21st December 2021 Morning Report Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Updates on NTA Seeka Limited (NZX: SEK) CLEARS FIRST HURDLE IN NZ FRUITS AMALGAMATION A joint civilian-military council would be the overall ruling body, the protest leaders say, while a new transitional civilian government was expected to be formed to run the day-to-day affairs of the country Sudanese protesters Sunday welcomed a breakthrough in talks with the military council who agreed to form a joint civilian-military council, paving the way for the civilian administration demanded by demonstrators. Saturday's agreement would replace the existing 10-member military council that took power after the army ousted veteran leader Omar al-Bashir on April 11 amid massive protests. "What happened yesterday is a step to have a civilian authority," said Mohamed Amin, one of thousands of demonstrators who have been camped for weeks outside the army headquarters. "We are happy about the progress in the talks, but we are still waiting for the composition of the council and the civilian government." The joint civilian-military council would be the overall ruling body, the protest leaders say, while a new transitional civilian government was expected to be formed to run the day-to-day affairs of the country, a key demand of protesters. That civilian government would work towards having the first post-Bashir elections. "When we have a civilian government, then we can say our country is on the right track," said Amin. The demonstrators said they would pursue their sit-in until a civilian administration is set up. "Last night's agreement is a step forward in the stability of our country. But I don't think we will leave the sit-in until we achieve our demand of a civilian government," said protester Sawsan Bashir. Protest leader Ahmed al-Rabia confirmed to AFP the decision to form a joint council. "We are now in consultation about what percentage of the council should be represented by civilians and how much by the military," said Rabia, who is involved in talks. On Sunday, protest leaders from the Alliance for Freedom and Change met to discuss the progress of talks with the military council. Later, the joint committee bringing together the military and protest leaders was expected to resume talks. Lengthy talks Activists say the new council could be a 15-member body, with eight civilians and seven army generals. The decision to have a joint council came after hours of talks on Saturday, the first by a joint committee representing the current ruling military leadership and protesters. Bashir was ousted by the army after months of protests against his three-decade rule. Thousands of demonstrators, braving volleys of tear gas fired by security forces, reached the sprawling military headquarters on April 6, demanding the army support those opposing Bashir. Five days later, the army toppled Bashir and took power through a transitional military council. Protest leaders had previously held several rounds of inconclusive talks with the council after Bashir was ousted. The military council has so far insisted it has assumed power for a two-year transitional period. Western governments have expressed support for protesters' demands, but Sudan's key Gulf Arab lenders have backed the military council, while African states have called for more time for the army to hand over to civilians. Last week, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates announced $3 billion (2.7 billion euros) in financial aid for Sudan following Bashir's overthrow. Of the $3 billion, the oil-rich countries pledged to inject $500 million Sudanese central bank to support its weakening currency. The remaining $2.5 billion was to help provide food, medicine and petroleum products, according the official Saudi Press Agency. On Sunday, the UAE-owned Abu Dhabi Fund for Development said it would deposit $250 million in Sudan's central bank as part of the aid package. Sudan's economy has worsened over the years, hit by multiple armed conflicts and secession by oil rich South Sudan in 2011. Call to join ICC As the joint committee met on Saturday, top opposition leader and former premier Sadiq al-Mahdi told reporters Sudan should "immediately" join the International Criminal Court. Bashir is wanted by The Hague-based tribunal for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for his alleged role in the conflict in Darfur, but the 75-year-old has repeatedly denied the charges against him. The war in Darfur erupted in 2003 when ethnic minority rebels took up arms against Khartoum's Arab-dominated government, accusing it of social and political marginalisation. The United Nations says about 300,000 people have died in the conflict, with another 2.5 million displaced, many of them still living in miserable camps across the western region of the country. Protest group spokesman Amjad Farid said Bashir and other regime figures could be tried in Sudan. "We are not seeking retaliatory measures against them, but we want to rebuild our justice system to hold them accountable for their crimes," he told reporters. Mahdi, who was forced from office by Bashir in a 1989 coup, said the army's ouster of the veteran leader was "not a military coup". But he said Bashir cronies were still clinging on to power despite the upheaval. "The toppled regime might still try to do a coup," he said without elaborating. Search Keywords: Short link: A South African charity said Sunday it had received video evidence that a freelance photographer kidnapped in Syria was alive, over two years after he was captured. Shiraaz Mahomed was kidnapped on January 10, 2017, travelling to the Turkish border from a hospital supported by the Gift of the Givers charity in the Syrian town of Darkouch, 100 kilometres (60 miles) west of Aleppo. "It has taken two years and three months but finally, Gift of the Givers has received proof of life for journalist Shiraaz Mahomed, who was abducted on 10 January 2017 in the vicinity of Gift of the Givers Ar Rahma Hospital in Darkoush, Syria," said the charity's head Imtiaz Sooliman in a message broadcast on social networks. The first evidence that Mahomed was alive came in January 2018 in the form of answers to ten questions only he could answer while the latest video arrived by WhatsApp on Friday, he said. In the video clip of around 30 seconds Mohamed is seen speaking in front of an armed man on April 13. "The video presents significant information," Sooliman added. Many foreign journalists have been kidnapped since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011, often by the self-described Islamic State group. South African hostage Stephen McGown, who was held by Al-Qaeda in Mali for nearly six years, was released in August after negotiations led by Gift of the Givers. The South African government insisted that no ransom was paid to secure McGown's release. Search Keywords: Short link: Afraid but unbowed: Sri Lanka Catholics pray for Easter bombing victims Colombo, April 28 (AFP) Apr 28, 2019 Church bells tolled mournfully at Colombo's devastated St Anthony's Shrine on Sunday, as scores of Christians wept but defiantly prayed and lit candles for the victims of the horrific Easter bombings. The bells rang out at 8:45 am, the moment a jihadist suicide bomber detonated his device inside the 18th-century church on Easter Sunday, one of six attacks on churches and luxury hotels that left 253 dead. The bomber destroyed part of the shrine's roof and scarred its walls with shrapnel, damaging the clock tower whose hands were still stuck at 8:45 -- a grim reminder of the destruction. The island's Roman Catholic leadership has suspended all public services, fearing new attacks. But on Sunday morning, as Sri Lanka's Christians sought to come to terms with the tragedy, scores of Catholics held a heavily guarded vigil outside the Colombo church. From teenagers to elderly men and women, to parents carrying their children in their arms, the crowd gradually swelled, as worshippers came out on to the streets to mourn. As they prayed and wept -- some in silence, others loudly sobbing -- some fingered rosary beads, while others sang hymns and lit candles, placing them inside metal boxes as a makeshift memorial to the victims. Keuslaus Stanislaus said he had travelled to St Anthony's because he "wanted to participate in a mass in some way". "We wanted to participate because we haven't been able to worship all week," the 30-year-old told AFP. - 'Insult to humanity' - For those living near the church, the bombing felt like a personal onslaught. "I come to this church every Sunday. It feels like my second home. It's like people blasted my own home," said Dharshika Fernando, struggling to hold back tears. "We don't know when the church will open again but we want it back soon," the 19-year-old told AFP. About an hour after the vigil began, worshippers fell silent as the parish priest walked out to the entrance of the church and held up a statue of St Anthony. The crowd raised their hands in prayer before resuming their solemn hymns. President Maithripala Sirisena also lit candles at the church site, where a major clean-up operation is now under way. Navy forces have been deployed to repair the damaged building, remove bloodstains from its ceiling and wash away the overpowering stench of death that still lingered a week after the bombing. Vice Admiral Piyal de Silva, commander of the Sri Lankan Navy, told reporters he hoped to quickly finish the reconstruction. "I hope within one month or so we will do it," he said. At the tightly-guarded Roman Catholic Archbishop's residence in Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith condemned the attacks in a private mass that was broadcast live on the country's television channels. With President Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Mahinda Rajapakse in the small congregation, the cardinal appealed for peace and unity in the multi-ethnic island of 21 million people. "In the name of God we cannot destroy any person," he said. "What happened last Sunday is a great tragedy, an insult to humanity," the cardinal said, urging followers to show kindness to others as a sign of respect for all the victims. The authorities have blamed the attacks on a local Islamist group affiliated to the Islamic State, which has claimed responsibility. Iran: Exiting nuclear pact one of 'many options' after US sanctions Tehran, April 28 (AFP) Apr 28, 2019 Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said leaving the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is one of the "many options" Tehran has to retaliate against US sanctions, state media reported Sunday. The United States has imposed a raft of sanctions against the Islamic republic since President Donald Trump withdrew last year from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal with world powers. On Monday Washington announced an end to sanction waivers for buyers of Iranian crude oil, and earlier this month the US declared Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards a "foreign terrorist organisation". "The Islamic republic has many options... (leaving) the NPT is one of them," Zarif said in remarks to Iranian reporters in New York aired by state television. State news agency IRNA said Zarif was asked why he had not touted leaving the nuclear treaty as one of Iran's possible reactions during his trip as he had done so previously. "The country's officials are deliberating" the different options and measures, Zarif replied, adding that the possibility of leaving the NPT was among those options. He did not list the other options. Iran has branded the US sanctions "illegal" and Zarif warned on Wednesday that there would be consequences should Iran be barred from selling its oil. The 2015 Iran nuclear deal with six world powers -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany -- had given the Islamic republic sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme. This Account has been suspended. Libya's U.N.-recognised government has budgeted up to 2 billion dinars ($1.43 billion) to cover costs of a three-week-old war for control of the capital, such as treatment for the wounded, to be funded without new borrowing, the economy minister said. Ali Abdulaziz Issawi suggested Tripoli hoped for business to continue more or less as usual despite the assault on Tripoli, in the country's northwest, by forces tied to a parallel administration based in the eastern city of Benghazi. Once Africa's third largest producer of oil, Libya has been riven by factional conflict since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with the country now broadly split between eastern-based forces under General Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) and the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli, in the west, under Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj. Still, with the Libyan National Army forces unable so far to pierce defences in Tripoli's southern suburbs, normal life and business activities continue in much of the capital and western coastal towns. Issawi, in an interview with Reuters in his Tripoli office, also said Libya's commercial ports and wheat imports were still functioning normally, although some roads have been blocked. He said the Serraj government estimates it will spend up to 2 billion dinars extra on medical treatment for wounded, aid for displaced people and other "emergency" war costs. He said this was not military spending but analysts believe that the sum will also cover expenditures such as pay for allied armed groups or food for fighters. "We could actually spend less," he added, in comments that gave the first insight into the economic impact of the fighting. Issawi said the Tripoli government, which controls little territory beyond the greater capital region, would not incur new debt to fund the war costs, sticking to a plan to post a 2019 budget without a deficit. Tripoli derives revenue largely from oil and natural gas production, interest-free loans from local banks to the central bank, and a 183 percent surcharge on foreign exchange transactions conducted at official rates. But with centralised tax collection greatly diminished, public debt has piled up - to 68 billion dinars in the west, including unpaid state obligations such as social insurance. Some analysts expect Serraj's government will be forced to raise new debt if the war for control of Tripoli drags on. With much of Libya dominated by armed factions that also act as security forces, the public wage bill for both the western and eastern administrations has soared as fighters have been made public employees in efforts to buy their loyalty. The east has sold bonds worth 35 billion dinars outside the official financial system as the Tripoli central bank does not fund the parallel government apart from some wages. Despite its limited reach, the Tripoli government still runs an annual budget of around 46.8 billion dinars, mainly for public salaries and fuel subsidies. "This year we cannot finance via debt...we will not borrow (by agreement with the central bank)," Issawi said. According to International Monetary Fund data, Libya's central government debt-to-GDP ratio is 143 percent, making it one of the most heavily indebted in the world on that measure. Issawi declined to say what parts of the budget would be trimmed to support the extra outlay for war costs. However, with some 70 percent of the budget allocated to public wages, fuel subsidies and other welfare benefits, a portion devoted to infrastructure is most likely to be axed. Widespread lawlessness has meant there have been no major infrastructural projects since 2011, when a NATO-backed uprising overthrew dictator Muammar Gaddafi, leaving schools, hospitals and roads in acute need of restoration. FOREX SURCHARGE Issawi said the government planned to raise as much as 30 billion dinars by the end of 2019 from hard currency deals after imposing in September a 183 percent surcharge on commercial and private transactions done on the official rate of 1.4 to the U.S. dollar. That fee has effectively devalued the official rate to 3.9, much closer to the black market equivalent. Some 17 billion dinars have been raised since then, with hard currency allocated for import credit letters now issued without delays, Issawi said. The forex fee has helped the government forecast a budget in the black for 2019. Despite the narrowing spread between the two rates, the black market continues to thrive. Dozens of traders remained at their favourite spot behind the central bank headquarters in Tripoli when Reuters reporters visited it last week. But traders said it could take time for the Serraj government to register the extra forex receipts as official banking channels were taking up to six months to approve import financing, keeping the black market in play for dealers. Issawi said authorities planned to lower the forex fee from 183 percent, without saying when. The black market rate has dropped from 6 to around 4.1 since September but it has hardly moved of late as demand for black market cash remains high. The Tripoli government has stopped subsidising food and bread, which used to be cheaper than drinking water in Libya. Wheat imports are now being arranged by private traders and there are surplus stocks of flour at the moment, Issawi said. ($1 = 1.3943 Libyan dinars) Search Keywords: Short link: Joshua Ronchetti is being joined by his grandfather Kevin Conway on the 1,700 mile Calais to Paxos bike ride. Photo: Mark Williamson A YOUNG Alcester man who was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain tumour when he was 21 months old in 2000 will cycle from Calais to Paxos to raise money as a way of saying thank you to the people who saved his life. Joshua Ronchetti will turn 21 in July and now enjoys a full and active life with family and friends thanks to the expert medical care he received at Birmingham Childrens Hospital where he was treated -and the continued support of The Brain Tumour Charity; he hopes to raise 10,000 for both organisations from his bike ride. He was diagnosed in 2000 with a choroid Plexus Carcinoma. His family were told the disease could be treated but not cured, in fact it proved to be an agonizing wait for everyone concerned, including his mother Kathryn Conway. Eventually Joshua underwent two critical operations which saw the successful removal of the tumour. In September 2000, Joshuas grandfather Kevin Conway from Alcester - decided to raise money for Birmingham Childrens Hospital and Brain Tumour UK (as it was formally known), so Kevin, along with two friends, cycled the 1,050 miles from Lands End to John OGroats and raised 15,000. Almost 21 years after all the trauma of his early life, what better way to celebrate the lead-up to Joshuas 21st than to be joined on his bike ride by his grandad Kevin, aged 65. The pair set off from Calais on 17th May to cycle 1,700 miles to the Greek Island of Paxos to help raise their target of 10,000. To support Joshua and Kevin visit: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/helenConway6 Two eastern operations of state oil firm NOC - which have in the past made broad statements backing General Haftar - on Sunday for the first time specifically said they supported his offensive Forces backing Libya's UN-recognised government fought house-to-house battles with General Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) in southern parts of the capital Tripoli on Sunday and appeared to be gaining ground. Tripoli soldiers, some in jeans and t-shirts, took cover by abandoned buildings as they fired on LNA's positions. Some carried anti-aircraft guns they had had to remove from their trucks to get through the narrow streets. The Libyan National Army, which is allied to a rival administration in eastern Libya, mounted an offensive on Tripoli three weeks ago but despite heavy fighting has failed to breach the city's southern defences. The battle for the capital has all but wrecked U.N.-backed efforts for a peace deal between the rival factions and threatened to further disrupt Libya's oil industry. Two eastern operations of state oil firm NOC - which have in the past made broad statements backing Haftar - on Sunday for the first time specifically said they supported his offensive. The NOC as a whole has tried to stay out of the conflict. A Reuters team visiting the southern suburb of Ain Zara on Sunday estimated the Tripoli forces had gained up to 1,500 metres compared to a visit a few days earlier. Other parts of the frontline appeared unchanged and the situation remains fluid. Both sides have gained and lost territory within days or even hours during the fighting. "We are progressing. We are now in the phase of expelling the enemy from the capital," Salah Badi, a commander from the western city of Misrata allied to Tripoli, told Reuters. OIL, TURMOIL The North African country has been in a state of chaos since Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in 2011 with Western intervention. The latest flare-up threatens to leave a power vacuum that Islamist militants could exploit. The Libyan National Army have said the Tripoli govenrment is controlled by terrorist militias and that they are fighting to expel the militants. Supporters of the Tripoli government have accused him of making a power grab with the backing of foreign countries. Two NOC units based in areas under Haftar's control issued statements supporting the offensive on Sunday, a day after their Tripoli headquarters had condemned all military use of its facilities. Benghazi-based AGOCO congratulated Haftar's LNA "on the success and progress in its striving against extremist terrorist militias and militias which steal public funds". A separate NOC unit in the east, Sirte Oil Co, also issued a statement backing the Tripoli advance. The Libyan National Army said on Saturday they had sent a warship to the eastern Ras Lanuf oil port for "training purposes". A port engineer said the ship's arrival had not affected oil exports, which were as normal. *This story was edited by Ahram Online Search Keywords: Short link: Zach Gibson/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- One of the most influential Democrats in South Carolina said Sunday that former Vice President Joe Biden is "probably the leader" in the key early primary state, but cautioned that it's still early in the 2020 presidential campaign. "I have talked to people here in South Carolina and I believe that at this point in time, Joe Biden is probably the leader. The question is whether or not he can maintain his lead," Rep. James Clyburn, the House majority whip, said on "This Week." "But the campaign is early, and there have been some tremendous rollouts here in this state." Back in January, Clyburn said that if Biden entered the Democratic field, "everybody else would be running for second place." In a new ABC News/Washington Post poll released Sunday, Biden, who only officially announced his campaign Thursday, comes out on top, ahead of Sen. Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg. The poll found that of Democrats and Democratic-leaning Independents nationwide, 17% backed Biden, compared to 11% who supported Sanders, and 5% who supported Buttigieg. California Sen. Kamala Harris, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke all tied at 4%. Clyburn told ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos that Biden was "absolutely" right to invoke the deadly 2017 clash between white nationalists and counterprotesters in Charlottesville, Virginia in his announcement video on Thursday. In the video, Biden repeats Trumps heavily-criticized response to that day, in which he said there were very fine people on both sides. At the White House on Friday, the president told a group of reporters that he answered the question "perfectly," and claimed that he was referring to "people that went because they felt very strongly about the monument to Robert E. Lee, a great general," referring to the commander of Confederate forces during the American Civil War. Clyburn responded that he believes Trump is "expressing what is in his heart." "Robert E. Lee was a slave owner and a brutal slave master," Clyburn said. Thankfully he lost that war and I find it kind of interesting that the president is now glorifying a loser. He always said he hated losers. Robert E. Lee was a loser. That rally, which attracted white supremacist and neo Nazi groups, turned deadly when a man plowed his car into a crowd of counterprotesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer. "I think that's what the crux of this campaign is going to be about," Clyburn said. "Its going to be about who can bring this country together. And for anybody who is running for the presidential nomination on the Democratic side, I think you've got to focus on bringing this country together on the domestic front, and you've got to think about our international relationships around the world." Stephanopoulos asked Clyburn about the president's comments last week, in which he continued to defend his 2017 response to the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. The South Carolina congressman, who represents areas in and around Columbia and Charleston, also addressed the shooting at the Chabad of Poway synagogue in California on Saturday. He recalled the attack in his district on the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston in 2015, and said the rhetoric in the country needs to "cool." "Those nine souls at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston are on my mind daily," Clyburn said. "I think about them. I spoke at one of those funerals. And so I am very concerned that we do not start some discussions and take some actions that will de-glorify guns and that we cool our hate speech." He added that "we need some leadership on this from our political leaders from the White House on down." President Trump responded to early reports of the shooting in California on Saturday evening at the White House, saying it "looked like a hate crime." Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Dike breached, thousands evacuated near Montreal as floods worsen Montreal, April 28 (AFP) Apr 28, 2019 Over 6,500 people were told to quickly leave their homes near Montreal late Saturday and early Sunday after floodwaters breached a dike in rain-soaked eastern Canada. The evacuations came as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for increased measures to make infrastructure "climate resilient." The flooding across Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick "highlights how important it is that we fight climate change, that we adapt and mitigate the impacts of more extreme weather events," he said. According to the latest government data, nearly 8,000 people have been forced from their homes in Quebec -- more than in 2017, during what was then the area's worst flooding in half a century. The barrier protecting Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, just west of Montreal, gave way Saturday night, causing a surge of water of up to 1.5 meters (five feet) to crash through the area. "We didn't have time to do anything, the water rose while were chatting, I just had time to take my medication," one resident told public broadcaster Radio-Canada. Hundreds of policemen, firefighters and soldiers helped evacuate nearly 2,600 homes in the area, a provincial police spokesman said. "It's going very well. Thankfully no one was injured, no one is missing," Sergeant Daniel Thibodeau said. Around 1,700 soldiers have been deployed to the hardest-hit regions -- and Montreal and Ottawa declared states of emergency last week. In Fredericton, New Brunswick, crews have been busy hauling away driftwood and debris as waters start to recede. More than 400 households were flooded in the province, and the main highway connecting to the rest of Canada remained closed. In Ottawa, a bridge connecting the capital to Gatineau, Quebec was closed and 18 residents fled their flooded homes. Trudeau was in the Ottawa area on Saturday for a briefing from emergency management officials -- where he helped to fill sandbags with his young son. When you ask someone what their favourite book is, theyll often say without missing a beat To Kill A Mockingbird. Published in 1960, the novel written by Harper Lee, (and the 1962 Academy Award winning film adaptation) has become a cult classic, and its ingrained in the lives of so many of us. For me, it was on my school curriculum and I spent my final years at school buried in the life of Scout Finch. Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck) and Tom Robinson (Brock Peters) // Image credit: Wikimedia Commons What is it actually about? Simplifying its plot, To Kill A Mockingbird is a story told through the eyes of young Alabama native, Scout. Her mother has died, with her and her elder brother Jem being raised by their father, literary hero, Atticus (more on him later.) Together with her brother and their friend Dill ( who is allegedly inspired by Lees childhood friend, Truman Capote ) they run riot around the town, and terrorise their poor reclusive neighbour, Boo Radley. The plot follows Scout and her family, as a man in their town is wrongly accused of raping a young woman. Thats the gist of the story - so why, decades later are we still so intoxicated by the tale of the Finch family? The answer in short is Atticus. Atticus Finch is the literary protagonist of dreams, the father we all wished we had. Hes a lawyer, and the only one who is willing to represent the accused - because the suspect is black, the town has already found him guilty and in their eyes his death penalty is already signed. Scout Finch (Mary Badham) and her father Atticus. // Image credit: James Vaughan, via Flickr Is Atticus a 'white saviour'? If the book was written in 2019, Im sure it would be criticised for Atticuss white saviour complex, and that in part is true. At the heart of the story is a man who has been accused of something purely because of the colour of skin, yet the character we all remember and love is the white man who defends him. Contextually this book was published in the 60s when it was very rare for race to be written about in any way, so Harper Lee was breaking boundaries. Having a white family of protagonists made it more socially acceptable for white children to read, and it became part of the required reading at millions of schools across the globe. It teaches them the issues with racism, and the importance of empathy - which at its very heart is much more important than who the main character is. So why do so many people love it? Whats so good about it? Its a book about human nature, and in my personal experience as a white child growing up in England, it was the first time Id ever really been made to think about race. You learn about race in history - the civil rights movement, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King - but theres an aspect of separation. To Kill A Mockingbird takes you to the heart of the deep south, where racism is still rife today. The lessons learnt are learned through the eyes of Scout, shes young and naive and doesnt yet know how awful people can be. Through watching her father she learns to never really judge a person until youve walked in their shoes. In the case of Boo Radley, she has no idea who he really is and what his story is. She decides to stop judging people from the stories other people have told her, and instead form her own opinions. It's stood the test of time because it's a story about domestic relationships; it's not an action-packed story full of twists and turns. Its a book that doesnt have a happy ending, but equally it isnt sad either. It's a story of hope and forgiveness, of love and friendship. And it teaches you to be kind to everybody because you never know what theyre going through. In the wake of Extinction Rebellion protesters taking to the streets of London, the name on everyones lips is Greta Thunberg. But despite making waves with her parliament speech during her visit to the UK, the 16-year-old Swedish activist has seemingly failed to capture the attention of the prime minister. Image Credit: Middle East Monitor from Arno Mikkor on Flickr The meeting between Greta Thunberg and party leaders in Westminster on Tuesday saw Labours Jeremy Corbyn, the Lib Dems Sir Vince Cable, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas, Scottish National Partys Ian Blackford and Plaid Cymrus Liz Saville Roberts meet with the young environmental activist. Despite being sent an invitation, the organisers said that they received no response from Theresa May, who was instead chairing a Cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street . Mays official spokesman said he was not aware of any such request. Last July, May announced a bill to protect the environment , promising to leave the world in a better state over the next 25 years. In January 2019, she spoke of the intrinsic and extrinsic value of our natural environment in a speech at the Wetlands Centre, crediting it for bringing in tourism and stating that . Despite this announcement, the climate crisis has been placed on the back-burner over Brexit troubles over the last year. Theresa May's history when it comes to action against climate change is chequered. According to The Independent, in July 2016, she announced the " decision to abolish the Department for Energy and Climate Change". "deeply worrying". Green Party leader Caroline Lucas, who was present at the talks with Thunberg on Tuesday, resonded to the announcement, saying it was Image Credit: Greta Thunberg, via Common Dreams #InternationalRebellion Closing Ceremony (London) Speaker's Corner, Hyde Park, London Tomorrow, 5 PM 7 PM Join Rebels in London for a celebration of what our Rebels around the world have achieved so far: https://t.co/iOAieN1lUS pic.twitter.com/pA1EoeGDZJ Extinction Rebellion (@ExtinctionR) April 24, 2019 It is unclear what the meeting between Thunberg and the party leaders will amount to, but the pressure is doubtlessly on for the government to make marked steps towards environmental change. . Research suggests that it, as well as calming redness and decreasing inflammation. It's also been said to help withand lots of other ailments. Image credit: Rick Proctor, via Unsplash View this post on Instagram A post shared by Milk Makeup (@milkmakeup) on Apr 12, 2019 at 8:15am PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cannuka | Bee Inspired (@cannuka) on Mar 12, 2019 at 12:21pm PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by high beauty (@highskincare) on Mar 22, 2019 at 7:38am PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kiehl's Since 1851 UK & IRE (@kiehlsuki) on Apr 23, 2019 at 12:19pm PDT Research carried out by, a site that offers bespoke training sessions, found that Malta has the highest employment rates for recent graduates, with 94.5% in work. Germany secured second place with 90.9%, followed by the Netherlands with a graduate employment rate of 90.4%. In the UK, graduate employment rates stand at 86.6%, which is 4.6% higher than the target set for EU countries. A 2018by the European Commission shows that Member States have made progress in meeting the 82% employment rate target by 2020. Source: The European Commission The statistics reflect the numbers of recent graduates (those who have graduated within the last one to three years) aged between 20-34 who are in employment and not in any further education or training. In contrast, the three countries with the lowest graduate employment rate include Croatia (65.9%) and Italy (55.2%). Greece has the lowest graduate employment rate out of the 28 EU countries. Just over half of recent graduates (52.0%) are employed. Joseph Scott, a spokesperson for The Knowledge Academy, said: Were not worlds away from achieving the average employment rate Member States are striving for. Almost half the countries included in our table meet the grade, whilst a few even exceed it. "It is therefore encouraging for countries with lower rates, such as Greece, Italy and Croatia, who will hopefully utilise the comparable data to improve circumstances for their graduates. Afterall, investing in education across Europe will benefit us all. "If we produce graduates who can make a success of their life, we can create a sustainable workforce of confident and competitive grads ready to overcome anything. Lead image credit: Pixabay via Pexels Graph source: European Commission Talks between the British government and the opposition Labour Party aimed at finding a consensus over the way forward on Brexit have been productive but the government needs to move on its red lines, Labour's business spokeswoman said on Sunday. Parliament has rejected Prime Minister Theresa May's exit agreement with Brussels three times and she now hopes to reach a compromise with Labour which will see the deal approved. Rebecca Long-Bailey said further talks were taking place in the coming week. One of the key sticking points is a customs union, which Labour has called for but the government says is at odds with its intention to have an independent trade policy. "The discussions so far have been productive, we have gone into a lot of detail ... but as yet we havent seen the government move on any of their red lines," Long-Bailey told Sky News. "We want to see hard and fast movement on those red lines as quickly as possible." The government wants Britain to leave the EU before May 23, when it is due to take part in European Parliament elections. Brandon Lewis, the chairman of May's Conservatives said the government's priority was to not have to fight that election. "There is still time for parliament to approve that agreement so that we dont fight those elections," he told the BBC. Search Keywords: Short link: Image credit: Aberdeen University, King's College by Isaxen via Flickr Tomorrow, the country of #Brunei will start stoning gay people to death. We need to do something now. Please boycott these hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei. Raise your voices now. Spread the word. Rise up. pic.twitter.com/24KJsemPGH Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) 2 April 2019 Despite homosexuality already being illegal in Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah publically stated that he wanted to see Islamicin this country grow stronger." In 1995, the Sultan received an honorary degree from the University of Aberdeen following a successful exchange programme between the university and its Brunei equivalent. In a, Aberdeen University explained the accolade was given at "a time when the University had operated a successful exchange programme with its counterpart in Brunei, and when the Sultan had encouraged links between Brunei and Aberdeen due to his interest in our geology and petroleum engineering research. However, since the advent of these anti-LGBT laws, the university has officially revoked the Sultans honorary degree. Principle and Vice-Chancellor George Boyne confirmed the move after the Senate and academic body 'voted in favour' and 'approved the recommendation from our Honorary Degree's Committee.' He called the position deeply regrettable but one which he fully support[s].Celebrities including Elton John and Ellen DeGeneres have pledged support for the LGBT community in Brunei by urging people tohotels owned by Sultan Hassanal. In a tweet, DeGeneres listed nine hotels owned by the Sultan including The Dorchester in London.Students from other universities where the Sultan holds an honorary degree, includingand, have created petitions demanding the title be rescinded. Oxford SUs Vice President of Welfare and Equal Opportunities Ellie MacDonald issued asaying all honorary doctorates should reflect the ethos of the University. "If they fail to meet that, as in this case, they should be stripped of their honour." The Oxford petition has accumulated over 110,000 signatures. The University of Oxford said it will review the Sultans honorary civil law degree appointed to him in 1993. Kings College London has stated it will also review the award, made in 2011. Lead Image Credit:via Wikimedia The leaders of Canada and Japan on Sunday touted the benefits of a Pacific trade deal that U.S. President Donald Trump walked away from and said the pact should serve as a model for future agreements. The landmark 11-country trade deal, a revamped version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), came into force last December. It does not include the United States, which pulled out of talks on the initial TPP in 2017. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said exports of some beef products from Canada to Japan had increased nearly threefold under the deal, formally known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). "(This deal) has benefited tremendously Canadian citizens, Japanese citizens and businesses and indeed people throughout the region," he told a news conference after talks with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. "(That) stands in stark contrast with the United States withdrawal ... continuing to move forward on freer more open trade, according to the rules we can all agree on, is something we need more in the world," he said. Trump, whose administration is working on a bilateral free trade deal with Japan, said on Friday after meeting Abe that an agreement could be reached next month. Both men, however, made clear they differed in some areas with Trump citing Japanese tariffs on American agricultural products and Abe bringing up U.S. tariffs on Japanese autos. Abe said the CPTPP "should be a model going forward," describing it as a meaningful way "to disseminate a 21st century type of free and fair rules-based (trade)." Abe, speaking through an interpreter, told the news conference that Canada and Japan would work to expand the number of nations inside the CPTPP. Search Keywords: Short link: Brazils exports to the Arab region grew to $3.15 billion during the first quarter of 2019, up from $2.75 billion recorded during the same period last year, a media report said. UAE imported a total and 650.23 thousand tonnes of Brazilian products worth $794.53 million during Q1-2019, reported state news agency Wam, citing figures released by the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC). The total exports to the Arab countries reached 11.5 million tonnes combined during the first three months of the year, a major jump from 9.1 million tonnes recorded during the same months in 2018. The breakdown of data showed that 3.3 million tonnes of imported Brazilian products worth $240.37 million went to Oman. Bahrain imported 2.3 million tons of commodities valued $173.22 million from Brazil, while Egypts purchase of 1.63 million tons of products was valued $412.04 million. A total of 711.67 thousand tonnes of goods amounting to $479.20 million and 650.23 thousand tonnes of products worth $794.53 million went to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, respectively. Rubens Hannun, president of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, said: "The increasing Brazilian export volume to the Arab world is a result of the strengthening trade relations between the region and the South American country. It also reflects Brazils global economic resilience in the midst of challenges. We foresee stronger demand for Brazilian commodities in the Arab world in the coming quarters of the year as the region continues to implement economic programs to expand trade opportunities and experience steady socio-economic development." Iron, maize (corn), sugar, and chicken and bovine meat, and aircrafts were among the Arab regions top imports from Brazil, sustaining its growing demand both from the industrial sector and the consumer market. The value of chicken meat exported to the Arab countries during the period hit the $580.36 million mark, while bovine meat reached $275.39 million, during the first quarter of 2019. The leading exported products were meat and edible offal; iron ores and concentrates, including roasted iron pyrites; cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose, in solid form; aircrafts (helicopters and airplanes), spacecrafts ( satellites), and suborbital and spacecraft launch vehicles; corn; turbo-jets, turbo-propellers and other gas turbines; and tubes, pipes, and hollow profiles, seamless, of iron (other than cast iron) or steel. "We will maintain our efforts to facilitate interaction between these markets and improve their trade relations by establishing effective channels of business communications. The growing popularity and demand for Brazilian products in the region is a reflection of the excellent quality of commodities from the country, whether they be foodstuff or engineering items," Hannun added. Seven of the UAEs top projects were named winners among the Gulf regions best projects at the recently held 2019 Meed Projects Awards, in association with Mashreq, in Dubai, UAE The UAE was followed by Oman with four winning projects, while Saudi Arabia and Bahrain had three winners each and Kuwait had one regional awardee. The only awards programme recognising excellence for completed projects in the GCC, Meed Projects Awards honoured national winners from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in ceremonies held at the Conrad Hotel Dubai. We are honoured to be a partner with Meed in recognising projects excellence in the GCC. This is our way of putting a spotlight on these projects for not only upholding quality standards, but also in improving the standard of living in the Gulf through their invariable impact on the socio-economic aspirations of the region, said Mohammad Khader Al Shouli, senior vice president, Head of Contracting Finance at Mashreq Bank, headline sponsor of the awards programme. The 2019 Meed Quality Project of the Year, in association with Mashreq, the award programmes highly coveted honour, was given to Saudi Arabias Haramain High Speed Railway Project (entered by Saudi Railways Organization and owned by the Government of Saudi Arabia). It also won the GCC Transport Project of the Year award. The judges praised the projects efforts to maximise social impact and the efficient design of departure and arrivals lounges improving passenger flow and comfort and which are also low energy with innovative prismatic daylight collectors on the roofs. The other Saudi Arabia winner was the Titanium Sponge Plant Project in Yanbu Project (entered by a Joint Venture of Chiyoda Corporation and CTCI Corporation and owned by Advanced Metal Industries Cluster and Toho Titanium Metal Company Limited) which was awarded the GCC Industrial Project of the Year. The GCC is home to some of the worlds most high-profile projects, known worldwide not just for their engineering and construction brilliance but also for being beacons of the regions economic progress. We are delighted to honour their commitment to the highest quality standards for projects excellence, said Richard Thompson, editorial director, Meed. Among the regional winners from the UAE were Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi (GCC Tourism & Leisure Project of the Year), Bluewaters Mosque (GCC Small Project of the Year), Improvement of Mafraq to Al Ghweifat Border Post Highway Section 4A from Himeem Interchange to Abu Al Abyad (GCC Road Project of the Year), Sheikh Shakbout Medical City (GCC Healthcare Project of the Year), Offices 4 and Offices 5, One Central (GCC Commercial Project of the Year), Khalifa University (GCC Education Project of the Year) and Dubai American Academy (Innovation Medal, sponsored by China State Construction). In Oman, the projects honoured for excellence were Diyar Al Salam (GCC Residential Project of the Year), Suhar Refinery Improvement Project (GCC Oil and Gas Project of the Year), Salalah II Power Project (GCC Power Generation Project of the Year) and Muscat International Airport (Mega Project of the Year). From Bahrain, the projects which gained regional recognition was Madinat Salman Sewage Treatment Works, Long Sea Outfall & Irrigation Network which received the GCC Water Project of the Year, GCC Engineering Project of the Year and the Sustainability Medal (sponsored by China State Construction). Kuwaits regional winner was The Ministry of Education Headquarters Project which received the GCC Social, Culture and Heritage of the Year award. Special awards were also given to Maher Habanjar, senior director of the Water & Environment Division at Khatib &Alami, (Engineer of the Year), The Founders Memorial (Meed Editor's Award for Special Achievement) and Al Karamah School, Abu Dhabi (Meed Editor's Award for Contribution to Community). TradeArabia News Service King Abdulaziz Port, the largest Saudi port on the Arabian Gulf, marks its successful story which dates back to over four decades ago. The comprehensive port is pioneering major industrial and economic developments. It has expanded from a small berth capable of accommodating only two ships and connected to a 13-kilometre monorail off the coast of Dammam, to a huge complex of ports, shipyards and warehouses. It is also a base for an integrated infrastructure of factories and facilities for various maritime and marine activities, just one kilometre from the heart of Dammam. King Abdulaziz Ports journey of growth and development, Eng Walid F Al Faris, director general of King Abdulaziz Port, said, "Operations at King Abdulaziz Port have started four decades ago mainly to serve the oil and gas industry, which flourishes in the Eastern Province. However, the Kingdoms leadership had a vision to make it a comprehensive centre for the maritime industry and this is exactly what has been achieved. The port has seen regular expansions and today, it covers approximately 190 sq kilometres and is connected to the heart of Dammam, which is one kilometre away. The port is the integrated commercial window that connects the Kingdom to the world and its location on the Arabian Gulf makes it ideal for exporting goods to neighbouring markets in Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. Additionally, the ports central position on the Arabian Gulf coastline makes it a preferred destination for international shipping lines carrying goods to the Kingdom; the biggest market in the GCC. 360-degree comprehensive strategy Talking about the integrated capabilities of King Abdulaziz Port, Al Faris explained: King Abdulaziz Port can handle any type of cargo with its unique capabilities that are rarely found in a single port. It has four terminals operated by the best port management and operation companies. These include two container terminals; the first, operated by the International Port Services Company, has a capacity of 2.5 million containers TEU's and a 16 metre deep with 10 berths totalling 2,160 metres in length. It is equipped with 17 bridge cranes, 5 of them are fully operated remotely. The second terminal, operated by the Saudi Global Ports Company, and has a capacity of 1.5 million containers TEU's, with two berthstotalling700 metres in length and a 16.5 metre deep. It is equipped with 6 bridge cranes and has an additional 600,000 sq m area. The terminals are supported by a large number of mobile stackers and container cranes. Al Faris added: "The port also has a general and bulk cargo terminal in the eastern part, operated by Globe Marine Services Company. It includes 9 berths totalling 1,740 metres in length and 12 to 14 metre deep. It features 56,000 sq metre covered warehouses and 342,000 sq metre open storage areas. The central cargo terminal, operated by United Technical Co., Ltd, includes 13 berths with length2,465 meters, and 9 to 14 meter deep, 44,800 sq metre covered warehouses, and 372,000 sq metre open storage areas. Both terminals have a lot of cargo handling equipment. Therefore, the port is an ideal destination for huge vessels that can dock on the ports various deep berths. Waiting time for ships to unload is minimal thanks to the quality infrastructure, modern handling equipment and the ability to store bulk and general cargo in covered warehouses to protect them from weather and damage. In addition to the four main terminals, the port has a terminal with 33,600 sq metre dimension for black cement and clinker export, and has a capacity storage silos around 30,000 tonne for black cement and a 40,000 tonnes for clinker. The terminal has a conveyor belt to directly transfer cement from the two silos to the ships. It can handle 800 tonnes of black cement and 700 tonnes of clinker per hour. Moreover, the port includes a 16,000 sq meter white cement terminal and two storage silos with a capacity of 8,000 tonnes. The port also has a 60,000 sq metre terminal for handling iron ore, with a capacity of 3 million tonnes per year, and two gantry unloading equipment, each with a capacity of 800 tonnes per hour. The port also has a 113,000 sq metre grain and fodder terminal with storage silos and warehouses with modern equipment capable of handling grains. The ports diversification strategy aims at enhancing its capabilities to deal with various types of cargo, including grains, oils, foodstuffs, ro-ro goods such as cars, vehicles, and other types of containers, is key to its competitiveness. The port further promotes this position by providing services to ships such as fuelling, food and other supply services. Ideal environment for import, export and docking Talking about the ports import and export capabilities and supporting an alternative economy, Al Faris clarified, "King Abdulaziz Port has a state-of-the-art infrastructure that helps the Saudi industrial and commercial sectors do business easily. The port has a 351,000 sq metre storage and re-export area, including 22 thermal-insulated warehouses, six of them are air-conditioned. The port also has an inspection warehouse and two container-unloading warehouses. Saudi factories rely heavily on the port's capabilities to export its products to international markets. The port is indeed a key partner in supporting alternative economy sectors. What makes the port ideal in its operations is its connection to a network of modern highways linking it to all cities of the Eastern Province. As well as, it is also linked by the railway that connects directly to the Dry Port in Riyadh, the economic and industrial heart of Saudi Arabia. King Abdulaziz Port is the preferred choice for factories and companies in cross-border trade which contributes to building the kingdom's economy as one of the world's top economies. The Saudi Ports Authority is committed to streamlining cargo handling procedures. It takes just 24 hours to clear a container, making the port a hub for the worlds biggest logistics companies. Ship operators at King Abdul Aziz Port also like the seamless procedures for landing of their seafarers and crews, and the ability to visit the city and enjoy its leisure facilities and tourist attractions. Incubator for Saudi maritime industry King Abdulaziz Port is not just cranes and quays for loading and unloading. The port includes some of the best marine manufacturing facilities in the Arabian Gulf region. Explaining the ports manufacturing capabilities, Al Faris said, "The port houses King Fahd complex for repairing ships, operated by Al Balaghah Holding Group. It consists of two floating docks for repairing ships and offshore rigs over an area of 147,000 sq metres. It also houses a marine construction and repair complex, managed and operated by Zamil Offshore Services Company. 70 vessels were built in this shipyard and over 360 marine pieces of different sizes and types were repaired or maintained, including huge offshore rigs. Thus, the port is a comprehensive one-stop shop for ships where they can confidently set off to anywhere in the world assured of the proficient services they received. In addition to the ports capabilities in ship building and repairing, as well as floating docks, it features a 500,000 sq metre area for manufacturing and assembling of offshore platforms and oil drilling rigs, managed and operated by Saipem Taqa Al Rushaid Fabricators (STAR). The area specialises in manufacturing and assembling of offshore rigs and industrial equipment that support the oil and gas sectors. A total of72 offshore rigs have been built there for Saudi Aramco and neighbouring countries. The area also houses specialised welding and paint workshops. The port provides office spaces for logistics and maritime and ship management companies. The facilities are equipped with high-speed internet service and provide easy access to electricity and water services that meet the needs of companies, including those with major industrial facilities. Zero pollution cases because People are First Commenting on the importance of training and Saudis in the maritime sector, Al Faris highlighted, The Kingdom should take the lead in the logistics sector within Vision 2030. To ensure this is achieved, we must have qualified Saudi professionals capable of managing and operating all the ports facilities. Thats why, we have established a maritime training academy at the port and have contracted with one of the world's leading marine-training organisations. We are now preparing to graduate over 90 marine supervisors. We also train port personnel on operating cranes, facility management and handling the advanced smart infrastructure that makes the port a model for quality and operations. We are proud that we have zero pollution cases in the port thanks to the efficiency of the team and the quality expertise of the ports staff, added Al Faris. Global distinction and international recognition King Abdulaziz Port, with its integrated maritime capabilities and advanced logistic facilities, has received many international maritime awards. The Saudi Global Ports Company, which operates the second container terminal, received the Most Innovative Ports 2018 and the Best Customer Service Awards 2018 from International Finance Awards. It was also recognised in two categories at the Transport Arabia Excellence Awards 2017; Operational Excellence in Container Handling, and Rail Infrastructure Project. The International Port Services Company received the Best Container Terminal 2017award. Recently, King Abdulaziz Port received the International Quality Management Award (IQM) in the diamond category from Business Initiative Directions (BID). IQM is one of the most prestigious quality management awards in the world. BID developed the QC100 total quality management model in collaboration with several engineers and experts in mathematics and economics. This resulted in many of the most comprehensive and effective quality management tools used today. Since its establishment in 1986 in the USA and Spain, BIDs main task has been to recognise, educate and promote a culture of quality among international organisations. Each year, it organises seven quality management conferences in major cities in Europe and the United States. Receiving such international recognition contributes to promoting the name and reputation of Saudi ports, regionally and globally. This has a positive impact on the Kingdom's progress in the Global Competitiveness Index and Report and the Logistics Performance Index, and is reflected on the Kingdoms global position as a distinguished logistics hub in the centre of three continents; contributing to Kingdom of Saudi Arabias Vision 2030. TradeArabia News Service Saudi Arabias Industrialisation and Energy Services Company (Taqa) announced today that its drilling subsidiary, Arabian Drilling Company (ADC), has agreed to acquire Schlumbergers Middle East onshore drilling rigs business in Kuwait, Oman, Iraq and Pakistan for $415 million. The transaction transforms ADC into a regional drilling leader with one of the largest rig fleets, client portfolios and geographic footprints in the Middle East. ADC, a drilling rig partnership between Taqa and Schlumberger, was established in 1964 through a royal decree. Through this expansion, ADC, Saudi Arabias current market leader and drilling national champion, will become an industry powerhouse, operating a superior fleet of 58 onshore rigs and 9 offshore rigs across the Middle East and North Africa region. The combined firm will have more than 5,900 employees and builds on ADCs long-standing reputation of reliably serving national and international oil and gas companies for over 55 years. The transaction will combine the outstanding track records of the parties with respect to operations, quality of service, health, safety and environment. It will also create economies of scale and cost synergies, making ADC a regional leader, encompassing a diversified, multi-country and multi-client offering. For Taqa, todays announcement represents a major step forward in its ongoing group-wide transformation and growth strategy. Saudi Taqas 2021 strategy is to become a leading regional oilfield services and equipment (OFSE) company and is based on three key pillars: (1) creating value by strengthening the position and growth of its existing businesses and expanding into higher-tier services and new markets, (2) sustaining value by providing differentiated, best-in-class client services and safety, using the latest technologies, and, (3) realizing value and greater operational efficiencies by delivering more integrated client services that are safe, reliable and competitive. Commenting on the move, Saudi Taqa CEO and ADC Board Chairman Azzam Shalabi said: "This acquisition is fully aligned with Saudi Vision 2030. It unlocks value and drives growth across our entire value chain through a more integrated regional approach, while positioning a leading Saudi company as a global player." "The transaction also follows on from ADCs accelerated expansion activity in 2018 when 16 rigs were commissioned to support the growth of Saudi Aramco. This new combination clearly demonstrates that TAQA and ADC are delivering on their transformation and growth strategies, and further strengthens what is already a long-standing and trusted partnership between TAQA and Schlumberger," he stated. "We look forward to supporting ADC in the next phase of its expansion and have full confidence that this will benefit all stakeholders, most notably our regional clients," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Emirates Holidays, the tour operating arm of Dubai-based Emirates Airline has revealed the highlights of its new travel programme for 2019 2021. Now available online and in print, Be There: The Worldwide Holiday Collection has been curated to include trending destinations for travellers from Dubai as identified by Emirates Holidays team of travel experts. Mark White, head of Product at Emirates Holidays commented: In 2018, the most popular countries to travel to from Dubai with Emirates Holidays were: Thailand, Maldives, Switzerland, Germany and the UK. Typically leading our top travelled to destinations from the UAE in the past ten years, we also predict a busy time of travel to these countries from 2019 to 2021. However, with UAE travellers continuing to explore more of the world, we have incorporated new itineraries to emerging and trending destinations in these countries and beyond, White continued. As an example, UK travel is evolving to include more of the country, not just London as has historically been the case as far north as the Scottish Highlands. Our Enchanting Scotland and England itinerary takes travellers from the hilly Scottish capital of Edinburgh through the epic valley of Glencoe, down to the English Lakes, concluding in London. Beyond the UK, other highlight destinations which feature extended itinerary options include: Japan; California, USA; Hamburg, Germany; and Cape Town, South Africa. White added: As touring across the beautiful Japanese countryside takes off, make sure to look out for our Japan Highlights itinerary, or experience the Best of the West of the USA ever popular with UAE travellers with our tailor-made, self-drive tour from Los Angeles to Las Vegas via the Grand Canyon, on to the national parks and concluding in San Francisco. Go on a Tour of Hamburg and experience its spectacular riverside scenery, or use this northern city as a gateway to see more of Germany and neighbouring Denmark, Poland and the Netherlands. Try the Best of South Africa, a country seeing a resurgence in popularity as tourists flock to climb Table Mountain and experience an African safari with our itinerary you can try both, travelling from Cape Town to Johannesburg. Alongside extended touring options, which can be tailor-made to all preferences, the collection includes more than 200 new accommodation options added to the Emirates Holidays portfolio with its itineraries, and the bespoke requests of its travellers, in mind. In the Maldives, for example one of the most popular places to travel to from the UAE the new LUX* North Male Atoll is bringing a first of its kind concept to its shores with over-water penthouse residences, and the original barefoot luxury resort, Soneva Fushi, is now available to book with Emirates Holidays. We have added brand-new hotels, resorts and apartments to our collection across our most popular destinations and in areas where our travel experts have experienced increased interest from travellers in the UAE this has included the Gold Coast, Australias theme park capital, and new destinations in Europe in particular, White added. We have increased our available accommodation significantly in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast and throughout trending places in Europe including parts of Greece, Croatia and Slovenia, Scandinavia, Monaco and Spain, and predict that our boutique hotel options on the hills of Santorini, Greece and beach resorts in Marbella, Spain will attract UAE travellers as we have seen particular interest in holidays to these destinations. Tailored versions of Be There: The Worldwide Holiday Collection have been created for Emirates Holidays key markets and are now available worldwide, a statement said. TradeArabia News Service The Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade issued a decree on 15 April imposing temporary customs duties on imports of semi-finished products of iron or non-alloy steel and steel rebar (bars, rods and coils) for six months. According to the decree, the Ministry of Finance has started collecting 25 per cent customs duties on steel rebar in all its forms and 15 per cent on semi-finished iron products such as billets. The duties will be calculated according to the average international price of steel, which will be announced monthly by the Ministry of Industry and Foreign Trade. The decision is aimed at protecting the local steel industry against dumping. The proceeds from the duties will be directed to the account of the Export Development Fund at the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE). The decree was taken in response to a complaint by three local steel factories, Ezz Steel, Suez Steel and Al-Marakby Steel, requesting that duties be imposed on imported steel because of the negative impacts on local production and harm to sales. The complaint said that steel imports had increased during the first half of 2018 by 31 per cent compared to the same period in 2017. Moreover, it explained that a clear difference in prices between locally produced steel and imported steel, averaging $80 per ton, had led to the accumulation of large amounts of local steel, averaging around 500,000 tons. In reaction, the government notified the World Trade Organisations (WTO) Committee of Safeguards on 2 April that it had started a safeguard investigation on semi-finished products of iron and steel rebar being used for construction purposes. Under WTO rules, a safeguard investigation seeks to determine whether increased imports of a product are causing, or are threatening to cause, serious injury to a domestic industry. A WTO member may take a safeguard action, such as restricting imports of a product temporarily, only if the increased imports of the product in question are found to be causing, or threatening to be causing, serious injury. However, this safeguard action should be for a limited time. Following a preliminary investigation, the Ministry of Industry and Foreign Trade said that the imports had a negative impact on the local industry and issued a decree imposing tariffs temporarily for six months until the investigations end. While the decision was welcomed by the steel factories which presented the complaint and a few others producing billets and steel rebar, it was problematic for other factories depending on the use of imported billets to manufacture steel rebar. They said the local production of billets did not cover the manufacture of the total annual consumption of steel rebar. In 2018, Egypt imported three million tons of billets to cover the gap between production and consumption. Tarek Al-Gioshi, a member of the Chamber of Metallurgical Industries and CEO of Al-Gioshi Steel, said that imposing tariffs on steel rebar as finished products was a good thing as it protected the local industry from the dumping of imports. As for billets, he believed that a 15 per cent duty was exaggerated and that it would be better if the government reduced it to five per cent. He added that imposing 15 per cent duties on billets, a raw material for manufacturing steel rebars, meant an increase in the total cost price. The market would never accept such a high increase, so this could mean losses that could lead to closing businesses, he said. Factories harmed by the decision had presented complaints to the Federation of Egyptian Industries, the ministry of industry and foreign trade, and the prime minister requesting the cancelation of duties on billets until the investigation was finished. According to Al-Gioshi, the share of these factories represents 20 to 25 per cent of market needs. Mohamed Eleiwa, managing director of Misr Steel and Iron Industries, agreed with Al-Gioshi that imposing 15 per cent duties on steel billets for six months would mean the closure of 22 factories or rolling mills. Eleiwa asserted that the data concerning the volume of steel imports included in the complaint were unclear and inaccurate, and that the customs and tax authorities had been asked to send documented figures showing steel imports during the past two years. Factories that have been harmed have the right to file a suit or introduce a complaint within 35 days after the issuance of a decree. We will do our best to clarify the information and reach a settlement to continue our business in an environment that allows for fair competition, Eleiwa said. Total investment in these factories is around LE3.5 billion, and they employ 150,000 workers and represent 55 per cent of total production capacity for steel rebar in Egypt, according to Eleiwa. If the 22 factories close, steel rebar production will be monopolised by a few giant factories, causing an increase in steel prices for development and construction projects in Egypt. Moreover, Eleiwa said that the sudden application of the decree had been a blow to the market as well as the factories and had resulted in an increase in prices. Steel rebar prices have already increased after the application of the decision from LE1,150 to LE1,450 per ton, he said. Egypt took out a partial-protection procedure in December 2017 when the ministry of industry and foreign trade decided to impose tariffs ranging from between 17 to 25 per cent on steel rebar from China, Turkey, and Ukraine for five years. *A version of this article appears in print in the 25 April, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Steel Problems Search Keywords: Short link: More than 2,500 exhibitors and 40,000 industry professionals from 150 countries are in Dubai to explore how innovation can transform tourism at the largest travel industry event in the region, Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which opened its doors today (April 28). The 26th edition of the top travel expo was officially inaugurated by Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation. Sheikh Ahmed was joined by Helal Saeed Al Marri, CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Director-General of Dubais Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) along with other VIPs who embarked on a tour of the show floor as the four-day event got underway at DWTC. Identifying the top tourism trends showing the greatest growth potential is one of the most valuable insights ATM 2019 has to offer, and this years event will be no different as it launches Arabian Travel Week an umbrella brand comprising four co-located shows, said the organisers. The 26th edition of ATM will form part of the inaugural Arabian Travel Week, as well as ILTM Arabia, Connect Middle East, India and Africa a new route development forum launching this year and new consumer-led event ATM Holiday Shopper which kicked off proceedings yesterday (April 27). Building on the success of last years event, ATM 2019 will see 65 national pavilions and more than 100 new exhibitors making their ATM debut including Expo 2020 Dubai, flynas, Belarus National Tourism Agency, Moscow Committee for Tourism and Montenegro National Tourism Organisation, South Africa Tourism Bureau and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, said the organisers. Danielle Curtis, the exhibition director for Mideast at ATM 2019, said: "The introduction of two new events for 2019, as well as the creation of the Arabian Travel Week umbrella brand, was made possible due to the past success of ATM and ILTM Arabia." "The debut ATM Holiday Shopper provides an exclusive consumer element, while Connect MEIA will provide a brand-new route development forum for our industry," she stated. Running until Wednesday (May 1), ATM has adopted cutting-edge technology and innovation as its main theme, and this will be integrated across all show verticals and activities. Over the next four days, professionals from across the industry spectrum will discuss the ongoing unprecedented digital disruption, and the emergence of innovative technologies that will fundamentally alter the way in which the hospitality industry operates in the region. Technology and innovation will also represent key focuses during this years show. Bots, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and the Internet of Things are expected to result in billion-dollar savings for our industry, so it is vital that we empower exhibitors and attendees to explore how these tools can be leveraged to benefit their customers and businesses, remarked Curtis. Participants will enjoy four days of business networking opportunities and a full programme of insightful seminar sessions including aviation, the future of selling travel and the evolution of bespoke luxury travel as well as how immersive technology will transform the visitor experience at mega events such as the upcoming Expo 2020, she explained. On the global stage, the opening session Arabia China Tourism Forum will take place from 3.30pm. With China set to account for a quarter of international tourism by 2030, an expert panel will discuss how destinations around the world can capitalise on this growth, sttated Curtis. The forum will also include a 30-minute networking session with over 80 Chinese buyers, she added. Curtis said: "Adding to this, the 2019 edition is set to showcase the largest ever exhibition from Asia in the history of ATM, with the continent witnessing an 8% year-on-year increase in total show area and Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka being the largest exhibiting countries." Turning a spotlight on upcoming hotel developments, technologies and concepts that will shape the regions hospitality sector going forward, the Global Stage will host the inaugural ATM Hotel Industry Summit from 2.40pm on Tuesday (April 30). From new infrastructure and regional development hotspots to technologies and hotel models that put the guest experience first, a panel of key industry experts will discuss how the industry will evolve over the next decade. Other Global Stage highlights will be a focused seminar session on Saudi Arabias tourism potential and a keynote from Emirates Airline President Tim Clark as well as the third Global Halal Tourism Summit which will explore the top trends within the sector as well as the growing role of technology, including the digitisation of Umrah. As well as the ultra-innovative Travel Tech Show at ATM, other calendar favourites returning for ATM 2019 include the Best Stand Awards, the Travel Agents Academy and the Digital Influencers and Buyers Speed Networking Events, stated the organisers. ATM, considered by industry professionals as a barometer for the Middle East and North Africa tourism sector, welcomed over 39,000 people to its 2018 event, showcasing the largest exhibition in the history of the show, with hotels comprising 20% of the floor area, it added.-TradeArabia News Service Rotana, one of the leading hotel management companies in the region with properties across the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Turkey, is showcasing its growing portfolio of world-class hospitality offerings at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019. Now in its 26th edition, the key industry event offers an outstanding platform for Rotana to share the latest updates on its performance and upcoming openings in the region and beyond. Rotana currently operates 65 hotels in 23 cities across 12 countries, including an impressive 9,694 keys at 35 hotels in the UAE alone. With a pipeline of ten hotels scheduled to open before the end of 2020, the stage is set for the companys sustained expansion, said the top Emirati hospitality group. Among the most highly anticipated of Rotanas upcoming openings in 2019 is the Johari Rotana in Tanzania, a spectacular five-star hotel in Dar es Salaam that marks the companys entrance to the East African market. The 253-key hotel will include 193 luxurious hotel rooms and suites and 60 serviced hotel apartments spread across 24 floors, and is set to bring new levels of hospitality to Tanzanias commercial capital. The brand-new hotel is located within the landmark MNF Square project, a 65,000 sq-m mixed-use development that also includes office space and retail outlets, and is scheduled to open in August this year. Rotana is set to make another country debut in Q3 with the opening of the Bosmal Arjaan by Rotana in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Strategically located in Sarajevos Bosmal City Centre complex, the new hotel features 132 hotel apartments, in addition to a gymnasium, two indoor pools, a sauna, a Turkish bath, and multiple treatment rooms. The hotel is the second tallest residential tower in the Balkans region. Also launching during Q3 2019 is the Dana Rayhaan by Rotana in Dammam. The new hotel will add 285 keys to Rotanas inventory in Saudi Arabia, which currently consists of six hotels. Rotanas expansion will continue in 2020 with the launch of Centro Corniche, Al Khobar (253 keys), Slemani Rotana, Sulaymaniyah (240 keys), the companys third hotel in Jordan, Centro Amman (200 keys), Al Jaddaf Rotana (338 keys), Cayan Cantara Arjaan by Rotana (329 keys) and Cayan Cantara Residences by Rotana (489 keys) in Dubai, and Imam Reza Rotana, Mashhad (272 keys). On the significance of the event, Rotanas Acting CEO Guy Hutchinson said: "We are delighted to participate in ATM 2019, which offers unrivalled opportunities to connect with key industry stakeholders, forge new business alliances, and showcase our plans for the future." "The theme of this years event is innovation and technology, an area in which we have always excelled thanks to our passion for developing ground-breaking ideas that engage guests and improve their overall experience," he noted. "Buoyed by our consistently good results and the continuing rise in visitor numbers to the Middle East, Rotanas growth plans remain firmly on-course," stated Hutchinson. "We will continue to explore fresh avenues for expansion into new markets, in line with our ambitious strategy to develop 46 new properties in 28 cities across the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Turkey," he added. The regions hospitality sector is in the midst of a significant transformation, characterised by an increasing focus on public spending in tourism. These developments are driven by the ambitious economic diversification roadmaps outlined by governments, including the UAEs Vision 2021 and the Saudi Vision 2030. In keeping with the theme of this years ATM, there has also been considerable emphasis on the development of disruptive technologies, which are creating exciting new possibilities in product and service offerings with the potential to redefine the guest experience, he added.-TradeArabia News Service Bahrain's national carrier Gulf Air and Oman Air have expanded their existing codeshare agreement allowing passengers to benefit from the outstanding products and services offered by the two airlines. This will extend travel opportunities to fly beyond Muscat and Bahrain effective from the upcoming summer schedule. As per the deal, Gulf Air will place its GF code on Oman Air flights from Muscat to Salalah and Khasab in Oman, Nairobi in Kenya, Zanzibar in Tanzania, Goa and Lucknow in India, Kathmandu in Nepal and Jakarta in Indonesia. On the other hand, the extended codeshare agreement will see Oman Air place its WY code on Gulf Air flights from Bahrain to Tbilisi in Georgia, Baku in Azerbaijan, Gassim in Saudi Arabia and Beirut in Lebanon. Commenting on the codeshare extension, Gulf Airs CEO Kresimir Kucko said: "Gulf Air and Oman Air has been long-time partners and now we are celebrating many years of close partnership with an extension to what is already one of our strongest codeshare collaborations." "The existing codeshare on the Bahrain-Muscat route has been receiving good feedback over the years allowing passengers to choose from a variety of frequencies every day. Now Gulf Air passengers can explore more destinations beyond Muscat as they fly on Oman Air to different destinations in Oman, Africa, India and the Far East," he stated. Oman Air CEO Abdulaziz Al Raisi said: "We are very happy with the extension of this codeshare agreement with Gulf Air, which is a strategic and important partner for Oman Air." "Through this code share, Oman Air offers its guests the opportunity to extend their travel from Bahrain to Tbilisi, Baku, Gassim and Beirut. The Gulf Air guests in return can travel to Oman Airs destinations of Salalah, Khasab, Nairobi, Zanzibar, Goa, Lucknow, Kathmandu and Jakarta," he explained. "We are sure the guests will find the award-winning services of Oman Air and the legacy services of Gulf Air a truly rewarding experience," he added. Gulf Air is a major international carrier serving 49 cities in 26 countries. The Bahrain flag carrier currently serves all its destinations with a combination of wide and narrow body fleet of 36 aircraft including its flagship Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and the latest Airbus 320neo, said the statement from the company. The airline connects Bahrain to the world, serving as a powerful driver for the economy and supporting the kingdoms on-going economic growth, it added. Oman Air currently serves up to 55 destinations worldwide. The carrier operates direct international flights from Muscat to GCC region as well as Middle East & Africa region.-TradeArabia News Service Hyatt Hotels Corporation said that it expects the number of Hyatt hotels in Saudi Arabia to double, with five additional Hyatt branded hotels to open by 2023, adding approximately 1,300 rooms to the region. The expansion includes the anticipated opening of Grand Hyatt Al Khobar, marking the first Grand Hyatt branded hotel in the Kingdom, set to open in late 2019. The expected opening of Jabal Omar Hyatt Centric Makkah Hotel and Residences will mark the entry of the Hyatt Centric brand into the country. Additionally Hyatt Regency Jeddah Serafi Mallis slated for a 2021 opening and a dual-branded Hyatt Place and Hyatt House Riyadh/KAFDis slated for 2022. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the fastest growing religious tourism markets in the world and one of Hyatts primary focus areas within the Middle East, said Ludwig Bouldoukian, regional vice president of development, Mena for Hyatt. Saudi Arabia continues to make significant strides in boosting tourism and infrastructure in a bid to diversify the economy. The ambitious expansion of Hyatt brands cements Hyatts brand presence, both amongst Gulf residents and the increasing number of international travellers visiting Saudi Arabia. Hyatts growth strategy is aligned with Saudi Arabias Vision 2030,which focuses on increasing tourism and the Kingdoms economy. The anticipated new properties reinforce Hyatts ongoing commitment to developing its brand pipeline, with the current portfolio consisting of Park Hyatt Jeddah, Jabal Omar Hyatt Regency Makkah, Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya, Hyatt Place Riyadh Al Sulaimania and Hyatt House Jeddah Sari Street. Hyatt has established a strong brand reputation in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East by consistently delivering premium service, said Kurt Straub, vice president of operations, Middle East, Africa and South West Asia for Hyatt. By identifying the needs of local and international high-end travellers, we will continue this journey of excellence by offering memorable experiences, complemented by impeccable service standards. Hyatts growth in Saudi Arabia includes plans for the following hotel openings: Grand Hyatt The first of its kind in Saudi Arabia, Grand Hyatt Al Khobar, slated to open in late 2019, will be situated within Al Rashid Mall in Saudi Arabias Eastern Province. Al Khobar is one of the largest cities in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and, together with Dammam and Dhahran, form the Triplet Cities, Saudi Arabias key economic and tourism hubs. Here, the Grand Hyatt brand will inspire guests to celebrate their lifes ambitions through its captivating appeal and welcoming service that creates moments of more. Hyatt Regency Hyatt Regency Jeddah Serafi Mall, slated to open in fall 2021, is located in Jeddahs Al Aziziyah neighbourhood. The 19-story hotel will be well-equipped with more than 500 guestrooms and residences, a lobby lounge designed for productivity, two diverse dining options, a signature ballroom equipped with facilities synonymous with the Hyatt Regency brand, and wellness and fitness facilities. Attached to one of the largest retail malls in Jeddah, Serafi Mega Mall, the hotel will serve as a seamless venue for both leisure and business travellers. Hyatt Place and Hyatt House With the planned opening of dual-branded Hyatt Place and Hyatt House hotels in Riyadh, slated to open in fall 2022, the number of Hyatt Place and Hyatt House properties in Saudi Arabia will rise to four, adding to the recently opened Hyatt Place Riyadh Al Sulaimania and Hyatt House Jeddah Sari Street. As a dual-branded location, the hotels will facilitate the needs of high energy individuals looking to balance business with leisure, while the Hyatt House hotel will appeal to long-term residents, with its apartment style living, promoting continuity of work and lifestyle. Hyatt Centric Jabal Omar Hyatt Centric Makkah Hotel and Residences, slated to open in late 2023, will mark the first hotel under the Hyatt Centric brand in Saudi Arabia and the third in the Middle East. The hotel will feature 196 guestrooms and suites, while the residences will include 200 branded units that will be available to the public. Both the hotel and residences will offer modern design collaborations with influential brands and local artists that are synonymous with the Hyatt Centric brand, known to connect guests to the heart of the action so they never miss a moment of adventure. TradeArabia News Service The International Association of Akhal-Teke Horse Breeding held its 9th meeting in Ashgabat, as part of the events celebrating the national holiday Day of Turkmen Horse. The meeting was attended by the President of Turkmenistan, President of the International Association of Akhal-Teke Horse Breeding Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The meeting discussed issues related to the worldwide development of Akhal-Teke horse breeding and equestrian sport and the work on the popularization of this breed of horse in the world, especially in the regions where the association established its branches. Speaking at the meeting, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that the association members include 147 legal entities and individuals from 32 countries of the world, and their number is growing every year, reflecting the increasing scope of cooperation. According to the Turkmen leader, the annual celebration of the Turkmen horse in the last week of April is evidence of the Turkmen peoples deep respect for their beloved horses and unsurpassed art of their breeding. The Presidential speech was followed by a ceremony awarding the best Turkmen and foreign horse breeders for their great contribution to the development of Akhal-Teke horse breeding and its popularization in the world. By the presidential decree, they were awarded the honorary title of Honored Horse Breeder of Turkmenistan. In conclusion, the Turkmen leader invited all the guests to take part in numerous events held throughout the country on the occasion of Turkmen Horse Day. TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2021 Hardoi, Apr 27 (UNI) Accusing the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati of indulging in politics in the name of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that his government had established the 'Panchteerth' in the country and world in the honour of the Baba Saheb. The Prime Minister said, "BSP formed governments in the name of Baba Saheb but it is important to tell the truth behind how much respect 'Behen ji' had for him. In the name of removing Modi, Behen ji has joined hands with someone who used to leave no occasion to insult Baba Saheb." Mr Modi said, "The people who called Baba Saheb a 'land mafia,' destroyed the 'bastis' of the Dalits, made false cases on Dalits and took possession of their homes, Ms Mayawati is happily asking for votes for those. This happens when one's only goal is to attain power." In an address which lasted for about 35 minutes at the CSN Degree College, Mr Modi said, "With your support, India is being praised in the world. Today, India is the fastest developing country in the world. Today, India is writing a new story of economic progress, adding that when the economy is strong, the life of the ordinary citizen becomes easy." The Prime Minister further said that on the occasion of Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar's Jayanti on April 14, 2017, his government launched the 'Bhim App.' "Today, this new arrangement which has eased the life of the people, we named it after Baba Saheb. The people who kept asking for votes in his name did not try to do anything by taking some lessons from Baba Saheb's life. Baba Saheb was a great economist of the world and that is the reason why we took inspiration from him and dedicated the Bhim app to him," the PM said. Mr Modi said that his government had persistently worked to increase Baba Saheb's respect and pride. In the past five years, five monuments associated with Baba Saheb were developed in the form of a 'Panchteerth' in Delhi, Mau, Rampur, Mumbai and London. These works which are being completed today could have been done years back but Congress sees nothing beyond its family and hence, they ignored great men like Baba Saheb and insulted them. Further, the Prime Minister averred that today, even the most poor individual in a village has a mobile phone because as compared to earlier years, mobile phones were cheaper nowadays. Phones have become cheaper because now mobile phones are made in India. Before 2014, there were only two companies making mobile phones whereas in the past five years, this number has increased to 125. Apart from being expensive, the internet speed was very slow but today, the circumstances are complete opposite. Today, money can instantly be sent to one's relative or friend who is in some other city. Mr Modi said that when the Pulwama terror attack took place, the SP-BSP considered Pakistan's statements to be true and didn't listen to our soldiers. Can the country be safe in their hands? Can they provide security to the country and respect to the Jawans? The 'majboor' (weak) governments do not have the courage to criticise the terrorists. Was there any statement against the terrorists by Ms Mayawati? UNI XC YK SHK1700 The signing of the deal comes as President Sisi concluded his three-day trip to China to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative forum in Beijing. Egypt signed on Sunday a $3 billion loan with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) to design and establish a central business zone in the New Administrative Capital (NAC). Minister of Housing Assem El-Gazzar, who attended on Sunday the signing ceremony with ICBC representatives in Beijing, said that Egypt would receive $834 million as the first tranche of the loan. El-Gazzar said the first tranche will cover the expenses of designing and building seven tall towers on a total area of 600,000 square meters. The central business zone would also see the erection of 20 towers, including a 385-metre-tall tower, which will be the tallest in Africa, the minister said. The signing of the deal comes as Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi concluded his three-day trip to China to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative forum in Beijing. China is among a number of countries who are funding projects in the new capital, which has seen its first phase completed. During his visit to China, President El-Sisi discussed economic and investment opportunties with Chinese officials and regional and international counterparts; with El-Sisi announcing a plan to make Egypt a regional digital centre for the transfer of data between Asia, Africa and Europe. In January, Egypt secured a $1.2 billion deal with the Export-Import Bank of China (EximBank) to finance an electric train that will run from one of the countrys main industrial zones, 10th of Ramadan City, to NAC. In 2015, Egypt started construction on the new administrative capital 45km east of Cairo as part of the government's plan to reduce pressure on an overpopulated 20-million strong capital, expand urban areas and develop the infrastructure of the 100-million-strong million nation. NAC, which is being built over 714 square kilometres by tens of thousands of workers, will be home to a government housing district, 29 ministries and other state institutions including the cabinet and parliament buildings and 20 residential neighbourhoods that can accommodate 6.5 million people. Search Keywords: Short link: Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. Vets, first responders can get free tickets to Open Season Expo The first Sichuan Culture and Tourism Development Convention, to be held on April 29 in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, is expected to inject new momentum into the integration of culture and tourism in Sichuan with the releases of a series of new policies and measures. As one of the highlights, the list of the first 10 Tianfu Tourism Counties will be announced at the convention. The Tianfu Tourism Counties project, sponsored by Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, is a key measure for the province to promote the integration of culture and tourism at the county-level, and thus improve the overall quality of Sichuan's tourism. Each county named as a Tianfu Tourism County will receive a provincial financial incentive of 30 million yuan ($ 4.5 million), according to the department of culture and tourism. In five years, the province is scheduled to build 50 Tianfu Tourism Counties with distinctive features, strong industrial strength, excellent business environment, perfect service facilities, as well as a great reputation at home and abroad, the department said. Hong Qinghua, founder of online travel agency Lvmama and chairman of Jingyu Group, pointed out that Sichuan is already a big tourism destination, with each of the Tianfu Tourism Counties able to play an important role in further improvements. "Many places in Sichuan have good cultural and tourism resources, but if you want to transform the resources into a value-creating IP, you must combine cultural creativity, strong planning, and strong operations," he said, adding that it is necessary to give full play to the diverse and rich cultural and tourism resources of Sichuan. Hong said each of the Tianfu Tourism Counties should be developed into an IP of Sichuan tourism, and the various elements of the tourism industrial chain should work together to build Sichuan into a world-class tourist destination. Xin Hongye, deputy director of the Information Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said the construction of a Tianfu Tourism County should be tailored to local conditions, that is, to solve the county's problems with its own resources, rather than copying others. Chinese President Xi Jinping chairs and addresses the leaders' roundtable meeting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the Yanqi Lake International Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, April 27, 2019. [Xinhua/Li Xueren] Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday called for joint efforts of all parties to promote high-quality development of the Belt and Road. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday called for joint efforts of all parties to promote high-quality development of the Belt and Road. Xi made the remarks at the leaders' roundtable meeting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing. Under the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, participants of the Belt and Road Initiative have provided new impetus for global economic growth and opened new space for global development since the first BRF in 2017, according to Xi. Xi called on all parties to jointly push forward intensive and meticulous implementation, advance the joint building of the Belt and Road, and deliver greater benefits to the people of all countries. He highlighted joint work of all parties to identify cooperation priorities and focus on enhancing all-round connectivity. Xi also stressed joint efforts to strengthen cooperation mechanisms and forge partnership on connectivity, calling for encouraging the full participation of more countries and businesses in expanding common interests. Leaders from 40 countries and international organizations attended the roundtable meeting, had an extensive and in-depth exchange of views, and reached important consensus on a wide range of topics, including promoting connectivity, strengthening policy alignment, forging closer partnerships, promoting green and sustainable development, and implementing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. During the discussion, foreign participants said advancing the joint building of the Belt and Road is one of the greatest initiatives for economic cooperation in today's world, and expressed willingness to align their respective countries' development strategies with the initiative. A joint communique was adopted at the closing session of the roundtable, and a list of deliverables of the forum was also published after the meeting. During the day, Xi took a group photo with foreign leaders and heads of international organizations. Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng also attended the roundtable meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping chairs and addresses the leaders' roundtable meeting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the Yanqi Lake International Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, April 27, 2019. [Xinhua/Li Tao] Chinese President Xi Jinping takes a group photo with foreign leaders and heads of international organizations during the leaders' roundtable meeting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the Yanqi Lake International Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, April 27, 2019. [Xinhua/Yao Dawei] Chinese President Xi Jinping takes a group photo with foreign leaders and heads of international organizations during the leaders' roundtable meeting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the Yanqi Lake International Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, April 27, 2019. [Xinhua/Rao Aimin] Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres while welcoming foreign leaders and heads of international organizations attending the leaders' roundtable meeting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the Yanqi Lake International Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, April 27, 2019. [Xinhua/Rao Aimin] Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde while welcoming foreign leaders and heads of international organizations attending the leaders' roundtable meeting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the Yanqi Lake International Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, April 27, 2019. [Xinhua/Rao Aimin] Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla while welcoming foreign leaders and heads of international organizations attending the leaders' roundtable meeting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the Yanqi Lake International Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, April 27, 2019. [Xinhua/Yao Dawei] Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Nikolay Snopkov, representative of Belarusian President, while welcoming foreign leaders and heads of international organizations attending the leaders' roundtable meeting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the Yanqi Lake International Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, April 27, 2019. [Xinhua/Yao Dawei] Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz while welcoming foreign leaders and heads of international organizations attending the leaders' roundtable meeting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the Yanqi Lake International Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, April 27, 2019. [Xinhua/Yao Dawei] Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades while welcoming foreign leaders and heads of international organizations attending the leaders' roundtable meeting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the Yanqi Lake International Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, April 27, 2019. [Xinhua/Yao Dawei] (Source: Xinhua) More parents are making travelling plans for their children. [Xinhua] Two months from summer vacation, parents are already making plans for their children.Dozens of parents and children guests have since April been visiting Beijing brick-and-mortar shops owned by domestic online travel agency Ctrip, the agency reports. "The online views of our summer vacation study tour products have increased by 120 percent in April compared with the previous month," said Zhang Jie, Ctrip's study tour general manager. Zhang expects the number of young study travelers to grow by more than 50 percent compared with last year. The US, the UK, Austria, Japan and Canada are among the most popular foreign destinations for study tours. Beijing, northwestern Gansu province's Dunhuang, Shanghai, western Shaanxi province's Xi'an and eastern Jiangsu province's Nanjing topped the domestic destination list. Wang Chunxia has arranged study tours for her son since 2015. "We've been to deserts, grasslands, and (sections of) the Silk Road over the years," Wang said. Wang has booked a two-week trip to Australia and a two-week trip to the US in August for her son, who is in the fifth grade. "He will be sitting in on local classes and studying with local children there," Wang said. Although the trips will cost her roughly 70,000 yuan, Wang said it's money well spent. "He will learn things while having fun in those foreign lands, which will open his eyes and enable him to make new friends," she says. Wang said her son now better understands different cultures and is more confident. "I will keep sending him on these trips to see more places and know their culture and history," Wang said. Egypt's Boghdady Jazz Big Band will take the stage of the Cairo Opera House's Open Theatre on Tuesday, 30 April, amid celebrations of International Jazz Day. Founded by conductor Magdy Boghdady, the band will play their usual repertoire that combines American and Egyptian tunes and standards like Brazil, April in Paris, New York, Moon Dance, Fly Me to the Moon, Mambo Jumbo and others. The concert is supported by the Ministry of Culture as part of its particpation in UNESCO's International Jazz Day. Programme: Tuesday, 30 April, 8pm Open Theatre, Cairo Opera House, Zamalek For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: Russian composer Viktor Vasilievich Pleshak's creation, The Silk Road Suite, premiered at the Shanghai Symphony Hall on April 11. [China Daily] The rich imagery and colors on the Buddhist murals and statues in Dunhuang have inspired Russian composer Viktor Vasilievich Pleshak. His creation, The Silk Road Suite, premiered at the Shanghai Symphony Hall on April 11. The Silk Road Suite a project supported by the China National Arts Fund - is the first symphony composition about Dunhuang, a major stop on the ancient Silk Road, and the nearby Mogao Caves, where large numbers of Buddhist frescos have survived for more than 1,000 years. The suite consists of nine movements, featuring four Chinese soloists and the Lanzhou Symphony Orchestra from Gansu province, in the northwestern part of China. The concert was conducted by Zhu Man, a female conductor from the China National Opera House. The Russian composer, aged 73, was not present at the concert in Shanghai, but his portrayal of Dunhuang and the Silk Road is inspired by what he saw and felt while visiting the Mogao Caves in February 2018, as well as sounds and colors from the Silk Road, such as the hustle and bustle of the bazaar fairs in west Asian countries, says Zhu. Speaking about the show, Shanghai-based music critic, Tang Ruofu, says: "The choice of Chinese instruments like erhu and pipa was clearly inspired by murals in the Dunhuang grottoes, while the vocalization of the soprano was an idea borrowed from Rachmaninoff. Together they form an epic musical adventure into the wild west of China." A versatile musician adept with many forms of music, Pleshak combined his perception of the Silk Road with his own background of Russian music, creating a piece that was very different from a Chinese composition, says Zhu. There has been some Chinese music composed featuring the Silk Road, especially Dunhuang, but Pleshak's creation has opened a new door, inviting Western audiences to get to know about them. The publicity department of Gansu province had earlier proposed the creation of an orchestrated music production about the murals in the Mogao Caves of Dunhuang and the Silk Road, hoping to present the rich cultural heritage of China in a universal musical vocabulary, says Shen Tong, head of the Gansu Cultural Development Group Co. The State-owned enterprise is the production company of The Silk Road Suite. The concert is one of the 37 productions that comprise the Shanghai Spring International Music Festival, which began on April 8 and runs through April 28. Speaking about Gansu's backing for the show, Shen says: "We are greatly honored to premiere the Silk Road Suite at the festival in Shanghai. We are proud to present our creation at this international music event, and have more communications with musicians and audiences from all over the world." The Lanzhou Symphony Orchestra, which performs the piece, was founded in 1973, and separated from the Lanzhou Song and Dance Theatre in 2008. Speaking about the largest orchestra in Gansu, Zhu says it has "risen and flourished in a new wave of classical music development all over China." She also says that many internationally-acclaimed conductors and musicians have worked with the Lanzhou Symphony, such as conductors Zheng Xiaoying, Yu Long and Li Xincao, pianist Lang Lang and cellist Yo-yo Ma, and that their participation has helped the orchestra to achieve a high level of professionalism that is rare in the northwest of China. Since 2017, the Lanzhou Symphony has also successfully presented large opera productions such as Turandot and La Boheme both at home and abroad. (Source: China Daily) Chen Hongbin, Director of the General Medicine Department and the Geriatric Department of Beihai People's Hospital, set her journey to Niger in January 2017, as one of the 19th group of the Chinese medical team to Africa. Chen and other Chinese medical team members spared no effort to push ahead the operation of Niger general hospital and to train a large number of local medical staff. Chen Hongbin (Second from right) works with Nigerien medical staff. [China Women's News] Equipped with 500 beds, Niger general hospital was built with China's assistance in line with the configuration of China's tertiary hospital, which is the largest and the most advanced general hospital in not just Niger but the whole of West Africa. The construction of the hospital was completed in November 2016, but it wasn't put into operation in the following three months. "We faced unprecedented challenges. Many of the hospital areas were covered with dust and most of the medical facilities were unopened. There were only 12 medical workers in the hospital at that time, "Chen recalled. When the hospital was ready to open, Chen was designated as the physician in the Chinese medical team as well as cashier and administrative assistant of the Chinese director of the hospital. As a member of the Chinese representatives, Chen held 14 working discussions with officials of Nigerien Health Ministry and organized more than 70 negotiations with the Nigerien director of the hospital on solving issues. Chen has written more than 100,000 words of paper materials including the report on hospital investigation, hospital marketing strategy, and maintenance suggestion on large equipment. Her reports were submitted to the embassy, business offices and Autonomous Region Health Commission, offering a reference for decision-making. By negotiating with the hospital contractor, the equipment dealers and the facilities manufacturers, the hospital was eventually put into operation on November 24, 2017. "Clinic care is still my important work," said Chen. Besides taking part in the administrative management and external liaison work, Chen was also responsible for the clinic care of geriatric department. "The medical aid to Africa gives me a new recognition to the construction of the Belt and Road," Chen said that there were many Chinese enterprises in Niger and many Chinese people running businesses there, "The hospital is extremely important to our compatriots." At the end of January 2018, the 19th group of Chinese medical team accomplished its mission and returned to China. The team members not only trained a number of local high-level medical talents but also laid a foundation for the follow-up Chinese medical team members to carry out clinical work in Africa. "By the time we returned to China, there were more than 100 local medical workers in the general hospital. Medical professionals from other countries of North Africa all visited and studied there," Chen said that during the year she lived in Niamey, she deeply felt China's influence upon the local region. African people believe that China provides them with hope and dignity. The Sino-African relationship boosts the construction of the Belt and Road to go further. "The Health Action is one of the 'eight major actions' jointly implemented by China and Africa, which will surely bring benefits to the people," Chen added. (Source: China Women's News/Translated and edited by Women of China) Shi Yun, director of Dongming Kindergarten in Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, plays with her students. [For China Daily] Shi Yun, director of Dongming Kindergarten in Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, has dedicated the past 28 years to providing her best care and education to young students who pass through her school. "Many people think the work of kindergarten teachers is easy because they just need to teach children to sing, dance and play games," Shi said. "However, those small things affect a child's personality, manner in treating others and emotions, and may even have an impact throughout a person's life." Shi has taken care of more than 2,000 children in her 28-year career. All the children that pass through her kindergarten leave an impression upon Shi, and nothing is more rewarding than seeing a child develop, Shi said. One such child was so shy he could barely talk when he was just a three-year-old starting at the kindergarten. However, over time, Shi was able to gain his trust and make him feel more relaxed and comfortable at the school. Shi's efforts generated returns. One day, when entering the classroom, the boy said, "Hello teacher." Today, the boy is enrolled at one of the best senior high schools in Weifang, making Shi very proud. Inspiring early childhood educator raises a generation in the right way Shi was invited to Weifang Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone in 2014 to work as an education professional. In 2018, she was appointed as the director of Dongming Kindergarten. Shi's success stems from her ability to pass on a lifelong passion for education to her teachers and students, as well as her determination to always innovate and try new practices. Her personally-developed curriculum encourages teachers to apply different methods in the classroom for students of different ages. According to Shi, in a student's first year at kindergarten, the teacher needs to be there primarily for support. In the second year, the teacher can help students develop basic skills to acquire greater independence. The third year is spent developing character. "Children can develop hobbies, learn to express gratitude, respect others and appreciate good behavior, which will benefit them throughout their life," said Liu Yanyu, a teacher at Dongming Kindergarten. In Shi's opinion, a director should act as the soul of a kindergarten, considering decisions and directions which will have an impact on teachers and children. A director should lead the way for teachers and kids, rather than just giving comments, Shi said. "Shi considers kids as the future for our country and families. She wants to provide all the best for them," Liu added. Shi has been recognized as a provincial and city-level model for her contributions to education. "I think teachers should act like parents. Their love and responsibilities will help the kids to grow up with more happiness," Shi said. Gao Xufei contributed to this story. (Source: China Daily) North Wales health board forced to pay back 1m after failing to hit waiting list target This article is old - Published: Sunday, Apr 28th, 2019 A health board has been forced to pay back around 1m after failing to hit waiting list targets. The Welsh Government has taken action after almost 6,000 patients in North Wales waited over eight months for hospital treatment. It has contributed to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board overspending its budget by 41.3m during the last financial year, which ended in March. The board, which is still in special measures, fell short of its goal of bringing the waiting list down to 5,700 patients by 216 during 2018/19. It came despite the Cardiff administration injecting almost 20m to try and improve performances against referral to treatment (RTT) figures in the region. Ministers have now triggered a claw-back mechanism to retrieve some of the money. The move was revealed in papers which are set to go before Betsi Cadwaladr officials next week. In a report, director of finance Russell Favager warned they also face a number of major risks in the next 12 months as spending on agency staff has spiralled into tens of millions of pounds. He said: In total, the health board received 19.5m funding for additional activity to reduce the long waiting lists this year. However during April, there was a clawback of 1m of this funding by Welsh Government as waiting times did not meet the requirement. The clawback related to the final confirmed activity level of 5,916, against a target of 5,700. March saw the highest agency spend for the year as a whole, with total agency spend for 2018/19 amounting to 31.6m. There are a number of critical financial risks which are being carried forward and will need to be carefully managed in 2019/20, including individual packages of care, pay costs, particularly agency costs associated with waiting times and performance and the need to develop and deliver savings schemes. An update is also set to be given at the meeting on the ongoing dispute over payments to the Countess of Chester Hospital, which has led the English trust to stop accepting outpatient referrals from Wales. Senior figures blamed the move on an ongoing funding row with the Welsh Government after claiming it was not being paid enough to look after patients from over the border. However, the change which affects thousands of people in Flintshire has been greeted with anger. Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething said the decision was unacceptable while negotiations regarding tariffs are ongoing between various government and NHS representatives on both sides. Mr Ravager said the potential tariff changes posed a further risk to the boards financial status. He added: The issue of the potential significant financial impact of English tariff changes on Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee commissioned services has not been concluded and remains a risk going into 2019/20. The Countess dispute and the boards current financial position will be discussed at a meeting being held at Venue Cymru in Llandudno on Thursday. By Liam Randall BBC Local Democracy Reporter (more here on the LDR scheme). (Click for large) Police officer hit by car on Town Hill This article is old - Published: Saturday, Apr 27th, 2019 North Wales Police are appealing for witnesses to an incident in the early hours of last Saturday morning. The incident took place at 00:45 on Town Hill in the town centre on the 20th of April. Police say an officer was struck by a car Anyone with any information or who witnessed the incident is asked to call police on 101, citing reference 19100189990 (Click for large) Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-27 16:45:30|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close WUHAN, April 27 (Xinhua) -- In the 17th century, hundreds of thousands of merchants transported brick tea, blocks of compressed oolong tea or black tea along a trade route that linked central China's Hubei Province and Russia's St. Petersburg. The 6,500-km-long ancient tea road has been restored to its former glory in recent years, as the tea trade between Hubei and countries along the route has been booming. "In recent years, brick tea has fascinated many tea lovers in countries along the Belt and Road," said Li Xinhua, former director of the tea industry development bureau in Hubei's city of Chibi, which used to be the starting point of the tea road. Tea companies in Chibi, a major tea production base with more than 10,000 hectares of tea-growing area, have been seeking to exploit the markets in Russia, Kazakhstan and other central Asian countries since 2015. To date, the companies have signed overseas deals worth a total of over 100 million U.S. dollars. "In the past, tea farmers in Chibi compressed tea into hard blocks to keep it dry and preserve its quality, as it could take months before the tea reached overseas customers," Li said. Although faster logistics powered by modern transportation systems have rendered the storage method no longer necessary, brick tea has continued to charm an increasing number of overseas aficionados. "The charm of brick tea lies in that its production process involves working with your hands. The process could never be replaced by machines," said Sun Dunjia, a 63-year-old local inheritor of producing brick tea. "Foreign customers have a fancy for the long history behind brick tea and its cultural significance," Sun added. Tea producers in Chibi have also been adding modern touches to traditional brick tea to cater to diverse needs in expanding overseas markets. "Traditional brick tea looks like big, heavy clay bricks, and it's hard to break it into pieces," said Jin Li, vice general manager of a local tea company. Jin said her company had developed a new type of brick tea that has the shape of chocolate bars and is easy to break and carry. "Overseas customers, especially young customers, prefer brick tea products that are smaller in size, such as tea bags and tea drinks," she said. Thanks to such innovations, her company recorded a sales volume of over 10 million yuan (1.5 million U.S. dollars) in overseas markets last year. "Some customers even use our products as air filters because brick tea is an effective absorber," she said. Stranded passengers wait at the service counter of Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) at Arlanda Airport, Stockholm, Sweden, April 27, 2019. A total of 1,409 Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) pilots from Sweden, Norway and Denmark went on strike on Friday morning, causing 673 departures being canceled so far and over 70,000 passengers affected, Swedish News SVT reported. SAS warns that the continuing strike could affect a further 100,000 passengers over the weekend. (Xinhua/Wei Xuechao) STOCKHOLM, April 27 (Xinhua) -- A total of 1,409 Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) pilots from Sweden, Norway and Denmark went on strike on Friday morning, causing 673 departures being canceled so far and over 70,000 passengers affected, Swedish News SVT reported. SAS warns that the continuing strike could affect a further 100,000 passengers over the weekend. In the early hours of Friday morning, last-minute salary negotiations between SAS and the Swedish Air Line Pilots Association broke down. As a result, 492 Swedish SAS pilots went on strike, followed by 545 Norwegian and 372 Danish colleagues. "It is deeply regretful that the pilots strike will have a negative impact on our customers. SAS is prepared to continue to negotiate, but if the requirements were to be met, they would have very negative consequences for the company," SAS Director of Communications Karin Nyman said in a press release on Friday morning. SAS is the leading airline in Scandinavia, operating a third of all flights to and from the region. According to SAS, about 70 percent of the company's flights are affected. Flights operated by SAS Ireland and SAS partner airlines will not be affected. Friday's strike follows unsuccessful salary negotiations between SAS pilots and their employer. According to SVT, an eleventh-hour bid offered on Thursday night included a salary increase of 2.2-2.3 percent, significantly lower than the 13 percent the pilots' union is demanding. SAS has offered passengers travelling on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday the opportunity to rebook their journey free of charge. It's unclear how long the strike will last, so passengers travelling in late April and early May are advised to check for updates on the situation. "Our first priority now is to take care of our passengers and at this moment in time, all SAS employees are doing everything they can to help customers affected," Nyman said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 04:16:11|Editor: yan Video Player Close BAGHDAD, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Altogether two Islamic State (IS) militants and a civilian were killed Saturday in two incidents in the Iraqi provinces of Diyala and Salahudin, security sources said. In eastern Iraq, an army helicopter gunship conducted an airstrike, based on intelligence reports, on an IS hideout in al-Zour area in north of Diyala's provincial capital Baquba, which is located some 65 km northeast of Baghdad, Alaa al-Saadi from the provincial police told Xinhua. The airstrike killed two IS militants and destroyed their hideout, al-Saadi said. A joint force from the army, police and paramilitary Hashd Shaabi launched an operation in the attacked area looking for more IS militants, al-Saadi added. In another incident, a roadside bomb went off near a garbage truck in the town of Baiji, some 200 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, killed the truck driver and wounded two workers, Hussein Ibrahim, a local police officer, told Xinhua. The security situation in Iraq was improved after Iraqi security forces fully defeated the extremist IS militants across the country late in 2017. IS remnants, however, have since melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas as safe havens, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. Iran's Foreign Ministry denies that it has requested the United States and Saudi Arabia to negotiate over disputed issues. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz) TEHRAN, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Saturday denied that it had requested the United States and Saudi Arabia to negotiate over disputed issues. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi dismissed in a statement the recent western media's reports that Iran has made request for talks with the United States. "In the case of Saudi Arabia, there is no negotiation underway between the two countries except for the pilgrimage ceremonies of Hajj that the two sides have agreed to separate from their bilateral political issues," Mousavi said. "From Iran's point of view, Saudi Arabia is an important country in the region, which has been moved in a wrong direction over the past years with an unconstructive approach, and this has caused many disasters and crises in the region," he added. Mousavi expressed the hope that the Saudi officials would return to an honest and benevolent approach towards the people of the region. "Definitely in that case, Iran will be ready to interact with the country (Saudi Arabia) within the framework of regional and mutual cooperation," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 07:48:15|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Visitors learn about how honey is made at the "I Love Science Festival 2019" at Brussels Expo in Brussels, Belgium, April 27, 2019. The 3-day festival opened here on Friday, with some 50 institutions, associations and universities offering fun and educational activities. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng) Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 07:47:36|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close Messages left by mourners are seen near the synagogue where a shooting took place in Poway, California of the United States, April 27, 2019. The suspect of Saturday's synagogue shooting in San Diego, California, has been identified as 19-year-old John Earnest, authorities said. One person died and three others were injured in the synagogue shooting. The wounded were taken to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido. (Xinhua/Li Ying) LOS ANGELES, April 27 (Xinhua) -- One person died and three were injured at a synagogue shooting in San Diego, California, on Saturday, San Diego County authorities confirmed. A man has been detained for questioning in connection with the shooting at the Chabad of Poway synagogue, said San Diego County Sheriff's Department. Deputies from the Poway station were called to Chabad Way, where the synagogue is located, just before 11:30 a.m. Multiple law enforcement sources told local media that four people were shot. Poway Mayor Steve Vaus told media that the facility was targeted because it was a place for the Jewish community to gather. "I understand that this was someone with hate in their heart, hate for the Jewish community," he said of the shooter. Those wounded were taken to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido. Their conditions have not been disclosed so far. A spokesperson for Palomar Medical Center confirmed they received four patients, declining to give any more details. The synagogue was hosting a Passover holiday celebration at 11 a.m. on Saturday, according to a post on its Facebook page. A large group of congregants had gathered behind the temple following the shooting, said Sgt. Aaron Meleen of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. It was unclear so far how many people were attending services. Some children were initially reported missing, he said, but they have been found. "As you can imagine, it was an extremely chaotic scene with people running everywhere when we got here," he told reporters. The Sheriff's Department asked the public to remain clear of the areas as the investigation will take several hours. "Please respect the medical privacy of victims and their families during this difficult time," it tweeted. It also asked the public not to spread misinformation that could cause concern or panic. "Thoughts and prayers to all of those affected by the shooting at the Synagogue in Poway, California. God bless you all. Suspect apprehended. Law enforcement did outstanding job," U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted shortly after the shooting. In Los Angeles, police said they were closely monitoring the synagogue shooting in Poway and "communicating with our local, state and federal partners." "At this time, there's no nexus to Los Angeles, but in an abundance of caution, we will conduct high visibility patrols around synagogues and other houses of worship," the Los Angeles Police Department tweeted. The Chabad of Poway website said the congregation is a center for Jewish people of all backgrounds. It was established in 1986. Chabad offers a wide variety of educational and spiritual opportunities, including Torah classes and lectures, Shabbaton dinners, and an array of family and social activities, according to the website. Poway, about 20 miles north of downtown San Diego, is the safest city in the San Diego County and among the safest in the state of California based on FBI crime data and population statistics, according to report of The San Diego Union-Tribune, a local daily newspaper. The incident comes exactly six months after deadly gun attack at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, which resulted in 11 fatalities and multiple injuries. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 08:52:53|Editor: ZX Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, April 28 (Xinhua) -- At least three security personnel were killed and two others injured in a bomb blast in Pakistan's northwest district of North Waziristan, local media reported Saturday night. According to local Urdu TV channel ARY News, the explosion hit a check-post located in Raghzai area of Tehsil Shewa in North Waziristan, a district of the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan. The security personnel came under the attack on Saturday when they reached the post to perform their duties. Local media quoting officials said that an improvised explosives device was planted near the check-post and it was detonated with a remote-control device. Security forces and rescue teams rushed to the site, shifted the bodies and injured to a nearby hospital. Security forces cordoned off the whole area and launched a search operation in the surrounding areas to arrest the perpetrators. No group claimed the attack yet. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 09:02:56|Editor: ZX Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The suspect of the synagogue shooting in San Diego, California, on Saturday has been identified as 19-year-old John Earnest, authorities said. The suspect has no prior contact with law enforcement, said San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore. One person died and three were injured at the synagogue shooting earlier Saturday. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 09:53:13|Editor: ZX Video Player Close MOGADISHU, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on Saturday dismissed reports that extremist group of al-Shabab has recaptured the recently liberated town of Sabiid in the southern region. The AU mission said the strategic town of Sabiid, which located about 40 km south of Mogadishu, is still controlled by the allied forces. "Kindly disregard reports circulating that the terrorists have seized the recently liberated town of Sabiid. Sabiid is currently under the full control of Somali government forces with support from AMISOM," said the AU mission in a statement. AMISOM said the joint forces continue to work in coordination for peace across the Horn of Africa nation and dismissed the takeover reports as propaganda by the extremist group. "Al-Shabab and their supporters are at pain with the loss of Sabiid and their inability to face the firm grip of the town by the Somali government forces. They are now resorting to propaganda and disinformation," said the AU mission. AMISOM troops in a joint operation with the Somali National Army (SNA) liberated the strategic bridge town of Sabiid from the control of the insurgents on April 1. Sabiid town, situated in Lower Shabelle region of Somalia, is one of the strategic objectives which are earmarked for liberation. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 10:13:18|Editor: ZX Video Player Close MAKHANDA, South Africa, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Despite the progress South Africa has made since the end of radical segregation, the country is still confronted by attempts to undermine the unity of the nation, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa warned on Saturday. Such attempts include acts of racism, attacks on foreign nationals and display of the apartheid flag, the president told a cheering crowd at an event in Makhanda, Eastern Cape Province to celebrate the Freedom Day. Freedom Day, which falls on April 27 each year, marks South Africa's 25 years of freedom from apartheid colonial oppression and the country's development as a constitutional democracy. It was on April 27 in 1994 that the country held its first non-radical elections, in which the apartheid government was overthrown. "Out of respect for our Constitution -- and in defense of our freedom -- we reject racism, we reject the pledging of allegiance to a racist past and its symbols, we reject attacks on those who have sought refuge in our country, and we reject violence, insurrection and disregard for the rule of law," Ramaphosa said. South Africa cannot see its hard-won gains to be diminished by intolerance, he said. The president was referring to a recent spate of violence against foreigners in parts of the country, particularly those in KwaZulu-Natal Province. "Although we have achieved much in the last 25 years, we still have much further to travel," Ramaphosa said. Yet, the president commended the "considerable progress" that has been made in improving the material conditions of the South Africans, including the building of houses for millions of South Africans and provision of water, sanitation and electricity to poor households across the country. Seven in 10 South Africans now make use of the country's network of primary health care, clinic and hospital facilities either entirely for free or for a minimal fee, said the president. Over the last 25 years, the economy has doubled in size and the number of people in employment has increased by 8 million, he added. "And yet, despite these remarkable achievements, too many of our people still live in poverty, too many are unemployed, too many are homeless, too many do not have the basic necessities of life," Ramaphosa stated. He emphasized the need to focus all attention and efforts on ensuring that all South Africans can equally experience the economic and social benefits of freedom. "We must reflect on the progress we have made in setting right the wrongs of the past, in bringing development to communities where there was once only neglect, in restoring human dignity where there was once only contempt," the president said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 10:18:22|Editor: ZX Video Player Close A woman lays flowers near the synagogue where a shooting took place in Poway, California of the United States, April 27, 2019. The suspect of Saturday's synagogue shooting in San Diego, California, has been identified as 19-year-old John Earnest, authorities said. One person died and three others were injured in the synagogue shooting. The wounded were taken to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido. (Xinhua/Li Ying) LOS ANGELES, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The suspect of Saturday's synagogue shooting in San Diego, California, has been identified as 19-year-old John Earnest, authorities said. The suspect has no prior contact with law enforcement, said San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore. Authorities are aware of an online manifesto that Earnest wrote, and are looking into digital evidence and checking the authenticity of the document, according to Gore. "We are serving search warrants for the suspect's home, car and the Chabad of Poway," he said, adding that officials are checking Earnest's possible involvement in the arson and vandalism of mosque in Escondido, a city northeast of downtown San Diego. One person died and three others were injured in the synagogue shooting. The wounded were taken to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido. The Sheriff's Department asked the public to remain clear of the areas as an investigation is underway. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 10:53:45|Editor: zh Video Player Close by Ahmed Sahfiq, Zhu Yingqi CAIRO, April 27 (Xinhua) -- A drum show performed by Chinese artists impressed thousands of Egyptians Saturday night at the closing day of the 7th International Festival for Drums and Traditional Arts held in Cairo, Egypt. The performance, presented by China's Kaifeng Pangu Drum Art Troupe, drew praises from many among the audience. "It is amazing and breathtaking ... the artists performed in a great harmony," Aya Hossam, a 19-year-old colleague student, told Xinhua after the show. Having enjoyed the show with her family, she said she is more acquinted with Arab and Western drum performances, and the Chinese beats sounded lively and unique. The week-long festival, which aims to promote cross-culture dialogue, opened on April 20, and was sponsored by the Egyptian Culture Ministry and other related departments. Africa was the guest of honor of this year's edition. With a message of "Drums Dialogue for Peace," the festival brings together musicians from 22 countries to share their musical vision and encourage cultural dialogue. Matching with the festival's atmosphere, its events took place at various and unique venues such as historic Saladin Citadel, al-Ghoury's Dome, renowned al-Moeez Street and al-Hanger Theater of Cairo Opera House. "The Chinese performance is captivating. It is well organized and the beats really moved me," Hisham Ahmed, a middle-aged man who enjoyed the show with his wife, told Xinhua. Ahmed, an accountant who also plays the guitar, said he previously watched videos of Chinese drum bands performing during national events in China. "This is my first time to watch such a great show live ... the performance for a while took me to China," he said with a smile. Since the upgrading of relations between China and Egypt to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2014, the two sides have seen frequent exchanges between their art groups. Both countries also hope to boost friendly ties through the Belt and Road Initiative. Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aiming at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe, Africa and beyond through the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road. Shi Yuewen, Cultural Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Egypt, said the interaction between countries is based on people-to-people communication, stressing that it is essential to provide more opportunities in this regard. He added that China's participation is significant because it opens a window for peoples of other parts of the world to learn more about traditional Chinese culture. Meanwhile, Ding Weiwei, head of the Kaifeng Culture Center of China's Henan Province, said Kaifeng Pangu is a national intangible cultural heritage with a long history of more than 1,000 years. "During the festival, the band members have felt the enthusiasm of the Egyptian people, exchanged skills and art experience with drum bands from other countries, and showed traditional Chinese music and culture to the foreign audience," she said. For his part, Liu Zhen, director of the performance, said the band members are very proud of bringing Pangu from China to a country with an ancient civilization like Egypt. "A drum is the instrument that can strike your heart most. The ancient Chinese drum culture came to Egypt and collided with the Egyptian drum culture. It is very exciting, which also highlights friendship between the two countries," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 11:08:54|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese courier giant SF Holding posted a 16.68 percent year-on-year growth in revenues from its express delivery business in the first quarter. The revenues totaled 24.028 billion yuan (3.57 billion U.S. dollars) in Q1, SF Holding said in a filing to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Net profits attributable to its shareholders totaled 1.263 billion yuan in Q1, up 27.94 percent year on year. The net profits growth mainly came from some non-recurring gains and losses. With the deduction for non-recurring gains and losses, the company's net profits attributable to its shareholders went down 6.78 percent year on year. The decline of net profits was due to the rise in costs of labor, transportation, operation, management and research and development, according to a statement of SF holding. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 11:08:55|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BOGOTA, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Colombia's state oil company Ecopetrol said Saturday that the Transandino Pipeline (OTA) has been bombed. It has been the seventh attack against OTA so far this year. The attack happened in a village in Colombia's southern province of Narino. The oil firm said on its Twitter account it activated a contingency plan following Friday's attack. "The attack resulted in a ruptured pipe and an oil spill," it said. "At the time of the attack the pipeline was not operating. Sectional valves were closed to avoid major impact," Ecopetrol said in another tweet post. The 306-km-long Transandino Pipeline has the capacity to move some 85,000 barrels of crude daily from the provinces of Putumayo and Narino to the Latin American nation's key Pacific Port of Tumaco. Ecopetrol denounced the illegal act, saying these attacks "put people at risk, affect the environment and well-being of the communities." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 11:19:05|Editor: zh Video Player Close THE HAGUE, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition, the largest-ever expo of its kind, will leave an important legacy for the city, the country and the industry, head of the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) has said. With an area of 503 hectares, the confirmed participation of over 100 countries and international organizations, and an estimated 16 million visitors, "the Beijing expo is by far the largest-ever horticultural event" and reflects the worldwide awareness of the needs to live greener, the AIPH President Bernard Oosterom said in a recent interview with Xinhua. The event, to run from April 29 to Oct. 7 in Yangqing District in Beijing's northwest suburb, is an A1-category international horticultural exhibition accredited by AIPH and recognized by the Bureau of International Exhibition. The last time China hosted the top level horticultural expo was in 1999 in Kunming, a city some 2,700 km south of Beijing. "I call it (the A1 event) an international 'melting pot' of knowledge and best practices. A country can host an A1 once in a decade. Apart from industry participants, there are also many cultural shows, educational experiences to attract visitors. It is really a 'city celebration' for six months," explained the head of the global association of growers. More than a several-month event, the expo "is part of a philosophy, a long-term strategy about how to develop the country and specifically that region. It must be connected to the city government's longterm strategy. It must fit in everything with what the city wants for the long term," he stressed. The AIPH team monitors the event's progress, working with the organizers to ensure the event complies with AIPH regulations. Recalling his several visits to the site of the event, Oosterom said he was really happy with the way China does the 2019 exhibition. "We are happy with the progress of the site. Construction of the expo and supporting infrastructure has been completed. Installations of international exhibition progress well. Over 100 participants and over 100 non-official participants have been secured," he told Xinhua. According to official data, more than 110 countries and international organizations, as well as over 120 non-official exhibitors, have confirmed participation. "As a person who has acted almost all my life in the green business, I really like the way China uses this kind of event to transform their environment and also to show the importance of living green in urban environment," Oosterom said. "China is one of the main important examples of countries where so many people are living in cities, and if you connect this to the worldwide awareness of the needs to live in a more 'green' environment, I think China shows the world how to do that, how to make decisions and how to implement," he added. In the view of the AIPH chief, there are two important things about hosting the top-level expo. "Before everything starts you need city government and developers really understand the benefits of greens," he said. "Second, before you make plans of expo or any other big events you have to think about the post-expo, the legacy." By the word "legacy", the president means the use of the infracture and regional development after the expo. "You need to think about this really carefully," he said. "Beijing and China can use the expo infrastructure to build a new area where people can live, entrepreneurs can start company providing all kinds of citizens' needs. There hopefully will also be a new research center of how to grow green in that region," he said. "That will be an important legacy for the city, for the country and for the international industry." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 11:24:11|Editor: ZX Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Four people were killed and eight others injured Saturday after a crane collapsed onto several cars in downtown Seattle, Washington state, Seattle Fire Department tweeted. "Update: the incident at Fairview Ave N and Mercer Street has an 8th patient that was treated on-scene and not transported. This was the 6th car with damage from the fallen crane," said the fire department. The crane collapsed near the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue near Interstate 5 shortly after 3 p.m. local time (2200 GMT). The Seattle Fire Department said six cars were crushed by the fallen crane. The cause of the accident is being investigated. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 12:39:28|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close MANILA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- After the Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had a highly successful visit to China, Manila is ready to pursue more high-quality and good-impact projects with cooperation from Beijing, a Philippine government official said on Sunday. Salvador Panelo, the Philippine presidential spokesman, said in a statement that during this visit, President Duterte had productive and fruitful bilateral meetings with top Chinese leadership where he affirmed the commitment to friendship and understanding with China. Duterte also expressed to Chinese leaders the country's readiness to pursue more high-quality and good-impact projects with China, Panelo said. Duterte visited China from April 24 to 27, during which he attended the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation together with many other countries' leaders. Panelo said during the leaders' roundtable meeting on Saturday, Duterte stressed the value of nations, especially in Asia, working together with a shared goal of inclusive, equitable and sustainable growth and prosperity. As China is the largest trading partner and a major source of foreign investments of the Philippines, economic cooperation also highlights Duterte's visit. Panelo said Duterte witnessed the signing of multiple business agreements in Beijing between the two countries, covering a wide range of areas of investments, such as energy, infrastructure, agriculture and human resources. "President Duterte gave his assurance to prospective foreign investors of all nationalities that the Philippine government will create an enabling environment that allows their business establishments and investments to prosper," the spokesman said. Moreover, Panelo said while in Beijing President Duterte reiterated his resolve to endeavor to make the South China Sea a sea of peace, stability and prosperity. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 12:44:30|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Police vehicles gather around the synagogue where a shooting took place in Poway, California of the United States, April 27, 2019. The suspect of Saturday's synagogue shooting in San Diego, California, has been identified as 19-year-old John Earnest, authorities said. One person died and three others were injured in the synagogue shooting. The wounded were taken to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido. (Xinhua/Li Ying) LOS ANGELES, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The suspect of Saturday's synagogue shooting in San Diego, California, has been identified as 19-year-old John Earnest, authorities said. The suspect has no prior contact with law enforcement, said San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore. Authorities are aware of an online manifesto that Earnest wrote, and are looking into digital evidence and checking the authenticity of the document, according to Gore. "We are serving search warrants for the suspect's home, car and the Chabad of Poway," he said, adding that officials are checking Earnest's possible involvement in the arson and vandalism of mosque in Escondido, a city northeast of downtown San Diego. One person died and three others were injured in the synagogue shooting. The wounded were taken to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido. Gore said a Rabbi is in surgery after suffering defensive wounds to his index fingers, adding that the injured are "doing well" and a wounded minor has been transferred to Rady Children's, the largest children's hospital in California. In a Poway incident community message, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department assured that there are no known threats to religious gatherings. "The suspect in the Poway incident today has been captured and we believe he acted alone," said the message. "We encourage our communities to continue with scheduled events and other activities as normal," it said. Local police will be providing extra patrols at religious centers throughout the weekend. The Sheriff's Department asked the public to remain clear of the areas as an investigation is underway. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 13:34:54|Editor: ZX Video Player Close GABORONE, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Botswana has partnered with the World Bank to develop a renewable energy strategy that would allow the country to be more independent on energy supplies, said President Mokgweetsi Masisi on Saturday. He made the remarks at an event of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party in the capital Gaborone. "Botswana has partnered with the World Bank to develop a renewable energy strategy, whose objective is to unlock the country's solar energy potential," said Masisi, adding that the development is aimed at bringing new changes that will grow the economy and create the much-needed jobs. For many years, Botswana has been relying on neighboring countries like South Africa, Mozambique and Namibia for electricity. However, Botswana started exporting power last year to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), a far cry from the days when Africa's biggest miner of diamonds was forced to import as much as 75 percent of its electricity needs. "We all know that Botswana is blessed with long hours of sunshine and herein lies the potential to industrialize and reap associated rewards such as jobs and export earnings," said the president. Masisi said his government will invest heavily in the renewable energy sector to position Botswana as a global player in the drive toward clean energy. "With this in mind, we are also looking at meeting our climate change protocols," said Masisi. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 14:35:14|Editor: zh Video Player Close SHIJIAZHUANG, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Northern China's Hebei Province, a major milk-producing area, has released a plan to upgrade its dairy industry, aiming to nearly triple its annual production of raw milk to 10 million tonnes by 2025. The province will work to support the development of its dairy companies, optimize the structure of dairy industry and improve quality control and safety supervision, according to the plan. The plan also said Hebei would encourage more dairy farmers to engage in milk processing. Hebei recorded 1.15 million cows in stock and an output of 3.91 million tonnes of raw milk in 2018, both the third largest in China. It is home to 43 dairy processing companies which churned out 3.65 million tonnes of processed milk last year, the country's largest. In last June, China unveiled guidelines to modernize its dairy industry, aiming to reach world-leading levels in milk supplies, dairy processing and quality, and industrial competitiveness by 2025. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 14:55:19|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Public Security has called for enhanced road safety precautions during the May Day holiday, which is expected to see traffic spikes. The past three May Day holidays have marked the first two nights of the holiday as accident-prone, the ministry said. The ministry warned the public against major traffic risks during the holiday, including traffic surge in expressways, tourist cities and destinations, possible increase of traffic violations and rainfall in some regions. Drivers and travelers were advised to closely follow road and weather conditions, and to abide by traffic regulations. This year's May Day holiday will last from May 1 to 4. An estimated 160 million trips will be made during the period, according to Ctrip, China's biggest online travel agency. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 15:00:21|Editor: zh Video Player Close BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- China's central bank will issue a set of coins on Monday to commemorate the 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition. The set includes one gold coin, one silver coin and one platinum coin, all legal currency, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) said on its website. The front side of each coin features a combination of the expo logo and the Great Wall, along with the country name and year of issuance, the PBOC said. The 5-gram gold coin, with a face value of 80 yuan (about 11.88 U.S. dollars), features the design of the Chinese Pavilion and plant decorations, as well as the Chinese name of the forum on the reverse side. The 30-gram silver coin and the 3-gram platinum coin, with face values of 10 yuan and 100 yuan, will also have the expo's Chinese name and plant decorations on the reverse sides, but with patterns of the International Pavilion and the expo mascot, respectively. The expo, open from April 29 to Oct. 7, will exhibit flower, fruit and vegetable farming at the foot of the Great Wall in Beijing. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 15:10:24|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Ueli Maurer, president of the Swiss Confederation, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Bin) BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Ueli Maurer, president of the Swiss Confederation, in Beijing on Sunday. China is willing to enhance political mutual trust, increase high-level contacts and explore the potential for cooperation with Switzerland, and align the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Switzerland's development strategies, Li said. Noting that the China-Switzerland free trade agreement (FTA) has played an important role in promoting bilateral economic and trade relations, and the Swiss enterprises have benefited from the new round of opening up of China, Li said China is willing to start negotiations with Switzerland for upgrading the FTA as soon as possible. China also hopes that the two sides will enhance communication and coordination under the China-Europe and multilateral frameworks, he said. Maurer said Switzerland attaches great importance to the BRI and would like to expand investment and cooperation with China in sectors such as scientific research and manufacturing under this framework. Stressing that Switzerland, without any investment barriers, welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest, he said the two sides have great potential for cooperation in innovation sector and the country is willing to start negotiations with China as soon as possible for upgrading the FTA. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 15:25:33|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Four people were killed and four others injured Saturday after a crane collapsed onto several cars in downtown Seattle, Washington, the Fire Department said. It said two operators of the tower crane died after the crane fell onto the streets at the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue in the South Lake Union neighborhood at around 03:30 p.m. local time (about 2230 GMT). Two other people were killed in two separate vehicles. Three of the injured were taken to Harborview Medical Center, and the fourth one was treated at the scene. The authorities did not disclose any details that could pinpoint why the crane collapsed. The fire department said a full and thorough investigation is underway by Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. The crane was operating on a building at the construction site of a new Google Seattle campus, according to local media. "Half of it (the crane) was flying down sideways on the building. The other half fell down on the street, crossing both lanes of traffic," an eyewitness told the Seattle Times daily. "We were saddened to learn of today's accident at South Lake Union. We share our deepest condolences with those who've been affected and thank all the first responders who quickly sprang into action," Google said in a statement. Washington state Governor Jay Inslee also expressed his condolences to the family and friends of the four people killed in the crash. "We are closely monitoring the situation in South Lake Union. My heart goes out to the family and friends of the four people who died in this terrible accident," he tweeted Saturday evening. Vulcan Inc., which is developing the Google property, said in a statement that it will cooperate with the authorities. It was the first crane-related tragedy in nearly 13 years in the Seattle metropolitan area, local media said. The last fatal crane collapse happened in Bellevue city on Nov. 16, 2006, when a 210-foot (about 64 meters) crane struck three buildings and killed one man in an apartment. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 15:40:46|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The following are the highlights of China's key technology news from the past week: REUSABLE ROCKET Xiamen University launched and recovered its first rocket in northwest China's desert. The reusable rocket, the Jiageng-I rocket, has a total length of 8.7 meters, a wingspan of 2.5 meters and a take-off mass of 3,700 kg. It traveled at a maximum altitude of 26.2 km and was recovered at the designated landing site. SPACE EXPERIMENTS Science facilities on China's planned Tiangong space station could support hundreds of space research projects after it's completed in 2022. Sixteen experiment racks will be installed in the core module and two lab capsules of the space station, and an extravehicular experiment platform will be built. LONG MARCH-5B ROCKET China's Long March-5B carrier rocket is scheduled to make its maiden flight in the first half of 2020. With the largest carrying capacity to low-Earth orbit, it will carry the core capsule and experiment capsules of China's space station. BEIDOU SATELLITE A newly-launched satellite of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) entered its preset orbit. After in-orbit tests, the satellite will work with 18 other BDS-3 satellites in intermediate circular orbit and one in geosynchronous Earth orbit. NEW AIRPORT'S AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Beijing Daxing International Airport will be equipped with a ground-source heat pump system, a type of highly efficient, energy saving air conditioning system that provides indoor heating and cooling by using shallow geothermal resources. The new airport is expected to handle 45 million passengers annually by 2021 and 72 million by 2025. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 15:50:51|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- China has made a number of achievements in deepening international cooperation on intellectual property right (IPR), according to the National Intellectual Property Administration (NIPA) on Sunday. China has been actively participating in multilateral affairs under the World Trade Organization and World Intellectual Property Organization frameworks, and promoting the improvement of international rules concerning IPR, said Shen Changyu, head of the NIPA, at a press conference. He said the NIPA now cooperated with 28 patent offices across the world under the Patent Prosecution Highway, a framework for the examination of patent applications filed to participant offices. China will make efforts so that the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances, which was adopted in 2012 to deal with IPR of performers in audiovisual performances, will come into force at an early date, according to Shen. Last year, China held the 2018 high-level conference on intellectual property for countries along the Belt and Road, which set eight practical cooperation programs regarding issues such as macro policies, IPR reviews and information exchanges. The conference, first held in 2016, will be held next year as a platform for discussion on IPR cooperation, according to Shen. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 15:55:53|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov in Beijing on Sunday. Noting that China-Kyrgyzstan relations have maintained a stable and healthy momentum of development, Xi said the Chinese side is committed to developing all-round friendly cooperation with the Kyrgyz side and supports the domestic and foreign policies pursued by the Kyrgyz government to safeguard national independence, sovereignty and security. Kyrgyzstan was one of the first countries to support and participate in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Xi said the two sides should strengthen the alignment of the BRI with Kyrgyzstan's 2040 National Sustainable Development Strategy. The two sides should promote balanced development of trade, steadily advance industrial capacity cooperation, accelerate the implementation of key projects, strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, comprehensively elevate security cooperation, and intensify the crackdown on the "three forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism and cross-border organized crime, Xi said. China fully supports Kyrgyzstan in hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek this year, Xi added. Jeenbekov congratulated China on the successful hosting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, saying that the outcome of this forum is of historic significance to the world. Noting that China is Kyrgyzstan's staunch, reliable and good neighbor and strategic partner, Jeenbekov said the Kyrgyz side is ready to strengthen cooperation with China in economy, trade, investment, water conservancy, and transportation infrastructure construction, and work together to combat the "three forces." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 16:16:07|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (L) shakes hands with an electoral worker after casting his ballot at a polling station in Madrid, Spain, April 28, 2019. Spain's polling stations opened on Sunday at 09:00 local time (0700 GTM) for the country's third general election in four years. Close to 37 million voters are called to cast their votes in over 23,000 polling stations located in thousands of municipalities across Spain. (Xinhua/Guo Qiuda) MADRID, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Spain's polling stations opened on Sunday at 09:00 local time (0700 GTM) for the country's third general election in four years. Close to 37 million voters are called to cast their votes in over 23,000 polling stations located in thousands of municipalities across Spain. Voters will elect their representatives in the Cortes Generales, or the Spanish parliament, which is made up by the Congress of Deputies and the Senate. According to the polls, the Socialist Party led by ruling Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez would be likely to lead the vote, but it is not expected to obtain an overall majority, or 176 seats, to form a government. Sanchez would need the support of other parties, such as Podemos, the Basque and Catalan separatists, in order to be sworn into office. Meanwhile, polls do not predict a majority of seats for the right-wing People's Party, Ciudadanos, and the extreme right-wing Vox, but there is still a percentage of undecided voters that could change the result. Polling stations will close at 20:00 local time (1800 GTM) and provisional results will be revealed shortly after 22:30. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 16:26:02|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close People take some vegetable after the celebration of Nyadran Festival, a Javanese traditional thanksgiving festival to welcome Ramadan month by piling vegetables into the shape of a mountain, in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. April 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Supriyanto) Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 16:21:15|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- China's imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) surged last month, as demand remained robust, data from the General Administration of Customs showed. LNG imports rose to 4.06 million tonnes in March, up 25.2 percent year on year. Economic and industrial production growth, coupled with efforts to reduce stifling pollution levels, have led to surging natural gas demand over the past few years. China aims to bring domestic natural gas output to more than 200 billion cubic meters by 2020. Imports of coking coal soared 53.1 percent to 6.14 million tonnes. China exported 1.69 million tonnes of gasoline in March, down 0.6 percent year on year. Diesel exports jumped 14.2 percent from a year earlier to 2.71 million tonnes. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 16:21:16|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close CANBERRA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morison on Sunday proposed a major overhaul of the nation's immigration program. Speaking at an election campaign event in Sydney on Sunday, Morrison promised that the governing Liberal-National Party coalition (LNP) will cap the number of migrants allowed into Australia each year for humanitarian reasons at 18,750 if elected for a third term in government on May 18. It comes after Morrison in March announced that the number of permanent migrants allowed into the country will be capped at 160,000 per year, down from 190,000. Morrison made the announcement alongside John Howard -- the second-longest serving PM in the Australian history at his first official appearance on the campaign trail. "We've got our borders and the Budget under control," Morrison told a crowd of supporters, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). "We make decisions about who comes here based on what's in Australia's interests." The Opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP) has pledged to increase the number of humanitarian visas available every year to 32,000 -- a plan that Morrison claims will cost the budget an extra 6.2 billion Australian dollars. Morrison on Sunday challenged ALP leader Bill Shorten to say exactly who he would allow into Australia under his immigration plan. "We've been upfront with Australia, we're reducing the cap on our migration intake and capping the numbers of people we let in under our humanitarian program that's one of the most generous in the world," the PM said. "We're telling people where we'll be taking migrants from, who they will be, the skills we want them to have and working with regions to settle people in towns that want and need more workers, skills and students." Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 16:26:19|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in Beijing on Sunday. "Pakistan is China's all-weather strategic cooperative partner. China and Pakistan are 'iron friends' and have always firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests," Xi said, adding that China takes Pakistan as a priority in its diplomacy. No matter how international and regional situations change, China firmly supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and national dignity, choosing its own development path suited to its national conditions, combating terrorist and extremist forces, striving for a sound external security environment, and playing a constructive role in international and regional affairs, Xi said. Major progress has been made in bilateral cooperation in the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, finance, trade and other aspects, Xi said. "In the next stage, China and Pakistan should make more efforts to advance the all-weather strategic cooperation," Xi said, calling on both sides to deepen high-level contacts and mutual support, strengthen strategic communication, and promote high-quality cooperation in production capacity, infrastructure construction, people's livelihood and trade within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has played an important role in Pakistan's economic development and the improvement of people's lives, Imran Khan said, believing more and more countries will support and participate in the cooperation under the BRI. Pakistan is willing to consolidate its traditional friendship with China, deepen pragmatic cooperation, and enhance communication and coordination with China in multilateral affairs, said the prime minister. The two sides also exchanged views on the situations in South Asia. Xi expressed the hope that Pakistan and India can meet each other halfway and promote the stabilization and improvement of Pakistan-India relations. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 16:26:22|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday met with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in Beijing. China and Tajikistan should strengthen the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Tajikistan's national development strategy for the period up to 2030, and deepen cooperation in fields including trade, investment, finance, connectivity, culture and security, Xi said. Efforts should be made to enhance the capability of customs clearance and transportation to create favorable conditions for expanding trade between the two countries, he said. China encourages its companies to invest and do business in Tajikistan to support the country's industrialization, Xi said. Rahmon said the BRI is of global significance and will help Tajikistan achieve industrialization. Tajikistan is an early supporter of the BRI, and is actively aligning its national development strategy with the Chinese initiative, Rahmon said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 16:31:26|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The quantity of intellectual property (IP) created by China increased in 2018 and their quality also improved, according to the National Intellectual Property Administration. The number of invention patents owned by individuals and organizations on the Chinese mainland reached 1.6 million by the end of 2018, an increase of 18.1 percent over the previous year, said Shen Changyu, director of the administration, at a press conference held Sunday by the State Council Information Office. As of end of 2018, valid trademarks registered by Chinese mainland entities reached 18.05 million, up 32.8 percent year on year. Throughout 2018, the administration registered copyrights for 2.35 million pieces of works and 1.1 million pieces of computer software, up 17 percent and 48 percent, respectively, Shen said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 16:46:44|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close People walk through flood water caused by heavy rain in Bengkulu on the island of Sumatra, Indonesian, April 28, 2019. A total of 12 people were killed, eight others went missing and almost 15,000 people took shelters as floods and landslides hit the Indonesian capital of Jakarta and Bengkulu province in western parts of the country, disaster official said on Sunday. (Xinhua/Kristian) JAKARTA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- A total of 12 people were killed, eight others went missing and almost 15,000 people took shelters as floods and landslides hit the Indonesian capital of Jakarta and Bengkulu province in western parts of the country, disaster official said on Sunday. Ten out of the total casualty number and all the missing persons were in the province which has been stricken by floods and landslides since Friday after torrential rains poured down, spokesman of national disaster management agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. In the country's capital, floods did not hamper business activities as they did not reach the center of business, the spokesman told Xinhua in a text message. Floods and landslides have been striking most of the districts in Bengkulu province since Friday, and a day earlier for Jakarta, Sutopo added. By Sunday, although waters have started to recede, they are still submerging residential areas in the province, he said. The natural disaster destroyed 184 houses, four school buildings, and dozens of infrastructure facilities, including roads, bridges and water channels in the province, Sutopo said. Two people sustained serious wounds and two others got minor injuries in the province. Emergency relief efforts are underway, he added. Indonesia is frequently hit by floods and landslides during heavy downpours. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 16:51:46|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close MUMBAI, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Passengers of India's state-owned carrier Air-India continued to witness 137 delayed flights by over three hours for the second consecutive day on Sunday. The average delay in flights is around 197 minutes, the airline spokesperson said after the airline had 149 flights delayed on Saturday. The ripple effect of its 5-hour server shutdown on Saturday morning continued on Sunday. The average number of flights that Air India group, which also includes subsidiaries Alliance Air and Air India Express, flies daily is 674. The server system SITA (Societe Internationale de Telecommunications Aeronautiques) that crashed had led to huge backlog in flight take-off. SITA is a global airline information technology service, which provides check-in, boarding and baggage tracking technology services. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 16:56:54|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen in Beijing on Sunday. As a friendly neighbor of Cambodia, China stands ready to deepen political mutual trust with Cambodia, promote pragmatic cooperation in all fields, work together for a community with a shared future with strategic significance, and elevate bilateral relations to a higher level, Li said. China encourages its businesses to invest in Cambodia, and is willing to increase imports of Cambodia's competitive farm produce, he said. The premier expressed China's firm support for Cambodia in hosting the Asia-Europe Meeting Summit next year. Hun Sen said Cambodia is willing to align its Rectangular Strategy with the Belt and Road Initiative, welcomes more investment by Chinese businesses in Cambodia, and expects to work with China in building a community with a shared future. After the meeting, Li and Hun Sen attended a signing ceremony. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 17:07:09|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Wang Yang, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets with Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Gao Jie) BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Wang Yang met with Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi in Beijing on Sunday. Wang, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said that China supports Myanmar in promoting economic and social development in accordance with its national conditions. China stands ready to work with Myanmar to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, promote construction of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, increase connectivity of roads, railways and energy, strengthen cooperation in poverty reduction, and expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges, to deliver more benefits to the two peoples, Wang said. Aung San Suu Kyi expressed gratitude to China's long-term and valuable support and assistance to Myanmar, saying Myanmar is willing to continue its active participation in building the Belt and Road, learn from China's experience, and strengthen bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 17:12:11|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Bin) BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte in Beijing on Sunday. Li said China is ready to work with Italy in enhancing bilateral high-level exchanges and align the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Italy's development strategies. He welcomed Italian companies to invest in China, and called on both sides to provide a level playing field for each other's companies. China is willing to import more high-quality agricultural products from Italy, and strengthen communication and coordination with Italy in international affairs such as coping with climate change, said Li, adding that China hopes Italy will continue to play a positive role in deepening China-Europe relations and promoting dialogue and cooperation in various fields. Conte said the BRI has brought prosperity for the world and Italy will expand its participation in jointly advancing the initiative. He also said the Italian side is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with China on major multilateral fields including the United Nations, the World Trade Organization reform and climate change. After the meeting, they attended a signing ceremony of bilateral cooperation documents. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 17:17:17|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close DHAKA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have jointly reviewed the implementation progress of ADB-assisted projects to further improve development results. Farida Nasreen, additional secretary of Bangladesh's Economic Relations Division (ERD), and Manmohan Parkash, country director of the ADB, co-chaired the Tripartite Portfolio Review Meeting (TPRM) in Cox's Bazar, some 392 km southeast of capital Dhaka, said ADB in a statement received here on Sunday. The TPRM discussed the status of overall portfolio and prioritized actions to achieve development results timely. Special emphasis was laid on safeguards, financial management, and gender-related actions. The government project executing agencies were briefed about and encouraged to use the new ADB procurement policy approved in 2017. Around 250 senior government officials, project directors, and ADB staff participated in the first such review meeting in 2019. "The objectives of the review are further accelerating project implementation through early identification and quick resolution of project issues to help deliver faster development results and better outcomes," said Country Director Manmohan Parkash. "We are encouraged by the record contract awards and disbursements in 2018, and look forward to achieving even better results in 2019." In 2018, ADB committed the highest level of support of 4.8 billion U.S. dollars to Bangladesh, with eight sovereign projects totaling 2.2 billion U.S. dollars in loans and grants, 16.5 million U.S. dollars in technical assistance, and 2.6 billion U.S. dollars mobilized in co-financing. ADB's current portfolio has 93 loans and grants for 52 projects with over 10 billion U.S. dollars under sovereign portfolio. ADB focuses its cooperation in Bangladesh on six sectors, including energy, urban/municipal infrastructure and services, education, finance, natural resources, and rural development. As of Dec. 31 2018, ADB's cumulative lending to Bangladesh stood at around 23 billion U.S. dollars for 284 loans, 269 million U.S. dollars for 429 technical assistance projects, and 932 million U.S. dollars for 44 grants. The opening ceremony of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was held at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, April 26, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) LUSAKA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has brought opportunities for Africa to accelerate the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, a Zambian think tank said on Friday. Commenting on the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held earlier this week in Beijing, the Policy Monitoring and Research Center said Africa needs to embrace the opportunities presented to enhance trade. The think tank believes that the plans of the BRI present a chance for Africa to link up in the global trading system. Bernadette Deka-Zulu, the think tank's executive, said opportunities under the BRI may help Africa actualize some of the objectives in the free trading arrangement. She said the BRI offers immense benefits to African countries to spur economic development, indicating that African countries should come up with homegrown plans on how they can fully benefit from the initiative. She further said the BRI will help African countries increase exports as well as attract more foreign direct investments. "Our take is that an investment injection into an African country means a direct investment into economic opportunities for those countries' people. For us in Zambia which is grappling with economic issues right now, more trade means more income," she added. She said authorities in Zambia have come up with strategy on how the country could benefit from the initiative, adding that the initiative has demonstrated that it means for the economic development of Africa. She dispelled allegations by some critics that the initiative was meant to create a "debt trap" in participating countries. According to her, African countries have the right to choose who to associate with, adding that China has demonstrated that it wanted a win-win cooperation agreement. Other Zambian experts said the BRI also presents opportunities for the country and the continent to diversify economies. The experts said that Zambia needs to do a stock of what it is producing in terms of agriculture and other products so as to benefit more from the trade opportunities presented by China. "We have to know what we have to offer and find out from China what products they would want," said Private Sector Development Association President Yusuf Dodia. He pointed out that Zambia has a capacity to produce a lot of food products and the market for food in China is huge given the population of that country. Haggai Kanenga, Lecturer and Researcher in the Department of Development Studies, University of Zambia, observed that China pledges to further open up itself. "This is a good opportunity for Zambia to take up and make sure that we meet some of these anticipations from China," Kanenga. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 17:52:34|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BAGHDAD, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Sunday said that it has summoned the charge d'affaires of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad over comments on social media considered offensive to the diplomatic norms. Iraqi Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed al-Sahaf told Xinhua that the ministry summoned the U.S. charge d'affaires on what was considered "a violation of diplomatic norms and international rules governing the operation of missions in host states." The summon of the U.S. diplomat came amid anger among Iraq Shiite parties against the United States after the U.S. embassy in Baghdad accused Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of corruption while his people is living in poverty. "The publishing by a diplomatic mission in Iraq against one of Iraq's neighbors and its religious or political symbols is contrary to the principles of the Iraqi constitution and Iraqi foreign policy," al-Sahaf said. Iraqi Foreign Ministry issued a statement late Saturday, demanding the U.S. embassy to "delete the offensive publication, and refrain from issuing such publications in the future." Al-Sahaf also expected that the Iraqi ministry to summon the Bahraini Ambassador in Iraq over a tweet posted by Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, in which he commented offensively against the Iraqi prominent Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. Al-Sadr issued a statement on Saturday and called for the "rulers of Yemen, Bahrain and Syria to step down immediately and to let the United Nations to hold elections away from interventions." Al-Sadr's statement was originally issued to call on stopping dragging Iraq into U.S.-Iran conflict and suggest to close the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. He warned that the U.S. embassy will be under fire of the resistance fighters again, referring to the attacks carried out by militias previously on the Green Zone where the U.S. embassy is located. Al-Sadr's statement also came a few days after the U.S. President Donald Trump decided not to reissue the sanction waivers allowing major importers to continue buying Iran's oil when they expire in early May. Following the exit from the Iran nuclear deal in May last year, the Trump's administration has kept piling up pressure on Iran through a series of sanctions and designations, which have been strongly opposed and criticized by Tehran. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 17:57:38|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close MAIMANA, Afghanistan, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Two civilians are among 11 persons who lost their lives in the fighting between security forces and the Taliban outfit in Qaisar district of the northern Faryab province of Afghanistan on Sunday, an army spokesman in the northern region Ghulam Hazrat Karimi said. The clash flared up after a group of Taliban insurgents attacked the checkpoints of pro-government militias in Kohi area of Qaisar district early morning, triggering a gun battle which lasted for a while, leaving two civilians and four pro-government militias dead, Karimi said. Five Taliban fighters were also killed in the fighting, the official went on to say. Taliban militants have not commented yet. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 18:12:43|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close QALA-E-NAW, Afghanistan, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Afghan forces killed two Taliban insurgents and evicted the armed militants from major parts of the strategically important Ab Kamari district in their fresh operations in the western Badghis province, said an army statement here on Sunday. According to the statement, three more militants were injured and the cleanup operation is continuing in the restive district. Government forces earlier captured the neighboring Bala Murghab district after fierce fighting, forcing Taliban militants to flee. The operations in Ab Kamari district would last until the area is cleared of the insurgents, the army said. Taliban militants have yet to make a comment. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 18:47:53|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Miao Ruilin, former vice governor of east China's Jiangsu Province, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from office over serious violations of Party discipline and laws. The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission said in a statement on Sunday that they had conducted an investigation into Miao, who was also a former member of the Leading Party Members Group of the government of Jiangsu Province. Miao lost his ideals and convictions, and behaves with no sense of political discipline and rules, the statement said. The investigation found Miao took advantage of his position to help other people in business and accepted huge amounts of money and gifts in exchange, and illegally owning shares of listed companies. He was also accused of infringing national interests in housing allocation. Other offenses included violating the Party's eight-point frugality code, receiving gifts and money, illegal participation in banquets at public expenses, living an extravagant lifestyle and trading power for sex. Miao severely violated Party's rules on frugality, organization, clean governance, work and life, committing duty crimes, the statement said, adding that he was also suspected of taking bribes. The statement said Miao showed no signs of restraint even after the 18th CPC National Congress and caused harmful influence. His illicit gains should be confiscated, and his suspected crimes will be transferred to the procuratorate for further investigation and prosecution. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 18:53:00|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close CHANGSHA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Central Chinese customs have said they recently seized over 1,000 live ants from a parcel from Britain, the latest of such seizures fueled by the rising fashion for exotic pets in China. Customs officials from Changsha, capital of Hunan Province, said the harvester ants, sealed in test tubes together with nutrient solution, were probably mailed into China as pets. They included 37 black-and-red queen ants, with a body length of about 1.4 cm, and a large number of worker ants and eggs. They were identified as harvester ants, which are gaining popularity among China's pet lovers as they have a beautiful appearance, fast reproduction and are easy-to-raise. Live insects are banned from entering China via mail, and officials said the illegal mailing of the non-native ant species could pose a threat to the country's eco-system. Changsha customs said they would destroy the ant parcels according to law. China's booming e-commerce is contributing to the fad for exotic pets including snakes, insects and lizards, which has been blamed for fueling the smuggling of foreign and sometimes endangered species. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 18:53:01|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close SAN DIEGO, April 27 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and three injured in a synagogue shooting in San Diego, California, on Saturday, the county authorities confirmed. The synagogue at the Chabad of Poway, about 20 miles (about 32 km) north of downtown San Diego, was hosting a Passover holiday celebration when the shooting occurred. The suspect, taken into custody after the shooting, has been identified as 19-year-old John Earnest, authorities said. The suspect has no prior contact with law enforcement, said San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore. Authorities are aware of an online manifesto that Earnest wrote, and are looking into digital evidence and checking the authenticity of the document, according to Gore. An anti-Semitic open letter was posted to the anonymous message board 8chan under the name of John Earnest before the attack. In the open letter, Earnest talked about planning the attack and references other attacks on houses of worship, including the recent mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand. Earnest also claimed responsibility for a mosque fire in Escondido, a city northeast of downtown San Diego, on March 24. Gore said officials are checking Earnest's possible involvement in the arson and vandalism of the mosque in Escondido. The wounded in the shooting were taken to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido. Police said a woman did not survive her injuries. A Rabbi underwent surgery after suffering defensive wounds to his index fingers. A 34-year-old man and a child were hit by shrapnel from bullets. The child has been transferred to Rady Children's, the largest children's hospital in California. Xinhua reporters saw roads near the synagogue blocked, and media gathered across from the synagogue. Bunches of flowers and prayer slogans were laid near the blockade lines. Some people sat on the ground and burst into tears. In a Poway incident community message, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department assured that there are no known threats to other religious gatherings. "The suspect in the Poway incident today has been captured and we believe he acted alone," said the message. "We encourage our communities to continue with scheduled events and other activities as normal," it said. Local police will be providing extra patrols at places of worship this weekend. "Thoughts and prayers to all of those affected by the shooting at the Synagogue in Poway, California. God bless you all. Suspect apprehended. Law enforcement did outstanding job," U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted. Poway is the safest city in the San Diego County and among the safest in the state of California based on FBI crime data and population statistics, according to report of The San Diego Union-Tribune, a local daily newspaper. The incident came exactly six months after a deadly gun attack at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, which resulted in 11 fatalities and multiple injuries. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 18:58:04|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The third World Intelligence Congress (WIC) will be held between May 16 and 19, in north China's Tianjin Municipality, according to a press conference in Beijing on Sunday. The four-day event themed "Intelligence New Era: Progress, Planning and Opportunity," includes a series of activities such as forums, exhibitions, competitions, and intelligent experiences. Enterprises including CRRC Corporation Limited, Huawei, Alibaba, and General Electric Company, research institutions and universities will attend the exhibitions and showcase their cutting-edge technologies and products. Five competitions will be held during the event, including China (Tianjin) Industrial App Innovation & Application Competition and the World Intelligence RoboSub Competition. Over 1,200 foreign guests from 30 countries and regions have been invited, and about 13,000 square meters of indoor and outdoor intelligent experience zones will be set up during the event. The National Development and Reform Commission, and Ministry of Science and Technology and Tianjin municipal government are among the organizers of the event. In the previous WICs in 2017 and 2018, nearly 10,000 scientists, entrepreneurs, educators, and financiers from both home and abroad gathered in Tianjin to discuss the frontier trends of intelligent technologies. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 19:23:21|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The just-concluded Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) reaffirms China's commitment to further open up, bolster international cooperation and realize tangible benefits on the ground, experts say. The speech delivered by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the second BRF held from April 25-27 in Beijing, "reflects another chapter of China's opening and promoting international cooperation," said Selcuk Colakoglu, director of Turkish Center for Asia Pacific Studies. "China has increasingly become a staunch supporter of inclusive growth, common, sustainable and green development, international trade liberalization, and good global governance," said Colakoglu. Addressing the Belt and Road forum, Xi announced new measures for China to further open up, including broadening market access, strengthening intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, increasing imports, and setting up new free trade pilot zones. Colakoglu, meanwhile, praised the Belt and Road for building infrastructure that "could help countries give full play to their advantages in resources and better integrate into the global supply, industry and value chains for interconnected development." Ismael Buchanan from the University of Rwanda said he agrees with President Xi that infrastructure is a bottleneck of development facing many countries, adding "the initiative will contribute to sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction, employment creation, and better integration of the world." On Xi's call for high-quality development of the Belt and Road construction, Lothar Herrmann, head of Siemens Greater China, shares the view that high-quality development is the right formula going forward for this initiative. "High quality means to construct an open and inclusive playing ground for all participants, to drive practical cooperation ... and to bring tangible benefits," he said, adding that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has proven to be "a strong force for the development of globalization that connects people and economies." For professor B.R. Deepak at India's Jawaharlal Nehru University, high-quality development "would be accompanied by greater opening up (of China) to the outside world." "I believe, this would result in the greater alignment of the development strategies of various countries, generate new growth drivers for regional as well as global growth, fight protectionism and pave the way for common development and shared prosperity," he noted. French expert on international relations and on China David Gosset said the Chinese president "reaffirmed his commitment to China's new level of openness." It shows that China not only embraces the world in a constructive manner through a major diplomatic initiative, but the country is increasingly open to foreign business, talents and ideas, Gosset added. "In a world of rapid changes, threatened by many divisive forces, China appears as the connector country, connecting East and West but also North and South," noted the French expert. Alexei Maslov said "the second Belt and Road forum is a new model of globalization ... many countries support the Belt and Road Initiative as a global platform for multilateral cooperation." "The second forum is a new mechanism of interaction between countries," said Maslov, head of the Oriental Studies Department of the Russian Higher School of Economics Research University. Andrei Ostrovsky, deputy director of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said, "The second Belt and Road forum is, in fact, creating some new mechanisms and new forms of interaction between states." "Beijing intends to accelerate the formation of procedures that will facilitate China's trade and economic cooperation with other states and will continue to create conditions for financing projects in the framework of the Belt and Road. Xi noted that such measures are in line with China's policy to increase market openness," he added. "This means that all countries of the economic belt of the Silk Road can get real benefits from the implementation of this initiative," he said. Russian media reported that on Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Russian reporters in Beijing that he believes the initiative has a bright future. According to the report, Putin said the initiative stems from China's national interests while conforming to the interests of most countries and taking full account of the interests of partners. It also represents China's efforts to safeguard the principles of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as well as to maintain global economic stability, Putin was quoted as saying. (Xinhua reporters Yi Aijun in Istanbul, Frank Kanyesigye in Kigali, Deng Yushan, Zhao Yu in Beijing, Hu Xiaoming in New Delhi, Ying Qiang in Paris, Shi Hao in Moscow also contributed to the story.) Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 19:33:24|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close ISTANBUL, April 28 (Xinhua) -- As Turkey finds itself isolated in the Eastern Mediterranean amid the U.S.-backed cooperation among some countries for gas drilling off Cyprus, analysts cautioned that Ankara's interests would be dealt a heavy blow unless it acts against efforts to contain it. "Turkey's ability to project power in the region risks being crippled by the alliances Greece and Greek Cypriots have formed with some regional powers as well as the U.S.," Cahit Armagan Dilek, director of the Ankara-based 21st Century Turkey Institute, told Xinhua. Turkey and the Republic of Cyprus, which represents the Greek Cypriots on the divided island, are at loggerheads over the Greek Cypriots' gas exploration off southern Cyprus. Ankara says some of the gas fields claimed by the Greek side overlap with the exclusive economic zone of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots who live in the northern part of the island. Greece, Israel and the Republic of Cyprus are cooperating to construct an undersea pipeline, EastMed pipeline project, that will carry Cypriot and Israeli natural gas to Europe. As a sign of support to the project, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo joined the leaders of the three countries for a summit in Israel on March 20, and a joint statement issued after the meeting pledged to "defend against external malign influences" in the Eastern Mediterranean and the broader Middle East. The "malign influences" are widely seen as a thinly veiled reference to the Turkish navy's maneuvers in the past to block Greek Cypriot efforts to drill for gas. "The partnership that began as energy cooperation got focused on the sharing of the resources and has now turned into a military alliance," said Dilek, a former captain in the Turkish Navy. Both Greece and the Republic of Cyprus, which is not recognized by Ankara, have held several joint military drills with Israel since the end of last year when gas exploration activities by Greek Cypriots off southern Cyprus refueled tension with Ankara. Ankara argues that the Turkish Cypriots should also have a share of the revenues of the gas to be drilled, while Nicosia says the Turkish side would get its share after the eventual reunification of the island. Egypt is also in close cooperation with Greece and Greek Cypriots regarding territorial and gas exploration rights in the Mediterranean and regional security. Most recently, Egypt, Greece and Cyprus held joint air and naval exercises last November and in mid-April. "The U.S. and Western support to the unilateral and unlawful claims by the Greek Cypriots over natural gas reserves potentially sets the stage for protracted tension and conflict in the eastern Mediterranean," Faruk Logoglu, a former senior Turkish diplomat, told Xinhua. "No activity can be carried out in the Mediterranean without Turkey, and we would never allow that," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said back in February. The Republic of Cyprus concluded long ago bilateral maritime border demarcation agreements with Israel, Egypt and Lebanon, while Turkey is yet to declare its own exclusive economic zone in the Mediterranean. Ankara's isolation in the region was further underlined by the establishment in January of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum. Other than Egypt where the forum headquarters is based, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority are the founding members of the forum. Noting the U.S. is in search of obtaining military bases in the Greek-held southern Cyprus as well as in Greece, Dilek said, "The siege around Turkey aims to force it to give up its rights in the Aegean and the Mediterranean and to pull its troops from the northern part of Cyprus." The U.S. search for new military bases and its increasing support for the Greek side came at a time when the ties between Ankara and Washington, two NATO allies, have been highly strained over an array of disputes including U.S. support to the Kurdish militia in Syria and Ankara's attempt to get Russia-made S-400 air defense system. It is widely argued that losing Cyprus would hugely cut off Turkey's supply lines considering that the Aegean Sea is dotted with hundreds of Greek islands. "Cyprus is like a natural aircraft carrier that could serve as a forward operating base for the Middle East and North Africa," stated Dilek. Cyprus was split along ethnic lines in 1974, when Turkey intervened militarily following a military coup by Athens-backed Greek Cypriots. Numerous reunification talks between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots have failed. The self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is only recognized by Turkey. Earlier this month, two U.S. senators submitted a bill aiming to facilitate energy cooperation between the U.S., Israel, Greece and the Republic of Cyprus as well as boosting security ties with Washington's partners in the Eastern Mediterranean. The bill also proposes to lift the prohibition on arms sales to Greek Cypriots whose participation in NATO's partnership for peace program is, it says, in Washington's interest. "It is true that Turkey has lagged behind in taking appropriate steps to protect its interests," said Logoglu, who feels Ankara must now conduct a two-pronged policy. One is to assert its rights by continuing seismic research in waters that properly belong to Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots, while the other is to start a diplomatic offensive to explain its case to all the relevant parties and develop agreements with the littoral states, including Palestine, for the mutual exploration of natural gas, Logoglu explained. "Turkey must declare its exclusive economic zone in cooperation with the littoral states as well as establish military bases in the Turkish-held part of the island," remarked Dilek. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 19:38:26|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned on Sunday the deadly attack in a California synagogue, saying it was an "attack on the heart of the Jewish people." In a first official comment on Saturday's attack at the start of Israel's weekly cabinet meeting, he said the "abhorrent shooting was an attack on the heart of the Jewish people." Netanyahu sent condolences to the family of Lori Gilbert-Kaye, which was killed at the attack, best wishes for a quick recovery to the wounded. He urged the international community to increase its struggle against antisemitism. His office said in a statement that "in light of the upsurge in antisemitic attacks around the world, Prime Minister Netanyahu will, this week, convene a special discussion of all elements dealing with the issue." On Saturday, a 19-year-old man, identified as John Earnest, arrived at a Chabad of Poway synagogue in San Diego, California, opening fire at worshipers who were marking the last day of the Jewish holiday of Passover. He killed Lori Gilbert-Kaye, a 60-year-old woman, and injured at least three others. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 19:38:28|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close SARAJEVO, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese businesswoman Lou Tonghua is unlucky, as her shop in a market in northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) suffered two fires in three years, but she is lucky with the timely help from her compatriots. "The fire burned my life. In my most helpless time, the compatriots gave the timely help. I have no reason to despair now," Lou told Xinhua in a call interview on Sunday, two weeks after her shop wast burnt down in a major fire on April 14. The fire broke out in the Arizona wholesale market in Gradacac, northeastern BiH, burning down about 500 stores, including nine Chinese stores. Each Chinese store is estimated to have suffered losses of at least 150,000 U.S. dollars. To help the suffered Chinese businesspersons, a donation campaign was initiated by China Association for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of BiH, China Association for the Exchange of Film and Television Media and Culture from Eastern Europe and Great Wall Hotel. The campaign received donations of more than 50,000 KM (nearly 25,000 euros), which is far from enough to make up for the losses of the Chinese businessmen, but serves as an emergency help to the suffered. Chinese community is not big in BiH with only about 400 Chinese living and working there. At present, the hit Chinese businesspersons are actively negotiating with the local market management to get their legitimate rights and interests. The Chinese Embassy to BiH sent officials to the scene on the day of the fire and presented condolence payments to the Chinese businessmen. There was a fire at the Arizona market in January 2016 that destroyed more than 500 stores. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 19:43:30|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close LONDON, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Liu Xiaoming, the Chinese Ambassador to the UK, on Sunday urged Britain to "resist pressure", "avoid interruptions" and "make the right decisions independently" over its decisions on dealing with the Chinese telecoms giant, Huawei, saying that "Huawei has had a good track record on security over the years." In his signed article in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper, Liu said, "Britain can and must work with Huawei on 5G." When it comes to the establishment of the new 5G network, the UK can show that "it is ready for the responsibility of being a leader in global free trade" by "resisting pressure, working to avoid interruptions and making the right decision independently based on its national interests and in line with its need for long-term development," he said. The article was published after Huawei is again making headlines in the UK. The past week witnessed the start of a heated debate in Britain over what decision to make with regard to the development of the 5G network in the country. The Chinese ambassador voiced his understanding of Britain's security concerns, Liu said, "This is because 5G, as representative of an entire new generation of communications technology, is not perfect and does still need improvements." "These risks should be taken seriously but risks must not be allowed to incite fear," he said. "They can be managed, provided countries and companies work together." "In an age of globalization, no country can achieve development behind closed doors," he said. "Win-win cooperation is the only way." "Huawei has had a good track record on security over the years, having taken the initiative to invest in a Cyber Security Evaluation Center which employs an all-British monitoring system," the ambassador said. "The company has been working hard to improve its technology and to enhance the security and reliability of its equipment." In Britain, Huawei has contributed 2 billion pounds (2.58 billion U.S. dollars) to the economy over the past five years through investment and procurement, and created more than 7,500 jobs in this country, he noted. Across the world, the Chinese company has built more than 1,500 communications networks, works in more than 170 countries and regions and provides services to more than one third of the world's population, he said. "This not just show the progress of a single company but bears testimony to the success of win-win cooperation," he said. "If China and the UK can keep the long-term goal in mind, follow the trend of globalization and stick to independent decision making, openness and cooperation, they can work together to build a future of win-win results," Liu added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 19:53:36|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, April 28 (Xinhua) -- At least two civilians were killed, following a roadside mine blast in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province on Sunday, an official said. The blast happened at about 1:30 p.m. local time in Dand district's Kalantar area of the troubled province, where the mine, planted by armed militants, struck a tractor of locals, leaving two civilians dead on the spot, Jamal Nasir Barekzai, the provincial police spokesman told Xinhua. Barekzai blamed Taliban militants for planting the mine to terrorize people. Taliban militants, fighting government forces and largely relying on suicide and roadside bombings, have yet to claim responsibility. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 20:23:59|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Photo taken on April 19, 2019 shows the sole upright goblet (L), engraved with the name Richard E. Cole, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, the United States. Seventy-nine silver goblets have been symbolically turned upside down, leaving only one, engraved with the name Richard E. Cole, standing upright. All shine behind show windows in the largest military museum in the world as a silent homage commemorating 80 heroic Doolittle Raiders who launched America's first airstrike on Tokyo during WWII. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) by Xinhua writers Xu Jianmei, Liu Liwei, Chang Yuan, Hu Yousong and Zhang Yongqing DAYTON/SAN ANTONIO, United States, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Seventy-nine silver goblets have been symbolically turned upside down, leaving only one, engraved with the name Richard E. Cole, standing upright. All shine behind show windows in the largest military museum in the world as a silent homage commemorating 80 heroic Doolittle Raiders who launched America's first airstrike on Tokyo during WWII. THE GOBLETS Probably sometime this summer, the sole upright goblet will be turned over at a ceremony at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, since Lieutenant Colonel Dick Cole, the last surviving Doolittle Tokyo Raider, died at the age of 103 on April 9 in San Antonio, Texas, museum staff Rob Bardua told Xinhua. Four months after the Japanese unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor, a group of 80 U.S. airmen named after their mission commander Jimmy Doolittle volunteered to retaliate. Most of them were later rescued by voluntary Chinese civilians and troops. By doing so, they all risked their lives with a spirit of self-sacrifice. "The tradition of those goblets comes from a western military tradition of remembering lost comrades," Dr. Douglas Lantry, the museum's curator and historian, told Xinhua in a recent interview. Shortly after the war, said Lantry, the Doolittle Raiders began reunions during which they remembered their lost comrades with a toast. In 1959, they were presented with these silver goblets by the city of Tucson, Arizona. What makes the goblets unique is that each of them, 4-inch (10.16-cm) high and 3-inch (7.62-cm) in diameter, is engraved with the raider's name twice, one on the right side and the other on the bottom. So people can read the deceased raider's name after his goblet is turned over. "When a (Doolittle) Raider passed away, his comrades would drink a toast to him and then turn the goblet upside down. Now there are no more Raiders left," said Lantry. "The goblets and the tradition of the toast, especially this one, represent everything that we want American airmen to live their lives by. It represents courage and commitment and also a spirit of innovation. Those raiders were doing something that had never been done before. And so our young people are inspired," he said. "Now that all the raiders are gone, the goblets keep the story alive because there are valuable lessons inside". Moreover, part of such lessons can be drawn from Doolittle Raiders' experiences in China, the U.S. ally during WWII, the museum historian noted. "Lots of people know the story of the raid and the raiders, but fewer people know the story of how they survived after the raid and the price that the Chinese people paid for helping those guys," said Lantry. "There was a close connection between the Doolittle Raiders and the Chinese," Secretary of the U.S. Air Force Heather Wilson told Xinhua, calling it an "untold story" that most Doolittle Raiders were rescued by the Chinese and then brought to safety. "It's an important story and it's a story that more people should know." 30 SECONDS Though nicknamed the master of the calculated risk, Doolittle "proposed the unimaginable to strike Tokyo from an aircraft carrier with a land-based bomber," Wilson recalled at a memorial service for Cole at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, on April 18, the day marking the 77th anniversary of the legendary raid. The mission was "unthinkable on an impossible timeline," let alone the raiders had to take off 10 hours earlier and flew much further away than they had planned after being spotted by a Japanese boat in the Pacific, she told more than 1,000 servicemen at Hangar 41 as Cole learned to fly in class 41. "Every man knew it was likely going to be a one way trip. They didn't have enough fuel with the forecast headwind to make it to the Chinese mainland after the strike. Doolittle gave every man the option not to go. And not a single airman opted out," she said in a trembling voice. Cole, 26, was co-piloting in the lead plane of 16 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers. Each with a crew of five men, without fighter escort, the bombers took off from the U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier USS Hornet. They arrived over Japan in daylight and bombed oil storage facilities, tankers, warehouses, military targets and industrial plants in Tokyo and several other major Japanese cities. "Flying very fast and very low, they only had about 30 seconds over their targets and drop bombs," Lantry said, adding that the navigation had to be very accurate to get to the right place. "Sometimes a moment of courage, a moment of heroism, can define a whole life," said Lantry of the raiders' historic 30 seconds. "This one moment made the group famous because it was so important to so many other people." With newspaper headlines proclaiming "US Bombs Tokyo" after months of doom and gloom due to Japan's rapid advance in Asia and West Pacific, the Doolittle Raid immediately boosted American morale, said Wilson. "(Though) the physical damage to the Japanese mainland was not substantial, it punctured Japan's sense of invincibility. It caused its leaders to pull the Japanese fleet back to protect the homeland and provoked their strategic miscalculations that turned the tide of the war in the Pacific," she said. "When America was at its lowest point, it needed a hero. It found 80 of them, who volunteered, innovated, and flew straight into the heart of the enemy," she said. CHINESE RESCUE "What's the most significant event in your life?" Cole was once asked in an interview. "My parachute opened," Cole answered with a quick wit. After the raid, one bomber steered towards the Soviet Union and the other 15 headed towards China. Thanks to a miraculous 37-mph brisk tailwind instead of the forecast 25-mph headwind, they finally reached China's coastline, said Col. Robert Gardner at the memorial service. However, the airmen were forced to parachute into a heavy storm in complete darkness as fuel ran dangerously low. It was Cole's first combat mission and also the first time he used a parachute, said Lantry, adding that Cole was supposed to jump out of the plane, count to 10 and then pull the cord for the parachute. Instead, Cole jumped out, counted one and pulled the cord immediately because he wasn't sure how close to the ground he was. He pulled the cord so hard that he gave himself "a big black eye" before landing on a pine tree and stayed atop until daylight. "That was the scariest time," Cole recalled during an interview in 2013 when he was 98. "There you are in an airplane over a land you are not familiar with, under a big weather front, very active with lots of rain, with thunderstorms and lots of lightning and you are going to jump out." Three raiders died trying to reach China. Five were interned in Soviet Union for about one year. Among the eight captured and tortured by the Japanese forces, three were executed and one died in captivity. All the remaining 64 raiders including Doolittle and Cole were rescued by the Chinese and smuggled out to safety. "When they had to jump out of their airplanes, they were completely helpless," said Lantry. "It was dark and the weather was bad and they didn't know where they were and who would find them. Some of them got hung up in trees and others just landed on the ground and maybe found a shed or a farm or something and just were hiding." "But without exception, whoever found them was kind to them. And they offered assistance and help and medical care and food and shelter," said the museum historian, "It was remarkable... all the strangers they met understood that they were on the same side and they did everything they could to help them." "They (Doolittle Raiders) could not have survived without the kindness of the people who found them," he told Xinhua. "I'm convinced that without help they would have been completely lost." The price China paid for aiding the U.S. ally was very high, said the museum historian. "There was a great deal of retaliation after the raid. Very serious retaliation...The Chinese people suffered greatly." Recently some researches from the U.S. side have estimated that up to 250,000 Chinese people lost their lives because they helped Doolittle Raiders, according to Lantry. He said that the Japanese troops devastated more than 20,000 square miles (52,000 square km)of farmland including livestock and crops and attacked several cities where the raiders were hidden in eastern China. Goblets & Friendship On April 9, the day that last Doolittle Raider Cole passed away, Chinese Consul General in New York Huang Ping happened to be visiting the National Museum of U.S. Air Force. He asked the museum to convey his deep condolences to the veteran's family, and spoke highly of the American pilots who fought side by side with the Chinese people during WWII. "The exhibits in this museum record a fond memory shared by China and the United States, when the two countries joined hands in fighting the menace of fascism and safeguarding world peace,"said Huang. "The friendly feelings between our two peoples are sincere and deep-rooted, as proven by history." "American airmen have always been very grateful for the cooperation of the Chinese population because it was very dangerous for them to help those Americans," said Lantry. "All of those Raiders expressed lifelong gratitude. And they did that when they got together at their reunions every year... They took that friendship very seriously because their lives depend on," Lantry told Xinhua. The Sino-U.S. cooperation continued before and after the raid, he noted, citing flying supplies over the Himalayan "Hump" and building bomber bases by hand. After the raid, Cole continued to fly the "Hump" and other missions in the China-Burma-India Theater until 1944. "The (Chinese) acts of kindness and cooperation to help those flyers get back into the battle, or back to their home, has been an inspiration of friendship and cooperation over the years," said Landry. "It's important to focus on what you share. That's the lesson of the Doolittle Raiders I think." The museum historian's thoughts resonated with fond remarks made by Doolittle and two late U.S. Republican presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush in the 1980s and 1990s. In March 1992, surviving Doolittle Raiders and five of their Chinese rescuers were reunited in Red Wing, a city in Minnesota, for the first time in 50 years after the raid and rescue. "On this special occasion, we also salute those good people in China, who, following the raid and without regard for their own well-being, provided shelter and protection for wounded Americans." said then-president George H. W. Bush in a letter to the reunion. Gen. Doolittle, 95 at that time, did not attend the reunion but also wrote a letter to their Chinese rescuers. "On behalf of the entire Doolittle Raider organization, and especially those Doolittle Raiders and their families present here tonight, I extend deep hearted appreciation to our Chinese friends, who at great risk to themselves and to their families, rescued and cared for our men." "A hearty thumbs up to you all," said Doolittle who passed away in September 1993 at the age of 96. Ronald Reagan, in his April 1984 speech at Fudan University in Shanghai during his China visit, also spoke highly of Doolittle Raiders and the Chinese rescue. "When the armies of Fascism swept Asia, we fought with you to stop them... Remember when our general Jimmy Doolittle and his squadron came halfway round the world to help. Some of those pilots landed in China. You remember those brave young boys. You hid them and cared for them and bound up their wounds. You saved many of their lives." In his enthusiastic speech, Reagan said the friendship between the American and Chinese people was the basis of the friendship between the two governments. "History is a river that may take us as it will. But we have the power to navigate, to choose direction and make our passage together. The wind is up, the current is swift, and opportunity for a long and fruitful journey awaits us," said Reagan. "With peaceful cooperation as our guide," he said, "the possibilities for future progress are great." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 20:24:02|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Sunday that he hopes the green development concept embodied by the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 Beijing should be spread to every corner of the world. The horticultural expo, themed "Live Green, Live Better," is aimed at advocating the respect for and integration with the nature in people's pursuit of a better life, Xi said while addressing the opening of the expo. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 20:29:11|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close ATHENS, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Greek political leaders wished for a better future for debt-ridden Greece in their messages for the Orthodox Easter celebrated on Sunday. "I wish for progress and development, with respect to the values and principles of justice, in particular social justice," said Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos in an e-mailed press statement. "I also wish that citizens of our great European family will defend with their verdict the European edifice from populism and racism forces," said Pavlopoulos. "This is a day that symbolizes the victory of the Light against the darkness, of Justice against injustice, of Love against bigotry. It can be this year a day of certainty for a better future," Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in his message. "After many difficult years we can be optimistic. The Calvary of the memoranda and of the surveillance is behind," he said, referring to harsh bailout programs Greece implemented from 2010 until the summer of 2018 in order to deal with an acute debt crisis and avert default with the support of international lenders. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 20:34:27|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close TOKYO, April 28 (Xinhua) -- A record number of visas were issued for foreign nationals in 2018, Japan's public broadcaster NHK said Sunday. Based on figures from Japan's Foreign Ministry, NHK said the government granted more than 6.95 million visas in the reporting year to foreign nationals. The number of visas issued in 2018 was a 19 percent rise compared to the previous year, with the total for the year marking a record high, the ministry's data showed, according to NHK. Visitors from China were granted more than 5.44 million visas and accounted for around 78 percent of all visas issued in the recording year, the ministry said, while visas issued to people from the Philippines stood at 347,800 in 2018, based on the official figures. Those granted to people from Vietnam, meanwhile, stood at 286,900, while embassies and consulates of Japan granted visas to 242,800 Indonesians in the recording year. As Tokyo gears up to host the summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020, Japan's Foreign Ministry believes that embassies and consulates will continue to issue rising numbers of visas to accommodate the continued influx of foreign visitors. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 20:44:38|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks during a press conference with Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Hakim in Baghdad, Iraq, April 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Khalil Ddawood) BAGHDAD, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu arrived in Baghdad on Sunday for talks with Iraqi leaders over cooperation in the fields of fighting terror, boosting trade exchange and reconstruction efforts of Iraqi areas liberated from the Islamic State (IS) militants. At a joint press conference, Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Hakim said that "we have discussed with the Turkish side in detail an array of issues concerning Iraq and Turkey, including the war on terror and the presence of terrorist groups on the Iraqi-Turkish border." He said the discussions also included the reconstruction of areas liberated from IS group and the return of displaced people to their homes, in addition to activating the trade exchange and the water of the two major rivers of Tigris and Euphrates. For his part, Cavusoglu said that "it is very important to cooperate with neighboring countries," adding Turkey is not only ready to eradicate IS, but to clear border areas from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants and other terrorist groups. "We encourage Iraq to be a hub between Europe, Asia and the Gulf countries. For this, we want to open up another border gate and build railways and highways in the country. We need to work together for these infrastructure investments," Cavusoglu told reporters. Cavusoglu also revealed that the Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi will pay a visit to Turkey, and later the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Iraq, without specifying dates for the two visits. The Turkish FM also said the Iraqi authorities have agreed to reopen Turkish consulates in the cities of Mosul in north and Basra in the south, stressing that his country wants to open two new consulates in the cities of Najaf and Kirkuk. Earlier in the day, Cavusoglu arrived in Baghdad heading a delegation to meet with Iraqi top officials and is scheduled to visit the Iraqi cities of Basra and Erbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 20:49:44|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Zhao Leji (L), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, meets with Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Zhao Leji, secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, met with Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh in Beijing on Sunday. Zhao, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said that China is willing to work with Djibouti to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, promote the high-quality development of jointly building the Belt and Road, comprehensively advance cooperation between the two countries and deepen exchanges between the two parties. Guelleh said that the Belt and Road Initiative is conducive to strengthening friendship, enhancing mutual trust and jointly building a community with a shared future for humanity. Djibouti hopes to strengthen cooperation with China in areas such as infrastructure, digital economy and construction of ports, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 20:54:51|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close RAMALLAH, April 28 (Xinhua) -- An official of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party on Sunday called on Islamic Hamas movement to allow the "formation of a Palestinian national front" to face the U.S. "Deal of the Century." Jibril al-Rajoub, secretary general of Fatah's central committee, said in an emailed press statement that what is required of Hamas "is not an emotional speech, but practical steps to pave the way for the formation of a national front." He added that Hamas should take the next move towards ending the division of its power in the Gaza Strip and allowing the Palestinian government to operate in Gaza. The Palestinians have boycotted the U.S. administration since it recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moved its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem last May. They criticized that the U.S. "Deal of the Century" falls way short of their expectations and aspirations for lasting and just peace settlement and called for an international multilateral peace mechanism to overlook peace negotiations. Al-Rajoub's remarks came a day after Ismail Haneya, Hamas politburo chief, called for a national strategic vision to face the U.S. deal. Haneya told Palestinian factions that "the vision should be first and foremost based on retrieving the national unity in order to face the current dangers that the Palestinian cause is going through." Haneya added that he is willing to hold meetings immediately with all factions, especially Fatah movement in Gaza or Cairo. The Palestinians have been divided since 2007 when Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip while the West Bank remained under the rule of Abbas's Fatah party. The Israeli blockade and the internal Palestinian division between Hamas and Fatah have been negatively influencing all aspects of life, mainly in the Gaza Strip. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 20:59:55|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's standards watchdog has seized four tonnes of used underwear in an ongoing crackdown in the east African nation's northern zone regions, an official said on Sunday. "Most of the imported used underwear were impounded in Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions during a special crackdown that lasted two weeks," said Rhoida Andusamile, head of public relations for state-owned Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS). The government has banned the importation of used underwear and other substandard goods to protect citizens against diseases and other risks but traders were still importing them through illegal entry points, she said. Andusamile told Xinhua when reached by phone that TBS was getting in touch with relevant environment authorities to establish how best to dispose of the consignment. "We are definitely going to burn them but we have to consult environment authorities to guide us on how to burn the used underwear without polluting the environment," she said. The official said the seized used underwear included socks, towels and underskirts, adding that the crackdown will be carried out across the country. "Most of the used underwear were seized from markets and shops in northern zone regions of Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Tanga," said the official. Andusamile said TBS was currently conducting an inspection to identify substandard goods all over the country, a move aimed at protecting Tanzanians from health hazards associated with the use of second-hand products. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 21:00:02|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close KIGALI, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will promote development, Rwandan analysts told Xinhua recently, expecting Rwanda to seize the opportunity of the BRI. "BRI is an ambitious project that will drive economic development across the globe," said Ismael Buchanan, senior lecturer and researcher at the University of Rwanda, adding that the "great idea" seeks to reduce trade costs and improve connectivity, thus, leading to higher cross-border trade and investment. The initiative will contribute to sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction, employment creation and integration of the world, he said. Ladislas Ngendahimana, a political analyst and secretary general of Rwandan Association of Local Government Authorities, expected Rwanda to leverage new opportunities offered by the BRI in areas including infrastructure development, noting that the BRI facilitates political and economic openness and integration. He also expected Rwanda's private sector to take the opportunity of the BRI to position themselves in new business arena through integration and globalization. The three-day Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation concluded Saturday in Beijing. It drew about 5,000 participants from more than 150 countries and 90 international organizations, including nearly 40 heads of state and government. The initiative, proposed by China in 2013, has grown into one of the most promising platforms for international cooperation, forging a new pathway toward inclusive globalization that delivers shared benefits. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 21:00:04|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese railway police have started a 10-day special campaign against behaviors interrupting public transport as the May Day holiday approaches. Railway police nationwide will take measures against passengers forcibly taking others' seats, drunken troublemakers, and ticket scalpers, said the railway police authority on Sunday. This year's May Day holiday will last from May 1 to 4, and is expected to see a traffic rush. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 21:05:06|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close KUWAIT CITY, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition will make China the focus of the world, Khaled Al-Hajri, Kuwaiti environmental activist, said in a recent interview with Xinhua. Hajri is also the head of Green Line Environmental Group, which gathers a group of Kuwaiti activists to save the society from pollution. He said that China's efforts to embrace global environmental events stem from its keenness on achieving environmental successes which are positively reflected on the environment and health of Chinese society. Kuwait can benefit from China's experience in dealing with some of the environmental ramifications, he said, adding that "China is characterized by two things: research and technology." "These are the most important things that Kuwait and the Arab region need the most to overcome the environmental problems and difficulties," he stressed. "In order to activate the Chinese-Arab environmental cooperation, we could establish a regional Chinese environmental center through which research and technology will be provided," Hajri added. According to Hajri, Kuwait suffers from poor environmental management, waste treatment and air pollution. He noted that such situation needs assistance from friendly countries such as China, especially to face the ramifications of environment and oil industry in the major projects that are expected to be implemented under Kuwait Vision 2035. Kuwait Vision 2035 is a national development plan designed to introduce a change in Kuwait's oil-reliant economic structure and transform the oil-rich Gulf state into a trade and financial hub by 2035. Hajri praised China's role in promoting eco-economy for sustainable livelihoods, saying that "we are all aware of China's eco-green epic in order to reduce the pollution of some factories." The expert added that there are also "the greening and planting projects to address the problem of air and overcome dust storms as well as desertification in some parts of China." The event, the second of its kind since the first of such expo was held in 1999 in the southwestern city of Kunming, will run from April 29 to Oct. 7 in Beijing to exhibit flower, fruit and vegetable farming at the foot of the Great Wall in the capital's Yanqing District. It will bring together participants from more than 110 countries and international organizations as well as over 120 non-official exhibitors, opening a new chapter in the expo's history with the highest attendance. The exhibitors will present their latest achievements in the 503-hectare expo site. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 21:10:18|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close ACCRA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- It is a relief for Maurice, a 23-year-old Ghanaian worker, to find out that the possibilities of contracting major diseases related to his high blood pressure had all been ruled out after a series of medical examinations by Chinese doctors. More surprisingly, all the procedures are finished in the factory where Maurice works in a timely manner, and totally for free. "I never expect to receive such a professional consultation here before, it's like the doctors actually moved a hospital to our factory," said Maurice. Chinese medical team in Ghana on Saturday rolled out free service for around 200 local workers in Ghana's KEDA ceramics company, covering many subjects including acupuncture and ophthalmology. Maurice said the service is "quite necessary", adding that ordinary people living in the country's remote areas still struggle to pay for their medical bills because of high medication prices despite their medical insurance. "We give them basic examination such as blood pressure and glucose test, and once we find something wrong with their health, we will send them for further test immediately, " said Zhang Yong, a member of the Chinese medical team. "We really appreciate all the medical staff's hard work, they are not only giving our workers free physical examinations but also promoting health knowledge among local workers, which come as a comfort to us all ," said Li Wei, manager of the company, adding that the company will do its best to protect the health of local workers. China has been sending medical teams to Ghana since 2009, which has been recognized by the Ghanaian government and widely lauded by its people. "We will continue to offer more medical service to Ghanaians, especially for those in poverty-stricken areas," said Liu Qiuhong, head of the medical team. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 21:15:22|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close NAKURU, Kenya, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Fredlick Lesingo, a community mobilizer who lives near Kiptunga Forest Station which is part of the larger Mau Forest, knows too well why it is critical to protect it from destruction. Lesingo is a member of the Kiptunga Community Forest Association that is legally recognized by Kenya Forest Service (KFS), the state agency overseeing management of forests in the East African nation. He is also one of the ten community volunteer scouts working with KFS rangers to control and prevent illegal activities in the forest including illegal felling of indigenous trees for firewood, charcoal and timber. "We have already felt the effects of destroying the forests. We are almost in May and we are just planting because the rains delayed. Even the swamps where cows and sheep would drink water dried," Lesingo told Xinhua during a recent interview near Kiptunga Forest. His daily routine involves surveying forest blocks to check whether there is any destruction that could be reported to KFS officers. The government in February 2018 imposed a moratorium on logging in all forests as a measure to protect the five water towers and minimize presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere as trees serve as carbon reservoirs. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in its 2018 State of the World's Forests report, emphasized the need to protect forests stating that they play critical role in food security, drinking water, renewable energy and rural economies. "They provide around 20 percent of income for rural households in developing countries - notably more in many areas - and fuel for cooking and heating for one in every three people around the world," said FAO report. Lesingo said without the forest, grass would be unavailable for livestock and the scenario could be detrimental to household incomes. More than 30 years ago, Kiptunga Forest was compact with indigenous trees but they have been cleared to pave way for human settlements and agricultural activities, according to the volunteer scout. Joseph Lesingo, chairman of Kiptunga Community Forest Association, said without engagement of communities living adjacent to the forests, loss of biodiversity would be escalated. "These communities are major stakeholders in management of forests since they enjoy immediate benefits of the forest products. They cannot allow any activity causing degradation of the ecosystem," said Lesingo. Members of the Kiptunga Community Forest Association take part in restoration activities including planting of trees where they have been either legally or illegally harvested or protecting young trees while cropping in allocated portions of land under plantation establishment scheme run by KFS. Lesingo said the community and the scouts have been influential in educating the locals on rehabilitating the environment through practicing afforestation, reforestation, adoption of clean energies and exploiting available natural resources in an organized manner. Akudunyang' Bento, KFS Mau Conservancy Regional Commandant said deforestation is a driver of climate change which affects availability of essential resources key to survival of rural communities. Inter-communal skirmishes are bound to arise due to competition for the limited resources, said Bento. "There would be even worse effects of climate change in days to come if efforts are not made to curb deforestation," he added. He lauded the community's involvement in managing Kiptunga Forest adding that such initiatives are central to propelling Kenya's agenda of mitigating effects of climate change. As indicated in the Nationally Determined Contribution document Kenya submitted in 2016 as an instrument for Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the leadership envisions cutting down emissions of greenhouse gases by 30 percent by 2030 with protection of forests key to attainment of that target. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 21:20:27|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Forces loyal to the Saudi-backed Yemeni government announced on Sunday that nearly 300 members of the Houthi group were captured within a week of fighting in the southern province of al-Dhalea. Yemeni Defense Ministry's official news website said in a statement that the captured Houthi members include prominent field commanders and military officers. The Yemeni government forces positioned on different battlefronts in the northern and western parts of al-Dhalea managed to capture the Houthi fighters. "A number of children who have been pushed by the Iranian-backed Houthis to join the fighting ... were found among the captured rebels," the statement said. Over the past days, the Houthi rebels continued to achieve rapid military progress into Yemen's southern provinces following fierce battles with the Saudi-backed government forces. Last week, scores of Houthi fighters launched a series of intense armed attacks on the positions of government forces and succeeded in seizing the district of Al Husha in the west of al-Dhalea. The areas in the north and west of the government-controlled province 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 the capital Sanaa, thus triggering the civil war. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 21:45:48|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close WARSAW, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Polish people read less than many other Europeans, but efforts to improve the country's network of public libraries can help change. About one in two Poles read a book in the last year, according to Eurobarometer, the EU's public opinion research institution. People in Eastern and Southern Europe generally read less than those in Nordic countries (in Sweden, 90 percent of people read a book in the last 12 months), but Poland fares worse than even some of its Central European and Baltic neighbours. Among the reasons quoted by analysts are the education system, which does little to encourage reading while burdening kids with too much homework, and the underfinancing of public institutions which promote reading. But this can be changed through the efforts to extend the country's library network. Poland has a nationwide system of public libraries, which originated in the early 20th century and developed in the later part of the century. The network is big and reaches villages, small towns and all neighbourhoods of big cities. In capital Warsaw alone, there are 185 branches of neighbourhood libraries, affiliated to 18 bigger libraries belonging to each of the city's districts. In the Mazowsze region where Warsaw lies, there are over 600 such library branches. In all of Poland, there are close to 8,000 public libraries. But the system has been struggling since the end of the last century, with capitalism coming access to culture from many alternative sources. At the same time, public institutions like the libraries were initially left underfunded, especially in the early period of transition to capitalism. As a result, access to culture has become dependent on financial status. In the last decade, however, people facing rising costs realized that borrowing books or movies and reading newspapers in the reading rooms of libraries could help keep their budgets under control. And the state has got more involved in trying to salvage and develop the public library system. "We don't have an easy task. People from the capital city, where there is a rich cultural life, don't have to make special efforts to take part in it. In these conditions, the offer of the library has to be very attractive, innovative and obviously free as well as answer to the real needs of various social groups," Miroslawa Majewska, the director of the Zygmunt Jan Rumel library in the South Praga district of Warsaw, writes in an article about the activities of the library she runs. Located in an unassuming grey building crammed among high blocks of flats and parked cars, the Rumel library organizes a whole array of cultural activities in addition to lending books: there are reading and foreign language clubs for children and seniors, special services for people with disabilities, music performances and book talks. About 80,000 people use the South Praga libraries every year, Sylwia Alicka, the head of the Foreign Language Collection department in the Rumel library, told Xinhua. Given that the total population of the area is 178,000, this means almost half of the residents in the district have used one of the services of the local public library. "I could practically live inside this library," jokes 35-year old Teresa Badila while sipping a coffee from the vending machine in the library's lobby. "I come here to work on my computer in the reading room, and in the afternoons we often come with the kids to play for a bit and take some new books home. I'm trying to teach them English." Public libraries like the Rumel survive on a combination of municipal funds, grants and readers' support. "There is never too much money for new purchases of books," Sylwia Alicka says. "For sure, libraries need more funds for educational and cultural activities." In March this year, Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage Piotr Glinski, announced an additional investment of 20 million zloty (about 5 million U.S. dollars) for the renovation of public libraries in the country. "This is a drop in the ocean," Glinski said. The extra money is part of a larger four-year national programme to support readership among Poles, which makes over 400 million zloty (100 million U.S. dollars) available for public libraries in the form of grants. The biggest beneficiaries of these efforts are potentially those Poles who, were it not for the public libraries, would be discriminated in their access to culture because of their financial situation or other reasons, such as disabilities. "All libraries, not just the neighbourhood ones, are very important, because they are open places. They can be used by anyone, no matter where they come from, their world views, their financial means," Alicka says. "It's all for free. To get the same books for my kids in the nearby bookstore, it would be so expensive. Not to mention I'd have to buy a fancy juice or something so that they can play with the toys there," Badila, the library user, told Xinhua. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 21:50:52|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held talks with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in Beijing on Sunday. China is willing to deepen political mutual trust with Austria, keep high-level contacts, strengthen practical cooperation, and bring bilateral relations to new levels, Li said. Highlighting the huge cooperation potential between the two countries in areas such as advanced manufacturing, agriculture and tourism, Li said that China will continue to open up, and focus on creating a business environment that is market-oriented, based on rule of law and international. Li said China is willing to increase flights between the two countries according to market needs, intensify cooperation in scientific research on giant pandas, and increase exchanges in winter sports. China hopes Austria, as a member of the European Union, will continue to play an active role in the sound and stable development of China-Europe relations, Li said. Kurz said Austria is willing to deepen cooperation with China in areas such as economy and trade, agriculture, tourism and Winter Olympics, and achieve new development in bilateral relations. Li and Kurz attended a ceremony for the signing of multiple bilateral cooperation documents after the talks. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 22:11:15|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), presides over a bi-weekly consultation session in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese political advisors have put forward suggestions to improve ethnic affairs in cities during a consultation session in Beijing. The biweekly session held recently by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, was presided over by Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee. Wang called for more solid and elaborative efforts regarding ethnic affairs, saying urban services for ethnic minority groups should be improved to help them better integrate into cities. While hailing achievements China has made in related work over the past years, political advisors at the session point out that the situation related to ethnic affairs in cities has become more and more complicated and entails arduous efforts, which sets requirements for higher urban governance. Some political advisors also proposed policy support to facilitate the orderly migration of people of ethnic minority groups in different regions and industries. Efforts should be made to ensure their equal access to public services and to offer necessary support in the fields such as vocational training courses of practical skills and Mandarin, they suggested. The political advisors also suggested that enterprises and public institutions in regions inhabited mostly by people of ethnic groups recruit more people from diverse ethnic groups, and efforts be made to improve legal awareness and aid. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 22:21:22|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close KUNMING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Police in southwest China's Yunnan Province busted two drug trafficking cases on April 18 and 21 respectively, seizing a total of 36.93 kg of methamphetamine, local authorities said Sunday. After learning that a man plans to transport a batch of drugs from Lancang Lahu Autonomous County to Kunming, capital of Yunnan, by way of the Simao District of Pu'er City, police launched an investigation. Around 4 a.m. on April 18, police intercepted a car near a toll station and found 16.95 kg of methamphetamine. The suspect has been put under criminal detention. On April 21, police of the Mojiang Hani Autonomous County found 19.98 kg of methamphetamine in a car during a road check. The suspect was arrested. The case is still being investigated. In the first quarter of the year, police in Pu'er busted 145 drug cases with 141 suspects arrested and 1.25 tonnes of drugs captured, the most in the province. Drug trafficking is a challenging problem in Yunnan, as it borders the Golden Triangle known for drug production and trafficking. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 22:36:27|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- China will hold a gathering to mark the centenary of the May Fourth Movement at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will attend the event and deliver an important speech. The event will be broadcast live by China Media Group and on www.xinhuanet.com. It will also be rebroadcast simultaneously on major news websites including people.com.cn, cctv.com and china.com.cn as well as on news apps run by People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 22:46:35|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MADRID, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The five leading candidates running for Spain's Prime Minister voted on Sunday's morning and encouraged Spaniards to leave home for the polling stations. Spain's current prime minister and favorite in the polls, the socialist Pedro Sanchez, voted around 9:30 a.m. local time (0730 GTM) in Pozuelo de Alarcon, just outside Madrid. The socialist candidate asked Spaniards to go to the polls and exercise their right to vote. "I hope that Spaniards send a clear message that there is a sufficient parliamentary majority to rule the country. I would like to express my desire to hold an election day that means an open doors day towards the future," Sanchez told press after voting. Later, in the Madrid neighborhood of Vallecas, Pablo Iglesias, the leader of the left party Unidas Podemos, asked citizens to respect the results. "My feeling is that there is a large progressive majority in Spain, but today we have to respect that Spaniards vote in freedom," he said. The candidate of the Liberal party Ciudadanos, Albert Rivera, voted in the Catalan town of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, northeast Spain, and called on Spanish society to mobilize. "I ask Spaniards to go and vote for a Spain that looks forward," Rivera said in a speech to the media. The leader of the far-right VOX party, Santiago Abascal, who is predicted by the polls to be the great advent of the election, also asked people to respect the results of the vote. "Millions of Spaniards are going to vote without fear, defend democracy, the nation and coexistence among citizens," Abascal stressed. The last candidate to cast his vote was Pablo Casado, from the Popular Party (PP, center right). He went to a polling station in a school located in Madrid's neighborhood of Salamanca (center) and highlighted the importance of the day. "We face the most decisive elections for the destiny of Spain in recent times, which is why I think we should all vote united and together," Casado said. More than 36 million Spaniards are called to cast their vote on Sunday's election, which is marked by uncertainty, since no survey clearly predicted who would be the next prime minister. At 20:00 p.m. local time (1800 GTM) the first results will be revealed and the Interior Ministry will unveil the first provisional official data at 22:30 p.m. local time (2030 GTM). Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 22:51:38|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close NEW DELHI, April 28 (Xinhua) -- India's anti-terror agency National Investigation Agency (NIA) Sunday carried out searches at three locations in southern state of Kerala to probe a local group related to the Islamic State (IS) terror group, police said. The agency officials detained three people for questioning. "Raids were carried out at the houses of three suspects, two in Kasargod and one in Palakkad, after which they were detained for questioning," a police official said. "The NIA officials said the raids were carried out after the agency got an information that the three persons are suspected to have links with some of the accused who left India to join the Islamic State." Local media reported that the probe agency was also trying to probe if the suspects have links with those involved in last week's suicide bombings Sri Lanka. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 22:51:41|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with the first President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with the first President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev in Beijing on Sunday. Xi spoke highly of Nazarbayev's feat in the national independence and development of Kazakhstan as well as historic contribution to the establishment and development of China-Kazakhstan comprehensive strategic partnership. China firmly supports the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, social stability and economic development of Kazakhstan, Xi said. As pioneers of the Belt and Road construction, the two countries should deepen the alignment of their development strategies, promote the facilitation of trade and investment, steadily advance capacity cooperation and strengthen connectivity, Xi said. He also stressed the need to promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges and enhance cooperation at sub-national level, on security issues and in international affairs. "I am looking forward to establishing close working relations and friendship with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to achieve new progress on the bilateral relations," Xi said. For his part, Nazarbayev said he would cherish his friendship with Xi forever, saying China is a highly trusted good partner of Kazakhstan. Congratulating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Nazarbayev said no other country in the world has made so great achievements in such a short period of time. China's development and the responsibility it shoulders have great significance on the world and humanity, Nazarbayev said. "Kazakhstan will remain consistent and stable in its internal and foreign policies after my resignation," Nazarbayev said. "Kazakhstan will continue to firmly advance the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership." Kazakhstan is ready to deepen its cooperation with China under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and supports China's important proposals in international affairs, and supports the joint crackdown on the "three forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism, Nazarbayev said. On the same day, Xi awarded Nazarbayev the Friendship Medal of the People's Republic of China at a ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, attended the ceremony. President Nazarbayev is "an old friend" and "a good friend" of the Chinese people, Xi said. China-Kazakhstan cooperation has set a model of complementing advantages for win-win results and injected positive energy to the building of a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for humanity, Xi said. He expressed hopes that the two countries join hands together to nurture a bright future for the bilateral ties while pursuing national rejuvenation and prosperity. Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, read out the order of award. Xi, in a solemn manner, awarded the medal to Nazarbayev. They shook hands cordially and hugged each other warmly amid applause from the audience. Nazarbayev expressed thanks to Xi for awarding the medal to him, saying this is a "supreme honor." The bilateral friendly relationship built on the basis of mutual respect and trust has become a model of relations among countries, Nazarbayev said. "There are no unresolved issues between the two countries." He expressed hopes that the Chinese people under the leadership of the CPC with Xi at the core would realize the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 23:01:49|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MOSCOW, April 28 (Xinhua) -- At least one passenger was killed after a Russian motor boat carrying nine people sank in the Gulf of Finland near St. Petersburg on Saturday night, TASS news agency reported Sunday. A women died in hospital after she was taken ashore by rescuers along with seven others from the capsized boat, TASS said, citing a spokesperson for the Russian Investigative Committee's northwestern transport department. Five of the saved passengers remain hospitalized, while two people were discharged after receiving treatment. One is still missing. The incident was possibly caused by gales, according to a source in St. Petersburg's emergency services. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 23:06:59|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ABUJA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- At least 140 shelters of internally displaced persons (IDPs) were destroyed by fire which engulfed their camps in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said on Sunday. The fire affected Flatari and Nguro, two camps in Monguno area of the state on Saturday, NEMA said. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, the spokesman for NEMA in Nigeria's northeast region, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, told Xinhua. No casualty was recorded. At least 28 shelters were destroyed at Flatari camp and 120 other shelters were razed in Nguno due to the rapid spread of the fire outbreak. About 371 persons have been affected by the fire outbreak, the NEMA spokesman said, adding an investigation has been launched to identify the cause of the incident and appraise the needs of the victims. On Feb. 8, a similar incident at a camp in Monguno had claimed three lives and affected 7,839 people. The February fire incident spread from one of the makeshift shelters in the camp where a woman was cooking. The fire spread across the camp, destroying about 402 re-inforced or transitional shelters and 933 makeshift homes were burned. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 23:17:09|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TEHRAN, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday that his country is considering a number of options in response to the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions against the Islamic republic, state IRIB TV reported. "There are many options available to the Islamic republic, and the country's officials are considering them," Zarif told IRIB. "Leaving the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is one of the options," he said. Since the exit from the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive plan of Action (JCPOA), in May last year, the U.S. government under President Donald Trump has been piling up pressure on Iran through a series of sanctions. In November last year, Washington snapped back sanctions on Iran's banking, energy and shipping industries, despite a 180-day waiver granted to eight of Iran's major oil buyers, including the Republic of Korea, Japan and Turkey. Last week, Washington ended the six-month waiver and demanded these buyers stop their purchases by May. "The JCPOA showed sanctions could be removed through negotiations," Zarif said, noting his country has never violated its commitments, and it was the opposite sides, particularly the United States, that did not live up to their undertakings. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 23:22:13|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SANAA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- A mother and her four children were killed when a rocket fired by Houthi rebels hit a house in Yemen's besieged province of Taiz on Sunday, pro-government Almasdaronline reported. The rebels' attack targeted Mashrafah village near Habashi mountain, it said. Houthi rebels have made no comment yet on the report. Taiz, Yemen's third largest province located about 256 km south of the capital Sanaa, has been under rebels' siege since 2016. The government controls the province's center and parts of the western and southern districts. The over-four-year civil war has worsened the humanitarian situation and triggered what the United Nations calls the world's most humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen. Houthi rebels revolted against the government in late 2014, forcing it into exile and seized much of the country's north. Last December, the warring parties reached a peace deal in Sweden over Taiz and adjacent Hodeidah port city, but both sides have largely failed to implement the deal. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 23:27:20|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ARUSHA, Tanzania, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The Archbishop of Dar es Salaam Polycarp Cardinal Pengo on Sunday raised concern over excessive consumption of alcohol in the country among the youth in Tanzania. Cardinal Pengo made the remarks when speaking during the special mass to install the newly appointed archbishop for Mbeya archdiocese, Gervas Nyaisonga. The installation event was graced by Tanzanian President John Magufuli along with his wife Janeth Magufuli. The Archbishop called on the Tanzanian government to take measures to tackle the habit if the country is to reach its various development targets. He denounced the behavior, saying that there are some parts of the country where people especially the youth have been trapped in harmful use of alcohol. The binge drinking by members of the most productive group -- the youth -- take place during early morning hours when the drinkers are supposed to be working, he said. Tanzania aspires to become a middle-income economy by the year 2025 which requires a disciplined, innovative workforce with good work ethic especially among the youthful population. Cardinal Pengo said: "The government has powers and can manage to put things better to enable people to work hard and forget about drinking in work hours (morning)... We as religious leaders can do something but cannot achieve this alone without having burly support from the government." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 23:42:39|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, April 28 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's Western Cape provincial government on Sunday accused national police minister Bheki Cele of violating the Constitution by ignoring the security concerns in the province. It is now six months since the Western Cape government, run by the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), first wrote to Cele with a list of urgent policing needs and priorities for the province, which the minister has ignored, said Alan Winde, the provincial minister for community safety. Winde said that he, as authorized by the Western Cape cabinet, has written to Cele to notify him that the Western Cape government is declaring a formal inter-governmental dispute with the police minister. "The minister of police is obliged by the Constitution to consult and take account of the specific needs of our province when determining policy. By ignoring these needs and priorities, minister Cele is violating the Constitution," Winde said. Confronted by rising crimes, the Western Cape province's police force is dramatically under-resourced compared to other provinces run by the ruling African National Congress (ANC), according to Winde. The Western Cape, the only province run by an opposition party, has requested more police officers but to no avail, said Winde. While one officer must protect 375 people on average nationally, in the Western Cape, the ratio is 1:509, he said. "It makes me angry that the national ANC government gives our province fewer resources to fight crime than other provinces," Winde said. The Western Cape needs urgent additional personnel to enable police to take steps to address gang violence and the appalling murder rate, as well as to protect learners and schools, public transport and state infrastructure such as ambulances, said Winde. The City of Cape Town, capital of the Western Cape, has the highest murder rate in South Africa, according to the 2018/19 State of Urban Safety in SA Report. In the city, almost 2,500 people were murdered in the 2017/18 reporting period, which is 69 murders per 100,000 people. Meanwhile, robberies and attacks on commuter trains and ambulances have on the rise over the past few years. The decrease in the total number of police reservists available over weekends is directly impacting on the efficiency of the SAPS in the Western Cape to reduce the levels of reporting crime. As a result of this, and to assist the SAPS, the Western Cape offered to give SAPS five million rand (about 350,000 U.S. dollars) to pay for police reservists to be deployed in the province, to act as a force multiplier and reduce crime, according to Winde. The Western Cape further offered provincial government volunteers to take on administrative duties at SAPS stations, such as Commissioners of Oaths, so that more police officers are freed up to fight crime on patrol, he said. "But the minister has ignored us, and has not responded to our province's urgent policing needs and priorities and did not respond to these offers," Winde said. Cele is obliged by the Inter-governmental Relations Framework Act to meet urgently with the Western Cape government to respond to and address these security concerns, Winde said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 23:42:42|Editor: mingmei Video Player Close Passengers wait at a train station as a result of train cancellations to Heathrow Airport due to a fire close to the airport in London, Britain, on April 28, 2019. London Fire Brigade said on Sunday there were no reports of any injury after a fire at a warehouse near Heathrow airport caused concern on social media. London Fire Brigade confirmed a container storage yard was alight and witnesses said large black plumes of smoke could be seen billowing into the sky from the airport. (Xinhua/Ray Tang) LONDON, April 28 (Xinhua) -- London Fire Brigade said on Sunday there were no reports of any injury after a fire at a warehouse near Heathrow airport caused concern on social media. London Fire Brigade confirmed a container storage yard was alight and witnesses said large black plumes of smoke could be seen billowing into the sky from the airport. Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters have been called to the fire at a warehouse in Wimpole Road in West Drayton. Residents and businesses in the area were told to keep their windows and doors shut, the London Fire Brigade said. The cause of the fire is not known at this stage, it said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 23:47:47|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DUBAI, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) financed 82 projects worth 9 billion dirhams (2.45 billion U.S. dollars) in Morocco, official Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported Sunday. The funds from Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, are focusing on the development of key sectors in Morocco, including roads, transport, social development, education services, health care and housing, WAM said. The ADFD, an aid agency established by the government of Abu Dhabi in 1971, has had a strategic development partnership with Morocco since 1976, which is marked by constructive cooperation to achieve sustainable development objectives in all economic sectors. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 23:57:57|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, April 28 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is "deeply saddened" at reports of loss of lives and destruction in Mozambique and Comoros as a result of tropical cyclone Kenneth, said his spokesman on Sunday. It has been six weeks after cyclone Idai made landfall in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, the spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement, adding the UN chief extended his condolences and solidarity to the families of the victims and to the governments and peoples of Mozambique and Comoros. The secretary-general made an appeal to the international community for additional resources, which are critically needed to fund the response in the immediate, medium and longer term, the spokesman said. Mozambique is still smarting from the devastating effects of Cyclone Idai in mid-March, and now Kenneth is threatening the country again. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-28 23:58:01|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close NANJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Seventeen people who had been convicted of poisoning and selling wild birds were ordered to pay punitive damages of nearly 22 million yuan (about 3.3 million U.S. dollars) in a separate public interest litigation in eastern China's Jiangsu Province. According to the people's procuratorate in the city of Taizhou, 13 convicts, who poisoned a total 24,065 wild birds in October and November of 2016 in the city of Lianyungang, were ordered to compensate for the loss of ecological resources up to 21.7 million yuan. The 13 people were sentenced to imprisonment from six months to two years and fined from 1,000 yuan to 20,000 yuan in August 2018. The four other people, who sold and processed poisonous birds to restaurant-goers, were ordered to pay a fine 10 times the amount of their illegal gains, totaling 22,500 yuan. All the defendants were ordered to make a public apology in the media. The procuratorate said the birds, including some precious and state protected ones, were identified to be worth over 7 million yuan. Lianyungang is an important stop on the route for migrating birds. The culprits mixed carbofuran, a highly toxic pesticide, with bird food before scattering in a field. The poisoned birds were then frozen for sale. About 1,500 birds had been consumed before the trial. The procuratorate said their acts have caused damages to wildlife ecological resources and consumers' health and therefore should be punished in civil court in addition to criminal liabilities. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-29 00:08:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Miguel Moratinos on Sunday condemned the attack on a synagogue in Poway, Southern California on Saturday. Noting that the attack is a hate crime targeting Sabbath worshipers on the last day of Passover, the UNAOC chief said that such "cowardly attacks are not confined to one religion, country or ethnicity". In a press statement, the high representative stressed that this spate of violence against houses of worship targeting innocent and peaceful citizens should not obstruct the efforts to combat hatred, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and all forms of discrimination. On Saturday, a 19-year-old man, identified as John Earnest, arrived at a Chabad of Poway synagogue in San Diego, California, opening fire at worshipers who were marking the last day of the Jewish holiday of Passover. He killed Lori Gilbert-Kaye, a 60-year-old woman, and injured at least three others. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-29 00:28:17|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MADRID, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Voter turnout in Spain's general election reached 41.48 percent on Sunday at 14:30 p.m. local time (1230 GTM), 4.61 percentage points higher than the 36.87 percent of 2016 general election, the Government of Spain reported. This is the second highest provisional participation since 1978, only behind 1993 elections when at 14:30 p.m. 41.83 percent of voters had already cast their ballots. "We have seen a general increase in all the autonomous communities (Spanish regions) in the context of a significant rise at a national level," said the Secretary of State for Communication, Miguel Angel Oliver, at a press conference. The increase in participation has been especially noticeable in Catalonia, northeast of Spain, where it reached 43.5 percent, 11.2 percentage points more than the 32.3 percent registered in 2016. According to the government, no incidents have been reported so far with the voting in "absolute normality". "We have no record of any significant incident, just the most absolute democratic normality," the undersecretary of the Interior Ministry Isabel Goicoechea stated. Nearly 36.9 million Spaniards are called to the polls on Sunday, and according to recent data, the election is expected to be one of the busiest in the recent history of the country. Spain's voter turnout has seen decline since 1975 when 80 percent of voters casted their ballots. The turnout of the last general election in 2016 was 66.5 percent. Voter turnout, which did not reach 70 percent in the last three general elections, may break the trend today if this high rate continues. So far, voters are meeting the expectations of the five main candidates, the socialist Pedro Sanchez (PSOE), the conservative Pablo Casado (PP), the liberal Albert Rivera (Citizens), the leftist Pablo Iglesias (United We Can) and the extreme right-wing Santiago Abascal (VOX). After casting their respective ballots, they all agreed to encourage citizens to leave home and exercise their right to vote. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-29 00:28:21|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 Beijing in Yanqing District of Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Declaring the opening of the world's largest international horticultural exhibition in Beijing Sunday, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his hope that the green development concept embodied by the expo park would be spread to "every corner of the world." The International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 Beijing is the highest-level and largest international fair held in China after the International Horticultural Exhibition held in the southwestern city of Kunming in 1999, the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and the first China International Import Expo in 2018. The 2019 Beijing expo indicates that China has changed from a participant in global green development to a contributor and leader, said Wu Shunze, an expert with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. "The development model of 'killing the hens for eggs' and 'draining the lake for fish' is at a dead end," Xi said in his speech at the opening ceremony of the expo. "The future will be illuminated by eco-friendly development that is in accordance with the rules of nature." The State Council approved Beijing's bid to host the 2019 expo in 2012, the same year when the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China first raised the vision of building a "Beautiful China." Since that congress, ecological civilization has been placed in the country's "five-sphere" integrated plan and "four-pronged" comprehensive strategy, with pollution control carried out with unprecedented scale, institutions introduced with unprecedented intensity, environment laws enforced with unprecedented severity and the environment improved at unprecedented speed. "China's ecological civilization development is on fast track. People will live in a better environment with blue sky, green mountains and clear water," Xi said. "We should protect the ecological environment like protecting our eyes and value it in the same way we value our lives." "Only with concerted efforts can we effectively deal with global environmental issues such as climate change, marine pollution and biological protection and achieve the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals," he said. He put forward a five-point initiative: pursuing harmony between human and nature, prosperity based on green development, a passion for nature-caring lifestyles, a scientific spirit in ecological governance and joint efforts to tackle environmental challenges. The Beijing expo brings together more countries than any past expo in the horticultural industry, said Bernard Oosterom, president of the International Association of Horticultural Producers, at the opening ceremony. "China has led the way in promoting green development. It is clear that the Chinese government supports ecologically sensitive development in order to create a 'Beautiful China,'" he said. A study published in February using data from NASA satellites showed that of all the newly-added green leaf areas between 2000 and 2017, about 25 percent was in China, the largest contribution. China also contributed the biggest share to the global reduction of the use of ozone-depleting substances, accounting for more than half of the total reduction by developing countries. The Beijing horticultural expo, themed "Live Green, Live Better," is one of the major international events hosted by China in 2019, which marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. A total of 110 countries and international organizations will attend the 162-day event. (Video reporters: Pang Yuanyuan, Ma Xiaodong, Xia Zhilin: video editor: Liu Xiaorui) Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-29 00:43:25|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LONDON, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The British public will this week be given its first chance to give their verdict on the Conservative government, with the latest opinion poll Sunday delivering bad news for Prime Minister Theresa May. Local council elections on Thursday, seen traditionally as a litmus test for an incumbent administration, could see the Conservatives losing as many as 1,000 town hall seats, according to some studies. But in a new poll Sunday for the Observer newspaper pollsters Opinium, results show that in a general election the public have given Jeremy Corbyn's main opposition Labour Party a seven-point lead. Opinium put Labour on 33 percent and May's Conservatives on 26 percent, while the newly formed Brexit party headed by Nigel Farage in third place on 17 percent. The Brexit party was only launched earlier this month by Farage, co-founder and former leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), already attracting support from some big name politicians. Farage, who serves as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), backed away from front line politics after 2016 referendum when Britain voted to leave the European Union. UKIP had been established specifically to campaign for Britain's departure from the bloc. Better news for Farage, but grim for May, is that the Opinium poll puts Labour and the Brexit Party neck-and-neck on 28 points when voters were asked how they would vote should elections for the European Parliament take place on May 23. The Conservatives are on 14 points, and the minority Liberal Democrats on seven points alongside Change UK, the other new political party formed by a group of disenchanted MPs who resigned from the Labour and Conservative Parties. The EU have insisted that Britain must take part in the European Parliament elections if no Brexit deal is reached with Brussels by early May. The Opinium poll also found more than half the public (55 percent) now believe Britain should never have held the EU referendum as it has been so difficult to agree a deal. Nearly half of voters polled by Opinium thought May should resign either once the Brexit withdrawal agreement has been passed or sooner, with only 14 percent believing she should continue as prime minister and lead the second phase of the Brexit negotiations before resigning. Politician Brandon Lewis, chairman of the Conservative Party, said he understood the huge frustration of party members over Brexit. "I fully appreciate the huge frustration that particularly our members and councilors have that we haven't left the EU yet and we might have to fight these elections at all" He said in a Sunday morning television interview that the Conservatives are still hoping to avoid the European parliament elections by the British parliament approving a Brexit deal. "I hope that between now and the European election polling day on May 23, if we have to have those elections, over the next few weeks I hope that Conservative members, colleagues, volunteers, activists will come to want to not just vote for, but campaign for Conservatives to get elected, because ultimately Conservative representation is better than any other party," he said. The big fear at Conservative headquarters is that many loyal supporters will punish the party by supporting Brexit Party candidates in EU elections. A leaked email to Conservative activists, obtained by the Sunday Times newspaper, said: "All party members, including elected representatives at all levels, are expected to fully support the party in all elections. Brussels has given Britain until Oct. 31 to strike a withdrawal deal, but so far May has failed to win support in the House of Commons for her plan. Talks between the two main parties, the Conservatives and Labour, have so far failed to reach any consensus on a potential plan to pave the way for Britain to leave the EU. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-29 00:43:27|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RAMALLAH, April 28 (Xinhua) -- In the hilly village of Taybeh in the West Bank, a craft brewery, which has been running for a quarter of a century as a family business, has grown to a key contributor to the Palestinian industries and tourism. Madees Khoury, one of the runners of the brewery, is also the first female brewer in the Middle East. The 33-year-old woman is the daughter of one of the siblings who opened up the brewery Taybeh Beer in their home town after returning from the United States in 1994, a year after the peace accords were signed between the Palestinians and Israelis. Khoury said the brewery was her home where she grew up by observing and learning the business and the details of the brewing technique. She focused her career on expanding this brewery to encourage more young professionals to invest their time and knowledge in local industries. "In order to build the state of Palestine and the economy of Palestine, we, as Palestinians, need to invest our money, education, time and effort into the country and into own businesses," Khoury said. As a family business, Taybeh Beer has around 15 employees, yet producing seven different kinds of beer with some 600,000 liters of production annually. The brewery, with 50 percent of its beer exported to 14 countries, is one of the top local businesses contributing to the Palestinian industries and the tourism sector. "For people abroad, when they see Taybeh, they start to learn more and want to read more about the brewery ... and the story about Palestine and the occupation," Khoury said. "It's not just a great beer, but also an image of Palestine," she added. In the beginning, the slogan of Taybeh beer was "think globally, drink locally," Khoury said, but now the brewery is reaching people everywhere with the increase in the exports. "The younger generation introduced a new slogan 'Taste the Revolution,' which was more about the revolution of the craft industry," She explained. Notably, the brewery runner noted that her career started with a visit to China. "In 2008, I had the opportunity to go to China for a brewing and packaging seminar. It was a very different and educational experience," the woman said. Last September, the International Monetary Fund said the Palestinian economy remains under long-standing constraints with the overall GDP growth projected to languish below two percent per year. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-29 00:53:30|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- A total of 4,329 people from Taiwan have taken the national judicial examination and the unified qualification exam for legal professionals on the mainland, with 415 of them having passed the exams, according to the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) Sunday. And 5,164 and 601 residents from Hong Kong and Macao have also sat the exams since 2004, with 440 Hong Kong examinees and 42 Macao examinees passing the exams. China held its first unified qualification exam for legal professionals in September last year as a result of a reform of the former national judicial examination, which was held annually from 2002 to 2017. In last year's exam, 174 examinees from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan passed the exam, some of whom received their qualification certificates at presentation ceremonies Saturday and Sunday in the southern cities of Shenzhen and Xiamen. Administrative organs in justice will continue to implement and improve the system for the qualification exam for legal professionals, and provide people from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan with more convenience and quality services for signing up for the exam, said MOJ. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-29 00:58:35|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close NEW DELHI, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Indian navy ships Kolkata and Shakti arrived at Busan, South Korea, for a three-day visit to participate in the ADMM-Plus Maritime Security Field Training Exercise (FTX), said official sources in New Delhi on Sunday. The ADMM-Plus (ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting) is a platform for Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its eight dialogue partners to strengthen security and defense cooperation for peace, stability and development in the region. The ADMM-Plus countries include 10 ASEAN member states and eight plus countries, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the Russian Federation and the United States. The two Indian navy ships have recently completed the international fleet review in Qingdao, China, as part of the celebrations of the 70th founding anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy. During the visit in Busan, the Indian navy ships will have professional interaction with ADMM-Plus navies, among other activities and events. On departing Busan on May 1, the Indian Navy ships are scheduled to undertake maritime security exercise with participating navies. The ships will thereafter sail to Singapore, where the closing ceremony of ADMM-Plus Exercise is scheduled. Soldiers stand by a B25 bomber during a memorial service at the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, the United States, April 18, 2019, to celebrate the life of retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" E. Cole, who was the final surviving member of the famed Doolittle Tokyo Raiders of World War II, and passed away on April 9 at the age of 103. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) by Xinhua writers Xu Jianmei, Liu Liwei, Chang Yuan, Hu Yousong and Zhang Yongqing DAYTON/SAN ANTONIO, United States, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Seventy-nine silver goblets have been symbolically turned upside down, leaving only one, engraved with the name Richard E. Cole, standing upright. All shine behind show windows in the largest military museum in the world as a silent homage commemorating 80 heroic Doolittle Raiders who launched America's first airstrike on Tokyo during WWII. THE GOBLETS Probably sometime this summer, the sole upright goblet will be turned over at a ceremony at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, since Lieutenant Colonel Dick Cole, the last surviving Doolittle Tokyo Raider, died at the age of 103 on April 9 in San Antonio, Texas, museum staff Rob Bardua told Xinhua. Four months after the Japanese unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor, a group of 80 U.S. airmen named after their mission commander Jimmy Doolittle volunteered to retaliate. Most of them were later rescued by voluntary Chinese civilians and troops. By doing so, they all risked their lives with a spirit of self-sacrifice. "The tradition of those goblets comes from a western military tradition of remembering lost comrades," Dr. Douglas Lantry, the museum's curator and historian, told Xinhua in a recent interview. Shortly after the war, said Lantry, the Doolittle Raiders began reunions during which they remembered their lost comrades with a toast. In 1959, they were presented with these silver goblets by the city of Tucson, Arizona. What makes the goblets unique is that each of them, 4-inch (10.16-cm) high and 3-inch (7.62-cm) in diameter, is engraved with the raider's name twice, one on the right side and the other on the bottom. So people can read the deceased raider's name after his goblet is turned over. "When a (Doolittle) Raider passed away, his comrades would drink a toast to him and then turn the goblet upside down. Now there are no more Raiders left," said Lantry. "The goblets and the tradition of the toast, especially this one, represent everything that we want American airmen to live their lives by. It represents courage and commitment and also a spirit of innovation. Those raiders were doing something that had never been done before. And so our young people are inspired," he said. "Now that all the raiders are gone, the goblets keep the story alive because there are valuable lessons inside". Moreover, part of such lessons can be drawn from Doolittle Raiders' experiences in China, the U.S. ally during WWII, the museum historian noted. "Lots of people know the story of the raid and the raiders, but fewer people know the story of how they survived after the raid and the price that the Chinese people paid for helping those guys," said Lantry. "There was a close connection between the Doolittle Raiders and the Chinese," Secretary of the U.S. Air Force Heather Wilson told Xinhua, calling it an "untold story" that most Doolittle Raiders were rescued by the Chinese and then brought to safety. "It's an important story and it's a story that more people should know." 30 SECONDS Though nicknamed the master of the calculated risk, Doolittle "proposed the unimaginable to strike Tokyo from an aircraft carrier with a land-based bomber," Wilson recalled at a memorial service for Cole at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, on April 18, the day marking the 77th anniversary of the legendary raid. The mission was "unthinkable on an impossible timeline," let alone the raiders had to take off 10 hours earlier and flew much further away than they had planned after being spotted by a Japanese boat in the Pacific, she told more than 1,000 servicemen at Hangar 41 as Cole learned to fly in class 41. "Every man knew it was likely going to be a one way trip. They didn't have enough fuel with the forecast headwind to make it to the Chinese mainland after the strike. Doolittle gave every man the option not to go. And not a single airman opted out," she said in a trembling voice. Cole, 26, was co-piloting in the lead plane of 16 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers. Each with a crew of five men, without fighter escort, the bombers took off from the U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier USS Hornet. They arrived over Japan in daylight and bombed oil storage facilities, tankers, warehouses, military targets and industrial plants in Tokyo and several other major Japanese cities. "Flying very fast and very low, they only had about 30 seconds over their targets and drop bombs," Lantry said, adding that the navigation had to be very accurate to get to the right place. "Sometimes a moment of courage, a moment of heroism, can define a whole life," said Lantry of the raiders' historic 30 seconds. "This one moment made the group famous because it was so important to so many other people." With newspaper headlines proclaiming "US Bombs Tokyo" after months of doom and gloom due to Japan's rapid advance in Asia and West Pacific, the Doolittle Raid immediately boosted American morale, said Wilson. "(Though) the physical damage to the Japanese mainland was not substantial, it punctured Japan's sense of invincibility. It caused its leaders to pull the Japanese fleet back to protect the homeland and provoked their strategic miscalculations that turned the tide of the war in the Pacific," she said. "When America was at its lowest point, it needed a hero. It found 80 of them, who volunteered, innovated, and flew straight into the heart of the enemy," she said. CHINESE RESCUE "What's the most significant event in your life?" Cole was once asked in an interview. "My parachute opened," Cole answered with a quick wit. After the raid, one bomber steered towards the Soviet Union and the other 15 headed towards China. Thanks to a miraculous 37-mph brisk tailwind instead of the forecast 25-mph headwind, they finally reached China's coastline, said Col. Robert Gardner at the memorial service. However, the airmen were forced to parachute into a heavy storm in complete darkness as fuel ran dangerously low. It was Cole's first combat mission and also the first time he used a parachute, said Lantry, adding that Cole was supposed to jump out of the plane, count to 10 and then pull the cord for the parachute. Instead, Cole jumped out, counted one and pulled the cord immediately because he wasn't sure how close to the ground he was. He pulled the cord so hard that he gave himself "a big black eye" before landing on a pine tree and stayed atop until daylight. "That was the scariest time," Cole recalled during an interview in 2013 when he was 98. "There you are in an airplane over a land you are not familiar with, under a big weather front, very active with lots of rain, with thunderstorms and lots of lightning and you are going to jump out." Three raiders died trying to reach China. Five were interned in Soviet Union for about one year. Among the eight captured and tortured by the Japanese forces, three were executed and one died in captivity. All the remaining 64 raiders including Doolittle and Cole were rescued by the Chinese and smuggled out to safety. "When they had to jump out of their airplanes, they were completely helpless," said Lantry. "It was dark and the weather was bad and they didn't know where they were and who would find them. Some of them got hung up in trees and others just landed on the ground and maybe found a shed or a farm or something and just were hiding." "But without exception, whoever found them was kind to them. And they offered assistance and help and medical care and food and shelter," said the museum historian, "It was remarkable... all the strangers they met understood that they were on the same side and they did everything they could to help them." "They (Doolittle Raiders) could not have survived without the kindness of the people who found them," he told Xinhua. "I'm convinced that without help they would have been completely lost." The price China paid for aiding the U.S. ally was very high, said the museum historian. "There was a great deal of retaliation after the raid. Very serious retaliation...The Chinese people suffered greatly." Recently some researches from the U.S. side have estimated that up to 250,000 Chinese people lost their lives because they helped Doolittle Raiders, according to Lantry. He said that the Japanese troops devastated more than 20,000 square miles (52,000 square km)of farmland including livestock and crops and attacked several cities where the raiders were hidden in eastern China. Goblets & Friendship On April 9, the day that last Doolittle Raider Cole passed away, Chinese Consul General in New York Huang Ping happened to be visiting the National Museum of U.S. Air Force. He asked the museum to convey his deep condolences to the veteran's family, and spoke highly of the American pilots who fought side by side with the Chinese people during WWII. "The exhibits in this museum record a fond memory shared by China and the United States, when the two countries joined hands in fighting the menace of fascism and safeguarding world peace,"said Huang. "The friendly feelings between our two peoples are sincere and deep-rooted, as proven by history." "American airmen have always been very grateful for the cooperation of the Chinese population because it was very dangerous for them to help those Americans," said Lantry. "All of those Raiders expressed lifelong gratitude. And they did that when they got together at their reunions every year... They took that friendship very seriously because their lives depend on," Lantry told Xinhua. The Sino-U.S. cooperation continued before and after the raid, he noted, citing flying supplies over the Himalayan "Hump" and building bomber bases by hand. After the raid, Cole continued to fly the "Hump" and other missions in the China-Burma-India Theater until 1944. "The (Chinese) acts of kindness and cooperation to help those flyers get back into the battle, or back to their home, has been an inspiration of friendship and cooperation over the years," said Landry. "It's important to focus on what you share. That's the lesson of the Doolittle Raiders I think." The museum historian's thoughts resonated with fond remarks made by Doolittle and two late U.S. Republican presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush in the 1980s and 1990s. In March 1992, surviving Doolittle Raiders and five of their Chinese rescuers were reunited in Red Wing, a city in Minnesota, for the first time in 50 years after the raid and rescue. "On this special occasion, we also salute those good people in China, who, following the raid and without regard for their own well-being, provided shelter and protection for wounded Americans." said then-president George H. W. Bush in a letter to the reunion. Gen. Doolittle, 95 at that time, did not attend the reunion but also wrote a letter to their Chinese rescuers. "On behalf of the entire Doolittle Raider organization, and especially those Doolittle Raiders and their families present here tonight, I extend deep hearted appreciation to our Chinese friends, who at great risk to themselves and to their families, rescued and cared for our men." "A hearty thumbs up to you all," said Doolittle who passed away in September 1993 at the age of 96. Ronald Reagan, in his April 1984 speech at Fudan University in Shanghai during his China visit, also spoke highly of Doolittle Raiders and the Chinese rescue. "When the armies of Fascism swept Asia, we fought with you to stop them... Remember when our general Jimmy Doolittle and his squadron came halfway round the world to help. Some of those pilots landed in China. You remember those brave young boys. You hid them and cared for them and bound up their wounds. You saved many of their lives." In his enthusiastic speech, Reagan said the friendship between the American and Chinese people was the basis of the friendship between the two governments. "History is a river that may take us as it will. But we have the power to navigate, to choose direction and make our passage together. The wind is up, the current is swift, and opportunity for a long and fruitful journey awaits us," said Reagan. "With peaceful cooperation as our guide," he said, "the possibilities for future progress are great." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-29 03:59:39|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BAGHDAD, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Sunday summoned the Bahraini ambassador to Baghdad and handed him over a memorandum of protest over comments by the Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, in which he insulted the Iraqi prominent Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. A statement by the Iraqi ministry said that "the Deputy Foreign Minister Nizar al-Khairallah delivered the protest to Bahraini Ambassador Salah al-Maliki, who was summoned over comments made by the Bahraini Foreign Minister, accusing Iraq of being under the control of another country (Iran), as well as the abuse of Iraqi religious and political symbols." The deputy minister said "the task of the diplomatic work is to strengthen relations, and push them forward, not to be a source of tension," the statement said. Late on Saturday, Al Khalifa tweeted offensively against al-Sadr, who earlier issued a statement calling for the "rulers of Yemen, Bahrain and Syria to step down immediately and to let the United Nations hold elections away from interventions." Al-Sadr's statement was originally meant to call for not dragging Iraq into U.S.-Iran conflict and made 10 proposals including closing the U.S. embassy in Iraq. On Sunday afternoon, hundreds of al-Sadr supporters gathered in front of the Bahraini embassy in Baghdad western neighborhood of al-Mansour in protest against what they described as an insult against their cleric by the Bahraini foreign minister. Earlier on Sunday, the Iraqi foreign ministry denounced in a separate statement the Bahraini foreign minister's remarks, saying "the words of the Bahraini foreign minister, who is representing Bahraini diplomacy, are offensive to Moqtada al-Sadr with bad words and are totally unacceptable in diplomatic norms." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-29 04:09:45|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ATHENS, April 28 (Xinhua) -- A Greek cameraman lost his life and three minors have been injured from a bullet and fireworks during four different incidents across Greece, as Greek Orthodox Christians celebrated Easter on Sunday. The cameraman was fatally injured by fireworks during a display on Sunday afternoon at the city of Kalamata in southern Greece, local "Ethnos" (Nation) newspaper reported. An 8-year-old girl was hospitalized in critical condition in an Athens hospital, after being hit in the head by a stray bullet in Thiva city, an hour drive northwest from the Greek capital, local Alpha television channel reported. The girl was playing with friends outdoors when the incident happened. No arrest has been made yet. On some occasions, like during wedding parties in the countryside, some Greeks celebrate by firing in the air. Two 14-year-old boys were also seriously injured due to fireworks on Saturday night on the islands of Kos and Aegina and were transferred to Athens, news website "in.gr" reported. In both cases doctors are trying to save the teenagers' fingers. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-29 05:10:15|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BAGHDAD, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi on Sunday urged for solutions to all outstanding issues between Iraq and Turkey, stressing the need to boost cooperation with Turkey in the fields of security, oil and water resources. A statement by his office said Abdul Mahdi held a meeting with the visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, in which he called for launching a new phase of cooperation that would serve the interests of the two countries. It said Abdul Mahdi also "called to end the presence of Turkish forces in Bashiqa without obtaining an approval from the Iraqi government." According to the statement, the Iraqi premier also called on the Turkish businessmen and companies to establish factories and economic partnerships inside Iraq in the fields of industry, trade, reconstruction and agricultural fields. For his part, Cavusoglu conveyed a letter from the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that included an invitation for Abdul Mahdi to visit Turkey, the statement said, without giving further details. The Turkish foreign minister also called for cooperation in confronting terrorist organizations, and revealed his country's readiness to provide Iraq with electricity, it said. "We are pleased that Iraq improves its relations with all neighboring countries, and we are looking forward to resolving all outstanding issues between the two countries in a friendly atmosphere and directly," Cavusoglu said. Earlier in the day, Cavusoglu arrived in Baghdad heading a delegation to meet with Iraqi top officials and was scheduled to visit the Iraqi cities of Basra and Erbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region. Since 2015, hundreds of Turkish soldiers have been deployed in Bashiqa camp, some 30 km northeast of the Iraqi northern city of Mosul. The presence of the Turkish troops led to a dispute between Iraq and Turkey, as Baghdad repeatedly said Turkish forces violated Iraq's sovereignty by entering the country without permission. However, Ankara said that Turkish soldiers were sent to Bashiqa with the aim of training both Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and local tribal volunteers during the battles against the Islamic State (IS) militants in Mosul, which was liberated from the extremist militants on July 2017 by the Iraqi forces. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-29 05:35:28|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said on Sunday that there is no military solution to the Libyan crisis. Muscat made the remarks during a phone call with Libyan UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj, according to a statement issued by the Libyan prime minister's information office. "During the phone call, Muscat stressed that there is no military solution to the Libyan crisis, and that the solution lies in dialogue between the different Libyan parties according to the initiative of the UN envoy to Libya," the statement said. "The (Libyan) prime minister expressed appreciation to the republic of Malta, confirming that the defense on the capital and other cities will continue," the statement added. The east-based army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over the capital Tripoli from the government. The fighting so far has killed more than 270, injured at least 1,300 others, and forced more than 13,000 to flee their homes. Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid insecurity and chaos ever since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Local fishermen deliver newly caught Asian carp to Two Rivers Fisheries in Wickliffe, Kentucky, the United States, April 12, 2019. The birth of an industrial park devoted to Asian carp processing in the southeastern U.S. state of Kentucky has added to hopes that its prowess in turning the bony fish into delicacy increases the odds of winning the battle against the invasive fish in the Mississippi River. (Xinhua/Xu Xingtang) NEW YORK, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Taking on the Asian carp ravaging the Mississippi River that cuts through the U.S. Heartland, Chinese investors have set up a fish processing industrial park in Kentucky, and more investment may be spawned in other surrounding states. It may seem surprising, but there were only eight Chinese companies operating in whole Kentucky by 2018. A sudden surge in number was observed in mid-April when seven Chinese investors came and established presence in the relatively obscure Wickliffe City, Ballard County. Together with the Two Rivers Fisheries, created by Chinese American businesswoman Angie Yu and operating since 2012 in the area, these investors formed the first Asian carp industrial park in the United States. The International Fisheries Industrial Park, with the newcomers whose specialties range from making fish ball, smoked fish, dried fish, fish sauce to turning fish guts into organic fertilizers, achieves vertical processing integration and adds 150 full-time jobs. The investors, lauded by state and county officials as well as local residents for making the most of the "Asian carp crisis," toured Kentucky and nearby states, where a host of business opportunities were explored. A conversation with Dan Naes, director of operations at Brown-Forman Distillery, parent of Jack Daniel's, and a visit of Buffalo Trace, the oldest continuously-operating distillery in the United States, have acquainted the Chinese group with Kentucky's famed bourbon whiskey industry. Some of them made inquiries about becoming value-added reseller of Brown-Forman in China. A Hurun Report on whiskey consumption in China published in 2018 showed whiskey enjoyed a consecutive growth of more than 20 percent in "consumer preference" in 2016 and 2017. Xu Hao, a Chinese investor who will make fertilizer out of the discarded gut of Asian carp, was thrilled to see many similarities between Kentucky and his hometown Yunnan Province -- the horse, the water rich in calcium and great number of distilleries. Xu expected the ingenious marketing of combining whiskey drinking and horse racing, as seen in the already 20-year-long sponsorship of the Kentucky Derby by Brown-Forman's Woodford Reserve brand, will also work well among the middle-class population of Yunnan, and that of the whole China. In Perryville City, Perry County of Missouri, which is witnessing a marked population growth due to the arrival of several factories that manufacture auto parts, Mayor Ken Baer expressed hopes that Chinese investors would invest in the construction of condos, something Chinese investors are familiar with thanks to China's ongoing urbanization and construction boom. In Cairo City of Illinois, local officials encouraged Chinese investors to consider chipping in on a proposed river port terminal at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Wang Licheng, owner of Eco Fish Products Inc. in the aforementioned industrial park, was especially delighted by the boost of the river port, when completed, to cruise ship tourism in the Mississippi River, which he hopes will also bring more people to visit the industrial park area. In Arkansas, Jimmy Barnett, aquatic nuisance species coordinator at Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, lamented there was yet not a single Asian carp processing plant in the whole state even though the fish were wreaking havoc in the state's water as well. Angie Yu told Xinhua she would likely put Arkansas on top of her list when her Two Rivers Fisheries expands business, given the state's proximity to her Kentucky plant. In his speech at the launch of the International Fisheries Industrial Park in Wickliffe, Erran F. Persley, commissioner of Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, praised it as an example of how Chinese provinces and the U.S. states can keep the momentum of business going at the sub-national level. "So this investment is very important on many different levels, not only for the state, but nationally as well," Persley said. Of the 252 U.S. counties and parishes in the Delta Region, 234 are "economically distressed," according to the Delta Regional Authority. The eight-state delta region includes Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas. Next month, an idled paper mill in Wickliffe will reopen. It gets a new lease on life after being acquired by Chinese company Shanying International. More than 200 jobs will return to the local community and the number is set to grow markedly once its operation goes into full swing. According to the surveillance data, three occupants were killed and six more were wounded on April 27 Open source The Russian occupants violated the ceasefire regime 13 times, using the Minsk-banned weaponry in the Donbas combat zone. As a result, one Ukrainians soldier was wounded. The Joint Forces Operation (JFO) HQ reported this on Facebook. April 27, the Russia-backed army violated the ceasefire regime 13 times, once they used the Minsk-banned weaponry 82 mm mortar, the report said. It should be noted that the enemy shelled the Ukrainian Armed Forces with anti-aircraft installations, grenade launchers of various system heavy machine guns and small arms. In Donetsk region, the pro-Kremlin militants fired the Joint Forces operation 10 times near Pavlopil, Chermalyk, Novoselivka-2, Pyshchevyk, Krasnohorivka, Lebedynske, Pisky and Novotroitske settlements. In Luhansk region, the enemy opened fire three times near Luhanske, Pivdenne and Novooleksandrivka villages. As a result of the attack, one soldier of the Joint Forces operation was wounded. Ukrainian soldiers stopped the fire by opening fire as well. According to the surveillance data, three occupants were killed and six more were wounded on April 27. Open source On Monday, April 29, military exercises under the auspices of NATO, called the Spring Storm, will begin in Estonia. More than 9,000 troops from 13 countries will take part in it, the press service of the Estonian Defense Forces reports. The drills will last three weeks, from April 29 to May 17. The main its unit will be the 1st Infantry Brigade, and the peak intensity of the exercises will be from 2 to 10 May. In addition to infantry, armored vehicles, tanks, German and British Eurofighters, Polish aircraft Su-22, British and American helicopters Wildcat, Apache and Pavehawk, as well as Estonian air forces and helicopters will take part in the exercises. On May 6-9, the Navy will join the exercises in three locations at once - in the Tallinn port, the county of Laane and the port of Becker. It is expected that in 2019, soldiers from the United States, Belgium, Georgia, Canada, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, France, Germany, Finland, Ukraine, Great Britain and Estonia will take part in the Spring Storm. The exercises will take place in the counties of Laane-Virumaa and Ida-Virumaa, as well as in Harjumaa and Jogevamaa. Earlier Joint Forces of the Ukrainian military held anti-aircraft defense exercise. This is mentioned in the message of the press center of the HQ of Joint Forces Operation. According to the information that the Joint Forces' intelligence received, last week, the Russian assault aircraft performed drills on April 13; the Russian pilots trained to hit the ground targets. The exercise took place not far from the Ukrainian border, 20 kilometers away from it. Serhiy Nayev, the Joint Forces Operation Commander ordered the anti-aircraft drills to take place in Ukraine - as a response to the Russia-held drills. The Joint Forces' troops were represented by jet fighters, anti-aircraft defense systems S-300, Buk M-1, Osa-AKM, Strela-10, 2S6 Tunguska and ZU-23-2. "The Opposition Platform - For Life" will not create the coalition with the Servant of the people party. The head of the political council of "The Opposition Platform - For Life" party Viktor Medvedchuk stated this in the big interview with 112.Ukraine. Will such opportunity appear and will we do so? It is still unknown. What does it mean to create a coalition with a party that has other ideological ideas and other programs? How does our party differentiate today, including from the party "Servant of the people" - we do not know what waits for us tomorrow. We said: we want peace in Donbas and we want the cessation of hostilities. This was the most important expectation of the people's presidential elections - 80%, according to all sociologists. Moreover, this is also the main expectation of the parliamentary elections. However, we do not just talk about peace, we have the plan and we have approved this plan and conceptionAnd this is not just empty words or slogans, but concrete deeds. We said: here is the plan, which all those, who have the power to solve the problem, are ready to discuss. We are negotiating about gas prices they said to us: we are ready to reduce the price of gas by 25% ... This is how our party differs from other political forces. And with this we run for the elections, the parliamentary ones ," the politician said. We have stated that our party is in real opposition to the newly elected president after the results of the second round. Why? There are a number of arguments that do not allow us to say that we can support his actions concerning peace in Donbas. We do not really see that he can reach this peace, because his teams and his statements confirm that he does not support a special status, does not support the signing of the amnesty law, and says that he does not intend to carry out the Minsk deal, or to go through a peaceful settlement and the cessation of hostilities in Donbas. Concerning tariffs, direct negotiations and direct agreements on the supply of Russian gas, issues related to the gas transportation system, and issues with the restoration of economic relations with Russia no steps and no actions have been undertaken," Medvedchuk emphasized. According to the report, Medvedchuk outlined that the Servant of the People party is in the first place today, according to social polls. "But if you ask: do you agree with this? No, we are not going to agree with this. We will fight for the leadership, for the high result, and we have not just a program, but there are concrete acts that we demonstrate today, the politician added. Normalization of relations between Russia and Ukraine is possible only after the de-occupation of territories, newly elected president added Volodymyr Zelensky at a press conference after results of the exit polls were revealed, April 21, 2019 Zoya Shu/112.ua The elected president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, called for an exchange of prisoners in "all-to-all" format. He stated this on Facebook, commenting on the statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin about the intention to simplify the procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship by Ukrainians. "I emphasize once again that I am ready for negotiations. I hope that at the next meeting in the Normandy format, Russia will demonstrate readiness for de-escalation. A concrete confirmation of this readiness should be the mutual exchange of our citizens in the "all-to-all" format. Without exceptions. We are ready to discuss the new conditions for the coexistence of Ukraine and Russia. With the understanding that real normalization will take place only after full de-occupation of Donbas and Crimea. Ukraine does not give up! In every sense of the word, "wrote Zelensky. Earlier Zelensky stated that Russia should not spend their time in vain with their attempts to lure the citizens of Ukraine into getting Russian passports. Zelensky wrote on Facebook. I would not advise the Russian authorities to waste time by trying to tempt Ukrainian citizens with passports of the Russian Federation, Zelensky said. The new leader of Ukraine suggested that those who were still under the influence of propaganda perhaps want to obtain Russian passports. Perhaps someone will do it to earn money or to hide from criminal investigations. Zelensky emphasized that the difference between Ukraine and Russia was that Ukrainians had freedom of speech, free media, and the Internet in their country. So we know perfectly well what Russian passport really means, he claimed. According to the newly elected president, the Russian passport gives the possibility to be arrested for a peaceful protest, to have no free and competitive elections, or even to forget about the existence of human rights and freedoms in general. Volodymyr Zelensky who won the presidential election in Ukraine said that this country would grant citizenship to representatives of all peoples suffering from authoritarian and corrupt regimes, and first of all to Russians. He wrote this on his Facebook page. We will provide Ukrainian citizenship to representatives of all peoples suffering from authoritarian and corrupt regimes. First of all, to Russians, who today suffer the most, "said Zelensky. He stressed that Ukraine will not give up its mission to serve as an example of democracy for the post-Soviet countries. He focused on the fact that part of this mission will be the provision of protection, asylum and Ukrainian citizenship to all who are ready to fight together with the Ukrainians for freedom. Zelensky also said that Russia should not waste time trying to seduce Ukrainian citizens with Russian passports. On April 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree that simplifies the procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship for residents of the occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Applications for entry into citizenship of the Russian Federation, which are received from residents of ORDLO, should be considered no more than three months from the date of submission. Earlier Volodymyr Zelensky, called for an exchange of prisoners in "all-to-all" format. He stated this on Facebook, commenting on the statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin about the intention to simplify the procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship by Ukrainians. "I emphasize once again that I am ready for negotiations. I hope that at the next meeting in the Normandy format, Russia will demonstrate readiness for de-escalation. A concrete confirmation of this readiness should be the mutual exchange of our citizens in the "all-to-all" format. Without exceptions. We are ready to discuss the new conditions for the coexistence of Ukraine and Russia. With the understanding that real normalization will take place only after full de-occupation of Donbas and Crimea. Ukraine does not give up! In every sense of the word, "wrote Zelensky. Officers and sailors man the rails on the deck. (Photo by Zhang Qian) BEIJING, Apr. 28 (ChinaMil) -- In the afternoon of April 26, 2019, Chinese Type 054 frigate Xiangtan set sail from a military port in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province in East China, for a live-fire exercise in waters near the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Singapore, as part of the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) activities. The live-fire exercise will hold from April 29 to May 15 in waters near the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Singapore. It includes 3 phases. Phase 1, from April 29 to 30, is the event communication check and opening ceremony at the port of Busan, the ROK; Phase II from May 1 to 12 is live-fire exercises focusing on rescuing ships hijacked by pirates, coping with maritime terrorist attacks, replenishment-at-sea positioning, helicopter cross deck landings, maritime information sharing, etc. In phase III from May 12 to 15, warship open day event and closing ceremony will be held in Singapore. As an important multilateral security cooperation mechanism in the Asia Pacific region, the ADMM-Plus has carried out pragmatic cooperation in the fields of humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, maritime security, military medical service, counter-terrorism, peacekeeping and humanitarian minesweeping since its founding in 2010. Jointly sponsored by the ROK and Singapore, the exercise aims to promote mutual trust, exchanges and cooperation among participating countries and address the maritime security challenges effectively in the Asia-Pacific region. The frigate Xiangtan(Hull 531) will carry a helicopter and a special forces team to take part in the exercise. With a displacement of over 4,000 tonnes, it is a new generation missile frigate developed and constructed by China. It is Chinas main warship, with relatively strong remote surveillance, air defence and anti-submarine capacity. Zelensky suggested Russia conduct the prisoners exchange in the all for all format The newly elected president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he was ready to negotiate with Russia in the Normandy format. Zelensky wrote on Facebook I would like to emphasize once again that I am ready for talks. I hope that at the next meeting in the Norman format Russia will demonstrate readiness for de-escalation, Zelensky wrote. According to the report, the newly elected president the concrete proofs of readiness should be the mutual exchange of our prisoners in the format of all for all. Zelensky believes that the Ukrainian party is ready to discuss the new conditions for the coexistence of Ukraine and Russia, with the understanding that true normalization will only take place after the complete de-occupation of Donbas and Crimea. Zelensky also expressed hope that Russia wants to negotiate more than to shoot. Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin does not rule out the possibility to meet the newly elected president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in person. According to the report, Putin claimed he would speak about the ways of solving the Donbas crisis during the meeting if it takes place. Today, on April 28, Christians of the Eastern Rite celebrate Easter - the most important religious holiday, the day of the Resurrection of Christ. In Orthodoxy, its importance is reflected in the words "holiday of holidays and celebration of celebrations." Date of celebration The date of Easter every year is calculated according to the lunisolar calendar (there is a special table - the Alexandrian Easter), which makes the holiday transitional. This should be the first Sunday after the first full moon, which comes after the vernal equinox. The range of the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ in different years can be from April 4 to May 8. From the date of Easter depend all the other passing church holidays. Orthodox and Catholics celebrate the Resurrection of Christ on different days due to the fact that these churches use chronology of different calendars. History of Easter The Old Testament Passover became the prototype of the Easter. It was celebrated in memory of the Jewish people's exodus from the 400-year-old Egyptian slavery. Pesach (Jewish Passover) - in Hebrew "Passah" (literally "passed", "passed by") - a symbol of the Angel of Death passing the Jewish houses, while killed the first-borns of Egypt. It is worth noting that the custom of celebrating Easter appeared before the exodus and was originally associated with cattle breeding, and later with farming. In the New Testament, the name of the holiday acquired a new interpretation - liberation from the bondage of sin through the death and resurrection of Jesus. According to legend, after Jesus Christ died, his body was carried to a cave and the entrance was closed with a huge stone. A day later, women came there to pour oil on his body, but they saw that the cave was empty. On the ground there was only a veil, in which the body of Christ was wrapped. The angel who appeared in the cave said that Christ rose from the dead. U.S. Special Representative reminded that the people in Russia-controlled eastern Ukraine are Ukrainian citizens U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker called Ukrainian government to support the citizens of Donbas, who suffered from the Russian aggression. Volker wrote this Twitter. The people in Russia-controlled eastern Ukraine are Ukrainian citizen, Volker emphasized. Besides, according to the U.S. Special Representative, it is the duty of the Ukrainian government to do everything possible to support those people and alleviate the suffering caused by Russian aggression. Earlier, we reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree which facilitates the procedure of obtaining Russian citizenship for the residents of the occupied regions of Donetsk and Luhansk (ORDLO). According to the document, the application for Russias citizenship which ORDLO residents file should be considered within three months. As it was reported, Russia wanted to facilitate the process of obtaining Russian citizenship for the residents of the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics after presidential elections in Ukraine. Putins decree was required for that. Ukraines Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories and IDPs reported that people who get Russian passports will lose their Ukrainian citizenship. 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. City cracks down on polluting vehicles From:Shine | 2019-04-27 19:29 Heavy polluting construction vehicles, including machines at ports and HonqiaoInternational Airport, will be banned within Shanghais Outer Ring Road by October next year. Heavy diesel vehicles will be banned and ports and construction sites within Shanghai's Outer Ring Road and at Hongqiao International Airport by October next year as Shanghai pursues its strategy of becoming one of the world's greenest cities. As part of the city's successful long-established strategy to cut air pollution, the crackdown will begin in October,Shou Ziqi, director of Shanghai Bureau of Ecology and Environment, said on Saturday. According to a report by the bureau, the average density of Shanghais major air pollutant, PM2.5 particles, was 36 micrograms per cubic meter in 2018 a 7.7 percent drop from the previous year. The average densities of other air pollutants such as PM10, SO2 and NO2 all hit new lows last year after air quality standards were introduced in 2013. Also, for the first time, Shanghais air quality was rated as excellent or good on more than 80 percent of days last year. We still have work to do as the figure of 36 micrograms per cubic meter has not met the national standard of 35 yet, said Shou. We also face other problems including ozone pollution. The authorities have already taken many anti-air pollution measures we could think of over the past few years. "So, it will now be even more difficult if we want to achieve further improvements. Shou said citizens environmental protection awareness, including choosing public transport over than driving their own cars, will play a crucial part in Shanghais anti-pollution work. We will also encourage the improvement of fuel quality, and speed up the upgrade of boilers in the downtown area," Shou said. "Manufacturers will also be required to improve their raw materials to cut volatile organic compounds discharge. People often say that the economy is developed at the expense of the environment, which is not necessarily always true. For example, environmental protection requirements will create a fair competition platform for enterprises, as companies have to make certain investment in purchasing anti-pollution equipment. "If we dont have such requirements, some companies will cut costs to compete against their opponents, causing more pollution. The Shanghai Bureau of Ecology and Environment used to be called Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau. The new name was given since earlier this year, and with that came new responsibilities. These include the supervision of farmland environment and underground water quality. Shou saidthe bureau now plays a leading role in Shanghais ecological environment improvement works, including law enforcement. The bureau will also supervise the treatment of hazardous garbage when Shanghai applies its compulsory garbage classification policy in July. Batteries, fluorescent tubes, paint buckets, camera film and expired drugs are all hazardous garbage," Shou said. "They will be further classified after being collected from neighborhoods and sent to institutes and companies that have dealing abilities." Bleubeard and I welcome you Art, including the journey, background techniques, sewing on both paper and fabric, new experiments, photos, failures, and successes will be shared on this site. I have removed my e-mail address until such time as I can get it to work again. Thank you for understanding. You can always leave a note on my blog and I will visit you. Please check out my Previous Collaborations link above to see what projects I have been involved in over the past ten years. Current and ongoing projects only are shown below. Occasionally, Silent Sunday will showcase photos of my home, neighborhood, or community. A picture is often worth a thousand words. Feel free to drop by every second Thursday of the month for my Second Thursday Tutorials. They are interspersed with my other Tutorials found at the link above.